Chapter 89 - 59: Probing
"Young Master Lin, this is the Qian Mansion."
At the entrance to the Qian Mansion, Xia Mingtang spoke to Lin Yan, then went up the steps to greet the doorman.
"Young Master, the Patriarch of the Qian Family is already waiting in the main hall."
After exchanging a few words with the doorman, Xia Mingtang returned to Lin Yan's side. Lin Yan nodded and, led by the doorman, stepped into the Qian Mansion.
The main hall of the Qian Mansion.
The moment Lin Yan stepped through the doors of the hall, his gaze discreetly swept toward the head of the room.
An old man was seated there, his temples frosted white and his face lean. His eyes were not large but were exceptionally bright, and he was currently watching him with a smile.
Qian Zhengchu.
One of the few Fourth-Time Skin Smoothing Martial Artists in Sanshan County.
The charcoal fire in the hall burned brightly, dispelling the winter night's chill. Two maids stood on either side, eyes downcast, perfectly still.
Lin Yan took a few steps forward and cupped his fist in a salute. "I, Lin Yan, have come unannounced. I hope Senior Qian will forgive the intrusion."
"Young Master Lin, you're being too polite."
Qian Zhengchu stood up and came forward with a smile, his attitude so warm it was as if he were welcoming one of his own family's younger generation.
He even reached out to pat Lin Yan on the shoulder. "I already know why you've come. Hang'er was the one acting foolishly in this matter. For that, I offer you my apologies."
Lin Yan was momentarily stunned and quickly said, "Senior, you do me too great an honor."
"Wrong is wrong. There is no 'too great an honor' about it. Young Master Lin, please, have a seat."
Lin Yan hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Thank you, Senior."
As Lin Yan sat in the guest's seat, Xia Mingtang hurried to stand behind him. He suddenly felt he couldn't keep up. He hadn't understood a word of their conversation.
However, neither Qian Zhengchu nor Lin Yan had any intention of clearing up his confusion.
A maid served hot tea, its fragrance wafting through the air.
Qian Zhengchu returned to the host's seat, his eyes full of admiration. "For Young Master Lin to have already reached the Third-Time of Skin Smoothing at such a young age... your future is limitless. When I was your age, I was still struggling with the Second-Time Skin Smoothing."
Lin Yan's expression remained neutral as he said humbly, "You flatter me, Senior. I was merely fortunate."
"There's no such thing as luck on the path of Martial Arts." Qian Zhengchu waved his hand dismissively and chuckled. "Getting this far is a testament to true skill."
He sounded sincere, and his eyes even held a hint of admiration.
Lin Yan lifted his teacup and took a sip, yet his inner guard rose even higher.
'Something's wrong!'
'I sent a formal request for a visit yesterday, so of course he was suspicious and would have conducted an investigation. He probably guessed some of it, then questioned his son and learned the truth. That much is normal.'
'What's not right is his attitude. It's far too warm.'
'For the Patriarch of a family, a Fourth-Time Skin Smoothing expert, to be this warm toward a junior at the Third-Time of Skin Smoothing... he either genuinely cherishes talent, or he has an ulterior motive.'
'And at a critical time like this, the latter is far more likely than the former.'
But one thing did allow Lin Yan to breathe a sigh of relief: Patriarch Qian's Qi Blood had indeed begun to decline. When their bodies had touched a moment ago, his Martial Arts Tree had shown a height of four chi and two cun, but the top four cun were withered.
This was the first time he had ever seen a withered Martial Arts Tree; he surmised it must be a sign of declining Qi Blood.
Patriarch Qian's actual Qi Blood was only at a height of three chi and eight cun. However, he was, after all, a powerhouse who had reached the Fourth-Time of Skin Smoothing; his true strength could not be judged by Qi Blood alone.
Qian Zhengchu took a sip of tea and looked at Lin Yan with a sincere expression. "After I received your request for a visit, I knew something must be up, so I went and asked Hang'er... *Sigh*. It's all my fault for failing to discipline him properly."
Perhaps because Xia Mingtang, an outsider, was present, Qian Zhengchu didn't speak too plainly. But his meaning was clear, and as the party involved, Lin Yan certainly understood.
Lin Yan was silent and did not reply.
'He hadn't come here to demand justice; with his current strength, he didn't have the right.'
"Hang'er is young and impetuous, and he acts without thinking. I've already given him a harsh scolding."
However, without waiting for Lin Yan to respond, Qian Zhengchu pulled a silver banknote from his sleeve, placed it on the table, and slid it over.
"This is a small token of my sincerity, a form of apology to you, Young Master Lin. Let's consider the matter closed."
A thousand-tael silver banknote!
Standing behind Lin Yan, Xia Mingtang's eyes widened when he saw the denomination on the banknote.
He was finally starting to understand. The trouble with the Chen Brothers was related to Young Master Qian.
'So, Young Master Lin came here to demand an explanation?'
'But what he couldn't understand was why the Patriarch of the Qian Family would choose to apologize and offer compensation.'
'Even if the Qian Family Patriarch's Qi Blood was declining, he was still a Fourth-Time Skin Smoothing powerhouse. Did he really need to be so deferential?'
Lin Yan stared at the silver banknote and was silent for two breaths before reaching out and taking it.
The Patriarch of a family, a Fourth-Time Skin Smoothing expert, had first patted his shoulder in a gesture of goodwill, then taken the initiative to admit fault, and finally offered compensation.
After such a combination of gestures, anyone else would have been overwhelmed by the honor, their suspicions completely erased.
But Lin Yan's wariness was now at its peak. It all came back to the same principle: he didn't deserve this kind of treatment from Patriarch Qian.
Xia Mingtang's unsteady breathing from behind him said it all.
However, he was still taking the money.
'Whatever the Patriarch of the Qian Family was planning, since he was offering a thousand taels, there was no reason not to accept.'
Lin Yan's tone was sincere. "Ordinarily, I shouldn't accept this money, but I dare not refuse a gift from an elder. As for Young Master Qian... there is no enmity between us. There were merely some misunderstandings, which have now been cleared up."
After accepting the money, Lin Yan stayed for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before rising to take his leave with Xia Mingtang.
Qian Zhengchu personally saw them to the entrance of the main hall. He waited until Lin Yan's figure had disappeared from sight before turning and walking behind a nearby screen, heading toward the rear courtyard.