When Fengjiu woke up in the morning she knew it was the day. 'The trial against Su Jin.' She quickly took a bath and got dressed. She put on a pink dress and finished her hair.
Once she was finished she left a message for her Shifu. She informed him of what she was doing and that he shouldn't come. She didn't want anything to go wrong for the trial.
She materialized in the Nine Heavens and easily walked passed the guards, who knew who she was because of how she came so often over the 300 years. She saw Su Jin where she was last time.
Su jin was being helped to walk by her personal maid. The soldiers ran over to her and asked, "Su Jin! What happened to your eyes?!"
"Uncles!" Su Jin grabbed at her cloaks, and cried. "You must uphold justice for me. Quickly! Take me to the Grand Hall."
Fengjiu glared at Su Jin and walked up. "You're a filthy liar."
Su Jin turned around, recognizing her voice. "Your Aunt robbed me of my eyes! I'm about to report her to Heavenly Monarch!"
"Go ahead," she replied and glared at her. "I will fight against you."
Su Jin shouted, "You will both pay for this!" She turned away and had an evil look on her face. "Women in Qing Qiu are born prestigious. So what? Are woman in the Heavenly Tribe born to be bullied?"
"I don't know what caused you to be so evil," Fengjiu stated, "but I will not allow you to lie anymore."
"Your Aunt pushed me off the Immortal Execution Platform so she had to give me her eyes. Can she now do whatever she wants just because she is she's a High God?" Su Jin stated, with a small smirk on her lips. Knowing that she was turning the soldiers to her side. "Where do you think you are? The Nine Heavens! Don't assume you and your Aunt can cover up the truth! Your Aunt will give me back my eyes."
Fengjiu knew that because Su Jin had been in the Nine Heavens much longer, and the fact that she was a Consort, that it gave her more leverage. She thought to herself, 'I can do this. Control your anger Bai Feng Jiu! You are a Princess of Qing Qiu and soon to be Empress! It's time to prove it.'
The soldiers seemed torn, because they knew Fengjiu was a good person, but they thought Su Jin was a good person too. Su Jin continued to try and convince them that Fengjiu was in the wrong, but they still looked conflicted. One of the guards that she often fed looked at her in the eyes. He said, "Let's take them to the main Palace. It does no good to sit here and argue."
"But-" Su Jin tried to argue.
"Let's go. Consort Su Jin. I shall take you to Heavenly Monarch," he stated. He looked back at Fengjiu with a confused expression, as if nothing Su Jin said was adding up.
She took a deep breath, preparing to go and defend her Aunt, when she felt someone grab her arm. She instantly knew it was Dijun, because she felt a shiver go through her. It was one of happiness. She turned to look at him in relief. "You're here."
"I'm here. Come with me," He simply said.
They both walked inside the main Palace, and saw a kneeling and crying Su Jin trying to scheme. Dong Hua was well aware of what she was trying to do and he wouldn't allow it. He knew he was going to have to do what Fengjiu spoke about. Make it seem like he wasn't on her side.
Su Jin played the pity card and blamed everything on Bai Qian.
Fengjiu was angry. "Heavenly Monarch, I am here against Su Jin and to prove all the evil crimes she has done."
"She is loyal to Qing Qiu, so of course she would defend High Goddess Bai Qian! She is a nine-tail. They are known to be loyal," Su Jin shouted,
"Heavenly Monarch," one of the princes called out. "Although the Heavenly Tribe is indebted to Qing Qiu because of Sang Ji, who broke the engagement, we mustn't allow that high goddess to accuse our tribesman at will! And even use violence!"
Fengjiu played the way she did in the past life by trying to get them on her side, though she knew how it would play out. She thought to herself, 'I just have to say the same things, so that Ye Hua comes in time.'
Dong Hua could tell she was putting on a childish act. He wondered, 'Is it because she is stalling for time?'
"Dijun, are you against me?" Fengjiu asked looking at him offended.
Dong Hua sighed as if he were thinking. "This matter is confusing. Everyone has their own versions." He sighed and then looked at Hao De. "I have something to say. Although it may offend Heavenly Monarch, I still think I need to speak."
Heavenly Monarch looked relieved. "Please speak, Dijun."
