Chapter Text
First Week after Nie Huaisang returned to Qinghe
Nie Huaisang rolled his eyes when Wen Zhuliu entered the room. He turned to his brother, sitting by his side. “Da-ge, we’ve talked about those gloves last time.”
Sect Leader Nie nodded. “Yes, we did.”
“Da-ge!” Nie Huaisang huffed “He can’t just wear them all the time!” Wen Zhuliu sat across from him, placing his gloved hands in his lap. This argument flared up during nearly each one of the supervised visits he had with Nie Huaisang.
“He doesn’t! One is taken off during mealtimes and when he bathes,” Sect Leader Nie explained.
Nie Huaisang did not look impressed by that. “And the other one?”
“The guards switch between them!”
“That’s is not the point, and you know it, Da-ge!” To be quite honest, it was oddly nice to see his mate being worried about Wen Zhuliu so, no matter how futile it usually turned out.
Sect Leader Nie scowled. “And you’re completely ignoring the fact that I’m not letting someone with his ability loose in the Sect!”
“How can he prove himself trustworthy if you’re not giving him a chance?! Hasn’t he been a model prisoner for that past week?”
Sect Leader Nie crossed his arms with a grumble. “He has.”
Nie Huaisang stared at him for a moment, then leaned in closer, lowering his voice. “Da-ge, to earn his loyalty we must treat him better than he was treated in Qishan.”
Wen Zhuliu sat up straighter. “Sect Leader Nie treats me much better than Wen Ruohan treats his prisoners,” he said, and they both turned to look at him. “I am not kept in a dungeon and tortured, I am fed regularly, I am allowed access to a window and bathing chambers.”
Sect Leader stared at him with a frown, then cleared his throat. “See? He agrees.”
Nie Huaisang rubbed his brow. “Da-ge, you must realize how low that bar is set.”
Sect Leader uncrossed his arms and gave him another fierce scowl. “Huaisang, you’re asking for a hell of a lot and you know it.”
Nie Huaisang stared back for a moment, lips pursed. Then he looked down, exhaling heavily through his nose. And as usually when seeing that expression, Wen Zhuliu hurried to reassure him.
“I really don’t mind wearing the gloves. I don’t need my hands that much. I spend my time reading those wooden books you’ve lent me, meditating or looking out the window.” Nie Huaisang didn’t look to convinced. “I can even hear your song birds from my room. It really is fine.”
Nie Huaisang stared at him for a moment, still clearly unhappy, but then got a determined look in his eyes. “Would you like to see them?” He stood up, wobbling a bit. Nie Mingjue grabbed his elbow to steady him. “Come on, up. I’ll introduce you.”
“Huaisang.” There was a worried note in Sect Leader’s voice and Wen Zhuliu frowned in confusion. Was there something wrong?
Nie Huaisang patted his brother’s hand. “I’m feeling fine, Da-ge. You come as well, I bet you haven’t been by to see my birds since I’ve returned.” Judging by his stubborn look, there was no point arguing with him. They both stood up, and Sect Leader offered his elbow to Nie Huaisang. He took it with a smile and led the way.
Second Week after Nie Huaisang returned to Qinghe
“Huaisang, no. I am not lessening the restrictions.”
“Da-ge, it’s barely ‘lessening’. It’s just a daily walk. He could go to the gardens or just walk up and down the corridors!”
“The answer is no.”
“He’s already guarded by at least four disciples each time he steps foot outside his room! He’d still be guarded!”
“Huaisang. I know he’s your Alpha, and you mean well, but he’s dangerous.”
“He hasn’t caused a single issue.”
“Because of the restrictions!
“Da-ge. Please.”
A deep sigh. “All right, Huaisang. I’ll think about it, if you can explain to me why you’re so insistent on this matter.”
“Da-ge...”
“Please, didi. Explain it to me. I can tell this is important to you. Help me understand.”
“...okay...” A deep breath. “In Qishan…” A huff and a hand rubbed across a face in frustration. “It really wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been. Sure, they dictated everything, from what I had to wear to where I could go or how much I could eat, but Wen Zhuliu really did his best. He kept me in his rooms as often as he culd, brought me books and entertainment. He even found a nice Omega for me to make friends with so I wouldn’t be too lonely. He did his best.”
“There’s more, though, isn’t there?”
A thick swallow. “We… we were still required to go out. During meal times or… or when Wen Ruohan had a proclamation to give… I saw how other Omegas were treated. So yes, Da-ge, when I say it wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been, I mean it. Wen Zhuliu never slapped me, never kicked me, never belittled me. Never lent me out to others. Never tied me naked to a pole to whip me. He barely even touched me. When we were with others, he always acted as if I was the perfect Omega, demure and obedient and that it wasn’t necessary to punish me for anything because I was perfectly subservient. And I very quickly learned to be like if I wanted to avoid others punishing me.”
A pained wince. “Huaisang...”
A shuddering breath. “The first time I saw an Omega being publicly disciplined, Wen Zhuliu told me not to look away. Because if I didn’t watch, I would be punished as well. And he was right. Within a couple of days, an Omega refused to look and got whipped for it.”
“...fuck...”
“Wen Zhuliu never protested when it was others being mistreated. And I don’t blame him, it was practically everyday routine in Qishan. It was just... normal. It was even becoming normal for me, and it scared me so much.”
“...A-Sang.”
A wet sniffle. “But Wen Zhuliu always protested when it was me. He honestly tried his best to keep me at least physically unharmed.”
“...”
