True Happiness

41. Memories Part 2 ⚠️

⚠️Sensitive content in this chapter. Content includes, child abuse and neglect, mental and physical torture, starvation, and other forms of abuse. Please read with caution ⚠️
.
.
.
__________

Wuxian spent the next few days in the room in the infirmary. Sect Leader Jiang found that Wuxian had a fear for dogs so he told his son Jiang Cheng that he would have to keep them away from him. Eventually, Sect Leader Jiang just had the dogs sent to their relatives at the Meishan Yu Clan. Jiang Cheng was not happy about it and constantly bullied Wuxian for it. Wuxian was sharing a room with Jiang Cheng and he kept locking Wuxian out at night. Wuxian wouldn't complain, in fact he was even sleep outside the door. No comfort from a bed, no warmth of a blanket, and no roof over his head.

Yu Ziyuan eventually managed to get Jiang Fengmian to give Wuxian his own room. Though, his room was near the servants quarters and he'd have to help them more often. Wuxian was taught how to clean and properly cook. (Yes he can cook in this story). He would get beaten by the head servant if he did not do a good job. The head servant would always report back to Yu Ziyuan as she was mostly in charge of them.

Wuxian would go a week at a time occasionally without sleep, and something without food. Just water was all he was given as he worked. Wuxian would work more when Sect Leader Jiang was away. When Sect Leader Jiang was in, he let Wuxian be treated as a servant when he was not supposed to be one in the first place. The letter that was left behind with Wuxian stated that if he was mistreated in anyway, consequences would be taken.

"Unbelievable, Jiang Fengmian just turned a blind eye and let this all happen. He'd let the boy starve and get beaten," Baoshan said getting angry.

"I am just as angry," Xichen said, "and he may be young here but I can already tell, from all the work he is doing, he is gaining spiritual energy. He might not have trained but his cultivation still grew as he did."

"It's just because cultivation improves as a person works. It doesn't matter sometimes how they cultivate, but they just do," Baoshan said and looked at Wangji who was still holding Wuxian, "are you going to be alright?"

Wangji looked at her, "I am trying. It's not easy seeing someone you love being treated like that."

"We will get justice for him, I promise you. I just need to know the extent of his abuse. It isn't easy for him to talk about it but it also is not easy for us to watch either. But this is probably the better option as it would not cause Wuxian to have setbacks in his recovery from all this trauma," Baoshan said.

Wangji nodded, "I know, I just want to make sure that from now on, Wei Ying is happy and healthy."

"You are a good man, Wangji," Baoshan said, "I can see why Wuxian loves you."

Wangji's ears were starting to turn red from her comment. He nodded as he was a bit flustered to say anything else at the moment. Xichen chuckled lightly at his brother's expression. They then focused back on Wuxian's memories.

Wuxian was in the kitchen cleaning after the cooks have served the family dinner. Wuxian was sweeping the floors and washing dishes. He was doing everything he was told but was soon taken by surprise when he heard a scream and was called out by Madam Yu. Wuxian quickly exited the kitchen was was immediately backhanded to the face.

Wuxian stood there holding his cheek after getting slapped by Yu Ziyuan, "You damn bastard of a child!" She yelled, "A'Cheng and A'Li are in the infirmary as we speak from poison put in their food. The cooks told me that you were left with setting the plates! What did you do!?"

"I did not," Wuxian argued, "I did not touch the food," Wuxian was only eight years old, and he was blamed for poisoning the two Jiang heirs.

"Do not lie to me!" Yu Ziyuan said and then dragged Wuxian to her discipline room, "kneel!"

Wuxian did as he was told but he was terrified out of his mind. He was only now learning to cook but the cooks did not let him cook for the main family. He would learn to cook but the meals would be for himself. He has been told to set the table and serve the food but he doesn't know of any poison. He was blamed for this and was whipped eight times by the infamous, Zidian.

It was later revealed that one of the servants put the poison in the food to put blame on Wei Wuxian. Jiang Fengmian had the servant stripped of their duties and locked in the dungeon. Jiang Fengmian apologized for the false accusations and punishment but Wuxian did not believe him. He knows it will just happen again eventually. Wuxian just remained quiet and got back to work.

Jiang Yanli was feeling better and felt bad for Wei Wuxian. She hated that her parents and Jiang Cheng were treating Wuxian so terribly. Yanli would sneak into Wuxian's room at night to give him a proper meal and tend to his wounds that he had received from Zidian. Yanli could not fight back against her parents and she has yelled at them a couple times now. They still haven't listened to her and continued with the abuse.

Lan Wangji was in tears. Wuxian was blamed for things he did not do and was punished for it. He was apologized to but he knew it was not sincere as the abuse just kept happening. Wangji held Wuxian close to him, settled Wuxian's face into his neck and held him firmly. Wangji couldn't stop crying.

"He was just a child, and he was whipped for the first time. It was even over something he didn't even do," Wangji said through his tears.

"Wangji, I promise you, they will not get away with this," Xichen said as he tried his best to comfort his brother. Baoshan was also trying to comfort the boy but she was very livid. She was going to whip Yu Ziyuan with her own whip but she was going to count how many times she hit Wuxian with Zidian then double it when she punishes Yi Ziyuan.