Chapter 19: Framing

“I happen to have the same idea. Although no one has died there, many have been frightened to the point of insanity.”

Lin Long nodded slightly, but his expression suddenly turned displeased. “Hmph, it’s better for him to stay a few more days. That way, he’ll learn some discipline.”

“Why bother with a child’s behavior?”

Gu Lin tried to mediate.

Lin Long let out an annoyed snort: “A child?

He’ll be an adult soon enough.”

“Dear, don’t be angry. After all, he’s a son-in-law by marriage, and his resentment is understandable.”

After a brief pause, Gu Lin smiled slightly and said: “Regarding last night’s incident, I already asked Cui’er about it earlier.”

Lin Long, who was slouching in the chair, immediately straightened his posture, turned around, and anxiously asked, “What did Cui’er say?”

Gu Lin teased him, “You! You’re criticizing Li Tan for his lack of manners, but all you care about is what happened with Cui’er.”

Lin Long’s face turned slightly red and he coughed awkwardly, “Dear, please don’t mock me. After all, I only have this one precious child in the entire Lin family. How can I not cherish her?”

Gu Lin chuckled, “You’ve spoiled her. Tell me, who else has a child running away from home on the night before her wedding?”

“Cui’er is too strong-willed. It’s not good to be too sharp. Compared to that, dear, please tell me quickly what Cui’er said. Did anything really happen between them?” Lin Long was very anxious.

Gu Lin’s tone carried some criticism, “You’re just overthinking. Li Tan didn’t lie. Nothing happened between him and Cui’er.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Lin Long immediately relaxed.

The next morning, a drizzle began to fall. After finishing his cultivation, Li Tan briefly tidied his appearance by looking at his reflection in the pond before walking into the storeroom.

The guqin remained untouched in its original place, but Jiang Xin’s spirit body was already gone. Just like the first time he came here, no matter how he scanned the area with his spiritual sense, he couldn’t detect her whereabouts. Meanwhile, the guard’s body, after a night’s passage, had developed faint bruises. If left like this any longer, the entire courtyard would become smelly.

Li Tan thought for a moment and decided to directly report the guard’s death. He had nothing to hide, and since it was a suicide, it had nothing to do with him.

However, just as he was dragging the guard’s body toward the door, an unexpected visitor appeared in the rain.

Li Tan frowned slightly as he saw Lin Yuan approaching quickly.

He’s going to be a troublemaker, Li Tan thought inwardly.

As Lin Yuan approached the desolate courtyard and saw the guard’s body being dragged by Li Tan, his expression changed dramatically—shocked, confused, and disbelieving.

He had originally thought the guard had been captured after being absent all night and had come to demand his release, but instead, he saw the guard’s corpse.

Li Tan certainly knew the guard was his man, yet he still killed him. This was clearly a provocation! “You killed him!”

Lin Yuan angrily accused.

Li Tan immediately denied it, but Lin Yuan completely ignored his denial, firmly insisting that Li Tan had killed the guard, and quickly began to scheme in his mind.

Using the guard’s death as a pretext to kill Li Tan would allow him to act according to family rules, making his actions justified.

Lin Yuan sneered coldly, stepping forward two paces to block the entrance, “Li Tan, how dare you kill an innocent person within the Lin estate? Will you surrender willingly, or must I take you by force?”

Li Tan paid no attention to what Lin Yuan said. He casually tossed the guard’s body in front of him and indifferently explained, “This man committed suicide. It has nothing to do with me. Just take him away. I’ll even let the matter of your guard sneaking into my room last night slide.”

“You dare to turn the tables?”

Lin Yuan’s eyes sharpened. His right hand raised, assuming a martial arts stance in preparation.

Li Tan’s gaze remained calm, with faint golden light flickering in his eyes, though it suddenly disappeared.

At that moment, Lin Cui lightly landed in front of the courtyard, leaping from the rooftops and tree branches with grace.

“Lin Yuan, what are you trying to do?” she demanded.

Lin Yuan quickly halted his movement, looking at Lin Cui in astonishment, his imposing demeanor instantly softening.

“Li Tan killed my guard,” he pointed at the corpse.

Lin Yuan’s expression hardened. He raised his right hand, preparing for a martial arts move.

