Author Notes: Hello, everyone! The pace starts to pick up at last. Enjoy :)
Beta: JeanGirl
- Chapter Start -
The four people sitting around the low table didn't say a word as they stared at the cooling cups of tea before them. ZeWu Jun had returned from escorting a still stunned Chen-yishi back to the Healers quarters.
It was Wei Ying who broke the silence at last.
"Do you think me a fool?"
He was slumped forward with his head resting in one hand. He had a headache after answering the barrage of questions Chen-yishi threw at him even though Master Lan and XiChen-xiong intervened and answered most of them on his behalf.
Chen-yishi's indignation at the destruction of Lotus Pier and the deaths of Jiang FengMian and Yu ZiYuan was gratifying, but his open mouthed shock at Wei Ying's decision to sacrifice his golden core made it clear he now thought of him as a complete lunatic, one unsuited to be HanGuang Jun's cultivation partner.
Wei Ying couldn't help agreeing with that even though the other three Lans jumped to his defence.
"A fool? For giving your golden core to Sect Leader Jiang?" Master Lan's voice was sharp. "Of course not! You already gave us your reasons for doing so."
Wei Ying raised his head and blinked, having expected a resounding 'Yes!' or something along the lines of 'About time you realised!' and maybe 'Copying our three thousand plus rules a few more times might help'.
"Young Master Wei, you are impulsive and a little reckless, but not a fool," XiChen-ge added and smiled. "Don't forget, I am an older brother too."
"And I had an older brother," Master Lan added. "Family should stick together."
Wei Ying straightened up, guessing from the two brothers' surprise that their uncle didn't make a habit of saying such things.
"Thank you, Master Lan," he said in a voice he tried to keep steady, feeling an inexplicable fondness for the grumpy man.
"Young Master Wei-"
"Xichen-xiong, please don't be so formal." Wei Ying gave him an apologetic smile for his interruption.
"WuXian, then. Chen-yishi is at the age where he speaks his mind without regard for his words or his audience. Be assured that he means well."
"And that he likes Wei Ying." Lan Zhan reached over to grasp his hand.
Wei Ying's eyes stung, but he huffed out a soft laugh.
"I hope so. I like him too." He pressed his sleeve to his eyes as discreetly as he could, grateful that none of them chose to point it out.
- o -
At the Burial Mounds...
It was mid afternoon when Wen Qing made her way to the kitchen, a simple lean to structure attached to a bigger one where they ate their meals. She didn't look right or left, her mind occupied in adding and removing items from a never ending list of tasks.
They now had enough medicine to last maybe two weeks, but only a bit of healing ointment left for cuts and scrapes. There was enough food for a few days, but firewood was running low. The next crop of radishes would be ready soon so Wei WuXian could accompany Wen Ning to sell them... once he was back.
Wen Qing exhaled sharply at that, her strides lengthening. When she and Wen Ning waved Wei WuXian off four - four! - days ago, it was with the understanding that he would return as soon as possible.
Wen Qing wasn't a stranger to the evil effects of yin metal. She had seen the ghost puppets Wen RuoHan had created. She knew that yin metal poisoning wasn't a trivial matter. But ZeWu Jun's letter, which she had received yesterday, said that Wei WuXian had already healed the Twin Jades.
So why did he need to stay on any longer?
Because of HanGuang Jun, of course. Wen Qing had seen the looks they exchanged when he visited the Burial Mounds last week. She had seen how well they worked together to calm Wen Ning down when he awoke. She had seen how worried Wei WuXian was when Lan QiRen told him about HanGuang Jun being poisoned.
She just wished her mind would stop picturing a carefree Yiling Patriarch gallivanting around Cloud Recesses with a completely healed HanGuang Jun, perhaps catching fish in the river, or going on night hunts together instead of getting his skinny rear back here.
She was going to put her needles to Very Good Use if that was the case. But only because she was annoyed and not terrified that he had perhaps-
No.
Wei WuXian would never forget about them. He had burned his bridges to rescue them from QiongQi path two years ago. He had even staged a public fight with Sect Leader Jiang to break his ties to Yunmeng Jiang sect. He was the only reason why she and her people were still alive and had a place to call home, however dismal, and food to put in their mouths, however little.
She shouldn't begrudge Wei WuXian a few days' stay in a place so much nicer than here, where he could spend time with the person he liked. Of course, she would never tell him that in case he decided make the visit permanent.
Too bad Sect Leader Jiang wasn't as understanding when he visited the Burial Mounds two days ago. He had hollered for Wei WuXian until Wen Qing walked through the barrier and then he had shut his mouth with a snap. After an awkward silence in which he had just stared at her, Wen Ning appeared and the three of them exchanged stilted greetings.
Sect Leader Jiang's expression had morphed from impatience to disbelief and then to anger when he learned that Wei WuXian had gone to Cloud Recesses and wouldn't return for a few more days. Wen Qing had kept a wary eye on the crackling spiritual weapon around his right wrist as he fought down his anger. Then with a snort, he turned to stalk back down the mountain without saying anything else.
Wen Qing had no idea what that was all about, but she had her own problems to think of.
"Jiejie! Jiejie! Another letter from the Gusu Lan sect!"
Startled, Wen Qing turned to see Wen Ning hurrying towards her with a scroll in his hand. Her heart skipped a beat.
Another letter?
From Cloud Recesses?
Two Lan Sect disciples had visited the Burial Mounds yesterday to deliver the first latter, standing just outside the barrier. Despite their confident demeanours, she had seen them glancing around with ill-concealed unease. They had looked relieved when she passed through the barrier, and then nervous again when Wen Ning followed her through.
