Chapter 131
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Lin Qingyang abruptly jumped up. What’s going on?
Isn’t the male lead going through this every month? How could there be danger? He can’t be going mad and stabbing himself, right?
Lin Qingyang didn’t even have time to put on clothes. He grabbed a dagger and rushed back.
Entering his courtyard, he finally heard some commotion from inside the room. It wasn’t loud, but it did sound like the noise of a struggle.
Someone’s here?!
Lin Qingyang didn’t know the situation, and he didn’t dare to call for help. He could only approach cautiously.
Suddenly, there was a loud bang on the main door, as if something had crashed into it. The alarm blared instantly, making Lin Qingyang anxious. He rushed forward and opened the door.
“Who’s there!”
But the moment he opened the door, it seemed like he collided with someone.
With the help of the lanterns in the corridor, Lin Qingyang could see a dark figure being unexpectedly thrown out when he opened the door. The sword in the figure’s hand was pointed at Chu Lishu’s throat. However, due to the collision, the sword shifted, grazing Chu Lishu’s shoulder.
Seizing the opportunity, Chu Lishu took advantage of the moment when the dark figure lost balance. He turned along the path of the incoming sword, leaped, and directly jumped onto the shoulders of the dark figure. With a swift clamp of his legs, Chu Lishu prevented the dark figure from shaking him off.
In this critical moment, Chu Lishu’s sharp blade moved swiftly, instantly severing the throat. During their struggle, the direction had shifted, so right in front of Lin Qingyang, a masked assailant had their throat slashed, and the blood nearly sprayed onto Lin Qingyang’s face.
Lin Qingyang was momentarily shocked, finding it challenging to adapt mentally. However, there was an even more dire situation at hand.
After Chu Lishu fell along with the corpse, he slowly stood up, holding a dagger.
Visible wounds adorned his body, clearly the result of the recent struggle.
But looking into Chu Lishu’s eyes, it was clear that he was no longer in control. It was the same state as those few times before – he had lost his sanity. All he wanted was to kill every living thing. No, it was even more severe. There wasn’t even a glimmer of the ferocity seen in wild animals. It was as if he were an undead creature crawling out of a grave.
In the midst of his side effects, during the most painful moments of losing control, someone suddenly came to kill him, severely injuring him and posing the greatest threat. Consequently, the backlash was immense.
Now, he had set his sights on Lin Qingyang in front of him.
Okay, the system’s warning about the male lead was gone. Now, the warning blared for himself.
Run? He’d surely be killed with a single blow!
Not run? It seemed that Chu Lishu regained some martial skills when he lost control. There was no way to win against him at this moment.
Should he administer medication just like last time?
Yes, Refreshing Pill: 2, Painkiller: 3.
Since he currently has no consciousness, giving him the mysterious little pill doesn’t require an explanation. The remaining issue is how to get them into him.
……
……
“Why does this kind of plot always have to happen to me!”
Lin Qingyang silently screamed. As a result, a strike came straight at him. Lin Qingyang rolled on the ground, and it was evident that Chu Lishu had been injured previously. Adding that he was currently in a state of outbreak, his steps were somewhat unsteady. Nevertheless, his attacks remained ruthless. Lin Qingyang decided not to confront him directly, just dodging and evading, trying to wear him out and find an opportunity.
With determination, Lin Qingyang clenched two pills in his teeth, found an opening, and swung a stool at Chu Lishu. This caused Chu Lishu’s slashing blade to get stuck in the stool, making it difficult for him to pull it out immediately. Seizing the chance, Lin Qingyang pounced on Chu Lishu. Fortunately, being slightly taller, Lin Qingyang pressed Chu Lishu back several steps, causing him to collide with a folding screen. Lin Qingyang quickly pinched Chu Lishu’s chin and adeptly fed him the pills, all while adopting a posture that would make anyone’s heart ache.
Ensuring that Chu Lishu had swallowed the pills, Lin Qingyang looked up attentively.
Whether it was the effect of the pills or for some other reason, Chu Lishu quickly calmed down. His gaze gradually changed, and eventually, he collapsed, returning to the basic posture of curling up due to pain.
Lin Qingyang attempted to get closer again and found that in this state, Chu Lishu wouldn’t harm him. Therefore, he placed Chu Lishu in a secure position before turning his attention to the assassin.
Why was there an assassin? Were they here to kill Chu Lishu or him?
Lin Qingyang removed the person’s mask and suddenly froze; why did this person seem a bit familiar to him?
