I Rely on the Collapse of the Character Setting to Survive in the Hands of the Male Lead Chapter 127

Chapter 127

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Lin Qingyang immediately showed a shocked expression. “Who… who are you talking about?”

Ning Ziheng sat in the ebony chair, one foot casually raised, squinting his eyes, and said with a smile, “Are you acting with me?”

“No, you said I know that person?”

“The Crown Prince, Yuan Ran.”

“Hahaha.” Lin Qingyang suddenly burst into laughter.

Ning Ziheng’s eyes narrowed, and his gaze became even more dangerous. “What’s so funny?”

“Outside, it’s widely rumored that Chief Steward Ning hates the former Crown Prince, and anyone related to him will be targeted for revenge. Until now, there are very few people with connections, and those who openly support him are even fewer. Has Chief Steward Ning’s mind become confused? Am I Yuan Ran’s person? Hahaha, it’s really laughable. I never expected to be arrested for such a reason. I’ve seen him only a handful of times in my life, and we’ve never exchanged a single word. How could you link us together?”

Lin Qingyang appeared extremely speechless, then suddenly had a flash of insight and said, “I remember now. It must be because of the mural in the imperial tomb, right? That’s a complete misunderstanding. It was the Minister of Rites who knew about my decent painting skills and insisted on having me paint. Considering my actual painting ability, it was just average at that time. If you insist that I painted well, I can only say that I was afraid of making mistakes and being punished by the Emperor, so I had to be serious. If you conclude that I am Yuan Ran’s person because of that, then it’s truly ridiculous.”

Lin Qingyang portrayed the disdain of a young master from a prestigious family towards eunuchs and the forced suppression of his arrogance under the circumstances. He felt accustomed to frequently lying in front of the male lead, and now he was performing exceptionally well in acting. Maybe he could win the Best Actor award when he returned to the modern world.

Ning Ziheng’s gaze at Lin Qingyang gradually changed. “Young Master Lin doesn’t need to be in such a hurry to prove his innocence. I’m not someone who casually frames innocent people, am I?”

“In that case, please enlighten me, Chief Steward Ning.” Lin Qingyang acted like he was completely innocent as if he didn’t care about what others said.

Ning Ziheng smiled and beckoned Lin Qingyang to come up, using his finger to signal him.

Lin Qingyang hesitated for a moment but still walked up the steps to the table. On the table, there were some papers filled with information about him.

“Young Master Lin, explain it one by one with your eloquence.”

Lin Qingyang pretended to remain calm. “Conflict with Cheng Yi due to supporting Yuan Ran? This information must have been collected from Cheng Yi’s side, and it’s highly biased. That time, it was my cousin from the South who was naive and unintentionally used some of the past policies of the former Crown Prince as part of his homework. As a result, Cheng Yi pressed him down, and could I just ignore it? I had to confront Cheng Yi to save my cousin. If he insists on distorting it to make it seem like I was siding with the former Crown Prince, there’s nothing I can do about it.”

“Well… that can be understood,” surprisingly, Ning Ziheng spoke.

Lin Qingyang thought to himself that Ning Ziheng was indeed unpredictable. He composed himself and quickly looked at the second part.

“Well… the special ball technique on the cuju field. I’ve already explained that it was taught to me by Big Brother Huo.”

“But at that time, you didn’t have much interaction. Huo Luo isn’t the type to easily teach such footwork to others,” Ning Ziheng casually propped his chin, innocently looking up as he asked.

“You’re mistaken. Big Brother Huo has a good relationship with Xu Wenze, and both my cousin and I were roommates with Xu Wenze at that time. We often hung out together. I have a talent for it. He played it once, and I learned it.”

Ning Ziheng also nodded and smiled, “Young Master Lin is truly talented in both literature and martial arts.”

The third part was the explanation of the painting mentioned earlier, but Ning Ziheng directly raised his hand to stop him, saying, “There’s no need for Young Master Lin to repeat that. Let’s take a look at the fourth.”

The fourth part included the waterwheel drawings by the Fourth Prince, along with some slightly worn-out pieces of paper with descriptions of the new type of waterwheel. Several key points in the descriptions were astonishingly consistent with the Fourth Prince’s drawings.

“What is this?” Lin Qingyang pretended not to know.

Ning Ziheng’s tone finally changed slightly, “Someone wrote to me years ago, saying that the former Crown Prince and his friend had invented a new type of waterwheel that could benefit the people. They shared some interesting points with me, and it happened to be the same as what the Fourth Prince wrote. Oh, no… those ideas from the Fourth Prince were all suggested by you. So, can you explain why your ideas match the ones the former Crown Prince came up with back then? You mentioned that you weren’t close in the past, but that doesn’t mean you’re not close now. Perhaps he has returned alive, and recent events are related to him? Is this waterwheel sketch something he gave you?”

Ning Ziheng’s series of speculations made Lin Qingyang break out in a cold sweat.

This is where Ning Ziheng’s suspicion of Chu Lishu, as mentioned in the original plot, originated.

