I Rely On The Collapse Of The Character Setting To Survive In The Hands Of The Male Lead Chapter 252

Chapter 252

Upon arriving at the cold palace, Chu Lishu saw Concubine Mei, who had gone mad, venting her frustration on almost everything in the palace.

What puzzled Chu Lishu was why Concubine Mei, despite being so unwilling, readily admitted to her actions. When falsely accused, she should have at least struggled a bit longer. Even if it was palace maids fabricating stories or the emperor intentionally suppressing her, she shouldn’t have completely disregarded protocol and admitted guilt so easily.

But Concubine Mei didn’t resist; instead, she confessed directly.

Now, the palace maid who betrayed Concubine Mei and once harmed Concubine Xu has been sentenced to death, which seems like an unnecessary step, leaving people unable to comprehend the situation.

After ensuring it was safe, Chu Lishu made some noise. Concubine Mei immediately panicked and shouted, “Who’s there? Who’s over there?” She was probably afraid someone had come to assassinate her.

Chu Lishu emerged, and Concubine Mei first seemed startled, then immediately rushed over, excitedly asking, “Chu Lishu, are you all right? How is my father? Has he been arrested?”

Chu Lishu explained the situation directly, leaving Concubine Mei dumbfounded. “It’s okay, it’s okay. As long as my father escapes, there’s still hope,” she muttered to herself for a while before anxiously addressing Chu Lishu, “As long as you… as long as you don’t betray us, and protect the Fourth Prince well, when we turn the tables in the future, we will definitely repay you.”

Looking at Concubine Mei’s almost sinister expression, Chu Lishu asked directly, “Why did you admit guilt?”

Concubine Mei froze.

Chu Lishu observed her reaction and realized there was indeed some hidden truth. He asked again, “Concubine Mei, you should tell me the truth. Otherwise, we don’t know if we can still risk our lives to protect you.”

Concubine Mei couldn’t stop trembling, and finally, she spoke, “Last night, someone wrote a threatening letter to me, forcing me to admit guilt, or else… They have control over a secret of mine. If the Emperor finds out, it will be even worse than the current situation, so I had no choice but to confess.”

“What secret?”

Concubine Mei gritted her teeth, her gaze sharp as she looked at Chu Lishu. “I can’t say, and I can’t be sure if you’re truly on our side right now, can I? But I can tell you that my father knows. He will find a way to save us. So, as long as you don’t betray us, there will be opportunities for advancement in the future.”

When cornered, one couldn’t trust anything. Concubine Mei wasn’t foolish; she could plead for help, but she would never casually reveal a secret that could endanger her and her son’s lives.

Chu Lishu didn’t waste any more time with her and continued, “Do you have any leads on who threatened you?”

“I really don’t know. The only people who know my secret and are still alive are me and my father. But now, the only ones I can think of who would threaten me like this are Concubine Xu and Empress Cheng,” Concubine Mei said with bitterness. However, she also knew that both of them seemed lacking in the capability to carry out such threats. One appeared fragile while the other was often ill, giving her a feeling of having motivation but not the means. She couldn’t be sure which of them was targeting her.

As they spoke, Chu Lishu heard movement outside, the signal given by Chief Steward Hai. Immediately, he hid himself.

In truth, why Concubine Mei was harmed and what secret she was hiding weren’t crucial to Chu Lishu’s overall plan. His main objective was to deal with Prime Minister Li and Concubine Mei, so he wouldn’t waste energy trying to extract the truth.

The main reason he came was actually…

Concubine Mei looked at the newcomer and immediately exclaimed in anger, “What are you here for? To mock me? To seek revenge on me?”

“Do you really wanted me dead?” came the voice of fragility and disappointment, belonging to Concubine Xu, who had just arrived.

But she wasn’t alone; there was also someone dressed as a royal guard accompanying her. With just one glance, Chu Lishu knew this person was a skilled fighter. However, he was familiar with all the skilled fighters among the royal guards, but this person was a stranger.

