#so jiang yanli dies. in his arms. because of wei wuxian. and this time he does have the beginning of a sect. it's not just the three of them

[shanastoryteller]

Happy holidays!! More Fem WWX Mo pls!

a continuation of 52 53 54

He was not brought back to kill Madame Jin.

But perhaps making a clean sweep of it all is simply for the best. He'll have to ask Jiang Yanli what her opinions are about her mother-in-law. He assumes there nothing good.

"Stop looking like that," Jin Guangyao says, somehow without moving his mouth at all and bland smile still in place.

That's a neat trick.

"Look like what? This is just my face," he says then rubs at his nose when Jin Guangyao raises an eyebrow. "Why is she - it's hardly like you're an outlier!"

"Xuanyu-mei," he says mildly, voice low enough that they won't be overheard.

He scowls and crosses his arms. In these robes it has the unfortunate effect of pressing his breasts front and center but he's refusing to acknowledge that.

There's the sound of a scuffle and he glances to see Jingyi attempting to beat an Ouyang disciple with his sleeves and Sizhui putting in a half-hearted effort to stop him. What's that about?

They're going to have to tell Sizhui. He hopes he'll be excited. It'll be quite a bit of an age difference, but he still wants Sizhui to be happy about having a sibling. Or at least not upset about it. Or not upset about it for long, he amends, because Jiang Cheng hadn't exactly been thrilled at first. To be fair, Wei Wuxian hadn't been either.

"You're pouting like a child," Jin Guangyao says. "Can you at least pretend to have some decorum?"

"No," he says, eyes drifting to where his siblings are speaking with the Yu sect leader. How had Uncle Jiang told them about him? From his memory, he thinks that he didn't and just showed up with him one day.

That probably won't work on Sizhui. There are a couple things he might notice.

Uhg he's just gotten used to this body and it's going to start doing new and different things. He hopes this doesn't mess with his core too badly - he's worked hard on it!

"When are you coming back to Gusu?" he asks. That would be an ideal time for him to kill some people, because anyone with half a brain cell is going to suspect Jin Guangyao when Jin Guangshan dies.

Granted, getting him away from the scene of the crime won't do much to alleviate suspicion. It's not like he's not perfectly capable of orchestrating a high profile murder from half a world away, after all.

"When Xichen can devise an excuse, I suppose," he answers, mouth twisting.

Wei Wuxian leans so he can use his stupidly ornate robes as a cover for briefly grasping his forearm.

This whole marriage thing is so stupid and he understands that now in a way he hadn't when he'd first arrived. Mo Xuanyu had killed herself rather than marry and Lan Zhan had been stoic and furious and uninterested.

It was supposed to be Jin Guangyao and Lan Xichen.

Making two of his favorite people miserable for no reason is more than enough reason to kill him, surely. He's done more for less.

[loosingmoreletters]

For the ask game and because I’m soooo curious about what you’ll do with this: best friends sibling au for wangxian

The way I needed a second to parse this prompt. It’s best friend’s sibling, right?

Wei Wuxian is smart, the kind of smart that meant you either went down in the history books for revolutionizing cultivation or died trying. He knows that most people assume he’s going to die trying in the attempt. He’s fairly sure his mother has had his eulogy written since he was ten and his father started picking out coffins when he hit thirteen.

It’s whatever, Wei Wuxian’s got a goal in life, and he won’t stop accelerating until he reaches it.

Everyone knows it, and he supposes that’s the reason he got introduced to Lan Xichen at the itty-bitty age of five. Well, introduced, is a rather generous way to say his mom grabbed Lan Xichen and plopped him in front of Wei Wuxian in a sort of “behold, a fellow child” movement, mortifying everyone else in attendance, particularly Uncle Lan.

Wei Wuxian struggled to get along with his agemates, outpacing them easily, and Lan Xichen apparently needed someone to poke fun at him before he turned into a total rock. They had an odd give and take relationship, and not just because Wei Wuxian’s parents were independent cultivators and homeschooled him all over the world.

At sixteen, Wei Wuxian knew that Lan Xichen latched on to him because of the end result of a messy divorce. Sects, even in this day and age, didn’t particularly condone divorce. Separation tended to be the end all, which was the reason why they never got to see Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli on the weekends.

But Lan Xichen’s parents had gone through a divorce and Gusu Lan got to keep their sect heir and Lan Xichen’s mom her youngest. She’d wanted custody of both children, but the sects wouldn’t ever allow that.

And all of this culminated in Wei Wuxian accompanying Lan Xichen to the airport to pick said younger brother up. Well, that and the broken arm. Cultivation didn’t revolutionize itself and Wei Wuxian suspected that if he’d spent another hour in the library, Uncle Lan would’ve thrown him out himself.

Lan Wangji, the brother to be picked up and taken to Gusu for the first time in ten years, was sixteen, like Wei Wuxian himself, but that didn’t mean much given how much better Wei Wuxian did around older peers.

And apparently he looked a lot like Lan Xichen—

Oh.

“Well, that was a fucking lie,” Wei Wuxian told Lan Xichen the moment he spotted what could only be Lan Wangji.

Wei Wuxian supposed that at first glance, Lan Wangji looked a lot like Lan Xichen to someone who’d seen Lan Xichen out of sect robes, but a simple comparison didn’t measure up.

“You never told me your brother was hot,” Wei Wuxian hissed. “How have I known you for two thirds of my life and never known your brother was hot?”

“I’ve shown you photos,” Lan Xichen pointed out.

Well, yeah, but Wei Wuxian hadn’t wanted to see them because he’d been dragged to the Cloud Recesses by his mother only to be told that Lan Xichen would be gone for the summer, visiting his brother and mother. And the Lan Wangji in those pictures had been inherently ugly by virtue of stealing Wei Wuxian’s best friend.

This Lan Wangji was not.

“Does Uncle Lan know your brother has an undercut?”

Holy shit, Wei Wuxian needed to touch Lan Wangji’s head so badly. Squish his face between his hands and bite his lips.

“No,” Lan Xichen said and waved at the Hottest Man Alive, trademark pending. “Would you do me the favor and tell him?”

Wei Wuxian turned to his best friend and snorted. “I love you, but if I piss of Uncle Lan one more time, he’s banning me from the Cloud Reccesses too.”

“Thought so.”

[robininthelabyrinth]

for the fanfic prompts: au where wwx comes from the old and respected yiling wei sect and jc and jyl are the children of rogue cultivators (or maybe madam yu ran away with rogue jfm?), taken in by sect leader wei

ao3

"I'm going to strangle Jiang Cheng when I find him," Wei Wuxian announced. "No, don't try to talk me out of it. My decision on this is final."

"Mm," Lan Wangji said. He didn't sound especially convinced, but Wei Wuxian supposed he could understand and forgive that - after all, Wei Wuxian had been waffling for quite a while on what he was going to do to Jiang Cheng once he found him.

Because he was going to find him. That part was non-negotiable.

Wei Wuxian was going to find his stupid little shidi who'd never had a kind word in his poisonous little mouth, but whose heart was as soft as his tone was hard. His shidi who had always been so painfully grateful for the way Wei Wuxian's parents had taken him and his sister into their sect after his own parents had died so unwisely on a night hunt - Jiang Yanli had been visiting with them anyway, her chronic weakness having flared up, but Jiang Cheng had been who-knows-where with them at the time. He never talked about what had happened back then, and neither did he talk about what he'd endured the following year when no one had been able to find him as he slowly made his determined way back to Yiling, terrified down to his bones that Jiang Yanli had been thrown out as soon as the news had spread. He'd only been eight, and all alone, but he hadn't let anything stop him.

Really, Wei Wuxian should have realized long ago that Jiang Cheng would be inclined to do some completely insane if it was for the sake of Yiling Wei. Jiang Cheng's family motto had been attempt the impossible, far more ambitious than Yiling Wei's live true to yourself, and Jiang Cheng persisted in thinking that he owed them his life. And Jiang Cheng always paid back his debts, whether real or imagined.

Wei Wuxian was going to strangle him.

And then he was going to hug him and never let him go ever again. He was going to keep Jiang Cheng safe this time, and he was never going to have to see his stubborn shidi turning his back on him again, turning back to the burning mountain that needed someone with the key to the defensive array to hold down long enough to deceive the invading Wen sect into thinking Yiling Wei was still there. He was never going to have to lie there on that horrible talisman-powered boat, paralyzed by whatever poisonous concoction Jiang Cheng had slipped into their drinks at dinner as they'd debated escape versus staying to fight a suicidal battle, unable to do anything as Jiang Cheng saved his entire family at the cost of his own life...

No, that wasn't right. Jiang Cheng hadn't given up his life for theirs - he hadn’t. He'd been captured by the Wen sect, yes, and then he'd been taken away to who-knows-where, but there wasn't any proof he was actually dead. 

Wei Wuxian was going to find him. 

He was going to find him, and he was going to strangle him, and then he was going to bring him home where he belonged.

“You can strangle him too if you like, if you promise not to use that ridiculous arm strength of yours,” Wei Wuxian offered to Lan Wangji, who rolled his eyes at him. “I’m serious! It doesn’t have to be strangling. You can kick him instead…well, I don’t know. Do you Lan have ridiculous leg strength, too?”

Lan Wangji didn’t dignify that with any response.

Typical, really.

Luckily, Wei Wuxian’s mother had given him good advice – very good, since Wei Wuxian took after his eternally oblivious father in regards to romance – and so he just waited patiently to see if Lan Wangji was actually deliberately ignoring him or if he just needed some time to gather his thoughts.

(Or, you know, be shamed by his fine-tuned etiquette skills into responding anyway. This was apparently a strategy that worked really well on members of the Lan sect in particular, or at least on Lan Wangji’s uncle – and everyone always said that a nephew most resembled their uncles…)

“…I brought rope,” Lan Wangji said after a while.

Wei Wuxian blinked. Rope? Well, of course Lan Wangji had brought rope – they didn’t know where Jiang Cheng was, after all, and there were always situations where rope might be useful for climbing or marking a path or –

“To tie him up.”

Or that.

Wei Wuxian once again congratulated himself on having excellent taste in romantic partners, even if it had taken him his mother (and, more embarrassingly, his father) pointing out to him that what he was feeling was romantic attraction and not just, as he’d believed, an overwhelming desire to get Lan Wangji’s undivided attention and torment him into friendship.

(Wei Wuxian still couldn’t believe his father had dared to say something about him not getting it. That rotten hypocrite had asked his own wife on the eve of their wedding if she actually liked him like that! He didn’t get to judge other people for being a little slow on the uptake!)

Once Wei Wuxian had realized, of course, naturally he’d dragged Jiang Cheng all the way back to the Cloud Recesses with him to try to spend more time with Lan Wangji. Never mind his own initial obliviousness, once he was set on a course of action, no one could stymie him – he’d been sure he’d be able to win the icy Lan-er-gongzi’s heart, and sure enough, he’d been right! Even if exactly how he’d managed to do it remained mystifyingly unclear, the main point was, he’d done it!

It hadn’t occurred to him at the time that it was in any way odd to take Jiang Cheng with him.

It was Jiang Cheng! They went everywhere together, did everything together – they’d even been born only a few days apart, Wei Wuxian leading and Jiang Cheng following, just the way it ought to be, just the way it always was. Sure, Jiang Cheng grumbled and complained, but that was just how he was; Wei Wuxian would even bet that he’d left the womb grumbling rather than crying.  If he’d really objected to something, he would have just shut himself up like a turtle, refusing to engage, and there would be no force in the heavens and earth that could get him to come out, so, really, the fact that he came along meant that he didn’t mind, no matter his complaining that it was wrong to bring a third party on a date.

Wei Wuxian, for his part, had just felt that it would be even more wrong to leave him out.

That had been all that it was or so he thought. At the time, anyway.

He really was just – very oblivious.

And then there’d been that one beautiful summer afternoon when he’d finally cornered Lan Wangji all on his own and they’d ended up kissing for half a shi before Wei Wuxian had, rather unconsciously, said, “I can’t wait to see what Jiang Cheng thinks of this! …where is he, anyway? Wasn’t he supposed to come on this hunt with us?”

Lan Wangji had hummed and nodded. “He made a mistake.”

“A mistake?”

“Mm. He thought we wanted privacy.”

Wei Wuxian hadn’t been able to resist a wicked smirk – they had, hadn’t they? Only…he wanted privacy from the rest of the world, sure; no one else was allowed to see Lan Wangji all red-eared and flustered, kissed until his lips were pink. But the rest of the world didn’t include Jiang Cheng, who had to see it: he would probably have the funniest comments to say about it, and if he didn’t see it, how would he make them?

“A mistake,” Lan Wangji had said again, and this time he sounded far more serious, serious and solemn. “He thought he was unwelcome, but he is not. By…either of us.”

That had been the first time Wei Wuxian had congratulated himself on his exquisite taste.

Truly, Lan Wangji was his soulmate. How else would he understand so well what Wei Wuxian had only just begun to realize for himself? That he didn’t just want Jiang Cheng by his side as his future right hand, but by his side, forever, in all things, even this?

Lan Wangji even had the good taste to want Jiang Cheng for himself as well. He was perfect.

They both were.

They were both perfect, and they were both necessary, neither one any less than the other, and once Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji found Jiang Cheng, they were going to beat that fact into his rotten head once and for all. And then tie him up and take him home and never, ever, ever let him go.

As soon as they found him.

Because they were going to find him, no matter where the Wen might have taken him. Even if he was in the depths of the Fire Palace or the depths of the Yunmeng ghost marsh, that stinking pit so full of drowned souls that even the fish couldn’t make it in, they were going to find him and bring him home.

Because Jiang Cheng was theirs.

[rosethornewrites]

NR, E, & M reading since 8/13

Finished

Not Rated:

There was a boy, by caesteves

"And the boy, who never stopped smiling despite every reason he had to cry, saw himself forgetting the voices of his loved ones. Their faces, the happy moments. Perhaps he was supposed to live a life of broken memories."

(Or, after a strange night-hunt, Wei Wuxian wakes without his memories.)

A different road, by ARavenIsBlack (2 chapters)

What if Lan Wangji never went back to find Wen Yuan, or couldn't find him?

Grown up a beggar and thief, Wen Yuan struggles to survive after a long winter. Then, two people come by that seem much richer than any other that stop by their lonely village. But trying to steal from them backfires horribly and Wen Yuan is left desperate.

Explicit:

A Matter of Time, by mrcformoso (8 chapters)

When Lan Wangji went back in time to the first time he met Wei Wuxian, he thought it would be on their spar on the rooftops. He thought of how much he would have to change their interactions through the Cloud Recesses, how he would have to find a way to split Wei Wuxian from the Jiangs…

But when he came to his body, he found himself holding out a toy drum to a little child, a little A-Ying, in the streets of Yilling.

'Huh.' Lan Wangji thought as the little boy smiled up at him. 'This will be easier than I thought.'

Or: After Wei Wuxian’s death, something broke in Lan Wangji. He would do anything to get the love of his life back, safely in his arms. Even rewrite history.

A Matter of Choice, by mrcformoso (2nd in a series)

Things have been moving so fast and in so many different directions that Wei Ying never got a chance to sit down and settle, to think. It was only now, now that the war had ended, and they have returned home that Wei Ying felt the weight on his shoulders, the gravity of the situation.

