I Rely On The Collapse Of The Character Setting To Survive In The Hands Of The Male Lead Chapter 193

Chapter 193

On the afternoon of the Qixi Festival banquet, Lin Qingyang spent some time chatting with the County Princess again, ensuring her mood was temporarily stable before joining Chu Lishu in a carriage ride to the palace.

Along the same route, many carriages and horses had already gathered. Families with a rank of third-grade or above, or those with noble titles, could bring their unmarried young members to this Qixi Festival banquet, turning it into a large-scale matchmaking event.

In the past few years, as the country’s fortune had just begun to turn, and the princes were still young, the Qixi Festival banquet had become a playground for courtiers, with the royal family joining in for the fun.

This Qixi Festival banquet was particularly grand, with its main purpose being the selection of consorts for the princes. Noble young ladies from various families put in extra effort to impress at the palace. Even if the princes were not interested, as long as their mothers approved, the match could still be made.

Traditionally, this Qixi Festival banquet should have been hosted by the empress. However, given the current delicate situation in the Great Zhou Dynasty, there were objections to whether it should be the empress or the imperial concubine organizing the event.

Nevertheless, with the support of the Empress Dowager, it had always been organized by the Empress Cheng in the past. However, this time, it was the Imperial Concubine Huang who took charge.

Everyone believed that the crown prince’s punishment before had implicated Empress Cheng, so this time the Imperial Noble Consort took away the power that should have belonged to the empress, finally hosting a Qixi Festival banquet, venting her frustration.

For the Qixi Festival banquet, Imperial Concubine Huang, along with the Wang family, had prepared for a whole month. They saw this as an opportunity to establish Imperial Concubine Huang’s authority in the harem and also to select the best among the noble ladies to marry the Eldest Prince.

Among eligible young women, the most outstanding were naturally Cao Wanying and Pei Qianyu. However, Pei Qianyu was from the Pei family, which in some ways made her less appealing than Cao Wanying.

Cao Wanying, as the legitimate granddaughter of the scholarly figure Mr. Cao, not only possessed world-renowned talent but also remarkable beauty and profound education. She was a coveted candidate by all families. It was estimated that many people’s attention would be focused on Cao Wanying at this Qixi Festival banquet.

The carriages queued up to enter the imperial city, where they would be inspected upon arrival.

After Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang got off the carriage, they quickly joined the queue. They planned to first meet with Yue Chen, so they didn’t pay attention to the line of women.

“Are those two gentlemen acquainted with Ying’er?” Jing Rouyin asked.

Cao Wanying withdrew her gaze, smiling gently as she introduced the two men.

“So, they are the two talented young men who have recently risen to fame. It’s truly remarkable to meet them today,” Jing Rouyin smiled as she carefully observed Cao Wanying’s expression. “Is Ying’er interested in one of them?”

Cao Wanying suddenly lost her composure, surprised, “Sister, what are you talking about?”

Jing Rouyin smiled, noticing clearly that Cao Wanying’s gaze towards one of them was different. She said, “You are luckier than other girls, being loved by your grandfather and having the freedom to choose your own future. If there is someone you fancy, seize the opportunity to hint at marriage, lest after the Qixi Festival banquet, if you are chosen by some Niangniang requesting for the emperor’s decree, then you will lose your autonomy.”

Cao Wanying’s expression changed slightly, showing some resistance. It was evident that she didn’t want her marriage to be manipulated. “Sister, it’s better to be cautious in the palace. If words spread, it could lead to trouble.”

Not long after, Lin Qingyang and Chu Lishu arrived at Pingle Garden, only to find Wang Tong’en, Pei Jin, and Xu Wenze there as well.

As half-disciples of Yue Chen, it was perfectly legitimate for them to visit him. After all, Yue Chen’s injury and recovery in the palace were no longer a secret. However, the other two were not supposed to be seen by outsiders, so they stayed inside Pingle Garden, while Yue Chen met the others in the outer hall.

Wang Tong’en and Pei Jin were naturally there to probe. Originally, Yue Chen could have refused to meet them, but in order to see Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang, he had to treat everyone equally.

“I was unconscious when I came in, so I’m not sure about anything. It’s all handled by Huo Luo.” Facing all the probing questions, Yue Chen simply passed the buck, pretending to know nothing.

After a while, realizing they couldn’t get any useful information from Yue Chen and seeing no other anomalies, Wang Tong’en and Pei Jin had no choice but to leave.

Xu Wenze was genuinely concerned about Yue Chen’s condition and asked about his and Huo Luo’s health, carefully avoiding any questions about their journey south. He handled the situation with tact.

Yue Chen teased Xu Wenze a bit, asking if he had anyone in mind to share the river lanterns with tonight at the Qixi Festival banquet, causing Xu Wenze to blush directly.

“Big Brother Yue always loves to joke around. Anyway, it seems you’re really fine. I’ve safely delivered Little Sister Huo to you. She’s in your hands now,” Xu Wenze said, getting up. Then, he turned to Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang. “I’ll go check on my sister now. See you at the Qixi Festival banquet later.”

With that, Xu Wenze left.

Lin Qingyang wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that Xu Wenze was deliberately keeping his distance from them, as if he knew they must have something to discuss but needed to avoid him. It seemed like he was voluntarily stepping back.

“Little Sister Huo?” Lin Qingyang asked curiously.

“It’s the sister that Huo Luo always talks about. She’s currently with Miss Mo at the back. It’s Huo Luo’s mother’s idea. Otherwise, Little Sister Huo’s age isn’t suitable for attending the Qixi Festival banquet,” Yue Chen explained casually.

Chu Lishu wasn’t interested in other people’s affairs. He quickly joined Yue Chen in analyzing the current situation and discussing future developments.

Lin Qingyang was quite curious about this “Little Sister Huo.” She was the future heroine, known for her extraordinary strength from birth. She established a women’s army and pioneered the practice of women joining the battlefield. She would go on to contribute significantly to the achievements of Yuan Ran. To the outside world, she and Huo Luo were known as the “Death God Siblings.” According to the original tplot, she guarded the southern border and remained unmarried throughout her life.

As for Miss Mo, she was likely to become Madam Huo in the future. Lin Tangping, the junior officer from the Ministry of Works who was rescued alongside Miss Mo, seemed to have directly risen to become the Ministry of Works’ Assistant Minister after the incident. Not long after, he was promoted to Minister of Works. Due to the debt of gratitude owed to Huo Luo and Yue Chen for saving his life, he became someone highly valued by Yuan Ran.

Lin Qingyang pondered randomly, then heard them mention Chief Steward Ning.

“He suspects you? Indeed, he’s sharp,” Chu Lishu said coldly.

“His intuition has always been accurate. He doesn’t need evidence, which is terrifyingly accurate. We can’t let him continue to speculate, it’s not advantageous for us,” Yue Chen said solemnly. Since he was already an enemy, there was no room for mercy.

Chu Lishu nodded in agreement.

Lin Qingyang was momentarily taken aback, recalling the original plotline of the Qixi Festival banquet where Chu Lishu had also taken action against Chief Steward Ning, which was quite risky. Because of that incident, there… Lin Qingyang’s expression changed strangely for a moment, then he quickly shook his head, not wanting to dwell on it.

“What’s wrong?” Chu Lishu noticed Lin Qingyang’s odd behavior and asked.

Lin Qingyang suddenly felt a bit hesitant to meet Chu Lishu’s gaze.

Just then, Little Sister Huo rushed in, holding a newly caught beetle, and approached Yue Chen to ask him about it.

“Big Brother Yue, what kind of beetle is this? Elder Sister doesn’t know it either,” Little Sister Huo froze as soon as she entered, her eyes fixed on Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang.

“Youj just arrived and already got yourself all dirty like this. Come here, let me wipe your face,” Yue Chen said helplessly, then introduced everyone.

Little Sister Huo leaned in close to Yue Chen and whispered softly, “Big Brother Yue, this is the first time I’ve seen a brother even more handsome than you and Brother Xu! He looks like a fairy from a painting.”

Everyone heard her, and they all knew who Little Sister Huo was referring to.

Chu Lishu didn’t react much, while Yue Chen quickly covered Little Sister Huo’s mouth, admonishing her, “You can’t describe men as fairies. Who taught you to read books?”

“But isn’t ‘fairy’ used to describe the most beautiful people?” Little Sister Huo asked in confusion. “There’s a saying, ‘Beauty defies gender.'”

“Uh… Where did you learn these words, little girl?” Yue Chen pinched Little Sister Huo’s cheek.

Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but chuckle and gave a thumbs-up. “Big Brother Yue, don’t blame her. Little Sister Huo is straightforward and has a unique perspective. What she said makes sense.”

