Luckily for them, the Spring Palace was kept ready for use, with its own number of eunuchs and maids working on it despite nobody inhabiting it.
The servants from the Shiirhuang Palace joined in, making it even more efficient as they are much more experienced than the ones in the Spring Palace.

LianBi is literally overwhelmed by the state his nation was left in by Mijhatev, has just so many terrible problems to deal with, all at once. Can't let the survivors starve from the famine, has to promote demographic growth, army almost entirely wiped, whole cities to rebuild, people left with nothing... Where would he get some moments to breathe and recover from everything that happened to him? He can put himself above the wellness of Xhuanghen, not even for two days.

He has to start from somewhere and in the beginning he doesn't even have the support of the full court, as the Generals and most Ministers have to recover instead.
To counter the famine, he promotes more volunteers to continue what the refugees from Earth never stopped doing: delivering supplies to the people in need, living in the remote villages.
He orders for all the displaced survivors from Shiirhuang to be moved in the new Palace until their homes will be rebuilt, moving all the Imperial Family inside the Sun Quarters, to avoid too many issues with management.
Haru is officially given the role of Imperial Doctor and sent to take the lead of the nursery, with a few doctors under her.
He also has to take care of the catastrophic international politics, with diplomatic actions to explain the other nations what exactly happened, stopping the war for good.
He aims to leave the court matters as last, especially what concerns the Imperial Harem that too was moved to the Spring Palace of course.
And oh right, he has even another kid and he has absolutely no idea where she came out for. Ryuke better be ready to explain in details, once he recovers.

Jokes aside, in this critical times he has no chance to see his children, not even Bang-sul who is under coma since the moment he collapsed during the fight. He didn't leave the Red Hall - throne room - not even to sleep, the first day.

~ One week before the Avatars leave for battle.

He has been restless the whole time. It's not easy to overcome the amounts of traumas he received from Kijhatev during his captivity, but clearly he couldn't find any kind of understanding or comfort in the Avatars, thus he had to do by himself. Luckily he has a strong personality and all it really takes for him to win his battle against his traumas turned out to be an objective. Something towards which dedicate every bit of his thoughts, effort, strength and willpower.

As Emperor of Xhuanghen, he actually has some powers even on Earth, for what concerns the refugees from his nation and the various embassadors.
After a meeting with every priest and embassador residing in New York City, he had the opportunity to get in touch with every other of them all over Earth and through them, he also got the chance to get in contact with the refugees.
As he can't force any refugee to expose themselves to him and the potential danger of being dragged back to he punished for their crimes, being most of them Escapists, LianBi offers them all the chance to come to meet him willingly, promising they will risk nothing and be given the actual chance to do something that will earn the forgiveness for their crimes, plus the possibility to return to their world as free people, even have their ranks restored.

Despite the promise all the priests and embassadors will be present to guarantee LianBi's words were honest and it wasn't all a plot to capture them all at once, the Emperor doesn't expect many people to show up. But as the time comes, he is surprised to see how whole hundreds of people from all ages and nationalities join them, women and men, accompanied by their embassadors and priests.

The location is an actual warehouse in the industrial area of NYC., That he actually bought.
goo.gl/images/1Sd91T
The place is really huge, it can fit all the people without difficulties. goo.gl/images/NzD4Jw The many shelves all over the warehouse are covered with food supplies of big size, packed food of all sorts.
As the refugees walk inside, they all look rather perplexed, wondering what could they have to do in a place like that. Some of them, for the occasion, even whore traditional clothes from their lands, rather than the Terrestrial ones they usually wear.
Many of the Eastern people and some of the younger Northern ones kneel to the Emperor, while others just try to keep their distance, still skeptical about the intentions of LianBi.

A bit late, even arrive a few of the Ziekler: Jackil, Jonein and Devon, who moved to live on Earth after their family refused the throne, to avoid possible conflicts with the new Royal Family.
They aren't even the only faces LianBi recognizes among the present, many ex Elite Soldiers from Feng faction, but also old servants and allies of the late Generals Yung and Khan. Traitors who risked their lives and fled in another world.

