Coming out from Wanhong Tower, surrounded by Zhao Kuo, Lin Haizheng and others, Han Qian rode his horse back to the residence, still pondering in his heart what kind of argument he could use to make his father determined to leave Jinling and take up an official post in the provinces.

Reaching the alley entrance, Han Qian saw from afar two carriages and over a dozen sturdy horses stopped outside the residence. Looking at the wheel tracks filled with mud and the horses hanging their heads listlessly as they ate bean fodder from the stone troughs in front of the residence, he wondered in his heart how there could be so many distant guests visiting the house today.

Han Qian walked into the front courtyard and heard some familiar voices from inside. At this moment, two delicately carved jade-like children burst out from inside the decorative gateway like jumping rabbits, nearly crashing headfirst into Han Qian’s embrace.

“Qiongyu, watch your little brother, don’t let him fall,” a beautiful young woman wearing a deep blue ru skirt chased out from the courtyard, watching the boy and girl who had run out. Suddenly seeing Han Qian and the others standing in the front courtyard, she was startled and stared blankly at Han Qian for a moment before asking uncertainly, “Qilang?”

Early last year, when Han Qian came from Xuanzhou to Jinling to reunite with his father, he was only seventeen or eighteen years old but had already indulged deeply in carnal affairs, and with all-night drinking and gambling parties, his body had long been hollowed out. Despite his slender height of nearly five and a half chi, he weighed only about a hundred jin, truly emaciated to an extreme degree.

Over the past seven or eight months, except for staying at the marquis residence or being pulled over to Wanhong Tower for discussions, Han Qian had diligently practiced saber, bow, and horsemanship without rest every day. Although he didn’t grow as refined and handsome as Feng Yi, nor as imposing as Fan Dahei, he could still be described as composed in bearing and extraordinary in appearance.

Fan Xicheng and the others were with Han Qian every day and didn’t feel Han Qian’s changes were that great, but old acquaintances from Xuanzhou seeing Han Qian suddenly thought he had become a different person, only vaguely recognizing him by his eyes and brows.

“When did elder sister-in-law and eldest brother arrive in Jinling?” Han Qian silently looked at the young woman for a moment, now understanding that the familiar voice he had heard earlier was his eldest cousin Han Jun talking with his father in the inner room, and asked in a deep voice.

He had changed greatly, but that didn’t mean others had. He naturally recognized that the young woman before him was Yang Shi, whose given name was Jia’niang, the wife of Han Jun, the eldest son of his eldest uncle Han Daoming.

His grandfather Han Wenhuan had three sons, and the grandchildren were even more numerous, but over these years with the chaos of warfare in Jianghuai, the three sons each resided in different places. Han Qian had little contact with his cousins since childhood. It wasn’t until seven years ago when he returned from Chuzhou to stay in Xuanzhou that he became familiar with the cousins from his second uncle’s line.

Four years ago, eldest uncle Han Daoming served as Chaozhou garrison commander. When the Liang Kingdom invaded Shouzhou to the south, Chaozhou was affected. Eldest uncle Han Daoming, having military duties, could not leave without permission, so he had his eldest son Han Jun escort over a hundred family members from Chaozhou back to Xuanzhou to avoid the calamity of war.

It was at that time that Han Qian became familiar with the two cousins from his eldest uncle’s family.

At that time, cousin’s wife Yang Shi had just given birth to her second son Han Renhai and was a voluptuous and beautiful young woman just over twenty years old, leaving a deep impression on Han Qian. And cousin Han Jun, just a few days after returning to Xuanzhou, had pulled Jing Niang onto his bed, leaving Han Qian with an unforgettable memory, so profound that even now thinking of this matter, his heart couldn’t help but convulse.

Seeing Yang Shi gather her pair of young children to her side, her eyes nervously fixed on the saber at his waist, Han Qian thought that his cousin’s wife probably feared he would draw his blade and cut down Han Jun’s family of four in this courtyard.

Han Qian lightly placed his hand on the hilt, turning his head to see in the reverse-facing rooms of the front courtyard and the southern corridor, seventeen or eighteen household guards that Han Jun had brought from the old home in Xuanzhou were also nervously staring over.

“Laoqi!” At this moment, two figures walked out from the decorative hall, calling out to Han Qian.

