#i really do feel back for qin su though

[fortune-maiden]

@fennel9 this is the other drabble from the prompts you sent :D

Maybe Qin Su is too subtle about it. Too quiet. Too reserved. Her A-Yao is a gentleman - an honest-to-good one – maybe he thinks she didn’t enjoy that wonderful first time. She needs to be direct. Her opportunity comes on a night where her husband lies beside her, lost in thoughts he won’t burden her with. She presses close. “If you can’t sleep… we could have sex?” A-Yao gives her a long look. Then he kisses her forehead with a fond chuckle, and slips away to spend the night in his study. Qin Su doesn’t know what she’s doing wrong.

sorry?

Send me a drabble prompt

[liberty-or-death]

Wangxian Poems "Envious of the green hills that have the serenity of one that’s deep in thought, or the white crane that has forgotten the ways of the world and has a tranquil heart. " (Eight Sounds of Ganzhou.  Picking Unripened Plums to Accompany My Wine 八声甘州·摘青梅荐酒 by Tang Hui 汤恢)

There are a few poems that possibly inspired Wangxian. All these poems are widely discussed among the chinese fans so I thought I’d share it everyone. Anyway they’re all really lovely 😍😍😍

The “Eight Sounds of Ganzhou. Picking Unripened Plums to Accompany My Wine. 八声甘州·摘青梅荐酒” is a Ci written by Tang Hui 汤恢, poet in the Southern Song Dynasty. The “Eight Songs of Ganzhou” is a specific ci pattern.

摘青梅荐酒，甚残寒，犹怯苎萝衣。

Picking unripened plums to accompany my wine. It was bitterly cold, and filled with worries over my ramie made clothes.

T/N: Ramie was weaved by people who lived in the mountains into clothes.

正柳腴花瘦，绿云冉冉，红雪霏霏。

The willows trees are lush, the flowers are withering; like green clouds flowing slowly, and red snow falling like rain.

隔屋秦筝依约，谁品春词？

The house next door has a date with the qin zheng, just who is singing the songs of springs?

T/N: 春词 - This either means the song of springs or words of love between a couple. The Qin Zheng is a musical instrument

回首繁华梦，流水斜晖。

Look back, the former thriving prosperity was like a dream, like the river that flows way and the setting sun.

寄隐孤山山下，但一瓢饮水，深掩苔扉。

I reside at the bottom of the Mount Lu. But I live frugally as I drink from the ladle and cover the door filled with moss.

T/N: Mount Gu is an island on the West Lake of Hangzhou. Gu 孤 also means Lonely so you could also interpret this as the “lonely mountain”. It’s a popular spots for poets in the Tang and Song Dynasty. Bai Juyi and Su Shi have also written poems about it.

羡青山有思，白鹤忘机。

I’m envious (Xian) of the green hills that have the serenity of one that’s deep in thought, or the white crane that has forgotten the ways of the world and has a tranquil heart. (Wangji)

Wangxian’s names are mentioned here. If you do a quick search with of line, you’ll find numerous chinese wangxian fanworks.

怅年华、不禁搔首，又天涯、弹泪送春归。

The passage of time is worrying, and I can’t help but scratch my head anxiously. My tears send Spring off towards the end of the world again.

销魂远，千山啼鴂，十里荼麋。

At this moment, the Koel sorrowful cries echoes in the mountains. The raspberry flower is blooming everywhere.

T/N: Legend has it that when the Emperor Wang Di entered seclusion and passed on, he died and his soul became a Koel.  Hence, when Spring goes and when the Koel cries out sadly, the people of Shu would say “I look forward to the emperor’s soul”, as though the Koel is sending Spring off. 

My Analysis

This poem summarises Tang Hui’s feelings. He was staying in seclusion in the West Lake Mountains, but yet he wants to return to live with others, and he yearns for his love of the Northern Song Dynasty. The first part of the poem is about what the poet is doing, and the second part’s about his envy and love for his Dynasty.

Firstly, I was struck by how said sad and how forlorn wangxian’s namesake’s line is. If we break down it down, essentially it describes someone that loves the silence of the musing mountains, and how the crane remains unbothered by the world. It’s such an apt line given that the cultivational world wangxian lived in really hurt them.

The reference of the “plum” and the “white crane” is said to be a reference to Lin Bu 林逋, the Confucian poet who planted plums and raised cranes, and didn’t marry for the rest of his life. His actions gave birth to the idiom “梅妻鹤子 to marry the plum, and raise the cranes for his son”, which means to lead a life of seclusion and attain a tranquil state of mind. (wangxian living in seclusion and living happily ever after? HAHA)

Another thing that struck me was, was this the reason why CQL put a white crane in the wangxian moment? It clearly wasn’t a key point because there’s a clip of Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo debating about the existence of the crane, of which Xiao Zhan forgot about it, and Wang Yibo insisted it was there. The crane was never in the book, and I always thought it was a mere decorative feature but now I don’t think so 🧐. Perhaps the directors were paying tribute to this poem? And is this the reason why lwj is often painted in white?

Personally, I did find it interesting though, that the c fandom would associate this poem with wangxian, because unlikely the other themes Wangxian has been associated with (Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji’s name respectively), this poem talks about someone who IS in seclusion, who wants to go back to society. Though yes, if you did focus on Wangxian's namesake's line (羡青山有思，白鹤忘机) in isolation, the poet is envious of those who can stay away from the ways of the world. Whereas in the other poems, and in the novel itself, it was clearly the other way around. That’s just my two cents though! Either way, it’s a really pretty poem. 😍

You can check out @fwoopersongs's alternative translation here!

[mxtxfanatic]

Jin Guangyao and Qin Su: A Lesson in Gaslighting

So this is one of my favorite scenes in the book on account of how absolutely unhinged it is. Jin Guangyao is someone who will go above and beyond in his commitment to the bit, using any and all means to maintain his web of lies. But his greatest weapon, by far, is his ability to gaslight via his expression and words. Upon his introduction as a character and not just conversation topic in the book, we are quickly given a confrontation between Jin Guangyao and his previously blissfully content wife, Qin Su in Chapt. 47 (exr). However, as the confrontation escalates, Jin Guangyao puts his gaslighting skills in action. When Qin Su confronts him about marrying her while knowing they are siblings, this is said:

Qin Su bursted out crying, “You’re lying! Things are already like this and you’re still lying to me—well I don’t believe it!”

Jin GuangYao sighed, “A-Su, you were the one who told me to say so. Now that I’ve said so, you refuse to believe me. This is indeed quite troubling.”

She’s made the villain by saying she doesn’t believe him. He is making her the villain by saying that he’s only telling her what “she wants” to hear, making her not believing him not because he is a career liar but because of some fault of hers. When she continues to disbelieve his lies, he pivots to telling her that her being upset is only a mind game, and that since they’ve lived so long “as husband and wife” there’s obviously no issue with the incest except what her mind makes of it, like incest isn’t a big fucking deal breaker????

Watching the ashes fall to the ground bit by bit, he spoke in a somewhat dejected tone, “A-Su, we’ve been husband and wife for so many years. We’ve always respected each other in peaceful harmony. As a husband, I’d like to think that I treat you well. The fact that you’re acting like this really hurts my feelings.”...

...Jin GuangYao, “A-Su, before you knew of it, didn’t we live perfectly fine? You only felt uncomfortable and began to vomit today, now that you know. We can see that this isn’t anything at all. It won’t be able to do any physical harm to you. Your mind is the only thing doing all this.”

And when that doesn’t work, he tries to appeal to her reputation:

Jin GuangYao, “If the person could tell you, then they can also tell other people. If they could write one letter, then they can also write a second, a third, a countless number of letters. What do you intend on doing? Allow such a thing to be leaked? A-Su, I’m begging you. Please, no matter for which feelings that have existed between us, tell me where the people mentioned in the letter are. Who was the one that told you to come back and read the letter?”

Notice that he is still attempting to appeal to her using their affection as spouses. He is refusing to acknowledge the truth of them being biological siblings so that he still has plausible deniability in case he can still convince Qin Su to believe his words over her secret informant. But this all hinges on whether or not he can weed out the informant to kill before the information becomes public, hence him subtly reminding her that if his reputation is damned for the information, hers will be too. But denying it doesn’t work, convincing her to overlook it doesn’t work, appealing to her former affections of him doesn’t work, so what’s next? Making himself the victim, of course!

A mourning warmth filled the eyes that Jin GuangYao looked at her with, “A-Su, back then, I really didn’t have another path to walk. I wanted to keep you in the dark for your whole life. I didn’t want you to know about this. Now, though, it’s been entirely ruined by the one who told you. You think that I’m dirty. You think that I’m disgusting. All of these are fine, but you’re my wife. How would others see you? How would they talk of you?”

And then we end back at a more direct appeal to reputation: “well if I’m disgusting, what will others think about you?” In an almost non-sequitur, Jin Guangyao returns to the topic of Jin Rusong, saying that the child “had to die” and subtly admitting that he likely–but always with plausible deniability–had something to do with his son-nephew’s death, causing Qin Su to slap him. Jin Guangyao immediately shuts down the conversation.

Jin GuangYao, “What are you talking about? You must be feeling quite unwell. Your father has already gone to journey and cultivate. I’ll send you off sometime soon as well, and you can enjoy being in your father’s company. Let’s finish this quickly. There’s still quite a number of guests outside. There’s still the Discussion Conference tomorrow.”

Deny, deflect, pretend that it is the other person who has lost their grip on reality, never directly admit to any accusation so that you have an out, and always, always maintain that genial smile. Poor Qin Su never stood a chance.

[hulijingemperor2]

Harem palace 📍

Qin Su: *sitting in front of the harem* concubines, Yao Huangdi is in imperial court. And just in case he passes by, you must be pleasant and well mannered. Maybe impress him with something. It's our duties to serve him and help him relax. Make him feel appreciated.

Xichen: sure, Huanghou. I always do.

Qin Su: *flatly* right.

Mo xuanyu: you got it, Su jiejie.

We'll look hot for Yao gege.

Shen Jiu: oh really. How are you gonna look hot?

Mo xuanyu: are you calling me ugly?!

Xue yang: says the one who haven't impregnated Jiggy.

Su she: *laughing*

Shen Jiu: it's because I have respect for the emperor.

Qin su: You wanted to impregnate my husband? *concerned*

Shen Jiu: yes.

I'm very very sorry, Qin Huanghou. But I can't ignore my feelings. I almost died though, because Huangdi was hot.

Qin Su: *sigh* don't worry. I'm accustomed to it. Just don't be horny like Zewu Jun.

Shen Jiu: I won't be horny like Zewu Jun.

Xichen: I'm right here you know.

Shen Jiu: oh hey, Zewu Jun.

Qin Su: I got to go, concubines. I have to go teach Taihua and Xiaoyu calligraphy and finish up on some paperwork with Song'er.

team dimple and Shen Jiu, please don't get into a fight.

Even though it's entertaining. Nie gui fei and Jiang gui fei, you should smile more. For Huangdi.

Mingjue: working on it.

Jiang cheng: same.

Huaisang: dage, you got to sparkle.

Mingjue: *trying smile* am I sparkling.

Huaisang: uhhh.........you need some work.

Su she: kind of constipated.

Mingjue: Su she!!

Su she: did I lie?!

Mo xuanyu: what a disaster. And sack of potatoes isn't any help.

Shen Jiu: who's sack of potatoes?

Qin Su: Nie Huaisang. It's just a name what stuck with him, because of the chaotic team dimple.

You know, the root of all chaos is always team d.

Xue yang: guilty! And we love it.

