#dizi repli?i

[kerizaret]

Sorry for ranting about recorders in your replies Keri

I don't mind!!! It's interesting and fun :D didn't think that these little things i played at school could have so many facts to them

Here's the ones I have! I think they're the same anyway tho

I also own a dizi aside from that but i can't really play on it bc everyone in the house got mad at me that it was too loud when I wanted to learn... I still wanna try someday

[loosingmoreletters]

take some wangxian AU.

Gods are born or they become, but under no circumstances are they made.

At least, that is the assumption.

They cannot interfere in mortal affairs unless it is predestined by the Jade Emperor himself, an exception to the rule.

And yet Lan Wangji finds himself standing in front of a shrine not dedicated to a respected ancestor or a grieved love, but a deity that cannot be. The shrine isn’t well-made, merely scrapped together food of which the little priestess keeping it is quick to take some for herself. She cuts a slice of fruit that looks too unsightly for human consumption and devours it in one quick bite all while glaring at Lan Wangji as if daring him to speak against her actions.

She chews like a wild thing, the fine robes she stole not quite capable of disguising her origin.

Lan Wangji followed the call of a haunted home, hastily abandoned by its owners when cruel spirits came and refused to leave it more than a decade ago. The village has been concerned because the spirits seemed to act up again, but all Lan Wangji’s investigation yields is a pair of siblings and a shrine that shouldn’t be.

“You can’t make us move,” says the girl. “Nobody owns the house, so we might as well live here. Nobody else does.”

The house is still in the name of the family that used to live here and they refuse to return because of the spirits. Spirits that still reside here, now dormant, but ready to be called upon at any moment.

“It isn’t safe here,” he says.

“Duh,” the girl replies. “That’s what the shrine is for.”

“Shrines are for gods,” Lan Wangji tells her because this shrine should have no effect because it isn’t erected in the name of a god.

The girl blinks at him like she doesn’t understand. Perhaps no one has ever taught her, she cannot be older than ten.

“So?” she says. “I don’t need a god. I need someone strong to scare all the demons and they say the Yiling Patriarch is the scariest of them all. And he is real.”

He was real and loved and gone—

“So you can’t make us leave and you can’t take him away,” she says, a little wary. “He keeps the demons away.”

Lan Wangji thinks of a-Yuan, all of seven now, sitting in class. The first time he saw Lan Wangji after a nightmare, he drew him a talisman. Senseless scribbles on paper, driven by an instinct of memories he can no longer recall. The talisman worked, if not in the matter intended.

But senseless writing and childish belief wouldn’t keep resentful spirits away.

He decides to change the course of his inquiry. “How do you know he’s keeping you safe?”

At the question, the girl smiles proudly. “We hear him play at night!” She raises her hands as if playing an invisible dizi and hums a melody she shouldn’t know.

And Lan Wangji’s heart aches.

[bloomingapricots]

The Cunning Cat and Lazy Fox

Updated here first at AO3

Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 (here) | Chapter 4

Chapter 3 | Growing Closer

“Is this all you can remember?” You asked.

“Give me a break, I basically reincarnated,” Shang Huaisang whined. Currently, you are hanging out with Shang Huaisang at a teahouse and reading over the information he remembered of Proud Immortal Demon Way.

“It’s just that your book was not popular enough to warrant a Wiki page, or from what I last looked at. Much less the animals and plants,” You are contemplating mentioning Tianlang-Jun and Zhuzhi-lang. However, it is too early for that as Yue Qi is still Yue Qi and not Yue Qingyuan. “Anyways, how is Mobei-Jun?”

“I’m still gaining his trust,” Shang Huaisang replied.

“Alright, just… don’t take his hits and remind him that you’re a human,” As much as you like teasing Shen Jiu and gaslighting Yue Qi and Liu Mingcheng. You have some pity for Shang Huaisang as he is not only overworked but is also in a constant state of paranoia. Plus you do not like the pain-for-comedy trope either. Bonking Yue Qi the other day was your patience snapping, afterward, you went to sword training to release your rage.

“I will,” Shang Huaisang appreciated your care based on his small smile. You and Shang Huaisang became good friends over a couple of weeks.

“Jiu-er, I made sure you got your own room, it may be small but the door is strong and it has a lock,” You turned your head to look at Shen Jiu who lay right next to you. “So why are you here?”

“Do you not like Jiu-er anymore?” Your prickly junior brother asked. His eyes were wide, wearing a sad look. This damn cat is gaslighting you. You wrapped your arms around Shen Jiu and brought him closer to you where your foreheads touched.

“My dear Jiu-er,” You smiled sweetly. Shen Jiu's eyes widen at suddenly being pulled closer to you and the look in your eyes. You lowered a hand to hold his waist to pinch it.

“Hey!” Shen Jiu pushed you away and rubbed his waist.

“Jiu-er, as much as our martial sibling respects me, many will still talk behind my back. After all, I was not born male,” You pointedly stared at a dresser that held your undergarment. You know that Shen Jiu looked through your room, though you did not mind as you did give him a key to your room. “Hell, Yue-Shixiong asked if we dual cultivated,” You sighed.

“... What. Qi-ge asked that?” Shen Jiu mumbled. Now Shen Jiu actually looked upset.

“I didn’t reply to that and just hit him with my bamboo dizi. Jiu-er, as much as Shizun and the disciples of Qing Jing Peak respect my identity, not everyone does as such, you stick with me this closely” You gestured to yourself and him, in your bed, laid right next to each other. “Is seen as improper so there is a lot of gossip,”

“There is always gossip,” Shen Jiu complained.

“Yeah, that’s true. I guess it's better than your rumored lecherous ways,” You shrugged.

“There was a rumor of me seducing you so I could manipulate you and become the head disciple,” Shen Jiu said.

“Ha, as if, the disciples forgot at the beginning how lazy I was and it wasn’t till a certain incident that got me chosen by Shizun to be head disciple,” You said.

“I have been wondering about that, how did you become the head disciple,” Shen Jiu asked.

“Hm, I’ll tell you some other time,” You rolled over to lay on your back and closed your eyes. “We have a lot of work to do in the morning,”

“A-Duzhe! Tell me!” Shen Jiu whined.

“...I don't think this night is the right night for that tale, Jiu-er.” You turned your head and looked at Shen Jiu. Shen Jiu saw the look in your eyes and decided not to push anymore. He also rolled to lay on his back. You closed your eyes but smiled when you felt Shen Jiu hold your hand. Hand in hand, you and Shen Jiu drifted off to sleep.

—

“Oh fuck, oh fuck,” You mentioned last night to Shen Jiu that there will be a lot of work to do in the morning. The morning came and you took Shen Jiu with you on a hunt for a time-sensitive herb that your Shizun wanted to study but it went terribly wrong. Three overly-sized spiders are chasing the two of you. “Jiu-er! To the left,” Shen Jiu turned as you instructed and you followed after him while releasing many talismans that either protected your and Shen Jiu’s back or stuck to the three spiders to slow it down. Did you mention that you have a stupidly large amount of qi? Well, you do and when your Shizun learned about it they scolded you for hiding your potential.

“A-Duzhe! Where are we heading?” Shen Jiu yelled.

“To the cave tunnel that is only average people's size!” You yelled back.

“Alright!” Shen Jiu replied. As you defended your backs, Shen Jiu took the lead to find the cave tunnel you mentioned. He was quick to spot it as the two of you approached the mountain. “A-Duzhe! I can see the cave!”

“Okay!” You pulled out some talismans that glow brightly. “Jiu-er, lighting them up now!” You warned. Shen Jiu grabbed your hand as the spiders paused because of the lights and the two of you ran for your life towards the cave. Once deep enough the two of you stop running to catch a breath. “So much exercising,”

“...” As you were busy catching your breath, Shen Jiu was glaring at you as he caught his breath.

“Jiu-er?” You questioned when you turned to check on Shen Jiu.

“Since when did Shixiong have so much power?” Shen Jiu asked.

“What? Oh,” You remembered the aforementioned stupidly large amount of qi that is kind of an open secret of the mountain sect and how you recklessly used up a lot of talismans in front of Shen Jiu.

“Shixiong is truly lazy,” Shen Jiu pouted. As you come to learn, when Shen Jiu calls you senior brother and not your name with endearment, he is slightly annoyed or mad at you.

“My Shidi should know his Shixiong is not that attached to his position of head disciple and Shizun has chosen this Shixiong because of his achievement from the incident,” You explained. “Besides, this Shixiong got terribly scolded and lectured already by Shizun.”

“Shixiong has a lot of secrets,” Shen Jiu said.

“Shidi will learn all in time,” You replied.

—

“A-Duzhe, where does this tunnel lead to?” Shen Jiu asked after you dotted on him some more and started walking to the other side of the cave.

“Just a town, I think it’s called Peony Village because these soft pink peonies naturally grow there no matter what,” You explained. “Doesn’t it sound romantic, Jiu-er?” You teased him.

“Shixiong,” Shen Jiu gave you a blank stare. “Does Shizun not need us back soon?”

“We have the herbs in the time-frozen Qiankun pouch,” you shrugged and looked at the sky. “Plus I don’t think we have the energy to fly back before night falls,”

“I’ll trust A-Duzhe for now then,” Shen Jiu huffed. You grinned as the two of you entered Peony Village. Like its namesake, the village is overflown with soft pink peony bushes. The villagers were pleasant and welcoming as they placed peony flower crowns on your head and Shen Jiu’s head. Shen Jiu looked away from you as you and the village girls giggled at his flustered face. He grabbed your arm and dragged you to find a brothel. “Let’s go!”

