As the giant doors flung open, LanRong ran inside while catching her breath. Luckily, she had arrived in time. If she didn't made it, maybe XuanWu could've been unjustly judged.
Zhuge Liang's eyes grew wide. His sight has been fixed on LanRong. The courtroom had been suddenly filled with crowd of immortals' buzzing.
"How dare you!" Zhuge Liang yelled at LanRong. His teeth gnashed in anger as he reached out his hand to slap her. However, he was stopped by Chang 'e and let LanRong to spill the beans.
"Enough, Zhuge Liang! LanRong... Let me remind you, you are witnessing against your father here, your filial piety maybe reduced if you absolve XuanWu of her crimes."
"High Goddess. I know what I'm doing."
"Hao. LanRong stands with XuanWu and is here to disprove Zhuge Liang's accusation."
LanRong then seated at the opposite side of the witness table. XuanWu was also astonished how LanRong defied her own father to save her. The jury stroke the mallet and all went silent to hear LanRong's statement.
"My father, Zhuge Liang sent me to the mortal realm in search for the Shangguan Longyan box possessed by the Na siblings. He told me to disguise myself in order to spy on the Na siblings however, I was caught by Moxiao. I learned that the siblings did not have any knowledge about the box and what it could do. After I spilled the beans to Wei Yue, the Emperor of the Jade Phoenix, my father then sent a Tian Lang to kill the Na siblings but it failed to kill them because XuanWu awakened her daughter, Na Yingluo.
The Tian Lang died after being defeated by Yingluo and so, my father sent Guan Yu only to be defeated by Moxiao and had his divine weapon broken which caused him to be reverted back into a child."
Hearing LanRong's explanation, the crowd went rowdy inside the courtroom. The buzzes of whispers soon turned into some sort of uproar. Chang 'e find this irritating and stroke the mallet few more times on the table making the crowd shut up.
Chang 'e turned her head towards Zhuge Liang whose face is covered with sweat. She then proceeds to ask him a direct question regarding his statement earlier.
"Zhuge Liang, what can you say about this?"
"This is preposterous, High Goddess! My daughter is just delusional! Maybe she's just tired... Are you tired dear?"
Zhuge Liang acted indifferent and faced his daughter eye to eye. He eyed her with intense rage however, LanRong remained still and composed without a sign of intimidation in her face.
Zhuge Liang felt helpless. He now knew that the tables have turned against him. However, he thought about a last resort to get him out of this mess.
"High Goddess... XuanWu brainwashed my daughter during her time in the mortal realm. XuanWu commanded her son, Xiao Na to seduce my daughter into defying me."
Chang 'e looked at him with disbelief. But despite his obvious lie, Chang 'e must accept every fish thrown in the pit. Regardless whether it's true or not.
"High Goddess, my father is lying. Please believe me, I have personally witnessed all of the things that had happened."
"No High Goddess, my daughter has been clearly brainwashed enough for her to defy me... Her own father..."
"High Goddess Chang 'e! Please beli—"
LanRong stopped talking as a woman wearing a silver raiment head straight into the courtroom. Chang 'E acknowledged her presence and all immortals bowed to her. As XuanWu's eyes laid on her, she immediately recognized the woman and a smile of relief flashed on her face.
"High Goddess Chang 'e... I am Xi Yuyao. Goddess of beauty. Today, I will bring you an evidence of Zhuge Liang's treachery."
"Hao. Bring it in."
Xi Yuyao snapped her fingers and a crystal ball appeared in front of them. The crystal ball then displayed the Zhuge Liang plotting all of his sinister schemes, Zhao min battling the Tian Lang, the battle between Yingluo and the Tian Lang and Moxiao battling Guan Yu.
The crowd of immortals felt awestricken after Xi Yuyao showed the evidence. Chang 'e ordered the guards to unshackle XuanWu and restrain Zhuge Liang instead.
"Why are you doing this to me Yuyao! I loved you didn't I? I loved our daughter!"
"You only loved yourself."
"Xi Yuyao! You can't do this to me!"
"I can Zhuge Liang... Because I hate you... Every fiber of your being, I hate even more."
Chang 'e signaled the guards to take away Zhuge Liang to the dungeon. The trial ended smoothly and all immortals went back into their respective places. Chang 'e called LanRong in her chamber personally making XuanWu and Xi Yuyao exit the room together.
"Xi Yuyao, why did you save me?"
"I never saved you, I'm just tired of all the things that Zhuge Liang has been doing."
"So, does that mean we can be friends?"
XuanWu held her hand towards Xi Yuyao however, she rejected her hand and flicked it.
"Make no mistake XuanWu, I never really liked you however, I couldn't just let my idiot husband do obnoxious things."
Xi Yuyao went on a different direction and disappeared in a cloud. XuanWu made her way to her chamber, closed the door and placed her hands on her face. She laid on her bed and tears fell from her eyes. For once in her life, she never wins against Zhuge Liang but now, for some reason, two Goddesses helped her budge.
She opened her eyes and got up from the bed...
'I'll tell them the good news myself.'
————————————————
The wedding ceremony of Li An and Zhang Xiaoxing ended successfully. A happy feast filled with lots of foods, liquor and music has been laid on the outer and inner part of the kingdom making everyone rich, poor, young and old savor the tastiest meals prepared by the Dragon Blade's kingdom.
Moxiao stood by the watch tower eating a chicken leg while watching the people enjoy below. After he finished the leg, he threw the bone below and it fell on one of the guard's head making a 'clank' sound.
'HAHA. That's funny.'
Moxiao caressed his long hair and stared at the blue sky. He thought of his mother and LanRong.
'How did the trial go mother? Did LanRong save you?'
He was lost in his thoughts when aroma of newly bloomed flowers caught his sense of smell and tiny droplets of rain fell on his face. A wind blew directly on his face.
Moxiao looked back.
Behind him, stood LanRong and XuanWu clothed in peach colored garments.
He hugged him both and said...
"Welcome back mother, LanRong."
"Thank you son... And oh, Moxiao... You should thank LanRong. She was truly of great help. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to enjoy the festivities below... You two take some time together..."
XuanWu rushed downstairs and went to the happy feast. LanRong and Moxiao remained with each other.
"Thank you for saving my mother, LanRong."
"Uh... It's alright Moxiao. I was just doing the right thing."
"I know..."
Moxiao noticed a dove mark on LanRong's chest.
"You became a full-pledged Goddess."
"Yes. I did."
"So, that means I won't see you again forever?"
"No... I'm going to stay here and watch over the mortal realm with XuanWu, Luo Na and you..."
"LanRong..."
LanRong raised a finger and placed it on Moxiao's lips.
"I know Moxiao... I love you too."
Their lips intertwined into a wonderful bliss. The magical moment lasted for a minute and ended after a while.
Moxiao wrapped his arms around LanRong while enjoying the view of the blue sky and newly bloomed flowers of peach trees, plums and cherry trees.
"So, what Goddess are you, LanRong?"
"Goddess of truth and bravery."
"That's amazing."
"Moxiao?"
"Hmm?"
"Na Moxiao..."
"Yes what is it?"
"If one day I'll be demoted from being a Goddess, will you still love me?"
Moxiao released a sigh and tightened his hug on her body.
"Goddess or not, I love you just the way you are. The minute that you caught me on the stairs that night when I was drunk and we both fell from the stairs, my heart also fell for you."
LanRong smiled at him. The falling petals from the flowers harmoniously danced with the wind. Spring had already begun.