Rescue Me, My Love

Court is in Session

     The Monkey King was called to Kunlunxu to the throne room there.  He arrived to see every monarch that was anybody there.  He could see his daughter being held by guards.  He was wondering just exactly what was going on?  He was announced and brought forward.  He bowed respectfully to everyone in the room and waited.  "Hou Jin Wang!  You have been asked to come here today to answer some questions concerning your daughter, Hou Mei Yue."  "I will answer all I know."  "Very well.  Did you know that your daughter was selling potions, potions created by black arts, in the market of Qing Qui?"  "What?!?  Tianjun, I had no idea!"  "Did you also know that your daughter was the leader of a network of sellers of said potions, here and in the mortal realm?"  "No, Tianjun, I did not!  It seems she has been lying to me!"  "Did you know that this very same daughter had used black arts to cast a spell on the God of War?  Did you know she was telling anyone who would listen that he was going to marry her as his side consort?"  "I did not know about the spell, but she did mention to me that the God of War had been pursuing her.  Is that not true?"  "One last question.  Where did she learn the black arts and from whom?"  The Monkey King was backed into a corner now.  Every monarch of every realm was there.  He could save face and throw his daughter to her punishment or he could risk the wrath of Tianjun Ye Hua and his Da ge, Mo Yuan.  Mo Yuan was sitting there on his dais close to his didi watching him with a very intense look.  His golden eyes told him he better speak the truth, and quickly.  He bowed again.  "Tianjun, I would myself like to know just where she learned these black arts and who taught her.  I have given my children freedom to roam the realms, but I am remiss in my supervision of them.  I wanted them to learn the ways of other cultures.  I apologize for my failure and turn her over to you for judgement."  He bowed low again.  He hated to do it, but she was on her own.  He took his seat.  His son and three other daughters were with him.
     "Bring Hou Mei Yue forward!"  She stood there pleading with her Fuqin to intervene.  "Hou Mei Yue, did you pursue Bai Baohu Zhe, the God of War?"  "I did."  "Did you cast a spell on him?"  "I did."  "Did you give said God of War a potion using false pretenses to get him to use it?"  "I did."  "Did you know that this potion had qualities about it that would make the person crave more and more of it?"  "That I only found out later."  "Did you make said potions or did you get them?"  "I got them from an alchemist in the mortal realm."  "Do you see this alchemists here?"  "Yes."  "Was your purpose to lure High God Bai Baohu Zhe into your bed?"  "Oh no!  I would never!  I would never have slept with him!  My Fuqin would kill me!!"  "Hmmm, I see.  So you expect me to believe that you are innocent in some aspects of this situation?"  "Tianjun, I did like High God Bai Baohu Zhe a lot.  He is very handsome, and I did scheme to get him to notice me, but I didn't know about that potion.  I thought it was an aphrodisiac potion.  I had no idea it would cause other things.  That alchemist told me it was an aphrodisiac."  "I see.  Bring the alchemist forward!"  The guards brought the man forward.  Ye Hua noticed that he looked rather weak.  He threw a barrier around him to stop the power drain.  He talked to Mo Yuan.  "Da ge, am I wrong or is that alchemist a demon?"  Mo Yuan sent a finger of power over the man.  A xiyi!!  How was he able to survive here?  Mo Yuan stood and walked down in front of the man.  He stripped the barrier and then stripped his mortal disguise.  The xiyi snarled and fell down.  "So you managed to survive the purge.  How many are there left of your kind?"  The xiyi remained silent.  "Very well!  We will root you out, have no doubt about that!"  Ye Hua nodded and called Ming forward.  "Jiao-long Ming!  You will lead an expedition to the mortal realm to hunt down the xiyi that are there.  Take who you will with you."  The xiyi was silent.  "Take the xiyi to the punishment platform where he will be killed.  The gongzhu of the monkey realm will receive ten strikes of lightning for her part in this drama.  She will be turned over to her Fuqin afterwards."  With his final judgement, Ye Hua stepped down and walked out, followed by all of his family.
