#that doesn’t actually really do anything to explain why I thought of chengqing but. i thought of chengqing

[lilnasxvevo]

Chengqing princess bride AU, Jiang Cheng is Buttercup and Wen Qing is Westley, thank u for reading my post

[stiltonbasket]

Helloo! I loved the chengqing posts you reblogged, and would love to hear any thoughts you have on them. Are there any AUs that you have in your mind where they’re happy? Or any angsty headcanons abt who they were (and weren’t, and couldn’t be) to each other in canon?

Oh, I have tons of thoughts about AUs where they could have been happy :( like if JC had promised to help find Wen Ning when he could spare resources for things that weren’t a) fighting for his and his sect’s survival or b) finding his idiot brother, everything could have been fine, or if JC offered the Wens sanctuary at Lotus Pier (look, Yiling is really close to Yunmeng and the Wens could have easily been integrated as civilians. Hiding Wen Ning and Wen Qing would have taken some effort, but would anyone have recognized Granny or Uncle Four? Not a chance). If Jiang Cheng had backed Wei Wuxian when he showed up at the banquet looking for Wen Ning, and said that Wen Ning and Wen Qing sheltered us from Wen Chao when the Wen sect was still very much at an advantage, I owe them a debt, the Lan and Nie sects would have supported him too--everyone could have been okay, and Jiang Cheng and Wen Qing could have been everything to each other.

But with Jiang Cheng’s canon actions, it felt like he wanted to stay on Lanling Jin’s good side specifically; we see Lan Xichen telling the Jins that the Wen prisoners should be fairly tried, and that anyone who wasn’t involved with the war should be released. Nie Mingjue agrees with him, if a bit reluctantly, which means that whole rivers-of-blood torture/execution scene occurs without either of them knowing. Even the Jins chasing unarmed women and children into the forest happens without anyone knowing, except for WWX and LWJ who witnessed it and just...never told anyone about it? More on that later...

And as for how JC could have feelings for Wen Qing and still, uh, have the utter gall to feel bad about having the comb returned when he just took his sword out to kill Wen Ning five seconds ago? Jiang Cheng. Jiang Cheng why. I don’t understand, Jiang Cheng. It gets even worse when you remember that he met the Dafan Wens earlier in the series. He knows they’re harmless, and he still calls them useless and shouts at baby A-Yuan not to touch him, right in front of WQ--and he still stares sadly at the comb after she gives it back? Jc bro I love you i swear but just. Why

In my AU, though, JC wanted to do something to help the Wens; the problem is that he decided it could wait until the Jiang sect was fully recovered from the Sunshot Campaign. He told himself that WWX and Wen Qing would be fine in the Burial Mounds for a year or two, because he would help eventually, just when it was safer--possibly when he could count on some Jin support through Jin Zixuan, aka the beautiful airhead who had no clue what was going on at any given point of time but would have done anything for Jiang Yanli. Jiang Cheng even planned to bring up the subject with JZX at the full month ceremony, since WWX was expected to be there too, and he knew JGS would have a hard time challenging the testimony of his legitimate heir--but then the ambush happened, and JGS offered a pardon for WWX in exchange for Wen Qing and Wen Ning. 

It hasn’t been covered in TMAAF yet, but when Jiang Cheng heard about the exchange pardon, he went straight to JGS and begged on his literal knees for Wen Qing’s life. He had no grounds to ask for mercy on Wen Ning’s behalf, but he explained that Wen Qing took him in and nursed him back to health at great risk to herself, and pleaded with Jin Guangshan until he agreed to spare her. 

But what JC wasn’t expecting (and what WWX wasn’t expecting, either) was that the rest of the Dafan Wens would turn themselves in, too. JC couldn’t risk going to the Burial Mounds to see what was going on, but he hoped WWX might anticipate an attack and come to Lotus Pier for safety with A-Yuan, so he returned to Yunmeng to strengthen his protective wards against a possible assault from Lanling--and by the time he made it back to the Nightless City, Wen Qing was dead, despite Jin Guangshan’s promise to spare her life. Jiang Cheng only found out when her ashes were poured out in front of him, since he had already been to the hanging ground and didn’t find her there. 

In the present time, Jiang Cheng is still mourning Wen Qing, and the choices he made that contributed to her murder. Sixteen relatively conflict-free years gave him a lot of perspective; in TMAAF, he’s grappling with the fact that he took sixteen years away from his brother’s life, and that Lan Wangji’s disdain for him is 100% founded. He has to deal with the fact that Wen Qing suffered because she protected him, and then died for it because he didn’t lift a finger to help until it was already too late; and he knows about Sizhui, too, so the knowledge that he did nothing to protect Wen Yuan while Lan Wangji fought two clans to protect him and took 33 lashes on his back for punishment cuts deep. Jiang Cheng’s statement in chapter 7 of Twelve Moons--that he doesn’t deserve love--is rooted in his belated realization that he cared for both WWX and WQ but didn’t follow through in a way that mattered, and that his failure killed them. 

