Chapter Text
Wei Wuxian dismounts his sword with one last regretful look down the mountain to the city of Caiyi below. The lights from lanterns and candles glow gently in the darkness and dim further as more and more of the villagers go to sleep. He only had enough coins to get two jars of wine and a few snacks to tide him over until the next time Uncle Jiang sends him and Jiang Wanyin some pocket money.
At least tonight he will not need to share it! Jiang Wanyin and Nie Huaisang are still spooked from getting caught. They have not planned to meet up tonight to play dice and enjoy the luxuries forbidden in the Cloud Recesses, which means Wei Wuxian does not need to bring his bounty to share with them.
He chuckles quietly at his own daring and swings the bottles gently on the string connecting them. Not even fully recovered from the recent beating and Wei Wuxian still decided to go out again the next night. Why waste time fearing the punishment when the reward is so sweet?
Before he can open one of the jars, he hears a disturbance in the woods. Here, near the barrier surrounding Cloud Recesses and in the middle of the night, there should be nothing.
A soft sniffle.
Everything in him goes alert. Wei Wuxian is a cultivator of some renown. While a civilian may hear someone crying in the night and assume they are a person in need of aid... To a cultivator, this is a clear trap.
Wei Wuxian carefully sets down his wine in a gap of the roots in a nearby tree. He unsheathes his sword, cautiously masking its glow in the darkness. He moves forward using all his senses to warn him of any movement.
There, just before the barrier, a small child. A child with rough, patched robes and a thin body kneels on the ground. It takes a shuddering breath and stifles the sob working its way up.
Wei Wuxian carefully draws a Yin-Burning Talisman from his qiankun bag using as little movement as possible. He remains with a tree shielding him from view. When activated, the talisman does not burn. No yin energy is detected.
Still, there is reckless... and then there is stupid. Wei Wuxian uses a sword seal to keep Suiban at his back as he steps to the side of the tree and into full view. The child does not react, does not appear to hear or see him. That makes sense if this is a regular child – the night is dark, the clouds obscuring the moon and stars. A false child – a creature of resentment – would still see him, although perhaps it would know enough not to respond until he gets closer.
Wei Wuxian pulls out another talisman, one he created himself, and keeps his voice soft, “You are far from home. Do you need help?”
As he speaks the child looks up. The boy has only the barest amount of flesh to his cheeks, clearly underfed.
With a sob, the boy gets to his feet. He rubs his eyes and runs forward with the awkward totter of a child who cannot see in the dark. As he comes closer he cries out, “Xian-ge! You came back!”
Wei Wuxian goes to an even higher alert. A child in the dark calling his name. His fingers flick out and a talisman attaches to the child stopping him in his tracks. He stumbles and hits the ground, paralyzed.
Wei Wuxian watches, but the boy does not break free. Does not transform into whatever foul creature hides behind the simple visage.
Warily, Wei Wuxian goes closer, sword recalled to his hand. When he reaches the boy, he can hear the puffs of breath that sound so similar to his own shidi when they are holding back tears.
“Who are you?” He asks uselessly, because the boy cannot answer while under the influence of the paralysis talisman.
Wei Wuxian carefully reaches out to touch the boy, feeling for his wrist and sending a spark of qi. He only gets back the heartbeat of a regular human.
Perplexed and still not sure he is doing the right thing, Wei Wuxian withdraws the talisman.
The boy rolls over and sits next to him. With a sniffle the boy says, “Xian-gege, I fell. You didn't catch me.”
“My apologies, young master. Can you tell me why you are here?” Wei Wuxian says with all the serious formality he can muster. If this is a real child, then he has wronged him.
“You said... Said A-Yuan should wait. That Xian-gege will find me. That I give you this - when you came back,” the boy reaches into his robes and pulls out a small bundle.
Without the bundle in his robes, he is even thinner than Wei Wuxian previously thought. Wei Wuxian reaches for the bundle slowly, waiting to be grabbed or otherwise tricked... But nothing happens. The child hands over the bundle and just looks at him.
Inside the folded cloth, there appears to be a pile of junk and papers. One of the papers at the top is folded, and his own name is written on it.
This must be a haunting then – but how could one happen so close to the wards of the Cloud Recesses?
The only way through is to get more information. Keeping himself alert, Wei Wuxian reaches for the note.
“Xian-gege, I'm hungry...” the boy says in a whine. “Did you bring me food?”
Wei Wuxian's eyes flash to the child again. But he does not appear to have fangs in his mouth or be itching to eat human flesh. He just pouts.
Well, the snacks from Caiyi might not be the best thing to feed a child. After weeks of bland food, Wei Wuxian had bought the spiciest delicacies he could find at the street stalls! Chili coated peanuts, spicy tofu skin, dried shrimp in chili paste... Not suitable for someone so young.
Fortunately, he did also get some regular salted melon seeds and a small bit of dragon's beard candy as well. With a sigh, Wei Wuxian reaches into his bag and hands over the small pouch of seeds.
The child opens it and his eyes go wide, “So much! Thank you, Xian-gege.” He happily puts an entire fist of seeds in his mouth, too much to chew easily.
“Eat slowly, don't take so much. You will choke if you eat like that,” Wei Wuxian cannot help himself from scolding. The child nods as he continues to work on his first mouthful.
Wei Wuxian goes back to the note with his name on it. Hopefully it will give him some clarity as to what the haunting requires to be resolved.
As he pulls the note out, he feels a chill. He knows that handwriting.
The paper is thick and rough, causing the ink to distort slightly. And still, the characters are entirely the same as those drawn by his own hand.
Wei Wuxian,
I can only hope I am correct and this will find you. That A-Yuan has been saved and sent the only place I think he can be safe. You will find this hard to believe – or perhaps not.
I am sending this child to you, because he is the last of his line. The only remaining Wen in my world. I could not save the few who remained beyond him. They turned themselves in to face punishment for my crimes and now they are surely dead.
And I know there is no safety remaining for him here with me.
I used my soul as a tether for the array that sent A-Yuan away – I do not know where he will go, but I know that in that world he will find his Xian-ge again. He will find you. Only a soul that is a twin of my own could be anchor enough to make the rift between worlds work.
In all ways but blood, A-Yuan is my son. Please, take care of him now that I cannot.
In case our worlds are too similar, I tried to send him to a time before the worst events happened. To a time when you could still keep him safe.
Be careful.
In my world, the Wen sect grew bold. They burned the Cloud Recesses, invaded the Unclean Realm, and slaughtered the entire Jiang sect until only Jiang Cheng, shijie, and myself survived. The combined clans fought back and won the war at great cost.
Having won the war and enslaved the survivors, the clans turned to bickering and striving for power themselves. They sought the tool I created during the war – a seal made from the resentful sword buried inside the Xuanwu of the Slaughter, deep in Mount Muxi. A seal I created to direct resentful energy, to turn the war in our favor. This is the manner by which I powered the array to send A-Yuan to you. The seal is too powerful. If you seek it, you will make yourself a target and many will suffer because of you. If you do not, then the cost of war (should it be inevitable) can only be far greater.
I do not know the names of A-Yuan's parents. I only knew him through his cousins, Wen Qing and Wen Ning. Although, in your world, he is no child of their family and so I have orphaned him again.
Please, apologize to him for me.
He was one of the few survivors of the slave labor camps the Jin sect set up after the war. They positioned themselves as the new sun and all the other clans let them. In opposing the Jin I became the one who bore the blame for all foul things. The world tuned against me, and none stood beside me on my single-log bridge.
I can only hope your world is different. Kinder.
Perhaps I deserve to die – but A-Yuan does not.
So please, keep him safe. If you are the same as me, then I know you will not be able to turn him away or let him suffer.
I am asking much, and so, I have given everything I can to A-Yuan for safe keeping. Perhaps they are merely the scribblings of a madman. But hopefully there is some value you can find to them. Enough to keep A-Yuan well-fed.
