Author Notes: Hello again, everyone! This chapter may contain a trigger for some physical violence and demeaning words. Things don't go too far, but please read at your discretion.
Beta: JeanGirlMY
- Chapter Start -
Sisi was seated at the large table in the Library Pavilion, checking the books she had collected for ink stains or other damages.
When the doors opened, she looked around to see Lan Ming entering, an annoyed frown on his face. He was one of the two disciples who had escorted GuangYao and WuXian to the Ancestral Hall on their wedding day.
Then a loud complaining voice was followed by a well-dressed young man stomping inside the library with a scowl on his face. Lan JiaYing was already glaring at the young man. It was no secret she detested loud voices and disorder in her silent domain.
As Lan Ming directed his charge to one of the individual tables, Sisi continued her work. She smoothed creases from folded pages and wished she could understand what the beautifully written words on them meant. Aside from books with illustrations, there was no way to tell their contents. In fact, she could only read the chapter numbers and up to five at that.
Lan Ming admonishing Young Master Jung to start copying the rules made her look up again. When he mentioned Lan QiRen, she hid a smile and continued her work. She was thankful for how polite the Twin Jades were. Wei WuXian was livelier than GuangYao, but both were also well mannered despite their respective backgrounds.
When Sisi finished her current task, she went to the back room to wash the brushes she had left soaking in soapy water. The sound of raised voices drew her to the door where she saw Young Master Jung waving his hands. He claimed Lan Ming had startled him into dropping his paintbrush and splattering ink on the other's white robes.
A fuming Lan Ming requested Lan-qianbei to keep an eye on Jung MingYu before leaving in a huff, presumably to change his robes.
Shaking her head, Sisi went back to washing the brushes. As she took a clean towel to blot them dry, Lan JiaYing appeared, looking mad enough to 'vomit blood' as the madam at the brothel liked to say. There was a long thin streak of ink from her neck down the front of her robes.
"Lan-qianbei!" Sisi exclaimed in shock.
"That Young Master Jung! He accused me of startling him as well and that it was my fault he made this mess!"
When Sisi raised a sceptical eyebrow, Lan JiaYing sighed. She took Sisi's towel and started dabbing at her front.
"Jung MingYu is the grandnephew of Elder Zhao. His father is a wealthy merchant from Lanling and has spoiled him shamefully. Elder Zhao asked Elder Lan QiRen for help after the young man was caught er... going after one of his female cousins."
Pressing her lips together, she shook her head and looked down at her robes to see the ink stain spreading.
"Oh no, it's getting worse! I must soak my robes right away or they'll be ruined! If anyone sees me like this..."
"But-" Sisi began.
"Don't worry. Lan Ming should be back soon. The female dorms are quite close by so I'll be back in a few minutes. You don't have to talk to Young Master Jung, just wipe up the ink he spilled before it stains the wood floor."
Without waiting for a reply, Lan JiaYing handed back the towel and hurried out.
Sisi soaked the towel in soapy water and wet a couple of cleaning rags before going out to the main room. Young Master Jung was still seated at his table, snickering to himself. Ignoring him, she knelt down to wipe up the spilled ink, aware of his eyes on her as he got to his feet. When she stood up, he was already blocking her way.
"Excuse me," she said politely and tried to move past him.
"Wait. Your name is Sisi?" He took a step to the side to block her again.
"Yes. Excuse me."
"Why aren't you at Yunping City?"
Sisi froze, caught off guard.
"So you're the one and the same," he mused. "What're you doing here? Did the brothel kick you out after you got injured? Those scars look fresh."
Sisi's hand lifted involuntarily to her cheek before she forced it back down, eyes narrowing. This... this boy's words didn't hold any water, not even a drop. Wishing Lan Ming was back, she pasted a fake smile on her face. It felt as brittle as glass.
"How I look is none of your business, young master," she said and tried to go around him.
A hand closed over her wrist tightly, fingers cold and palm slightly clammy. So different from Lan QiRen's warm hand and firm grip. Repressing a shudder, she threw a cold look over her shoulder.
"Please release me. I have to wipe the floor again before the ink seeps into the wood."
"Who cares about the floor?" He smirked.
Taking a step back, Sisi twisted her wrist to get free, but he was surprisingly fast. He grabbed her shoulder with his free hand and pushed her backwards towards the centre of the room. Caught off guard, almost backpedaling, she couldn't do anything until she collided with the large circular bookcase, the back of her head slamming against the wood hard enough to make her see stars. She cried out in pain as a few books and scrolls tumbled down.
"Shut up!" Jung MingYu hissed, looking panicked as he glanced around.
"Release me at once!" Sisi demanded, struggling to pull her wrist free.
