The Sickly Beauty Official Faked His Death and Now the Tyrant Has Gone Mad - Chapter 16

The weather outside the palace was exceptionally fine a clear blue sky with white clouds as if painted, free of snow or rain. Winter was finally coming to an end.

Lin Fei drove the carriage from the palace gates back to the Lin residence. He had failed to bring Lin Huaiyu home. He had come alone, and now he was returning alone.

As the figure gradually faded into the distance, Defu withdrew his gaze, sighed softly, and turned back.

Inside the Qinchun Palace, the frail figure leaned against the bedside, the prepared medicine placed beside him untouched.

Defu kindly advised, “Lord Lin, your health is poor. Please take the medicine and take care of yourself.”

Lin Huaiyu merely glanced at the sky and asked Defu, “Has Xiao Fei left the palace?”

Defu nodded. “Yes.”

Lin Huaiyu said nothing more. Seeing that he could not persuade him, Defu had no choice but to withdraw.

After all, if even His Majesty could do nothing about it, how could a mere servant like him make Lin Huaiyu listen?

But if Lord Lin refused to take the medicine, His Majesty would surely be displeased upon his return, likely leading to another argument.

When Su Yang entered, he immediately noticed the cold medicine. His expression unchanged, he walked to the bedside, his tone somewhat chilly. “I’ve heard that cold medicine tastes even worse. Would you like to try it, Teacher?”

Lin Huaiyu did not spare a single glance for the medicine. Instead, he looked at Su Yang and asked, “Is Your Majesty planning to take an empress?”

Hearing Lin Huaiyu’s questioning tone, Su Yang’s lips curled slightly, a faint smile touching his eyes. “Does Teacher care about this?”

Yet there was no trace of a smile in Lin Huaiyu’s eyes neither joy nor sorrow, as if he were merely inquiring about court matters. He straightened slightly and said earnestly, “If Your Majesty truly intends to take an empress, then it is time for me to leave the palace. After all, I am merely an outsider. Once the empress enters the inner palace, my presence here would be inappropriate. I beg Your Majesty’s permission.”

The smile in Su Yang’s eyes instantly faded, though the curve of his lips remained, cold and detached. “So this is what you wanted to say again. Very well, let me tell you: your presence in the inner palace is not inappropriate. I’ve said it before you are my favored one. Even if there is an empress in the future, it will not affect your place here.”

Lin Huaiyu looked at Su Yang in disbelief, taking a long moment before asking, “Who is the empress?”

“Oh, Teacher doesn’t know yet.” Su Yang smiled again. He enjoyed seeing Lin Huaiyu show concern; he wanted Lin Huaiyu to care about him. “The empress is naturally the eldest daughter of General Bai Jianqing.”

As expected.

Lin Huaiyu had already guessed that Bai Jianqing would be the one when he heard from Lin Fei that Su Yang was taking an empress.

Before he could speak, Su Yang, seeing Lin Huaiyu’s lowered gaze and indifferent expression, suddenly felt anger rise within him.

But he forced himself to appear nonchalant, provoking Lin Huaiyu further. “I recall Teacher spoke highly of Bai Jianqing. Since she has caught your eye and earned your favor, she must be quite exceptional. Don’t you agree, Teacher?”

Lin Huaiyu could hear the sarcasm in Su Yang’s tone and frowned. “What does this have to do with me? As for taking an empress, Your Majesty’s preference is all that matters.”

Su Yang hated it when Lin Huaiyu reverted to this indifferent demeanor. He was about to take an empress, yet this person still acted as if it meant nothing to him.

He suppressed his smile and leaned closer to Lin Huaiyu, speaking maliciously, “After all, you are my teacher, and in a way, my elder. Why not have you oversee the empress’s coronation ceremony? You could even preside over the grand ceremony, witnessing my marriage. What do you think?”

Lin Huaiyu’s face turned pale. The light from the window fell directly on him, making his fair complexion appear almost translucent. He replied coldly, “I am unwell. Your Majesty’s wedding should be left to the Ministry of Rites. I will not participate.”

Su Yang’s gaze darkened as he leaned in further, pressing Lin Huaiyu against the bedpost with an overwhelming presence. “Even when you were unwell, you still managed the imperial examinations with utmost dedication. Yet when it comes to me, you refuse to participate. It seems you truly care nothing for me.”