Qin Su: *laughing* I see. I'll be back guys. Bye...

Shen Jiu: you're gorgeous!

Su she: you really are.

Qin Su: ahahaha, thank you.

*shakes head* something else.

~

Shen Jiu: Shanshan, what gives.

Su she: the empress is just beautiful. Her and Huangdi make a gorgeous pair.

Shen Jiu: *opens fan*

That's right. Lan lips, how are you?

Xichen: fine, thanks for asking.

Shen Jiu: you have any gossip to give me.

Xichen: not at the moment.

Shen jiu: lame. *flutters fan* Huaisang.

Where did you get your fan?

Huaisang: I bought it in Hubei!

Isn't it beautiful?

Shen Jiu: mhm, but I prefer mine actually.

But Hubei is one of the top 5 expensive places in the empire.

Mingjue: I know right. That's all he do. Spend my money.

Huaisang: Dage! It's my money!.......which you gave.....me.

Shen Jiu: oh waw. Dage, dage, dage. You need to spend your money on Huangdi. You're a sect leader and concubine. Do better. And Huaisang, gosh. Where's your fashion sense? You should buy stuff for Huangdi too.

Su she: those two don't care about Huangdi!

Shen Jiu: team dimple, relax. Let me handle this.

Huaisang: excuse me! I make handicraft for San ge!

Shen Jiu: uhuh.

Jiang cheng: technically we do our part in serving Yao Huangdi but team dimple and their entitled self would criticize us as usual.

Shen Jiu: then ignore them, duh.

Gui feis, you're supposed to be used to team dimple by now.

Mingjue: why are you so cocky?! One night with the emperor and you think you're elite.

Shen Jiu: isn't it obvious. Chifeng zun *pokes him with his fan* are you jealous.

Xue yang: 100% jealous.

Mo xuanyu: he gets shy around Yao gege.

Shen Jiu: really?

Jiang cheng: I'm confused. Are you a part of team dimple or not a part of team dimple.

Huaisang: obviously he's a part of team d.

Mingjue: yea, he got the dimple sass.

Shen Jiu: gosh, don't insult me like that.

Team dimple: *gasp*

Shen Jiu: *drinks wine* I'm not a part of team dimple. I'm a part of Huangdi's harem. I could be a part of team dimple if I want, but I just rather be the emperor's little twink.

Jiang cheng: so you're everyone's competition then.

Shen Jiu: yea. Lan lips, do you drink?

Xichen: off and on.

Shen Jiu: drink with me then. I promise I won't drug you.

Huaisang: drugs aren't allowed in the harem palace, Shen Jiu!

Shen Jiu: wasn't Lan lips supposed to say that.

I....I think I'm already drunk.

Anyways, sack of potatoes gui fei, it's just celestial herbs. It's harmless.

Huaisang: it made team d swap places!

Shen Jiu: but they're fine now.

Xichen: *drinking wine* ahh, I'm so sorry. *hiccup* you two were talking too much and I was thirsty.

I didn't have wine in ages. AGES.

Shen Jiu: what happened to you?

Xichen: shufu put me on abstinence, from alcohol. After I destroyed the roof.

Shen Jiu: what did you do to the roof?!!

Xichen: long story. It involved me riding my Shuoyue

Xue yang: riding your Shuoyue?? Were you missing Jiggy.

Su she: not that type of ride, Chengmei! I wouldn't be surprised though. All Lans are shameless.

Xue yang: I got drunk, rode my sword, smuggled about four live ducks in my sleeves and crashed into the roof.

Huaisang: were you ok?!!

Mo xuanyu: were the ducks ok?!

Shen Jiu: I didn't know that Zewu Jun was so wild when drunk! Omg!!!

*cracking up*

Xichen: Wangji told me that I was fighting and saying that I got to roast the ducks for Ayao.

Shen Jiu: hehehehehehe!!!

Xue yang: no wine for you, Lan lips.

Jiang cheng: you're insane.

Xichen: that's what they call me. When I'm drunk. *chugs more wine* I think I'm gonna make out with Ayao later. No one interrupt me.

Shen jiu: how dare you make out with Huangdi! He's mine.

Xichen: he's mine too, gui fei.

Shen Jiu: the wine is making you evil!

Xue yang: I kind of like it.

Huaisang: Shen Jiu drugged him!

Mingjue: nah, that's how Xichen is when he's drunk. It's a Lan thing.

Shen Jiu: Lan lips, did you roast the ducks?

Xichen: no. The good for nothings had escaped and my lame uncle didn't catch them.

Shen Jiu: shit.

Su she: see what we have to deal with.

Shen Jiu: yea. Four ducks on the loose, a drunk lan, a horny brother and a selfish vegan uncle.

Jiang cheng: Lan family reunions do sound interesting.

Shen Jiu: I know right.

Looks like Lan lips got the meat covered.

Su she: and he lost it all. Anyways, Lans are supposed to be vegetarian. Then they  gave me the curse.

However I still let my clan members eat meat if they like.

Huaisang: *under his breath* at least he didn't try to copy the Lans this time.

Shen Jiu: Shanshan, Huaisang says you copy the Lans.

Su she: Huaisang, you little shit!!

Mo xuanyu: I can't take the bullying. *sobs*

Shen Jiu: mo xuanyu, are you Minshan?

Mo xuanyu: Su xiandu is my bestie, for your info. Do you even have a bestie?

Shen Jiu: yea. Huangdi is.

Jiang cheng: Minshan xiandu, everyone knows you used to copy the Lans.

Su she: nonsense. And I'm not admitting anything to anyone.

I made my clan better than them.

Shen Jiu: grapey, what's your problem. Can a person have inspo. Everyone is a clan leader here. Well except for sack of potatoes.

You're not gonna get the emperor with that attitude.

Jiang cheng: I slept with him already, mind you.

Xue yang: the man had two emperors.

Shen Jiu: were they pleased?

Xue yang: I'm sure he was drugged.

Shen Jiu: I would have done the same.

Xichen: or drunken him a little.

Mo xuanyu: Lan lips, why do you want to drunken Jiang cheng. How dare you try to seduce him while you're married to Yao gege!

Su she: that's so bad.

Xichen: I don't want to seduce that sour grape! He's not my type to be honest.

Jiang cheng: rude.

Huaisang: lol. And what's your type then?

Xichen: Huangdi.

Xue yang: come on Lan lips, everyone deserve an emperor.

Su she: you had two.

Jiang cheng: you won't let that go, wouldn't you.

Xue yang: nop. It's too hilarious.

Shen Jiu: Lan lips. Don't take advantage of Jiang cheng. I'll complain to Huangdi.

Xue yang: Jiang cheng, you know you can be branded for that, in the harem.

Jiang cheng: well you're free to brand my ass.

Mo xuanyu: from the emperors, to Lan lips, now to xue yang.

Shen Jiu: Jiang gui fei. Keep it in your pants for now.

Modesty, hello!

Xue yang: *grinning* you can't handle me, Jiang cheng. I'm too hot for you.

Shen Jiu: hot where?

Huaisang: Shen Jiu.

Shen Jiu: sack of potatoes.

Huaisang: team dimple really have a branding iron with San ge's name. But they use it for criminals. And not concubines.

Shen Jiu: really??

Gosh, how are you so resourceful.

I didn't like you at first.

Huaisang: ah. I'll ignore the last part.

Mingjue: only criminals?

Su she: yup.

But you were the exception.

Mingjue: don't bring it up.

Mo xuanyu: you, Jiang gui fei and team dimple.

Shen Jiu: omg, you guys got matching tattoos. I want one too!

Su she: team dimple branded his name on our chests.

But for these two misbehaving concubines, we branded them somewhere else.

Shen Jiu: somewhere else???? And what did they do to upset Huangdi.

Su she: they forgot who they belong to! So due to Huangdi's request, we pinned them down, and branded them.

Jiang cheng: I got it on my back.

Shen Jiu: are you proud? You sound so submissive but angry at the same time.

Jiang cheng: well it happened already. And Yao Huangdi and I helped Jiejie and Zixuan raise A-ling.

Shen Jiu: ohh, so your indebted to him. Awwwww.

You're Huangdi's property anyways. Do better.

Jiang cheng: what the hell you want me to do!! Bend over?!

Shen Jiu: well it is your job as a concubine. But admit that the branding experience was glorious. You're not good at being a little twink.

You're more of a quiet twink, than team dimple. No wonder you guys don't get along!

Shen Jiu: *hugs and looks up* Nie gui fei. Where did Huangdi put his tattoo.

Mingjue: *shy* get off of me!

Shen Jiu: not until dage tell me!

*squishes his arm* omg dage, you're so buff. Do you work out? You're half beef.

Mingjue: what you think? And I can and will punch you.

Shen Jiu: please. Punch me anywhere, but not the face.

It's treasonous to look disfigured in front of Huangdi.

Or I can gain his pity. *dramatic* and he'll kiss my booboos away.

I'll go on my knees and say, Huang~di. Dage punched me. I'm being bullied by the harem. Everyone hates me. Huangdi, have mercy on your concubine. Or else I'll impale myself in front of you.

Mo xuanyu: hey!! That's my job. Get your own!

Jiang cheng: I'm pretty sure Huangdi is allergic to mellow drama.

But then I remember he has team d and Huaisang to deal with.

Mingjue: Shen Jiu, are you sure you're not associated with team dimple.

Shen Jiu: I'm sure!

Xichen: Dage, remember you told me when I you were drunk! And if you don't want me, Huaisang, or team dimple to read your files. It's better you tell Shen Jiu.

Shen Jiu: the harem versus dage. I'm amazing.

Jiang cheng: yea, I could care less.

Shen Jiu: Lan lips, how come you didn't get branded?

Xichen: because I know I'm Ayao Huangdi's property.

So its not necessary.

Su she: we branded ourselves, because of the devotion we have for him.

Xue yang: and we were horny.

Mo xuanyu: yea, a lot of both.

Shen Jiu: damn, team dimple. But same.

Dage, dage, dage, dage. Tell me! Tell me now! Or Consort Lan lips will spill the tea.

I'm a new concubine.

Jiang cheng: you know as soon as he says "I'm a new concubine", disaster is ahead.

Mingjue: it goes against my honour, Shen Jiu.

Shen Jiu: dude, you're the concubine of a hot emperor with a branding iron with his name on it. Nothing to be ashamed of. And everyone slept with Huangdi once or twice. Everyone knows how sexy our master is. Dage if you don't tell, I'll carry Huaisang on shopping spree in Lanling, and maybe Laoling too. The first and second expensive places in the Jianghu!

You won't have any money to buy swords, and other manly stuff.

You'll be bankrupt when I'm done with him.

Hauisang: yayy! Shopping spree!!

Mingjue: fine!!! I got branded on my left butt cheek, ok!! My butt cheek! Is that what you want to hear! Huaisang, don't touch my money!

Team d: *cracking up*

Shen Jiu: YOUR LEFT BUTT CHEEK!!!! AHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Huaisang: he couldn't sit properly for 2 weeks. And when the fox spirits servants attend to him, San ge himself would come to examine and remind him that dage is his.

Shen Jiu: that sounds hot.

Like Dagestan left butt cheek. *laughing*

Jiang cheng: dang. That was personal.

Shen Jiu: stop being jealous.

Jiang cheng: I'm not jealous.

Xichen: *drinks* I saw it for myself! It said Yao Huang's

Shen Jiu: Yao Huang's. Oh my goodness.

Xichen, can you tell me why you were looking at Mingjue's ass.

Xichen: *giggling* 3zun stuff.

Xue yang: who wouldn't?

