I Rely On The Collapse Of The Character Setting To Survive In The Hands Of The Male Lead Chapter 266

Chapter 266

Elephant carriages weren’t uncommon in Tianheng Kingdom; they were accessible to the aristocracy. However, when parked on the main road, they still attracted onlookers. Especially this particular elephant carriage, which had appeared just a few days ago, drew quite a crowd. With the procession moving forward, there were around a hundred people, all finely dressed and adorned. Some even played musical instruments along the way. It was the first time they had witnessed such a grand reception for a foreign envoy.

When Lin Qingyang saw the elephant carriage coming to pick them up, he was taken aback. The carriage was much larger than a typical horse-drawn carriage, pulled by two gigantic elephants. Its frame was a massive circle, exquisitely decorated, resembling a round pavilion with intricate carvings. It was draped with layers of flowing curtains, concealing the interior like a shy maiden, teasing curiosity with its veiled allure.

If he had ridden in this carriage when entering the city…

Lin Qingyang’s face flushed red, desperately trying to recall whether he had accidentally tugged at the curtains, revealing what was inside. Had he allowed outsiders to hear anything? Even though Lin Qingyang was typically reserved, he couldn’t bring himself to discuss that day’s events. However, in his memory, apart from the incessant bell ringing, which had completely synchronized with the beat, there shouldn’t have been any significant noise coming from behind the curtains. Or so he hoped…

As they approached the elephant carriage, Lin Qingyang couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. When they finally let down the curtains, Yuan Ran pulled him into an embrace.

Lin Qingyang quickly halted, his tone urgent and embarrassed as he pressed, “That day, how did I enter the city? Weren’t we…?”

Yuan Ran could only pull him close and lay down together.

“It’s nothing to worry about. With such a tall carriage and the curtains drawn, others wouldn’t have been able to see anything. Plus, unless they were very close, ordinary people wouldn’t have heard anything either.” With the elephant carriage swaying as it moved forward, it wouldn’t have raised any suspicion. He couldn’t have allowed anyone to catch sight of Lin Qingyang in such a state.

“Wait a minute, but this elephant carriage needs people to drive it, isn’t that close proximity?” As Lin Qingyang spoke, he realized what had happened. Weren’t Lu Yi and Lu Shi the ones who were sitting on the carriage shaft just now? Given Yuan Ran’s current disposition, there was no way he would allow anyone he didn’t trust to come near his safety zone, so… it must have been Lu Yi and Lu Shi before as well. No wonder Lu Shi couldn’t even look at him just now.

And they were actually being ‘watched’ all the way…

Lin Qingyang was overwhelmed, covering his face in embarrassment. He felt utterly ashamed to face anyone. Indeed, that experience had been a nightmare for him.

But what’s done is done. Lin Qingyang could only console himself. After all, he would eventually leave Tianheng, and as long as nothing happened in the Great Zhou, he could still maintain some dignity and live on. As for Lu Yi and Lu Shi, they were Yuan Ran’s personal shadow guards. Given Yuan Ran’s status, such situations were unavoidable, and it was better than having strangers overhear.

He had to put on a brave face and carry on. The sun would still rise tomorrow.

As they traveled, Lin Qingyang no longer had the mood to indulge Yuan Ran’s unstable state. He went straight to the point and began discussing the serious matters at hand. With so much happening before, there hadn’t been a chunk of time to fully explain the situations involving Xie Yiqing and Xu Lanxin.

This time, Lin Qingyang decided to clarify everything at once.

Looking at Yuan Ran’s grim face, Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but ask, “Don’t you think… Xie Yiqing and Xu Lanxin did all this because of you. Can’t this matter be resolved peacefully? After you handle things here, can’t you reveal your identity and…”

“Who said they did it because of me?” Yuan Ran’s voice carried a chilling tone.

Lin Qingyang was taken aback. “They shouldn’t have any reason to lie, but their current intentions are unclear.”

Yuan Ran chuckled lightly, offering no explanation, but his eyes were filled with disdain.

Suddenly, a lion’s roar startled Lin Qingyang.

Yuan Ran pulled Lin Qingyang to his feet, and they arrived at the arena.

Getting off the elephant carriage and looking at the massive circular structure before them, Lin Qingyang suddenly realized that Yuan Ran must have been here before. However, stepping back into this place, Lin Qingyang wondered if it would trigger any reactions from Yuan Ran.

Lin Qingyang looked at Yuan Ran with some concern, but Yuan Ran, without any reaction, simply took Lin Qingyang’s hand and led him inside.