-The Yiling Patriarch
Beneath the letter there is some kind of box with a metal spoke. A compass? And a scrap of fabric. More notes, written in his own handwriting.
A-Yuan tugs at his sleeve, “More?” He finished the pouch of seeds while Wei Wuxian was reading and examining the bundle of objects.
Wei Wuxian exhales and tries to regulate his own breathing. If this is a haunting, then it is one he has never heard of before.
Though rare, people falling between worlds is theoretically possible. The Jiang sect library has one record from a sect leader two generations ago encountering a woman who spoke a bizarre language and was discovered wearing strange and quite scanty fabric wrappings. She had not traveled with any caravan or bought passage on any ship. No one ever found the world she hailed from.
As far as Wei Wuxian is aware, it has never been done intentionally before. That would take a world-shattering amount of energy. He tries not to dwell too much on the warning, on his counterpart's likely demise.
Wei Wuxian tucks away the letter and the bundle of items A-Yuan gave him in his own qiankun bag.
The responsible thing to do is return to the Cloud Recesses and have A-Yuan examined by a healer. Before anything else, Wei Wuxian should ensure there is no danger associated with him being here.
“If I give you something else, you have to stay quiet. We're going to go someplace where no one is allowed to make noise.” Wei Wuxian taps the side of his nose, considering the fastest way to get him through the Cloud Recesses without getting caught.
A-Yuan nods eagerly, “Quiet!” he promises loudly.
Wei Wuxian sighs, and pulls out the dragon's beard candy. He pulls off a small piece, “Put this in your mouth and let it dissolve. I do not have much.”
A-Yuan snatches the candy out of his hand with a look of amazement. He leans forward to hug Wei Wuxian enthusiastically and whispers, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
When he pops it in his mouth, his eyes go wide. He makes a delighted hum. When Wei Wuxian offers him another small piece he snatches it with a bright smile.
As soon as Wei Wuxian reaches down to lift him, A-Yuan flings himself into Wei Wuxian's arms and fully relaxes as he settles him against his side. He seems perfectly content there.
Still feeling unsettled from how weirdly his night has changed, Wei Wuxian makes his way to the barrier around the Cloud Recesses. His jade token grants him passage and the Lan sect do not bother with further security measures in their arrays. Only the patrols of disciples, which he can usually avoid.
Wei Wuxian briefly wonders if this lax security was what allowed the Cloud Recesses to burn in that other world.
He sneaks through the Cloud Recesses as silently as possible. Fortunately, A-Yuan seems intent on keeping his promise and earning more candy. He clamps a hand over his own mouth and breathes heavily through his nose.
Through a stroke of luck, Wei Wuxian sees Lan Wangji patrolling before Lan Wangji sees him. He ducks down behind a bush and puts his finger to his lips so A-Yuan can see and knows not to make any noise.
A-Yuan looks around and peeks his head out the other side of the bush. “Rich-gege!” he exclaims. Quietly, but not quietly enough.
Wei Wuxian groans. Swift footsteps approach them. Wei Wuxian looks up as a looming figure in white silk peers over the bush.
“Hi, Lan Zhan.”
Lan Wangji looks at Wei Wuxian. He looks at A-Yuan.
A-Yuan waves excitedly and says, “We have to be quiet.”
Wei Wuxian laughs awkwardly as he cries inside. This child is far too precious. And not a good partner-in-crime, immediately getting them caught!
When Lan Wangji glares at him, Wei Wuxian quickly explains, “I found him just outside the barrier. And I know what you're thinking – you heard a child crying out in the middle of the night in a secluded forest and went to rescue it? What a foolish mistake! But, I checked him first. The Yin-Burning Talisman did not activate, and I checked for signs of a curse or possession, but his meridians seem clear.”
Lan Wangji looks at the child more carefully, sees the rough clothing and the thin limbs.
He flatly states, “Wei Ying should have reported this rather than investigating on your own.”
“And get punished for breaking curfew? No thanks,” Wei Wuxian says, very aware he is courting even more punishment for trying to avoid it.
Lan Wangji gives him a blank look. It still feels judgmental somehow.
Wei Wuxian sighs as he stands up fully with A-Yuan still cradled in his arms, “Look, you can give me whatever punishment you want later. Just help me get him to the infirmary and have him looked at by a healer. His health must be the priority for now.”
The healer, a serious looking older woman in utilitarian Lan robes, takes diligent notes as Wei Wuxian describes his meeting with A-Yuan. He does not mention the bundle or the note addressed to him. Nor does he mention that A-Yuan knew him on sight.
Lan Wangji listens to him lie about leaving the barrier when he heard a sound and says nothing to contradict him.
The healer's examination is quick and efficient. It more-or-less matches what Wei Wuxian already knew, although she does make the boy take off his robes and bathe so she can look him over fully for any injuries or curse marks. Wei Wuxian gives him the last of the candy as a bribe to behave for the scary auntie.
“Malnourished, and with trace amounts of Yin energy in his stomach, as though he ate something that was not fit for human consumption. He needs frequent, nourishing meals. He is also chilled and at risk of illness from wearing thin robes outside at night. The robes are patched, which means someone cared for him not long ago. It is also suspicious that he was so close to the barrier around the Cloud Recesses. That is not something a child could do alone,” the Lan healer finally pronounces.
Well, at least there is no spiritual malady.
And hopefully, if A-Yuan talks about his own world, it will not raise suspicions. As a child, he will not have the vocabulary to describe what happened in any detail and adults tend to dismiss things children say as foolishness.
The healing pavilion has their own small kitchen and stock of food for patients, available at all hours. The healer already set a brazier to boil water for tea and medicine. A few small rice balls had already been broken up to feed A-Yuan slowly.
The boy greedily stuffed the plain rice into his mouth – sadly, rice seems a luxury to him. Wei Wuxian fights back memories of coming to Lotus Pier and being given food so readily. He feels nauseous watching A-Yuan eat, knowing the other version of himself failed to prevent his own son from feeling hunger. Things must have been dire indeed if he could not even get sufficient grains for a child.
Wei Wuxian forces that torturous guilt down (it's not even something he did! He has no reason to feel shame!) and offers A-Yuan some more of the plain, boring rice.
“Xian-gege eats, too!” A-Yuan announces as he shoves the rice back to Wei Wuxian. After all the excitement, the boy is clearly exhausted and not interested in food as much as he is in sleep.
Still, Wei Wuxian's heart is warmed by the instinctive care A-Yuan shows, even to a false version of his Xian-gege. Will the boy realize when he wakes up that Wei Wuxian is not who he thinks he is? Or is he a close enough facsimile?
As A-Yuan falls asleep, Lan Wangji quietly says, “Wei Ying, you must return to your dormitory. You have been out after curfew long enough.”
Wei Wuxian shakes his head, “And if A-Yuan wakes and is frightened? Or has a nightmare? No, I will stay here with him and ensure he sleeps well.”
“You need rest. He will be safe here,” Lan Wangji gravely promises.
“It's fine, I can sleep here. And I'm already out after curfew – if I will be punished anyway, then I choose to stay.”
This seems to puzzle the other boy – the idea that if the punishment is already decided then there is no reason to stop the behavior leading to the punishment in the first place. After all, what can they do? Hit Wei Wuxian a few more times? Assign a few more copies of the rules? Hardly a deterrent when the reward is to stay with someone who needs him.
The healer shushes them both – appropriately scolded and seeing that the healer will not force Wei Wuxian to leave if it will mean waking the child, Lan Wangji retreats. He sweeps out in a graceful stride, careful to keep his steps light.
The healer puts out all but one lantern in the exterior room and closes the sliding door. Wei Wuxian is left alone, with A-Yuan snoring enthusiastically beside him.
Wei Wuxian waits several more moments, ensuring no one will return, before pulling out A-Yuan's bag again. This time, he examines the design notes more carefully. With a strong golden core the lack of illumination does not hinder his vision.
Spirit-Luring Flag.
Compass of Ill-Winds.
Silver Lotus Bracelet.
