Heaven in abyss, Hell in paradise

Ch: 42 (Jun Wu's fury )

Ling Wen asked everyone to take a seat as the main performance would begin, Yìfēi found ShuîYuê in the crowd grabbing her hand and sitting in the seat closest to Ghost King, ' This won't do, he doesn't even know she's wearing the hair chain he sent in the gifts,' Yìfēi thought to herself,

So Wind Master very loudly mind you said, " Earth Master your earrings are so lovely !" she praised, looking at Ghost King, who looked in this general direction,

Shù Zìrán blinked her eyes, Wind Master had always tried to be buddies with her, but she always pushed Wind Master away, "Thank you, your necklace is quite stunning," she complimented her back as GuānYû looked at her noticing the earrings Earth Master was wearing they flattered her skin tone beautifully,

" Oh my! Water Master your hairchain is so exquisite looking. I have seen it somewhere," a female official said, thinking about where she had seen it

" The merchant girl who was selling jewellery that day I saw this hair chain in her collection," Xiàn Fèng chimed in, suddenly remembering it, Yìfēi looked at Ghost King who was staring at Water Master's braid ( she was sitting in front of him but with her back towards him )

"It looks very beautiful though," the same female official praised

"Thank you," ShuîYuê thanked nervously as she fiddled with her hands, Yìfēi smirked in victory before turning away to thank the officials who were complimenting her right and left, Yông Zìxìn narrowed his eyes at Wind Master, ' Why was she smirking? What trouble is she up to now ?' he thought to himself.

' So she did like it,' Chéng Huá thought to himself, feeling satisfied for some unknown reason,

The main performance started with twenty-four female dancers entering the Martial hall, Everyone stared in awe as the dancers swayed their bodies enchantingly.
ShuîYuê wondered how these women danced so gracefully, If she had ever tried anything like that, she would fall face first onto the floor, She shook her head unconsciously, forgetting about her falling on the floor,

" Ghost King," Jun Wu called, standing up and wobbling lightly as he was drunk. He walked up to the Ghost King, who sat on his seat expressionless,

" How about you present us with a dance as enchanting as these heavenly beauties, You are after all a master when it comes to seduction," Jun Wu mocked laughing, No one dared laugh except for the Emperor, here he was trying to insult Ghost King once again,

Ghost King began, " Emperor Jun Wu- " he was interrupted when a maid screamed,

" He's a man !" she shouted, pointing at a dancer who was among the performers.

The dancers next to him all screamed, the female dancers never performed with males or for anyone they were specially reserved for the Emperor when he would tell them to perform they would perform, the dancer who was accused of being a man had a mask on their face, all the dancers wore masks, as the female dancers huddled close, two guards charged forward grabbing the person's arms as they squirmed on the floor, the guards tore the person's clothes revealing a plane chest they searched the man's body roughly before standing up and bowing to the Emperor,
" He's indeed a male," the guard informed, bowing his head,

Everyone in the Martial hall whispered to each other as Jun Wu walked to the male lying on the floor, he kicked him in the stomach before bending down and grabbing his chin roughly, " Who's this trying to be a female ? " he asked, snatching the mask of the person who tried to cover their face, Jun Wu grabbed his chin, raising his head. The Emperor's eyes widened as someone shouted, " It's Prince Jīnyú !"

Water Master looked at the boy who was on the floor, his face cast down ashamed. She looked at Yìfēi worried, who had a similar worrisome expression.

" It's Prince Jīnyú! " An official shouted once again too loudly

Ghost King stared at the boy, confused, " He's the younger brother of GuānYû from a different wife of the Emperor," Bāo YànQīng informed noticing Ghost King's confusion, he smirked Jun Wu was trying to embarrass him but in return, he is getting embarrassed in his palace by his son in front of his officials, how the tables have turned,

" Oh My, the prince has a different taste, " Yông Zìxìn blurted sassily, Yìfēi glared at him

The prince looked down as he sat on the floor of his father's majestic Martial hall in front of many officials half-naked being laughed at, tears welling up in his eyes dropping like rain,

" Why would the prince dance among females? Is he even a male ?" a female official questioned loudly, covering her mouth

The emperor went back and sat on his throne he held a cup in his hand which trembled as he was angry,
" He has left no face for the Emperor in front of the ghosts," someone cried from the crowd, (ShuîYuê wanted to know why people like to make things more miserable for someone when they are suffering as it is )

The emperor drank that cup of wine in one go before filling it up again. He threw the cup at his son, who sat on the floor crying

" Jīnyú," he called slowly,
" Why did you do so ?" he asked angrily as he stood up

The prince cried GuānYû walked forward trying to calm his father, " Father let's end the banquet here, You have drunk quite a lot of wine," GuānYû suggested holding his father's arm, who brushed his hand away in anger,

" Tell me !" Jun Wu demanded his deep voice startling many officials

The young prince flinched as his father shouted at him. He couldn't manage to say anything as all he could do was cry,

Jun Wu threw the fruit bowl at him angrily, and it hit the prince right in the chest, he was bleeding as the sharp knife cut his skin, ShuîYuê had had enough of this humiliation, she walked straight to the prince, who looked up at her, " S-sorry Master," he apologised stuttering, she took off her robe draping it around the shivering boys shoulder, her eyes burnt in anger at the blood dripping on the floor, she stood back up.

" The prince has committed a grave crime," someone repeated

" He must be punished to keep the order," said Senior official Wu Yu

'This snake I'll deal with him later,' ShuîYuê thought, glaring at him,

Crown Prince stood next to his father trying to calm him down, Jun Wu didn't like Jīnyú as it was and now that he had embarrassed him in front of ghosts, 'This won't end well,' Crown prince thought worried

" Yes, Your Majesty, I have heard about your righteousness and I can't accept anything less from your rightful judgement," Yông Zìxìn agreed emphasising each word, Yìfēi would have killed this jerk right then and there if she didn't have other things to worry about,

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Author's note by author:

Hey, beautiful people ( I have been taking some lessons in being social from Xiàn Fèng) how have you been? I have a question and would appreciate a response. Is the story going too rushed or too slow? If it's too rushed, do you want me to add some fillers in between or some interactions you guys want or any concept you have trouble understanding, most things have been explained throughout the story and I didn't want to add them in the beginning ( I believed that all that theory would bore you guys out so I explained them eventually) but if something that's bothering you I could make a chapter about it, also if anything is kinda difficult to understand feel free to ask and I'll try my best to explain it through further chapters or replying whatever you prefer, this chapter was short I apologise but the next one is longer I assure you, and I have slept well so my brain is functioning for once hence I asked you guys the question which has been on my mind for long,

I'll stop because I tend to ramble If you have noticed,

Word count: 1200ish for chapter and 200 for Author's note. Sorry it's too long, but I needed to ask that question. Here, have some cake 🎂🥮🍥🥞🧁🍰 and have a great day. Thank you for reading and take care of yourselves, bababbyeeeee!