The Sickly Beauty Official Faked His Death and Now the Tyrant Has Gone Mad - Chapter 9

The heavy snow showed no sign of stopping, falling like floss pouring down from the heavens so light, yet so chilling when piled up.

Lin Huaiyu knelt in the blizzard, nearly buried by the snow. He seemed to have truly become a man of snow, motionless outside the wind-swept hall.

White snow settled on his hair, his lashes, even his face. The biting wind crept into his robes, the bone-deep cold climbing over his body, making him tremble faintly in the snow.

Like ice carved from jade, he was as beautiful as a snowman in the cold wind waiting for the storm to cease and the sun to rise, only to melt away.

Lin Huaiyu’s vision was obscured by ice and snow, his eyes filled with nothing but a vast, white expanse. This scene reminded him of that winter day ten years ago, when snowflakes had danced just as wildly.

Back then, Su Yang was still the neglected prince in the cold palace. To protect him from bullying, Lin Huaiyu had used every means possible to finally rescue this overlooked prince from his desolate quarters.

Yet perhaps Su Yang’s face reminded the late emperor of his mother, the imperial concubine. The late emperor found an excuse to vent his anger on Su Yang, and just as he had been brought out of the cold palace, he was on the verge of being sent back. Lin Huaiyu pleaded for mercy on his behalf before the late emperor.

But the late emperor was in a rage and refused to see even him. To gain an audience, Lin Huaiyu knelt outside the hall, the wind and snow gnawing at his body.

He knelt for a long time, until the setting sun cast its light upon him. When the snowstorm ceased and the snow began to melt, that was when the cold truly seeped into his bones.

Lin Huaiyu felt himself stiffen and grow numb from kneeling. His entire body lost all sensation of cold, and even the pain turned into a dull, distant ache.

In the end, the late emperor finally agreed to see him. Lin Huaiyu could barely stand up from the snow. Supported by a eunuch, his legs almost unable to move, he forced himself into the hall to plead for Su Yang.

Lin Huaiyu watched the falling snow and quickly pulled himself back from his memories. He placed his hands on his knees, his gaze flickering slightly.

These legs would ache like needles piercing through them during the rainy season or when the snow melted a dense, unbearable pain that felt foreign yet inescapable.

Because of this, he could not travel long distances, stand for too long, or kneel.

Lin Huaiyu had no idea how long he had been kneeling in the snow. His lips had turned nearly as pale as the snow, the color drained from his face, making him resemble a fragile sculpture even more.

It probably wasn’t as long as when he knelt before the late emperor, Lin Huaiyu thought.

But his body could no longer withstand the wind and snow. He trembled more violently, coughing repeatedly in the snow.

Fortunately, Su Yang was not here to witness his disheveled appearance, his haggard face, looking like a ghost pursued by the underworld’s envoys.

The ground was a pristine white, yet suddenly, a splash of crimson plum blossoms appeared.

But there were no plum blossoms here. Where did this vivid red come from?

Yet another few drops fell onto the snow before Lin Huaiyu blood.

It wasn’t plum blossoms after all. He had coughed up blood.

Lin Huaiyu’s vision blurred, mistaking it for red plum blossoms.

He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again. Without a word, he brushed aside the nearby snow with his hand, covering the few drops of bright, glaring blood, hiding the crimson stain from sight.

It did not take long for Lin Huaiyu to spot those black brocade boots in the snow. He heard Su Yang’s voice coming from above his head: “Is the teacher truly so frail that kneeling for just a little while has made you faint?”

Lin Huaiyu slowly looked up, gazing at Su Yang’s expressionless face without speaking. He swallowed the metallic taste of blood in his throat, unwilling to let Su Yang detect the scent of blood.

Seeing him remain silent, Su Yang grew even angrier and roared, “Lin Huaiyu! How long have you known that Zhao Xiangyi? Are you so protective of him? To keep him alive, you’d rather kneel here, disregarding your own health? Do you like him that much?!”

