Chapter 20

Chapter 20

As the saying goes, good bamboo can produce bad shoots, and bad bamboo can produce good shoots.

Han Zhang felt there was some truth to these old sayings. The rest of the Han family were all quite decent, except for his Fifth Aunt, who seemed like a genetic mutation, completely out of place.

Not only was she selfish, but even her appearance wasn't as good as the others in the family.

It's worth noting that the Han family had once been a distinguished clan, and after generations of refinement, Grandfather Han, Clan Chief Han, and the other elder brothers were all very handsome.

Thus, the younger generation of the Han clan were all famously good-looking throughout the region.

But Fifth Aunt's looks were merely average—she wasn't even what you'd call pretty, let alone delicate.

Why, if she wasn't that attractive, did she still manage to marry a constable in the city?

—One could only say Fifth Aunt knew how to get what she wanted, just like Miss Sun didn't like the original Han Zhang but preferred the smooth-talking scholar Luo.

As someone who had seen countless modern online dramas, Han Zhang held himself back again and again.

Finally, he couldn't help asking: "Grandfather, Grandmother, is Fifth Aunt really your biological daughter? Could she have been swapped? I don't think her looks or personality resemble anyone in our family at all."

Although this possibility was minuscule—who would bother swapping a child into such a poor farming family?

But the world is vast and full of wonders—what if?

The Han family members were stunned by the question.

Grandfather Han and Grandmother Han were also taken aback, hesitating: "No, that can't be... Zhen'er was born right here at home, and nothing went wrong during the delivery. Besides, with our family's circumstances, who would go to such trouble..."

"That makes sense." Han Zhang nodded, then added softly, almost to himself, "But Fifth Aunt really doesn't look like any of us..."

With that, he fell silent and said no more.

Because whether this guess was true or false, he intended to make it "true."

This Fifth Aunt of the original Han Zhang was clearly a cancer. Since he was determined to enter government service in the future, he absolutely couldn't leave behind such an obvious burden that would drag him down!

Call him vicious or ruthless if you must.

The Han Zhang who had come this far couldn't possibly be a truly kind person.

But now was not the time to deal with Fifth Aunt. After solving the issue of the divorced and abandoned young women and men in the clan, Master Sun and the Luo family were still eyeing them menacingly.

These people had already dealt a deadly blow to the Han family and wanted to break his arms and legs, crippling him.

If he didn't retaliate, he would lose his peace of mind.

But how to retaliate required careful consideration; he couldn't do it too obviously.

Otherwise, when his future father-in-law investigated him and found that he was too ruthless, far from the gentle, jade-like demeanor he was rumored to have, and thought he was hard to control, refusing to let him marry his beautiful husband—what then?

Thinking it over.

Hearing that in a few days it would be the wedding day of Xiucai Luo and Miss Sun...

Han Zhang looked at the Plant Power flowing through his fingertips, a faint smile curling the corners of his mouth, and suddenly had a brilliant idea!

Yes.

He planned to use his Plant Power to cause some trouble.

The ancients revered gods and ghosts; when it came to mysterious celestial phenomena, things could be made a big deal of.

If happiness turned to misfortune on the wedding day of the Sun and Luo families due to "heavenly anomalies" bringing bad luck—then no one could blame him, a humble scholar.

...

Once the plan was set, he acted.

On the surface, Han Zhang pretended to be no match for the Sun family's power. He first calmed the clan members who had been caught up in the trouble, then put on an expression of bearing humiliation and vowing to work harder, returning to the academy to study hard.

But in secret, he disguised himself and went to survey the Sun family's mansion, counting the number of flowers and plants on the premises.

Unfortunately, although his Plant Power had crossed over with him, its strength had waned. It wasn't as powerful as in the apocalypse, and he could now only control a limited number of plants, so he needed to plan carefully.

After several days of preparation, the wedding day of the Sun and Luo families finally arrived.

The Sun family was already a wealthy clan in the region, with a member serving as an official in the court. Master Sun had a close relationship with this official cousin, so naturally the wedding was packed with guests and buzzing with excitement.

Even the official cousin took leave from court to attend in person—what a grand occasion!

The Luo family, who had risen in status, were all beaming with pride and self-satisfaction.

Luo's mother couldn't contain herself and once again swaggered over to the Han family's doorstep, taunting them with barbed words:

"Oh my, Uncle Han, Aunt Han, and you, mother of the eldest boy—why are you all sitting inside moping? Why not come to our place for the wedding feast?"

"We're all neighbors after all. My son Ying is marrying the Sun family's young lady today—such a spectacle, such grandeur! You simply must come to join the fun and have a few drinks!"

"What? Could it be that you're embarrassed because your eldest son failed to secure Miss Sun's hand in marriage?"

"Oh, that's nothing! Even if the betrothal didn't work out, we're still neighbors. Besides, your eldest is indeed a bit inferior compared to my Ying. It's no wonder Miss Sun looked down on him."

"In life, one must know their place, or else they'll end up a laughingstock. Don't you think so, Aunt Han?"

Luo's mother grew more smug with each word, every sentence dripping with sarcasm.

In the past, the Han family's eldest son had always overshadowed her son. Now that she had turned the tables in the marriage matter, she could finally hold her head high!

But the Han family were no pushovers.

Hearing her belittle their eldest grandson, Grandmother Han straightened up, planted her hands on her hips, and shot back:

"So what? So what if your son is nowhere near as accomplished as my eldest? If you're unhappy, tell your son to rank among the top in the academy exams every time too! Marrying well is no big deal. A real man should stand on his own two feet and rely on his own ability."

