#we have lady jiang to thank for that

[atqh16]

I love Jiang Cheng as a character, but I lost a lot of respect for him when he saw that Wen Qing and Wen Ning needed help and did nothing.

[shanastoryteller]

Hello! Thank you for taking the time to open prompts! Could i ask for some lady mo, or anything with wei wuxian? He’s my fave!

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

When one of the servants A-jie had brought with her when she married catches his eye and then disappears, Jiang Cheng’s stomach drops.

He leaves Shuchun to deal with the official mingling, which earns him a dirty look, but he refuses to feel bad about it. Wang Yan is hovering at the edges and either she or Jin Ling will save her from any truly obnoxious conversations.

He makes his way to his sister’s rooms, knocking twice before pushing inside. “What’s going on?”

The first person he sees is Jiang Xingyi, which is never good, but A-jie appears whole and healthy. She grabs his arm with both hands, pulling him close before whispering, “Would you be able to get genkwa before the end of the night hunt?”

“Yes,” he says, even though doing it without getting caught is going to be nearly impossible. What his sister needs, she gets. “How far along?”

She doesn’t look any different to him, but then again she never does. But if she needs it before the end of the night hunt, she must have caught it late this time.

This isn’t the first time he’s needed to do this.

A-jie’s body might not be able to handle another birth. He knows that she wants a big family, but none of them are willing to risk her life for another child.  

Well, he and Jin Zixuan aren’t. Jin Guangshan and Madam Jin would do it gladly, which is why they can never, ever know of the times he’s had to smuggle the crushed purple little flowers into her hands.

“It’s not for me,” she says which leaves him blinking. “Maybe we won’t need it, but she won’t stop crying, and I don’t want to offer her something that I can’t carry through on. You’re sure?”

“Yes,” he says, “but who are we talking about?”

If it’s A-jie, everything has to be handled with the utmost secrecy, only Jiangs, Jin Zixuan, and Jin Guangyao privy to her condition. But a servant girl or even a noble’s daughter doesn’t garner enough attention to warrant their normal subterfuge.

A-jie gives him a look so full of grief that he’s already reaching for her before she turns and crosses over to the entrance to her private bath. She knocks then leans against the door, “Meimei, can you come out? There’s someone else here, he can help you. You can trust him, I promise.”

The endearment tells him nothing beyond it’s a woman younger than A-jie.

The seconds drag on and then the door slowly opens, a women clad only in one damp robe stepping out. He lifts his eyes to her face, red and splotchy from crying and her hair a mess all around her, and feels his mouth drop. “Lady Xuanyu?”

The wife to the second jade of Lan is not some servant girl or even just a noble’s daughter.

She sees him and fresh wave of tears roll down her face, but she’s smiling too, and A-jie is relaxing. “Hi Jiang Cheng.”

“Is it his?” he asks, mind spinning. “Lan Wangji’s?”

A-jie glares at his lack of tact, but he’s trying to make sense of this. If she’s sleeping around on Lan Wangji, Jiang Cheng is hardly going to blame her for it, but it’ll explain why she needs to end the pregnancy.

She hiccups, lifting a sleeve to wipe at her cheeks. “Y-yeah.”

On the bright side, it’s not like Lan Wangji can hate him more than he already does.

A second reason for her to be so miserable at the news that she’s carrying her husband’s child occurs to him and the rage that sweeps through him is surprising in its intensity. “Does he hurt you?”

He drank with her the night before her wedding and told her that Lan Wangji wasn’t that awful, that he wouldn’t hurt her. He told her that she’d be safe as his bride.

But now she’s sobbing and pregnant and so clearly terrified.

Xuanyu hesitates.

“I’m going to kill him,” he says. It comes out perfectly calm, none of his normal bluster. Both A-jie and Jiang Xingyi pale.

He turns to leave, already planning on drawing his sword first and explaining after. Lan Wangji has made a liar out of him. Xuanyu is young and didn’t ask for any of this and he has a responsibility to protect his bride and Jiang Cheng told her that he wouldn’t hurt her and now she’s here and she’s hurt and he’s going to rip Lan Wangji’s spine out and shove it down his throat.

People don’t like him, don’t get along with him, generally. But she’d sat with him beneath the light of the moon and drank with him and it had been something warm and familiar that he hasn’t had since before the war. He tells himself that’s why he cares his so much when the truth is he doesn’t know why, it’s just that she feels familiar in a way he can’t explain, not when he the first time they met was that night.

“Jiang Cheng!” She lunges forward, hugging him from behind, wrapping her arms around his waist. He braces for the feeling of discomfort, ready to push back agaisnt the urge to shove her off of him. It doesn’t come. “I didn’t mean like that! We spar, a lot, and I get hurt, but I’m always requesting it. It’s not like that.”

He turns in her arms, gently pushing her back but not letting go of her shoulders. “Then why are you crying? It’s okay, you can tell me the truth. I’m not afraid of Lan Wangji.”

“I just,” she sniffs. “I can’t – he doesn’t like me, you know? And – and I’m better than I was, um, healthier, but what if,” she blinks heavily, “what if I’m not strong enough, or something goes wrong, and then – what if I mess it up? And it’s all my fault, because I was weak, and then I’m a failure and he hates me–”

“Oh, Xuanyu,” A-jie whispers. He knows she had a lot of those same fears when she was pregnant with Jin Ling, and she and Jin Zixuan were in love, and he proposed to her fully knowing the state of her health.

Both Xuanyu and Lan Wangji were forced into this marriage.

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do,” he says firmly. “If you don’t want to have this baby, then you don’t have to. Whatever the reason. And if anyone tries to force you to, I’ll stop them. I don’t care who they are. Understand?” He waits until she gives a wide eyed nod. “But I don’t – I don’t think that Lan Wangji will react like how you think he will. And if he disappoints you, then I will help you take care of it. But I don’t think he will.”

Twice now he has vouched for Lan Wangji to Xuanyu, this girl who feels like another sister even though he barely knows her.

If Lan Wangji makes a liar out of him, he will beat him bloody and not even Lan Xichen will be able to hold it against him.

[yutaan]

Holiday sale!

Hey there, my lovelies! Once again, the end of the year is fast approaching, which means we’re all hunting around for gifts for our loved ones (or to keep for ourselves - after all, you deserve gifts too, my lovelies). And what’s a wonderful present for a fandom-savvy giftee? That’s right, it’s ART!

My INPRNT shop is back open, and all items there are 10% off for the entire month of December with the code "FZE4NF"! And below, we have a wide array of beautiful papercraft originals, pre-made, packaged, and ready to be shipped to YOU! Happy holidays, my lovelies!

(Please note that due to tumblr’s image resizing, the artworks are not necessarily displayed at an accurate size in comparison to each other.)

