The Sickly Beauty Official Faked His Death and Now the Tyrant Has Gone Mad - Chapter 13

“Teacher, are you abandoning me?” Su Yang stared intently at Lin Huaiyu, his voice trembling slightly as he spoke.

Lin Huaiyu glanced at him. It was Su Yang who had insisted on cutting ties, so why was he now acting so anxious when Lin Huaiyu no longer wanted to be his teacher?

“Your Majesty should not ask me. You should ask yourself,” Lin Huaiyu replied, averting his gaze.

“Ask myself?” Su Yang clenched his fists, watching Lin Huaiyu’s cold, indifferent expression.

Lin Huaiyu was always distant and aloof with everyone, yet he had always been patient with Su Yang, even going out of his way to do many things for him. Every year, he would prepare birthday gifts for Su Yang. Lin Huaiyu had always treated him differently from others.

But now, Lin Huaiyu treated him just like everyone else. Gone was the patience he once had, as if in Lin Huaiyu’s heart, Su Yang was no different from any outsider.

The more Su Yang thought about it, the angrier he became. He grabbed Lin Huaiyu’s face, forcing him to look at him and speak. “It was you who kept pushing me away. It was you who wanted to send me off to those court ladies and attendants. Even when Wang Xiangyu flirted with me right in front of you, you didn’t react at all. And now, you don’t even want me as your student anymore pushing me away, abandoning me, and then asking me? Lin Huaiyu, how heartless can you be?”

Lin Huaiyu watched Su Yang’s outburst and asked coldly, “So, Your Majesty still intends to kill them?”

Su Yang sneered. “Do you care about them that much? Are these strangers, who mean nothing to you, more important to you than I am?”

Lin Huaiyu pursed his lips, his brows furrowing with displeasure. “What if they are? Su Yang, have you had enough of this? I’ve been indulging you all this time, and you still haven’t come to your senses?”

“Indulging me?” Su Yang seized on Lin Huaiyu’s words, leaning closer. “So, all this time, Teacher has been enjoying it too, hasn’t he?”

Lin Huaiyu turned away in embarrassment. “That’s not what I meant.”

Su Yang chuckled darkly. “It doesn’t matter. Since Teacher wants to save those insignificant people, you should know what it takes to make a deal with me.”

Lin Huaiyu looked at Su Yang, a bad premonition forming in his heart.

Sure enough, Su Yang spoke softly the next moment. “One person for each time. How does that sound?”

Lin Huaiyu was furious. Pointing at Su Yang, he scolded, “Is this all you can think about at a time like this? Su Yang, I no longer consider you my student. You’ve grown up, you’ve become stubborn, and you no longer listen to a word I say. If that’s the case, let me go. From now on, I won’t interfere with your affairs anymore.”

Su Yang’s expression darkened instantly. He grabbed Lin Huaiyu’s pointing hand and shoved him onto the bed, pinning his slender, pale wrists above his head. Leaning over him, he growled, “How dare you? Lin Huaiyu, since you no longer want to be my teacher, you’re nothing but my captive. What right do you have to negotiate with me?”

Enraged, Lin Huaiyu struggled, and this time, he managed to break free enough to kick Su Yang hard in the leg.

It’s just a pity that he was no match for Su Yang in terms of strength. Su Yang had trained in martial arts since childhood, possessing considerable skill and well-defined muscles that concealed immense power. Lin Huaiyu, who had never been Su Yang’s opponent before, was now weakened by poison and even less capable of resisting.

His kick was nothing more than a tickle to Su Yang.

Su Yang didn’t budge an inch. Instead, he took control, pinning Lin Huaiyu’s leg under his own and restraining him once again. “Didn’t you enjoy it too, Teacher? Why not be obedient this time and cooperate with me? If I’m in a good mood, I might even show mercy and release all the candidates for the imperial selection.”

Lin Huaiyu’s eyes reddened, his chest heaving with emotion, but soon he couldn’t even muster the strength to curse.

Su Yang sealed his lips, tore off his robe, and exposed his warm body to the air. Lin Huaiyu shivered slightly but was pulled into Su Yang’s embrace.

