Vagabond
The milky white moon hung high in the sky, glowing brightly as the millions of stars scattered in the sky. Tall pines rose into the sky like stone towers and casted shadows on the forest floor, the thick vegetation and forest trail bathed in white rays, lighting the way as two men in tan robes rode on top a rickety cart pulled along by two crimson horses. The two men's voices were the only thing that rang throughout the stagnant silence. A man hiding in a tree nearby watched with an amused glint in his eyes as one of the two men laughed and hit the skinner one with his flabby arm.
"If that was the case, then I might as well have a sip or two! The boss won't know," the fat one laughed.
A smile stretched the skinnier man's thin lips and a low chuckle escaped him as he shook his head. Wei Ying smirked at that as he silently thought that unfortunately, he wouldn't be able to have a taste. That wine was as good as his.
"Don't you know? The boss might as well be clairvoyant. One man tried that and he lost his hand. Boss cut it off himself!" The skinnier man explained with a grimace.
The fat let out a loud snort and Wei Ying had to hold back a laugh. Cutting off a hand? The same Jiang that couldn't handle his teasing? Please, at most he would try to hit you with his electric whip. The key word was try. As for the man that lost his hand? Well, a rabid dog bit it off. Nasty things dogs are, he hated them.
"Pah!", he yelled as threw his hands up in exasperation, "Rumors, that's all it is! How could boss cut off a man's hand? If he did so he wouldn't be in business anymore. I swear you and your gossip. Next thing I know, you'll be talking about that vagabond," He rolled his eyes.
The skinnier man immediately frowned and glared at the fat one as the horses walked past a tall lamp post with a sign claiming the town was one more mile up ahead. Noticing the sign, Wei quietly traveled from the trees to the top of the cart, and sat directly behind the two men, laying on his back with his hands behind his head, all without a sound.
"Not so loud Zhu! Don't you know that he has an obsession with wine? Specifically, this wine! Didn't you hear what happened last time? He killed the guy when he fought to protect the supplies!" He hissed lowly, eyes darting around the area.
Zhu simply laughed at him and the way he was acting as Wei placed a hand over his mouth to muffle the giggle he couldn't hold in. Really, these rumors were getting out of hand but they were quite amusing. He may be a thief but he wasn't a killer. However, he was pretty sure he didn't do that...right? Wei scratched his head in thought.
"There's no way the man's dead. I saw him yesterday walking around town with his son. Honestly, you need to stop believing everything you hear is true. They are rumors for a reason, Ming," He paused, "In fact, I wouldn't put it past him," Zhu admitted.
Wei Ying's perked up at that and sat straight up smiling. Someone finally understood! The wine was simply too good! Yet it was so expensive! Having wine that was so good yet to high in price was practically a crime. Jiang might as well be the thief for hoarding all the good stuff to himself. He let out a laugh.
"Finally! Someone understands! Brother, why don't you come share a jar with me?" Wei laughed as he opened a jar of Emperors Smile and took a swig of it.
Immediately, the muscles in the two men's bodies grew tense as the cart ground to a halt. Zhu and Ming turned to look at each other. There was no way anyone else was in the forest except them. They had to be hallucinating! They had to be! The only explanation that made sense was...slowly, they turned around.
A man in black and red robes loosely draped over his body with long curly hair in a high ponytail sitting with crossed legs entered their line of sight. Both of their eyes widened before Ming's face went white as a sheet.
"You...you...you," Ming stuttered in a shaky voice.
Realized he was being spoken two an idea popped into his head. As he took the jar away from his lips his impish smile disappeared and his face became cold. However, the mischievous glint in his eyes showed his real intentions. Oh, so slowly he leaned forward till he was up in the man's personal, staring directly but then quickly flashed a smile.
"BOO!" Wei screamed.
Ming let out a girly screech and immediately fell off the cart, his limbs lashing out wildly. Wei burst into hysterics and held his stomach as he laughed, tears coming to his eyes. Who knew that the man had so little backbone! And that screech! He was just teasing him but he didn't expect he would react that way! Wei continued to laugh as Zhu jumped off the cart.
"Ming, are you alright? Why are you so frightened of him?" Zhu questioned worriedly as he came to his friend's side and helped him up.
Clutching him in a death grip he pointed at Wei who was sitting upon the jars of wine laughing.
"It's him! It's the Vagabond, Wei Ying!" Ming cried fearfully as he gripped his friend harder.
At hearing his name Wei stopped laughing and looked down at Ming with furrowed brows. So people knew his real name? Since when did this information get leaked? Was it Ning? Sure he was cowardly and had no backbone but he didn't spill secrets...Wei continued to be lost in
thought. Zhu looked at Wei Ying with scrutiny. This was the legendary vagabond? He didn't look older than 16.
