I Rely On The Collapse Of The Character Setting To Survive In The Hands Of The Male Lead Chapter 235

Chapter 235

Watching Lin Qingyang suddenly run away in a daze, Huo Luo frowned. “What’s wrong? Qingyang seems a bit off.”

“Maybe he was frightened by what I said,” Qi Ci said, feeling somewhat guilty.

Yue Chen suddenly realized something, his eyes flashing with alarm, and his teeth gritted audibly. He lowered his head and muttered, “We must kill Yu Suoxi.”

Huo Luo was taken aback; he rarely heard Yue Chen speak with such murderous intent. “That’s inevitable. Aside from his cruel deeds, just leading Tianheng Kingdom to massacre three cities of the Great Zhou Dynasty is reason enough for us to kill him a hundred times over.”

Qi Ci nodded solemnly. “I’ve also heard about the Three Cities incident afterward. It’s because of those blood-stained achievements that he became the undisputed regent of Tianheng Kingdom. I don’t want to let him go either. He’s a lunatic, and if we leave him alive, who knows what trouble he might cause in the future. Actually, now is the best opportunity to kill him. If we let him return to his country, it’ll be almost impossible to kill him again without overthrowing Tianheng Kingdom, which is like trying to reach the sky.”

Yue Chen gritted his teeth. “It’s a risk to kill him, but if we fail, it will surely backfire. If we succeed, we can’t predict whether Tianheng Kingdom will launch a major attack on the Great Zhou. At that time… I’ll have to find an opportunity to discuss this with His Highness again. Perhaps this risk is worth taking. Allowing such a potential threat to return home is like putting a tiger back in the mountains.”

Huo Luo and Qi Ci agreed as well.

“By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask, what’s the relationship between Lin Qingyang and His Highness… He seems closer to His Highness than even you two,” Qi Ci inquired.

Yue Chen and Huo Luo exchanged a glance, and then Huo Luo cleared his throat and briefly explained the matter of Chu Lishu’s disguised identity.

Seeing Qi Ci still looking puzzled, Yue Chen spoke up, “To be precise, he’s indispensable, a unique presence. Without him, His Highness wouldn’t be the person he is today.”

The three of them were in the midst of conversation when suddenly, distinct crying sounds came from the adjacent courtyard. They were startled and hurried over to check.

Qi Ci and Huo Luo were the first to arrive, but as soon as they reached the courtyard gate, they froze in their tracks. It wasn’t until Yue Chen, who was behind them, pushed past them that he saw what was happening inside and immediately pulled the two back.

Huo Luo, unfazed by the situation, couldn’t help but feel a bit awkward seeing his superior in such a state.

Qi Ci, on the other hand, rarely displayed a dumbfounded expression, but quickly caught on to what Yue Chen meant, pointing incredulously at the neighboring courtyard, “His Highness…”

Yue Chen patted Qi Ci on the shoulder and asked, “I have always been curious, has His Highness ever been attracted to other women before?”

Qi Ci was Yuan Ran’s study companion, so naturally, he knew more about the Crown Prince’s past than Huo Luo and Yue Chen who only looked at Yuan Ran from afar.

Qi Ci shook his head and said, “At that time, His Highness was always excessively rational, maintaining his chastity, showing no interest in matters of love. He dedicated himself wholeheartedly to the country and the people. Even after having an engaged fiancee, he only treated her with courtesy. I have always believed that he would devote all his emotions to the affairs of the state throughout his life, without any romantic attachments…”

So one can imagine how shocking the scene just now was for Qi Ci. In his youth, he had been troubled by emotions, but seeing His Highness always remaining calm and composed, he admired him greatly. Now, witnessing His Highness impulsively embracing and kissing another man openly was truly beyond comprehension.

Yue Chen smiled faintly, “Then you will see many instances of His Highness acting irrationally in the future.”

Lin Qingyang cried, Chu Lishu comforted him. It wasn’t hard to imagine why. Yue Chen also breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that Lin Qingyang was by Chu Lishu’s side.

Meanwhile, Lin Qingyang, due to being too nervous, held his breath during his first kiss with his beloved, causing his already oxygen-deprived brain to overload, resulting in fainting, collapsing into Chu Lishu’s arms.

Due to the intense emotional turmoil and exhaustion, Lin Qingyang didn’t wake up in the end; he just fell asleep directly.

Chu Lishu, feeling helpless, looked at Lin Qingyang’s silly expression and could only pick him up and carry him into the room.

Just then, Mu Huichun was awakened by the commotion.

