Chapter Text
Clearly, Jiang Cheng had underestimated just how potent the smell of blood could be.
If anything, it was absolutely putrid. Repulsive. An awful stench of metallic copper that slowly filled the room, invading his lungs as the boy struggled to even catch his breath, the mere realization enough to render both the air heavy and himself speechless. The realization that his mother had actually done it, Wang Lingjiao’s shrill laughter serving as undeniable proof: Wei Wuxian’s hand was no longer his. The cold appendage long severed and discarded on their once-beautiful marble flooring, now stained by its pooling crimson residue.
The grip on Jiang Cheng from one of his mother’s handmaids loosened noticeably once she saw that he’d stopped his thrashing, the other still at Wei Wuxian’s side, retracting her own hands as well. They must have understood too that the deed of their mistress was done. That there was no point in trying to go back after this, no point in dreading the past.
Wang Lingjiao clapped her hands together, still snickering proudly from where she sat.
“Well done! Well done, Madam Yu!” She praised, her grin so ridiculously wide that Jiang Cheng was sure it would get stuck that way. “The Wen Clan of Qishan will surely extend their gratitude. I’ll even make sure to throw in a good word to Wen Chao! He’ll be so pleased!”
The woman wouldn’t stop talking, laughing and smiling to herself as if she had been the one to deal the final blow. Never before had he seen her so ecstatic.
Jiang Cheng’s fists were balled up tight, gripping at his robes, his knuckles white from all the pressure. If he looked at himself through a mirror, his face would probably be void of all its color too. He didn’t realize that he’d been trembling, but maybe that was a given. Whether out of anger or fear, he wasn’t so sure. All he knew was that the scream, which escaped from his lips, did so completely on impulse. He hardly got the chance to stop himself.
“Mom!”
Yet, despite the pure anguish in her son’s voice, Madam Yu still turned around as sharp as ever. “Silence!”
At that, her handmaid, Yu Jinzhu, quickly went back to restraining him by the arms. But this time, Jiang Cheng shoved her off before she could manage a strong enough hold.
“Oh, Jiang-xiao-gongzi,” Wang Lingjiao called out. “Don’t be so rash, you saw for yourself how horribly he misbehaved in Xuanwu Cave, no? How much he dishonored your sect? Dishonored mine? If anything, just be glad that it was him who received this punishment and not some actual high-class disciple, someone of value, who knows how to hold their tongue.”
Jiang Cheng should’ve known not to underestimate the stupidity of Wang Lingjiao. For a person of such feeble status and upbringing to act as prestiged as she did, giving such hypocritical reasoning, right in front of the Jiang family—the irony was almost laughable.
But Jiang Cheng wasn’t the kind to humor himself. He also couldn’t ignore the messed-up implications behind her words, as if he should be grateful for this kind of turnout.
At this angle, he could see Wei Wuxian’s state almost perfectly. He was unconscious (or, at least, Jiang Cheng hoped he was) with one of his sleeves pulled up, revealing the stub on his arm where his hand had once been attached to. The blood was everywhere.
His stomach churned with full, unconcealed horror.
And then, fury, all at once.
“You—”
“You foolish boy! What did I just tell you?!”
Madam Yu spoke up once again, interrupting Jiang Cheng with cold resolution before he could even muster up a statement of his own.
“Don’t you see what the situation is? Or would you, a future sect leader, rather waste your breath on a servant’s son, make things worse for us than he already has? Have you learned nothing that I taught you?” She reprimanded. “He’s the one who must reap what he’s sown, I refuse to let his carelessness reflect on the Jiangs!”
“But mom—he’s… look at how much he’s…” Jiang Cheng’s voice was now reduced to a frantic whisper. Never before had he felt so hopeless. Just a minute ago, he was on the floor, clutching at his mom’s leg and begging for her to spare Wei Wuxian. That Zidian was enough. Only for him to be dragged backward by Yu Jinzhu, all of his efforts gone to waste.
“Please, let me take him to the healer! We have to stop the bleeding before he—”
“Then take him to the damn healer if that’s what you wish! Get his blood on your clothes, make a mess of yourself and panic the juniors! Tell your father if you’re bold enough, see if I care! You’re right, the deed is done, so I’m sure that she will take her leave alongside the rest of those Wen subordinates, while also returning the disciple who was wrongly taken from our grounds,” she said, redirecting her attention back to Wang Lingjiao, as if telling her to take the hint and leave Lotus Pier.
Wang Lingjiao’s brow twitched slightly, clearly annoyed with the way Madam Yu kept approaching her, but, already used to the woman’s fierce temperament, she still continued along with her act, as if nothing was the matter. “Ah, of course, Madam Yu! You and your son are very much right, the punishment is done! Wei Wuxian’s debts have been paid! The Wens will make sure to award you greatly for this!”
Jiang Cheng didn’t care about what else that wicked woman had to say. He rushed over to Wei Wuxian’s side and dropped to his knees. By then, Yu Yinzhu had already wrapped a tight cloth around the wound, but that didn’t stop the scene from looking any less gruesome.
