New Clothes and Warnings
Qinghe Nie...
Wuxian has never been here before as he got off the sword with Wangji. They had occasional stopovers to replenish energy for travel, eat and sleep.
So he was unfamiliar with the place.
He was given a designated Guest Room next to the Lans and a tour as he had never been here before.
'So given the whole freaking clan, how many members of Nie Bloodline are here?' Wuxian asked Huaisang. 'I must only teach this to the clan members, not disciples. This ritual has corruption potential if tweaked right, I can't just trust this to anyone.' he said as they had a bath together after a long trip.
'Well, about eight uncles, 22 around dage's age, and 15 cousins.' said Huaisang. 'Male and Female combined.'
'That's good...no outsiders learning this, OK?'
'Yeah, I told dage beforehand who told everyone long ago.' Huaisang grinned.
After a bath, they got dressed in their rooms.
But upon coming out?
'Er, Wei-xiong? What outfit is that?' The Lan brothers stared at Wuxian's very colorful blue kimono with white lilies and a yellow obi. His long hair in a high ponytail with a yellow ribbon. On his feet were socks and...what footwear is that?(lacquered zori)
'Oh this? I was in Dongying for a year when I was thirteen! It's an island country east of Gusu and explored the place. I went back there again last year to buy new clothes before school year began.' he explained. 'I got curious and bought some since the merchant said it'll look good on me.' Wuxian twirled and the brothers and passing-by servants can SEE that it's clearly, a GIRL'S outfit! Their expressions were hilarious comedy gold.
Wuxian cackled. Trolling them is so much fun!
In their opinion on the other hand, he must be a gullible tourist tricked into buying women's clothes...
Is it OK not to say a word lest they embarrass the poor kid?
Xichen looked at his brother who mentally shut-down. Poor soul.
'L-let's go to dinner, we'll be late.' Xichen forced a smile on his face before tugging an immovable brother. 'Wangji? Wangji?'
'Zhan-zhan?' Wuxian wondered why Wangji froze.
The second jade was in shock.
'Ahhhh Lan-gongzi! Zhan-zhan froze! What do we do?!'
Xichen felt, "This must be suffering." he thought with a really strained smile.
xxx
Dinner...
Tons of jaws dropped when the boys came.
And the disaster that was Wei Wuxian.
"WHAT THE HELL?!"
'Oh hell, we can't leave him alone too long...' Huaisang moaned in a long-suffering voice. 'Wei-xiong, what is that outfit? Another buy from Dongying?' he croaked out weakly as he and Jiang Cheng had in a way, 'traveled' to Dongying in Wuxian's tales about his travels.
'Yes! It's stylish right? Zhan-zhan was shocked he froze into a statue! It must be that good!' Wuxian chirped as eyes rolled toward Wangji who was RED and the elders had a sinking feeling about their second heir...'I'll pay that merchant a visit again after work and buy Zhan-zhan an outfit!'
'Er, the thought is nice Wei-xiong, but as long as he is of Lan Sect, he must wear our enchanted clothes.' Xichen has to prevent his brother wearing a DRESS.
'Awww too bad, they woulda looked good on him...' Wuxian pouted.
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" everyone thought, wide-eyed in freak-out.
Dinner was real food, to the delight of Huaisang and Wuxian. REAL, tasty food! Yum!
It was business from there onwards.
Discussions and stipulations due to justified fears...and it took about three months to master it all.
And each day, Wuxian has a different kimono to boot...just how many did he have, exactly?
And during that time, Wuxian had his own sword made, with the blade just like a katana's, but a double-edged one. But the handle and guard was like that of his old Suibian...and named his katana just that.
On their last day...
'So Wei-xiong, what will you do in the meantime?' Huaisang asked him.
'Like I said, I'm going back to Dongying.' said Wuxian. 'They also sell good fans there!' Huaisang perked up at that.
'Really?! Bring me some home?' Huaisang pleaded with puppy-dog eyes complete with clasped hands.
'Haha, alright alright~' Wuxian then looked at Wangji. 'How about you Zhan-zhan? Want anything from Dongying?' Wangji was surprised he was even in the running.
'...herbs.'
'Herb seeds it is!'
Because of the travel route, Wuxian had to go with the Lans, just so he could go to a pier in Gusu and head east to Dongying...where Wuxian remained to cultivate.
Fun Fact: Dongying's culture is so primitive. And status quo here, is worse than back in his country that the people SUFFER. And a woman's lot in life here is much worse.
That, and there's no cultivators here too, thus Dongying is very rich in high-class Feng Shui areas. He has no rivals!
Thus in Mt. Osore, he cultivated there...until it's time for the events to kick in.
xxx
Wen Qing shivered.
She got a long letter from a Wei Wuxian when she was 15.
That means he was four years younger than her, same age as her A-Ning.
He warned her of future events and he hoped that he prevents THEIR deaths by hopefully her listening to him.
That long letter was a tale of horrible events yet to come, and it's clear Wei Wuxian was embittered by the greedy clans who used them all as scapegoats to force his hand, and in his anger, blew up the seal to deny their greed as he plunged to his death to deny them the 'so-called right' to be a hero by killing him.
