The Sickly Beauty Official Faked His Death and Now the Tyrant Has Gone Mad - Chapter 10

The wind howled outside the hall, slapping against the windows as if trying to scatter Lin Huaiyu’s words.

Su Yang stared unblinkingly at Lin Huaiyu. He knew Lin Huaiyu well right now, Lin Huaiyu was disinterested. Though his words praised Bai Jianqing, his tone was cold, clearly unwilling to say more. It was only under Su Yang’s pressure that he spoke a few extra sentences.

Su Yang’s thin lips pressed into a tight line.

Lin Huaiyu’s evaluation of this Bai Jianqing was unexpectedly high. He had never seen Lin Huaiyu admire any woman like this before.

Come to think of it, he actually didn’t know Lin Huaiyu’s sexual orientation. Lin Huaiyu had always been forced by him to do those things, but deep down, he didn’t like him. Could it be…

Lin Huaiyu liked women?

Or perhaps.

Lin Huaiyu liked this Bai Jianqing?

That must be it. Otherwise, why would Lin Huaiyu’s tone turn so indifferent upon hearing that he fancied Bai Jianqing?

The more Lin Huaiyu thought about it, the more agitated he became. He flung the teacup beside him, and the porcelain shattered across the floor in an instant. “Lin Huaiyu, you’ve been thoroughly claimed by me inside and out. How could you still like women?!”

Lin Huaiyu’s eyes flickered briefly before he turned his head aside, took a sip of tea, and said calmly, “Your Majesty should ask yourself that question, shouldn’t you?”

Su Yang sneered coldly. “I am the Son of Heaven. Whether I like men or women is not for others to dictate. The three palaces and six courtyards, whether filled with concubines or male favorites, are not for a mere captive like you to feel jealous over.”

Su Yang knew Lin Huaiyu wasn’t jealous, but he deliberately said it anyway. He wanted Lin Huaiyu to be jealous for him.

Yet Lin Huaiyu simply replied, “I am not.”

Not hearing what he wanted, Su Yang said, “Since my teacher also believes I should take an empress, I shall hold a selection.”

“De Fu!”

Upon hearing Su Yang call him, De Fu hurriedly pushed the door open and entered. Seeing the shattered porcelain scattered across the floor, he immediately averted his eyes, pretending not to notice, and carefully stepped around the shards. “What are Your Majesty’s orders?”

As he spoke, he glanced in Lin Huaiyu’s direction.

As usual, it was the emperor alone who was angry, while Lord Lin sat coldly and indifferently to the side, detached and unreadable.

“Issue my decree. Tomorrow, summon all civil and military officials whose families have unmarried women and men of suitable age to the palace for the selection,” Su Yang’s low voice echoed in the room.

De Fu was taken aback and immediately looked at Lin Huaiyu, but the other showed no change in expression, seemingly unconcerned about the matter.

Following De Fu’s gaze, Su Yang frowned. “Why are you looking at him? Are my words less effective than those of a captive?”

De Fu immediately lowered his head, not daring to look again. “This servant wouldn’t dare! This servant obeys the decree!”

De Fu quickly withdrew and hurried off to deliver the decree.

“Well, teacher, are you satisfied?” Su Yang looked at Lin Huaiyu, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Lin Huaiyu knew that Su Yang’s mention of civil and military officials was to ensure that General Bai’s legitimate daughter could enter the palace. As for the mention of men afterward it was meant to humiliate him.

His eyes flickered slightly as he replied calmly, “Your Majesty is right. You are the Son of Heaven, and the three palaces and six courtyards are the norm. Since you already have someone you fancy, taking an empress is only natural. However…”

“However?” Su Yang looked at Lin Huaiyu, a ripple of emotion suddenly rising in his eyes.

What did Lin Huaiyu want to say? But what could he do? Or rather, what position did he truly hold in his own heart?

It seemed Lin Huaiyu still cared about him and valued the relationship between them.

Su Yang thought this, the corners of his lips unconsciously lifting slightly as he waited for Lin Huaiyu to speak.

“However, Your Majesty must also ask Miss Bai for her opinion and not force anyone against their will,” Lin Huaiyu said.

Hearing this, the curve of Su Yang’s lips stiffened. He hadn’t heard what he wanted to hear and let out a low hum. “Lin Huaiyu, you’re quite considerate of her.”

Lin Huaiyu withdrew his gaze and asked, “Tomorrow is the selection ceremony. May I attend?”

Su Yang’s eyes tightened at the question. He stared intently at Lin Huaiyu, his voice slightly lowered. “You want to attend? Why?”

Lin Huaiyu set down his teacup and rubbed his knees with both hands. Earlier, when Defu had opened the door, a cold draft had rushed in, carrying the chill of melting snow and ice that seeped into his bones. “Tomorrow will surely be lively. I don’t want to stay alone in Qinchun Palace.”