"Why are you struggling? You should be used to this." He sounded petulant.
"Used to what? Brute force?" Sisi snapped at him. "Is that what you think of a courtesan?"
"Of course!" He looked surprised at her reply. "Give me a kiss at least. There's no one around."
Sisi stared at him in shock, speechless at his temerity.
"My jiujiu met you a few months ago," Jung MingYu continued. "He was from the Gusu Lan sect, but now he's a rogue cultivator. He said you were beautiful."
The compliment only increased Sisi's horror. What were the chances that that kind middle aged man was related to this spoiled brat?
"I suppose that was before you got those scars?" Jung MingYu asked.
"That's none of your business," Sisi told him.
"Still rude?" He frowned at her. "Oh, you want to be paid first? Fine, I have lots of money."
"I don't want your money!" Sisi glared at him. "I'm not a courtesan anymore!"
"But you shouldn't mind a few kisses," he tried to persuade her. "It's not like you can get a man with those scars."
Sisi drew herself to her full height.
"That is none of your concern!"
"Come on, just one kiss," he said and closed in on her, but Sisi twisted her face away and his wet lips landed on her cheek.
"Don't be stubborn!" Growling, he grabbed her jaw, fingertips digging into the soft flesh to turn her face back to him.
Sisi sucked in a deep breath to scream, but he quickly covered her nose and mouth with his other hand, blocking off her airflow. The smell of his sweat made her stomach roil. Bracing herself, she sank her teeth into his fleshy palm, causing him to jerk back in shock and pain.
"Ow!" He stared down at his bleeding palm.
At this point, Sisi was very tempted to knee him in the groin for good measure, but he was the son of a wealthy man. She didn't want to get herself in trouble. Well, in more trouble than she already was.
"How dare you bite me!" Jung MingYu's face twisted in anger. Taking a step back, he slapped her across the face, thankfully on her unmarked side.
Sisi cried out, eyes squeezing shut as pain exploded. She didn't see the look of dismay on Jung MingYu's face, panic flitting across his face again.
"Look what you made me do!" He babbled. "It's your fault for biting me! I wouldn't have slapped you if you'd let me kiss you! I even offered to pay you!"
Sisi glared at him, one hand cupped to her throbbing cheek.
"I don't want your money!" She spat at him.
"You're a prostitute! Of course you want money!" He shouted back. "Of course you want this!"
He grabbed her breasts and squeezed them. It hurt.
"There, doesn't this feel good?"
"Let me go! You're too young for this!" It was the wrong thing to say.
"Everyone says that! I'm sick and tired of hearing that!" Grabbing the front of her robes with both hands, Jung MingYu pulled. She heard cloth tearing and felt stinging on her chest where his nails had caught her flesh.
"Stop it! Let me go!" She started struggling in earnest, her panicked eyes going to the doors.
Why wasn't Lan Ming back yet?
Or Lan-qianbei?
When the doors were flung open, she nearly sobbed in relief.
- o -
QiRen could hear both Sisi and Jung MingYu's voices as he neared the library. He sped up, covering the last dozen paces at a run, leaping onto the walkway and throwing the doors open.
It was like a horrible nightmare, Sisi pinned against the side of the large bookcase and struggling with Jung MingYu. Her robes were torn and he was-
How. Dare. He!
"JUNG MINGYU! UNHAND HER AT ONCE!"
The last time QiRen imbued his voice with spiritual energy was during Jin ZiXuan and Jiang YanLi's wedding. He had been deeply annoyed at Jin ZiXun's baseless accusations towards WuXian and used a small amount to make sure his voice carried through the hall and got everyone's attention.
He didn't even think this time.
Amplified by a blast of spiritual energy, his words came out as a thunderous roar that swept around the library, crackling the air and causing books to fall from the shelves. A few of the small tables near him skidded away and knocked into each other.
Jung MingYu froze, head twisting towards QiRen and eyes going wide with shock. Snatching his hands off Sisi, he turned to face the older man.
"M-Master Lan! What're you - I didn't do anything!" He pointed a shaking finger back at Sisi. "This prostitute led me on! She tried to seduce me!"
QiRen was still on autopilot. He didn't recall moving, but he was suddenly standing before Jung MingYu, fingers clenching in the neck of those colourful silk robes and wrist giving an abrupt twist. With a sharp in drawn breath, he lifted.
Jung MingYu's shoes dangled several inches off the floor. His hands started scrabbling at the neck of his robes as his face turned red and he started gasping for air.
"HOW DARE YOU TREAT A WOMAN LIKE THAT?!" QiRen shouted at him. His rage filled the room, an almost tangible presence.
"QiRen?"