Dong Hua then told Heavenly Monarch that because Su Jin had been his consort for a time, that he should not be the judge of this case. He stated that he volunteered to judge this case.
"You mean..." Heavenly Monarch said with hesitation.
"Everyone knows that I was once the ruler of Heaven and Earth," He stated, and then looked at Hao De. "Therefore, I'm not related to any clans. I never had a harem and I distanced myself from worldly affairs."
Then Dijun walked closer to Heavenly Monarch, causing him to feel unsettled. As he hadn't seen Dijun act like this since he was the ruler. He continued, "It's best to leave the hearing of this case to me, so as to appease all parties."
Heavenly Monarch looked nervous. "But Dijun....You and Bai Fengjiu-" Dong Hua gave him a look that scared everyone in the room.
"Wasn't what I just said clear enough?" Dong Hua stated loudly, still looking Hao De in the eyes. His eyes flashing a deep purple, causing Hao De to shiver.
Heavenly Monarch took a shaky breath. "Dijun has a point. I'll only witness this hearing without voicing an opinion." Then he went back up to sit on his throne.
Dong Hua turned to Su Jin. "Su Jin, do you think I will favor Qing Qiu." He spoke in a harsh voice that told her, if she said otherwise, that he would be angry. He thought to himself, 'I just have to get her to stated that I wouldn't favor Qing Qiu, then she is in my palm.'
Su Jin bowed. "I...I wouldn't dare doubt Dijun."
Dong Hua then told Su Jin to tell her side of the story. Fengjiu listened with anger as Su Jin lied, and used everything inside her to remain quiet.
A few moments later, finally Ye Hua showed up, she saw he arrived with a group of others, including the fake Bai Qian.
Su Jin immediately heard his voice and turned to him. She grabbed the bottom of his cloak and begged him for justice.
Ye Hua glared at her and said stated that he would give her justice. He thought to himself, 'I'll give her the justice she truly deserves.'
The fake Bai Qian stepped forward, happy to recognize her creator, she smiled at her. Su Jin screamed in terror, "I does not know this person!"
Ye Hua simply turns the fake Bai Qian back into the wooden statue with a flick of his hand. It landed in Su Jin's lap, therefore proving that she had created it.
Everyone around gasped, other than Fengjiu, Dong Hua, and Ye Hua.
Ye Hua tells everyone there how Su Jin made that fake Bai Qian to seduce him. He then said the punishment for trying to seduce a Crown Prince with witchcraft is to be stripped off the celestial status and be banished.
Fengjiu smiled to herself, 'Aunt, I am getting justice for you!'
Dong Hua saw that Yuan Zhen, the boy who was accused of trying to rape Su Jin. He was there along with his father who was now a Water King with his wife Shao Xin. Dong Hua had Yuan Zhen speak up about how he was wrongly accused. Once he told the story it was clear that he wouldn't have been able to find Su Jin's slumber chamber on his own on his first visit to the Nine Heavens.
Fengjiu thought to herself, 'Su Jin's lies all fell a part.'
Dong Hua turned to Su Jin. "Su Jin, what refute do you have?"
Su Jin started shouting, "He's lying!" Then she started to rage and sob and accuses everyone present to be against her. She even tried to get pity from Ye Hua one last time, pulling the bottom of his robe.
Ye Hua replied, "If I would side with anyone, it wouldn't it be with you."
That brought her over the edge. She screamed, "No! You never have taken sides with me! Never! You have always excluded me. No matter how I treat you, it's useless!"
Fengjiu listens as Dijun said they should stop the hearing and not discuss Su Jin's accusations of Bai Qian. Or else, Qing Qiu could get very angry that they believed such a criminal's accusation of their Queen.
Heavenly Monarch nodded and sighed. "There's no need to continue the trial. Su Jin, you have really disappointed me." Then he said that they were lucky this was around family and not others. Otherwise this might have escalated more. Everyone present, other than Fengjiu and Dong Hua, seemed to agree.
Fengjiu thought to herself, 'I am not your family.'
Heavenly Monarch then stated in front of everyone, "Su Jin you will now spend the rest of your life in Ruoshui now, watching the bell. Take her away!"