~

BUSTS (approx. 4″ tall)

Harrowhark (The Locked Tomb) - $70 each [BOTH SOLD]

Lady Amalthea (The Last Unicorn) - $65 [SOLD]

Edgeworth (Ace Attorney) - $65 [SOLD]

Jasmine (Aladdin) - $50

Mirabel (Encanto) - $60 [SOLD]

Meg (Hercules) - $50

Hiei (Yu Yu Hakusho) - $55 [SOLD]

Liu Qingge (SVSSS) - $70 [SOLD]

Katara (Avatar: the Last Airbender) - $70 [SOLD]

Ed (Fullmetal Alchemist) - $75 [SOLD]

Yugi & Yami Yugi (Yugioh) - 8" wide - $210

Jiang Cheng & Jin Ling (MDZS/The Untamed) - 6" tall - $200 [SOLD]

~

FULLBODIES (approx. 6″ tall)

Aerith (FFVII) - $85

Kagome (Inuyasha) - $75

Sakura (Cardcaptor Sakura) - $85 [SOLD]

Yor (Spy x Family) - $85 [SOLD]

Reigen (Mob Psycho 100) - $80 [SOLD]

L (Death Note) - $75

Vash (Trigun Stampede) - $95 [SOLD]

Howl + Calcifer (Howl's Moving Castle) - $95 each [BOTH SOLD]

Haku (Spirited Away) - $90 [SOLD]

~

MINIS (approx. 3-3.5″ tall) - $30 each, three for $80, five for $125

Jin Ling, Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji, Lan Xichen, Jiang Cheng (The Untamed/MDZS) [ALL SOLD]

Batman (DC), Anya (Spy x Family) [ALL SOLD]

2B (Nier: Automata), Chat Blanc (Miraculous Ladybug), Hunk (Voltron)

Sailor Moon, Dark Lady (Sailor Moon), Pikachu (Pokemon) [ALL SOLD]

Bakugo (BNHA)

Nezuko (Demon Slayer) [ALL SOLD]

MINI SETS - $60 each

WangXian (MDZS/The Untamed) [ALL SOLD]

Yunmeng Shuangjie (MDZS/The Untamed) [ALL SOLD]

Jin Ling & Jiujiu (MDZS/The Untamed) [ALL SOLD]

HuaLian (TGCF) [ALL SOLD]

BingQiu (SVSSS) [ALL SOLD]

Crowley & Aziraphale (Good Omens) [ALL SOLD]

~

SIMPLE PAPERCRAFT (approx. 5" tall) - $20 each

~

ZINES (5x7")

TALL ♥ small - 20 pages, handmade, personal illustrations, all-ages - $10 [SOLD OUT]

Battle Damage - 28 pages, pro-printed, multiple artists, teen and up - $15

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

If you are interested in purchasing any of these artworks, please email me at yutaanchan23@yahoo.com with the subject line “Holiday Sale.” In the body of the email, please include:

Which piece(s) you wish to purchase

Shipping address (please note that shipping outside the US may cost extra)

Preferred email address for Paypal invoice

If you have a tumblr username and would like to include it so I can recognize you, you can also do that! :D But it’s not a requirement.

~ 

Pieces are first-come, first-served, so be quick! (Likewise, please note that I cannot reserve a piece for you indefinitely unless you are able to pay for it or place a down payment on it at the time you contact me. Thank you for your understanding!) This post will be updated throughout the month to show which pieces have been sold.

Happy gifting, lovelies!

[grenade-maid]

there's a lot of reasons more people aren't into yuri that are troubling to consider, but equally, I genuinely think it cannot be understated how much of it comes down to most yuri being boring as hell. Like truly. I've been reading the front page of Dynasty Scans like it was the newspaper for 15 years I am not exaggerating I can show you the download file data 15 years.

You know what the complaint about yuri by yuri readers was back in 2009?

"wow that really was just 5 volumes of them blushing at each other and then they don't even kiss"

You know what the complaint about yuri by yuri readers is today in 2023?

"wow that really was just 5 volumes of them blushing at each other and then they don't even kiss"

Don't get me wrong, Yuri has grown a LOT in that time, to the point that most people today wouldn't even understand a Maria-sama reference if it were dropped in front of them (thank God). It's expanded and evolved to encompass more stories about adult women, wider varieties of scenarios, a greater acknowledgement of real life lesbianism, and is more comfortable showing girls kissing with tongue and having sex.

Yuri Manga is maybe the best is it's ever been, and it's also getting the widest readership it's ever had in the English speaking world. The titles we carry at work are always on back order with long queues, and, when I've asked them, most weebs of all gender or sexualities report keeping up with at least a few Yuri series.

At large though? Most of it is still really boring. That's not a bad thing necessarily. I like it because it goes down easy. For the most part any series you pick is gonna be pretty chill. Even shit from Sal Jiang which is PRETTY EDGY for yuri is a pretty breezy read. More serious ones like How Do We Relationship? cover some pretty real subjects about how intimacy is actually quite difficult even when both of you love each other, but it's not like... Exciting. Yuri isn't where you go to pump your fist or get perched on the edge of your seat.

So when the comparison is made to yaoi, well, I mean, have you READ any yaoi? Even in some of the more restrained titles those boys are likely to be sucking and fucking balls and all within the first volume or two. There's gonna be drama, intrigue, shit is gonna get messy, passions are gonna get heated, clothes are gonna be ripped off, people are gonna get sold to One Direction, it's stuff you can sit down with a bowl of popcorn with you know? Stuff you can message your friend and gush Hey Can You BELIEVE? A lot of it is pretty trashy, but that's the appeal. The generic state of yaoi is torrid and exciting and sexy. Ultimately, as a species many of us like to see pretty people fuck. In yaoi you'll get that. In yuri you won't. Nothing wrong with that, but it is gonna be a major contributing factor to their relative popularity.

It's also worth making the comparison to hetero romance manga, which has undergone a renaissance of it's own in recent years. There's now a whole meta around crafting a handful of mean shitty grouchy dysfunctional bully women and flinging them at the protagonist of the day who, unlike in years past, may actually have a face and personality. Most of these are also very trashy and truly scrape the bottom of the bucket in terms of writing.

AND YET?

I would bet money on the fact that you'll have heard of these women and probably even have a good idea what they're like without ever having touched a page of their manga.

I'm sorry but the straights are whipping donuts around the yuri girls in terms of delivering a wide variety of weird compelling fucked up women. How many yuri leading ladies by comparison can you point to as standout recognizable characters even divorced from their story? There's definitely a few, but not many. I'm not talking quality or depth of writing, I'm talking straight up pure recognizability. There are many beautifully written women in yuri, now more than ever. I can't think of many who'd like, get a figure made or have their face splashed on merch, though.

