#i am in zhan-ge time

[starsxinxthexbluexsky]

Xiao Zhan - Xiao Chunsheng | Where Dreams Begin

[spriteofmushrooms]

Wei Wuxian sipped the wine Lan Zhan brought from Gusu in one of Jinlin Tai's many ostentatious peony gardens. He had found a branch in a ginkgo tree that was high enough that no one should see him at a glance where he still had a good view of the moon between the yellow leaves. It wasn't the worst way he could have spent his time at the Discussion Conference. Lan Zhan, for example, had to be xiandu. What could possibly be worse than that?

"Jin Ling, what's the matter now?"

Wei Wuxian rolled his eyes. Really, Jiang Cheng is such a wronged mother. He plays his part like a grand madam.

"Do you think Zizhen-ge is a better sect leader than I am?" Jin Ling hissed.

"What?" Wei Wuxian looked down. Through the branches, he could see Jiang Cheng's silver lotus guan glimmer with his head shake. "Where did you get that from? A-Ling, sit and explain."

"You complimented him in front of everyone," Jin Ling grumbled, but he flounced onto the bench.

Jiang Cheng folded himself gracefully, careful of the drape of his robes. "It's his first conference. All I did was walk him through presenting himself, like a junior should be treated."

"You liked his proposal."

"You like it, too, brat. Besides, a little support in the beginning keeps the old men at bay."

Jin Ling knocked his shoulder against Jiang Cheng's. "So it's not because you always wanted a poet for a nephew?"

Wei Wuxian couldn't see it, but he could imagine Jiang Cheng's face. But when Jiang Cheng spoke, it didn't match the tone he expected. Sad, but trying to joke. "After the poems Zixuan wrote?"

"A-Die wrote poems?"

Oh, oh, Wei Wuxian wanted to leave.

"Once he became enlightened, he was devout. 'Rain pearls on lotus leaves which bow gracefully/Thoughts of you collect and overwhelm me.' A-jie blushed for weeks." Jiang Cheng sighed. "The Jinlin Tai library should have them all somewhere. Please don't let Ouyang-gongzi read them."

Jin Ling huffed a laugh and threw his arm around Jiang Cheng's shoulder, which is when Wei Wuxian realized Jin Ling was taller and broader now. He hadn't seen them side by side in years. A light breeze stirred the gingko leaves and lifted the scent of peonies.

"Hanguang-jun didn't murder anyone with his eyes today," Jin Ling chirped. "Do you think he's starting to like politics?"

"Don't."

"Jiujiu..."

"He's the xiandu, Jin Ling. What do you think would happen if anyone overheard you disrespect him, especially while hosting the conference?"

Jin Ling groaned and threw his head back dramatically, jostling Jiang Cheng. Briefly, Wei Wuxian amused himself by imagining what Yu-furen would have made of her grandson. Then he gently slapped himself. "You're so boring, jiujiu! It's not like he respects either of us."

Jiang Cheng snapped, "I didn't realize you aspired to be so immature and irresponsible."

Immature? Irresponsible? Jiang Cheng had a lot of nerve! Wei Wuxian would tell him so, but then he would have to admit to hiding in a tree. Jiang Cheng would be so annoying about it, and Wei Wuxian really didn't want to bother!

"Aiya, jiujiu, if I can't complain to you about him, who can I? No one else sees what he's like."

Jiang Cheng leaned against Jin Ling, but then he ruined the picture by saying, "It's good that most people can't tell. If half of the sects ran to Zewu-jun with complaints about his beloved didi, he would leave seclusion before he was ready."

They were quiet for a few moments. Suddenly, Jin Ling burst out, "Do you really not care?"

Jiang Cheng paused. "About?"

"You know I spend time with—him!"

"You're sixteen, Jin Ling. Your memory should be good enough to remember every other time you've poked at this. And use his name; he doesn't actually appear every time you call."

"Wei-qianbei misses you!" Jin Ling grabbed Jiang Cheng's shoulders and started to gently shake him back and forth, but then Jiang Cheng pushed his hands away and stood.

"As you are clearly feeling better, I will leave first," Jiang Cheng hissed.

Jin Ling zipped in front of Jiang Cheng, blocking his path. "Jiujiu, I don't understand you at all! You want to talk to him, and he wants to talk to you. Why are you waiting?"

"He wants to talk to me so much that I learned about his elopement from gossiping disciples? He wants to talk to me so much that he lives in Cloud Recesses, which he hates? He wants to talk to me so much that he ignores Lan Wangji's hand on Bichen every time we meet?" With each question, Jiang Cheng prowled forward, and Jin Ling backed up.

"I don't think he hates Cloud Recesses..."

That's right; Wei Wuxian didn't. Lan Zhan was there, for one thing. And the juniors!

"That's because you don't fucking know him," Jiang Cheng snapped.

"Oh, and you do? When you won't even talk to him?"

"I was his assignment, Jin Ling. He either played with me or starved; he either trained to be the best or lost his position." Jiang Cheng laughed, dark and mean. "Not that I noticed."

"Jiujiu..."

"Let him live the life he wants, Jin Ling. Let me go to bed."

[accio-victuuri]

5/16/24 LRLG post + interpretations ❤️💛💚

so it’s not enough that we’ve been struggling for the past days, they really put meaning to the saying of “when it rains it pours”. at least they let people sleep and then released this in the morning. it is an unusual posting time cause it’s usually evening or even late like 1:00 AM but not this early.

original link from the rumor house is here. i will omit some parts and just explain what happens but i tried to preserve the integrity of the post. all of this is fake. if i missed some cpn related to this, feel free to comment or just reblog and add on. enjoy ^^

XZ: "Do I have to buy the flowers myself? I can't spend hundreds of dollars."

WYB: “You don’t need to buy it and use it at home. The bottle is also pretty.”

XZ: 🙄

WYB: “Your skills are really top-notch now.”

XZ: "Why don't you try to be more yin and yang?"

WYB: "Well done. Well done."

XZ: “Don’t let me go if you don’t have any symptoms”

WYB: "You know if I have a fart or not, I'm so awesome."

XZ: "gun"

WYB: 😘

XZ: "There is also gas in the mouth"

WYB: 🙄

XZ: "Hey, your skills are also top-notch."

WYB: “I can’t compare to you, but practice makes perfect”

XZ: “It’s boring.

WYB: “Come and play”

XZ: "If you don't want to play, you won't come from xx"

👧: "Looking for me, I won't delay the fun of you two"

WYB: "Then shall we leave?"

👧: “I also know that practice makes perfect”

WYB: “Excuse me”

XZ: "Whose number should I use?"

WYB: "I'll log in for you

Yibo really be buying useless stuff again. lol. I can only imagine him scrolling through shopping apps in between takes and ordering everything. Thank you ZZ for being the voice of reason. LOL. and them complementing each other’s skills in gaming, even the log-in, we think is for the game. && how they are trolling each other talking about gas/fart, it’s so them 😂😂😂😂

the part about the kiss emoji makes us think that wyb kissed xz but then xz had to comment like that lol and be a gremlin 😂😂😂

i saw one guess that the bottle/vase he is talking about where you can put flowers may be a souvenir from abroad that wyb gave him

WYB: XZ believes in Buddhism and doesn’t believe in anything.”

XZ: “Watch me assist”

WYB: "You are not playing support role."

XZ: "Okay, I won't go even if you call me daddy."

WYB: “Don’t help, you still have to help”

No but seriously i will pay good money to watch them livestream a game lol. to those who are not familiar of why XZ was saying “call me daddy”, it’s a common quip among people. kinda like saying “im your father” cause i’m helping you and more superior than you— nothing kinky okay?

WYB: “Where did the cat come from?”

WYB: "Can I not hear it when it’s meowing at me? "

WYB: "What to record"

WYB: “So where did the cat come from?”

WYB: “Questioning you on behalf of 🌰🌰”

WYB: “Oh, great shooting”

people are thinking it’s this chonky cat that xz got attached to

and all of us are cackling at how wyb is “asking for 🌰🌰” because his dad is being a traitor and looking at other cats! 😤😤😤 yibo is so loyal to their daughter lol

WYB : super cold, i’ll eat a fried egg for you in awhile

WYB: look closely, i’m going to eat one for you (fried egg = sun that just appeared ☀️)

WYB: i ate it too early, it’s not fully cooked yet

WYB: sure, i’ll wait for you to eat a cooked one

i swear their conversations don’t make sense unless you have some background. cpfs are saying here that it means, wyb gave xz a fried egg ☀️ and then xz ate a cooked egg, the way he did it in that milan vlog

and like, if we are talking about a literal egg, that was featured as well in the Milan vlog 🍳 so could that be a bit for bobo? a literal easter egg? lol.

next part is bobo asking xz why doesn’t it look the same to him and how xz hasn’t responded to the group chat. and how he will call him later 📲

them having a gc is not even a secret but just 🥹🥹 that must be one hell of a group chat to be in.

WYB: “How was the restaurant you ate at last time? Let's go there when Zhan ge comes."

🧔‍♂️: "Their ribs are amazing, but the chops are not as good as they should be. Why don't we order one for you tonight and try it?"

i won’t include this part anymore but it’s a conversation between yibo and members of his staff about food and what to eat. i love how wyb is always thinking about xz when he sees something that is good to eat. feeding xz is really his love language. i’m cackling how they are conscious about the carbs to eat. planning what and where to eat with your loved one seems so simple but really special too. there were talks about fruits, which we know what xz is fond of eating in CQL BTS. ( sorry for the screenshot lol xiao zhan i love youuuu. you have no bad angle! )

there was also a part that wyb was telling them to buy blueberries and the staff is like: "Just tell me what you want to eat and I'll give you whatever you want" but yibo was all "Let's see what he wants to eat" 🥹🥹🥹 it all depends on XZ.

and then this scene in the wedgwood ad. which is most likely a coincidence. but still 👀

WYB: “Look at this big pot”

XZ: Saw it

WYB: "I won't let you try the dishes in advance."

XZ: "If you want to eat, just say so and don't take the blame."

👧: Boss Xiao, we have already eaten it.”

XZ: "Grateful and thankful"

WYB: "Why are you so happy?"

XZ: You guys are going to have another meal in two days.

WYB: ☺️☺️🤭☺️🥰🥰🥰😍😍😍

XZ: "Eat quickly and fight again when you get back."

WYB: “🫡Received”

XZ: "Idiot, hang up, bye"

WYB: "Bye"

with this fake rumor i feel so soft cause having a meal together is something they look forward to. i especially loved this comment from a cpf which u think perfectly explain why this romantic: But I especially understand how dad feels. . . When you are in a long-distance relationship, if you already have a date for your next meeting, you will really feel like you don’t want to taste the delicious food you want to eat with you before meeting! Just like "I want to share the surprise of the first bite with you" is the real thing. I only want to taste one-fifth of the taste. I want to wrap this little bit of deliciousness with the anticipation of seeing you soon. I want to see you soon. I have been stuffed to the brim these last few days, so that the day I see you I will explode with happiness!” 🥹🥹🥹

next part is wyb talking to a staff about eating and then this one, yibo! give your assistant a vacation! and well the boss is not taking a vacation too sooooo….

👧: “When can I take a vacation?”

