Reader prompts

Go back with me -2

Wei Ying sat there with his head hanging low. He stood there in the room with two large portraits. One was decorated in all gold and one with simple purple silk. The gold one was Madam Yu because of the splendor she carried with her. And the plain silk for his father, who gave away all his wealth to his people. He gave a low bow again and rose up.

He hadn't cried after returning. He hadn't wailed as his brother had. He hadn't screamed. Yet he had mourned. He had mourned in his black robes. He had shut himself in a room and refused to step out. Refused to eat. Refused to sleep.

His sister, bless her soul.. had kept a bowl of soup at the door every day. Every single day without fails in hopes that he would come out to eat. On the 8th day, he finally emerged. His eyes took some time to get used to the sunlight. 

'Wei Ying!" His sister called him out. He watched her smile and run over to him. 

He wanted to reciprocate the smile she had but his face muscles refused to move.

"Shije. You must rest. I was told that you've been taking care of all the household work."

"I wanted to see you Wei Ying" she held his face in her palms and smiled at him. 

She was the light of his life. She could almost take away the darkness in his heart. Almost. He was knee deep in demonic cultivation and surrounded by dark energies all the time. Not even his Shije can erase it and he knew that. He vowed to go as far as he can for the Yunmeng Jiang sect. His mother would've wanted that.

He gave her a right smile and said "I must go now Shije. There is a council meeting and Jiang Cheng needs me there. Get some rest."

"But! You didn't eat anything!"

Wei Ying vanished with a flurry of his robes.

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The meeting itself was uneventful. They mostly spoke about reconstructing all the buildings destroyed in the fire, including civilian buildings. Some of them brought up his sister's wedding. But all it took was a single look from Wei Ying to shut them up. 

This was purely family business and they had nothing to do with it.

Wei Ying barely paid any attention to the meeting as he was trying to keep his eyes awake. Sleep had not come to him. He was still plagued by nightmares and he still had not gotten used to sleeping during the night. It has been 2 months since he had returned and there was no change in his sleeping habits.

He sighed when the meeting was over.

"Wei Ying, you should sleep." 

"It's fine fine." He waved Jiang Cheng off and headed to his room.

They needed to prepare for the spring festival that was in a week's time. With the reconstruction work going on, there was barely any time left to prepare. And Wei Ying was busy trying to figure out an antidote for corpse poisoning. There was a lot of work.

Shije was taking care of everything.

He saw a white pigeon land on his windowsill. He was as white as snow and seem to carry a collar. Upon closer look, it seemed to resemble the Lan clan's symbol. He walked over and opened the tiny silk pouch tied to its leg.

It read,

"Salutations Master Wei,

I write this letter upon my brother's suggestion. We hear that the preparations for the spring festivities are underway. We understand how hard it must be to manage everything there. Please allow the Lan sect to assist you in taking care of the festivities. We shall send in a few of our people to help you with them and also a few of our builders to help you in the reconstruction.

Cordially,
Lan Xichen"

Wei Ying had to appreciate their intentions. He wondered if taking their help was a good idea. He turned the letter over to find more words.

"Wei Ying. I wish to see you. I wish to come and assist you with the preparations and also to talk to you. Will you allow me to do so?

Waiting for your reply,
Lan Wangji"

His heart unconsciously skipped a beat. 

He read the words over and over again trying to understand the underlying meaning in it. He hid the letter. After a moment he wondered why he hid the letter. There was nothing scandalous in it! He tried convincing his own heart before going to meet his brother.

Jiang Cheng sat in the courtroom in the high chair.  He looked very much like Madam Yu. 

A lot of people assumed that his father was the one who headed the court when in reality it was his mother. She was the one who looked after the court sessions and was involved in the legal system of the sect. She was the brains of the Yunmeng Jiang sect. Whereas his father was the heart.

He was the center of the sect and represented everything kind and good in this world. He was the spirit of the people. Thinking of his father brought a pang to his chest. He never knew his real father. But that did not matter to him as long as he had Jiang Fengmian. 

Yet the tears wouldn't fall.

"Steady at work I see Master Jiang." He teased lightly.

"What do you want?"

"Lan Xichen has sent a letter offering assistance with the spring festival and also with the construction. Should we accept?"

"Wei Ying I don't think its a good idea."

"Well, they're offering free service. Why refuse?"

"it's not about the money Wei Ying."

"...Well?" 

Don't you think it will make us look weak as a sect?"

"Brother brother... I have an army of over 5000 undead soldiers. Do you really think that's what people are thinking? We could crush anyone who dared oppose us"

Jiang Cheng noticed the dark hue that Wei Ying's eyes seem to take as he uttered those words.

"Wei Ying...?"

Wei Wuxian seemed to snap out of it. For a moment he seemed like someone else and that had scared Jiang Cheng. But he let it pass.

"I will send them a letter of confirmation then."

"No!" "I mean I will send them." Jiang Cheng gave him a funny look before walking away.

"Salutations Second master Lan,

We are glad to say that we accept your offer. We insist that you stay with us at lotus pier. 

Cordially,
Wei Wuxian"

On the back, he wrote,

"Lan Zhan, I told you we do not belong in the same world. What more must we talk?"

The words felt wrong to him as he wrote them on paper. Also, his handwriting looked as if a chicken had scribbled it. But it would get the point across. 

If he was truthful to himself, he had thought about Lan Zhan at least once every day. He had thought of writing to him. At one point he even considered composing a tune. But he found it ridiculous and dropped it.

He tied the letter to the pigeon and let it fly. 

--------------------To be continued....