After Ying Yue's abduction; Fu Jia returns later that night to an empty empress residence. Shen An and Li An stood outside Ying Yue's residence waiting for Fu Jia as the palace guards went off to check the kingdom for any traces.
"Shen An, and Li An. Why are you two waiting out here?"
"Fu Jia! Bai Chun took away her highness!"
"What?! What do you mean?! What happened?!"
Shen An informs Fu Jia of what they witnessed. She also explained how he had trapped everyone inside a barrier temporarily as he dragged away the unconscious Ying Yue.
"Where is Yi Yu?"
"She left the palace grounds after Ying Yue was taken, Fu Jia What are we going to do?! This is worse than the time her highness was forced back into her world!"
"Rather odd for someone who's supposed to be a friend of the empress. Did she act weird at all while she was here?"
"Not at all. She even looked shocked at the sight of Bai Chun. Although.....before Bai Chun left, he did turn to face Yi Yu and muttered something to her. We couldn't hear anything due to the barrier though."
"Tsk, this is why I warned her highness to stay within the barrier his majesty placed!"
"Her highness did! She hesitated and wasn't planning to leave the barrier. Who would've thought that all it took was a part of her hand to be outside the barrier."
"Looks like I have to inform his majesty. You two can leave."
Fu Jia quickly hops onto his horse and runs off to find Jianyu.
Meanwhile, Yi Yu returns to her father's residence and hides in her bedroom, Unable to stop shivering.
"What....what have I done. It's all my fault...the empress was so kind to me and I betrayed her.... what have I done?"
Yi Yu could only cry out in frustration at her situation and remain inside her room. No matter who knocked on her door, Yi Yu would dismiss them.
"Hah....it's too late to turn back now. Someone....help me...sniff sniff."
Day breaks and Fu Jia reaches Jianyu and his small army camp site. Quickly hopping off his horse he makes a run for Jianyu's tent. All of a sudden from behind a tent Tao Chen pops out. Unable to stop in time, Fu Jia crashes into Tao Chen. Taking a hit to the chest, Tao Chen falls right onto the ground.
"Ow! Watch where you're going?!"
"My bad...wait, Tao Chen!"
"Huh? Fu Jia? Why are you here? You're supposed to be guarding the empress!"
"Something urgent has happened, I need to talk to his majesty!"
Tao Chen could see how serious Fu Jia was. Quickly moving up from the ground, Tao Chen pats off any dirt before motioning for Fu Jia to follow him.
"Come on, I'll take you to his majesty."
Tao Chen and Fu Jia quickly sprinted to Jianyu's tent. Fu Jia clenches his fist before calling out to Jianyu.
"Your majesty it's Fu Jia."
"Come in."
Tao Chen and Fu Jia both enter Jianyu's tent. Jianyu had just woken up himself and was still in his thin night robe. Furrowing his browns, Jianyu moves from the edge of his bed to a small table and seats himself before staring back at Fu Jia.
"Fu Jia, why are you here? I have no more tasks for you, you're supposed to be guarding Ying Yue."
"Uh...about that your majesty.... something has happened to her highness."
Fu Jia runs to hide behind Tao Chen and motions for Jianyu to remain calm and let Fu Jia finish.
"Bai Chun showed up to the palace and kidnapped her highness."
"That's not possible! He wouldn't be able to enter my barrier without me knowing!"
"Well, he didn't enter the barrier from what I was told. I believe it has something to do with a girl name Yi Yu as it happened when she was present."
"What? Yi Yu? Who is that and have you sent men out to track down Bai Chun?"
"Yes, your majesty. But from what Shen An told me, he left through a portal."
"Then he's no longer within the capital. There's a high chance Ying Yue's been taken to his base. Tao Chen, I'm returning to the palace. You will lead the army and continue to search the boarders. If he's not inside the dragon kingdom, that only means one thing."
"Your majesty, you don't think the other kingdoms are sheltering him, are you?"'
"That would be the only other possibility. Sigh, Tao Chen you may leave. Fu Jia, you are coming back with me to the palace."
"Yes, your majesty."
Tao Chen bids Jianyu farewell before walking out of the tent. Jianyu throws on a thick black and gold robe, before chanting and opening a portal back to the palace. Jianyu quickly enters the portal, followed by Fu Jia. In a matter of seconds, they were now within the throne room.
"Fu Jia, call for any minister with daughters to come. Have them bring their daughters as well. I'll be holding a meeting in two hours."
"Yes, your majesty."'
Fu Jia breathes a sigh of relief, and heads out to complete his tasks. Once Fu Jia was out of sight, Jianyu creates a portal for himself and heads to Ying Yue's residence. Off into the distance, Jianyu could see Shen An and Li An cleaning the courtyard.
"Shen An!"
"Your majesty! You're back!"
"Fu Jia told me what happened. Now I need you to tell me about who this Yi Yu woman is."
"Certainly, your majesty."
Yi Yu went on and on about how Ying Yue had met Yi Yu at the noble gathering the day after their wedding. Shen An mentioned how Yi Yu was like any other girl. She was not suspicious nor did she look like she had any ill intentions when she first approached Ying Yue.
"I wouldn't be surprised if Bai Chun did something to her. Who is her father?"
"She said her father was duke Yu Ping."
"Duke Yu Ping?"
"Yes, your majesty. Is something wrong?"
"No, it's just been a while since I've seen him."
"Your majesty, what are you planning to do? We have to find her highness."
"Ying Yue will be fine. If Bai Chun had wanted her dead, he would've killed her on the spot, but he didn't. I don't know what he's planning. That wretched man should just hurry up and die already."
