I am a fairy in Journey to the West

Zhuang Yan sat on the throne, his gaze fixed on the Third Holy Mother: "Ji Nuhua, do you know your crime?"

The Third Holy Mother raised her head, looked at Zhuang Yan, and then asked, "Divine Emperor Shenxiao, I have a question for you."

“Ask away,” Zhuang Yan said.

The Third Holy Mother asked, "Do you think the Heavenly Laws are correct?"

These words startled everyone present, and the Great Emperor of the Western Mountain slammed his hand on the armrest of his throne, shouting, "You wretch, what nonsense are you spouting?!"

Who doesn't know that the Heavenly Rules were decreed by the Jade Emperor? The fact that the Holy Mother of the Third Princess asked this question shows that she is questioning the Heavenly Rules, and questioning the Heavenly Rules is also questioning the Jade Emperor.

Emperor Lei Zu adjusted his body slightly, then glanced at Zhuang Yan beside him.

Faced with the question from the Third Holy Mother, Zhuang Yan did not answer, but instead asked in return, "Where do you think the Heavenly Laws are incorrect?"

The Third Holy Mother said, "The Heavenly Laws are wrong to establish a boundary between immortals and mortals. All beings in the Three Realms are equal, so why should there be a boundary between 'immortals and mortals'? Why can't immortals marry mortals? If the Heavenly Laws are not wrong, then it is the equality of all beings that is wrong?"

Zhuang Yan asked, "Are you one of the living beings?"

The Holy Mother of the Three Realms said, "I was born between heaven and earth and grew up within the Three Realms, so I am naturally a living being."

Zhuang Yan then asked, "When was your rank of fifth-grade celestial official conferred by imperial decree?"

The Third Holy Mother was taken aback upon hearing this, then shook her head and said, "Your Majesty, I don't remember."

"It was six hundred years ago," said the Great Emperor of the Western Peak. "This wicked child was granted the title of a fifth-rank celestial official at the age of eighteen six hundred years ago."

Zhuang Yan continued, "And what about when she was just born?"

The Great Emperor of the Western Peak said, "He was granted the title of a ninth-rank celestial official at birth."

Zhuang Yan smiled slightly, turned to look at the Third Holy Mother and said, "Have you ever seen any 'being' who is born with the title of a ninth-rank celestial official?"

The Third Holy Mother paused for a moment, then retorted, "I am the daughter of the Great Emperor of the Western Peak. The Great Emperor of the Western Peak governs the affairs of the world, benefits all living beings, and has immeasurable merits. As the daughter of the Great Emperor of the Western Peak, what is wrong with me being granted the title of a celestial official?"

“I am just like all living beings, I am also a part of all living beings,” the Third Holy Mother said again. “Moreover, I have also done good for all living beings, which is why I am revered as the Third Holy Mother of Mount Hua by the people at the foot of the mountain.”

Zhuang Yan asked, "What is your purpose in saying all this?"

The Third Holy Mother said, "Divine Emperor Shenxiao, if I were a living being, then I would have the same right as all living beings to marry and start a family. The Heavenly Laws cannot condemn me because of a 'divine boundary between immortals and mortals'."

"So, after all that you've said, you're just trying to say that breaking the boundary between immortals and mortals and marrying a mortal was the right thing to do, and that you're not guilty?" Zhuang Yan asked.

The Holy Mother of the Three Realms said, "Yes."

“That means you are unaware of your crime,” Zhuang Yan said.

The Holy Mother of the Three Kingdoms said, "Marriage and childbirth are not sins. I do not know what sin I have committed."

"You incorrigible wretch!" The Great Emperor of the Western Peak stood up angrily and cursed, "Facing the Great Emperor of Thunder and the Great Emperor of Divine Firmament, you still dare to use clever words and sophistry to argue your way out of line. Why don't you confess your crimes at once!"

The Third Holy Mother raised her head and said, "Father, if it is a sin for me to marry Liu Yanchang and have children, then you and my mother are also guilty!"

"You!" The Great Emperor of the Western Mountain was furious and grabbed a teacup from the jade table in front of him, smashing it down.

