Chapter Text
“Oh! I made a mistake Sect Leader Yu. I was referring to the Madam of Lotus Piers, she is usually addressed as Mme Yu per her own request.” explains the Lan acting Sect Leader.
“This is highly improper third daughter! Your title is Madam Jiang, you begged for this marriage to happen. Am I understood?” tempests the rightful Madam Yu.
“Yes, muqin.”
"Mme Jiang" Sect Leader Nie looks directly into the woman's eyes and orders "Out of curiosity, which punishments do you see fit to impose to your disciples? I want to evaluate what this child has been subjected to. "
"The baton, and running laps. More training when they are too lazy.
But not that One! He is Not a Jiang disciple!"and she adds without being asked " That scourge tasted the whip, but he's going to have a taste of Zidian very soon with his current behaviour! Food has to be deserved in his case, our generosity is not unlimited! And I have never heard anyone complained for kneeling in the Ancestral hall for a few ours a day..." she follows completely dismissing the exchange that have happened earlier about the child status.
"His parents must have been very pleased to see him so often." cruelly jokes Sect leader Jin while everyone else is clearly disapproving the previous statement.
"Certainly NOT! There will NEVER be tablets of those..." Mme Jiang is interrupted by her husband.
"Not here San-Niang!" he tries to plead "I promised you already, it's not use to revisit this matter..."
One again, there is an uproar in the ceremony hall. How could they deprive a child to perform their filial piety? On top of the beatings, the apparent slavery...
“Madam Jiang!” reiterates Lan Qiren slightly shaking his head “As you are the head of your household I expect you to cooperate completely with our investigations within five days. I should warn you to not speak anymore as you are just incriminating yourself with each explanations...”
“Who's allowed to do so?” inquires Jin Guangshan “ I do think all the clans should be allowed to send one or two envoys. This situation is an absolute disgrace to the Cultivation World. There is a need for transparency in the Jiang condamnation...”
While the other Great Sect Leaders despise him, they cannot find any excuse to not agree with him as it is a rightful demand for once.
Serves the Jiangs right.
Nie Zongzhu takes advantage from the silent following this last demand, to ask: ” Wei Ying, you've been proposed an adoption by myself, do you agree with it? As my third son you will have access to a permanent shelter, food and clothes as you should have but also a formal education, apprenticeship in the Nie martial arts.
You'll be a brother for my sons and not a servant. You'll represent the Nie Clan when you'll be of age with the same duties as them. Are you amenable to this terms?”
“Yes!” clearly responds Wei Ying “ yes I do! I wholeheartedly accept to be adopted as your son. I thank you to let me keep my father's name as it is important to me to be filial to my parents, as I promise to be filial to you too. This is way more then this lowly one deserves.
I thank you humbly for your generosity.” he finishes with a low bow.
The audience, minus the Jiangs, applause loudly and screams of approvals are heard from disciples, Sect Leaders and even servants for the next ten minutes or so...
Wei Ying blushes furiously with a blinding smile across his face, relief apparent to everyone while he signs both registries.
He just understands he is out of the Jiang Clan, is never going back to that Hell hole ever again!
“The Cloud Recesses will wait for your arrival to our lectures with great impatience young boy. My nephews will be certainly interested to interact with you!” says Lan Qiren to acknowledge the agreement.
A pair of golden eyes are fixed on the most recent Nie disciple, intrigued.
His own brother at his side smiles knowingly.
“Third daughter a word now!” orders Mme Yu “We have decided on your punishment for your audacity: Zidian has to be returned to the Yu Clan immediately. “
“Muqin no! Zidian is mine, I mastered it” begs the Jiang lady.
“Zidian with me now! ” commands the Yu Leader and while the weapon obeys “ It is not enough, you are forsaken by you're natal Clan for the abhorrent behaviour you have encouraged in your marital Sect."
“I won't let you punish me over a street urchin, mother. He dares to complain about our generosity... Zidian come back!” pleads Yu Ziuyan...
“You won't receive any help or support from Meishan Yu from this day until the end of your pitiful life. We, Meishan Yu, are a strict Clan but we do not condone slavery, and the barbaric conduct you've displayed.
All Clans are witnesses of our decision.” finally states Mme Yu.
Claps are heard all around for a while.
She turns towards Wei Ying and bows: ”Young Wei, my Sect, my family and I apologise deeply for the prejudices our former daughter and disciple have made you endured.
Reparations will be discussed with your representatives and they will be deducted in part to the Jiang's payments we owe them from our precedent trades.
All future ones are going to be suspended, just as the Lan Clan has decided to...”
“We accept to be the intermediary for our son in this matter Sect Leader Yu.” announces Nie Zonghzu “ Our trades are also suspended with the Jiang Clan.
This Sect will have to pay our new family member his salary as a disciple and his gages as a servant for the months he has been wrongly exploited by them.
We will not negotiate new deals without sufficient reparations from this disgraceful clan.”
Many other clan approve loudly and state the same thing, the Jiang Clan is loosing a lot of support, and money too.
All that has been said until now is repeated in horror and a brouhaha of contempt is getting louder as time passes.
Jiang Fengmian scolds his former ward in a last ditch :”Wei Ying, all of this is just a big misunderstanding...
Won't you explain yourself better? How could you leave us? Have you think of Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli? ”
“Jiang-Zhonghzu!” growls menacingly Nie-Zhongzu “you are not allowed to talk to my son in this tone. Do not accuse him of anything.
May I remind you, You, Your family and Your Sect are the culprits! Sanctions are been taken against You, an investigation will uncover any wrong doing that have not been righted within the five next days.
Until the Clan's envoys arrivals.
Which is very generous of us by the way!
I would suggest a swift departure to Lotus Piers as you have a lot of work to do.
But also for your own safety at this point! My patience is not unlimited...
Wei Ying is my son.
His protection is my responsibility. I hope I made myself clear...”
The Jiang Clan raise from their seats and head towards the exit in defeat. Most of the disciples recognised in a very low voices: they could have shined if their leaders weren't so despicable. Wei Ying is the best of his age and he's going to better with time. Many of them wonder what their future will be...
“And now we feast!” joyfully declares Nie Huaisang.
He grabs gently his new brother on his left side while Nie Mingjue positions himself on the right side of both, walking to the dining hall.
“How do you feel, Wei-di?” demands the eldest one.
“Dizzy.
Lost.
Relieved.
Is this reality?” replies Wei Ying.
“That's check out. My dear new didi, we didn't have time to get bored since we've met you.
Such a nice auspice!” comments Nie Huaisang “We're going to eat, excuse ourselves quickly, and go to rest into my room. We will set you your own place tomorrow.
You might need time to digest all the revelations and your recent adoption. Take it easy little brother!”
“Thank you Nie-xiong.” answers Wei Ying.
“Da-er-Ge! Didi! Da-er-Ge! “ proclaims Nie Huaisang “Look even Da-Ge approves!” as their eldest nods.
Later that very night, Wei Ying stares at the foreign ceiling. “Maybe I went a bit to far? I really wanted them to pay for what I had to go through but...” he tries to ponder, out-loud.
“You're a child! You don't have to take responsibility for their own mistakes brother of mine.” he hears “Now sleep!”