From the moment she stepped into Jiehong’s domain, Mei Ling was able to feel a shift in power that should not have been there. One of the shifts felt familiar to her, and she was certain the escaped demonic wolf was the cause. The other’s origin was not immediately obvious her, but it reeked of death. She was not going to handle this lightly. To the Empress, Jiehong was a prize, something she could utilise at her will. He was, after all, a good scapegoat during the time that everything went wrong for her. 

~~~

It had started as a relatively normal day. The sun was shining and everyone was happy. Well, almost everyone. Unfortunately the townspeople of Xian Yu and Bai Xiao were experiencing a drought. The drought in question was causing panic and death amongst the masses, and so the Empress was tasked with handling the problem. 

The Empress was not one who cared for the poor people within the human realm. She viewed herself as being above them. But, to gain merits and to further the Gods and Goddesses’ cultivation, people were needed. So she was expected to deal with the task. 

Appointing Jiehong was her first decision. He was a minor God of flowers which qualified him to handle a situation such as this. Unfortunately, he could not handle the two towns on his own. To attend to both at once would take an incredible amount of power. Power which he, as a minor God, did not possess.

Jiehong was an emotional person, and the Empress knew this. She made the conscious decision to hide one of the town’s droughts from him, deciding to simply handle it herself. As her skills in growth and medicine were quite good, she believed this would enable her take care of one town on her own. So Jiehong was tasked with the care of the other town, and he, of course, was successful.

The problem which occurred was the Empress’ mistake. Not knowing enough and being too proud to ask for assistance, she caused large poisonous plants to sprout in one of the towns. The people prayed in thanks for the harvest that had grown and consumed it voraciously. Soon the people were covered in bright purple boils. Blood and pus oozed from their wounds as they slowly died a very painful death. 

News of this travelled across the towns, eventually reaching back to the heavens. The Empress was unable to stand the scrutiny; she would never allow herself to be blamed for such a thing occurring. It was simple enough for her to shift the blame onto Jiehong. A mere switch of the town names in the heaven’s documents turned her mistake into his. 

She of course had to punish him for the error, locking him away in a place where she could monitor him. This way, she could continue to use him for the things she needed and not have anyone be the wiser. Even Jiehong himself was left without memory of the situation, believing only that he had caused thousands of people to die. 

~~~

The current circumstances left her pleased. She had a God isolated and alone, and she control him in anyway she wished. This was why she would not allow anything to change that. If the God were to once again possess his own will and mind, she would be unable to retain such control.

The Empress’ golden robes moved gracefully around her. Her appearance was regal and soft, as she always looked her best lest she look less than the Empress that she was. Her hands were tightly clenched into fists by her sides, angry for the change in Jiehong’s demeanour and domain. She would not allow her control over him to falter. She promised herself this as she approached the temple.

Jiehong exited the temple quickly. His eyes darted nervously around to catch a glimpse of where the Empress might be, not wanting to have her out of his sight. He wasn’t sure as to why this was, but something was telling him it was best to be wary at this current time. As he caught sight of the Empress, he noted the tense expression she was wearing. It was different from the typical calm smile she usually has around him. 

“Jiehong,” she intoned, her voice as cold as ice. It cut through the other, sending a shiver down his spine as he curleds into himself slightly. This was, after all, the power of the Heavenly Empress. 

“Your Majesty.” He bowed a full ninety degrees as a show of respect, light hair falling forward as he did so, creating a curtain, almost a barrier between the two. 

“It appears you did not take my warning seriously.” Her eyes narrowed as she spoke, adding a harshness to her usually soft appearance. 

“Warning? Your Majesty I can assure you I-”

Her hand rose, palm up to quiet him. She had no time for those under her to speak petty lies or arguments. The heavens were her domain and she demanded nothing but respect from anyone within them.

“Jiehong, I told you nothing and no one was allowed to enter your…” she waved a hand around gesturing to the decrepit place surrounding the two, “home without me knowing so.”

“But I can assure you I haven’t had anyone-” Once again he is cut off, his mind springing to the two in the temple. Knowing of the consequences he might pay for lying to the Empress, but unwilling to have the two face her wrath. He would rather be hurt himself than have to watch another person be hurt because of him. 

“I would stop lying if I was you,” she warned, though the small smirk pulling at her lips showed that she honestly wished he would continue. Her eyes dared him to give her a reason to truly lash out at the God. “I am aware that the disgusting demon dog has somehow found its way out of my care and back into your home.”

“I assure you if the hound has escaped, it did not come here,” Jiehong tried, hands clenching tightly by his side. His nails cut small crescents into his palms from the pressure as he braced himself against her unspoken threats. He couldn’t let her take the other away. Not again.

“Are you saying I have lost my senses? What exactly are you implying Jiehong?” These questions brought an edge into her voice, and threats glinted in her eyes as she advanced toward Jiehong.

“I would never Empress, you are simply mistaken this time.” He hurriedly spoke these falsehoods, knowing it to not be the truth but hoping for once that maybe she would just turn and leave. As she moved past him, Jiehong reached out to grasp the sleeve of her robe.

Her other hand raised to send a resounding ‘crack.’ Her aim rang true, making Jiehong fall to the ground with the force of the blow. He reached up to his face, feeling the line of blood her nail had left across his cheek. 

“Know your place,” she demanded, a huff leaving her. “If I am mistaken, then you won’t mind me checking the temple, hm?”

“No!” Jiehong yelled. In his panic, he threw his arms toward the Empress' legs. His desire to protect those inside overcame any sense that may have stopped this action. “Please…” he whispered, wishing for nothing more than an ounce of mercy. 

The Empress glared down at the other, before grasping him by his hair and puling him up to his knees. “You do not get to tell me what to do,” she hissed, wrapping her free hand around the Minor Gods throat. “You have no right to touch me. You are filth. Disgusting. You deserve to be alone.” She tightened her grip until Jiehong struggled uselessly against her grasp. Not until his emerald eyes fluttered closed did she finally release his throat. She let his limp body fall to the dirt. She didn’t want to kill him, not yet. His death would raise far too many questions. 

The Empress tutted to herself as she moved gracefully to the temple. She slid open the doors, expecting to see that same disgusting creature, only, no one was there. “What?” She questioned aloud, storming through the temple and knocking things as she went. The fixed table was now once again destroyed; pots and pans were broken across the floor. The bed roll was upturned and heaped into the corner. She took her anger out on every inch of his home. 

When she’d finished destroying the temple’s order, the Empress laughed in disbelief. She had been certain something was here. Once the laughter started, she was unable to stop. That awful kind of laughter that is pulled from deep within a person emanated from the Empress’ lips. She sounded crazy. 

After storming out of the temple doors, she stepped on Jiehong’s robes, leaving dirt and dust smeared across them. As her body left the barrier to his domain, someone else returned. Instead of harsh hits or rough words, this person bent down to cradle Jiehong in their arms. Tears glinted within his grey eyes as he watched the one person who meant the most to him, in such a broken state cradled within his arms.