C26 Absolute Confidence!

"I'll be in Uncle Lin's care for everything," Chu Yan said with a gesture of respect.

Now that he had found a place within the Lin Clan, he had successfully completed the first step of his plan.

Lin Chongtian rhythmically tapped his fingers on the armrest of his chair, eyeing Chu Yan as he spoke, "However, Nephew Chu, there are some matters that need to be addressed. To welcome you, my family prepared a sum of Spirit Money and several gifts. Yet, after today's events, I must impose a penalty to maintain my standing with others.

Therefore, I will withhold a portion of what I intended to give you. The rest, once you're settled, perhaps tomorrow, you can visit our Martial Skill Pavilion outside town to select a martial skill and a weapon.

Remember, from the moment you entered the Lin Family's threshold, your status is with us. I expect no repeat of today's incident.

Regarding your identity, let's wait for my father to emerge from seclusion. He will make the announcement, as it's his heartfelt desire."

"Yes, I will keep that in mind," Chu Yan responded, bowing slightly. "Thank you for your care, Uncle Lin."

As he anticipated, Lin Chongtian's 'punishment' was more a gentle admonition than a reprimand.

It was less a punishment and more a retraction of gifts Chu Yan hadn't even counted on, leaving him with the choice of a martial skill and a weapon.

Having lost his Cyan Astral Sword and the Absolute Soul Spear to Chu Xing's assassins, Chu Yan was in need of arms. Fortuitously, Lin Chongtian's timing was impeccable, offering him just what he needed.

Chu Yan even wondered if the so-called "retracted gift" ever existed, suspecting that the martial skill and weapon were Lin Chongtian's way of rewarding him for resolving the issue with the Ye Family.

Of course, Chu Yan didn't delve into the true motives behind it.

Lin Chongtian promptly had a servant from the Lin Family escort Chu Yan to the guest quarters.

This courtyard was a quaint nook tucked away in the corner of the expansive Lin Family Mansion, spanning a mere two to three acres. Its charm lay in its tranquility, a place free from unwelcome disturbances.

For Chu Yan, it was the perfect sanctuary he needed at the moment.

He had barely settled into the room when Zhao Ji's voice echoed from outside, "Brother Chu, it's us."

Anticipating their arrival, Chu Yan opened the door to welcome the oddly disconcerted Zhao Ji and Feng Ru inside.

The news of Lin Chongtian's "punishment" for Chu Yan had already made the rounds among the Lin Family's inner circle.

The outcome was astonishing, defying all expectations.

Previously, the consensus was that Chu Yan's impertinence and his actions that threatened to sever ties between two prominent families would surely incur Lin Chongtian's wrath.

Chu Yan, after all, was the Lin Family's son-in-law, albeit not yet officially recognized. Nonetheless, the family's upper echelon was well aware of his status.

For a son-in-law to audaciously challenge the head family's decisions, to outright disrespect them—how could this be tolerated?

Yet, against all odds, Chu Yan emerged unpunished.

The implications were thought-provoking.

While it was inappropriate for others to inquire, Zhao Ji and Feng Ru were brimming with impatience.

Their emotions had been a rollercoaster that day, and now they were eager to uncover the truth behind these events.

Once seated, Zhao Ji couldn't contain himself any longer. His urgency was palpable.

"Brother Chu, we can skip the formalities. I need to know what's really happening here. Did you—" He paused, steeling himself before continuing, "Did you already know that the Patriarch would react this way, which is why you acted so boldly?"

"Yes," Chu Yan affirmed with a nod.

A glint of realization flickered in Zhao Ji's eyes upon hearing the confirmation.

In disbelief, Feng Ru murmured, "How is this possible!? The Ye Family is a major player in Evergreen Town. Before the Old Master's ascension and the discovery of the Eldest Miss's Pure Jade Body, the Ye Family even ranked above us. How could the Patriarch—"

"Big Brother Feng, the situation is actually quite straightforward. Let me explain it to you," Chu Yan offered.

"Alright, Brother Chu, go ahead," Zhao Ji said, his eyes twinkling as he respectfully urged Chu Yan to speak.

"The truth is, as soon as I arrived at the Lin Family Mansion, I knew that the marriage between the Lin and Ye families was doomed to fail. The patriarch's stance simply wouldn't allow it," Chu Yan revealed.

"How so?" Feng Ru inquired eagerly.

Chu Yan smiled and explained, "As you mentioned earlier, Big Brother Feng, the Ye Family holds a higher status than the Lin Family. Their marriage proposal implied that uniting the two families would consolidate their power, showcasing the Lin Family's strength. Under normal circumstances, the patriarch would open the gates wide, eager for the whole town to be aware, right? Yet, upon our arrival, we found the gates firmly shut, with Lin Family members patrolling the area, preventing anyone from getting close.

This clearly indicates that the Lin Family didn't want the Ye Family's marriage proposal to become public knowledge because they couldn't bear the thought of it happening."

"But Brother Chu, how did you figure out that this was the patriarch's intention?" Zhao Ji questioned.

"Big Brother Zhao, do you recall what the steward said when he tried to apprehend me?" Chu Yan countered with a question of his own.

Zhao Ji furrowed his brow, thinking back: "He mentioned that the Deputy Chief had ordered..."

He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes widening as realization dawned on him.

The Deputy Chief's directive clearly favored the alliance through marriage, but the Lin Family's true desire was to reject it. With a bit of deduction, it became apparent that the one opposed to the marriage with the Ye Family was none other than the Clan Chief, Lin Chongtian himself.

Seeing that Zhao Ji had pieced it together, Chu Yan went on, "Therefore, my actions were designed to help the Patriarch legitimately turn down the Ye Family's proposal. There's a solid justification: the Ye Family's prodigy is no match for the son-in-law the Lin Family had originally selected. Moreover, the Lin Family cannot afford the stigma of a woman marrying twice under duress. Consequently, the Lin Family's refusal appears to be out of necessity."

The Lin family can not only refuse the Ye family but also avoid taking the fall for it by shifting the blame onto me. It's a win-win situation that I helped the clan leader achieve. How could he possibly punish me for that?"

Upon hearing Chu Yan's breakdown of the situation, Zhao Ji and Feng Ru came to a realization. Many details had been right in front of them all along, but in the heat of the moment, they hadn't taken the time to think things through.

Chu Yan, however, was different. He remained composed and was able to swiftly pinpoint the critical issues, taking a bold risk with his actions. What this really highlighted was his unwavering confidence in his own abilities.

He trusted his analysis to be accurate. He believed in his strength to handle any potential problems that might arise!