"Sisi!" QiRen's burning eyes took in the way she sat on the floor, eyes huge and arms crossed over her chest. Her robes were torn from neck to waist and slipping off one shoulder. The red handprint on her pale cheek stood out, as did the faint finger-like bruises on her jaw. Above her rounded breasts were red scratches.
With a snarl, QiRen turned back to the struggling, choking man in his grasp and flung him away with another burst of spiritual energy. Jung MingYu sailed across the room and crashed into the large table in the corner where Sisi put all the books to be re-shelved. The impact caused the table to collapse, pieces of wood and books flying every which way.
There was a flash of blue at the entrance which QiRen would later realise was Bichen deflecting a chunk of broken wood.
"Uncle, what happened?"
"Sisi-jie!"
For now, he barely registered WangJi and WuXian's voices, just like he barely registered the former's hand on his arm and the latter hurrying past him.
The unfamiliar, towering rage inside him was still unsated, but it was tempered with the smothering, unwelcome knowledge that he might have gone a bit too far. He might have seriously injured Jung MingYu.
So why didn't he feel any remorse?
Two more people hurried inside the Library Pavilion.
"What happened here? Uncle? WangJi?" A shocked looking XiChen stood on QiRen's other side as GuangYao rushed over to Sisi.
"Uncle, what happened?" XiChen repeated in a louder voice, giving his arm a small shake.
QiRen pointed an accusing finger at the groaning figure lying splayed among the ruins of the table and books.
"I caught Jung MingYu in the act of molesting Madam Sisi," he denounced. He didn't even recognise his voice, so cold and terrible it sounded.
"Uncle." WangJi's voice was quiet, his grip on QiRen's arm firm and reassuring. "Xiongzhang and I will handle him. Please see to Madam Sisi."
QiRen closed his eyes, taking stock of his racing heart and throbbing head, his fluctuating qi, and how out of balance he felt. He took a few deep breaths before spinning on his heel, breaking his nephews' hold on his arms.
Sisi was still sitting on the floor, tears slipping down her pale face. WuXian and GuangYao were crouching on either side of her, the latter trying to dry her tears.
Without hesitation, QiRen went over and held her upper arms, pulling her to her feet and into his arms. She was trembling, her soft breaths hitching against his neck. He held her as tightly as he dared, soothing sounds that he had not uttered in more than a decade falling from his lips.
After a while, he turned to see his four nephews surrounding Jung MingYu who had sat up, still surrounded by books, one hand clutching at his head. The sight was a reassuring one even if QiRen refused to admit it.
"Well, well, well. It looks like someone thought he could do whatever he wanted." Wei WuXian had disappeared and in his place was the Yiling Patriarch, hair and robes rippling in an unseen breeze, lips curled in a terrifying smile. Faint wisps of dark energy swirled around him.
"Who are... but she's a prostitute!"
"No. Madam Sisi is family to me," GuangYao corrected. His face was a tight white mask, his narrowed eyes glittering like ice.
"To us all," XiChen corrected.
"Mn." WangJi agreed with a resolute nod.
"Ah! M-my my humblest apologies! I had no idea!"
"About what?" QiRen demanded. "That we consider her family?!"
Jung MingYu's terrified gaze slid over to him.
"O-of course! Otherwise I never would've touched her!"
"So you would molest any other woman you came across?" QiRen snarled at him.
"Well... uh, of course not! But she's a prostitute!"
QiRen's arms tightened around Sisi until she gave a squeak.
"That's enough! Take him to the Discipline Hall!" He ordered.
"Wait. Does that mean I can't kill him?" The Yiling Patriarch demanded, looking put out.
"Of course not," QiRen huffed although something small and very petty goaded him into adding, "No killing in the Library Pavilion."
"That's right. We don't want the books splashed with blood, do we?" WuXian's eyes flashed red, causing Jung MingYu to scoot away from him.
"On the other hand, there are no books in the Discipline Hall," GuangYao pointed out, his voice terrifyingly sweet.
"D-discipline Hall?" Jung MingYu stammered, still on his rear and attempting to scramble away, wide eyes going to the door.
"Take him there and wait for me," QiRen told the Twin Jades who nodded. With a hand on each arm, they dragged Jung MingYu off, paying no mind to his protests of pain and innocence, or his stumbling steps.
As soon as the doors closed behind them, the Yiling Patriarch turned back into a worried looking Wei WuXian while the cold Liang FangZun turned back into an equally worried Jin GuangYao.
"Are you alright?" QiRen asked Sisi who quickly moved away.
"Yes."
QiRen stripped off his outer robe and wrapped it around her, feeling only anger at the sight of her exposed bosom. WuXian and GuangYao who had hurried over averted their gazes at once.
