#the qinghe boys

[icarus-suraki]

@/yukishiro (Twitter)

The little Qinghe guys 💚🖤💛

[kaptainkoalaoshiz]

Wangxian plot bunny I may or may not write, but I encourage people to write as well 🫡

Wei Wuxian: I have an excellent idea for people to leave us alone.

Wen Qing: oh boy...

Wei Wuxian: don't you wanna know what I got?

Wen Qing: stupider?

Wei Wuxian: booo! Anyway. I'm gonna send this message at the Great Sects and they'll be so disgusted they'll leave us alone!

Wen Qing: "if you want to keep the Yilling Laozu from doing horrible, ghost cultivation, then send someone as a sacrifice to have nasty, disrespectful sex with him. Those who exceed his expectations will gain everything he owns".

Wei Wuxian: See? 100% guarantie of success! Nobody will take the offer and if they do, I just say it wasn't good enough! Win-win for me!

Wen Qing: so you got stupider. Alright. Scrape that idea

Wei Wuxian:...

Wen Qing: what. Did. You do.

Wei Wuxian: I already sent it to the major sects...

Wen Qing: I swear tO GOD!!

Meanwhile, at the big sects:

At Yunmeng jiang: the message was ripped apart by Jiang Cheng because he knows Wei Wuxian 's brand of stupid and isn't going to fall for it. Also, not willing to send someone to Yilling, like, think of their reputation!

At Qinghe Nie: the message was also ripped apart by Nie Mingju because he thinks Wei Wuxian is mocking them by calling out their righteousness. They're not sending anyone either, but Nie Huaisang 's brain is going "??.. !"

At Lanling Jing: there's a huge debate about which prostitute to send him, how much they'll have to pay said prostitute to keep the Yilling Laozu content and get their hand on the Yin Tiger Tally without sacrificing too much on their side. Everyone is shooting everyone in the foot. Nothing concrete is done.

At Gusu Lan: the message was ripped apart and everyone is shaking their heads at the shamelessness of the Yilling Laozu, they're too "above" to even consider sending anyone. Lan Qiren, knowing Wei Wuxian 's brand of stupid (same as his mother, hmpf!) is nearly ripping his beard off from how mocking the boy is! Lan Xichen is sighing at yet another proof Wei Wuxian has fallen because of his cultivation. He goes to tell his brother not to do anything rash but Lan Wangji is already gone. Oops.

A month later, Lan Wangji comes back with a gaggle of old people and a child. And the Yilling Laozu, dragging his feet and trying to escape. Lan Wangji says "excuse me." at the sentries before walking to the sides in the forest for.. about 45 minutes? and when he comes back, Wei Wuxian is disheveled and loopy. He looks like he's been mauled by a fierce beast. The rest of the Wen group look exhausted and used to it, wishing they could be set somewhere so they don't have to endure their Yilling Laozu being ravished (enthusiastically) by Hanguang-jun four times a day. Wen Yuan is just happy Wei-gege and Rich-gege made up.

[littlesmartart]

I've been wanting to draw something as a sort of follow-up from Safety of Distance for a while, so - tada! Xichen cultivates to immortality to keep his boys company! he never goes back to wearing his Lan ribbon, but the symbol of it still means something to him, so he takes up wearing a ring instead. he says he wears it on his wedding-ring-finger to discourage people from hitting on him, and if he secretly wears it there for other personal reasons, well, that's his business.

JGY fucking loooooooves playing with all the new technology and trying to keep up with fashion and pop culture (it's good for him to have a challenge as he is 100% A Dog With A Job, if he doesn't get enough stimulation he starts performing psychological experiments on his household) and nowadays he can use spreadsheets and banking apps on his phone!!! man is the happiest he's ever been!!!

Mingjue... cares considerably less about keeping up with the times, he knows he's gonna stand out whatever he does so he's just gonna Do Him however is most comfortable. he does wind up getting some very Qinghe tattoos to subtly obscure his, uh... reassembly scars....

[wangxianficfinder]

Fic Finder

May 13th

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1. I really need help finding a fic! It's either ABO or the Chinese equivalent kunze/qianyuan. It's got some sort of arranged marriage, as Madam Yu(?) marries WWX off to LWJ. In this universe Alphas often do not allow their Omegas to bite them back and create a reciprocated bond, as it gives them power and status in society. LWJ lets WWX bite him back (because he's a romantic and a sap), and the Jiang's are salty because JYL wasn't given a reciprocal bond when she married JZY, so WWX is technically of a higher status than she is now. @star-whatevers

FOUND!🔒Alliance AU by Ilona22 (E, 21k, WangXian, JYL/OC, Arranged Marriage, A/B/O Dynamics, PWP, WangXian Get a Happy Ending, Intersex Omegas, Not JC Friendly, Matchmaking, canon Jiang family dynamics, Family time, Night Hunts, Mention of male omega pregnancy, Intrigue at Jinlintai, Mentions of Prostitution, War, Conflict between characters)

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2. Hi! Fic finder plz. Looking for a fic where wwx is "sacrificed" by the other great sects to the gusu lan (in exchange for something? Don't remember). He is given to lwj and all the sects assume wwx is going to be a concubine (so much so that when they present wwx to lwj they dress him up like a concubine). Wwx also expects this and is very surprised when Iwj treats him nicely and everything. You can tell that lwj has fallen for wwx but is holding himself back. Wwx gradually falls for him too. I remember there was a part where the great sects came to visit and were surprised that wwx wasn't treated like a concubine. Tysm!!

FOUND? golden when the day met the night by glitteringmoonlight (Not rated, 95k, slow burn, sugar daddy LWJ, light, angst, fluff, developing relationship, eventual smut, WIP)

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3. Hiii!!!

I'm looking for a fic where Lan Zhan is de-aged and the juniors take care of him while on a night hunt. Wei Ying is still away and has not returned and they have not confessed yet. Baby LZ just wants his WY so the junior quartet takes him to Qinghe to a discussion conference or smth. Wei Ying is also called there and LZ just goes and hugs him.

That's all I can remember. I think he was cursed to be more open and vulnerable so that he could confess.

Thanks! @ffaddictsrn

FOUND! Send Me Your Earnest Love by goneforthestars (T, 13k, WangXian, Age Regression/De-Aging, Curses, Attempt at Humor, Light Angst, baby LWJ, Mutual Pining, Fluff, Post-Canon)

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4. I hope you can help, fingers crossed! I've tried everything on this one... Jin sibs murder JGS? sort of along the lines of Qin Su and the boys, but I can't even remember if it was a full fic on Ao3 or maybe even a ficlet/snippet on Tumblr? I think JZX was very shocked/normal reaction but siding with his siblings and JGY/MXY/QS were all stab-happy gremlins? I think JGY and QS might have found out much earlier that they were related and planned revenge together? Any help would be great, thank you! @katonahottinroof

I read #4 a few weeks ago😭 I believe lan zhan was a courtesan/prostitute who was supposed to assassinate wei ying, and lan zhan was beholden to meng yao for saving him. lab zhan ends up going to wei yings home in the burial mounds and gets poisoned I think ? does this sound familiar? the story may be tagged under courtesan lan zhan or prostitute lan zhan

NOT FOUND! out to get you (to get you) by iliacquer (E, 41k, wangxian, graphic depictions of violence, switching, top/bottom LWJ, top/bottom WWX, power play, courtesan LWJ, assassin LWJ, dark lord WWX, bondage, happy ending, past slavery)

FOUND! 🔒Something is Rotten in the State of Lanling by East_Of_Akkala (T, 42k, XuanLi, 3Zun, LQY/QS, Fix-It, Character Death, Angst, Family Feels, Black Comedy, Except for chapter 1, MDZS SPOILERS, Canon Divergence, Jin Siblings Dynamics, QS Deserves Better, Humor, Fluff, Background Relationships, Warning: JGS, POV Multiple, POV QS, POV MXY, POV JGY, Murder, Attempted Murder, Illustrated Fic)

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5. Good afternoon! I hope everyone has had a pleasant day.

Can’t say how many of my favorite stories have been found through you guys!

For the next fic finder.

I’m looking for a fic that has both a/b/o in it but also the lan clan were dragons and wwx was a fox, I think. Either one or both, I can’t quite recall.

Oh and it’s set in study arch.

Wwx and Lwj were already a couple or courting at the very least.

Anyway what I remember the clearest was a part where wwx was walking some stairs, might have been the stars to cloud recesses.

Anyway a spiritual dog suddenly appears and I think starts chasing or just barking at wwx.

Anyway twin jades to the save.

It is later revealed that the dog belonged to Jin Zixun which was confirmed by Zixuan who recognized the dog.

That’s all I remember.

