I Rely On The Collapse Of The Character Setting To Survive In The Hands Of The Male Lead Chapter 228

Chapter 228

At the Longevity Festival banquet, Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang both sat by the Fourth Prince’s side. Yue Chen and Huo Luo, as courtiers, also sat among the ministers on the left side, close to Zhao Cheng’s position. On the right side were the seats for ambassadors from various countries.

Seated in the first position naturally was the Saintess, accompanied by her entourage of ambassadors. Standing behind them were the Black Feather Guards, with one particular Black Feather Guard seated directly next to the Saintess. This person was Yu Suoxi, seemingly assisting with pouring drinks and serving, though he looked like he couldn’t be bothered to stand.

Most of the attention in the room was focused on the Saintess.

Everyone was curious about the appearance of the Saintess, but Tianheng Kingdom was the strongest nation here, and no one dared to offend their Saintess. So, these past few days, they could only admire her from afar.

However, now might be the only opportunity.

As the banquet began, each country presented their congratulatory gifts and blessings to the Great Zhou Emperor. The Saintess led the way, also respecting the customs of other countries. When facing the Emperor, she would still remove her veil and bow respectfully.

In that instant, at least those in the front rows could clearly see the Saintess’s appearance.

There were audible gasps of amazement, and if it weren’t for the fear of causing a disturbance, they probably would have begun to exclaim in astonishment. However, those seated at the back had no chance to see, so they could only stiffen their bodies, their eyes wide with longing, but they dared not make too much of a fuss and breach etiquette.

Yue Chen and Huo Luo were fortunate to be positioned in the middle. Huo Luo’s position was convenient, while Yue Chen had to stretch a bit, reaching over to place his hand on Huo Luo’s leg to support himself as he leaned forward to get a better view. Huo Luo could only glare at him fiercely, then grit his teeth and allow Yue Chen to use him as a support. However, even Huo Luo couldn’t deny the incredible beauty of the Saintess.

When the envoy from Tianheng Kingdom entered the palace to meet the Emperor for the first time, the Emperor had already seen the appearance of the Saintess. Thus, he wasn’t particularly surprised at this moment. However, Yuan Ye, standing on the high platform, was already dumbfounded. His eyes were filled with greed, yet he knew he could never obtain her.

As the Saintess spoke her words of blessing, her voice was truly like the melodious music of heaven, causing people to hold their breath and focus intently, afraid of missing even a single note. Not only was her voice beautiful, but her graceful gestures during the bow were also elegant and enchanting. Not to mention the flawless skin revealed by the sheer fabric, akin to flawless white jade. The complete beauty revealed after the veil was lifted made it difficult for anyone to even blink, fearing they might miss a moment of this breathtaking sight.

Even Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but be mesmerized, for she was truly a celestial beauty without a single flaw. She was indeed worthy of being called the most beautiful woman in the world.

Even faced with such a woman in the original plot, the male lead could ruthlessly exploit her without a hint of hesitation. It truly makes one wonder what kind of person Chu Lishu could truly fall in love with.

As he pondered this, Chu Lishu happened to catch sight of Yu Suoxi from his perspective. He noticed that Yu Suoxi was inexplicably staring at him, as if assessing something.

Lin Qingyang, realizing that Chu Lishu was seated beside him and that Yu Suoxi might be looking at Chu Lishu, quickly intervened, blocking the view and giving Yu Suoxi a stern warning glance.

Suddenly, Lin Qingyang felt someone scratching the palm of his hand. Startled, he turned around and saw Chu Lishu glaring at him with an unfriendly expression.

Lin Qingyang looked puzzled and innocent, blinking his eyes. However, Chu Lishu suddenly leaned in close, as if he wanted to whisper something.

But just as Lin Qingyang leaned closer to listen, Chu Lishu pulled him back with a tug. “Are you so mesmerized by the beauty? Is she really that beautiful?”

Lin Qingyang looked at Chu Lishu in astonishment. Could it be that Chu Lishu had gotten used to staring at his two faces all the time, causing his sense of aesthetics to become distorted, and thus unable to appreciate other beauties in the original plot? Could that be the problem? Of course she’s beautiful! He couldn’t say otherwise with a clear conscience.

