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angstymdzsthoughts · 2 years

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I posted 238 times in 2022

226 posts created (95%)

12 posts reblogged (5%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@mondengel

@mdzs-owns-my-ass-i-guess

@anjimimimoo

@last-in-line-for-hell

@therinde-dreams

I tagged 155 of my posts in 2022

Only 35% of my posts had no tags

#mdzs - 137 posts

#wei wuxian - 80 posts

#lan wangji - 56 posts

#reply - 53 posts

#character death - 26 posts

#lan xichen - 22 posts

#jiang cheng - 18 posts

#lack of reply - 17 posts

#lan sizhui - 13 posts

#angsty talks - 10 posts

Longest Tag: 108 characters

#i feel like the quality of writing slowly degraded the longer it went but i have no motivation to correct it

My Top Posts in 2022:

All the Wen Remnants want is to live in peace until their dying day, WWX enables that by creating a massive barrier over the Burial Mounds that makes time move faster for those within it.

The Sects finally lay seige to the Burial Mounds and break the barrier, they are stunned to discover the Burial Mounds are now a lush thriving paradise free of resentment, the Stygian Tiger Amulet now merely a powerless and rusted trinket.

JC is the one who discovers WWX had been manipulating time but LWJ is the one who discovers Suibian, a first class spiritual sword, massively aged and used as a gravemarker alongside Chengqing (that now has flowers growing out of the holes) for her master who died hundreds of years ago.

It started small. A way to speed up the crops growing so everyone could eat. In injury that would have taken months to heal only taking an hour. Speeding up the Burial Mounds slow recovery until it became a place where life was possible again.

No one noticed at first. The days felt like they were passing by normally. Of course A-Yuan shot up so quickly, all children do. Of course their elders felt slow and ache with all the hard work farming demanded. But then one of the women had a late in life pregnancy in her early forties. Barely a month after finding out she was expecting she birthed a healthy nine month old baby boy.

Wei Wuxian had already been working on a way to stop what was happening but Wen Qing had gone to him and asked "Would it really be so bad to leave it? We don't know how long we have until the other sects come for us. Let the elders spend their last days in peace and let the children grow until they can defend themselves."

284 notes - Posted October 18, 2022

I saw fanfictions where Wei Ying was the secret son of Wen Rohan from the woman he loved. He recognized this and demanded him for himself (without explaining that this was his son), and the Jiangs handed him over to the beaten ones, believing that he was guilty. What if they go even further? Madame Yu is pleased to hand over the severed head of the "servant's son"...

WRH looking at the decapitated head of the young son he didnt know he had: ... This is the opposite of what I wanted.

293 notes - Posted June 16, 2022

Since secretlyevil! is popular this week, I propose secretly evil mxy finds a ritual for temporary possession expecting that WWX will do his thing and he’ll wake up in a year as the ruler of the cultivation world. Instead he wakes up in the jingshisleeping next to hanguang-jun. Your bet if he confesses or he tries to take over wwx’s postcanon life…

Mo Xuanyu wasn't expecting to wake up next to one of the most beautiful men in the world. He had sort of been expecting two or three beautiful women given all the rumors of Wei Wuxian before he died. He was by no means complaining of course!

A quick look around the room led to real disappointment though. He didn't know where he was, but the early morning light made it obvious that this was not the empire he had been expecting. A part of him had thought the Yilling Patriarch would take over Koi Towers since it was by far the most luxurious city in the known world.

Still, it was better then that thrice damned shed.

Now all Mo Xuanyu had to do was continue to play the part. He had no doubt that Wei Wuxian had built up an army for him to command. He just had to make sure no one got close enough to begin doubting his power. Hopefully Wei Wuxian didn't have a habit of showing off...

He began to climb out of bed, eager to see what the Yilling Patriarch had built for himself in the past year but was stopped by a strong arm around his waist.

Really though- he had to commend the Yilling Patriarch for his excellent taste in men! Hangung-Jun as a lover! That alone was worth losing his body for a year.

"Wei Ying," Lan Wangji said with a sleep slurred voice.

Mo Xuanyu didn't really think much of interacting with Hangung-Jun. The other man would at most be a concubine who no one would listen to if he noticed Wei Wuxian acting strangely. As tempting as the older man was, Mo Xuanyu was too excited to see his new empire to stay in bed longer.

So he scoffed and removed Lan Wangji's arm from his waist and said "Don't be so clingy, Hangung-Jun. I have better things to do."

The way Hangung-Jun's eye snapped open and locked on him made him realize that he had just made a mistake.

296 notes - Posted February 12, 2022

WWX dies after Sunshot Campaign Reputation Intact AU

Playing fast and loose with the timeline a bit, bear with me here.

It's almost perfect the Sunshot Campaign has ended, Jiang Cheng, Jiang Yanli and Wei Wuxian have returned to Lotus Pier.

Wei Wuxian sits outside overlooking the lake waving Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli off to bed to moonwatch a bit longer.

In the morning they find Wei Ying asleep in the same place they left him last night. Exasperated good humor fades into horror as they realise their brother isn't breathing anymore and had passed peacefully away in his sleep with a soft smile.

Visitors including the Lan, are turned away from Lotus Pier as Jiang Cheng checks that it wasn't a assassination. (it's not, Wei Wuxian body literally gave out on him because of the immense strain the Sunshot Campaign put him under).

The funeral is held privately at Lotus Pier and Wei Wuxian's tablet is added to the Family Shrine.

The first the Cultivation World learns of Wei Wuxian's death is at the Phoenix Mountain Hunt when Jin Zixun callously asks why the Jiang Sect are still wearing mourning attire and Jiang Yanli replies in front of every Cultivator at the hunt that the Jiang Sect is in mourning for the death of Wei Wuxian.

(Wen Qing encounters Lan Wangji and learns that Wei Wuxian is dead. Lan Wangji overhears her muttering that its her fault and pressures her for a answer. A answer she won't give unless Lan Wangji helps her rescue her brother Wen Ning...)

Wei Wuxian returns to a world that knows of his sacrifice (A concept that gives him hives) a brother ready to either whip him or hug him and Jiang Yanli and her husband Nie Huisang who both want him to investigate the truth behind the murder of Nie Mingjue and Jin Zixuan and expose Jin Guangyao.

Because ironically Wei Wuxian has the best reputation of the lot of them having died a hero and willingly endured a Golden Core Transfer Surgery as the donor. Lan Wangji's reputation took a nosedive when he rescued the Wen Remnants and barely survived the Propaganda storm of rumors by the Jin for opposing them by going into seclusion.

WWX kicking in the jingshis door: Hi Lan Zhan! I'm here to kidnap you!

306 notes - Posted October 26, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

In those AU's where WWX allows himself to be purified to death by the Lan its often by LWJ who thinks he's helping and WQ knows beforehand, Here WWX is suicidal and has decided to make his death mean something.

What if WWX agreed to be purged of resentment in return for granting the Wen Remnants sanctuary then fully informed the Lan of what cleansing entailed? The Elders don't believe WWX because he's still agreed to undergo cleansing and they don't realise WWX is actively suicidal instead of lying. LWJ is conflicted regarding the issue and LXC steps in to perform Cleansing also sure that WWX is exaggerating, he's not exaggerating. How would the Lans react knowing that they assisted in WWXs suicide. How would WQ react after WWX lied to her about the the Lans requirements to take in the Wen Remnants, not knowing that he'd tricked them into killing him thereby forcing the Lans to take in the Wen Remnants and protect them out of duty and guilt at accepting such a twisted agreement.

I like this one.

Lan Wangji was really the only one who unquestioningly believed Wei Wuxian when he told him that the ritual would likely kill him. He was immediately telling Lan Xichen that they needed to make a new deal and find a different condition to take in the Wens because he wasn't willing to risk Wei Wuxian's life. Lan Xichen speaks to the elders and they all convince him that this was just the Yilling Patriarch trying to weasel out of being purified and purged of the resentful energy that makes him so powerful. Lan Xichen believes the elders and doesn't trust Wei Wuxian but he does have a talk with him to try appeasing Lan Wangji.

During their talk Wei Wuxian sort of nonchalantly says 'yeah the chances of me dying are super high but if this is what the Lan clan wants then so be it' and Lan Xichen is like 'ok I'm still pretty sure your lying because no one would be this casual with their life so this is a go, but Wangji won't be happy about it.'

Wangji is Very unhappy about it. He tries to stop the ritual and fights a lot of his own clan before he is subdued and dragged away for his own punishment. Wei Wuxian feels super guilty and regrets telling Lan Wangji.

The ritual happens and Wei Wuxian ends up very very dead. Lan Xichen has a crisis because 1) he just killed a man, 2) he was warned that his actions would cause this, 3) he kneeling chose to ignore these warnings, and 4) that man happens to be the love of his brothers life. Some of the Lan elders try to argue that Wei Wuxian tricked them so they shouldn't have to fill their end of the agreement and take the Wens in but Lan Xichen shuts that down fast.

Lan Wangji is told that Wei Wuxian is dead and his heart breaks. Lan Xichen begs for forgiveness but Wangji isn't really in a forgiving mood. He ensures Wei Wuxian has a proper burial and goes into seclusion, planning to stay there for the rest of his life.

336 notes - Posted April 24, 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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jayktoralldaylong · 2 years

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Shi Qingxuan is throwing a slumber party. All the gods are invited. There's just one catch. It's a girl's-only slumber party. To get in, they have to come in their female form. So who's attending? Let's go! 😆 (Note, these are just my opinions, feel free to add yours):

Ming Yi - Ming Yi no longer has anything to lose. She's been doing thing for way too long now. She shows up before everyone else so she can devour twice as much food.

Pei Ming - Much to Shi Qingxuan's absolute horror, Pei Ming is the next guest to show up. The famous is general is in fact shameless enough to switch genders so she can check out what the other gods look like as girls. 😎 Besides, much to her pleasure, her female form is sexy and she wants to see how many lesbians she can pull.

Ling Wen - Pei Ming dragged her along. She doesn't have time for this and has too much work to do. However, it is a nice change to have a goddess gathering, especially with all of the issues with her gender and the misogynistic times. She gets to hang out with the chill goddesses in heaven without too much effort on her part since she gets to come as herself. She needs the rest and self love.

Shi Wudu - She was surprisingly very hard to drag into this party. "If I go along with this it will only encourage Shi Qingxuan's nonsense" she said. She showed up anyway cause all her best friends were going and her sibling was hosting. It would be rude not to go. Of course she's shown up as the best dressed gal, with a slit in her dress and everything. Pei Ming fails at pretending not to oogle her. The three tumours definitely spend the rest of the night gossiping and giggling like mean girls.

Xie Lian - Let's face it, Xie Lian is coming as a cross dressing dude. MXTX was very explicit about how Xie Lian feels about being a woman. I think all the emphasis was to make sure no one got it twisted. Xie Lian does not turn into a girl to have sex, he is 100% a gay man. He is a man who's in love with a man and it's something he does not want to erase. Shi Qingxuan will make an allowance for him, but he's definitely crossdressing in a pretty white dress.

Hua Cheng - We're not gonna explain how he got there but he's attending anyway. He will be joining his cross dressing husband. Hua Cheng is probably more thrilled about crossdressing than Xie Lian is. He's got earrings, heels, a sexy red dress that Xie Lian can't stop staring at (and feeling a little jealous when others' stare. Probably gonna end up leaving that party early so they can do something about all the worked up feelings Xie Lian is gonna have).

Mu Qing - Mu Qing heard about the party and had no intention of intending. Then he heard Xie Lian would be there. He helped Xie Lian into his dress because Xie Lian is terrible at makeup. Xie Lian insisted he come too. Mu Qing came too. She's a little shy at the party. She gets even shyer when everyone tells her how pretty she is. They're amazed by it. All those compliments send her hiding somewhere so she can social recharge.

Feng Xin - He also had no plans on going till he heard Mu Qing was going so of course he showed up. She was also stunned by how pretty Mu Qing looked. Mu Qing helped her fix her hair cause it was a mess. Pause at the awkward moment where they're closer than they expected to each other. Split to opposite ends of the party. Keep bumping into each other. End the party kind of curled up together cause it's just warmer that way and they're still getting used to their new bodies.

Quan Yizhen - Got invited and came as a dude. There was nothing anyone could do about it. Quan Yizhen didn't know how to change into his female form and he didn't see why he should. Someone got Yin Yu. Quan Yizhen finally switched to female. She was absolutely adorable. Especially how she followed Yin Yu around for the rest of the night. Qué curly haired girl in the most adorable robes marching after Yin Yu everywhere.

