#and then he's grabbing him and meng shi and they are getting out of there!!

[lgbtlunaverse]

Not every single child - adult caretaker relationship is automatically a parental one and I'm very aware fandom is overeager to label them as such and I've talked about that in the past! HOWEVER!! I firmly believe that in the event of a time travel au where post-canon lan xichen - squarely in his 40s and feeling like he aged an extra two decades since guanyin temple - were to somehow be transported back in time and meet 7 year old big-eyed "never done anything wrong in his LIFE" baby Meng Yao it would take him all of 3 hours to decide that he's a stepdad now.

[darlingpwease]

Omega SHI MEI AS A YANDERE imagine alpha reader reject him but is in love with omega Chu wanning

okay now listen here wifey imagine omega yandere Shi Mei caught alpha reader and Chu Wanning making out

I first thought that 'wifey' is about shi mei and the first thought was 'cheating on spouse yandere omega shi mei? the simplest idea, it's always a bad ending and a one-way ticket either to the cemetery or to full mind control/basement in modern au', but then I realized that, apparently,,,, is this for me?,,,,, 👉👈 /hj /affectionate

winners are not judged

♡ unhealthy behaviour, animalistic behaviour, secret relationship if you squint, forced relationship implied, age gap implied, mention of heat drugs [consensual, shi mei], sexism & dehumanisation if you squint (butterfly-boned beauty feast omegas)

♡ dubious consent / non consent elements (?) [at the very end; there is no indication of sex, but there are words about being forced to mark and heat], heavy petting if you squint, sex during mating season ('heat) if you squint

In fact, all of these four — Shi Mei, Mo Ran, Xue Meng, Chu Wanning — do not cope very well with jealousy and possessive outbursts, even if their causes are different.

And SHI MEI, although he has one of the most emotionally flexible and hardy reactions out of the whole four, is no better — perhaps his past, his intense obsessiveness and almost dependence on you, mixed with his desire to be your omega and seeing you as his ideal, is under very strong pressure when it turns out that you are nothing of this, you do not feel for him, not even considering him as an 'omega with whom you could have puppies'.

He doesn't have to see you kissing; after all, Chu Wanning rarely ever allows himself to be intimate with you outside of closed places where you are definitely alone — but when you come back one day and smell too strong, with slightly swollen and brighter lips due to long kisses, and SHI MEI notices how you hurriedly bring put yourself in order and try not to look like Mo Ran looks like after brothels — for some reason this comparison seems to him the most correct, especially with burning jealousy and disgust at the fact that you preferred not him, — then he understands everything anyway.

And SHI MEI is quite proud and even somewhat overbearing, using his charm as an omega and as a butterfly-boned beauty feast to attract and hold you — but he is not too proud to use his body and unique body structure, especially for alphas who are intoxicated by his smell, but very easily loses control when he sees that his control over you lost and you slip out of his hands like a fish in the water.

Even if he is not a cat, nothing prevents him from immediately grabbing you with his claws.

... He doesn't do that, of course.

He has two goals — and since one of them is already kick the bucket, then why doesn't he kill two birds with one stone? Undoubtedly, the option of 'leaving a flower in you' (which he did not do earlier, otherwise you would have been attached to him — and he cannot help but reproach himself for this, although he previously hoped that your relationship would be mutual and amicable) is no longer available — he longs for you, but he is not an idiot, he knows that Chu Wanning will realize that something is wrong when you abruptly start to get colder and lose interest in him, which is clearly very intense between you judging by the strength of his scent on you, but that doesn't mean that you are the only option.

There is also Mo Ran. A strong, domineering alpha; maybe a little too problematic, but still capable of a lot. SHI MEI does not deny that he manipulates and uses — as if he has a choice — when, with the help of cunning and meanness, he leaves a flower in him, just as he should have done with you, but you are too infatuated with Chu Wanning to notice that something is wrong, clearly experiencing the flowering of your feelings for more the older omega (why?), but SHI MEI just smiles sweetly and nods, making it clear that he is happy for you, slyly flashing his eyes, and you are almost ashamed of how obvious it all probably looks — although you are sure that 'obvious' It's just for him, — but you can't help but bring him small things from time to time, even if Mo Ran looks belligerent.

(Shi Mei carefully keeps these things in his nest and looks at them for hours, thinking that he will do the same when you become his alpha.)

And counting on someone to disturb you is even more pointless.

There's not much you can do when his plan goes very smoothly, even if no one really knows who's pulling the strings.

SHI MEI has no regrets — if you don't want to look at him voluntarily, he will make you not look away from him, no matter what you have to sacrifice.

You chose it yourself.

And when a strong, very sweet and alluring smell that can cover the mind of anyone spreads through a small house, SHI MEI also knows what he is doing, squinting with pleasure, gently sliding along your legs to your hips, looking down at your figure.

Few alpha can resist omega in heat — and no alpha can resist butterfly-boned beauty feast omega in heat.

“Have you already left a mark on Chu Wanning?”

SHI MEI is willing to bet that no — in the end, shizun, even if we depend on you, does not look like the type who will openly submit and allow himself to be vulnerable and defenseless until he completely subdues himself, just to protect himself emotionally.

But SHI MEI is not like that — his heart belonged to you from the very beginning, and if you had played well, you would not have ended up here.

“Do you like my nest?... I've been building it for you for a long time. Mo Ran did a good job of getting you here, but I thought I should also do my part, like a good omega...”

His skin is soft and cool, with beautiful shoulders and a flexible neck, completely uncovered and clean, without even a hint of someone else's mark.

“Or do you prefer sloppy cold omegas? I can be like that.”

Your thighs are hot, much warmer than his skin, and sitting on them is very comfortable and exciting, making him relax and feel even more heated.

“What did you like about him? His cold? His unsociability? Do you like omegas that are tough on the outside but soft on the inside? Do you like touchy-feely? Or the way he was constantly scenting you and was addicted to you?”

Shi Mei is not in heat soon, but he knows that these pills cause forced estrus — they are often used on his omega relatives, but SHI MEI could not even imagine before that he would use them for this.

(he could)

“Just one bite... you'll take responsibility, won't you?”

[allthelittlecreepycrawlies]

SangYao Horror(Ish) Ideas, Part Three

(with bonus SangYu)

Purge AU

Jin Guangshan is a wealthy club owner/politician who sells the addresses of his bastard children and their mothers to rich and bored purge gangs for ludicrous amounts of money. 

Meng Shi was killed by one such gang but had managed to hide her son so well (after drugging him so he wouldn't try to come save her) that he survived.

As an adult, he's living in an apartment above the bar he works at. 

Unbeknownst to him, the residents of another apartment down the hall are Mo Xuanyu and his mother, more names on Jin Guangshan’s list. 

And unbeknownst to Jin Guangshan and his murderous cronies, the owners of the bar downstairs, one Nie Mingjue and his younger brother Nie Huaisang, are both survivalist-trained and are very protective of their turf, their employees, and the other residents of the building. 

If the purge attackers manage to get away with just injuries, they'll be very lucky. 

(At one point, Meng Yao gets cornered by one of the purgers who's armed with blades of several types and lengths, only for Nie Huaisang to pop up out of nowhere and beat the guy to death with a barstool, even as it breaks in the process. 

Wow. 

He might be in love.)

-------------

(I might have posted a snippet of this one already, I'm a little too out of it to tell.)

When Meng Yao goes to Koi Tower for the first time, it's discovered (to his surprise) that he's part yao. 

A disgusted Jin Guangshan decides that banishment is too nice a punishment, but execution might get some nosy people suspicious, which could lead to people discovering the boy was his. 

Not wanting Meng Yao anywhere near Koi Tower, he has Meng Yao dragged off to some falling-apart mansion of a disgraced magistrate near the border and sealed in, then offers a bounty to anyone who can kill the monster "haunting" the house. 

Many try, but Meng Yao, having realized his own father is sending assassins after him, taps into his yao side in a desperate bid for survival and kills any comers. 

Eventually, he's forgotten about by everyone except his father, who despises the fact that he's not dead yet. 

Years later, Nie Huaisang is caught in a wild thunderstorm that blew in as he was escaping from a kidnapping party of Wens. 

Terrified, exhausted, wounded, and now soaked, he ducks into the first empty house he comes across, passing out almost the moment he falls across the threshold. 

The pursuing Wens, realizing where they are, see this as a bonus opportunity. Not only can they recapture the Nie heir, they can force Jin-zongzhu to owe their sect for getting rid of his little problem. 

One strides forward and grabs the unconscious Nie Huaisang by the hair, but then there's a growl out of the shadows…

---------------

Thinking about a SangYao/SangYu haunted romance.

Nie Huaisang is on a trip with a bunch of other grad students (he's the only art conservationist) to a supposedly haunted temple on an island.

Being from an extremely old family well-versed in ritual, Nie Huaisang is the only one who can actually see the ghosts, and it turns out the official story (the ghosts were all plague victims) is only partially true. Yes, a plague wiped everyone out, but they all moved on.

All the ghosts that are still around arrived afterwards, when a noble notable for his womanizing started having any bastard children dumped there. 

He crosses paths with Mo Xuanyu first because Mo Xuanyu just can't help being curious about this guy in particular who is so careful with and fascinated by the murals (even the not-as-good additions Mo Xuanyu himself made while he was still alive).

It scares the hell out of him when Nie Huaisang looks right at him and asks if he worked on any of them and it takes Mo Xuanyu a week to get up the nerve to make another appearance.

But while he's in hiding, his half-siblings start showing up, unable to keep themselves from being intrigued that someone has made contact with one of them.

Jin Guangyao, understandably, is one of the most suspicious of this stranger's motives, but once he's decided Nie Huaisang is harmless good company, suddenly Nie Huaisang has like 20+ ghosts vying for his attention because all they've ever had is each other and their mutual unhappiness about what their father did to all of them.

It's gonna be a weird summer. Imagine the messages sent back home to his brother.

'Hey Da-ge, having a great time studying old art, trying not to kill my fellow students, miss you. Oh, BTW, I seem to have acquired a gaggle of ghost besties/bfs/gfs. Is it okay to bring them home with me?”

---------------

Haunting AU with Huaisang being the ghost for a change.

Meng Yao as the "human" exorcist. This is his first case just out of his apprenticeship under his mother. 

(There aren't any cultivation sects in this one, just powerful noble clans.) 

He arrives at the seat of the Nie Clan having followed rumors and his own sense of Trouble. 

His investigation turns up a nasty little conspiracy. 

In this timeline, Huaisang's mama had never become er-furen (papa nie and da-furen had always intended it, but Something would always come up before they could set up a private ceremony, and then suddenly it was too late because she died in childbirth), so Huaisang was "just" the child of a concubine. When he was a toddler and it became evident that he was probably going to be sickly all his life, a handful of retainers decided to "solve" the problem of their lord and lady having to care for a pitiful child who wasn't even in line to inherit. So they lured the boy out of his room one night and took him out into the forest. 

It wasn't a gentle death at all. 

The pain and terror and anger warped the poor child's spirit into something unrecognizable as having previously been human. 

He succeeded in killing one of his murderers, but the rest had ended up dying in a clash with another noble clan, robbing him of his revenge and leaving him too twisted and hurting to be able to communicate with his family. 

Once they hear the truth Papa Nie and Da-Furen beg Meng Yao to give Huaisang relief instead of simply exorcizing him. 

It's much more difficult to do, but he succeeds, and the result is a ghost who looks like the teenager Huaisang would currently be if he had lived. The lord and lady and Mingjue all insist on letting him reside in the household as a peaceful ghost, and also insist that Meng Yao feel free to use their home as a base to return to whenever he is exhausted from work or travel. 

(And of course he's free to visit his mother whenever he likes.) 

Naturally, this ends in an unorthodox romance because once he's free of his misery, Huaisang is a very cuddly (and halfway solid, if very chilly) ghost.

---------------

Slay the Princess AU

Feat Nie Huaisang as The Princess

Newly-legitimized Jin Guangyao as the Main Character

And Jin Guangshan as The Narrator

Jin Guangyao being forced into the position of having to kill Nie Huaisang no matter what he tries.

And some of his efforts only make things much worse for him when Nie Huaisang revives.

Because Huaisang very much doesn’t like betrayals or efforts to trick him.

The only time they get any peace is the ending where Jin Guangyao gives up and kills him immediately, followed by taking his own life after being trapped as a result.

They may be stuck together for eternity as ghosts, but it gives them time to sort out the bullshit that led them to this fate and maybe even fall for each other?

[llostwriter]

The Husky And The White Cat Shizun With Their Baobei

Chapter 9

{sneak peek of upcoming chapters}

 

You watched from afar as Mo Ran shamelessly clasped Chu Wanning's wrist and quickly kissed him on the lips before he could react. Mo Ran’s robes were completely drenched in the mysterious spring water. He looks almost attractive and tempting, but those thoughts were interrupted by the reminder of his past actions.

 

That thought alone has you furious, having the intention to roughly pull Mo Ran off and give him a slap to clear his mind and extinguish your own fury.

 

Chu Wanning was firmly pressed under Mo Ran’s body, struggling to get him off. Just when things were to get further, your frustration reached its peak and roughly grabbed onto the back of Mo Ran’s robes, yanking him backward. Landing him straight into the spring water.

 

"You shameless bastard!" For the first time ever,

Your emotions exploded. Stunning both Chu Wanning and Mo Ran. You glared furiously at him.

 

Mo Ran stood there shocked, staring at you, before realizing what he had done. The one that he kissed wasn’t Shi Mei, but Chu Wanning. To make matters worse, you have seen his humiliating action.

 

 

 

—-

[current time line]

 

Absolute silence.

 

"…"Chu Wanning was speechless.

 

Xue Meng was stunned. "…"

 

"…" You were no different, shocked beyond words.

 

Before you even have time to react, Heaven's Inquisition, otherwise known as Tianwen, has returned to Chu Wanning’s palm, turning into specks of golden lights before disappearing.

 

Something wasn’t right. But you weren’t sure what exactly the issue was. You cursed at your trouble with memorization; it was decent before, but ever since you died for the first time, all of your memories are getting mixed up.

 

In your second past life, it was the first timeline since Mo Ran became Taxian-Jun. This also means that Rong Jiu and Chang Da’s plotting being successful was all part of the first timeline. Since it’s maybe the second timeline, all of this might be different.

 

You know better than to jump to conclusions. Your second past life is a lesson.

 

"Tianwen is broken. I'll go fix it."

 

With that, Chu Wanning left. deciding whether you should follow him or stay behind to assist with Mo Ran’s injuries.

 

"Shidi y/n, don’t even bother with this dog thing. He needs some time alone to think of how stupid he is." Xue Meng looked at Mo Ran’s pitiful state of guilt and embarrassment, huffed as if to say that Mo Ran deserved it, turning back toward you.

 

"He’s your shidi. Your constant complaints about increasing your affection level to avoid some unfortunate circumstances. You might as well just stay behind and help him." Seeing your hesitation, Xian'ye' voice appeared in your mind. Even if Xian'ye (your holy fan) wasn’t summoned, he’s still fully aware of the outside situation; after all, he’s counted as a holy weapon, at least according to himself.

 

Xian'ye suggestion wasn’t wrong; if it’s still the first timeline Mo Ran, this additional act of care might save your current crumbling relationship with him.

 

You reached out for the wound on Mo Ran’s face inflicted by the willow vine, planning to use some of your spiritual power to increase the healing process. You were not specialized in healing, unlike Shi Mei; however, you can at least do this. Unexpectedly, Mo Ran slapped away your reaching hand. It was awkward silence between you both until he finally said, "Shixiong y/n, I don’t want you to see me in such a pitiful state. Please leave."

 

It felt as if he was hiding something from you, but you respected his boundaries and didn’t say anything more. You could only assume that he was still angry at you for denying his request for intimacy. It’s already been a year; remind yourself that Mo Ran is still immature at this stage, so it wasn’t weird. You left.

 

By the next day, Mo Ran was brought to the Good and Evil Platform according to the rules. All the disciples of Sisheng Peak were there, including the lady who served the food. Therefore, as a member of Sisheng Peak and one of Mo Ran’s Shixiong, you also have to watch among the crowds of others. You watched as a group of disciples attempted to plead mercy for Mo Ran; one even went so far as to bring dual cultivation into this.

 

 

This scene was all events that happened in your second past life, so you didn’t even bother. In this life, whenever it was punishment done privately, you would plead for Chu Wanning to lessen the punishment.

