Jiang Yanli accepted the documents from the disciple and began to look them over. Most of them were written in sloppy calligraphy, but a few were in a rushed cursive she recognized. A-Xian's notes were clearly being used as a reference. Including some that he had obviously discarded. Obvious to her, because she recognized the dismissive scribbles he always put at the end of a note that he dropped. Jiang Yanli had spent years helping him gather his notes and tidy them away so her mother wouldn't get angry with him for making a mess. Long enough that she could identify something he was working on and something that could be discarded.

Still, A-Xian's notes made up only a tiny fraction of the pile. Most of it was in the same sloppy script, Jiang Yanli guessed Xue Yang's writing. It was mostly results of experiments, ideas to test out, and a few notes that read like morbid day dreams. The author seemed deeply amused by the suffering of others, and seemed to be vengeful of even minor slights. There were also a few notes written in a neat clerical script. Clearly meant to be read and referenced. The notes on the soul-transferring mirror was one such example.

Jiang Yanli turned behind her. The YunmengJiang disciples sat with their heads held high. Furious, proud, and trusting Jiang Yanli to lead them. Jiang Yanli smiled faintly, grateful for their faith in her. She turned towards the seniors who had accompanied them.

"Jiang Xien," Jiang Yanli called softly. He was a distant cousin and several decades her senior. His hair was more silver than black and his eyes were gentle when they settled on her. "I would like to hear your opinion regarding the context of these documents."

"Of course Sect Leader Jiang," Jiang Xien replied, bowing his head respectfully. He rose to his feet and stepped around his own table before kneeling beside hers.

Jiang Yanli watched as he read through the documents, sorting them into piles. Three piles sorted by author. Jiang Xien's expression darkened as he read. There was more in the pile of evidence than Luo Qingyang shared. Including a notebook, written in the same tidy clerical script as the notes on the soul-transferring mirror. Jiang Yanli had read very little of the notebook. It started with details of the containment used to restrain A-Xian. From there it appeared to be a careful record. When food was provided. What drugs and in what quantities were in the food. How much of the food was consumed. It also detailed Nuan-er's treatment. When medication had last been provided. How severe her symptoms were by day. How well A-Xian complied to their requests in exchange for treatment for Nuan-er.

Jiang Yanli hadn't needed to read any more than that. Jiang Xien read further, and Jiang Yanli noticed the furry and disgust growing as he did. Eventually, Jiang Xien set the book down. He took a deep meditative breath before bowing to Jiang Yanli respectfully.

"These documents appear to be from three authors. There are notes belonging to Wei Wuxian that are clearly being used as reference material. They are mostly related to talismans. Most prolifically are the notes written by the second author. This person has received enough instruction to be able to write, but clearly never had the tutelage of a skilled calligraphy instructor. This second author is clearly the primary researcher experimenting with resentful energy directly. All the incidents mentioned by Luo-guniang are present, as well as many others not mentioned.

"The third author appears to be the person directly supervising the experimentation. They refer to Xue Changmei as the person doing most of the experimentation and research. I would infer that Xue Changmei is likely the courtesy name of Xue Yang, although I supposed it could be a relative. The third author has recorded in great detail the detainment and torture of Wei Wuxian and his daughter. There are also notes stating that Sect Leader Jin received updates, and that he was displeased with their progress on recreating the Yin Hufu. This is sighted as the reason more and more often in later dates as the reason new things were being attempted to force Wei Wuxian's cooperation." Jiang Xien spoke with a grave expression, fury flashing behind his eyes. Jiang Yanli nodded in acknowledgement.

"Would your assessment agree then that the evidence supports that Wei Wuxian was kidnapped and imprisoned by the LanlingJin sect, on Sect Leader Jin's orders? With the express purpose of forcing him to teach them cultivation techniques he had invented?" Jiang Yanli asked quietly.

"It would, Sect Leader Jiang." Jiang Xien replied.

"Thank you for assistance in assessing the evidence." Jiang Yanli said in a polite dismissal.

Jiang Xien bowed to her again, then returned to his seat. Jiang Yanli took a deep breath, then turned to the gathered cultivators, waiting eagerly to hear what she had to say about the evidence provided.

"I have reviewed the documents provided by Luo Qingyang, and asked for the assessment of said documents by one of my senior disciples. The evidence supports what Luo Qingyang has shared with us, and more. In fact, the evidence supports that A-Xian, Wei Wuxian, head disciple of the YunmengJiang sect, and his daughter were kidnapped under Sect Leader Jin's orders. They were imprisoned and tortured in order to force Wei Wuxian to teach them cultivation techniques that the YunmengJiang sect would consider clan secrets. Also, on Sect Leader Jin's orders." Jiang Yanli stated clearly, looking up at where Jin Guangshan was fanning himself with narrowed eyes.

