The night hunting party walked out the gate. Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng were in the lead, the Wen siblings behind them. The Lan brothers and their disciples followed after at a more sedate pace. Lan Wangji stared at them, "Xiongzhang, why did you let them come? It's not an easy case. We should take it more seriously."
"I looked at you," Lan Xichen answered, "You seemed to want the two boys to go together, so I said yes." He stopped and looked searchingly at his brother, "Don't you want them to?" Lan Wangji averted his gaze first.
Jin Guangyao took a sip of his tea to hide his smile. He enjoyed watching Lan Xichen be manipulative. It made him seem less perfect, in a way. The Lan Sect rules were very clear on certain matters. When one spoke their intention should be clear. There was no bullying or teasing.
It wasn't an exact rule, but he certainly shouldn't be trying to push his brother into a cutsleeve relationship with another Sect's head disciple.
It was nice to see he could be devious.
It skipped again to Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji entering their room at an inn.
"Honored guests, welcome," The innkeeper led them in.
Wei Wuxian started examining the room, wiping his hands to search for dust. He sneezed, "Your place looks a little dirty."
Nie Mingjue laughed, "Xichen, how shameless are you?"
His little brother chortled, "Jiang-xiong, how did Wei-xiong and Hanguang-Jun end up rooming together?"
When both of them were travelling with their brothers? It was obviously more appropriate to have family room with family, and the only person who could have possibly persuaded the group otherwise was the peerless First Jade. It was obvious from the memories he wanted to give Wei Wuxian as many opportunities as he needed to become friends with Lan Wangji.
"I didn't realize Zewu-Jun had ulterior motives," The Jiang Sect Leader's gaze darkened.
Of course, because it wasn't quite friendship was it? And if their intimacy went beyond emotional...
It only made him laugh harder. How could Xichen sit there and look perfect when his shamelessness was being exposed? Even now his expression was only mildly embarrassed. He clapped his little brother on the shoulder, "Be happy I've never taken a vested interest in your relationships, Huaisang."
His little brother opened his fan to hide his grin, "If only you had relationships to interfere with, Da-ge. I'd be so much worse."
"Nothing happened," Hanguang-Jun said.
"There?" Huaisang teased, "Or never?"
Hanguang-Jun's silence made him laugh again. He knew it would be tragic for Xichen's little brother to be in love with a demonic cultivator, but he also knew this would help in convincing Xichen that Jin Guangyao was using him. It was hard to see past one's affections to the true heart of another. There was no greater example than this.
The man laughed nervously, "Sir, forgive me. To be honest, since the lake started to eat people, our inn hasn't had any guests. You two are the first guests since then." Lan Wangji turned to look at him, "So please help yourselves."
"Eat humans?" Wei Wuxian repeated, "Water ghosts are spirits of water critters. Why do they eat humans?"
"I don't know what's under the lake," The innkeeper said, "Biling Lake had been calm and safe for many years, but something happened. There were some foreign businessmen two months ago. Their ships sank. At first, no one took it seriously, but more ships sank, even the local ones. It rarely happened before."
"How about the people inside those ships?" Wei Wuxian asked.
The man looked horrified, "All of them were eaten."
The gathered cultivators shared theories.
It certainly was strange. If it were a lake where some tragedy occurred, then it would make sense for a demonic entity to emerge from that tragedy. But this was a reversal of the order. A demonic entity suddenly appeared, causing more tragedy and gaining power each time it did so.
Why would it suddenly appear?
"Did you see what ate them?" Lan Wangji inquired.
"Well...I didn't," The man answered.
"Then how can you be so sure that it was done by the things in the lake?" Wei Wuxian asked.
"The people were certainly eaten," The innkeeper insisted, "Many people have drowned and no one has ever returned. Not even a dead body was found." He looked down and breathed shakily, then bowed and left the room.
