I Rely On The Collapse Of The Character Setting To Survive In The Hands Of The Male Lead Chapter 178

Chapter 178

In the study, everyone discussed a plan to create an accident by simulating a fire and burning down the room. They decided to treat it as if the painting had also been destroyed in the fire, attributing the gradual improvement of the County Princess’s health to the medical skills of Mu Huichun. This way, there would be no suspicions. According to their analysis, the Emperor probably didn’t intend to harm the County Princess, and destroying the painting might just be convenient for him.

After hearing the plan, Nanny Ding immediately went to execute it. She pretended to rearrange the room and moved some non-flammable items out first. Then, she set the house on fire.

“What about that dog Emperor!” With a silver long sword in hand, Liu Xiaowei’s eyes were filled with killing intent.

“He must pay for it,” Liu Jingchen spoke, “But our Liu family absolutely cannot bear the label of regicide and become criminals again. So, uncle, you must stay calm. There will be a solution to this someday.”

After Liu Jingchen finished speaking, he looked at Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang. It wasn’t that he wanted to pass the responsibility to them, but the Liu family couldn’t participate in officialdom, and their capabilities were limited. Threatening the Emperor was a difficult task.

“Don’t worry, there will be such a day,” Lin Qingyang said straightforwardly, “He won’t stay in that position for too long. The Liu family’s grievances will be avenged.”

“I know,” Liu Jingchen agreed with Chu Lishu’s words. After all, they had a tacit understanding. Then, he patted Liu Xiaowei’s shoulder and said, “Uncle’s martial arts skills are impressive. If there’s anything you need help with, feel free to ask.”

“Oh, perfect. I do have something to ask uncle for help,” Chu Lishu didn’t beat around the bush and directly spoke up.

Although Liu Xiaowei instinctively didn’t like Chu Lishu, seeing his nephews treating him as one of their own, Liu Xiaowei didn’t reject him. However, it felt a bit awkward when Chu Lishu addressed him as “uncle.” “What is it?”

“Uncle, as someone acquainted with the martial world, you must have some connections. I hope to use your relationships to indirectly hire a top assassin named Ghost Paper from the Blood Abyss Pavilion. Of course, everything will be a ruse, with the aim of capturing Ghost Paper instead of committing murder. We can’t reveal our side, so we need to set up this trap through your connections in the martial world.”

Liu Xiaowei was taken aback. He had heard about the Blood Abyss Pavilion, but why investigate Ghost Paper?

On the other hand, Lin Qingyang felt a shock running through him. It was like finding a thread in a tangled mess.

Ghost Paper? Blood Abyss Pavilion? Isn’t that…

【Ding, Side Quest: Assist the male lead in gaining influence over the Blood Abyss Pavilion.】

“Why capture him?” Liu Xiaowei didn’t immediately agree. Instead, he questioned. While willing to help with certain tasks, he wouldn’t be someone’s blind instrument.

“Ghost Paper is a very special assassin. His expertise lies in poisoning, and he excels at poisoning paper—letters, books, window paper, fans, and, of course, drawing paper.”

Liu Xiaowei’s expression changed abruptly, “He’s the one who provided the drawing paper for the Dog Emperor?”

“So, capturing him will help us find out if he’s aware of the events from that year. Perhaps, he can provide us with valuable information,” Chu Lishu explained calmly.

Lin Qingyang took a sharp breath. Although the context was different, this had indeed become the initial step for the male lead to uncover the truth behind the Blood Abyss Pavilion.

In the original plot, the male lead, just like now, suspected Chief Steward Ning. He believed that if Chief Steward Ning was the Pavilion Master, the Emperor probably wouldn’t be unaware. So, he conducted a test – he directly hired someone to place an order with the Blood Abyss Pavilion to find the assassin known as Ghost Paper. The plan was to obtain poisoned paper and then deliver it to the Emperor. If Chief Steward Ning was truly behind the Blood Abyss Pavilion, both the person who delivered the paper and the one who placed the order would undoubtedly be captured.

It was a worthwhile test, but unfortunately, the plan was thwarted. The Blood Abyss Pavilion couldn’t find Ghost Paper to take the order, so the mission was put on hold. Later, with no other option, Chu Lishu had to change his approach. He placed an order to have himself killed and then took the risk of capturing a top assassin. The goal was to extract information, as top assassins from the Blood Abyss Pavilion were likely to be familiar with the Pavilion Master, revealing the identity of the mastermind.

And now, with the addition of the poisoning incidents involving Concubine Liu and the County Princess, Chu Lishu considered seeking Ghost Paper for answers.

Wait a moment, Lin Qingyang suddenly remembered a plot twist…

“If we find Ghost Paper, maybe we can demand the poisoned paper from him. We can…” Suddenly, a fierce determination flashed in Liu Jingchen’s eyes as he spoke.

“Can what?” Liu Xiaowei asked in confusion.

“We can retaliate in the same way they did to us,” Chu Lishu said with a faint smile.

