#so easy to take madam yu's word about things because she's the only one talking

[whetstonefires]

#4 please !

Now see this could be tricky, because generally if I don't get some key elements written down very quickly the idea flows away again and the 'yet' disappears, even if I remember generally what it was about, but I have one this time! I am still just enough plagued by this vision that it's not out of the question I'll go for the capture, but so far nada.

Idea was basically a Jiang family character study by way of modern au. (So tw canonical abuse.) I started from the reflection, in a modern au very high chance the Jiangs are divorced, because being a divorcee wouldn't necessarily ruin Yu Ziyuan in the modern world, as long as she was allowed to control the narrative enough that she didn’t look at fault, so it might be on the table.

Especially because modern views on child abuse are such that while she'd hold back more than she already does in terms of physical chastisement, Jiang Fengmian would also be under less societal pressure to not interfere in her disciplinary system too much, and both these factors mean he’s more likely to put his foot down.

So, concept: Jiang Fengmian, when his son is eight and his daughter thirteen, forces the issue of taking in his best friends' abused orphan child whom he’s just managed to track down in a nightmarish group home, probably leveraging the fact that wherever their money comes from it's mostly his, something he usually doesn't do, but she has always known he could, and been fucked up about it (reasonable) and hated him a little (less so) and hates him so much more now (understandable but still fucked up).

They were obviously still both pressured into this marriage by their families, because I literally cannot imagine them choosing one another of their own free will, and if they did that would be an au in an even more dramatic way than being modern, and no longer work as a character or relationship study as far as I'm concerned. I mean or it’s a cql-based au, but that’s not the version of this toxic marriage I find compelling.

Situation subsequently deteriorates to the point that when the boys are around twelve some outside party observes and is repulsed or otherwise upset by Yu Ziyuan's treatment of Wei Wuxian specifically--she's emotionally abusive to everyone in the family, canonically, and it harms Jiang Cheng significantly more than Wei Wuxian, which I think is also pretty explicit on the page, but she's more openly antagonistic about going after wwx because he's basically a proxy for her husband, whom she doesn't consider to be someone she's capable of harming.

And ofc in a modern family scenario, being abusive to your foster kid is more plainly personal misconduct than being unfair in how you discipline one of your husband's many students, even if it is his favorite. Which means she's very unlikely to chase him around with a whip, but whatever she does do will sting that much more emotionally.

Anyway the outside judgement provokes a more explicit confrontation than the last four years of maneuver and attempting to balance all the competing needs according to two very different standards. And the upshot is that by the time wwx is 13, the Jiangs are divorced. To avoid making a humiliating spectacle of themselves they present a weirdly united front in court and have a very smooth uncontested proceding, although the closed meetings with their respective lawyers involved a lot of vitriol.

Yu Ziyuan, despite having a smallish trust fund and probably a job of some kind, though one that's more prestigious than profitable like uh. Olympic fencing coach. Idk what they make but it's probably not enormous. She and Cangse Sanren probably competed in the same events back in the day.

Anyway she gets a solid chunk of alimony, the house, and primary custody of both her children, although Jiang Yanli is almost 18 at this point so mostly she just gets Jiang Cheng. Everyone thinks Jiang Cheng wants it that way, including sort of Jiang Cheng; he has this idea that if he has his mom to himself they'll finally have a good relationship, even though he's also terrified of being left all alone with her. He's complicated. Families are complicated.

Also she would never have forgiven him if he hadn't concurred that he wanted to stay with his mother because she was the only one On His Side.

Jiang Yanli ofc does not move out right away when she comes of age, in part because her brother needs her, but she probably does go to college, so she's only around part-time.

Jiang Fengmian, meanwhile, keeps most of his financial assets and Wei Wuxian, and gets his kids on the weekends.

So that's all setup for how you have this situation where Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng are entering high school--probably the same school, together, but no longer sharing the commute except maybe Monday mornings--and Wei Wuxian's primary residence is Jiang Cheng's dad's apartment.

It’s really chill. They get a cleaning service in once a week and eat a lot of delivery food, but they do cook at least once a week. The canonical thing where they largely agree about what’s funny and what’s right-or-wrong, and so forth, on the one hand really pops when there’s mostly no external conflict disrupting it, but also probably gains more complexity now that it’s not a thread of positivity fighting for its life against a background of drama. They get to know each other better than they ever had a chance to in canon.

Some of that isn't all that positive, because now they have the space to discover the places where they do actually have the capacity for friction, but both of them are very good at dispersing tension (I do tend to suspect jfm's dad was abusive he sure acts like it), and on the whole it's a good thing.

Jiang Cheng is going to have such a mental health crisis, and Jiang Fengmian is going to handle it so badly. Because of course when his son starts replicating his ex-wife's toxic attitudes and behaviors more now that she has primary custody, he’s going to feel guilty and like it’s His Fault, but he’s going to feel like it’s his fault that Jiang Cheng is growing up to be a shitty abusive person.

And even if he’d never say that the subtext would come through, in the assumptions he made when framing communications and so forth, as in canon, so the thing where Jiang Cheng’s father loves Wei Wuxian more than him, or at any rate likes him better and thinks he’s a better person and prefers his company, would wind up feeding into a self-reinforcing loop.

(Jin Zixuan's nasty public remark about Jiang Fengmian treating Wei Wuxian better than his own children hits Jiang Cheng significantly harder in this scenario, where he's being Tormented by the feeling that all his peers know his dad walked out on him for another son. Wei Wuxian's punch is therefore even more clearly primarily for Jiang Cheng's sake, although Jiang Cheng is probably more inclined to see it as being for his dad's. Jin Zixuan is about halfway between the Jiang kids' ages here, so he's a senior saying this shit to a sophomore.)

So that cycle builds to the point where Jiang Cheng would eventually have one of those rare moments where he resorts to actual violence, because his poisoned feelings are choking him so bad his rationality deserts him.

He’s not going to be nearly as close to actually murdering Wei Wuxian as he was in canon the night the Jiang Sect was massacred, because it’s a less extreme situation, but he still goes for the neck. So Jiang Fengmian is in his home office one Saturday about a year and a half into this new normal, and realizes the boys are fighting. He hears through the wall the accusation you stole my dad. He says to himself, well that’s terrible but interjecting myself into this situation would definitely make it worse.

Then he hears sounds of violence, and then an ominous abrupt silence, and updates that analysis.

And when he opens the door to the boys’ room, Wei Wuxian is being strangled. He’s not really resisting, which is because he’s made the call that that’s way more likely to get Jiang Cheng to snap out of it, and thinks it might make Jiang Cheng feel better to get it out of his system (because he does sort of feel like what Jiang Cheng is going through is all his fault, or at any rate is much worse as a result of decisions made for his sake) and is severely underestimating the dangers of choking, but looks to a third party like he’s already passed out and Jiang Cheng is still at it. Which is to say, it looks like a serious murder attempt on the brink of success.

So that sure made that situation worse!

So yeah that's my idea that I probably won't write but it sure has its teeth in me.

[ghcstchild-a]

Addressing Wei Ying’ lack of self respect, self preservation and braincells. 

It’s honestly just tragic how he completely misses out on the most obvious things, like Lan Wangji being in love with him, not because he’s dense but because not a single part of his mind can even remotely fathom that he can be loved. The very possibility of it eludes him. 

WWX has been taught to see himself as something innately wrong and disposable, and the courtesy for this goes mostly to Madam Yu. There are a few major factors at play here:

• She punished him a lot as a child, for... behaving like a child, even though his antics are often annoying and it's hard to blame her for that. It's quick to form the belief of 'being myself is punishable' = 'something is wrong with me'. The idea is strengthened at Cloud Recess for obvious reasons.

• She treated him with open hatred. The last words he's heard from the only mother figure he was allowed to have were literally those of hate. Jiang Fengmian's kindness paired with absolute lack of involvement where it mattered also played its part: he made his wife angrier by doting on some other woman's son, he pushed his own son away, essentially wrecking the relationship between brothers from the start because it really hurts when your own dad chooses some random kid over you (and the one who has to deal with this mess is WWX himself, he takes the responsibility to comfort and reassure Jiang Cheng, while it shouldn't even be his job). Besides, it never occurred to the Jiangs that fighting in front of the kids while actively involving said kids into the whole mess is a terrible idea.

• WWX's parents are a forbidden topic at home. He knows virtually nothing about them, and whenever his mother is mentioned it only causes more rage on Madam Yu's part and more dirty rumors regarding his origins. This part is probably the worst factor on the list, as it serves the idea that something has been wrong with him from the start, it's in the way he was born. He doesn't remember his parents, others badmouthing them is the only information he can get.

• Wei Ying sees his life as a debt to be repaid, precisely because of the aforementioned factors: he is an inconvenience, someone not worth mentioning, someone who is forced to feel ashamed for all the praise he gets. The idea of having his arm chopped off for the sake of the clan doesn't even bother him much, the acceptance of it comes so easily, so naturally to him. That's why Madam Yu's words about the whole 'protect them even if you have to die for it' thing bring the same easy acceptance, it's something that's already existed in his mind for a while, something he's used to. He genuinely believes that this is how it's supposed to be.

• If something bad happens, he's the one to blame. Somehow it's his fault that the Wen clan decided to destroy Lotus Pier. Somehow it's his fault that Jiang Yanli decided to shove him out of the way and save him from a sword. But he too believes that it was, indeed, his fault.

Now to top it off, the only person who's ever treated him with actual kindness and warmth is Jiang Yanli. Jiang Cheng loved him, but his temperament got the best of him quite often, and the envy Jiang Fengmian planted between them has always been there, eventually exploding and leading to the Burial Mounds siege. Lan Wangji kept pushing him away, but guess what? Wei Wuxian is okay with this BECAUSE that's... love language at home? He was raised to believe that this is exactly how he's supposed to be treated – as an annoying inconvenience that matters less than anyone else, hence his self-sacrificing habits.

And taking his certain... bedtime preferences into consideration, they also originate from the same root. I won't delve deep into this mess for now because that's a whole other level of messed up (incense burner trauma, you know what I'm talking about, and if you don't – it's better if you never find out), but someday I might explore this part of WWX too because well, it's very much there.

TL;DR: WWX is used to being mistreated and perceived to matter less than anyone else due to his upbringing.

[plan-d-to-i]

(google translate again, yeah)

(I forgot to thank you for the last answer, I really didn't know that the drama used the music of my compatriot, it was a pleasant surprise for me)

I don't know if anyone has asked you this before, but do you think JC was good with WWX as a kid?

I mean not just their childhood, but the time of their training in Gusu.

I really love JC, and I understand perfectly well that he is the most dick in character, but I love him precisely during my studies at Gusu, I can not give any arguments that then JC was directly GOOD to WWX, but he is clearly cared a little about him and even ... worried? at least that moment after the punishment where JC helped WWX get to the room...

Yay - I'm so happy to hear about Stravinsky :)

Hahah loving jc as the dick that he is is the way to do it! go for it. :) also, sorry this was so delayed I wanted to reread the Cloud Recesses arc so it would be fresh in my mind before answering.

In terms of jc the Cloud Recesses arc is perhaps the most 'mellow' we see him aside from the Lotus Pod Extra but for me it's still impossible to find him a worthwhile person. I can already see the faults in his character that I know will only get worse as he grows older. Canonically I don't see how he would have any friends studying in the Cloud Recesses if he didn't come as a package deal w Wei Wuxian. I mean I doubt jiang cheng would have any friends without WWX period. In fact jiang cheng doesn't make any friends over the course of 13 years. He's also unable to find a wife bc of his temperament and behavior...

What we can glean about their relationship in the Cloud Recesses arc (and even the Lotus Pod Extra) is that any time WWX gets a kind word or understanding from someone, jiang cheng scoffs at it. Any time someone shits on WWX, jc is there to agree, to relish the idea of WWX being punished, and shit on him some more. He would be an immensely exhausting person to be around. He doesnt believe in WWX's ideas and ingenuity, (as NHS does for example), he doesn't believe WWX is hurt, he always assumes the worst of him, he doesn't believe LWJ might like WWX. The only thing he ever seems to believe is that WWX will dishonor YunmengJiang and that WWX should be punished. So for a kid who supposedly wants his father's approval so badly he instead constantly acts like his mother's mouthpiece/minion. He reprimands WWX like he's trying to become Madam Yu 2.0. I see jc stans all the time being like oh he had to keep WWX in check bc WWX was such a lOOooose canon, for the good of the Clan!! lol listen JFM didn't give a f...about WWX's behavior (in his letter to LQR) why are you so concerned? JFM would have preferred for jc to try & save his peers in the Xuanwu cave or at least to understand why that was the correct course of action rather than for him to just sit in front of the class in the Cloud Recesses and tell WWX off for giving LQR as good as he got, while actually still breaking the rules himself but eschewing punishment.

salt up here, quotes below :

Even when Nie Huaisang picks up on the fact that WWX is being treated unfairly by LQR, jc dismisses it and piles on WWX instead.

Nie Huaisang said, “Old Man Lan really seems like he’s coming down especially harshly on you. Every time he reprimands someone, it’s always you.” Jiang Cheng grunted. “He deserves it. What kind of answer was that? He can get away with saying that sort of nonsense at home, but he had the nerve to say it to Lan Qiren’s face. He was practically asking for the old man to kill him!”

But does WWX get away with ANYTHING in Lotus Pier? When we know he is punished constantly for EVERYTHING? This is jiang cheng fully being his mother's mouth piece. It's not something WWX would get away with, it's something jc knows JFM wouldn't mind. Which is why he's so pissed off. Which begs the question if JFM would not be upset with WWX's behavior why does jc need to criticize him? Again :

A dark expression shadowed Jiang Cheng’s face, and his voice was filled with anger. “Why are you so proud of yourself? What is there to be proud of?! Is being told to get out some amazing accomplishment? You’re making our entire clan lose face!”

and his glee at the idea that WWX will be punished leaves a bad taste in one's mouth considering how WWX was perpetually punished in Lotus Pier by jiang cheng's mother for... existing.

Jiang Cheng smiled grimly. “Now that you’ve thoroughly offended both Lan Wangji and Lan Qiren, you’re basically dead tomorrow. No one’s going to clean up your corpse either.”

and again

Without the old one, only the young one remained. This would be easy to deal with! Wei Wuxian rolled off the bed and laughed while putting on his boots. “Heaven’s charmed clouds are blessing me with shade.” Jiang Cheng was beside him polishing his sword with loving care when he decided to spill cold water over Wei Wuxian’s head. “Just wait until he gets back. You can’t escape punishment.”

Where others like NHS see value in WWX's thoughts

Nie Huaisang thought for a while. “Actually, I thought what you said was very interesting,” he said, not entirely able to hide his envy and yearning.

jc is always dismissive of WWX's ideas. These are inventions that WWX realizes. Demonic cultivation in the first conversation and The Spirit-Attraction Flag and The Compass of Evil in the second:

“Enough,” Jiang Cheng warned. “Whatever nonsense you spout, you better not head down that sort of dark road.”

-

Changing the topic, Wei Wuxian said, “If only there was something like fishing bait that could draw the water ghosts in. Or, something that could point in the direction they’re hiding, like a compass, that sort of thing.”

“Lower your head and watch the water,” Jiang Cheng said. “You’re letting your fantasies run wild again. Concentrate on looking for water ghosts like you’re supposed to.”

“Hey, mounting swords and flying was also only a fantasy once!” Wei Wuxian said.

He's also a hypocrite. Because even though he berates WWX for misbehaving, he himself breaks the rules. He drinks, he even goads WWX into buying liquor, the only difference is that he doesn't get punished for it, and he doesn't feel like coming forward and getting punished for it :

Naturally, Jiang Cheng was too embarrassed to talk about what Wei Wuxian had been up to. After all, all of them had egged him on to go and buy alcohol, and they all deserved to be punished as well. He could only speak vaguely. “It’s nothing. It’s nothing. It’s not that bad! He can walk. Wei Wuxian, why haven’t you gotten off yet?”

It's no wonder WWX is so impressed by LWJ's integrity in spite of his social status, when he's clearly used to the other dynamic :

“Lan Zhan, I really admire you,” Wei Wuxian said sincerely. “After I told you that you had to punish yourself too, you actually did it. You didn’t let yourself off at all. I can’t argue against that.”

A dynamic which is shown repeating in the Lotus Pod Extra where WWX is the only one to get punished for sunbathing, and which repeats here when Wei Wuxian here stops jiang cheng from confronting Zixuan over YanLi's honor (and jc's) and does it himself.

Zixuan :“Why don’t you ask what about her could make me satisfied?” he said in return.

Suddenly, Jiang Cheng rose. Wei Wuxian pushed him away and stepped between them, smiling coldly. “You think you’re very satisfactory? As though you have the right to be so picky!”

Zixuan: “If she’s unhappy, then let her break off the engagement! I certainly don’t cherish your wonderful disciple-sister. If you cherish her so much, why don’t you take it up with your father? Doesn’t he love you more than his own son?”

After hearing the last sentence, Jiang Cheng’s eyes narrowed, and Wei Wuxian was no longer able to contain his own fury. He flew at Jin Zixuan, his fist raised.

WWX takes the punishment alone. Same way he offers to do when he hurts himself falling from a tree because jc threatened him with dogs. meanwhile jc is gleeful to see him being punished.

[Wei Wuxian] was kneeling on the stretch of pebble road to which Lan Qiren had assigned him when Jiang Cheng walked over from afar and mocked him. “You’re kneeling so obediently.”

“It’s not like you don’t know I have to do this all the time.” Wei Wuxian’s voice filled with schadenfreude. “But this Jin Zixuan guy, there’s no way he hasn’t been pampered and spoiled rotten since birth. No one’s ever forced him to kneel, I’m sure of it. If he doesn’t wind up crying for mommy and daddy today, I’m not named Wei.”....

Wei Wuxian "...It’s a good thing you didn’t do anything.”

“I was going to. If you hadn’t pushed me away, the other side of Jin Zixuan’s face would be hideous too.”

“Stop it. His face is uglier for being lopsided."

WWX is happy to have spared jc from getting into trouble but jc makes the whole thing about himself anyway (like everything else ever) and is upset JFM would rush over for WWX - in his mind. Even though JFM clearly had to rush over to meet with Jin Guangshan not to coddle WWX in any way.

"Jiang Fengmian had never rushed to another clan in less than a day because of him. Regardless of whether what happened was big or small, or good or bad." Never

WWX on the other hand tries to be observant of jc's feelings and reassure him & distract him from his moods :

When Wei Wuxian saw Jiang Cheng’s melancholy expression, he thought he was still upset with what Jin Zixuan said. “You should leave. You don’t need to keep me company any longer. If Lan Wangji comes again, he’ll catch you. If you have time, you should find Jin Zixuan and watch his pitiful kneeling.”

Later in the book after nearly dying in the Xuanwu cave WWX leaves his sick bed to run after jc and comfort him after his mother's rant, even though WWX had to listen to his parents (and himself) being slandered by YZY. jc doesn't spare any thoughts for how other people might be feeling or suffering. His entire perception of the world is centered around himself. To him even WWX's greatest fear doesn't generate empathy, only amusement or later on a form of torture.

From that point onward, they made trouble everywhere together, and if they encountered a dog, Jiang Cheng would always chase it away for him, then enjoy a peal of derisive, unbridled laughter at Wei Wuxian’s expense beneath whichever tree the boy had leapt atop.

he grew up on the streets, often having to fight for food with vicious dogs. After several bites and chases, he gradually became extremely scared of all dogs, no matter the size. Jiang Cheng laughed at him because of this quite a lot of times.

This brings me to the last point. jc's resentment of WWX's interest in Lan Zhan, or in a serious friendship outside of him. I see so many ppl say that bc WWX fought he was kicked out of the Cloud Recesses early... but was he?

Jiang Cheng was somewhat taken aback. “Lan Wangji? What was he doing here? He still has the nerve to come see you again?”

“Yeah, I think his bravery is laudable if he still has the nerve to come see me. His uncle probably told him to check on me and see if I was kneeling properly.”

Jiang Cheng’s instincts were sending him ominous signals. “So were you kneeling properly?”

“I was then,” Wei Wuxian replied. “But I waited for him to walk away a bit, then took a tree branch, lowered my head, and dug out a hole in the dirt near me. It’s the pile right by your foot—there are ant tunnels there. It took me so much effort to find them. Anyway, I waited for him to turn back and see my shoulders shaking. He had to have thought I was crying, so he came back and asked. You should have seen his face when he caught sight of the ant tunnels!

“…” Jiang Cheng said, “Why don’t you just get the hell out and go back to Yunmeng? I bet he never wants to see you again.”

Thus, that evening, Wei Wuxian packed up his things, got the hell out, and went back to Yunmeng with Jiang Fengmian.

Repeatedly throught his stay in the Cloud Recesses even while NHS was observing that LWJ's behavior around WWX was strange and unique, jc was telling WWX he is hated and bothersome. When WWX wanted to apologize to LWJ jc is completely dismissive of it :

“He hates me already? I was thinking of apologizing to him,” Wei Wuxian said.

“Oh, so you want to apologize now? It’s too late!” Jiang Cheng said derisively. “He’s exactly like his uncle. He thinks you’ve been wicked ever since you were an embryo, so it’s beneath his dignity to pay you any attention.”

Later on when WWX mentioned wanting to invite LWJ to Lotus Pier jc categorically says no.

“Jiang Cheng had on a stern expression, “Let’s make this clear. I don’t want him to come, anyhow. Don’t invite him.”

BONUS

jc also always doubts WWX. He suspects him immediately of wrongdoings. He doesn't believe that getting hit with the discipline ruler in Cloud Recesses actually hurt him until LXC confirms that WWX might take more than a few days to heal. He doesn't understand WWX is in actual trouble from the Waterborne abyss and assumes he's fooling around luckily Lan Zhan is there to rescue him:

The disciple’s lower body had already been swallowed by the black whirlpool. It spun faster and faster, and he continued to sink deeper and deeper, as though something hidden beneath the water was pulling down on his legs.

Mounted on Sandu, Jiang Cheng had risen calmly until he was about sixty meters above the whirlpool before he looked down. Filled with displeasure at what he saw, he shouted and dove down. “What are you up to now?!”

The suction force inside Lake Biling grew ever stronger. Wei Wuxian’s sword was optimized for agility, and consequently, its strength happened to fall just short, and they were nearly pulled to the surface of the lake. Wei Wuxian steadied himself and held on to Su She with both hands.

“Someone help! If I can’t pull him up soon, I’ll have to let go!” he shouted.

Suddenly, the back of Wei Wuxian’s collar tightened, and his body was lifted into the air. He twisted his neck and saw Lan Wangji holding him up with one hand.

He maintains this same mindset when he tries to whip LWJ and WWX as they're attempting to leave Lotus Pier after the ancestral hall confrontation when WWX passes out.

Is jc evil in the Cloud Recesses ? No. He's just an annoying, basic, disagreeable asshole who doesn't bring anything positive to someone like WWX. People like jc become obsessed with kind, outgoing, generous people, people who don't set boundaries on what they give and what others take in their friendships. Even though they're dependent on them for their social interactions, because who else would socialize with them willingly, they resent them in equal measure, but at the same time they wouldn't be drawn to another selfish, self centered piece of shit person like themselves.

On a personal note, even Cloud Recesses jiang cheng is someone I would exclude from any personal friend group. Friendship with him is adding a minefield of jealousies and snide comments to every interaction. Things that then others will need to compensate around because he won't compromise or empathize w issues outside of his own concerns.

Translation source : x

[jiangwanyinscatmom]

Madam Yu starts loving Wei Wuxian and showing anything like remotely well intended affection toward Jiang Cheng in fix it fics, HAHAHAHAHAHA (breaths) Hahahaha!

After all of that, let me explain why this would not work considering even before the fall of Lotus Pier and her death she had hated Wei Wuxian the moment he had been saved by Jiang Fengmian as well as instilling that Jiang Cheng was only worth as much as his title as Sect Heir of Yunmeng Jiang. They also contrast the ideologies between Jiang Fengmian and Madam Yu that were never understood by the other, mirroring the underlying resentment from a forced bond and the overall message that love can not be the only factor with peaceably accepting another person as your equal and confidant.

Madam Yu convinced herself that Wei Wuxian was usurping the position of power that Jiang Cheng held all because Jiang Fengmian had taken a shine to a child that was naturally good willed and bright. She purposely uses this as a tactic to drive a wedge between Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian.

She derides her son while continuing to insist he is still above others leading to his complex of superiority and his jealousy of never being able to please her or his father. His lack of actual good will towards others (like his mother who ignored smaller night hunts to help commoners) leads to his father's lecture of not understanding what the Yunmeng Jiang motto really is, " 明知不可为而为之". Usually this is translated just as "to attempt the impossible" which is correct technically, but the full meaning of this really works better as "knowing you fight against impossible odds to do what is right".

Jiang Cheng went to her side. Madam Yu squeezed his arm with her slender fingers, then slapped his shoulder loudly, scolding, “There’s isn’t any improvement in your cultivation at all. You’re seventeen already, yet you’re still like an ignorant child, fooling around with others all the time. Are you the same as others? Who knows which sewers other people will be splashing in, but you’re going to be the leader of the Jiang Sect!”

At the same time she also uses these same insults against Wei Wuxian. However, he is confident in his own skills and talents which is a confidence she herself despises thinking he is unworthy as a servant's son or the son of a rogue cultivator with no clan ties to have a right to that level of cultivation and sees it as a slight against her authority. Neither can do right in her eyes whether they listen faithfully or question her meanings.

Madam Yu, “Wei Ying, what trouble are you stirring up this time?”

Wei WuXian stepped forward, accustomed to it. Madam Yu scolded, “You’re like this again! If you yourself don’t seek progress, then don’t drag Jiang Cheng along to fool around with you. You’re going to be a bad influence to him.”

Wei WuXian looked startled, “I don’t seek progress? Why, am I not the one with the most progress in the entire Lotus Pier?”

Young people were never too patient. They wouldn’t feel satisfied unless they talked back. Hearing this, an air of hostility seemed to form around Madam Yu’s brow.

Jiang Cheng wordlessly and obediently takes the reprimand, head down and silent, deferring to her. Wei Wuxian however arrogant it may seem, talks back questioning what she means that he has not progressed when he has the talent to show. This is early foreshadowing to their exact stances during the Wen Indoctrination.

Jiang Cheng held Wei WuXian firmly. Wei WuXian asked with a lowered voice, “What are you holding me down for?”

Jiang Cheng snorted, “Don’t do unnecessary things.”

He didn’t know why, but all of the boys sent from the GusuLan Sect looked somewhat pallid. Lan WangJi’s face was especially pale, but his expression was still as frosted as usual, distancing him from everyone else. The sword Bichen on his back, he stood alone, with nobody around him. Wei WuXian had wanted to go up to him and say hello, but Jiang Cheng warned him, “Don’t cause any trouble!”

MianMian knew that if she was hung up, she probably wouldn’t be able to come back down alive. She tried to run away, but wherever she fled, the people dispersed around her. Just as Wei WuXian twitched, Jiang Cheng held him firmly down. MianMian suddenly noticed that two people remained still. She hid behind their backs at once, shivering.

The two were Jin ZiXuan and Lan WangJi.

With the rescue of Mianmian and Wei Wuxian staying to protect Lan Wangji (who had protected Mianmian in turn despite repercussions) gained the attention of Wen Chao and his ire all of which Jiang Cheng kept ordering Wei Wuxian not to do. Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian are thrust into the role of the Jiang leaders stance of morality. Wei Wuxian, and by mention Lan Wangji, have done a unimaginable feat along with embodying the traits that Jiang Fengmian admires. As both did the impossible along with doing what was right in the protection of MianMian and Wei Wuxian staying to aid Lan Wangji.

