I Rely on the Collapse of the Character Setting to Survive in the Hands of the Male Lead Chapter 99

Chapter 99

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Yesterday, Ying Wenlong and Xu Rui’er were already embarrassed here. By the time they returned to bow to the hall, the news had already spread, naturally causing them to feel extremely awkward throughout the process.

When they lifted the veil to enter the bridal chamber, Ying Wenlong’s patience was nearly depleted, and he didn’t even manage a smile. Xu Rui’er’s mood was even worse. Their wedding night, which was supposed to be a joyous occasion, was spent amidst mutual accusations and quarrels.

As the night deepened, everyone had fallen asleep when suddenly there was a knocking on the Ying’s residence door.

When the door attendant opened it, they found that it was a distant relative who had attended the wedding.

The door attendant had to quickly inform the homeowner, and when Ying Wenlong arrived, he learned that a distant cousin hadn’t returned home. This cousin was a heavy drinker, and there was no telling where he might have ended up in his intoxicated state.

The Ying family, although disapproving of their behavior of barging in during the middle of the night, could only light the lamps to welcome the guests and let them search around.

Just as they were searching, screams came from the inner courtyard.

Everyone thought something had happened, and hurriedly rushed over, only to witness a ridiculous scene: a man, disheveled, holding his clothes in one hand and his shoes in the other, was running outside. Meanwhile, cries from Ying Xiaodie echoed from the room.

Seeing that something was amiss, Ying Wenlong quickly tried to clear the scene. However, the cousin’s wife who came along cursed loudly and rushed forward, grabbing the escaping man and giving him a good beating. The masters of the Ying family were dumbfounded and immediately rushed into the room, only to find Ying Xiaodie sitting on the bed, wrapped in clothes, crying.

Thus, an embarrassing farce unfolded that night.

The distant cousin naturally denied everything, claiming he was drunk and had clearly slept in a guest room. He had no idea why he ended up in the inner courtyard, let alone why he was sleeping with Ying Xiaodie.

Ying Xiaodie broke down in tears, unable to explain clearly. This infuriated Ying Wenlong, who slapped him several times. Upon hearing the news, Xu Rui’er rushed over to check on her best friend.

However, the moment Ying Xiaodie saw Xu Rui’er, she became even more agitated. She rushed forward, grabbed her collar, and roared, expressing her belief that Xu Rui’er had caused her harm. Ying Xiaodie also revealed her previous situation in Duke Wei Guo’s residence, mentioning that she had been waiting for Xu Wenzhe, and didn’t know why she ended up in her own room or why she was with such a man. She insisted that she should be with Xu Wenzhe.

However, who would believe such words? After all, everyone knew what happened in Duke Wei Guo’s residence today. Xu Wenzhe had been injured for the sake of the Fourth Prince; how could he possibly be with Ying Xiaodie?

Most people thought she was drunk or delusional.

Xu Rui’er also had no idea what was going on. She had simply arranged everything in advance and got married. Could she be blamed if Ying Xiaodie didn’t handle things well?

Being blamed by Ying Xiaodie infuriated Xu Rui’er, who, after a brief struggle, fell and hit the table, causing her to bleed immediately.

The panicking Ying family, concerned about Xu Rui’er’s injury, disregarded Ying Xiaodie and quickly tended to Xu Rui’er. Before long, the physician diagnosed that she had lost the child. Such a significant matter naturally had to be reported to the in-laws.

However, the servant sent by her family didn’t even step through the gates of Duke Wei Guo’s residence. The steward coldly remarked, “Young Lady has married and is now part of the Ying family. Don’t come looking for Duke Wei Guo’s residence for everything.”

This sentence made Ying Wenlong feel uneasy. His gaze toward Xu Rui’er changed, his expression turning even uglier. He immediately left, ignoring his wife who had just suffered a miscarriage. Xu Rui’er cried bitterly, her heart still lingering on her departure, insisting on returning to her parents’ home.

However, Duke Wei Guo’s residence had already sent a messenger, prohibiting Xu Rui’er from returning home except for ancestral ceremonies.

Xu Rui’er was dumbfounded. Her premonition in the past few days had come true. She had been abandoned by her family.

