Chapter 1: The Third Son of the Yang Family

  "Old master, it's terrible!!" A flustered voice came from outside the study, belonging to a sixty-year-old man who looked like a butler.

  "Slap"

  The person in the house closed the book in his hand, raised his head, and his sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes were reflected in the sunset. His knife-cut face looked even more stern and calm, with bright eyes full of spirit, filled with the vicissitudes of the years.

  He stood up and walked to the door, his pace was not fast, but firm and steady, with a deep hidden fatigue.

  "Ouch"

  The man pushed open the door and looked at the butler in front of him with a worried face, asking: "What happened?"

  The housekeeper looked at the man with some trepidation, pointing a trembling finger at the hall and stuttering: "Third, Third Master, he's made another mistake!"

  "Where is he?" The man looked at the sunset on the western mountain, his tone without a hint of fluctuation.

  "He was caught red-handed in the hall and brought back." The butler bowed slightly to one side, allowing the man to walk ahead of him as he continued his report.

  The man walking in front turned back and asked: "This time, did he remove someone's car wheel or block someone's chimney?"

  "This... " He hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping himself.

  The man slowed down slightly, turned his face and said, "Speak." Then he continued on his way.

  The housekeeper followed behind, cautiously saying: "This time it's not like the small fights before, he burned down one of Wang Wu's grain warehouses... and was caught while escaping."

  The man in front suddenly stopped again, the butler immediately stopped, lowered his head and dared not to speak. He knew that this old master was usually very gentle, but once he became severe, it was like a different person.

  "This unfilial son!" The man waved his sleeve and quickened his pace, with the steward immediately following behind him.

  The sunset on the western mountain slowly falls, and a piece of orange red opens.

  The Yang family, the number one family in Yucheng City, only because the head of the Yang family, Yang Sanwang, is also the city master of Yucheng City.

  The small town of Yangcheng, on the western edge of the Zhou Dynasty, was a remote and rarely visited place. The entire town had only about a hundred households. Due to its proximity to the wilderness, the local customs were naturally rough and untamed. Every adult male could capture tigers and wolves with their bare hands, and climbing cliffs and walls was child's play. Before Yang Sanwang arrived as the city lord, this place was very backward and had many savage and primitive customs. However, after Yang Sanwang came, he devoted himself to developing the town's civilization, promoting education, and passing on the culture of the Zhou Dynasty, eliminating the dregs and retaining the essence. In just a few years, he brought peace and tranquility to this place. As a result, all the townspeople deeply respected and loved him.

  At this moment, in the Yang family hall, a scene that had been repeated many times was being performed again.

  "You scoundrel, do you know your mistake?!" Yang San sat on a red wooden chair, his sword-like eyebrows furrowed, his voice eerily solemn. The butler stood behind him with a respectful face, secretly winking at the child tied up in the hall, hinting for him to admit his fault.

  That child was born with a fair and clean complexion, looking like he's seven or eight years old, an handsome young boy. Although he was tied up, his eyes were very mischievous. At this moment, there was a lot of mud on his body, it was clear that he had been playing wildly.

  "Hmph!" The boy glanced at the man on the chair, without a hint of respect, stubbornly tilting his head to one side, completely disregarding how the housekeeper gestured.

  "Alas, this Third Young Master is really..." The steward could only shake his head in dismay.

  Next to the boy stood a sturdy adult man, still gripping one end of the hemp rope tightly in his hand. He glared at the boy on the ground with a furious expression, seemingly unable to resist giving him a few blows. However, he was somewhat restrained in front of Yang Sanpang. Although he knew that the city master wasn't someone who spoiled his children, no one could guarantee that he wouldn't be punished for beating the city master's son in front of him.

  Yang Sanwang looked at the boy's mischievous appearance and hummed softly, turning his head to ask: "Wang Wu, what's going on?"

  The man named Wang Wu, who had been silent until now, tightened the rope in his hand before speaking: "City Master, I was originally doing business at the front desk when I suddenly smelled smoke coming from the grain warehouse. I rushed over to take a look and coincidentally bumped into Third Young Master holding a torch to set fire to the grain warehouse. When he saw me, he tried to run away, so I caught him. However, since Third Young Master has been practicing martial arts since childhood, I was afraid he would break free, so I took the liberty of tying him up with this rope. I hope City Master won't blame me."

  Yang San waved his hand, indicating that he didn't need to mind this, then looked at the boy again, raised his voice and asked sternly: "Is this true?"

  The boy turned his head, slanting his eyes at Yang Sanpang and said stubbornly: "So what if I did?! If this guy hadn't arrived so quickly, I would have burned down a few more granaries!"

  "Hey you! Lord City, look at him..." Wang Wu was furious and angrily pointed at the boy, speaking to Yang San.

  The housekeeper stepped forward and grabbed Wang Wu, not allowing him to actually take action.

  Yang San's stern gaze remained fixed on the boy, saying: "Why burn the grain warehouse? This is the villagers' food. Without food, what will the villagers eat? You also know that feeling hungry is very uncomfortable, right?"

  The boy struggled and twisted his body, trying to break free from the rope. Wang Wu saw this and tightened the rope again, which was already very tight, deeply embedded in the flesh, and the marks were visible to the naked eye.