The Compass and Flag are both in the bag, fully intact. There is no sample of the Bracelet.
Wei Wuxian looks for the pages on the missing item. At the top of the jumbled notes on the Silver Lotus Bracelet a small section of the paper says, “The prototype for this was destroyed when I was ambushed on my way to the 100 day celebration for shijei's son. I used my own Clarity Bell to make it and have no materials to make another. It worked – it repelled low level corpses and spirits from the bearer.”
Wei Wuxian clasps his hand over his mouth to stop the keening noise from coming out. Shijie had a child? And of course he would be eager to attend the celebration. Someone – perhaps many people – knew that and used the opportunity to do something so despicable.
An ambush on the way to such an auspicious event? Detestable, the lowest of the low would not dare do that.
But in the original letter – 'the world turned against me; I bore the blame for all foul things.' In that case, wouldn't whoever ambushed Wei Wuxian be seen as a hero?
That other version of himself... He destroyed something so precious just to make a gift for his martial nephew. The Clarity Bell is a symbol of being accepted into the Jiang sect as a full disciple. It is a cherished item, a proud remembrance for attaining one's place in the sect. Wei Wuxian cups his hand around the Clarity Bell hanging on his own belt right now.
He looks over the schematics and methods used to make it. ...The theory is sound. It only requires basic tools.
His stomach lurches at the thought of attempting it using his own bell.
This is a technique that could only be used by the Jiang clan. They are the only ones who know the method to produce the Clarity Bell to begin with. But the Yiling Patriarch did not have access to another bell – not even one newly made. He could only sacrifice his own. And Wei Wuxian believes it must have been a sacrifice.
The shape of the horrors of the other world grow stark with that casual admission. Either the method to make the Clarity Bells was lost during the fall of Lotus Pier... Or Wei Wuxian did not have access to them. Did not have access to the Jiang sect at all, if he was willing to give up his own bell.
His mind shies away from the realization of how total the isolation and betrayal was. Even contributing to a war victory was not enough to save his counterpart.
Unfortunately, that brings him back to his own situation. A-Yuan. He is too young to begin training in cultivation or join a sect. The Lan clan will have no reason to keep him here. They will surely send him down to Caiyi and ask the local authorities to look for his family. A family that does not exist, as he is not from this world at all.
Once they determine him to be an orphan... What fate will befall him?
Wei Wuxian could try to find a local family to take the boy in, but then what? Move him once the lectures are over? Uproot the child again and take him to Lotus Pier? Would he be able to pay someone to care for the boy? With what money? If he tries to sell the inventions, would that even be allowed in Lotus Pier?
His mind neatly fills in the scene that would occur if he tried to bring an unknown child home with him. The arguments that would follow. A child seems like something that would stretch even Uncle Jiang's patience with him, let alone what Madam Yu would have to say.
Would Uncle Jiang try to separate them? Say that Wei Wuxian is too young to be responsible for such a young child? (Though he was old enough at thirteen to be made head disciple and have responsibility for training all his shidi and shimei...)
Would Madam Yu call A-Yuan a mistake, a disgrace? Add every grain of rice or bit of cloth to an unending account of what the boy owes the Jiang family? The thought of Zidian touching even an inch of A-Yuan makes Wei Wuxian sweat with cold dread.
Wei Wuxian takes a deep breath when he notices how shallow and fast his breath became over the last few moments.
As much as it pains him, Lotus Pier is out of the question. A-Yuan will never hear his family being insulted or get slapped for speaking out. And Zidian.... No. Never.
Hopefully, the Lan healers will allow A-Yuan to stay for a few days, so Wei Wuxian has more time to think, to plan. If he cannot return to Lotus Pier with A-Yuan, then he will be homeless and without employment. That is not what A-Yuan deserves.
He falls asleep and only as his mind goes fully quiet does he have a momentary recognition that he left his wine in the woods! But that fades quickly under his exhaustion.
The healer wakes Wei Wuxian the next morning as the sun rises. He slept less than a quarter of the night.
She tuts to see him still lazing around, “I will send a letter down to Caiyi and ask the magistrate to find the boy's family. It shouldn't take them more than a few days to respond, but until then, A-Yuan can stay here. Food is being prepared. He needs rest, so I will feed him once he wakes.”
“Thank you,” Wei Wuxian says with genuine gratitude. The healer has other duties, surely, and A-Yuan is no member of her clan. Her demeanor is gruff, but her actions are kind.
“You will be late to class if you do not leave now to have your own breakfast,” she gives him a judgmental look.
Wei Wuxian gives her a charming smile that bounces right off her stern countenance. He instead turns back to the bed. Wei Wuxian brushes A-Yuan's hair gently back and gives the boy a small tickle under the chin. A-Yuan whines and barely opens his eyes.
“A-Yuan, I need to go to class. Be good for Healer Lan, alright?” Wei Wuxian informs him softly.
A-Yuan grumbles and shoves at Wei Wuxian before rolling over. He goes back to soft snores almost immediately.
Wei Wuxian can barely pay attention in class, which actually seems to help him. When Lan Qiren asks him a question, he can only respond with rote, conventional wisdom directly quoted from their texts.
Responding perfectly causes the teacher to squint at him in suspicion.
Jiang Wanyin sends him concerned looks, but Wei Wuxian is too tired to do more than dodge him and leave quickly as soon as the class ends.
As soon as Wei Wuxian enters the infirmary room where A-Yuan is staying, he hears a screeching wail, “XIAN-GEGE! Xian-gege. You came back!”
A-Yuan collides with Wei Wuxian's leg after flinging himself out of bed and across the room. His small fingers dig deep into the robes so he can hug tightly. Sobs shake his whole body. Great, wracking cries ring out in the room.
“A-Yuan!” Snaps the old healer as she pushes the door open further. She tries to pull the boy away from Wei Wuxian while scolding, “Excess noise is forbidden. There are other people here for healing and you are disturbing them!”
A-Yuan cries harder at being scolded and holds tight.
“Healer Lan, he is just a child. Give us a moment, I am sure he will be alright.”
She huffs, “He was perfectly behaved earlier. This level of noise is unacceptable. At least take him out of here until he calms down. I can't have him upsetting my other patients!”
Wei Wuxian's heart breaks. Oh. Of course he was quiet – or, as the Lan would see it – perfectly behaved. He did not feel safe to express his terror and so froze. A-Yuan was scared of being kicked out. Only on seeing Wei Wuxian again could he freely release his feelings. Because to A-Yuan, Wei Wuxian is someone trustworthy.
“A-Yuan, come up here, we'll have a bit of a walk around and you can see how pretty this mountain is. I will stay with you the whole time,” Wei Wuxian say as he gently kneels down and disentangles the grip on his leg. He instead curves his arm under A-Yuan's bottom and lifts him to rest against his chest.
A-Yuan lets out a few more deep-chest sobs but he eventually settles with his wet nose against Wei Wuxian's neck and snuggles in closer.
Wei Wuxian quickly makes his way through the trees to get some space away from the infirmary. Fortunately, the back of the building looks out over a remote section of woods in order to provide a more restful environment and encourage healing. With a swift stride he heads for the back mountain.
“You weren't here... Weren't here when I woke up,” A-Yuan accuses with a slight hiccup as he gets a grip on Wei Wuxian's robes.
“I know, and your Xian-ge is very sorry. We are visitors here in the Cloud Recesses, so I had to attend our host's lectures. I could not be rude to people who give my little bunny such good food and nice clothing,” Wei Wuxian soothes in a soft croon.
A-Yuan wears a set of clean, well-laundered linen robes. They must be excess from the creche or cast-offs kept in the store room for just such charity as clothing a child that soiled their own robes. He looks like a little Lan dressed in white.
“Not bunny. I'm a radish,” A-Yuan mumbles grumpily. He clearly is not forgiving just yet.
“Aiyah, my little radish was so brave. I know it was scary waking up alone.”
“You were... gone... like popo and aunty and uncle,” the boy catches his breath as a new hiccup works free.
