Chapter 273 - 271. I Will Bring Him Back

Third-person POV

After successfully calmed Zhang Wei down, Hong er smiled gently and wanted to ask what happened that caused Zhang Wei to burst into tears, but she pondered again and decided to not ask the question. For a child to cry out in a stranger's arms, the child must have gone through such horrible pain that it left a huge scar in his heart.

But when she was going to take the bowl that she set aside, Zhang Wei seized her hands and wrote on her palm as fast as he could. The excitement in his heart made him unable to think anything but to make Hong er to realize that he was her son.

"Mother, it's me, Zhang Wei, your son!" Zhang Wei excitedly recited every word that he wrote.

Hong er didn't react for quite a while, a strange feeling slowly rose from the deepest of Zhang Wei's heart.

'Why is Mother not saying anything? Do I write too fast?' Zhang Wei lamented in his heart.

Just when Zhang Wei was going to rewrite the sentence, the corner of Hong er's pale lips curled into a sad smile. Zhang Wei's breath stopped for a moment, various thoughts surfaced in Zhang Wei's head which caused his grip to tighten. The smile on Hong er's pale lips suddenly made Zhang Wei reluctant to know Hong er's answer. Hong er wiggled her hands out from Zhang Wei's tight hold and gently took his hand.

She placed her fingertip on Zhang Wei's rough palm and wrote, "My son…" Hong er's finger froze for a moment before continuing, "…has long gone."

.

.

"Dare to say it again."

An oppressive voice that was deeper than a bottomless pit resounded through the expansive hall. A line of black-clothed people kneeled with their forehead pressed on the cold wooden floor. The pressure of the voice sent a shiver down to their spine. They held back their breath as to not irritate the person who sat on the highest throne.

"Th-this servant received a piece of news that Her Highness Princess Rong has been found and secured at the base located in the forest not far from the Cursed Land." One of them spoke up tremblingly.

He was ready to have his head cut off until a different voice sounded out, "How about His Highness Prince Zhang?"

Without lifting his head to see, he recognized the owner of this voice, it was Qiyi, one of the most trusted bodyguards that Weisheng kept by his side.

"General Di and Lady Meiyun are still searching for His Highness Prince Zhang. They are heading towards Cursed Land as per Her Highness Princess Rong's information." The man answered Qiyi's question and the hall fell into a dead silence.

No one dared to move or even breathe too loudly, they lowered their head until their chin touched their chest. They had never been this nervous since the disappearance of the Empress.

Weisheng who had been sending them dead glares finally broke the silence.

"Obediently wait for your punishment." Weisheng growled before he walked pass by the kowtowing elite soldiers.

The elite soldiers froze in unison, the lightest punishment for them would be a painless death. They didn't waste any time as they quickly rose to their feet and dispersed to obtain information about Zhang Wei's whereabouts.

Qier was out to do the mission that Weisheng gave him therefore there was only Qiyi that served beside Weisheng. Qiyi soundlessly followed Weisheng, he glanced at the darkening sky and gathered the braveness to ask Weisheng a question.

"Your Majesty Emperor, any order for this servant?" Qiyi cupped his fist and bent his waist to bow at Weisheng.

Weisheng stopped in his track and turned his head to look over his broad shoulder. Qiyi immediately went on his knees when he saw Weisheng's eyes had changed. His sclera turned jet black as his blood-red iris shone dangerously just like the time when he lost his wife.

The grey clouds swirled as black thunder rumbled within the thick clouds. Qiyi knew what Weisheng's next move was and silently he took a step back. The growl of the thunder echoed throughout the Capital City of Da An, the people who had faced this exact same situation quickly shouted and pulled the children back into their own house. They lighted up their entire house brightly with candles and lanterns.

"Do what you should do." After he left those few words, an ear piercing thunder blasted right on the position where Weisheng was standing.

Qiyi immediately raised his arms to shield himself from getting blown away by the crash yet despite in his defense state, Qiyi still was thrown a few steps backward. Since Hong er disappeared, Weisheng had been easily angered unlike in the past. The person who pacified the fire in the Weisheng's heart was gone, without any doubt, the fire became easier to be triggered.

Fortunately, Hong er left the most precious gift that Weisheng could ask for, it was the twin. Since the time he learned that he almost endangered his own children's life, he had practiced keeping his dark power in control and it was not easy.

He had several powerful mages to cast multiple barriers around him when he was practicing, nevertheless, sometimes the mages would be injured if they were not cautious of Weisheng's power. And now, Weisheng could use his full power without much concern of being taken over by the demon inside him.

A second after the thunder stroke Weisheng at the Royal Palace, the same petrifying thunder stroke right at the main base where Rong Ai was currently resting. Because of the undoubtedly loud growl of the thunder, Rong Ai and Bing Wen immediately woke up and rushed outside to see what was happening.

Rong Ai was ready to fight when she saw her father was standing with blood-curling aura oozing from her father's body. Although she was slightly hesitant to approach the current Weisheng, she didn't let her fear get into her. She ran to Weisheng's side and grabbed his arm.

"Father! Father! Zhang Wei! H- he…" Rong Ai stuttered as he shook Weisheng's arm with her trembling hand.

Weisheng gently placed his other hand on top of Rong Ai's head and ruffled her silky hair, "Don't worry, Father will definitely bring your brother back."

Somehow, the cold voice gave a reassurance to Rong Ai's anxious heart. She nodded her head and released Weisheng's arm as to not hinder Weisheng from finding Zhang Wei. Weisheng glanced at Bing Wen and also patted his head.

"Take care of Rong Ai for me." Weisheng walked away after he dropped a few words to Bing Wen.

The wording that Weisheng used on Bing Wen was not as domineering as when he was in the morning court. It was as if he was talking to his own child.

"Yes, Your Majesty Emperor." Bing Wen bowed to the leaving Weisheng.

Then Bing Wen turned to Rong Ai and took her hand, "Your Highness Princess Rong, let's go back to our tent. You had spent your energy for today."

Rong Ai stared at Weisheng's board back before she nodded her head, "En."

On the other side, the soldiers gathered in a line and kneeled to the furious Weisheng. With Weisheng's back facing them, they instantly knew Weisheng was on the verge of having their heads decapitated but was holding back the urge to kill the soldiers that had been accompanying him in every battle.

"Explain." With just a word from Weisheng's lips, a chill went down to the soldiers' spine.

"We are still unable to know His Highness Prince Zhang's location and there is still no news from General Di's team. These humble servants are stayed at the base to protect Her Highness Princess Rong." A soldier bowed his head lower.

"Useless." Weisheng spat out.

None of the soldiers refuted Weisheng's remark, being in the strongest and most intelligent unit yet they couldn't even keep a watch on two children truly made them lose face.

"Protect them, if you fail once again…" Weisheng's glare was enough for the soldiers to know the rest of the sentence.

"Yes, Your Majesty Emperor! We will definitely not disappoint you!" the soldiers roared.

A gust of wind violently blew past them causing sands to get into their eyes. They blinked their eyes to remove the prickling sands and the moment they could open their eyes, Weisheng had nowhere to be seen.