The Sickly Beauty Official Faked His Death and Now the Tyrant Has Gone Mad - Chapter 11

The wind after the snowmelt was exceptionally cold, howling as it rushed into Lin Huaiyu’s robes. The lingering ache in his knees still throbbed faintly, diverting a part of his thoughts.

Lin Huaiyu’s gaze was as icy as the biting wind. He lifted his eyes, coldly piercing Wang Xiangyu, and was about to speak when a clear, bright female voice approached from nearby.

“Even if he is merely a male favorite, he is still His Majesty’s person. With the Emperor’s favor at its peak, aren’t you afraid that His Majesty might witness your humiliation of him and punish you?”

Lin Huaiyu’s eyes shifted slightly, already guessing who the newcomer was. He looked over and indeed saw the champion of the autumn hunt from a year ago Su Yang’s beloved, Bai Jianqing.

During the autumn hunt, Bai Jianqing had worn light armor, skilled in archery and horsemanship, her heroic demeanor putting many men to shame. Now, dressed in women’s attire for the selection, she was equally beautiful in a different way.

“What business is it of yours? Don’t think that just because you’re the legitimate daughter of General Bai, I’m afraid of you. My grandfather is a senior minister of the court. Even General Bai would treat him with respect.” Wang Xiangyu’s face darkened at the sight of Bai Jianqing interfering.

Bai Jianqing sneered dismissively, not sparing Wang Xiangyu a second thought. “So what? Always hiding behind your grandfather’s name. What kind of man is that?”

“You!” Wang Xiangyu fumed. “This young master’s affairs are none of your concern. Wait until you’re selected and become the Empress before you dare to lecture me.”

Hmph, if Bai Jianqing were selected, he’d withdraw. If he couldn’t win, he’d run!

Bai Jianqing had already stepped in front of Lin Huaiyu, her voice softening. “Ignore him. He’s out of his mind. If His Majesty arrives later, you can lodge a complaint. We’ll testify for you.”

Lin Huaiyu smiled faintly and nodded to Bai Jianqing. “Thank you, miss.”

His voice was like a clear spring, cold as snow. Bai Jianqing felt for the first time the essence of purity and grace in a person. No wonder His Majesty kept such a person by his side.

But if he already had someone so extraordinary, why hold a selection?

It seemed His Majesty was fickle in affection the most heartless were those of the imperial family.

She could only offer Lin Huaiyu a comforting smile.

When Su Yang arrived after court, he happened upon the scene of Lin Huaiyu and Bai Jianqing exchanging smiles. Amidst the peony blossoms, the two looked like a perfect match, surrounded by blooming flowers as if in a beautiful painting.

Su Yang let out a cold laugh.

De Fu, standing beside him, heard the laugh and saw the scene in the imperial garden, breaking into a cold sweat for everyone involved.

Before he could think further, Su Yang strode purposefully toward Lin Huaiyu.

“What’s all the commotion about?” Su Yang’s tone carried a chill. Everyone turned and knelt in greeting upon seeing him.

Only Lin Huaiyu remained standing in the center of the kneeling crowd, meeting Su Yang’s gaze directly.

Bai Jianqing gave him a meaningful look, likely urging him to lodge a complaint before Wang Xiangyu could speak, lest the latter twist the truth.

Lin Huaiyu lowered his eyes slightly. Sure enough, Wang Xiangyu spoke up swiftly, clearly afraid that Lin Huaiyu would complain first.

“Your Majesty, this man behaved improperly towards the newly selected female and male court attendants. I kindly reminded him, but he turned around and insulted me, saying that with Your Majesty’s favor, he doesn’t regard us at all. He even threatened to teach me a lesson once I enter the palace in the future.” Wang Xiangyu boldly looked at Su Yang, complaining with a pitiful expression that seemed even more delicate and charming than a woman’s.

“Oh?” Su Yang, upon hearing this, turned his gaze toward Lin Huaiyu with interest. However, the other’s expression remained indifferent, as if he didn’t care about Wang Xiangyu’s false accusation.

Seeing that Su Yang wasn’t angry and instead seemed willing to listen further, Wang Xiangyu continued, “I believe he is truly arrogant because of Your Majesty’s favor. Everyone present here is of noble lineage, how could someone of such low status offend us so casually? If this damages the imperial dignity and brings trouble to Your Majesty, I thought it would be appropriate to give him a small punishment as a warning.”

This was the first time Su Yang had heard someone describe Lin Huaiyu as lowly. A faint, ambiguous smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he fixed his gaze intently on Lin Huaiyu, not wanting to miss even the slightest change in his expression.

However, upon hearing Wang Xiangyu mention “a small punishment as a warning,” the curve of Su Yang’s lips slightly fell, and his tone carried a dangerous edge. “What did you do to him?”

