Dark Knight | WangXian Novel

27: Intriguing Boy

"Halt!"

Jiang Cheng growled. "Oh come on, not NOW! The woman's nearly dead, can't you see? Let us in."

"Gongzi, please."

"I'm Head Disciple Jiang, let me in."

"Jiang Gongzi should know even Sect Leader Jiang can't enter without a token," the Lan guards coldly retaliated.

"Token!" Zhen Yuan shouted, his voice a whimpering mess of tears. "I forgot, I forgot. Here!" He delved into his robes and pulled out a white slab.

"Hanguang-Jun's jade token? Ah, you're Wei Gongzi's A-Yuan?" The guard nodded. "Apologies, little one," the guard smiled and stepped aside quickly to let them run in.

Jiang Cheng, running towards the compound with Yuan holding his robes and Madam Zhen on his back, couldn't help but smile wondering how close Zhen Yuan must be to Wei Wuxian for the guards to call him his.

"A-CHENG!" Wei Wuxian gasped, stopping in his tracks towards a classroom. "What are– A-Yuan? What's wrong with Madam Zhen?"

"XIAN-GEGE!" Zhen Yuan ran forth and fell to his knees, hugging Wei Wuxian's legs and sobbing uncontrollably.

"A-Yuan?" Lan Zhan ran in from nowhere.

Wei Wuxian picked the sobbing boy up. "Hush, hush, we'll do something okay? A-Cheng?"

"She's not breathing."

"WHAT?"

Lan Zhan nodded to Jiang Wanyin. "Jingshi. Now."

**********

Doctor Lan's face gave no signs but a frown.

Wei Wuxian stood outside the Jingshi with A-Yuan on his shoulder while Lan Zhan and Jiang Cheng waited inside to listen to the doctor.

"Wuxian!"

"Xichen-ge?" Wei Wuxian turned to see Lan Xichen hurrying down the path.

"The guards told me Little Yuan came crying. What's going on?"

"Shh!" Wei Wuxian kept a finger to his lips when he sensed Yuan about to break into sobs again. He signalled to the door; Lan Xichen nodded and walked into the Jingshi.

"Wanyin?!"

Jiang Cheng nodded to him without looking, merely asserting he heard and returning a silent, cold greeting.

"Xiongzhang," Lan Zhan walked closer.

Lan Xichen decided it wasn't the best time to tackle Jiang Cheng. "Wangji, what's happening?"

"I..." The doctor rose from the bed right at that moment and sighed. "Am truly sorry. All these weeks we tried our best to help her." Gulping, he turned around and shook his head at the three men. "Madam Zhen is no more. Apologies and condolences, Lan Wangji. I did my best."

Lan Zhan swilled down his saliva and nodded gravely. "Mn. Thank you, Doctor."

Lan Xichen buried his face in his hands. "No no no... how on earth are we to tell that to Little Yuan?"

"Wei Ying will do it."

"Right," Jiang Cheng nodded. "A-Xian knows it well." 

**********

"Mama's cured," Zhen Yuan rubbed his nose as he sat on the grass with Wei Wuxian. It was two days after that fateful afternoon, Madam Zhen had been buried and Zhen Yuan had no more tears left. He sat on Lan Wangji's lap while Wuxian, Xichen and Wanyin listened to him.