Second Time Around

12. Qiongqi Path

Jin ZiXuan sent the butterfly message to Lan QiRen. After some more debate and protests of innocence, it was decided that the group would go to Qiongqi Path to verify who was currently residing there. Jin GuangShan was gloating as his fellow sect and clan leaders wandered around: it was quite obvious that there were only Wen cultivators there.

Jin GuangYao sidled up to Wei WuXian. "It is odd that, even now, you would neglect to bring your sword and instead rely on HanGuang-Jun for a ride.

Wei WuXian grinned evilly at the shorter man. "Who else would you have me ask? You?" And he grinned even wider to hear a growled "No," behind him.

Jin GuangYao, and his smile, never wavered. "It is odd that Jiang WanYin allows your continued blatant disrespect."

"My shidi knows that respect is shown by actions, not by simply carrying a sword." The tone was mild, but the statement could be taken as a politely inane statement or as an insult. Jin GuangYao knew which one it was, but bowed slightly as if it was simply a statement.

Wei WuXian turned his back on the little man, irritated at the blatant attempt to belittle him, and started walking up to where he had found Wen Ning's body. "It was raining the night I stole them from here," he quietly mentioned to his follower. "Wen Qing was frantic to find her brother. A'Yuan was here in the mud with Grannie trying to protect him." He paused at the top of the hill and looked into the past. "I found Wen Ning up here. The guards killed him and threw his body away like trash. Just like they killed the civilians we saw here last month."

"They're buried here?" Lan Zhan's voice was quietly furious.

"Just over there," Wei WuXian waved what he hoped looked like a careless hand to one corner of the plateau. "There's a mass grave. Some weren't even buried, just thrown down the back of the hill and covered with leaves. At least that's where they were the last time." He waved towards another corner of the plateau.

"Do you know how they died?"

"No. I can feel their resentment. Their anger. Some of them will rise sooner rather than later if no one pacifies them."

Lan Zhan walked away from Wei WuXian. "Return to your brother. Ask my brother and Nie MingJue to attend me here."

"What are you planning on doing?"

"Uncover those graves and keep you from being implicated."

Wei WuXian stared at his friend. Keep me from being implicated? He started walking back towards his brother. There's a pile of dead bodies just waiting to rise as walking corpses. Of course I'm going to be implicated even if I was still back in Lotus Pier!

Wei WuXian quietly let Lan XiChen know of his brother's request. Lan XiChen was not quiet at all in asking Nie MingJue to go with him to see what his brother found. So Wei WuXian watched helplessly as everyone followed the Lan Sect leader up the hill. He shrugged and followed as well, staying well behind the last clan leader. If he was going to be accused of something nefarious, it was better to be there at the start of the accusation than arrive in the middle or after the judging was already over.

Lan WangJi was seated with his WangJi on his lap, fingers playing a few notes, then listening to the response. Lan XiChen stood near him head hung low. "Disemboweled," he translated. Then, "She died while being raped by a man in blue after being raped by a man in gold." He looked over where the mass grave lay. "WangJi, tell her we will punish her rapists. I promise." Lan WangJi nodded and continued playing. "Stabbed in the back with a spirit attraction flag and left to die." Lan XiChen looked ill. "This one was also stabbed but...." he swallowed. "Stabbed."

Lan WangJi's hands stilled. "The correct interpretation is impaled, not stabbed," he corrected.

Jin GuangShan laughed rudely. "This is fun! Inquiry tells us the answers, but isn't it interesting that we have to trust that we're being told the truth! When the truth is right before our eyes down that hill. Who knows when those poor people were killed? It could have been years ago for all we know! What is absolutely known is that the only prisoners here are cultivators!"