Won't you believe me? (Servant no more - book 2)

Chapter 17

Lan Qiren was standing by the window in his study and looking outside into the courtyard where the rabbits were kept. Although there was nothing but the furry fluff balls to be seen there anymore, he could not help himself but to want to have a moment to himself. He still felt very emotional after seeing how relaxed and happy Wei Wuxian had been just seconds ago. If he did not see it with his own eyes, he would have never believed such a thing possible.

He had after all witnessed how stressed out and scared the boy had been this morning when Lan Qiren had called Su Minshan over. He regretted now not explaining himself properly before making this decision. It was only at this point that he understood that he had, albeit unknowingly and very much undeservingly, caused Wei Wuxian distress. The boy must have surely been thinking that Lan Qiren had called Su Minshan to beat him just like he had done the day before.

Nothing could have been farther from the truth though. He had just been way too shocked himself with the discovery of someone in the Cloud Recesses Manor, one of his own relatives no less, would fall so low that he would abuse innocent servants. With Su Minshan now banned from the mansion and all the Lan family properties, Lan Qiren would probably never know if Wei Wuxian had been the only abused party or if his relative had even raised his hand to hit other servants as well.

Yes, he had acted impulsively, he knew. However, he had just wanted to know if his own misjudgement of Wei Wuxian and of his situation had been wrong or not. And of course it had; he had been blinded by his preconceptions of a young Wei Wuxian who was no more. He should have known that almost ten years later, the boy would not be the same who had once played a prank on him and cut off his beard.

Lan Qiren scowled, at this point, he did not even believe that it had actually been Wei Wuxian who had been responsible for this humiliation. He could not picture his out of his mind scared self when he would be sneaking into Lan Qiren's guest room in the Lotus Pier Manor to commit such a deed. The boy must have been framed, most probably by his own adoptive family, and punished harshly for something he had never done.

Lan Qiren despised such behaviour. The Jiangs had truly gone too far in their mistreatment of their adoptive son. However, had he been any different?

Lan Qiren could not with clear conscience point his finger at Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan and not think about what he himself had done. During all those instances he had seen the boy in the Cloud Recesses Manor, he had also not treated him right. He had never given him the benefit of the doubt. He had even scolded him that very first evening the boy had come into the mansion and had deprived him of dinner. He truly had not been any different than the Jiangs.

It was solely for the peace of his mind that he had apologized to the boy after the incident this morning. And he could not have even done this one essential thing right. He had just backed off from the unpleasant task and postponed it for later. He had decided he would call Wei Wuxian to his study this afternoon, once he would have time to think things though and perhaps even write down what he wanted to say. After seeing the boy so happy with Lan Wangji, he was suddenly feeling very inadequate and was worrying that him calling Wei Wuxian over could do more harm than good.

Now, once his eyes had been open, he wanted to repent for his earlier behaviour and start anew. He knew fully well that he was being selfish when he wished that Wei Wuxian would forget all the grievances he had caused him. However, he genuinely wanted to apologize for his lack of consideration and tell the boy that he would now support him and finally treat him well. It was late coming from him, but he hoped that it was not too late.

He was wondering how he should approach this. He was afraid that if he just told the boy to come with him to his study just like that, Wei Wuxian would be scared of him again and the result would be that the boy would not believe him. Lan Qiren thought that perhaps he would agree with everything and try to appease him only for him not to be punished if he went against his master. That would not do.

Lan Qiren was at the end of his rope. He truly did not know what to do now, he had never found himself in a situation even remotely similar to this one. It was Lan Xichen who usually handled everything concerning the abused servants brought into the Cloud Recesses Manor for help. His nephew would know what to do.

Lan Qiren abruptly turned away from the view outside and looked at Lan Xichen standing next to him. He found his nephew's eyes returning his gaze and he shivered internally. He had never seen Lan Xichen like this. He had always thought about him only as a child even though the boy he had once been bounding on his knees and teaching how to read had long become a man. A capable and independent one as well, none other could be able to receive such an important job from the emperor himself. Being an investigator in the matters of slavery and servant abuse was no small feat.

Lan Qiren suddenly felt out of his depths. He had thought that he needed to still watch over his nephews, but it seemed like they had grown up without him ever noticing. They did not need his supervision anymore, not even Lan Wangji who had also proven himself to be mature enough to take care of Wei Wuxian and to stand up to Lan Qiren to defend his beliefs and to uphold righteousness when the elder was too blind to see it. Lan Qiren felt very old and tired at the moment.

It did not help at all that he was about to seek advice from one of his nephews because he himself was incapable of proper conduct, he was ashamed of himself. But, for his own sake as for Wei Wuxian's, he had to swallow his pride and try his best to change himself. He was not sure he would actually be able to do it, he was too old for this, nevertheless, he would at least try his best.

"Xichen, what did you come to talk to me about?" he asked, hoping to first hear out his nephew before he would have to come out and ask him for advice. He still need to prepare himself.