Winning the male lead

Han Qi held himself back for three days before heading to Xiaofu Temple to find Lin Le Tian. These past few nights, he had been unable to sleep—whenever he closed his eyes, he would dream of him. This time, the scenes in his dreams became clearer. Beyond the intimate moments, he saw him on the brink of death, barely clinging to life.

When he woke up, his palms were covered in cold sweat.

Before heading to the temple, he inexplicably found himself at the Imperial Medical Academy, standing there for a long time.

The head physician, Zhang, came out and greeted him, “Lord Han, what brings you here? Are you injured?”

Han Qi was silent for a moment before asking, “Does the Imperial Medical Academy have any good medicine?”

Physician Zhang asked, “For what condition?”

Han Qi: “Tonic.”

Physician Zhang smiled knowingly. “For His Grace?”

Han Qi’s face instantly darkened like a burnt pot bottom. Through gritted teeth, he spat out: “No.”

Physician Zhang simply waved his hand, not arguing with him. “Send my regards to His Grace.” He then turned to fetch a hundred-year-old ginseng. The ginseng was placed in a brocade box, its roots intact and meticulously preserved—clearly an invaluable treasure that could save lives.

Han Qi took the item and left like the wind. Behind him, Physician Zhang shook his head and chuckled.

On his way up the mountain, he was deep in thought. The brocade box hidden in his sleeve felt as heavy as a thousand pounds. He tried distracting himself by thinking about the troublesome matters of the Eastern Depot.

“Dong, dong.”

The low hum of a temple bell resonated through the trees and clouds, coming from the mountaintop. Han Qi suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked up. The people around him, upon seeing that he was from the Embroidered Guards, quickly avoided him. Yet at the sound of the bell, they too paused and murmured Amitabha.

A little girl tugged at her mother’s hand and asked, “Mother, what does this mean?”

The woman replied softly, “The bell tolls for someone who has passed away in the temple. We must offer prayers for them.”

Han Qi’s mind suddenly went blank. His body reacted faster than his thoughts—he instantly gathered his inner energy and sprinted forward. Like a hawk, he nimbly wove through the crowd-packed stone steps. His swift movements startled onlookers, who gasped in surprise.

At the entrance of Xiaofu Temple’s main hall, monks were still striking the bell. Han Qi stormed in like a gust of wind, only to see Master Wufang lighting a new eternal lamp. His mind was a chaotic mess, and his breathing was heavy.

Hearing the commotion behind him, Wufang paused and turned around. Seeing him, he smiled gently. “We meet again, Benefactor.”

Han Qi felt his tongue tie up, words unable to escape his throat. He stared at Wufang, unaware of how terrifying his own expression had become.

Wufang, however, saw it clearly. His smile deepened, his eyes filled with understanding, and he teased lightly, “Benefactor, do not panic. The departed is not Lin Benefactor.”

The breath Han Qi had been holding finally escaped. Only then did he realize that not only had he lost control of his words, but his hands and feet were also trembling slightly. The brocade box in his sleeve was nearly slipping out. He took a deep breath to steady himself, cupped his hands in a formal salute, and turned to leave.

Wufang stopped him.

“Benefactor, Lin Benefactor has already left this temple.”

Han Qi instantly turned back. “Where did he go?”

Wufang did not answer. Instead, he recited a Buddhist verse and said warmly, “You took my life; I repay you my debt. Because of this karma, through hundreds and thousands of cycles, we are trapped in life and death. Benefactor, why not let go?”

Han Qi remained silent for a moment before bowing in Buddhist courtesy. “Master is enlightened; we mortals are too worldly.”

Wufang watched his departing figure, shaking his head as he murmured, “You love my heart; I pity your form. Because of this karma, through hundreds and thousands of cycles, we remain entangled in our grievances.”

That very afternoon, with the system’s help, Le Tian left Xiaofu Temple.

Besides the reason he gave the system, another was that, based on his character, after being humiliated by Han Qi in such a way, he would never rest until one of them was dead. Hiding in the temple and waiting for Han Qi to return made no sense—he’d rather crawl out if he had to.

And besides, the things one cannot have are always the most desirable.

Le Tian wanted him to think about him constantly, to be overwhelmed with emotions and helplessness, yet unable to find him. Whether Han Qi’s feelings stemmed from love or hatred, he was confident he had already occupied his mind completely.

Little brother, you’re too young to play these games with me.

They say that even a dying camel is bigger than a horse, let alone Lin Le Tian, who wasn’t truly defeated—just lying low. If he wanted to rise again, how hard could it be?

How many people in the Eastern Depot genuinely respected Han Qi?

With just a few hints, Le Tian’s trusted subordinates began subtly stirring things up. Many restless men immediately chose to stand on his side.

Han Qi searched for him in vain and returned to the Eastern Depot. Before he could even catch his breath, his subordinates reported that two factions of the Embroidered Guards had broken into a massive fight at Xizhi Gate, nearly demolishing half of it.

Just as he was about to head over, he suddenly paused, then sneered. “I thought he was dead, but he’s doing just fine.”

He turned to his men. “Arrest all the troublemakers and throw them in prison—regardless of who’s right or wrong.” He added one more order: “No matter whose men they are.”

Han Qi rarely acted so tyrannically. His subordinates hesitated for a moment but still obeyed.

The two factions of Embroidered Guards were locked in an intense battle when, in an instant, they were surrounded and seized.