(Stay tuned for more angst, aka the reveal of how WQ actually died and why.)

[noirbriar]

MDZS ficlet : Empty Shadows (2)

(Part 1 here)

This fic is just musings of a dork about a character who seem to be a convenient tool for the story. Its strange how everyone had not given MXY extra thought but simply as a vessel and a second chance for WWX IMO.

Also somewhat based off zeldacw’s MXY backstory doujin.

Mostly word vomit but if its your cup of tea ( or bowl of congee ) please take it.

-----

Pieces of papers, fragments of thoughts, glimpses of the memories of a ghost. Some are ideas, others are just opinions of daily sort of routines. However, they seem almost too real, too coherent for a lunatic to have put on paper.

How did I miss all these? Am I blind...?! Wei Wuxian groans.Although now that he thinks about it...He was oblivious to Lan Wangji’s little advances for...Alright forget what he just said.Everything.He doesn’t want to slap his own mouth again.

Although in his defense, most of these were found in the Mo Estate and not the donkey shed.Most likely Mo Xuanyu’s thief of a cousin had taken them.

“Senior Wei, you have been engrossed in those papers for awhile.Are they that interesting?” Lan Sizhui smiles as he peers over his shoulder at the man on his donkey. ( “Either you give him the apple or don’t Senior Wei! Even I pity the animal!” Jingyi remarks watching Wei Wuxian dangle the apple in front of Little Apple. Wei Wuxian ignores the child. )

“Hmm, Sizhui ah,look at this and tell me what you think?” Wei Wuxian passes the young Cultivator a piece of the notes.Lan SIzhui skims the contents. The moon is bright enough even in the dense forest of Dafan Shan that the Lan disciples are able to continue leisurely.

“Are these your old works Senior Wei?”

“Sizhui ah. When we go back, you can ask Hanguang Jun if I had written this neatly back in our school days.”

“...That...Right.” Sizhui’s smile becomes abit more strained. “But if not yours then...?”

By now, all the other kids have gotten curious and started to gather closer around Lan Sizhui to read.Without Lan Wangji, its alot easier to relax and not be bound by the Lan family rules, but then again it might just be Wei Wuxian himself projecting. Not that the disciples are complaining.

“Could it be...Mo Xuanyu?But how did he manage to learn the demonic path?It...looks detailed.” one of the disciples voices out from the back.

“It is.Don’t forget, this is someone who has done a very difficult ritual to bring back a big bad.” (”Ahhh Senior Wei, please.”Sizhui tries to interject.) “Let’s do a little lesson shall we?As you read these notes, I want you guys to think and deduce his character.Now you all tell me, does this man sound like a lunatic?” Trust Wei Wuxian to turn anything into a lesson within a game for the kids. Although he wants to make sure its not himself that feels this way. He needs another perspective, why not ask these fresh young minds?

“No.Not really...No.” “No, he sounds smart though.” “ Who eats raw potatoes?!” (Sizhui twitches at the side at that remark.He implores to have that dark history remain where it is. Buried.) 

“What does Senior Wei think?” Jingyi pipes up.

Wei Wuxian doesn’t reply for a long while.What does he think? To be honest, there’s lot he can say that he finds it hard to put into words. How does one even begin understanding a pitiful soul who was more than likely innocent before he got pulled into the grand scheme of things? He was just a boy, wanting to be accepted and recognised by his family. But probably was too naive and became a pawn in Jin Guangyao’s plans when he realised his half brother is gifted in the demonic path. After he has been used and wrung dry, the man cruelly plotted to have him tossed out in the most flashy and heartbreaking manner.

Anyone would snap.Either become vengeful and kill everyone or let the grief, the humiliation and madness consume them. It must have been the latter for Mo Xuanyu. Who would have to return to the Mo family, bringing disgrace and more suffering to his mother who raised him without a father and unmarried at that.

After which, even in his suffering...the idea that Nie Huaisang might have sought Mo Xuanyu out and implicate him in his own plans to foil Jin Guangyao’s. May it be willingly or not, its painful to even think about it.

A life for a life.This cycle of pain is not something that poor soul deserved.It probably might be a blessing that he no longer remained in this world to be used forever as a tool.

“I think, I would have liked to meet him.” Wei Wuxian smiles as he finally tosses the apple for Little Apple to crunch on at long last.

“WOOF!”

Before he promptly falls off the animal.

-----

”Jin Ling!W-Why are you here??” “Aren’t you suppose to be prepare for the Conference?” “ Didn’t you said you were swamped with work??”