Yin Yu - Somehow found himself bundled to a party with Crimson Rain and given spiritual powers so he could switch genders. All because his former junior was causing trouble (yet again, surprise surprise. Yin Yu doesn't get paid enough for this). Qi Ying is even cuter as a girl though so Yin Yu can't really complain. She pets her hair and they spend the rest of the slumber party together.

Qi Rong - (So somehow the calamities are attending too). She just wanted to show off being the hottest girl in the room. Failed miserably. Tried to beat Ming Yi at eating all the food in anger. Failed miserably yet again. Cried to Guzi 💀 (Who was allowed in since he's just a kid). Got chased around by Lang Qianqiu. Ended the party curled up fast asleep with her arms protectively around Guzi in a hidden unnoticed spot at the slumber party.

Lang Qianqiu - Didn't really want to go (Busy dealing with teenage angst), all that changed when he heard Qi Rong was at the party. She stormed in just like her male counterpart always does (like a wrecking ball!). Chased Qi Rong everywhere. Got distracted blushing over Xie Lian. Hua Cheng noticed. Hua Cheng proceeds to give a display of how close he and Xie Lian are. Lang Qianqiu backs off after that. Gets with Shi Qingxuan with heavy drunk singing about angst, love and innocence shattered.

Pei Su - Got pardoned for the night so she could be Pei Ming's little helper. She ended up spending most of the night with Banyue, blushing at her compliments and feeding each other snacks.

Banyue - Was excited that she could attend. Followed Xie Lian everywhere and happily did whatever she was doing. Got distracted when she saw Pei Su. Fawned over how pretty she looked.

Yushi Huang (Rain Master) - She was the last to show as she was surprised anyone was inviting her for something. She also doesn't get out much and had to be kicked from her farm so she could have a bit of fun for once in her beautiful life. She settled beside Ling Wen and actually enjoyed the event.

Jian Lan - Was told no babies allowed and ditched.

Xuan Ji - Was actually given an invitation (cause Shi Qingxuan hadn't realised Pei Ming would show up). Ends up bonding with female Pei Ming who she's ranting to about her horrible ex 💀. Pei Ming has no idea she's Xuan Ji cause they don't exchange names.

Jun Wu - He heard about the party. He thought it was cute. He did not attend. (You'd think wearing a new face wouldn't matter as much. He likes keeping an eye on his favourite son but he's not that desperate. 💀 - I get the feeling Jun Wu wouldn't even know what to do with a female body. He's barely gotten through studying his own).

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wisedawn13 · 1 year

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#xiantober Day 10: Fanartistxian

Wei Ying is very active in fandom online. He has amassed quite a large following over the years due to his fanart of his favourite characters. He does it for fun and is just glad that there are people who enjoy his art.

His roommate, Wen Qing, returns home from her shift at the hospital with a heavy sigh. He looks up from where he's shrimped over his drawing tablet.

"How was work?"

She glares at him and he straightens up, his back cracks seven times. "Fine. Exhausting. The usual."

He nods. "I hear that."

"Though, I was given a pair of tickets to the Gusu Orchestra by my department head. Wanna go with me?"

"What about your girlfriend?" he asks, returning his attention to his sketch.

Wen Qing drops her purse and plops onto the couch. "She's busy then."

"Ah, how sweet. I'm second choice," he teases. "When is it?"

She huffs. "Don't get cocky, I asked A-Ning before you. You're my third choice."

Wei Ying gasps dramatically, slapping a hand over his heart. "You wound me!"

"Shut up. It's this Saturday at 7."

"I'm free, so I'll definitely be there. Thanks! I've always wanted to see the Gusu Orchestra," he says as he stands up and walks to the couch. He sits beside her and hugs her tight as she tries to shove him off. "You're the best! Such a wonderful friend to me! So sweet and kind!"

"Ugh! Shut up and get off me!" He obliges, but not before kissing her cheek. "You're disgusting, you know that?" she questions as she wipes her cheek and walks into the kitchen.

"Sure, but you love me anyway!" he calls after her.

She mutters something that he can't quite hear.

But it sounded something like "Against my will."

He leans back against the couch and closes his eyes.

"Here," Wen Qing says.

He cracks open an eye to see her holding out a wine glass for him. He takes it happily and drinks as she sits on the opposite end of the couch.

Wen Qing settles her feet in his lap as they both drink. He finishes his glass quickly and sets it on the table beside him before he starts to rub her feet. He watches as she practically melts into the couch, stress and tension leaving her body.

It's Saturday, shortly before the doors open to be seated for the concert, and Wei Ying feels the jittery nerves of excitement. He's dressed up, feeling a little out of his comfort zone, but is really looking forward to the music. He's long been a fan of orchestral music.

Never had the chance to see any live, let alone the Gusu Orchestra (one of the most prestigious orchestral groups in the world), so he isn't too sure what to expect.

Wen Qing is, thankfully, a calming presence beside him as they wait to get to their seats.

Finally, the doors open and they situate themselves in their seats. Wei Ying stares in wide-eyed wonder at the inside of the music hall. It is breathtakingly beautiful.

His leg bounces as he waits. Then the musicians all walk out onto stage and take their seats.

Wei Ying freezes, eyes trained on the first chair as the most beautiful man in the world stands up, holds a hand to the audience, and causes the whole hall to fall into silence. Wei Ying is stunned. Then, the oboe rings out an A and the rest of the orchestra join in.

Just that. Just the orchestra tuning (and the beautiful first chair commanding the audience) brings chills to Wei Ying.

The conductor walks out and the room feels like it lifts in suspense then the first notes of the first piece ring out into the hall.

Wei Ying is stunned by the power a live orchestra holds. He's on the edge of his seat, drawn in as the music wraps around him and tugs him along until, just as suddenly as it started, the song ends and the audience claps.

He sucks in a breath, coming back to himself. Wen Qing shoots him a curious look but he just smiles shakily and returns his attention to the stage.

There, he sees the first chair rise and walk forward. Wei Ying is practically vibrating as he watches the man move with grace.

Then, as the audience's applause dies down, Wei Ying catches as the first chair (solo violinist) nods to the conductor and the song starts. Wei Ying gasps quietly. He knows this song.

Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in D Major Opus 35.

His absolute favourite violin concerto.

The orchestra plays the opening and then there's a pause before the soloist begins to play. Wei Ying feels overwhelmed. It is the most beautiful thing he has ever witnessed in his life. The violinist plays with so much expression and precision that he wants to cry.

And he does by the time the song comes to a close. He claps harder than he ever has in his life as tears stream down his face. Wen Qing looks at him with open concern but Wei Ying only sees her peripherally, too focused on the beautiful man on stage.

He is feeling inspired.

As they clear from the concert hall when it's over he finds a booklet with information on the orchestra and the pieces played that evening. He flips it open and finds a two-page spread with a stoic photo of the first chair with a blurb about him and his achievements.

There is also a name: Lan Wangji.

Wei Ying closes the booklet and holds it tightly to his chest as he follows Wen Qing out and back home.

As soon as they're in the door he hugs her, thanking her profusely, and then runs to his tablet to immediately begin sketching.

He spends hours sketching out different posing compositions of the first chair—Lan Wangji—before he settles on one to focus on.

He draws in a fugue state, working hard to capture the luminescent beauty and fluid grace of Lan Wangji on the stage.

It turns out to be the best piece he has ever drawn. He signs it and posts it online, tagging Lan Wangji and the Gusu Orchestra before he falls into bed without bothering to change.

Lan Zhan is having morning tea with his brother.

They often enjoy spending this time together mornings after a performance. Lan Zhan finds it calming.

Lan Huan, on the other hand, is scrolling on his phone instead of chatting with him. He's not super displeased about not having to talk, but still.

Lan Huan suddenly gasps. "Oh! A-Zhan! It seems you have a fan!" he exclaims with laughter, turning the phone so he can see.

On his phone is a beautiful artwork of him as the solo violinist. It is a stunning composition. He's never been fond of photos of himself but this...

This is different. It makes him look alive. He's quietly impressed with the sheer skill it takes to execute an artwork of this level. He stares at the post for quite some time before noticing the text content of the post.

It is a tweet from a 'Yiling Laozu' tagging the Gusu Orchestra and his stage name and talking about how they got to see the concert last night. They claim it was the best thing they've ever witnessed, especially because of 'this beautiful, talented man right here.'

Lan Zhan is shocked. The post was uploaded not long ago, they must have worked on the artwork all night.

After Lan Zhan not saying anything for a while, Lan Huan pulls his phone back. "I shall message them and ask if they would wish to see another show and meet the orchestra."

Lan Zhan looms at his brother, unimpressed. Lan Huan shrugs with a smile. "I'm sure they would love the chance to get to meet you."

"Brother," he replies. "You know I do not like meeting fans."

"Yes, yes," Lan Huan dismisses. "But just this once?"

He doesn't bother replying.

He knows his brother; once his mind is made up about something it is nearly impossible to change it. Lan Zhan therefore resigns himself to meeting some random fan—talented though they may be—and dreads it.

The following Saturday, Lan Huan tells him the fan will be coming to the show that evening. Lan Zhan thanks him for letting him know, then promptly shoves that knowledge out of his head. The evening comes quickly and he performs with practiced ease.

He knows these songs so well he could play them in his sleep.

Idly, he allows his gaze to wander out over the audience. He can't really see anyone in particular, but he distantly wonders where this fan is seated. He knows nothing of them save for their talent and love of music.

The concert comes to a close and he bows before walking off stage. He wipes down his violin before placing it in its case. Shortly after, his brother finds him.

"The fan is with the rest of the orchestra, come meet him."

Resigned, Lan Zhan follows.

They reach the group and Lan Zhan's step falters. The man who stands in the group of musicians is incredibly beautiful. He is tall, dressed nicely, and has a bright smile. Lan Zhan stares.

"A-Zhan, meet Wei Ying," his brother says. "Wei Ying, this is my brother Lan Zhan."

Wei Ying turns and their eyes meet. Lan Zhan doesn't know how long they stay like that, whether it be a fraction of a second or hours just silently staring into each other's gaze. It doesn't matter.

"Hi," Wei Ying says eventually, smiling warmly.

"Hi," he replies.

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Link to thread

#xiantober #wangxian #mdzs #threadfic #mo dao zu shi #grandmaster of demonic cultivation #lan wangji #lan zhan #wei wuxian #wei ying #from twitter #wisedawn13 #fanfic #fanfiction

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prayers-to-hyliarceus · 5 months

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[A video is attached (marked 1/2). Madas and Clover stare each other off on the battlefield, before Link is allowed to make the first move.

"Shadow Sneak!"

"Stun Spore!"

Madas vanishes into the shadows on the ground and flits to their target, slamming up into the Budew. Clover is sent flying, but he flips and lands lightly on his little feet, and opens his bud with a burst of smoky, yellow spores. Madas groans and retreats back.

"Crap," Link mutters. "Slash!"

Madas pulls itself forward sluggishly, allowing Gardenia to command Clover to use Sunny Day before the Honedge lands a clean hit. Link shields his eyes from the sudden bright sun. "Whaddyou need the sun for?"

Clover looks far more exhausted after that last attack. So Link commands another Shadow Sneak, and Madas manages to push through, dash beneath the ground, and barrel into Clover. He squeaks as his body skids through the dirt and goes unconscious.

"Very nicely done!" Gardenia compliments, returning Clover to his Pokeball. "I admire Madas's willpower."

Link nods his thanks.

"But you'll see what I need the sun for~!" She smirks. "Go, Hana!"

Out comes what at first looks to be a dark purple, closed up flower. Until the sun flares, and the petals open up, shining a vibrant pink around the jolly face of the Sunny Form Cherrim. "Leech Seed!"

Bulbous, glowing seeds shoot towards Madas, who twitches and collapses from the sparking, paralyzing spores. Twisting vines grow from the seeds, wrap around Madas, and drain their energy to feed right to the cheery Hana.

"Pretty neat, right?" Gardenia says as Link stares in mild horror. He curls his fist in concentration.

"Shadow Sneak; try to outspeed!"

Again they disappear into the shade and reemerge with a slam, but Hana merely winces and steps back, most unfazed. "That's my girl. Magical Leaf!"

Despite the inherent type resistance, the sharp, radiant leaves clobber Madas to the ground. On top of that, Leech Seed goes into effect once more, leaving them just barely standing, lifted off the ground. Even when Link tries to shout an order, Madas's perseverance matters none as Hana quickly finishes them off with another Magical Leaf.

