Silent in his Obedience

Ch. 3

Wei Ying dug his finger nails into the skin of his palms until it bled as he left Madam Yu's quarters. The whip marks from Zidian hurts more than the discipline whip. The discipline whip was extremely painful and scarred the body forever as a reminder but Zidian was just as bad, sometimes worse.

The electricity felt like knifes as it burned through his skin. He could still vividly feel it as blood soaked through his robe and he slowly made it back to the tree where he left his drawing stuff.

When Wei Ying got there he slowly started collecting his stuff, being careful of his wounds. He quickly realized that his drawing of Lan Zhan was gone.
Did it get blown away? Wei Ying thought that it was strange, there's not even a breeze after all.
Wei Ying decided his state was too poor to look for it and that it'd be better if he just redrew it another day.

______

Wei Ying should be around his age but he was undeniably small and thin. Why is he so small? He should be eating well as the sect leaders son, adopted or not. It also bothered him how the boy would not speak and referred to himself as a servant. When Wei Ying had ran off towards the angry shout that was undoubtedly the Madam of Lotus Pier, he was concerned. What could the boy have done wrong when he was next to him the whole time?

Lan Zhan picked up the drawing of him that the boy had dropped in his haste. He knew it was wrong but he took the drawing and stored it away safely in the sleeve of his robe. He then went back to the guest room he was sharing with his brother. When his brother saw him he quickly went over to ask him questions.
"Where have you been? Are you ok? What's troubling you?" Lan Xichen asked, quickly worried when he saw his brothers troubled look.
"Why would someone be so small and thin, almost sickly thin for their age despite being part of a wealthy family...? Why would he no longer speak and call themselves a servant when they are not...?" Lan Zhan asked, truly worried and confused.

Lan Xichen's eyes widened slightly as he replied,
"Listen carefully WangJi, it is likely that this boy is being mistreated by their family or in the worst case being abused. Please tell me their name WangJi so we can try help him." Lan Xichen said.
"Wei Ying, Wei Wuxian." Lan Zhan said and it suddenly all made sense to Lan Xichen.

It was known that Wei Wuxian had been adopted sect leader Jiang but he has never been seen outside of Lotus Pier. There was rumours that even the Jiang sect disciples rarely saw him as time went on. Most people when they heard the rumours tended to say vulgar things like saying that the boy was too ashamed of his blood to show his face.
Now that Lan Xichen knew the reason he was disappointed in Lotus Pier.

"Wanji I'm going to speak with uncle, you stay in this room until we return with Wei Wuxian, then we will leave for the cloud recesses." Lan Xichen said determined to save this boy from anymore mistreatment. He opened the door to leave but was shocked when he was met with young maiden Jiang standing there, looking furious with tears silently.
"Young Maiden Jiang...?" He asked confused.
"Please take my brother with you to the cloud recesses!" She said and Lan Xichen could see the fire in her eyes that said it all. She desperately cared for her little brother and would risk her life for him without a second thought.

He would do the same for WangJi.

"Take me to your brother and explain on the way." Lan Xichen said without hesitation.
Relief flooded her features as she led him to her brothers room. On the way she explained how she accidentally witnessed her mother whipping Wei Ying over something as small as interacting with Lan WangJi. She then explained the scars of marking she didn't understand along with a branding that could be nothing less than a slave mark.

She continued to explain how she was reminded of previous odd behaviour that suddenly made sense and how she very quickly became disgusted with her mother. It disgusted her that her mother would vent her anger and envy on a innocent boy who already had nothing but the clothes on his back.

When they reached Wei Wuxian's room, Lan Xichen was horrified. He knew deep down it was bad but this was just inhumane. Wei Wuxian was unconscious on the bed and the scars on the boys back told him the amount of abuse he had suffered.

There was old whip scars, new whip scars, and fresh ones just barely scabbed over. What truly horrified Lan Xichen though, was the markings Jiang Yanli had mentioned. Although he didn't know what they meant, he knew they were used for curses.

"I will explain the situation to my father and brother, I will also distract my mother, just... please just take him away from here." Jiang Yanli pleaded, she knew all too well she could not protect her brother if he stayed.
"Of course, his wounds are more than enough evidence for the Lan Sect to take action and protect him." Lan Xichen said.
They can't easily convict Madam Yu but they can protect Wei Wuxian at the very least.
"Thank you Zewu-Jun... this was the only thing I could do for my brother... thank you..." Jiang Yanli said, and Lan Xichen could tell she just wants the best for her brothers who are her whole world.

Lan Xichen moved to the head of the bed and stuck his arms under Wei Wuxian's armpits and pulled him off the bed and to his feet. He pulled Wei Wuxian's arm up and behind his head, pulling Wei Wuxian up onto his shoulders.

***Lan Xichen doing the fireman's carry since Wei Wuxian is unconscious and the princess carry would require putting pressure on his back.***

"I will take Wei Wuxian back to my uncle and explain the situation so we can leave immediately." Lan Xichen said, quickly leaving with Wei Wuxian.

Fireman's carry: