I Rely On The Collapse Of The Character Setting To Survive In The Hands Of The Male Lead Chapter 199

Chapter 199

The next morning, they woke up early and headed to Yue Chen’s place, hearing that the palace had undergone a major upheaval overnight.

Imperial Concubine Huang and the Eldest Prince couldn’t argue about the origin of the witchcraft doll. Several previously arranged witnesses emerged to identify them, leaving them unable to defend themselves. They were detained for interrogation, and officials from the Wang family almost knelt in front of Qinzheng Palace, pressuring the Emperor to reopen the investigation. In reality, everyone could see that the matter had already been decided, regardless of its truth. Imperial Concubine Huang and the Eldest Prince had both stumbled badly. However, the Emperor had yet to pronounce a verdict, choosing to delay the decision.

“Heh, some people might think that the Emperor is reluctant to punish them or is concerned about the Wang family. In fact, he’s just waiting to handle the Ministry of Works’ affairs together, combining the charges to leave the Wang family with no way out,” Yue Chen said coldly. “I have to admit, even though there are doubts about this matter, the Emperor’s inclination is towards ruthless punishment and suppression. It seems he truly dislikes the dominance of the clans and is developing resistance towards the increasingly influential Eldest Prince. He really doesn’t like Imperial Concubine Huang and the Eldest Prince.”

“So, does that mean we’ve actually helped the Emperor?” Lin Qingyang said speechlessly.

“In a sense, there is indeed a certain overlap between our goals and his,” Chu Lishu remarked.

The Emperor dislikes being constrained by the three major families but finds it inconvenient to take direct action against them. Chu Lishu’s aim, on the other hand, is to use others to weaken the influence of these families.

So, their desired outcomes align, unintentionally forming a collaborative model where Chu Lishu orchestrates events, and the Emperor makes decisive moves.

However, Chu Lishu is the one who holds all the knowledge and power, while the Emperor probably only sees it as interclan strife, unwittingly benefiting from it.

“Now we just have to wait for Huo Luo to return,” Yue Chen sighed.

Yue Chen also learned about Jing Rouyin’s actions, which shocked him. Jing Rouyin probably left early due to guilt, as there were too many flaws in her deeds. Whether it was on the side of Empress Cheng or on Cao Wanying’s side, she couldn’t explain herself clearly and could only flee temporarily.

Cao Wanying breathed a sigh of relief for not encountering Jing Rouyin and left with Little Sister Huo.

That night, Chu Lishu took the time to visit Gu Jing, who was still in the palace. Gu Jing had indeed been terrified by the recent events, losing half his wits thinking about the potential dangers. He had trouble sleeping all night.

Suddenly, someone sneaked into his room. He was about to shout when he heard a familiar voice in the darkness.

“Master, you finally came. This time, it’s troublesome. Once I leave the palace, those people will definitely come to question me. How could I have known to point out the Mingguang Palace?” Gu Jing panicked at the time, unable to think straight, and followed the instructions.

However, in reality, once those people regained their senses, they would surely wonder why Gu Jing knew to lead them to the Mingguang Palace, especially since the Mingguang Palace happened to be involved.

So, Chu Lishu’s visit tonight was to address this issue.

“Don’t forget, on the surface, you belong to the Third Prince’s faction, not to the Cheng family. Even if Empress Cheng’s people come to investigate and question you later, you can shift the blame onto them,” Chu Lishu said directly. “The witchcraft doll in the Mingguang Palace was a last-minute improvisation by the real Pei family. I only informed you after I found out. The real Pei family had no issues on their end. So when those people come to question you, you just need to ask them in return, ‘Wasn’t it your people who informed me?'”

Gu Jing was also clever and immediately understood Chu Lishu’s implication. Yes, the situation was chaotic at the time, and he had said someone came to remind him, thinking it was from the Pei family. Naturally, he obeyed. This way, even if Empress Cheng’s people disguised as the Pei family questioned him further, they wouldn’t be able to pursue it. At most, they might think that Pei family also wanted to frame the Wang family. Thus, they opportunistically used Gu Jing. It was an invisible cooperation between the two families, leaving no reason to suspect Gu Jing as the scapegoat.

