The week passed like nothing; Ying Yue felt she achieved nothing in that short time frame. The day had finally arrived. Although it was a special occasion, no one was celebrating. Not a single laughter could be heard in the palace. Even with food in front of everyone, no one had an appetite. Today was the last day the girls may all see their parents. Troops were ready to escort the noble ladies and their family to the top of Mount Tai. Even the emperor, empress, crown prince and Jia Li attended. Ying Yue noticed how nervous Zhi Ruo was, she took Zhi Ruo's left hand and gave it a squeeze. Reassuring her that she is not alone.
"Zhi Ruo, if it's the last thing I do. I promise to bring you back alive."
"Thanks Ying Yue, but please worry about yourself too."
The women were made to dress the same. All white clothing, with gold embroidery of a peacock on the skirt. With white shoes and their hair up, braided and pinned up along with a white flower hair pin. When the carriages were ready, the royal palace opened its doors. There Ying Yue sees her mother waiting for her.
"Mother!"
"Ying Yue! My poor daughter."
Brushing back Ying Yues tears, Ying Yues mother couldn't contain herself either and began crying. Ying Yues mother was so worried for her daughter's wellbeing she barely ate. Losing so much weight made Ying Yue even more worried to leave her.
"Mother, look at you. You lost so much weight!"
"Ying Yue, no parent can eat and sleep soundly knowing they might lose their child."
Every family was made to enter the carriages as it was time to leave for Mount Tai. Throughout the whole ride Ying Yues father and step mother remained quiet. Unsure of what to say to Ying Yue. Since ancient times, a road was forged for easy access to the mountain. Many people think it was forged by the gods; others say it was the last dragon emperor that created the road from dirt. As they got closer and closer to the mountain, Ying Yues father finally decided to speak.
"Ying Yue, I know I haven't been the best father. I've let you down, and you probably hate me for being so tough on you."
"Whatever your reasons are father, it does not matter to me anymore. It does not change the fact that you left me and mother to rot at the side mansion for years. It does not change the fact that you send me off to war without a second thought. It does not change the fact that I hate you."
Ying Yue thinking to herself, that it's too late to ask for forgiveness. Why wait until now to say something? Why wait until she's at deaths door. The more her father talked the more Ying Yue got annoyed. Everything just sounded like excuses.
"Ying Yue! I wanted you to be strong. As you know we have no sons in Yang family! I had to prepare you for the day you took over the family with the man you marry."
"Ha! I would've refused taking over the Yang family. Who would want to marry into our family in the first place? Everyone knows how you treat mother. Why would they want to let their sons marry a daughter from the household?"
"I only did what was best for the family!"
"Right, like marrying a mistress while mother is alive. Or like how you neglected her all these years. Mother's illness was easily curable if you had just taken the time to take care of her, but no. You abandoned us the moment she gave birth to me and I wasn't a son."
Ying Yues mother was worried. Soon she wasn't going to have Ying Yue around to protect and watch over her. Worried Ying Yues father and Ying Yue might depart on bad terms she tried to intervene.
"Ying Yue that's enough, don't blame your father. It was my fault for being weak and being unable to bear him another child."
"No, mother. He needs to hear it today. My time is limited now, I will say what I should've years ago."
Ying Yues father, marquis Zi Wei Yang knew he was not going to get anywhere with Ying Yue. He knew he wasn't going to make amends with Ying Yue, as her hatred ran deep. For the next five hours there was nothing, but silence in the carriage. They left the royal palace at dawn, it was now lunch time, maids began setting out food per carriage. Everyone had to take a break. Ying Yue used this time to have time with her mother alone. Her father and step mother ate at the other side of the carriage.
"Here mother, have a bun. You should eat something. Don't make me worry about you."
"Ying Yue how can I eat knowing you will be leaving me in a few hours?"
"Mother, we don't know if it is truly the end. Even if I am gone, I want you to take care of yourself. Please don't make me worry."
Ying Yues mother finally accepts the bun from Ying Yue after thrity minutes of persuasion, Silently eating, Ying Yue at least didn't want to die on an empty stomach. As everyone was eating, Ying Yues mother finally remembered that she brought Ying Yues sword. She had wrapped it in cloth and left it on the horse. She quickly walked to the horse, and took off the cloth. Slowly walking to Ying Yue, she hands Ying Yue her sword.
"Here, Ying Yue. You will need this."
"Gasp! My sword!"
Grabbing her sword from her mother's hand, Ying Yue Slowly pulls its out of its cover.
"Still sharp as ever. Why did you bring this with you mother?"
"You will need it, in the other world."
"What? I'll need it in the afterlife?"
"No, you silly girl. There was another part to the legend I never told you. You remember me telling you about your ancestor Kai, right? Well, his daughter was also chosen for the sacrificial ceremony. It wasn't that they couldn't remember anything when they returned, they were made to keep quiet."
"What do you mean by that mother? That the royal family made sure they didn't say anything?"
"Correct Ying Yue, the current emperor probably doesn't know this either. I only know these stories, because they were passed down from my family. Her name was Ma Yu, she was eighteen when she was selected, The same age as you now Ying Yue."
"Why tell me now mother?"
"Just listen, I wanted you to at least know this. The story goes like this Ying Yue. Instead of falling to their deaths, the girls fell down a blackhole into a different world. They entered the dragon clans land. Where they were captured, for invading. All the girls were supposed to have been killed and sacrificed at the altar in the dragon clans world, but they didn't. Biyu; the human princess begged the dragon emperor, who was the oldest son of the dragon emperor that was killed. After his father was murdered, he took over ruling the dragon clan. Biyu begged him to spare the other girls. Willing to take the blame for everything as it was her father, the human emperor who started everything. Everything went black after that moment. When the girls woke up, they were outside the entrance, and the entrance was also closed up."
"What else happened mother?"
Before Ying Yues mother could finish telling her the story, they were interrupted by the emperor. Lunch time was over and it was time to continue their journey.
"Lunch is over, we must continue our journey everyone."
Just like that, everyone had to return to their carriage and move. Ying Yue sat quietly in the carriage, just brushing the cover of her sword back and forth. She knew there was more to the story, but her mother couldn't tell her as Ying Yues father and step mother were in the carriage too.