Wang Xiangyu, not noticing the change in Su Yang’s tone, thought Su Yang agreed with him and was about to help teach Lin Huaiyu a lesson. Emboldened, he stood up and faced Lin Huaiyu, saying, “I merely wanted to teach him some manners and have him serve me a cup of tea.”

Su Yang raised an eyebrow. “Did he serve it?”

Wang Xiangyu quickly replied, “Not yet! He refused to even serve a cup of tea truly an unruly servant!”

Su Yang chuckled softly and said to Lin Huaiyu, “You lowly servant, he’s asking you to serve tea. Why aren’t you going?”

Lin Huaiyu looked at Su Yang, his expression mostly blank, but a chilling coldness seemed to sweep over Su Yang like a biting wind.

“Your Majesty, it’s not as Mr. Wang said. This gentleman did nothing wrong. Instead, Mr. Wang twisted the truth and deceived Your Majesty. I beg Your Majesty to see the truth!” Bai Jianqing, unable to stand by any longer, spoke up in defense of Lin Huaiyu.

Su Yang, who had been waiting to see the drama unfold, lost his smile upon hearing Bai Jianqing’s defense. Without looking at her, he fixed his gaze on Lin Huaiyu and sneered, “Earlier, I saw the two of you exchanging glances, and now Miss Bai is speaking up for you. What? Did you seduce her in the short time I was away?”

Bai Jianqing immediately frowned, about to explain, but Lin Huaiyu spoke first. “Your Majesty, please watch your words.”

Wang Xiangyu was stunned, staring wide-eyed at Lin Huaiyu. This man hadn’t begged for mercy instead, he told the Emperor to watch his words? Did he not value his life?

However, Su Yang didn’t punish him, though his expression darkened. “Then serve the tea.”

Lin Huaiyu glanced up at Su Yang and sighed inwardly.

This man was probably jealous because he saw Bai Jianqing exchange glances with him and speak up for him.

If he cared so much about Bai Jianqing, why would he hurt her with his words? Wasn’t he afraid of leaving a bad impression on her?

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Lin Huaiyu walked toward the pavilion. Wang Xiangyu had thought Lin Huaiyu truly feared nothing, but in the end, wasn’t he still going to serve him tea? Since the emperor had taken his side, didn’t that mean there was hope for him to ascend to the position of male empress?

Thinking this, he looked up at Su Yang again. “Your Majesty, thank you for standing up for your subject.”

Su Yang responded perfunctorily and asked casually, “What is your name?”

Believing he truly had a chance, Wang Xiangyu quickly replied, “Your subject is Wang Xiangyu. Wang Ying is my grandfather.”

Su Yang raised an eyebrow. “Grandson of Grand Secretary Wang, Wang Xiangyu… That’s a fine name. I like the character ‘yu’ in it.”

“If Your Majesty likes it, it is your subject’s honor.” Wang Xiangyu smiled as he looked up, but his expression stiffened upon seeing Su Yang’s demeanor.

Although Su Yang was speaking to him, his gaze was not fixed on him but was instead intently focused on…

Wang Xiangyu followed Su Yang’s gaze and saw Lin Huaiyu, who was walking toward the pavilion.

Lin Huaiyu did not enter the pavilion directly. Instead, he crouched down beside it, his black robes trailing on the ground and gathering dust.

He scooped up a handful of soil, walked into the pavilion, tossed it into the teapot, then poured tea and walked over to Su Yang and Wang Xiangyu, saying calmly, “Drink.”

Wang Xiangyu glanced at the murky tea, then at Su Yang, and complained pitifully, “Your Majesty, how can one drink this tea? This wretched servant dares to bully others like this, even disregarding Your Majesty’s orders.”

Yet this time, Su Yang did not respond.

Wang Xiangyu’s heart sank.

Could it be that this male favorite still held some weight in the emperor’s heart?

In a desperate struggle, he added, “Your Majesty, I don’t want to drink…”

Su Yang chuckled lightly, a hint of mockery in his voice. “Didn’t you just demand that he serve you tea? Why refuse to drink it now?”

Wang Xiangyu paled and shook his head. “I…”

Su Yang withdrew his gaze and said coldly, “Drink.”

Wang Xiangyu glanced at Lin Huaiyu, who remained as composed and indifferent as ever, as if the cup in his hand held not filthy tea but the finest brew.

With no room for negotiation and unable to defy the imperial decree, Wang Xiangyu had no choice but to take the cup from Lin Huaiyu’s hand. He braced himself and took a sip, only for grains of sand to immediately lodge in his throat. He choked violently, but not daring to throw the teacup away, he pleaded with Su Yang again, “Your Majesty, this tea truly cannot be drunk.”