     In his meeting room, Ming approached him.  "Fuqin, I would set my cousins on the trail of the xiyi.  Fenli and Ali can smell them out quickly.  I would take Jin, Shing, Junjie, Taiyang and Zhenzhu also."  "Make it so.  Leave quickly and get it taken care of.  Report back as soon as possible."  He left quickly to round up his group of warriors.  "Da ge, do you approve of his choices?"  "Didi, I taught them long ago about strategies, proper personnel and their abilities.  He is taking Fenli and Ali to scent out the trail.  Jin and Shing are a strong military presence.  Junjie is air support.  Taiyang and Zhenzhu can fill up any den holes quickly.  He has chosen wisely.  Let him test himself and his leadership."  "A Fuqin can only worry."  "Trust me I know.  I'm also worried that this interfered with our trip.  Ming did well in Qing Qui.  The people liked him.  Now I must go check on Baohu.  He's still suffering from that potion."  Bai Xue and Mo JinDe had been waiting for their Fuqin to return from court.  He had not allowed them to attend.  They wanted news and they wanted to get the next steps to take care of Baohu.  He walked in the hall and sat down to drink tea.  "Fuqin, how did it go?"  "The daughter of the Monkey King was used by a xiyi to try to disrupt our family.  She is in deep trouble with her Fuqin.  She did have an infatuation with Baohu.  I wish to talk to him now, but I wanted to talk to you boys first.  JinDe, from this day forward you shall be the God of War.  Baohu is too immature for it.  He and Li Li need time to bond again.  If he refuses to try to make his marriage with her right, then she can stay here, but he can go wander.  I have great respect for her attitude and especially her fortitude.  I want her children raised here.  She is an asset to this mountain.  JinDe, as God of War, you will have to relinquish your title and office as elite commander of the celestial forces.  Do you have a replacement in mind?"  "Actually I do."  "Oh?  Then who would you name?"  "I name Shandian Li as the next commander of the celestial army."  "You can't be serious!  She is pregnant and unable to tend to her duties!  Why would you name her?"  "Fuqin, since she has been living with Mei Ying and I, I have learned a great many things about her.  She knows all of the strategies that her Fuqin knows, she has been studying your manuals on battle tactics and she is a brilliant general.  Men in the camps respect her and like her.  Her Fuqin is also well liked.  I would have him in command until she could take her place.  The men know that once I make an order, it stands.  They will not buck me and I can guarantee you there is not a man in that camp that would challenge her."  "Very well.  Tomorrow we will take her to the camp to see how they treat her.  Now to the next order of business.  Bai Xue, I'm told you threatened Baohu.  Did you?"  "Yes, Fuqin, I did."  "What did you say to him?"  "I told him if he cheats on Shandian Li that I would kill him.  I remember very well holding her in my arms and seeing the despair and heartbreak on her face.  I will never see her hurt like that again.  I also told him if he made one tear slide down your face I would kill him.  I'm sorry if this disturbs you, Fuqin."  Mo Yuan looked Xue in the eye and nodded.  "Don't do anything you will regret.  I don't want you to suffer any ill fate.  Baohu has been a great disappointment to me, but a lot of it is my own doing.  I see so much of your mother in him.  I could barely stand to discipline her and I couldn't him either.  He is after all, his mother's son.  Please forgive me for spoiling him.  Enough of that.  I'm going to go see him now.  You two come with me please."
     Mo Yuan found Baohu in his rooms at his desk.  He was sitting there with a brush in hand.  He walked in with Xue and JinDe and sat in front of him.  "Baohu, I have made some decisions today.  You will not interrupt me and you will listen to me until I am finished.  Understood?"  "I understand."  "From this day forth, you are relieved of your duty as God of War.  Mo JinDe will take your place.  Your marriage to Shandian Li is hereby dissolved.  She and her children will take these rooms.  You are hereby cast out.  You have disgraced me and dishonored her.  You are not worthy to be called my son.  I will restore your powers to you, but you are not to threaten anyone.  Your blades are destroyed.  I will not make more until you can prove yourself worthy of carrying a weapon of Kunlun.  You will relinquish all weapons with any Kunlun emblem or your own personal insignia to me.  You will have to obtain your own.  If it's wandering you wish to do, then go.  Don't come back here until you decide to be a man.  Your children will be raised by me.  I'm tired, Baohu.  Out of all of my children, you have hurt me the most.  I will not suffer any more hurt from you.  You will leave Kunlunxu immediately.  You will leave no letters for anyone.  It is obvious that you have no love for anyone but yourself.  You're a selfish Xiao Jin Huli.  You may now voice your opinion, such as it is."  At first, Baohu couldn't believe his ears.  Was his Fuqin really casting him out?  Just where would he go?  "Fuqin, please don't do this!  Don't cast me out!!  I promise I will do better!  I won't use that potion any more!  I won't cheat on Li Li!  I love her!  If only I could change how I treated her!  I wish to make amends.  I was about to write her a letter to ask her to please give me a chance.  Please Fuqin don't cast me out!!"  Mo Yuan looked right into his eyes.  Jinlong came out and held out his hand.  "Your weapons, please."  Baohu looked at Xue and JinDe.  "Da ge!  Er ge!  Please don't let him cast me out!  Please!"  Jinlong growled.  "You think I'm old.  You think I'm ignorant of your comings and goings.  I can smell you.  I smell that potion like the drug it is all over you."  Jinlong worked his spell and stripped him of his weapons.  His throwing stars and his golden dagger were in his Fuqin's hands.  He worked another spell and brought Baohu's golden armor to his lap.  "If you want weapons, I suggest you visit the master in Qing Qui.  Only when you prove to me you are worthy will you ever wear this armor or carry these weapons."  Mo Yuan stood up, worked his hands and unblocked his powers.  The surge went over him in a wave.  Tears were flowing down Baohu's face.  "Fuqin, please let me see Mother!"  "No, you will not see her.  Now leave."  He stood as he watched his Fuqin turn to leave.  "Xue, JinDe, come."  They looked at him and followed their Fuqin out the door. 
