If that dream hadn’t merged into Han Qian’s memory as if penetrating to the marrow, Han Qian would absolutely not be so meticulous and observant. But seeing all this now, he felt a shocking sense of horror.
“Stop!”
Han Qian had no mind to ponder why he felt this way. With a dark face he walked into the crowd, standing between Fan Dahei and Old Zhao, preventing him from continuing to savagely beat Old Zhao. But seeing Fan Dahei and the others’ exasperated appearance, he thought Fan Wucheng should already be dead, and calmly asked:
“What exactly happened?”
“Wucheng came to confiscate their prey and drive them from the estate, and this little bastard actually used the Black Cloud bow the young master gave him to shoot Wucheng to death!” Fan Dahei’s eyes were red with fury now. Blocked by Han Qian from chasing and beating Old Zhao, he lifted his foot and stomped viciously on Zhao Wuji’s thin back, almost breaking the youth’s frail and weak spine.
“Wuji, Wuji!” Two figures rushed out from the house like they were crazed.
The middle-aged woman wore tattered cloth garments torn to barely cover her body, hair disheveled, several blood-red finger marks on her face. She hugged Fan Dahei’s thigh, wailing as she kowtowed desperately to Fan Xicheng begging for mercy, knowing Zhao Wuji would truly be beaten to death today with nowhere to seek justice.
The frail young girl was also disheveled, sobbing as she threw herself on Zhao Wuji’s body, hugging her younger brother tightly and refusing to let go, afraid Fan Dahei and the others would strike another fatal blow and take Zhao Wuji’s life on the spot.
Seeing Fan Dahei reach out to grab the girl’s hair, Han Qian seized his arm and shouted: “Stop! Fan Dahei, stop this instant!”
Fan Dahei ultimately showed deference to Han Qian’s status and didn’t dare shake him off, retreating to the side with red eyes.
Fan Dahei and Fan Wucheng were both Fan Xicheng’s adopted sons. With Fan Wucheng killed and Fan Dahei restrained, the other household guards also reluctantly withdrew to the side.
“Even a rabbit bites when cornered. Fan Wucheng broke into the house to forcibly seize prey and drive people from the estate—who gave him such audacity? Who told him to commit bandit acts by breaking into homes?” Han Qian shielded the Zhao father and son behind him, turned to stare at the estate’s household guards, and sternly questioned them with the words he had long prepared.
“Seventh Young Master! Wucheng was also utterly loyal to the young master!” Fan Xicheng hadn’t expected Han Qian would now push all responsibility onto Fan Wucheng’s head, thoroughly protecting a tenant farmer of no consequence to the Han family. Unable to suppress his inner resentment any longer, he called out in a strained voice.
At this moment, Han Qian saw Fan Wucheng lying in a pool of blood inside the house. An arrow had pierced through his chest, the dark iron arrowhead penetrating the leather armor and protruding out. Han Qian thought secretly that Zhao Wuji must have drawn the bow and shot the arrow from inside the house. To pierce through leather armor and have the arrowhead emerge from the chest at such close range—his arm strength and reaction speed were truly astonishing. He was worthy of yesterday’s gift of the Black Cloud bow and truly hadn’t disappointed him.
Han Qian turned back, his gaze burning as he stared at Fan Xicheng, laughing coldly.
Han Qian couldn’t understand how Fan Wucheng had colluded with Yao Xishui and the Evening Crimson Tower, but it must have been that last night after deliberately mentioning he wanted to recruit the Zhao father and son, Fan Wucheng fell into the trap and urgently needed to drive this family from the estate.
The twists and turns behind this—he had no way to explain clearly to Fan Xicheng, Fan Dahei, and the others. Moreover, he still harbored resentment toward the household guards who would betray him in the future. At this moment, he needed to confront Fan Xicheng head-on and protect Zhao Wuji.
“I made myself clear yesterday. Whatever the tenant farmers hunt in the back mountain, they only need to pay half to the estate. I said this clearly in front of Zhao Kuo, and I also said it clearly in front of you Fan Xicheng and many household guards. Let me ask you Fan Xicheng one more time—does this estate belong to you Fan Xicheng’s family or to my Han family? Do my words count for nothing?”
Han Qian stared at Fan Xicheng without yielding an inch, questioning sternly.
“Now let me ask you Fan Xicheng—Fan Wucheng broke in armed, forcibly seized prey, and drove out tenant farmers. Was this your instruction? Are you determined to turn my Han family’s Qiuhu Mountain Villa into your Fan family’s?”
“You…” Fan Xicheng trembled with rage, not expecting Han Qian’s tongue to have become so sharp, directly placing such a huge black pot on his head, leaving him unable to defend himself.
“Zhao Kuo, let me ask you all—are you household guards of my Han family or of Fan Xicheng?” Han Qian stared at Zhao Kuo and the other guards, questioning sternly.
Zhao Kuo and the others hesitated, looking at each other.
These household guards looked down on the young master Han Qian from the bottom of their hearts, but after last night’s incident in the dining hall, Fan Wucheng this very morning had broken in armed to drive Old Zhao’s family from the estate. Thinking it through carefully, the young master Han Qian’s words didn’t seem entirely without merit!
They had finally found a place to settle and make a living with the Han family. Their families were all Han family servants too. Although they respected Fan Xicheng, Han Daoxun was the family head who had shown them even greater kindness. They didn’t want to be drawn into this sort of conspiracy to usurp property.
“Fan Wucheng broke in armed and was killed. This matter must be reported to the authorities. Our Han family cannot use private punishment to kill people!”
Han Qian continued speaking with righteous severity.
“Zhao Kuo, you lead people to guard this place. Don’t let Zhao Wuji escape, but absolutely do not permit private beatings that would harm my father’s prestige. Otherwise, don’t blame my Han family for being impartial and binding you all to send to the yamen for punishment too!”
Having said this, Han Qian cupped his hands toward the watching tenant farmers saying: “I ask that whoever has quick legs, please go fetch the village chief to uphold justice.”
Han Daoxun had purchased the estate in this area less than a year ago. The household guards and their families were all considered Han family servants, all having migrated with Han Daoxun from elsewhere. The tenant farmers were all hired from local landless peasants, so there were inevitably some conflicts of interest. Fan Xicheng’s previous prohibition on tenant farmers entering the back mountain to cut firewood and hunt game had caused quite a few disputes.
However, no matter what, the Han family’s little finger was thicker than an ordinary person’s thigh. Fan Xicheng and the other guards were all highly skilled in martial arts, fully armed, fierce as wolves and tigers. No matter how strictly the tenant farmers were usually managed, even if they had resentment in their hearts, they didn’t dare express it.
But no one had expected that the young master sent to the estate for study would actually be such a “reasonable,” “impartial,” and just person.