#yunmeng jian sect

[sherylhooper]

There's a reason that even tho my country and my people push very hard to have us included in Europe, and discard everything that make us similar to Asia, I don't count myself as just European but more Asian, because our country is moatly located in Asia and also because the Silk Road and other Asian coutries' culture is very similar to us. That's the conversation for another time tho but when someone reads this, I want them to know that foreigners may call us white because of our skin color (even tho my ethnicity is very diverse 😒) but they still always count us as Asians because we aren't white and European enough for them.

What I want to say with that is that as much as I like that damnei, and especially MXTX books became popular, western people with their idiotic ideas make my skin crawl.

Unpopular opinion here but Wen remnants weren't innocent just because they haven't done what Wen Ruohan did. If someone doesn't something horrible, doesn't make them innocent and good. This is why I can't stand western people. Someone made a tiktok about how horrible Jiang Cheng was for leading the siege against Wei Wuxian and how horrible he was and how heroic WWX is and I wanted to make something very very clear.

MXTX herself very clearly wrote during Sunshot campaign that "no Wen took Sunshot Campaign seriously". Here it doesn't say that every Wen, besides Wen Qing and Wen Ning and Wen Qing's branch, took Sunshot Campaign seriously. No, she very clearly wrote what she wrote. People assume way too much that Wen Qing couldn't leave Wen Ruohan's side. I'm sorry but yes, yes, she could, She could've taken Wen Ning with her, gone to Lan Xichen or Nie Mingjiu and given up as a prisoner, but she didn't.

The fact very much remains: neither she, nor Wen Ning or others gave up on Wen Rouhan. They clearly expected him to win (and he was very much winning before WWX turned up with undead army and turned the tides.).

Now I want to address another thing and it's called POW, i.e. what Wen Remnants were.

The phrase, Prisoner of War for the first time, has been used in 1610 but the idea of losing side of war being "either slaughtered of enslaved" has been there since ancient times: Romans, Greeks, Turk Sejuks, Turk Ottomans, Persians, Arabs, Mongols, Chinese, Japanese, etc. They all have taken people from losing side of war as prisoners.

Now I want to adress what these POW were used as - "Typically, victors made little distinction between enemy combatants and enemy civilians, although they were more likely to spare women and children. Sometimes the purpose of a battle, if not a war, was to capture women, a practixe known as raptio."

My people were part of raptio many times, as our enemies captured women from my country because they were beautiful and they wanted to "verbessern" (improve) their blood and bred them for that purpose as disgusting as it sounds, this is a very reason why many foreign leaders in history, especially in Asia, had my people as grandmas or mothers, most of the time unwillingly and my people also took their own life before that kind of fate would befall on them too.

That was what happened to women prisoners after war most of the time, as for men, they were used to work manually almost every time for their captors.

Now, as much as Jin Guangshan and Jin Zixun make me very very angry, (not because how they acted against Wens but because they were simply disgusting people) they weren't wrong to take Wen Remnants in and make them work manually till they died (what could be argued that Jin Zixun was wrong in following that bat and capturing and impriaoning WN and his group during nighthunt). If everything WWX acting the way he acted was abnormal. He literally stole and freed them and went to the enemy's side.

Here is where I want people reading this to forget their western opinions and Geneva Convention (which was created in 1949 AFTER two world wars.). I know that most of them and their countries have never been to war in near history (USA involvement in Afghanistan, in Iraq, in iran, in many other countries doesn't count and neither does WW1 and WW2), have never had their people expeciance genoc!de so I want them to shut their mouth and listen to us, who have had wars at the hands oppressors and colonizators for more than 2000 years, yes two thousand years, who have experienced genoc!de multiple times. Even nowdays 20% of my country is occupied by our oppressors and we had 2 wars in last 32 years also at the hands of them. In 1992-1993 and in 1998 my people experienced ethnic cleansing alongside with our allies at the hands of Russians. And last war we had was in 2008, which I remember very well and it was hardly a war and more likely bombing the civilians!

Keep that in mind that I actually was in Jiang Cheng's shoes and understand that I also have a sibling. If, God above forbid, my sibling after what happened to us, got up, defected and went to Russians side, I'd kill that traitor with my own two fucking hands!!

Does people even understand what kind of bullshit they are speaking when they say that WWX was actually not wrong to take "innocent" Wens' side? There was no such thing as innocent people there!! They were elders, sure, but you can't make me believe that if they were younger they wouldn't fight in that war or that WRH wouldn't force them to fight. Did anyone from Wen Remnants say "oh, Wen Ruohan was such a bad person, we weren't actually on his side even tho we never defected during the war but just because we have done nothing against others, we are innocent". That doesn't work like that. They couldn't have been innocent when they stayed by WRH's side in the war!! At best, they simply were indifferent in it! They alao profited from war. Funding, medicine, etc have to come from somewhere, right?

Now I want to adress Wen Ning and Wen Qing and why I don't particulary care about them. Wen Qing was a healer, we have to understand that today's medical ethics that was created by Thomas Percival, is different from what physicians thought was correct in antient times, especially in ancient China.

"The traditional Chinese medical ethics emphasized heavily on physician's morality and set high standarts for medical practice. To summarie the ideas in these historical works, the phyaicians nuat rescue every like without any preconditions."

At that time there was no such thing as patient's automony. For that reason we can't fault WQ when she performed the golden core transplatation. She just did what WWX asked her.

There'a one thing that I'm gonna argue tho. When WQ and WN saved Jiang Cheng from other Wens, WQ told WWX that their debt from now on was null and void.

So when people say that Jiang Cheng should've always be in debt with her, is actually not correct. I also want to argue that she trully only cared for her brother. When she fell on her knees in front of WWX, she only wanted him to save Wen Ning. Nowhere did she say "oh, Jin clan is treating my branch so horrible, we all want to save ourselves. Help me save them."

Now about Wen Ning. He is a guy who has no other personality than just being m nice. He helped JC and WWX after Jiang Sect annihilation and that was also because he was nice. He is just a nice guy, nothing more, nothing less. He just exists to be "just nice guy".

I can't seem to force myself to care about him.

Someone on above mentioned tiktok commented and I quote:

"there is nothing jc went through that was significantly worse than what others went through yet people baby him so much 🙄 sry i don’t like mr genocide everyone"

The tiktok author replied:

"NO FR like “he lost his family” hate to break it to u bud but so did like. Everyone else … it was kind of a war,,,"

Did I read it correctly or did they simply compared Jiang Sect Genocide to people losing one or two relatives in the war??

The author in their bio had "free Palestine". Unfortunatelly that comment here clearly speaks that they don't actually care about anyone's genocide and they probably only do it for the trend.

Apparently these people also think that Jiang Cheng hunted down that tortured "pure innocent Demonic Cultivators for fun".

Are they dumb or do they trully think that these Demonic Cultivators all were like WWX and not blood-hungry like Xue Yang?? The only remotelly normal Demonic Cultivator was WWX!! Nowhere did MXTX say, even in interviews that JC hunted Demonic Cultivators for fun! Some people have never read a book in their life and it shows!

Especially when they act as if WWX was second coming of Jesus and has never done anything wrong.

First of all, WWX did, in fact, have an army in Burial Mounds, the army of undead, fierce corpses and ghosts. That army may not have Wen Remnants, but it was still an army! Also wasn't WWX the one who wrote death threats with his own blood and sent them different sects? He, obviously, wasn't in right mind at that time but he really was the threat to the Jianghu. He was arrogant and, what we know is that Jiang Cheng led the siege (please, remember that we also hear that from other people - who love rumors and speculation and etc. We don't know for sure if JC led the siege or not.).

WWX did betray him. He left him alone when he took Wen Remnants. They were brothers!! What kind of older brother abandons their little sibling? Wei Ying also indirectly caused Jiang YanLi's death. Mind you, Wei Ying didn't die on the same day as JYL, but three months later.

That alone left Jiang Cheng trully alone with a newborn nephew!!

It's a wonder he didn't go out of his mind.

Just because WWX suffered doesn't mean other people, especially Jiang Cheng didn't lose everything in the world. He had to revive a dead sect with his two very hands in his early twenties.

Some people also don't understand what kind of power vacuum Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan's deaths created! Take cultivation out of the novel and you are left with 5 big sect with Sect Leaders who are like the kings in their own land! People pay taxes here canonically. Do some people trully believe that Yumeng Jiang would remain untouched when there was no Jiang Sect left to rule it? Jin Guangshan and other sects, big or small, would start fighting over the land. Jiang Cheng had more problems at his hands than caring about leftover Wens and the problems that Wei Wuxian created because at that time, when he stole Wens from Jin Sect, he was still a part of AND the Head Disciple of Jiang Sect 🤌🏻

Wen Ruohan wiped out one of the 5 big sects and he may have done the same if Wei Wuxian didn't insult Wen Chao, but he indirectly gave Wen Chao the reason to hate Jiang Sect even more than his father's brainwashing and people think it's not that important.

People also genuinely hate Lan Xichen because he never cared about Wen Remnants enough to take them in or save them 🤦‍♀️

Wei Wuxian should also have cared enough for his sect to at least help JC revive it or something as his Head Disciple. Him giving JC his golden core meant nothing at that time, I said what I said! Especially because he didn't know! 🤷‍♀️ I blame Jiang Fengmian for raising him all highty and mighty and lone wolf or smt, but that's the discussion of another time.

I trully believe that some people read the novel with their eyes closed! This here is exactly why I hate westerns so much when they seriously think that JC is the worst character and hate him more than Wen Ruohan, Jin Guangyao/Meng Yao and Jin Guangshan 🤌🏻

MDZS fandom is clearly very toxic and I'm very glad I'm not a part of it. I'll stay in my SVSSS bubble for eternity.

P.S. just so I can make something very clear. The Siege didn't happen because of Wen Remnants as Jin Zixun allowed WWX to take them away, but because WWX killed Jin Zixuan, who was a sect heir and also husband of his Shijie. Wen Ning killed him indirectly, WWX had no control over his abilities, he was powerfull but with no control and his mind was deteriorating at that time. He was a danger to the cultivation world. Siege happened because of him, against him, and Wen Remnants died as a colletal demage. Morally right or wrong, what he created was a political disaster and it ended with every Wen, excluding WN and Wen Yuan, and with himself dead!

UPDATE. someone from China reblogged this post and called me quite horrible things, but that's okay. They also questioned if my people have even gove thro genocide at all. Okay, denial of my people's genocide is not new either. What they said next was that Siege of Burrial Mounds was a genocide of Wen Remnants. No, actually it wasn't. They died as an collateral demage because Wei Wuxian was there, that's the tragedy. I'm gonna repeat once again, Siege happened because of WWX, not because of Wens.

Another thing what they said is that people have empathy that I lack and I'm a horrible person for that, and I should be ashamed for even thinking that or that I'm Chinese literature to spread my hate, etc, etc.

My empathy died when things such these happened to my people.

Mind you, this is only one, one single city and it's not even the whole list of crimes they have done. I'm gonna find and update this post once again, cuz it's clear that I need to spread awereness, I won't let their names be forgotten...

Today the remains of 12 people, who were considered as "lost during war", were found and transferred to my country for burial and it was very emotional as many remains still haven't been found after 30+ years yet and people still hope that there could be even a single bone found and returned so they can bury it.

So, yeah, I bury whatever empathy I have left with the remains of people everytime something like this happens. Every time people deny the genocide of my people, every time these people call US colonizers and many degrading things, saying that we oppressed them when in reality it was other way around, when we couldn't speak our language, when they called it the "dog's language" and and laughed at it, couldn't get any service if we spoke it and they mockingly told us to speak "human language", which to them was Russian, WE were oppressed in our own country and land and they took everything from us and made the world believe that we were oppressors and colonizers, they even stole the name of our region for themselves....

And no one in the world did anything about this because they didn't care. So no, everytime I'll always imagine myself in JC's shoes that I'm asked to care about ethnic Russians and Apsuas, I simply can't care, don't care and won't even care unless justice is served, unless all the land they have stolen is returned, unless they all apologize for what they have done and stop spreading lies about us....