Li Tan’s gaze remained calm, golden glimmers flickering in his eyes, though they suddenly vanished.

Just then, Lin Cui gracefully landed in front of the courtyard, leaping from the rooftops and tree branches.

“Lin Yuan, what do you think you’re doing?” she demanded.

Lin Yuan abruptly stopped his movement, his expression turning to shock as he looked at Lin Cui, his imposing demeanor instantly softening.

“Li Tan killed my guard,” he pointed at the corpse.

Lin Yuan’s eyes narrowed sharply, his right hand raised into a martial arts stance.

Li Tan’s expression remained indifferent, golden glimmers faintly visible in his eyes, though they suddenly disappeared.

At that moment, Lin Cui lightly landed in front of the courtyard, gracefully leaping from the rooftops and tree branches.

“Lin Yuan, what are you trying to do?” she demanded.

Lin Yuan quickly halted his movements, startled by Lin Cui’s sudden appearance, his imposing demeanor noticeably diminishing.

“Li Tan killed my guard,” he pointed at the corpse.

Lin Cui frowned slightly, glancing at Li Tan’s calm expression before examining the guard’s body.

“This guard seems to have strangled himself,” Lin Cui stated.

In truth, in this world where martial cultivation is revered, the death of a mere guard meant little. If someone was killed, it was simply because they lacked strength. Moreover, being killed while sneaking into a residence at night made the family rules nothing more than a decorative formality.

Lin Yuan understood this as well. Having missed the opportunity just moments ago, he now had no chance of killing Li Tan. Still, he had no intention of letting Li Tan off easily and decided to make an issue of it to teach him a lesson.

He coldly said, “Perhaps Li Tan deliberately made it look like suicide to escape blame.”

Lin Cui naturally understood Lin Yuan’s petty jealousy. As Li Tan’s nominal wife, she should have defended him, but after a brief hesitation, she simply said, “Since you have doubts, let’s hand this matter over to the family affairs department for impartial handling.”

She thought that some disciplinary action would be fine, and using this opportunity to humble Li Tan wasn’t a bad idea.

Upon hearing this, Li Tan glanced at the two of them. If he were truly his age, he would certainly be furious, but now he felt nothing at all, as if he had just heard something completely irrelevant. After all, he had once stood at such a height that neither Lin Cui nor Lin Yuan could even begin to impress him.

“Isn’t there anything you want to say?” Seeing Li Tan’s silence and complete lack of fear, Lin Cui asked in confusion.

Li Tan casually glanced at the guard’s body and then nonchalantly tossed a few copper coins into Lin Cui’s pocket.

Lin Cui furrowed her brow and asked strangely, “What are you doing?”

Li Tan countered, “You stole my money earlier. According to the family rules, how should this be handled?”

“This was thrown in by you. What do I have to do with it?” Lin Cui replied angrily, tossing the copper coins back toward Li Tan, though they fell to the ground instead of landing in his pocket.

Li Tan smiled slightly and asked again, “Then what does this guard’s suicide in my room have to do with me?”

Lin Cui hesitated, looking at Li Tan first with anger, then helplessness.

She had wanted to use the guard’s death to pressure Li Tan, but there was indeed no direct evidence to prove his involvement. Moreover, Li Tan was not only the Lin family’s son-in-law but also the eldest son of the Li family. If she acted recklessly over such a reason, it could lead to serious consequences.

Although Li Tan lacked cultivation, he had never shown the slightest fear toward cultivators. Such composure—if he could cultivate—might have brought great prosperity to the Li family. Unfortunately, heaven was fair, and he simply couldn’t cultivate.

Lin Cui considered many factors, but Lin Yuan lacked such depth of thought. Although he dressed elegantly and appeared sophisticated, he was actually a simple-minded fool, typical of those born with a silver spoon in their mouths.

“There’s no reason for this man to commit suicide. With no one else around, who else could be the murderer? Li Tan, don’t try to argue your way out. Before the family affairs department reaches a conclusion, you should stay quietly in the detention room!”

“Now, are you going to walk in by yourself, or do I have to throw you in?”

To him, the true cause of the guard’s death was unimportant—he simply wanted revenge on Li Tan.

Feeling the chill on his skin, Li Tan took a step back under the eaves and shifted his gaze once more toward Lin Yuan.