I Rely On The Collapse Of The Character Setting To Survive In The Hands Of The Male Lead Chapter 212

Chapter 212

After explaining the cause and effect on his end, Huo Luo was given a new guard duty assignment, indicating that the Emperor was pleased with his alert response and loyal performance. Although it didn’t reach the level of a surprising appearance in the end, in the Emperor’s eyes, the sense of security Huo Luo brought surpassed that of Zhao Cheng. However, since Huo Luo didn’t have many troops under his command, he couldn’t participate in the crucial task of arresting the Eldest Prince. Instead, he was tasked with strengthening patrols and guards.

This was also predicted by Chu Lishu. Huo Luo couldn’t be responsible for arresting the Eldest Prince, as the subsequent plot… required members of the Wang family to seize the Eldest Prince from Zhao Cheng’s hands, after which Huo Luo would pursue them.

Huo Luo immediately spotted Yue Chen as he emerged. His brows furrowed tightly, and he proceeded forward without speaking, his demeanor heavy. Yue Chen hurried to catch up, asking about the situation inside the camp, but Huo Luo answered each question without even glancing at him.

Passing through a small grove within the camp, Yue Chen suddenly grabbed Huo Luo’s arm and spoke in a low voice, “What’s wrong? Are you giving me the silent treatment?”

Huo Luo endured, reluctant to pick a fight with him here, but…

Huo Luo suddenly grabbed Yue Chen and slammed him against a tree, angrily rebuking in a low voice, “Can’t I be upset? What were you doing earlier? Who told you to intrude into the mountains? I have martial arts skills, but you don’t. You…”

Yue Chen frowned, “I know my limits, I know when to…”

“You know nothing! If a rock had rolled down, even a small one, could you have dodged it? Encountering a mad horse, you could have been thrown to death!” Huo Luo’s fierce expression was almost as if he was facing an enemy.

Yue Chen was displeased. “Hey, you’ve said enough. I’m not insane. Was I rushing to die with you? In that situation, I went to retrieve your body. I arrived in time and managed to find you intact.”

“You!” Huo Luo was infuriated, wanting to strike out, but suddenly Yue Chen reached out and grabbed Huo Luo’s collar, pulling him closer, then kissed him.

Huo Luo was taken aback, looking around in panic, trying to push Yue Chen away, but Yue Chen spun around, pressing him against the tree trunk.

“Yue Chen!” Huo Luo managed to speak between breaths.

“Shut up! Don’t move!” Yue Chen seemed to be suppressing his anger as well, not giving Huo Luo a chance to speak, and just tangled up with him. Huo Luo was no match for him. Huo Luo couldn’t understand the feeling Yue Chen must have had when he learned that Huo Luo might be buried in the mountains. Life and death might be separated in an instant. Damn it, he couldn’t even catch up to a joint death.

Gradually, Huo Luo gave up resistance, unable to contain his excitement either, and began kissing back. These days had been busy, and he hadn’t had any physical contact with him… until now…

Suddenly, Yue Chen seemed to sense something, and his hands became restless.

Huo Luo quickly stopped, staring wide-eyed, wanting to retreat and evade. Where did this seduction come from? Wasn’t Yue Chen trying to kill him?

But Yue Chen narrowed his eyes, panting, and said, “I told you, don’t move.”

Huo Luo breathed heavily, muttering, “Stop messing around… let go…”

But Yue Chen refused to comply, pushing even further.

Huo Luo was infuriated and helpless. What kind of place was this? People kept coming and going. How could this be…

Just as he was tense, footsteps sounded from afar. Huo Luo’s expression changed, and he grabbed Yue Chen’s hand, flying up into a tree with him.

Leaning against the trunk, Huo Luo held Yue Chen close, and they hung from the branches.

Huo Luo’s body was tense with excitement and nerves. From afar, he saw Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang passing by. It seemed they were heading towards the Emperor’s tent. Huo Luo’s face flushed red, feeling embarrassed and at a loss. “It’s His Highness… Hiss…”

If it weren’t for the two of them being so excited right now, Huo Luo’s pants wouldn’t have been messed up by Yue Chen, and they wouldn’t be hiding in embarrassment up in the tree.

Huo Luo glared fiercely at Yue Chen. He was always teasing people. Huo Luo suspected that Yue Chen was intentionally messing with him. In fact, apart from being a bit domineering with his little notebook in their room, Huo Luo was quite well-behaved outside. Any rare misbehavior was usually provoked by Yue Chen, leaving Huo Luo no choice but to respond, at most with a fierce kiss. He rarely engaged in any affectionate behavior in front of others.

So, situations like this were rare, and when they did occur, it was mostly because Yue Chen was deliberately messing with him, leaving Huo Luo furious and wanting to punch him.

As they waited for the coast to clear… no, until they got back home, Huo Luo vowed to…

Huo Luo’s thoughts were cut short as his whole body suddenly tensed up. In his attempt to secure their position, he inadvertently snapped the tree trunk he was holding onto. Veins popped on his neck and forehead, his blood boiling with disbelief as he looked down at Yue Chen… What on earth was he doing!!!

While Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang’s voices drew closer, Yue Chen seemed to have finally adapted, but Huo Luo felt like he was losing his mind.

His whole body trembled, his Adam’s apple rolling incessantly as he attempted to resist, but his eyes gradually lost focus. This was an experience he’d never had before, and it was too overwhelming. Even his breathing felt fragile. His hand, originally resting on Yue Chen’s, gradually moved to the top of Yue Chen’s head, instinctively intertwining in the dark, silky hair. He didn’t want to exert force, but he couldn’t control himself from gripping tighter.

Meanwhile, Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang continued their conversation below.

“I thought I heard Yue Chen and Huo Luo’s voices just now,” Lin Qingyang remarked, sounding puzzled.

Chu Lishu was about to speak when his brow furrowed suddenly, his expression turning dark. Grabbing Lin Qingyang’s hand, he swiftly strode away from the grove.

“What’s wrong? Why are we suddenly leaving so quickly?” Lin Qingyang’s face was full of confusion.

Chu Lishu slowed his pace, but his expression remained grim. Then, he shot Lin Qingyang a glare, clearly displeased.

Lin Qingyang: ???

There was nobody in the small grove, but the sounds of heavy breathing from the trees remained uncontrollable.

With a final muffled grunt, Yue Chen slowly pushed himself up, smiling mischievously in the moonlight. “General Huo, have you calmed down?”

Far from being calmed down, it was like adding fuel to the fire, especially when Huo Lue saw the remnants of a smirk on Yue Chen’s lips, igniting a flame straight to his brain.

Yue Chen patted Huo Lue’s shoulder and chuckled, “Alright, let’s go down. It’s time for patrol.”

Yue Chen had just started to rise when Huo Lue swiftly turned him around and pinned him against the tree trunk.

Yue Chen couldn’t see what was happening behind him, but he felt Huo Lue’s hand grab him from behind, and his robes had already been loosened.

“Hey, Huo Lue, stop messing around. We need to patrol. This branch can’t support both of us, and I didn’t bring…” He was about to shout, but luckily Huo Lue quickly moved to cover Yue Chen’s mouth from the front.

Yue Chen instantly put on a pitiful look, using his watery eyes to accuse Huo Lue of violence. However, when he met Huo Lue’s eyes, which had turned a fiery red, Yue Chen immediately felt guilty. Okay, maybe he went too far, but now he was genuinely afraid. They were in a tree, and the branches were already swaying.

Huo Lue, still suppressing his anger, whispered angrily in Yue Chen’s ear, “You started it first. Let’s see if you dare to provoke me again in the future.”

…

When Lin Qingyang and Chu Lishu arrived at the tent, they ran into Pei Jin and Xu Wenze.

Pei Jin squinted at them for a moment, then looked away.

Xu Wenze stepped forward, said a few words, and then sighed, glancing towards Wang Tong’en, who was locked in a corner nearby. Wang Tong’en had lost an arm, and though the bleeding had stopped, he looked utterly dejected. It was a stark contrast to the once spirited young men. With Cheng Yi dying of illness at home, Wang Tong’en’s fate seemed similarly grim. Xu Wenze couldn’t help but feel a sense of resignation. This was the struggle for imperial power, where life and death were unpredictable.