"Slander." Jin Guangshan cried. "Why would I do such a thing? Wei Wuxian clearly came here of his own volition on the attack. He attacked everyone here, YunmengJiang included. He murdered Sect Leader Jiang, in front of witnesses, but now suddenly there is evidence of him being captive? This is clearly nonsense that has been manufactured to obfuscate the truth and shield Wei Wuxian from his crimes."

"Actually Sect Leader Jin, it is not only the documents provided to me and Luo Qingyang's testimony that convince me of the evidence's validity." Jiang Yanli cut in immediately before Jin Guangshan could begin to rally support. "You see. I too was present when A-Cheng died. One of the witnesses. And I believe it is not an exaggeration to say that there was no witness there who knew Wei Wuxian better than I."

Her voice shook slightly when she spoke of A-Cheng. Jiang Yanli shouldn't have had to be doing this now. She should be allowed to mourn her little brother properly. But, A-Xian needed her and she was not going to lose two little brothers in as many days.

"When I saw them fighting I noticed immediately that there was something strange about A-Xian's behaviour. The way he spoke was off. Although it was his voice, it did not sound like him. When I called out to him, he didn't react at all. At the time, the conclusion I reached was that he was possessed. It seems I was correct, though not quite in the way I expected to be. After A-Cheng fell, there was a dramatic change in A-Xian's behaviour. I understand now, that this would be the moment when Luo Qingyang and A-Xian successfully reversed the array. A-Xian was returned to his body, where he immediately strove to protect others to his own detriment. He was, unfortunately, too late to save A-Cheng, but there are many in this room that only made it off that mountain thanks to him. The blame for those who died I believe falls on the hands of those directly responsible. So I ask the gathered Sect Leaders to support me as I demand justice for both of my brothers, and in turn I will support you in receiving rightful reparations from the LanlingJin sect." Jiang Yanli said as she bowed to the gathered sect leaders. Tears stung her eyes, and she could feel a few slip free when she bowed.

"The GusuLan sect will support Sect Leader Jiang in her pursuit of justice. The actions taken by the LanlingJin sect are in direct opposition to the peace we have all fought for." Lan Xichen announced clearly.

"As do the Nie." Nie Mingjue thundered.

Jiang Yanli didn't smile, but she felt the relief sweep through her. With three of the great sects siding together against one, the minor sects quickly rushed to add their support. Very few held out at all, only those with the closest ties to the Jin remaining quiet as they carefully weighed their choices.

"Jin Guangshan, what do you have to say for yourself." Nie Mingjue demanded.

Jiang Yanli did not especially want to hear what Jin Guangshan had to say. He had no reason to tell the truth, and every reason to lie. He had been targeting A-Xian before the spoils of war had even been divided. Yet, asking for justice was a rather imprecise request. Jiang Yanli had never needed to negotiate reparations before. Which is almost certainly what this would turn into, but only after Jin Guangshan had tried to shove the blame onto someone else.

"Sect Leader Nie, I am as shocked as you to hear the accusations being levelled against me. I knew nothing of Wei Wuxian's whereabouts, and believed him to have attacked Baifeng mountain without provocation. Witnesses said Wei Wuxian had been the one to kill Sect Leader Jiang, and I trusted these witnesses. It did not occur to me that something as preposterous as soul-transferring to be at play." Jin Guangshan said, as though deeply wounded.

"Xue Yang is a disciple of the LanlingJin sect. He told me himself that he had been ordered by your son Jin Guangyao, on your behalf, to carry out experiments with resentful energy and learn how to recreate all of Wei Wuxian's work." Qingyang interrupted, without a scrap of shame.

Jiang Yanli's heart swelled with affection and pride. Qingyang had allowed no one to stop her from bringing this evidence to bear. She had gone as far as to defect from her own sect publicly. All for the sake of the truth. Jiang Yanli had asked for her help in finding A-Xian, and Qingyang had gone so much further than that.

"So he is the one intent on framing me? Claiming to carry out orders in my name?" Jin Guangshan cried in outrage. Jin Guangshan quickly looked left and right as though hastily searching for something. "Where is he? Where has the bastard gone? I welcomed him into my home out of the goodness of my own heart! Yet he sees fit to betray me by doing such dishonourable things behind my back!"

