Chapter 35: The Rage Of The Dragon Emperor
Jianyu could sense the tension in the air. Looking at each and every one of their faces, Jianyu calls out the priest first for interrogation. Meekly walking out from the small crowd; the old woman quickly falls to her knees and greets Jianyu.
"Greetings your majesty."
"Old priest, I know for sure you had something to do with the disappearance of my empress. In this entire world only you or I can create a portal to the human world."
"Indeed...I..I have nothing to say to refute that. I did create the portal."
"Who told you to do it?"
"I...I.. did it myself, your majesty!"
"You dare to lie to my face?! Look me in the eyes and say it!"
Filled with anger, Jianyu slams his hands on his chair. Quickly standing up, he walks closer to the priest. Glaring down at her now, the priest could only keep her gaze down. Unable to bring herself to look into the eyes of the angry dragon emperor. Realizing he's not going to get much out of the old priest, Jianyu turns his attention to Shi Chen.
Out of everyone there, she stood firm and dignified. Showing no remorse for what she had done; hence only angering Jianyu even more. Making his way to where Shi Chen was standing; with only two feet in between them, Jianyu questions Shi Chen.
"I know what you're capable of woman. I can guarantee that you're the real mastermind behind this."
"I don't know what you're talking about your majesty."
The prime minister was standing nearby and freaking out at the scene. Quickly falling to his knees, he tugs on his daughter's dress for her to follow as well. With both father and daughter on the floor now, groveling.
"If no one is willing to come clean, I will resort to torture methods."
The prime minister cries out saying he and his daughter were innocent and have no idea as to why they were summoned.
"Your majesty! We are innocent! I have no idea as to why we have been summoned here!"
"I did not bring you here to punish you. Rather I'm going to punish Zi Tai and Shi Chen for their actions."
"What...what are you talking about, your majesty?"
"They conspired together to get rid of my empress while I was absent. Need I say more?"
The prime minister turns pale and turns to face his daughter and questions her. Shi Chen still being stubborn refused admit her wrongdoings.
"Shi Chen! What did you do?!"
"I did nothing wrong father! I will not admit to something I haven't done!"
Jianyu scoffs at the scene before him. Without a moment to lose, Jianyu calls for his guards outside the throne room to come and drag Shi Chen off to be punished first.
"Guards! Take this woman out and beat her with one hundred lashes!"
Shi Chen stared in shock, finally realizing her situation she begs for Jianyu to forgive her. Knowing that receiving that much whip lashes would kill her; she turns her gaze to Zi Tai and asks for him to help her. Zi Tai now unable to remain calm also comes down before Jianyu to beg for mercy on Shi Chen's behalf.
"Your majesty, please have mercy! We know our wrongdoings!"
Jianyu unable to hold back his anger anymore; punches the unsuspecting Zi Tai. Sending him flying Jianyu glares down at him. In a deep angry voice he yells out to Zi Tai.
"Show you mercy?! Ying Yue has suffered enough in her world and was finally finding peace here and you forced her back to the world that was killing her! Give me a reason to not behead you all!"
With his fist still clenched and red from punching Zi Tai in the face. Jianyu continues on with his accusations.
"Shi Chen is to be whipped with one hundred lashes. If she survives, I'll let her be but if she dies; then so be it."
"Your majesty I am innocent! Everything was Zi Tai's idea! I only went along with it!"
Digging into his sash, Jianyu pulls out the letter Ying Yue had left him. Reading it word for word, Jianyu watched as Shi Chen's face go pale.
Meanwhile, Zi Tai still couldn't believe what he was hearing. Now that things have gone bad, Shi Chen was going to make him take the fall for everything. Finally sitting up, after getting punched, Zi Tai crawls back to where Shi Chen and her father were; meanwhile Jianyu continues his interrogation.
"Shi Chen, how blind must you be to not notice that I have no interest whatsoever in you? Maybe it's my fault for not being harder on you, and now my empress has paid the price for my lack of action."
"That's not true your majesty! I know you care for me deep inside! You just couldn't show it, because Ying Yue was around, right?! I got rid of her for both our sake!"
Realizing she was delusional now, Jianyu motions for the guards to drag her out for her punishment. The prime minister was now on the floor, with his pride thrown aside begging for Jianyu to not punish his daughter. Jianyu paid no attention to his pleas and continues on with his order. Everyone watched as Shi Chen was dragged off; screaming for the emperor to forgive her.
"Your majesty! Please! You can't do this to me.... No! Let me go!"
The prime minister and Zi Tai could only remain silent as they hear Shi Chen's scream in pain from outside the throne room. Meanwhile, Jianyu turns his attention to Zi Tai and asks him for his reasoning.
"Why don't you tell me why you did what you did? I already know that truth so you might as well spill it."
"I just wanted her....to be happy...with the man she loved. You wouldn't understand your majesty. You can easily have anyone and in the end...you're choosing a human woman with no family background. I'm not just saying this, because of Shi Chen. I say it as a general of this country."
"Who I take as my empress is up to me. I took all that into consideration the moment I asked for Ying Yue's hand in marriage. I wanted her to have a better life than the one she had in her world, because I love her. I did everything I could for Ying Yue to keep her happy, just as you tried for Shi Chen. I trusted you Zi Tai, and you betrayed me."
Zi Tai remained silent. Unable to say anything, while feeling ashamed of his actions and for letting himself by swayed so easily by Shi Chen. Zi Tai finally cracked and spilled everything to Jianyu. He knew they wouldn't be able to hide it from Jianyu, but he didn't think they'd be caught so early.
"We forced her highness Ying Yue back to her world.....Her holiness had nothing to do with this. We only told her we wanted her to create a portal as an option for her highness Ying Yue. We never told her we were going to force her."
"What did you do to my empress; Zi Tai."
"I....I pushed her through the portal. I really didn't plan to.... but when she tried to grab hold of Shi Chen, my body instinct kicked in so I…... kicked her."
Jianyu remained silent as he listened to Zi Tai's story. Furrowing his brows at the idea of Ying Yue suffering at the hands of these two. After ten minutes of silence; with a deep sigh Jianyu turns his gaze back to the kneeling Zi Tai.
"As your punishment, I am stripping you of your title as general. You're dismissed, and take the prime minister with you to go retrieve Shi Chen. Her punishment must be done by now."
"Thank you, for your leniency."
Jianyu watched as Zi Tai and the prime minister quickly exit the throne room. With the doors closed now, Jianyu turns his attention to the royal priest.
"You will open another portal to the human world."
"I cannot, your majesty. The human portal can only be opened once a month sometimes even longer."
"Alright, you will teach me the spell to it then. I'm going to shorten that time to a week."
"Surely you jest, your majesty. You don't plan to go there, alone do you?"
"I am not in the mood for jokes, old priest. Tell me how to create a portal to the human world."
"Sigh....it is a dangerous place your majesty, but if you insist, I will do my best to aid you then. I will head back to the temple to make the preparations then."
Jianyu dismisses the old priest and walks back to his sleeping quarters. Placing Ying Yue's letter near his heart, Jianyu whispers to himself.
"Wait for me Ying Yue....I'm coming for you."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Gumibear
Gumibear There might be some errors here and there, but you guys really wanted an update. So here you go! Enjoy and stay tuned for more!
Thanks for reading!~ :)
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