Jun Wu paced the room before sitting back on his throne, Crown Prince by his side, 'He can't lessen the punishment in front of these ghosts, but he also has to keep in mind his reputation as well,' GuānYû thought, worried for Jīnyú.

"Your Majesty, this crime requires the offender to be punished with death," senior official Wu Yu informed, bowing his head.

"Official Wu, please think before you speak, it's a prince who committed the crime," Ling Wen said calmly.

"So does that mean His Majesty does favouritism!" Yông Zìxìn suggested surprised.

"Zìxìn, enough," Ghost King told the General who huffed at his best friend.

"Your Majesty, it's true that the prince has committed a grave crime, but please reconsider his age and his good graces," second-positioned, senior official Jang said in support of the Prince.

"Your Majesty, this is wrong just because he is a prince doesn't mean the rules shouldn't be followed," senior official Wu Yu argued.

"The punishment is death," Jun Wu said slowly.

ShuîYuê kneeled on the floor, bowing her head, "I accept His Majesty's order," she replied calmly.

Jun Wu glared at her, 'She knows I can't have her dead,' he thought angrily.

Ghost King stared at her, confused; why would she accept punishment for a prince? And more importantly, he couldn't have her die without knowing the secret.

"Water Master you can't take the prince's punishment for yourself," senior official Wu Yu asserted swiftly.

"Of course, as his Master, I can take on my student's punishment. I have failed to teach him properly and accept the punishment," she responded coldly.

Yìfēi went up to the Emperor, "Your Majesty, the Prince is young he must have done this unintentionally," she pleaded, kneeling.

"Your Majesty, please reconsider the punishment," Xiàn Fèng requested, kneeling as well.

Three elementals kneeling in front of the Emperor who has to punish his son while trying to keep Water Master alive what a conundrum. "Father, please reconsider," GuānYû requested kneeling as well.

Jun Wu sighed, "Prince Jīnyú has indeed committed a grave crime, but since he's not an adult yet, his punishment is to be kept in mind," he announced slowly.

"Your Majesty, the prince is sixteen, he's reaching adulthood. Could it be that he had improper thoughts and therefore dressed up to perform with female dancers?" Senior official Wu Yu suggested as Jun Wu narrowed his eyes at him.

"Father, I only wanted to dance. I had no other intentions!" Jīnyú cried, scared.

"Your Majesty's death is too much for a young price maybe emasculating him is the better punishment," senior official Wu Yu suggested heartlessly.

"Master! I don't want to be emasculated! I didn't have bad intentions!" Jīnyú sobbed.

ShuîYuê glared at the old official, "Senior Official, aren't you suggesting something even worse than death?" she questioned angrily.

"Water Master this punishment would be perfect for the prince who you have failed to teach. He'll, never have unholy thoughts," senior official Wu Yu answered, glaring at ShuîYuê.

"Master! Father! Please, I swear I didn't mean to," Jīnyú begged.

"Senior official, please don't try to pressure His Majesty unnecessarily." Ling Wen advised at once.

"Your Majesty, I am only trying to keep the justice in order. Please announce the punishment now," he requested, kneeling, and when a senior official kneeled, everyone junior to him followed; Jun Wu thought about it. He couldn't kill Jīnyú. He needed both him and Water Master alive.

"Water Master has failed to teach the young Prince. Therefore, I punish her by taking back Jīnyú as her student," Jun Wu announced calmly.

"Prince Jīnyú's punishment is reduced to being emasculated and being a monk for the rest of his life," Jun Wu added, standing up.

"Your Majesty!" ShuîYuê shouted in protest.

"We accept His Majesty's rightful judgment," the old official said, bowing down.

"Master! Master save me!" Jīnyú begged.

"Your Majesty, please, you can't do this," ShuîYuê repeated, standing up.

"Water Master please don't order his Majesty. You should be grateful that he spared the prince's life," senior official Wu Yu hissed.

"You!" ShuîYuê grabbed his collar, punching his face.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Save me! A senior official is being beaten in front of you," the old official cried, clutching Jun Wu's feet.

"Water Master is punished with praying in the grand hall to reflect on her actions,"  Jun Wu said, leaving the hall.

ShuîYuê fell to her knees as Jīnyú ran to her crying, "Master! Save me!" he cried in her shoulder.

Water Master hugged the boy who cried in her arms as her eyes stayed glued to Jun Wu, who was leaving.

Most of the officials left the room. Some stayed back to sympathise with the Crown Prince. Some guards entered the Martial hall to take Prince Jīnyú, who cried, clutching ShuîYuê's arm, refusing to leave.

