Chapter 88
"Yanli-Jie!" Wei Wuxian beamed as he saw her from a distance. He waved brightly and could see Jin Zixuan standing uncomfortably behind him. And Wei Wuxian nearly wanted to scowl at him. Jiang Yanli may not have been his sister, and Jin Zixuan may have come around since they were children, but Wei Wuxian didn't think he would ever truly be able to forgive him for how he'd acted when they were children.
Even if Er-ge and Jiang Cheng said he was better now, Wei Wuxian knew better. People didn't change that quickly.
Still, the way he steadied his wife in caring but not controlling manner did show that he must like her at least.
Love her even, if Nie Huaisang's stories were to be believed. Wei Wuxian had seen him firsthand act like an idiot, and he did not understand that. He'd certainly never made a fool of himself in front of Lan Zhan.
He looked over at his zhiji who seemingly knew what he was thinking, and just took Wei Wuxian's hand in his own and gave it a squeeze.
"A-Xian," Yanli-Jie said with a soft smile, "Wangji. I am glad you were able to visit us. Please, come and have some tea. And tell me all about your travels."
Lan Zhan gave her a bow of his head in acknowledgement, as he did so towards Jin Zixuan afterwards. His Lan Zhan really was too kind. He really would get taken advantage of if he were so good.
"Peacock," Wei Wuxian said, perfectly cordially.
"Wei Wuxian," Jin Zixuan said with a sigh, "If you would prefer to be alone with Yanli that is fine, but I'd rather not leave her alone at this stage in her pregnancy."
Stupid, caring Peacock.
"You may stay," Wei Wuxian said with an exaggerated sigh, but winked at Yanli-Jie to let her know he wasn't serious. She laughed behind her sleeve as they followed their hosts towards one of the gardens in which they were to be in.
They didn't really have much of a plan. Or know how exactly they were supposed to even spy on the Jin. But Wei Wuxian had kind of hoped that it would come to them in the heat of the moment. Or that Jin Guangshan would somehow let something slip.
He wondered if Lan Zhan had some grand plan up his sleeve and just didn't tell him. But Lans weren't deceitful by nature, so Wei Wuxian highly doubted that he had any idea of how to handle the situation either. Both of them were just really going into this blind and hoping for the best.
"How has your journey been?" Jin Zixuan asked Lan Zhan as he pulled out a chair at the table for his wife to sit at. She smiled up at him warmly as Wei Wuxian sat down beside her.
"Enlightening," Lan Zhan said, "Fruitful. Went to a few villages along the way and night hunted on our trip."
And wasn't that an understatement. The closer they got to Jin territory, the more night hunts they'd found. Especially for towns that were smaller and didn't particularly have the funds to pay the Jin. Lan Zhan had offered to do it for free before Wei Wuxian could offer it himself, and said he did not need payment.
And they didn't. They had more than enough money to fund their journey, but the towns themselves clearly needed extra help fighting the spirits that were haunting their town. How callous would they have had to have been if they turned them down solely for money?
It was one thing if they had been rogue cultivators who may have relied on that funding for a source of income. But disciple sects were well paid by their sects regardless of they night hunted or not.
Needless to say, Wei Wuxian had not been amused. Not even remotely. And he had made sure that Lan Zhan had known all about it.
"Were there a lot of hunts on your trip?" Yanli-Jie asked with concern in her voice, "Would you like to rest for a while? We can also meet up later in the evening if that is better for you."
"We are fine," Wei Wuxian reassured her, "Nothing a few senior cultivators like us can't handle. Besides, haven't you heard the rumours about my Hanguang Jun? He is beyond compare. Nothing we've done would even have frazzled him. He is truly peerless. A god amongst us mere mortals. So brave and beautiful-"
"Wei Ying," Lan Zhan cut him off while Jin Zixuan groaned.
"I'm just being honest and telling the truth," Wei Wuxian pouted, "Isn't honestly a core Lan principal?"
"Alongside modesty and being humble," Lan Zhan said dryly.
