Chapter 497 Han Ping: I Want to See What Means the Zhu Family Has
"Little Daoist, to tell you the truth, three years ago the Han family suffered a great calamity. The Second Young Lady of the Han family was kidnapped by bandits while out on a spring outing. The Eldest Young Lady, who was my son's wife, happened to be giving birth at that time. When she heard the news, she suffered a difficult labor and both mother and child perished."
"The Master and Madam of the Han family were devastated by the loss and fell gravely ill. A few months later, they too passed away. In the end, my useless son inherited the Han estate, and that is how today's Zhu family came to be."
Housekeeper Zhu spoke with a face full of emotion.
The young Daoist was no fool. He could easily sense the strangeness behind these words. The Han family was no ordinary clan—how could they possibly collapse overnight?
He said coldly, "Housekeeper Zhu, stop calling me 'little Daoist.' Since when does a mere steward like you have the right to make decisions for the Han family? I, Han Xiuyuan, am still alive."
As soon as his words fell, the surrounding onlookers began to whisper among themselves.
"This young Daoist must be out of his mind. The Zhu family is now one of the great households of Haozhou City. Zhu Yuanwai's son is even the city's judicial officer. How could a wandering Daoist possibly contend with them?"
"That's not necessarily true. It's said that the Han family produced remarkable figures in the past two generations. That's why they were able to move from a small mountain village to here. And the old Master Han's two brothers are rumored to be men of the outer world. If this Daoist were to invite those two hermits to intervene, the Zhu family might not be able to withstand it."
"…."
Zhu Yuanwai narrowed his eyes, the look he gave the Daoist filled with disdain as his expression turned cold.
"Daoist, have you forgotten that you are already a man of the outer world? Worldly matters no longer concern you. My son was a son-in-law of the Han family—half a son to them—so inheriting their estate is only natural."
"If you know what's good for you, I can still give you some silver to find a temple and live out your days in peace. But if you don't, then I'll have to show you what methods my Zhu family possesses!"
At his command, the servants around him immediately surrounded Han Xiuyuan.
Just then, a contemptuous voice came from afar.
"Then today, I shall see for myself what kind of methods your Zhu family possesses."
The sudden voice shattered the tense atmosphere outside the Zhu residence. Everyone turned their heads toward the source of the sound.
They saw a man and a woman walking toward them with the bearing of a dragon and the stride of a tiger. In an instant, all eyes were drawn to them.
Many of the onlookers began whispering again.
"Who are these two young people? Their presence is extraordinary. Could today's situation actually turn around?"
"How could it? In Haozhou City, even if Magistrate Zhu doesn't control everything, making two people vanish without a trace would be child's play for him."
"…."
Han Xiuyuan stared at the young man, a strange sense of familiarity stirring in his heart. He felt he had seen him somewhere before, yet couldn't recall where.
"Who are you, to dare interfere in the affairs of my Zhu family?"
Although Zhu Yuanwai was momentarily intimidated by the pair's aura, he quickly regained his composure and barked angrily.
"Second Grandfather… are you Second Grandfather?"
Han Xiuyuan suddenly spoke, then dropped to his knees with a thud, bowing deeply. "Xiuyuan greets Second Grandfather."
Han Ping had not yet approached. He merely raised his hand lightly, and Han Xiuyuan was lifted to his feet by an unseen force. "That's right," he said calmly. "I am your Second Grandfather."
His words left everyone present utterly confused.
Han Ping's gaze locked onto Zhu Yuanwai as he said coldly, "Han Yong is my elder brother, and this mansion was built with my own money. Tell me, do you think I have the right to interfere in the Han family's affairs?"
Hiss—
The crowd gasped sharply upon hearing this. Most of them had no idea who Han Yong was, but the fact that this man had funded the building of the Han estate alone proved that his background was anything but ordinary.
"This is impossible."
"How could he be the younger brother of Old Master Han? Old Master Han passed away years ago; even if he were still alive now, he'd be near seventy."
Some of the older onlookers ransacked their memories for information about Han Yong.
Zhu Yuanwai naturally knew Han Yong; he had been adopted by Han Yong years ago, becoming the Han household's steward and rising step by step to his current position.
If Old Master Han were still alive, Zhu Yuanwai would not dare harbor any ill intentions. He had often heard tales of the Second Old Master from Old Master Han, but ever since the Second Old Master stopped sending anything fifteen years ago, the Han family began to decline.
There were even rumors that the Second Old Master had perished on the immortal path. It was said Old Master Han died from grief over missing the Second Old Master.
Zhu Yuanwai stared at the young man before him and sneered, "Nonsense. Although the Second Old Master was a dozen years younger than the Old Master, he would still be middle-aged now. You look barely over twenty—how could you be the Second Old Master? Seize this blasphemous fraud who insults the Second Old Master and throw him and this little Daoist out!"
"Yes!"
The servants drew out firewood clubs from behind the gate. Neither Han Ping nor Han Xiuyuan flinched.
"Ignorant mortals, you know nothing of cultivators."
Han Ping's words were followed by a subtle spread of his aura. The servants rushing forward immediately dropped to their knees, and their firewood clubs shattered with a loud crack.
The sudden shift stunned everyone present; each person froze as if petrified. Han Ping turned to Han Xiuyuan and said, "Xiuyuan, bind that Housekeeper Zhu and bring him forward. Today, in front of everyone, I will interrogate this man and find out exactly how he schemed to seize my family's property."
"Yes."
Han Xiuyuan stepped forward, dragged Zhu Yuanwai in front of Han Ping, and kicked him down. Zhu Yuanwai was already pale with terror and could not utter a word; the pressure from this young man was overwhelming.
Still, he resolved inwardly that whatever questions were asked, he would never confess; otherwise the Zhu family would be finished. Han Xiuyuan asked, "Second Grandfather, if this old man refuses to confess, what shall we do?"
Han Ping smiled and said, "A mere mortal cannot deceive cultivators. If I wish to know, no secret in his mind can be kept. You want to cultivate, do you not? Today I will let you witness a cultivator's methods."
Speaking, he casually formed a hand seal and struck Zhu Yuanwai. "Speak. What have you done to my Han family over the years?"
"I… I didn't…"
Zhu Yuanwai tried to struggle, but soon found his tongue no longer under his control. He spilled every detail of how he had plotted against the Han family.
"Everything begins with the passing of Old Master Han…"
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