Wei Wuxian turned to Lan Wangji, then they moved further into the room. Lan Wangji went to sit at the desk while Wei Wuxian leaned on a pillar, "Wangji-xiong, do you think the things in the lake are water ghosts?"
"We can't conclude before we see the whole picture," Lan Wangji replied.
A gentle reminder about why they were all gathered. This was almost the whole picture.
"But I don't think they are," Wei Wuxian continued, moving to sit opposite the desk, "If those things aren't water ghosts, what are they?" No response, "How about this? Let's make a bet. I bet we think the same."
"Boring," Lan Wangji stared blankly at him, then closed his eyes.
Nie Huaisang laughed. That was certainly one way to ignore they were sharing a room.
Wei Wuxian and Hanguang-Jun were left alone a lot. He was very curious to see what they got up to. He glanced at the artists intermixed in the crowd. He'd brought them in because everyone involved was beautiful and deserved to be depicted as such, but he caught a few authors making notes. It was an interesting dichotomy.
They were so different, yet somehow they fit so well together.
"Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian complained. When he received no reaction he leaned further on the desk, "Lan Zhan!" At being continually ignored, he sighed, "So dull." He picked up his sword and moved to one of the beds.
Lan Qiren wondered when his nephew stopped ignoring the demon child. He was so resolute in these memories.
Was it Xichen's fault? Or was Wangji just doomed to the same fate as his father.
It skipped to the next day, when they were walking on a path to the lake. Jiang Cheng was talking, "I heard a fisherman died yesterday. I'd like to see how much power these little ghosts have. Usually water ghosts just play tricks on people now they even dare to eat humans."
"Zewu-Jun," Wei Wuxian moved up the line, "Besides the villagers, is there anyone else who has seen these things?"
"The ghosts are so crafty," Lan Xichen answered, "Once people are dragged into the water, they can barely swim back. No one has ever seen their true appearance."
"Then, Zewu-Jun," Wei Wuxian swirled the jar in his hand and lowered his voice, "How are the cases of spirit snatching going?"
"So clever."
Zewu-Jun said to assume Wei Wuxian was correct in his theories. If the spirit snatching was related to the water ghosts, then they were both caused by Yin Iron.
Whispers started up again. They knew little of what the Yin Iron could do. In Wen Ruohan's hands it made puppets and fierce corpses out of cultivators. In Wei Wuxian's hands he stole the control of those puppets and fierce corpses for his own.
It was frightening to see how it caused problems without a master, that even the Lan Sect, and a place as sacred as the Cloud Recesses, couldn't contain it forever.
Maybe it was for the best that it stayed in the Burial Mounds with the Yiling Patriarch.
"Wei-gongzi, why do you ask?" Lan Xichen wondered.
Wei Wuxian continued to move the jar, "Spiritual energy has been surging in Cloud Recesses since ancient times. But now, there are cultivators' souls being snatched and there are even water ghosts. Do you think they are related?"
Lan Xichen smiled, "We are looking into the spirit snatching, but the water ghosts in the lake I don't think are related."
Wei Wuxian inhaled, "But-"
"Wei-gongzi," Lan Xichen interrupted, "The most important thing now is the exorcism."
"Isn't interrupting against the rules?" Jiang Wanyin asked.
Lan Xichen nodded, but declined to verbally answer. It was obvious the Jiang Sect Leader was angry and he wasn't sure why.
Yes, Lan Xichen was angry at himself. He pushed Wangji and Wei Wuxian together. He was so relieved his brother wouldn't be alone he ignored his own Sect's rules. If they weren't in public, his uncle would be scolding him for his actions.
But why was Jiang Wanyin so upset? Wangji was the one worse off from their turbulent relationship. It was his brother who was punished by the elders for visiting the Burial Mounds. It was Wangji who was confused and hurt, the rules he'd built his life on suddenly in doubt.
Perhaps Wei Wuxian suffered, but his hell was his own making. There were other paths, yet he chose the heretic one.