With a 'smack', the teacup, scalding hot tea, hit the Third Holy Mother on the forehead, instantly splattering her face with tea and causing a streak of blood to appear on her forehead.

Emperor Lei Zu quickly advised, "Fellow Daoist, please do not be angry."

The Great Emperor of the Western Peak sat down angrily, his breathing rapid, clearly very angry.

At this moment, Zhuang Yan turned his gaze to Erlang Shen below and said with a smile, "Erlang Zhenjun is the Law Enforcer of the Divine Thunder Jade Palace. How do you judge the matter of the Third Holy Mother's ignorance of her crime?"

Erlang Shen said, "Your Majesty Shenxiao, her ignorance of the law does not mean she is innocent, because the premise of her ignorance of the law is that she believes the Heavenly Laws are wrong, therefore she is ignorant of the law."

"But that's just wishful thinking on her part. The laws of heaven are there, and they won't change for any selfish ideas."

"Although the Holy Mother of the Third Princess is unaware of her sins, she is guilty. The laws of Heaven are clear and cannot be denied."

Zhuang Yan looked at the Third Holy Mother and said, "Ji Nuhua, did you hear what Erlang Shen said?"

“I heard you,” the Third Holy Mother nodded.

Zhuang Yan asked, "Is there anything else you'd like to say?"

The Third Holy Mother asked, "Is the boundary between immortals and mortals really that important? What's the benefit of establishing this boundary and completely separating gods and mortals? The gods are high above, enjoying the admiration of mortals. Is that what you want?"

At this moment, the Fire Spirit Immortal suddenly spoke up: "Then why didn't you have this thought before? Weren't you the Third Holy Mother of Mount Hua, who was high above and respected by all?" The Third Holy Mother paused again, and then said: "Because I hadn't realized these principles before. I only understood them after I went to the mortal world."

Fire Spirit Immortal said, "It seems that your trip to the mortal realm has not only resulted in marriage and children, but also in understanding many principles. Is there one principle you do not understand?"

The Third Holy Mother looked at the Fire Spirit Immortal, "What's the reasoning behind this?"

The Fire Spirit Immortal said, “If you want equality, then judging you according to the Heavenly Laws and executing you is the best kind of equality, and that is the equality you want. You only see people getting married, having children, and enjoying family life, but you don’t see that they are constantly abiding by the laws of the country and the rules of society. If a servant in Liu Yanchang’s household steals something from you, his wife, or makes a mistake, how will he be dealt with?”

The Holy Mother of the Third Princess was stunned. Her lips opened and closed a few times, but she couldn't speak. It wasn't that she couldn't answer, but that she didn't know.

These matters are handled by the stewards of the household, and she, as the 'Madam,' doesn't need to worry about them at all.

Seeing that she couldn't answer, the Fire Spirit Immortal said, "If you can't answer, I can tell you. If this were the original Northern India, according to the laws of that time, stealing from one's master would result in being handed over to the government. The most serious offenders would have their hands chopped off, and then be imprisoned or exiled. The least serious offenders would be caned and have the stolen goods confiscated at double their value. According to local customs, if the stolen goods were very valuable, the master would punish the thief privately, chopping off their hands, caning them, and some people would even beat them to death."

"If this were the present-day Vedic kingdom, according to its laws, any servant who steals from his master's property, regardless of its value, would be punished by having his hands chopped off and being exiled, and then demoted to an untouchable. As for customs, they would be the same as the laws."

As the Fire Spirit Immortal recounted the story, the Third Holy Mother was utterly perplexed. "How did you know all this on Buzhou Mountain? Did you make it up?"

Even the Great Emperor of the Western Peak and all the celestial officials of the Western Peak Divine Palace were astonished and turned their gazes toward the True Immortal Fire Spirit.

The Fire Spirit Immortal took out a scroll from his sleeve and said to the Third Holy Mother, "This is an illustrated record of the mountains, rivers and creatures of the various countries of Xiniu Hezhou. It is a compilation of reports collected and submitted to the Jade Palace of the Mortal Realm by the local land gods, mountain gods and water gods of Xiniu Hezhou. It is checked and updated every five years."

