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English
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Published:
2024-02-26
Completed:
2024-04-06
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58,438
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32/32
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Consequences

Summary:

Madam Yu uses Zidian on child Wei Ying. There are consequences.

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Chapter 1

Chapter Text

 

 

 

Wei Ying didn't even know what he had done. He must have been bad again. That's what she said. That Wei Ying was bad. Wei Ying deserved this. That's what she said, and she was Madam Yu so it had to be true. This was his fault. He was bad. He ruined everything. He didn't mean to be bad. He wanted to do the right thing. But somehow, he was always wrong, and always bad. She was so angry, and he didn't know what to do. He tried to say he was sorry, but that only made her angrier. She was so angry. She was always angry with him, but this time, it was worse.

He looked over at his new brother and sister. At least, that's who he was told they were now, but it was confusing. His new uncle, his Jiang Shushu, said that they were. But Madam Yu said that they weren't and the one time he had dared to call them his siblings, she had punished him severely. She said Wei Ying was just a servant. Wei Ying should remember his place. Wei Ying was only there to serve her family. Wei Ying was nothing. Nobody. But still, he looked over at them hoping for, well, something. What he got was a scowl from Jiang Cheng and a sad look from Jiang Yanli. So, they knew it was his fault, too. Jiang Yanli had told Wei Ying so many times to try to behave, and he had tried. Tried so hard. He hated disappointing her and he hated being punished, yet still he was always in trouble. Jiang Yanli told Wei Ying that Mother didn't mean it, that she cared about Wei Ying really, but that didn't seem right.

He dared another look at her. She was still shouting. She grabbed his arm, shook him until his teeth rattled. What did she want? If he only knew what she wanted from him, he would do it, give it to her. But he didn't know, so he did nothing. But that was wrong too because now she was even angrier.

She stepped back. Sparks came from her hand, and her ring snaked out. He stopped breathing. He knew what that was. He had heard about Zidian. He had heard the disciples speak about it fearfully. He watched her pull her arm back, disbelieving. He watched the purple lightening reach out for him, and for a moment, he thought she had missed. Then he felt himself flying backwards. Pain was everywhere. Never ending. His body shaking and jerking and the lightening tearing him apart. He saw her pull back her arm again and he knew he was going to die.

***

Yu Ziyuan was so angry. It was all That Brat's fault. He was just like his mother. Nothing but trouble. How she had hated her, and now she hated him. Nothing in her life was the way she wanted. The way it should be. Not her husband. Not her children. Nothing. Someone had to pay. She deserved more. She deserved better. But she had nothing, and it had to be someone's fault. First her, and now him. Even now, even dead, She was still a thorn in her side. Her vile brat, sent to torment her.

Well, she would make him sorry he ever came here, sorry he had even been born. She was angry, and she wasn't going to take it any more. Over. Done. This time, she would make him pay, make him see that he was nothing. That he had no place here. That she was done. She felt Zidian spark to life, responding to her anger. Yes. Zidian. Zidian would show him. Zidian would make. Him. PAY.

***

Lan Zhan hated it here. It was so hot and loud and different. Shufu said it would be good for Lan Zhan to come. Good sect relations, Shufu said. He said the Jiang heir was similar in age to Lan Zhan, and they should meet. They had met. Lan Zhan was not impressed. It wouldn't be so bad if Xiongzhang had come too, but he had classes, and as sect heir, he couldn't miss them. So here he was, alone and miserable. He didn't know where anyone was. He knew his Uncle was here somewhere, and the disciples they brought with them. But he had been sent off with the sect heir, who had immediately run off and left him as soon as the adults were out of sight.

He heard shouting. A Lady. She was very loud. He looked and saw it was Madam Yu. He had been introduced to her when they arrived and she had been polite to him, but now she was shouting at a young boy. He frowned. She was doing it wrong. She should tell him which rules he had broken, then give him his copying to do. But she wasn't doing any of that, she was just shouting. How was the boy supposed to improve if he wasn't properly instructed? This wasn't fair at all. Should he explain to her that she was doing it wrong, or would that be rude? He didn't want to be rude, but this wasn't fair.