Wei WuXian, “Those Wen dogs are talking nonsense, they have no face. Lan Zhan was clearly the one who killed it.”

Jiang FengMian gave him a smile, “Really? What a coincidence. The second young master of the Lan Sect told me that you were the one who killed it. So who was it, really?”

Wei WuXian, “I guess both of us did something. But he was the main one. I only went into the beast’s shell and chased it out. Lan Zhan was waiting for it alone outside. It only died after it dragged on for six entire hours.”

He described to Jiang Cheng and his father the things that had happened during the past few days. Jiang Cheng’s expression was complicated after he had finished listening. He only spoke a while later, “It’s pretty much the same as what Lan WangJi said. So it seems that both of you killed it together. What’s yours is yours. Why would you give him all the credit?”

Wei WuXian, “I didn’t. I just feel that, compared to him, I really didn’t do much.”

Jiang FengMian nodded, “Well done.”

He was able to kill a four-hundred-year-old beast at the mere age of seventeen. It was much more than a ‘well done’.

Jiang Cheng, “Congratulations.”

The tone of his congratulations sounded quite strange.

Jiang Cheng is once again faced with the reality that despite doing as his mother wanted, he is met with the reprimands of his father who does place loyalty and friendship in the face of dangers. Interestingly, the way Wei Wuxian defends Jiang Cheng mirrors the excuses that Jiang Fengmian had given for Madam Yu's harsh words and rumors about himself.

Jiang Cheng, “It served you right to be bored to death. You shouldn’t have played the hero and you shouldn’t have cared for such a hell of a thing. If in the beginning you didn’t…”

Suddenly, Jiang FengMian spoke, “Jiang Cheng.”

Jiang Cheng paused, knowing that he had said too much. He was quiet at once.

Jiang FengMian didn’t look as if he was blaming him of anything, but his expression had turned from calm to more solemn, “Do you know in which ways what you just said is not appropriate?”

Jiang Cheng’s head hung low, “Yes.”

Wei WuXian, “He’s just angry and speaking without care.”

Seeing how Jiang Cheng’s mouth and heart were still at odds, how he still felt defiant, Jiang FengMian shook his head, “A-Cheng, there are some things that can’t be said even if you’re angry. If you said them, it means that you still don’t understand the motto of the Jiang Sect, that you still don’t…”

That "hell of a thing" Jiang Cheng mentions is referencing that saving Lan Wangji was a waste in comparison to an easy get away along with Jiang Cheng. He helped a person that potentially was a future problem for them. A thought that hadn't been on Jiang Fengmian's mind as he praised not only Wei Wuxian's kill but his care in putting others first in such dire circumstances. Understandable praise for decent morals. And then comes Madam Yu,

The harsh voice of a woman came from outside the door, “Yes, he doesn’t understand, but what does it matter, as long as Wei Ying understands?!”

Like a purple bolt of lightning, Madam Yu swept inside, bringing in with her a cold breeze. She was standing five steps away from Wei WuXian’s bed, brows raised, “‘To attempt the impossible’ is exactly how he is, isn’t it? Fooling around even though he knew that it’d bring trouble to his sect?!”

Jiang FengMian, “My lady, what are you doing here?”

Madam Yu, “What am I doing here? What a joke that I am asked of such a thing! Sect Leader Jiang, do you still remember that I’m also the leader of Lotus Pier? Do you still remember that every inch of the earth here is my territory? Do you still remember, between the one lying there and the one standing here, which one is your son?”

Such questions he had heard countless times throughout the years. Jiang FengMian answered, “Of course I do.”

Madam Yu laughed bitterly, “You do remember, but there’s no use if you simply remember. Wei Ying, he really can’t take it unless he stirs up some trouble, can he? If I had known, I would’ve made him stay in Lotus Pier properly and not go outside. Could Wen Chao really have dared to do anything to the two young masters of the GusuLan Sect and the LanlingJin Sect? Even if he did, it’d mean that they ran out of luck. Since when was it your turn to play the hero?”

Do you remember who is a leader? Do you know what's mine? Do you know the worth of people's lives and what it gains me over the trouble of caring for them unconditionally?

Her arguments can be answered already, "Could Wen Chao really have dared to do anything to the two young masters of the GusuLan Sect and the LanlingJin Sect? Even if he did, it’d mean that they ran out of luck."

Yes, as they had already burned Cloud Recesses and physically harmed Lan Wangi once before. Jin Zixuan was expected to die as he had been abandoned in the cave already with no weapon his consequence was already passed. She also says "so what?" if they did retaliate because it was them choosing to play a game of hero and killing themselves for putting their head up against a higher power and baiting more trouble in the future, regardless of the Wen Sect attacking the sects one by one, and Yunmeng the next to be considered the weakest.

All which is parroted later by Jiang Cheng 13 years later when he demands Wei Wuxian beg in front of an altar, to make amends for deaths that hurt Jiang Cheng even when Wei Wuxian died for those once. He deserved to die for protecting the Wens that caused everything. He was shameless for sticking to Lan Wangji instead of honoring their childhood promise choosing someone else over him and loving another from the start. "What did I gain from you doing the right thing?" is the underlying accusation Madam Yu and Jiang Cheng use as a defense constantly.

Jiang FengMian stood up, “Let’s talk when we get back.”

Madam Yu, “Talk about what? Get back to where? I’ll be talking about it right here. I have nothing to be ashamed of, anyways! Jiang Cheng, come over here.”

Jiang Cheng was stuck between his father and his mother. After a moment of hesitation, he moved to his mother’s side. Holding his shoulders, Madam Yu pushed him forward for Jiang FengMian to see, “Sect Leader Jiang, it seems that some things I have to say. Look carefully—this, is your own son, the future head of Lotus Pier. Even if you frown upon him just because I was the one who bore him, his surname is still Jiang! … I don’t believe for one second that you haven’t heard of how the outside people gossips, that Sect Leader Jiang has still not moved on from a certain Sanren though so many years have passed, regarding the son of his old friend as a son of his own; they’re speculating if Wei Ying is your…”

Jiang FengMian shouted, “Yu ZiYuan!”

Madam Yu shouted as well, “Jiang FengMian! Do you think that anything will change just because you raised your voice?! Do you think that I don’t know you?!”

The two debated the issue outside. On the way, Madam Yu’s angered voice was louder and louder. Jiang FengMian argued as well, suppressing his rage. Jiang Cheng stood blankly where he was. A while later, he glanced at Wei WuXian, and suddenly turned to leave as well.

Madam Yu and Jiang Cheng use harsh language, twisted rumors and others that are dead and gone to guilt others into what they insist is the correct way to make amends to wrongs with wild standards. Madam Yu and Jiang Fengmian fundamentally could not work with the other as an equal unit. Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian become the worst of what Yu Ziyuan and Jiang Fengmian had built up before them.

The luxury that was given to Wei Wuxian was that he still had Lan Wangji standing by his side to pull him away from that cycle of continued misunderstandings and refusal of seeing the other as anything other than a person that would be a constant disappointment.

[scarletjedi]

Untamed Time Travel Fix-It Fic But Make it Mingcheng part 3B

 @piyo-13​

Part 1: The Setup

Part 2A: Gusu Revisited

Part 2B: Gusu Unleashed!

Part 3A: The Return of the Plot

PART 3B: THE ROAD TO WAR

Things happen pretty quickly after that. 

The Nie Soldiers accompany Lan Wangji back to Gusu, beating Wen Xu’s forces there, warning Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen of the coming attack. When Wen Zu arrives, Gusu Lan is ready. With help from the Nie and Lan Wangji, the Wen are beaten back at the gates. Wen Xu retreats to regroup - setting up a siege. The Cloud recesses don’t burn, but they are trapped. 

Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian return to Lotus Pier, intending to begin building up subtle defences thinking it’s better to not tip their hand that they know an attack is coming. They are welcomed back, but find Lotus Pier preoccupied: Yanli had asked Madam Yu to arrange a date for the wedding, now that she had spent (supervised) time with Jin Zixuan and they found themselves to be most compatible. This puts Madame Yu into a good enough mood that she doesn’t scold them (much) for coming home the long way ‘round. With the piers distracted, it’s pretty easy for Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng to begin to build their defenses. Wei Wuxian begins to worry about Lan Wangji - he was supposed to meet them in Lotus Pier once the Wens were defeated. 

An auspicious date is picked for Yanli’s wedding — and then comes the summons for the Wen Indoctrination. Their defences aren’t finished, but it’s more than they had before — and with luck, they would have time after they return. 

The circumstances are different, but the power dynamic is still very much the same. With Gusu under siege instead of burt, the threat is not so absolute, but it’s not enough yet to trigger a full on push back, no matter how much Nie Mingjue campaigns for it (and plans. He has no desire to end up without Baxia at Wen Ruohan’s feet again, no thank you — and no desire to let Meng Yao out of his sight). 

Jiang Fengmain and Madame Yu fight over sending Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian again, but this time, when Wei Wuxian begins to sink into himself, Jiang Cheng grips his knee where they can’t see, offering his support — and warning him to be silent when it looks like he’d talk to defend Jiang Cheng. 

“It’s an impossible situation,” Jiang Cheng says, voice level, and the steel in his voice is enough to make both of his parents stop. “If we go, we’re their hostages. If we stay, we draw their forces down on us like Gusu Lan — and as strong as our rivers are, we don’t have a mountain to keep them at bay. Are we ready to fight off the Wen army?” He looked between his parents. “I know we are strong, and I know we cause no offence enough to be a target, but we are a target. I am willing to go to Qishan, to buy us time at home to prepare.” He looked at Wei Wuxian, scowling when he saw how proud Wei Wuxian looked.

The night before they leave, Jiang Cheng is restless. He knows he’ll get little rest in the coming weeks, but he can’t seem to quiet his mind. So, he does what he has always done, and slips out to the end of the moonlit pier.

It’s not quiet on the water, but the sounds are gentle: water lapping at the pylons, dragonflies buzzing, a frog croaking. It settles him, and he sits with his feet dangling over the darkened water.

He hears his mother approach - a courtesy. She wants him to know she’s coming, and he decides to wait. She is alone, without Jinzou and Yinzou, and that is enough to make him pause. 

He looked at her, curious, when she sits next to him, but she doesn’t say anything, eyes on the moon. 

So, he says nothing either. They sit in silence for several minutes. Long enough that Jiang Cheng is getting ready to excuse himself, when his mother holds out her hand and waits. 

Frowning, Jiang Cheng takes her hand. She grips him right, suddenly, and it’s a good thing because he tries to pull away in surprise when Zidian slides off of her hand and onto his. 

“Mother?!” The word is choked between his teeth, his memory of the last time she had given him Zidian burning fresh in his memory. “I can’t—“

“You will,” she said, cutting him off. “And you will bring it home once more.” 

Jiang Cheng nodded. “I will.” 

She nodded once, and wrapped her arms around him, pressing his cheek to her chest. His mother could be hot tempered, sharp to the point of cruelty, but she was his mother and she loved him fiercely. Jiang Cheng held on. 

They go, with extra provisions hidden on them, trying to figure out a way around giving over their swords - in all of their planning about the war, that was a detail that they had missed. 

Their arrival in Qishan is a little rougher, with the Wen Army engaged rather than victorious, but it still matches pretty evenly to their memories — including the moment when Wen guards drag Lan Wangji up the stairs, alone. Jiang Cheng has to hold Wei Wuxian back, because Gusu wasn’t supposed to have fallen.

When Lan Wangji is close enough, Wei Wuxian still leans in to whisper at him. “Lan Zhan!” But before he can say more than that, Lan Wangji reaches out and cups the side of Wei Wuxian’s face his his hand — it’s shockingly bold, and Jiang Cheng has to stamp down the knee-jerk reaction he has to watching his brother’s shameless romance with his husband - and it’s worth it to hear Jin Zixuan choke behind him, and watch Nie Huaisang hide his laughter behind a furiously moving fan. 

“Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji said, and that must have meant something to Wei Wuxian, because he smiled widely, even when the guards dragged them apart. 

In the end, there was no way for them to get around it, and their swords were taken from them. Later that night, when the guards had passed, they gathered in the rooms Jiang Cheng shared with Wei Wuxian — all except Lan Wangji, who had been placed under guard, which made Wei Wuxian twitchier than normal. Jin Zixuan was the one pacing, however, clearly discomforted by his lack of sword, even though he had lived through this once before and knew exactly where they were being kept. 

“Jin-xiong,” Nie Huaisang whined, “Please sit down, you are making me dizzy.” 

Jin Zixuan barely spares him a glance. He hadn’t been any better about being without Suihua the first time around, but at least he wasn’t bothering poor Mianmian with it this time. The fact that she hadn’t strangled him before they made it to the Xanwu’s cave...

“Let him be,” Wei Wuxian said. He had finally collapsed backwards onto his bed, next to where Nie Huaisang was fanning himself. His arm was draped dramatically over his eyes and Nie Huaisang fanned him for a moment, in sympathy. “If he wants to waste his energy, that’s on him.” 

“Oh?” Nie Huaisang asked, fake-innocent enough that Jiang Cheng turned to watch. “But Wei-xiong, didn’t you say that—” 

Whatever “Wei-xiong” said, they would never know, because a knock sounded at the door. Almost as if they really were still teenagers, the four time travelers exchanged a panicked “oh shit!” look. 

“Don’t just stand there, hide!” Jiang Cheng hissed, and the knock sounded again — this time, with an accompanying, low:  “Wei-gonzi? It’s me!” 

“Wen Ning!” Wei Wuxian exclaimed, bounding off of the bed. 

“Wei-gonzi?” Jiang Cheng protested, though there was little force behind it. “It’s my room too.” 

Wei Wuxian ushered Wen Ning inside quickly, and shut the door behind him. 

“I don’t have much time,” Wen Ning began, before Wei Wuxian could speak. “But I brought — ” He reached into his robes and pulled out a Qiankun pouch, pushing it into Wei Wuxian’s hands. 

“Hey, food!” Wei Wuxian said, peering inside. He reached in as if to take something, and Jiang Cheng snatched it away. “Hey!”

“They’re feeding us now,” Jiang Cheng said. “We should save this for when they stop.” He turned to Wen Ning with a short bow. “Thank you, Wen Ning.” 

Wen Ning nodded. “There’s medicine, too. Pills to restore qi, to stop bleeding and prevent infection.” He turned back to Wei Wuxian. “I spoke to Huanguan Jun,” he said, and that had Wei Wuxian’s full attention. “He’s not uninjured, but he has no broken bones. The official story is that he was captured outside of the Cloud Recesses and sent as a warning and as leverage, but he says it was a plan to get here, to help with the Xuanwu.” 

“Does he have a plan to return our swords?” Jin Zixuan asked, and — well, it’s an understandable question. None of them had figured it out, after all, but Jiang Cheng’s hope lasted only the moment before Wen Ning shook his head. 

“We did it last time,” Wei Wuxian said. “Injured and with makeshift weapons. We can do it again.” 

“Speak for yourself,” Nie Huaisang said. “I want no part of that.” 

Last time, Nie Huaisang managed to faint just before the night hunt that ended in the Xuanwu and their escape, and — well, to be honest, Jiang Cheng never actually found out how Nie Huaisang made it home. It wasn’t like the Wens would have sent him back after sending the other young masters to their deaths. 

He didn’t escape it this time, marching sullenly along with them. He whined often enough that his feet hurt that Wen Qing managed to convince Wen Chao to call a halt so she could see to them. Judging by the way she paused when he took off his boots, his feet were not nearly in as poor condition as his complaints made them sound. Still — everyone would be better off for a break, and without Lan Wangji’s leg — 

Ah. 

“You’re a menace,” he murmured, leaning against he tree that Nie Huaisang sat beneath. Nie Huaisang flicked open his fan, holding it to shade his face. 

“I have no idea what you mean,” he said, and Jiang Cheng snorted in amusement. 

“I’ve been meaning to ask,” Jiang Cheng kept his voice low, barely letting his mouth move. “You weren’t here last time. How did you get home?” 

“Oh, Meng Yao let me out,” Nie Huaisang said. Jiang Cheng stared at him, but Nie Huaisang didn’t look up. “It was before he came to Wen Ruohan’s attention. I’m sure, if he’d already been granted any sort of position within his court, I’d have been left there to rot until Da-ge came to get me.” 

But, they had changed things. Meng Yao had never killed that general. He was never banished from the Unclean Realm, and never went to the Wen Sect. Nie Huaisang had no man on the inside, and therefore decided to face the Xanwu of Slaughter rather than find another way out of Nightless City. 

Nie Huaisang was a little bit terrifying, and continued to be terrifying all the way until they were in the Xanwu’s cave and fighting both it and the Wens. Not that Jiang Cheng was paying that much attention to him, being that he was currently using Zidian to strangle the life out of Wen Zuhilu much more quickly than he would have liked given the threat-rich environment he was in — but he was aware enough to his surrounding to know that Nie Huaisang’s ever-present fan also doubled as a fucking battle fan which had to have been a later-in-life development for his pre-time-travel self because what the fuck Nie Huaisang!

Other bits of information flashed through his awareness — Mianmian disarming that terrible Wang Lingjiao — Jin Zixuan fighting surprisingly well with a sword taken from a fallen Wen disciple — Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian fighting back to back — the Xuanwu of Slaughter eating Wen Chao —

That was enough to make Jiang Cheng drop his hold on Zidian, dropping Wen Zuhilio to the ground as he stared at where the Xanwu of Slaughter had it’s head reared back as it gobbled up Wen Chao like a snake!

“Oh, gross...” Wei Wuxian muttered. 

Wen Zuhilu’s sword lay at Jiang Cheng’s feet. It was, in the end, a simple thing to pick it up and drive it through Wen Zuhilu’s back, hopefully cutting his heart in two. If he wasn’t dead before, he was surely dead now. Jiang Cheng didn’t spare him another glance as he joined the others in hiding from the Xuanwu as they planned. 

The Xanwu killing Wen Chao fixed one problem, and Jaing Cheng killing The Core Melting Hand solved another. So now, of course, they were faced with a new problem. Previously, Wen Chao’s cowardice meant that none of the Wens had remained in the cave with them to face an angry Xuanwu, and their escape was thus unhampered by the enemy. Now, they had Wang Lingjiao pouting under the influence of the Lan silencing spell, a handful of Wen Chao’s entourage, and Wen Qing - who wasn’t a problem herself, but keeping her sympathy for them a secret certainly was. 

“Well, now what?” Nie Huaisang hissed, fanning himself with his damned war fan, Huaisang! 

“We wait for that thing to calm down and then we leave,” Jin Zixuan said, like it was going to be that easy. It wasn’t like they could go back the way they—

Except they could. Wen Chao never gave the order to retreat and cut the ropes. They could, conceivably, get out the entrance of the cave and not have to deal with the Xanwu again. 

Jiang Cheng met Wei Wuxian’s eyes, saw the same realization there, and then his features set in the same resolve that he had last seen in the burial mounds, when it was all falling to shit. 

“Jiang Cheng—” Wei Wuxian started. 

“I know, I know,” Jiang Cheng interrupted. “I got you the first time.” 

“Then could you share with the rest of the class?” Nie Huaisang asked, only a little dry. 

“We can not leave the Xuanwu here,” Lan Wangji said. Then, after a beat. “Alive.” 

Wei Wuxian was already nodding. “Exactly Lan Zhan. It was sleeping before, and not a threat, but it’s awake now, and if it gets loose it could cause a lot of harm before it could be subdued. If it could be subdued, with everyone distracted by, you know, the war.” 

Jiang Cheng noticed Wen Qing’s attention shoot to Wei Wuxian, and he remembered, belatedly, that they weren’t actually at war yet. Only Qinghe Nie was actively skirmishing, and the Sunshot Campaign wasn’t formed until after the fall of Lotus Pier. Luckily, She seemed to be the only one who noticed the slip — after all, one of their biggest arguments to get the campaign started was that they had already been at war, just not unified. 

“You want to take out the Xuanwu of Slaughter?” aked one of the surviving Wen that Jiang Cheng didn’t know. “Without your swords?” 

“They defeated us easily enough,” Wen Qing snapped. “Do you wish to provoke them? Or would you like to be first chosen as bait?” 

Jiang Cheng exchanged a look with Wei Wuxian, who flashed a quick grin before stroking his chin in a clear impersonation of Lan Qiren. “You know, that’s not a half bad idea.” 

“It was their plan for us,” Jiang Cheng added, playing into the bit. “It would only be fair to use it on them. We could even have Mianmian choose, since she was the first chosen.” He nodded at Mianmian, who seemed surprised to be addressed, but he focused his sharpest grin on Wang Lingjiao, who had paled considerably and no longer struggled against the spell.

“Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji said quietly, plaintively, and Wei Wuxian pouted at him. 

“Fine,” he said, flouncing dramatically. “I guess we’re better than using live bait.

Jiang Cheng nodded. “I wouldn’t trust ‘em anyway. You need to only bring people you can rely on into a fight as dangerous as with the Xuanwu. Jin Zixuan,” he said, and didn’t bother repressing his smirk when Jin Zixuan stood a little taller at being addressed so suddenly. Turns out his Sect Leader voice was useful, even if his voice still hadn’t settled into it’s full register. “We need someone to lead everyone else away while the Xuanwu is distracted. Can you do that?” 

Jin Zixuan nodded, resolved and not a little bit relieved at not having to fight the Xanwu without his sword. 

“Good,” Jiang Cheng said. “Take Nie Huaisang with you.” He looked at Nie Husaisang. “I don’t want to be the one to tell your brother we took you anywhere near the Xuanwu, no matter how much he nags you to train.” 

Nie Huaisang waved it off with his closed fan. “It’s alright. I have absolutely no desire to go anywhere near that thing. I’m not built for night hunts.” 

“Jiang Cheng,” Wei Wuxian said, voice quiet as he came up beside him, using the soft sounds of the others getting ready to leave as cover. “Last time, Lan Zhan and I could handle it. You should get out too.”

Jiang Cheng bit back his initial spike of anger, telling himself that this came from a place of concern not a dig at his skills — but, being back in this place, this time was dredging up a lot of dirt that he thought he had left behind, and he wasn’t surprised that Wei Wuxian was falling back into old habits as well. 

“Last time, I didn’t have Zidian,” Jiang Cheng said. “And I know Lan Wangji didn’t have those guqin strings on him, either.” Blinking, Wei Wuxian looked over his shoulder to see Lan Wangji pull a coil of strings from his sleeve. “And more importantly, last time, you and Lan Wangji nearly died, and were out of commission for days. With the three of us, we might just walk away.” He gripped Wei Wuxian’s shoulder. “And if you try to sacrifice yourself for me again, I’m telling A-Jie.” 

That cracked a smile on Wei Wuxian’s face, and he nodded, pulling back to stand, arms behind his back as they watched the others make their way back out of the cave. 

Before he left, Jin Zixuan paused and said, “How long should we wait for you?” 

Jiang Cheng blinked and exchanged a look with Wei Wuxian. Lan Wangji spoke: “Six hours.”

A bit surprised, perhaps by the specificity, Jin Zixuan nodded, and followed the others out. 

They have the advantage, this time, of their own weapons — Zidian, the Chord Assassination, and Wei Wuxian’s knowledge of resentful energy. 

“I need a dizi,”  he muttered to himself as they crouched down to draw diagrams in the dirt. 

“I will get you a dizi,” Lan Wangji said before Jiang Cheng could say they probably had some back at Lotus Pier. That caused Wei Wuxian to flush pink and protest quietly, hiding his face in his palms. 

“If you’re going to flirt the entire time, I’m going to leave,” Jiang Cheng said. And, when Lan Wangji shot him a look that said “do it, bitch,” Jiang Cheng continued, “and I’m going to tell everybody you’ve eloped and you won’t be able to go anywhere without a chaperone until my mother and your uncle settle the marriage contract.” 

That shut him up. 

It’d eventually decided that they would take the same basic strategy as last time. Wei Wuxian would grab the sword pinning it in place, and Lan Wangji would strangle it to death with the Cord Assassination. Only this time, Wei Wuxian would not be crawling into the Xanwu shell, what the fuck, and would be summoning the sword to him from the outside using resentful energy. Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng would both then strangle the beast, and hopefully between the two of them it wouldn’t take a full six hours. 

And, well, that’s pretty much what happens. Wei Wuxian stands out of range while Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng take their place, and then he begins to whistle. The sound of it isn’t loud, but it fills the cavern with an awful pressure, and Jiang Cheng shook his head like there was water in his ear. Then, like a branch giving way, something small but dark and foul rockerted out of the Xanwu’s shell, the Xanwu’s head roaring after. Jiang Cheng reacted, and Zidian wrapped around the Xanwu’s neck in the same instant as Lan Wangji’s chord, and the Xanwu snapped its teeth mere feet away from Wei Wuxian. 

Wei Wuxian smirked, and shouted something that squirmed in Jiang Cheng’s ear, and the sword — the fifth piece of Yin Iron — embedded itself in the top of the Xuanwu’s head. 

The Xanwu roared and Jiang Cheng pulled harder, sending a sharp pulse through Zidian, where it met a similar pulse from Lan Wangji—

And the head of the Xanwu popped clean off, falling to the water below, and sending a small wave up to soak Jiang Cheng’s boots. He kicked his foot, disgusted, and watched as drops of water flicked off. Great. 

Jiang Cheng let Zidian curl back up, dormant, and stared down at the corpse of the Xuanwu. “That took you six hours?” 

Wei Wuxian was blinking at the Xuanwu, equally surprised. “To be fair, Lan Zhan was injured, and we hadn’t eaten in days.” 

“Mm,” Lan Wangji agreed, curling up his chord. “No proper weapons. Wei Ying was also injured, and did not yet have his understanding of resentful energy.” 

“And you weren’t here!” Wei Wuxian. 

Jiang Cheng kicked off his rock and joined the other two. “No, I was running to get help, and I almost didn’t make it in time.” He clapped his hand on Wei Wuxian’s shoulder. “This is better.” 

He turned his back, giving them a moment of privacy while he drew the talisman that would dry his boots. It wasn’t a talisman that he bothered to use often, being wet was part of living on a pier, but it was one that every disciple learned early and learned well. It had saved him from a weeks worth of blisters last time, and it would do the same now. 

It didn’t do anything for the smell, however, and Jiang Cheng resigned himself to needing a new pair of boots. Again. 

Climbing out of the cave wasn’t actually easier than leaving though the water, though if Jiang Cheng had to choose, he would choose not sneaking past the mythical murder beast without a weapon. 

“What are we going to do about the Wens?” Wei Wuxian asked. “I mean, they can all die, as far as I am concerned — except Wen Qing, of course — but...” 

“We can’t let them go back,” Jiang Cheng said. “Wen Chao is dead, and even though it’s not our fault, you know we’ll be blamed. We want to keep that information to ourselves as long as possible.” 

“Hostages?” Wei Wuxian asked. “It’s just - I don’t want that woman anywhere near Lotus Pier and, sorry Lan Zhan, we don’t know if the Cloud Recesses is able to handle a hostage right now.”

Which left Jinlintai or the Unclean Realm. The Jins were closer, but Jiang Cheng knew better than to trust Jin Guangshan and with the Nies already fighting, he didn’t want to anything to make them a bigger target. 

Not that it mattered anyway, because when they climbed out of the cave they found the area filled with Nie cultivators — and Nie Mingjue, who was holding Nie Huaisang while he hung like a limpet, crying about everything he had to endure. It’s only when they appear, and Nie MIngjue relaxes, that Jiang Cheng realized that Nie Huaisang was physically holding Nie Mingue back from rushing into the cave himself. 