"Do you think I don't know about Xiniu Hezhou just because I'm at Buzhou Mountain?" Huo Ling Zhenxian said indifferently, "Even the lowly people of Veda know that breaking the law will be punished, but you, as a fifth-rank immortal official of the Western Mountain Divine Palace, are trying to argue your way out of the heavenly law. I wonder if your colleagues in the Western Mountain Divine Palace would be ashamed to associate with someone like you?"

The celestial officials of the Western Mountain Divine Palace immediately lowered their heads, not out of shame for associating with the Third Holy Mother, but because the Fire Spirit True Immortal's understanding of Xiniu Hezhou far surpassed their own.

As for the Third Holy Mother, she finally showed a look of shame and could no longer defend herself, slowly lowering her head.

Zhuang Yan then asked, "Ji Nuhua, do you know your crime?"

Ji Nuhua said, "I know my crime."

Zhuang Yan then asked, "Do you plead guilty?"

Ji Nuhua replied, "I confess."

Zhuang Yan nodded, then asked Erlang Shen, "Lord of the Laws, according to the Heavenly Laws, what judgment should be made against Ji Nuhua?"

Erlang Shen said: "You should be killed according to the law."

Zhuang Yan nodded and said, "In that case, we should act according to the law, determine the crime, and affix our seal."

Liu Yan immediately stood up and presented the indictment and inkpad to Ji Nvhua. Ji Nvhua's face gradually lost color, and she became dejected and wooden.

As she pressed her fingerprint on the charge sheet, Liu Yan then presented it to Erlang Shen, who stamped it with his seal of the Heavenly Lord of Law.

Then Liu Yan presented the charges to the Great Emperor of the Western Mountain, who unhesitatingly stamped the seal on the document.

Finally, the Fire Spirit Immortal, representing Zhuang Yan, affixed the precious seal of the Mortal Jade Palace.

After the verdict was handed down, Zhuang Yan immediately issued an imperial edict: "Ji Nuhua shall be escorted to the execution platform and beheaded, and her soul shall be cast into hell to re-enter the cycle of reincarnation."

Fire Spirit Immortal and Erlang Shen rose to receive the decree, and then led a group of Western Mountain generals to escort Ji Nuhua to the Western Mountain Execution Platform for execution.

Seeing the Third Holy Mother being escorted out of the main hall, Hua Yue Erlang immediately apologized and followed her out.

Empress Suming couldn't help but cry, then stood up without hesitation and said, "I'm going to see my daughter off."

After speaking, Empress Suming stepped down the palace steps and walked straight out of the Golden Heaven Palace, with a group of fairy attendants hurriedly following after her.

Seeing this, the Great Emperor of the Western Peak could no longer sit still. He quickly stood up and bowed to the Great Emperor of Thunder and Zhuang Yan, saying, "Heavenly Venerable, Divine Firmament Emperor, this woman is unreasonable. I was afraid she would cause trouble again, so I had to go to the Execution Platform. Please forgive my rudeness."

Emperor Leizu laughed and said, "Fellow Daoist, don't be in a hurry. I will go with you."

Seeing the smile on Lei Zu Dadi's face, Xi Yue Dadi stiffened. Although the Third Holy Mother had committed a crime, she was still his own daughter, and he could not smile at this moment.

Before the Great Emperor of the Western Mountain could respond, Zhuang Yan also stood up and said, "If you're going, then go. I'll go too."

"How can this be?" said the Great Emperor of the Western Mountain. "Although Ji Nuhua is my daughter, she has violated the Heavenly Laws and should be punished. I have no resentment. Please sit here, Your Majesties, and I will hold a banquet for you when I return."

Emperor Leizu and Zhuang Yan exchanged a smile, and then Emperor Leizu said, "Fellow Daoist, do not worry, let's go together."

Seeing that Emperor Leizu and Zhuang Yan were adamant, Emperor Xiyue could not say anything more, and simply cupped his hands and said, "Alright then, please forgive the two emperors for their rudeness."

The three emperors then boarded the jade carriage together and headed to the Execution Platform of Mount Hua. (End of Chapter)