Chapter 176

Chapter 176

In Quyang Prefecture, many families had suffered upheavals during the wars of those years.

The Sun family was one of them. Though they hadn't been wiped out like the Han clan, their standing in Quyang Prefecture had declined considerably, with only Advisor Sun holding up the family's name.

Thus, in pursuit of promotion and wealth, Advisor Sun schemed and, with a nudge from his favorite concubine, turned his scheming attention to his eldest branch's granddaughter.

After all, the Han family had good genes—as the biological granddaughter of Seventh Aunt Han, Qian Jieer was the best-looking of the younger Sun generation.

Unfortunately, Sun Kangsheng's plan was clever, but Seventh Aunt Han refused to cooperate. She gave him a thorough tongue-lashing, turning his face purple with fury.

Back in his favorite concubine's room, Sun Kangsheng was still fuming, his chest heaving.

Concubine Dai rubbed his chest to calm him down while stoking the fire with indignation: "Master, you are the rightful head of the Sun family! Qian Jieer is a granddaughter of the Sun family—her marriage should be decided by her elders and a matchmaker."

"Just make the decision yourself—why bother asking that sister's opinion? The Han clan has been annihilated for years now. She, Seventh Lady Han, has no family to fall back on. What gives her the right to be so high and mighty? She even dares to yell at you to your face, Master!"

The more she talked, the angrier she got, her heart full of bitterness and pent-up frustration.

Though her family wasn't as illustrious as the Han clan once was, compared to Seventh Lady Han—who now had no natal family to back her—she still had a few capable brothers back home.

But just because she'd married in a step later, she was stuck forever in the position of concubine, forced to bow her head to that "elder sister" who'd lost her support. It just burned her up inside.

"What do you know!"

Sun Kangsheng, full of pent-up rage with nowhere to let it out, slammed his hand on the table, making Concubine Dai jump.

"Stupid woman! You think I don't want to lock that ungrateful bitch in the prayer hall and be done with it? Sure, her Han family is gone, but like she said, not all the Hans are dead."

"Han Baniang of the Song family, and Han Jiu of the Zhong family—they're both still alive!"

The Song family was one of the major merchant houses in Quyang Prefecture. Han Baniang was a real tigress who'd grabbed control of half her husband's family business.

As for Han Jiu, he was a real man-eating beauty. Back when the Han clan was destroyed, when her husband tried to make her "die of illness," she killed him right back—then, using her pretty face, seduced both the eldest Zhong brother and his wife.

That's right—she not only seduced the Zhong family patriarch, her husband's elder brother, but also lured away his wife as well, giving all of Quyang Prefecture a front-row seat to years of the Zhong couple's jealous squabbling.

It was precisely because of these two backing her that he couldn't just do away with his wife, who'd lost her family's protection.

When Concubine Dai heard those names, her fire was put out by half, leaving nothing but a belly full of sour jealousy and resentment. She twisted her handkerchief and muttered curses under her breath:

"Just what kind of people does this Han family raise, these girls and boys? Every single one is either a tigress or a fox spirit who's a master of seduction! It's enough to drive you mad!"

Meanwhile, next door.

In the slightly run-down little eastern courtyard where the eldest branch lived, just one wall away from the main courtyard, Seventh Aunt Han brought her granddaughter Qian Jieer, who'd cried her eyes out, back to her room, holding her close and comforting her gently.

"Grandmother's little treasure, stop crying now. As the saying goes, a man's knees are made of gold—and our girls' and boys' tears are pearls, just as precious. Crying over those black-hearted, worthless people would just be a waste, wouldn't it?"

She personally wrung out a hot cloth and wiped her granddaughter's face, her movements gentle—a world apart from the shrew who'd been raising hell in the main hall moments before.

Qian Jieer nestled in her grandmother's arms, sobbing uncontrollably, her small body trembling: "But Grandmother... I'm scared... I don't want to go to the capital. I don't want to be anybody's concubine..."