Link lets out a despondent sigh and recalls Madas, whispering reassurances. Abruptly, Zelda and Urbosa shout out (Wen Qing and Jingyi join in after a beat of hesitation) loud cheers of encouragement, and Link can't help but smile as he takes out Epona's Pokeball and releases her onto the battlefield.

The video cuts off since it is too long and needs to be sent in multiple chunks.]

#rotomposting #rotomblr #pokeblogging #pokemon irl #storydev

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rosethornewrites · 2 years

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Fic: this body yet survives, ch. 14

Relationship: Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī/Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn

Tags: No War AU, Recovery, Trauma, Dissociation, Courtship, Courting Rituals, Near Death Experiences, Attempted Murder, Eventual Happy Ending, Panic Attacks, Vomiting, Siblings, Protective Siblings, Soup, Triggers, Protective Lan WangJi, Protective Lán Qǐrén, Yúnmèng Siblings Dynamics, Bad Parent Yú Zǐyuān, POV Third Person, POV Lan WangJi, reference to poisoning, reference to assassination, Reference to chronic illness, reference to infanticide, Depression, Minor Injuries, Painting, Gift Giving, Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn Has a Fear of Dogs, Good Sibling Jiāng Chéng | Jiāng Wǎnyín, Good Sibling Jiāng Yànlí

Summary: A confrontation.

Notes: See end.

Parts 1 & 2

Chapter 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13

AO3 link

——————

After dinner, Jiang Yanli dressed Wei Ying like he was going to war, which Wangji had to admit, he was in a way—even identifying the culprit who applied the locking talisman, Jiang Wanyin had pointed out, didn’t mean there was only one. Hers, however, was a war of symbols.

The robe she chose for him to wear was one he hadn’t seen before, and from Wei Ying’s reaction, he hadn’t either. It was clearly made for a special occasion, not to be worn daily.

The embroidery was intricate and reversible, the look as delicate as a painting while using the five-color system. The fabric was a deeper blue, with a prominent motif of plum trees and blossoms across the bottom, most of the way to the simple light blue belt, done in delicate predominately white embroidery to enhance the symbolism of courage and moral purity. A pair of magpies graced the branches of the trees, a reminder of their impending marriage. Stalking the trunks, a beautifully-rendered tiger, representing Wei Ying’s courage and strength, but also a symbol of protection. Blue dragons stretched up the sleeves, their heads resting on the chest, symbols of healing and harmony. Across the back was a nature scene filled with animals and foliage that kept to a similar motif, from bamboo along a river to soaring cranes.

Included was a modest detachable collar, a four-panel yunjian that had ornate embroidery of mountains and clouds, the first to indicate steadfastness, the latter to remind that Wei Ying was now of GusuLan. Each shoulder was graced with a blue and silver butterfly among the clouds, a symbol of happy marriage.

Wangji wondered if this had been meant to be a wedding gift, and Jiang Yanli was now using it to send a message. It had clearly been made with Wei Ying in mind, the sleeves narrower at the wrists as he preferred. Something so ornate showed his worth and status to any who looked, a statement piece to be treasured.

She offered no explanation for the robe, simply choosing comfortable blue under-robes for it and ordering Jiang Wanyin to help him change. Wei Ying made no effort to protest, clearly overcome by the gift.

When Wei Ying emerged, he was resplendent, the belt resting at the narrowest part of his waist and accentuating his slim (still too-slim) figure. Wangji was stunned silent and Wei Ying blushed under his gaze.

Jiang Yanli then tackled his hair, taming it carefully with comb and oil, then using one of the more intricate Lan hairstyles she had learned to weave the forehead ribbon into the crown. She presented a new ribbon to him, made of mulberry silk, a brilliant crimson embroidered with delicate silver clouds. She used the gentian guan and the plum blossom hair stick, more clear messages about his status.

When she was finished, she draped the cloak from Wangji over his shoulders, fussing so it was open enough to show his clothing and thus make her intended statement—which seemed to be in part that Wei Ying was worthy of such finery.

It was nearing the end of the dinner hour when Jiang Yanli finished by straightening his headband and tweaking his nose, smiling.

Jiang Wanyin stood and handed Wei Ying his sword, and he slid it carefully into his belt as they left the guest house. They applied the locking talisman, which Wangji knew would continue to be used even after the attackers were rooted out, the incident having shattered the sense of security in the Cloud Recesses.

They made their way to the mingshi, in the chill of the late evening, the scent of impending snow on the air. From a distance, they could see the crowd, hundreds of people, all disciples and servants, even elders.

Wei Ying reached out subtly, grasping blindly, and Wangji took his hand immediately, squeezing gently to reassure him.

Such an act would send its own message, would show their relationship clearly and make Wei Ying’s connection to the Cloud Recesses inviolable. The Jiangs flanking them, they skirted the crowd and joined Shufu and Xiongzhang on the porch of the mingshi. A few murmurs broke out, the crowd having otherwise been Lan-silent, as they did. Their appearance made it clear the investigation into the acts against Wei Ying was complete, and would be dealt with tonight.

Wangji was struck suddenly by the symbolism of choosing the mingshi, the implication that a malevolent spirit would be summoned and dealt with. No doubt some of the clan recognized the message, at least those who had some proficiency in the gentlemanly arts. He was certain the more advanced also were reading the meaning of Wei Ying’s robe. He wondered how much of this had been coordinated with Jiang Yanli, or if the marriage of symbolism was a happy accident.

Glancing at Wei Ying, he could see that he had made the same realization and was worrying at the inside of his lip with his teeth. Wangji squeezed his hand again, hoping to remind him he wasn’t alone, and was rewarded with a soft smile.

Shufu cleared his throat and the murmurs died into silence, not even the sound of shifting bodies, as the crowd waited for what would come, a sort of breathlessness.

“I have gathered you here to root out the evil in our midst,” Lan Qiren announced, “so that they may be exorcized from our clan.”

Wangji was pleased Shufu made the implicit, explicit, leaving no room for ignorance on the symbolism that had been carefully brought together for this moment.

The silence in the wake of his announcement was so complete it was almost unnerving, and Wangji made himself survey the gathered mass of people for expressions that might betray the culprit even before their unmasking, but too many people looked upset and unnerved for him to tell.

The safety and serenity of the sect had been shattered by these events, and Wangji knew from having overheard disciples’ conversations that this unease and sense of mistrust had not been limited to Wei Ying and himself. What had been done was an evil againt the Cloud Recesses, and even exorcising it would still leave the unease and mistrust behind, wounds the sect would need to heal from.

Lan Qiren held up the talisman Wei Ying and Lan Tayi had produced, and Wangji realized he hadn’t seen the talisman master in the crowd, but remembered his comments about experimental talismans—he was likely toward the back, perhaps with other trusted clan members who had been ruled out, ready to stop anyone who might consider escape.

“The last craven attack on Disciple Wei involved a talisman charged with the attacker’s qi, which we managed to preserve, and we have discovered a method to track that qi to the jindan from which it originated.”

Xiongzhang presented the intact locking talisman, displaying it for the clan, and without any further pageantry Shufu affixed the tracking talisman to it and activated it.

As designed, the newly-connected talismans sent a wave of qi through the crowd, causing an odd sort of collective flinch. The effects of the talisman weren’t painful, but an unexpected wave of qi rushing through one could be very startling.

“Check the hands of the cultivators to your left and right,” Shufu ordered, and immediate rustling broke out as the crowd did just that.

In barely a moment, someone cried out in surprise.

“Report.”

Lan Qiren’s tone brooked no argument.

“Disciple Su’s hands, Lan-xiansheng! They’ve turned black!” a voice rose, edged with confusion.

Almost immediately, the area around the voice cleared to create space around him, revealing the speaker and a disciple trying to hide his hands in his sleeves.

Wangji took a moment to place him as the mediocre guqin player who had accompanied him and Xiongzhang to deliver the betrothal gifts. Who had therefore heard Jiang Wanyin tell him of Wei Ying’s fear of dogs, his reaction to lotuses, and had attacked Wei Ying with the very things Wangji was supposed to protect him from.

A rage unlike any he had ever felt before consumed him, only tempered and controlled when Wei Ying squeezed his hand. He took several deep breaths, focusing on his beloved, and only when he could resist the urge to unsheath Bichen did he dare turn his attention away.

There was no killing in the Cloud Recesses.

“Disciple Su, explain yourself.”

Xiongzhang’s voice was absolutely frosty, his words clipped in his anger, and Wangji realized that if he had recognized Disciple Su he could be blaming himself.

Disciple Su—soon to be former, at least—gave up trying to hide his hands and sneered.

“Why should I be ashamed of protecting the sect? That arrogant nobody, marrying into the main family? It’s disgraceful that the Second Jade has lowered himself to this trash, and he should be the one censured for sullying his robes in the gutter.”

Wei Ying’s grip on his hand became momentarily painful, and Wangji wondered briefly if he thought he would lose control, until he spoke.

“Judge me all you want, but you are not qualified to judge Lan Zhan.”

The grip had been unconscious, Wei Ying’s own rage and protectiveness of him, and Wangji was torn between wanting to insist that he also defend himself and wanting to do inappropriate things to him in public; he loved him so much.

“You were expelled from your sect for your overreach. A servant’s son should respect his betters,” Disciple Su spat. “Dogs—”

Abruptly his mouth shut and instead of finishing the crass chengyu, he made protesting noises—Shufu had Silenced him, blessedly cutting off the abuse.

Wangji was also disgusted at the poor use of the proverb; even if he was trying to disparage Wei Ying’s parentage, the phrase was about bad habits, not social status or caste. He was clearly a poor student.

“Some judgment, coming from a sneak-thief who would seek to harm our brother,” Jiang Wanyin hissed, his words audible to all gathered.

“Enough. Gossip is forbidden,” Shufu reminded the crowd. “You committed crimes against an inner disciple, the future husband of the sect heir. You have damaged the security of the entire sect. Punishment has been decided. Exile, recompense for damages, and kun xing.”

A shocked murmur ran through the crowd, though many faces showed approval. Disciple Su might have allies, but the vast majority of GusuLan clearly disapproved of his actions and saw the punishment as just.

Wangji was more focused on the emphasis on Wei Ying’s status as his betrothed, but it seemed Shufu was making clear that the attempt to prevent their marriage was unsuccessful.

Su Minshan drew his sword and spit blood on the ground as he forcibly broke Silence, and those around him backed off further.

“Wei Wuxian, I challenge you.”

A duel would change nothing, but Wangji’s best guess was that he was trying to save face or go out with a fight. Or perhaps he did not know of Wei Ying’s prowess and actually thought he could harm him, further solidifying Wangji’s poor opinion of his worth as a disciple.

He wasn’t prepared for Wei Ying to let go of his hand, turn to Shufu and Xiongzhang, and bow.

“This disciple requests authorization to answer Disciple Su’s challenge, Lan-zongzhu.”

There was no sign of his prior reluctance toward this course of action, and the change was stunning to Wangji, the serious set of his brow as he stood resplendent in robes that displayed his status beautifully. This was not Wei Ying putting on an appearance of being okay to reassure. This was a Wei Ying he had seen infrequently, usually during night hunts or at competitions—his true strength, not a show. This had been absent the last several years, and Wangji took in the sight with joy and relief.

Further, Wei Ying’s act of following the rule against fighting without authorization, in front of the entire sect, made it clear he was of GusuLan, the image clearly already placing Su Minshan as the one breaking clan orthodoxy so publicly.

Xiongzhang glanced to one side and Wangji followed his gaze to the head healer, who nodded. The healers would monitor Wei Ying, but he was medically cleared to fight.

“Permission granted, Wei-gongzi.”

Wangji could see the reluctance in Xiongzhang, his fear that perhaps Wei Ying, while able physically and in cultivation, could falter under the stress of the situation, could be injured. But Wei Ying’s demeanor was promising, though Wangji couldn’t help but be concerned anyway. He knew his skills, but could not help fearing for his safety.

Wei Ying turned to him and offered a gentle, reassuring smile, then asked him sweetly if he would hold his cloak for him so it wouldn’t be damaged, calling him A-Zhan in front of the entire clan when he did and setting his ears aflame at the intimacy of his tone.

“Of course, A-Ying,” he returned.

He kept his voice just as conversational as Wei Ying’s, ensuring his words would also be heard, pleased when his cheeks reddened and he ducked his head. It was delightfully shameless in front of an audience, but he didn’t care.