Have a nice day and keep up the fantastic work! @ravenwithwings

FOUND! Jades' Lotus by keela_1221 (E, 125k, LXC/WWX/LWJ, Jadecest, Incest, Non-Traditional A/B/O Dynamics, Fluff, Smut, True Mates, Cloud Recesses Study Arc, No Sunshot Campaign, WWX Has a Breeding Kink, Male Lactation, Marriage Contracts, Polyamory, Pining, thirst, Mpreg, They Experiment a Little, Cum Marking, switch everyone, Double Penetration, graphic description of childbirth, Sprinklings of angst for flavor)

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6. There's this wangxian fanfic I know I've read more than once, but I can't seem to find it anymore! Ok, so it's a modern world with cultivation fic, and in it the 5 Great Sects are like big crime syndicates or something similar. Wei Ying has his own territory in Yiling where he is known, of course, as the Yiling Laozu. The story uses specific terms to refer to some characters' status. Ex: Lan Wangji is the Red Pole of the Lan Sect, and Meng Yao is, I think, the Straw Sandal. Pls help me find it? @dreammaiden21

FOUND? 🔒 Words are Gonna Bleed from Me by GravityWinsAgain (E, 173k, WangXian, WIP, Graphic Depictions of Violence, Triad AU, Blood and Violence, Explicit Sexual Content, warnings in the notes, Modern with Magic, Dark Magic, BAMF WWX, BAMF LWJ, Murder Husbands, POV WWX, Organized Crime, lovers to enemies to estranged lovers and back to lovers, it gets weird when somebody dies but not really, Angst, Feels, BDSM Switch WangXian, Ghosts, Body Horror)

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7. Hi there! I hope you can help me figure out which fic I have just remembered. I think it might have been an ABO fic, but I'm not sure. All I remember is one scene. There was some kind of trial, and WWX was seated in some kind of special alcove where nobody could see or hear him, so that he could watch without encountering the Jiangs. I think he made some kind of comment about the type of court drama that would necessitate such a feature being built. Does anyone else remember this? Thank you!! @balleyboley

FOUND! 🔒 Crossing Paths by Ilona22 (M, 21k, wangxian, shapeshifter au, graphic depictions of violence, war between sects, war crimes, not JC friendly, happy ending)

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8. hi! potentially very long shot, but I'm looking for a fic with this quote "Besides, no one ‘was good,’ in some isolated way. Good was a relation between people. Good was a thing you did." I saved this quote then, and sadly can't remember any other details about this fic... I'd love find it to reread again, thank you! @potatokunst

FOUND? I Started From the Bottom/And Now I’m Rich by x_los (E, 57k, WWX/WRH, WWX/JGS, wangxian, JYL/JZX, time travel fix-it, Pining, Marriage of Convenience, Arranged Marriage, No Sunshot Campaign, WQ Lives, Transmigration, Weddings, Sugar Daddy au, Sugar Daddy, Black Widow, Protective Siblings, Family, Dysfunctional Family, Family Bonding, Sugar Baby, consort, Politics, Demonic Cultivation, Canon-Typical Violence, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Canon-typical domestic dysfunction, Canon-Typical Gore, Ballad 39: Tam Lin, YLLZ, Crack Treated Seriously) did a search for the quote and it came up -- ch 3, specifically

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9. Fic finder request: there's a fic I only recall some details of. In this fic, dual cultivation in the Cold Pond Cave contributes to the security of the Cloud Recesses, but it has to be done by powerful cultivators with a member of the main family. MY and LXC are married in this fic, but they are unable to use this method of boosting security because MY's cultivation level is not high enough. Wangxian do it eventually, and when they leave the Cold Pond Cave, they are congratulated (?) by the Lans, who were waiting outside. WWX is also welcomed into the sect as one of their own. I think JC comments at some point that it's really weird for him to be safe in Cloud Recesses because of this reason. Please help me find this fic!

FOUND? The Ritual by nightwalker (E, 12k, WangXian, Sex Magic, Post-Canon, Fluff and Smut)

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10. Hello! I am looking for a fic that might have been canon-esque, but also could have been modern, where Mama Lan calls Lan Zhan her little bird. Only I think for a while the author gave us the Chinese word for it, which I don't recall what it was. It's translated later in the story. Thank you!

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11. Looking for a longfic I read a while back. The elements I remember are that the Lan figured out that WWX wasn't being properly compensated/treated as a head disciple of the Jiang and the deliberate stunting of his academic education was a violation of (handwavy) Jianghu high academia codes of conduct. As a result the Lan got WWX his backpay and the Jiang teachers got shunned by their academic peers. Had similar vibes to Stunted, Starving Juvenility, but I did a reread of that recently and I'm pretty sure it was a different fic. Thanks! @alychelms

Love this one and recently read it, but not it. The fic I'm looking for was definitely in canon-setting

NOT FOUND sounds like part of the story for 🧡🔒Truth Will Out (when caught on video) - End_OTW_Racism! by KizuKatana (E, 178k, WangXian, WN & WWX & WQ, graphic depictions of violence, modern cultivation, canon divergence, YZY abuses WWX , caught on camera, partial core removal, WWX kicked out of Jiang sect, livestreamer WWX, meet ugly, dual cultivation, smut, no war)

FOUND!🔒 the language of flowers and silent things series by Reverie (cl410) (M, 107k, WangXian, LXC/NMJ, LWJ & Madam Lan, NHS & LWJ, LWJ & LXC, LWJ & NMJ, LWJ & NHS Friendship, Developing Relationship, POV LWJ, Minor Injuries, Autistic LWJ, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, aka the YZY warning, Genius WWX, Light Angst And Hurt/Comfort, WWX Protection Squad, Gusu Lan Sect, Slow Burn, Protective LWJ, LWJ-centric, Politics, Canon Divergence, No Sunshot Campaign, Cultivation Sect Politics, Protective WWX) I don't recall if backpay was a part of it, but 11 reminds me of this

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12. Hi, I really need help finding a fic I read on ao3 some time ago. It was a modern day fic, I believe set in America, where wei ying and lan zhan meet again at jiang yanli’s wedding. They both act awkward around each other and don’t really interact until they are all in the hotel lobby and wei ying is trying to leave because LZ…but yanli tells lan zhan to give him a ride because it’s suppose to be a long ride home (to a different state I believe and lan zhan will be driving by it either way so it’s ideal) Wei ying tries to reject the idea but LXC gets involved too and he’s like it’s a good idea. It’s like a long drive/road trip fic where they are forced to interact and make up. Thank you for your time and effort.

Hi, I wrote to you asking for fic #12 on your may 13th post. I ended up finding it. It was a wlw fic 7:15 from Chicago by milesofheart. I’m sorry for the inconvenience but thank you for this platform, allowing me to ask in the first place.

FOUND! 7:15 from Chicago by milesofheart (T, 24k, WangXian, F/F, Modern, Rule 63, Road Trip, Getting Together, Female WangXian, matchmaking siblings, recovering from traumatic childhoods, spiritual trauma, Lan Disciplines as modern religious fundamentalism, LWJ's defiance of the Lan Disciplines, activist LWJ, the universal rage of women in a sexist world, Estranged Friends to Lovers, Pining, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, brief references to sexual violence, references to past alcohol abuse, mention of spiking a drink as a bad practical joke but in a safe environment, mentions of real American political and social issues, brief mention of physical child abuse, past experiences of homophobia)

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13. I need help finding a fic. I've looked through my AO3 history and had no luck. Here's what I remember: Its a modern AU (I dont recall if its modern Cultivation or modern without magic) WWX is on the outs the Jiangs but is close to the Nies. There is a scene where NHS puts put Nie braids into WWX hair, and LWJ is jealous and takes them out. WWX developed a software that the Nies distribute and the Jiangs use. When WWX does online tech support for the Jiangs he uses the alias MXY.

FOUND! Come Around and Stay by trippednfell (M, 160k, WangXian, NieLan, Slow Burn, Kid Fic, Found Family, Modern AU, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, PTSD, Blood and Injury, Dissociation, Angst with a Happy Ending, Musicals, POV Alternating, Baking, Yunmeng reconciliation (eventually), Friend Zoning, Literal Sleeping Together, Hurt/Comfort, Panic Attacks)

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14. Hello, how are you doing? 👋

I am looking for a fic which i found on this blog i think, i am not sure. It's where wwx breaks up with lwj as a dare but they're actually meeting for the first time. I thought i had it bookmarked but unfortunately i was wrong, please help me find it. 🫰

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15. Heya bros!! Got a request for the ficfinder? I read it a while back but accidentally closed the tab.

It was Wen Ning and Nis Huaisang centric. Chapter one was Wen Ning helping NHS escape qishan, chap 2 was NHS helping WN break outta the Jin dungeon and I think chap 3 was them talking about it??

I think Hua Cheng and Xie Lian made a very brief cameo in the third chapter?

FOUND? Jailbreaking by CullenBlue (T, 21k, WN & NHS, Canon Compliant, POV NHS, NHS Is A Little Shit, Cinnamon Roll WN, Fierce Corpse WN, Ghost General WN, References to Heavens Official’s Blessing, References to The Scum Villain’s Self Saving System, NHS insulting the Wen Clan’s taste in interior Decorating, Mentions of Murder, WN made a friend by talking about his childhood trauma, BAMF WN, Panic Attacks, mentions of gore, Canon-Typical Violence, Violence in the Name of Comedy, Trauma, Is NHS taking anything seriously? who knows, Bromance)

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16. Hi...

I am looking for this fic that I read a long time ago. It's a modern au and mpreg, where at the airport Wei ying went to the toilet and left a yuan with strangers (Mr & Madam Lan). Both of them thought twin jade especially lan zhan had a secret child as a yuan share similarities with the lan gene. If I'm not mistaken, Wei ying works together with lan zhan before leaving the country because of pregnancy and lan zhan doesn't even know about it. I don't remember why...🤔

Please help me find it. Thank you for your time 😊 @hazeylove89 //

Hi. I would hope to find this fic I read a long time ago. It's modern au where Wei ying leaving a yuan with stranger in airport for toilet break however the stranger is Mr &Mrs lan. Both of them thought a yuan is lan zhan child as a yuan share similarities with lan zhan. Btw this fic is mpreg n lan zhan don't know that Wei ying is pregnant.