He took a deep breath. He promised to be unbiased in this. The truth didn't care for his feelings. Wei Wuxian breaking his brother's heart wasn't a crime.
"Zewu-Jun is right," Jiang Cheng agreed, "We can't waste time."
Wei Wuxian fell back as Lan Xichen picked up the pace, and intercepted Lan Wangji before he could follow, "Lan Zhan, do you want to drink?" He offered, but was ignored, "Lan Zhan, tell me, is there any progress on the investigation?"
"Not yet," Lan Wangji answered.
Wei Wuxian frowned, "But I feel that your brother is hiding something from us." Lan Wangji paused, his eyes flickering towards him. His expression lit up, "You also feel that your brother is hiding something and I bet it's not a trivial matter." Lan Wangji grabbed the jar, "How can it be-"
He poured the alcohol on the ground. When it was empty, he handed the jar back to a stunned Wei Wuxian, "No liquor is allowed during the night hunt."
"Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian protested, "Why don't I know that? I haven't even tasted a drop."
Jiang Cheng fought back another wave of anger.
Wei Wuxian told him none of this. It burned to see him keeping secrets, to watch as he conspired with Zewu-Jun and Hanguang-Jun, even when he stood a few feet away. If he'd told him…
Maybe he could have stopped this. He could have beaten it through his thick skull that he was the head disciple of the Jiang Sect. He shouldn't involve himself in the affairs of other Sects. He shouldn't sacrifice his time or energy for those who didn't ask him for help, for those who didn't deserve his help. If he kept him out of this…
No. Wei Wuxian was always the hero. He did what he thought was right, even when it seemed impossible, even when it wasn't worth it in the end.
He wondered if he was happy in the Burial Mounds, if he wasn't burning with the same regrets.
They finally made it to the lakes and got on boats. Lan Xichen was with several Lan disciples, with two boats flanking him, one with Lan Wangji, the other with Wei Wuxian. Behind Lan Wangji was the boat with the Wen siblings. Behind Wei Wuxian's was the one with Jiang Cheng. The final boat held the remaining Lan disciples.
They looked around in the fog, Lan Xichen calling out, "Everyone, be careful. We're near the haunted area."
"Zewu-Jun," Wei Wuxian called back, "The ghosts are so cunning. If they keep hiding in the water, are we just going to search forever? What if we can't find them?"
"It's our duty," Lan Wangji responded, "We'll keep searching until we find them."
Wei Wuxian started to say something, but his attention was drawn to Lan Wangji's boat. He picked up his oar, "Lan Zhan, look at me!" He swung at the boat, flipping it over to reveal the demonic entity beneath it.
Lan Wangji jumped and landed next to him, "Boring."
MianMian fought back a laugh at his ridiculous antics. Others would criticize him for being shameless and irreverent, but he was truly skilled and righteous. These memories were only showing off how good he was, in both cultivation and morality.
"He's so observant."
"Does he just pretend to be an idiot?"
"You don't want to see him being serious," She commented, ignoring the suspicious looks shot her way.
Wei Wuxian didn't care about politics. That was his greatest flaw. He wasn't a Sect Heir, he was a head disciple. Jiang Wanyin was the one concerned with appearances and courtesies. Wei Wuxian's concern was bringing glory to his Sect through demonstrating his skills. Since he was so skilled, he cared little for everything else.
It was never that he didn't notice the world turning on him. He just didn't let it change him.
There were some compromises that couldn't be made. She couldn't continue to serve the Jin Sect, just as he could no longer keep his place in the cultivation world.
"What was that?" Wei Wuxian wondered.
"I've never seen a water ghost like that," Jiang Cheng frowned worriedly.
"Don't tell me they are tainted by something," Wen Qing said.
"Wei-gongzi," Lan Xichen started, "How did you know they were under the boat?"
"Easy," Wei Wuxian answered, "The movement is strange."
"What's strange?" Wen Qing asked.
