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robininthelabyrinth · 10 months

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The Other Mountain - ao3 - Chapter 31

Pairing: Lan Qiren/Wen Ruohan

Warning Tags on Ao3

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Perhaps sending an urgent message to summon Lan Qiren back to his side at once was a little excessive, given that there was no genuine need for such urgency, but Wen Ruohan did not especially care. Would it be thoroughly undignified to admit that he was sulking?

Because he might be sulking.

“Oh no, you are definitely sulking. Unbelievable amounts of sulking,” Lao Nie said, quite cheerfully.

“I’m not sulking,” Wen Ruohan informed him firmly, only to have Lao Nie nod at him with an air of deep wisdom and exactly zero belief, an expression which he somehow managed to make simultaneously both condescending and scornful. “I am not!”

“Of course not. What a ridiculous thought. Why would you ever sulk? What possible cause could there be for your sulking?”

Truly, Lan Qiren had been indisputably correct when he had described Lao Nie as the most obnoxious man in the cultivation world.

“Are you going to help or not?” Wen Ruohan scowled at him. He hated having to need Lao Nie for anything – as he unfortunately now did.

Qingheng-jun had surrendered, and so, out of lack of better options and cursing himself for a fool the entire time, Wen Ruohan had taken him prisoner. But with Qingheng-jun’s strength and cleverness, Wen Ruohan didn’t dare entrust him to anyone he wasn’t certain could defeat him in battle, and never mind that he was disarmed and technically had surrendered voluntarily.

Tragically, that left only himself and Lao Nie.

And between the two of them, it couldn’t be him, because if Qingheng-jun didn’t stop smirking, Wen Ruohan was going to give up on all of his good intentions and just haul off to murder the man.

It would feel so good, too.

“Yes, yes, I’ll take custody of him,” Lao Nie said, rolling his eyes at him and even sticking out his tongue at him like a child. “I’m always willing to help, Hanhan, you know me. Now go off and pine for your sweetheart like some adolescent with a crush.”

“I do not pine.”

“Mm, right, right. And you don’t sulk, either.”

“I am not sulking,” Wen Ruohan sulked. “It would be immature.”

“Hanhan,” Lao Nie said, with great affection. “You are immature. It’s part of your charm.”

Wen Ruohan had been so offended by that suggestion that he’d nearly managed to forget about Qingheng-jun for a whole shichen thereafter, which in retrospect was probably at least part of what Lao Nie had intended. Wen Ruohan would reluctantly admit that he did have something of a bad tendency to dwell overmuch on things that had gone wrong, or which did not please him – which was not the same as sulking – and at present there wasn’t time for that. He had more than enough to do, between managing the increasingly worried residents of Lanling City, managing the increasingly irritable Madame Jin, and managing his own army, which had finished collecting the cursed coins…not to mention figuring out what to do with the coins now that he’d started to amass quite a collection of them.

Currently he was thinking of just throwing them in the smelter and calling it a day.

Yes, he could probably figure out a way to remove the curse if he put some time and effort into it.

No, he did not care enough to do that.

There was really no point in studying the coins themselves – if he wanted to learn more about the curse, he could just ask Lan Qiren to dig up whatever weird Lan sect book he’d found it in, or for that matter interrogate Qingheng-jun himself. On the other hand, melting down the coins would help break down the curse, making it easier to banish it using standard arrays and talismans against resentful energy. The only reason to go to the effort of preserving the actual coins themselves in their present form was if someone wanted to keep them as they were.

Which, being as they were cheap gaudy trash no one actually wanted, no one did.

Wen Ruohan supposed that there was some argument to be made that the coins represented the last thing Jin Guangshan had created in his life, give or take some bastard children yet to be born, and therefore ought to be maintained as some demonstration of respect.

Which settled it. They were going into the smelter for sure.

There was also the matter of arranging for both Jin Guangshi and his family and little Jin Zixuan to go to the Nightless City. Wen Ruohan had thoughtfully managed that matter on Lan Qiren’s behalf, mostly through a combination of loudly blaming Madam Jin for the various issues they’d encountered since arriving in Lanling City (assassinations, deliberate obstruction, and so forth) and making a number of pointedly implied threats related to exposing the depth of her husband’s involvement in the matter of the cursed coins.

It wasn’t that difficult an accusation to make. There were already all sorts of rumors going around Lanling City (and indeed the entire cultivation world) about Jin Guangshan’s so-unfortunate death, the nature of the Wen sect’s quite justified retaliation for what had happened at the Lotus Pier, and even some clever people who’d made an effort to connect it all to what had happened so recently in Xixiang. Madam Jin and Wen Ruohan both knew quite well that it wouldn’t have been hard at all for Wen Ruohan to push the rumors in a direction that would have been utterly disastrous to Madam Jin’s attempts to retain legitimacy and maintain Lanling Jin’s face and power in the cultivation world. Even for someone who was as cunning as she, there was no choice but to yield in the face of evidence that her husband had tried to murder not merely a rival sect leader, but the entire cultivation world, though Madam Jin certainly made a decent effort.

She particularly hadn’t wanted to give up her son.

Such a pity for her, then, that the person extorting her was not Lan Qiren, who would probably have tried to appeal to her better nature (likely non-existent) or the health and happiness of her son (probably irrelevant to her beyond him being healthy and alive) or maybe even to the greater good (even less relevant), but rather Wen Ruohan, who had no problem skipping the solicitude and going straight to outright blackmail.

Wen Ruohan might have had more sympathy for Madam Jin’s position if she hadn’t shifted so smoothly over from genuine concerns about Jin Zixuan’s well-being – which had faded rather quickly as soon as she’d realized that Wen Ruohan intended to put Lan Qiren in charge of him, right alongside his own children, thereby guaranteeing him both the most prestigious education in the cultivation world and a chance to make valuable future political connections both – to political calculations designed to shore up her own power as regent. It wasn’t as though Wen Ruohan couldn’t respect someone using wits and ruthlessness to get ahead, but for personal reasons he felt a particular level of distaste for Madam Jin’s obvious attempts to use the taking of her son as hostage to as leverage to get all sorts of assurances that Wen Ruohan would replace the benefits of her son’s presence with his own promise of support.

As it was, Wen Ruohan simply ignored her requests, whether implicit or stated outright, and instead followed Lan Qiren’s idea of referring her to his army any time she had an objection to his proposed plan. It was objectively hilarious how many colors her face turned every time he reminded her of it.

Coins handled, army settled (and military discipline strictly maintained, as promised), Lanling City’s domestic leadership reassured – really, Wen Ruohan had been very productive. Far too busy, certainly, to be said to have been sulking.

Not that he would be. Because he wasn’t. Just like he wasn’t pining, because that would be absurd.

Why would he pine?

Lan Qiren was his. They were married, together for a lifetime. They had all the many years of the future to be together, and if Wen Ruohan had anything to say about it, there would be very many years indeed. Lan Qiren had given him his heart, had fallen in love with him, and the Lan of Gusu Lan took such things incredibly seriously – and Lan Qiren more seriously than most.

It wasn’t as though he were suddenly going to change his mind just because he’d gone home for a visit.

Lan Qiren didn’t change his mind easily about anything. He didn’t like change at all, and he’d already gotten accustomed to the Nightless City. There was really no need to worry that he would be swept by a wave of nostalgia and homesickness upon visiting the Cloud Recesses and refuse to return. Nor was he so lacking in spine that his Lan sect elders would be able to bully him into staying by demanding that he return to his duty, or succeed in any effort to try to split them up, to force him to request a divorce…not that Wen Ruohan would ever grant one.

There was no need to worry, so Wen Ruohan didn’t worry.

He certainly didn’t pine.

He’d called Lan Qiren back because he needed help in managing all the things he had to do, and that was all.

Yes, fine, technically, none of the things Wen Ruohan was doing at the moment actually required Lan Qiren’s presence, much less urgently. Lan Qiren’s particular talents aside, Wen Ruohan was far better suited to diplomatic political maneuvering of the sort he was currently engaged in with Lanling Jin. His army was largely self-sufficient, he was accustomed to managing all sect matters on his own, and there wasn’t much he could do to help encourage the coin collection in the other Great Sects, since they would only grow less cooperative if he got involved. Even dealing with Qingheng-jun wasn’t that urgent, though naturally it’d be better to resolve that matter sooner rather than later.

There was no actual need to summon Lan Qiren back.

Wen Ruohan just wanted him back.

Which had nothing to do with pining, no matter what Lao Nie might imply. Life was simply more interesting when Lan Qiren was around. Life was simply better when he was around.

Really, Wen Ruohan had to hand it to himself: with each passing day, he grew increasingly assured of his own brilliance, both in general and specifically for his genius move of having sought and obtained Lan Qiren in marriage when he had. He would never again encounter such a heaven-sent opportunity to steal such a precious treasure from another Great Sect, not even if he destroyed them all and raided their treasuries to claim them for his own. Lan Qiren was the finest treasure he would ever be able to find, a pearl beyond pearls, priceless and unique, and he was his.

Wen Ruohan wasn’t giving him up, not for anything. Even if the Lan sect now regretted giving him up, as surely they must, it was surely too late…

“Sect Leader, report! Senior Lan has arrived.”

“Good,” Wen Ruohan said, brightening and setting aside the paperwork he’d been dawdling over. “Send him over to me at once.”

He was admittedly curious to know how Lan Qiren’s efforts to scold his sect into virtue had gone. Wen Ruohan was, on account of his personal age, one of the only sect leaders not to have to deal with the baggage of sect elders, and he greatly appreciated having that freedom. Still, he certainly remembered what sect elders were generally like – and not especially fondly.

They were always a bunch of old farts that thought they were due deference if not outright groveling by the younger generations just because they’d managed to not die, each one of them puttering around and opining on things that didn’t concern them as if unable to resist the urge. His Wen sect was well rid of them, in Wen Ruohan’s view! Still, during the period that his own sect elders had been alive, that seemingly endless collection of uncles, aunts, older cousins, grand-uncles and the like, even he hadn’t dared go forth and lecture the whole lot of them for their unethical behavior, as it seemed Lan Qiren had been planning to do. Whatever happened, it would make for an interesting story, even if Lan Qiren was almost certain to tell it in the dullest way possible; he was the sort of person to treat miracles as commonplace.

Anyway, Wen Ruohan had his own news to share. The matter with Qingheng-jun…

No, he wasn’t going to think about that at the moment. Nothing was going to spoil his reunion with Lan Qiren, not even his own sulking.

His own bad mood, he meant. Not sulking. Because he wasn’t sulking.

And then Lan Qiren walked in, healthy and here, and Wen Ruohan really wasn’t sulking any longer.

“You’re back,” he said, unable to hide his pleasure.

“And you are well,” Lan Qiren said, looking visibly relieved – and notably more powerful than the last time Wen Ruohan had seen him.

Not literally glowing, the way he had immediately after their dual cultivation, so filled with spiritual energy that his skin had seemed almost luminescent, but nevertheless genuinely more powerful, in a solid and stable sort of fashion. He’d somehow managed to assimilate all the power they had generated into his golden core, rather than using it up or needing to break it down over time.

Very impressive.

Not that he would ever be anything less.

“Of course I’m well,” Wen Ruohan said, arrogant as always, and enjoyed how his self-aggrandizement only made Lan Qiren look amused. “Are you implying that you doubt my skills…?”

Lan Qiren snorted, the tension flowing out of his shoulders: it seemed he really had been worried, which might have been genuinely annoying if the battle hadn’t actually been quite difficult. “Merely your communication skills,” he said, his amusement settling into simple contentment. “You sent an urgent summons, so I thought something might have happened. You could have clarified in your missive.”

If Wen Ruohan had clarified, Lan Qiren might not have arrived so quickly. Though perhaps Wen Ruohan could see to it that next time, in his benevolence, he would include a small note confirming his well-being, if only because it would spare Lan Qiren some unnecessary panic.

Provided that Lan Qiren properly appreciated him for doing so, of course. He had ideas on how.

“I am nevertheless quite pleased to see you alive and well, even if it is no more than I had expected. Obviously I would never have left you to manage alone if I had had any actual concern,” Lan Qiren said, which was a very nice balm for Wen Ruohan’s ego. “What ended up happening in the end? Is my brother…?”

Wen Ruohan grimaced, his poor mood immediately rushing back to him at the reminder.

“He’s alive, unfortunately,” he said, lips twisting in disgust. “He surrendered, right at the very end before I could finish him off. He even had the gall to mock me for my restraint, knowing that I would not execute a prisoner on your behalf without a fair trial. I had to entrust him to Lao Nie just to keep from employing further violence…!”

He trailed off. Lan Qiren was smiling warmly at him, approval written in every line of him.

It was worth every single one of Qingheng-jun’s smirks.

“I assume that that approach meets with your approval,” he added haughtily, fishing for compliments. “Naturally I would have had no such restraint if it were up to me, especially since we both know that it will be easier to keep his misconduct secret if he is already dead. But I know you have scruples, and will undoubtedly insist on having all the relevant accoutrements…”

“A trial is not an accoutrement,” Lan Qiren said, but he was still smiling. “It may make things more difficult, I admit, but what will be will be; we will find a way through. You did very well.”

Wen Ruohan preened. Of course he had.

“I will be expecting an appropriate reward, of course,” he said, which made Lan Qiren laugh.

“Of course, that is only natural,” Lan Qiren agreed. “Positive reinforcement is a critical part of pedagogy. It is only reasonable that good behavior deserves a commensurate reward, and I intend to reward you thoroughly.”

Wen Ruohan smirked. “I should hope that you’re not using this particular type of positive reinforcement with any of your other students.”

Lan Qiren gave him an admonishing look, though the fondness he couldn’t conceal undercut the severity of it. “Do not be vulgar. Do I need to turn you over my knee again?”

Wen Ruohan wouldn’t mind.

In fact, he itched to take Lan Qiren to bed right away, forgetting everything else. Lan Qiren had come straight to him, not even having washed the (metaphorical, given Lan sect robes) dust of the road off his boots. He had not eaten, had not rested, had not deviated in the slightest, as if he was just as desperate to see Wen Ruohan as Wen Ruohan had been to see him.

It was immensely gratifying.

He wanted…but there would be time enough for that later, when Lan Qiren had had some time to recover and would be able to perform at his best.

“Tell me first about your visit to the Cloud Recesses,” he said, and Lan Qiren’s expression somehow managed to get even more approving. “I can already see that you had the opportunity to consolidate all that spiritual energy. I take it everything went well?”

“Very well. Better than expected, even.”

He then relayed the story, which turned out to involve a formal ethics debate – only in Gusu Lan, really, what unbelievable weirdos – and some really rather fascinating bits of information about what had happened in the past with Qingheng-jun and his unfortunate wife, as well as the ultimate result and disposition of events.

“Do you think Lan Zhengquan will be executed?” Wen Ruohan asked, mildly curious. “Or merely confined involuntarily?”

“Involuntary confinement is not ‘merely’ anything. But, in answer to your question – yes, in this instance, I believe it is likely that he will be executed following a proper, if confidential, trial. I may disagree with everything Lan Zhengquan has done, up to and including the justifications he put together for his behavior and that of his brother ten years ago, but I will not deny that he has the courage of his convictions. If he remains unwilling to abandon those justifications even in light of the evidence and final judgment against him, he is within his rights to demand an execution, which will be carried out at an appropriate location outside of the Cloud Recesses.”

“A pity.”

Lan Qiren arched his eyebrows. “I agree with the sentiment, but for whatever strange reason I suspect our regret comes from different sources. I regret the loss of life, and the loss of the wisdom, experience, and advice that Lan Zhengquan would have provided the sect, should he instead have been able to accept correction, sincerely repent, and live on. Whereas you…?”

Such sentimental tripe was most certainly not Wen Ruohan’s concern.

“It would have been more narratively satisfying if he suffered the same fate as your sister-in-law,” he explained, and Lan Qiren snorted. “What? It would have been. From what you say, he was the one who led the charge in favor of executing her back then, which is what caused your brother to save her life by marrying her, converting the sentence from execution to imprisonment. For him now to suffer imprisonment in the same manner would be an especially meet application of justice. You could have even put him in the same house!”

“Luckily, Gusu Lan does not determine its punishments by what would be narratively satisfying,” Lan Qiren said sternly. “And now I am clearly going to have to conduct a review to ensure that the Nightless City does not do so, either.”

Wen Ruohan would have complained, but in all truth the Nightless City’s justice system could probably stand to be reviewed, and he couldn’t think of anyone better to do it.

He shrugged in implicit consent, and changed the subject: “What about your sect elders? Was it entirely wise to leave them to debate the matter of their own punishment themselves? He who suffers the penalty ought not impose it, after all.”

“I have confidence that they will choose to do the right thing. And if they do not, I will go back and have further words with them.”

Wen Ruohan sniffed disdainfully. “It seems to me that you have already committed to going back already in order to evaluate their proposed solution anyway. Already planning trips without even consulting me…! How rude of you, Qiren. Whatever happened to ‘be attentive to your wife’s needs’…?”

“Would you be satisfied if I promised that by the time I was done with you, you would not want to lay eyes on me for the duration of my absence?”

That sounded amazing.

“At any rate, even if I return, I do not plan to be gone for very long,” Lan Qiren said, and that satisfied Wen Ruohan even more. “Even in this instance, I will admit that your summons came at a timely moment to excuse me from the debate, which was likely to be interminable.”

“And here I thought that interminable debates were what your Gusu Lan sect did best.” Wen Ruohan chuckled at Lan Qiren’s long-suffering expression. “Very well, I will be benevolent and lend you to them – briefly – to ensure that they do the right thing.”