Sorry if it's a difficult request. Thank you.

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17. hello! trying to find a specific tumblr post (not here but out in the wild) about yllz wwx actually being a fairly solid ghost who died in the burial mounds and knows he's dead but expects the ones he loves to also pick up on that and mourn him/give offerings? but none of them do; they see solid and assume alive, so he's feeling hurt about it. pretty sure it's here on tumblr somewhere but will accept fic recs

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18. this for fic finder <3 i remember reading a fic where WWX is a paperman and is spying on LWJ bathing. and then paperman wwx gets a cut and lwj gets angry or sulking at him for disregarding his safety @notdaniee

FOUND! I don't know about a fic but there's a comic by @moobiess like that

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19. hello, thank you for your help!

i was looking for this fic where wwx and mianmian are dating (?) and wwx accidentally moans lwj's name while making out/intercourse. i am unable to find it anymore. could you please help?

thank you again.

hello! #19 from the latest fic finder (may 13th). yes! it does! wwx goes to lwj's and they 'talk' about whatever happened and then they end up having sex.

bummer that they made it private, thank you for the help though!

sounds like a fic that has been privated/hidden by Pancho I believe , in the story does wei ying end up going over to Lan zhan and they have sex?

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20. hiii, i need help finding a fic on ao3 where lan wangji and wei wuxian time travel to the past and tell the sect leaders some form of info. the sect leaders are then nosy and weird about it so they end up using something to spy on them? lan xichen feels guilty but joins in anyway. in the scene that the sects see wwx and lwj are sitting and wwx is combing lwj's hair i think ? the two are aware that they're being watched as well. i don't remember much else, but i hope that's accurate enough. thank you so much.

FOUND? lan xichen is very concerned (and confused) by theninjacat (T, 3k, WangXian, POV Outsider, Time Travel, Canon Divergence, Sunshot Campaign)

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[stiltonbasket]

mystery oneshot 6: fic preview!

I thought I lost the outline for this one, so I was going to post what I had on tumblr and move on; but luckily, I ended up finding the outline on my local drive! Enjoy this little preview, and stay tuned for the full fic later on. :)

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“I have decided,” Jiang Fengmian declares, shortly after the Hungry Ghost Festival, “that the two of you are spending too much time at home.”

Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian exchange bewildered glances across the table. The look in Jiang Cheng’s eye seems to be inquiring exactly where his father expects them to spend their time, if not at Lotus Pier: so Wei Wuxian—being Wei Wuxian—poses the question aloud. 

“Where else would we go?” he asks, laughing. “Do you want us to go on another night-hunt, Uncle? If that’s it, we’ll take A-Hong and the rest of the shidimen and stay out for the next fortnight.”

“That is not what I meant. You and A-Cheng have already been night-hunting thrice this month,” Jiang-shushu objects. “You two are overworking yourselves—particularly you, A-Ying—so why don’t you leave the sect for a while and go amuse yourselves somewhere? How does that sound, A-Cheng?”

“All right, I suppose.” Jiang Cheng says doubtfully. “Where do you want to go, Wei Wuxian? And don’t say Baling; I spent our last trip as sick as a dog after drinking that mead Ouyang Weitie gave me.”

“We could go shrimping in Tingshan with He-zongzhu’s son. It would make for a good change,” Wei Wuxian suggests. “He Su wouldn’t know how to throw a good banquet if his life depended on it, but he’s good company.”

“Well…”

Jiang-shushu clears his throat.

“Why don’t you and A-Xian spend some time in Qinghe instead?” he asks. “The Unclean Realm’s yinghuo festival is a fortnight from now, and I am sure Nie-zongzhu would be glad to count you both among his guests.”

At this, Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng stare at one another from the corners of their eyes, each silently demanding if the other had ever heard of the yinghuo festival before: and upon reaching the conclusion that neither of them had, they turn back to Jiang Fengmian and wait for an explanation.

“Ah,” Jiang Fengmian says, with some surprise. “The yinghuo festival celebrates the second Nie-zongzhu’s marriage to his wife, and is held each year on their wedding anniversary. It is an occasion of great importance, and guests are always welcome. Did Nie Huaisang never tell you?”

After a quiet (and very hurried) conference, the two boys confirm that Nie Huaisang—faithless friend that he is—never once mentioned a festival celebrated exclusively in Qinghe; and upon that realization, there is only one thing for Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng to do.“I’ll write to Chifeng-zun right away,” Wei Wuxian declares, springing out of his chair. “And I shall tell him not to breathe a word about our attendance to Nie-xiong—for he can find out when we get there!”

[rarepears]

Hello, where can I find an AU where Liu Qingge and Luo Binghe switch roles?

By which I mean the following:

Shen Qingqiu absolutely loathes his shidi. The Bai Zhan peak lord is no better than a mindless beast, a brute. For all that his fellow peak lord was blessed with talent in the martial arts - he was a prodigy that immediately overwhelmed his older martial siblings just a year after joining the sect to assume the position of head disciple - and dogged stubbornness that allowed him to discover endless rare treasures and even rarer beasts and plants, this shidi was an irritating, uncouth, ill mannered and even more ill tempered cultivator that always accosted Shen Jiu day in and day out for-

"Fight me!"

Shen Jiu wacked Luo Qingehe on the head. "Beast!"

Luo Qinghe stepped back a couple steps, not looking sheepish in the slightest. "Shixiong," he whined instead, looking like a bullied maiden with teary eyes and a pout. He hunched himself to not look like the broad shouldered towering menance that was Bai Zhan's War God. "Just one spar? I made you lunch too."

Shen Jiu knew better than to be tricked at such foolish deception. Not when he knew the true purpose of Luo Qinghe's goal was to...

To...

"Immoral!" A scandalized young boy jumped right in. His face was red and incensed. He pulled out a sword - a wooden sword, one that was granted to disciples too young to go to the sword peak and find their cultivation sword - and immediately lept over the guqin. "Leecherous scum!" He raised the sword high over his head to strike the Bai Zhan peak lord.

Shen Qingqiu raised his fan higher so he wouldn't have to see the despicable scene any longer. Yet again, he regretted taking on the Liu clan's scion into Qing Jing peak. This noble's son was far more suited for Bai Zhan's ways, no matter how his face and lineage indicated that he was more suited toward spiritual cultivation.

No-

No, it was more apt to say that it was Luo Qinghe's fault. The man has folded like wet paper the moment Shen Qingqiu had interrupted to say that he wanted the Liu heir for his peak.

Yes, that was accurate. Everything was the beast's fault.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

An AU where Luo Binghe is the Bai Zhan peak lord and part of the Qing generation. Liu Qingge is Shen Jiu's newest disciple. Somehow Luo Binghe's demonic seal managed to stay in tact... until Liu Qingge goes off to participate in his first Conference and Mobei Jun tears apart the Bai Zhan's seal.

Luo Binghe regularly barges into Shen Qingqiu's cottage with food - it's his (poorly thought out) attempts at wooing his shixiong. His requests for spars are so he can get his hands on Shen Qingqiu - cop a feel or two. See a mussed up disheveled Shen Qingqiu too, with red cheeks and panting mouth. Hehehe...

Everyone and their mother knows about Luo Binghe's crush on Shen Qingqiu. If only Shen Qingqiu didn't think that Luo Binghe was messing around with him.

As for Liu Qingge? His mom arranged for her son to go to Qing Jing peak as Proper Noble Children Do in hopes of Liu Qingge actually learning the gentlemenary arts instead of only fighting with swords...

No, it doesn't work.

But Liu Qingge is there to help console Shen Jiu after Luo Binghe's "death" in the conference. (So Luo Binghe did learn some politics by having a crush on Shen Qingqiu and jumped into the Endless Abyss himself...) Funnily enough, Liu Qingge, despite being a Qing Jing disciple, manages to become the new(?) Bai Zhan peak lord after Luo Binghe's "death". Blame Bai Zhan peak lord tradition of being the best fighter on the peak.

Liu Qingge still continues calling Shen Qingqiu "shizun" in peak lord meetings though.

[rayan12sworld]

Something is wrong with A-Zhan!

By:HeloSoph

Summary:

Something is very wrong with Lan Xichen's younger brother.

First, he didn't wake up at his usual time.

Then, when he did wake up, he called him xiongzhang.

And as if that wasn't enough, he hugged him!

A-Zhan, the boy who hates physical contact since their mother's passing, hugged his brother on his own accord!

And as if the day couldn't get weirder-

“A-Zhan.”

“Yes, shufu.”

“What did shufu say before he let you and your dada go?”

“To get something we like.”

“And what did A-Zhan do?”

“A-Zhan likes Wei Ying.”

Lan Qiren’s eye twitched again.

OR: Lan Wangji time travels and decides to change everything.

Chapter:6/6

Words:15,306

Status:completed

(Dark lan wangji)

Like he killed everyone in the first time line 🫡

Wei Ying is Lan Qiren's cabbage

If what Nie Huaisang had written had even a semblance of truth, he won’t have to worry about his injured back soon. And as long as he does as instructed in the letter, he will be with Wei Ying soon, too. If not, he’ll just kill Nie Huaisang too. After all, lying is forbidden. And lying to him about Wei Ying– giving him false hope – is even more unforgivable.

