I Rely On The Collapse Of The Character Setting To Survive In The Hands Of The Male Lead Chapter 224

Chapter 224

Lin Qingyang’s heart skipped a beat, instinctively looking towards Chu Lishu. Chu Lishu tapped Lin Qingyang’s head lightly. “Stay put and soak well. Don’t come out.”

After saying this, Chu Lishu turned and walked out from behind the screen, facing Ning Ziheng directly.

“Where’s Lin Qingyang?” Ning Ziheng asked with a grim expression. In reality, he already felt like he had been deceived. He understood that these people couldn’t know Qi Ci’s secret, but there was still a tiny part of him hoping for a possibility, willing to be deceived. However, he was not someone to be trifled with. Lin Qingyang wasn’t originally a necessary opponent for him to kill, but if Lin Qingyang dared to play him with Qi Ci’s matter, he would spare no effort to take Lin Qingyang’s life.

“Cousin is soaking in a medicinal bath to ward off the cold. I’ve heard about his promise. Don’t worry, I also know what he knows, and I’ll tell you.” Chu Lishu walked slowly to the table and sat down, pouring himself a cup of tea.

Ning Ziheng could only sit patiently as well.

Chu Lishu looked at the tea cup as if lost in thought before speaking, “General Qi once asked for a favor from the former Crown Prince when he accompanied him on a military campaign.”

Ning Ziheng was taken aback.

“After repelling Tianheng Country, he was willing to exchange all his military achievements for a chance to spare one person’s life.”

Ning Ziheng trembled all over, eyes widened in disbelief.

Chu Lishu slowly raised his head to look at Ning Ziheng. “He said there’s someone who, in order to survive in the palace, to avoid being wronged, to protect the ones they care about, has done many despicable things. Sooner or later, these deeds will be exposed, and the former Crown Prince will naturally administer justice, leading to that person’s execution. In order to save that person’s life, he’s willing to sacrifice everything. If the current achievements are not enough, he’ll offer future ones as well. And if that’s still insufficient, he’ll use his own life as a bargain.”

Ning Ziheng’s body began to tremble uncontrollably, his eyes gradually reddening and widening, fists clenched tightly as he glared fiercely at Chu Lishu. “What nonsense are you spouting? You talk as if you witnessed it firsthand, but your lies are utterly baseless.”

“Lies? We don’t know General Qi, nor do we know if he would say such things. The only one who can determine the truth is you,” Chu Lishu said, squinting slightly as he scrutinized Ning Ziheng’s expression, watching him sink into anguish before withdrawing his gaze.

But soon, Ning Ziheng realized something and erupted, “Unless you’re one of Yuan Ran’s men, unless you were also in the troop back then, otherwise…”

Inside, Lin Qingyang’s heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might burst from his chest. He had a gut feeling that what Chu Lishu said was true, but wouldn’t this easily expose everything? He could fabricate some other lies and use the familiarity between Yue Chen and Huo Luo with Qi Ci to help cover it up. It was worth a try.

As Lin Qingyang fretted, he suddenly heard the sound of overturned tables and chairs outside. Startled, Lin Qingyang was about to rise from the water.

Then he heard Chu Lishu’s voice, “Keep soaking.”

Lin Qingyang froze, listening to Chu Lishu’s tone… perhaps everything was okay.

Meanwhile, outside, Ning Ziheng had already grabbed Chu Lishu by the throat.

“Speak, who are you really? What are you trying to accomplish? Did Yuan Ran not die? Are these words you’re saying from Yuan Ran, or from Qi…”

Chu Lishu sneered, “Chief Steward Ning, have you forgotten about the deserters on Wu Xin Mountain? We spent quite a while there, and it’s not surprising if we overheard things we shouldn’t have.”

Ning Ziheng’s expression shifted. “Why would they confide in you?”

“They might have mentioned it inadvertently, thinking we wouldn’t survive to tell anyone. Chief Steward Ning, stop daydreaming. It’s been so many years. If General Qi were still alive, wouldn’t he have returned by now? Anyone who could survive would have returned. Those who didn’t are surely dead,” Chu Lishu said, his tone turning mocking, as if his words were daggers aimed directly at Ning Ziheng’s heart.