 

The first few times you did that, Chu Wanning denied it, and you ended up facing punishment for even considering it. But the good thing about your punishment is that, after your share of punishment, Chu Wanning would lessen the punishment for Mo Ran.

 

None of those punishments that Chu Wanning ever gave you involved whipping. If anything, the worst was having to copy the writing of an entire book 60 times with a deadline. Your hands would always become sore and tired, but it’s better than getting your back whipped by Tianwen. You did develop some fast writing skills due to all of it.

 

But this time, it was different since it was public. If you were to plead mercy for Mo Ran, there is a chance it might fail, and you might get a punishment without doing any benefits. If Chu Wanning were to accept your plea, it would make Chu Wanning seem biased toward certain disciples, which would damage his reputation. And you couldn’t allow that to happen.

 

 

This never happened in your second past life, since in your second past life, Mo Ran was supposed to be escorted back to his dorm room after Madam Wang dispersed his cultivation as a punishment for committing such vile acts. The reason you didn’t do anything was because you didn’t find the need to; after all, it’s normal for the protagonists to suffer in order for them to get closer in the future. After Mo Ran from your second lifetime got his cultivation dispersed, it wasn’t needed for him to punish again since his first punishment was already harsh enough. Especially since Mo Ran has to go through the entire process of cultivating again, he has his own spiritual core, so it wasn’t that hard, but it still ended up taking awhile for him to regain his former spiritual energy.

 

The disciples that stood by Mo Ran’s side were no match for Tianwen; it didn’t take long for them to admit their lies. Getting their own share of punishments, with no benefit on Mo Ran’s side.

 

 

———

 

That night, you and Shi Mei treated Mo Ran’s injuries. Mo Ran seemed hesitant and uncomfortable with the thought of you applying the ointment, so Shi Mei ended up doing that while you did the bandaging.

 

You left after denying Shi Mei’s request of him going back to the kitchen to prepare another bowl of wantons.

 

Mo Ran didn’t seem to enjoy your presence; therefore, it was best to leave for the time being.

 

[Extra:

 

You: "Is it normal for people to hold on to grudges that long?"

Xian'ye: "And who was the one who just stood there and watch as their shidi get numerous lashes for his punishments?"

You: "…"]

[hulijingemperor2]

Sisi: *putting hairpins in Meng Shi's hair, while Meng Shi did her own lipstick*

Huanghou jiejie, you look really beautiful as always.

Especially with your hair down.

Meng Shi: thank you, darling.

Sisi: *kisses her hand* Ruoruo will catch a heart attack.

Meng shi: haha.

Sisi: he's really lucky. And remember, I still love you.

Meng Shi: I love you too. That's why you're the head of my harem.

Sisi: *hugs*

Meng shi: *hugs tightly*

Sisi: jiejie jiejie, I'm not jealous. Because Wen Ruohan isn't a woman. But if it was Madam Lan, or even second madam Mo, then I would be.

Meng shi: aww.

A-Si. You know you're closer to me.

And you're the female monk of my temple.

Sisi: right!

And thanks for not allowing me to shave my hair.

Meng shi: ah, that's not necessary.

Everyone must look like goddesses.

Sisi: mn.

Afterwards, the door knocks.

Sisi: I'll get it.

Sisi: Wen Ruohan.

Wen Ruohan: is A-Shi there?

Sisi: obviously. This is her room in her own mansion.

Wen ruohan: you're right, you're right.

Sisi: are you coming in? 

Wen Ruohan: of course.

Sisi: then come in, you can't have her waiting. It's illegal to do so.

I'll take your leave.

*exits*

Wen Ruohan: *walks in, then sniffs* what is this pungent smell. It's so sweet.

Meng Shi: what do you think it is, Ruoruo.

Wen Ruohan: *heart racing*

Meng Shi stands, with glittering ornaments, and her nine tails out.

Wen Ruohan: *smells her hand* it's coming from you.

Meng Shi: *laughing* don't smell me too much. It will make you drunk.

Wen Ruohan: those dimples are already  intoxicating me.

Meng Shi: then don't look at them.

Wen Ruohan: I try not to.

May I kiss them?

Meng shi: *walks away*

*then all her nine tails gently slaps Wen Ruohan in thr face when she turned*

Wen Ruohan: *enjoys the delicate cotton like floof, which smelt much sweeter. Then when he opened his eyes, Meng shi was gone.*

Wen Ruohan: Meng shi?!

A-Shi?! Where did you go?

Meng Shi: *propping on her bed* I'm here, silly.

Wen Ruohan: *kneels by her side while kissing her hand* you're the sweetest thing. Yet hard to get.

Meng Shi: diamonds are beautiful but hard to get as well.

Wen Ruohan: you're so right.

Meng Shi: *lifts chin* intoxicated by me?

Wen Ruohan: very much.

Meng Shi: haha.

I'm very proud of myself, that I made Qishan's overlord kneel before me.

(This is where A-Yao got it from🤭)

Meng shi: the former chief and demonic cultivator never kneels to anyone.

Wen Ruohan: because you're so gorgeous and you're a goddess.

A taihou as well.

Meng shi: I see.

Lay next to me.

Wen Ruohan: o...ok. yes taihou!

Meng shi: *hugs*

Wen Ruohan: *blushing. Then gives her some kisses*

My cutie pie.

Meng Shi: *kisses in return*

Wen Ruohan: *feels drunk and dizzy*

A-Shi, you're mine!

Meng Shi: of course, darling. I'm yours.

Wen Ruohan: where's Jin guangshan? I want to rub this in his face.

That I stole his woman.

Meng shi: oh please, I'm not his woman.

And he's living as a vagrant in Jinlintai.

Wen Ruohan: well we'll go there and rub it in his face.

*caresses face* how about tomorrow?

Meng Shi: perfect!

Wen Ruohan: I want to scare him and his wife.

Meng Shi: that would be hilarious.

Wen Ruohan: mm. Enough about him.

Strangle me with that floof.

*grabs affectionately*

Meng Shi: *climbs on top him*

Wen Ruohan: so my darling is a top?

*fondles her hips*

Meng Shi: I was always a top.

*eyes flashes gold, then she stuffed her fox tail in his mouth*

Wen Ruohan: *gagging with pleasure*

Meng Shi: *dimpled smile*

Wen Ruohan: *smooches her floof*

Meng Shi: *pulls it away*

I never did this to anyone, because no one knew I was a hulijing.

So you're very lucky!

Wen Ruohan: give me more!! I want more floof!!

Meng Shi: *caressing his chest*

Oh Ruoruo, you don't need to beg. *snuggles*

Wen Ruohan: *kisses her neck delicately*

But, A-Shi. I feel so weak. Yet, I like the feeling.

Meng Shi: because I'm a hulijing. We love masculine energy.

Now tell me, Ruoruo, why do your energy taste so spicy?!

Wen Ruohan: because I am spicy, baby.

(Aparently, all masculine energy have a  taste.

A-Yao says Nie Mingjue's energy is spicy as well.

There's actually a scale developed by fox spirits

It's starts from bland, to average, to sweet, to mild, to spicy, to unbearable.

Bland~  mediocre.

Average~ mortal.

Sweet~ cultivator/ devoted to the fox spirit.

Mild and spicy ~ cultivator/ high qi.

Unbearable~ cultivator. This is when the masculine energy and qi are damaged by too much resentful energy.)

Meng Shi: *laughs* stay spicy then.

Wen ruohan: *kisses* so be it..

Meng Shi: *snuggles* can you play the guzheng?

Wen Ruohan: I'm horrible at it, dear. Well not perfect for you. But I can paint.

Meng Shi: really?

Wen Ruohan: mhm. *holds her hand* come.

Meng Shi: mn.

Wen Ruohan: I hope I get the opportunity to paint you. You look really beautiful with these glittering ornaments and luscious lips.

Meng shi: I'm much honoured.

Wen Ruohan: sit and wait here.

He returned with art material, then Meng Shi sat elegantly while he began to paint her.

~~~

Meanwhile, another Meng was ruling over their concubines.

Harem palace 📍

Yao: *sits with his legs crossed, and his nine tails out.

He also holds Su she's Nanping on his lap*

Don't just stand there. Are you guys going to give me your yang energy.

Harem: *awestruck by their emperor's beauty*

Xue yang: Jiggy, Jiggy, Jiggy. I'm xue yang.

So I believe I should go first.

Su she: yea, I believe team dimple should go first.

Mo xuanyu: exactly.

Mingjue: you three simps always go first! I want to go first!

Xichen: um, dage. Ayao is closer to me.

Jiang cheng: um hello, what about me?! I'm always last.

Yao: *amused*

Huaisang: no, San ge. Can I go first?

Mo xuanyu: why, Huaisang?! Why do you think that our Yao gege will call you before team d!

Zixuan: Foxy, I want to go first.

I'm an emperor and your brother too. *pouts*

Jiang cheng: what are you doing here?

Mingjue: aren't you supposed to be in your palace somewhere?

Zixuan: I can go wherever I want, you simps.

How dare you deprive me of Yaoyao.

I just want to kiss his dimples and leave. *rolls eyes*

Yaoyao.

Yao: Zishie.

Zixuan: I had a nightmare last night. So I came for cuddles.

Yao: *laughs daintily* oh my goodness. And where's Yanli.

Zixuan: she's there. But I want you.

Yao: what was your nightmare about.

Mingjue: pfft... maybe about split ends or wearing outdated fashion in public.

Mo xuanyu: gosh, thats too scary, dage.

Zixuan: dage, Yaoyao. I dreamt that I was a farmer. *cries* I was planting potatoes. And wearing rags! Everywhere smelt like shit!

*hugs*

Yao: ooo. Don't worry. You're still Huangdi, ok.

Zixuan: Huangdi. *sniffles*

*kisses his dimple*

Yao: *kisses in return* it's Alright, haha.

Zxuan: mhm. *wipes tears and opens fan* you broke simps can fight over Foxy now. I'm done.

Huaisang, you may spend the night and come back at 6am.

Huaisang: ok Huangdi.

Zixuan: non of you simps saw me cry, ok?! Snitches gets stitches.

*walks off*

Huaisang: was he always a diva.

Yao: always.

Mingjue: lol.

Yao: ah. Where was I?

Minshan goes first. Then Jiang cheng.

~~~

Next day, after imperial court.

Meng Shi: ay, dimple baby. Would Song'er be in Jinlintai today?

Yao: I don't think so.

These days he's operating in Laoling and Yunping.

Meng Shi: alright.

RuoRuo and I are going to pay Jin guangshan a visit.

Yao: ah, that's so delightful, A-niang.

Him and Madam Jin will be shocked.

Meng Shi: I can't wait to see their faces.

Wen Ruohan: I don't want to deal with Jin guangshan in front the baby. Haha.

Yao: Rusong. Rusong is used to it, A-Die.

And he's well skilled at weaponry.

Wen Ruohan: yes, I know, Yao'er. But he's still my baby.

Yao: *laughing in amusement* aww.

Meng Shi: *strokes hair* Yao'er. See you later. Did you collect rent from him?

Yao: yea, Zish and I would.

But he paid us late.

Wen Ruohan: then he has to pay a late fee.

I'll deal with him.

We'll be back, A-Yao. I enjoyed your imperial court session. You look so powerful!

Yao: thank you so much.

I agree, guangshan deserves to pay the late fee. Zish and I would have done something, but our physicians told us not to stress.

Meng Shi: that's right. *kisses his dimple*

Bye Yao'er.

Ruoruo, shall we?

Wen Ruohan: mn. Let's go.

~~

Jinlintai 📍

Jin guangshan: so former Madam Jin, huh?

Madam jin: shut up. That Qin su is former Madam Jin.

I'm just glad my grandson is the clan leader, than guangyao's son.

Guangshan: he's still the Qin sect leader though.

Madam jin: don't remind me.

Guangshan: right.

Darling. Let's forget about our situation and get intimite tonight. *grinning*

Madam Jin: ew! As if I would get intimate with you!

Guangshan: come on.

Madam Jin: do you have a d!ck where your brain supposed to be?

Guangshan: I don't have a d!ck anymore.

Remember, Meng shi chopped it off.

Madam Jin: don't mention her!

Guangshan: Madam Jin. We'll just a have a quickie. To problem.

Madam Jin: guangshan. I'm fed up of you.

And I want a divorce.

Guangshan: a divorce?! I can't afford that! Then you'll have to pay rent.

Madam Jin: *sigh* you have a point.

And we have to ask guangyao for permission.

I don't know how the hell he's so powerful.

Thunder cracks, as Wen Ruohan and Meng Shi made their entrance into Jinlintai. Madam Jin almost caught a stroke whereas guangshan was lost for words.

At this moment, they both wanted to run, but can't.

Meng shi: guards.

Block them!

Wen Ruohan: *smirks*

Guangshan: Wen Ruohan?

Madam Jin: what is he doing here?! Why is he here with that Meng Shi!

Guangshan: what's the meaning of this!

Wen ruohan: is this how you two greet your superior?

On your knees!!!

Both: *kneels*

Wen Ruohan: greet her properly.

SPEAK!!!

both: greetings taihou.

Guangshan: Wen Ruohan!! You stole my woman!

Madam jin: *glares*

Wen Ruohan: she's not YOUR woman.

You don't own her.

Madam Jin: ah, Meng shi. I see you're still seducing clan leaders.

Meng Shi: *sarcastic* want to do it too, darling?

I love a challenge.

Madam jin: you won't catch me dead doing that.

Meng shi: you know I'll beat you with my eyes closed.

Anyways. I don't want your tradhbag husband.

I belong to a very high rank and his lowlife self will tarnish it.

Madam Jin: good! Now stay away from him!

Guangshan: Meng Shi is such a diva.

Madam Jin: don't praise her! You idiot!

Meng shi: *sits, then Wen Ruohan stood by her side.*

Guangshan: I thought guangyao defeated you!

Wen Ruohan: yes he did.

Then I went to exile. Now mind your business.

And you're still lusting over Meng Shi?!

Guangshan: well, she's hot, but I don't like her that. She's too smart.

I like submissive women.

Maybe I can teach her.

Wen Ruohan: don't you have any shame saying that?! And leave my A-Shi alone.

Sisi: Huanghou jiejie. Order me to brand him if you wish!

Meng Shi: Not yet. Jin guangshan. You have a late fee to pay. How dare you.

Guangshan: I'll definitely pay for you.

Wen Ruohan: *kicks him.*

*then grabs his hair* is she an object?!!

You may be the Lanling demon, but I'm the Jianghus monster. I control the dead even before the yiling laozu.

Madam Jin: let go of him!

Guangshan: *screaming in pain*

Wen Ruohan: I'll rip your hair off of your scalp! I'm different from the rest of cultivators.

Even Nie mingjue trembles in fear.

Nie Mingjue is my son's concubine!

Guangshan: yea. Take Guangyao with you!

Madam jin: *goes to attack Meng Shi*

Meng Shi: *held back her hand and slapped her*

Sisi: *brands her*

Madam Jin: ahhhhhh!!!! *drops on the floor*

Sisi: hands off!

Meng Shi: darling, what are you doing? It's illegal to assault a taihou.

Especially when she's a goddess.

Your questionable husband has to pay 1.1 billion dollars and a 3 million dollars late fee.

Madam Jin: *infuriated*

Wen Ruohan: A-Shi. Don't stress.

I think I should hire him as my unpaid courtesan.

Sisi: yea! Let Madam Jin pay the rent while this Lanling demon is a courtesan.

He should know how it feels to be treated like an object.

Wen Ruohan: good then.

Guangshan: me?! A courtesan? Hahaha!

Wen Ruohan: *grabs him again* why not?! You'll be beautiful!

A-Shi any conditions?

Meng Shi: he must wear dresses, hairpins and makeup.

He should have your name branded on his body.

Since the courtesan can't leave your private court, everything must be in Korean, so he will be illiterate to the language.

(* Wen Rouhan now has a private banquet hall and mansion for leisure purposes. He rules the spirits, ghosts and undead*)

Wen Ruohan: so be it.

Guangshan!!! Where's the money!

Guangshan: *trembling* under the bed! Under the bed!

My wife's jewelry is there too!

Madam jin: don't touch my jewelry!

Guangshan: no big deal. I sold half already.

Madam Jin: hey!!

Guangshan: you don't need them!

Meng shi: *to the Jin sect attendants* go bring the money that he owes us.

Right away, taihou.

Guangshan: are you now satisfied?

