Backlash Part 1

Chapter 98: The Forehead Ribbon

Wen Chao's reputation had never been good. Everyone was offended by the audacity he had displayed when he sauntered into the banquet of the opening ceremony late, already half drunk, indecently groping at his mistress. Everyone was offended, but even Wen Rouhan had not looked surprised. Even as the son of a sect leader, the sect leader of the most powerful sect, it wasn't enough to keep Wen Chao's reputation clear.

Wen Chao was incompetent. The entire cultivation world knew it. The only one who didn't seem to know it was Wen Chao himself, and perhaps the various mistresses he cycled through. Wei Wuxian was aware that Wen Chao had a wife and several mistresses, but Wei Wuxian had only ever met Wang Lingjiao. She was the current favourite and therefore was the woman that dangled off of Wen Chao like an ill fitting robe.

Wei Wuxian was someone who loved physical affection. He liked to cling to Lan Wangji. If he had his way he would always be sitting in Lan Wangji's lap. He would wish to constantly hold Lan Wangji's hand, touch his arm, or play idly with his fiance's hair. Wei Wuxian's issue with the physical displays between Wang Lingjiao and Wen Chao wasn't that they were touching. The issue was in the way they did it.

It wasn't sweet, affectionate, or supportive touch. It was vulgar. It was full of crass gropes, animalistic drooling, and gestures that were obscene beyond the point of merely forgetting you had an audience. In fact it was obvious that they always knew they had an audience. Wang Lingjiao was more eager to reveal her skin than a paid prostitute. There were times Wei Wuxian was almost certain she was about to smother Wen Chao with her very exposed endowments. If that had been the worst of their qualities Wei Wuxian would have just politely looked away and pretend he didn't see Wang Lingjiao's hand groping between Wen Chao's legs. Sadly this was probably the most savoury of their behaviours.

Wang Lingjiao was cruel, arrogant, and stupid. In many ways Wei Wuxian thought she and Wen Chao made an excellent match. The most clever thing Wang Lingjiao had ever done was to escalate herself from the servant of Wen Chao's wife all the way to his favourite mistress. She didn't seem to realize that she was not even the second woman to claim such a position. Had the sunshot campaign never occurred she would not have been the last.

Wang Lingjiao was maliciously jealous. She liked to hurt people. Anyone who she perceived as a threat. If Wen Chao looked at a girl too long Wang Lingjiao would thrust her breasts into his face, grope his crotch, and make sure to take the opportunity to kill or disfigure the 'offending' girl later. Wen Chao was lecherous. His eyes wandered and his mouth was quick to insult the girls that he didn't find appealing. He was equally fast to drool and leer at every girl he did find attractive. He did not care if his advances were welcome or not.

Every muscle in Wei Wuxian's body felt tense as Wen Chao traded snide remarks with half a dozen cultivators participating in the competition. This time Wei Wuxian had not been present when Wen Chao first came onto the field. Wei Wuxian couldn't say he felt like he missed anything. Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji arrived just after Wen Chao missed his target. Even sober Wen Chao would not have been much of a competitor, but drunk as he was he could not even stand without swaying. Wei Wuxian doubted he had been on the field more than a handful of minutes.

"Is there something wrong with your vision? The flare was grey. That means you are disqualified." Wei Wuxian pointed out in a bright and calm tone. It did not match how he was feeling, but he was rather proud it came out with such a casual affect. Wen Chao scoffed, clearing intending to ignore Wei Wuxian as he knocked another arrow.

"What's the point of setting rules if you are not going to follow them?" Jiang Wanyin griped with a pointed glare in Wen Chao's direction.

"I am the rules!" Wen Chao sneered. He loosed another arrow, missing his target by a large margin.