Wen Chao had a wife he ignored in favor of his other women. Xie BiYu did not appreciate being set aside. So when it was obvious her father-in-law was going to start a war, she took herself and her child away from the Nightless City. When the Allies...
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Deaths in the jianghu were notable for many reasons: the death of a sect leader, the death of a sect leader's child, the deaths of an entire clan. Xie An didn't particularly care about any of them, except for the child. Given that he was born into that repugnant Jin sect, she hoped that he would be reborn into a far more respectable family.
Since she was rather firmly convinced that the new LanlingJin Sect leader was responsible for sending the Lanling people into Qishan. Perhaps his father started it? But he, she was quite sure, was continuing it.
It took more than a year of chasing after the men slaughtering the Qishan inhabitants before she caught them. They, in their ignorance, fully believed that they would be brought to justice officially where they could defend their innocence.
"Of course, you'll get a trial," Wang Zheng assured the prisoners. "Jiang ZongZhu is merciful and just. Although, as there are five cultivators who observed you attempting to hang this poor family, the outcome of the trial will be death."
"We demand to be tried in Koi Tower!" the dirtier of them demanded. "We are not YunmengJiang!"
"This is not Lanling. This is not even the Jin sector of Qishan. You are accused of murdering, and attempting to murder, civilians in the YunmengJiang territory of Qishan," Xie An spat back. "I saw you murdering family after family in Empathy. Your fate is decided. A trial is almost unnecessary."
"Jin ZongZhu might have something to say about that!" the less unkempt almost bragged.
"You're quite bold in thinking Jin ZongZhu will ever know about the trial and your punishment," Wang Zheng laughed. "LanlingJin have no say over YunmengJiang's trials and punishments."
Xie An wanted to agree with her senior; reality showed he was overly optimistic. Jin GuangYao was a snake with eyes and ears everywhere. If these men were brought to Lotus Pier, the snake would find out within hours. And he'd find some way to slither his way into interfering with the trial.
That night, while the other YunmengJiang disciples slept, she entered the tent where the murderers were being held. "You've caused enough trouble," she stated calmly. "Did you know," she added a bit louder as they tried to talk over her. "Quiet or I'll gag you," she warned. "As I was saying. Did you know that Wen Chao was married? That his lawful wife bore him a child? Did you know that Wen RuoHan's heir still lived?" She smiled, serenely, as they started to realize the implications. "Did you know that his heir has spent far too much time looking for you? Trying to protect her people from you? Evicting the Lanling who would take the Wen's rightful homes?"
"No...," the dirty one moaned. "No. The Wen family all died."
"Wen RuoHan and his sons died in the Sunshot Campaign," Xie An agreed. "The wife, Xie BiYu, joined the Sunshot Campaign to fight against her father-in-law and was killed in a raid. The heir?" She allowed her grin to move from polite to sadistic. "Wen ChaoXing grew up protected by Jiang Guniang. And eventually became a disciple. But she never forgot who her family was. She never forgot her responsibilities to her first sect. She never forgot her people. She took a courtesy name, but never forgot her birth name. Wen ChaoXing, as heir to the QishanWen sect, and the rightful leader of Qishan, has looked at all the available facts. Do you have a defense before you are sentenced?"