After a long while, Su Yang finally released Lin Huaiyu’s swollen lips. “I’ll give you one more chance. Just say that you care about me, that I am the most important person in your heart, that you will never abandon me, and I will let you go today.”

Yet Lin Huaiyu’s eyes still held only disappointment and a trace of helplessness.

He couldn’t promise Su Yang that he would stay by his side forever. After all, given his current condition, he had at most half a year left.

His silence caused Su Yang’s heart to sink bit by bit. Su Yang let out a cold, self-mocking laugh. “Do you despise me so much, Teacher, that you won’t even bother to lie to me?”

Lin Huaiyu frowned slightly but still didn’t know how to respond. Su Yang, furious to the point of laughter, sneered, “Fine, fine, fine.”

He gripped Lin Huaiyu’s waist, holding him firmly, refusing to let him escape. “I gave you a chance, but you didn’t take it. Don’t blame me for what comes next!”

“Lin Huaiyu, from now on, you are nothing but my captive. I will no longer show you any mercy!” Su Yang’s words rang with finality.

As his voice faded, the bed curtains were drawn, cutting off Lin Huaiyu’s view.

Su Yang blindfolded him with a sash. In the darkness, unable to see, Lin Huaiyu’s other senses were heightened to their limits.

Amidst the swaying bed curtains, Lin Huaiyu managed to crawl halfway out, the blindfold slipping partially off. But in the next moment, a pair of strong hands dragged him back forcefully.

Su Yang’s low, hoarse voice sounded behind him. “Lin Huaiyu, where do you think you can escape to?”

Lin Huaiyu cursed all night, not even realizing when his strength gave out and his curses gradually faded into silence.

The night stars slowly faded against the dark curtain of the sky, and sunlight peeked over the horizon, heralding the start of a new day.

When Lin Huaiyu woke again, he felt utterly disoriented, a stark contrast to his previous awakenings.

This time, aside from the soreness and weakness throughout his body, his vision was blurry and slow to focus. Even the bed canopy appeared double, and his head throbbed with pain.

He had never felt this miserable before. Su Yang had truly been merciless last night.

Lin Huaiyu rested for a long time, regaining some strength, but the headache persisted. Frowning, he tried to push himself up, only to freeze the moment he moved.

His pale face instantly flushed with anger, and he cursed through gritted teeth, “Beast!”

Unfortunately, he couldn’t make much sound either after shouting all night, his voice was already hoarse.

He awkwardly maintained that position. With just a slight movement, a warm flow surged out from below. This was the first time Lin Huaiyu had woken up in the morning and clearly felt the humiliation from the previous night.

Unlike before, this humiliation felt more tangible, almost reawakening those memories and forcing him to recall the sensations of the night, reminding him of the shameless things he had done with Su Yang.

In the past, Su Yang had likely cleaned him up, so he had never experienced such a feeling the next day.

Lin Huaiyu dared not move a muscle until a headache jolted him out of his rigid state, allowing him to move again.

He stood up from the bed, enduring the discomfort and shame of the fluid trickling out. He randomly grabbed one of Su Yang’s outer robes, draped it over himself, and hid his entire body within its folds before pushing the door open.

The surrounding scenery spun and tilted. Lin Huaiyu could only lean against the doorframe and slowly make his way out.

There wasn’t much to attend to in the morning court session that day. Su Yang, preoccupied with thoughts of Lin Huaiyu, left the court early.

He had been furious the previous day, and Lin Huaiyu was likely unable to get out of bed today. Su Yang had deliberately not cleaned him up, thinking that if he returned now, he would catch Lin Huaiyu waking up, his face flushed red as he struggled to suppress his shame.

Lin Huaiyu would probably scold him, just like last night. But unfortunately, Lin Huaiyu’s voice was already hoarse, so even if he wanted to curse, he couldn’t.

The thought of Lin Huaiyu’s helpless expression brought a smile to Su Yang’s lips. Feeling lighthearted, he walked briskly toward the Qinchun Palace.

The moment he pushed the door open, Su Yang sensed something amiss in the room.

Something was off.

