I Rely on the Collapse of the Character Setting to Survive in the Hands of the Male Lead Chapter 121

Chapter 121

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In the following days, Concubine Mei did assign people to keep an eye on Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang. However, they were genuinely just accompanying the Fourth Prince for studying and leisure. Xu Wenze also had no ambitions for power and dominance. Under their guidance, the Fourth Prince made much progress in his studies. However, excelling in academics alone wouldn’t be sufficient for his future; after all, he wasn’t destined to be a scholar.

Unlike other study companions who would strategize for their princes, aiming to gain favor from the emperor or dealing with enemies, Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang took advantage of the Fourth Prince’s young age, believing that others wouldn’t target him. Consequently, they coasted along without putting in much effort. Mei Fei wasn’t satisfied with such study companions; her goal was to groom the Fourth Prince into someone like the former Crown Prince, capable of capturing attention at a young age, rather than a naive child living in a sweet bubble. As a result, Concubine Mei became increasingly displeased with them, even contemplating ways to change study companions with Prime Minister Li.

On this particular day, Yue Chen delivered a lecture on the operation of water wheels, a topic relevant to people’s livelihoods. Concubine Mei didn’t expect the princes to become experts in practical tools, but she insisted that they should at least understand the principles involved.

Just as Emperor came to inspect their studies, he asked each prince to share their insights.

Yuan Ye was diligent and could articulate his understanding. However, the Eldest Prince found it challenging to express himself. Similar to his study companion Wang Tong’en, he preferred martial arts over reading. Faced with the Emperor’s inspection, he couldn’t afford to be arrogant and could only provide vague responses. When the Emperor grew impatient, he allowed the Eldest  Prince to sit down and reflect further.

When it was the Third Prince’s turn, he first emphasized the importance of water wheels as irrigation tools, a point comparable to Yuan Ye’s insights. Once the Emperor was satisfied, he continued, “Father Emperor, your son is quite interested in water wheels and has thought of some improvement methods.”

“Oh? You also understand improvements?”

“Your son doesn’t dare to speak recklessly. I’d like to ask Assistant Yue for help. If the ideas are wrong, please don’t mock me, Father Emperor.”

“It’s good enough that you actively think about it. Yue Chen, take a look at the Third Prince’s drawings.”

Yue Chen stepped forward, bowed, and carefully examined the drawings.

The others couldn’t help but feel nervous. Both Yuan Ye and the Eldest Prince looked displeased, thinking the Third Prince was being extremely cunning, ingratiating himself with the Emperor at every opportunity. They couldn’t believe he understood anything about water wheels.

“Well, indeed… there are some aspects that require further consideration. This drawing points out several unresolved issues with the current water wheel design. The Third Prince’s proposal is quite good, and we can give it a try.” After contemplating for a moment, Yue Chen affirmed with positive remarks.

This not only surprised everyone present, but even the Emperor found it a bit unbelievable. For the members of the imperial family, understanding such matters was already considered good, and now, they were providing suggestions for improvement. The Emperor was quite pleased, “How did you come to understand these things, Old Three? Weren’t we just starting classes today?”

“Not long ago, when we were handling state affairs, I heard a minister mention this matter. Seeing Father Emperor looking troubled, I went back to consult historical records. Today, Assistant Yue explained it from various angles, and that’s how I came up with these ideas. My knowledge is limited, and I naturally don’t have the depth of understanding that the ministers do. Please forgive my shortcomings, and I hope Father Emperor doesn’t find it laughable.”

The Emperor’s heart was instantly delighted. He was well aware that the Third Prince was deliberately trying to please him, but he thoroughly enjoyed such flattery.

“Well done, Old Three. You will be rewarded. Your brothers should learn more from you. Sometimes, you need to think beyond what books teach you. Matters of the state, big or small, are all national affairs. You all should strive to think, which will be beneficial for your future, whether in governing the country or managing territories,” the Emperor praised.

The Third Prince’s spirits soared, basking in the glory, while the atmosphere among the other two factions started turning sour.

“Little brother, you are indeed surprising. Who would have thought you understand even water wheels,” the Eldest Prince couldn’t help but mock. Compared to Yuan Ye, he was more reluctant to lose to the Third Prince. After all, they shared the same father, yet the Emperor treated the Third Prince with affection and looked at him with various sighs of helplessness. How could this not stimulate the heart of a young man?

The Third Prince won this round and was feeling arrogant. Upon hearing the Eldest Prince’s remarks, he responded, “Big brother, it’s also good to think more about problems in your daily life.”

