Of course, Han’s stepmother wouldn’t just roll away.

Seeing her son kicked out, her eyes were filled with rage, wishing she could swallow Han Zhen alive.

She let out a sharp cry, “Niuzi, my Niuzi! Someone, someone! The eldest brother is killing people… Someone, the eldest brother is killing people!”

Seeing her being so unreasonable, Han Zhen didn’t want to waste time.

He said to the few women, “Please carry her to the kitchen; I need to talk to her.”

The leading woman was a midwife from the town, the one Han Zhen had sought out that morning for business, asking her to find someone to subdue Han’s stepmother to avoid any improper interactions, which might lead to being wronged.

The midwife had a hard time making a living in the town, but Han Zhen’s business was straightforward and profitable, so she came.

The midwife called the women she brought to lift Han’s stepmother to the kitchen, of course, ignoring her pig-like screams.

Old Man Han grabbed Han Zhen, worried, and asked, “What are you going to do? She is your stepmother after all; a stepmother is still a mother. Don’t do anything reckless!”

Han Niuzi struggled to get up from the ground, wanting to help his mother, but thinking about Han Zhen’s strength, he lay flat on the ground, unable to rise.

Han Niuzi’s wife was even more scared, trembling in the corner.

Han Zhen glanced at Old Man Han and walked directly into the kitchen without saying a word.

The kitchen door was not closed, so it didn’t prevent Old Man Han and the others from peeking in.

Han Zhen looked at the bound Han’s stepmother and directly threatened her, “If you scream again, I’ll make sure Niuzi never comes back.”

Han’s stepmother instantly went silent, like a switch being turned off.

She looked at Han Zhen with a wary and hateful gaze, fearing that something might really happen to Han Niuzi.

While she felt Han Zhen wouldn’t dare, after what had happened, she realized he might.

Seeing Han’s stepmother silent, Han Zhen continued, “If you insist on staying here, I will report you to the authorities. You will go to jail. As for your son, I might not kill him, but I will make him suffer what I once suffered.”

Han’s stepmother shouted, “You dare!”

The people outside couldn’t hear Han Zhen’s voice; they could only hear Han’s stepmother yelling again, causing Old Man Han to feel anxious.

Han Zhen smiled, “This is my territory; do you think I dare? Once you go to jail, can you still hope for my father to help your son? Don’t think about it; you know my father won’t help. Just like he wouldn’t help me back then; he turned a blind eye. He seems weak but is actually selfish, only caring about having enough to eat.”

Han’s stepmother fell silent.

She knew Old Man Han’s character; that’s why she had so recklessly bullied Han Dogzi before, not realizing that she had walked right into a situation where she would be beaten.

Han Zhen knocked on the table, “My patience is limited; have you thought it over?”

Han’s stepmother stared at him, her hatred mixed with fear, but she still didn’t give up on a glimmer of calculation, “Are you planning to separate from the family? What you’re doing is no different from dividing the family, right?”

Han Zhen replied, “Indeed, there’s no difference. Let’s consider it a separation. I don’t want anything from the old family; from now on, you and I have no relationship. Don’t expect me to support you in your old age.”

Han’s stepmother snorted, “But the old man is your father; you have to support him.”

Han Zhen scoffed, mocking her, “I’ll support him, but I’ll take the lion’s share of everything at home. Everyone knows that in a separation, the eldest son gets the biggest share, especially since I’m the biological firstborn, while you… are just a stepmother, which, according to big families, is no different from a concubine.”

Han’s stepmother hated hearing this the most.

Today, Han Zhen was ripping open her wounds.

Han Zhen stood up, looking down at her, the woman who had once been his nightmare, now so weak.

He smiled coldly, “Have you thought it through? If you haven’t, I’ll ask the town mayor to send you to the county office.”

Han’s stepmother swallowed her anger, “You can refuse to support me, but you must support the old man.”

Han Zhen stared at her, and after a moment, he said, “I will give the old man fifty wen every month, just for his food.”

Han’s stepmother was about to say fifty wen wasn’t enough, but seeing Han Zhen pick up a kitchen knife and run his fingers along the sharp edge, she shut her mouth, “Alright.”

The reason Han Zhen agreed to give Han old man a monthly allowance was to avoid gossip.

If he wanted to continue on the path of a military general, he couldn’t leave a stain of not supporting his father.

Otherwise, it would become a disadvantage in the future.

Moreover, regardless of Han old man’s character, he would always be his father.

Even if he no longer held any expectations, he couldn’t bear to see Han old man starve to death.

Han Zhen walked out, calling in Old Man Han, the town mayor, and the others.

Then he said to Old Man Han, “I’ve already discussed it with her. We are officially separating from the family. I don’t want anything from the old family and will leave with nothing, but I will give you fifty wen a month for your old age.”

Han Laodai was taken aback. “This… this…”

Han Zhen asked, “Do you agree or not?”

Han Laodai instinctively looked at Han’s stepmother.

Han’s stepmother pouted. “Let’s agree to it. Even if it’s just fifty wen, that’s six hundred wen a year. We can save it up.”

