The Light's Dark

27

Wei Wuxian had left him much to contemplate. Or rather, not contemplate. ZiXuan could not believe that his solution had been to kill his father...though he was right in saying it would solve a great majority of the problems that they found themselves with. The line of succession was his, and should his father pass, ZiXuan would have quite a bit of power to do things the way that he saw fit. That could cause a lot more problems than solutions, though. For one, there were quite a few that did not want anything to do with his heirship. Many felt that he was too young, too inexperienced, and too naive to handle the power. His cousin being one of those-though that was because he wanted the clan heirship to himself. If he killed his father off prematurely, things could escalate, and his ability to actually get into contact with his father's bastards and welcome them would be moot. He would never manage it.

Not, of course, because he was overly emotional at the idea of his father dying. Yes, it would be unfortunate, and he would have to do quite a bit to keep himself on top, but he did not really...care. Perhaps that was blasphamous to say, but his father had never truly given him much thought beyond his title. It was unfortunate, but true, and as a result, he never found himself overly attached to the man. Instead, he despised him, in more ways than one. He commended his mother for her ability to still handle the man. He did not think that he would have been able to had he found himself in her place.

Perhaps...Perhaps he should as what they would do should he agree with Wei WuXian's plan. After all, if he was going to suggest something like that, surely he would have some sort of plan on what they would need to do to stem the opposition, so that he could actually get on with what he wanted to do.

Making up his mind, ZiXuan moved to the writing table and began to sowly and meticulously write a somewhat coded letter to Wei WuXian. He knew that Lan Wanji was likely to read it, and he would not put it past Lan XiChen to do so as well. He did not want anything treasonous to be mentioned, and his thoughts about his father were certainly just that. He was not used to writing things like this, so it took far longer than he would have liked...He would have to wait for the morning to send it out, unfortuantely. Sighing, he sat on the cot, wondering just how turned about things had gotten already...that he was contemplating his father's murder.

-

Jiang Cheng threw a vase across the room, leaving the disciples flinching violently as he did so. His face was red with anger, and annoyance clouded every inch of his veins. How could Wei Ying do such a thing? He tried to calm himself, but the act alone left him more angry than before. His fingers twitched from the sheer level of agitation that was rushing throug every faucet of his being. One of the bravest disciples tried to call out to him, but Jiang Cheng, unable to quite control himself, smacked him hard, before turning on his heel, and storming out of the room.

Who does he think he is? He viciously thought to himself. Not only to deny my letters, but the audacity...the audacity! In his room, Jiang Cheng shoved all the letters into the fire, ignoring the pang in his heart as he had done so. Every letter, unopened, returned to him. He could not believe it. For how difficult it was to even get them all the way to the Cloud Recesses, he could not handle the thought that he did not even bother to look at them! Ridiculous! It was as though now that he was cozy in the Lan's care, he seemed to lose all sense of who he was to the Jiang Sect...his duty, his job...and it left him more and more angry as he thought about it. Jiang Cheng was asking for his help, trying to get some sort of word out, and yet it was all for naught.

-

"I do not know that was wise," Uncle said immediately as XiChen merely smiled placatingly. He had broken the rules, but Uncle did not know about that part, only knowing that he had returned the letters Jiang Cheng sent. If XiChen was correct, and he knew that he was, the Heir would be so hot tempered he would not even bother to closely inspect them, where he would notice that they had, in fact, been opened. Instead, he would see that they were still sealed, and appeared to be unopened, and likely do something rather destructive. From what XiChen had seen at the Guest lectures, he seemed rather hot tempered and bull headed. He was still baffled that Fiengmian had not trained that out of his heir, though he supposed they all thought Wei Ying would stick around...but unfortunately for them, XiChen had not intention of allowing the young man back-particularly not considering what he had just read.

The content in the letters had been absolutely atrocious, and XiChen was shocked that such an important individual in the Jiang sect would speak in such a manner. He supposed that their original agreement to take Wei Ying had suddenly left the Jiang Sect desolute, and people were now realizing how vital Wei Ying was to them. In XiChen's own thoughts, too little, too late, and it was far too late to do damage control. No, Wei Ying was Wangji's now, they had lost their right to him long ago. XiChen only wished he would have noticed far sooner.

"Be that as it may, Uncle, it is already done."

"You are going to cause quite the rift, and considering where things stand at the moment..."

"I have a feeling that where things stand now is not where they are going to be standing for much longer." XiChen stated blithely, a smile still plastered on his face.