Wei Ying hopped off the porch of the mingshi to approach Su Minshan, who was scowling deeply. He stopped about ten feet away, and bowed, as was polite.

Su Minshan did not return the gesture, instead adopting an aggressive stance.

Wei Ying unsheathed Suibian and dropped into an advanced GusuLan style stance, rather than a stance from the Jiang style that he had grown up with, one that was visibly better than his opponent’s.

“You should rotate your left foot a little more,” Wei Ying said mildly.

Su Minshan reddened and glared, scoffing

“How arrogant—you barely know the Lan style!” he spat. “You and Lan Wangji, looking down on everyone like you’re better than them, it makes me sick.”

Wangji could see Wei Ying’s jaw clench, his anger never on his own behalf.

“Lan Zhan doesn’t look down on people; if anything, you’ve done nothing to merit his notice.”

The comment was not well-received, not that Wei Ying had intended it to be, and Su Minshan charged with a sloppy swing that Wei Ying easily avoided with a nimble flip over him, then lashed out with his sheath to smack his opponent’s sword arm, nearly disarming him. It was the sort of thing a training instructor would do to scold a junior.

“Your grip is faulty, and you broadcast your thrusts, making them predictable.”

“You—!” Su Minshan hissed before whirling and slicing at him, but Wei Ying was already moving smoothly back, the blade cutting nothing but air.

The move also pulled him off-balance, and Wei Ying told him he needed to plant his feet better to avoid losing his footing, which only served to enrage him further.

Wangji realized abruptly that Wei Ying had turned this into a teaching match, as though a duel with Su Minshan was beneath him. He was handily demonstrating the man’s mediocrity as a Lan disciple to those gathered, an extra sort of humiliation. He knew well enough that Wei Ying wasn’t doing so in anger over what had been done to him—instead it was likely a reaction to Su Minshan’s insults toward Wangji. He hoped someday Wei Ying would value himself as he did others.

The match also served to show exactly why Wei Ying had been so high ranked among their generation, the skills and talent he had with the sword. He had taught at Lotus Pier, Wangji remembered, before everything, and he wondered if Wei Ying would enjoy such a role at the Cloud Recesses at some point. This displayed his knowledge of the fundamentals, the need to control one’s body precisely in the art of the sword.

Altogether, it was riling Su Minshan’s temper, making him sloppier.

This continued for some minutes until a leg thrust out from the crowd in an attempt to trip Wei Ying. Wangji’s heart clenched, but he avoided it with a short hop that didn’t interfere with his retreat from Su Minshan’s blade in the least. He could hear Jiang Yanli’s gasp behind him.

In another moment, the perpetrator was on the ground, wrapped in a green rope of energy that writhed around him, and the crowd parted around him as he struggled. One of Lan Tayi’s talismans, he guessed, and a co-conspirator outed.

The bout continued, Wei Ying continuing to defend, never going on the offensive. Wangji’s unease was growing, but he wasn’t certain why until, as Wei Ying was parrying a blow, he broke from his stance to pivot suddenly, narrowly avoiding a blade stabbing at him from behind. Jiang Yanli yelled his name in alarm, but he quickly handled this situation, lashing out with his sheath, cracking the offending disciple across the face. The young man dropped like a stone, his nose clearly broken, dyeing his robes with his own blood.

“No killing in the Cloud Recesses!” Su She hissed, as though he was affronted by rule-breaking after all he’d done.

“I pulled the blow,” he answered, swiftly wiping blood from his sheath onto the downed man’s robes. “He’ll live, but he won’t be happy about it for a while once he wakes up.”

Wei Ying was purposefully luring out the co-conspirators with this battle, Wangji realized hollowly, leading them to feel Su She was being disrespected through his treatment of the duel so they would seek to help, putting his life at risk to root them out in this manner.

He didn’t dare turn from the fight to look to Xiongzhang or Shufu, to see if they had realized and would put a stop to it, nor the Jiang siblings. Wei Ying was dodging an attack, Su She vocally angry about his dismissal of the well-being of his unconscious co-conspirator, who was already being attended to by a healer.

Wangji tensed as Wei Ying cracked a reaching hand behind him with his sheath, ready to put a stop to it, but Jiang Wanyin grabbed his arm before he could.

“He has to do this. You know that. He’ll be fine.”

The next time someone tried to come from the crowd, bystanders restrained him and he never had the opportunity to attack, disarmed and thrown to the ground. A talisman was applied, and the young man was immediately restrained by thorny vines that shot from the earth around him to hold him fast. It restored some of his faith in his sect.

Wei Ying was being supported and defended by his fellow GusuLan disciples, perhaps the impact of his respect for the rules, perhaps based on his prowess with the sect fighting technique after only about a year of training, or perhaps because they knew his circumstances, how badly he’d already been abused, and this allowed them to help him find some justice. But also because these attacks had violated their home, destroying their sense of security.

He forced himself to relax his muscles, though his grip on Bichen was still tight.

If he intervened in this fight, he would also be undermining Wei Ying’s decision and his newfound confidence, which could have disastrous effects on his mental state in implying he needed Lan Wangji’s assistance.

Wangji wanted so badly to jump in, but he had to trust Wei Ying, could only support him from the sidelines, could only hope that this would help his zhiji instead of setting his recovery back.

The fight, if it could be called that, continued, Wei Ying’s swordsmanship clearly li above Su Minshan’s, with Wei Ying commenting on his sloppy footwork and occasionally hitting him across the fingers with his sheath when he was particularly sloppy with a swing, and offering advice on correcting his form. The comments and advice were delivered mildly, in sharp contrast with the blows—Wangji was fairly certain he’d broken at least one of his opponent’s fingers—the sound of which reverberated in the hush.

Another co-conspirator wound up with his own clothing going rigid and rendering him immobile, and another sunk abruptly into the ground like it was quicksand, and then it solidified around him, trapping him up to the shoulders with his head and forearms above the surface.

Six co-conspirators so far, each of them outer disciples, their ribbons plain.

After that one, Su Minshan paled and began making more unsavory comments, impugning the honor of Wei Ying, but also Wangji. This blurred the lines on which of them he truly took issue with—and Wangji hated the idea that Wei Ying could have been targeted to hurt him.

A period passed without any outside attempts to sabotage the duel. Su Minshan’s moves became more desperate, and finally he reached into his sleeve and threw a talisman at Wei Ying, a dirty move that made Wangji himself shout in wordless outrage, but Wei Ying simply bisected the talisman neatly with a slash of qi that sent Su Minshan tumbling.

Su Minshan lost hold of his sword and crawled toward it as though to continue the battle, but Wei Ying advanced and simply poked a spot on the back of his neck with his sheath, and his opponent’s body went limp, though he yelled accusations of cheating, slanderous lies, and obscenities until Shufu again Silenced him.

“Wen Qing taught the Lan healers how to immobilize me, since movement could worsen my wounds,” Wei Ying said to address the accusation, his voice hollow in the way it got when he was remembering unpleasant things. “I remembered.”

He shoved his sheath into his belt and picked up the pieces of the talisman, holding them up for all to see that it was meant to immobilize him, the sort of thing used to immobilize yao on night hunts.

“I only succeeded where you failed,” he said.

Wei Ying grabbed Su Minshan by the hair, carefully avoiding touching his ribbon, and placed the flat of of Suibian against the nape of his neck, ignoring his muffled protests and looking to Lan Xichen.

“Zongzhu, permission to begin kun xing?”

Xiongzhang looked frozen for a moment, clearly startled by how the match ended, but then he nodded minutely.

Wangji wanted to stop him, wanted to disabuse Wei Ying of his misplaced notion that this punishment had to be started by his hand, knowing it could haunt him, but he could only stand in silent support.

In one clean slice, Wei Ying’s blade sheared Su Minshan’s hair, some of it nearly shaved to his scalp, while wisps of longer strands fell around his ears. The rest would need to be shaved, but it was a start.

Shocked murmurs ran through the crowd as Wei Ying let him drop to the grass like a rag doll. He let the thick locks of hair and guan fall from his hand to land next to his tormentor, where he could see the remains of his honor.

Then Wei Ying traversed the field, stopping at each co-conspirator and applying Wen Qing’s immobilizing spell to each. He asked Xiongzhang for permission each time, and each time left the former disciple with the shorn hair. Then he sheathed Suibian and returned to the porch of the mingshi.

He was shaking minutely, so subtly no one would notice if they weren’t close to him, and Jiang Yanli drew him close and fussed over him, clearly making sure he was truly uninjured. Jiang Wanyin went to his other side and subtly let him lean on him.

“I don’t think you got any blood on your new robes,” she finally said, tweaking his nose. “My Xianxian is so talented!”

“Thanks, Jiejie,” he murmured, letting her dote on him, letting his brother support him.

Wangji wrapped him in his cloak, then gently took his sword hand and massaged the pads of his fingers and palm, feeling the taut, almost frozen muscles, and trying to help relax them. He longed to hold him, but had to refrain, the courtship too new to permit such an intimate act in public.

Xiongzhang stepped forward, and the crowd fell silent again.

“Bear witness to this punishment,” he told the crowd. “Any who dares attack a fellow disciple as Wei Wuxian has been attacked will face similar punishment.”

A team of disciples and servants finished the job of shaving the conspirators in front of all of GusuLan and, once Lan Tayi released them from the various talisman effects, carried them into the mingshi. When they were hauled out, all of them were wearing the unadorned green linen robes of criminals, and all of their swords and entry tokens had been confiscated. Even their boots were dyed green, something Wangji suspected had been done with a talisman. None of them wore their ribbons any longer.

Some of them looked stunned, as though they somehow had thought they would get away with their attacks on Wei Ying or perhaps hadn’t expected the severity of the punishment. Others looked angry, Su Minshan among them, glaring at Wei Ying from where he was held up between two disciples; Wei Ying didn’t spare him a glance. One disciple looked resigned, which meant perhaps there was hope he’d reform, not that Wangji cared. The one with the broken nose had been treated by a healer and had regained consciousness.

All had clearly been Silenced, some making muffled sounds of protest.

“We are not heartless,” Shufu announced. “Each of you will be given pouches with enough food to last through the borders of Gusu territory, nothing more. Beyond that, you are on your own. You are permanently cast out, never to return. If you violate your banishment, you will be further punished.”

A disciple placed a cloth with the seven culprits’ ribbons on the ground before the mingshi. Others stepped forward with the hair Wei Ying had cut, and piled it atop, handing Shufu the seven guan that had once crowned the culprits. They would be part of the recompense for Wei Ying, Wangji knew, though he hoped they would be melted down into something new.

Lan Xichen used a talisman to set the ribbons and shorn hair alight, sending the crowd reeling. One of the stunned-looking culprits burst into tears.

It was a shocking thing, to see the sacred ribbons burn, almost a sort of purification, an implication that the ribbons had been tainted by the ill intent and actions of those who had worn them. The symbolism piled up, the implication that this was an exorcism of an evil that had threatened the clan. In many ways, it was.

Wangji understood the need for these implications, but the layers of meaning exhausted him; he just wanted the culprits gone so that Wei Ying could have some peace.

Xiongzhang gestured, and a group of older inner disciples stepped forward, some from the group that had finished administering kun xing, likely chosen because they’d been ruled out as suspects. They joined those disciples flanking and carrying the immobilized criminals until there were enough for two to three per criminal. They attached small pouches to the belts of the seven criminals.

“You will be escorted to ensure you leave Gusu,” Xiongzhang says, his voice cold. “They are authorized to use force if attacked. I suggest you proceed peacefully. The immobilization spells will be lifted when you have exited the Cloud Recesses.”

Lan Xichen did not specify ‘non-lethal,’ Wangji noticed.

With another gesture, the disciples carried their burdens toward the gates of the Cloud Recesses, carrying their burdens with them.

Once they were gone, Xiongzhang dismissed the assembly, bidding them to adhere to curfew, and the field quickly emptied, those gathered clearly eager to process what had just occurred. Lan Tayi bowed to them and left as well.

When only they and the healers remained, Wei Ying swayed, and Wangji and Jiang Wanyin caught him together, easing him down until he was seated on the wooden planks of the porch, in no danger of falling. Jiang Yanli made a distressed noise and dabbed at his nose, which was bleeding sluggishly. His eyes were unfocused, and he clutched at Wangji’s hand.

The head healer rushed over and checked him, examining his qi in case it had been disrupted.

