Unrestrained Heart

Chapter 14

"Did you hear, Wei Wuxian left the Jiang clan?" A man asks his companion.

"I actually heard Clan leader Jiang kicked him out, and good riddance, I say," A man at a nearby table says.

"Either way, I can't believe Jiang Fengmian took the ungrateful little whelp in and raised him as one of his own children only for him to bite the hand that fed him," the first man says.

Not to be out done, his companion says, "I heard that Wei Wuxian was always a rotten piece of fruit, bringing nothing but dishonor to the Jiang Clan."

"Didn't they say he was a hero during the Sunshot Campaign?" Someone dares to ask.

"You can't believe everything you hear," the first man says. "Most likely he only took credit for what others did. How can someone who uses such an evil method of cultivation be a hero? Besides, didn't he help those Wen dogs escape? It's more likely he was in league with the Wens even then."

The talk goes on and on saying increasingly nasty things about Wei Wuxian, until Lan Wangji can't take it anymore. He slams down his teacup, causing tea to slosh over the table. There is a sudden silence in the tavern as everyone turns to stare at him. He wraps his hand tightly around Bichen, fighting the impulse to attack these ignorant gossipers. Instead, he slams a piece of silver down on the table and gets up leaving his meal untouched.

"Who was that?" Someone whispers behind him.

"What was wrong with him?" Someone else asks.

Lan Wangji knows that they will forget him within minutes and happily go back to gossiping about the Yiling Patriarch. He has seen it in town after town that he has passed through. No matter what misfortune falls on the people, somehow Wei Wuxian must be behind it. If the auntie next door has a cow that dies, it must be because the Yiling Patriarch has cursed her. If the neighbor's son gets sick and stops eating, it must be because he was just so scared by the very thought of the Yiling Patriarch up there on the Burial Mounds.

Nobody seems to remember all the good things that Wei Wuxian had done in the past. Public opinion has turned completely against Wei Wuxian.

What's troubling is the way it's turned so quickly and is so widespread. There isn't much variation in the rumors. It is normal when gossip spreads for it to evolve the further from the source it gets. If an omega is caught sneaking out to meet an alpha in one town, three towns over they are said to be shamefully seducing half the alphas in the countryside. The talk about Wei Wuxian has remained relatively consistent as if the there isn't one source but many.

Lan Wangji wants to go back to Yiling immediately. He knows Wei Wuxian is waiting for him. He hasn't even dared to send a message or letter for fear it would be intercepted. He has been gathering information on his way back to Yiling. He has purposely not flown by sword but gone from town to town listening to the gossip. Now it seems like he should make a side trip to Yunmeng.

Lan Wangji sees Wei Wuxian everywhere he looks as he walks down the streets of Yunmeng. Every market stall and business he glances at is a place they visited together. He is tempted to go to the inn and order the spiciest dishes they have available, maybe even a jar of their alcohol, just to feel closer to the omega. He resists telling himself that would only delay his trip more.

When he reaches Lotus Pier Jiang Cheng is barking instructions at his disciples, obviously in a bad mood. Lan Wangji watches for a few minutes while he yells at the disciples about everything from their posture to the way they hold a sword.

Jiang Cheng finally notices Lan Wangji standing there and yells at his new lead disciple to take over.

"They seem to be coming along well," Lan Wangji motions to the disciples.