I Rely on the Collapse of the Character Setting to Survive in the Hands of the Male Lead Chapter 54

Chapter 54

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All present were unsettled upon hearing the term “fragrance addiction.” The recent uproar had been immense, with the emperor personally inquiring about it. Many people were implicated, and those even remotely associated with it had their reputations thoroughly destroyed.

Lin Qingyang was baffled; the sequence of events seemed off. It should have been him exposing how he had been framed by Lin Qingxu and Madam Ru for succumbing to fragrance addiction. Then, with irrefutable evidence, they would face consequences. However, Marquis An Nan’s current attitude sent a clear message to Lin Qingyang: admitting involvement in fragrance addiction would lead to dire consequences.

Yes! He couldn’t admit it.

The next moment, Lin Qingxu exclaimed in surprise, “Are those symptoms related to fragrance addiction? But, Second Brother, you were sick with similar symptoms for a few days before when you were at the academy, weren’t you?”

Lin Qingyang mechanically turned his head to look at Lin Qingxu. Was this guy messing things up? Was he not feeling guilty at all? Wait a minute… could it be that Lin Qingxu didn’t know he had obtained evidence? It seemed… Lin Qingxu might only know about the raid on the Chunxiang Building and the discovery of the registry. Until now, with so many people arrested, none had implicated him, so he probably thought he was in the clear.

Lin Qingyang was amazed by Lin Qingxu’s innocence. It wasn’t that Lin Qingxu was naive, but he had been observing the situation outside. He intended to shelter Yu Zhang for potential future use. Coincidentally, he heard this afternoon that the case had been closed. Concerning Lin Qingyang’s orders, they had not been found, perhaps because his transactions were not recorded, or they were stored elsewhere. In any case, they hadn’t been discovered.

He couldn’t have imagined that someone like Lin Qingyang would dare to take the risk and investigate Chunxiang Building, obtaining evidence in the process. Therefore, he felt he had escaped a disaster and thought he was safe. After all, it wouldn’t be long before Lin Qingyang’s addiction to the fragrance was discovered. It might be better to use Yu Zhang now to expose him, solving the problem once and for all.

As long as it was proven that Lin Qingyang had acquired the fragrance, and considering that Marquis An Nan was afraid of being tainted by any dirty affairs from the outside, he would definitely give up on Lin Qingyang. This way, there would be no one left to contend for the position of the heir.

In the end, only two people knew about the entries regarding Lin Qingyang’s orders in that registry: Lin Qingyang and Chu Lishu. Even Yue Chen only knew there was a missing book but didn’t know if it was taken away by Chu Lishu. After all, during the investigation, another book that might have been burned was found.

In this twist of fate, the current situation unfolded.

Lin Qingyang felt a bit amused, looking at Lin Qingxu as if he were looking at a fool.

He even felt a bit grateful that Lin Qingxu brought Yu Zhang here.

Otherwise, if he directly claimed that he had acquired the fragrance, he would probably be disowned by his relentless father.

Finally, God seemed to be on his side for once, causing him to break out in a cold sweat just now.

Amidst the astonished and angry gazes of everyone present, Lin Qingyang listened to Marquis An Nan’s almost roaring interrogation, “Did you really acquire it?” Straightening his posture, he answered slowly and deliberately, “No, Father. If you want me to kneel, you should investigate first. How could I have acquired the fragrance? And Third Brother, do you really think I would have acquired it? At that time in the academy, I clearly caught a cold after falling into the water with cousin. Moreover, I spent a long time studying at the academy. If I had acquired the fragrance, how could I endure not inhaling it for such a long time?”

Lin Qingyang calmly and confidently lied. After all, there was no evidence, and he had already quit the fragrance. What could they do to him?

“Could it be that you’ve acquired it, but you’re not aware of it yourself?” Lin Qingxu could hardly suppress the smirk in his eyes. Despite the completely different spirit from last night, his face still maintained a twisted expression of concern. “Father, maybe we should interrogate this person.”

Lin Qingxu was referring to Yu Zhang. Yu Zhang hadn’t expected the situation to take such a turn and hastily grabbed Lin Qingyang, saying, “Young Master Lin, save me.”

“It’s useless to find Second Brother. If you’ve acquired the fragrance, we can’t keep you in our residence. Later, we’ll send you to the government office.” Lin Qingxu deliberately provoked.

This frightened Yu Zhang immediately. “No, if you send me to the government office, I… I will definitely confess that Second Master Lin has also used it. He has inhaled it too, and he has acquired the fragrance.”

Yu Zhang’s self-saving statement had a high level of credibility. If he lied, it would be easy to verify when Lin Qingyang’s fragrance addiction manifested. Therefore, almost everyone present believed his explanation.