Lin Huaiyu waited until the taste of blood had subsided before speaking slowly: “Your subject merely believes he is a capable talent. Your Majesty should not let him suffer because of me.”

“Suffer because of you?” Su Yang sneered coldly. “Lin Huaiyu, you truly care for him.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he bent down and pulled Lin Huaiyu up from the snow.

Lin Huaiyu’s legs had gone numb from kneeling, and he could not stand at all. Staggering, he was about to fall when Su Yang caught him again, hoisting him over his shoulder and carrying him toward the Qinchun Palace.

Lin Huaiyu felt his stomach churning. Being carried like this made his head spin. Sensing Su Yang’s anger, he said, “I kept him alive for your future use. What are you angry about?”

Su Yang snorted but said nothing.

Lin Huaiyu sighed softly. “Put me down.”

Su Yang finally spoke, his tone still harsh: “Weren’t you unable to stand just now? Can you walk now? Is it because you don’t want to be on me?”

Lin Huaiyu closed his mouth again and said nothing more. Enduring the pain in his stomach and the dizziness from being jostled, he was carried all the way back to the Qinchun Palace by Su Yang.

Returning here again, Lin Huaiyu felt as though he had been recaptured after escaping prison. After steadying himself, he decided to discuss serious matters with Su Yang: “There are still many people secretly manipulating the imperial examinations this spring. I have uncovered quite a few and gathered evidence. How does Your Majesty intend to handle this?”

Su Yang’s dark eyes fixed on Lin Huaiyu as he asked, “I have already said, teacher, you are no longer the prime minister. Is there nothing else for us to talk about?”

Lin Huaiyu was taken aback and retorted, “What else does Your Majesty think we have to discuss?”

Su Yang nodded slowly twice. “You’re right. There’s nothing left for us to talk about. After all, teacher, you already have someone else to replace me. Your heart is occupied by Zhao Xiangyi. Teacher, have you abandoned me? Do you want to take him as your student and teach him as you once taught me?”

Lin Huaiyu had no idea what Su Yang was imagining all day, but he still replied, “I have no intention of taking on a student.”

Everyone must walk their own path. Even if Zhao Xiangyi possesses talent and ability, whether he can rise to the position of prime minister depends on his own capabilities.

Hearing this, Su Yang seemed to be in a slightly better mood. He lifted his knee onto the edge of the bed, placed his hands on either side of Lin Huaiyu, trapping him in his embrace like a large wild beast encircling its prey. “Good. Then tell me, teacher, that my essays are better than Zhao Xiangyi’s, and that I am the one and only student in your heart.”

Su Yang’s warm breath brushed against Lin Huaiyu’s face. Lin Huaiyu turned his head away, closed his eyes, and assumed an expression of complete indifference, as if he had no intention of engaging with Su Yang.

“Fine, fine, fine.” Su Yang laughed in extreme anger. “If my teacher won’t even bother to humor me, then why should I show any consideration for you?”

Lin Huaiyu’s heart skipped a beat. Just as he was about to speak, Su Yang cut him off. The man’s forceful invasion left Lin Huaiyu with nowhere to escape. His legs had not yet recovered, and he was utterly incapable of resisting Su Yang, forced to endure the other’s fury.

The candlelight flickered gently, casting swaying shadows on the gauze curtains. The mournful howl of the wind seemed to drown out some faint, indistinct sounds, making them hard to discern.

Outside the palace, the wind and snow fell for another night.

When Lin Huaiyu awoke again, the pain in his body felt as though his skin had been peeled and his bones dismantled, especially in his legs, where a familiar ache radiated from his knees.

The ice and snow had melted.

Lin Huaiyu struggled to rise from the bed, leaning on whatever he could find to support himself as he made his way to the door. As soon as he opened it, a biting chill swept in with the wind, and his knees nearly gave way.

