Chapter Text
Wei Wuxian tried to catch the eye of Jiang Fengmian but the man resolutely looked ahead.
He had greeyed both Lan Zongzhu and Lan Xiansheng with a tightness in his eyes. “I apologise for the behaviour of our disciples in a foreign Sect. We assure you, such an incident will not occur again.”
That had been a slap across Wei Wuxian’s face as he knelt in shame beisde his Sect Leader. On the other side of Jiang Shushu, Jiang Cheng sat, furtively glancing at him at regular intervals, trying to see if he was okay.
“I truly did not expect my Head Disciple to have such a failing and I recognise that the fault is mine entirely,” Jiang Fengmian continued, wringing Wei Wuxian’s heart entirely.
Lan Xichen, astutely observant as always, noticed the emotions flitting across Wei Wuxian’s face. “Ah, yes Zongzhu. I hope we will still be allowed host disciples from the Yunmeng Jiang Sect in the future? I sincerely request that this does not affect the relations between the two Sects. Now perhaps we should start the negotiations about opening the borders of Lake Biling to merchant ships from Yunmeng.” The Alpha tried to gradually direct the conversation away from Wei Wuxian.
Beside him, Lan Qiren nodded sagely “Yes, this aspect has to be addressed. After all, such an incident has taken place on Gusu Lan grounds. If anything, the Lan should take responsibility for such grievous negligence.”
Lan Xichen’s smile grew brittle as he cast a quick glance at his uncle for going back to Wei Wuxian. The older man wasn’t trying to antagonise the Omega but Wei Wuxian was definitely backed into a corner.
Jiang Fengmian shook his head, disagreeing with Lan Qiren. “Not at all. The blame can only lie on the offender and not on the entire Sect. An entire population should not bear punishment for the foolish actions of one individual.”
Wei Wuxian’s head hung lower, tears speaking at the corner of his eyes.
“In fact, in order to prove my words,” Jiang Zongzhu continued, “I will remove the offending disciple from Gusu and take him back with me. The rest of the Jiang contingent will stay till the end of the lectures.”
Lan Qiren rubbed at his goatee thoughtfully. “I see.”
Beside them, Wei Wuxian was beginning to tremble.
“We will be setting off tomorrow, Jiang Zongzhu announced with finality. “I do not believe it is necessary to impose on the hospitality of the Lan anymore. As for the trade negotiatios, I will come back at a later date to discuss, if that is alright with Lan Zongzhu.”
With that, the meeting concluded.
Wei Wuxian scrambled after Jiang Shushu, as his legs protested the sudden activity.
“Shushu!” He cried as he caught up to the man on the path to the quarters for guests with higher status. “I’m sorry, Shushu. I really I am. I shouldn’t have-”
Jiang Fengmian raised one hand to silence him. “Go back to your room. Take your things. I do not want any delay tomorrow.”
And he left, leaving Wei Wuxian behind in despair.
Jiang Cheng speed walked to Wei Wuxian as soon as he caught sight of him at the gates of Cloud Recesses, with his luggage.
“Did you not sleep at all?”
Wei Wuxian refused to reply, the red rimming his eyes giving away the answer.
“I will talk to father. Maybe he’ll let me come with you,” Jiang Cheng tried to cheer him up.
Wei Wuxian could only offer a smile in return.
A flash of purple caught their eye, Jiang Zongzhu stride upto the gates with two disciples flanking him.
“Father. “Jiang Cheng approached him but the Beta sternly shook his head, effectively silencing him.
“We have discussed this. You will stay here till the lectures end. I will be taking your Shixiong back. No more arguments.”
Not one word was uttered to Wei Wuxian.
Wei Wuxian wasn’t expecting any but he desperately wanted to cling to the man’s robes like he did when he was a child, and beg for forgiveness and comfort.
He didn’t even know where to begin to ask for it.
Close on Jiang Fengmian’s heels followed Lan-Zongzhu and Lan Qiren.
