Chapter Ten
Wei Yingyue was the first one in front of the Ancestral Hall in the morning, kneeling in front of the doors with the eight older disciples of the Sect already on either side of her, six holding discipline rulers. She had been sitting on her knees when they came, Lan Zhan explaining to them what was to happen before leaving to get her twin. Now, five minutes later, she could hear the noise of Wei Wuxian as Lan Wangji dragged him to receive the punishment. Suddenly, behind her was thrown her brother and two of the disciples grabbed him.
"Yingying, what are you doing here?" Wei Ying asked as he looked at his sister, the girl didn't look away from the space ahead of her and he frowned. "Lan Zhan, are you going to punish me? Us?" Wei Wuxian asked, looking up at Lan Wangji. "I won't accept this." Her brother muttered, shaking his head. Wei Yue looked at Lan Zhan as he lifted his robes and knelt beside her brother.
"Strike!" Lan Wangji commanded, not moving as the sandalwood rulers were brought down onto him. Wei Yue didn't move as her hands, legs, and back were slapped.
"Wait, wait! I accept this, I accept this. Lan Zhan, I was wrong-" He was cut off as he received the hits from the disciples. Throughout the entirety of the punishment, only Wei Wuxian made noise as the three of them were hit with the rulers. Lan Zhan sat still and took his punishment, Wei Yue closed her eyes as the tender skin on her back was assaulted. Once it was over, Lan Zhan and Wei Yue stood, walking out of the hall, saluted to the disciples who were there, and left. As soon as they were out of the view of others, Wei Yingyue let out a small gasp as she stumbled.
"Are you okay?" She nodded and she grabbed the banister of the building beside her, shrugging off Lan Zhan as he grabbed her arm.
"Lan Zhan, you're hurt too. Don't worry about me." She closed her eyes and pushed herself up, much to her palms disapproval. Lan Zhan watched her as she stood, both not moving until she opened her eyes. "I am going to go lay down." She whispered, he nodded and watched her walk forwards.
It was late at night in the Recesses when Lan Xichen made his way towards the room that belonged to Wei Yingyue and her Senior Sister, Jiang Yanli. When he made it to the room, however, the lights were still on and he heard the voices to two women talking.
"Yanli, I swear it's not that bad. I honestly have had worse." He heard, knowing the voice was his fiance.
"Wei Yingyue, you need to let me put something on your back! You are bleeding!" The older girl exclaimed, only to have her Meimei shush her and recite the rule placed by the GusuLan Sect about yelling. "I don't care if Qiren comes here himself, I will continue-"
"Jiejie, I can take her to the cold springs. That's where I just came from." The voice of Wei Wuxian reached Lan Xichen's ears and he smiled, knocking on the banister gently, causing mass silence to fall over the room.
"Wei Yue, it's me." He said lightly, stepping back as he heard rustling before the steps of two people moving to the door greated him before the door slid open.
"Lan Huan, I am sorry if we were too loud. My family is jus-"
"We're worried because of the lashing you got because of me." Wei Wuxian muttered as he moved into Lan Xichen's view, looking at the Young Master. "Zewu-jun, can I bring my sister to the cold spring? She's hurt rather bad." Wei Ying stated, looking at his sister's betrothed.
"Wei Ying, I told you. I don't want to go to the cold spring to heal!" She hissed, narrowing her eyes at him.
"Wei Yue." She looked at Lan Xichen and he frowned, stepping forwards slowly. "How bad are you hurt?" He asked, giving her a pleading look.
"Zewu-jun, some of the areas where she was hit were over old wounds. She is bleeding, the rulers ripped her skin." He looked up to see Jiang Wanyin standing behind the girl now, his older sister nodding beside him. The Young Master looked at Wei Yue as her eyes fell to the ground, letting out a sigh before looking at Wei Wuxian.
"Follow me." He instructed, the younger man nodded as he lifted his sister.
"This is really unnecessary." Wei Yingyue muttered as she closed her eyes, leaning her forehead onto Wei Ying's shoulder. He scoffed as his hold on her tightened, shaking his head at her stubbornness. "It's frustrating when someone doesn't listen, isn't it." She teased, a sly grin resting on her lips as they moved closer to the Recesses.
"This way." Lan Xichen led Wei Ying towards the pool that belonged to his sister, looking back at the twins as they bickered. "This is the pool she uses when she comes to the cold springs. It's closed off and only Wangji, Qiren, Wei Yue, and I know it is here." Lan Xichen explained as he motioned for Wei Ying to walk down the path. "I'll leave you now, make sure she heals." He looked at Wei Yue as he said 'heal', raising an eyebrow as she rolled her eyes before he smiled. Her brother set her down on a rock and began taking off his shoes, outer robes, and undershirt. He stepped into the water and hissed in shock, shaking his head before turning to his sister after she had taken off her outer robes, shoes, and laid the hairpin Lan Xichen had given her on top of her pile.
"This is unreasonably cold." Her brother cried as he wrapped an arm about her waist, allowing her to walk into the water gently. She looked at him as he shivered, resting a hand on his arm as he slipped.
"Calm down, just focus on your breathing." She whispered, rubbing his arm lightly. He looked at her and nodded before taking in a deep breath, letting it out as they walked forwards into the middle of the icy water. "The cold springs are almost murderously cold at night, not many come down here at this time to meditate or heal." She murmured, letting herself sink into the water as she looked up at the moon.
"Lan Zhan does, I think he's over in the other pool still." He murmured, causing his little sister to look at him.
"He's meditating then, he will not heal himself. He'll let the wounds heal on their own." Her brother nodded as he played with his sister's hair that was floating towards him.
"Yeah, I saw. But with you, these wounds seem to be worse. My own and Lan Zhan's were bad, but your lashing tore your back, Yingying." He looked into her eyes, frowning deeply as she turned away.
"I know you're worried, but I'm fine. They'll heal fast if I come here at least one more time, and I come here everyday." She sighed, leaning her head against a rock as her brother began to play with her hair again, humming lightly beside her as they treated their wounds.