One man immediately shouted, “I serve His Grace, Who dares to touch me?!”

Han Qi personally went to the prison. After questioning the captives, it was clear—this was Lin Le Tian’s doing.

When he received the answer he had expected, he let out a breath of relief. Lin Le Tian was still capable of causing trouble. That meant he still had the energy to fight.

He clenched the brocade box in his hand and ordered grimly, “Use torture. Find out where he is.”

“Yes, sir.”

His subordinates brought over a grand chair, and he sat down leisurely, playing with the brocade box from his sleeve. Deep down, he felt a faint excitement. That eunuch was never one to fall with a single strike—only a life-and-death struggle like this was truly interesting.

The Eastern Depot’s interrogation methods were harsh, unbearable even for the hardened Embroidered Guards. Moreover, with Han Qi and Lin Le Tian locked in a power struggle, these unlucky subordinates had no reason to resist too hard. Soon enough, they spilled Lin Le Tian’s location.

Without wasting a moment, Han Qi got up to leave. When his subordinates attempted to follow, a single sharp glance from him pinned them in place. “Keep an eye on them.”

The sound of hooves pounded against the dirt road, the wind howled past his ears, and his heart pounded wildly in his chest. It was as if he had regained some youthful recklessness, shedding his lifeless outer shell to reclaim his former sharpness—all of it condensed into the love, hate, and resentment toward a single name.

Lin Le Tian.

Just thinking about those three words made his blood surge with excitement.

Lin Le Tian’s hiding place was well chosen—hidden in plain sight, right in the heart of Shengjing. The area was bustling with people, lively and noisy. When Han Qi arrived, the location felt oddly familiar. After a closer look, he realized—it was the same riverside spot where Lin Le Tian had once sought him out for business with Hu Qidao.

Cunning eunuch.

Han Qi smirked, leapt off his horse, and didn’t bother knocking. With a light push off the ground, he landed on the rooftop, flipping over into the courtyard.

The courtyard was simply yet elegantly arranged, much like Lin Le Tian’s quarters in the palace. A large Osmanthus tree spread its thick canopy over the yard, nearly blotting out the sky. Beneath it, on a soft chaise, lay a slender figure in familiar lazy repose—sprawled bonelessly, as if without a care. Wisps of sandalwood incense curled around him, softening his features.

This man really was like a cat.

Han Qi tread lightly, stepping closer. Looking down at the peacefully sleeping Lin Le Tian, brows slightly furrowed, he found him more and more infuriating the longer he stared. He slowly extended his hand and let it hover over his pale neck.

Lin Le Tian was slender, and his neck was particularly delicate. Han Qi’s large hand could almost encircle it entirely. He was certain that with the slightest pressure, this fragile, paper-thin neck would snap in an instant.

But he didn’t.

He didn’t want Lin Le Tian dead.

He furrowed his brows, just about to withdraw his hand when he heard Lin Le Tian murmur something in his sleep.

He bent down slightly, trying to make out the words. Lin Le Tian’s voice was too soft, so he leaned in closer, then closer still, until his ear was nearly brushing against his lips. A faint, cool breath carried a subtle fragrance.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his earlobe.

He jerked his head sideways, only to find that Lin Le Tian had woken up at some point—his pristine white teeth were firmly biting down on his ear.

Pain lanced through him, but instead of getting angry, he chuckled coldly. “Are you part dog?”

Lin Le Tian aimed a knee strike at him, but he had already anticipated it. Keeping his bent posture, he pressed Lin Le Tian down, tightening his grip around his neck. “Let go.”

Lin Le Tian refused, biting down even harder.

Han Qi laughed, fingers tightening ever so slightly on his throat. Deprived of air, Lin Le Tian finally released him.

Han Qi sneered, “Is that all you’ve got? Stirring up trouble in the Eastern Depot, weren’t you supposed to be the picture of loyalty?”

Lin Le Tian met his gaze with equal defiance, refusing to back down. Even with his most vulnerable point caught in Han Qi’s grasp, even after having suffered humiliation at his hands, his expression remained as arrogant as ever. A cold, insidious smile curled his lips. “If I hadn’t sent people to cause a disturbance, how else would I lure the Seventh Highness into my trap?”

Han Qi was about to retort when he suddenly felt a strange numbness creeping through his body. His gaze flickered to the incense burning beside Lin Le Tian.

A trap.

Lin Le Tian’s cold smile deepened as he collapsed in shock.

Lin Le Tian: “Little brat, finally landed in my hands. Time for Teacher Le to give you a lesson.”

System: …I genuinely pity both Han Qi and myself. How did we end up in the clutches of this evil mastermind? Also, when is the Alliance going to approve the auto-block feature? I can’t handle this anymore! QAQ

Lin Le Tian struggled to prop Han Qi up and quickly realized something—Han Qi was heavier than he had anticipated. Out of breath, he gasped, “Help me… just a little…”

The system wanted nothing more than to kill Lin Le Tian on the spot. Why would it help him? Pretending not to hear, it stayed silent.

“If you don’t help me, I’ll just leave him in the courtyard…”

“FINE, FINE, I’LL HELP, JUST SHUT UP!”

The system, feeling its once-pure soul had been thoroughly corrupted, reluctantly activated the teleportation function. Lin Le Tian, satisfied, successfully moved Han Qi onto the bed.

The system stared at the unconscious Han Qi, its digital heart filled with sorrow.

Han Qi, I understand your pain.