  Feeling the pain, the boy furrowed his brow, took a deep breath, and reluctantly calmed down. With a justified tone, he said: "Xiao Yan'er said that if I dared to do something big enough to cause a sensation, she would kiss me once, so I went to burn the granary."

  The guards in the hall looked at each other in dismay, and the steward and Wang Wu exchanged a glance, both seeing the word "speechless" in each other's eyes.

  "This is what you call a big deal?" Yang San also felt his head spinning, but still asked coldly.

  "Isn't something that can make a grown-up angry a big deal?" the little boy asked loudly.

  Yang Sanwang felt that it would be impossible to change the boy's worldview for the time being, so he turned to Wang Wu and said: "You go back first, I'll give you an explanation tomorrow morning."

  Wang Wu heard this and didn't hesitate. He knew the city master was a man of his word, and it was even less likely that he would cover for Third Young Master, so he loosened his grip on the rope and bowed his head in thanks: "Alright, thank you, City Master. I'll take my leave then." After saying this, he also bowed to the steward before leaving.

  The housekeeper saw Wang Wu off and turned back to Yang Sanwang: "Master, this..."

  Yang Sanweng had already stood up from his chair, walked slowly to the front of the little boy, with a gloomy face and eyes fixed on the boy. A sense of oppression rushed forward, pressing the little boy who had just untied the rope and stood up again to kneel on the ground once more.

  "Bang"

  The sound of the kneecap hitting the ground was low and dull, but loud enough that everyone in the room could feel how painful this collision was. It seemed like Yang Sanfeng didn't have a shred of mercy.

  "Old master..." The steward's heart ached as he opened his mouth to plead, but was cut off by Yang Sanwang's sudden angry shout.

  Yang Sanpang shouted at the boy: "Stand up!"

  That really hurt, it could be seen from the boy's twisted expression. He gritted his teeth and didn't make a sound, but bit his lip and fresh red blood dripped onto the ground, dripping onto Yang Sanwang's feet.

  The boy raised his head and glared at Yang Sanwang. Yang Sanwang's eyes showed no warmth, only indifference.

  After a long time, the boy lowered his head, propped himself up with both hands on the ground, and desperately resisted that oppressive feeling. He struggled to get up, struggling to make the man in front of him surprised.

  However, this is obviously not something that can be easily done, Yang San forgot his ruthless heart, and it seems that he never thought of letting him stand up.

  "Chirp"

  Dripping onto the ground, blocked by the small boy's tiny body, it was unclear whether it was sweat or tears. His young body trembled, on the verge of collapse at any moment.

  "Master, this is going too far, Third Young Master is only eight years old." The steward stepped forward, his heart aching.

  However, before Yang Sanwang could speak up, the little boy's slightly trembling voice shouted out: "Grandpa Yang Lin, don't plead for me, I don't need his pity!"

  "Hey, Third Master, why make things difficult for yourself? The old master just wants you to admit your mistake, so just admit it..." Yang Lin leaned forward slightly, persuading him with a bitter tone.

  "I don't want to!!" The little boy shouted out again, but seemed to have exhausted all his strength, and with a "thud", he fell to the ground, panting heavily.

  Yang San's eyes flashed with a hint of unbearable pain, but it was immediately replaced by a stern expression. He shouted loudly: "Yang Yu Xi! Get up! Aren't you supposed to be very capable? Aren't you going to do great things?! Now why are you lying on the ground like a turtle?! If you have what it takes, then get up and let me see!!"

  A faint clinking sound of metal swords came from the side, presumably some guards couldn't bear it and moved their bodies slightly, touching the swords, but seeing Yang San's appearance, they didn't dare to come forward to plead.

  Yang Yu Xi's body suddenly shook violently, and then her small limbs exerted force again, trying to prop herself up. The marks on her arms were so clear.

  Everyone fell silent, looking at the hardworking Third Young Master with aching hearts. The Third Young Master was very mischievous and loved to play pranks, but he wasn't inherently bad. The guards also liked him very much.

  "Come on, Third Master!"

  Yang Yu Xi strained, with blue veins bulging on his four limbs, his small face flushed bright red, he bit his lip tightly, his clothes had long been soaked through with sweat, sticking to him wetly, sweat and tears mixed with the fresh blood at the corner of his mouth dripping drop by drop.

  "This oppression is too strong, it's much more severe than the last two times I blocked the chimney with a wheel, it seems that this time he's really angry. Hehe, I'm so capable, let's see if he'll ignore me in the future! However, for now, let's get up first and talk about it later, can't let him look down on me!"

  The potential of human beings is always being activated in this or that unforeseen situation.

  At this moment, Yang Yu Xi is in such a situation. Under his father's oppression, the potential within him was finally triggered. Although it was very difficult, he eventually stood up under this strong pressure.

  His body kept trembling, as if he would fall down at any moment, but in the end, he steadied himself and stood upright in front of Yang Sanwang, his stubborn eyes staring straight at him, not showing a hint of fear.

  "Third Master..." The steward looked at the boy in front of him incredulously, he clearly knew how great the pressure was, but Third Master actually stood up.

  Yang San forgot the surprise in his eyes, looking at this stubborn son in front of him, he was also a little helpless in his heart. He knew that his son's current stubborn and unruly personality was inseparable from him, and the discipline or care he had given him was really too little.

  Because of this third son, it really came suddenly, leaving his father at a loss.