Jianyu storms off and heads back to his residence. To clear his mind he chose to walk, rather than use a portal. Once Jianyu got back to his residence, he motions for maids to help him get ready for the meeting. Jianyu was now dressed in a dark outfit with gold embroidery; with his hair up and his crown on, Jianyu was ready. Quickly chanting, Jianyu creates another portal that was connected to the throne room. Jianyu enters a room filled of blushing girls with no idea as to why they were called. Jianyu walks to his throne and seats himself as everyone greets him.
"Greetings your majesty."
"You may all rise. Now tell me, which one of you is called Yi Yu?"
A small thin figure walks out from the crowd of girls. Yi Yu was now certain that everyone knew she was the reason Ying Yue was taken.
"It's...me…your majesty."
"Hmph! Did you collaborate with Bai Chun?! Is that why you got close to the empress?!"
"No! I would never choose to harm her highness!"
Yi Yu breaks down and starts crying. Everything she had bottled up was slowly eating away at her. Her guilt has made it impossible for her to sleep as she couldn't help, but blame herself. Duke Yu Ping was shocked to see what was unfolding in front of him. Unsure as to why the emperor was picking on only his daughter.
"Your majesty, I…I don't understand. Please explain to me why we were all called here."
"Bai Chun took my empress! What else is there to explain?!"
Chatter erupted from within the throne room. The blushing noble girls were now quiet as their fathers continue to chatter among each other. Duke Yu Ping however did not understand what the disappearance of her highness had to do with her daughter.
"I don't understand, how is that possible? My daughter is innocent!"
"Duke Yu Ping! Are you saying you had no idea your daughter was in cahoots with Bai Chun?!"
"What? That's got to be a mistake your majesty. My daughter is sickly and fond of her highness. She wouldn't harm her!"
Jianyu turns his attention back to the shaking Yi Yu, whose been refusing to look Jianyu in the eye.
"Yi Yu! I will ask you again. Did you work with Bai Chun?!"
"Yes! It's true! Sniff…. sniff I'm so sorry father. I have brought shame to our family!"
"Do you know the penalty for even thinking of harming someone of royalty?"
"Yes…. I'm aware your majesty. Please punish only me! My brother and father had no idea."
"Yi Yu! What have you done?!"
"Father! I couldn't say no! Bai Chun he…!"
"Cough Cough!"
Yi Yu had forgotten all about the spell Bai Chun had placed on her. It didn't take long for Jianyu to notice that it was a spell causing Yi Yu from speaking. Quickly chanting away, Jianyu breaks the spell that was casted on Yi Yu.
"Hah…. that bastard dares to use a curse on a normal person?"
Yi Yu passes out from exhaustion into the arms of her father. Jianyu turns to the other ministers and tell them to leave. The meeting was now over since he had gotten what he wanted. Jianyu orders for Yi Yu and her father to remain in the palace as Jianyu was still planning to question Yi Yu once she was awake.
Two hours go by and Yi Yu finally wakes up. Quickly glancing around the room, she realizes she was still within the palace grounds. All of a sudden, she hears a knock on the door.
"Knock Knock."
"Who's there?"
"Yi Yu, it's father."
"Father!"
Yi Yu runs off from the bed and opens the door for her father. With tears rolling down her cheeks, she cries onto her father's chest.
"I'm so sorry father!"
"It's alright my daughter, come along. Now that you're up, you need to tell the emperor everything."
"I can't father, Bai Chun casted a spell on me!"
"If you're worried about that, the emperor has already removed it. Come along, you have a lot of explaining to do."
Yi Yu silently follows her father into the empress residence. Everyone was in the main hall talking about how to trace Bai Chung's whereabouts. Yi Yu falls to her knees and begs Jianyu for mercy.
"Whether I spare you or not is going to depend on what you tell me."
"You wicked girl! What have you done to my daughter?!"
Madam Bai Shun slaps Yi Yu across the face as tears roll down her eyes. Shen An had to come and calm madam Bai Shun down so Jianyu could continue his interrogation.
"Speak Yi Yu. This is your chance at redemption."
"It all happened when I came to visit her highness. Bai Chun followed me back to my home after one of my visits and threatened me to help him get ahold of the empress. Of course, I refused at first. I told him it was impossible, but then he threatened to kill me and my family. I had no choice, but to help him! Everyone knows who and how he is! He's a serial killer, a cold-blooded criminal that will kill given the chance. He didn't tell me why he wanted the empress, only that he'd let me live if I did what he wanted."
"Hah, I'm sure there's more to the story. Bai Chun is a killer, yet he didn't kill you after you completed what he wanted. What else did he offer you?"
"Indeed, you're the emperor. You see through everything, your majesty. He…. he promised to cure me of my illness if I could get him the black chest from the temple."
"Black chest?"
Jianyu knew immediately what Bai Chun was referring to. Breaking into a grin, Jianyu knew Bai Chun had no idea it was already within Jianyu's possession.
"Yi Yu, you and your family will be under arrest. I will have you all remain within the palace grounds under my barrier's protection until my empress is found."
"You're not going to kill me?"
"Not yet. You will remain in the guest residence until further notice. Whether you live or die, I'll let my empress decide that."
After Jianyu's order; guards came and took away Yi Yu and her father. Meanwhile, Jianyu leaves to comfort Ying Yue's mother who was standing by Shen An and Li An.
"Oh…...your majesty! What's going to happen to my daughter?!"
"Worry not mother in law. I will do my best to find her."