Chapter 88
Chapter Summary: [She carried the two of them onto the dock. Seven or eight small boats were always moored in front of Lotus Dock's dock, used by the Jiang family's young disciples for boating and lotus picking. ...]
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She carried the two men to the dock. Seven or eight small boats were always moored in front of Lotus Pier's dock, used by the Jiang family's young men for boating and lotus picking. Madam Yu threw them onto the boat, then jumped in herself, grabbing Jiang Cheng's hand to calm him down. Jiang Cheng only coughed up a mouthful of blood; his injuries weren't too serious. He asked, "Mother, what should we do?"
Madam Yu said, "What do you mean, 'what to do'! Can't you see? They came prepared. A battle today is inevitable. A large group of Wen dogs will be here soon. Let's go!"
Wei Wuxian said, "What about my senior sister? She went to Meishan the day before yesterday. If she comes back..."
Madam Yu said fiercely, "Shut up! It's all because of you, you little...you!"
Wei Wuxian had no choice but to shut up. Madam Yu removed the Zidian silver ring from the finger of her right hand and slipped it onto Jiang Cheng's right index finger. Jiang Cheng asked in astonishment, "...Mother, why are you giving me Zidian?"
Madam Yu said, "What's given to you is yours from now on! Zidian has already acknowledged you as its master."
Jiang Cheng asked blankly, "Mother, aren't you coming with us?"
Madam Yu gazed at his face, then suddenly pulled him into a tight embrace, kissed his hair twice, and held him close, murmuring, "Good child."
Hearing the prelude to these words, everyone roughly understood why the Jiang family was destroyed, yet the three Jiang siblings still survived. It must be because Madam Yu sent the two boys out of Yunmeng first.
But such a separation in life is no different from a separation in death.
She hugged him tightly, as if she wanted to turn Jiang Cheng into a baby and put him back into her womb, so that no one could hurt him or separate them. Jiang Cheng had never been hugged like this by his mother before, let alone kissed like this. His head was buried in her chest, his eyes wide open, bewildered and at a loss.
Madam Yu held him in one arm and grabbed Wei Wuxian's collar with the other, as if she wanted to strangle him to death. She gritted her teeth and said, "...You wretched brat! How hateful! Utterly hateful! Look at the trouble our family has suffered because of you!"
Wei Wuxian's chest heaved violently, speechless. This time, it wasn't a forced restraint or silent resentment; he truly had nothing to say.
Jiang Cheng anxiously pressed, "Mother, aren't you coming with us???"
Madam Yu suddenly let go of his hand and pushed him onto Wei Wuxian.
She leaped onto the dock, the small boat swaying gently in the lake. Jiang Cheng finally understood: the gold and silver pearls, all the disciples, and all the magical treasures and heirlooms of the Yunmeng Jiang Clan were in Lotus Pier, unable to be evacuated in the short term. A great battle was inevitable. As the matriarch, Madam Yu could not retreat alone, yet feared for her sons' safety, so she selfishly allowed them to escape first.
The crowd remained silent, but they deeply admired Madam Yu's determination, despite being a woman, to live and die with the Jiang family.
Unexpectedly, a mocking voice suddenly came from behind: "What a bunch of fools. As long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood. Why did you have to grit your teeth and go up to fight? Like moths to a flame, you both died and your families were destroyed. Didn't you just ask for it?"
Everyone turned around and saw that it was Xue Yang.
Before anyone could speak, Nie Huaisang shook his folding fan and said, "You, a lone wolf, naturally don't understand what sect spirit or family honor is. With a formidable enemy at hand, abandoning your own land and fleeing in disgrace, what good is survival if you've lost your faith? Who will respect you then? Not to mention Sect Leader Jiang and Madam Yu, who are the heads of their families, even I, someone with naturally poor cultivation, would never bring glory to my Nie clan, even if I cannot.
Everyone was shocked by these words and agreed with them. Everyone fears death, and Xue Yang's words were not wrong. However, as cultivators of a family, since they possess integrity and have faith, they cannot be afraid of death.
Nie Mingjue nodded slightly, put down his Baxia sword, and thought to himself that although his younger brother was not very enthusiastic about practicing swordsmanship, he had a good temperament and was worthy of being a scion of a noble family.
At this moment, Lan Jingyi leaned close to Lan Sizhui's ear again: "Sect Leader Nie, aren't you going to bring shame to your family? What was the story behind your previous 'I don't know anything'?"
Lan Sizhui: ...
If you're so capable, then say it out loud.
Knowing that the journey ahead would be fraught with danger, Jiang Cheng was filled with panic. He stood up, intending to disembark as well, but Zidian suddenly transformed into electricity, binding them both firmly to the boat, rendering them completely immobile. Jiang Cheng cried out, "Mother, what are you doing?!"
Madam Yu said, "Don't make a fuss. It will naturally release you when you reach a safe place. If anyone attacks you on the way, Zidian will automatically protect you. Don't come back. Go straight to Meishan and find your sister!"