With the issue resolved, Gu Jing quickly knelt before the figure in the darkness, expressing his gratitude. If it weren’t for this person, he might have lost his life.

Now, he genuinely felt convinced and obedient. He quickly asked what he should do next.

“Go into seclusion, pray for blessings with the exorcism scriptures. Once the prayers are complete, present the scriptures to the Emperor. Tell him that copying them when troubled will bring assistance. I will have someone deliver the scriptures to you, so you don’t need to prepare them yourself. When the time comes, present them,” Chu Lishu instructed.

Gu Jing was taken aback. Such practices were indeed carried out by the Qintian Observatory of the Great Zhou Dynasty, so it wasn’t particularly unusual. However, it seemed odd for this person to suddenly make such a request. Nevertheless, Gu Jing agreed.

“The scriptures?” After listening to Chu Lishu’s conversation with Gu Jing, Lin Qingyang suddenly thought of something. “The Guanyin painting?”

Chu Lishu nodded. “Although we don’t produce that kind of poisoned paper, we can dissolve the Guanyin painting and change its appearance into other paper. An eye for an eye. Consider it revenge for your aunt and maternal grandfather’s families.”

Lin Qingyang sighed inwardly. Indeed, the current Chu Lishu wasn’t directly using Xu Wenze as a pawn, as in the original plot, but instead, he was using Gu Jing’s hands… Oh, wait a minute.

“If he’s caught afterward, won’t Gu Jing be in trouble? He’s now associated with you,” Lin Qingyang exclaimed.

“That’s why I’ll prepare two copies for him, with only one small difference. If one day it’s discovered…” Chu Lishu chuckled.

“Pretend it was swapped?” Lin Qingyang suggested, having a sudden realization.

“Yes, that kind of scripture will only pass through three people’s hands: Gu Jing, the Emperor, and… Chief Steward Sheng,” Chu Lishu confirmed.

Lin Qingyang instantly understood. “So, the evidence of the swap will be in Chief Steward Sheng’s hands, and you plan to use this against him?”

Chu Lishu nodded, taking a sip of tea and casually deciding someone else’s fate. Judging by his tone, others would think he was simply making things up on the spot.

Chief Steward Sheng was one of the three major generals in the palace, serving the Emperor closely. Naturally, he wasn’t a good person.

In the original plot, Gu Jing was merely a minor cannon fodder character, not significant enough to rival the roles of Chief Steward Hai and Chief Steward Ning, let alone play a pivotal role like Chief Steward Wang. He was mentioned briefly as someone the male lead, in order to support his own people, plotted to eliminate.

With the changes in the storyline, Chu Lishu’s thoughts also evolved. His intelligent mind naturally devised different ways to deal with his enemies. The key was that he could connect all the traps together, making it difficult for others to find the source and spot any flaws. Truly, his insight was unparalleled.

As expected, the next day, Gu Jing approached the Emperor, claiming unrest within the palace and offering to seclude himself to pray for blessings with the scriptures of exorcism. After the Emperor agreed, Gu Jing returned to the observatory’s tower. That same night, someone came to question him, but following Chu Lishu’s advice, Gu Jing’s explanation dispelled any suspicion.

Afterwards, the modified poisonous scriptures were sent to Gu Jing, and everything was ready.

Three days later, when the Emperor was struggling to contain the Wang family, Huo Luo returned, exuding a strong aura of solemnity. He brought back a cartload of prisoners, most of whom were captured alive.

Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang stood on the high palace walls, watching from afar as the prisoners were brought into the palace. Atop the black steeds rode the imposing figure of General Huo, whose reputation seemed to be growing. The returning procession was vastly different from when they had left, resembling a polished sword with disciplined and uniformed troops, their demeanor stern and inviolable. They followed General Huo’s commands with absolute reverence and trust. In just a few days, General Huo had managed to subdue a newly encountered group of soldiers, showcasing an astonishing ability.

Alert, Huo Luo noticed their gaze and looked up, catching sight of Chu Lishu. Immediately, he showed a respectful expression and, with restraint, simply nodded in acknowledgment.

