#madam qin
Is the first time Wen Qing receives a petitioner, the Dafan Wen have been living in the Burial Mounds for almost a year now, along with all the other refugees and rogue cultivators that have arrived at the place, there are enough people in the community to actually be called a sect, so she, Meng Yao, and their Yiling Laozu have been working together to formalize it. Is good that Wei Wuxian has such a reputation as a granting wishes demon since most of their first night-hunts requests came that way, so after dealing with a certain number of fierce corpses, vengeful ghosts, and restless souls, the town of Yiling started to acknowledge them as cultivators, and their time as a proper sect began. Is also thanks to that, that Wen Qing and her family were able to start working as healers in town (giving the chance to the old one to finally retire)
Among the multiple hours of paperwork, organization, farming, and healing, the Yiling Laozu keeps granting wishes. It’s really not as divine or demonic as it may seem, is just Wei Wuxian having or inventing a talisman or array for almost everything and accepting any stray that comes wandering to their dark, foggy gates; every now and then others from the sect will let them in Wei Ying’s place, like a few months ago when Meng Yao came in with a young woman and another of Jin Guangshan’s bastards in tow. So it’s not unusual for their members to find someone near the Burial Mound’s shrine, waiting to have an audience with the Yiling Patriarch… like now.
Wen Qing sees a kneeling figure by the entrance of the Burial Mounds, she sighs as she readjusts her weekly purchases, as she comes close though her eyes widen. She wasn’t inside Wen Ruohan’s inner circle for long, but it was enough for her to attend several discussion conferences as her uncle’s head physician, which was sufficient to collect information about every sect leader, their families, and head disciples, and enough to identify Madam Qin despite the cheaper-looking robes. Wen Qing sighs heavily again
“Excuse me” she calls suddenly, the Laoling’s Sect Leader’s Wife doesn’t flinch out of pure grace, even so, Wen Qing notices a paleness to her skin that cannot be healthy… but what the hell is doing someone like her so far away from her home? “I’m sorry, may I help you with something?” she tries to channel her inner Meng Yao to assist the older lady (he is so charming when he wants to be, the fucker)
The woman looks at her for a while before also recognizing her
“Young Lady Wen” she whispers as she bows “We thought Wen Ruohan killed you and your branch” Wen Qing bows back as much as she can
“I was afraid he would, so we left” she answers honestly “Madam Qin, I wasn’t expecting to see you today” or never actually “Is there anything I can do for you?” the woman seems to straighten up
“I have a request for the Yiling Patriarch”
“I see…” Wen Qing nods “Follow me, please” she says as she opens the intricate wards Wei Wuxian put around the Burial Mounds years ago
Inside the ‘village’, she gives the purchases to her younger brother and guides the woman to the Demon Slaughtering Palace, specifically to Wei Wuxian’s office, she knocks three times, the exact amount to indicate she comes with an outsider. The door opens and the Yiling Patriarch is in full get-up, resentful veil and all
“Yiling Laozu” Madam Qin bows “I humbly ask for your aid”
Wei Wuxian exchanges a look with the healer. Granting wishes for years made him develop a weird sixth sense to figure out what people might ask of him, and now he suspects this wish in particular, might be one of those… sensitive content ones
“I hope you don’t mind if Wen Qing stays?“ he asks, his tone soft despite the slight changes thanks to his camouflage spell "Depending on the request I may need her expertise”
Madam Qin tightens her jaw but nods
“I wish to protect my daughter” she says and proceeds to tell her story. Wen Qing is horrified and more so at the fact that it doesn’t surprise her, god knows how many stories like that she heard and treat during her stay in Wen Ruohan’s court at the hands of Wen Chao and Wen Xu, and yet, apparently, Jin Guangshan’s past acts aren’t the worst part “My daughter is 15 years old,” the Madam’s voice trembles “is his daughter, even if he doesn’t know and he-“ her fists are practically white as she takes a deep breath to control herself “He always has this look with her recently in every conference, a predator looking at his prey, I should know since I was subject to that same look fifteen years ago”
Wei Wuxian frowns, anger barely contained to avoid overwhelming the ladies with waves of resentful and spiritual energy. He takes a deep breath
"This is a sanctuary,” he explains the Madam “if you or your daughter are in need of help, the Burial Mounds will always be open for you…” he then lets a smirk take over his face even if it’s hiding behind the veil “But I do have some things that could protect your daughter and have a little of payback, it won’t restore what has been done to you neither bring justice but it can avoid future… incidents, now it’s just about how much you are willing to pay” it has always been interesting to Wei Wuxian, what people is ready to give for their desires, it’s something Wen Qing always scold him for, but that Meng Yao understandably shares with him
Madam Qin’s expression turns stony
“To protect my daughter? Not even all the Jin’s wealth would be enough” she declares “Name your price Yiling Laozu and I shall deliver… whatever it takes”
Sensing her determination, and with several flashbacks of Meng Shi and Mo Ning, Wen Qing and Wei Wuxian exchanged a slightly terrified thought: 'Mothers are scary’