"Just now, the boat had only one person on it," Wei Wuxian explained, "But it sank deeper than the boat carrying two people, so there must be water ghosts under it."
"You're knowledgeable," Lan Xichen praised.
Truly, someone worthy of standing at Hanguang-Jun's side.
Jiang Yanli sighed sadly. There was no stopping A-Xian once he decided he needed to act. As much as she wished he would restrain himself, think about himself before others, it simply wasn't who he was. He was unselfish to a fault.
Wei Wuxian's smile lasted until he saw the still annoyed expression on Lan Wangji's face. He brought his hands together, "Lan Zhan, I didn't splash water on purpose. It's because the water ghosts are so cunning. If I said the truth, they would run away." He peered at him, "Lan-er-gongzi, you just poured out my liquor and I didn't say a word."
He moved to his side, and brushed their shoulders together, "Now are we even?"
"Stay away from me," Lan Wangji coldly stated.
Wei Wuxian bent down in front of him to retrieve his sword, then backed away annoyed.
Lan Wangji internally flinched. Seeing his actions from the outside, without evidence of the storm of emotions in him, made him look cold. He understood even more now why others called him emotionless. He could have easily lost Wei Ying earlier to his own stubbornness.
Jin Zixuan outwardly winced. He almost felt bad for Hanguang-Jun. At least when he was harsh to A-Li, it was only with his words, and she forgave him for his stubbornness. There was no resolution between Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian. There was only distance and misunderstanding.
The hunt continued in silence, only broken by the occasional creaking of the boats. When one of the entities attacked, it was Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji's boat. With a quick motion, Lan Wangji sliced it.
"Catch it!" Jiang Cheng shouted.
"Watch the right!" Wen Qing warned.
Wei Wuxian ordered his blade to cut through it as well, but the entity just disappeared.
This was obviously not water ghosts.
It was mesmerizing to watch the skilled young Masters of the Jiang and Lan Sects continue to fight anyways.
Many waited for the Wen siblings to strike. After all, they weren't there with pure intentions. They were Wen. It was only a matter of time before they showed their true colors. What better way to harm the Lan Sect than to sabotage a dangerous night hunt with the Sect Leader and Heir present? Especially with the fog thickening with every moment.
It didn't matter if they failed. What mattered was that they tried.
Lan Wangji looked at him, "What's the name of this sword?"
"Suibian," Wei Wuxian answered. When the other slightly narrowed his eyes, he repeated, slower, "Suibian."
His gaze flickered down, "This sword has a spirit. It's offensive to call it whatever you want."
"I didn't ask you to call it whatever I want," Wei Wuxian replied, "It's name is Suibian." Lan Wangji just blinked, so he held his sword up, showing the inscription "Look." He did so, "I know what you want to say. You want to ask why I picked this name, if there was any special meaning to it. Actually, there's nothing special."
"When Jiang-shushu gave it to me, he asked me how I would name it," He continued, "I had thought of more than twenty names, but none of them were good enough. So I said Suibian. I think Suibian is not so bad."
"Ridiculous," Lan Wangji turned away.
"Well, I don't think so," Wei Wuxian smiled at Suibian.
He obviously loved his sword.
"Why would he set it aside?" Nie Mingjue muttered, but he was far from the only one wondering the same.
It was given to him by Jiang Fengmian. It was named by Jiang Fengmian. A joke, at that, to match his trickster personality. Maybe the connection made it too painful to bear after his death. Maybe he blamed himself so much for the destruction of Lotus Pier and the death of the former Sect Leader that he couldn't wield it once it was recovered from the Wen.
Maybe it had nothing to do with demonic cultivation at all.
It was difficult to build a connection to a new sword. Too difficult to attempt in the middle of a war. If he couldn't wield Suibian out of grief...maybe they could forgive his disrespect.
The night hunt continued, Lan Xichen observing, "The fog is getting thicker. Be careful."
