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When Jiang Yanli was a little girl, her father learned of a boy. A son birthed by his two best friends as they traveled the world and lived the dream they had all shared.
Her father loved those friends dearly and thought of them often, so, when he learned of their passing, he wanted to find that little boy, the one last thing linking him to his dearest people.
He wanted to find Wei Ying.
Every spare time he had, he spent looking for Wei Ying. Morning, noon or night, it didn't matter. He was looking for that boy.
She, wanting to spend time with her daddy, often asked him to bring her with him. So she could look for Wei Ying as well.
Yet he always refused.
Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months.
Jiang Yanli's birthday came and went.
Still, her daddy spend all his time out there, looking for Wei Wuxian.
Wei Wuxian must be great, for daddy to like him so much.
Her daddy always looked so sad now.
Maybe, if Wei Ying came home, her daddy would be happy again. So he would spend time with her again.
And so, Jiang Yanli went on a special mission to find Wei Ying herself and bring her family together.
She sneaked out at night, going out from her window instead of the door, to avoid making the wood creak and alerting somebody. The ground was soft beneath her shows, and Jiang Yanli looked around her, making sure no one was near, and then ran as fast as she could to the edge of the forest between her home and the village her family would visit sometimes, when there were festivals.
She bowed low, hiding behind a tree as she looked back at her house one last time before leaving for her mission.
The house was dark, everyone asleep except from the few guards patrolling around, making sure nothing happened.
She was a little proud she'd managed to fool them. She'd always been told she was weak and unable to cultivate, but at least she could be sneaky.
Sneaky was useful, right?
Steeling her mind, she turned back around and walked slowly deeper in the woods.
She'd never seen anything dangerous in all the times she'd traveled to the village, so it was safe to assume nothing too dangerous would attack her. Her parents would have warned her otherwise.
Once she was deeper into the forest, the trees growing less dense with every step allowed her to stand up fully again.
She continued her trek forward. Putting one foot in front of the other, realizing quickly that putting an outside robe over her sleeping ones maybe wasn't the most comfortable way of walking through the forest.
She tripped, stepping on the long robe and falling on the ground, the soil on the ground covering her robe with dirt, leaving it dark instead of the beautiful pale pink and purple she preferred to wear.
They were torn at the ends.
She sighed sadly looking at the state of her clothes.
She hoped Wei Wuxian would still believe she's the daughter of the Jiang Family.
Thinking of her goal again, she picked up a long and sturdy wooden branch and marched on.
She was a girl on a mission.
She walked and walked and walked for many hours until she could finally see the light between the trees.
A smile blooming on her face, she hurried forward breaking through the treeline at last, the sudden brightness blinding her.
When she opened her eyes, letting them slowly adjust, her smile turned into a confused frown.
She tilted her head curiously. Instead of the village she was expecting, she found a single small house.
Calling it a house was nice. It was built of branches, larger branches thinning as they piled up, reminding her of a nest, nestled between two mirroring trees that were split in halves in the middle, allowing the branches to act as a roof.
Underneath was a pile of leaves of all kinds, with a few ratty old blankets she would really rather not touch.
Her stick in hand, she crept closer to the fire burning in front of it.
A boy sat there, small and thin, with long black hair gathered in a ponytail at the back of his head.
Even tied away she could tell it was matted.
His robes looked old and motheaten, barely hanging on by a thread.
He looked up at her, startled by the noise she made as she walked, as little as it was.
She froze under his gaze.
There wasn't anyone else with the boy. No one she could see anyway.
“Hello.” She said gently, heart fluttering in her chest like a colibri.
“Hello.” He answered, voice small and laced with pain.
Her brows furrowed as she looked him up and down, wondering where he was hurt, but she couldn't see anything from where she stood.
There wasn't anyone around and the boy had clearly not been taken care of for a while.
Jiang Yanli smiled, perhaps a bit brighter than she should, seeing as the child flinched in front of her.
She approached a little bit more, trying to see him better.