Wei Wuxian quickly interrupts before he can work himself up again, “A big, strong radish like you? Worried about little me? Ah, such a good boy! But, have a little faith in your Xian-ge. I will make sure you are taken care of, even when I'm not around.”
But he does not make any promises to stay – the boy is already dangerously reliant on him. Which makes sense, he is in a new place and Wei Wuxian is the closest he has to his previous guardians. But this dependence cannot be encouraged. A-Yuan needs to be able to feel safe and trust other people as well. After all, Wei Wuxian cannot actually attach the child to himself at all times.
“Wasn't the food good? Did you eat everything?” Wei Wuxian pinches A-Yuan's cheek a bit and makes a funny face at him.
“So good! And so much! Can I have candy, too?” A-Yuan pouts cutely to beg, successfully distracted.
“Greedy! Such a greedy child! No, you had all the candy yesterday. This mountain is famous for not having any candy at all, which is why I snuck away and found you last night,” Wei Wuxian gestures widely with the one hand not holding A-Yuan.
“No candy?” He asks mournfully.
“None at all,” Wei Wuxian shakes his head in mock solemnity.
A-Yuan sighs heavily.
“Now, tell Xian-ge about your day. You had good food? And nice, new clothes?”
A-Yuan just nods and looks away. “Was scared. Alone.”
“That's fine, being scared is normal in a new place. Was anyone mean to you?”
“No...”
“And they gave you nice things, so maybe this is not a very scary place?” Wei Wuxian cajoles.
A-Yuan pouts some more.
“I'm going to have to leave you sometimes. But you will be safe and well-fed, I promise!” Wei Wuxian holds up three fingers.
When A-Yuan continues pouting and looks down, Wei Wuxian wiggles slightly to jostle him, “What an unfilial child, you don't even trust your Xian-ge. What if I dropped you, hmmm?”
A-Yuan shrieks as Wei Wuxian loosens his grip and lets the child fall free, before he quickly scoops him up by holding under his arms, lifting him high in the air.
“Oh, no, you almost fell, what if I drop you again?” Wei Wuxian teases. He tosses A-Yuan into the air, just a bit, before catching him again.
A-Yuan breaks out of his pouting to giggle. “Xian-gege! Again!”
Wei Wuxian grins and throws him higher. Which only leads to pleading for more. Wei Wuxian indulges a few more times, careful to let the boy rest between each toss, so as not to upset his stomach. His years of playing with the youngest trainees has taught him that, at least.
“WEI WUXIAN! What are you doing? Did you steal some Lan kid? Are you trying to court punishment?” Jiang Wanyin shouts.
“Jiang Cheng, you know shouting is prohibited...” Wei Wuxian gives him a cheeky grin.
A-Yuan really does look like a little Lan. He cannot blame Jiang Wanyin for the assumption.
“Be serious! You've been punished so much already, are you trying to dig your own grave?!? What if Lan Wangji sees you?” Jiang Cheng scowls in concern, looking around to see if Lan Wangji has magically followed the sounds of rule-breaking.
A-Yuan frowns, “Loud,” he says to Wei Wuxian.
Wei Wuxian stifles his laugh and praises, “Yes, yes, the angry brother is loud. Very good!”
“Oh, for...” Jiang Wanyin growls and stomps over towards them. He tries to take A-Yuan away from Wei Wuxian. “If you won't take responsibility, I'm going to take him back to his family and apologize for your shamelessness. As always.”
A-Yuan clings harder to Wei Wuxian. “No!” He tries to hit at Jiang Wanyin. “Can't take me away! Bad!”
“Jiang Cheng, stop, stop! You're upsetting him.” Wei Wuxian twists away to ensure A-Yuan stays with him.
“I'M upsetting him? Do you know how much trouble you will be in?” Jiang Wanyin yells.
A-Yuan flinches away from the loud noise and buries his face in Wei Wuxian's neck again.
Wei Wuxian rocks A-Yuan in his arms to settle him as he tries to calm his shidi, “It's not what you think. He's not a Lan child. I just found him last night – he was lost, so I brought him to the healers. They are trying to find his family, but he was scared, so I took him for a walk to keep him from crying and disturbing anyone else.”
“You... found a child last night? You went out?!? After the punishment yesterday, you still have the face to mess around and go make trouble? Wei Wuxian!” Jiang Wanyin scowls in outrage.
“Calm yourself, you keep upsetting A-Yuan!” Wei Wuxian chides.
Jiang Wanyin grits his teeth, fuming, “Who cares if he's upset? You should be worrying about upsetting Lan Qiren. What are you going to do when he hears you're bringing strays into the Cloud Recesses? Do you think he will look kindly upon you?”
Wei Wuxian winces slightly, because surely Lan Wangji has already informed his uncle. At some point, one of them will tell him what the punishment will be.
Jiang Wanyin sees his wince and nods, “Exactly! You should be focusing on your studies and making sure the Jiang sect doesn't loose more face to your trouble-making!”
Wei Wuxian tries to reason, “What do you want me to say? I couldn't leave him out in the woods alone.”
“Leave me? No, Xian-gege!” A-Yuan clings even tighter and his breath hitches.
“Ah, radish, I'm not leaving you. Shhh, shhhh.” Wei Wuxian draws A-Yuan up further and faces him. “You must be getting hungry again. Do you want to ask the nice Lan healer to feed you?”
“No! Xian-gege feeds me.”
“Seriously? Are you ignoring me? Wei Wuxian!” Jiang Cheng shouts in outrage.
“Jiang Cheng, he's a child! Please stop making this harder on him,” Wei Wuxian scolds.
Jiang Wanyin immediately responds, “He's not your responsibility!”
And Wei Wuxian freezes for a moment. Because A-Yuan is his responsibility, and no one else will see it. Not unless he shows them the letter... But even if he did, who would believe it? It's written in his own handwriting.
Anyone else would think it an obvious hoax, just another trick he made up.
Wei Wuxian whispers, “Jiang Cheng, I don't think he has anyone else. And he trusts me because I found him and took him to safety. He needs me.”
Jiang Wanyin looks at him, dumbfounded. He says with mock gravity, “You cannot seriously think you will be allowed to keep him. Who would trust you with a child, anyway? Even if he has no family, ha, you adopt him and then what? The Lan are not going to let you raise a child here. You're supposed to be focusing on the lessons!”
The words pierce him.
Jiang Wanyin is not wrong. The Lan will not let him raise a child here. The Jiang will not let him raise A-Yuan in Lotus Pier. Or, if they would, it would be with the tender mercies of Madam Yu, which he would never inflict on a anyone he is responsible for.
The conclusion has been racing towards him all day. He still has not prepared himself for that heartbreak.
Wei Wuxian can only deflect, “Jiang Cheng, the longer you spend shouting, the longer it will take me to soothe A-Yuan. Surely you have to worry about studying as well? Did you seek me out hoping I would help you with your essay?”
At that, Jiang Wanyin sputters, “You? Help me with an essay? You didn't even listen to what Grandmaster Lan was saying!”
“And yet, here you are seeking me out...”
Jiang Wanyin replies with an infuriated castigation, “To tell you that Lan Wangji is looking for you! For another punishment, no doubt. So stop bringing shame to the Jiang sect with your antics, or I really will write home about it!”
Wei Wuxian smiles and shakes his head, “Alright, alright, you told me – I'd better get my punishment over with. You should head out before someone also decides to punish you for shouting.”
With that, Jiang Wanyin stalks away, muttering about this being the last time he decides to look out for Wei Wuxian.
It only takes wandering back towards the medical pavilion for Wei Wuxian to find Lan Wangji. As soon as A-Yuan sees him he perks up and wiggles to be let down.
“Rich-gege!”
“Ah, A-Yuan, spare my pride. Why is he 'Rich-gege'? Am I not the one who saved you?” Wei Wuxian pouts. He sets the boy down gently and steadies him on his feet.
“Rich-gege is rich,” A-Yuan pronounces with grave dignity.