What further shattered Xu Rui’er was that early the next morning, her personal maid tearfully ran to find her, telling her that the mother-in-law, Old Madam Ying, had forcibly taken over her dowry. The servants they brought along could only watch helplessly as Old Madam Ying moved Xu Rui’er’s dowry out box by box, powerless to stop her.

Enraged, Xu Rui’er screamed and called Ying Wenlong.

Ying Wenlong spoke coldly and indifferently, only advising her to take care of herself.

When Xu Rui’er questioned about her dowry, Ying Wenlong asserted, “Entering the Ying family, the dowry is naturally meant to support the husband’s family.”

Soon, Xu Rui’er learned the truth: creditors had come knocking at the door, and Old Madam Ying hastily moved her dowry to repay the debts of the Ying family. She had been deceived; the Ying family was nothing but an empty shell, burdened with debts. She was expected to help repay them after entering the household!

Unable to bear this shock, Xu Rui’er fainted on the spot.

When the physician came again, he informed Xu Rui’er that if she continued to faint due to stress, it would affect her body’s recovery, making it difficult for her to have children in the future.

Xu Rui’er, torn between wanting to get angry and not daring to risk her health, didn’t know that not only her ability to have children was at stake but also that, once her body recovered, her chosen husband wouldn’t be able to function as a true man.

At this moment, Ying Wenlong was also unaware that his future would gradually darken because of retaliation from Duke Wei Guo’s residence. He would be gradually demoted and eventually expelled from the capital. Currently, he was still dealing with his sister’s affairs, his forehead furrowed in distress.

Ying Xiaodie’s reputation was ruined, and the news couldn’t be hidden. She was destined to marry that distant cousin.

However, the cousin’s family already had a legal wife, and since their relationship was complex, Ying Xiaodie couldn’t be treated like an ordinary woman. There was only one option waiting for her: to become a concubine. Despite this, Ying Xiaodie adamantly refused. She insisted that Ying Wenlong go to Xu Wenzhe, making him take responsibility and claiming that they must have had a physical relationship.

Even if Ying Wenlong were a scoundrel, he wouldn’t do such a foolish thing. Instead, he chose to lock Ying Xiaodie away until the day of her marriage.

The cousin’s wife was always in charge of the household, and she was furious. Her husband had never dared to take a concubine, and now he was forced to. How could she be pleased? Therefore, she was stringent with the betrothal gifts. In this regard, it was rare for Old Madam Ying not to be too particular, as the newly debt-free Ying family truly had no money. Although they felt sorry for their daughter, they couldn’t afford to give too much dowry.

In order to maintain the reputation of both families, they hastily arranged for Ying Xiaodie to be married off in a few days.

Upon learning of this, Ying Xiaodie nearly cried herself into unconsciousness. A noblewoman studying at the Imperial Academy was reduced to marrying her county cousin, becoming a concubine no less. The cousin was fat and ugly, with a fierce and jealous wife and several children. If Ying Xiaodie married him, she would have to leave the bustling city and live outside with him.

Feeling like her family was pushing her to death, she refused to marry. She even contemplated suicide, but no one in the Ying family stood by her side. She could no longer be willful.

Little did she know, her future husband’s family was specially selected by Chu Lishu, aiming to subject her to a lifetime of torment under a wicked mother-in-law and mistress. If she dared to harm Lin Qingyang, Chu Lishu would ensure she was kept far away from all her dreams, never allowing her an easy escape.

This was the revenge arranged by Chu Lishu for Lin Qingyang.

From the moment Ying Xiaodie was lifted into the sedan chair, she lived almost every day in pain and despair. As the Ying family declined, her status in her husband’s family diminished, and for the sake of her child, she ultimately lost all her vitality, too afraid even to die.

The foreseeable future shocked Lin Qingyang, and he naturally guessed that everything was orchestrated by Chu Lishu.

Because he had vowed to seek revenge for him.

On that day, Ying Xiaodie had likely planned to scheme against Xu Wenzhe, but she ended up being brought back to the Ying family by Lu Yi and Lu Shi, leading to the subsequent events.