His smile vanished, and his gaze instantly fell upon the bed.

The bedding had already been thrown aside, and the person who should have been curled up there was nowhere to be seen.

Su Yang’s heart sank abruptly.

Lin Huaiyu was gone.

Lin Huaiyu had run away!

It seemed Lin Huaiyu was constantly thinking of leaving him!

Su Yang’s face darkened as he swept the untouched medicine on the table to the floor.

A group of servants knelt at the door, and Su Yang roared, “Where is he?!”

De Fu, seeing the situation, quickly stepped forward and asked the palace attendants at the door, “Where has Prime Minister Lin gone?”

The attendants, terrified by Su Yang’s outburst, trembled and dared not speak.

Su Yang had no patience. He kicked one of the attendants aside. “Useless! Can’t even keep an eye on one person!”

Another attendant, seeing the one who had been kicked coughing up blood, pinched his own thigh to calm himself and replied with his head bowed, “Your Majesty, spare us! Lord Lin just draped an outer robe over himself and went in that direction. We saw he didn’t look well, so we didn’t dare ask or follow.”

Su Yang glanced in the direction the attendant pointed.

De Fu quickly added, “There seems to be only a bathhouse in that direction.”

Hearing this, Su Yang’s expression softened slightly.

He turned and headed toward the bathhouse.

The bathhouse was dimly lit, with windows covered by gauze that blocked out the sunlight.

A massive pool was built into the floor, and white mist filled the room, creating an ethereal, fairy-tale-like atmosphere.

As Su Yang pushed the door open, he saw a half-submerged figure leaning against the edge of the pool, head tilted against the wall, motionless. Long hair cascaded down the chest and into the water, looking broken and fragile.

Amidst the drifting white mist, the rise and fall of the person’s breathing was indistinct. Lin Huaiyu seemed to simply lean there quietly, as if even his breath had dissipated.

The sight made Su Yang’s heart tighten.

He didn’t allow Defu to enter, casually closing the door behind him as he stepped closer to Lin Huaiyu, his robes falling to the floor one by one with each stride.

Only when he reached Lin Huaiyu’s side and saw the faint flush on his skin and the rosy hue on his cheeks from the steam did Su Yang finally let out a sigh of relief.

How could he have thought Lin Huaiyu was dead just moments ago?

This man was merely frail from illness, but Lin Huaiyu was so formidable, his schemes and calculations even made the late emperor wary. How could such a person die so easily?

He must have been out of his mind earlier.

Su Yang shook off the strange unease and panic in his heart, stepping into the pool and locking Lin Huaiyu in front of him.

“Lin Huaiyu.”

Lin Huaiyu sensed someone calling him, the voice muffled by the water, unclear and hazy, as if he had misheard.

But the other called him twice more, and Lin Huaiyu slowly awoke.

Lifting his gaze, he was met with a firm chest, but his eyes, blurred and unfocused, were a testament to his still-recovering body.

Why hadn’t he recovered yet this time?

Lin Huaiyu couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

But before he could dwell on it, Su Yang, seeing him awake, asked, “Why did you fall asleep here?”

Lin Huaiyu’s voice was weary and lazy. “Your Majesty knows the answer.”

Su Yang chuckled softly, the earlier gloom in his mood vanishing. He leaned in and whispered in Lin Huaiyu’s ear, “Teacher, were you so eager to come here and bathe because you cleaned yourself?”

Hearing this, Lin Huaiyu closed his eyes in shame and anger. His vision was still blurry, and he lacked the strength to scold Su Yang now.

Su Yang, thinking of how Lin Huaiyu must have looked when he woke up and discovered the remnants inside him, smiled and drew closer. “I’ll help Teacher clean up.”

Lin Huaiyu frowned but couldn’t muster any strength, allowing Su Yang to embrace him and lift him out of the water.

Lin Huaiyu rested his head on Su Yang’s shoulder, letting him clean while he coughed softly.

Blood spread through the water behind Su Yang. Seeing the drops of his own blood, Lin Huaiyu immediately furrowed his brow and reached out to push the blood away with the water, forgetting in his dazed state that blood had a scent.