“You do not need to pretend in front of me,” Lan Qiren said, now even more long-suffering. “You are tremendously excited by the possibility that they will carry through on their suggestion that they all resign and leave me to manage or at minimum advise on the management of the sect from the Nightless City, thereby putting it into your control.”

Wen Ruohan grinned. He wasn’t going to lie: they were definitely going to fuck about this later. “What can I say?” he drawled. “My husband gets me the best gifts.”

“On that subject,” Lan Qiren said, eyes narrowing, “an incident arose while I was at the Cloud Recesses…”

“Did they encourage you to divorce me?”

“Not seriously – ” Which meant that they had? “– and that is not the issue in question. Have you at any point instructed your disciples to refer to me as Madam Wen?”

Wen Ruohan was not an idiot.

“Certainly not,” he lied. “I can’t imagine why they would ever do such a thing.”

Lan Qiren sighed, clearly spotting the lie and just as clearly having no idea what to do with it. “It is inappropriate,” he said. “I am your husband, not your wife, and that means I am not Madam Wen.”

“You can be my husband and Madam Wen,” Wen Ruohan argued. “It would be funnier that way.”

“It would be confusing that way. Enough people assume that I am the wife already simply because you are more powerful both personally and politically, and that it is without further linguistic snarls.”

That seemed less important than the potential for humor, at least for Wen Ruohan.

“How do you see the roles of husband and wife anyway?” he asked, belatedly curious. “You don’t seem to associate them with household tasks, with sexual positions, or with power dynamics, or for that matter, as far as I can determine, with anything else. What exactly do you see as constituting your role as the husband, as opposed to the wife?”

Lan Qiren looked surprised to be asked such a question. “There are any number of applicable rules,” he started, and Wen Ruohan rolled his eyes: of course there were. “However, to sum up the relevant duties, as the husband, it is my duty to make you happy: to love you as I love myself, to honor you more than myself, to seek to do everything in my power to see that your needs and wishes are fulfilled. In return, as my wife, you are bound to love and honor me, to be faithful to me, and to trust me, abiding by my wishes even when they may contradict your own.”

The Gusu Lan sect was insane, Wen Ruohan decided, not for the first time. What sort of ridiculous definitions of husband and wife were those? No one else put it like that! No one else even thought about it like that! What sort of monastery had Lan An come from, anyway…?

Though Wen Ruohan supposed, if one put it in those terms, then in fact that it really was more appropriate for him to be the wife. He wasn’t exactly very good at living up to ‘honor another more than yourself’ and never had been, and he was too self-absorbed to really care to spend all his time worrying about someone else’s needs, but he was certainly capable of love, respect, faith, and trust. Certainly he was the one who kept compromising his actions in order to accommodate Lan Qiren’s ridiculous notions of morality…not that doing so had impeded any of his ambitions to date.

On the contrary, with the Jin sect in his pocket, the Jiang sect heirs secure in the Nightless City, and the potential for Lan Qiren to keep his nephews there as well – an idea that had very obviously not yet arisen in Lan Qiren’s mind, but which Wen Ruohan fully intended to use to convince him that the Wen sect temporarily taking over Gusu Lan until said nephews were of age wasn’t that bad an idea – it seemed that listening to Lan Qiren was suiting him quite well indeed. How convenient that one of Wen Ruohan’s ‘needs and wishes’ that Lan Qiren was obligated to try to deliver happened to include taking over the cultivation world.

In fact, if Wen Ruohan could somehow find a way to maintain the status quo, he would have in a single season effectively conquered, in practice if not in fact, not one but three of the other Great Sects. The only one left outside his grasp was therefore just Qinghe Nie…

Ah. Right.

He’d almost forgotten.

If one thought about it in a certain light, he also stood a good chance of making an inroad into taking over Qinghe Nie, because the current sect leader of Qinghe Nie, Lao Nie, was – imminently going to die.

He could take advantage of that, if he wanted.

He could, Wen Ruohan insisted to himself, even as he was swept by a wave of revulsion towards himself at the mere thought; it was just a matter of politics, and things like that happened in politics. It wasn’t as though this were anything like what had happened with Wen Ruoyu, the betrayal of someone who trusted him. Lao Nie didn’t trust anyone, even when he loved them sincerely – and he did love him in his own way, Wen Ruohan did not doubt, only that it happened to be the wrong sort of love for what Wen Ruohan really wanted.

Betraying Lao Nie…would be more like what he’d done to his first wife.

That had been a mutual tragedy. Their needs and wants had been incompatible from the very start, but they’d made a go of it anyway, and when it had started falling apart, they had not managed their reactions well, each of them blaming each other, each of them justifying their own actions against each other, hurting each other, betraying each other, and in the end –

In the end they’d destroyed everything.

Wen Ruohan instinctively grimaced.

No, he couldn’t do that again. He would have to find another way. Perhaps Lan Qiren would be able to think of something –

Wait.

Lan Qiren.

Lan Qiren, who had no way to know that Wen Ruohan’s expression of disgust and revulsion had nothing to do with their current conversation!

“I was thinking of Lao Nie,” he blurted out, trying to explain, and then realized how badly that statement could be taken. They were right in the middle of discussion about their married life, and he’d started thinking about his former lover..!

“Yes, it was very fortunate that he was here to assist you,” Lan Qiren said, nodding with approval, apparently missing the more unfortunate set of implications entirely. “And convenient, since we wanted to speak with him anyway. Have you had an opportunity to discuss his condition? Or were you planning to wait until I was present?”

“I avoided it entirely,” Wen Ruohan said. He’d never been so relieved at Lan Qiren’s lack of understanding of innuendo. Do not give your wife reason to doubt your fidelity… “Do you think now is a good time? There is still the matter of your brother to deal with. They were friends, once, too.”

He wouldn’t mind putting off the conversation a little longer, personally.

“It will never be a good time,” Lan Qiren pointed out. “It may as well be now. Anyway, it is not as though we are going to him to offer our condolences, we are going to offer our help. Didn’t his sect doctors predict that he had ten years left? He is hardly at risk of immediate decline.”

You don’t know that! Wen Ruohan wanted to protest. Each qi deviation could be the one that takes him away, and the only way to stop it will be to solve a problem that generations upon generations of Qinghe Nie have failed to unravel. Lao Nie will never stop cultivating with his saber, will never give up his clan’s traditions, and ten years is not as long as you might think –

Though, on the other hand, I am a genius among geniuses. Lao Nie’s ancestors might have looked before, but they never had me on their side. Maybe it’s not so hopeless after all.

“We should go see him,” Lan Qiren said, either not noticing or perhaps politely ignoring whatever was happening on Wen Ruohan’s face. Knowing him, it was probably the former. “Particularly if he’s been forced to safeguard my brother, which must be emotionally taxing given the state of their relationship. Tell me, where is he now?”

Wen Ruohan was about to answer, only to realize he had no idea, having not particularly wanted to pay any attention to Qingheng-jun for any longer than it had taken to hand him over to Lao Nie in the first place. Qingheng-jun had spent the first part of the journey back to Jinlin Tower in a dignified silence, but as they’d drawn nearer, something had changed, and he had started talking about Lan Qiren again, clearly trying to goad Wen Ruohan into a response. Wen Ruohan hadn’t let him succeed, of course, but the temptation to find a tall window and shove him out of it without a sword had been very strong.

(Sometimes Wen Ruohan missed his Fire Palace. He hadn’t even dismantled it yet, though he intended to, and he already missed it. Not that he’d be dismantling all of it. There were always people that needed to be properly interrogated, and his machines would still serve quite well for that, even if they’d now go unused the majority of the time. It was only a pity that Qingheng-jun had nothing to say that anyone needed to hear. Certainly not Lan Qiren, that was for certain.)

“Easily found,” he said with an idle shrug, and went to the door of the room he’d been using as an office, waving over one of the disciples waiting outside. “Where is Lao Nie?”

The disciple saluted. “Sect Leader, he is just outside, in your courtyard.”

“In my courtyard?” Wen Ruohan asked, surprised that Lao Nie was so close by – and in such an unguarded location, too. Lao Nie was confident in his own abilities, and rightfully so, but for all of his rage, he was typically a surprisingly cautious fighter. Normally speaking, he would not take unnecessary risks. Keeping Qingheng-jun in an open courtyard seemed a dubious choice, and yet abandoning his duty to watch over him when he had promised to do so seemed – out of character.

Not yet, surely…!

Lan Qiren frowned. “That seems unlike him,” he observed, confirming Wen Ruohan’s sudden apprehension. “Let us go at once.”

When they went out to find him, Lao Nie was indeed there, sitting on a bench and cleaning his saber with all apparent ease, seeming as though he did not have a care in the world.

Qingheng-jun…was nowhere in sight.

Wen Ruohan felt his eye twitch. “Lao Nie!” he bellowed. “What are you doing?”

Lao Nie paused in what he was doing.

Then, he very exaggeratedly looked down at his saber and the cleaning cloth in his hand, then up at the two of them. “Come on, Hanhan,” he said, opening his eyes excessively wide. “I know for a fact that it hasn’t been that long since you handled a weapon. Aren’t you married now?”

Wen Ruohan had been gearing up to shout at him, but, as so often happened, Lao Nie’s humor cut his anger off at the knees. It was impossible to remain properly angry when you were fighting off laughter, which made Lao Nie’s approach to dealing with Wen Ruohan’s anger simultaneously devastatingly effective and also incredibly irritating.

Also, Lao Nie was perfectly aware that Wen Ruohan had actually used his sword to fight against Qingheng-jun. More recently than he’d had the chance to take advantage of Lan Qiren’s ‘sword,’ too, tragic and in need of quick remedying as that was…

“That was not the purpose behind his question and you know it,” Lan Qiren said mildly. “Hello, Lao Nie. What are you doing here?”

“Waiting for you two,” Lao Nie said, immediately actually answering the virtually identical question in what seemed like a thoroughly unfair display of blatant favoritism. “One of the Wen sect disciples said they saw you arrive, Qiren, and go to talk to Hanhan. So I came here to wait until you were done.”

That answer was all well and good, quite reasonable, everything in order, except for one critical point.

“Shouldn’t you be watching Qingheng-jun?” Wen Ruohan asked.

Lao Nie shrugged. “No need.”

“No need?” Wen Ruohan scowled at him, annoyed all over again. “Lao Nie, did you not hear me earlier? I wanted you to watch him, because I didn’t trust that he wouldn’t find a way out if the only ones guarding him were my disciples. Or yours, for that matter! He’s tricky and resourceful, even if he’s been disarmed. Who knows what trouble he’s gotten into already – ”

“He won’t be getting into any trouble,” Lao Nie said. “He’s dead.”

Wen Ruohan was about to retort with something devastatingly clever and cutting, likely about the importance of living up to responsibilities and one’s given word, but then whatever he had been about to say entirely dropped out of his mind as Lao Nie’s words entered it.

“I’m sorry,” he said blankly. “He’s what?!”

“Lao Nie, did you just say that he was dead?” Lan Qiren asked, frowning. “My brother? Dead?”

“My condolences, Qiren,” Lao Nie said, sounding completely genuine and sincere and also immensely missing the point. “Really. I know you two weren’t close, and that by the end you probably pretty much hated each other, but he was still your brother. You have my sympathies for the loss of what you could have had, if not for what you did.”

“Thank you,” Lan Qiren said. He sounded extremely polite, and extremely confused, the latter being a feeling which Wen Ruohan shared in its entirety. “I appreciate your consideration. Putting that aside, could you perhaps explain what happened, exactly? My brother is dead? How did he suddenly die?”

Wen Ruohan rather wanted to know that himself, especially since Qingheng-jun had been in perfectly reasonable condition when he’d delivered him into Lao Nie’s custody.

But then, how…?

“He killed himself,” Lao Nie said. His face was as casual and composed as if he were relaying the weather, rather than telling a bald-faced lie.

It was absolutely impossible that Qingheng-jun had decided to commit suicide.

As far as Wen Ruohan knew, the man had refused that particular route twice already, first in refusing to actively kill himself in the immediate aftermath of realizing he had murdered his wife, and second in refusing to passively permit Wen Ruohan to kill him. Even his last-moment surrender had been a deliberate ploy designed to extend his life, giving up even his dignity to do so. His dignity, his revenge, his pride…no, Qingheng-jun had been defiant and bitter to the last, blaming others and Lan Qiren in particular for all of his misfortunes.

For him to suddenly turn around and die by his own hand now, after everything – no, it was impossible. Absolutely impossible!

“Oh, suicide, really,” Wen Ruohan said, snide and incredulous. “Really, you don’t say. Tell me, if he killed himself, how exactly did he manage it? I disarmed him myself, so I know for a fact that he didn’t have access to his sword…”

“He used my saber,” Lao Nie said.

Wen Ruohan stared at him.

Lan Qiren stared at him.

Lao Nie…

Lao Nie’s lips twitched.

“Your saber,” Lan Qiren said slowly. “Your saber. Your spiritual weapon, which you entrust to no one, and which obeys only you. The saber that can, if it wishes, quite literally bite its wielder if it dislikes who is holding it. We are speaking of – that saber?”

Wen Ruohan hadn’t known about the biting thing. Was that really a thing? That seemed quite useful… Wait. When exactly did Lan Qiren have the chance to hold Lao Nie’s saber long enough to find that out?! Lao Nie hadn’t even given it to Wen Ruohan to hold!

Well, that was probably good thinking on his part. But that wasn’t the point.

“That’s the one,” Lao Nie said, sounding almost cheerful, or at least as though he were having a fair amount of fun watching their expressions, which he almost certainly was. “Good old Jiwei.”

Wen Ruohan thought, not for the first time, of how good it would feel to punch Lao Nie in the face. Just once. Once, but very hard.

Based on Lan Qiren’s expression at the moment, he might be amenable.

“Let me make sure I understand what you are saying,” Lan Qiren said, looking as though he were summoning all of his many years of emotional regulation to try to keep himself calm. “You are saying that my brother somehow managed to get hold of your saber and used it to end his own life. Is that what you are saying?”

“Not quite,” Lao Nie said, holding up his hands. “I’m saying that he killed himself, and also that if you have a doctor examine his body, you’ll find that the cause of his death was my saber.”

“Lao Nie,” Wen Ruohan hissed, finding himself appalled despite everything, up to and including his own deep and sincere desire to see Qingheng-jun dead. “What is wrong with you? Are you suggesting that he killed himself by walking into your saber?!”

Lao Nie snickered.

He actually snickered.

“Lao Nie!” Wen Ruohan shouted. “You said you were going to help!”

Lao Nie’s smile abruptly faded away. “I did help.”

“Lao Nie – ”

“Hanhan, you sometimes forget this – in fact, you often forget this – but I am not actually one of your subordinates,” Lao Nie interrupted, his expression unusually solemn. “I don’t follow your orders, and I apply my own principles to the situations I find myself in, not yours. I appreciate that you and Lan Qiren have decided that you don’t want to kill unarmed prisoners that have surrendered, particularly not without a trial, which is quite correct of you. I understand your reasoning in applying that principle even to Qingheng-jun, even when his sole reason to stay alive is to cause further harm, and if it were under any other circumstances, I’d respect it.”

Wen Ruohan was left speechless.

Lan Qiren merely pressed his lips together. “What circumstances do you mean?”

“Only this,” Lao Nie said. “That there is no greater good than showing kindness to a madman, once he has passed the point of no return.”

Ah.

That was –

That made more sense.

Given the Nie sect’s history – their traditions, their qi deviations, their ancestral madness – given what Lao Nie himself had so recently discovered about himself, about his own fate, his own imminent fate –

For a sudden moment, Wen Ruohan found himself unable to breathe.

“Oh,” Lao Nie said, watching whatever was happening on his face. “You know. I see. How?”

“Your son told us,” Lan Qiren said. “Nie Mingjue. He’s a good boy.”

Lao Nie laughed and shook his head. “Yes, he is,” he said fondly. “A very good boy – though where he got those ridiculous morals, I don’t know. He’s as inflexible as you, Qiren, in his own way. Anyway, you both don’t need to look so upset. It’s fine.”

“It is most certainly not fine,” Wen Ruohan said at once.

“Well, no, it’s not,” Lao Nie conceded. “But there’s nothing to be done about it. It’s as inevitable, as sure as the dawn.”

Wen Ruohan had heard that before, though under circumstances that had meant much less to him personally. Cangse Sanren had said something similar, equally resigned, talking about that big scary beast that was coming to tear her limb from limb, and she’d been just as certain of her immovable fate as Lao Nie was about his.

“It’s inevitable, so there’s no point in worrying about it now, is that it?” he asked with a sneer. “That’s ridiculous.”

“I didn’t say that,” Lao Nie protested.

“You meant it,” Lan Qiren pointed out, and Lao Nie, caught out, smiled ruefully. “Lao Nie, we are only saying that we wish to help – ”

“And I’m saying that it’s pointless. Don’t you think we’ve tried? My family, going back generations, we’ve all tried our best to stop it. We can’t. Once it starts, there’s nothing you can do about it – ”

If there was one thing Wen Ruohan hated in this life, perhaps even above betrayal, it was being told that there was something he couldn’t do.

He was Wen Ruohan. He had spent his whole life laughing in the face of those that underestimated him, those that challenged or disdained him, and now all those people were long dead and forgotten. These days, there was no one alive who underestimated him, no one who thought that they could tell him what he couldn’t do. He had defied even the heavens themselves, perfecting his cultivation and breaking the limits of the human lifespan, living beyond the usual expectations even for a cultivator, and he was still as hale as he had ever been. Soon enough, with Lan Qiren’s help, he would undoubtedly even break through the barrier that separated god from man, and become divine.

And Lao Nie had the gall to say that there was nothing he could do about it?