Su she: Lan lips is shameless.

Shen Jiu: all of you need to chill.

The testosterone is overwhelming.

Anyways, I have to ask Huangdi about this!

Shen Jiu: you guys aren't like Qin Huanghou. She's such an angel.

A really hot angel though.

Qin Huanghou is purity, and you all are just freaky.

Jiang cheng: you're a freak too.

Shen Jiu: but a very smart freak. I'll let it slide, as you're my guru. I aspire to sleep with two emperors too. Very few get the opportunity.

~~~

Eunuch: HUANGDI IS ENTERING!!! 

......to be continued....

[screechfoxes]

character: the guy in your icon

favorite thing about them

i mean, how do i pick? he's just the Most character

it's a tie between his ruthless single-minded focus to ruining every aspect of jin guangyao's life, and the way he leans on the social perception of himself as the useless child he once was to accomplish his goals <3

least favorite thing about them

i legitimately can't think of anything that isn't an "i love this about him but recognise that it's objectively terrible in-universe". i do think i'd never want to know him IRL, not even young and silly NHS

favorite line

i love the CQL-only line of... what is it, something like "the things that aren't my business, i won't meddle with"? i really feel like it sums up his laser-focus on what he cares about, and frankly apathy towards basically everything else

brOTP

i'm coming up blank, but probably because i don't tend to draw lines between platonic and romantic ships i enjoy. i just love throwing characters together and seeing what happens

OTP

i like my nie huaisang ships Messy and Fraught, so it's got to be either nie huaisang/jin guangyao or nie huaisang/mo xuanyu

(i'd also like to shout out to my rarepair of jiang yanli/nie huaisang. ie: neediest man alive/woman who stakes her self-worth on being able to take care of people. and also my other rarepair of qin su/nie huaisang)

nOTP

i'm not the nOTP sort, but i confess that even though one of my favourite nie huaisang fics (and fics for the untamed in general) is sangcheng, it's one of those ships i'm not interested in in its own right - every author needs to sell it to me fresh

random headcanon

CQL-verse, obviously, but i generally think of him as having had a crush on meng yao Back In The Day - usually not more than an idle fancy, but just enough to add yet another layer of Fraught to it all

unpopular opinion

i don't see him as the type to matchmake WWX and LWJ.

both because i can't see him as interested in doing that in general, and in an AU where there was never a situation that led to him honing his natural cleverness, i can't see him having the social confidence to be the "wise" matchmaker type

song i associate with them

metaphor, by the crane wives. probably not a coincidence that i also associate it with one of my most beloved OCs tbh

favorite picture of them

i nearly posted one of the exquisitely hollowed-out expressions on his face post-JGY's death, but honestly, how can i turn down a nie huaisang who is just so incredibly baby

[sirenjose]

Missing Player-ID: 157716441

Hidden Story/Epilogue - Part 3

Main Story: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

Hidden Story: Part 1 Part 2 Part 4 Part 5

Plot Analysis: Part 1 Part 2

Puzzle Solver Analysis

It’s like an old group photo, but I can’t see who it is

“Activity Record: Date: 1994.7.15 Location: Library Conference Room Participants: (unsure of translation here?): Li Weidong, Zhang Hong, Yu Qiuying, Qin Yiying, Zhou Hao, Wang Quangen, Sun Yan, Zhang Wei Volunteers: Zhao Tongshu, Liu Bingsen - Professional lecture "Talking about the key points of psychiatric rehabilitation training" - Self-introduction and psychological development of new members. - Patient and family experience exchange.”

“Professor, I think my wife is a little abnormal, I will go to you after the event today to talk about it. Please don’t tell anyone.”

“October 16th 1998 I just came back from the concert in the evening. My family has been doing well lately. Although my spouse is busy, he’s earning a lot of money, which seems to be much better that before. But there are always regrets in life. For example, today, the phone called him away so I had to stay and watching it all by myself. Even so, careers and children are all part of life, and I can understand that. But I still find it strange, overtime work is fine, but why is it always a business trip to Hong Kong when it’s so expensive. What kind of research is it?”

“September 9th, 2005 Today is the tenth anniversary. It should have been a very happy moment, but I couldn’t be happy. Looking back 10 years ago, in the church, we swore an oath in front of the pastor. Our friends, like us, have happiness and joy on their faces. When I say ‘I do’ I feel that the future is full of beauty. But I didn’t expect to become like this today. I really don’t want to believe it. I am very conflicted, but whenever I think of the situation at the time, I still hold up hope. The good news is that there have been no new suspicious behaviors in a year. For the sake of our daughter, I’ll maintain the appearance of peace and choose to forget what I saw before and to never reveal it, as long as it doesn’t continue. I am still willing to hold out hope.”

“August 14th 2010 I have to deal with it by myself, and I know they have countless ways to destroy evidence. But before that, all of this must be hidden, because I am not sure whether I will incur retaliation after I do it, and I am not in a position to confront them now. If something happens to me, I can only hope that these things will be seen again one day. It’s been a long time since I came out to Orson Villa. I think this should be a suitable place to bury it, with all the memories and hopes of the past.”

“September 8th 2010 The other day, Su Su (?) went to Happy Valley again (water stains). I always wanted to go there, but I didn’t make the trip. It would be nice if my parents came with me. But I can’t get my hopes up, or you’ll be even more upset if you get stood up. Mom has been uncharacteristically late in recent months, but instead (water stains) has started to leave work on time, and seems to be counting on Dad to be more reliable. Latest Information! I just learned that Dad is going to Happy Valley tomorrow, hehe~ He promised to take me there, and he said he will take me to the haunted house, even though I’m scared, I’m still super excited. Dad told me not to tell mom. (Water stains) Of course, you can’t (water stains) skip school, and I’ve said several times that (water stains) I’m not going to be able to sleep.”

This was the wrapping paper used for the package the Detective received that contained all of the daughter’s belongings. The mother said it was old paper she found at home.

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The dots around the coin are Morse code. Read it counterclockwise. (There are 3 gaps, so there are 3 messages).

First: long and short, short and short, short and short, long and short, short, long, short, long, long, long, long, long (decimal point is sunken). Translation: N54.6 W1.0. The corresponding spot on the map is shown.

Second: long short short short short short short long long long long and short, short long short short short short short short short short long. N51.7 W5.3

Third: long short short short short short long long long long long. Long long long long short, short long long long long long. Long long long long short. N50.9 E0.9

Find the center point of the three, which is: N52.4 W1.8. (may be the coordinates of the manor?)

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The girl’s weibo has a string of numbers. Use Baidu telegram code translation and enter the numbers. Says: “I’m so sorry”(?)

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(this is the part where friend tells about the server hacking incident)

(At the bottom of this page is where mysterious man makes a comment)

“I know you’re waiting for me. The previous post was still too flashy, so I came in here. Your friend the old geezer remembers the rules from my test years ago, and he’s right, but that’s obviously not the whole story. We also played the game on the official Identity V Weibo, right after the project was announced. You can also think back. Take the shortest route that the rules allow, and I’ll be waiting for you at the next lotation.”

[lgbtlunaverse]

That's fine, we can disagree. I do just wanna point out that Meng Yao clearly says to NMJ that he did complain about the Jin captain, and was dimissed everytime. So that bit about him staying quiet? not true, unless we assume he's lying there. And also that NMJ was already mad on Meng Yao's behalf because he already HAD told JGS "hey? your son? great guy, put him to good use." and JGS just flat out lied to his face that he never got that letter.

We also don't really know Nie Mingjue's opinion on spies in general. Yes, he's mad at meng yao for killing his men but he only attempts to kill him for that before he finds out meng yao was the spy, and backs off when he does (though he does continue to mistrust him) and like.. he had to have known someone was spying for xichen to have all that information and clearly had no problem using it. I think the bigger question to ask is if a Meng Yao in a less desperate situation than in canon would even go off to spy to begin with (perhaps if sunshot started not going so well, or he thought it was the only way to gain his dad's favour again?)

You're absolutey right about Qin Su though. That's a moment where hindsight would really have helped. I feel like it's a different flavor though? Like, theoretically he could just have not married her, way before finding out they were related. But he had no way of knowing that that was the best course of action until it was too late. still tragic, different flavor of tragedy.

As a character Meng Yao is largely defined by his lack of freedom and while I think it's very important to understand that when he insists over and over that he had no other choices (that wouldn't put him at serious risk of death or severe harm) he is usually right, I do fucking love that just once- just once- the narative presents him and us with a crystal clear heartbreaking example of a better choice, a way out that he didn't even know was there, right as that possibility is taken away from him forever.

When Nie Mingjue walks into a forest angry on Meng Yao's behalf, ready to help him in any way he can, and Meng Yao kills a Jin captain thinking no one's gonna come. And then their eyes meet.

Fucks me up.

[haitang-flowers]

Oh I'm having thoughts about post-canon chengsu au

where qin su lives and her reputation is ruined and where Jiang Cheng is broken, somehow once more at his lowest point of his life again.

Questioning whether his success at bringing back Yunmeng Jiang was the countless sleepless nights and hard work he put in, or the unknown gift of Wei Wuxian's core.

Both feeling as though they have so little left but both barely holding it together to try and help Jin Ling. Who they love. Who they want to succeed because he wants to prove everyone wrong, that the Jin can be a sect that is worth something.

I imagine their coming together would be a slow burn. Both healing from their wounds, trying to find their place with the new knowledge that has broken them down. But, as they rebuild they don't even realise they're doing it together. Evenings spent with Jin Ling, evenings away from him planning and plotting against those who would over throw him.

And maybe, once the dust settles they're friends. Jiang Cheng can recognise the hurt in Qin Su's eyes as they walk the halls, see how the memories haunt her and he invites her to Lotus Pier. Where the lotus's are blooming and Qin Su for the first time in years feels like she can breath again. Where the disciples look at their sect leader with respect and that makes something warm grown in Qin Su's chest.

She's given a beautiful room that backs onto the lakes, and the longer she spends in Lotus Pier the harder it feels knowing she'll have to leave. It should have been obvious really, but it feels so different to how it had been with Jin Guangyao. It's a quiet moment on a pier, watching Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling swimming in the piers when it hits her. She is in love with him, with Jiang Cheng.

I could honestly go on forever about the gentle, healing way they both fall in love.

[littlesmartart]

Who would you say is the biggest sucker in the family? The Twin Prides of Yunmeng? Total suckers. JGY always knows, but he likes to be the indulgent uncle. LXC is too restrained, but LWJ can sometimes be persuaded.

Yanli: naturally inclined towards being incredibly indulgent (see: how she raised WWX and JC) but when you've got six kids that's just... not really a sustainable parenting attitude, so she becomes an expert in Kind But Firm.

Zixuan: starts out being an absolute sucker because he's generally not great at handling conflict so would rather just give kids what they want, but as all parents do, he learns on the job, and he gets better at being firm. his confidence as a person increases in leaps and bounds once his dad's out of the picture, and that does show in his parenting.

the rest under the cut as it got long

Mingjue: feels very strongly about being firm and disciplined and not letting kids get away with bad behaviour, but... he probably won't follow through too strictly, and well... Huaisang still winds up getting pretty much everything he wants, so secretly Mingjue really is kind of a sucker (but don't tell anyone)

Xichen: surprisingly not a sucker - like Yanli his natural impulse is to be indulgent, but he is still a Lan, so he does have strong feelings about the importance of rules and discipline, and expects a certain standard of behaviour from kids in his care. though he does also feel very strongly about being more compassionate and understanding with the next generation, so he is more likely to use rewards and praise to get good behaviour than punishment.

JGY: will be as indulgent as he reasonably can for as long as he possibly can until that conflicts with something Important, like the child's safety or health. he grew up in poverty so now he's rich af he takes every opportunity to utterly spoil all of the kids around him - partly because gift-giving is very much a love-language for him, partly because the uncomplicated affection of little kids is so important to him. not really so much of a sucker though as he is good at putting his foot down when he needs to, and all kids know not to mess with him when he gives a warning.

