Ch28

When Wei Ying woke up in the morning he felt like he had been run over by a horse….repeatedly. His arms ached, his legs ached, not to mention his chest from all the biting Lan Zhan had done the night before. He felt drained of energy like he hadn't slept at all. What on earth got into him last night he wondered to himself, still half awake. It was then he realised that the bed was actually cold. Turning over, trying not to wince, he saw it was empty. Lan Zhan rose at the same, ridiculously early, time every day so it wasn't surprising he had already woken. What was surprising though was that Lan Zhan didn't seem to be anywhere in the room.

Wei Ying got out of the cold bed and looked round. There was a basin of water on one side and some food left on the table, obviously left for him. But other than that there was no sign on Lan Zhan at all. Getting dressed quickly Wei Ying washed his face in the basin but ignored the food he ignores me for days, he jumps me for sex when he's drunk, then he ignores me again, That's not happening! Wei Ying thought grumpily to himself as he dried his face and dumped the cloth by the basin before leaving the room completely.

Walking back to his own room was a little uncomfortable, he was trying to walk as normally as possible but the soreness left by the night before as well as the sticky liquids that had dried on his skin, made it almost impossible. When he did arrive back at his room he quickly called for someone to fetch him a bath and some hot water. While waiting to clean up he tried to take his mind off the confusing problem with Lan Zhan lately but thinking about something a lot more pleasing. Today was the day he was going to meet his sister. Today was the day he had been looking forward too for weeks and no one, not even a grumpy Lan Zhan, was going to ruin it for him.

After having a long, hot bath and cleaning himself thoroughly he felt better. Finally getting changed into a clean set of Gusu disciple robes he tucked a small item he had bought for his sister in between the inner and outer robes for security. He had found the gift yesterday and thought it would suit his sister perfectly, it was something she could wear if she chose or simply put away if she didn't. Smiling like the world was suddenly perfect he set out for the selected spot of the meeting with a spring in his step he couldn't remember having for a long time.

The meeting place was a small inn the other side of the town. This was where YanLi had been staying and it had a small courtyard for eating and meeting friends out the back. This courtyard had already been booked exclusively for the Lan/Jiang meeting that was taking place, so even though he got a few strange looks as he walked through the inn into the back courtyard no one tried to stop him. Everyone had been expecting the great HanGuang Jun to show up for the meeting so when an unknown cultivator appeared instead it raised a few eyebrows. However the man was obviously of the Lan Sect so no one interfered.

As soon as he walked into the small courtyard Wei Ying couldn't help be rooted to the floor unable to move. YanLi sat there looking at him, the smile on her face seemed to outshine the sun. His sister was here, finally here in front of him. It was only at this moment when he saw her in person he realised just how much he had missed her. Trying to walk forwards, but succeeding in only half stumbling, he headed for the table. As YanLi stood to embrace him, he could only fall to his knees at her feet and fight back the growing sobs.

"A-Xian has not been a worthy brother'…..he said quietly trying to hold back the tidal wave of emotion. 'A-Xian has made sister worry. Sister believed in me and I made her worry. Sorry!'

It was only as he muttered the 'sorry!' that he realised he had lost the battle his emotions and tears were running freely down his cheeks. YanLi appeared in front of him and took him in her arms, her thin arms hugging him with all the love and warmth they were capable of.

'Shhhh A-Xian' she soothed gently as she stroked his back 'I will always believe in you…...and you have never, ever been unworthy!'

"Her certainty seemed to surge through him, beating back the fear and worthlessness he felt in her presence. However it made him want cry even harder, he thought he had found this kind of acceptance with Lan Zhan and the Wen's but he only here, now, did he realise the soothing influence his sister could have on his heart. She loved him without ever expecting anything from him, he was so undeserving of her. As he unsteadily rose to his feet he took her hands and pulled her up with him. They both smiled at each other as they sat at the table, unsure where to begin the conversation. So much to speak about but unsure how to begin. Seeing YanLi reach for the cups and teapot in the centre of the table Wei Ying reached up and grabbed it first. YanLi's only response to this was to raise her eyes to his and pull off the half scowl that he remembered as meaning 'your being naughty again aren't you'. In response Wei Ying simply finished pouring out two cups of tea and presented one to his sister as he smiled with look of his own YanLi knew too well meant 'Yes'.

This silent exchange seemed to break the ice between them and after taking a sip of tea YanLi spoke up, although her voice was full of concern.

'How are you A-Xian? Are you happy in the Cloud Reccess?'

Wei Ying smiled happily at the obvious concern his sister had for him.

'I'm fine sister. They all look after me well there. No one even knows I'm alive outside of a few people. I'm very safe.

YanLi placed a hand over his tracing his fingers as if reminding herself he was actually there.

'I asked A-Cheng to look for you but he said he couldn't. No one else would even listen, they all said you were dead, they all said you deserved to be dead. Only Second Young Master Lan believed you were still alive and would help me look for you.'

Seeing the tears welling up in her eyes Wei Ying leant forwards and gently wiped them away.

'I'm here!' He said gently 'I'm alive, I'm healthy and I'm safe'

YanLi nodded and took another sip from her teacup to give herself a moment to get her emotions back under control before she spoke again.