~~

For he knows that Jiang Wanyin did blame his Wei Ying for the deaths of his family and sect members, as if Wei Ying didn’t lose the same people too. He hadn’t been able to intervene back then, not with the war blowing in all their faces. One man’s bitterness was of little insignificance. But now, Lan Wangji will make sure that the Jiang Sect Leader pays for everything. In full. He is the paragon of righteousness. His bitterness, after all, is not insignificant. It is righteous. It is justice. He is justice.

~~~

It looked lived in. But that can’t be true. His zhiji, his bright and cheerful, full of energy Wei Ying was long dead. Even before his death, this was not the room he lived in. ‘This lying bastard,’ Lan Wangji’s eyes turned cold as he looked at Jiang Wanyin and fixated on the bead of cold sweat that left from his hairline and threatened to fall in his eyes. He should gouge those eyes out, Lan Wangji absentmindedly made a note to himself. “I’ll take everything that belongs to my zhiji, and I’ll start with that golden core. Who gave you the right to use it, you bastard?”

~~

In Qinghe, Nie Huaisang felt a severe headache for a week. When his headache subsided and he woke up, it was to his brother by his bedside, fretting over him. ‘Lan Wangji’s love for Wei-xiong is no joke.’

~~

“You!” He got up and pointed at Lan Wangji, shaking with rage. Lan Wangji looked at him with a crazed look in his eyes, “Stop pointing those fingers at me unless you want them broken.” “Lan Zhan, that’s not a nice thing to say.” Wei Wuxian held Lan Wangji’s face in his hands and gently reprimanded him as if he were a misbehaving toddler, not a man fully capable of– and intending to– causing bodily harm to the Jiang Sect Heir. “Wei Ying..” Wei Wuxian understood that Lan Zhan was not sorry, so he didn’t push. He simply kissed his forehead, right on his sacred ribbon, “I’ll wait at Jingshi, come back quickly, hmm?” “Mn.” Having gotten his answer, Wei Wuxian collected his stuff and went back to his shared residence with Lan Wangji to wait for his zhiji to be done here. Lan Zhan never liked Wei Ying seeing him when he got like this. He claimed that Wei Ying might not like him anymore if he saw him like this. Wei Wuxian claimed that he would love him anyway. In the end, just to reassure Lan Zhan, Wei Wuxian always listened, not wanting to see his zhiji unhappy or in doubt even for a single moment. With Wei Wuxian gone, the room’s temperature somehow fell even lower. And this time, Jiang Wanyin noticed too. Everyone stood frozen in their place as Lan Wangji effortlessly grabbed the Jiang Sect Heir by the throat and lifted him in air, the boy’s feet dangling in the air as he tried and failed to pry the strong hand away from his throat. As the boy’s face started turning the same colour as the nine-petalled lotus embroidery on his shoulders, Lan Wangji spoke, “I hear another word about my fiance from your mouth, your corpse will greet your family when you leave here. Do I make myself clear?” The Jiang boy struggled against Lan Wangji’s steady hold for some time until his vision blurred. It was only after his vision started spotting that he made an attempt to nod. He was thrown to the ground like discarded trash after Lan Wangji decided his answer was acceptable. For now. As Lan Wangji left and the Jiang Sect Heir choked on the ground, coughing up a storm, the rest of the guest disciples still stood frozen in their place.

[larothoughts]

fem!jiggy thoughts (part 1: qinghe nie)

this is part of a larger mdzs au i definitely do NOT have time to write completely. but i've been turning it over in my head for days at this point and it needs to be written down else i forget everything.

basically, how drastically things would have changed with a genderbent meng yao.

(the following timeline is a mix between canons; basically it's the drama timeline without the yin-iron/puppets. but i'm even less familiar with the mdzs timeline as i am with svsss so forgive me for any errors;;;)

the brothel

now i fully believe meng shi, smart as she was and living in a brothel, would've done all she could to hide meng yao's true gender from the madam and her coworkers. this was her son, only meng shi is allowed to bathe him, his father will come back to retrieve him one day. secretly, she still taught meng yao that her father was a great man; that one day she wouldn't need to hide as he will surely take her in.

sisi, the only other person aware of meng yao's true gender, would've seen a young and already-pretty meng yao and been emboldened to pull her aside: 'do not go to lanling jin once your mother dies. not even being his daughter will protect you from jin guangshan.'

because jgs has a reputation amongst brothel workers, the working women of lanling, everyone except for the women he bedded and charmed. if meng yao had been a boy, then maybe sisi would've been assured that the worst jgs could do was throw him down koi tower. but as a girl, when meng yao was as pretty as her mother? no. absolutely not.

so when meng shi dies, sisi sneaks out a still cross-dressing meng yao and urges her to run as far away from the madam's reach as she could. she was still passably androgynous in her youth, but the minute the madam realized she was a girl, she'd force her to take on her mother's debt in her place. so meng yao runs.

qinghe nie

now sisi may have stressed the importance of not going to lanling jin as a no-name girl with a pretty face, but meng yao is tenacious. if she could build a reputation as a cultivator, then surely her father would at least be willing to hear her story out. to acknowledge her as a member of his family. (because meng shi was right too; if meng yao was legitimized as a jin, being a woman would no longer be as dangerous as it was for her now. she would have the power to finally dress and act the way she wants.) the yunmeng jiang sect is a bit too close to home for her comfort, so she goes to the next best sect accepting civilian members: qinghe nie.

one would think NOT being known as a bastard son of a whore would make her experience here much better. it doesn't. sure, the og!qinghe nie bullies liked to use his status to torment meng yao, but in the meritocratic no-bullshit environment chifeng-zun has established, it's strength that ultimately matters. and in both the og universe and in this one, meng yao just isn't as strong as the other recruits. being weak, effeminate and too-differential are all frowned upon traits for a man to be in qinghe nie; but in this au, meng yao would rather be bullied for weakness than be forced to give up cultivating altogether. it's not like female cultivators aren't allowed, just that female cultivators in qinghe nie are held at a higher physical standard. if anyone found out she was actually a girl, they'd take one look at her soft and petite frame and remove her from the ranks entirely. so meng yao grits her teeth and tries to make herself useful no matter how humiliating it is when her fellow disciples treat her more like a servant than a comrade.

then, nie mingjue comes across her half-dressed. she's mortified. the one person who should never know her real gender just walks up behind her, all because the other disciples had set her camp up across the pond as more bullying and she figured she'd use the privacy to her advantage. rather than demand answers or react with violence, however, chifeng-zun just frowns.

"I wasn't aware there were women in this squadron." "There... aren't," Meng Yao answers. She flushes slightly when Nie Mingjue's gaze flickers down to the still-visible swell of her breast, barely hidden beneath the robe she'd yanked over herself in panic. There is an awkward silence, one that fills her with skin-crawling dread. She has half a mind to throw her dignity away entirely and beg for mercy on her knees, but the man surprises her by turning his gaze away from her body out of... out of respect? The idea of a man not ogling her the way all men ogled women is strangely endearing. "Your name?" the sect leader finally says. It briefly crosses her mind to lie. It'll be a difficult but not impossible task to slip away from this squad and pretend to be recruited into another under a different alias. She's an expert disguise-artist when given enough time and determination; her work helping the brothel sisters prepare for the night beforehand was testament to that. Meng Yao wants to lie, because that's always been her first instinct in the face of danger. But from the way everyone spoke about Chifeng-zun, the righteous Nie Mingjue, Meng Yao suspects lying of any kind here may be her actual undoing. "Meng Yao," she answers him, decisive. "My name is Meng Yao."

the inner circle

no one is more shocked than meng yao when, only a few days later, chifeng-zun reassigns her to his personal squadron. he sees her contributions, recognizes her worth, and promotes her into the ranks as an inner disciple. and the cost of this promotion--and therefore unrestricted access to the nie library, where meng yao could finally, finally get her hands on a cultivation manual better suited to her than the dumb one handed out to new recruits--is the added job all members of chifeng-zun's squad must partake in sooner or later: babysitting nie huaisang.

in fact, this is her main job. meng yao is briefly offended that chifeng-zun assumes her gender makes her the perfect babysitter. she's only mollified at the promise of (1) aforementioned access to the nie library as an inner disciple, (2) the sect leader's promise to keep her true gender a secret from everyone but huaisang and (3) her job is less babysitter and more last-line-of-defense, the same as all his other squad members. the difference is, nie huaisang hates having to put up with the usual burly, no-nonsense nie cultivators silently judging his foppish pursuits. they ruin his aesthetic!

meng yao is still annoyed that mingjue assumes her being female means nie huaisang will better allow himself to be guarded (because feminine pursuits means he would prefer a female guard??) but... the man is trying. and having unrestrained access to both the young master and the sect leader is an advantage she'd be insane not to secure. even if her sudden promotion makes her relationship with the lower-ranked nie disciples even worse.

almost perfect

these years are, in hindsight, some of the best of meng yao's life. she dotes on huaisang as if he's her own little brother, finally manages to cultivate her golden core, and finds pride in clearing away qinghe nie's hidden enemies. she has mingjue's admiration and trust, and holds enough sway with the non-disciples to see her plans put into action. things are almost perfect, but for a few things: the lower-ranked disciples still view meng yao as a snake that slept 'his' way to the top of the hierarchy; and nie mingjue refuses to take her as his wife.