The next person attacked was Jiang Cheng. Wei Wuxian called out to him, "Jiang Cheng, are you okay?" In his boat, Jiang Cheng examined the wound on his leg. Wei Wuxian called out again, "Jiang Cheng, where are you?"
"I'm fine!" He assured the others.
But Wen Qing had already leaped to his boat, "Jiang-gongzi."
"Wen-guniang," He returned.
"You got hurt," She noted.
"Wen-guniang," He tried to hide it, "I'm fine."
Was this it? Was she going to try something while the Jian Sect Heir was vulnerable?
She set down her sword and crouched in front of him, pulling the robes back so she could get a good look. Jiang Cheng watched her as she reached into her robes and pulled out a little vial of powder. He inhaled sharply as it was applied, then looked away.
"Jiang Cheng," Wei Wuxian called again, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine!" He repeated.
"You're lucky that it just wounded your skin," Wen Qing informed him, finally meeting his gaze, "It will recover in a few days." He nodded weakly.
There were a few murmurs about his odd behavior. The Jiang Sect Leader was famously like his mother in temperament. They'd watch him be grumpy and ill-tempered with his brother, and serious with everyone else. His real smiles were drawn out by his sister, and this shy embarrassment had never been seen before.
Jiang Yanli thought it was adorable. It was all she could do to coo at her son instead of the projection.
Maybe Jin Ling could have cousins.
Then Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian were attacked again, forced to flee to the boat with Wen Qing and Jiang Cheng. Wen Ning kept his sword drawn, raising his voice to note, "The color of the water…" It was changing.
"Get back now," Lan Wangji ordered, "The thing in the water deliberately led us to the center of the lake. Go now!"
Their boats rocked. Su She shouted, "What happened?"
"Look," Jiang Cheng said, "They're coming together."
"Waterborne Abyss," Wei Wuxian figured out, "It's a Waterborne Abyss!" The others in the group looked to each other as he continued, "The water ghosts came together and became a Waterborne Abyss. They want to eat all of us!"
Nie Huaisang was grateful he turned down his friends when they invited him to come. A Waterborne Abyss was no small matter.
"The Yin Iron can cause such events?" He asked aloud, deciding now was as good as any time to start this discussion, "Even without a Master?"
"It should be destroyed," His brother growled, tense since the night hunt began.
Jin Zixun scoffed, "Like Wei Wuxian would allow us to destroy his strongest weapon."
"He would," Jiang Cheng countered, "He keeps it to protect the Wens. Remove the threat against them and he will be open to destroying it."
Even if the Wens were guilty, it would be worth sparing their lives if it meant their people wouldn't one day die from some evil connected to the Yin Iron. Wei Wuxian was unlikely to cultivate to immortality, and they were just asking for history to repeat themselves if they tried to seal it away. Sooner, as more people knew about it.
"Would that even be possible?" Jin Guangyao wondered.
Lan Xichen looked thoughtful, "We destroyed Wen Ruohan's Yin Iron shards because Wei Wuxian already neutralized them. I can't imagine the power it would take to destroy the Stygian Tiger Amulet."
"We'll learn more when we see how it was created," Jin Guangshan decided, "If it can't…"
"It needs to be," His older brother nearly snarled, "That power shouldn't be in anyone's hands."
If Nie Huaisang had to trust it with anyone, it would be Wei Wuxian, but he couldn't say that yet.
"Wei-gongzi!" Wen Ning asked, "What should we do?"
"Ride the sword," Lan Wangji decided.
The four of them lifted into the air. Lan Xichen, seeing his brother's decision, quickly followed. Su She, meanwhile, decided to attack the Waterborne Abyss, losing his sword in the process. He couldn't summon it back. Everyone else lifted into the air, and the boat started spinning. Wen Ning noticed Su She's struggle.
Lan Xichen began to play as Wen Ning leaped to Su She's boat. But before he could reach him, he froze.
Wen Qing helped Jiang Wanyin, but perhaps Wen Ning wasn't quite the coward he appeared to be.