“Haha Alright, alright, Shidi!” You laughed.

“There is a big banquet in front of the village chief’s home later, this one hopes the two Gongzi will appear,” Waved a nice auntie.

“Sure,” You yelled back and waved. As you and Shen Jiu found a brothel that was willing to room and board the two of you for the night, you asked Shen Jiu out on a date tomorrow.

“As Jiu-er heard, there is a banquet later tonight, shall we go together,” You asked.

“Why would this one go with such a shameless Shixiong?” Shen Jiu teased.

“Your Shixiong will get his Shidi’s food for him, so he doesn’t have to get up from his seat,” You smiled and leaned on Shen Jiu.

“Very well, this one will go with A-Duzhe,” Shen Jiu huffed.

“Will Jiu-er also like to view the peonies with me in the morning?” You asked.

“Is A-Duzhe trying to take up all my time?” Shen Jiu asked.

“A-Duzhe wants to have lots of memories with Jiu-er,” You replied.

“... Very well,” Shen Jiu agreed. You smiled brightly as you hugged Shen Jiu and forced him to lie on the bed.

“A-Duzhe!” Shen Jiu yelped but all you did was laugh.

—

Each time you went out and brought Shen Jiu with you, you conveniently went to photogenic and fun locations. You totally did not bribe your Shizun by allowing him to call upon you to play your dizi. Did you ever mention that you are a good dizi player? You are an incredible dizi player but you rarely play anymore and have to be bribed to play. Anyway, you had many fun “impulsive” dates with Shen Jiu and you can see that Shen Jiu softens over time. You also saw over time that Shen Jiu was willing to go out with not only his senior and junior sisters but his junior brothers too. No luck on his senior brothers though.

[flamingwell]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers (except me because obvs I have done it). Spread the self-love ❤

Oooooooh thanks for the ask! Well I'm primarily a podficcer and not a fic author, so I'll answer with podfics. This was absurdly difficult to narrow down (since when did I end up with 80 works on AO3??), but here's what I landed on, in reverse chronological order:

the strange idea of continuous living by umadoshi @ysabet (Guardian, Weilan, 49 mins). I posted this shortly before 520 exchange dropped that year, so some of my Guardian fam may have missed it. This is one of my favorite Guardian stories and I had a lot of fun podficcing it, and really had fun with the music and sound effects.

build me no shrines by occultings (MDZS/Untamed, Wangxian, 8 hrs 51 mins) This is my longest podfic ever and I'm super proud of it!! Case fic with Wangxian and the Juniors going to investigate strange happenings at the Burial Mounds, plenty of angst and hurt/comfort and figuring out their relationship. This was a labor of love and I had a ton of fun voicing it and figuring out all the music and sound effects and stuff I wanted to play with for it.

Drowning in the Sun by Zelos @overzelos who for some reason I'm unable to tag here (MZDS/Untamed, Yunmeng Bros, 1 hr 22 mins) a delightfully angsty story about what would have happened if Jiang Cheng was aware but paralyzed during the Golden Core surgery. I worked insanely hard on the music for this one, even though it (hopefully) doesn't show in the final product, because I *really* wanted a version of Jiang Cheng's theme song played on dizi to match the theme of the story and there weren't any options that sounded exactly right, so I had to do a lot of futzing in editing. I'm so proud of the result.

in your skin by darkredloveknot (MDZS/Untamed, Wangxian, 1 hr 30 min) this is a delightfully creepy story that I read and couldn't get the imagery out of my head for months, so naturally I had to podfic it. The summary is "A ghost takes root in Wei Wuxian's body" and I won't spoil any more than that. I wanted a truly eerie effect for the ghost's voice and came up with a multilayer audio process with like 8 different steps to use for this that I've since used in multiple other podfics. Let's just say I don't recommend listening right before bedtime.

Gentle Exile by rynleaf (Untamed, Lan Xichen/Song Lan, 1 hr 38 mins) this was the story that got me into the LanLan ship. The story is so good and so...poetic almost, that it was a real challenge to figure out how to translate it into audio. This was my first time doing a multi-voice (Song Lan was voiced by the wonderful @semperfiona and now it's hard to think of him with any other voice), and editing a multi-voice is a LOT harder than I realized. It was also my first time really doing music or sound effects and I really jumped into the deep end for this one. I actually added a whole second chapter for a "making of" interview because I went for it to a truly absurd degree.

[rosethornewrites]

T & G reading since 3/18

I was going to wait a few more days to post but it’s getting too long.

Finished

Teen:

Everything Is Solved With Soup (And Poison), by Love_Psycho (reread)

Waking up from a nightmare – that may or may not just be a nightmare – Jiang Yanli decides she needs to stop that nightmare from becoming reality.

What Is Holding Is Also Being Held, by curiositea

“Congratulations,” Song Lan says with a grin that can only be described as ‘shit-eating’. “You’re haunted.”

“What.” Lan Zhan and Wei Ying say simultaneously, one sounding significantly less excited than the other. Honestly Lan Zhan, Wei Ying thinks, how can you not be ecstatic?!

—

Or, Wei Ying and Lan Zhan are haunted by the powerful and lasting echoes of their past lives and maybe, just maybe, it’s fate.

(Halloween/Wei Ying’s birthday prompt from the fantastic @/wwxwashere on twitter: wangxian are haunted.)

The Best Soup in the World, by Nyatci (reread)

Lan Wangji wakes to his husband missing from their bed. He happens to find him in the kitchens, peeling lotus roots.

Possible Works 3 - What If Number 4, by Hauntcats

Things go differently at the Yiling Supervisory office when Wen Chao shows up early.

Possible Works 4 - Tunnel Vision, by Hauntcats

A night hunt turns interesting.

Stop, In the Name of Love, by weenakohi2 (🔒)

Artist/art teacher in training/volunteer crossing guard-Wei Ying saves A-Yuan from a road accident and gets hurt in the process. Lan Zhan and A-Yuan insist on taking him out as thanks. One things leads to another leads to domestic bliss.

General:

The Greed is the Unraveling, by nirejseki (4 chapters)

“Don’t cough blood on me,” Lan Qiren said, voice as prim and proper as it had ever been.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Wen Ruohan replied, teeth clenched and brow furrowed as he fought off the pain. Blood leaked out from the corner of his mouth despite his words. “I suppose the stain of red on white is terribly hard to get out.”

His tone was bitter, angry, and he was probably making some sort of very clever metaphorical point, given the Lan sect’s white robes and Wen sect’s emblem of red and white.

But -

(Lan Zhan, Wei Wuxian said. Do you think we made it - worse?)

(no one else can) take me there, by azurewaxwing

In his recent article in Contemporary Theories of Cultivation, Lan (2019) sets out to study the correlation between instrument choice and outcomes in the liberation of spirits. While his main thesis appears sound, his decision to limit the study to the qin, dizi, xiao and pipa undermines his conclusions.

This decision falls prey to the fallacy that tradition cannot be questioned. It ignores, too, the fact that many practising cultivators will encounter spirits that will have no exposure to such “expectations.” In a small study comparing the use of a dizi with a theremin—undoubtedly a non-traditional choice—the theremin produced optimal outcomes in liberating spirits where: time since death was less than 6 months; spirit was younger than 25 and older than 17 at time of death; or spirit motivation included aspects of revenge. The conclusions reached in Lan (2019), while providing a foundation for future study, are therefore as yet incomplete.

Mo Xuanyu

Cultivation Studies, Center for East Asian Studies, Stanford University

Lan Wangji, Wei Wuxian, and musical cultivation: a love story, told through academic articles, emails, texts, and videos.

just like glass, by sunflowersfield (🔒, 2 chapters)

Lan Zhan is grateful. Gratitude is a feeling that he can appreciate because it is not like the inky black guilt that runs hot through his veins. It is not like the dizzying paranoia that burns bright behind his eyes. His gratitude for Wei Ying glows like a flickering candle, and he hopes he can keep it alive.

Butterfly, by dragongirlG (🔒)

Lan Sizhui’s eyes widen. “Is it your birthday?” he asks, panic creeping into his tone. It occurs to him that he’s never asked about birthdays—Ning-shushu’s, his parents’, his sister’s—

“A-Yuan,” says Ning-shushu, his voice softer than normal, “it’s yours.”

Lan Sizhui blinks, stunned. “What?”

Lan Sizhui receives some unexpected gifts when he makes a visit to Wen Ning.

A reflection on family history, familial bonds, and identity written for Lan Sizhui's birthday.

Warmth in Winter, by rhysiana

Lan Wangji watches Wei Wuxian spend his first winter in Cloud Recesses.

(a song) greeting the dawn, by LadyKG (🔒, 2 chapters)

With a laugh he threw himself back over the seal painted on the floor, a hysterical bubble in his chest popping as he dug his hands into his hair. Of all the times to be sent back to. Of all the places he could have ended up. Why did it have to be now?

Unfinished

Teen:

Inchoate, by Marinelifeclub

“Where would you even go once you left? Wait a few more years before leaving." persuaded Jiang Fengmian,

“Will I live to see that long?” Wei Wuxian whispered under his breath.

Jiang Fengmian felt cold at those words. He always thought his children would be the ones to heal the scars left by their mother on Wei Wuxian, but just the concise way he spoke about them, he knows that wasn’t true. Now his best friend’s son sat in front of him, confessing to not thinking he will live to see himself become a man. Cangse and Changze must be furious in their graves as the sweet smiling son they raised endured pain because of a jealous woman and a cowardly man. Sighing, he did the only thing he could to make things right and accepted the boy’s wishes.

At age 14, Wei Wuxian left Lotus Pier and never looked back.