He whispered into Lin Huaiyu’s ear, “But I insist you attend. Not only will you be there, but you will also personally present the empress’s golden seal to my future empress. I wonder if, from such a close distance, she will notice the marks on you marks that belong only to me?”

Lin Huaiyu glared fiercely at Su Yang.

Seeing the icy composure on Lin Huaiyu’s face finally shattered, Su Yang couldn’t help but curl his lips into a smirk. He reached out and traced Lin Huaiyu’s collar, slowly moving downward as he continued, “With all the court officials present, who would have thought that the dignified prime minister, the emperor’s own teacher, hides beneath his proper attire the traces of a kept lover, thoroughly marked by my presence? Even after being reduced to such a state by me, you still have to preside over my wedding. Lin Huaiyu, you truly have no shame.”

Slap!

Su Yang’s head snapped to the side from the blow. He touched his burning cheek and let out a low chuckle.

Lin Huaiyu’s eyes reddened with anger. Unable to hold back, he had struck Su Yang and now struggled to get out of bed. He grabbed a nearby bamboo rod of unknown purpose. “Su Yang, when did I ever teach you to humiliate your teacher like this?”

Su Yang turned to look at Lin Huaiyu, his gaze falling on the slender rod. He smirked, “Are you going to strike me, Teacher?”

Even in his childhood, Lin Huaiyu had never struck him. Yet now, for Bai Jianqing’s sake, Lin Huaiyu was willing to raise his hand against him!

A storm seemed to brew in Su Yang’s eyes.

At this moment, Lin Huaiyu paid no heed to Su Yang’s darkening expression, only wanting to discipline his wayward student. “The matter of appointing an empress is no trivial affair. If Your Majesty truly loves Miss Bai, I would naturally offer my blessings. But if you are only doing this to humiliate me and do not genuinely care for her, then do not ruin her life for nothing!”

Su Yang reached out and seized the bamboo rod Lin Huaiyu was pointing at him with, as if grasping a sharp sword. His gaze was icy, chilling to the bone, and the oppressive atmosphere made it hard to breathe. In an instant, the bamboo rod in Lin Huaiyu’s hand snapped in two under Su Yang’s grip.

Su Yang tightened his hold on Lin Huaiyu’s wrist, as if intending to crush it along with the broken rod. “Lin Huaiyu, you care so much about her. For her sake, you would strike me and reprimand me.”

He laughed self-mockingly and added, “But then again, everyone else is more important than me in your eyes. In your heart, I am nothing but a tyrant. Are you deeply disappointed now, having exhausted all your efforts only to raise a tyrant?”

Lin Huaiyu felt as though his hand was about to be broken by Su Yang. He endured the pain, frowning as the remaining half of the bamboo rod fell from his grasp and was crushed beneath Su Yang’s foot.

Lin Huaiyu looked at Su Yang, his eyes filled more with resignation than disappointment. “I truly hoped you would become a wise ruler. The people of the world need a wise ruler.”

Su Yang scoffed. “As expected, Lin Huaiyu. You never cared about me. Your desire to leave has been so strong from the very beginning.”

Lin Huaiyu shook his head. “Your Majesty should not hold too much attachment to me. Since you are about to marry, please let me go.”

Su Yang refused to let go, gripping Lin Huaiyu’s wrist even tighter. “Is it because you’re jealous, Teacher? If you say you don’t want me to take an empress, if you say you care about me, I can cancel the marriage. I won’t marry Bai Jianqing.”

Lin Huaiyu forcefully pulled his hand away from Su Yang’s grasp, leaving a red mark on his fair wrist. He let his hand hang at his side, the wide sleeve of his robe covering the abrasion. “Su Yang, the matter of appointing an empress is not a trivial affair. Do you truly not understand? Once the imperial decree is issued, how can you simply discard it? What will the world think of Miss Bai? What will they think of the Bai family? And what will they think of you?”

A hint of madness flickered in Su Yang’s eyes. He hated the distant, hostile gaze Lin Huaiyu directed at him, and he hated how every word from Lin Huaiyu’s mouth was about others. Gripping Lin Huaiyu’s hand, he shoved him against the table, his expression contorted. “I don’t care!”