“I'm Jiang Yanli.” She told the boy, “Are you Wei Ying?” She asked
“Wei Ying?” The boy asked back,
“Yes. Is that you?” Her eyes shining with hope as she watched him answer slowly.
“No” He answered and she deflated a little, of course it wouldn't be so easy to find him, her daddy had been looking for him for a long time.
“I'm Xue Yang.” He introduced himself. “Is Wei Ying important?”
Jiang Yanli nodded solemnly, “He is very important! I need to find him to make daddy happy again.” She settled her fists on her hips, striking the mighty pose of a woman who would accomplish her goal.
He hummed, looking at her, “I'll help you.” He said, and she straightened up and leaned towards him.
“Really!?” She said with a bright smile.
“In exchange” he said and she straightened again, “in exchange what?” She asked.
“I want candy.” He said, “and cakes!” He added quickly.
Her brows furrowed as she furiously searched her sleeves, eventually taking something out triumphantly.
“Here,” she said, extending her open hand towards him.
On it was a single round delicious looking candy.
He hurriedly took it and shoved it in his mouth, throwing the wrapper in the fire.
He stood up, watching it burn.
She looked at him patiently, waiting for him to speak.
He leaned down, picked up a pile of dirt and threw it on the fire, making it go out as soon as the wrapper had all burned out.
“Don't forget my cakes later.” He said as he walked in the direction she'd just come from. She turned with him as he walked past her.
“Where are you going?” She asked.
“Aren't we looking for that boy of yours?” He threw back, arms crossed in front of him.
“Yes! In the village!” she exclaimed, pointing behind her.
The boy looked at her with a grin.
“The village is this way!” He laughed, “How do you intend to find him if you can't even find the village!”
She stomped her feet on the ground. “I WILL find him! You'll see!” She argued, “I found you didn't I?”
“Ha ha ha ha, I guess you did!” He turned back and continued walking, entering the trees Jiang Yanli had stumbled out of previously.
They walked in silence for a while, him in front and her following.
Only when he stumbled and reflectively caught himself on a tree with both hands, grunting in pain, did she realize he was missing an entire finger!
“Xue Yang!” She called out, worried about her new friend.
He hissed at her, cradling his hand bear his chest.
She didnt dare touch it, hovering over him, “What happened to your hand! Is it painful?”
“Of course it's painful!” He nearly screamed back, “It was an old man, a filthy cultivator! They think they're so much better than anyone! He rolled over my hand with his cart after beating me! For asking for what he'd promised!” He spat out spitefully. “When I'm strong enough” he said, an evil grin replacing the easy going grin he'd worn earlier, “I'll wipe out his entire clan!” He promised.
Jiang Yanli's eyes were wide with fear as she anxiously squeezed the branch in her hands. She was a cultivator! It wasn't someone in her clan, was it? She hoped it wasn't!
And what would happen if he learned she's one as well? He wouldn't help her look for Wei Ying at all! Would he harm her? He did say he was going to wipe them all out!
“That's scary.” She whispered out accidentally.
He turned back to her quickly, the easy back in his face making her sweat in the neck.
“Don't worry!” He told her, “My hand is almost healed so I can still fight. I won't let them harm you.” He solemnly promised.
Her heart twisted in her chest. The boy was so devoted, ready to help her, already helping her, and all she was doing was deceiving him, making him think she was a little girl from the village instead of the Jiang's little lady.
Still, finding Wei Ying was more important than her feelings, and she had to make it out of the forest, so she nodded, knuckles white from how hard she was holding the stick.
He nodded back and turned around.
They continued walking in silence. Eventually, Jiang Yanli could see lights again.
She looked down at herself, despairing slightly over the state she was in again.
She steeled herself again. She had made it over one obstacle! Even an ally, as scary as he was. She wouldn't give up now!
She knew, however, that she needed to be honest with her ally. The lie was already clutching her throat, her heart, making her feel heavy from guilt.