He shook Wei Wuxian by the shoulders, moving his hands to his neck and feeling for his pulse.
“Wei Wuxian!” He called desperately. “Come on, wake up! We need to go!”
Deep down, he already knew that Wei Wuxian wouldn’t be getting up so easily. And even if he did by some miracle, he wouldn’t be oriented enough to instantly walk on his own. Wei Wuxian wasn’t one to faint often, he’d only ever done so a handful of times from Jiang Cheng’s count, so for him to do so sheerly out of the pain he experienced, from a forced amputation, nonetheless…
Still, just like his mother, Jiang Cheng was stubborn. “Wei Wuxian!”
From behind, he could still hear the two women talking.
“...Enough, there is no need for that,” Madam Yu grimaced. “There is no reason for you to come back here. So I suggest that you take your leave, report this to whomever, wherever. The two of us are even.”
“Well, I wouldn’t be so quick to say such things, Madam Yu,” Wang Lingjiao smiled. Even Jiang Cheng had to pause at that, turning to look at Wang Lingjiao with a confused expression.
What the hell was she playing at now?
Madam Yu raised a brow. “What do you mean?”
“That was the second matter I wished to address. You see, the Wen Clan of Qishen will be building an overwatch office in every city,” Wang Lingjiao explained, delighted. “And as of today, I’ve decided that Lotus Pier will be the Wen Clan’s Yunmeng overwatch office. Given how everything played out today, I’m sure that we will get along very well, Madam Yu.”
Jiang Cheng’s jaw grew slack.
The audacity!
“What overwatch office?! This is my home!” He snapped, but Wang Lingjiao only brushed him off. She began listing all the reasons for her choosing Lotus Pier, throwing insult after insult at his home, at himself, painting his mother and the Jiangs as obedient subjects for the Wen Clan of Qishen to use and discard as needed.
But she couldn’t finish her spiel before Madam Yu slapped her right across the face, wiping that smug smile clean off.
“The nerve!”
She raised her hand again, then landed another, and another, before Wang Lingjiao was pulled up by the hair. “How dare you speak to me, in my home, about my children, my handmaids—my people!” Another slap. “Before you beat a dog, check who its master is. Do you really think I would submit to you, that my punishments are not done on my own accord, and no one else's?”
“The Wang Clan of Yingchuan—who’s ever heard of them? Compared to the Yu Clan of Meishan, do you really think that you have the right to treat me as inferior? Check your own status before lecturing someone on hierarchy! I gave you an out, so why didn’t you have the sense to take it? You lowly maid, remember your place!”
Her harsh berating went on and on, until the shrieking came from both sides of the room. Wang Lingjiao quickly turned to Wen Zhuliu for help, no longer holding up her cocky facade as fat tears poured down her red-beaten face. Jiang Cheng could only sit there in shock.
It wasn’t long before a fight rang out between his mother, her handmaids, and Wen Zhuliu, with Zidian whipping viciously across the room, challenged ruthlessly by Wen Zhuliu’s defense. Snapping out of it, he took Wei Wuxian in his arms and mounted him on his back.
“Come on,” he hissed out in frustration. The boy’s head only lulled on his shoulder as Jiang Cheng tried to adjust his position, and, for a second, he swore that he could hear a mumble coming from the other's end. Though, if it was Wei Wuxian, then what he said was completely incoherent.
“Ack!”
Another strike shot out as one of Wen Zhuliu’s attacks collided with Jiang Cheng, creating a nasty cut on his arm. The weight of Wei Wuxian on his back only heightened the pain; Jiang Cheng could only try and muffle the wince with his teeth.
This exchange only angered Madam Yu even further, cursing at Wen Zhuliu for daring to land a hit on her son. The hostility between the two grew tenfold, and Jiang Cheng knew immediately that things had gone far beyond repair. He needed to leave, alert the other juniors, and get his father. Do something—anything. But before he could think of a way, he was being scooped up by his mother. Wei Wuxian was no longer on his back, and was instead lifted by Madam Yu’s other arm.
She shouted something to her handmaids, ordering them to prepare everyone for battle, to fend off the approaching Wens, before taking off.
“Mom? Where are we going?” Jiang Cheng yelled out, but he was met with no answer, not even a snarky quip from his mother. Her speed was remarkable, and they rapidly found themselves outside in front of the Lotus pond. Before Jiang Cheng could say further, he was thrown onto one of their wooden boats.
Wei Wuxian was thrown in right after, though his landing was a lot less gentle than Jiang Cheng’s. He was instantly pulled to Jiang Cheng’s side, barely stirring.
But Madam Yu wouldn’t follow.
“Mom, why aren’t you—”
“My boy, listen to me carefully,” Madam Yu said, holding him down by the shoulders. “Your sister, she’s still in Meishan. Head there now, find her, make sure she’s safe. Those Wens will be coming at any moment to bring ruin to our home. You need to leave now, and don’t even think about turning back! Do I make myself clear?” She demanded. Then, after a long breath, she removed Zidian from her finger and grabbed Jiang Cheng’s own, forcing it on. Jiang Cheng stalled.
