Useless

Chapter Part 15

Madam Yu's angry voice rang out across Lotus pier like thunder. No one knew what had made her so upset this time and none of the disciples wanted to find out. Everyone tipped toed around or stayed away until the storm blew over.

Wei Wuxian had been curious of course. For once it seemed that Madam Yu wasn't angry with him. It had been a few months since the discussion conference at Qishan now. Wei Wuxian had tried to be on his best behaviour, but as always Madam Yu always had a problem with everything he did. That's why he wanted to know what had made her so upset.

He snuck around towards where the sect leader's office was. Madam Yu and uncle Jiang were having a heated discussion inside, and Wei Wuxian could have swore he heard them before he was even close to the hall. When he got close, Wei Wuxian was surprised to find his brother also there.

Jiang Cheng was standing in the hallway, an ear turned to where his parents were arguing inside. When he heard the sound of footsteps behind him, he turned around like he had been caught. When he saw that it was just Wei Wuxian though, he quickly shushed him and beckoned him over. Wei Wuxian moved over beside his brother and gave him a questioning look. Again Jiang Cheng made a shushing gesture and pointed towards the adjacent hall, telling him to listen. Wei Wuxian nodded and listened closely.

"How can you be so calm about all of this?! The letter says that if we ignore or disobey the order for indoctrination and refuse to give up our heirs, we'll be accused of treason against the gentry and be wiped out!" Madam Yu had shouted from inside.

Wei Wuxian let out a surprised sound. "Indoctrination?" he whispered. Jiang Cheng nodded his head.

"Father got a letter this morning from the Wen clan, requesting that all clan heirs and inner disciples be brought in for indoctrination. We'll have to leave in seven days," Jiang Cheng quietly explained. "But when has the Wen clan ever asked us to go there? We'll be treated more like hostages than anything."

Wei Wuxian nodded along to his brother's and continued listening.

"And of course we'll have to send A-Cheng. How can A-Li go with how she spends her days leisurely?"

"A-Cheng is my heir, of course he'll have to go."

"Your heir? More like the heir you reluctantly claim," Madam Yu spat out in displeasure. There was a pause for a moment. "And will that cripple be going?" Madam Yu asked, a hint of venom in her tone. Wei Wuxian flinched at her tone and saw Jiang Cheng tense and clench his fist. He heard uncle Jiang sigh.

"A-Xian can go if he wants to." Madam Yu scoffed at that.

"How nice! So Wei Wuxian can go if he wants to but our A-Cheng doesn't have a choice, does he?"

Both boys heard Madam Yu start angrily pacing around.

"And Clan leader Jiang, how nice you are! Raising other people's children, raising a cripple. You give him so much thought but can't give a glance to your own son? Tell me, clan leader, which of them is better at cultivation and fighting? Which of them is whole and healthy? Which of them isn't some servant's son? Which of them is your son?" She asked. Jiang Fengmain sighed. "Ah, but I cannot compare to his mother can I? Is that why you hate our son so much?"

"My lady! That is enough!"

Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian couldn't hear any more of this. Jiang Cheng grabbed a hold of Wei Wuxian's wrist and pulled him away from their little corner. They both ran until they were as far away from the clan leader's office as possible. Once they were sure they were far enough away, they collapsed on the nearest wall, trying to catch their breaths and to calm the bitterness welling up inside of them. It was always like that. They were always compared to each other. As if they could help anything.

Wei Wuxian glanced over to Jiang Cheng to see that anger was burning in his eyes. It made him flinch, thinking that Jiang Cheng might also be angry with him.

"Jiang Cheng, I-" Wei Wuxian tried before a soft voice called out to them.

"A-Cheng, A-Xian?"

Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng looked up to see Jiang Yanli walking up to them, worry clear on her face. Both Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng stood up straighter when their sister stopped in front of them. "Is something wrong? You two don't look well," she said. Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian shared a look. Wei Wuxian let out an awkward laugh as he straightened up.

"Uh shijie, Jiang Cheng and I just found something out," he said.

"What is it?" Yanli asked, her concern growing. Wei Wuxian looked around.

"Ah...it would be better if we went somewhere else."

Jiang Yanli nodded seriously. "Ok. Come on then, I've made lunch, we can talk while we eat."

*******

"Indoctrination?" Yanli asked once they were outside, finishing up lunch on one of the pavilions. Both Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng nodded gravely.

"Yeah, apparently we'll have to leave in less than a week," Jiang Cheng said, his gaze a little distant.

"How long will you be gone?"

Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng shared a look.

"Who knows with them. Probably a while if they want to 'educate' us further," Wei Wuxian replied. Jiang Yanli's worry grew even more at that. Just thinking of her brothers being stuck in Qishan for a long time without knowing if they were ok, it was....it was almost too much for her to think about. Seeing their sister become more and more upset, Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian ran over to her.

"Shijie!"

"A-Jie!"

The two stared at her worriedly, while Jiang Yanli gave them a watery smile.

"Ah, don't worry I'm fine it's just..." she sniffled and grabbed both of her brother's hands. "Please look after each other while you're gone. I want you both to be safe."

Wei Wuxian smiled confidently at her.

"Don't worry shijie, I would never let anything happen to my precious little brother," Wei Wuxian laughed as he bumped shoulders with Jiang Cheng. Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes and sighed.

"I would be more worried about you. Besides...I wonder what I did in my past life to get a brother like you..."

Wei Wuxian pouted at him and pounced on his back. "Aw! Don't be like that A-Cheng! Tell you what, let's be brothers again in our next life, ok?"

Jiang Cheng growled and shoved him off with a "Get off me asshole!" Secretly though, he wouldn't have minded being brothers again with Wei Wuxian.

Jiang Yanli giggled at them. Maybe they would be fine as long as they were together.

"Just promise me ok?"

"I promise shijie!"

"I promise A-jie."

Yanli smiled at them and patted them both on their heads. Wei Wuxian giggled happily while Jiang Cheng smiled sadly. Wei Wuxian gave him a look.

"What's with that look?" he asked. Jiang Cheng shook his head.

"These peaceful times...they'll become fewer under their sun..." Jiang Cheng murmured looking up to the sky where the sun was blazing over Lotus pier. Wei Wuxian looked up too and 'hmphed'.

"Then we'll just have to attempt the impossible, right? We won't let them take anything away from us!"

Jiang Cheng let a small smile pass his lips and bumped shoulders with Wei Wuxian.

Yeah. The Wens wouldn't touch them.