The Frail Princess of Lotus Pier

Yunmeng Jiang Sect has two children.

One of whom was dying from a severe fever no child her age could survive from.

Her parents are frantically dreading the worst while caring for a two year old little boy Cheng.

But miraculously, Jiang Yanli survived her fever, bringing relief to her tearful parents.

'Our daughter is a fighter, sanniang.' said Jiang Fengmian in relief to his crying wife. 'She attempted the impossible when we all thought the worst.'

Unknown to the tearful parents, its a different soul inside.

"...two adults are crying for me...and did that man just call me his daughter?" the girl wondered weakly, still weak.

However, memories of another girl assaulted her.

She reincarnated after dying from cold, hunger and her illness in the Ancestral Hall in her old self as Huang Beiyue, the trash princess of Nanyi Country.

And now she's reborn as this couple's frail daughter Jiang Yanli.

"Ahh...I'm jealous...Jiang Yanli, you have a kind father while mine could care less about me while using MY money for himself and his favorites..."

And she closed her eyes.

xxx

She recovered from her high fever as her parents doted on their children. But relationship wise, her parents are distant from each other. Even living in separate wings far from each other.

She resembled her father Jiang Fengmian. The Jiang flows true in her due to her looks. Her father was a definite improvement to Xiao Yuancheng who was cold towards her and acted as if she was never his child for she was weak. Jiang Fengmian wasn't the type to show physical affection, he shows it in emotional ways. But he was distant from her mother.

Her mother has a cold and assertive personality, and a natural at sneering. Even if she cares for her children, marital life is definitely NOT bliss between her parents! Due to this, everyone in the sect calls her Madam Yu, not Madam Jiang as was proper. It was because at a time her father 'was vulnerable', Meishan Yu Sect pressured him to marry their third daughter to create an alliance. A minor sect, but gained enough power to pressure one of the Great Five...if only because out of the five Sect Leaders, he was the only one still single...and was in love with someone else, but unrequited. Thus her mother is...perpetually-irate on him, domineering on everyone else, but only shows her soft side to her twin maids, and her.

This was because she was born premature that resulted in her being sickly and frail.

She has a little brother called Cheng.

He's thankfully no Xiao Rou that she grew to love her toddler brother. She was two years older than him.

As he grew up, he inherited their mother's beauty. He was a sweet little boy as a child.

She remembers how her mother Princess Royal raised her, thus had a hand in giving her brother Cheng'er 'proper royal attitude'. She had met Prince Zhanye as a child...before she became a disliked existence for being weak. She taught him how to be like her cousin Zhanye...the Zhanye she remembered before...well...

At age six, her lessons began.

She wasn't an idiot nor an ignorant fool as the Xiaos made her out to be...

...that came to be when she began to become sickly days after mother died.

Her body and mind became weak.

Before that as a healthy girl, she may not be capable of martial arts for being unable to cultivate, but she was as sharp-witted as her mother.

Language is thankfully the same as well as Math.

But she never heard that stuff in Taixue College in Lingyang School being considered as 'Six Gentleman Arts' or 'Four Scholarly Arts' here...

Cultivation is also different. While same beginning as nurturing one's meridians before one can open their dantian, here, mature your meridians until it bears a Golden Core. The earlier formed the better. Golden cores can store and control spiritual energy. After the core was formed, the cultivator's level of cultivation would increase at a rapid speed, and become better and better. Else, they would only be a low-end cultivator. Not only that, being a cultivator will bring out the best traits in the body, hopefully BEFORE twelve years old. Either you become handsome or beautiful! You don't need tons of vanity pills for it! And lifespan increases as aging slows down. You can even manipulate your body to retain its prime if powerful enough.

In her world, it's 'breaking through levels' within the Dantian and spending unholy amounts of money on pills for cultivation and cosmetics. That, and no matter how strong you are, you're no immortal. You still die of natural causes IF you're that lucky.

This new world of hers had it easier. And due to what her soul was that still follows the rules of her world, cultivating was 'stupidly easy' for her hence. But she kept it a secret while she actively cultivates.

Manners and Attitude are also different. But a lot worse here!

A woman's lot in life here is SEVERELY UNDERPRIVILEGED compared to her world, unless you're a cultivator. Back home, you can do anything you want if you're strong. You have respect, admiration, and envy towards you regardless of gender.