Ning Ziheng focused only on those related to Yuan Ran. After Chu Lishu entered the palace, he consistently assisted the Fourth Prince and wouldn’t voluntarily reveal any connection with Yuan Ran. However, there were still some unforeseeable details. Ning Ziheng began to suspect Chu Lishu’s relationship with Yuan Ran due to the discovery of the secret behind the improved waterwheel and reminiscences of the past. Of course, he wasn’t intelligent enough to believe that Chu Lishu was Yuan Ran; it was only later, during the verbal sparring, that he gradually began to harbor suspicions.

A few days ago, when Chu Lishu arranged the waterwheel project, Lin Qingyang hadn’t associated it with Ning Ziheng’s suspicions. After all, they had been living peacefully in the palace, and he was almost forgetting about Ning Ziheng. It wasn’t until the day they were taken to meet Concubine Mei, accompanied by two eunuchs who oddly inquired about the creator of the waterwheel improvements.

At that moment, Lin Qingyang suddenly remembered, recalling the catalyst for Ning Ziheng targeting Chu Lishu.

Lin Qingyang hated himself for realizing it too late, but upon further thought, it seemed that the course of events was inevitable.

The waterwheel project was the best card in the hands of the male lead, an unbeatable trump card. Therefore, considering the personality of the male lead, he would definitely use it despite potential risks. If Lin Qingyang tried to make Chu Lishu aware of Ning Ziheng’s threat, the male lead would probably use the waterwheel project to handle those previous individuals first before risking himself to deal with Ning Ziheng.

Because Ning Ziheng couldn’t bring this matter directly to the Emperor, the reason being that he was unwilling to surrender the letter as evidence—it was the last private letter from his close relative, and he had treasured it. Even if he were willing to hand it over, relying solely on similar improvement ideas to claim someone’s association with Yuan Ran was a stretch. Moreover, it couldn’t be proven that the Fourth Prince wasn’t the original creator of the waterwheel, as the Fourth Prince indeed understood it. Additionally, Ning Ziheng stubbornly preferred to deal with those related to Yuan Ran himself and didn’t like to use others.

In the original plot, Ning Ziheng directly kidnapped the person, subjected him to severe torture, and still didn’t get the desired answers before being rescued by Concubine Mei. Later, Concubine Mei complained to the Emperor, leading to suspicions that Ning Ziheng was leaning towards the Third Prince’s faction, weakening his influence.

Anticipating how Ning Ziheng would act, Chu Lishu would certainly ignore Lin Qingyang’s warnings and employ a strategy to outsmart him. Understanding Ning Ziheng’s motivations, even if he knew that this plan’s failure would undoubtedly attract the Emperor’s suspicion, he would still take the risk. This was because he wanted to know whether Yuan Ran was truly dead or alive. Once he started suspecting, he would be eager to find out, willing to go to any lengths to seek confirmation. Chu Lishu would use this to his advantage and execute his own plan.

In the original plot, it was an accident that led to these troubles. However, now, if Chu Lishu knows in advance, it would be a premeditated design. The outcome would still be the same.

Faced with such a troublesome situation, Lin Qingyang should let events unfold naturally. The one captured now would be Chu Lishu, and he would know what to do to maximize the advantage.

However, in the moment when Concubine Mei asked about it, driven by impulsiveness, Lin Qingyang stepped forward instead of Chu Lishu and took sole credit for this ‘achievement,’ knowing that it would undoubtedly reach Ning Ziheng’s ears and that he would be sought after sooner or later. Therefore, Lin Qingyang made ample preparations, waiting to be apprehended.

He thought that if he went, perhaps it would be more convenient for Chu Lishu to rescue him. In case Chu Lishu got caught, he might not be as efficient in saving himself.

Of course, waiting to be caught didn’t mean Lin Qingyang was foolish. He had three considerations:

First, time. Because he realized that the critical time was approaching. Chu Lishu’s aftereffects were about to surface, and if they coincided, it would be a certain death. He was healthier than Chu Lishu and could endure it.

Second, he recalled how the male lead in the original plot dealt with Ning Ziheng and found that he could handle it even better.

For instance, at present, though nervous, he could answer with ease.

“I really can’t compete with Chief Steward Ning. Chief Steward Ning’s imagination is truly rich. However, those ideas did come from me. It’s just that it wasn’t the former Crown Prince who taught me but rather that young friend. He visited the capital, and we met once. I treated him to a drink, listened to his boasting, and saw his drafts. However, he was just an ordinary commoner, and I didn’t pay much attention to him at the time. Unexpectedly, I used those ideas this time and brought unwarranted trouble upon myself. I am really innocent! I just wanted a bit of credit.”

“Oh? You say you know the young friend who designed the drafts with the former Crown Prince back then? Hehe.”

“Yes!”

“What’s his name, and where is he now?”

“I only know his name is Chang Jun. He should be around eighteen or nineteen now, making a living everywhere. I’m not sure where he is. He looks decent but quite frail. There’s a not very noticeable scar on the left side of his forehead.”

