Feudal Dregs - Chapter 38

There were no secrets in the grand mansion. News quickly spread that Lan Yu had fallen into a high fever after being frightened by the incident of the Eighth Concubine Madame Zhang's drowning in the well. Some took malicious delight, claiming Lan Yu must be haunted by guilt, the vicious rumors carrying knives that could kill.

Lan Yu remained unaware of all this. Illness strikes like a landslide but departs like spinning silk—his fever only began to subside the next day. During his delirium, he woke intermittently, catching glimpses of Li Mingzheng before opening his eyes again to find only Yin Huan in the room.

Groggy, Lan Yu asked for water. Yin Huan hastily brought a cup, supporting him as he weakly drank half of it before whispering, "Madame, are you feeling better? Should I summon Physician Liu again?"

"No need," Lan Yu replied.

Lying against the pillow, he pressed a hand to his forehead and closed his eyes—only for Li Mingzheng's face to suddenly appear in his mind. He thought, I actually dreamed of Li Mingzheng last night—that he was personally tending to me. What feverish nonsense.

Yin Huan studied Lan Yu's expression cautiously before murmuring, "The young master left before dawn."

Lan Yu's eyes flew open, his intense stare making Yin Huan flinch. Thinking she'd misspoken, the maid stammered, "Ninth Madame..."

"Was Li Mingzheng here last night?" Lan Yu rasped.

After hesitant nodding, Yin Huan whispered, "The young master watched over you all night."

Lan Yu froze, turning the words over in his mind. If Li Mingzheng had truly stayed—then what he'd seen wasn't a dream. Fragmented memories of the night came flooding back, leaving him dazed and seated upright, a complicated emotion welling in his chest.

He had indeed been terrified—in his delirium, he'd felt as though he were following the Eighth Concubine's fate, being stuffed into that pitch-black well.

Lan Yu didn't fear death, but neither did he wish to die—least of all in the Li family's narrow, dreadful well. That seemed more horrifying than the eighteen levels of hell, as if being thrown in would mean eternal imprisonment within the Li household.

Lan Yu was unwilling to accept his fate.

Tossing and turning, his heart remained unsettled. In his restless thoughts, he saw himself kneeling in the ancestral hall, chastised by the crowd. The entire Li family watched him coldly, with the old patriarch seated imposingly at the head. Fear, humiliation, and despair gripped him. Then suddenly, a scorching warmth pressed against him—someone embraced him, cradling him like a child. It had been so long since he had been held with such pure tenderness.

For that fleeting moment, Lan Yu felt a rare sense of peace. When he opened his eyes, he saw Li Mingzheng.

The Li household was a den of wolves, and the alpha was growing old. For Lan Yu, the best way to protect himself was to seek shelter under the new alpha. But Li Mingzheng was far more terrifying than he had imagined—unpredictable, inscrutable. And yet, it was this very man who had cared for him through the night, right in the eye of the storm. The thought made Lan Yu chuckle softly to himself.

His face was pale, but that faint smile sent a chill down Yin Huan's spine. She called out timidly, "Ninth Madam..."

Leaning against the headboard, Lan Yu studied her and asked, "Yin Huan, how long have you been in the Li household?"

"Half a year," she replied.

"Half a year..." Lan Yu murmured. "Having to serve an awkward concubine like me must have been hard on you."

Yin Huan was startled. "No, not at all!" she said hastily. "You are my mistress."

"What kind of mistress am I?" Lan Yu said with a wry smile. "After half a year with me, you must know what the people in the Li mansion say about me. You've endured plenty of scorn too, haven't you?"

Yin Huan grew even more uneasy, lowering her head in silence.

Lan Yu coughed twice, then asked gently, "Do you have any family left?"

"... Four younger siblings," Yin Huan answered.

Lan Yu nodded thoughtfully. "Must be lively."

Yin Huan gave a bitter laugh. "Lively or not, we're barely surviving."

"I never had a father," Lan Yu said softly. "My mother raised me by selling herself in the brothels. But when I was fifteen, she passed away too. Since then, I've been alone in this world."

Yin Huan was taken aback, staring at him. Lan Yu smiled—a gentle, almost delicate expression that carried the softness of southern rivers. "There's a pouch in that box," he said. "Inside is a pair of bracelets, a gift from the master. They're good quality, worth some money. Take them."

Yin Huan panicked. "N-no, I couldn't possibly—”

Lan Yu lifted his wrist slightly. "I'm a man. What use do I have for them?" He met her eyes. "Besides, who knows how much longer I'll last in this Li mansion?"

His voice was soft, but the weight of his words crashed down on Yin Huan like a boulder. She trembled, staring at him wide-eyed.

Lan Yu smiled faintly, his long lashes casting shadows over his pale, gaunt cheeks, accentuating his weariness and fragility. Yin Huan, still young and inexperienced, stammered, "...That won't happen. You'll live a long life."

Lan Yu chuckled. "Then I'll take your kind words to heart."

"Your medicine should be ready," Yin Huan said quickly. "I'll go fetch it."

"Thank you," Lan Yu replied.

As she retreated to the door, Lan Yu suddenly spoke again. "Eighth Madam's affair was exposed by her own maid. What was her name?" Yin Huan thought for a moment. "I think... it was Chunhong."

Lan Yu looked at Yin Huan and said nonchalantly, "Yin Huan, believe it or not, she'll soon be visiting the Eighth Concubine."

Yin Huan shuddered in shock.

