The Sickly Beauty Official Faked His Death and Now the Tyrant Has Gone Mad - Chapter 37

Snow drifted down from the heavens, blanketing the vast land of Shenzhou, transforming everything into a boundless expanse of pure, unblemished white.

The twenty-first year of Yonghe.

More palace servants than usual were sweeping the snow from the palace pathways. Beneath the heavy snowfall lay crimson, dripping blood, now covered by snow and seeping into the frost below.

Some servants couldn’t bear the sight, trembling as they worked, compelled to clean nonetheless. One young servant, glancing at an older palace worker nearby, couldn’t help but ask, “What happened here? Did something occur yesterday? How could there be so much blood on the palace pathways?”

The old servant looked at him and whispered, “You weren’t here yesterday?”

The young servant shook his head, his face pale. “I was granted leave yesterday to visit my younger brother at home.”

The old servant sighed softly. “Then you were truly fortunate. Yesterday, a great battle erupted in the palace. Many died on these pathways, their blood flowing like a river!”

The young servant’s eyes widened in shock. “But this is the palace! Who would dare to kill so many people so openly on the palace pathways?”

The old servant shook his head, sighing as he swept away what seemed to be a mixture of snow and blood. “The Second Prince and Third Prince’s men were ambushed and slaughtered on these pathways. Somehow, the two princes led troops into the palace. The Crown Prince… having just ascended the throne, such actions naturally aroused the Emperor’s suspicion. Didn’t that give the Crown Prince the perfect opportunity?”

The young servant nodded, though only half-understanding. “So that’s what happened. How ruthless… so much blood. If it weren’t covered by snow, it would surely look terrifying.”

The old servant shook his head again. “You didn’t see the scene of corpses strewn everywhere yesterday. The servants tasked with cleaning up the bodies had it even worse many of them vomited. Such a sight hasn’t been seen in the palace for a hundred years. I heard the Emperor was furious. Who knows how he’ll handle this?”

The young servant thought for a moment and analyzed, “Since the Second and Third Princes stormed the palace, the Crown Prince was justified in stopping them. If the Emperor punishes anyone, shouldn’t it be the Second and Third Princes?”

The old servant scoffed. “That’s why they say Minister Lin’s methods are brilliant.”

“Huh? What does this have to do with Minister Lin?” the young servant couldn’t help but ask.

The old servant chuckled. “Don’t tell me you don’t even know Minister Lin?”

The young servant nodded. “Of course I know of him. Isn’t he the Crown Prince’s man?”

The old servant replied, “Exactly. He enabled the Crown Prince to legitimately eliminate two such formidable rivals. Don’t you think that’s impressive?”

The young servant suddenly understood. “That’s truly remarkable. Are you saying all of this was Minister Lin’s doing?”

The old servant nodded, then shushed him. “Alright, don’t go spreading this around. Just listen and let it pass. The affairs of the nobility have nothing to do with us.”

The young servant immediately replied, “I understand.”

Just as they finished speaking, they saw the Chief Eunuch from the Emperor’s side approaching. He walked briskly, holding what appeared to be a cup of wine.

His hurried pace didn’t disturb the cup in his hands in the slightest; not a drop spilled from within.

The servants immediately focused diligently on sweeping the palace pathways, not daring to glance sideways.

The Chief Eunuch paid them no mind, striding purposefully down the blood-stained pathway beneath the snow.

Only after his figure had completely disappeared did the young eunuch ask, “Wasn’t that Eunuch Tao? Where is he going with that cup?”

The old eunuch gazed in the direction Tao Qibao had gone and speculated, “That way leads to the Eastern Palace. It must be that His Majesty has made a decision.”

He guessed correctly. Tao Qibao had indeed received the imperial decree and was heading toward the Eastern Palace.

At the thought of what he was carrying in his hands, Tao Qibao couldn’t help but shudder. Even a deposed crown prince would only be confined to the cold palace, yet this one, who had just entered the Eastern Palace, was now being offered a cup of poisoned wine by His Majesty. Although the crown prince was given the choice, it was clear today that His Majesty would not easily let the one in the Eastern Palace go.