WYB: "Anytime, if you have anything to do, just take a break."

👧: “Want to take a big vacation”

WYB: “It’s early then”

👧: “This year’s Qingming Festival and May Day are all in vain”

WYB: "Have arrangements been made for May Day?"

and the final part of the rumor contribution:

WYB: "Where"

WYB: “Okay, be safe.”

WYB: "I don't have time to ask you to keep the fake house.

WYB: "good"

-END

[randomprose]

“What are you doing?”

Guan Shan doesn’t pause as he drops a piece of stir fried carrot on He Tian’s bowl.

“Feeding you, you ungrateful dick.” Guan Shan says over a mouthful of sweet and sour fish. And then, just to prove his point, he also picks up a slice of mushroom and deposits it on top of He Tian’s rice. “Eat up.” 

“What am I a rabbit?” He Tian grouses as he picks at the different vegetables Guan Shan kept on piling at his bowl over the course of dinner. There’s not even any meat in it. “I don’t remember being a vegetarian.”

“Oh, believe me. I know you’re not.”

He Tian makes a face at the greens on his bowl which Guan Shan pointedly ignores. Beside them, Jian Yi and Zhan Zheng Xi are fighting over the last piece of shrimp. On both ends of the table sit Qiu-ge and He Cheng quietly eating and the only ones exercising proper dining etiquette. 

Zhan Zheng Xi snags the last piece of shrimp but willingly relinquishes at Jian Yi’s pout. Qiu-ge rolls his eyes at the exchange as he reaches between them for another slice of pork feet.

They weren’t supposed to be part of dinner. The whole affair was supposed to be just for two. He Tian got a new place downtown and asked (read: demanded, made) Guan Shan come over and cook them a housewarming dinner. Ten minutes into Guan Shan bossing around He Tian to cut vegetables, the doorbell rang because somehow Jian Yi found out and wanted a free meal as usual. He bodied his way in with Zhan Zheng Xi in tow because where Jian Yi goes he goes. 

He Cheng and Qiu-ge arrived just as they were setting the table. He Tian had hit Jian Yi over the head for being a blabber mouth and didn’t want to let them in, but Qiu-ge muttered something about a burned house and a flooded bedroom as he pushed He Tian aside. He never did forget that incident the one (and only) time he bought them dinner. At least they brought dessert and wine. The good expensive kind. 

Guan Shan just thanked all fuck he followed his gut and made enough food to feed more than four.

He moves to put a piece of bok choy on He Tian’s bowl but his chopsticks get intercepted. He looks up and meets He Tian’s eyes. 

Stop. Don’t you dare.

His hand moves and drops it on the bowl anyway, delicately balancing it amidst the rice and all the other vegetables He Tian has moved around and still refuses to eat.

I dare.

“Fuck, Guan Shan. If you insists on shoving a balanced meal down my throat at least put some meat in it too.”

“Fine,” Guan Shang sighs muttering ‘picky eater, fucking child’ under his breath. “There.”

He puts a piece of chicken breast on He Tian’s bowl. Steamed. No Sauce. White meat.

He Tian sends him an annoyed smile. The glint in his eyes tells Guan Shan he’s about to try his patience some more and do something stupid.

“I’ll eat the vegetables if you feed them to me, darling~.”

He Tian says this with a sugary smile not caring if He Cheng is literally on the same table and witnessing his brother acting shamelessly. His tone is lilting with the pet name as an annoyingly cloying cherry on top, all meant to embarrass Guan Shan, he knows, but years of being exposed to He Tian’s shamlessness has somewhat immuned him to his antics. Somewhat.

This is one of those times. Guan Shan takes food and nutrition very seriously. 

“Fine.” Guan Shan picks up the piece of bok choy and puts it near He Tian’s mouth. “Open up.”

He Tian rears back as he looks at the piece of vegetable like it personally offended him. Then he looks at Guan Shan, nonchalantly but expectantly holding up his chopsticks as if feeding a child, and glares.

“Mo Guan Shan.” A warning.

“He Tian.” A challenge.

The table has grown silent as everyone watches the exchange. He Cheng sips at his wine and continues to eat, acting like he doesn’t care and pretending the scene in front of him doesn't interest him, but He Tian knows he’s waiting as well. No one has ever succeeded in making him eat his vegetables. Not the baby sitters, not the maids, not He Cheng, not even their own mother.

He Tian’s glare intensifies, feeling like a cornered animal. There’s oyster sauce dripping down the bok choy’s stem. He tries to convey a promise of wicked retribution to try and scare Guan Shan into backing down but he just meets He Tian's glare with a look that says 'If you don't eat your vegetables I will never cook for you again. Ever.' 

And He Tian can say he doesn’t care. It’s just food after all and he's got the money to eat good food whenever the fuck he wants if he feels like it. But the truth is it’s a real threat because he’s always really liked Guan Shang’s food. His cooking has truly elevated ever since he started apprenticing under a chef that own’s a famous family restaurant at Dongcheng. He’s saving up money to go to culinary school next year. Get proper professional training and get certified. When that happens, Guan Shan’s food is gonna be stupidly hella good and if He Tian doesn’t yield now Guan Shan will surely make good with his threat. He'll probably still cook for Jian Yi and Zhan Zheng Xi just to spite him and He Tian really doesn’t want that.

So He Tian opens his mouth and lets Guan Shan feed him his stupid vegetables. 

Beside them, He Cheng stifles a smile through his wine glass. ‘Whipped’ his eyes taunts and He Tian glares at him acidly through his mouthful of bokchoy. 

Later, when the table has been cleared and they’ve all had dessert, He Cheng gets a call and he and Qiu-ge excuse themselves to leave. He Tian walks them to the door, anticipating an order or a job assignment. There usually is something whenever He Cheng gets a call that requires him to leave immediately.

“Nice wife you got there,” He Cheng comments as he puts on his coat.

A teasing instead of an order.

It catches He Tian off-guard. His eyes stray to where Guan Shan is making Jian Yi do the dishes while Zhan Zheng Xi cleans the pots and pans. He’s got a plain white apron on and a towel drying a plate Jian Yi has finished washing. He makes him redo it when he deems it not clean enough. The kettle sounds off and Guan Shan goes to turn it off. There’s three mugs with instant coffee on the counter and one with a teabag of green tea for Jian Yi.

And suddenly, He Tian is hit with the word. Wife. Guan Shan will blow his top off if he finds out he’s being referred to as such so He Tian thinks of another word. Husband. The word hits him like a freight train, heady with the images it implies. 

Fuck. He Tian will gladly be called the wife if he gets to call Mo Guan Shan his husband.

“He’s uh—Huh. Hm. Yeah. That’s—He’s…Yeah.”

He Cheng follows Qiu-ge out the door. He lights up a cigarette, shaking his head at his brother and thinks, 'Whipped'.

[impatiencegyu]

Jin Ling and his Jiu-jiu

Jin Ling is seven when he almost understands love.

It's past midnight, and he had had a very bad nightmare. Someone was chasing after him, calling him names and yelling that he was an orphan, and that his uncle was dead, and that he had no one left in this world, and so on and on and on—

He had woken up screaming, rousing his uncle who was fast asleep and had gone to sleep dead-tired. I woke him up, Jin Ling thinks guiltily as he twists his fingers into his uncle's shirt, burrowing his teary face deeper into his neck.

"What is it, A-Ling?" Jiu-jiu's voice, though rough from sleep, is soft and comforting as he cradled the boy into his lap. "It's just a nightmare, alright? No one is going to hurt you — I'll break their legs before they get to you."

Jin Ling giggles wetly, wiping at his eyes before leaning his head on his uncle's shoulder and looking up. His jiu-jiu was the best in the whole world. He was so handsome, and so cool, and all his friends were jealous of him because he was just so cool. Everyone loved him, though he was often grumpy — the only person he didn't get grumpy at all the time was him. And Sang-gege, of course.

Ah, Sang-gege. Jin Ling thinks, suddenly straightening up, before lying back down against his jiu-jiu's chest.

"Jiu-jiu?"

"Hm?"

Jin Ling hesitates, before leaning his head slightly up. "Jiu-jiu, can I ask you something?"

"Well, go on," his uncle tilts his head to a side.

"Jiu-jiu," Jin Ling whispers, closing his eyes as he leans his head back on his uncle's chest.

"Jiu-jiu, do you love Sang-ge?"

He hears his uncle's breath hitch, and smiles a bit when he felt his heart speed up under his ears. "Jiu-jiu?"

He heard his jiu-jiu huff before he asks, "Suddenly? What brought this on?"

"Well, Sang-gege loves you. So I thought you would—"

"He said that?" Though he doesn't look up at him, Jin Ling heard the sudden softness and something �� hope? — in his uncle's voice.

"No, but he looks at you like that."

"Like what?"

Jin Ling makes a face as he continues, "Like Zhan-ge looking at Wei Wuxian."

"That's Da-jiu for you," his uncle corrects, and laughs as Jin Ling makes a face again.

"Like Da-jiu and Zhan-ge look at each other."

"Do I look at him like that?"

Jin Ling contemplates that for a moment, before shaking his head. "No, you are different. Your eyes go all soft, and sometimes I think you don't even breathe when Sang-ge is here. You go all warm and soft even if you snark at him all the time, and you almost always look at him like that."

Jiang Cheng's mouth has fallen open at some point. He opens it, closes it, then lets out a snort. "That's way too observant for a 7 year old."

Jin Ling smiles smugly at him, before commenting in wonder, "Jiu-jiu, you are so red right now, you look like tomato soup."

His uncle's smile gives way to a scowl as he lifts Jin Ling off his lap.

"That's enough for now. Go to bed."

"But jiu-jiu!" Jin Ling whines as he's dragged into his uncle's bed, and immediately smothered by blankets. "I don't wanna sleep! I wanna talk about Sang-gege!"

"I said sleep." Jiang Cheng climbs under the covers with him, switching the light off, and cuddling him close. Jin Ling sighs, observing his uncle's face in the soft glow of the nightlight. Then he whispers.

"Jiu-jiu."

"What?"

"When am I going to fall in love?"

"Sleep."

"But jiu-jiu—"

Jiang Cheng now cuddles his nephew closer, closing his eyes as he hugs him tight to his chest.

"Another word and you can go back to your room. Sleep."

Jin Ling huffs, annoyed, then gives up and closes his eyes too.

"Good night, jiu-jiu."

"It's almost morning now, idiot child. Sleep. Wake me if you get a nightmare again, okay?"

Jin Ling smiles wide at that, and nods against his uncle's chest, before dozing off.

[jin-zixun]

also for the character ask meme: 7, 8 and 9 for jgy and su she (I would ask even more but am afraid that's too much....)

Not too much at all!

7. JGY is said to be like 5'7 or 5'8 and that seems fair to me. I know a lot of people want him to be shorter, and like, that's fine too I think, but I don't think he needs to be.

For Su She, I don't think he was ever given a canon height? I'm stuck between like, being slightly taller than JGY like he seems to be portrayed as. Like maybe 5'10-ish? Or like. Exactly the same height as the twin jades and people make comments about it despite it obviously being a coincidence please he's not copying Lan Wangji by being tall it just happened please come one, seriously? Because it would be funny.