well, refuse is a strong word. more like 'will not offer,' a predicament huaisang laments alongside meng yao because just look at her! she'd be a perfect nie-furen! also i know you're sleeping together da-ge, yao-jie is discreet but you certainly aren't! no one even entertains the idea of meng yao being taken in as a concubine; the moment one of the mostly powerless nie elders tries to bring it up (a civilian, mingjue? a man??) the nie brothers shut it down.

the lack of proposal is not out of disrespect. it's because nie mingjue knows he's going to die young. marrying meng yao would require her to reveal her true gender to calm down the nie elders, and once known that information can't be taken back. leaving behind a widow and a non-combatant brother is a far more dangerous situation than leaving behind a non-combatant brother and his trusted attendant. leaving behind a widow related to jin guangshan is even worse. that power-hungry bastard would use any opportunity to gain ground, and his grieving daughter in qinghe nie would put the entire sect in jeopardy.

(mingjue would like to think meng yao would have more loyalty to qinghe than that, but even through rose-tinted glasses he knows meng yao is a practical woman. if it ensured her own safety and possibly huaisang's, she'd open the gates of qinghe nie herself. that was the entire point of meng yao telling him her background, a warning disguised as her detailing how useful she could be. it makes mingjue uneasy, the idea of what meng yao would do if backed into a corner. so he spends as much energy as possible to keep that from happening.)

the fall

meng yao takes nie huaisang to the gusu lan lectures again and again. tensions with the wen sect keep rising. xue yang is captured and taken into the qinghe nie dungeons, only to be broken out by wen cultivators less than a day later. in the ensuing battle, mingjue catches meng yao murdering the same former squad mate that used to steal credit for her victories. he sees her smile, her purposeful use of a wen-style attack, and how easy it is for her to switch from confident to 'terrified' once she realizes he sees her. the shift shakes something fundamental in him, the realization that this woman he loves is so capable of putting on a mask. that she put a mask on in front of him, when she'd once vowed never to do so unless it was for the good of the sect.

murdering the captain of her former squadron was not for the good of the sect.

before he can confront her, xue yang cuts his way through the last of the nie defenses and leaves one last parting gift via declaration: that wen rouhan was quite interested in the beautiful woman who'd stolen nie minjue's heart. that she could do so much better in nightless city, if she ever found herself wanting.

the aftermath of the escape is devastating. meng yao eschews dignity and does what she thought of doing the first time her gender was revealed: she gets down on her knees and begs for mingjue to let her stay as a nie disciple. already word has spread throughout qinghe nie and the wider gentry that meng yao is not just a woman, but a devious and power-grabbing one. that she hid her gender to get close to the sect leader, then engineered a perfect reveal to catch his attention. that she could have easily seized control of the entire sect before anyone had any idea of the threat she was.

mingjue, meanwhile, doesn't know what is and isn't true. he's questioning everything about meng yao, even their first meeting as insinuated by the rumors. it hurts him deeply that he can no longer trust her word; and it hurts her to lose his regard so absolutely.

in a world that favors men, mingjue wouldn't hesitate to kick male!meng yao out within the day. in this one, fem!meng yao is instead locked in her rooms until mingjue can come up with a solution that won't end in her certain death. because despite huaisang's begging, he is firm in the fact that meng yao cannot stay. not even taking into account mingjue and huaisang's feelings, the outrage amongst the nie disciples is enough they'd likely rebel if she remained. mingjue does not want to see meng yao slain by a disciple of his own sect. he doesn't, against his better judgment, want to see meng yao slain at all.

lanling jin

in a great twist of fate, huaisang points out the best solution is the plan meng yao gave up on so many years ago. for better or for worse, meng yao's name is now known across the gentry. she'd been a high-ranking member of qinghe nie for many years, is valued by both brothers and is still respected for her intelligence. mingjue keeps silent on the matter of their broken trust, their long-lasting affair, and any rumors other than the fact that meng yao is a woman. instead, he sends meng yao to lanling jin with a retinue of disciples from his personal squadron, as well as an apology gift for besmirching the honor of jin guangshan's daughter.

he sends her to koi tower with a glowing letter of recommendation and an earnest request for jin guangshan to take care of someone both nie brothers care about greatly. jin guangshan reads the two letters through gritted teeth, sat in front of the stoic nie retainers bracketing meng yao on either side. with meng yao's name and accomplishments on everyone's minds, with the thinly-veiled threat of nie retribution in those damn letters-- jin guangshan cannot hide her away as he would his other bastards.

he has no choice but to accept meng yao into lanling jin as his daughter, even with his wife glaring daggers at him all the while.

it is the last gift mingjue is willing to give meng yao. if not his hand, fulfilling her dream is the next best thing he can offer. unfortunately, as with most things in meng yao's life, it is simply not enough.

a few weeks later, the cloud recesses burn.

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

Like all things in Nie Huaisang's life, it started with Da-ge.

When killing Jin Guangyao and causing the heartbreak of Lan Xichen didn't help, didn't bring back his Da-ge nor gave him happiness or peace, at least - he tried something else.

The thing about sacrificing one, and alienating the other source of his to demonic cultivation was that it made everything way harder than it should have been - but he was always a resourceful little demon. Just as easily as he defeated the mastermind behind the murder of his Da-ge, he found himself back in time, when Jin Guangyao was still called Meng Yao and Da-ge was still a living, lovely little ball of rage and fierceness.

It was a strange experience, to be older than his brave and strong and talented Da-ge, but... he would always be his spoiled little didi. It wouldn't take long to get back to being the pampered little Second Master of Qinghe. Except...

He couldn't allow himself to be that lazy and shallow as he was. His Da-ge would. Not. Die. Not under his watch.

He was ready to kill Jin Guangyao, before the man could lay even a finger (or a faulty note) on his brother, but-

The man he met at the first time he opened his eyes in his past - in his new present -, was Meng Yao. His favorite non-Da-ge person, his friend, his first (second, if he wanted to be honest) crush. Da-ge's deputy, whose presence was essential in the daily lives of Qinghe. Nie Huaisang's plans changed in the minute he heard his A-Yao's soft words of concern.

"Is Second Master okay? Should I call for the healer?"

It was real.

Ever since he realized who killed his beloved brother, he questioned everything he knew about Meng Yao. He questioned his care, his love, his friendliness. But it was all real. His A-Yao really cared about him.

Maybe not Jin Guangyao. But Meng Yao did. And that care was what saved him.

"No, it's okay! It was just a quick dizziness, but everything is good now. And how many times more should I tell you that it's A-Sang?! A-Sang! A-Yao is so cruel to his A-Sang," he pouted, and the helpless adoration in the other man's eyes was so clear to him now that he didn't understand how past him had failed to notice it.

"Once more, probably," Meng Yao sassed, his tiny smile and cute little dimples hidden behind his sleeves.

"So cruel..." Nie Huaisang muttered, hiding his own smile behind a fan.

"Sect Leader sent me to tell you to get ready for the arrival of Young Master Lan," A-Yao said, taking Nie Huaisang's hairbrush in his hand to tame the unruly hair, and the younger boy allowed it, deep in his thoughts.

Meng Yao had to stay. Qinghe couldn't afford losing him right now, Jin Guangshan didn't deserve him, Nie Mingjue needed him at least until after the war, and Nie Huaisang... well, he wanted him. But in the past, as soon as Meng Yao had a better option, he took it, be it the adoration of Lan Xichen, the acceptance of Jin Guangshan or the opportunity to become Sect Leader. Meng Yao would do everything to be as close to power as he could, to be acknowledged and respected.

Nie Huaisang couldn't give that to him. He was just the heir, and saving Nie Mingjue was the whole reason for doing the whole time travel thing. He was not powerful enough. On the other hand, he would never allow Nie Mingjue to fall for Meng Yao, as his brother would never survive that relationship. Allowing Jin Guangshan to accept Meng Yao into the Jin Sect was absolutely out of the question. But-

But.

Hm.

That might work.

Lan Xichen had fallen for Meng Yao before. It was inevitable, but it was not enough. They would never do anything with their feelings; Xichen-ge was too Lan for anything, and Meng Yao would always feel inferior. And just the two of them... that would not guarantee Nie Mingjue's survival. (Hah! On the contrary, it would make the whole murder easier.) But!

But...

Lan Xichen always had a soft spot for Nie Huaisang. With some carefully timed helpless tears, some grateful hugs that last longer than appropriate, some flattering words and carefully cultivated image of being soft and sweet and just spicy enough to not be seen as a younger brother, it would be so easy to seduce the First Jade.

A-Yao already adored him, and if he had the means, the opportunity and the incentive to have Nie Huaisang as his, he would take it. Before, he never started anything with Huaisang because being the husband of the Second Young Master was not attractive enough. But being the spouse of the heir of Qinghe AND the heir - soon-to-be Sect Leader - of Lan was a completely different thing. Having connections to not one but two of the Big Sects, being Consort Lan, the husband of a man who would be indulgent to all of his manipulations and power games would be a temptation not even Meng Yao could resist.