Wangji: WAY more of a sucker than anyone expects, but pretty much exclusively with his kid - mostly because little A-Yuan is so quiet and well-behaved (and traumatised) that Wangji really just wants to give him everything he could ever want. he is surprisingly chill with other kids though, as after WWX died Wangji likes to keep his memory alive by letting the kids he likes break inconsequential rules - but if the kids are bratty and unpleasant and he doesn't like them, he has no mercy.

JC: absolute sucker. pretends to be cranky and grumpy about it but that's just how he shows he cares. in the happy AU he's even more of a sucker than in canon because he's purely an uncle, rather than a primary caregiver, so if the kids wind up annoying and ridiculously spoiled, well, that's someone else's problem.

WWX: naturally inclined to be a sucker, but when he comes back he is perturbed to realise that Lan Zhan is the indulgent parent, and refuses to budge from that position so... does that mean HE has the be the STRICT parent??? what the hell, Lan Zhan??? (he's not very good at it, and delights in being indulgent to most kids in a way that irritates other parents)

Huaisang: sucker and proud! giving kids whatever they want is fun, unless it's something that he doesn't want to do, or it's, like, gross. at which point he'll just hand the kid back to their parents.

Qin Su: generally a healthy balance of firm and indulgent, leaning more on the indulgent side - they way her parents were with her. she'd probably be more strict if she had her own kids, but with her niblings she does enjoy being a Cool Aunt. easily bribed with cuddles and kisses!

Xuanyu: I don't feel like it counts as being a sucker if he's pretty much the same age as the kids. when he gets older, his approach is to be Down With The Kids in order to persuade them to do what he wants. the day kids start referring to him as an adult, or old, is the day he has a major crisis.

[robininthelabyrinth]

I'm pretty sure this is prompt four. Jiang Cheng/Qin Su - Jin Rusong as heir to Lotus Pier

ao3

Jiang Cheng heard the news in pieces, scraps of wild rumor and gossip repeated a hundred times over, but he still refused to believe it until he actually saw the official announcement.

Jin Guangyao had divorced his wife and sent her back to her father’s house, along with their son.

“Is he insane?” Jiang Cheng asked his second in command, who only shrugged helplessly. “Putting aside the fact that I’m certain that he loves her madly, putting everything else aside, Sect Leader Qin is influential and powerful, and a strong supporter of his father – no matter what happened between them, surely someone as pleasant and compromising as Jin Guangyao could find a way to work it out?”

Jiang Cheng had only met Qin Su a few times, always at Jin Guangyao’s side. He’d heard about how she’d fallen for the dashing young man that turned out to be Jin Guangyao and sworn to marry him, no matter the obstacles; he’d heard how they’d managed to overcome every storm, fight the wind and rain, and eventually made it to their marriage bed.

They’d even had a son together, little Jin Rusong; he was Jin Ling’s best playmate.

And Jin Guangyao was kicking him out? Kicking her out?

Absurd!

Who did he think he was?

And yet, contrary to Jiang Cheng’s expectations, Sect Leader Qin did not immediately explode, or, rather, within a few days, he did, but not in the way anyone had expected. Everyone had joked that he would find Jin Guangyao and strangle him, and he really did physically attack someone – but not Jin Guangyao.

He attacked Jin Guangshan instead.

It was as if he’d gone mad, red-eyed like Nie Mingjue in the throes of his qi deviation; he’d charged at Jin Guangshan, his old friend of thirty years or more, right in the middle of Jinlin Tower, and swiped at him viciously with his sword, cutting a gash in his chest as the surprised Jin sect leader darted back too slowly to wholly dodge.

What could be done? The Lanling Jin sect guards could not stand silently by with such provocation – they counter-attacked at once, and Sect Leader Qin did not survive. A little later, and it was discovered that he had never intended on it: his sword was laced with poison.

Sect Leader Qin died, but he took Jin Guangshan down with him the underworld.

The rumor mill exploded.

Everyone was talking about Sect Leader Qin’s motivations – the suspicious timing of the divorce – Jin Guangyao’s now inevitable ascension to the seat of Sect Leader Jin –

Only Jiang Cheng thought about Qin Su, who should have been ascending right beside him. It had been her father that had died, after all.

Laoling Qin was far enough away from Lanling Jin that they were still mostly independent, and they were close enough to the Qinghe Nie that Jiang Cheng could pretend that he’d only made a short detour on a visit directed towards Nie Huaisang, that notorious purveyor of gossip; luckily enough, Nie Huaisang remembered their old friendship and was more than happy to help cover his tracks.

When Jiang Cheng arrived, the house was already decked out in mourning. Qin Su greeted him, eyes red and swollen from tears.

“I’m sorry,” Jiang Cheng said awkwardly, then flinched when he realized he probably should have said something in greeting first – they really didn’t know each other well enough to skip over all that.

Nevertheless, Qin Su nodded, forgiving him the slip-up before he could even retract it. She was gracious and gentle, kind and quiet, economical and thoughtful – a consummate hostess. The wife of Jin Guangyao could not afford to be anything less.

Former wife.

Jiang Cheng’s gaze danced around the room, searching for something to say, and then abruptly he noticed – “There are two deaths in your household?”

“My mother took her own life,” Qin Su said, her voice dull. She tried to suppress it, but tears gathered in her eyes again. “Shortly before…”

Whatever it was that Jin Guangshan had done that had driven Sect Leader Qin mad, it had involved his wife, Jiang Cheng thought, and then abruptly he turned pale as he put two and two together. He’d never doubted that Jin Guangyao had adored Qin Su, so why would he divorce her?

Unless…

Jin Guangshan had a reputation.

Qin Su laughed a little, a bitter sound. “Everyone will know, soon enough,” she said wisely, seeing that Jiang Cheng had figured it out. “I don’t blame my former husband at all; he acted as he ought to in every respect. It’s only my poor A-Song…I can’t imagine what his life will be like from now on.”

Jiang Cheng looked helplessly at her. To lose not only your parents, one right after the other, but your husband, your reputation, and next even your son…

“Marry me,” he said suddenly, and Qin Su stared at him. “If Sect Leader Jin’s assault were recent rather than ancient, it would have provoked the same result. The only reason anyone might suspect the truth is because of the timing of your divorce – if there’s a reason given for that, people won’t think twice about it.”

His words had come out all in a rush, smashing together like stones tossed around by a waterfall; he hadn’t thought of the idea until right this moment.

“Are you suggesting I admit to adultery?” she asked. Her eyes were as round as the full moon.

Jiang Cheng shrugged, a little helpless. “Your reputation is gone,” he pointed out, wishing he knew how to be kind or tactful. “Adultery or incest – it’s the same either way for you. But for A-Song…”

To be the son of an adulterous woman was disgraceful, but such things happened and people generally looked the other way, as long as the real father was powerful enough.

It was better than being a child of incest.

“But what of your reputation?” she asked. “Sect Leader Jiang, you can’t. I won’t let you injure yourself for my sake.”

“Not for you,” he said, though maybe it was, just a little bit. The loss of your parents, the loss of your whole life, everything you’d ever believed – who could understand that better than him? “For A-Song. He’s Jin Ling’s best friend.”

Qin Su had always been kind to Jin Ling, he thought. She didn’t need to be, could just tolerate him the way most people in Jinlin Tower did, but she really seemed to like him…

It occurred to him suddenly that Qin Su met all of his requirements for a bride: a beauty from a good family, obedient, economical, with a mild personality who wasn’t too loud and wasn’t too talkative, who was good to Jin Ling…

“How’s your cultivation?” he asked abruptly. “Do you know how to cook?”

“Mediocre,” she said, blinking at him. “And I’m better at baking, I think. I like making sweets.”

“Good,” Jiang Cheng said, relieved. “That’s – good. I’m glad. Will you marry me?”

Qin Su bit her lip. “Let me think about it?”

Thoughtful, he added to the list. Cautious, not reckless.

“Take all the time you need,” he said.

She came back to him two shichen later. “What happens to A-Song?” she asked.

“I’ll adopt him as my own,” Jiang Cheng said. “Or he can keep the surname Jin, if you prefer. And if Lianfeng-zun agrees, which I think he will – it’s his birthright, after all.” Too many times over. “Jin Ling lives with me sometimes; they can grow up as cousins, the way they should.”

Qin Su nodded, lips trembling a little. “You won’t regret this?”

“I might,” Jiang Cheng admitted. “But I’m probably not going to marry anyone else, and I’m willing. Are you?”

“I am,” she said, and smiled at him. Her eyes were still red, and the smile shaky, but it was something. “Thank you. I…no, never mind.”

“If we’re going to be married, you’re going to need to learn to ask things of me,” he reminded her.

Qin Su wiped her eyes. “Yes, but there’s asking reasonable things, and then there’s asking to alert my former husband before we announce our engagement.”

“Oh, no, that’s a great idea,” Jiang Cheng said, immediately relieved. “If there’s one thing Lianfeng-zun knows, it’s how to manage an announcement of that sort of magnitude. We should definitely tell him.”

Qin Su’s smile this time was stronger.

Nie Huaisang pulled a few strings and got Jin Guangyao to come over to the Unclean Realm, and when he walked in and saw Qin Su, he flinched. Jiang Cheng could see on his face that he still loved her, and he felt bad for him – not enough to stop, but still.

“I see,” Jin Guangyao said, hearing the plan. His expression was surprisingly neutral – thoughtful, but not as upset as Jiang Cheng would have expected. “It’s not a bad idea. And you don’t even need to admit to adultery, either.”

“We don’t?” Jiang Cheng asked, surprised.

“We can say that my marriage with A-Su broke down after my father’s actions - painting them as recent, rather than ancient,” Jin Guangyao explained. “I didn’t feel I could oppose him, she had no choice but to do so – it was an irrevocable breach. You came to comfort her, having met her during your visits with Jin Ling, and her sect is in need of support…you can say it developed naturally from there. It might not work to quell the rumors, of course, but it would at least provide a way to save face in public…Leave it to me.”

“Thank you, A-Yao,” Qin Su said quietly, and he smiled at her, pained.

“Just be happy,” he said to her, then looked at Jiang Cheng. “Treat her well.”

“I will,” Jiang Cheng promised, and took her by the hand. “I swear.”

-

It was a few years later. Nie Huaisang sat beside Jiang Cheng.

“I think he killed my brother,” he said, playing with his fan. “I’m going to destroy him.”

Jiang Cheng stared at the newest memorial tablet in the Lotus Pier, his hands clenched into fists with knuckles turned white.

“Good,” he said, voice savage. “I’ll help.”

[hulijingemperor2]

Wen qing: *checking up on Zixuan* your core and qi are good. Just take these pills daily. After your meal.

Zixuan: thank you. And what about that concoction.

Wen qing: take it on morning.

It's an energy booster.

Zixuan: is it bitter?

Wen qing: *laughing* peacock spirit Huangdi is afraid of bitter medicine?

Zixuan: ehem, no! I'm not.

I just asked.

Yanli: he's 100% afraid of bitter things.

Zixuan: A-li, don't tell her that!

Wen qing: lol, your secret is out.

Yanli: did you get to meet Wen ning and A-Yuan.

Wen qing: yes! I'm glad to meet them!

Yanli: how sweet.

Wen qing: And Yao huangdi is such a gentleman, deciding to escort me there.

Zixuan: he always fulfill the demands of his guests perfectly. With no question.

That's my amazing Foxy!!

Wen qing: aww.

Zixuan: where is he anyways?

Wen qing: Yao Huangdi stayed back to do some urgent paperwork, but he'll be here shortly.

He just arranged transport for me.

Zixuan: very hospitable.

Yanli: that's really delightful!

Yao: *entering with Meng Shi and Qin Su*

Zixuan: aw here he is. Yaoyao. We were just talking about you.

Yao: ohh. Am I that interesting? *laughing*

Zixuan: always.

Qin su: Xuan gege!

Zixuan: heyy, Qin Su. You're back! Well obviously you are. Yaoyao is flawless.

Qin Su: yea I'm back gege.

Zixuan: aww.

Qin Su: now what happen to you?

Zixuan: I was pregnant with twins.

Qin Su: *laughing* what?! Congrats though.

Zixuan: thank you. A-Su.

Qin Su: you're so cute.

Meng Shi: Xuan'er. How are you?

Zixuan: I'm fine, Jimu. And Wen qing gave me medicine.

Meng Shi: lovely!

And Wen qing is really talented and intelligent.

Yao: yea she is very talented.

Qin Su: I certainly agree.

Wen qing: taihou, Yao Huangdi and Qin Huanghou. Don't flatter me.

It makes me nervous.

Meng Shi: awww.

Wen qing: he doesn't like bitter medicine.

Zixuan: you're nervous about being complimented but you're still letting out my secret. That's unfair!

Meng shi: aw because he's a baby. Yao'er and Xuan'er are the same. They don't like bitter things.

Yao: A-niang.

Zixuan: Jimu.

Meng Shi: you shouldn't be fooled by the word 'Huangdi'. They're still cute and stubborn.

~~

Later on in Jing Manor 📍.

Yao: Ms Wen, they have installed a rose bush in the garden.

Wen qing: oh great, Yao Huangdi!

Yao: the empire alliance papers are in order. I have stamped them but now you have to stamp them as well. *showing his deep dimples as be spoke*

Yao: our empires will be very close, and maybe we can fund each other.

What are your views on wealth and Healthcare?

Wen qing: *turning red* yea.

Yao: excuse me?

Meng Shi: the dimples again?

Wen qing: they're just cute. Ehem. Sorry, Huangdi. What did you ask? I'm so sorry.

Yao: it's ok. I asked what are your views on wealth and Healthcare?

Do you think it should be divided equally or not?

Wen qing: everyone should have access to money as well as Healthcare.

Yao: right. Successfully we practice that here. But I was curious to know the structure is in other places. And people's point of view.

Wen qing: i see.

Well my place has the same ideologies yours!

Yao: marvelous.

