Chapter 179

Chapter 179

Although the Sun family was despicable, Han Zhang hadn't originally planned to take Sun Kangsheng's life.

It wasn't that he was merciful, but rather that everyone who crossed him soon went to meet the King of Hell under mysterious circumstances. Even without proof, folks would start pointing fingers at him.

There were plenty of ways to deal with troublemakers, and he couldn't keep using the same trick.

Unfortunately, Sun Kangsheng was hell-bent on getting himself killed. Not only did he want to hold the dowry hostage, but he also wanted to use the two younger cousins as leverage. Han Zhang would just have to grant his wish.

But nobody could figure out what was really going on.

So once they got back to the inn, Seventh Aunt Han started pressing him anxiously: "Eldest Brother, didn't we agree on a mutual separation? Why did you hold me back just now?"

Grandfather Han and the others looked at him, puzzled.

Han Zhang didn't answer right away. Instead, he poured Seventh Aunt Han a cup of hot tea, then served Grandfather Han and the other elders in turn before he finally explained slowly:

"Don't fret, Aunt. Sun Kangsheng not only wants to hold the dowry hostage, but he also wants to keep the cousins here. It's obvious he's not just trying to take a bite out of us—he wants to keep squeezing us for more later. How can we let him get away with such greed?"

"He's the cousins' biological grandfather, so he's got the moral high ground on paper. If he digs in his heels and refuses, we can't just drag the cousins away by force."

"As for giving up stuff to get him to back off—that's a no-go! The suffering you've put up with in the Sun family all these years, and the blood debt owed for Uncle and Aunt—if we just let this slide, then every girl and boy from our Han family who marries out will get bullied to death by their in-laws!"

Grandfather Han and the others nodded at that: "Eldest Brother makes a good point. We can't give an inch on this. If we back down, the Suns will just push for more, and then there'll be no peace at all."

But if neither sweet talk nor strong-arm tactics would work, what were they supposed to do?

Seventh Aunt Han thought of her granddaughter's situation, and her eyes welled up again. Her voice was full of despair:

"Then what are we supposed to do? Qian'er is already old enough to marry. If we keep putting this off, that Concubine Dai will definitely stir up trouble again and bring up Qian'er's marriage to that damned old man."

After all, Sun Kangsheng was Qian'er's biological grandfather, so he had more say in his granddaughter's marriage than her grandmother did.

If that old geezer married her off to some no-good family, then Qian'er's whole life would be ruined.

"Rest assured, Aunt. Your grandnephew already has a plan. I won't let the Suns get their hands on Cousin. Just give me two days."

Since some matters couldn't be explained directly, Han Zhang temporarily reassured her this way.

Seventh Aunt Han couldn't think of a better solution herself, so in the end, she could only choose to trust him and suppress her anxious feelings while waiting for news.

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Seeing Sun Kangsheng's arrogance earlier, after Han Zhang left with an ambiguous attitude, he began to panic and worry, pacing back and forth in the hall.

After all, he was wicked, not stupid.

Although he didn't yet know Han Zhang's background, the fact that Han Zhang dared to come and back up his aunt proved that he must have some support.

And his Sun family was now nothing but a hollow shell—living off their savings for years, with most of their business ventures in decline and their clansmen unambitious. If it truly came to a fight, he didn't have much confidence in holding his ground.

But Concubine Dai didn't see it that way. She brought hot tea forward and tried to persuade him:

"Master, you needn't worry so much. I think the Han family is just putting on a show. If they really had any tricks up their sleeves, they would have forced you to write the divorce papers directly, wouldn't they? Why would they sit down and discuss things amicably with us?"

"And as for saying they'll visit another day—I think that's just an excuse. The Han family left Yanzhou years ago and have no roots here anymore. Even if they've prospered elsewhere, a strong dragon can't crush a local snake!"

"Master and Sister are lawfully wedded, and you're the biological grandfather of Xing Wang and Qian'er. We hold the moral high ground. No matter how powerful the Han family is, they can't just snatch people away openly, can they?"

"As long as we keep the two children in our hands, the Han family will be constrained and can't touch us! We can even turn around and keep bleeding the Han family dry!"

Concubine Dai's imagination ran wild, as if she could already see the Han family being forced to bow their heads and deliver large sums of money to their doorstep.

But Sun Kangsheng wasn't so optimistic. His face darkened, and his murky eyes stared fixedly at Concubine Dai. After a long moment, he squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth:

"Stupid woman, what do you know? All you do is spout useless nonsense!"

Concubine Dai was startled by the sudden scolding, nearly dropping the teacup in her hand. A few drops of scalding hot tea splashed onto the back of her hand, causing the forced smile on her face to freeze. She said pitifully:

"Master... I-I was just trying to ease your worries. No matter how powerful the Han family is, they can't defy the imperial laws, can they?"

"Laws? Hmph!" Sun Kangsheng said irritably: "If laws actually worked, would the yamen have so many old cases gathering dust at the bottom of their files? Would those lowly servants and commoners still be at our mercy to scold and beat as we please?"

"The way the Han family left so casually just now, they're probably plotting something behind our backs. My Sun family can't afford any more trouble right now..."