The leader was his eldest cousin, eldest uncle Han Daoming’s son Han Jun, with a short mustache on his upper lip. His stature was slightly shorter than Han Qian’s, but he also possessed a martial bearing. Han Jun had lived in Xuanzhou for a year, and when the situation in Shou and Chao stabilized, he returned to Chaozhou, then later followed his father Han Daoming to take up a post in Chizhou.

Han Qian, seeing him bring his wife and children to Jinling this time, guessed that he might have been transferred to serve in the capital.

The person behind Han Jun was more slender – it was Han Duan, the eldest son of second uncle Han Daochang, ranked third among the Han family sons of this generation. For the past two years, he had been following his father’s arrangements, operating a warehouse in Chizhou where eldest uncle Han Daoming served as prefect and wielded military and political power, also handling some matters for eldest uncle Han Daoming and Han Jun that could not be known to outsiders.

Seeing Han Duan was also here, Han Qian guessed he would likely be serving at Han Jun’s side this time.

“What are eldest brother and third brother staring at my hand for? Are you afraid I’ll suddenly draw my blade and dismember you piece by piece?” Han Qian asked with a laugh.

It would have been better if Han Qian hadn’t laughed, but when he smiled with clenched teeth, it sent a chill through Han Duan’s heart, forcing him to squeeze between Han Qian and Yang Shi and the two children, fearing Han Qian might suddenly attack in his own family residence.

When Yang Shi had rushed out, she was already standing close to Han Qian, and in her daze hadn’t thought to step back to maintain the proper distance between uncle and sister-in-law.

Only now did Han Duan forcefully squeeze in, almost pressing against Han Qian’s face. Seeing Han Qian’s eyes gleam with an indescribable sharpness, he instinctively reached for the saber at his waist.

“Third brother, what do you mean by this? Are you testing whether I’ve been slacking in martial practice these days?” Han Qian grabbed Han Duan’s wrist that was gripping the blade and raised his elbow to strike at his throat, fast as lightning and thunder.

Behind Han Duan were Yang Shi and the two children. Moreover, having spent these years helping his father manage family business, his practice of saber and bow was not as diligent as before. With his slight hesitation, his vulnerable windpipe was struck hard by Han Qian.

Although Han Qian had no intention of taking Han Duan’s life and held back his strength in this strike, it still made Han Duan feel as if his windpipe had been shattered by Han Qian’s elbow. He fell to his knees, covering his throat and coughing violently, tears and mucus flowing uncontrollably.

“Han Qian! Show some respect!” Han Daoxun walked out from behind the two nephews Han Duan and Han Jun. Seeing Han Qian suddenly attack Han Duan, he sternly shouted to stop him.

“Father, I was just playing around with third brother. When I was at the old home in Xuanzhou, third brother and the others played with me like this all the time! Father, if you don’t believe me, ask Niu Erdan and those other wretches.” Han Qian pointed nonchalantly at the old household guards about to rush over from the southern corridor, laughing as he spoke.

At this moment, Han Qian helped Han Duan up again and said, “After not seeing you for just over a year, third brother’s skills have greatly declined! Or did I catch you off guard with a sneak attack? How about we play again? Father, have eldest brother, third brother, and elder sister-in-law come over? Has the residence prepared a banquet? If the banquet isn’t ready yet, let me spar with third brother some more.”

Han Jun had been leading troops these years. Even after eldest uncle Han Daoming became Chizhou prefect, Han Jun also served as garrison commander in Chizhou. In single combat, Han Qian wasn’t confident he could defeat Han Jun, but with Han Duan delivering himself today, if he didn’t make them pay some interest for past grievances, how could Han Qian endure it?

Having been caught off guard by Han Qian’s elbow strike to a vital point and making such a fool of himself, Han Duan was already furious and jumping with rage. Ignoring the look Han Jun gave him, he reached with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes to put his hand on Han Qian’s shoulder: “It has been a while. Laoqi’s skills are much better than before. Let third brother measure you properly!”

Before Han Duan’s words fell, knowing he couldn’t make too big a move in front of third uncle Han Daoxun, he raised his elbow like thunder to sweep and strike at Han Qian’s chest.

Han Qian directly raised his elbow to collide with it.

The elbow can be said to be the hardest part of the human body. When their elbows collided forcefully, they made a muffled sound that almost made one suspect both their elbow bones had shattered in that moment.

