The Sickly Beauty Official Faked His Death and Now the Tyrant Has Gone Mad - Chapter 44

The sun was bright and radiant. Without the heavy rain to drench the land, the vast expanse of the Divine Continent grew scorching hot under the blazing sun, hot enough to cook an egg on the ground.

Yet as soon as Lin Huaiyu stepped into the carriage, he found it pleasantly cool inside. More ice had been added, and as he sat down, he felt a soft cushion beneath him.

Su Yang had not only added extra ice to the carriage but also laid down a layer of soft padding, ensuring that Lin Huaiyu wouldn’t feel uncomfortable even when leaning against it.

When Su Yang boarded the carriage, he cautiously glanced at Lin Huaiyu, fearing that the sight of him might provoke anger again.

Fortunately, Lin Huaiyu didn’t kick him out of the carriage.

The carriage traveled steadily toward Great Chu. Inside, Lin Huaiyu occasionally shifted or changed his position. Noticing this, Su Yang asked, “Huaiyu, are you uncomfortable somewhere?”

Lin Huaiyu remained silent.

Su Yang patiently inquired again, “Is your waist still sore?”

Lin Huaiyu gave a faint hum. The soft cushion helped somewhat, but staying in one position for too long inevitably caused discomfort.

After watching Lin Huaiyu change positions several times, Su Yang lowered his voice and said, “If it’s really unbearable, you could lean on my lap. It might feel better.”

Lin Huaiyu raised his eyes to look at Su Yang and sneered, “You think too highly of yourself.”

Su Yang averted his gaze and said, “I wasn’t thinking of anything else. I just wanted you to be more comfortable.”

“Is that so?” Lin Huaiyu continued to stare at Su Yang, whose narrow eyes held no trace of inappropriate thoughts.

Only then did Lin Huaiyu withdraw his gaze, though he still leaned against the corner of the carriage, watching the scenery pass by outside.

However, as the carriage pressed onward, the road grew increasingly bumpy. Lin Huaiyu was jostled until he felt unwell, eventually tilting and collapsing onto Su Yang’s shoulder.

Su Yang quickly caught him and pulled him into his arms. Glancing outside, he reassured Lin Huaiyu, “We’re almost there. Just bear with it a little longer.”

As he spoke softly, he gently patted Lin Huaiyu’s back.

By the time the carriage gradually came to a stop, nine days had passed. They had finally reached the border of Great Chu, arriving at Luomu Village.

Lin Huaiyu was helped out of the carriage by Su Yang. The carriage was taken away by the coachman, and the two entered the village.

“There aren’t many people here. We won’t get separated. Do we still need to hold hands?” Lin Huaiyu glanced at his hand, which was being held by Su Yang, his voice growing colder.

Su Yang smiled and reluctantly released Lin Huaiyu’s hand. “I was afraid that in an unfamiliar place, I might lose you.”

Lin Huaiyu scoffed, “I’m not a child.”

Su Yang simply looked at Lin Huaiyu, a hint of melancholy in his eyes. “I’m afraid… you might abandon me again and leave on your own.”

Lin Huaiyu paused, glanced at Su Yang, and curled his lips into a faint smile. “In my current state, where could I possibly run to?”

Su Yang’s expression stiffened, and he dared not say anything more in front of Lin Huaiyu.

As the two walked along the street, they noticed people around them frequently glancing their way.

Su Yang had no choice but to lean closer to Lin Huaiyu and whisper in his ear, “Why is everyone looking at us? Is it because you’re too good-looking?”

Lin Huaiyu shot Su Yang a glance and subtly took a step away from him. “If it were just about appearances, not everyone would be staring. Besides, their gazes seem to hold something more than just admiration for beauty.”

Seeing Lin Huaiyu deliberately step back, Su Yang couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed, yet he could only nod in agreement. “I’ll go ask what’s going on. Huaiyu, don’t wander off. Wait for me here.”

Lin Huaiyu didn’t say much but stopped in his tracks.

He, too, wanted to know the reason.

Su Yang then picked someone who looked friendly and ran over to ask, “Excuse me, what are you all looking at?”

The person glanced at Su Yang and didn’t hide the truth, replying directly, “You two are foreigners who just arrived here, right? I suggest you change your clothes. Our village isn’t too fond of people from other countries, even if you’re good-looking, it won’t help.”

