I Rely On The Collapse Of The Character Setting To Survive In The Hands Of The Male Lead Chapter 226

Chapter 226

“Long time no see, Your Highness Baya, oh… no, it should be Crown Prince of the Western Moon Kingdom,” Yu Suoxi smiled.

Baya entered with a smile and bowed respectfully to Yu Suoxi. “Your Highness Regent, if you wanted to see me, I could have just gone to the Tianheng Kingdom to meet you. There was no need for you to specially arrange a meeting here.”

Baya had always been fawning over Yu Suoxi. His face was practically beaming with smiles. Baya knew that as long as he gained the support of Yu Suoxi, he would surely ascend to the throne steadily, without worrying about his unruly brothers below.

However, Yu Suoxi was also a capricious person, and Baya could only comply with everything. Initially, he found it strange to be called over suddenly, but now he understood. Yu Suoxi wanted to have some fun in the palace of the Great Zhou Dynasty and needed someone to take the lead. That’s why he thought of Baya.

Baya thought to himself that causing a little mischief wasn’t a difficult task. Making Yu Suoxi happy was more important than anything else.

After meeting with Yu Suoxi, Baya was about to leave the courtyard when suddenly two Black Feather Guards approached him. Although they both wore veils, the scars on one of their faces caught Baya’s attention.

Baya involuntarily followed, but he was stopped by other guards. Inside was the residence of the Saintess, and unauthorized entry was not permitted.

Baya snapped back to reality, his face filled with suspicion. He thought it couldn’t be possible.

He remembered during the great war years ago, when he had struck a blow in the chaos, leaving behind a similar scar. It was on the face of a Great Zhou Dynasty general who had been besieged by them. Although many years had passed, he couldn’t forget the trajectory of that scar.

But it couldn’t be possible. Why would someone from the Tianheng Kingdom be accompanied by an enemy general as a Black Feather Guard? He must have been overly suspicious.

If General Qi is still alive… Baya’s eyes flashed with a fierce light.

Back then, Baya had participated in the battle alongside the then-Crown Prince of the Western Moon Kingdom. In the midst of the chaos, Baya had directly killed his own brother, leading to his subsequent ascent to the position of the Crown Prince. At that moment, General Qi had seen the scene while desperately escaping from the siege. Startled, he had thrown the body aside, and Baya took advantage of the confusion to strike General Qi with a fatal blow. Baya had thought General Qi was sure to die, so he had quickly fled out of guilt. Later, he heard that there were no survivors on that battlefield, no witnesses to the event. Baya had inherited the position of the Crown Prince without any hindrance and had forgotten about the incident. It was only seeing the same scar now that triggered his memory.

He just hoped it was all a coincidence.

As a result, that same night, Baya encountered an assassination attempt. Despite having skilled warriors by his side, the assassination failed, and Baya was injured, while the assassin committed suicide.

Baya was furious and demanded justice from the Emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Naturally, the Emperor ordered an investigation. Regardless of any past grievances between their nations, as envoys, their safety must be ensured, especially within the palace grounds. This incident was essentially a slap in the Emperor’s face.

The first person everyone thought of was Ning Ziheng. However, there was no evidence, and Ning Ziheng was adept at sophistry. It seemed as if he had nothing to do with the whole affair from start to finish. He was innocently summoned for questioning, feeling baffled by the situation.

This matter couldn’t be thoroughly investigated. It was more likely that the person who wanted to kill Baya came from within his own country, perhaps as part of internal struggles among his brothers. So Baya couldn’t be certain, but he felt that the Great Zhou Dynasty hadn’t done a good job protecting him.

In the end, the matter was resolved with reinforced security.

Ning Ziheng watched as Baya narrowly escaped death and sneered, then left as summoned by the Emperor.

However, as he left the embassy compound, Ning Ziheng had a lingering feeling that someone was watching him. When he turned around, he only saw a group of people and couldn’t distinguish anyone. Ning Ziheng didn’t think much of it and brushed it off.

After the Emperor brought Ning Ziheng out, he issued a warning, clearly believing that Ning Ziheng was behind the assassination attempt. The Emperor knew how much Ning Ziheng cared for his adopted son, and to what extent he could go for him. While assassinating an envoy might not be a big deal for Ning Ziheng, it caused significant trouble for the Emperor. Despite Ning Ziheng’s capabilities, holding onto a venomous snake could easily backfire.

“Chief Steward Ning, this is your final warning from me. Stop causing trouble, or I won’t be as lenient next time.”

