For Lan WangJi, the blunt statement was as good as a confession: Wei Ying forced Wen Qing to remove his Golden Core to give to Jiang WanYin. How the new Sect leader damaged his Core was still unknown, but.... Was it even necessary to know?
They started the night in separate beds. But with the first whimpers of a nightmare, Lan WangJi grabbed his blankets and settled into Wei WuXian's bed, pulling him into his embrace. As he had in the afternoon, Wei WuXian used his friend as a pillow, grasping tightly with arms and legs, and finally relaxing into a nightmare-free sleep.
They left Caiyi late the next morning, and took a route to Yunmeng that would avoid the main contingent. They walked for the most part, only taking short flights with Bichen at only about knees' height above the ground.
Lan WangJi's emotions had a wider range to traverse now. He would spend many happy hours reliving kissing Wei Ying. Remembering how it felt to taste, to touch, to know that his friend was also very interested in the proceedings. And then he'd remember that Wei Ying mentioned 'wife', and must be thinking that 'kissing' was for anyone, but being more intimate must still be reserved for marriage.
With a woman.
And so he yearned, and burned, and ached to once again feel Wei Ying's body responding to his kiss, his touch. Knowing that if it ever happened again, it would end, once again, with them finishing alone. Which made his day dreams that much more fiercer. The need to claim, to rip Wei Ying's clothing off, to shove himself into Wei Ying's body, whether he was willing or not, and take was almost overpowering at times. Wei Ying calls himself a monster for being a soldier in wartime and fighting against the enemy in the only way he had left to him. He's a monster? He's not the one who dreams of raping someone.
I'm a monster. I'm the perverted one. I'm the one who needs to be kept away from him.
It was impossible to keep away, now. Wei Ying's nightmares were kept at bay only through being held at night. He would apologize profusely in the morning, and at night when they stopped pretending to sleep separately, and simply laid down together. "No need to apologize," Lan WangJi always insisted. If you knew how much I enjoyed this, you wouldn't let me sleep in the same building, never mind share a bed with you. In some ways it was cathartic: being allowed to hold his friend close and be the light in the dark keeping the bad dreams at bay. Just touching settled his desires and inflamed them at the same time.
They arrived at Lotus Pier to find the place crammed with people. Jin GuangShan stood on the dias in Sword Hall, looking as if he might take Jiang WanYin's seat at any moment. "We should have this sham of a trial held in Koi Tower. At least I have the room to hold everyone there."
"Since you call this trial a 'sham', we already know how you'd rule," Wen Qing snorted.
More sect and clan leaders shouted out their opinions, most of which involved 'Wen dogs'. Lan WangJi stifled the urge to break their teeth.
Jin GuangYao worked the room, apologizing for the Phoenix Hunt being interrupted, and assuring everyone that the Hunt would only be delayed by at most a day or two. Surely the trial wouldn't last longer than that?
Lan WangJi's hands fisted at his sides; A day or two? When over one hundred people should be interviewed? He hoped Jiang WanYin would hold a fair trial. The young man sat on his throne, partially obscured by Jin GuangShan. A metaphor for what's to come?
"Wei WuXian! Just the man I was hoping would be here!" Jin GuangShan yelled over the noisy room. "A hero of the Sunshot Campaign left to the tender mercies of the GusuLan. It's good to see you looking well."
Wei WuXian smiled in response, "It's good to be looking so well." It wasn't his 'I'm happy' smile. It was a performance. Lan WangJi knew him well enough by now.
"That Tiger Seal of yours," Jin GuangShan smiled, too. "I regretfully didn't get to see it in action during the war."
"Because you were playing both sides," Wei WuXian hissed under his breath.
"I would love to see it in action. Perhaps you can bring it to Phoenix Mountain and give us a demonstration?"
The fake smile was back. "I'm still under Lan Daifu's care. Using Yin energy has damaged my meridians," Wei WuXian boldly lied. "I am banned from using Yin energy until they are completely healed."
"Perhaps another can demonstrate for us? If not... you can at least let us see it? Such a magnificent piece, I'm told. I am so curious about it."
Lan XiChen stepped up, standing in front of the Jin sect leader. "The Tiger Seal is currently missing. It was in the tent at the Nightless City where Xu Daifu treated him. But it was not taken to Cloud Recesses." He's lying. "Jiang ZongZhu... did it come here to Lotus Pier?"
"No." the young sect leader looked confused. "I was under the impression it was with Wei WuXian."
"I don't have it," Wei WuXian lied again. "Maybe it got left behind at the Nightless City?"
Jin GuangShan looked furious. "It wasn't there. We scoured the city for any and all spiritual artifacts. We would have found it."
"Ahh. It's not a spiritual artifact, though, is it?" Wei WuXian bowed slightly. "Jiang ZongZhu, please excuse me. I'm afraid I'm not as well as I look."
"You may leave. My sister has asked that you attend her later if you're feeling up to it."
"I look forward to that," Wei WuXian bowed again, and wended his way through the crowd to the front entrance.
Lan WangJi wasn't sure what had just happened. Politics are too complicated. Why is Jin GuangShan discussing the Tiger Seal? Why did XiongZhang and Wei Ying lie about it's location? What am I missing?
The trial began the next morning, with the DafanWen villagers explaining what happened. After the fourth retelling, Jiang WanYin stopped the trial. "I think we all know what happened from the villagers' point of view. I would like to hear from the Jin side."
Of course, the Jin soldiers had a slightly different slant. The murdered villagers had resisted arrest. The raped women had invited the soldiers and were willing partners. The screams were of joy, not pain. Again, after the fourth soldier, he asked to move on to the next set of witnesses: the GusuLan.
At this rate, the trial will take only a day or two. Lan WangJi gave his honest testimony: he detailed what he saw in the village as well as what happened when he arrived after the bat king attacked the prisoners.
Then it was Wen QiongLin's turn to testify. Then Wen Qing's. Then, lastly, Jin ZiXun. Jiang WanYin stood up. "I will think about what I've heard today, and give my ruling tomorrow."
Jin ZiXun sneered. "Make sure no one tries to sway you to their side."
"Like a bribe?"
"Yes."
Jiang WanYin looked at the DafanWen and sighed. "I don't think I have to worry about being bribed by your accusers. They don't look like they have any money to spare."
Lan WangJi, perhaps for the first time in his political life, heard the rest of Jiang's ZongZhu's statement: 'unlike your uncle'.
Dear readers.
I am amazed at how many of you are reading this! I've written a few modern day stories that don't have half the engagement. So thank you! (Insert shameless begging for you to read my modern day stories if you haven't already done so.) (Insert shameless begging for you to read ALL of my stories if you haven't already done so. And for those of you who have, thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!!)
It's a cold rainy-ish day here. And I'm getting over a cold. So I've got a tex-mex inspired chicken soup cooking in the crockpot. It's yummy.... Can hardly wait for dinner to roll around.
Thank you for reading. Thank you for commenting. Thank you for your votes. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
- Aitch.