“...Why are you giving me Zidian?”
“You are its owner now. It recognizes you as such.” Madam Yu answered simply. Jiang Cheng shook his head.
“No—no! I can’t, I can’t take it! How can I just leave?! Father should be coming soon, why can’t we all fight together?”
Madam Yu’s face soured at the mention of her husband. “Do you think I can’t manage without him? He’ll come, so what? I already gave you my orders.”
Her face then twisted again. “Despicable, absolutely despicable!”
It didn’t take long for Jiang Cheng to realize who she was referring to.
“I don’t care if he’s missing an arm or a leg, right or left, sword hand or not—it doesn’t matter! Let him bear the consequence. Never should he forget what he owes to our family! He better protect you with every inch of his life. If he doesn’t recover, then throw him onto the road, leave him behind. Whatever you do, don’t let him stop you from finding your sister!”
“Mom, stop! Please.”
Madam Yu then pulled her son into a hug, one that was both tight and warm, comforting in a way. Rarely ever did she show such kind of affection. Jiang Cheng could barely react.
This was all…
“My dear son,” she whispered, before pushing him back onto the boat, Wei Wuxian still in his hold.
Just as suddenly, Zidian released itself, wrapping around the two boys as Madam Yu jumped back onto the boat’s dock.
“Wha—wait!” Jiang Cheng cried. He struggled against the burning whip, but nothing would break its hold. “I can’t—”
“It won’t unravel itself until you’re at a safe distance, far away from here,” Madam Yu explained.
Jiang Cheng’s movements spiked with panic. “Don’t do this! You can’t, you can’t! Let me go! Let me go, let me go, let me…”
But no matter how much he grieved, his screams went unheard. Madam Yu shoved the boat with her foot, allowing it to glide down the stream’s current until the dock went further and further away from sight. Jiang Cheng kept calling out for his mom, but the woman wouldn’t dare to turn around. Every movement caused Zidian to wrap around tighter, and by the end of his hysterics, Jiang Cheng found himself too tired to continue.
It wasn’t until then that he finally felt someone shift beside him.
Wei Wuxian!
Jiang Cheng couldn’t get a good look at him from the awkward way they were forced together by Zidian, but it was obvious that the other wasn’t faring so well.
“Jiang Cheng…?” He whispered, blinking slowly. “What’s… why are we…”
Jiang Cheng stared daggers into his lap, still struggling to catch his breath. Hot tears pricked at his eyes, swarming his vision and threatening to fall. His mind clouded completely.
“The Wen dogs,” he said, voice cracking. “The Wen dogs… Wen Chao.” His fists tightened.
“Wei Wuxian, why did you… why the hell did you have to…”
But before he could finish, the boat came to a sudden stop, almost knocking the two off balance (even though Wei Wuxian was already in a very slumped position). Jiang Cheng looked up to find his father, Jiang Fengmian, staring back down at them, his face contorted with serious worry.
“A-Cheng, Wei Wuxian? What happened, why are you both tied up by Zidian?!”
The sound of Jiang Fengmian’s voice seemed to have knocked some sense back into Wei Wuxian, for he finally shot up. Noticing how Jiang Cheng was too breathless to respond, he decided to answer first. “Wang Lingjiao and the Wens came to Lotus Pier, they… captured one of the juniors.”
The way that he talked was strained, somewhat hard to understand.
“I don’t know what happened after, but…”
“They’re attacking our home!” Jiang Cheng finished for him. “Mom went back to fight the core-melting hand, we have to help her!”
Jiang Fengmian’s eyes widened at the revelation, and so did Wei Wuxian’s. His brows furrowed, as if trying to process the situation, but when he looked again at the two, really looked, he paused.
“Wei Wuxian,” he breathed. “Your hand.”
At that, Wei Wuxian freezed, looking down at the blood-stained fabric covering his wrist. His face slowly twisted into one of both surprise and aversion.
Did he seriously not realize?
Jiang Fengmian stalled, as if wanting to pry further, but decided against it.
“Listen to me,” he told Wei Wuxian. “Protect Jiang Cheng, keep moving to Meishan and never look back, never return. Not unless…” He sighed, despair clearly etched in his tone. “Just, protect him.”
Wei Wuxian’s mouth trembled, pressed in a straight line. Slowly, he nodded. “…and Shijie?”
“Meishan, find her! Protect her as well!”
“Dad, stop!” Jiang Cheng pleaded. “Let us go! We can help!”
But Jiang Fengmian didn’t listen. Of course he didn’t. The boat began to move again as he let go, and Jiang Cheng let out another cry, much to his own dismay.
“Dad!”
But the boat didn’t yield either, and the two continued to drift further down the lake. Away from Jiang Fengmian. Away from Madam Yu.
