The Sickly Beauty Official Faked His Death and Now the Tyrant Has Gone Mad - Chapter 6

The heavy snow had completely covered Su Yang’s footprints. Carrying Lin Huaiyu all the way back to Qinchun Palace, he walked along the long palace path for what felt like an eternity. As he looked down at Lin Huaiyu in his arms limp and flushed with drunkenness Su Yang wished time could freeze in this moment.

The palace path at night was so quiet, as if this vast world held only him and Lin Huaiyu. They had only each other, and indeed, they truly did.

Upon entering Qinchun Palace, Su Yang gently laid Lin Huaiyu on the bed. His thumb brushed over the other’s swollen lips, which had taken on a deep crimson hue from their earlier fierce kiss. Against Lin Huaiyu’s pale, cool face, the color appeared strikingly vivid, almost like that of a seductive demon.

Unable to resist, Su Yang rubbed the thin lips until they grew even redder, only to have his hand slapped away the next moment. “Have you had enough fun?” Lin Huaiyu snapped.

Su Yang chuckled, his gaze lingering on Lin Huaiyu’s lips. “Of course not. How could I ever have enough of playing with you, Teacher?”

Lin Huaiyu’s lips tingled with numbness. Already displeased from being forced to drink in the imperial garden earlier, he now glared coldly and retorted, “I never taught Your Majesty such words. Such insolence perhaps it’s best you stop calling me ‘Teacher’ from now on.”

Hearing this, Su Yang’s pupils constricted sharply. He instantly seized Lin Huaiyu’s hand, a flicker of panic flashing in his eyes, though his tone remained dangerously low. “What do you mean by that, Teacher? Are you abandoning me?”

Lin Huaiyu didn’t even glance at Su Yang, his voice faint and detached. “I have no student like Your Majesty.”

The words pierced Su Yang’s heart, his eyes instantly reddening. He gripped Lin Huaiyu’s chin, forcing the other to meet his gaze, his voice tight with emotion. “Teacher, you’re just saying that in anger, aren’t you? You won’t abandon me, right?”

This time, Lin Huaiyu’s tone held less anger and more weary resignation. “I cannot stay by Your Majesty’s side forever. Others will come to fill your life.”

Seeing how seriously Lin Huaiyu spoke these words, Su Yang’s eyes reddened further. He pressed down on Lin Huaiyu, leaving him no room to escape, his voice hoarse with emotion. “Lin Huaiyu, I forbid you to say such things! I demand that you stay by my side. You are not allowed to go anywhere you will remain with me for a lifetime!”

Looking at the stubborn Su Yang, Lin Huaiyu’s earlier anger dissipated, replaced only by helplessness.

Though Su Yang had grown up and become the emperor of the entire realm, in front of him, he still often acted like a child who refused to mature now spouting childish words once again.

Lin Huaiyu shook his head, determined to shatter Su Yang’s childish mindset. “Your Majesty must learn to live without me.”

Su Yang’s gaze hardened. He lowered his head and kissed Lin Huaiyu again, as if doing so could silence him and stop him from saying things he didn’t want to hear.

Seemingly driven by fury, Su Yang’s kiss held no trace of desire only pure venting of anger and the fleeting panic in his heart.

It was less a kiss and more a bite, punishing Lin Huaiyu by gnawing at his lips. Lin Huaiyu winced in pain and tried to push Su Yang away, but his hands were pinned down, leaving him unable to struggle, forced to endure the emperor’s wrath.

After what felt like an eternity, Su Yang tasted blood on his lips and finally released Lin Huaiyu. He licked away the blood he had drawn from the bite, then threatened fiercely, “Teacher, I want to hear you say it that you will never leave me.”

Lin Huaiyu knew that Su Yang was demanding a promise from him a promise he could never give. At most, he could only stay by Su Yang’s side for another year.

