Backlash Part 1

Chapter 42: Empathy

Lan Xichen found himself in a lavishly decorated throne room. Gleaming black stone surfaces were adorned with bright reds. It was not hard to guess where this was. No matter where you looked you would find a sun motif. Sometimes painted in black over red, but most often made of gold as it decorated the walls or furniture. Lan Xichen had been here many times for discussion conferences. Wen Rouhan didn't usually host them in Nightless city. Instead he would host them here at the 'education office.' Lan Xichen had never gotten a really good look around it, but he assumed that it was probably a bit like a second residence to the QishanWen Sect leader.

Lan Xichen could see the entire room around Wen Qing. She was kneeling politely before a familiar throne. She looked as dignified and composed as she had when she first entered Cloud Recesses. Even kneeling before Wen Rouhan she held herself with dignity and confidence, but what Lan Xichen could feel was something else. Lan Xichen had known that performing empathy would allow him to not just see an event. He would hear Wen Qing's thoughts. He would feel her emotions. He could not interact with anything, but he would feel everything Wen Qing felt in the moment.

"Have any of the sects refuse our invitation?" Wen Rouhan's voice filled Wen Qing with discomfort. When she was very little Wen Qing remembered visiting Nightless City with her father. Her father always seemed perfectly happy for the visits and Wen Rouhan would gush about his favorite cousin's daughter. He would call her niece and compliment her on how tall she was getting and how pretty she was. Wen Qing didn't like it. She wasn't sure why she didn't like it, but she supposed she just didn't like Wen Rouhan and so she didn't like his compliments.

On one of her first visits she had gotten lost in the Nightless City palace and ended up somewhere she was not supposed to be. This was how she had witnessed him beating one of his mistresses. When Wen Qing found her dad again she had urgently told him she saw a lady get hurt. The lady had lied saying that she suffered from dizzy spells and had fallen while walking the grounds. Wen Qing hadn't understood anything about what was happening at the time. She pestered the woman, not understanding why she would lie. The woman yelled at her saying that making a fuss would earn her a worse beating. She begged Wen Qing to never speak about it again.

It was only years later that she understood the woman was one of Wen Rouhan's mistresses and that said woman was being abused. By then the visits had become less frequent and Wen Qing had started more and more overhearing the sound of her father's raised voice arguing with Wen Rouhan. The last time her father visited without her, and he didn't come back. Wen Qing didn't remember what they were told the reason of his death was. She only remembered that she didn't believe it and assumed Wen Rouhan had probably had her father killed.

"Your Excellency, YunmengJiang Sect's disciples just arrived. The only clan not represented is GusuLan." Wen Qing listened to the report, but did not turn to look at the person delivering it. She knew better than to show an interest in anything. As is Wen Rouhan already knew too easily how to encourage her. As long as Wen Rouhan was pleased with her, her family would be safe. That was how this worked. If she caused problems that was not strictly the case. The last time Wen Qing had upset Wen Rouhan her didi had ended up with a broken arm and six stitches. He loved to smile at her and praise her in public, but he didn't like anything that made them look like they were not a happy family.

Wen Qing took slow regulated breaths and patiently knelt like she was a statue, unhearing and unseeing. She was disgusted by him. She had a family. A wonderful family. Even if her mother and father had been dead for a long time, she had a large wonderful family who lived by the rules of being a healer that her father had taught her. Rules that would forever mean she would never find Wen Rouhan's behaviour agreeable.

"... Once he returns from Cloud Recesses with his forces the GusuLan disciples will be present." Wen Qing just tuned into the conversation once more.

'He sent forces to Cloud Recesses? Why?' Wen Qing internally winced. That was a stupid question. Why did Wen Rouhan do anything, because he wanted to. Usually because it was something that made him feel powerful and he liked that. Wen Qing uselessly hoped the damage wasn't too great. Even though she had been cautious and tried to keep her distance from other disciples, she had really enjoyed studying in Cloud Recesses. It was very beautiful and had a soothing atmosphere, at least when Wei Wuxian wasn't in a particularly lively mood.