The Eldest Prince was instantly infuriated, but with the Emperor present, he didn’t dare to express his anger too openly.

Crown Prince Yuan Ye naturally didn’t like seeing the Third Prince stealing the spotlight, but this unexpected turn of events caught him off guard. Minor competitions between them were one thing, but now, the Third Prince was showcasing his superior intellect and willingness to share the Emperor’s burdens, demonstrating a level of provocation that outshone the rest of the princes. Moreover, the Emperor tacitly approved of this provocation, leaving Yuan Ye feeling oppressed in this unseen power play.

Holding back his frustration, Yuan Ye suddenly heard the rustling of paper by his side, drawing his attention. Glancing over, he noticed Chu Lishu, the attractive study companion of the Fourth Prince, flipping through a book and guiding him on how to respond later.

Considering the young age of the Fourth Prince, even if he couldn’t provide a comprehensive answer, the Emperor wouldn’t blame him. However, if he could offer even a partial response, it would surely earn him a commendation. It was not uncommon for study companions to offer guidance.

As he was about to avert his gaze, Yuan Ye was surprised to see several hand-drawn sketches of water wheels on the Fourth Prince’s desk, accompanied by numerous annotations. Yuan Ye squinted his eyes slightly.

When the Emperor called on the Fourth Prince to answer, due to nervousness, the Fourth Prince’s response was similar to that of the Eldest Prince. However, the Emperor was more lenient towards the young Fourth Prince. After the Fourth Prince finished speaking, he nervously looked at the Emperor, his small round face resembling a steamed bun.

“Well, I’ve heard that your recent studies have improved a lot compared to before. You should continue to work harder in the future,” remarked the Emperor.

The Fourth Prince nodded and was about to sit down, but Yuan Ye, seated beside him, suddenly spoke up: “Yuan Han, didn’t you also draw sketches of water wheels recently? Why don’t you show them to Uncle Emperor?”

Yuan Ye initially thought the Fourth Prince would speak up on his own, but seeing his hesitation, Yuan Ye took the initiative. Regardless of the quality, as long as it could earn some approval from the praise that the Emperor gave to the Third Prince, it would be worthwhile.

With these words, everyone’s attention shifted to the Fourth Prince, making the little fellow nervous and fidgety. He even couldn’t help but reach out to cover his own sketch.

The Third Prince frowned slightly, not taking it seriously, and directly said, “Fourth Brother has always loved drawing. Crown Prince, don’t trouble Fourth Brother.”

However, the Eldest Prince spoke up, “How come your drawings can be used to show off, but not those of the Fourth Prince?”

“What… What do you mean? I am clearly trying to share the burden for Father. How did it become showing off when it comes to you?” The Third Prince immediately felt wronged.

The Eldest Prince was instantly silenced and had nothing to say; he shouldn’t have shown off in front of the Emperor. That’s what happens when he can’t stand being outdone.

“Enough. This is a school. You shouldn’t behave like this.” The Emperor frowned and said, “Fourth Prince, did you also draw? Show it to your father.”

The Fourth Prince dared not refuse. Instead, it was Yue Chen who came down with a smile, picking up the sketch of the waterwheel from the table.

In fact, everyone assumed that the Fourth Prince was just curious and drawing for fun. However, if anyone could find one or two points to praise, it would be considered an affirmation of the little prince. The Emperor naturally wanted to see for himself with such thoughts in mind.

However, when Yue Chen took a look at the sketch, his expression changed instantly. He glanced at Chu Lishu, who remained oblivious.

Yue Chen walked back to the Emperor with a serious face and presented the drawing. “Your Majesty, please take a look. If we modify the waterwheel according to this new pattern, directly changing the shape, won’t the length achieve the optimal power effect?”

Seeing Yue Chen’s serious expression, the Emperor couldn’t help but carefully examine the drawing. Although the sketch was not detailed, and the strokes were somewhat immature, it indeed showed considerable thought. The Emperor, with some understanding in this field, wasn’t sure if it was as impressive as Yue Chen claimed, but it was certainly better than the one presented by the Third Prince.

The Emperor, incredulous, looked at the Fourth Prince and asked, “Is this… did you draw this just now?”

The Fourth Prince nodded nervously.

The Emperor immediately instructed Chief Steward Sheng, who was by his side, to summon the minister responsible for waterwheel reforms.

This display left everyone present in a state of shock.

Unable to hold back, Yuan Ye said, “Uncle, what’s going on? Is there something wrong with Yuan Han’s drawing?”

The Third Prince couldn’t help but widen his eyes. Judging from Yue Chen and the Emperor’s reactions, it seemed like the Fourth Prince’s drawing was ten times better than his.