Lin Huaiyu could only quietly shift the topic: “Your Majesty wishes for me to remain by your side, but I still wish to serve the Great Yong in some capacity. I humbly request Your Majesty to allow me to oversee the Spring Examinations.”

Su Yang looked down at Lin Huaiyu beneath him, his heavy breaths gradually calming. Suddenly, he let out a low laugh tinged with mockery. “So the Prime Minister provoked me, even willing to leave my side and disregard our teacher-student bond, all for the sake of overseeing the Spring Examinations?”

Lin Huaiyu’s eyelashes trembled slightly. “If that is what Your Majesty believes, then so be it.”

Su Yang laughed again, lowering his head to Lin Huaiyu’s ear as if whispering intimately. “I have said before, if the Prime Minister wishes to oversee the Spring Examinations, he must offer his body in exchange. It seems the Prime Minister has grown fond of the taste and is eager to indulge in fleeting pleasures with me?”

Lin Huaiyu frowned slightly. “Your Majesty, the Spring Examinations are no trivial matter…”

Before he could finish, Su Yang interrupted him. “Beg me.”

Lin Huaiyu fell silent, his gaze toward Su Yang tinged with disappointment.

Su Yang raised a hand to cover Lin Huaiyu’s eyes, his voice muffled. “Don’t look at me like that. I’ve said it before I want my teacher to beg me willingly.”

Lin Huaiyu grew both angry and anxious. “Does Your Majesty truly intend to disappoint the scholars of the realm? Not to mention the need to cleanse the court does Your Majesty wish to allow those people to appoint useless officials at will?”

Su Yang watched as Lin Huaiyu refused to beg yet grew increasingly flustered, the corners of his eyes flushing red. He turned his head and kissed Lin Huaiyu’s temple, conceding slightly. “Since my teacher refuses to beg me, then let him swear an oath that he will never leave my side. Surely this request is not too much?”

Lin Huaiyu: “…”

Lin Huaiyu turned his head away, avoiding Su Yang’s kiss. Unable to bring himself to deceive him, he remained silent.

Seeing Lin Huaiyu’s cold profile, the smile on Su Yang’s lips vanished completely. “My teacher neither wishes to beg me nor agrees to stay by my side, yet expects me to compromise for him? Such a convenient arrangement does not exist!”

As he spoke, he yanked off Lin Huaiyu’s belt. With the sash loosened, the loose robe fell open like a withering flower, its petals scattering at the slightest touch infinitely tragic and beautiful.

Lin Huaiyu let out an involuntary soft gasp, then pressed his lips together to silence himself. For some reason, whenever Su Yang pressed against his waist, all his strength seemed to drain away, leaving him too weak to even push back.

Su Yang grabbed Lin Huaiyu’s long hair and pulled it back, forcing his head to tilt and exposing his slender neck and Adam’s apple. Biting down gently, he murmured, “My teacher may refuse me with words, but in truth, he enjoys this immensely, does he not?”

Lin Huaiyu tilted his head back, struggling to speak. “Su Yang! We are teacher and student must you defy all moral principles?!”

Su Yang let out a disdainful, indifferent laugh. “I am the Son of Heaven. In my eyes, there is no such thing as defying moral principles. Since my teacher wants me to grow accustomed to life without him, then I shall make him grow accustomed to the shameless acts we commit together!”

Lin Huaiyu watched as Su Yang removed his robe and tried to stop him. “You know this is shameless?! Su Yang, it’s not too late to pull back from the brink!”

Su Yang chuckled coldly. “My teacher, you’ll grow used to it.”

Lin Huaiyu watched Su Yang approach, using every ounce of strength to try and escape the bed, but the man dragged him back effortlessly, like a cat toying with a mouse.

Lin Huaiyu cursed, “Su Yang! You beast! You can’t keep making the same mistake! Hmph…”

In a spare moment, Su Yang tore down the bed’s curtain. The sheer gauze swayed, and in the hazy light, the world seemed to lose its color.