Just as he was pondering this, footsteps suddenly echoed from outside. Lin Qingyang immediately moved Chu Lishu to a safe and hidden corner, ensured that the doors and windows were closed, and stood guard under the window with a dagger in hand.
He felt someone approaching cautiously, the hurried gasps barely suppressed, not sounding like someone skilled in martial arts.
The person seemed to have reached the window, and suddenly a familiar voice echoed, “Lin Qingyang… Lin Qingyang…”
Was it Pei Jin?
In Lin Qingyang’s mind, a flash of realization struck – the person looked familiar because he had seen them among the guards by the Third Prince.
Was it one of the Third Prince’s guards coming to kill him?
Or… did Pei Jin ultimately want to silence him?
Was Chu Lishu harmed because of his own actions?
A surge of nameless anger erupted within Lin Qingyang. When Pei Jin was about to stealthily infiltrate, Lin Qingyang suddenly appeared, holding a dagger to capture Pei Jin.
“You came to find me at this late hour?”
“Lin Qingyang!” Pei Jin’s voice sounded urgent, even a hint of surprise. She attempted to move but was stopped by Lin Qingyang, who held a dagger against her neck.
“Why did you come?” Lin Qingyang’s voice was icy.
Pei Jin now saw the situation in the room clearly and sighed. “As you can see, someone is trying to kill you.”
“It’s the Third Prince who wants to kill me!”
“No, more accurately, it’s Concubine Pei who wants to kill you. I just received the information and came to… see if you were dead,” Pei Jin said coldly.
“If they kill me, what does it have anything to do with you?” Lin Qingyang questioned.
“No, her motive to kill you is entirely related to two previous incidents,” Pei Jin explained. “I didn’t know beforehand; otherwise, I would have stopped her. After all, killing you now benefits neither us nor me personally. I don’t want to take such risks.” Pei Jin subtly hinted at the possibility of some compromising information he might expose.
After a moment of consideration, Lin Qingyang released Pei Jin and said, “Regardless of your motives for coming, at least you’ve told me the truth. But is it all because of the waterwheel and Chief Steward Ning?”
Lin Qingyang couldn’t believe it and exclaimed, “Is she so audacious and reckless that she wants to kill me just because of these two incidents? Are their losses so significant that they need to vent their anger on someone like me? If I’m killed, won’t people be the first to suspect them?”
“My aunt has always been willful and reckless. Small inconsequential figures like you are easy to dispose of. Even if problems arise, they won’t be significant. She wants to kill you not for any other reason but because both incidents were connected to you. She’s upset and wants to use your death as a warning to the Fourth Prince’s faction, giving them a lesson. So, she just targeted you,” Pei Jin explained.
Lin Qingyang was shocked by Concubine Pei’s brazen and straightforward manner.
Pei Jin turned around, looking Lin Qingyang up and down. “Strange, you don’t know martial arts. How could you single-handedly kill a guard without a scratch?”
“Mind your own business. We’re not on the same side,” Lin Qingyang replied curtly. “I’m going to report this to the Emperor with this corpse!”
Pei Jin snorted. “Do you think that will work?”
“What do you mean?” Lin Qingyang asked in confusion.
“That guy is originally a palace guard. They can easily spin this as you luring and killing a guard, making yourself look like the victim to frame them. After all, you don’t know martial arts, so it’s impossible for you to retaliate. The only way is if you lure and kill someone when they least expect it, and conveniently, you’re unharmed. That way, you’ll end up being the murderer,” Pei Jin explained. “Unless you’re ruthless enough to seriously injure yourself, making your testimony more reliable.”
Lin Qingyang frowned slightly, realizing that reporting this incident was just a joke. This matter not only involved him but also implicated the unconscious Chu Lishu. It couldn’t be openly dealt with, or it would only cause more trouble for them.
Seeing his hesitation, Pei Jin handed him a bottle. “Take this.”
“What is it?”
“Bone-dissolving water. Sprinkle it on the skin of a dead person, and they’ll turn into a puddle of water in less than a quarter of an hour.”
Lin Qingyang was immediately frightened upon hearing this, and he hastily placed the medicine bottle on the nearby table.
Pei Jin cast a disdainful glance at him and continued, “Then burn his clothes. He’ll vanish without a trace.”
“Are you asking me to destroy the evidence? Won’t Concubine Pei investigate?”