I don't really have a conclusion here. I love Yuri a lot, but at the end of the day this is just kinda the state of things right now.

[jaimebluesq]

always found it interesting that despite the fact he clearly wants the sect to remain in the family, nie mingjue literally never made any attempts at continuing his bloodline, foisting it off on huaisang instead along with the sect leader title. what if it was he couldn't have had kids even if he wanted to, because taking up baxia too early caused him to become sterile? and admitting as much would have been too humiliating? anyway, brotherly scene where he's forced to come clean about it, and whether it ends in a decision to adopt or huaisang agreeing to take up a political marriage in the future just for heirs or whatever is up to you.

Oh Anon, you have no idea how close this idea is to my heart because of my own life experiences. I love that you came up with it, and thank you for sending it to me... now let’s see if I can do it justice.

~ ~ ~

Nie Huaisang stood outside his brother’s office, his hands twisting upon his closed fan. He’d been anxious for days, trying to figure out how to broach a particularly sensitive topic with his brother – had practised with both Nie Zonghui and Jin Guangyao to try and get his words just right. Oh, it was something he’d tried asking many times before, but his brother had always brushed him off and directed him to the training field for saber practice.

Not today. Today, he would get an answer whether his brother liked it or not.

Before he could talk himself out of it, he knocked on the door and entered when his brother called out. He was careful to close the door behind himself before approaching his brother’s desk.

“What is it?” Nie Mingjue asked tiredly, his fingers rubbing at his temple. “Isn’t it time for-”

“Saber practice was this morning,” he replied, “and I actually attended today.” He’d attended only to leave one less thing to anger his brother on the day he came to seek answers – though Nie Mingjue’s fatigue made him wonder if he should have chosen a different day. But then, his brother looked tired most days since the end of the war.

“If you’re asking about-”

“Da-ge?” He waited until his brother finally looked up at him. “I... wanted to talk to you. About something important.”

Nie Mingjue looked him over, then picked up his papers and set them aside. He sat back in his chair, hands on the arms and fingers drumming along the cherry wood, waiting for Nie Huaisang to speak.

The first thing Nie Huaisang did was sit down to face his brother. “I heard from Zonghui that you received a request for an alliance from Yao-zongzhu,” he began, wanting to ease into the subject he wanted to address.

His brother sniffed. “He’s trying to pawn off his sister to anyone who’ll have her, all to tie himself to one of the great sects. I’ve no desire to ally with the Yao.”

“But what about the He,” Nie Huaisang prodded. “Or the Lan – Er-ge told me he has a younger cousin that’s quite lovely and kind and would make a wonderful furen. Or the Jiang – I know Jiang-xiong doesn’t have any blood relatives, but he has some promising lady disciples that would-”

“We don’t need another alliance,” Nie Mingjue ground out through gritted teeth. “Is that why you’re here? To harass me about getting married? Leave it alone – it’s none of your business.”

It was the same answer he had given Nie Huaisang before – but it was one he could no longer accept.

“But Da-ge... it is my business,” he said with a shaky voice that grew stronger with every word he spoke. “It’s my business because this is the reason I’m your heir, and I have the right to know why.”

Nie Mingjue narrowed his eyes, his face turning dark. “If this is just another argument to get out of saber practice-”

“I don’t want this!” Nie Huaisang’s voice broke mid-sentence. He tightened his grip on his fan. “I don’t want to be sect leader one day, you know this. And the Elders don’t want me either – you’ve heard what they say about me when my back is turned.”

“If you would only practice your saber more-”

“It won’t do a thing, Da-ge, because I’m not meant for this!” He took in a shaky breath. “Please, Da-ge, don’t make me do this anymore. You, me, the sect, we all deserve better, don’t we? Please don’t tell me you genuinely think me being heir is the best thing for Qinghe Nie?”

“This sect must be led by a member of our family’s main line,” Nie Mingjue insisted.

“Then why haven’t you started a family to inherit the sect?”

“Because I can’t!!!”

Nie Huaisang felt glued to his seat. There was something in the tone of his brother’s voice... it wasn’t anger, not just anger, but it was painful to hear. And then his brother’s shoulders dropped and he brought a hand to rub at his temple, and Nie Huaisang could have sworn he saw a glint of wetness in his brother’s eyes.

“I can’t,” Nie Mingjue repeated, slower and a little calmer.

When Nie Mingjue looked up, their eyes met. The two of them breathed heavily for several moments, broken only when Nie Mingjue picked up a document and threw it across the room. Nie Huaisang heard a rattling nearby; he glanced over to where Baxia trembled lightly in her stand.

“When one of us becomes sect leader,” Nie Mingjue explained, “there are many different rituals and sect secrets we learn from the Elders and other sect officials. And one of the very first things they tell us is that we need to work immediately on birthing an heir. Because our lives are so short, and one never knows when we’ll be taken out by a Yao or a qi deviation, or some tyrannical sect leader who doesn’t like being opposed.”

Nie Huaisang swallowed hard. His brother had only been fifteen when their father had died... he couldn’t imagine being told he had to become a father when he was only fifteen.

“None of the other sects helped me try to bring evidence against Wen Ruohan for what he did to A-Die, and I certainly wasn’t going to ally with any of them.” Nie Mingjue grimaced. “It was suggested to me that we find someone outside the sect, someone completely apart from the cultivation world, who wouldn’t have known enough to vie for power. I... I had no idea what to do, who to look for. All I’d ever done before was train, and when I did have tender thoughts, they weren’t about the girls they brought before me.”

This didn’t surprise Nie Huaisang – he’d seen the looks exchanged between Nie Mingjue and his ‘sworn brothers’. He nodded.

“So we finally settled on someone to try with,” Nie Mingjue continued. His voice already sounded lighter than when he had first begun explaining, and Nie Huaisang wondered if his brother had ever told this story to anyone else before – if Er-ge and San-ge even knew. “She was kind, and patient. The agreement was that if she became with child, then we would officially bring her in as a concubine. But after a year of trying once a week, every week... nothing happened. And then the Elders insisted on trying with another woman because the problem ‘obviously’ wasn’t with Nie-zongzhu, and before I knew it, I had four women I didn’t want that I had to lay with, all to try and do my duty to my sect.”

By this point, Nie Mingjue was no longer looking at Nie Huaisang, but rather staring out the nearby window. A part of Nie Huaisang wanted to tell his brother to stop, to tell him he didn’t have to say anything more – but the other part of him really wanted to hear the answer, to understand what had gone wrong, both for his brother and himself.