Weight... Idk I'm pretty bad at weight ranges for like. Adults. I generally have to look up "what does someone at this height and weight look like" to visualize any of it. More than 100lbs. Probably less than like 200lbs? They're slender. Idk.

As for age... Oh, I don't think Su She has a canon birthday either, but WWX says he's the same age as him and Lan Zhan, so he's probably 15 in the Cloud Recesses Arc. JGY I feel is supposed to be the same age as Zixuan, born on the same day, but he might be a year younger? I think it would make sense if he went to Jin Zixuan's 15th birthday on his 14th birthday, but if Jin Zixuan is also supposed to be the same age as WWX (which he might not be, idk) then JGY would be younger than them, but NHS, who is also the same age if not older than WWX calls him "San-Ge" meaning he's older, right? Oh, well.

Headcanon-wise, ignoring all of that, I think JGY is slightly but not by much older, like maybe a year or two older than WWX and LWJ and therefore SMS. I think that's cute.

8. Unpopular opinion. Well, I think they might all be unpopular opinions, since they aren't the most popular characters, especially Su She... But! I'll keep it to like... 5 each.

Unpopular Opinions about JGY:

1. he didn't kill his kid, that's a more popular opinion in pro-JGY areas, but outside of that...

2. He was devastated to lose NMJ. His main driving factor in playing turmoil for NMJ wasn't because NMJ would kill him or because he insulted his mother, although they didn't help, NMJ was dying anyway whether JGY did anything or not. IMO his main factor in doing things the way he did was to gain back some semblance of control over something inevitable. Since the confrontation on the stairs, NMJ was already gone from him, replaced, taken over, lost. Devastating.

3. I don't think he actually did anything corrupt as Chief Cultivator. Some people talk like he was out there killing people who didn't agree with him and shit and like there's no evidence of that and if there was it would've come up, but like WWX himself says, if they're secrets how do you know? People are just making shit up about JGY once he's persona non grata and that's like. That's a pretty big thing that happens and idk why people are like "yeah that's true!" about so much of it.

4. I think he was also sad to kill Wen Ruohan! Maybe not so devastated as NMJ or even JGS (more for the loss of what JGS wasn't but still) but WRH took him in when those other two wouldn't and brought him up to a high position, taught him himself, appreciated and cared for him... I think JGY also appreciated and cared for WRH, even though he knew he had to kill him, and did. I think it was difficult, but I don't think any other decision was ever on the table either.

5. I think he was close af with Su She, emotionally and everything. I think if he was with anyone after Qin Su it was Su She. I think he wanted to be with someone who he trusted and who understood him and would choose to stand by him and keep him safe. I also think he thought Su She was cute af but that might be my own bias of thinking Su She is cute af.

WHICH means it's time for unpopular Su She opinions? 1. He's not copying Lan Wangji fr, he's from the Lan Sect, he uses the techniques that he was taught as a Lan, there's no reason he shouldn't. The Lans fumbled him, they should look inwards for their own absolution.

2. He didn't have to trick his sect members into the second siege, they just acted like that and WWX didn't think about it hard enough because he didn't care. Like in CQL Su She *doesn't* die for the Lans who just kinda left him there and that's seen as a betrayal. Like a horrible betrayal, like apparently worse than actually attacking and possibly killing other Lans yourself like LWJ does. But Su She having his disciples do something that could get them killed is tricking them, like the expectations are so different for characters that are seen as undeserving, but I don't think the Moling Su disciples see their Sect Leader as undeserving. A number of them apparently followed him out of the Lan Sect. If he's already worthy of that, then...

3. He's probably one of the most talented cultivators in the jianghu. Like, he uses up a lot of spiritual power on teleportation, so we don't really get to see him at full power. Plus his cultivation is permanently damaged from the Hundred Holes curse and not only can he still use the teleportation talismans and *then* nearly hold his own against Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji not at full power and with damaged cultivation, but he can still have enough power left to shatter a sword? Absurd, the only reason he isn't immortal is bad luck. Hua Cheng coded.

4. I think he was treated badly in the Lan Sect. From the way they talk to him and interact with him (and the way we see people like Lan Qiren interact with other students, ie. bringing in LWJ to humble them) it isn't just that he feels inadequate or inferior, it's that he's *made* to feel inadequate and inferior. Deliberately. Even though, if you look at his actual abilities and what he manages to do after leaving the Lan, he's actually incredibly talented. Now whether the elders did see him as a threat to the inner disciples, particularly the twin jades (seeing just his prowess, WWX thinks he could be LXC or LQR and even once mistakes him for LWJ) dominance and want to tamp him down for that, or it just doesn't even occur to them that some nobody outer disciple could be that talented so they just treat them all that way, I don't know. Either one is just as tragic in their own way tbh. (Also why it's frustrating to see defenses of Lan Qiren that don't even mention his relationship to Su She like...)

5. He's hot. He just is. He's cute too. Adorable. And he's not annoying or an asshole or anything like that either. He's not arrogant, he's resentful. I don't even know why people find him annoying he's literally so inoffensive (if you aren't trying to kill JGY). Like people portray him as someone who overestimates his own abilities and importance and like... No, like he has fuck ups when he's younger, but his reaction is like, a horrified shame at himself for even thinking he could do anything right and like... Uh, that's not arrogance!

9. Scene that first made me love JGY: like the first scene he showed up in CQL (which I watched first) and the disciples were gossiping about him and he was smiling while looking so sad and yeah.

Scene that first made me love SMS: sorry babe it was protecting JGY in Guanyin Temple. Maybe I didn't pay enough attention to him at first, but oh boy, I love him now.

[rainbowsky]

Hi. I'm your new follower & new 🐢 . I want to say thank you for all your hardwork & comforting yet realistic words (which I really enjoy reading). You didn't sugarcoat your words & help me to see things from new perspective. I just want to ask about this photo- xiao zhan in water. Is this the official photo uploaded by zhan ge?

I read somewhere that there is a hidden photo of xz & wyb from ddu days in the photo. I just noticed that. I'm not sure if the hidden photo is matching or not but one thing- no matter how many times I look at this photo, I'll notice right away the circle part. Suddenly this part becomes so obvious to me that I can no longer ignore it. Am I only seeing things? Am I overthinking?

What do you think?

Thanks for reading this.

The suspected hidden photo from ddu:

Hi new turtle! 💛🐢💛

Thanks so much for your kind words. I'm glad you're enjoying my blog! 😊

Fake, fan fiction, CPN.

I do not tend to go in for this type of candy. It's a bit galaxy 🤡 brain for me. But let's take a look.

Yes, this is a real photo uploaded to the Xiao Zhan Studio account on 3 July.

The relevant section of the image, taken straight from the XZ Studio post and enlarged to 300%, no other alterations made.

Arguments in favor of this being real and intentional:

I do believe that GG hides things sometimes in his art and images. He's sneaky and seems to enjoy messing with people and giving them something to ponder (possibly including DD, who is likely the real target for most of this stuff). A good example of this is his ideal life painting, which most turtles know and love.

GG used to work professionally as a graphic designer. He's highly skilled in Photoshop and perfectly capable of creating something that leaves the right degree of doubt/plausible deniability.

Given the current climate it is harder to get away with dropping candies. This is the sort of thing that's pretty safe to do. It's totally harmless and not something that will go on hot search or be noticed by passersby, and those who believe in it will be dismissed as crazy even by some other turtles, let alone passersby.

Those ripples look 'wrong'. Regardless of whether it's the result of an optical illusion or intentional manipulation, there is something unnatural about the appearance of the ripples/reflections/shadows in that area.

Arguments in favor of this being imagined:

The image definitely doesn't match the DDU one turtles are claiming was used. Assuming this is two people talking, the heads are positioned entirely differently, and the clothing isn't the same. (That doesn't mean it can't be some other image, but using an image that doesn't match definitely weakens the credibility of this).

There's not really much point in doing this. It doesn't serve much of a purpose beyond entertaining the few turtles who buy it.

Humans are somewhat hardwired to see patterns in things that are otherwise neutral or meaningless. The phenomenon is called pareidolia. I would imagine it's even more likely to happen in situations where people are actively looking for patterns, as many turtles do whenever something new is posted.

Pareidolia in Iceland: elephant rock.

This isn't the first time turtles have seen 'hidden photos' in posts from GG.

Last year turtles claimed to see a photo of DD as LWJ in the ripples of a photo of him in a swimming pool. I was too busy looking at his leg hair legs to notice.

The relevant section of the image, taken straight from the XZ Studio post and enlarged to 300%, no other alterations made.

The shape some turtles believe is hidden in the image.

There is another ancient CPN about a photo supposedly hidden in one of GG's art posts.

(Sorry, I can't find the actual photo that people think he used, but it's the rear view of the one inset above. If anyone has the right photo please send it my way and I'll update the post. Thanks.)

EDIT: Here's the image showing the connection fans see. There's a detailed breakdown of some other hidden elements in this post.

Like I said, I'm not totally sold on this CPN. I go back and forth on it all the time. Sometimes they seem totally credible to me and other times I think they're an optical illusion. If I had to give it a percentage, I'd say I'm 60% in the 'these types of hidden photo candies are real' camp, and 40% 'they're not real'.

Everyone should just form their own opinions based on their own perceptions. CPN like this can't be proved, but it's also difficult to wash, so everyone is free to make up their own mind.

This CPN is pretty harmless, and (if real) I think that's kind of the point, right? Giving us something that is easily denied/dismissed.

As a new turtle you might also find my masterlist post helpful.

[mdzs-owns-my-ass-i-guess]

Gambling man

When Nie Huaisang all but dragged him out of his bed and away from his sappy, romantic K-drama marathon, Wei Wuxian had expected to be taken to some cafe, bar, night club or something down-to-earth like that - not the highest end casino in town in a limo that Nie Huaisang definitely shouldn't have been able to afford. Not after his older brother cut off his allowance due to his abysmal grades, that is.

"A-Sang, how did you even pay for this? Did you start selling drugs or something?"

Huaisang opened his fan in offense. He had dressed in his fanciest clothes and looked every bit as elegant as he did androgynous. "I'd never step on Xue Yang's turf like that, and he's my best dealer anyway, it would be a breach of trust."

Before Wei Wuxian could say anything (since when was Huaisang buying drugs, let alone from Xue Yang of all people? There was no way he didn't know of the massive scandal that broke out at their university over him), Huaisang continued, "And anyway, I only spent half of my allowance on this, it was a bargain!"

"A-Sang, half of your allowance is like 400$."

"Exactly! So cheap! Plus, we can't just show up to the Cloud Recesses in a taxi or something, it's bad taste and we're not poor!"

Wei Wuxian sent him a pointed look. "We are, though. I mean, I am."

A shrug. "Yeah but at least you're finally no contact with that terrible woman! And you have me! I'm also poor but not as poor as you - no offense."

"None taken, it's the truth. But since we're both basically broke, why are we going to a casino?"

Huaisang waved his fan closed. "To get rich, of course! Like hell am I going to live off 800$ every month! That's not even enough for makeup, do you know how much some good foundation costs nowadays?!"

"Uhh, no, not really..."