Lin Huaiyu, who had remained calm and indifferent until now, finally felt anger rise within him. “I care!”

Su Yang was taken aback for a moment, then let out a self-mocking laugh. “What Teacher cares about is merely reputation their reputation, the greater good, the overall situation. You never cared about me.”

Hearing Su Yang’s self-deprecating words, Lin Huaiyu frowned. “When have I ever not cared about you? Even in death, I would pave the way for you.”

Su Yang immediately cut him off. “Who wants to hear such hypocritical words? If you truly cared about me, why do you insist on leaving? Why won’t you even say a single word asking to stay? Lin Huaiyu, you are truly deceitful.”

Lin Huaiyu opened his mouth but found himself speechless. For a moment, he felt as though there was truly nothing left to say between him and Su Yang.

Yet, there were still so many things he needed to discuss with Su Yang. They should have been sitting together, handling court affairs, uprooting the corrupt officials. In the time he had left, he should have taught Su Yang everything he could.

Not like this, with daily arguments and humiliation.

Lin Huaiyu suddenly felt exhausted. He waved his hand, weariness etched on his face. “Forget it. Do as you wish. I can no longer teach you.”

Seeing the weariness in Lin Huaiyu’s eyes, Su Yang’s heart inexplicably skipped a beat. This sudden palpitation unsettled him, and he quickly grabbed Lin Huaiyu. “You’re giving up on me again, aren’t you? You’re abandoning me once more, casting me aside?”

Lin Huaiyu struggled to free his hand, frustration evident in his voice. “Let me go.”

“No!” Su Yang stubbornly held onto Lin Huaiyu, refusing to let him escape his embrace.

Too tired to struggle any longer, Lin Huaiyu gave up. After all, he could never overpower Su Yang. “Su Yang, since the decree to appoint an empress has been issued, Miss Bai will be the one to accompany you for the rest of your life. You must treat her well, not like how you treat me…”

Lin Huaiyu trailed off, unable to continue. How could he possibly compare himself to Bai Jianqing? Bai Jianqing was the one Su Yang admired, while he was merely the target of Su Yang’s humiliation. How could Su Yang treat Bai Jianqing the same way he treated him?

He fell silent, but Su Yang’s expression darkened once more, like storm clouds gathering, with thunder and lightning ready to strike in an instant, as if to shatter Lin Huaiyu into pieces.

Su Yang straightened up, his anger boiling over. “After all this talk, you’re still fixated on Bai Jianqing. Lin Huaiyu, if you care so much about her, how will you face her at the coronation ceremony?”

Just as Lin Huaiyu was about to speak, Su Yang cut him off again. “I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want you at the coronation ceremony. I have no interest in watching you and Bai Jianqing exchange glances right in front of me!”

With that, he gave Lin Huaiyu no chance to respond, scooping him up into his arms and striding toward the imperial study.

The palace corridors were lined with servants cleaning, but fortunately, none dared to look directly at the emperor. They all knelt and bowed their heads, so no one could see who the emperor was carrying. Only a glimpse of a wide, dragon-embroidered robe was caught before they knelt.

Hiss! Who could it be, wearing the emperor’s own robe?

No one could guess.

Lin Huaiyu was carried into the imperial study by Su Yang a place he had visited many times before. When he had pleaded for Su Yang’s mercy in the past, he had knelt outside this very study, snowflakes falling heavily upon him. Now, he was entering it again, but in such a state.

Yet, even after entering the study, Su Yang showed no intention of putting him down. A sense of foreboding suddenly rose in Lin Huaiyu’s heart.

Su Yang pressed a mechanism on his chair, and one of the bookshelves in the study slowly split open from the center, revealing a hidden passageway.

Lin Huaiyu couldn’t help but feel a chill. He had spent so much time here, and even after Su Yang became emperor, he had often entered the imperial study, yet he had never known there was a hidden chamber.

The chamber was not particularly large, only about half the size of the study. Su Yang threw Lin Huaiyu onto a stone bed in the corner, and a cold sensation instantly seeped through his robes, crawling over his body.

Then, he heard Su Yang’s icy voice. “Teacher, you will stay here. When you’ve learned your lesson, I will let you out.”