Han Laodai had become accustomed to letting Han’s stepmother decide household matters.

Now that she agreed, he naturally had no objections. “Then… let’s do it like this.”

The family division contract was made in triplicate: one for Han Zhen, one for the Han family, and one left with the town chief as a witness.

After the division, Han’s stepmother said, “Can we get the pension for this year? Once we have it, we’ll leave.”

Han Zhen took out two hundred fifty wen from his money pouch. “From August to December, that’s five months, totaling two hundred fifty wen. Take it.”

Han’s stepmother quickly accepted the money and added, “We’re leaving, but we’ll get hungry on the road. It’s expensive to buy food outside, so we need to make some pancakes and provisions here.”

Han Zhen didn’t object.

Han’s stepmother and Han Niuzi’s wife made pancakes and rice balls together.

The pancakes were scallion pancakes, and the rice balls were filled with dried radish, which Yang Dahua had made herself.

In the end, they even boiled Yang Dahua’s eggs, making hard-boiled eggs.

After everything was done, they walked away with their heads held high.

Han Zhen followed behind, watching them walk to the county town.

They rested there for a while before joining a convoy transporting goods to leave together.

He followed them for two days, and when he saw they had genuinely gone far, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Han Zhen immediately returned to the family house.

Passing through the county town, he bought a few fish, and after returning to the house, he tidied up a bit before taking two fish to the Qin family.

With the Han family gone, he needed to bring Yang Dahua back home.

Yang Haiyan was having lunch when she heard from Qin Siya that her handkerchief could make money and that Qin Shoucheng’s calligraphy met the requirements for copying books.

She was quite pleased.

If the children were willing to work hard, even if it was for money, it was worth praising.

“Madam, Centurion Han is here, currently in the west wing, saying he wants to see you,” Aunt Yu said.

Upon hearing this, Yang Haiyan put down her chopsticks and went to the west wing.

In the west wing, Mrs. Cui had already packed up Yang Dahua’s things. Yang Haiyan saw this and asked, “What happened?”

Han Zhen replied, “The people from the old home have left. I’m here to take Dahua back. Thank you for taking care of her these past few days.”

Yang Haiyan said, “You’re welcome. Since you’re friends with Qin Fang, I consider myself to have grown up as sisters with Dahua. This isn’t a big deal.” Hearing Han Zhen mention dealing with the Han family surprised her.

In the novel, it was Yang Dahua who dealt with the Han family, but at that time, Han Zhen was already a thousand-man commander, with palace maids assisting him.

Yang Dahua dealt with the Han family under the palace maids’ guidance.

Even so, it took quite some time.

But now, how could Han Zhen resolve it so quickly?

Of course, Yang Haiyan didn’t know that when the Han family arrived in the novel, Han Zhen and Yang Dahua had already begun to prosper.

Han’s stepmother was clever; after they became successful, she sought to attach herself to them.

So when she arrived, her strong demeanor shifted to a more submissive attitude, making it difficult to handle.

Now, Han’s stepmother had caused Yang Dahua to deliver prematurely, and this evidence had naturally fallen into Han Zhen’s hands.

Though the paths were different, the outcomes were the same—the Han family had left.

Compared to the original plot where the Han family left with quite a bit of money, this time, it was a lot better.

Before long, it was early August.

Uncle Hong reported in the study, “Madam, Niu Da said that this fruit called watermelon is as big as a pig’s head. It’s his first time planting this kind of fruit, and he doesn’t know if it’s ripe. What do you think?”

Yang Haiyan replied, “Let’s go to the countryside tomorrow… There are no snakes in the fields, right?”

Uncle Hong hurriedly said, “No, no, ever since that time, the fields have been kept clean. Niu Da checks every day.”

Yang Haiyan thought for a moment. “They say snakes are afraid of realgar wine. Is that true?”

Uncle Hong answered, “It’s true, but realgar wine is expensive. Niu Da exchanged snake repellent powder with the village doctor, and he used broccoli to trade for the powder. He told me about this earlier, but I forgot to mention it to you.”

Yang Haiyan waved her hand. “It’s a small matter; you can handle it.”

Uncle Hong replied, “Yes.”

The next day, Yang Haiyan boarded the carriage and went to the countryside again.

However, this time was different from the last; she brought two personal guards, one in front and one behind, specifically for snake protection.

Niu Da knew Yang Haiyan would come today, so early in the morning, he scattered snake repellent powder around the estate and waited at the entrance with his family.

Niu Da had previously gone to the town and county to look for work, doing hard labor for ten wen a day, sometimes not even earning that, but he had never seen a kind master like the Qin family.

For example, now that the broccoli was ripe, the master allowed them to pick one for personal use each term.

Therefore, Niu Da cherished this job and was very loyal to the master.

Upon arriving at the estate, Yang Haiyan looked around carefully when she got off the carriage, afraid that a snake might suddenly appear.

Granny Lian walked beside her and smiled, saying, “Madam, don’t worry.”

Yang Haiyan sighed. “I’m not afraid of ants or cockroaches; I’m just afraid of snakes.”