"How can one be humble when speaking the truth?" Wei Wuxian protested.
"So how is wedding planning going?" Jiang Yanli said, smiling at them both, "Still just as in love, I see."
"Mm," Wei Wuxian beamed, "Between Er-ge and Lan Zhan, they're planning the perfect wedding. And sometimes I even get asked my opinion! But only really when they disagree. Lan Zhan said he has been planning our wedding for years and I want him to have everything he wants. He deserves a perfect wedding. I'm happy as long as I get to marry him."
"Wei Ying was consulted on the menu," Lan Zhan countered, "He was given leeway on what would be served and how many spicy dishes would be offered. It was the only thing he had strong opinions on."
"Yes!" Wei Wuxian beamed, "Lan Zhan even said he doesn't mind if we serve alcohol! Er-ge made sure the menu would have a decent amount of dishes so the Lan could eat properly, but I was allowed to choose some fun stuff too! Even things that Da-ge and Er-ge never let me ask for unless we're at restaurants!"
"Are you excited to eat or to get married?" Jin Zixuan asked, raising a brow.
"Of course get married," Wei Wuxian said, with a slight glare, "Have you seen my Lan Zhan? I've wanted to marry him since I first realized I was in love with him. But I wasn't old enough and Da-ge said I had to wait before I could. And now it's finally time! It's only a month away now."
"Mm," Lan Zhan said, giving him a fond look, and Wei Wuxian wished it wouldn't be improper to kiss him senseless at the moment.
The second they were married he was going to drag Lan Zhan into their bedroom and not let him leave for a week. He would kiss Lan Zhan to his heart's content, and only let him leave after he was truly satisfied.
"And then after our brothers will be getting married," Jiang Yanli commented, "I would like to help Nie Huaisang plan the wedding. After all, he did plan quite a bit of mine. I'm sure you and Nie Zongzhu also have quite a few wishes for their wedding since it is the Jiang that Nie Huaisang is marrying into, and he should be properly represented as such at the wedding."
Wei Wuxian paused. Da-ge wasn't marrying out of the Nie obviously, he was sect leader. And Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan had both been told they were marrying into each other's sects, much to their glee.
But Jiang Cheng was sect leader as well. And Nie Huaisang did not necessarily need to be present in Qinghe the same way Da-ge did or that Xichen-ge did in the Lan sect.
He would be marrying out.
His throat closed. He did realize that before this moment. He knew that. But he didn't think it properly occurred to him that his brother would be leaving him.
"Yunmeng is quite close to Qinghe," Lan Zhan said softly, "We will visit Lotus Pier frequently. As I am sure that Huaisang will visit us as well."
"Yeah," he said tightly. Because it was good. It was good. He knew Er-ge loved Jiang Cheng. And he liked Jiang Cheng too. He had to admit that Jiang Cheng made his brother happy, and he'd let Nie Huaisang express himself without trying to change him.
He was going to plan a good wedding for his Er-ge. And a good wedding for his Da-ge. He would make sure both of the had the best weddings ever, aside from his own.
"I would love to help you plan," he said finally, as Yanli-Jie looked at him softly.
"It's hard, isn't it?" she said gently, "But it just means that you gain more family. Officially. I will become your sister."
"And I end up related to the Peacock," Wei Wuxian said, lightening the mood, "But you're not that bad I suppose. You treat Yao-ge and A-Yu really well, and I can respect you for that. So I guess it's not the worst to be related to you. And I guess I would be anyways cause Yao-ge will marry Da-ge, so we'd be related there too."
"Seems like we can't escape being related," Jin Zixuan said dryly, and Wei Wuxian paused before bursting into laughter.
"Did you just tell a joke?" he asked, in between breaths. He hadn't expected the Peacock to actually be funny.
"I have been known to tell a joke from time to time," he said, and Yanli-Jie looked at him fondly.
"He's always very proud of the jokes he does make," she said sweetly, and Jin Zixuan looked a bit betrayed as Wei Wuxian laughed at him.