"Are you truly Wei Ying?" Zhu asked with suspicion.
Wei immediately snapped out of his funk and flashed a brilliant smile as he stood holding a jar of Emperors Smile.
"Of course! Do you doubt my authenticity? I could kill the one beside you to prove it," Wei jokingly threatened.
Almost immediately, Zhu's face became as white as the man's beside him. Kill ming? There's no way he would do that! He just wanted the wine, didn't he? What was the point in killing him!
"No! I believe you! Don't you want the wine?!" Zhu shrilly replied in fear.
Aiya! He was just joking. Of course, he wasn't going to kill the poor man. Just looking at him funny would have the man relieving himself right on the spot. Wei stared down at the two men for a minute before he got another idea.
A smile crossed his face before he jumped off the cart, walking towards them with slow strides. As Zhu stared at Wei's smile he felt unease rise its ugly head in his chest. He stood to stand in front of Ming. Wei took note of Zhu's action and laughed at him in his mind. However, at least he went to defend his friend.
It's been a long time since anyone ever did that for himself. Wei pushed the loneliness away. Once he stood right in front of them he stopped. Zhu continued to gauge him with cautiousness as Wei extended his hand towards Zhu.
"Then don't you think you should give me a little something first?" Wei shamelessly asked, never losing his smile.
Anger took ahold of Zhu as he stared at him. He knew what Wei meant but he couldn't do it. If he didn't he was going to harm Ming...but he loved his money as well. Zhu felt conflicted at the choice he had to make. Wei couldn't help but enjoy the way Zhu was battling with himself. It was quite amusing. Especially, when he was the one causing it.
"Well?" Wei persisted with a laugh, "Are you going to do it or not? Consider it a gift from you to me as friends."
Zhu turned to look at the trembling ming and held his anger as he dug out his pouch of gold coins and thrust it into his hand.
The smile on Wei's face only became bigger as he rolled the pouch around inside his hand. He made a thoughtful expression and Zhu became panicked. Wei only laughed and put the pouch in
his robe as he watched Zhu's face became relieved. Really, messing with people was so fun! But he couldn't stay here forever just to torment them. If he didn't leave soon Jiang would appear...and that was something he really didn't want to deal with. With a hum, he turned around and walked away quickly.
"Thank you, brother. I'm sure Jiang would be glad to know that his two employees are so smart and generous!" Wei laughed as he went to grab another jar of emperors smile.
However, a hue of brilliant blue lit the area as a thin whip surrounded by crackling blue lighting flew from the forestry and hit his hand. A burning sensation came from where the whip touched him and he hissed as he cradled his hand to his chest.
"Hmm...Is that so? Then why don't you say so directly to my face," A voice dryly replied with sarcasm as the unknown man entered the area.
Unlike the other two, the man wore violet robes over his broad shoulders, pairing nicely with the man's handsome features. However, in his sword-like brows held hostility and his eyes pierced Wei Ying from where he stood. If it was not for these two things, others would not hesitate to come near him. The faces of Zhu and Ming's became ecstatic and their wide eyes practically glowed with relief and happiness.
"Boss! Thank god you came! Please apprehend this thief!" They both enthusiastically cried out in unison.
He didn't spare them a glance and continued to glare at Wei Ying with vigilance. And, of course, Wei Ying wasn't someone to back down from a challenge and stared right back just as intensely. However, he raged inside. Ah, why did he have to appear! So troublesome!
Did he have to be so unlucky? All he wanted was some wine! Wei Ying felt like crying. However, as he registered what the two said about him he forgot about Jiang standing in front of him and stared at the two of them as he put his hands on his hips.
"Thief? Me? You gave me this," Wei Ying pulled the pouch of gold coins and shook it, the coins clinking together, "willingly. Now you call me a thief? How shameless!"
Zhu's face went red, then blue, and then green from his erupting anger.
"Preposterous! You threatened me!" He bellowed, furious.
Wei Ying threw his head up to the sky, laughed sardonically, and looked at Zhu again.
"And it's my fault that you took me seriously?" Wei mockingly questioned with a smile.
Zhu's became blue in the face as he opened his mouth to spew insults before the blankness on Jiang's face twisted in anger and his eyes flashed.
"Enough!" He roared as his whip landed heavily on Wei Ying's thigh.
Once again, the burning sensation came and Wei Ying couldn't hold in a yell as he almost fell to the ground. Luckily, Wei Ying thought to himself, the lightning wasn't added. Otherwise, he really wouldn't be standing. However, that didn't mean it didn't hurt!
"Ow!" Wei cried out in pain holding his thigh, "Stop hitting me! I didn't even steal anything!" Wei complained as he glared at Jiang with a face full of grievances.