Wei Wuxian leaves Lotus Pier and while things change something’s are just set in fate.

Rabbit Charm, by aoeros (🔒)

“You gotta promise me that when you’re back home and settled in, I’ll be the first you come to see. Because I’m going to miss you more than anyone else will, Lán Zhàn. Except your brother, of course.”

“Of course. I promise to come find you first after I’ve settled back in.”

“Great! Then I promise to call you whenever I can. And, I will definitely not forget you.”

until only the mountain remains, by idleorbitals

Sizhui had asked why he wore it, and Lan Wangji had said something about restraint that sounded mysterious and grand, and Wei Wuxian had said it’s a no-fun ribbon. Once you put it on, you have to promise not to have any fun, and Lan Wangji had said Wei Ying, in that voice he had.

Can I have one? Sizhui had asked, and Lan Wangji had looked strange and fond, and Wei Wuxian had said, does no one listen to me around here?

- - -

The one where the Burial Mounds timeline gets expanded and Sizhui grows up a Wen.

Echoes, by LadyCrowned

Wei Wuxian heartbreak was so deep that broke time itself. Now, back in his youth, maybe this time around he can set the things right... But, how to change anything without knowing you have the chance to do it?

Your soul remembers what matters the most, even if your memory can't.

Something Warm and Safe, by Winxhelina

"Rich-gege!" A-Yuan exclaims happily.

"You can't call him that," Wei Wuxian admonishes gently. He puts an arm around Lan Wangji just as his knees give out, "Hey! I'm holding a child, you can't pass out on me like that. Oh. Oh, your back is covered in blood. Is that - is that your blood, Lan Zhan?!"

"Mn."

"Oh. Oh, you're bleeding a lot! Hold on! I'm putting A-Yuan down. A-Yuan, walk on your own for a bit. Can you also hold the basket for me? You're so mature and responsible! Okay, Lan Zhan, stay with me. I've got you."

"Is Rich-gege hurt?"

Lan Wangji doesn't hear the rest of that conversation.

In which Granny Wen manages to convince Wei Wuxian to take A-Yuan and hide away from the world. Lan Wangji manages to find them.

Shed Their Blood And Sealed Your Fate, by Eternal Scribe (Shadowcat)

The end scene at Guanyin Temple goes a bit differently...

General:

Pulled Against the Grain, by youleeyeah

“We found him walking injured just outside the Jingshi. He said-” Sizhui paused for a moment and then lowered his voice before continuing, “he said it was Young Master Jin who did this.” The boy couldn't look into Lan Wangji’s eyes as he spoke and turned his head to the side.

“You know,” Wei Wuxian started again after the pain subsided a tiny amount, “if I had my old body, I could've had intestines falling out of my gut and I’d still be able to fight for a few more hours.”

Lan Wangji furrowed his brows.

He has heard this before.

-----

Wei Wuxian wakes up in Gusu with a fresh stab wound he claimed was caused by Jin Ling. Lan Wangji is confused because the last time that happened was three years ago. Something is wrong with Wei Wuxian.

he, who died, is ignorant, by Maxciel_99

Jiang Cheng is thirteen when his eyes lose the shine that has always mirrored Wei Wuxian’s wild spirit. And then no longer is he a shadow of anyone but merely a shell of himself.

Here is a man who is served the world, for once, but he has turned a boy who finally stops wishing and wanting all at once.

_

Or basically, JC time travels but it's not your typical time travel fix-it.

By the River I Sat Down and Wept, by naolbedo

Wei Wuxian, while in the burial mounds, kept a small paper scroll. It is in this scroll that he filled his happiest memories.

When he eventually passes away and Lan Wangji arrives at the burial mounds, he finds only A-Yuan, clutching onto a qiankun pouch close to his heart as though he was holding on to the flickering warmth that once graced the burial mounds.

When the Hills Are All Flat, and the Rivers Run Dry, by stiltonbasket

Wei Wuxian feels her blood run cold.

Yu-ayi’s right. He really is going to choose me, she thinks. Oh, no. Oh, good Heavens, no!

She nearly bursts into tears on the spot; but just as her eyelids begin to sting, she remembers what her aunt said only two minutes earlier and breathes a sigh of relief.

The moment Huangshang lays eyes on you, he will know what choice to make.

In that moment, Wei Wuxian realizes that she can only be certain of evading the Empress’s throne if she ensures that the emperor never lays eyes on her at all.

Or: in the second year of his reign, Emperor Lan Wangji yields to the wishes of his ministers and holds a bride selection to find his future empress.

[dangermousie]

Still my fave EkKan scene and I melt like butter when he tells her he’s fallen in love with her and in response to her skepticism, puts her hand on his heart and begs her to “hear me.”

But much as I adore the kiss, the fact that she tells him it’s impossible, he leans in, and they start macking on each other makes me flashback to these lines from Pride and Prejudice:

``I am not now to learn,'' replied Mr. Collins, with a formal wave of the hand, ``that it is usual with young ladies to reject the addresses of the man whom they secretly mean to accept, when he first applies for their favour; and that sometimes the refusal is repeated a second or even a third time. I am therefore by no means discouraged by what you have just said, and shall hope to lead you to the altar ere long.''

Who knew Mr. Collins watched dizis!!!!!

PS But seeing that at the end of this ep her new boyfriend falls off a balcony with crazy daddy and his main reaction is relief it’s all over now is - he’s hot hot hot but run girl, runnnnnn far!!!!!!!

[aidoftheservant]

Yuan of Yiling (4/5) Waiting for a trial

[BEGIN] [PREVIOUS CHAPTER] [NEXT CHAPTER]

Yuan was warm. He sat comfortably on a pillow. The room was delicately decorated and quiet. The tea he had been served was of better quality than Yuan had ever had; the smell was amazing and calming. 

  Yuan was terrified. 

  In front of him sat Sect Leader Lan Xichen, Zewu-jun. Not even Hanguang-jun sitting beside him was enough protection from someone like that. 

  He felt so alone. He had his weapons confiscated (some knives and his dizi). At Cloud Recesses there were no corpses around for him to control. There was not even a hint of resentful energy that Yuan could let loose. He gripped his robes tightly and bit his lip. 

  “...” Zewu-jun set down his cup of tea. “Is there anything I can do or say to lessen your fear?”

  To his dismay, Yuan was shaking so violently that it was visible even to ordinary people who weren't trained to read others. He gave it some thought. Zewu-jun wouldn't be willing to do anything for him. He shook his head. Even so, he still said, "Thank you," fully aware that Zewu-jun had offered in kindness.

  Zewu-jun sighed and smiled gently. “I will be brief,” he reassured him. 

  Yuan nodded. It was impolite not to reply to Zewu-jun, but Yuan couldn’t get his voice to work. 

  “Before our meeting, I was approached by Sect Leader Jiang Wanyin. He came to inform me that you attacked Yunmeng Jiang some time ago.”

  A shiver ran down Yuan’s spine. He knew Jiang Wanyin would have to eventually make a statement about that night. After all, many of the Yunmeng Jiang disciples had noticed. Even with Jiang Wanyin's orders to keep this quiet, rumours will eventually spread, if they hadn’t already. 

  Yuan was prepared for that. But not while he was effectively trapped with the Lan. 

  “He also told me that Wei Wuxian was the rightful owner of the stolen artefact and that a private settlement would be reached sometime between the three of you. Though I fear some other matters must come first. Your sentence will be discussed shortly. I was gently told to inform you that there would have been more severe repercussions if anyone had been hurt.”

  Yuan bowed deeply. “I will go when Sect Leader Jiang Wanyin summons me to atone for my crimes." He felt odd about the arrangement. It was too lenient, he knew. Even if his punishment was to be grave, his case was somehow still considered negotiable. He hadn't thought it would be. He expected an immediate torturous death for taking Chenqing.

  "Good," Zewu-jun reached for his cup again. "Then, if I may trouble Wangji to show you to a private guest room where you may spend the time before your summons? He will inform you of where you may go during your stay."

  Yuan didn't bow again fast enough and stared for a few moments too long. "What?" He hastened to correct himself. "I apologize, Zewu-jun. I fear I misunderstand." 

  "You do not," Hanguang-jun said softly. "I will show you your room. You may go where the guest disciples go. Anywhere else is off-limits. If you wish to leave Cloud Recesses, you may request an outing. If granted, you will be accompanied." 

  "But…" Yuan raised his hands, torn between not wanting to argue with Zewu-jun and wanting to understand what was happening. He didn't know what to say. 

  "You've committed no crimes outside what Sect Leader Jiang Wanyin will already settle with you privately. As that is outside our jurisdiction, you are to be our guest in the meantime." Zewu-jun said this slowly and gently as if calming a frightened creature. 

  Yuan felt that was appropriate.

  "You are not a threat," Hanguang-jun told him. 

  Well, Yuan knew that. He did feel helpless. He was situated in one of the most powerful sects of the cultivation world. At most, he could bite someone if he caught them unaware.

  "Mn." 

  Yuan lowered his head. "I thank Sect Leader Lan Xichen for his hospitality. Zewu-jun, if Hanguang-jun would guide me, I will accept my leave." 

  "All right," Zewu-jun accepted his thanks with a nod. "You may leave. Wangji, I would speak with you before you descend Cloud Recesses." 

  Yuan got up too quickly to be seen as polite, but he still left the room with proper decorum. He didn't release his grip on his robes. 

  Hanguang-jun was leaving. 

  Of course, he was. He travelled with Xian-gege. They were uncovering some mystery that involved many sects and spanned for almost as long as Yuan had been alive. Yuan understood that much. 