Su Yang understood immediately and turned back to see Lin Huaiyu obediently waiting for him in place. He couldn’t help but curl the corners of his lips into a slight smile.

He walked toward Lin Huaiyu and told him about the situation.

Lin Huaiyu’s expression remained unchanged as he nodded. “Indeed, some places do reject foreigners. Although Dayong is currently at peace and friendly with the other two nations, the Divine Continent has always been divided and united in cycles. Sooner or later, this calm surface will be shattered.”

Su Yang smiled, unconcerned. “It’s fine. As long as the other two nations don’t invade Dayong, I don’t want to see the people displaced and homeless.”

After all, this was also a scene Lin Huaiyu would never wish to see.

Lin Huaiyu lowered his gaze and said nothing. Su Yang spotted a tailor shop ahead and said, “Let’s buy two outfits up ahead. Standing out too much won’t help us with our tasks.”

Lin Huaiyu nodded and followed Su Yang toward the tailor shop.

When the two emerged from the tailor shop again, they were both dressed in new attire.

Seeing Su Yang waiting for him at the entrance, Lin Huaiyu’s eyes flickered slightly.

The clothing of the Great Chu was vastly different in style from that of Dayong. Su Yang wore a deep blue robe that accentuated his figure slender waist, long legs, broad shoulders, and a narrow waist. Paired with the silver bells adorning the outfit, he exuded a youthful aura.

If not for Su Yang’s long-standing position of authority, with the imposing aura of an emperor that made him particularly overbearing, Lin Huaiyu might have almost forgotten that this man was only twenty-three this year.

When Su Yang saw Lin Huaiyu, his gaze froze for a moment. For some reason, Lin Huaiyu’s outfit was quite different from his own. The robe highlighted Lin Huaiyu’s slender frame to the extreme. The black garment wrapped around Lin Huaiyu’s chest and lower body but left his waist exposed. Although there was a silver chain covering it, the half-concealed, half-revealed look made it even more alluring.

Su Yang frowned and immediately turned back into the tailor shop, fetching a piece of deep blue gauze to wrap around Lin Huaiyu’s waist.

Lin Huaiyu also felt somewhat uncomfortable. This was indeed the first time he had worn such revealing clothing. Su Yang covering him up made him breathe a sigh of relief.

Seeing that Lin Huaiyu didn’t object, Su Yang tied the gauze into a knot around his waist and said, “Let’s go find an inn to settle down first.”

Lin Huaiyu nodded.

This time, however, Su Yang told the innkeeper, “We’d like one superior room.”

Lin Huaiyu’s gaze immediately fell on Su Yang. He waited for Su Yang to retrieve the room token and said to him, “Are you planning to stand outside the door again?”

Su Yang smiled awkwardly. “I’ll watch over you. Where I sleep doesn’t matter.”

Hearing this, Lin Huaiyu lowered his eyes and took the token. “As you wish.”

After settling their belongings, the two left the inn.

Su Yang leaned close to Lin Huaiyu’s ear and said, “There’s still no news about Fan Chen. My people told me that the owner of the flower cake shop ahead is the most well-informed person around here. We can go ask him first.”

Lin Huaiyu glanced at Su Yang and chuckled softly, “You sent people out?”

Su Yang replied, “To protect you, I must leave nothing to chance.”

Lin Huaiyu said nothing more and followed him into the flower cake shop.

An elderly man emerged, looking at the two standing side by side at the door, and paused for a moment. “You two… feel free to look around. My flower cakes are delicious. You can choose whichever flower you like.”

Su Yang walked over, picked out a magnolia-flavored one, and handed it to Lin Huaiyu, deliberately adding, “Pick more.”

The shopkeeper chimed in, “Yes, pick more.”

Su Yang subtly moved closer to the shopkeeper and asked in a low voice, “Shopkeeper, I’d like to ask about someone. Is there a rather mysterious tribe here called the Lingji Tribe?”

The shopkeeper was taken aback, then furrowed his brow in thought for a moment before shaking his head. “Never heard of it. There’s no such tribe in our village. You might want to ask in other villages.”

Su Yang’s brow tightened. The state of Chu wasn’t particularly large, but it wasn’t small either. If they truly had to search for the Lingji Tribe like looking for a needle in a haystack, what if they couldn’t find it even in twenty days.