Wen Ruohan was not going to take that lying down. It was the most disrespectful thing he had had someone say to him in – well, admittedly, since Cangse Sanren, which wasn’t that long ago, and Lan Qiren wasn’t exactly all that respectful either, though in a way Wen Ruohan enjoyed rather a great deal.

No: ancestral Nie sect mystery or not, he was going to find a way to fix it. At a minimum, he was going to find a way to buy some time, to prevent any further decline and forestall death, and he wasn’t going to let anyone, not even Lao Nie, get in his way.

Lao Nie was just going to have to live with that.

Admittedly, at this precise moment, he looked particularly unwilling to accept that conclusion, that stubborn mule-headed Qinghe Nie look fixed firmly on his face even as he argued, rather unwisely, with Lan Qiren. As if Lan Qiren, just fresh off winning a battle of words with his entire sect, was going to let him win this one, particularly when Lao Nie’s arguments seemed to mostly revolve around the same basic point.

“It’s inevitable,” he said, dragging out the sound. “In-ev-it-a-ble. Why are you and Hanhan having such trouble with that concept? There are things in this life that we can change, Qiren, and there are things we can’t, and this is one of the latter. It’s as inevitable as the dawn, as sure as sunrise – ”

There was that phrase again, the one Cangse Sanren had used to describe her own doom. It was irritating to be surrounded by stubborn people convinced they were about to die, Lao Nie to rage and a qi deviation, Cangse Sanren to that future beast. A pity it wasn’t the other way around! There was no one better for defeating a beast than one of Qinghe Nie, descendants of butchers that they were, and Cangse Sanren seemed almost immune to the ravages of rage, forgetting each moment what happened in the previous one. Possibly that was even literal for her, given her idiosyncratic understanding of time, a remnant perhaps of living on a celestial mountain with an immortal…

Hm.

Now that was an idea.

“I am not giving up,” Lao Nie said impatiently, while Lan Qiren frowned and shook his head at him. “Don’t put it that way, it sounds bad. It’s not the same thing at all! I am just trying to be realistic. It would foolish to ignore facts and fail to adequately prepare myself, my sons, and my sect for what is going to happen – ”

“As foolish as refusing to accept help in the event that the preparations you make need not apply?”

“Damnit, Qiren, stop talking circles around me.”

“Stop being wrong first.”

Lao Nie gaped at him, then cackled. “I like this version of you,” he said. “Hanhan’s a surprisingly good influence on you, which I admit I wouldn’t have predicted.”

“We are Dao companions,” Lan Qiren said impatiently. “Naturally we mutually improve each other. Do not change the subject.”

“Qiren…”

“Lao Nie, there are things that a man may choose to face on his own. I have never denied that. If you truly deny us, we will desist – ”

Maybe Lan Qiren would.

“– but just as you are our friend, we are your friends, and we wish to help you. Would you deny us that chance?”

Oh, that was a good argument, particularly for someone like Lao Nie, and Wen Ruohan could see the exact moment Lao Nie’s resistance cracked under the weight of Lan Qiren’s earnest sincerity.

“Oh, all right,” Lao Nie grumbled, scrubbing his face and letting out a lengthy sigh. “I suppose I wouldn’t. Fine. Whatever. You can go ahead and bash your brains against the problem for a bit, if that’s what you really want…but Qiren, please understand and prepare yourself, this is something my sect has been trying to solve for a very long time. It is entirely possible, even likely, that in the end, the only help you will be able to give me is the sort of help I provided your brother.”

Lan Qiren’s stern expression softened. “I understand. But thank you for letting us try.”

“In fact, I’ve got an idea,” Wen Ruohan announced, and grinned when they both looked at him. “Well, the beginning of one, anyway. Qiren’s right, there are many benefits to taking a problem and making it someone else’s.”

“I don’t know if I like the sound of that,” Lao Nie remarked, his eyes narrowing a little in suspicion. “Hanhan…”

“You need not be concerned,” Lan Qiren told him firmly. “Any idea he has, I will first approve. Or are you saying you do not trust in my good faith?”

“…fair point. All right, I retract my doubts.”

Wen Ruohan scowled. “Lao Nie – ”

Lao Nie pointed at him. “You have a torture palace.”

“What does that have to do with anything?!”

Now they were both looking at him with indulgent expressions that suggested he already knew the answer to that.

Possibly he did.

“I’ve already planned to repurpose the majority of it,” Wen Ruohan said defensively. “I do not require it as much, any longer.”

“I’m glad to hear that, Hanhan,” Lao Nie said warmly, and in the face of his own straightforward sincerity Wen Ruohan found that he had trouble maintaining his anger. “Really, you have no idea how happy it makes me that you’ve finally found your way out…but also, I’ll believe it when I see it.”

That was fair.

“You know, we never did get the chance to talk at the Lotus Pier discussion conference that wasn’t,” Lao Nie mused. “I wanted to hear all about how the two of you managed to fall in love – and I still do, for that matter.”

“We got married,” Lan Qiren said, as if that answered the question.

“…I’m going to redirect the question to Hanhan,” Lao Nie said dryly, clearly agreeing with Wen Ruohan on the blatant insufficiency of Lan Qiren’s answer. “Actually, while we’re at it, how did you end up proposing marriage to Qiren anyway? I didn’t even think you liked him.”

“Mm, I didn’t. It takes a truly great man to see what he has overlooked and correct his own errors, but luckily – ”

“He wanted to use me to take over the cultivation world,” Lan Qiren said with a sigh, pointedly ignoring Wen Ruohan’s bragging. “Through my students, of all things. I still think the whole notion is utterly ridiculous.”

Lao Nie’s expression went abruptly thoughtful in a way that suggested that he certainly didn’t think the idea was all that ridiculous. A moment later he grinned.

“Well, Qiren, you have to admit that putting aside the students, it didn’t work out that badly for him.”

“He has not taken over the cultivation world.”

“If you pay a little attention, actually, you’ll find that I have,” Wen Ruohan said smugly. “Or at least considerable portions of it.”

“Don’t look so pleased with yourself, Hanhan,” Lao Nie said, even as Lan Qiren looked as if he were hunting for some way to refute the irrefutable. “Don’t forget: whether you rule the world or not, you still have to clear everything you do with Qiren first!”

“That is not the situation,” Lan Qiren insisted. “He has not taken over the world – Lao Nie – stop smirking at me, you intolerable annoyance – ”

Wen Ruohan tuned them both out as he considered what Lao Nie had said. Whatever Lan Qiren’s denials, it had to be admitted that Wen Ruohan’s influence now extended well into the other Great Sects, which had previously been inviolable, with a few omissions, but equally it had to be admitted that this wasn’t exactly the tyrannical dictatorship he’d always envisioned for himself when thinking about the day that his Wen sect eventually took over.

He hadn’t counted on Lan Qiren being there, for one. And even if he had, he would never have assumed that he would voluntarily bind himself to following Lan Qiren’s ridiculously strict morality, even when the man himself was not present to object – except he had, hadn’t he? The way he had dealt with Qingheng-jun…that wasn’t a mere aberration, an outlier, a favor he’d been doing for Lan Qiren. He’d done the right thing because he knew Lan Qiren would want him to.

If he wanted to keep Lan Qiren, Wen Ruohan was going to have to do that about everything.

It was going to be a gigantic pain.

But on the other hand, he did rule the world now.

Ah, whatever. If that’s the trade – I’ll take it!

Wen Ruohan reached out and, ignoring Lao Nie’s presence, pulled Lan Qiren into a kiss.

Lan Qiren –

Well, Lan Qiren kicked him.

“Inappropriate!” he spluttered. “We’re in front of company! Keep your hands to yourself!”

“Don’t hold back on my account,” Lao Nie murmured appreciatively. “On the contrary…”

“Absolutely not,” Lan Qiren said. Firmly.

“But –”

“No.”

“Hanhan –”

“Also no,” Wen Ruohan said, and watched with interest as Lao Nie blinked, absorbing that, and then, after a moment, shrugged it off, just as he did anything else. It probably ought to have hurt to see him simply shrug off a relationship that had lasted over a decade just like that, but…well, that was Lao Nie, heartless and careless. That was the real Lao Nie, the way he ought to be.

And Wen Ruohan…well, Wen Ruohan had Lan Qiren, and he was far better off for it.

“Fine, then,” Lao Nie said. “That means I can go back and find that dragon –”

“Lao Nie!” Lan Qiren howled. “You are not, and I mean absolutely not, going to go find and – ”

Wen Ruohan started laughing.

This was going to be good.

----

A/N: and that's it! next chapter is the epilogue :) thanks to everyone for reading!

#mdzs #lan qiren #wen ruohan #sect leader nie #my fic #my fics #Megafic

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eatmyass-x · 1 year

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When Lan Qiren extends an invitation to lunch, Wei Ying is admittedly very suspicious. Lan Qiren’s never made any effort to hide his dislike for his youngest nephew's partner of choice. The last time they came face to face, he’d not just ignored Wei Ying, but openly spoken about setting Lan Zhan up with a family friend. So a sudden change of heart seems highly unlikely.

“You do not have to accept the invite. He hasn’t given you any reason to want to see him,” Lan Zhan says when Wei Ying tells him about the strangely amicable text messages he’s received from his uncle.

But he sees the glimmer of hope in Lan Zhan’s eyes. He knows how much it hurts him to see his family at odds with Wei Ying. He didn’t even get to celebrate the new year with them this year because he refused to go if Wei Ying was not invited, despite Wei Ying repeatedly telling him it was okay.

So the least Wei Ying can do is try his best to fix things for Lan Zhan’s sake. Especially if Lan Qiren is extending an olive branch.

He spends an embarrassing amount of time getting ready, not wanting to give Lan Qiren more reason to dislike him. He irons his clothes, takes out his piercings, removes his nail varnish and ties his hair up as neat as he can manage. It’s a good thing Lan Zhan has already left for work, or he’d look at Wei Ying sadly and tell him not to change himself for anyone.

The restaurant Lan Qiren has picked is fancy to say the least. Wei Ying feels astoundingly out of place, but manages to walk in with his head held high. He’s arrived exactly on time but Lan Qiren is already seated at the table.

Wei Ying greets him and takes a seat. He thinks he sees Lan Qiren nod ever so slightly in response. It’s one step above being completely ignored like last time, so they’re off to a good start he tells himself.

The restaurant is not very busy at this time. Only faint music and the clinking of cutlery can be heard. The silence stretches between them. Wei Ying clears his throat. “How have you been, Uncle?” Lan Qiren’s eye twitches. “We haven’t seen each other for a while.”

“With reason.” Lan Qiren doesn’t look at him as he speaks, instead glancing around the restaurant like he’s observing the decor.

Wei Ying tries not to falter. “Thank you for inviting me to lunch, Uncle. I wasn’t expecting it at all, but I’m glad you did.”

“Yes, I suppose it’s not every day someone like you gets to dine at an establishment like this.”

“I’ve come here before, without Lan Zhan.” Wei Ying’s face is beginning to ache with the smile he keeps plastered on. “You forget I grew up with the Jiangs.”

“Grew up with, yes.” Lan Qiren finally looks at him. “But you are not one of them.”

“No, I’m not. I’m your former classmate’s son, if you recall.” Wei Ying tries his very best to remain polite. For Lan Zhan’s sake. “What I meant was that it hurts me to see Lan Zhan unhappy. I’m sure it upsets you too. He is your nephew after all.”

“What upsets me is his inability to discern good from bad. He continues to disappoint me.” Lan Qiren rudely waves away the waiter that approaches their table. “He can’t see that his family has his best interests in mind, not duplicitous outsiders.”

“Did you invite me here to insult me, Uncle?” Wei Ying laughs. “You could have done that over the phone. It would’ve saved you the trip. I know your knees have been giving you trouble recently.”

Lan Qiren scowls. “I called you here to make you an offer.”

“An offer?”

“Ah, that’s piqued your interest, has it?” Lan Qiren strokes his goatee smugly. “As expected.”

Wei Ying is so confused. “I really don’t understand what you’re saying, Uncle.”

“I am not your uncle,” Lan Qiren erupts. “Drop the act, Lan Zhan is not here to see.” He pulls out a pen and paper from his pocket and scribbles something down. “Here.” He slides the paper across the table. “Now leave my nephew.”

Bewildered, Wei Ying looks down at the paper. And then he sees what it really is — a cheque, in Wei Ying’s name. “Huh?”

“Take this money and leave my nephew,” Lan Qiren says calmly.

“What?!”

“Stop playing dumb. This is what you’re really after, right? So take it!” He roughly pushes the cheque the rest of the way. “It’s more than you could ever dream of. Take it and get out of my nephew’s life!”

Perhaps for the first time in his life, Wei Ying is at a complete loss for words. He feels like he’s been teleported into one of those horrible soap operas Madam Yu likes to watch, and Lan Qiren is the evil, scheming mother-in-law.

“No fucking way,” he blurts.

Lan Qiren goes purple with rage. “You insolent—!” But he’s interrupted by his phone ringing.

It looks like the call is important. “Wait here,” he instructs Wei Ying, still looking furious, and then walks off with his phone to his ear. But not before pocketing the cheque first.

Wei Ying can’t believe this is happening. He scrambles to get his own phone out and quickly calls Lan Zhan, keeping an eye out for Lan Qiren.

Despite being at work, Lan Zhan picks up on the second ring. “Wei Ying?”

“Lan Zhan, you’ll never fucking believe this!” he whisper-screams down the phone.

“Is everything okay?” Lan Zhan sounds worried. “Has Uncle done something?”

“No, no. Good news,” Wei Ying reassures him. “He hasn’t tried to run me over or anything this time.”

“This time?” Ah shit. Wei Ying wasn’t supposed to mention that incident to Lan Zhan. “And what is the bad news?”

“Well…” He grimaces even though Lan Zhan can’t see him. “He’s just offered me money to leave you.”

“What?” The disbelief in Lan Zhan’s voice is loud and clear.

“Exactly! It’s like something out of a cheesy K-drama!” In fact Wei Ying’s pretty sure he’s seen this exact scene in a show before. Only difference is Lan Qiren isn’t wearing fur and pearls and a fancy updo. “I don’t know whether to laugh or be angry. Your uncle’s gone insane!”

There’s a long moment of silence on the other end of the line. And then Lan Zhan asks, “How much did he offer?”

“Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying guffaws. “That’s your main concern? How much? I don’t know, a completely crazy amount. There were so many zeroes on the cheque I lost count.”

“You should take the money.”

“What.” Wei Ying’s heart plummets. Surely not…

“Take the money and stay with me regardless,” Lan Zhan tells him. “He won’t be able to do anything about it.”

“Lan Zhan!” Relief washes over Wei Ying. “Are you telling me to scam your own uncle?”

“Mn. Why not.”

“I love you,” Wei Ying laughs. “I love you so much, Lan Zhan. I hope you know that.” Then he spots Lan Qiren heading back over. “Okay, I have to go now. Talk to you later. Love you, muah!” He blows a kiss through the phone and then rushes to put it away before Lan Qiren sees.

The man takes his seat at the table once again. “You're still here. Well, of course you are.” He takes the cheque out of his pocket and puts it back onto the table, looking smug. “You wouldn’t leave without this.”

Wei Ying looks down at the cheque, unable to withhold his disdain. “This is all you think your beloved nephew is worth?”

Lan Qiren scoffs. “So you want more? I should have known. Name your price. Whatever it takes to be rid of you for good.”

“I will not leave Lan Zhan. Ever.” Wei Ying emphasises each individual word. “I love him.”

“Name your price, boy,” Lan Qiren repeats, getting angrier. “He won’t miss you. I’ll have a hundred eligible young men lined up for him by the end of the week. Men of his calibre, not money hungry vermin like you.”

“Money hungry,” Wei Ying laughs. “But I don’t want your money, Uncle. Not even if you double it, or triple it, or give me everything you own. All I want is Lan Zhan. All I’ve ever wanted is Lan Zhan.”

“And you really expect me to believe that him being the heir to Lan Enterprise has nothing to do with it?” Lan Qiren sneers.

“Nothing at all.” Wei Ying shrugs. “I’ve loved him since we were children. I loved him when he didn’t have a penny to his name after you cut him off for being gay. And I’ll love him till my dying breath, and in every lifetime thereafter.”

“Oh, cut the nonsense!” Lan Qiren’s fists are clenched into the tablecloth. “Do you know how easy it’ll be for me to ruin your life? To destroy everything you care about? I will make your life a living hell!” He bangs his fists against the table, making the plates rattle and the water in his glass splash over. “So if you have an ounce of sense you’ll take the money now and leave peacefully. This is your last chance.”

Wei Ying considers the man carefully. Then he picks up the cheque. He reads it properly this time and realises the figure is even bigger than he’d originally thought. More money than he’ll ever see in his lifetime.

“I think,” he says, and smiles up at Lan Qiren, “You should stuff your cheque, Uncle,” and rips it up into small pieces, throwing them up in the air.

As he walks out of the restaurant he hears the sound of cutlery hitting the ground. The ever composed Lan Qiren publicly losing his cool like this. How embarrassing, Wei Ying thinks, giggling to himself. Lan Zhan is going to be so amused when he hears about it.

#wei wuxian #lan wangji #wangxian #mdzs #mo dao zu shi #mxtx #mdzs fic #mdzs fanfic #mdzs fanfiction #scribbles #1.7k

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rosethornewrites · 1 month

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Fic: and sings the tune without the words, ch. 12

Additional Tags: Epistolary, Food, Music, Secrets, Resentful Energy, Cultivation Sect Politics, Character Death, Politics, Assassination Attempt(s), Attempted Kidnapping, Hostage Situations, Mentioned Wei Changze

Summary: Letters to and from the Cloud Recesses.

Notes: See end.