He then stumbles as he rushes towards Lan Wangji and they both leap forward to catch him, colliding slightly as they steady the toddler.
“A-Yuan! Be careful,” Wei Wuxian scolds with his heart rabbiting in his chest. The fall would not have seriously harmed the boy, but any harm to A-Yuan would be a failure on his part.
In colliding with Lan Wangji, he notices the solid muscle in the other cultivator. Wei Wuxian feels like he hit a wall. He wonders what kind of training the Lan disciples do to get that solid?
“A-Yuan, walk slowly. You should not rush and cause yourself harm by falling,” Lan Wangji patiently instructs in a firm, gentle voice.
Wei Wuxian finds himself nodding along. “See? Your Rich-gege also wants you to be careful. If you will not listen to your Xian-gege, surely you will listen to him!”
“Mn,” A-Yuan nods with a serious expression.
“Ah?!? You even sound like him now,” Wei Wuxian complains.
“Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji says disapprovingly.
“Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian replies in exaggerated grievance, “you steal the affection of my child right in front of me? Take responsibility.”
“Be serious.”
Wei Wuxian rolls his eyes and says, “Fine, fine. Are you here to tell me what my punishment is? Even if it's a hundred hits with the plank it is worth it.”
Fortunately, A-Yuan does not even seem to know the word 'punishment.'
Lan Wangji looks down. As though it pains him, he says, “Your actions were righteous, even though you broke the rules. One copy of Conduct.”
Wei Wuxian almost chokes, “Ah? Nooooo. That will take me all day. How will I spoil A-Yuan, then? Just have me hit a few times, be reasonable.”
“Wei Ying!”
“I don't want you to be lenient if it means I am stuck in the Library rather than spending time with my precious little radish!” Wei Wuxian scoops A-Yuan up and squishes his cheek against the child's. He pouts at Lan Wangji. “A-Yuan, tell him you want to spend time with your Xian-gege!”
“Rich-gege, I'm hungry,” A-Yuan looks at Lan Wangji expectantly from where he dangles in Wei Wuxian's hold.
Something sticks in Wei Wuxian's mind. A-Yuan had not known Jiang Wanyin at all. There was no recognition or sense of familiarity.
But he recognized Lan Wangji on sight. And even now, the boy is pouting at him to get his way. And 'Rich-gege' – that name implies that Lan Wangji used his wealth in a way memorable to A-Yuan.
Oh. That hurts. That his child had not recognized someone Wei Wuxian is close to, almost family with, but instead knows someone Wei Wuxian shamelessly pursued and bothered for his own entertainment.
The original letter mentioned Jiang Wanyin surviving, so it is not that he didn't exist in that other world. Instead, they must have been estranged. The reputation of the Yiling Patriarch was really so bad that Jiang Wanyin would not even see him. But for some reason, Lan Wangji had been trusted enough for A-Yuan to meet him.
Lan Wangji nods decisively, “I will feed A-Yuan. And observe Wei Ying as he copies the rules while we are here.”
“Ah?” Wei Wuxian can only gape at him inelegantly, instantly distracted from his own mawkish thoughts. Who knew Lan Wangji is such a push-over for cute things?!? He gave in so easily!
With that, Lan Wangji sweeps off to the healing pavilion. It only takes one whine from A-Yuan to have Wei Wuxian tripping after him in a daze.
Lan Wangji settles A-Yuan on the bed with a tray over his lap filled with food. Then he takes a calligraphy set out of his qiankun sleeve and hands it to Wei Wuxian with a raised brow. A copy of Conduct follows, for him to use in copying.
“Fine, fine. You feed our beloved child, while I labor away,” Wei Wuxian mutters petulantly.
Lan Wangji freezes for a second before turning back to A-Yuan. The tips of his ears appear slightly pink, Wei Wuxian notes.
Since his teasing has not gotten any response, Wei Wuxian sighs deeply and takes over the small table beside the bed to begin his work. At this point, he has most of Conduct memorized.
Lan Wangji's calligraphy set is truly luxurious. He even has weasel-fur tips on his finer brushes. Wei Wuxian takes care to ensure he harms not even one hair as he lazily scrawls out the characters. It's not like he can afford to replace anything, after all. Rich-gege, indeed.
Instead of paying attention to his writing, he keeps glancing at Lan Wangji feeding A-Yuan. The little boy happily opens his mouth and waits for Lan Wangji to lift the rice and tofu up to his mouth. Another sign he was deeply cared for, that he trusts someone will even ensure his ease and comfort in this way.
Wei Wuxian sighs. What a lovely sight. The strict and decorous Lan Wangji diligently obeying the unstated demands of a toddler.
Lan Wangji looks over at him and Wei Wuxian can only chuckle as he returns to his writing. “You're such a good parent, Lan Zhan. Look at how well A-Yuan has trained you already.”
Lan Wangji does not dignify that with a response. He goes back to picking the best portions of food out for A-Yuan to eat.
After eating, A-Yuan begins to drift off.
Several moments later, Lan Wangji says, “Wei Ying. He is becoming attached to you. You will have to return him to his family soon.”
Something in Wei Wuxian aches. He replies, “I don't think he has a family. He said his popo, his uncle, his aunt are all gone. I think that whoever they entrusted A-Yuan with abandoned him here, hoping he would be safe.”
That is so close to the truth, but somehow entirely a lie as well. Wei Wuxian pushes down the pang of guilt.
“The Lan cannot take him in. He is too young to be a disciple,” Lan Wangji says gently, as if consoling Wei Wuxian – or perhaps himself. He seems eager to spend time with the child as well.
“I know, Lan Zhan. I know. And when no one claims him, then what happens to A-Yuan? The Lan will not let him stay. The village magistrate will have no use for a child too young to work. Without any ties to a local family...”
He will be alone, with no one to look out for him. At best, he will be brought in by a prosperous family so he can learn to work for them in the future. At worst, he lives on the streets like Wei Wuxian had before Uncle Jiang found him.
“It is not yet certain that he has no family left,” Lan Wangji reasons.
Wei Wuxian turns disbelieving eyes on him. If this child had any decent family, they would have sent word requesting help upon noticing their child missing. There would already be correspondence at the Cloud Recesses begging aid to search for their child.
Lan Wangji looks down slightly at Wei Wuxian's response.
Wei Wuxian keeps his voice even as he replies, “Lan Zhan, unless someone comes forward to claim him, his options will be to live on the street, or be sold into servitude on a contract he can never escape.”
“Wei Ying... He is not really your child. You cannot determine his future. Let the authorities work – perhaps they will find another branch of his family,” Lan Wangji counters.
And his response is perfectly reasonable. In any other situation, Wei Wuxian might also do the same. Well, he would also try his best to ensure A-Yuan went to a family that would formally adopt him. And give them some coins if he had any to spare, so they would look kindly on the child.
“I hope they do – I hope A-Yuan is not alone in this world,” Wei Wuxian whispers.
A-Yuan will not be alone as long as he lives. But Wei Wuxian does not say that. There is no excuse he can give for his devotion. Nothing that would make sense.
For a moment, he considers telling Lan Wangji the truth. He imagines showing him the letter, the inventions. Trying to convince him it is not some prank, that he would never write something so awful.
And the only response he can see, as he writes out even more of Conduct, is getting punished. Whether because he is judged to be a liar, or because he is believed and the letter is evidence of the evils he will commit.
Lan Wangji falls to silence as well, watching A-Yuan sleep. When the boy begins to get restless, Lan Wangji sits at the end of his cot and retrieves a guqin from his qiankun sleeve. It hovers in front of him, supported by his spiritual energy so he can play. Which. Well, of course, Lan Wangji would have a powerful secondary spiritual tool and a strong bond with it. If it wasn't being done for A-Yuan's benefit, Wei Wuxian would tease Lan Wangji about showing off.
Lan Wangji plays gentle melodies to soothe the restless into restfulness. A-Yuan rolls over and stretches out. His breathing evens and his soft snores join the music.