Han Duan sucked in air from the pain.

Han Qian wasn’t necessarily any better off, but his fist the size of a bowl, without half a moment’s hesitation from the pain, smashed toward his shoulder like a heavy hammer.

Although Han Qian’s strength wasn’t equal to Fan Dahei and the others, after diligent practice for most of the year, a full-force punch could deliver over three hundred jin of force, absolutely not to be taken lightly.

Han Duan still looked down on Han Qian and didn’t manage to dodge in time. Stepping back, his right arm drooped limply – unexpectedly dislocated by Han Qian’s single punch.

Han Qian stepped forward to set Han Duan’s dislocated arm back in place, but seeing Han Duan shrink back with resentment, he laughed heartily and shook his head at Han Jun with a sigh: “Eldest brother, look how third brother really isn’t what he used to be. In the past, he always beat me until I couldn’t find my teeth on the ground. When did he ever get bullied like this by me?”

Han Qian then smiled at Yang Jia and asked, “Elder sister-in-law, don’t you think third brother is worse than before?” Taking advantage of Yang Jia’s daze, he snatched her younger son Han Renhai from her arms and held him, laughing as he said to Han Jun, “This little rascal hasn’t seen me for two years and doesn’t even know to call me seventh uncle now. He needs a spanking. Come, come, come, everyone go inside to drink. It’s really been a while, makes one miss you terribly!”

Han Duan had never suffered such a great loss in his life. After Han Jun walked over to set his dislocated arm back in place, he wanted to leave with his household guards in resentment, but unexpectedly Han Qian had already carried his younger son toward the inner courtyard.

Fearing Han Qian would harm Renhai, Han Jun, along with Han Duan whose face was still pale from pain after having his arm set, and Yang Jia whose hands and feet were trembling with fright, led their daughter inside.

Han Daoxun could naturally see that something was very wrong, but over these months Han Qian had shown deep scheming in his plans, long since changing his impression of him as frivolous and dissolute. At this moment, he only had a slightly darkened expression and did not interfere with Han Qian’s “revenge and settling of scores.”

The main hall in the Han family residence wasn’t very large, with no place to sit on the floor and eat at separate tables. The wine and dishes were all placed on one square table. Han Qian held Han Renhai with one hand, making him stand in front of himself, and with the other hand invited Han Jun and Han Duan to sit with his father Han Daoxun.

Men and women did not share tables, let alone with the elder Han Daoxun present.

Following propriety, Yang Jia and the children were given a separate table in a side room, but seeing her younger son in Han Qian’s palm, crying but not daring to cry, how could Yang Jia dare to leave the dining hall?

She only handed her daughter Qiongyu over to a servant woman to look after while she personally held the wine pot to pour for everyone.

“We can’t neglect the people from the old home either,” Han Qian said to Fan Xicheng in a deep voice. “Didn’t the residence just receive a new batch of bean fodder? Give each of them a basin. You must treat the people from the old home well on my behalf. If they leave a single grain, watch out or I’ll serve you with family law!”

Fan Xicheng and Zhao Kuo hadn’t expected their young master Han Qian to treat the people who came with Han Jun with horse feed, and were both somewhat at a loss: Was this going to completely tear off all pretense?

“Third uncle,” Han Jun, still concerned about his son being held by Han Qian, couldn’t possibly swallow his anger any longer at this point. Staring at Han Daoxun, he asked with resentment, “Does third uncle really want to watch Qilang humiliate the old servants who have been loyal to the Han family?”

“This counts as humiliation?” Han Qian stroked Han Renhai’s tender little face. Facing Han Jun’s sharp gaze, he laughed and said, “Fine then. I won’t humiliate them. Let’s just follow family law! Today I’ll pick out the dog slaves who bullied me in the past, and have one hand and one foot broken from each. That should be a reasonable request, right?”

“Niu Erdan, Lao Lü, Zhou Fugui, Ma Jian – these four who used to serve at my eldest brother’s side, Manager Fan should recognize them all,” Han Qian said to Fan Xicheng. “Take Dahei, Haizheng and the others to the front courtyard, pick out these four people, and break one hand and one foot from each – that’s enough! Wuji, you guard the courtyard. If anyone dares to draw blades in my family residence, kill them and report to the authorities – no one will care!”