The Sickly Beauty Official Faked His Death and Now the Tyrant Has Gone Mad - Chapter 36

A single rain shower seemed unable to dispel the heat of Jiangnan. Instead, the sunlight grew even more scorching, baking the vast land of Shenzhou. Pedestrians on the streets felt like fish being steamed over a fire, longing only to plunge into the river for a swim.

Many did just that countless people leaped into the river simply to escape the blazing sun and oppressive heat.

Su Yang stared at the storybook in his hand, feeling as though he had been thoroughly deceived.

It had been a long time since Su Yang had experienced the taste of being tricked, and now, it left him both angry and amused.

He had genuinely believed that a random storybook bought from a street vendor could solve his predicament.

He wanted to close the book in his hand, but his fingertips turned to the second page instead.

Well, he was at the end of his rope, what other methods did he have to win Lin Huaiyu’s favor?

Lin Huaiyu was surrounded by so many people, each with more advantages than him. In Lin Huaiyu’s heart, Su Yang was now even less than a stranger. Strangers didn’t need to be guarded against, yet Lin Huaiyu remained so wary of his approach, even fearing that the hangover soup he offered might be poisoned.

Su Yang let out a bitter smile and shook his head helplessly. As he flipped to the second page of the storybook, the words on it made him pause.

First Strategy for Winning Back Your Beloved: Shamelessly live with the person you like. As the saying goes, “The moon is easiest to reach from the nearest pavilion.”

Su Yang snapped the book shut with a “thud.” Suddenly, he felt that this storybook made perfect sense perhaps he hadn’t been deceived after all.

As if enlightened, Su Yang immediately packed his belongings and headed back toward the Lin residence.

Lin Huaiyu hadn’t woken up yet and was still asleep on the reclining chair. The clothes rack Su Yang had prepared earlier blocked the rising sun from the east, ensuring the light wouldn’t shine into Lin Huaiyu’s eyes. This way, Lin Huaiyu could sleep peacefully without being disturbed by the sunlight.

Su Yang glanced at the lush, leafy tree in the courtyard, rolled his eyes, and leaped lightly onto the roof where Lin Huaiyu usually slept.

But as soon as he landed, he bumped into Lin Fei, who was also lying on the roof.

The two stared at each other for a moment. Lin Fei didn’t bow or yield his spot because of Su Yang’s status. After all, back in the capital, he had always looked down on this emperor who had made his lord gravely ill.

In his heart, Lin Huaiyu was the most important.

Su Yang paid no mind to Lin Fei’s rudeness but had no intention of leaving either. He chose another spot on the roof and lay down, turning sideways to gaze at Lin Huaiyu in the courtyard.

Lin Fei: “…”

He’s here to steal my spot.

But for now, Lin Fei couldn’t confront Su Yang. Any movement would surely wake Lin Huaiyu, so he had no choice but to let Su Yang be for the time being.

Su Yang continued watching Lin Huaiyu until He Qingli walked in.

As usual, He Qingli arrived carrying his medicine chest to see Lin Huaiyu. Noticing Lin Huaiyu asleep in the courtyard and the clothes rack blocking the sun, he said nothing. Instead, he walked over to Lin Huaiyu and called out, “Wake up, the sun is already shining on ”

It wasn’t shining on Lin Huaiyu.

Nevertheless, Lin Huaiyu woke at the sound of He Qingli’s voice. He Qingli’s visits for treatment were always at the same time, so even without being called, Lin Huaiyu would have woken up around then.

Lin Huaiyu slowly opened his eyes, his gaze shifting to the unfamiliar robe draped over him. He pushed it aside, then noticed the clothes rack that had been moved outside. A cold sneer escaped his lips.

He Qingli quickly said, “That wasn’t my doing.”

Lin Huaiyu glanced at him. “You’re not that kind-hearted.”

He Qingli: “…”

Nonsense.

He Qingli couldn’t hold back. “If I weren’t that kind-hearted, why would I go through all this trouble to save you?”

Lin Huaiyu leaned back in the recliner, exposing an arm covered in needle marks, and said leisurely, “Then don’t save me.”

He Qingli glared at him. “That’s not what you said when you first arrived in Jiangnan!”

Lin Huaiyu looked up at him. “What did I say then?”

He Qingli snorted, gritting his teeth. “You said, ‘Dean He, I beg you, save me. As long as you save my life, I’ll give you anything you want.'”