The Emperor handed the drawing to Yue Chen and asked him to explain. Yue Chen directly reproduced the drawing on a larger surface, passionately explaining. In the end, he became immersed in it, exclaiming, “This will definitely work! As long as we conduct experiments and refine the values, it can easily double our irrigation capacity. How much labor force can we save?”

At this point, Yue Chen fell silent, feeling uneasy. If this were really implemented, it would be a significant change!

After Yue Chen’s explanation, the Emperor finally understood. His heart couldn’t help but surge with excitement. The way he looked at the Fourth Prince had changed. Could it be that his son was truly a genius?

Everyone stared in amazement at the Fourth Prince, except for one study companion, Pei Jin, who was gazing at the three study companions behind the Fourth Prince with a discerning eye.

In an instant, the Third Prince’s limelight was completely stolen. No one remembered his small improvement plan from earlier. After all, the drawing from the Third Prince had a bit of a commonplace feel, representing an improvement method that everyone could think of. It was just a matter of incorporating a little personal touch. However, the Fourth Prince’s drawing was truly exceptional, presenting an entirely new concept that could launch the improvement of waterwheels.

Everyone was amazed, attributing a great achievement to the Fourth Prince.

The Third Prince was the first to lose his temper. “This is absolutely impossible for the Fourth Prince to come up with!”

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent. People had their suspicions but didn’t dare to voice them, and the Fourth Prince became visibly uneasy.

“Third Brother, what do you mean by that?” The Eldest Prince, although also shocked, enjoyed seeing the Third Prince upset and immediately retorted.

“What do you mean? How could the Fourth Prince, at such a young age, understand these things? Do you think we’re fools? It must be his study companions or advisers provided by Prime Minister Li who came up with this plan for him. Fourth Prince, you better speak up honestly, otherwise, it’s a crime of deceiving the emperor. Anyone capable of coming up with such a method is undoubtedly not an ordinary person. Such talent should not be hidden for personal gain. If there is talent, it should be presented to the emperor.”

The Third Prince’s words directly accused the Fourth Prince, portraying him as a tool used for showing off by Prime Minister Li and others. According to the Third Prince, they were concealing a good plan to enhance the reputation of the Fourth Prince. This also implied the suspicion of hiding talent from the emperor.

If things were true as the Third Prince described, it would be highly displeasing to the emperor. Indeed, as soon as the Third Prince finished speaking, the emperor’s demeanor became stern, and he scrutinized the Fourth Prince.

“Old Four, be honest with Father Emperor. Did you really draw this diagram, and were the methods on it really your ideas?”

“Son… Son…” The Fourth Prince was truly frightened, tears were starting to swirl in his eyes. He didn’t know how to explain. The diagram was indeed drawn by him, but were the methods truly his ideas?

Seeing the Fourth Prince’s reaction, the Emperor’s expression instantly darkened. If the waterwheel, as Yue Chen claimed, could truly benefit the people, it would be a tremendous achievement. Piling such credit onto a ten-year-old child was a clear scheme by Concubine Mei and Prime Minister Li. It was evident that they took him for a fool, which greatly displeased the Emperor.

“Think carefully before you speak, all of you!” The Emperor turned directly to the three study companions behind the Fourth Prince.

The three immediately knelt on the ground.

Xu Wenze spoke first, “Reporting to Your Majesty, indeed, this drawing was just drawn by the Fourth Prince. I personally witnessed it.”

“A few of us did accompany His Highness to play at the Wenbo Pavilion’s waterwheel earlier. At that time, His Highness asked us many questions. We didn’t understand much, so we could only guess randomly. Therefore, we believe that this diagram and these methods were indeed conceived by His Highness alone,” Chu Lishu added.

Lin Qingyang also added, “His Highness loves to be active and playful. Perhaps it’s not impossible for him to stumble upon something while playing.”

“Do you all want to be accomplices in the crime of deceiving the emperor?” The Third Prince responded quickly, angrily accusing, “Father Emperor, I believe these study companions won’t confess unless they are punished. They are always by the Fourth Prince’s side, how could they know nothing? Maybe they even encouraged him.”

The Emperor’s face darkened, about to give an order, but the Fourth Prince immediately knelt before the three study companions, pleading, “Father Emperor, Father Emperor, please don’t punish them. They have always been good to me. I really drew this picture, and I didn’t lie. The methods were indeed my ideas, but it was when Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang were playing with me that I got inspired. Father Emperor…”

The Fourth Prince cried heartbreakingly, while Yuan Ye, the instigator of the incident, observed coldly. The Eldest Prince initially intended to step forward and say something but hesitated.