Wei Ying’s mind was clashing, fighting and tripping over itself. Two vastly different childhoods wrestled in his soul, experiences and traumas he never thought of in years reared its ugly head. Not only that, but he knows what – or who – was behind it all. He knows the end goal. He knows the role he plays.

He has one year before his marriage. One year before he makes his choice.

Or: After the Sunshot Campaign, during the one year before his marriage to Lan Zhan, the barriers in Wei Ying’s mind fell and he must reconcile the aftereffects of regaining his memories, alongside the knowledge that his choice will decide the fate of the cultivation world.

Wei Laoshi, Poonslayer, by FeelsForBreakfast

Lan Wangji comes to two conclusions, almost simultaneously. The first, is that Nie Huaisang is messing with Wei Ying. The second, is that Wei Ying has never had sex in his life.

Or: Lan Wangji goes to Yunmeng, realizes that Wei Ying is a virgin, and takes decisive action.

Mature:

Back To The River (So Learn To Swim), by kalany (18 chapters)

Yu Ziyuan has been dead for over a hundred years, so it's a bit of a surprise when she dies.

One minute she's watching the youngest Lan daughter bow to her ancestors—it still baffles her that Wei Wuxian counts her as an ancestor, and that he's filial enough to have had a plaque made for her, but here they are—and the next she's choking on blood, her eyesight dimming. Wei Wuxian, she thinks furiously, what have you done now?

Then she wakes up.

Because her bladder is full.

Yu Ziyuan finds herself back in Lotus Pier, before any of her children have been born, and decides that things would go better if Jiang Yanli is the heir, not Jiang Cheng. One change leads to another, and another, and another.

And is Cangse Sanren flirting with her?

Things do not always go smoothly, but sometimes the family you find is the one you should have had all along.

lay down what's impeding you, by Karillith (2nd in a series)

"Just because I do not post them myself does not mean I cannot appreciate and acknowledge a thirst trap when it is in front of me."

Wei Wuxian's brain short-circuits for the millionth time in the last 24 hours. He's not sure what freaks him out more--that Lan Wangji agrees that it is, in fact, a thirst trap (a good one? please say it's a good one), or that he doesn't post them... but that he could have them.

Or,

5 times Lan Wangji makes thirsty comments at Wei Wuxian, and 1 time Wei Wuxian manages to do it back on purpose. Picks up where worst case scenario ends, but can be read as a standalone.

Unfinished

Not Rated:

Beiming: To Lament- 33 Reasons to Change the Past, by ravenhg (🔒)

It had been one week since Wei Wuxian’s life ended.

One week since his love, his life, his everything, had been ambushed by remnants of Jin Guangyao and Su She’s followers.

Wei Wuxian really should have known better.

“What will you do, gongzi?” Wen Ning asked quietly.

Wei Wuxian smiled, his eyes burning like coals.

_____________________

Or:

After the death of the most important person in their lives, Wei Wuxian and Lan Qiren choose to return to the past to prevent everything. This changes things.

In the End, by Sciatic_Nerd

What if, when Jiang Cheng felt he was forced to choose between protecting his beloved older sister or his loyal brother he remembered that Wei Wuxian always found the worst trouble and he never, ever remembered to guard his back.

Or, what if Jin Guangshan never managed to tear the Twin Heroes of Yunmeng apart.

Explicit:

The "Patriarch" Was Supposed to be Ironic (or, Wei Wuxian, Chief Cultivator), by groignequi

Wei Wuxian makes a wish he didn't intend; Lan Wangji creates a path forward.

___

The form flickers, letting curls of smoke form something like a smile, and responds, “What is it you want, patriarch?”

And Wei Wuxian, incautious at the wrong (the right) moment, says “A way to fix all of it.”

He hears the reply: “As you wish.”

He knows he’s made a mistake the second the form disperses, moving too fast and in too many directions to be called back and subdued.

___

Only a few hours later, in Koi Tower, a visiting handmaid finds her madam crying over rumors about her daughter’s marriage.

The Threads of Fate, by WaitForTheSnitch

“What would you do if you could have him back?” Nie Huaisang asked him, a bit too seriously as he leaned forward.

“There is no way for a dead cultivator to return,” Jiang Cheng scoffed, not even willing to entertain the thought.

“Perhaps, perhaps not,” Nie Huaisang shrugged, “Even if he came back, that wouldn’t do much to help, would it? Your sister is still gone. His reputation still damaged.”

“Stop speaking in riddles,” Jiang Wanyin growled, “What did you come here for, Nie Huaisang?”

“I asked you what you would do for your brother back,” Nie Huaisang started, “I would do anything to have mine back, Jiang Wanyin. And I’m here to offer you that same choice. Because our brothers’ deaths never should have happened. They happened because of schemes and plots. They happened because of lies and deception. Your brother was made to be a villain and was led to his death because he was too powerful. Mine was murdered because he stood in the way of Jin Guangshan.”

There's nothing Jiang Cheng wouldn't do to have his siblings back. And when Nie Huaisang comes to him with a proposal to save them by changing everything, he doesn't even hesitate to agree.

Only with Time, by adrian_kres

Thirteen years ago, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji were arranged to be married as is tradition. Throughout their thirteen-year-long "courtship," things were not always as they seemed. Now, newly married, old secrets have ripped open wounds they thought were closed, and they must work together to rebuild a trust they never had and a love they always did but couldn't see.

Told from alternating points of view between LWJ and WWX with frequent flashbacks to memories of their "courtship".

The Second Hand Unwinds, by trulywicked (🔒)

Sent back in time without his husband after a night hunt gone wrong, Lan Wangji is determined to ensure that Wei Wuxian’s safety and in the process hopefully mitigate, if not prevent, the war.

Through marriage among other things.

Mature:

Army Dreamers, by Forever_Marie

Lan Wangji finds Wei Wuxian in the field with strangle marks and other horrible injuries after Lotus Pier falls.

He takes him back to Gusu.

(一日三秋) One day (seems like) three autumns, by SpicyRamen_10969

13 Years ago, Wei Ying disappeared.

13 years later, two teenage boys find a man collapsed and bleeding on the side of the road.

This is the story of how Wei Ying finds himself going from homeless to living with his childhood best friend, Lan Wangji, and finally getting the help and love he needs and deserves.

(Un)Hidden truth, by Sarah_R

After watching his husband; his son; nephew; brother and little radishes dying in front of him one by one because of a source of resentful energy; Wei WuXian dies too as he destroys it.

But instead of darkness; he finds himself back in the past when he had just gotten kicked out of the cloud recess and everything looks so peaceful he can’t stand it. No…no no no he really can’t go through this hell again. Not again. Not after everything was supposed to be over.

Not knowing that Lan WangJi has been thrown back in time as well; he tries; and fails at taking his own life by slitting his throat open in the middle of lotus pier and so; he decides to show everyone the future.

If he’s going to live this hell again; he’s going to change it and if these people are suddenly so determined to keep him alive; then he’s not going to let them die either.

It doesn’t matter if they end up hating him just as much as he hates himself.

(Or; another time travel fix-it which happens to be a watching the show fic as well! With our favorite baby boy and his husband; all their ducklings and their very much alive family and friends from the past.)

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

@rosethornewrites

❄️🌡️🍲

Wei Wuxian stirred a few times into the large pot, testing whether the vegetables had finished boiling before adding the tiniest bit of salt to the broth. He did not taste it, because he would have been inclined to add some more spices to it if he had - but the food was not for him and no matter what Lan Zhan said, he could not stomach it properly.

A few moments later, he put the fire out and dipped the ladle into the pot two times, pouring the steaming contents into a small porcelain bowl. Lan Zhan's appetite had diminished so much, it would have been a wonder if he managed to eat at all - but he needed sustenance, and if Wei Ying managed to coax him to finish even half of the food, he would be more than happy.

Lan Zhan didn't get sick often - but even with his strong immune system and high cultivation, he was still human, and thus still prone to disease. And the fact that the weather switched so quickly from warm to freezing that year could easily explain the upsurge in flu and cold cases in the Cloud Recesses - which even the mighty Hanguang-Jun himself fell victim to.

So, as a dutiful and caring husband, Wei Ying took it upon himself to nurse his beloved back to health, the same Lan Zhan would do for him whenever he became sick himself. So, he made sure Lan Zhan had warm, fresh food to eat, the best medicine available, clean, comfortable bedding and a relaxing atmosphere to rest and recover in.

He felt somewhat emotional upon placing the soup bowl onto a tray, covering it with cloth to maintain its warmth. Jiang Yanli used to do the same for him in the rare few times that he got sick, and she would chide the nurses to be more gentle when administering him treatments. She would sit by his bedside and read to him, always leaving a little kiss on his forehead, no matter how much Wei Ying told her to keep her distance so she wouldn't become ill too.

Wei Ying was used to taking care of people. He knew how to build a small house, how to hunt, how to haggle for prices, how to set up protective arrays. But taking care of Lan Zhan did not require any of those things, yet it somehow felt so much more charged than any and all of those things.

Of course, Wei Ying cared about the Wens, went against the world for them, and they became the family he realized he never had before. He died for them and their cause and never regretted it, sacrificed his reputation and his life out of love and devotion for them.

But, as he took the tray in his hands and walked out of the kitchen, into the light snow outside, towards the jingshi, Wei Ying realized that the love he felt for Lan Zhan was unlike anything he'd ever felt before, and the instinct to protect and heal him was unparalleled to any other. Knowing his husband was laying in bed sick made his heart flutter with worry, and his arms itch with the need to hold him through it.

It was just a cold, nothing life-threatening, yet Wei Ying couldn't help fretting over his beloved and the vulnerable state he was in. His fever had gone down considerably and he only had some light sneezes left of the cough that had been shaking him awake for the past two or three nights - yet Wei Ying still barely slept so he'd intervene if things got bad again. Even the lightest symptoms could become dangerous if untreated for long enough - Wen Qing had taught him that.

Wei Ying stepped into the jingshi quietly, shaking snow off himself before walking further inside to place the food tray down and check on the fire, feeding a few more logs to it so the temperature wouldn't go down.

Lan Zhan laid in bed, eyes closed and lips slightly parted so he could breathe. His nose stubbornly refused to unclog, but the doctor had assured him that it would improve in a day or two, after the medicine began taking effect.

Wei Ying walked up to him, feeling both immensely fond and immensely worried at the sight of his rosy cheeks and ajar lips, placing his palm over his forehead to check the temperature. Lan Zhan's eyes fluttered open at that, heavy eyelids rising to reveal red-rimmed eyes.

"Wei Ying..."

The nasal sound of his name had Wei Ying huff a laugh,

"Were you asleep?"

"Mn... Have you brought food?"

"Yes, I made you some chicken and veggie soup. And don't worry, I didn't put any spices or anything in it, it's entirely flavorless, just how you like it!"

Lan Zhan half glared, but he looked so adorable doing it that Wei Ying couldn't help placing a little kiss to the tip of his nose. "I'll feed you, so get comfortable."

"You do not need to, I can do it..." But then he sneezed so hard that the whole bed shook, and Wei Ying rose a challenging, i-told-you-so eyebrow in response. Lan Zhan half glared again.

Wei Ying picked up the food tray and placed it in his lap, sitting on the edge of the bed next to his husband as he dipped the spoon in. "I really hope this is good, I made it the way shijie used to make it for me... well, almost. Open up."

Wei Ying nearly took offense at the fact that Lan Zhan squeezed his eyes shut as if expecting to be in pain - but he was quick to open them back up, surprised.

"As I said, it's entirely flavorless. I only put some salt in it, and, of course, all my love for you."

Lan Zhan flushed red at that, though he could always attribute it to the flu and not the beat his heart skipped. "It is good, I like it."

Wei Ying fed his husband another spoonful. "The doctor said you should be getting your appetite back soon, so I made a whole pot of it."

"You should eat too."

"I will, no worries. But I first have to make sure you have your stomach full before I give you your medicine."

Lan Zhan paled a little at that, and Wei Ying couldn't help a playful look of disapproval. "Hanguang-Jun, don't make that face. You need to take the medicine, even if it tastes terrible. How else will you become healthy again? And don't glare at me again, either, you know I'm right!"

Lan Zhan gave him a dejected look instead. "You should not be so strict with me, I am very ill."

Wei Ying burst into laughter, nearly sending the bowl of soup to the floor. "You have no right to be so funny if you're so ill! I could have ruined these robes!"

Lan Zhan's eyes travelled down Wei Ying's figure, imagining him having to change out of his clothes and-

Wei Ying presented him with another spoonful of food. "Don't give me that look, didn't you just say you're very ill?"

[ultfreakme]

Look I’m not going to say Jiang Cheng is not an absolute ass for deciding to lead the siege to Burial Mounds where he KNOWS only like a bunch of old people are there. BUT. They won’t have been fighting Wei Wuxian plus like 50 people. They’d be fighting Wei Wuxian’s corpse army which, btw, KILLED HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.

and also:

Jiang Cheng thought Wei Wuxian had complete control of the corpses and had no reason until Nightless City to consider otherwise(this information that he learned while his sister was bleeding in his arms)

He has no clue when Wei Wuxian had control, and when he lost it, so for all he knows, Wei Wuxian was in perfect control when Jin Zixuan died and the whole Qiongqi path thing happened. That entire event is now personal for Jiang Cheng. His brother-in-law, his sister’s husband-- just died.

Then, in the middle of the confusing and messy fight in Nightless City, Jiang Yanli got hurt, in Jiang Cheng’s view BEACUSE of Wei Wuxian like he’s screaming at Wei Wuxian “I thought you could control this” and when he finally manages to gain some control, Jiang Yanli dies anyways.

Throughout his attempt at controlling the corpses, both Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian are scared for JYL, panicking, neither of them are in the right state of mind and WWX is trying to make things better, make this work, and he’s realizing he’s lost control but he can’t say that. This is his thing to fix so he says “I don’t know” and tries. But it isn’t enough.

So Jiang Cheng still doesn’t know the extent of Wei Wuxian’s control.

By the time the Burial Mound siege happens, Jiang Cheng is grieving, angry, most definitely being influenced by people like Jin Guangshan and Nie Mingjue’s discussions, and also has his personal grudges against Wei Wuxian because in his eyes, Wei Wuxian is why his sister and his brother-in-law are dead, and why is his nephew is an orphan. He also knows the kind of damage Wei Wuxian’s demonic cultivation can do.

So yeah, we the reader know that Burial Mound Wen remnants won’t cause any harm. We know they stand no chance and are innocent and they are being unfairly targeted when by all accounts the sects should’ve only aimed for Wei Wuxian by their dumbass logic that Wei Wuxian purposefully killed Jin Zixun and his lackeys with personal motives(once again, Jiang Cheng doesn’t know that event was a set-up for Wei Wuxian to be framed).

But after Nightless City, Burial Mounds + Wei Wuxian is seen as too powerful. All of the people leading the siege had different motivations. Jin Guangshan just wanted to get rid of the Wens and Wei Wuxian and Nie Mingjue has a personal grudges against the Wens for what happened to his family.

Jiang Cheng’s has little to do with the Wens and is almost entirely about Wei Wuxian. After Wei Wuxian’s death we know he has this obsession with demonic cultivators and specifically thinking Wei Wuxian is still alive. Burial Mound was all about his grief and mourning.

Was it right that he doesn’t give a shit about the Wens? Nope.

But he wasn’t marching in because he was gung-ho about torturing and destroying Wen remnant lives, like we have canon evidence where Jiang Cheng’s the type to kill and keep going. Wei Wuxian’s the ‘make the death linger and torture’ type. I doubt he gives a shit about them.

By this point even if Jiang Cheng thinks Wei Wuxian was losing control, he’s already labeled demonic cultivation as the absolute worst thing ever because it’s the reason why his remaining family got killed. This entire siege was about Wei Wuxian for Jiang Cheng.

And we know Jiang Cheng didn’t kill Wei Wuxian. The events surrounding the Burial Mound siege are so fragmented.

(side note: Jiang Cheng was there in nNghtless city when JGS was declaring they’re going to do the siege and people say ‘oh how dare Jiang cheng do nothing and condone this, how awful’. Lan Xichen was there, he was cool with it. So was Nie Mingjue. The first time this ‘let’s kill the Wens and wwx’ happened, it wasn’t solely a JC effort. It was a JGS thing. It only became a Yunmeng-Jin led siege when Jiang Yanli died, which of course it did a Jin heir and a hugely important Jiang died.)

I’m not saying Jiang Cheng was justified like you’ve gotta be an ass to go into the siege ready to kill innocents and what happened was a tragedy. He was also wrong in not trying to defend their lives in a moral sense. But the siege wasn’t just him hating wei wuxian for unjustified reasons, it was a tragic falling out built up throughout the book.

[sasukimimochi]

-

Chapter 1, Promise

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 (You are here). Part 5

Chapter 2, You Are My Home (Coming soon...)

To see warnings, go to part 1. No warnings for this part.

Mood song for Part 4

-

Ch 1, Part 4:

· ✦ A Century of Silence ✦ ·

Lan Wangji opened his eyes.

This place, heaven, had been his home for the past few decades. All he knew was this place, despite the emptiness that came from not knowing where he came from.

The god had assured him when he felt vulnerable and lost, and now, he was one of if not the strongest angels in her fleet. He was successful and needed…but he still felt off. wrong.

He knew that trying to remember his time on earth was discouraged as that was the whole point of his memory charm, but the pull was extraordinary for something he couldn’t remember. He sighed and stared out at the clouds, as if the longer he looked, the more likely someone would be to appear from the clouds to steal away this void in his chest.

“Your memories are being suppressed because they will bring you turmoil and vulnerability. However, I will remove the seal one day under the right conditions.” Baoshan Sanren gave him a sympathetic pat, “For now, darling, live like this. You have many years, we will fix things.”

He looked conflicted, but nodded. If she was already doing all in her power, there was no use complaining. Her spell was to help him stay happy after all, even if it did feel wrong.

“Lan Wangji! You’re here!” A feminine, familiar voice drew his attention away from the clouds. “You look well! We just arrived.” Jiang Yanli smiled, holding her hands together. Jiang Cheng walked alongside her, a bit more clumsy with his new wings than his sister. “Is A-Xian with you? It’s been so long!”

The man moved his gaze between the two, settling on the young woman though after taking a moment to reflect on the question, something akin to confusion flickering in his eyes. “Have we met before?”

While his sister was frozen in place, Jiang Cheng was instantly gripping the angel’s lapels. “What do you mean have we met?!” As if bottling anger for decades, it spewed from his mouth like poison. “You didn't say that to my shixiong did you?! He died in such a pitiful way and you didn’t even reunite here?! Are you telling me you…you-?!”

“Enough.” Lan Wangji frowned and pulled the other’s hands away from his lapels, stopping the man's angry rambling. “I have a memory charm sealing memories I carried here from earth. If we were companions there, I don’t remember.” Though, he’s not sure how he would have ever tolerated someone so angry like this.

A memory charm? Jiang Cheng froze too now, irises shaking. “Wait…I…If your memory has been sealed…He’s not here?”

“A-Cheng…let’s all calm down.” Jiang Yanli gently touched her brother’s arm, wanting to help him calm down and get information at the same time. “W-wangji, i’m sorry, this must be a lot for you. Do you know an angel named Wei Wuxian? Courtesy Wei Ying?”

The angel looked conflicted for a moment, the most expression he’d shown since they’d run into each other now, but he shook his head eventually. “There is no angel here that goes by that name. But maybe I missed him,” He adds, “Let’s ask Baoshan Sanren. She will know.”

· ✦ ·

The two siblings looked at each other and then the god, eyebrows furrowed with confusion.

“Baoshan Sanren.” Jiang Yanli stepped forward, swallowing softly. “What do you mean, A-Xian is not here? He died months after…” He glanced at the guard standing by the god’s side, the jade droplet hanging from the center of his ribbon glimmering in response. “...you know.”

The god frowned and slowly rose from her throne, flipping her sleeves and walking gracefully down the steps. “So this confirms it.”

Jiang Yanli stepped a bit closer, feathers fluffing up like a nervous bird. “Confirms-?” 

 “Wangji.”

The jade straightened, eyes narrowing slightly.

“Gather a team of angels. You’ll need a tracker…” She held out a hand, which shifted into pinks and golds like sunset on the ocean, glowing with fractals as she lightly touched the jade bead hanging from his forehead. “Your memory is not safe to be released yet, but I have triggered something that should allow it to weaken in the correct circumstances.”

“What does this mean?” Jiang Yanli asked quietly, holding her hands together nervously. “A-Xian…do you know where he was supposed to reincarnate?”

“Here.” Baoshan Sanren held her arms behind her back politely, but her eyes betrayed her concern. “That means for many decades now he has been missing. I didn’t have a way to confirm it though because you’re the first of his family to arrive.”

“But…What about A-Xian’s parents?”

The god shook her head. “They have left the reincarnation cycle.”

Jiang Cheng’s hands immediately flew to his hair and he closed his eyes tightly. “What happened?? How could he have gone missing on the way??” He didn’t know actually what happened during the ascension, he wasn’t awake. Did that mean they didn’t just magically appear there?

Baoshan Sanren gently touched Jiang Cheng’s shoulder, a calm flooding over him like water on a burn. That…felt weird. He relaxed regardless, slowly releasing his hair and opening his eyes again. “My…my shixiong, where could he be?”

“The most likely possibilities are not good ones. But I have connections.” She smiled, only letting go of Jiang Cheng’s shoulder once he seemed much better. “Wangji is highly trained and I trust he can find him, but I will be getting into contact with those.”

Of course, she left out telling them about the possibility of him being taken into hell, despite the likelihood. If he had become a demon, there was no reversing it, but it was better than him being captured by other groups. if he was captured by demons, there was a much higher likelihood he was alive.

“For now, we will hope for the best.”

Lan Wangji brought his hands together in a salute, and left the throne room quickly to do as instructed.

See other COI/MDZS content here on my masterpost. ❤Art for the banner is here.

[i-will-cry-you-a-river]

We have the tradition that Santa Claus and Krampus come during the night and when kids wake up on the sixth of December, they either find nice things (from SC) or birch/switch (from the Krampus) in their boots, depending on how they behaved during the year. I wonder, does leaving the Krampus himself on somebody's doorsteps means that they were naughty or nice...

December was probably the worst time of the year. He used to love the Christmas season, he used to be the type of person who changed the entire decorations from Halloween to Winter Wonderland on the first of November, but…

Yeah.

Not anymore.

He couldn't stomach the cheerful snowmen and twinkling lights. Nor could he bear to witness the disgustingly, sickeningly sweet family of his best friend. Wei Wuxian was probably the only reason he survived, but if he had to spend more than a second with him, his adoring husband and cute kid, he would kill himself.

He had a list of more and more morbid ways to do that.

He was just joking! But no, not really.

Nie Huaisang sighed. Walking into the kitchen, he just took the whole tin of cookies with himself instead of refilling his plate. If he couldn't just fast-forward his life to January, at least he could suffocate himself with the delicious chocolate chip cookies Jiang Yanli baked.

With another weary sigh, he plunked down into the soft armchair. Picking up the only reminder of better times, his fingers brushed through the soft fur. The plush bear with a scowling face and tiny saber was the only thing that survived the fire - aside from Huaisang.

Sometimes he wished he could have died then and there.

Most of the time he wished they wouldn't have taken in him.

Closing his eyes, he wished he could have slept through the whole season, waking up sometime in the future. Or not even waking up. He would have been fine with not waking up at all.

He let himself be pulled into the waiting arms of the blessed darkness.

Minutes, then hours passed, Nie Huaisang deaf and blind to the world around him. Wind crept in from the outside, unnatural cold freezing frostwork on the windows. Nie Huaisang shivered, burrowing himself into the armchair, but he didn't wake up. Not until the footsteps that echoed in the sudden silence.

No.

Not footsteps. Hooves.

Nie Huaisang froze, eyes wide with fright. His throat was constrained, and his heart was beating as if he'd run a marathon. Silent, like a mouse, he rushed towards the door. He knew he shouldn't do it. He knew the menacing presence was there. Yet, he couldn't stop himself. It was as if his body was not his; he watched in terror as his hand moved without his accord to open the door. It opened slowly, torturously slow, adding to the terror of uncertainty.

Nie Huaisang gasped as a creature formed from the darkness. Huge and horned, hooved feet and sharp canines unveiled themselves. But they weren't the reason for Nie Huaisang's weakening legs, tear-filled eyes, and tattooing heart.

“Da… ge…” he whispered, his voice filled with anguish.

“Hello, didi.” A deep voice growled, different, yet so similar to the beloved tone of his brother.

Tears slid down his cheeks, he extended his hands. Trembling fingers pressed against furred skin, and it felt like time stopped around them.

“Da-ge,” he whispered again.

Sharp nails skimmed over Nie Huaisang's cheek as the monstrous form of Nie Mingjue tried to clear his tears away. “I'm here, didi. I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere without you.”

His left hand cupped Nie Huaisang's chin, a clawed thumb affectionately rubbing over his jawline, accompanied by a deep, possessive growl.

“But- how?” Nie Huaisang was shivering, not from the freezing wind, but from the emotions he tried to repress for so long. Nie Mingjue must have thought he was cold, because he wasted no time in reaching down and scooping him up in a princess hold, just like he used to do when Nie Huaisang was a kid. While he was higher, furrier, scarier, and much, much bigger, those protective arms and loving, gentle touches were the same. His big brother was the same.

“I'm here now. Does it really matter how I became the Krampus?”

Nie Huaisang supposed it didn't, not really. He could just count it as a Christmas miracle. The only thing important was that Da-ge was there. Krampus or not, goat-legged and furred and scary-looking or not, he was still his beloved Da-ge.

Nie Mingjue carried him to his bed, laying him down gently, so lovingly, it brought tears to his eyes. Since Nie Mingjue's death, feelings like love and safety were basically non-existent for Nie Huaisang. But not anymore.

“I missed you so much,” he confessed, pulling down to his bed his big and menacing-looking Da-ge with his arms wrapped around the Krampus’ neck. The bed creaked and gridded, but it bore the added weight of the monstrous form.

“I missed you too, didi,” Nie Mingjue rasped. His breathing tickled Nie Huaisang's neck and did other things to him he'd rather not admit. Feeling the big and strong body next to him, knowing that the only person he'd ever loved more than anything in the whole world was there and not going anywhere was a heady feeling.

Then, he felt the tip of a clawed finger trailing over his side and he let out an involuntary moan. His Da-ge was incredibly warm and real and he smelled so good! Similar to how he used to, but muskier, earthier, and it was almost intoxicating.

“A-Sang,” Nie Mingjue growled, and grasped Nie Huaisang's hip, pulling the much smaller body almost on top of him. Nie Huaisang squealed, but soon relaxed against the furred body, squiggling until he found the perfect, most comfortable position, with one of his legs between Nie Mingjue's, and an arm thrown over the huge body.

“Didi,” snarled Krampus. “Don't play with fire, unless you are ready for the consequences!”

Nie Huaisang's heart froze, his mind supplying him with memories of fire, burnt hands, and darkness. He felt like he was suffocating until gentle hands brought him back to the present.

“I'm sorry,” Nie Mingjue mumbled. “It's okay, didi. You are safe. Da-ge is here.”

Nie Huaisang’s breathing slowly normalized, and his body went lax against his brother's. He let out a whine, needing more comfort; he needed his Da-ge!

Krampus rumbled as he pressed his hand against Nie Huaisang's back, gently rubbing it, careful that his claws wouldn't hurt the human. “I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. You are safe,” he repeated like a mantra. “Da-ge loves you.”

Nie Huaisang smiled against the broad chest, rubbing his face against the furry pectorals. Yes, he was safe; yes, he was loved.

“Didi loves you too,” he mumbled, blinking up to his brother with huge, innocent eyes. He knew very well that those were Da-ge's kryptonite.

“You minx,” Nie Mingjue grunted as his hands tightened around Nie Huaisang's hips. Lightning struck through the younger man, he felt like he was going to die if he couldn't get more of that delicious possessiveness. He always adored being Nie Mingjue’s number one, to be his priority over anything and anybody else.

“You want this,” the awe in Nie Mingjue's voice was almost palpable.

Nie Huaisang nodded, “I love you, Da-ge. I always wanted this… I always wanted you.”

There was something feral about the way Krampus growled, and kissed Nie Huaisang like a hungry beast. Teeth gnashed together, lips pressing against each other, submitting to the shared passion they hid for so long. A wayward hand groped Nie Huaisang's round ass, another clawed his shirt as if it was nothing but paper. Furred arms rubbed against his sensitive skin, adding an extra factor to the already mind-blowing experience.

Nie Mingjue explored Nie Huaisang's upper body, caressing his unblemished skin, and trailing sharp claws over his neck. Nie Huaisang could feel the growing erection against his thigh, and he knew his brother could feel his excitement too.

“Haa,” he gasped for air as they broke their kiss. The canines, he expected. But the elongated tongue that could explore places… that was new. He shivered as said long tongue slithered out of Krampus’ mouth to rub against his neck, his hips rutting against Nie Mingjue's stomach.

“Didi,” whispered Nie Mingjue almost reverently. He pushed Nie Huaisang onto the bed, climbing over him, towering over him like the big mountain he was. Nie Huaisang’s pants followed the same fate as his shirt, sliced through and discarded without care. He wanted to huff and puff and grumble about that, but honestly… he has countless other pants. Who cared about them, when he had Nie Mingjue covering his body and pleasuring him?!

He could hear a pleased purr as the last fabric that covered him was torn apart, and lips were pressing against his. It was a quick, but dirty kiss; drool was dripping from Nie Mingjue's tongue as they parted, and he didn't hesitate to kiss deeply another part of his didi. It was strange and weird and slick, and Nie Huaisang wanted more. His hips thrust forward to feel more of that long tongue, to feel all of it inside his body. It was sleeker than any of his toys, but it felt much, much better. He could barely wait to feel Nie Mingjue's cock if his tongue already felt like Heaven.

Nie Huaisang fisted his blanket first, mouth open and panting, but as he looked down, not wanting to miss a thing, he had a better idea.

He grabbed Nie Mingjue's horns with his hands, and he was convinced that they were there only for this reason. “Fuuuck,” he whined as his body took more of Nie Mingjue's tongue. Warmth flooded his body, legs tensing and toes curling at the unfathomable pleasure.

Nie Huaisang cried out as Nie Mingjue pulled away, leaving him teetering on the edge of completion. “Da-geee!” He screamed with unfulfilled desire.

Hands were groping him with naked want, and Nie Mingjue dove un for another mind-melting kiss. One of his knees slipped between Nie Huaisang's thighs, pushing them apart so he could fit there. He was a big man in his life and an even bigger man as Krampus.

Nie Mingjue's tongue flicked against Nie Huaisang's nipple, pebbling the sensitive flesh, making him squirm, and gasp and whine for more.

He didn't have to wait for longer, before he could fully process what was happening, Nie Mingjue was hovering over him, his own clothes thrown away, showing off his muscled form. Even with the dense fur, sharp claws, and huge horns, Nie Huaisang's mouth was watering at the sight of his beloved brother kneeling between his legs, his well-endowed cock ready to bury itself into Nie Huaisang's body.

“Gimme! Now!” He whined like the spoiled brat he was for - and because of - his Da-ge.

“So impatient,” Nie Mingjue shook his head in mock disappointment but followed his didi's order. Nie Huaisang gasped as the tip of Nie Mingjue's cock grazed against his aching hole. Nie Huaisang's body went rigid with fear that he might be too tight without fingering himself first since the last time he used one of his toys was hours before, but before he could voice his concerns, Nie Mingjue suddenly pushed in.

It was painful, a bit more painful than he was used to, but it was also so fucking deliciously good that he didn't care about that. He would whine and pout the next day and guilt his brother to pamper him properly, but that time he wanted nothing more than to feel the whole length of Nie Mingjue's cock inside of him. Nie Mingjue started thrusting, shallow first, then, as he found that spot that made Nie Huaisang see stars, he thrust harder and deeper. The pain was just an afterthought for Nie Huaisang, especially when Krampus’ hands were touching him, caressing him, gently scratching him as if he wanted to mark him.

Nie Huaisang moaned, cursing under his breath as Nie Mingjue fucked him. He wanted more. No. He needed more.

“That's it. Good boy, take what you need,” Nie Mingjue said in a rough, husky voice when Nie Huaisang ground his hips forward to get more of that amazing cock.

The pace shifted as Nie Mingjue became rougher, fucking him like he owned him. Nie Huaisang supposed that wasn't that far from the truth; he really was Nie Mingjue's.

“Da-geee,” Nie Huaisang cried out as his brother ground into him. Clawed hands held his ass for a better position, fucking Nie Huaisang's ass as if he never wanted to stop. The younger man's moans became broken, just a mess of grunts and whines and soundless gasps. He reached up to grasp the horns with his hands to meet his brutal pace with his own movements.

“Yes, didi! Just like that!” Nie Mingjue rasped. After a few more thrusts, he came inside Nie Huaisang with a loud growl. The rush of pleasure was enough to push Nie Huaisang over the edge. Toe-curling, dizzying, earth-shattering pleasure ran through Nie Huaisang. He could barely feel his brother's cum filling him uncomfortably full, he was just floating on air. It was like falling and being drunk and feeling the happiest he'd ever felt mixed together into the perfect cocktail. Nothing mattered, only them.

When Nie Mingjue finally pulled out, fatigue claimed Nie Huaisang. He was halfway to Dreamland, when he heard, “Sleep, A-Sang. I'll be here when you wake up. You will never be alone anymore, I promise. Sweet dreams, didi.”

Nie Huaisang felt whole again, full like never before. Before this, he hated Christmas, he despised it, but in the end, Christmas miracles really did happen. There would be no more lonely days for him, not anymore.

[tls123]

the insanity of jiang cheng “believing” it’s all wei wuxian’s fault that his parents and really his entire sect were slaughtered and yet only being able to choke him for a handful of seconds at the peak of his grief before letting him go and willingly sacrificing himself not even 24hrs later versus having jiang yanli die in his arms prompting him to immediately go “okay, time for fratricide”

[vrishchikawrites]

Aren't JC's thoughts and fears pretty normal and that he has the right to think that the first thing Wei Wuxian should have done upon resurrection is head to Lotus Pier and explain himself? When family members start dying, aren't explanations in order?

JC trusting WWX so much is one of the things that added to the tragedy and keeps him up at night. He lets his brother get away with so much! He's just less stringent about orthodoxy and willing to roll with it if WWX says everything's under control. Wei Wuxian couldn't keep up the pretense forever, but he still managed to last as JC's right hand for THREE FUCKING YEARS without JC catching on just because he trusts WWX that much. WWX isn't being fully honest, but JC trusts that he knows what he's doing and means well and so just rolls his eyes when WWX says shit like "The more you ask me to do something the more I don't want to" and goes day drinking without helping with the rebuilding while JC works late every night.

When WWX breaks out the Wen in what is a political disaster for Jiang Cheng and is doing mad science just because Wen Qing asked when JC asked him fifty million times to teach even just one sword class, JC lashes out and gets his feelings hurt but agrees to the ruse. After WWX broke with the Jiang, it's Jiang Cheng's idea to give him nephew naming rights so he still feels included in their family, and then WWX loses control and kills the father of said nephew which is a little awkward emotionally. But even then as furious as he is he doesn't take the pledge with the others and holds his disciples back, and then WWX hits Yanli with a zombie and JC has to hold her as she dies in his arms. Jiang Cheng continued to trust and love Wei Wuxian and keep him included in their family throughout the entirety of the first life and then his entire family died and he started questioning this decision.

Even the whole consent issue with JC is wild because he should have just told him. He would have understood considering JC himself sacrificed his core.

Um.

That's a whole lot of CQL and fanon you just dropped into my inbox, love.

The novel was pretty explicit when it described what was happening immediately after the war. WWX not putting any less effort. In fact, majority of the new recruits joined Yunmeng Jiang because WWX was standing there behind JC.

WWX DID have it under control. You may want to read up on that ambush scene a little more.

Cause. Dude. Jin Zixuan may have died but no way was it 100% WWX's fault. You don't just lunge at someone surrounded by 300 armed men trying to kill him and ask him to peacefully walk into a trap, all the while siding with the asshole trying to kill WWX.

There's a two year gap between the rescue of the Wens and the ambush. During that time, WWX was just chilling and keeping the Wens alive. Not a single incidence of any loss of control reported.

Fifty million times? I don't recall reading it once in the novel but I went and confirmed it with my friends on Discord too. And nope, didn't happen. It is CQL bs. So is him drinking away and being drunk. Because in novel canon and according to MXTX herself, WWX's drunk self is virtually indistinguishable from his not-drunk self. The only time he is remotely tipsy is during the bathtub incident (if you know, you know.)

Doesn't take the pledge? Holds his disciples back? More CQL bs. He was there in the ceremony watching them burn the people who saved him burn alive. He also knew exactly who were in the BM, including a fucking toddler.

Remember a-Yuan? And his grandmother? Who had her fucking head caved in? And who was thrown into the bloodpool with no proper rites and rituals?

Who lead that siege into the BM?

Jiang fucking Cheng. He LEAD. They wouldn't have been able to pull it off without him.

And JYL? Dude. Do you understand the situation at all? Thousands of people gathered for the sole purpose of killing WWX and the 50 people he protected. They attacked first. WWX retaliated. JYL ran into an active battlefield, no one knowing she was even there. The first hit was an accident. The second was her protecting WWX.

Do you understand? That was foolish choices made out of desperation from the only other person alive who truly loved WWX at that point.

WWX lost control after that. Rightfully so. But even before that, the situation was messed up enough to warrant ANYONE snapping.

Love and trust? You understand JC nearly strangled WWX to death? And then gutted him in a staged fight? WWX literally had to stuff his organs back in? And he declared him the enemy of the cultivation world? And blamed him for rescuing people instead of keeping his head down? His entire family died because the cultivation world is messed up, not because WWX is uncontrollable. The Wens attacked CR unprovoked. They would've done the same to LP. And they did. WWX just became a convenient scapegoat. It is funny how the fandom takes JC's delusional rant about it being WWX's fault so seriously.

JYL died because she ran, unarmed and untrained, into an open battlefield, where WWX facing thousands of cultivators determined to kill him and just 50 old or infirm people, alone? And that she threw herself forward to protect him?

JC's grief about losing his sister and parents is understandable, but let us not ignore the huge part he played in the mess post SSC. Even the villian called him out on his stupidity.

There's a reason why no one but Wangxian is rewarded at the end of the novel. No one but them deserved any measure of peace after their colossal fuckups.

The consent argument is done to death. I won't rehash it. And JC didn't know he was gonna be losing his core. If he had, he wouldn't have fucking moved from his place.

We all know what happened after the GC transfer was revealed to him.

He just blamed WWX and tried to hold him to a debt that shouldn't rightfully exist in the first place.

I've read the novel before it was even translated by seven seas. I still remember what the og canon JC is like. Unfortunately for many stans, JC *is* an antagonist seething in his resentment and jealousy. And he remains that way till the very end.

[shanastoryteller]

Happy Halloween!!! More Lady Mo? I love your writings!!

a continuation of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48

Lan Zhan doesn’t want their baby.

Not their baby, he forces himself to think through the blood pounding in his ears. This body doesn’t belong to him. He’s just borrowing it, and the child he’s carrying no more belongs to him than the body he’s wearing. It’s Lan Zhan’s baby. And he doesn’t want it.

For the first time, he’s grateful that Mo Xuanyu didn’t stick around. It’s breaking his heart, and the baby isn’t even his. This would have killed her.

Or maybe it wouldn’t have. She didn’t want to be a bride, maybe she didn’t want to be a mother either, and she and Lan Zhan would have just been in perfect agreement about any child they would have created, and what had to be done about it.

I’m sorry.

I never intended –

This is for the best.

He can complete the mission that Mo Xuanyu died to give him. He doesn’t have to try and stretch it out or leave Lan Zhan behind to raise a child alone. What a mess that would have been, for him to have the kid and leave it behind with a father that didn’t want him. He wouldn’t wish that on any child, especially his ow – especially any child he helped create. It would have just been another terrible, bitter legacy of his to leave behind, an unloved child and a disinterested father.

This is better. This is a good thing.

“Oh, Meimei.”

Wei Wuxian blinks and sees Jiang Yanli kneeling in front of him, rubbing her sleeve over his cheeks for some reason. They come away damp and it takes him raising a hand to his own face to realize he’s crying.

Stupid. There’s nothing to cry over. This is the best thing that could have happened. A baby makes things complicated. Now they can be simple.

“We’ll take care of you,” Jiang Yanli says, pulling him into her arms, and he lets her, because he’s weak and she’s his sister and he feels that familiar roll of nausea even though there’s nothing in his stomach to upset it. “Don’t worry. We’ll take care of everything. You won’t have to – you know, you barely got a chance to see Jin Tower the first time, you should stay past the cultivation conference. Or, hm, I know there’s, well there’s also Lotus Pier. You’ve never been have you? A-Cheng could escort you there and you could see the ponds. We can think of a reason. A-Yao will help.”

Most of what she’s saying doesn’t make any sense, but it’s so comforting to be held by her that he just goes with it. He looks over her shoulder, expecting to see Jiang Cheng awkwardly hovering in the doorway, but it’s empty.

It’s. Empty.

“Where’s Jiang Cheng?” he rasps, even though he thinks he already knows.

She stiffens, her voice taking on a tone that reminds him of Madame Yu. “He went to talk to Lan Wangji. He’ll be back.”

He remembers Jiang Cheng’s reaction when he thought that Lan Zhan had hurt him, and now here he is, crying, and even though it’s stupid, he’s, well, it’s easy to see how Jiang Cheng could look at him and think him hurt, even though it’s not his baby and it’s for the best. But he doesn’t know that.

“Shit,” he curses, pushing himself away and stumbling to his feet. “Oh, no, he’ll kill him.”

He’s spared against Lan Zhan and Jiang Cheng has his core in his chest. Maybe he can’t actually kill him, but blood will be spilled, and both of them are stubborn enough to keep at it until someone does die. Fuck.

Jiang Yanli shrugs, then winces, like she knows that wasn’t the appropriate response. In other circumstances, that would be enough to goad him to laughter, but now he just rushes for the door.

“Meimei!” she calls out, but Wei Wuxian ignores her.

He doesn’t get far, running into Jin Guangyao almost as soon as he steps into the hallway. His eyes flicker to Jiang Yanli behind him, his frown deepens, and then he looks Wei Wuxian up and down once, then does it again, except this time he stops at his stomach. “Ah.”

How does he do that? He’s so lucky they didn’t know each other during the war and that he didn’t know his sister at all, otherwise he would have been made the first time the two of them had a conversation. “Where’d they go?”

“Perhaps it’s best if we leave them to it,” he suggests.

Wei Wuxian stares. “Have you lost it? Jiang Cheng is pissed and he’s going to take that anger out on Wangji. How many more whip scars do you want him to have?”

Jin Guangyao presses his lips together. “He is A-Huan’s brother. In different circumstances, that would entitle him to my protection. But you’re my sister.”

The warmth rushes through him and causes his eyes to sting. It’s all borrowed, all a lie, because he’s not Mo Xuanyu, but his stupid heart is really doing a terrible job of remember that right now. “A-Yao, please.”

He sighs. “All right. Follow me.”

[flautistsandpeonies]

How Living in the Jiang Sect Shaped Wei WuXian’s Cultivation & Mastery of the Six Arts

Wei WuXian is one of the best swordsmen of his generation, we know this because his sword sealed itself and wouldn’t allow anyone to wield except for Jiang Cheng because Subian recognized him as Wei WuXian because of the man’s core inside of him.

Now, let’s go on a tangent and talk about Wei WuXian’s sleep cycle. He is said to go to bed at 2am and wake up at 10am. Most fanfics write this as a flaw, but he’s getting eight hours of sleep, so it really isn’t a big deal and it’s never said to inconvenience anyone. But, it’s written as if he’s the only person in the Jiang Sect whose sleep cycle is like this. So, what is Wei WuXian doing at these early hours of the morning?

My best bet? Practicing his swordsmanship.

Wei WuXian is the best disciple of his sect, but we also have to remember that he had a late start to cultivation- and probably reading, writing, arithmetic, etc as well. He’s is a prodigy, but he still would have had to work extra hard to not only catch up to his fellow disciples, but to surpass them and gain the title of Head Disciple.

It’s not unlikely that Wei WuXian would wait until everyone went to sleep and head out to training grounds to get some hours of training in before going to sleep at a later time.

...

We can’t talk about Wei WuXian’s time in the Jiang Sect without talking about the abuse he suffered the eight years he was living there. Specifically, Madam Yu’s abuse.

It was stated that if Yu ZiYuan didn’t use her go to method of Zidian on Wei WuXian, then she would lock him in the ancestral hall for hours until Jiang Fengmian got back late at night and let him out.

Now, most fanfics would have Jiang Yanli or Jiang Cheng sneaking into the hall to spend time with him or give him food, water, and medical aid, but we have to realize that that’s just not possible. It was also stated that Madam Yu did this specifically to separate Wei WuXian from Jiang Cheng, so there is no way that she wouldn’t notice that her children having disappeared. (This would also probably get Wei WuXian in more trouble, and he would probably get whipped.)

So, what would a Wei WuXian who’s all alone, forced to kneel for hours on end be up to?

Meditation.

Despite the fanon characteristic that Wei WuXian is bad at meditation- or doesn’t meditate at all- he is actually the opposite. In the beginning of the story, Wei WuXian meditates for a full twenty four hours non-stop to get used to his new body, and he only stops after because the body he was summoned into was severely malnourished and was starving from hunger.

So, it’s probably that when Madam Yu locked Wei WuXian away, he spent those hours meditating, because, let’s just be honest, it was probably the only thing he could do without getting hurt.

...

Next, let’s move on to his mastery of the six arts.

-Rites: He created an entirely new form of cultivation and made revisions to the curriculum that spiritual cultivators already learn. He was also shown to be well read, often reciting poetry.

-Archery: He was able to win first place at the QishanWen archery competition despite Wen Chao and his lackeys actively stealing his marks. He was also able to shoot a bullseye blindfolded.

-Chariotry: He was able to steer a horse while carrying an unconscious Wen Qing and infant Wen Yuan in his arms, and leading a group of refugees to safety.

-Music: His flute playing was so good that cultivators described him as being able to fell gods during the war. He can also memorize a song after hearing it once.

-Calligraphy: It was stated that he has great calligraphy, but he doesn’t normally put the energy into making sure that everything he writes is 100% perfect.

-Mathematics: He was able to create a compass that tells you the general direction of prey and was going to create a more accurate version before he died. He also created a flag that can summon prey and is able to tell how many miles/meters/etc. that a flag will be able to summon within a space.

Like I stated before, Wei WuXian had a late start so when would he have time to hone these skills out of natural learning times?

Well, he enjoys hunting pheasants and fishing doesn’t he?

If you’ve never been hunting or fishing before, let me say that it takes time and patience. It’s not too far our there to believe that while waiting to catch a fish Wei WuXian would be reading texts, playing his flute, practicing his calligraphy, etc.

...

I write this because Wei WuXian’s cultivation is rarely talked about in the sense of him learning and growing during his adolescence. We see how living under Madam Yu’s abuse, Jiang Fengmian’s passivity, and Jiang Cheng’s anger and jealously further shaped him into the man he is. It’s also interesting to think how it could have affected his cultivation.

What do you guys think? Opinions are very welcome.

JC Stans & Yu ZiYuan Stans Don’t Clown on my Posts

[fannish-karmiya]

Wei Wuxian’s Position in the Jiang Household

Fandom tends to mischaracterise Wei Wuxian’s position in the Jiang family greatly. A lot of people project more modern ideas about adoption onto his relationship with the Jiang siblings, and write as if he really is their sibling and only Yu Ziyuan’s abusive nature gets in the way of their bond.

This strikes me as a bit misguided. While adoption was practised in ancient China, it was mainly for the purpose of obtaining a male heir in the absence of one, or obtaining more daughters to marry off for alliances. Jiang Fengmian had no reason to adopt Wei Wuxian into the main family, and he didn’t. Wei Wuxian’s position in the household is far more nebulous than that, and honestly it’s hard to find an exact corollary, in Chinese history or in any culture, precisely because it was so messy and ill-defined.

A Companion to Upper Class Children

Wei Wuxian is the son of a servant of Yunmeng Jiang; it’s notable that Wei Changze is always referred to this way, rather than as a disciple. Wei Changze wound up leaving the sect in order to marry Cangse Sanren, and Jiang Fengmian considered them dear enough friends that when he heard they passed away, he spent years searching for their orphaned son. He wound up finding Wei Wuxian on the streets of Yiling and brought him home as his ward.

Wei WuXian was taken home by Jiang FengMian when he was nine.

Most memories from back then were already blurred. Yet, Jin Ling’s mother, Jiang YanLi, remembered all of them, and even told him quite a few.

She said that, after his father heard of the news that his parents both died in battle, he had always dedicated himself to finding the child that these past friends had left behind. After searching for a while, he finally found the child in Yiling.

(Chapter 24, Exiled Rebels translation)

It’s clear from the start that beyond this sense of obligation to his old friends, Jiang Fengmian also had a role set out for Wei Wuxian: he wanted him to be a companion to his children, and Jiang Cheng in particular.

He encourages a friendship between them, insisting on a sleepover between the two a week into Wei Wuxian’s stay.

On the second day, Jiang Cheng’s puppies were given to someone else.

This angered Jiang Cheng so much that he threw a big tantrum. No matter how much Jiang FengMian comforted him gently, telling him that they should ‘be good friends’, he refused to talk to Wei WuXian. Quite a few days later, Jiang Cheng’s attitude softened. Jiang FengMian wanted to strike while the iron was still hot, so he told Wei WuXian to sleep in the same room as him, hoping that they’d grow fonder of each other.

[...]

That night, Jiang Cheng locked Wei WuXian outside his room, refusing to let him in.

[...]

Wei WuXian waited outside for a long time. When the door opened, before the joy could spread onto his face, he was bombarded with a pile of things being thrown out. The door banged shut again.

Jiang Cheng told him from inside, “Go sleep somewhere else! This is my room! You’re even gonna steal my room?!”

[...]

Standing outside, as Wei WuXian heard that dogs would come bite him, fear immediately bubbled within him. Twisting his fingers, he hurried, “I’ll go, I’ll go. Don’t call the dogs!”

Dragging behind him the sheets and blanket that were thrown outside, he ran out the hall. Having only arrived at Lotus Pier for a short period of time, he didn’t dare jump around yet. Every day, he obediently holed up in the places that Jiang FengMian told him to stay at. He didn’t even know where his room was, much less have the courage to knock on other people’s doors, scared that it’d disturb someone’s dreams.

(Chapter 71, Exiled Rebels translation)

After Jiang Cheng is worried about getting in trouble, he goes to Jiang Yanli for help, and she searches for Wei Wuxian.

But this was the first pair of shoes that Jiang FengMian bought him. Wei WuXian was too embarrassed to make him go out of his way to buy another pair, and so he said that they weren’t too big. Jiang YanLi helped him into his shoe and pressed the hollow tip, “It is a bit big. I’ll fix it for you when we get back.”

Hearing this, Wei WuXian felt somewhat uneasy, as if he did something wrong again.

Living in other people’s homes, the worst that could happen was to make trouble for the hosts.

Jiang YanLi put him onto her back and began to walk back, wobbling in her steps as she spoke, “A-Ying, no matter what A-Cheng said to you, don’t bother about him. He doesn’t have a good temper, so he’s always home playing with himself. Those puppies were his favorites. Dad sent them away, and so he’s feeling upset. He’s actually really happy that somebody’s here to be with him.”

(Chapter 71, Exiled Rebels translation)

Later, Wei Wuxian offers to cover for him, saying simply that he ran outside by himself because he was scared. In this one case it feels like a genuine instance of children showing solidarity and covering for each other’s little misbehaviours. But it also follows a pattern of Wei Wuxian doing this and making excuses, time and time again, for Jiang Cheng. I wonder if on some level, he already knew that his role in the household was in part to be a companion-servant to Jiang Cheng.

Wei Wuxian normally never puts up with people treating him poorly or being arrogant; he constantly bites his tongue when Jiang Cheng does so around him. While they study at Cloud Recesses, Jiang Cheng frequently insults Wei Wuxian, who always just smiles and laughs it off.

Jiang Cheng humphed, “Him? He wakes at nine in the morning and sleeps at one during the night. When he wakes up, he doesn’t practice his sword or meditate; he goes boating, swims around, picks lotus seedpods, and hunts for pheasants.”

Wei WuXian replied, “No matter how much pheasants I hunt, I’m still number one.”

(Chapter 13, Exiled Rebels translation)

Jiang Cheng scolded with a darkened expression, “What are you proud of?! What is there to be proud of with this?! Do you think that it’s a glorious thing to be told by someone to get lost? You bring so much shame upon our sect!”

(Chapter 16, Exiled Rebels translation)

We never see Wei Wuxian excusing this sort of behaviour from any other character; he has no problem scolding Jin Ling for his arrogant attitude and telling him that he shouldn’t be imitating his uncle, after all! It’s only where Jiang Cheng is concerned that he does this, and honestly, even then he seems to be quite aware that Jiang Cheng’s behaviour is wrong; he simply accepts on some level that it’s his role in the household to put up with it.

He actually does, very gently, try to guide Jiang Cheng at times. In Lotus Seed Pods, for example, he tries to give Jiang Cheng advice on how to flirt with some of the maidens in Yunmeng and make friends:

Wei WuXian threw the seed pods toward the shore. It was a far distance, but they landed lightly in the women’s hands. He grabbed a few more and stuffed them into Jiang Cheng’s arms, shoving, “What are you doing, just standing there? Hurry up.”

After a few shoves, Jiang Cheng could only accept them, “Hurry up and do what?”

Wei WuXian, “You ate the watermelon too, so you also have to return the gift, don’t you? Here, here, don’t be embarrassed. Start throwing, start throwing.”

Jiang Cheng snorted again, “You must be joking. What’s there to be embarrassed about?” Whatever he said, however, even after all of the shidi began to throw seed pods, he still didn’t start to move. Wei WuXian urged, “Then throw some! If you throw some this time, next time you can ask them if the seed pods tasted good, and you’ll be able to make conversation again!”

[...]

Jiang Cheng was just about to throw one when he realized how shameless it was the moment he heard it. He peeled a seed pod and ate it by himself.

[...]

After a while of laughter, he turned around and looked at Jiang Cheng, who was sitting at the front of the boat eating seed pods with a long face. His smile gradually disappeared as he sighed, “Well, what an unteachable child.”

Jiang Cheng fumed, “So what if I want to eat alone?”

Wei WuXian, “Look at you, Jiang Cheng. Nevermind. You’re hopeless. Just wait to eat alone your whole life!”

(Chapter 125, Lotus Seed Pod, Exiled Rebels translation)

He even sighs rather disappointedly when Jiang Cheng refuses to take the hint; he knows that Jiang Cheng’s sullen behaviour is going to make him miserable down the line, but all of his gentle efforts to nudge him in a better direction have failed.

He also speaks with great awareness of Jiang Cheng’s flaws after the fight in the ancestral hall:

Wei WuXian reached out with one hand and massaged his chest, as if trying to break up the pent-up feeling inside his heart. A moment later, he blurted, “I knew Jiang Cheng wouldn’t have let us go so easily. That brat… How could this be?!”

[...]

Wei WuXian’s eyelids throbbed, “Every one of them. The brat’s been like this ever since he was young.He’ll say anything when he’s angry, no matter how bad it is. He gives up on all grace and discipline whatsoever. As long as it’d annoy whomever he’s against, he’d say it no matter what terrible insults he uses. After all these years, he hasn’t gotten better at all. Please don’t take it to heart.”

(Chapter 90, Exiled Rebels translation)

This is so interesting to me, because it really makes it clear that Wei Wuxian has always been aware of these flaws of Jiang Cheng’s. He hasn’t been viewing him through rose-coloured lenses or making excuses for him because he’s ‘family’. He puts up with Jiang Cheng’s behaviour because being his companion is one of his duties in the Jiang household. It may never have been directly stated, but there seems to be some unspoken understanding to this effect.

I honestly don’t know if there is any official role in history (in any culture, not just China) which perfectly correlates to this. In China a lady’s maid was expected to also be a close friend and companion to her mistress (in canon, see Bicao to Qin-furen and Yinzhu and Jinzhu to Yu-furen). In Europe an upper class woman would hire a lady’s companion, a woman from the lower fringes of the gentry who would serve as her companion in exchange for financial support.

I don’t know of any version of this role which involves two men. In general, this sort of role existed because upper class women were confined to the household by and large, and had very limited social spheres. Men, meanwhile, had much greater ability to meet with their peers and make friends. I almost feel like Wei Wuxian wound up being shoved into this role simply because even as a child Jiang Cheng was so unsociable that Jiang Fengmian didn’t know what else to do!

Wei Wuxian also at least once steps in and starts a fight in place of Jiang Cheng (essentially taking the fall for him). He does this when Jin Zixuan speaks disparagingly of Jiang Yanli at Cloud Recesses:

Jin ZiXuan asked in reply, “Why don’t you ask me how on Earth can I be satisfied with her?”

Jiang Cheng instantly stood up.

Pushing him to the side, Wei WuXian walked in front of him and sneered, “You sure think that you’re pretty satisfying, don’t you? Where did you get the guts to be all choosy here?”

[...]

Wei WuXian sighed, “… It’d be nice if shijie came. It’s fortunate that you didn’t hit him.”

Jiang Cheng, “I was going to. If you didn’t push me, the other side of Jin ZiXuan’s face would also be ruined.”

(Chapter 18, Exiled Rebels translation)

It’s also very notable that Wei Wuxian is never shown having friends outside of Jiang Cheng’s social circle, despite what an outgoing and friendly person he is. Any time he expresses interest in someone for himself, as with Lan Wangji, Jiang Cheng tries to nip it in the bud. Being unable to deter Wei Wuxian from Lan Wangji directly, Jiang Cheng instead tries to drive a wedge between them, constantly telling Wei Wuxian that Lan Wangji hates him.

“Yeah,” Nie HuaiSang spoke, “It looks like he really hates you, Wei-xiong. Lan WangJi usually… No, he never does something so impolite.”

Wei WuXian, “He hates me already? I wanted to apologize to him.”

Jiang Cheng sneered, “Apologizing now? Too late! Like his uncle, he surely thinks that you are evil and unruly to the core, and didn’t bother to pay you any attention.”

(Chapter 14, Exiled Rebels translation)

Jiang Cheng pulled him even closer, “It’s not as if you’re familiar with him! Don’t you see how much he hates you? You’re going to carry him? He probably doesn’t even want you a step closer to him.”

(Chapter 52, Exiled Rebels translation)

He even directly orders Wei Wuxian not to invite Lan Wangji to come visit him at Lotus Pier during the Lotus Seed Pod extra.

Wei WuXian, “Why are you so upset? My watermelon almost flew away! I was just being polite. Of course he wouldn’t come. Have you ever heard of him go anywhere by himself to have fun?”

Jiang Cheng had on a stern expression, “Let’s make this clear. I don’t want him to come, anyhow. Don’t invite him.”

(Chapter 125, Lotus Seed Pod, Exiled Rebels translation)

It’s not only Lan Wangji he tries to steer Wei Wuxian away from; he also interrupts his conversation with Wen Ning at the archery competition:

Wen QiongLin was probably one of Wen Clan’s disciples furthest in bloodline. His status was neither high nor low, yet his personality was timid. He didn’t dare do anything and even his speech stuttered. Through much practice, he had finally conjured up the courage to enter the competition, but he blew it because he was too nervous. If he didn’t receive the right guidance, perhaps the boy would hide his true self more and more from now on and never dare to perform in front of other people again. Wei WuXian encouraged him a couple of times and touched on a few areas of growth, correcting some miniscule problems that he had when he was shooting in the garden. Wen QiongLin listened so attentively that he didn’t even turn his eyes away, nodding uncontrollably.

Jiang Cheng, “Where did you find so much nonsense? The competition is starting soon. Get into the arena right now!”

Wei WuXian spoke to Wen QiongLin in a serious tone, “I’ll be off to the competition now. Later, you can see how I shoot when I’m in the arena…”

Jiang Cheng dragged him away, short of patience. He spat as he dragged, “See how you shoot? Do you think that you’re a model or something?!”

(Chapter 59, Exiled Rebels translation)

Even when it comes to Wei Wuxian’s friendly flirtation with Mianmian, Jiang Cheng has something to say and tries to deter him from her:

Jiang Cheng, “The one that MianMian gave you? I didn’t.”

Wei WuXian exclaimed his regret, “I’ll find her for another one later.”

Jiang Cheng frowned, “You’re at it again. You don’t really like her, do you? The girl does look fine, but it’s obvious that she doesn’t have much background. Maybe she isn’t even a disciple. She seems like the daughter of a servant.”

Wei WuXian, “What’s wrong with servants? I’m also the son of a servant, aren’t I?”

Jiang Cheng, “How can you compare to her? Whose servant is like you, having your master peel lotus seeds for you and boil you soup. I didn’t even get to have some!”

(Chapter 56, Exiled Rebels translation)

Jiang Cheng really does seem to view Wei Wuxian in a very proprietary light; he’s not allowed to have any friendships which don’t exist under Jiang Cheng’s direct control.

The idea that Wei Wuxian was meant to be Jiang Cheng’s servant-friend is reinforced at its darkest when Lotus Pier falls: both Yu Ziyuan and Jiang Fengmian’s last words to Wei Wuxian are an instruction to protect Jiang Cheng.

One hand holding him, Madam Yu grabbed Wei WuXian’s lapels with her other hand as though to strangle him to death. She spoke through clenched teeth, “… You damn little brat! I hate you! I hate you more than anything else! Look at what our sect has gone through for your sake!”

[...]

Madam Yu, “Don’t make such a fuss. It’ll loosen up when you’re somewhere safe. If anyone attacks you on the journey, it’ll protect you as well. Don’t come back. Go to Meishan straight away and find your sister!”

After she finished, she turned to Wei WuXian and pointed at him, “Wei Ying! Listen to me! Protect Jiang Cheng, protect him even if you die, do you understand?!”

[...]

Jiang FengMian stared into his eyes. Suddenly, he reached out. Only after pausing in the air did he finally touch Jiang Cheng’s head, slowly, “A-Cheng, be well.”

Wei WuXian, “Uncle Jiang, if anything happens to you, he won’t be well.”

Jiang FengMian turned his eyes to him, “A-Ying, A-Cheng… you must look after him.”

(Chapter 58, Exiled Rebels translation)

Even Jiang Fengmian, who supposedly favoured Wei Wuxian, only gives him instructions as pertains to his own son; he doesn’t spare a single last word for Wei Wuxian himself.

A Lower Status Family Member

It wasn’t uncommon throughout human history, across many cultures, for wealthy families to take in relatives who were orphaned or had otherwise fallen on hard times. They tended to have a lower status than the main family; they lived with them and were still a part of their social sphere, but were not quite equal, either. The English term for this is ‘poor relation’.

Obviously, Wei Wuxian isn’t actually a blood relative at all. But his position in the Jiang household definitely has some similarities. He lives in the main house, eats meals with the family, attends school with the son... He is even on some conditional levels accepted into the gentry of cultivation society. But he isn’t a full equal member of the family, either.

The fact that he’s Jiang Fengmian’s ward, not a blood relative or adopted into the main family, puts him at even more of a disadvantage. It seems that Jiang Fengmian paid for all of Wei Wuxian’s expenses:

Wei WuXian took a bite, “Back then, I didn’t even have to pay when I ate at the dock. I grabbed whatever I wanted, ate whatever I wanted; ran after I grabbed, walked as I ate. A month later, the vendor would get the reimbursement from Uncle Jiang.”

(Chapter 86, Exiled Rebels translation)

While this is a bit of conjecture, I gather that he was given access to family money as if he was part of the clan, and could just charge Yunmeng Jiang whenever he shopped in Lotus Pier. Which is great so long as Wei Wuxian is accepted in Yunmeng Jiang...but as we see during the Burial Mounds settlement period, the moment that acceptance fades, Wei Wuxian is left out in the cold without a single coin. And because he isn’t a member of the family, it’s a far easier matter for him to be thrown aside, as he was when Jiang Cheng grew angry with him over his decision to protect the Wens.

Of course, Chinese families traditionally did share their wealth, and still do nowadays. Ideally, in a loving family, this is a positive and means they all support each other; but when that isn’t the case, it leaves the victims of abuse vulnerable.

In Wei Wuxian’s case, he has some of the benefits of being a member of the Jiang clan, without ever actually being a member. He can be cast aside at any time, and he is never afforded the same respect by wider cultivation society which an inner clan member would have.

I don’t believe the novel ever directly addresses Wei Wuxian’s acceptance into the guest lectures at Cloud Recesses in this light, but the donghua actually has a very interesting little exchange about it which takes place between Nie Huaisang and a relative of his:

“Wei-xiong is just a disciple from Yunmeng. Why could he come to Gusu to study?”

“Wei-xiong is the son of Jiang-zongzhu’s old friend. He has been treated as their own son.”

“Oh, I see. That explains why they don’t look like master and servant, they seem like brothers.”

(MDZS Donghua, Episode 3, Guodong Subs)

Wei Wuxian was only allowed to attend these lectures, which seem to mainly be for sect heirs and inner clan members, on the grace of being Jiang Fengmian’s ward (and probably to accompany Jiang Cheng). While this exchange is not from the book, we never do see or hear about any of the other students being outer disciples rather than members of the main clan. Here’s what the novel had to say about it:

In that year, aside from the YunmengJiang Sect, there were also the young masters from other clans, sent to study here from parents who heard of the reputation. The young masters were all around fifteen or sixteen. Because the sects all knew the others, although they weren’t close, they had seen others’ faces before. It was widely known that, although Wei WuXian’s surname was not Jiang, he was the leading disciple of the sect leader of the YunmengJiang Sect—Jiang FengMian, and also the son of his friend who had passed away. In fact, the sect leader regarded him as his own child. This, along with how youths were not as concerned with status and ancestry as elders, they were soon friends. Only a few sentences passed, and everyone started to call others older brothers or younger brothers.

(Chapter 13, Exiled Rebels translation)

And Wei Wuxian isn’t treated as an equal at school, either; when he and his friends get up to mischief, he’s frequently the only one punished. Nie Huaisang even notes that Lan Qiren seems to be far harder on him than the other students:

Nie HuaiSang spoke, “Why does it seem like old man Lan is especially strict towards you? He always directs his scoldings at you.”

(Chapter 14, Exiled Rebels translation)

And we see Wei Wuxian being the sole one punished out of a group taken for granted by his friends multiple times:

As a result of cheating notes flying everywhere in the air, Lan WangJi suddenly attacked during the test, and caught a few initiators of the commotion. Lan QiRen exploded with anger, writing letters to the prominent clans to tell on them. He loathed Wei WuXian—in the beginning, although these disciples could hardly sit still, at least nobody started anything, and their buttocks were able to stick to their legs. However, now that Wei Ying came, the originally spineless brats were influenced by his encouragement, venturing out at night and drinking alcohol however they pleased. The unhealthy practices grew greater and greater. As he had expected, Wei Ying was one of the biggest threats to humanity!

Jiang FengMian replied, “Ying has always been like this. Please take care to discipline him, Mr. Lan.”

And so, Wei WuXian was punished again.

(Chapter 14, Exiled Rebels translation)

The boys were all cheating, but Wei Wuxian is the one punished most severely. This happens when he's caught sneaking alcohol, too (though to be fair to Lan Wangji, he probably was only punishing him, and himself alongside him, for being outside after curfew when he threw them off the wall).

Of course, Jiang Cheng didn’t dare to say that Wei WuXian was at fault. Thinking back, it was them who urged Wei WuXian to buy liquor. Each and every one of them should have been punished. He could only speak in a vague way, “It’s fine, it’s fine; it’s not that serious! He can walk. Wei WuXian, why are you still up there?!”

(Chapter 18, Exiled Rebels translation)

It’s not entirely unreasonable for the one who gets caught to take the punishment (what’s he going to do, rat his friends out?) but their ready acceptance of this does fit into a pattern.

Jiang Cheng’s top was tied at his waist. Hearing his mother’s chastise, he hastily put it over his head. Madam Yu scolded again, “And you boys! Can’t you see that A-Li’s here? Who taught you brats to dress like this in front of a girl!?”

Of course, it was needless to think who led the group. Thus, Madam Yu’s next sentence, as usual, was “Wei Ying! Do you want to die!?”

[...]

He could still feel some pain in his back, so he tossed the paddles to someone else, sat down, and felt the stinging piece of flesh, “How unfair. Nobody else was wearing anything, but why was I the only one who got scolded and beaten up?”

Jiang Cheng, “Because you hurt the eye the most with no clothes on, for sure.”

[...]

Everyone nodded. Wei WuXian, “Thanks for the praise, you guys. I’m even starting to feel some goose bumps.”

The shidi, “You’re welcome, Da-Shixiong. You protect us every single time. You deserve even more!”

(Chapter 125, Lotus Seed Pod, Exiled Rebels translation)

While we know that Yu Ziyuan is an abusive person in general, she abuses Wei Wuxian far more harshly than anyone else, even the outer disciples. It’s made clear to us in Lotus Seed Pods that she whips him regularly over minor infractions:

Madam Yu was even angrier, “How dare you run! Come back right now and kneel!” As she spoke, she let loose her whip with a flip of her wrist. Wei WuXian felt a searing pain slash across his back. He loudly exclaimed, “Ow!” And almost tripped on the ground.

(Chapter 125, Lotus Seed Pod, Exiled Rebels translation)

And that his back is heavily scarred from it:

He felt his back, covered in scars both old and new, and still couldn’t hold back the question he’d be thinking about, “How awfully unfair. Why is it that I’m the only one who gets beaten up, whenever something happens?”

(Chapter 125, Lotus Seed Pod, Exiled Rebels translation)

Rumours about this even made it outside of Lotus Pier; during their visit to the ancestral hall years later, Lan Wangji even states that he heard about some of it:

Lan WangJi had on an expression of understanding, “Kneeling as punishment?”

Wei WuXian mused, “How did you know? That’s right. Madam Yu punished me almost every day.”

Lan WangJi nodded, “I have heard of a few things.”

Wei WuXian, “It’s so famous that even people outside Yunmeng, even you Gusu people know—how could it be ‘a few things’? But, to be honest, in all these years, I’ve never seen a second woman whose temper was as bad as Madam Yu’s. She told me to go to the ancestral hall and kneel no matter how small the matter was. Hahaha…”

(Chapter 87, Exiled Rebels translation)

Wei Wuxian’s lower social standing is definitely a part of why Yu Ziyuan is able to abuse him so terribly and receive little to no censure for it. Everyone at Lotus Pier simply takes it for granted, with the exception of Jiang Yanli who at least does try to deflect her mother when she is angry with Wei Wuxian:

Yet, all of a sudden, someone’s quiet voice drifted by Madam Yu’s ear, “Mom, do you want to eat some watermelon…”

[...]

Jiang YanLi almost cried from her mother’s pinching, mumbling, “Mom, A-Xian and the others were hiding here to relieve the heat and I came here on my own. Don’t blame them… Do… Do you want some watermelon… I don’t know who gave them to us, but it’s really sweet. Eating watermelon in the summer is great for cooling down and quenching thirst. I’ll cut them for you…”

(Chapter 125, Lotus Seed Pod, Exiled Rebels translation)

She both tries to deflect her mother from her anger, and also outright states that Wei Wuxian and the other boys weren’t at fault. Jiang Yanli seems to be the only one at Lotus Pier who ever does this.

After the war, Wei Wuxian attends social events at Jiang Cheng’s side but is never quite treated as an equal, either. See how at the Flower Banquet, Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue greet Jiang Cheng but not him:

Suddenly, a voice spoke, “Sect Leader Nie, Sect Leader Lan.”

Hearing the familiar voice, Wei WuXian’s heart jumped. Nie MingJue turned around again. Jiang Cheng came over, dressed in purple, hand on his sword.

And the person standing beside Jiang Cheng was none other than Wei WuXian himself.

He saw himself walk with hands behind his back, wearing all black. A flute in the shade of ink stuck to his waist, hanging down with crimson colored tassels. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Jiang Cheng, he nodded in this direction to show respect. Attitude slightly arrogant, he took on a profound, disdainful appearance. As Wei WuXian saw the stance of his younger self, the root of his teeth even cringed in soreness. He felt that he really was pretentious, and itched to just beat the hell out of himself.

Lan WangJi also saw Wei WuXian, who stood beside Jiang Cheng. The tip of his brows twitched ever so slightly. Soon afterward, his light-colored eyes returned to where they were, still looking forward in that composed way. Jiang Cheng and Nie MingJue nodded at each other with grave faces. Neither had anything unnecessary to say. After a hasty greeting, the two walked their separate ways. Wei WuXian saw his black-clothed self glance around as he finally saw Lan WangJi. He looked as if he was about to speak before Jiang Cheng came over and stood to his side.

(Chapter 49, Exiled Rebels translation)

They then proceed to talk about him and his lack of a sword behind his back, never having said a word to Wei Wuxian himself:

Nie MingJue’s gaze turned over again, “Why does Wei Ying not carry his sword?”

Carrying one’s sword was like wearing formal attire. In such gatherings, it was a non-negligible indication of etiquette. Those from prominent sects saw it as especially important. Lan WangJi responded in a lukewarm tone, “He had probably forgotten.”

Ning MingJue raised a brow, “He can even forget something like this?”

(Chapter 49, Exiled Rebels translation)

At Phoenix Mountain it also seems that Wei Wuxian is conditionally a member of the gentry, but not treated like an equal. Sometimes there are these more cheerful interactions:

Holding the flower, Lan WangJi seemed to be quite cold. His tone seemed cold as well, “Was it you?”

Wei WuXian immediately denied it, “No, it wasn’t.”

The maidens beside him spoke at once, “Don’t believe him. It was him!”

Wei WuXian, “How could you treat a good person like this? I’m getting angry!”

Giggling, the maidens pulled their reins and went to the formations of their own sects. Lan WangJi lowered the hand that he held the flower with and shook his head. Jiang Cheng spoke, “ZeWu-Jun, HanGuang-Jun, apologies. Don’t pay attention to him.”

Lan XiChen smiled, “That is fine. I will thank Young Master Wei’s kindness behind the flower in place of WangJi.”

(Chapter 69, Exiled Rebels translation)

But then he will be publicly disparaged and it is readily accepted by others. Jin Zixun first starts an argument with him by criticising Wei Wuxian for fighting Jin Zixuan, then turns the topic to Wei Wuxian’s having taken a third of the prey in the hunt.

Jin ZiXun, “Wei, just what what do you mean by going against ZiXuan so many times?”

[...]

Jin ZiXun sneered, “How is it presumptuous? How is any part of you not presumptuous? Today, in such an important hunt involving all of the sects, you really showed off your abilities, didn’t you? One third of the prey have been taken by you. You sure feel pleased, don’t you?”

[...]

He mocked, “But it’s only natural that you don’t think you’re in the wrong. It’s not the first time that Young Master Wei has disregarded the rules. You didn’t wear your sword in both last time’s flower banquet and this time’s hunt. It’s such a grand event, and you care nothing for courtesy. In what regard to you hold us, the people who are present with you?”

[...]

No disciple had ever dared say such lofty words in front of so many people. A moment later, as Jin ZiXun finally regained his composure, he yelled, “Wei WuXian! You’re only the son of a servant—how dare you be so bold!!!”

(Chapters 69-70, Exiled Rebels translation)

Naturally, Jin Zixun is able to weasel out of giving an apology, even though Jiang Yanli demands one. And guess who also takes a third of the prey, but this time without any censure?

Jin GuangYao, “In reality, not only did Young Master Wei keep a third of the prey to himself, our eldest brother has eliminated over half of the fays and the monsters as well.”

Hearing this, Lan XiChen laughed, “That is how Brother is like, after all.”

