After riding her horse for fifteen minutes, Ying Yue could now see the execution grounds. Quickly hopping off her horse, Ying Yue squeezes in through the crowd of people entering the building. In the middle of the stage, Ying Yue could see a small figure sitting in the center. Unable to hold back her tears anymore, Ying Yue silently cries. Her mother was thinner than ever, looking starved and dehydrated with chapped lips and her hands roughly tied together.
"Sniff mom..."
In the midst of everything, Ying Yue had to find a way to save her mother. There had to be more than a hundred soldiers, not including the royal guards. With people at every corner, it was nearly impossible to make a run for it. Quickly glancing around her, Ying Yue spots Bolin and a sobbing Zhi Ruo. On the opposite side of the stage, Ying Yue spots her father, step mother and Jia Li, seated together. With a heavy heart, Ying Yue turns her gaze away and stares back at her mother's thin figure.
All of a sudden, Ying Yue hears horn noises. Slowly turning her gaze to the noise, Ying Yue sees the emperor, empress, crown prince and the holy priest entering from above and sitting at a distance away. Feeling angry like never before, Ying Yue walks closer to the stage. The emperor stands up and silences everyone and finally spoke.
"My people, today will mark a sad day for the household of marquis Zi Wei Yang. Bai Shun will be executed for attempting to murder her own husband in cold blood. We will use her death to appease our gods, and ask for their mercy."
The priest makes his way down the steps and walks closer to Ying Yues mother. Chanting some ancient words, the priest backs off and motions for the executioner to proceed. Ying Yue stood in silence, glaring at the emperor. With her hands clenched into a fist, Ying Yue decided she had seen enough. As the executioner held the sword above her mother's neck, Ying Yue snapped into action. Sprinting to the stage, Ying Yue jumps on stage and using her sword she blocks the executioner's sword. Using everything she had Ying Yue sends the man flying. The crowd went into an uproar. Guards soon surrounded the emperor and the stage. Even Bolin had to run to the stage and stay beside the emperor. The emperor; unable to make out who was under the veil questions Ying Yue.
"Who are you?! Who do you work for?!"
"..."
Ying Yue remained silent, but never once removed her gaze from the emperor. Taking a deep breath, Ying Yue clenches onto her sword. Trying not to break character, Ying Yue remained silent. Remaining silent only enraged the emperor. Ying Yue watched as the emperor signaled his archers from above to shoot down at the mysterious figure in a veil. Ying Yue dodged and fought off any that flew her way while trying to protect her mother. Unable to deflect every arrow, Ying Yue barely managed to dodge one coming at her from the side of her face. Quickly dodging the arrow; Ying Yue watched as it snips part of her veil off. The emperor then signals his men to stop; once again he asks again about the mysterious figure.
"I will ask you again. Who are you?!"
"Sigh....if you want to know that badly I will show you."
Ying Yue slowly removes whatever was left of her veil. Revealing herself to the unsuspecting crowd. No one could believe it. Bolin drops his sword and the emperor was left speechless. The crown prince stared in awe and quickly runs down the steps to get closer to the stage. Ying Yue turns her gaze to her weeping mother behind her.
"Mother, I'm back."
Crying hysterically, unable to say a word; Ying Yue's mother could only cry within Ying Yue's arms to release her tears of happiness. Slowly patting her mother on her back, Ying Yue paid no mind to the emperor until he called her out.
"General Ying Yue! How are you still alive?!"
"That's for me to know, and for you to find out. Everything that has happened to me has brought me here to this situation. If you didn't send me off to war and to the dragon world to die, then maybe I would've wasted my life away serving you. So thank you, for opening my eyes."
"Ying Yue Yang! How dare you mock me! I am the emperor and what I say is the will of the heavens!"
"The heavens have long abandoned us. No....they have abandoned you. You are no longer fit to rule this country!"
"How dare you! Guards! Take this woman and execute her along with her mother!"
With the guards all coming at her, Ying Yue fights them off with her sword while protecting her mother who was standing behind her. Fighting endlessly for more than twenty minutes with more than twenty royal guards against her, was slowly catching up to Ying Yue. The guards only stopped when the crown prince pleaded with his father to stop.
"Father! Creating a scene like this is not good for the public eye. I suggest we return to the palace for further questioning."
"What else is there to question them about?! She mocked me in front of all these citizens and I'm supposed to let her go? No!"
"Father, she's still a general and hero in the eyes of the citizens. If you kill her now, you will be hated. You don't want people to revolt right? Just listen to me this time."
Still unwilling, but finding some truths to what his son was saying. The emperor motions for his guards to back off and return to their positions. Glaring down at Ying Yue, the emperor calls off the execution.
"Ying Yue Yang, we will be returning to the palace. Whether you or your mother live depends on how you act and what you say. Everyone here is dismissed, there will be no execution today!"
