Past is set in stone, only your feelings may change

Whip scars

„I came here today in my Young Master's stead to make sure that the servant of the Yunmeng Jiang clan, Wei Ying, will be punished for hindering Young Master's night hunt and making him lose his sword. Madame Yu, I respect you very much but you would not like me to think that there is anyone in the Yunmeng Jiang sect who would oppose this righteous punishment and protect a mere servant, right?"

Wei Wuxian shuddered from head to toes at Wang Lingjiao's words. Of course he had assumed that Wen Chao would try to take revenge for the humiliation he had suffered in the Cave of the Tortoise of Slaughter, but he had not imagined his woman would come to request it. Much less when Uncle Jiang and Jiang Yanli were away.

Then again, perhaps it was good that they were not in Lotus Pier right now. They would have surely opposed whatever punishment Wang Lingjiao came to demand for him and it would have without a doubt been taken as opposing the great Qishan Wen sect. The consequences of that would be dire, he could imagine. At best, it would just mean a political problem, at worst an outright war and reprisals if he was not handed over.

Now, there was only Madame Yu who understood the situation and would do what was best for the Yunmeng Jiang sect and Jiang Cheng who could be easily restrained and subdue if he tried to resist. Which he probably would not if he realized that he should not go against the Qishan Wen sect right now. Madame Yu was sure to keep him in line if he ever tried anything.

Wei Wuxian had not intended to cause trouble but if he had not acted back then, he was afraid that they would have all been dead by now. He was meant to protect Jiang Cheng; he could not have let him die in a place like the Cave of the Tortoise of Slaughter just because of Wen Chao's whim. Not even talking about all those young masters and maidens from all other cultivation sects. There had been no way for him but to do what he had done.

He did not regret it and if Wen Chao would be satisfied with seeing him punished in some way, he could live with that. It would have all been for the Yunmeng Jiang sect's peace with the Qishan Wen sect. He was only lamenting that Wen Chao had not come personally, Wei Wuxian would have made sure to suffer the punishment with a stoic face just to anger him. Or not, that would not have been such a great idea.

One look at Madame Yu's angry and stern face confirmed that she had realized the same thing. She was ready to carry out his punishment for the good of Yunmeng Jiang sect.

When Zidian came out and struck him, he was not all that surprised. He knew that Wang Lingjiao would not settle for anything less. The force of the strike and the pain of it made him fall to his knees. He bit his lips so he would not cry out. He would have made a scene for Wen Chao but he would not give Wang Lingjiao the satisfaction to see him crumble, he still had his pride.

When the beating ended and his vision was swimming in unshed tears, he closed his eyes. His whole body was in much more pain than ever before but at least he had managed to protect the Yunmeng Jiang sect and by extension his adoptive family who had given him so much over the years. He still had such a great debt to pay to them, this was nothing.

He would bear these scars as a badge of honour from now on. They would never disappear; they would forever remind him of what is important. They would always be there if he ever forgot to protect and love his family and his sect.