Chu Lishu had to be careful to conceal his presence. He wasn’t sure if this person could detect him, but it seemed that, for the moment, he had gone unnoticed.

“What’s the point of asking these questions now, Concubine Xu? Don’t harm my child, or I won’t spare you.”

“I won’t. I know the Fourth Prince is innocent.”

Concubine Mei looked at Concubine Xu incredulously. “Concubine Xu, I’m already at your mercy, imprisoned under your authority. What are you trying to accomplish by pretending to be sympathetic to me now? Is it not you and your father who have brought me to this point?”

Concubine Mei wasn’t foolish; since she wasn’t sure who was trying to harm her, she seized every opportunity to probe.

Concubine Xu frowned and shook her head. “I really don’t know anything.”

Concubine Mei was perplexed by Concubine Xu’s consistent attitude throughout. Could Concubine Xu truly be innocent?

“If you truly don’t know anything, then you, the brainless one, better watch out. Be careful, because the next target of those dark figures could very well be you! Does your father dare to confront us now? Does he think he can handle anyone?”

Listening to these harsh words, Concubine Xu seemed saddened. She could only say, “Concubine Mei, I came here with good intentions. Since you don’t appreciate it, I’ll leave. The Fourth Prince asked me to pass on a message to you, and now that I have, I’ll take my leave.”

After conveying the Fourth Prince’s message, Concubine Xu actually left.

However, she lingered at the door for one last remark. “Concubine Mei, it seems to me that you never truly loved your son. Everything you’ve done has been for your own selfish desires. Your current display of concern is merely because he’s your only hope for redemption.”

Concubine Mei was stunned for a moment. After Concubine Xu finished speaking, she turned and walked away.

When Concubine Mei calmed down and wanted to call for Chu Lishu, she realized that he was nowhere to be found.

Chu Lishu, after listening to their conversation, returned and informed Lin Qingyang that his purpose in going there was to ascertain if Concubine Xu had any issues.

Lin Qingyang, feeling troubled after hearing this, said, “I couldn’t discern if Concubine Xu had any issues, but indeed, there seems to be someone else stirring up trouble in the shadows. Could it be the Snake?”

Chu Lishu’s expression darkened slightly. With no leads at the moment, all they could do was wait and see how things unfolded.

The Emperor started to worryingly clear out Prime Minister Li’s power, also sending people to arrest him. But at the same time, he also received urgent information about Zhao Cheng.

Meanwhile, Chief Steward Hai brought news from the outside, relayed by Lu Shi.

Firstly, Xu Wenze had not yet woken up, and Duke Wei Guo’s residence remained quiet.

Secondly, Lu Yi sent news from the east. After several assassination attempts, Zhao Cheng contracted a serious illness and passed away. His body was cremated. All the assassins who pursued him also perished, resulting in heavy losses for the Blood Abyss Pavilion.

Suddenly, Lin Qingyang beside him grabbed Chu Lishu’s hand, looking very serious. “Zhao Cheng definitely…” But the words couldn’t come out of his mouth.

Chu Lishu paused briefly, seeing Lin Qingyang sweating profusely, evidently unable to speak out. Considering his special condition, Chu Lishu instantly responded, “Zhao Cheng isn’t dead.”

Lin Qingyang immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Chu Lishu gently patted Lin Qingyang, reassuring him, “Zhao Cheng’s fake death suggests he suspects the Emperor wants to kill him. Faking his death is a way to evade pursuit. When he disappeared from everyone’s sight and where he is now are questions. Perhaps he has already joined forces with Prime Minister Li. Since the Emperor wants to kill him, he has no reason to remain loyal. This may be advantageous for us. If they rebel, let them. When Huo Luo brings the troops back at the right time, we can ‘loyally protect’ the Emperor.”

“Loyally protect” refers to when ministers raise troops to rescue an Emperor who has been taken hostage.