After saying that, she turned and pointed at Wei Wuxian, saying sternly, "Wei Ying! Listen to me! Protect Jiang Cheng well, even if it means death, understand?!"
Wei Wuxian said, "Madam Yu!"
Madam Yu angrily retorted, "Did you hear me! Don't give me any more nonsense, I'm only asking you if you heard me!"
Unable to break free from Zidian, Wei Wuxian could only nod emphatically. Jiang Cheng cried out, "Mother, Father hasn't returned yet. Can't we face whatever comes our way together?!"
When he mentioned Jiang Fengmian, Madam Yu's eyes seemed to redden for a moment.
However, she immediately shouted, "Fine, I won't come back! Can't I live without him?!"
After cursing, he swung his sword and cut the rope tying the small boat, then kicked it hard against the side. The river current was swift, the wind was strong, and the kick sent the boat swaying several meters forward. It spun a few times, then steadily and quickly drifted downstream towards the center of the river. Jiang Cheng cried out in agony, "Mother!"
He called out dozens of times, but Madam Yu and Lotus Pier grew farther and farther away, smaller and smaller. After the small boat drifted away, Madam Yu, long sword in hand, flashed through her purple robes and retreated back into the gate of Lotus Pier.
Watching Madam Yu's resolute departure, everyone sighed deeply.
Yu Ziyuan comes from a prestigious family and is inherently arrogant and ruthless. Even after marrying into the Jiang family, she is at odds with Jiang Fengmian at every turn, seemingly due to her incompatibility with the Jiang family's traditions.
To the world, she was neither a good wife nor a good mother, but when the Jiang family was on the verge of collapse, she turned around without hesitation to face the powerful enemy, vowing to protect the Jiang family to the death, and even buying time for her biological and adopted sons to escape.
The sight of her turning away with her sword drawn is enough to tell the world what a mother is, what a female head of a family is. If a woman can be so fearless, how can they, as the pillars of their families, cower in fear?
The two struggled fiercely, and Zidian, almost embedded deep in their flesh and bones, remained motionless.
Jiang Cheng roared like a madman, struggling and shouting, "Don't break! Don't break! Break! Break!"
Wei Wuxian had just been whipped more than a dozen times by Zidian and was still in pain all over. He knew that he couldn't break free like this and it would be futile. Thinking of Jiang Cheng's injuries, he endured the pain and said, "Jiang Cheng, calm down. Madam Yu might not lose to that Core-Melting Hand. Didn't she just hold back Wen Zhuliu?"
Jiang Cheng roared, "How can you expect me to stay calm?! How can I stay calm?! Even if we kill Wen Zhuliu, that bitch Wang Lingjiao has already sent a signal. What if Wen dogs see this and send a large force to besiege our house?!"
Wei Wuxian knew it was impossible to stay calm, but one of them had to be clear-headed. Just as he was about to continue speaking, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he shouted, "Uncle Jiang! Uncle Jiang is back!"
Sure enough, another large ship sailed onto the river.
Seeing this, Lan Qiren couldn't help but sigh.
Although Wei Ying was naturally unruly, he had to admit that he was capable of undertaking great responsibilities.
When Cloud Recesses was burned down, Lan Xichen fled with the book, while Lan Wangji was sent to Qishan. Compared to the Jiang family, the Lan family's situation was even more unexpected, and the heartache was no less intense. Both Lan brothers knew that their father had died, their uncle was seriously injured, and their home had been destroyed, yet they had to suppress their resentment and anger and do their part to avoid causing any more trouble for the family.
Their composure stemmed not only from their personalities, but more importantly from their understanding that momentary impulses would not solve the problem.
Now that he's with the Jiang family, Wei Wuxian understands this principle. Compared to Jiang Cheng, he still lacks a bit of composure.
Jiang Fengmian stood at the bow of the boat, with a dozen or so disciples standing beside him. He was gazing in the direction of Lotus Pier, his robes fluttering in the river wind. Jiang Cheng called out, "Father! Father!"
Jiang Fengmian also saw them, a slight look of surprise on his face. One of his disciples gently pushed off with the oars, and his boat came close. Jiang Fengmian, still unaware of what was happening, asked curiously, "Acheng? Aying? What's going on with you two?"
The boys of Lotus Pier often played strange and unusual games, and it was common for them to lie in the water covered in blood, pretending to be floating corpses. Therefore, Jiang Fengmian couldn't immediately determine if they were playing some new game and didn't realize the seriousness of the situation. Jiang Cheng, however, was so happy that tears streamed down his face. He cried out anxiously, "Father, Father, let us go!"
Jiang Fengmian said, "This is your mother's Zidian. Zidian recognizes its master, so I'm afraid it won't let me..."
As he spoke, he reached out and touched Zidian. To his surprise, the moment he touched it, Zidian obediently withdrew and instantly transformed into a ring, which he then slipped onto one of his fingers.
Jiang Fengmian was immediately stunned.
Zidian is a first-grade spiritual weapon belonging to Yu Ziyuan, and its primary command is Yu Ziyuan's will. Zidian can recognize multiple masters, but there is an order. Madam Yu is the undisputed first-level master, and her command is to bind Jiang Cheng until he is safe. Therefore, although Jiang Cheng is also a master, he cannot break free from its restraints.
At some point, Jiang Fengmian was identified as the second-in-command. Zidian felt safe in his presence and therefore released his bonds.
But Madam Yu never said that she made Zidian also acknowledge Jiang Fengmian as its master.
Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian finally separated and rushed to either side. Jiang Fengmian asked, "What exactly happened? How did you two end up tied up in the boat by Zidian?"
As if seeing a lifeline, Jiang Cheng grabbed him and said, "The Wen family attacked our house today! Mother got into a fight with them and fought that Core Formation Master! I'm afraid Mother will suffer. Someone gave a signal, and there might be even more enemies later. Father, let's go back and help her! Let's go!"
Upon hearing this, all the disciples were deeply moved. Jiang Fengmian exclaimed, "The Core Formation Hand?!"
Jiang Cheng said, "Yes, Father! We..."
Before the words were finished, a flash of purple light appeared, and Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian were entangled once more. The two slumped back onto the boat in their previous positions. Jiang Cheng was stunned for a moment, then said, "...Father?!"
Jiang Fengmian said, "I'm going back. You two leave. Don't change direction, and don't go back to Lotus Pier. Once you're ashore, immediately find a way to go to Meishan to find your sister and grandmother."
Wei Wuxian exclaimed, "Uncle Jiang!!!"
After the initial shock, Jiang Cheng kicked the gunwale frantically, causing the ship to rock violently: "Father, let me go! Let me go!"
Jiang Fengmian said, "I'll go back to find Third Sister."
Jiang Cheng glared at him and said, "Can't we go back to find her together?!"
Jiang Fengmian stared at him intently, then suddenly reached out, paused in mid-air, and slowly patted his head, saying, "Acheng, you must take good care of yourself."
Wei Wuxian said, "Uncle Jiang, if anything happens to you, he won't be alright."
Jiang Fengmian turned his gaze to him and said, "Aying, Acheng... you need to take good care of them."
He returned to the large ship. The two ships passed each other, gradually disappearing into the distance. Jiang Cheng cried out in despair, "Father!!!"
Lan Xichen closed his eyes, unable to bear the sight.
Nie Huaisang, standing beside him, also trembled as he put away his fan.
Who said that Elder Jiang disliked his own children and didn't love his wife?
The two clearly cared for each other, and even their instructions to their children were exactly the same. Why did fate play such a cruel trick on them, with one person unable to speak and the other stubbornly refusing to say anything, only to reveal their true feelings on the verge of death?
Wei Wuxian, who was standing to the side, felt a sharp pain in his chest. He leaned against Lan Wangji's chest, his fingers involuntarily covering his chest, when he suddenly felt a cool liquid sliding down his cheek.
He unconsciously raised his hand to wipe away the tears that had streamed down his face, and then suddenly smiled.
He promised Uncle Jiang and Madam Yu that he would take good care of Jiang Cheng, and he kept his promise.
It really happened...
Seeing Wei Wuxian like this, Wen Qing behind him suddenly felt a sense of disappointment and frustration. She looked at Jiang Cheng and spoke up:
"Sect Leader Jiang, there are some things I shouldn't say, but if I don't, you'll probably never understand. Jiang Cheng, you're easily swayed, and you've believed most of the rumors circulating in the world. You always feel that your cultivation is inferior to Wei Wuxian's, and even as the young sect leader, you feel that Wei Wuxian is more favored by the old sect leader. But did you see that when your father and mother parted, their entrustment to Wei Wuxian was all about you? The only thing they ever worried about was you. What more could you ask for? Now, you should know the whole truth. Back then, the two elders asked Wei Wuxian to take good care of him and protect him with their lives. Forgive my bluntness, but he did it, and he did it better than anyone else."
Jiang Yanli could no longer hold back her tears, which slid down her cheeks.
She finally understood firsthand how her two younger brothers felt when they witnessed their parents' resolute departure.
She also understood why she had never seen Ah Xian's happy smile again after that.
He carried too much on his shoulders.
Jin Zixuan reached out and pulled Jiang Yanli into his arms, gently stroking her back, letting her tears soak her clothes, but he only regretted that he could not take her place and shield her from all the pain.
After hearing Wen Qing's direct and even sharp words, Jiang Cheng did not retaliate, because he couldn't even open his mouth. His bloodshot eyes and white knuckles made it impossible not to believe that if his clenched teeth were loosened, one would hear howling.
Jiang Fengmian sighed. Wenqing's words made him think carefully. Had his subconscious words put too much pressure on Wei Wuxian? Should a young man who was about to come of age really bear such burdens?
But thinking about these things now is futile.
After a while, Jiang Fengmian reached out and patted Wei Wuxian on the shoulder.
"Ah Xian, you've had a tough time all these years."
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