Wen Ruohan: *looks at meng Shi*

Meng Shi: satisfied for now.

Wen Ruohan: then I'm satisfied.

Lanling demon. *grin* you better get your sexy self ready for tomorrow night.

Wear a lot of makeup, ok.

Meng shi: bye!

[ssuminshan-official]

Would they kidnap Rusong???

...

Jgs: you know why I brought you here today. You have to help me kidnap someone and hold him up for ransom.

Sect leader yao: kidnap?!! Who!

Jgs: Jin Rusong.

Sect leader yao: the hulijing prince?! Like the prince of hulijings?

Jgs: how many Rusongs do you know?

Sect leader yao: I rather stay away from that emperor and his guqin strings! The guy chased me out of his lavish residence.

Mark my words, if we do anything to hulijing Dianxia, both of us will become human curtains in Jing Manor.

Forget about it.

Jgs: I'm doing it to gain money from that selfish emperor.

He'll pay a fortune just to save his son. 

Maybe I can give you a share.  

Sect leader yao: well. That would be nice, but I don't want to get in trouble with those fox spirits.

And besides, he banned me from Jing Manor.

Aren't you afraid of the ghost of Meng Shi?

Jgs: me?! Heck no. And I know how to get rid of her ghost.

Sect leader yao: I heard from some guys that she's like a goddess now. You can't do anything.

Jgs: pffft.....what goddess.

She's just a pathetic ghost.

Sect leader yao: then why were you scared of her?

Jgs: I wasn't......*sweating* I was just surprised....

Sect leader Yao: you're lying!

Jgs: enough!

*Grabs him aggressively* Jgs: look, you lazy little broke cultivator, you must help me kidnap that brat! Or I'll frame you for things you didn't do!

Sect leader yao: bro, we're both broke.

Jgs: that's why you have to help me!

Rusong: *sneaking up on them, with his bodyguard* help with what?

Who are we kidnapping, fellas?

Both: *startled* what are you doing here?! 

Rusong: Jing Manor is my residence. I can go wherever I want.

Now tell me, what's going on here?

Jgs: nothing, child.

Sect leader yao: go play somewhere and leave us alone.

Rusong: Rong xiong.

Rong: *unsheaths sword*

Sect leader yao: *whimpering* p p p p prince Rusong. We can explain.

Jgs: sect leader, stop shaking and do something!

Sect leader yao: but he has a sword, and maybe that Rusong got guqin strings as an heirloom.

Rusong: so you wanted to abduct little old me? Tell me the truth.

Sect leader yao: no Dianxia.

Jgs: hehe, you're out of your mind.

Rong: calling Dianxia mad? How dare you?!

Rusong: you better answer up! Because lying to me is like lying to the emperor.  Also I'm afraid that the contract hasn't ended, and sect leader yao is an intruder.

Intruders aren't welcomed here.

Sect leader yao: (this little boy has so much power) Dianxiaaaaaa, don't throw us in jail!!!!

Jgs: you brat! You'll never take us alive!

Rusong: *sighs* ok fine, I won't imprison you.

*calling* uncle muffin! A-Die.

Jgs: no, don't call them!

Sect leader yao: please Dianxia nooo!

Rusong: Team D!

Jgs: keep your voice down.

Rusong: Rong xiong, please put away your sword.

Rong: sure Dianxia. 

Rusong: you know I'm feeling so sorry for you two.

What funny kidnappers.

You're even afraid of someone with muffin as their nickname.

Sect leader yao: Dianxia, that's xue yang!! The infamous xue yang.

Jgs: does yin iron ring a bell?

Rusong: and not only him but a group named team dimple.

Jgs:  they'll torture me, then snitch, and then make me get punished by their evil emperor.

Sect leader yao: yes!

Rusong: good that you fear them. Now listen old people. I'll let you kidnap me, but there are conditions.

Jgs: conditions?!! What planet are you on! Who puts conditions to a kidnapping!

Sect leader yao: *sobs* let's just hear what the child is going to say.

Jgs: we don't accept.

Rusong: listen to them first.

Rusong: and if you don't accept afterwards, I'll put it in a decree.

And it's illegal to disobey a decree.

Sect leader yao: this boy has political ethics too.

Jgs: who's his A-Die. *rolls eyes*

Rusong: ready.

Sect leader yao: tell us.

Rusong: you are to capture me at Pine Pavillion, my personal residence in the imperial compound, where you must. attend to my every need.

You should make it comfortable for me.

And think of it, team dimple wouldn't know.

I will stay within the premises of my residence.

And you will not send any threats to A-Die.

Lastly! My bodyguard must stay with me.

Sect leader yao: we accept!!!

Jgs: but we must threaten that Yao, to get money out of him!

Rusong: ah, maybe there's a hefty price in store, if you treat me right. 

Rusong: now. Which one of you can cook?

Sect leader yao: I can only make grilled chicken and rice.

Jgs: i don't even know what a stove is.

Rusong: you'll see it in my kitchen, old man.

Jgs: kit.....chen????

Rusong: *sighs*  nevermind. Let's go.

When you're bored, we can all play smash or pass. Uncle Sang loves that game.

Sect leader yao: no way...

Rusong: either that or, truth or dare hulijing version!

Or roulette.

Jgs: now what's that?!

Rusong: what you did the Wens. I'll practice it on you.

Jgs; noooooooo. You savage little brat.

Rusong: don't worry. You two just have to hold a melon on your head, while I shoot an arrow. No harm.

Rong: Dianxia is an amazing archer.

Jgs: yea, I rather smash or pass.

~~ Afterwards~~

Rusong: welcome to my pavillion.

Make yourselves at home for the while

Attendants:  greetings Dianxia.

Greetings Wangzi.

Rusong: hi guys.

You all take a day off, as you worked so hard for the week

Attendant: how generous. Thank you, Dianxia.

Jgs: this child speak so nice to others. And then treat us like shit.

Sect leader yao: that's his evil hulijing nature.

Rusong: it's called hospitality. You should learn some.

Rusong: let's play smash or pass!

*sits on his lavish sofa* 

Have a seat. The chairs won't bite you. And if they do bite, you're hust not their type.

Jgs: rude!

Rusong: stop grumbling, and let's start.

Sect leader yao: *rolls eyes*

Rusong: Master Qiren, smash or pass!

Jgs: that icy goat beard man!

Sect leader yao: at least he's better looking than you.

Jgs: who's side are you on!!

Rusong: *laughing* oh man.

Rusong: so you two don't find him goodlooking? Lol.

What you hate about him?

Jgs: I'm richer than him.

Rusong: was.

A-Die and uncle Zish owns Jinlintai.

Jgs: don't remind me, you brat!

Sect leader yao: Qiren has wrinkles.

Rusong: you do too.

Anyways. *opens fan* next!

Sect leader yao: oh look at you with a fan. Trying to look prim and proper.

Rusong: A-Die says that gentlemen use fans. You should use one.

Jgs: pfftt! I used to use fans.

Rusong: well. You tried.

Rusong: *sitting upright and pleasantly fanning himself*

Jgs: spawn of that Yao.

Rusong: *closes fan* Wen Ruohan. Smash or pass!

Sect leader yao: smash!

Rusong: what?!

Sect leader yao: *coughing*

Jgs: we dated before.

Rusong: ewww.

Jgs: when guangyao was a spy, he used to tell me about him. But then we broke up.

Rusong: oh my god!

Sect leader yao: for real?!

You're really shameless admitting.

Jgs: why should I be shameful.

Rusong: I got to tell uncle muffin. No. The entire team D! *laughing*

Jgs: now why?!

Rusong: inside joke amongst team dimple.

But uncle muffin says that Lan qiren and Wen Ruohan used to be a thing!

Is that why you hate Master Qiren???

Jgs: shut up.

Rusong: don't you think you're a little too old to be in a love triangle.

And you're broke. How the heck are you supposed to take care of Ruoruo, if he was still alive today.

Sect leader yao: mind your business!

Rusong: heehee. You're beyond the best kidnappers I have ever had! Uncle Sang was boring. He doesn't know how to treat a Dianxia.

Sect leader yao: do you know what kidnapping is, kid?!

Rusong: something that you'll never do. 

A-Die and I are impossible to catch. 

In other words, shall we continue?

Jgs: fine.

Rusong: Jiang Fengmian!!

Jgs: mellow man?!

Sect leader yao: his wife is scary.

But hot.

Rusong: don't talk about my Ling gege's grandma like that! 

Sect leader yao: anyways, pass.

Jgs: yea pass. But I'll smash if I want.

Rusong: ok then.

That's enough. You old guys are weird.

Can you two cook?

I'm kind of hungry.

Sect leader yao: why don't you ask your team of chefs, Dianxia.

Rusong: nah. I'm not feeling like it.

And a kidnapper must feed his hostage.

Jgs: since when?!

Rusong: since I'm hungry.

Jgs: *sigh* sect leader yao, let's go make some food for the brat.

Rusong: *opens fan* impress me.

~•~

《In the kitchen》

Sect leader yao: *chopping up vegetables*  these wicked hulijings. And this bratty Rusong!

Jgs: poison him.

Sect leader yao: I can't, his chefs are breathing down our throats.

Jgs: *mocking* they're really taking care of his highness.

Sect leader yao: what are you going to cook for him?

Jgs: *putting potato halves in a pot of water * potato soup.

Sect leader yao: the stove isn't on. How do you expect to cook.

Jgs: I have to light the stove?

Sect leader yao: obviously.

Dude how do you eat?!! I don't think those diva emperors cooked for you.

Jgs: nah, I just get leftovers and some other scraps.

Sect leader yao: though life.

~~~~

Sect leader yao: little hostage. I mean Dianxia.

Jgs: we made some food for you under your staff of 10 chefs.

Rusong: delightful. Let me see what you made.

Oh dear, what is that?

Rong: Dianxia doesn't like bland food.

And truly, what is that?!

Sect leader yao: rice, a bok choi salad and char siu pork.

Jgs: and I made potato soup

Sect leader yao: you only boiled the potatoes.

Jgs: no...

Sly: did you put salt?

Jgs: you're supposed to put salt?

Rusong: sorry, but everything doesn't look properly cooked.

Rong: I'll ask your chefs to make a snack for you.

Rusong: thanks.

Rusong: am I kidnapping myself? It's really hard.

~~~~

Afterwards....

Rusong: *eating while using jgs as a human foot rest.*

Sect leader yao: *giving him a shoulder massage*

Sect leader yao: why do I have to give you a massage?

Rusong: guangshan might strangle me.

Jgs: in fact I might! Ugh!

Sect leader yao: you're a rotten diva.

Jgs: are you gonna give us the money or not!

Rusong: no. I'm still contemplating on it.

Because you two are fake.

Anyways, since that you're complaining so much. Take a break, sect leader yao.

Jgs: what about me?!

Rusong: nah, I'm not ready to give you a break yet.

Sect leader yao, can you switch places with guangshan. And guangshan, can you get me some more food from the kitchen?

Sect leader yao: I thought you told me to take a break!

Rusong: a break from massaging my shoulders.

Sect leader yao: you think you're  smart, kid.

Rusong: yep.

Rong: your tea, Dianxia.

Rusong: thank you so much.

Rusong: Rong xiong. Lean in.

Rong: tell me, Dianxia.

Rusong: can you call team dimple, and tell them that I'm in danger at the Pine Pavillion? Or just tell them to come quick.