Mu Huichun stumbled out of bed, looking at Lin Qingyang who had been set down, couldn’t help but ask, “What happened to him?”

“He’s just tired.” Chu Lishu smiled, sitting by the bedside, taking a handkerchief to wipe Lin Qingyang’s face. Tears had stuck to his face, his eyes were swollen, which made Chu Lishu feel distressed for a while. He quickly applied a cold compress to soothe him.

When it was time to apply the anti-swelling medicine to Lin Qingyang’s eyes, Chu Lishu couldn’t help but kiss him first before applying it. Then, unable to resist, he kissed his lips as well, until a discomforting sound came from behind. Chu Lishu calmly turned to look at Mu Huichun.

“Why are you still here?”

Mu Huichun: “…I was just trying to help Senior Brother check his wound.”

Then Chu Lishu left Lin Qingyang behind and went out with Mu Huichun to handle the affairs of the night.

During the night, Mu Huichun, Qi Ci, and the unconscious Ning Ziheng were all escorted out of the palace and taken directly to Chu Lishu’s private residence.

Meanwhile, Yue Chen spent the entire night discussing matters related to Yu Suoxi with Chu Lishu.

On the other side, the Saintess secretly returned to her own courtyard. Just as she took off her black cloak, she sensed someone inside the room. Immediately on guard, she looked towards the corner and saw Yu Suoxi sleeping on the couch.

The Saintess was slightly taken aback. She approached quietly and gazed at Yu Suoxi’s sleeping face for a while. She couldn’t help but admit that only when Yu Suoxi was asleep could she see a glimpse of her lively and innocent childhood self. The first time they met, Yu Suoxi nervously offered her a piece of candy as a gesture of friendship. It was the Saintess’s first gift and her first friend.

Lost in reminiscence, the Saintess suddenly noticed Yu Suoxi slowly opening his eyes. In that moment, she instinctively wanted to step back, but she was too close now.

And once this person opened his eyes, he seemed like a waking demon.

“You’re back?” Yu Suoxi stretched lazily.

The Saintess spoke cautiously, “I went out for a walk. I didn’t know if the Prince Regent wanted to talk to me about something?”

Yu Suoxi suddenly chuckled, “Didn’t you go to bid farewell to Qi Ci?”

“What?” Facing Yu Suoxi so many times, the Saintess had learned how to remain calm when being exposed, but she had never truly deceived Yu Suoxi.

Yu Suoxi raised an eyebrow and smiled, “Don’t worry, I’m not interested in him. It’s the Emperor of the Great Zhou who wants him dead. I actually hope he can return safely to that person’s side. It’ll make the future more interesting, don’t you think?”

The Saintess didn’t know what Yu Suoxi wanted to say, but from what she heard, Yu Suoxi knew about Qi Ci’s faked death but had no intention to intervene. He seemed to have found something more interesting to focus on, like a child unable to concentrate for long, his curiosity diverted by something new.

The Saintess dared not reveal any flaws and could only brazen it out, “I don’t understand what you’re talking about. Did you summon me just to say this?”

“I came with a question I couldn’t figure out and wanted to ask you.” Yu Suoxi spoke casually, like chatting with a friend, crossing his legs casually and asked excitedly, “With so many stories and texts praising love, depicting it as something magnificent, can love really change a person?”

The Saintess was slightly stunned, feeling a bit embarrassed. As the Saintess, she wasn’t allowed to have romantic feelings, so how could she know? “I believe that anything in the world labeled as ‘love’ possesses a powerful spiritual force. It shouldn’t be difficult to change a person.”

Yu Suoxi pondered for a moment. “No wonder these people… Hehe, interesting.”

Unable to resist, the Saintess spoke softly, “In this world, there is great love and small love. One can love a person or love the entire world. If everyone in this world harbors great love, there would be no more conflicts or harm. This is the most beautiful aspect that distinguishes us from beasts. There are many people around you who love you as well…”

As soon as the Saintess  finished speaking, she suddenly felt a murderous aura overwhelming her, realizing instantly that she had said the wrong thing.

Yu Suoxi looked at the Saintess coldly and chuckled, “Indeed, even the Saintess is not the most insightful person in this world. Distinguishing ourselves from beasts? You’re wrong. Humans are much more terrifying than beasts. Ever heard of ‘a tiger doesn’t eat its cubs’? What are love and affection? In the face of interests and conflicts, everything will instantly turn into illusion.”