Previous fic in the series: “the thing with feathers”

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11

AO3 link

——————

Jiang-zongzhu and Yu-furen,

We have arrived safely at the Cloud Recesses, but you were correct to be concerned about the journey—someone attempted to sneak aboard the boat in the night. Nie-zongzhu dispatched them silently, and the children are unaware of the event, as they were asleep and the intruder never made it near them. We are fortunate the Nie offered to travel with us.

The visitor had no identifying clothing or marks, and so we cannot come to a conclusion as to whether he was sent by a Wen faction. Truthfully, we all know it to be the case, but accusations cannot be made without proof. Your son will be safe at the Cloud Recesses, and any trip to Caiyi will be heavily chaperoned.

Jiang Wuxian is much subdued, clearly affected by the events at Lotus Cove, but Wangji has been his constant companion. He is doing well in classes, and seems fascinated by talismans, which has fast become his favorite subject. I am taking the opportunity to design extra assignments to keep him busy.

He will be kept safe.

Lan Qiren

—————

Jiejie and Gege,

We got to the Cloud Recesses just fine, but the adults are all acting really nervous so maybe something happened that I don’t know about. I hope not.

Nie-zongzhu and Lan-xiansheng made us stay in an inner area on the boat, so Lan Zhan and I played music, and Nie Huaisang and I painted, which isn’t easy on a boat, and Nie Mingjue showed us some Nie clan stances and forms, so it wasn’t boring or anything. Nie Huaisang wants to learn an instrument now, and Nie-zongzhu seemed amused by that but amenable, so I guess he might be coming to the Cloud Recesses once he gets beyond beginner stage, or they might send a tutor. I don’t know if he wants to cultivate music or just play it, though, so I bet it depends on that too.

I know I wasn’t supposed to be here now, but the adults are right that I’ll need protection for a while. The Cloud Recesses is remote enough and harder to access, especially in the winter, and it’s already so cold here! Hopefully things calm down soon, but I wish it hadn’t happened at all.

It’s so confusing that there’s this curse in my head that can do something like that. And a little scary. What if it happens again? What if I hurt someone I love? Am I dangerous?

When I talked to Lan Zhan about it, he just said “Jiang Ying is good.” But he seems more worried for me than about me being dangerous. He’s with me all the time and it helps.

Lan-xiansheng has been really nice to me, and I think he knows I’m afraid. We have tea every day, with Lan Zhan too, and it’s nice to talk to him. He made sure I have warm robes and a really nice winter cloak to wear. I really need them, and some of them are even purple! I bet he made arrangements from Lotus Cove. Or maybe it’s also cold in spring, and that’s when I was originally coming. But I have a whole bunch of robes here, so maybe that’ll mean I don’t have to bring clothes to and from here.

He also noticed I’m interested in talismans and has been giving me books and it’s so weird because it’s like I can see all these options and have so many ideas! It’s kind of overwhelming, like all the characters for the talisman just float and move where they work best right in my head. I dreamed about making a talisman to sense resentful energy but it wasn’t a talisman, it was a compass that pointed at it so you could go fight it or avoid it. Wouldn’t that be amazing? I bet traveling merchants would love something like that.

The Nies are still visiting, and I guess Lan Xichen is good friends with Nie Mingjue so they’ve mostly gone off by themselves. He also keeps teasing him about growing a mustache. Did I really ask where his mustache went when I met him? So embarrassing! But Lan Xichen thinks he should try it. Nie Huaisang is against it, claiming it will make his brother resemble Jin-zongzhu, and I’m pretty sure he won with that one.

Nie Huaisang has been visiting with Lan Zhan and me, and he’s trying different instruments but I don’t know what he wants to play. I don’t think he does either. He keeps talking about sending music to us to learn, Qinghe songs, and that would be a lot of fun.

Lan Zhan told him the Lan library has plenty of music, which was a little rude but he’s been annoyed with Nie Huaisang for some reason I don’t understand. He’s a lot of fun, and he likes literature and art and birds. He just doesn’t like cultivating with his sword, but that’s not the only way someone can cultivate—like Jiejie is cultivating music and medicine. I guess the Nie are really big on saber cultivation, though.

I’ve had a few bad dreams, ones that didn’t make any sense, but when I wake up from them Lan Zhan’s here and that helps a lot. He wakes up and shares my bed so I’m not scared anymore, just like Chengcheng does for me at Lotus Cove. I’m glad I share quarters with him.

I really miss you both, and especially Jiejie’s cooking. Lan food is so bland, but at least I have chili sauce again, thanks to A-Cheng. I owe you, Gege. I hope our meimei is doing well and behaving. I know she hated it last time I was gone and I hope it’s not the same this time.

I hope Meng-ayi and Mo-guniang and their sons are safe, too.

Please don’t worry about me. I’m safe here.

Jiang Wuxian

————

Lan Qiren,

My wife thanks you for keeping it from A-Xian. The poor boy has been through enough trauma. From his letter to his siblings, he suspects something happened but I’m glad he didn’t see it. Please thank Nie-zongzhu for me as well.

She is utilizing her spy network to try to determine who is responsible for targeting A-Xian, and we’ll include you in discussions and Nie-zongzhu as well if we uncover information since your children were also at risk.

I would much prefer if there were no trips to Caiyi, but I understand occasional excursions, if the strictest security is followed. I know A-Xian can be very strong-willed when he wants something, and it may be better to capitulate rather than risk him going alone.

It makes sense for him to be interested in talismans—his mother was quite adept with them. He may also have inherited his father’s love of history, so perhaps encourage him in that direction as well. We appreciate your diligence in his education.

Thank you for keeping him safe.

Jiang Fengmian

————

A-Xian,

I wish there was a way I could send you my soup, but a letter will have to do. A-Die and A-Niang looked upset with Lan-laoshi’s letter, so I’m sure something happened, but the adults handled it and want you not to worry. Just be smart, Xianxian, and don’t leave the Cloud Recesses without adults.

The curse in your head is not your fault, and neither is what happened to Wen-zongzhu. You know about Wen Qing’s testimony about his activity with demonic cultivation—his blood is not on your hands. I know it’s scary, but nothing would have happened if he hadn’t messed with the curse and hurt you. You’re not dangerous, A-Xian, and A-Cheng and A-Lian and I trust you with our lives. I’m glad Lan Wangji is telling you the same thing and helping you get through this.

I’ve heard Gusu is much colder, and I think at first A-Die and A-Niang didn’t want to send you in winter because you spent so much time in the cold before they found you. Lan-laoshi is taking good care of you, and I’m glad to hear that. I’m sure he handled the issue of your wardrobe from Lotus Cove, or asked Lan Xichen to do so. Don’t forget to thank him!

You’ve always been bright, but it sounds like you’ve possibly discovered your cultivation passion, what you’re meant to study, in talismans. I can’t say I understand the feeling of talisman characters floating in my mind, but I understand the passion—ingredients for food sometimes do that for me, as I love cooking. A compass that pointed toward resentful beings would be incredibly useful, and you should consider talking to Lan-laoshi about it.

You really did ask Nie Mingjue where his mustache was, and he looked so nonplussed. I’m afraid I agree with Nie-er-gongzi, that it would not suit him, but it is of course his own choice. A-Cheng said it would look like he had a caterpillar on his face, and I’m afraid I laughed at the mental image.

I think perhaps Lan Wangji is protective of your time playing music together, and he’s viewing Nie Huaisang as a threat to it. Just make sure to specify that you’re interested in music from Qinghe that is for the dizi and guqin, and I’m sure he’ll be less concerned. Lan-er-gongzi is very attached to you and perhaps fears losing your friendship. Simply reassure him.

It’s good that you have someone with you in the night. I’m sorry to hear you’re having nightmares. I know they upset you a lot. You might ask Lan-daifu if there are ways to keep them away. Did you ask Kang-daifu? I can ask for you if not.

Meimei is behaving, and she’s starting to learn numbers and counting. She misses you terribly, but she’s accepted that you’re in Gusu for the season. A-Cheng is glad the chili sauce is helping, and he’ll send more if you need it. I’ll cook all you want when you come home next. Maybe I can send some treats in a qiankun pouch. I’ll ask A-Die.

They are safe, and Meng Yao is training harder than ever. I plan to write Jin Zixuan about the issue. Hopefully he understands the need to protect them from his father.

I will always worry about my Xianxian.

Jiang Yanli

P.S. A-Die said yes, but only certain things. So I hope you enjoy the tang you baba. I can’t send soup, sadly.

—————

I’m sure the Jiang will eventually figure out how to send soup, if Jiang Ying has anything to say about it!

a-die = dad

a-niang = mom

daifu = doctor

er-gongzi = second young master

furen = madam

gege = older brother

gongzi = young master

jiejie = older sister

laoshi = teacher

meimei = little sister

tang you baba = sugar oil cake

xiansheng = man of respected stature, teacher

zongzhu = sect leader

#the untamed #mo dao zu shi #mdzs #lan qiren #jiang fengmian #wei wuxian #wei ying #jiang cheng #jiang yanli #yu ziyuan #untamed fanfiction #my fanfiction

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bloody-bee-tea · 2 years

Text

24 Days of Mingcheng 2022 Day 14 - Jealousy

Jiang Cheng is pouring tea for Nie Mingjue and himself, just waiting for the other man to speak. Jiang Cheng is not the best with silences–always finding them too oppressing or too judging and at worst both–but he figured out a while ago that Nie Mingjue likes to sort through his words before he actually speaks.

Jiang Cheng could probably stand to do the same, if only to not always immediately snap at everyone who upset him but he figures it’s a little bit too late with his reputation now. People would probably think he’s gravely ill, should he consider his words before he speaks.

But Nie Mingjue always carefully thinks about what he’s going to say–if only so that Nie Huaisang can’t yell at him later for being an insensitive ass. It has happened before.

It’s kind of funny to Jiang Cheng that that still works on Nie Mingjue.

“How was your trip to Gusu?” Nie Mingjue finally asks after he almost finished his cup and Jiang Cheng frowns.

A question like that hardly warrants such a long time thinking about it and so he is instantly on his guard.

Maybe there has been an incident he hasn’t heard of yet.

“It was fine,” he easily gives back, because it had been. Perfectly pleasant even, like his meetings with Lan Qiren always are.

“Why?” Jiang Cheng asks, unwilling to give any more details when he doesn’t know what he’s supposed to look out for.

And that there is something to look out for is made abundantly clear when Nie Mingjue honest to the gods shuffles around for a little bit. It’s a nervous gesture if Jiang Cheng has ever seen one and Nie Mingjue doesn’t do nervous gestures.

At least not when he’s with Jiang Cheng.

“How’s—Xichen?” he then asks and now that makes Jiang Cheng frown for real.

Lan Xichen is Nie Mingjue’s best friend. If any of them should know how he is doing then it should be Nie Mingjue. Maybe they had a fight? But if Nie Mingjue is going about this in such a secretive manner then surely he wouldn’t appreciate being asked outright.

“He seemed—fine?” Jiang Cheng tells him, hiding a little smile when he remembers how stressed he had seemed about his courtship proposal.

Usually, Lan Qiren is very adamant to not be disturbed when Jiang Cheng visits him, but Lan Xichen had barged in, his hair a complete mess, brandishing several courtship drafts at them and then simply slumped over at their table.

Neither Lan Qiren nor Jiang Cheng had the heart so send him away, so they spend an entire afternoon with that.

Jiang Cheng wonders if Lan Xichen already sent his courtship proposal off to Meng Yao or if he’s still too chicken to do it. Maybe Lan Qiren has to take it out of his hands, like he already threatened to do.

“I see,” Nie Mingjue mutters, an unhappy twist to his mouth and now Jiang Cheng is getting worried.

Just how bad must their fight have been for Nie Mingjue to act like that?

“Is—everything okay?” Jiang Cheng asks, the most he can do without actually asking if Nie Mingjue fought with Lan Xichen and he gets a nod for his troubles.

“Yeah, sure, why wouldn’t it be?” he asks and Jiang Cheng huffs out a breath.

“Because you’re acting strangely,” he gives back and then flicks Nie Mingjue’s forehead. “What is up with you today?”

“Nothing,” Nie Mingjue says, weakly swatting Jiang Cheng’s hand away and even that seems so lacklustre that it worries Jiang Cheng. “You’ve been spending a lot of time at the Cloud Recesses lately.”

Nie Mingjue doesn’t meet Jing Cheng’s eyes as he says it and great, now Jiang Cheng feels as if he might have done something wrong, when he absolutely hasn’t.

“I enjoy spending my time there,” he diplomatically gives back and very tactfully doesn’t mention the fact that once you get Lan Qiren behind closed doors, with a good tea in his hands and managed to talk him out of wearing his forehead ribbon, he’s a fucking worse gossip than even Nie Huaisang is.

Mostly because everyone seems to think that Lan Qiren is not paying attention to anything that even comes close to being gossip but the man hears more than all of them together.

Jiang Cheng is not ashamed to admit that he enjoys gossip as well but he would never betray Lan Qiren’s secret, and so he travels there under the guise of guidance.

Luckily no one has asked yet what kind of guidance the great Sandu Shengshou and leader of one of the Five Great Sects could possibly need that he needs to travel to the Cloud Recesses once a month.

“Clearly,” Nie Mingjue mutters, drowning his next words in his tea and jolting Jiang Cheng out of his thoughts.

Something is strange about Nie Mingjue today but Jiang Cheng can’t put his finger on what exactly it is.

“Are you sure you’re alright? Is something bothering you? Has something happened at Qinghe?” Jiang Cheng asks, because if Nie Mingjue is this distracted by whatever it is that bothers him then it must be a bigger problem.

Maybe Jiang Cheng can help.

“No, everything is fine, I keep telling you,” Nie Mingjue almost snaps at Jiang Cheng and Jiang Cheng does not flinch back, thank you very much.

“What the hell is wrong with you today?” Jiang Cheng hisses at Nie Mingjue who immediately lowers his gaze.

“Sorry, that was uncalled for,” he whispers and Jiang Cheng angrily knocks his tea back, desperately wishing it to be something stronger right about now.

“It sure as fuck was,” he angrily mutters and then takes a deep breath.

He does not want to fight with Nie Mingjue; Jiang Cheng hasn’t seen him in almost two weeks and in his opinion that has already been way too long, not that he’s going to say that out loud.

But he’s not going to let whatever pissy mood Nie Mingjue is in ruin the little time they do have together.

He takes another deep breath.

“Do you want to come out on the lake with me today?” he then asks, hoping to hell that Nie Mingjue will just get along with this if he doesn’t want to tell him what’s wrong and he lets out a relieved breath when Nie Mingjue nods, clearly trying to reign his own temper in.

“I would love to,” Nie Mingjue mutters and then even manages to give Jiang Cheng a small smile. “If you really want to take me.”

“If you manage to not be a fucking ass,” Jiang Cheng shoots right back and just like he hoped it startles a laugh out of Nie Mingjue who holds his hand up as if he wants to swear.

“I promise to not be a fucking ass,” he solemnly says and Jiang Cheng rolls his eyes at him, even as he does pour him some more tea.

Things are just going back to normal when Jiang Cheng’s second in command steps up to them.

“Zongzhu,” he says with a deep bow and then gives Jiang Cheng a look that spells trouble.

Either for him or Jiang Cheng, it’s always a surprise with his second but Jiang Cheng is instantly on guard.

“What?” he demands to know and then freezes when his second holds out a letter to him.

It’s a white envelope and it’s just fancy enough to make it clear with just one look what it is.

It’s a fucking courtship proposal.

“What the fuck,” Jiang Cheng mutters and then glares at his second because he knows better than to bring these to Jiang Cheng.

There is a long standing order that any and every courtship proposals are to be politely declined until one from Qinghe Nie arrives. More precisely, until one from Nie Mingjue arrives.

“Here, zongzhu,” his second says and hands Jiang Cheng the letter before he winks at him and then turns around on his heels and leaves, not even giving Jiang Cheng a chance to refuse it.

Jiang Cheng is left staring after him in outrage and when he gets his composure back, he notices that Nie Mingjue’s eyes are fixed on the letter still in Jiang Cheng’s hand.

“Is this—” he starts even though it is painfully obvious what it is and Jiang Cheng rips the envelope open.

Who dares to propose a courtship to him?

He stares blankly at the page, reading the words over again and again and in the end he can’t help the smile that breaks out.

Maybe this will spur him on to finally do something, the proposal says in Lan Qiren’s elegant handwriting. If it does, you owe me tea. You know which one.

It’s signed with just Lan Qiren’s name and Jiang Cheng quickly folds the letter back up before he stashes it into his sleeve.

It makes more sense now, why his second would give this to him; knowing Lan Qiren he addressed the original letter to Jiang Cheng’s second and added the courtship proposal that way. And of course his second would go along with Lan Qiren’s mischief.

Jiang Cheng looks back at Nie Mingjue, the smile sliding right off his face when he notices how dark his face has gotten.

“You’re going to accept, I take it?” he asks, his voice rough and Jiang Cheng frowns at him.

“I’m going to deal with this later,” he tells him and then startles when Nie Mingjue gets up.

“Don’t let my presence stop you,” Nie Mingjue says, not meeting his eyes and instead giving him a shallow bow. “My presence is required back in Qinghe, anyway. Goodbye.”

And with that he turns around on his heels and leaves.

“Mingjue!” Jiang Cheng calls after him but Nie Mingjue pretends as if he can’t hear him and simply walks away.

“What the hell?” Jiang Cheng mutters, getting the letter out again.

He understands why Lan Qiren did it—Jiang Cheng certainly lamented his ill-advised crush on Nie Mingjue for more than an hour during his last visit—but it seems as if Lan Qiren was wrong in his assessment.

