The thought of Li Tan as his immediate superior left Zhao Yan feeling as though his future were shrouded in mist. To be cast into the lion’s den with no means of resistance—the mere prospect was enough to make his chest tighten.
He indulged in a brief, shallow hypothesis and felt a wave of nausea. The Hanlin Academy was not Baiyun Village. In the village, a dispute could be settled with a loud argument, but that wouldn't fly here. In the bureaucracy, a superior’s rank could crush a subordinate; if Li Tan decided to play even a minor trick, Zhao Yan would be forced to swallow it whole.
"Tsk." Zhao Yan watched with annoyance as Li Tan walked away. "Brother Yang, please don't say such ominous things. I still have to survive in this place. Today is only the first day—can't you let me enjoy a bit of peace?"
Chapter 359