Wuji: A Promise Kept

62

It was a few days after that fiasco happened and Iroh had arrived to take Wuxian and Wangji on their trip to meet Baoshan. Iroh was happy to meet the five disciples and little Haishi that were tagging along. Though, he did recall Wuxian saying six disciples until Wuxian explained what happened and Iroh nodded in understanding. They had a spot open for a new disciple and at the moment, even though Haishi was only four, she could take that spot easily. She wasn't able to cultivate yet but she was smart for her age.

Since she was coming along, Wuxian brought along Little Apple and Haishi road on the donkey's back. Wuxian walked on one side while Wangji walked on the other side holding the reins. Haishi was a happy little girl and it was her first time seeing the world outside of the sect. She looked around her surroundings in awe and felt she was so lucky to have this family.

"Baba?" Haishi asked.

"Yes sweetie?" Wuxian asked.

"When I was in the orphanage, some kids and adults talked about a man wearing black. They said he was mischievous and selfish. They were wrong," she told him.

Wuxian looked at her and then Wangji. Since they were bonded, they could communicate telepathically, Wei Ying, I will tell Xiongzhang about the rumors, Wangji said.

Wuxian smiled and looked at Haishi, "Sweetheart, when it comes to gossip and rumors, you shouldn't listen to them. If you want the truth, look for the truth. I am playful, yes, but I am not selfish. I care for my family," Wuxian told her.

"Is it true you can control people with your flute?" She asked.

Wuxian chuckled, "not exactly," Wuxian said, "I they have to be dead first. Or they have to be monsters. I can make it so monsters can't hurt me or my family, that includes you."

"Can I learn to play like that?" She asked.

"Haishi, I am telling you now, this isn't a power you want to have," Wuxian said, "many people will be jealous and hateful towards you. You can learn to play an instrument, but you cannot learn what I do. It's just something that I was born with. Not many people are lucky to have that. I don't want you to get hurt either, okay."

"Okay," Haishi said, "but I can still learn to play an instrument?"

"Of course, you can learn the Dizi like me, or you can learn the Guqin like your A'Die and Gege. Your Bofu plays a Xiao," Wuxian explained, "there are other instruments you can learn too."

"Can I learn Dizi and Guqin?" She asked.

"It will be a lot of hard work but you can," Wuxian said and looked at Wangji, "right Lan Zhan."

"Of course, and when we return home from our trip, how about we start you on your own flute and Guqin if that is what you want," Wangji suggested.

"Yes," Haishi said happily, "Gege, you play too?"

"I do," Sizhui replied, "music is a big part of our cultivation and our family. It will just make you want to play more as you grow. I didn't know I could learn this stuff when I was younger but when A'Die took me in, he taught me how to play the Guqin. It was hard but I was proud of myself for achieving it."

"Then I will work hard," Haishi said.

Wuxian and Wangji both let out a soft laugh, "not too hard, you are still a child," Wuxian said, "you are only this young once."

"What were you like when you were my age?" Haishi asked.

"I was a little timid. I was an orphan just like you. I lost my parents and I lived on the streets for a while. It was scary but I was taken in by another sect. I made some good friends there but I made better friends in Gusu. I even fell in love with your A'Die in Gusu. It's why I cherish the place so much," Wuxian answered, "but during my time at that sect, I was playful, and I liked swimming and picking Lotus seeds."

"What sect did you live in before?" Haishi asked.

"The Jiang Sect," Wuxian answers.

"I heard about that place. I heard some people say it's pretty there," Haishi says.

"It is, you also have a grumpy uncle who lives there. Maybe one day you can meet him," Wuxian said.

"Grumpy uncle?" She asked.

"You would call him Shishu," Wuxian replied.

"How about gruncle?" She asked.

"Gruncle?"

"You said grumpy uncle, so gruncle," Haishi said.

Wuxian laughed and hugged her, "you can call him that around me, but maybe not him. Just address him as Shishu but if you say Gruncle, I know who you are talking about," Wuxian said.

"Okay," she said with a giggle, "what about Gege? What was he like when he was young?"

Wuxian laughed, "he was very happy. He liked hugging your A'Die's leg, I planted him in a radish patch and he wished for more siblings...looks like A'Yuan got his wish."

"Baba!" Sizhui whined.

"No matter how old he gets, I can still bury him in a pit if he misbehaves," Wuxian said and laughed.

Lan Wangji smiled, "I remember Sizhui calling A'Die when we first met too."

"A'Die!" Sizhui said.

Wuxian laughed, "he already knew who his parents were."

"He sure did," Wangji said.

The other disciples were all smiles as they listened to Wuxian interact with Sizhui and Haishi. They found Haishi to be very adorable. Haishi soon found a liking to Biyu, mostly because she was the only other girl around and she shared a room with her back at Cloud Recesses, so she trusted Biyu a lot.

Wuxian was doing better since the incident with Baihu and his parents. Wangji did what he could to help him cope but the most he could do was really just be there and be his support. Wangji's biggest wish is to have people leave Wuxian alone. His past should stay in the past and many just throw it back into his face. Though, Wangji can move on because his love for Wuxian was greater than anything.

"So where are we going?" Haishi asked.

"We are visiting my Grandmother," Wuxian replied, "she invited us to visit."

"Is she nice?" Haishi asked.

"I think so, this is the first time I am actually meeting her," Wuxian told her.

"Why?" Haishi asked.

"She is just hard to find," Wuxian replied, "but there is a plan for everything and sometimes all we can do is wait for it to play out."

"Oh," Haishi said, "well, I am looking forward to meeting her too."

Wuxian smiled at her and pet her head, "is that so?"

"Yes," Haishi said, "how far away is she?"

"It's a bit of a travel," Iroh cut in, "but once we reach a certain point, I can get us there faster."

"How?" Haishi asked.

"That is a surprise," Iroh said with a smile, "do you like surprises?"

"Sometimes, as long as they are good surprises," Haishi answered.

"It will be one to remember," Iroh told her.

"I look forward to it," she said.