Phoenix

Part 36

              Wei Wuxian is cheerfully packing up to leave the disastrous hunt. By packing up, he means he is watching Lan Wangji meticulously put everything away. The last time he actually helped, his husband growled at him. Now, he just provides entertaining conversations for his husband's packing. He feels his mind connecting to someone and shares a look with his husband, stopping mid-speech.

              Nie Huasangs voice comes loud and clear in both their heads. "Hey, so I was doing Wen Li a favor with some surprising results, and I need input. I have good news and bad news. I will give you the good news first. I found your father's cousin hooray. Now, the bad news. She was born an illegitimate daughter with a child from the worst person imaginable." Wei Wuxian's curiosity was spiked. "Is she married? Who is the father? Can we meet her?" Lan Wangji walked over to settle his husband so that Nie Huasang could continue talking. "No, she is not married, but her child is one of Jin Guangshan's many bastards. Their home life doesn't seem very safe either. He is six years old, but my intel says he looks like a small three-year-old. What should we do?"

              Lan Wangji thought about it carefully while holding his husband who was looking at him with huge eyes. With a sigh he asked Nie Huasang to give them all the information he had on the woman and child. They would make a stop to investigate the situation themselves. He knew how important the idea of family was to Wei Wuxian. It would only take them a little longer than normal to take a look.

                Mo Village was a very small town with only one ruling family on the territory the Mo family. It was in this house that Wei Wuxian's second and third cousins would be found. The village people were quick to mention a resemblance between the Mo's second daughter and Wei Wuxian. This helped open conversations disguised as curiosity, wanting to know of someone with such a similar resemblance.

                  From what the villagers say, the second lady is treated as the disgrace of her family for being a single mother abandoned by a cultivator. She is only 22, a few years older than Wei Wuxian himself. This means she gave birth at the young age of 16. Disgust for Jin Guangshan fills both of them. Even though they married at 17, they were still considered children until they turned 21. The marriage was only allowed because neither one could get pregnant and because Lan Junjie and Wen Li were acting as their guardians until he became Sect leader.

                 They managed to catch sight of the little boy they were searching for, sitting bruised, kneeling outside the gates of the Mo estate. The couple slowly approached the boy, trying not to startle him. He still looked up, worried, making Wei Wuxian gasp as the boy's gray eyes met Wei Wuxian's silver. Wei Wuxian gave him his brightest smile, talking in the soft voice he reserved for his babies. "Hello, little one. I am Wei Wuxian, but you can call me Xian-gege, and this is my husband, Lan Wangji or Zhan-gege. What are you doing out here all alone around dinner time?"

                Wei Wuxian sat gently by the boy, grabbing a stick to draw in the dirt. The boy looked at both of them wearily before answering meekly. "I was bad. Took food from the kitchen so not allowed dinner gege." He sounded so resigned, like he expected them to see what a bad boy he was and leave. Lan Wangji walked away swiftly, but Wei Wuxian stayed with the boy, pulling him into a conversation.

               By the time Lan Wangji returned, the boy was giggling at whatever Wei Wuxian was talking about. He silently handed both of them a meat bun. The child was so surprised that his wide eyes sparkled happily, reminding Lan Wangji of his husband. He watched as the boy scarfed down the bun happily. Sharing over the boy's head, Lan Wangji headed into the estate to get a meeting with the second lady, Mo.

              If the situation was bad enough that she could not protect her child from abuse, then it was time for them to intervene. At first, the first lady tried to come up with excuse after excuse as to why her sister could not meet with the steamed cultivator. It wasn't until Lan Wangji mentioned he was there on direct orders from the new Wen Sect leader that a thin and frail woman was brought to him. Lan Wangji took one look at her measuringly. "Pack your son's and your most important possessions. You will be coming with us to the Wen Sect. Our leader would like to speak with you about some very important matters." 

              The woman went pale but moved swiftly to do as he asked while he followed after her. He wanted to say more to treasure her, but words of comfort never came easily to him. "I can Guarantee the safety of you and your son. No harm will come to you, I swear, on my life." That seemed to be enough to settle her a bit before she turned to him, looking sheepish. "My son, I don't know where he went." He nodded slowly before tilting his head to the side as if he was listening to someone. "Your son is with my husband eating tanghulu." He placed the meager items she owned into a pouch before leading her out.

              At the entrance, she was met by a carriage with her son waving merrily beside a man she couldn't fully see. Full of trepidation, she joined her young son in the carriage, followed by the man who had escorted her. The other man turned to look at her with a bright smile, but that wasn't what made her gasp in surprise. No, it was that this man looked like a male version of her. The only real differences were his smile and the shape of his eyes.

               He was quick to cuddle with the cultivator who had accompanied her before speaking. "It's a pleasure to meet you, second lady Mo. My name is Wei Wuxian. I am the new Wen Sect leader and your second cousin. Our great-grandmother is waiting for us at home. We are short on family, so originally, I wanted to meet you and your wonderful son, but I will not allow my family to be harmed. There is no reason for such a sweet boy to be so bruised and starved. Now, you will both come to live with us."