The Tainted Jade of Gusu

Chapter 10 : Discovery

It was almost the end of dinnertime at Cloud Recesses . Lan Xichen had not shown up at the dining pavilion. Lan Qiren ate meagrely, only trace amounts of rice and a serving of vegetables for the sake of appearance. 

Cloud Recesses  was generally a place of silence, but tonight seemed stifling. The silence seemed to shroud the tranquil mountainscape like a shroud. If one were to observe carefully, the disciples were almost holding their breath in anticipation of something terrible. 

Something terrible. 

Something disastrous. 

That was exactly what Wen Qing was fighting tooth and nail to avoid. 

She had pulled at every shred of her brief but eventful medical experience , and it was still a delicate situation. 

Lan Wangji lay on the stone slab of the Ice cave beneath the Cold Springs on his stomach. The angry red crisscrossed whip marks on his back had stopped bleeding and started to scab over. Wen Qing pressed her fingers against his shoulders, sending wave after wave of clear, strong spiritual energy. The only positive aspect of the situation was Wangji's spiritual core or body not rejecting the energy. He soaked it up, and with every fresh wave of energy, his injury would begin the stages of healing, and both his heart and his spiritual meridians took one steady step towards stability. 

Lan Xichen had already checked in twice. Wen Qing had refused to let him enter, but she had allowed him to send the medicinal ingredients.

"I don't plan on letting anyone divert my concentration till I have stabilised Wangji," her voice was stern, "and I don't think I can make any considerable progress before nightfall."

Lan Xichen was worried to the point it was difficult for him to breathe. His fingers were clamped down on his jade flute, Liebing, with a white knuckled grip. He wanted nothing more than Wen Qing to say, "Zewu Jun need not worry, Wangji will be alright.", but her demeanour and words had conveyed to him that there was still very much reason to worry. 

"Xichen? What are you doing here? " the familiar baritone pulled him out of his reverie. Lan Xichen startled, and discovered that he had ended up venturing into the premises of the residential quarter of his uncle, Lan Qiren. 

It was almost bedtime, probably past bedtime, and Lan Xichen didn't even notice. This struck Lan Qiren particularly as odd. 

"It's already past bedtime," Lan Qiren cleared his throat and composed his expression, "did you have something urgent to say to me?"

Lan Xichen fell silent for a while. He knew he would eventually have to bring his uncle into the loop, and he would have to do it sooner or later. 

If not now, then when? 

Lan Xichen took a couple of deep breaths and turned to face his uncle. 

"Yes Shufu, it is actually really urgent, " he said in a soft voice, "may I come in? "

"Alright." Lan Qiren held the door open, and Xichen entered the room, his white robes fluttering in the draft of the slightly chilly autumn wind the open door ushered inside the room. 

"What is it that keeps Xichen awake at night? " Lan Qiren poured out two cups of fragrant white tea. 

"It's Wangji, " Lan Xichen tentatively took a cup and held it in his hands, "I'm really worried about him. "

Lan Qiren's usual stern demeanour softened a little. 

"I'm worried about Wangji too," he took a sip from his cup, "how's he? Are his injuries too bad? Should I get a medic to check on him? "