He so surprised that it takes Lan Wangji bowing in greeting before Jiang Cheng remembers to bow himself. 

Apparently, Nie Huaisang had planned more than just escaping with them via the Xuanwu, and when they had first left on the hunt, had managed to sent message to Nie Mingjue - along with the other half of a tracking talisman that was attached to Nie Huaisang’s fan. The timing was simply happenstance, and with an actual sect leader present, the decision of what to do with their prisoners was technically no longer Jiang Cheng’s. 

Jin Zixuan stared at them openly. “That was not six hours.” 

“Thank the gods,” Jiang Cheng said, then paused. “How long was it?” 

“About two,” Nie Huaisang said, miraculously no longer a sobbing mess. He joined them, pulling Nie Mingjue with him. Nie Mingjue eyed him sideways, as if aware Huaisang was plotting something, but not truly minding. “Dage said he’ll bring everyone back home, and send official word to Wen Ruohan once he’s sure you are home safe and can muster your defences.” 

Jiang Cheng looked at Nie Mingjue. “Are you sure?” he asked. “That’ll put a lot of heat on you, and more quickly.” 

Nie Mingjue shrugged. “I could execute them here.” Which - wasn’t a terrible plan, except that previous fighting had been on Nie land - an act of war, yes, but Nie killing Wen on Wen land was an act of war that Wen Ruohan would recognize. 

“Not Wen Qing!” Wei Wuxian said quickly, which got him a look from Nie Mingjue. “She’s just as much a hostage as we were. She healed Nie Huaisang’s feet!”  

Nie Huaisang nodded vigorously. “She did.” When Nie Mingjue looked at him to confirm, Jiang Cheng nodded. 

There, in front of the Xanwu cave, Nie Mingjue and the Nie cultivators kill the remaining Wen, and Wen Qing is taken as hostage. 

Later, the histories would mark this moment as the true beginning of the Sunshot Campaign.

Part 3A

Part 4: Sunshot!

[bloody-bee-tea]

Hi! I love every one of your xicheng that I could read, and if I could ask for a continuation of "Stream" I'd love it So Much. Pleaseee?

BeeTober 2020 Day 14

Umbrella - Savor

So, fun fact, I never intended to write a second part of Stream, but here you go anyway <3 !

They are taking it slow. They are taking it so slow that Jiang Cheng isn’t even sure he can call Lan Xichen his boyfriend yet, even though they go on dates two or more times a week.

But Lan Xichen is incredibly understanding and accepting of Jiang Cheng’s slow pace and always gives him a choice, especially when it comes to physical contact.

He always offers; a hand on the table, a lifted arm for Jiang Cheng to slide under, his face for a greeting kiss, but he always makes sure that it’s Jiang Cheng’s decision.

Jiang Cheng would mind it, would think that Lan Xichen doesn’t actually want to do any of those things with Jiang Cheng, if it weren’t for the entirely adorable way his entire being seems to light up whenever Jiang Cheng accepts the offered contact.

The first time Jiang Cheng has kissed him on the lips in greeting, he feared Lan Xichen would set something on fire, he was beaming that much.

“You’re thinking,” Lan Xichen suddenly says and reaches over the table to flick Jiang Cheng’s forehead. “Good or bad?”

It’s something else Jiang Cheng has noticed; Lan Xichen likes to check in on him like that in regular intervals, always makes sure that this is still what Jiang Cheng wants and sometimes Jiang Cheng really has to fight the urge to straight up jump Lan Xichen.

He knows that Lan Xichen wouldn’t mind, would actually welcome it, but Jiang Cheng isn’t yet ready to propel their relationship forward like that.

“I think good?” Jiang Cheng tries, even though he’s hesitant to voice his thoughts.

“Want to share?” Lan Xichen asks and puts his hand on the table, a clear offer for Jiang Cheng to take it.

Lan Xichen has picked up on the fact that Jiang Cheng sometimes does better when he can hold Lan Xichen’s hand, or when he can snuggle into his side, and he never hesitates to offer that comfort to Jiang Cheng.

Jiang Cheng reaches out to take Lan Xichen’s hand without hesitation and threads their fingers together.

He takes a moment to simply breathe before he looks at Lan Xichen again.

“You’re my—I mean, when I talk about you, I can say that you’re my boyfriend, right?” Jiang Cheng asks, mostly to confirm it for himself, and not because he is still doubting everything he has with Lan Xichen, and Lan Xichen seems to know it, because he smiles softly at him.

“Of course I am, my heart. I hoped that was clear.”

Jiang Cheng blushes with the use of that endearment, like he always does, and then nods.

“It was. It is. I just wanted to be sure,” he agrees and Lan Xichen lifts their hands to press a kiss to Jiang Cheng’s knuckles.

There are still days where Jiang Cheng spirals; where he’s convinced that he’s the worst thing to ever happen to Lan Xichen, but Lan Xichen never gives him that feeling, and Wei Wuxian is always there to catch him when it happens, too.

Jiang Cheng has to admit that being open with his thoughts and feelings has been a great help.

“Then be very sure of this,” Lan Xichen tells him and Jiang Cheng smiles at him and nods.

They enjoy the rest of their date, right until Jiang Cheng’s phone rings.

“It’s Wei Wuxian,” Jiang Cheng says, right before he accepts the call and when his brother doesn’t immediately start to yell into his ear, he knows that something is wrong.

“What is it?” Jiang Cheng asks, and immediately a frown appears on Lan Xichen’s face.

He must be worried that something happened to Lan Wangji.

“I’m really sorry,” Wei Wuxian starts with and Jiang Cheng’s stomach drops.

“For what?” Jiang Cheng presses out, but he knows that voice.

It’s Wei Wuxian’s ‘your mother was here and now I feel worthless again’-voice and Jiang Cheng would be content with his life if he never had to hear it again.

Lan Xichen seems to realize that something is definitely wrong, because he abandons his own seat to come over to Jiang Cheng’s side, so he can press close into Lan Xichen’s side.

“Madam Yu was here,” Wei Wuxian confirms Jiang Cheng’s fears and he closes his eyes.

“What did she say?” Jiang Cheng asks and transfers the phone to his other ear, so Lan Xichen can listen as well.

Wei Wuxian knows that Jiang Cheng keeps nothing from Lan Xichen, not anymore, and he also knows that they are on a date right now.

“I think she just stopped by to remind me that I am the disgrace of the family,” Wei Wuxian starts, but Jiang Cheng knows that that isn’t all, because otherwise Wei Wuxian wouldn’t have called and instead waited until Jiang Cheng comes home.

“You’re not,” Jiang Cheng says, almost on reflex, and Wei Wuxian lets out a humorless laugh.

“Yeah, doesn’t matter,” he mumbles. “She saw the picture,” he then says, and Jiang Cheng immediately knows which picture.

He just recently put it up, of him and Lan Xichen on their date to the amusement park, and of course his mother would immediately see it.

“Fuck,” Jiang Cheng mutters and Lan Xichen squeezes him.

He knows which picture, because he was the one who chose it.

“She’s furious that you weren’t the one to tell her and you and Lan Xichen are ordered to come to dinner tonight. I’m really sorry,” Wei Wuxian says again, as if it was his fault that Jiang Cheng’s mother completely steamrolled him.

“Ordered,” Lan Xichen repeats, and Jiang Cheng grimaces at him.

“I’m really sorry, Xichen-ge, but there was nothing I could do,” Wei Wuxian says and Lan Xichen carefully plucks the phone out of Jiang Cheng’s hand.

“It’s not your fault,” Lan Xichen says, but his eyes are on Jiang Cheng. “I had to meet the family at some point.”

“You met the important part,” Jiang Cheng immediately says, because Lan Xichen has met Jiang Yanli, and really, that is the only family Jiang Cheng cares about. Besides Wei Wuxian of course, but Lan Xichen knew him already.

“You met my uncle,” Lan Xichen reminds him, and Jiang Cheng flushes with just the memory.

He will never understand how Lan Qiren can actually hold him in high regards and that he’s proud of Lan Xichen for having ‘such an amazing boyfriend’. It almost felt like an out of body experience to Jiang Cheng.

“Your uncle was easy,” Jiang Cheng grumbles and takes his phone back from Lan Xichen. “Do you want me to come home?” he asks Wei Wuxian, because he knows he is still shaken and Lan Wangji is out of town at the moment.

There’s a very long silence on the other end, one that tells Jiang Cheng that the answer is yes, but then Wei Wuxian says “No”.

“Bullshit,” Jiang Cheng snaps and sends an apologetic look at Lan Xichen, who is already reaching for his porte-monnaie.

“I’ll be home in twenty,” Jiang Cheng informs him.

“You don’t have to cut your date with Xichen-ge short,” Wei Wuxian whines, but it’s half heartedly at best and Jiang Cheng isn’t even listening to him anymore.

“You better be on the couch when I get home,” Jiang Cheng says, as Lan Xichen hands him his coat.

“You’re so mean to me,” Wei Wuxian complains, but Jiang Cheng knows that he has won. “I love you,” Wei Wuxian tacks on, voice quiet and Jiang Cheng smiles slightly.

“I love you, too. Now let me go, so Xichen can drive me home.”

“Fine,” Wei Wuxian sighs and then hangs up without another word.

“I’m really sorry about this. About all of this,” Jiang Cheng says to Lan Xichen, who lifts his arm, to invite Jiang Cheng into a hug.

Jiang Cheng steps into his space without hesitation.

“You don’t have to be sorry. Family first.”

“Not the one you’re meeting tonight,” Jiang Cheng grumbles and then buries his face in Lan Xichen’s sweater.

“Please don’t think less of me after tonight,” he mutters, and he squeezes his eyes shut when Lan Xichen presses a kiss to the top of his head.

“I could never, my heart,” Lan Xichen says confidently.

Jiang Cheng doubts that; he knows his mother alone is very hard to take, but when his father is there as well, it’s likely to be an absolute shit show. And Jiang Cheng fears that it will be too much for Lan Xichen; that he will hear things about Jiang Cheng he can’ stomach, which will only end in him leaving.

Jiang Cheng isn’t sure if he could still take that.

“You don’t have to ask for hugs, or when you want to hold my hand. Or when you want to kiss me. You can just do those things,” Jiang Cheng says apropos of nothing, because he wants Lan Xichen to take the physical contact he wants as well, at least for today.

Jiang Cheng is not sure there will be much more after this.

“Okay,” Lan Xichen agrees and immediately tilts Jiang Cheng’s head up to press a kiss to his lips. “But only as long as you are really comfortable with that.”

“I am,” Jiang Cheng agrees and presses up to get another kiss.

They get lost in that for a few moments, before the thought of Wei Wuxian alone on their couch gets too much for Jiang Cheng and he drags Lan Xichen away.

~*~*~

Jing Cheng really wishes that Lan Xichen would be less perfect, because then he could have had the afternoon to convince himself that maybe this dinner will work out.

But instead Lan Xichen stayed the whole afternoon with Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian—unobtrusively in the back, occupying himself in Jiang Cheng’s room while he and Wei Wuxian were watching a movie, cuddling on the couch—and never complained even once.

It makes Jiang Cheng’s heart beat fast to think about how right it had felt that Lan Xichen was there with them, but he tries to push that thought away.

He’s still convinced that after this evening there won’t be many more of those moments, because Lan Xichen will realize what a grave mistake he made in dating Jiang Cheng and he will leave him.

Not in a mean way—Jiang Cheng doubts Lan Xichen can even be mean—but it will hurt nonetheless.

“You’re thinking again, and this time it’s bad thoughts,” Lan Xichen accuses him and Jiang Cheng sends him a small smile.

Lan Xichen is right, but he’s not going to admit to that. Instead, Jiang Cheng keeps his eyes trained on him, tries to savour the fact that for now he’s allowed to look. And when he remembers that he’s also allowed to touch, he reaches out to take Lan Xichen’s hand in his.

“I’m driving, my heart,” Lan Xichen gently reminds him but Jiang Cheng pouts at him.

“You don’t need your hand right now. I’ll give it back if you need to shift.”

“You better,” Lan Xichen replies, not turning his eyes away from the road and Jiang Cheng wonders if he imagines what dinner will be like.

Jiang Cheng knows from experience that no amount of imagination could prepare him for what is about to happen.

They spend the rest of the drive in silence and they arrive at Jiang Cheng’s parent’s house sooner than he would have liked, if he’s being honest.

He wouldn’t have minded driving with Lan Xichen for eternity.

“I am really sorry for what is about to happen,” Jiang Cheng says, just as he’s about to take his hand back, but Lan Xichen presses a kiss to the back of it before he allows Jiang Cheng to have it back.

“It can’t be that bad, and besides. It’s not your fault, no matter what happens. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Jiang Cheng says, voice already choked up, because he knows that won’t be true for much longer.

His mother especially has a way to hit where it hurts, and she knows all of Jiang Cheng’s soft spots. And she has never been afraid of using them.

Lan Xichen sends him an encouraging smile and then they are already ringing at the door. Jiang Cheng might have lost some time to his panic, because next thing he knows they are already sitting at the table; his parents, Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng himself.

Jiang Cheng knows what will happen before Jiang Fengmian even opens his mouth.

“Did you not bring Wei Wuxian?” he asks and Jiang Cheng attempts a smile for him.

“He was busy, this evening,” he says, and tries very hard not to think about the still shaken form he left bundled up in a blanket on the couch.

“What could he possibly have to do,” Madam Yu scoffs and Jiang Cheng closes his eyes, because he hoped to get at least past the first course before his parents started with this.

He tries to tune them out as best as he can; he knows his input is neither required nor wished for and so he listlessly moves the food around on his plate.

Sometime around the five minute marks of his parents fighting about Wei Wuxian Lan Xichen moves his hand to Jiang Cheng’s thigh to lightly squeeze it and while Jiang Cheng knows it’s only meant to show his support, the shame burns hot in his gut.

He hates that Lan Xichen has to see how worthless Jiang Cheng is in his parent’s eyes.

The longer the fight takes, the more tense Lan Xichen gets and Jiang Cheng has to swallow hard to keep his composure.

He wonders what Lan Xichen must think of him, now that he sees that Wei Wuxian is so much more important to either of his parents, be it in a good or bad way.

“Mom, dad,” Jiang Cheng finally tries when it all becomes too much for him. “Please,” he reminds them with a look at Lan Xichen, and he realizes his mistake just a second too late.

He hates that particular glint in his mother’s eyes.

“So, Lan Xichen,” she starts, her voice suddenly saccharine sweet as if she hadn’t viciously ripped into her husband just a minute ago. “Tell me, what do you want with Jiang Cheng?”

“I—love him,” Lan Xichen hesitantly says, clearly taken aback by the wording of that question and it almost sounds more like a question than anything else.

Madam Yu’s eyes go hard at that, and Jiang Cheng can only duck his head, before she starts in on him.

Maybe she shouldn’t have reminded her that Lan Xichen is there. It would have been better, probably, because next thing he knows she’s listing all of his inadequacies. Every last single one of Jiang Cheng’s faults are being flung around, dragged into the open and his mother remembers some things even Jiang Cheng already forgot.

It was probably time she reminds him of those again, Jiang Cheng bitterly thinks.

Once his mother is done, once she said almost exactly what Jiang Cheng has said to Wei Wuxian all those months ago, she expectantly looks at Lan Xichen, as if she expects him to get up and walk away.

Jiang Cheng is honestly more surprised when it doesn’t immediately happen.

“How dare you,” Lan Xichen hisses and Jiang Cheng closes his eyes. “How dare you speak about your son like this? At least now I understand why he has all these insecurities that keep him from accepting happiness,” Lan Xichen says, and he sounds angry.

Jiang Cheng has never seen him angry before; even when he’s mad he keeps a tight smile on his lips and tries to solve it diplomatically, but right now Lan Xichen seems furious.

“Happiness,” Madam Yu scoffs. “He can be happy if he gets a good match at all. Content is what he should aim for, and he probably has to settle for less.”

“He will not have to settle for less,” Lan Xichen seethes. “I will make sure that he is as happy as he can be, and I will not allow you to further undermine his happiness.”

“Oh, right,” Madam Yu says. “And how are you going to make him happy? You’re just using him for his connections, better admit to that now, so we can all settle on an agreement.”

“I am here because I love him, and I will do anything to make him happy.”

“As if,” Madam Yu mutters and eyes Jiang Cheng as if she wants to figure out how he—the worthless, never good enough, too angry son—managed to snatch someone like Lan Xichen.

Jiang Cheng would like to know that as well.

“I would marry him tomorrow if it would make him happy,” Lan Xichen presses out and Jiang Cheng stands up so abruptly that his chair topples over.

“Don’t,” he says to Lan Xichen, avoiding his eyes, because he knows they are already brimming with tears, and then he simply leaves.

He can’t believe Lan Xichen would lie like that, can’t believe Lan Xichen would lie like that to Madam Yu, who is worse than a shark that smelled blood when it comes to lies.

She would have called Lan Xichen on his bluff in just a second, and Jiang Cheng is absolutely not ready to hear Lan Xichen explain that yes, it all was just one big lie.

Fuck, Jiang Cheng can’t believe Lan Xichen would say that, that he would lower himself so far after everything he heard about Jiang Cheng this evening.

Really, he should have realized halfway through dinner that Jiang Cheng is definitely the wrong person for him.

For anyone, really.

Jiang Cheng flees the house, doesn’t even stop to check if Lan Xichen is coming after him or not, and he also doesn’t waste a moment to figure out how he will get home.

He’ll walk, if he has to, or call Wei Wuxian. He’s probably sitting next to his phone anyway.

Jiang Cheng realizes his mistake when he steps out into the pouring rain, but by then he’s already soaked, so it doesn’t matter anyway.

He keeps on walking.

Jiang Cheng is glad for the rain, because at least that way he can pretend that he’s not crying as he wonders if Lan Xichen will bother to break up with him personally, if he told his parents to convey the message or if he’ll just vanish from Jiang Cheng’s life.

This has always been what Jiang Cheng was most afraid of, and he should have known better than to try for some form of happiness with Lan Xichen. It never works out for Jiang Cheng after all.

Jiang Cheng isn’t very far from the house, when suddenly an umbrella is being held over him.

“What are you doing?” Lan Xichen softly asks and tugs on Jiang Cheng’s arm to stop him and the tears immediately flow faster.

“Why would you say something like that?” Jiang Cheng chokes out and Lan Xichen’s face goes soft.

“Because it’s the truth.”

“Don’t say that,” Jiang Cheng whispers and he fists his hands in Lan Xichen’s jacket. “Don’t say that,” he repeats again, stronger this time. “You deserve so much better!”

“I don’t care if I deserve better or not,” Lan Xichen says, and covers Jiang Cheng’s hands with his. “I only want you. You and no one else. It has to be you,” he says and then he leans down to kiss the tears right from Jiang Cheng’s face.

Jiang Cheng closes his eyes and he’s so, so scared that he is ruining Lan Xichen’s life by allowing this to continue but he can’t help himself.

He got a taste of it, and now he’s insatiable.

“So when you said you’d marry me—,” he starts and Lan Xichen hums softly.

“I meant it. I would if I thought it would finally put you at ease, make you believe that you are good, that I love you, and that you are good for me as well.”

“What if I never think that?” Jiang Cheng lowly asks and Lan Xichen nuzzles his cheek.

“Then I will still someday ask you to marry me. I realize that it’s too early now, don’t worry about that, but one day it won’t be. And then I will ask you.”

Jiang Cheng cups Lan Xichen’s face with his hands, and brings their foreheads together before he answers.

“What if I can’t say yes?” Jiang Cheng wants to know and Lan Xichen shrugs.

“Then we’ll stay boyfriends,” he says, as if it’s the easiest thing in the world.

“You’re insane,” Jiang Cheng accuses him, because Lan Xichen must be, if even a refused marriage proposal couldn’t chase him from Jiang Cheng’s side, but Lan Xichen only smiles.

“Okay,” he easily agrees and kisses Jiang Cheng. “And I’m also insanely in love with you. And no matter what your mother or your father have to say about you, that won’t change.”

“Not at all?” Jiang Cheng wants to know, and his voice is small, because he knows what his parents think of him is right.

“No. Because they clearly don’t know you like I do. They don’t know that you’re the most hardworking and diligent person I know. That you care more than you should and that you love so much, that you try your very best every day and that you are an amazing man. And if they don’t know that, then that’s on them. Their loss. I know who I have right here with me, and I love you so much.”

Jiang Cheng has to fight new tears at that, and he falls forward right into Lan Xichen. He wishes Lan Xichen could hug him right now, but he’s still holding the umbrella and so a one-armed hug is the best he can do.

“I love you, too,” Jiang Cheng says and he knows that he still has a long, long way to go, but if he has Lan Xichen by his side, he might even believe all of the things he just said.

One day, Jiang Cheng hopes.

And on that day, he will find his true happiness with Lan Xichen as well.

Link to my ko-fi on the sidebar!

[franniebanana]

CQL Rewatch - Ep 16

This is actually really sad, because how badly do we want to see this kid actually shoot Wen Zhuliu? I mean, they even go into hearing Jiang Fengmian’s words echoing in his mind. It’s the perfect setup for some heroic act that just doesn’t happen. It’s weird how even though I know what happens, I’m like, maybe this time it won’t! I mean, it’s good all this happens, because I like what it does to the characters, but it’s still hard to watch. I think this part is probably the bloodiest part in the entire show. Don’t quote me, but it’s pretty bloody.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, it’s also really sad that Jiang Fengmian has this heroic entrance only to be cut down seconds later. It’s easy to fall into a pattern of the good guys win, but that’s not how this story really works. The line between good and bad is thin and warped and blended together, and who we think is good doesn’t always come out on top. But again, if Lotus Pier hadn’t fallen, how would Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian have turned out? What would have happened to Jiang Yanli? I like how these events set into motion so much growth for these characters, and it’s not always positive growth either.

Ugh, I hate it. I hate it! Seeing all these men, women, children, who have been ruthlessly murdered by the Wen Clan—it’s just horrible. And from Wei Wuxian’s perspective, these people were his only family. This was the place that had taken him in when he was very young—it’s the only home he really remembers. And in a matter of hours, it was taken completely away from him. Obviously he’s angry—very angry—and upset. And whatever he feels, it’s only amplified in Jiang Cheng, who is already more emotional and quick-tempered. Not to mention, those are his actual parents, who he loves very much. Of course, his first reaction is to want revenge, which Wei Wuxian temporarily manages to talk him out of.

I like that we get Madam Yu’s perspective throughout this part. I like that she was the one who staunchly defended her home, and I like how she was the last man standing. As horrible as all this is, I get a warm feeling from seeing how she really does care about her family and her husband. I think it’s important that we get to see this before she dies, so that we can see that yes, there was some good in her. She loved her home, her clan, and her family enough that she would die for them. And I really like that she dies by her own hand on her own terms. She got to take that away from the Wens.

And we’re back to this again. It isn’t enough to have the Wen Clan to blame for what happened to his parents and Lotus Pier—no. Jiang Cheng seems to believe deep down that if Wei Wuxian hadn’t helped Lan Wangji and Jin Zixuan, things would be different: his parents would still be alive and Lotus Pier would be fine. Of course, that’s not true. The Wens would not have ever stopped. They wanted to lord over all the clans, even the Yunmeng Jiangs. But Jiang Cheng needs to blame someone and who better than Wei Wuxian? And after this point, he holds this grudge forever. Everything else just compounds upon this event.

And Wei Wuxian again just takes it. He doesn’t argue that the Wens would have done it anyway, he doesn’t try to defend himself at all. He must know that when Jiang Cheng makes up his mind, that’s it—there’s no changing things. I’m guessing by the time the morning rolls around, Jiang Cheng has already decided to seek revenge immediately, against Wei Wuxian’s advice. Again, we have a contrast of someone who is very analytical (Wei Wuxian) and someone who’s very emotional (Jiang Cheng), and Jiang Cheng ends up paying for it. And that’s his decision, even though he tries to place that blame on Wei Wuxian.

While Jiang Cheng is feeling sorry for himself, Wei Wuxian is the first to mention Jiang Yanli, who is still waiting for them. Of course Jiang Cheng has just gone through someone extremely traumatic—I don’t expect him to be on top of things, but I appreciate how level-headed that Wei Wuxian is able to be, given that the experience was also traumatic for him. Again, more contrast between the two characters. And not only contrast between those two, but look back at what happened at the Cloud Recesses and how Lan Wangji dealt with his own loss. He did not give up and shut down, like we see Jiang Cheng doing. He understood that life must go on. Was he upset that his brother was missing? Of course he was! Was he horrified by what happened to his home? Fuck, yes! But he didn’t get the opportunity to wallow in self-pity and depression like Jiang Cheng is. He had no one to support him like Jiang Cheng does. Jiang Cheng has a ton of people around him right now, in comparison, yet he behaves as if he’s alone. He lashes out emotionally, he recklessly goes back to Lotus Pier, abandoning his sister, who’s sick and alone. I don’t really care what he ultimately does to save Wei Wuxian, because I think it was clear that he was ready to die anyway. The outcome would have been the same for him, so distracting the Wen guards wasn’t really the selfless act that CQL kind of makes it out to be, albeit under the veil of Jiang Cheng’s memory.

Ugh, breaks my heart. Also irritates me that Wei Wuxian has to be the one to tell Yanli what happened. Like, can’t Jiang Cheng do it? Grow a pair and tell your own damn sister what happened to your parents and your home? Sorry, but I’m endlessly frustrated by him, no matter how realistic that response is. If I were Yanli, I’d want to hear that from my brother. But Jiang Cheng has basically checked out at this point. And I can’t imagine what’s going through Jiang Yanli’s mind. Her parents are dead, her home has been destroyed, her brother is distraught, and then she falls ill. She’s the oldest, she’s the one who should know what to do (whether or not she has any authority to do it)—this must be so difficult to feel like she needs to be strong for her two younger brothers, but to be completely falling apart emotionally.

Look at the physical distance here. It’s quite interesting, really, and good cinematography to show that chasm between them. It’s not just a physical gap but an emotional one as well. You have Wei Wuxian and Jiang Yanli, who just want to get out of danger so that they can figure out what to do next. And then you have Jiang Cheng, who just wants revenge. Even if it wasn’t obvious already, this scene shows how far apart they are from each other. It’s actually really cool.

I just feel that the only thing that was holding them all together was Wei Wuxian. He is taking his promise to Madam Yu and Jiang Fengmian very seriously. This is not a game to him—he will do anything to keep them safe. That is his only purpose right now. Prior to episode 15, I think Wei Wuxian brought up Lan Wangji at least once per episode, whether Lan Wangji was there or not. That name has not passed his lips even once. Jiang Cheng has said it a few times, I think because blame game, of course, but Wei Wuxian is not even thinking about Lan Wangji. His focus right now is to get Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli to safety. Imagine if it were only Jiang Cheng and Yanli right now—if you take Wei Wuxian out of the picture, how do you think they would behave? I mean, realistically, Jiang Cheng would already be dead, because no one would have stopped him from going back to Lotus Pier that night. So thank god Wei Wuxian is here, right?

Look at his vacant expression. Has he even heard Wei Wuxian’s instructions? Probably he has but he just ignores them. His sister has a fever, and he leaves her alone in the inn. He abandons them both. And for what? What does he hope to accomplish alone? His parents and the entirety of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect couldn’t take down the Wens, so how does he expect to? I understand where he’s coming from—I am protective of my family as well—but what he needed to do was step back and wait, and by not doing that, he ruined his own life.