Wei Wuxian feels his own tension soothed under the soft blanket of harmonious strings. It will all work out. He will find a solution and A-Yuan will be happy and healthy.
Within one afternoon, Wei Wuxian completes the copy of Conduct. Lan Wangji takes it from him with a serious nod.
Testing his luck, Wei Wuxian wheedles, “I slept so poorly last night... Maybe you could stay here with A-Yuan tonight instead?”
“There will be a healer on duty,” Lan Wangji replies thoughtfully.
Wei Wuxian pouts, “Lan Zhaaaannn... A healer will not scare away bad dreams. Come on, it's just for one night. You don't have patrol, because you never get assigned two nights in a row. Just do me a favor and let A-Yuan sleep well because someone he trusts is nearby.”
Lan Wangji seems to think it over, before relenting, “I will stay with him until he is asleep and play Rest so he will not wake.”
“You're the best! Seriously! What a good gege you are!” Wei Wuxian cheers.
Lan Wangji's jaw clenches slightly. Whoops, Wei Wuxian may have overdone it.
Wei Wuxian, of course, has no intention of actually sleeping. He lets Jiang Wanyin grouse at him and laughs about his own punishment until finally the other boy lays down to sleep.
It hurts to lie to his shidi like this.
He cannot risk doing anything else. There is no reasonable explanation for what he must do.
Wei Wuxian counts to five hundred. Then he grabs his qiankun bag from the side of his bed and slips out to through the door. He quickly pulls one of his dark outer robes over his sleeping clothes and slips his boots on. Suiban surges into his palm, fairly ringing with energy as Wei Wuxian tamps down his nerves.
Tonight, he cannot be caught at any cost.
He sneaks past the patrols and through the barrier around the Cloud Recesses before jumping on his sword and flying off towards the darkest part of the woods beyond the mountain. As he rides his sword, he pulls out the Compass of Ill-Winds and watches it closely. He doesn't know how close he will need to be – the notes indicated it should work from more than a kilometer away... But he still flies just along the tops of the trees.
It takes over an hour, but finally the Compass twitches out of its lazy spin and points in a direction. Wei Wuxian follows it slowly. He watches the woods below with interest.
When he thinks he sees something moving between the branches, he drops down and lands on the floor of the forest.
It is risky to take a hunt with no information. But he needs to be sure he can count on these inventions, that they are real. Too much is at risk if they are false.
The notes for the Spirit-Luring Flag said that using eight of them in a specific configuration would be the most effective methods. However, only one was included with the bag as a sample.
Wei Wuxian plants the lone cloth talisman flag and waits with his sword drawn.
A moment later he hears a lumbering crash. An angry snuffle followed by an enraged squeal.
A reeking boar yao bursts through the underbrush, nearly as tall as Wei Wuxian and much more solid. Writhing resentful energy shrouds it.
Wei Wuxian leaps out of the way as it crashes towards the flag. He feeds spiritual power into his sword, filling the small clearing with light. As the boar goes past him, he lunges forward and strikes directly at it's heart. His blade inks deep between the ribs.
He feeds spiritual energy further into the sword and soon the wound bursts open, jetting black ichorous blood out. The boar stops, only meters from the flag.
Corrupted boar yao are notoriously difficult to fight; they have few weak spots and are viciously aggressive with a keen sense of smell. This one didn't even notice him because it was too focused on the flag.
Wei Wuxian lets out a shuddering sigh.
Some part of him hoped the inventions were false. That he would be able to use that to deny the rest of the warnings.
He quickly stows the flag away to prevent it from drawing anything else to him. And then he sets about completing the rites to cleanse the boar yao and bury it properly. His mind churns as he goes through the required rituals.
Wei Wuxian walks up the stairs to the medical pavilion only half an hour before breakfast is served, “Healer Lan, have you heard from the magistrate in Caiyi yet?”
The old healer shakes her head, “Young Master Wei, it has only been a day! Give them some time. They must surely first inquire among some of the families before they know if anyone is missing.”
Wei Wuxian laughs awkwardly, “Ah, I know, I was just impatient. Sorry to bother you – I will go visit A-Yuan!”
“Keep quiet, please!”
Wei Wuxian nods vigorously in response. The healer gives a quick quirk of her lips.
A-Yuan is sleeping soundly when he enters the room. His breakfast has not yet been prepared.
Wei Wuxian softly strokes the child's hair, careful not to wake him. His heart eases to see A-Yuan comfortable and resting peacefully.
He stays until the healer chases him out under the threat of him missing his own breakfast.
This time, he carefully wakes A-Yuan more fully, “A-Yuan, I will be doing boring grown up things this morning. I will be back when the sun is in the middle of the sky. Be good for Healer Lan and her assistants, yes?”
“Mn,” A-Yuan grumbles, “Xian-gege be good.”
“I will, I will. I just didn't want you to wake up without seeing me again.” Wei Wuxian pats the boy on the head and leaves for the dining hall.
Jiang Wanyin scowls when he sees him. Before they can enter, he stops Wei Wuxian to ask, “Where were you? You got up before I did for once.”
“Ah, I went to the healing pavilion to check on A-Yuan,” Wei Wuxian says with partial honesty. In truth, he can feel two nights of missed sleep catching up to him.
“What? Why?” Jiang Wanyin scrunches his nose in confusion.
“Because he's scared of being alone.”
“So? The servants and healing assistants have the responsibility to care for him. What does it have to do with you?” Jiang Wanyin squints at him suspiciously.
Wei Wuxian laughs brightly, “I just wanted to see him – he, at least, likes to see me first thing in the morning. Now, we need to go eat or we'll get in trouble for being late. Come on, come on!”
“You can barely call this eating. It's twigs and gruel...” Jiang Wanyin is successfully distracted by the thought of the awful meal they will both have to suffer through.
Fortunately, A-Yuan does seem more settled when Wei Wuxian returns at noon. He lets Wei Wuxian feed him lunch and only sulks a little bit when Wei Wuxian has to leave for sword training that afternoon.
Normally, Wei Wuxian would stay after the training session and run through drills for a while longer to push his endurance and to ensure his shidi can come to him with any questions on their own training.
Today, he rushes away as soon as the class is finished. Jiang Wanyin watches him leave with annoyed resignation.
He brings his own set of paints and brushes to entertain A-Yuan for the evening. He then also bathes A-Yuan fully once the healer gives him a long-suffering look. A-Yuan delights in the warm water and splashes Wei Wuxian mercilessly.
He left a small paperman version of himself for A-Yuan to keep for the night. It has none of his soul in it, only a small talisman on it to ensure that if A-Yuan moves around it will hum gently in Wei Wuxian's own voice to help soothe him.
Wei Wuxian is not surprised that Jiang Wanyin is waiting up for him when he returns to their rooms after A-Yuan is asleep again. He needs a night of good rest, himself, and assured A-Yuan that he would be there first thing in the morning to wake him.
Jiang Wanyin scowls at him as he comes into the room, “You can't keep abandoning your duties to play with that child! Third shidi was having trouble with one of his moves, and you weren't even there to help him!”
Wei Wuxian takes a deep breath and tries a smile, “Ah, but you were there! Surely you could handle a few training mishaps.”
Jiang Wanyin sputters, “Of course I can! But that doesn't mean you can always slack off and play around. Training the other disciples is your responsibility as head disciple! You can't run off and abandon your duties to me whenever you feel like it.”
But Wei Wuxian will. He already decided that and sees no other way he can proceed. He cannot raise A-Yuan and also be the head disciple of the Jiang sect. After thinking about it, he can see no future for himself in the Jiang sect if he accepts responsibility for A-Yuan.
“Maybe your father was wrong to make me head disciple. Maybe I'm not the right choice,” Wei Wuxian says in a small voice.
Jiang Wanyin rolls his eyes, “Shut up, stop joking around. Who else would he appoint, when you're the best disciple of our generation? And better than most of the seniors as well.” His voice goes bitter towards the end, jealousy seeping in.