The Saintess felt a chill run down her spine under Yu Suoxi’s icy gaze. It wasn’t until Yu Suoxi averted his eyes and left the room that she slumped weakly against the table, her expression filled with worry. Based on her understanding of Yu Suoxi, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the remaining five days would not be peaceful.

The next morning, when Lin Qingyang woke up, he still felt a bit dazed. As he sat up, he stared blankly for a while, and gradually his face turned red.

Last night… he seemed to have been with Chu Lishu… So Chu Lishu also… towards him…

Finally, the countless seeds of doubt buried deep in his heart were no longer restrained and began to grow wildly.

Issues like homophobia, the countless concubines in the palace, or never having initiated a kiss were no longer problems.

Chu Lishu liked him, right? Just like him, it seemed that a long time ago, unconsciously…

Unable to resist, Lin Qingyang reached out and touched his own lips, then couldn’t help but bury his head in the blanket, stifling laughter, his hands uncontrollably kneading the blanket. It wasn’t until the sound of the door opening interrupted Lin Qingyang’s excitement that he stopped.

Lin Qingyang quickly straightened his hair nervously, adjusted his clothes, and looked towards the newcomer.

With the sound of footsteps, a familiar figure appeared before him. His exquisitely handsome face, no matter how many times Lin Qingyang saw it, always made his heart race. The white cloud brocade robe, paired with a jade belt, highlighted his perfect figure with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. His long hair cascaded like ink, shimmering in the morning light.

Lin Qingyang’s eyes glanced over and over, never having been this nervous before. He dared not meet the other’s gaze until the person came and sat down beside the bed.

“Are your eyes bothering you?”

Chu Lishu’s voice was gentle and pleasant, its seductive tone causing Lin Qingyang’s heart to flutter.

Lin Qingyang felt he couldn’t falter. Two grown men didn’t need to be awkward, so he suddenly lifted his head to meet Chu Lishu’s gaze.

As their eyes met, it felt like something ignited between them in an instant. Both were momentarily stunned, their gazes uncontrollably entwined. Despite this, both of their faces blushed with shyness.

Chu Lishu found it strange. They had already done so many embarrassing things before, so why did a simple kiss now make the whole world feel different?

Both of them breathed quietly, not saying a word, just gazing at each other.

Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but reach out and gently grab Chu Lishu’s hand. Chu Lishu’s hand trembled slightly, gradually intertwining with the other’s hand, until their fingers were tightly interlocked.

An ambiguous atmosphere enveloped them completely.

Lin Qingyang’s lips curved up and he couldn’t wipe off the smile, even feeling like bursting into laughter.

Were they committed to each other? Were they in love?… Lin Qingyang didn’t want to dwell on Chu Lishu’s identity, his future ascension to the throne, or demand any promises. It felt dampening to bring up those topics now. Getting to this point, he already felt incredibly fortunate.

“Let’s get up. Someone is coming to search.” Chu Lishu didn’t want to ruin the atmosphere either. He even wanted to take advantage of the moment, but with people waiting outside, he couldn’t.

Lin Qingyang was suddenly startled, all romantic thoughts vanishing. “Search? They…”

“Don’t worry, they’ve all safely left. The Emperor has noticed the absence of two guards and became suspicious, so he initiated the search. We cleared everything last night; there won’t be any issues,” Chu Lishu reassured.

Lin Qingyang sighed in relief. “And your injury…”

Chu Lishu moved slightly to show, “It was just a superficial wound. I applied the last dose of medicine this morning, so it’s fine.”

Just as they spoke, there came a knocking at the door from outside, prompting, “Are you two ready yet?”

“In the midst of changing clothes,” Lin Qingyang quickly replied.

Chu Lishu got up to attend to the door, and Lin Qingyang hurriedly followed suit. After dealing with the inspection, they would have to accompany the Fourth Prince to entertain the envoys.

Lin Qingyang didn’t even have time to get closer to Chu Lishu.

After what happened yesterday, the envoys were feeling quite down. Tianheng Kingdom and Western Moon Kingdom simply didn’t show up, and envoys from other countries were barely maintaining their composure. The day passed awkwardly. That evening, Lin Qingyang and Chu Lishu would be allowed to leave the palace because the next day was a free day for the envoys in the capital, so there was no need for them to stay in the palace.

Before leaving the palace, Chu Lishu surprisingly sent someone to deliver a letter to Yu Suoxi, inviting him to meet outside the palace the next day. This startled Lin Qingyang, who immediately grabbed Chu Lishu’s hand.