“If the person disappears, it means the mission failed. If the other party doesn’t want to investigate, my aunt will think the plan didn’t work, and she’ll naturally back off. Besides, I’ll advise her not to act recklessly. Of course, if you still want to file a complaint, you can. After all, the body is left here for you to decide what to do.”
Pei Jin finished speaking and was about to leave. However, just as she reached the door, she stopped and turned to Lin Qingyang, saying, “Hey, fool!”
Lin Qingyang glared at Pei Jin without a good expression.
Pei Jin said, “Now you know I was right, right? Chu Lishu wanted you to be the scapegoat for him, to bear the disaster. One is Chief Steward Ning, the other is my aunt. If you foolishly stand up for him again next time, you won’t know how you’ll end up. Your affection for him is genuine, but he’s definitely using your emotions to pave the way for his future. There are surely many things he’s hiding from you. If you continue like this, one day you might lose your own life over it.”
Lin Qingyang’s head throbbed as he could only say, “I’ll state it again, we are not allies. You advise me to step back, and I equally advise you to do the same. I really don’t want to be your enemy.”
Pei Jin was slightly stunned and murmured, “I don’t want to be your enemy either, but I can’t step back. Take care of yourself.” After saying that, Pei Jin left.
Lin Qingyang sighed, looking at the items on the table. After some contemplation, he decided to wait until the male lead woke up before discussing anything. He had promised earlier that if he encountered trouble, he would seek the male lead.
However, facing the corpse directly was still a bit psychologically challenging for him. Yet, he dared not go outside, leaving the corpse here alone in case of unforeseen events.
After weighing his options, he could only endure the night. Lin Qingyang brought Chu Lishu inside, placed him on the bed, and began tending to his external injuries. Fortunately, the current Chu Lishu wouldn’t resist at all. Aside from the occasional painful flinch, he behaved quite obediently. There were several wounds, but none too severe, and he quickly took care of them. Seeing him curled up in discomfort, Lin Qingyang could only sit by the bedside, massaging Chu Lishu’s aching abdomen, and then he fell into contemplation.
He didn’t know how many times he had sighed.
Suddenly, a weak voice emerged.
“Cousin?”
Lin Qingyang looked down, and once again, he saw those familiar eyes.
“Cousin, you finally woke up.”
Chu Lishu’s eyes flickered, about to speak, but then he heard Lin Qingyang excitedly say, “I know your situation involves memory loss. I’ll tell you what happened last night, but I arrived later, so I don’t know what happened before that. I… I was just worried about your condition and came to check on you, and then I found…”
Chu Lishu silently listened to him speak. In fact, he remembered everything. After getting used to the side effects, he gradually recalled what happened during the episode.
He remembered this time Lin Qingyang’s kiss wasn’t a kiss; it was something he was made to ingest. However, he trusted that Lin Qingyang wouldn’t harm him, and it should be something beneficial. He couldn’t bring himself to ask directly, but it was likely just a general pill that was good for the body.
He remembered Pei Jin’s arrival and the explanation of the situation, and Lin Qingyang was now recounting it with precision, not missing a single detail.
However, there was a part he omitted—the portion where Pei Jin tried to persuade him.
At that moment, he truly wanted to argue. He wasn’t using Lin Qingyang’s emotions to pave the way for himself. However, he also felt a bit unsure. Initially, when he first learned about Lin Qingyang’s secret admiration for him, he did entertain such thoughts, but that had changed later on.
Reflecting on it now, it seemed like Lin Qingyang might be genuinely leveraging his feelings to shield himself from harm, especially considering the numerous dangers he had faced because of his association with him.
Because he never provided an answer, he allowed Lin Qingyang’s feelings to develop unchecked, which is why he stood in front of him so recklessly.
Pei Jin was right. Someday, Lin Qingyang would risk his life for him.
Rationally speaking, refusing and urging him to leave, keeping him away from danger, would be the correct course of action. However, after several repetitions and various excuses, they still ended up staying together. Chu Lishu knew that his own despicable subconscious didn’t want Lin Qingyang to leave. He didn’t want to be alone in the imperial palace, feeling distressed, in pain, and even frightened. The path of revenge was too difficult, and everyone could only accompany him for a portion of the journey. No one could accompany him all the way. So, he wanted Lin Qingyang to stay by his side, always with him.
What if he drives him away, and then he falls in love with someone else?
But if he doesn’t send him away, and he loses his life, what then?
