Hua Xianle

Chapter 90:

“San Lang?! SAN LANG!!”

Xie Lian had been screaming into the communication array for a good five minutes, but had heard nothing but silence on the other end. He would be lying if he said that didn’t fill him with anxiety. It reminded him far too much of the lonely year he spent waiting for his beloved husband to return. It’s even worse with that last message still ringing in his ears.

“Gege… I found him.”

There was only one ‘him’ his San Lang could be referring to, and it just made this silence even worse. He was so close to having his family back, so close to finding his son and bringing him home safe, but now both he and his husband were missing. He braced himself on his desk, trying to calm himself and steady his breathing. Around his wrist, Ruoye gently squeezed, attempting to offer what comfort it could.

“Your Highness?” Ling Wen’s voice called out, pulling Xie Lian from his spiral. “Your Highness, are you alright?”

Xie Lian took a deep breath and grimaced, contemplating his next actions.

“Ling Wen, I’m sorry, I know you have a lot on your plate already. But I’m gonna have to leave everything to you for a while.”

“Your Highness, what’s going on?”

“Ling Wen, San Lang found A-Ying.” 

Ling Wen’s eyes widened upon hearing her nephew’s name. It has been months since she last saw their little prince and this news was not only welcomed, but something to be celebrated. And yet, His Highness Xie Lian looked distressed and worried. Was the prince’s state so dire that it left him this worried? The thought made the Civil Goddess’ stomach twist in dread.

“This is excellent news… and yet you do not seem happy with it. Is there something else?”

“After sending the message about locating A-Ying, the communication array went silent. He always answers me, Ling Wen. No matter how busy either of us are, he is always within reach. But now… now he’s gone silent.”

The Heavenly Emperor clutched his hand, squeezing slightly before feeling the gentle knot of the unbreaking red thread that connected him to Hua Cheng. Relief washed over him as he realized that the string was still intact, meaning that his beloved San Lang was still in one piece. He hadn’t discorporated like in his worst nightmares, which meant that he simply wasn’t in a position where he could speak.

“Your Highness,” Ling Wen spoke up again, gently ushering Xie Lian to his feet. “You will do no one any good in the state you’re in. Go and tend to your family. I and my subordinates will manage while you are gone.”

Normally, Xie Lian would have argued with her, not wanting to force the already overworked Civil Goddess to do his job for him. However, normally his family wasn’t in untold peril. Thus, he simply bowed to her and rushed briskly out of the Heavenly Emperor’s Palace. He was already halfway down the stairs when he tapped into a new communication array, this one to his old friends.

“Feng Xin, Mu Qing, where are you? I need your help.”

…

“You lost connection with Crimson Rain?!” Nan Feng and Fu Yao exclaimed in almost perfect unison.

Xie Lian gently shushed them, even though the three of them had taken refuge in Nie Huaisang’s private garden. Guards could still be lurking and at the volume these two could hit, being overheard was practically guaranteed.

“He sent me a message saying he found Hua Ying, then went silent. I know he’s still in one piece, but he seems to be in a position where speaking isn’t possible.” He held up his hand, where the red string was tied. “While I can follow this to where San Lang is, I don’t know what I will be walking into and I could use some back-up.”