“What exactly does this Lingji Tribe you mentioned do? Or what kind of clothing do they wear?” the shopkeeper asked, noticing Su Yang’s gloomy expression.

Su Yang could only shake his head. “I don’t know.”

He had sent people to investigate the Lingji Tribe but found nothing. There were no records of it in books either.

But if it were truly easy to find, Fan Chen wouldn’t have searched for so many years without a trace.

As he was thinking this, Lin Huaiyu suddenly swayed beside him. Su Yang’s peripheral vision had been fixed on Lin Huaiyu, and seeing this, he immediately rushed over and caught him.

Without any warning, Lin Huaiyu had fainted.

Su Yang’s heart tightened. He lifted Lin Huaiyu and asked, “Where is the nearest clinic?”

The shopkeeper quickly pointed in a direction.

Su Yang carried Lin Huaiyu straight to the clinic. “Doctor! Quickly, examine him.”

Seeing Su Yang’s urgency, the doctor assumed it was a life-or-death matter and didn’t delay. He immediately took Lin Huaiyu’s pulse. After a long moment, he sighed with a frown. “This…”

Su Yang said, “Just speak plainly.”

The doctor shook his head. “There’s no saving him. This poison has been in his system for years, and it’s extremely strange. I can’t cure it. The poison has already invaded his heart meridian even a god couldn’t save him. You should prepare for the worst.”

Every word the doctor spoke felt like a sword piercing Su Yang’s heart. His expression darkened bit by bit. He tightly gripped Lin Huaiyu’s hand, his eyes shadowed with gloom.

Seeing Su Yang’s fierce expression, the doctor’s heart skipped a beat. Could this man be some kind of ruthless killer who would demand their lives if they couldn’t save the patient?!

Scrambling for a solution, he thought for a moment and said to Su Yang, “Oh, right. If you go to the end of this street and turn the corner, there’s a man living there. He’s a famous poison master around here. Maybe he can cure it?”

As long as it wasn’t his problem anymore, anything was fine.

Hearing this, Su Yang’s eyes lit up as if hope had been rekindled. The doctor thought for a moment and kindly reminded him, “However, that man has a very strange temper. Even if you go to him, he might not agree to help you. You need to be prepared he might refuse to save a life. And when that happens, don’t blame me.”

Su Yang’s lips twitched slightly. As long as that person could truly save him, no matter the method threats or bribes he would force that person to save Lin Huaiyu!

He immediately carried Lin Huaiyu and ran toward the place the doctor had mentioned.

“Is anyone here?” Su Yang gently laid Lin Huaiyu on the bed, his gaze sweeping around the room. Wooden shelves were filled with jars and bottles, clearly the residence of an apothecary.

No one answered him, so he called out twice more.

Only then did someone slowly emerge from inside. “What is it? You’re disturbing my sleep.”

Although the person wore local attire, the clothing was even more revealing than what Lin Huaiyu had initially changed into. A large expanse of chest was exposed, seemingly adorned with some kind of tattoo.

Seeing him approach, Su Yang quickly said, “I heard you’re skilled with poisons?”

The man raised an eyebrow. “What if I am?”

Su Yang pointed at Lin Huaiyu. “Then take a look at him. He’s been poisoned, a very difficult poison to cure. Can you cure it?”

The man glanced at Lin Huaiyu on the bed, a flicker of admiration flashing in his eyes. Lin Huaiyu’s face was pale, half of it buried in the bedding, like a dying fox.

His heart stirred, but he said, “I’m no philanthropist. I can cure the poison, but what’s in it for me?”

Hearing this, Su Yang felt a surge of joy and quickly asked, “What do you want?”

The man looked at Su Yang and raised an eyebrow. “Anything?”

Su Yang nodded. “As long as you can save him, anything.”

The man shifted his gaze, as if pondering what kind of demand to make. After a long while, he chuckled softly and said, “Ah! I’ve recently acquired a few treasures. If you can help me test their toxicity and see which one is the most potent, then perhaps I can help you.”

“Test poisons?” Su Yang looked at the man, seeming somewhat skeptical. Was the other’s demand really that simple?

The man smiled. “Yes, test poisons. However, my treasures are rare and deadly toxins. Some can kill with a single drop of blood, some cause excruciating pain, and some can even drive a person mad, turning them into a fool. And I have no antidotes for any of them. Now, do you still want to make this deal with me?”