Rong: right away, Dianxia.

~~~

Some hours later......

Yao: A-Song!

Trio: little Dianxia!

Attendants: greetings Huangdi.

Greetings team dimple.

Xue yang: *throws temporary blinding powder 

Su she and mo xuanyu: *tying up Sly with a rope.

Yao: my little baby. *hugs* wait. You're

Ok.

Rusong: *puppy eyes* yea A-Die.

Jgs: my eyyeeeesssssss!!!!! It's on fire!

Mo xuanyu: let it burn!

Rusong: these two want to kidnap me to get money from you, A-Die.

But I dealt with them.

Yao: good boy. *kisses his forehead*

Sect leader yao, you know you're banned from Jingjing.

Sect leader yao: it's that guangshan who hired me

Yao: *glaring sternly* no salary for you!

And can someone escort sect leader yao out.

Rusong: they can't cook, A-Die.

Yao: oh no no. What have they been feeding my child.

Mo xuanyu: don't worry, little Dianxia. The bad guys are gone.

@verycatbluebird

[aline-the-cat]

Sanctuary

Wei Ying was 6 years old when he entered the Burial Mounds and it adopted him. By that time he had been fighting dogs for scraps for a year and a half, and it was one of the same beasts that drove him to the outskirts of Yiling, we kept wondering out of curiosity and hope that he might find a place to stay, a place where he could be safe, a place where he could belong.

He found it

.-.-.-.-.

Meng Yao was 13 years old when he and his mother arrived at Yiling, his father had tossed him down the stairs of Koi Tower, and after an incident in the brothel they couldn't stay in Yunping, they had no idea where to go, but Sisi helped them

"The rumors say the Yiling Laozu can help," She told them as she put all her own savings in young Meng Yao's hands "that he can fulfill any wishes for the right price"

Meng Yao didn't believe that, but they had no place to go and in any case, Yiling was far enough of Lanling and Yuping so he worked and worked until he and his mother were able to afford the trip. He kept working along the way, hoping to be able to afford whatever price was needed to ensure his and his mother's safety

When they reached the base of the mountains, of the Burial Mounds, they found a little shrine, they had discussed that one of them hide in case things went wrong, but in the end, neither he nor Meng Shi wanted to leave the other, they only had each other now

So they walked and reach the shrine, there was an unnatural amount of dark fog, resentment the other cultivators they meet on their way called it. Meng Yao noted the very second they stopped being alone, he tensed and his mother bowed next to him, pressuring him to do the same

"Yiling Laozu, we, humble servants come to you to ask for your protection" his mother's voice was firm even if a bit rough from the new disease that was starting to take root in her lungs

It did not pass a full minute until a small figure stepped out of the shadows, if he wasn't an expert in keeping his emotions in check, Meng Yao would've gaped. In front of him was a child, one a few years younger than he himself

"What sort of protection do you seek?" He asked them with a childish voice

Meng Yao was 13 years old when he and his mother went looking for safety.

They found it

.-.-.-.-.

Xue Yang was 5 years old when he was tossed into the Burial Mounds, the man had tricked him to give a letter that only resulted in him getting beat up, after, the same man tried to get rid of him, he would've succeeded and possibly hurt him badly, but then, the kid made a scene

"YOU ARE A BAD MAN!!!" the child yelled, making everyone turn to look at them, the cultivator, Chang Ci'An flushed embarrassed, even if the kid was a street rat, it was still a small one, it started to look very bad for him "BAD MEN LIKE YOU WILL BE PUNISHED!! YILING LAOZU WILL COME FOR YOU!!" the brat screamed one of the most common threats he heard in the alleys. It had been roughly two years since people started whispering about the shadow demon that roamed the Burial Mounds and controlled the fierce corpses that tried to get into the town

The cultivator flushed bright red, both from embarrassment and also from the secret fear he felt, for he too had listened to the rumors and stories

"You want to meet Yiling Laozu? Then so be it!" he grabbed young Xue Yang from his collar and mounting his sword he flew as fast as he could until he was over the mass grave. For a moment he paused, feeling the doubt creeping in, it would be easy to just toss the kid in Yiling, where he couldn't bother him anymore, but then the kid started to spit out insult after insult, making the rage reach its peak "Tell the Yiling Laozu I send my regards" he sneered as the let go

Xue Yang had a moment of pure fear as he fell, then, the darkness engulfed him

Xue Yang wakes to the kind face of a woman, she reassures them that he is alive, that he is safe. He is inside a shack, inside there're also two young men, one looking at him with slightly apprehension and the other with open curiosity

"Welcome to the Burial Mounds" the curious one chirps, he has silver eyes and a sunshine-like smile

Xue Yang was 5 years old when he was tossed into the Burial Mounds. Once, he hoped to find a family

He found it

-.-.-.-.-.

Wen Qing was 17 years old when she arrived at the Burial Mounds to ask for help

She was from a branch of the Qishan Wen Sect, her family resides in Dafan Mountain, a few years ago, her uncle, Wen Ruohan had killed her parents because they refused to make poison for him. Since then, Wen Ruohan took her and her little brother under his wing, threatening her compliance with the safety of her brother and extended family.

Wen Ning was barely 10 years old when they started to listen the rumors, the ones about a shadow roaming Yiling, then, a demon who fulfilled wishes; then, about people starting to willingly enter the Burial Mounds. Wen Ning turn 13 years old when his older sister decided to take them there

When Wen Qing turned 17 and her brother turned 13, she had a vision. Nothing dramatic or prophetic, she just saw her uncle's actions, and, logically followed them until she reached her conclusion: War.

At some point, not too far, the sects would go to war against Qishan Wen, and whoever won would take over her family. Wen Ruohan had them already under his thumb, he could send them to fight at his own whim, without caring if they live or die; the other sects could decide all Wens were guilty and torture them or kill them. Either way, they lose. Wen Qing didn't want that future for her family. So, taking advantage of a night hunt she goes to Yiling.

The entrance of the Burial Mounds doesn't look as grand as Wen Qing would've imagined; there's a rundown shrine with offerings, a dark fog surrounds the area, she represses the shiver the resentment gives her. After a few minutes, a figure emerges from the darkness, Wen Qing tenses, even if the young man looks barely older than her brother, anyone who manages to live inside a mass grave is considered as dangerous according to her

"Yiling Laozu" she says as she bows as low as her dignity allows her "This lowly healer come to you seeking for your help"

"How may this Yiling Laozu be of service?" the kid gives a tentative bow

"I seek refuge for me and my family"

In the end, it takes six months to move the Dafan Wen to Yiling.

Wen Qing is 17 years old and Wen Ning is 13 years old when they entered the Burial Mounds looking for protection

They found it

.-.-.-.-.

Mo Xuanyu was 5 years old when his mother brought him to the Burial Mounds

His mother was the second young mistress in the Mo Clan, she was 15 years old when Jin Guangshan approach her. The "romance" last roughly two years until she got pregnant; the young Mo girl truly thought that Sect Leader Jin would come for her, for his son at least, but her dreams were crushed by Madam Jin, who she stumbles upon during one night-hunt she was having with Madam Yu. By then, Madam Jin had the ability to accurately recognize her husband's bastards, which was what happened with young Xuanyu when he was playing in the town

The Madam didn't chase her out of the village, but she might as well have when she almost laughed at the promises Guangshan had made to the young girl in front of the Mo manor. After the cultivators left, her older sister Mo furen, kicked her out of the house, calling her a disgrace for the Clan

The pair of mother and child then walked and walked, looking for someplace to stay, somewhere warm and dry... but there weren't many places like that that wouldn't try something more perverse with a young, beautiful, desperate mother. During the travels, the young mistress heard the tale of the Yiling Laozu, the demon who fulfilled wishes and took strays under his wing, there were talks and rumors about a new Yiling Wei sect, but nothing concrete, the only things that were consistent were that the Yiling Laozu could fulfill wishes for a price and that the Burial Mounds now was a place for the ones who didn't have a place to go. So young Mo Ning took her child and made her way to Yiling

The mother and the child were hovering in the outskirts of Yiling, near the shrine where offerings and hunt requests were placed. She was unsure of what to do next, the dark fog was very intimidating; her nerves were such that she didn't notice the young man walking towards them

"Hello" the polite man saluted her, she flinched and hastily bowed to him "Are you perhaps looking for the Yiling Laozu?" he gave them a smile that looked friendly enough, at least his dimples made it look friendly

"Yes gongzi" she bowed as low as she is used to as the daughter of a servant, her child clumsy follows her. She didn't see the wary look the man gives to her son, also recognizing the Jin genes "We hoped to ask for a place to stay, at least until my son is older and can provide for himself... I am the daughter of a servant so I can pay our stay with work!" she hurried to add

The young man contemplated for a second before he moved to raise her from her bow

"It's alright guniang" he reassured her "Come on, follow me" he instructed as he started to walk towards the dark fog

Mo Ning took her son's hand tightly and did as instructed

Mo Xuanyu was 5 years old when his mother brought them both to the Burial Mounds in search of a new home

They found it

-.-.-.-.-.

Meng Yao is 19 years old, Xue Yang 10 years old, Wen Qing 20 years old, Wen Ning 16 years old, and Mo Xuanyu 7 years old when a letter arrives to the relative new Yiling Wei Sect about the start of the Sunshot Campaign

Wei Ying, courtesy name Wuxian, master of demonic cultivation, Yiling Laozu and Sect Leader of Yiling Wei, is 17 years old when he closes the wards surrounding the Burial Mounds and goes to war

Next

[stiltonbasket]

how does lqr deal with the jgy problem?

(author’s note: please reblog, since that’s how we get prompts for future ficlets!)

When one of Wang Sisi’s clients decided to take her on as a concubine, she was not quite as overjoyed as another woman might have been in her position.

Sisi is thirty-two years old, and she entered the Yunping brothel when she was barely twenty. In the twelve years since, she has heard all kinds of broken promises and witnessed innumerable cruelties, and she knows enough about the life of a minor wife to know that she doesn’t have it too badly in comparison. Sisi has never caught the wasting illnesses that make their rounds in brothels often, or had to entertain a violent client, and she has never had a child; but after entering Merchant Yao’s household, any one of those things might end up happening to her.

Yao-daren would keep frequenting brothels, and unlike when she was a prostitute, she wouldn’t be able to refuse him. She would have no way to defend herself if he beat her, and if he ever discovered the tinctures she drinks to prevent pregnancy, he would have every right to take them from her.

Those miserable truths accompanied her all the way down the alley she was dragged into five minutes ago, and echoed in her head like drumbeats as the thugs blocking her escape—hired by Yao-daren’s wife, no doubt—announced their intention to beat her to a pulp.

Merchant Yao will have nothing to do with me after this, she thinks, as the men raise their wooden clubs over her head.

And then, briefly: Good.

Sisi closes her eyes, having clawed and fought and struggled against them to the very last of her strength. But then someone’s hand is on her arm, yanking her up out of the mud as four still figures drop neatly to the ground by her feet, unconscious. One is bleeding from a deep wound to the shoulder, and Sisi snatches her toes back before the blood can stain her silk slippers.

She stares.

What in the world…?

“Gongzi?” she asks, as the—boy? man? who saved her wipes his sword and resheathes it. “What are you—”

“Fiends,” the white-clad cultivator sneers. “No matter, I’ll deal with them later. Lady, where were you going? I will escort you there, if that would not inconvenience you.”

“I was going to the cosmetics shop two streets away,” Sisi answers. Madam Yun's emporium is in full view of Yunping’s main square, which means that she will be relatively safe even if this bloodthirsty cultivator tries anything on the way. “After I finish my business there, I will be returning home.”

The cultivator frowns, staring deep into her eyes as if he recognized her from somewhere. But Sisi has known hundreds of handsome men in her day, and this one is far too gorgeous to forget, even if she had only seen him in passing.

“Where is home, guniang?”

“Guniang? Can’t you see how old I am?” Sisi says tartly. “I live at the Chrysanthemum House in the middle of town, xiao-gongzi. Now, either see me to the rouge shop or go away.”

“Chrysanthemum House, eh?” the cultivator grumbles. “It’s just as I thought. Your lover’s wife sent those thugs to scar your face, didn’t she?”

“I guess so. It happens often, when a man decides he wants another woman in his house.”

“Mm. By any chance, would you happen to know a lady called Meng Shi?”

“A-Shi?” Sisi looks over the man's rich robes and the mutton-fat yaopei hanging from his waist; she can gauge the quality of most jade pieces at a glance, and this yaopei is made of the finest jade Sisi has ever seen. The cultivator is even wearing white jade in his hair, set into a bright silver comb that glints under the afternoon sun like a mirror, and her spirits sink even further as she realizes who this man must be.

A-Shi always said her A-Yao's father was a wealthy cultivator, and it seems that she hadn't been taken for a fool after all.

"You've come to buy A-Shi's freedom, then?" she demands, trying not to sound too grim about it. "Meng Shi? You're sure?"

"En, Meng Shi. If her son is bound here as a servant, I will buy his freedom as well. Will you show me the way, Lady?"

Sisi does, with her heart in her mouth, praying to every god she knows to keep Meng Shi safe.

____

“I want to buy this woman's freedom," Lan Qiren declared, the moment Sisi led him to the Chrysanthemum House. "Where are the contracts for Meng Shi and Madam Sisi? If anyone else has offered to buy them out, I will match the price tenfold."

"Qiren!" his brother shrieked, bursting through the open door on Yinshui. "Didi, what are you—"

He stared at the gold pieces in Lan Qiren's palm, and grabbed the nearest cabinet for support.

"A-Ren?" Lan Haijing wheezed. "Did—did you just—"

"En. Once matters are settled here, I will bring them back to the Cloud Recesses."

"What?" Sisi screamed. "I don't even know this young master!"

"No," Meng Shi wailed. "He's not A-Yao's father, and if I leave now—"

Lan Qiren handed the money over.

The madam stamped the two women's contracts and passed them to Sisi.

Qingheng-jun fainted.

[translations-by-aiimee]

The Husky and His White Cat Shizun - Chapter 30

Original Title:  二哈和他的白猫师尊

Genres: Drama, Romance, Tragedy, Xianxia, Yaoi

This translation is based on multiple MTLs and my own limited knowledge of Chinese characters. If I have made any egregious mistakes, please let me know.

Chapter Index

Chapter 30 - This Venerable One Doesn't Want to Eat Tofu

"Hey, hey, did you hear? Elder Yuheng violated the sect rules. As punishment, he has to kneel in Yanluo Hall for three days."

In the morning class the next day, the disciples gathered on the Platform of Righteousness and Evil to practice and meditate. In the end, they are all teenagers and 20-year-olds, and they couldn't just do as they were told. If a master wasn't paying attention, they'll start whispering and gossiping.

The news that Chu Wanning had been punished quickly spread.

The disciples who witnessed the beating yesterday were not shy about sharing the gossip with others.

"Wow, why are you guys finding out about it so late? Oh . . . So yesterday Elder Lucun took you up the mountain to collect night dew flowers? Well then - you guys really missed out on a lot! Yesterday evening, in the Qingtian Temple, there was flesh and blood flying everywhere. It was horrible. Elder Yuheng was beaten with more than two hundred strikes! More than two hundred strikes! Not a single one missed! There was no mercy!"

The disciple made a particularly exaggerated expression every time he said a new sentence. No need to mention the show he was putting on for all his junior brothers and sisters surrounding him.

"Do you actually count all two hundred strikes? Even a big man could be killed, not to mention Elder Yuheng. He couldn't stand it and passed out. This made our young master mad. He rushed in and fought with Elder Jielu. He said not to lay another finger on Elder Yuheng. Ah, that scene—"

His facial features were wrinkled up like a steamed bun. He squeezed his eyebrows. Finally, he stretched out a finger, swaying from side to side, and summed it up in three words:

"Tsk tsk task."

Immediately, a younger sister disciple paled: "What! Elder Yuheng fainted?"

"Young Master and Elder Jielu got into a fight?"

"It's no wonder I didn't see Elder Yuheng in this morning class . . . so pitiful . . . what crime did he commit?"

"I heard that he beat a civilian in a fit of rage."

". . ."

Such gossips drifted into Xue Meng's ears from time to time. Life-Death Peak's young master had completely inherited his shizun's temper, so he was very irritable. It was unfortunate that more than one person was gossiping about this. There were groups all over the Platform of Righteousness and Evil, all muttering "Elder Yuheng was punished" and so on. It made him feel so irritated, but there was nothing he could do.

In one corner was Xue Meng, veins bulging on his forehead, and in the other was Mo Ran, unable to stop yawning.

Xue Meng couldn't direct his anger anywhere else, so he viciously spat at Mo Ran: "The plan of the day relies on the morning. You dog, you're so lazy in the morning! What has Shizun been teaching you?"

"Huh?" Mo Ran said with sleepy eyes followed by another big yawn. "Xue Meng, that's enough. I can handle Shizun's lecturing. Who do you think you are? I'm your cousin. Behave yourself when you talk with your cousin. Don't be so rude."

Xue Meng said fiercely: "My cousin is a dog. Be whatever you want to be!"

Mo Ran laughed: "You're so mean. If you don't look out for your elder sect brother, think about how disappointed Shizun will be once he finds out."

"You still have the audacity to mention Shizun! Let me ask you, when he went to the Court of Discipline yesterday, why didn't you stop him?"

"MengMeng, he's a shizun. Yuheng of the Evening Sky, Beidou Immortal. What did you want me to do?"

Xue Meng was furious. He drew his sword, his sharp eyebrows furrowed angrily: "What the hell did you call me?!!!"

Mo Ran's grin stretched from ear to ear: "Be good, MengMeng. Sit down."

Xue Meng bellowed: "Mo Weiyu, I'll kill you!!"

Shi Mei was caught between the two, listening to their daily bickering. He couldn't help sighing. He silently held the edge of his forehead, trying to concentrate on reading his book: "The sun and the moon are poured in the pot* when the spiritual core is first formed. The way of heaven cannot be interpreted, and life and death are involved in the process. . ."

*(T/N: 日月壶中灌 - referring to the Daoist practice of leisurely inactiveness)

Three days passed in the blink of an eye and Chu Wanning's period of reflection came to an end.

According to the rules, the next thing he had to face was a three-month grounding period. During this period of time, he could not leave Life-Death Peak and needed to go to Mengpo Hall to do miscellaneous chores, clean the corridor pillars of Naihe Bridge, sweep the steps in front of the mountain gate, and so on.

Elder Jielu was anxious: "Elder Yuheng, to be honest, I don't think you should do these things. You are the best shizun of your generation. Doing this kind of dishwashing and floor cleaning . . . it feels wrong." He trailed off, leaving half the sentence unsaid --

The main reason is that the old man doubts whether you can even sweep floors, cook and wash clothes!

Chu Wanning didn't doubt himself at all and went to report to Mengpo Hall in an orderly manner.

All of Mengpo Hall, from the chief steward to the servant, was shocked to hear that Chu Waning was coming to do hard labour. They were terrified, as if they were approaching the enemy.

Chu Wanning, dressed in white, arrived in a flutter.

His handsome face was cold and calm, completely expressionless. If you added an auspicious cloud under his feet and a whisk between his arms, he would've looked like the picture-perfect immortal.

Manager Meng Potang felt very ashamed and uneasy. He was actually supposed to make such a beautiful man wash vegetables and cook.

Chu Wanning didn't have the self-image of being a beautiful man. He stepped into the kitchen and coldly swept his gaze over the crowd, who couldn't help but take a step back.

". . ." Chu Wanning was straightforward. "What should I do?"

The chief steward coyly pinched the edge of his hem and thought about what he should say. He cautiously went with: "How does this elder feel about washing vegetables?"

Chu Wanning said: "Okay."