Liu Xiaowei’s eyes widened abruptly, and Liu Jingchen fell silent.

Liu Jingchen wasn’t opposed to seeking revenge, but he preferred a more secure approach to prove the innocence of the Liu family and accomplish the goal of eliminating the tyrant emperor.

If they could make the tyrant emperor suffer the same fate as Concubine Liu and County Princess, it would be the ultimate revenge.

【Ding, Main Mission 2, Mission 9: Assist the male lead in executing the poison plan in advance.】

Sure enough!

Lin Qingyang remembered that the male lead, in dealing with various forces, had also made up his mind to end it all. So, he early on borrowed a hand from Xu Wenze and sent a handwritten copy of his favorite foreign policy treatise to the emperor.

The paper of that book was the source of the poison. Although the emperor had been exposed to the poison for a long time, his body was robust, and the original toxicity had been weakened by Chu Lishu. Therefore, he didn’t notice it for a while, only feeling a gradual loss of strength. Over time, he naturally lacked the spirit to resist Chu Lishu. By the time he discovered it, even interrogating Xu Wenze yielded no useful information, and the situation had already turned against him.

With this connection in mind, it seems that in the original plot, finding Ghost Paper was probably not just about investigating Blood Abyss Pavilion. It was likely also a means to safely poison the emperor and, at a crucial moment, weaken the Fourth Prince’s faction that had been supported by the emperor. At that time, Duke Wei Guo’s residence was not completely trusted by Prime Minister Li, but it still belonged to the faction of the Fourth Prince. In the end, Duke Wei Guo’s residence fell from grace, and Prime Minister Li was implicated. The emperor became an isolated and helpless sickly figure, forced into a desperate struggle.

However, since Ghost Paper was not found, where did the poisoned books come from? The original plot did not provide an explanation.

Lin Qingyang suddenly thought of a possibility: could it be that after the death of the County Princess, the male lead unintentionally discovered the poison in the Guanyin painting? Then, he might have utilized the poisonous substance in the Guanyin painting to manufacture new paper.

It seems like this is the only possibility because conventional poisoning methods would undoubtedly be detected. Only the unique skills of Ghost Paper would go unnoticed. Since Ghost Paper cannot be found, the male lead might have resorted to using what was considered waste.

Clarifying these layers of truth once again truly made Lin Qingyang’s scalp tingle.

“An eye for an eye” had become their shared sentiment now. However, this time, it shouldn’t spell bad luck for Xu Wenze, considering they were already considered friends.

“No need to place an order; I can find him.” Suddenly, Lui Xiaowei spoke up. “Today, I’ll go.”

With Lui Xiaowei’s statement, even Lin Qingyang, who was deeply entangled in various thoughts, was startled. Puzzled, he asked, “Do you happen to know Ghost Paper?”

“If I knew him, I’d go and kill him now!” Lui Xiaowei declared coldly. “However, I did have a friend from the martial world, and a few years ago, he used to be one of the top killers in the Blood Abyss Pavilion. Later, he managed to escape from certain death and went into hiding under a new identity.”

“How did he end up telling you?” Lui Jingchen exclaimed.

“We’re friends; he can’t keep his mouth shut. He thinks I can keep a secret,” Lui Xiaowei stated solemnly.

The three who had just heard this secret: …

“Can I come along too?” Chu Lishu suddenly suggested. “Since he was a former assassin from the Blood Abyss Pavilion, I have many questions to ask.”

“I… I’ll go too,” Lin Qingyang said.

Lui Xiaowei nodded, saying, “Sure. He’s in the Great Buddha Temple in the capital.”

“A monk?” Lin Qingyang asked curiously.

“A fake monk who begs for food and drinks under the guise of a monk,” Lui Xiaowei replied.

So, while Lui Jingchen stayed at home to handle the arson plan, Lui Xiaowei took Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang to the Great Buddha Temple.

The Great Buddha Temple was the most prosperous temple in the capital, and recently, due to frequent natural disasters, there were even more people coming to pray for safety.

Lui Xiaowei used to live in the capital, and when he was young, he often accompanied the female members of his family to this place to pray for the safety of their relatives who were away on military campaigns. Therefore, he was very familiar with the area and led the two directly to the courtyard kitchen of the fake monk.

At this time, the timing wasn’t right, and there was no one in the kitchen.

Lin Qingyang didn’t know why Lui Xiaowei brought them here, but Chu Lishu beside him raised his head slightly, looking towards the high rafters.

Just then, Lui Xiaowei kicked the pillar directly, causing the entire structure to shake for a moment, and some dust, along with… a chicken bone, fell down.

This… in a Buddhist temple.

“Who’s there! Disturbing people’s peaceful dreams!” A monk who looked rather dirty poked his head out from the rafters. Squinting his eyes, he looked down and suddenly brightened up. He jumped down, attempting to give Liu Xiaoweia hug. “Hey, Wooden Face, did you finish your business? I thought you wouldn’t come to spar with me after the family reunion.”