Lan Qiren swore up and down that Nie Mingjue is in love with Jiang Cheng as well, even though Jiang Cheng has never noticed any hints in that regard and so of course Lan Qiren would come up with his own little scheme.

He has been teaching the younger generations for longer than Jiang Cheng cares to think about; of course he would pick up a thing or two.

But it seems as if it backfired spectacularly, Jiang Cheng thinks as he watches Nie Mingjue fly away from Lotus Pier and he wonders if it has anything to do with Nie Mingjue’s mood from before.

There seemed to be an issue with Lan Xichen and if he thinks this proposal is from him—maybe that would explain things.

Well, Jiang Cheng will give him a week or two to cool off and maybe get things straightened out with Lan Xichen and by then he’s sure that Nie Mingjue will be back.

It’s harvest season after all and Nie Mingjue has not been shy about the fact that he loves the work. He will be by to help and then Jiang Cheng can find out what has him this angry.

~*~*~

Nie Mingjue does not come by again.

One week passes and then a second, and still no word from Nie Mingjue. Jiang Cheng worries that maybe something happened in Qinghe, so he sends a letter but that goes unanswered as well.

When even Nie Huaisang doesn’t answer him after three letters, Jiang Cheng decides that his people will have to harvest for one day alone because he needs to go and find out what the hell is wrong with Nie Mingjue.

Jiang Cheng doesn’t like to admit it but there’s a tight knot of worry in his belly; they have gotten the qi-deviation issue under control and even relatively stable with Nie Mingjue’s own clarity bell—Jiang Cheng resolutely does not think about the implications of that, thank you very much—but there is always a chance that something went wrong.

Maybe Nie Mingjue is suffering right this moment—or worse, he’s dead—and it spurs Jiang Cheng on to fly even faster than he normally does.

He arrives in Qinghe in record time and it seems as if no one really expected him to drop by unannounced, even though he’s done it before and he will do it again.

“Jiang-zongzhu,” the disciple at the main gate says as she bows deeply. “I am afraid zongzhu is indisposed.”

Jiang Cheng narrows his eyes at her and he sees how she squirms under his gaze.

“Do you want to maybe try that again?” he then asks, because clearly she is lying to him and her face crumbles.

“Please don’t tell him I said anything,” she rushes out and Jiang Cheng nods.

If he gets to see Nie Mingjue then he can at least promise that.

“He’s in the main hall.”

“Thank you,” Jiang Cheng says with a last nod and strides past her, right into the heart of Qinghe.

Every disciple he comes across looks at him with huge eyes but Jiang Cheng doesn’t pay them any mind; he’s here for Nie Mingjue and him only.

Jiang Cheng finds him in the main hall, just like the disciple told him, and even before he notices Jiang Cheng he seems angry.

Furious even, and Jiang Cheng thought they were long past that stage.

“What is going on with you?” Jiang Cheng asks as he steps into the hall, not even properly greeting Nie Mingjue, whose face immediately closes off when he sees Jiang Cheng. “Are you dying? Is there an imminent thread to Qinghe?”

“Why would there be?” Nie Mingjue gives back, clearly puzzled enough by Jiang Cheng’s questions that he answers and Jiang Cheng stares him down.

“Because those two are the only possible excuses I would accept for your continued absence at Lotus Pier and your ignorance to me reaching out to you,” Jiang Cheng snaps at him and Nie Mingjue scoffs at him.

“I wouldn’t want to impose any further, now that you are busy.” He says the last word with a sneer and Jiang Cheng frowns at him.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” he demands to know and Nie Mingjue crosses his arms in front of his chest even as he continues to avoid eye-contact with him.

“There have to be a lot of preparations to be made, now,” Nie Mingjue says and his words still don’t make any kind of sense to Jiang Cheng.

“Preparations? For what? You know we have the harvest season handled, and besides. That never stopped you before.”

“Don’t be so ignorant,” Nie Mingjue hisses at him.

“Then don’t be so cryptic,” Jiang Cheng shoots right back because what the hell is even going on.

“You accepted the courtship proposal by now, I assume. Surely you have other things to worry about than me.”

Nie Mingjue’s words leave Jiang Cheng completely frozen because that is his problem? It takes Jiang Cheng a moment to understand what is happening but when he finally does, he can’t help but to laugh out loud.

Clearly Lan Qiren had been on to something.

“You know if you are this upset by someone proposing a courtship to me, maybe you should have sent in your own proposal,” he tells Nie Mingjue who immediately goes bright red in the face.

“Who says I would even want that?” he whispers out but Jiang Cheng knows him well enough to see how embarrassed he is.

“Well, it’s either me or Lan Xichen, who you seem to think of as the sender of the letter.”

At that Nie Mingjue deflates.

“He’s not?”

“No, he’s not. I would guess he’s busy preparing his own courtship with Meng Yao if he ever managed to send off that cursed letter,” Jiang Cheng gives back clearly to Nie Mingjue’s surprise as he crosses his arms in front of his chest. “Lan Qiren sent the letter.”

“Oh. So you like them older,” Nie Mingjue breathes out and Jiang Cheng hates to see the crestfallen look on his face.

Though it does tell him one thing.

“So you’re not upset that it was Xichen who sent the proposal. You are upset because it’s me who received it.”

“I’m not—” Nie Mingjue starts but Jiang Cheng is not going to let this go on for longer than it has to.

He’s in love with Nie Mingjue, Nie Mingjue apparently is in love with him as well and it’s time that one of them does something about it.

“You idiot,” he sighs out, his voice as fond as it can ever be. “Really, you should have just sent your own proposal instead of sulking here like a moody teen.”

“And if I did—what would you do?” Nie Mingjue asks him, but he already seems much more relaxed and he even smiles back when Jiang Cheng smiles at him.

“This,” he declares and steps forward, right into Nie Mingjue’s space, before he pulls him in for a kiss. “I would do this, then.”

“Mh, I see,” Nie Mingjue whispers and leans in for another kiss. “I think I like that approach.”

They trade kisses for a while but when Jiang Cheng finally pulls back he frowns at Nie Mingjue.

“But seriously? Jealousy?” It’s certainly something he wouldn’t have expected from Nie Mingjue.

“I can’t help it,” Nie Mingjue gives back with a sheepish shrug. “I’ll try to reign it in.”

Jiang Cheng thinks that over for a moment before he gives Nie Mingjue a wicked smile.

“I think it might be hot if you glare at other people for me,” he then decides and doesn’t miss the way Nie Mingjue tries to hide a moan at that.

It seems they both might be into that idea and it’s certainly worth exploring later but for now—

“You better send me that courtship proposal,” Jiang Cheng sternly tells him. “My people are despairing over the fact that I haven’t gotten one from you yet. They have to decline all the others, after all.”

“They have to?” Nie Mingjue asks though there’s a smile on his face.

“It’s a long standing order. All proposals have to be declined.”

“Except mine.”

“Except yours.”

“How long standing exactly?” Nie Mingjue wants to know but Jiang Cheng only glares at him.

“Send one in and maybe you’ll find out,” he dares him and Nie Mingjue laughs.

“Let me get up and I can get it right now. It’s written and sealed.”

Jiang Cheng is outraged by the fact that Nie Mingjue got that far and then still didn’t sent it off but Nie Mingjue kisses the anger right out of him and Jiang Cheng supposes that is one way to deal with that.

“It can wait a while longer,” Jiang Cheng decides and steals another kiss.

Jiang Cheng takes the proposal with him the next morning when he leaves and he pretends he does not notice his disciples cry happy tears when he hands it to them.

Just like they pretend they don’t see the huge smile on his face.

Link to my ko-fi

#bt writes #mingcheng #24daysofmingcheng22 #the untamed #mdzs #canon divergence #courtship proposal #fluff #pining #jealousy #mischief #getting together

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a-yaos-little-murder-beans · 5 months

Text

Omega JGS WIP

JGS who is an omega, but due to getting separated from his first born too early, he stops getting his heat and therefore, never gets to marry the alpha who was supposed to marry him. Instead, he only stays married to Madam Jin who is a beta. They have JZX, and everything continues like in canon until past the war when the Jin are guests at a conference held in CR.

It's been over 20 years since he had his last heat and doctors had told him that he himself can't carry anymore, also his pheromones have almost completely vanished, so that most of the Jianghu thinks that he is just a beta. Almost everyone from the old generation who would remember that he isn't one, is dead.

But suddenly, in the middle of the conference he feels unwell. It had been building up over the past days, but he didn't bother, after all, he is a cultivator and while others can't smell him anymore, he actually still can smell them all and it sometimes gets overwhelming, but it had never been so bad that he feels almost ill.

It's with the first cramp that he realizes what's happening.

He needs to leave. Fast, before one of the unmated alphas realises that it's him who is in heat. He leaves, giving orders towards JGY to take over in his absence. It's a strange move of him, JZX sits right next to him but he tells JGY to take care of everything. Not his heir who is set to take over after him.

JGS makes it to his guest quarters. His bed looks like a nest, but it's not good enough. He's too far away from home, his instincts cry after a safe and familiar place, an alpha. Someone to take care of him.

The thing is, he doesn't know if he needs to be knotted. He knows that omegas who took suppressants needed to be knotted after they stopped using them, otherwise their body would overheat and they would die an awful death. But he wasn't on suppressants. His heat stopped coming after...

Someone knocks on his door. It's JGY who enters after a moment. He knows immediately what's going on. He is an omega, a pretty one, well behaved and JGS was so proud of him that he had to stop himself from purring the first time he met him.

The first born he never thought to see again. The baby his father took away from him. The boy had returned to him, their first meeting ended bad, his own father still alive and acting before JGS could intervene. The old man luckily died in the middle of the war, giving JGS the chance to take his lost son in.

JGY smells like JGS. It's known that omega children smell like their omega parent until they mate with an alpha.

"You're an omega."

He is. He was never hiding it. It just never came up.

"I always was."

JGY smells sweet, like fresh flowers. The typical Jin-omega smell, but there was something else mixed into it. Something fresh and earthy. JGS could smell it. He knew why.

"You're pregnant?"

He had never understood other omega parents when they said, that an omega could immediately tell when their child was carrying. Now he understood.

"No..."

He may be at the start of his first heat in years, but it wasn't that bad yet, that he couldn't think straight anymore. It was heard that pregnant omegas could trigger other omegas heat early. But it was rare and he had been near other pregnant omegas in the past.

Could it be... the bond? The bond that apparently hadn't been yet ready to be cut between him and JGY in the past? Was it possible that his presence... Combined with his pregnancy did trigger JGS's own omega? Was he back in the game? Could he...

The thought made him giddy from excitement. He had enough time to berate JGY for his unmated pregnancy after his heat. He also knew who the father was and it wasn't like as if he hadn't been in talks with LQR about a possible betrothal between them.

"I need an alpha. Now. Go, get me Qiren."

"Grandmaster Lan?"

He nodded. "Please."

"He's an alpha and you're in heat."

"That's the point, A-Yao." He had been utterly broken when he learnt about the broken betrothal. A broken omega didn't need an alpha and the Lan had needed their second young master more than JGS had needed him in the past. But now, things were different. LQR's nephew had taken over as sect leader. The old alpha was free.

"You..."

"Please, A-Yao... This is already embarrassing enough. Just get him and I will explain everything after my heat has passed."

JGY goes and gets LQR for JGS. LQR is as happy as JGS about the heat. They both have waited years for this to happen and in the same night, LQR makes JGS his.

Is JGS pregnant after the mating? Absolutely. LQR finally moves to Jinlintai, as it should have been the case over twenty years ago. JGY and LXC marry shortly after and the first Lan heir is named Jingyi. Meanwhile, JGS gives birth to a son who becomes something like a big brother to JL later. Madam Jin is absolutely smitten with the little boy while JGS and LQR already work on the next one. They have to catch up after all.

About Madam Jin: It is normal for an omega and an alpha pair in such an important position to have normally a beta woman around who takes care of the pups. It is allowed for her to also birth her own children, but that depends on the whole arrangement. She was bitter the first years, bc it wasn't clear if JGS actually cared about her. But he does. She is the only reason that he wasn't thrown out. If she hadn't been there yet, JGS's father would have thrown him out together with baby JGY.

But who is JGY's father? It isn't LQR. No, but it is WRH. Did he know about the child? He knew that JGS had been pregnant, but he assumed that the child had been killed. But when JGY arrived at his doorsteps, he had his suspicion. But like a lot of other people, he thought that JGY was younger, bc of his small stature. Also, he had been thrown out of Jinlintai, which he took as a sign that the boy maybe wasn't JGS's son, until he found him in heat and not in control of his pheromones. JGY was JGS's son what should be impossible. WRH did start to believe that JGY maybe was that child he thought dead. But before he could confront JGS about it, NMJ found his way into his palace and the last thing he saw was JGY stabbing him in the back.

Will JGS ever tell JGY who his father was? Maybe, at some point they will have that talk and it won't be pretty.

#look at this jgs omega wip #this is the entire concept so far #there are still some other things I have to figure out #I need a scene where Jgy asks lxc if he knew about jgs and lqr #and lxc is like: yeah #but I was so small #I completely forgot about it #I also like to play around with jgs past and upbringing #anyway #omega jgs lives rentfree in my head #but only my omega jgs #mdzs #jgy #jin guangyao #jgs #jin guangshan #lan qiren #lqr #akikos shitpost

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remma3760 · 2 months

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Chapter 3

Summary:

Wei Ying begins his life at Cloud Recesses, while Jiang Fengmian plots to get him back.

I'm not entirely sure how old any of the children were when things happened in canon, so will be making my own timeline. Wei Ying's parents died when he was five, and Jiang Fengmian found him and brought him to Lotus Pier a year later. I know it was supposed to be longer, but that never made any sense to me. He was a child. He wasn't hiding. He stayed exactly where he was left so why did it take so long for him to be found? So, when my story starts, Wey Ying and Jiang Cheng are six, Lan Zhan is seven - his mother has been dead a year - Jiang Yanli and Lan Xichen are ten. Again, I have no idea when they would get their courtesy names, so I'm going to go with ten, which is also when they get their swords.

Scowling, Lan Qiren dropped the letter back onto his desk. This was the third one. The third. What was Jiang Fengmian thinking? The way he talked, it was if he had completely forgotten his wife's irrational behaviour, and the whole reason Wei Ying had even been taken from Lotus Pier. And, while he hadn't directly asked for Wei Ying's return, he was clearly leading up to it. Hmmn, maybe it was time to bring his contingency plan forward. The man was simply unreasonable. Who knew what he would try next.

There was also a letter for Wei Ying from Jiang Yanli. While he could believe that the little girl cared for Wei Ying, he doubted that she had written such a letter alone, or even at all. Fortunately, he had decided to review the contents before giving it to Wei Ying, and had been appalled. From start to finish, it was nothing more than a subtle rebuke of Wei Ying's behaviour. Claiming that if he had only behaved, none of this would have happened. That he had hurt them all terribly by running away and abandoning his duty to Lotus Pier. Didn't he miss them at all? Didn't he miss her? The whole thing was nauseating. Certainly not something a child would write unprompted. Lan Qiren felt a shiver of disgust at such an unprincipled use of the girl.

He had shown the letter to Lan Huizhong, who had agreed that the inherent reproach from someone he cared for would certainly set Wei Ying back in his recovery. The poor boy didn't deserve the unwarranted guilt the Jiang heaped upon him. While it was against his principles to keep the letter from Wei Ying, he had to do what was best for the child, and decided to follow the healer's advice and so for now, the letter would go in the drawer.

Sighing, he got up and headed for the medical pavilion. Yesterday, Lan Baojie had declared Wei Ying healed enough to leave, so he would be bringing him home today. There had been one rather traumatic moment when Wei Ying had thought they were sending him back to Lotus Pier, but once the misunderstanding had been cleared up, little A-Ying had been ecstatic. Lan Qiren had arranged for a new bed to be set up, next to A-Zhan's. Xichen was seeing to it now, excited that his little brother finally had a friend and happy to welcome Wei Ying into their lives. Such a good boy. Both - no all - his boys were good boys.

***

Jiang Fengmian was not happy. He knew Lan Qiren was a smart man so he must have picked up on his hints at wanting Wei Ying returned. Yet he said nothing. His letters were perfectly polite. He detailed A-Ying's progress but never once mentioned when he would be giving Wei Ying back. He spoke as if it had already been decided that Wei Ying would remain at Cloud Recesses. Jiang Fengmian had never agreed to that. Yes, the situation had been difficult, and yes, at the time it was best for Wei Ying to be removed from that situation. But that was weeks ago. He had talked with his wife and while she had not admitted fault, he could see she realised that she had gone to far and was sure she would never harm the boy again. He was sure she wanted Wei Ying back, too.

Well, maybe the letter from Yanli would do the trick. She had been a little reluctant at first, but she missed Wei Ying and when he explained how important it was for Wei Ying to understand that he belonged with them and that her letter would help him see that and bring him home, she had complied. And Wei Ying adored her, so as soon as he read how sad he had made her, he would be instantly sorry and would beg to return to Lotus Pier. Besides, he must be tired of the Cloud Recesses rules by now. He was a free spirit, just like his mother. Lotus Pier was the right place for him.

Satisfied, he pulled out some paper, deciding another letter wouldn't hurt. Maybe a letter from him to Wei Ying, stressing his childrens' misery at their beloved brother's absence. Did he really want to make them suffer? Why would he make them so unhappy, when he knew how much they loved him? Yes, that was the way to go.

