The Sickly Beauty Official Faked His Death and Now the Tyrant Has Gone Mad - Chapter 3

When Lin Huaiyu woke again, he was still lying on the floor. The floor heating seemed to be burning hotter than before; despite lying there for so long, he did not feel the cold.

His body still ached with discomfort. As he moved, attempting to rise, he realized someone was standing beside him: a silent, somber figure looking down at him from a height.

Lin Huaiyu did not need to look up to know who it was. He pulled the solitary cloak around himself, trying to shield the marks on his skin, only to hear Su Yang’s cold voice: “Teacher lies here stark naked without a stitch of clothing. Are you so unafraid of others coming in and seeing you like this?”

Lin Huaiyu’s anger, which had mostly subsided, flared up again at Su Yang’s sarcasm. He knitted his brows and snapped, “What madness are you gripped by now?”

Su Yang seemed to find the cloak an eyesore, as it blocked everything he wished to see. He leaned down and violently tore the cloak away from Lin Huaiyu’s body. He let out a huff and said, “Teacher intentionally collapsed here with nothing but a cloak, letting the marks beneath show through. Is this not an invitation? I am simply helping you; surely being completely naked is more seductive.”

Lin Huaiyu shifted his legs with embarrassment to hide his body’s natural reaction upon waking. He cursed, “You scoundrel, where are my clothes?”

Su Yang took in Lin Huaiyu’s every movement. He crouched down, his layered imperial robes trailing on the floor, and sneered, “Teacher said he took no pleasure in it, yet I was gone for but a moment and you want it again.”

Lin Huaiyu looked at Su Yang, his eyes frosting over. He did not care to defend himself and simply asked again, “Where are my clothes?”

Su Yang laughed wantonly, as if he had anticipated the question. He replied as if it were a matter of course, “Teacher’s clothes were naturally torn to shreds by me last night in the Imperial Garden.”

Lin Huaiyu’s brow furrowed. At this moment, he could not be bothered with the formalities of Emperor and Minister. He spoke as he did when they were still Master and Disciple, commanding, “Bring me a set of clothes.”

Su Yang did not budge. Instead, he asked pointedly, “What does Teacher need clothes for?”

Lin Huaiyu snapped, “To wear, obviously.”

Su Yang’s gaze lingered over Lin Huaiyu’s body. He shook his head slowly. “I think Teacher looks quite good like this. Putting on clothes would only ruin the beauty.”

Lin Huaiyu glared at Su Yang, his eyes full of warning. “Stop looking at me with those eyes.”

While others might fear Lin Huaiyu, Su Yang did not. He picked up a strand of Lin Huaiyu’s hair that had fallen to the floor and toyed with it between his fingers. “Teacher wants clothes, and then what? Put them on and leave the palace?”

Lin Huaiyu did not hesitate; his voice was as cold as a mountain spring. “Naturally.”

The smile on Su Yang’s lips deepened, but the darkness in his eyes grew thicker. He suddenly yanked Lin Huaiyu up from the floor and threw him violently onto the bed. “Why is Teacher in such a hurry to leave? Is it to go to Lord Tan’s manor and propose marriage?”

Fortunately, the bedding was soft. Lin Huaiyu did not feel the same pain as when he hit the table the night before, but his lower back, which was likely bruised from the previous night, ached terribly. He curled up on the bed, his tongue remaining sharp. “Since Your Majesty refuses to decree the marriage, I must naturally prepare the Three Letters and Six Rites to propose myself. Your Majesty has no business interfering.”

“Fine! Lin Huaiyu, you are truly bold!” Su Yang lunged at him like a wolf, pinching Lin Huaiyu’s chin to force him to look up. “The Prime Minister looks so dignified once dressed, but I wonder if the young lady of the Tan family knows that beneath those robes, her husband-to-be is covered in the marks of another man.”

Lin Huaiyu tried to push Su Yang’s hand away but lacked the strength to lift his arm. He could only clutch the fine fabric of the Emperor’s sleeve. “I am, in the end, an external official. I must leave the palace sooner or later. Does Your Majesty intend to keep me under house arrest in the Inner Palace?”

Su Yang laughed, though there was little genuine mirth in the sound. “You want to leave? Fine. I will give you two choices. Either walk out of Qinchun Palace exactly as you are, naked, or beg me to give you clothes.”

Lin Huaiyu looked up at Su Yang. That malicious smile made his blood boil. Having managed to gather a bit of strength, he kicked out at Su Yang. “Su Yang! Do you think because your wings have grown and you sit upon the dragon throne, I no longer dare to discipline you?”

Even with his gathered strength, Lin Huaiyu could do little against Su Yang. Su Yang caught his ankle, stroking it as he had the strand of hair. “So, has Teacher chosen a path?”

Lin Huaiyu tried to wrench his foot back, but Su Yang pressed it against his own chest. Lin Huaiyu said coldly, “I choose neither!”

