Chapter 293: A Miscalculation

Tan Yanling was somewhat clever and didn’t fully trust Li Qun.

But she didn’t refuse either, only saying: “I need to think about it some more.”

Li Qun wasn’t in a hurry, sitting there with a smile as he watched her leave.

Returning to her own courtyard in the mountain estate, Tan Yanling noticed an older female servant tidying up the storeroom. Usually, she wouldn’t have cared about such matters, but things were different now, so she went over to ask the servant what she was looking for.

The servant replied that the steward had instructed her to start packing up the Young Miss’s belongings. She was doing some cleaning and sorting, categorizing the items to make it easier for accounting later.

Tan Yanling felt both ashamed and angry. Were they trying to drive her out?

She turned back to her room, sat down, and thought carefully: It was most likely the case. Since Madam Bai didn’t want to interfere in her marriage, they would simply have her go live with her mother, making it easier for matchmakers to propose marriage.

Besides, they wouldn’t possibly let her get married from the Bai family’s residence. She wasn’t a daughter of the Bai family after all!

That treacherous woman!

She cursed Madam Bai over and over again, using all the vulgar language she had heard in the village as a child.

After thinking for a long time, she found herself with no other option but to seek help from her “brother.”

Li Qun gave her a certain “good thing,” and she took the opportunity to slip it into Master Bai’s hangover soup after he returned home drunk.

By the time Master Bai woke up, the deed was already done.

Although all of this happened while her beloved was unconscious, Tan Yanling didn’t feel the slightest bit wronged. Instead, she felt an immense sense of satisfaction and happiness.

As for Master Bai… shock, suspicion, self-blame, disgust, disappointment, anger…

He dressed himself silently and sat down. “I know you did this,” he said. “But I don’t want to shirk responsibility for the current outcome. Pack your things, I will send you away. I will arrange for your future. You will have fine food and drink, wear gold and silver…” A trace of mockery appeared on his lips. “But from now on, we will never see each other again.”

This was a situation Tan Yanling hadn’t anticipated.

She panicked, immediately kneeling before him. She didn’t dare admit that it was all her plan, only pleading, “Master, Ling’er doesn’t want status, doesn’t want gold or silver. Even if Ling’er becomes a real servant, as long as I can serve by your side, I will have no regrets. Please don’t send Ling’er away.” She sobbed uncontrollably…

But Master Bai’s eyes were cold, unmoved.

Ever since she had met him, he had always been carefree and unrestrained, laughing loudly. This current appearance was something Tan Yanling had never seen before.

She was somewhat dumbfounded, murmuring, “You have so many beauties outside. But I, I’ve accompanied you for so many years, look at these hands…” She stretched out her rough and slightly deformed hands. “I’ve done so much for you, why, why can’t you just tolerate me?”

Master Bai gazed out the window. “That’s because they have nothing to do with my wife. But you, you were rescued and raised by her. She gave you and your mother a comfortable life, and even planned to arrange your marriage. And you… hurt her like this? What kind of person are you… truly disgusting!”

After saying this, he stood up and went to Madam Bai’s side.

At this time, Madam Bai was already pregnant, and her belly was showing.

“My wife! I have wronged you. All that has happened before, it was all my fault! From now on, I solemnly swear to you: I will never do anything to hurt you again!”

Tan Yanling knelt on the ground, naked, feeling ashamed, resentful, and afraid.

What should I do?

Finally, her eyes turned cold. She put on her clothes, rushed out of the estate, and went to find Li Qun.

Li Qun, with a smile on his lips, said, “Heh! That didn’t work? It seems he really doesn’t have you in his heart!”

Tan Yanling blushed with shame. “Why don’t you say it’s your method that’s useless!?”

“My method is useful, it’s you who are useless! But it doesn’t matter, one link after another, there are still ways to make him submit!” Li Qun’s face revealed a cunning expression.

“You still have a way?” Although Tan Yanling had some doubts, she had no other choice.

Li Qun took out a package. “Put this in a place only he can go. This is framing, you understand?”

“Ah?!” Tan Yanling was startled when he said the word “framing.”

“You put it in place, then inform me. I will bring the authorities to investigate. As long as they find this thing in his possession, even with all his abilities, he won’t be able to explain himself.”

“How can this be done? He will be ruined…” Tan Yanling shook her head desperately.

Li Qun ignored her completely. “I have everything arranged, he will indeed be driven to a corner. But at that time, your skills will shine!” He looked at Tan Yanling with a smile. “You will recommend me to him. Then, I will take control of everything! Even if I make him divorce his wife and marry you, for the sake of the Bai family, he will have no choice but to do it!”

His face was filled with calculation.

The picture was too beautiful. Tan Yanling calmed down and carefully considered it. “But this… won’t it be impossible to control?”

“There will be trouble, and it won’t be small, otherwise it wouldn’t work… But rest assured, there will be no turning back! After all, we just want a share of the pie. We don’t want to kill anyone.”

“But… will this really work?”

“To be honest with you, originally, I was just helping that friend. But when we, brother and sister, reunited, I didn’t tell him. Because only this way, can I play both sides, advancing and retreating freely!”

His words were sincere and logical, and Tan Yanling believed him…

Li Qun continued, “If we manage this well, and you marry that Bai fellow… I can completely get rid of that person. In the future, when you have a son, the Bai family will belong to us, brother and sister.”

Tan Yanling was petty, but she lacked great wisdom. She couldn’t discern the problems in this, and felt that everything was going her way.