“After another two, three years of nothing, the Elders called in a highly respected physician. He looked me over, did a few tests, and then the Elders discussed the results. And then they told me that I was a rare case – that training so aggressively from such a young age may have made me stronger than anyone else in our sect, but it also had the side-effect of rendering me... barren, so to speak.” He sighed. “We called off the women after paying them handsomely for their efforts, and we helped them find husbands who would honour them properly. And then I named you my heir permanently.”

Nie Huaisang’s shoulders felt heavy even as he tried to roll one of them back. “Why didn’t you tell me, Da-ge?” he asked softly.

Nie Mingjue snorted. “Your voice hadn’t even begun to change when all this happened. The only things you knew about such matters were from spring books – and yes, I know you’ve had them since you were twelve, I’m not an idiot. There was no way I was going to lay this on you.”

“I may have been young, but so were you.” Nie Huaisang tried to offer a smile when his brother finally faced him again. “And... this is something we’ve needed to discuss, for the good of our sect. After all, I’m not a boy anymore.”

“You’ll always be a boy,” Nie Mingjue countered with a wistful smile. “The tiniest little thing that Xiao-Niang brought out to me and told me to protect it for the rest of my life.”

“Da-ge,” Nie Huaisang whined, mostly to break the seriousness of the moment.

Nie Mingjue let out a chuckle. “Well, you know now.”

Nie Huaisang nodded. “And now we can figure out what to do about it.” His brother’s eyebrow lifted. “Because the way I see it, the moment you die – which you’re not allowed to do, by the way, not without my permission – this sect will immediately undergo a challenge to leadership, because there are far too many people who don’t see me as a proper leader. And quite frankly, they’re right. So... I’m presuming adopting is out of the question, or else you would have done it already...” As he spoke, he began counting off fingers from his hand.

“Ideally, the leadership would remain in the main family line,” Nie Mingjue explained tentatively.

“Well, I suppose that leaves us with only one option left,” he concluded with a nod to the growing confusion on his brother’s face. “The only question is, do we work to ally with another sect, or find someone outside the Jianghu? Because I don’t mind getting married or taking a concubine, but I do not want anything to do with Yao-zongzhu’s sister. Just because I enjoy pretty ladies does not mean I want a part of that mess>”

“You can’t be serious!” Nie Mingjue huffed. “You’re just a boy!”

“I’m the same age as Jin Zixuan,” he countered, “and he’s marrying Jiang-guniang in a few months.” He absently chewed on his bottom lip. “And just the other day in Lanling, I was chatting with Madame Qin – she is very much not in favour of Qin Su’s little crush on San-ge, by the way – and she was trying to encourage me to ask her to walk in the gardens. She is rather pretty, and-” He paused at the stare his brother gave him.

“You don’t have to do this,” Nie Mingjue sighed. “Just because I can’t do this, it doesn’t mean you have to give up your life like this.”

He met his brother’s gaze in a way he never would have done as a boy. “I’m a Nie,” he explained, “and we both know we have had to fulfill our duties to our sect. I know I can’t fulfill mine on the battlefield – I was never meant to be a soldier or even a cultivator – but I can do this.”

The corners of Nie Mingjue’s eyes crinkled, and he nodded. “Qin-zongzhu’s daughter does seem like a good choice,” he finally agreed, “but the girl is still enamoured with A-Yao no matter how he has tried to dissuade her.”

“Then I imagine San-ge would have a vested interest in helping her get over him,” he grinned, “don’t you think?” Nie Mingjue nodded. Nie Huaisang stood up and stretched out his back. “I’ll go write him a letter and see what he has to say, and we’ll go from there.” He began walking to the office door, but stopped at his brother’s voice.

“But for the record,” Nie Mingjue announced, his tone steady and strong, “you and the Elders are wrong. You might not be meant for the battlefield, but... a sect needs a different kind of leader in peace-time, and you would make a good one.”

Nie Huaisang swallowed through his suddenly tight throat. He made no sound, nothing to indicate he’d heard his brother’s words, and continued on his way out the door.

But his heart flooded with warmth at one of the few compliments he’d ever received from his brother.

[wangxianficrecs]

lovers be lost (but love shall not) by la_muerta

lovers be lost (but love shall not)

by la_muerta

T, 13k, Wangxian

Part of the Danmei Diaspora Creatives

Summary: When the Jiang family falls on hard times, they are faced with two choices - have Jiang Yanli marry wealthy asshole Jin Zixun to clear the family's debts, or have Wei Ying marry the youngest son of the equally wealthy Lan family. To save his elder sister from a miserable loveless marriage, Wei Ying agrees to the match. There's just one catch - his prospective husband is already dead. Kay's comments: I really loved this story and it was actually one of the first stories I saw that featured a ghost marriage! The setting especially was just great, I'm very weak for the 1910s era and I loved this exploration of this time period. In which Wei Wuxian gets ghost-married to the recently deceased Lan Wangji, but fear not, there is a happy end for them! There's also a mystery to solve and the Lan estate, which has the most haunted vibes (and may be haunted by Lan Wangji). Excerpt:"Thank you, Uncle Jiang. Actually, this is about my brother, Lan Zhan. I'm afraid he passed away a few days ago," Lan Huan says. Wei Ying is so surprised that he blurts out, "A few days ago? Then why would you want to talk about a wedding now? Um, no offence." "None taken," Lan Huan assures him. "Well, my brother and I are the last remaining members of our family line, and because he is younger than me, I'm not allowed to pay my respects to him. He was only 19, and has no spouse or children who can complete the proper funeral rites for him. I have had to leave his body at the funeral home instead of bringing it here, and after everything he cannot be buried in the family grave with our ancestors because by custom there is nobody who can mourn him, and I just-" Lan Huan takes a deep breath, unable to continue talking. Meng Yao urges his employer to drink his tea, brows furrowed with worry as he murmurs words of comfort. In the silence that follows, Wei Ying fits the pieces of the puzzle together. "Why not offer marriage to a young lady instead? Or ask the temple medium if he knows of any young man or woman who has passed away and whose family might find themselves in a similar predicament?" Jiang Fengman asks carefully. Lan Huan puts down his cup, shaking his head. "My brother would not have been happy about being married to a woman. He had few friends and kept to himself, and I was one of the few people who knew him well, but even I underestimated the depth of his loneliness. If there is indeed an afterlife, I do not wish for him to be lonely in it as well, which is why I wished to meet your foster son before we involved a matchmaker or medium." Lan Huan turns to Wei Ying, addressing him very seriously, "I want to make sure that you understand what is being asked of you." To marry a dead man and go through the mourning rites for him as his widower so that he can be buried in his ancestral grave. To promise to be the companion of this man in the afterlife, a man Wei Ying has never met... or has he?

pov wei wuxian, modern setting, modern with magic, 1910s, case fic, ghosts, ghost lan wangji, arranged marriage, ghost marriage, angst with a happy ending, lan wangji/wei wuxian get a happy ending, @la-muerta

~*~

(Please REBLOG as a signal boost for this hard-working author if you like – or think others might like – this story.)