Chu Lishu then solemnly told Lin Qingyang, “Yue Chen and I discussed it last night, and we’ve decided… to assassinate Yu Suoxi.”

Lin Qingyang’s expression instantly turned serious, even displaying a murderous intent in his eyes.

Chu Lishu patted Lin Qingyang’s hand, comforting him, “Stop thinking about those things. If I want to kill him, it’s not for those reasons.” In fact, it was just a trial he had endured. Compared to the experiences throughout his life, hungry beasts were not as terrifying as human hearts.

Lin Qingyang said, “Anyway, it’s all the same. As long as he disappears, it’s fine.” Lin Qingyang didn’t want to think about how this action, which went against the plot’s sequence, would affect them. He believed in Chu Lishu and believed in himself. As long as they were together, they could face any difficulty.

He felt that every moment Yu Suoxi lived reminded him of what Chu Lishu had experienced before—how Yu Suoxi, leading his army, had set traps to remove Yuan Ran from the position of the Crown Prince and hadn’t spared Chu Lishu, even when he lost consciousness. Yu Suoxi was like a nemesis; he had to disappear sooner rather than later for Chu Lishu’s safety.

In fact, Chu Lishu and Yue Chen had also made this decision after careful consideration.

Whether it was for personal vendetta or to eliminate this unknown dangerous figure, for them, the current opportunity on their home turf was the best. The only concern was what reaction Tianheng Kingdom would have if they succeeded in killing Yu Suoxi.

Currently, Tianheng Kingdom was under Yu Suoxi’s control, with only a young crown prince. If Yu Suoxi were eliminated, logically, Tianheng Kingdom would descend into chaos and possibly go to war out of national dignity. However, Tianheng Kingdom’s factions were currently not unified. Various forces had been suppressed by Yu Suoxi for too long, making it difficult for a decisive figure to emerge immediately. As long as someone intervened, they could actually balance everything and prevent war.

So they thought of Qi Ci being able to take on this great responsibility. Qi Ci could still return as a member of the Black Feather Guard, conveniently taking Ning Ziheng away to avoid being pursued by the Emperor once the truth of the missing guards couldn’t be concealed any longer. After all, once it was discovered that the missing guards had fled, the Emperor would undoubtedly start a pursuit immediately. It would be safer to leave the Great Zhou and go to Tianheng Kingdom.

Qi Ci would intervene in Tianheng Kingdom’s affairs according to Chu Lishu’s guidance, at least preventing them from gaining momentum in the short term. This way, they wouldn’t interfere with the progress of affairs in the Great Zhou.

However, this plan required the assistance of the Saintess. They knew that even if the Saintess were willing to help, she couldn’t possibly aid another country in dealing with the ruler of her own country. That would be like pushing her own country into a pit of fire. Qi Ci would feel guilty about it too.

So they had no choice but to bypass the Saintess and eliminate Yu Suoxi first. Then, with no other option, the Saintess would have to help Qi Ci prevent the potential outbreak of war. Chu Lishu could assure the Saintess that they wouldn’t declare war on Tianheng Kingdom for three years, believing that she would agree for the greater good. After all, she had also been concerned about Tianheng Kingdom being controlled by Yu Suoxi for so long. She would prefer to see Tianheng Kingdom ruled by a benevolent leader. And in three years, the young crown prince would have grown up, and the political situation in Tianheng Kingdom would have stabilized. It would be beneficial for everyone.

But upon hearing this, Lin Qingyang understood that the so-called three years was just a tactical delay. Three years would be enough time for Chu Lishu to eliminate enemies within the Great Zhou, ascend to the throne, and stabilize the country. After that… it would likely be a time for settling scores and seeking revenge.

“Today, our people have already made arrangements outside. Once I invite Yu Suoxi to meet, the operation will begin,” Chu Lishu said earnestly.

After hearing this, Lin Qingyang became excited as well. Shortly after, they received a response from Yu Suoxi, and he accepted the invitation.

That night, the two of them left the palace. Chu Lishu headed straight to his private residence to make arrangements, while Lin Qingyang went to find his uncle, hoping to enlist the strongest support. However, his uncle was nowhere to be found, having gone on another excursion. Disappointed, Lin Qingyang bid farewell to his family and went to Chu Lishu’s private residence to prepare for the upcoming operation. He heard that Chu Lishu planned to use Mu Huichun’s truth-inducing incense to interrogate Yu Suoxi before assassinating him.

Lin Qingyang secretly prepared his own truth-inducing pills, just in case.

The next evening, at the Golden Phoenix Pavilion, the operation began.

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