  They'd be on the road, and Yuan would stay here, where he could be watched, without either of them. He breathed deeply to calm himself. His eyes burned and his throat was clogged. He didn't want to be here. Even if they'd not harm him, he wasn't welcome. He couldn't do anything. With his dizi gone, he couldn't play his songs either.

  He was so caught up in his thoughts, he didn't realize where Hanguang-jun led him until he stopped walking. It was a secluded field with some trees that provided ample shade. It was beautiful, like everywhere in these mountains, but it was not a guesthouse.

  Yuan almost bumped into him, so he froze with his foot still in the air. 

  "Sit."

  Yuan dropped to the ground immediately, even though Hanguang-jun only meant it as a suggestion.

  Hanguang-jun did indeed frown slightly when he looked down on Yuan.

  Yuan couldn't even smile sheepishly to laugh at his own expense. His legs had difficulty carrying him anyway. He was grateful to be seated on his knees. 

  Hanguang-jun walked away for a bit before he returned while carrying something.

  "Rabbits?" Yuan asked. "They're cute." 

  Yuan had already let it slip that he liked animals to the point he'd raise their corpses if he stumbled upon any. He let them roam the Burial Mounds for a bit until he let them go and buried them away from the resentful place.

  Xian-gege had called it a waste of energy. 

  To Yuan, it was very important. 

  Hanguang-jun set a calm rabbit on Yuan's lap. Yuan gently held it so it wouldn't fall off. He gasped as he felt through the warm fur of the small creature. It didn't move and lazily stared into the distance. Yuan had never held a live rabbit before. The rabbit was tame even!

  Hanguang-jun held a rabbit of his own and sat a respectable distance away from Yuan. He petted it with gentleness, while still emanating his usual air of elegance. 

  "You may come here," Hanguang-jun told him. 

  Yuan nodded.

  They sat for quite some time in silence. Other rabbits approached them. Yuan stopped shaking after a while, as he gently moved his fingers through the fur of the sleeping creature. It was soft, clearly healthy. 

  Then, Yuan did something strange, something very undignified. He bent at the waist over the rabbit, his head low and some strands of hair obscuring his face. The rabbit slept on, entirely unbothered and unafraid. It smelled odd, somewhat like dry earth, and decidedly not of blood and gore.

  He cried in silence, but the tears didn't bother him. For once, they didn't make him feel worse than he already did. He wanted to rest. He was just so tired.

  Hanguang-jun led him to his room after he calmed down.

[BEGIN] [PREVIOUS CHAPTER] [NEXT CHAPTER]

[hdsources]

thanks so much for the resources you provide - your blog is so unbelievably helpful. i was just wondering, would you be able to access turkish dizis?

it’s my pleasure! i love helping people find links to shows and movies so it’s a win-win. oh my gosh, i’ve had such a hard time finding turkish series!  i’m a huge fan of the dizis ( especially ask laftan anlamaz and günesin kizlari, my favs ) and i’ve been wanting to edit them for a long time but i’ve never been able to find torrents for them. the only way i’ve been able to download them in the past is by getting them from youtube using 4k video downloader. most current dizis have their own accounts with full episodes which is the best way to get them from what i can tell. i also always have a lot of problems finding russian shows & brazilian telenovelas. it’s a huge bummer. if anyone has other resources to find turkish dizis, please let this anon know!  

EDIT: anon check out this post that the fab @usermina linked in the replies! 

[cenizasdenaranjo]

Fanfics guardados en mi celular y ahora están aquí. MDZS parte 1

Bien, creo que al menos un 60% de los fanfics que leo son de MDZS, entonces, a ver que tal me va.

Sí... parte 1. Tengo miedo de lo que pasará en el futuro y eso aumenta la cantidad de fanfics que leo, que me hace tener menos tiempo para cosas de la vida lo que me da ansiedad lo que aumenta el miedo lo que aumenta los fanfics...

Así por 3 años.

Just as the Snow Melts by draechaeli

Capitulo 2

Like a snowy mountain top in spring the residents of the Burial Mounds trickled down the mountain and joined the flow of society. “I went to the Burial Mounds,” Lan WangJi said. “Ah, yeah… I’m sorry Lan Zhan,” replied Wei WuXian, “I hadn’t thought anyone would come to visit. I am still not sure how it happened; I brought A-Yuan to Yiling to play by the river and then ended up somehow teaching a bunch of children swimming and writing along with him.”

Meet Me on the Battlefield by makkurokuro93

Capitulo 7

Just when he thought he would die here, as one of the unfortunate heroes in the war, someone in black robes appeared in his hazy vision. His long hair moved in the wind. There was a red ribbon twirling among the black threads, apparent from where it held the hair in a loose half ponytail. The ghostly resonance of the dizi sounded louder, closer, and the army of the corpses in their surrounding suddenly imploded into rotten blood and ashes. Lan Wangji could only watch when the man turned around to him. He remembered that face, he remembered those lips that he had tasted and not been able to forget ever since.

I Will Not Go Gentle into the Quiet Night by TriviasFolly

Capitulo 4

With the Emperor and Empress of Yunmeng slaughtered, Crown Prince Jiang and his childhood companion Wei Wuxian are forced to flee from their home of Lotus Pier. Chased to a small garrision, Wei Wuxian realizes there is only one way he can give Crown Prince Jiang an attempt to escape -by sacrificing himself. A sacrifice that leads Wei Wuxian to a destiny, and a name, for himself that he never could have imagined.

And I Will Call You Home by Spodumene

La de los suicidios, que he tardado años en intentar leer, por qué tengo tanta desidia en leer post-canon T.T

Wei Wuxian reunites with Lan Wangji after a year of travelling, pleased to be a part of Lan Wangji's life again, but he refuses to examine and test the borders of their relationship. When Lan Wangji invites him to investigate a mysterious string of suicides together, Wei Wuxian happily accepts, but the case is not what it seems, and Wei Wuxian will be forced to face the feelings he's been denying for a very long time.

when we’re full of stories to be told by fakeplasticlily

Creo que ya lo leí, pero por si acaso, pa leer.

Flushing in embarrassment, Wei Ying hurries over to A-Yuan and crouches to place his hands on his shoulders. “A-Yuan, that’s enough,” he says. “Sorry, Lan Zhan, he used to go to a different bookstore where they host regular storytimes, I think he thinks you’re the designated storyteller for the day—”

He gets to his feet, holding A-Yuan at his hip, and glances up to look at Lan Zhan. It’s an awful, terrible, horrible mistake. This close, every detail of his face is utterly inescapable.

“Story time,” says A-Yuan, lower lip wobbling dangerously.

Wei Ying glances around, finding people staring curiously at the scene unfolding before them. “A-Yuan,” he hisses urgently. “We need to go. I’ll tell you a story on the way home, okay?”

“Do you really need to go?”

Wei Ying starts at Lan Zhan’s voice. He’s still looking steadily at him, an unreadable expression in his eyes.

(Seven years after running away from home to pursue a story that would expose one of the biggest media scandals in recent years, Wei Ying runs into the last person he’s expecting to see at a quaint, forgotten bookstore he hasn’t set foot in for a very long time.)

Yearning for Miles by Murahi

Capitulo 48, pero bueno, ya sabemos.

Wei Wuxian claims he found it. Jiang Cheng learns to trust his brother more than ever. Nie Huaisang is smarter than he looks and Lan Wangji will still pine even if Wei Wuxian knows they’re supposed to fall in love. At least the token is taking care of most problems. Perhaps we can hope for a happier ending this time. Or Wei Wuxian finds a strange artefact while he’s studying in Gusu. Apparently it shows the future.

Whatever it takes by Moonlit_dewdrops

Capitulo 5

Jiang Cheng and Wei WuXian are sent back to the past. This time, they can save everyone they love. They can make the right choices. They can learn to trust one another. However, everything comes with a price.

how to make your dad fall in love with your high school teacher in five steps; the complete and bulletproof guide by ravenditefairylights

Capitulo 3

Wei Yuan stares at the photograph, where two boys are perched on the front steps of a regal building with a sign introducing it as GUSU UNIVERSITY, sitting close together. One of the boys is taller, with short dark hair and light eyes, wearing white from head to toe. His face is severe, but there's a small smile turning his lips. Next to him is a boy with a messy ponytail, an arm thrown over the other's shoulder, in a red jumper with a purple jacket thrown carelessly over his jeans. His smile is huge and blinding, lighting up the photo. It has always been a favourite of Wei Yuan's among their dad's photographs. “We can—” “Please don’t say set them up, you don’t even know Mr. Wei.” Wei Yuan hears Xuanyu mutter, and they stifle a snort. “—set them up!” Jingyi finishes triumphantly. Xuanyu groans in defeat. “Wei Yuan, what do you think?” “Won’t that be a bit disrespectful to Mr. Wei? You have known he exists for like, ten minutes.” --- or the fic where the juniors are a bunch of chaotic teenagers, wei ying is just a tired single dad and lan zhan has spent enough years pining over the love of his life, in jingyi's opinion

Teen Project to Change the World by animeloverhomura

Capitulo 18, oh dios mio, este fanfic es grandioso pero siempre me pierdo. Si recuerdo bien me quedé después del secuestro.

Lan Sizhui, Lan Jingyi, Jin Ling, and Ouyang Zizhen listened attentively as Wei Wuxian explained his newest invention: a way to send memories to the past. Satisfied that he dealt with all possible paradoxes and running on -2 hours of sleep, he didn't make note of his sons' frankly concerning expressions. "We could change everything!" they shouted simultaneously. For better or worse, only time will tell.

white winter hymnal by Anonymous

There is a strange scent of lavender and lotus blossoms in the air, hot and heavy and overly sweet, verging on rotten and sour, musky like decaying flowers.

