Who You Are

Chapter 84 - That is Not Wei Ying's Doing

"Hey, Didi," Xichen said softly as he noticed his brother opening his eyes, "how are you feeling?"

"Numb," Lan Wangji answered honestly as his voice cracked a little.

Xichen was again, rubbing his fingers against Wangji's scalp, sending a small amount of spiritual energy to him. It was a warming sensation for Wangji, it was a comforting feeling. It was letting him know that it will be okay and that his brother was there for him.

"I received word from Qinghe, apparently Da-Ge is not doing well," Xichen informed his brother.

Wangji sat up slowly and turned to face Xichen, "really? Did you not just see him not long ago?" He asked.

"I saw him about two months ago, but he seemed fine," Xichen said, "the message was from Huaisang. He told me his temperament is constantly changing, and he has spit up blood...to me, it's telling me he is having trouble with his Qi."

"Does that have something to do with the Saber? I heard something about how the sabers eventually effect their energy after a certain amount of time?" Lan Zhan asked.

"Sometimes it does, but even if so, it wouldn't be so soon...it usually takes a good several decades before it really takes an effect. Something tells me it's something else...when I go there, I'll check him out, but I'll probably play song of clarity to be sure."

"Do you want to just go now? I don't mind," Wangji told him, "I can check the mounds and the outskirts here at Yiling and meet you at Qinghe in a few days."

"I am not sure I want to leave you leave you alone," Xichen said rubbing Wangji's arm, "I am worried about you right now."

"I will be okay," Wangji reassured him, "but it will only take at least a day or two to check the mounds and the outskirts of town. If you want to, we can leave after checking...or we can come back later."

"We are already here, it's probably best if we deal with everything here in Yiling first and then leave for Qinghe," Xichen told him.

"How long have I been out?" Wangji asked.

"It's the following day," Xichen told him, "so you slept from when we got here, until now."

"Well, let me freshen up and then we can go," Wangji told him.

After some time, the two made freshened up and made their way to the boarders of Yiling. As they walked further outside of the town, the resentful energy became more dense and the emotions in the air weighed heavier on the Twin Jades' hearts. The closer to the mounds they got, they actually spotted corpses close by.

"So they aren't rumors," Wangji said noticing the corpses standing idle near trees, boulders, or open fields. There was at least seven of them hanging around, "the marks on their neck, the black veins...Yin Hu Fu...Wei Ying destroyed it though."

"It is a bit odd," Xichen said, "the corpses that were left after he died were put to rest properly and their bodies burnt so their families can have their remains. Did they come from within the mounds?"

...

"I have to point out, the corpses linked to my Yin Hu Fu would have collapsed when it was destroyed...though Wen Ning was still alive, and you can tell those weren't from my amulet. The corpses I raised had white foggy eyes, those have all black eyes..it shows that there was two different amulets," Wei Ying pointed out.

"We knew it wasn't you, but trying to find who it was, that was an entire challenge itself," Xichen said.

"I am aware...I was around when you were investigating it," Wei Ying said.

...

"I don't think so," Lan Wangji said, "but why don't we go check out the mounds after we take care of these corp-"

Wangji suddenly stopped talking to a familiar eerie tune. Though it was familiar, it was not from Chenqing. Chenqing had a much cleaner sound, and if it was who Wangji potentially wanted (but maybe not wanted) it to be, Wei Ying, he didn't fumble so much on notes.

"That flute...it was like that second flute at Nightless City," Wangji pointed out. The corpses suddenly turned to the twin Jades, "that isn't Wei Ying, or Chenqing."

"I am starting to think that as well," Xichen said, "if it was to be Wei Wuxian, the notes wouldn't fumble this often...and the flute has a more raspy kind of sound to it."

The corpses were starting to close in on the brothers. Wangji immediately took out his Guqin and did a quick motion for chord assassination.

"I didn't realize you had improved on the chord assassination," Lan Xichen told him as he took out Liebing, "let's play Rest really quick."

Wangji nodded. The two played Rest, so the spirits within the corpses could leave peacefully. Wangji thought that even if they checked inside the mounds, it wouldn't really matter. The corpses there would potentially not harm anyone. Xichen agreed and decided to reset the barrier at the mounds entrance to keep the corpses from leaving, to be on the safer side.

...

"So even then you knew it wasn't me?" Wei Ying asked.

"You were dead, how would it have been you?" Wangji asked, "plus, you play your Dizi impressively well. You don't fumble notes. Back at Dafan when I first discovered you were back, you didn't fumble the notes, the flute was just poorly crafted."

"Goes to show just how much you payed attention and studied me," Wei Ying said flirting with him.

"I will always pay attention to my Wei Ying," Lan Zhan told him, "I will always stop what I'm doing just to focus on you...especially if you need me the most."

"So the Lan's were the first to really know that Wei Wuxian was framed for all of those crimes when he was alive," Wen Ruohan said, "he even went out of his way to try and save my innocent clan members. He was really standing for the right thing, even if he chose a different path."

"So it seems," Wei Ying said pouting, "people are so mean to me."

"I dare them to try to be mean to you anymore with me around," Lan Zhan told him, "I am known for taking arms, and I am willing to take more if people threaten or bully you."

Wei Ying laughed and hugged his husband, "I love you so much," He said, "don't ever change. I love this protective side of you."

"I love you too...and I guarantee you, I will not let that protectiveness go away...ever," Lan Zhan told him.

As he said the word, ever, he glanced at everyone in the room, specifically Jiang Cheng and Madam Yu...mostly Jiang Cheng...Wangji's hatred for him just keeps growing the more he is reminded of all of their past encounters. His hatred will probably never be quenched either...as Jiang Cheng has no sense of sincerity for Wei Ying at all and doesn't seem to be at all grateful for Wei Ying's sacrifice for him.