“You… you usually act recklessly, indulge in any behavior, and now you’ve actually acquired this kind of thing! You’re trying to drag our entire family down!” Marquis An Nan was furious and reached for the punishment whip. “Rebellious son, rebellious son…”

“Marquis, with the current situation outside being so tense, we can’t let this information leak! If it gets out, our Lin family will be in big trouble.”

“If it gets out, it will cause major trouble for our Lin family.”

“Lock him up, send him to the countryside, or send him to be a monk. In any case, he cannot stay in the capital!”

The three great-uncles almost jumped up.

“You troublemaker!” Lishi swung her cane again.

“Don’t be hasty, don’t be hasty. Let’s hear what Yang Yang has to say first.” Lin Qinglan quickly reached out to stop Lishi, but she couldn’t restrain this rude old woman. She had to call on the stunned Lin Qingwei for help.

However, Lin Qingwei rushed up and grabbed Lin Qingyang’s clothes, roaring, “Second Brother! How could you! If you’re involved in this homosexual thing, we could pretend not to see it, but you actually… How could you do this? You’re not only ruining yourself, but if it’s discovered, it will also harm the reputation of our entire family. Even we will be suspected.”

Lin Qingyang looked at the two sisters with a cold expression.

Lin Qingxu stepped forward to appease Lin Qingwei, saying, “Fourth sister, don’t be like this. It hasn’t leaked out yet, and we can definitely keep it hidden. Second Brother, you should quickly admit your mistake.”

Seeing that Marquis An Nan had given up on the whip and was ready to randomly grab a stick to beat someone, Madam Ru quickly said, “Yang’er, quickly admit your mistake. We’ll find a way to help you quit the fragrance addiction. We won’t let you end up like this person.”

Suddenly, Lin Qingyang began to applaud, interrupting Madam Ru’s words.

“The performance… is really good.”

“What did you say!” Marquis An Nan was furious, and Madam Ru and Lin Qingxu were sneaking glances at him.

Lin Qingyang directly said, “Gentleman Yu Zhang, tell me, how did I get addicted to fragrances?”

Everyone thought Lin Qingyang had lost his mind. He seemed to have given up.

Yu Zhang became nervous, “It’s… the incense you lit every time you came to see me?”

“Do I know that it’s an addictive substance?”

Yu Zhang’s eyes were evasive but he firmly lied, “Of course, didn’t you ask for it yourself?”

“With Chunxiang Building gone, Secluded Courtyard Pavilion still exists. Did I ask for that incense willingly? Do you think there’s no one who can testify?”

Yu Zhang’s heart was already in chaos, and the fragrance addiction was flaring up, making it impossible for him to think too much. Hearing this, he didn’t bother to be cunning anymore. He directly admitted, “Is it useful for Young Master Lin to say so much? Indeed, you didn’t know it was an addictive substance, and someone gave me money to harm you. You already know, right? But the fact is, you’re addicted. If you dare to abandon me, I will definitely follow you to the end.”

Finally, the excited emotions of the people calmed down a bit. There was still a distinction between being a victim and being proactive.

“You were victimized? Who is trying to harm you?” Marquis An Nan questioned.

Lin Qingxu was a bit flustered, but only a bit. He didn’t expect that Lin Qingyang already knew he was addicted, but he probably wouldn’t know who was behind it.

“Father, who harmed me is important, but what’s most crucial now is that Second Brother is truly addicted. What should we do?” Lin Qingxu attempted to redirect his father’s attention.

“You’re mistaken. Who harmed me is indeed important, because I never got addicted. I just staged this drama to let the person who harmed me see, wanting to investigate who wanted to end my life,” Lin Qingyang said calmly.

Lin Qingxu’s eyes flickered slightly. “Second Brother, although you’re unwilling to face reality, not only I but even Fourth and Fifth Sisters know about your physical condition during that time at the academy. Chu Lishu fell into the water with no consequences, and you, despite having a better physique, dragged on for many days with strange symptoms. It’s impossible for you to self-proclaim innocence now. Since you were harmed, we won’t blame you. Hiding it now is meaningless; admitting it allows us to help you.”

“You seem to wish for me to be addicted,” Lin Qingyang suddenly remarked.

Lin Qingxu immediately spoke with conviction, “How could that be? I just want you to face reality.”

“Well, you’ll also have to face reality later,” Lin Qingyang suddenly smiled mysteriously.

Lin Qingxu felt an inexplicable tightening in his heart, but the reality told him that Lin Qingyang couldn’t possibly know the truth. If he did, given his temper, wouldn’t he have caused a big scene long ago? How could he remain calm for so many days?

While Lin Qingyang didn’t waste any time, he directly stated, “I noticed someone was trying to harm me from the beginning. So, every time, I pretended to be asleep, cooperating with the act to confuse Yu Zhang. Since Yu Zhang and I have never slept in the same room, he had no idea that I would secretly leave every time, and I never actually indulged.”

Lin Qingyang’s explanation was smooth, even making Yu Zhang begin to doubt his own memories. “No… it’s not true, clearly… it should be…

“Have we ever slept together?” Lin Qingyang directly asked with a straight face.

As a result, Yu Zhang couldn’t provide an answer because the truth was, he himself had told Lin Qingyang about it. Unable to answer this question, it seemed to indirectly confirm the earlier narrative Lin Qingyang had presented.

Everyone began to suspect whether Lin Qingyang had truly pretended to be affected to investigate the person harming him, deliberately confusing this young servant.

“You really didn’t…”

“If I had truly been affected, I would have an episode. Is there any need to lie?”

Convinced, Marquis An Nan heaved a long sigh of relief, “You should have told me earlier. Arrest this fellow and investigate slowly. Why take such risks?”

“Because I suspect the person who harmed me is in this residence. I don’t trust anyone here,” Lin Qingyang said with a cold smile.

Marquis An Nan was instantly surprised, his gaze involuntarily shifting towards Madam Ru and Lin Qingxu. Evidently, in his mind, if someone were to take action, these two individuals were the most suspicious.

And in this moment, these two individuals panicked, repeatedly denying Lin Qingyang’s statements and using expressions of familial love to refute him, appearing ludicrous.

Suddenly, Lin Qingyang took a turn and looked at Lin Qingwei standing beside Lin Qingxu, “Lin Qingwei, let me ask you, do you still have the deeds and contracts for the good fields and shops your grandfather gave you?”

Lin Qingwei, still reeling from the shocking turn of events, was caught off guard by this abrupt question, “What?”

“I’m asking if they are still in your possession, those contracts?”

Now, the expressions of Lin Qingxu and Madam Ru finally changed.

“In…” Lin Qingwei’s eyes flickered as she responded.

“Bring them out.”

“Why? Is this the time to discuss such matters? Focus on yourself! Why do you care about what I do?” Lin Qingwei retorted, unwilling to comply.

Just as Lin Qingxu instinctively wanted to divert the topic, Lin Qingyang suddenly smiled at him and directly took out two pieces of paper from his pocket, tossing them to Marquis An Nan.

Marquis An Nan, surprised, took a look and immediately changed his expression. The three great uncles close to Marquis An Nan also took in a sharp breath.

It wasn’t until their gazes focused on Lin Qingwei’s face that she spoke in a muted tone, “What are you all looking at me for?”

Marquis An Nan, with a stern expression on his face, scanned the room with his eyes for a moment, without speaking. However, the uncles present lacked this insight and directly questioned, “Little Wei, did you actually use these contracts as collateral? Did you place an order to buy addictive substances to harm your second brother?”

In an instant, everyone in the room who hadn’t seen any evidence was bewildered.

“What… what are you talking about?” Lin Qingwei exclaimed in shock, rushing forward immediately.

Lin Qingxu and Madam Ru exchanged glances and hurried over to take a look. Lin Qingxu, being the one who personally placed the order, naturally recognized the order, and the color drained from his face instantly. Madam Ru only had a vague idea, but seeing Lin Qingxu’s expression confirmed the truth.

Lin Qinglan came to Lin Qingyang’s side in surprise, her eyes filled with worry. “It’s not little sister, right?”

Lin Qingyang nodded almost imperceptibly.

“It’s not me, it’s not me!” Lin Qingwei finally screamed. Lin Qingyang thought she might reveal on her own how those contracts turned into collateral.

Unfortunately, Lin Qingwei directly pointed at Lin Qingyang, breaking into tears as she shouted, “Second Brother, how could you bear to harm me like this? I get it now. You must have secretly developed an addiction and refused to admit it. You want to harm me and shift the blame. I’m your real sister. How could you treat me like this! How could I possibly go to some Chunxiang Building? How could I possibly know anything about addictive substances? Why…”

Lin Qingyang stared numbly at Lin Qingwei. Although he didn’t have much emotional attachment to her, there was a momentary pang of heartache.

“Fourth sister, why do you think I harmed you?”

“How else do you explain all this? Aren’t these all fabrications by you?”

Lin Qingyang took a deep breath and said coldly, “You just need to answer me one question, and I’ll tell you whether I harmed you or not.”

Lin Qingwei was taken aback, watching as Lin Qingyang took a step forward and looked at her with unprecedented disdain in his eyes. “Tell me, is your contract really missing from your hands, or did you give it to someone!”

One question, one sentence, instantly halted Lin Qingwei’s mind.