Jing Guangshan had to die soon, though. It would be a shame to kill his not-yet-husband because he thought it was a good idea to suck up to his walking sexually transmitted disease of a father.

[icarus-suraki]

This is way too entertaining...

[lewiscarrolatemybrain]

In a happy AU I love the idea of Jingyi’s parents just like. Not realizing at first how connected their son is.

Like when he first starts toddling after Hanguang-Jun and Wei Wuxian they’re both obviously strESSED because that is THE SECT HEIR AND HIS HUSBAND baobei you need to be on your absolute best behavior do you understand look at me promise me Jingyi

And Wangxian are like it’s fine he’s a good kid and a’Yuan’s best friend, we don’t mind looking after him, the boys should get to spend time together

And that eventually becomes Jingyi tagging along for visits to Yunmeng and Lanling and occasionally Qinghe, and his parents obviously knew he traveled and made friends when he went out with Sizhui and his dads but they didn’t ever really. Stop to think about what that might mean?? Up until a discussion conference rolls around and his dad catches him apparently BULLYING THE HEIR TO THE LANLING JIN SECT and just about explodes only for Jin Rulan to… come to Jingyi’s defense? Because apparently that wasn’t bullying it was banter?? His son Banters with the Heir To The Lanling Jin???

And… the heir to the Yunmeng Jiang, and the Baling Ouyang, and All of the Wen kids call him cousin and —

Just that startling realization that your nobody ass branch kid apparently has the ear of almost all the future sect-leaders for no other reason than he was nice to the new kid at school before anyone else was. They realize that Jingyi does not know he has this power and elect to never ever tell him.

[coolshadowtwins]

It’s time for the next part of my MDZS Pokémon Au, with part 1 here and the last part here.

Reminders for this series- 1) Everyone’s starter Pokémon is the equivalent to their sword, and has the corresponding name. If they have a second, named weapon, then a second Pokémon on the team gets a name! 2) Everyone has a team of three, because that makes things easier for me!

Last time I told you about the main characters, JC and WWX. This time, they get to fight their first gym battle and meet a rival! The boys have left Lotus Pier, and have made their way to the next big city with a gym - Qinghe.

There, in the Pokémon center, they meet-

It’s Lan Wangi! I made Swablu a ‘Lan’ Pokémon, much the way I made Alolan vulpix one as well, and it’s the equivalent to Bichen. His ChingLing is the equivalent of Wangi. Yes, that does mean that he named his ChingLing after himself, not I will not change it. This is the rules of the world I have made for myself, and so it’s what I am sticking with lol

I imagine that when JC and WWX meets him, these are the two Pokémon he already has. He gets bunneary later, probably with something to have to do with WWX, but I don’t know what happens for him to get it.

You saw it before with the Juniors, but the Lan Pokémon have little headbands! I just thought it would be cute!

My imagining of this first meeting is WWX, knowing that a gym battle is coming up, is getting excited! Pokémon battling is fun to him! JC, who also normally likes battling, is really nervous about this because Qinghe’s gym is a hard one. Historically, it was supposed to be a rock gym, which would be incredibly had to get through with just an Eevee. In more recent years, it’s turned into more of a general ‘hits hard’ gym but it will still be very difficult.

Then WWX sees a new trainer walk into the Pokémon center! LWG, who already has two Pokémon! WWW thinks this would be the best practice, and jumps up to challenge LWG to a battle!

LWG just stares at him for a long moment, before telling him no and walking right back out. WWX wilts, and JC gets on to him for trying to start a battle in a Pokémon center.

The idea of LWG that he’s also on his gym journey and will run into the boys often as they journey.

JC and WWX decide to skip the training and go scope out the gym. When they get there, they are greeted to two men arguing. It’s Nie Huaisang, arguing with an older Nie cousin!

NHS wants to leave the city, and go on his own journey. Except it’s not a gym circuit challenge like the other heirs. I haven’t decided if I would want him into Pokémon contests or something else, but it’s definitely not the gyms. His older cousin, who had been out in charge of him while NMJ is gone to do Elite four things, can not let him go because NHS the one suppose to be looking over the gym! Except he hasn’t even been doing that- the cousin has been the one to take challengers. In fact, he had been the one to just fight, and lose to, LWG earlier that day.

So when the Nie cousin realizes that JC and WWX are there, he has to turn them away.his Pokémon aren’t up for another two fights.

NHS jumps in to give a bet- if NHS could beat both of JC and WWX in a battle, then he can go out on his journey. Clearly he would be a good enough battler then! The cousin is skeptical, but JC jumps on the opportunity- surely this would make the gym challenge easier! (Or maybe WWX jumps on the idea. I can’t decide which would be more up to it)

So that’s the deal made. NHS has only two Pokémon right now, so it’s a double battle with JC and WWX sharing a side.

The two Pokémon NHS has right now is his Teddiursa and his Bonsley.

I imagine that he just… finds a bird on the road later lol. I’m giving him a gun.

Teddiursa is his starter. It matches his brother who, spoiler, has an ursaring. I felt that it fit them. I then gave him a bonsley because I felt the fake crying really fit NHS. Can’t you imagine NHS crying, yelling that he doesn’t know something, while both his Pokémon are doing the same thing at his feet. Also, both Teddiursa and Bonsley are little crafty pos in the anime, and I feel like really fits NHS character lol

I want NHS to put up a fight, and maybe even knock an Eevee out. A lot of tricky moves- charm, fake tears, attract. But ultimately JC and WWX win, as we knew they would, and they get the badge.

Somewhere along the way in the episode, the three boys get to bond, but I don’t want to write that bit. But WWX is sad for NHS about having to stay behind in town.

Until, of course, they go to leave the town, only to be stopped by NHS running after them with a bag. He cheerfully explains that his cousin let him go, but only if he had company! JC is grumpy about is but WWX is all for it. Welcome NHS to the team! ( the cousin did not give him the right to leave. NHS just decided that the only one that can boss him around is his brother, who isn’t here right now. Then he snuck out a window.)

See you next time on this thing! It’s time to meet the evil team of the region!

[lilapplesheadcannons]

Nie MingJue, the unintentional kidnapper

Or that time A-Yuan almost got adopted into the Nie Sect

Nie MingJue is starting to get slightly uncomfortable. Sure, it has been decades since HuaiSang was a toddler (two decades, to be more specific), but surely toddlers need to blink more? The child is looking at him like he is the most mesmerising vision it has ever seen in its entire 4 years on earth.

He tries to glance through the door without being too intruding. He understands there is a touching reunion happening somewhere inside, and God knows he doesn't want to interrupt the Jiangs screaming and crying and hitting and hugging their wayward prodigal demonic cultivator, but surely someone else can take the child? Is it not a cousin of the Ghost General and her terrifying sister? Now he thinks about it, he is not so sure they are very fit guardians if they are willing to abandon their charge to any random cultivator. And the worst part is A-Yao, the person best suited to deal with this situation, has left with them, presumably trying to find a quieter resting place for the Wen remnants away from the chaos that is the 100 days celebration of the newest Jin baby.

He flinches when a soft finger cautiously pokes his cheek. The child grins guilelessly at him and says, "Pretty gege!"

Nie MingJue blushes to the root of braids. That's it! This child is obviously surrounded by unreliable people who would teach him utter nonsense or dump him in the middle of enemy territories, so as a responsible adult, it is his solemn duty to adopt the child (a boy? It is dressed as one, but who knows with Wei Wuxian?) and take it to Qinghe. He stands up with the child under one armpit, the child seemingly unbothered by being dangled like a sack of potatoes.

"He's mine!"

Lan Xichen's baby brother looks just as angry as he did on the day they first met, when he ended up biting HuaiSang. Except now he is almost as tall as MingJue, and he has already put the tip of his finger on his sword.

Rude!

Nie MingJue, a sect leader and the chief cultivator, is an older brother first and foremost. How can he resist ruffling Lan Er-Gongji's already ruffled feathers even more?

"I didn't know Wangji had a child."

Wangji bristles even further, reminding him of the time he accidentally stepped on Second Mother's cat's tail.

The child waves at him from his precarious position, "Rich Gege!"

Does Wangji's eyes soften a little? Nie MingJue can swear he saw a crack of smile in his lips. Surely, he is just hallucinating. The child chirps out again, "Pretty Gege!" pointing at MingJue. The room temperature plummets several degrees.

"GIVE HIM TO ME!"

If Wangji doesn't want to take over from Lan Laoshi, he can easily earn his living teaching enunciation to rich masters. Nue MingJue heard every syllable distinctly, including the single exclamation mark at the end. Is he serious?

Nie MingJue stares at him. He has heard rumours. The light bearing lord! The war has done awful things to the cultivators. Once kind, just men have been reduced to butchers with enough trauma to last a few lifetimes, but surely it hasn't changed the upright young man in front of him to such an extent that he was willing to...

He moves the child from underneath his arm and settles him down on the ground behind him.

"Look here, Wangji, he is just a child..."

He gets interrupted again by the same clear, obstinate tone.

"Give him to me! Now!"

Has Wangji lost it? Does he want to kill a child, practically a baby, to avenge his father and his sect? Does he really think he can get away with killing the adopted child of Wei Wuxian when Wei Wuxian himself was just a few doors away? Not to mention the Ghost General and the Jiang sect leader in the vicinity?