(Chapter 70, Exiled Rebels translation)

Never a Brother

As I’ve already mentioned, Wei Wuxian was never adopted by Jiang Fengmian, or adopted into the clan in general in even a distant way. And this nebulous ‘we’re letting you live with the main family as a charity, but you aren’t really one of us’ attitude also reflects in his relationship with Jiang Yanli.

I’ve already discussed how Wei Wuxian was more like a companion servant to Jiang Cheng than a brother. It’s also worth noting quickly that neither of them ever refers to the other as a brother. Wei Wuxian refers to Jiang Cheng as his shidi a few times, and Jiang Cheng never even refers to him as his shixiong (because Jiang Cheng views him as his servant, not as even a martial brother, I’d argue).

Only one member of the Jiang family ever does use familial terms to refer to Wei Wuxian: his shijie, Jiang Yanli. At Phoenix Mountain, when Wei Wuxian is being insulted by Jin Zixun, Jiang Yanli stands up and defends him, and states clearly that she considers Wei Wuxian a little brother:

The people who gathered around Jin ZiXun had on the same dark faces as he did. Yet, taking into consideration Jiang YanLi’s background, they didn’t dare talk back to her directly.

Jiang YanLi added, “Besides, hunting is hunting, so why bring the matter of discipline to the table? A-Xian is a disciple of the YunmengJiang Sect. He grew up with my brother and I, and so he’s as close as a brother is to me. Calling him the ‘son of a servant’—I’m sorry, but I won’t accept this. And thus…”

She straightened her back and raised her voice, “I hope that Young Master Jin ZiXun would apologize to Wei WuXian of the YunmengJiang Sect!”

(Chapter 70, Exiled Rebels translation)

It doesn’t come through in the Exiled Rebels translation, but she actually refers to Wei Wuxian as her didi in this scene, not her shidi. She’s trying to draw a line and state that Wei Wuxian is a part of the family. However, no one takes her seriously, and shortly afterwards we see Jin-furen insisting that Jiang Yanli and Wei Wuxian shouldn’t be walking alone together because it would be inappropriate.

Jiang YanLi whispered, “That’s not necessary. I’d like to have a few words with A-Xian. He can walk me back.”

Madam Jin raised her brows, looking Wei WuXian up and down. Her gaze was somewhat cautious, as if she was feeling displeased, “A young man and a young woman—you two can’t stick together all the time if nobody else is present.”

Jiang YanLi, “A-Xian is my younger brother.”

[...]

Wei WuXian lowered his head, “Excuse my absence, Madam Jin.”

He and Jiang YanLi bowed at the same time. As they turned around to leave, Madam Jin grabbed Jiang YanLi’s hand and refused to let her leave.

(Chapter 70, Exiled Rebels translation)

Jin Zixuan also never treats Wei Wuxian the way one might a brother who is still angered with him over his past dismissive treatment of his sister. For example, see their argument at the Flower Banquet:

Before he could see how Lan WangJi reacted, a series of clamor suddenly came from the other end of the base. Wei WuXian heard his own raging shout, “Jin ZiXuan! Don’t you forget about what things you said and what things you did? What do you mean by this, now?!”

Wei WuXian remembered. So it was this time!

On the other side, Jin ZiXuan also fumed, “I was asking Sect Leader Jiang, not you! The one I was asking about was also Maiden Jiang. How is that related to you?!”

[...]

Jin ZiXuan, “Sect Leader Jiang—this is our sect’s flower banquet, and this is your sect’s person! Are you going to look after him or not?!”

[...]

...Jiang Cheng’s voice came, “Wei WuXian, you can just shut your mouth. Young Master Jin, I’m sorry. My sister is doing quite well. Thank you for your concern. We can talk about this next time.”

Wei WuXian laughed coldly, “Next time? There is no next time! Whether or not she’s doing well isn’t any of his business, either! Who does he think he is?”

He turned around and started to leave. Jiang Cheng shouted, “Get back here! Where are you going?”

Wei WuXian waved his hands, “Anywhere is fine! Just don’t let me see that face of his. I never wanted to come, anyway. You can deal with whatever’s here yourself.”

Having been abandoned by Wei WuXian, Jiang Cheng’s face immediately clouded over.

[...]

Jiang Cheng stowed away the clouds on his face, “Don’t mind him. Look at how impolite he is. He’s used to such rude behavior at home.”

He then began to converse with Jin ZiXuan.

(Chapter 49, Exiled Rebels translation)

Jiang Cheng also quietly dismisses the notion of Wei Wuxian as a brother in relation to Jiang Yanli; when they visit to show him her wedding dress and she asks for a courtesy name, Jiang Cheng specifically says:

Jiang Cheng, “The courtesy name of my unborn nephew.”

(Chapter 75, Exiled Rebels translation)

Not our nephew, mine.

Even the disastrous invitation to Jin Ling’s one month celebration is framed as a favour to an old shidi, not a family member:

Jin ZiXun, “Since you’ve heard it from him already, you should know that I can’t wait. Don’t tell me that you’ll disregard your brother’s life for the sake of Sister-in-Law’s shidi?!”

Jin ZiXuan, “You clearly know that I’m not that kind of person! He might not necessarily be the one who cursed you with Hundred Holes either. Why are you so rash? I was the one who invited Wei WuXian to A-Ling’s full-month celebration anyways. If this is the way you do things, where does that leave me? Where does it leave my wife?”

Jin ZiXun raised his voice, “It’s best if he doesn’t attend! What does Wei WuXian think he is—does he deserve to attend our sect’s banquet? Whoever touches him gets nothing but a splash of black! ZiXuan, when you invited him, weren’t you worried that you, Sister-in-Law and A-Ling would receive an irremovable stain for the rest of your lives?!”

(Chapter 76, Exiled Rebels translation)

It’s clear that not only does wider society not consider Wei Wuxian and the Jiangs siblings...they themselves don’t, either. Wei Wuxian, after all, readily accepts that his relationship with them is over after he leaves the sect:

Before they parted, Jiang Cheng spoke, “We won’t see you off. It wouldn’t be good if someone saw us.”

Wei WuXian nodded. He understood that it wasn’t easy for the Jiang siblings to have come out here. If someone else saw them, all those things they did for the public to believe would be wasted. He spoke, “We’ll go first.”

[...]

He turned around, knowing that it’d be a long time before he’d get to see the people he was familiar with again.

But… right now, wasn’t he on his way to seeing people he was familiar with as well?

(Chapter 75, Exiled Rebels translation)

Cast Aside

The way cultivation society treats Wei Wuxian when he is not with the Jiangs is also very revealing. Any level of respect he is given is contingent on his position in the Jiang household, and when they aren’t around that minimal respect fades away. Look at how disrespectfully he is treated when he approaches Jin Zixun to ask for Wen Ning’s location.

Wei WuXian didn’t make small talk either, getting straight to the point, “No thanks. I don’t.” He nodded slightly at Jin ZiXun, “Young Master Jin, could I please have a word with you?”

Jin ZiXun, “If you have anything to say, come after our banquet is over.”

In reality, he didn’t want to talk to Wei WuXian at all. Wei WuXian could see this as well, “How long do I have to wait?”

Jin ZiXun, “Probably around six to eight hours. Or maybe ten to twelve. Or until tomorrow.”

Wei WuXian, “I’m afraid I can’t wait for that long.”

Jin ZiXun’s voice was arrogant, “You’ll have to wait even if you can’t.”

Jin GuangYao, “Young Master Wei, what do you need ZiXun for? Is it a pressing matter?”

Wei WuXian, “Pressing indeed. It allows for no delay.”

[...]

Jin ZiXun, “Wei WuXian, what do you mean? You came for him? You aren’t standing up for a Wen-dog, are you?”

Wei WuXian wore a broad grin, “Since when is it your business whether I’d like to stand up for him or cut his head off? Just give him to me!”

At the last sentence, the grin on his face vanished. His tone turned cold as well. It was clear that he had lost his patience. Many of the people within Glamor Hal shivered in fear. Jin ZiXun felt his scalp tingle as well. Yet, his anger soon soared. He shouted, “Wei WuXian, you are too bold! Did the LanlingJin Sect invite you today? And you dare run wild here. Do you really think that you’re invincible, that nobody has the courage to confront you? Do you want to overturn the Heavens?”

Wei WuXian smiled, “You’re comparing yourself to the Heavens? Excuse my language, but your face is a little too thick, isn’t it?”

[...]

Just as he was about to rebut, sitting on the foremost seat, Jin GuangShan spoke up.

His voice seemed kind, “It’s not anything too important anyways. You youngsters, why lose your tempers over such a thing? However, Young Master Wei, let me be fair here. Barging in when the LanlingJin Sect is holding a private banquet is indeed inappropriate.”

To say that Jin GuangShan didn’t mind what happened at Phoenix Mountain would be impossible. This was also why he only smiled when Jin ZiXun bickered with Wei WuXian but didn’t stop them, and only spoke up when Jin ZiXun was at the disadvantage.

Wei WuXian nodded, “Sect Leader Jin, it was never my intention to disturb your private banquet. My apologies. However, the whereabouts of the people whom Young Master Jin took are still unclear. Just a moment of delay, and it might be too late. One of the group had once saved me before. I will definitely not sit back and watch. Please do not feel pressured. I will make amends for this at a later date.”

[...]

After a few laughs, he continued, “Sect Leader Jin, let me ask you something else. Do you think that, because the QishanWen Sect is gone, the LanlingJin Sect has all right to replace it?”

All was silent within Glamor Hall.

Wei WuXian added, “Everything has to be given to you? Everyone has to listen to you? Looking at how the LanlingJin Sect does things, I almost thought that it was the QishanWen Sect’s empire all over again.”

[...]

A guest cultivator on his right shouted, “Wei WuXian! Watch your words!”

Wei WuXian, “Did I say something wrong? Forcing living people to be bait and beating them up whenever they refused to obey—is this any different from what the QishanWen Sect does?”

Another guest cultivator stood up, “Of course it’s different. The Wen-dogs did all kinds of evil. To arrive at such an end is only karma for them. We only avenged a tooth for a tooth, letting them taste the fruit that they themselves had sown. What’s wrong with this?”

Wei WuXian, “Take revenge on the ones who bite you. Wen Ning’s branch doesn’t have much blood on their hands. Don’t tell me that you find them guilty by association?”

Another person spoke, “Young Master Wei, is it that they don’t have much blood on their hands just because you say so? These are only your one-sided words. Where’s the evidence?”

[...]

Jin GuangShan stood up as well, his face a mixture of shock, anger, fear, and hatred, “Wei WuXian! Just because… Sect Leader Jiang isn’t here doesn’t mean you can be so reckless!”

Wei WuXian’s voice was harsh, “Do you think that I wouldn’t be reckless if he were here? If I wanted to kill someone, who could stop me, and who would dare stop me?!”

[...]

“Young Master Wei really is too impulsive. How could he speak in such a way in front of so many sects?”

Lan WangJi spoke coldly, “Was he wrong?”

Jin GuangYao paused almost unnoticeably. He immediately laughed, “Haha. Yes, he’s right. But it’s because he’s right that he can’t say it in front of them, correct?”

Lan XiChen seemed as if he was deep in thought, “Young Master Wei’s heart really has changed.”

(Chapter 72, Exiled Rebels translation)

The only person at this banquet who speaks to Wei Wuxian respectfully is Jin Guangyao, a consummate manipulator who is also of a lower social status. Everyone else speaks to him dismissively, refusing to respect his request for Wen Ning’s location even though he states that Wen Ning helped him during the war. Wei Wuxian is extremely polite at the beginning of this conversation, and only slowly begins to lose his temper when Jin Zixun speaks rudely and Jin Guangshan decides to bring up the matter of the Yinhufu (Wei Wuxian is right in suspecting him of wanting to replace Qishan Wen, of course, and that it’s very bold of them to think they have the right to a spiritual tool of his just because...they’re rich?).

When the sects meet at Koi Tower to discuss the breakout at Qiongqi Path, no one considers Wei Wuxian as an independent agent who they might actually want to meet and negotiate with themselves. He is a wayward servant of Yunmeng Jiang who the sect leader has failed to keep in hand.

Jiang Cheng only spoke after a few moments, “What he did was indeed a bit too much. Sect Leader Jin, I apologize to you in place of him. If there’s any way at all to help the situation, please let me know. I’ll definitely compensate for things however I can.”

[...]

Jin GuangShan, “Sect Leader Jiang, Wei Ying is your right-hand man. You value him a lot. All of us know this. However, on the other hand, it’s hard to tell whether or not he actually respects you. In any case, I’ve been a sect leader for so many years and I’ve never seen the servant of any sect dare be so arrogant, so proud. Have you heard what they say outside? Things like how during the Sunshot Campaign the victories of the YunmengJiang Sect were all because of Wei WuXian alone—what nonsense!”

[...]

Lan WangJi sat with his back straight, speaking in a tone of absolute tranquility, “I did not hear Wei Ying say this. I did not hear him express the slightest disrespect towards Sect Leader Jiang either.”

[...]

The good thing was that, not long after he felt awkward, Jin GuangYao came to save the day, exclaiming, “Really? That day, Young Master Wei busted into Koi Tower with such force. He said too many things, one more shocking than the next. Perhaps he said a few things that were along those lines. I can’t remember them either.”

[...]

Jin GuangShan followed the transition, “That’s right. Anyhow, his attitude has always been arrogant.”

One of the sect leaders added, “To be honest, I’ve wanted to say this since a long time ago. Although Wei WuXian did a few things during the Sunshot Campaign, there are many guest cultivators who did more than him. I’ve never seen anyone as full of themselves as him. Excuse my bluntness, but he’s the son of a servant. How could the son of a servant be so arrogant?”

[...]

“In the beginning, Sect Leader Jin asked Wei Ying for the Tiger Seal with nothing but good intentions, worried that he wouldn’t be able to control it and lead to a disaster. He, however, used his own yardstick to measure another’s intents. Did he think that everyone is after his treasure? What a joke. In terms of treasures, is there any sect that doesn’t hold a few treasures?”

“I knew that something would eventually happen if he continued on the ghostly path—look! His killing intents are being revealed already. Killing indiscriminately those from our side just because of a few Wen-dogs…”

[...]

Jin GuangShan continued, “Sect Leader Jiang, you’re not like your father. It’s just been a couple of years since the reestablishment of the YunmengJiang Sect, precisely when you should be displaying your power. And he doesn’t even know to avoid suspicions. What would the Jiang Sect’s new disciples think if they saw him? Don’t tell me you’d let them see him as their role model and look down on you?”

He spoke one sentence after another, striking the iron while it was still hot. Jiang Cheng spoke slowly, “Sect Leader Jin, that’s enough. I’ll go to Burial Mound and deal with this.”

Jin GuangShan felt satisfied, speaking in a sincere tone, “That’s the spirit. Sect Leader Jiang, there are some things, some people that you shouldn’t put up with.”

(Chapter 73, Exiled Rebels translation)

This is very reminiscent of the way that Jin Zixuan would often turn around and say, ‘Why aren’t you controlling your servant?’ to Jiang Cheng whenever he had a dispute with Wei Wuxian over his treatment of Jiang Yanli.

When Jiang Cheng goes to the Burial Mounds and Wei Wuxian defects from Yunmeng Jiang in order to help the sect save face, Jiang Cheng treats this as a personal betrayal. He not only challenges Wei Wuxian to a duel but then announces that Wei Wuxian has betrayed Yunmeng Jiang and declared himself the enemy of cultivation society:

After the fight, Jiang Cheng told the outside that Wei WuXian defected from the sect and was an enemy to the entire cultivation world. The YunmengJiang Sect had already cast him out. From then on, no ties remained between them—a clear line was drawn. Henceforth, no matter what he did, they’d have nothing to do with the YunmengJiang Sect!