He whispered softly, “Teacher, don’t bite your lips. I love the sound of your voice.”

The gauze swayed, the candlelight flickered, and their shadows trembled along with them.

Layer upon layer of curtains and window veils intertwined, blocking all sight neither inside nor outside could be seen clearly. Only the shadows cast by the candlelight danced upon the gauze.

The next day, Lin Huaiyu woke late again. Even if he had awakened at the time of the morning court session, Su Yang wouldn’t have allowed him to leave the Spring Palace. Whether he woke or not made no difference.

But Lin Huaiyu once again experienced the sensation of his entire body falling apart. It felt as though his bones had been dismantled, not even sparing his fingers.

Lying in bed, his consciousness remained foggy upon waking, his gaze unable to focus for a long time, as if his body no longer belonged to him.

When he finally regained control of his body, he lacked even the strength to move a finger, and a dull ache lingered in his abdomen.

A knock sounded at the door. Lin Huaiyu glanced at the sky outside. Though the morning court session had ended, if it were Su Yang, he wouldn’t have knocked.

So he called out, “Come in.”

But as soon as he spoke, Lin Huaiyu paused. His voice was hoarse and dry, barely recognizable, and a light cough followed immediately.

Fortunately, the person outside heard him and pushed the door open.

“Greetings, Prime Minister Lin.”

At the door stood Zhou Tian, the Minister of Rites, holding a stack of booklets so tall they nearly blocked his view. Thus, he didn’t notice Lin Huaiyu lying in bed.

Lin Huaiyu glanced over, propped himself up quickly, draped Su Yang’s outer robe over his shoulders, and got out of bed. “What is this?”

Zhou Tian placed the booklets on the desk, cautiously stealing a glance at Lin Huaiyu. The other man’s expression remained aloof and distant, starkly different from the hoarse voice he had heard outside the door. Perhaps he had misheard.

He hurriedly replied, “His Majesty ordered me to bring these for you, Prime Minister Lin. You may not know this while you’re still unwell, but at today’s morning court session, His Majesty announced that this year’s Spring Examinations will be overseen by you.”

Lin Huaiyu sat down at the table, poured himself a cup of tea to soothe his throat, and lowered his gaze, concealing the emotions in his eyes.

Last night, Su Yang had forced himself on him despite his resistance, and today, he immediately handed over the Spring Examinations to him. It truly felt like a transaction had been completed.

Given the circumstances, Lin Huaiyu could only say, “Leave them here.”

Zhou Tian nodded, his eyes catching sight of the outer robe Lin Huaiyu wore. Though puzzled, he dared not look too closely and said, “Then… I shall take my leave.”

Lin Huaiyu nodded without another word.

Only after the man left did Lin Huaiyu relax his posture, leaning against the table, abandoning his earlier dignified demeanor.

His body still ached, but the Spring Examinations were now his most pressing matter. He walked to the desk and began flipping through the booklets.

Zhou Tian had brought the lists of candidates who had passed the provincial examinations from various regions. These scholars would soon arrive in the capital to participate in the Spring Examinations. Along with the lists, the examination papers from the provincial exams had also been delivered.

Lin Huaiyu read through the essays one by one, so engrossed that he didn’t even notice when Su Yang arrived.

“Teacher is reading so intently. Is there an essay that has caught your eye?” Su Yang stood beside him, his gaze sweeping over the essay in Lin Huaiyu’s hands, his tone carrying a hint of danger.

Lin Huaiyu had been holding this essay for a long time longer than the previous ones by the time it takes to finish a cup of tea!

Still immersed in grading, Lin Huaiyu didn’t catch the hostility in Su Yang’s tone and replied straightforwardly, “This essay is indeed well-written. The writer has unique insights and a deep understanding of court affairs. Not only does he grasp the principles of governance, but he also considers the welfare of the people. He seems like a promising talent.”