Ning Ziheng finally froze. He thought Lin Qingyang was making things up, but unexpectedly, it was a well-crafted fabrication. Ning Ziheng began to doubt his initial judgment for the first time.

Lin Qingyang felt relieved. He had long realized that the system would not prohibit him from revealing non-critical characters and plot details. In other words, he couldn’t inform the male lead about the future, but he could share unrelated and minor information. Sometimes, it could serve as a subtle warning.

Chang Jun was not a character crucial to the main plot, so Lin Qingyang could mention him. He couldn’t disclose this information to the male lead to avoid suspicion, but it was useful for deceiving Ning Ziheng. Since Ning Ziheng wouldn’t confront Chu Lishu to verify the information, there was no fear of exposure. Lin Qingyang had carefully planned this approach when deciding to face the situation.

In the original plot, Chu Lishu also thought about using a diversion with the unknown friend when he was captured. Unfortunately, at that time, he was already mentally unstable, and his thoughts were in disarray due to the overwhelming painful memories. His recollection of the unknown friend had become blurry, and he couldn’t provide a name, making it impossible to convince Ning Ziheng. Furthermore, as Ning Ziheng conducted the investigation, he discovered various suspicious aspects of Chu Lishu’s background, complicating matters.

To avoid drawing Ning Ziheng’s attention to Chu Lishu, it was better to center the contradictions on Lin Qingyang himself. By eliminating the major points of suspicion, they could prevent Ning Ziheng from continuously doubting them. If successful, this approach would significantly reduce trouble for the male lead in the future.

Now Lin Qingyang finally felt the charm of being a transmigrator with a “golden finger.”

This was why Lin Qingyang considered the second point: he could handle situations better than the male lead. Although he wasn’t sure if the male lead still remembered the unknown friend, he believed that his description of the adult version of Chang Jun would be more accurate.

The third point was the most important one.

The mission.

When considering this part of the plot, Lin Qingyang thought that the system’s nature would certainly assign a task. Since it concerned himself, it would be better for him to handle the adjustment.

Sure enough, when the eunuch appeared at the door and knocked him unconscious, Mission 2 appeared.

【Main Mission 2, Mission 2: Help the male lead eliminate Chief Steward Ning】

To eliminate Chief Steward Ning, the first step was to make the Emperor suspicious of him. So, following the original plot, he and the male lead had to stage a performance. Since it was his mission, he would handle it himself, making good use of the role of a toolman.

Now he had finally reached this stage. All he needed to do was wait for the male lead to come and retrieve him.

If luck was on his side, perhaps he wouldn’t have to endure too much torture.

Lin Qingyang was just thinking, when Ning Ziheng waved his hand, and a skilled individual appeared from nowhere, silently descending.

“Record what you have and go search.”

“There’s very little information, I’m afraid…”

“Then send more people!” Ning Ziheng said coldly.

The skilled individual could only bow and leave with limited information.

The world was vast, and finding someone without substantial details could take an eternity. Lin Qingyang remained calm.

Ning Ziheng turned to look at Lin Qingyang and smiled again, “If there really is such a person, then it’s my fault, but well? Finding someone is a long task. Before that, YoungMaster Lin, do you mind giving me the last chance to verify?”

Lin Qingyang sneered and said as if he would listen to his opinion.

“I mind, mind a lot!”

Ning Ziheng smiled slightly, and waved his hand, and someone took Lin Qingyang away. Indeed, he didn’t listen to his opinion!

The dim space, a few chains, and a clear water surface.

The rumored icy water dungeon forced the male lead to spit blood and recuperate for an entire month. It’s unknown whether the stimulating side effects of that incident occurred prematurely for the male lead; the original plot didn’t provide a detailed description. It only depicted the male lead’s strong will to resist the mental torment brought by the cold. He was never afraid of physical suffering, but the cold darkness easily crushed one’s consciousness, leading to confusion and the inadvertent utterance of inappropriate words.

The final verification mentioned by Ning Ziheng was this severe torture to extract a confession.

Lin Qingyang was forced to descend into the water dungeon, feeling the piercing cold that was even colder than the frigid pool at the Imperial Academy. As soon as he entered, he felt like his blood was about to freeze, but he still had a super magical tool.

Self-heating pill: 20, a magical pill that can raise the body’s temperature, like wrapping oneself in an electric blanket. Originally, he thought such a seemingly useless pill costing 20 points would never be used, but unexpectedly, he ended up using it.

Although the temperature it provided wasn’t too high, it indeed turned Lin Qingyang’s freezing experience in the icy water dungeon into the joy of taking a cool bath.

However, enduring a long soak in cold water was still unbearable for one person, but fortunately, he had a backup plan.

No kidding, recently indulging in hot and spicy food wasn’t for nothing; he was waiting for this moment.

So, while chaos reigned outside, Lin Qingyang was quietly soaking in a cool bath, waiting for rescue.

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