He hummed to himself, planning out his newest letter. Meanwhile out on the training field, another practice dummy met a horrible end. The two disciples watching from the sidelines ducked their heads and hurried away as the Madam's angry gaze fell on them. She sneered. Let them run. Cowards, the lot of them. Let them fear her. She was Yu Ziyuan. None of them had the right to judge her. None of them. All because of That Brat. How dare he be kept from her. Who did those Lan's think they were to keep him from her. It was her right to discipline him as she saw fit, and once Fengmian brought him back to Lotus Pier where he belonged, she would make him pay for inconveniencing her. She would teach him his place. It was her right.

***

Wei Ying bounced happily, grinning at his Saviour Boy - at his Lan Zhan. Lan Zhan had visited him every day since he came here. Lan Zhan had read him stories and held his hand whenever he felt afraid. Lan Zhan was so good to him. Lan Zhan had been teaching him the rules. He loved how Lan Zhan would nod and give a pleased hum every time he learned a new one. He liked learning. So far, he had learned almost a hundred rules. Yes, there were a lot more to go, but he would learn them too and then he would follow them all and then he could stay here with Lan Zhan forever. He liked Lan Zhan so much. He didn't smile much, or talk much, but Wei Ying didn't care. Lan Zhan was always kind and always helped Wei Ying and always answered Wei Ying questions. Lan Zhan had saved Wei Ying, so Wei Ying knew that Lan Zhan was the best person in the world.

Ever since he had been here, everyone had been so kind to him. Lan Xiansheng, who had carried him when he couldn't walk. Lan Daifu who had given him horrible things to drink but had promised that they would make him feel better and they had. And he had put cream on Wei Ying's owies. It had hurt, but Lan Daifu tried his best to be gentle and not hurt Wei Ying, so Wei Ying liked him too. And Lan Zhan had a brother! Lan Xichen, and he was so nice. He had brought Wei Ying a sweet bun and had smiled at him and patted his head. He was glad Lan Zhan had such a kind brother. He liked all of them, really. Not as much as he liked Lan Zhan, but he didn't think he could ever like anyone as much as he liked Lan Zhan.

Then the other Lan Daifu had come. He hadn't given Wei Ying any icky drinks or pushed and prodded at him at all. He had just sat and talked to Wei Ying, and listened to Wei Ying. Wei Ying wasn't sure what to make of that. Grown ups didn't usually care what Wei Ying had to say, but this Lan Daifu did. At first, Wei Ying didn't know what to say. He didn't want to say the wrong thing and make Lan Daifu angry, but Lan Daifu said that there was no wrong thing to say, and Wei Ying could say anything Wei Ying wanted to say, and Lan Daifu would listen, so that was good. Wei Ying knew Lan Daifu talked to Lan Zhan too, and Lan Zhan hardly ever talked to anyone, so Lan Daifu couldn't be bad if Lan Zhan talked to him and so that meant it had to be safe for Wei Ying to talk to him.

Yesterday, he had been told he would go home today. At first, he had been scared and cried, because he thought that meant they were tired of him and that they were going to send him back to Madam Yu. He was so sad and scared. Lan Zhan held his hand and he looked sad, too. Wei Ying didn't want that. Lan Zhan was so good. Lan Zhan should never be sad, so he tried to stop crying and be brave.

Lan Xiansheng had looked worried, asked him why he was upset. Hiccuping, he told them he was fine. He would go and not be a bother. It was fine. At least he knew some rules now, so maybe he wuldn't make Madam Yu so angry all the time. Lan Xiansheng had looked shocked, then explained that he was not going back to Lotus Pier. That he was staying here. That he would have a bed right next to Lan Zhan's. That he would have his own trunk to keep his own things in right next to Lan Zhan's. He could stay. They wanted him to stay. They weren't tired of him and they weren't sending him away. They wanted him. When they said home, they meant here. Here was home now. He could stay with Lan Zhan always, and learn rules, and never go away.

And, any minute now, lan Xiansheng would come for him, and they would go to where his bed was, and where he would have his own trunk with his own things in it. He would still be talking to Lan Daifu, but that was okay. He would talk to anyone as long as he could stay. He grinned at Lan Zhan again, swinging their arms, clinging to his hand, and Lan Zhan smiled back! A tiny smile, but it was definitely there. And he did that. He made Lan Zhan smile. He was so happy. He was going home.

#the untamed #untamed fic #untamed fanfiction #wangxian

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plotdesigner · 1 year

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I would love to see you write some kind of mdzs fate fusion! With different aspects of an mdzs character's history influencing their servant form. Maybe something where the Juniors are the mages and Mo Xuanyu tries to summon the fearsome Yiling Patriarch but summons a more cheery WWX instead, while Lan Sizhui summons the legendary Hanguang-jun. And Jin Ling summons Jiang Cheng because jiujiu transcends time and space! (and OYZZ summons NHS bc it would be funny. No one expects this team up! :D)

dfajsd;flkjad :I am rotating them so hard in my mind!! I've had fate+mdzs ideas for years and never quite known how to put them together!!

I feel like working out the logistics of everyone getting summoned at this time of night is...questionable, but let's say that it's a modern day setting, and someone's set it up so all the cultivators in a certain area can summon a servant in order to start a free for all, winner gets the holy grail - because if anyone's starting a bloodbath for a suspicious cup full of seemingly unlimited power, it's mdzs cultivation society!Surely this won't cause any problems!

Especially since this is a setting where reincarnation is a thing. Servants aren't heroes themselves, after all, but copies of them, the distillation of their virtues and vices into the most intense version they can be. Servants have met their original selves before - surely meeting a reincarnation isn't out of the question?

Which is how sect heir Jin Ling, in his expensive sneakers and a fancy sweater, summons a man with ancient clothing and his uncle's face.

"I ask of you, are you my master?"

"....jiujiu?"

The man blinks, and in a second, he's out of the circle and patting Jin Ling on the head, checking him - 'what are you wearing?"

"My clothes? Jiujiu???"

....he is going to have so much explaining to do to his parents. And his uncle. oh no.

ARCHER CLASS: JIANG CHENG

Across the city, in a quiet garden, two more summoning circles flare. Lan Jingyi and Lan Sizhui watch as figures form between them in black and white, matching figures -

"Wow, gege, are we a matched set?"

"Mn."

"Hey!! Hey look, it's our students! Boys, hi! Hey, is your uncle still Lan Qiren? Can we see him??"

Jingyi elbows Sizhui. "Are they supposed to know my dad's name?"

"I don't know," Sizhui whispers back. "But maybe they can help us figure out why he had a qi deviation..."

SABER CLASS: LAN WANGJI

CASTER CLASS: WEI WUXIAN

In a lonely restaurant after hours, the chef ran. He was cleaning up after work when he saw something he shouldn't have - blood, and a knife, and a figure moving impossibly fast -

"I'm really sorry, da ge. It seems I don't have a choice but to kill you again," says the impossibly fast man, his sword whipping out like a - well, a whip. (The chef had never had a good grasp on metaphorical language, after all.)

"I don't know what you're talking about!" and the chef grabs his favorite knife and spins, trying to take a chunk out of his enemy.

But the man in gold is too fast, and his blade nicks the chef's arm. Blood spatters.

A pattern painted whimsically on the restarant's wall glows under the fresh coat of blood. A figure emerged and smashed down, almost crushing the slender man in a flurry of green silk - and every clumsy move after was made with the deliberation of a wrestler, making space between the man in gold and the chef.

"San ge - "

"I'm not dealing with you, Huaisang!" the man snapped. "I'll be back!"

"Um," said the chef.

"Hi!" says the man in green - who gathers himself up with the wet eyes of a dog. "Da ge, so sorry about all that - are you alright?"

Nie Mingjue has had a fucking night when all he wanted was to close his restarant. However, he thinks as the man in ancient clothing drapes himself over him and wails about how relieved he is he's ok - there's something that seems right about this weird guy saying they're bound by fate or whatever. He always did want a little brother.

ASSASSIN : JIN GUANGYAO

AVENGER: NIE HUAISANG

"I'm Wei Wuxian, I prommy."

"You prommy?" Zizhen says.

"I prommy. I double prommy. I will take good care of you, triple prommy."

"That's a lot of prommies."

"I'm a modern guy who makes modern prommies. We'll win this whole thing, you can relax, we can have a good time. It'll be great!"

"Yeah!"

"Now, first things first - you got any good romance novels I can borrow? I have been starved for choice!"

PRETENDER: MO XUANYU

(kdafja;sdlkjs sorry jiang cheng but you are so hard to write ILL GET YOU NEXT TIME)

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helly-watermelonsmellinfellon · 2 years

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A Wangxian fic idea I had some time ago.

"You can't hit him!" said Jiang Cheng. "He likes it!"

Wei Wuxian's mortification could reach no higher levels. He wanted to bury himself in the back hills and never reincarnate.

Every Lan in hearing distance looked… vaguely disturbed. Which, you know, fair enough. It was weird in truth.

Jiang Cheng obviously didn't want to be the one to explain, so Wei Wuxian took pity on him. "I can explain."

"Thank the gods! I did not want to have to be the one to do it! It's bad enough that I know as it is!"

He faced Lan Qiren and sighed. "We all know about Zidian and how Madam Yu prefers to use it for punishment. Thankfully she only condones hitting someone if they're a Junior Disciple or higher and only if they did something bad enough to be worth hitting. My first and only time getting whipped was when I was 13. I endangered my whole group with a stunt on a night hunt and while my plan worked and no one got hurt, I was the leader and was supposed to take care of them. She didn't like our report and enumerated my numerous faults to me before the whipping began."

He sighed and looked away, not wanting to see the old man's judgmental eyes. "Five strikes was all it took. I was expecting agony and fear. Instead the first hit was… strange. It made feel odd, but in a good way. And made things happen that had never happened before," he said awkwardly, trying not to think too much about it.

"The next three strikes were more and more intense. And then came the climax on the fifth strike, in which I collapsed, shaking, flushed, and moaning obscenely on the floor. And that's when she understood what happened."

Remembering that day was torture for so many reasons.

Jiang Cheng huffed. "She made father give us the Talk."

"But he was just awkward about it," said Wei Wuxian. "So she ended up having to do it anyway which was even more awkward, but at least she was thorough and we had no questions when it was over."

There was a bright side to it if he said there was.

"So anyway," Jiang Cheng said with forced nonchalance, "you can't hit him as punishment because it won't be a lesson for him. He'll get off on it and make our sect lose even more face than usual."

~.O.~

Will it ever get a full fic? IDK.

#wangxian #fanfiction #watermelonsmellinfellon #mdzs #the untamed

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my-random-mdzs-thoughts · 2 years

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Saw a couple hold hands as they walk together on a train platform but one has to keep walking along it and the other has to go down the steps. So they release their hands the moment thete is a pull where their connected. It happened so casually. Only thing they said was a smile and see ya later..(I think I had my headphones on but thats what it looked like)

So of course I made it Wangxian!

What else am I supposed to do?

Write a fanfic. Yeah yeah I know shush

So Wangxian walk hand it in hand or Wei Wuxian glued to Lan Wangji's arm, along the paths of Could Recesses. When they have to split up for their classes, they smoothly do it without much problem or similar. It is a fluent motion. Almost pretty even.

Like, the other know there is no worry to let go, because the other peace will be back at its rightful place in no time at all. The disciples try to see it as often as they are able to.

If it would go after Lan Wangji, he would have his arm around Wei Wuxian's waist. Instead of just having his love "just" glued to his arm. The man has needs okay and those needs are to feel his husbands small waist at all times. But Wei Wuxian had complaint that "Lan Zhan! I can't walk like this! Hahaha" and poked his cheek.

When Lan Qiren witnesses it for the first time, they are walking straight at him. Seeming like a barrier of some kind. Lan Qiren is prepared to scold, evade and/or just stand still. He doesn't even get the chance to decide with which one or which combination he wants to go with. Wei Wuxian just *plops* himself off his husband and they walk passed with Lan Qiren in the middle. As he wants to turn around, to see that:

no he did just see that and no he did not imagine that just now either.

Only, to see Wei Wuxian is back to being firmly attached to his Lan Zham's side again. As if he hadn't even been there in the first place. As if Lan Qiren did not exist and they could just walk through him. The Lan elder needed a moment after this. Taking a calming tee, with his other nephew. Who gabe him a tiny amused smile after months of nothing. So this thing isn't so bad really.

He gets to see them do the "I see you at the jingshi tonight" separation thing.

He doesn't complain about their "shameless acts" as much anymore. They are adults after all, they now when to be civil.

And if he had a hidden smile at a discussion conference when they do the "we separate to let you through but will get back together the moment you are out of the way" thing over and over again. No one needs to know. The faces are fun to see. Especially when they meet eachother after they did it twice in one go.

#mdzs #wei wuxian #mdzs wei wuxian #mdzs wwx #wei ying #mo dao su zhi #mdzs wei ying #mdzs lan wangji #mdzs lan zhan #mdzs lwj #lan wangji #lan zhan #lwj #mdzs lan qiren #mdzs lan xichen #lan qiren #lan xichen #lan disciples #mdzs headcanons

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admirableadmiranda · 2 years

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I posted 5,592 times in 2022

That's 3,019 more posts than 2021!

437 posts created (8%)

5,155 posts reblogged (92%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@angrybi-king

@kelssiel

@sienne-k

@professionaltrashcollector

@wangxian-everyday

I tagged 4,481 of my posts in 2022

Only 20% of my posts had no tags

#mdzs - 2,620 posts

#wangxian - 1,403 posts

#mdzs art - 1,192 posts

#wei wuxian - 926 posts

#lan wangji - 672 posts

#svsss - 354 posts

#asks - 311 posts

#tgcf - 288 posts

#cql - 270 posts

#the untamed - 261 posts

Longest Tag: 138 characters

#is they forget why their love interest is into them too because they’ve reassigned and stripped every trait from them but the undying love

My Top Posts in 2022:

Look. We all know the Lan sect. Austere, reserved, founder is descended from a Buddhist priest who met their one true love, started a sect and then disappeared when their love died. They participated in the first and the second siege and then their leader had a crisis of made all the wrong moral choices in a video game and ended up with a bad ending. It’s okay though, now he can actually think about what he says and be a better person.

We know them, probably love them, the love interest proceeds to be fascinating by living up to the tenets in spirit and being an austere almost monk person who also loves to fuck his husband until he can’t walk the next day. The Lans- very variable fascinating sect. I personally adore writing them- once they’ve put in a little character development to be worthy of our beloved heroes.

Modern aus usually make them very old wealthy families. They’ve got the houses all in white and the rooms you can’t touch and the forty thousand house rules. I suppose this is a valid take, although in my opinion it sucks balls because it completely forgets things like the fact that they are raised in Buddhist principles. That level of rich arrogant snobbery just goes against a lot of what the Lan sect actually is supposed to be, Lan Qiren is not supposed to be the moral compass of our story, otherwise we would have a story where the Lan sect gets wiped out by someone when they refuse to stand up for anyone and fall for anything. Listen to Lan Wangji, not his rigid discipline stick of an uncle.

But, I digress. Rich Austere Lans is a take that works for modern aus, but listen to your dear Sangsang as she offers you a much better option…

Hippie Lan commune instead. Lan Qiren meditating with goats standing on him. Clothes made of hemp. Lan Wangji has never eaten a piece of food that he didn’t help grow himself. Lan Xichen names the meat they eat. They go to deforesting protests and show up as four hundred people all in white clothes and preach harmony with the earth and following Buddhist and tantric principles. What we take from the earth we must give back. We must passive aggressively stand in the way of injustice and wish good tidings on our enemies.

Lan sect. Hippies. Just think about it.

357 notes - Posted January 13, 2022

How to you feel about wwx sort of taking advantage of lwj when he’s drunk re: the kiss? (It’s a genuine question, I’m trying to instigate a fandom war or bash any character!)

Well first off anon, I think that framing it as "sort of taking advantage" already states where your thoughts on it lie. I recognize that you do likely mean to be neutral and are asking in good faith and just accidentally missed the word not, but the way you phrased the question does have a lead in.

Which is really unfair because I wouldn't call either stolen kiss in Modaozushi either one of them taking advantage of the other. They are both impulsive actions, taken then immediately regretted with neither of the kissed party punishing the other in any way.

The Phoenix Mountain Kiss has been done to death, but let's go ahead and talk about the DrunkJi 2 kiss. It might be a bit scattered because I was having some revelations myself about this moment when I was rereading the scene. Namely that LWJ is being a lot more consenting than it first appears.

They are both not sober in the moment. Wei Wuxian was drinking before Lan Wangji joined him, at the end of the scene he discovers that the whole bottle is empty while he's all rattled about it. I would hesitate to call Wei Wuxian drunk, but as someone who has had more than my own fair share of drinks, there is a point where you can still be very aware of your actions, your senses yet your instinct that pulls you back is numbed. And it does not necessarily take a lot of drinking to get there.

They have been playing a very flirty game. Lan Wangji was threatened if he got caught during chase to get licked and his response was to turn around and walk right into Wei Wuxian to be licked. He gets all shuddery and fluttery about it like the flustered maiden he is, but also goes back in for more. He is definitely very drunk, but every sign that Wei Wuxian is getting is not only a level of enjoyment, but actively seeking out more. In addition, this is the second time Lan Wangji has gotten drunk around Wei Wuxian, so it's not like it's a surprise to either of them that he's a bit of a wild child, running around, causing trouble and being a pouty baby when Wei Wuxian doesn't give him what he wants. Lan Wangji choosing to drink alongside Wei Wuxian is both of them acknowledging that this is going to go in interesting directions; Lan Wangji is not going to remember it and he trusts Wei Wuxian with his drunken inhibition free self.

Here's where we get to the first amazing thing I've discovered on rereading this. There is a lot more going on beneath the surface than framing this as Wei Wuxian suddenly kissing Lan Wangji out of nowhere. This whole scene is showing us what their dynamic really was when they were younger and how only now do they have the ability to actually pick up on these confused signals that they were sending each other as teenagers.