"Ah, if I'd known the Han family would rise again, I should have finished things off completely back then! It's all that stupid woman's fault—insisting on some slow torture approach. Now look what's happened—you've given Seventh Madam Han a chance to turn things around!"

The more Sun Kangsheng thought about it, the angrier he became. He shifted all the blame onto Concubine Dai, scolding her angrily to mask his own incompetence and panic.

Concubine Dai was also burning with resentment at being scolded, secretly hating this useless old man for being both cowardly and fearful.

It was this dead old coward who, out of fear of Han Ba and Han Jiu, hadn't dared to directly kill his first wife all these years. How dare he blame her now?

What a useless old wretch!

But no matter how much she cursed him in her heart, Sun Kangsheng was still her "meal ticket."

In the end, Concubine Dai could only force a smile uglier than tears, step forward, and pretend to be affectionate as she massaged Sun Kangsheng's shoulders, her voice turning soft and sticky:

"Master, calm down. It's all my fault. I just saw how worried you were and wanted to cheer you up. You're a generous man—please don't let this ruin your health over such a small matter."

"But Master, I still think that no matter how powerful the Han family is, in the end, they're outsiders who've been away from Yanzhou for years."

"And our Sun family, even if not what it once was, is still a dying camel bigger than a horse. Back then, Han Ba and Han Jiu had the backing of the Song and Zhong families and still couldn't do anything to us. The Han family certainly can't do much to us anytime soon either."

"Now that things have come to a head, we might as well strike first—let's send Sister on her way first..."

She paused, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in her eyes, but her tone grew even softer:

"That way, what divorce and dowry? Once she's gone, everything naturally belongs to our Sun family, and Xing Wang and Qian'er can only be decided by you, Master, as their grandfather, right?"

Although she was reluctant to let Seventh Madam Han die so easily, that large dowry was ultimately more important.

If they really let Seventh Madam Han succeed in divorcing and taking the dowry away, the Sun family would become an empty shell!

Then how could she continue enjoying her life of luxury, wearing gold and silver, commanding servants, in this household? What would happen to her children and grandchildren?

"Let me think about it..."

Sun Kangsheng was tempted, but he also feared that if things failed, there would be no room for turning back. He waved his hand, indicating he would consider it.

Seeing this, Concubine Dai wasn't anxious. She had accompanied this old man for decades and knew exactly what kind of person he was—cowardly yet ruthless. He would eventually adopt this suggestion.

However.

Concubine Dai would be disappointed.

Because Han Zhang understood the principle of striking first better than she did, and Han Zhang always acted with swift and decisive force.

So, while the two were still scheming indoors, pondering how to act "safely," Han Zhang, on the second night after the divorce talks fell through, once again became the "masked vigilante" and slipped into the Sun residence without a sound.

Taking advantage of the moment when Sun Kangsheng was being attended to by his concubine, he gave him a fatal stroke!

"Ah—"

With a scream, the Sun residence erupted into chaos.

Concubine Dai, hearing the servant's report, felt no grief at all—only sheer delight: "What? That old bastard's dead?"

She shot up from the daybed, her eyes burning with excitement—with the old man dead, wouldn't the Sun estate be hers for the taking? The gold, silver, land deeds, and treasures in the storerooms...

Overjoyed, Concubine Dai threw on her clothes and excitedly ordered her trusted maid:

"Quick, bar the gates! Nobody leaves the estate without my say-so! The master's death doesn't get out before dawn, got it?"

She had to grab the account books, storeroom keys, land deeds, and banknotes before anyone else in the Sun family could react.

Otherwise, once those greedy relatives from the clan, or Seventh Lady Han, heard the news and rushed back, a lowly concubine like her wouldn't have a say at all!

Imagining the sweet days ahead—no more kowtowing to anyone, ruling the whole Sun estate—she was so giddy her feet barely touched the ground as she rushed out.

But she was counting her chickens way too early.

The moment she stepped out the door, before her foot even hit the stone steps, Han Zhang, lurking in the shadows, flicked a silent blast of his Power at her knee.

"Ah—"

Caught off guard, she stumbled, yelped, and pitched forward, her head cracking against the sharp corner of the step. A huge gash split her skull open, blood and brains splattering everywhere.

"The Sun family... I... it's mine..."

Concubine Dai collapsed in the pool of blood, one hand still clawing at the air, as if reaching for the riches that were almost hers, but in the end, she could only stare wide-eyed, dying with regret.

"Ah, Lady Dai is dead, Lady Dai is dead too..."

"Both Lady Dai and the master are dead, what do we do now?"

"Quick, go tell the young master!"

"Quick, go tell the madam!"

"Quick, summon the Elder!"

The Sun estate's servants were in a panic, while the maids and servants with their own loyalties took the chance to slip away and tip off their masters.

With the master gone and Concubine Dai, who managed the household, also dead, now was the time to divide the family property—why wait?

Though Seventh Lady Han had endured hard years in the Sun residence, she still had a few loyal servants, and the Han family quickly received word as well.

"Let's go, to the Sun residence!"

Having returned in time and long prepared, Han Zhang wasted no more moments, leading the Han family to the Sun estate to contend for the family fortune.