After waiting long enough to make sure even the most indecisive people had the time to join, the Emperor finally starts his speech, in front of all the refugees, priests and embassadors.
"Our world, our entire world, is at war. A desperate war with close to no chance to be stopped." He raises a hand as a couple of men aim to leave, grumbling they aren't being recruited to go die in the battlefield. "I am not here to beg for souls to condemn. People, from all over Nortrig, our people are starving in their houses. Innocent, harmless and defenceless people cut from the plans of Mijhatev and Kijhatev, the weak, the mortals, the farmers! From Heinmenhos to Xhuanghen, families have been abandoned to die. And the situation, to what I was reported, is no better in the other countries. I will not force any of you to join my cause, I won't lie saying it will be a safe game. Anyone who will set a foot in Nortrig, at the current state of things, will risk their everything. But if there is even just a petal of your homeland you hold in your heart, this is your chance. OUR chance to do what is right. Not for me, not for the Gods or whatever abstract value, for them, only for those people." He turns around and points at all the supplies contained in that warehouse. "I have gathered food, clean water and disinfectants. Supplies I intend to distribute to people in need, abundantly, so that they'll be able to survive the darkest moment of our world's history. While these supplies will keep arriving and refilling this building, what I need are willing souls to help me reach all those people. Not only in Xhuanghen."

~ So...
Armed of three oxen, loaded with many sacks of flour, meat and other basic supplies, LianBi, the Ziekler and hundreds of refugees grabbing their chance to do some good and return home, walked through portals to Nortrig, divided in several groups depending on their nationality, to bring the supplies to the people in desperate need, tormented by the war and the famine it caused all over the world.

He takes the rural areas closet to Shiirhuang, where the danger is the highest. With straw hat and a big basket on his back, he roams among the villages to distribute the goods he purchased on Earth, with his own money, exchanged into terrestrial currency.

While in the hands of Kijhatev he really went through a lot. Being her the Goddess of Time, she had the power to change the very speed of it, making those couple of days become almost three months long for him. Three months of torment and not just physical tortures, mainly mental ones.
He was forced to witness many things, live some events through the eyes of other people, feel what those people felt... especially the people close to him. The children of his uncle, after he brought the assassin of their father into their home. His own second son, all the suffering he caused to him in some of the most painful events. His nephews witnessing the extermination of their whole family by his hands... She even showed him some facts about Consort Jun, proving that in real, his beloved Consort wasn't such a sweet women as she tricked him into believe.

On top of that, the 'final blow', she showed him the whole scene of Bang-sul being blinded... by him. That was like the definitive confirmation he really is a monster... and it dreads him a lot.

Anyhow, after Norihiko accompanied him to the room prepared for him, he took a shower (and it was no easy deal, as it was the very first time he washed outside a bathtub), changed into an ugly outfit for old men and simply went to lie on the bed, blankly staring at the ceiling while lost in his thoughts and gloomy mood.
He refused to eat anything and simply told Norihiko to leave him alone, prior to lying on bed. He also asked about ShuJin, wondering if he had awakened yet.

Since it's winter and they are in Scotland, the sun sets pretty early and it soon starts to rain. Fitting for his mood.
The door of the room gets opened, after a brief and light knocking. He moves his gaze in that direction, right when Bang-sul slips inside, holding a glass with a black liquid inside. Neither of them say anything, he just follows him with his eyes while he walks to the side of the bed and kneels the closest to him.
LianBi raises a little on the pillows and looks down at the other, who is handing him the glass in a cute way.
He does not really feel thirsty nor attracted by the look of that weird drink, but since Bang-sul is being so cute he can't just say no. He takes the glass and drinks a sip right away... getting the instinctive impulse to spit it outright. But he avoids to. He never tried anything so terribly sparkly, but after the initial shock, he drinks a little more. It's not so bad, but he'd much rather have some fine sake or rice wine than that.

While he drinks, Bang-sul rests his head on his belly, like a puppy.
LianBi is not sure what's the matter, why he is suddenly being like this, but he finds him irresistible. He places the glass on the small table and pats the bed next to him to invite him to come on it too.