ShuîYuê looked up at the Crown Prince, "Your Highness," her voice broke as she spoke, "His Majesty, please request him, please don't take Jīnyú away from me."

GuānYû crouched beside Jīnyú who was crying on ShuîYuê's shoulder, "I tried Water Master."

"Try again, I beg of you; please don't let them do this; he's just a boy," She requested again, holding Jīnyú in her arms.

The Crown Prince placed his hand on Jīnyú's shoulder, "You know Father, he won't change his decision."

"I didn't have wrong intentions Gege!" Jīnyú shouted, fat tears soaking ShuîYuê's clothes, "I just -" he bit his lips, not understanding how to explain his situation.

"I know Jīnyú, but they won't believe your words, senior official Wu Yu has already made it difficult for us to get you out of this trouble," the Crown Prince wiped Jīnyú's tears.

"You are Crown Prince," ShuîYuê said in a small voice, "If- if you request your father he'll listen to you."

"He won't, Water Master, he never changes his decisions," GuānYû replied bitterly.

"Maybe if we all request again his Majesty may think of giving it another thought," Xiàn Fèng suggested hurriedly.

"So Emperor Jun Wu, known for his righteousness, will go back on his decision just because his son committed a crime?" General Yông asked loudly with a sneer as Yìfēi shot him another glare.

"Not now!" Wind Master hissed through gritted teeth, "Ghost King, I request you tell your General to keep his mouth shut," Huá glanced at Zìxìn who crossed his arms in annoyance.

"He won't hear any of our pleas," the Crown Prince said glaring at the floor.

"Don't take him away..." ShuîYuê pleaded again, "My Jīnyú, Don't take him away from me."

GuānYû hated the helplessness he was feeling right now, he couldn't save his brother from a horrid punishment, he couldn't fulfil ShuîYuê's request, what could he do by being Crown Prince if he couldn't help the people he wanted to, the people he loved dearly, those people he would give his life for were crying in front of him pleading him for his help while he could do nothing other than watching them with a heaviness he couldn't bear.

"Prince Jīnyú please come with us now," the guard said politely.

"Mr guard, please give us a few minutes with the prince," Xiàn Fèng requested. The guards waited by the door at Fire Master's request.

It was only the four elementals, the two princes, and the four ghosts in the Martial hall with Ling Wen. ShuîYuê kept on requesting GuānYû, staring at him with hopeful eyes, but she realised after a while that it was stupid of her; if he could, he would have requested Jun Wu instead of hearing her pleas with a deaf ear.

"Water Master, please let him go. He needs to be taken away," Ling Wen urged softly.

ShuîYuê pulled away from Jīnyú as he cried; she wiped his tears quickly and touched his chest where the blood dripped from the small cut. She was looking for Earth Master, who bent down placing her palm on the chest, healing it back.

ShuîYuê bowed her head to the Earth Master as a thank-you. She covered Jīnyú with her robe properly, tying it around his waist, and then she ran her hands through his hair to comb it.

"Jīnyú be a good boy and behave well," ShuîYuê whispered, wiping his never-ending tears.

"Please come with us," the guard said urgently.

"Go," ShuîYuê urged, getting up from the floor.

"Master I... I don't want to go," Jīnyú begged, crying loudly.

ShuîYuê cupped his face, "You trust me?" she asked gently.

He nodded his head slowly, "Then be good, Master won't let anything bad happen to you," she whispered in his ear, hugging the boy once again as guards held up the prince by his shoulders.

Jīnyú grabbed ShuîYuê's hand tightly, not letting go. She gripped his fingers, refusing to part with him, but he was forced away by the guards who took him out of the Martial Hall as ShuîYuê stared at him leaving.

Ghost King's eyes stared at the red scratch marks on Water Master's hand from the Prince's nails, he had to be pried away from his Master as he looked back at her crying, "YueYue," Yìfēi held Water Master by the shoulders who brushed her off

"They took him away from me, my Jīnyú, they took him, they took him away from me, Jīnyú they took him away," ShuîYuê mumbled, to herself in shock, leaving the Martial hall herself.

Xiàn Fèng looked at Yìfēi worried, who shook her head, not knowing what to say; Ghost King stared at her as she left the Martial hall, mumbling something to herself.

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Author's note:

What do you think is gonna happen next? What will happen to Jīnyú?

Word count: 1600, and 70 for author's note, hope you guys are well thank you for reading and have a great day Also don't forget to eat something sweet 🍭 🍨🍧🍦🥧🍫🍮🍪🍩 and then brush your teeth properly so you don't get cavities, take care of yourselves, bye-bye!!