Carrying the wine, he walked to the Eastern Palace. Everyone in the palace recognized him, and no one dared to stop him. As soon as he entered the Eastern Palace and turned the corridor, he was intercepted. He glanced toward the other side of the courtyard, where a man in an elegant purple robe stood calmly under the corridor, a faint smile in his eyes. His gentle, jade-like demeanor was such that even a eunuch like Tao Qibao couldn’t help but pause.

Tao Qibao approached and said, “Your Excellency the Prime Minister is here as well.”

Lin Huaiyu’s gaze subtly fell on the cup in Tao Qibao’s hands. He smiled softly and asked, “Is Eunuch Tao here to deliver a decree?”

Though he asked this, he already knew the answer.

Tao Qibao nodded. “Indeed.”

Lin Huaiyu then asked, “May I hear this decree, then?”

The fact that Tao Qibao had allowed himself to be stopped and had come over to see him indicated that the decree offered a choice His Majesty’s decision was not solely aimed at Su Yang.

Tacitly understanding each other, Tao Qibao replied directly, “His Majesty’s oral decree: ‘The court is plagued by endless internal strife, brothers at odds, and unrest within the household. The Crown Prince cannot escape blame. Though the Second and Third Princes disrupted the palace first, the Crown Prince, as the eldest and legitimate heir, failed to set an example. Moreover, swayed by slanderous words and biased counsel, he has now committed grave errors. I am deeply pained and must impose punishment. I hereby bestow a cup of poisoned wine, hoping the Crown Prince will cleanse his household. If not, let the Crown Prince decide his own fate.'”

Lin Huaiyu smiled. When this decree reached Su Yang, he would have only two choices: either drink the poisoned wine or launch a coup.

Most likely, it would be the latter. But now was not the time for a coup those who needed to be eliminated had not yet been dealt with, and what needed to be obtained had not yet been secured. Acting rashly now would yield too low a chance of success.

Moreover, while His Majesty’s move seemed directed at Su Yang, it was actually aimed at Lin Huaiyu himself.

His Majesty could entrust the empire to Su Yang, but he wanted to sever one of Su Yang’s arms. He wanted Su Yang to suffer, to pay a painful price even as he gained the Great Yong.

Lin Huaiyu knew His Majesty had never liked Su Yang, but he hadn’t realized the depth of this hatred. Perhaps it was related to Su Yang’s mother.

It had to be said, His Majesty had chosen the timing of this cup of wine perfectly.

Lin Huaiyu’s expression remained unchanged, his smile unwavering. He took the poisoned wine, drank it in one gulp, and placed the empty cup back into Tao Qibao’s hands. “Eunuch Tao, you may report your task completed.”

Tao Qibao smiled and bowed. “Then this humble servant will return to report.”

Lin Huaiyu watched Tao Qibao leave. The next moment, he leaned against a pillar in the corridor and suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. The nearby attendants rushed forward in alarm. “Your Excellency the Prime Minister, are you all right?”

Lin Huaiyu gently wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, glanced at the crimson stains on his robe, and cast a cold gaze toward the person beside him. “There is no need to disturb His Highness with this matter,” he said.

Seeing Lin Huaiyu’s expression, the man trembled and quickly nodded in agreement.

Lord Lin appeared gentle and refined, but in reality, he showed no mercy even to princes. Just moments ago, he had been equally ruthless toward himself. The man knew that if he resisted now, the consequences would be dire.

Lin Huaiyu continued, “I will give you a sum of silver. Leave the palace immediately and depart from the capital. If I see you in the capital tomorrow, your life will be forfeit. Do you understand?”

The man hurriedly knelt and replied, “This servant understands.”

Without looking back, Lin Huaiyu left the Eastern Palace and headed toward the Imperial Hospital.

He Qingli spotted Lin Huaiyu and approached him. “Lord Lin.”

Lin Huaiyu walked inside with He Qingli and extended his hand. “I must trouble Chief He to take my pulse.”

He Qingli did not even reach out, merely looking at Lin Huaiyu with a strained smile.

Lin Huaiyu understood immediately. The Emperor must have issued a secret order to He Qingli long ago whoever came from the Eastern Palace, he was not to attend to.

Lin Huaiyu sighed softly and whispered, “Is Chief He truly going to stand by and watch me die? The situation in the palace is clear enough. Do not choose the wrong side.”

He Qingli lowered his gaze, a trace of helplessness flickering in his eyes. “This official… truly cannot take your pulse.”