So, good for you, if you have empathy and are a better person, unfortunately, I am not...

[hami-gua]

If it Means to Remain by Your Side

From the list I posted yesterday, I'm gonna start with the Dan Heng x Reader MDZS inpsired fic first.

Characters and plot won’t be as accurate to the inspired plot. Especially for this story which involves a lot of adults and teens an not much children.  So many characters are left out simply due to the fact that a lot of npcs either didn’t fit the role, or were far too young for my standards.

I also ended up having to lean more onto the live action version than the novel/manhua version. Not all characters casted are exactly accurate too, as there are more traumatized than non-traumatized.

Cast

Dan Heng  - Lan zhan/Lan Wangji

Reader - Wei Ying/Wei Wuxian

Jing Yuan - Lan Xichen

Blade/Yingxing - Song Lan

March - Lan Jingyi

Yukong - Jian Yanli

Tingyun - Jin Guangyao

Jingliu - Xue Yang

Baiheng - Xiao Xingchen

Yanqing - Jin Ling

Ruan Mei _ Baoshan Sanren

Luocha - Jin Zixuan (Ik Yukong and him aren’t a ship, but it'll have to do as Honkai doesn’t really have a F and M implied relations. I mean the only ones that do are in a love triangle.)

Xueyi - Wen Ning

Hanya - Wen Qing

Qingque - Nie Huaisang

Diting - Fairy

Fu Xuan - Jiang Cheng

Guinaifen - Lan Sizhui/Lan Yuan (Again, not a ship as Yanqing is too fight frenzy of a kid to actually have a crush. I just think these two would pair well as friends)

Sushang - A-Qing

Setting/Sects

Luofu -- Gusu Lan

Dan Heng

Jing Yuan

March

Guinaifen (later half)

Yaoqing -- Qinghe Nie

Qingque

Zhuming -- Qishan Wen

Hanya

Xueyi

Guinaifen (first half

Yuque -- Lanling Jin

Yanqing & Fairy

Luocha

Tingyun

Fanghu -- Yunmeng Jiang

Reader

Fuxuan

Yukong

Misc.

Blade/Yingxing

Jingliu

Baiheng

Sushang

Huohuo

Ruan Mei

Xuling -- Burial Mounds

Reader (Mid-way)

Hanya (Mid-way)

Xueyi (Mid-way)

Guinafen (Mid-way)

I literally looked up all the different alliance of Xianzhou just to see which would be Wen sect. So here’s the reasoning.

Luofu: They don’t really have a specialty. Their main goal is to take out abundance cult.

Yaoqing: Much like Luofu, don’t really have a specialty. Aggressive and good at martial arts.

Zhuming: Their main export specialty is porcelain. According to Fandom wiki, the people here love playing with fire.

Yuque: They export jade abaci, thus making me think they’ll be wealthy due to it and technologically advanced/smart.

Fanghu: Exports a lot of marine things. Though it would make since to have Dan Heng come from here, but it would not make sense for other characters like March and Jing Yuan to have been born here. And it’s the closest in description to Yunmeng.

Xuling: Not much is really stated about this place on Fandom Wiki, but it looks like a place of law. But piggybacking off of the fact that not much is written about this area, Imma just gonna liken this area to Burial Mounds.

Idk why I stressed so much trying to make it 100% accurate 💀

My main source for these infos are from MDZS and Star Rail fandom wiki, so if inaccuracies occur, I apologize in advance for it.

[plan-d-to-i]

Why do stans believe that because the rumors about WWX are false, JC torturing DC and being a bad sect leader is the same. Who eactly would start those rumors? There were reasons for the rumors against WWX not so with JC. It can't be JGY, the Jians and Jiangs were allies, and in the Villians extra he himself believes in those "rumors". After leading the siege he was seen as a hero in the CW so he started off with a good reputation, he simply destroyed it himself becuse he was like that.

Yes! The funniest thing about that is that it's confirmed IN JC's OWN MIND that he kidnaps and tortures ppl if he thinks there's any chance they might be WWX and his stans are still like : idk.... sounds like a mean rumor, jc is so kind and loving makes no sense 😪

Also they always ironically ignore this part "because the rumors about WWX are false", well, we're shown the rumors that are false, are false... meanwhile kidnapping and torturing ppl is not debunked.

"Only moments before, Jiang Cheng had been so certain this person was Wei Wuxian that all the blood in his body had gone cold and then boiled over in rage. But now, his Zidian told him loudly and clearly that he wasn’t. Zidian couldn’t possibly lie to him, and even less could it make an error. The Clan Chief rapidly calmed himself, and silently thought: It isn’t as though I can’t deal with this. Worst comes to worst, I’ll find some excuse to bring him back to Yunmeng, and then use every method I can to beat the truth out. There’s no need to worry about failing to get anything from him. He can hardly keep everything hidden. It’s not as though I haven’t done this type of thing before. Once he had made up his mind, he made a hand signal. His disciples understood and started to surround Wei Wuxian." (fyy chapter 11)

[rosethornewrites]

NR, E, & M reading since 6/27

The usual

Finished

Not Rated:

5+1 times Lan sect members tried to marry NMJ in front of LXC's salad (LXC/NMJ), by nirejseki

Prompt: A 5 + 1 idea? Untamed verse: 5 times people flirted with NMJ and he Did Not Realize, and for the one, either the one time he Did Get It, or the one time he tried to flirt with someone else.

assassin!JGY, by nirejseki

Prompt: AU where MY doesn't fight in the sunshot campaign but JGS sees the use of a bastard who's eager to please him and employs him as a spy/assassin for himself. JGS still wants NMJ dead but without the Lan songs or any previous ties NMJ proves to be a man that's annoyingly hard to kill (some 3zun or Nieyao would be nice)

NMJ ascends to godhood, by nirejseki

Prompt: NMJ’s mother really was a War Goddess. Instead of dying from JGY’s poisoned song, NMJ ascends instead.

Explicit:

Reproductive Intent, by Admiranda, Rynne (4th in a series)

When Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian rescue a lost child on a nighthunt, it leads to conversations about the future and a reaffirmation of just how much they love each other. Also the opportunity to discover new and exciting kinks.

Mature:

Aunt Knows Best, by misbehavingvigilante

In which Yu Ziyuan and Wei Wuxian manage to have a less turbulent relationship in due part to genderfuckery.

Or a what if au where Yu Ziyuan accidentally becomes a better parent and how that fixes things.

Unfinished

Not Rated:

For you, I’d dive into the depths of hell, by lightsfillthesky

Wei Wuxian travels back in time with a vengeance.

you can have the best of me, baby, by stiltonbasket

Twelve hours after Jiang Cheng and the others escape from Mount Muxi, Wei Wuxian risks wading into the lake and discovers that the underwater passage to the stream in the maple wood has been blocked behind the tortoise’s body.

“It’s sleeping right beside the opening,” he whispers, when he and Lan Zhan are safe in a tunnel of rock too narrow for the Xuanwu’s neck and head. “Judging by the current in the water, that passage was the only way out.”

Trapped in the Xuanwu's cave with no means of escape, Lan Wangji suggests a surprising course of action to strengthen himself and Wei Wuxian for battle: dual cultivation.

The session proves successful, but despite their best efforts, Wei Wuxian's golden core yields unexpected consequences for them both.

Explicit:

Blood Harmony, by Christinapere, Director_XuanWu, Lia_Rose

"Yunmeng Jiang accepts this alliance, with a condition that this marriage is an equal marriage, as it is between two sought youths, the Second Heir of Gusu Lan Sect and the Head Disciple of Yunmeng Jiang Sect.

Both will *not* marry into the other sect.

Instead, they both will be members of both sects," Sect Leader Jiang confirms.

Is the distrust among sects is at stake that they are willing to sacrifice him and Wei Ying to soothe it?

--------

An arranged marriage AU, canon divergence.

Not a fix-it, more like a different kind of angst

Discarded, by teawater

Children in Cloud Recesses are succumbing to a dark curse. There's one person who may be able to help.

Mature:

【银 劍 探 心】| Silver Jian Seeking Hearts, by stiltonbasket

“A ghost bridegroom?” Wei Wuxian asks, when he receives his latest night-hunting assignment from Uncle Jiang. “Have women been going missing?”

If brides have been going missing, this is the first that Wei Wuxian is hearing about it; which is strange, because the systematic kidnapping of brides should have quickly been recognized as spirits’ work and reported as such to the nearest cultivation sect as soon as possible.

“Three women and ten men have gone missing so far,” his uncle tells him. “Jinshan town is out of our jurisdiction, and the records say there hasn’t been a hunt in the area since before my grandfather’s time. But no one from Jinshan thought to report the disappearances until today, so the victims must be long dead by now.”

Four hundred years after the Sunshot Campaign, a reincarnated Wei Wuxian dresses himself in wedding red to defeat the ghost of a bridegroom.

Deep within the forests of Jinshan Mountain, the mourning calamity Yin Jian Tan Xin waits to marry his beloved.

Alternate, by Hanashi_o_suru

No one is actually sure what happened, or why it happened. No one died. No one made any whacked up array that backfired --to their knowledge--and no one wasn't necessarily in discontent for where they were in life...

So, why is it they're suddenly in the past to the day they had just got to the Cloud Recesses?

Impossible Remains, by Jengabears

Jiang Cheng wakes slowly to the feeling of spiritual energy swimming through his veins. Not just swimming. Singing. Flooding. He was filled with it. He didn't know if it was because he had been without any for so long or if Baoshan Sanren had chosen to make him stronger, but he had never felt so powerful in his life. It was glorious. It was everything. He felt alive again. Whole. Better than whole. He had to thank her. He had to scream his joy across the mountain. He was so infinitely grateful.

He ripped off his blindfold, turned to look around him, praises and gratitude resting on the tip of his tongue. Yet what his eyes rested on was a face he never expected to see. His joy and gratitude instantly snuffed into ashes in his mouth. His eyes widened in horror at the sight which greeted him. He wished he could take everything back. Every thought which had passed through his mind since he'd woken.

How could this happen?

OR

Wei Wuxian dies in the core transfer.

[farmerlan]

Hello! I had a question about cultivation sects in general and MDZS (hypothetically) specifically, if you were willing to answer. What exactly does it mean to be the head disciple of a generation? Wei Ying is Head Disciple of Yunmeng Jiang, so he’s everyone’s shixiong technically even if people are older than him, but is there another disciple who is the head of the generation before him? Are there (potentially) 40 year olds running around Lotus Pier with their own shixiong? And is Lan Wangji the head disciple of Gusu Lan and does he have a generation of 40 year olds hanging around just ignoring Xichen teasing Wangji about his brand new crush during the lecture days?

Hi! I think a lot of people get tripped up on seniority within sects. To be entirely honest, while the general rule of seniority is based on when you became a disciple, sects you can imagine are kind of like mafias (lol not sure what better analogy there is). It’s really up to the sect leader how they want to run it! In some wuxia, it is up to the head disciple to take the mantle on after the head of the sect. In MDZS, it seems to be based on familial ties. To be honest, since sect politics and ‘jianghu’ is not really the focus of the novel, the author kind of just borrows a lot of the concepts and does her own thing with it haha. Which is totally fine! It’s all fiction anyway!

So it is not entirely clear what exactly the author meant for the different roles, but to respond to your questions:

1. Head disciples - typically first in line to take the reins of the sect. Usually the first follower of the master. NOT necessarily the most talented or skilled - in fact, in many stories, a younger protege comes along and is way more talented. A way for authors to set the scene for some interesting power dynamics as you can imagine. In MDZS this does not seem to be the case.

2. Novel is unclear but typically, there is only ONE head disciple. As to why Wei Ying was awarded this honor despite neither being the first follower nor the oldest in age...well, who knows. As with all organizational politics...we’ll have to ask Jian Fengmian lol

3. Shixiong is a broad term meant to refer to all those in seniority of you. So yes, 40 year-olds will refer to anyone more senior than them in the sect as shixiong. Not just Wei Ying.

4. No clue on LWJ. Novel does not mention. I would usually assume it is LXC since he took over running of the sect eventually, but as explained above, I don’t think head disciple = governance in this case. So we have no way to tell. And probably, heh.

[akira-akahoshi]

MDZS Prompt thing

Bear with me, I thought this up and thought it was a good-ish idea. Brought to you by this POST I did a couple weeks ago.

the unoficial PART 2 is out now

I want:

In the middle of a night hunt - being lead by Jiang Cheng, when things are getting out of hand (more so than usual), WiangXian are being overly lovey dovey and making not so subtle digs at JC, the juniors are not so quietly complaining about the way Sect leader Jiangs leading the hunt (Which is the safest way, preventing many possible injuries and possibly casualties) totally the opposite of Wei Wuxian!, Sect leader Yaos usual bitching at inopportune times, etc..

It all just builds up and hurts and aggravates but Jiang Cheng holds out until some bitch-faced cultivator makes a rather rude gesture about both his nephew and one of his female disciple (Who is head disciple). It goes to the point where JC just throws his hand up, tilts his head back and goes "You know what? I give up! Fuck this noise I'm out!!" and takes his disciples (who had to hold their tongue from lashing out at others for their sect leaders defense - they love him ok?!) and maybe get Jin Ling while he's at it and leaves.

Everyone's kinda shocked to see Yunmeng Jian pull out of the hunt like that and believe he's throwing a tantrum...

Cut to a few months later where Yunmeng Jiang has cut off all communication with other sects (Save for Lanling and that ONLY for his baby nephew - yes he maybe grown but he's still his baby damn it!) So everybody thought it was a genius idea to have WWX go and talk to Sect leader Jiang!

.... It was not.

Because LWJ always follows where WWX goes, it was a recipe for disaster.

After hearing about how he shouldn't be so 'bitter', and "relax and stop taking thing so seriously!" and "It was just a little fun!" and unknowingly continue to dig at and belittle him. It lead to the point of YMJ cutting off every sect completely - no Aid, no using their routes for travel, no trade, nothing! (Everyone but Lanling)

at some point I wanna see the leaders meeting and Nie Huaisang says the wrong thing about JC probably dying a virgin or some shit and JC goes "You'd think." HNS raises an eyebrow then JC yells "I FUCKED YOUR BROTHER DUMBASS!"

Everybody is SHOOKETH and Jiang Cheng turns to LWJ who looks ready to make a retort and opens his mouth, but JCs quicker and goes "YOURS TOO BITCH!" (which makes LQR, LXC and NMJ (He's alive for this fuck cannon) choke on either the tea or alcohol they're all drinking.

Don't know what happens after but there will be reconciliation and others realize why Yunmeng and Jin Ling love Jiang Cheng

All in all I want Jiang Cheng whose at his fucking limit and goes off at people and says what he wants then basically block them.

this is now known as 'JC is done wit your shit au'

[sometimesophie]

From The Twin Blades of Yunmeng by @ghostysword: 

Now the sect leader reaches across his back and pulls both blades free in one fluid motion. Sandu’s violet sword glare breaks a shard of rock from the statue’s leg while the other blade sends the fairy’s next punch skidding off to the side. Jiang Cheng pivots from under a stomp of the creature’s foot, a fluid dodge that reminds Wei Wuxian of the moves he’d developed during Sunshot to stay out of sword range while playing his flute. Then Jiang Cheng brings both blades around, two sword glares flashing, and—

Oh. Oh. Wei Wuxian knows the second sword’s glare, silver with a hint of red, better than any other. His brother is wielding Suibian, the first and last sword that had ever belonged to Wei Wuxian. Time moves slowly for a second as he watches Jiang Cheng use the crossed blades to brace against a hit, the red and purple lights of the two swords flaring together. Jiang Cheng flies backwards and catches himself with sturdy Sandu, already rebalancing to bring lightning-quick Suibian around for another strike.

[ID: Digital painting of Jiang Cheng in Yunmeng purple, crouched on one knee in the dirt. He’s in the heat of a fight, hair disheveled, eyes furiously focused on a target offscreen. Jiang Cheng wields two jian (double-edged straight swords): his original spiritual weapon Sandu in his right hand, and Suibian, the sword previously belonging to Wei Wuxian, in his left. His left arm is flung back for balance, and Suibian’s blade is stained with blood. /end ID] 

[nillegible]

Jin Zixun accidentally saves canon, Part2

(Read part one of the fic, here!)

“Did you hear? The Yiling Patriarch killed Jin-er-gongzi, and dragged away his corpse.”

Jiang Cheng might not have been the intended listener, but he has no qualms in stalking toward the cultivator who was speaking. Pale green robes with white accents, he must be from Laoling Qin. Jiang Cheng doesn’t take him by the collar, but his fingers twitch. He definitely wishes to.

“What did you say?” he asks.

From the expression of abject terror that crosses the other man’s face, Jiang Cheng didn’t do a particularly good job at appearing non-threatening.

“Jian-Jiang-zongzhu. I. Jiang-zongzhu, it was. They’re all saying.”

“That Wei Wuxian killed Jin Zixun and took away his corpse? When did he even get here? Where did he drag him away from?”

“Ah, no. It wasn’t. Jiang-gongzi must know I don’t speak for Jin sect, but it wasn’t here.”

Jiang Cheng considers shaking a more coherent answer out of this coward, but decides against it. Gods knew what nonsense he would actually spout. No, he needs a better source, he needs Shijie.

Protocol forgotten, he storms into Koi Tower.

*

Oooh, Jiang-xiong looks furious. Jiang Wanyin had stormed into Carp tower like a small purple thundercloud. He’s taller than Yu-furen was and less delicate looking, but one could absolutely see that Jiang-xiong was his mother’s son. The air even smelled electric when he strode by, purple sleeves billowing elegantly.

Where is Jiang-xiong going, making quite so much of a display? Huaisang directs his casual wandering in his wake, stretching his cultivation senses to keep track of him when he storms out of view. He wonders if this is about the rumours that have been slowly spreading from the anxious and guilty looking Jin cultivators. And there are so many­, oddly many, low-level cultivators who can’t have all been invited at this time for the naming-day ceremony, it was gauche. So much yellow, they interfere with the decorations.

“Whatever did Jin-gongzi do this time to anger Jiang-zhongzu so much? Ah, I’d hoped a nephew would mellow him,” Nie Huaisang complains, or something along those lines to the most disgruntled people he crosses, with a laugh and conspiratorial smile. The reminder of Jiang-xiong’s rather Extra tendencies seems to put people at ease, and Nie Huaisang sails through, keeping an eye out for anyone who might actually matter.

He sees Lan Wangji, who, in spite of the way he stands separate from the crowd like a drop of water on a lotus leaf, definitely matters. Nie Huaisang makes his way towards him.

*

“What nonsense is everyone spouting about Wei Wuxian and Jin Zixun?” Jiang Cheng demands, bursting into Jin Zixuan’s office, where the wary Jin disciples had directed him.

“Jiang-gongzi!” says Jin Guangyao, the first to stand, just as Jin Zixuan says, “Jiang Wanyin, you’re here!”

Jin Zixuan says, after a beat, “Wei Wuxian and the Ghost General were seen taking my cousin away.”

“Surely even he couldn’t attack and cart someone off from Koi Tower. What would he even want from Jin Zixun?”

“It wasn’t from Koi Tower, he didn’t reach here,” says Jin Zixuan. “It was on the way.”

“Explain,” says Jiang Cheng.

“A-Yao will explain,” says Jin Zixuan. His voice is colder than Jiang Cheng has become accustomed to hearing it.

“Jin Zixun was cursed. It was the hundred holes curse. He got it into his head that Wei-gongzi had to be the one who did it. I only found out this morning, but he – he went to waylay Wei-gongzi and demand that he remove the curse.”

“Leaving aside the absolute idiocy of Wei Wuxian being the one to curse him, why would Wei Wuxian then kidnap him? Maybe he actually knows a way to remove that curse, and Jin Zixun’s gone back with him.”

“Ah, it wasn’t quite so amicable as that–” Jin Guangyao looks towards Jin Zixuan, but when he doesn’t take over the explanation he continues, “Jin Zixun took three hundred archers with him –”

“THREE HUNDRED archers? Why would the Jin sect send a full battalion to ask Wei Wuxian to remove a curse?”

Jin Guangyao’s voice, which was already quiet, lowers further, “I believe that the show of strength was only meant to make Wei-gongzi give Jin-er-gongzi his due consideration. Wei-gongzi doesn’t always listen.”

“That is not what you told me,” Jin Zixuan says.

“He may… he may have planned to end the curse in a different way if Wei Wuxian didn’t comply,” says Jin Guangyao, finally.

Jiang Cheng tries to choke back his rage. How dare they! “If it turns out that Wei Wuxian has been harmed, Jin sect will not be forgiven,” Jiang Cheng threatens. “He may not be of my sect anymore, but to ambush him and try to kill him on such a stupid pretence, after you invited him to my own nephew’s ceremony! As if Wei Wuxian would not kill Jin Zixun himself if he had wanted him dead, and reanimate his corpse!” Jiang Cheng knows what happens to those his brother punishes. Jiang Cheng had joined him, in exacting their vengeance against Wen Chao, Wang Lingjiao, and Wen Zhuliu.  

“Jiang-zonghzhu, seems to be planning to do that, now. They say he carried Jin-er-gongzi’s body away,” says Jin Guangyao. Implicit in that is what foul things Wei Wuxian is known to do with corpses.

Jiang Cheng just can’t believe it. In a rage at the people who had murdered Wen Ning? Perhaps. But to kill Jin Ling’s uncle on his special day? Wei Wuxian would know better! And there’s more that doesn’t make sense. “How did Wei Wuxian kill Jin Zixun? You said he took a whole battalion!” Even if Wei Wuxian had killed half of them, it’s unlikely he could get away, especially if they were archers.

“Ah. Uh. Wei-gongzi did not kill him. The Jin archers shot him.”

It takes Jiang Cheng a moment. “The Jin archers shot Jin Zixun?” he turns to Jin Zixuan for confirmation. His brother-in-law looks miserable and angry, but nods. “How the hell did.” Jiang Cheng is out of words. “Do you not train your disciples to aim?”

“Faced with the Yiling Patriarch, one of the younger disciples may have been afraid? As far as I gathered they were actually aiming for Wei-gongzi,” – Jin Guangyao winces as Zidian sparks – “but he ducked, and so Jin Zixun was shot.”

“He ducked,” repeats Jiang Cheng, looking between Jin Guangyao and Jin Zixuan, who don’t disagree with that frankly ridiculous assessment. They have to be joking. Or worse, they have to be lying. And if they’re lying to his face, then who knows what really happened? Jiang Cheng bows lightly to his brother-in-law. “Jin-gongzi, I take my leave of you. My apologies for missing Jin Ling’s celebration, but if I’m lucky, I can fetch Wei Wuxian and be back in time to meet my nephew and my sister before they retire from the feast. I know how much A-jie was looking forward to seeing our brother.” Jin Zixuan winces at that, no doubt imagining explaining to Jiang Yanli that his stupid cousin had tried to murder her brother.

That’s Jin Zixuan’s problem though. Jiang Cheng is going to fly to the Burial Mounds and his brother’s awful little encampment, and shake him until he gets some answers.

He ducked.

Which meant, at the least, that Wei Wuxian was being shot at. Stupid, I told you I couldn’t protect you, and this is what you get up to? Jiang Cheng had thought his brother would keep his head down until people forgot about him! Some sort of self-imposed imprisonment that kept him out of everyone’s way. That was why he wasn’t even invited to the wedding. Stupid, stupid Wei Wuxian.

As Jiang Cheng sweeps out the doors of the main hall, he sees Lan Wangji, looking stiff, and if Jiang Cheng isn’t just projecting, angry. He meets Jiang Cheng’s eyes and weaves his way closer.

“Jiang-zongzhu.”