Soon, the crowds dispersed. Standing alone on the stage was just Ying Yue and her mother. The emperor motions for a separate carriage to bring Ying Yue and her mother back to the palace. While sitting in the carriage alone with her mother, Ying Yue goes on to tell her about everything that happened to her in the dragon world. Madam Bai Shun couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of seeing her daughter talk so passionately about a man.
"You love him don't you, my daughter?"
"Mo... Mother you didn't have to say it out loud!"
Considering their situation, you would think they'd be worried. Rather than feeling sad for themselves, Ying Yue and her mother didn't want to waste their time together worrying about what was to come. Finally reaching the palace after riding in the carriage for thirty minutes, Ying Yue steps out of the carriage; followed by her mother. Ying Yue watched as Zhi Ruo and Bolin also arrive in a carriage. Zhi Ruo wasted no moment. Quickly running to Ying Yue, Zhi Ruo hugs and cries onto Ying Yue's bosom. Ying Yue slightly placed her hand on Zhi Ruo's back, giving her a pat to assure her she was really back.
"Sniff...Sniff...I'm so glad you're alive, Ying Yue."
"I'm sorry I've put you and Bolin through a lot. Thank you for taking care of my mother. She told me everything."
"Of course, ...we promised you we'd take care of her, but we weren't able to do anything to help her today."
"It's alright, I wouldn't want you two to get in harm's way considering the situation my mother was in."
Ying Yue and Zhi Ruo releases each other. Ying Yue looks to Bolin and lightly nods. Without a moment to lose, the guards outside the throne room motions for Ying Yue and everyone to enter. Once inside the building, Bolin, Zhi Ruo and Ying Yue's moved to the left side. On the right side; Ying Yue's father, step mother, and Jia Li stood silently. Ying Yue stood in the center with her gaze directed at the emperor. The emperor stands up from his throne and walks closer to Ying Yue. With only five feet between them now the emperor clears his throat.
"Ahem, general Ying Yue. Why don't you start by telling us what happened to you in the dragon world? I'm sure everyone here is dying to know how you managed to survive almost a whole year."
"You make it sound like they are the barbarians."
"They are! Unusually strong in strengthen, golden hair and jade colored eyes?! That says it all!"
"Your majesty, may I remind you that it was the humans that started everything. Everything that has happened so far has been the result of our actions?"
"Ying Yue! Why are you so eager to defend these monsters? Is there something we should know?"
"Once again, that's for me to know and for you to find out."
While Ying Yue and the emperor were in there heated argument, the crown prince walks closer to where Ying Yue was standing. Ying Yue and the emperor quickly noticed and stopped bickering. With quivering lips and shaking hands; the crown prince grabs hold of Ying Yue's hands.
"I can't believe it....you're really alive...you're really here..."
Catching Ying Yue off guard, she quickly releases herself from the crown princes hold. Moving further from the prince and emperor; with everyone's gaze on them, Ying Yue breaks the silence.
"What does the crown prince want with me?"
"No, don't say that Ying Yue. You're still my Lu Hua! I haven't been able to forget you ever since that goodbye at mount Tai."
"Crown prince, you didn't believe me then. Now it's too late for anything. You're only my brother in law in my eyes now, and I am not your Lu Hua. The Lu Hua you know of is dead."
"No...no don't say that Ying Yue."
The crown prince moves closer to Ying Yue and grabs hold of her hands again. Quickly breaking free from his hold, Ying Yue could only glare back at the crown prince, Ying Yue could see sadness in his eyes, and thought that had she been her past self she would've forgiven him.
"You have Jia Li and a daughter now, please refrain from acting like this."
"Ying Yue, don't make me resort to using other methods."
After hearing what the crown prince said, Ying Yue couldn't believe that this was once the man she loved. Ying Yue knew that the crown prince was serious now from his tone of voice. Frowning and glaring at the prince, Ying Yue bites back with her remarks.
"The past stays in the past. I have moved on, crown prince. So why can't you? You drew the line that day you chose Jia Li over me, now you have to live with it."
"And if I refuse? What are you going to do about it?"
"Your highness, I don't owe you anything. We don't owe each other anything."
"Even If I tell you I can spare your mother if you agree to become mine?"
"That is not love, your highness."
With a serious look on his face, the crown prince turns to face the emperor and empress. Quickly walking towards them without looking back at Ying Yue, the crown prince whispers to his parents. From afar Bolin could shake off a bad feeling he was getting from the crown prince. Trying to step in only to get stopped by Zhi Ruo.
"Bolin! What are you planning to do? This is between Ying Yue and the crown prince, we can't interfere right now. I know you're mad, but remain calm."
"I can't just stand here and watch them ruin Ying Yue's life again!"
"I know, but remain calm! We are in the palace right now. Anything we do and say will not only get us killed, but our family too. We have to leave this to Ying Yue."
The crown prince finally finishes his chat with the emperor and empress. Although the emperor's face showed he was unwilling. For the sake of his son and seeing as it was a request from his son, he had no choice. To ensure his son is happy the emperor ordered Ying Yue to do something she didn't want to.