     Bai Baohu Zhe was heart broken.  What had he done to hurt his Fuqin so badly?  He packed a bundle of clothes and walked out of his room.  He walked out to the portico and looked into the hall to the dais there.  He hung his head and jumped to the gate.  He looked back once more and turned to leave.  The voice stopped him.  "I suggest you do a lot of soul searching, young sunzi.  If you refuse to see the truth, the next time you see him, he will be laying on his deathbed, bidding this world goodbye."  He disappeared and left Baohu utterly bereft of friend or family.  He jumped to Yanhua cave.  He would stay here for now.  He put down his bundle and went to see the weapons master.  The master was glad to see him.  "Lord Baohu!  How may I help you?"  "I need a new set of blades.  My Da ge destroyed mine.  Make them on the same design as my others.  I also need a dagger and a new set of throwing stars.  I only want a golden nine tailed huli on all of these items.  How long will it take?"  "I should have it all ready in two weeks time."  "Very good!  I shall return."  He walked to the cloth vendor.  "Lord Baohu!  How can I help you?"  He looked over the cloth there.  "I need a set of robes made out of this green here and this black.  Embroider only clouds.  No other adornment.  I will need new under clothes too.  How long will it take?"  "I can have them in two weeks."  "Very well, I shall return then."  He left the market and returned to the cave.  He was about to go see Jinzi when he walked into the cave.  He had food with him and tea.  "What brings you to Yanhua cave, Baohu?"  "Fuqin stripped me of my title, stripped me of my weapons and booted me off of Kunlun.  He dissolved my marriage to Shandian Li and booted me out of my rooms there.  He gave them to her.  He basically disowned me.  I assume you already knew it though."  "No, didi, I didn't know.  You can come live with Mi Shu and I for a while if you wish?  You could get to know Guang and Luse."  "Aren't you ashamed to be seen in my company?  The outcast of Kunlunxu?  Why would he do it, Jinzi?  Why?  I begged him.  I pleaded with him.  He never cried and Jinlong growled and was as cold as ice.  Jinlong took my weapons.  He took my armor too.  Even Zufu warned me to do a lot of soul searching.  He scared me, Jinzi.  He said I better think hard or the next time I saw Fuqin he would be laying on his deathbed bidding this world goodbye."
     Baohu would go to Jinzi's house every morning to eat and visit before Jinzi went to teach his students.  He started meditating in the cave.  He did that for two weeks until his packages were done.  He went and picked up his new weapons.  They were very finely made, but they couldn't compare to his originals.  "These are very finely made.  Very fine."  Baohu paid him double.  The master was speechless.  "Thank you very much!  I hope these will serve you well!"  Baohu picked up his robes and left the market.  He went to Yanhua cave.  He looked around carefully.  He knew that Jingsi and Jiaxiao had been conceived there as had Meigui and Yulan and Yue and Ying.  He was sure his own had been too.  He removed his Kunlun blue robes and put on the black robes.  He left the Kunlun robes laying on the fur bed, dropped a scroll he had left for Jinzi and left for the mortal realm.  Jinzi went looking for him to come eat dinner.  He saw the blue robes that had been left and the scroll that was left for him.  He took the blue robes and folded them up very carefully.  He sat down and opened the scroll.  He sat and read in silence as tears flowed down his face.  He read over it one last time.  It read;
     Dearest Jinzi,
     I am writing you this letter to let you know that I will be wandering the realms for awhile.  I plan to go visit Zufu and Zumu in the mortal realm.  I will also visit Shushu Zhen and Shushu Xuan.  Shushu Yi would only rant at me so I won't visit him for now.  I will be fine.  Maybe I can get myself together and grow up.  Please think about me from time to time.  I know you can feel me as I can feel you.  Jinzi, I love you very much.  I love Li Li too, but I have hurt her.  I hope she will miss me, but I doubt it.  Please take care of Fuqin.  I feel like I will never see him again.  Jinzi, I really do love him.  I just don't know why I'm so stupid.  A dumb huli!  A Xiao chanchu.  That's what JinDe called me and then Li Li.  Maybe I will be back for the birth of these new twins.  If I'm not, then Fuqin will raise them.  Fengbao and WuYun look to him anyway.  They know I'm their Fuqin, but they don't acknowledge me as such.  They probably never will.  Take care, Jinzi.  You, at least, have a level head.  You always have. 