You can probably cut the tension with a blunt sabre. That's the first thing Lan Xichen notices when he walks in, the second thing being his brother and his best friend locked in a staring contest. Wangji looks like he is ready to start a fight, and Da-Ge has that little mocking smile, which means he is happy to indulge. Behind him, little A-Yuan is studiously examining the pattern on the carpet.

Wangji breaks the stare first. He turns to his big brother and says, almost petulantly,

"He's not giving A-Yuan back!"

Lan Xichen smiles and shakes a deprecating finger at MingJue in mock sensor,

"Now, now, what do you mean by not handing over my nephew to my brother? Da-ge! If you indeed want a child,..."

Wait a second! The jibe about the child being Wangji's, that was purely a taunt. Is it true? Did Wangji really have a child? A 4 years old? But, he begs your biggest pardon, Wangji is a child himself! How can he have a child? When? With whom?

Having his sympathetic brother on his side seems to encourage Wangji to speak further.

"A-Yuan called him pretty!"

If only people could see their Light bearing Lord pouting! Xichen tuts.

"For shame, Da-Ge!"

But before Nie MingJue can demand explanation, A-Yuan decides he has had enough of the carpet and stands up, then walks over to Lan Wangji in a brisk, businesslike manner, who bends down to pick him up without breaking eye contact with Nie MingJue and pointedly kisses the child's forehead.

Nie MingJue is pretty sure he is having a Qi deviation right now. Ah well, there are worse ways to go, he supposes.

[rosethornewrites]

Fic: the thread may stretch or tangle but it will never break, ch. 28

Relationships: Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī & Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī & Wēn Qíng, Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī/Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Jiāng Chéng | Jiāng Wǎnyín & Jiāng Yànlí & Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén & Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī

Characters: Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī, Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Wēn Qíng, Wēn Níng | Wēn Qiónglín, Granny Wēn, Lán Yuàn | Lán Sīzhuī, Wēn Remnants, , Fourth Uncle, Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén, Jiang Yanli, Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin, Original Characters, Niè Míngjué, Niè Huáisāng, Niè Zōnghuī, Jīn Zǐxuān

Additional Tags: Pre-Slash, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Secrets, Crying, Masks, Soulmates, Truth, Self-Esteem Issues, Regret, It was supposed to be a one-shot, Fix-It, Eventual Relationships, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, wwx needs a hug, Nightmares, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Filial Piety, Handfasting, Phobias, Sleeping Together, Fear, Panic Attacks, Love Confessions, Getting Together, First Kiss, Kissing, Boys Kissing, Family, and they were married, Bathing/Washing, Hair Braiding, Hair Brushing, Feels, Sex Education, Implied Sexual Content, First Time, Aftercare, Morning After, Afterglow, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Torture, Scars, Eventual Happy Ending, Hand Jobs, Chronic Pain, Biting, Conversations, Self-Sacrifice, POV Third Person, POV Lan WangJi, Bugs & Insects, Adoption, Ancestors, Ancestor Veneration, Golden Core Reveal, Top Lan Wangji | Lan Zhan/Bottom Wei Wuxian | Wei Ying, First Time Blow Jobs, Multiple Orgasms, Switching, sex-related injury, Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī Stays at the Burial Mounds, Lán Yuàn | Lán Sīzhuī is a Wèi, Good Sibling Jiāng Chéng | Jiāng Wǎnyín, Dissociation, Burial Mounds Settlement Days, Disability, Scheming Niè Huáisāng, Disabled Character, somnophilia

Summaries: An illness, a new visitor, and complications arise.

Notes: See end of each chapter

AO3 link

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25-6 | 27

---------------

Wei Ying’s health takes a dip for several days, something Wei Qing attributes to a mundane illness, as several of the Wei also become ill, including A-Heng and A-Yun. However, it impacts him worse because of his lack of health and, Wei Qing thinks, his prolonged malnutrition at several points in his life, not simply his lack of a jindan. 

“Rest and eat regular small meals. Popo will bring them. I’ll have A-Ning make you soup tonight,” Wei Qing promises, which tells Lan Wangji how concerned she is more than anything else she says. 

Lan Wangji cares for Wei Ying, placing wet terrycloth rags on his forehead during fever and keeping him warm, hydrated, and fed, while the Wei care for the children and each other. During this period, Wei Qing halts bringing children home, letting them know they can come when the illness has run its course. 

One morning after Wei Qing has finished his treatment and left for Yiling with Wei Ning and the Jiang cultivators for the day, in the midst of his fever, Wei Ying wakes with a grimace.

“Someone is at the wards,” he explains, then breaks out in a coughing fit. 

He needs Lan Wangji’s help to get down to the entrance to the Burial Mounds. Happily, it turns out to be Luo Qingyang with more supplies from Qinghe, having been tracked down by Nie Huaisang and sent in their direction. 

She is wearing sensible blue robes, nothing Jin-associated, and there is no risk of A-Yuan reacting to her. The letter she bears from him details finding her and enlisting her help, as well as detailing his search of brothels for Wen women who were sold by the Jin—he plans to have them brought to the Burial Mounds, so they can be adopted as Wei before being moved to Lotus Pier. 

“You look like hell, Wei-gongzi,” she tells him honestly, and insists he go back to his sickbed while she helps around the settlement. 

“Ah, Mianmian, so kind to her ailing Yuandao,” he responds weakly, then lets Lan Wangji guide him back to the cave. 

Lan Wangji ultimately carries him on his back, back to his sickbed. 

Mianmian takes up residence with little fuss, camping in the great hall until one of the Wei uncles lets her know there’s a bed available, freshly built, in the larger building where most of them sleep, preferring safety in numbers to privacy. The building is partitioned by a blanket between men and women, and Luo Qingyang insists it’s sufficient for her comfort. 

The fever breaks the next day, and as Wei Ying was the last person ill, the following evening Wei Qing brings several new children and a very skittish woman with makeup-covered bruises on her face. It turns out she heard the poem and hoped the Yiling Laozu would protect her and her children from her abusive husband, running away for fear of death. 

Wei Ying immediately holds the adoption ceremony, unwilling to turn away someone in need, and Wei Yating and her children, seven year old daughter Yi’er and two year old son A-Rong, become the newest members of their clan.

“I’m stealing wives and children now,” he murmurs coyly to Lan Wangji later. “Are you going to punish me, Hanguang-Jun?”

“Only from those who deserve to lose them,” he says, then presses him into the mattress. 

“I hope you don’t still think I like Mianmian,” Wei Ying says lightly, teasing, and Lan Wangji puts his mouth to better use. 

They adhere to every day where possible, now that Wei Ying is no longer ill. 

A-Yuan is enthralled with his embarrassment of riches in new cousins and playmates, though his favorite seems to be A-Zhi. He’s engaged and happy, and Lan Wangji suspects in many ways the boy was lonely and didn’t know it, even now wouldn’t be able to put it into words or even understand it. He doesn’t fuss as much as he did before. 

The children are healing many in the settlement, breathing life into the Burial Mounds in a way that makes the lingering resentment somehow almost seem content. 

Luo Qingyang starts accompanying Wei Qing and Wei Ning to Yiling, supplementing the protection of the Jiang disciples and doing any shopping that needs to be done for the settlement. She brings sewing with her and works on child-sized robes for their new and future clan members. Once she even comes home with a child already dressed in the new robes she finished that very day. 

This frees Wei Ying to stay in the Burial Mounds to work on his inventions and rest, and Lan Wangji to make sure he doesn’t blow up the cave and actually rests. Wei Qing is glad he’s not pushing himself to go to Yiling daily with them and is instead able to get more healing out of their musical acupuncture sessions in being able to let the healing take hold more fully. 

“You’re still underweight and healing, Wei Wuxian,” she comments when he tries to apologize for not accompanying them. “Your brother sent disciples to attend that duty. You’re not alone. Learn to delegate.”

Thankfully, Wei Ying capitulates without too much guilt; it helps that Luo Qingyang has seamlessly added herself to the community, helping the aunties with laundry and clothing repair at times and helping to look after the children. Allowing her to accompany Wei Qing and Wei Ning to Yiling in his stead makes sense, given his health. 

She eats meals with them, adding her voice to Popo’s insistence that he eat more, though she carefully lets Lan Wangji be the one to fill his bowl, and joins Wei Qing’s gentle teasing as well.  

“Let your husband feed you, Wei Wuxian. You’re so light a stiff wind could carry you off.”

Wei Ying takes her teasing with as much grace as he takes Wei Qing’s, with an exaggerated pretense of wounded pride. 

The children flock to her, as well, and she’s patient and kind with them. 

The Burial Mounds, while dangerous in the warded areas, have become somewhat idyllic, a functioning settlement with plenty of food and shelter. The former Wen are healing and thriving, the children are happy and recovering from malnourishment, and Wei Ying has more good days than bad, hope illuminating him from within. 

It’s inevitable that it will shatter, and it comes in the form of an attempt on Wei Qing. They return to the settlement early, Luo Qingyang bleeding from her non-dominant arm, and Wei Ning carrying a trussed up rogue cultivator who is ranting nonsense about Wei Ying and his “Wen army,” something Lan Wangji puts a stop to with the silencing spell to spare the children his words. 

A couple of the children burst into tears at the sight of blood. One, a girl of about ten years named A-Hua who arrived only the day before, runs to her immediately, calling her Yang-jiejie and fussing over her. 

“I’ll leave you to interrogate him for now,” Wei Qing tells Wei Ying. “Once she’s patched up, I’ll join you.”

“We don’t have room for prisoners,” Wei Ying says darkly, his gaze on Luo Qingyang’s arm. 

The rogue cultivator stops struggling at that, seeming to finally realize his position is not favorable to his health. Though he may be biased, Lan Wangji suspects he is not the most intelligent of men. 