Jiang Yanli frowned as the room exploded into noise. Jin Guangshan's outraged cries blamed Jin Guangyao for everything. He quickly moved from calling him by name, to calling him 'Bastard' and worse things. Minor sect leaders challenged these claims and supported him in a back and forth too loud and chaotic for Jiang Yanli to track whether or not Jin Guangshan was successfully convincing the majority or not.

Jiang Yanli sat quietly in the flood of noise, waiting for it to be quiet enough that she could actually speak. She sipped her tea and waited, wishing she could be somewhere else. At A-Cheng's side, watching over him as his family until he could be buried properly. At A-Xian's side. Comforting him in their shared grief and ensuring he ate properly to recover from what had happened. She wondered how Nuan-er was doing. Was she still suffering from the ear infection that the Jin had refused to treat unless A-Xian cooperated? Jiang Yanli wished she could see them both.

It was a coincidence that Jiang Yanli had been looking in Madam Jin's direction when a servant came and handed something to her. Jiang Yanli simply hadn't wished to look at Jin Guangshan any longer. Madam Jin had been scowling quietly at Jin Guangshan, but otherwise had remained silent during the current back and forth. Jiang Yanli watched her open a letter and read through it. Madam Jin's expression grew thunderous. In a motion nearly too fast for Jiang Yanli to follow Madam Jin surged to her feet, turned to Jin Guangshan, and slapped him so hard that Jiang Yanli could hear the crack of it clearly over the crowd of cultivators.

The cultivators fell immediately silent. All Jiang Yanli could hear was the pounding of her heart in the abrupt quiet. Jin Guangshan was wide eyed with shock, blinking up at his wife like he had never seen her before. Jiang Yanli could already see the bright red shape of a hand print blooming across his cheek. Madam Jin stood tall and furious, looming menacingly over her husband.

"You have embarrassed us enough, husband." She hissed the word like it was the foulest of insults. Without another word she made several quick jabs at points on her husband's chest. It was only as a brief flash of her spiritual energy painted a line down Jin Guangshan's chest, that Jiang Yanli realized Madam Jin had just locked his spiritual energy. Madam Jin turned toward the side of the room and motioned several cultivators in Jin gold to step forward. "Jin Guangshan is to be confined to his quarter's immediately pending trial. I want guards inside and out. Jin Guangyao," Madam Jin's expression twisted unpleasantly as she said the name, "Is to be found and detained."

"What do you think you are doing!" Jin Guangshan finally recovered from his shock. "I am the Sect Leader!"

Madam Jin eyed him coolly before she turned her gaze toward the Jin elder's that were in attendance. None of them spoke out against Madam Jin's actions. One particularly furious looking elder narrowed his eyes at Jin Guangshan. The elder's spiritual energy surged with his fury, burning the paper he'd been holding to ash in his hands. He turned deliberately towards Madam Jin and bowed with formal precision.

"The Elder Council of the LanlingJin sect recognizes Madam Jin as Regent for her son Jin Zixuan. Therefore she is acting Sect Leader of LanlingJin and possesses the authority to hold trials, punish criminals, and negotiate reparations on behalf of the LanlingJin sect." The elder stated crisply.

Jin Guangshan was escorted from the room, his muffled shouts continuing through the walls until they finally faded away. Madam Jin turned to the gathered cultivators a regal tilt to her chin and a severe gleam in her eyes. For a moment Jiang Yanli was reminded, painfully, of her own mother. The two had been sworn sisters since they were young. They were similar in how they held themselves, although there was a certain sharpness missing from Madam Jin's expression.

"On behalf of the LanlingJin sect I apologize to the gathered cultivators for our negligence. Please know that the actions of Jin Guangshan, Jin Guangyao and any co-conspirators will not go unpunished. I will be meeting individually with the sect leaders of the affected sects to discuss reparations. Until that time please enjoy your accommodations. If you wish to depart Koi tower and meet at a later date, please inform the servants assigned to your quarters." Madam Jin stated formally. "Sect Leader Jiang and Sect Leader Lan. Please join me. As the two sects most affected, I would like to address reparations with you first."

Jiang Yanli moved automatically. She brought two senior disciples with her as she was led to a meeting room. She took her seat automatically and watched as Lan Xichen entered the room, followed by Wei Qing and another Lan that Jiang Yanli didn't know. They were brought tea while they waited. Madam Jin could not immediately attend them. She needed to confirm the arrangements for the confinement of her husband. Presumably she also needed to make arrangements for Xue Yang and begin a formal search of Koi Tower for Jin Guangyao. Jiang Yanli didn't know when the man had left the hall, but Jiang Yanli assumed that he must have realized there was too much evidence for him to escape blame. He must have known his father would intend to place all the blame on him, and so decided to make his escape once he realized he would not be able to push that blame onto Wei Wuxian.