"A-Ning!" Wen Qing shouted nervously.
Wei Wuxian flew down to assist, but was shocked when Wen Ning opened colorless eyes.
"What's wrong with him?" Su She demanded.
He remembered being rescued by Hanguang-Jun. He didn't remember Wen Ning attempting to rescue him. He'd never paid Wen Ning any mind either. He assumed he was just the same as the rest of his blood.
"Wen Ruohan," Hanguang-Jun answered shortly.
"He experimented on him?" Jiang Wanyin sat up straighter.
Lan Wangji's lips tightened, as though annoyed he needed to speak to them at all, "Wen Qionglin's spirit was affected through Wen Ruohan's actions."
Either way, if Wen Ning hadn't come for him in his stupidity, then Wei Wuxian wouldn't have descended from safety either. Wei Wuxian swore to protect Wen Ning, after all. And if Hanguang-Jun's dear friend wasn't in danger, he wouldn't have pulled the three of them up.
He wasn't so disgraced to not recognize a debt.
Lan Wangji noted his eyes as well, and flew down to grab Wei Wuxian and Su She. Wei Wuxian managed to keep his grip on Wen Ning.
It was an embarrassment to the Su Sect Leader, but they would all choose embarrassment over death.
He was foolish to send his sword at a Waterborne Abyss, but foolishness didn't merit expulsion.
So what else could he have done?
"Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian smiled at him, "Lan Zhan, thanks for your help, but why did you grab me by the collar?" He squirmed, "Why don't you just hold me? It makes me uncomfortable. I'll give you my hand. You can just hold my hand."
"I don't touch strangers," Lan Wangji replied.
"We are very close," Wei Wuxian protested, "I'm not a stranger."
"We're not close at all," Lan Wangji said coldly.
"You are so ridiculous," Wei Wuxian complained.
"You are so ridiculous," Jiang Cheng angrily interjected, "When being held by someone in midair, can you shut your mouth?"
"Shut up!" The older brother shouted.
"You!" But Jiang Cheng stopped, obviously worried.
They watched Lan Xichen continue playing until he sealed the Waterborne Abyss.
"Well done, Er-ge," Jin Guangyao complimented.
It wasn't lost on anyone in the crowd how it wasn't only his accomplishment. Wei Wuxian identified the demonic entity. Hanguang-Jun realized they needed to get off the water, and his quick reaction kept everyone safe, even if he had to go back and save the last stragglers.
It also wasn't lost on anyone how young they all were. Hanguang-Jun and the future Yiling Patriarch were bickering about hand holding, of all things, and whether or not they counted as friends, acquaintances, or strangers after their time together.
These were the young men sent to war. Their heroes were little more than boys, teenagers who should have had more time to have fun.
The memories picked up again at the tavern. Wei Wuxian carefully checked Wen Ning's eyes as he laid asleep on the bed. They were back to normal.
"Wei Wuxian," Wen Qing addressed him as she walked in with a tray, "What are you doing here?"
He glanced away, "I came to visit Wen Ning. The door was open, but what's going on with him? Why is he still unconscious?"
"We thought he fainted from fear," Lan Xichen explained.
He didn't realize it was so severe. Then again, Wen Qing was good at hiding so many things. She hid her true loyalties well enough, though apparently that mask didn't hold up to the Jiang Sect.
"Wei-gongzi," Wen Qing avoided the question, "A-Ning still needs rest. Please leave if you have nothing else to say." She then sat by her brother's side.
Wei Wuxian pulled a talisman from his robes, "This is for you," He announced before tossing it to her.
She caught it, "What is it?"
"That is a talisman to protect him," He explained.
That was the second time he promised to protect him.
Jiang Cheng scoffed. Of course he made promises to others, but what made the Wens more deserving of him upholding them? What of the promises they made to each other? Why did Wen Ning deserve his protection more than he deserved him by his side? What was a few weeks to nearly a lifetime?