When the Emperor saw the Eldest Prince, he only asked one question: “Why?”

The Eldest Prince seemed to have no desire to speak, nor did he care about the outcome. He just let out a cold laugh, filled with mockery.

In truth, the Emperor had never favored the Eldest Prince, even preferring Yuan Ran from before. Despite being the legitimate heir, the Eldest Prince had never received the love a firstborn should. His heart long ceased to yearn for paternal affection, and at this point, besides harboring deep resentment, he had nothing more to say.

It was said that later the Emperor personally gave the Eldest Prince several lashes, and with his injuries already severe, he was now on the brink of unconsciousness.

The autumn hunting couldn’t continue, and when Zhao Cheng led the Eldest Prince out, it meant they were setting off back to the capital.

Surprisingly, Yuan Ye remained unscathed and unmocked from start to finish, which turned out to be the greatest gain of all.

One by one, the group boarded the carriages. Just then, they encountered Huo Luo carrying Yue Chen onto one of the carriages. Seeing Yue Chen lying motionless under a cloak, Lin Qingyang was greatly alarmed and quickly asked, “Is Yue Chen injured?”

Huo Luo suddenly felt awkward, his body tensing up. “Uh… he’s fine, just tired.”

Lin Qingyang thought about it and realized it made sense. No one had slept the previous night, and they had been riding horses and enduring constant tension. Even Lin Qingyang himself was struggling to keep going.

Chu Lishu recalled passing by that spot again on their way back and noticing a branch falling abruptly beside a tree, along with scattered leaves on the ground. His expression darkened once more.

Lin Qingyang boarded the adjacent carriage, while Huo Luo felt too embarrassed to look at Chu Lishu.

Chu Lishu could only swallow his resentment. “Don’t forget about the important matter later!”

Feeling ashamed, Huo Luo quickly lowered his voice and respectfully replied, “I understand. I’ll go prepare now.”

Only then did Chu Lishu board the carriage. Seeing Lin Qingyang sitting there, barely keeping his eyes open, he couldn’t help but feel helpless. “Get some rest. We still have a long way to go.”

“No, let’s talk,” Lin Qingyang insisted. Although he didn’t have much to do later, he wanted to stay awake and see what would happen.

Lin Qingyang knew that Chu Lishu had already sent Lu Yi to deliver a message to the head of the Wang family. Despite the weakened state of the Wang family, sending someone to rescue the Crown Prince and Wang Tong’en was something they had to do. Chu Lishu even pointed out the best place and time for the attack. If the clan leader was smart, they would take the chance.

Chu Lishu approached Lin Qingyang and pulled him down to lie beside him, covering them both with a blanket. “We can talk lying down too,” he said.

“Will the Wang family believe you?” Lin Qingyang asked.

“They might not, but they have their own spies. They’ll see for themselves, and then they’ll know we’re helping them,” Chu Lishu replied.

“What about the…” Lin Qingyang hesitated for a moment, then turned to ask about Chi Teng.

“Chi Teng has already been sent to the pasture along with the other deceased horses for disposal. Lu Yi will take care of it,” Chu Lishu answered.

“It might cause trouble,” Lin Qingyang remarked.

“When the time comes, just send it back to my courtyard directly and let Mu Huichun watch over it. If it misbehaves, we’ll give it some medicine,” Chu Lishu replied.

In Chu Lishu’s courtyard, filled with his presence, Chi Teng should behave a bit better.

After chatting casually for a while, the quiet and warm atmosphere made Lin Qingyang yawn repeatedly. Chu Lishu suggested Lin Qingyang sleep, thinking that if he was this tired, he probably wouldn’t wake up once he fell asleep. He himself felt the need to release some pent-up emotions, but to his surprise, Lin Qingyang insisted on letting Chu Lishu sleep instead.

“You’ll be busy later, so rest now. I’ll keep an eye on you, and when it’s about time, I’ll wake you up. And you’re postponing your old habits again; I don’t know if it’s affecting your health. Hurry up and close your eyes,” Lin Qingyang’s concerned and caring tone made Chu Lishu both satisfied and a bit frustrated. After some thought, he resigned himself to it. However, feeling a bit rebellious, he directly embraced Lin Qingyang, took him by surprise, flipped him over, and muffled his voice, saying, “The carriage boards are uncomfortable, and I’m really tired. Can I sleep on top of you? Cousin?”