Lin Qingyang was somewhat moved. They had more important matters to attend to at the time, yet Chu Lishu took the time to handle this issue for him. Lu Yi and Lu Shi must have been quite annoyed.

When Lin Qingyang brought this information to Chu Lishu, he asked only one question, “Satisfied?”

Lin Qingyang nodded heavily. Of course, he was satisfied. He had also vented his frustration on behalf of his eldest sister.

However, what happened in the Ying family was considered a minor matter.

The real major events occurred in the imperial palace and the court.

Due to the assassination attempt on the Fourth Prince, the emperor was indeed furious. It was said that Concubine Mei couldn’t sleep at night and fell ill due to shock. This further aggravated the emperor, who found an excuse to suppress the three influential forces. Surprisingly, suspicion did not fall on Concubine Mei; instead, the three factions began doubting each other. They were so proud and arrogant that they overlooked the rising power of the Fourth Prince’s faction, leading to their own downfall.

As for the matter of the Blood Abyss Pavilion, it seemed like a storm in a teacup. Although officials were dispatched to investigate, the effort was not as intense as before. It appeared more like a formality, lacking the depth of the private investigation conducted by Prime Minister Li in the past.

Unfortunately, the identity of the mastermind, the rumored Pavilion Lord, remained elusive.

Leveraging the momentum created by Prime Minister Li, Chu Lishu did manage to obtain some crucial clues. However, he currently had no time to deal with this matter and had to temporarily set it aside.

During Chu Lishu’s recovery here, Marquis An Nan’s residence paid a special visit. Perhaps feeling that Chu Lishu’s heroic deeds had salvaged some dignity, he showed genuine concern for Chu Lishu. It was probably the most affectionate he had ever been toward his nephew.

Later, he also inquired about Lin Qingyang and the situation in the other courtyard. Lin Qingyang could sense a peculiar flavor in his awkward paternal care.

The main purpose of Marquis An Nan’s residence’s visit was to find out whether they had already been selected as study companions for the Fourth Prince.

Not wanting to complicate matters until everything was settled, Lin Qingyang pretended as if the Fourth Prince had never proposed anything. Hence, they remained unaware of the situation.

Marquis An Nan naturally noticed that Lin Qingyang had distanced himself, but instead of tearing their relationship apart, he expressed great concern and advised him to prepare well for the upcoming assessment after the New Year.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lin Qingyang mentioned, “By the way, when Chu Lishu recovers, can I bring him directly back to the other courtyard? It’s closer to the Imperial Academy, and it would save him from the hardship of traveling back and forth. Plus, it would allow him more time to assist me with my studies. Father, what do you think?”

For Marquis An Nan, it was a matter of indifference, considering there were only a few days left. He agreed to the request.

Lin Qingyang immediately turned to look at Chu Lishu, who had a complex expression on his face.

Once Marquis An Nan had left, Lin Qingyang anxiously asked, “What’s wrong? Do you have other arrangements? Well, you can stay anywhere. Don’t you want to go to the separate courtyard? If there’s something about it you’re not satisfied with, I can make changes!”

Chu Lishu moved his lips, eventually saying, “It’s nothing. I’ll go and stay.”

What else could he say? Initially, he thought it was good that Lin Qingyang wouldn’t make decisions for him without his consent, but now, whenever there was a chance for them to be together, Lin Qingyang didn’t bother asking for his opinion first. He just acted and spoke later. Well, it wasn’t a big deal anyway.

“It should be like this. I’ve said it before, treat the separate courtyard as your home. This is our return home, not a visit. You can handle your courtyard as you wish, and arrange your affairs—it’s definitely more liberating than the Marquis’s residence. Besides, there’s a great cousin like me there!” Lin Qingyang, jokingly, said.

Chu Lishu looked at Lin Qingyang’s radiant smile, momentarily taken aback. His expression became disoriented.

Did he mean to say that wherever he was, that place was his home because of him? So straightforward?

Was he… becoming a bit too inattentive to boundaries lately? Was it because of the effects of the medicine that day, causing him to act that way in front of him? Then, due to the constant companionship during his recovery, did he find himself entangled again? Or was it because he had been too indulgent, allowing him to become more unrestrained? Was it more than just a hidden admiration?