1. Do NOT get Wen Ruohan's attention. Talented, prodigious doctor she was that he kept her close at all times. If she was an unknown, she and her branch can easily disappear. Resources and all!
2. Get a good surname and easily fake a family tree, and pretend to be 'sect-less'. Go south, to an untaken territory.
3. His deepest regret was A-Yuan, a child born from Uncle Four's family. He had hidden the toddler among a pile of tree trunks and told him to stay quiet...what became of him upon his death?
This time, Wuxian won't do shit as long as Wen Qing's and the Jiang family will be alright, out of his revenge towards the Sects for the injustice wrought upon them both. And he will never get over A-Yuan's death.
He was a toddler who was orphaned at the get-go. Father died from Wen Chao's irresponsible Night Hunts and mother died from childbirth. That was what granny told him while they lived in the Burial Mounds.
To her horror, the Qishan Wen Conference and that Archery Competition happened. And who the winners are in WHAT order.
Chilled to the core, she gathered her family...and told them of that one letter she got in her maidenhood.
And one event already came to pass and began preparing her clan for the worst before trouble comes at their doorstep, armed with the Core-Melting Hand.
Because she was Dafen Leader which she ensured, her word, is LAW.
She's not taking chances.
xxx
18 years old Wei Wuxian returned from Dongying, now a Low Body Recreation and a step away from Upper Gold Core. He would prioritize Body Cultivation as he sought out Jin Guangshan's 'records'.
He found a little boy of age 11 called Mo Xuanyu, the youngest of that bastard's spawn.
His mother, Mo-erguniang was the second daughter to her father, born to a servant than his legal wife. She was to be 'married off quickly', but it was at age 16 when Jin Guangshan fancied her, earning her the envy of everyone in Mo Village...he seduced her and provided the Mo family with plenty of gifts and aid. As a result, the entire village began to envy Mo-erguniang. She bore Jin Guangshan one son, Mo Yu. However, the promiscuous Jin Guangshan eventually grew tired of her and ceased visiting after Mo Xuanyu turned four, the last thing he gave was his courtesy name.
Gradually, Mo Village again began to disdain the Second Lady of Mo. She, in turn, refused to believe that Jin Guangshan would simply abandon his son.
Poor woman suffered a fair-weather situation.
Thus he befriended young Xuanyu. And the kid weirdly enough, resembled his old face in the past timeline so Mo-erguniang must have descended from his father's family. The resemblance is so uncanny so this was more to his interest. While he's still young, might as well educate the kid, thus he dressed like a Rogue Cultivator and began training him. The younger the better for a good Golden Core.
'I cannot thank you enough!' Mo-erguniang sobbed in tears, grateful to him. 'Please give my son what he needs that to my shame, I cannot give him...not with the way our life is now!' she looked haggard, and damn-near stressed due to her treatment. How society is fickle indeed!
'I understand your situation, Mo-erguniang.' said Wuxian kindly and in sympathy. Every woman Jin Guangshan touched, suffers. She was no different from them. 'As a parting gift, I will heal your body of your suffering.' he said, reaching to her withered hand...and caused his qi to flow into her and rejuvenated her skin and her sagging flesh, firming her up as if she 'lost years' as she regained her beauty. 'While I will educate your son, its best that for his peace of mind about your well-being, that I move your residence to Gusu. I have a good friend there who will surely help you if I ask. A little warning, their food is very medicinal in taste.' Wuxian chuckled. 'But it will be very good for your harmed organs that suffered from stress and malnutrition.'
'B-but Guangshan might come back for me one day...'
'Your son comes first.' Wuxian smiled. 'How can he focus on his education and training while he worries about your treatment in this residence?'
'A-niang, please...' Xuanyu begged. 'We waited for seven years now...if he truly cared about us, a subordinate should have kept an eye on us and not allowed everyone to mistreat us! He should have rescued us!' he exclaimed before choking, 'But he never came...'
Mo Xiuyi, the erguniang's lower lip trembled...her son has a good opportunity but to do so, she must leave with them and find work elsewhere where she would be treated right, so her son is assured of her good health and he can study without worrying about her.
'A-alright...please give me time to pack up.'
Score.
Wuxian has been feeding manipulative suggestions in her mind. Lucky for her he's doing the right thing, that he wasn't some asshole.
And thus, mother and son vanished without anyone the wiser.
xxx
Gusu, days later...
'So regarding your letter, indeed, we have a space for Mo-erguniang to work in as well as dormitory residence with fellow servants.' said Lan Qiren. Wuxian rescued the mother and son from a horrible situation regardless of whether or not Jin Guangshan got into her life. He also took in Mo Xuanyu as his apprentice as the boy looks too much like Wuxian's father despite the boy's paternity that given the situation, Mo-erguniang must be distantly-related to him somehow but he had no way of proving it.
Whether or not, its still best to keep the boy away from bad influence.
'She can work as a Laundry Maid since Aunt San retired from a bad back and not many are willing to work here due to ahem, our too many rules.' he stated with a twitch. 'Dorm and food are provided for free, and her salary as Laundry Maid is 8 silver wen a week.'