Lin Huaiyu gave a faint, mocking smile. “Do you even believe that yourself?”

He Qingli: “…”

Lin Huaiyu’s actual words at the time were: “Dean He, you’ve already refused to save me once. Are you going to do it again now?”

Lin Huaiyu knew how to handle him, but more than that, He Qingli knew that Lin Huaiyu could have threatened him with his family this time but he didn’t.

He Qingli did feel guilty toward Lin Huaiyu. Years ago, Lin Huaiyu had come to the Imperial Hospital seeking a cure for poison, and He Qingli had refused.

How could a mere dean of the Imperial Hospital dare to treat Lin Huaiyu for a poison bestowed by the late emperor?

Now, no matter how difficult it was, he had to try his best.

The silver needle pierced Lin Huaiyu’s arm, once again temporarily sealing his five senses so he wouldn’t feel too much pain during the bloodletting.

But Su Yang, watching from the rooftop, frowned deeply. He landed softly in the courtyard and walked over to Lin Huaiyu’s side. He Qingli looked up at him warily.

Su Yang said nothing, only stepping closer to the recliner to watch the blood seeping from Lin Huaiyu’s arm. That already slender wrist now had to endure such pain day after day.

No wonder Lin Huaiyu was so thin.

He stood nearby, watching as He Qingli finished the bloodletting, withdrew the needle, and prepared to bandage the wound.

Su Yang took the gauze and said, “I’ll do it.”

He Qingli glanced at him twice. Su Yang wasn’t asking for permission he was informing him.

He Qingli had no choice but to step aside and pack up the needles and medicine chest.

Su Yang bandaged the wound with great care. Even though he knew Lin Huaiyu couldn’t feel anything at the moment, he couldn’t bear to cause him any pain.

All he could do now was hold Lin Huaiyu’s hand tightly, his thumb gently brushing over the wound on Lin Huaiyu’s arm, caressing it softly as if trying to share in his pain though he knew he couldn’t truly bear it for him.

He held Lin Huaiyu’s hand until his five senses gradually returned.

The moment Lin Huaiyu opened his eyes, he saw Su Yang, and then felt his hand being held. His expression instantly turned cold as he pulled his hand back. “Unnecessary.”

Su Yang looked into Lin Huaiyu’s icy eyes. Just a moment ago, they had been gentle, but now they held only coldness for him. His heart ached, but he could only say softly, “Don’t drive me away.”

Lin Huaiyu let out a bitter laugh. “It’s my house. Can’t I drive you away?”

Su Yang pressed his lips together, unwilling to give up. “Then why can Ji Wuyou sleep here, but I can’t?”

Lin Huaiyu stared at him motionlessly for a moment before saying, “Ji Wuyou won’t hurt me, won’t force me. What about you?”

Su Yang’s lips trembled, his eyes dimming. “I won’t either, Teacher. Please believe me one more time, okay?”

Lin Huaiyu continued, “Ji Wuyou wouldn’t touch me without my permission. What about you?”

Su Yang glanced at his own palm. Just moments ago, he had been holding Lin Huaiyu’s arm, heart aching at the sight of his scars. Now, it had become irrefutable evidence that left him speechless.

He said, “There won’t be a next time. If you don’t want me to touch you, I absolutely won’t do it again. Whatever Ji Wuyou can do, I can do too. And whatever he can’t do, I can do even better.”

Lin Huaiyu lowered his gaze slightly. “I don’t want to hear these meaningless words, Su Yang. You came to Jiangnan not because of the floods, did you? Was it to take me back to the capital and imprison me again?”

Su Yang shook his head repeatedly. “No! I won’t do that again, and I won’t imprison you either. I just missed you and wanted to see you, that’s all.”

Lin Huaiyu withdrew his gaze. His arm felt weak and powerless, so he could only let it hang by his side. “Now that you’ve seen me, you can leave.”

Su Yang looked at Lin Huaiyu, who was shutting him out, and couldn’t help but ask, “Do you really not want to see me that much?”

Lin Huaiyu let out a cold laugh. “What do you think?”

Su Yang had no choice but to comply with Lin Huaiyu’s wishes and left the courtyard.

Standing at the entrance of the Lin residence, he looked at the two stone lions by the door and recalled what Ji Wuyou had said to Jing Fei earlier. Su Yang hesitated for a moment before sitting down beside one of the stone lions.