“Why is there a smell of blood?” Su Yang’s low voice carried a hint of danger.

Lin Huaiyu tensed instantly.

Before he could think of an explanation, Su Yang smiled and said, “Was I too rough? Did it tear?”

Lin Huaiyu: “…”

For a moment, Lin Huaiyu didn’t know whether to feel relieved or scold Su Yang.

Since he was utterly weak and his voice hoarse, Su Yang finished cleaning him and carried him out of the pool.

Lin Huaiyu insisted stubbornly, “I can walk on my own.”

Su Yang ignored him, drying the man, draping a cloak over him, and wrapping Lin Huaiyu inside as he headed toward the bedchamber of Qinchun Palace.

He gently placed Lin Huaiyu on the bed, frowning in confusion. “Why are you still so feverish even after leaving the pool?”

Lin Huaiyu, upon touching the bed, pulled the blanket over himself and curled up, ignoring Su Yang. His head ached and spun, and he couldn’t even speak, so he decided to simply go back to sleep.

Seeing this, Su Yang’s expression darkened abruptly. “Teacher, are you blaming me for not cleaning you last night?”

Lin Huaiyu didn’t respond.

Su Yang’s brows furrowed tightly. “Teacher won’t even speak a single word to me now? Do you truly despise me so much?”

“I refuse to let you have your way!” Su Yang reached out and gripped Lin Huaiyu’s chin, intending to force him awake, but the moment his fingers made contact, he withdrew his hand.

A flicker of panic flashed in his eyes.

So hot.

Su Yang immediately pressed the back of his hand against Lin Huaiyu’s forehead. The scorching heat was even more intense than when he had been in the pool this didn’t seem like mere overheating from staying in the water too long.

Su Yang immediately called out, “De Fu! Summon the imperial physician!”

Zhou Li was somewhat apprehensive about treating Lin Huaiyu again, fearing that his previous deception of the emperor might be exposed. Yet, torn by his duty, he hurried to the Spring Breeze Palace and, under Su Yang’s dark gaze, took Lin Huaiyu’s pulse.

After a long while, he finally released his hand. Before Zhou Li could speak, Su Yang asked first, “How is he?”

Zhou Li quickly replied, “Lord Lin is suffering from pent-up frustration in the chest and excessive fatigue, which has depleted his vitality. I will prescribe a new medicinal formula for recuperation. However, regarding the fever…”

Su Yang’s tone immediately turned dangerous. “What about it?”

Not daring to beat around the bush, Zhou Li cautiously observed Su Yang’s expression and carefully worded his response. “Your Majesty must exercise restraint. After intimate matters, it is essential to clean Lord Lin thoroughly. If anything remains inside, it can cause him to develop a fever.”

Su Yang felt a pang of guilt. He had always taken care to clean Lin Huaiyu properly before, which was why Lin Huaiyu had never fallen so ill. Only yesterday…

He shouldn’t have let his anger get the better of him.

“Go prepare the medicine,” Su Yang said.

Zhou Li let out a soft sigh of relief, feeling as though he had narrowly escaped disaster.

Once everyone had left and the room returned to silence, Su Yang gazed at Lin Huaiyu curled up under the blankets. He sat on the edge of the bed and called softly, “Teacher, wake up. Have some water.”

Lin Huaiyu did not regain consciousness. He merely turned his head and murmured weakly, “Xiao Fei, don’t disturb me. Whatever it is, we can discuss it tomorrow.”

Su Yang froze in place. He stared at Lin Huaiyu for a long time before letting out a self-mocking laugh. “Lin Huaiyu, your heart holds so many people. Even in your dreams, you call out for your steward. But what about me? Where do I stand? You’re right here beside me, yet even in your dreams, you refuse to utter my name.”

Lin Huaiyu mumbled something else softly, but Su Yang couldn’t make it out. All he knew was that this version of Lin Huaiyu seemed so fragile, so different from the usual Lin Huaiyu.

Lin Huaiyu had never shown a hint of vulnerability in front of others. Even though everyone knew his health was poor, they always overlooked it when they saw him.