~~~~~~~

After A-Yao and Wen Qing brought their empires together, he decided to take a stroll with Qin Su.

Qin Su: *glancing at his dimples*

Yao: are you happy?

Qin Su: yes. With you.

Yao: ah. Tell me something then *smile*

Qin su: I was feeling a bit sad, while in Laoling. Like something was missing.

Now I feel as if I found it again.

Qin Su: I want to be with you, Huangdi. And Songsong.

Yao: we share the same wish.

Yao: *makes a umbrella appear, then sheltered her*  It's drizzling.

Qin Su: awww.

Team dimple: *staring from a corner*

Xue yang: they're just smoking hot together.

Su she: hmm. They do have a chemistry.

And they both know what they want.

Mo xuanyu: where do these other women keep coming from. Don't they know Yao gege is mine!

Mo xuanyu: I'm going to talk to Yao gege!

Mo xuanyu: Yao gege!

Yao: oh hey A-Yu.

Mo xuanyu: do you love me?!

Yao: *pats head* yes I do, A-yu.

Mo xuanyu: *blushing while enjoying his touch* love you too Yao gege.

Qin su: A-Yu, you're so cute! But what's this.

Yao: yes he is. He's my adorable A-Yu.

Mo xuanyu: *hugs* Yao gege.

Wait, Su Jiejie, you said I'm cute?! But I said that you're the other woman.

Qin su: *laughing* yes xuanyu, you're very cute. And I'm not stealing your Yao gege from you.

Mo xuanyu: ok. *hugs A-Yao tighter*

Yao: come it us.

Mo xuanyu: I would love that!!!!

Xue yang: xuanyu got some game.

Su she: I know right.

Xue yang: I'm gonna try. Hehehehe..

Su she: yangyang, I think we should give Huangdi some time. He hangs with us 24/7.

Xue yang: want to spy on them with me.

Su she: of course I do.

Xue yang: Shanshan. Do you think Qin Su is a hot kisser like Jiggy.

Su she: I believe so!

Xue yang: what will happen if two hot people kiss.

Su she: then. They kiss.

Xue yang: but in a dramatic way.

Yao: yangyang, I'll know if you're spying on us.

Xue yang: I know Jiggybun. *blows kiss*

Qin Su.

Qin Su: xue yang.

Xue yang: you don't have a problem with me spying on you.

Qin Su: it's ok for your simping self, but I don't think my personal maid, Bicao, might like that.

And she will undergo swordfighting practice, due to tradition.

Xue yang: hehe, empress privileges. Got it.

You see, when I love someone, I fight to get to them. And you're lucky I don't fight with women. Otherwise Bicao might fail in protecting you.*winks*.

Qin Su: *sigh* team d and xue yang never change.

He's always so crazy.

Yao: around the clock.

Xue yang: Jiggybun, Susu. I got to go find a nice place in the bushes with Shanshan.

Su she: Huangdi, thanks again for saving me from Lan zhan and his bossy behavior.

Yao: *kisses him on his forehead* any time, A-She.

Su she: *flushed red* Huangdi.

Qin Su: ( Yao huangdi gives a lot of angel kisses, that leaves his chaos gang speechless. I really do miss his kisses)

Yao: A-Su, shall we move on?

A-Su: *blush* sure.

~~

Furthermore~~

*looking at peonies.*

Yao: aren't they lovely?

Qin Su: very! Jing Manor has the best peonies!.

Yao: yes, our gardeners are always well skilled.

Qin su: ah.

Mo xuanyu: Yao gege. I love your addition to the garden!

It's really pretty.

Yao: thanks A-yu.

Mo xuanyu: brightens up the place as well.

Yao: I agree.

Yao: *picks four roses*

*then he puts two in Qin Su's hair and then mo xuanyu's*

Mo xuanyu: ahhhh, Yao gege!!! *blushing* I'm gonna faint!

I will never take this off.

Yao: here's some more, darling.

Mo xuanyu: oh my oh my. I'm being pampered my my Yao gege. I love you, Yao gege!

Yao: *caresses his face*

Qin Su: *blushing*

Yao: forgive me.

Qin Su: for what?

Yao: for putting it in your hair. I find it suits you.

Qin Su: A-Yao, you're y husband.

You can do whatever with me, any time.

Yao: *smile*

Meanwhile this went on, a tiny fox spied on them and ran off. Then on the other side, Meng Shi was in her room drawing a few designs.

Sisi: what are these, Huanghou?

Meng Shi: jewelry designs.

Sisi: for????

Meng Shi: no one in particular.

Sisi: are you sure, dimples?

Meng Shi: of course I am.

Don't worry.

Sisi: Dimples, is it for your daughter-in-law?

Meng Shi: obviously A-Si. My daughter-in-law, the clan leader of Laoling Qin deserves the best jewelry.

Yao'er and A-Su are perfect together.

Sisi: they're cuties.

Meng shi: exactly.

Sisi: what do you like about her?

Meng Shi: her intellect and grace.

It matches with A-Yao's.

And she knows about the ups and downs of life.

You know. Like dealing with guangshan.

And supporting Madam Qin, who was harassed by him.

People like Madam Jin and Jin guangshan never experienced fighting for your image and respect.

Not even Xichen and the Nies know about struggle.

They have all earned it by birth but haven't fought for it really.

And they wouldn't even understand the struggle of women in this Jianghu.

Sisi: you're right.

But fortunately, Qin Su restored her mom's honour like A-Yao did with you.

Meng Shi: poor poor Madam Qin.

She was a hulijing, and Qin Cangye was the Jin subordinate.

Then this nasty guangshan interfered with her.

I See myself in Qin Su and her mom.

Sisi: Madam Qin is a hulijing?

Meng Shi: yes. But not anyone famous. But her mom was a cultivator and her dad was a hulijing.

Sisi: Huanghou jiejie, you know. Qin su is so demure, yet so strong.

Meng Shi: I agree. events and environment do shape an individual.

Sisi: mhm.

Meng Shi: and that's why I ship them.

My Yao'er deserves the most successful and down to earth. Someone who earned their success. Someone who's beautiful and elegant.

In their position, people look up to them for idealism and inspiration.

They're the best reigning pair to have!

Anyways, A-Si, I have a little spy who'll report to me.

Sisi: team D?

Meng Shi: no!

A little fox!

Sisi: little Dianxia?

Meng shi: mhm.

Rusong: *running in, while in his fox form* Nainai!!!!

Sisi: there's your Dianxia! he's so tiny.

Meng shi: yes! A pocket sized baby.

This was how A-Yao used to look around his age. When he turned into a fox.

Rusong: *turns back into a human* Nainai, A-Die put a peony in A-niang's hair.

Meng shi: awwwwwwww.

A-Si! Songsong, that's delightful!

Rusong: agreed! But Nainai, why team d keeps drinking vinegar?

Meng Shi: maybe because they like the taste. Heehee.

Rusong: lol.

Meng shi: did anyone see you?

Rusong: nop, I stayed out of sight. Told you I would make an amazing spy.

Meng Shi: good. *gives him some taels*

Rusong: thank you!!

Meng Shi: *kisses him on his forehead* Songsong is amazing.

~~~

Mo xuanyu: guys I'm gonna give you your privacy. I sense something cute is gonna happen.

Yao: if you wish, A-Yu. *hugs* take care.

Mo xuanyu: of course, Yao gege.

Yao: I'll catch up with team d later.

Qin Su: I wonder what's that cute thing.

Yao: I don't know.

Qin Su: *blushing* are they planning our wedding?

Yao: maybe.

Qin su: *hugs* Yao Huangdi.

Yao: *hugs*

Sakura blossoms then fell gracefully on them.

~~~

Team dimple: *hanging out in the fierce corpse training ground.*

Mo xuanyu: Shanshan. C...can a person make a flower.....into a bookmark? *blushing*

Su she: yes you can.

Mo xuanyu: *blushing*

Xue yang: didn't your rival do that because of Wuxian!

Su she: yea! A couple of losers. But team d can do it because it's for our flawless A-Yao.

Mo xuanyu: Yao gege gave me peonies!! He gave the other woman peonies too. But he gave me roses and that's all that matters.

But I think I should stop calling HER the other woman. Cuz she said I'm cute.

Xue yang: that's the team dimple rule. If they recognize that Jiggy is indeed hot and we're cute little simps, then we have no enmity with them.

Su she: once they don't challenge A-Yao and team dimple.

Mo xuanyu: this Lan lips always challenge team dimple. Taking A-Yao from us and having a right over him.

Xichen: *entering* team dimple.

Su she: speak of the lan disaster.

Mo xuanyu: ugh.

Xue yang: LAN LIPSSSS!! WE WERE NOW SPEAKING ABOUT YOU AND HOW YOU LIKE TO STEAL JIGGYBUN!!! YOU SELFISH LAN!