Was it because Wen Ning was weak? If he appeared weaker, if he lowered himself and begged for him to stay, would he have?
"Protect him?" She asked.
"Though I am not a doctor like you, as for the magic arts, I have my experience," He kept both hands on his sword, "Wen Ning is a cultivator, he's not so weak that he fainted just from the water. Wen-guniang, don't you feel it's strange?"
She rose to face him, "Wei-Wuxian, what exactly do you want to say?"
He crossed his arms and moved to look closer at Wen Ning, "Did Wen Ning have an unusual experience before? Therefore, he is easily affected by ghosts." She didn't answer, "Wen-guniang, no matter what it is you want in Cloud Recesses, I want you to keep this talisman. And I wish for this talisman to protect him."
Something shifted in her gaze, and he continued, "Of course, you can choose not to believe me. If you think this talisman fails to act, just throw it away." With that, he walked away and exited the room.
Wen Qing held the talisman closer.
"He's so kind," Nie Huaisang sighed.
Jin Guangyao took another drink from his cup, listening as others murmured agreements. He'd taken a step back from actively scheming, deciding to actually try to understand Wei Wuxian before making more plans.
Unless the resentful energy changed something fundamental about his personality, this man wasn't capable of great evil. He didn't understand why he would devolve into demonic cultivation in the first place, unless Wei Wuxian did it to stand against Wen Ruohan.
From his own research into demonic cultivation, the yin energy they controlled enhanced the yin energy of the user. Anger, vengeance, fear...any negativity the cultivator possessed would be multiplied.
For someone determined to be positive, he guessed possessing the Stygian Tiger Amulet wouldn't make a change extreme enough to convince anyone he was a villain. But someone had to be the villain. No one wanted to blame themselves, or the traditions and beliefs that created such circumstances, so they would pin their anger on one target.
It wasn't going to be him.
The memory switched to Jiang Cheng wandering the town alone. A vendor called out about combs, and he moved towards her. He slowed down to look at the combs available.
The vendor smiled, "Sir, buy a comb for your girl."
He smiled back and shook his head, "I don't need it."
He turned to leave, but the vendor called after him, "Sir, don't go. A comb is an emblem of lovesickness. It's the best gift for a girl."
Jiang Cheng thought about it, before turning back and buying a dark red comb.
"You had a crush on Wen Qing!" Jin Zixuan was happy to have confirmation.
"And you actually bought her a comb!" Nie Huaisang chirped, "I believe that makes you the only one to follow proper courtship protocols." He tilted his head, "If you gave it to her, that is."
"I gave it to her," Jiang Wanyin tensed.
Jin Zixuan was pointedly ignoring the whispering around the room. He grew up surrounded by rumors. He knew how to block them out. Besides, his father engaged in more scandalous affairs with worse women and everyone still respected him.
As long as no bastards were sired, it would be forgotten quickly.
His focus was on his brother-in-law, "Did she reject you?"
"She accepted," He bit out, his spiritual whip curling around his arm as he repressed his anger.
"Then how…?" Nie Huaisang trailed off.
Jiang Wanyin laughed bitterly, "People were already questioning my judgment. If I showed up in the middle of the war with a Wen bride, what would that have meant for the Jiang Sect? If I tried to defend her, to protest her innocence, would anyone have believed the words of a lovestruck fool? No! They wouldn't!"
Jin Zixuan flinched. After all, how quickly was MianMian dismissed simply because there were rumors about her closeness to Wei Wuxian? Even Zewu-Jun hesitated to believe his brother because of their relationship.
His expression darkened, "They would have called her a whore. They would have treated her like a spy, or any other Wen-dog. They'd never accept her as Madam Jiang. She...she had too much pride to stay with me, even if I could have ensured her safety. So she left, and I let her go."
The halls of Koi Tower had never been silent before, but no one seemed to find the words to respond to that.
Jin Zixuan wished he hadn't said anything.