Sometimes, facing such people, beating them up or even killing them isn’t enough for successful revenge. You have to find their weak spot to truly make it count.

“However, we couldn’t verify the truth of what those deserters said. It’s up to you to judge. When we heard those rumors back then, we felt it was a pity. If General Qi were still alive, with his military achievements, he would have been able to fulfill his wishes. Chief Steward Ning, who do you think would be the person he’d risk his life to protect? If that person didn’t cause trouble or create complications, wouldn’t General Qi be spared the need to fight desperately for every opportunity to achieve merit on the battlefield?”

Upon hearing this, Ning Ziheng’s grip had already lost its strength, the color draining from his face gradually, his eyes staring blankly, unfocused, as if undergoing some sort of mental assault.

“It’s said… initially, the former Crown Prince merely proposed it because General Qi could have continued returning to the capital. After all, in the former Crown Prince’s original plan, winning that battle wasn’t particularly difficult; having General Qi was just more reassuring. But General Qi voluntarily requested to return.”

Chu Lishu looked deeply at Ning Ziheng, observing him release his trembling grip, stepping back one by one.

“Among these, loyalty to the master, driving away enemies, protecting the people, and… striving for more military achievements, which one carries the most weight? Does it include the person he wanted to protect among those who caused his demise?”

“N-No… that’s not… no one ever asked him to do that, it’s not…” Ning Ziheng’s voice tightened, shaking his head in confusion.

With a thud, Ning Ziheng crashed into the chair behind him, staggering clumsily.

“Is Chief Steward Ning alright?” Chu Lishu asked with a fake smile.

Ning Ziheng lifted his head, feeling somewhat unable to meet others’ gaze. He reflexively reached for the leather strap on his wrist and ended up fleeing in dismay.

Upon hearing the door opening, Lin Qingyang quickly called out.

Only then did Chu Lishu come back, saying, “Everything’s fine now.”

Lin Qingyang fell silent for a moment, but couldn’t help but say, “If all of this is true, then General Qi… he was truly filial and responsible. It’s a pity he had such a foster father. But if he really thought that way, why didn’t he stop Chief Steward Ning from doing those evil deeds in the first place? Was he too young, or…”

“On one hand, he was young. On the other hand, Ning Ziheng saw himself as a father figure, so how could he possibly listen to his son? He kept his actions hidden from Qi Ci. He’s a conflicted person, accustomed to darkness himself but not wanting Qi Ci to be tainted by it. So when Qi Ci showed signs of wanting to stop him, he sent Qi Ci away.”

“Sent to His Highness the Crown Prince?” Lin Qingyang asked. He had heard from Huo Luo that Qi Ci had spent his youth with Yuan Ran, essentially serving as Yuan Ran’s study companion. It was enviable to others, as Yuan Ran always chose companions based solely on personal compatibility, disregarding their backgrounds.

Chu Lishu nodded with a smile. He quite enjoyed it whenever Lin Qingyang referred to his past self, never using titles like “former Crown Prince.” The phrase “His Highness the Crown Prince” sounded particularly pleasing coming from Lin Qingyang’s mouth. But…

“Aren’t you curious how I knew? It couldn’t possibly be because a mountain bandit told me,” Chu Lishu said with a smile in his eyes, his gaze both probing and casually conversational.

Lin Qingyang looked up at Chu Lishu, hesitated for a moment, then spoke, “I think… if you wanted me to know, you would have told me.”

Chu Lishu chuckled softly, reaching out to pat Lin Qingyang’s head. “It’s not that I don’t trust you by not telling you now, it’s just… not the right time. I’ll tell you in the future, everything, I promise.”

It wasn’t the right time; his own identity couldn’t be exposed. Those who knew his identity had already made up their minds. Even if they were caught and interrogated, they were determined to die rather than reveal his identity. Chu Lishu naturally believed that Lin Qingyang wouldn’t betray him if he knew, but how could he bear to let Lin Qingyang be in such a situation, holding onto thoughts of self-sacrifice? Only by truly not knowing could Lin Qingyang avoid any interrogation methods, and that was the safest option.