'Why do they hate you A-Xian? Why does everyone want you dead? I know you did a few things wrong but that doesn't make you a monster and it certainly doesn't make you someone people can kill like an animal.'

'I am not someone they can control sister.' Wei Ying began, speaking quietly but seriously. 'I cultivate in a different way to everyone else, I think for myself and won't blindly follow everyone else's thoughts. I don't just say 'yes' when someone tells me to do something I ask 'why'. For a lot of people having a powerful cultivator they can't control makes them scared. But yes, what is happening seems very extreme even for what Ive done. I think someone is behind all this.'

YanLi tried to speak.

'Don't worry' Wei Ying squeezed her hand smiling. 'I have Lan Zhan and the whole of the GusuLan Sect helping me figure it out. I don't really care that people hate me put please tell me that that airhead peacock is looking after you well, and I don't have to worry about teaching him a lesson?'

'I knew Second Young Master Lan would help you.' YanLi replied, pointedly ignoring the remark about her husband. 'I knew he thought of you as a special friend from the moment I saw you two together. He didn't look like the kind of man to ignore his friends when they need him.' YanLi was finally smiling at the reassurance.

Wei Ying really didn't want to speak about Lan Zhan right now. He already was trying hard not to fidget on the seat thanks to that man, and he just wanted to be with his sister right now instead of sending himself mad trying to figure out what was going on inside Lan Zhan's head. To try and change the subject quickly Wei Ying reached into his robes and took out the gift he had bought the day before. Leaning forwards he placed it on the table between them before opening the silk wrapping piece by piece revealing the hidden gift. It was a piece of white jade, almost flawless, with a lotus in the centre and white ribbon hung either side to both allow it to be hung on ones belt and also embellish the main item. YanLi looked at it astonished.

"A-Xian is this for me?'

When Wei Ying simply nodded, she reached out and touched the jade with her finger tips feeling the lines and grooves before looking up again. The smile and gleam in her eyes where worth every penny he had paid.

'It's wonderful!' She exclaimed. 'But A-Xian it must have cost you too much to buy. I can't accept it it's too precious.'

Wei Ying lifted the jade up, placing it in her hand and closed her fingers around it.

'I bought it for you sister. I don't know when I will see you again so please take it.'

YanLi nodded silently and reached down to secure the new jade to her belt. Wei Ying leant back on his seat, finally remembering he was supposed to be a member of the Lan Sect and not to get too close. A moment later someone emerged in the courtyard carrying a second tray of tea for them. Wei Ying hadn't even realised they had finished the first one but obviously they had. The man swapped over the tea tray, collecting the cups and pot before leaving with a nod from Wei Ying. YanLi was still struggling with her new item so he held back the compulsion to laugh or offer assistance, and instead poured two more cups for them both.

When she had finally finished YanLi stood up, proudly displaying her new belt ornament, before sitting down to drink her offered tea.

'How long can you stay?' Wei Ying forced himself to ask.

'Not long sadly' YanLi replied, still sipping her tea. 'A-Cheng didn't complain too much about me coming this time because he thinks I'm meeting Second Young Master Lan. And because he thinks Second Young Master Lan will put me off my silly ideas of finding you. Personally I don't see why wanting to find one of my brothers is silly.'

'Wei Ying laughed.

'I see Jiang Cheng hasn't changed then. Still trying to control everything'

'Don't hate him A-Xian…...he just…..he…' YanLi sighed as she realised she couldn't finish her sentence.

YanLi was having problems getting her words out, she seemed confused all of a sudden. Come to think of it his own head was aching. The world seemed a little out of focus and his own mouth was hard to control. He looked around to see no one in the courtyard. Making his mind up to get them both out of there before something happened he turned again, only to see YanLi unconscious on the table. He tried to stand but got dizzy enough that he was forced to sit back down. The tea! Was all he could think of…..someone had done something to the second pot of tea.

'They should both be unconscious by now'

Wei Ying heard a strange voice along with footsteps beginning to enter the courtyard. Whatever had been put in the tea had been made for low level cultivators. After all everyone thought he was a low level Lan disciple, given that logic it would not take any more drugs to knock him out than it would YanLi. Of course they didn't know that he was Wei WuXian, a high level cultivator with no golden core, it was typical their drug didn't work on him as planned. His hand inched towards ChenQing, which he had hidden under the layers of Lan robes before leaving the inn. However he paused, he didn't know who they were, how many of them or what they wanted. And he wasn't going to take any risks with his sisters safety.

Wei Ying rested his head on the table, pretending to be unconscious, just as the men came into view. Whoever it was paused but didn't speak. They simply picked him up by his arms and legs and carried him to covered carriage waiting at the back on the courtyard. A moment later he felt something next to him, opening his eyes a crack he breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed his sister. Unconscious but unharmed. Wherever they were going it seemed they were going together, that was one problem solved. Now he just had to figure out how to keep YanLi safe, work out who these people were and what they wanted and get the information to Lan Zhan. All without shouting to the world that Wei WuXian was still alive…..easy.....he grumbled to himself...what could be simpler.