The fan was pointed so close in his face that Wei Wuxian felt Nie Huaisang might poke his eyes out with it. "Of course not, you people with good skin just don't get it! Da-Ge didn't even want to hear it! And all because old teacher Lan has it out for me!"

"He doesn't, A-Sang, you just only showed up to his class once and slept through it... never turned in an assignment, never showed up for the exam-"

"Who wakes up at 6 am to attend his lectures?"

"Me, Lan Zhan-"

"Okay, let me rephrase that: who in their right mind wakes up at 6 am to attend his lectures?"

The limo stopped in front of the large, lit up establishment. It looked every bit as luxurious and grandiose at night as it did during the day, white marble and light blue accents, the family crest serving as the logo on its large glass doors.

"What if we lose the money we do have?"

"Ridiculous! I never lose! Especially not when I'm wearing my tightest pair of pants. Have a little faith in me, A-Ying, I've been doing this for a long time! Come on in, and try to look as if you belong here!"

Wei Wuxian ran a hand through his hair, trying to tame it. "And how do I even do that?"

Huaisang opened his fan and undid the front two buttons of his silk shirt. "I don't know, just be self-centered and entitled I guess."

"So like Jin Zixuan."

"Exactly like Jin Zixuan!"

---

Nie Huaisang hadn't been kidding, he really was a pro - of course, he was surprisingly skilled playing all sorts of games, from the roulette to blackjack and poker, but if he just so happened to have a losing hand, he knew how to bat his eyelashes or wiggle his assets enough to still win something in the end.

"Men are easiest to distract." Huaisang instructed as he pocketed yet another win to claim at the exit. "Women are a bit more... subtle, and we're not in a position to play the long game right now. Anyway, you try it too, your ass is fatter than mine."

"Let's get a drink first, I'm too sober for this."

But just as they're about to order, Wei Wuxian noticed Nie Huaisang paling, as if he'd just seen a ghost (or their monthly expenses).

"What is- Lan Zhan?!"

Stone-faced, academic extraordinaire, rule-enthusiast Lan Wangji was just... standing there, glaring Nie Huaisang down. And he looked so good doing it, in a white suit so perfectly tailored on his body, and a loose side ponytail styled in such an elegant, subtle manner, a white ribbon woven through the-

"A-Ying, you're staring." Huaisang whispered in his ear as he hid behind him. "But he's staring too. I told you the tight shirt was a good idea."

Snapping out of it, Wei Wuxian let out an awkward laugh. "Uh, what a surprise to meet you here, Lan Zhan, I never took you as a gambling guy."

Nie Huaisang sighed in Wei Wuxian's ear. "His family literally owns the place, how do you not know?"

With a half mouth, Wei Wuxian replied, "I don't frequent the casino world like you rich people, I have a retail job!"

"Wei Ying. What brings you here?"

"Oh just..." he felt Huaisang glare at him subtly, "...just curious, I guess? I've always been good at poker and stuff and I was bored on this Saturday night so I decided to just... drop by!"

"Mn. Have you been successful?"

"Oh, I haven't really played yet... I'm, uh, trying to get used to the... atmosphere..."

"I could accompany you if you wish."

"I-"

"HE DOES!" Nie Huaisang all but shouted, emerging from Wei Wuxian's back and pushing him ever so slightly towards Lan Wangji. "He does want your company. More than you know. But, say, Wangji-xiong, is-is your brother here tonight?"

Lan Wangji gave Huaisang a long, judgemental stare. "Yes."

"Is my brother also with him?"

"Obviously."

You could see the cold sweat form on Nie Huaisang's temples, a wide, pleading smile on his lips. "Say, why don't you go ahead and spend some quality time with A-Ying and you pretend you never saw me?"

Wei Wuxian turned slightly towards Nie Huaisang, and whispered. "Why do I feel like I'm being traded right now?"

"You are." Huaisang whispered back. "Now be a good war prize so Da-Ge doesn't behead me and I'll give you half my winnings, alright?"

Lan Wangji didn't seem to react, but he did place a very respectful hand on Wei Wuxian's lower back, pointedly refusing to look at Nie Huaisang. "Follow me."

"Where are we going?"

"The VIP."

"The VIP?!"

"Mn. I do not like playing with an audience."

"Playing cards, right?"

"..."

"Lan Zhan, that's what we'll play, right?"

"Mn."

Nie Huaisang sighed, relieved, and downed both his and Wei Wuxian's drink in one go. Then, he reapplied his Chanel lipstick and sashayed towards one of the poker tables, where he had already seen someone checking him out from afar.

He had severely miscalculated when he saw who else was among the players.

"Ah, Wen-guniang... fancy meeting you here... haha..."

Wen Qing shot him a bored look. "Drop the act, Nie Huaisang, it's embarrassing."

He clicked his fan closed and sighed. "You're really going to leave me penniless, aren't you?"

"I've already shaken Jin Zixun off half his fortune, I'll go easy on you."

"Delightful."

---

(By the end of the night, Nie Huaisang managed to win some 5K back after a debilitating loss to Wen Qing, but at least Da-Ge never found out he'd been gambling a few rooms away from him. As the saying goes, a win is a win.

Anyway, Wei Wuxian didn't come home that night, but Nie Huaisang had expected that. After all, it was high time he and Lan Wangji confessed their feelings and fucked about it - it was getting insufferable to see them both pine like some cliche romcom.

Nie Huaisang would be more than happy to take the credit for finally pushing them in the right direction (AKA towards each other and a private room), and if it just so happened to have saved his ass in the process - well, that was just his quick wit at work.

Serves you right, old teacher Lan, I'm not as much of an idiot as you think I am!)

[toomanyplotbunnies-sendhelp]

Hello and welcome to Day 1 of "Let's Explore My Plot Bunnies"

This little bunny has been born today (while I was thinking of my other OLDER plot bunnies) and I don't that that much detail about it - like how would the story continue past the premise of it - so I thought this would be a good first plot bunny to begin with.

Edit: As of February 6th, this fic has a title:

"Shen Jiu's forceful adoption" (You don't choose family, family chooses you)"

Here goes nothing:

So, this would be a crossover between SVSSS (PIDW?) and MDZS, where Shen Jiu (the original goods) either runs away from Wu Yanzi or kills him before the Immortal Allience Comference where he meets Yue Qingyuan again. And so Shen Jiu just becomes a Rouge Cultivator (I wanna put forward that Wu Yanzi may have messed with Shen Jiu's head and made him believe that Qi-ge truly just left him behind and didn't care an ounce to come back for him, so Shen Jiu is not exactly in a rush to find his Qi-ge again)

During the first few months on the road, Shen Jiu ends up meeting (a three months pregnant), Cangse Sanren, and her husband Wei Changze. Shen Jiu is not really in the best shame when they meet (he is kinda feral and malnourished + has a distrust towards people a mile long), so of course WWX's parents are like "I am adopting this kid right now".

Since they are worried about Shen Jiu and they want to take care of him, both try to gain his trust, and after maybe half a year, they are somewhat close.

Needless to say, once Wei Ying is born, Shen Jiu is hooked since who can resist baby!WY. Like seriously - Shen Jiu may be a bit too mean sometimes (which is mostly due to trauma and the fact that ancient China had no way - to my knowledge - to treat PTSD) but he ain't someone who would ever be capable of killing a child (I shudder when I think that Shen Jiu and Yue Qingyuan may have seen more children die/suffer than be born in their life).

So this basically ends with Shen Jiu gaining a family, Wei Ying having a big brother that is very protective of him (watch out LWJ) and, in Cang Qiong Sect, we have Shang Qinghua (aka Airplane) who is very much freaking out because "the Scum Villain is nowhere to be found, how is the plot supposed to progress now System".

Small things to note:

• Shen Jiu is about 14 when he meets WWX's parents and 15 when Wei Ying is born - which means when Cloud Recess happens Shen Jiu is in his 30s (tho he still looks like a 20 years old man due to cultivation)

•As a child, Wei Ying couldn't pronounce Shen Jiu's name, so he called him Sè-ge (瑟) which means "zither"; Shen Jiu does in fact learn and (tries to) teach Wei Ying how to play this instrument while he is growing.

•I have no idea how to handle Cangse Sanren and Wei Changze tbh. I kinda want them to remain alive (albeit very injured) after that Night Hunt just so that Shen Jiu isn't alone in taking care of Wei Ying and himself.

•I want Lou Binghe to be a Bai Zhan Desciple in this AU and both him (+ a few other deciples) and Liu Qingge to be present at Cloud Recess just to have them meet Shen Jiu (sorry Binghe, you are literally Wei Ying's age (if not a bit younger); Shen Jiu won't look at you. Liu Qingge on the other hand.... (¬‿¬) )

•Shen Jiu, upon meeting the Jins the first time: "I don't trust you. Get the hell away from me and my brother Satan."

•Shen Jiu immediately after Wei Ying is born: "I only had Wei Ying for less than 5 minutes but if anything happens to him, I will kill everyone here and then myself."

•Shen Jiu, after realizing LWJ likes his little brother: "I will be watching you very closely, mister. Don't you dare try anything with my little brother"

And this is all I have for this Crossover AU.

So what do you guys think?

Good? Bad? Very much looks like my brain is on Crack? (I personally agree with the 3rd one)

Either way, I will be stopping here for today, but if I get any more ideas for this specific au, I will try to expand on it. (I am 89% sure I will be expanding on it at one point or another)

Till next time,

TooManyPlotBunnies - Send Help

[bloody-bee-tea]

24 Days of Mingcheng 2022 Day 5 - Honeymoon

Jiang Cheng is laughing at something Nie Huaisang said when he notices Wei Wuxian coming his way and just like that his laughter dies down.

“Here we go,” he mutters, just loud enough for Nie Huaisang to hear, who immediately snaps his fan open.

“I’m right here,” he reassures him and Jiang Cheng briefly leans into his side, because he knows that.

Nie Huaisang has his back, no matter what and it’s not only at the threat of having his legs broken by Nie Mingjue.

Nie Huaisang does genuinely care about him and he wouldn’t let Wei Wuxian—or anyone for that matter—hurt Jiang Cheng.

“Chengcheng,” Wei Wuxian calls out as soon as he is close enough to not have to yell through the entire room and Jiang Cheng supposes he has to be grateful for that. “I didn’t know you would be here!”

“I’m accompanying Huaisang,” Jiang Cheng stiffly says, keeping an eye out for either of his parents to join this absolute disaster but he can’t spot them. Small mercies.

“I see, I see,” Wei Wuxian mutters and then leans in close. “And when are you going to introduce him formally to the family?” he then asks and Jiang Cheng frowns at him.

Nie Huaisang—curse him—doesn’t say anything and simply watches everything with hawk eyes.

“Formally? As what?” Jiang Cheng wants to know because this doesn’t make sense.

He doesn’t have to formally introduce his friends.

“As your boyfriend, of course,” Wei Wuxian immediately shoots back and Jiang Cheng reels back as if he’s been hit.

“He’s not my boyfriend,” he tells Wei Wuxian who gives him something akin to a pitying look. It certainly makes Jiang Cheng’s hackles rise.

“Chengcheng, we all know you don’t want to be here, so for you to show up can only mean that you’re here out of love.”