Beside them, Sun Xingwang watched his sister cry like this, his heart full of hatred, fists clenched:

"Little sister, don't be afraid! Your brother is here—I won't let them have their way! I'll study my heart out, even if I have to tie my hair to a beam and stab my thigh with an awl. I'll bust my ass to pass the imperial exams! One day, I'll make those who bully us pay!"

Though he and his sister were descendants of the Sun family, they'd never enjoyed a single bit of the Sun family's wealth and glory. Instead, because of their grandfather's neglect, the eldest branch now consisted of only the two of them—their parents and older brothers having long since been killed off by the concubines and madams in the back courtyard.

Their grandmother's family was gone, and the Eighth Aunt and Ninth Uncle-in-law who had always helped them were now advanced in years—who knew how much longer they could assist?

He had to grow up quickly to protect his grandmother and sister.

Seventh Aunt Han looked at her grandchildren before her, her heart aching yet also filled with comfort. She hugged both children and said with bitter hatred:

"My good children, grandmother's good grandchildren... It's grandmother's fault. I've failed you! If my natal family were still here, if the Han family's name hadn't fallen, would the Sun family dare to trample on my eldest branch's descendants like this?"

"In the old days when the Han family was thriving, that cursed Sun Kangsheng wouldn't even dare to let out a single fart in front of me! Now he's gotten bold."

"I only regret that when I was young in my boudoir, I only knew how to play and laze about, never properly learning skills to stand on my own. That's why, when I lost my family's protection, I was bullied by my husband's family into this state."

"Look at your Eighth Aunt—her skills are extraordinary. And your Ninth Uncle-in-law... alas, though the world gossips about him, he still managed to establish himself in that man-eating Zhong household through his own abilities, and even protects his old relatives in return."

"Only I—when the moment came, all I could do was vent with sharp words. I couldn't protect my son, and I nearly failed to protect you both..."

Seventh Aunt Han beat her chest, her face full of regret.

"Grandmother, it's not your fault. Really, it's not your fault..."

Sun Xingwang took his grandmother's hand to comfort her.

Qian Jieer also stopped crying and reached out her small hand to wipe her grandmother's tears. "It's those people who went too far!"

The three of them—grandmother and grandchildren—embraced and wept, clinging to one another.

—

The Song household.

Han Baniang, her hair already streaked with silver but still vigorous and sharp-eyed, listened to the servant's report, then slammed her well-cared-for hand down on the rosewood tea table, making the teacups rattle.

"That Sun Kangsheng! Getting more impressive with age, isn't he! My seventh sister was such a gentle, soft-natured woman in the old days, and now he's driven her to cursing in public like a common fishwife!"

"Is he thinking the Han family has no one left, or that I, Han Baniang, am too old to lift a blade?"

With that, she immediately instructed her longtime Trusted Maid standing nearby: "Go! Cause some 'appropriate' trouble for those shops of the Sun family. Let him remember well—the married ladies of the Han family haven't all died out yet!"

The maid acknowledged the order and was about to withdraw.

Then Han Baniang thought of the other Han daughters and sons who had married out and were likewise being bullied and oppressed by their husbands' families due to lack of backing.

She quickly called the maid back and sighed as she instructed: "Wait—also send gifts to the other families. We can't let people forget that the Han family still has me and Han Jiu—two aunts and uncles—standing behind them."

"Yes, old madam. This servant understands and will see to it at once."

The Trusted Maid nodded knowingly and hurried off to make arrangements.

—

The Zhong household.

Han Jiu, having heard the same news, dressed himself up anew and deliberately strolled to the bustling garden. He sat in the waterside pavilion, weeping over a pond of plump koi fish.

Though no longer young, the elegant charm of his features hadn't been entirely carried away by the years. Instead, it had settled into a distinctive, pitiable fragility that was strangely alluring.

Especially at this moment—his eyes slightly reddened, tears trembling on the verge of falling, clinging to his lashes—he was a sight that stirred one's heart.

Not long after, upon receiving the news, the eldest Madam Zhong arrived in a hurry.

