After six long hours of travelling after their lunch break. Ying Yue and the other noble ladies have finally reached their destination; the top of mount Tai. Stopping about one hundred feet away from the entrance. Ying Yue finally steps out of the carriage. Holding her mother's hand, Ying Yue assures her everything will be okay.
Mother, it'll be alright. It only looks hard now, but whatever happens from here on out promise me you will look after yourself."
"Sniff Sniff...my poor daughter. I only have you, I don't know how I will continue living."
"Mother, please lay low when I am gone. I was wrong about the emperor. Please don't do anything rash. He will no longer protect us."
"What do you mean Ying Yue?"
Slowly looking around to make sure no one was listening, Ying Yue whispers into her mothers ear.
"During the time when we were selected, I could tell he was afraid. He's finally showing his true color. He's able to sacrifice others without hesitation, all to protect his family and his throne."
"That can't be true Ying Yue."
"I wish it wasn't. I used to care and was willing to die for this country, but I was a fool. Thinking he would care. It finally hit me mother, that if he ever truly cared for you and me he would've punished father for his mistreatment of us, but not once has he done that."
"I..I never thought of that Ying Yue, what am I going to do now without you now?"
"It's alright mother, I've written a letter to Bolin. He will take care of you in my place. So don't worry mother. You're ill and tired mother, take a rest. I'm going to look around a bit, I'll be back."
Ying Yue helps her mother back into the carriage. Ying Yue decides to rip the cloth that was covering the sword, she then ties the sword to her waist and exits the carriage. With the sun not far from setting. The high priest finally steps out of his carriage and heads towards the entrance. He starts to chant some spell to open up the portal. If it truly is the legend coming back, the portal will open. Knowing it would take some time, Ying Yue decides to look for Zhi Ruo. About four carriages away from Ying Yues carriage she locates Zhi Ruo standing next to her father; Duke Dong.
"Zhi Ruo!"
"Ying Yue? What's wrong?"
"It won't be long before we all separate. I at least wanted some time with my new friend."
"Ha, Ying Yue, I envy you on how you aren't scared at all."
Lightly breaking into a smile, Zhi Ruo was shaking. Now that the day was here and with everyone being only a few feet away from the entrance, reality was sinking in. Everything was finally hitting her. Ying Yue knew Zhi Ruo must have been crying, with her red eyes it was obvious. Ying Yue turns to face duke Dong.
"Duke Dong; I know we haven't always been on the best term, but I promise to bring Zhi Ruo back alive."
Without hesitation in her eyes, duke Dong knew Ying Yue was serious. With tears welling up in his eyes. He lightly nods to Ying Yue.
"Thank you, general Ying Yue Yang. If it's anyone, I believe you will keep your words."
Bidding Zhi Ruo and duke Dong farewell, Ying Yue makes her way to the emperor. The emperor notices Ying Yue coming towards his direction and ushers the empress and his guards to leave him.
"Ying Yue, what can I do for you?"
Lightly bending her waist with her hand clasps into a fist. Ying Yue greeted the emperor.
"Greetings your majesty."
"Speak, whatever it is I will do my best to keep it."
"There's no need for anything your majesty, you've done enough. Now I must bid you farewell as I have other things to do."
"Ah, very well. I won't keep you then."
After Ying Yue bids the emperor farewell, she decided to take a stroll. This was possibly the last time she sees this world. Glancing from the distance she could see the capital of Xin. With the rustling noises of the trees behind her, and the wind blowing in her face, Ying Yue wished she had taken off more time to herself. After seeing enough, Ying Yue turns to leave and was going to head back to where her mother was. She hears a voice call out to her from the distance. It was none other than Jia Li and her maid Nanjing.
"What do you want Jia Li."
"Woah, is that any way to talk to me? I'm a royal consort and most likely the future empress for your information. Not that it matters, you won't be around to see it anyways."
Ying Yue slowly turned to face Jia Li. Locking eyes with Jia Li. Doing her best to hold herself back. Jia Li was pregnant and she didn't want to do anything that could cause a stir before the ceremony. Ying Yue knew that Jia Li and her maid Nanjing were trying to stir up something.
"Leave me alone Jia Li, I was hoping not to see you at all during this trip."
"The audacity of this women! She must be taught a lesson!"
Jia Lis maid was getting ready to slap Ying Yue, but Ying Yue was not going to let it happen. Ying Yue dodges Nanjing slap and pushed her away. She then fell and hit Jia Li. Jia Li screams and fakes her cries. She ran away while holding her stomach.
"Help! Someone help me! Ying Yue wants to hurt my child!"
Jia Li ran to the emperor, empress and crown prince. With a big sigh, Ying Yue took her time walking back to the carriages, before she was surrounded by soldiers.
"What is the meaning of this your majesty?"
"Ying Yue Yang! Have I've been too lenient on you that you would try to harm your sister?! She is carrying a royal child and you pushed her!"
"Your majesty, I remember only pushing her maid Nanjing for trying to harm me."
Jia Li faking her tears falls to her knees and begs the emperor to punish Ying Yue for attempting to murder her child.
"Your majesty! You have to seek out justice for me and my child! I could've lost the baby from how forceful Ying Yue was!"