“Oh, really?” Chu Lishu didn’t argue with the child but turned his attention to Lin Qingyang, narrowing his eyes and leaning in threateningly, half of his body crossing over the armrest of the chair.

Lin Qingyang quickly smiled apologetically. “I was praising her, really praising her.”

Little Sister Huo looked at the two of them, inexplicably stunned for a moment, then her face flushed red and she happily ran out.

“This girl, she changes her mind so easily,” Yue Chen shook his head helplessly.

Lin Qingyang and Chu Lishu didn’t linger any longer. They had to attend the Qixi Festival banquet.

On the way, Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but gossip, “It seems like the Huo family has already acknowledged Miss Mo. They’ve even sent the younger sister to take care of her. This seems like the rhythm of good news.”

“Probably not,” Chu Lishu said calmly.

Lin Qingyang paused for a moment. “Huh?”

“Didn’t you notice it?” Chu Lishu was somewhat surprised. Given Lin Qingyang’s nature, as a homosexual man, he should have been more sensitive to changes in the dynamics between men. Yet here Chu Lishu was, noticing it instead, while Lin Qingyang seemed oblivious.

“What do you mean?” Lin Qingyang asked in confusion.

“Yue Chen and Huo Luo are a couple, but they’re probably still testing each other out, not openly expressing their feelings,” Chu Lishu said. He wasn’t fond of gossip, but discussing it with Lin Qingyang seemed amusing, like chatting about trivial matters at home. Seeing Lin Qingyang’s dumbfounded expression made it even more amusing.

“You… What are you saying? Are you mistaken? How could that be possible?!”

Huo Luo and Yue Chen? Aren’t they just brothers? Huo Luo in the original plot is supposed to marry and have children, how could…

But isn’t this a predominantly straight world? Typically, characters like him, originally slated as cannon fodder, who don’t have much impact, would be the ones to bend like this, right? As a member of the main cast, how did he suddenly bend?

“You really didn’t sense it?” Chu Lishu chuckled. “The atmosphere between them is already quite obvious.”

No wonder this fool couldn’t even see that he likes him, he’s so insensitive.

“I suppose they originally did have a brotherly bond, at least from Huo Luo’s side towards Yue Chen. But remember that time at Duke Wei Guo’s residence…” Chu Lishu hinted.

“Big Brother Huo saved Xu Wenze and got poisoned?” Lin Qingyang’s eyes widened. “Could it be that Yue Chen helped him detox?”

“It probably wasn’t that extreme. I’d guess… just good friends helping each other out.” Chu Lishu glanced at Lin Qingyang, and both of them recalled their own similar experiences, leaving Lin Qingyang feeling awkward as he looked away.

“Ahem, it’s likely that after that incident, Yue Chen faced his feelings, and Huo Luo gradually became aware too,” Chu Lishu concluded.

“Is… is that okay then?” Lin Qingyang’s worldview was almost shattered.

“What’s wrong?” Chu Lishu looked puzzled.

Lin Qingyang couldn’t find the right words to express himself and could only shake his head with a bitter expression. Essentially, it meant that in the original story, without that accident, one person never realized his feelings, and the other slowly became aware but didn’t speak up. With the early appearance of Miss Mo, the two never embarked on the path of being homosexual.

So, Yue Chen remained unmarried for life because of this reason?

And the change in their relationship in this life is because… he caused the accident that befell Huo Luo? In other words, it’s his fault?

Lin Qingyang wasn’t sure if he had caused trouble for them. As for that Miss Mo, why did he have a feeling of disrupting someone else’s intended marriage? Overall, he felt incredibly conflicted.

It must be said that Yue Chen and Huo Luo’s relationship gave Lin Qingyang a tremendous shock, making him feel like the world was upside down.

During the banquet, Lin Qingyang found himself distracted, frequently stealing glances at Chu Lishu. As Chu Lishu’s two most important subordinates, they felt like Chu Lishu didn’t mind their closeness at all. In fact, it seemed like he even hoped for a romantic outcome between them. Wasn’t he supposed to be the future tyrant who was intolerant of homosexuality? This felt completely different.

Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but wonder if he could accept this if Chu Lishu wasn’t homophobic…

Just as he was pondering, a eunuch’s announcement from outside interrupted their thoughts – the royal family had arrived.

