Backlash Part 1

Chapter 123: The Price of a Hand

It was rare for Wei Wuxian to have a single moment untouched by the looming knowledge of the future. It was ever present in his mind. The horrible things that were about to happen. The things he wanted to change. It was strange sometimes. Surrounded by people and walking through places that were something out of his memories. Talking with people that he had seen die was especially difficult. Slowly it was getting easier. He could even interact with Jiang Yanli without constantly thinking about her dead bloody corpse.

Wei Wuxian's every moment seemed to be filled with planning for events that he knew were coming. He was always remembering horrible deaths, and terrible things he wished to prevent. However, actually living from day to day felt strangely normal. Wei Wuxian expected it to feel different. Actually living and doing things in the past should feel different. Shouldn't it be like rereading a story? Walking through the same words and events that he had stepped through before. Shouldn't every moment be filled with the sense that this was all a repetition?

It really hit him at the archery competition. That was the first time the surreal feeling of reliving an event hit him. All things considered it didn't last too long. There were only small spurts of conversations and interactions that were filled with the strange sensation of being able to hear the words and feel the interactions before each one happened. It had happened again during indoctrination. Almost any time that he wasn't alone with Lan Wangji was accompanied by the intense feeling of reliving events that he had lived through before.

Wei Wuxian expected to have that feeling accompany him regularly. Intense deja vu, that surreal sensation of re-experiencing the same events. He thought he already understood what to expect. He knew now that he had been very wrong. Some events were carved much stronger in his memories than others. Standing in those events that were so strong in his recollections pulled those memories out of him until they filled his senses. Powerfully familiar, matching the sounds, smells, sensations of the event in greater detail than his most vivid flashback. It was reality and a flashback, and Wei Wuxian did not know where one started and the other ended.

Wang Lingjiao's whiny self-important voice echoed through Wei Wuxian's ears. Her whiny voice explained the insolence of the seized disciple. Calling his one eyed monster kite the sun. Round and gold, flying in the sky, only to be shot down. Shot down, because it was a kite intended for archery practice. Yet from Wang Lingjiao's tone you would think the child had been caught gathering an army for the purposes of marching on Nightless City.

"You came all this way for a kite?" Yu Ziyuan's voice was thick with skepticism.

"Of course not. We came to deliver a punishment." Wang Lingjiao said smugly. "This one," She pointed dramatically at Wei Wuxian. "Interrupted Wen-gongzi's night hunt. He distracted and hindered Wen-gongzi, nearly costing Wen-gongzi his prey. Fortunately, Wen-gongzi's skills were able to overcome his interference. However, such insolence cannot go unpunished. On behalf of Wen-gongzi, I ask Sect Leader Jiang and Madam Yu to deliver the punishment. In this was, Wen-gongzi can know that it was only a transgression of an individual and not the intention of the whole of the YunmengJiang sect to offend the QishanWen sect."

Wang Lingjiao's head was held high. Pride leaked off of her with the strong fragrance of perfume. Everything felt strange to Wei Wuxian. Images of the past and words from before were overlapping with what was happening now. Sometimes Wang Lingjiao was speaking directly to Madam Yu, and sometimes she was speaking to both Madam Yu and Sect Leader Jiang. Sometimes Wei Wuxian knew Lan Wangji was standing beside him, and sometimes Wei Wuxian only saw Jiang Wanyin standing near him.

"This Wei Ying." Wang Lingjiao said dismissively. "There should be no problem with the request for punishing his behaviour if he is a servant of the Jiang Clan. Unless, those old rumours are true." Wang Lingjiao smirked. Wei Wuxian already expected the flash of violet electricity. His body tingled with the expectation of the forceful strikes of Zidian that he remembered all too vividly.

Crack

'You reckless brat.'

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'What have I always said?'

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'You wretched boy.'

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'I've always said your imprudence...'

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'... your recklessness...'

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'... will bring disaster to YunmengJiang sect.'

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There was no flash of pain. Why hadn't the strikes fallen on him? Had Yu Ziyuan unleashed Zidian or was he remembering what happened before? Wouldn't he be struck again? Wei Wuxian felt dazed.

"Wei Ying is betrothed to the Second Jade of the GusuLan sect. Wei Ying will be my husband. You may address him as Wei-gongzi, or not at all." Lan Wangji's voice sounded calm and clear, except for a dangerous thread of heat laced into the words. Wei Wuxian blinked, his eyes finally focusing on the white clad figure standing in front of him. Lan Wangji was standing in front of him like a shield. His quiet voice sounded enraged. For a moment Wei Wuxian was able to recognize this was not like his previous experience.

Yu Ziyuan's Zidian was sparking, swishing lightly at her side like a snake, gripped tightly in Yu Ziyuan's hand. Wei Wuxian had long since expected it to be raining strikes onto his back, sending him flying across the room. Lan Wangji was standing as a firm barrier between Wei Wuxian and that dangerous whip.

Last time Jiang Wanyin had begged Madam Yu not to punish Wei Wuxian. He had immediately contested the accusations of Wang Lingjiao. Had he done that this time? Wei Wuxian's eyes finally found Jiang Wanyin. The YunmengJiang sect heir was standing tensely near his father. He looked uncomfortable and unhappy, but he wasn't looking at Wei Wuxian. Wei Wuxian couldn't tell whether Jiang Wanyin had tried to speak for him or not. Wei Wuxian let the thought go. He supposed it didn't matter. That Jiang Wanyin had tried to intercede had once meant a lot to Wei Wuxian, but in reality it was probably better if Jiang Wanyin didn't.

"Sect Leader Jiang's bastard is truly favoured. His family secured such a favourable match for him." Wang Lingjiao scoffed. "A whipping is hardly a suitable punishment. Since this brat is still a part of the YunmengJiang sect, his actions reflect on his sect. Am I to assume that the YunmengJiang sect agrees with showing the QishanWen sect such disrespect?" Wang Lingjiao tsked lightly. "That would be unfortunate. I had always heard Sect Leader Jiang was very reasonable, and Madam Yu seemed intelligent and decisive. With such admirable traits I thought you'd have a future running the Yunmeng supervisory office. Of course we'll need to do some redecorating along with the name change, but the location is suitable. Of course if you can't meet out appropriate punishment to those who disrespect the QishanWen sect, then we'll have to find someone more suitable for the position."

Jiang Fengmian frowned mildly, but remained calm. It was a deep contrast to Yu Ziyuan. Zidian flicked from side to side like the tail of an angry cat. It sparked in bursts of electricity fuelled by Yu Ziyuan's anger, and Yu Ziyuan was furious. Madam Yu looked like she wanted to flay someone alive and Wei Wuxian was a little afraid that he might be the person she wanted to do it to.

"The YunmengJiang sect means no disrespect to the QishanWen sect. As sect leader, I apologize on behalf of my disciple for any offence he may have caused." Jiang Fengmian said evenly as he bowed in apology. Yu Ziyuan's eyes practically glowed with rage at this gesture.

"Jiang Fengmian, the price for our forgiveness is his hand," Wang Lingjiao said lightly, pointing casually towards Wei Wuxian. "To prove you can be trusted to run this supervisory office, Wen-gongzi needs to know you can get things done, not just make useless apologies."

A sudden movement too fast for Wei Wuxian to track was accompanied by a bright flash as Zidian swung through the air.

CRACK