“He simply needs rest,” she said after she let go of his wrist. “He would be most comfortable doing that with you, rather than the infirmary.”

Wei Ying took a deep breath, clearly making an effort to focus.

“Jingshi?” he asked, his voice small.

His voice was shaky, and Wangji wondered if he had expended all the strength he had and was seeking strength in numbers, maybe even a sense of security in the home they will share once wed.

Wangji looked to Xiongzhang, who nodded.

“I’ll have the servants bring bedding and join you shortly.”

“I can do that and handle any remaining issues tonight, Xichen,” Shufu said, stroking his beard. “See to Wei Wuxian’s comfort.”

Xiongzhang bowed to him, looking relieved and wrung out himself. It had been difficult for him to order this punishment, Wangji knew, his heart wishing to believe the best of all people. These events had likely challenged his faith in people a bit, and being around good people tonight would help.

“Wei Wuxian, you did not need to push yourself,” Shufu said gently. “Take more care, and trust us to shoulder the burden.”

Wei Ying nodded, but seemed distantly confused, whether because of his exhausted disorientation or something more troubling, Wangji didn’t know. He could feel as though he couldn’t trust others to do so, and given how his former sect had failed him, that sentiment would be understandable, if heartbreaking.

Jiang Wanyin pulled Suibian from Wei Ying’s belt and handed it to Jiang Yanli. With the help of a healing apprentice, he maneuvered Wei Ying to the edge of the porch.

Wei Ying cooperated, though he refused to let go of Wangji’s hand. When Jiang Wanyin hoisted him on his back, he simply hooked his free arm around his brother’s shoulder without protest, letting his younger brother carry him, a clear indication of how exhausted he was.

“I will play for you,” Wangji told Wei Ying, squeezing his hand. “To help you rest.”

Wei Ying’s answering smile filled him with relief.

The full impact of tonight wouldn’t be clear until morning at the earliest, but at least it hadn’t taken his smile.

—————

There are multiple styles of Chinese embroidery. It’s interesting reading.

Yunjian are ornamental embroidered collars, also known as cloud collars because they generally had cloid embroidery. Depending on the dynasty, they were worn by both men and women.

The chengyu Su She is prevented from finishing is one I used in “the thread may stretch or tangle but it will never break,” ‘dogs can’t help eating shit.’ In this context he’s trying to say Wei Wuxian is low-born and no matter what he does his origins define him, but it’s poorly chosen. Basically Su She is trying to seem smarter than he is and it instead outs him as the opposite. He might also have chosen it to prey on Wei Wuxian’s fear of dogs.

Wei Wuxian keeps getting bloody noses in my fics. They can be an indication of qi disruptions, which can become deviations and cause damage, as I’m exploring in another fic. High emotion can disrupt qi (ex: wwx after the confrontation with jc at Lotus Pier).

Glossary:

Jiejie = older sister

kun xing = punishment of head shaving

li = a unit of measurement; 3.2 li is about a mile

mingshi = underworld room for summoning spirits

shufu = uncle

xiansheng = teacher

xiongzhang = elder brother (formal)

zongzhu = sect leader

In other news, I move tomorrow. I have no internet so I am posting this chapter using my phone. It’ll go up on FFN later, once I’ve moved.

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mejomonster · 2 years

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Justice in the dark, finished ep 2:

I am just so beyond overwhelmed I'm watching it honestly. I was lucky to experience Guardian a year after it came out, which got me into cdramas and cnovels and studying chinese, which got me into priests writing in particular, and i never had to anticipate or hope for guardian. I was lucky to just find it's cdrama version as my first experience period of a cdrama and of the story. It was everything I loved personally (just the perfect niche choices for Me). I never had to anticipate or wonder or hope if an adaptation would exist or be good. Because for me it was already perfect on first watch (yes even horrifically bad cgi cat da qing - I have a particular fondness for awful cgi at times especially in campy shows like Xena and Doctor Who so the low budget only added to my enjoyment personally lol).

Then Word of Honor came out. After id studied chinese for a year, worked a lot to drag myself through reading 28 chapters of tian ya ke and my first significant chunk of reading a priest novel in original chinese. I had OPINIONS. My biggest being they NEEDED to be morally grey fucked up people, needed to lie and put on acts like in the book, and Gong Jun was my dream casting for Wen Kexing but I'd have settled for anyone with a decently fitting performance. My expectations of a live action drama were absolutely blown away. The cast was actually my specific dream cast, Gong Jun pulled a better performance than I've Ever seen him do prior (just perfect in WoH specifically he really did amazing), Zhou zishu is SUCH a hard character to act much like Zhang Qiling in dmbj in that he is quiet and keeps himself private so an actor NEEDS to be really good at the performance to the audience to get across the characters internal world and get the character to come off correctly. He did it. So absolutely blown away by performances as good as Bai Yu and Zhu Yilong did for Zhao yunlan and shen wei, when I had no expectations they'd be As Good only hopefully sufficiently good. So acting was WOW. the side cast actors also absolutely blew me out of the water. The entire show team did honestly - the costumer showed how MUCH can be done with costumes and wig regardless of budget (compare WoH wigs to The Untamed or Eternal Love - just more unique designs for everyone's wigs in woh). The sets are simple but distinguishable and again while it's just a simple X setting in woh I still found the sets more memorable than the Eternal Love sets overall, the fighting is choreographed GOOD (1 I heard by the same person as Ultimate Note which would explain a lot as both have fun action scenes, 2 I love The Untamed in many regards but also there's fight scenes where extras swing at nothing so fight choreography wasn't quite as strong u know), the color design in post production isn't like ideally natural but it shows off the costumes and further makes the limited budget look distinguished as it's own fully realized concept. Way Better than I ever expected honestly (guardian had limited set budget too and honestly it DID look cheap it only was beloved by me because they make it so Ridiculous in certain aspects it Crosses into Doctor Who level weird sci fi design). And finally the script - handled by a good writer, I felt, that kept the core story elements I wanted and added some more. I didn't like the "knew each other as kids" element which if you know me you know why. But since I always treat live action cdramas as Alternate Universe stories? I could appreciate they didn't bring up knowing each other in a like "we are connected cause of it way" but more as a "strangers who briefly crossed paths once and so have some experiences they both somewhat relate or connect to" which let the script writer mostly keep the original novel relationship vibe. Basically? I'm still absolutely stunned and blown away we got a GREAT drama, let alone a good one.

I knew Sha Po Lang had a drama filmed and DONE. I hadn't read it so I thankfully had no great attachment to the story being done right. I was excited because I love priest stories so I know it'll be based on good source material, and I LOVE the idea of steampunk historical. I had no idea on what to expect though besides potentially horrifically bad cgi for the steampunk elements if they didn't cut them out completely? Or cheap but functional cgi like Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain (it'll be miraculous if it's like The Lost Tomb Reboot or Utlimate Note or Love Between Fairy and Devil in terms of quite Decent nice cgi). I had no expectations until an actor I admire was cast as one of the leads. Then I figured: well this will be a GOOD show to watch. Because that actor is worth watching Just by being in it since he'll give a great performance, and the source material came from priest so it can only be so bad. I figured THAT drama was what to mentally prepare for! Then it didn't come! We're still waiting.

Now finally to Silent Reading. It's my favorite priest novel. Of any adaptations to have expectations about, it's this one for me. I made edits for this one. I watched bilibili fanvideo edits for the book and had opinions on which aesthetic choices worked best. I cared. I saw it (like a couple other novels I'm excited for adaptations for) was getting adapted too! After sha po lang, way later, casting dragging on. I assumed okay temper yourself you won't even see it until Immortality 2ha is out (lmao ;-; ). I also decided BECAUSE it's my favorite? I figured I would be disappointed and let down. So I tried not to even hope itd be good. I hoped, desperately, decent actors would be cast who could do a good solid job. I got immensely lucky when Fei Du was cast cause I know from Go Ahead that guy can ACT so at least fei du would be wonderful to watch. I had no idea about anyone else and again tempered my expectations to please please just be Decent. (So Tao Ran being Perfectly cast and acted is blowing my goddamn mind nonstop). I also hoped, for an expectation, a visual aesthetic like Under the Skin or some video edits I'd seen on bilibili. Just a sort of Beyond Evil, Flower of Evil, The Guest, sort of gritty thriller grounded somewhat in reality but at the edge kind of. A detective show with a psychologically heavy lean to it. Possibly a little stylistic even in color choice cause I personally like shows that visually look like Their Own thing (even if it looks less natural - like I love Goodbye My Princess and Heroes visually even though it's such extreme color editing). And finally I hoped for a serviceable bare minimum... bare minimum... solve murders and stick at least basically to the book cases script. I really had no idea what to expect of writing wuality except a "PLEASE be Decent you're working with great source material, it's already got an audio drama with a script u should barely have to work to make this Decent just don't make it awful." So yeah. Low expectations. I probably could have been happy with Granting You a Dreamlike Life level writing quality, visual quality (except dear fuck please with blues instead of that yikes yellow gyadl used a ton), and passable actors.

Instead I got way better than my expectations and it's breaking my mind a little. Color grading? Blue greens and I'm sure some people hate it I fucking love it to pieces. (If I'd give any visual critique it's that I think they're over smoothing actors and I love gritty real looking skin but I recognize a lot of cdramas generally make the choice to face smooth and use filters so it's going to crop up in some stuff I watch :/ it's not totally awful in that I can see Luo's stubble and sometimes Fei Du's cover-up powder on his little nose, but overall the contrast intensity and color grading they chose makes the skin look less gritty in combo with I imagine some skin smoothing filters). I personally Love the cgi I have seen, which i assumr either means cheap cgi came up EONS since guardian or they got bigger cgi budget for a crime drama that shouldn't need them than I would've figured. The city bits that I imagine are fake establishing shots look way better than guardian and in line with Ultimate Note quality at times (at least they're not too noticeably bad is my point). The extreme lighting choices are unnatural for sure but I really like them since there's a heavy metaphor right now of Luo as the light and Fei Du in the dark, and seeing that visual metaphor play out with actual bright lights/intense shadows frequently in scenes is so visually satisfying to me, you can read their mental states just by the lighting (one scene Fei Dus emotions drop and it goes from sunny to storming which is REALLY on the nose and funny but also I love how thoroughly this way of using light is through the entire show). Green and blues also seem to be being used for light and dark, life and death, warmth and cold, Luo and Fei. I never had the expectation so Much detail would be put to visuals and I'm so beyond grateful.

Next, the music. Oh my god the music. So far it's not like Life Changing to me the way Guardians soundtrack was (I love Chen Xuerans music - he also did some Tomb of the Sea music I also love). But I didn't expect the music to even be more than servicable, yet I'm enjoying it enough I want to go look up the tracks? (Also WoH had a banger soundtrack forgot to mention that). I love the choice of piano instruments frequently in the background music, it's extremely fitting of this particular story with priest naming chapters after famous literature and just the vibe of old detective stories. At the same time? Again there's this comparison between a very piano and western orchestra background ost, and the very modern English song that's kind of pop music that Fei Du plays often and with Tao Ran and sometimes plays in scenes with Luo. It's like the light/dark lighting, the music juxtaposition. It's such a noticeable choice, and it really adds to how effective the scenes are. I did not expect the music to shine to me. It's not like WoH levels yet in terms of any particular song lyrics, but the music playing when Fei Du was young seeing his mom, and the music playing at the end of ep 2 as Luo talks to Fei Du about his mom, were both impactfully used.