Xichen: *rolls eyes*

Mo xuanyu: did he just roll his eyes at us??

Su she: that's a criminal offense.

Xichen: guys. I just want to find out about that alliance.

Su she: I can't spill without my Huangdi's permission.

Xue yang: Jiggy and Qin Su are married dude.

Mo xuanyu: yea, they're a couple.

Xichen: Yes I know that part!! Well that's good for A-Yao and Qin Su reuniting.

A Huangdi must have his harem.

Qin Su and I are good friends.

Xue yang: Qin Su says you're evil.

Xichen: haha. That's not true.

And how come you guys aren't crying your eyes out.

Mo xuanyu: cuz Yao gege gave me a peony. Hehehehehehe.

Xue yang: cuz they're hot as hell. And it's true. They're getting married.

Su she: and I like to mess with you. Live in turmoil like the rest of the lans.

Xichen: omg.

Xue yang: yea. We're unhinged.

[tossawary]

I’m more into Canon Divergence at the moment, but I have a soft spot for Time Travel fic (especially with a splash of Crack Treated Seriously), and I can’t help but think how funny it would be if in MDZS Jin Zixuan was the time traveller who finds themselves reliving their life post-death. 

1) This man has next to no fucking clue about what is up with Wei Wuxian’s anything. No knowledge of core transfers. Does not understand "demonic" cultivation. Probably nearly completely oblivious to the Wangxian love story, unless Yanli somehow knew and complained to him about it at any point, so if he managed to help hook them up it would definitely be by complete accident.  

2) He’s probably pretty great at spotting tense relationship dynamics, but only so he can avoid them. Does NOT understand most people’s motivations here and when he does, probably wishes he didn’t. 

3) He probably also has next to no fucking clue about what his father and half-brother were up to at most points. Like, vague suspicions, maybe! Just enough to know that he probably wanted no part in it! He showed up to the Sunshot Campaign and did what he was told, but all he really wants is to be married to Jiang Yanli and to be a dad! 

So, like, by the rule of situational awareness, this man would no idea where to start for a “perfect time-travel fix-it”. Jin Zixuan is in the past and brimming with NEW DAD energy and ready to CRY because he just wants to be married to his wife again. He’s got new emotional awareness (touch-and-go) and social skills (also sort of shaky when it comes to being Sincere) and probably no idea how to act like his past self or hide his skills properly! 

I think it would be very funny if he somewhat blindly tried to help his half-siblings (he does NOT know about the Qin Su situation) and tried to better get along with his future brothers-in-law, and accidentally ended up being the (awkward but earnest) Dad Friend of the group. Like, his ability to actually enact immediate change is very limited and he might not be able to invite his half-siblings into the Jin Sect (he’s got enough political awareness not to try and force that, probably), but he could probably help them into better positions and write them letters to check on their progress in which he’s like, “Good job, sport! I knew you could do it! I’m so proud of you!” 

This weirds everyone in their age group out, like, “Did I just get advice from Jin Zixuan? Why do I feel the urge to ask him for advice?” While Jin Zixuan is like, “You are all CHILDREN?! I must guide you and be the mature one here, even though I do NOT know what I am doing. Let me Protect You.” 

(Meng Yao is probably like, “This guy is an idiot and I can’t believe he thinks this sort of manipulation will EVER work on me, but I’m not going to turn down this advantage.” Until Jin Zixuan actually manages to meet up with him at the Gusu Lectures or a Discussion Conference, and gives Meng Yao a hug and a pat on the back, and Meng Yao thinks about that brotherly contact for the next four months straight, like, “IS THIS WORKING ON ME?”) 

Until, after the Sunshot Campaign: Round 2, Jin Zixuan belatedly realizes that he’s become a (Maybe Begrudgingly) Beloved Brother and (Also Begrudgingly) Respected Future Brother-in-Law. Madam Jin and Jin Guangshan are looking at their son dadding his bastard half-siblings like, “What the FUCK are you doing? You’re going to get stabbed in the back?!” 

And Jin Zixuan, who has been all but stitching baby blankets for the children he can’t wait to have for years (him being much nicer to Jiang Yanli this time around goes almost without saying), just looks at his dad helplessly like, “Well, YOU weren’t being their father??? SOMEONE had to do it.” 

[guqin-and-flute]

Episode 73: Koala Chlamydia Is A Problem [My Brothers, My Sister and Me Excerpt]

[MBMSAM AU] [First Installment] [Podfics!] [Ao3 Link]

[COVER ART BY THE FANTASTIC LITTLESMARTART]

Jin Zixuan: Do we want another question?

Qin Su: Sure, yeah, got one right here. 'When I was younger, I was really skinny and weak'--hey! Hey, now, negative body talk, much! That's super judgmental of yourself!

Mo Xuanyu: And of us people who are skinny and weak right now! [teasing] Right, Yao-gege?

Meng Yao: [calmly] I'm not affiliated with you.

[crosstalk] Mo Xuanyu: [cackles]

Qin Su: 'When I was a kid, I was really skinny and weak, so I made it my mission to get as jacked as possible so people would take me seriously. I put in a lot of hard work, changed my exercise routine and diet and it worked. But now, as an adult I'm a 6 foot 7 dude--'

Jin Zixuan: [incredulous] 6 foot 7 ?

Qin Su: Just a mountain of a man. '--6 foot 7 dude with serious muscle mass--'

[crosstalk] Jin Zixuan: [sotto voce] Good God .

Qin Su: '-- and a pretty intense resting face. I routinely make children cry just by existing and everyone shoots me nervous looks in the grocery store. It gets to me sometimes. I’m not a bad guy! I just look scary. What are some ways that I can make myself less intimidating?’

Mo Xuanyu: Huh.

Qin Su: I mean, let’s see...puppies are unintimidating. Can you devise a system where you carry a few around with you at all times? Maybe in some saddle bags, everywhere you go?

Mo Xuanyu: The movies, the gym, on dates… .

Jin Zixuan: Sure, until they start pissing down your legs. Then you’re not just unintimidating, you’re the guy no one wants to stand next to at the bus stop.

Meng Yao: I mean, it still does the job, doesn’t it?

Mo Xuanyu: You could get a butterfly tattoo, like, directly on your forehead.

Meng Yao: Okay, please explain to me your thought process on how exactly that would make anyone more approachable.

Qin Su: They still want to be able to navigate human society, A-Yu.

Mo Xuanyu: Ew, why? 

Jin Zixuan: Let’s see...what makes someone approachable….Who is the least intimidating of all of us?

Qin Su: [immediately] You.

Meng Yao: [affirming] Mm.

[crosstalk] Jin Zixuan: [incredulous] What?

[crosstalk] Mo Xuanyu: Oh yeah, you’re like...you’re like a poodle. Or a--

Jin Zixuan: [highly offended] Excuse me! I'm the oldest and definitely the tallest one here!

[crosstalk] Meng Yao: [ill concealed snort]

[crosstalk] Qin Su: [pityingly] Oh, da- ge .

[crosstalk] Mo Xuanyu: Or a golden retriever.

Qin Su: Please don't tell me you think that being tall translates into you actually being scary. You’re tallest by, like, 3 inches. At most, that’s just part of the equation of being scary.

Meng Yao: And the rest of Zixuan’s equation is just filled with collared polo shirts. Which absolutely tanks the intimidation ratio.

Mo Xuanyu: That doesn't tank yours, though.

Meng Yao: I wear button downs. It’s not the same. [Vaguely disgusted undertone] Collared polos.

Jin Zixuan: Excuse you, polos are weekend wear and there is nothing wrong-- I can be intimidating!

Qin Su: [doubtfully] Ehhhhh…

[crosstalk] Mo Xuanyu: [badly stifled snickers]

[crosstalk]Jin Zixuan: I can! Just because I’ve never had to intimidate you --

Qin Su: Let's just say; citation needed

Mo Xuanyu: Please, jiejie has you beat.

Jin Zixuan: [indignant] Wha--

[crosstalk] Qin Su: He's right, gege; an unopened jar of mayonnaise has you beat. And I'm no unopened jar of mayonnaise. 

Mo Xuanyu: That shit is opened .

Meng Yao: That’s a Tinder profile quote.

Qin Su: What? 'Spicier than mayo?'

Mo Xuanyu: [half singing, half chanting] ‘My mayo brings all the boys to the yard, and they’re like-- [normal voice] this is really underwhelming.’

Meng Yao: [musing] ‘Saltier than soy sauce, spicier than mayo….’

Qin Su: Why do we always come back to food? Are our Skype calls haunted by starving Victorian ghost children? Are we possessed?

Mo Xuanyu: [mournful, high pitched, bad British accent] ‘My name is Bartholemew and I’m starving. Please, spare some mayo.’

Meng Yao: It’s your own fault if none of you bother to eat before we record. You all had the schedule.

Mo Xuanyu: [crunches loudly near mic]

Meng Yao: [falsely happy] Hey, thanks! Thank you so much, A-Yu, love the level spike on that one. Editing mouth noises out of our podcast makes my day brighter.

Jin Zixuan: [under his breath] Just...unbelievable….You all….

Qin Su: [smiling] I think we broke him.

Meng Yao: [laughing] Zixuan is limping behind the conversation indignantly, brandishing his cane….

Mo Xuanyu: [sympathetically] Awww.

Jin Zixuan: I--! I am a high powered businessman! I am trained in martial arts and archery and swordsmanship --

Mo Xuanyu: [mouth full] Oh please, gege, you’re a pod caster.

Jin Zixuan: [forcefully] I am a CEO--

[crosstalk] Qin Su: [ignoring him] I think Yao-gege is somehow the most and least intimidating out of all of us at the same time, if we're all being completely honest with ourselves and our place in the world.

Mo Xuanyu: Aww, I thought I was at least a contender!

Qin Su: Honey, you're feral. There's a difference.

Mo Xuanyu: What does a kid have to do around here to be intimidating?

Meng Yao: Learn how to chew with your mouth closed, for one.

Jin Zixuan: [indignantly] A-Yao? Are you not going to deny this?

[Brief silence]

Meng Yao: [calmly] I don't think I'm scary.

Qin Su & Mo Xuanyu: [instant uproarious laughter]

Jin Zixuan: Oh, come on! He's like...a little koala bear or something! How is that scary!

Meng Yao: [offended] Excuse me--

[crosstalk] Mo Xuanyu: [still laughing] I’m gonna pee --

Meng Yao: -- koalas have smooth brains and eat poisonous leaves all day. Are you calling me a poisonous idiot bear?

Qin Su: [wheezes] Only in private.

Mo Xuanyu: [laughter trailing off] Wait, wait, hold on. Don’t all koalas have chlamydia or something?

Qin Su: [renewed laughter]

[crosstalk] Meng Yao: [startled laugh] What?

Mo Xuanyu: Chlamydia! I think that I read--!

[crosstalk] Jin Zixuan: Oh my god, I think I’ve actually heard that. The plague, the bubonic plague, isn’t it? Or that--Some sort of--that disease people used to get where bits of you fall off?

Qin Su: Beheadings?

Meng Yao: [voice strangled from laughter] Yes, A-Su, that ancient disease the French Revolution that all koalas have--

[crosstalk] Jin Zixuan: [snickering]

Mo Xuanyu: [loud and close to mic] LEPROSY .

[crosstalk] Qin Su: Ow--

[crosstalk] Jin Zixuan: Holy shit--

Mo Xuanyu: It’s leprosy and you’re thinking of armadillos, da-ge. 

Jin Zixuan: [muttering] Aren’t we all….

Qin Su: [solemnly]  Armadillos and guillotines. Every damn minute of every damn day.