Seeing Han Jiu in such a state, she was immediately overcome with distress. She quickly took out her own handkerchief and personally wiped his tears, her voice unusually gentle:

"Ninth Brother, what's the matter? Why are you so upset all of a sudden? Has some careless fool given you grief again? Or have those gossiping servants in the mansion been spreading idle talk again? Tell your sister-in-law, and I'll have them sold off right away to vent your anger!"

Her comfort only made things worse—Han Jiu's tears fell like beads from a broken string, streaming down as his voice turned mournful and pitiful:

"Waa... Sister Fang, with you holding things down in the mansion, who would dare give me grief... It's just, I heard about what happened to Seventh Sister..."

"That Sun family bunch is up to their old tricks again. This time they've set their sights on my poor grandniece, wanting to send her off as a concubine to some decrepit old man! They think they can push the Han family around because we've got no one to fight back..."

He raised his tearful eyes, filled with grief and indignation: "Think back to when our Han family was at its peak—how did Sun Kangsheng crawl and kiss up to win my Seventh Sister's hand in marriage?"

"But when the Han family fell on hard times, he turned his back without a shred of loyalty, letting those lowly concubines bully my Seventh Sister and her children and grandchildren... That Concubine Dai even dared to slander me behind my back, calling me... calling me a seductive curse..."

At this point, he seemed overwhelmed by sorrow, unable to contain himself:

"Sister Fang, her words were cruel, but... but some of what she said wasn't wrong... Back then, to give my husband an heir, I shamelessly went along with my brother-in-law... to conceive a child with him... A dirty thing like me—after giving birth to that child, I should have followed my husband to the grave. Why linger on in this world, inviting ridicule and ruining Seventh Sister's name..."

Grand-Uncle Han Jiu had once been the most renowned beauty in Quyang Prefecture. Even now, with age catching up, it didn't diminish his ability to weep in a way that tugged at one's heartstrings.

After all these decades, the eldest Madam Zhong still fell for that pretty-boy act. She immediately retorted angrily:

"Nonsense! How could that possibly be your fault? Back then, that old lecher of mine was the one who took a fancy to you, using the pretext of continuing both family lines and carrying on Fourth Brother's line to force you into it!"

"Besides, the elders in the ancestral hall all nodded their approval—it was done in the open, above board, a proper act of succession. Who would dare say a word against it? Ninth Brother, you must not take those vile people's filthy words to heart!"

"The Sun family has grown quite arrogant—can't even control a concubine's yapping! Don't worry, Ninth Brother, your sister-in-law will go sort them out for you!"

Hearing this, Han Jiu was secretly delighted. He immediately broke into a smile through his tears and leaned into the eldest Madam Zhong's arms, saying: "Sister is still the one who treats me best..."

"Of course." The eldest Madam Zhong felt all warm and fuzzy, basking in his affection, and didn't forget to take a jab at her own husband: "We're both delicate flowers, so I can empathize with your hardships. Unlike that old fogey at home—all thumbs and no finesse, with no idea how to be considerate!"

Her Ninth Brother truly was the famed beauty of Quyang Prefecture back in the day. Even if his youthful looks had faded, he was still a sight for sore eyes, and his words were sweet to the ear.

She only regretted not being a man, so that Ninth Brother could bear her children—what a shame that old geezer at home gets to have him!

And the old geezer himself, the Zhong family patriarch, returned upon hearing the news to witness this very scene of mutual affection.

The patriarch stamped his foot in fury: "Shameless woman! In broad daylight, under the open sky, a respectable married woman like you pawing at your brother-in-law all day—what kind of propriety is that? Let Ninth Brother go at once!"

The eldest Madam Zhong, far from letting go, only pulled Han Jiu closer and glared back: "What impropriety? As the eldest sister-in-law, I'm concerned for my brother-in-law—what's wrong with that? As for you, we agreed it was about continuing both family lines and preserving Fourth Brother's legacy—no one said you could actually treat your brother-in-law as your own bedmate! You old reprobate!"

"You! You're playing word games!"

"No shame at your age!"

The couple began their usual jealous squabbling again.

The Zhong household staff: ...

Here we go again.

After all these years, how was Han Jiu, that handsome troublemaker, still able to make the master and mistress of the house come to blows over him?!