WangXian Forever Book 10

Chapter 47: Shock

There's an explosion of outrage and anger.

"PengYou, tell me you have a good reason for stopping me." Hui Gai looks extremely dangerous, anger rolling off him in waves. His red eyes are even brighter.

Meanwhile, Tang Pei and Healer Fei rush to the Emperor's side, to make sure he's alright. He looks heartbroken, though. Liu Wu throws off the covers from his body and hugs his father, sobbing.

"Hui Gai, I swear, I'll explain soon." Not here, Wei Ying tells him, adding that last bit through their mental connection.

The redness in his eyes dims a little as Hui Gai gives him a sharp nod, backing down but just barely.

Wei Ying turns to Lan Zhan. "My love, can you please gather clothes for His Highness? Tang Pei, please, we need you to help him. Both of you pack whatever you think he will need in Cloud Recesses." Wei Ying takes a deep breath and goes closer to the Emperor.

Healer Fei throws him a pleading look; from the way the child is clinging to his father, Healer Fei can't examine the Emperor properly. Wei Ying immediately understands and sits on the bed next to Prince Wu.

He begins by stroking the child's hair, soothing, calming touches and it begins to have a good effect. Second Prince Wu stops crying, and instead, his bottom lip trembles as he whimpers pitifully.

It must have been so shocking for the young boy to hear such violence. Wei Ying is glad that his father had covered his face, so at least he hadn't actually seen anything traumatic. And then, to know that it was his older brother who was such a monster, who had turned into this unrecognisable person, such a turnaround from the older brother he thought he knew. What a betrayal of trust.

"Your Highness, Prince Wu, please can you ease back a little bit? Healer Fei needs to check your father." Wei Ying coaxes him away, little by little.

The situation in the Palace is getting worse, for sure, but they had no idea that the First Prince was such a terrible son, and an awful human being. Adding to that was the treasonous behaviour from the other two Royal Advisors, who were either manipulating him, or just supporting his revolt against the Emperor.

And now, since Prince Wu had just heard what he was truly like, it is going to be impossible to let him stay here.

The young boy is too inexperienced and naive to keep up the pretence needed that he still loves his older brother, and without that falseness as a shield, his life is absolutely in danger right now.

"Prince Wu, Your Highness, can you sit up for me?" Wei Ying motions to Lan Zhan for his gourd of water and makes him drink a few mouthfuls until the boy stops shaking.

"We're going to go with my good friend here, Hui Gai. Do you understand?" He crouches to make eye contact with the Second Prince Wu.

"Where?" Several voices ask immediately, including the twelve year old.

"Look, it's obvious that Prince Wu has seen something, heard something that can seriously compromise his safety. We can't leave him here. So I'm saying he should be with his father. If we're taking the Emperor to Cloud Recesses, after what just happened here, we must take the Second Prince, too," Wei Ying explains. "So I just want him to have something of his own there, maybe a toy or something. Come on, guys, he's just a kid." Wei Ying gives in and hugs the boy, not caring if he's allowed to or not.

The boy is still shaking, and now Wei Ying feels even worse for him.

"Will Hanguang-Jun come with us?" The child asks in a small voice.

"Do you want him to?" Wei Ying asks him back, smiling a little because he can already see how much Lan Zhan approves of this secondary plan, and would have come with them regardless.

Prince Wu nods his head vigorously.

"Okay, then Hui Gai, make us invisible? Then we can all go." Wei Ying puts a hand on the shoulder of the Emperor, who's watching them sadly. "Your Highness, please don't worry. We will look after your son. As soon as we come back, we'll all go to Cloud Recesses. Alright?"

The Emperor nods, and then tries stretching a hand towards his son. Prince Wu takes it and kisses the back of his hand.

"Don't worry, Father. I'm going to look after you from now on. I won't let Gege come near you."

Wei Ying sees an image in his head of what the Second Prince will look like in the future, an older version, one that's stronger and determined, a true son to his father.

"PengYou, do you have the map I drew for you?" Hui Gai asks him.

Wei Ying nods and looks at Lan Zhan, who is already pulling it out from the Qiankun pouch in his sleeve. Hui Gai takes it and comes closer to the Second Prince. The Second Prince reaches for Wei Ying's hand, and wipes his eyes with the back of his hand, streaking his cheeks with his tears. It's a conscious, visible decision to be brave now.

"Hui Gai is a King," Wei Ying tells the Prince. "And he's our best friend. You can trust him."

The Second Prince nods, a fraction of a second later. He's a good kid, Wei Ying thinks affectionately.

"Where's your room on here?" Hui Gai points at the map. "Right now, we're over here."

The Second Prince examines it carefully before pointing out his room.

"Can you take us directly inside?" Wei Ying asks him.

"Yes."

"Good job," Wei Ying praised him, relieved. "Then, we don't even have to be invisible. We can just teleport inside that room."

"Mn." Lan Zhan comes to stand next to him.

They hold hands and vanish.

*************

It looks like an ordinary room. The Second Prince immediately aims for his bed where a stuffed turtle is resting just under the covers with its head peeking out. He grabs that and a book from a drawer on the side cabinet.

"Shall we take any clothes?" Wei Ying asks, to no one in particular.

"No. Anything grander than the usual clothes of a member of the Lan Clan will give him away. He should wear something from home." Lan Zhan replies.

"You're right, my love. That makes more sense. Okay then, Your Highness? Are you ready?"

The Second Prince remains silent even as he nods. He takes Wei Ying's hand again after giving the room one last look.

Wei Ying can understand that.

There were many times in the past whenever he had to leave his room in Lotus Pier, and now, whenever they leave the Jingshi, that he too, always looks around one more time. A kind of fond farewell, because he never knew for certain if he would be coming back or not. Even if he did return, there was no guarantee that either the room or himself would still be the same.