[ultfreakme]

Danmei ask, what are your top 5 (or top 7) favorite moments from MDZS? Also, can I ask why you love those 3 (JC, WWX , XXC)?

(Riki, I'm so glad when found out you also love Jiang Cheng. You must know how many haters on his character in tumblr and twitter. Like, I was blocked 4 times by MDZS lover blog, when they knew I love Jiang Cheng.)

I love reading your MDZS/ SVSSS crossover, they're so in character.....And yes, SQQ must love Sukuna and Jogo if he ever read JJK...

Thanks for the ask Anon!!

Top 7 moments:

When we find out the Jiang Cheng sacrificed himself to the Wens to save Wei Wuxian. It was dropped so casually and I had to backtrack and go "wait, wait, WAIT! DISCUSS IT PLEASE!!"

The juniors in the Yi City arc, they were so adorable, I loved reading them putting on a brave face and investigating.

Wei Wuxian murdering the crap out of Wen Chao with his sexy undead ladies. Him and Jiang Cheng together torturing him while Lan Wangji was sent out and it's like, LWJ is confused, shocked, and horrified.

The scene where Wei Wuxian's roasting Jin Guangshan at the conference post-war and everyone's scandalized. I love it when Wei Wuxian gets bitchy.

Jiang Cheng's intro scene in the donghua where he emerges from the shadows of that tree, pushing aside the leaves. That's so hot of him.

Wei Wuxian covered in blood in the second siege of Burial Mounds and Lan Wangji is defending him. That scene's so cool and romantic in all its iterations. The donghua went above and beyond and made it seem like a wedding.

Jiang Cheng giving Zidian to Jin Ling ;_; It hurts me. It's so much worse knowing that MXTX was planning on killing Jin Ling soon after to really hurt Jiang Cheng.

Reasons I like:

Jiang Cheng-

He's so complicated! You can't immediately look at him and say he's the good guy or the bad guy. I personally think he leans more towards the good guy category.

He's the perfect opposite of Wei Wuxian, he's not a genius cultivator like wwx, he had to work for every bit of progress he made. He started off simply wanting to keep his family together and at peace, but the war happened and his priorities shifted. He's duty-bound, he's always fighting and scraping to be recognized but no one ever does. He wanted so bad to help wwx, but duty made it so that he was forced to pick between his sect and wwx. Forever chained, closed off.

He's jealous and vicious and so, so angry. I get it, I understand the worst parts of him and relate to it.

Wei Wuxian-

Again, super complicated as a person. Wronged at every turn. He wanted to do good and protect people, and for that he kept sacrificing himself over and over again with little value given to himself as a person. He's got his sharp edges and cruelty too, and I feel like people often forget that Wei Wuxian's traumas and his lack of self-appreciation and value on himself show in ugly and vicious ways.

His story obviously shows a key message of MDZS, which is that when people sacrifice themselves thinking that they're protecting their loved one, they only hurt them in another way. I understood his desire to do good, protect people, but there's no one to stand at his side. The loneliness and fear that comes with fucking up so bad that no one even tries to hear you out, no one's listening no matter how loud you shout.

Xiao Xingchen:

He's like Wei Wuxian but 100% times worse and more self-sacrificial. Too trusting, too good, and everyone kept taking advantage of that without bothering to guide him or be honest with him. Like legit, no one told him what they were truly thinking.

I love that xxc wants to be a good person, i hate that he was ruined for it. God I really wanted him to have a happy ending because he's just, he's so NICE. In a world filled with betrayal and deceit, xxc wanted to spread goodness. And yet.

AAHHHHHH

I think these characters made me see the point of MDZS in a very clear way, or in a way that impacted me most. So they're my faves.

Being a Jiang Cheng liker is a struggle! I was getting into MDZS even before the donghua started airing, like around 2018 and back then Jiang Cheng hate was so bad. I kept waiting year after year for the hate to go down but it just got worse the more popular MDZS got. The misunderstandings built up too. I got black and got into a million arguments too ;_; We have to stick together!!!

i have so many thoughts about Jiang Cheng specifically because, okay I read and watched everything about 3 years ago, so I don't remember much other than my fav, so I'm always thinking about everything he did.

nbsdhfb SQQ's monster-loving ass would go gaga for Sukuna. Four armed man wrecking people??? Yes sir! (side note; big tall powerful man who is called king who is only nice to his close servant and confidante???? SQH come get your boy!)

[incarnadinedreams]

There are a couple common claims about things MXTX has said in author's notes which I just wanted to make a little note-to-self with the exact context/source of because they keep coming up again and again. I find that between general translation issues and then further filtered through summaries and offhand comments and then repurposed for... uh let's just say spirited debate, they tend to be presented as much stronger or more emphatic or more serious statements than the impression I got when reading them in context (the translated versions, of course!).

'Morally perfect' comes from the postscripts (published by Exiled Rebels as chapter 113.5):

Both WWX and LWJ are highly ideal characters, so there wouldn't be too much dispute on their moral standing. They're perfect as the protagonists. Of course, I do like WWX a lot, but if I'm looking for a boyfriend, sorry, I'll only have LWJ please.

This is the same postscript where she talks about the difficulties of publishing on the timeline she did and how she was worried the structure of the novel would do badly in serialized/webnovel format, how Xue Yang was like a has-been internet idol in the comments section compared to the Jiang Cheng haters (lol), how she threw everything she liked about an ancient setting in a pot and changed whatever she liked without any intention of historical accuracy at all, etc. So the focus of the postscript wasn't like a morality essay or anything, just offhand comments and notes and trivia.

'MXTX wants us to be like Wangxian' comes from the final author's note of the last extra (ExR ch. 126):

Without care for anything at all, I shall give the entirety of my soul to the pen and the paper.

I no longer like to tell my readers, 'I love you.' These words are too light, and yet these words are too heavy.

I hope each of you who enjoys this book can be like Lan WangJi in virtue and Wei WuXian in character.

P.S. I received the help of many in the publication process.

There's more before and after, from talking about how she decided the type of story she wanted it to be, outlining process, and then after she goes on to thank her editors, the webnovel platform, supportive friends, etc.

Whether any given person cares what her opinion is out-of-text or not is another matter of course! But since it gets brought up so much as if they're very serious Word Of God proclamations... well... it's probably pretty obvious my opinion/interpretation lands in the 'it's not supposed to be that serious, bruh' category.