Seeing Lin Qingyang nodding obediently, Chu Lishu was speechless. Lin Qingyang was definitely the least stereotypical gay man he had ever met. Why could he so naturally appreciate beauty like this? Seeing the expression on the Saintess’s face, the expression of the men around were similar to each other—captivated and awestruck. Chu Lishu found this kind of gaze very annoying.

“Don’t you think she’s beautiful?” Lin Qingyang asked in surprise.

Even the Fourth Prince sitting in front of them nodded repeatedly in agreement.

Chu Lishu replied irritably, “Not beautiful.”

Lin Qingyang: …

The Saintess quickly put her veil back on and returned to her seat, but the lingering effect of her presence remained.

At this point, the Emperor asked how everyone had spent their day. Some smaller countries took the opportunity to boast about their crown prince Yuan Ye and the Fourth Prince.

The Emperor probably didn’t expect that the young Fourth Prince would receive so much praise from others, and genuine praise at that. It seemed that the Fourth Prince had indeed grown a lot. Being young made it easier to be favored. Not only did the Emperor praise him, but the Empress Dowager also joined in, and even Concubine Mei received compliments, with her parenting skills being praised.

This instantly made Empress Cheng and Yuan Ye seem like outsiders.

Naturally, Yuan Ye’s limelight was overshadowed. Based on Chu Lishu’s understanding of Yuan Ye, he would definitely find a way to prove his excellence again. If he were to lose to the Fourth Prince, this little brat, in such a scenario, he would truly be infuriated.

However, before Yuan Ye could speak, someone had already begun to openly provoke.

The one who stepped forward was none other than the Crown Prince of the Western Moon Kingdom, Baya.

“Your Majesty, watching such elegant performances is boring. Why don’t we all engage in martial arts instead? I see many skilled individuals among the courtiers of your esteemed country. Let’s engage in friendly combat, stopping when necessary, to liven up the atmosphere. How about it?”

This statement carried a hint of provocation, and naturally, the Great Zhou Dynasty had to agree.

Baya’s first challenge was directed at Yuan Ye. Yuan Ye, who was at best a mediocre fighter and usually timid, was too afraid to confront him. He responded directly, “Your Highness Baya, you’re joking. I appreciate culture over martial arts, so I am unable to spar with you. How about allowing my personal bodyguard to accompany you instead?”

Baya chuckled disdainfully. “Your Highness, it’s just a friendly spar. Rest assured, we martial artists know our limits. Besides, my arm is still injured, so I can only use one hand against you. I definitely won’t harm you, just a few moves, that’s all. Moreover, as a Crown Prince, if I were to spar with a mere bodyguard, wouldn’t it be beneath my dignity?”

Yuan Ye blushed with embarrassment. The injured person was speaking up to this extent, making him seem like a coward if he didn’t go out. It was making him lose face. Empress Cheng had already hinted for him to step forward, but looking at Baya’s robust and formidable figure, he couldn’t help but feel intimidated. It was said that Baya had personally killed those who opposed him. Even if he was injured, he was still a significant threat. If he were to be injured or crippled in the fight, his position as crown prince…

Yuan Ye’s hesitation had already lasted too long, making the entire court officials feel awkward, and even the Emperor’s expression turned sour.

At that moment, the Fourth Prince’s small figure suddenly stood up. “Your Highness Baya, I will challenge you. How can I, as the younger brother, allow my elder brother to fight before me? I am a prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Am I qualified to be your opponent?”

With these words, his aura instantly soared, impressing not only the court officials but also the envoys. Everyone knew that the little guy couldn’t defeat Baya, but he displayed courage and integrity. He wasn’t afraid of losing, making him much more admirable than Yuan Ye.

Yuan Ye looked over in disbelief, his gaze towards the Fourth Prince turning fierce. He wished the Fourth Prince would disappear immediately, so he wouldn’t have to endure the current discomfort.

While the crowd admired the Fourth Prince, Baya felt somewhat displeased. He had been prompted by Yu Suoxi to mock Yuan Ye, but now a smaller opponent suddenly emerged. Nevertheless, he had no choice but to defeat him first.

The Emperor expressed concern for the Fourth Prince, while Concubine Mei looked at him with worry. However, the Fourth Prince insisted he was fine, taking the wooden sword and stepping forward. In reality, tears had already begun to well up in his eyes.

The Fourth Prince’s behavior was naturally orchestrated by Chu Lishu.