He admitted that he was thinking too extreme, but when it came to Lin Qingyang’s safety, he couldn’t afford any mistakes. Only by being extremely cautious could he be at ease.

Lin Qingyang chuckled with a dismissive smile. He wasn’t inclined to dwell on this matter; he wouldn’t get caught up in notions of trust or distrust. After all, he had more secrets of his own and was willing to wait for the day when they could both be completely open with each other. He was at ease with his heart, so he resumed discussing Qi Ci and Ning Ziheng’s relationship.

Upon hearing Lin Qingyang’s regret for Qi Ci, Chu Lishu smiled helplessly. “Qi Ci isn’t as wonderful as you think.”

“How so?” Lin Qingyang had just started to feel fond of someone and didn’t want to be disillusioned, so he couldn’t help but question.

“I only mentioned things that would provoke Ning Ziheng’s conscience. In reality, Qi Ci wants more than just that.”

“What else does he want?” Lin Qingyang asked curiously.

“He also wants Ning Ziheng to regain his freedom and allow him to leave the palace.”

“Isn’t that… a good thing?” Lin Qingyang was puzzled.

Chu Lishu’s gaze lingered on Lin Qingyang’s misty eyes.

“If that war had gone smoothly, he could have been promoted several ranks, completely overshadowing the eunuch steward favored by the Empress Dowager in terms of official position. Regaining freedom and leaving the palace wouldn’t have been a choice but a requirement. What he wants isn’t just for Ning Ziheng to lose his ability to harm others; he also wants to sever his path to officialdom and power entirely. Then, he plans to keep Ning Ziheng by his side permanently, personally overseeing him. That’s the entirety of his proposal to exchange service for absolution.”

Lin Qingyang was stunned, feeling inexplicably chilled by the water beneath him. After pondering for a while, he still couldn’t shake his confusion. “But… wouldn’t this be considered a good thing? According to what you’ve said, if Ning Ziheng is so dangerous and can’t be stopped, then indirectly saving him by keeping him under control, it seems… quite reasonable.”

Although something felt off, it sounded like a righteous act of “removing harm for the people.” Qi Ci couldn’t bring himself to harm his own family, so this approach fulfilled his filial duty while protecting his conscience. It seemed like an appropriate solution… didn’t it?

Chu Lishu couldn’t help but smile as he looked at Lin Qingyang’s expression of deep contemplation and confusion. Back then, he had also felt something was amiss, but now he understood Qi Ci’s intentions. If it were him, he might have been even more ruthless than Qi Ci.

Unfortunately, he had genuinely intended to fulfill his subordinate’s wish back then. What was wrong with “removing harm for the people” in this manner, as long as his subordinates were willing?

…

At the border city of Tongjia, a formidable troop entered the city gates, exchanging documents. The guards surrounding them looked at them with eyes full of hatred.

The citizens of the city stared at them intensely, but the officials obsequiously invited them to stay at the residence for the night.

However, when the troops settled in, the officials never caught a glimpse of the true appearance of the Saintess. They could only leave with regret.

Inside the house, the Saintess slowly removed her veil, revealing a face so stunning it took one’s breath away. If the officials had seen her, they might have clutched their hearts on the spot.

However, the two men in the room seemed oblivious to the ethereal beauty before them. One stood like a statue on the side, while the other lounged carelessly, finding a spot to lie down. He took out a flask of wine and drank casually, humming a tune while flipping through a book he had just bought in the city, seemingly engrossed in it.

The Saintess glanced at the man lying down before shifting her gaze to the man standing in the corner. “Ah Wu, have you remembered anything?”

The man known as Ah Wu shook his head slowly, his eyes empty, as if he wasn’t thinking about anything and didn’t care. There was a long scar on his face, from the bridge of his nose down to the corner of his lips, then across his neck to rest on his collarbone. The wound was very deep, completely irreparable, making his originally expressionless face appear extremely intimidating. Coupled with his tall stature, riding on horseback, he frightened several children along the way.

The Saintess sighed and said, “It’s okay, memories will return sooner or later.”

“Hehe, the Saintess is truly kind. She’s concerned even about a small slave like this, have you ever thought about how strong he is? What if he’s a soldier from the Great Zhou Dynasty? If you help him, aren’t you afraid of causing trouble?”