     Bai Baohu Zhe

     Jinzi folded the letter and put it in his sleeve.  He picked up the folded Kunlun robes and carried them in his arm as he walked back to his house.  He was quiet and melancholy.  Mi Shu asked him what was wrong.  "Mi Shu, Baohu has left to wander the realms.  I'm not sure I will ever see him again.  Sometimes I wonder what is in his mind and has something affected him from his childhood.  I would talk to Fuqin, but I know he is about to go to the next realm on the itinerary.  For now, we will let it be.  Maybe he will resolve his issues quickly.  We can only hope."
     Mo Yuan was standing on the walkway over the waterfalls.  He looked out over his domain.  A tear slid down his face.  He knew he had been harsh, but tough love was sometimes needed and he thought it was the only way to make Baohu grow up.  He was about to turn around when soft arms wrapped around his waist from behind.  "A strawberry filled cake for your thoughts."  "I sent him away, Qian'er.  I sent him out there to grow up.  I have spoiled him.  I couldn't punish him as he needed to be.  He is an extension of you.  Please forgive me for failing our son."  "Dearest, don't be so hard on yourself!  He pushed against you at every level.  I thought you had infinite patience, but underneath it all was a burning fire that got out of control.  You had to do it.  I look for Jinzi to come see you.  He's been worried about you.  Well, we must look forward.  What realm do we visit next?"  I believe we will visit the Monkey King and his realm next.  I want him to be reassured that I don't hold any ill will against him or his daughter.  Plus his youngest daughter is quite level headed for a monkey."  "You met her?"  "Yes and she was quite delightful!  She would be an asset to have around.  Enough talk.  I feel more like a kiss.  Would you indulge an old dragon?"  "Oh, do you know an old dragon?"  Jinlong huffed an hugged her tight.  "Hmmm the smell of a peach blossom scented Xiao Bai Huli always lights my fire!  Let's say the hot pool?"  "Hmmm, make it so!"  He jumped them to the hot pool where they had a nice session of fox tails and dragon scales!
     Meanwhile, the old dragon wing was in a fight for their lives.  Jiao-long Ming had led them to investigate the cabin where the Monkey King's daughter said the alchemist was.  Slowly they spread out and patrolled the city under the guise as humans carrying on their daily business.  They found more than they bargained for.  The city was crawling with them.  They could be overwhelmed.  Taiyang and Zhenzhu took matters into their own hands.  They froze time.  They went from one place to another and killed the xiyi.  Each one of them they burned to ash as they rushed through the crowd.  The xiyi were frozen too.  They couldn't get away.  They killed over a hundred of them.  Fenli and Ali were casing the crowd and following the scent trail.  After they killed all they could find in the city, they headed out for the cabin.  The cabin was but a facade over a very large den.  Taiyang and Zhenzhu transformed and blew liquid fire into the den entrance.  The forest lit up with holes and xiyi trying to flee.  They fought them and killed everyone that emerged but not before the xiyi exacted a little revenge.  Jin and Shing were surrounded.  They fought back to back as they defended with all they had.  Jin was cut across his chest and fell down.  Shing turned to help and was cut across his back.  Ming dispatched the last of the xiyi but he saw his cousins were in distress.  Taiyang and Zhenzhu took one each and jumped for Qing Qui.  Jinzi was just leaving his house when he saw them.  "Quickly!  Into the infirmary here!"  Jinzi called his advanced students to him as he ran ahead.  They brought them into the infirmary and started to remove their robes.  "Taiyang!  Are you able to go get Fuqin and Er ge?"  "No, San ge, I'm not."  He and Zhenzhu fell at the same time.  Jinzi pointed at one of his students.  "You!  Fly to Kunlun and get High God Mo Yuan and High God Mo JinDe.  Hurry!"  Jinzi started giving orders like a general.  "Wei Guang!  Give them potions for backbite.  It's obvious they used their powers in the mortal realm.   Lang Mei Hei!  Go to the laboratory and make those elixers for them.  I will need them for these two also."  His students set about their tasks.  Jinzi was cleaning the wound on Jin's chest when Mo Yuan and JinDe came in.  "Jinzi!  What has happened?"  "Fuqin, Taiyang and Zhenzhu jumped in with Jin and Shing.  I was about to send them to get you and Er ge when they both collapsed.  We are making elixer for them now and for Jin and Shing.  I just need to clean these wounds and get them stable.  They have been in quite the battle."  Mo Yuan looking over the situation was watching JinDe carefully.  "Fuqin, I shall return quickly.  I must go to the mortal realm."  Mo Yuan nodded.  JinDe left to go check on the Taizi.  "Jinzi, you should have some more of those elixers ready.  I believe these boys have been in quite the battle.  I'll be back."  Mo Yuan jumped to the mortal realm right behind JinDe.