Away from Lotus Pier.
By the time Zidian untied itself, the boat was already at the very end of the lake, caught against a large patch of rough terrain.
Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian sat completely still in its center, unable to move even a single muscle. They were still in a daze from recent events, after having witnessed what transpired at Lotus Pier. Wen Zhuliu, Wang Lingjiao, the Wens…
Whatever they saw that day, it wasn’t even all of it. Barely half!
They had no idea what state Lotus Pier was in now—if Madam Yu and Jiang Fengmian actually managed to secure victory over the Wens, if the Jiang elders and junior disciples were able to make it out safely, defending themselves from further ambush. At this rate, nothing was guaranteed.
Wei Wuxian bit down on his lip hard, trying his best to distract himself from the burning pain of Zidian. Never before had he been whipped so many times in one sitting; the feeling was excruciating, even for him. He’d only just recovered from his former injuries, so of course it would leave him defenseless, without even giving him the strength to kneel properly as he would during usual discipline. By the time Wang Lingjiao proposed for his hand to be cut off, he could hardly remember the rest, the world already dimming after the umpteenth strike of Madam Yu’s wrath.
Part of him couldn’t help but reminisce his times at the Cloud Recesses, back when his most common infractions would lead him to writing lines with Lan Zhan. Boring, but fun when the boy was around, despite the clear irritation on his end.
Except, that was what also made it amusing; Lan Zhan was an easy boy to tease.
But, it wasn’t the time to be thinking about those things, was it?
“Jiang Cheng,” Wei Wuxian called, slowly tugging him by the robes. “Come on, we have to go.”
But Jiang Cheng wouldn’t budge.
Of course he wouldn’t. While Wei Wuxian was unconscious, his shidi had been the one to see the attack unfold; distress was only expected. He couldn’t blame him for that.
But they also couldn’t afford to just sit around. They had to start moving.
Wei Wuxian sighed. “Jiang Cheng—”
“I’m going back.”
At that, Wei Wuxian stopped his tugging. “What?”
“I said I’m going back,” Jiang Cheng declared, louder this time.
There was a pause, another beat of silence before Wei Wuxian could even process the words coming out of Jiang Cheng’s mouth.
“Are you serious?” He grit out. “Didn’t you hear what Jiang-shushu said? We have to head to Meishan to find Shijie. Besides, this lake goes on for miles. Who knows how long that’ll take.”
“So I leave my parents behind? Let everyone fight the Wens while we escape alone?” Jiang Cheng argued back.
“I never said that! It’s just… too risky,” Wei Wuxian stressed.
“Risky?” Jiang Cheng repeated. He looked at Wei Wuxian incredulously, as if his shixiong had somehow grown another head. “Since when have you been against the idea of taking risks? Did you forget what landed us in this situation to begin with?”
“Jiang-shushu told me to protect you, that you were to live—”
“And what the hell can you do to protect me?! Whether it's here or out there, just look at yourself!” Jiang Cheng snapped. “I don’t need your protection! Just wait here until I return!”
“With what?!” Wei Wuxian yelled, exasperated. “Be rational, Jiang Cheng! You don’t even have your sword!”
“Don’t you dare lecture me on being rational!”
At this point, there was no way to console him. Jiang Cheng was far too consumed by his own anger to realize how strong of a grip he had on Wei Wuxian’s robes.
“After all, if it weren’t for you playing hero at Xuanwu of the Slaughter, provoking Wen Chao even after I warned you multiple times not to, then maybe we wouldn’t be here in the first place! Then maybe you wouldn't have lost your hand, and the two of us could’ve lived one more lasting day of peace!”
“So why did you have to save them, huh?! Lan Wangji, Jin Zixuan, who cares about them?! If they die, they die! Why drag ourselves into their business?! Now everyone’s in danger and it’s all your—fuck! Are you happy now? Was it worth it, any of it?!”
The boat began to sway back and forth, the strength of Jiang Cheng’s pull creating an unsteady rhythm against the water.
“Jiang Cheng!” Wei Wuxian warned. “Cut it out!”
“No! No, I won’t!” Jiang Cheng cried. “This time, you listen to me!”
“Look—I get it, okay? I get that you’re upset! But if we go back now, what do you expect us to do?!”
“We?! I don’t expect you to do anything! Why don’t you get it?”
“Hey–”
“Why is it so hard for you to stay out of things?”
“Jiang Cheng!”
“Why are you so insistent on screwing everything up, even for yourself?!”
The flimsy boat didn’t hold out for long. It only took one more pull from Jiang Cheng for the entire thing to tip over, leaving the two fully submerged in the water with a loud splash.
Jiang Cheng, you—
Wei Wuxian cursed internally at Jiang Cheng’s rashness. To think that he would topple over their only boat—landing them straight into the cold, abandoned lake at night. He understood the boy’s grievances, but clearly, carrying out Jiang Fengmian’s wishes would be harder than he thought.
Especially when it came to getting to Shijie.
