A Trial by Halves

The Spell

The Celestial Heavens

"Cheng Yu, you saw for yourself that Ye Hua is still alive." Lian Song whispered excitedly beside her having returned to his Palace from watching the rainbow birds  to talk in private.

"But how?  I know you said he used a spell, but over one hundred people saw him die." she whispered back as he paced the room.

"Ci Hang.  I already told you.  He was his Spiritual Master as well as the one who gave him a spell to leave the Nine Heavens when he needed to be alone.  No one knew about except for that man, and of course me, because I was Ye Huas confidante for centuries." he reminded her without looking at her.

"So he used a spell to disappear, and make his star disappear....." she whispered before suddenly rising to pull him to a halt.

"If that'st the case, then those birds mean a new heir has been born.  You know what that means Lian Song.  His majesty will already be hunting him down." she whispered fearful for the boys safety.

She had always liked Ye Hua.  With her, he let his guard down a little, she saw the occasional smiles whenever she jested and poked fun at him, he was also much more at ease in her presence because Cheng Yu really was a social butterfly and possibly also because his favourite uncle Lian Song still had feelings for her, though she knew he would never admit to it, but she knew.

"Father left the Palace grounds just a few minutes ago with a few trusted men and a retinue of guards." he said staring at her with a grim expression and fear in his eyes for Ye Hua and especially that Mortal.

"Surely he won't hurt them?" she asked naively.  "There is now a baby to consider, he wouldn't be that harsh would he?" she asked staring back in fear at him.

"All the more reason why he will not stop until he finds them, and not only will he hurt them, that Mortals life is now worthless." he said sadly.  Because he knew for a fact, if anything happened to Su Su, Ye Hua would absolutely end his life for real to follow her.

Thinking about his words, Cheng Yu was no strategist so she had no plan and nor was she a realist, in fact she was a daydreamer who lived in her own happy world, but seeing the serious expression on his face, one that was normally filled with all manner of mischief, her heart began to race as a new thought began to take hold.  

She was the only one he trusted enough to tell his greatest secret to and to Cheng Yu, this demanded attention because Lian Song was not normally one to put himself on the line for anyone, but that was the exact reason why he had gone to her and her alone.  He didn't just need someone to offload to, he wanted a partner in crime.  He needed someone who would not only tell him that what he was thinking of doing was just and fair, but he needed that someone to assist him, and that meant someone he could trust while also being capable of taking care of herself.

"Alright.  What are you planning to do?" she asked which instantly had him drawing her back to the low cushions to sit down.

"I can only assume that the arrival of the birds and the reappearance of Ye Huas star, along with the childs, means his spell collapsed.  That means, Mount Junji will be where father will head to first, because that is where Ye Hua left from." he said quietly   "When I visited that place immediately after Ye Hua died, there was no trace of him or that Mortal and that will be because of the spell.  Only now, there is every likelihood that the trail to where he is now, is open." he said which had her eyes almost popping from her head.

"But if His Majesty has gone there, how will we stop him?" she asked which instantly had a smile rising. 

"She had said 'we', which meant she was seeing his problem as hers and that meant she was now on the same page with him and ready to help.