⚠︎ Long chapter ahead! ⚠︎
"Heavenly Lord!" Su Jin stumbled into the Grand Hall, crashing to the floor when she forgot about the ledge at the entrance of the Hall, and murmurs rose at once as Hao De rose to his feet, "Su Jin? Whatever has happened to you?" "Heavenly Lord, please help me with my injustice!" Su Jin cried, her clothes mopping the floor as she crawled forward, trying to find her way to the center of the hall, and Hao De felt his subjects' eyes on him as he cleared his throat, "Oh? What injustice do you have?"
"My fellow uncles, you must help me too!" Su Jin cried as tears and blood mingled, much painfully, "I have been treated most unfairly by that Bai Qian of Qing Qiu!" "The Crown Princess?" One general spoke up, rather surprised, "Su Jin, pray tell us more on how she treated you." "She took my eyes, Heavenly Lord, and she threatened me...she threatened me to own up to things I did not do, and she said...she said that if I didn't admit to them, she would harm me further!" Su Jin wailed, her act gaining all eyes on her as she snivelled further.
"Oh? Things you didn't do? Such as?" A clear voice rang in the Hall, and everyone sank to their knees as they greeted and unison, "Greetings to Di Jun." "No need for formalities. Rise." Di Jun was rather relaxed as he looked down at Su Jin, "Now, Su Jin, what counts under the things you did not do, but have been forced to admit to?"
Behind him, Lian Song shuffled uneasily. He had told Di Jun that Feng Jiu most certainly would have wanted to straighten things out with Su Jin, but suddenly in hindsight it might not have been such a smart thing to do after all. "Replying to Di Jun, Bai Qian...Bai Qian said...that I must own up to being behind Su Su jumping off the Zhu Xian Terrace ultimately." Su Jin's breath took a hitch, and Di Jun raised his eyebrows interestedly, "Oh? How would she know about the mortal? Has the topic not been silenced?"
"She claims more, Di Jun..." Su Jin lifted her head as she turned blindly, trying to locate Di Jun just by sound, "She claims that...she claims that she was that mortal, Su Su." "Bai Qian of Qing Qiu, that mortal? Impossible." The Heavenly Lord snorted, almost laughing when another clear voice pierced the Hall, "Grandfather, what is so impossible about that, may I ask?"
There stood Bai Qian beneath the sun, casting a long shadow through the doorway as she lifted her shadowed face, staring straight at Hao De, and there was some element of her stare that somehow sent chills down his spine, and it suddenly dawned on him that Su Jin would not have said that out of nowhere, and Bai Qian most certainly would not have just sprouted nonsense out of nowhere to threaten someone. She would have known better than to use nonsensical ideas for a threat.
"You...are?" Hao De spoke slowly, not quite coming to his senses, and Bai Qian was in no hurry to reply as she looked up at Hao De, smiling as she spoke truthfully, "Grandfather, I am Su Su."
A silence overwhelmed the mutters of the Hall, so powerful that it was almost as if Bai Qian had sent a wave of magic across the Hall, striking everyone dumb. "So, you took Su Jin's eyes? Have you not learned from what you did? Your eyes were given to her because you pushed her down the Zhu Xian Terrace, and you should not have taken them back!" Hao De descended the stairs, only to be stopped by Di Jun, who gave Su Jin a lazy glance, before he looked back to Hao De, "Heavenly Lord, I think that we should revisit what actually happened back then."
"Oh? You imply that I had not settled the matter back then correctly, Di Jun?" Hao De was tense, and Di Jun shrugged almost casually, meaning that it was just a suggestion of his own, although his azure eyes did fix on Hao De with a slimmer of accusation, "Su Jin was one of your consorts, Heavenly Lord. It was fully within your control the simmer down the situation, with the bias present as well."
"Do you think I would bring harm upon myself, Di Jun?" Su Jin paused in her sobbing to ask the question, attempting to make it even clearer that she was sure Bai Qian had pushed her, "I would never do such a terrible act of self-harm!" "Ah, yes." Lian Song suddenly broke into a laugh, his smile purely interested as he glanced down at Su Jin, "Su Jin, it seems this is a second case that you have denied a possibility of self-harm, hmm? It seems too much of a coincidence to have everyone against you, in my opinion."
"I..." Su Jin hesitated, unsure what to rebut to Lian Song's remark, before she raised her voice, reaffirming herself as she resumed sobbing, "You wrong me, Third Prince! I have really never done self-harm!" "So, assuming it wasn't self-harm, and that Bai Qian did push her down, Bai Qian does not deserve her eyes back." Hao De pressed on, and Di Jun spoke with slight traces of irritation, "Assuming? Why, Hao De, have assumptions now become the basis of a judgment? Dear me, must I manage this court myself, again?"