The water hardly subsided the pain in his body, but it gave Wei Wuxian enough to think about. Enough to worry about. He flailed his arms around, trying to push himself upward like he usually would, as swimming came about as naturally to Yunmeng Jiang disciples as did breathing. But he quickly realized that his body, no matter what he did, just wouldn’t cooperate.
Every movement made it feel like a sharp blade was being pointed to his backside, as if every muscle in his body was too sore to be put to proper use.
It was ridiculous. Truly ridiculous.
Not too long ago, he and Lan Zhan were fighting against the giant Xuanwu of Slaughter for hours on end, forced to survive off of inedia for the days that stretched on afterward. He’d been exhausted, feverish, barely conscious by the end of it—but he had survived. He held out way longer than this. Could his current state be all of Zidian’s doing? Was this the aftermath of being struck so many times by such a high-grade spiritual weapon?
It wasn’t totally out of the question, but it was still…
He knew his injuries were grave. That it would prevent him from fighting against the Wens. That even movement would be difficult.
But he didn’t expect it to be this bad. Even with a missing hand—his sword hand, his strongest hand—he could always make use of his left. He couldn’t bring himself to worry about that right now, as unsettling as the thought was.
The surrounding water was too dark for him to see through, and his strained movement only dragged him deeper into the lake.
Wei Wuxian could hold his breath easily, but the ache from his struggling was starting to make his head spin.
And given how sudden the fall was, he was barely given the chance to hold in some air.
Sooner or later, he would drown. There was no doubt.
Yunmeng Jiang’s head disciple, succumbing to the same water that he’d grown up with for years, instead of a vicious, deformed yao beast. Wei Wuxian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
But before his thoughts could get to him first, Wei Wuxian felt something—no, someone—pull him up from the water. Their grip tight on his arm.
Jiang Cheng.
The cool air hit him with relieving force as Jiang Cheng dragged his limp body to land. The boy was breathing heavily, water dripping down his face, both his and Wei Wuxian’s robes completely soaked through.
“Wei—Wei Wuxian! Shit, Wei Wuxian… Are you…”
He could hear Jiang Cheng cursing to himself, mumbling almost, clearly shaken as he laid Wei Wuxian on the ground. Jiang Cheng quickly lifted Wei Wuxian’s sleeve, assessing the tight cloth around his wrist—likely to make sure that it hadn’t loosened, though now it was freezing wet.
“‘M fine, Jiang Cheng,” Wei Wuxian forced out. “Mhm, all good. Just give me a second.”
Evidently, Jiang Cheng wasn’t too happy with that answer. His brows were furrowed in clear contempt, but he didn’t say anything about it.
Slowly he lifted Wei Wuxian, until his shixiong was sat in an upright position with support on his back. Wei Wuxian flinched reflexively at the contact, his damp robes further rubbing against his injuries, causing him to shudder. Jiang Cheng stilled upon realizing this and removed his hand from the other’s back, instead choosing to support him from the shoulders.
“Fine my ass,” he muttered. Wei Wuxian laughed weakly.
Jiang Cheng hesitated for a moment, but inevitably lifted Wei Wuxian up and onto his back.
“Hold on,” he said, and Wei Wuxian did his best to comply. With much effort, Jiang Cheng began to move away from the lake, walking deeper into the lush, forest-filled paths despite the lack of light that could offer him guidance.
“…The boat,” Wei Wuxian muttered, after realizing how far they were going from where they’d left it.
“What about it?” Jiang Cheng sighed. “You said it yourself, we have to go. A-jie’s waiting.”
“I know,” he replied. “It’s just, I don’t think we turned it back over. We could’ve at least brought it to land.”
Jiang Cheng scoffed. “Don’t tell me you feel bad for an old boat. We’re not going back.”
Wei Wuxian did his best to shrug. “You’re the one who knocked it over.”
“Yeah,” Jiang Cheng said awkwardly. “...Sorry.”
“Now we’re both soaked. I’m freezing!”
“I said sorry!”
A good majority of their travel was spent in silence. It didn’t hang as heavy as it once did, but it was still tense. Dreadful, in a way, even though there wasn’t much that could be done about it. Jiang Cheng’s boots kept making an annoying squelch against the dirt, bleeding into the background of ruffling leaves and whatever nocturnal that was passing by. The two could only hope that they wouldn’t encounter anything troublesome, as even a low-level walking corpse would be too tiring to deal with in this state.
“Do you think everyone’s okay?” Jiang Cheng asked suddenly. “Back in Lotus Pier… do you think they were able to win?”
Wei Wuxian hummed lowly in thought. In truth, he wanted to give reassurance, some positive thought to keep Jiang Cheng strong on his feet, but most of what he came up with was hardly pleasant.
There was no telling how many reinforcements the Wens had brought with them, and given their quick action it's possible that this attack was planned from the start.
He wasn’t sure where the Jiangs stood in the battle, not when Madam Yu handed down Zidian, something that she’d only do if she were to step down. This fact especially made his gut twist with unease, there was no doubt that it did the same for Jiang Cheng.