At that time, it would be a chaotic bloodbath, and the ultimate outcome would naturally be written by the victors.

Originally, Chu Lishu wanted to avoid bloodshed, but since the situation had shifted towards another path, he naturally went along with it.

Seeing the new messages on the system interface, Lin Qingyang felt relieved, knowing that Chu Lishu still had a grasp of the situation.

Lin Qingyang sighed, realizing that they had finally reached this stage.

【Main Mission 2: successfully completed assisting the male lead in dismantling and weakening various factions. Main Mission 3: aiding the male lead in ascending to the throne as Emperor, mission initiated, total points 2900, storyline progress 97%.】

【Friendly reminder to the host, the final storyline progress is crucial. Please proceed with caution to ensure a successful completion. The door to a future of freedom is opening up to you.】

Not only was he to attain freedom, but also Chu Lishu’s suffering was nearing its end. As long as everything proceeded smoothly, they could…

【Main Mission 3, Mission 1: Assassinate the Emperor】

In the original plot, it involved taking advantage of the Emperor’s complete illness to directly block the palace with the Imperial Guards. After all, at that point, everything had fallen into place, and there weren’t many obstacles.

This time, the situation was similar. The Emperor was indeed deteriorating, and he had received news of Zhao Cheng’s death. However, being suspicious by nature, he sensed something amiss. After all, he hadn’t ordered Zhao Cheng’s death, so why had he died? Thus, he refused to allow Zhao Cheng’s troops to return, fearing that they might turn into rebels. With fifty thousand soldiers, he couldn’t afford to be complacent. Yet, he also felt that the current situation was extremely unstable. He keenly sensed his own insecurity, knowing that only fifty thousand of his hundred thousand troops were in the capital.

With thirty thousand troops stationed outside the capital and twenty thousand within, including the Imperial Guard, and Defend Guards, only a few thousand were closest to him. Therefore, the Emperor decided to recall the other fifty thousand troops stationed in the northwest.

However, as soon as his order was issued, a secret message from Chu Lishu arrived in the Western Moon Kingdom.

The next day, the northwest garrison encountered harassment from the border troops of the Western Moon Kingdom.

In such a situation, the Emperor naturally dared not recall them and could only order Huo Luo to accelerate his return.

The entire capital began to feel increasingly uneasy due to the volatile atmosphere, as if a storm was imminent.

In fact, Huo Luo was already near the capital, but his exact arrival time was determined by Chu Lishu.

With Yu Chen’s return, it was confirmed that a few thousand troops were indeed advancing towards the capital, indicating that some people were truly planning to rebel, most likely led by Prime Minister Li, and Zhao Cheng. Although the Emperor hadn’t ordered Zhao Cheng’s troops to return, Zhao Cheng had his own loyal followers accumulated over the years of leading troops, so gathering a few thousand soldiers wasn’t difficult for him.

There were also supporters of Prime Minister Li and Zhao Cheng within the Imperial Army, making it easy for them to infiltrate the capital. At this critical moment, everyone was assessing who had the better chance of success. However, the Emperor’s illness clearly put him at a disadvantage.

Outside, the situation was changing rapidly, so Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang decided to adopt a wait-and-see approach for the time being.

Meanwhile, Lin Qingyang was concerned about Xu Wenze, so he suggested sending Lu Shi with Mu Huichun to see him. Chu Lishu agreed it was necessary and instructed Lu Shi to make arrangements.

During the night, Lu Shi and Mu Huichun sneaked into Duke Wei Guo’s residence.

As soon as they entered, Mu Huichun detected a scent of blood, prompting Lu Shi to pause.

The two of them crouched on the wall for a while until they saw a rockery suddenly move aside, revealing Duke Wei Guo walking out from inside, carrying a box in his hands.

Inside the box was a severed hand, still dripping with blood.

Judging from the appearance of the hand, it clearly belonged to a young man’s left hand.