Lan Wangji may be drunk, but for the first time, Wei Wuxian is absolutely picking up on what he wants.

As he was pondering, Lan WangJi turned around, his face as calm as always, “Again.”

Wei WuXian, “Again? Again what?”

Lan WangJi hid behind the wooden screen once more and peeked at him with only half of his face showing.

His intentions were as clear as could be—again, you chase, I run.

Speechless for a moment, Wei WuXian obeyed and did it again. This time, having only been chased for a short while, Lan WangJi ran into him again.

Wei WuXian, “You really are doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”

Again, Lan WangJi brought Wei WuXian’s arms around his neck as though he couldn’t understand what his words meant, waiting for him to fulfil his promise again.

These are not the actions of someone who just wants to play. There is a whole other layer going on beneath the surface. A context clue clicks into place for Wei Wuxian and presumably the audience as well, although that latter one I strongly doubt given that I only really caught onto it now myself.

Lan Wangji is not running because he is afraid or because he isn’t enjoying it. Lan Wangji is running because he wants to be chased and caught. He wants to resist up to a point and then give into Wei Wuxian and surrender the need to pretend and protest. Wei Wuxian is teasing him as though he were a playful kid, cause licking is gross at that age and it theoretically should make Lan Wangji run faster. Instead he makes it a few steps, turns around and walks right into Wei Wuxian’s arms.

It is rather an intensely vulnerable scene as I reread it for this. For just a moment, Wei Wuxian lets his guard down because Lan Wangji is asking him for something very different than he might sober and he is responding to that deep attraction within the both of them. He has picked up on that Lan Wangji was a little frightened of the deepness of the emotions within, but also he really does want it. Thus he continues because he for a brief few splendid moments has no doubt.

With his arms around Lan WangJi, Wei WuXian returned to the bed with him, then asked, “You like this, don’t you? Don’t turn around. Speak. Do you like it or not? If you like it, we don’t have to run around every single time. How about I let you have as much fun as you want?”

As he spoke, he held up one of Lan WangJi’s hands, bent down, and kissed between two of his slender fingers.

Lan WangJi wanted to take his hand away again, but Wei WuXian held it tightly, not allowing him to do so.

And then, Wei WuXian’s lips pressed onto his distinct knuckles. Softer than the touch of feather, his breaths wandered to the back of his hand, and he kissed again.

It is easy to forget, especially since the extent of Lan Wangji's strength won't be shown until the Guanyin Temple, about sixty chapters away from this point, but he is very strong and Wei Wuxian is in the body of a normal person who has not cultivated a golden core. The text here in ExR Allure says that Wei Wuxian wouldn't let him pull his hand away, but if he actually really wanted to stop it, he could easily pull his hand away or push Wei Wuxian off. He is not resisting because he doesn’t want it, he is resisting because he is continuing to play hard to get.

He is still being chased, Wei Wuxian is about to catch him.

Lan WangJi couldn’t pull his hand back no matter how hard he tried. He could only clench his fingers together into a tight fist.

Wei WuXian lifted up his sleeves, revealing the pale-skinned wrist, then kissed it as well.

After he kissed, he didn’t raise his head. He only turned his eyes to Lan WangJi, “Is that enough?”

Is that enough for Lan Wangji, hapless fragile maiden being seduced by the man he really, really likes? No, no he would like a little more romancing please.

Lan WangJi pursed his lips, refusing to speak a single word. Wei WuXian finally sat up straight again and continued, his voice unhurried, “Tell me. Have you burnt any paper money for me?”

There was no answer. Wei WuXian laughed out loud and inched toward him. Over the clothing, he kissed where his heart was, “If you don’t talk, I’m not gonna give you any more. Tell me. How did you know it was me?”

See the full post

360 notes - Posted July 25, 2022

In a world in which Wei Wuxian had plant growing/summoning powers, he would use them to make sure that Lan Wangji always has the shojo flower backdrop he deserves. He told us himself when he drew him. Lan Wangji just doesn’t look right without flowers in his hair.

374 notes - Posted January 8, 2022

One of the lovely things about rereading Modaozushi and talking about it with people is that you realize new things about the text that you’d never noticed before.

One of those things is Wei Wuxian’s absolute need to flirt with Lan Wangji regardless of what else he is doing in the moment. Even when it involves other people.

We know a lot of the bigger ones pretty well, but let me offer you one that I think slips by a lot of people because it’s a pretty subtle moment in a big chapter. I’ve copied a few lines of text around it to show how clear the transition and Wei Wuxian’s complete lack of focus on everything else once Lan Wangji enters the scene is.

The sucking force of the lake became stronger and stronger. Wei WuXian’s sword was superior in terms of agility, but inferior in terms of strength. He was almost weighed down to the point of hovering right above the surface of the lake. He steadied himself while using both hands to haul Su She, and shouted, “Can somebody come here to help?! If I still can’t pull him up, I’m gonna let go!”

Suddenly, Wei WuXian felt his collar tighten, and he was lifted into the air. He turned around to see Lan WangJi holding the back of his collar with one hand. Although Lan WangJi merely looked into another direction with an indifferent look, he and his sword carried the weight of three people, and fought with the mysterious force of the lake at the same time. Moreover, their position was still rising at a steady pace. Jiang Cheng was rather shocked, If I went down to pull Wei WuXian before him, using Sandu, I probably couldn’t have ascended so quickly and steadily. Lan WangJi is only around my age…

At this point, Wei WuXian spoke, “Lan Zhan, your sword is quite strong, isn’t it? Thank you, thank you. But why did you pull my collar? Can’t you hold on to me? I don’t feel comfortable if you do this. Why don’t I stretch my hand to you and you can grab it?”

Lan WangJi replied with a cold voice, “I do not have physical contact with others.”

Wei WuXian, “We’re already this familiar with each other, so how am I ‘others’?”

Lan WangJi, “We are not.”

Wei WuXian pretended to be hurt, “You can’t do this…”

Jiang Cheng really couldn’t hold it any more. He scolded, “You can’t do this!!! Can’t you speak a few sentences less while you’re held in mid-air by your collar?!”

The group travelled on their swords and evacuated Biling Lake as fast as they could. When they landed, Lan WangJi let go of Wei WuXian’s back collar and calmly turned to Lan XiChen, “It is a waterborne abyss.”

Source: Exiled Rebels translation, Chapter 17 of Modaozushi.

So have you all noticed what Wei Wuxian forgot in his need to flirt with Lan Wangji for coming to save him? Do you see the subtle note that the book gives us on the context of this arrangement with Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian up in the air?

Su She is still being held up by Wei Wuxian while he’s busy flirting!

Wei Wuxian either forgets or ignores that he has a whole other person dangling from him in midair while he immediately turns his attention to flirting with Lan Wangji because that is where his fifteen-year-old brain is at and where his focus is for... the entirety of the Cloud Recesses Classes arc.

Su She may be a classist asshole who went out with only a glimmer of dignity, dying for a man who gave fuck all about him, but for this one moment, let us be sympathetic to him, as he dangles from Wei Wuxian’s hand, completely ignored because Wei Wuxian needs to flirt that badly.

I love this book so fucking much.

377 notes - Posted May 15, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

One of the sweetest things about all the juniors shipping Wangxian even as early as Yi City (as well as one of the funniest if you’re a fan of irony), is that it’s really easy to realize, but also really good why they’re the first ones to accurately name what they’re seeing.

The Multi-Clan Duckling Squad are the first people to ever see Wangxian together without any preconceived notions about their relationship — including Wangxian. They alone get to just see them as they are, two dorks who perfectly match and are clearly in love with each other, and they never assume that there’s something else going on because of their understandings of the men involved.

The juniors continue to prove that you can’t really understand someone if you’re coming at them with an assumption in place, and only with clear eyes can you see what was there all along to see.

1,139 notes - Posted June 9, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review

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miixz · 2 years

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I’ve been thinking a lot about the MDZS ending recently, so here’s a rambly post about where I'm currently at:

Wangxian made the choice to stay a part of the Lan Sect. Their interactions seem to be limited due to the amount they travel, but they’re still at home in the sect, it’s where they have their house, they work with the juniors, where their money comes from. I’ve seen people say that because it is not a place that accepts them, and that because the Lan Sect has committed its own crimes, that this was a bad choice, one that will make them unhappy in the future, and I just sort of don’t agree.

Something I think I rambled about before is that Mo Dao Zu Shi is pretty realistic with its societal problems like homophobia and classism, they are structural problems that are part of their entire society. That kind of thing isn’t solved in a day, and short of seclusion I don’t think there’s anywhere Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji could go that’s completely free of them, and if we think of that through a realistic lens, isn’t that much sadder? I know a good portion of people in the fandom are queer or marginalized in some other way, isn’t the thought of just… Never being accepted, having to hide away forever, being made to leave society, much much sadder?

Not everyone wants to be out and proud, not everyone is safe to do that, hell I’m not. But I don’t think limiting my interactions with people and leaving all the places that bring me joy would be a form of resistance, running away feels like a tragedy in itself. Obviously I don’t mean that for every situation, it’s great and encouraged for people to leave situations that make them unsafe! You don’t have to interact with bigoted people if you don’t want to! It’s important to take care and living a happy life does count as resistance in a world that doesn’t want you to. It’s just that in their case I don’t think that's what it’d be.

Yes, some of us are tired and want to leave a society that clearly was not made for us, but there are people fighting to make it a better one and that thrive within that. That’s the kind of people I think they are supposed to read as. They’ve found a way to make their happiness and exist within those spaces they want to occupy, and it isn’t perfect, but we see signs of it getting better through the juniors, and I think it’s entirely possible that it’s not as bad as some of us fear it to be in the adult front as well. Not in the direct interactions with the Sect, but in the rest of the novel.

Most of us are in acceptance that saving the Wen Remnants was the right thing to do, and that they were not all in agreement over what was happening in the sect all the time right? If not all Wens are the same as Wen Rouhan and his closest family, then why do we make all sects be a monolith? People will have different opinions, these organizations are big places and I highly doubt everyone feels some unanimous way about Wangxian.

More on the Wens, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji both show no resentment towards that group of people, even though that had been right after the war and they had been enemies very recently. And they might very well have fought some of the people in the burial mounds settlement before! But the point is not what they did, it was that the war was over and that it wasn’t right to act in the same way as the Wen had, fostering resentment and cruelty.

It’s not about what the Wens did or didn’t do, but more about what kind of person Wangxian are.

I think the same applies here. To change people’s minds about prejudice and to encourage growth, you need to offer them a place to go when they leave those beliefs behind. Now, do I think that means Wei Wuxian should be buddy buddy with Jiang Cheng if he ever changes his mind and miraculously goes through some character growth? Become happy in-laws with Lan Qiren? No! There is such a thing as having healthy boundaries while also not holding onto vengeful feelings.

The kind of people we see they accept into their lives are ones like Jin Ling and the other kids who change their minds on Wei Wuxian over the course of the story, Lan Xichen and Nie Huaisang who are in dubious places regarding morality, those I think seem to have room to grow.

It’s admirable and heartwarming to me that they would choose to live a good, happy life and to make their world better, little by little as they help people and teach juniors and affect everyone else around them. I don’t think either of them are actively being activists in the way we would conceptualize them right now. They are simply happy and just being themselves and still their happiness by itself will have an impact on plenty of people that get involved with them. It’s not perfect, but it feels like a good ending to me, especially when I think of its relevance to the world we live in right now. It won’t change to accept us, but we can still be kind to people, perhaps change some minds, and be happy in spite of all the prejudice.

Idk, it just seems like a good message to me. One of the things I love the most about both Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji is how kind they are, and it makes a lot of sense to me that if they could give a chance to the Wen Sect Remnants, they can give a chance to Lan Wangji’s family too, and they might change some minds and make some close ties with some of them like it happened between Wei Wuxian and Wen Ning, while some people there might never change, but at the end of the day Wangxian will be happy regardless and also leave the world a better place than it was when they entered it.

I'd love to hear others opinions on this, but its just an interpretation I arrived at that makes me feel happy about the ending and where its going.

#mdzs #wangxian #i am literally just rambling rgdfsdfdxz i may be full of shit #i would love to hear others opinions on it too #but idk i tend to try to view things on the best light whenever possible and mdzs just feels so Hopeful yknow?#tw: homophobia

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robininthelabyrinth · 2 years

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@aniseandspearmint prompted: How about WWX in MXY's body somehow being put in charge of the Jin? He IS technically last blood son of JGS standing?

ao3

“Hah,” Wei Wuxian said. And then, feeling that was perhaps insufficient, he added, “Hahahah.”

“They are not joking,” Lan Wangji said.

Wei Wuxian had been afraid of that.

“You can’t actually be serious,” he protested. “I mean, who doesn’t know that I’m Wei Wuxian by now? Even if Mo Xuanyu was one of Jin Guangshan’s sons, I’m definitely not – why in the world would anyone want to make me Sect Leader Jin? I mean, Jin Ling is right there!”

“He’s too young,” Jiang Cheng said, then scowled when Wei Wuxian shot him an incredulous look. “Not by my standards, by theirs! There’s an age limit, and he hasn’t met it yet; it’s as simple as that.”

“All right, all right, fine, let’s say I buy that –” Wei Wuxian breezily ignored Jiang Cheng’s incredulous “Buy what?!” “– that still doesn’t explain why the Jin sect would be willing, much less eager to put me in charge. Me! I mean, I’ve done so many terrible things!”

Lan Jingyi scratched his head. “Uh, I mean, their last sect leader murdered the previous one, so they’re clearly not picky.”

Lan Sizhui, blushing bright red, kicked him in the shin.

Everyone else pretended as hard as they could that they hadn’t heard.

“Jinlin Tower has a number of enchantments and arrays that are triggered only through a blood connection,” Jiang Cheng said through gritted teeth. “And before you say ‘well don’t they have cousins’, the entire point is that, apparently, in Lanling Jin one of the ways the sect leader’s main family keeps power is by monopolizing access to those arrays. If we transfer it over to another family as regent for Jin Ling, there’s no telling whether they’ll give it back when it’s time, and once they have the power, we wouldn’t be able to force them to do it.”

Well, shit. That actually made sense – assuming you were a paranoid from a family of paranoids that viewed their own extended family as the biggest threat to their power.

Sadly, that described the standard Lanling Jin sect to a tee.

Well, he supposed that stupid peacock Jin Zixuan wasn’t like that – he was just stupid, arrogant, and awkward. Come to think of it, if it wasn’t for all those arrays and whatnot acting as a guarantee, Wei Wuxian would really have had to wonder if the former Madame Jin hadn’t just pulled a fast one on Jin Guangshan…

Eh, he supposed some people just took after their mothers. Look at Jin Ling, he was shijie’s boy through and through, with only a little Jin arrogance on him like gilt – absolutely perfect.

And, of course, if Wei Wuxian refused this ‘honor’, it was Jin Ling’s patrimony that was going to disappear.

Wei Wuxian groaned.

“Yeah,” Jiang Cheng said grimly. “I know.”

“Do I have to, you know, actually run the place?” he asked, rubbing his face. “I’m going to put it out there right now, I have no idea how to run a sect – and Jiang Cheng can’t run two sects at once no matter how hard he tries. He’ll explode.”

Jiang Cheng looked annoyed but also like he couldn’t deny it.

“And before anyone says anything,” Wei Wuxian added, knowing that Lan Jingyi was only resisting saying something stupid on account of Lan Sizhui’s vice-tight grip on his arm,” Lan Zhan is great in many ways, but he also has no idea how to run a sect.”

That had been pretty obvious in the first month or two after Lan Xichen had gone into his year-long seclusion. Lan Wangji was an amazing cultivator, a fearsome fighter, a stellar night-hunter, a superlative solver of problems, a terrific teacher of juniors…but he didn’t understand people, he had no patience for fools, and while he could fill out sect paperwork, it bored him to the point where, even when trying his best to be diligent, he often ended up filling things out without thinking them through, leading to all sorts of disasters.

Lan Qiren had had to take over.

The irascible old teacher wasn’t notably better at understanding people, but he’d clearly forced himself to learn the skill in a way that Lan Wangji hadn’t, and he had several decades’ worth of experience besides. He hadn’t enjoyed coming out retirement to be acting sect leader again one bit, which had made his already formidable temper worse than usual – immediately springing to mind was that brief interlude where he’d gotten sick of Wei Wuxian’s (possibly slightly in bad taste) joking around and briefly banned the entire Cloud Recesses from interacting with him – and Wei Wuxian was pretty sure that no one was happier than he was when Lan Xichen finally re-emerged from seclusion, more solemn but steadier and centered in a way he hadn’t been before the seclusion.

“Is there someone in the Jin sect I could rely on, maybe..?”

Wei Wuxian looked around.

Everyone’s faces were grim.

Yeah, he hadn’t really thought so. In order to maintain complete control and power, Jin Guangshan had deliberately created a destabilizing atmosphere of backstabbing and internal politicking, each family branch out for themselves, and Jin Guangyao had followed in his odious father’s lead on that score, however pretty a face he’d put on it to the rest of the world.

“No,” Jiang Cheng finally said, completely unnecessarily. “That’s just asking for corruption and sabotage. We need someone who will be a reliable regent for Jin Ling, not a schemer looking for a way to steal the role or a thief looking to pad their family’s wealth while they can.”