Su Yang found it amusing to see Lin Huaiyu’s eyes redden with anger. Curling his lip, he said, “Since Teacher will not choose, I shall choose for you.”

As soon as he spoke, Su Yang hauled Lin Huaiyu off the bed and dragged him toward the door. The doors of Qinchun Palace were about to be thrown open.

Lin Huaiyu watched Su Yang’s actions in silence. A second later, Su Yang did indeed pull the door open. The twilight glow of dusk poured in; had Su Yang not been blocking the way, the light would have spilled over Lin Huaiyu’s broken form.

Quick as a flash, Lin Huaiyu slammed the door shut and roared, “Su Yang, are you mad?”

He had not expected Su Yang to actually do it. In his fury, he fell into a long coughing fit; his heart nearly leaped out of his chest. In the moment the door had opened, he had faintly heard the voices of palace servants nearby. He did not know if they had seen anything.

Su Yang’s eyebrows arched as the door he opened was forced shut. A playful look appeared in his eyes. “Teacher’s reaction is so grand; it seems you were quite looking forward to it in your heart.”

Lin Huaiyu braced one hand against the door while Su Yang gripped the other, keeping him upright. His chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath. Due to the coughing, Lin Huaiyu’s eyes were misty. When he looked at Su Yang, his cold gaze had lost some of its edge. “Su Yang, did you feed the respect for teachers I taught you to the dogs?”

Su Yang smiled, offering no rebuttal. “Since Teacher will not choose that path, then take the other: beg me.”

He let go of Lin Huaiyu’s hand and stared straight at him, feeling a sense of satisfaction at the sight of the man’s disheveled, marked body. His high and mighty, aloof, and abstinent Teacher was now covered from head to toe in his marks, forced to beg just for a piece of clothing. The thought was exhilarating.

“Beg me to give you clothes,” Su Yang repeated.

Lin Huaiyu gave him a frigid look. Even naked, his proud bones retained an air of frosted elegance. “And if I do not beg? What will Your Majesty do? Commit regicide against your teacher?”

The two stood in a deadlock. Su Yang truly could not kill Lin Huaiyu. He walked to the wardrobe, pulled out a set of clothes, and said, “No matter. There will come a day when Teacher begs me on his knees. We have plenty of time.”

Lin Huaiyu glanced at the clothes Su Yang handed him but did not take them. “Those are not mine.”

Su Yang let out a low chuckle. “Naturally. As I said, Teacher’s clothes were torn by me. There are no clothes for you in this palace. Or perhaps the Emperor bestows a gift, and the Minister dares to refuse?”

Left with no choice, Lin Huaiyu took the black brocade robes embroidered with gold and put them on. Su Yang was taller and broader than him, so the clothes were loose. When the belt was fastened, it slipped; Su Yang caught it and wrapped it around Lin Huaiyu’s waist to tie it himself. “Teacher’s waist is truly too thin. Last night, I feared I might break you.”

Lin Huaiyu did not want to hear Su Yang’s foul words. The moment the belt was tied, he turned to leave. Su Yang immediately blocked the door, his expression darkening. “Is Teacher in such a hurry to leave me?”

Lin Huaiyu gave him a look that said he knew perfectly well, and replied, “I must leave the palace. Any later and the gates will be locked.”

Seeing Lin Huaiyu’s desperation to escape his side, another shadow fell over Su Yang’s eyes. “If I do not permit the Prime Minister to leave, who would dare let you go?”

Lin Huaiyu’s brow knit together. “Does Your Majesty intend to keep me a prisoner?”

Su Yang looked at Lin Huaiyu wearing his own robes, belonging to him from the inside out, while the man’s heart only wanted to fly out of the palace. He said deeply, “And what if I do?”

Lin Huaiyu turned and asked, “May I ask Your Majesty, what crime have I committed?”

Su Yang replied casually, “The Prime Minister has offended the Son of Heaven. Can I not punish you?”

Lin Huaiyu said solemnly, “In that case, please have the Court of Judicial Review take me away and deal with me according to the law.”

Su Yang gritted his teeth and hissed, “You are so unwilling to stay by my side that you would rather be imprisoned in the Court of Judicial Review!”

Lin Huaiyu’s expression remained indifferent. Though he said nothing, his stance gave the answer.

“Fine, fine, fine!” Su Yang was furious. Once dressed, Lin Huaiyu seemed to build a shell around himself, becoming once again the ruthless and cold power player the world knew. Su Yang hated this side of him. “I simply will not let you leave!”

Leaving those words behind, Su Yang threw open the door and stormed out. His face was thunderous; the palace servants did not dare raise their heads, fearing they would provoke the already enraged Emperor.

Lin Huaiyu was locked inside. Without Su Yang’s permission, he truly could not pass the palace gates. He sat down and poured himself a cup of water. Fortunately, Su Yang did not return that night. Only the Imperial Kitchen sent over dinner.