Ning Ziheng smirked inwardly but maintained a respectful demeanor on the surface.

The next day, when Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang entered the palace, they heard about the incident. Lin Qingyang hadn’t expected Ning Ziheng to act so swiftly; he had previously thought Ning Ziheng was a patient man.

However, Chu Lishu, upon hearing the news, unexpectedly smiled.

“Is Chief Steward Ning deliberately offering himself up for me to take him down?” Chu Lishu murmured softly before secretly meeting with Chief Steward Hai.

Following the original plot’s arrangement, the Spring Festival… was also the time Chu Lishu arranged for Ning Ziheng’s downfall and the seizure of the Blood Abyss Pavilion. It seems this part of the plan won’t change.

On the day of the Spring Festival, the palace was bustling with activity even before dawn. The Imperial Garden was prepared first, with various activities planned for everyone to enjoy throughout the day, providing opportunities for mutual exchange between the countries.

Dozens of countries had come this time, ranging from large to small. Apart from the Tianheng Kingdom and the Western Moon Kingdom, most had not had conflicts with the Great Zhou Dynasty in recent years, and were considered friendly neighbors.

However… according to the original plot, these countries would soon be trampled by Huo Luo leading a large army. Looking at Huo Luo, who was currently responsible for small-scale security work, being asked questions with such courtesy, it was truly hard to imagine.

Suddenly, the Fourth Prince tugged at Lin Qingyang’s hand, diverting his attention to where Yuan Ye had already begun his performance. As the heir to a nation, it was natural for him to act as a representative, fostering goodwill and accompanying the envoys. Even in this supposedly recreational setting, there was an underlying sense of competition, with Yuan Ye striving to outdo everyone.

The Fourth Prince, however, had no desire to compete with Yuan Ye. But Concubine Mei had instructed him to follow whatever Yuan Ye did.

Seeing the Fourth Prince’s subdued mood, Lin Qingyang could only offer a few words of comfort, feeling as though the adults were pressuring the children.

In the end, the Fourth Prince went over to join Yuan Ye.

At the same time, the system issued a mission.

【Main Mission 2, Mission 18: Help the male lead increase the Fourth Prince’s reputation.】

As the Fourth Prince appeared, the atmosphere among the crowd noticeably changed. Everyone understood the situation in the Great Zhou Dynasty. The Crown Prince was merely the Emperor’s nephew, while the Fourth Prince standing before them was the first in line to the throne below the Emperor.

People watched the interaction between the two, the older and the younger, with a sense of anticipation, expecting some drama to unfold.

At this moment, Yuan Ye observed the Fourth Prince with clear hostility, no longer treating him with the same friendly demeanor.

“Big Brother Crown Prince, I also want to give it a try.”

Yuan Ye smile as he handed over a short arrow.

They were playing a game similar to darts. Yuan Ye’s performance was already commendable. After all, he had practiced and familiarized himself with all the activities that would be part of the Spring Festival. Coupled with his existing skills, he naturally outperformed everyone else. He was aware that the Fourth Prince had been secretly improving himself, but he doubted that such rapid progress could be achieved in just half a month.

However, in the next moment, the short arrow hit the bullseye dead center, as if it were piercing through Yuan Ye’s cheek. One after another, they hit the bullseye, astonishing everyone around who had been watching the spectacle. They fell into a surprised silence, casting peculiar glances at the young lad who had not yet fully grown.

Yuan Ye’s face darkened instantly. He couldn’t understand how the Fourth Prince could improve so rapidly, especially when the most skilled mentors in the palace were on his side.

“The Fourth Prince’s aim is indeed accurate, but his strength is lacking…” Yuan Ye couldn’t find any excuses anymore. He could only attribute it to the lack of strength, even though precision was the essence of this game.

And following all the fun, whenever the Fourth Prince participated, he inevitably won the first place. The words “outstanding” seemed to have been engraved on his face, causing more and more people to marvel at the young man’s talent. Gradually, he was praised more and more, and even the Fourth Prince began to feel happy.

In contrast, Yuan Ye’s face turned darker and never returned to its previous state, but instead became increasingly twisted.

Lin Qingyang smirked to himself and pulled Chu Lishu, saying, “It seems that your teaching, Teacher Chu, is more effective than all the teachers around Yuan Ye.”

Chu Lishu raised his eyebrows and chuckled, “Isn’t your contribution significant too, Teacher Lin?”

The two of them had really put in a lot of effort to teach the child well, and now they could see the Fourth Prince’s performance, which indeed gave them a sense of achievement.

Even the attendants from other countries around them began to whisper and discuss about the Fourth Prince.

“I didn’t expect the Fourth Prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty to be so talented. He outshines the Crown Prince, who is much older than him, in everything. He’s a little prodigy.”

“Some of them are naturally talented. Let me tell you, a few years ago when I came with the Lord, the Great Zhou Dynasty still had that legendary Crown Prince. You must have heard of the saying that the Crown Prince of Zhou Dynasty was unparalleled in the world, right? When I saw him back then, he was truly astonishing, much more impressive than the Fourth Prince you see now. Back then, anyone who attended the Longevity Festival from other countries would be impressed by his elegance. But now, this Crown Prince is still his younger brother, but doesn’t seem quite like him. Instead, this Fourth Prince seems to have some of that aura.”

“Have you seen that legendary Crown Prince?”

“Of course, he was perfect, not like an ordinary person.”

“Don’t say that. Didn’t he end up in a complete defeat later?”

“That’s why people shouldn’t be too perfect. If someone goes through life without making mistakes, the heavens will arrange a major mistake for them, one that’s irreparable.”

Lin Qingyang originally wanted to hear them praise Yuan Ran, but the conversation took a turn. He immediately turned around and gave them a fierce glare, which silenced them. When he turned to look at Chu Lishu, he found that Chu Lishu wasn’t even listening but instead was gazing at the courtyard not far away, where a Western painter was painting someone.

“What’s wrong?”

“That seems to be a problem over there. I’ll keep an eye on it, you stay with the Fourth Prince,” Chu Lishu spoke up.

Lin Qingyang knew about Chu Lishu’s plan involving the Western painter, so he nodded obediently. “Okay, after it’s done, I’ll come find you.”

Chu Lishu nodded and left.

After Chu Lishu left, Lin Qingyang approached Huo Luo with a puzzled expression. “I noticed earlier, why didn’t anyone from Tianheng Kingdom come?”

“Tianheng Kingdom’s delegation is led by the Saintess, and they generally don’t participate in leisure activities. They usually attend the banquet,” Huo Luo explained.

“It’s been several days since the Saintess arrived, yet we haven’t seen her once,” Lin Qingyang chuckled.

Huo Luo nodded in agreement. “Indeed, they rarely show themselves. Instead, that man called Yu Xi is quite restless.”

At the mention of that man, Lin Qingyang’s expression soured. His instinctive unease prompted him to look for Chu Lishu’s figure.

However, looking across the small lake, the pavilion on the opposite side only had Yue Chen’s familiar figure; Chu Lishu was nowhere to be seen.

At this moment, the time was about up, and feeling increasingly anxious since he hadn’t spotted Chu Lishu yet, Lin Qingyang watched for a while longer. Although the system hadn’t warned of any danger, there was still a nagging feeling of unease.

Just then, the Fourth Prince, having exhausted all his efforts to impress, approached Lin Qingyang. He seemed relieved, as if he had just completed a difficult task, and expressed his desire to find his mother.

Lin Qingyang initially thought that reaching this point meant the completion of the mission. However, as there was no response, he found it a bit strange. But now was not the time to dwell on it. Seizing the opportunity, Lin Qingyang quickly led the Fourth Prince along the path Chu Lishu had taken, circling the small lake towards the pavilion.

After exchanging greetings, Lin Qingyang quickly asked Yue Chen if he had seen Chu Lishu, but Yue Chen shook his head, indicating he hadn’t seen him at all.

Yue Chen was currently brainstorming a solution. Their original plan was to have the Western painter draw portraits for Concubine Mei, but the Emperor ordered the painter to draw Concubine Xu first, citing her pregnancy as a reason for urgency. Once Concubine Xu’s portrait was done, it was uncertain if the painter would still be willing to draw Concubine Mei’s portrait.

Unable to interrupt Concubine Xu’s portrait session, Yue Chen could only think about how to salvage the situation later.

Lin Qingyang frowned. He didn’t think Chu Lishu would suddenly disappear, especially in the palace. A sense of unease prompted Lin Qingyang to activate the automatic navigation system, at least to determine where Chu Lishu was.

Meanwhile, in the artificial mountain they had just passed by, Yu Suoxi had one hand covering Chu Lishu’s mouth and the other arm pressing down on Chu Lishu’s chest, forcing him onto the rocks.