No Royal Family here. It's the Great Five Sects who run the show.

Her Yunmeng Jiang in Jingchu Region.

Qishan Wen in Qiling Region.

Qinghe Nie in Hebei Region.

Lanling Jin in Qilu Region.

And Gusu Lan in Jiangnan Region.

They have minor sects subordinate to them too. Baling Ouyang and Ezhou Ye.

She and Cheng were raised to have the 'attitude' a clan heir and daughter should have. Or what mother thinks they should have, but Yanli curbs it so he doesn't grow up domineering.

Her lessons? Aside from manners and etiquette as well as cultivating to improve her health by having spiritual energy in her frail body, so sickness won't affect her again, even if she would be 'too frail to wield a sword' nor cast magic. What matters is her very life and her ability to 'live normally'.

Are they joking?

Such a good wish would be good, if her era lived a life of peace as was ideal.

But in a world of cultivators, being weak, is out of the question!

The Great Five Sects are the equivalent of royalty. If she is weak, she is easy hostage material against her new family.

Her curriculum was unorthodox on her own wishes.

Language and Calligraphy, Mathematics, Music, Board Games, Rites and Painting. And being a proper lady, she took Sewing and Embroidery, Medicine and Cooking Classes because she was amazed of this world's food. She also studied what Cultivators do, if only through reading. She designs dresses as she didn't like designs here, and asks her parents to have tailors make them for her in jiang design and colors. Astonished by her designs, Yu Ziyuan was all for it for her daughter to own cute clothes.

And techniques here are so primitive, hers was modern. There's more to do with qi!

Her world's food is plainly roasted, grilled, boiled and steamed, as is. Soups gain the natural flavors of meat, vegetables and simply added with salt. THAT WAS IT.

Here, the food is awesome. Very flavorful. She wished Dongling was here with her to enjoy these pleasures too.

Dongling was her sole regret. She was left behind in that cruel household.

Thus she doted on her little brother who sought her for comfort after a day of 'strict teaching' when he turned six.

However, something happened that got her mother in an explosive snit. A lot of yelling that she dragged her brother to hide in her room while she checks out what's going on.

Apparently, father's old friends died in a night hunt and their son Wei Ying was all alone and at large, and her father is looking for him that got his mother VERY UNHAPPY because Wei Ying's mother, is Cangse Sanren, her father's first love.

'Father.' Yanli approached her father in his office. He was looking outside the windows of his office.

'What is it A-Li?'

'About Cheng'er...why must he be so pressured in schoolwork? Stress at a young age is bad.' she said. 'I learn at my own pace much better with a clearer mind I learn better and get more results. Cheng'er could not focus in class and he's afraid he comes crying to me every after class.'

'That's your mother, not my doing.' Fengmian sighed. 'Pressure will never do anyone good.'

'Try to give him positive encouragement. It will mean a lot more from you than from me.' said Yanli. 'Heavy Pressure is never the way. Mother started her harsh pressures on him last week. Something about...comparing him to this Wei Ying person and he never even met him yet mother is pitting him against someone he doesn't know or met...'

Her father sported a dark look on his face that got her gulping.

'Is that so...'

'Yes...can you please encourage Cheng'er in a good way to lift the pressure off him? He's Sect Heir I know but the way things are, lessons will never sink in because fear is most dominant in his mind. The mother he knew as a child changed into something scary he's now afraid of her.' that got her father upset.

'Did you try talking to mother about this?'

'I tried but she said Cheng'er cannot afford to be weak or else.' said Yanli. 'That I understand but we all have our time and pace. Life isn't a race. Just how did mother grow up in Meishan Yu anyway that she's raising Cheng'er in immense pressure and comparing him to someone we never even met?'

'I'll hear from A-Cheng to have an idea.' Fengmian said wearily.

'Spend time with Cheng'er so he'll know that at least he can count on you letting him breathe.' Yanli advised. 'The way things are, he'll grow up knowing nothing but pressure without support until one day he'll snap. And he'll blame and hate this Wei Ying who most likely, doesn't even know what happens here while he's out there somewhere living freely.'

Fengmian chuckled.

'How did I get lucky to have a wise daughter?'

'Well...I nearly died for it.'