Mo Xuanyu: And I googled it, I’m right; koala chlamydia is a problem.

Meng Yao: And we’ve just found the title of this episode.

Qin Su: If most koalas have chlamydia, I feel like they have other problems they have to deal with.

Mo Xuanyu: Those pesky, promiscuous koalas!

Qin Su: Get them some damn sex ed! Use those eucalyptus leaves for protection!

Meng Yao: [pleasantly] That’s just about the worst thing I’ve heard all day.

Mo Xuanyu: Eugh, that menthol, though. Like Vicks for your dicks!

Meng Yao: I hate it.

[crosstalk]Jin Zixuan: [pained] PSA: don’t do that. Ever.

Qin Su: The voice of experience?

Jin Zixuan: I don’t think you actually want an answer to that, meimei.

Meng Yao: You people make me hate learning and also knowing things.

Mo Xuanyu: Also I've been looking it up and mountain lions are the ones that can have the bubonic plague.

Meng Yao: Choose your fighter; chlamydia ridden koala, leprosy ridden armadillo, or mountain lion with the Black Death.

Qin Su: Well, at least the mountain lion could inflict some damage. Use it like a poison delivery system, like an anthrax letter to secretly infect people.

Meng Yao: [patient teacher tone] ‘A mountain lion is to an anthrax letter, like a koala is to a…?’

Qin Su: [mock frustration] Oh, man, I know this one….

Mo Xuanyu: 'I can't come into school today, I got attacked by a mountain lion.'

Qin Su: [acting concerned] 'Oh my God, are you okay? Are you gonna have scars?'

Mo Xuanyu: 'Worse. The Plague .'

Jin Zixuan:  Okay, glad we got our animal infections all sorted out--back to what we were talking about. So, riddle me this--

[crosstalk] Mo Xuanyu: [delighted, Riddlemancer voice] Rrrriddle Me Piss, kids--!

[crosstalk] Meng Yao & Qin Su: NO!

[crosstalk] Jin Zixuan: Oh my god --

Mo Xuanyu: [laughing] I don't actually have anything today--

[crosstalk] Meng Yao: A blessing .

Mo Xuanyu: --but I'll get you next time.

Jin Zixuan: No, I need to know, genuinely, this is not a bit-- why do you think A-Yao scarier than me?

Qin Su: I mean, what's not scary about a smooth brained bear full of toxins and chlamydia?

Meng Yao: [disgruntled] Uh huh.

Mo Xuanyu: Technically, they’re not bears, they're marsupials! And I think Yao-gege is more of an armadillo--hard on the outside--

[slight crosstalk] Qin Su: --And full of leprosy on the inside. 

Meng Yao: [further from mic, keyboard tapping] 'And to Mo Xuanyu...and Qin Su...I leave... absolutely nothing, except...this bag of dog shit and...spiders…..'

[crosstalk] Mo Xuanyu: [laughing]

[crosstalk] Qin Su: Awww, A-Yu, we're being written out of his will again!

Jin Zixuan: Listeners, am I wrong? Am I crazy? He’s the size of a toddler--

[slight crosstalk] Meng Yao: [still away from mic, keyboard tapping] ‘And to Jin Zixuan...I leave--’

Jin Zixuan: He looks like a sugar glider baby that got turned into a human man--

[slight crosstalk] Meng Yao: ‘This box...of useless...tetanus filled screws….’

Qin Su: Da-ge--

[crosstalk] Meng Yao: ‘--that i...encourage him to use…--’

[crosstalk] Mo Xuanyu: [snickering]

Meng Yao: ‘As acupuncture needles.’ There. Sent to the notary. Now, what were we talking about, again?

Qin Su: Da-ge, all those things might be true--

[crosstalk] Meng Yao: [flatly] Wow.

Qin Su: But here’s a test. What would you do to someone picking on A-Yu in school?

Jin Zixuan: [immediate, sounding businesslike and slightly aggressive] I would contact their parents and set up a meeting with the school officials and make it very clear that they are never to do that again.

Qin Su: [grinning] Okay. Yao-gege, what would you do to someone picking on A-Yu in school?

Meng Yao: [calmly] Absolutely nothing you could prove in a court of law.

Mo Xuanyu: [bursts out laughing]

[crosstalk] Qin Su: I mean--

[crosstalk] Jin Zixuan: Uhhhh--

Qin Su: You see? Also-- [quick sing-song voice] 🎵 This is a joke, for legal reasons, this is a joke 🎵 [normal voice] He’s got that--that--

[crosstalk] Mo Xuanyu: [lingering laughter] Yeah, it's that menace. Da-ge, you’re like--you’re like if a duckling--okay, you remember when I brought you to Hot Topic? You were like a duckling at a Death Metal concert.

Jin Zixuan: [defensively] The music was so loud--

[crosstalk] Meng Yao: [pityingly] Oh, Zixuan.

Qin Su: You're like if a golf course got turned into a human. 

Meng Yao You're what would happen if you gave mac and cheese a social security card and keys to a lamborghini.

Jin Zixuan: [unamused] Okay.

Mo Xuanyu: [laughing] You're the lightly salted almonds of people. 

Qin Su: You're like a wholesome Hallmark movie fucked the concept of the suburbs.

Jin Zixuan: [unamused] Sure. Sure.

Meng Yao: You emanate the peril of a box of lethargic kittens.

Jin Zixuan: Wow. My own family. This is coming from the physical manifestation of a My Chemical Romance song--

[crosstalk] Mo Xuanyu: [smug] You say that like it’s a bad thing.

Jin Zixuan: -- and the woman who cries at the Land Before Time every time she watches it. I think this is a case of glass houses, here. Let ye who are intimidating... 

Qin Su: Oh, so we’re not roasting Yao-gege back?

Meng Yao: Not sure how me being compared to a STD riddled marsupial for about 5 minutes straight escaped your notice, A-Su, but alright. 

Jin Zixuan: I feel that you are all being...heinously short sighted, here. Are you seriously trying to tell me that A-Yu is scarier than me, a full grown man?

Meng Yao: I would certainly be more warranted in my concern about him stabbing me than I would about you.

Mo Xuanyu: Oh my God, gege, that was like 5 years ago and I already said I was sorry--

[crosstalk] Jin Zixuan: [loudly] What--

[crosstalk] Qin Su: Did we actually help this person? I mean--

Mo Xuanyu: We always help, jiejie.

[crosstalk] Jin Zixuan: Hold on--

Qin Su: We learned a lot about exactly how disturbing the animal kingdom is, but….

[crosstalk] Jin Zixuan: No, go back--

[slight crosstalk] Meng Yao: Dress like a middle aged accountant, share minion memes on Facebook, and buy your son a puppy so you have an excuse to talk to the dog and not people. There you go. Done.

Jin Zixuan: No, rewind--Xuanyu, you stabbed our brother? 

[brief silence]

Qin Su: [brightly] Well, that's going to do it for us today, folks--!

Jin Zixuan: A-Yu!

[crosstalk] Mo Xuanyu: It was only a little!

Jin Zixuan: How can you stab someone a little ?! 

[crosstalk] Qin Su: Thank you so much for listening in this week--

Jin Zixuan: With what ? Why?!

Mo Xuanyu: It honestly wasn’t that bad, he made it sound like--

[crosstalk] Jin Zixuan: That's not an answer --

[crosstalk] Meng Yao: [begins laughing]

Jin Zixuan: A-Yao--!

[crosstalk] Meng Yao: [still laughing]

Qin Su: [brightly]  We hope you enjoyed our enlightening romp, here! We want to thank Sister Sledge for the use of the song We Are Family. A-Yu, how about that last Yahoo?

[crosstalk] Meng Yao: [farther from mic, clearly grinning] Ohhh, boy. 

Mo Xuanyu: Okay, okay--anonymous Yahoo Answers user asks….[exaggerated, desperate voice] ‘I can’t afford a freezer. Where do I put my deer meat?’

[Outro music begins quietly]

Qin Su: [laughs] I’m Qin Su.

Jin Zixuan: [sighs, disgruntled] I’m Jin Zixuan.

Meng Yao: [grinning] I’m Meng Yao.

Mo Xuanyu: [sheepish] I’m Mo Xuanyu.

Qin Su: And this has been My Brothers, My Sister, And Me! Thank you to everyone, see you next week and remember; send your trash dad straight to jail!

[seafoam-breeze]

Hello, haven’t posted about MDZS before so please be gentle with me.

For no.1 the instances that spring to mind (I haven’t read the novel in a while so forgive any mistakes) are when he treks for 10 days in order to rescue Wei Wuxian from the tortoise of slaughter cave, when he had to be restrained trying to defend Wei Wuxian from his mother whipping him (and potentially cutting his hand off), trying to protect him from being attacked in Guanyin temple even tho Wei Wuxian would have been fine, and the big one: distracting the wens from finding Wei Wuxian leading to the subsequent loss of his golden core.

To me these incidents stand out as Jiang Chengs moral moments, where he’s shown to be more than just an antagonistic character. It shows his feelings for Wei Wuxian, that he really does care for him (or at least doesn’t exactly want him dead) and his potential for being a good person. However unfortunately Jiang Cheng doesn’t really follow up on these things, his insecurities get the better of him and he falls short (ie having a go at Wei Wuxian after rescuing him because of the words of his parents, chocking Wei Wuxian and blaming him for the loss of lotus pier after they escape).

It’s why I dislike when people make him out to be entirely without good qualities, because he certainly has the potential. He’s not an out right villian even if he is somewhat of an antagonist at the start of the novel. MXTX gives us villains who are 3D, empathetic but heinous like Xue Yang and Jin Guangyao, and Jiang Cheng is nooooowhere near as awful as they are. They really can’t be compared. Jiang Cheng has done some bad things but not to their level of evil.

One thing I will note about all these things though is that Jiang Cheng really only proves himself moral when trying to defend Wei Wuxian from mortal peril. He is much more laid back when people attack Wei Wuxian character, which was incredibly damaging in a different way. (Though I believe this is the product of how he was raised, the same things happened in Lotus Pier when they were children, he just never realised that these things can have an effect).

Actually just how he raises and cares for Jin Ling is generally a morally positive thing, he’s not entirely the great at raise him, but I do believe he attempts the best with him. He goes out of his way to try and protect him when he night hunts alone (mentioned in the extras that he follows him), and tries to set him up to do well night hunting (the 400 gold nets). Even him saying not to night hunt alone is him being worried and protective. He says a lot of harsh things to him as well, but Jin Ling (much like Wei Wuxian before him) just kinda ignores it because it doesn’t mean much. Like the braking your leg thing, it’s just an empty threat. He truly does love Jin Ling even Jin Guanyao mentions that Jiang Cheng loves him best.

For question no. 2 I’ll bring back the defending Wei Wuxian in Guanyin temple scene, I’m pretty sure the novel states he wasn’t thinking he just went for it. And him trying to protect Wei Wuxian from potentially being maimed. These two scenes he really is trying his best and following his heart.

However most of the other big instances I can think of he’s actively leading the charge against Wei Wuxian. Like leading the Burial Mound Seige, trying to take Wei Wuxian back to Lotus pier after he is revived in Mo Xuanyus body. Him mocking Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji when they’re paying respects to Jiang Fengmian, Madam Yu and Jiang Yanli. These times are also shown him in an antagonistic light.

There is also the time of welcoming the exhausted cultivators after the second burial mounds seige back to Lptus Pier and the discussion had with Sisi and Qin Su’s mother’s maid. Which are more positive. I definitely think there are more subtle scenes of him leading/following his own desires in a positive light but I can’t think of them right now.