Though even if it were meant to be super serious I'd personally still be like, 'well that's just like, your opinion, random author lady.' But at the same time, these quotes tend to be used in a way that gives a distorted impression of how serious and thorough they were intended to be and often add confusion.

Also I don't think MXTX is saying we should go feed a guy's fingers to a ghost child in front of him while he's forced to eat his own leg but that's really just wild speculation and assumption on my part, maybe she would appreciate that idk.

[juniperjellyfish]

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AND PEOPLE, I PRESENT TO YOU THE WINNER OF THE FIRST ANNUAL NINJAGO SEXYMAN TOURNAMENT AND THE SUBJECT(S) OF MY FIRST EVER DTIYS!!!!

DRRRRRUMROLL PLEEEEEEEASE…

LORD GARMADADD- GARMADON IS THIS YEAR’S NINJAGO SEXYMAN!

IN SECOND PLACE WE HAVE NYA SMITH/JIANG

AND IN THIRD PLACE WE HAVE KAI SMITH/JIANG

Some honorable mentions are:

Dareth

The Great Devourer

Skylor Chen

Thank you to everyone who participated in this event and those who participate in the DTIYS!

And especially @woffles-4-waffles, without you and the Garmadaddy group chat, this would not have been possible.

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

First meet

@gwyndal thank you for your adorable prompt! I loved writing this!

The prompt: Wangxian meeting LXC's and his spouse's firstborn

Wei Wuxian walks anxiously through the jingshi, drawing imaginary circles all over the place with his steps. His hands are folded behind his back, but his fingers still wring against each other, betraying his nerves.

Lan Wangji would try to comfort him if he wasn't restless himself. He's been sifting through the same book for the past two or three hours, unable to focus.

"Why's it taking so long?!" Wei Wuxian bursts, tired of the silence and his own thoughts spiralling. "I wonder, did something happen? I know Ming Xiang's pregnancy has been difficult, but... it's been over 10 hours, why haven't we received any news?"

"I've asked the doctor to let me know when something happens, good or bad. No news should be good news."

"Except it's not! Do you know how many things can go wrong in childbirth?! It's terrible, she could even die!"

"Wei Ying, I don't think that is the case. We would have been told."

Wei Wuxian sighs, frustrated. "I just want to know or nephew or niece is okay... This is nerve-wracking!"

"It is, but we shouldn't be so-"

There's a knock at the jingshi's door and Lan Wangji springs to his feet, nearly knocking himself over as he runs to open up. A disciple that can only be described as happily distraught manages a half bow and hurriedly says, "Come quickly, lady Ming has given birth to twin boys!"

Lan Wangji nearly knocks the disciple over as he runs out the door, and it happens again when Wei Wuxian follows. They all but fly their way towards the lanshi, and only when do they arrive at the door reality hits them.

They're uncles now! They're going to meet their niece or nephew now!

But they can't just barge in - this is an intimate moment, perhaps Lan Xichen and his wife want to spend it together without outside interference. Perhaps they should wait to be called in or -

The door opens to reveal Lan Xichen beaming, a smile so bright it nearly lights up the night. "Come on in, A-Xiang was just about to send me after you."

Suddenly, both Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian feel incredibly small as they walk in. The lanshi looks the same as always, yet it feels different - it feels different with Ming Xiang's soft voice humming a lullaby as she lays in the bed, two bundles of embroidered blankets in her arms.

There are bags under her eyes and her updo is more mess than hair - but she looks so softly, so lovingly to the little ones she's holding that she appears otherworldly, a goddess among mortals, the primordial image of Mother.

Wei Wuxian's eyes tear up, but it is Lan Wangji that cries first, two rivulets of tears falling symmetrically down his face at the image. A step behind them, Lan Xichen himself struggles to hide his tears.

Ming Xiang smiles, tired, proud, relieved, motherly. "Looks like you'll both get your very own nephew."

Wei Wuxian laughs, wetly, as he approaches the bed and tentatively sits on the edge. He sees his own mother holding him, he sees Jiang Yanli holding Jin Ling, he sees A-Yuan's mother holding him - he sees all mothers there, in the image of Ming Xiang, and there is a knot in his throat that refuses to dissipate.

He looks at the two babes, snuggled in their expensive furs and silks, so small and vulnerable, so very precious, so long waited on.

Lan Wangji joins his husband's side and Lan Xichen stands at the foot of the bed, looking on at his family, now whole. He hasn't even realized, until today, he has been missing something.

Two little somethings.

"Would you like to hold them?" Ming Xiang asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji nod all too eagerly, and Lan Xichen takes the cue to help his wife hand over the two little boys.

She makes a relieved sound. "They're so heavy... Those pregnancy cravings fed them well!"

Lan Xichen watches as the two hold his sons like they are gold incarnate, their touches delicate and fearful. He shares a look with his wife, a discreet smile between them, until-

"He's moving!" Lan Wangji exclaims, overwhelmed and uncharacteristic, eyes wide as the baby in his arms opens his eyes and lifts a tiny hand towards him.

"Of course, he's moving." Wei Wuxian replies, gently rocking the other one. "Babies tend to do that."

Lan Wangji smiles, warm, his fingers gently adjusting the blankets around the little boy. "Mn."

The baby seems to be analyzing Lan Wangji, blue eyes scanning over his face before his little nose scrunches as if in disapproval, and he closes his eyes to sleep again. Wei Wuxian's heart leaps at the adorable sight and he knows he wants this for himself too, for both of them.

He turns to look at the baby he's holding himself, sleeping soundly, and can't help running a finger over his plump cheeks. He knows he'd die - again, over and over - if his little nephews asked, he'd turn the world upside down and sideways for them. He'll be the uncle he never got to be for Jin Ling, he'll be the uncle he wished he had himself when he was younger.

And so, on that cold winter day, Lan Yichen and Lan Haoyu were born, the future Twin Jades, the pride and joy of their parents and uncles, the hope for a future as bright as their father's sword and as beautiful as their mother's smile.

(And as spoiled as Hanguang-Jun and the Yiling Patriarch could get away with.)