The massive arena seemed to be in the midst of some activity, with the sounds of wild beasts echoing continuously. It was unlike anything seen in a regular zoo; these were genuine wild animals, their roars sending shivers down one’s spine.

There were only a few guards stationed at the perimeter of the arena. As they walked through the passageway, they suddenly spotted two figures standing on the viewing platform.

One of them was the stern expression Qi Ci, and the other was the haven’t been seen in a while Saintess.

The Saintess stood before Qi Ci, seemingly pleading earnestly for something, but he merely furrowed his brows slightly, offering no response.

As they approached, both Qi Ci and the Saintess noticed their presence and glanced over.

However, the Saintess’s gaze immediately shifted to Lin Qingyang. To her, the man standing before her, Yuan Ran, was a stranger. While the Crown Prince Yuan Ran was renowned, the portraits of the royal family were not disseminated publicly. Foreigners who had seen Yuan Ran were mostly envoys or those engaged in military conflicts, soldiers facing off on the battlefield.

The former, Tianheng’s envoys, had departed many years ago and had likely been affected by the internal reshuffling of Tianheng, leaving their fate unknown. Moreover, they had only seen Yuan Ran during his youth. As for the latter, generals either met their demise at Yuan Ran’s hands on the battlefield or were the only ones to successfully besiege him, like Yu Suoxi. Therefore, even the Saintess had never encountered Yuan Ran.

Qi Ci bowed to Yuan Ran and exchanged greetings with Lin Qingyang.

After Lin Qingyang responded, his gaze shifted to the Saintess, who appeared much more haggard compared to their last meeting.

“Why is the Saintess here?” Yuan Ran directly asked.

“The Saintess is here to plead for the release of Yu Suoxi…” Qi Ci frowned, acknowledging the debt he owed to the Saintess but indicating his inability to comply with her request.

“You’ve just managed to regain control over your empire, isn’t that what you wanted? To release him now and let him resume control over Tianheng? Allowing Tianheng to continue its descent into decay?” Yuan Ran’s voice was cold as he spoke.

The Saintess immediately explained, “No, I understand his grave sins, but everyone deserves a chance for redemption. I will keep him by my side, guide him well, and ensure he never again touches power.”

“No!” Yuan Ran coldly rejected.

The Saintess’s face turned pale, her pleading gaze shifting from Qi Ci to Lin Qingyang.

“Saintess, don’t be naive. Releasing such a person would be like putting the tiger back in the mountain,” Qi Ci stated bluntly. “He cannot be reformed.”

Lin Qingyang nodded in agreement.

The Saintess couldn’t help but redden her eyes. “You… refuse to let him go… then at least don’t torture him like this… Give him a quick death.”

As the Saintess spoke, the roar of a lion resounded from below the stands.

Lin Qingyang stepped forward to look down. Although he had guessed that Yuan Ran had put Yu Suoxi in the arena for revenge, seeing dozens of male lions besieging a man confined by iron chains still made him feel physically uncomfortable. But when he thought that this was what Yuan Ran had experienced, Lin Qingyang felt absolutely no sympathy for Yu Suoxi.

Instead, witnessing Yu Suoxi struggling and fighting back against the male lions, becoming increasingly angry, Lin Qingyang grew angrier. He was angry at how Yu Suoxi had treated Yuan Ran when he was mad.

In response to the Saintess’s plea, Yuan Ran remained unmoved, stating directly, “If he wants a quick death, he’ll have to survive these thirteen trials.”

The color drained from the Saintess’s face. These words sounded all too familiar; the former Yu Suoxi had also uttered such absurdities to slaves who sought freedom. Looking at Yuan Ran, the Saintess couldn’t help but feel a moment of fear. This person… seemed just as dangerous as Yu Suoxi.

Since two days ago, after Yu Suoxi was captured alive, he was immediately thrown into the arena by Qi Ci, forced to navigate through continuous trials. Just now, when the Saintess saw Yu Suoxi, she felt certain that he would die here. In her eyes, if Yu Suoxi was destined to die, it should not be in such a cruel manner. After all, his twisted life began here…

The Saintess wanted to make another plea, willing to exchange anything. But Yuan Ran didn’t give her the chance.

“Qi Ci, take her out.”

Before the Saintess could plead further, she was escorted out by Qi Ci.

Watching for a while, Lin Qingyang couldn’t bear it any longer. He turned away, only daring to look back when there was no more sound in the arena. There, Yu Suoxi sat on the ground, panting heavily, covered in wounds that continued to bleed. Yet he seemed unconcerned, casually plucking a blade of grass and chewing on it, as if he had just finished playing a game, despite his life slipping away.

