When everyone settles down for the night, Lan Qiren makes one last trip to the Mingshi with another four disciples of senior ranking. He makes sure the prisoner is secure before asking the previous disciples to join the new ones outside.
“This will be your priority,” he tells all eight of them. “Your single duty consists of making sure the prisoner is alive at the end of each day, and that four of you are always watching him. Take shifts of eight hours each and that should be enough. Tell me, did he eat anything?”
“We offered to feed him, Sir. It did not go well,” one of the disciples admitted.
“Why? What happened?”
“He spat the food out, soiling our robes, Sir,” another one says, making a face.
“Alright, then alternate between a reward system, for example, for every question he answers truthfully, he will receive one mouthful of food. Stick to plain rice or congee for now. If that doesn't work, on the third day, sleep deprivation. Again, try the reward system. As a minimum, he should get water three times a day, and two meals if he cooperates. Make sure he is aware that any one of these privileges can be taken away at any time. We should crack him by the fourth day for sure.”
They all bow to each other. “When are you expected to return?” One of them asks him.
“Hopefully by the end of the week. It goes without saying that the prisoner must not meet anyone outside of you eight. I am trusting you all because you have proven yourselves again and again to keep the Clan safe.”
There are proud smiles on everyone's faces as the new disciples switch with the old ones.
“Ignore anything irrelevant and make notes of anything significant. Our aim is to discover his identity, and what his intentions were in trying to disturb the peace.” Lan Qiren deliberately does not drop any sensitive information. “I will come and see him tomorrow morning. Let's see if he's changed his mind by then.”
He leaves with the old guards, hoping their prisoner does not drag this out longer than necessary.
*************
It is still dark in the morning when Lan Qiren leaves the guest house. It's also very cold this early, and he watches his breath steam as he marches towards an unpleasant duty, hating how it must be the first task he must attend to after meditation. But he promised his disciples, and a good leader must lead by example, that's one of the lessons his father taught him and his Xiongzhang.
Funny that his older brother hadn't followed that advice.
Or, maybe he had, and him going into seclusion was his way of leading; by punishing himself just the same as he would anyone else who committed the same crime. But really, was falling in love such a bad thing to happen? Was it a crime?
It is not something Lan Qiren can fully understand but judging by what poems and old wives say, it happens without thought, and sometimes, unwillingly. Therefore, it should not be considered a crime.
Lan Qiren shakes off any negative thoughts regarding his Xiongzhang and continues in the dark, the pathways easier to navigate as his eyes adjust to the dim dark blue of the night. Stars wink at him from above, casting a little light to show him the way. They remind him of children wanting to help him, of A-Zhan and A-Ying coming back from what was supposed to be a fun event for them, and deciding instead to make sure everything was going according to plan with the Mingshi incident. Perhaps the lesson he must learn right now is accepting help when it is offered, no matter where it comes from.
A lamp shines outside the Mingshi as Lan Qiren approaches, and all seems well. It is risky keeping their prisoner like this, but necessary. If he has accomplices, then they might come forth in a bid to rescue him, and if not, if he's really working alone, then they must get answers from him.
The prisoner is only important as long as the Yin Iron exists, therefore, its destruction is imperative and must be completed as soon as possible. But what is worrying is if number one, anything should happen to the Yin Iron pieces in this middle time, and two, if these traitors find out what Lan Qiren and his friends are hoping to accomplish, and if they act on it.
There is much to think about, he muses as he enters.
The Mingshi is quiet, the disciples watching over the prisoner, quiet but awake, vigilant. Good, Lan Qiren thinks, he chose well.
“Good morning!” He says loudly, making the prisoner jerk where he's standing.
Lan Qiren acknowledges the bows from the disciples and bows back, before facing the unknown cultivator.
He smirks back at Lan Qiren defiantly, and Lan Qiren sighs internally. He's going to drag this out, then.
“What is your name?”
The young man lifts a shoulder and then winces because his arms are still suspended above him.
Good.
“I asked you a question.”
“I heard you.”
“Then answer it. You are only prolonging the inevitable.”
“And what might that be?” His eyes are dark and full of mystery, an arrogance dripping from his haughty words.
“You see, in this space,” Lan Qiren gestures around them, “you are at our mercy. We decide to feed you, or give you water, or let you sleep. Those are privileges that you will earn, not something owed to you. The longer you take to answer our questions, the worse it will be for you.”
“Lucky for me, I'm not scared. Bring it, old man.” He laughs, a cruel and jarring sound that echoes in this empty room.
“As you wish.” Lan Qiren turns to the disciple on his left. “No food and no water until tonight.”
The disciple nods, and Lan Qiren leaves, feeling disappointed. Perhaps it was too much to hope that their prisoner might help them out, but it is what it is, and he no longer has the time to worry about this matter.
*****************
Later on that same morning, after goodbyes are said, everyone going on the expedition is ready to leave by sunrise. Lan Zhan is awake, and thankfully, Wei Ying is not. He will be carried by Lan Qiren at A-Zhan's request, the latter not trusting anyone else to take him. Lan Zhan will be carried by Nie XiongMeng.
Lan Qiren hugs Lan Huan one final time - he also wanted to come along but Lan Qiren was able to persuade him that he had to stay in order to continue looking after their guests, the ones staying on in Cloud Recesses. Nie MingJue staying over had a lot to do with Lan Huan's agreement.
Then Lan Qiren hugs Xue Yang. “Be good and look after A-Qing as well,” Lan Qiren tells him with a smile. “Keep an eye on things,” he adds, knowing how capable his son is.
“I'm going to miss you,” his son says quietly.
“We will be back before you know it,” Lan Qiren promises him. He hands over a bag of candy just for him.
Nie MingJue bows to him. “Don't worry, Shifu. I will look after everyone!” He says, making everyone laugh.
Wei Changze hurries towards them at the last minute, and Lan Qiren fully expects him to say goodbye to Wei Ying, but he comes and hugs Lan Qiren instead.
“Fare well, and safe travels, my good friend. Come back soon, that last part is from my wife,” he grins with suspiciously wet eyes. He pats a sleeping Wei Ying on his curly hair lightly, smiles at A-Zhan and then hurries away again.
And then they're off. They ride in formation on their swords, Nie XiongMeng on Lan Qiren's left, Wen Tang Changpu on Lan Qiren's right, the two children being carried and six senior disciples from the Lan Clan flying behind them.
Since their first stop is Qishan, Wen Tang Changpu has brought all of her disciples with her, including her husband and her children. There is no need for anyone of her Clan to remain back in Cloud Recesses, not when they can be safely escorted back home. Her Head Disciple, Wen Zhao is more than capable of handling the Sect while she's not there.
***************
They arrive by nightfall after taking care to rest twice despite the urgency of the mission. Camps are set up and food cooked for dinner up on a high plateau, ready for an examination of the mysterious entity in the river below, come daylight.
They end up sitting around a fire and exchanging ghost stories, the ones frightened by such tales having retired to their beds with excuses of tiredness. Lan Qiren has fond memories of many such nights passed by like this when he was younger, carefree and independent with none of the rigidity of Cloud Recesses following him there.
All the children are asleep in a larger tent; Wen Qing, Wen Ning, A-Ying and A-Zhan.
Lan Qiren thinks about the flight here and deems it a success. Wei Ying was mostly asleep for a huge chunk of travelling time, during the worst of it when he was awake, he kept his eyes screwed tightly shut and Lan Qiren sang to him until his voice was hoarse, stroking his curly hair and trying to soothe away his fears. As soon as they landed, Lan Zhan had pulled Wei Ying into a tight hug, and honestly? It was impossible to tell who was more distressed by the experience: Wei Ying for having to relive the trauma of being pushed off a sword, or Lan Zhan for having to watch him go through it.
His heart hurts for them both.
His thoughts turn towards Cloud Recesses, and he wonders if the prisoner has chosen to give them any information…and that leads him naturally to think about his brother. Will Qingheng-Jun be awake now? If so, how is he handling being out of seclusion and having to witness the changes that have certainly occurred in the Cloud Recesses?
It's been a whole ten years since he left the leadership to Lan Qiren.
Ten years since he ventured outside and saw the stars, or looked out into his garden and seen a flower. Ten years of depriving himself of normal human experiences…of interactions with others. How will he deal with it?
And what about Lan Huan? Will he be brave enough to go and talk to his father? In spite of being in favour of his father coming out of seclusion, now that he has the choice, will Lan Huan actually choose that option? And if he does, will Qingheng-Jun be kind to him?
All of a sudden, Lan Qiren wishes he could be back home in Cloud Recesses, if only to protect his eldest nephew from any such hurt as can be inflicted by an uncaring parent. True, he has no proof of his Xiongzhang's feelings, but if a person can refuse to see their firstborn child for ten whole years, then Lan Qiren isn't going to hope for the best.
That would just be naivety.
As one by one, the others all leave him, Lan Qiren pokes at the fire listlessly sitting by himself. He waits until the final embers die out and the last of the warmth to drift away. Qishan isn't as cold as Gusu, but the breeze that wraps around him is cooler than he likes, and the incentive to seek comfort in his own tent at last.
It has been a weary day and he's glad to see it end.