Besides wangxian, I think my favorite relationship in this series is the one between Jiang Yanli and Wei Wuxian. There’s something so sweet and so beautiful and so loving about two people who aren’t quite family but aren’t not family either. There is so much unconditional love between them that no matter what either of them does, the other will continue to be there. It’s like the relationship that Wei Wuxian could have with Jiang Cheng, but Jiang Cheng does not love Wei Wuxian as much as Wei Wuxian loves him. For a long time, I think Wei Wuxian’s love for Jiang Cheng was unconditional, but he learns over time that it can’t be that way with Jiang Cheng. But his relationship with Yanli is so different. She treats him like family, treats him like a little brother, and she protects and defends him in front of those who would wish to harm him. It’s just very sweet and tragic, of course.

So, this is an important moment. For obvious reasons, of course, but also because Wei Wuxian could have killed Wen Ning, but didn’t. He immediately accuses him of participating in the massacre and goes on to say, “I shouldn’t have saved you.” And Wen Ning responds that he just got to Lotus Pier and was not a part of the massacre at all. And here’s the big part: Wei Wuxian backs off. He believes him and he lets him go. This is important because it shows that Wei Wuxian can see past the clan, past the outfit, past the bloodline. Someone who can’t do that is Jiang Cheng. This is just one of those moments that shows you what kind of person Wei Wuxian really is, and if you remember he made a big point of praising Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen for teaming up together and for not being affiliated with any clans. So here we can see how Wei Wuxian has a penchant for not conforming to the orthodoxy of any of the clans—of the very fact that you need to be in a clan at all. People are more than the clans they are a part of, people are more than their blood relatives. Everyone gets to prove their own worth, regardless of their social status. This isn’t a big deal to someone with modern sensibilities, but within this world, it’s a big deal that Wei Wuxian trusts Wen Ning to help him and Jiang Cheng here. And in the book, he allowed Wen Qing to help them, and he doesn’t even know her. Book!Wen Qing is more awesome in my opinion, and her entrance in the story is great, because you don’t know if you can trust her. You have to trust Wen Ning too, just like Wei Wuxian—you’re taking the risk as well, as the reader.

One more thought: you can see why they’d form such a strong bong—two people who should by all rights be enemies, but instead they choose to work together to stand up to what’s wrong. This is what Jin Zixuan and Lan Wangji were doing in the cave, what Wen Ning has already done when he helped Wei Wuxian out against the dog. This is a bond of brotherhood more than anything that the Twin Prides of Yunmeng ever had. It’s a really nice message, honestly. I often don’t appreciate Wen Ning, but they do have such a nice relationship that’s based on nothing but mutual trust and respect.

I find this oddly funny, because Wen Zhuliu is so resistant and doesn’t want to drink, but Wen Chao is so insistent that he ends up doing it. And of course that’s the thing that puts all of them out of commission for the next few days (I think), allowing Wen Ning and Wei Wuxian to get Jiang Cheng and his parents’ remains out of Lotus Pier. Such a simple decision, but if it had not been made this way, Wei Wuxian would have certainly been captured/killed by Wen Zhuliu.

The juxtaposition here is pretty extreme: the clean-clothed dancing ladies in the background, with the body of (I think) Madam Yu in the foreground, hanging there. It’s so disturbing to think about having this feast to celebrate a victory (massacre) with dead bodies hanging around you. Just very creepy and eerie.

I’m flying through these for good reason. Not a lot to say, just getting through plot, and I want to get back to my fave Lan Wangji. Biased? Why, yes, I am.

Other episodes: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |

[saberspirit]

jiang cheng character analysis essay under the cut! bc he means a Lot to me (its 5 pages im sorry)

tl;dr my thoughts on his relationship to his parents, his relationship with anger and feelings of inferiority, what zidian represents to him, his siblings (largely about what led to him and wwx falling out), and my thoughts on reconciliation between him and wei wuxian in the end.

tw!!! for child abuse and death, also warning for spoilers for the ending. 

alternatively can be read on google docs for accessibility

foreword: by writing this it is not my intention to imply this is the end all be all interpretation, or that i know more than fans of colour (especially chinese/chinese-american fans). i’m looking at his character as a white fan and through a western lens. i understand there are nuances i wont understand, but i have tried and continue to look at him w/ an educated view point and i’m always trying to continue my own self-driven education. i’m as always open to criticism and correction, although i understand it is no ones job to do so. it’s purely an interpretation from someone relating to his themes that i talk about here. thank you for reading! 

Jiang Cheng has a very complicated relationship with his parents (understatement), though different from Wei Wuxian’s complicated relationship w/ them (some overlaps being given).

It’s obvious to me that JC identifies more as his mother's son than his father's—feels he has to be because surely that’s why he feels neglected and like he’s constantly being found wanting by his father (even if Fengmian does Not mean to come across that way and isn’t a cruel man). He identifies with his mother’s anger and feeling of not being what his father truly wanted or loved and I don’t think he realized the effect she had on him with her constant comparison game—trying to measure him up because Madam Yu used him as a playing piece in her constant warring with Fengmian and instilled a sense of otherness in him and his deep-rooted feelings of inferiority and not being Good enough, not being enough in general. And yet he still deeply loves them even through all that he’s been through because of them both.

He never grew up learning how love should be in a relationship; should be from a parent to a child. The love he learned is a different type of conditional love from WWX's (WWX being that he doesn’t trust it in the first place, knowing it will leave). JC receives love and praise but knows it comes from a silent arrangement: it’s transactional. He upholds what his parents want and he gets…a form of it. Jiang Fengmian loved him in a way that you just kind of do love family, perhaps without a real reason otherwise—not pretty, but it is as it is. Madam Yu loved him in a way one loves a possession: she saw too much of Jiang Fengmian in him and JC was a reminder of how unhappy she was and how much her husband didn’t seem to care about her or what she gave him. (This isn’t to downplay Yanli's role in JC’s life: I think she was truly the only one to show him unconditional love in a way that he understood and recognized but it's unfortunately different from siblings and fell on half-deaf ears when all JC really wanted was his father’s approval).

Madam Yu was (afaik) stated to not be physically abusive (aside from the whipping when the Wens came from Wei Wuxian), but she was one-hundred percent verbally and emotionally abusive (for example, punishing WWX w/ isolation from the family w/ seclusion, or in general just how she talked to JC and WWX). She broke those two boys and it's something that can’t be undone…and Zidian represents that trauma, abuse, and expectation and JC’s anger and resentment that was the product of it. It’s literally lightning in a whip form; able to bind without harm, but it’s primarily used to hurt; it can reveal a true form; control over it is only relinquished to one’s family and loved ones.

JC doesn’t just lash out verbally at Wei Wuxian when they meet in his second life, he literally does. It’s his anger under his skin like static, driving him forward and being unable to rest because he’s constantly looking for closure he can’t have. He resents how his parents and Wei Wuxian made him feel but it’s also the only thing he has of them, and he clings to that (and therefore Zidian). It’s the last thing, bar Lotus Pier, that he has of his family anymore, and he wields it like a weapon…because ultimately it’s the only thing he's known for a very long time. Anger is an easy emotion. He wears it well. It was an emotion he learned from his mother, and he is his mother’s son.

As a side note for Zidian: Jin Ling refusing to take it from JC in the Burial Mounds to me was very much about not wanting a goodbye. He's a stubborn kid—JC mirrored what his mother did to him in handing off Zidian before certain death, and I think Jin Ling realized "take care of Zidian" meant "because I can’t anymore". JC wanted Jin Ling to stay safe and keep a hold on their family's legacy, but Jin Ling refused it and stepped forward to protect JC—JL is tired of goodbyes and afraid of losing more people, but also that stubborn streak to protect his family back. He went into the fray himself even if it’s not what JC was asking him to do (but then to JC’s chagrin the kid never really does do what he asks usually, Jin Ling has a good head on his shoulders and he’s as stubborn and quick to anger as his jiujiu but he’s also as incredibly loyal and caring). And I think it's a good vehicle to show that JL is breaking that cycle for them both.

Back to Jiang Cheng and anger and his siblings though. Yanli is all about showing affection in her words and actions (ie. meal sharing, peeling the lotus seeds, etc). WWX struggles to show it in forthright actions, let alone verbalize it (he’s truly bad at it) so while WWX does love his brother and shows it in actions like giving him his golden core…it’s not something JC picks up on well, or at all because he doesn’t even get told about the core until the Guanyin Temple. Jiang Cheng is someone who needs verbalized confirmation and very obvious action. But then to be fair, JC is also not good at verbalizing his love and care (he and Wei Wuxian are two peas in a pod w/ this one). It’s often behind barbed wire because 1) that’s how it was shown to him and 2) because it’s safer and easier to hide behind anger. He really does use it as a shield to protect his real feelings because he’s used to his feelings being trivial and being thrown in his face, and is used to loss. It’s a buffer.

This leads to a problem: Wei Wuxian does love him unconditionally, but I don’t think JC knows that. When he’s faced with the golden core surgery after everything, it’s definitely obvious, but it’s so twisted up in being hidden from him, in his own fears and feelings of failure and reliance that it’s soured. And he struggles to reach out and be frank with his own worries.

And this leads and lends to the severity of their falling out (not the only cause, but a big player in it).

He deeply loves his brother, but it's also entrenched in his bitterness and fears. If it was initially hard for him to verbalize because of those issues (on top of being a teenager/young adult and his feelings of inferiority irt WWX), he’s now in the current day steeped in sixteen years of loss/grief/trauma. Of unresolved tension between the two of them because WWX never told anyone anything—even if that’s just how he is, nothing personal towards JC except maybe that it’s his little brother, his shidi, and he doesn’t want to put a burden on those he loves—and JC tried time and time again to believe him and in him.

The problem was that his trust got thrown in his face time and time again. His older ‘peers’ (clan leaders) mocked and insulted him to his face for his naivety, pointed out that what WWX was doing was an insult to JC and their family, that WWX’s actions disrespected him and that he should do something about it. WWX’s actions themselves alongside him never letting JC in on anything further isolated them and put walls between them. This sewed the seed of the idea for JC that maybe he was naive. That WWX couldn’t uphold his duty and promises to JC and their family while also upkeeping his own personal code of ethics. (Not that it helped that Jiang Cheng also started lashing out at Wei Wuxian in minor ways for not having Suibian, but he didn’t exactly know why, to his credit).

His trust was him trying to care for WWX through all they’ve lost, but he’s also under the immense pressure of leading and rebuilding his home while also being looked down upon for his inexperience and ties to the man the cultivation world loathes.

Jiang Cheng believed WWX when he said he'd help him, wanted him to and expected him to. That’s his big brother and ultimately family comes first, so it was out of the question that WXX wouldn’t uphold that duty to him. Jiang Cheng is barely an adult as Sect Leader and was still a teen when they lost everything, so of course he wanted to rely on and believe Wei Wuxian when he said he'd help. JC doesn’t usually rely on others—I’d wager he hates relying on WWX especially as a callback to the inferiority complex—but he lets WWX in when they have the “Twin Prides” talk, lets him in when he promises JC to help him rebuild their home…and then WWX lets him down several times.

Post Burial Mounds there are signs that JC notices, if not consciously then subconsciously, that something is off with his brother (the demonic cultivation, the flute, the lack of Suibian, his weakness when pushed, etc), little things that he noted but didn’t have the time during a War to think too deeply on. He’s more relieved to just have him back where he can see him, happy that his brother can help them. Jiang Cheng gives him his vote of confidence in his abilities, in him, because he never thought of WWX or his methods badly (having been a fan until it became a symbol of losing Wei Wuxian to Something Else). Even if he had thought something of it, did have a concern, they don’t easily talk to each other now.

That much is obvious when after various meetings post the Sunshot Campaign as WWX is struggling with his temperament and resentful energy, after WWX saves the Wen remnants from the Jin Clan, and Jiang Cheng shows up at the Burial Mounds. He still believes in Wei Wuxian, still is bound to help him, and wants to help him. He’s willing to sacrifice the Wens for his brother. His actions and words are not pretty, but by god is he desperate. Jiang Cheng wants to save him and hides it with harsh words because once again he’s not good at being forthright with his feelings. He’s at his wits’ end, he’s barely 20, and suddenly he's losing Wei Wuxian too. It’s not about them being Wens because at this point he’s aware they’re helpless—it’s because it’s WWX and he’s supposed to make the right decision and be competent. It’s freshly post-war and he’s scared: his big brother is leaving and he feels powerless and he Hates that. Once again feels like he’s not good enough. Not good enough to save WWX, not good enough to lead, and he’s under intense scrutiny. He tells WWX as much that at this point he can’t help, and it hurts him to not be able to. Jiang Cheng wants Wei Wuxian to help him, help him. It’s an admittance wrapped in hurt and hurtful words, and WWX throws it in his face because he can’t let him in.

It’s not meant in any malicious way. Wei Wuxian is also traumatized, scared and hurting and dealing with the changes demonic cultivation is causing within him. But this is a key moment when JC for once verbalizes his fears and WWX tells him, ‘good, you don’t need to worry, I don’t have anything to do with you from now on’. (And of course, WWX is doing this to protect JC, but this response is what JC is afraid of).

So we have two times that JC has tried really hard in his own ways to let WWX in. To rely on him and be honest with him and WWX ends up…breaking his promises and leaving him and their family behind. And to me, that explains his actions when the last time they speak before he dies (that we’re shown anyways). WWX is sitting down with Jiang Cheng and Yanli. JC is the one that set up them being able to meet him, the one that reached out even after they fought to make his defecting from the Sect look convincing. He was the one that told Yanli that WWX should be the one to give a courtesy name to her child.

And then WWX brings Wen Ning. Yanli is open to Wen Ning sitting in and enjoying their family tradition, but JC can't understand why. Why WWX chose these people over his own family. He resents it. When he says "you might not be able to come back, to your family" I can imagine how much it destroys him to hear WWX say "but the people I’m returning to are also my family". Because what does that make them, WWX’s siblings; what does that make the promises and the years spent raised together, the duty he had to them first. Wei Wuxian might return to the Burial Mounds, but Jiang Cheng has to return to an empty Lotus Pier. The ghosts of his parents and ghosts of memories of his siblings he’s never getting back (because Yanli will be in Jinlin Tai after her upcoming wedding).

Repeatedly over and over Jiang Cheng reaches out, but time and time again it’s like WWX is telling him he’s not enough: not enough for WWX to rely on, not enough to protect him, not enough for him to want to return to, not enough to be family.

Then the cultivation world comes for WWX and his amulet. Yanli is killed, as far as JC can tell, because of the mess WWX made, and once again he’s in the dark about everything. Then WWX dies and rumours swirl that JC killed him, and maybe he did, maybe he is his brother’s killer even if Wei Wuxian would call it a misunderstanding. He’s left alone with an orphaned nephew in Lotus Pier with his entire family, bar an infant, dead.

So Jiang Cheng spends the next sixteen years without answers, with WWX having reinforced his insecurities and fears that stemmed from the abuse he'd suffered during childhood and then died. Yanli died when she never should’ve been in danger in the first place, seemingly because of Wei Wuxian. And he's so angry. He lashes out at memories and reminders, lashes out at anyone who chooses that same path that WWX chose over his family.

By the time Wei Wuxian’s come back from the dead and JC knows it’s him, WWX is still deflecting, still hiding still not telling him the truth. The fact that WWX comes back at all hurts purely as a fresh opening of the old wound, but the fact that he doesn’t come to find JC, that once again JC and his family isn’t a priority and once again is second best (this time to Lan Wangji)?

He doesn’t kill his brother. JC sits him down in a room and tries to talk but old hurts rile up and he reaches for anger again. WWX isn’t forthright and it makes it worse, neither of them are good at communicating: too many things unsaid, that can’t be said, too many misunderstandings and neither of them knowing how to talk about it. JC has Fairy there and it’s a minor act of revenge. JC uses what he knows is WWX’s weakness to intimidate and immobilize him, but it doesn’t help either of them actually talk.

Reconciliation is going to require WWX being able to talk to him without deflecting and JC getting angry so easily. But by this point, he’s given WWX a lot of chances and it’s why I think they could and would easily post-canon. Jiang Cheng's starting to come to an understanding that WWX did and still does care about him. He didn’t give him his golden core for no reason, and JC starts to understand why WWX did it for him and that he knew JC well enough to hide it in the first place.

He started to reach that conclusion shortly after Wen Ning told him—oh the pain of it having been WWX's chosen little brother figure—and Jiang Cheng had gone around asking people to unsheathe Suibian. It's why he brought Chenqing to the temple in the first place.

I think it speaks to his maturity that he decided at that moment he couldn’t say what he wanted to tell WWX in the end. I think he knew neither of them was ready, but I also think it speaks of how much he misses and trusts WWX to have let him go for now…I think he knows they will meet again as long as they both live, and that they'll be better for having waited. After some time to think, digest, they’ll be ready to be family again and all that entails.

[trilliastra]

[to quote nie huaisang: i don’t know, i don’t know, i don’t know]

-

“Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian takes Lan Zhan’s hand, looks up at him desperately. “You’re my only hope, Lan Zhan.” Lan Zhan doesn’t react, only raises an eyebrow, waiting. “I need you to be my date for Jiang Yanli’s wedding.”

Lan Zhan blinks, confused, and Wei Wuxian squeezes his hand. He’s desperate, Madam Yu has been hinting on arranged marriages and blind dates with people Wei Wuxian has never heard about and, he shudders, knowing how much she despises him, there’s no way that will end up well.

For starters, an arranged marriage might have worked for sister, he doesn’t know how, but Wei Wuxian is a special kind of person, not many people like him, most even leave the meeting wanting to kill him. Maybe Madam Yu found someone crazy enough to do it – he wouldn’t put it past her.

“Wei Ying—”

“It’s you or Nie Huaisang,” he shakes his head at the thought, no, “and – I even asked MianMian!” He stresses, staring at his friend. MianMian is great, anyone would be lucky to have her, but she’s just as much of a lesbian as Wei Wuxian is gay, so that would never work out for them. “But if I have to pretend to be in love with someone, I’d rather pretend with you.”

Lan Zhan blinks, surprised, and Wei Wuxian notices the faint blush on his cheeks. It’s very adorable, his friend is adorable, and Wei Wuxian won’t even have to pretend to be in love with him.

“I— alright.” Lan Zhan answers finally, and Wei Wuxian sighs, relieved. That was surprisingly easy, but he will take what he can get and do it gratefully.

“Thank you,” he slumps against his chest, without thinking, before Lan Zhan clears his throat and Wei Wuxian pulls back immediately. 

He can still smell Lan Zhan’s scent on his shirt for hours later and he feels intoxicated by it, so much so that Jiang Cheng catches him daydreaming more than once, thinking about Lan Zhan’s hand in his, Lan Zhan’s scent all around his body, Lan Zhan’s pink cheeks, lips parted as he struggles to breathe while Wei Wuxian presses soft kisses on his neck.

“Fuck.” He curses, burying his face in his arms. He thought he had it under control! It’s been eight years, Wei Wuxian has been doing a great job at hiding his feelings, then why is it that his brain (and his heart) suddenly decided to stop obeying him?

This is ridiculous, Lan Zhan is his best friend (his only friend) and Wei Wuxian can’t ruin this relationship with his feelings, he treasures Lan Zhan too much, needs him like breathing, and what will happen if Lan Zhan suddenly finds out?

Will he think Wei Wuxian was been taking advantage of him? Will he feel hurt that Wei Wuxian has been basically lying to his face for the past – what, six years? Will he stop wanting to see him?

There are too many what if’s, too much at stake, Wei Wuxian is not ready to risk it all. He’s not that brave.

“We’re going to be late for dinner.” Jiang Cheng says, coming into the kitchen and pinching Wei Wuxian’s arm. “Mom said she wants to introduce you to someone.”

Wei Wuxian groans, but gets up and heads for his room. He knows, just as much as Jiang Cheng knows, what those words mean, but they don’t speak about it. Madam Yu is still Jiang Cheng’s mother, still the woman who accepted the son of another person in her house, even if she never loved him, even if she never wanted him there, she still did it and Wei Wuxian, at least, respects her for it.

Jiang Cheng follows him. “What’s wrong with you?” He asks, curious. Wei Wuxian could never lie to his brother, but there are some things he hides, things that Jiang Cheng has never asked and Wei Wuxian has never actively tried to talk about.

“Nothing.” He waves his hand, gives him his biggest smile. “Just – she’s getting married, right? I still can’t believe it. Jin Zixuan doesn’t deserve her.” He chooses his words carefully, goes for a subject he knows will distract his brother and promptly tries to block all his thoughts about Lan Zhan. At least for now.

Jiang Cheng narrows his eyes at him. “You’re hiding something.”

Wei Wuxian swallows, turns around and starts to unbutton his shirt. “No, I’m –”

“You’re hiding something,” Jiang Cheng insists, takes him by the shoulders and turns him around, stares directly into his eyes, “you don’t want to talk about it now, fine. But – you can’t hide it forever.”

“I’m not!”

Jiang Cheng rolls his eyes, huffs out a laugh. “You can’t lie to me.” He points out, but takes a step back. “Just, talk to me, if you need. Or whatever.” Jiang Cheng looks down at his hands, blushing, and Wei Wuxian feels so much love for his younger brother, his eyes begin to water.

He doesn’t know if it’s because his sister is getting married, if it’s because of all those thoughts about Lan Zhan, or he just simply loves Jiang Cheng this much, but he suddenly feels an urge to hold his brother and so, he pulls him closer, squeezes him almost painfully against his chest. “I love you.” He mumbles.

“Get off.” His brother protests, trying to push him away. “I changed my mind, don’t talk to me, don’t touch me, don’t even look at me.”

Wei Wuxian laughs, pulling back. “You’re the sweetest little brother ever.”

Jiang Cheng gives him a disgusted look, all but running out of the room. “You’re an idiot!”

Wei Wuxian laughs harder.

--

“What is he doing here?” Jiang Cheng whispers once Lan Zhan steps into the restaurant. Wei Wuxian fakes a cough to hide a gasp as Lan Zhan adjusts the collar of his black suit, his long hair tied up on a high ponytail. All eyes are on him now and Wei Wuxian can practically feel Jin Zixun vibrating angrily, even though they are literally on opposites sides of the room.

Before Wei Wuxian can answer, Lan Zhan is walking towards him, a small smile on his face. “Wei Ying,” he says, nodding at Jiang Cheng, before taking Wei Wuxian’s hand in his.

“Hi.” Wei Wuxian sighs, stupidly. His knees feel weak and he knows his face is bright red, but all he cares about now is Lan Zhan’s smile, Lan Zhan’s bright eyes staring him up and down, almost – hungrily.

“I knew it.” Wei Wuxian hears Jiang Cheng say, feels his brother pinch his arm. “You should’ve told me!” He mutters, angrily. Wei Wuxian is still too transfixed by Lan Zhan’s entire being to pay attention to him.

“Wei Ying,” Lan Zhan calls and Wei Wuxian, finally, comes out of his stupor, “where should I sit?”

“Oh,” Wei Wuxian clears his throat, “right, I – you’re my plus one so I guess –”

“Table 2.” Jiang Cheng interrupts him, rolling his eyes. Lan Zhan nods at him. “You can go sit down, Wei Wuxian still has to stay here. Unless,” Jiang Cheng teases, “you want to go with him? Make out in the bathroom, maybe?”

“Jiang Cheng!” Wei Wuxian admonishes, surprised. When he risks a glance at Lan Zhan, his friend is smiling. “He’s joking, obviously. You should –”

“I’ll wait for you at the table.” Lan Zhan nods, squeezing his hand, before leaning closer and – pressing a kiss on Wei Wuxian’s lips. It’s barely a kiss, more of a soft brush of their lips, but it’s enough for him to feel how soft Lan Zhan’s lips are, how good he smells, how hot his body feels when pressed against Wei Wuxian’s.

“Jiang Cheng, hold me.” He says, leaning against his brother’s shoulder dramatically once Lan Zhan turned his back to them. “I am dead.”

“Idiot.” Jiang Cheng mutters, pushing him away.

--

“Are you okay?” Lan Zhan asks after the dinner, when his sister waved at him and said he should walk his boyfriend to his car, with a knowing smile on her face. “You didn’t talk.”

Wei Wuxian sighs. Once they were all in their seats and Madam Yu started going around the tables, talking to friends and acquaintances, Wei Wuxian kept his head down, focused on his food and the hand Lan Zhan kept on his thigh the entire night.

He freaked out, that’s the only explanation he can give. He was afraid of his feelings, confused with the way Lan Zhan was behaving, afraid his family and Lan Zhan would realize he was lying to them all.

It was easier to just keep his mouth shut the entire night instead of worrying about every word being said.

“Should I apologize?” Lan Zhan asks, suddenly, and Wei Wuxian turns to him wide-eyed. “For my –”

“No!” Wei Wuxian rushes to say. “You did nothing wrong, Lan Zhan, you –” he doesn’t know how to explain himself without giving everything away.

“I kissed you.” Lan Zhan says and it’s a statement just as much as it’s a question. He did kiss Wei Wuxian, but was it okay to do it? It all depends on Wei Wuxian’s answer.

“I –” Should he lie? Or should he tell the truth? “Maybe, maybe it was a little too much –”

Lan Zhan narrows his eyes at him. “You’re lying.” He says, in a very Lan Zhan way, soft but firm, as if he’s pointing out the truth and not breaking all of Wei Wuxian’s walls. “Why are you lying?”

“Lan Zhan, I’m –” Wei Wuxian doesn’t know why he’s still trying to lie, it’s obvious that Lan Zhan won’t believe it. It’s obvious that he knows Wei Wuxian is hiding something. It’s obvious that – he knows. “You know.” He whispers, surprised.

Lan Zhan sighs softly, reaches out to take Wei Wuxian’s hand again. “Why are you lying, Wei Ying?”

Looking into Lan Zhan’s eyes, Wei Wuxian caves. “I’m scared of losing you.”

Lan Zhan shakes his head. “You won’t.” He steps closer, touching Wei Wuxian’s face with his free hand. “I love you, Wei Ying.”

“Oh, Lan Zhan.” Wei Wuxian throws himself at him, relieved he won’t have to hide his feelings anymore, happy, so happy, that he’s loved too. “I love you, Lan Zhan. My Lan Zhan.” He feels tears running down his face, doesn’t even try to hold them back.

“Yours.” Lan Zhan agrees. And then places another kiss on his lips. “My Wei Ying.”

“Yours.” Wei Wuxian doesn’t stop laughing. Will keep laughing forever. “Yours.”

[gusu-emilu]

Cantatio: Chapter Ten

Ship: Lan Zhan / Wei Ying

Summary: Lan Wangji learns what really happened last night—regarding more people than he expected.

Cloud Recesses AU, Rated T - read on AO3

“But you, Lan Zhan? Letting a girl from the Wen Clan sneak in through your window, then tiptoeing around the Cloud Recesses after curfew with her, and then sword fighting without permission?

All of that is much, much more deplorable, Lan Zhan.”

< Ch. 9 | Ch. 11 > | chapter list

It was as if Lan Wangji had swallowed an entire bottle of vinegar.

His stomach lurched. His face burned. His throat blazed with the acrid taste, itching to cough up the single question that singed the fabric of his thoughts.

Wei Ying, who is in your bed?!

But Lan Wangji had well earned the title of Twin Jade. Like his brother, he was serene. Cool. Composed. Nothing could penetrate the fortress of his mind. Nothing could get under his skin.

Do not act impulsively. Harmony is the value. Speak meagerly, for too many words only bring harm. Train your body and your mind.

Coming back to center with the Gusu Lan Clan rules—which he had been ignoring too much lately—was his priority. Not whatever frivolous things his roommate did.

And yet.

A man was in Wei Ying’s bed.

A man who did not belong in their room.

But these emotions were irrational. Why should Lan Wangji care? The biggest problem here was that sleeping in another disciple’s dormitory was prohibited. That was why he cared..