“Jiang Cheng. What if I don't want it?” Wei Wuxian asks in all earnestness.
“Ridiculous! You love showing off. And... It's an honor to be the Jiang sect's head disciple! What's gotten into you?” Jiang Wanyin clearly didn't plan for this conversation to go this way. He obviously thought he would scold Wei Wuxian, and then things would go back to normal.
Wei Wuxian shakes his head and tries to break into the subject of leaving gently, “I've been so set on repaying the Jiang sect for taking me in, for training me... But what about my own life? Do I have any future of my own?”
Jiang Wanyin looks hurt. He replies hesitantly, “Your future is with me. I will be the sect leader, and you will be my head disciple. We will bring honor to the Jiang sect and night hunt together.”
“What if I can't stay?” Wei Wuxian looks at Jiang Wanyin and lets him see the exhaustion and grief he feels.
“Where else would you go? The Jiang sect has given you everything, are you seriously thinking about abandoning us?” Jiang Wanyin asks, when clearly he means, 'how can you think of abandoning me?'
“The world is large, there must be a place for me in it,” Wei Wuxian says with a sigh.
“There's already a place for you! I just told you, you will be by my side when I lead the Jiang sect! Why are you saying this?” Jiang Wanyin sounds a bit panicked now.
Wei Wuxian shakes his head, “There is a place for the head disciple of the Jiang sect. I am not sure there is a place for me.”
Jiang Wanyin firms his lips from where they are trembling, “You don't mean that. You know that you belong with the Jiang sect. With me.”
Wei Wuxian keeps his tone gentle, “I will always be your friend. Even if I cannot stay with you.”
“Stop saying that! A friend wouldn't leave me. You are not going to leave!” Jiang Wanyin stomps over to his bed and sits down heavily. “Go to sleep. You're in a weird mood from the bad food.”
The next day, Wei Wuxian stays after sword training to give each of his shidi encouragement and compliment them on their progress. Jiang Wanyin scowls at him the whole time.
Jiang Wanyin stalks after him as Wei Wuxian heads back to the healing pavilion. “So this is it? You're convinced he's an orphan, so you're giving up everything to adopt him? How selfless and generous you are, abandoning your duties and throwing away the kindness of the people who took you in!” Jiang Wanyin hurls the accusation with a sneer, which does nothing to hide the redness around his eyes where tears gather.
“Jiang Cheng...” Wei Wuxian does not think he will be allowed to leave peacefully. He is hurting Jiang Wanyin, and that has only ever resulted in the other boy lashing out. He still wants to try to make this as painless as possible for them both.
Jiang Wanyin tilts his head to a haughty angle, “You don't have the right to call me that. You're going to defect from the sect? Then you don't get to be so familiar with the heir to the Jiang sect, since you'll just be a sectless vagabond.”
Wei Wuxian sighs and responds with exquisite formality, “Young Master Jiang.” He watches as the other boy flinches slightly at having his imperious demand met so quickly. Wei Wuxian continues, “I do believe A-Yuan is an orphan. I intend to seek out any family he may still have. If they will take him, then I will stay at least long enough to ensure he is treated well. If he has no family, then I will be the parent he needs.”
“You're throwing everything away, and you don't even know? Even for you, this is reckless. And irresponsible! What about a-jie? What are you going to tell her?” Jiang Wanyin hurls that question as the challenge it is.
“As you say, I will be a sectless vagabond. It would be inappropriate for me to contact the daughter of the Jiang sect leader.” Wei Wuxian knows this is the coward's path. The he won't even tell his shijie that he's leaving.
But if he goes to Lotus Pier, tries to see her... Wouldn't that just make it worse?
He wrote her a note, and he plans to give it to third shidi to hand to Jiang Yanli after the lectures are over. That way she has something from him, some small explanation. That is the only chance he has to contact her himself – he does not doubt that if he tried to hand the letter to Jiang Wanyin it would be destroyed in a fit of temper before it ever reached Jiang Yanli.
“You... You really are a disloyal person. I regret wasting my time on you!” Jiang Wanyin chokes out and whirls away. He stalks off with his shoulders tensed against his tears.
Shijie,
I know I have no right to call you that any longer, but you have always been like a sister to me. I wish you well, although it is unlikely we will meet again.
I left the sect because I found a little boy who reminded me of myself when I was younger – alone and trying very hard to be brave. At first, I thought I might be able to help him and also stay with the Jiang sect... But I realized I could not watch him be treated the way that I was. And so, perhaps my place is not among the Jiang at all.
Please forgive me for leaving.
Wei Wuxian
Before he can get back to the dormitory that evening, Nie Huaisang appears and waves him off to a side path. Wei Wuxian bites back a sigh. So, it is common knowledge then. He thought he would have a few more days.
Nie Huaisang whispers, “You don't want to go back there. Jiang Wanyin threw all your belongings on the ground outside. One of the Lan disciples saw him and scolded him for destroying property. He was forced to clean it up and he received twenty hits with a switch.”
Wei Wuxian winces. “Were all my things thrown out?”
It will be bad if he no longer has any spare clothes or his personal effects. He definitely cannot afford to replace them.
“I don't know! I think Lan Wangji confiscated them... He looked really upset!” Nie Huaisang shakes his head and looks confused. “Is it true? Are you defecting from the Jiang sect?”
Wei Wuxian sees no reason to hide it, if things have gone this far. “I plan to defect and leave the lectures. Jiang Wanyin is taking it poorly.”
“Is it because of your love child?” The Nie boy asks immediately, vibrating with excitement.
“WHAT?!?” Wei Wuxian chokes out roughly.
Nie Huaisang waves his fan in the direction of the healing pavilion, “The young boy you keep carrying around and visiting! Did you have a doomed love affair and finally get reunited with your long lost son?”
Wei Wuxian stares at him for a moment, at a loss for words.
He takes a deep breath, “Young Master Nie, the boy is four years old. I am fifteen years old. For him to be my so-called 'love child',” and here Wei Wuxian uses his most derogatory and sarcastic tone, “he would have been conceived while I was at the tender age of ten. Leaving alone the morality of any woman seeking an affair with a child that young... Physically, it would not have been possible.”
“Oh, I hadn't really thought of that,” Nie Huaisang says sheepishly.
“I think I understand now why there is a rule against gossip,” Wei Wuxian mutters in deep disbelief.
He turns around, ready to spend the night with A-Yuan after all. The boy was asleep when Wei Wuxian left, but he knows there is enough room on the cot to lie down with A-Yuan cuddled up next to him.
“But, where will you go?” Nie Huaisang calls after him.
“I will stay in Caiyi for a few days, at least. And then, who knows?” Wei Wuxian does not think he fully pulls off the bravado he is trying to project.
“You should visit Qinghe, once the lectures are over! My brother will be annoyed with me, but he'll relent if I'm showing a friend around,” Nie Huaisang is quick to offer.
Wei Wuxian quirks a smile. “You're already planning on messing around when you get home? You're a brave one. Ha, well – I suppose I will see you next summer, if you survive the lectures.”
The Lan sect lectures start in the spring and continue for a full year. So hopefully Nie Mingjue will not still be upset a full season after Nie Huaisang returns. Additionally, the invitation may give Wei Wuxian a chance to observe the defenses of the Unclean Realm. After all, if war is on the way, then maybe he can find some way to make it more costly to the Wen.
Wei Wuxian waves as he heads back towards the healing pavilion. If Jiang Wanyin is still this upset – and no doubt even more upset now after being punished – then Wei Wuxian will only make things worse if he shows up. Jiang Wanyin knows his intentions and will not support him. Wei Wuxian didn't really expect anything different.
If anything, this just moves up the timeline on his leaving. Well, he doesn't have a job lined up or lodging, but at least he knows he can make a living with his gentlemanly education. He will just have to flatter the magistrate and see if anyone is willing to pay for a portrait or a handsomely drawn proverb. That will work until he can find a reputable merchant for the inventions he has hidden away.