“Well, yeah,” Jiang Cheng admits and doesn’t like the way Wei Wuxian’s eyes sparkle at the admission. “I’m here for Mingjue.”

That seems to bring Wei Wuxian up short.

“What now?”

“Da-ge asked A-Cheng to accompany me to this function because he himself couldn’t make it. A-Cheng hates it here but he loves my brother enough to accompany me anyway,” Nie Huaisang finally chimes in and Jiang Cheng relaxes slightly.

So Nie Huaisang is not going to let him be eaten alive by Wei Wuxian, that’s good to know.

“Right,” Wei Wuxian snorts out. “You’re dating Nie Mingjue, CEO of Nie Security and one of the top five bachelors of this country.”

Jiang Cheng definitely doesn’t like the tone Wei Wuxian is taking with him and he scowls at him.

“What is that supposed to mean?” he demands, crossing his arms in front of his chest and even Nie Huaisang’s eyes narrow at him, so he doesn’t seem to like where this is going at all either.

“It just means that no one is going to believe that. Why would Nie Mingjue ever date you when he can have his pick out of everyone. That’s more than unlikely, isn’t it? You and Huaisang here on the other hand—”

“I would be very careful with your next words now,” Nie Huaisang interrupts him. “Because either it’s going to be insulting to me or A-Cheng, and at worst both, and I am not going to let that slide.”

His voice is ice-cold and even though he’s speaking in defence of Jiang Cheng a cold shudder still runs down his back.

He wouldn’t want that tone of voice to be directed at him but it seems as if Wei Wuxian does not have the same survival instincts because he soldiers right on.

“I was just going to say that you two fit well together,” Wei Wuxian defensively says and Nie Huaisang narrows his eyes at him.

“Sure. So you don’t think A-Cheng is brilliant enough to capture my brother’s eyes and you think my standards are shit at the same time. Noted.”

Wei Wuxian opens his mouth at that but then closes it without saying another word. Maybe the cutting edge to Nie Huaisang’s voice finally got through to him.

“I think I have to—Lan Zhan, you know,” he babbles.

“Of course,” Nie Huaisang says with a sharp smile, accompanied by the snap of his fan as he closes it. “Do leave. And please make sure to not come back this evening.”

Wei Wuxian turns around on his heels and is gone in an blink.

“Well, that was awful,” Jiang Cheng mutters and Nie Huaisang pats his arm.

“You want to go home?” he asks. “Da-ge is probably missing you like crazy right now.”

“You damn well know that he’s going to have both our heads if we should leave before we hit the two hour mark,” Jiang Cheng shoots back because Nie Mingjue was adamant about that.

They are here to represent the company and as such they have responsibilities.

“I guess he’ll forgive us if we tell him what happened,” Nie Huaisang says and then gives Jiang Cheng a sweet smile. “How about you leave. It’s just another half hour and I promise to be good.”

Jiang Cheng would love to say yes to that but half an hour is plenty of time for Nie Huaisang to ruin lives and overthrow companies. And Nie Mingjue would have his head if he left Nie Huaisang unsupervised.

“I can manage another half hour,” Jiang Cheng says and doesn’t miss the disappointed look on Nie Huaisang’s face. “Especially when it means it’s going to stop you from a hostile take-over or two.”

“You like my take-overs,” he snappishly says, flicking his fan back open.

“Not when it means more work for Mingjue, I don’t. He’s already busy enough as it is and he has scheduled a break next month. You pestered him about that. If you upset the entire delicate balance of these companies he won’t be able to take that break.”

“That’s just mean,” Nie Huaisang whines but he deflates with a sigh. “But I guess you win.”

“Thank you,” Jiang Cheng nods and bumps their shoulders together. “I learned from the best.”

It earns him a radiant smile from Nie Huaisang and in face of that Jiang Cheng completely misses the way a pair of eyes bore into their backs.

~*~*~

Jiang Cheng has barely sat down at the table when Jiang Yanli speaks up.

“I didn’t expect you to show up alone,” she says as she pours him tea and Jiang Cheng shrugs.

“Yeah, I know, but there was a last minute issue that Mingjue had to deal with. He sends his regards and apologises. He will definitely be here next time.”

It takes him a moment to notice that Jiang Yanli has fallen silent and even stopped moving and when he looks at her he’s surprised to see a sad look on her face.

“A-jie? What’s wrong?”

“A-Cheng, why can’t you tell the truth?” she wants to know and Jiang Cheng frowns.

“About what?”

“A-Xian saw you and Huaisang at the function last week, remember?”

“Yeah, so?” he asks but he’s starting to get a bad feeling about this.

“We know it’s you and Huaisang. Why do you insist on lying about that? Don’t you ever think about how Huaisang must feel about this, if you keep denying your relationship?”

“Not really, because there is nothing to deny,” Jiang Cheng starts but he already knows that it’s futile.

She is not going to believe him, much like Wei Wuxian hadn’t believed him and this time he doesn’t have Nie Huaisang with him to come to his aid.

“A-Cheng,” she says in that sad tone she gets and the one that Jiang Cheng hates the most.

“A-jie, I keep telling you, Huaisang and I are not together. I am with Mingjue and I have been for a while.”

“Then how come we have never seen you two together? How come you only ever show up with Huaisang? A-Cheng, what is the point in lying about this?”

“There is no point because I’m not lying! Mingjue is busy, it just never worked out that we show up anywhere together. And whenever I invite you over to meet him you decline.”

“Because we don’t want to support whatever kind of game you are playing with all of us,” she shoots back and it’s so close to snapping that Jiang Cheng rears back.

He has never heard his sister like that.

“A-jie, I am not playing any kind of game. Mingjue and I are together.”

“A-Cheng, he’s so—successful. And rich. He’s one—”

“—of the top five bachelors of this country, yes I know, goddamit. But he didn’t make the list this year, did he now? And you know why that is? Because he’s no longer a bachelor. Even the press acknowledges that, so why can’t you?”

“They just don’t know you like I do,” Jiang Yanli whispers and Jiang Cheng stands up.

“Clearly they know me better than you if you still believe I am lying to you all about this.” He turns around and walks back into the hallway, already half in his shoes before his sister speaks up again.

“It’s just not very believable, that’s all,” she tries and he doesn’t turn around to her but he can imagine how she’s wringing her hands in front of her chest. “Surely you understand that.”

“And what is not believable? That Mingjue should find anything loveable about me?”

“How would you two even have met?”

“A-jie, I have been going over to the Nies regularly since school. Whenever dad forgot to pick me up or when mom told me not to come home because of a grade that didn’t please her I went over to them. I have known Mingjue for years!”

“Then it makes even less sense,” Jiang Yanli starts before she seems to catch herself but Jiang Cheng already has had enough about this.

“Because how could he fall in love with me if he knows me that well? Is that what you wanted to ask? Thanks, a-jie, it’s really nice to know that you deem me to be worthy of love. Just great. I will be leaving now.”

“A-Cheng, wait,” she calls after him but he doesn’t stop.

Jiang Cheng is gone from her house without looking back and he doesn’t think that he wants to be coming back any time soon.

~*~*~

Jiang Cheng is leaning into Nie Mingjue’s side, completely content to simply watch the engagement party around them for a short while but of course his happiness is short lived.

“Here comes your family,” Nie Mingjue mutters and Jiang Cheng briefly thinks about straightening up just a little bit, just to give them the illusion that he cares but in the end he decides against it.

What does he care about his family anyway.

“Mingjue, my boy,” Jiang Fengmian greets Nie Mingjue who immediately stiffens.

Jiang Cheng presses more into his side, hoping to diffuse his tension and he allows himself a small smile when it works.

At least until his mother tugs him away to the side.

Nie Mingjue looks as if he wants to reach out for him to pull him right back, but Jiang Fengmian very expertly distracts him with one question or another and Jiang Cheng barely refrains from rolling his eyes when he realizes that this is a coordinated attack.

And he sure as hell is not going to like where this is going.

“Wanyin, I expected better of you,” Yu Ziyuan tells him and now, Jiang Cheng really does roll his eyes.

“You always do,” he tells her. “If you want me to know what you are talking about then you need to be more specific.”

“Do not take that tone with me,” she snaps. “Your boyfriend is right there, so please do tell, what do you think you are doing?”

“I—don’t get it,” Jiang Cheng says, even though he can guess where this is going.

He’s just really very tired of trying to convince his family of his relationship with Nie Mingjue especially seeing as they are her to celebrate their engagement. They really should have taken the hint when they agreed to come.

“Nie Huaisang is right over there. What business do you have to be this close with his brother? Aren’t you ashamed? Do you not even think about what this scandal could mean for the family?”

“No, not really, because there is no scandal. I am here with my fiancé Mingjue, and Huaisang is here with his boyfriend to celebrate his brother’s and mine engagement. There is nothing more to it.”

“Please,” Yu Ziyuan scoffs and looks back at Nie Mingjue. “You really want us to believe that you are dating him?”

“I am really fucking tired of all of you telling me that he is too good for me.” He briefly pauses. “And I am honestly offended on Huaisang’s behalf because you are all implying that he is not.”

“He’s a good for nothing, we all know that.”

“So we two would fit perfectly together, wouldn’t we, seeing as I can’t ever do anything right,” Jiang Cheng mildly says, because he is long over this.

His family doesn’t care, they don’t think him capable and there is nothing he can do about it. It took him way too many therapy sessions to finally come to that conclusion but at least he got there in the end.

“My heart, I think it’s time we leave,” Nie Mingjue suddenly says and when Jiang Cheng looks over to him and his father he has to suppress a laugh.

Nie Mingjue must have said something incredibly rude to Jiang Fengmian because he’s still standing where Nie Mingjue left him, his mouth slightly open.

It’s a picture Jiang Cheng rather enjoys.

“Do you never think about the consequences your actions could have? You could ruin his entire life with this farce,” Yu Ziyuan says from the side, whispering in his hear like a snake tempting him to end the only good thing in his life, but Jiang Cheng is no longer listening to her or her poisonous words.

“I thought we established that I am just a stupid idiot,” Jiang Cheng tells her even as he reaches for Nie Mingjue’s hand. “So the answer to that should be pretty obvious. And yes, I think it’s time we leave, my soul,” he then says to Nie Mingjue and doesn’t waste another moment to walk away from his parents.

It’s easy to do with Nie Mingjue’s hand in his.

~*~*~

Jiang Cheng is still snuggled up in bed, his husband’s arms around him when his phone rings.

“Make it stop,” Nie Mingjue grumbles as he presses a kiss to Jiang Cheng’s shoulder.

Jiang Cheng isn’t inclined to move because he truly is comfortable but the ringing is insistent and annoying on top of that so he finally reaches out.

“It’s Wei Wuxian,” he sighs out, having half a mind of simply declining the call but then he would have to shut off his phone permanently and he doesn’t actually want to do that.

Nie Huaisang is on his own not-quite-yet-honeymoon and Jiang Cheng does enjoy the pictures he’s getting from him and Mo Xuanyu.

“One day of peace and quiet,” Nie Mingjue sighs out and Jiang Cheng drops a kiss to his forehead before he accepts the call and puts it on speaker.

If he has to be annoyed, then Nie Mingjue has to be as well. Married couples share everything after all.