Lui Xiaowei directly pushed aside the fake monk with the hilt of his sword. “Wu Chang, I have something to discuss with you!”

“Something to discuss? And you brought two little kids with you… Are they here to be disciples? I don’t take disciples.”

Lui Xiaowei was not in the mood for small talk. He went straight to the point, saying, “I’m asking you about Blood Abyss Pavilion.”

The fake monk’s expression changed instantly, and he immediately made a move. Lui Xiaowei, with an indifferent face, blocked the attack.

“You… you betrayed me!”

“Who betrayed you? They are my family. Our family has a grudge with the Ghost Paper of the Blood Abyss Pavilion, so we came to ask you.” Lui Xiaowei explained.

The fake monk’s expression shifted from suspicion to hesitation. Unable to win against Lui Xiaowei, he reluctantly put down his hands. “Family?”

“Yeah, this is my nephew, and this is my nephew’s…” Lui Xiaowei introduced, stumbling over his words when introducing Chu Lishu.

“All nephews?” An unusual expression crossed the fake monk’s face as he raised an eyebrow. He sighed and said, “I’ve already said I won’t disclose anything about the Blood Abyss Pavilion to outsiders, so there’s no need to ask me. I still want to live a few more years.”

Lui Xiaowei, holding his sword, didn’t waste words. He positioned the blade horizontally across his chest. “If you don’t talk, you can’t leave.”

“You stubborn blockhead!” Knowing that reasoning with Lui Xiaowei was futile, the fake monk decided to change tactics. He handed over his wine jug and said, “Fine, have a sip, and I’ll talk.”

Without waiting for Lin Qingyang to intervene, Lui Xiaowei directly took a sip.

“Uncle, why…” Lin Qingyang immediately took out Mu Huichun’s antidote. Suddenly making someone drink alcohol out of the blue, there had to be poison involved. Fortunately, there was one dose of Mu Huichun’s antidote left.

As expected, the next moment, Lui Xiaowei slumped down, and Lin Qingyang supported him. Lin Qingyang was so angry that he wanted to pry open Lui Xiaowei’s head to see what was inside. Did having strong martial arts come at the cost of brains?

Seeing Lin Qingyang about to administer the medicine, Wu Chang directly said, “Don’t worry, there’s no poison. In the end, we’re still friends. How could I harm him?”

Lin Qingyang looked at Wu Chang in surprise, and Wu Chang continued, “He’s your uncle. Don’t you know he’s a lightweight when it comes to drinking?”

Lin Qingyang: … Uncle! This fool!

Wu Chang looked at Lin Qingyang’s colorful face and found it amusing. He said, “But he doesn’t know that. So, goodbye, kiddos.”

“You’re leaving?” Chu Lishu suddenly spoke, “Didn’t you say you’d talk once my uncle had a sip of your wine?”

Wu Chang turned to look at Chu Lishu and suddenly felt that this person, squinting his eyes, looking at him with a leisurely expression, seemed a bit dangerous. He couldn’t help but take a step back to maintain a distance and said, “Little guy, it was your uncle who broke his promise first. I’m already showing mercy by not killing you to keep things quiet. Now, I’m leaving.” With that, he lifted his foot and walked away.

Chu Lishu’s words hung in the air. Lu Yi and Lu Shi rushed in from the door, catching Wu Chang off guard. In a quick response, Wu Chang defended himself.

Chu Lishu pulled Lin Qingyang back to a safe distance, leisurely stating, “His weak point is his right knee.”

Hearing this revelation, Wu Chang was instantly shocked. Could it be that even this detail had been disclosed to his nephew?

If Lu Yi and Lu Shi were to fight individually, it would be a deadly struggle to have any chance against Wu Chang. However, with a two-to-one advantage and knowledge of the opponent’s weakness, they quickly gained the upper hand. Soon, a blade appeared at Wu Chang’s neck.

Wu Chang looked at the two masked figures in front of him with surprise, “Have we fought before?”

Lu Yi and Lu Shi, with their face masks on, remained silent.

Wu Chang harbored suspicions but chose not to delve further. Instead, he attempted to escape by lowering his head slowly.

However, the next moment, Chu Lishu’s voice continued, “Hold onto his neck, he has concealed weapons.”

Wu Chang suddenly panicked, attempting to make a move, but his neck was already caught by Lu Yi. His unique concealed weapon technique was now exposed, leaving him with no means of escape.

“How… how do you know this? Even Liu Xiaowei doesn’t know!” Wu Chang exclaimed nervously.

At this moment, Lu Yi and Lu Shi also remembered who this dirty-looking monk was. His appearance was entirely different from the stylish and clean one from years ago. It took them a while to recognize him.

Haven’t they crossed paths before?

Back then, when all the experts from Blood Abyss Pavilion were mobilized for the assassination of His Royal Highness, this person was one of them, with the code name ‘Flower Butterfly,’ right?

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