Oh.

Oh no.

Lan Wangji feels something hysterical bubbling up in his throat as the scent registers and everything clicks into place. Wei Wuxian is an omega. He is in heat. Probably his first heat, and someone found him like this, weak and vulnerable, and they hurt him.

--

Wei Wuxian goes into heat for the first time during the summer spent at Cloud Recesses, and is assaulted in the forest. Lan Wangji finds him and helps him through the aftermath, while struggling to reconcile his own desires.

Or,

An emotional crucible for Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji, and the Jiang siblings.

The pathway to cultivating family by Lan_Wangjoe

Según que me quedé en el capitulo 6 pero yo recuerdo que iba al corriente. Quien sabe pero este escritore sabe lo que hace.

Sect politics where a mess most of the time, tradition often justified prejudice and it is a world where the players change, but rules stay the same. There's little tolerance for change, there's little hope of happiness when people insist on saying what is right and what is wrong. But Baoshan Sanren never cared about the rules, and neither did Wei Wuxian. In an extravagant encounter she gifts him something the world has never seen before. Lan Sect is thrown into chaos and it better begin changing or it is their end by the hands of the cultivating world and their own secret politics. Wei Wuxian is sick, Lan Xichen is dying and Lan Wangji is going mad with grief. Either Lan Qiren considers erasing the four thousand and one rules or is the end of Sect Lan of Gusu.

Therefore, You Should Get To Know Him First by FlorQuinnUwU

Según esto, voy en el capitulo 3. Pero man, porque soy así, de seguro hasta lo terminé T.T

In which Wei Ying kind of sort of has an obsession with money. That's not all there is to him, though.

"Young Master Jiang, are you out of your mind? How could you let that pea--I mean Young Master Jin win like that?", there was an exasperated and annoyed tone in Wei Ying's voice now. "This isn't--!"

Jiang Cheng's almond eyes stared straight at silver ones, completely serious. "Quadruple raise in your allowance."

Wei Ying's eyes shot wide open.

He suddenly pumped his fists up, passionately continuing. "--awful at all! Truly, Young Master Jiang is kind and giving! I, Wei Wuxian, am in awe of your compassion!"

Luo Qingyang raised an eyebrow. Jin Zixuan blinked like an owl.

Almond met silver again. Wei Ying gave him a thumbs up. "I will put my utmost effort in supporting you, Young Master!"

Jiang Cheng resisted the urge to facepalm.

Jiang Yanli just laughed, amused by it all. Good for her.

[world-of-kar]

[mutluolmaktanuzak]

lily bu çocuğu hiç haketmedin sen

[alwayzraven]

Kardeşlerim Ep 21 ► Berk visiting Aybike at night and bringing her a sandwich because she said she wanted to eat one + Aybike trying to kick him out before her mom catches them.

[thescorpioracer]

I’m 10 episodes in to Kara Sevda (which feels too late to start a commentary thread) but I’m really enjoying watching a show that I know has a lot of episodes, where characters are steadily making progress to find out Nihan’s secret

Unlike Kiralık Aşk where it took LITERALLY 52 EPISODES of Ömer knowing nothing before he found out everything in almost the worst possible way

[kimp05]

omg! i just looked up Her Yerde Sen and it looks SO GOOD! (I want to see it now, and don't know how I can!) I know these dramas are so long however I'd love to see your thoughts on the Taiwanese one :)

I can’t say I will watch the Taiwanese version anytime soon, but it is in my to watchlist so I will check it out in the future.

There’s an English dubbed version flowing around? I did not know that lol. I don’t particularly like dubbing since I prefer to hear the actors’ real voice but if you don’t mind it, I’m glad you found it.

Yes! They are so physically compatible! They truly look so good together. I would love to see them work together again but it seems like Turkish drama don’t usually repeat pairing so the chance is quite slim.

As for the English subtitles...I know a couple sites that do offer subtitles for international fans, however I would like to warn you that the subtitles are not always the best. Turkish drama seems to be quite relatively new to the international audience, so it’s really hard to find English subtitles for them. The subtitles aren’t accurately great but it’s better than nothing. Just remember the fans do the subbing so be appreciative for their time and effort.

Here are three sites that I go to often to find Turkish drama with decent English subtitles. I hope this can help you a bit.

https://turkfans.com/ 

https://turkish123.com/

https://serial4u.net/

P.S. I decided to group these asks together since they’re all related to Her Yerde Sen. I hope you don’t mind. And also sorry for the super late reply back. I hope you see this Anon(s) ~ (I’m assuming these asks are all from one person)~.

[uzagin-dogusu]

Cheer Up! 

[theotheroccassionalfanficwriter]

Amidst the Snow Covered Mountains

Summary: You had always believed that after the death of your lover, you would forever wear your red robes as penance for a promise you failed to keep. Your heart had died with him and your time would forever remain frozen. And then Tartaglia arrived in your life, like a sun that melted the snow.

Rating: G

A/N: Heavily inspired by Mo Dao Zu Shi and Tian Guan Ci Fu.

The cold air of Snezhnaya was colder than the air atop the mountain peaks in Jueyun Karst. But the years you’ve spent in service of the Fatui made you acclimated to the cold air that nipped at your nose. Your clothes, a fusion of Snezhnaya and Liyue fashion, were magically enhanced to keep your body in perfect temperature regardless of climate. The fox fur that lined the hems of your sleeves and robes added a regal air to your already noble nature. It made you more aloof and unapproachable compared to the other Harbingers, adding upon your age that was closer to the Tsaritsa’s, not even most of your fellow Harbingers dared to speak informally with you.

Of course, you weren’t spared from the scheming and backstabbing but they were more likely to do it politely or without any crassness. The exception to all of this was Tartaglia, the newly inducted 12th Harbinger. He was a human born to be a warrior, the battlefield was his home and you made no secret of your admiration for his skills.

It was perhaps the reason why he often followed you around like a tail, not that you cared, the human was talkative and yet he was undeniably a genius in fighting. He was also frustratingly obsessed with fighting you despite never winning in any spar, though you appreciated his offers, he brought no challenge to you.

“...Tartaglia, don’t you have to drill your men?” You asked him, your robes immaculate while his were dirtied from the ground and your pyro vision.

Your forehead ribbon fluttered in the cold wind as you remained standing in front of Tartaglia’s collapsed body.

“Columbina,” He panted “at this point you should be offering to help me stand up!”

You couldn’t help the small smile on your lips at hearing him whine. 

“Wait! Did you just smile?”

You ignored his question in favor of walking away, “Stand up, It’s dinner time.”

“Wait for me! Archons, why are you so keen on keeping a regular schedule!” Tartaglia whined as he got up and ran after you, arms slung on your shoulder as both of you walked through Snezhnaya’s eternal winter.

Snezhnaya was colder than the place you used to call home but it with Tartaglia beside you, chattering senselessly in your ear, warmed you better than Fú Shě’s presence.

--

Your existence as an Adeptus, a former Yaksha, was never a secret among the Fatui. It was merely something that no one mentioned to your face, it was acknowledged but never talked about. It meant that Tartaglia asking you about it had thrown you off guard. Strong enough that your usual impassive face had shown emotion.

“Do they discriminate against you for being a Yaksha?!” Tartaglia asked, indignant over an imagined slight.

Something warmth unfurls in your chest but you are quick to dismiss it in favor of grabbing Tartaglia’s collar and stopping him from marching out of your home and into the Palace.

“No. I was just surprised that you’d ask about my past” You replied, voice deceptively calm.

Once Tartaglia returned to his seat, you did the same and took a sip from your honey lemon tea. It had been years since you last thought of your past, the home you left behind and the everything you once held dear. The steam of the tea curls around in the air, the soft muffled sounds of the city filling the silent room of your living area.

You take another sip and began telling your story, “ I used to be part of a Yaksha clan, we were contracted to Rex Lapis for the purpose of quelling the lingering hatred of Liyue’s fallen gods…”

“I was the younger sibling of one of the Foremost Yaksha, thus there were expectations of me rising up to his prestige,” You smiled fondly at the memories, unaware of the sadness that lingered in your eyes “Despite that neither I nor my brother felt any bitterness towards each other. Though I am in his shadows, I know my own worth. My talent lies not in slaughter but in helping them gain peace.”

“As a Yaksha, I travelled around Liyue, village to village, quelling grudges upon grudges. There were times I would cross paths with other Yakshas, sometimes we fought together, sometimes each other. But all of it was for fulfilling our duty,” You took another sip of tea, exhaling as your mind easily drew up the memories you’ve hidden.

You told him, skirting around some details, about your past and how it led you to Snezhnaya. You talked and talked, offering him bits and pieces of a past that left a festering wound in your heart. It was an odd feeling, for someone like you who preferred to be silent, to be talking for so long.

But it was hard not to, not when Tartaglia looked at you with eyes that brightened at your tales, from your battles to your previous mundane life. Eventually the conversation drifted away from your past and to Liyue’s culture and traditions, you answered every question Tartaglia had. From the serious ones to the silly ones, letting him see the Liyue from your memories.

“One of your clan’s specialty was music cultivation,” You revealed to him as your hand absentmindedly fed him cookies, a muscle memory from the past “My brother played the dizi though he preferred to use a sword to fight.”

“And you?”

“A guqin.”

Tartaglia hums, voice soft and inquisitive. You wait for his question.

“Columbina, if I learn to play a dizi, would you play with me?” He asked, almost shy and it makes your heart feel something between pain and comfort.