The chief steward was greatly relieved. He originally thought that Chu Wanning led a very pampered life. He might be reluctant to do this kind of labour, however, all the other jobs were either dirty and tiring or required some skill. He was worried that Chu Wanning wouldn't be able to do a good job. Since Chu Wanning easily agreed to wash the vegetables, he didn't need to worry about it.

As it turns out, the chief steward was really naive.

There was a clear stream in front of Mengpo Hall. Chu Wanning went to the stream with a basket of green vegetables. He rolled up his sleeves and began to wash the vegetables.

This area is under the jurisdiction of Elder Xuanji. Occasionally a disciple of the Xuanji sect passed by. He saw Chu Wanning actually washing vegetables and was so scared that he couldn’t even get a word out. He rubbed his eyes three or four times to make sure he wasn't seeing things. He said in astonishment: "Elder Yu-Yuheng -- good-good morning."

Chu Wanning raised his eyes: "Good morning."

Elder Xuanji's disciples shivered and fled.

". . ."

Chu Wanning didn't bother to talk with them and continued with his business. He broke the leaves, washed them, and threw them back into the basket.

He washed them very carefully. He broke each vegetable leaf apart, repeatedly brushing them thoroughly. The consequence of that was -- come noon, the basket of vegetables still hadn't been washed.

The man waiting in the dining room was anxious, pacing around in circles: "What should we do? Why hasn't the elder come back yet? If he doesn't come back with the vegetables, how are we going to make the stir-fried beef and vegetables?"

The chief steward looked at the sun and said: "Forget it. Hurry, let's replace it with braised beef."

So, when Chu Wanning returned, Mengpo Hall had already served the beef. The stew was so crispy and flavourful that there was no need for vegetables at all. Chu Wanning frowned. He held his vegetables, rather unhappily, and coldly asked: "If you didn't want the vegetables, why did you make me wash them?"

The chief steward's hairs stood on end. He wiped the cold sweat on his forehead with his handkerchief and said something that he regretted: "That's not it. I was thinking you could make a pot of stewed tofu with vegetables?"

Chu Wanning had no expression. Still holding his vegetables, he tilted his head and pondered silently: ". . ."

The chief steward hurriedly said: "If you don't want to, that's alright--"

He hadn't even finished speaking before Chu Wanning asked: "Where is the tofu?"

Chief Steward: ". . ."

"Elder Yuheng, do you . . . know how to cook?"

Chu Wanning said: "I'm not completely ignorant. I'll give it a try."

At noon that day, all the disciples happily entered Mengpo Hall as usual in groups, looking for somewhere to sit. Then, they headed to the counter to get their food served.

There was no shortage of food on Life-Death Peak. The food had always been plentiful and today was no exception.

The braised beef was fatty and lean, the fish shreds were vibrant and rich, the farmhouse pork was golden and crispy, and the chopped pepper fish was red and tempting. The disciples rushed to grab their favourite foods, lining up around the hall, asking the chef to add a spoonful of sweet and sour pork ribs to them, pour some marinade on the rice, or add some spicy sauce.

The ones who always made it to the front of the line first were Elder Lucun's disciples. The little guy at the head of the line had a big pimple on his nose. All he had on his mind was some Mapo Tofu. He skillfully carried the wooden tray to the last counter without raising his eyes and said: "Shizun, I'd like a bowl of tofu."

The shizun, with pale, slender fingers, handed him a plate full of tofu.

However, it wasn't the Mapo Tofu he was familiar with. Instead, it was a plate of strange food with a charred black colour and indistinguishable ingredients.

The disciple was surprised: "What is that?"

"Tofu boiled with bok choy."

Mengpo Hall was full of people, so the disciple didn't pay attention to answering the other person's voice. He said angrily: "Are you an alchemist? Can you even call this tofu with vegetables? I don't want it. Take it back!"

While cursing, he glared at the shizun there. As a result, when he saw the person standing behind the counter, the disciple screamed in fright and almost knocked the tray over.

"Elder Yu-Yuheng!"

"Hmm."

The disciple was on the verge of tears: "No, that's not what I - I didn't mean that just now. I. . ."

"Since you're not eating it, I'll take it back." Chu Wanning said blankly, "Don't waste it."

The disciple stiffly picked up the plate, handed it to Chu Wanning then left with his tail between his legs.

In a short while, everyone knew that Elder Yuheng was standing at the last counter, so the originally lively Mengpo Hall was suddenly silent.

The disciples lined up like a pack of puppies, and they hurriedly grabbed their food, panicked. They went up to the last counter respectfully, greeted the elder, and stumbled away.

"Hello, Elder Yuheng."

"Mmm."

"Good day, Elder Yuheng."

"Good day."

"Elder Yuheng has worked really hard."

". . ."

The disciples were very disciplined and were acting with an abundance of caution, so Chu Wanning accepted the tense greetings from each disciple, but no one dared try his pot of boiled tofu with green vegetables.

Slowly, the line was getting shorter and the food in front of other shizuns was almost gone. Only Chu Wanning still had a pot full of food. The pot of vegetables was completely cold and untouched.

Chu Wanning's face didn't waver, but his heart was conflicted. He had washed them all morning. . .

At that point, his three disciples showed up. Xue Meng was still in silver-blue light armour, refreshing getup. He bounced over with excitement: "Shizun! How are you? Does your wound hurt?"

Chu Wanning was very calm: "It doesn't hurt."

Xue Meng: "Well, that's good."

Chu Wanning glanced at him and suddenly asked: "Do you eat tofu?"

Xue Meng: ". . ."

[robininthelabyrinth]

Targets - ao3

- Chapter 3 -

Meng Yao wasn’t supposed to be for sale.

His mother had worked hard her whole life to make sure of it, refusing every offer for him no matter how tempting or how desperate their situation. He was a cultivator’s son, she told him, a sect leader’s; one day, he would return to his father’s side, and if he was going to do that, he couldn’t have his past be marred with scandal. He couldn’t have a slave contract, and he couldn’t have done any work as a whore – it was one thing to do odd jobs in a brothel, but another thing entirely to actually work on your back, and somehow, somehow, someone would find out, and he’d be ruined. They would know.

The only way for him to really make it is if he never did anything like that at all.

So when the cultivator – a real cultivator, from the looks of him, not one of the fakers they often got – walked into their brothel and asked for Meng Yao, his mother said no.

The man frowned, then turned to the owner of the brothel who shrugged, indicating that he was helpless. “The boy doesn’t belong to this establishment,” he said apologetically. “But if the venerated Immortal would prefer something more boyish, I can direct you to some of our more masculine girls, or to a neighboring establishment…”

His voice trailed off when the cultivator pulled out a large chunk of gold, about half the size of Meng Yao’s thumb.

“You can keep it all – if I get the boy, a room, and your word to tell no one else that either of us are here,” the man said.

“No!” Meng Shi exclaimed, but Meng Yao knew from the look on the brothel owner’s eyes that it was too late. This wasn’t a good brothel like the one they’d been in before – the one that had kicked them out when they decided his mother was too old and her health too poor – but a lower tier one, less rich and more desperate. A piece of gold like that was more money than all the girls put together would make in a year.

If they continued to refuse, the owner of the brothel would use force. There were the bully boys at the door – they would grab his mother and drag her away, grab him and throw him into the room, maybe tie him down, rob him of any ability to defend himself…

So Meng Yao put his hand on his mother’s arm. “It’s fine, Mother,” he said to her, hoping to offer comfort where there was none to be had, and then forced himself to smile at the cultivator. “How can this humble one best please the venerated Immortal?”

The man’s eyes flickered between them, and his frown deepened.

“The woman comes with us, same deal,” he told the owner, who nodded, eyes fixed on the gold, and never mind that both Meng Yao and his mother had now frozen in horror. There were women in the brothel who sometimes pretended to be sisters and might even be, it was a popular request by clients, but – his mother… “All right, where’s the room?”

“I’ll give you the best one in the house,” the owner said, tone fawning, and showed them the way.

By the time they were upstairs, Meng Yao was shaking like a leaf and his mother looked on the verge of weeping.

The moment the cultivator closed the door behind them, shooing the owner away, she threw herself onto the floor in front of him. “Venerated Immortal,” she said, begging, and Meng Yao averted his eyes, feeling rage build in the pit of his stomach. “Spare my son, please. I will do anything you wish –”

“You misunderstand,” the cultivator said stiffly. “Your son is safe – as are you. I’m not here for that sort of thing…boy, get her off the floor and seated somewhere, get her something to drink to calm her.”

Meng Yao got his mother into a chair, pressing some wine usually reserved for clients into her hand. By the time he was done with that, he was more puzzled than anything else, even the rage at his mother’s mistreatment fading away into confusion. “What does the venerated Immortal want?” he asked delicately, and the cultivator shrugged.

“I actually have no idea what I’m doing here,” he said frankly. “I received a message from my sect leader that told me to find and secure a ‘Meng Yao, son of Meng Shi’ from Yunping City, and when I asked around it led me to you. I was hoping you could tell me the reason.”

“Your sect leader asked for me?” Meng Yao asked blankly. “By name?”

Could it be – his mother had always said –

“You’re not from Lanling,” his mother said, wiping her eyes, expression back to fierce and calculating. “My boy is the son of the sect leader of Lanling Jin, not…”

She trailed off deliberately.

“Qinghe Nie,” the cultivator said automatically, and even folded his hands in front of him to salute – perfunctorily, but still more than most would bother with for a whore. “The message said only that you were in danger, and that I was to hide you until the sect leader could come pick you up himself.”

So it wasn’t his father, Meng Yao thought, disappointed, but still – a sect leader of a cultivation sect, knowing him by name? Sending a message from far away?

He had no idea what to think of it.

And so they waited, each one sitting awkwardly in their own place, as several shichen passed. It was already evening when there was a knock – at the window.

The window on the third floor.

The cultivator got up and opened it, and a large fierce-looking man carrying three children – one on each hip with an arm around them, and another seated on his shoulders, clutching to his hair like reins – wiggled his way through, shaking all the children off as if his arms were hurting the second his feet were on the ground.

“Is that him?” he asked, nodding at Meng Yao, and the cultivator nodded. “He’s young.”

“Thirteen,” Meng Yao said, and noted that it was probably older than any of the three children who were looking at him in fascination.

“One of Sect Leader Jin’s bastards, Sect Leader,” the cultivator reported, and Meng Yao felt something fall in the pit of his belly at the term one of. There were many like him, then – perhaps his mother’s optimism regarding his reception in Lanling City was as misplaced as her optimism in buying all those pointless cultivation manuals that he slaved over and which accomplished nothing.

“Well, that can’t be the reason, then, or the list would be thrice as long,” the sect leader said, frowning. “I’d even started wondering…no, it still makes no sense. Regardless, no point in waiting around here any longer – I saw two Wen patrols making their way through the city as I flew in, and I have no doubt they’ll find this place soon. We should be gone before they do.”

“If this humble one can ask, what is the honorable Sect Leader’s plans for my son?” Meng Shi asked, ducking her head demurely and looking up at him flirtatiously through her eyelashes, even as she leaned forward a little in a way that set off her shape to its best advantage.

“Oh no,” the sect leader said, and took two full steps backwards. Without the fierce expression on his face, he looked much younger – in fact, Meng Yao thought with wonder and maybe even a little disbelieving amusement, it seemed like this sect leader was most certainly still a teenager, and awkward with it, too. “No, I – I don’t – Gao Jianguo, do something!”

“She’s a whore, Sect Leader,” the cultivator said, rolling his eyes. “They flirt. It happens.”

The sect leader was bright red. The children were all giggling.

“Madame,” he said, bowing to her – an actual bow, respectful, not even the perfunctory dip the cultivator had given earlier, and he didn’t have to call her Madame, either. “Forgive me, I’m not…I don’t have much experience with women. My name is Nie Mingjue, sect leader of Qinghe Nie. I have reason to believe your son is in terrible danger if he remains here, and I intend to take him with me to a safe location.”

“What assurances do I have of his safety?” Meng Shi asked, and Meng Yao knew then that she intended to send him whether he wanted to go or not.

Not that he didn’t intend to go. Such an earnest sect leader, this ‘Nie Mingjue’…even if it was all a mistake or misunderstanding, which had to be what had happened, there were benefits that could be gotten here. If Meng Yao could become a servant there, learn cultivation, he could maybe save up enough to later go to his father’s side – no matter what they asked of him, it would be better than a brothel, especially one where the owner had already seen an indication of Meng Yao’s worth as chattel.

And yet…

“You have my word,” Nie Mingjue assured her.

“I won’t leave without her,” Meng Yao suddenly spoke up, and ignored his mother’s glare. He didn’t want to leave her here. He wouldn’t, not unless he was forced, which seemed likely, but he had to try his best. “If I’m in danger, then so is she. They might want to use her to lure me in.”

“That’s a good point,” Nie Mingjue said, which Meng Yao wasn’t expecting. He even nodded in approval at Meng Yao. “Very well, we’ll take you both with us. Gao Jianguo –”

“The amount I’ve already paid would be sufficient to cover any slave bond,” the cultivator said. His frown suggested he wasn’t happy about his sect leader’s actions. “There will be paperwork –”

“Only for me,” Meng Shi said quickly. “My son is free, and always has been.”

Nie Mingjue looked out the window, clearly calculating – two patrols, Meng Yao thought, this sect leader thought someone was hunting him down for some unknown reason – and then glanced at the two of them. He sighed a little, almost imperceptibly, before firming up his expression once more.

“Take Meng Shi and buy her bond,” he instructed the cultivator. “Collect anything she wants to take with her and take her back to Qinghe through safe routes. I’ll take Meng Yao with me and we’ll meet there.”

“What should I do with the ownership papers? There’s a tax for taking slaves out of the county, and people might notice –”

“Burn them,” Nie Mingjue said, and Meng Yao’s heart gave a sudden thrill of delight. “She can travel as a free woman. Make sure she sees a doctor, if she thinks she would benefit from seeing one, and cover the cost – I want her to arrive at the Unclean Realm alive and well.”

Alive and well, Meng Yao thought, even more delighted. That was a warning, no doubt about it – telling the cultivator not to take advantage of Meng Shi during his trip. And a doctor! With his sect leader ordering it, the cultivator would have to take her to a good one, not some phony sawbones, and she could finally get that cough of hers looked at…

Meng Yao would do whatever this sect leader wanted. Just for that.

(It was more than his father had ever done for them.)

“Can you handle flying with four boys?” the cultivator asked, frowning, and – flying? “Especially if you already came all the way from Qinghe, and through Yunmeng, you must be exhausted –”

“I’ll be fine,” Nie Mingjue said shortly. “He’s thirteen; he can stand on his own and hold onto me, arms around my waist, while I hold on to the others…hey, are you afraid of heights?”

That question was directed at Meng Yao.

“I don’t think so,” he replied, aiming for honest. It seemed to be what this sect leader appreciated, and Meng Yao was good at figuring out and catering to people’s likes. He’d have to exert himself especially this time. “But I’ve never gone higher than the fourth floor.”

“Well, you’re about to,” Nie Mingjue said, and his saber unsheathed itself and floated on the floor. “All right, everyone back on – you can introduce yourself in the air. We still have to make the ride back to the Lotus Pier, and I’m sure your parents are worried sick already, Jiang-gongzi.”

[chrisjake-cp]

History 3 Trapped Filming Diary (full English translation) - Days 1-10

Just before you start reading, a little note of explanation: the author of this diary will frequently use the character’s name when they mean the actor. I have added the names of the actors between square brackets sometimes to avoid confusion. Also between square brackets you will find some words that are implied, so I added them in the translation to make the translation a bit smoother, but they aren’t included in the Chinese text. 

The book’s author will also talk in the first person POV sometimes, refering to themselves as either “I”, “we” or “this little editor 小编”.  So each time you see me write “I”, it is not my own opinion I’m inserting in the text, but the author/editor’s. If I have anything else to add or explain myself, I’ll add it in a note at the end of the text.  

I’ll repeat: I don’t own the book so I can’t post my scans of the pictures that came with every day. So I posted some other pictures of the scenes that were being filmed with each day. These pics belong to LINE TV or Choco Media, or I’ve taken screenshots. 

Day 1-10 under the cut. 

Day 1

The first day of shooting happened to coincide with ‘Li Dong’⁕ but the temperatures of that day soared to 29 degrees. The crew was going sleeveless, but the actors were all wearing sweaters or dress shirts. Tang Yi, who had on the most, was wearing a turtleneck sweater and a suit jacket on top at one point, but he didn’t sweat very much.⁕ Meanwhile A De [Stanley], wearing a shirt and a suit jacket, was [clad] the ‘thinnest’ at the scene. When he got off work and took off his sweaty shirt, the wardrobe department exclaimed: “This shirt is so wet!”

Officer Meng’s scenes for that day consisted of eating from 10 am in the morning until 6pm in the evening. He basically ate from when he got to work until he got off work. All in all he had two large bags of rice and poured 4 liters of coca cola. Junhao [Jake] will start sweating profusely and start flushing when he eats spicy food, so as soon as the director yelled ‘cut’, the crew would immediately pass him a plastic bag so he could spit out the spicy Kung Pao Chicken he was eating.

⁕ Li Dong 立冬 literally means ‘establishing the winter’, so it is some kind of winter solstice in Asian culture. In the Gregorian calendar, it falls on 7 or 8 November. According to the IG stories of some of the cast of Trapped, it was indeed 7 November 2018 when shooting started. 

⁕ Chris apparently doesn’t sweat much, no matter how hot he gets. He says as much in his vlog as well. I envy him, because I’d just be sweating buckets like Stanley. 

Day 2

The first meeting between Tang Yi and Wenhao is also the second time that Chengyang [Chris] and teacher Jiakui [Chen Jiakui, the actor who plays Chen Wenhao] worked together. They cooperated for the first time on a movie. At that time teacher Jiakui served as the movie’s drama teacher. When Chris had gone through make-up in the early morning, he sat alone in a corner with the script. You could easily see that he was conflicted and upset. [For the other movie] teacher Jiakui was Chris’ mentor, but here Wenhao was the target of Tang Yi’s revenge.

In the process of their scenes where they faced each other, the director hoped that Tang Yi could hate Wenhao even more, but Tang Yi’s personality is subdued and calm. So how could he fly into a raging fit and still keep his calm? In a part that was not captured on camera, teacher Jiakui aggravated some lines to make Chris more infuriated. Afterwards teacher Jiakui also said that the role of Tang Yi is not easy to perform. [Tang Yi] is a young mob boss, The hate in his eyes must therefore also carry a bit of youthfullness, which is difficult to experience for normal people in the course of their lives.

Day 3

Today was the first time that Zhaozi arrived on set, and while he was bored waiting for his scenes, Zhaozi started to act as the shop’s clerk to sell suits. Apart from suits, bowties and regular ties, he even managed to sell shoehorns. By oneself, the words just kept on flying out of his mouth which left Shaofei beside him looking dumbfounded (if you want to see Shaofei’s dumbfounded meme-like look, you have to absolutely watch the behind-the-scenes on the DVDs)⁕. [Shaofei] continued to shout “If you buy a shoehorn you get Zhaozi for free with it, please someone take Zhaozi away, Unit 3 can’t stand it anymore.”

Boss Tang was tired, and took a nap in his own shop. ‘Just a little while will do. Shaofei and A De, you two be on the lookout for me, and if the director is coming, remember to wake me.’

⁕ Excellent advice. Please do watch the behind-the-scenes after finishing this book, because a lot of what is written here is visualized in the bts. The bts are arranged per episode though, and not per filming day, but it’s still amazing to be able to see what went on. 