“I can’t say,” he admitted. “But they won’t be giving up easily, that I’m sure of. Your parents, they’re strong. And so are the rest of the juniors.”
It was the best he could offer at the moment. Even if hope was slim, Wei Wuxian wanted to hold onto it too.
Jiang Cheng nodded slowly and continued walking. He didn’t speak again.
Wei Wuxian was unsure of where they were headed, probably to one of the villages nearby for shelter. Maybe they could convince the people there to lend them a new pair of robes, or something to snack on for the journey. Unless Jiang Cheng remembered to keep some money on him, then that would make things a whole lot easier.
Hopefully by tomorrow he’ll be able to walk again. Wei Wuxian was still shaking from the cold, his wet clothes doing him no favor. And his hand—the fact that it was gone was slowly starting to settle in.
He didn’t realize that he’d fallen asleep until he found himself on the floor again, face down, on top of a cheap cot with a surprisingly warm blanket. His backside was bare, and he was only wearing his pants—clearly different ones given that they were fully dry and of thinner material.
Next to him was a bucket of water and several towels, many of them stained with blood and left in a corner of the room.
Wei Wuxian tried to lift himself up, but his muscles felt like jelly and his bones like heavy weights, which instantly pulled him back down despite his efforts. A hand soon came to his shoulder to steady him, accompanied by a stern voice that he quickly recognized as Jiang Cheng’s. He couldn’t process what his shidi was saying, but from his tone it was probably some sort of reprimand to stay still. Not that Wei Wuxian had much of a choice. He let himself be smothered by another thin blanket, the wounds on his back also covered by something—more towels, he assumed. Even the cloth on his wrist was changed out for something cleaner, something softer.
Wei Wuxian relaxed at the relief it brought him, releasing a sigh that he didn’t know he was holding in. Jiang Cheng also seemed to relax at that, for he was no longer mumbling angrily to himself. Instead, he moved away from the cot, somewhere far from Wei Wuxian’s field of sight. More shuffling could be heard from where Jiang Cheng was, but Wei Wuxian couldn’t bother to lift his head to see what he was doing.
It wasn’t long before the room went dark. Jiang Cheng must’ve blown out their lamp, hopefully returning to his own cot to rest.
As for Wei Wuxian, sleep took him under in less than a minute.
It was late, after all.
He could only hope that starting tomorrow everything would turn out alright. That he’d make a speedy recovery during their travels, that his shidis and shimeis would be safe alongside Madam Yu and Jiang Fengmian. That Shijie would be fine waiting for them in Meishan.
And that, above all, Jiang Cheng wouldn’t go back to Lotus Pier without him.
“Haven’t you heard? A few days ago, Lotus Pier was ambushed by Wen Chao and his army. The Jiang Clan of Yunmeng were completely annihilated!”
“No way! A prominent sect like the Jiangs?”
“Mhm. I heard not a single person made it out with their lives.”
“No, Sect Leader Jiang and Yu-furen’s children survived. I wonder how they did it.”
“It’s not like they fought. I heard they ran off. It must be why Wen Chao’s looking for their son and his head disciple.”
“As for Lady Jiang, the Yu Clan of Meishan is keeping her safe.”
“Keep your voices down! What if those Wen-dogs hear?”
“Lotus Pier is now their territory, it seems. What a shame, I just hope that their tyranny doesn’t make its way to us.”
Ever since the Wens set up their overwatch office in Lotus Pier, the markets in Yunmeng have been bustling with news, rumors, and rampant hear-say.
Jiang Cheng went among these markets with his face covered by a wide bamboo hat, one that was far too big for the size of his head. It leaned over whenever he wore it, but at least it did what it had to. He walked the streets with his usual goals in mind: buy food and medicine. Then, he’d return to the inn.
The talk began on the first morning of their stay. Jiang Cheng managed to find an abandoned inn on the outskirts of the market, locating it with the help of an elderly lady he crossed paths with while carrying an unconscious Wei Wuxian on his back.
He still had his money pouch on him, so he was able to buy new robes and blankets from a salesperson to supply the inn. He did his best to clean Wei Wuxian’s injuries, scolding him whenever his shixiong tried to get up.
Again, the morning was when everything went wrong.
He went out to the market that day to buy food, something simple and easy to carry on their journey. It was during then that he heard the word.
The Wens have defeated the Jiang Clan.
They’ve taken over Lotus Pier and killed everyone inside it.
Jiang Cheng didn’t believe it at first.
He refused to.
Because believing it would mean accepting the fact that his mother and father had lost. Not only lost—but it would mean that the two were dead. His parents, the juniors, the elders; it would mean he had no home to return to.
Jiang Cheng moved through the rest of the village in a deep trance, desperately searching for an answer that would please him, for a way to clear his mind. But no matter what he did, the rumors wouldn’t stop. If anything, they only got louder—more descriptive.