As soon as the man lying down spoke, Ah Wu instinctively tensed up. Seeing this, the Saintess stood in front of Ah Wu and first asked him to go outside and stand guard. Then, unable to resist, she called out to the man lying down, “Ah Xi…”

“Don’t call me that way,” Yu Suoxi frowned.

“Alright, Your Highness, you said you’d accompany me on the mission, and I agreed. The condition was that Ah Wu belongs to me now, so he’s under my jurisdiction, and you can’t interfere,” the Saintess’s tone was gentle, but her gaze was firm.

Yu Suoxi raised an eyebrow indifferently, saying, “As you wish. But remember, he’s someone who has passed through ten levels of my beast arena. His humanity has long been eroded, be careful he doesn’t suddenly turn on you. If he wants to run, you won’t be able to catch him.”

“If he wants to run, it means he has something he wants to do. I’m willing to facilitate that. Our encounter destined me to save him, and destined me to lessen your bloodshed,” she replied.

Yu Suoxi impatiently turned over, clearly uninterested in continuing the conversation.

The Saintess smiled gently. “I’m going with hopes for peace. Now, could Your Highness tell me why a regent who doesn’t even handle court affairs and purposely conceals his identity decided to accompany me?”

Yu Suoxi suddenly became interested again. “After Yuan Ran’s death, life became too boring. I realized there might be a few interesting people in the Great Zhou Dynasty, so I decided to go and explore, see if there are any fellows willing to play with me. Besides, there’s an old acquaintance over there. I wonder how they’ve been. I plan to catch up with them and see if there’s anywhere I can lend a hand. After all, I’m a helpful and kind-hearted person.”

The Saintess’s expression slightly changed. The word “help” coming from Yu Suoxi’s mouth definitely carried a scent of blood, as if he was eager for chaos.

“Don’t… cause trouble,” the Saintess knew she couldn’t stop him, so she could only speak helplessly.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let our country’s Saintess die in the Great Zhou Dynasty,” Yu Suoxi’s smile held ambiguous implications.

The  Saintess’s face turned ugly, evidently her life meant nothing to Yu Suoxi.

Then she heard Yu Suoxi murmuring, “Ah, so boring. It’s all your fault that he left. He was my most satisfying pet. Maybe with some training, he could have passed all thirteen levels just like my cutest little pet. That would have filled the void in my lonely heart.”

The Saintess couldn’t help but feel nauseated hearing such words. When she first saw Ah Wu, he was on the brink of death in the crocodile pit, his body torn apart, nothing but a bloody mess, a meal for the crocodiles.

The Saintess took a deep breath, “Ah Xi…”

Yu Suoxi slowly lifted his eyes, with a smile on his lips, but his gaze was icy. “Lord Saintess, if you call me by the wrong name again, I may have to invite you to visit my beast arena. I wonder how many rounds Lord Saintess can endure?”

The Saintess’s face turned pale in an instant, and finally, she retreated in defeat.

……

On the other side, inside the palace, Chu Lishu finally found a vacant imperial physician to check on Lin Qingyang.

Lin Qingyang insisted he was fine, but Chu Lishu was still worried. However, after the physician’s diagnosis, it turned out he was indeed fine.

Chu Lishu went out for a while and learned about the situation of Xu Guiren as well.

Now Xu Guiren has become Concubine Xu, not only saved her life but also saved the child. It can be called a miracle. Everyone says that this child is blessed and destined for greatness. The Emperor is even happier, constantly accompanying Concubine Xu.

“Did you give her the life-saving medicine from Mu Huichun?” Chu Lishu asked.

Lin Qingyang nodded guiltily and couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Didn’t the Emperor investigate this matter?”

“The Emperor asked, and Concubine Xu said she just happened to find plum blossoms blooming while taking a walk and wanted to collect some, so she asked a maid to fetch tools. Unfortunately, she accidentally fell into the water. She explained it in detail, and after waking up, she kept apologizing to the Emperor for almost endangering the imperial heir. The Emperor believed it was indeed an accident. Besides rewarding Chief Steward Ning and briefly questioning the palace maids, the matter was overlooked.”

Lin Qingyang’s mouth twitched. This sister was truly naive.

