Chapter Text
Lan Baojie was angry. He had been a healer with the Lan for over sixty years, head healer for ten of those, and he had never been so angry. To use a spiritual weapon against a child? Unheard of. What had the woman been thinking?
He drew Lan Qiren away from the sleeping boys, speaking quietly so as not to disturb them. "Well, our little master undoubtedly saved that child's life."
Qiren was shocked. He had known it was bad, had been very afraid for A-Zhan in the moment but had tried to convince himself that he had overreacted. "Are you sure, Baojie?"
"I am. The child's condition was already precarious. He lived several years on the street, I believe?" At Lan Qiren's nod, he continued. "That is at least a partial explanation. He was severely malnourished, and there are what appear to be bite marks on his leg. However, in spite of the months spent at Lotus Pier he is still vastly underweight. I suspect he was either underfed, or denied food as punishment. Possibly both. In addition, he has clearly been repeatedly beaten. There are marks on his knees that indicate being forced to kneel on rice for hours, and in one case, he was whipped. Not Zidian; a regular whip, although even that was excessive for such a young child in poor health. Even one strike with a spiritual weapon was severe, but had the second landed, I am convinced it would have ended his life."
"Will he recover?"
"Physically, yes. With care and attention he should be as active as any other child his age. I do want him to speak with Lan Huizhong, however, as I am concerned for the mental abuse he was subjected to."
Lan Qiren didn't think he could be anymore shocked, yet somehow, this seemed even more insidious than the beatings the little boy had endured. "Mental abuse?"
"He has been repeatedly told that he is bad. That he is nothing. That his only value is in serving his masters. He has heard his parents unspeakably denigrated. He is terrified of being thrown out back to the streets, and convinced he should be grateful for any scrap of attention thrown his way. It was challenging simply to keep him in bed as he kept telling us he was fine and could get back to work. This, in spite of barely being able to move. We were only able to get him settled when A-Zhan told him it was against the rules to go against the words of his elders."
Lan Qiren huffed. "The child of Cangse Sanren cares about the rules?"
"I suspect he has been repeatedly punished for breaking rules he had no knowledge of. He seems quite eager to know what is expected of him. He is a child, Qiren. He needs to feel safe, and for that children need structure. If he knows the rules, he can follow them and try to belong. I look forward to the day he feels accepted enough at Cloud Recesses to risk breaking a few of them."
"You want him to misbehave?"
"I want him secure enough to know that the occasional rule break won't result in being tossed away like a rotting fish."
"Is that how he feels now?"
"To a certain extent. Surprisingly, what makes him most relaxed, is A-Zhan. He trusts him implicitly. Not surprising, I suppose, given the circumstances."
"Is that why you wanted A-Zhan to stay?"
"Partly. I also want him to speak to Lan Huizhong. He had a nasty shock. While he wasn't physically injured, he had his faith in adults shaken. This is the first time he has seen that kind of irrational behaviour from someone in authority. He will need help to understand it. Right now, he is focused on helping the child - Wei Ying - so he hasn't had to process his own feelings."
"As you see fit, Baojie. Is A-Zhan really so good with this boy? He usually finds it hard to express himself. His only friend is his brother. You know he sang lullabies to the boy on the boat?"
"Ah, well, is that not what you do for him, when he is sick or hurt?"
"It is, but he's still only a child."
"And now he feels responsible for another child. He did for him what he has experienced you do to help him. Children are perceptive Qiren, and little Lan Zhan seems especially so. He's quiet, but he watches everything and misses nothing. He has learned through watching you."
"I'm glad. I admit, I often feel inadequate to the task of raising the boys. It was not a life I intended or feel equipped to deal with. But I could not abandon them."
"You have done well, Qiren. They are growing up to be a credit to you, and to the Sect. If you agree, I would like to keep the boys together. I think it would be good for both of them."
"Whatever you think best, Baojie. I'll leave them in your care. I need to speak with the Elders. Jiang Fengmian will, I hope, accept Wei Ying remaining with us, but we need to prepare for any and all contingencies."
With one last look at the two children, sleeping peacfully, he went on his way, determined to protect these two precious souls with everything he had.
***
Jiang Fengmian was angry. He had tried his best to appease his wife, but nothing seemed to satisfy her. For Jiang Fengmian, she had finally crossed the line. He should have dealt with the situation long ago, but what could he do? He had hoped his wife would settle. Had hoped that the births of two children would be enough. But there was always something. Someway she felt slighted. And now she had hurt a child. Wei Changze's child. He knew she had been against him looking for the boy, but again, he had hoped that she would be able to accept him once he was here. A vain hope. And now, he was seeing the results of his foolish desires.
With a sigh, he flicked away the letters on his desks. Already, three families who were no longer willing to send their sons to train as disciples at Lotus Pier. And there would be more. Of that there was no doubt. They didn't trust his wife not to hurt their children, and they didn't trust him to protect them. Which he had to admit, given his inability to protect A-Ying, was fair.
He had hoped to contain the situation. He had believed that the only ones to witness the incident were his family and the Lans. And Lans don't gossip. How naive. Of course someone had seen. A servant, a disciple. Who knew. But word had gotten out, and there was no way for him to control the narrative anymore.
What could he do? No matter what he said, his wife would continue as she was. She couldn't even admit that she was wrong. Gods, she had been on the brink of striking one of the Lan heirs. A child. Wars were started for less, yet she still claimed to have done no wrong. Still blamed Wei Ying for everything. And now Jiang Fengmian had lost him. Lost Wei Chanze's child. He had looked for him for so long, and now he had been taken from him. He wanted him back, but was that even possible? It would be a fight, and one he was unlikely to win. Still, perhaps he could still see him. And then there were his children. they cared for A-Ying too. They would want him back. And A-Ying cared for them. He would surely hate it at Cloud recesses. All those rules. He was a free spirit. He belonged here, in his Father's sect. Perhaps he just needed to give it some time, then he could appeal to the child. Explain to him that he belonged to the Jiang, to Jiang Fengmian. Surely he would want to come home to his new brother and sister? To his loving Jiang Shushu? They were his family. As for his wife, he would find a way to pacify her. He would. he had to. He wanted his boy back.
***
The Lans don't gossip. Except, of course, for when they do. And this was too good not to talk about. Their very own little master, risking his life to save that of another child from a vicious attack by the Madam of Lotus Pier. So brave and righteous, yet still so young. What's more, this story had the added benefit of being true, so it wasn't even gossip, really. It was simply reporting the truth. And so, as stories do, this story spread.