The Lin's Patriarch is weird.

Chapter 33: 33. Lin Zhenghai Vs Su Qinglan [Place your best!]

Three days after the incident, the Lin Family was thrown into chaos.

News spread rapidly that the Lin Patriarch had entered closed-door cultivation.

As for how long he was going to be gone, no one knew.

The clan elders soon stepped forward to confirm the rumors, making it official.

Given the current situation, no one found it particularly surprising.

Now, taking advantage of the absence, Su Qinglan currently stood before the residence of Lin Zhenghai.

As the Supreme Elder, his estate was among the grandest within the Lin Family.

Yet today, it looked as though it was moments away from being surrounded.

Lin Zhenghai stepped outside, his expression dark.

"What is the meaning of this, Elder Su?" he demanded, barely concealing his anger.

Su Qinglan met his gaze without the slightest hint of fear.

"Nothing much."

She calmly produced a scroll.

"I am merely exercising the authority the Patriarch entrusted to me."

She slowly unrolled the document.

"As acting overseer of the clan treasury, I am here to audit every reward, allowance, and cultivation resource your branch has received over the years."

Lin Zhenghai’s eyes narrowed.

"...Audit?"

"Correct."

Su Qinglan nodded.

"The Patriarch instructed me to reorganize the clan’s finances during his seclusion. Naturally, that includes reviewing every distribution made by the treasury."

She glanced at the scroll in her hand.

"According to the records, your branch has received quite a generous amount over the years."

Lin Zhenghai’s expression darkened.

"And if I refuse?"

Su Qinglan looked at him as though he had asked an absurd question. freēwēbηovel.c૦m

"Then I will simply record that the Supreme Elder obstructed an official treasury investigation."

She smiled faintly.

"I wonder what the rest of the clan will think when they hear that."

Lin Zhenghai’s face stiffened.

Before he could respond, Su Qinglan continued.

"Oh, that’s right and I also heard something rather interesting.

The one hundred Body Tempering Pills awarded to Lin Zhaohao for reporting Bong Haoran’s whereabouts..."

She closed the scroll with a soft snap.

"Were confiscated under your authority."

Silence fell and the surrounding clan members exchanged uneasy glances.

Su Qinglan’s voice remained as calm as ever.

"Kindly explain under which clan regulation the Supreme Elder is permitted to seize rewards personally granted by the Patriarch."

Lin Zhenghai frowned, a trace of confusion appearing on his face.

"Is that so?"

He slowly turned toward the elders standing behind him.

"I have been occupied with clan affairs these past few days. I was not aware of such a matter."

His gaze settled on Su Qinglan.

"If someone under my branch acted on their own authority, I will certainly investigate it."

Su Qinglan looked at him quietly.

"You weren’t aware?"

"I was not."

Lin Zhenghai answered without hesitation.

"As Supreme Elder, I oversee many matters. It is impossible for me to know every little incident that occurs beneath me."

Su Qinglan gave a slow nod.

"I see."

She made a note on the scroll.

"The Supreme Elder claims no knowledge of the confiscation."

Lin Zhenghai’s eyelid twitched as she continued writing.

"Therefore, responsibility shall temporarily rest with the individual who carried it out. Should evidence later prove the Supreme Elder’s involvement, this statement will serve as his official testimony."

Only then did she look up.

"Since you’ve declared your innocence before so many witnesses, I trust you won’t object to a thorough investigation."

Lin Zhenghai remained silent for a moment and then laughed.

"So that’s what this is."

He looked at Su Qinglan with a warm smile, as though speaking to a junior he appreciated.

"It seems I have been misunderstood. If someone truly confiscated Zhaohao’s reward under the banner of my branch, then that was indeed improper."

He sighed.

"The clan has been in turmoil since the Patriarch entered seclusion. I entrusted many matters to my descendants. It appears one of them overstepped."

His expression turned solemn.

"Rest assured, Elder Su. I will personally investigate this matter. If anyone abused my name, they will not escape punishment."

Su Qinglan, however, simply smiled.

"How fortunate."

Lin Zhenghai raised an eyebrow.

"I was worried the Supreme Elder might protect the culprit."

Lin Zhenghai chuckled.

"The Lin Family’s interests always come first."

"Excellent."

Su Qinglan rolled up the scroll.

"In that case, I’ll save you the trouble."

With a light clap of her hands, several disciples stepped forward carrying ledgers nearly as tall as their waists.

"I’ve already begun the investigation on your treasury and warehouse records, you see."

One ledger after another was placed on the table before Lin Zhenghai.

"I only need your cooperation to compare them."

Lin Zhenghai’s smile remained unchanged.

Inside, however, Lin Zhenghai understood exactly what was happening.

Su Qinglan had not come to ask questions, instead she had come prepared with evidences.

She intended to carve away his flesh and throw it to the dogs.

But there was one thing she had overlooked during the brief exchange.

He casually picked up one of the ledgers and flipped through a few pages.

"Impressive, the treasury has become quite meticulous under your management."

Su Qinglan inclined her head.

"The Patriarch dislikes unclear accounts."

Their eyes met and both smiled.

Lin Zhenghai gently closed the ledger in his hands. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

"If that is the case..."

He looked at Su Qinglan with a genial smile.

"Why don’t we invite Zhaohao over?"

He spread his hands.

"He was the victim, after all. Surely he can identify the person who confiscated his reward."

The courtyard fell silent and to the surrounding clan members, it sounded like a perfectly reasonable suggestion.

To Su Qinglan, it was anything but.

She knew exactly what Lin Zhenghai was doing.

If Lin Zhaohao appeared and pointed at Lin Zhenghai in front of everyone, the Supreme Elder would simply deny it.

A frightened junior accusing the Supreme Elder without evidence?

No one would believe it.

Worse still, Lin Zhenghai could turn the accusation around, claiming that Su Qinglan had coached the boy to frame him.

Su Qinglan shook her head.

"I’m afraid that won’t be possible."

"Oh?"

"Zhaohao is still in an unstable state."

She sighed lightly.

"After losing one hundred Body Tempering Pills, he’s been in quite a frenzy."

"I’m concerned he might point at the first person he sees."

A few nearby disciples exchanged awkward glances.

It sounded... plausible.

Lin Zhenghai’s lips curled upward.

"Is that so?"

He nodded thoughtfully before looking straight into her eyes.

"Or..."

His smile widened ever so slightly.

"...is it because you’re the one who took them?"