Ready? Guess who wasn't?
It takes a few hours before he rejoins them, it is actually morning, and he looks like under a dreadful mood.
He joins them alone, without Bang-sul.
"The leader of the Lemuria has not yet given a reply. It has been long enough for us to show up without their formal approval." Among the various things, including an argument with Bang-sul !that felt as if he was arguing on his own), bathing and changing clothes... there was also a political reason to not go right away.
"Our Representative is waiting for us." He walks out with them, they have to leave Shiirhuang to reach the place where an auriold is waiting.
Usual greetings and all, then the man opens a portal to the South Pole, right by the iced stairway leading down into the underground realm.

The way is open. Nobody nor anything guarding. (Needless to mention the cold)
"Is this normal?* asks the Emperor, glancing at the Representative.
"Aniyo, Jeonha..." answers the man.
"What could explain this?"
"I don't know. But the entrance is usually sealed. It looks like there had been some kind of... explosion." But without fire.
"Regardless, we came so far, we should check inside, to say the least." He looks at the others with him.

The day of the Emperor ends slightly earlier than usual. As always, he is eager to return to his quarters, for one good reason: Bang-sul. He basically had him moving to his quarters, not caring about anything. He didn't do that not even with Consort Jun, which is why his decision still leaves many people kind of baffled.
The woman he loved for years didn't make it to his own bed, but this man who came out of nowhere less than 2 weeks before did.
On this matter though, LianBi doesn't intend to listen to anyone. It's something he wants for himself, it doesn't have to be anyone else's business.

He goes straight to his quarters and walks inside followed by Ryuke, while Norihiko was already in there. LianBi looks at the Sangseon. "You may leave, have a free evening."
"Ye, Jeonha", say both together. Neither of them complains, they know what that means, although Norihiko looks a little displeased.
After the servants leave, he enters his bedroom, where Bang-sul is. As usual, he is standing near the wall, looking all scaredy. Maybe that's because he was a little harsh towards him the previous evening, insisting to know why would he bother so much to be seen while bathing. He already saw him naked more than once, so what would it change?
Anyhow, he approaches Bang-sul and hugs him from behind, leaning his head against his. "Do you know what day is this?"
The other immediately seems to panic, before shaking his head.
"It's the New Year's eve, for the Northern calendar. Although to us the year will end in two months, my sons asked me for permission to celebrate this day too. And I granted it."
Silence.
LianBi slowly bends over to lean his chin on his shoulder. "I have plans for us as well." He softly kisses his neck and lets him go, then hands him a pile of clothes. "Wear these." They may that be a bit oversized, since he is taller and thicker than Bang-sul, but has to content. It was a sudden decision, didn't have the time to get him some informal clothes for the outside.
Since he knows the other doesn't feel at ease to be seen while bathing, he assumes the same applies for when he changes clothes, thus he accompanies him to the bathroom where he leaves him alone. He really wants to earn his trust.

When they are both ready, the Emperor takes Bang-sul by hand and leads him to the entrance of the building, where he opens a secret trapdoor in the wall. They go through, he closes it back and they proceed in a tunnel, on a slight incline. At the end of the tunnel is a gate, protected by a spell that makes it so that only LianBi himself can open it on either side.
Further from the gate is a lot of vegetation that covers the entrance of the cave, which is right outside the walls of Shiirhuang.
He helps Bang-sul to get out, then head to the unpaved road leading to the gates of the capital. It's still early thus it wasn't closed yet, but they still ask for badges and LianBi hands his fake one, stating he is a Palace Guard. When the Emperor has to fool his people he does it in style.

Done that, they have the whole city for themselves. It always amused LianBi to think of the reaction his people would have, if they knew who he really was. Like the elder people calling him boy or punk, the people sending him naughty glances and so on.
They walk to the center of the city, where the stands are. The merchants usually stay up till pretty late, so there is no risk to find a dead boulevard or square.

LianBi helps Bang-sul sit by a table then moves to the stands to buy food for both.
Right now, Tero is basically sat alone by a table, waiting for the return of the Emperor.