This person… is truly sick, Lin Qingyang sighed once again.

Lost in his thoughts for a moment, Yu Suoxi, now accustomed to his injuries, noticed someone staring at him. Assuming it was Qu Ci and the Saintess again, he looked up, only to have his eyes light up at the sight of Yuan Ran. But when he noticed Lin Qingyang standing beside him, he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow in curiosity. He stood up, staggering, and walked to the edge of the enclosure, looking up.

“You are caught again?” He directed the question to Lin Qingyang before turning to Yuan Ran. “You have the leisure to come and see me. Have you already laid out how to deal with Tianheng Kingdom?”

Lin Qingyang watched in astonishment as Yu Suoxi maintained a smile despite his dire situation. How could someone remain smiling under such circumstances?

“Do you wish for me to destroy Tianheng Kingdom?” Yuan Ran removed his eye veil, revealing blood-red eyes as he stared at Yu Suoxi.

“With the army tied up at Tongjia Pass, they won’t be able to provide support no matter what happens here. It’s a perfect opportunity. For the enmity of five years ago, isn’t it your duty to annihilate Tianheng? Killing the crown prince and avenging the enemy nation, that would be quite the achievement. Then, Xu Lanxin would have no choice but to step down obediently,” Yu Suoxi said, meeting Yuan Ran’s gaze with a smile. “But I’m sure you’ve already thought of all that. I won’t say more.”

Lin Qingyang couldn’t bear it anymore and exclaimed, “This is your own country, you—”

“I tried, didn’t I? But it’s not like I can hold onto it,” Yu Suoxi shrugged with a look of helplessness.

Lin Qingyang suddenly remembered the accounts in the original plot about Yu Suoxi abandoning the city. He couldn’t understand what Yu Suoxi was thinking, but Yuan Ran beside him seemed to smile knowingly.

“You couldn’t hold onto it? Initially, you helped me, but then you quickly fell into my hands. Were you intentionally aiding me, or were you simply seeking death?”

Yu Suoxi smiled and said, “There’s only one thing in my life that I’m unwilling to do, and that’s engaging in futile endeavors destined to fail. Even if I didn’t help you, you would still find a way to disrupt Tianheng and gather support to counterattack the Great Zhou. After all, other smaller countries probably wouldn’t achieve the same effect as what you’re doing now. The little emperor and others who want me dead would all hand over power to you. So, we would still be in a standoff, and this wouldn’t change regardless of whether I help you or not. After our initial two encounters, I truly gave it my all, wanting to have a fair fight with you. But I still lost, and it became meaningless. Since I knew I would lose, it was just a matter of time. Why should I struggle desperately and prolong my agony? It’s boring, utterly boring. If there’s something destined to fail, I’ll definitely accelerate the process of that failure, so as not to waste my time.”

Lin Qingyang’s brain felt muddled, unable to comprehend his logic, but Yuan Ran smiled and said, “I think so too. It’s indeed the action of a clever person.”

Yu Suoxi had a look of “you understand me” and continued, “And, I really wanted to help you. I almost missed out on that private revenge game of yours before. This time, I’ll definitely play an important role. After all, this drama will only be truly exciting with my participation. It needs to have its ups and downs.”

“Regarding Xu Lanxin’s matter?” Yuan Ran asked directly.

Yu Suoxi immediately became excited and exclaimed, “So you all know about it? This is the best scene I’ve arranged. How is it? Isn’t it exciting enough? Love, hate, anger, infatuation—what a wonderful story.”

“You!” Lin Qingyang was instantly angered. “Playing with someone else’s life is amusing to you?”

“Don’t blame me for that. If you want to blame someone, blame yourself. Everything happened because of your soft-heartedness towards Yuan Ran,” Yu Suoxi said innocently.

Lin Qingyang hesitated for a moment, understanding perfectly well what Yu Suoxi meant. In the original plot, Yuan Ran wouldn’t encounter this trouble because he wouldn’t befriend Xu Wenze, which would have kept him vigilant against Duke Wei Guo’s residence. Even if Concubine Mei hadn’t intervened, he would have taken the initiative to kill Concubine Xu to instigate chaos. For Yuan Ran, driven by revenge, there was nothing he couldn’t do. But because he wasn’t the original Yuan Ran…

Taking a deep breath, Lin Qingyang composed himself as Yuan Ran spoke coldly, “I don’t need others to bear the responsibility for my own mistakes. Yu Suoxi, there’s no point in playing games of manipulation and division anymore.”

Yu Suoxi squinted his eyes, scanning the distance between the two of them. He didn’t believe that after this encounter, these two would reconcile as before. It must be Yuan Ran who would have the upper hand by force. So, he couldn’t help but sow a bit of discord. But he felt that what he said was the truth. However, a real man wouldn’t attribute his own failures to others.

Yuan Ran held Lin Qingyang’s hand under the wall, speaking earnestly and candidly, “I never doubted him from beginning to end, and it was my oversight regarding Chief Steward Sheng’s cunning and the relationship between Zhao Cheng and Concubine Mei. I should have investigated more thoroughly. I thought everything was going smoothly, but I was mistaken.” Yuan Ran wouldn’t dwell too much on past failures as it was the way of the world—win some, lose some. He was more concerned about how to deal with the future.

“Hehe, indeed you were too careless. Originally, it was difficult for Xu Lanxin to stir up much trouble. She was a woman, and Duke Wei Guo’s residence was not influential. There seemed to be a trend of her aligning with your faction in the past. Originally, it was even difficult for her to enter the palace. So, they had to keep a low profile for several years, slowly accumulating wealth and manpower with my help. I heard she was even trying to imitate the Emperor’s favorite consort from your country. It wasn’t until the Emperor took notice of her and welcomed her into the palace that her plan could begin. However, they faced the three major families within the palace, and their power was weak. They could only temporarily rely on the Fourth Prince. According to her own plan, even with my assistance, it would have taken more time to take the risk and succeed. But your appearance quickly cleared all obstacles for her. Without suspecting her, you successfully kept her in the most behind-the-scenes position. If she fails, she can only blame herself.”

“But it was you who insisted that she must keep an eye on Chu Lishu,” Lin Qingyang exclaimed sharply.

“But even before I reminded her, she already knew the principle of ‘shooting birds to hide the bow.’ I didn’t lie from beginning to end. I told her that Chu Lishu, sharing the same goal as her, was a formidable enemy to deal with. What’s wrong with that?”

“But you knew perfectly well that she…”

Lin Qingyang’s impassioned words were cut short by Yu Suoxi’s laughter. Then, he turned to Yuan Ran and said, “Do you know that Xu Lanxin admires you? She’s willing to go to great lengths for you, seeking revenge, seizing the throne, all for you. Who knows, if you go back now, she might marry you directly and offer the throne to you on a silver platter. You look so weary, innocent, don’t you? Do you blame me for not revealing your identity to Xu Lanxin back then?”

After Yu Suoxi finished laughing, he noticed that Yuan Ran had been looking at him indifferently the whole time. On the other hand, Lin Qingyang was visibly angered by this misunderstanding.

“It seems that this kind of plot can only fool naive people. I guess I won’t see a regretful look on Yuan Ran’s face.” Yu Suoxi sighed.

Lin Qingyang was still fuming, suddenly puzzled by Yu Suoxi’s remark. He couldn’t help but look at Yuan Ran.

Yuan Ran spoke slowly, “Some self-proclaimed righteous individuals tend to subconsciously find a reasonable and justifiable explanation for their actions, so that they can have the motivation to satisfy their desires or appease their hollow hearts.”

“Exactly, unlike me and Yuan Ran, who can face our own evil directly,” Yu Suoxi said with a smile.

“What… do you mean?” Lin Qingyang asked in astonishment.

Yuan Ran chuckled coldly. “Let me tell you a story. There was once a village with a temple dedicated to the Dragon God. Whenever the village suffered from drought, they would offer sacrifices and prayers to it devoutly, regarding it as the greatest deity. However, one time, during a severe drought, the Dragon God did not respond. So, without mercy, they destroyed the temple and built another for a different deity.”

A brief story, yet it struck Lin Qingyang like thunder, leaving him completely stunned.

“Do you understand now? She wasn’t truly in love with me; she was infatuated with an illusion, a perfect future. Perhaps there was a hint of girlish affection in it, but it should have disappeared after I failed at the Tongjia Pass. Her stubborn pursuit of me was simply disbelief. Upon learning the truth, she would only see me as an incapable dragon god who couldn’t help the people escape the drought.”

Lin Qingyang listened in a daze. He saw a woman filled with helpless sorrow, but Yuan Ran and Yu Suoxi saw only cold indifference, concerned only for themselves and their own women.

He suddenly remembered that a woman like Xu Lanxin, if truly capable of love, would undoubtedly strive for the top in everything. So why would she say “It’s okay to not be an Empress”? Because her self-perceived identity was not centered around being a palace concubine but rather a talented assistant to the emperor. She wanted to change the world through Yuan Ran.

Could it be that she didn’t want to appear too ruthless, so she self-suggested that she was a person with feelings and righteousness, just like the facade Jing Rouyin had maintained before.