Writing: not much to say except oh my fuck I can't believe I'm seeing these scenes I love acted out. Acted out properly, like I pictured them. ;-; I'm amazed how much they're sticking to book honestly. I. Am just incredibly overwhelmed moving on. It feels like coming home honestly, a new scene starts and I know exactly where I am from the novel. I actually happen to enjoy when cdrama adaptations change story (Alternate Universe story) so id be just pleasant too if the story Does happen to change, but at the moment this is maybe the most faithful (*except the little sci fi intro note) adaptation I've seen of any book in general in my life. I am so so happy. I loved the scene in Tao Rans car. The scenes of Fei as a child is better than anything I could have possibly ever imagined (Luo coming from the light to cover his eyes and stop the horror, pulling him safe to the light, just the visuals and music absolutely <3 ;-; ). The scenes with Fei Du, Tao Ran, and Luo Wenzhou are just like I imagined them (this may not be true for everyone though lol - I read with the feeling they really were cold and bristly while caring/pushing into each other's business, but not even seeing each other as friend or romantic options at the start - this is coming off just like I imagined, with Tao Ran exactly just... right out of my brain perfect kudos to the guy playing him he's singlehandedly changing my life damn). I saw some people mentioning not seeing much chemistry between Luo and Fei. I may change my mind later but... as of ep 2? I'm happy to say I'm seeing exactly what the novel gave me at the same points in the plot. I actually think the shows giving a Touch more because it's really Really hammering home how Luo and Fei have revolved around each other 7 years, are stuck together in a situation they can't move past, are yin yang light dark warmth cold passion logic alive dead, and those kind of fucking parallels really hammer very obviously that as lovable as Tao Ran is it's really Luo/Fei who are the main characters and who have effected each other's lives most greatly. Yes Tao Ran is Luos best friend and was his partner since their first case of Feis mom - but Luo is who reached out slightly More to Fei Du, who made it his entire purpose to help this kid, who this kid Blamed for being unable to help, who chose to keep trying to take care of Fei for 7 years ever since (Tao ran also doing so because he was involved). Yes Fei Du crushes on Tao Ran as a safe outlet, because Tao Ran won't reciprocate (for a variety of reasons from being straight to thinking of himself as someone taking care of Fei like an older brother - and that emotional position of his is uniquely why he can give such direct advice to Fei that Fei wouldn't take as kindly to as from an actual romantic option like Luo). Fei Du acts emotionally more open with Tao, and certainly tries harder to try and live healthier by associating wirh Tao (and Tao indulges it because it does make Fei feel more human and connected). But it's clear Luos the one who makes Fei face his fears directly, who cuts through the shield entirely, the one who's words actually genuinely shake Fei Du. Tao Ran can call Fei out but on some level Fei won't break from it since it's Tao saying it, can close back up if he does open enough to take it to heart. Luo is fundamentally a person thats Too important to Fei for Fei to control how he handles him. Luo changed his life, was his hope then his hopelessness. And still remains both. The show is absolutely hammering that. Whereas the book? If you didnt know Luo was going to be the main character, you'd figure Fei/Tao was going to be at least an initial ship. Or Tao/Luo if only it was friends to lovers (just me then lol). My point is the shows clear irs got a very specific "bromance" angle and it's hammering it as much as Merlin/Arthur got hammered with 2 sides of the same coin he's your destiny. And more.

Acting again. I also love all the side characters so far. Love the casting choices all around. Zhang Donglan was not how I pictured lol but I liked his actor, the core investigation group is just like I pictured.;-; <3

Luos actor. So eyecandy in a screencap he is not particularly. In motion? He's looks wise passable for Luo. Which is like... when I read the book Luo was traditionally handsome like some superhero (Captain joke from the book and all) but in regular man's roughed up clothes of regular financial means, basic work haircut, could tone himself down if needed. So Zhao Yunlan, while I love him (good job Bai Yu) is too "pretty" to be Luo - the leather jacket too flashy, the whole look just too flashy. Luos styling in the show is acceptable as it looks like an everyday man's less flashy version of Zhao Yunlan, which is about where Luo lands. I imagined a more Model handsome type for Luo just because I imagined him more Abruptly in your face handsome hero (think Captain America) compared to "blends into the background next door neighbor cute" that is Tao Ran (and tbf show Tao Ran is Perfect.... I imagined Yang Yang but dressed/styled toned down, and this actor visually is like a 96% match to an actual fancast edit I made so.. he's perf). Luos actor instead also has a similar "everyday man next door" handsome. On the upside its probably realistic given he qnd Tao Ran should feel on the same level. On the other no its not mu mental picture of Luo - I couldn't even fancast him because he's SO specific in my mental interpretation. But back to the point: as an actor he does look suitable while playing the role. His actual acting? That's where it really matters. When I read, Luo was SUCH a specific character to me if an actor can't pull it off it'll hurt. His actor is doing Perfect. I'm beyond grateful. He's just like Luo in my head. His voice is a touch different but it's acted great so it's fine. The only scenes that jar me are ones where I can clearly know someone edited a scene or added a thing to his costume to make him look like Zhao Yunlan lmao, just because it feels less like Luo and I know it? Like his scene saving a girl from a mugger on a bike was so reminiscent of show Guardian Zhao Yunlan getting off the motorbike. The glasses and leather jacket in ep 1 on Luo screamed "similar to Zhao yunlan" but toned slightly down, and the scene he talks to get into the crime scene felt very echoey of Zhao yunlan doing that to get into the first crime scene in Guardian. The actor made it flow fine, and he Feels like Luo so I'm happy as peaches. But there were some moments in ep 1 I think lol either director or writer or someone wanted to reference Guardian or rely on that similarity to give the watcher a familiar impression. The actor is Really nailing the small moments of acting with his team, and the emotional moments with Fei are just so well done.

Anyways in summary? I had so few expectations and they've been far surpassed. I'm amazed how much extra stuff I didn't even want to hope for is also lovely in this. I'm so !!!!

#rant #lb #justice in the dark #it feels like miraculous almost #not only is it blowing my mind past even Dream Expectations i had #it also released in 2023 when 1 it wasnt expected #2 before Immortality wtf??#3 after the bl ban post WH #4 the writing is THIS close to the book. which i didnt expect to get at All #(and ill srill be fine if they deviate wildly later its a live action cdrama its something that could happen).#if ur thinking of watching i recommend 1. read the edanglarstranslations english translation its soo good #2 maybe wait until April to watch this show. i hear thats when it will finish airing. and youku is slowly fixing subs from mtl #so more time to let them get better subs uploaded

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hulijingemperor2 · 8 months

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Zixuan: Foxy Foxy Foxy!! *hugs and kisses his dimple* I got the news.

Yao: yes!!

Zixuan: *gives him a bouquet of white peonies* congrats baby.

Yao: thank you Zishie. *smile* beautiful flowers by the way.

Zixuan: as always.

So. You and Qin Su are making back up?

Yao: yea. Yes!!

Zixuan: that's fab. You two would make a powerful team once again..

Rusong: I'm so so happy that you and A-niang are reuniting!

Yao: *pinches cheeks* yess Songsong, I'm also happy.

Jingyi: Rusong, we're blessed to have fabulous parents like them.

Rusong: exactly. *smiling*

Zixuan: awww.

Rusong and Jingyi: *hugs A-Yao*

Yao: Song'er, Yi'er, you're the most precious things!

Zixuan: *sniffles* Foxy. You and your family are adorable.

Now where's your event planners?

Yao; over there.

Xiying: do you need anything, Huangdis?

Zixuan: guys, wrap it up. Go take a vacation.

Xiying: but we have a lot of work to do.

Zixuan: us peacock spirits will organize A-Yao's wedding.

Xiying: mn, ok Huangdi.

Yao: awww, Zish you didn't have to.

Zixuan: I must return the favour, since you planned and organized my wedding with A-li.

Yao: so thoughtful.

Zixuan: A-Yao, I'll call my staff here. And in the mean time we should go shopping.

Yao: shopping?!

Zixuan: yes! You're so gorgeous and needs some beautiful accessories. So I think we should go shopping in Dongying.

Yao: great idea! We'll use the teleportation talismans then.

Zixuan: sounds like a plan!

*hugs*

Yao: *smiling*

Rusong: yes. You divas should go shop for A-Die's big day!

Jingyi: and maybe go for a spa day.

Zixuan: omg yes.

Yao: Zishie I need one.

Zixuan: I got you. Let's go!

~~~

Next day, a.k.a the wedding day!!

Team dimple and the staff gets A-Yao ready, whereas Qin Su was getting ready with the help of maids. The entire Jing Manor was elegantly decorated with sheer red satin cloth and golden ribbons. Peonies and rose petals adorned the floor ceramic ornaments were filled with pearls and diamonds.

Fox spirits, Laoling Qin sect members and peacock spirits were also in attendance~ along with other guests of course.

Mo xuanyu: Yao gege, you look fab.

Xue yang: the threesome option is still open Jiggy. Just hit me up ok.

Yao: *laughing*

Xue yang: have you thought about it, Jiggy?

Yao: no yangyang. But I'll let you know. Haha.

Su she: you look beautiful, Huangdi. *blushing*

Yao: thank you.

Xue yang: where's Lan lips? Is he planning on sabotaging the wedding?

Yao: maybe he's with his brother.

Su she: ew.

Yao: you know Wangxian would come together.

Su she: are they surgically attached?! And they're unqualified to be in your presence.

Yao: remember Wen Qing was staying with us.

Hence I asked her to invite Wei gongzi as he's her bestie.

Mo xuanyu: is wen ning there?

Xue yang: can I experiment on him!

Yao: of course he is there. Chengmei, what did I tell you?

Xue yang: your guests aren't experiments. *pout* but Jiggy, you know how badass it would be if everyone become the walking dead! Ripping everything apart!!!!

Mo xuanyu: I agree! They'll also obey us as well, cuz it's yangyang's experiments.

Su she: then you will be the overlord of fierce corpses. Emperor of a Jianghu plagued by fierce corpses and fox spirits. That would indeed be awesome

Yao: oh gosh. Team dimple. *laughing*

Mo xuanyu: we want you to rule the world, Yao gege.

Yao: I already run the Jianghu, darlings.

Now come on. We're running late.

Xue yang: Jiggy, if you run late for your own wedding, you could marry us instead. We're always available.

Mo xuanyu: well marry us for a second time.

Su she: *blushing*

Yao: lol, team d.

~~~

The ceremony starts, and A-Yao and Qin Su made their entrance while hand in hand.

Yao: you look really stunning.

Qin Su: *blushing* not too bad yourself.

Yao: delicate as a flower. But sharp as a thorn.

Qin su: always.

Yao: are you ready to reunite again.

Qin Su: yes.

I promise to be by your side.

Yao: I promise to protect you. And keep you happy.

Meng shi: *standing and smiling, with all her nine fox tails out*

Madam Qin: *standing next to Meng shi. Also with hot fox tail showing.

Yao: I'm glad Madam Qin and Qin Cangye are here to give you their blessings.

Qin Su: mn.

Taihou looks really really beautiful.

Yao: as always.

Qin Su: truly a goddess of Hulijings.

A-niang pays her respects to her once in a while.

Yao: how lovely.

Xichen: doesn't my A-Yao look amazing!

Lan zhan: he's not Wei ying.

Mo xuanyu: because he's Yao gege, and he's absolutely celestial!!!

Su she: uncultured Lan.

Xue yang: what if I make out with Jiggy in the middle of the court.

Wei wuxian: dang. Lianfang zun is all dripped out.

Zixuan: I know right!

Wen Qing: he's looking his best.

Wen ning: I'm so happy for her. And Yao Huangdi will take good care of her.

Wen Qing: mhm.

Huaisang: I don't have the energy to be evil anymore. I'm too busy being Zixuan's servant, then his royal gremlins, I mean his children prank me everyday, and I'm the wife of a moody Jiang cheng.

Jiang cheng: uh, I heard that.

Huaisang: then don't tell anyone. Sexy cheng.

Jiang cheng: you're really shady. But I like it.

Huaisang: good.

Wen qing and A-Yao: *performing the three bows*

Meng Shi: Yao'er, my little baby, congrats. *kisses him on his forehead*

And Qin gui fei, welcome to the family again!

Madam Qin: A-Su, A-Yao. May you two have a happy married life!

Officiator: congrats Huangdi and Huanghou. Your wedding is completed.

Salutations to Huangdi!!

Everyone: *clapping*

Qin Su: *blushing more*

Yao: *stretches out his hand*

Qin su: *puts her hands in his*

Sisi: awwww look how she's blushing! Yao'er, I think she loves your dimples the most.

Meng Shi: no no, my daughter-in-law loves Yao'er's eyes and lips.

Yao: hmm, but I wonder what she really loves.

Qin Su: I rather not say.

And stop making me blush.

Meng Shi: oh my.

Sisi: Huanghou jiejie, I think you made Yao'er a little too handsome.

Team dimple gets drunk, Qin gui fei becomes speechless and the rest are in a chokehold.

Meng Shi: should I go apologize to the Jianghu?

Sisi: not at all, jiejie! They must accept the fact that your son is hot.

And he has such a beautiful wife.

Yao along with Qin Su: *laughing*

Meng Shi: would Songsong be getting younger siblings, Yao'er? Qin gui fei?

Qin Su: *flustered* well....I....don't....know....

Yao: A-Su.....has...to...decide....

Qin Su: no, you decide...

Yao: I don't rush things.

Qin Su: neither do I.....

Madam Qin: oh goodness

Meng Shi: aww *laughing* you two are too precious.

Rusong: *hugs* A-Die, A-niang!

Yao: aww Song'er. *pinches cheeks*

Qin Su: baby!!

Both: *caressing Rusong's face*

Meng Shi: give him some love.

He's the future of the Hulijing nations after all.

Jingyi: *smile* guys!

Qin Su: *pinches cheeks* Yi'er.

Yao: we love you too, baby. *hugs*

Meng Shi: perfect family.

Qin Su: baby Song'er, you and your brother look adorable.

Rusong: thanks, A-niang.

Qin Su: aww. A-niang loves both of you.

Yao: how adorable.

Meng Shi: yes! Both are our gems.

~~~~

After wedding soiree!!

Zixuan: Yaoyao. *hugs* congrats darling.

Yao: thank you!

And you outdone yourself with the decorations.

Zixuan: you should leave things to big bro more often.

Yao: I guess I should. You handled it well.

Jinling: best wishes xiao shushu.

Yao: thank you, A-ling!

Ruxuan, Ruhua and Ruming: *hands him and Qin Su lowers* uncle Foxy and Qin!!!

Yao: awww babies! Thank you so so much.

Qin Su: Xuan gege, they're beautiful!

Yanli: Qin Su, you should come over some time for soup.

Qin Su: aw I would love that. Please come when I have garden parties.

Yanli: of course! And we'll discuss about how to handle diva husbands.

Qin su: lol. We definitely need to know how to handle this diva team.

Yanli: yup. They live in glamor and sophistication as they're rich, handsome emperors.

I'll give you a 101.

Zixuan: should we be worried.

Yao: we'll conceal our ways.

Zixuan: good idea.

Wei wuxian: look at you, lianfang zun!

You look hot.

Lan zhan: *jealous*

Wei wuxian: his waist is also snatched. But sometimes I can't see his waistline clearly because hensheng is in the way.

Su she: you dare stalk my Huangdi. You creature.

Wei wuxian: what are you cranky about?!

Su she: you're the bother-in-law of the magnificent Lianfang zun. Have some respect.

Wei wuxian: *rolls eyes*

Su she: but I'm impressed that you have some sort of taste. It seemed rather questionable.

Wen qing: you stalk him?

Wei wuxian: no. I'm just observant. But Lianfang zun is really attractive.

Huaisang: *talking to Jiang cheng*

Ruhua: A-Die's maid! What are you doing here?! And you're dating the grape uncle that Ling gege keeps talking about!

Huaisang: little goblin. I mean darling, how do you know my business?

Ruhua: because I'm a princess.

Duh!!

Jiang cheng: this child is 100% like that peacock.

Ruhua: how dare you call him a peacock. I'll have you executed.

Jiang cheng: oh really? Spell executed.

Ruhua: *walks off* A-Die!!!! The grape is being mean to me!

Ruxuan: *tying Huaisang's shoelaces together*

*gave Ruming a thumbs up and snuck away*

Ruming: *snatches Huaisang's fan and runs away*

Huaisang: hey!!! My fan!! Give it back! *trips.

Ouch!

Children trio: *laughing*

Huaisang: *cries* you evil spawns!! You broke my hip!!!

Yao and Jiang cheng: *tries to contain their laughter*

Su she: how dare you abuse Huangdi's floor.

Xue yang: how did the floor taste?

Mo xuanyu: you look nice Huaisang. Stay like this ok.

Yao: let me help you, Huaisang.

*signals his attendants*

Huaisang: how are my shoelaces tied together?! Zixuan!!!

Zixuan: who are you calling Zixuan?

Huaisang: anything you want to say?!!!!

Zixuan: *sigh* sorrows, sorrows. Prayers.

Huaisang: agghhh. Anything else?!!!

Zixuan: sorrows.

Mingjue: if you did training, you wouldn't have ended up like this, Huaisang.

Huaisang: but dage!

Mingjue: *rolls eyes*

Huaisang: you should have some workmans compensation, Zixuan Huangdi.

Zixuan: w..work...what?

Look huaisang. You don't deserve workman's constipation.

Yao: *correcting* compensation.

Zixuan; yea that.

You always want to squeeze the money out of me!! Huh?

Do I look like a bank?

Yao: are you ok now, Huaisang?

Huaisang: yea San ge. Thanks for asking.

Yanli: Qing jiejie, let's toast together.

Wen qing: sure.

Wuxian: Yao huangdi.

Yao: wei Gongzi. Hey.

Wuxian: did you try it on him??

Yao: yes and I regret it.

Wuxian: all Lans are beasts. And this only makes things worst lol.

Yao: but it was kinda hot, ngl

Wuxian: for the experience.

Yao: yup. For the experience.

Wuxian: that thing made me shove a sword in an unmentionable area.

Yao: oh my goodness!

Lan zhan: *bows* greetings taihou.

Meng Shi: nice to meet you.

Lan zhan: mn, nice to meet you too.

Meng Shi: where's your roof climber?

The one who broke into my temple.

Lan zhan: he's talking to your son.

Meng Shi: *correcting* Yao huangdi. Yes. My son.

Lan zhan: mn. *walks away*

Meng Shi: I don't like him.

Sisi: could have said it to his face.

Meng Shi: maybe on another occasion.

Xichen is so charming.

Sisi: absolutely is.

Meng Shi: where are the Qins?

Let's go talk to them.

~~~

On the other side......

Wen ning: uh...Xuan huangdi?

Jintang: do you want to assassinate my Huangdi?

Wen ning: no.

Zicheng: we're Huangdi's bodyguards.

Zixuan: *confronts them* guys chill. Why are you acting like team dimple?

Zicheng: we're just safeguarding you, Huangdi.

Zixuan: from Wen Ning?

Don't I pay you enough, that you have to do unnecessary work.

Jintang: I'm just afraid that he punches a hole in your chest.

Zixuan: what?!

Jintang, I told you on countless occasions to not listen to Huaisang.

*smile* guys, I'm alright. Please, you're dismissed.

Both: yes Huangdi.

Zixuan: sorry about that, Wen ning. Let's toast.

Wen ning: mn. That's what I wanted to do, toast with you.

Zixuan: aw. Sure.

#the huli jing emperor #foxyao #meng yao #dimpledlianfang #hulijing emperor 2 #jin guangyao #jin zixuan #part 2 #su she #the untamed

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jaimebluesq · 1 year

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Here's an idea I have for a possible Jiang Cheng/Nie Huaisang/Wen Qing poly fic, CQL-verse mostly

Back in GusuLan, NHS was crushing hard on his friend JC but said nothing about it, JC had his crush on WQ, and WQ was too busy worrying about the stuff with her uncle to even think about the handsome boys and girls around the sect. After Gusu, however, when NHS & JC end up 3rd and 4th wheeling WangXian on their field trip to the fairy statue, NHS & JC & WQ bond a little over being stuck in a cage surrounded by fierce corpses/puppets, but it's mostly friendly

Then comes the Indoctrination Camp. When WQ returns from the xuanwu cave, upset that she couldn't do anything to help JC et al without putting her and her brother at risk, she comes to an NHS who has been in the infirmary the whole time pretending to be sicker than he really is. WQ is tasked with getting him healthy again. After he's returned to his rooms and she's no longer 'in charge' of his care, she sneaks to find him and helps him escape in a way that wouldn't indicate her involvement - if she couldn't help the other disciples, at least she could help this one. NHS is torn because of his family's history with the Wen, but he declares he owes her a debt for her help.

Canon happens, Lotus Pier burns, and the Jiang sibs end up at WQ's supervisory office with a JC who's traumatized after being tortured and having his core crushed. And then WWX looks at WQ's research and has his idea to give JC his core without his knowledge/consent.

Unlike in canon, WQ decides she needs someone to help talk WWX out of it, so she sends a secret message to NHS asking for his help stopping WWX from doing something very, very stupid - this would pay his debt to her. NHS sneaks away from Qinghe to get to the supervisory office (I say as if it's not a trek that takes several days' travel on horseback), using some excuse so his brother won't worry he's leaving safety in the middle of a war (if anyone could pull it off, it's NHS). NHS reunites with his friends and is stunned at JC's condition, then helps WQ talk WWX out of giving up his core for JC.

Then NHS talks to WQ in private and asks... would any core do? Does it have to be a strong one like WWX's, or could it be a weaker one that JC could develop as he wishes? She glares at him, and NHS counters with "It's not like I'm using mine *anyway*... but would it hurt?" WQ actually concludes that a weaker core would actually be simpler to transfer and be more likely to be accepted, and though it will hurt, it will be manageable. WQ agrees to the idea in theory... but NHS has 2 more demands if he's to go through with it. #1 she and her brother need to defect from the Wen (when WQ mentions the rest of the family in Dafan, he says bring them too), and #2 that once the war is over, he needs a doctor of her brilliance to look into the qi deviation issue for her family, and he asks that she fulfill those promises even if he doesn't survive the procedure. She eventually agrees.

They go to JC and NHS fudges the truth a little, says they have a way to help him based upon some super secret Qinghe Nie techniques that they can't share with JC because they're sect secrets but will hopefully help him get a new core. JC... well, he can't say no to them even though he tries. He goes to sleep, and wakes up feeling a little more whole and himself... then sees in a neighbouring bed NHS sleeping and looking pale.

Can NHS keep a secret? Yes. Will he keep this secret? Hell no! After they're both awake with WQ in the room (she figures he won't tell a thing), NHS reveals what they really did and that JC now has NHS' core. JC is PISSED at first, but NHS gives him the puppy eyes, and the "I wasn't using it anyway, Jiang-xiong", and when JC yells too loud, NHS places a hand over where his core used to be and winces...

Anyone else love the movie White Christmas? There's a running gag in the movie because the one guy saved the other's life in the war cuz he'd pushed him out of the way of a falling building and got injured for it. For the rest of the movie, whenever he wants his friend to do something, he places his hand on the injury and grimaces as a reminder of what he did. Yeah, that's what NHS will do from this moment until the day they die, milking it for ALL IT'S WORTH.

So WQ & WN get their family out of of the Wen and meet the others in Qinghe. They go to the Unclean Realm, NMJ is PISSED at his brother doing something so foolish and ridiculouos - even if a part of him is ridiculously proud his brother was willing to make a sacrifice like that for someone he cared for - and the Wen are accepted as refugees.

The war happens differently - no demonic cultivator WWX, JC's core is weaker (but he works it harder than NHS ever would have - in a few years it will be to his normal strength) - but through it all, this new bond has been forged between JC, NHS, & WQ, because she checks on them both frequently because of their surgeries, giving her plenty of opportunities to feel them up observe them carefully.

And then the war is over, and everyone struggles to find a new 'normal'. WQ is working in Qinghe on the qi deviation issue, her and NHS get even closer, but both miss JC like hell, and him them.

Then JGS starts causing trouble. He's taken over managing the Wen prisoners like in canon and a starts making comments about WQ & WN and how they're being housed/protected by QHN and should pay for the Wens' damaging of other sects. NHS realizes something needs to be done, a more tangible way of protecting them - he gets WQ & JC to talk to him and suggests a marriaged between them to protect everyone (NHS has also not been blind to the growing attraction between the two). They eventually agree... though JC & WQ come to realize they miss having NHS around. After 3zun happens, they have the 'brilliant' idea of requesting a connection to Qinghe Nie, since the Jiang were not a part of 3zun and would like closer bonds to the other sects (JYL will get back with JZX and WWX will end up with LWJ, so those are taken care of).

They marry (WQ wife, NHS concubine) for 'political reasons', but they're all into each other, and figure that out and do something about it after everything has been settled. JGS wanted to fight about it, but he had no more justification.

So yeah, them's the bare bones of the idea. Any thoughts? I'd also be up to sharing the idea/universe with anyone who'd want to write in it - i'd be most likely to write just some nice fluffy piece after all the shit went down rather than the detailed "how everything came to be", if only to have NHS using being core-less to justify being wonderfully lazy in the gorgeous Lotus Pier :D

#plot bunny #nie huaisang #jiang cheng #wen qing #sangchengqing

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llycaons · 1 year

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ep25 (pt 4): ships nearly passing in the night

GODD THIS SCENE IS SO FUCKING HAUNTING. the music is gorgeous, the cinematography dreamlike and surreal and symmetrical, the acting deliberate and impactful

I like that it doesn't rely on shock value for the power of this scene. there's wen qing, and there's wwx. and their courses may or may not collide. they're both wandering. wwx is drinking heavily, unwilling to play nice at the banquet and probably feeling a little abandoned by jyl. wq is bereft, hungry and alone and desperate to find her brother and utterly without hope

shots from each character's position. the audience can see the other in the distance, but they don't see each other.