“Please immobilize him with your needles,” Lan Wangji requests, and Wei Qing does as asked without fanfare. 

The Wei clan has gathered by this point, murmuring and watching the rogue cultivator with no small amount of unhappiness, and it should be clear to him there is no army, assuming he is capable of rational thought. 

On Wei Ying’s order, Wei Ning drags the man unceremoniously to the Demon-Slaughtering Cave—and Lan Wangji notices with no small amount of satisfaction that the name makes him pale further. 

Wei Ying has WeI Ning dump the rogue cultivator on the stone that once served as his bed, and then crosses his arms for a moment and looks him over before starting to go through the man’s robes. The man cannot protest under the silencing spell, and he soon finds a piece of parchment promising a reward and a place with the Jin sect to anyone who “kills or captures Wen Qing, the Ghost General, or the Yiling Laozu, Wei Ying,” calling them enemies of the jianghu. 

“So Mianmian was hurt protecting Qing-jie,” Wei Ying says tightly, “and now we have to figure out what to do with you.”

It’s almost pitiful to watch the man try and fail to break the silencing spell, cultivation too low to even manage that much, unable to move because of Wei Qing’s needles. Lan Wangji wonders if this rogue cultivator could even defeat as little as a walking corpse. 

“Luo-guni—guniang d-didn’t have to unsheath her sword to cap—capture him,” Wei Ning says, clearly sharing Lan Wangji’s opinion of the man, doing his best to loom. 

“He is fortunate that she stayed her sword after his capture,” he comments. 

“Only so we could interrogate him,” Luo Qingyang breaks in from the entrance to the alcove, Wei Qing behind her. “And I didn’t think the Yiling magistrate would be happy if I gutted him in the street like he deserved.”

She’s clearly angry, but when Wei Ying comes to check her arm, she sets it aside and swats at him affectionately with the bloodstained sleeve of her robe, trying to reassure him. From his serious expression, it doesn’t work. 

“It’s fine; I’ll be healed by tomorrow,” she insists. 

“The more pressing matter is this idiot,” Wei Qing said, gesturing at the rogue cultivator. “The Jiang disciples are willing to take him to Lotus Pier so your brother can deal with him, but the real issue is the Chief Cultivator has declared open season on you, Wei Wuxian. On us.”

The parchment makes any harm done to Wei Ying or those he protects legal in the eyes of the jianghu, which is a dangerous directive that could undermine all the work they’ve done. It puts even their sworn brotherhood at odds with the orthodoxy, not just Wei Ying or the former Wen. 

“Need to notify the others,” Lan Wangji advises. “They will help.”

Xiongzhang and Chifeng-Zun, as supporters of the Auspicious Eight, are now in precarious positions, though there is ample room for grievance—Wei Ying has done nothing against the jianghu since he freed the now-Weis. Not that the Jin haven’t been engaged in their vicious rumor-mongering. 

They are, potentially, back to the lowest of public opinions with this move, all gains lost.

Wei Ying brushes by him, his gait too rushed to be a stalk, and out of the alcove. Lan Wangji knows he must take charge.

“Render him unconscious with needles. Send him with the Jiang disciples. Include the parchment. Have Jiang Wanyin notify Qinghe and Gusu. And Jin-shao-furen.”

As happens when he is upset, he turns to the cadence of short sentences, the brevity found in literature and the work of scholars. Wei Qing nods and gestures for him to follow his husband. He does, knowing she will implement the transfer of the prisoner. The sooner the rogue cultivator is out of the Burial Mounds, the better.

Even with him gone, much more will need to be discussed—whether Wei Qing can continue to go to Yiling daily, for instance. What to do about children coming to Yiling to join their family. How to protect the settlement. 

He finds Wei Ying sitting in his workshop area, staring at his nearly-finished prototype of the questionably-named Compass of Evil, his body language defensive and evasive, folded in on himself, his breathing harsh. He’s clearly trying to calm down, but Lan Wangji can tell he is spiraling.  

“Wei Ying. Sending him to Yunmeng.”

He gets no response, Wei Ying almost frozen, his eyes dull. Lan Wangji knows his spiral must be interrupted, and so he sits beside his husband and takes the compass, setting it down, taking Wei Ying’s hand in his own.

“Wei Ying,” he repeats, hoping to lead him from his stupor with his voice. 

“I had hope,” Wei Ying murmurs, looking at him with a bleakness that doesn’t belong on his face. “That maybe we’d find a way. That there could be more than a single-plank path. That I could somehow not be doomed to die.”

He looks as dejected as he did the first day Lan Wangji came to the Burial Mounds, when he discovered the truth of his jindan, and his heart aches for his husband, for his hopelessness, and all the worse for that he cannot reassure him beyond any doubt. He has only faith in their allies to rely upon himself, and he can only imagine Wei Ying’s is shaky, his trust in people damaged by his experiences. 

They intended for the yuefu to take hold more fully, to make it difficult for Jin Guangshan to move against him, but they didn’t anticipate this level of action already. Now, with their efforts undercut, there are children involved, more than A-Yuan, and so many people depending on the success of their plan. They can’t guarantee it, and none of them, save the original remnants, know this. Wei Ying gave them his name, and now they may be doomed by it.

“I told you I would doom you, too,” he whispers. 

Lan Wangji gathers him into his arms, hoping he give him strength through the contact. Wei Ying leans against him listlessly, trembling with the force of his emotions. Hope snatched from him cruelly. He strokes his husband’s hair, massaging his scalp and guiding him to lean his head against his shoulder, kisses him chastely. He is pleased when Wei Ying’s gaze becomes more present. 

“Never doom,” he says. “I will not abandon you. Nor will the others. We are sworn siblings.”

The swearing of siblinghood is often done before a battle, to tie the participants together as kin in what could be the end. Fitting, then, that the Auspicious Eight are now tied together as the battle comes to them.

And they have an extra advantage, one the Jin can’t possibly know about—they have two of the Venerated Triad at their backs as well. Three of the four major sects stand behind Wei Ying, and Jin Guangshan’s heir gone rogue, even. 

Wei Ying burrows against him, seeking the comfort he’s offering, his eyes glassy with unshed tears.

“All is not lost, Wei Ying,” he assures him gently. “Together we will build a wide avenue.”

He swears he will do everything in his power to make that a reality.  

—————

This fic is finally breaking 100k words! Also, honeymoon is over. Now come the complications.

Yating, 雅婷, pinyin yǎtíng, means elegant and graceful. Yi, 怡, pinyin yí, means joy. Rong, 融, pinyin róng, means harmonize. Hua, 华, pinyin huá, means splendid. There are a few more children, but they shall remain nameless. Assume there are, in addition to the eight named, four unnamed. 

Thanks to adrian_kres and Yassy for the beta!

Glossary:

er = honorific meaning little or dear

jindan = golden core

laozu = patriarch

shao-furen = younger madam

xiongzhang = older brother 

yuefu = a style of narrative poetry that basically borrows from Chinese folk song traditions—the Ballad of Mulan is an example

[mxtxfanatic]

Now for our Peerless Character Breakdown and Review! As always, beware of spoilers ahead!

Qiao Xian: *Puddin voice* but why? Why did you hafta do it? 🥺

Pei Jingzhe: oh my sweet summer child, it is truly a miracle you survived to the end

Qin Miaoyu: from a prop to a properly-paid employee, WE MADE IT!!!! 🎉🎉🎉

Ming Yue: go back to your paperwork, man, you've earned it

Zhangsun Bohdi: has martial prowess and can do paperwork, the best of both worlds for an underling! Wish you got the girl tho 😔

Yuan Sansi: aha, that's what you get, asshole 🤭

Fan Yu: terrible shizun, you do not deserve the title

Yuwen Yihuan: girl you existed for all of five seconds and honestly? you didn't even deserve those, either

Kuhezhen: you, too, existed for all of five seconds, and I wanted you dead for all of them. B+ villainy, points detracted for self-destructing like an idiot

Tuan Qinghe: you can go straight to hell Mr. “all I wanted was a fair martial duel 🥺” while wandering around POISONING PEOPLE cause your white moonlight asks you to. Fuck off

Xiao Lu: I haven't wanted an antagonist dead this badly since Xue Xiuzhuo from QJJ, A+ villainy!

Feng Xiao: a narcissistic bastard but just beneath the label of rat bastard

Cui Buqu: a bastard only kept in line by the limits of his sickly body (and even then...)

Feng Xiao x Cui Buqu: I love when assholes get together, like yes! keep your toxicity contained within your relationship! Love that for y'all 💖

Honorable mentions:

Emperor and Empress: for once no one made any stupid moves, so you and your kids and your grandkids got to live. Praise 🙌

Princess Leping: it is only be the grace and wits of your parents that you survived. The most unintelligent character of the novel, but she lived I guess 😒

Probably one of my top reads of the year. Idk if Meng Xi Shi has written any other works, but this one far outshines Thousand Autumns, and I loved that novel. This one is less about the martial world side of things and religious/philosophical discourse, but if what you want is a romance (with a nice side of political intrigue), then this is the novel you should start with. Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu are also so perfect for each other as they are simultaneously probably thr worst people they each know and also the most devoted to the other while refusing to openly admit it. Their characters were a delight separately and as a pair. The range of villains as well as their different, sometimes conflicting motivations also kept the story engaging and suspenseful as you never knew what wrench was gonna come out of the dark to wack you upside the head. Really, there was not a dull moment to be had in this novel!

The fan translation is fine but riddled with a bunch of minor grammar mistakes and word mixups ("he greeted his teeth" instead of "he gritted his teeth," as one example). I'm looking forward to how the official will clear up these mistakes. As of now, the fan translations are still up, but the novel has been licensed by 7seas and is currently releasing: