When he heard this particular insult, Wei Wuxian’s smile suddenly vanished.
“Upbringing?” he echoed. He slowly looked back. “Demonic arts?”
Lan Wangji called to him in a quiet voice. “Wei Ying.”
Jin Zixun and company also noticed the unusual atmosphere. They held their breath as they regarded him. Wei Wuxian flashed a smile.
“You want to know why I don’t carry my sword with me? Sure, I’ll tell you.”
He turned around, and spoke each word slowly and clearly. “It’s because I want you all to know this: Even without using a sword, even just using the ‘demonic ways’ you speak of, I’ll leave you all in the dust. Far, far behind me.”
His declaration stunned everyone present.
Very few clan juniors would dare say something so utterly arrogant, and so publicly. It took a moment for Jin Zixun to regain his senses.
“Wei Wuxian!” he shouted. “You’re nothing but the son of a servant! You’re completely outrageous!”
Hearing this accusation, Lan Wangji’s eyes hardened and Wei Wuxian’s pupils contracted. His hand reached for Chenqing. The air was crackling with explosive tension, ready to blow at a moment’s notice.
But someone suddenly called out, “A-Xian!”
At the sound of that voice, Wei Wuxian’s agitation evaporated. He turned his head. “Shijie?”
Jiang Yanli waved, beckoning him. “A-Xian, come here. Come stand behind me.”
Wei Wuxian was taken aback. Before he could move, Madam Jin quickly tugged on Jiang Yanli’s hand.
“A-Li, don’t involve yourself in their business.”
However, Jiang Yanli only gave Madam Jin an apologetic smile before she walked over to stand in front of Wei Wuxian. She bowed to Jin Zixun and his company.
Neither Jin Zixun nor his group knew how to respond. There were a scattered few who returned the courtesy, and some who didn’t. In a voice both soft and delicate, Jiang Yanli then began to speak.
“Jin-gongzi, your words seem to indicate that you find A-Xian overly impertinent for disregarding the rules and claiming over a third of the prey on Mount Baifeng. I…have never heard of anyone managing to do such a thing, but I’m sure it has caused everyone trouble. I apologize on his behalf.”
She then bowed again, true to her word. It seemed to be a grave and solemn apology.
“Shijie!” Wei Wuxian cried.
Jiang Yanli didn’t straighten up but just gazed at him and imperceptibly shook her head. Wei Wuxian could only clench his fists tight and not speak another word.
Jin Zixuan watched this from afar with a complicated expression. In contrast, Jin Zixun and the others didn’t hide the pleasure on their faces at all. They were elated at this turn of events.
Jin Zixun laughed aloud. “Miss Jiang is truly well mannered and sensible. Your shidi’s actions were certainly greatly inappropriate and certainly caused great trouble. But since you’re aware of that, for Miss Jiang and Sect Leader Jiang’s sakes, we won’t require an apology. The Jiang Clan of Yunmeng and the Jin Clan of Lanling have always been like brothers, am I right?”
All the little speech lacked was for him to start cackling at the end. Wei Wuxian’s rage was peaking, knuckles cracking from how hard his fists were clenched. Just as he was about to speak, Jiang Yanli straightened from her bow.
“However, even though I’ve never participated in a Siege Hunt, there is one thing I do know,” she said seriously. “Since ancient times, there has never been a rule that forbids a participant from hunting too much.”
Those smug smiles froze before they could fade.
“So,” Jiang Yanli continued, “you said A-Xian disregarded the rules. Might I ask which rule it was?”
This time, it was Wei Wuxian’s turn to laugh out loud.
Jin Zixun’s face turned dark, but he did not rebuke her. There were two reasons why: one, he had never seen Jiang Yanli speak out before, so he couldn’t determine how much would be too much. Both Madam Jin and Jiang Cheng regarded Jiang Yanli extremely highly, so he didn’t dare cause offense.
And two, if they really did officially pursue the matter—there really was no such rule!
Just then, someone in the crowd couldn’t hold back any longer. At times like these, Sect Leader Yao was always the first to nitpick.
“Well, actually, Miss Jiang, you’re wrong to say that. Some rules might not be written, but everyone knows and follows them.”
