Unruly (Between a rock and a hard place 4)

Chapter 6

Note: This chapter contains description of a corporal punishment which secretly excites the one giving it, please be warned and proceed at your own discretion

As Lan Qiren was leading Wei Wuxian to his quarters, he could hear shuffling of feet and stumbling noises from behind him. It seemed like the boy was pretty unsteady on his feet as he was still very drunk. This only infuriated Lan Qiren further. But he held himself back from scolding the Yunmeng Jiang sect head disciple publically, he did not want to draw attention. It would be better if Wei Wuxian just disappeared from the Cloud Recesses quietly. So the only thing which the elder could do was scowl and continue walking.

He did not look back once as he was trying to control his emotions. He only turned to the Yunmeng Jiang sect head disciple when they were already in his study. His scowl was now so deep he was afraid it would stay there for the rest of his life.

It was because the boy stood in front of him and feinted utter confusion and surprise. At least his eyes were now clearer, the alcohol must have left his system as they were walking through the Cloud Recesses.

"Master Lan, what..." asked Wei Wuxian and his voice was so full of confusion that if Lan Qiren did not know what the boy had done and that he was bluffing now, he would have believed him innocent. However, he knew and he was not about to tolerate anyone trying to outplay him. That was completely unacceptable! Wei Wuxian needed to learn his manners.

"Silence! Kneel!" He interrupted the attempt while putting all his authority into that single word. Wei Wuxian closed his mouth at once and had even the guts to look shocked and hurt. Though he listened at least this time and fell to his knees, looking up at Lan Qiren with defiance in his eyes.

Lan Qiren could not believe Wei Wuxian's audacity. Not only was he pretending to be innocent, he was even trying to talk his way out of his righteous punishment, all that after Lan Qiren had seen his offence with his own eyes. The drinking must have made Wei Wuxian bolder than ever. He had no respect for anyone anymore it seemed. One more thing to correct.

Lan Qiren's patience had run out, it was time to teach the boy a lesson.

He went to a chest where he had stored – out of sheer nostalgia – his utensils from the time he had been the Gusu Lan sect's head disciplinarian himself. They would serve well today just as they had in the past. He took out both his old bamboo canes, one sturdy and hard and one thin and flexible. He mused for a moment which one to use, each one had different impact.

As the boy was already kneeling down, he chose to use the sturdy one instead of a discipline paddle that would be far too inconvenient for him to handle inside of his study even if he had one right now.

He went back to Wei Wuxian and the kneeling boy was watching him with wide opened and disbelieving eyes. It almost seemed like this was the first time he had truly realized that he was going to be punished by Lan Qiren personally. He looked up at him, his expression pleading now.

"Master Lan..." he tried to talk his way out of this but Lan Qiren would not hear him.

Instead, he positioned himself behind Wei Wuxian, his legs a little apart so he would be able to get the right swing to the cane for the most effect. He started lecturing the boy, each word accompanied by a strike to his back: "Wei Wuxian, how dare you break the rules of the Gusu Lan sect. Had those previous punishments not been enough to teach you anything? We have graciously accepted you into the Cloud Recesses and welcomed you for the guest lectures. Yet, you dare to treat this opportunity as your playground instead of studying diligently.

And now, you are even involving Wangji into your mess and corrupting him. I knew you would be a bad influence as soon as I have seen you. Just like your mother. Incorrigible and shameless! Now, take your punishment and afterwards, I will accompany you back to Lotus Pier to explain to Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan how they should teach you some discipline."

Lan Qiren lowered the cane, her was a little out of breath after such strenuous exercise. It had been a long time since he had last done this, he was not used to it anymore. It seemed that he had gotten older indeed. But not too old or too weak to be able to handle a single defiant rule breaker.

He looked down at the boy he had just beaten. Wei Wuxian was on all four now, panting. Throughout the punishment, he had not let out a single sound, Lan Qiren was asking himself it the beating had even had any effect on him. After all, he had seen the boy beaten before and it had not looked like he had minded all that much.

"Kneel properly!" he ordered again, he wanted to check for himself what expression was the boy making.

Wei Wuxian obeyed him at once; and Lan Qiren was infuriated yet again. The Yunmeng Jiang sect disciple really had a thick face when even a beating would not faze him at all. If anything, he was looking up at Lan Qiren with an even more defiant expression than before. This would not do, he had not learned his lesson at all, he was not repentant as he should.

Or, could it be that Lan Qiren had lost his touch? Was that why his strikes did not carry as much weight with them as they had once had?

Lan Qiren shook his head. No, that was impossible. He would not admit that even if it could by any chance be true. It was all Wei Wuxian's fault for being an incorrigible troublemaker whom even the most sever of punishments would not faze.

"Stand up," he ordered and went to fetch his second cane.

He knew this one would cause more sting, that was why he only ever used it on for softer parts of the body, such as one's behind. It also had another effect, it would make the disciples ashamed of being disciplined like small children. He was now aiming exactly for this. If pain had no effect, perhaps embarrassment would.

He came back to Wei Wuxian and ordered him: "Take down your pants and lean down over the table. On your stomach."

The boy looked at him as if he did not understand the instructions. Perhaps he had never been disciplined like this when he had been a child? That was entirely possible given the fact that he had only been adopted into the Yunmeng Jiang sect almost at the age of a teenager. Never mind, Lan Qiren would just have to teach him then.

He repeated his order, more sternly this time. Wei Wuxian flinched a little but followed the instructions after a short while. Lan Qiren made it a point to not look at the bare skin of the boy's behind as he started his lecture again. He went on until his hand was hurting and he felt like he would not be able to lift the cane again.

Wei Wuxian's backside had a really pretty pink tint to it, just as Cangse Sanren's once had had. Lan Qiren suddenly had a hard time taking his eyes off of the bare skin.

"Kneel in a corner for now," he released the boy from the beating.

Then, he turned away from Wei Wuxian whose cheeks were now red with embarrassment, his eyes closed, and went to his study desk. It was time for him to write the letter he would give Jiang Fengmian with the instructions how to continue the boy's discipline when he would be back in Lotus Pier again.

Despite all his efforts at not looking at the boy's butt too closely, he had not succeeded fully. His body was betraying him yet again and his head was overflowing with images on Cangse Sanren. It was not as bad as this morning, but he could definitely feel something happening inside his pants. He blamed Wei Wuxian for the weakness he was waking up in him. He would add a few more specific directions for Jiang Fengmian.

From the corner of his eye, he saw how Wei Wuxian was getting up, a little shakily but not enough for Lan Qiren to be satisfied with the impact of the punishment. The boy put on his pant again and went to kneel in the corner of the room.

"Face the wall," Lan Qiren added. He was too conscious of his own condition and he did not want Wei Wuxian to see him like this.

The boy obeyed without a word, his cheeks still bright red and all fight gone from his eyes. Good, Lan Qiren thought, at least now he would be truly thinking about his behaviour and not resist the discipline anymore. Perhaps he could still be saved from a life full of depravity, and if not, at least Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan would have their job a little easier. After all, they would surely not want their head disciple to bring shame to the Yunmeng Jiang sect.