Her father winced at her words. His efforts to look for his friends' son made Sanniang groom his son to hate Wei Ying if his daughter's words were any indication.

He has to undo the damage.

xxx

Fengmian looked for his son who was sulking by the wooden pathways near the lotuses, hugging his knees.

'A-Cheng.' Jiang Cheng stiffened like a deer sighted by predator and looked at him nervously. This did not paint a good picture at all. "That sanniang..." he swore as his son, is terrified of him too. 'Let's talk a bit out here, shall we?' he said kindly to his son. Jiang Cheng nodded feebly as Fengmian sat with his son. 'I heard from A-Li your mother took over your lessons?'

'Mm.' Jiang Cheng nodded. 'She insisted on teaching me herself. But...'

He portrayed his classes as 'super strict' and when he can't answer, he gets yelled at while whacking a horse crop on the desk. Fengmian supposed he's the one to blame for his son's situation as his wife makes two little boys fight her imagined rivalry for her between her and Cangse as he is looking for her son.

'I'll deal with your mother alright? A-Li told me what's going on for you so I'll change things for you.' Fengmian promised kindly to his son. 'And let's not tell her A-Li has a hand in this, OK?'

'Mm...if she knows she might yell at jiejie too...' Jiang Cheng shivered. 'Jiejie was the only good thing I've got after school.'

He most likely thought he can't come to him after sanniang terrified him, Fengmian thought that A-Cheng is afraid of his parents and relies on his sister for relief as a result.

At this rate, A-Cheng cannot embody 'attempt the impossible', if he is crippled so young in his heart.

Thus he put Jiang Cheng back in his normal classes to grow up with his peers while Ziyuan is out, and 'A-Cheng, as Sect Leader, what I say goes regarding a Disciple's upbringing OK? All changes go through me first.' he told his son. 'We are Jiang. We are free spirits who live life honestly and unrestrained in our pursuits for doing good. Your mother teaches as if she's still in Meishan Yu. Must be super-strict there but Lotus Pier is not Meishan Yu's Osmanthus Manor. Remember that you are a Jiang and protected by Jiang alright? Anything wrong, come to me.'

His son looked relieved! He slowly smiled shyly and hope returned to his face. He may look like his mother, but that expression may be what could have been, if his wife wasn't such a bitter woman.

'O-OK...'

'Back to the normal classroom with you alright? I'll talk to Instructor Feng about this.' he promised. 'Go take a bath now, it's almost time for dinner.'

Life changed for his son...but when his wife came back, Fengmian noted that his daughter quickly took her brother away. Fengmian braced himself for yet another argument.

xxx

Yanli's room...

'Jiejie, mother's back.' said Jiang Cheng, snuggling into his sister's arms while on her bed.

'Father already knows. He'll make things better.' Yanli cooed to him. 'Let's stay here till dinner time, OK?'

That argument brought life to rumors thanks to talkative servants that just got Yu Ziyuan so furious when the entire Yunmeng is talking about their latest argument that put her in a bad light everyone was sure all sects will know that she punished all servants with one strike from a discipline whip for no one dare admit who leaked what happened and Fengmian was furious as their servants are NOT cultivators to withstand a strike from a Discipline Whip that all of them were in such pain they could not get up nor function that doctors worked overtime to help the servants heal and Lotus Pier is severely understaffed as a result that senior disciples volunteered to help keep Lotus Pier running. He even had to call Lan Qiren for his Sect's healing specialties!

Fengmian was forced to heftily compensate the servants in their severance pay who would be feeling the pain 'for the rest of their life' even if they can move again. Qiren did the best he could, that he spent a month in Lotus Pier until the whipped servants no longer felt spiritual pain but numb in the welts forever. That was the best thing they could get.

This was also an unsaid lesson to never gossip ever again from Yu Ziyuan. She lost so much face that she just got angrier but it was her own doing and Fengmian sent her to her maiden home for four years to 'clear her mind' and 'think where she is now'. Because in marriage, the bride adapts to her new family's ways and she clearly didn't make the effort!

And Fengmian raised Cheng to heal his heart while he's still young on his daughter's insistence which helped his confidence...and told his children about his late friends. The unadulterated truth that they shouldn't listen to gossips. His wish was that they treat Wei Ying as a brother should he finally find him. He sends monthly letters to his in-laws as unlike his wife, they at least, 'have a clear head', informing them of the progress of their grandkids.

