Chapter 5 - The Daughter of the Sun

"The Scarlet Emperor has gone mad!"

Terrified screams echoed throughout the entire palace.

She strolled into one of the grandest palaces of the inner harem. The solid wooden pillars stood majestically tall and layers of purple silk curtains draped down from the high ceiling. The beautifully bloomed purple azaleas were decorated along the hallway. Everything in the palace, from the furniture down to the tiniest detail on the wall was the finest of all in the entire empire. It was truly the grandest palace befitting the most beautiful woman in the world. Dragging her sword, her cold eyes searched the place.

The remaining servants screamed in fear as they tried to escape, but she slashed them down one after another mercilessly. Her stoic face did not betray any slightest emotion as she watched the blood spilled in front of her eyes. She knew they were screaming in agonies, but the only thing she could hear was the sharp and deafening ringing sound in her head.

The long sword in her hand, Devil's Hand was getting more and more excited and thirsty for blood. Very soon enough, everyone in her way were taken down with no exception. The once bustling Sun Palace was now empty and cold like a graveyard. She tore down the layers of curtain one by one as she wandered deeper. She paused at the last layer of curtain when she heard voices.

"Consort Yang! Please save us! We beg of your benevolent self!"

Kneeling on the ground were the once most prideful and arrogant concubines of the inner palace. The desperation in their voices was palpable. Sitting in front of them was a placid and ethereal beauty who was playing her zither. Her face was expressionless as she indulged in her music. Behind her, there was a solemn young man in his twenties dressed in royal guard uniform standing on guard.

"Consort Yang, His Majesty loves you the most! If you ask him to spare us, he will listen to you!" The concubines cried in fear as they continued to beg incessantly. Yang Yi finally looked up and stared at them sadly. Her beautiful hazel brown eyes gazed upon them, as she raised her long slender fingers from the zither.

"Don't be afraid, my dearest sisters. Everything will be over soon."

Her words agitated them, as one of them stood up and slapped Yang Yi hard in the face. The slap left a red imprint on her exquisite face.

"Arrogant woman! We threw our pride away and beg you, yet you refused to help us!" the lady shrieked in anger.

The guard behind Yang Yi immediately stood protectively in front of her and his hand went straight to the sword hilt. Yang Yi quickly held onto his hand. He glanced at Yang Yi, but she just shook her head wearily at him.

"What now? A mere slave dares to raise his sword against the royal concubine? You deserved to be flogged to death!" the mad woman screamed as the other concubines tried to restrain her.

"Consort Zhao! Please control yourself!" The man replied with a fiery blaze in his eyes.

"Ha! Now the slave even dares to raise his voice against me? How absurd! How absurd!" Consort Zhao continued screaming in frenzy.

"Just because the people call you Yang Nu, do you really think that you are the daughter of the Sun?" She started clawing at the man, but he did not even raise his hand at her. Instead, he stood like a wooden statue in between her and Yang Yi.

"Does it matter now?" A sharp and cold familiar voice said.

They stopped, as their attention turned toward the dark shadow standing solemnly behind the purple curtain. Meng Yu finally tore it down with a quick slash. The concubines gasped in fright at sight of the person standing there. Long black hair covered half of her face. She was wearing a scarlet red robe with intricate embroidery of a heavenly dragon. Walking over while dragging the tip of the blade across the floor, she tilted her head slightly and her eerily cold gaze landed on them.

The concubines' eyes widen in terror. They were stupefied for a moment before they quickly prostrated themselves on the cold floor. Trembling in fear, they begged tearfully as they repeatedly bang their head on the hard ground.

"Your... Your Majesty! Please spare us! Please put into consideration of our loyalty to you! Please remember our fathers who had served the country for so many years!"

Meng Yu's lips curled upward as she stared at them. She stepped closer and bent down. None of them dared to raise their head to look at her.

"My lovely consorts, why are you all so afraid?" The amusement in her voice was evident.