Su Yang raised an eyebrow slightly, a trace of disdain in his eyes. “It’s rare to see Teacher praise someone so highly. In your opinion, what rank could he achieve in the imperial examination?”

Lin Huaiyu set the essay down, thought for a moment, and said, “He is certain to be among the top three.”

Su Yang pursed his lips, took the essay, and glanced at it. “Teacher’s evaluation of him is truly high. In your view, whose essay is better mine or his?”

Back when Su Yang was under Lin Huaiyu’s tutelage, he had written many essays, each personally reviewed by Lin Huaiyu. Yet, the highest praise he ever received was “not bad.” Thus, he knew just how precious Lin Huaiyu’s earlier praise was.

Lin Huaiyu genuinely liked this one…

Su Yang glanced at the name on the essay.

Zhao Xiangyi.

Only then did Lin Huaiyu look up at Su Yang, noticing the obscure glint in his eyes and his gloomy expression. Lin Huaiyu was puzzled. “Your Majesty, as the Son of Heaven, why compare yourself to him?”

But Su Yang persisted, asking again, “Teacher, just tell me whose essay is better, mine or his?”

Lin Huaiyu looked at him and deliberately replied, “His.”

Rip!

The sound of tearing paper immediately echoed in Lin Huaiyu’s ears. He turned to see Su Yang tearing the essay in his hands and tossing it carelessly to the ground. “A promising talent? Among the top three? If he can’t even take the imperial examination, how can he rank among the top three?”

Lin Huaiyu frowned, unsure what had set Su Yang off this time. “What are you planning to do now?”

Su Yang chuckled softly. “I won’t let him take the imperial examination.”

Lin Huaiyu glanced at the torn essay on the floor, then at Su Yang’s dark expression, realizing he wasn’t joking. “He hasn’t done anything wrong. Why prevent him from taking the exam? He is exceptionally talented. If he enters the court with integrity and capability, Your Majesty could make good use of him and bring him under your wing.”

“I don’t need him!” Su Yang leaned forward, one hand resting on the chair behind Lin Huaiyu and the other on the desk, enclosing Lin Huaiyu within his shadow. “My essays are clearly better than his, yet Teacher never praised me like that. You’ve never even met him, yet you praised him from head to toe. Do you like him that much? Hmm?”

Lin Huaiyu blinked slowly, finally understanding what had driven Su Yang into such a frenzy. He couldn’t help but laugh. “Su Yang, you’re the Son of Heaven, the supreme ruler. Why compare yourself to a mere scholar who hasn’t even entered officialdom?”

But Su Yang refused to let it go. “Then tell me, Teacher my essays are better than his. You like my essays more. You like me more!”

Lin Huaiyu remained silent, just as last night Su Yang had forcefully demanded he swear never to leave him, over and over, threatening him viciously, refusing to let him find release otherwise.

Lin Huaiyu’s voice was hoarse purely from shouting.

Su Yang knew Lin Huaiyu was proud and unyielding, yet he was determined to break that pride. Seeing Lin Huaiyu’s silence, he let out a low, mocking laugh and said with malice, “Fine. Since the teacher refuses to speak, then I will not allow this man to enter the court and appear before you.”

Lin Huaiyu frowned deeply. He truly could not understand how someone as old as Su Yang could still act so childishly.

“Why must Your Majesty trouble himself with a mere scholar? He comes from a humble background, and the imperial examination is his chance to shine. Yet now, because of a single sentence, you would strip him of this opportunity. Is that not unjust to him?”

Su Yang looked at Lin Huaiyu, his anger flaring even hotter. “The teacher is always thinking of others, even speaking up for a scholar he has never met. And what about me? In your heart, am I even less than him?”

Lin Huaiyu felt Su Yang’s anger was utterly unreasonable, but he had no desire to provoke him further. He only wanted to ensure the imperial examination proceeded smoothly. Calmly, he replied, “I am overseeing the imperial examination to ensure fairness for all scholars who participate. If Your Majesty were to exclude a scholar because of something I said, would that not contradict my original intent? How would the scholars of the realm view Your Majesty then?”