"Father! On Jia Lis behalf as well, please see that Ying Yue gets punished!"
The crown prince quickly grabs Jia Li and helps her up. With no witnesses, Ying Yue was in a tight spot, but she was stubborn and was not someone that would easily accept a crime she didn't commit.
"Your majesty, where is her proof that I pushed her? She's claiming I pushed her, but where's her proof?"
"Hah?! My maid saw you push me!"
"She is your maid Jia Li, of course she would side with you naturally. You see, your majesty? She's also slandering me; I did not push her and if I did where's her proof? If I really wanted to harm her I would've used my sword."
The emperor looked confused and annoyed. He knew the sisters didn't get along, but not to this extent. With his brows frowning, the emperor looks over to the two sisters.
"Sigh, enough you two! Today is a sad day and here you two are bickering! Jia Li, return to your carriage, you too as well Ying Yue!"
"What? Your majesty I was wronged by Ying Yue! You have to seek justice for me."
The emperor walked away from Jia Li and her bickering, followed by the empress. Only the crown prince, Jia Li and Ying Yue remained. Still feeling anger from how Jia Li just tried to set her up. Ying Yue decided she was going to ruin Jia Lis life. There was no guarantee she would return anyways. She had nothing else to lose at this point. Cracking into a smirk Ying Yue walks closer to Jia Li.
"Jia Li, you've had your fun. I'm going to make sure your life crumbles."
After saying what she wanted to say, Ying Yue turned and left to head back to her carriage. There she finds her mother sitting silently in the corner of the carriage.
"Mother?"
"Ying Yue? Where did you go?"
"Just for some fresh air mother."
Ying Yue seats herself next to her tired-out mother. After a few minutes of sitting, A horn could be heard, it was to notify everyone the priest had return from the entrance. Ying Yue and her mother exits the carriage. There, Ying Yue sees everyone gathered. The ten noble girls and their families. Ying Yue sees Zhi Ruo and duke Dong and walks to them with her mother in hand.
"Zhi Ruo, what's going on?"
"Ah, Ying Yue. The priest has returned, the portal has finally opened. Looks like this is it for us."
The emperor walks to the front of the crowd, notifying the families and girls that it is time. Each girl was allowed time to make a speech and then jump down to the entrance.
"It is time everyone, from what the priest has told me. All the girls must jump in separately. Someone must go first; I will grant you all a time to say goodbye."
Everyone walked closer to the entrance. With less than ten feet away from the entrance. All the girls lined up, yet no one wanted to go first. Ying Yue couldn't deal with the suspense anymore and walks to the front of the crowd.
"Your Majesty, I will go first."
"No! Ying Yue! Please!"
Ying Yues mother grabs hold of her arm and pulls her. Ying Yues heart broke seeing her mother cry for her. The emperor nods and agrees to Ying Yue going first. Maybe the girls will be less reluctant if Ying Yue went first.
"May I have a word before I go your majesty?"
"Of course, you may."
"It looks like this is it. Who would've thought that my end would be like this? Dying for a country that does not care for me. Dying for people who have abandoned me to save themselves? Dying for people who are selfish."
The emperor stood up from his chair and glares at Ying Yue. Wanting an explanation of what shes talking about, he ushers her to speak more.
"What do you mean by that Ying Yue Yang?"
Ying Yue turns and faces prince Wang Yong and Jia Li. A tear drops from her eye, this time she was really saying goodbye. Killing off any emotion she ever had for the prince.
"Before I leave I believe Prince Wang Yong should know the truth. I wish you believed me back then, maybe my life would be different. Do you remember that it was a sunny day like today? I was resting on a tree down the stream and saw a paper boat float down, I opened the paper boat and saw that it was a lovely poem about two love birds. Do you remember?"
Everything went quiet. No one else made a sound. No one else in that room knew what was going on. This was now between the crown prince and Ying Yue. Wiping her tears away, Ying Yue stares at the crown prince.
"When the heart is in pain, and the mouth cannot utter a word, only then will the eyes do it. In a world full of people all I can see is you my love. We are so close yet so far. This is goodbye forever, your highness."
The crown prince face was now twisted with confusion. The crown prince turns to look at Jia Li and notices her breaking into a cold sweat, unable to look the crown prince in the eye, Jia Li kept her face down.
"Jia Li Yang, who are you really?!"
"I... I am your Lu Hua your majesty! What are you saying?!"
"Then look me in the eyes and say it!"
Jia Li still unable to look at the crown prince, she couldn't look at Ying Yue either, until she called out her name. Ying Yue was letting all her pent up hate out now.
"Jia Li, you have no heart. Although we share the same father, your heart is evil. I curse you to never have a son. I curse this kingdom for taking advantage of me. I curse my own father for never loving me and my mother. I hope this kingdom suffers my hate one day."
Feeling satisfied seeing everyones shocked reaction, Ying Yue had done what she wanted. Turning to her mother with a weak smile.
"My dear mother, please take care of yourself. Your daughter Ying Yue Yang will be going first."
Just like that, Ying Yue reached the entrance. She turned her back to the entrance and with her arms wide opened. Ying Yue jumped into the darkness and disappeared. Hearing only her mother's cries, calling after her. Ying Yue loses consciousness.