"I like you, Peacock," Wei Wuxian declared, "I think we can be friends."
"Do I get a say in this?" he asked, and Wei Wuxian shook his head.
"Nope. It's too late. We're family now. I guess I'm officially related to the Jins. But just you. You may be the only one I tolerate. And Mianmian."
"She is rather tolerable in comparison to some of the others I've seen," he said with a sigh, "She's probably my favourite cultivator in the sect. And I know how you are, trying to steal everyone for the Nie. Don't even think of poaching her, especially since she's seeing your friend."
"You knew she was seeing Wen Qing?" Wei Wuxian gaped at Jin Zixuan, looking utterly betrayed. Had everyone else but him known that the two were seeing each other?
"She mentioned it to me," Jin Zixuan said slowly, "We are friends. We talk about these things."
"Wen Qing threatened to stab me with a needle when I found out," he pouted, remembering when he'd gone to her in the infirmary after they'd returned from Lanling and he'd questioned her. Suffice to say, she had been far less than amused by his antics and even less so as it meant he was allegedly pestering her with questions that she did not feel like she needed to answer.
It truly was unfair.
"I can see why she may be inclined to do so," Jin Zixuan tilted his head, and Lan Zhan seemed very much like the was trying his best not to laugh at Wei Wuxian or his pain.
"You can't all gang up on me!" Wei Wuxian protested vehemently, "It's not fair! In fact, its blasphemous! I can't believe you-"
His words were cut off by an arrow striking straight through Yanli-Jie's cup and hitting the chair behind her.
Wei Wuxian was quick to stand, drawing out Subian, as Jin Zixuan pushed Yanli-Jie behind him. Lan Zhan nodded at Wei Wuxian as they took off in the direction in which the arrow had been shot from, leaving Yanli-Jie with the Jin guards and her husband. Hopefully with at least Jin Zixuan, she would be safe. The rest of the guards however, he wasn't all that sure.
"A few more arrows came their way, and Lan Zhan was quick to raise Bichen and cut them down before any of them landed on their mark.
"Nice aim," Wei Wuxian praised him, as they saw a man in black robes, wearing a facial cover, jump onto a nearby rooftop from the garden. Clearly that was their suspect, ready to get away, after trying to injure Yanli-Jie.
Who would want to hurt Jiang Yanli? She was the sweetest person ever, and had only ever cared for everyone in her life. She'd made sure during the war that everyone was fed and had any medical attention they'd needed. She'd offered support when Jiang Cheng was rebuilding Lotus Pier.
She had never done anything remotely near deserving of an assassination attempt.
Unlike some of the people in Koi Tower.
Was there more to this than what met the eye?
He nodded at Lan Zhan as the two of them took off after the assassin together, jumping onto the rooftop. Whoever they were, they were moving swiftly, so it was clear that this was someone with quite a bit of endurance. And their aim had only been slightly off. A little bit more to the left, and he would have hit-
He wouldn't think of that. There were quite a few people who would be devastated if Yanli-Jie had been hurt.
"They're quick," Wei Wuxian said, as Lan Zhan ran across the rooftop of the building, as they gave chase to the assassin.
"Mm," Lan Zhan said, without a hint of exhaustion. The assassin was quick, and Wei Wuxian jumped down onto the street as the assassin tried to flee into Lanling.
It was obvious that they were doing their very best to get lost in the crowd, moving without pushing people, as to not draw attention, but Wei Wuxian could still see them. If he could only move a bit quicker-
"Let's split up," he said to Lan Zhan, knowing that if Lan Zhan went through some back alley ways, they may be able to cut the guy off, leaving them with nowhere to turn to.
Er-ge would kill him if he let a guy get away after he'd nearly tried to assassinate Yanli-Jie.
Jiang Cheng would most definitely help.
And Wei Wuxian would assist, even in his own murder. No one hurt Yanli-Jie. Especially since she was pregnant. It was unthinkable, unimaginable-
He saw the assassin get blocked by a cart of goods, and Wei Wuxian used it as an opportunity to try and catch up with them, watching as the assassin shoved the merchant out of the way, as their wares spilled all over the road.