Lin Qingyang no longer cared about Lin Qingwei’s status as a young girl. He reached out and grabbed her collar, saying, “Use your little brain to think carefully. Did you already give the contract to someone? They used your belongings as collateral to buy incense and harm me. If I hadn’t found out, I could have died under that incense. If I hadn’t been clever, I might be in the prison of the Imperial Court of Justice Review now. You would have been questioned because of these two pieces of evidence, and both our reputations would be ruined. Are you accusing me of harming you? Using my health and reputation to harm you?”

After speaking, Lin Qingyang pushed her away, into the arms of Madam Ru not far away. Madam Ru supported her in shock.

Lin Qingwei’s pupils suddenly contracted, as if struck by lightning in her brain. Her brain finally started to function.

With tears still on her face, she mechanically turned to Madam Ru and said, “Aunt, didn’t I give those contracts to you for safekeeping? Why… why are they here?”

One sentence woke up everyone present, probably only Lin Qingyang, and the already alert Marquis An Nan didn’t feel startled.

Lin Qingxu immediately stepped forward, saying, “Younger sister, are you confused? What nonsense are you talking about? How could mother dare to take charge of your things?”

“I didn’t lie; Aunt clearly wanted to help me manage them and took them away,” Lin Qingwei cried out in desperation, the words just spoken by Lin Qingyang still echoing in her ears, and her heart still shaking.

“I… I don’t know either. I put them away properly, and I don’t know why they would appear here. Maybe someone stole them,” Madam Ru cunningly defended herself, “Yang’er, did you steal them?”

“Yes, Second Brother, it must be your forgery. If it were real evidence, wouldn’t it have been taken to the Imperial Court of Justice Review long ago? How could it still be in your hands?” Lin Qingxu immediately argued.

Lin Qingyang didn’t expect them to be so adept at sophistry. Feeling weary, he looked directly at Marquis An Nan and said, “Father, I don’t want to argue anymore. On the night when Chunxiang Building was investigated, I was with Lords Yue Chen and Huo Luo. We investigated together, and they can testify for me. The evidence was stolen by me. I can’t let Marquis An Nan’s residence be entangled in trouble. However, if this leads to certain people finding the confidence to argue, then I can only inform Yue Chen and let him use his methods to reveal the truth.”

“You…” Marquis An Nan was momentarily at a loss for words, but he already had an idea of the truth.

“You can’t do that. If you do, it will harm your sister,” Madam Ru immediately interjected.

Lin Qingwei was also shocked, looking at Lin Qingyang in horror.

“If it’s not her doing, why fear an investigation? I’ll go to jail with her, and we can investigate slowly.”

“Are you not afraid of tarnishing the reputation of our Marquis’s residence?” Lin Qingxu almost shouted, clearly unable to hold on any longer.

“Hmph, the reputation of the Marquis’s residence? Did the person who harmed me ever care? Since he didn’t, why should I?” This time, Lin Qingyang didn’t back down at all. He had to block all escape routes, especially Marquis An Nan’s. Wasn’t he supposed to care for Lin Qingxu? Well, look at this. If I hadn’t presented the evidence, what would be happening to the residence now?

He looked coldly at Marquis An Nan, his determined gaze telling Marquis An Nan that this matter wouldn’t pass easily.

Sure enough, the next moment, Marquis An Nan had made a decision. Suddenly, he swung a slap towards Madam Ru.

With a loud smack, Madam Ru was almost sent flying, crashing into a nearby dining table. The table toppled over with a clatter, and Madam Ru ended up in a sorry state.

“Lord Marquis?” Madam Ru covered her swollen face, blood oozing from the corners of her mouth. She cried out in disbelief and disarray.

Lin Qingxu, however, was instantly silenced.

“Confess!” Marquis An Nan sternly demanded, “Did you plan to harm Qingyang?”

Madam Ru continued to shed tears, vigorously shaking her head in denial. However, soon enough, Marquis An Nan’s cane came down.

Under the relentless beating, Madam Ru was left battered and bruised, spitting blood, almost losing half her life. Yet, no one dared to step forward to stop the assault. It was Lin Qingyao who, crying, rushed forward to block Marquis An Nan.

Lin Qingxu finally snapped out of his stupor, quickly rushing forward to help Madam Ru. He pleaded, “Father, stop, you’ll kill mother if you keep going.”

“She won’t admit it? Could it be you?” Marquis An Nan brandished his cane, ready to strike. At this moment, Madam Ru finally shouts, “It’s not him, Marquis, it’s me. I admit it. I was envious of the legitimate son’s position and wanted to use the addictive substance to harm Lin Qingyang. It was me, Marquis, I was wrong, I really know I was wrong. I just had a moment of evil thoughts.”

Lin Qingxu stood there with his mouth agape, but under Madam Ru’s gaze, he found himself unable to utter a word. In an instant, he understood his mother’s intention—Madam Ru intended to shoulder all the blame herself.

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