The entire banquet hall fell silent as everyone knelt down to pay their respects.

Accompanied by the chanting of the eunuchs, several important figures finally made their entrance, marking the first time Lin Qingyang had laid eyes on them.

Although they had been studying in the palace, apart from Concubine Mei, the birth mother of the Fourth Prince, and Concubine Xu, they rarely encountered other concubines of the harem. Both the Imperial Concubine Huang and Concubine Pei were only seen occasionally, as it was necessary to avoid suspicion from the public eye. So, up to this point, neither the Empress Dowager nor Empress Cheng had been seen.

Lin Qingyang was most curious about Empress Cheng, the birth mother of Yuan Ran. After Yuan Ran ascended to the throne, she endured the most inhumane treatment imaginable.

What level of madness and hatred must a son reach to treat his own mother in such a despicable manner?

However, having witnessed what she had done, Lin Qingyang felt that, for Yuan Ran, who had already descended into madness, it was not too surprising.

Lin Qingyang secretly raised his head and carefully observed as Empress Cheng passed by. Besides her regal attire and appearance, upon closer inspection, her beauty was astonishing, truly worthy of giving birth to someone like Yuan Ran. However, her almost ageless beauty made Lin Qingyang feel uncomfortable. Whether it was due to some inherent filter or not, Lin Qingyang’s first impression was one of dislike.

It’s imaginable how a birth mother, after her son’s death, when asked if she wanted to light incense and pray for his soul, would respond with, “Don’t bother. Once he’s dead, he’s dead. What if his spirit comes back to harm me? That child has been frightening since childhood. I don’t want to see anything related to him.”

This incident occurred when Chu Lishu returned to the heartland of the Great Zhou Dynasty, preparing to investigate the truth about the Cheng family in the Imperial Academy. By then, he had a clue about everything, knowing that the Cheng family was also involved in the conspiracy back then. He wanted to investigate thoroughly. As a result, he coincidentally encountered Empress Cheng returning to her hometown to pay respects to her ancestors. He harbored suspicions about his birth mother and wanted to find out the truth.

After all, on the surface, this birth mother, at the time of his accident, showed no intention of proving his innocence or searching for him. Instead, she stood by indifferently while her husband and sister-in-law passed away, then turned around to support her own younger son to become the crown prince. She sat comfortably in the false position of empress, showing no signs of grief.

On the Cheng family’s side, they led the charge in slandering him everywhere, forbidding others from discussing him, and declaring that he was taken away and taught by the late empress since childhood. They tried to distance themselves from his actions, presenting an image of wanting to disassociate from him. As two women supported by the Cheng family, the eldest daughter of the Cheng family died, while the second daughter enjoys everything. This actually speaks volumes.

Yuan Ran also didn’t want to speculate on his birth mother’s indifference to his unjust death; perhaps she was just a weak woman who, in the circumstances, felt helpless and could only go along with things to protect herself and Yuan Ye. Maybe she was coerced or manipulated by the Cheng family, bound by familial obligations. And how could he know if his birth mother felt any sorrow or pain?

For Yuan Ran, who had been betrayed and had no one to trust or rely on, the significance of his biological mother was slightly different. He wanted to see her, to understand what had happened in the palace, so he took the risk of sneaking in, only to inadvertently overhear a conversation between Empress Cheng and someone else.

The faintest glimmer of hope shattered in an instant. Although he had long known that his mother favored Yuan Ye, who was raised by her side, he never expected her to despise him so much.

That night, he was almost caught, risking serious injury to escape Cheng family’s pursuit. He hid in a dilapidated house on that cold winter night, nursing his wounds alone, feeling an icy chill in his heart.

As for Chu Lishu at that time, his hatred had not yet reached such a level, because he didn’t know all the truths at the moment. However, he no longer harbored any attachment and would only see this birth mother as a stepping stone on his path to success.

Everyone bowed respectfully. When Lin Qingyang looked at Chu Lishu, he noticed there was no trace of fondness in Chu Lishu’s gaze towards Empress Cheng, only endless mockery. Chu Lishu leaned closer to Lin Qingyang’s ear and whispered, “Look, the play has already begun.”

Lin Qingyang turned to look and indeed saw Empress Cheng starting to cough, one hand covering her forehead and the other clutching her chest, feigning discomfort.

【Ding, Main Mission 2, Mission 12: Help the male lead complete the plan of witchcraft.】

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