I LOVE this shot. absolutely stunning and says so much. though the market is crowded with people, these are the only two that matter. will their paths cross?

wq coughs, too focused on the ground beneath her feet to notice the eye-catching and distinctive cultivator she knows so well. there's a barrier between them. wwx doesn't see wen qing's face, only the back of her hood

she's shoved down, he turns. she looks up, they see each other, allies in another life. they stare at one another for a long, long moment

they are the only two in the entire market

and just like that, everything changes

this would have been a killer romantic scene, but I absolutely adore it for what it is instead

AND AS IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH. we end on another classic line

lwj has been weirdly distant and passive this entire episode. there are so many other characters in this episode that he did get pushed to the side, but even at the target practice he was unmoved

YEAH YOU DO

I didn't think much of this line on my first watch, because...yeah, lxc was probably right. but if you read the novel it then becomes a whole thing bc lwj DOES bring wwx-as-mxy back to CR against his will and keeps him there so there's this whole debate about lwj's 'darker urges' and whatnot that I personally find very silly? he definitely has a protective streak, and maybe even a little possessiveness, but he's never violated wwx's autonomy in cql, even when wwx was killing himself, and I never thought he ever would. or even could, actually

my preferred interpretation was that it was one of the only ways he could see to protect someone he cared about (didn't have many other role models), but he never would have acted without wwx's permission and he also felt a lot of guilt about it given his father's crimes. and you can see how he lets wwx go at the very end as well because he's not the kind of person his father was. it seems pretty mild to me, on the whole

like I see the appeal in making him a more flawed character and giving him more to overcome but I think his flaws are enough as is and fit the story perfectly already, and in cql I just don't see the evidence for him having such a powerful need to dominate or possess wwx to keep him safe. but you see a lot of meta where his desire to protect gets really tortuous and dramatic and I just don't think it's that deep.

personal highlights: WHERE TO START. this episode was THRILLING

wwx waving to jyl with his flute to make her laugh. always makes me smile

sexy sexy blindfolded archery scene

wwx remembering lxc's words and turning away but lwj leaving the narrow, straight path and coming to meet him anyway

I WILL RISE UNPARALLELED AND LEAVE YOU ALL STARING AT ME FROM BEHIND

jyl tearing jin xizun a new one and wwx crying in the background

A-XIAN IS MY DIDI

jzx's awkward confession and then flight from the clearing

the GORGEOUS gorgeous reunion scene between wwx and wq

I want to take a man to cloud recess...take him there and hide him

#full fucking marks for this one. banger after banger after banger. no misses #cql re-rewatch

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remma3760 · 1 month

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Consequences

Chapter 26

Summary:

The fallout from Madam Yu's attack on Wei Wuxian continues.

Lan Qiren stood in stunned silence as he surveyed the chaos around him. The only sound was Lan Yuan's screams.

A young disciple came to him, distraught. "Lan Xiansheng, I am sorry, I am the cause."

Lan Qiren looked at the junior with a frown. "How could any of this possibly be your fault?"

Almost in tears the boy explained. "Madam Yu asked me where her daughter was and I told her. I even pointed out the direction. I am sorry. I will accept punishment."

"There will be no punishment. You answered a perfectly reasonable request from the wife of a visiting sect leader. No-one could have predicted such an outcome. Now I need your assistance. Go quickly and bring the healers here. Let them know that we have multiple casualties."

Relieved, the boy bowed and left to carry out his task.

Lan Qiren looked to where Yu Ziyuan knelt in shock, blood spurting from the remains of her arm. He ignored her, instead going to Wen Qing who was tending to his son and grandson. "Lady Wen, how are they?"

She looked grave. "Scared. Hurt. Hanguang Jun has been feeding Wei Wuxian energy which will help even with his core sealed. Baoshen Sanren is doing the same for Nie Huaisang. I need to get them to the infirmary to check further."

"Mn. I have sent for the healers. They will be here shortly. I thank you and your brother for your prompt assistance."

Next he went over to Wen Ning, Boashen Sanren and Nie Huaisang."Master Wen?"

"His pulse is strong Lan Xiansheng, but he is still unconscious. I can monitor him until the healers arrive but he needs more care than I can give."

Lan Qiren patted Wen Ning on the shoulder. "Do your best, Master Wen."

"What by all the gods has happened here?" Lan Qiren sighed in relief. Lan Baojie had come.

"Baojie. Honestly, I don't know. This is a mess."

"So I see. We can discuss it once we have treated the patients."

He began directing his staff. Nie Huaisang, Wei Wuxian - Lan Yuan still held in his arms - and Yu Ziyuan were loaded onto stretchers and then the whole group made their way to the infirmary.

***

"Too many people. Anyone who is either not injured or is not a healer needs to leave. I need space to asses my patients. This is precisely why we built a waiting room." Lan Baojie tried to shoo everyone out before adding, "Qiren, you should contact the Nie. It is worrying that Nie Huaisang has not yet regained consciousness."

"Lan Daifu..."

"Yes, I know Wangji. You will not leave your husband and son. You can stay. Everyone else out."

***

Lan Xichen had come just as they were exiting the infirmary. Lan Qiren sent him to supervise in the waiting room while he went to send a message to Nie Jiahao, though how he would explain this was a dilemma. At least Wuxian's letter boxes made the task easier.

Now here Lan Qiren was, back in the waiting room, although the small room was certainly not adequate for quite so many people. Baoshen Sanren and Lan Yi stood by the window talking quietly with Lan Xichen. Madam Jin sat with Jiang Yanli while Jin Guangshan had settled into the only comfortable chair because of course he had. Jiang Fengmian had been pacing and came to Lan Qiren's side as soon as he entered. "My wife?"

"I have no more idea of what is going on than you, Jiang Fengmian. We can only wait here until Lan Baojie is able to come and explain. Xichen, Nie Jiahao will be coming shortly. Please see that suitable accomodation is made available. Send word to the gate that they are to be brought here as soon as they arrive."

"Yes, Shufu. Shall I have refreshments brought?"

"Mn. Do. We might be here sometime."

"How long will we be expected to sit in this room, Qiren?"

"I just said that it might be sometime, Jin Guangshan. I will not disturb the healers when they have patients to attend. If you do not want to wait I can have you directed to guest quarters instead."

Jin Guangshan sat back with a huff of displeasure.

***

They had been waiting several hours when the door was flung open and Nie Jiahao strode in. He was followed by Nie Min and Nie Mingjue. "Qiren! what's going on? What has happened to my boy?"

"We are still waiting for Lan Baojie to report. I did not witness the incident and all those involved are currently receiving treatment."

Nie Min was looking sacred. "Can you tell us anything, Qiren? I am so worried for my A-Sang. His core is weak, if he was badly injured..." She gave a sob, wringing her hands.

Jiang Yanli came over to her immediately, taking her hand and drawing her over to Madam Jin. "I am sure he will be well, Madam Nie. He has the best doctors looking after him."

Baoshen Sanren stepped forward to pat the agitated woman on the shoulder. "Madam Nie, I was able to transfer energy to your son immediately following the incident. I agree with Lady Jiang. I am convinced he will be well."

Nie Min gave a teary smile in thanks. Jiang Yanli sat her down in the chair she had been occupying and then settled on the floor next to her.

***

A short time later Lan Baojie entered. He was instantly assaulted with a myriad of questions. Lan Qiren called for quiet. "Please, everyone. Let Lan Baojie speak."

Lan Baojie nodded his thanks. "I now have a clearer picture of what occured. This will go easier if you do not interrupt my report. From what I understand, Wuxian was concerned for Jiang Yanli and wanted to offer her comfort. He was making his way to her when the incident occurred. Lan Yuan was in his arms and Nie Huaisang by his side. They were talking and not really paying attention to their surroundings. Consequently, he was not aware of Madam Yu's presence until she screamed.

"At that point, Wuxian looked up and saw Madam Yu about to strike with Zidian. Afraid for his child, he turned away to protect A-Yuan. The first strike caught him accross his back. Also, while he was mostly turned away, the very tip of the whip wrapped around A-Yuan's ankle."

That revelation brought forth gasps of shock. "Baojie..."

"I know, Qiren. I was worried too but fortunately the full force of the strike had been spent and while it would have been agonising and will sadly scar, there will not be any lasting damage. By the time A-Yuan starts to walk he should be fully healed. As for Wuxian, he will need constant infusions of spiritual energy due to the problems from his previous injury but with care he will recover.

Before Wuxian was struck again Nie Huaisang placed himself over Wuxian and A-Yuan. It was a brave and selfless act. You should be proud of him Nie Zongzhu, Madam Nie." They did indeed look proud as Lan Baojie continued. "Madam Yu used Zidian to cast Nie Huaisang aside. She wrapped it around his chest and flung him away forcefully. In addition to the whip strike he has two broken bones in his left arm and several cracked ribs. I would suggest allowing him to remain in Cloud recesses while he recovers as moving him will only cause further pain."

Nie Jiahoa agreed as Nie Min asked worriedly, "But he will recover? His core is weak."

"Be assured, Madam Nie, he will recover. Lady Wen has formulated a numbing salve that we have applied to Nie Huaisang, Wuxian and A-Yuan's injuries. While it does not heal, it does take away the pain so that they can be comfortable. Remarkable stuff.

"Now, with Nie Huaisang out of the way, Madam Yu continued her attack on Wuxian. Wangji had been sent to collect Jin Zixuan for the hearing and the two had been on their way to the conference room when they heard the shouting. They hurried back and came on the scene just as Madam Yu had raised Zidian for the next strike. Still too far away to block her, Wangji threw out Bichen and...uh...cut off her arm."

"That was Wangji?" Lan Xichen couldn't believe it. His little brother had cut off Yu Ziyuan's arm. He couldn't decide if he was more horrified or impressed.

"It was. We all know he would do anything to protect Wuxian and A-Yuan. In this case, that meant stopping Madam Yu in any way possible. Madam Yu's servants attacked Wangji and Jin Zixuan. Jin Zixuan received a sword slash accross the chest. Fortunately not too deep. Due to his strong core it has already mostly healed. I am happy to release him to your care, Madam Jin."He nodded to the woman then turned to Lan Yi. "I believe it was you, Lan Yi, who removed the head from Jin Zixuan's attacker?"

"It was," she agreed smugly. "Chord assassination."

"Hmn. Very effective. Wangji finished off the other woman with a blow through the heart."

The group was silent, taking in the new information. Jiang Fengmian came forward. "Lan Daifu, were you able to re-attach my wife's arm?"

Lan Baojie looked at Jiang Fengmian. The arm had been brought to the infirmary. Lan Baojie and Wen Qing had examined it. They had been in agreement that it was a clean cut and easy to re-attach since the detaching had been so recent. "No. We did not re-attach your wife's arm." Let him make of that what he would. "There is nothing more I can do for her. I would suggest she speak with our mind healer since she appears to have suffered a mental break."

Jiang Fengmian looked as though he had aged ten years in the past few hours. Sadly, he shook his head. "If you can do no more then I will take her home to Lotus Pier."

Lan Qiren was abruptly and fiercely angry. He stepped in front of Jiang Fengmian, blocking his path. "You will do no such thing, Jiang Fengmian. Are you stupid? Do you not comprehend what has occurred here? First, your son attacks the heir of another great sect without provocation. Then, your wife, also without provocation, attacks three more sect heirs and as an encore her maids attack a further two. Do you not understand, Jiang Fengmian, that these could be considered acts of war? Be grateful that there is not already an army marching on Yunmeng to avenge such grevious offenses. You are not in Lotus Pier now where your wife is allowed to rampage unchecked. This is Cloud Recesses and here, she will be held accountable.

"Yu Ziyuan will be confined in the punishment pavilion along with Jiang Wanyin until a trial can be convened. Until that time you are free to return to your guest house or you may stay with your family. Your choice."

Jiang Fengmian was stunned. He looked around for support but found none. Not even Madam Jin, his wife's best friend spoke up for her. But then why would she? her son had been attacked after all. Attacked twice. The seriousness of the situation was finally dawning on him. This was not something to be brushed off. Could it be that his wife and son had finally brought about the downfall of his sect? What could he do?

#the untamed #untamed fic #untamed fanfiction #wangxian

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