“Shh… I don’t want to hurt you,” Yu Suoxi said with a smile, as if calming a restless animal. When Chu Lishu stopped struggling and just stared at him coldly, Yu Suoxi finally had the opportunity to look at his own arm’s wound, which was cut by a dagger, bleeding profusely.

Yu Suoxi seemed oblivious to any pain, instead leaning in to lick the wound and suck up all the blood. “Little pet, you’re still so formidable. Even without your martial arts now, you’re still untamed, daring to harm your own master.”

Chu Lishu’s eyes flickered. When he passed by here just now, he was suddenly captured by someone. When he reacted, he immediately fought back. After a few moves, Chu Lishu realized that Yu Suoxi wasn’t using internal energy, just testing him. After a brief standoff, he heard Lin Qingyang’s voice outside. Chu Lishu immediately wanted to leave, but was held back by Yu Suoxi. If Yu Suoxi were to use internal energy, Chu Lishu would have almost no way to retaliate.

From Yu Suoxi’s words, it seemed he truly recognized Chu Lishu from his days of madness.

Yu Suoxi released Chu Lishu’s mouth, leaned in slowly, and approached him, his eyes scanning every detail of Chu Lishu’s face as if unable to get enough. “Don’t you have anything to say?”

Chu Lishu’s gaze turned even colder, as if he were looking at a dead man.

Yu Suoxi chuckled. “I like that look of yours. It would be even better if it turned red. You don’t have to say anything. I know you don’t remember me. You’re afraid to speak, afraid of saying something wrong and revealing too much. Silence forces me to speak more. Is it because you’re also afraid I’ll say something I shouldn’t?”

Chu Lishu remained calm and silent.

However, Yu Suoxi became excited and exclaimed, “My little pet, even when you’re not crazy, you’re still so much fun. I’ve really hit the jackpot.”

Chu Lishu’s pupils contracted slightly as the hidden weapon in his hand was poised to strike. But in the next moment, Yu Suoxi grabbed his wrist and lifted it, restraining any dangerous action from Chu Lishu.

“Is my little pet going to show its claws to its master again? You’re really naughty,” Yu Suoxi looked at Chu Lishu with affection, “It’s a pity, I can’t bear to send you to the arena for training now.”

“The arena, so it’s the Prince Regent,” Chu Lishu suddenly spoke.

Yu Suoxi’s face lit up with surprise. “You caught on so quickly?”

“In Tianheng Kingdom, there’s only one inhumane arena, said to have thirteen levels. The Prince Regent finds it most entertaining to have slaves go through those levels. Every year, at least a hundred people die inside, and they’re all skilled in martial arts.”

Yu Suoxi’s smile grew wider. “You don’t remember, do you? You’re the only one of all my pets to have passed those thirteen levels. You have no idea how proud I am of you. You’re fiercer than all the savage beasts I’ve raised.”

Although Chu Lishu couldn’t recall, learning about his past experiences ignited his anger. “That’s absurd. How could I have ever been to such an arena?”

“Oh? Even if you were disguised as Chu Lishu, it doesn’t mean you truly were him. It was just a identity you suddenly acquired two years ago. I’m curious, why did you disguise yourself as Chu Lishu and cause chaos in the capital? Are all recent upheavals in the Great Zhou Dynasty related to you? What was your original identity? Why did you appear in turbulent border regions, and why did you possess such high martial skills, which you seem to have lost now? Why…”

Yu Suoxi seemed to turn into a myriad of whys, sending shivers down Chu Lishu’s spine.

Chu Lishu instantly realized that this guy had already investigated his situation thoroughly and held all the doubts in his hands. When he was the Crown Prince before, he found Prince Yu Suoxi of Tianheng Kingdom very troublesome, but he hadn’t expected him to be this formidable. They had only met three days ago.

“Your Highness, I don’t have time to entertain your random guesses. I think what we should discuss now is why you concealed your identity to come here. I believe our emperor would be very interested in keeping you here.”

“Oh, are you threatening me? Well then, how about this: even if we make a deal. You don’t reveal my identity, I won’t expose your suspicions to the outside world. How does that sound?” Yu Suoxi chuckled. “I still want to play for a few more days. Don’t worry, although I am your master, I won’t forcibly take you away. I also want to see…”

Yu Suoxi continued speaking, getting closer and closer, as if his nose was about to touch Chu Lishu’s.

“Let him go!” Suddenly, a voice interrupted their conversation.

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