Only when Chu Lishu nodded back did Huo Luo withdraw his gaze, as if he had received a higher military command, and continued forward.

Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but glance at Chu Lishu beside him. The fact that this man could command such a renowned general was truly astonishing.

Meanwhile, another official, who had already pledged allegiance to Chu Lishu, arrived at the court with two witnesses and evidence in hand.

A fierce debate ensued, with Yue Chen’s silver-tongued eloquence leaving no room for the enemy to counterattack. Layer upon layer of rhetoric overwhelmed the dozen or so officials of the Wang family, rendering them powerless to respond.

However, Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang couldn’t witness this. All they could do was wait for the news of Yue Chen and Huo Luo’s triumphant return.

Three hours later, the dust settled.

In the end, the Wang Clan decided to sacrifice some to save the rest, just like in the original plot. Imperial Concubine Huang bore the responsibility of witchcraft and was stripped of all her titles, confined to the cold palace.

As for the Eldest Prince, due to his defiance against the Emperor, insults towards Empress Cheng and the Crown Prince, he was stripped of all his positions and confined to house arrest for three months.

However, barely over a month later, the Eldest Prince fell from the highest to the lowest position.

The Wang family’s officials were either demoted or executed, leaving none in office.

If Chu Lishu’s previous schemes had already dealt severe blows to the three major clans, causing them significant losses, then the current situation was beyond severe for the Wang family.

Apart from not completely wiping out the family like the Xie family of the former Empress Dowager, the Wang family had effectively withdrawn from the position of the four major clans. Even if the Emperor didn’t take action against them in the future, the Cheng and Pei families would continue to retaliate elsewhere until the Wang family was extinguished. After all, when the Wang family was in power, they had been ruthless towards them.

However, this wasn’t the end for the Wang family, Imperial Concubine Huang, and the Eldest Prince.

Chu Lishu couldn’t afford to be merciful to the Wang family, one of the betrayers from the past.

The major purge within the Ministry of Works was also completed. The deeply entrenched Wang family no longer existed within the ministry. The remaining officials held lower positions, and the Emperor called back retired senior officials to temporarily fill the position of Minister of Works. However, due to their advanced age and declining energy, Lin Tangping, who had become the Deputy Minister of Works, practically took over the affairs of the ministry. Knowing that he hailed from a humble background and belonged to the faction of honest officials, the Emperor was very pleased with his competence and loyalty.

On this day, Lin Qingyang, who kept hearing updates, also found the voice in his mind continuously updating.

【Main Mission 2, Mission 9: Assist the male lead in executing the poison plan in advance, completed. Reward: 100 points】

【Main Mission 2, Mission 10: Help the male lead take control of the Qintian Observatory, completed. Reward: 200 points】

【Main Mission 2, Mission 11: Assist the male lead in cleaning up the Ministry of Works, completed. Reward: 200 points】

Total points: 685 points

Plot progress: 70%

All the other missions were completed successfully, which made Lin Qingyang very happy. He didn’t have to worry about losing all his points and dying. However, it felt like exploitation—the deductions were so severe, while the additions were so minimal. It seemed like the points had barely changed at all, going back and forth. It truly was a heartless system.

But Lin Qingyang was only frustrated for a short while before other things diverted his attention. The gossip in front of him was too intriguing to ignore. After all, he had changed the futures of three people.

On the day the mission was completed, Mo Jiahui was about to be escorted out of the palace. Due to their achievements and injuries, Emperor granted them grace, allowing both Yue Chen and Huo Luo to remain in the palace to receive the best treatment from the Imperial Physician Courtyard. It was considered an honor, so naturally, they had to accept it. Therefore, the two of them could only escort Mo Jiahui.

Just like in the original plot, the Huo family eagerly welcomed Mo Jiahui’s arrival. Huo Luo’s mother personally rode in a carriage to the palace gate to greet her.

She immediately took her hand upon seeing her, speaking affectionately and showing concern, paying no attention to the scars on her face. She probably heard about the origin of the scars from Little Sister Huo and became even more affectionate towards Mo Jiahui, treating her as if she were her own daughter, eager to take care of her. After showing care for a while, she first inquired about Yue Chen before finally turning to her son.

