The Sickly Beauty Official Faked His Death and Now the Tyrant Has Gone Mad - Chapter 41

He really didn’t want to endure it again…

The rain in Jiangnan had finally stopped, and the sun was no longer as fierce, yet the wind still carried a scorching heat as it brushed against the skin.

In the pond of the Lin residence, lotus flowers were in full bloom. Dragonflies skimmed the surface, a few landing on the lotus leaves, adding a touch of life to the pond.

Lin Huaiyu still lay on the reclining chair, his hand seemingly weak, hanging by his side, revealing a section of pale wrist marred by knife scars.

He Qingli had been watching over Lin Huaiyu ever since he coughed up blood, continuously administering acupuncture and medicine. By the time the bleeding finally stopped, Lin Huaiyu had fallen into an exhausted sleep.

He slept until the next day. When he woke in a daze, he saw He Qingli holding the acupuncture needles, the silver light dazzling his eyes. Too weak to lift his hand and push the needles away, he could only say softly, “It’s blinding me.”

His voice was faint, and He Qingli’s heart trembled at the sound. He moved the needles aside, looking at Lin Huaiyu with a worried expression. “You said before that you were waiting for the person who could completely cure your poison. Has he not arrived yet?”

Lin Huaiyu shook his head gently. “Actually… I might not be able to wait for him. The medicinal ingredient he’s looking for might not be found either. So what I said about obeying fate is true.”

He Qingli frowned deeply, as if he could crush a mosquito between his brows. “So now you’re just dragging it out day by day?”

Lin Huaiyu’s expression remained calm. “More or less.”

He Qingli seemed unwilling to give up. “Have you contacted that person?”

Lin Huaiyu glanced at the horizon and smiled faintly. “If the abbot has no news, then there is no news.”

He Qingli looked at Lin Huaiyu, who seemed listless, and said, “Then what will you do? Just wait for death? Even if you draw blood to expel the poison now, it won’t have much effect. There’s no need to bleed anymore it will only make your body weaker.”

Lin Huaiyu thought for a moment. “Then I won’t do it. I’ve asked Lin Fei to send a letter to the abbot. If there’s another way to delay, we’ll delay. If not then so be it.”

He Qingli sighed. “I don’t know where the late emperor got this poison from. The toxin has already entered your heart meridian. I can’t identify its original ingredients, nor can I concoct an antidote.”

Half-conscious, Lin Huaiyu replied, “This poison comes from Great Chu, from an ancient and mysterious tribe. But it’s not easy to find, and even if you do, the antidote is even harder to locate than the poison itself.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Ji Wuyou’s voice suddenly came from nearby.

He had just walked through the corridor when he heard Lin Huaiyu’s extremely weak voice. The man lay on the reclining chair like a piece of paper, as if he could be blown away by the wind at any moment.

Seeing him, He Qingli’s eyes lit up. Ji Wuyou was the crown prince of Great Chu. Having grown up there, he must know about that ancient and mysterious tribe.

He Qingli had never been so eager for Ji Wuyou’s arrival.

Lin Huaiyu turned to look at him. “You probably don’t know.”

Even Fan Chen, who had been in Great Chu for so long, hadn’t been able to find it. How old was Ji Wuyou, and how many places in Great Chu had he actually visited?

But Ji Wuyou insisted, “Tell me, and I’ll know. How can I know if you don’t say anything?”

Lin Huaiyu said, “It seems to be called… the Lingji Tribe.”

After listening, Ji Wuyou was immediately stunned: “Is this from Great Chu? How have I never heard of this clan?”

Lin Huaiyu wasn’t disappointed either, as he knew Ji Wuyou would certainly be unaware: “Otherwise, why would he have searched for so long without finding it?”

Ji Wuyou quickly said, “No matter! I’ll send people to look! Why didn’t you say so earlier? The more people searching, the greater the hope!”

Lin Huaiyu shook his head: “According to Fanchen, the Lingji Clan has lived in seclusion for generations, with complex rules. If you search openly, not only will you alert them, but they might never come out again. What then?”