Lin Huaiyu looked at the table full of dishes but had no appetite; fury churned in his stomach. Su Yang had no intention of letting him leave and even spoke of having plenty of time. Did he plan to keep him under house arrest in Qinchun Palace indefinitely? It was preposterous.

Lin Huaiyu walked to the door and pulled it open. The servants on either side immediately blocked him, whispering, “Prime Minister, His Majesty has ordered that you must eat your meal properly.”

Lin Huaiyu looked at the servants. The two young eunuchs were trembling; their eyes were fixed firmly on the ground. He sighed silently, looked up at the moon, and closed the door again. These two could not stop him, but the guards at the palace gates would. Lin Huaiyu never engaged in futile efforts. He glanced at the food, felt no hunger, and turned to rest.

So be it. Tomorrow at the morning court, he would leave with the rest of the officials. Su Yang should not be able to stop him then.

“He did not eat?” Su Yang’s voice rang out outside Qinchun Palace. Just four words were spoken, but the pressure was overwhelming.

The servants knelt in a row. De Fu, noticing Su Yang’s expression, immediately began scolding them, “How do you do your jobs? Did His Majesty not order you yesterday to look after Master Lin? Is this how you care for an honored guest? Was everything you were taught fed to the dogs?”

The servants pleaded, “Your Majesty, have mercy!”

Su Yang stood with his hands behind his back, staring at the closed door of Qinchun Palace. He said intentionally, “A pack of useless fools. Take them away and beat them to death.”

“Your Majesty, mercy!”

Wailing filled the courtyard. The door swung open abruptly. Lin Huaiyu was still wearing the clothes Su Yang had given him. The black robes trailed on the ground, making him look like a cold moon dragged into the abyss, yet his gaze remained icy. “Stop.”

Su Yang’s eyes lit up, and the corners of his mouth curled up involuntarily. “Teacher is finally willing to come out and see me?”

Lin Huaiyu was both angry and helpless. “I would not dare.”

Su Yang waved his hand, and De Fu immediately dismissed the servants. Fortunately, Master Lin had come out in time to save their lowly lives.

Qinchun Palace was suddenly empty. Su Yang walked slowly toward Lin Huaiyu and asked, “Why did Teacher not eat? Is the food not to your liking?”

Lin Huaiyu looked away. “I have no appetite.”

Su Yang ignored this and asked again, “Are you angry with me?”

Lin Huaiyu said flatly, “I would not dare.”

Su Yang stepped behind Lin Huaiyu, placing a hand over the man’s stomach and pulling him back into his embrace. Enveloping him completely, Su Yang whispered in his ear, “If Teacher wants to save those servants, should you not beg me?”

Feeling the restriction against his stomach, Lin Huaiyu pressed his lips together. “I taught a wise ruler, not a tyrant.”

Su Yang was noncommittal. “In their eyes, I am a wise ruler. But in Teacher’s eyes, what am I?”

Lin Huaiyu sighed softly, his voice softening slightly. “You are a good child. It is late; you should go to the morning court.”

Su Yang laughed softly, his mood significantly improved. “Then I hope that when I return, I see Teacher eating obediently.”

Lin Huaiyu froze upon hearing this. “I must also attend court.”

Su Yang said as if it were the most natural thing in the world, “I will request a leave of absence on Teacher’s behalf.”

When the hand on his stomach loosened, Lin Huaiyu felt a hollow sensation in his heart. He immediately grabbed Su Yang’s sleeve. “What does Your Majesty mean? You will not even let me attend court?”

Su Yang stopped and looked back at Lin Huaiyu. “Does Teacher wish to wear my clothes to court for everyone to see? Do you wish to tell them how the marks on your neck got there and who kissed your lips until they were swollen?”

Lin Huaiyu’s brow furrowed deeper. “I can go back and change into my official robes first.”

Su Yang’s eyebrows arched, and he sneered, “Fine. I do not mind letting everyone know exactly what the Prime Minister looks like beneath those robes.”

Lin Huaiyu’s movements stilled. He asked with difficulty, “Su Yang, what exactly do you want?”

Su Yang reached out, the back of his hand brushing against Lin Huaiyu’s cheek. His eyes were full of a frantic obsession. “I want Teacher to belong only to me from now on. I want you to be my prisoner of love.”

Lin Huaiyu’s eyes widened in shock. He could not believe what he was hearing. He blurted out, “Su Yang, you presume too much!”

He thought Su Yang had gone mad. He let go of the sleeve and turned to leave, but Su Yang was faster. He grabbed Lin Huaiyu’s wrist, dragged him back into the room, and slammed the door shut once more.

Lin Huaiyu was thrown against the table, gasping for breath as a coughing fit seized him. If he were to die right now, it would not be from that poison, but from being provoked to death by Su Yang.

Su Yang, seeing Lin Huaiyu’s extreme agitation, leaned over and gently patted his back to soothe his breathing. Yet his words remained harsh: “Teacher has always been frail, but not to the point of life and death. Lin Huaiyu, do not feign illness. Do not think of using any trick to escape me!”