“I hope you don’t mind, Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian looked over at Lan Wangji as they stood in the doorway. “I had a guest over. But, well, you had a guest in your bed too, so it shouldn’t be that big of a problem.”

A lump formed in Lan Wangji’s throat.

He knew. He knew that Wen Qing had snuck into their room. Had he been awake the entire time, watching them and smirking from beneath his blankets, while a handsome man slept beside him?

“I did not. Invite her.”

“Okay, Lan Zhan. Whatever you say. You’ll be glad to know that I, at least, am maintaining our duplex as a place of hospitality. I did invite my guest in. Very willingly.”

Lan Wangji’s fists trembled.

Was Wei Ying purposely trying to aggravate him? Purposely trying to rouse a reaction from him? Purposely trying to make him feel jeal—

No. If this was his intention, the attempt had failed. He didn’t feel that unspeakable emotion at all. There was no reason to.

Wei Wuxian pranced into the room. The unknown man still slumbered in bed, snoring lightly. Lan Wangji remained fixed in the doorway, trapped in place as if the moonlight tied around him like a rope, pulling him away from this disturbing sight.

How had he not seen two people in the bed? How had Wei Ying snuck outside to buy wine in Caiyi Town without alerting him or Wen Qing?

Earlier, Lan Wangji had felt the slightest bit amused—horrified, yes, but still a touch humored—that he was blatantly violating Gusu Lan Clan rules on his side of the room while Wei Wuxian, the biggest troublemaker in the Cloud Recesses, was fast asleep, completely oblivious.

Well, maybe not that amused. It was shameful behavior.

But had the situation actually been the reverse? Had Lan Wangji been so absorbed in his stubborn guest that he hadn’t even noticed what was occurring across from him?

Finally, he croaked out the question.

“Who. Is that.”

Wei Wuxian rubbed the back of his neck and flashed a sheepish grin. “Haha. About that. There’s something else I need to tell you, Lan Zhan. Please don’t be mad at me.”

Lan Wangji’s only answer was to twitch his lower lip.

“He’s…uh…under a sleeping potion.”

“What?”

“It’s not anything weird, I swear! He did it to himself! Well, at least, sort of. It was a dare. He lost a bet to Huaisang. I think it cost him a little too much, though. I, uh…I might’ve used the opportunity to slip two or three of his coins from his pockets to buy some stuff.”

What kind of wicked games had Wei Ying been playing with this man? And Nie Huaisang had been involved too?

Wei Wuxian waved his hands in front of himself. “He’s fine! Really! He just went sleep. Really soundly.”

Despite their raucous voices, the man had not stirred from the bed. His leg still hung off its edge.

“What was. It.”

“Remember in Madam Yu’s class when some of my ingredients went missing? I mean, I know you were ignoring me, but we were sitting at the same table, and she, like, slapped me. You must’ve noticed.

“Anyway, turns out that when you make an insomnia remedy without jujube seeds, it gets way stronger. Makes you pass out within a minute. Wen Qing told me that after class. She said she would pour it down my throat if I didn’t stop trying to talk to her. I’m best buddies with her little brother though, how could she say something so rude to me? She’s really quite terrifying. And that needle she stuck in me? Such a scary woman. I can’t believe you let her in our dorm.”

Lan Wangji’s jaw tightened.

“But I’m getting off track. Since it was his”—he pointed at the sleeping man—“fault for getting my grade lowered, Huaisang and I decided that it was only fair he drank the mess that his selfishness had created. We bet him that if he couldn’t do a quadruple backflip after spinning in a circle for five minutes, he’d have to drink it. We didn’t think he’d actually agree to it.”

He paced the room as he continued the story, his hand gestures becoming more and more exaggerated. “And well, after he lost, Huaisang started teasing him. You know how Huaisang is, fan over his face, voice all singsong and provocative. But then Huaisang had to run away, because he got so mad, he was about to punch Huaisang! Still, he kept his word and drank the whole vial. Then he passed out. I didn’t want to carry him back to the dorm courtyard, because what if Nie Mingjue or Lan Xichen saw us? It was way past curfew, and it’s not exactly easy to hide when there’s a person draped over your shoulder. So I dragged him to our cozy little home and plopped him on my bed. You had been sound asleep. Didn’t even notice.”

As Lan Wangji listened, realization dawned on him. In Alchemy & Medicine class, a certain grumpy disciple had refused to give his jujube seeds to Wei Wuxian.

The man in the bed was Jiang Cheng.

Wei Ying’s brother.

Then he remembered another detail—Wei Wuxian had left an hour before curfew to play outside with Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang. Lan Wangji noted bitterly that he hadn’t been invited.

As if Lan Wangji cared about any of this in the first place. He stomped over to his own bed and slid inside, shutting the blankets over himself with a violent sweep.

“Hahahaha, what kind of person do you think I am, Lan Zhan? Did I worry you? I was only doing a kind deed by letting my shidi rest in my bed until the potion’s effects wore off. And the Emperor’s Smile I bought was an apology gift for him when he woke up! At least, one jar of it was. It was his money, so it was only fair I let him have some.”

Wei Wuxian rubbed his hands together, like he was kneading dough he was about to roast in the oven. “But you, Lan Zhan? Letting a girl from the Wen Clan sneak in through your window, then tiptoeing around the Cloud Recesses after curfew with her, and then sword fighting without permission? And you destroyed my apology gift for Jiang Cheng! All of that is much, much, much more deplorable, Lan Zhan. I should take lessons from you. And you know, you really have to fill me in on this closet of yours. Maybe then, I’ll finally tell you how I animated the pixiu.”

Lan Wangji clenched his eyes shut and clamped the blankets over his ears, his face burning redder by the minute, a headache clawing at his temples, his mind trudging through a recitation of the Gusu Lan Clan’s core philosophies and not thoughts of his roommate.

They went to sleep without exchanging another word.

* * *

The next morning, Lan Wangji’s face was sticky with sweat. He dabbed it off with a warm washcloth, hoping to also wipe away the events of last night. But when he looked down, the coarse fabric only contained his salty perspiration. Not the fourteen rules he broke, not the frenzied twang of the guqin, not the sunken cadaver eyes he saw in the mingshi, not the buzz he felt while sparring with Wei Wuxian, not the inexplicable spite that gripped him at the thought of his roommate sharing a bed with a strange man, not the embarrassment that buried him afterward.

He felt…

Felt…

Haunted.

Who was the girl whose corpse hung in the mingshi? How did the guqin play itself? Why did Lan Wangji’s closet lead him to the tower that held them both?

How did Wei Ying affect him so much?

And why did he feel like with every step he took, he lost more and more of his dignity?

He sighed into the towel.

He needed time to process. Even the Second Young Master of the Lan Clan had a limit to the mayhem he could endure before longing to retreat into his shell. He still needed to discipline himself for his misconduct. No, he needed to report himself to his uncle. It was time. He had broken enough Lan Clan rules to last a year.

And now there were two mysteries to solve—the closet, and the mingshi.

Yet this morning, there was nothing left to do but meditate, meditate, and then meditate a little harder. He stood in the grass outside his dorm in the most challenging meditation posture. He deserved the pain, after all. It was nothing compared to what he’d receive after reporting his infractions to his uncle.

It was not a fruitful meditation session.

Once Jiang Cheng woke up in the dormitory, he wobbled around and sputtered incoherent nonsense for several minutes. Then he regained his senses and began hollering at Wei Wuxian, slugging punches at him, throwing hard objects at him. Lan Wangji was grateful for the silence after his roommate fled out of the duplex with the attacker at his heels and did not return.

At least there were classes to look forward to.

But apparently, even the pleasure of academics was to be robbed of him today.

When Lan Wangji arrived in the central courtyard of the Cloud Recesses, ready to enter his uncle’s classroom and nourish himself with more knowledge of Trans-Himalayan poetry, he was blocked by a clamoring crowd of disciples. The clan leaders stood gravely outside the Main Hall, murmuring to each other with obvious distress. Jin Guangshan looked the most outraged of all, floating from leader to leader with shaking fists and a running mouth like a hot air balloon that kept getting blown around.

Morning classes were cancelled.

A guardian lion statue outside the mingshi had come to life and escaped.

A guardian lion.

Would the chaos never end? This was not the peaceful Cloud Recesses Academy that he had heard about from Lan Xichen.

At that thought, he decided to search for his brother.. He slinked between chattering disciples until he spotted the sapphire robes, silken black hair, and white cloud-patterned headband that only looked that way on the elder Twin Jade.

“Brother.”

“Good morning, Wangji,” Lan Xichen said. He had been speaking to Jiang Yanli, whose eyes were puffy and red.

Lan Wangji glanced with concern at Jiang Yanli, scanned the commotion surrounding them, then stared at his brother with an expression that asked, What is going on?

“Have you heard? Last night the guardian lion from the mingshi captured a disciple and dragged him into the forest. A search team is hunting for them as we speak.”

"Whom?”

Lan Xichen’s eyes wandered to Jiang Yanli.

“…Jin Zixuan,” she said.

Jin Zixuan had been out at around the same time last night as Lan Wangji to scold the Lan Clan servant. At least, that was what the conversation of Lan Xichen, Nie Mingjue, and Jin Guangyao had seemed to indicate.

When Lan Wangji and Wen Qing had exited the mingshi, both of its guardian lion statues were intact and in place. Did the lion come to life and attack Jin Zixuan shortly after they had left? By how many minutes had they missed it? Who even had enough spiritual energy to animate it?

“Serves him right, too,” said Nie Mingjue, who had just marched over from the group of clan leaders. “Little snot-robed bastard had it coming, spitting backwash on his honor like that.”

Lan Xichen braced at the word ‘honor’ and gave a cautious glance at Jiang Yanli, as if afraid his friend’s words would draw fresh tears from her eyes. “Mingjue, no disciple deserves such a fate. And Young Master Jin is quite proficient. He will easily be able to keep himself safe and will return shortly.”

“Pah. I have no sympathy for a coward who would disrespect a lady like that. The lion can have him.”

This time it was Jiang Yanli who flinched at his words. Her lips paled, but she pinched them together and stood a bit taller.

Nie Mingjue did not realize that the woman Jin Zixuan had slighted was actually standing before him. His careless words only drove the nuptial dagger deeper into her wound.

Having never been in love himself—and not supposing he would be anytime soon—Lan Wangji did not know what it felt like to harbor unrequited affections for someone. But somehow, this day, he was able to imagine it more clearly than ever.

It was almost...real.

“Clan Leader Nie should not speak such words given his current company,” Lan Wangji said with a respectful bow of his head.

Nie Mingjue raised his eyebrows, but he did not seem offended. “As you deem fit, Second Young Master Lan. Anyway, where’s Huaisang?” he said with a bite in his tone.

“Just listen for my didi or A-Xian. You will find him nearby,” Jiang Yanli said.

“Hmph. Those two would be wise to find a more useful friend. He still hasn’t picked up a saber since he got here,” Nie Mingjue grumbled before stomping away. Baxia shivered atop the rippling muscles of his back, as if it, too, thought that Nie Huaisang’s lack of saber practice was the disgrace of the century.

Lan Xichen’s eyes twinkled. “Wangji, I did not know you were aware of the true nature of the…gift incident that occurred yesterday evening.”

Lan Wangji blinked. “Nor was I aware you knew.”

“Young Master Wei informed me just minutes ago. I immediately came to speak to Lady Jiang.”

Jiang Yanli smiled at them. “Thank you, both of you. But Young Master Jin is the one who needs our prayers. Don’t worry yourselves over me. It had been my choice. Young Master Jin’s reception of the gesture was not mine to control. I only wish he had known it was me. Not because I long for the credit, but because then he would not have sought out the Lan Clan servant and been seized by the guardian lion.” She sighed. “I truly hope he is safe.”

Lan Wangji’s chest tightened at these words. Jiang Yanli’s selflessness reminded him of the care his own brother bestowed upon him, and everyone else they met.

He decided that he needed to divulge last night’s events. For Jin Zixuan’s sake, which by extension, meant Jiang Yanli’s sake.

“Is it known at what time Young Master Jin was captured?”

“Only an estimate,” Lan Xichen said.

“I had been outside the mingshi minutes before you left the dormitory path with Clan Leader Nie and Young Master Jin Guangyao. At the time, both guardian lions were stationary. This information may help locate them faster.”

“Thank you, Wangji. This is very helpful. I’ll inform the clan leaders.” He paused, then tilted his head and said, “What were you doing outside last night?”

Lan Wangji looked to the side. “With company,” he said, intentionally vague.

“Young Master Wei?”

Of course his brother saw right through him.

He nodded.

“Young Master Wei has had quite an influence on you recently.”

Lan Wangji bit the inside of his mouth, hoping the pinch would fight back the rosy blush blanketing his cheeks. At least Lan Xichen would never guess that Wen Qing had been there too.

“He carried liquor. I apprehended him,” Lan Wangji said. “I accept punishment for my transgressions. I will report myself to Uncle.”

Lan Xichen’s eyes sparkled like the wine Wei Wuxian had carried. “Why not have a drink with Young Master Wei instead?”

Lan Wangji gaped at his brother in horror.

These were the same words Wei Wuxian had spoken to him so shamelessly while flaunting the jars of Emperor’s Smile. Lan Wangji had never tasted alcohol, but he imagined that the tingle he felt at this thought couldn’t be that different from drunkenness.

Lan Xichen only met Lan Wangji’s offended gaze and laughed.

At least this conversation seemed to brighten Jiang Yanli. “A-Xian can come on strong, but he has a good heart. I’m glad you two are roommates. He’ll be a good friend.”

Lan Wangji nodded.

“Try to keep him from self-sabotaging too much.”

“I shall.”

Lan Wangji had said it. So he would do it. Somehow, a part of him desperately wanted to.

As the events of the day unfolded, it turned out that Wei Wuxian would need his help much sooner than he expected.

* * *

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this chapter, you can be a supportive sibling like Jiang Yanli by liking, reblogging, and visiting me on AO3! New chapters posted every Monday on AO3 and Tuesday on Tumblr.

Ch. 11 > | chapter list

[farmerlan]

Farmer Lan’s Rewatch Guide to The Untamed - Episode 11

Jiang Fengmian’s palms getting real sweaty rn

episode masterlist here

SPOILER WARNING!  

[Jin Guangyao takes his leave and Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng decide to return to the Lotus Pier. Jiang Cheng is worried about being punished for leaving without permission and grouses that he will never stop getting into trouble because of Wei Wuxian. When Jiang Fengmian appears, he seems unusually concerned about whether they encountered any trouble along the way as opposed to whether they stirred up any trouble.]

Differences from the novel:

This pretty much doesn’t happen since none of the events leading up to it happens in the novel.

It’s kind of interesting because I think the show makes Jiang Fengmian appear more disciplinarian than he is in the novel? In the drama, he definitely harshly rebuked Wei Wuxian at the Cloud Recesses and Jiang Cheng mentioned being punished by him. But in the novel Madam Yu was 100% the disciplinarian and Jiang Fengmian either was way too relaxed (with Wei Wuxian) or just didn’t care (with Jiang Cheng).

[Jiang Yanli arrives as well and they all sit down for lunch when Madam Yu shows up. I LOVE how her entrance is accompanied by villainous music. She has a bone to pick with...well, just about everybody. She goes off about the Wen ‘indoctrination’ and the unfairness of Jiang Cheng being forced to go as the heir while Wei Wuxian is given a choice. She doesn’t give face to ANYBODY, picking on Jiang Yanli, Jiang Cheng, and Wei Wuxian in turn.]

Differences from the novel:

This does happen in Chapter 51, pretty much almost word for word. There is, I think, some interesting nuance in her choice of words here that might have been missed if you relied on the Netflix subs (which kind of suck, sorry), so I summarized my thoughts in the overall section below.

[Lan Wangji is ambushed by Wen Chao on his way back, but manages to escape. Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren do the whole “no, YOU leave and I stay” routine and Lan Xichen finally accepts that he must escape with the Lan archives. We watch the Lan disciples get massacred.

Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng disclose their involvement with the Yin metal to Jiang Fengmian, and Jiang Fengmian speculates that while the Wen sect won’t come for them YET, the Lan sect is likely in deeper shit than the rest of them due to their involvement with the Yin metal. 

The Lan disciples and Lan Qiren convene outside the cold cave, and are joined by Lan Wangji. They make it into the cold cave, but are betrayed by Su She. Lan Wangji tells Wen Xu to leave the Cloud Recesses in exchange for the Yin metal - and gets one of his legs broken.]

Differences from the novel:

We don’t really get to see what happens at the Lan sect during the burning of the Cloud Recesses - we only learn of it through what was recounted by Lan Wangji. He does get his leg broken though.

Lan Xichen claims he cannot leave because he is the sect leader, implying that their father is already dead. However, in the novel, the raid happens when their father, Qingheng-Jun, is still alive. In Chapter 55, while trapped in the tortoise cave, Lan Wangji mentions that when he left for the Wen indoctrination, his father was severely injured in the attack, and Lan Xichen escaped with as much of the sect’s archives as possible,  with his current whereabouts unknown. When Wei Wuxian awakens at Lotus Pier afterwards, he learns from Jiang Cheng that Qingheng-Jun had passed away while they were at the Wen sect. :(

Ambush doesn’t happen, and the Su She/cold cave scene doesn’t happen. In the flashback timeline, Su She really only shows up twice - once as part of the water ghosts excursion and once at the tortoise cave.

[Back at the Lotus Pier, Wei Wuxian demonstrates his archery prowess. Jiang Cheng says, ‘Shooting under their sun won’t be as easy as today” - on the surface a reference to the weather, but keep in mind that the Wen sect’s symbol is the sun, and in Chinese what he said can also be translated as “THIS sun” (这太阳), right after one of the disciples mentions the Wen sect, so it’s literally foreshadowing the eventual Sunshot Campaign (射日). 

Wen Ruohan is displeased that Wen Qing lets Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian escape, and she promises that there will not be a next time. Meanwhile, Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian are headed to Qishan and Jiang Fengmian sends them off with his famous line, “明知不可为而为之，有所不为，方有可为”.

They arrive at Qishan and we see some familiar faces, but the Lan sect is conspicuously missing. Wen Chao makes his appearance and the Wen guards bring in Lan Wangji, and then demands they surrender their swords.]

Differences from the novel:

I have thoughts about the English translation of the Jiang sect’s motto (“attempting the impossible”), I’ll save them for down below. Also - Jiang Fengmian never says the latter half the line in the novel - only the motto (明知不可而为之).

In the novel, they are practicing archery/fooling around right before Madam Yu shows up to admonish them, and then they learn about the Wen sect indoctrination. So the sequence of events is flipped around.

Since Lan Wangji didn’t have to surrender the Yin metal to the Wen sect in the novel, he just shows up with the rest of the Lan sect disciples in the novel.

This is the first time that we run into Wen Chao in the novel, and he’s flanked by Wang Lingjiao and Wen Zhuliu.

Overall thoughts：

First of all, Netflix’s subtitling needs work. I mean, I know it’s definitely not easy to do any kind of translation, so I don’t want to rag on anyone’s efforts either, but I was laughing at parts of the show. I didn’t have subtitles on when I first watched The Untamed, but I turned it on for the re-watch since it might be helpful to see how my understanding aligns with that of a non-Chinese viewer. It’s not bad, but also missing some flavor.

I first laughed at Netflix’s subtitle usage of ‘myrmidon’ when subbing Madam Yu - it’s a serious SAT word where servant would have sufficed. Madam Yu’s speech is actually pretty much identical to what was in the novel, but I wanted to point out her specific usage of the word ‘household servant/家仆’, and the subtext here that might be missed for people relying on the subs. In the novel, she calls out Jiang Yanli for peeling lotus seeds for Wei Wuxian and says, ‘You’re not a servant!’. In the context of the situation, she is specifically pointing out the difference between her and Wei Wuxian’s status - don’t serve someone who is supposed to serve you, remember your place is higher than his. Keep in mind that Wei Wuxian’s father was a servant of the Jiang sect who eloped with CSSR (whom Jiang Fengmian had fancied). Wei Wuxian’s high status within the Jiang sect is unusual and has always been seen as a symbol of favoritism and therefore a sore spot for Madam Yu. It would have been way more common for him to have a servant/companion relationship with Jiang Cheng (similar to how Jin Guangyao’s relationship was with Nie Huaisang in the drama) since he is after all completely unrelated by blood to the Jiang sect. Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian even discuss this in greater detail in Chapter 56 - funnily enough, Wei Wuxian doesn’t mind this term at all, most likely because he was raised more like the child of a sect leader vs. the child of a servant.

(Mini non-related rant: I sometimes see fan discussions that casually glosses over the importance of blood and familial ties in Chinese culture, and it makes me want to tear my hair out, especially considering that the whole ‘blood is thicker than water’ thing is basically a trope in so much of Chinese xianxia/wuxia literature. There’s a lot of “how could you abandon someone who is basically your brother” talk when discussing the relationship dynamics between Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian while blithely ignoring the fact that they are NOT and WILL NEVER BE brothers. Periodt. In fact, they are clearly both deeply cognizant (Jiang Cheng perhaps more so) of their non-familial ties and it is an issue that comes up again and again in their conversations or narrative dialogues. I just hate it when people handwave away their complicated relationship and pin it all on Jiang Cheng as being ‘unsibling-y’. /end rant)

One other thing I’m kind of picky about is the translation for the Yunmeng Jiang sect’s motto - to ‘attempt the impossible’, or ‘“明知不可而为之’. Strictly speaking, I don’t think it’s a great translation of the meaning of the phrase, which is likely derived from the Analects of Confucius (Xian Wen, 38), because it leaves out a big chunk of the meaning. 明知不可而为之 is to do what you SHOULD do, even if it seems impossible and, in the course of doing so, you may find that it wasn’t so impossible after all, but the possibility of success or failure should not preclude you from doing what needs to be done. Lu Xun, one of China’s most esteemed writers, wrote a piece that I think fits in well here - if you see a bunch of people soundly asleep in a room that has no easy way in or out, and you knew they would asphyxiate to death soon, would you wake them? Or let them pass away peacefully in their sleep? (Note: he wasn’t specifically using the example to illustrate this principle, it’s just a story I borrowed that fits in well here)

The argument under the 明知不可而为之 principle would be to wake them. Even though they’ll likely spend their last moments in terror and struggling for air and trying to escape, it is what you should do, even if the outcome is unlikely to be favorable.

Interestingly, it has been used in a much more negative context in the novel. In the novel, the line is often referenced in the light of ‘you knew this would cause trouble and disaster for everyone and yet you went ahead anyway’ - if I were to insert ‘attempt the impossible’ into those situations, it would be really odd.

Lastly, I do love the show’s portrayal of the Lotus Pier! It’s exactly like how the novel depicted it and honestly it still breaks my heart how it was sacked + the changes in the succeeding years as Jiang Cheng rebuilt Yunmeng. I don’t remember if the show goes into too much detail, but in the novel, it’s mentioned in Chapter 86 and 92 that there’s a lot less activity around the Lotus Pier now due to Jiang Cheng’s fearsome temperament. :(

Also straight up I’m gonna say Jiang Fengmian has the best fits in the entire series, how can you not get with that black and purple combo ughhhh

[dinomight]

So consider: AU where Yanli miraculously survives her wound at the Nightless City—but no one realizes until after Wei Wuxian falls

Jiang Cheng goes back to Yanli after coming down from the cliff, lost, holding back tears. In one fell swoop, he’s lost both of his siblings, and he doesn’t know what to do now. He doesn’t really know what he’s thinking when he reaches her body, only that he’s confused why Lan Xichen is kneeling over her, fingers reached out, blue light connecting with her forehead—

Lan Xichen looks up, eyes wide, and says, “She’s alive.”

The world stops, and then slowly, slowly, begins turning again. (He wonders, now, later, what would’ve happened if he’d reached down and helped Lan Wangji pull his brother up. If he’d just known.)

Jiang Cheng still searches the cliffs. Still participates in the siege of the Burial Mounds. But he hopes to find his brother alive, not dead. 

It takes awhile for Yanli to wake up, after. When she finds out about Wei Wuxian, she nearly opens both of her wounds again with the force of her cries. 

She asks who killed him, and they all say Jiang Cheng.

He doesn’t deny it. 

She leaves, heartbroken and angry, and tries to find Lan Wangji, so she can hear what happened. What her brother’s final moments were like. But when she finds out he’s been banished to the back hill for three years of isolation, Yanli doesn’t have any choice but to go back to the Carp Tower. 

She spends the next three years raising her son alone and holding her tongue. The entire world believes that Wei Wuxian was responsible for everything that happened, and even though she knows in her heart that isn’t true, she doesn’t have the proof. 

Jiang Cheng doesn’t visit her or send any letters. She doesn’t try, either. 

She can’t go searching herself, can’t leave her son, but she sends out people to search for Wei Wuxian in secret. Every time they come back with empty hands, her heart breaks a little more. 

After three years have passed, she makes a trip to the Cloud Recesses. She says it’s to visit with Lan Xichen, keep the relationship between the Lan and Jin clans strong, but when she arrives, Lan Xichen only exchanges a mere greeting with her before leading her to Lan Wangji’s chambers. 

Yanli and Lan Wangji sit down for tea, and eventually, in halting, quiet words, he tells her everything that happened. How Wei Wuxian, distraught and hopeless, let himself fall. How hard he tried to hold on to him. How Jiang Cheng raised his sword but couldn’t drive the killing blow. 

It’s too much. She has to leave. But as she approaches the door, Lan Wangji says quietly, “I’m sorry I couldn’t save him.”

Yanli stops. She knows there’s nothing she can say that will ease his guilt, so instead she turns and says, “You love him.”

It’s not a question, but he nods. 

She smiles. Not big, not like she used to, but it’s still genuine. “That is enough.”

It’s not too long of a journey from the Cloud Recesses to Lotus Pier, thankfully. Yanli finds Jiang Cheng on the docks. He stays quiet as she approaches. She stops a few feet away and asks, eyes filled with tears, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

They hug for awhile, both of them crying, both of them feeling the weight of being two instead of three. 

Yanli stays in Lotus Pier for a few weeks, taking Jin Rulan all over. She knows he won’t remember most of this, but it’s special anyways. And while she’s there, her and Jiang Cheng talk, a lot.

He’s still angry at Wei Wuxian. Even if he wasn’t directly responsible for Lin Zixuan’s death—which Jiang Cheng isn’t as convinced of as Yanli—it was his amulet and his ‘crafty tricks’ that made the situations possible. (And he won’t say it, but Yanli knows: their brother’s secession from the Jiang clan hurt him, deeply. The Twin Heroes of Yunmeng, she remembers overhearing. The hurt of a broken promise doesn’t heal easily. She would know.)

Regardless of his feelings, Jiang Cheng still agrees to continue searching for Wei Wuxian, just in case. Yanli leaves Lotus Pier feeling lighter, even if her grief still weighs on her. 

On her way back to Carp Tower, she runs into Mianmian. Yanli’s escort encourages her to keep moving, but they reconnect quickly and she insists on staying there for a few days. Mianmian is one of the few people left who knew Jin Zixuan personally, deeply, and is willing to talk about him. They laugh and cry for hours. 

It’s on her third day there that an incident happens in the village. A restless, violent spirit. Mianmian is the only cultivator around, so she goes to face it on her own, and Yanli follows.

Her intent is just to watch, make sure that Mianmian doesn’t get hurt, but when the spirit knocks out Mianmian and comes after her, Yanli doesn’t have any choice but to pick up the sword and fight. It’s hard, but she was there when her brothers trained for most of their childhood, and she remembers some of their lessons, just enough to survive. 

Yanli can’t stay forever, but Mianmian convinces her to come back every few months so she can train her formally in cultivation. 