“What?” Jiang Cheng asks, not bothering with any niceties.

“Chengcheng, what have you done?” Wei Wuxian asks, his voice slightly terrified and Jiang Cheng snuggles deeper into Nie Mingjue’s arms.

“I don’t know. You’d have to be more specific.”

“The paper says you and Mingjue married?!”

Jiang Cheng sighs.

“We did. So what?”

“Chengcheng! How? When? Why? I don’t understand!”

“What’s there to understand, Wei Wuxian? When two people love each other very much they get married. You should know that. You and Lan Wangji did it, didn’t you?”

“But Mingjue? What happened to Huaisang?”

“Nothing,” he sighs out. “Because it was never me and Huaisang but you wouldn’t listen to me.”

“Come on, you know how ridiculous it is that you and Mingjue—”

“We are married. How ridiculous can it really be?”

“You didn’t invite anyone to the wedding. Is it even real?”

“If you learned about this from the press you should know that it was a very big thing. Lan Qiren was there, as was Lan Xichen. Maybe you should ask them about it, last I heard was that they enjoyed themselves very much. And their gifts were more than generous.”

“You invited them but not us?” Wei Wuxian asks and suddenly his voice is very small. “We are your family!”

Jiang Cheng is just about to open his mouth to say something to that when Nie Mingjue takes the phone right out of his hand.

“Only people who believed us were invited. Sorry, but you had years to convince us that you could be polite guests at our wedding and yet somehow you didn’t manage it. Yu Ziyuan and Jiang Fengmian even accused him of a farce at our own engagement party. Excuse us if we don’t want that kind of behaviour at our wedding.”

“Mingjue?” Wei Wuxian unsurely asks and for the first time in years it sounds as if he might doubt himself. “What are you doing there with Chengcheng?”

“Enjoying our honeymoon, as you do when you are freshly married,” Nie Mingjue shoots back. “And I think we’ve had enough interruption now. Don’t call again.”

And with that he simply hangs up.

“Wow,” Jiang Cheng breathes out as he takes the phone out of Nie Mingjue’ hand. “That was entirely stupid of Wei Wuxian and very sexy of you.”

“Mh, do I get a reward for being sexy then?” Nie Mingjue asks even as he rolls Jiang Cheng over to hover above him.

“I think you just might,” Jiang Cheng says with a laugh that can barely be smothered even when Nie Mingjue leans down to kiss him.

By the time they finally emerge from the bed, the call and Jiang Cheng’s family have been long forgotten, completely smothered by the happiness both of them feel.

And honestly, that is just how Jiang Cheng likes it.

Link to my ko-fi

[accio-victuuri]

CPN : here have some sunday sweets 🍡🍧

everyday is a good day to clown, moreso during the weekends when we’re well rested ( hopefully ) and free to spend time on fandom. let me start with them randomly going on hs this evening. the way i panicked, cause what the hell is going on. it’s a comparison of how yiye and yibo as lei yu in the btf premiere are saluting. lol. i know all yizhan au pairings are valid so i appreciate it. It’s cool to see them on hs side by side, and tbh, it’s a mostly harmless post/topic. but we know how certain people get very agitated when their names are associated with each other. i get the sentiment, but people should chill.

on a lighter note, we probably have the best hs related to yibo for this year so far. ⬇️⬇️⬇️

he channeled his inner tom holland, casually spoiling the movie lol. to be fair, those in attendance already watched it. the Q&A is about the film. it’s just that those who are posting the videos are also not giving any warnings. the “wyb shut up!” is also familiar, how zhan ge told him off 😂😂😂

let’s move on to the more “coincidence” type of things, but doesn’t mean they any less sweet….

• Oh how we love getting a glimpse of the bone necklace. It’s so nice that he has that piece of him ( xz ) wherever he goes to keep him company. 🫶

• Comparison of girls giving them something! to yibo ( a drawing ) and a letter ( to xz ). What’s not to love? They are really sweet and nice geges!

• Since i am weirdly attached to their accessories — i am lovin how XZ is decked out in Ositerm for his Ralph Lauren shoot! and he is is wearing them so well. Sometimes i wanna see him in simple stuff like this too. and of course, Ositerm is a running cpn association with them.

• next level coincidence! in GG’s esquire issue, if you open it on page 85, it’s an interview feature with Yu Dong— who is Wuming’s producer. He also talks about the film in the article. See? The universe is truly clowning us.

• since we are in the topic of numbers, let’s appreciate bobo seating at #5 chair. sure, he is mister 08/05, who is the husband of mister 10/05 🫶

-END.

[igratecheeseonbenedictcheekbones]

WIP Wednesday

I’ve been working on this for a while and actually it’s the first time posting a fic in the untamed fandom or any fandom. Hope you like it! Lan Xichen and Wei Wuxian have a long overdue conversation.

____

“You don’t like me very much do you, Xichen-ge?” Wei Ying asked.

Surprise rippled across Lan Xichen’s body and he turned newly alert eyes on Wei Wuxian. It was the first real emotion Wei Wuxian had ever seen him express towards him/since he entered his seclusion.

“Why would you say that? You are a guest in my home, husband to my brother, I care for you a great deal.”

Wei Wuxian laughed, “A very diplomatic deflection, Xichen-ge.”

Lan Xichen gave no response and continued to stare at him intently.

“‘A guest in your home, a husband to your brother’,” Wei Wuxian repeated with a bitter smile, “those are all descriptions of obligations, Xichen-ge, delineators of behaviour. None of that tells me how you feel about me personally or my marriage to Lan Zhan.”

Lan Xichen was still for a long moment, gaze piercing through Wei Wuxian like he could see into the very core of him, then, almost as if it were never there, an imperceptible line of tension in his shoulders eased. “Truly your skills of perception are remarkable, Wei-gongzi. It’s been a very long time since someone has caught me in a lie, ” he said, placid expression still on his face as he brought the cup to his lips, “You’re right, I’m not very fond of you.”

It was soft as blows went. After all this was not news to Wei Wuxian. He knew, of course, he knew. He saw the way Lan Xichen’s eyes could never seem to settle on him too long, as though he couldn’t bear to look at him, the way his gaze grew colder, more distant whenever it did land on Wei Wuxian, the way the muscle along Lan Zhan’s jaw would tense whenever Lan Xichen addressed him. What had taken Wei Wuxian months to figure out, Lan Zhan had probably known from the beginning. It was because he knew that it had taken so much effort to muster enough courage to confront him like this and yet the confirmation still stung.

“Wanji and Sizhui love you very much and you bring both them great joy. Even the students are very fond of you it seems, your classes have become a crowd favourite or so I am told. So it is my responsibility to see to your comfort here, to ensure that your every need is met. Despite the stark differences between The Cloud Recesses and your Lotus Pier, it is my job to make sure that you can find peace and happiness here so that one day this could be a home to you.” He spoke so gently and earnestly that Wei Wuxian could almost forget what prompted this conversation in the first place. He could almost believe his brother in law held some kind regard for him.

“But personally I don't really care about your needs or your comfort. I care only in so much that they care/your well-being affects the happiness and comfort of those whom I do care about. Your presence here is dictated solely by and is entirely dependent on their love for you, else you would never have been able to step foot on this mountain much less allowed entry into The Cloud Recesses. As for my thoughts on your marriage,” he chuckled faintly, “you are not worthy of my brother nor will you ever be. Had it been my choice, you would never have been chosen for him. But as we both know, Wanji can be quite stubborn when he wants to be and when it comes to you his obstinacy has no limits. So no, Wei Wuxian, I do not like you. Yours is not a presence I am grateful for or rejoice in, your addition to this family is not one I welcome or celebrate, it is one I endure.”

He said all this neither cruelly nor scornfully, just with that same pleasant, inoffensive expression on his face as though they were discussing nothing more important than the weather outside or the taste of his new blend of tea. All the while Wei Wuxian had his fists clenched so tightly where they rested on his thighs, he was in danger of spilling blood on the fabric. He had to be careful, he was wearing his Gusu Lan robes today and if he dirtied them, the stain would never come out.

“Thank you, Xichen-ge, for answering me so honestly.” He was fine. It was not the first time he had been the subject of such disdain. He was used to being disliked by the people he loved and admired, from as early as he could remember. There had been a time when he had very much wanted to be loved by Madam Yu. Long years under her tutelage had taught him the futility of that desire. He was an acquired taste, tolerated and stomached rather than savored. No matter how hard he tried he was always too loud, too annoying, just too much. Nothing he did was ever good enough. Even now, Jiang Cheng…He felt a pain in his chest and his mind skittered away from the thought. It wasn’t a surprise that yet another person he respected and cared for, someone so known for their kind and just nature, someone who Lan Zhan loved so much, also disliked him. It was just a bit harder to withstand, was all.

[hulijingemperor2]

I have exceeded my word limit for tumblr, so I have to post this chapter in parts■■■■ this is part 1

Yao : Xiaobao, Xiaoyu, this is your Nainai. 

Xiaobao: hey, Nainai.

Meng Shi: hi baby. *strokes his hair* you're so energetic, like A-Song. 

And you look so much like Lingling. 

Taihua: *shyly hugging Meng Shi's leg*

Xiaobao: Lingling?

Meng Shi: your biological grandma. 

Xiaobao: oh! 

Meng Shi: I'm so happy to have you. 

Your Meng genes are showing.

Xiaobao, this is my personal maid, sister figure and confidante, Sisi. 

Xiaobao: Sisi? That reminds me of when I went to Yucui building. There was someone named Sisi. 

Zhaocai: *face palms*

Sisi: isn't that a brothel in Huaizhou?

Meng Shi: you went to a brothel? 

Xiaobao: yea, I used to. 

Yao: Xiaobao, that's strictly prohibited. 

Huaizhou isn't a part of my empire, but still.

Xiaobao: ok A-Die, I won't do it again.

Yet one time I had saved a woman from being mistreated, so you should give me some credit! 

Yao: how virtuous! You're definitely my son. 

Qin Su: that's really heroic of you. 

Your A-Die had banned exploitation of women, then he let them get proper jobs. 

Equal to men. 

Xiaobao: A-Die is an amazing emperor indeed. 

Why don't you add Huaizhou? 

Yao: because it's owned by another emperor.

Huaien's dad.

And I don't think there are fox spirits there. 

Xiaobao: oh.

Yao: I own Annan though.

Meng Shi: mn. 

Babies, meet Huahua. 

*sits and put taihua on her lap* 

Xiaobao: hii taihua. I'm your new brother.

Call me, San ge.

Taihua: San ge. You look very fun.

Xiaobao: of course I am!

Taihua: are you going to be cool with Song gege? 

Xiaobao: yup. 

This is Xiaoyu, your big sis.

Taihua: oh waw! Hey Xiaoyu. 

Xiaoyu: you're a princess?

Taihua: mhm. 

Xiaoyu: I'm one too! 

And don't worry, Hua. I'll share my toys with you. 

Taihua: and I'll share mine with you too! But dont touch my gifts that Song gege gave me. 

Xiaoyu: I understand. I'm close to my gege too!

Wen Ruohan: *enters* Yao'er. So this is your adopted son with Meng blood. 

Xiaoyu: *scared* Nainai.

