Heaven in abyss, Hell in paradise

Ch:5 (Midnight trouble at the Wudu Palace )

Maid quarters, Wudu Palace

Jade was fast asleep when she was woken up by a frantic Rong Pei. She would have loved to pull the covers over her head but the scared expression on Rong Pei's aged face was enough to wake her up completely, "What's the matter?" she asked rubbing her eyes.

"Mei's daughter got a death fever!" she explained hurriedly, waking up the other maids.

"What's a death fever?" Jade asked, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"It's a fever caused by the bite of a fourth-rank ghost." Rong Pei said quickly as she shook the other maids up roughly.

A fourth-rank ghost in the palace? A shiver ran down Jade's spine. She was lost in her worries when Rong Pei shook her violently, "Go to the West chambers! The fourth room is Miss Bài's room. Ask her to come quickly to the infirmary." Rong Pei told in a rush as the other maids woke up groggily.

Jade got off and ran towards the West chambers. She had never been here, and she was scared. What if the Water Master was angry because Jade disturbed her precious sleep at two in the morning? but pushing these thoughts aside, she knocked at the door nervously a light,
"Come in," was heard from the inside, she pushed open the heavy walnut doors hurriedly, as she entered the room it was empty it contained a seating arrangement in the centre followed by an open partition to the left side.

Jade walked towards it nervously, hoping, the Water Master wouldn't kill her for disturbing her sleep but what Jade wasn't expecting was to see the Water Master writing on some papers, sitting in the room which was covered in books and scrolls a gentle breeze shook the curtains lightly, the room smelled of old papers and lavender, focusing her eyes back to Water Master, Jade took notice that she usually had a cold expressionless face but her features looked so much softer with the moonlight illuminating her face, the gentle breeze blew her open dark brown locks softly, she only wore a light pink hanfu which showed her delicate skin, when ShuîYuê didn't hear a response she looked up from the papers she was correcting, she saw Jade a faint blush covering the maid's cheeks, 'It must be cold for her.' Water Master thought to herself as the cold breeze swayed her locks.

"What's the matter?" Jade looked up startled at Water Master's question, Water Master patiently waited for her to say something.

Jade gathered up her remaining courage and spoke, "Master, Mei's daughter caught a death fever." The change of expression from calm to worried crossed ShuîYuê's face in the flash of a second. She quickly got up picked up her black robe and left the room wrapping it around her.

They exited the room, Water Master fastening her pace with Jade right behind her, "Has she been taken to the infirmary?" ShuîYuê asked a slight tone of worry in her usual calm voice.

"Yes, Aunt Rong Pei asked me to bring you there." Jade responded hurriedly as they rushed towards the infirmary. They entered the infirmary which was bustling with maids running around back and forth, Jade's eyes went wide as she saw them bringing fresh water and taking out water-coloured crimson, 'It is not blood, is it?' Jade thought to herself, shuddering.

Bài ShuîYuê entered the room, which had doctors frantically making medicine, and Mei was crying loudly, holding her daughter's hand. Rong Pei was by her side, trying to comfort her as she wailed loudly, "Mei?" Bài ShuîYuê called softly.

Mei crawled to Water Master while wailing she clutched her feet, "Master, please help my daughter! Please save her! Master." she cried, wet tears staining the carpeted floor.

Water Master crouched down to her level, holding a broken Mei by the shoulders,
"Don't worry, nothing will happen to Xioaxin, I promise," she assured calmly, Mei nodded her head, wiping her tears. Water Master stood up, "Call for Doctor Wen immediately." she ordered a maid who ran back to call the said doctor.

The doctors present in the room stared at each other nervously, unable to help the poor girl who was writhing in pain while her mother held her. Water Master paced around waiting for Doctor Wen, he arrived ten minutes later, his hair was dishevelled and his physician uniform was haphazardly put on, panting to catch his breath, he bowed to Water Master who gestured for him to treat the girl, ShuîYuê walked out of the infirmary as Jade stared at the mess in the room.

"Sanbao." she called

"Present." the chief guard replied

"Did you find a trace of the ghost anywhere near the palace?" she asked calmly

"Yes, Master, he is indeed a fourth-rank ghost from hell. He is being brought here."

While they discussed things among themselves, Doctor Wen ran outside, "Water Master, the girl's temperature won't come down. I have already treated her bite but it's just the temperature which won't come down and I can't give her any medicines as they are conflicting with her body nature." he explained forehead frowned in worry.

ShuîYuê entered the room and sat by the girl's side who was unconscious, her mother weeping by her side, she placed her palm on the girl's forehead which was burning, she closed her eyes and a silver light engulfed the whole room she kept her hand on the girl's forehead until it was normal. She left Doctor Wen to deal with the rest as a guard brought the ghost outside.

"This is him, Master." Sanbao informed as the ghost hissed at him in pain.

"Who sent you?" Water Master asked a chill, running down Jade's spine at the coldness of her Master's voice.

"Like I'd tell you bitch!" the ghost's voice was scary rough and thirsty for blood, Sanbao tightened the enchanted rope to which he was tied in causing him to scream in pain, the maids and the doctors were shocked never had they seen a fourth rank ghost more so heard his scary scream.

"Why are you here?" ShuîYuê asked her voice much more icy this time.

"To cause trouble." he replied, grinning from ear to ear, ShuîYuê's eyes glanced at his ear.

"Sanbao, you see that earing on his ear crush it to pieces." Water Master ordered
Just as Sanbao went to forcibly tear the earring off the ghost's ear, he screamed.

"No! no! I'll tell you. I'll tell you, don't touch me!" he begged. Water Master told Sanbao to let him go, he walked in a weak vessel of a body which was only skin and bones looking disgusting, Blood seeped out of the cuts which he was covered in he walked towards ShuîYuê, Sanbao was in front of her in an instant ready to protect her, she simply pushed him away to the side, the ghost motioned for her to be closer to him she leaned in her ear, he whispered something quickly and stared at Water Master's face for a reaction, everyone else held their breaths in anticipation.

"Sanbao crush his earing," she ordered, which Sanbao followed in an instant. The ghost's screams were heard throughout the palace as he turned to smoke. People were frozen as they saw a ghost being killed right in front of them, Jade's body trembled as she stared at ShuîYuê who looked completely unbothered, She turned around to look at Mei's daughter who had regained her consciousness only now, Mei thanked her repeatedly while Rong Pei held her in her arms, "Go back to sleep everyone, there's nothing to be worried about." ShuîYuê told before disappearing towards the West chambers.

She paced in her room, remembering what the ghost said, 'I was sent here to spy, but this little girl kept pestering me, so I bit her.' was all he had said, 'I need to speak with the Emperor soon. The crowning on the ghost festival day is far too dangerous.' she thought to herself.

_______________________________
The only way to kill a ghost of any rank is to crush their ashes which can be hidden in anything, finding their ashes is the hardest task, they don't keep their ashes with them, keeping them hidden in some remote place so no one can reach them, even if they lose their physical form which they can take by possessing a normal person, they won't die, no matter how badly the body they possessed is beaten, they'll simply turn to a ghost fire which is the initial stage of a ghost, these ghost fires fly in the air they cannot burn anything however but can possess people, Protective barriers are set up in the whole of Heaven to prevent ghost fires from intruding but many ghosts still reside in Heaven undetected.

- from the Royal Library of Central Palace

Word count: 1500