Lin Qingyang was momentarily taken aback by Chu Lishu’s actions but eventually gently embraced Chu Lishu, securing him, and replied softly, “Um, go… go ahead, as long as you’re comfortable.”

Chu Lishu gritted his teeth; he still wanted to be more comfortable.

But he decided to let it go. Unlike those two reckless fellows, Huo Luo and Yue Chen, he had important matters to attend to. Being able to sleep while holding his wife was satisfying enough.

Yes! He! Was! Satisfied!

Two hours later, as the long procession passed by a river, Lin Qingyang woke up Chu Lishu. However, for some reason, Chu Lishu’s complexion seemed even worse than if he hadn’t rested at all.

Lin Qingyang was still puzzled when he heard that a fight had broken out ahead. Chu Lishu calmly adjusted his clothes, appearing unruffled.

Soon, news arrived that the Eldest Prince had been abducted. The Emperor was furious, although Zhao Cheng wanted to pursue, the Emperor vetoed the idea. Instead, it was decided that Huo Luo would lead the troops in pursuit, just as Chu Lishu had predicted.

At that moment, Chu Lishu was already preparing to dismount from the carriage. Seeing Lin Qingyang peeking out, he reached out and gently tousled his hair. “Go back to the palace and behave yourself.”

“You… will you come find me once you’re back at the palace?” Lin Qingyang suddenly asked, his tone nervous.

Chu Lishu paused for a moment, then smiled. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. I’ll come find you as soon as I return.”

Lin Qingyang looked at Chu Lishu with mixed emotions, nodded, and watched him leave. Lin Qingyang didn’t know how much he meant to Chu Lishu, but he hoped that he could be of some help to him when he was feeling down in the future.

Just now, he actually wanted to ask if the Eldest Prince and Wang Tong’en would die. But he ultimately didn’t ask, as that was the source of Chu Lishu’s hatred. Besides being relevant to the plot, he had no right to influence Chu Lishu’s decisions.

In the original plot, Wang Tong’en died on the battlefield just now, and the Eldest Prince was later killed after being used up.

The male lead in the original plot always believed in repaying tenfold when dealing with his enemies, rather than letting them go.

He wondered what Chu Lishu would choose this time.

Because the Wang family came to abduct the people, the team was in chaos, so Chu Lishu took the opportunity to leave.

When the team set off again, Yue Chen came to accompany him. Seeing Yue Chen looking like he could only lie down, it seemed that he hadn’t rested well. Lin Qingyang didn’t know what injuries he had suffered, but both of them were tired and knew there would be no trouble next, so they gradually fell asleep.

On the other side, in the last secret place of the Wang family, several elders of the clan who had not yet escaped were hiding, including several influential figures, all of whom were close relatives of Imperial Concubine Huang. In particular, the clan leader was among them.

The people gathered around the clan leader, discussing heatedly. No one had expected that the Wang family, one of the four major families that had been passed down for hundreds of years in the Great Zhou Dynasty, would end up like this. They blamed and accused each other, but no one reflected on their own actions.

“When the Eldest Prince and Tong’en return, we will immediately return to Qinghe. Our Wang family of Qinghe will not disappear so easily.”

“I’m afraid the Emperor has already sent people to deal with our clan in Qinghe.”

“I said we shouldn’t have rebelled. Now it’s really over.”

“Even if we didn’t rebel, we would still be doomed. Isn’t the Emperor’s intention clear enough? It’s a matter of winners and losers. There’s nothing more to say. It’s just unfortunate for my sister in the palace…”

As they spoke, suddenly the sound of encirclement came from outside. Huo Luo had already surrounded this place with soldiers.

“How could this happen? The Eldest Prince hasn’t been rescued yet. Why would they come here?”

“It’s over, everything is over now. The future of the Wang clan, none of us have secured it!”

“Well, not necessarily…” A voice interrupted the conversation. Suddenly, two people were brought before them, the unconscious Eldest Prince and Wang Tong’en.

“I can help them escape, as long as you cooperate.”

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