As he started forward, he saw her pull her arm back and throw lightning at the boy. What? She hurt him? She hurt the boy? No, this wasn't right. This wasn't fair. He was so shocked. What was happening? No no no. This was wrong. This wasn't fair. He had to find Shufu. Shufu would know what to do. But then she pulled her arm back. She was going to hit him again. No. Not fair. No no no no NO.

He didn't care if it was rude. This was wrong. Unfair. Shufu would put a stop to it, but Shufu wasn't here so it was up to him. It was his duty to protect this boy, and so he would.

***

Wei Ying couldn't even cry. There was so much pain. He tried to think, but all there was was pain, and now she was going to hit him again. He whimpered as he saw her arm go back but then, a blur of white blocked him from her and the hit didn't come. He gasped. He was saved. Someone had saved him. Someone had come. He reached out, grasping the white hem, crying.

Yu Ziyuan drew back, shocked. What? Who had dared? The Lan boy? What did the Lan boy think he was doing? How dare he try to keep her from her target. She raised Zidian, preparing to sweep him aside. So angry she didn't see the shock on the faces of her children. So angry she didn't see her husband and Lan Qiren as they came to find the source of the commotion. So angry, she didn't see them run to stop her. No one would keep her from her vengeance.

***

Yu Ziyuan screamed with rage as Zidian was torn from her by a white sword. It wasn't until her husband, who rarely even raised his voice, began to shout that sanity began to return to her. She looked around, saw Lan Qiren rush to his small nephew. The small nephew that she had been about to hit with her spiritual weapon. What had she done? No. No, it wasn't her fault. It was The Brat. It was him. But her Husband wouldn't let her speak, wouldn't listen. He shouted at her to be quiet. He never shouted at her. No-one ever dared cross her. She was Yu Ziyuan. She was untouchable. Yet here was her worthless passive Husband shouting at her, saying that she had done enough. Shouting that she had gone too far, this time. That she had crossed the line. What line? She had no line. She was YU ZIYUAN.

Lan Qiren couldn't believe what had happened. That the Madam of a sect would threaten his nephew like that. She could have killed him. He was a child. And she was going to strike him with a powerful spiritual weapon. Thank the gods he had been able to catch it with his sword. He could feel his little A-Zhan shaking, clutching on to him. Then he saw the other child, lying in the dust. His shock grew as his nephew told him what had happened. That Madam Yu had failed to explain the child's faults correctly. That she wasn't fair. That he had seen the child struck, and about to be struck again. So had stepped forward to protect him. Lan Qiren was in turmoil. Pride for his nephew's courage, fear for the danger he had been in, and through it all an overwhelming anger that anyone could so harm a small child. It was unconscionable.

Why were they looking at her like that? She had a right to discipline The Brat however she saw fit. So what if she used Zidian on him? She was the Madam of Lotus Pier. He was nothing but a servant. She could do with him as she pleased. She told them so. Told Lan Qiren that he was nothing but That Woman's Brat. That would make him see. After all, he had hated her too. Now he would see that The Brat deserved it. It wasn't her fault. She was the victim. She was the one expected to take in a child she hated. She tried to tell him more, but her mouth was sealed. He had used that spell on her. On her! How dare he.

Lan Qiren picked up the injured child. Cangse Sanren's son, apparently. No, he hadn't much liked her, but did that insane woman really think he would accept the abuse of her child because the mother had annoyed him? Never. No child deserved to be so treated. He held the boy close, his own child holding onto the boy's foot and looking up at him trustingly. He looked to Jiang Fengmian, told him bluntly that he was taking the boy. That the boy wasn't safe in Lotus Pier. Jiang Fengmian nodded sadly, then shot his wife a look of disgust, before calling his children to him – gods, his children who had seen everything – and walking away.

***

Wei Ying lay in the boat. He still hurt, and had no idea what was happening. He couldn't remember much, his whole focus had been on his saviour in white. A saviour who, as it turned out, was only a boy like him. But so brave. And so kind. And now he was here, in a boat, with his saviour boy and more people in white. His saviour boy was holding his hand and singing to him. It was so nice. He had no idea where they were going, or who any of these people were, but it didn't matter. For the first time in so long, for the first time since his parents had tucked him into bed and then never come back, for the first time since he had been thrown into the street, for the first time, he wasn't afraid.