Then the doors opened again.
"What happened?" Chen-yishi demanded as he entered. "I met XiChen and WangJi dragging someone off and looking like they want to run him through! They told me to come here."
As WuXian and GuangYao rushed over to update him, almost speaking over each other, QiRen helped Sisi to the nearest chair. His rage was dissipating and in its place was the growing realisation that he had handled this whole incident very poorly.
"QiRen." Chen-yishi touched his arm. "I suggest you go join your nephews before they kill that troublemaker."
"But," QiRen looked down at Sisi who had her head bowed. She was still trembling.
"It's alright," Chen-yishi assured him. "Lan JiaYing is on the way here so we'll look after her."
QiRen hesitated and glanced at WuXian and GuangYao who nodded at him, both looking rather subdued now. Then he looked down at Sisi whose head was still bowed.
Pressing his lips together, he turned and left the Library Pavilion. Lan JiaYing was hurrying up the path, but he barely responded to her bow.
- o –
Several hours later...
Jung MingYu had been taken home by his family in disgrace after a sound beating with the discipline rulers. Both XiChen and WangJi had demanded three hundred strokes but QiRen told the disciple in charge to administer fifty, something that made both Twin Jades look at him in disbelief.
QiRen felt Jung MingYu deserved that too, but how much of his opinion was impersonal and how much of it just prejudice?
Without being one hundred percent sure, it was better to err on the side of caution. Much to his surprise, when Master Jung arrived, he bowed and apologised for his son's behaviour. He also promised to bring him back - with a grander gift - for more lessons if Gusu Lan would give him another chance.
QiRen bowed back, declined the gift and replied they would discuss it at a later date. He didn't make any promises. He didn't dare to, not after his deplorable lack of control and that horrible, horrible moment when he had felt he could so very easily snap that young man's neck.
How had he come to this?
To lose so much of himself that he could snuff out a life just like that?
It went against everything he had been taught his whole life!
Jung MingYu wasn't even a committed lecher like Jin GuangShan or a criminal who would assault and kill for money. He was just a spoiled young man brought up with too much indulgence and too little discipline. He had been sent to Gusu to have good morals instilled in him by the famed teacher Lan QiRen... who had flung him across the room and had him crash into a table instead.
Truly, QiRen wanted to crawl into a hole somewhere and hide.
And yet, if he had remained calm, if he had just pulled Jung MingYu away and told his nephews to bring him to the Discipline Hall, he suspected he would have felt equally ashamed of his behaviour.
It was already ten at night, past curfew and long past dinner which he had skipped. He didn't feel hungry. He felt drained and empty and wretched. He found himself at the infirmary, nodding at the healer on duty and going down the long row of beds to the two private rooms at the end.
One door was wide open, indicating an empty bed while the other was slightly ajar. Slipping inside, QiRen stared down at the woman sleeping in the bed.
Once again, Sisi had been attacked.
Once again, he hadn't been in time to save her from injury.
Once again, she was in the infirmary.
With her long hair tied in a loose braid over one shoulder, she looked lovely and altogether too innocent despite her previous profession. QiRen made a face at his thoughts - how maudlin he sounded!
The slight sound behind him made him turn to see Chen-yishi entering the room.
"No sooner had I led your four nephews out than I find their uncle here instead," he said in lieu of a greeting, but his eyes twinkled.
"She's my responsibility," QiRen replied.
Chen-yishi chuckled and stroked his long, snowy beard.
"Still in denial then?" He asked and clapped him on the shoulder. "Well, I'm not the only one glad that love has found you at last, old friend."
He left without waiting for an answer which was good because QiRen - mouth hanging open - had none to give.
After a while, he settled down in the chair next to the bed, leaving the door half open for propriety. With nothing else to do, he was left to face the enormity of his actions and the sheer number of rules he had broken.
It seemed like he had done nothing but break rules ever since he brought Wei WuXian to Cloud Recesses and then later, turned a blind eye to XiChen doing the same for GuangYao.
Both WuXian and GuangYao had both found love, acceptance and a home here. But neither of them were Sisi.
QiRen heaved a heavy sigh as he gazed at the sleeping woman in the bed.
Just what was he to do about her now?
- Chapter End -
A/N: Thank you for reading! Please leave a review if you enjoyed this chapter and take care :)
Beta Notes:
JMY's parents: Ah yes. We have sent off our son to be under the tutelage of the famed Lan Qiren, whose decades of experience and wisdom shall no doubt turn him into an upstanding cultivator of impeccable morals!
Meanwhile in the Cloud Recesses...
LQR: You hurt my lady! *YEET*