That was to their disbelief.
'Teacher, that makes people who refuse to work here outright idiots!' Wuxian's eyes popped out. 'A laundry maid's salary even in a wealthy city is a pitiful 2 silver! What more for a gardener?!'
'I know that's generous, but there's so much of us here, daily training and daily replacing of clothing that its not a weekly laundry here that justifies that pittance of a salary...up here is laundry every two days.' Qiren explained. 'Such hard work warrants a good compensation so workers will stay.'
'How about it, Mo-erguniang?' Wuxian asked Mo Xiuyi who nodded.
'Safety, and good security...I'd be a fool to turn that down.' she said. 'A-Yu, a-niang will be alright here, so do well under Wuxian-laoshi, alright? Don't worry about me anymore. I'm in good hands.' she cooed to her son who nodded.
'A-Yu will work hard under laoshi, a-niang!' Xuanyu beamed, relieved that their life changed for the better.
'Only 18 and you're already a teacher.' Qiren chuckled at his alumni fondly.
'Well, my master in Dongying said I have the knack for it after helping out his newcomers.' said Wuxian.
'Oh, so you learned a sword-style there?'
'Yes. Dongying has no cultivational sects there, they have no idea of this power and given the culture of that country, like hell I'm spreading cultivation there...very bad idea. That country's warriors have a tendency of maiming or killing for petty reasons.' Wuxian shuddered. 'Try going there for an adventure sometime, you'll see why that country doesn't deserve this power.' he said darkly. 'The only good thing about that country is food and their stylish clothes! You'll have to master their language though. Its different.'
'Maybe its best not to go back there then.' Qiren deadpanned as he had a maid take away Mo Xiuyi for a tour around the recesses.
'Is Zhan-zhan available? I did promise him Dongying Herbs...' Wuxian mused. 'He's my last stop before I start A-Yu's education.'
'He should be by the Cold Springs. He seems adamant on mastering Bone Refining.'
'I'll go to him there then, laoshi.'
xxx
Cold Springs...
The walk there, amazed Xuanyu as Cloud Recesses was beautiful.
'Its beautiful here...' Xuanyu sighed wistfully, admiring the scenery. 'It's like stepping into fairytale land.'
'Yeah. Fresh air and closer to nature because its monk founder states that the sect must be one with nature to live with a clean body, mind and heart.' Wuxian explained. 'Just that, there's 3000 rules here.' Xuanyu choked.
'3000?' he squeaked.
'Yup. Thankfully, us Guest Students only learn 1/3 of those rules...we only have one year here y'know. By the time you get back, maybe your mom memorized all 3000. Hahahaha...' Wuxian joked, making the child with him sputter.
'Laoshi!'
'Wei Ying.' Wangji greeted. His friend is...dressed as ODDLY as ever. This time, in white upper robe and red pleated trousers.
'Hi, Lan Zhan~' Wuxian chimed as Xuanyu saw the most handsome man(in his opinion) in his life. 'Miss me?' he asked, glomping the man who stiffened and looked awkward. 'And I heard the big news! First Place in Qishan's Archery Competition~! Oh yeah, I got the herb seeds from Dongying and a manual on how to care for em' properly! Though where will you plant them though? And I got a good trick with this one mushroom...it's medicinal too just as how it's good in soup...'
However, Wuxian left Wangji a warning regarding Cloud Recesses...Wuxian overheard some Wen Disciples intending to burn Cloud Recesses.
'Is this for real?'
'On my way to adopt a duckling, yes.' said Wuxian. 'The books you have are the real target for daring to have more tomes than the Wen Sect, so empty your library and run away with it and raise your defenses. I have no idea how they'll attack as the morons were drunk while bragging about it.' he said darkly before sighing, looking apologetic. 'It's all I have. Sorry Zhan-zhan.'
'...its better than nothing. At least we have a time and date.' Wangji was grateful to him while anxious.
'I couldn't tell laoshi earlier since my lousy memory struck, and I remembered just now since your house is near the library...'
'...maybe you need medicinal herbs for memory improvement.' Wangji advised. 'Or your style affects your mind not just through your feelings. Maybe you need another cleansing.' he sighed as his friend forgot something so important! His home will get attacked after two months since the Archery Competition?!
'Ehehehe...'
Needless to say, Wuxian had to deal with upset Lans afterward.
xxx
Lotus Pier...
'A-Cheng! You got gifts!' Fengmian called out, receiving a package from a courier.
'Oh! That means that guy's back from abroad.' Jiang Cheng mused as he got...quite the box. 'Wonder what he sent me?'
Upon opening the box, there was a letter on top of souvenir items.
When he read it...he was horrified. 'A-die! Look at this!' he choked out as he nearly shoved the letter to his father's face. Fengmian, wondering what terrified his son so, looked at the letter, scanning it with his eyes and he wasn't too happy.
'It looks like a storm is headed our way.' he said. 'A-Cheng, go with your sister to Meishan Yu and stay there while telling them of our...incoming situation. Your mother and I will do the rest.'
'But...'
'A-Cheng, you and your sister must survive. Promise me?'