In truth, he wanted to see Bai Jianqing, the woman who had taken up residence in Su Yang’s heart. If she were willing, she would be the one to accompany Su Yang from now on.

Su Yang raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Is it because I won’t be able to visit my teacher tomorrow that you feel lonely?”

Lin Huaiyu glanced at Su Yang silently. “If Your Majesty insists on thinking that way, I have nothing more to say.”

Su Yang seemed in high spirits and teased, “I know my teacher has always been one to say one thing and mean another.”

Sure enough, Lin Huaiyu was jealous upon hearing about the selection.

As he looked at Lin Huaiyu, he naturally noticed Lin Huaiyu rubbing his knees and couldn’t help but ask, “Does your leg hurt?”

Lin Huaiyu’s long lashes trembled slightly. He curled his fingers and stopped rubbing. “It’s nothing. The wind just made it a bit cold.”

Su Yang chuckled mockingly. “I thought it might be because I punished you by making you kneel in the snow yesterday, and it caused some damage.”

Lin Huaiyu gave a faint smile and said calmly, “I’m not that delicate.”

Su Yang retorted, “You’re not delicate?”

As he spoke, he pulled Lin Huaiyu onto his lap. “Come, let me rub it for you.”

Lin Huaiyu opened his mouth but didn’t say anything to refuse, allowing Su Yang to gently massage the old injury on his knee.

The sun rose in the east, its soft light spilling across the land the first day of spring without snowfall.

The palace pathways were left with only the damp traces of melted snow and ice as palace attendants swept them clean.

In the rear garden, several elegant figures were led by palace attendants toward the pavilion. The women and men participating in the selection walked separately, but all were captivated by the imperial garden’s scenery, gazing around in admiration. It was indeed a lively sight.

However, the selection brought joy to some and sorrow to others. Some had no interest in the spectacle and wore worried expressions.

“Sigh, if it weren’t for the risk of implicating my family by defying the imperial decree, I really wouldn’t want to participate in this selection.”

“Exactly. Look over there are even men. Our Majesty doesn’t discriminate between men and women, but I still find it somewhat displeasing. My father even said I’d surely become a jealous wife in the future.”

“It’s not that there’s anything wrong with selecting alongside men. It’s just the thought of competing for favor with a man in the future that feels strange.”

“It’s fine. Let’s just fail the selection. As long as we don’t catch the Emperor’s eye and avoid implicating our families, we can simply avoid showcasing ourselves.”

The selected women harbored their own thoughts, and the men were no different, each with their own concerns.

“Your Majesty is actually selecting men too? Truly unheard of. I aspire to serve in the court in the future I have no desire to be confined to the imperial harem.”

“Exactly! After all my years of study, I wish to realize my ambitions. Please, I hope His Majesty doesn’t choose me.”

Amid the murmurs of the men, one voice stood out distinctly: “Personally, I think becoming His Majesty’s consort isn’t so bad. If I could be the empress consort, that would be even better!”

Everyone turned to look at him.

This man was tall and slender, dressed in embroidered robes with a jade belt clearly a pampered scion from a noble family, raised in luxury. His demeanor was somewhat flamboyant, and his appearance was equally striking. He held his head high, as if looking down on everyone.

“Who is that?” someone asked.

Before anyone else could answer, the man introduced himself: “You don’t know me? I am the sole legitimate eldest grandson of the current Grand Secretary.”

A wave of astonishment swept through the crowd.

“The legitimate eldest grandson of Grand Secretary Wang Xiangyu.”

“So it’s him. He is quite handsome. Since he wants to be chosen, then let him be chosen.”

“I think he has a good chance he’s even more beautiful than some of the female candidates over there!” someone remarked, gazing at Wang Xiangyu. It was unclear whether they were flattering him because of his status or genuinely believed it.

Wang Xiangyu was indeed good-looking, standing out among the present candidates. However, his haughty expression rubbed many the wrong way.

Nevertheless, his status spoke for itself. More people sought to curry favor with him, while others kept their distance to avoid offending him. For a moment, Wang Xiangyu became the center of attention.

As he basked in the surrounding flattery, a louder and more sincere voice suddenly cut through the chatter.

“Wow! Who is that person? They are absolutely stunning!”

An exclamation of awe and surprise erupted from the depths of someone’s heart, drawing everyone’s gaze in the direction they were looking.

At first glance, the crowd froze in place, forgetting even to take another step.

On the other side of the imperial garden, a cluster of flowers bloomed exuberantly, reaching almost shoulder height. Flowers of every color were in full bloom, including peonies of such breathtaking beauty that it was impossible to look away.