“Mn.”

Tartaglia’s presence in your life becomes more apparent after that day. And annoyingly, it takes Pulcinella pointing it out for you to notice.

“Tartaglia hasn’t been bothering you, has he?” Pulcinella asked, voice deceptively uncaring.

You blinked at him, the only evidence of your confusion at his question. You knew that for all of Pulcinella’s claims to have no lingering affection for Tartaglia, it was a well-hidden lie. He had after all raised that child, even if it was across the battlefield.

“No.” 

You left, pace unhurried and face emotionless. The weight of Pulcinella’s stare on your back is heavy but you didn’t care for it. You had a scheduled spar with Tartaglia, and you knew he was more bearable if he got beaten up. 

Your arrival in the sparring grounds designated for you and Tartaglia is marked with the sudden silence and loss of familiarity among the lower ranks. It was amusing seeing him momentarily at loss until he turns around and smiles at you, bright and welcoming that it almost makes you falter in your steps. It has been a long time since your presence has been greeted like that.

“Have you warmed up?” You asked as your loyal left hand comes over and takes away your outer robe and gently drapes it over her arms.

Your forehead ribbon flutters in the cold wind, your sword steady in your hand as you stood a few paces away from Tartaglia. It was a clear declaration of challenge, one you would not have done if you had remained within the confines of your clan, if your brother had not left you alone.

But Tartaglia inspires change, he is a breath of fresh air, and when he smiled at you, sharp and just as excited, it makes your blood rush. Reminiscent of the bright summer days in Liyue that you spent with your clan and fellow Yakshas. Bold and carefree.

Tartaglia was an excellent fighter, one that would only grow stronger as time goes by and though he poses no challenge to you right now. He is still a force to be reckoned with, his moves does not allow you to loosen your guard. To fight in the same ease as you would when faced with other Harbingers or the monsters that littered Teyvat. Tartaglia fights with everything that he has, gives his all in every battle he finds himself in.

He is born to be a warrior and you respect that. So you do the same, you treat every spar as if you were up against old gods, curses given to life. You fight seriously and with everything you have because Tartaglia was worth it. He deserves nothing less.

In the end, it ends as it always does. Tartaglia on the ground, your sword at his throat. Your forehead ribbon, immaculate, and your robes free of dirt and yet you could tell that he had gotten stronger, from the slow and unnoticeable labored breathing of your body.

“Yield.”

Tartaglia smiles and in a split second you dodge a hydro aimed at your throat, eyes widening at his new attack that you don’t notice how the hydro dagger had loosened your forehead ribbon until it falls right before your eyes.

‘Your forehead ribbon,’ Your father explains, voice soft and firm but no less loving, ‘can only be removed by your spouse.’

What falls to the ground isn’t the familiar white of your clan’s clothes. It had been thousand of years since you last wore the white robes of your clan. 

‘You wear white all year round! There’s nothing to mourn and yet you act like there is!’ His voice, playful and whining, ‘When we get married are you going to wear white as well?’

The memories come unbidden to your mind. Unpleasant and painful. You could only stare in horror as the red ribbon dropped to the ground, it was the highest quality of silk, golden threads forming the shape of qingxin where clouds used to be. 

“Columbina?”

You leave in a flutter of red robes, forehead ribbon tightly gripped in your hand as you try to escape from the memories you’ve buried deep. You are no longer part of your clan, in name and genealogy, but still you follow its rules and tradition. It was deeply ingrained in you, down to your marrow, that to do so felt odd.Though you have gone lax as the years go by, there were still some rules you strictly adhered to. The forehead ribbon would always be one of them. Though the meaning had changed it was in essence still the same.

‘The forehead ribbons symbolizes our restraint. It is the symbol of our commitment to be free from worldly desires’ Your father explained as he tied your forehead ribbon, ‘It means that though we have forsaken all, it is them we chose not to.’

You stand, a top of Snezhnaya’s frozen mountain, inside a cave you’ve built for seclusion. There are no paths leading to it, only accessible to those like you or the Cryo Archon you worked for. You meditate on the floor, hand still tightly gripping the forehead ribbon.

You think of him, the gentle blue of his robes and his eyes that yearned for strong opponents. You think of the silent promise you made when you left your clan, struck out your name from the genealogy and bowed before Rex Lapis in acknowledgement of your actions.

White for mourning.

Red for a promise left unfulfilled.

You meditate and think of your past actions, refusing to call them wrongs, because you had only ever sought to follow your clan’s principles to the best of your heart. And to stay true to your beloved, to stand on their side, and protect them was no wrong.

--

“It’s been a long time since I heard you play your zither” she greets as she steps into your cave, easily by passing your seals, and stopping right in front of you.

You don’t stop playing the ever familiar notes of Inquiry, absent of any spiritual energy. She sat herself on the stool by the side, listening and waiting for you to finish your song. 

“Has it?” You asked as you put away your guqin, carefully setting it aside on a table specifically made for it.

“Yes. It’s been years since you last played a song on Sīzhuī.”

You tried to recollect your memories, giving her thoughts the consideration it deserved and you found that she was right. It had been years since you last played Inquiry, your last memory of playing it was the night before Tartaglia’s arrival in the Palace, under Pulcinella’s tutelage.

“It seems so” You finally answered, before moving away from your instrument and opting to serve her tea. If only to calm your shaken heart.

“Tartaglia was worried” she spoke as if recounting a normal tale, “enough that he had personally asked me for your whereabouts.”

You say nothing as you wait for the water to boil.

“He looked like he was about to cryー”

You level her a look that clearly states your disbelief and she laughs, continues her words, “or maybe terrorize the local wildlife of Snezhnaya’s mountains to find you.”

That you can agree with. Tartaglia had always been the sort to figure things out before letting his emotions run through him. You appreciated that part of him, and can rely on him when your understanding of people falls short.

“Why?”

“He found out the meaning of your forehead ribbon, and from what I’ve heard you were positively stricken with grief when it came undone.”

It wasn’t a lie but still you felt uneasy at the way she said. As if she knew the exact memory that filled your mind when you saw it come undone and yet her words felt like it had underlying meanings.

“Come out of seclusion and pacify him. He’s stalking down my hallways and I like my palace calm and quiet.” 

You looked at her, “If you truly did, you would have not accepted Tartaglia.”

She smiled at you and said nothing. A silent acknowledgement of a shared fondness for a Harbinger that wrought chaos in his wake. She leaves your cave after securing a promise of coming down after a few more days of meditation.

You watch her leave and think of how despite no longer loving her people, she still cared for them deep within the festering wounds of her heart.

--

Your return is marked with a bright day absent of the usual snowfall. Your red robes are immaculate, forehead ribbon tied perfectly tight on your head, your sword in hand. You walk the familiar halls of Zapolyarny Palace with your held high and back straight. 

Your ribbon flutters in the air as you walk, your long hair swaying in tandem. Your feet takes you to Tartaglia’s wing, to his office where you knew he would be at this time of the day. Dealing with paperwork he loathes but still does because he was a responsible leader for all of the chaos he wreaks.

You knock thrice, and step back on hearing the crash and dash of feet heading towards the door. The thought of your knock being distinct to him makes your chest feel warm.

“You’re back!” Tartaglia cries out as he throws away decorum to hug you in the middle of the hallway. Uncaring of who might hear him or see his action.

You offer no response beyond hugging him. Your hand on his back, patting his much taller form and simply letting him seek whatever it was that he found in you.

“I’m sorry” Tartaglia says, voice soft, in the privacy of his office. 

Years ago you would not have forgiven anyone who dared to do what he had done. Years ago you would have been struck with anger and grief but the years spent away from Liyue had healed your wounded heart, time had lessened the pain you felt from his departure and Tartaglia had softened you in ways you were only beginning to realize.

“No need” You told him, as he laid his head on your lap, face curled up on your stomach.

Years ago, you would not have dared to act so close to anyone in this way. Years ago, the only person who could make you show your heart easily had left. Now, it was easy to allow yourself a simple show of affection towards Tartaglia. A delicate dance of things unsaid and actions speaking louder.

The sight of Tartaglia’s hair against the red of your robes was an image that you wouldn’t forget so easily. You think of the Tsaritsa’s words, of Tartaglia almost crying and you can believe it, in the way he curls his hand on your robes like a child hating to part ways.

You gently card your fingers through his hair, thinking deeply, of what all of this meant. His head on your lap, your hand in his hair, this intimacy that settles well in your bones, the unspoken trust he held for you from the first day he arrived in the palace. The change from that battle-crazy teen to the young man that was a finely honed weapon of war that stood as your equal.

“I was afraid you know,” Tartaglia looked at you through his long lashes “that you’d end up hating me or leaving forever.”

You said nothing.

“There were records─of you and your past─nothing substantial but enough if one knew the ins and outs of the story” Tartaglia’s hand curled tightly on your robes, crinkling it in his tight grasp, “I didn’t know.”

“No one did” You replied.

And it was the truth. No one knew how much you cared for that bright eyed human who feared no one. Not even you knew the lengths you would have gone for him, not until you’ve slaughtered your way towards him in a vain attempt to save him.

No one until Tartaglia had been able to piece the missing pieces. To learn the truth behind the red of your robes and the deep scars on your back. It felt like a weight off your shoulders. To be known without speaking the painful truths, putting into words what had transpired that day in Nantianmen. 

“I’ll be more careful when sparring with you.”

“No need.”

You looked into his eyes, “You’re most beautiful when untamed.”

The red that bloomed in his face was your favorite shade of red.