They exchanged a glance, puzzled by what they had witnessed. However, seeing Duke Wei Guo leaving the residence with his men directly was unexpected. Nonetheless, their departure would work in their favor. So, they waited until the residence quieted down before finding Xu Wenze’s room, where only a young medicine boy was dozing off.

Just as Lu Shi was about to act, Mu Huichun directly intervened, scattering some medicine powder, causing the medicine boy to fall asleep.

The two of them then successfully saw Xu Wenze, who appeared thin and weak, lying on the bed.

Mu Huichun approached and took his pulse, his expression changing immediately. Then, he picked up some nearby medicine and sniffed it before saying, “I see. His internal injuries have long since healed, but someone has been adding sedatives to his medicine, causing him to remain unconscious.”

“So, it seems there’s indeed something amiss at Duke Wei Guo’s residence. Let’s wake him up quickly,” Lu Shi said.

For Mu Huichun, this was simple. With a silver needle, Xu Wenze quickly regained consciousness. In fact, during his period of unconsciousness at Duke Wei Guo’s residence, he had woken up several times, only to be drugged again. In this state of semi-consciousness, his father had finally told him the truth.

He could hardly believe it, trying to stop it but feeling utterly powerless.

Upon waking up this time, Xu Wenze found different faces by his bedside. It took him a moment to recognize them, and as soon as he did, he grabbed them.

“You…”

“Lin Qingyang and Chu Lishu were worried about you, so they sent us to check…”

Before the two could finish their words, they heard Xu Wenze’s stern voice: “Don’t mind me. My family wants to kill Chu Lishu. Hurry, go… take them out of the palace! Otherwise, it will be too late.”

Upon hearing this, the two were stunned for a moment. Lu Shi laughed and said, “My master has long known that there’s something wrong with Duke Wei Guo. He’s prepared for it. If they want to kill my master, they’ll have to see if they’re capable.”

Mu Huichun also thought that with Chu Lishu’s caution, it wouldn’t be so easy to kill him.

But Xu Wenze had completely lost his usual composure and yelled, “It’s not that simple!”

As Xu Wenze recounted what had happened, the expressions on the two men’s faces gradually changed, turning pale in the end.

With no time to spare, Lu Shi turned and ran using his light-footed technique. However, when he reached outside, he saw completely different soldiers moving quickly. He suddenly realized that Zhao Cheng had gathered the rebel army within the city much faster than expected and was planning to launch an attack tonight.

Mu Huichun also wanted to run, but was stopped by Xu Wenze. “Take me with you. Perhaps at a critical moment, I can still…”

“Those are your family members. Chu Lishu is your enemy.”

“But Lishu and Qingyang are my friends. I can’t just watch them get into trouble. When necessary, I can be their hostage. And I know… my family is doing something wrong,” Xu Wenze said, his eyes reddening, then firmly insisted on accompanying Mu Huichun.

The two, lacking martial arts skills, could only navigate through obstacles as they hurried out.

Meanwhile, in the entire capital, those under Chu Lishu’s command believed that everything was proceeding according to Chu Lishu’s plan. With Prime Minister Li and Zhao Cheng in rebellion, they quietly awaited news.

After all, Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang were supporters of the Fourth Prince, so naturally, they wouldn’t encounter any danger. Once the rebellion succeeded, the Emperor and those who opposed Prime Minister Li, including Duke Wei Guo, would all be eradicated. Then, when the Fourth Prince’s faction diligently cleared out the Emperor’s remnants, they would take advantage of the chaos to deal with the Fourth Prince’s faction.

The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. Chu Lishu was the oriole.

Inside the palace,

Chu Lishu’s other subordinates had already brought news of the rebel army’s attack. Chu Lishu directly instructed the commander of the Imperial Guards to allow some water to flow, preserving their strength.

The rebel army would have to go through three layers of resistance before reaching the Emperor. The first layer was the remaining loyalists of the Imperial Guards, which was the most time-consuming stage.