The years pass. There’s no sign of Wei Wuxian, and Yanli begins to accept that he’s not coming back. Still, her son grows older, and Jiang Cheng sends her letters, and Mianmian keeps training her. 

She visits Lan Wangji every once in awhile, when she receives word that he’s taken a break from travelling and returned to Cloud Recesses. He’s still quiet and mournful, but they talk quite a bit. They trade stories about Wei Wuxian, Yanli’s being about their childhood and Lan Wangji’s being about their adventures. 

One visit, six years after the Nightless City, he tells her about the first time he saw the Burial Mounds. About Yuan, her brother’s adopted son. She nearly cries over finding out that she has a nephew, but her smile fades when she remembers what became of the Wen clan. She stares at her tea, long cold, and says, “But he’s dead, now.”

Lan Wangji is silent for a moment. And then he stands, and, wordlessly, leads Yanli to a spot in the back hill where a handful of the young disciples are playing. One of the boys nearly trips over a rock, and Lan Wangji calls out, “Careful, A-Yuan.” 

The boy stands up and immediately dips into a proper bow before running off after his friends. Yanli steps forward, tears gathering in her eyes, but Lan Wangji holds a hand out.

“He doesn’t remember where he came from, and he cannot know. If anyone were to find out, he could be killed.”

Yanli hesitates, desperate to hold onto the last scrap of her brother, but she nods, and leaves without saying a word to the boy. And if Yuan receives anonymous gifts every once in awhile, a few candies or a small toy, well. She certainly isn’t responsible for that. 

Rulan begins learning cultivation, and with it, comes questions. About his father, about the Yiling Patriarch everyone says is responsible for his death. Yanli tells him the truth, but even his mother’s voice can’t outweigh the dozens of others. He still has his doubts, none of which are helped by his uncle’s unsubtle hatred of demonic cultivation practices. 

When Jin Guangshan dies and Jin Guangyao takes over, Yanli can’t quite put her finger on what’s wrong, but she knows something is. So she decides to keep a close, close eye on Jin Guangyao. Easy enough, when most people assume she’s just a fragile widow. Funny how so many forget that her mother was Madam Yu, wielder of Zidian, and her brother, even if he wasn’t the evil monster everyone makes him out to be, was still the powerful Yiling Patriarch. 

So, the years pass, and pass, and pass. Yanli misses her husband and her brother every day, but it becomes like scar tissue, rather than an open wound. Something she can bear.

When Mo Xuanyu is banished from the Jin clan, Yanli has a feeling. She doesn’t know what’s going to happen, but it feels like something is about to change.

And then it does.

Things still go the same, at first. Wei Wuxian insults Jin Ling’s maternal education, and Jin Ling draws his bow, because despite her prestige, Yanli’s subtle defense of her brother and her frequent visits to Lan Wangji and the small village close to Lanling are often the source of many rumors, and he will not stand people slandering his mother anymore than she already has been. 

To the outside world, Jiang Cheng’s hatred of the Yiling Patriarch is well known, and he hasn’t talked to Lan Wangji personally in over a decade, so Lan Wangji still saves Wei Wuxian and takes him back to the Cloud Recesses. But as soon as he gets back, he sends a message to Yanli.

After helping the Grand Master get the sword spirit under control again, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji walk outside, and right into Yanli.

They stare at each other, for a few moments. He thinks she’s a hallucination, but then she smiles, tears streaming down her face, and throws her arms around him. 

“I’ve missed you so much, Xian,” she sobs, and they collapse down onto the wood, still gripping each other, hanging on like the other might disappear at any moment. 

They don’t have as much time to talk as Yanli wants. There’s a mystery to solve, and her son and younger brother to scold, and a Jin sect leader whose actions lately are becoming more and more hidden and suspicious. 

She doesn’t want to let them go, but she has to. Even with her cultivation skills, if Yanli were to accompany them, it would draw dangerous attention to Lan Wangji. But she makes them promise to keep constant contact with her. 

When they attend the banquet at Carp Tower, Yanli is able to help them navigate Jin Guangyao’s private quarters and make their way into the vault with the knowledge she already had from keeping a close eye on him. 

And everything goes to shit anyways, because of course it does, but when Wei Wuxian is discovered, Lan Wangji is not the only one who stands by his side. 

She and Jin Ling go back with them to the Cloud Recesses, but they separate after discussing Jin Guangyao’s betrayal. She takes Jin Ling to go to Lotus Pier and find Jiang Cheng, and Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian go to the Burial Mounds.  On her way, though, Jin Ling sneaks off, and without any idea of where he’s going, Yanli has no choice but to keep going to Lotus Pier.

She’s there when everyone gathers there. She’s there when Jin Ling skulks in, ready to scold him. She’s there when Jin Guangyao’s secrets are exposed. And she’s there when Jiang Cheng, swirling with anger and guilt, confronts Wei Wuxian, and the secret of his golden core is revealed.

Yanli cries, and she doesn’t stop Lan Wangji when he takes Wei Wuxian away. She follows Jiang Cheng instead, stops him after he asks a third person to unsheathe Suibian, pulls him to a private place and holds him as he cries, too. (She realizes, sixteen years too late, that her brother kept his promise to her. That technically, a piece of him has been with them the whole time.)

She goes with Jiang Cheng to the temple, but she’s no more resistant to Jin Guangyao’s manipulations than her brother is. He asks if she feels guilty about the death of her husband, about how he went out there to make her happy, and in the split second where she hesitates, he pulls a wire around her son’s neck and forces both her and Jiang Cheng to lock their spiritual energy. 

Then Su She’s curse marks are revealed.

Yanli burns.

When the battle finally turns and Jin Guangyao is defeated, it’s not Lan Xichen who stabs him, and it’s not on accident. It’s Yanli, who has spent sixteen years mourning her husband, sixteen years mourning her brother, sixteen years trying to hold onto the family she has left. She drives her sword through his heart, and she closes her eyes, and she prays this will mark the end of her hatred. 

Wei Wuxian leaves to travel the world. Need to taste all the different alcohols, he says to Yanli with a grin. She makes him promise to write her letters, and he does. 

Despite his age, Jin Ling is technically the heir to the Jin throne. But Yanli refuses to let her son face these struggles alone, and she’s far more skilled in politics and negotiation than anyone expected. So even though he’s the sworn leader, Yanli is there to teach and guide him through the beginning of it.

After a year, she receives a letter from Wei Wuxian saying that he’s returning, and he’ll come to Janling after he stops in Gusu. She should be mad, really, that he wouldn’t come see her right away, but she has a sneaking suspicion about what he’s doing first.

The ceremony is small, hidden away in the private woods of the back hill in the Cloud Recesses. Only a few people were invited. Yanli is there, and so are Jin Ling and Lan Sizhui, and Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng. It doesn’t take long—her brother’s never been a patient man, so it’s only a short amount of time before Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji are husbands. Yanli smiles and hugs Wei Wuxian, and after a moment, Jiang Cheng’s arms wrap around both of them too. 

and everybody lives happily ever after :)

[obaewankenope]

The Second Life of Sandu Shengshou, chapter 2

[Ao3] 

Getting to Cloud Recesses earlier than the guest lectures that had been the beginning of a whole lot of fucking drama is, Jiang Cheng accepts, easier than he expected only because his parents seem inclined to grant him any wish now he’s not dead anymore.

Apparently, there’s rumours that the son of Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan either a) never really died and eloped with some rogue Cultivator (he’s twelve, what the fuck?) who then spurned him, b) is a fierce corpse that decided to just act like nothing was wrong at all (that’s not how fierce corpses even work, and Jiang Cheng would know since his brother is the Yiling fucking Patriarch) or, c) is a doppelganger with the exact same ability to be absolutely murderously protective of his siblings, going so far as to threaten his own parents if they so much as looked at his shixiong wrong.

The rumours are, naturally, a little bit right and a whole lot wrong. Well, one of them sort of is which is honestly better than he expects of people who know fuck all about him. Jiang Cheng isn’t a doppelganger of course—isn’t he though; it’s not like he’s the same twelve-year-old who died an ignoble death on a night-hunt because he’d been insistent that he could handle it, shut up Wei Wuxian!—but he is absolutely willing to throw down with anyone who bad mouths his brother; including his mother.

His mother, the purple spider who still terrifies him because she’s his mother, but who stops and looks at her son with wide eyes and an honest sort of pride at his very fierce desire to fight her. Gaining some outward display of approval from his mother apparently is as simple as growing a backbone. Who knew?

His mother’s behaviour toward Wei Ying has definitely changed for the better since Jiang Cheng has taken it upon himself to make it very fucking clear that no-one is permitted to hurt him. As much as Yu Ziyuan is the Madam of Lotus Pier, Jiang Cheng is the Sect Heir and he’s lived as a Sect Leader during shitty times, peaceful times, and absolutely soul-destroying times. His mother respects the fact that her son can stop Zidian without being its master.

Jiang Cheng is going to have to address that too because he sort of misses Zidian even if he’s okay with only Sandu right now. He’s thrashed Wei Ying half a dozen times since he “came back” with moves that he knows his brother won’t learn for another year. It’s had the added bonus of encouraging his brother to really go all in for studying how to beat him again, and made his parents look actually sort of proud of him.

The fact that he and Wei Ying both team up to encourage A-Jie to improve her own sword work draws surprise from many because everyone knows A-Jie is going to marry the peacock and will just be an ornament in Koi Tower rather than an actual fighter. Jiang Cheng and his shixiong both resolve to make sure A-Jie is more than what others expect her to be because no. Jiang Cheng lost both his siblings because of others expectations and biases of them. Fuck that.

A-Jie doesn’t thank them in the beginning because she has spent years accepting the fact that her cultivation isn’t high enough, but Jiang Cheng knows that a core can be strengthened through a variety of ways. A-Jie needs to be passably good with a sword for focus reasons, and also because sometimes having a sword helps stave off danger because no one likes a sword pointed at them, but the primary tools Jiang Cheng and A-Ying agree A-Jie should learn are talismans and arrays.

Talismans are useful for any cultivator, especially when the cultivator knows someone as insanely creative as A-Ying or someone with an unfair advantage like Jiang Cheng. He definitely isn’t smug about “coming up” with new talismans that are definitely ones A-Ying would have thought of eventually. He really isn’t.

Gusu Lan invites the Sect Heir of Yunmeng Jiang to Cloud Recesses two months after he makes the request of them. He politely informs Lan Qiren—acting in the place of his secluded brother until his eldest son can take his place—that A-Jie and A-Xian will be accompanying him. The fact that he doesn’t word it as a request for Lan Qiren to extend the invitation to his siblings is irrelevant because Jiang Cheng refuses to leave them in Lotus Pier without him there to make sure they’re safe.

Sect Leader Lan responds that the siblings of Jiang Wanyin are welcome also to Cloud Recesses.

How wise of him.

Of course, Jiang Cheng is well-aware that Lan Qiren will regret allowing A-Xian to enter Cloud Recesses and get anywhere near his precious second nephew, but Jiang Cheng doesn’t care about how Lan Qiren will feel about it when he knows Wei Ying will be happy with Lan Wangji.

After Jiang Cheng has a chat with Wei Ying about teasing and flirting and how they’re one-in-the-fucking-same when it comes to a certain Lan. He’s well-aware the conversation is going to be excruciatingly awkward for them both but Jiang Cheng raised a nephew alone and rebuilt a Sect; he watched the world change and grow and helped it do so. He can tell his brother that when he talks about how nice a certain cultivator’s eyes are, his ears, his fucking nose that Wei Ying wants to marry said cultivator even if they happen to be made out of fucking jade and have no facial expressions to speak of!

Wei Ying is very confused and assumes Jiang Cheng has a crush.

He pushes him in the river and leaves him to swim to shore, shouting at A-Xian that he’s an idiot who won’t know love when it literally ties them together with a white ribbon in a damned cave.

Yeah, Jiang Cheng learnt about that little event thirty-seven-years after it happened! He’s still a little sore about not being told his brother had gotten married at fifteen.

Just a little, mind.

* * * *

Acting Sect Leader Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen greet Jiang Cheng and his siblings when they are presented in the Welcoming Hall of Cloud Recess. Lan Wangji is standing off to the side, near his brother but further back, clearly showing that he is there because it is his duty and not because he cares about Yunmeng Jiang invading Cloud Recess.

Jiang Cheng doesn’t really care about how Lan Wangji feels about their arrival disrupting the Second Jade’s seclusion. He’s more interested in shoving Lan Wangji and his brother at each other while also possibly dropping as many hints as he can that Wen Ruohan wants to destroy Cloud Recesses because he’s an evil bastard who needs to die, die, die.

Just a normal day for Jiang Cheng.

“Welcome, Jiang-gongzi, Wei-gongzi and Jiang-guniang,” Lan Qiren says and he sounds mostly sincere about the welcoming. Jiang Cheng knows that won’t last the moment A-Xian opens his mouth. “I hope your stay at Cloud Recess will be peaceful and beneficial to you.”

Jiang Cheng and his siblings bow in unison, a practised move that he roped A-Jie into who then roped A-Xian into by giving him that look of hers neither of them can resist.

“Jiang Wanyin, Wei Wuxian, and Jiang Yanli are honoured by your hosting of us at Cloud Recess,” Jiang Cheng replies, still bowing, and he’s pretty pleased that he doesn’t mess up the words or sound unnecessarily aggressive. Decades of playing politics makes interactions that would have once had him a nervous mess at twelve seem like a breeze.

He could probably even talk to Wen Ruohan without cursing in the bastards face. Jiang Cheng straightens from his bow. No, no he couldn’t, actually. Wen Ruohan is too much even for Jiang Cheng to handle without attempting murder outright.

Sect Conferences are going to be a challenge.

Rooms have been prepared for them and they are directed to them by Lan Wangji who, Jiang Cheng notices, keeps an exceptionally tight grip of his sword. A grip that seems to tighten even more whenever Wei Ying smiles or laughs with his Shijie. It’s almost nauseating to realise that Lan Wangji was interested in Wei Ying from the start.

Jiang Cheng is appalled. It’s not romantic. Nope. Not at all.

His brother is horrifyingly oblivious if he didn’t notice this about Lan Wangji. Even now, three years before they would have originally met, Lan Wangji seems interested in Wei Ying in a way the Second Jade obviously isn’t in Jiang Cheng or A-Jie

Jiang Cheng sighs.

Why does Jiang Cheng have to suffer having such an oblivious genius for a shixiong?

He’s going to have to include A-Jie in his scheming for shoving Lan Wangji and Wei Ying together. His sister, Jiang Cheng knows, will assist without hesitation. A-Jie has always gone above and beyond for her XianXian. So much so, she died for him.

That will not be allowed to happen again.

First things first, Jiang Cheng needs to figure out a way to talk to Lan Xichen and build up some sort of rapport with the soon to be Sect Leader. One of the biggest issues he faced in his first life was the way Yunmeng Jiang was isolated from the other elite sects; partly due to Jiang Cheng being Jiang Cheng but also due to scheming bastards who he will not allow the chance to start scheming this time around.

That means he needs to engage with Lan Xichen, Zewu-Jun, First Jade of Lan, and not make a fucking fool of himself. Easy.

It is not easy.

Getting the chance to talk to Lan Xichen is easy but the chance to talk to him alone without Lan Qiren or Lan fucking Wangji following and joining in and talking—well, Lan Qiren joins in, Lan Wangji just stands there like an ice sculpture that someone didn’t even bother trying to make look human—is next to impossible.

In the end, Jiang Cheng employs both of his siblings as distractions just so he can at least say five damned words to Lan Xichen without one of his relatives lurking.

He doesn’t want to know how A-Xian keeps Lan Wangji distracted, he doesn’t, but A-Jie at least will distract Lan Qiren with discussions on the running of a sect. Bless his sister. Also bless his brother, but silently; A-Ying’s ego is big enough as it is.

Lan Xichen is, at least, pleasantly polite about talking with Jiang Cheng alone which is nice. Nice and with the expression on Zewu-Jun’s face, apparently alarming. What does he think Jiang Cheng is going to do; attack him in Cloud Recess?

Jiang Cheng is an angry twelve-year-old with a lifetime of experiences. He’s not stupid, just rash sometimes.

“I assume Zewu-Jun is aware,” Jiang Cheng says with all the seriousness a twelve-year-old can muster; a lot when that twelve-year-old is a scowling ex-sect leader, “of the rumours surrounding my being alive.” Lan Xichen nods. “They’re wrong. Mostly.”

“Your request to visit Cloud Recess was intriguing young master Jiang,” Lan Xichen says with that bland smile of his that absolutely screams discomfort at the topic but a stubborn refusal to admit discomfort. Jiang Cheng had seen it a lot in relation to Jin Guangyao in those later years. “Sect Leader Jiang informed us of your death and your return. It has caused some discussion among the Elders.”

Some discussion is probably Lan-code for quiet shouting about wicked sorcery to bring him back to life or something equally fucking stupid from them. Jiang Cheng doesn’t roll his eyes but he wants to.

“I have no idea how I came back,” he tells Lan Xichen because it’s true, he doesn’t. “I remember dying and then waking in a forest clearing with a fierce corpse trying to eat my face.” Lan Xichen doesn’t grimace at the mental image like A-Ying had, but there’s still a flicker of horror.

“That must have been an unexpected surprise,” Lan Xichen says with all the tact of a Lan.

“Bigger surprise was my own parents taking turns trying to kill me,” Jiang Cheng replies with a shrug and that makes Lan Xichen grimace a little.

Jiang Cheng finds the expressiveness of this still-teenaged Lan Xichen to be very fascinating. In an academic sort of way. Lan Wangji, even as a teenager, is more like a wall of ice whilst his older brother has more emotional nuance. It’s interesting.

“That’s not the important thing,” Jiang Cheng continues, ignoring how Lan Xichen’s expression very much says that is the important thing. It’s not, but he can understand how Lan Xichen thinks it is.

Parents trying to kill their child is sort of a big deal, but Jiang Cheng honestly is just pleasantly pleased that he has parents still. It’s almost novel.

“What, then, is the important thing, Jiang-gongzi?”

There’s a little note of frustration in Lan Xichen’s words that makes Jiang Cheng want to smirk at the other. It’s a reminder of dull Sect Conferences where Jiang Cheng got to watch Lan Xichen become steadily more and more annoyed with people. He finds it somewhat reassuring to know that the Sect Leader Jiang Cheng came to know in a distant acquaintance sort of way isn’t all that different from this young Sect Leader now. Well, Sect Heir, still, but Jiang Cheng knows that’s not going to last much longer.

“The important thing is that I’m a lot older than twelve and have been for a long, long time,” Jiang Cheng says, holding up a hand when Lan Xichen frowns at him. “My mother attacked me with Zidian which protects against possession, so no, I’m not possessed. I’m still me, just not the me who died on a fucking night-hunt I shouldn’t have actually snook out to join.”

Jiang Cheng watches Lan Xichen closely. The First Jade isn’t reaching for his sword, or liebing, but also doesn’t seem to be reacting at all to Jiang Cheng’s words.

Maybe he’s in shock?

“I became Sect Leader at seventeen, after Lotus Pier was attacked and my Sect was decimated. Only my brother and sister and I escaped because of my mother.” Jiang Cheng’s voice doesn’t break or tremble as he says this out loud for the first time. It doesn’t. It just gets a little... Just a little.

“I lost my core and my brother, the idiot, gave me his and I went to war. We won but my brother paid the price for fear and hatred, and I didn’t save him. I lost him” Jiang Cheng confesses, quietly. “I lost them both.”

There’s tears in his eyes and the Jiang Cheng of ten, twenty years ago would have wiped them away angrily, denying that he was crying at all. But Jiang Cheng had died an old man who suffered so much and learnt to value the happiness he seldom had.

He doesn’t wipe away the tears.

He lets Lan Xichen see them.

He's earned the right to be unashamed of feeling.

“I came back and I don’t know why but they’re alive and they’re safe and I need your help to keep them that way,” Jiang Cheng tells Lan Xichen with more seriousness than he’d ever possessed as a twelve-year-old. “I need you help to protect everyone.”

Lan Xichen finally speaks. “From what?”

Jiang Cheng scowls. He knows there’s a hatred in his eyes, he can’t and won’t hide it. “Wen Ruohan,” he spits the name like he’s coughing up poisoned blood. “He tried to take over the cultivation world. Attacked Cloud Recess and Lotus Pier. Your brother was captured in the attack here.” Lan Xichen looks at Jiang Cheng with the horror of an older brother who is tasked with the care of a younger.

“He survived the war,” Jiang Cheng tells him, because Lan Xichen was many things in Jiang Cheng’s life, but right now in this time, Lan Xichen is an older brother who hasn’t done anything against Jiang Cheng or those he loves. He can be kind.

The relief on Lan Xichen’s face reminds Jiang Cheng of the relief he felt after those three months. It stings.

“Why are you telling me this?” Lan Xichen asks. “What do you believe I can do?”

Jiang Cheng is silent. The question of what he wants Lan Xichen to do is difficult to answer. It’s not that he wants Zewu-Jun to do anything specifically; Jiang Cheng is well aware that Lan Xichen has obligations and duties here at Cloud Recess. He doesn’t want to ask Lan Xichen to help him kill Wen Ruohan before the bastard starts a war, but he sort of does because help would be nice.

Really, what Jiang Cheng wants Lan Xichen to do boils down to don’t fall for a lunatic with a chip on his shoulder just because he’s the son of a whore, and don’t let said lunatic kill one of the only decent people who has some fucking integrity as well as, maybe, don’t just sit by and let an entire people be wiped fucking out in an outright act of genocide. Also, support your brother and be happy for him being with A-Ying without being biased against my brother.

He can’t actually tell Lan Xichen any of that, of course, because Jiang Cheng doesn’t know how to.

He’s silent long enough that Lan Xichen finally speaks again.

“Jiang-gongzi?”

“Protect Cloud Recess from attack,” Jiang Cheng blurts, saying something at least. He wants to tell Lan Xichen more, he needs to tell someone but Zewu-Jun isn’t who he wants to actually talk to about all this.

His siblings are.

“Ward it, protect your treasures better, your library,” Jiang Cheng bites out. “Don’t ignore your responsibilities even when you’re grieving. Don’t let your brother suffer for being righteous. Don’t let my brother suffer for doing the right fucking thing! Just- just don’t fuck up.”

Jiang Cheng stands quickly. Lan Xichen rises also; he looks distressed. Or worried.

“Thank you for your time, Sect Leader Lan.” Jiang Cheng bows. His body feels like he’s jumped into the cold pool that he knows exists at Cloud Recess. There’s a sharp ache in his chest and his lower dantian burns. “I must go.”

Lan Xichen isn’t finished with his own bow before Jiang Cheng is rushing out the room.

A-Jie and A-Ying aren’t in the guest rooms they’ve been given for their visit. Jiang Cheng takes the opportunity presented by this to throw himself into their shared room and slam the door behind him. His knees fold of their own accord and Jiang Cheng ends up leaning against the wall by the door, knees tucked to his chest as he tries to just breathe.

Thinking about what he needs to do is one thing, saying it out loud is something different. Lan Xichen had asked him what Jiang Cheng wanted him to do.

Jiang Cheng doesn’t even know what he wants to do.

Writing to Cloud Recess and arranging his brothers introduction to Lan Wangji was something Jiang Cheng did because he wants his brother happy. Lan Wangji makes A-Ying happy. He’s planning on dragging Jin Zixuan to Lotus Pier at some point for A-Jie, but that requires more planning than a letter to Cloud Recesses did.

Jiang Cheng has lived an entire life where he ended up almost entirely alone. He had only a nephew for sixteen years and a Sect he had to rebuild in a place that was burnt to the ground. A-Ying came back and it still took Jiang Cheng so, so long to accept his brother again and not drive him away with his anger and inability to communicate.

Things are better now, in this second life, but the first has left Jiang Cheng wounded in ways he can’t explain.

Before everything went wrong, the three of them were inseparable. The Twin Prides of Yunmeng who were wrangled by their beloved A-Jie. Jiang Cheng has already endeavoured to improve A-Jie’s cultivation, with A-Ying’s help, and he is determined for them to be known as a trio rather than a pair.

The only people Jiang Cheng can really talk to about what he has lived through are the two people he loves more than he has ever loved anyone else besides his nephew.

A-Jie, Jiang Cheng knows, will handle what he tells her better than A-Ying. A-Ying will learn of how he was an excuse to destroy their Sect and how he, Jiang Cheng, blamed him for years for things A-Ying was tricked into.

Jiang Cheng is terrified he will drive his brother away with the truth.

But Jiang Cheng knows A-Ying deserves to know.

He just hopes A-Jie will be willing to wrangle them both a little longer and keep A-Ying from fleeing out of misplaced guilt.

Jiang Cheng let’s out a choked laugh, wiping at his face with his sleeve. Who is he kidding, A-Jie can wrangle them both with a look; Jiang Cheng knows A-Jie will be able to keep A-Ying from running from them.

Jiang Cheng will help.

He lost his brother once before, he will never let that happen again. Never.

* * * *

Jiang Cheng is introduced to the Elders of the Lan Sect and decides, almost immediately, that he hates them. They’re stuffy, obnoxious, and make him long for the days when being angry and intimidating made up the majority of his tools for interacting with other Sects.

Unfortunately, he’s twelve.

The Elders expect Jiang Cheng to answer their questions and don’t like it when he does because there are no records of any cultivator having returned to a previous time in their life, it is not possible!

Jiang Cheng, personally, doesn’t really care if they think its possible or not because he’s living proof that it is.

There’s very little he can do to convince them so, in a burst of temper, Jiang Cheng snaps at the Elder currently denying his existence.

“The late Madam Lan didn’t die until Lan Wangji was six.”

The Elders fall silent. Lan Qiren is in the room and he goes pale at Jiang Cheng’s words.

Another Elder, not the one who drove Jiang Cheng to snap, asks him: “how do you know this?”

“Lan Wangji told my brother and I about her after drinking a cup of wine that had been mistakenly placed in front of him at an Inn we were staying at,” Jiang Cheng answers. “He did not recall the conversation in the morning and my brother and I decided not to mention it to him because it clearly distressed Hanguang-Jun even fifty years later.”

“Fifty years...” Lan Qiren says softly, staring at Jiang Cheng.

“Summon Lan Wangji.” The Elder who had been denying Jiang Cheng’s existence as someone who had died and returned to his life ordered. “I do not believe this fantasy. Let us ask Lan Wangji if he has informed Jiang-gongzi of his mother.”

The way the Elder says ‘mother’ has Jiang Cheng wishing he could give the man a tongue lashing that’d make his mother weep with pride. So much disdain for one who is gone.

How un-Lan-like of that Elder.

Lan Wangji arrives quickly and comes to stand near to Jiang Cheng. He’s close enough that Jiang Cheng can see the tension in the Second Jade at this unexpected summoning.

Lan Wangji has—this time—done nothing wrong and whatever he’s expecting of the Elders, the order to discuss his mother is definitely not something he ever expected judging by the actual emotion Jiang Cheng witnesses cross Lan Wangji’s face. There’s a raw sort of pain in his expression that Jiang Cheng understands on a level he doesn’t think any of these fucking Elders have ever experienced.

Losing a parent hurts. Losing one that loves you hurts worse.

“When did you drink alcohol with Jiang-gongzi?” That same Elder demands of Lan Wangji, not mentioning Jiang Cheng’s brother.

“Alcohol is forbidden in Cloud Recess,” Lan Wangji replies. The Elder scowls at him.

“When, Lan Wangji, did you drink with Wei Wuxian? ” The Elder presses and Jiang Cheng really doesn’t like the way he says A-Ying’s name. “When did you act so shamefully?”