Ji Wuyou thought for a moment and had to say, “Then I’ll send people to search discreetly.”

Only then did Lin Huaiyu feel reassured. His eyes were about to close again when he heard Ji Wuyou complain: “Word has spread outside the Lin residence. The Emperor of Great Yong is kneeling outside. Even if they don’t know Su Yang’s identity, passersby can’t help but be curious, and all sorts of rumors are circulating.”

Lin Huaiyu was taken aback. Lin Fei hadn’t told him about this, though he had been unconscious for two days, and Lin Fei hadn’t had the chance to inform him.

“What rumors?” Lin Huaiyu forced himself to stay alert. He Qingli took advantage of his wakefulness to quickly bring over a bowl of porridge and a bowl of medicine.

Ji Wuyou recalled for a moment and said, “Actually, the initial version was quite normal and accurate. It said a man was kneeling outside the Lin residence, likely the beloved mentioned by Master Yuxi before. However, this beloved turned out to be a heartless scoundrel. Now that he’s back, Master Yuxi refuses to acknowledge him, so he has no choice but to kneel outside, begging for forgiveness.”

Lin Huaiyu lowered his eyes. As He Qingli fed him porridge, he chuckled softly and added, “Forget it.”

Ji Wuyou, hearing this, said, “How can we just forget it? Now the rumor has evolved into this: Master Yuxi waited for his beloved for a long time, but the beloved married someone else. The two met in Jiangnan, and Master Yuxi was heartbroken. The beloved had no choice but to kneel outside the door, begging Master Yuxi not to die.”

Lin Huaiyu listened while finishing his porridge and couldn’t help but laugh: “This version seems about the same.”

Ji Wuyou hesitated for a moment and asked, “Are we just going to let him kneel outside?”

Although Ji Wuyou disliked Su Yang, he was worried that the rumors might bring unnecessary trouble to Lin Huaiyu, especially given his current poor health.

Lin Huaiyu shook his head: “Let him be.”

This time, Lin Huaiyu truly couldn’t hold on any longer and fell into a deep sleep again.

As soon as he collapsed, Su Yang walked in from outside. Seeing Lin Huaiyu asleep, his expression turned grim. He had overheard the earlier conversation.

Indeed, the poison in Lin Huaiyu’s body was not something He Qingli could cure. The numerous knife wounds could only suppress the toxicity, and in the end, their effectiveness had become almost negligible.

He walked to Lin Huaiyu’s side. Only at times like this did he dare to get this close. He took Lin Huaiyu’s limp hand, gently stroking the wounds on his arm with his fingertips, his eyes slightly reddening.

After a long while, Su Yang looked up and asked He Qingli, “If we can’t find the antidote, he’ll die, won’t he?”

He Qingli was stunned by Su Yang’s expression. The once aloof and cold young emperor now wore such a panicked look.

He remembered once seeing Su Yang before he became emperor, a youth walking along the palace path with Lin Huaiyu by his side. The two had been talking just a moment before, a faint smile lingering at the corner of Su Yang’s lips, his mood light. Then, as if sensing his gaze, Su Yang turned to look at him, and his eyes suddenly darkened, the pressure emanating from him even more intense than that of the late emperor.

He Qingli nodded in the face of Su Yang’s tear-filled, crimson eyes.

Su Yang asked again, “How long?”

He Qingli knew he was asking how much longer Lin Huaiyu could wait. He quickly replied, “Roughly… about another month.”

Su Yang took a deep breath and turned to look at Ji Wuyou. “When do you plan to return to Great Chu?”

Ji Wuyou blinked, taken aback. “Wherever Master Yuxi is, I… Huh? You’re going to Great Chu?”

Su Yang nodded. “I don’t have much time, and neither does my teacher. I can’t afford to sneak into Great Chu secretly. If you’re willing to help me, you can name any condition, as long as it doesn’t involve state affairs.”

Ji Wuyou pursed his lips. “Any condition at all?”

Su Yang glanced at him and gave a faint hum of agreement.