True to Yanli's advice, Cheng grew better without pressure on him.

It helps that he was with his peers as by being with his peers, it helps the disciples form their opinion of him without any bias, as well as them getting close to each other and develop camaraderie while Yanli raises Cheng to have Zhanye's good traits, before he began scorning her for her inability like everyone in her old world does.

'Had it been me and your mother dead, they will surely take you in as I would have done their son.' said Fengmian. 'Cultivators who fight for what's right, is a rare breed these days...this is why I'm teaching you and the disciples right. The Lan Sect who also fights for what's right, are a little too shackled by all their 3000 rules...thus it falls to us free spirits to be flexible in that regard.'

At age ten, Yanli got her core. The first female Jiang in history to do so, at a younger age no less, making her future promising. But she cannot do physical training, unless cleared to do so by Doctors. She will be reliant on her cultivation to 'rebuild her body anew'. From frail girl to healthy girl. She'll have to be age 14 or 15 to even start training once her qi rebuilt her body anew.

This was prodigious, because 'Yanli's soul follows the rules of her world regarding harnessing qi that she cultivates faster.

A year later...

Fengmian finally found Wei Ying. A child the same age as Cheng, but woefully tiny due to malnutrition! The new clothes he has, clearly don't fit even if its meant for a...seven year old child. Still too big!

'I found him in an unmapped town in Yiling...I didn't know that town existed till now.' Fengmian sighed. 'Who knows how many unmapped settlements existed unknown to cultivators that such towns are in spiritual neglect...' he said in dismay to the healers. 'All he has on him is a rattle drum...no doubt from his parents that he treasures.'

He put his Seniors to task to find unmapped towns and include them in the maps, so that Yunmeng Jiang can truly cover their entire region for real, while annoyed that Town and Village Mayors didn't report the new settlements they built. Was it a wonder that as they don't know they existed, help never gets to them?

Wei Ying was to eat healthy for one year to grow properly. But easy-to-eat foods for now...

So it's boiled wheat bowl, steamed soft vegetables, tofu and eggs for him as Yanli instructed the cooks until he's strong enough for other foods and meat.

Another problem was that Wei Ying was terrified of dogs to the point of panic attacks.

Yanli's solution?

'Exposure Therapy.' little by little, start with letting Wei Ying see dogs and hear them bark until he no longer cries in fear thus he sees Jasmine, Princess and Love every day until they are close enough...until he can pet them without 'running for the hills'.

This is supervised, of course...

By the time Yu Ziyuan can finally return to Lotus Pier, Wei Ying was no longer afraid of dogs and begun cultivating as well as started his lessons. He was way behind his peers and starts from basics with kids younger than him.

'So, that brat is here.' Yu Ziyuan glared at Wei Ying from afar, playing with her children.

'Had it been us who are dead, they will do the favor of taking in A-Li and A-Cheng.' said Fengmian sternly. 'We must raise them and our disciples to do right as Cultivators outside home are shameful these days...only acting for money and fame, forgetting that we all began to protect people. Our kind are a dying breed, thus we must attempt the impossible and raise our Sect right. And everyone's now busy. The Seniors taking all cases from low to high-levels.'

'You unearthed 50 unknown towns and 35 unknown villages that just sprouted like mushrooms?' and that was because he found Wei Ying in a town he didn't know existed till now! A town not in any map in Yiling! It was why it took him three years to find the kid!

'Yes. I had to emphasize the situation in last week's conference in Lanling Jin that population is growing, unknown settlements building yet not reporting their existence to the nearest Sect thus unfortunately overlooked as a result, that I had to recommend a thorough combing of their regions so no settlement is unknowingly ignored in their hour of need. I know the Lans will do just that, but will anybody else do the same?'

'Yeah, right, that just means extra coin in their purses regarding annual Protection Taxes.' Ziyuan deadpanned cynically. 'They're not doing it for justice.'

'Sadly you're right, but at least nobody will get ignored. I just hope outsiders will actually do their jobs instead of doing it only for money or fame. Heroes always die so I don't believe in Heroics these days. People playing Hero are the worst sort of fools and my Sect is no bunch of fools.'