"Hey!" the merchant screamed, as the assassin drew more and more eyes on him. He tried to back up, and get away from the merchant, and slip back into the crowd, but in the time it too, Wei Wuxian had caught up with them.
"It's over," he said simply, "There is nowhere for you to go. You will return with me."
"I'd rather die," the assassin spat, taking a blade out of their chest, backing up into the street, as the passerby gasped at the sight of the weapon.
He held it to his throat, threatening Wei Wuxian not to come any closer, and Wei Wuxian knew they had to act carefully. If they spooked him, he would kill himself, and then they would never know why he had tried to assassinate Yanli-Jie. They wouldn't know if someone else had sent him, and if that person were going to send others, or if they were acting alone.
And Wei Wuxian was not going to risk it if there were a chance that other people could come after Yanli-Jie and try and hurt her.
"Let's not act rashly," he said, raising a hand. He sheathed his sword, wanting to show that the assassin was not in immediate danger, "We just want to talk to you."
"Well I don't want to talk to you," the assassin said, in response, as he held the blade more to his neck. He tried to back up some more, but was met with resistance, as he backed straight into someone.
As the assassin turned to see who they had run into, Lan Zhan hit him in a pressure point, rendering the assassin unconscious.
"Nice job," he beamed at Lan Zhan, as Lan Zhan lifted the man and carried him towards Wei Wuxian, "Very stealthy, Lan Zhan. He didn't even know you were there."
"We should return to Koi Tower," Lan Zhan said, with a curt nod due to the seriousness of the situation.
"Mm," Wei Wuxian agreed, as they carried the unconscious man through the crowd. He could hear the whispers and gossip, wondering just what had happened that Bixie Jun had Hanguang Jun had capture a man on the streets of Lanling to bring back to Koi Tower. But Lans didn't gossip, and Wei Wuxian did not care enough to listen to what they were saying beyond that.
They entered through the main gate, as opposed to the way they'd left, and immediately, they were met with cultivators.
"Did you get him?" Jin Zixuan demanded, as he stormed up to them. When he saw the assassin in Lan Zhan's arms, he relaxed a little, seemingly relieved that the man had been captured.
"How is Yanli-Jie?" Wei Wuxian asked, "It hasn't caused any issues with the baby, has it? She wasn't hit, but I know stress can be tough on pregnant women…"
"She's fine," Jin Zixuan said, reassuringly, "She's been seen by the healers. She just wants to know what happened. And so do I."
Why someone had tried to kill Yanli-Jie, he meant, without saying.
"Mm," Lan Zhan agreed, "We will bring him to the holding cells and interrogate him properly."
"You do not have to do that," Jin Zixuan said, a bit unsure, "He is the responsibility of the Jin. He tried to kill the future furen of the sect. Father will most definitely want him punished."
"We should make sure at least that he acted alone," Wei Wuxian argued, "Your father can punish him however he wants. But what if this was on behalf of someone else? What if they send someone else? Shouldn't we know so we can prepare? So we can keep Yanli-Jie safe from any other attacks?"
Jin Zixuan looked torn, but ultimately nodded, "Okay," he said with a sigh, "Let's take him to the holding cells. And ask him what he was doing. I'll take responsibility if Father asks about it. Surely, he'll forgive his son for being worried about his pregnant wife."
"Good," Wei Wuxian nodded, as the cultivators led the way.
The assassin was still unconscious by time they'd made it to the holding cells, and the Jin guards threw water on his face, clearly disgusted when Jin Zixuan had told them the assassin's crimes.
"What-" the assassin said, as the guard ripped off the piece of cloth covering his face. Wei Wuxian looked towards Jin Zixuan to see if he recognized the man, but Jin Zixuan seemed as clueless as the rest of them about who it was.
The assassin looked at Jin Zixuan, and it was clear that there was hatred burning in his eyes.
Interesting.