For example… before, at most, she hoped to become Master Bai’s concubine.

✿✿✿

But if Li Qun can pull this off, then I can become the new Madam Bai?

The thought of possessing everything that woman had, it was truly worth doing anything!

There was only one thing… He wasn’t deceiving her, was he?

Seeing her suspicious look, Li Qun appeared very calm…

Tan Yanling said, “But I think, no matter what, he took my body. I’ll tell my mother, and then go find Madam Bai. My mother and I will work together. If he still wants to get rid of me like this, I’ll have my mother go to the authorities, make a scene! The Bai family has a reputation for elegance and loves face, they will surely be afraid. Then, I will have my place!”

“Naive! If you make such a fuss, he might kill you to silence you… I’m afraid your mother won’t even be able to find your body. What will she use to sue? Even if he doesn’t kill you, it’s true that the Bai family saved you and raised you! If people say you and your mother are ungrateful wretches, how will your mother explain? How will you face yourself? And if he denies it, saying you don’t know who you slept with and are falsely accusing him, how will you prove yourself?”

“This…”

“Who are the Bai family? Just you? He can crush you like an ant. Aren’t there enough such cases in the world? You’ve lived a good life in the Bai family for a few years, and you’ve forgotten who you are?” Li Qun looked her up and down with disdain. “You’re Li Daniu!”

“You!” Tan Yanling was furious, he was truly hateful!

“If you want to become the real Tan Yanling, you must seize the opportunity and achieve it yourself. Don’t foolishly wait for others to make decisions.”

She was convinced.

She didn’t think anymore, and went back to do it.

Sure enough, Master Bai sent someone to send her away. But she said she wanted to return to her mother’s side and take her mother with her.

Master Bai didn’t make things difficult for her and sent her out of the estate.

She went directly to Li Qun and told him where she had hidden the things. “The Bai family has two secret storerooms, one is in the courtyard where he often works, I’ve followed him inside before. It’s filled with various artifacts. The door isn’t opened with a lock, it’s…” She explained.

“But I’ve never opened it, I don’t know if it’s all there. There’s another storeroom underground, accessed through a hidden door in his front study. That should be where the secret manuals you mentioned are kept. But I’ve never been there, the door there should also have a mechanism.”

Li Qun smiled. “Good, I understand.”

………

In the following days, Tan Yanling anxiously waited at home. When people from the Bai family came to take her away, she would have her mother pretend to be sick and refuse to leave.

After a few days, she suddenly realized that her period hadn’t come!

She was both surprised and overjoyed. Could it be, I’m pregnant?

Ignoring everything else, she ran straight to the street, found a medical clinic. The old doctor in the clinic calmly looked at the elaborately dressed Tan Yanling and said lightly, “You are indeed pregnant!”

Tan Yanling was overjoyed!

She had succeeded!

There was no need to scheme against the Bai family anymore, she could enter the Bai family’s doors with her head held high. Even if she couldn’t get Madam Bai’s position for the time being, no one could send her away!

Overwhelmed with joy, she left the clinic and headed straight for the mountain estate. As she walked, she thought: There’s been no movement these days, Li Qun and the others must not be ready yet, I have to go and burn that thing quickly.

I can’t follow the path he laid out, I have to walk my own path!

He was right… She grinned: Relying on anyone is not as good as relying on myself!

But at this moment, chaos suddenly erupted on the street.

People were running around, shouting: Something happened to the Bai family. The major businesses in Xijing City all belonged to the Bai family. In an instant, they were surrounded by soldiers… Adults were crying, children were screaming, the street was in complete disarray.

Tan Yanling was shocked, how could this be?

Then, she heard two loud explosions coming from the mountain estate… thick smoke and flames rose.

It’s over, it’s over! What should I do?

Looking ahead, the estate was crowded with people, it was impossible to enter. Right, go find Li Qun, I can still do as he said.

But she couldn’t find him…

Back home, her mother heard the commotion on the street and was also extremely anxious. Seeing her come back, she pulled her over and asked questions, which annoyed her to no end.

Unable to stay at home… she ran out again to find Li Qun. Finally, she found him at an inn.

But he had lost his usual confidence and composure, instead, he seemed flustered and furious!

“That idiot! I told him there were mechanisms in the storeroom, but he wouldn’t listen, he directly had people smash and dig. As a result, who knows what was triggered, everything exploded! Nothing was left.” He paced back and forth in anger. “That fool… even blamed me! Bastard, I really want to…”

What did he want to do? Powerless and without influence, what could he do?

Tan Yanling was also stunned, asking anxiously, “But, but the Bai family’s property is still there! We can still do as we planned before! Right?!”

Li Qun shook his head. “It’s not that easy anymore…”

Things weren’t going smoothly, only the property remained, would that person share it with me? Seeing how he blamed me, it would be good if he didn’t silence me!

He was startled! “I’m leaving!” Li Qun said. “You should run away quickly too! Don’t lose your life here…”

“What!?” Tan Yanling couldn’t believe it, reaching out to grab him. “Didn’t you have everything planned? How did it end up like this?”

Li Qun shook her off, his eyes staring at her like a snake. “Don’t force me to do something to you!”

Tan Yanling wanted to tell him that she was pregnant, but she was scared by his look.

“The Bai family is finished, all adult men will be beheaded, women will be sent to brothels. You may not have achieved your goal, but at least you’ve gotten your revenge… If you don’t leave now, you won’t be able to leave!”

After saying this, he grinned.