The Wens took everything from him, and yet, they still weren’t finished. They were looking for him. Actively. For both him and Wei Wuxian.
Jiang Cheng returned to the inn defeated, an insurmountable weight pulling at his shoulders. He couldn’t even make it inside before he collapsed on the porch, pulling at his hair while devastated cries ripped from his throat.
He cried for his mom, for his dad.
He cried because he didn’t know what was left for him. He cried because he didn’t know what to do. Even if they did find Yanli, which they would, how was he going to rebuild an entire sect on his own? How was he going to do anything without his parents’ guidance? How was he going to take back his home from the Wens?
They already burned down the Lans’ Cloud Recesses, what else would they take from the other sects?
Part of Jiang Cheng wanted to return.
To go back to Lotus Pier and prove to both himself and the world that they were all wrong, that his parents were fine, waiting at home for his return. That this was all another fake story the Wens had spun to make themselves look good.
And he almost did.
But once he entered the inn, hours later, with red-rimmed eyes and an irritated throat, he was quickly reminded of why he couldn’t do that.
Wei Wuxian.
The boy was still in the same spot as before, lying on top of the cot with blankets around him, hardly moving an inch.
At first Jiang Cheng was glad that Wei Wuxian hadn’t moved; despite his constant pestering, he was half expecting his shixiong to ignore his advice completely, as he usually would when someone told him to rest up. Being stubborn was just in his nature.
But he didn’t, and that part also worried Jiang Cheng.
Something was wrong. Clearly wrong.
Crouching beside him, Jiang Cheng removed the covers from his back, ignoring the shudder that Wei Wuxian let out. The wounds on his back, while no longer bloodied, were still grotesque to look at. At the time, Jiang Cheng had lost count of how many strikes Wei Wuxian took before his mother was satisfied with the punishment. But seeing this was an ugly reminder of just how bad it had been. The whip marks wrapped around his body in ways that almost resembled a snake—dozens of them—leaving behind large lacerations on his skin that would occasionally overlap.
He knew Zidian was a powerful weapon, but he never expected it to cause this much damage when inflicted upon another. There’s no doubt that these wounds would cause permanent scarring once it healed.
Knowing this frustrated him to no end.
He couldn’t help but think back to the start of all this. Back to his words on the boat before he accidentally knocked it over.
In truth, he still stood by it. Some of it, at least. If Wei Wuxian hadn’t acted so foolishly in the indoctrination camp, mocking Wen Chao in front of all those witnesses, then he likely wouldn’t have faced a punishment so severe. The Wens wouldn’t have been given a reason to come after them like this. They could’ve been at Lotus Pier, shooting kites with the juniors and eating lotus seeds while waiting for Yanli to come back with her usual goods from Meishan. Smiling and having a good time.
Wei Wuxian should’ve thought before he acted, is what he told himself.
But deep down, as easy as it was to pin the blame, Jiang Cheng knew that this wasn’t all fair.
Sure, Wei Wuxian wouldn’t have been punished if he held himself back like Jiang Cheng had asked, but what happened in Lotus Pier couldn’t have been the fault of one person, as impulsive as Wei Wuxian’s decisions were.
Jiang Cheng was still angry at him for it, but the Wens wanted power above all else. Out of all major clans in the jianghu, the Jiangs were the most vulnerable to this sort of attack.
They already had their eyes on Yunmeng to begin with.
Wei Wuxian was just their catalyst. He was bold enough to stand against them. And it was easier to target him given his… status, despite being head disciple.
Therefore, Jiang Cheng didn’t know how to feel.
Perhaps seeing Wei Wuxian in such a vulnerable state also did well to mitigate his anger. If the rumors were true, Wei Wuxian and Yanli were all he had left.
Being reckless would only make things worse for him, as hard as it was for him to even think straight.
With shaky hands, Jiang Cheng wiped the lacerations with a damp towel, carefully cleaning each tear despite Wei Wuxian’s weak protests. Each brush against his skin resulted in a sharp wince, regardless of how gentle Jiang Cheng was being.
He attempted to reassure him, repeating empty phrases like ‘I’m almost done’ and ‘hold still’, but it all fell on deaf ears.
Jiang Cheng couldn’t stand this. How did any of the healers manage?
Once he was done with the back, cleaning and drying as needed—though, to him, his work always felt lackluster, nothing compared to that of an actual expert—he turned his attention to Wei Wuxian’s right arm.
The bleeding had stopped long ago, but Jiang Cheng still made sure to keep it covered. Treating it with the same basic care as he did with the gashes from Zidian.
He couldn’t forget the look on Wei Wuxian’s face when he saw the missing appendage, a look that, while only lasting a few seconds, ached of both cold distance and horror. Jiang Cheng had never seen him give a look so perturbed; it was as if the boy had encountered some wild canine on the run.
But unlike those incidents with the dogs, not once did Wei Wuxian mention his hand afterward. Not while they were in the boat, not while they were looking for somewhere to stay—not even during the brief moments that he spurred awake in the night.