The tension only rose a notch higher as Hao De's face turned purple. By addressing him by his name, it was obvious Di Jun was reminding him who had the highest authority. But it was also shaming him. And anything that shamed him, Hao De always took it as a challenge, to rid himself of that thing that shamed him.
"Di Jun," Hao De spoke slowly but rather rudely, "I would think you have your bias for taking this case as well." "Oh? You speak of Qing Qiu's Little Princess Bai Feng Jiu, Hao De. But I would not forsake my peace for a girl that would give me double the headache, Hao De, no." Di Jun was indifferent, "Therefore I daresay, I have no bias, and have therefore less bias than you."
Raising his voice so that it rang clearly, Di Jun looked around the room, his blue gaze sweeping the faces of all the deities present, "Does anyone object to my taking over of the case?"
Silence.
"What about you, Su Jin? Dare you find me still biased, perhaps?" Di Jun turned to her rather tauntingly, and Su Jin ducked her head, "Of course not, Di Jun. Su Jin would never dare question your impartial decision." "Crown Prince Ye Hua, Crown Princess Bai Qian?" Di Jun inclined his head towards them, and they both nodded, "We daren't question your impartiality."
"Very good then." Di Jun dusted his robes, sitting down on the throne now that Hao De had to stand below, "Then let us start from the beginning. Su Jin, if you may."
And Su Jin wasted no time as she launched into her story at once.
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"Bai Qian told me...that I should confess to everything I framed Su Su about, about what I did to her, that led to her demise. She said that if I didn't do so honestly, she would come again, and she would not be as merciful as just retrieving my eyes back by then." Su Jin ended, and Bai Qian looked at the diluted pool of blood and tears on the marble floor, before she lifted her head to Di Jun, "Di Jun, I did tell her that." "Oh? So you told her that. Su Jin claims the attack was unprovoked, Bai Qian, but I believe that Mo Yuan's disciple would know better than to attack others out of the blue. There is more to the story, is there not?" Di Jun held his tea cup beneath the light, swirling the contents lightly, before he nodded, "Bai Qian, if you would please."
Moving forward, Bai Qian knelt on the floor, about to speak up when Le Xu gave an enraged exclamation, "This is clearly mistrust of Su Jin! How is she to get justice, then, if Di Jun mistrusts her so?" "Le Xu!" Yang Cuo shot her a look that very obviously told her to shut up, but Le Xu merely continued, "As Su Jin's mother, I daresay Su Jin has never done anything without my knowing. Su Jin has never self-harmed, and most certainly has not framed anyone! If anyone is the victim, it should be Su Jin!"
"Atrocious!" A bark came from the doorway, and much to Bai Qian's surprise, Bai Zhi strode right into the room, flanked by Zhe Yan. "Are you implying that Qian Qian has set up Su Jin, then? What kind of trial is this, then, if you do not even listen to both parties? Simply outrageous!" Bai Zhi glared at Le Xu, who retreated at once, knowing that she was of a lower rank and was in no place to talk.
"Fox Emperor, it was already unfair in the first place. Bai Qian took my eyes when it was completely uncalled for!" Su Jin cried, and Di Jun silenced her with a wave of his hand, "Whether it was uncalled for or not, it's not up to you, Su Jin. I believe we have yet to hear Bai Qian speak. And whoever interrupts her will receive punishment. Bai Qian, do proceed."
"Then let us start when I sealed Qing Cang." Bai Qian cleared her throat softly, before she spoke steadily, "Three hundred over years ago, Qing Cang was on the verge of breaking the seal that High God Mo Yuan, my Shifu, had placed on him. As the only other person who knew how to seal the bell, I proceeded to seal Qing Cang."
"But I overestimated myself. I was but a High Immortal, and Qing Cang was much stronger than me. Though I did manage to seal him, he sealed me as well, with a seal that blocked both my memories and my powers. I had no knowledge of who I was, and the only way to rid myself of the seal was if I died, or he died."
"I landed down in the mortal realm, alone on Mount Junji, not knowing who I was. Later on, I met Ye Hua, who appeared injured by my door. I took him in, and he gave me the name of Su Su, because I could not remember my own, having no knowledge of who I was. When he recovered, he offered to repay me, and I told him that I was lonely, and hoped to have someone stay with me."
"So he obliged, did he not?" Hao De interrupted, and Di Jun set his cup down, speaking loudly, "Si Ming, note it down. Hao De has interrupted once so far, and has to receive a week of lightning punishment." Glancing at Hao De, who had turned a darker purple, Di Jun asked nonchalantly, "Hao De, would you like to continue?" "No." The Heavenly Lord gritted his teeth, and Di Jun turned back to Bai Qian, ignoring Hao De, "Continue, Bai Qian."