Wei Wuxian feels reckless as he removes the Clarity Bell from his belt. He uses the designs left by his alternate self. If he must leave the Jiang sect, then his debts will be repaid.
The bell gets dismantled, altered – recreated into a new form. The Silver Lotus Charm. Wei Wuxian does not stop working until it is perfect. He can feel the energy it emits.
He encloses the charm in a box.
Wei Wuxian stares at a blank piece of paper before sighing and dipping his brush into the ink. Better complete this before the ink dries.
Sect Leader Jiang,
Please forgive me for disappointing you.
By now, Jiang Wanyin has surely written of my intentions. It is true, I found a child who relies upon me. I decided to leave the lectures and instead care for the child I adopted.
I will not shame you by returning to Lotus Pier thus encumbered. And so, I must defect from the Jiang sect.
Thank you for taking me in and providing for me all these years. I will honor your teachings as best I can.
To repay your kindness, I developed the enclosed design. The instructions on how to make it are the only copy. My own Clarity Bell was used to create the first Silver Lotus Charm. It will avert low level resentful creatures from the wearer. It requires no spiritual energy and so it can protect anyone who cannot protect themselves. This invention is my gift to the Jiang sect as gratitude for my years of instruction.
With this gift, let there be an end to debts and gratitudes between the Weis and the Jiangs.
I plan to stay in Caiyi for a few weeks. If there are any administrative steps I need to take to formalize my defection, a messenger can find me at one of the inns.
Wei Wuxian
Wei Wuxian leans back to prevent the tears filling his eyes from landing on the paper. He folds the letter, along with his finest paper containing a much more carefully rendered set of instructions for the Silver Lotus Charm than was originally provided, and adds them both to the box as well.
Well. That is that. As the sun rises to midday, he takes the box to the Lan sect messengers and hands it off with instructions that it should be delivered only into the hands of Jiang Fengmian. As he is still considered the head disciple of the Jiang sect, Wei Wuxian does not doubt his request will be honored.
Hopefully, Jiang Fengmian will not demand he return Suiban.
Wei Wuxian does not want to face the Jiang sect leader at all – this feels like failure. He knows Jiang Fengmian will be disappointed in him. However, he doubts he will be allowed to leave so easily. It is likely Jiang Fengmian will come and make him defect in person. Wei Wuxian sighs. He will deal with that when it happens.
Wei Wuxian again makes his way to the healing pavilion. He avoids the lunch being served in the dining hall, where his absence from the morning lectures will surely be remarked on.
He will have lunch with A-Yuan, and then request a meeting with Lan Qiren, to inform his teacher of his intent to leave the lessons. Hopefully, he will not be kicked out immediately.
As he enters the pavilion, the old healer sees him and bustles over, “Oh! Young Master Wei. You're just in time – if you rush, you should be able to say goodbye to A-Yuan at the gate. The magistrate sent someone to collect the boy. He wants to interview the child before he begins inquiries in other villages.”
Wei Wuxian feels his stomach drop, “A-Yuan's gone?”
She nods, “Yes, the magistrate is the best person to help him. His assistant came by just half an hour ago. They should still be at the gate or on the stairs. If you rush, you can still say goodbye.”
“Thank you!” Wei Wuxian calls over his shoulder as he sprints.
A-Yuan must be terrified. He's been handed off to someone he doesn't know. He's being removed from where he feels safe.
Before he can head to the gate, Wei Wuxian realizes something else.
He cannot leave without informing Lan Qiren. His reputation will be even more in tatters than it will be from the defection. Any disciple may defect from their sect; only an ingrate would fail to show respect to a teacher. He must inform Lan Qiren of his departure in person, and accept his scolding with good grace.
Without this degree of propriety, it could be said that he lacks gratitude and insulted his teacher. He will be disgraced among all cultivation gentry – the very people he will need to work with if he does not want to end up a despised outcast from society in this world as well.
Wei Wuxian calculates; the assistant must be a normal civilian. It will take him nearly an hour to get down the stairs, and even if Wei Wuxian misses him, he can always go to the magistrate himself. A-Yuan will not be in any real danger. He will be distressed, yes, but Wei Wuxian will find him and make it up to the boy.
With that, he slows and heads back towards the sect grounds. He keeps his pace brisk, but not running.
Fortunately, he sees Lan Qiren talking with Lan Wangji just outside the dining hall.
Except that Lan Wangji is smiling and nodding. And is just a bit less handsome than usual. With a hair style quite different... That cannot be Lan Wangji, so it must be Lan Xichen.
Wei Wuxian approaches rapidly before they can enter the hall and salutes, “Greetings, Grandmaster Lan. Young Master Lan. This humble student has a request for his teacher, if you can spare a moment?”
Lan Qiren turns an unimpressed stare on Wei Wuxian. “You skip my lecture this morning and need to speak with me now?”
“I apologize for my rudeness. I would not interrupt unless it were important,” Wei Wuxian keeps his voice calm, with no indication of urgency. This is not something he can rush.
“Uncle, perhaps it would be best to hear him out. He may have an explanation for his absence,” Lan Xichen says in a mild, reasonable tone.
Wei Wuxian gives a nod of thanks to Lan Xichen, but keeps his eyes on Lan Qiren as the older man scrutinizes him. Lan Qiren stokes his beard thoughtfully for a moment then scoffs, “Speak quickly, do not make us late for the meal.”
Wei Wuxian gives a deep, formal bow, “Grandmaster, I thank you for the instruction you have provided. Your lectures improved my understanding of cultivation and the jianghu. I know gossip is forbidden in the Cloud Recesses, so I thought to inform you directly. As I am defecting from the Jiang sect, I will no longer be eligible to participate in your lectures.”
“WHAT?!?” Lan Qiren shouts.
“Young Master Wei, that is surprising. Have you thought this through? For someone so young to leave their sect, it does not indicate an auspicious future,” Lan Xichen holds onto his uncle's arm as the older man vibrates in outrage.
Lan Qiren sputters, “You, you! Impertinent boy! You thank me for instruction and then tell me you have so little filial piety and loyalty that you are leaving the sect that trained you? That sent you here?”
“Grandmaster, I apologize for startling you. However, my reasons for leaving the Jiang sect are personal. I sent notice to Sect Leader Jiang already, and the sect heir is also aware of my intentions,” Wei Wuxian keeps his voice and face smooth. He has years of practice being accommodating in the face of someone shouting insults at him.
Lan Xichen's mouth forms a little 'oh' and he seems to realize something. Clearly, he must have heard of Jiang Wanyin's punishment yesterday, if nothing else.
“Uncle, this is a matter internal to the Jiang sect. Perhaps it is best to stay out of it,” Lan Xichen cautions.
Wei Wuxian reaches down and pulls the jade pass off his belt, “I came to return the jade token, and inform you of my absence. I do not wish to abuse the hospitality of the Lan sect, now that I am no longer able to study here.” He holds it out to Lan Xichen, rather than giving it to Lan Qiren directly.
Lan Xichen hesitates for a moment, but when Wei Wuxian does not withdraw his hand, the Lan boy takes the jade token.
“You really are just like your mother. You lack all propriety,” Lan Qiren says with a sneer. Beside him, Lan Xichen flinches slightly.
Wei Wuxian really, really wants to recite the rule about not speaking ill of the dead. However, he holds his tongue and just bows one final time, “I will take my leave first. Grandmaster, your lectures will surely be more peaceful with me gone.”
Given how quiet the dining hall is, Wei Wuxian does not doubt that many people heard the conversation. He would have preferred to inform him in private, but Lan Qiren would not have extended that courtesy without a reason.
Wei Wuxian walks away and feels surprisingly light. Like a mountain lifted from his chest. Perhaps it is just the giddiness of having chosen a direction, rather than foundering and trying to find a way to keep the peace.
He will speak with the magistrate. He will adopt A-Yuan. And he will sell the remaining inventions to fund a wonderful life for both himself and his new son.