"Sect Leader Lan, Wei Qing, if I may... How are A-Xian and Nuan-er doing?" Jiang Yanli asked softly. It felt odd. She was used to speaking with Wei Qing as a friend. Even Lan Xichen, if not a friend then at least someone she spoke to in a more familiar manner. Yet, they were still in Koi Tower, in a meeting room intended for official sect business. It left Jiang Yanli feeling awkward and uncertain of how she should speak exactly.

"They've been through a lot." Wei Qing started carefully. "We don't know exactly what was done to them while they were being held. I'm hopeful they will recover, but I am worried about damage from the mistreatment of Nuan-er's ear infection. Wei Wuxian wasn't conscious when we left this morning, but he woke for long enough last night to eat some food and take medicine. Those are good things, but he seemed to be suffering from some short term memory loss. It might just have been because of being disoriented at the time, but it sounds like he was being drugged while he was imprisoned and without knowing what was given to him I'm going to have to be cautious about what I administer to him."

Jiang Yanli felt her worry spike. She desperately wanted to see how they were doing, but she couldn't simply leave to go check on them. She was a Sect Leader now, not just a sister. Her first task was to make sure A-Xian was safe from any further external threats. Then, perhaps, she could help take care of him. If only for a little while. Jiang Yanli paused as she realized there might actually be something she could offer now that would be helpful. She took the notebook from the pile of evidence and passed it across to Wei Qing.

"This was with the documents Qingyang gave me. Perhaps it will help you treat them." Jiang Yanli's voice lifted up, making the statement more of a question than she had intended it to be.

Wei Qing received the notebook curiously only to shudder once she opened it. Wei Qing closed her eyes, taking a few deep steadying breaths. Lan Xichen watched her anxiously, his hand gently resting on her back. Wei Qing gave him a small smile and shook her head.

"Sorry, it's... Jin Guangyao had similar books in the Flame Palace." Wei Qing said, her face twisting with disgust.

Before Jiang Yanli could say anything to that, the door opened. Madam Jin entered the room followed by Jin Zixuan and several cultivators. She greeted them politely, but swiftly. She took her seat, with Jin Zixuan beside her. Several of the cultivators sat. One brought out paper and writing materials, beginning to grind ink before anyone even spoke. Most likely a scribe then, which made sense given the situation. Another was taking out several scroll and books, appearing to be preparing to review them if necessary. The last to sit was an elder with silver grey hair. The only others in the room were two guards at the door and a few servants who bustled about, ensuring everyone had tea before they stepped to the side to wait until needed.

"Apologies for the delay. I would like to begin with an assessment of damages. I understand Wei Wuxian has not yet married into the GusuLan sect, but that he is already confirmed as the cultivation partner of Hanguang-jun. Since this makes this an offence committed against both the YunmengJiang sect and the GusuLan main family, I thought it appropriate to have both parties present for the discussion. Is this acceptable to you both?" Madam Jin asked, back straight and voice firm.

"This is acceptable to YunmengJiang. A-Xian has not yet married out officially, but he has already been living with Hanguang-jun and they have already adopted children together. War makes the arranging of these things complicated." Jiang Yanli nodded her head agreeably. Lan Xichen's expression softened. He traded a few quiet looks with Wei Qing before he turned to Madam Jin.

"The Lan clan and Wei clan also find this acceptable." Lan Xichen replied formally.

"Xue Yang and Jin Guangshan are both currently in custody. Jin Guangyao appears to have fled during the conference. We are searching Koi tower for him presently and I intend to continue the search. I am prepared to have all three men executed for their crimes. Not just the matter of kidnapping, murder of an allied sect leader, and the attack on Baifeng mountain which could be seen as an attempt to incite war. These actions and more that I have been made aware of are also actions to the detriment of the LanlingJin sect, and therefore they are an act of treason. In the LanlingJin sect the punishment for such crimes are death. As such I consider their execution a consequence of their actions against the LanlingJin sect and not an act of reparation towards the other parties affected by their crimes." Madam Jin stated regally. She took a sip of her tea, set it down, and faced themselves not unlike a woman preparing for war. "If you are both prepared to do so. I would like to commence negotiations for recompense now."

Notes:

Jiāng Xīēn 江溪恩