--

From that moment onwards, it was rare to see you without Tartaglia right next to your side. It meant that the two of you were always sent out together across the seven nations with the exception of Liyue. Tartaglia left stories in his wake, about his battle prowess, and adding more to his myths in Snezhnaya.

With him by your side, few people paid attention to you. As it should, Tartaglia was meant to shine brightly, eclipsing the entire room with his presence. Despite that, you made your way into his tales, stories speculating, judging, your relationship with him.

“Lovers” the bards from Mondstadt claim.

“Sworn brothers” the story tellers from Liyue insist.

“Soulmates” the poets from Fontaine declared.

“Aibou” the rakugo masters from Inazuma tell.

“Taw'am roHi” the scholars from Sumeru assert.

“Iyakiciyuha” Natlan’s storytellers announce.

“Rodstvennuyu dushu” Snezhnayan minstrels whisper.

The speculations didn’t bother you as much as what it could do to your relationship with Tartaglia. You cared for him, considered him as a friend and a reliable ally. You wouldn’t want this fragile sort of intimacy between the two of you to be tarnished by 

For all of your supposed aloofness, you cared deeply for him and in extension everything related to him. It meant that his opinion mattered.

“Does it bother you?” Tartaglia had asked, eyes uncharacteristically serious, as he sat on your bed.

You paused and then replied, “It would if it affected us the way we are right now.”

“I see.”

And that was the end of it. Nothing changed, Tartaglia stuck to you like glue and you remained at his side, partnering with him to minimize the fall out of his chaos, fighting with him side by side until both of you could effortlessly fight together in battle like one mind in two bodies.

Tartaglia spent more time in your room during missions until it was more sensible to room together during work trips if only to avoid wasting money for a room that was mostly unused. Then it bled to your private life where Tartaglia opted to spend his time in your home on short holidays rather than travel back to Morepesok.

Which led to meeting some of his siblings, the youngest three had taken a shine to you. It was odd and fascinating to see three young look-alikes of Tartaglia, calling him Ajax. It was even more fascinating seeing him blunder about, desperately trying to hide his real job from his siblings and his former name from you.

You drive their attention away by mentioning your gifts and Tartaglia offers you a grateful smile. The siblings spent time in your home, making a mess out of it and you laugh Tartaglia’s worries away.

“It makes this place look lived in” You told him just as Anton abandons Sīzhuī in favor of your drums.

Tartaglia said nothing to that, only staring at you in a way that you can’t quite understand. But as quickly as you caught his look, it disappeared just as well with Teucer barreling to your legs.

The rest of his siblings visit descend into mayhem, a welcome one, there are demands for toys and adventures, and you grant all of it. You have been in service of the Tsaritsa for a long time and barely had any worldly desires to be able to make a dent on your savings. You are arguably the richest Harbinger alive. Spending your dusty money for a child’s happiness was worth it.

Tartaglia’s grateful smile was worth it.

The warm feeling in your heart that takes days to dissipate after their departure was worth it.

Tartaglia permanently living with you was worth it. 

--

“Our clan loves deeply,” Your father once said, voice somber and looking at a painting of a mother you’ve never met “almost like a curse.”

You didn’t understand until the day came when you changed your white robes for red ones.

--

Tartaglia was a complex character. A human who keeps you on your toes and leaves you wanting more and more until it becomes impossible to keep yourself away from worldly desires. Five thousand nine hundred and eighty six years of cultivation practice that abstains from worldly desires went down the drain when you met him.

You didn’t even know.

Tolerance gave way to fondness.

Fondness to love.

You didn’t know when your time started moving forward again, when remembering no longer brought pain and sorrow. By the time you noticed it, it was too late.

You could no longer escape from it, no path of retreat left, not when his touch brings you warmth. Not when he looks at you so softly, so fond with his bright blue eyes that it feels too much. Not when his absence feels like a loss of limb, not when necessity dictates a separation.

There is no other word for this.

And so, you play Sīzhuī in the night and meditate.

Love is a curse and Tartaglia only deserves the blessings of the world.

--

Tartaglia, Ajax as he was called back then, remembers growing up hearing the stories about an Adeptus in Snezhnaya, it was the talk of the town and every adult knew the story that was passed down.

The adeptus, male, with red robes that was too thin for Snezhnaya’s climate showed up with the Tsaritsa. His hair was inky black and flowed like silk, his eyes were gold if it was melted, his skin was perfect. Tartaglia remembered the stories that his father told him about you, your fights that left a mark in Snezhnaya’s history, strategies that had every scholar from Sumeru debating endlessly on its merits and demerits, but what remained deeply etched in his heart and memory was a story only known to their family.

You had saved his father, once in his youth as an adventurer, there was an avalanche and his father had resigned himself to death. Only to be saved at the last minute by you. You had came in, standing on your sword, red robes fluttering in the wind as you scooped his father up and away from the path of the avalanche and into safety.

No words were exchanged.

You left just as quickly as you came. Back straight and hair fluttering in the wind, very much like the noble heroes depicted in Liyue’s literature.

And Ajax had wanted that, had dreamt of fighting with you side by side as an equal, and then dreamt of you. His fall to the abyss did nothing to dampen that desire, it only served to fuel him further, his ambition becoming a tangled mess of wanting adventures, getting stronger and at the heart of it all you.

He’s thrown into the Fatui and then he meets you. 

Every story told about you describes you in the same way, a handsome adeptus who wore red clothes and a forehead ribbon with golden qingxin embroidered in it. The thing is no one mentioned the weight of your stare, to have molten gold eyes to look at you from above and make you feel as if you were lowly.

It was what Ajax felt when he had arrived in the Palace, what Tartaglia felt when he became a Harbinger.

It doesn’t curb down his desire though. It only spurred him on, made him want to have myths and legends created about him, to match the ones you’ve left in the annals of history, until his name, his title becomes synonymous with yours.

The thing is nothing was as good as the real deal. Everyone told him about your golden words, how you rarely speak unless absolutely necessary, how you were cold and aloof and the thing is they are so so wrong.

There is nothing aloof or cold about you.

Your words are golden but Tartaglia can hear your unspoken words from the curve of your lips to the small frown of your face and even the glint of your eyes.

And it thrills him.

To know you in such a way that no one ever would. The entire world can have your myths and legends but Tartaglia? He would have you, the realest version of you that has preferences and quirks and gets drunk so easily that it leaves his heart gasping and insides twisting from the sheer amount of fondness you evoke from him.

He loves you, from the start, he thinks.

And then the forehead ribbon happened and for the first time Tartaglia was at loss, hurt and fearful and definitely bloodthirsty. The grief and shock in your eyes, the visible pain when you saw your ribbon at the ground had him panicking.

The win felt bitter in his tongue, as he watched your red robes flutter away with each quick step you took away from him. He stared dumbly at your retreating back and regrets. Your disappearance feels like years when in reality it was months but still Tartaglia wreaks enough chaos and havoc in his wake that had the Tsaritsa calling him back and then receives the story.

It wasn’t a complete one but it was enough.

It takes several trips to Snezhnaya’s mountains and a couple of manmade avalanches before the Tsaritsa takes one look at him and orders him to stay in his office until your return. And Tartaglia does his best to not look like a child sent to be grounded but it was hard, even his dedication to his duty could not stand to his desire to fly to your side and remain there but he relents.

And only when Pulcinella had revealed that no human would be able to access your cave because it was on top of Snezhnaya’s tallest mountain.

So he resigned himself to waiting. He resigned himself to whatever it was you would do once you returned, resigned himself to lose you because Tartaglia is many things but he was never one to hurt his loved ones.

And then as always you overturn his expectations, you welcome him, you forgive him and then you make him fall for you all over again and Tartaglia resents you a little bit for it.

(It was a lie, he could never bring himself to resent you.)

The change started from there, he tests the waters, gauging how much you can take before you drew a line before him. He stands too close to you, hands on your waist or any other body part, sleeps in your room during away missions more often than not until the two of you begin sharing a room then a bed. You don’t care about the rumors, the speculations, you love his siblings and Tartaglia could see a future with you.

And then Liyue happens.

-- 

It goes like this, you are assigned to oversee the operation in Liyue and Tartaglia is to take the Gnosis. He reports his findings to you and you give him leads.

He follows and eventually befriends the funeral parlor consultant. Then he learns about you. Snippets of a history written in blood and separation of lovers, and between father and son. Just as you’ve left your traces in Snezhnaya’s history, you’ve left your touch in Liyue’s tea houses.

And it leaves a bitter taste of jealousy in Tartaglia’s mouth.

He thinks of your guqin, named Sīzhuī, meaning to remember. 

He thinks of your new red robes sans the fur, your red forehead ribbon. 

“The adeptus had loved the mortal man enough to slaughter his way through 100 clan elders to save a single mortal who walked away from the path of righteousness.” 

He thinks of everything you gave up for one man and Tartaglia wants that for himself.

And yet he does nothing about it. Instead he devotes himself to the mission, enjoys the time between preparing for his next move and doing his day job at the bank with spending it with either you or Zhongli. He doesn’t ask you about the little details in your life during your tenure as an Adeptus.

He doesn’t ask the questions he wants.

Because above all, Tartaglia had always respected you so he waits until you can tell him everything. In the end, it takes a fight between the two of you before it happens.

--

“I don’t want to involve the weak.” 

“...I’ll draft up another plan then.”

--

Any other person would have been hurt by the lies, the deception, and the manipulation. Tartaglia isn’t any other person.

He is rational and meticulous when it comes to his job as a Harbinger, and he recognizes this event as part of it. It chafes at him but ultimately he can carry on with this blight in his reputation. And that was the thing, it was supposed to be blight in his, not yours.