“Luo’er, I’ll take Jiahui back home. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure she’s happy living with us just like at her own home. You take good care of yourself in the palace, and when you come out, we’ll discuss other matters.” Madam Huo smiled with an ambiguous meaning, hinting at something that discerning individuals could pick up on.

Even Mo Jiahui blushed, feeling embarrassed, but she couldn’t help but reach out to touch the scars on her cheeks, looking downcast.

Yue Chen stood silently on the side, listening as if he were an outsider.

Huo Luo naturally understood as well and directly said, “I can be at ease having mother to take care of her. We’ve been through thick and thin together in Huzhou. I’ve long regarded Miss Mo as my and Yue Chen’s own sister. I believe you’ll take care of her just like your own daughter.”

Huo Luo’s words sounded awkward, completely unlike his usual style, but the meaning was clear. Madam Huo and Mo Jiahui understood perfectly well.

The blush faded from Mo Jiahui’s face, and her expression gradually became more indifferent. Madam Huo glanced at Huo Luo helplessly. “This silly child, always so single-minded.” Clearly, she thought Huo Luo hadn’t quite matured yet. Nonetheless, she cheerfully left with Mo Jiahui.

As the carriage departed, Yue Chen turned and walked away, with Huo Luo quickly following suit.

“Are you tired? You’ve been standing for quite a while,” Huo Luo asked somewhat stiffly.

“I’m fine. His Highness must be waiting for us. Let’s hurry,” Yue Chen replied, getting straight to the point. His demeanor left no room for Huo Luo to interject with anything else. Huo Luo listened attentively, his gaze drifting towards Yue Chen’s neck.

After staring for a while, Huo Luo suddenly reached out and grabbed Yue Chen.

“What’s wrong?” Yue Chen asked, surprised.

Huo Luo was feeling somewhat agitated. He held onto Yue Chen and reached out to pull open his collar, revealing only his fair neck.

“Are you crazy? Behaving like a rogue! This is the palace!” Yue Chen tried to push Huo Luo away, but Huo Luo grabbed his wrist firmly.

“Where’s the jade pendant?” Huo Luo asked with a dark expression. “Didn’t you bring it?”

Yue Chen looked at Huo Luo calmly and replied, “You mean your jade pendant? I put it away for you.”

Huo Luo was momentarily stunned, his expression becoming somewhat perplexed. “You… didn’t bring it?” It wasn’t clear whether he was asking Yue Chen or himself, but there was a hint of bewilderment in his expression.

Yue Chen chuckled lightly. “I haven’t even asked you yet. Why did you hand over your precious possession to me? Worried about losing it in a fight, so you let me keep it for you? You must really trust me. Aren’t you afraid I’ll damage it? If you’re not worried, I am. I’m not keen on handling such treasures.”

Yue Chen deliberately ignored the fact that the jade pendant was not handed over to him but worn around his neck.

This made Huo Luo, who was already probing, suddenly feel his face flush with embarrassment, unsure of what to say or do next.

Because Huo Luo couldn’t understand Yue Chen’s intentions at all. He felt that Yue Chen’s personality dictated that he acted according to his own whims, unaffected by any constraints. The only thing that could influence Yue Chen’s actions was his own heart.

So, was it Yue Chen’s true feelings rejecting the jade pendant?

With this thought, Huo Luo felt a sense of urgency in his heart. Instinctively, he moved closer to Yue Chen. Suddenly, a voice came from nearby. Both of them turned to see Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang looking at them from a distance.

Yue Chen immediately pushed Huo Luo away, leaving him looking embarrassed. Chu Lishu, on the other hand, remained calm. Lin Qingyang, who had just spoken, felt like he was about to be struck by lightning. “Um… we didn’t mean to disturb you, but the palace guards are coming.”

With one hand on Yue Chen’s shoulder and the other grabbing his wrist, Huo Luo had left Yue Chen’s collar still open. The two were practically pressed against each other. Seeing this scene, Lin Qingyang felt like at any moment the two might embrace each other. It all looked so abnormal. They couldn’t afford to be seen like this by the palace guards.

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