Su Su and Ye Hua: Our Own Fairytale

Part 7

Le Xu was getting frantic. Bai Qian had threatened to let the Heavenly lord know what had gone on, and Ye Hua seemed not to stop her.

Le Xu summoned Su Jin to her room and said, "That wench Bai Qian is going to report me for being honest with her! Can you believe it?"

"Oh, Your Highness, how awful." Su Jin said, shocked. That Bai Qian! She dared to report her future mother-in-law!

Just then Ye Hua walked in.

"Ye Hua!" Su Jin rushed to him and made a big show of helping him remove his cloak. Le Xu watched on happily.

"Get your hands off me." Ye Hua growled.

Su Jin could only let her hands drop from his back.

Le Xu saw her disappointment and chided Ye Hua, "Really, son, is this any way to treat your future side consort?"

"She's no side consort." Ye Hua said, taking a seat. "And she won't be."

"The Heavenly Lord has promised her hand to you." Le Xu replied coldly. "I'd treat her well if I were you. Bai Qian is not worth remembering."

Ye Hua stood up. "I presume you remember my stand on that matter?" He asked, his voice edged in anger. He glared at Su Jin.

"Ye Hua!" Su Jin cried, moving toward him on her knees. "Can't you tell my love for you? Why?"

"The one I love is Bai Qian." Ye Hua said, barely glancing at her, which made her even angrier.

"Bai Qian! Is that all that matters? Does my affection hold any place?" Su Jin cried out.

"It doesn't matter to me your love. And yes, Bai Qian is all that matters. For her, I would go through all the obstacles in this world if it meant getting to her side." Ye Hua replied without a moment of hesitation.

Su Jin slumped to the floor and began to cry as Ye Hua walked out of the room.

Le Xu's heart ached for Su Jin. She helped her up and said, "I will make sure Ye Hua becomes completely devoted to you. I will make sure of it."

Su Jin shook her head. "I want him to want to love me."

"He will." Le Xu promised. "And first we need to get rid of Bai Qian, once and for all."

Su Jin smiled. "I can do with that. What is your plan?"

"Come." Le Xu beckoned to her. They rustled to the back chamber, and Le Xu pulled off a silk cloth.

On it lay a scabbard.

"What's this?" Su Jin asked.

Le Xu soundlessly pulled open the scabbard. A gleaming sword now lay on the blue velvet surface.

Su Jin was fascinated. "What's it called?"

"It is called the Immortal Destroyer." Le Xu said calmly.

"Take this, my child. You can destroy Bai Qian with it. I am sure Ye Hua only loves her because she resembles Su Su. And I'm quite certain that she has placed a spell on him. No one could ever fall in love at first sight. Once she is gone, Ye Hua can snap out of his trance, and I'm sure he will love you, for helping him get out of Bai Qian's trap!"

Su Jin laughed. She liked this plan. Very much. And it would have immediate results, unlike all her previous plans, which required long waiting and risky moves.

She was sure he felt something for her, deep down. His entire heart couldn't just belong to Bai Qian. She was sure that once Bai Qian was taken care of, Ye Hua would finally belong to her, fully and truly. They would be able to live that fairytale she'd dreamed of since young.

She lifted the Immortal Destroyer. "Bai Qian," She murmured under her breath. "Your blood will look wonderful on this blade."

Le Xu smiled. She was a plotter herself, and she knew that when the time came, Su Jin would blame her for giving her the blade. She also knew that she would have to push the blame back to Su Jin.

"Go to Qing Qiu," she advised Su Jin. "You can, perhaps, find a chance there."

So getting ready for the best triumph of her life, Su Jin left for Qing Qiu.
________
Ye Hua was furious. His mother had gone ahead and agreed to the marriage arrangement without telling him. Qian Qian was right. He was blinded by his family. They had insulted the lady he loved like never before, and for this he would never forgive them.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a familiar figure slipping into the Fox Den.

It was... Su Jin?

Ye Hua knew her personality, she would never let an insult go. She would use her crafty ways, to get back at the person. In a way, she was making an impossible-to-win battle.

He sensed something wrong, so he followed her into the Den.

He saw her unsheathe a blade, and his blood froze. She was aiming for Bai Qian, who was lying on her bed, asleep.

He rushed over, and grabbed her wrist just as it was going to strike the blade down on Qian Qian's stomach. She shrieked in fright at being caught. The noise woke Bai Qian and she stared at the scene.

"And just what," he growled, "do you think you're doing?"

"Ye Hua..." Su Jin cried. She fell to her knees and clutched at Ye Hua's robes. "Ye Hua, snap out of it! Please," She begged. "You cannot just fall in love with this.. this enchantress! She's put a spell on you. Can't you feel it?"

Ye Hua glared at her. "She has never put a spell on me. I love her on my own terms. I never met anyone's."

Su Jin shook her head wildly. "No, it cannot be so. You fell in love with her after just one banquet. It cannot be so. No one falls in love in just a few hours!"

"I fell in love with you after so many years. I did so much for you. What has she done?" Su Jin pointed at Bai Qian. "Nothing! She never spent as much time with you during the time she met you. She never fended off other girls for you. She doesn't love you as much as I do!"

Ye Hua pointed to the blade. "Who gave this to you?"

Su Jin wanted to push away that blame. "Consort Le Xu." She said. "She pushed me to kill Bai Qian! She wanted it so, but she didn't want to be punished and so she made me do it. She's responsible for all of this, Ye Hua!"

Ye Hua clenched his fists. He flicked his hand and Su Jin vanished. He rushed to Bai Qian and scooped her into his arms.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, "I'm so sorry."

Bai Qian pushed him away.

"Don't touch me." She said.

Again Ye Hua reached out for her. "I know you're angry and you probably hate me right now." He said. "And I don't blame you. But you need to hear me out. I was foolish. My family was blinding me all this time. I won't forgive them. Never. You are more important."

"You have Su Jin. She has kept you company all your life. Why would you stay with me?" Bai Qian said.

"I never felt that way about her. Never. I know she loved me, but I never reciprocated her. Not even before I met you." Ye Hua gripped her hand tight, as if scared that she would leave again.

"And after I met you, all the more I wouldn't love her. You are my one and only..."