Day 4

The set for the offices of Investigation Unit 3 is actually the office of LINE TV’s Choco Media branch. The contemporary industrial style caused the atmosphere among Unit 3 to be even more lively. 

For Unit 3’s first scene together, the director used a one-shot to have everyone appear on the scene, which meant that the first time all the actors were present, they had to have a ‘chemistry’ test. But apart from the actors, chemistry also had to be there for the whole staff, as the directing crew, the camera crew and the sound crew, really everyone, also had to follow [the actors] along⁕. I still remember that by the 20th take, everyone’s lines ran very smoothly, the shot was satisfactory and everyone was where they were supposed to be. The director and the crew were holding their breath in concentration, and just when they thought they’d succeed, A Zhi [character Zhou Guanzhi, played by Kass Tsai] forgot a line in the very last sentence hahahaha. In the end, this round took 27 takes.

⁕ The author uses a metaphor/reference here. They write 乾坤大挪移 which means something like ‘The Great Shift of the Cosmos’ and is apparently a kind of martial art from a martial arts novel. It consists of 7 increasingly difficult skill levels, whereby the 7th level is almost unattainable. In other words, shooting this one-shot scene required the whole cast and crew pulling off this great cosmos shift, and thus was a big, big challenge. 

Day 5

After we shot the scene where the two idiots from Unit 3 [Shaofei and Zhaozi] got into trouble and received an explosive scolding by Dapao [Shi Dapao, the name of Unit 3’s Captain]⁕, the director told Shaofei that she wanted to add a scene where he sat next to the window thinking about Sister Lizhen, continuing in the same mood [as the previous scene]...Everyone in Unit 3 felt that Shaofei was continuing to set his teeth into a meaningless old case. If there had only been some progress in the investigation...but [Shaofei] not only didn’t find any new leads, but he also got into trouble everywhere. If Sister Lizhen would still be alive, he wouldn’t be like this now...Shaofei really, really missed sister Lizhen. Rather than say that the director added this scene at the last moment, it’s more like she deliberately didn’t tell Junhao [Jake] that she would add this part. 

When they were shooting, the director played the music from the music box through the megaphone and from time to time talked as well, to provoke moody feelings in Jake. In the end Jake grabbed his phone and scrolled through his mother’s Facebook, and to all our surprise Jake started bawling, so much so that even after the ‘cut’ he couldn’t stop, until the director walked over and lightly patted him on the back. To be able to cry like that in a short amount of time, even he himself hadn’t expected that.

⁕ How much fun is it that the name of the Captain of Unit 3 literally means big cannon, when he explodes in anger all the damn time? 😂 I am quite convinced that in the hospital scene where Shaofei tells Tang Yi of his fortune-telling and that only a cannon can strike him down - he uses the exact same wording ‘dapao’ - it’s actually an inside joke and he may not have meant ‘cannon’ literally. 

Day 6

Today’s weather couldn’t be called very fine, and when we were shooting until 3 or 4 P.M., the daylight was almost gone, just when the filming location had large windows in every corner that reached the ground. Our funny director said “Why did the production team run out of light after 3 P.M.? Did they forget to send notice⁕ to the sun?” This caused the crew that was present to not know whether to laugh or cry. But in the end, before the sun got off work, everyone else smoothly finished their job as well.

⁕ the term “to send notice” is quite literal, but the word is indeed an entertainment industry term as well, that means to hire someone for a short amount of time or for a specific show, without there having to be a longer-term contractual agreement. So it could also be translated as “did they forget to hire the sun [to star in today’s scenes]?”

Day 7

It was a day with complicated feelings for Shaofei and little Tang Yi, as Shaofei discovered Tang Yi’s past history. 

Before going to meet the adoptive father of his lover, of course Shaofei had to straighten himself out first and shave his beard to leave a good impression. In the evening, today’s final scene was shot. Before starting filming, the director hoped that [Tang Yi’s] adoptive father could guide little Tang Yi’s mood, because the intensity of this scene needed to bring out the reason why Tang Yi’s feelings for Tang Guodong ran so deep and make everyone feel the warmth that Tang Guodong brought to Tang Yi even more. 

Under the constant conflict of raising [little Tang Yi] through much difficulties, a loud and clear slap came down heavily on little Tang Yi’s face. The silence at the [shooting] site caused the loud sound to be infinitely amplified, and the director and the crew were all shocked. When the ‘cut’ sounded, little Tang Yi instantly started crying, and the director rushed to the room immediately. On every crew member’s face was reluctance and shock. Meanwhile the adoptive father sat with his head down on the sofa, full of remorse. 

An extra tidbit from the same scene: the crew’s love for little gadgets

There are always a few conspicuous toys in front of the director’s monitor. She explained that these were toys that members of the crew who are close to her gave her to alleviate stress. I don’t know which toy is the director’s favourite?

 Day 8

For the setting of the toilets of Unit 3 we actually used the toilets in a department store. Zhaozi, who arrived at the store very early in the morning, was hit on by an older lady who was just coming into work. The lady said: “Aren’t you Zhao Youting [Mark Chao]? You definitely are Zhao Youting!!” Even though Zhaozi went on to deny it, the lady didn’t listen and believed that this handsome guy in front of her was Zhao Youting himself. 

Actually, Zhaozi passed on the above story [to us], and no one actually saw this older lady. Zhaozi often tells bluff stories with a straight face, but I [this little editor] have my reservations about its credibility. But be as it may, after he was told that he looked like Zhao Youting, Zhaozi’s acting skills immediately leveled up. So okay, whether or not the story was real, we thank this lady ‘from the legends’.

Day 9

Can I call you dad after this hug? 

I still remember the story of a friend coming out to his mother. He said to his mom: “I’m sorry if this thing disappoints you. I don’t dare to ask for your blessing. I just hope that you can show some understanding.” Through a chat message, his mother could only briefly reply: “If your other half is a good kid, I will give you my blessing.”

Many people in a same-sex relationship don’t dare to confess to the older generation and they don’t dare to ask for their blessings. Their only hope is not to be hated. It’s like that facing this society, and it’s the case when facing your beloved family. When Wenhao and Shaofei met each other, Wenhao gave Shaofei a hug. This hug must have carried [Wenhao’s] unspoken blessing. 

No worries, dear father-in-law. I, Officer Meng, will take care of everything (pats on the back). 

Wenhao and Guodong together brings its own hint of romance.⁕ The fighting was very intense that day, so much so that the police dispatched a Quick Fight Force team in concern [for the situation]. 

⁕ The term that the author uses is 腐味 (fuwei, the taste of fu). The first character, ‘fu’ is the same ‘fu’ that is used in terms like fujoshi 腐女子 and fudanshi  腐男子 (which are Japanese) but it’s the same pronunciation for that first character. So the author implies that there might have been something more than friendship going on between Chen Wenhao and Tang Guodong. They imply the same thing later in the book as well (day 60, where the two are called a CP). 

Day 10

A Mei [Stanley] who portrays A De, said that he was the expert in getting beaten [in this drama]. I say that Stanley definitely dedicated himself to taking on that role. Many times his head bumped into the wall and the crew told him to take a break, but Stanley couldn’t stop yelling “no no, hurry up, I’m familiar with it now!”

All the way through the end Officer Meng and Vixen⁕ no.1, A De, cheered each other on before ‘Action!’ [was called]. 

⁕ The word for vixen is ‘fox spirit’  狐狸精 in Chinese. I love that and I could probably write essays on this subject. In classical Chinese literature, foxes were most of the time portrayed as (mainly female) temptresses who seduced males for sex and then didn’t shy away from sucking the soul out of them, kind of like a succubus. If anyone is ever in the mood for some academic literature about foxes in late imperial China, I've got you covered  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3237790-alien-kind

So A De and Andy are constantly referred to as these foxes who want to seduce Tang Yi and snatch him away in front of Shaofei’s eyes. 

[porcelain-blue]

Stray Dogs Seem to Follow

What if Cangse Sanren and Wei Changze did not die? What if they, along with Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen, start their dream sect where no bloodlines matter, only skill and hard work?

The all-star trained-by-an-immortal cast is honestly reason enough for random rogue cultivators to start to flock to them, but the truth is the reputations that draw people are not one of battle prowess, but of human decency, humility, and a penchant for treating people equally between farmers and gentry. 

YilingWei is a small but growing power in the cultivation world, and through Wei Changze has an alliance with the Jiang Clan, and through Cangze Sanren, has an alliance with GusuLan. Many of the other sects dislike this very much, because nobody likes to see the idea that noble blood actually doesn’t really matter be proven so soundly.  Wei Wuxian has an uncanny ability for picking up strays. 

Stray #1: Wei Wuxian is ambling around Yueyang, let loose with uncle Song Lan at a good pace watching him, when he sees a kid get beaten up for asking for a reward of a snack. He darts forward, catching a fist and stepping to the side so the man is twisted under his knee in one smooth motion. Training had been going well, and he thinks mama would be proud.  The man sputters, face red, and makes all sorts of demands, puffing and going on and on about the YueyangChang. 

Wei Wuxian, professional brat and heir to YilingWei, lets the man go with a light shove that sends him kneeling into the dirt, and speaks, heaping on extra insolence just for fun.

“Ah, well. Sorry, gongzi, I’m not from here, so I don’t know who is who around these parts,” he sing-songs, moving to help the very battered kid up from the ground. He looks like he’s about his age. He beams at him, although the kid is looking at him warily. “But my mama tells me you can’t make promises you can’t keep, and a rich gongzi like you surely can buy some candy to pay for your errands, can’t you?” 

“Who the fuck are you, brat? You think you can speak to me like this?” The man seems to be reaching forward, ready to strike, and Wei Wuxian is ready to throw down, but his uncle Song Lan steps smoothly between them, bows with grace to the man and asks softly what the matter is. 

“Has our young master Wei gotten himself into trouble again?” Song Lan asks, all civil and gentlemanly and terrifying. The Distant Snow and Cold Frost is recognisable to most, and Wei Wuxian watches as the man puts two and two together. That said, YilingWei isn’t that prestigious a clan to warrant that much respect, but the man clearly knows he is outclassed. He turns in a bad temper, stomping away.  Song Lan turns to him, raises an eyebrow, and then bends down to speak to the kid who is fidgeting behind Wei Wuxian.  “Haizi, don’t worry, we mean no harm. Will you tell gege your name?” The kid looks at the two of them warily, eyeing their simple clothing, their lack of ornament. “Xue Yang,” he mutters.  “Alright, A-Yang, A-Ying, will you tell gege what happened?” Wei Wuxian sticks his tongue out at his uncle. “That guy was being an ass! Yang-di did something for him for a snack and he got all mad!” He huffs, annoyed. “We should have beat him up.”  Song Lan waits to see if Xue Yang will dispute the story, and when the kid just looks at his feet, angry tears in his eyes, he sighs. Grabs Wei Wuxian by the scruff of his robes and puts a gentle hand on Xue Yang’s head.  “Come on, gege was getting hungry anyways. I was going to get some food. I’m sure A-Ying will want too many snacks, but if there’s two of you, you can share, hm?” He starts walking away.  Wei Wuxian grins. “Uncle is really a pushover, c’mon, I want some tanghulu. Do you have any family? Our sect is great, we don’t care who or where you’re from. You wanna come see?”  Xue Yang blinks at him, lets his wrist get grabbed and towed away, buoyed by the promise of tanghulu and snacks. Maybe this time it won’t end in suffering.  ----------

Stray #2:  It’s the third day of the discussion conference in Lanling, and while Wei Wuxian had been dragged by his parents to attend and bow and get his everything commented, he had finally bargained the day off, cheeks sore from getting pinched by random and well-meaning older aunties. He grabs Xue Yang and uncle Xingchen, badgering them into going to town with him. He wants to try Lanling street food! He’s heard the baozi are really good! It’s about lunchtime when they wander into a food stall that smells amazing, but before they can order there’s a commotion.  “Stay away from us, you son of a whore!” A scuffle, and there, a kid is being pushed down, his baozi thrown onto the floor.  “Yeah, I bet you’re full of disease, just like your mother!” another kid, bigger and meaner, spits on the ground. Gross. The kid on the floor looks incensed at this, eyes flashing, but before he can do anything his hair is being yanked and he’s gasping in pain.  Wei Wuxian has really got to stop meeting peers like this. He slants a look at Xue Yang, who has gone still and tense. Xue Yang hates these kinds of people the most. They step into the stall together, and while he’s tempted to really mess around with these guys, he probably shouldn’t make a fuss during a discussion conference, or mama will make them do drills for hours.  So he nudges Xue Yang forward, and his shidi grips the hand holding the boy’s hair hard enough that the bones creak, until the bully is gasping in pain and wrenching back, letting go of the younger boy. Wei Wuxian helps the kid up, makes sure he’s alright.  “Who the fuck are you guys?” the kids say, and Wei Wuxian notices that they’re in Jin gold. Gross. It occurs to him then that they probably also cannot make a fuss during LanlingJin’s discussion conference, so Wei Wuxian just grins his most diplomatic smile, throws an exaggerated bow and says, “Wei Wuxian, heir to YilingWei, at your service! This is my shidi Xue Chengmei! We compliment LanlingJin for hosting our sect. LanlingJin must be very rich, if minor disciples can afford to waste food like this!” He waves an airy hand at the remains of the boy’s baozi scattered across the floor. One of the Jin boys sneer, “We don’t have to care about commoners and trash like that,” he spits, but is clearly not willing to challenge a sect heir outright. Xue Yang is still pissed, so he puts a hand on the sword at his hip, and narrows his eyes at them.  “YilingWei strongly discourages actions and words like that,” he says. And the threat is very, very much implied.  Eventally, Uncle Xingchen appears, smoothes things over, and sends the Jins on their way. Wei Wuxian turns round to the kid who is looking at them with wide doe eyes, half afraid, half in awe.  “This Meng Yao thanks the two honored cultivators for their assistance,” he murmurs, polite and formal, but the hands folded in front of his bow are trembling.  Wei Wuxian scrunches his nose as Xue Yang ambles off to buy three baozi from the lady at the front of the stall. It’s kind of nice, Wei Wuxian thinks absently, that Xue Yang gets to feed other kids, now. 

“Aw, none of that,” Wei Wuxian says, pulling the kid’s hands apart and lifting him back upright. “We’re all common folk here, aren’t we, Yang-di!”  “Aren’t you the heir of the Wei Sect, gongzi?” Meng Yao asks.  “Well, yeah, but my dad was born a servant. Anyways our sect doesn’t care about that sort of stuff. You want a baozi? I’m sorry yours got thrown.”  Meng Yao accepts a baozi and eats it with more elegance than Wei Wuxian has ever seen. He doesn’t finish, though, even though he’s obviously still hungry.  “Saving it for later?” Xue Yang asks, eyeing him.

Meng Yao shakes his head gently. “My mother, ah. She works at a brothel, as I’m sure you heard earlier. They don’t... they don’t feed her much if she doesn’t work enough.”  They sit there for a moment, three kids digesting the weight of the world. The moment passes, though, and Wei Wuxian darts back to the front of the store to get another baozi, and some other snacks wrapped up in paper to go. He gestures at them to come out, and the trail after him.  “C’mon, I got some extra food for your mom. Can you take us to her?”  Meng Yao blanches for a moment, obviously torn. He nods, after a moment, and they walk a ways to the establishment where Meng Shi works. Meng Yao fidgets for a moment, but gestures them in through a side door. They meet Meng Yao’s mother, who looks a lot like him, She thanks them graciously for the food, and asks them questions about their sword, and the cultivation world in general. They’re not there for long before Wei Wuxian’s yaopei glows softly, and he winces.  At the two pairs of delicately raised eyebrows, he answers, “Mama’s using her tracking talisman.”  Meng Shi laughs, then, a clear, high sound. She slaps a delicate hand on the table in mirth. “Oh, I wish I had one of those for my boy here! Your mother would make a killing if she sold those!”  Before he can reply, he hears a scuffle, a few shouts of “Excuse me, You can’t be here!” before his mother thows the doors open and stomps in, stopping before them to stare her son and disciple down. “Well boys, aren’t you two a little young to be in a place like this?” she says archly.  Meng Shi rises gracefully, bowing low. “Ah, we beg your forgiveness, your boys were helping my son with some trouble, and were kind enough to bring me some food. Please let me repay you for their troubles.”  Meng Yao looks alarmed at that, but he doesn’t say anything. Cangse Sanren looks at the whole scene, narrows her eyes at her son before waving her hands at the other woman. She pushes her son and Xue Yang’s heads down roughly, making them bow.  “No, no, thank you for keeping my boys out of trouble!” she says, and the two women stare at each other for a beat, before they both smile and sit down at the table in unison.  “Psst. Mama, can we bring them back? “ Wei Wuxian asks, tugging on her sleeve. She sighs at him, and then directs her question to Meng Shi. “Well, Meng-guniang. It looks like my boys have made friends with your son here, and to be honest, we’d like some more young disciples. Would you want to come with us?” 

Meng Shi looks taken aback. She thinks of Jin Guangshan and his many empty promises. She thinks of her son, and wonders if he will make a good cultivator in Yiling black and white instead of Jin gold. She knows, that of the two sects, only one has been kind to her son so far. But still. “I’m a prostitute. What use could YilingWei have for a woman like me?”  Cangse Sanren looks straight at her. “You can read?”  She nods. It is her one pride. “I can sing, and play erhu. I can sew” The othe woman nods. “You can teach my boys manners, too, it seems. We will take you, if you come with us. You would have to work your debt off, but, we wouldn’t ask you to do it like this. There are other girls, who come from your line of work. They help us with accounts and sewing and whatever else they are deft at.”  Meng Shi looks at her son, notes the way his eyes are wide and guileless. He has yet to learn how to lie and scheme and seduce his way into power. He looks at the two other boys, who look away at the scantily dressed women who walk by and smile at them, who are young and strong and seem to not care about her sons birth.  She stands, and bows deeply. “We humbly request a place in YilingWei.”  Cangse Sanren smiles, and leads the way, three boys trotting along at her heels as she goes off in search of her husband. It’s time to go home. 

[darlingpwease]

I can't sleep, so listen to the concept:

butterfly!reader who uses a flower, deceptively planted in CHU WANNING, to corrupt him and turn him into someone who will create a path to hell for butterflies, since butterflies are 'martyrs' and 'poor creatures' whom this 'unfair dirty wrong world' torments again and again — and even if you don't have a core, you are only can quietly rejoice that your little performance succeeded many years ago, even if at such a price.

(who if not you?)

(shi mei became a necessary victim.)

(like mo ran.)

(like xue meng.)

(why do you go on but the path doesn't get any brighter?)

(are you going in the right direction?)

(when did it all go wrong?)

CHU WANNING is smart and quick-witted, but even he can be deceived within reason; especially when you gently pump up his ego, assuring him that only he can help, while he looks at you with shining eyes, hearing not only with his ears, but with his brain, as if you don't even need words to tell him how you see the ideal world — and know that he sees it the same way...

... until he finds out that there is a flower inside him,

having guessed with the help of scattered things from the past and records.

when your relationship becomes too wrong and dark, and in his eyes you see only suffocating devotion and insane adoration mixed with hatred and anger mixed with something else that you are trying to recognize — before you don't see anything else — and you wake up in your bed.