[junemermaid]

nirvana in fire for the meme thing!! 💙

Unironically, thank you for reaching directly into my brain b/c I will never climb out of this hole apparently.

my favorite female character — Nihuang, Nihuang, Nihuang. This show is full of delightful complicated ladies (Consort Jing is fucking fascinating and I could write whole essays on how she works ingeniously in her extremely constrained circumstances to change the fate of the empire), but Mu Nihuang hits my thing for warrior ladies and my thing for tragic love that endures but is not enough, and Liu Tao has the kind of face that writes poems for the camera when you just point it at her. She is strong and tender and temperamental and multifaceted and yeah, have you considered that sometimes the woman is the blorbo.

my favorite male character — Okay, Mei Changsu is my problematic fave but also protect Xiao Jingyan at all costs. This is a harder question because I love both of them, and there's also Yan Yujin and Marquis Yan, the unconquerable father-son conspiracy duo we did not deserve but got anyway, and also Meng Zhi, without whom we would all be even more lost and confused amid all the Schemes. But I am going to say Jingyan, because he's such a Type for me (the repressed yet short-fused Lawful Good character who sticks to his morals but also has to grow beyond his narrow views), and also a Type flawlessly executed in both writing and acting. He suffers beautifully but also I don't want him to.

my favorite book/season/etc — Plot arc, maybe? This is everyone's answer but the Spring Hunt arc is gorgeous and has everything. Nihuang returns! Consort Jing is flawless! There's Strategy and Plotting and Desperate Last Stances! (Everyone gaslights Jingyan to a mildly disturbing degree...) I have too many favourite moments to count, though.

my favorite episode (if its a tv show) — I admit a great fondness for that part where Mei Changsu and Jingyan wait for the rescue team for Wei Zheng to get back. It's functionally just two guys in a room waiting for news, but the incredible tension strung between them and the fact that they're both helpless and can do nothing but wait for time to pass as other people's actions decide their fate make it riveting to me. They are generally characters who always have ways and means, but there, they're at the mercy of time. Together. Something something this scene is the show in a microcosm.

my favorite cast member — Honestly I don't know enough about the actors to say, but they all seem like they had a great time filming the series.

my favorite ship — As anyone with eyes can see, jingsuhuang is where I plant my flag, but I am pretty much a multishipper. The OT3 compels me because both Jingyan and Nihuang have such amazing chemistry with MCS and also because I feel like either of them alone runs the risk of being almost... overwhelmed by his sense of purpose and his stubborn self-denial. It balances better with three. Plus, as a friend perfectly put it, two of them is great but what about the spice (narrative, not merely erotic)? Eh. I could write a novel. I also enjoy Mu Nihuang x Xia Dong, Mei Changsu x Lin Chen, Yan Yujin x Xiao Jingrui (x Gong Yu), and pretty much anything if the writer has put a compelling spin on it. My shipping philosophy in this fandom is that I'll try anything once, and twice if I like it.

a character I’d die defending — Obviously, Consort Jing, but also, protect Xiao Jingyan at all costs. He has, after all, never done anything wrong in his life.

a character I just can’t sympathize with — I don't think there are any in NiF? Many of them do horrible things but the show generally always lets me understand why. Even its villains are written as people. (That said, Xia Jiang is the worst, and the Emperor reaches similar depths of infamy before the end for me.)

a character I grew to love — Lin Chen crept up on me! I think it was the 40-episode absence after the dramatic introduction in ep. 1 that made me feel like he was stealing scenes and intimacy from characters I had spent 40 episodes watching (while they failed in various ways to get close to Mei Changsu). He is also, ah, the kind of comedic that doesn't usually works for me. But rewatching a little, reading some fic, and thinking about it further, he's a vital part of the story and someone that Mei Changsu sorely needs, i.e. a friend he made after the Meiling massacre, who won't always reflect him against the image of Lin Shu but cares for him as he is now.

my anti otp — IDK? There are various awful men in this show that the women around them Do Not Deserve. Poor, poor Consort Jing, working herself into the Emperor's favour. So maybe it's just that some of the canon marriages are really sort of terrible.

[shanastoryteller]

Happy happy Valentine 💖💕🥰 As always, I’d love some more of thee MDZS Identity Porn (with the masks and LWJ getting jealous of all of his husband’s “husbands”) (Or JC traveling back in time?) Thanks!

a continuation of 1 2 3 4 5 6

At the dinner portion of the banquet, Wen Qing gets her seat stolen by Jiang Yanli.

The advantage of the talisman on his chest, and being seated between them, is he can see the way Wei Wuxian looks to Meng Yao beseechingly to do something about it. Wen Qing has also finally been cornered by Jiang Cheng and is being herded towards Jiang Yanli's empty seat by a half dozen Jiang disciples that are pretending to be oblivious about what they're doing. Madame Yu is giving the whole affair a nasty glare while Sect Leader Jiang seems to be deliberately ignoring it.

Meng Yao, instead of jumping into action and rearranging everything as he's so skilled in doing, snorts and deliberately turns his back to them to start chatting with one of the cultivators they'd brought with them.

Wei Wuxian's mouth drops open and his eyes narrow in outrage.

Lan Wangji wants to help his husband, but this really isn't his strong suit. At least without veering into deliberate rudeness, which he hasn't mind employing in the past, but he's still unsure of Wei Wuxian's relationship to Jiang Yanli. He almost died for her. Surely he doesn't want Lan Wangji to be rude.

"Lady Jiang," he says, "it's good to see you again. Perhaps we can speak after the banquet?"

Jiang Yanli is usually a strict adherer of propriety, but she just smiles at him brightly and says, "Oh, why wait? The Jin aren't formal like that."

The Jin aren't formal like that because Jin Guangshan likes to move amongst the clans and hit on the youngest and prettiest women in the room.

Wei Wuxian's sour expression makes Lan Wangji think he's having the same thought, even though he didn't seem to interact with the Jin much during the war. Then again, Meng Yao would certainly be aware of all of his father's worst habits and would have told Wei Wuxian about them.

"Patriarch," she continues, voice almost imperceptibly softer. "It's good to see you again."

Wei Wuxian is looking right at her, even though the enchantment on the mask means she probably can't tell, and there's an ache and a longing on his face so deep that Lan Wangji feels it in his own chest.

He looks across the room to see Jin Zixuan glaring in their direction.

At least he's not suffering alone.

[aitchnkay]

Jiang Guniang Made A Change Part 9

Jiang YanLi was feeling restless after her conversation with her youngest brother. She decided a walk along the beach would soothe her soul. But upon nearing the shore, she heard Jin ZiXuan shouting. “Do you know who I am?”

And Wang Ping, the YunmengJiang senior disciple in charge of water safety, responded. “We all know who you are.” There was a noise that sounded suspiciously like someone hocking up and spitting snot onto the ground. “You’re the ass who insulted our lady, and caused grievous harm to our Head Disciple. You’re here only by the grace of our lady. If it was up to us? We would all have left you to flit around in your golden tower until the Wen ground you under their heel.”

“How dare you speak to me in that manner!”

“I’ll dare to speak to you in any manner I please,” Wang Ping retorted. “You may be a sect heir back there. Here? You’re nothing more than a common soldier under Wei Gongzi’s, Jiang Guniang’s, or Jiang Gongzi’s command. And since I’m their senior officer here, that means you’re under my command, too. When I say you don’t fucking go in the water, you don’t fucking go in the water.”