“I wish you safe travels, Jiang Zongzhu,” the younger Sect Leader bowed in farewell, his uncle doing the same.
“Thank you for your hospitality, Lan Zongzhu,” Jiang Fengmian bowed in return. “And for your efficient handling of such……sensitive matters.”
Wei Wuxian’s fingernails bit into the skin of his palm, nearly drawing blood.
White robes dancing in front of his eyes but neither of them were the one he wanted to see. He longed to have one last glance at the boy with golden eyes who had taken his heart hostage.
Of course, Lan Zhan wasn’t there.
Sorrow welling up inside, he gently caressed the bump hidden inside his billowy black robes.
Goodbye Lan Zhan.
The contingent took to their swords, a streak of purple against the lightening sky, a speck of black amongst them.
As they drew farther away, a lone figure in white watched them leave with a breaking heart, on the rooftop where silver eyes met gold for the first time.
Wei Wuxian raced to catch up to Jiang Zongzhu as soon as they touched down in Lotus Pier.
“ShuShu!” He ran towards him, panicked. “Please, let me-”
“I really don’t want to hear anything,” the older man sighed.
“Shufu, I know I-”
“You let me down,” Wei Ying.
The words stabbed through Wei Wuxian like a lance, whatever he was trying to say dying on his tongue, his insides turning into ice.
He could only stare at the Sect Leader, tears beginning to cloud over his vision. Jiang Zongzhu looked back at him, regret painting his features.
Then he turned and resumed his walk into to Lotus Pier.
Wei Wuxian followed close behind, his eyes trained on the ground.
The first thing he saw as soon as he entered the Great Hall was Madame Yu on the Lotus Throne.
“So, you brought him back.” She addressed her husband. “This wretch, who’s brought humiliation and disgrace to the Sect; and you bring him back?” Her words came out sharp and dangerous.
Jiang Fengmian gave her a brief impassive look. “I will be in my study.” With a determined stride, he began to leave the hall.
Wei Wuxian made to follow but Yu-Furen’s gaze settled on him, making him freeze in his tracks. Dread began to fill him as she drew closer to him.
“Kneel.” The order came just as he expected.
Wei Wuxian complied with a sinking feeling as she loomed over him, a humourless smirk on her lips. “I knew that this day would come. That you would only whore yourself away like this.” She tipped his chin to meet her eyes.
He looked away.
A stinging pain spread across his cheek, the ring on her finger piercing the skin over his cheek bone as she struck him, a wave of nauseating pheromones surrounding them both.
“You don’t have the courage to face me after every thing?! Where was this shame when you crawled into somebody’s bed?”
Wei Wuxian swallowed the pain and humiliation. “I’m sorry, Furen. It’s all my fault.”
“Do. Not. Cry. Do you think you deserve pity after you after what you’ve done?”
Another slap.
Not any ordinary blows but one’s fused with spiritual power.
Wei Wuxian let out a low cry as she grabbed him by the hair dragging him across the hall, throwing him at the foot of the throne. His arms curled around his stomach involuntarily.
Grabbing him by the front of his robes, she forced him back onto his knees, before slamming his head into one of the legs of the throne, making him collapse in a heat on the ground.
And then he saw it, out of the blood dripping down his brows.
A spark of purple on her finger.
Fear enveloped him him as he pleaded with her. “Yu Furen, please. Not Zidian. My baby wouldn’t survive it.”
Yu Furen’s eyes narrowed. A flash came hurtling towards his stomach.
Wei Wuxian cried out, terrified, as he rolled over, his back takeing most of the blow, curling in on himself, the whip draining him of his energy.
Another strike and the pain nearly paralysed him as he struggled to protect the life inside him. “Furen, please,” he begged.
“All this for a bastard spawned out of a night of pleasure?”
“It wasn’t like that,” Wei Wuxian gasped, this skin of his back in flames. “We promised each other-” he cut himself off realising just how much he’d revealed.
