Golden Orchids

Chapter 26

In less than a second, the celestial guards had surrounded her. They aimed their spears pressing dangerously close to her belly. Su Su wanted to get up but she couldn't. Her body felt weak and numb with pain. She coughed and ashen mucus came out of her throat. 

"What is the meaning of this!" A booming voice shouted. "Guards! Apprehend this woman, " 

At the heavenly lord's orders, two men lower down their spears. They reached down to grab her. She panicked but she had no strength to fight back. 

"Step aside!" Su Su heard Ye Hua called. The soldiers parted ways for him, he rushed to her side. Su Su coughed again, she reached out to her husband. Ye Hua knelt down to meet her. He gestured to one of the servants, "Get the medicine king quick!" 

"Ye Hua…" the heavenly lord tone became dangerous. 

Su Su couldn't breathe, there were so many people surrounding her. Many eyes were staring down at her, she could hear their every whisper, every condemnation. Her lungs were heaving, she was gasping for breath. 

Su Su grasped Ye Hua's hand. She had something important to tell him. Something the fox wanted to tell him.

"Ye Hua… I'm…. I am…" she struggled to say. But she couldn't remember, her forehead throbbed in pain. She felt like she's pounding her head against a door that she didn't have the keys for.

Ye Hua's intense gaze down at her, he looked around the people surrounding them, at his grandfather's furious face. Her husband's expression changed to one Su Su couldn't recognize. "Ye Hua…" she croaked.

"Enough!" He said, "You cause enough trouble, " 

Su Su blinked, he had never raised his voice at her before. Her voice caught between her throat. Ye Hua got up and bow before his grandfather.

The heavenly lord scowled at her and turned to face his grandson, "Ye Hua, what is the meaning of this, " 

"There's no meaning, Your Majesty." Ye Hua said, "My little fox just turned human, " 

The Heavenly Lord reprimanded, "You told me that it was just a simple fox, "

"I said it was a simple fox spirit, your majesty. Not just any average animal could kill the mermaid king, " Ye Hua explained.

The young woman next to her gasped, she whispered, "You killed the mermaid king?" 

Su Su had no energy to answer her, she just nodded. 

"You dare to contradict me, Crown Prince? " 

"No, I'm just stating the facts, " Ye Hua said, "She was just a simple fox spirit. She saved my life twice, once in the mortal realm and second in the Chang Sea. Because of an incident, she had to revert to her animal form. I'm just repaying her kindness by allowing her to remain by my side, " 

Allowing. The word sounded bitter in her ears. As if Su Su had forced herself to Ye Hua. In fact, all these times he was the one who initiated everything first. 

The medicine king came and proceeded to double-check her for wounds. He treated the burn on her forearm which will forever leave a scar.  And then he prescribed some prescription for her throat. When he pressed his fingers against her pulse, the doctor's eyes widen with surprise.

"This fox clearly couldn't remain here in the palace any longer, " The Heavenly Lord announced, "Guards, take her to the Demon Sealing Pagoda, " 

Panic rose inside of Su Su, an arm grabbed her by the elbow and began to drag her away. She desperately reached out to Ye Hua. She didn't understand what she did wrong. Why she must be sealed.