(Chapter 73, Exiled Rebels translation)

“Wei Wuxian has betrayed the sect, and publicly regards all cultivation sects as enemy! Yunmeng Jiang Sect hereby expels him, breaking all ties with him and drawing a clear line between us. Henceforth, no matter what this person does, it will have nothing to do with Yunmeng Jiang Sect!”

(Modao Zushi Radio Drama, Season 3 Episode 5, Suibian Subs)

Naturally, no one ever questions this or wants to hear Wei Wuxian’s side of the story. Jiang Cheng is a sect leader and Wei Wuxian his servant, and that is all cultivation society needs to know.

In Conclusion

Wei Wuxian was never really part of the Jiang family. The wider social view was that he was a servant who was lucky to be taken in by the family and allowed to live in the main house alongside the sect leader’s children. He’s accepted into cultivation society conditionally, but only as someone who remains a rank below everyone else.

This attitude isn’t just the wider social view which the family themselves disregard; they all play into it. Yu Ziyuan and Jiang Cheng both actively enforce it, Jiang Fengmian passively enforces it, and Jiang Yanli tries but fails to break through the social barriers between them.

[annebaneriddle]

I still try to undertand the logic going inside the brains of people who say "Well, why are you even writting the wholeass bible to badmouth 'X'?" ("X" character who is canonically a complete asshole who kills innocent people, gaslight people, plays the victim to escape the consequences of their own actions, blame others for what they did, blame-shift, victim-blame, terrorize people, yada yada).

I'm not saying you can't like said character. Far from me telling you who you should like, you and your likes are not my business and you can stan whoever you like, be them real or fictional. The thing is: other's and their dislikes is also not your business, specially if they have a completelly fair and reasonable reason to find a character disgusting.

Let's use Jiang Cheng from MDZS as an exemple: the man did suffer? Hell, yeah. He saw his whole sect being murdered, saw his parents being murdered, had to become a sect leader at a far too young age and then saw his sister being killed too. If that does not count as suffering, I don't know what does. That's totally ok if you feel for him, I do too, I think no one should suffer like that and I also think he is a pretty interesting charactet who adds to the story.

The thing is, the man also announced Wei Wuxian was now an enemy of the cultivation world when the plan was just for them to stage a fight and say the said sect brother has left the sect (that made public opinion of Wei Wucian even worse and contibuted to Jin Guangshan's and Jin Gangyao's plan of getting rid of Wei Wuxian to get tue Stygian Tiget seal to themselves), what makes clear that the thing that made him turn against WWX wasn't Jiamg Yanli's death; he lied to people saying WWX killed JY when JY willingly put herself on the way of the sword meant to pierce through WWX, when she willingly died to protect WWX; he led a siege against innocent people when he knew that they were civilians and that there was even a damn barelly 3 years old child amongst them (not taking the blame away from the other sects, because there is no way you put your sword through an old granny and doesn't notice it isn't an armed cultivator); for 13 years he continuously tortured and killed innocent people to the point of where his nephew was willing to lie to him to help one of them escape because he knew exactly the atrocities his uncle was capable of; civilians around Lotus Pier were afraid of him; his behaviour crosses the line so much that all female cultivators blacklisted him (and given it was at a time where men were excused from plently of shitty behaviour, that is quite surprising); he has the annoying mania of playing the victim, and so the list goes on.

So yeah, do you really has such a thick face to say that people who don't like him don't have the right to dislike him only because "he looked hot with doing that", "he suffered too" or whatever the hell your excuse is?

People who dislike a character have the right of disliking them and writting a wholeass bible about it just like you have the right of writting a wholeass bible worshiping the ground said character walks on. However, it's quite interesting how I seldom see antis clowining stans posts, but it's quite common to see stans complaining on anti posts. It's a two ways road, so get over yourself and stop whinning like a child that is mad because someone didn't find their toy as cool as they think it is.

Not even gonna lie, I don't mortaly hate most characters I find disgusting. What makes me hate them are their stans.

[rosethornewrites]

2/1-3/5 NR, E, & M reading

Didn’t read much.

Finished

Explicit:

One Day We're Loving Each Other, by sami (3rd in a series, 2 chapters)

The wedding is lovely, the bride is very beautiful, and Jiang Yanli comes to live at the Unclean Realm.

Yours Before My Knowledge, by bu4mp (13 chapters)

Lan Zhan has resigned to his fate until a whiff saffron made the ends of his hair rise. Before he'd see the scent's person, he whispered a name he had almost forgotten, "Wei Ying?"

Or

LWJ reunites with his HS crush and awkwardly idles around his space.

Unfinished

Not Rated:

Why a notebook hidden under my brother's bed?, by lilpuffs3

Lan Xichen had always believed that his brother had a great life.

He was the second in command of connected and firm enterprise, and had a long and happy life ahead of him.

Of course, he knew that his brother did feel lonely, and tried again and again to introduce him to good people, but it seemed like Lan Wangji simply wasn't interested.

So, what was a highschool notebook, that clearly wasn't Wangji's, doing under his brother's bed?!

Aka, the one where Lan Zhan and Wei Ying go to the same highschool but loose contact when Wei Ying is disowned by the Jiangs. So, Lan Zhan keeps his notebook, and maybe also his feelings for him.

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

Wei Wuxian travels back in time with a vengeance.

The Kids Are Okay (I Think), by GossamerGlint

Wei Ying, in a twist of fate, finds himself on the streets once more, betrayed by cultivators

Meng Yao's mother dies early, betrayed by cultivators.

Xue Yang loses his finger with his optimism, betrayed by cultivators.

Yet none of them will be left alone, if this mysterious ghost with an equally hazy past has anything to say about it. And so what if these boys are her distant grandchildren? She'll adopt them all the same! Now... if only they wouldn't get into any trouble because of their inheritance...

Explicit:

Safely hidden in Gusu, by Aleaneah (locked to ao3 accounts only)

Lan Wangji had just finished his three years of seclusion.

However, that doesn't mean he had finished his mourning and grieving.

How could it be otherwise, when his heart is dead ?

Then...

One day, a friend(?) come to him, scheming behind his fan.

And his world regain a little of its colors.

The Space Between Us, by TempestFlame

Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji were once considered a doubles pair to watch as they rose through the ranks of tennis players in China. Though they were each skilled individually, together they were practically unstoppable. But things ended poorly between them, and they haven't seen each other once since the downfall of their partnership.

But when they meet again, two years later, their connection is still stronger than the distance that has grown between them, and they seize their second chance at standing together with everything they have.

Mature:

To Ride A Stygian Tiger, by Madyamisam

Wei Wuxian changes fate and is wounded while saving Jin Zixuan at the Qiongqi bridge and a great mystery starts to unravel revealing before those that know him. While trying to deal with his own increasing madness, seeing threats everywhere in past, present and future, he sets an impossible task to save everyone he ever cared about with his very life and soul.

Cutting Out a Different Path, by T98

Wei Wuxian wakes up with an old back pain and a lack of a familiar warmth by his side. He groans, moving his arm around the bed to feel for Lan Wangji. Except what he feels is not a bed. Startled, he gets up quickly to find himself on a familiar slab of rock in a very familiar cave. Rubbing his eyes in disbelief, he takes a look around. His half-finished talismans are lying around on the floor and he can hear voices from outside

Second Summer, by Anonymous

“So, this is awkward,” says Wei Ying, with a little laugh. It sounds fake. “But I think you have mistaken me for someone else.”

A year after the mysterious death of the Jin heir, Lan Wangji runs across the secret, long-lost, amnesiac love of his life while on a night-hunt.

Into the Oubliette, by Ruixx

Wei Wuxian never thought being a spouse could be a valid career path. Now married to to the mysterious, quiet Second Jade of Lan he has to learn to navigate through the notoriously strict Gusu Lan clan and make himself home. Unfortunately war looms on the horizon and his enigma of a husband doesn’t seem to have much of a plan other than screwing him senseless. He’s not complaining, really.

I Know How Those in Exile Feed on Dreams of Hope, by rabbit_habits, saltedpin

“What does it mean, that Wen Ruohan has all the Yin Iron?” Jiang Cheng asked, dragging himself up into a sitting position – her medicines must have worked quickly, because his ribs gave only a twinge when he moved.

Wen Qing settled down beside him, head bowed as she packed away her supplies, her shoulder brushing his arm when she moved. “It means that no one in the cultivation world can oppose him,” she whispered.

—

Canon divergence AU in which Jiang Cheng and Jin Zixuan are captured by the Wens after escaping from the Xuanwu's cave, before they can return to rescue Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji.

Summer Snow, by Forever_Marie

Jiang Cheng dies after Lotus Pier falls and the Jiang are no more. This leaves Wei Ying without family and a home, now and for after the war, forever shattered. He joins the Lan clan (at Wangji's insistence) to fight in the Sunshot campaign as Lan Wangji tries to fill in the cracks left behind.

The Strength in your Kindness, by SoullessCadmium

Jiang Yanli has the perfect life, the perfect husband, the perfect brother. There is truly no one as lucky as her in all of the cultivation world. Yet she can't help but mourn for the family she once had, the family she should have done more to protect. So, when she finds an array that can send a person back in time, is there really any other choice?

Or, the Jiang Yanli Time-Travel Fix-It

heaven is for me too high, by stiltonbasket

"I am forty-five years old, not twenty," Jiang Cheng says wearily. "Hanguang-jun, in my time, you had the whole jianghu at your feet, and the world you built with my shige was a beautiful thing to behold. That world was my home, and someday I will return to it—but until then, I will do what I can for you and my brother in this one. Will you join me?"

Lan Wangji stares at him, doubt resounding in every nerve of his body; and then, without speaking, he reaches up and grips Jiang Cheng's proffered hand.

"I am with you," he answers. "What must I do?"

Alternate, by Hanashi_o_suru

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

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

[dentedsky]

Review of The Untamed

This is one of the only tv shows i have ever marathoned and then immediately watched all over again. I started watching this show on Netflix knowing absolutely nothing about it; i didn't even know it was a gay love story... likewut. I had previously over saturated myself with American sitcoms and so looked for something completely different. Little did I realise I would smack myself in the face with my own love for the characters, themes, costumes, and downright beauty of the thing. I was immediately hooked in when in the first scene the lead character is murdered by his brother, cos I am a real sucker for stories that start out with, "Once upon a time, I DIED!!!" That to me is pure chef's kiss.

If you haven't watched it yet, let me forewarn you: the first two episodes are a clusterfuck of situations and lines and characters you don't give a shit about and have no context for. But push past these into episode 3 and beyond, and trust me, you will.

So here is my review of The Untamed. I'll try to be as spoiler-less as possible.

General premise

Five major clans control majority wealth, power and magic. Teenager Wei Wuxian is from one of these clans, and attends Ancient Chinese Hogwarts with BFFs/siblings Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng. But it's not all fun and hormones; soon after the semester ends they are thrown into war. Despite knowing magic and sword art, they are woefully under-prepared for the carnage and political shitshow that follows. Alliances fray, hearts are broken... and Wei Wuxian dies.

Sixteen years later he is resurrected by a necromancer who wants revenge on his shitty family. Wuxian's crush from magical high school, Lan Wangji, is now a 30-something hottie and a top-tier wizard, and is investigating a sword spirit that's gone apeshit. Since the revenge plot and the sword spirit issue are related, they team up buddy-cop style to solve the mystery.

The Pros

Costume and set design

It's beautiful. Someone in the costume department was having a ball with this one bc every outfit is gorgeous and unique. The long shots of the ancient Chinese sets are eye candy too. I found myself drinking in every little detail of their clothes and swords.

Themes and metaphors

I've seen a couple of Australian movies that talk about asylum-seekers, but I've never watched a show that has brought in the subject quite like this one. No doubt the episodes dedicated to our untamed hero Wei Wuxian saving war prisoners are a metaphor for China's incarceration of its minorities, but for me I was seething, constantly remembering that cunts like John Howard chose to use their power to treat people fleeing oppression like they were nothing but inconvenient garbage. Why governments choose to infeasibly sweep refugees under the rug rather than help them I still don't understand. In The Untamed, it's highlighted that the reasons are all about power - who has power must do all they can to keep it, even if it means torturing people they have never met, and slandering those who don't fall in line.

Cancel culture and mob mentality is a constant theme in the show, shown throughout several episodes from start to finish. Although set thousands of years before the invention of the internet, The Untamed highlights one important truth: internet trolls have always existed in some form or other and they will never change. They don't attack the reputation of others because they honestly believe that person deserves it - they do it because it fucking makes them feel good. If you can't take their shit any more and you kill yourself, it only solidifies in their mind that they were right all along. It's uncomfortable, and is almost impossible to endure. Like Lan Wangji, I wanted to take sweet Wei Wuxian into my arms and whisk him away.

The love story

Hooo boy, da love story. I ofc realise this is the main reason fans love this show. Between them, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji portray all the emotions that have ever existed, and then some. I found myself melting at Wuxian's every smile, looking closely at Wangji's infinitesimal widening of his eyes or curl of his lips. Wuxian is a guy who talks a lot with his mouth and his body but never says the right things, and Wangji is a bloke who says very little but his thoughts are written all over his supremely gorgeous face. And when they're together... woof. Gurrl. Idek. The chemistry is just... something. There is some over-acting on Wuxian's actor's part in some scenes Wangji's actor isn't in, but when these two are in a scene together, they're kind of amazing. The actors put full effort in, and it shows.

The Cons

CGI and make-up

Although the same genre, don't expect the production value of Game of Thrones, or The Witcher. This one runs more along the CGI lines of Merlin and Doctor Who. If you can use some imagination and stomach those two shows, then you can watch this. Similarly, the zombies are not scary, like, at all. But maybe that is less to do with make-up and more to do with wangxian being so overpowered that if this was a jrpg video game, wangxian would be lv 99 by age 17.

Plot holes and side characters

This show is well written and paced. However, there's one episode in the second half that you could quite frankly chuck in the bin and nothing of value would be lost. The side story involves a third-rate villain and three side characters who the villain emotionally and physically tortures for shits and giggles. If you liked these characters, that's great, but the whole thing to me stank of torture porn and added nothing to the main plot or central characters or relationships. The Untamed is not the only show to suffer this; Altered Carbon comes to mind. There was literally a whole ep in that show dedicated to torturing the lead and I'm still flummoxed as to why some stories choose to do this when literally there is no point?? I get that this villain is central to The Untamed plot and that he is a dark reflection of Wuxian's future if he didn't have Wangji as an anchor, but those things could've been shown in other ways without dragging three characters idgaf abt into some flashback that bored me to tears.

Summary and general thoughts

Omg, dis my fandom now. I'm already reading fics and God, look, writing fucking essays. I'm so naughty - I got my bff into it just so I could have someone to talk to. Luckily, her 1st language is Mandarin, and after watching the show, she read the web novel in 4 days, then translated the porn for me. Of what she tells me though - unpopular opinion - I think I prefer this drama. I prefer the idea that Wuxian fell for Wangji love at first sight, and also, I'm not a huge fan of sex while drunk - it's actually kinda triggering for me. That's just personal things tho. Wangxian have some beautiful moments that I like to rewatch and keep cupped in my hands.

6/5 stars.