Time Reversal

10. Protection

Wei Wuxian's new array for the sect wards turned out to be remarkably brilliant. "The problem with permitting entry through the wards has always been that either the wrong people can get the access tokens or the right people are excluded because they're not the right kind of 'right'," he explained two months later. "As I told Lan Zhan when I first started working on this, access tokens can get stolen and blood locks exclude those who aren't blood related. The entry key has to be subtle and non-transferable I said." He beamed at the small group of elders listening to his speech. "Can't have the Wen stealing your jade tokens, right? That completely defeats the purpose of creating wards they can't get through.

"This array is maintained by a small group of blood locked people. Lan Xiansheng... Lan Xichen... in your sect leader's absence, one of you will need to be the focal point. Should anything happen to you, the focal point will snap to the next in line, those people to be determined once we get this up and running.

"I will do it," Lan Xichen stated with a questioning glance at his uncle. "Shufu has much already to handle."

Wei Wuxian smiled and nodded. "Good. Once I set you as the array's focal point, you will need to key in everyone who is permitted to pass through the wards undeterred."

"Everyone?"

"Yes. I suggest you have an oath swearing ceremony or something. As each person comes up to you, you'll integrate them into the permissions. Oh, and you need to repeat this ceremony every year. I set it up with limits in case of trouble makers."

Like Su Minshan he thought, remembering what that disciple had done during the water abyss fiasco and what he'd read in the journal about what the man had done when the Wens attacked.

As Wei Wuxian explained the technicalities of exactly how the array would be powered, how people would be keyed in, and then started having Lan Xichen key in the people in the room, he let his mind wander.

The new wards would sit behind the existing ones and only need to be powered on in the event of an attack. Anyone in the blood lock had the ability to turn them on or off, so only certain, extremely trusted people would be allowed. This would require keeping at least one person who held the lock to remain in Yunshen Buzhichu at all times, but that didn't seem to be an issue. The key, being spelled onto disciples and servants yearly, couldn't be stolen like a physical token. Wei Wuxian hadn't yet found a way for the key to be removed from a person; he was actively working on that problem.

Wen Xu was likely to arrive before he would get the answer.

~*~

Wei Wuxian insisted that his new ward array be given to Jiang Fengmian and Nie Mingjue to protect their sects from Wen Xu's and Wen Chao's invasions.

When the guest lectures were over, Lan Qiren insisted on traveling with the Yunmeng Jiang disciples to Lianhua Wu to discuss what was coming with Jiang Fengmian. He just happened to mention in Jiang Furen's hearing that Wei Wuxian responded better to challenges to his intellect than he did to more traditional punishments like writing lines, kneeling, or being whipped. When the boy was focused on solving a serious problem, he was far less likely to be found further engaging in illicit behaviors.

He accompanied his uncle. In one of his Xuanwu's cave notes, he had written that Wei Ying regretted that he had declined the multiple invitations to play in Lianghua Wu's lotus lakes. There would be no cause for regret this time.

Jiang Zongzhu was kind, permitting Wei Wuxian and Jiang Wanyin time away from their sect responsibilities to play with him and show him around Lianhua Wu and the town. For a whole week they spent many sichen with their skirts and trousers hiked up above their knees trying to catch fish or frogs in the lakes. Or wandering through the town inspecting the goods sold and buying a few trinkets or tasting new foods; his tongue seemed to be perpetually on fire from eating even the mildest of Yunmeng foods. Or lazing about on the docks, bare feet dangling into the water. On really hot days, they shucked down to their trousers and went swimming with other junior disciples; Wei Ying's back was criss-crossed with far too many purplish lines that everyone ignored. When rain spoiled their plans one day, they retreated to one of the pavilions to play some sort of word game. As they didn't need to see each other to play the game, everyone was relaxing, sitting or lying down as they pleased. Wei Ying had persuaded him to lay down, too; it felt decadent and extremely improper.