He gripped the doorframe tightly, refusing to let himself collapse, his legs trembling uncontrollably.

Before he could close the door, he saw Su Yang walking toward him, still clad in court attire, likely having just returned from the morning assembly.

Su Yang’s expression had been grim, but upon seeing Lin Huaiyu open the door, some of the gloom lifted from his face. “Did my teacher open the door especially to welcome me?”

Lin Huaiyu coughed lightly, his tone sarcastic. “You certainly know how to flatter yourself.”

Su Yang was well aware that Lin Huaiyu was still angry. Seeing him turn and retreat into the room without so much as a glance, Su Yang’s lips tightened slightly as he followed. “If my teacher treats me with such coldness, aren’t you afraid I’ll stop favoring you and appoint a new empress?”

Lin Huaiyu replied indifferently, “I would welcome it.”

Then, another possibility occurred to him. Su Yang wouldn’t bring up the matter of appointing an empress without reason. He turned back to look at him. “What was discussed at the morning assembly?”

Su Yang sneered, gripping Lin Huaiyu’s waist fiercely. “My teacher truly has no place for me in your heart. You didn’t even react when I mentioned appointing an empress.”

Lin Huaiyu winced in pain, his brow furrowing slightly. From Su Yang’s words, he deduced what had been discussed at the morning assembly. “Did the court officials urge you to appoint an empress?”

Su Yang snorted coldly. “Those people have nothing better to do than meddle in my harem. They say the harem has been empty for years, that the position of empress should be filled, and something about continuing the royal lineage and producing heirs. They argued so much it gave me a headache, so I ended the assembly early.”

Lin Huaiyu nodded. No wonder Su Yang had returned so early today.

Su Yang glanced at Lin Huaiyu, unable to read his expression, and asked nonchalantly, “Does my teacher think it’s time for me to appoint an empress?”

Lin Huaiyu shot him a sidelong glance, extricating himself from Su Yang’s grasp and sitting down nearby, as if discussing an ordinary court matter. “Does Your Majesty have a favored woman… or man?”

“A man?” Su Yang seized on Lin Huaiyu’s choice of words, his gaze locking onto him with possessive intensity. “My teacher specifically asks this could it be you think I favor you?”

Lin Huaiyu averted his eyes. “I never said that. I merely thought Your Majesty might prefer men over women.”

Su Yang scoffed. “Whether I like men or women is not for you to speculate. However, I must say, General Bai’s eldest daughter is spirited and impressive, quite to my liking. I met her once during last year’s autumn hunt, and even you, my teacher, praised her as a true daughter of a military family.”

Lin Huaiyu recalled who Su Yang was referring to. General Bai had only one daughter, named Bai Jianqing. Last autumn, during the imperial hunting competition, she outshone all the young men, riding ahead of the pack to claim the top prize. With her heroic bearing and masterful skill with a red-tasseled spear, he had indeed praised her a few times. He never expected that Su Yang would take a liking to her.

Lin Huaiyu couldn’t help but glance at Su Yang. The young emperor had grown up now. At twenty-one, in an ordinary family, he would have long been married and perhaps even had children. It was indeed time for Su Yang to take an empress.

Lowering his gaze, Lin Huaiyu said, “Your Majesty, why have you never mentioned your fondness for Miss Bai?”

Su Yang’s eyes remained fixed on Lin Huaiyu, afraid to miss even the slightest change in his expression. “I was afraid she might not be willing. After all, she doesn’t seem very keen on becoming empress.”

Lin Huaiyu nodded gently, his tone somewhat detached. “Miss Bai is indeed a fine young lady. The Bai family upholds strict discipline, and Miss Bai has even fought on the battlefield. I have seen her myself her appearance is also exceptional. I’ve heard that since General Bai returned, the Bai residence has been flooded with marriage proposals in recent years.”

“If Your Majesty truly cares for her, you must act quickly.”