“It seems you don’t think it was an accident?” Chu Lishu raised an eyebrow.

“I felt it couldn’t be just a coincidence. Actually, I was following…” Lin Qingyang briefly mentioned the previous situation.

Chu Lishu nodded. “Even without what you saw, when I heard that Concubine Xu was pregnant, I guessed…”

As they were talking, there was a sudden urgent knock at the door. Chu Lishu went to open it and found Xu Wenze coming in.

As soon as Xu Wenze entered, he asked, “Where’s Qingyang?”

Chu Lishu gestured for the person to come in, and Xu Wenze immediately came to Lin Qingyang’s side, visibly relieved. He was about to kneel down right away, but fortunately, Lin Qingyang was quick to stop him.

“Don’t!”

“I heard from Elder Sister. It was you who saved her and the child. You’re their savior,” Xu Wenze said, his eyes reddened, his expression earnest. “Although for the sake of your reputations, this matter must be kept secret, you’ve shown great kindness to our Duke Wei Guo’s residence. We will always remember that.”

Lin Qingyang felt a bit embarrassed. “It’s all good. It’s just doing what’s right. Besides, it was Chief Steward Ning who ultimately saved them. Otherwise, I really wouldn’t know if I could hold out until those people arrived.” Actually, the fact that the system didn’t alert him meant he could definitely protect himself, but Concubine Xu was in trouble.

Xu Wenze nodded, expressing gratitude once again. Finally, he couldn’t help but ask, “Elder Sister… was she harmed by someone, right?”

Xu Wenze wasn’t foolish; he could see some issues from the clues. Although his sister claimed it was an accident, he didn’t believe it. It was too much of a coincidence to have an accident just after getting pregnant and without informing the Emperor.

Lin Qingyang looked at Chu Lishu, who chose to speak directly this time. “It should be Concubine Mei’s doing. Cousin saw Concubine Mei’s personal maid acting suspiciously and disappearing near that garden. But we can’t help you prove it. You should understand, besides being careful yourselves in the future, there’s nothing else we can do for you.”

Xu Wenze seemed unsurprised by this answer, but his expression briefly showed pain before gradually falling silent. “Elder Sister just wants to live peacefully. Why…”

“Who knows? Maybe they’re just suspicious by nature, maybe you did something to make them doubt you. Anyway, the fact remains.” Chu Lishu said slowly.

This time, Lin Qingyang chose to remain silent. He couldn’t sabotage Chu Lishu’s plan. This was already Chu Lishu’s most gentle approach, and he needed the Li-Xu alliance to split.

Xu Wenze remained silent for a long time before finally standing up. “I understand. This matter has nothing to do with you. I won’t intervene in the Fourth Prince’s affairs for now. I’ll protect Elder Sister well and wait for her to safely give birth. If one day we really end up at odds with the Fourth Prince and his faction, I don’t want to be enemies with you.”

“We will keep quiet about this matter as well. Let’s pretend our conversation just now never happened,” Chu Lishu said earnestly.

Xu Wenze expressed his gratitude before leaving.

Chu Lishu turned to Lin Qingyang. “Prime Minister Li and Duke Wei Guo will maintain surface harmony for now, but they will likely engage in conflict in the future. You might need to keep your distance from Xu Wenze for a while.”

Lin Qingyang nodded. “I understand.”

Chu Lishu thought Lin Qingyang might feel uncomfortable about it, but seeing him still compliant eased Chu Lishu’s mind quite a bit.

Afterwards, Prime Minister Li and Duke Wei Guo indeed acted as if nothing had happened. Concubine Xu’s fall into the water was deemed an accident, and she continued to maintain a close relationship with Concubine Mei as sisters. However, security around Concubine Xu was tightened, with both the Emperor and Duke Wei Gu increasing protection measures. It became nearly impossible to harm Concubine Xu.

As time flew by, only three days remained until the Longevity Festival. Ambassadors from various countries arrived one after another. On this particular day, they happened to be outside the palace when Yue Chen excitedly approached them, eager to go together to watch the procession of the Tianheng Country entering the city. Clearly, Yue Chen’s curiosity about the Saintess had made him unable to wait any longer.

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