A determined look. “I want him to be treated better than in that place. Much better. I want to normalize our ways to him. That nobody gets beaten for small things, that Omegas are not subservient, that Alphas aren’t automatically better, that Betas aren’t just good as servants. That nobody has to live in fear. I want him to be happy here so that I can be happy with him. I want this baby to grow up in a loving family, in a loving sect that respects all its members.”
“...”
A pleading look, a careful touch. “So please, Da-ge. I need you to at least try to treat Wen Zhuliu better. Please, give him a chance to prove himself as a good Alpha.”
A nod and a sigh. “I’ll try, Huaisang. For you and your child, I’ll try.”
“And you’ll speak with everyone?” A hopeful tone.
“I’ll call a meeting. But Huaisang, you need to understand our perspective as well. Yes, he treated you well for a Wen. Yes, he brought you back home to us. But he also drugged you, raped you and put a baby in you. That’s not something that’s easy to ignore.”
“… I know it looks bad, but it’s not like Wen Zhuliu had a choice. When Wen Ruohan orders something, it’s to be done. The consequences of disobeying are… horrendous. But I don’t want to focus on that. I don’t want us to be stuck in the past, focusing on something bad that neither one of us had much of a choice in. Please speak with them. I don’t want my baby to be seen only as a result of my rape.”
A reassuring hug. “It won’t be. It’s going to be my Heir. Anyone who says anything bad about them is going to get skewered by Baxia.”
A smile. “Thank you, Da-ge.”
Week 8 of Wen Zhuliu being in the Unclean Realm
Wen Chao grinned when the gates to Qinghe Nie started rising. He grinned wider when Nie Mingjue himself stepped outside, dragging a shackled Wen Zhuliu behind him.
“Release our villagers and you can have this piece of shit back!” he called, yanking Wen Zhuliu forward.
Wen Chao grinned, and gestured to his guards. “Release the scum.”
The saluted and obeyed. They unlocked the chains holding the farmers they’d taken hostage after burning that little village near Qinghe. Their stupid children hadn’t stopped crying since, it was so annoying. And killing the loudest brats or most vocal peasants barely helped with the noise.
The people stumbled away and towards the Unclean Realm, carrying the children and elderly to get there faster. Ridiculous waste of effort, dropping them would’ve gotten them to safety much quicker.
The Nie disciples ran outside to help, surrounding the useless peasants and herding them past the gates. Wen Chao grinned at the thought of slaughtering them all. Once Wen Zhuliu was back at their side and free, he was sure to tell them all of Qinghe Nie secret passages and pathways. He had a knack for finding his way around everywhere, and after staying in the Unclean Realm for nearly two months he was sure to know all its secrets.
Once all the simpering peasants were inside, Nie Mingjue unchained Wen Zhuliu’s feet and gave him a push. “Get!” He growled, and Wen Chao bristled at his tone. The Nie bastard always had to look so intimidating, it infuriated him. Let’s see how he looks when he’s forced to watch his bitch of a brother serving Wen Chao on his knees.
He grinned when Wen Zhuliu finally reached them. “To think even you could get taken prisoner! Father had been very disappointed in you, you know.” Disappointed and enraged, but Wen Zhuliu can learn that for himself when they get back.
Wen Zhuliu gave a short bow. “I have heard of Wen Xu’s death. My condolences.”
Wen Chao waved a dispassionate hand. “Yes, yes. But with him gone, Father made me his Second in Command!” A great honor. The powerful position suited him quite well. But he could be gracious as well. “You can be my Second in Command.” There. Even despite his pathetic failure, Wen Chao could still show him some favor.
Wen Zhuliu stared at him. “An honor.”
“Of course!” Wen Chao laughed and stepped closer to pat Wen Zhuliu’s shoulder, to let him know Wen Chao would forgive him for debasing himself by getting captured by the Nie mutts.
Except when his hand made contact, Wen Chao felt Wen Zhuliu’s hand slam into his belly, strong enough to make him gasp. A burning sensation erupted from the touch, wrapping around his golden core and stabbing through his meridians. The burn intensified then there was… nothing.
His golden core was gone.
Wen Chao’s knees buckled and he dropped, staring sightlessly forward. Wen Zhuliu stepped around him, and it suddenly got very loud. Sounds of fighting, of battle, screams and yelps and groans, but it all faded into the background.
His golden core was gone. Father would have him executed, like his younger brother who’d had a weak cultivation and the older brother who’d been a useless Omega.
There was a pair of boots standing in front of him. Wen Chao stared at them, his whole body trembling from the burning pain still coursing through him. One of the boots lifted and pressed against his side, pushing him onto his back.
From this position, Wen Chao could see the owner of the boots, and he felt even more faint.
Nie Mingjue’s expression was one of smug satisfaction. Perhaps he’d show Wen Chao mercy and kill him on the spot. It would be kinder than what his Father would do.
“How valuable is he as a hostage?” Nie Mingjue asked, but it wasn’t directed at him.
“Without his golden core he will be fed to the dogs.” Wen Zhuliu replied, standing nearby. Wen Chao craned his neck to see him, and caught a glimpse of his guards. Or rather what was left of them.
Wen Zhuliu had always been much stronger than regular cultivators. Especially when he used his curse.
Wen Chao turned onto his side and curled up in a miserable ball. Maybe if he closed his eyes, it would all turn out to be a dream. He’d wake up in his bed, with Jiaojiao by his side. He’d have her suck him off, then eat a hearty meal then go about his important duties. His golden core would still be in his abdomen, making him better than the typical peasants inhabiting Qishan.
But then someone grabbed him by the robe, yanking him off the ground roughly, and his hope disappeared like his golden core.