Meng Shi: he won't hurt you, dear.

Taihua: that's just yeye.

Yao: yes A-Die, isn't he lovely? 

Xiaobao: no offense, but you look so scary. 

Wen Ruohan: offense? That's a compliment. 

I'm Wen Ruohan, the former Wen sect leader! But now I'm Meng Shi's concubine.

Xiaobao: you're my yeye then?? So cool!

Wen Ruohan: yup. 

I'm only scary towards Yao'er's concubines.

Xue yang: no you're not.

Wen Ruohan: xue gui fei, would you mind.

Xiaobao: xue gui fei?

Yao: ah, now to introduce you to team dimple.

This is Xue yang, Xue gui fei.

Xue yang: 'sup.

Xiaobao: are you a relative of Xiaoyu? Her name is supposed to be xue lianqing, but she lost her memory for a while and we adopted her.

Xue yang: I don't really know actually. 

I grew up on the streets in Kuizhou.

Xiaobao: oh, how tragic. 

Xiaoyu's entire clan was massacred. And my family were good friends with the xues.

Xue yang: huh. What a surprise to see a fellow xue. 

Jiggy, I made her! Just for you. Just for you Jiggy.

Yao: *laughing* yangyang, this is not the time. 

Xue yang:  then when is the time, Jiggy. 

*hugs* Jiggy, I love you.

Rusong: you'll get used to it.

Xiaobao: team dimple is something else! I could look at them and laugh all day.

Mo xuanyu: Xiaobao, you're just like Yao gege! Fabulous as always. 

I'm your uncle mo, and I can give you a makeover if you like.

Xiaobao: I'll keep that in mind.

Su she: well you know me already. And Suyin is my cousin and head member of the Moling Su sect.

Xiaobao: yea. I'm a little familiar with you.

Suyin: Minshan. *points to Xichen* is that the Lan Zhan who gave you hard time? I'll give him a piece of my mind.

Su she: no no, that's his brother, Lan lips. 

Suyin: what? Lan. Lips is his name? 

Su she: it's actually Lan Xichen. But he's just as irritating. He always takes up Huangdi's attention.

Suyin: but Huangdi belongs to team dimple, well  it's the other way around.

Anyways I want to meet Lan zhan.

Meng Shi: oh Suyin, why do you want to see whiny zhan? There's nothing interesting about him.

Suyin: taihou, I hated how he treated Minshan, as well as Yao Huangdi. So I want to beat him up.

Meng Shi: oh my. 

You're a lot like your cousin. 

Xichen: ah, Taihou. You see I just mind my business 

Xiaobao, welcome to the family. I'm Lan Xichen.

Xiaobao: hey. Nice to meet you. You know Huaien can pass as a Lan sect member.

He's gorgeous too.

Xichen: that's right. He's very goodlooking and elegant.

But he seems shy.

Xiaobao: he'll open up soon. 

Xichen: I'm an introvert whisperer.

Huaisang: hey Xiaobao. So you're a Meng? That is really interesting.

Xiaobao: yea, and I'm happy I'm here.

I'm glad that the Meng dynasty is progressing. 

Huaisang: I'm happy too.

Mo xuanyu: Huaisang was shady. Like really shady. 

But he's afraid of Wen Ruohan so. 

Huaisang: xuanyu shhh!! I don't know anything at all.

Mo xuanyu: Huaisang, you know I'll call you out. Team d is the most real people you can meet.

And Xiaobao needs to know. 

Xiaobao: A-Die sure has some dramatic  people in his harem. Guess he's never bored.

Yao: you're right.

Mingjue: I'm nie Mingjue. Huaisang's elder brother.

Jiang cheng: and I'm Jiang cheng.

Xiaobao: ah, cool. Nice to meet you. 

Yao: I'm so glad you met everyone, dear.

Now time to unlock your hulijing attributes. 

Can you please kneel. 

Xiaobao: yea *kneels*

Team dimple: *kneels* 

Yao: not you, team dimple. 

Rusong: team d, can you simp a little later? 

Xiaobao: *closes eyes* 

Yao: *rests his thumb on Xiaobao's chest* 

Thereafter, his fox tail and ears appeared.

Yao: there you go.

Xiaobao: wooohoo!! I'm a fox!! I'm a hulijing! I'm so happy, A-Die! Huaien, look!

Do I look cute?

Huaien: *caresses his cheek* very cute* 

Xiaobao: heehee.

Rusong: you look fabulous. 

Xiaobao: thank you Rusong gege!

Xiaoyu: gege, can I touch your hulijing tail? 

Xiaobao: sure! 

Meng Shi: this is pure happiness, Yao'er. 

Yao: isn't it precious. *smile* 

Meng shi: he deserves all the love. 

Yao: definitely. *signals an attendant, who brought a tray with a golden hairpiece (guan) with a jade hairpin, a ceal and a couple of valuable gifts. 

Xiaobao: are these for me? 

Yao: all for you! Then I'll gift Xiaoyu something. 

*puts the guan in his hair* you're officially a Meng Dianxia, so you deserve a guan. 

I'll design you guans to look like the golden hairpieces you wear on a daily basis. 

I figured you like that style.

Xiaobao: thank you! But this one is beautiful too! 

Yao: this is your Dianxia ceal. And these are just boxes of precious gems, gold and ornaments. 

Xiaobao: I love that!! 

Yao: I have already commissioned clothes and jewelry for you and Xiaoyu, as well as these beautiful outfits for tomorrow. 

Xiaobao: tomorrow? Is there any event?

Yao: of course there is. I'm hosting a party for you. 

Everyone must know that you're a part of the Meng family.

Xiaobao: I can't wait! 

Jingyi: A-Die's parties are always the best.

Rusong: yea. Last time we got a chocolate fountain.

Xiaobao: REALLTY??? I heard that's really exotic! 

Rusong: Nothings really exotic when it comes to A-Die. 

Jingyi: remember when xue yang got a sugar rush?!

Rusong: oh gosh *laughing* he was bouncing off the walls.

Jingyi: we should ban him from the chocolate fountain.

Xue yang: oh you try! 

Xiaobao: why is he like this.

Rusong: he has a crazy sweet tooth. And A-Die always gives him candy. 

But it's just a coping mechanism and the childhood trauma. 

You recognize his broken finger?

Xiaobao: no? 

I thought he just liked fancy gloves to be honest.

Rusong: some idiot rolled over his hand and broke his finger, when he wanted candy. 

Xiaobao: that's so cruel. 

Xiaoyu: *thugs on his sleeve* Huangdi diedie. What are you going to gift me? 

Yao: well dear *lifts her up* All Meng ladies deserve Meng jewelry. 

Qin Su: here you go, baby. *puts a bracelet on her hand* You're also a Meng now. 

Xiaoyu: oooo shiney. Thank you A-niang! 

Qin Su: now you and Hua can match.

Yao: amazing..

Xiaobao, do you have a sword? Do you know how to play any instrument?

Xiaobao: yea I have a sword but I'm bad at swordfighting. It's not really my thing.

Yao: that's fine. I won't force you then. 

But if you wish to learn, I'll teach you. 

Xiaobao: thank you! Can you teach me music?! 