“Xue Yang,” she asked hesitantly, “ The cultivator who hurt you…” she trailed off, gaining his full attention as he turned around completely, focusing his disturbing gaze on her. “Was he wearing purple?” She looked at him through her hair, head kept down as she clutched her robe with her hand not holding the stick.
“No.” He said “ He was in white.” He answered calmly before getting agitated “Did a cultivator in purple hurt you?” He made himself tall and threatening, as if promising revenge on anyone who'd ever harmed her.
“No!” She hurried to say, before tears gathered in her eyes.
“My family,” she explained, a tear rolling down her cheek, “we're cultivators. The Jiang clan of Yunmeng.”
He froze, shock overtaking his features.
“You're a cultivator?” He asked in disbelief, “but you..!” He pointed at her, “and..!” He opened his palm and looked at it deeply, a mix of confusion, anger and betrayal on his face. Hurt shining his eyes.
“I don't know who hurt you!” She said bravely looking him in the eyes, fist and branch clenched over her heart, “but we wear purple! So it wasn't one of us!” She begged him with her eyes and reached for him.
He stumbled back like she'd slapped him.
“You're a cultivator.” He repeated again before rushing at her.
She screamed as she fell to the ground in her rush to get away.
When she opened her eyes again, he was long gone back into the dark forest.
She was alone again.
Her legs hurt and she was tired.
And she was alone again.
Jiang Yanli sobbed quietly as she walked the rest of the way to the village.
She walked aimlessly as she cried. Barely looking around her for Wei Ying.
When she finally took in her whereabouts again, she realized she had no idea where she was! The streets didn't look anything like they did during the day!
She looked around her, trying to see anything she recognised, dodging people looking left and right, but nothing stood to her. Her cries started anew and she bundled herself in a tight ball in the entrance of an alley.
She cried for a while until the sound of shoes stopping in front of her made her look up.
“Are you alright?” It was a boy, slightly younger than her, he had wide brown eyes and rounder cheeks, his hair cleanly tied in a bun. He was offering a hand and she hesitantly took it, letting him pull her back up to her feet.
She wiped her face pityfully. “I'm okay.” She let out sadly. The boy didn't look very convinced, but didn't push either.
“What are you doing here?” He asked her and she was reminded of her initial quest, the small amber burning once again.
She was doing this for Wei Ying after all.
She snuffed one last time, scrubbing her face hard before she looked back at him.
“I'm looking for Wei Ying.” She said, determined, “He's going to be my new brother. He's lost in the streets.” She said.
“Wei Ying?” The boy hummed, a finger tap tap tapping at his chin as he thought.
“I don't know Wei Ying.” He admitted, “But I'll help you look.” he offered with a smile.
“Why?” She asked, when she noticed he didn't ask for anything like Xue Yang was.
“My mother doesn't want me in the room when she works, so I have to stay outside for a time. I don't have anything else to do.” He said.
She nodded sagely, that made sense. She, too, sometimes went on spontaneous adventures with the staff or disciples when she didn't have much to do.
“Alright.” She answered and he took her hand again.
“Come on,” he said, “I know where kids who are alone go to sleep, maybe he'll be in one of those places.” And she grinned.
She had a real lead! The waved through the people walking the streets until they entered darker streets, abandoned by people as the inhabitants of the houses slept in their beds.
She couldn't help the way she shivered at the atmosphere, getting closer to the boy.
“What's your name?” He asked and she startled.
“I'm Jiang Yanli.” She answered and the boy's eyebrows went up. “Jiang Yanli of the Jiang sect?” He asked. She was surprised he knew of her! And a little wary after what happened with Xue Yang.
“You know me?” She asked,
“Oh,” the boy said, “My mother says my dad is a cultivator! He'll come back for me one day, so I studied all the sects around here!”
“I see!” She answered, a smile blooming on her face again. Before a thought came to her, “Do you know a clan here who wears white robes?” She asked him.
“Hmm, white robes are quite common.” He said.
“They'd have to be important enough to ride a carriage!” She added.