already after the flower was planted in it — but before it took root. you just need to find a way to uproot it and transplant it — or find a way to revive it. you can't afford to spend such an important thing. you need someone more stable and malleable, not as strong-willed and strong as CHU WANNING, who obviously turned out to be too... too much, even if you tried to be more cunning and clever than him.

butterflies need you. your people need you. you have to be the leader and lead them.

you must be strong.

and find a way to remove the flower from him.

just avoid it, look for a way and pretend that everything is fine! it's not that hard, right? and although you are ashamed in front of Mo Ran, Xue Meng, Shi Mei — you tell yourself that you will save them in this life. and you will save Chu Wanning. it's a pity that you have to start over, but you know that you can. after all, you can always try the cult again, right?...

... you experience an almost animal horror when you feel your Yuheng of the Night Sky, although you know that he is not in this life — until a cool strong palm grabs you and you come across a look of black eyes, exactly the same.

but your Yuheng of the Night Sky can't be here, right?

[thebiscuiteternal]

“Introductions” Reverse Nies, First Meetings, New Jobs, Brotherly Ribbing, Nie Mingjue Is A Brat, Nie Huaisang Stress Cooks, Meng Yao Absolutely Does Not Have A New Crush

__________

In the not quite a week since he has met the younger man, Meng Yao has learned that outside of the battlefield, Nie Mingjue is surprisingly quiet. True, his voice tends to roar when he uses it, but he doesn’t actually use it that often unless provoked either by particularly good circumstances or particularly bad.

After reading the reports Meng Yao had painstakingly compiled for him, the younger man had nodded, seemingly to himself, then stood up and headed for the horse pens, beckoning him to follow. “This is high quality work. My older brother will love you,” he had said then, earnest and concise in the praise.

However, that was almost a full day ago, and the general has said very little since except to send off a message that he couldn’t glean the contents of.

Oddly, Meng Yao finds he doesn't mind the quiet, but his curiosity finally gets the better of him once they are within sight of the Unclean Realms. "What is your brother like?" he asks. He has developed a general idea of the sect from observing its soldiers and cultivators, but he honestly has heard very little about Nie Huaisang, the man who runs it, most of the gossip steadfastly remaining centered around Nie Mingjue himself.

Nie Mingjue snorts, looking amused. "You'll see."

That sounds... vaguely ominous.

Servants meet them to take the horses, and he mentally takes note of how uncomfortable and fidgety the two men seem to be.

Nie Mingjue's good humor vanishes when he also notices. "Is he in the kitchens again?"

One of the stablehands nods. "Tai-zongzhu arrived unannounced just after dawn this morning and Nie-zongzhu entered the secondary kitchen shortly after his departure."

“When was that?”

“A little after chen shi.”

"Ah, shit," Nie Mingjue mutters, scratching the back of his neck. "I'll check on him."

"Thank you, young master."

Meng Yao eyes the younger man as they head towards one of the buildings. "What’s going on? Is there something I should be worried about… like food poisoning?"

Or regular poisoning.

One can never be too sure.

"Ha! No, no, Sang-ge can cook just fine. The problem is that he only ever does it when he's... upset."

He has seen some terrors of the kitchen, but the sight that meets them when they enter still gives him pause. Several fully broken down carcasses -sheep or goats, by the look of the skulls- are neatly arranged in separate piles on the massive main table: meat, bones, hides, offal. A series of buckets are carefully placed for catching the drain off. And in the midst of it all, spattered in blood and busy with a series of knives, is a single man of about the same size as him dressed in plain linens with his hair tied in a severe bun.

"Must've been a hell of a meeting if you couldn't come greet me," Nie Mingjue calls across the room.

The stranger's head shoots up from his work, demeanor immediately brightening. "Jue-er!"

Meng Yao stares as the man -no, wait, Nie-zongzhu- barely takes the time to wipe his hands and wrestle out of the linen overcoat before rushing to hug his younger brother. He still has dried blood swiped across his face, likely from a careless attempt to get errant hair out of his eyes, but neither of them seem to notice, nor care as Nie Mingjue scoops the smaller figure into a bear-like hug.

It is... an interesting look, combined with those facial features.

Quite interesting indeed.

"You can tell me who you were imagining the mutton as later," Nie Mingjue says, putting the other man down. "I've brought you someone."

"Is that so-oh, hello!"

Meng Yao suddenly finds himself the focus of very green eyes, and swallows hard.

"This is Meng Yao, the one I wrote ahead about.” A large hand claps him on the back and the wince that escapes before he can school his expression back to neutrality causes Nie-zongzhu to snicker in a way that absolutely shouldn’t be as cute as it is.

“Jue-er, be nice! He’s not used to that like I am.”

He really should bow. The fact that he hasn't done it already is an insult. And yet the best he can manage is a short nod before he suddenly finds his hands clasped in a tight -and still very slightly bloody- grip and oh, Nie-zongzhu's welcoming grin is even brighter up close.

"And gods, am I glad to meet you! If you can do even half of what Jue-er said you can, you're now my best friend."

“Don’t accept that as a compliment until you see the disaster area he calls an office.”

Nie-zongzhu actually rolls his eyes at his brother. “Just because you can’t find anything in there-”

“It looks like a typhoon went through! Followed by an entire sounder of wild boars!”

This is clearly a very, very old argument, and he’s not sure how he feels about the fact that they’re letting him so freely witness it.

Or the fact that Nie-zongzhu seems to have forgotten he’s still holding Meng Yao’s hands. “Um, could you-”

“Hm?” The other man looks down, then lets go with an embarrassed expression. “Aha, sorry about that. I sometimes forget formality around family.”

“That’s an understatement,” Nie Mingjue mutters, then promptly gets elbowed in the ribs for it.

“Hush, you brat. Anyway, give me just a moment to get this all sorted out,” Nie-zongzhu says, returning to the table and scooping up the outer robe he had been using to cover his clothing. “Then I’ll show you where you’ll be staying.”

“I can do that. Having some unpacking time will let him brace himself for the paper-filled hellhole.” Nie Mingjue ducks a thrown talus bone and shoots his older brother an unrepentant smirk.

“Insufferable menace. I take back every thought I ever had about missing you,” Nie-zongzhu grumbles as he tosses the robe back on. “Fine, get out of here.”

“As my sect leader commands.”

Meng Yao is still slightly dazed by… all of that as Nie Mingjue grabs him by the shoulder and guides him out towards the main building. “Is… is it always like that with you two?”

“Pretty much.”

“Even around the rest of the sect?”

Nie Mingjue’s grin is sharper than his brother’s, but their family resemblance has never been more clear than in that moment. “You’ll get used to it if you stick around.”

Similar to the ‘You’ll see’ from earlier, Meng Yao isn’t sure whether he’s supposed to take that as encouragement or a threat.

---

It takes him longer to marvel at his new home -the bed alone probably costs more than he has ever made in his life- than it does to unpack what few things he has brought, and yet when he returns to the second kitchen, the mess from earlier has already been cleaned up and Nie-zongzhu is attacking vegetables with the same efficient gusto he had been using on the mutton earlier.

“Come sit!” he calls cheerily when he notices Meng Yao hovering by the door.

Meng Yao eyes the knife movements a little dubiously, but edges towards a chair. “What are you making?”

Nie-zongzhu nods to the massive pot gently bubbling on a fire behind him. “Lucky for me, Zhou Lian and her daughter made a good-sized batch of fresh noodles this morning while I was in here, so I’ve started stew.” He scoops up a pile of diced cabbage and almost idly tosses it in without even looking at the pot. “Is your room alright? Anything I need to change?”

“It’s-” overwhelming “-fine. You have an eye for decor.”

“At least you appreciate it. Jue-er would sleep on a rock if I let him.”

Meng Yao has to bite his tongue to keep from snorting, because Nie Mingjue has been doing almost exactly that in the camps. “Where did he go, anyway?” he asks, resting his chin in his hands. “I thought you two would have stitched yourselves to each other’s sides by now.”

He doesn’t mean to speak so casually. It just slips out, lulled by the air of easy sociability that seems to surround Nie-zongzhu. When he realizes what he has said, and to a sect leader, he chokes slightly and straightens up with the intent to apologize, but Nie-zongzhu just laughs.

It’s a nice laugh.

“If it doesn’t involve butchery, you couldn’t pay him to hang around in the kitchens,” the older man says, moving on to a pile of mushrooms. “He’s already gone out to terrorize the training fields until dinner. You’re welcome to join him if you like, I’m sure he’d be happy to throw a sword at you.”

“That sounds tempting,” Meng Yao says, and though he’s not entirely being sarcastic, it earns him another laugh. “But since assisting you is now my assignment, would it be alright if I stayed here and asked a few questions instead? I would like to be prepared in order to perform to the best of my ability.”

“Oh, of course, of course.” Nie-zongzhu makes an offhand gesture with the blade he’s using, and Meng Yao mentally notes how the movement is more suited to holding, say, a fan than a knife. At least they’re a safe distance apart. “Ask away.”

“One of the servants mentioned an incident with a minor sect leader this morning-”

“Ah. That.” The mushrooms go into the pot and Nie-zongzhu sighs. “Honestly, the whole mess isn’t really his fault, since it’s not like he can control the weather nor how the Wens react to it, and I’ve already thought of some possible solutions. I just needed to burn off the irritation first. Could you pass me the onions?”

Meng Yao obligingly gets up to fetch them. “That’s understandable. Is there anything that I could do to help smooth the situation out?”

When he turns back around, the small basket in hand, Nie-zongzhu is looking away at the stew pot and absently tapping his nails against his lower lip in thought.

He forcibly pulls his gaze away from the motion and looks at the basket instead as he sets it down. “Zongzhu?”

“Hm? Oh, sorry. Actually, Jue-er mentioned transferring reports to maps as one of your strong suits. The maps Tai-zongzhu brought aren’t bad , but the storm damage has already outdated them. If you don’t mind, perhaps you could help me figure out a better picture of what we’re dealing with? After dinner, of course.”

A potentially challenging, yet surprisingly simple request, tailored to his abilities, with an opening that he could refuse and ask for a different task if he so chose. Considering the last few weeks of being ordered about on the worst of menial jobs, it’s a refreshing change of pace.

Much like his new employer, actually.

“Of course,” he agrees, and the smile on his face is genuine.

[hey-hamlet]

i would like To Hear The Aus for this other fandom

Its Mo Dao Zu Shi and I have two (well defined, anyway) - one is really stupid on the surface but works surprisingly well, the other looks normal on the surface but is actually really stupid. It’s my brand, I think. Enjoy? 

Princess in a Tower AU 

I want to lie and say this isn’t heavily inspired by the Shrek musical, if only to save my own dignity, but I can’t. It’s is. The musical slaps, ok?? It slaps real hard. The soundtrack on spotify is missing a few of the newer songs added in the broadway run but listen to Who I’d Be, I Think I got You Beat and When Words Fail to get what I mean - it fits well ok!!

So- Farquaard is Meng Yao. He may be the leader of Lanling Jin, but he’s still the bastard son of a prostitute. He’s grabbed his power through sheer stubbornness and a hard line anti mythical creature stance – he needs to consolidate it. What better way than the prince trapped in the cursed compound in Yilling? Not only would be gain power in his own right, wedded to son of the late emperor, he’d have Yunmeng Jiang in his debt. The Emperor was the sect leader’s sworn brother and their children played together before Wei Ying was trapped when he was seven. Perfect.

I was originally gonna have Lan Zhan be the princess but no it fits Wei Ying better - in the musical Shrek is emotionally constipated and bad with words. He has a whole song about it, it’s really cute.

So, Meng Yao needs somewhere to dump the creatures he’s rounded up because he doesn’t have the political sway yet to order executions. So they pick a mountain far enough away that its no longer Lanling’s problem and dump everyone there. Complication – a demon named Lan Zhan lives there and he’s really really not happy about the company. It’s customary in his family for children to be sent away from their family at a young age – he’s been living on his own since he was a child, excluding weekly visits from his older brother and rarer still, visits from his uncle. When he finds out someone is at fault for ruining his peace and quiet he all but storms down the mountain to make them fix it.

Nie Huaisang is Donkey, but he's actually a scrawny little dragon repeatedly mistaken for a lizard. He does very little to convince people otherwise. His brother is the dragon guarding Wei Ying, Meng Yao sent him feral. The Nie were a well respected family of dragons – turning Nie Mingjue feral was the start of his crusade against “monsters”.

bc,,, scrawny 'lizard' nie huaisang driving lwj to distraction on their epic one day quest to get his mountain back. He’s the biggest nightmare. Nie Huaisang was masterminded this whole thing.

This whole AU is mostly here because I saw the line "would love wei ying in any body" used in like 8 fics and I need an excuse to use it here.

 Anyway, Monster Lan Zhan who lives on a mountain, and is convinced its better for him to be alone because he’s cursed and scary and doesn't need people anyway with Wei Ying falling in love with this man on fucking sight after he saves him from the cursed grounds he’s been trapped in since his parents died. His parent's energy cursed the grounds to keep him safe when they died (murdered, by order of Jin Guangshan) – it also ‘cursed’ him to take a monstrous form at night to keep him safe. It’s admittedly not really much of a curse, and it will break when he finally feels truly safe.

And then Wei Ying gets insecurities because hes "a monster" but,,, so is Lan Zhan and he's the kindest, best man he's ever met.

City Kid AU

I might, maybe, just a little, miss University. (I might be going back to get a vet science degree anyway so I doubt I’ll miss it for long). This AU is 100% a product of that. 

The Jiangs own an agricultural university so they are stupid rich but work with animals - Jiang Cheng is getting a vet science degree, paid for by his parents. Wei Ying wants to get an animal sciences degree so he can work in biotech and in labs and he's gifted with chemistry, but madam yu insists he needs to pay for his own degree so he's been working at the uni in whatever job they'll give him

Lan Zhan kinda knows ab the animal science guy who attends none of the lectures he's meant to and sneaks into vet lectures but doesn't really interact with him until 3rd yeah when they have their animal handling labs

then Wei Ying effortlessly flips a sheep and pets its disgruntled face and Lan Zhan falls in love instantly

Wei Ying has been pining over this boy since he saw the bunnies on his phone case - outrageously expensive phone paired with a dirt-cheap snap on case with felted rabbits on it. very clearly an impulse buy. its amazing.

 Lan Zhan signing up to help milk the cows at 4am. at first it was bc he gets up at that time anyway so it really wasn’t any skin off his back and he figured he might as well do something productive with him time but his supervisor is Wei Ying who teases him and gives him gross cow milk facts that make him vegan times 10 but he’s never fussed or complained once.

TL;DR: Lan Zhan is just a pathetic city boy head over heels for the hot guy who loves animals

 Wei Ying is still scared of dogs here but he has like,,, a handle on it. mostly. If he knows there is going to be a dog, he's fine. if it tries to bite him, he can deal with it but he will go have a breakdown after. if he doesn't know there is going to be a dog there is a solid chance he'll have a panic attack.

 ooooo Jiang Cheng is mad and thinks Wei Ying is goofing off with all the "jobs" and not committing to a degree because Wei Ying can't bring himself to tell him that madam yu cut him off the day he turned 18. Jiang Fengmian doesn't know either. Wei Ying just,,, assumes he does and agrees with madam Yu

wei ying who doesn't eat more than 2 meals a day because he's too busy and the wens down the hall from him have even less than he does

okay but Wei Ying not having enough money for groceries and Lan Zhan giving him a meal ticket to “”go collect some food for him”” and when he comes back oh Wei Ying i’m sorry i already ate. oh well. u can keep that.

he cooks food for his floor on meeting nights and basically empties out his part of the fridge just to see everyone smile. 

[hulijingemperor2]

Zixuan: *still on bedrest*

Yao: you did well, Zishie.

Zixuan: thanks Foxy.

Yanli: *holding the twins* A-Yao, hold them nah.

Yao: sure.

Rusong: aww they're so cute!

Yao: really precious.

Ruxuan, Ruming! I'm your uncle Foxy.

Yanli: and Xuan is mama bird.

Zixuan: *pouts* A-li.

Zixuan: I hope our children gets close to their uncle Foxy. Because they'll be around him a lot.

Yanli: they certainly will. And A-Yao would pamper them with gifts!

He already had A-ling pretty spoilt.

Jinling: I'm not spoilt by Xiao shushu. He just buys me things.

Yao: yea.

I must buy things for A-ling. And A-Song too!!

Yanli: I see.

Ruhua grabs Jinling's hair stick and threw it on the floor.

Jinling: Huahua! My crystal hair stick!

Rusong: how did it snap in two?

Jinling: it was a fragile type of crystal. Xiao shushuuuuuuu.

Yao: A-ling, A-ling. Don't worry. I'll buy you a set.

For you and A-song.

Jinling: *smile* thank you Xiao shuhsu!!

Zixuan: he loves to spoil A-ling and A-song.

As he should.

Mo xuanyu: Xuan gege, do you know how to change diapers?

Zixuan: c..change what?

Yanli: diapers, Zixuan.

Zixuan: ohhhhh. No A-Yu. I haven't changed one in my life.

The maids used to do it.

Xue yang: what a diva.

Yanli: so who's going to change the diapers, Zish?

Zixuan: and Huaisang is there.

He'll change their diapers.

When they're older, he'll be their babysitter but he has to undergo severe training.

Mo xuanyu: lol I agree. Where is he anyways?

Zixuan: gave him a vacation.

Because I want my twins to see beautiful things when they're born.

My babies are allergic to negative vibes.

Jiang cheng: *enters* I'm here! Sorry I'm late!

Yao: it took you long enough!!

Zixuan: *crying* Jiang cheng! Where were you!

Meng Shi: Jiang gui fei. What kind of conduct is this.

I'm very disappointed in you! You weren't aren't when my innocent little step son was giving birth.

You're married to two emperors. Act the part.

Jiang cheng: Tai hou and my emperor husbands. This wei wuxian was in lotus pier, and he used my sword~~

Zixuan: not in front the children!!!

Yao: oh my goodness!! How putrid!

Xue yang: wasn't bichen enough?

Su she: you have some freaky family members.

Mo xuanyu: *blocks Jinling and Rusong's ears*

Jiang cheng: that's not what I meant, guys!

He used my sword to cut lotus pods. Then the idiot dropped it in the muddy pond, so we had to fish out Sandu.

Meng Shi: and your sword is a mode of transportation.

Jiang cheng: yes! Taihou.

Meng Shi: why didn't you run or hire a caravan?

Jiang cheng: *facepalms*

Mo xuanyu: Jiang cheng, how could you.

Zixuan: what if I died during childbirth and my children became orphans.

And then my empire lost a super handsome and almost divine emperor with flawless skin.

Yao: and A-li would have sadly become a widow.

Then she would ask me to adopt the children.

Zixuan: it would be hard for them to fit in because they're not hulijings. A-li might become A-Yao's concubine, but she'll become more rich, and depressed cuz she misses me.

Do you know how it's like to be rich, depressed and a hot mess! And on top of that stressed?

Jiang cheng, do you see the ripple effect!

Jiang cheng: stop being dramatic. And look. I'm here.

Zixuan: I haven't had a drop of water or a grain of food, while waiting for you.

Because if I ate I would have thrown up. But read between the lines.

I fasted for you, my husband.

Yao: our confidante!

Zixuan: *sobs* consort Cheng. *sniffles*

Jiang cheng: jiejie. How do you deal with him?

Yanli: *laughing* just fine*

Jiang cheng: uhh.....are you done?

Zixuan: you have broken my heart. I don't think I can forgive you.

Yao: I'm very disappointed in you.

Jiang cheng: Zixuan. I made soup. Do you still want some?

Or are you still feeling nauseous?

Zixuan: gimme that, Jiang. You're forgiven.

Yaoyao!

Yao: poor baby has been starving from his fast.

Zixuan: Jiang cheng, I'm weak. Can you feed me? *bats eyelashes*

Jiang cheng: sure.

How are you feeling now?

Zixuan: I'm still sore.

Jiang cheng: now what did you name them?

Zixuan: Ruxuan and Ruming.

Jiang cheng: sounds ok.

Zixuan: be a little enthusiastic, nah. They're royalty.

They came out from my~~ what's the word?

Xue yang: royal Zishussy.

Zixuan: yea.

Jiang cheng: noted.

Zixuan: A-Yao will let you hold them.

