Wei WuXian looked startled, “I don’t seek progress? Why, am I not the one with the most progress in the entire Lotus Pier?”
Young people were never too patient. They wouldn’t feel satisfied unless they talked back. Hearing this, an air of hostility appeared over Madam Yu’s forehead. Jiang Cheng hastened, “Wei WuXian, shut up!”
He turned to Madam Yu, “It’s not that we want to shoot kites in Lotus Pier but, right now, isn’t it that none of us are allowed to leave? The Wen Sect assigned all of the night-hunt areas to itself. Even if I wanted to night-hunt, there isn’t anywhere for me to go. To stay at home and not go outside to provoke or fight for prey with the Wen Sect—isn’t this what you yourself made clear to Father?”
Madam Yu smirked bitterly, “I’m afraid that this time, even if you don’t want to leave, you’ll have to anyway.”
Jiang Cheng didn’t understand. Madam Yu didn’t pay them any more attention and walked through the hallway, holding her chin high. The two maids behind her shot Wei WuXian fierce glares, and followed their mistress away.
When evening came, they finally understood what had been meant by ‘even if you don’t want to leave, you’ll have to anyway.’
It turned out that the QishanWen Sect had ordered for envoys to pass out messages. For the reason that other sects taught badly and wasted talent, the Wen Sect demanded all of the sects to each dispatch at least twenty disciples to Qishan within three days, so that they could let experts teach them.
Jiang Cheng was shocked, “The Wen Sect’s people really said this? They know no shame, do they?”
Wei WuXian, “Well, they think they’re the sun shining above all sects. It’s not the first time that the Wen Sect is so shameless. Taking advantage of their large sect and strong influence, it had been prohibiting the other sects from night-hunting ever since last year. Just how much prey, how much land has it stolen?”
Jiang FengMian was sitting at the foremost seat, “Watch your words and eat.”
There were only five people within the large hall. In front of everyone was a small, square table, on top of which were a few dishes of food. Head lowered, Wei WuXian only had a few mouthfuls as somebody tugged at the corner of his sleeve. Turning around, he saw Jiang YanLi pass over a small dish. Inside the dish was a dozen peeled lotus seeds, soft and white, fresh and succulent.
Wei WuXian’s voice was soft, “Shijie, thank you.”
Jiang YanLi smiled. Those somewhat mild features immediately lit up with color. Yu ZiYuan spoke coldly, “Eat? A few days after this, when they’re at Qishan, we won’t even know if they give them any food. Why not go a few meals hungry starting from now? Let them get used to it!”
This demand of the QishanWen Sect was one that they couldn’t turn down. Countless precedents could prove that if any sect dared defy their orders, it would be accused of strange things such as being ‘rebellious’ or ‘destructive.’ And, with these as reasons, they would wipe it out fair and square.
Jiang FengMian replied in a lukewarm voice, “Why fret over it? No matter what comes in the future, today’s meal should still be eaten.”
Madam Yu was out of patience. She slammed the table, “I’m fretting? Of course I’m fretting! How can you still be so indifferent? Did you not hear what the person from the Wen Sect said? A mere maidservant dares to hold up her head before me! The twenty disciples that are sent must include a disciple from the clan. What does that mean? It means that between A-Cheng and A-Li, one of them must be included! Sent there to do what? To be taught? How each sect teaches their own disciples—since when is it the Wen Sect’s turn to meddle?! This is sending people for them to play with, for them to hold against us!”
Jiang Cheng, “Mom, don’t be so angry. I’ll just go.”
Madam Yu scolded, “Of course you’ll go! Or else would your sister go? Look at her, still happily peeling lotus seeds. A-Li, stop peeling them. Who are you peeling them for? You’re the mistress, not somebody’s servant!”
Hearing the word ‘servant’, Wei WuXian didn’t mind much. He had finished all of the lotus seeds in the dish all at once, chewing as the soft, refreshing sweetness filled his mouth. Jiang FengMian, on the other hand, raised his head slightly, “My lady.”
Madam Yu, “What, something I said? Servant? You don’t want to hear the word? Jiang FengMian, let me ask you—this time, do you intend to let him go?”
Jiang FengMian, “It’s up to himself. He can go if he wants to.”
Wei WuXian raised his hand, “I want to go.”
Madam Yu laughed harshly, “How wonderful. He can go if he wants to. If he doesn’t want to, it’s definitely possible for him to stay. Why is it that A-Cheng has to go no matter what? Raising someone else’s child with such passion, Sect Leader Jiang, you really are a very nice person!”
There was resentment within her heart. She simply wanted to let out the rage, even if it made no sense. All the rest were quiet as they endured her temper. Jiang FengMian, “My lady, you’re tired. Why don’t you go back and rest?”
Jiang Cheng sat still as he looked up at her, “Mom.”
Madam Yu stood up and mocked, “What do you want me to do? Like your father, you want me to hold my tongue? You really are an idiot. I’ve told you long ago that you’ll never in your whole life be able to surpass the one sitting beside you. Not over cultivation, not over night-hunting, even over shooting kites, you can’t surpass him! It can’t be helped. Who could change the fact that your mom is worse than another’s? Worse it is, then. Your mom feels injustice for you, tells you countless times not to fool around with him, yet you’re still defending him. Just how did I give birth to a son like you?!”
She walked out, alone, leaving Jiang Cheng sitting there, his complexion switching between purple and pale. Jiang YanLi quietly put a dish of already-peeled lotus seeds on his table.
Having sat for a while, Jiang FengMian spoke up, “Tonight, I’ll count eighteen more people. You’ll depart together next day.”
Jiang Cheng nodded, hesitant on whether or not he should say anything else. He never knew how to converse with his father, while Wei WuXian was proficient. Finishing his soup, he replied, “Uncle Jiang, don’t you have anything to give us?”
Jiang FengMian smiled, “I’ve given them long ago. Your swords are by your side, and the adage is in your hearts.”
Wei WuXian, “Oh! To ‘attempt the impossible’, right?”
Jiang Cheng immediately warned, “This doesn’t mean that you should stir up trouble even though you know that you’ll make a mess!”
The air among them finally lifted.
The next day, before departure, Jiang FengMian only spoke one sentence after he informed them of the necessities, “The disciples of the YumengJiang Sect aren’t as weak as to crack under just one of the outside world’s waves.”
Jiang YanLi saw them off, staying with them road after road. She filled everyone’s arms with all sorts of snacks, afraid that they’d starve at the QishanWen Sect. Clothes brimming with food, the twenty boys set off from Lotus Pier. Within the time that the Wen Sect had set, they arrived at the appointed sector of indoctrination located at Qishan.