Yu Furen drew closer to his prone figure, a cruel sneer on her face. “Oh, you promised each other?” She stepped on his cheek, grinding his face into the ground, drawing a pained exhale out of him. “And you thought it would happen? You, a lowly servant’s son thought you could do better than the place you’re already in?”
The sole of her shoe pressed harder into his skin, his blood mixing with his tears to stain the floors of Lotus Pier.
Why did he think that he would be worthy of someone like Lan Zhan? He would never regret loving him nor would he regret the tiny light inside him. But to dream of himself beside the Second Jade of Lan, no wonder the gods were punishing him for being too greedy.
Yu Furen scoffed, removing her foot. “Your baby? A child born of such union; a child of a womb such as yours; it is better to never bring such a child into this world.”
Horrified, Wei Wuxian threw himself at her feet with every last bit of his strength, hoping for mercy, but she shook him off like dust on her robes.
He lay there, curling in to try and protect his unborn child as much as he could as Yu Furen lifted her leg to deliver a kick filled with spiritual energy towards his stomach.
He knew, the baby would not survive.
Helplessly, he watched, time slowing down. He didn’t even get a chance to meet him.
“A-Niang!”
A slender but determined hand appeared, holding Yu-Furen’s foot, preventing he from causing any further damage.
“Shijie!” Wei Wuxian threw himself behind her, breathing in the comforting scent of lotus, hoping that at least she could protect prevent the death of his child.
“A-Niang, this is a child. A life. Please, just look at what you doing.” Jiang Yanli besseched.
The Furen scowled at her. “You would go against your own mother? For him?”
Shijie shook her head, kneeling in front of her but placing herself between her mother and Wei Wuxian, acting as a shield.
“I am protecting an innocent soul. The child did not ask to be conceived this way. Please, Niang.”
The alpha woman was not convinced. “Do you know what will happen to the Jiang if word of this gets out to the other Sects? A Sect which cannot even keep its Omegas is in control, what is respect will we have left?”
“Seclusion,” Wei Wuxian rasped. “I will go into seclusion till they are born. But I will not hurt my child,” he pleaded.
Jiang Yanli turned to look at him with a pained expression but slowly nodded a second later. “That way no one will know. Please consider it, A-Niang.”
The Alpha woman stepped away from the Wei Wuxian, eyes losing the murderous intent.
“What if it does get out?” She conjectured.
“It won’t,” Shijie firmly stated, her scent growing to calm Wei Wuxian down.
Madame Yu retracted Zidian. “Past the river.”
Jiang Yanli began to look worried. “A-Niang, that’s too much! He’s pregnant, after all.”
Yu Furen stared at her coldly, Alpha pheromones emanating from her. “It’s this or nothing.”
Wei Wuxian grabbed the back of Shijie’s robes. “Thank you, for accommodating this one. I will go as instructed,” he addressed the Lady of Jiang.
Jiang Yanli looked at him sorrowfully. “A-Xian….”
Zidian crackled one last time as though it wanted to find a place on way Wei Wuxian’s skin again.
He shuddered but the whip dulled instead. Madame Yu glared at him, blood dripping down the corner of his mouth, robes plastered to his back due to the freshly inflicted wounds.
He expected her to curse at him some more but she turned on her heels and left the Hall.
“A-Xian!” Jiang Yanli turned to him frantically. “Oh gods, what has she done to you?”
She gathered him up in her arms, trying to assess the damage.
“Shijie,” Wei Wuxian coughed, blood spilling from his mouth on to her pale violet robes which were already beginning to stain from where she was cradling him. “Is the baby okay?” He asked in a small voice, tears beading at his eyes.
“Hush now,” Yanli’s own eyes began to water at the state of her baby brother bleeding in her arms. Shaky hands she sent a thin stream of qi into lower dantian, Wei Wuxian shivering under the warm feeling coursing through his meridians.
“They’re okay,” she breathed out. “They’re okay, Didi.”
“Thank you,” Wei Wuxian mumbled in relief.
Yanli gently rub the top of his head. “Let’s get you to the healers as fast as possible. I promise you, this child will make it.”