Not the romanticized hero Liyue made you out to be, not the upright and honorable Harbinger you are.

Tartaglia can take it. He can afford being used as a scapegoat, can weather out his role as a villain in Liyue’s history. He cannot, will not, however allow your reputation to be tarnished.

He rages, he schemes, he makes a scene but all of it is for nothing. Not when it's your scheme he is up against, not when you were so determined to make yourself a villain in this story. And for the first time, Tartaglia saw how big the gap between the two of you were. He thinks three steps ahead and you think ten.

He is no match at all and it burns him. Enough so that Zhongli had noticed and commented on it,

“Is it not better this way for you?”

“Xiansheng,” Tartaglia bites out “I’d rather not have them suffer at all.”

And it was the truth. Tartaglia would rather have his name drag through the mud than let you experience the scorn of the people you once sought to protect. 

Zhongli gives him a considering look and Tartaglia does his best to settle his agitation, to be calm as you once instructed him. Eventually Zhongli speaks,

“It is their good fortune to have met you in this lifetime” He takes a sip of his tea, staring into the cup, “Have you considered the reason behind their action?”

Tartaglia thinks of the stories of the romance between you and your former almost husband. The 100 lashes that left a deep scar on your back, your eventual departure from your clan and the service of Rex Lapis. He thinks of the shape of your love and it leaves him reeling.

He leaves a mora pouch on the table and makes his way to you, to your side and he wants to beg for forgiveness, to demand you to stop because Tartaglia does not require your sacrifice.

He just wants you.

--

Years ago, you resigned yourself to never step foot in this place. Accepted that perhaps Liyue would never be your home from the moment everything you held dear slipped through your fingers.

But Fate was a funny thing.

Here you stood in the ancestral hall, sitting before your Father and Mother’s stone tablet. Staring blankly at the curling smoke of the incense with a heavy heart filled with regrets.

Your cousin sits beside you, the clan leader after your departure and Fú Shě’s eventual ascension.

“Uncle regretted it.”

“Mn.”

“The night before he died, he called me in his room. I wasn’t born yet when you left or when tang ge disappeared but I grew up hearing stories of you.”

You gave her a sad smile.

She laughs it off, a rare personality among your reticent clansmen, it was a welcome one, “You were somewhere between a cautionary tale and someone to look up to. The clan elders said that your love was the perfect example of what it means to love deeply and what it means to suffer for it.”

You watch her twiddle her thumbs, exhale and continue on, “Uncle told me that if one day you returned, he wanted you to be written back to the clan genealogy. He regretted punishing you for what you did. That he made it seem like you had to leave with nothing on you except your savings.”

“We are cultivators, I would have survived nonetheless with my meager savings.”

“You shouldn’t have” She insists, and their is righteousness in her eyes, in her conduct, in her bones, that empathizes with the people “I can’t condone you for killing 100 of our clan elders but I can understand why you did what you have to do.”

You smiled at her, feeling the knot in your heart disappear. Because this was what you had wanted back then, when faced with the option to uphold your duty or abandon your beloved. You just wanted to be understood for your actions, to not be painted in any other light beyond loving someone deeply. There was no righteousness or depravity.

There was only you seeing your beloved suffering persecution and wanting to save them.

“Thank you.”

She smiles at you and just like that years of grievances are put to rest. There is no father, no mother, or brother to return to but your heart is at ease and free of suffering. You look at your cousin, the clan leader, and asked her,

“What should I call you?”

She smiled and answered, “Birth name Xīnjiān, courtesy name Zhīyuàn.”

“Xīnjiān to have a strong heart, and Zhīyuàn to know peace” You showed your appreciation for her name, praising it, “This clearly shows your parents' wishes for you. To have a heart that never wavers and to always be at peace.”

You look up to your parents' stone tablet, at your brother’s mini statue and silently bid them farewell and an apology. To your cousin you say, “The clan is in good hands, with you at the helm even the disappearance of Rex Lapis would not hinder the clan's future.”

This time you leave your clan home, not with a barely healed back, a broken heart and grim determination. Instead you step out of the gate with your back straight and head held high, your robes are still red, your forehead ribbon still bearing the golden qingxin.

You are welcome to return but you knew deep in your heart that your home lies elsewhere. There was no need to have your tarnished reputation to blacken your clan’s doors.

You slowly walk your way down, the golden gingko leaves falling as the winds rustle the branches. You think of your past, the choices you made and the choices you will make. Despite the uncertainty of what the future holds your footsteps are light as you walk down the thousand steps of your former home.

“Our clan loves deeply,” Your father once said, voice somber and looking at a painting of a mother you’ve never met “almost like a curse.”

And then he turned to you with a smile, equal parts sad and happy, “but with the right person it is a blessing.”

“Bàbà, what do you mean?”

“It means that with the right person our love would not cause suffering either to us or to our spouse.”

Tartaglia stood at the bottom of the stairs looking up to you, and then he ran up the stairs meeting you halfway and closing the gap between the two of you.

You understood then what your father had meant, that day in his study.

--

At the end of it all, Tartaglia asks the one question he had always feared,

“Do you still love him?”

You clutch his hand tight and answered, “Always. But it doesn’t mean I don’t love you either.”

Tartaglia doesn’t speak.

“I’ll always love him, but it isn’t the same way as it was then. I used to think that I’d never be able to love again, that my time had stopped when they died,” You’re too afraid to look at Tartaglia so you settle your sights on the scenery in front of you “and then I met you. Without realizing it, my time started moving forward and this heart of mine started beating again.”

You smiled and intertwined his fingers with yours, hands tightly clasped together as if fearing separation.

“To have met you, in the lowest point of my life, is my greatest fortune.” 

And it was the truth. You didn’t know what you would have done if Tartaglia hadn’t appeared in your life that day. If he hadn’t pestered you.

He pulls you back to him and you let yourself be pulled, crashing into his chest.

“I love you” He declares “I want to spend everyday with you, crossing swords with you, I want to be the first thing you see in the morning and the last thing you see at night.”

He lifts your face, hand gently holding it and stares deep into your golden eyes and bares his heart out for you, “I don’t need you to sacrifice yourself for me, I just want you.”

You looked at him with astonishment, your face burning bright red from his admission.

“Columbina, back then I’ve always wanted to sleep with you!”

The two of you stood at the other end of the terrace occupied by Zhongli and the Traveler. You could bear to look at him, not when your head felt light and your heart felt like it could fly up any moment. Not when it felt like you can ascend right now from the sheer happiness of Tartaglia loving you back.

“I’ve never been in love before. I-I know that I can’t compare to him but for me it has only ever been you! I love you, I fancy you, I cherish you! I want you more than I want to dominate the world! I can’t live without you!”

“...”

Tartaglia took your hand and placed it on his chest, above his heart, “You told me once, if I can’t tell by the face then listen to the heart. Then listen to mine. I want to do it with you every day. This isn’t just me joking or a momentary fancy. I just love you so much that I want to sleep with you, I can’t feel this way towards anyone else but you!”

Through his warm chest, and rough fabric of his uniform, you felt the rapid beating of his heart.

“Columbina, I want to do everything with you, you can do anything to me and I’d accept it as long as you’re willing!”

“...willing…” You mumbled, head bent and hair covering the sides of your face.

“That’s right! I’m willing to accept anything you do to me!”

You stepped closer to him, curling up in his arms and Tartaglia saw the red tip of your ears and slowly, ever so slowly it dawned on him as you spoke clearly with a slight tremble in your voice,

“I am willing.” 

You smiled, soft and small that one would almost think they were seeing things but they weren’t. Even as an adeptus you had rarely smiled, few people over the course of your life had seen you smile. They could even be counted on one hand.

But today, Tartaglia saw you smile like a glaze lily that was unfurling its petals at night.

Zhongli, the Traveler, Paimon, and countless others who were looking your way were stunned into silence. No one expected to see you smile after Osial’s release, and the Qixing’s announcement.

【Folklore】

There is a famous statue of lovers in Liyue and Snezhnaya, two immortals facing each other, one holding a forehead ribbon on his hand and the other holding the other immortal’s hand on his.

The two statues depicted Tartaglia the Warrior, and Hǎiān Xuězhù Zhēnjūn. It is said that worshiping one statue alone would bring misfortune. Don’t believe it? Then rub the forehead ribbon on Tartaglia’s hand, kowtow three times to Hǎiān Xuězhù Zhēnjūn and then propose to your lover only to get turned down.

Or buy a lottery ticket, rub Tartaglia’s hand and then wait for the results only to miss out on the jackpot. Therefore, if one wasn’t particular in worshipping the two it was better to stay away from them and just show your respects from afar.

However, if you were to worship them both together, offer them a cup of nuptial wine then a miracle would happen. The two would expel each other’s misfortune and bring forth twice the fortune.

Legends say that the reason for this was that the two immortals had loved each other deeply, Hǎiān Xuězhù Zhēnjūn was said to be willingly sacrifice himself for Tartaglia, and Tartaglia was said to be unwilling in letting his beloved suffer. Therefore, to worship one over the other was to deny their deep love for the other, conversely to worship both together was to acknowledge their deep love for each other.

Therefore regardless of station in life, many would come to worship Hǎiān Xuězhù Zhēnjūn and Tartaglia together, but most common among them were lovers and people who were heartbroken. This was because it was well-known, most especially in Snezhnaya and Liyue, that the two were fated to each other.

It was the reason why the common depiction of the two was facing each other, ten fingers clasped together with Hǎiān Xuězhù Zhēnjūn red forehead ribbon intertwined in between their fingers.