It didn’t matter. If Lin Huaiyu wouldn’t let him sleep inside, he would sleep outside. As long as Lin Huaiyu was here, that was enough.

He no longer thought about imprisonment or coercion. All he wanted was to stay by Lin Huaiyu’s side. Wherever Lin Huaiyu went, he would follow. Without Lin Huaiyu, he truly… couldn’t go on.

Leaning against the stone lion at the entrance, he took out the book “Twelve Ways to Win Back Your Wife” from his robe and flipped to the next page.

The Second Way to Win Back Your Wife: When in doubt, apologize first. Kneeling is fine too. A man’s pride is worth nothing if he loses his wife.

Su Yang: “…”

Nonsense. He had thought this book made some sense before, but now it seemed utterly unreasonable.

He was the Emperor of Dayong. It was one thing for Lin Huaiyu not to kneel to him he had even permitted Lin Huaiyu to forgo formalities but for him to kneel to Lin Huaiyu? Absolutely not.

He snapped the book shut, but before he could dwell on it further, He Qingli’s startled cry suddenly came from inside.

Su Yang’s heart skipped a beat. He hastily stuffed the book back into his robe and rushed inside.

There, he saw Lin Huaiyu still reclining on the lounge chair, but blood was seeping from the corner of his lips, and there was also blood on the floor where Lin Huaiyu had coughed it up.

Su Yang’s pupils contracted sharply. He hurried to Lin Huaiyu’s side, using his own sleeve to gently wipe away the blood from Lin Huaiyu’s lips. “What happened?!”

Lin Huaiyu turned his face away, putting distance between them. “Why are you still here?”

Su Yang was momentarily speechless. “What’s wrong with you? Why are you coughing up blood again?”

Lin Huaiyu replied nonchalantly, “I told you, vomiting blood is inevitable during treatment. Besides, with the poison having reached the heart meridian, isn’t it normal to cough up some blood?”

Su Yang stared intently at Lin Huaiyu’s blood-stained lips. The thin lips, originally pale in color, now stained with blood, took on an almost bewitching hue.

Su Yang poured a cup of water and handed it to Lin Huaiyu, then asked He Qingli beside them, “Is this normal?”

He Qingli hesitated for a moment before nodding. “It’s quite normal, isn’t it?”

Su Yang did not say anything more, only looking at Lin Huaiyu with a complicated expression.

He knew that Lin Huaiyu had not told him the truth, and He Qingli had naturally helped Lin Huaiyu keep it from him.

What exactly was the state of Lin Huaiyu’s poison? Could it only be suppressed and dragged out, or was it truly curable? Or perhaps at a great cost?

Su Yang watched as Lin Huaiyu, exhausted, fell back asleep, standing quietly by.

It was not his imagination since he had reunited with Lin Huaiyu, he had noticed that Lin Huaiyu slept longer than before. Lin Huaiyu had never been one to indulge in sleep; it was his body, too weary, that would not allow him to stay awake.

Su Yang’s gaze darkened as he turned to He Qingli. “Follow me.”

He used the imperial “Zhen,” the first time he had referred to himself this way since arriving in Jiangnan to see Lin Huaiyu. He Qingli felt the oppressive aura of Su Yang as the Son of Heaven. He suddenly realized that Su Yang was not truly easygoing he had merely humbled himself in front of Lin Huaiyu.

But that did not mean anyone other than Lin Huaiyu could climb over his head.

He Qingli thought about his attitude toward Su Yang over the past two days.

He was done for!

Trembling, he followed Su Yang to the side, waiting for his judgment.

However, Su Yang did not lose his temper. Instead, he asked, “Who poisoned Lin Huaiyu?”

He Qingli had not expected Su Yang to bring up the past so suddenly. Recalling the circumstances of that time, he hesitated before speaking. “This humble subject… does not know.”

Su Yang stared at him coldly, a layer of frost forming in his eyes. “Say that again? Do you know the consequences of deceiving the emperor?”

He Qingli’s lips trembled, not daring to speak further. He only said, “This matter concerns the late emperor. This humble subject dares not speak recklessly.”

The late emperor?

Su Yang narrowed his eyes immediately. So, the truth he had been investigating for so long was actually related to his so-called “imperial father.” No wonder he had found nothing.

Those connected to the late emperor and his affairs had long vanished along with him.

Su Yang’s expression darkened as he demanded, “Explain clearly! In the twenty-first year of Yonghe, who exactly poisoned Lin Huaiyu?”