"He obliged, although knowing that he couldn't do so. We fell in love, and very soon, when he brought me to the West Sea on his mission to settle the Mermaid rebellion, we found out that I was carrying his child. I didn't know back then why he was worried, and I was upset he left me alone in the hut. So, when I heard that someone cry his name as he fell in the battle, not knowing it was part of his plan, I left the protection boundary, and I was found by Su Jin."
"I was foolish. I begged her to let me see Ye Hua, and that was when she developed hatred towards me. Everyone knows Su Jin loves Ye Hua, but has never received a reciprocation of her feelings. I was originally sentenced, but when everyone realised that I carried Ye Hua's flesh and blood, I was thrown into an abandoned hall, left to starve almost every meal until my body could not take it, and I was rescued by the Ghost Lord Li Jing, who mistook me for Si Yin."
"After I was finally shifted to the Hall of Beautiful Youths, Ye Hua grew colder towards me. He said it was to protect me, but Su Jin took advantage of his efforts to separate us. Some of the attempts were childish, and I will not mention them, because they are a waste of time and breath to be said. But I will list some. She sent me an invitation to a gathering, and she knew the Jade Purity Fan of Kun Lun would aggravate the phoenix of the Lord of Luminous Treasures. So she bade me bring it. But when I went forth, I was attacked, and that was a scheme to get rid of me. She cleverly hid the invitation, so that no one could ever find out she was the one behind it."
"Is that true, Su Jin?" Di Jun cast his gaze towards her, and Su Jin paled even as she shook her head, "I do not, Di Jun, this is a patched up story!" "I have my memory, and I would gladly take it out as proof, Su Jin." Bai Qian's face was wiped clean of emotion, and the room was silent, before Bai Qian continued, but this time, rising to her feet and turning to Su Jin.
"Su Jin, skipping all others, let us come to the main point. You knew Ye Hua forbade me from leaving the Hall of Beautiful Youths, yet you reassured me that it was alright. You brought me away from the hall, guiding me to the Zhu Xian Terrace. Then, you first told me that the Terrace would return me to where I came from. You mocked me, sneering that I was just a deer in the headlights, someone who had stumbled into your love story with Ye Hua. You encouraged me to jump down the Terrace, and you shoved me forward, hoping I would fall, but when I did not, for I resisted your pushing, you came to a realisation that it would be a terrible outcome for you as well if I was pushed down, because you would be charged for killing an heir of the Crown Prince. So you jumped down instead, just as you let go of me, but I was slow to react, and you timed it perfectly so that it looked just as if I had pushed you off. But I hadn't. And if I hadn't, and you set all this up, you deserve getting your eyes blinded! What wrong did I do, except falling into your trap? I deserved none of the blindness and bitterness I endured as Su Su! None!"
"Was it not your High Goddess Ascension trial? Why are you blaming everything on Su Jin now, you-" Le Xu threw her handkerchief on the floor, storming towards Bai Qian, but she was thrown backwards into her shocked husband's arms by Di Jun as he turned to Si Ming, "Le Xu, spoke out of turn once, same punishment as Hao De." "It was my trial, but it was her deed. My eyes being lost were her doing. A love trial should have hurt my feelings, but it should not have taken something physical, something of mine, and not returned it. Her eyes will be blind either way, and it is all her doing. The eyes I took from her belong to me." Bai Qian snapped, her glare burning with abhorrence, and even as she turned back to Di Jun, Su Jin suddenly lunged forward, and everyone's eyes widened as they saw something gleaming as it sailed through the air, shining under the light.
Bai Qian made a sound of exclamation, before she instantly assumed her fox forms, claws raking across Su Jin's arm and cheek as she attempted to dodge away from Su Jin's attack, but the hairpin struck her even as she slipped away from Su Jin, and there was a bright flash of light as Bai Qian reappeared in her deity form, but she covered a spot in her ribcage, and Zhe Yan rushed forward upon seeing a scarlet pattern begin to bloom on her dress.
"Su Jin, what was that for?" Ye Hua growled, standing between both of them at once, and Su Jin didn't respond as she gasped, touching the raw claw marks across her cheek, before she screamed, a terrible sound emitted from her throat as she broke into tears, her chest shaking as she sank back to the ground, a terrible maniacal grin spreading on her face after she realised that she had failed, "Your mistake? Your mistake, Bai Qian, is in your existence between Ye Hua and I. Had you not returned...I would never have to try all methods to break you and Ye Hua apart! Why couldn't you just give me a chance with him? WHY?"