As soon as they handed her a scroll, Wen Qing had lost no time in ripping apart the seal in her haste to read the letter, her eyes flying over the graceful script. Master Lan QiRen informed her that Wei WuXian had healed both his nephews of yin metal poisoning, and would return in a few more days. Meanwhile, they had brought her some basic provisions which they hoped would be of use.
Wen Qing had requested the disciples to convey her thanks to Master Lan before going back up the mountain, Wen Ning toting the heavy baskets with ease. She had been thankful for the unexpected provisions, but now she felt something akin to dread as her brother rushed up to her.
"They didn't wait for any reply this time," Wen Ning said and held out a scroll with the familiar cloud design on the seal.
With trembling fingers, Wen Qing broke the seal and unrolled the scroll. A smaller piece of paper fell out which Wen Ning picked up. Wen Qing read the letter, her mouth falling open in disbelief. Then she grabbed the other piece of paper from Wen Ning and read that too before staring at the untidy signature at the bottom. She then read both letters. Twice more.
"Isn't that young Master Wei's handwriting?" Wen Ning asked, looking over her shoulder. "It's always so hard to read."
"Yes! He has the worst calligraphy in the world!" Wen Qing didn't know if she should laugh or cry.
"Jiejie, are you alright? You're smiling... but you're also crying."
"I'm fine! And I'm not crying!" Wen Qing looked around. "We have to get everyone together. Now."
"Now? Why?" Wen Ning looked around as well.
"I have something important to announce."
"But everyone is still doing their chores."
"Tell them to stop."
"We also need to prepare dinner."
Wen Qing stared at him and then she gave a small laugh.
"Fine. We're going to have an early dinner because I have an announcement to make."
"What is it?"
"You'll find out later." Wen Qing patted his hand.
"Is it about young Master Wei?"
"Yes! I'm going to kill him for scaring me like this."
"But jiejie, you always say you're not afraid of him."
"I'm not! Go, Wen Ning. I'll be along shortly."
As soon as she had read each letter a dozen times more to make sure she wasn't dreaming. She knew Wei WuXian enough to believe that he would never joke about something like this. She had also met Master Lan and knew he took his promise very seriously.
Which meant that this news could only be true.
- o -
Around the same time at Lotus Pier...
Jiang YanLi was in her room, but she wasn't resting like she had promised A-Cheng she would. She was standing in front of her wedding robes, staring at the intricate gold and red embroidery without seeing it.
Two days ago, A-Cheng had brought her to Yiling so that A-Xian could see her in her wedding finery. She had even cooked his favourite pork rib lotus root soup, only to find that he had gone to Cloud Recesses and wouldn't return until a few days later.
By then, it would be too late. She would already be married.
Throughout the carriage ride back, A-Cheng had fumed and raged, swearing he would break his brother's legs the next time he saw him for wasting their time and effort, but all YanLi could think of was the dark and dismal place she had glimpsed from the carriage window, that A-Xian now called home.
It was heartbreaking.
The red and gold flowers blurred and YanLi felt something warm escape her eyes. She started when someone knocked on the door.
"Miss Jiang, are you still awake?" Her maid called out.
Hurriedly wiping her face, YanLi went to open the door.
"What is it, A-Yin?"
"Sorry to disturb your rest, but a letter just arrived for you from Cloud Recesses."
YanLi frowned in puzzlement as she accepted the scroll.
"Sect Leader Jiang also received a letter from Cloud Recesses."
YanLi stared at her and then she broke the seal and unrolled the scroll with trembling fingers. By the time she finished reading the letter, more tears were running down her cheeks, but she was smiling.
"Miss Jiang? What is it? Are you alright?"
"Yes. Yes, I am!" Brushing past her concerned maid, YanLi fairly flew down the corridor, scroll gripped in one hand. "A-Cheng! A-Cheng!"
It was a good thing that the wedding entourage from LanLing hadn't arrived yet or they would have seen their future mistress running through her home like a child, hair loose over her shoulders, laughing and crying at the same time.
Less than an hour later, two golden butterflies flew out from Sect Leader Jiang's room window, one heading for Cloud Recesses, and the other for Koi Tower at Lanling City.
- o -
Two hours later at Koi Tower...
Jin ZiXuan stood at the open windows of his room, ignoring the late afternoon sun glinting off the nearby rooftops and into his eyes. He needed a break from going over the never ending list of wedding preparations with his mother and Jin GuangYao. As his mother scolded GuangYao for the fifth time in the past hour, ZiXuan glanced over his shoulder, feeling a twinge of sympathy for his half brother.
He was thankful that he was the only legal son and rightful heir of the Jin Sect. He had grown up in the lap of luxury, secure in his father's approval and his mother's love. GuangYao, on the other hand, was nothing more than a servant to their father, forced to endure verbal insults from ZiXuan's mother and almost everyone else at LanLing who knew about his late prostitute mother.
It never failed to amaze ZiXuan how patient, soft spoken and diplomatic his half brother remained. GuangYao continued to smile at both superficial compliments and barely veiled insults alike, day after day, as he tried his best to earn his father's approval... approval ZiXuan knew he would never get.
Trying to tune out his mother's insistence that GuangYao had somehow messed up the guest list, ZiXuan turned back to the window only to blink at the golden butterfly fluttering towards him.
- Chapter End -
A/N: Thank you for reading! I couldn't find much info on the Jin golden butterflies used to carry messages in The Untamed drama, but as YanLi is engaged to the Sect Leader's heir, I assume she was given the same privilege. Please leave a review if you enjoyed it :)