Fengjiu knew that Su Jin would fail in Ruoshui and get further punished. She watched as Su Jin was dragged out of the palace screaming and crying. Heavenly Monarch then told Ye Hua to get married to Bai Qian as fast as possible. She knew this would be a problem, and knew her Aunt wouldn't forgive him easily.
Ye Hua said, "I will abide." Then everyone was dismissed.
After everyone left the main palace. Fengjiu went and bowed to Dijun. "Thank you for your help, Dijun."
"No thank yous are needed," Dong Hua replied with a monotone voice. He thought to himself, 'If this trial has shown me anything...it is that peace is fragile.'
Fengjiu knew that this was his way of saying that she needed to go. "I'll take my leave then." Then she teleported away from the Nine Heavens.
When she made it back to Kunlun Mountain, she went to find Mo Yuan. He was meditating in his room, so she pulled one of the disciples to the side. "If he asks about where I am, tell him I am going to Qing Qiu to visit my Aunt."
Fengjiu knew she had to try and get her Aunt to see reason before this battle. When she teleported to Qing Qiu and went inside her Aunt's den, she heard crashing of things. She walked in and saw her Aunt throwing bottles of empty wine.
Her Aunt then proceeded to chug more wine. Fengjiu sat beside her, hoping to give her comfort. "Today Dijun, Ye Hua and myself proved your innocence."
"I don't care," her Aunt stated with a glare. "I hate him!"
Fengjiu sighed, "There is a lot that I need to explain to you-"
Her Aunt interrupted her. "No, I don't want to hear it." She looked at Fengjiu with red around her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"I debated on telling you sooner," she admitted. "But I knew this was for the best. That is why I wanted to explain-"
"Fengjiu, is everyone's life now just a game to you?" Her Aunt asked angrily. "You didn't tell me because it was part of your grand plan to make things the way you want them to be."
She looked at her in shock. She hadn't expected this, but what her Aunt said was true. She thought to herself, 'I have been trying to make things go the way I want them to. I have let fate control a lot of it...but it isn't fair that I have manipulated a few things.' She replied out loud, "No, everyone's life is not a game to me. I've been..." Then she felt tears going down her face. "I've been trying to so hard to keep everyone alive, including myself. Yes, I have been selfish and I'm sorry."
Her Aunt saw that Fengjiu was breaking down. She couldn't get herself to pull Fengjiu into her arms like she usually did when Fengjiu cried. "I'm sorry, Xiao Jiu. I'm sorry...I shouldn't take this out on you. I am the one who decided to take away my memories."
"You have every right," she stated, and then she wiped her tears away. "Can I explained to you what has been going on?"
"Fengjiu, my head aches. I...I don't want to hear it right now, " her Aunt sighed.
She nodded and pulled her Aunt into bed and put the covers over her. She then got into bed along with her. "All right. Then let's just sleep." Her Aunt nodded and quickly fell asleep.
She watched her Aunt sleep and thought to herself, 'I don't want this power...if this is what comes of it. Hurting others, albeit unintentionally.' She sighed, 'Yes, my Aunt did make the decision herself, but it was a moment of grief. The truth is...I don't know what would have happened if my Aunt had kept her memories.'
Fengjiu then fell into a deep sleep. She felt weightless and opened her eyes. When she looked around, she noticed that she was laying in a beautiful meadow. She was surrounded by beautiful flowers of all colors. She looked up and saw golden butterflies circling around her. Then she looked at the sky and saw it was a golden color too, with a giant moon. She had never seen the moon look so big. One of the butterflies landed on her finger. She whispered, "This must be a dream."
"Not really," a beautiful voice came from behind her. She jumped and looked at the woman. She had beautiful fiery red hair and a birth mark on her forehead. She thought to herself, 'It couldn't be...'
(A/N Guess who? We all know!)
(Some of you may be angry with how Bai Qian reacted, but I felt this was true to her character. She was mean to EVERYONE when she found out about her past. I felt her exploding at Fengjiu was understandable. I promise that she realizes that it is not Fengjiu's fault!)
(Also, it is true that Fengjiu has pushed for things to go HER way. Is it selfish? yes. Is what she's doing right? Yes.)
(Lastly, I AM HARD at work on the next chapter! I have two ways to write it and I'm trying to figure out which one is better. So I'll need 4 days before posting!)