Ji Wuyou grinned like a fox. “Then I want Master Yuxi!”

Su Yang had guessed his intentions the moment he met Ji Wuyou’s sly gaze. His eyes turned cold. “Even if you want him, would he be willing? This isn’t something I can decide.”

Ji Wuyou raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised by Su Yang’s response. He chuckled, “I was joking. How could I stand by and do nothing if something happened to Master Yuxi? Even if you weren’t going, I’d still return to find that Spirit Sacrifice clan.”

Su Yang’s heart finally settled. “When he wakes up… I’ll talk to him.”

Ji Wuyou went to pack his belongings, and He Qingli went to prepare the medicine Lin Huaiyu would need for the journey. Only Su Yang and Lin Huaiyu remained in the courtyard.

Su Yang stood with his hands behind his back. A dark shadow fell in the courtyard, and with a stern expression, he said, “Withdraw all the wanted notices and replace them with missing person posters. Look for someone named Fan Chen… No, never mind. Change it to seeking renowned physicians and masters. Anyone who can cure Lin Huaiyu can make any request of me.”

The shadow guard acknowledged the order and immediately vanished from the courtyard.

Su Yang turned and walked back to Lin Huaiyu’s side. The other man still hadn’t woken, his picturesque brows and eyes pale and fragile. Despite enduring such pain every day, he stubbornly endured without saying a word.

He held Lin Huaiyu’s hand, gazing deeply at the unconscious man.

When Lin Huaiyu woke, he met Su Yang’s infatuated gaze, the heartache in his eyes overflowing like a tide.

Lin Huaiyu coughed lightly, and Su Yang immediately released his hand, offering him a cup of water.

Without giving him a chance to lift his hand, Su Yang brought the cup directly to his lips, one hand supporting his chin. All Lin Huaiyu had to do was open his mouth, and the water would flow in.

Lin Huaiyu indeed felt his throat dry and lacked the strength to lift his hand, so he drank the water as it was offered. The flow was gentle, as if Su Yang was deliberately pouring slowly to avoid choking him, carefully measuring the amount to ensure Lin Huaiyu felt no discomfort.

After finishing the water, Lin Huaiyu looked at him and asked, “Why did you come in?”

Su Yang smiled at Lin Huaiyu. “Do you have the strength?”

Lin Huaiyu glanced at him, sensing something was off. “What do you want to do?”

Su Yang replied, “Go to Great Chu.”

Lin Huaiyu was taken aback. At this moment, Su Yang had no reason to go to Great Chu, unless…

“You already know?” Lin Huaiyu could only think of one thing that would make Su Yang want to go to Great Chu at this moment.

Sure enough, Su Yang nodded and said, “I overheard your conversation with He Qingli. Rather than waiting passively, it’s better if we go to Great Chu ourselves.”

Lin Huaiyu replied calmly, “I don’t have the strength to go.”

It wasn’t that he hadn’t considered going to Great Chu himself after all, he wasn’t the type to sit idly by and wait. But… in his current condition, he couldn’t make the journey. He’d likely die on the way before even finding the Spirit Sacrifice Clan.

Rather than dying in a futile struggle while drifting from place to place, it was better to pass away peacefully amidst the picturesque scenery of Jiangnan.

Su Yang understood Lin Huaiyu’s thoughts all too well. Kneeling beside Lin Huaiyu’s recliner, he looked at him with a strained smile. “Then wait for me here. I’m just afraid.”

He paused, as if hesitant to speak, yet compelled to continue. “I’m afraid you won’t be able to wait for me to return. I don’t want you to die. I’ve already experienced the pain of losing you once I can’t bear it again. But I’m also afraid that if you really. I won’t be able to see you one last.”

One last time.

Tears finally fell at this moment. Su Yang was truly afraid afraid that after the fire at Qinchun Palace, Lin Huaiyu would vanish once more. Last time, he hadn’t been able to see Lin Huaiyu one last time. This time, he refused to let it happen again.

He truly couldn’t bear to go through it again.