Yao: of course. We're a musical family, so you must. 

~~~ 

[aishangotome]

Chapter 11-4 Strengthen the Walls and Clear the Fields (堅壁清野)

Chapter 11-3

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Feng Yuan: We're afraid we won't be able to wait for General Yunhui's troops.

I stepped into the county office and saw Feng Yuan, with a worried expression, staring at the "confrontation" between the two armies on the sand table.

Feng Yuan: The scouts said that the Red Robe Army has been constantly moving. It is estimated that by tomorrow morning at the latest, he will... attack.

Feng Yuan abruptly stopped. I ignored everyone's awkwardness and turned to Ge Qing, who was standing at the side.

Princess: Ge Qing, you didn't finish what you were saying last time. What is the way to defeat Han You?

Ge Qing: I do have a plan, but... I'm afraid the Princess will not agree to it.

Princess: Let's hear it.

Ge Qing: There are still some unburned dead rats in the city. If we manage to get them into the Red Robe Army camp, within half a day, an epidemic will surely break out among them.

Feng Yuan: No! We finally eradicated the plague. How can we use it for war...? Besides, although the Red Robe Army is led by Han You, they are also our fellow countrymen of Dacheng!

Ge Qing didn't argue with Feng Yuan, but calmly looked at me.

Ge Qing: The enemy's forces are far greater than ours. If we want to win, we must use extraordinary measures. It has always been this way since ancient times.

Princess: ...You're right. I will not agree.

I walked to the sand table and studied the deployment before me.

Princess: If the situation were reversed, Han You might do this to win this battle, but I am not him.

Princess: ...Once we use such tactics, the nature of this war will change, and we will also lose our only advantage.

Ge Qing was not surprised by my answer and did not press further.

Princess: Lingzhou City needs stronger defenses. Feng Yuan, you and Zhan Yun take people to build another wall within the city walls. You have one night. Can you do it?

Feng Yuan: No problem. There is enough sand and stone here. The ditches and traps outside the city have also been dug.

Princess: This is not enough. Gu Zhao's troops have not arrived yet, we must find a way to delay them.

Princess: Although we can't use Ge Qing's plan, I have an idea—

I pointed to the Red Robe Army camp on the sand table. Among the neatly arranged formations, there was a very conspicuous mark.

Princess: Here, this is where they store their food and supplies. Logistics are crucial in war. The Red Robe Army has traveled a long distance and is already exhausted.

Princess: Gu Zhao said that Han You is arrogant and underestimates his enemies. He hasn't deployed heavy troops to guard the supplies. The continuous heavy snow and harsh weather, once they lose their food and supplies, their morale will collapse.

However...

Princess: ...The Red Robe Army has a large number of troops, and the supplies are at the rear of the army. It will not be easy to launch a sneak attack. Who should we send?

Feng Yuan, Zhan Yun, and Ge Qing had no experience leading troops in battle. The Lingzhou army was a mixed bag, many of them newly recruited and without unified training.

To succeed in a sneak attack, the person leading the troops must be smart, trustworthy, and have combat experience. That would only leave—

Chenqi: Princess Jie Jie, are you looking for me?

Chenqi had arrived at some point. He leaned against the door, arms crossed, smiling at me.

Chenqi: The Black Cloud Cavalry can fight a hundred men each. They are the most suitable, aren't they?

Princess: Chenqi...

Chenqi: I also fought several battles with my brother when I was in Nancang. Princess Jie Jie can trust me.

The morning light shone on him, highlighting his features. His blue eyes sparkled with determination.

Princess: Han You's strength cannot be underestimated. This journey is extremely dangerous. Even if you can successfully reach the rear of the Red Robe Army and burn their supplies, it will be difficult to retreat safely.

Princess: I originally wanted to wait for Gu Zhao to arrive before taking action, but now the situation is critical, and Han You also...

I thought of Yin Zhong, and my worries deepened.

Chenqi: Princess Jie Jie, let me fight for you.

It was the same face, but the childishness and innocence of the past were gone, reminding me that the person standing before me now was the commander of the Black Cloud Cavalry, the young general of the Chen family of Nancang.

Princess: If something happens to you, I won't be able to face your brother.

Chenqi: When my brother entrusted the Black Cloud Cavalry to me, he knew what I would do. Besides... I've been waiting for this day for a long time.

He gazed at me intently.

Chenqi: I am willing to die for you, Princess.

Princess: ...

Princess: Chenqi, hear my order.

The young man before me knelt on one knee, looking up at me.

Princess: Tomorrow night at midnight, I command you to personally lead the Black Cloud Cavalry to raid Han You's camp and burn the enemy's food and supplies.

Chenqi: Yes!

Princess: Once you succeed, do not engage in prolonged combat. Break out quickly and make sure to... return safely.

He gave me a bright smile.

Chenqi: Chenqi obeys!

-

Standing on the city wall of Lingzhou, I softly asked Feng Yuan.

Princess: Feng Yuan, look, the tents of the Red Robe Army stretch for more than ten miles. It will take them less than half an hour to attack.

Princess: Do you think we can hold out for long against a full-scale attack from fifty thousand troops?

Feng Yuan looked out at the endless tents in the distance, his face heavy. I continued:

Princess: Now that Lingzhou's forces are thin, every additional person we can rally to our side will give us more time to hold on.

Princess: ...I must wait for Gu Zhao to arrive.

Feng Yuan: Princess, you can bury gunpowder along their necessary path. Once the battle starts, at least we can give their vanguard a major setback.

Princess: Gunpowder... you've reminded me. There is someone I should pay a visit to.

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Chapter 11-5

If you’d like to support my translations, feel free to buy me a coffee here! :)

[jin-zixun]

I don't want to fight but who am I kidding I definitely want to fight. (Not in actual fighting ways its a tumblr poll about fictional characters its fine)

In what "intangible ways" does LXC support JGY that SMS does not? Other than LXC being a real Lan and having more credibility than upstart Su She?

(I'm adding a read more this got loooong sorry i promise i don't hate lxc or anything really!)

Upstart Su She who tanks his own credibility in order to protect JGY.

"Smear my name if you must, but how dare you slander Lianfang-zun!"

In fact LXC's suspicion of JGY is shown throughout the narrative, he defends the idea of his innocence, but he makes it clear he wants to find the truth and won't let JGY get away with murder and the like. LXC's suspicions and promises of impartiality are followed up multiple times with SMS defending him.

Lan Xichen asks Jin Guangyao to open the secret chamber during the secret afterparty scene and is rebuked only by Su She.

The jade token scene after LXC is shown the collection of turmoil reinforces that his distrust of JGY isn't just a lie told to LWJ and WWX

"If he is truly false I will not tolerate it."

It immediately leads into the second siege of the burial mounds. The scene where SMS goes from the 'bury and unbury your bodies' friend to the 'is actively gonna raze the world for you' friend.

JGY goes to LXC to protect him from his own fallout and finds whatever else he wants, LXC has made his decision. He can't look to LXC to protect him, but he has already gone to SMS. If that's who he looks to to protect him in such a way, why should he not feel supported by him? Because a lot of the relationship is 'offscreen' doesn't mean it isn't clearly there. As soon as JGY finds out even a little bit about what's happened with NMJ's body and somebody trying to take him down, he *has no doubts in going to SMS to defend him*. And SMS does without even a hint of suspicion or regret. All of JGY's secrets? Yeah he knows.

And sure, yeah part of that is that JGY cares about LXC and doesn't want to implicate him in bad things. Another part is that JGY cares about LXC and doesn't want him to know the less good parts of himself. Another part is that he just doesn't think LXC would be okay with things JGY has done. And he's right!

You can say JGY shows all of himself to SMS because he doesn't care about him as much as LXC. He's fairly willing to let him die after all, let alone doing all these terrible things. But you can't say SMS himself doesn't see all of JGY and love him and protect him and support him in all he is and all he does. That's just not true. He does. LXC doesn't. JGY's own feelings don't change that. I'm sure he'd love LXC to support him just as well regardless but that's just not what we see.

Then there is Guanyin Temple.

"[Jin Guangyao] fell to the ground...In his stead it was Su She who started to scream. There was a split second when Lan Xichen looked like he wanted to go over and support Jin Guangyao, but in the end, he didn't dare move."

Where LXC does, temporarily, listen to the woes JGY presents him with. Yet, he tells us he does not trust JGY, JGY lies, he tells other characters not to listen to JGY. He says not to call him Er-Ge. He attacks SMS when SMS is trying to flee with JGY. He leaves JGY alive but silenced and is tricked into stabbing JGY through the heart. Tricked, yes, but I don't know how to say better that SMS would never.

During JGY's explanation to LXC, WWX has to kick SMS down to stop him from trying to get to JGY. He saves JGY from the poisoning attempt, opens the medicine bottle for him, treats his wounds

"Su She is so condescending toward everyone, and especially resentful of Lan Zhan. But he treats Jin Guangyao with such respect"

tearing off his own robe to bandage JGY's wounds while JGY is bleeding out and while LXC is not. SMS *pleads with LXC to help*

"Sect Leader Lan! Sect Leader Lan, do you have any remedies? Please help. Sect Leader Jin has always treated you with courtesy."

SMS carries JGY on his back to help him escape the temple. He fights FC!NMJ. The last thing he does is to entrust JGY to LXC, the only person who could possibly protect him and the only saving grace is he doesn't live long enough to see LXC stab JGY!

"Su She's brilliance had only lasted a moment. He didn't even have time to cough up blood or say any respectable or ruthless last words before the life in his eyes was instantly snuffed out."

One of them dies to protect JGY and the other one, as I have reiterated, stabs him! In the heart! Fatally! I-- No. I do not want to fight.

Let JGY say it. "Su Minshan went this far to repay my kindness simply because I remembered his name. But you, Zewu-jun, Sect Leader Lan... Just like Nie Mingjue you cannot tolerate me... You won't even give me a way to live!"

(I'm using the Seven Seas translation but like "you refuse to spare me even a single breath of life" goes way harder unfortunately.)

[stiltonbasket]

Jueying has the same initials as big bro Jingyi, and is 50x more chaotic. I imagine if she'd been in wwx+lwj generation, the only person who'd broken more rules than her would be wwx, but I might just be exaggerating.

"Shameless!" Lan Qiren barks, throwing a scroll at Wei Wuxian's head. "How can you say that lingli and resentment are the same? To think that I should have lived to hear such words from the dashixiong of Yunmeng Jiang!"

Wei Wuxian leans backwards, missing the scroll by a hairsbreadth as it flies over his shoulder and hits Nie Huaisang full in the face. “But Laoshi!” he yelps, leaping into the aisle between his seat and Jiang Cheng’s as Lan-laoshi grabs another scroll. “Lingli is energy, and resentment is energy. I’ve dissected walking corpses with our sect’s Pan-yishi, and we found out that resentment moves through human meridians just like—”

Lan Qiren lifts the second scroll, looking more incensed than ever; but before it can leave his hand, a crash and a scream echo in the white-pebbled courtyard outside the Lanshi, followed by a girl’s raucous shriek of laughter and a tremendous bang that makes Lan-laoshi blanch.

“Wangji,” he says, sounding deceptively calm. “Nephew. Go outside, see what the matter is, and tell me that Jueying did not light another firework on the roof of the Yashi.”

Lan Zhan rises and goes to the door, peering out into the courtyard with the resigned air of a monk who had caught his novices gambling when they were meant to be making blessing talismans.

“Dishonesty is forbidden, Shufu,” Lan Zhan says at last. At the front of the room, Lan Qiren puts his head in his hands. “But it was not another firework. Another six is likely nearer the mark.”

“Nie-xiong, who are they talking about?” Wei Wuxian whispers, sidling back to his desk. “That sounded like a guniang’s personal name. Do you know who Jueying is?”

Unexpectedly, Nie-xiong laughs.

“You know my Da-ge and Lan Xichen are married, don’t you?”

Somehow, Wei Wuxian had managed to forget that fact, for the current Lan-zongzhu’s elder son is much older than Lan Zhan, just as Nie-zongzhu is more than twice Nie Huaisang’s age.

“Well, I remember now,” he nods. “But who’s this Jueying-guniang, then?”

“My niece. Da-ge and Xichen-gege have two children—Jingyi-didi was born when Wangji and I were three, and Jueying came along two years later. She’s nearly thirteen now, and according to Laoshi—” and here Wei Wuxian hears another great crash from the courtyard, followed by the deafening whoop of a dozen fireworks going off at once, “—she’s responsible for half the gray hairs on his head.”

“Jueying!” Lan Qiren screeches, now tearing down the stony path outside the Lanshi. “Come down from the roof before you break your neck!”

“I won’t!” a young girl’s voice says defiantly. “Shugong, if I come down, you’re just going to catch me and send me back to the Baoshi again!”

“Of course I am! The point of punishments is that you do not like them,” Lan Qiren shoots back. “Now come down before I count five and go back to finish the laundry, or I will send your shushu up to get you!”

“Which one of you is Shushu?” Wei Wuxian wonders, before snorting as Lan Zhan rolls up his sleeves and marches out of the Lanshi like a soldier going to war. “Ah, looks like Shufu is Lan Zhan. What do they call you?”

“Technically, I’m Shushu,” Huaisang grins. “A-Yi and A-Ying call Wangji-xiong shufu most of the time. But I encourage them at every turn, so Laoshi won’t make me lift a finger to stop them when they misbehave.”

In the end, it takes Lan Zhan nearly half an hour to catch his recalcitrant niece; and after Lan Jueying has been safely bundled off the roof, one of the Nie disciples volunteers to escort her back to the Cloud Recesses’ nursery.

“Ying’er has her punishments there,” Nie Huaisang explains, when Wei Wuxian asks why a thirteen-year-old would be studying in the Baoshi. “When she misbehaves, she has to do laundry for the babies.”

“Poor xiao-guniang!” Wei Wuxian sighs, recalling similar punishments at Lotus Pier. “If she’s being punished, I’ll give her the all-purpose laundry talisman I invented last year. She’s still young, and even if she doesn’t listen to Lan-laoshi, she should be out playing in the sun instead of washing clothes.”

Nie Huaisang nods approvingly.

“She loves everyone who helps her skip her punishments,” he says conspiratorially. “If you want to make friends with Wangji-xiong, the quickest way would be to make friends with her.”

The back of Wei Wuxian’s neck starts to burn.

“Do you really think so?” he asks, fighting back the urge to check his brow for fever. “He must care for his zhinu and zhizi very dearly, mustn’t he?”

“En, he does. Both of the little ones drive him mad, but he worships the ground they walk on.”

Somehow, the thought of a younger Lan Zhan watching over two little children makes Wei Wuxian’s throat ache.

He does not dare to think on the matter too long—at least not now, not when Lan Zhan has yet to say a friendly word to him. But if he were to see such a sight tomorrow, then perhaps—!

“Go visit the Baoshi tomorrow,” Huaisang advises him. “Ying’er will be there, and you can meet Jingyi. He’s not so much younger than we are, you know. You two can be good friends, and then you’ll surely be able to get along with Wangji.”

Wei Wuxian inclines his head, feeling strangely bashful at the prospect.

“All right, then,” he says, speaking to the fallen scroll abandoned near his knee. “I will.”