To Jiang Cheng, it was all so jarring.
At most, the boy would simply stare at his arm for a while, giving it an unreadable expression before closing his eyes and drifting off again.
The amount of sleep that Wei Wuxian had been getting was also a high point of concern.
When Jiang Cheng brushed his hand against his wrist, feeling again for his pulse point and channeling his spiritual energy, he noticed that Wei Wuxian was starting to feel unnaturally warm.
Jiang Cheng tried not to be too shaken by it. Though, a pang of guilt did run through him, for if Wei Wuxian was coming down with a fever, it was likely from the cold lake that Jiang Cheng had caused them to fall in.
But Wei Wuxian was a promising cultivator, with an even stronger core. With enough rest, surely his meridians would do the work.
But as the days went on, Wei Wuxian’s condition only got worse.
And Jiang Cheng couldn’t figure out why.
Wei Wuxian had gotten sick during his time in Xuanwu Cave. When Jiang Cheng came back to rescue him, he saw it for himself—Wei Wuxian in a feverish, almost delirious state, his temperature running high just as it did now.
But that fever had corrected itself in little over a day or two. Granted, they had their most proficient healers treat him upon his rescue, but they didn’t have to do much for him to recover. He was faring decently well at the time; they said it themselves.
But at the inn, several days have passed, and Wei Wuxian was still feverish and disoriented, the pain from his injuries refusing to die down.
Jiang Cheng wanted to throw up.
He wasn’t good at this, not at all.
He had to rely on medical herbs from the market. Remedies that he only ever observed from others rather than practice himself.
He wasn’t good at this.
But he had to be. And that was what he told himself, time and time again. Until he eventually fell back into a routine that made the most sense to him.
Even if they weren’t going anywhere, for Meishan was still hours away, it was how he made it by.
Though today, while Jiang Cheng was roaming the area, the markets were awfully still—quiet, even. Not in a literal sense, for the sounds of noisy salespeople advertising their stalls and negotiating with customers were still very prominent, but in a way that made the air feel rigid. As if the people around him, despite going on with their everyday lives, were waiting for something to happen.
There wasn't even any talk about Lotus Pier.
“This one does well with stabilizing common colds.”
An older shopslady held up one of her snuff bottles, twirling it around as she presented it to Jiang Cheng.
“Perfect for headaches and congestion. You can use it orally or through the nose.”
Jiang Cheng looked at the bottle closely. It was a decent size with fine engravings on its front. Fancy, but nothing out of the ordinary.
“How much?”
“A dozen silver,” she said. Then, a pause. “But for you, I can reduce it to ten.”
If Wei Wuxian were here, he’d find a way to get it for less.
With a sigh, Jiang Cheng pulled out his pouch and counted the money.
“Is this good?”
Brightly, the lady smiled. “Of course—”
But before she could finish, a loud crash sounded. Forgetting the medicine, Jiang Cheng whipped his head around, the sudden commotion forcing him on edge.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Please forgive me!”
Not too far from where he stood, a young salesman was kneeling pitifully on the ground, sputtering out frantic apologies while onlookers watched the scene in horror.
And above him—
Jiang Cheng’s eyes widened with dread.
The Wens.
“I swear, it was a mistake!”
The tallest of the soldiers stepped forward with a sneer, but was held back by one of his colleagues.
“Don’t waste your time on him,” the other Wen told him. “Don’t forget what we’re here for.”
“As if I could,” snapped the man, pulling his arm away. “But while we search, the people of this town should treat the Qishan Wen Clan with respect, unless they choose to ignore the public statement made by Wen Chao. With the Jiangs gone, Yunmeng is ours to supervise.”
“Don’t be so childish,” another said. “If we make a scene, it’ll be harder for us to find them.”
The only one who wasn’t engaged in the banter was a much younger cultivator in the back. He looked visibly shaken, despite not being the one receiving his seniors’ lashings. He must’ve been a timid person, as he kept looking around while fidgeting with his fingers, an archery bow tied on his back. Ironic for a Wen.
“…Young man, would you still like the medicine?”
The saleswoman was clearly disturbed by the scene, but she tried her best to remain calm in front of her customers. She smiled warmly and held out the bottle for him to take, but Jiang Cheng could barely find the strength in him to move.
Of course, he already knew that the Wens were searching for him. It was only characteristic for Wen Chao to continue his petty revenge against the Jiangs, but he didn’t think that he’d run into them like this. For the past few days, Jiang Cheng had made sure to stay vigilant when roaming around in public. He couldn’t get caught, not when Wei Wuxian was still at the inn.
He opened his mouth to speak to the lady. But when his eyes wandered back to the crowd, he saw the timid Wen boy looking his way.
There was a sense of recognition on the Wen’s face that made his stomach drop.
Their eyes met.
The Wen boy saw him.
Jiang Cheng couldn’t bother to continue their conversation. Nor could he bother to pick up the medicine.
He left the money behind and ran.