Jiang Gunian Made A Change

Part 12

"Koi Tower?" Jiang YanLi echoed. "Are you certain?" She realized how stupid she sounded. Of course the Jin disciple was certain which sect was attacked. "Never mind. Please continue."

"Wait." Jin ZiXuan whirled angrily to stand right in front of his former intended. "Koi Tower? You said Cloud Recesses, then Lotus Pier, then the Unclean Realm. You didn't say Koi Tower!"

"That was how it would have gone. But we changed things," she tried to appease him. "Please let the man speak so we can know the situation."

"The situation? Is that what you're calling it? My sect has been attacked and all you can do is call it 'a situation'?"

Wei WuXian ran to plant himself in front of his martial sister. "Show some respect, Jin Gongzi. To my sister and to your fellow disciple."

"Or what?" Jin ZiXuan sneered. "You'll punch me again?"

Jiang Cheng was almost as fast as his brother. "I'll punch you, this time," he promised with a growl.

"Boys," Jiang YanLi admonished the three of them. "Silence." To the disciple now kneeling properly, she apologized. "I'm sorry about that. Please. Report the most important facts."

"Four days ago, Wen Xu launched an attack on Koi Tower. Two days ago he managed to overcome our defenses. Jin ZongZhu was captured and is being taken to the Nightless City as a prisoner. Jin Furen has disappeared along with her personal guards and almost every woman cultivator in the sect. As of this morning, there were three hundred, fity-two dead, one hundred, thirty confirmed to be Wen prisoners, and over two hundred unaccounted for."

"The two hundred include Jin Furen and her ladies? Or just men?"

"That includes Jin Furen and the women. Everyone else in Koi Tower has knelt to Wen Xu and sworn to QishanWen." The disciple wobbled a bit, clearly in need of medical care and perhaps some food and water.

"Thank you." She motioned to a Jiang disciple. "Please escort this disciple to Wen Qing." She then led the other sect leaders to the building they were using as a headquarters. "Jin Gongzi, please accept my condolences on your sect's losses."

"Condolences?" The Jin heir was shaking, with anger or hurt or fear. "I'm sure you're just glad it wasn't Lotus Pier."

"When the Wen attack Lotus Pier, I fully expect that the report will state that my parents died defending their home. I don't expect either of them will surrender, allow themselves to be captured, or to flee while our disciples are still fighting," she spat back. "Your parents are alive. Which means they can be found or rescued." She turned to her younger brother. "XianXian. How is your research replicating the butterflies going?"

Wei WuXian smiled regretfully. "It's not as easy as it looks. Which is why I suppose no other sect has managed to make a working copy. I'll keep trying."

"No." Jiang YanLi took a breath. Tried to calm her suddenly pounding heart. It has to be him. He's the best choice. "Your hiding talisman. Can you put it on and remove it easily?"

"Of course."

"Good. We need eyes on the ground in Lanling. Do you agree?" She glanced at the sect heirs and leader. Seeing their agreement, she nodded again. "XianXian. I'll ask you to scout for us. And find a way to get your reports back to us. Disguise yourself as a rogue cultivator or a mundane. Wait a bit for the Jin messenger to recover a bit. Question him. Then go skulk about. Remain hidden under the talisman as much as possible."

"Yes, ShiJie," Wei WuXian bowed. "Can I take someone with me?"

"Who?"

"I will go." Lan WangJi answered for Wei WuXian, who flashed a grateful smile.

"You'll have to remove your forehead ribbon," he teased.

"Mmm."

"Be careful, WangJi," Lan XiChen cautioned.

Jin ZiXuan set his jaw. "You'll look for my mother?"

Wei WuXian opened his mouth to answer, but Jiang YanLi spoke first. "Ask about her whereabouts if you can appear casual. She is not your primary mission." She turned to the Jin heir. "Your mother is a formidable woman. I'm sure she is safe in Meishan by now. Or in Lotus Pier with my mother; they are good friends as you know." Another deep breath, was insufficient to settle her nerves. "Be careful, Wei WuXian, Lan Er Gongzi. Stay safe."

Dear readers.

I had so much fun with making Koi Tower the next to be attacked. It just made sense... You're WRH and your primary 'ally' neglects to send his own son for indoctrination? None of the other main sect's heirs show up, either. It's entirely possible they're all together, plotting against you.... This is, of course, unacceptable. You will retaliate and extinguish any potential rebellion. Who better to start with than an ally who betrayed you?

I spent the weekend thinking of Xia KeXin's back story.... Xià 夏 means 'summer'....

Thank you for reading.
- Aitch.