Some of them began crying in fear, but none of them dared to look up. Meng Yu shook her head, as she continued to speak playfully, "Do I really look that scary? Hmm?"

Meng Yu paused and turned to Consort Zhao.

"My sweet consort Zhao, I still remember your promises. You say that you will love me to the moon and back. For me, you are willing to do anything... including dying for me." She drawled and paused for a moment. Her face darkened immediately like a flip of the switch.

"Raise your head and look at me," she commanded icily.

Consort Zhao was trembling like a leaf as she raised her head slowly in fear. Her gaze landed on Meng Yu's face. Her face was so pale as if her blood had been drained out.

"My beloved consort, now is the time for you to prove your love to me... and to fulfil your promise."

"Your Majesty!" Consort Zhao was at a loss for words.

The cold smile vanished on Meng Yu's face as she frowned and asked disappointingly, "Is that all a lie then?"

Consort Zhao's shook her head and quickly replied shakily, "No, Your Majesty, no...."

Meng Yu lips quirked up as she tilted her head to a side and murmured satisfyingly, "Good, very good, my love."

Consort Zhao eyes widen in confusion, but before she could register what Meng Yu meant, her throat was slit open in a split moment. It was a quick and painless death. The other concubines screamed in terror, but before they could escape, Meng Yu slain each and every one of them in one swift movement. Quick and brutal.

Meng Yu eyes remained emotionless as she turned to look at Yang Yi. The royal guard stood bravely in front of Yang Yi, creating a wall between Meng Yu and her. Yang Nu was calm. There was no fear in her eyes as she looked straight at Meng Yu.

"Retreat, Guo Jian." Yang Yi commanded. There is no fear nor panic in her voice.

Guo Jian hesitated. When he refused to budge, Yang Yi raised her head and stared at him with her brows furrowed. Reluctantly, he stood back cautiously. Meng Yu stepped forward. She swung her sword and it stopped just an inch away from Yang Yi's throat. Yang Yi did not flinch nor showed any sign of fear. She just stared straight into Meng Yu's eyes. Her expression was peaceful, but her eyes reflected a tinge of sadness. Guo Jian kneeled immediately as he begged at Meng Yu.

"Your Majesty, please! Please spare Consort Yang! Guo Jian does not mind dying but please spare Consort Yang!"

"It is alright, Guo Jian." Yang Yi cut him off. Her voice was calm and resolved. Her eyes never left Meng Yu.

"I know this day will come. I am prepared for it. Do it, Your Majesty. Free Yang Yi from this long suffering." Yang Yi's gentle voice spoke without fear and regret.

Meng Yu stared at her expressionlessly, as she asked, "Do you resent me, Yang Yi?"

Yang Yi smiled wanly as she replied, "I do, Your Majesty... I do. Meeting you is the biggest regret in my life. I wish that I will never meet you in my next life. Never again, Mo Xing Hung Yu (Devil of the Scarlet Rain)."

"Me too. Let us not meet again in the next life, my beloved Yang Yi."

The heavy sword swung down, and blood splattered everywhere. Guo Jian wailed in despair.

Meng Yu's eyes flung open. The sky was still dark. The jingling wind chime danced gently in the night wind. Meng Yu pushed her aching body up and turned to look out of the window. The sun would rise soon. She let out a long sigh. She had been having dreams. Fragment of memories were slowly coming back to her, and sometimes they came in the form of vivid dreams. She was not shaken by them. Bad or good, it was nothing new, nothing old. However, seeing the familiar face again made her felt unfathomably nostalgic.

Meng Yu stood up and headed to the basin of water near her bed. She washed her sweaty palms and soaked a towel to wipe her face. She paused when she caught sight of her reflection in the water. Her eyes lowered and her thoughts drifted back to the past again.

Yang Yi, every time when you look at me... what did you see? Do you still see the child you saved? Or do you see the monster that ruined your life?