A week seemed to go by in the blink of an eye and soon the day for Jing He to begin his trial had arrived. He had already prepared what he needed to make sure that he wouldn’t betray his lover in the human world while the Fate’s Scribe had finally finished the scroll of fate he had feared so much.

Both of them couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous but they certainly weren’t the only ones. In fact, the one most worried right now was probably Jing He’s father, the Heavenly Emperor Tianjun Rong Su.

At this moment, he was pacing up and down in his study adjacent to the throne room. "Aiya, what if something happens to him in the mortal realm? No, I can’t let him go alone! I should at least send some guards with him to —"

"Rong Su." The Heavenly Empress Bai Fen threw him an exasperated look from her seat at the desk. "Stop worrying so much. The boy has already come of age. Heaven wouldn’t arbitrarily punish him. He’ll be fine."

The Heavenly Emperor hurried over and knelt down beside her chair, grabbing the armrest. "But what if —"

"Stop!" Bai Fen plucked his fingers from the chair and rested her own arms there. "He’s not a little child anymore. He should make some experiences of his own. There’s really no need to send someone to keep an eye on him."

"You’re probably right." The Heavenly Emperor stood up and resumed pacing again. "I also know he has to attempt this trial." He paused for a moment before turning around to her, wringing his hands. "It’s just … I’m so worried!"

"Then call the Fate’s Scribe over and ask what Jing He will have to face. But you also know that it’s better for him to experience as much as possible. He’s almost over the age where he should attempt his trial. Any later and Heaven would really punish him."

The Heavenly Emperor nodded. "You’re right, you’re definitely right. Well, then let’s hear what the Fate’s Scribe has to say. The more trials, the better. It’s all for his own good." He nodded to reassure himself and motioned at one of the servants to bring the Fate’s Scribe over.

Once again his steps sounded in the study. Ah, just imagining the terrible things his precious son would have to face … How could he keep calm?! Jing He was the pearl in his hand. He had never let him suffer even the slightest harm! How would his precious sons be able to stand all the torment this trial would force upon him?

Bai Fen’s gaze darkened more with every step her husband took. "Rong Su."

"Yes?" The Heavenly Emperor hurriedly turned toward her, hoping that his wife would be able to reassure him. Instead, he was faced with her hand pointing at the door.

"Out. Now."

"Huh?"

"I told you to get out. Wait in the throne room until the Fate’s Scribe comes. Don’t bother me."

"Oh. Of course." Rong Su hurriedly turned away and shuffled out, planting himself onto his throne as fast as he could so as to not anger his wife.

If asking who the mightiest person in the Nine Heavens was, one could only name the Heavenly Emperor. But concerning this wife of his … this awe-inspiring Heavenly Emperor couldn’t bring himself to disagree with her and always did as she said.

Ah, naturally, this was only because he felt it was beneath his dignity to argue with his wife. It certainly had nothing to do with the fact how fierce Bai Fen looked when she became angry …

While the Heavenly Emperor once again tried to justify his spineless behavior in front of himself the Fate’s Scribe finally arrived at his palace. He walked into the throne room with the finalized scroll of fate clasped in his hands and bowed before the Heavenly Emperor.

"Fate’s Scribe Shun Tao greets His Majesty Tianjun."

The Heavenly Emperor motioned impatiently for him to get up and leaned forward on his throne. Why did they have to bother with formalities now? Damn this! He just wanted to know what would happen to his precious son! "Fate’s Scribe, today, our son will descend into the human world. What awaits him?"

Shun Tao nodded, straightened up and unfurled the scroll of fate with the clinking of the translucent jade slips rubbing against each other. "To answer Your Majesty: The Son of Heaven, Jing He, will be reborn as the mortal Zhong Jing Yi as part of the common people. His mother dies of childbirth thereafter, causing rumors of the boy being cursed to spread in the surrounding villages. Under pressure from the villagers, Zhong Jing Yi has to escape with his father. Before they are able to find a place to stay, his father succumbs to disease. He sends the boy to relatives in the capital but the group Zhong Jing Yi is traveling with is attacked by bandits. Zhong Jing Yi and the other children are caught and sold into slavery.

After five years of working on the construction of a temple, he is sold to an official’s estate where he stays another five years. There, he falls in love with a servant girl who seems to reciprocate his feelings. Zhong Jing Yi saves up the money to redeem their freedom but the servant girl steals his savings and elopes with another man.

Zhong Jing Yi is left alone at the official’s estate until the fight over the imperial throne intensifies three years later and his master is executed for treason. The official’s family loses its status and escapes from the capital with only a few servants.

Zhong Jing Yi remains alone once again. He isn’t able to find a new master and has to eke out a living as a beggar. After the new emperor is crowned, Jing Yi is chased out of the capital with the other paupers. He tries to seek refuge at a temple but is refused admittance and has to roam the land on his own. In his years on the road, he contracts a disease and finally dies alone and in pain."

Shun Tao furled his creation and looked up in contentment. It had been hard work but he felt that the result was worth it. With this fate, he had excelled himself! If crown prince Jing He couldn’t gain experience in this mortal life, then he would never be able to. Destitution, unrequited love, betrayal, loneliness, sickness, old age, death … What more could be asked of one life?

The Heavenly Emperor froze. Hearing of all those terrible things about to befall his precious son and thinking of that lovely smiling face of Jing He’s his heart bled so much that he feared it might fill an ocean the very next moment.

Ah, his poor Jing He! How could he be able to take it? What kind of drugs had this damned Fate’s Scribe taken to think up such a wretched fate?! Wouldn’t his precious son be utterly devastated when he woke up after his trial and remembered this lifetime of pure suffering?! He might not even leave his palace anymore out of fear! Argh, he should punish this damned Scribe and then have him rewrite this blasted fate!

Just when he wanted to holler at Shun Tao he noticed the figure of his wife Bai Fen standing at the doorway to his study with her arms crossed in front of her chest, her eyes clearly reflecting the threat that he would have to spend the night somewhere else if he dared to utter his true thoughts now.

Rong Su gulped. The more trials, the better, he reminded himself and nodded slowly at Shun Tao. "This is indeed a trial worthy of his station!" he claimed in the most awe-inspiring voice he could muster while he inwardly felt tears streaming down his cheeks. "I trust that there won’t be any problems."

"Of course." Shun Tao bowed and left the throne room at the Heavenly Emperor’s cue. He could by no stretch of imagination picture how anything could go wrong.

Well, sometimes even Fate’s Scribe lacks in imagination.