It appeared to be that Xue Yao played her cards right.
Startled, Yue Lao, who was sitting at one of the tables lining the court, suddenly grunted out a "huh?" and leapt up, stumbling a bit to Xue Yao's side and kneeling down as well. The guards let go of her and returned back to their positions in the back of her room.
"Yes— Queen Mother— this girl— she's still young, just six thousand years old. Xue Yao doesn't know anything. She was just— ah— a small fox when I picked her up. I watched her grow up— ah… it would break my heart to see her whipped…"
"Whipped?" The Queen Mother straightened herself. "When did I say that she was going to be whipped? I was merely banning her from the heavens."
Internally, Xue Yao cursed. This old man didn't even pay attention to the court ruling until now! If she didn't alert him, then she would've been thrown off the heavens already, before he even realized that she was gone.
"Ah." Yue Lao arched his head. "So… so that's the case. Well, it would break my heart to leave my little Xue Yao too… "
The Queen Mother didn't look very pleased. "What do you suggest that we do about your precious disciple then, Yue Lao? The Celestial Heavens has its own rules. Breaking them for the exception of your disciple would be disorderly."
Yue Lao took a long sip from his jug of wine, then tugged a bit at the wispy white strands of hair lining his chin. "Why, little Xue Yao here has not committed a crime too grave." He took another sip. "If I'm not mistaken, the peaches are not ripe yet, are they, Queen Mother?"
"It'll take another fifteen days before they're ready."
Casting a sly look upwards, Yue Lao nodded. "Well, well, that all makes sense now. Queen Mother, I am but an old man. And this old man here happens to hear a lot of rumours over my time here… and one of those rumours happen to be that if a certain individual eats a Peach of Immortality before it is ripe, it will not aid them in their spiritual energy but will rather take away about… one thousand years of spiritual energy instead?"
Xue Yao turned her head slowly took look at Yue Lao in horror.
One thousand years of spiritual energy?
Losing that for each peach she ate?
But— but— she ate six peaches!
Does that mean that for every moment that passed by, she was losing more and more of her spiritual energy? That could not be the case! All her hard won spiritual energy! Six thousand years of it!
And now… they were banning her from the heavens just to add onto that? What tyranny was this?
Both the Queen Mother and Yue Lao didn't pay much attention to Xue Yao's frustration and panic, continuing on with their civilized conversation.
"Yes, that is the case."
"Then," the old man continued, "I say that it is already enough of a punishment, considering… how many did you eat again, little Xue Yao?"
"Six." The word came out through her gritted teeth. It pained her to think of the number.
"Yes, six peaches, Queen Mother." Yue Lao smiled a little. "Wouldn't you say that it could be considered enough of a punishment?" The Queen Mother opened her mouth to speak, but Yue Lao cut in again. "As for your anger, I will let my disciple spend some time in the mortal realm to avoid meeting you and invoking your fury again. But I am sure that Xue Yao will be allowed to come back in the future?"
The Queen Mother's eyes flitted between Yue Lao and Xue Yao, who hastily turned her gaze down. There were a few tense moments of silence, but then the Queen Mother sighed and waved her hands. "Then so be it. Emperor, do you have anything to contribute?"
The Jade Emperor shook his head. "Since the Peach Banquet and orchard are under your care, it is naturally your jurisdiction over what you wish to do."
Hearing so, the Queen Mother sighed again. "Alright. Both of you, get out of the palace. The matter of the peaches gives me fatigue. And Yue Lao, whenever you do bring your disciple back, make sure that she knows the rules. I do not need a wild fox like her running around in the heavens."
"Yes, Queen Mother. Thank you for your grace." Simultaneously, both of them bowed, with Xue Yao lingering a moment longer while her teacher stood up.
"What are you still doing? Let's go." Grabbing onto her arm, Yue Lao tugged a bit, and after giving one last nod to the Queen Mother, the two of them exited the palace.
Once that they were out, heading down the grand set of stairs that trailed down the palace, Xue Yao instantly changed from her respectful attitude to one of anger.
"Old man, are you really telling the truth when you say— the— six thousand years of spiritual energy?"
Yue Lao faced away and deliberately snorted. "Even the Queen Mother agreed. How could I not be telling the truth?"
Six thousand years… The more Xue Yao thought about it, the more sorrowful she became. All those years of hard work, to transform from a simple fox to a nine-tailed one, and finally to the point where she could shift into a more human, deity-like appearance… all of that power was about to leave her just because of her reckless decision to be greedy and to eat a few peaches.
How was she supposed to know that the unripe peaches were damaging? They looked and tasted ripe enough to her!
"Well then, no need to be so melancholic." Yue Lao reached over and patted her shoulder while with the other hand, he reached to a sack of wine tied around his belt, then tossed the drink to her. "Have a drink. And when we get home, pack whatever belongings you may have. The journey to the mortal realm is not an easy one, especially if you're losing so much of your spiritual energy at this rate."