"Who are you?" Jin Zixuan demanded immediately, "Why did you try and kill my wife? What did she ever do to you? She has never been anything but kind to everyone!"
"And yet she will bear the heir of the Jin sect," the assassin spat to the ground, "The entire Jin line deserves to die out. I will not let it continue."
"You're in jail," Wei Wuxian countered, "What are you going to do about it from here?"
"I won't be held here," the assassin glowered, "Hanguang Jun, you stand with justice and righteousness, and yet you stand there on the other side of me. On the side of murderers and rapists, and thieves."
"You are not a righteous man," Lan Zhan said coldly, "You tried to commit murder."
"For a righteous cause," the man growled, "The Jin line is evil. It is filled with those who commit the greatest atrocities, and yet they are allowed to thrive in their gold palace while the rest of us suffer for their crimes. They have never once felt punishment for the things they have done. Never once felt the pain of what it means to lose someone because of their actions. It is the rest of us who pay that price. The rest of us who have no choice but to suffer the humiliation and indignation. The rest of us who are filled with the pain."
Wei Wuxian felt something stir in him. Not sympathy towards the man who had tried to kill the nicest woman ever. But the slightest bit of empathy.
It was clear that this was not a politically motivated assassination attempt.
"If your target was someone else, why go for Jin gongzi's wife?" Wei Wuxian asked, as Jin Zixuan looked at him, a bit lost, "Your target, did you mean for your attack to hurt Jin Zongzhu?"
"Yes," the man said coldly, "He took everything from me. He raped my wife when she came to deliver some silks to the palace. He didn't even care that she protested and begged. When I came home, I found her devastated. She could barely even tell me what happened. I tried…I tried so hard to console her. To tell her it wasn't her fault. That I still loved her and didn't blame her. But it didn't matter."
The man laughed, "She was pregnant. Three months along before that day. We'd been trying for months, and finally, finally we managed to succeed. Then she went to Koi Tower. I just left her alone for half a shi, just long enough to get ingredients so I could cook her dinner. But when I came home, it was too late. She killed herself. And she killed our child by doing so. She was in so much pain, felt so much shame, all because your father wanted a quick lay. I lost everything. It is only fair that he loses his grandchild. And his new daughter."
Wei Wuxian stared at him, "So because you lost your child, you wanted someone else to lose theirs? If you truly wished to get justice, you could have gone to Xiandu. He would have listened to you and have heard your case. You did not need to resort to murder, especially of a woman and a child who did nothing wrong."
"Do you think Xiandu cares about us?" the man laughed brokenly, "He listens to the needs of cultivators. Not the common people who have been wronged by cultivators. Why would anyone side with us over those with the wealth and status of the major sects? We have nothing. We are nothing in comparison, in your eyes."
He paused, "The child will have Jin blood," the man continued, "It will be tainted by the nature of its family line. We've all heard the rumours. Of how the Jin run amock. How when they have their little parties, the women of their tower and even their sect are not safe. How their parties spill out onto the streets after, and the townsfolk have to lock their doors and pray that one of the cultivators do not try and break into their homes to seek their pleasure. How can you say the child will be innocent when it will be raised in such a place?"
Jin Zixuan shook at that, and Wei Wuxian didn't think he'd ever seen the man so angry in his life.
"I am not my father," Jin Zixuan said, "Perhaps he wronged you. I am inclined to believe that he did. But I have never once taken advantage of any woman. I've only ever loved one, and you tried to take her from me. I have never hurt our civilians, never given them reason to fear me. Perhaps the rest of my sect has, and you can be righteously angry at that. But I had no part in it, and it is unfair that you tried to hurt my wife like that."
"Uncle would have listened," Lan Zhan said for the first time, "He takes all complaints quite seriously. It would have been difficult, but he would have been on your side if you were honest. Instead you chose to commit a crime."
Jin Zixuan glanced back at the man before storming off, and it was clear to Wei Wuxian that there was nothing else that they would gain from remaining.
But one thing was clear: the longer Jin Guangshan stayed in power, the more innocent people were going to suffer.