~~~

Next day..

Around midday, a group of beautiful young ladies, all holding fans in their hands,  came to meet their dowager empress Shi.

Greetings taihou.

Meng Shi: greetings darlings. Rise please.

Someone from in front of the crowd: I'm Xu.

And I'm Lu Wan.

We're all aristocratic fox spirits.

Meng Shi: ohh, pleasure to meet you. What brings you here?

We want to see Dianxia!

Also we would love to marry him.

Taihou, I'm good at calligraphy and painting.

And I'm good at poetry and playing the Qin.

Meng Shi: *giggles daintily* excellent.

I always dreamt of Songsong getting a girlfriend, and settling. But then my Songsong is the one who must make the decision right. Why don't you go meet him?

Ladies: *squealing*

*goes to rush outside*

Meng Shi: hey hey wait. You have to go through Huangdi first.

Yes Taihou.

Well we got to meet our inlaws right.

~~~

The group of beautifully dressed hulijing ladies confronted and bowed to A-Yao.

Greetings father-in-law Huangdi.

Yao: *astonished* father-in-law???

Oh gosh, you all saw Rusong, didn't you.

Miss Xu: yes Huangdi, and we're in love!

Dianxia is extremely handsome.

Huangdi are we perfect for future concubines?

Xu: I'll be Dianxia's empress.

Can we see Dianxia?

We miss seeing him.

Yao: hmm sure then. He's in the garden.

Awwwwww Dianxia loves nature?!

We love nature too!

Yao: mhm. He's taking a stroll. And maybe he's going to sit and play the guqin.

*squealing* omg!!! We love music too!

He's so talented!

Let's go look for him!

~

Meng Shi: Yao'er.

Yao: A-niang?

Meng Shi: did a group of ladies come to meet you?

Yao: more like they came to meet A-Song.

Meng Shi: *giggles*

Yao: did you send them?

Meng Shi: yea,. They wanted to meet our little Song'er so I let them. Wangzi needs a Wangfei.

Yao: you're right. But Song'er loves someone already.

She's A-Qing of Yi city.

Meng Shi: A-Qing? Beautiful. I would love to see her.

And why didn't this child tell me? Am I chopped liver?

Yao: *laughing* A-niang, maybe he's shy.

Meng Shi: oh my. This boy.

He's a handful, but a cute handful.

Yao: agreed.

Rusong: *walking through the garden while reading*

Xu and others: *confronting him* greetings Dianxia.

Rusong: *looking up from his book* oh hello. How may I help you?

Xu: Dianxia why are you so hot. 

Rusong: I...I was born like it.

Ladies: awwwwwwwwww!

Rusong: are you here to meet Nainai? May I escort you?

Xu: no no. We met her already. We came to meet you. *blush*

Heehee, how are you, Dianxia?

Rusong: I'm doing well.

Xu: you're really really cute.

And such a gentleman too!

Dianxia what are you going to do?

Rusong: well I was going to play the guqin.

Aww the guqin?!!!! We want to hear!! Play it for us na, Dianxia!!

Please! We would love to hear your music!

Rusong: sure.

Dianxia are you single?!

Rusong: well actually I have a girlfriend. But she's out if town.

Ladies: *disappointed*

Xu: is she even a beautiful hulijing?!

Rusong: no. But don't worry guys. You can still hang with me and listen to music.

*cheering* yayy!! Dianxia!!

We still love you!!

Xu: just saying, we can be better than your girlfriend.

We are hulijings after all.

Rusong: *laughing* I see.

Xu: at least she's taking good care of our Dianxia.

Rusong: *smile*

Ladies: *squealing* dimples!!!!!

Rusong: shall we?

Ahhh right behind you.

Rusong: would you like some flowers? Feel free to pick some from the garden.

You're so kind Wangzi.

Rusong: maybe if you like a certain flower, you can make a bouquet out of them.

Awww!

Anything to remember you by.

You're hella handsome.

Rusong: *laughs slightly* thanks.

I have asked my attendants to arrange tea and snacks.

Aww Dianxia, we were just here to listen to you play. You're too kind.

Rusong: well you're my guests after all.

Xu: so ideal just like Huangdi.

Rusong: us Mengs are known for our hospitality, and we hope that the empire does the same.

Xu: *melting* gosh, that's well said. But i love when your lips move.

Meanwhile, in one of the spring Pavillions~~

Yao: *having tea with Meng Shi and team dimple*

Meng shi: Yao'er, Yao'er, how is A-qing like?

Yao: very vibrant and energetic. Quite mischievous too.

Xue yang: she's a big simp too.

Meng Shi: oh. Lovely. Lol, a simp as well Chengmei?

Xue yang: yea. She popped out of me.

I gave birth to her.

Meng shi: *laughing* awww.

Yao: xue yang and Xiao xingchen are her guardians.

And they're all from Yi city.

Meng shi: ohhh I see. How sweet.

Mo xuanyu: we ship them a lot.

Su she: they make a good pair.

Meng Shi: that's good.

Xue yang: A-Qing is broke by the way, Miss Meng, so I don't know if that might be a problem.

Meng Shi: it's fine, Chengmei.

It's one's character that counts.

Yao: mhm.

Meng Shi: did you give her the thing?

Yao: of course I gave her the thing.

Mo xuanyu: *sips tea* what thing?

Meng shi: the hairpin Yao'er had commissioned for Rusong's soon to be bride.

Xue yang: I hope she didn't sell it by now.

Meng Shi: what?

Su she: it's a joke, taihou. Don't listen to xue yang.

Yao: she's good at heart, and she knows the significance of the accessories.

Meng Shi: oh good.

Yao: she has the same antics as Chengmei.

Meng shi: lol.

Anyways I need to talk to Mr. Dianxia later.

Yao: go for it, A-niang. He didn't tell you about his gf.

Meng Shi: exactly.

A-Yao, I think we should send her some gifts.

Yao: my same thought. And we can give some money to Xiao Daozhang as a sign of courtesy and good relations.

Meng Shi: yea.

Xue yang: what about meeee.

Yao: I'll give you candy, and maybe a new plot of land to practice your fierce corpse.

Xue yang: that's why I love you Jiggy.

Yao: *pats head* love you too, my little gremlin.

Later on, Rusong was walking down the hall, after playing the guqin for the fox spirits.

Rusong: why did Nainai send girls for me? That's so strange.

Oh right.......I didn't tell her about my girlfriend yet.

Rusong: I wonder if she found out? Guess I'll be hiding from Nainai for the while.

Meng shi: Songsong.

Rusong: *turns around* oh...hey Nainai.

Meng Shi: Meng Jin Rusong, the Hulijing Wangzi.

Rusong: (you know you're screwed when she or A-Die calls your whole name and title)

Meng shi: Dianxia *pinches cheeks* you didn't tell me about your gf.

Rusong: yea Nainai. I was going to tell you soon.

Meng Shi: baby Songsong, you're super cute. And I'm so happy for you.

A-Yao told me a lot about her.

Rusong: oh I see. The emperor of Hulijings and Kitsunes, Meng Yao Jin guangyao had let out my secret. *laughing*

Meng Shi: heehee yes. *kisses his dimple* secrets safe with me, Songsong.

Rusong: ok, Nainai. Today I'll spare Mr. Huangdi.

Meng Shi: but it's good that he told me. Because you wouldn't have told me.

Rusong: I would have, lol.

Meng Shi: *pouts*

Rusong: *hugs* Nainai. You believe your Songsong, right. Nainaiiiii.

Meng Shi: *pats head* I can't pretend to be upset with you, can I. You always put on that cute face.

Rusong: nah it's just that I'm naturally cute.

Meng Shi: oh really, Dianxia.

Now what did you do with the ladies?

Rusong: just got them some tea and snacks, then I played the guqin.

Meng Shi: lovely little Dianxia.

~~~

Later in the day......

Yao: Songsong.

Rusong: A-Die. Nainai was in her fox spirit matchmaker mood today.

Yao: *laughing*

Well you didn't tell her about your gf.

Rusong: right.

Xue yang: and you're a supermodel, so.

Mo xuanyu: who wouldn't fall in love with you, little Dianxia.

Su she: you have your A-Die's face after all.

Rusong: yea team d. And I can't help being cute.

Mo xuanyu: exactly.