Chu Lishu suddenly felt a sense of unease. Wasn’t his rationality always suggesting maintaining a certain distance—not too close, not too far? How did he find himself led by the nose in the blink of an eye?

In these days, being unable to move due to his injuries, he tolerated him taking care of him. But now, he had seized the opportunity to move him into the separate courtyard… Well, perhaps it could be justified as part of the preparations for the upcoming year-end assessments.

Just… just stop here. After the assessments, he won’t have any excuses anymore, right? Before entering the palace, there’s no reason to stick around, which is good. Give Lin Qingyang some space and allow himself to rein in, behave, and not entertain unrealistic dreams. He cares about him, but his feelings for him are different. Continuing like this, how will they get along in the future?

Moreover… Chu Lishu couldn’t help but look at Lin Qingyang’s neck. The red marks there had all disappeared, except for that bite mark. If observed closely, there was still a faint trace.

Chu Lishu didn’t like himself when his mind went blank like that. He despised being in a state where he couldn’t control his own body.

After all, there was a long period in the past when he was in a terrifying state of blankness. Although he knew it was not for the same reason, he didn’t like it.

He was afraid.

Although he couldn’t understand what happened to him that day, it seemed… it would be better to maintain a distance. It was good for both parties.

With this thought in mind, Chu Lishu gradually distanced himself from Lin Qingyang. They interacted in a calm and friendly manner. Most of the time, they studied together, played chess, and after moving from Duke Wei Guo’s residence to the other courtyard, when the new semester started at the Imperial Academy, Chu Lishu returned to his own courtyard. However, this time, Chu Lishu went directly back to the courtyard he shared with Xu Wenze.

Lin Qingyang didn’t notice anything amiss, only feeling that there was ample time for their activities. Regarding the male lead moving away, he also found it reasonable. After all, Chu Lishu had moved in initially due to concern about his injury. Now that Lin Qingyang had recovered, and Chu Lishu’s injury had healed, there was no reason for them to live together. However, based on their time spent together at the academy, everything seemed to be going smoothly.

After the New Year, the atmosphere at the Imperial Academy changed significantly. Everyone was actively preparing for the upcoming assessments, covering all the subjects they had studied at the academy.

With Chu Lishu’s guidance, Lin Qingyang had gained confidence in subjects like literature. Regarding martial arts, he had regained his physical strength, and with some advantage in drawing during the artistic subjects, Lin Qingyang now possessed strong competitiveness.

Over ten consecutive days of assessments, officials from the Ministry of Rites were sent to supervise the examinations along with the academy’s teachers. The tense atmosphere resembled various major exams in the modern world. Lin Qingyang found himself exhausted by the end of it.

After the exams, everyone seemed to feel as if they had shed a layer of skin. Some even chose to abstain, perhaps feeling that they had no hope and didn’t want to endure the torment. It was a symbolic way to move on.

In the end, only half of the students from the entire Imperial Academy completed the exams. Considering that women were not going to the palace, the number of competitors wasn’t large, but each one had a background and status.

According to the regulations, the Imperial Academy would select fifteen outstanding students in both character and learning as reserve study companions. The list would be reviewed by the emperor and then handed over to his princes for them to make their own choices. The results would be known the next day.

Being selected as one of the fifteen actually represented a kind of recognition from the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Academy in a certain sense, serving as proof of excellence.

When the list was announced, Lin Qingyang, as the dark horse, made it to the top, drawing the attention of everyone standing before the red list. The previous surprises were now replaced with genuine acknowledgment. This assessment proved that Lin Qingyang had truly transformed, becoming outstanding and shedding his previous image as a frivolous idler. He was now a genuinely accomplished young gentleman.

Despite the continuous congratulations, Lin Qingyang didn’t feel a tangible sense of achievement. Since arriving in this world and being thrust into various situations, he felt rushed and somewhat helpless. It was only at this moment, with everyone’s complete recognition, that it seemed as if he had truly severed ties with the original body. In the eyes of others, he now presented the most authentic version of himself.

He had genuinely integrated into this world.

“Congratulations,” came Chu Lishu’s voice.

Lin Qingyang turned to look at him, his smile radiant, and he sincerely replied, “Thank you.”

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