บท 29: Missing someone
Zhou Xi really wished he could howl in frustration, but of course it wouldn't do him any good as he was desperately fleeing for his life. For hours, he had been issuing orders, organizing the rescue teams, helping the people of the capital city. He was exhausted, both mentally and physically. The number of victims due to the dragon wrecking havoc and burning everything was unbelievably high. Emergency relief seemed to monopolize everything. He was running out of energy, and all the mages helping the wounded were low on magic elements. It seemed that healing magic required a high consumption in magic elements. Moreover, recovery potions – the so-called "absorption rate improvement medicines" or ARIM – weren't very useful if the location was poor in magic elements, and the reserves in the city center were already almost depleted with so many magic users.
It didn't help that the Academy of Magic had been shaken and partially destroyed by the fight between Soon-Yi and the former Great Mage Cheng Hu just before the arrival of the dragon. Moreover, Soon-Yi had taken the most powerful mages with her in her chase of the dragon. Of course, such a calamity level monster, a legendary dragon far more powerful than even the dragons from Lysania, had to be killed or captured. Only the best mages could achieve such a feat, provided they worked together, under Soon-Yi's command. However, the remaining mages in the capital were absolutely useless.
Therefore, Zhou Xi and even his father the emperor Guo Ning had to call their own personal mages for help. Giving their all, both in manpower and magic power, the First Prince and the Emperor were highly vulnerable. However, they were confident enough in their own strength. Even the emperor, with his weak body but strong will, held in high regards his rank and pride by helping on both fronts, fighting the raging fire and providing relief to the victims. Zhou Xi couldn't do any less.
When he heard the news from his personal mage Madelyn that Wei Lin's kidnapper had been found but that Wei Lin had already been taken by someone else, Zhou Xi had been enraged. He had left everything to go to the dungeon, see the despicable criminal who stole his pregnant wife right from the imperial palace.
After the interrogation of the culprit Ernest Dottery, Zhou Xi had realized that the man was a pitiful wreck who lost his hand but only suffered because of the guilt of not being able to protect Wei Lin. The fact that he shared such a strong, overwhelming feeling with this contemptible joke of a guard made Zhou Xi's blood boil. He didn't think twice before ordering the old crone, the most twisted of his personal mages, to enslave Ernest Dottery.
It had obviously been an error. After watching to his heart's content the man being beaten and humiliated but unable to resist, Zhou Xi left the old crone with her new toy and went to the Inner Palace audience chamber to report to his mother the Empress Li Feng Lan about the emergency relief efforts. On his way back, he had met a concubine, however not one of his. She was his official wife Qing Chan's sister, Qing Li Na, and one of his third brother's concubines.
Both sisters had married Princes, their background and family sure were powerful, however, Zhou Xi had first sent Qing Chan to a remote temple and then confined her in the Orchid Palace under house arrest. As she had fled, now she was wanted like a criminal and had obviously lost her rank in his harem. He didn't want to offend the family further so he listened to Qing Li Na's plea. As he was already tired, he meekly let himself be enticed by the beautiful woman, well aware that she was his sister-in-law and that she was trying to seduce him into replacing her sister as his official wife.
It would have been a huge leap in rank for her to become the official wife of the First Prince instead of a mere low and neglected concubine of the Third Prince. Even though he was used to it, Zhou Xi couldn't help but find that women's ambitions in the imperial palace were both scary and unavoidable.
Even tough he had a very high status, in the end, he was only a man, moreover a perverted one.
As everybody knew, he was weak to women. He tasted numerous beauties, married some of them, and still craved for more. He was not ashamed of his lustful way of life, he was only indulging in their warmth. However, only one had ever captured his heart. The one he yearned for had a slender body, a shy but stubborn personality, long golden hair and worked as Wei Lin's maid.
He was a powerful Prince with a harem full of beauties eager to please him and he was infatuated with a cross-dressing boy. The gods really liked to pull pranks on him.
As he was tired and feeling dejected, Zhou Xi couldn't help but lower his guard. Qing Li Na was a charming petite woman who seemed harmless and he was tempted to let himself be comforted. However, he didn't have the time to even disrobe as the lady's husband, Zhou Xi's own brother, barged in the room without knocking.
For a split second, everybody in the room seemed to freeze. Zhou Xi didn't have any guard with him right now and his sword lay a bit too far. He just hoped he could reach it if his brother started to fight with him over his concubine. It was not unheard of for a cheating couple of lovers to be assassinated by the cuckolded husband. Even though he had not touched Qing Li Na yet, with his reputation, he would have a hard time just to plead his innocence. In addition, he had just provided the perfect excuse for his Third brother to get rid of a major obstacle, should they all start to fight for the throne.
Nearby, Qing Li Na was as pale as a ghost. True, she had intended to seduce the First Prince in order to climb the ranks faster. If she could persuade Zhou Xi to claim her, or better yet, if she could get pregnant, her current husband would probably let her go as he had always been an amiable fellow, the kindest son of the imperial family. That had been her plan, however, her husband had seen her in a compromising position and could kill her on the spot without Zhou Xi even batting an eyelash. It was the worst outcome, a brutal and fierce slap in the face. Even her kind husband would lose his temper seeing such shameless cheating while so many lives were still in danger. She had planned for years, undermining both Wei Lin's and her own sister Qing Chan's positions just to make it easier for her to take their place. With both women missing, the time seemed ripe but she had been too eager. All her scheming was all to no avail if this first attempt backlashed and she lost her life.