Lin Qingyang found it difficult to accept, but many doubts came rushing in. Collaborating with Yu Suoxi and Zhao Cheng, not silencing the Empress Dowager and Xie Yiqing, and even willingly bearing the emperor’s child—were these really sacrifices that a woman infatuated with Yuan Ran could make? Or was there another reason that could justify these actions even more?

“What… if she knows now that you are Yuan Ran?” Lin Qingyang asked unwillingly. “As someone who has failed, changed, and nearly been killed by her, what right does Yuan Ran have to let her follow him again?” Yuan Ran replied calmly, “She won’t admit that I am Yuan Ran. Instead, she will try every means to kill me.”

“Exactly, even without my interference, the result would have been the same. I just sped up the process,” Yu Suoxi interjected with a smile.

Lin Qingyang, however, was still internally conflicted. “Would it really be like that?”

“How would you know… Hasn’t there been a moment when she doubted who I was fighting for? Was it truly that she never thought of it, or was it that she dared not to doubt? Even if she couldn’t imagine that I was Yuan Ran, if our goals were aligned, why couldn’t we cooperate? People may change, and they may have their own agendas, but she didn’t even attempt to probe, and instead eliminated all the powers she couldn’t threaten or control,” Yuan Ran said calmly. “To say that she was doing it for me? I don’t believe it. Even if she opened the city gates to welcome me back, I wouldn’t easily trust her.”

Lin Qingyang felt a mix of complex emotions flooding his heart, a blend of desolation and horror.

The human heart is the most complex thing in the world, and suspicion is the most terrifying.

What Xu Lanxin was thinking was only clear to herself; Lin Qingyang couldn’t understand it anyway.

Yu Suoxi sighed with satisfaction, looking at Yuan Ran’s cold and ruthless red eyes. “Exactly, this is the perfect Yuan Ran. He should remain skeptical of everything. What true intentions? In the face of power, everything changes. Human nature is inherently wicked! Being too kind-hearted and soft-handed will only lead to one’s downfall.”

Lin Qingyang glared fiercely at Yu Suoxi, feeling as if Yu Suoxi wanted to drag Yuan Ran down to hell along with him.

Yu Suoxi raised an eyebrow. “Since Lin Qingyang is here, it’s certain that the accompanying envoy group has been eliminated. There’s no one to send news back to the Great Zhou. The news of my defeat won’t be concealed for long. Xu Lanxin’s side should react quickly. Are you prepared?”

The envoy team that night just wanted to knock Lin Qingyang unconscious to prevent him from escaping, but little did they know, Yuan Ran had already ordered the guards to eliminate these unnecessary individuals before entering the city. So, the envoy team had long been wiped out.

“Does it concern you? Anyway, you can’t see it anymore,” Lin Qingyang retorted, not hiding his irritation.

Yu Suoxi shrugged, indifferent to his impending death. “Well, if I can’t see, then I can’t see. I can’t interfere with your future anyway.”

Lin Qingyang found Yu Suoxi’s demeanor, as if he had won despite his clear defeat, extremely unsettling. It seemed pointless to kill him in this state. But dealing with such a lunatic, driven seemingly only by amusement, left Lin Qingyang wondering if there were any weaknesses to exploit.

“Preparing? Are you suggesting we overthrow Tianheng, using it as leverage to force Xu Lanxin to abdicate? Don’t worry, maybe you’ll get to see it happen. Consider it your reward for shortening my time. I’ll make sure you die with your eyes wide open,” Yuan Ran chuckled softly.

However, Yu Suoxi’s expression faltered slightly, his smile turning uneasy, as if he was suspicious about something.

Yuan Ran turned to Lin Qingyang, asking softly, “Shall we go?”

Lin Qingyang nodded. He was truly exhausted.

But as the two turned to leave, Yu Suoxi suddenly spoke up, asking, “Have you made up?” Yuan Ran had been fierce when facing him just moments ago, but the careful concern he showed Lin Qingyang now seemed to sting Yu Suoxi’s eyes, almost reminiscent of his past interactions with Chu Lishu.

“Didn’t you part ways? Aren’t you entangled with others?” Yu Suoxi shouted, unable to hold back. “You’re clearly mad, how could you easily trust someone again? It’s absolutely impossible.”

Yuan Ran and Lin Qingyang ignored him, continuing forward without a word.

Yu Suoxi couldn’t help but shout louder, “Yuan Ran, your red eyes are beautiful, but please don’t change back. Otherwise, you’ll still fail, and all the suffering will be meaningless.”

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