#im particularly really into jiang cheng and jin guangyao raising jin ling and the Good Moments

[mejomonster]

If anyone ever has some fic recs for The Untamed, I'm quite invested in seeing these relationships explored:

Meng Yao and Nie Huaisang, and how Nie Huaisang had to become like Meng Yao to destroy him. How they used to be like brothers. Until Meng Yao killed Nie Mingjue.

Jin Guangyao and Jiang Cheng, how they coparented Jin Ling and in that way were basically each others closest tied family for child raising reasons despite politically being more distant. Both when Jin Ling is young, and character analysis wise where they might have been emotionally regarding each other when everything hit the fan and Jin Guangyao's actions put Jin Ling in danger making him an enemy when he used to be the only other trustworthy guardian for Jin Ling.

Jin Zixuan and Jin Guangyao, and how Jin Zixuan was trying so hard to mend his relationship with his brother (and with Jiang Yanli's brother Wei Wuxian tbh), but his father kept pushing the brothers farther by having Jin Guangyao do the Jin's dirty work and cruelest acts, having Jin Guangyao be treated below the rest of the family unworthy to go near Jin Zixuan, etc.

Nie Huaisang and Lan Xichen, and how Nie Huaisang destroyed Lan Xichen emotionally as a casualty of revenge on Jin Guangyao. Making sure Lan Xichen hurt and was the surviving grieving party, the way Nie Huaisang hurt when he survived Nie Mingjues death. The complicated feelings of knowing Lan Xichen never got revenge for Nie Mingjues death, kept loving Jin Guangyao until the end, and his suffering was part of the point.

The juniors particularly Lan Sizhuan, Lan Jingyi, and Jin Ling. How in Lan Sizhui and Jin Ling's case their parentage/who raised them, and clan allegiances are complicated as they have to grow into adults with responsibilities. How to Lan Jingyi its so simple, they're his friends, they're heroes, of course they're good. Versus the reality that Lan Sizhui is from Wen clan which had its own sins, then suffered under the Jins (and all other clans by extension of allowing it), with Wei Wuxian as a guardian (its own can of worms). And Jin Ling as someone raised by Jin Guangyao the current Top Villain and evil defeated, now inheritor of a clan that is the new "Wen Clan" in some ways in terms of bad reputation, is related to pretty much every major player that society likes AND hates. How to the younger generation, morality is simple and much like the most heroic characters in The Untamed: help the innocent, fight the people who hurt others (even if it's political suicide). But there's a reason the juniors can act that way, when people like Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng couldn't. Leaders of clans have made very cruel decisions that killed innocents, in order to keep their own clans alive. And Jin Ling is lined up to have to face the same hard choices. Lan Sizhui likely is too one day, given his talent and ties to Lan Wangji. Can the younger generation make better choices for society at large? If the peace maintains, maybe. Would they make just as cruel choices as Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng letting the Wen remnants be slaughtered, letting Wei Wuxian be scapegoat, letting Jin clan become domineering, in order to keep the clans they become responsible for alive? Would their clans be able to remain allies, or would Jin clan eventually be attacked by other clans for their resources and torn up while they're vulnerable with an Evil leader killed and only a young dubiously connected Jin Ling. (Fun fact if I ever write a sequel to Just a Ribbon, this is what it'd be about... which is a big undertaking lol which is why its not written yet)