***

Lan Yu, feeling unwell, admonished Yin Huan before forcing himself to take his medicine and sinking back into a drowsy sleep.

He slept the entire day away, only waking when it was already dark.

To his surprise, the first thing Lan Yu saw upon opening his eyes was Li Yuqing. Leaning on his hand, Li Yuqing idly played with a cup of water while watching Lan Yu. When their eyes met, Li Yuqing smiled and said, "Finally awake."

He added, "If you hadn't woken up soon, I would've had to call the doctor again."

Li Yuqing refilled the cup, walked to the bedside, and said, "Have some water."

Lan Yu stared blankly at Li Yuqing, his brows furrowing tightly. "What are you doing here?"

"What kind of question is that?" Li Yuqing clicked his tongue. "I rushed back after a busy day only to hear my dear concubine was ill, so I came straight here to see you."

Lan Yu pressed his dry lips together and replied indifferently, "You came to see if I was dead yet, didn't you?"

Li Yuqing chuckled. "Now, now, dear concubine, how could I bear to see you die?"

Lan Yu gave him a cold glare, but Li Yuqing remained unperturbed. He reached out and affectionately pinched Lan Yu's lips, saying, "Your throat sounds hoarse. Drink some water."

After a moment of silence, Lan Yu took a sip from Li Yuqing's hand. The warm water soothed his throat, bringing him some comfort. Li Yuqing smiled, set the cup aside, and climbed onto the bed, pulling Lan Yu—who was dressed in his undergarments—into his arms. Having lain in bed all day, Lan Yu's body was soft and warm, carrying a faint fragrance. Li Yuqing inhaled deeply before impulsively biting his neck and whispering with a low laugh, "Dear concubine, you usually seem so bold. How could such a scene frighten you into a fever?"

Displeased, Lan Yu tried to push Li Yuqing away, but Li Yuqing held him tightly, his arms unyielding. The more Lan Yu resisted, the more Li Yuqing pressed forward, even throwing a leg over him. Frustrated and dizzy, Lan Yu finally gave up and glared at Li Yuqing, mocking, "You ask why I was afraid?"

"If it weren't for you, Second Master Li, would I have had any reason to be so terrified?"

Li Yuqing had indeed been busy all day, but now, holding Lan Yu, he felt thoroughly at ease. He laughed and said, "What, were you afraid of being labeled an adulteress and thrown into a well?"

The harsh words struck a nerve. Enraged, Lan Yu slapped Li Yuqing across the face. Though weakened by illness, the blow still landed. Li Yuqing's expression darkened instantly as he gripped Lan Yu's chin and growled, "You dare raise your hand against me again!"

"What's your relationship with Madam Zhang? For her sake," Li Yuqing seethed, his voice low and teeth clenched, "you strike me? Lan Yu, have I been too lenient with you?"

The slap landed, and Lan Yu froze for a moment. But as Li Yuqing viciously pinched his face, the pain flared. Hearing Li Yuqing's relentless questioning, a surge of anger suddenly rose in Lan Yu's chest. He clenched his fist and swung at Li Yuqing.

Li Yuqing was trained in combat—he'd taken the slap only because he was caught off guard. Immediately, he seized Lan Yu's wrist, only to get kicked in the leg. Enraged, he pinned Lan Yu's wrist above his head with one hand. His fingers tightened around Lan Yu's throat as both their breaths grew ragged. Lan Yu glared at him, voice hoarse:

"Li Er, if your father ever throws me down a well, I'll haunt you from beyond the grave."

Li Yuqing scoffed. "Zhang was Zhang. She got herself killed—what does that have to do with you?"

Lan Yu gave a bitter laugh. "She was thrown down the well for adultery. And me? Adultery, incest—and with the Second Young Master of the Li family." His chest heaved as he shut his eyes, despair etching across his pale face. "My fate will be far worse than hers."

Li Yuqing paused, studying him. The anger in his chest dissipated slightly. His thumb brushed over the warmth of Lan Yu's throat. "If you're scared, then learn to please this master. You think I'd just stand by and watch you die?"

"Always so sarcastic, never a kind word," Li Yuqing muttered.

Lan Yu's voice was icy. "Would you really defy your father—defy the Li family's rules—for me?"

Li Yuqing tightened his grip slightly, pinching Lan Yu's gaunt cheek. He couldn't help but notice how thin the man still was—skinny when he first entered the Li household, and now, despite being well-fed, he'd only grown leaner. Almost absently, Li Yuqing said, "How do you know I wouldn't?"

The words hung between them. Both men lifted their gazes, locking eyes. In that moment, Li Yuqing truly wondered—if it had been Lan Yu in the ancestral hall that day, what would he have done? He'd never considered the consequences of toying with Lan Yu. Reckless by nature, he cared little for others' lives—once bored, he'd simply move on to new amusement.

But what if it was Lan Yu?

Li Yuqing weighed the stakes in his mind—and then realized, to his own surprise, that his first instinct wasn't to abandon Lan Yu, but to stand by him.

An unfamiliar tenderness unfurled in his chest, softening something inside him. Uncomfortable with the feeling, Li Yuqing forced a smirk. "It's not like I haven't been at odds with my father for ages anyway."

Lan Yu watched him silently.

Li Yuqing suddenly felt uneasy. Just as he was about to speak, his gaze caught on a red mark near Lan Yu's collarbone. A man well-versed in affairs, he recognized it instantly—a love bite.

His expression darkened. He pressed his thumb against the mark, grinding down with deliberate force, voice low and dangerous. "Lan Yu. What is this?"

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