“The head of the Chang Clan is known to wear a lot of white.” He offered, and she nodded somberly. The Chang clan. She would remember that name.
“Why?” The boy asked as they turned a corner.
“A friend of mine got hurt.” She explained.
“I see…” he trailed off before suddenly looking around him.
“Here we are.” He opened his arm like they'd just arrived in a grand receiving room, only for Yanli to be met with a run down shed.
“They sleep in here?” she asked hesitantly and the boy nodded.
“It's more comfortable than it looks.” She didn't say anything further. She could see he was speaking from experience.
“Let's go.” The nudged her before walking the last few steps and opening the door.
She entered slowly behind him.
A few boys and girls were scattered around, some curling around each other as they tried to sleep.
She walked towards the closest boy.
“Are you Wei Ying?” She asked.
“No.” He answered.
“Do you know if he's here?” She asked.
“No.” He answered.
She nodded and went to the next.
She asked every boy in the shed before looking back at her friend.
“He's not here.” She whispered.
“It's okay.” He whispered back, “He might be in another spot.”
She nodded and followed him as they went back to the streets.
“What's your name?” She asked.
“Meng Yao.” He answered.
“Meng yao,” she said, “Why do you wait for your father to come get you?”
“Because I have no other choice.” He answered, not looking at her.
“But you could be a cultivator?” She continued asking,
“Clans don't take in random street children.” He said bitterly, like he was repeating words he'd heard.
“You could come with me, after we find Wei Ying.” She offered.
He stopped and turned to her. They looked at each other in silence for a few moments before he finally agreed.
They went on walking further, Yanli asking more questions about the different sects around the area, when Meng Yao stopped again.
“Here it is.” He said. This time, at least, it seemed to be a house. An abandoned house, but at least it was better than the poor shed they'd come from.
She walked through the front door, Meng Yao at her back, and asked every boy in the house the same questions.
“Are you Wei Ying?” She asked,
“No” the boy answered.
“Do you know if he's here?” She asked,
“No” he answered again.
Meng Yao put a hand on her shoulder in reassurance.
“There's another one further away.” He said and she nodded once again, although not as energetically.
They started walking in a new direction when they heard a big commotion.
A boy was barreling down the street straight towards them! He bumped into them and all three fell to the ground in a pile.
The boy immediately tried to stand up and run again, but only tripped further, entangling them more.
Meng Yao hit him lightly, scolding him to stop moving, as he cried for help.
She heard the barking before she saw the dogs.
Two dogs were chasing the boy, growling.
She squeaked when she noticed their bared teeth, brandishing her stick like a sword.
She swung at them, hitting one square on the nose, making it yelp and back down.
She didn't hesitate before striking at the other one, but it caught the branch in its mouth and pulled it out of her hands.
She let out a startled yelp as she stumbled back to Meng Yao and the boy.
Meng Yao quickly took their hands and bolted away from the dogs half dragging them as he ran back towards the where they'd come from.
They barged right back into the house, slamming the doors behind them and hiding in a room.
Once they were safe, Jiang Yanli turned her attention back to the scared little boy.
“Hello,” she said. “I'm Jiang Yanli. Who are you?”
The boy was obviously younger than her and she used her sleeve to wipe off the dirt on his cheeks as best as she could.
“Wei Ying.” The boy replied tearfully and Jiang Yanli beamed.
She'd done it! She'd found Wei Ying! She looked at Meng Yao, who was looking at the boy with wonder, and he smiled brightly back at her.
“Wei Ying!” She said excitedly, “Do you want to come live with me?” She asked, and Wei Ying looked up at her curiously.
“Where does Yanli live?” He asked,
“I live on the other side of the forest.” She said with a smile, “There's warm food and a comfortable bed.” She trailed off, but he was already nodding furiously, little hands clutching at his stomach as it growled.
She smiled at him and took his hand, standing up, “Let's go home, Wei Ying, Meng Yao!” And she exited the house again.