At his core Jiang Cheng is a flawed character, he is not in any way evil. But I would hesitate to consider him good exactly, I don’t think MXTX wrote him necessarily to be a good moral person deep down and just made bad choices, if that was the case I don’t think she’d have written him to have taken random people back to Lotus pier to torture and find out if they’re Wei Wuxian. Since that doesn’t come from anything moral but rather his bitterness and anger. But as I said earlier I do think she wrote him to show he holds the potential to be good, he isn’t nearly as bad as the others, and has his redeeming moments. I wish we got to see him in the extras, it would be nice to get an interaction with him that isn’t about Wei Wuxian and his feelings about him (which is where a lot of his negative actions come from).

Sorry this is very long and rambly and not entirely from a perspective you asked for, but I’m curious to see what other people write and their opinions!

I have two Jiang Cheng-centric questions about how and why people perceive him the way that they do. This is only for people who do not think that Jiang Cheng is a bad person (not whether or not you like his character, but whether or not this character, if real, would be considered a good person by the average person). The questions are:

1) if you believe that he is or attempted to be a moral person, where are places in the novel where he displays, in your eyes, either moral action or intent?

2) in what moments does Jiang Cheng take the initiative in a given situation (being a leader, following his own desires, ect.) where he is neither prompted by an authority figure or following the lead of his peers?

(If it’s not an idea you got from the novel, you could say that, too, but I’m really looking for the opinions of people who are convinced that mxtx wrote his character to be at least “decent.”)

[stiltonbasket]

au of an au for qin su!wwx where wwx is still in qin su's body but it's JYL who gets summoned back in MXY's body.

Jiang Yanli doesn’t know what she was expecting to happen after she died, but it certainly wasn’t waking up a few minutes later in a donkey shed with blood all over her robes.

She’d been stabbed, she remembers. Perhaps they put her in the first sheltered place they could find while the battle was still going on, and somehow missed the fact that she was still alive? Yanli reaches up to her chest and tries to feel her heartbeat; she is somehow very certain that she had died, since the look on A-Xian’s face when the sword went through her chest was--

But the memory remains unfinished, because Yanli’s hands are poking at her bosom, patting over her ribs one by one as she wonders when she became so thin. Her mother always complained about her narrow figure, even as she scolded her for eating so much when she was in her teens--and Madam Jin worried about how difficult childbirth might be before Jin Ling arrived, since her waist and hips were so skinny--but her breasts were never this flat, and her ribs never stuck out this much even when she was a child.

And then her fingers brush over the rounded lump at her throat, and reveal the truth in one devastating blow that brings Yanli to her knees.

This isn’t my body, she realizes, backing away from the bloody array on the ground and into the rickety cupboard standing against the wall. This is a man’s body.

___

Less than two hours after she wakes, Yanli escapes from the Mo estate in such turmoil that she almost forgets to take the donkey with her.

Keep your wits about you, she berates herself, dressing herself in the only set of spare robes she could find before squirming out of the shed’s high window and crumpling into the dust outside. Mo Xuanyu meant to bring back A-Xian, but that means that A-Xian is...

She blinks back tears, dragging the donkey down the road behind her as she reads over Mo Xuanyu’s letter again. The poor boy had been one of Jin Guangshan’s illegitimate sons, Jiang Yanli’s own xiaoshuzi, and Jin Guangyao had exiled him because he had learned the truth about Qin Su being his younger half-sister.

He was behind your death, too, the letter said. I believe he might even have organized Jin Zixuan’s assassination, since he most likely murdered our father, as well.

Jiang Yanli grits her teeth and pushes on. The single long cut in her arm throbs--a cut that will heal only when Jin Guangyao dies, according to Mo Xuanyu--but the sting is nothing to the twenty hours of sheer agony that was giving birth to Jin Ling, who turned out so big and chubby that she spent the first few hours of his life wondering how such an enormous baby could have possibly fit inside her.

How old would A-Ling be now? she wonders. Did Jin Guangyao and Qin Su bring him up, in mine and Zixuan’s place?

Oddly enough, she doesn’t find herself shying away at the thought of bringing Jin Guangyao to justice. She can probably count on Nie Mingjue to do the actual killing, if it comes to it; there was bad blood between the two even before she and her husband died, and quite frankly, she doesn’t blame Nie Mingjue for it.

A-Xian tore the men who killed the Jiang shidis and shimeis limb from limb, and she would expect no less from a man who watched Jin Guangyao kill his brothers-in-arms right before his eyes.

But then, why did they swear brotherhood after that?

It must have been for Zewu-jun’s sake, Yanli thinks wearily, when she finally stops at a river crossing and leads her donkey down onto the pebbly beach to take a drink. Though I doubt that Zewu-jun could have sworn brotherhood with anyone who had Lan blood on their hands, whether he owed them a life-debt or not.

Her stomach growls, and she searches in the donkey’s saddle-bag for something to eat just in case the owners of the Mo estate had left some bread or fruit there to coax the animal with. Her brief hunt yields a pair of shriveling apples, half-dried but not yet spoiled, so she washes down the fresher one with plenty of cold water and feeds the bigger, drier apple to the donkey.

“I think I’ll call you Apple,” she laughs, as it wolfs down the fruit before sticking its muzzle back into the bubbling stream. “Do you like your name, xiao-pingguo?”

Little Apple takes to the name well enough, and brays contentedly every time she calls it. They rest together by the river for an hour, with Yanli napping in the shade with Little Apple keeping guard; and she starts off again just after noon, hoping to find a main road that might direct her to a town and then towards the nearest cultivation sect.

Jiang Yanli has to admit that Yunmeng Jiang is out of the question: because as much as she loves her younger brother, she highly doubts that he won’t do something stupid if he thinks some nameless Jin exile is pretending to be her. And she certainly can’t go back to Lanling with Jin Guangyao still there, so her quarry will have to be the Gusu Lan clan. Hanguang-jun was friends with her A-Xian, and would surely hear her out for his sake if for nothing else; and Zewu-jun is not as hot-tempered as Chifeng-zun, meaning that Yanli will come to no harm even if Lan-zongzhu doesn’t believe her.

“Xiao-Pingguo,” Yanli begins, stepping over something silvery in the grass as the two of them head deeper into the woods, “how far do you think the--”

Suddenly, her legs go out from under her. Little Apple brays and backs away in alarm, tossing his head anxiously as Yanli struggles into a sitting position and tries to make sense of the fact that her donkey is now over ten feet below her.

“What on earth?” she mutters, biting back one of A-Xian’s favorite curse words as she takes stock of her current situation: trapped inside a net swaying far above the ground, and with no means of cutting her way free from it without breaking her own neck.

“It caught something!” Yanli hears a boyish voice shout, followed by the crackling of someone rushing through the forest and the twang of a drawn bowstring. “Duck, Yu-da-shixiong! I’m going to shoot!”

“You are going to do no such thing,” someone else drawls, with a hint of a sharp Northern accent that reminds her of her late mother. “At least see what you’ve caught, you onionhead. If your stupid nets managed to catch a Lan, you’ll have Chifeng-zun and Hanguang-jun dragging you to Jin-zongzhu for punishment. Chifeng-zun might even punish you himself, since he’s Jin-zongzhu’s sworn da-ge. Do you really want to take the risk?”

“No,” the first boy grumbles. “And anyway, it looks like it’s just--you!”

The sudden dislike in his voice makes Yanli look down, startled, and then the breath flies out of her body as the Jin disciple marches up to stand beneath her.

“Jin Ling?” she asks, her own voice cracking like shattered glass as the Jiang disciple mounts his sword and flies up towards her, presumably so that he can help her climb out of the net. “A-Ling--is it you?”

[drwcn]

Weird question but if EVERYONE in the untamed was gender swapped and line of inheritence was the oldest cultivator, how would things change?

Asking specifically in JGS case ( would he just take 100 concubines and be done w it?) And the Jiang fam situation when there's solid proof wwx is not JFMs

Oh.... huh.... okay so let's think about this - okay CQL would end so quick because Meng Yao would've ended up the same as her mom, a prostitute, and therefore has no chance of ever getting out of that life -

BUT! let's say -

1)Qinghe Nies

Nothing much would change here I guess. Nie Mingjue as a woman would still be fucking fierce and you do NOT want to fuck around with her and find out. Because you'll find yourself dead. Nie Huaisang as a lil sister LMAO, omg Nie Mingjue would be EVEN MORE PROTECTIVE

2)Gusu Lans

I mean okay Lan Xichen....do you...do you know how many people would be trying to MARRY HER??? Everybody. Everybody would try and marry her.

Ability wise, both her and Lan Wangji would still be strong and nothing much would change there. I think the Lans would expect Lan Xichen's spouse to marry in. And that's that.

3)Yunmeng Jiangs

Jiang Yanli as a man and inheriting???? I'd pay good money to see this. I think m!jyl would need to be a stronger cultivator, or if he's still not strong due to health reasons... I think he would actually be WAY MORE saavy and wily, because if you can't rely on strength you gotta rely on brains. JYL knows he has to inherit, so he actually needs to develop other skills. Maybe poison? Maybe developing mechanics to help him defend lotus pier. The canon JYL is so protective of her family, as a man, he'd be even more protective of his sisters. WWX and JC as gremlin girls ... they would be the literal scourge of the land. Yu Ziyuan CONSTANTLY complaining like Mrs. Bennet like "你们俩以后怎么嫁的出去？？？” aka who's gonna wanna marry you if you keep acting like hooligans. JC as the non-inheriting child would give WAY less fucks.

4) Lanling Jins

Oh things are....spicy here. Really spicy. Because here's why:

Jin Zixuan is a woman, which means Jin Guangshan is marrying her out of the family.

Jin Guangshan...has no heir??? That's insane. Right?

But Qin Su Would be a A BOYY. Let's say... let's just say... Jin Guangshan paid slighhhhtly more attention since he doesn't have a legal son, to all the women he's fucked over the years... and realized oh look Qin Cangye's "son" is a really bright boy. Maybe he says to his good friend Qin Cangye, "ah dear friend, you see I have no heir, this greatly saddens me. How would you feel if I take on your son as my godson? And have him succeed me?" Why would Qin Cangye say no to that LMAO.

Qin Su inheriting. What a wild idea.

Mo Xuanyu is probably dead in the water. Lol sorry. Okay Meng Yao though. Meng Shi would definitely try to get her daughter out of the brothel life. What if she... idk, tried to run away. The brothel ppl are definitely gonna chase her down. She's from Yunmeng region, what if she left her lil baby girl with Lotus Pier's cultivators on a nighthunt? What if she begged them to take the baby back as a disciple? What if... Meng Yao grew up as a disciple at Lotus Pier?

LMAO WHAT IF GIRL!MENG YAO fell in love with BOY!JYL. LMAO omg have I created a JYL-JZX-MY love triangle/harem???? Maybe.

Omg Yu Ziyuan will have no time to hate on Wei Wuxian, she'll be trying all her might to stop Jiang Yanli from falling in love with dimples Meng Yao.

It's okay Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue can sweep Meng Yao off her feet. It's fine. She can join Nie Mingjue at Qinghe.

5) Qishan Wens.

WEN RUOHAN HAS NO SONS....omg BOY!WEN QING INHERITS JESUS FUCKING CHRIST.

tsundere girl!jc heart eyes aloof boy!wen qing LMAO. Yu Ziyuan is probably full of questions

omg can you imagine if WWX loud mouths to Madam Yu "Madam Yu, A-Cheng likes Wen-gongzi -"

~ wangxian can be fabulous lesbians together ~