Chapter nine

Toshiaki became worried, Li Hung was still walking in a daze, never had he seen the man in such a manner.

"Your majesty, may I have a private word with you?" he respectfully requested, pausing his steps at an empty room. After receiving a light nod from Li Hung, they entered the small private room, ensuring to close the door securely behind them.

"My apology your majesty, but may I know if you are feeling unwell, did the words of Prince XiaoSheng caused you any distress?", his expression worried and his words sincere.

Li Hung quickly raised his hands and signed //no…. There was merely pondering about an odd scent coming from one of the servants accompanying XiaoSheng, it just caught me off guard that is all, there's no need to worry//.

"Scent?" Toshiaki asked puzzled, has a beta his sensitivity to pheromones wasn't as strong, whereas due to Li Hung being an alpha and werewolf he can smell pheromones no matter how faint.

Seeing that Toshiaki was oblivious to the fact, Li Hung saw it fit to drop the matter, waving his hand to gesture the matter was trivial and exiting the room with an unwillingness to discuss any further.

But Toshiaki wasn't convinced with this response, he had never seen the prince so dazed from another's pheromones and looking back there was no one of great significance who accompanied XiaoSheng, nor was there any peculiar pheromone.

Li Hung himself found his reaction puzzling, the scent emanating from that person was overpowering and intoxicating, in that short moment he felt himself being drawn in some way. Unlike the usual strong and overpowering pheromones often emanating for an alpha, this scent was sweet like the smell of apples coated in candy, the thought alone made him slightly aroused. He gulped hard, feeling all the blood from his body rush to his face, to hide his condition he summoned a cold wind to sweep along their path as they continued their journey.

However, no matter how hard he tried the incident remained a bothersome thought, he fruitlessly attempted to rationalize is behaviour, but ultimately, there was only one explanation, "XiaoSheng! This is surly his doing …. That scent is not of an alpha, nor a beta…. Wait, the omegas… could it be the omegas??" he paused abruptly, startling Toshiaki`, the look of realization on his face.

"Your majesty??" called Toshiaki, pulling the man from his deep thoughts, finally raising his head to acknowledge his most trusted guard, Li Hung quickly recovered himself, noticing that his absent-mindedness was attracting unwanted attention. Finally casting the troublesome thought aside, he delicately carried on his way, with Toshiaki following his every step.

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Li Hung and his Toshiaki arrived at his father's study, "Your Highness, the crown prince has arrived", Toshiaki carefully entered the room and announced. An elegant and well refined Li Hung entered, then standing some distance away from his father, he waited for Toshiaki to leave the room, leaving only the father and son alone.

As expected of the Chen Xing Palace, the room was grand and exquisitely decorated. On The walls were shelves upon shelves of reading material as high as the high could see, the furnishings were clean and well cared for, with everything neatly in its place, the room was truly fit for an emperor.

Looking around the room he rarely often visited, Li Hung felt strange, as he and his father have always had somewhat of a strained relationship. This was mostly due to their inability to communicate in the earlier years, and his father was always being busy with the empire's affairs. However, Li Hung was never resentful of this fact as he always understood from an early age the burden his father carried, never forgetting the added pressure of their curse.

//father, are you doing well?//, he engaged first, stepping ever closer to his father who was also coming towards to him, his face carrying an unusual smile. Suddenly, Li Hung was pulled into a warm embrace, startling him, this was the fourth time he recalled his father ever holding him throughout his life. The action brought up an uncomfortable feeling within him, his also immediate reaction wanting to push him the way, but his father quickly broke their contact.

//I am doing well, and how are you son?//, he used his hands to signed at a still-in shook Li Hung.

//I am doing well also thank you father//, his answered tensely, thankful to the curse on this one occasion, where his awkwardness can be covered by the moving hands.

//good…good… come and sit for a moment, I have something important to discuss with you//, his smiled faded, and a more serious expression appeared on his face.

Taking the moment to look at the man before him, a sudden feeling came over Li Hung, the father he once knew isn't as he once was, over the past few years his health has deteriorated. His once chiselled face and strongly built body has become old and tired from illness, and his bright complexion now pale. It was evident that he could no longer continue in his current condition.

This was yet another side effect of the curse, with each new generation the effects are more great. Not only does one have to cope with the inability to speak, but also their decreasing lifespan and fundamental birth ability. There was also the idea that the curse has affected the host ability to reproduce more than once. Li Hung's mother had once told him that they had tried several times to birth another child. With his father having spent years sleeping with his mother and concubines, yet all had failed pregnancies. In Gang Li Hung's case, it has impacted more than his birth ability but also his wolf form, his most important requirement at as a ruling alpha.

//before I forget, your mother has warned me to let you know that you are to make sure you complete tonight's task//. He awkwardly spoke, to be honest, he was the least interested in son's marital affairs, but he feared his wife wrath when his little empress alpha was angry.

As expected, he received no response from Li Hung, who sat uninterested in such matters.

Emperor Gang Jian paused for a moment before asking is next question, //are you still considering looking for that person? // he asked stunning Li Hung, whoever since he was a child has been forbidden from leaving the palace, and has been relying on Ronald and Toshiaki for assistance on the matter. At first, he had cursed his father for his rule, but he had later come to find out that he had only done so for his protection. Li Hung paused momentarily, doubting why his father had enquired, he pondered whether he should answer honestly, for he knew the man before him the greatest weakness was his wife and he would surely inform her of his answer.

//Don't worry son I will not be informing your mother of what we discuss, this is between father and son//, he reassured Li Hung.

Upon hearing this, Li Hung decided to answer honestly, //yes, father I am…. But may I know why you have asked?//, he doubts his father would allow him to venture outside the palace, but it was more likely he would assist him in his search.

//if you were to go outside the palace and search yourself, do you think you would be able to find them before the next blue moon?//

Li Hung's eyes widened in shock, //father you would really allow me to venture outside the palace walls?//, his heart leaped at the thought, excitedly hopeful to see what he would say next.

The Emperor signed inwardly, for years he had been searching in secret away from the watchful eyes of the Zhang Wu family, to no avail. After his father the later emperor mysteriously died when he was only fifteen, the Zhang Wu family had used this opportunity to take even more control. By the time he was strong enough to do anything, it was too late, and they had won favour in many. He knows there's only a matter of time before they size control, the only reason they have held back for this long is due to the strong possibility of rebellion from the Zoultanian people. The Gang Family has ruled the empire for decades, they once had strong alliances far and wide and the people had always placed their trust in them; however, the curse is threatening to change all that. It's not the fact that the Gang family are believed to be greater than any other, but to hand the reign over to those who are bound to make the people suffer, made Gang Jian painfully decide to risk the life of his only child.