“Hanguang Jun,” returns Jiang Cheng. On any other day he’d wait and glare until the second jade spoke his mind, not making it any easier for him. Today, he hasn’t the patience. “If you’ll olease make my excuses to Lan-zongzhu, but I will be unable to greet him. I need to go to Yiling and find my–” he realizes with a jolt that he’d called Wei Wuxian brother too many times today in conversation already. “-Wei Wuxian. There’s all sorts of rumours flying about, I don’t like it.”

“I will come with you,” says Lan Wangji.

Jiang Cheng eyes him. “If Hanguang Jun believes me incapable of judging Wei Wuxian if he is at fault today–” he snarls, but is cut off by a sharp gesture from Lan Wangji. And what might even be a real emotion on his face.

“Wei Ying would not have,” he says, with a certainty that even Jiang Cheng could not feel. Jiang Cheng hates how much he appreciates the words. “Let me come.”

Jiang Cheng should say no, should say that Wei Wuxian was his responsibility.

‘Just Let me go. Tell the world that I defected. From now on, whatever Wei Wuxian does, it would have nothing to do with Yunmeng Jiang sect.’

“Fine,” says Jiang Cheng. “Just keep up.”

He knows from experience, as he takes off into the sky, that Lan Wangji can keep up.

[sinistercakes]

I was tagged by @a-force-dyad-in-space - thank you gorgeous!

Post a picture or a gif (preferably from tumblr’s gift feature or with permission) of:

Your favorite character

Your favorite friendship

Your favorite ship

Your favorite sect

Your favorite sword

Favourite Character: Xue Yang

If it wasn’t already obvious to those who know me, I love Xue Yang wholeheartedly. I’m not going to apologise for him - I love that he’s a wicked bastard (that’s secretly a hurt boy desperate for love and acceptance) and that he did every wrong. I love that he’s a delinquent fuck up and clearly unstable. It’s what makes him such a compelling character. It’s a bonus that Wang Haoxuan gave him a beautiful face and awesome mannerisms, unquantifiable charisma and wonderfully expressive eyes.

Favourite Friendship: Wen Qing and Wei Wuxian

They just have wonderful chemistry. Wei Wuxian found himself a second shijie to annoy and Wen Qing has another didi to worry over. They clearly care for each other. And we’re ready to give their lives for the other.

Favourite Ship: XueXiao

Obviously. I’m a sucker for star-crossed lovers and tragic endings where everyone dies. I’m not even sure if that sentence was wholly sarcastic. I’m clearly a masochist when it comes to the ships I board. I’m also happy to throw Song Lan in there too for some SongXueXiao, and I do love a good SongXue fic especially if they’re rough. Sue me.

Favourite Sect: Yunmeng Jiang

Lotus Pier is a stunning place and the Jiang Sect seems to be the most chill sect by far, barring Madam Yu, who has no chill. Madam Yu is another reason why the Jiang Sect is my fave - it’s because of her pride, determination, and iron spine that the Jiang Sect didn’t bow down to the Wen. It cost them their lives, but damn, they went out in style, and Madam Yu epitomised “better to die on your feet than live on your knees”.

Favourite Sword: Jiangzai

I mean, duh.

Exhibit A: It’s a beautiful sword with gorgeous detail.

Exhibit B: It’s summoned in a flash oh golden sparks

Exhibit C: And it does this:

Which in reality would weaken the sword by a huge amount, but it’s fiction so it’s fine.

On a side note: Wang Haoxuan paid attention in his sword class. A lot of people on tumblr were laughing that he wields it with his index finger on the cross guard/hand guard, not knowing that that is in fact a correct technique for a jian.

I tag @nika1882 @pinchtheprincess @jessiccajessie @underaswift-sunrise @xiaoxuqiu and anyone else who wants to do this! It’s super fun.

[occanonhell]

✧    ✦    ✧.·:·.*═══╗

𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞: Nie Bo jian

𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐲 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞: Nie Min

𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: puttin his name and Courtesy name together  is Min Bo Jian which means Double Edged wave Sword

𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫: Male

𝐇𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: A bit taller than Jiang Cheng

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬: Alive

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞:

The Left is Bo jian and right Is Min 𝐕𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦:

(I have no idea about Chinese actors so here my ideal voice)

Eiji Hino, Kamen Rider OOO

𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲: August 28

𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭: Nie

𝐙𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐜 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧: Virgo

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

𝐏𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: None

𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: Dissociative Identity disorder ( Cause unknown)

𝐎𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Cultivator

𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: BoJian is the basic definition of a Cinnamon roll, He is Pure he is innocent and Everything Bo Jian  dose is precious . Though the fact is is that Bo Jian is more Mature  whilst being a Precious bean he’s rather Blunt and tell things how he  sees  them like saying  to both Wangji and Wanyin they were basically stalking WWX.

Min Carries over some of these Traits, Though he is a being more mischievous this is more toward Cheng and The Nie Family, he’s also mostly docile despite being thought as  BoJian’s Murder mode . He only attacks people when Pissed off  or in Dangers other wise he’d be chilling in the Corner . Though Min is known for acting without hesitation  .

𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲:( note I need to Revamp this with New knowledge I have of DID)

Due to his Well known Issue of Wandering into other Sects unannounced due his poor navigation skills which is why he’s usally sent with people who can find their way around .

Bo Jian is well known especially around Yunmeng Jiang  . Even though Nie Sect Should be On the other side of the map. It’s unknown  how this Wandering behavior started but, it seems to have started the Same time . When his Alter was discovered it was around the time of the Massacre of the Lotus Pier it became Frequent for him to wander off  and Walk around the Sect   Aimlessly in trance muttering to himself . The Sunshot Campaign eventually Revealed  Nie Min  tearing through enemies  and Bo Jian was often confused when he’d come to in the middle of the Battle  , BoJian often described Switching like A Fog that  obstructing his Vision and taking  over his Body . After the Events of the Nightless City and Burial mounds He made it a point to visit Yunmeng Jiang  , This occurred at such a Frequency that at some point  people thought they were dating. Yes,BoJian knew Jiang Cheng before this as He usally accompanied NHS in Lan .

𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐧:

His Spear is Called Xiang Xiang

His sword is Called Chun Yu

𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐭

BoJian and Min are actually nice people and are pleasant  to be Around

Min is Docile in most cases he just seems really seems really upset .

BoJian and Min are Smarter than they look they can Read peoples emotions.

Bo Jian is a Ray of Sunshine .

Bo Jian  can literally be Yell at and still hold a big Smile.

This man can pick Up Jiang Cheng and Hold back him back  with relative ease and Could Rival Wangji In terms of  strength .

𝐍𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐬:

basically Zoro he can’t Navigate an Area to save his life . (Nie Min has none of the Navigation problems  Bo Jian has)

Bo Jian is rather Naive  but he’s  not innocent

Min is constantly misinterpreted as Violent or  dangerous due to the Sunshot campaign .He only Lashes out when Violent actions are taken against him.

Min is more Irritable than BoJian though.

BoJian constantly wants to help which can be annoying  when people  just need to be alone.

Bo Jian is Submissive

Bo Jian has a habits of Nervous smiling

Min doesn’t like Talking which mean he’s really hard to  get an  read on him

Bo Jian is as Dense as Brick . And a bit scatterbrained

Bo Jian and Min do have Identity issues that are talked about more in Modren Aus

──

𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚:

His Birthday is the Same date Kamen Rider OOO’s concluded its Seasons Run August 28 ,2011

He mentioned having a Crush on Wangji as a youth but realized Wangji  had a crush on Wei Wuxian and Backed off.

Bo Jian, however did not notice his  Crush on Jiang Cheng for 13 years .

However , Nie Min has on occasion  made Romantic Gestures to Jiang Cheng however Do his Reputation as Bo Jians Massacre mode plus fact the Min doesn't often like to talk . Wanyin Did Interpret these as Creepy until he got used to it .

Bojian Fully Support Wangxian , Dosent Support Wangji’s “possessive nature “ toward WWX at times

BoJian response to Bo Jian and Min but ,Min only responds to Min

NHS comes first then JC /JL .

Min likes the Smell of Lotus and it seems to be the only thing that calm him other than NHS , JC knocking him unconscious. When he Rampages. this might Explain why Bo Jian seems to Frequent  Jiang cause it Smells like Lotuses all the time even in Winter .

It’s Unknown how Nie Min came to be  some suggest that Nie’s way of Forging thier Sword are to  blame as their sabers start to effect thier state.

other Say Bo Jian Created this persona As a Way to protected himself  from Trauma that Bo Jian wouldn’t tell anyone

in modern Day Au Hes A Huge Tokustasu and Anime Nerd

[scarletjedi]

Sangcheng Time Travel Fixit Project Sneak Peak

Remember when I said I was working on this? I’m still figuring out the shape of the whole story, and I’ll post it once I’ve figured it out. But! This scene popped fully formed into my head yesterday, so I thought I’d share :)

Rated T for language, underaged drinking, and implied sexytimes 

I’m calling this “Section 5, subsection b, article ii” because that’s where on the outline this scene fits, but we can also call it “Wait, Why Is He Here?” 

(see the bottom of this post for more notes)

***

The room was lit with candles, their outer robes covering the windows to hide the glow. Wei Wuxian had supplied the wine. Huaisang had brought peanuts. It was exactly as Jiang Cheng remembered — with a few notable exceptions, one of which was sitting across the table.  

Jin Zixuan squinted at him, wary and clearly assessing, but he accepted the drink Jiang Cheng passed him.

“I don’t get it,” Jin Zixuan said, not drinking. Good – perhaps he did have some self-preservation instincts after all. “Why am I here?”

“Yeah,” Wei Wuxian chimed in, hastily swallowing his mouthful of wine, pointing a finger with the hand holding the bottle. “Why is he here?”

“Because,” Jiang Cheng said firmly, and turned back to Jin Zixuan. “You are engaged to our sister, and while it’s not impossible to break that engagement, it’s not something our mothers would let happen lightly.” He held up a hand before Jin Zixuan could put his foot in it. “I know, it wasn’t your choice. It wasn’t A-Jie’s choice, either, and that’s kinda my point, so let me finish.” He huffed a breath and downed his wine, bringing the cup down with a click before pointing at Jin Zixuan.

“Your parents’ marriage is a sham.”

Zixuan puffed up, like he was going to deny it, but faltered once he opened his mouth and sat back, drinking his wine at last. Jiang Cheng poured him another. “My parents are miserable. They make us, and everyone around us, miserable.” He wasn’t looking at Wei Wuxian while he talked, but he was aware of him where he sat, far too quiet. “They make my sister miserable.” Jiang Cheng continued, and then paused, making sure Jin Zixuan was paying attention. “I would do anything to keep my sister from a marriage that would make her miserable.”

Jiang Cheng sat back on his heels, feeling his spine straighten automatically. “Both of our parents’ marriages were arranged marriages. I’m not surprised the idea scares you shitless; I’m not fond of the idea, either. But, for whatever reason, my sister seems to actually like you,” and here Jin Zixuan sat up straight, caught out and flushing. Oh, no, he did like her already. He hated when Huaisang was right about these things. “But her liking you is not enough. You need to like each other. Before you get married.”

Jin Zixuan squirmed for a moment. “You can’t just force people to like each other,” he said, at last.

Jiang Cheng snorted. “Watch me,” he muttered, then waved it off. “You need to talk her, honestly and without all of your…” he waved a hand, indicating Jin Zixuan’s… everything.

“Stupid peacock face?” Wei Wuxian offered, false cheer soaking through his words.

“Will you go bother Lan Wangji and let me handle this?” Jiang Cheng snapped, and Wei Wuxian stuck out his tongue. 

“Fine,” Wei Wuxian pouted, and Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes hard enough to feel them ache. “Lan Zhaaan!” There was a sound of fluttering cloth and then bodies colliding, and he didn’t need to look to know that Wei Wuxian had all but thrown himself in Lan Wangji’s lap.

Shameless, the both of them.

“Yeah, about that,” Jin Zixuan said, pointing at where Lan Wangji had sat with his usual quiet reserve until Wei Wuxian decided that he was better used as furniture. “Why is he here?”

“Because at the moment, I like him better than you,” Jiang Cheng said.

Jin Zixuan frowned, sitting up and clearly rallying. “I wish it was as easy as hoping, but some things can’t be forced.”

“And I wish you weren’t so damned awkward, but here we are!”

“I—I’m not awkward!” Jin Zixuan protested. Awkwardly.

Jiang Cheng sighed, seeing echoes of Jin Ling, red faced and sputtering and trying so very hard. At least Jin Ling had the benefit of exposure to the Yunmeng Jiang – he was aware of how people could speak openly, even if his uncle was…really kind of bad at it. Zixuan wouldn’t gain that ability until he began courting A-Jie…

…well, now, he guessed.

“Jin-xiong,” Huaisang said, softly and earnestly as he settled beside Jiang Cheng. “It is well known by everyone that, of our generation, you are the third ranked young master. Your skills and beauty are unmistakable.” Zixuan looked away, flushing even as he preened. Jiang Cheng raised an eyebrow at Huaisang, mouthing “beauty?” and Huaisang winked at him, smirking from behind his fan.

“But is it also true, Jin-xiong, that it is lonely at the top,” Huaisang continued, his voice gentle and just honest enough that Jiang Cheng found himself lacing their fingers together below the table.

“I’m not lonely,” Zixuan snapped, but it was lacking heat.

“Apologies, but you are,” Huaisang said. People always forgot how Huaisang’s softness hid Nie steel. “You are the heir to the sect, so the disciples must keep a distance. Even Maiden Luo must keep herself a step removed – two, as she is a woman and you are engaged. The sects do not mingle enough to offer you true companionship with your peers and your cousin is…”

“Odious,” Jiang Cheng offered, perfectly willing to say what they were all thinking. Jin Zixun was odious, and the sooner Jin Zixuan began to actively denounce his shitty cousin’s actions, the happier they would all be. Without missing a beat, Huaisang whapped his chest with his closed fan. Jaing Cheng didn’t bother to hide a smug smile.

“Difficult,” Huaisang offered. “My point is, people need people. I have my brother. Wanyin has Wei-xiong and Maiden Jiang.”

“I have my brother,” Lan Wangji said unexpectedly, drawing their attention. Everyone knew how close the Twin Jades were, but that didn’t explain why Wei Wuxian was still leaning against him far too inappropriately for company, face usually somber and his hands were both wrapped around one of Lan Wangji’s. “It is not enough. Brother had been…encouraging me to make friends.” He paused, and Jiang Cheng wondered if Lan Xichen had encouraged his brother last time, too. “I…too, have difficulty.”

Jiang Cheng blinked, wondering what it must have taken for Lan Wangji to admit that, before seeing the encouraging smile on Wei Wuxian’s face. It made something uncomfortable churn in the pit of his stomach that felt too much like guilt.

“So, you’re saying I need a sibling?” Jin Zixuan said, voice loose enough that Jiang Cheng wondered if he was tipsy already. He hadn’t had that much to drink, though he was certainly doing better than Lan Wangji, who stuck stubbornly to tea. “You may play a fool, Nie Huaisang, but you know as well as I do why I don’t have any.” Jiang Cheng nodded to himself – it was an open secret that Madame Jin had refused her husband’s bed at the first proof of his infidelity.

“Of course, I do,” Huaisang drawled, waving his fan pointedly. “Because your ass of a father won’t legitimize any of them, if he even knows how many he has.” Jiang Cheng bit his lip to keep the grin off his face; he loved it when Huaisang was bitchy. Still, it was enough to get Jin Zixuan blinking at him.

Huaisang waved his fan at Jin Zixuan, dismissing his comment. His point was made, no need to rub it in. “My point is – you are going to be sect leader someday,” and Jiang Cheng had to drink for that one. “Which means politics. Politics is all talking to people and making connections. Those skills require practice. Why do you think we are here, Jin-xiong? It’s not just to learn from Lan Qiren.”

“The classes here at Cloud Recesses offer a unique opportunity to learn about and from other sects, and mingle with other sect heirs,” Jiang Cheng said, distantly remembering his mother saying something similar before they had left Lotus Pier.  “Our generation is lucky that we are all here at the same time.” Huaisang muttered something into his fan that he wouldn’t count himself lucky if he had to take these classes for three years in a row, and Jiang Cheng squeezed his hand. “We are here to begin building the alliances that will one day shape our world.” 

Jin Zixuan blinked at him, and Jiang Cheng realized everyone was staring at him. He refused to duck his head, even as he felt a flush crawl across his cheeks. He was sect leader for almost twenty years, damnit. It was hard to turn off. 

“In other words,” Huaisang said, covering smoothly, though his eyes were on Jiang Cheng with no little heat. He knew Huaisang had a thing for authority. “You’re here to make friends.”

“And you’re bad at that,” Jiang Cheng said. “Which is why we’re not giving you a choice.”

Huaisang grinned, showing his teeth. “Face it. You’re one of us, now. 

Jin Zixuan didn’t seem to know how to react to that, and everyone paused, waiting for the inevitable outburst from Wei Wuxian that didn’t come. As the silence stretched, Jin Zixuan glanced over at Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, startling visibly. Jiang Cheng didn’t need to look to know that they were being utterly shameless and he grabbed a handful of peanut shells to lob in their general direction.

“Yeah,” Huaisang said, clearly laughing at the look on Jin Zixuan’s face. “They do that.”

“All the time,” Jiang Cheng said. “It’s a wonder they haven’t been caught.”

Jin Zixuan blinked. “I still don’t know how to talk to your sister,” he blurted, and Jiang Cheng sighed. He was so young.

“That’s okay,” Jiang Cheng said, and  poured them both another drink, ignoring the way his lover blatantly watched his brother kiss Lan Wangji. They were going to have to talk about that. He thunked the cup down in front of Jin Zixuan. “You’ll learn. Or I’ll feed you to Wei Wuxian.”

Jin Zixuan blinked. “I think he’d rather eat Lan Wangji,” he said, and seemed pleased when it made Jiang Cheng shout, and sent Huaisang tipping over, giggling into Jiang Cheng’s side.

Jiang Cheng thought he might just be proud.

**Notes: I am most familiar with The Untamed series, so this is operating in (mostly) TV canon - especially in terms of characterizations...which have already altered a bit by the parts of this story not yet posted. By this point in the fic, Jiang Cheng (who has had to do a lot of emotional heavy lifting, with Nie Huaisang’s help) has had enough of Wei Wuxian being oblivious in his crush on Lan Wangji and has pushed them together early (because *that* wont have any serious repercussions). It’s also established Sangcheng, though nobody knows yet and even they think it’s a largely friends with benefits situation. (Spoilers: it’s not. They figure it out.)

[plan-d-to-i]

jian chen (my term for fanon jc) fics where they completely rewrite everything and make wwx the aggressor instead of the jiangs reminds me of the cruella movie except jc is cruella, and wwx is the dog who pushed off yzy and jfm off the cliff. bonus scene is when wwx chases his childhood dogs off the cliff since they love to use that part to victimize him further completely disregarding wwx's phobia of dogs

hahahah 100% AGREE! lol his stans have now fused their identity w jc, bc this is exactly how jc sees the world (눈_눈)...I just reread his rant in the Guanyin temple at the end after the whole core reveal and:

“How much has my family given for you? I’m his son. I’m the heir of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect. But all those years, I was never enough next to you. Their love, their dedication, even their life!... Wei WuXian, who’s the one who went back on his words? Who’s the one who betrayed our Jiang Sect? Who’s the one that told me that when I became the sect leader, you’d be my subordinate, you’d support me forever, that if the Gusu Lan Sect has Two Jades then the Yunmeng Jiang Sect would have Two Prides, that you wouldn’t ever betray the Jiang Sect?! You tell me—who said those words?! I’m asking you, who said those words?! Did you fucking swallow them all?!... How much do you owe my family? Shouldn’t I hate you?! Couldn’t I hate you?! What gives you the right to suddenly make me feel like I should be the one that’s sorry?! What gives you the right to make me feel like some fucking clown after all these years?! What the hell am I?! Do I only deserve to be blinded by your glory, by your light?! Shouldn’t I hate you?!”

and just goes on and on and on AND ON. Every time I read his scenes I'm just like it's mental illness innit luv♬♪♫.

sidenote: even in jc's whole ass rant where he blames WWX for everything that ever happened ever, he doesn't mention the dogs. Clearly he dgaf about the fuck♪ng dogs. So his stans are even more divorced from reality than he is.

[sifeng]

2019′s Guzhuang Dramas

Looking for a guzhuang to watch? Here’s a full compilation of the most popular ones! They will be ranked by the douban ratings (a Chinese rating site), and the MDL ratings will be in brackets. In a case of a tie, I chose the drama with a higher percentage of 5 star ratings on douban. In addition, the time period, main stars, plot and episode number will be provided:

Format: Name (Chinese Name) - Douban rating [MDL rating]

1. Love and Destiny (宸汐缘) - 8.3 [8.7]

Time Period: Xianxia

Starring: Zhang Zhen (张震), Ni Ni (倪妮)

Episode Number: 60

Plot: A love story between the God of War and a young maiden whose very existence can bring harm to the world.

Related Shows: Eternal Love (三生三世十里桃花), Ashes of Love (香蜜沉沉烬如霜), The Journey of Flower (花千骨)

2. The Untamed (陈情令) - 8.3 [9.4]

Time Period: Wuxia

Starring: Xiao Zhan (肖战), Wang Yibo (王一博)

Episode Number: 50

Plot: Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji are two completely different people from two different worlds. Lan Wangji was born in the prominent Sect of the Gusu Lan. Due to his great achievements and reputation, he was seen as a hero, the role model of everyone in the cultivation world and is known to appear wherever chaos is. While Wei Wuxian, the Yiling Patriarch,was a name that was feared by everyone. He has done many heroic things in his life, but also really cruel ones. In the end, Wei Wuxian was "killed" by his best friend and only survivor of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect, Jiang Cheng, who was once like a brother to him, after he became too evil for the world to exist. At least that is what the legend says. Sixteen years after his so-called “death”, Wei Wuxian suddenly reappeared again at the Mo Village. 

3. The Longest Day in Chang An (长安十二时辰) - 8.3 [8.9]

Time Period: Tang Dynasty

Starring: Lei Jiayin (雷佳音), Jackson Yee (易烊千玺)

Episode Number: 48

Plot: 744 A.D, Chang’an. The remnants of a vanquished Central Asian kingdom have infiltrated the world’s largest city for a planned attack during the Lantern Festival. Meanwhile, the court is fraught with infighting. The aging Emperor is expected to announce the regency of the Right Chancellor during the festival and retreat to the mountains with his young lover. If the Right Chancellor becomes the regent, the reformist Crown Prince risks being deposed—or worse. Intelligence chief Li Bi, a young Taoist priest, and ally of the Crown Prince has only 24 hours to prevent both the attack and the regency. After a botched attempt to capture the infiltrators, Li Bi and his team call in the services of death row prisoner Zhang Xiao Jing — a war veteran, beloved police chief, and murderer of his last direct superior.

4. Young Blood (大宋少年志) - 8.2 [8.3]

Time Period: Song Dynasty

Starring: Zhang Xincheng (张新成), Zhou Yutong (周雨彤)

Episode Number: 42

Plot: During the Qingli Era, troubling affairs brew underneath the prosperity and stability of the Northern Song Dynasty. To avoid war and protect the peace between its people, the Northern Song uses the name of "Mi Ge" (Secret Cabinet) to train young spies. For a variety of reasons and whether willing or unwilling, these six become the Seventh Room of Mi Ge after strict selection and examination: Yuan Zhong Xin, Zhao Jian, Xiao Jing, Wang Kuan, Xue Ying, Wei Ya Nei. Upon first entering the school, each acts out of their own self-interest, making a mess of their surroundings and causing headaches for their teachers. After going through a series of life-and-death missions, the previously ignorant boys and girls gradually mature and form bonds with one another, devoting their determination and loyalty to defending the peace. Burying their names, they become unknown legends within the river of history. 

5. Goodbye My Princess (东宫) - 7.6 [8.4]

Time Period: Fictional

Starring: Chen Xingxu (陈星旭), Peng Xiaoran (彭小苒)

Episode Number: 55

Plot: A love story revolves around the 9th Princess of Western Liang as she journeys to the Central Plains to fulfill a marriage alliance with the Crown Prince. Two parallel lines begin to intersect in a place fraught with danger and deadly power play and buried somewhere deep inside are memories that have yet to resurface.

6. The Birth of the Drama King (少年江湖物语) - 7.5 [7.7]

Time Period: Wuxia

Starring: Zhou Yanchen (周彦辰), Luo Mingjie (骆明劼)

Episode Number: 24

Plot: A hilarious comedy about two long lost brothers who meet again as enemies in the pugilistic world with the "righteous" hero infiltrating the "evil" dark lord's sect as an undercover agent. Hijinks ensue when the introverted hero tries to befriend the temperamental dark lord by following his master's self-help book on "how to make a friend in ten days." 

7. Hot Blooded Youth (热血少年) - 7.2 [7.9]

Time Period: Chinese Republic

Starring: Huang Zitao (黄子韬), Zhang Xueying (张雪迎)

Episode Number: 58

Plot: A legendary story about a young man who overcomes many hardships to become a formidable force in the Shanghai Bund. Xiong Tian grew up in the streets. With nothing to his name, he works a thankless job just to make a living. Nonetheless, he is quick-witted, talented and exceptionally gifted in steam-powered machinery. By chance, he gets pulled into a complicated fight and works his way to become a champion.

8. Once Upon A Time in Lingjian Mountain (从前有座灵剑山) - 7.2 [8.5]

Time Period: Wuxia

Starring: Xu Kai (许凯), Zhang Rongrong (张榕容)

Episode Number: 37

Plot: A story that follows Wang Lu, a young genius, who enters the Spirit Blade Sect and embarks on an unconventional journey towards immortal cultivation.

9. Candle in the Tomb (怒晴湘西) - 7.1 [8.2]

Time Period: Chinese Republic

Starring: Pan Yueming (潘粤明), Gao Weiguang (高伟光)

Episode Number: 21

Plot: The third season of the Candle in the Tomb series is set in the Republican era during a time when the warlords fight for power and bring disaster upon the people. Tomb raider and head of the Xieling Clan Chen Yu Lou joins hands with warlord Luo Lao Wai and heads to Xiangxi to explore tombs of the Yuan dynasty. On his journey he meets Zhe Gu Shao who is not interested in any treasures but wants to find a magical bead that can put an end to the curse on his clan. Yu Lou and Gu Shao eventually form an alliance to tread the untrodden path to the Yuan tombs.

10. Lovely Swords Girl (恋恋江湖) - 6.9 [7.7]

Time Period: Fictional

Starring: Jiang Zhenyu (姜贞羽), Wang Shize (王仕泽)

Episode Number: 24

Plot: Set in a fictional history rife with conflict and chaos, the story revolves around a sappy young woman who doesn't forget to laugh and chases after true love even as she gets caught in a love triangle. Through her journey, she grows into a loving person and thwarts an evil scheme in the pugilistic world.

11. Arsenal Military Academy (烈火军校) - 6.7 [8.7]

Time Period: Chinese Republic

Starring: Bai Lu (白鹿), Xu Kai (许凯)

Episode Number: 48

Plot: Xie Xiang joins the army in her brother's stead by pretending to be a man. She becomes classmates with the wealthy Gu Yan Zhen and the calm Shen Jun Shan. Through their rigorous training, the three form a bond to become comrades, all while Xie Xiang tries to keep her cover. After many incidents, Xie Xiang earns the respect of her peers and superiors. She also becomes the object of affections of the two men in her lives. The Japanese military stations more forces in the Northeast region causing the young heroes to engage in battle as they uncover a big conspiracy.

12. Detective L (绅探) - 6.5 [8.5]

Time Period: Chinese Republic

Starring: Bai Yu (白宇), You Jingru (尤靖茹)

Episode Number: 24

Plot: Shanghai in the 30s: An intriguing crime case emerges amidst the bustling city. A beautiful new graduate of the police academy, Qin Xiao Man, joins the investigation unit. The famous detective Luo Fei becomes her colleague and neighbour.

13. The Love by Hypnotic (明月照我心) - 6.4 [8.3]

Time Period: Fictional

Starring: Fang Yilun (方逸伦), Ling Meishi (凌美仕)

Episode Number: 36

Plot: A princess and a prince who can't see eye to eye find themselves stuck in an arranged marriage. Yet they start opening up to each other because of hypnosis.

Related Shows: The Eternal Love (双世宠妃)

14. Love Better Than Immortality (天雷一部之春花秋日） - 6.3 [8.2]

Time Period: Fictional

Starring: Li Hongyi (李宏毅), Zhao Lusi (赵露思)

Episode Number: 40

Plot: A woman from the future arrives at a fantasy-like universe to experience love for the first time. She goes by the name Chun Hua and falls into a complicated romance with two young men who are opposites like black and white.

15. The Legends (招摇) - 6.2 [8.5]

Time Period: Wuxia

Starring: Bai Lu (白鹿), Xu Kai (许凯)

Episode Number: 56

Plot: While attempting to take her predecessor’s Wanjun Sword, Lu Zhao Yao is ambushed by the ten immortal sects and dies. She mistakenly believes Li Chen Lan, who is her best ally, is related to the incident after he is revealed to be the demon king’s son. Five years later, Li Chen Lan has taken over the position of the Wanlu sect leader, and Zhao Yao decides to exact revenge. She who is now a spirit, possesses the body of Qin Zhi Yan, a female disciple of the Immortal Sect, and with the help of the newly gained body, she becomes the direct disciple of Mo Qing aka Li Chen Lan with the aim of killing him. But things don’t go as she planned, when she slowly starts to fall in love with him instead.

16. Novoland: Eagle Flag (九州缥缈录) - 6.1 [8.0]

Time Period: Fictional

Starring: Liu Haoran (刘昊然), Song Zu’er (宋祖儿)

Episode Number: 56

Plot: Lu Gui Chen is the heir of the nomadic Qingyang tribe, and is sent to the Eastern Land as hostage. He meets Ji Ye, an unfavoured illegitimate son who is training to become a warrior, and Yu Ran, the princess of the Winged tribe. At the same time, powerful warlord Ying Wu Yi has been maintaining a firm control over the Emperor, giving him unprecedented power over the nobles. Lu Gui Chen, Ji Ye, and Yu Ran decide to join the decisive battle against Ying Wu Yi at Shangyang Pass, but unbeknownst to them, an even darker conspiracy is yet to unfold.

17. Princess Silver (白发) - 6.0 [8.1]

Time Period: Fictional

Starring: Zhang Xueying (张雪迎), Li Zhiting (李治廷)

Episode Number: 58

Plot: A story that follows a princess with amnesia who meets a prince that did not want to marry her and how they find a place for themselves despite the complications of the time.

18. Heavenly Sword and Dragon Saber (倚天屠龙记) - 5.8 [8.3]

Time Period: Wuxia

Starring: Zeng Shunxi (曾舜曦), Chen Yuqi (陈钰琪)

Episode Number: 50

Plot: Legend said that whoever obtains the Heavenly Sword and Dragon Slaying Saber can rule the world. Zhang Wuji was orphaned at a young age by schemes to discover secrets of these two weapons. Despite his preference to live a non-violent life, Wuji found himself embroiled in the struggles for power and must fight to save himself and others he loves...

Related Shows: The Legend of the Condor Heroes (射雕英雄传), The Return of the Condor Heroes (神雕侠侣), Demi Gods and Semi Devils (天龙八部), The Smiling Wanderer (笑傲江湖)

19. I Will Never Let You Go (小女花不弃) - 5.6 [7.8]

Time Period: Fictional

Starring: Lin Yichen (林依晨), Zhang Binbin (张彬彬)

Episode Number: 51

Plot: The story revolves around a young wanderer with an extraordinary business sense and the masked hero who saves her which ultimately results in them falling in love. When the wanderer is revealed to be the Divine Maiden who will obtain a legendary treasure, various enemies hunt her down. She then lives life on the run and meets her savior who turns out to be the ambitious prince that wants to take the throne.

20. The Plough Department of the Song Dynasty (大宋北斗司) - 5.3 [8.0]

Time Period: Song Dynasty

Starring: Xu Ke (徐可), Dai Luwa (代露娃)

Episode Number: 36

Plot: The Plough (Big Dipper) Department is a special investigation institution that works for the emperor of the Northern Song Dynasty. Tai Sui and his partners work together to break odd cases and punish the evils. Through a series of cases, Tai Sui found out there was a hidden conspiracy behind these cases, and it was related to his unknown past.

21. Please Give Me a Pair of Wings (请赐我一双翅膀) - 5.0 [8.1]

Time Period: Chinese Republic

Starring: Ju Jingyi (鞠婧祎), Yan Yalun (炎亚纶)

Episode Number: 60

Plot: It tells the story of Lin Jiu Ge, the daughter of Shanggu's Police Commissioner who was framed and unjustly imprisoned. She will have the help of young police detective Long Tian Yu to hopefully find the real murderer. Will Lin Jiu Ge be able to get her revenge?

22. Legend of Haolan (皓镧传) - 4.8 [7.8]

Time Period: Warring States Period

Starring: Wu Jinyan (吴谨言), Nie Yuan (聂远)

Episode Number: 62

Plot: During the Warring States Period, Li Hao Lan (Wu Jin Yan) is forced out of her own home and sold as a slave despite being the daughter of the Public Censor of Zhao. Purchased by Lu Bu Wei (Nie Yuan), she is gifted to Ying Yi Ren (Mao Zi Jun) a Qin Royal who is serving as a hostage to guarantee the armistice between the Qin and Zhao states. A dangerous battle begins in result of their arrival and they must rely on their wits to survive.

23. The Great Craftsman (筑梦情缘) - 4.6 [8.0]

Time Period: Chinese Republic

Starring: Hua Jianhua (霍建华), Yang Mi (杨幂)

Episode Number: 60

Plot: Military conflicts in the Warlord era has resulted in unbearable conditions. Amidst the chaos, Shen Qinan's family experiences a terrible misfortune. The four brothers and sisters overcome many hurdles to flee to Shanghai but they are forced to separate. Many years later, they will reunite again. Shen Qinan manages to climb from the depths of despair to make a name for himself as a famous architect in the Shanghai Bund. He meets Fu Hanjun, a gifted architect who puts the people's needs and traditional Chinese architecture at the heart of her designs. During Shanghai's development, Shen Qinan works hard to build affordable homes for the people. When the Second Sino-Japanese War erupted, Shen Qinan uncovers a conspiracy and plays his part to prevents many deaths.

24. Legend of the Phoenix (凤弈) - 4.6 [7.7]

Time Period: Fictional

Starring: He Hongshan (何泓姗), Xu Zhengxi (徐正溪)

Episode Number: 41

Plot: Set in the fictional Eastern Liang dynasty, circus performer Ye Ningzhi’s (He Hongshan) troupe enters the palace and stages a performance to celebrate the empress dowager’s birthday. The ambitious grand princess (emperor’s sister) decides to cause mischief by framing her for treason, though the heroine is saved by strategist Wei Guang (Xu Zhengxi), and falls in love at first sight with him. When Ye Ningzhi enters the palace two years later as the empress’ maid, she stands up for her fellow servants, and refuses to sacrifice her conscience in the face of power. Ye Ningzhi also works together with Wei Guang to crush the grand princess’ plan to usurp the throne, and catches the eye of the emperor in the process.

25. The New Legend of the White Snake (新白娘子传奇) - 4.4 [7.4]

Time Period: Fictional

Starring: Ju Jingyi (鞠婧祎), Yu Menglong (于朦胧)

Episode Number: 36

Plot: The story is set in Hangzhou, then the capital of the Southern Song court, and is about a 1,000-year-old snake spirit that's transformed into a beautiful woman and falls in love with a young man. However, a Buddhist monk intervenes.