His wife and children had long been under the Emperor’s control. Not only his family, but even his own life was in the Emperor’s hands. Now, he could no longer make his own decisions.

Lin Huaiyu gave He Qingli a deep look before turning and leaving the palace.

He boarded a carriage and sped toward the city outskirts.

The carriage went straight to Lingshan Temple. Lin Huaiyu thought of another person, though he did not know if luck would be on his side.

By the time Lin Huaiyu arrived at Lingshan Temple, his mouth was already filled with blood, and his body was stained with deep crimson. Fortunately, he entered through the back gate, and no one saw him.

The abbot, upon seeing him, hurriedly came to support him. “Lord Lin, you have come.”

Lin Huaiyu spat out a mouthful of blood and asked with a furrowed brow, “Have you found him?”

The abbot helped Lin Huaiyu into a side chamber. “We have, but it will take some time for him to arrive. I did not expect His Majesty to act so swiftly.”

Lin Huaiyu scoffed. “Our Emperor is no pushover. He naturally understands the importance of timing.”

The abbot retrieved a pill from nearby. “Take this pill first. I will follow the method from the reply to suppress the poison for now. Only when he returns will we know how to truly cure it.”

Lin Huaiyu nodded and swallowed the pill. The abbot then took out a dagger and handed it to him.

Lin Huaiyu glanced at him, and the abbot smiled. “This old monk is a man of the cloth and cannot take action. Lord Lin, you must do it yourself.”

Lin Huaiyu chuckled softly and, without changing expression, took the dagger and made a deep cut on his own arm.

The abbot closed his eyes and hurriedly chanted “Amitabha” dozens of times.

Lin Huaiyu could only glance at him, his face pale.

.

After hearing He Qingli’s words, Su Yang slammed his fist hard against the nearby wall, startling the swallows perched on the tree branches.

His eyes reddened, a surge of fury spreading through his chest. No wonder, no wonder during those days, Lin Huaiyu had claimed illness and never entered the palace, refusing to see anyone not even him. All strategies and plans were relayed through guards.

But after that, Lin Huaiyu shifted from defense to offense, striking with fierce precision. Using the late emperor’s hand, he eliminated those princes, ultimately forcing the late emperor to write the edict of succession, passing the throne to him.

At the time, he hadn’t understood why Lin Huaiyu had suddenly acted so swiftly and ruthlessly. It turned out. Lin Huaiyu simply didn’t have much time left.

Back then, the late emperor was too entangled by Lin Huaiyu’s offensive to even care whether Lin Huaiyu was alive or dead. It wasn’t until the late emperor’s death that Lin Huaiyu finally appeared in the palace.

But after that, Lin Huaiyu’s health began to decline.

At this thought, Su Yang suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.

So Lin Huaiyu’s poor health wasn’t due to a severe illness leaving lasting effects it was because of a cup of poisoned wine.

And that cup of poisoned wine should have been presented to him. It should have been him who drank it.

“Your Majesty! Are you all right?!” He Qingli exclaimed in alarm, watching as Su Yang spat blood and collapsed.

He Qingli quickly checked Su Yang’s pulse, his expression shifting.

The next day, Su Yang woke up in the government office, alone. He had no idea who had brought him back.

But recalling the events of the previous day, he immediately rose and went to find Lin Huaiyu.

That storybook was right, what did it matter if he knelt before Lin Huaiyu? Not only was Lin Huaiyu his teacher, but considering all Lin Huaiyu had done for him over the years, the suffering he had endured, and the humiliation he had suffered at his own hands Su Yang would do anything for Lin Huaiyu. Even if Lin Huaiyu now wished to humiliate him in return, he would accept it.

He wanted to see Lin Huaiyu, desperately so.

When he arrived at the Lin residence, Lin Fei stopped him. “The master says he doesn’t want to see you.”

Su Yang quickly replied, “Is he here? I must see him. I have something very important to say. I won’t force my way in just go and tell him.”

Lin Fei was taken aback. It was the first time he had seen Su Yang speak to someone with such patience. He blinked and said, “The master isn’t here.”

Su Yang paused, then asked, “Do you know where he went?”

Lin Fei replied, “He went boating on the lake with the seventh prince of Daxing.”