Su Yang’s gaze remained fixed on Lin Huaiyu, not sparing Wang Xiangyu a single glance. “Must I repeat myself?”

Wang Xiangyu choked back his words, gritted his teeth, and downed the tea filled with soil and sand in one gulp. His face flushed red as he coughed uncontrollably, as if trying to expel his entire stomach.

Tears welled in the corners of his eyes, and he did not forget to tug at Su Yang’s sleeve and whine, “Your Majesty, I feel so terrible. Could you pat my back?”

Su Yang raised an eyebrow and finally turned his gaze to Wang Xiangyu. However, instead of patting his back, he called out meaningfully, “Ayu…”

Wang Xiangyu’s eyes lit up instantly, and he responded, “Your Majesty…”

But the next moment, Su Yang shook off the hand clutching his sleeve and shoved Wang Xiangyu to the ground, saying coldly, “You are unworthy of that name. Go back and have Grand Secretary Wang choose a new one for you.”

With that, he strode toward Lin Huaiyu, grabbed his hand, and headed in the direction of Qinchun Palace, his expression frighteningly cold.

But he still left behind a sentence: “Defu, Minister Wang has failed in teaching his son. For his insolence in offending my teacher, I shall discipline him on his behalf twenty strokes of the court rod, then throw him back.”

The crowd remaining in the imperial garden erupted in murmurs.

The emperor’s teacher… That person just now was not some lowly male favorite, but the emperor’s own mentor, the current prime minister Lin Huaiyu!

Wang Xiangyu, who lay collapsed on the ground, turned deathly pale.

Whether it was offending Lin Huaiyu whom even his grandfather dared not provoke or the impending twenty strokes of the court rod, both filled him with terror.

If he had to say which was worse, it was undoubtedly offending Lin Huaiyu.

That powerful minister who held sway over the court and even disregarded the emperor with his temperament, their entire Wang household would suffer!

It’s over.

But at this moment, Lin Huaiyu’s mind echoed the same two words.

Dragged along by Su Yang, his wrist tightly gripped and aching, Su Yang strode ahead with a frosty expression, the oppressive aura around him terrifyingly low. His seething anger was undoubtedly directed at him once again.

Lin Huaiyu thought for a moment and spoke up: “Miss Bai was merely trying to help me out of a difficult situation. Your Majesty likes her you should stay in the imperial garden and spend time with her.”

As soon as Lin Huaiyu finished speaking, Su Yang flung him into the Qinchun Palace. The door to the room slammed shut with a loud “bang” as Su Yang glared at him, his face shadowed and grim: “That Wang fellow was already tugging at my sleeve, even acting coy with me. Lin Huaiyu, how could you remain so indifferent?!”

Lin Huaiyu was taken aback. He truly hadn’t expected Su Yang to say this and couldn’t help but reply: “Wasn’t that permitted by Your Majesty?”

“And then?” Su Yang fumed, exasperated. “You just stood there and watched? Someone who hasn’t even entered the palace yet knows how to vie for favor. And you? Without your position as prime minister, you’re just my male favorite. Don’t you feel even a hint of jealousy?”

But Lin Huaiyu looked at him and asked: “Once Your Majesty fills the harem, will you allow me to leave the palace?”

Upon hearing this, Su Yang’s breathing grew even more ragged: “You wish! Lin Huaiyu, so you truly don’t care about me at all.”

Lin Huaiyu fell silent. He realized that ever since he entered the palace, he and Su Yang could never seem to understand each other.

Before he could speak again, Su Yang approached, yanked him up from his seat, and roughly stripped off his outer robe: “Flirting with others right in front of me don’t think I didn’t notice. Every eye in the imperial garden was on you. Bai Jianqing exchanging glances with you do you like her?”

Soon, Lin Huaiyu was stripped of his clothes again. Frowning, he looked at Su Yang in disbelief: “How could I and Miss Bai possibly…”

Yet Su Yang gave him no chance to explain: “You really are nothing but a lowly male favorite. I was away from you for just a moment, and you went off to seduce someone else.”

Lin Huaiyu finally understood Su Yang simply wanted to humiliate him.

He said nothing more. The cold, hard surface of the table pressed against his back, scraping his fair skin until red marks appeared.

The golden nanmu table shook violently, as if it might be torn apart at any moment, the commotion far from subtle.

Enduring the dual pain inside and out, Lin Huaiyu bit his lower lip tightly, only to hear Su Yang’s malicious whisper in his ear: “Teacher, open your eyes and look. See for yourself what you’ve become.”

Su Yang’s words were like a whisper from a demon, each syllable sinking into Lin Huaiyu’s ears: “After being pinned beneath me, Teacher, do you truly believe you could still desire a woman?”

Lin Huaiyu’s eyes, dark as crow feathers, trembled violently.