”WILL ONE OF YOU GET THE DOG AWAY FIRST!!!??AHHH LAN ZHAN!! WHERE ARE YOU WHEN I NEED YOUUU?”

”Wei Wuxian!You are pathetic,of all things the Yiling Patriarch fears!?Dogs!Embarrassing!And really, why would I hang around in that mess when Uncle is swinging Zidian around Koi Tower?I still want my legs!” Jin Ling scoffs at Wei Wuxian who is currently high up on the tree.Lan Sizhui simply pats the younger boy on his shoulder, imploring him silently to spare the demonic cultivator. It would do none of the disciples good if Lan Wangji hears of this. Anything regarding his husband, he will hear of it, present or not, and for sanity’s sake and his responsibility as leader of his Brothers...best spare the poor man.

”Sides, I am here on business anyway, you guys know everyone is collecting evidence and any loose ends U-I mean, Jin Guangyao, has done. So I passed by here just to make sure.”

”Sect Leader Jiang allowed you,a newly appointed Clan Leader to come alone? Has Lanling Jin really gone down deep or what?!” Jing Yi chirps incredulously.

Jin Ling shoos Fairy away before he jerks a thumb behind him where a dozen of purple robed cultivators have gathered and maybe a couple of yellow golden robed ones. The Lan disciples had to slowly calm down the tearful adult (ADULT?!) and coax him to come down. They has 21 days of punishment free days and counting so far, they are hoping to keep it that way.

”Nope.And its actually annoying.”

Gusu Lan, YunMeng Jiang and Lanling Jin upon Dafan Shan. Talk about walking down memory lane. Wei Wuxian thinks with a pout. They have gathered before the cave where the Goddess Statue once resided. Now, the cave is partially intact, and all that remains is a pile of rubble and...a shrine?

A tiny one, filled with offerings and red threads decorating it. It looked like one of those you find along the road, similar to those for the earth deity or gods watching over travellers, merchants.On the peak of the mountain, the moonlight cast down a pale glow, sombre and cold.

”Eh? Did the people down the mountain change a god to worship?” Wei Wuxian muses, scrutinising the shrine curiously.There was no malicious intent, no demonic energy, its void of anything to be honest.

”Nope.Its a memorial.” Jin Ling explains.”Remember the soul eating Goddess?”

”Hard to forget now isn’t it?It’s not everyday you see a statue eating people right in front of your face” Jingyi deadpans, his eyes dark and haunted.

”Didn’t ask for your input but yeah.Its for the souls she...er...It?Consumed. Spirits that have gone. Unable to return. The townsfolk thought it be heartless to not do something for the spirits of the victims.God knows how many it had even consumed or lost.Hence they came up with that Shrine.” 

Gone. Lost. Forgotten.

Wei Wuxian stands before the wooden shrine, his gaze distant while the sounds of the children fades out behind him as they mingle. Mo Xuanyu’s papers feels almost warm between the folds of his robes.

“I just wish to be loved. Just once. “ Wei Wuxian remembers the meek voice had whispered in his dreams before other thoughts have drowned out that sad echo.

Mo Xuanyu did not deserved all that which had happened, driven to a dead end and forced to sacrifice his soul for a second of respite, and knowledge that his suffering will be dealt with by the Yiling Patriarch. His flaw was his innocence and at the end, without anywhere or anyone to turn to. Wei Wuxian was all too intimately familiar with that. However, soon time will pass, his soul will mould this body into his own, closer to what he once was to shape the vessel in likeness of the spirit. The last vestiges of Mo Xuanyu would be gone then from this world.Unlike the Yiling Patriarch, who was infamous and hated by many in the past and now as the demonic cultivator who had returned from the dead. Qishan Wen also had Wen Ning and Lan Yuan as proof they had lived even if their ashes are mostly gone with the mind, souls doomed to never reincarnate. 

Without anyone to remember him by, without anything as proof he was once here in this world, could it be said that Mo Xuanyu had truly existed?

To be forgotten is indeed a far worse fate for any man.

The kids watches the demonic cultivator crouch down, kneeling before the tiny shrine in wonder.The others from Jiang Sect and Jin Sect watches curiously as well at what the infamous man may be up to wearily. Almost as if a veil has been cast over the man and the memorial.Nobody breathes as The Yiling Patriarch pulls out Chengqing and puts his hand in a tiny prayer upon the name of his instrument.A sign of respect. For if not for him, Wei Wuxian himself would not experience the joy of living. A joy that was never granted to Mo Xuanyu.

Fate is cruel.Yet he hopes in another world maybe, Mo Xuanyu could have a better life.

Mo Xuanyu. I shall cherish your memory safely. For what you have bestowed upon me by the weird crossing of Fate...Thank you.

-----

(Final part)