Unrestrained Heart

Chapter 25

A-Yu sits in Lan Wangji's lap while the juniors sit in a corner whispering conspiratorially. Wei Wuxian hopes they aren't thinking about doing something dumb, but who is he kidding of course they are. He would be doing the same in their shoes as well.

Nie Mingjue, Lan Xichen, and Nie Huaisang have been taken somewhere else. It may seem like Jin Guangyao is being kind by letting Wei Wuxian keep his family with him, but it's obvious that he just wants Wei Wuxian to keep in mind what is at stake here.

Wei Wuxian brings the notebook he is studying and sits by Lan Wangji. "Doing okay?" He asks.

"Papa, can we go home? I don't like it here." A-Yu asks.

"Soon," Wei Wuxian promises.

"Lan Wangji," He whispers quietly, so even A-Yu can't hear him. "I can't do this. I would, I would burn the world if it would keep my family and friends safe. I really can't recreate the tally. It's impossible and sooner or later they are going to realize it."

Lan Wangji nods his understanding, then starts humming a tune to A-Yu as he rocks her in his arms. The tune seems random, just something to comfort their daughter. Wei Wuxian knows better.

Lan Wangji, you are a genius, he thinks.

Wei Wuxian puts down the notebook and sits against the wall with his eyes closed. He looks like he is simply resting, but he whistles low, almost imperceivable. If someone wasn't close to him they might think it was only the wind, However, A-Yu glances at him and Lan Wangji gives him a smile.

Jin Guangyao glances their way as if he suspects they are up to something. Wei Wuxian picks up the notebook and studies it, waiting.

He doesn't have to wait long, there is soon the sound of giggling laughter as if from a group of courtesans. Technically that's what it is, except these have a debt to repay.

"What's that?" Su She asks, looking around. Following the laughter several spirits appear. Men and women dressed in sheer robes and pants. The people who worked here when it was still a brothel. These are resentful spirits of the ones that were killed when Xu Yang burned the brothel. There are also some spirits of the clientele that had been caught in the fire.

These spirits aren't actually the reason Wei Wuxian whistled but they will serve nicely as a distraction. Even now Xu Yang and Su She are scrambling to put up arrays to contain the spirits. Jin Guangyao walks over to where they are, "The Yiling patriarch is as powerful as they say." He holds up Chenqing, which he had taken from Wei Wuxian earlier. "You can summon spirits even without a flute."

Wei Wuxian doesn't even try to deny it, just smiles as if the spirits of the courtesan's were his main goal.

"I have so many hostages here, aren't you afraid I will make an example out of one of them?" Jin Guangyao looks from A-Yu sitting in Lan Wangji's lap to the corner where the juniors are now watching them.

"No," Wei Wuxian says.

"No?" Jin Guangyao asks, then pauses, "Why not?"

"Because he won't let you." Wei Wuxisn says. There is a growling as something bursts through the door. Jin Guangyao is tackled off of his feet.

"Wen Ning," Wei Wuxian says, almost lazily. "You are late. Watch out behind you." Xu Yang has managed to subdue his spirits and has drawn his sword to attack Wen Ning while he was still occupied with Jin Guangyao. His sword is blocked by Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi.

Xu Yang looks amused at the two youths, "Naughty, you got your spiritual power back and didn't tell anyone." Lan Wangji shifts A-Yu over to Wei Wuxian and joins the fight against Xu Yang while Ouyang Zizhen and Jin Ling take on some of the guards.