But now, Lin Huaiyu was curled up under the blankets, his consciousness blurred, his words as indistinct as those of a speechless infant murmured and unclear, impossible to decipher.

Su Yang regretted it. He shouldn’t have treated Lin Huaiyu so roughly.

When Lin Fei received the imperial decree to enter the palace, he was somewhat bewildered. It had been over a month since he last saw his master, and he didn’t understand why the emperor had kept Lord Lin in the palace for so long this time.

Nevertheless, he didn’t dare delay. After gathering a few things, he followed De Fu into the imperial palace.

“Eunuch De Fu, has my master been well during his stay in the palace?” Lin Fei asked softly as he walked through the vast palace grounds, careful not to let his eyes wander.

De Fu smiled. “Naturally, everything has been fine.”

Only then did Lin Fei feel slightly relieved. “That’s good.”

Come to think of it, Minister Lin is the Emperor’s teacher and the esteemed Prime Minister. Who would dare show him disrespect? Even His Majesty must attend to him with utmost reverence. He must have been overthinking things.

Yet the moment he stepped into the Spring Fragrance Palace, his eased heart shattered completely.

Though the Spring Fragrance Palace was luxurious, it paled in comparison to the Prime Minister’s residence. It felt more like a cage a gilded cage that trapped the figure on the bed, draining the life from them until only an empty shell remained.

Lin Fei stood at the doorway, gazing at the figure lying on the bed. Thick quilts covered Lin Huaiyu, almost obscuring the faint rise and fall of his breathing.

He looked as fragile as paper, as if a gust of wind could scatter him away.

Snapping back to reality, Lin Fei hurried to Lin Huaiyu’s bedside, calling out urgently, “My lord, my lord, wake up.”

Noticing Lin Huaiyu’s pallid complexion, he reached out to touch his forehead.

“Ah ” Lin Fei quickly withdrew his hand.

It was burning hot. At this temperature, his lord might suffer brain damage!

Just as he was about to look for Eunuch Defu, Lin Huaiyu’s eyelashes fluttered slightly on the bed, as if he was waking.

Lin Fei immediately turned back and called out again, “My lord!”

Lin Huaiyu heard the steward’s voice and remained dazed for a long moment before slowly rousing. Seeing the figure by his bedside, he couldn’t help but ask, “Why are you here?”

Hearing Lin Huaiyu’s hoarse voice, Lin Fei’s tears instantly fell. When had his lord ever been this weak? What kind of torment had he endured in the palace over the past month?!

“My lord? How are you? What happened? Who did this to you? I’ll report it to His Majesty for you!” Lin Fei looked at Lin Huaiyu with heartache.

Lin Huaiyu lowered his gaze and replied softly, “No need. I’m fine.”

“Fine?!” Lin Fei exclaimed in shock. “Your voice is hoarse, and your body is burning up. What if your mind gets damaged from the fever? Where are the imperial physicians? Why haven’t they treated you?”

Lin Huaiyu gave a faint smile. “They’ve already seen me and gone to prepare medicine. How did you get into the palace?”

Lin Fei answered instinctively, “His Majesty summoned me to the palace to take care of you.”

Lin Huaiyu gave a weak nod and struggled to sit up. Seeing this, Lin Fei quickly helped him lean against the pillows.

Lin Huaiyu asked, “Did you bring what I asked for?”

Lin Fei nodded, wiped away his tears, and pulled out an exquisitely embroidered pouch from his robe, handing it to Lin Huaiyu.

Lin Huaiyu took it, opened the pouch, and inside was a protective talisman, with Su Yang’s name written on the back.

He closed the pouch again, supported himself on the bedpost, and got out of bed. Lin Fei immediately helped him walk.

Lin Huaiyu placed the pouch in a drawer beneath the cabinet. After just a few steps, he felt dizzy and began coughing softly and incessantly.

Lin Fei patted his back to help him breathe, pouting as he said, “If staying in the palace is so uncomfortable, my lord, why not return to the Lin residence? The imperial palace may be grand, but it’s cold and desolate. If there’s nothing urgent keeping you here, leave and go back to recover from your illness.”