“Lan Wangji has not drank alcohol at all,” Lan Wangji replies. “Not with Jiang Wanyin. Not with Wei Ying.”

If there’s one thing Jiang Cheng will take from this clusterfuck of a meeting with the Lan Elders, it will be hearing Lan Wangji call his brother Wei Ying.

“Lan Wangji does not lie, Elder Yu,” Lan Qiren says, before Elder Yu—Jiang Cheng will remember him—can say anything. “It is a well known fact that my nephew has never lied.”

“This is true, Lan Qiren,” another Elder says, her expression serene. “If it is true that Lan Wangji had not drank alcohol with either Jiang-gongzi or Wei-gongzi, then we must accept Jiang-gongzi’s word as truth. Just because such an event has never been recorded before in the history of cultivation does not mean it has no happened, or is impossible.”

Jiang Cheng decides that he likes this particular Lan Elder. They have a brain, that’s nice to know.

“If Jiang-qianbei is willing,” the Elder continues, “then his wisdom will be welcomed.”

Oh, Jiang Cheng definitely likes this Elder.

Lan Wangji is dismissed and Jiang Cheng, having thought on it in his room before his siblings returned after his talk with Lan Xichen, keeps what he shares with them both vague and informational enough to have them curious and eventually respectful.

Except Elder Yu. He seems to just dislike everything Jiang Cheng has to say. Fortunately, the other Elders are more interested in hearing about Jiang Cheng living an entire life, dying and then waking up as a twelve-year-old.

He doesn’t mention the Sunshot Campaign or what happened to his brother and family. He does mention his Sect being attacked and his becoming Sect Leader, but he doesn’t tell them the when, who, or how of it all. The Elders seem more interested in the academic aspect of his return.

Jiang Cheng can use that.

The Lan Elders are, since they’re Lans, pretty well respected across the cultivation world. Their belief and interest in his circumstances will help him in the long-run.

Jiang Cheng learnt the hard way that sometimes you have to set a plan in motion years in advance. This time, however, he’s the one setting the plan and he’s not going to fuck it up.

The Sunshot Campaign will happen, it has to; the Wen are too powerful even without Wen Ruohan in charge and his heirs are fucking nightmares. Jiang Cheng will have to fight a war and see his disciples die in it. He will see his siblings fear for him and for each other. All of it, for a second time.

But the end result will be different, Jiang Cheng is determined to make it different. The Wen were powerful and not all of them deserved their fates. The Jin cannot be allowed to steal political power in the vacuum that the obliteration of the Wen, the destruction of the Jiang, and the decimation of the Lan allowed them to take. The Nie cannot be harmed by the violent death of their Leader.

So many things need to be taken care of early on.

One of those things is the payment for a prostitute to be freed. Another is a child to be collected by a Jiang disciple before another can set them down a dark path.

Jiang Cheng has more than just his hope that things will be better in this second life; he has a century’s worth of experience, knowledge, and skill and the stubborn will and determination to make the impossible a reality.

Fate and destiny will not rule him. They will not rule those he loves.

Jiang Cheng will fight the world for those he loves. The world will learn to back down because, this time, Jiang Cheng won’t.

[poor-wifi-uwu]

Veil ch.2

The Jiangs... discuss. The Triad Alliance fares no better.

Wei Wuxian tapped his fingers against his elbows, afraid any more visible movements would break the delicate atmosphere in the room. He had never thought silence could be so loud and sharp, unsettling like nails on glass.

He can practically feel his sister’s rapid heartbeat as she tries to maintain her serene smile in the tension. Jiang Cheng just looked down, afraid to meet his mother’s eyes lest he can’t give her a satisfying response. Wei Wuxian had never seen him so still and tight, not missing the delicate tremble of his fists clenched in his lap. Uncle Jiang and Madam Yu had gone from dumbfounded blustering to outright glaring at each other.

Without raising his head, Wei Wuxian cast a glance at the crumpled letter lying pitifully on the floor between them all.

It never ceased to amaze him how much damage a single sheet of paper could cause. 

The last thing anyone expected was for the Gusu emperor’s personal guard to come all the way into the enemy capital just to deliver a letter. They couldn’t imagine what contents the letter might contain to go to such extremes. Judging by the specially bred royal courier falcon they left before returning to Gusu, whatever it was required a response. 

It was addressed to Wei Wuxian.

After checking it over for any traps, the royal family stared at the letter for a few minutes, debating whether or not to open it. Finally, Wei Wuxian snatched the letter and cut it open before he could talk himself out of it.

Wei Wuxian is a genius, but no matter how many times he read the letter he couldn’t make sense of it. As Wei Wuxian’s face got more and more confused, eventually Jiang Cheng couldn’t take it anymore and grabbed the letter for himself. A moment later he made this choking sound like a dying cat, face growing red from outrage.

Jiang Yanli looked worriedly at the two, holding her hand out hesitantly, “A-Cheng, could I see it?” When he doesn’t react, she gently slips the paper out of his stiff hand.

Jiang Fengmian and Madam Yu move to stand beside her as all three glanced down at the paper with interest. Through his confusion, Wei Wuxian found their changing expressions kind of funny. Jiang Fengmian had this indignant scowl as if watching some pig eat his prized cabbage. Shijie’s smile kept getting wider as her jaw clenched. Madam Yu was like a living lightshow with how many different colors she was going through. I mean, it’s shocking and all but isn’t this a bit much?

It’s just a marriage proposal.

And really, it was a godsend. Within that letter was an offer to end the war in exchange for Wei Wuxian’s entry into the imperial harem. 16 years of war, over just like that. Remembering the Yiling incident Wei Wuxian had to shake his head. This emperor sure was an interesting guy.

Wei Wuxian downed his cup of wine before setting it down firmly with an audible thunk, shattering the silence and whipping everyone’s eyes in his direction, “Well, I can definitely say I did  not  see that coming.”

Madam Yu bristled, “Speaking with such a tone!”

“Wei Wuxian, this isn’t the time to make jokes!” Jiang Cheng shot an exasperated glare at him.

Wei Wuxian lazily swirled the drop of wine left in his cup, “Why not?” Without moving he lifted his eyes up, “Aren’t jokes common in a celebration?”

Jiang Cheng choked, “Cele—!”

Jiang Yanli took a nervous step forward, “A-Xian, I understand where you’re coming from, but I wouldn’t classify this as a celebration exactly…”

Wei Wuxian raised an eyebrow at her, “Why not? All we have to do is send me to Gusu for one night to lie down and look pretty and the war will be over!” Before even Uncle Jiang could process the words Jiang Cheng whipped his head around,

“Absolutely not! Forbidden! You must stay a virgin till you’re thirty!” Wei Wuxian choked and raised a bemused eyebrow at Jiang Cheng, who was flushing red at his slip. Refusing to look in Wei Wuxian’s direction, he glared at a corner of the wall and bit out, “Anyway, you’re not going. Rejected!”

“Okay, look, it’s not like I want to get married either!” Wei Wuxian huffed, “But think about it, we can’t pass this opportunity. 

Madam Yu scoffed, “Of course we can’t, so send Yanli instead!”

Wei Wuxian jerked up, “Madam Yu, the letter is addressed to me.”

Jiang Cheng follows, “And what about A-Jie’s engagement with that Crown Prince Jin that you were trying to restore?”

She glared at Wei Wuxian out of the corner of her eye, “Well clearly that’s out of the question now that the Jin are on the other side!”

Jiang Yanli looked down, “Mother…”

Seeing his sister’s distress Wei Wuxian defended, albeit reluctantly, “Now I really  really  hate to give the peacock any credit, but he did nope himself out of the war from the very beginning.”

The Jin did not throw even have of their war resources into the Triad Alliance, mainly because the other half belonged to Madam Jin’s faction. Having been lifelong friends with Yu Ziyuan growing up in the Meishan Duchies, Madam Jin would never harm the Jiang Kingdom that she had married into. No one knows exactly why the arrogant crown prince Jin Zixuan would pass up such an opportunity to best his longtime annoyances Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng, and end his engagement with a woman he proclaimed unworthy of him. Rumors say he even directly refused to participate to his father’s face.

Wei Wuxian looked at his sister’s crestfallen expression at hearing the news. At least he got that last one.

Madam Yu turned to fully glare at him, “It doesn’t matter. We can no longer rely on a marriage with the Jin, so Yanli should go to Gusu. We’ll have that Wen girl prepare fertility medicine. Whatever the Lan are planning, once she gets pregnant her place in the imperial family will be secure.”

We Wuxian stood up and faced her, “Shijie is not just some bargaining chip! Besides, the letter clearly asked for me. Chances are it’s just a concubine position, too low for Shijie!”

Yu Ziyuan grit her teeth. No one ends a war for a concubine. She seethed, “Even concubine is too high for a servant like you!” Regardless of the number of wives, the first wife always has an advantage.

The doors slammed open as Wen Qing stormed into the room with a pissed off scowl, “Who are you to speak to him like that? Wei Wuxian is the only thing keeping this country afloat!” Once she reached them Wen Qing put her hands on her hips, Wen Ning quietly closing the doors behind her, “And don’t speak about my medical skills as if they’re some kind of commodity.”

Yu Ziyuan bristled, “And who are you to speak to me like that?! Insolent, have you forgotten the debt you owe Yunmeng for saving your lives?!”

In response to her angry shout, Wen Qing just shot her a cool glare, “I know my debts, unlike you. Yunmeng did nothing, it was Wei Wuxian who saved us.” She narrowed her eyes, “If anything, I distinctly remember you protesting his decision.”

Yu Ziyuan eye twitched as she sputtered, too angry at the audacity to form words. Wei Wuxian whistled lowly in his mind. You really have to admire Wen Qing. There are few people in the world willing to speak in such a way to Madam Yu, especially with the difference in power. MianMian is pretty feisty too, having grown confident in the face of authority since defecting from the Jin Kingdom. Suibian hasn’t listened to Madam Yu a day in his life, and A-Qing is a fearless little devil. Actually, even Wen Ning has defended Wei Wuxian to her face before. Then there’s...

Wei Wuxian blinked. Huh. now that he thinks about it, aside from his siblings his entire inner circle stands up to Yu Ziyuan. Ah, those crazy bastards. Wei Wuxian can’t imagine where he would be now without their support. Probably in an even worse place.

Maybe he wouldn’t have made it this far at all.

Jiang Cheng tried to bite back at her but was quickly shut down, never quite able to handle such a strong-willed personality. Instead he trained his glare at Wen Ning, who trembled behind a pillar with the confused eyes of a bullied hamster. 

Wen Qing sent him a warning look before schooling her face into its usual professional expression, “And I don’t think the question should be who will go, but if we accept.”

Jiang Fengmian nodded with a pensive expression, “I find it odd that Gusu is requesting A-Xian, the commanding General of Yunmeng’s army, for the marriage. They must know how outrageous that is?”

Wen Qing nodded, “Could be a power play. It’s not Gusu’s style, but the Jin wouldn’t hesitate to push their luck to take advantage of a situation.”

Wei Wuxian retorted, “Maybe if it was from Lan Xichen, but this letter is from the emperor himself. Lan Wangji doesn’t participate in these kinds of mind games.”

Jiang Cheng crossed his arms with an annoyed grumble, “You sure seem to trust that Lan Wangji quite a bit.”

Wei Wuxian shrugged his shoulders, “He’s never given me a reason not to.”

“Yeah, and he’s never given a reason to believe he might want a truce either.”

Wei Wuxian put his hands on his hips, “Well he’s given one now. And we should accept while we still have the chance.”

Jiang Cheng clenched his jaw, “And why would he even offer a ceasefire when they’re at such an advantage?”

Wei Wuxian grit his teeth, “Does it matter? Look, if this were the Jin or the Nie then I would be just as skeptical, but even now the Lan are sticking to their strict war etiquette. Scheming is not their forte.”

Jiang Cheng snapped, “Well it’s not like they’ve been so strict with their allies, have they? Gusu has gone along with the Jin and Nie’s actions before. Maybe they didn’t make this scheme themselves, but what’s to say they’re not just going along with it again?!”

Wei Wuxian tried to calm him down with an easy-going grin, “Say whatever you want about the other Lans, but Lan Wangji is a super stiff, rule-abiding fuddy-duddy. If he wanted to attack me to break through Yunmeng’s defenses, that guy would just charge me from the front in a one-on-one duel.” His smile settled slightly, “He’s never been the kind of guy to want a war. Maybe he wants it all to be over as much as we do.”

Yu Ziyuan scoffed at his naivety, Jiang Cheng following with a rebuke that had Wen Qing bristling with fury. Jiang Fengmian tried to pacify the two, only for Yu Ziyuan to quip about his pacifism. Soon the entire room had gone out of control, with everyone yelling over each other.

Wei Wuxian began to feel nauseous. They don’t have time for this! Can’t they see this is a golden opportunity? Why are they acting this way?!

Wei Wuxian took a shaky breath and grinned, ignoring Wen Qing’s concerned gaze, “Guys guys, haven’t we had enough already? This kind of chance doesn’t come by often. A marriage goes both ways, it’s not like we get nothing out of this. Besides,” his smile faltered for a split second, “what will happen if we don’t accept it?”

Jiang Cheng scoffed, “That makes us sound desperate.”

Wei Wuxian’s grin fell as he clenched his fist, “We are desperate.”

Jiang Cheng looked like he got slapped. Giving the other’s a quick glance, he leaned in to whisper, “If you just use that book, we’ll win in no time!”

“If I had known a treaty was coming I wouldn’t have used it at all!” Wei Wuxian whispered back with a glare.

Jiang Cheng got fed up, “Well you did!”.

Wei Wuxian froze.

Jiang Cheng glared at him, “All those years, all that sacrifice, just to give up like that! What did everyone die for then?!”

Wei Wuxian snapped, snatching the letter off the floor and shoving it in Jiang Chengs face, “THIS!  This  is what they died for: a way out of this damn war!”

Jiang Cheng knocked Wei Wuxian’s hand away, “And we can do that while winning! Just unleash hell on that damn Triad and this war will be over soon!”

Wei Wuxian glared, Or it can be over  now !”

He looked around the room, at his family getting ready to argue back, at Wen Qing’s complicated expression, at his other friends hiding behind the pillars with worried faces, “This war can end  right now , no more bloodshed, no more sacrifice. This is our best option right now and you all know it! This isn’t the time to let pride or hatred cloud our judgement.”

Jiang Cheng bit back bitterly, “Yeah, and it’ll end with our loss!”

Wei Wuxian sighed is disbelief, “Oh my god Jiang Cheng, how is it after all this time you still can’t see the difference between them winning and us losing!” He looked back at Jiang Fengmian, “We’re not signing the country away, it’s basically a truce. The Jiang family will still rule Yunmeng. At the very worst we’ll become a vassal state and pay taxes or let them in our ports for free or something. No matter how low the Lan  might  choose to go, it’s better than where we are now, and it’s much better than where we’ll be if we continue.”

Jinag Fengmian furrowed his brow in worry, “A-Xian, you don’t know that. It is dangerous to assume another’s intentions. What if this is a trap to get you alone and surrounded once you reach the capital? Even if you don’t believe Gusu would do such a thing, how about Lanling?” His voice took on a stern tone of finality, “A-Xian is too trusting, do not be so naive.”

Wei Wuxian couldn’t take it anymore, “And you all should stop fighting!”

The room froze.

“Every day, every damn day of the Yunmeng court’s infighting has led to this situation. How many times have we heard we could’ve won had we just cooperated with each other? How many times did court members make bad decisions just because a person they didn’t like agreed with the right option? Even now, in such a desperate situation, with such an obvious decision, we still can’t agree!”

Jiang Yanli tried to pacify him, “A-Xian, this kind of important decision, how can it be simple?”

Wei Wuxian bit his lip to stop from lashing out at her. Jiang Yanli has been the most understanding so far, her only reservations were with him being asked for specifically. Taking a calming breath, Wei Wuxian looked in her eyes, “Shijie, this war can only end two ways. When we accept this truce… or when one side is wiped out.” his eyes flicked to Wen Ning and Wen Qing for a moment before returning to gaze out at the Jiang royal family, “There is no decision to make.”

Seeing Jiang Fengmian’s complicated expression, Wei Wuxian shoulders slumped with the weight of his sigh. His fingers tightened around the letter in his hand, “Besides, I’ve seen the emperor’s signature and know a forgery when I see one. He signed this. And even if this is some grand plan of the Jin’s, the Lan are infamous for their rules. This is a binding agreement. As long as I reach the Cloud Recesses, they must honor it.”

Jiang Yanli looked down with a small frown, “...But does it have to be you?” Biting her lip she turned pleading eyes on Wei Wuxian, “A-Xian is a General! A leader, an inventor, a free spirit… A-Xian has so much ahead of him, while I can’t do anything. As a princess I have been prepared for this my whole life, so why does A-Xian have to be the one to give up everything?”

Wei Wuxian gave one slow blink, “Lan Wangji is a man of few words.” He met the Jiangs’ confused faces, “He would not have bothered to specify otherwise.”

And with that he turned to leave, only to be stopped by a whip striking the spot in front of him, “Who dismissed you?”

He turned his head sideways to look Madame Yu straight in the eye, “Did I ask to be dismissed?”

Then he took the time Madame Yu stood in shocked outrage to storm out the doors, his friends running after him.

The walk back to his room was quiet, no one knowing quite what to say. The marriage proposal, the arguing, Wei Wuxian’s slip… where do they start? Should they even start... or just let it go?

Meanwhile, Wei Wuxian was berating himself for losing control. Of all the times he needed their full trust in his decisions, and he had to be so emotional. He can’t have anyone doubt him at such a critical point. Wei Wuxian grips the door handle to his room tightly.

It feels as if his life has been nothing but critical points lately.

His room suddenly feels so nostalgic, knowing he’ll never come back here. He wonders if his family will preserve it, or if Madam Yu would repurpose it for something.

He sat on his bed softly.

Feeling himself sink into the mattress, he looked down to notice the bulge of a second futon over his mattress. He stroked the bulge with trembling fingers. Shijie must have set it up for him to rest after sleeping on rough cots for so long. Knowing Jiang Yanli, she must have gone through many kinds to find just the right one.

He wished he had the chance to try it.

Savoring one last moment of comfort, Wei Wuxian hopped off to go pack. He ignored the concerned eyes that followed, maintaining his nonchalant facade. He rolled up his clothes silently for a few moments, taking solace in maximizing his bag’s available space for another journey to a far-off land he doesn’t want to go to. The routine is more numbing than comforting, but anything that calms his pounding heart is welcome.

He turns to look for his shoes, only to see Wen Ning having silently crouched next to him, holding them out to him. He huffs in thanks, only for MianMian to sit on the other side with his writing materials, pointedly not looking at him. Wei Wuxian responds with a wry grin. Soon everyone is helping him pack, the room settling into a comfortable, if melancholic, silence.

Wei Wuxian is opening his travel trunk when Wen Qing asks almost in a murmur, “Are we going with you?”

He doesn’t pause his work, eyes trained on the various knick-knacks inside as he replies equally somber, “No…”

Wen Ning turned pleading eyes on him, “But Young Master…”

Wei Wuxian just continued to pick through for things he could fit in his travel bag, “No, Wen Ning. I need you guys here to take over for me. Anything could happen in the few days until the wedding, and then I’ll be a concubine in the inner palace. I don’t know how much freedom the emperor will grant me, so I need to make sure things don’t collapse while I’m gone.”

MianMian bit her lip, “How are you so sure you’ll be a concubine?”

Wei Wuxian paused his packing and looked up at them, “Because I’m a man.”

It took only a moment for them to understand.

With Gusu’s solidarity at the foundation of their advantages over Yunmeng, Wei Wuxian’s group had collected extensive intel on the inner workings of the Cloud Recesses. One of the ways the Lan prevent infighting is by setting strict rules for the inner court.

The emperor can only marry once, and the heirs must come from the official wife. Any concubine’s children are taken away to be raised as members of the clan in a communal setting to avoid any negative influences from the ambitious women.

By marrying Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji would essentially be cutting off his own royal line.

Wei Wuxian mused as he continued packing, “At best he’ll make me an Honored Concubine so we can have the wedding. A marriage ending a decade-plus long war needs to display some credibility after all. Official Lan ceremonies have to go through certain traditions to be counted, so it’s not technically breaking any rule.” he huffed a humorless laugh and muttered, “But Lan Wangji has always been a straightforward stickler for the rules. If it says one wedding, then he’ll have only one wedding, Lan traditions or not.”

Looking through his trunk one last time, Wei Wuxian gave up on finding his medicine bag and turned to slump against the bed frame, “Besides, I’m the enemy’s commander. I’m the last person they want seeing the Lan’s inner workings, so this is the only way they can ban me from engaging any politics without breaking their rules against discrimination.”

Wen Qing furrowed her brows, “And you’re still going to go?”

Wei Wuxian looked up at the ceiling with a sardonic smile, “Do I have a choice?”

No one spoke after that.

 Lan Wangji clenched the sachet in his sleeve as the dignitaries from the Triad Alliance sputtered in disbelief at his decision. The slightly worn fabric and almost fraying embroidery bringing him comfort in the face of this foolishness.

He made the right decision.

16 years is too long for a war, especially for such a pointless one. These people have the audacity to argue there have been much longer wars before, as if that justifies anything.

He almost regretted informing them of the marriage proposal, if only he wasn’t absolutely sure it was necessary. Although Gusu is the leader, Lan Wangji recognizes the respect that is owed to the Jin and Nie due to their alliance. Even if they are getting on his nerves.

The Jin are sitting with their jaws on the floor, eyes running through the bounties they were after and how this will affect their rewards. Nie Mingjue is holding back his outrage, confused why they would quit when they’re so close to the finish line. Nie Huaisang, who is always brought to these meetings for some reason, keeps opening and closing his fan nervously with a hidden glint of excitement.

His brother is the picture of grace and serenity as always despite dropping such a bombshell. His eyes quickly flicked to Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao, before facing forward again.

The tension was mounting among the audience in the room, but Lan Wangji himself was calm. Soon everything would be over and a new era would begin. His ears burned a bit red as he stroked the sachet. An era he hoped to lead with Wei Ying by his side.

“Are you out of your damn mind?”

Lan Wangji paused his ministrations to face Nie Mingjue. He stood strong in the face of the emperor’s attention, but Lan Wangji could see the rigid posture indicative of nervousness. Nie Hauisang went pale and looked like he was about to faint as Lan Xichen turned around to ask for leniency. Lan Wangji would not hold such an outburst against someone in a situation like this, he had always detested that in other rulers. Instead he just raised his hand in pardon and motioned for the king to continue. 

Nie Mingjue uncrossed his arms and argued his case, “Why call for a truce now? We’re this close to winning. I would think Gusu more than anyone would be pleased to finally conquer Yunmeng.”

Lan Wangji blinked, “16 years is enough.”

Nie Mingjue narrowed his eyes, “And with 16 years of work, why give up when victory is just on the horizon?”

“Is it?”

The room froze. Of... course it is? Just one look at Yunmeng’s state is enough for anyone to know. Jin Guangyao took the lead to speak, “Your Highness, with all due respect, it is impossible for Yunmeng to win this war.”

Lan Wangji closed his eyes, “ ‘Do the impossible.’ ” The audience blinked at him as Lan Wangji opened his eyes, “Yunmeng’s most treasured belief.”

Nie Mingjue bit back, “What Yunmeng believes and what they can do are completely separate.”

Lan Wangji thought of a sunshine smile in black armor, “Our opponent is not Yunmeng.” He spoke purposefully to the room, “Wei Wuxian.”

Nie Mingjue but back his retort and clenched his fist. What could he say? They’ve been fighting this war for years and yet the enemy is still holding on no matter what they do, all because of one man. A near impregnable defense and a terrifying offense, Wei Wuxian is a one man army with a genius rarely seen in history.

How many times have they heard the only reason Yunmeng has not won is because their court is a train wreck? How many times have they feared the smallest rumors of Wei Wuxian overthrowing the crown and taking charge?

Uniting a divided army, executing insane strategies perfectly, managing social programs, and still somehow having the bandwidth to pop out ground-breaking inventions left and right. Fucking monster. Had Nie Mingjue known about him earlier, he would have adopted the bastard as a Nie prince.

“...Tch!” the Nie King downed his cup of alcohol.

Instead he’s an enemy, somehow the worst enemy the battle-worn Nie Mingjue had fought to date. He should have looked more deeply into the rumors of him and the Yiling Patriarch being the same person. Especially with this last battle.

He lifted his eyes sharply.

But Wei Wuxian is not a monolith, and it shows the state of Yunmeng that they have not rallied under his banner yet. No matter how powerful he is, he’s just one man. A man not even given the honor of his adopted family’s name, no less. Despite holding back three nations by himself, there is only so much Wei Wuxian can do alone. And he told the emperor as such.

Lan Wangji was silent for a moment, stroking the fabric once more as he reminisced, “... The Elephant Formation.”

The Nie delegation flinched. Their country was famous for its use of beasts, and the army was no exception. One of Nie Mingjue’s favorite tactics was to have elephants stampede through the enemy ranks. Either they get crushed or they break formation and enter a panic, unable to group together after having lost their place. That is, until Wei Wuxian noticed how the elephants seemed to only charge in a straight line. So he created a strange new formation where the soldiers step into the spaces between the elephants when they charge. No matter how narrow they made the spaces, even to the point of endangering their own elephant riders, there was always just enough room for the Wei soldiers to slip through. Eventually they had to discontinue the elephant charge method against the Wei army. It was a huge blow to Nie Mingjue.

Lan Wangji narrowed his eyes at Jin Guangshan’s mocking smirk, “The Spring Book incident.”

The entire Jin delegation turned red in shame and embarrassment as Jin Guangyao’s smile faltered. What a humiliating memory…

The Jin relied on numbers to win oftentimes, always a looming presence on Yunmeng who had fewer soldiers than even one of the Triad. And so, Wei Wuxian, with the enthusiastic spirit of a lunatic prankster, devised a scheme to lower that threat. 

As most of the soldiers were drafted, they didn’t really want to participate in the war. So Wei Wuxian had a collection of porn books spread throughout the Jin encampments with instructions on how to fake an illness to get sent home written into the dirty talk in the speech bubbles. He even made sure they contained some high quality content so people would keep them hidden. No man would be willing to give up his porn in a barrack. 

Droves of people were able to leave the army with those instructions until the Jin finally had to ban the sickness policy. Unfortunately, that kept the truly ill soldiers with the rest of the army and disease spread rampant. It was an absolute disaster…

Nie Huaisang choked back his laugh behind his fan. Wei-xiong always knows how to make things interesting. He was lucky to have saved a copy of the full collection. For  historical purposes , of course. And if Nie Mingjue noticed his slip up, well, he was too busy grinning at the Jin to say anything.

Lan Wangji huffed. Only Wei Ying could be so bold and brilliant, yet in such a way you don’t wish to praise him.

The emperor reveled in the memory of Wei Wuxian’s cheeky grin when Jin Zixun confronted him about it. Shameless.

His ears burned.

Then the emperor grew somber as he realized how long ago that had been. How long since he’s seen that youthful energy in his beloved. He looked down, “... The Mountain Pass…”

The room sobered up instantly. That maneuver was a crowning example of Wei Wuxian’s ability to do the impossible.

With a good portion of its territory consisting of mountain ranges, the Gusu armies are masters of navigating those peaks. And being so dangerous, only a fool would challenge Gusu in a mountain battle. Wei Wuxian was one such fool who got himself trapped in a dead end with only a narrow entrance that was quickly being overrun my Gusu’s forces. Lan Wangji himself had joined against the wishes of his brother and uncle.

