Chapter Text
Darkness enveloped the city of Yiling. The cold breeze made Wei Wuxian shiver as he sat by the open window in the small inn. This was one of the few nights he decided to spend away from Luanzang Hill. Sometimes he liked to spend his time alone, not that he disliked the company but before a new invention, he needed some space to think.
He was almost done with something but couldn’t figure out how to finish it so he decided to come and drink on his own. As he gazed out the window, admiring the tranquility of the night, an alluring voice hit his ears. It was not only warm and silky, but was incomparable to any other voice he ever heard before. He listened to a few performances before in inns but this was so different from them that he couldn’t decide if he just imagined it or not. Soon, he spotted a woman dressed in black slowly walking across the street.
Wei Wuxian’s eyes widened.
This woman was the one singing. He watched on with curiosity, without making a move. Then the woman stopped right below his window and looked up from under her bamboo hat. The Yiling Patriarch couldn’t help but feel lucky to have met such a beauty.
The woman was a young lady, not much younger than himself. Her long black hair flowed with the cold breeze, her plush lips rosy, her face as white as the full moon. Deep brown eyes looked back at him. With a slight smile, she spoke up:
“It is not too polite, staring at others, gongzi.” she said softly. Even her normal voice sounded so alluring.
“Who wouldn’t stare in wonder hearing your voice, guniang?” he grinned back at her. Her light chuckle reverberated on the empty street.
“Would you like to hear a few songs?” she asked.
“You don’t look like the local folk here. What are you doing in Yiling?”
Wei Ying’s question was straightforward but was not impolite and it didn’t make her upset in any way.
“Indeed, gongzi.” Then she continued: “I came to check out for myself this Yiling Laozu everyone is talking about. People are shaking in fear at his name.”
“In the middle of the night, I don’t think he would be very happy being bothered.”
“Ah, and how would you know that exactly gongzi?” she still maintained that playful, light smile. These two could easily play cat and mouse for an eternity it seemed. It was both entertaining and fascinating.
“I can only offer you some wine for a song, guniang. How about it?” Wei Wuxian winked at her, making her laugh this time. With a bow, she went inside the inn. He knew she was onto him but she didn’t seem like another one of those foolish people who wanted to kill him. She looked mysterious and he liked mysteries.
A soft knock came from the door then. He stood up and went to open it. Pulling away the sliding doors, Wei Wuxian almost forgot how to breathe. This guniang was a thousand times more beautiful up close than from the distance earlier. Her pale face was clean, chin and nose thin, plush lips a vibrant rosy red. Her almond shaped eyes looked like they were drawn by a painter with the most talent in the world.
Stepping aside, he let her enter the room. Fortunately, no one saw them as most people were already asleep.
Wei Wuxian sat down by the low table and poured some wine in two cups. Placing one in front of her, then lifting the other to his lips.
“Do you have a preference in songs?” she asked quietly.
“Not really, but I am certain anything that you decide to sing is gonna be excellent.”
She chuckled and then told him to lie down. Kneeling on a soft pillow, she started singing. Wei Wuxian watched and watched, listened and listened, never getting tired of her voice. She looked foreign with how beautiful she was, like a legend that decided to grace the mortals with appearing.
By the time she finished, the Yiling Patriarch was already asleep.
The next morning, Wei Wuxian groggily found out that this guniang had left already. Checking everything he owned two times, he confirmed that he was not missing anything. Was she really just singing a song to him? He should check himself once he reaches Burial Mounds.
The walk was not long as he was sober now and even the hangover he could’ve had didn’t seem to come. However, once he entered the Demon-Slaughtering Cave, his feet got stuck, making him fall flat on his face. Though he quickly regained his composure and lifted himself to see that he didn’t imagine it.
There, inside stood last night’s guniang, talking with Wen Qing amicably. The two seemed to know each other well. His (unlucky) entrance made both of them look at him.
“Wei gongzi, you came back at the right time.” Wen Qing spoke up, then motioned at the singing-guniang. “This is Wen Xuan, younger sister of Wen Chao.”
“Forgive me for not introducing myself earlier, Wei gongzi.” she chuckled. “I was not sure it was you.”
“What are you doing here?” he asked coldly. After all, she was the sister of that scumbag. She smiled sadly and bowed to him.
“To say thanks.” she spoke softly. “I tried to end my father’s tyrannical plans but was unsuccessful. I am glad someone succeeded in the end.”
“What?”
“Wei gongzi, Wen Xuan was trying to stop her father way back when we attended the Gusu Lan clan’s lessons. However, Wen Chao stopped her and injured her gravely. After that, I lost sight of her.” Wen Qing explained.
“No one knew about you, Wen guniang.” Wei Wuxian noted still glaring at her.
“Because my father tried to hide an illegitimate daughter from the public.” she replied. “After they got rid of me, I spent my time wandering the lands.”
“Ah, I see…”
“I came to see the Wen remnants. Will you grant me some time to spend with them?”
Her question was none intrusive and indicated that she won’t stick around for too long. Wei Ying was conflicted about that. He was not too trusting with any children of Wen Ruohan but she seemed nothing like her siblings and even Wen Qing seemed to trust her.
With a nod, he turned around and went to finish his invention.
To be continued…