A few hours after Su Huang Dao and his son arrive, the steady stream of guests turns into a trickle. The Wens have not come yet, and Lan Qiren is anxious about their arrival.
There are too many ears listening for Lan Qiren to be able to say anything to the children about the Su duo, but when he gets glared at continuously from Lan Zhan, he knows that his nephew in particular is unhappy about his choice to let them in. The reason for that decision means he will have to explain himself later on after the meeting with Nie XiongMeng.
Finally, just before curfew, a gong rings out, and the Wens are announced.
All the waiting disciples and the children standing behind Lan Qiren straighten in anticipation, and Lan Qiren bites back a smile at their response. The children are cute with their excitement, and because he can feel and see how much they're looking forward to seeing their friends, he gets excited, too. It's been a long time since he's been excited about anything, and it's making him feel young again.
They see a flag first, and for a moment, Lan Qiren wonders if the announcement is a mistake, because this cloth isn't white with red flames licking the edges, with a pair of dire owls in the centre. It's a deep red silk, the colour of mulled wine, and in the centre, there is an embroidered black mortar and pestle.
As insignias go, it makes a bold statement declaring the new priorities of this improved, modernised version of the Wen Sect. A mortar and pestle to symbolise medicine, and the deep red background to show an affinity with blood. The heritage of the Dafan Wens as predominantly healers.
The herald bearing the flag steps aside, and then Wen Tang Changpu sweeps forward with her husband on her arm and her children walking behind her. Their robes are the same deep wine silk, but the embroidery on the main family is made from a pure gold thread, with the same mortar and pestle on their backs and vines of flowers and leaves writhing up the collars around their necks. They all look regal and benign, a tribe of doctors and medicine people, and a far cry from that of Wen Ruohan and his desire to take over the world.
Behind the main family, around thirty disciples march forward, with Wen Zhao, the Head Disciple at their helm. All of them are wearing deep wine silks, and as a result, they look smart and efficient, like a royal retinue.
Bows are exchanged, and there's small talk in the way that these sorts of gatherings invite. When Wen Tang Changpu goes to bow again, Lan Qiren takes her hands to stop her, but really, it is an excuse to slip her a piece of paper.
It is a request to meet later on tonight to participate in a secret meeting. Wen Tang Changpu nods discreetly and moves on quickly so no one else suspects a thing.
As Lan Qiren watches every single person march past him, he cannot help but wonder which smiling face is hiding the traitor. All of them are old enough to have known Wen Ruohan and seen what kind of conjuring the old goat was up to. They might not have known that the root cause of Wen Ruohan's evil was the shard of Yin Iron, but there must have been rumours, talk embellished and spread about his newfound powers, how his youth was deteriorating but his strength grew in opposite proportion.
Enemies seem to be everywhere at the moment, but at least there is some truth to the old adage that to be forewarned is to be forearmed. Having prior knowledge of possible treachery is giving Lan Qiren a tactical advantage, and he won't let his guard down for one second, not until the traitor is found.
He heaves an internal sigh of relief when the bell for the hour before the curfew goes, and he is allowed to leave his post. The sentries are doubled and told not to let anyone without an invitation enter.
Now, Lan Qiren is free.
He has just enough time to eat something and then prepare to hold a meeting with two trusted Sect Leaders and decide how much to tell them. He wants to keep it a secret about the children being time travellers from Nie XiongMeng, but that might not be entirely possible. Wen Tang Changpu knows that much, so that's one less thing he has to worry about.