“What’s your suggestion, then?” Wei Wuxian argued back. “I can’t do it! I really, really can’t. At least Lan Zhan has had training on what to do, the closest I ever got to being sect leader is being head disciple, which isn’t the same at all –”

“Definitely not,” Lan Jingyi interjected fervently, probably because he had somehow found himself being named the Lan sect’s head disciple of his own generation. Wei Wuxian had originally wondered why they hadn’t gone with Lan Sizhui, who in his (completely non-biased) opinion was the natural choice. Or, well, at least he’d wondered right up until he’d seen Lan Sizhui being completely incapable of rejecting requests from anyone younger than him that made a sad expression at him. Being head disciple meant being willing to impose discipline on those around you, potentially being the target of anger and resentment, and that just wasn’t Lan Sizhui’s personality.

(Lan Jingyi, on the other hand, was a head disciple in Wei Wuxian’s own model: being just too much fun for anyone to mind it too much when he really did impose discipline.)

“What about the Yiling Burial Mounds?”

Wei Wuxian snorted. “I’m sorry, you think I ran that place? It was Wen Qing from beginning to end.”

Jiang Cheng didn’t even have the grace to look surprised, the asshole.

(Neither did Lan Wangji, but that was just because Wei Wuxian’s perfect husband knew him so well. How cute!)

“There is only one solution,” Lan Wangji said. He had a very rare expression on his face – completely undecipherable to anyone else, but readable to Wei Wuxian as…apologetic?

Wait, why was Lan Wangji feeling apologetic?

“I agree,” Jiang Cheng said, and he looked gleeful – which was even more worrying. “My apologies to your uncle, Hanguang-jun, but we’re going to have to have him come out of retirement one more time.”

“Wait,” Wei Wuxian said, horror dawning. “Wait, wait, no. No. I’m not running the Jin sect with Lan Qiren –”

#mdzs #wei wuxian #jiang cheng #lan wangji #lan jingyi #my fic #my fics #I lost the original ask sorry

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jaimebluesq · 2 years

Text

The Perfect Spiritual Pet

Just a funny little thing that popped into my head to cheer myself up. Also can be found on AO3

~*~*~*~

Nie Huaisang uses an array to attract the perfect spritual pet - the problem is, neither he nor Wei Wuxian nor Jiang Cheng have any clue what it is.

(Spoiler: It's a three-toed sloth)

~*~*~*~

“Well... this wasn't supposed to happen.”

Nie Huaisang stared at the middle of the floor of his dorm room where he'd painted the array just as Wei Wuxian had instructed.

“What is it?” Jiang Cheng asked, hand on his sword and ready to pull it at a moment's notice if the strange beast tried to attack one of them.

“I... really don't know,” Nie Huaisang replied with a shrug. “Though it's rather cute, isn't it?”

“It looks ridiculous – I love it!” Wei Wuxian approached the creature lying in the middle of the array. It blinked slowly at him and moved its head as if it were in a daze. “It's so slow! Slower than a tortoise.”

Nie Huaisang crouched down next to Wei Wuxian and held his hand out to the creature. The beast, whose head looked like it had been painted with a permanent smile, began stretching its paw out towards him. “It only has three toes, but its nails are so long. You're just a cute little three-toed baby, yes you are,” he cooed as the fingers wrapped around his hand.

“Be careful,” Jiang Cheng hissed. “You don't know what it is. It could be some sort of yao trying to lure you into a false sense of security. If you get your head eaten off by some strange animal, I'm telling Chifeng-zun it was your own fault.”

Nie Huaisang picked it up and held it in his arms, fascinated when it slowly wrapped its limbs around him in a gentle but secure hold. “I didn't think your array made up new animals, Wei-xiong.”

“It's not supposed to.” Wei Wuxian shrugged. “You said you wanted a spiritual animal because you thought it would get your brother off your back about your cultivation, so the array is supposed to find you a spiritual pet that best matches your personality. Seriously, I just expected it to give you a tortoise or something.”

Jiang Cheng snorted. “With your luck, just be glad it didn't try to give him a xuanwu.”

“What should we call you?” Nie Huaisang rubbed his nose against the animal's. The array was indeed an amazing thing if it could create a new breed of animal out of thin air. “I know! Yidi. You look like a Yidi to me.”

“You're naming him after the god of wine?” Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. “Please don't tell me you're going to feed him Emperor's Smile.”

“Well, he already looks kind of drunk,” Wei Wuxian offered with a chuckle. “I think Yidi's a fine name.”

“Maybe we should take it to Lan Qiren.” Jiang Cheng still hadn't let go of his wariness of the creature.

“No, we should take it outside to show the rest of the students! Everyone would get a kick out of it!”

“It might still be dangerous!” Jiang Cheng argued.

“No it isn't, it's friendly!” Wei Wuxian countered. “And with the number of disciples around here, even if it did try anything, we'd all be able to stop it.”

The two argued for a few more moments before realizing that they hadn't heard any more from Nie Huaisang. They stopped simultaneously and began looking around the room, both pausing when they spotted Nie Huaisang's bed.

The boy had curled up in his blankets and fallen asleep, the creature in his arms sleeping just as deeply as he did.

Jiang Cheng snorted. “Maybe your array did work as intended after all.”

There was a chorus of snoring from the two sleeping in the bed.

“Only your array could find a creature as lazy as Nie Huaisang.”

fin

#one braincell trio #nie huaisang #jiang cheng #wei wuxian #mdzs

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rosethornewrites · 9 months

Text

Fic: and sings the tune without the words, ch. 10

Additional Tags: Epistolary, Food, Music, Secrets, Resentful Energy, Cultivation Sect Politics, Character Death

Summary: Nie Mingjue reports to Lan Xichen about the continued discussion conference.

Notes: See end.

Previous fic in the series: “the thing with feathers”

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

AO3 link

———————

Xichen,

Jiang Yanli has been a bit busy and said you would appreciate an update. To be direct, it’s a mess.

Apparently the Jiang sect has taken in two women who have bastard children by Jin-zongzhu, and he decided to petition that they be handed over to him like so much chattel. A-Die told him that coming to a sect and demanding their women be given to him wasn’t unexpected from him even if it was more brazen than his usual infidelity and that, as well as Jiang Wuxian’s health, led to the discussion conference being recessed for a few days.

Yu-furen has been a force to behold, and Yao-zongzhu has already departed with a broken nose. She’s fiercely protective of her children, and anyone who dares blame Jiang Wuxian for Wen Ruohan’s demise regrets it shortly. One would think he was her child by blood.

Wen Qing’s testimony about Wen Ruohan’s activities was rather damning. Apparently there’s some Yin Iron artifact tainted by resentful energy that led to a big war generations ago and it was split into pieces and locked away in multiple locations. One of those was near her village, and in unsealing it he awakened a goddess statue that killed her parents and damaged the spiritual consciousness of her didi. He expected her to treat the effects of his use of resentful energy and often implied he would harm Wen Ning, who’s younger than A-Sang!

She started to detail some of his terrible experiments, and Lan Qiren insisted the content was not appropriate for children, which apparently includes me, and we were made to leave. When she returns to the family area following each day, she looks worn enough to be an adult, and yet she is only our age.

The discussion conference has shifted away from whether Jiang Wuxian is responsible for Wen-zongzhu’s death, which seems to be a relief for the Jiangs. From what I’ve heard, the consensus seems to be that he caused his own death through dabbling with demonic cultivation and hubris. We hear a little through the servants, who report to Jiang Yanli what they can.

The last few days, A-Sang and I have been cloistered with the Jiangs and your brother during the day. When you wrote me about the bond Jiang Wuxian has with your brother, I found it hard to believe, but seeing them together I can see why you’re certain they were destined to meet. The boy is bright, if often confused by his loss of memory, and has a weird way of drawing people in, almost eerie but not in a threatening way. When he first met me, he asked where my mustache was and then passed out, and remembered none of it when he woke. I’m given to understand something similar happened when he met A-Die. It must be somewhat terrifying to not know what of your memory you can trust, but he seems to try to think positively, which I suppose is really his only viable option.

Jiang Wanyin reminds me of Wangji in his biting stage, but with words, with a temper like his mother, very protective of his siblings. He’s frustrated with not being allowed to attend the discussion conference, but it comes out of worry for his brother. I’d not heard Jiang Wuxian had a meimei, but the child takes after him in certain mannerisms and clearly adores him, so I suppose she just hadn’t been publicly known of when their parents went missing. It’s their business, and not mine to pry into.

Jiang Yanli has a way of calming Jiang Wanyin and keeping the days on a certain pace and trying to keep everyone from climbing the walls. Wen Ning sometimes cries for his jiejie and needs consoling and distraction, and she provides the latter while her siblings provide the former. Even Jiang Lian will tug him over to play with toys when he’s getting upset. A-Sang has found a friend in Jiang Wuxian, who also enjoys painting, and that keeps him at least somewhat distracted. He also enjoys listening in on the Jiangs practicing their instruments, to the extent that I half-expect him to want to learn himself.

She seems to have taken over some of her niang’s duties for the duration of the discussion conference, including organizing the servants and attending to household matters, but with the added burden of recent events it is quite a lot. She has the help of a woman named Meng Shi, whose son Meng Yao is also cloistered, as well as a young lady named Mo Yun and her infant son. They’re the ones Jin Guangshan demanded, and it’s pretty clear why, but they’re understandably nervous about his demands.

Wangji is quite well, but very distracted by Jiang Wuxian, who had a fever while he was unconscious. I’m no longer surprised by their betrothal, given their closeness. He seems content to let Jiang Wuxian yammer on about whatever he’s thinking about at any given time (seriously the boy never stops talking), and he’s actually listening because he’ll occasionally respond. I’ve never heard him speak so much as he does to Jiang Wuxian.

It is difficult not to be bored. The furor about Jiang Wuxian has died down, thankfully, and we’re just waiting for the conference to end. It’d be one thing if there were tournaments, but it’s definitely not the typical discussion conference. They’ve got the family area locked down with regular patrols by senior disciples, even, after the attempt on Jiang Wuxian.

Not that I expected it to be the typical discussion conference with what’s happened, but I also didn’t think I wouldn’t be allowed to attend—not that I want to hear about Wen Ruohan’s resentful energy experiments any further than I have, as what has been trickling in to Jiang Yanli has been unsettling and there is much the servants won’t tell us. It’s already bad enough that we’re not relaying any of it to the younger ones, and poor Wen Qing’s exhaustion is understandable if she’s been forced to watch much of it. I gather Wen-zongzhu felt it constituted medical training for her to be present, so no wonder she grabbed at the opportunity for her entire family to flee from the Wen sect.

As much as the discussion conference started with accusations against Jiang Wuxian, I’m of the opinion that, had Wen Ruohan lived, a war would have been inevitable; either he would have gone mad from wielding resentful energy, or he would have sought more power, or perhaps both. That he was killed basically attacking the boy should have made it clear he caused his own demise, but some among the gentry need an even clearer indication he is a villain somehow—I’ve made note personally of those who would excuse an attack on an ill child, as I don’t think they should be trusted, and I will share them if you wish, but not on paper. I think your uncle will be largely concerned with the disposition of whatever artifact Wen Ruohan was using, which I’m sure some in the Wen sect would like to keep, if it is to be found.

I don’t know if I’ll still be in Lotus Cove for you to reply, but I’m stuck here until the discussion conference ends. I wish you were here but also you’re better off not being here. At least Meng Yao is a decent conversationalist, and Jiang Yanli and Wen Qing (when she’s available) are also good to talk with about cultivation, for all that they’re focusing on healing. I just wish I could do some training, but I suppose I’ll have to settle for meditating with Baxia instead.

Hopefully the rest of the conference goes quickly. Maybe after I can convince A-Die to visit Gusu somehow.

Mingjue

—————

Mingjue,

I very much appreciate your letter, as I’ve been nearly frantic for news; were it up to me, I would indeed be there with you all and glad for it—it’s so difficult to be so far away from my didi during such a fraught time.

I have seen Yu-furen in action, so I am not surprised you admire her, and I find her admirable as well. I find Jiang-zongzhu similarly so, his approach to his children and sect different from the Lan. I don’t know if I told you, but we stayed for quite some time when Jiang Wuxian was first injured, and our time there was an experience I learned much from, something you might also discover.

I’m glad you’re with the Jiangs instead of at the conference directly, if I’m at all honest, since I heard there was at least one attempt on Jiang Wuxian’s life and I fully expect Wangji would throw himself between him and any threat, an assessment with which I’m certain you will agree. The news that Jiang Wuxian is less of a focus now that something worse has been revealed about Wen Ruohan is welcome, but I also wonder how the Wen delegations are handling the news, whether they are still defending their late sect leader.

Honestly, even if it was borne of Jiang Wuxian’s confusion, you would look very mature with a mustache; I know it bothers you that disciples sometimes see you as a child, and that could potentially help?

Jiang Wuxian hides much of his frustration with his memory, but he has a very positive personality and bounces back quickly. He has had several terrifying nightmares, both at Lotus Cove and the Cloud Recesses, and I know he has worried that some of what he dreams is from memory, that his memories hide something terrible, but from what others have said he has always been positive since he first came to Lotus Cove, and surely he wouldn’t have been if his memories so tormented him.

I didn’t know what to make of the Jiang family dynamic when I first arrived at Lotus Cove, but I think your assessment of Jiang Wanyin is accurate, and you have clearly seen Jiang Yanli’s fortitude and determination. I’m glad she has been gathering information from servants, but it’s disturbing that there are things Wen Qing is testifying about that they find too terrible to relate—Shufu and the Jiangs certainly have their hands full!

Jiang Lian has a similar disposition to Jiang Wuxian and absolutely adores him. I’m sure you’ve found that she’s inquisitive and curious about nearly everything. She wants to learn the dizi, konghou, guqin, and xiao—basically every instrument she’s seen played. I understand she’s inherited Jiang Yanli’s practice konghou, so perhaps she’ll start with that.

Musical cultivation might be a viable option for Huaisang, if he does become that interested. It may not be the Nie cultivation style, but at least he’d be cultivating? I know it bothers you that he doesn’t cultivate at all. Jiang Yanli did not have the health for traditional cultivation, but she’s decided she can still work on other forms, like musical and medical. It may be worth consideration. I’m glad to hear that your didi and Jiang Wuxian get along—you might find that Huaisang is influenced positively by him as well. If nothing else, it would be nice to see this generation grow stronger together by building good ties.

I only met Meng Shi and her son fleetingly, as the Jiangs took them in while we were there, along with Mo-guniang and her son, and both were taken from unpleasant situations and given new lives by the Jiangs. I’m glad you’re speaking with Meng Yao—apparently he was never given proper books on cultivation, only incorrect manuals his mother could find, so I know he likely appreciates your conversation very much. Hopefully Jin-zongzhu accepts the denial.

Wangji is more expressive than he has been since Muqin died, and it’s all thanks to Jiang Wuxian. He seems to just interact more with the world since they met again at Lotus Cove—Jiang Wuxian even helped him forge friendships with his peers. While cutsleeve marriages are unusual, in this case I believe their connection could easily blossom into romance, making their union that much stronger. I’m glad you see it too.

I have not had opportunity to meet Wen Qing or her brother, and I dread to think of the impact Wen Ruohan’s experiments with demonic cultivation had on them, particularly with the impact on young Wen Ning’s spiritual cognition. As an older sibling I’m certain she must have been terrified for her didi’s safety and well-being. Lotus Cove is a good place for her and her family to go, as the Jiangs are certain to treat them kindly. They’ve shown willingness to “take in strays” as others might say derisively, but I think rather it’s that when a Jiang decides you’re clan, that’s what you become.

I’m relieved that it’s boring for you, as cruel as it may be, because a lack of furor means safety. If the focus can remain on the apparent crimes of Wen Ruohan instead of Jiang Wuxian, I know it will also relieve Jiang Yanli and Wangji, and lead to less tension in general.

You are probably right regarding the potential for war in the future had Wen Ruohan lived. There is no shortage of historical examples of the way resentful energy taints the minds of demonic cultivators, and those who seek to gain power by resorting to that path tend toward megalomania anyway. Why else would anyone abandon the wide path after having cultivated to become as strong as Wen Ruohan? That our generation could have seen a war on that scale is sobering, and imagining Wangji ever having to experience such is sickening. I’m sure you feel similarly about Huaisang.

Hopefully that possibility has been averted, but you’re right that it depends on the disposition of the Yin artifact. I daresay keeping an eye on the situation isn’t unwarranted, including regarding the sect leaders who tried to excuse what was done to Jiang Wuxian. I know there’s a precept about gossip, but in this case I don’t believe it is such, given the possible ramifications to our siblings. Jiang Yanli and Wen Qing might like to be included, as they are also older siblings and more people paying attention is a good thing.

I’m certain the Jiangs will forward my letter to the Unclean Realm if you have departed. I think even if you don’t intend to become a healer, you may learn things from discussing cultivation with Jiang Yanli and Wen Qing that can be applied to other branches of cultivation. Even if there isn’t, there’s nothing wrong with pursuing knowledge for the sake of it.

I hope you get to come here. It would be very nice to see you.

Xichen

—————

So since Nie-zongzhu isn’t getting killed by Wen Ruohan, Nie Mingjue has no reason to hate the Wen clan specifically. And also has time to be a kid, to a certain extent. This means also that there can be an older sibling brigade. Pity the fool who hurts a didi.

I’ve started supplements for my osteoarthritis this week and it seems to be helping. Visiting friends and resting. Had a decent holiday, though overdid it a bit and my body let me know. Visiting friends and having a good time.

I’m okay. Just working on accepting that my job is to heal and rest and recover. I’m applying for disability because it’s been a year and I’m realizing it took time to get this bad and will take time to get better.

I wrote about 47k words of fanfiction in 2023, so I at least was able to do that. Hopefully 2024 will bring more energy and brainpower to write.

Glossary:

a-die = dad

didi = younger brother

furen = madam

jiejie = older sister

muqin = mother

shufu = uncle

zongzhu = sect leader

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