But the most surprised of the trio was the Third Prince, Zhou Wen De. Even though he still had his unsheathed sword in hand, for a moment he had absolutely no idea what to do with it. He was standing awkwardly, not daring to take a single step forward. He didn't have the slightest clue as to the love affair in front of his eyes, between his brother and his concubine. It never even struck him as possible and at the same time, he thought that something like this was bound to happen one day.
He looked up to his brother but would never approve of his lecherous side. However, as he had witnessed the harsh burden of the crown prince from early childhood, he understood that Zhou Xi had to let out some steam sometimes, and averted his eyes on his dissolute ways. Out of kindness or maybe out of cowardice.
On the other hand, Zhou Wen De couldn't find in himself to condemn Qing Li Na either. She was pretty, ambitious and smart but he had never loved her. He was confident in his appraisal of people and knew for a fact that she was egoistical and spoiled whereas her sister Qing Chan was loyal and dignified. He really didn't want to uncover anymore of his wife's vile nature. It seemed like he had become quite good at averting his eyes nowadays.
Even though his own mother always pestered him because he neglected his harem, he felt all the women there were totally worthless and untrustworthy. He didn't need a woman if she couldn't stand by his side and aim for the same ideal, much like his father and the empress Li Feng Lan.
Suddenly, a commotion outside brought Zhou Wen De back to his senses.
"Brother, you need to go now..."
He was abruptly interrupted by his close aide crashing and breaking the door while fighting. Even in such a disadvantageous position, the soldier still tried to defend the princes.
Ignoring the danger, Zhou Wen De immediately engaged in the fight, helping his aide regain his footing.
While parrying, he said :"These are prisoners that broke out of the dungeon. They're after your life. We'll hold them back, please take the secret passage."
Qing Li Na, trembling with fear, was looking at Zhou Xi, ready to follow blindly towards the life-saving secret passage she didn't know. However, Zhou Xi took his sword and joined the fight as well, roaring like a mad man :"Don't talk nonsense ! Do you take me for a coward ?"
Speechless, the little brother only grinned. This big bro of his was really the best.
The fight didn't last very long. In other parts of the palace, some thieves were still busy looting but most of the prisoners had chosen to flee. None of them even dared to approach the heavily guarded harem and as Zhou Wen De said, the largest part were set on taking the First Prince's life and were searching for him in small teams all over the place near their current location.
The last prisoner standing was currently fighting both princes in the small room. The brothers were quite adept at fighting in group but the place was too narrow for a proper battle. They launched a dual attack but Zhou Xi's sword ended embedded in the wooden door frame while Zhou Wen De hit his mark and thrust his blade in the man's gut.
However, just at the same moment, a dagger appeared in the prisoner's hand and pierced the First prince's side. Their faces were very close and Zhou Xi couldn't believe his eyes. His strong berserk opponent was Ernest Dottery. But not the pitiful and beaten slave he had seen a little while ago, he had been transformed into a blood-thirsty beast. Then realization dawned that the old crone, one of his personal mages, had betrayed him.
Zhou Wen De retrieved his sword and blood gushed out of Dottery's wound. The man was as good as dead however he didn't seem to feel any pain, probably due to a magic spell. Ernest Dottery kept on howling and Zhou Xi had no doubt that the old crone would come and heal him if she deemed him still usable. Seeing this mindless and wild puppet, Zhou Xi couldn't help but feel guilt and pity. He had been the one to order the enslavement.
All of a sudden, even though he heard footsteps running his way, he couldn't move his limbs at all. Weariness was threatening to engulf his already tired mind and body. He had never felt so worn out in his entire life. He was barely conscious when he heard his brother giving orders and gently lifting him up with the help of his aide.
Once out of the secret passage, Qing Li Na bandaged his wound. If both princes abandoned her now, she would be ruined. She needed to prove herself as useful as possible. It was a matter of self-preservation. Then the group waited, Zhou Wen De and a handful of followers still on the alert.
Afterwards, Zhou Wen De's only personal mage joined them and cast a weak healing spell on Zhou Xi and the other wounded soldiers. Zhou Xi snorted. How very Wen De-like to select loyal servants over competent ones !
Finally, they carried the injured men in a nondescript covered wagon and left the capital. Some were lying on makeshift stretchers but Zhou Xi was well enough to sit at the back of the wagon. He didn't know where they were headed and didn't ask.
Zhou Wen De and his aide were on the driver seat. At this moment, Zhou Xi couldn't do anything but trust his brother. It felt so comforting to leave everything to someone else. It had been such a long while since the last time someone had to shoulder all the responsibilities in his stead.
If only it had been someone else by his side, anyone, instead of Qing Li Na. Seeing without the bias of his own lust, he really didn't like her. He couldn't believe she truly was Zhou Wen De's concubine. They were the worst mismatch he had ever seen.
Right at this moment, emerging from a dark spot close to the forest, Qing Chan appeared on the roadside. She was in tattered clothes, with a red-haired man from Lysania and an unknown woman dressed in men's clothes. They looked like a pitiable party in a awfully sorry state but Qing Chan's demeanor was as regal as ever.
The wagon slowed down and stopped. Zhou Xi could only guess the ideas crowding his brother's mind and the feelings in his heart thrown in a jumble. Even now, little Wen De was so naive and cute, Zhou Xi could help but roar in laughter while holding his hurting side. He tried to get down from the wagon, still laughing like a mad man, and stumbled.
The first one to catch him was Qing Chan. She had been faster than any of the closer ones, and supported him with ease. Zhou Xi hugged her tenderly. He didn't know why but it felt so good to see her again, alive, safe and sound, healthier than ever.
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง