Jiang Gunian Made A Change

Part 11

Waiting was challenging. There was no news from Qishan. No news as to how the Wen were handling the Indoctrination lessons when the heirs were missing. No news from anywhere. Jiang YanLi paced in the comfort and privacy of her room and exuded as much regal serenity as she was capable when walking around in public.

"Lan Zongzhu, How many cultivators with our talismans do you have remaining at Cloud Recesses?"

"One," he answered. "He is under instructions to activate it only under the most extreme circumstances."

She worried at her bottom lip. "A'Cheng?"

"I think over ten remain. One was supposed to go to the Indoctrination Center."

"Ten. And none have anything to report."

"They can't all be dead, Shijie," Wei WuXian soothed. "I handpicked the fastest flyers with the strongest self-preservation instincts. When the Wen attack, at least some of them will make it here."

"When the Wen attack...." she echoed. "Why aren't they attacking?" It bothered her, this stillness. The insult of none of the major sects' heirs attending should have done something. "Nie HuaiSang. Any news from Qinghe?"

"None, Jiang Gunian. We have several strong flyers with eyes on several sects in Qinghe. None of them have reported in."

She worried at her lip again. "We need eyes and ears in Qishan. At the Nightless City. We can prepare for war, but unless we have information on what they are planning...."

"Shijie... worrying helps no one," Wei WuXian tried to calm their leader again. "We have sufficient people who will come to us when the Wen make their move."

Speaking with the fortune teller didn't help a lot, either. "What is supposed to happen?"

The fortune teller, Xia KeXin, sighed. "I told you what I knew was supposed to happen. You've changed things. It's anyone's guess now."

"What happened. During the Indoctrination. Tell me again."

Xia KeXian settled on her mat. "The cultivators arrive. Wen Chao is in charge. He says they are to study the Quintessence of Wen Mao. Their swords are taken away. There are night hunts where the students act as bait for Wen Chao to take down his prey. The last night hunt is to some mountain and a cave hidden in its depths. Wei WuXian is the one who reveals the cave location. The students are forced into the cave. There's a fight, and they wake the monster. The Wen escape. Jiang Cheng leads most of the students to safety by swimming. Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi are left behind. They kill the monster. Jin ZiXuan leads the rescue party.

"Wen Chao sends his... partner... to Lotus Pier to have Wei WuXian flogged and his sword hand cut off for fighting him in the cave and for killing the monster. Your mother accedes to the first request, but refuses the second upon realizing that the Wang woman intends to take charge of Lotus Pier. There's a fight. Jiang Cheng and Wei WuXian escape; your parents and most of your clan are killed."

Jiang YanLi stopped the older woman. "You really should address my brother properly. Can we... can we assume that Wen Chao will not be able to find the monster since Wei WuXian is not there to find the cave?"

Xia KeXin thought for a moment. "I would not assume that. It is possible that the cave is found through intense work. But intense work is not Wen Chao's strong point. It is likely he abandoned that quest."

"So if... when they attack Lotus Pier, there will be some other pretense."

"Pretense? I would think the justification for attacking would be obvious. YunmengJiang were required to send its heir and strongest disciples. You're all here. My assumption is that the Lotus Pier disciples sent to Qishan are dead or imprisoned for the affront, and one of the Wen brothers has already assembled a faction to attack your home."

Jiang YanLi agreed with the old woman. it was only a matter of time before her home was attacked and her parents and friends.... She hoped they would all survive. "We need spies. We need to be able to communicate. We need current information," she seethed. "Jin ZiXuan? Will you give us the knowledge of how to send butterflies?"

"No?" he sputtered. "That's proprietary!"

"A'Xian." she turned to face her head disciple. "Can you emulate the butterflies?"

He nodded. "It will take some time to design it and perfect it."

"I need the same capabilities. Ear to ear, person to person. Short messages so we can be informed as to what's happening out there."

Waiting was challenging. No news was frustrating.

Then the waiting was broken, but not by a YunmengJiang disciple. The cultivator who stumbled, bleeding, into their settlement was wearing Jin gold. "Koi Tower has fallen."