He knew it would be dangerous, but Lan Wangji had to ensure Wei Wuxian’s safe return to Gusu, albeit as a prisoner of war. He was filled with complicated feelings as he rode through the mountain pass, glad their battles were over yet mourning the loss. So confident were they, that when the Gusu forces could only look around in confusion at the empty clearing. Lan Wangji instantly put up his guard, surveying every suspicious pebble when he heard his name being called. Whipping his head around, he caught the small silhouette of Wei Wuxian waving emphatically at him just before the small tunnel collapsed with a rumble, followed by the mountain pass they entered through. It didn’t take long for the emperor to quell everyone’s panic, but the impact of having been bested in their own territory hit the morale of the Gusu forces more than any number of casualties could.

As it turned out, Wei Wuxian had planned the entire battle. Making use of the Gusu Empire’s pride in their mountain tactics, he had led them into a trap. In a show of pure grit and will, Wei Wuxian’s loyal soldiers spent weeks secretly tunneling  through  the mountain with a new drill that had Jin Guangshan salivating at the impact it would have on the mining industry. Choosing a location hidden behind a spike jutting out of the ground, it would be impossible to notice without prior knowledge. While the others were preparing for an ambush from above, Lan Wangji realized their goal was a delay tactic to turn back around and recapture the border towns left unprotected and without command.

Animal combat, scheming, mountain ranges, in each case Wei Wuxian had bested them in their own specialties. And these were just a few of the stories of the General’s many feats. No matter how dour, how unlikely, or even how many losses he suffers in between, eventually Wei Wuxian finds a way.

And with that latest battle, why would the future be any different.

Jin Guangshan tutted, “A cornered rat has the sharpest bite.”

Lan Wangji clenched his hands.

Jin Guangyao noticed Lan Xichen’s frown and smiled up at Lan Wangji, “Your Highness is correct.”

Lan Wangji turned to face him, suspicious eyes hidden by his headdress. Jin Guangyao pretended not to notice the pressure, “General Wei Wuxian is a wildcard that cannot be underestimated. Removing him as an obstacle using a treaty would be the best decision.”

Nie Mingjue clucked his tongue at the Jin’s cowardice. Leave it to them to change stances with the readiness of a fickle woman. Jin Guangyao just continued smiling, “However, there are many ways to go about this, including a regular treaty. And Wei Wuxian is loyal to a fault towards the Yunmeng royal family. He would go along with whatever they decide, so why a marriage with the General specifically, when he’s not even a true member of the family?”

Lan Wangji narrowed his eyes, “Lianfang-zun’s meaning?”

Jin Guangyao narrowed his eyes as he smiled, “I mean no offense, Your Highness. I simply noticed how Your Majesty’s decisions regarding the General have been rather… unusual.” 

The hurt and confused look Lan Xichen sent his way had Jin Guangyao stepping back, “Forgive this one, Your Majesty. This most recent battle has me fearing the return of,” he looked up,”the Yiling Patriarch.”

The room broke out in whispers as Lan Wangji slumped imperceptibly in his seat. Nie Mingjue rested his head on his clasped hands, “...That green fire hasn’t been seen since the Sunshot Campaign.”

Lan Wangji felt nauseous. Green Fire, a powerful volatile substance that could even burn on water. When lit inside a shell, it forms a destructive bomb that leaves a devastating impact… on both sides. Rumors say it was discontinued for being too unstable to mitigate the risks for its users.

How desperate did Wei Ying have to be to resort to something so dangerous?

Lan Wangji clenched his eyes tightly, hoping to block out the arguing court. 

When did their competition of skill become a desperate bid for survival? At what point did Wei Ying begin to dread their meetings?

When did Lan Wangji lose sight of his purpose for all this?

He remembers his first meeting with Wei Ying as Emperor and General. He looked so tired. No matter how well Wei Wuxian may have hidden it, Lan Wangji could see it in the dimness of his smile, in the absence of mischief in his words. He looked thin. Not enough to affect his prowess in battle, but too much for Lan Wangji’s liking. He wished to offer him a meal, had Wei Wuxian not been so wary of the tea. Wei ing didn’t even seem to notice it was the favorite blend of the Yunmeng royal family.

He cannot imagine the pain Wei Ying must have felt to hand over his precious family ribbon for a fault not his own. Lan Wangji berated himself for ignoring the clear distress Wei Ying showed for the split second before handing it over. Had his uncle not known of Canse Sanren, would Lan Wangji have ever learned its meaning? How many other times had he hurt Wei Ying without realizing?

Jin Guangshan’s voice snapped him out of his reverie, “That is why that research should be handled by Lanling, which has the most resources to accommodate its dangers.”

Lan Wangji narrowed his eyes, his radiating fury quieting the room, “A person’s property is not for others to claim.”

He directed his attention at Jin Guangshan, “What is made by the General, belongs to the General.”

Entrusting a group as arrogant and opportunistic as the Jin with such dangerous research was irresponsible at best. They don’t care who has access to it as long it profits them, as evidenced by their new research technician who had been busy making a nuisance of himself in the corner by harassing their youngest attendant. Lan Wangji pretended not to see her smacking his shins with her pole.

Despite being a king Jin Guangshan backs down, intimidated, “Your Highness, we were only discussing the dangers of such inventions. Given His Highness, Prince Lan Xichen’s agreement that the remainders of the Yunmeng army were best left to Lanling’s supervision, it follows that Lanling would be the most suitable for such a serious matter.”

Lan Wangji tilted his chin up, “A discussion between friends equals an imperial decree?”

The Jin King faltered, but Lan Wangji did not give him the chance to recover, “There have been no discussions concerning Lanling. Lord Jin made his neutral stance clear to retain access to Yunmeng’s ports. It is Lianfang-zun who belongs to the Triad.” Jin Guangshan flinched.

Aware of his brother’s growing irritation, Lan Xichen stepped it, “No worries, everyone. The details of the treaty will be discussed in length with the Jiang delegations once the matter of the marriage has been settled.”

Nie Mingjue turns toward him, “What makes you think that Wei Wuxian would even agree to this ridiculous offer?” A wild troublemaker like him, managing the inner court as Empress? He’s more likely to view it as a prison than the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity most would see it as.

Lan Xichen smiled at him, “The General is a smart man who has shown courtesy in even the most dire of situations. With things as they are, he must want an end to this war as much as we do.”

With a final huff from the Nie king, Lan Wangji dismissed the court session and retired to his pavilion, leaving the hosting to Lan Xichen.

When he returned to his rooms, Lan Wanji immediately took out the blueprints drafted of the Red Lotus Pavilion. Already on their seventh iteration, the emperor wanted to ensure his Empress would feel welcome and happy in his new home. 

The layout of the complex is different from the rest of the Cloud Recesses, and strange for a noble in general. Wei Ying is known for his inventive nature, always tinkering with some idea. Sometimes things explode. Although his uncle would balk at something so uncouth, Wei Ying would surely appreciate a workshop or three. Lan Wangji has no intentions of stripping his Empress of his hobbies. 

A lotus pond is without question. However, the Empress must not be seen without proper dress, many of the changes have been made with the pond’s swimmability in mind. The question now is which breeds of Lotus to insert: the lavender of Lotus Pier, or a red to complement Wei Ying’s style? Or maybe a random selection of many exotic varieties to entertain him?

A puff of laughter made Lan Wangji whirl around to meet Lan Xichen’s teasing smile, “Oh my, will there be an eighth iteration? At this point General Wei may not have a place to live by the time he arrives!” his eyes formed crescents, “Ah, or is that Wangji’s plan?”

Lan Wangji’s ears burned hot, “Brother.”

Lan Xichen leaned over to look at the scroll, “Ah, how accommodating. Uncle will surely be furious once he sees this. Best to build the foundation quick before he can protest!”

Lan Wangji hid the scroll against his chest and turned away, “Brother.”

The prince just chuckled and relented, satisfied for the moment. His smile settled after a few moments, “...That arrangement with A-Yao, I am sorry for not notifying you first. The three of us were debating the best ways to manage Yunmeng to have a plan ready to present when and if the time came. We hoped to avoid any unnecessary conflict so we could begin the recovery process quickly. I did not expect King Jin to take it as a promise.”

Lan Wangji didn’t turn around, “Brother meant no harm.”

Lan Xichen smiled sadly. But you’re upset about it regardless, aren’t you?

His little brother had never felt threatened by Lan Xichen, nor did Lan Xichen plan to threaten Lan Wangji’s power. He trusts his brother, and will always support him. So the only thing that could be upsetting him is…

He walked to stand next to the emperor, “We had that discussion not long before General Wei revived the Green Fire. Does Wangji believe it might be related?”

Lan Wangji was silent for a moment, “Wei Ying has history with the Jin.”

Lan Xichen looked down, “I see.”

The emperor turned to him and reiterated, “Brother meant no harm.”

Lan Xichen sent him a grateful smile, before turning to look out at the scenery with a thoughtful expression. The two stood in comfortable silence, listening to the sound of the rustling leaves in the gentle wind. After some time, they began to quietly discuss the decor of the Red Lotus Pavilion. 

An attendant came while they were debating whether or not to include a napping bed in one of the workshops.

The courier falcon had arrived.

[rainiedeforest]

Poetry

Fandom: Mo Dao Zu Shi (The Untamed) Pair: Madame Yu | Yu Ziyuan / Jiang Fengmian Link to AO3: [here] Summary: Where Fengmian learned a very valuable lesson.  Words: 2130 Other chapters:      • Chapter 1: Spring (12 years)      • Chapter 2: Attempt the impossible (15 years)      • Chapter 3:  Presuppositions (16 years)      • Chapter 4: Poetry (17 years)

Maybe it had been the company, or perhaps the alcohol, but Jiang Fengmian and Wei Changze looked clearly amused at Jin Guangshan.

“I think you've had too much to drink already, Guangshan,” Jiang Fengmian said, trying to take away the glass of that sweet wine they had gotten at the inn.

“Stop talking bullshit! I haven't drunk half my capacity yet,” the other young master complained as Wei Changze looked at both of them with a soft smile, keeping silent. “Come on, come on! “What do you think?”

“I think I’ll pass, thank you. I appreciate my life,” replied the heir of the YunmengJiang Sect, raising the cup to his lips to entertain himself with something.

Jin Guangshan snorted and slumped back, leaning carelessly against the wall. His hand, shaking from the alcohol, pointed at him, causing the other two young men to share a regretful look.

“What scares you? That we choose wrong?”

Jiang Fengmian rolled his eyes and sighed, shaking his head.

“It's not that I'm scared, but rather that I'm educated enough to not sneak into a maid's bedroom to sing her a sonnet.”

“Let's free the poor girl from hearing such torture,” Wei Changze muttered, trying to hide his smile behind the small glass. Jiang Fengmian poked him, pretending to be offended, but with the gleam of amusement shining in his eyes.

“Precisely,” Jin Guangshan said after taking a long sip of his drink. He swallowed loudly and pointed at both men. “This girl is perfect. Even the flight of a fly bothers her.”

Jiang Fengmian choked, starting to cough as Wei Changze patted him on the back with concern. The young master's eyes trembled slightly as he looked at his best friend and the young sect master of LanlingJin, searching for any sign that it was a bad joke. It didn't look like one.

“It's… It's a joke, right?” But Jin Guangshan's wolfish grin was enough to let him know that no, it wasn’t. “You cannot be serious. No, I refuse.”

“Oh come on, Fengmian!” Guangshan exclaimed, amused. “What are you so afraid of?”

“I'm not afraid! But the last thing I want to do is bother Yu-guniang.”

Jin Guangshan shrugged and rolled his eyes, picking up the jug with the clear intention of filling his glass further. But the jug was empty. A snort escaped his lips as he searched for another one they had bought.

“I don't know if Yu Ziyuan deserves that appellative.”

“Miss Yu deserves it, as well as the respect her rank demands,” Jiang Fengmian said rudely. She would not be the kindest, sweetest or most loving maiden, but she was still a lady and she should be treated like one. “Don’t you ever dare to insult her again in my presence.”

Both young men looked at each other, the good humor and the relaxed atmosphere that they had been having broken by the tension and the reproaches. Wei Changze put his glass down on the table and tried to appease both young men.

“Perhaps singing a sonnet wouldn’t be the most appropriate thing given the situation,” Wei Changze replied, getting their attention. “After all, I have heard that she is engaged. I doubt very much that her parents and her fiancé found it amused.”

Jiang Fengmian lowered his gaze and nodded. He couldn't forget about that little detail, especially when Yu Ziyuan herself had informed him of this. Jin Guangshan clicked his tongue as he opened another jug of wine.

“Damn marriageable young maidens… Always ruining all the fun.”

However, hours later, he didn’t know exactly how, but he was at the foot of the bedroom window where he knew that Yu Ziyuan was currently sleeping. They had coincided again in a night hunt and, again, she had shown her superiority with respect to the rest of the men who were there.

He could barely stand up because of the three more jugs that had fallen in their stomachs, but he had clear a goal he must achieve.

Taking advantage of the snows that had fallen earlier, he began to make small snowballs and, even with the darkness looming making his vision difficult, he managed to throw them against the window. But he couldn't hear any sound. No sound or light turning on.

Perhaps she was no longer there, or perhaps she had gone to spend the night in Xing Sheji's room. It wasn't unusual for them to spend as much time as they could together. After all, as soon as the two of them were married, they couldn't see each other so assiduously. Both young girls would have responsibilities to their new families.

He had just thrown a new snowball when he heard it collide with something, causing a high-pitched whine. Jiang Fengmian looked up at the window and felt the blood drain from his face. Yu Ziyuan was looking at him from the window with a lit oil lamp and the remains of the snowball on her chest.

“Have you gone crazy, Jiang Fengmian?” She asked after a few seconds observing him in complete silence. “Do you know what time it is?”

Jiang Fengmian nodded and, without a second's hesitation, began to climb up the wall until he was hanging from the window. Yu Ziyuan looked at him in surprise and slightly shocked.

“W-what are you doing?!” She exclaimed when the young master managed to sit on the window sill. “Go away!”

“I’m sorry, I can’t. I have a really important mission,” he answered with a goofy smile on his face. Then, he raised a hand, gesturing to the inside the room. “May l?”

“O-of course not!” Ziyuan's tone ranged from surprise to outrage. “You're drunk!”

A small giggle escaped the young master's lips before he looked at her darkly. Ziyuan felt the blood rising up to her cheeks and flushing them fiercely.

“Mm… a little bit,” Fengmian whispered before taking her hand. “Miss Yu, can I come into your bedroom? I promise you it won't take more than ten minutes.”

“What if I don't want to, Jiang-gonzgi?” She asked in a very low voice, trying to ignore the pleasant chill she had felt when he took her hand.

Jiang Fengmian pretended to be thinking it up before grinning widely again.

“I will fall and you will have to bear with my death.”

Ziyuan slightly pursed her lips and, after a few seconds considering whether it would really be that bad for Jiang Fengmian to fall to the ground and pretend all of this had never happened, she stepped aside to let him pass.

Which was a completely mistake, since the young master was so clumsy right now that he tripped over his own legs and fell flat on the ground. Those noises would alarm anyone inside the inn and Ziyuan stared at the door in distress for someone to enter and see them. They could think anything and she would be lost. Not that she cared about the opinions of the others, but she didn’t want to put her family or her sect in a bad place.

Jiang Fengmian laughed and Ziyuan was quick to silence him.

“You want to wake up the entire inn?” She asked in a hiss, slightly annoyed. She moved around the small room until she placed the oil lamp on a small table where there was a really spectacular embroidery. “What do you want?”

The young man approached her, walking on his knees until he could take her hand again and smiled.

“Water lilacs bloom in the Great River,” Fengmian began to recite while he was still looking into her eyes. Ziyuan stifled a groan of surprise. Was he...? “Bright red on green water.”

“Fengmian...”

“Its color is the same as our hearts,” the young master continued despite Ziyuan's discomfort. Her heart kept racing, forcing herself not to take none of this seriously. After all, he was drunk. But on the other hand... It was the first time someone dedicated a poem to her. “Its roots take a detour...”

Fengmian paused for a little bit before kissing the knuckles on her hand, causing Ziyuan to forget how to breathe.

“Ours cannot be separated,” he whispered, finishing reciting that poetry, barely separating the hand of Ziyuan from his lips.

That simple act was a gesture of complete intimacy that was only expected between spouses. That he did that only made two things: one, that her stupid infatuation for him worsened and two, that the very idea of having to marry someone else was even more painful.

“Did you like it?”

“Let go my hand, please,” Ziyuan asked trying to recover. Jiang Fengmian stared at her in confusion, but did as the young woman asked. “What is all this about?”

“I thought you'd like it.”

Yu Ziyuan gave a dry, slightly cruel laugh that went perfectly hand in hand with the bitterness of the moment. Like it? She had loved it. But receiving poetry from a person who would never be her husband only made the situation torture.

“I’m betrothed.”

“Mm…” Fengmian seemed to ponder that for a few seconds, his eyes widening in surprise and nodding as if he'd fallen for it. “It’s true…”

“You shouldn't dedicate any poetry to me.”

“All pretty young women deserve to have someone to read poetry to them.”

Ziyuan's lips parted slightly, showing surprise at those words.

“You're drunk.”

“Mm… I am…”

“You don't know what you're saying…” Ziyuan muttered trying to get away from the young master.

Fengmian tried to reach her again, but fell flat on the ground again, staying there.

“Yes, I know…” he whispered before falling asleep.

Yu Ziyuan watched him for a few seconds, not sure what to do. In the end, and against everything her better judgment was yelling at her, she ducked next to Fengmian and barely lifted him, dragging him to the still intact bed. Gathering her strength, she laid him down and covered him gently with one of the blankets.

She sat on the edge of it and put away a lock of hair from Fengmian's face, feeling that simple caress burn her fingers. Her eyes swept over his relaxed features and she let out a sigh. How easy it would all be if all of it had happened otherwise, she thought bitterly, closing her eyes and letting a small tear escape from her eyes.

Ziyuan got up to close the window and turned off the little lamp before grabbing all her things and leaving the room. But, before closing the door, she took one last look at the sleeping body and whispered:

“Good night, Fengmian.”

The next morning when Fengmian woke up, he did with a severe headache that he would have gladly given to anyone else. Why did he have to drink so much that last night?

He let out a groan of pain before rolling over on the bed.

“Changze, give me water, please,” he asked his best friend, hoping that he was awake and in the room. But no one answered him. “Changze?”

Fengmian opened his eyes and found himself in a small, perfectly neat and clean room. What...? Where was it?

And then, small images of what happened the night before came back to him with great clarity. Fengmian sat up quickly, instantly regretting having done so because of the pain that went through him, but all of this was little compared to what had happened.

Had he really thrown snowballs at Yu Ziyuan's window? Had he really climbed up to her room and recited some cheesy love poetry? Had he really taken her hand and kissed her knuckles as if they were something else?

But the room was so quiet and so neat that it seemed that there had been no one there besides him.

What if he had dreamed it? Yes... Surely he would have dreamed it...

Fengmian finished getting up and, after washing his face in a small porcelain basin in the room, went in the direction of the door with the intention of leaving. However, before he managed to leave, he saw what looked like a purple silk handkerchief in the floor.

The young master approached the table where an oil lamp rested and took the cloth of the floor between his hands. It was richly embroidered with brightly colored beads and soft threads that came together to form a beautiful and perfect lotus flower.

“Jiang-gongzi!” Wei Changze exclaimed approaching him once he left the inn, after checking how someone had already paid for the room. “Where were you?”

“Ah... Sleeping. Upstairs,” he said, without adding anything else.

He helped Changze pack up his things and make his way home after saying goodbye to Jin Guangshan. Always with the little embroidered handkerchief hidden and pressed against his heart.

[mihanada]

Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation

(back to masterpost)

The name of this arc is “Poisons”. I don’t like the sound of that...Seems like we’re continuing with the flashbacks. I wonder how far we’ll go into the events up to and including the Sunshot Campaign...

There is a lot to talk about in this chapter!

Chapter 56: Poisons (Part 1)

Ooh, I see how it is. This story is going to troll us about that song’s name until it somehow gets played again in the present day storyline, isn’t it. It served its purpose, I suppose, since he slept through help arriving and carting him back to Yunmeng.

“When he woke up again[...]what he saw was neither the black ceiling of the underground cave nor Lan WangJi’s pale yet handsome face[...]”

I don’t like to make a mountain out of a molehill, but do I sense a tiiny crush here? Yet again, he finds Lan Wangji handsome despite spending 7+ days in a grimy underground cave after slaughtering a giant beast and swimming in its blood. He couldn’t have even used the water to clean himself.

“[...]a funny series of kissing heads[...]”

He probably (hopefully) drew this on his bed when he was younger, as kids tend to do. It suits him, somehow.

Jiang Yanli finally gets a spoken line! She deserves more lines though, how many times has she been mentioned and she never gets to talk at length.

Wei Wuxian’s banter with Jiang Cheng is rapid-fire, jumping back and forth naturally and giving the impression they’ve been through conversations in this style many times before. I like it, it shows how close they were (sob enjoy it while you can before everything goes to hell).

“Wei WuXian realized that he really did forget to count the time needed to get there.”

lol poor Jiang Cheng getting accused for being too slow when he couldn’t possibly drag his ass home and back in that amount of time. xD

Alright, Wei Wuxian keeps talking about his bad memory and such, but at least this time it’s justified. Who wouldn’t be delirious enough to not add correctly after what they went through in that cave?

“But why didn’t Lan Zhan remind me?”

This is funny for some reason. Wei Wuxian is so used to him being the level-headed proper guy so he also expected him to correct him. xD

hahaha my mother recently made something like this lotus root and rib soup. even though it’s summer here. o-o Lotus roots are a strange food (how do you even describe their texture? crunchy, fiber-y, but they’re also soft if you cook them long enough) but they’re very good.

“Where’s Lan Zhan? He’s also been saved, hasn’t he? Is he here? Or did he go back to his sect in Gusu?”

“He went back alone? Over in Gusu, his sect…”

Accordingly with his personality, especially when he was younger, Wei Wuxian asks so many questions one after another.

“Wei WuXian didn’t take the handkerchief. Instead, he pouted his mouth with exaggeration, “Yes!” ”

It’s interesting how he acts even more like a kid than usual around Jiang Yanli. It makes sense, considering where he came from and how he doesn’t remember much about his parents aside from a few words they said to him. Jiang Fengmian and Jiang Yanli were probably the first ones to be kind to him in a long while, and instead of scolding him for acting childish they indulge him. So, naturally he’ll just continue this behavior (even at 17 lol but that’s where his shamelessness comes into play).

“Glancing at the porcelain jar, he seemed as if he wanted to taste it as well, but the bowl had already been taken away by Jiang YanLi.”

loool everyone wants to taste this soup but only Wei Wuxian gets to.

ha, the Wen Sect steals the credit for killing the Xuanwu while Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian try to give each other the credit for killing it. aw, I like what that says about them as people. We explicitly learn that Wei Wuxian doesn’t consider his contribution to be that much. Meanwhile, Lan Wangji’s motive was for giving Wei Wuxian the credit...probably was that without him luring its head out, it wouldn’t have been possible to kill it.

However, without the Lan Sect’s assassination skill, anyone would have been hard-pressed to kill that thing with no proper weapons and it still took 6 hours.

“So it seems that both of you killed it together. What’s yours is yours. Why would you give him all the credit?”

This is also interesting, in line with the above. Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji are like night and day, it’s easy to spot their differences and how they fill in what the other lacks, but it’s rarer to see their similarities and this is one of them.

“You shouldn’t have played the hero and you shouldn’t have cared for such a hell of a thing.”

I think this is the line Jiang Fengmian feels wasn’t appropriate and not in line with the Jiang sect’s motto “To attempt at the impossible”.

“Since when was it your turn to play the hero?”

Before I launch into the whole complicated family situation, I’ll address these lines first.

This is a very interesting part of Wei Wuxian’s character. It’s not that he tries to be the hero or wants that glory, but he isn’t someone who can stand by and let things be other people’s problems (another similarity to Lan Wangji/the Lan Sect, actually). He does these things because he feels they are right (aka saving Mianmian, helping to hold off the Xuanwu so others can escape) and because no one else is willing to.

“[...]he thought to himself, He couldn’t have dared to do anything to them? That’s not for certain.”

His concern for others shows through here, but also some of his ignorance as a youth. 1) he’s more concerned about others than himself; he thinks that it is a real possibility the Wen Sect could have retaliated against the Lan or Jin Sects, never mind his own self; 2) he doesn’t seem to realize that his actions do have consequences for his sect and this is a very real concern of Madam Yu’s.

Perhaps it’s because he is in an odd position himself. He’s the top disciple of the sect, but also part of the inner circle of the Jiang clan, yet at the same time he is an outsider amongst them. When they bring up how Mianmian might be the daughter of a servant, Wei Wuxian even compares her to his own background as the son of a servant. Also, his “I don’t want others assigning me to other households!” was a sentiment probably born of a bit of pride and a bit of this toxic environment. even though he was adopted by the Jiang clan, he didn’t feel exactly part of them...

His self-identity when he was young is an interesting thing to think about...

“Do you still remember, between the one lying there and the one standing here, which one is your son?”

yikes

This is one woman you don’t want to cross.

“Do you think that anything will change just because you raised your voice?!”

kids, remember – talking louder doesn’t mean you’re more right.

On a serious note, this whole argument, which apparently has been hashed out many times before, gives a good look into the Jiang clan’s dynamics. It’s a tough situation (and a toxic environment). At least now we know where Jiang Cheng’s parenting skills come from (his own father was harder on him than Wei Wuxian, in turn Jiang Cheng also gives Jin Ling a hard time)

Speaking of his father being harder on him, it’s probably as Wei Wuxian observed and tries to assure him (and not Madam Yu’s skewed perspective): his father loves him, but he also is hard on him because he has to raise him as the next sect leader while Wei Wuxian has none of that, plus he’s not his own child but a good friend’s and of course he’ll be more lenient.

Which is actually a good point...Madam Yu works from the idea that Jiang Fengmian sees Wei Wuxian as his own child and favors him over Jiang Cheng and that’s why he’s lenient. But, Wei Wuxian sees it as him being lenient because Wei Wuxian isn’t his own child.

it is sort of an awkward situation isn’t it. Looking from the other side, it’s also easy to see how Jiang Cheng developed those feelings of frustration and believing his own father didn’t love him. From Jiang Cheng’s perspective, he doesn’t see Wei Wuxian as a servant or anything, so to him this preferential treatment means his father favors Wei Wuxian over him.

I like Wei Wuxian’s attempts to cheer Jiang Cheng up and talk him through it though. He’s actually trying to be helpful and his arguments are good.

“So what if there’s the motto?! Do you have to follow it just because it’s a motto? Look at the rules of the GusuLan Sect—there are over three thousand. If people followed every single one of them, would they even be alive at this point?”

lol. just. lol. “would they even be alive at this point?”

I love how he just throws the Gusu Lan Sect out as an example on all points though. xD

“In the future, you’ll be the sect leader, and I’ll be your subordinate, like your father and my father.”

Ah, there it is. Yeah, the discrepancy is here. versus...

“Jiang Cheng, “How can you compare to her? Whose servant is like you, having your master peel lotus seeds for you and boil you soup. I didn’t even get to have some!”

hahaha everyone wants that soup. see, you do have some things in common with your father.

 “I had a perfume sachet somewhere around my waist.”

Ok who can keep up with your thought process? he literally jumps from topic to topic with no transition lol

“Right, we were talking about Lan Zhan.”

like, 10 minutes ago...

ahhh but Lan Wangji’s dad has passed away...eep. Guess that means he didn’t make it home in time...

Wonder what the “Poisons” part is going to mean for the events in this arc though...

(quotes from ExR’s translations)

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