Originally, the plan was to enhance the Fourth Prince’s reputation through martial arts, a common tactic at banquets. The aim was to exploit Yuan Ye’s desire to target the Fourth Prince by initiating a martial arts competition. Of course, it wouldn’t be appropriate for the prince himself to participate. Instead, Zhao Cheng was supposed to stand in for the Fourth Prince. Yuan Ye would have chosen someone else to compete, but his candidate wouldn’t stand a chance against Zhao Cheng. By then, everyone would have realized the Fourth Prince’s growing dominance over Yuan Ye. Even the current top martial artist siding with the Fourth Prince against Yuan Ye would have indicated this. That would have been a successful achievement of the goal.

However, Baya’s interruption disrupted the plan, forcing them to adapt accordingly.

The Fourth Prince naturally dared not confront Baya, but unlike Yuan Ye, he was more concerned about the honor behind his identity. He only knew that he couldn’t let his country lose face. Chu Lishu had told him that losing didn’t disgrace him; however, no royal would step forward to fight would be the most shameful. Moreover, if he lost, Chu Lishu had a way to help him save face.

The Fourth Prince had blind faith in Chu Lishu’s words. He made a dazzling entrance according to his advice.

He managed to hold on for three rounds, just to humor Baya. Thankfully, even after falling, he had the courage to charge back in. He wasn’t the type to be intimidated after just one hit. Eventually, he left the stage, holding back his tears.

Amidst the enthusiastic applause, Yuan Ye felt even more embarrassed.

It was supposed to be his chance to shine on the world stage, but it was stolen by the Fourth Prince. How could he not be angry? After this, all the countries would talk about how talented the Fourth Prince was, how he carried himself like a royal, and forget that Yuan Ye was the true Crown Prince.

Yuan Ye was about to rise in anger when someone beat him to it.

Chu Lishu had glanced at Zhao Cheng earlier. They had an agreement to protect the dignity of the Fourth Prince. Without much thought, Zhao Cheng stepped forward and said, “Your Highness Baya, the Fourth Prince is still young and inexperienced. I have also taught him a few moves before. Since he lost, let me take his place. Moreover… with us generals here, there’s no need to trouble His Highness. Even in battle, generals give orders while soldiers execute them.”

Zhao Cheng’s defense instantly elevated the status of the Fourth Prince, achieving Chu Lishu’s objective.

At that moment, Lin Qingyang’s mission also signaled completion.

“I’ll do it!” Yuan Ye couldn’t bear it any longer and stepped forward. Even if Zhao Cheng was supposed to restore the royal dignity, it should have been for him, not the Fourth Prince. But by now, his appearance garnered no praise unless he defeated Baya.

That was impossible, of course. Yuan Ye entered the stage quickly and left even quicker. Baya didn’t give him any face either, and he was forced to retreat after just three moves. Yuan Ye’s face turned dark. What was even more humiliating was the complete absence of applause as he left, only whispers could be heard, some even comparing him to the previous Crown Prince. It was embarrassing beyond measure, infuriating, but he had to endure it.

Baya was extremely pleased, and at this moment, Zhao Cheng naturally stepped forward.

Baya was no match for Zhao Cheng. Even with regular wooden swords, he lost, but he insisted on using real weapons. In the end, he was defeated by Zhao Cheng’s blade.

Lin Qingyang watched with some nervousness. There was still the second mission to complete, and his painting couldn’t be in vain.

According to the original plan, when Zhao Cheng was about to overpower Yuan Ye, Huo Luo would voluntarily step forward to replace him. At such a moment, Yuan Ye would surely not refuse. However, even if Huo Luo defeated Zhao Cheng, it could be attributed to Zhao Cheng’s fatigue. Huo Luo would acknowledge that he couldn’t win against the senior. This way, Yuan Ye’s dignity would not be entirely restored, and Huo Luo could take advantage of the contest to deliberately tear Zhao Cheng’s clothes, revealing the hidden items he had concealed.

But now it wasn’t a contest between the Fourth Prince and Yuan Ye; it had turned into a contest between the Great Zhou Dynasty and the foreign envoys. Therefore, Huo Luo naturally couldn’t intervene and fight against his own people.

Lin Qingyang asked, “What should we do?”

Chu Lishu only replied with a single word, “Adapt.”

Just then, several martial artists from the envoy group also stepped forward to challenge, but they were all defeated one by one.