"Besides, is your son really marrying? Bowing and scraping to the Sun family—how is that any different from being a live-in son-in-law!"

Han's mother joined in, also with hands on hips: "No matter how good the marriage, the imperial examinations test real talent. Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—fortunes change. Luo Ying's mother, I advise you not to laugh too soon, or else extreme joy will turn to sorrow..."

"Oh, by the way, do you even know what 'extreme joy turns to sorrow' means? Of course you don't—since when has your son ever been affectionate with you? Unlike my eldest, who is filial and sensible, helping with chores, copying books to earn money, and he even teaches me how to read!"

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law joined forces, their momentum unabated, showing no regard for Mother Luo's boasts or the Sun family's power.

Since they had already openly fallen out and the Sun family was targeting the Hans at every turn, why should they continue to stomach this outrage?

This wretched woman dared to mock their son and grandson—let's see if they can't pierce her heart!

Indeed, Mother Luo's heart was pierced.

Because it was true that the eldest Han son was more considerate to his family than Luo Ying. No matter how furious she was, she couldn't refute a fact everyone could see.

"You... hmph, you're just green with envy that my son married Miss Sun, jealous that our family is about to prosper!"

"I won't stoop to your level. Today we have officials' wives to entertain at home. It's a good thing you're not coming—at least you won't embarrass yourselves!"

Mother Luo's face turned pale and greenish by turns. Huffing with anger, she tossed out those words, turned around, and walked away to save face.

After returning home.

Having wanted to show off but instead been angered, Mother Luo grew increasingly unwilling to let it go. Finally, gritting her teeth, she took out two taels of silver from her purse and went straight to find those suona players.

"Find a few more men, and on the wedding procession today, blow with all your strength! I want the entire region to hear our Luo family's joy today and grind their teeth with envy—those Hans!"

The suona players eagerly accepted the tip, patting their chests and promising to do their utmost.

"Sure thing, Auntie, you can rest easy! We've been doing this for over ten years. We may not have much, but we have good lungs and loud voices! We'll make it so lively and loud that even people in the next valley hear it!"

When Xiucai Luo learned of his mother's actions, he did not stop her, because today he too wanted to shine.

And so.

Amidst the suona players' vigorous playing, Xiucai Luo, riding the tall horse provided by the Sun family, arrived at the Sun residence's gate in grand style to pick up the bride, as more and more curious villagers gathered around.

"Respected father-in-law, your son-in-law Luo Ying has come to take your beloved daughter as his bride..."

Xiucai Luo made a respectful bow, his tone reverent.

Master Sun held this son-in-law in low regard, but on this joyous day with everyone watching, he could only force a broad smile, stroke his beard, and cheerfully call him "worthy son-in-law," exchanging pleasantries at the gate according to etiquette.

The scene was full of festive cheer and harmony.

As for Han Zhang, he had disguised himself and was hiding among the crowd, patiently waiting for the right moment.

Until Miss Sun was helped out of the Sun residence by the matchmaker and, holding the red silk ribbon with Xiucai Luo, was about to set off—

Suddenly, the flowers, plants, and trees around the Sun residence instantly withered and died before everyone's eyes!

Only bare, dead branches pointed toward the sky.

"Oh no! Look! The flowers... the plants have all died!"

"Heavens! This... this is an omen from heaven!"

"What omen? It's clearly heaven's punishment! It's not just the plants—even the big trees around have died in an instant!"

The crowd erupted in shocked cries and backed away in fear.

For plants to wither in an instant was an unmistakable bad omen.

"How could this be?!"

"Finished... it's all over now..."

The faces of both the Luo and Sun families turned ashen, and some of the more timid ones collapsed to the ground, legs giving way.

Under the emperor's very shadow, with imperial might sweeping all around, for such an ill omen to occur at a wedding between two families—if word got out, even if they escaped with their lives, they'd be skinned alive.

Master Sun nearly fainted on the spot.

This blame must not be shouldered! Once branded with "heaven's punishment" and "ill omen," the entire Sun clan would suffer, and his own official cap would be forfeited by tomorrow.

Think, you blockhead, think! The veins on Master Sun's forehead bulged, his mind racing at lightning speed, searching for an escape.

Xiucai Luo broke out in a cold sweat, his own mind racing frantically. As a scholar well-versed in the classics, how could he not understand the consequences of this phenomenon?

In the blink of an eye, as they say, old ginger is the spiciest.

The wily old fox Master Sun struck first, pointing at the Luo family and shouting sternly:

"It must be that the Luo family has behaved improperly, violating heavenly principles and human ethics! That is why the wrath of heaven and the resentment of the people have been incurred!"

"Today, my Sun ancestors, through their spirits, revealed this omen to stop this marriage, to keep my pure and unblemished family from being tainted by your filthy household!"

The Luo family members' faces went pale, their eyes almost bulging with rage.

How shameless the Suns were, trying to pin all the blame on the Luos!

The Luos naturally could not accept such a charge.

Xiucai Luo immediately stepped forward, refuting loudly:

"Master Sun, stop slandering us and twisting the truth! The omen clearly occurred at your Sun family's gate, killing your Sun family's plants!"

"By my reckoning, it is your Sun family that is wealthy and heartless, committing many injustices, which has invited the wrath of heaven and popular indignation! Today, it is my Luo ancestors who have shown this sign, forbidding me, Luo Ying, from marrying into your beastly family!"

In an instant, both families tore off their facades in public, each dog biting the other as they shifted blame.