Lan Ying - Gusu's Third Jade {Being Updated}

Chapter One

~Three Years later~

Over the years Lan Zhan and Wei Ying had gotten along extremely well, both were always excited to see each other, but Lan Zhan doesn't show it. Both children were the model students for their age group. They had both grown to be very studious and followed all the rules. To Lan Qiren's delight, Wei Ying had grown up the complete opposite to her mother, who when she was the same age as Wei Ying, she was very rebellious and hated to follow rules and orders. The now 5-year-old resembled her father.

In Lan Qiren's eyes the two were a perfect match and was extremely happy that Lan Zhan and Wei Ying liked to spend time with each other. He was extremely proud of the children as their studies were going extremely well and both were picking up things quite easily.

Currently Lan Qiren is setting up things for Wei Ying's birthday tomorrow, the adults had decided to host a lunch with elders and the Wei family so the elders could get to meet A-Ying as there were yet to meet her. Her fifth birthday would also be the day that the betrothal was announced to the other sects.

"Sect leader Lan, Cangse Sanren, Wei Changze, and lady Wei are here." One of the disciples stated while bowing. The two women started running up to Lan Qiren, despite to no running rule, the small frame of the almost-five-year-old ran up and gripped onto his leg before being picked up.

"Shufu," she called out, "I missed you!" The young girl was extremely excited to be back in Cloud Recesses for her birthday, she had missed the Lan brothers and visiting Madam Lan with them.

"A-Ying, why don't you go and visit A-Zhan and A-Huan at the Jingshi so I can talk to your A-Niang and A-Die?" he didn't get a response from the small girl other than a nod once he had placed her back on the floor, she ran off in the direction of the Jingshi to try to find the twin jades. "Don't run a-Ying." He called out after her.

Cangse Sanren and Wei Changze walked with Lan Qiren towards the Main Hall. The three walked in silence. An odd sight to most, due to the usually bubbly and energetic personality that Cangse had. However, that personality was nowhere to be found at the current time, she knew what might happen in the future and she had to discuss it with her best friend. Once they got to the Main Hall, the three adults sat down at the table. Silence becoming unbearable.

Cangse was the first to speak up, "Qiren, can you please do us a favour?" there was only a short period of time before they had to go back to their rooms for the night as it was quickly approaching nine.

"Go ahead." Lan Qiren said calmly before going back to drinking his tea.

"If anything, ever happens to me or Changze, can you please look after our little A-Ying." The couple had been contemplating who to ask this for a while, they had dangerous lives and they wanted to make sure that if anything were to happen to them that Wei Ying was safe and protected. Her husband had wanted to entrust her to live with the main Jiang family at Lotus Pier, but knowing her personal history with Madam Yu, Cangse didn't want to endanger her child's safety or happiness. In the end the couple had decided that due to the fact she was eventually going to marry into the Lan clan, it would be better for her to be taken in by them.

"What are you on about? Why in the world would you need to ask me to look after A-Ying?"

"Changze and I were asked by someone in Yiling to deal with a demon. As always, we are taking A-Ying with us. The only reason we are asking you is because I can't help but feel that something bad is going to happen. Originally Changze was thinking that we could go to Yunmeng and talk to Sect Leader Jiang, but I'm unsure if Madam Yu would allow A-Ying to stay with them peacefully." Lan Qiren couldn't help but grimace at the statement, he knew that it was correct. If the couple had taken A-Ying to Yunmeng something bad would happen to her. "Me and Changze have already talked about this. Should anything happen to us, you would be the best person to take care of A-Ying in our place." Cangse continued.

"Me? In Cloud Recesses? Aren't you afraid that I will turn your daughter into the perfect little Lan? I still remember how much you detested all the rules when we were younger." Lan Qiren's voice was shaky as the thoughts of what might happen.

"I don't mind, we just want the best for her. I also don't want to have to split her from A-Zhan."

"All right, you have my word. Just promise me that you will both be careful. I'd rather see you here alive. We don't want A-Ying to lose her parents." Despite him sometimes arguing with Cangse Sanren about her shameless and Cangse calling him stuck up, they had always been close friends. "When will you two be going to Yiling?"

"Next week. I'll send you a letter once we arrive. I will send another one on day three, if you don't receive it, please find A-Ying for us."

"Okay... But you better take care of yourselves."

"if something really happens to us, we believe that you can take care of her in our place."