INTERTWINED (WangXian)

19. Missing

It was a happy day, at least that's how it started. Wei ying and Lan zhan did not look at each other during their classes, thanks to someone's presence yet that did not lessen the happiness they felt.

Lan zhan was beyond happy waiting for wei ying in his room. He still had the image of how adorable Wei ying looked when their arms accidentally brushed when they came out of their classes. Now that he remembered that, since their first meeting, Wei ying always had that sparkle in his eyes whenever their eyes met. He looked at Lan zhan like he was something precious to him. And Lan zhan loved the feeling of being loved by his Wei ying and to be able to love him.

Hours passed as Lan zhan waited for Wei ying keeping his eyes on the door. As the time passed, an uneasy feeling creeped its way into his heart. All these hours he waited as he did not specify the time for their meeting but now he could not wait. He was about to get up when he heard footsteps nearing his room. But he knew it was not his Wei ying, from the sound and time interval of each footstep. It was Nie huaisang.

Lan zhan did not understand why he had this ominous feeling when he saw Nie.

"H-hanguangjun, do you happen to know where Wei-xiong is? Nie asked, his worry lines quite visible on his forehead.

"Wei-xiong is not in his room. Wen ning has seen him going out of cloud recesses. And his suibian and chen qing are in his room."

Now Lan zhan understood why Nie looked worried. Wei ying would never leave his soul weapons, that too while going out. Also, Nie was usually his partner when he went out.

"Wen ning?" Lan zhan asked, wanting to meet him.

"Wen ning has been searching the backside mountain while Wanyin has gone out to caiyi town looking for Wei-xiong. I have searched all the usual places we go. He had seen him with a stranger while he was returning to the gate collecting herbs. He did not notice anything particular about the stranger."

Lan zhan started from his room with no destination in mind. Nie huaisang followed, narrating the things he knew.

Once Lan zhan realised he was at the door of hanshi, he turned to huaisang who said

"I shall inform you if I get to know more information"

"Mn" with that said, huaisang left.

"Wangji"

"Wei ying is missing"

"Care to explain?"

'I know how much my brother-in-law Wei likes playing and going out for fun. From the looks of Wangji, it must be something serious'

"Wei ying was seen going out with a stranger. His soul weapons are in his room. It's been hours"

'I want to believe that everything is fine, considering my brother-in-law's intelligence and his knack for talismans.'

"Where do you plan to start the search? It's nearing the curfew time, I shall take care of our uncle in case he finds out. "

After the twin jades discussed, Lan zhan departed, informing yanli about it.

'I do not know why I feel bad about this, Wei ying is friendly to everyone and Wei ying is not a kid to go missing, but something in me says, Wei ying is in danger. Moreover I am sure he will not miss the time to be with me.'

'Wait till I find you, my Wei ying'

Somewhere else

The man in olive green robes sitting in a dais, looked at his men who were hanging their heads low kneeling down in front of him.

He smiled graciously, but that made the men kneeling down beg for their life.

"He is no ordinary man, my lord. He is powerful. Just give us one more chance"

"If you say so, that must be it" he again smiled.

"Give us one week's time, We will ensure to bring him" a weak voice came gathering the last breath of all the men.

The man in dais nodded, then he looked at his old minister who bowed and sighed, having to kill the guards if they failed to finish this assignment.

Lan zhan was on Bichen, flying, tracing his Wei ying. Just to his surprise, he saw Jiang cheng coming in a visible distance, red cloth waving in the wind behind him. As he expected, Jiang cheng slowed down, showing the wasted Wei ying, mumbling things to himself, holding the emperor's smile.

Lan zhan nodded and the three made their way to cloud recesses and the jar of emperor's smile in Wei ying's hand, tumbled down as they landed. The guards did not look for answers as they saw Lan zhan taking the brothers with him.

Jiang cheng was about to take Wei ying to his room when Lan zhan held Wei ying's shoulders stopping the other from moving.

"Jingshi"

Jiang cheng agreed, gritting his teeth.

Lan zhan helped Wei ying to walk until he reached their jingshi, he carried him once he entered and put him on the bed.

Jiang cheng stood there waiting for Lan zhan who rushed into another room. Lan zhan came with warm water and a cloth, he cleaned Wei ying's face which were pale, and his arms. Once done, he checked Wei ying's core which he was unable to examine. He then motioned Jiang cheng to take a seat, and asked him,

"Where?"

"Met him on my way towards yunshen. He was unsteady from the time I saw him, he was already drunk. Looks like we were worried over nothing."

"Mn"

"I will leave him under your care, I should inform others about this. I will come in the morning."

"Mn"

Jiang cheng took slow steps, each step evident he was not willing to leave his brother alone.

"Take care of him." he said before taking a deep breath and leaving the jingshi.

The way Lan zhan took care of Wei ying like a baby, convinced jiang cheng that his brother is in good hands.

Lan zhan closed the door and the windows, before lying down next to Wei ying.

'Wei ying seems weak. He is not just drunk.'

"Wei ying, It's okay, It's me, your Lan zhan. You are safe."

He kissed Wei ying's forehead and caressed his hair, and did not fail to notice a single tear rolling across Wei ying's cheek. He wiped the tear with his finger when Wei ying pressed his eyelids tight.

"Love Wei ying, always"

Wei ying hugged Lan zhan and buried his face in Lan zhan's chest though his eyes were still closed. And the night passed just like that, as the lovers shared their time in each other's embrace.