Once they breached the gates of the palace, they would face the Imperial Guard. As long as the Imperial Guard allowed them through, the rebel army would quickly encounter the Emperor’s personal guards and the Defend Guards, which served as the final barrier.

“It’s really going to come to blows,” Lin Qingyang sighed after reading the message. “Looks like there will be bloodshed after all…”

Chu Lishu said, “It’s inevitable, Qingyang. Later, you and the Fourth Prince will go to the Empress Dowager’s place. I need to go alone…”

“Are you going to kill the Emperor?” Lin Qingyang asked.

Chu Lishu nodded. This blood feud, his destiny, and the deaths of his father and mother all needed to be settled personally… He couldn’t let anyone else take the initiative. So, he would choose to strike first before Zhao Cheng and Prime Minister Li managed to kill the Emperor.

The timing was chosen when everyone went out to confront the rebel army.

At that moment, the elite guards around the Emperor would be greatly diminished, making it the best opportunity for Chu Lishu to strike.

“I’ll accompany you. I’m not afraid to watch,” Lin Qingyang immediately objected.

“I didn’t mean that. I want you to accompany me too, but right now… I have something more important for you to do,” Chu Lishu said earnestly.

Lin Qingyang obediently complied upon seeing Chu Lishu’s serious expression.

“In these past few days, I’ve observed carefully, and I trust my instincts. Duke Wei Guo’s residence best fits the description of the ‘snake’ mentioned by Yu Suoxi. That’s why I need you to take the Fourth Prince to the Empress Dowager’s palace, keep a close eye on Concubine Xu, and never let her out of your sight. If you notice anything suspicious, take her as a hostage. There will only be two opposing factions in the future. If Prime Minister Li wins, we have nothing to worry about. If it’s Duke Wei Guo’s residence’s faction, having Concubine Xu in our hands will give us an advantage,” Chu Lishu analyzed seriously.

“I’m sorry, this should’ve been my responsibility, but I must go…”

Lin Qingyang smiled, “I’m glad you’re willing to fight alongside me. Rest assured, since you suspect her, I won’t hesitate. If there’s any misunderstanding later, I’ll kneel and apologize. But if she makes any suspicious moves, my dagger will be at her throat.”

Chu Lishu dared to let Lin Qingyang do this because the other side hadn’t discovered their relationship yet, and they had always protected it well externally. So, if Duke Wei Guo’s residence really was the ‘snake,’ relying on Lin Qingyang’s past act of risking his life to save Concubine Xu, the other side might show leniency. But Lin Qingyang could still strike. He believed that even though Lin Qingyang usually was overly kind, he could distinguish between friend and foe when necessary.

At this critical moment, the most important task naturally falls to the most trusted person.

Outside, the sounds of battle seemed to be growing louder, and the Fourth Prince was calling out their names from another palace.

The two exchanged a glance, and Chu Lishu couldn’t help but pull Lin Qingyang into an embrace and plant a kiss on him before intending to let go.

Suddenly, Lin Qingyang seemed to be overwhelmed by an impulse and didn’t want to let go. So, he pulled Chu Lishu back into his arms again. It was as if they shared an unspoken understanding, and they couldn’t resist kissing each other again.

At that moment, there was an intuition that neither of them wanted to end the kiss, until they both felt a hint of blood in their mouths and stopped just in time.

Chu Lishu gazed deeply into the eyes of the person in front of him. “Be careful, remember, your safety comes first. Everything else is secondary. Understand? I’ll finish up quickly and come find you.”

“Yeah, you take care too. See you later,” Lin Qingyang replied, still wearing a warm smile.

The two of them gazed at each other for a moment, finally reluctantly parting ways.

The door opened, and they walked out. The night sky was full of stars, but it couldn’t mask the distant sound of battle.

Lin Qingyang went to find the Fourth Prince, while Chu Lishu headed towards Qin Zheng Palace.

Several skilled guards, all trusted allies, remained by their sides.

Everything should be foolproof now.

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