26. Listening Snow Tower (听雪楼) - 4.3 [7.9]

Time Period: Wuxia

Starring: Qin Junjie (秦俊杰), Yuan Bingyan (袁冰妍)

Episode Number: 56

Plot: A story that follows the master of Listening Snow Tower and the woman that he loves. He is a martial arts expert known to be a dragon among men and she is known as the blood demon's daughter. 

27. Queen Dugu (独孤皇后) - 3.9 [7.4]

Time Period: Sui Dynasty

Starring: Chen Qiao’en (陈乔恩), Chen Xiao (陈晓)

Episode Number: 50

Plot: After their family was wrongfully persecuted due to the machinations of a corrupt official, Dugu Jia Luo held strict expectations for herself to be independent and strong even at a young age. Her husband Yang Jian is a man of great spirit. He is a warrior, skilled in battle, who rises up the ranks to become the Emperor. With Dugu Jia Luo by his side, they succeed in uniting the country under the Sui Dynasty. The husband and wife stay in a monogamous relationship despite their imperial status and come to be revered by people as the two saints due to their extraordinary contributions to a new golden age.

28. Investiture of the Gods (封神演义) - 3.3 [7.2]

Time Period: Shang/Zhou Dynasty

Starring: Luo Jin (罗晋), Wang Likun (王丽坤)

Episode Number: 56

Plot: In the time of King Zhou of Shang, the Gods are mostly gone and the demons trouble the human world. The Primeval Lord of Heaven decides to use the war between the Zhou and Shang dynasties to choose a new generation of Gods to ascend the celestial realm. His sends his apprentices forth in search of righteous candidates: Jiang Zi Ya assists Ji Fa in governing his new empire Zhou dynasty, Shen Gong Bao infiltrates the Shang dynasty with Su Da Ji seducing the king to rack havoc on the world, and Yu Ding Zhen Ren helps Yang Jian, a human with a third eye, to achieve his potential. The outcome of selection lies in the fates of humans.

Ongoing Dramas:

Joy of Life (庆余年) - 8.0 (ending 2/12/20)

Royal Nirvana (鹤唳华亭) - 7.5 (ending ??)

Sword Dynasty (剑王朝) - 6.8 (ending 1/11/20)

The Romance of Hua Rong (一夜新娘) - 6.8 (ending 12/31/19)

Blossom In Heart (海棠经雨胭脂透) - 6.6 (ending 12/19/19)

To Get Her (惹不起殿下大人) - N/A (ending 12/30/19)

The Mysterious World (天机十二宫) - N/A (ending ??)

Upcoming Dramas:

Dreaming Back to Qing Dynasty (梦回) - N/A (starting 12/14/19)

Disclaimer: Obviously these rankings are just based off of others’ opinions. I really liked “Heavenly Sword and Dragon Sabre” even though inseams the majority of people didn’t. Whatever show seems interesting to you, watch it! The majority of guzhuang dramas are made with delicacy and attention to detail. I’ve seen reviews complimenting some dramas with relatively lower ratings, so of course every drama has its fans. I would obviously suggest you all go and watch the top 5 if they sound interesting to you.

[wujipianover]

grief, the price of love

for jiang yanli’s birthday! happy birthday shijie! @mdzsnet

summary: She talks. It’s not entirely appropriate but it’s for Wei Ying so both don’t mind. She tells him about their childhood, stories of Wei Wuxian getting in trouble. She talks about when he first came to Lotus Pier, so tiny. How he ran away at night and she carried him on her back after he fell from a tree. Talked about how he used to lie on boats for hours at a stretch on the rivers of Yunmeng. How he was loved by every single vendor there. Lan Wangji takes in every detail hungrily. Her heart aches for him. There was always something between them that the world never understood, never bothered to understand. He can’t mourn openly. So she talks and hopes her memories would be able to fill the cracks.

(jiang yanli survives nightless city. she learns she isn't the only one left that cares for her wei ying)

grief is the price you pay for love

tags: jiang yanli lives, grief/mourning, cooking as therapy, jyl teaches lwj how to make soup

read on ao3 if you want!

When she wakes up, it’s to the sound of her little brother singing a lullaby that their mother used to sing, long long back ago with a sleeping A-Ling in his arms. She smiles, warmly. And then there is pain, unbearable pain all over her body and Jiang Cheng is getting up and fretting.

“A-jie! You’re up! Thank God!”

The relief that washes over him is palpable.

Then everything comes back to her. She was stabbed. Her hand ghosts over her abdomen that is covered with bandages. Dark, heavy grief settles over her. He’s gone. Otherwise he would be here, she knows him enough to know that.

“A-Ying?,” she trails off. A lone tear escapes unknowingly.

The Zidian around Jiang Cheng’s arm crackles menacingly. He’s grinding his teeth, a habit he’s had since he was 6. But now his eyes are dark and anger rolls off of him. He clutches A-Ling tighter.

“He’s dead. Had been dead to me long before.”

And that’s the end of the conversation.

Jiang Yanli’s heart shatters. She knew that. She knew everything that her Wei Ying had done. She looks over to her son and feels some of the weight lessen. But she still loves Wei Ying. Loved Wei Ying, something ugly reminds her.

She’s trying to not sob, all the heartache forming a lump in her throat when she falls asleep again.

*

She wakes up again to quiet. A moment later a nurse walks in and checks on her.

She wants to see her son again. She has to talk to A-Cheng again. Above all, she needs to see her Xianxian again. 

She wasn’t done mourning for her husband. His loss, she feels in her heart, something she carries everyday. Jin Zixuan was not always kind to her. But later, there was love, so much love. It had washed over her and cleansed her off everything bad they had to endure. Wei Wuxian’s absence at the wedding was felt by all. But she had smiled and that hadn’t felt like a lie. But she never blamed the loss on Wei Wuxian. She knows him. Knew him.

Jiang Cheng walks into the room a while later. The nurse had told her that she had been asleep for two days. Seeing A-Cheng’s face erupt into a smile settles some of the sorrow stirring in her. She has him.

He kneels beside her bed.

“A-jie, I am so glad you’re up! We will be travelling to Lanling tomorrow and I wish I could stay with you there. I could if Wei Wuxian had kept his promise,” he stops himself. Clenching his jaw he says, “Well then, none of this would have happened.” His voice is softer, melancholic.

 Her heart gives out. “You know none of this is his fault,” she tries gently.

“How can you still believe that?” He looks from where his face was buried in his hands. There are dark bruises under his eyes. He’s not been sleeping well. Too young, he’s too young and he has experienced more grief for a lifetime. He’s a sect leader now and the weight of responsibilities are visible in the tense line of his shoulders. “After all this?” HIs voice is choked.

Jian Cheng, she realizes needs reassurance because deep down, the parts covered by formalities and duties, he feels the same as him.

“Because you knew him”

“I don’t think I did.” There is finality in his words. He gets up suddenly and steels his expressions. The face of a sect leader.

“The Jiang sect has cut all ties with Wei Wuxian. His death will not change this fact.”

He salutes her. This is too formal. She wants to go back to a moment before.

“I will ask a nurse to bring A-Ling to you. Shijie needs to rest for her journey tomorrow.”

He turns on his heels and leaves before she can get a word out.

*

Life goes on. It takes a month to learn to walk again. A month more till she can hold her son again. It’s painful. There is an ugly scar on her belly but it acts as a reminder that someone, someone was there for Wei Wuxian. So it’s beautiful. 

She wrestles her way into sect leader business much to the dismay of Jin Guangshan. Too long, she had gone on living in the shadows. There’s not a lot she can do, what with not being able to travel to other sects. But she attends meetings at Lanling and no one has dared to question her presence. She survived a knife to her belly. She has seen too much loss. She is strong and capable.

Jiang Cheng refuses to acknowledge Wei Wuxian. Rumours fly around that he gave the final blow that killed him. Her Xianxian ceases to exist, replaced by stories and myths of the Yiling Patriarch. It’s as if he was never a person before. As if he was never a boy. Just a boy.

So she flings herself into complaints from the villagers in Lanling. They are young, honest, ordinary people. They have problems that don’t take cultivation to solve. So she devotes herself to their needs, and then to the needs of the people who come to her from far away. Wei Wuxian did the same thing with the Wens. He was right. She wishes she had told him that, or tried to convince others of that.

She nurses his memory too, he will be alive in them. She remembers him smiling. He was born with a smile that could compete with the sun. It’s lonely though, being the only one alive who cares about him.

And then she gets a letter. And is reminded that she is not alone in loving Wei Ying.

Respected Young Lady Jiang,

I hope this Second Young Master Lan doesn’t offend Young Lady Jiang by sending this. Sect Leader Jiang informed me of your recovery. It comes as good news.

I am not aware of how much Lady Jiang has been informed on the matters of Wei Ying. This young master feels the need to inform that they still haven’t found a body. I continue to play Inquiry every night in hopes to find Wei Ying’s spirit. If there are any developments, Young Lady Jiang would be the first one to know.

This humble brother apologizes for any breach of privacy.

Wei Ying’s Lan Zhan.

She reads the letter again. How foolish for her to think that she was all alone in thinking about Wei Wuxian as he was. For the first time in a long time, his memory brings a smile to her face.

*

It gets easier. Time heals. A-Ling is a joy, raising him is second nature. The cultivation world becomes messy and she draws away from it. They have fallen into dramas that are not worthy for sect leaders to get into.

She spends her time talking to the common man and making sure Wei Ying’s Jin Rulan is worthy of his name.

She doesn’t hear from Hanguan-jun. There are whispers, nasty talk of discipline whips and seclusion and a young child. She doesn’t pay heed to any of it. A part of her wishes for another letter. She desperately wants to talk about him. Seems like that’s the only way to keep him alive now.

It’s almost noon and she is in her room going over written grievances to her when there is a knock at the door. It’s Hanguang-jun at the door looking pained and awkward.

They salute each other. “Young master Lan hopes that he doesn’t intrude the privacy of Young Lady Jiang.”

She beckons him to enter in response. He walks inside slowly, regal and elegant but stiff.

“Not at all Hanguang-jun, The letter was appreciated.”

Lan Wangji relaxes at that.

There is a pause, Jiang Yanli guesses he’s wondering what to say.

“Lan Wangji was in seclusion and therefore was not able to play Inquiry all this time. He apologizes”

It confirms what she knew all along, there was no answer.

“It was very kind for Hanguang-jun to try.”

“I wanted to.” It comes out so earnest, Jiang Yanli melts. Lan Wangji’s ears are pinker.

“Will Hanguang-jun want to learn to make A-Ying’s favourite food?”

It’s an indulgence, Lan Wangji would not want to waste his time on such frivolity. She remembers the food of CLoud Recesses and how plain it was. A-Ying’s favourite would not suit Lan Wangji’s palate. It’s more for her sake, making this for his brother’s Lan Zhan would mean more. She goes to apologize when Lan Wangji says softly, “I would like that very much.”

And so they make their way to the kitchen. She makes everyone leave, their mouth agape.

Lan Wanji is silent beside her as she talks him through the recipe. It’s simple soup with lotus and meat. Hanguang-jun is a fast learner and he listens to her attentively, humming his assent occasionally. 

The process is therapeutic. Chopping and stirring and tasting. She can do this in her sleep. The rhythmic movements ease her. The fact that Hanguang-jun’s brows wrinkle like he is trying to memorize every flick of Jiang Yanli’s wrist.

She talks. It’s not entirely appropriate but it’s for Wei Ying so both don’t mind. She tells him about their childhood, stories of Wei Wuxian getting in trouble. She talks about when he first came to Lotus Pier, so tiny. How he ran away at night and she carried him on her back after he fell from a tree. Talked about how he used to lie on boats for hours at a stretch on the rivers of Yunmeng. How he was loved by every single vendor there. Lan Wangji takes in every detail hungrily. Her heart aches for him. There was always something between them that the world never understood, never bothered to understand. He can’t mourn openly. So she talks and hopes her memories would be able to fill the cracks.

“He was born with a smiling face, you know.”

“I know,” he gives the smallest smile.

The soup is ready and she pours them in two bowls. They sit and eat in silence. Lan Wangji’s eyes water and she doesn’t know if it’s from the spice alone.

He leaves without a word after the meal. Jiang Yanli has never felt this content in three years.

*

Sixteen years later a message talisman stirs her from her sleep.

He’s back.

Wei Ying’s Lan Zhan

She comes alive again.

[stiltonbasket]

Summary: In which Lan Xichen seems to be breaking curfew, and Wen Ning introduces A-Qing and the juniors to their soon-to-be-favorite love story.

Author’s notes: To everyone who was expecting to get to Lan Xichen and the night-hunt this chapter, I’m really sorry ;-; but this chapter ran over and had to be cut off yet again...help me

Excerpt:

A-Qing, to her new friends’ eternal disappointment, has never read a romance novel.

However, it isn’t because she  dislikes the genre, or the thought of romance in general. Rather, A-Qing’s mother (who really had been blind, from what little A-Qing remembers of her) could never teach her to read, and since her poor Daozhang was blind himself he never tried to teach her, either. But Xiao Xingchen—peerlessly gentle and tender-hearted as he was—had always loved the  idea of love, especially between sweethearts who fought the world single-handed to stand by each other forever.

Thus, he told A-Qing and Xue Yang love stories from dawn until sunset on rainy days, beginning with the tale of the cowherd and the weaver girl and ending with the happier West-Chamber romance; once, he even told them the story of his martial sister from Baoshan Sanren’s mountain, who was loved by the heir to Yunmeng Jiang but ran away with his servant to make a life in the wild instead. But none of Daozhang’s love stories were the kind that Lan Jingyi and the others like to read, full of thrilling elopements and duels to banish unwelcome suitors and maidens who defied their cold-hearted fathers to marry the men of their choice. A-Qing, therefore, knows nothing at all about candle-signaling from one’s balcony after dark, or hiding forbidden letters in the wrappings of parcels and packages, and even less about throwing pebbles to summon one’s beloved to their window—which is why A-Qing only lets out a scream of curses into the night when a shower of bone-white gravel strikes her own window a few hours after hai shi, startling her awake so suddenly that she falls out of bed.

“What are you  doing? ” she shrieks at last, looking down to see just who could have stolen into the girls’ leisure courtyard at almost a quarter to midnight. “Who let you in this late—and why are you throwing  rocks?”

But surprisingly (or not surprisingly at all, depending on how she looks at it) the gravel-thrower is only Ouyang Zizhen, hovering a few feet above the ground with one hand on the jasmine vine trailing up the wall.

“A-Qing!” he whispers, cupping his palms around his mouth so the sound carries up to her bedroom. “Are you awake enough to go out? Old Master Lan has a headache, and he warded his rooms against noise tonight, so Sizhui and the others are getting a party ready since he won’t hear us. Come down!”

A-Qing has  several questions after hearing that, but the foremost among them is how on earth Zizhen broke into the ladies’ compound in the first place.“What are you even  doing here, you menace? How did you get past the wards?”

“Hanguang-jun left the sect heir’s jade token with Sizhui before he went to see Wei-qianbei, and it’s keyed into all the wards in Gusu,” Zizhen explains, pointing to the cloud-shaped piece of white jade dangling from the belt at his waist. “Sizhui let me borrow it so that I could sneak in and bring you to the boys’ compound. Will you come? Jingyi and Jin Ling smuggled in food from the Hunan place in Caiyi this afternoon, and Sizhui made cold peach tea with ice in it.”

“Of course I  want to come,” A-Qing tells him. “But there’s always a patrol on this side of the Cloud Recesses, remember? I’ll have to pass them to get out the main doors, and I can’t climb down the wall.”

“Oh, right.” Zizhen frowns for a minute before brightening up like a lantern, leaping up and down on his sword until he nearly stumbles right off it. “I can take you on my jian, then! Have you ever been on one before?”

She has, briefly. Her Daozhang sometimes let her ride on Shuanghua when they went on picnics in the hills, and Xue Yang used to frighten her by snatching her up onto Jiangzai if she didn’t get out of his way fast enough, but somehow the sight of Ouyang Zizhen’s Xiufeng doesn’t remind her those two fraught weapons at all. It’s a simple, straight blade with a plain brown hilt, etched with only the sword’s name (whose characters spell out fair wind, Zizhen told her once) and a simple little inscription that says “To A-Zhen with love, from Mother.”  

Jin Chan and the Yao disciples teased him mercilessly for that, but A-Qing herself thought it was rather sweet.

“I have,” she answers. “But won’t someone see us?”

Zizhen bounces in place again and chews on his bottom lip.

“They might not see us if we’re fast enough, but they’ll definitely see  you since you’re all dressed in white,” he ponders. “Do you have anything in green, maybe? Then you’d blend in with the trees on the way back.”

“Of course I don’t have anything green,” sighs A-Qing, rolling her eyes. “No one wears anything but white here, remember? All I have are the clothes the Lan ladies made for me.”

“Then you can wear my outer robe and take it off when we get there,” Zizhen decides. “Is that all right?”

A-Qing nods and holds out her arms, and a moment later a dark blue gown comes flying  through the window with its belt tied around one sleeve. It takes a minute or two for her to struggle into it, mostly because it’s so much heavier than the clothes she usually wears; her own robes consist of a plain double layer of light embroidered cotton, while Zizhen’s gown is made of thick satin with fine silver stitching around the hems and collar—but she manages to pull it on, just before Xiufeng and its pink-cheeked master draw level with her windowsill.

“Come on,” he smiles, offering her his hand—and A-Qing takes it, stepping lightly onto the blade and laughing out loud as Zizhen nearly falls over again. “Qing-guniang, don’t laugh! I didn’t mean to!”

“If you do it again you’ll kill us both,” she snorts, poking him in the stomach. “Now hurry, let’s go find the others before the patrol comes round this side of the building.”

[misograce]

Four Seasons in Yunmeng

春天

It was a warm and sunny spring day and Jiang Yanli had gone out to pick some flowers.

Her two little brothers had insisted on accompanying her, but so far they had mostly chased each other around the meadows while she was picking her flowers.

They were all sitting down for a picnic in the mild sunshine when Wei Wuxian interrupted his own chatter about everything and nothing.

“Will you teach me how to make flower crowns shijie?”

“Of course A-Xian, but you have to pick your own flowers, ok?” She smiled at her brother.

Wei Wuxian nodded eagerly, already springing to his feet.

Soon enough he returned with a bundle of different wildflowers gathered in his arms and sat back down.

Jiang Yanli picked up her own flowers and showed her brother how to weave them together.

His fingers were a bit clumsy but his enthusiasm more than made up for it.

Once he had finished he held it out to his sister with a grin.

“For you shijie!”

Jiang Yanli gently leant forward and Wei Wuxian placed the crown on her head.

“Then you’ll have to wear the one I made!”, she said with a laugh.

“Of course.”, her brother nodded solemnly, like this was a matter of the utmost importance.

“But now poor A-Cheng is left out. What should we do A-Xian?”

“We’ll make him his own flower crown!”

Jiang Cheng, who had been watching them in silence, startled at that.

“Oh, oh no! Not necessary, absolutely not necessary!” he said, but Wei Wuxian had already left to gather more flowers so sometime later he too found himself with a matching, colourful wreath of flowers atop his head. And while he scowled a bit at this, his eyes did shine with fondness.

Later that evening they would all be sent of to baths and the adults would scold them for getting so many stains on their robes, but their displeasure would quickly melt away when they were presented with their own flower crowns and even the stern Madam Yu would smile as her son handed her a flower crown.

Jiang Yanli would dry and press her crown and keep it as a reminder of her brothers’ love.

夏天

“WEI WUXIAN!”

The servants and disciples of Lotus Peer knew better than to worry at the sect heir’s screams and simply stepped out of the way as first Wei Wuxian and then Jiang Cheng came running down the corridor.

“Wei Wuxian, give it back right now!”

The only answer he got were Wei Wuxian’s giggles, trailing after him like the feathers in the basket the older boy was swinging at his side carelessly.

They had been making arrows when Wei Wuxian had decided that it would be a fantastic idea to steal his brother’s fletching feathers which had lead to this wild goose chase all over Lotus Pier.

(Ironically they had been using goose feathers for their fletching)

Outside Jiang Cheng finally caught up with his brother and immediately threw himself at him in order to get his feathers back.

Wei Wuxian just raised them out of his reach.

Jiang Cheng jumped up to get at the basket while also crowding against Wei Wuxian and it ultimately all resulted in him toppling them over and into the pond they had been dangerously close to.

Stunned silence fell over them.

“Wei Wuxian!” Jiang Cheng yelled.

“Hey now, whose fault is it that we’re taking an involuntary bath? I certainly don’t remember pushing us into the water.”

“If you hadn’t stolen my feathers in the first place this would not have happened!”

Rather than answer Wei Wuxian just splashed water at his brother

“You...!!” Jian Cheng sputtered before jumping on Wei Wuxian and dunking him underwater.

It quickly evolved into a full on water fight and many of the other disciples also jumped into the water to join the fun.

Needless to stay the feathers were ruined and they did not finish their arrows that day.

Jiang Cheng kept one of the unfinished arrows from that perfect summer day, safely stashed away in a corner of his room.

秋天

The wind was howling and the rain was splattering against the roofs and all of Yunmeng was huddled away inside with their families.

Jiang Yanli sat inside her room, working on her embroidery when someone knocked at the door and Wei Wuxian popped his head inside.

“What are you doing shijie?”

“Needlework. Do you want so see?”, she asked and patted next to her, “come here, sit down, I’ll show you.”

“It’s very pretty!” he said after he had sat down.

“Do you want to learn? I can show you.” Jiang Yanli offered.

Her brother nodded shyly so she got up to get a plain handkerchief and some embroidery floss.

She had to remind him repeatedly to take it slow and be careful or he’d prick himself with the needle again but he seemed fully determined and that was the most important part, wasn’t it?

A few hours later they had both made progress on their respective projects -Jiang Yanli more so than Wei Wuxian- when Jiang Cheng joined them.

“There you are Wei Wuxian! No one could hear nor see you and I was worried you’d gotten up to mischief again.”

“I’m not that bad!” Wei Wuxian complained

Jiang Cheng snorted and even Jiang Yanli had to laugh.

“You wouldn’t be our beloved A-Xian if you weren’t always up to some mischief”, she said and ruffled his hair.

He conceded her point.

“But I have been good today, I’ve been doing embroidery with shijie, look!” he said and proudly showed off his work.

Jiang Cheng sat down too and took out his homework and they sat and worked in companionable silence until evening. Wei Wuxian had finished and gave Jiang Yanli the handkerchief with crooked but recognisable flowers with a beaming smile.

Even years later stormy autumn days would often see Wei Wuxian immersed in an embroidery project.

冬天

It was an exceptionally cold winter that year and all of Yunmeng was covered in a thick blanket of white snow and the lakes and ponds had all frozen over.

Wei Wuxian had dragged his siblings out that morning, all excited to play in the snow. Currently he was teaching some of the younger disciples how to ice skate while Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng sat to the side and watched on.

Suddenly a snowball hit Jiang Cheng squarely in the chest.

The loud, delighted laughter ringing out across the lake easily gave Wei Wuxian away as the culprit and Jiang Cheng sprang to his feet to get revenge on his brother.

And promptly slipped on the ice and fell on his ass.

Wei Wuxian was nearly doubled over in laughter -without falling over, the bastard, Jiang Cheng noted- before he straightend up and skated away quickly before his little brother could regain his footing.

Jiang Cheng chased him around from the shore, yelling profanities and missing every time he tried to get Wei Wuxian with a snowball.

And then one of the young boys Wei Wuxian had been teaching earlier shoved some snow down the back of his robes and Wei Wuxian gasped in mock betrayal and chased the boy across the lake.

That however distracted him from Jiang Cheng who finally managed to get in a hit as well.

After that it quickly devolved into an all out everyone against everyone snowball fight and the only one spared was Jiang Yanli.

Every time it snowed the siblings would smile wistfully, remembering those carefree winter days