Suddenly, from the side of the Tianheng Kingdom, Yu Suoxi spoke up, “We, the Tianheng Kingdom, also have someone who wants to challenge.”

Lin Qingyang wondered if Yu Suoxi was going to step onto the field…

Just as he was thinking, Yu Suoxi pointed behind him, where a tall figure stood in the shadows, unnoticed by others until Yu Suoxi pointed him out. The figure silently stepped forward and took the weapon.

The Saintess spoke, “Ah Wu, be careful.”

Ah Wu nodded.

And in the instant he stepped onto the field, Chu Lishu froze, unable to believe his eyes as he looked at the newcomer.

Huo Luo immediately looked like he was about to erupt, but he was restrained by Yue Chen. “What are you doing?!”

“I… I…”

Huo Luo seemed on the verge of stuttering, while Yue Chen looked puzzled.

Ah Wu bowed and assumed a combat stance.

Zhao Cheng looked at the newcomer with suspicion, his expression gradually becoming grave. Although the person wore a black veil covering their face, they bore a striking resemblance to someone — the young general Qi Ci who used to follow Crown Prince Yuan Yan.

Zhao Cheng couldn’t be certain, as the changes in appearance were quite significant, coupled with the scars. He could only confirm after engaging in combat, as one’s appearance might change over time and experiences, but their martial arts style wouldn’t easily alter.

Having sparred with Qi Ci before, Zhao Cheng, Chu Lishu, and Huo Luo were familiar with his martial arts.

However, others present didn’t seem to have many doubts. After several rounds of matches involving court officials and military officers, and given Qi Ci’s previous lack of social interaction and associations mainly with military personnel, coupled with the veil obscuring his face, even the Emperor and Yue Chen, seated at the high table, didn’t notice anything unusual.

The two engaged in battle in an instant, exchanging blows for dozens of rounds. Chu Lishu furrowed his brow slightly.

“What’s wrong? Your expression hasn’t been right since just now. Are you worried about that painting?” Lin Qingyang whispered.

Chu Lishu’s expression remained at the border of shock and confusion. “He looks so much like someone I know. I was almost certain just now, but now I’m not so sure.”

“Who?” Lin Qingyang asked.

“Qici.”

Lin Qingyang was astonished, his eyes widening in surprise.

Like Qici, but his martial arts style had changed significantly, becoming more direct, wilder, and more aggressive. Qici’s martial arts were of the standard royal style, taught by people from royal backgrounds, each move carrying an indescribable sense of nobility and grace. However, the figure before them now emanated a primitive, bloody aura, resembling a more savage path.

As they conversed, Zhao Cheng had already fallen into a disadvantage on the battlefield, on the verge of losing face. Feeling aggrieved, Zhao Cheng was about to counterattack.

At this moment, outside the palace, Ning Ziheng led other eunuchs to come and replace the wine pitchers for everyone.

And just as Qici turned around, he happened to see Ning Ziheng, diverting his attention. Seizing the opportunity, Zhao Cheng launched a counterattack, but Qici, almost instinctively, adopted a posture that seemed unimaginable for an ordinary person, twisting his body like a wild beast and striking back.

In this moment, Qici seemed to be driven by instinct, fighting as if his life depended on it, losing control of his strength. With a single slash, Zhao Cheng was shocked and managed to dodge, but his clothes were still cut. At the same time, he swung his blade, and Qici, in an attempt to evade, leaped up. Seeing him about to collide with a guest, the Saintess quickly shouted.

Struggling to turn around, Qici suddenly caught sight of Ning Ziheng passing between two tables. His heart skipped a beat, and he allowed his body to collide directly.

The loud shouts of the crowd startled Ning Ziheng, and he instinctively glanced over.

Just one glance, as if it had captured his entire soul. His pupils contracted, then dilated, the color draining from his face in an instant, even his lips seemed to turn pale.

Xiao Ci?

Ning Ziheng couldn’t believe it. He thought it was an illusion, how could he see Xiao Ci flying towards him? Stunned in place, he didn’t move, allowing a male figure to press down on him.

A familiar yet unfamiliar scent hit him in the face.

With a bang, the two fell to the ground.

At the same time, a white piece of paper was brought out from Zhao Cheng’s arms by the blade and floated down to the ground. A lifelike portrait of a beautiful woman suddenly appeared before everyone.

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