Chapter 39: Variables

“From the Housekeeping Department?”

“That’s right. You’d better cooperate, or you’ll be responsible for the consequences.”

Li Tan asked back as if he had just heard a joke.

“Tell me, what consequences would there be if I don’t cooperate?”

The apparent leader tilted his head up, looking down on Li Tan with his nose, as if he were someone with the authority over life and death, speaking arrogantly.

“According to the rules, I have the right to break both your legs and drag you there. But since you’re the young master-in-law, I can be generous and break just one leg. How about that?”

Li Tan was amused and raised the corner of his mouth half mockingly.

“Fine then, show me how you’re going to break my leg.”

“Hmph! You asked for it. Don’t regret it later!”

The leading servant laughed cruelly, and without even a warning, swung his stick fiercely toward Li Tan.

Li Tan remained unusually calm, stepped aside effortlessly to dodge, and the stick shattered a piece of the blue stone tile on the ground, clearly showing the immense force behind it!

“Dodge! Let’s see you dodge again. Get him!”

Perhaps feeling humiliated that his attack had been dodged by a reputed nobody, the leading servant became furious with embarrassment, and the other servants rushed forward at his command.

Li Tan glanced sideways, letting a dagger hidden in his sleeve fall into his palm, a glint of coldness flashing in his eyes.

He had thought carefully: as long as he remained in the Lin family, the title of being a waste would attract trouble daily, and there was no way to avoid it.

In that case, there was no reason to hold back anymore.

He planned to make an example of someone to warn others, establish his authority, and make his first attempt that completely deviated from the events that had occurred before his rebirth.

“Stop!”

At that moment, Lin Cui suddenly appeared at the main gate.

Li Tan quickly retracted his killing intent and put the dagger away.

The servants looked at each other in confusion and also stopped their actions.

“Explain yourselves. What’s going on here?”

Lin Cui was clearly angry, her gaze sharp. The leading servant immediately panicked, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead, stammering out an explanation.

“My young master-in-law refused to cooperate, and I had no choice but to take action.”

Lin Cui frowned, showing displeasure as she turned her head.

“Didn’t I tell you to keep a low profile?

Did you ignore my words completely?

Don’t you realize how dangerous the situation is right now?”

Li Tan maintained his calm demeanor, not showing the slightest nervousness, lifting his head indifferently.

“I didn’t do anything at all. I didn’t even move.”

Lin Cui immediately shifted her gaze to the servants. The leading servant hurriedly tried to refute.

“You just said…” He stopped halfway through his sentence.

Li Tan laughed mockingly.

“Seems like you misunderstood something. I never said I wouldn’t go with you. You just rushed at me and wanted to break my leg. Isn’t that going too far?”

“I didn’t…” “Be quiet! You can leave now. I’ll take Li Tan myself!”

The servant panicked, wanting to explain the situation in detail, but Lin Cui gave him no chance. He could only leave in frustration.

Lin Cui approached Li Tan.

“That person is from Lin Yuan’s faction. How despicable! If I had arrived any later, I don’t know what might have happened.”

“It wouldn’t have mattered anyway. I would have been fine. If we’re going to the Housekeeping Department, then let’s go quickly.”

Li Tan said ambiguously, ending the topic decisively before Lin Cui could pursue it further.

Although Lin Cui sensed something hopeful, she wasn’t directly involved. Knowing that asking Li Tan would only provoke him into disregarding her authority further, she could only glare at him and start leading the way.

On the way, Li Tan asked out of boredom.

“Where’s your personal maid?

Still locked up?”

Lin Cui’s expression flickered with complexity, replying without enthusiasm.

“You can’t even take care of yourself. Why do you have time to worry about others?”

Li Tan remained indifferent.

“Just asking.”

Perhaps hitting a nerve, Lin Cui remained silent for quite a while but eventually broke the silence herself.

“What about that bird yesterday?”

How did she know?

Li Tan looked at Lin Cui in slight surprise.

“Picked it up on the road.”

“Do you think I’m as stupid as you?”

“Fine. I admit you’re extremely smart. I bought it, okay?”

They circled each other with vague questions, pushing them back and forth, but before anyone gave in, they arrived at the Housekeeping Department.

Surrounded by high walls on all sides, the area was heavily guarded. Unlike yesterday, many people had already gathered here. It was clear that Lin Yuan’s faction was determined to eliminate Li Tan.

“Remember, you must listen to me, or even my father won’t be able to help you.”

Lin Cui said earnestly. It was evident that the impact of crippling Lin Yuan had been greatly amplified by those with ulterior motives. The atmosphere was extremely tense. However, just as the old saying goes, the emperor isn’t worried, but the eunuchs are. Li Tan himself felt absolutely no sense of urgency. To him, this situation wasn’t much more serious than playing house, equally childish and could be defined as childish mischief.

Another point worth mentioning is this:

Under normal circumstances, the trial of someone like Li Tan would require extensive preparation, and taking a week or so wouldn’t be unexpected. But Lin Yuan’s faction started the trial the very next day, completely disregarding protocol.

The purpose of doing so wasn’t hard to guess—it was simply to prevent any variables that might make dealing with Li Tan impossible.

What was this variable?

On one hand, it was Lin Long and his people. But the most important factor was Li Zhen.

If they delayed too long and the news of the trial spread, Li Zhen would definitely intervene.

Therefore, their ultimate goal was to kill Li Tan at all costs.

“Got it.”

Li Tan casually replied. Lin Cui was still somewhat uneasy, seemingly intending to say something else, but Li Tan simply walked inside, leaving her no choice but to follow.

Inside the high walls was a cluster of buildings, the ground entirely paved with blue bricks, with guards visible everywhere. Walking straight in, at the central location stood a building clearly taller than the surrounding ones, with the most guards. Even the entrance was guarded by a late-stage Foundation-Seeking cultivator. Inside, a huge portrait hung directly ahead, with a sandalwood table placed below it where Li Zhen and his wife sat. On both sides sat many elegantly dressed individuals, obviously people of status within the Lin family. It was clear that Lin Yuan’s faction was determined to eliminate Li Tan.

Li Tan paused at the entrance, looking inside, while Lin Cui walked ahead of him, lowering her voice once more to remind him.

“Remember, you must listen to me, or the Second Elder definitely won’t let this go, and then it’ll be troublesome. My father can’t control everything.”

Although Lin Cui appeared calm on the surface, the sweat on her forehead betrayed her nervousness.

Unlike Li Tan’s indifferent attitude, the First Elder had used Lin Yuan’s hand to take revenge on Li Tan, but there was definitely some hidden agenda behind it, possibly aiming to suppress Lin Long and others.

Therefore, this matter was very important to Lin Long and his faction. Although the Lin family appeared united, internally they were fighting fiercely for power.

But no matter what intentions the First Elder had, the moment he treated Li Tan as a pawn to be manipulated at will, his tragedy was already determined.