"Maybe if I hit you enough times you won't even try to, thief," Jiang snorted in response before leveling the other man with a vicious and hostile gaze.
Wei Ying stood back up, cringing from the burning sensation still in his thigh as glare became more intense. He really hated that blasted whip! And when did he get so good at handling it? Last time he harassed him he just hurt himself with it when he tried to hit him.
"Well, if you hadn't kept it all to yourself then I wouldn't have to steal it! Thus, you're the thief!" Wei Ying yelled childishly.
"You!"
Jiang's face turned blue from anger as the blue hue tinted the area as he flicked the whip aggressively towards Wei Ying. Immediately, Wei Ying flinched and dove to the side. Inside his heart, he was raging but also crying tears of blood. Back in past Jiang and he were actually good friends and practically brothers. So, since young, he had seen that whip being used by Jiang's father. However, he never wanted to be on the receiving end! Ah, give him back his days of camaraderie!
Once again, Jiang raised the whip and Wei Ying's eyes flashed in anticipation as his muscles tensed. There was no way he was gonna let himself get hit with that again. However, before Jiang flicked his whip a pale and slender hand appeared from beside him and gripped his wrist. Jiang's face transformed into annoyance and looked at the hand that restraining him. Wei Ying's eyes widened in astonishment as everything seemed to blur around him.
Quickly, he started to panic inside. Why...why is he here?! He shouldn't be here at all. In fact, he should be at his mansion playing the guqin! Oh my god, is he here to get him back for the rabbit incident? Honestly, he was just playing around then! Wei Ying wanted to run away and hide but his feet seemed to be frozen to the ground.
Beside Jiang a man in long white and blue robes stood, his long black hair reaching his feet, held in place by a band of white cloth which wound around the middle of his forehead. His cold and
emotionless face was not facing Wei Ying but he could feel the disapproval of the man coming off in waves.
"What are you doing Lan Zhan?" Jiang questioned in a low voice, eyes traveling up to the other man's face.
No emotion crossed Lan Zhan's stoic face at the question but his eyes flashed with an emotion Jiang couldn't place as Lan let go of his wrist. Slowly, Jiang lowered his hand.
"We are here to capture him, not torture him," Lan Zhan emotionlessly replied.
However, in contrast to his tone, his eyes traveled to where Wei Ying stood filled with conflicting emotions. Jiang's brows furrowed as the edges of his lips transformed into a deep frown. Yet, the whip in his hand remained emotionless.
"Then what do you have in mind?" Jiang asked Lan Zhan, irritated.
It was not every day that the victim got to have his revenge on the villain so Jiang was not very happy at being interrupted. However, he had made a deal with Lan Zhan to capture Wei Ying, not harm him. And since he was a man that kept his word he could do no more to Wei Ying. Though, he really wanted to. Lan Zhan's eyes flashed before 3 guqin strings were taken out of his robe and whipped toward Wei Ying.
The panicking Wei Ying quickly snapped back to reality but before he could dodge the strings wrapped around him, immobilizing him. Wei Ying cured his lack of luck but laughed nervously at Lan Zhan's gaze. The usually emotionless eyes were filled with a slight excitement, making him uneasy. In any other situation he would tease him for it but right now, in this situation, it seemed off.
"Lan Zhan...what is this about? You couldn't possibly be on his side could you?"
Lan didn't make any retort. Instead, he thoughtfully rubbed the string wrapped around his first finger with his thumb. His painfully stoic face didn't have a ripple of emotion.
"Depends," Lan Zhan started as the emotion in his eyes grew stronger, "if you agree to my proposition,"
Wei Ying's unease only grew stronger. However, his interest was piqued. It was not every day that one of the twin jades asked for his help. Though he was at an advantage since he couldn't move and really wanted to run away, no matter how good the proposition.
"What's in it for me?" Wei questioned nervously.
Silence stretched between the two as Lan Zhan thought for a moment. Then, slowly, he opened his mouth.
"A lifetime supply of Emperor's Smile," he stated bluntly.
Jiang's brows furrowed in anger as he glared a Lan Zhan. Yet, Wei Ying was immediately interested. Lan Zhan, who was observing Wei Ying suddenly let the strings fall away from Wei's body. Immediately Jiang let out a sound of outrage but Lan ignored it.
"Well," Wei Ying began as a large smile slowly stretched across his face and his eyes shone with renewed vigor, "Tell me about this proposition."
For the first time, Lan Zhan let loose a small smile.
It seemed, that he successfully held Wei Ying's undivided attention. Thus, it would be much easier for him to persuade Wei Ying. Though he wouldn't take a no from the man whether he liked it or not.