The meaning of protecting you with my life

Food and medicine

Wei Wuxian all but crumbled down onto one of the seats around the low table in the middle of the room. He felt completely exhausted, as if his body could not hold on anymore and was betraying him. Everything hurt and the wet clothes were sticking uncomfortably to his ice cold skin. He had never felt like this before. Or perhaps he had, when he had still been living in the streets, then again, he could hardly remember that time clearly. This must have been how normal people felt when they were tired. He blinked slowly, trying to get used to his new circumstances.

He was glad that they had managed to get away after all and the Wens were not pursuing them just yet. With his siblings safely tugged in their beds, he could probably get some rest as well. His eyes were closing despite his best efforts. He glanced at his siblings again, reassuring himself further that they were both asleep. Only then he let his eyelids finally fall.

He woke up with a shiver. He did not know how much time had passed so he quickly blinked himself to full awareness. He immediately looked towards the beds and gave out a big sigh of relief, both Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng were still asleep.

Good. He had been afraid for a moment that they were gone. His sleep had been haunted by nightmares of him failing to protect them and finding himself all alone in the world once again. He had seen bodies of Madame Yu, Uncle Jiang and his siblings littered around Lotus Pier, all bloodied and broken. It took him a while to shake the image away. He knew now that those were just bad dreams, and he would do his best for them to not become reality.

He felt like he had not slept at all, he was still exhausted and his body was reminding him of what had happened.

With a restrained groan, he stood up and went to check on Jiang Cheng. His brother was laying still in the same position he had put him down before he had fallen asleep. That was good, apparently it would still take him a while to wake up. Wei Wuxian was not sure if he was ready to face his wrath once again, no matter how much he deserved it. He was terrified that Jiang Cheng would insist on going back to Lotus Pier and he would be too weak to stop him.

He shook his head to get rid of the thought. It would not help him to worry about it before he even knew how Jiang Cheng would be acting upon waking up.

He went to check on Jiang Yanli next and was immediately alarmed when he saw her whole face covered in sweat. She looked like she was in pain, there was a small wrinkle between her eyebrows. He gently reached out his hand and put it on her forehead. He was hoping he was mistaken. Unfortunately, his worries had been spot on, Jiang Yanli was burning with fever.

It must have been because she had been drenched in the rain earlier and did not change her robes before going to bed. The stress of what had happened had probably also played a role, she had always been susceptible to fevers.

Wei Wuxian berated himself internally, he should have noticed earlier and request some clean robes for them to wear when they had been speaking to the inn keeper. Nothing to do now however, he would just have to correct this mistake of his. Luckily, this one was easier to deal with than his other ones.

He tugged his sister inside the bed better, covering her whole body with the thick blanket. Then he went back to the table and picked up the money pouch, checking its contents. There was not much after paying for the room but it would have to be enough. He had to go buy food and some fever medicine for his sister, there should be enough for some simple clean robes as well, or at least he hoped so.

He hesitated for a moment before going to the door. He looked at his sleeping siblings again. He hated to leave them here like this, all alone and defenceless. For a second, he mused if he should not wake Jiang Cheng up and tell him to guard Jiang Yanli. But he quickly opted against this option, he was still not ready for his brother's reaction once he would find out that Wei Wuxian had knocked him out and the battle of Lotus Pier had probably been long over, whatever the result had been.

The news would surely travel quickly, but not just yet. Not in this small town so far away from Lotus Pier. He hoped that if the Wen soldiers had won, they would only start looking for them later, that they still have enough time to get away. Uncle Jiang had told him to take his siblings to Meishan, and that was what he would do. At least for now. If Madame Yu and Uncle Jiang were fine, that would be the first place where they would start looking for them.

And if they would not be able to look for them because Lotus Pier had fallen, then he would surely learn the news on their way to Meishan and could take his siblings somewhere else, somewhere safer. He would not be able to protect them against the whole Qishan Wen sect who would be searching for them, they needed to find refuge, preferably under protection of one of the great sects.

He would have without a doubt opted first for the Gusu Lan sect, but that one was virtually non-existent at this point, with Cloud Recesses burned down and the disciples scattered all around, seeking refuge themselves. For a second he wondered what had happened to Lan Zhan but he quickly buried the thought deep down, he had enough to worry about.

The next one in line would be the Lanling Jin sect, they were powerful and Jin Zixuan had been Jiang Yanli's fiancé, surely at least Madame Jin would welcome them with open arms. But Lanling was too far away, they would be spotted before making it there.

So the only option left would be Qinghe. Wei Wuxian was not a big fan of the Qinghe Nie sect, with their military discipline and anger issues of their sect leader. For now however, it was their best shot. He was sure that it would turn out alright, not everyone in Qinghe had such a fiery temper as Nie Mingjue. Nie Huisang was certainly only one of the examples.

Wei Wuxian knew that he was perhaps worrying too much and they would just learn that Madame Yu and Uncle Jiang were fine, waiting for them in Meishan, but it never hurt to be prepared. After he had heard what had happened to Cloud Recesses, he was afraid that Lotus Pier was just next in line for the same fate. It was all his fault.

No, he could not start blaming himself again and lose precious time. They were on the run and they had to be quick. He had to be quick. Food, medicine and a set of dry robes for Jiang Yanli came first, he could worry about himself once his siblings would be safe.

Without any more hesitation, he turned his back to the room and opened the door. He would try to be as fast as possible, hopefully coming back before any of them woke up.

"I will be back," he whispered well aware that none of his siblings could hear him.

Once he was outside, he went to first hide the boat in the nearby bushes so it would be harder for potential pursuers to spot them and then went about the empty town, looking for anyone who would be willing to sell him the things which his siblings so dearly needed right now.