Meng Yao stood, leading them to the edge of the village before he stopped, hands clutched in front of him, “Can I really come?” He asked.
She raised her head pridefully. “Of course you can.” She said. “Daddy will be happy with me, since I found Wei Ying. So he'll grant it.” She nodded to herself.
Meng Yao seemed hesitant, but he accepted eventually, convinced by how stubborn she looked.
They started the trek through the trees back to her home.
Her arms and legs were tired and her body felt heavy. She wanted to sleep more than anything else in the world.
Now that her mission was accomplished, her energy was leaving her.
Still, she continued to march on, leading Wei Ying by the hand.
They walked and walked further in the forest when she heard it. The snap of a branch and a low muffled growl.
She froze, looking around them, trying to find the source of the noise. Meng Yao started looking around as well when he saw her doing it.
She carefully continued forward, one step at a time, when she finally saw him.
“Xue Yang!” She called out, surprised.
The other boy startled, almost tripping again as he looked at her.
“Yanli…” he said hesitantly,
“Do you want to come with us?” She asked, “I still need to give you cakes.” She tempted.
It worked. The boy walked towards her, hands crossed in front of him, “I'm just coming for the cakes.” He pouted, “Don't think this means I forgive you yet!”
She nodded seriously.
“You're going back to the village?” He asked and Yanli tilted her head.
“No, we're going back to Lotus Pier.”
They stared at each other.
“...”
“...”
“HA HA HA HA HA” Xue Yang cackled, laughing at her again, “You really have no sense of orientation!” He wiped a tear from his eye.
Jiang Yanli pouted in answer, stomping her foot.
“I guess I'll have to guide you again.” He sighed with a grin before turning around and heading into another direction completely.
“Eeeeh…” Jiang Yanli looked helplessly at him.
How had she even managed to get so lost…
She hurried to follow, pulling Wei Ying along with her as Meng Yao followed, amused.
“You found Wei Ying?” Xue Yang asked.
“Yes, this is him.” She answered, lifting the joint hands.
“Hmmmm. And who is he?” He pointed to Meng Yao.
“Meng Yao.” She answered, “He's going to be a cultivator.” She said, earning a slight hiss on return, but other than the frown on his face, Xue Yang didn't seem too angry.
They continued their trek in silence, all following dutifully behind Xue Yang.
Finally, they breached the edge of the forest, coming in full view of Lotus Pier, the light from the sun rising caressing their faces and basking them in an orange glow.
Yanli was so tired, but she wanted to show her daddy Wei Ying.
A disciple saw her from afar and screamed back at someone.
Suddenly, her mother, father and brother, along with many worried disciples and a healer. Came running towards their little group.
Her parents looked down at her, confused, worried and angry.
Jiang Cheng ran straight to her and she opened her arms in a big hug for her A-Cheng.
She pulled back from the hug, taking hold of Jiang Cheng's hand as well before turning to her father with a big grin.
“Daddy, daddy!” She exclaimed, pulling Wei Ying forward, “ I've found Wei Ying!”
Jiang Fengmian's eyes widened as he took in the little boy. He crouched down.
“Are you really Wei Ying?” He asked,
The boy nodded shyly, biting on his fingers.
Jiang Fengmian, smiling wateryly, bent down and embraced all three of his children.
He noticed the two other boys and looked back at his daughter questioningly.
She excitedly turned, letting go of her brothers to pull each of them forward to meet her family.
“This is Meng Yao! He's going to be a cultivator!” She said, earning a curious look from both her parents.
“And this is Xue Yang! Other cultivators hurt him! So we're going to help him get justice, and then he'll be a disciple too!”
“I never agreed to that!” He protested, but she ignored him, instead smiling at her parents so brightly they wouldn't be able to do anything but say yes.
Her parents, at a loss, looked between all the children, watching them bicker between them and looked at each other before sighing.
When they went to bed last night, they had two children! How did they end up with five overnight!
Their daughter certainly knew how to surprise them.