At the same time, a storm was brewing in the nine heavens because two other men had come to a decision: It was time to confess!
Hong Bao had informed the goddess of love after she came back from the mortal realm and of course, she had run to Shun Tao's palace right after that. She had told him she had found a way and that he didn't have to worry anymore. His answer had only been a pat on her head and a resigned smile, though.
Even if Hong Bao had found a way — which he certainly couldn't imagine if he himself had worked a whole week without any solution in sight — he still couldn't continue lying to the heavenly emperor, could he? If Tianjun should ever hear of that he would be furious. No, it was still better to admit his mistake.
With that in mind, Shun Tao made his way over to the most magnificent palace in the whole nine heavens. Heavenly guards stood at both sides of the staircase leading up to the door and were lined up next to the entrance all the same. He had always felt slightly intimidated by this sight but today, Shun Tao felt like the presence of these men was already spelling his doom. He might very well lose his life today.
Ah, he didn't really have any regrets. The worst thing might be that he had doomed the crown prince to die shortly after him. He hadn't known him that good but the few times they had spoken he had given him an exceedingly good impression. If His Highness had at least managed to pass one minor trial … He didn't deserve being punished by heaven's law either but that would at least be better than dying.
Shun Tao shook his head and climbed the stairs. He waited to be announced and finally entered the hall with a grim expression. There was no good way to tell the heavenly emperor that the crown prince would most likely die and there certainly was no right way to tell a loving father that he would lose his beloved son with near certainty.
Shun Tao went into the middle of the hall and knelt down. "Fate's scribe Shun Tao greets His Majesty Tianjun", he said, possibly for the last time in his life. At the end of this day, he might be dead. But even if he could keep his life through some stroke of luck, he certainly wouldn't be the fate's scribe anymore. That position he had spent nearly a thousand years to be able to finally call it his own and which he had hardly occupied for ten millennia … he would definitely lose it today.
The heavenly emperor smiled. "Fate's scribe, what brings you here?" He already had a hunch what was going on, hence the good mood. Though, what he thought of most probably differed vastly from Shun Tao's real reason.
Shun Tao drooped his head even lower and gulped. Now it was time. "This lowly one has sinned and came to confess to his wrong-doing."
Unexpectedly, the heavenly emperor laughed. "So, you indeed came because of that!"
Shun Tao couldn't help but widen his eyes. The heavenly emperor … knew? And he could even laugh in the face of such a danger to his son's life? No, this couldn't be right. "This lowly one is afraid that His Majesty might be misinformed as to the reason for this lowly one's visit."
Tianjun Rong Su chuckled. "Misinformed? Be honest with me: Isn't it because of that little servant girl?" Even someone like the heavenly emperor who had to make a good impression couldn't help but laugh at the rumors he finally heard this morning.
The fate's scribe and a servant girl … It seemed like a bad joke but he had also heard that even his brother-in-law, the god of war Qiang Yan, had fallen in love with a servant girl. Seriously, what was it with the servants? Did they have that much charm to seduce two mighty men? If one of them hadn't been his brother-in-law he might have suspected that the demons had a finger in the pie with this development.
Servant girl? Shun Tao furrowed his brow and couldn't help but take a peek at the heavenly emperor's expression. He looked amused, not worried in any sense. Shun Tao looked back down. He still hadn't perceived any of the rumors and he wasn't of a mind to care for them now.
"This lowly one doesn't know of anything concerning a servant girl."
"Oh?" The heavenly emperor lifted his brows. "You didn't come to beg for my consent to marry her?"
Shun Tao frowned even deeper. "This lowly one doesn't know any servant girl." He didn't even think of Hong Bao at this moment.
"But you were seen together …" The heavenly emperor had been of the impression that this couldn't be wrong. He heard of the rumor concerning Shun Tao and Shun Tao came. He said he wanted to confess his sins and called himself 'this lowly one' all the time since his greeting as if he had done something unforgivable. What could that be if it wasn't because he hooked up with some unknown servant girl and carelessly got her pregnant? The heavenly emperor truly couldn't imagine.
Shun Tao didn't answer. Had the person in front of him not been the heavenly emperor, he would have already interrupted him and told him the entire story. But in this case, he had to wait.
"Then what is your visit about?" Can it really be worse than that? He already threw so much face away doing all of that where they could be seen. The vivid descriptions are all over the nine heavens. It's only a question of time until the dragons and demons will hear of it.
Shun Tao took a deep breath. "Your Majesty … this is about crown prince Jing He."
"What?!" Before Shun Tao could say another word, the heavenly emperor leaped to his feet.
If it concerned his son, he always assumed the worst in other people. And hadn't he heard just this morning what a morally degenerated thing the fate's scribe and that servant had done in broad daylight? "You scum! You dared to seduce our son?! This is a clear case of a toad lusting after a swan's meat! How is someone like you worthy of our son? We wouldn't even accept that damned Longjun and he has at least an appropriate status! You bastard! What fate's scribe, what true born god? You're a damned lecher! You're nearly as old as us! You should be ashamed even thinking of our precious son's fair skin!"
The heavenly emperor was one step away from picking up whatever he could grab and throwing it at Shun Tao. Unfortunately for him and fortunately for Shun Tao, there was nothing within reach and he had to be content with roaring at him.
His voice was loud enough for every word to be clearly audible outside. The heavenly guards standing there clutched their weapons tighter and grit their teeth, some were even cracking their knuckles. Damn this! First, it was that Longjun, now even the fate's scribe thought he could disrespect their crown prince? Just you wait! If the heavenly emperor lets you live, we're going to beat you up for good!
They might not be able to do anything to the king of the dragon race because of his status but what was a fate's scribe? They would make mincemeat out of him as soon as he stepped out of this hall!
The guards would have to wait for that. The heavenly emperor was far from finished with his tirade. "Have a good look at the mirror first! A guy as old and ugly as you, how could our son ever fall for you? You vile bastard, you must have forced our beloved son to satisfy your lust! You … You probably misused your position to acquire his body! You probably coerced him to do some unspeakable things with you for the sake of his trial!
Such a pure boy, he probably didn't even know what you were trying to do until it was too late! He got tricked despicably like that and after that, he was so ashamed he didn't even dare to tell his own father! The poor boy was suffering all on his own and fled all the way to the mortal world just to escape you!
But you … I see! That must have been what you talked about when you said you wanted to spice his trial up a bit. You didn't even leave him alone there and still tried to take advantage of him! Do you believe I won't have your head severed?! You're going to pay for this! I'll have you slowly tortured to death until nothing remains!"
With all this screaming, Shun Tao didn't find any opportunity to inject that no, he hadn't fantasized about the crown prince nor had he done any unspeakable things to him. He wanted to confess so badly but instead, any other possible crime was heaved upon his head until the heavenly emperor finally had enough.
"Guards!"
This roar was met with the instant sound of a hundred men storming into the hall, all of them maliciously glaring at Shun Tao. Whatever torture the heavenly emperor decrees, we'll make sure you get a few bouts extra!
"Drag this traitor to the justice court! Tell Li Yin I don't want to see even one place on this bastard's body unharmed!"
"Yes!" The guards grabbed Shun Tao with pleasure and started dragging him out as heavy-handed as they could.
Finally not being interrupted anymore and livid at having all these things said to him, Shun Tao just roared right back at the heavenly emperor: "For heaven's sake! I didn't screw your son, I screwed his fate up!"