“How much prey is there to begin with on Mount Baifeng?” someone complained. “Around five hundred specimens? And how many Siege Hunt participants? Over five thousand! It’s already a fierce competition, and he’s stolen so much prey with his underhanded methods. Where does that leave the rest of us?”
Wei Wuxian sneered. He was about to speak when Jiang Yanli stopped him.
“Don’t say anything, okay?” she said under her breath.
Another voice of discontent spoke up. “Yeah, otherwise I would’ve actually caught something by now!”
“But…it’s not his fault that others can’t catch anything,” Jiang Yanli noted.
That man was stumped.
“Aren’t Siege Hunts meant to be a test of strength?” Jiang Yanli continued. “Even if there are no more ghosts to be caught, aren’t there still yao and monsters left? Even if he hadn’t claimed a third of the prey—in fact, even if he hadn’t participated in the Siege Hunt at all—those who lack skill at hunting would have still failed. A-Xian used a different method from the rest of you, but it’s still a skill he cultivated on his own. You can’t write it off as ‘demonic’ just because he claimed a third of the prey that others were never going to capture to begin with.”
Those who joined in Jin Zixun’s uproar all looked equally upset, but they were mindful of Jiang Yanli’s status and didn’t dare to rebuke her directly.
“Besides, Siege Hunts are Siege Hunts. Why bring up family upbringing?” Jiang Yanli added. “A-Xian is a disciple of the Jiang Clan of Yunmeng. He has grown up with my brother and I. We are as close as real siblings. To so bluntly call him the son of a servant—forgive me, but I cannot accept it. So…”
She straightened her frail back and raised her voice. “I hope Jin Zixun-gongzi will apologize to Wei Wuxian of the Jiang Clan of Yunmeng!”
If it had been anyone but Jiang Yanli who’d said this, Jin Zixun probably would’ve hit them by now. His face was dark, and he was deeply silent. Jiang Yanli also only stared at him, equally silent. Her gaze did not waver for even a moment.
Madam Jin finally spoke up. “A-Li, what are you being so serious for? It’s just a small matter, don’t be mad now, hmm?”
“Madam, A-Xian is my little brother,” Jiang Yanli said quietly. “When others insult him, it is no small matter to me.”
Madam Jin shot Jin Zixun a look and sneered. “Zixun, you hear that?”
“Bomu!” Jin Zixun protested.
Him, apologize to Wei Wuxian? Absolutely not! But of course, Madam Jin knew his character. The situation was already an unhappy one, and she grew all the more irritated thinking about the fit Jin Zixun would throw once he apologized and returned to Golden Carp Tower. How she wished she could just press him to the ground by his neck and make him apologize to put an end to all this…!
Just then, two more streaks of sword light flew overhead—Jin Guangyao and Lan Xichen had arrived.
“Xiongzhang,” Lan Wangji greeted.
Lan Xichen was surprised. “Wangji, why are you here too?”
Jin Guangyao addressed the crowd. “Everyone, what happened here?”
With his arrival, the fury that suffocated Jin Zixun and Madam Jin suddenly found a target to vent at. The moment Jin Guangyao landed, Madam Jin yelled at him.
“What are you smiling for?! Look at this mess! And you’re still smiling! What a Siege Hunt you’ve organized… You trash!”
Jin Guangyao, who always wore that smile, could never have predicted he’d receive such a tongue-lashing the moment he arrived. He quickly tucked away his smile and humbled himself before her, as was proper.
“Mother, what happened?” he asked.
Madam Jin narrowed her eyes. “Can’t you see for yourself? Aren’t you an expert at reading the room?”
Jin Guangyao remained silent, and Jin Zixun continued the torrent of abuse.
“A third of the prey on Mount Baifeng is gone, so what are the five thousand people here gonna hunt?!”
He’d seized this chance to muddle past apologizing to Wei Wuxian, but just as he was going to continue his rant, Lan Xichen intervened.
“Lianfang-zun has already arranged for the enlargement of the hunting grounds. I pray everyone will remain calm.”
Zewu-jun had spoken. Jin Zixun knew saying anything else would be inappropriate; he could vent his anger on Jin Guangyao no further. He hurled his bow and arrow to the ground and sneered.
“This Siege Hunt is a farce! Forget it. It doesn’t matter if I participate. I withdraw!”