WangXian Forever 3

Chapter 6 Amends

Jiang Cheng was bristling, a combination of outrage and indignation. Just who did these people think they were? What right did they have to question his marriage like this?

So he stood up, walked past a very happy Wei Ying who gave him a thumbs up, straight to his fiancé. XiChen just turned to say something to him, when Jiang Cheng grabbed his face and kissed him deeply.

In front of everyone.

When they broke free, a dazed XiChen held on to a smiling Jiang Cheng.

"I believe we have answered their questions." He took XiChen's hand and walked out, past a giggling Wei Ying, who high fived him.

Of course, their exit meant uproar as the protests grew louder. Wei Ying was glad the attention was further away from himself, and there was no way he would try to calm the masses. Lan Zhan was of a similar opinion, because he also stood up, taking Wei Ying away from his third jar of wine.

"Well, that was interesting!" Wei Ying grinned broadly as they walked away.

"Uncle Wei! Wait!" A voice called them from behind.

Both he and Lan Zhan turned and waited. Jin Ling was running to catch up with them.

"What is it, Jin Ling?" Wei Ying watched him come closer. The boy had grown taller and... something about the way he held himself reminded Wei Ying of his Shijie. He smiled warmly in greeting.

"Uncle Cheng said you weren't feeling alright...?" He shifted from one foot to the other, nervously watching Lan Zhan.

"I'm fine now." He replied, ignoring the loud clearing of husband's throat.

"Wei Ying must rest." Lan Zhan took his arm.

"Wait!" Jin Ling cried out. "I have something I need to ask you."

"What?" Lan Zhan wasn't feeling friendly, especially since this child had stabbed his Wei Ying.

"Well, I.." he swallowed uncomfortably, losing his courage by the second.

"Ayio! Lan Zhan, you're scaring the kid." Wei Ying patted the hand around his arm until he let go. He put that same arm around his nephew. "Come. Speak your mind."

"Well, you know I didn't get a chance to give you a wedding present, and it's been bothering me. So I was wondering, while you're here, would you like choose something from our treasury?" He took a deep breath, finally out of words.

Wei Ying beamed at him. "You know, that's absolutely not necessary. We're just glad you were there, for one if the ceremonies anyway."

The boy looked broken hearted.

Wei Ying panicked.

"But if it means that much to you, we accept!" That earned him a bright smile.

"Then, if you want to rest now, we can go there afterwards." Jin Ling bowed to both them and went back to the main hall.

Lan Zhan saw his chance and took Wei Ying back to their room.

*****

Lan Zhan made Wei Ying promise not to leave the bed before he left. XiChen had called him over to discuss clan policy related to the Jin Sect, but he was reluctant to go. Wei Ying was more important, being his excuse.

The moment he left, Hui Gai appeared.

Wei Ying put a hand on his heart. "You know, you've got to stop doing that!"

He bowed with a sharp smile. "Master Wei is not feeling well?"

"I'm alright now." Wei Ying sighed. "It's just that being here reminds me of...things I'd rather not think about."

"I heard what they said about Master Wei." Hui Gai pulled his spiked tail into his own lap and began stroking it. "Do you want me to kill them all?"

"What?! No!" Wei Ying sat up in shock. "How did you come to that conclusion?"

"They said horrible things about you." He shrugged. "I do not like those people."

"We're only here for a while. When we go home tomorrow, we can forget about them." Wei Ying patted his shoulder. "You don't have to worry about them."

"So if I can't kill them, what else can I do?" He asked, innocently.

"Nothing!" Wei Ying tried to keep his voice down. "Nothing. Please don't do anything to them. It doesn't matter."

He licked his lips. "It matters to me."

"It's not your fight, Hui Gai. Promise me you won't hurt them." Wei Ying waited for him to look at his face.

"I will promise not to kill them. If Master is sure...?" He looked too hopeful.

"I am absolutely, without a doubt, sure, I do not want you to kill them. Please." Wei Ying lay down again, tired from arguing.

Hui Gai bowed, head cocked as if listening for something and then vanished.

Lan Zhan came in seconds later.

"Why aren't you asleep?" He demanded.

"I'm sleeping, I'm sleeping!" Wei Ying pulled the covers over his head. Why was everyone suddenly so demanding...?

******

Jin Ling knocked on their door at eight in the evening. Wei Ying grabbed Lan Zhan's hand and pulled him along.

"He said it's a wedding gift. That means it's for both of us." He whispered, too close to his ear, noting the shiver rippling through his body.

"Behave." But there was no heat behind the words.

Wei Ying kissed his cheek in thanks.

The treasury was a long, narrow building. Guards stood outside and bowed as they approached. Jin Ling took them inside.

Wei Ying was suitably impressed; a great many relics and ancient tomes surrounded them on book shelves and glass cases.

"Look, Lan Zhan, isn't this fabulous? And look at that!" Like a child in a play arena, he went from one thing to another, happily excited.

"Uncle, I will take you to the treasury now." Jin Ling announced after he had his fill of this place.

"But...? So then where are we now?" Wei Ying asked, confused.

"This is just a guard room." Jin Ling replied, just a little bit smugly. "The real treasury is over here." He led them to a tree in the centre of the hall, that was growing so tall, the roof had to be cut to accommodate it's height and girth.

He placed his palm on the trunk just under a particular branch and waited. Soon, even as they watched, a yellow blossom grew from a tiny bud into a fully open bloom. Jin Ling plucked the flower and threw it into a hole that neither had noticed.

A door appeared in the wide trunk, which Jin Ling pushed open with a grin.

"Follow me, Uncle Wei."