Yet, amidst this sea of blossoms stood a figure clad in dark robes. Their ink-black hair was loosely tied up, half cascading like a waterfall. Their snow-white face resembled a doll sculpted from freshly fallen snow exquisite and beautiful. Their peach-blossom eyes held pupils as clear as spring water, every feature perfectly balanced, as if they had stepped out of a painting.

Only their robe seemed slightly oversized, and its color did not quite suit them.

“Who is that? Are they also here for the selection?”

“If they’re here for the selection, then the rest of us have little chance. Such beauty is rare in this world. If I were His Majesty, I would fall in love at first sight.”

“Ah! I hope they’re not here for the selection, or that they fail. Which family’s young master is this? I want to propose marriage!”

No one present recognized Lin Huaiyu. They had never seen him before and, in the past, would never have had the privilege to.

Had their elders been present, they would have recognized Lin Huaiyu at once, hurriedly covering their juniors’ mouths and offering profuse apologies to him.

Unfortunately, those elders were not there, and so no one stopped the candidates from speaking their minds.

To be fair, it wasn’t their fault. Lin Huaiyu had achieved success at a young age, becoming the prime minister while still in his youth. By age, he was only a few years older than these candidates for the imperial selection, and even around the same age as some. No one would connect him to the ruthless, all-powerful prime minister of the court from the rumors.

“He’s so handsome. If he were my husband, I wouldn’t even be able to argue with him!”

“Isn’t he like a celestial being descended to earth? Who were those people praising earlier? Could it be they were just flattering him because of some minister’s status?” someone who disliked Wang Xiangyu and those sycophants seized the opportunity to sneer sarcastically.

The few who had praised Wang Xiangyu immediately flushed red, wanting to retort but finding no words.

When Wang Xiangyu saw Lin Huaiyu, he was momentarily stunned as well. But then he noticed that those who had praised him earlier had turned their attention to Lin Huaiyu, even feeling inferior to him. Instantly, his face darkened.

Wasn’t he just a bit better-looking? Today was the imperial selection. With the emperor’s harem empty, anyone in the imperial garden was either a candidate for the selection or one of the emperor’s male favorites lowly and unknown to the world.

He, on the other hand, would be the master of this harem in the future, or at the very least, a consort. What could a mere male favorite do, no matter how good-looking? Once his face was scarred, he’d be nothing. How could he seduce the emperor then?

The more Wang Xiangyu thought about it, the more convinced he became of his reasoning. He had already imagined the scene where the other would be humiliated by him, and everyone would turn back to fawn over him instead.

So he snorted coldly and actually walked toward Lin Huaiyu.

Seeing this, the others hesitated for a moment, exchanged glances, and followed behind Wang Xiangyu.

“Hey, you!” Wang Xiangyu didn’t know who Lin Huaiyu was, nor did he care to find out. He shouted directly at him, “You’re a male favorite, aren’t you? Today is the emperor’s selection. Those of us who are chosen will outrank you no matter what. Shouldn’t you come and pay your respects to your future masters first?”

Lin Huaiyu glanced lightly at Wang Xiangyu. His cool, detached gaze made the latter freeze for a moment. Wang Xiangyu had never seen such beautiful eyes a thousand, no, ten thousand times more captivating than those of the young men he’d seen in brothels. Those glass-like eyes truly made him a rare beauty.

But then he was angered by Lin Huaiyu’s dismissive attitude. Lin Huaiyu showed no intention of acknowledging him, barely sparing him a glance before looking away.

He stepped closer to Lin Huaiyu, pointing at him and scolding, “Are you deaf? I’m talking to you! Pretending not to hear? Do you believe I can make you truly deaf?!”

Lin Huaiyu hadn’t intended to bother with an ignorant, spoiled brat, but now he looked coldly at Wang Xiangyu and said casually, “You can try.”

Though he was just a lowly male favorite, that look sent a chill down Wang Xiangyu’s spine. But with all those eyes watching him from behind many of them waiting to see him make a fool of himself he cleared his throat to bolster his courage. “Don’t think that just because you have the emperor’s favor now, you can act so arrogantly. If the emperor truly cared for you, why would he hold a selection today?”

Lin Huaiyu’s eyes flickered slightly, but he didn’t respond immediately.

Wang Xiangyu thought he had hit the mark and immediately sneered, “Take a good look at yourself. The only reason you can be the Emperor’s male favorite and receive some favor is because of your face. But the Emperor will grow tired of it eventually. How dare a lowly male favorite like you think you have any standing to challenge me?”

How dare he ignore me just now!

Wang Xiangyu then pointed to the tea prepared in the nearby pavilion and arrogantly ordered Lin Huaiyu, “Fine. If you serve me a cup of tea, I might be merciful enough to let you off.”