If they hadn’t switched rooms last night, relying on Lin Qingyang’s skills, he would have surely died. After a night of torment, if Chu Lishu had come to check on him in the morning, he would have only found a cold corpse.
Chu Lishu really couldn’t bear to imagine that scene.
“Cousin, cousin!” Suddenly, Lin Qingyang’s voice awakened him.
Chu Lishu looked up at Lin Qingyang.
Lin Qingyang frowned and said, “Are you okay? Is there still somewhere uncomfortable? Sigh, it’s all my fault. If we hadn’t switched rooms, none of this would have happened. I’ve even caused trouble for you when your old ailment flared up, encountering an assassination attempt. It’s really…”
“What are you talking about? If we hadn’t switched, you would be dead. Don’t you understand?” Chu Lishu’s voice almost trembled.
Lin Qingyang was momentarily stunned. He didn’t think so because he had the “golden finger.” According to his combat strength, the system should have alerted him if an assassin approached. Then he could simply shout out, and there would be nothing he couldn’t handle.
However, seeing the expression on Chu Lishu’s face, Lin Qingyang could only concede, “I didn’t mean it that way. I can handle a thing or two as well. After all, at that time, you were in too much pain to get up. You don’t know; if I hadn’t arrived in time to save you, you would have been in a tough spot.”
Chu Lishu gave him a distrustful look.
Lin Qingyang cleared his throat and said, “So, how do we deal with this corpse? Can we trust what Pei Jin said? Will Concubine Pei send more assassins?”
Chu Lishu let out a slow breath, addressing the immediate issue first.
The corpse was discreetly disposed of, as Pei Jin suggested. In the future, Concubine Pei wouldn’t resort to such methods again. So, quietly acting as if nothing had happened was the safest course of action. However, Chu Lishu wasn’t one to swallow his pride.
Before destroying the evidence, he severed one hand and had it placed in a delicately crafted box filled with mice. This box was then discreetly included among the gifts sent to Concubine Pei.
A few days later, Concubine Pei’s palace suddenly swarmed with mice. It was said that Concubine Pei screamed in fright, and the situation left her in a sorry state. She even had nightmares for several consecutive nights.
Meanwhile, Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang had already resumed their normal lessons.
Soon, the month-long course came to an end, and they could finally take a break.
Carrying a considerable amount of rewards, they attracted the attention of many people along the way. However, Lin Qingyang went directly to the other courtyard, not returning to the Marquis’s residence, so the Marquis’s residence did not receive such honors.
All the rewards intended for Chu Lishu were handed over to Lin Qingyang. His intention was for Lin Qingyang to handle it, especially since Liu Jingchen had sent people to the other courtyard. It would be a good opportunity for them to bring back some startup capital for Liu Jingchen.
However, Chu Lishu returned to the Marquis’s residence. The reason Lin Qingyang heard was that they were currently under a lot of attention, and staying in the other courtyard for too long would have a negative impact. Additionally, Chu Lishu had some matters to attend to in the next few days.
Upon hearing that Chu Lishu had matters to attend to, Lin Qingyang naturally didn’t object. Moreover, there were plenty of people outside the palace who could assist Chu Lishu, and without any missions at the moment, he didn’t need to get involved.
With a high number of points now, he wasn’t afraid of being separated.
Chu Lishu mentioned that he would come to the other courtyard on the final night, and they would enter the palace together.
Upon returning to the other courtyard, Lin Qingyang naturally received a warm reception. The others didn’t know what had happened inside the palace, only that Lin Qingyang had performed well. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many rewards, and people outside wouldn’t be praising them.
Observing the influx of people into the residence, Lin Qingyang realized they were brought in from Jiangnan and became curious about the reason.
It turned out that this time, along with martial arts guards, there were also craftsmen sent from Jiangnan. The plan was to replicate the architecture of Jiangnan’s gardens here. Some of the intricate designs were not only convenient but also interesting, transforming the entire other courtyard into a place of exquisite beauty.
The most enticing addition was the introduction of an underground hot spring from a distant location. Through clever design, they managed to create a flowing hot spring pool in their separate courtyard. It was an indulgence fit for immortals.
Lin Qingyang expressed a desire to meet the craftsmen and reward them generously.
Soon, the five craftsmen were brought up one by one. At first glance, they didn’t seem exceptionally talented, but their ability to transform the other courtyard into such a beautiful space proved that looks can be deceiving.
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Hi! Is this a repeat chapter? The last chapter is 131 as well.