Crescent Moon Markings (MDZS/Inuyasha)

5

Stepping foot in Lotus Pier was a gamble.

Wei Changze didn't want anybody from Yunmeng Jiang to know he was around. If he bumped into them, he wouldn't ignore the Jiang Sect disciples or even Jiang Fengmian himself. All Wei Changze wanted was to do his payment at the blacksmith and go back home.

The less he interacted with Yunmeng Jiang the better Wei Changze's life would be.

He didn't need an awkward exchange between himself, Jiang Fengmian, and Yu Ziyuan. The few times he was in her presence, he felt her intense glare directed at him. As if silently blaming him for not keeping his wife away from her husband.

He didn't need to go through another one of those experiences again.

Or anytime soon.

He would keep his wife and son away from this place if he could help it. All those precious memories of his childhood were diminished because of one envious woman who laid all the blame of her insecurities on his wife. He couldn't even bring his own son to wander around the places Wei Changze explored as a child.

At least, A-Ying could wander about their own property. Wei Changze didn't have to worry about his son being hurt by anybody because of the talismans he placed on the borders of his property. No one with ill intent could step onto their home without being sent back to where they came from.

It was still upsetting he couldn't physically show A-Ying everything about his home. Almost in the same manner his wife couldn't physically take A-Ying to meet her Master.

All they could do was build new memories in their lands.

This arrangement suited them just fine.

The drawback of walking through Lotus Pier was that Wei Changze was well known throughout these parts and word would undoubtedly spread. It only took one loud auntie to welcome him back for the rest of the town to know. He didn't mind the welcome. Whenever he returned to Lotus Pier, he was always welcomed back with genuine smiles.

Most of his notoriety was due to his previous association with Jiang Sect and his helpfulness as previous head disciple. The vendors saw him grow up from a son's servant into a cultivator. He didn't forget about them because he was elevated to this higher position. Whenever he had time between his duties, he rushed out to help anybody who needed a well-done talisman or a hastily painted one to deter ghosts for the time being. They were all grateful for his willingness to assist them whenever an issue popped up, even without pay.

His mother taught him to be helpful and to never look down on anybody's circumstances. She grew up poor with multiple relatives to provide guidance and life long work skills. Helping to de-weed their crops, take care of her cousins, and run errands for her family. This was, until she was recruited into the Jiang sect as a servant. A low tier servant who rose up to the kitchens, keeping her out of sight.

As a result of growing up near the kitchens, Wei Changze enjoyed a good meal or snacks. Whenever he was sent to buy an item for the kitchen, the aunts and uncles of the marketplace handed him sweets or snacks as well. Due to all the errands he did growing up, he got to know numerous uncles and aunties from all different jobs. He got to know all the hidden secrets of Lotus Pier before he was ever inducted into the junior disciples.

Due to being sheltered, Jiang Fengmian didn't know half of his lands until he went out on night hunts. He knew nothing about the locals who lived on those lands for generations. Didn't know the aunties and uncles Wei Changze knew since he was a child. To his credit, Jiang Fengmian got better at getting to know the people once the late Sect Leader Jiang pulled Jiang Fengmian from training to patrol their lands and memorize every inch of their borders.