"You were never fated. And I wasn't the one who didn't give you a chance." Bai Qian tried to take a deep breath, tried to seem less shaken than she was by the surprise attack, and her breath trembled slightly as she shuddered with the effort of the breath, "It isn't and was never me who stopped him from you. It was always you, in all your plots and evil schemes, that ultimately prevented you from getting close to him. It was always you, Su Jin. The one who stopped yourself from a chance...it was you."
At Bai Qian's words, Su Jin sank, the strength and the fight slipping away from her. She knew Bai Qian was right. She was always the persistent one. Bai Qian didn't antagonize her on purpose; yet she antagonized Bai Qian in every way possible, with all her initiative. "Well, Su Jin has confessed. And now it seems that there are more things to settle." Bai Zhi cleared his throat, "I do believe the Heavenly Lord did say that he settled the matter without bias? Then why is it that this does not have the same verdict as it did back then? You obviously covered things up, Hao De!"
"I..." Hao De was speechless, going from a rich purple to a pale white instantaneously, and Di Jun glanced at Hao De rather interestedly, "Indeed it is so. Hao De, what is the punishment for not fulfilling one's duty, as the Heavenly Lord?" "No, wait, I can explain-!" Hao De panicked at once, but Lian Song spoke up, "Eradication of the title, and banishment to the mortal realm for a hundred lifetimes." "Do you accept the punishment, Hao De?" Di Jun levelled his blue eyes with Hao De, and Hao De's face burned with shame as he tried a final resistance, "Then who will take the position, if I am banished?"
"Not to worry. I can always take the position back, and sit in while Ye Hua readies himself to take over. Accept your punishment, Hao De." Di Jun answered loftily, and Hao De was forced to his knees, "I...accept my punishment."
"Good. You will complete your lightning punishment, before you will jump down Zhu Xian Terrace, and then be escorted down to the mortal realm." Di Jun jerked his chin slightly, and guards came forward at once to drag Hao De away. "And now the matter with Su Jin." Di Jun glanced back down at the woman who had gone terribly silent, before he turned his gaze to Bai Qian, who was leaning on Ye Hua for support while she pressed a cloth to her wound to stop the bleeding, "Crown Princess Bai Qian, how would you like her to be punished? After all she has done to you, I would think you wish most to see her punished."
"I want her to jump off the Zhu Xian Terrace. And if it ever reaches the day that my seal might break, I request that Su Jin sacrifices her soul to seal the East Emperor Bell." Bai Qian's voice rang, although it was rather airy as compared to how it normally was, and Le Xu threw herself forward at those words, "Di Jun, Su Jin is the descendant of a loyal tribe! Surely you do not intend to really punish her as Bai Qian has said?"
"Loyal tribe or not, it does not pardon what she has done. She has done wrong, and she cannot escape from it. That is justice. I fear Hao De have led you all astray from what justice is." Di Jun spoke coldly, "And furthermore, did you not claim, not too long ago, that Su Jin did everything under your knowing? Why, then, Le Xu, I'm afraid you are to be punished too, for not coming clean and helping to sweep the things under the table. You shall be punished to spend 10 mortal lifetimes watching as others frame you, while they sweep things under the table."
"And as for you, Su Jin...any objections to Bai Qian's proposal?" Di Jun raised his voice, and no one spoke a single word. "Very well, then. Take Su Jin to the Zhu Xian Terrace. And Le Xu is to join Hao De for their punishment." Di Jun nodded at more guards, who rushed over at once, and even as the two women were dragged out, Di Jun cleared his throat, "Well, this case is closed. All of you are dismissed."
The other generals and subjects seized the chance to leave at once, but Ye Hua stayed behind with Bai Qian and her family, before he bowed to Di Jun, "Ye Hua thanks Di Jun for the justice done today." "Indeed you owe me one for this deed. But matters aside, it was indeed time to remind the Celestials of right and wrong. I will not condemn injustice, and I believe that you will be a great leader, for you know right from wrong, Crown Prince. Do not disappoint me, as your Grandfather did."
"Ye Hua understands." Ye Hua bowed again, and Di Jun merely walked by him, leaving the hall with Lian Song. "Justice at last." Ye Hua turned back to Bai Qian, only to watch just in time as her eyes rolled back into her skull, and even as her consciousness ebbed away, Bai Qian heard Ye Hua call her name in alarm, before her eyes fluttered shut, and she was out cold, slumped and limp in her father's arms.
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A/N: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA THIS IS THE LONGEST CHAPTER BY FAR WITH 3800+ WORDSSSSS YEEEEEEEE
We have all been looking forward to this chapter for too long, I know. It was great fun writing it as well hahahahahah
I apologize for the slightly long wait, but I hope this chapter was worth it!
Can you guess what's up next? Answer in the comments if you think you know what's coming :)
Love y'all xoxo
Z, out.