Yue Chen glanced at Chu Lishu, feeling somewhat uneasy. He didn’t know whether he should step forward to speak in defense of the Fourth Prince. In fact, it was Chu Lishu who suggested him to take this course and lure the Emperor into inspecting it. Yue Chen thought Chu Lishu must have some intentions, expecting that when the Fourth Prince’s drawing was presented, Chu Lishu aimed to gain a reputation for him.

However, it seemed like things might have been pushed too far. Honestly, anyone would find it hard to believe that the Fourth Prince had drawn such a diagram. Unless someone with a childhood genius reputation like Yuan Ran did it, it would seem out of place. Carelessness in handling this matter could lead to accusations of deceiving the emperor. While the Fourth Prince could be excused due to his young age and ignorance, the fate of these study companions could become quite troublesome.

Yue Chen was about to take a step forward when he noticed Chu Lishu’s restraining gaze and immediately halted.

Meanwhile, the Third Prince seemed even more elated, as if trying to reclaim the praise that was seemingly taken away from him.

Just then, a messenger arrived at the door, announcing the arrival of the Ministry of Works assistant minister, skilled in waterwheel improvements.

The Emperor didn’t immediately deal with the Fourth Prince and others but instead asked the assistant minister to examine the drawing.

Upon careful inspection, the assistant minister became visibly excited, his hands trembling. Tears streamed down his face as he exclaimed, “This new design for the waterwheel is marvelous! If it can be successfully implemented, it will undoubtedly benefit countless people. It would be a great fortune for our Great Zhou. I wonder which talented individual is behind this? I’d like to discuss it in detail with them. Could it be… Yue…”

Yue Chen quickly waved his hands, signaling that it wasn’t him.

The assistant minister was puzzled. Among those present, who else could be more likely to have drawn such a diagram than Yue Chen?

“Fourth Prince, have you figured out how to explain yourself?” the Emperor said coldly.

The assistant minister was shocked to learn that the drawing was actually conceived by the Fourth Prince and found it quite unbelievable.

Just as they were discussing, there was a sudden commotion at the door—Concubine Mei had arrived.

The Emperor sneered at the coincidence. He allowed Concubine Mei to enter and directly asked, “Why have you come?”

“Your humble concubine came to bring some snacks for the princes. While outside, I heard that Your Majesty was angered, and it seemed to be related to the Fourth Prince. As the mother of the Fourth Prince, your concubine bears the responsibility for any failure in discipline. Please, Your Majesty, punish me,” Concubine Mei slowly knelt down, wearing a face of apparent fragility.

This time, Lin Qingyang witnessed the true art of a favored concubine. Such a gentle and delicate expression could indeed stir a man’s protective and affectionate instincts.

Unfortunately, the Emperor wasn’t easily swayed by a beautiful woman when it came to crucial matters.

“Humph, I see you are well aware of your wrongdoing and have come here to make amends and plead for mercy. Do you know what your son has done? Or perhaps… has someone incited your son to do something?” the Emperor said in a cold tone.

Concubine Mei actually knew what had happened but didn’t dare to speak the truth. “Your humble concubine is unaware. I implore Your Majesty to enlighten me.”

“Fourth Prince, speak for yourself!” the Emperor rebuked angrily.

The Fourth Prince threw himself beside Concubine Mei, tearfully explaining the situation. Concubine Mei felt both heartache and ruthlessness, saying, “How can you lie! Now, go apologize to your father.”

“But… but Your humble son did not lie! It really was me who drew it,” the Fourth Prince, originally fearful of the Emperor, was now genuinely aggrieved.

Concubine Mei was furious. She understood the Emperor’s temperament well. Swiftly apologizing could save the situation, but persisting in denying the mistake would only make the Emperor resentful. She cast a stern gaze at the three study companions, suspecting that they might be enemies sent to intentionally lead the Fourth Prince into lying, causing the Emperor’s displeasure and implicating her as well. If things went wrong this time, she wouldn’t spare these three.

At that moment, Chu Lishu suddenly kowtowed and said, “Your Majesty, I am willing to stake my life on it. This was indeed drawn by the Fourth Prince.”

“I can vouch for it too!” Lin Qingyang also bowed his head.

Not fully understanding the situation, Xu Wenze had to follow suit with everyone else.

In the instant Chu Lishu lifted his head, his gaze finally swept across Yue Chen.

Receiving the message, Yue Chen responded promptly, “Your Majesty, discussing it this way is not interesting. Why not let me investigate and find out who is lying?”

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