Su Yang pressed his lips together, snatched the roster from Lin Huaiyu’s hands, and threw it to the ground. “The imperial examination, the scholars they are all more important to you than I am! Even when I threaten you, you refuse to say a single gentle word. Lin Huaiyu, you know exactly what I want to hear!”

Lin Huaiyu glanced at the roster on the floor, then lowered his gaze. With a long sigh, he stood up and bent down to retrieve it, asking softly, “What does Your Majesty wish to hear?”

Su Yang stepped on the roster with his embroidered golden silk boots, preventing Lin Huaiyu from picking it up and forcing him to remain bent over. Looking down at him coldly, Su Yang said, “Fine. If the teacher does not wish to speak, I will not force you.”

Lin Huaiyu’s eyes flickered. Last night, Su Yang had said the same thing, after he had gritted his teeth and bitten his lips bloody, refusing to beg for mercy.

And indeed, Su Yang had withheld what he desired for a long time, turning what should have been pleasure into torment.

As expected, Su Yang continued, “The teacher wants fairness, but now that fairness lies in my hands. Are you not willing to sacrifice everything for the Great Yong, for the imperial examination, for these scholars? Then use yourself to exchange for it.”

Lin Huaiyu immediately looked up at Su Yang, who went on, “After all, the teacher has already used his body to bargain with me once. Surely a second time would not matter. You have experience now, and with your intelligence, I believe you will know what to do without me having to teach you again.”

Lin Huaiyu held onto the roster without letting go, but maintaining this position for too long strained his already uncomfortable body. His legs trembled slightly, unable to bear the strain. Suppressing his discomfort, he asked, “Must Your Majesty insist on this?”

Su Yang’s expression remained cold and unyielding, determined to force Lin Huaiyu to utter a single gentle word. “The teacher is nothing more than my captive now. What else do you think you have to bargain with?”

He slowly crouched down, closing in on Lin Huaiyu. “What else does my teacher have to offer as leverage besides his body that would be worth my attention?”

He reached out and pinched Lin Huaiyu’s chin, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Or perhaps, Teacher could simply say that you prefer my essays, that you prefer me!”

But Lin Huaiyu closed his eyes, as if unwilling to speak further. “Must you force me like this?”

“It is you who forces me!” Su Yang grabbed Lin Huaiyu and flung him onto the desk. The examination papers that had just been delivered by the Ministry of Rites scattered into the air.

A sharp pain shot through Lin Huaiyu’s back. Before he could react, his clothes were torn open by Su Yang, spreading across the desk like uncut fabric, offering little more than a thin cushion.

Sometimes, Lin Huaiyu wondered if Su Yang dressed him in these ill-fitting clothes precisely so they could be torn off so easily.

But he didn’t have time to dwell on it. Su Yang flipped him over, pressing him against the desk, and picked up a brush resting nearby. Dipping it in ink, he traced a character onto Lin Huaiyu’s lower back. The cold sensation made Lin Huaiyu flinch. The wolf-hair brush moved across his skin, forming a character with bold, powerful strokes a style Lin Huaiyu himself had taught.

Enduring the humiliation, Lin Huaiyu struggled to keep still, his hands restrained by Su Yang, fighting the urge to squirm from the ticklish sensation on his lower back.

His eyelashes trembled. “Su Yang! How could you.”

How could you humiliate me like this?

Su Yang let out a low hum, then lifted Lin Huaiyu again, laying him flat on the desk. Just as Lin Huaiyu tried to move, Su Yang pressed him down once more, the brush now tracing over his abdomen.

Lin Huaiyu trembled even more violently, whether from anger or something else. “Su Yang, must you force me to hate you?”

Su Yang leaned close to Lin Huaiyu’s ear, his voice draining all strength from him. “Then hate me, Teacher. It would be better than this better than you not caring about me at all.”