“We know how to swim.” Jin ZiXuan protested.

“You can swim in ponds and lakes, maybe a slow river. This is the ocean. None of you have set foot in it before. You don’t know how to handle its currents, any undertows, nothing. If your cultivators want to learn, they may ask me, politely and respectfully, if I will give them lessons. But unless I personally give the go ahead, not a one of you does more than dip your boots into the water. Do you understand?”

Jiang YanLi left them to argue it out. It was interesting that Wang Ping placed her between her brothers, with A’Xian listed first. Shouldn’t A’Cheng be first in command for the YunmengJiang? After all, he was the heir...

Her walk took her to the makeshift sparring grounds where A’Xian was still playing with Lan WangJi. Playing, not fighting, because they were using wooden practice swords instead of their spiritual swords. “They look good together, don’t they,” Lan XiChen murmured quietly as he joined her.

“Lan ZongZhu.... They appear to be equally matched,” she agreed. “In temperament as well as skill.”

“Temperament, Jiang Guniang?” Lan XiChen smiled gently. “They appear to have opposite temperaments.”

She partly agreed. “Your brother is a settling influence on mine. A’Xian so very much wants Lan ErGongzi’s approval. It makes him want to work more carefully and purposefully instead of just charging ahead with no plan.”

“And WangJi wants Wei Gongzi’s approval as well. He has allowed Wei Gongzi... liberties he barely allows me to have. So... I guess you correct.”

“I will encourage their friendship; will you?” Jiang YanLi gave her companion a frank look. “My brother will need all the support he can get if he is to survive this war. To me... nothing is more important than my brothers living through this as unscathed as possible.”

“I think Wei Gongzi is a good influence on WangJi. I think they can assist each other to cultivate to immortality. I would like that. Thank you, by the way, for sending Wei Gongzi to WangJI earlier. He has been understandably upset at our father’s passing.”

“I am sorry for your loss. If A’Xian can relieve your brother of any of his negative feelings, I am happy.”

“I think those negative feelings are more that he doesn’t mourn than that he does. Neither of us have seen our father from before the day our mother died until just before we activated the talismans to come here.” They continued to watch their brothers spar for a while. “Ah. Wei Gongzi has just won this match.”

“How do you think that”

“GusuLan sword forms are elegant and measured. What I have seen of YunmengJiang sword forms are that they are more adaptable, more fluid. WangJi has successfully used the same stroke against Wei Gongzi three times now. Your brother just figured out how to defend against it. Which means he will soon figure out how to defeat it.” He smiled at the woman at his side. “WangJi doesn’t know what to do in that situation. Losing that attack, yes, just like that,” he pointed out as his brother moved one way, Wei WuXian moved in an apparently unexpected way, and one sword clattered to the ground. “Good form, Wei WuXian!”

Wei WuXian brushed sweaty hair away from his face. “That was a great match!”

Lan WangJi looked furious. “Show me what you did. No one has ever....”

Wei WuXian’s grin was unrepentant. “Attempt the impossible! Sure, Lan Er Gege. I’ll show you what I did.” They stepped back into position, going through the moves slowly.

Jiang YanLi smiled warmly at the pair. “They really are good for each other.”

[remma3760]

Consequences

Chapter 27

Summary:

Madam Yu and Jiang Cheng are put on trial for their actions.

Wen Qing had been called to the conference room. She trusted the Lan but after living in Nightless City any unexpected summons was worrying. On entering she saw Lan Qiren sitting in the centre flanked by Baoshan Sanren and Lan Yi to his right with Nie Jiahao and Nie Min on his left. So this was something official. 

She bowed to them. "How may I assist you, Lan Xiansheng?"

"Ah, Lady Wen, thank-you for coming so promptly. As you may have heard, there will be a trial following the actions of Madam Yu. Since this is an inter-sect matter we should by rights contact Wen Ruohan since he is Chief Cultivator."

Nie Jiahao was scowling. "I don't want him here."

His wife patted his arm. "No-one wants him here. That's why we have asked Lady Wen to join us so that we can find the best way of ...encouraging him to refuse our invitation. Lady Wen, how likely is it that he will want to come?"

Wen Qing considered. "Hard to say. He is deteriorating fast. He looks at least ten years older than he did at Wei Wuxian and Hanguang Jun's wedding and that was less than a year ago. he won't want to be seen. But, on the other hand, this is Cloud Recesses."

Lan Qiren nodded. "And he still believe that there is a piece of Yin Iron here."

"He does, Lan Xianhsheng. He might consider it worth coming. He has become increasingly unpredictable. Perhaps if you were able to stress who else was here? Apologies Nie Zongzhu, but my uncle hates you."

"Ha! Good. Can't say he's my favourite person either."

"I'm not sure why exactly. I only know that for some reason he expected you to die and you didn't."

"Well yes he expected me to die. He tried to kill me. Failed obviously."

"Oh. My apologies, Nie Zongzhu. But yes, that would be enough to anger him. He hates it when his plans do not succeed. Lan Xiansheng, you might also mention that Basohen Sanren and Lan Yi are currently residing in Cloud Recesses."

Baoshen Sanren was smug. "Because he's scared of us."

"Yes. My uncle is wary of anyone he can't intimidate and he fears that you both, as immortals, are stronger than him."

"He is correct. We are." Lan Yi tossed in. 

Lan Qiren was nodding. "Good. We have a plan then. I will write to Wen Ruohan requesting his presence at the trial of Madam Yu, not forgetting to add that Nie Zongzhu, Baoshen Sanren and Lan Yi will also be presiding. Lady Wen, with your permission, I will also suggest to him that if he is too busy to attend then perhaps he would name you as his representative."

Wen Qing agreed. She found that she would rather enjoy sitting in judgement of Yu Ziyuan.

***

Lan Qiren nodded in satisfaction. Wen Ruohan had refused their request to participate and had instead appointed Wen Qing just as Lan Qiren had suggested. Good. Now that the formalities had been seen to, they could begin. By rights, those judging should be impartial, but given Madam Yu's actions that was impossible. Every great sect barring the Wen had been affected by either her actions or the actions of those affiliated with her. 

Well, too bad. It was what it was and he refused to delay any further. This matter would be concluded today. 

***

A long table sat at one end of the room. Seated there were Baoshen Sanren, Lan Yi, Wen Qing, Lan Qiren, Nie Jiahao and Jin Guangshan. 

To their left two cots had been brought in on which, propped up on pillows, lay Wei Wuxian and Nie Huaisang. Lan Wangji sat by Wei Wuxian holding his hand. Next to him were Jin Zixuan and Jiang Yanli. On the other side next to Nie Huaisang sat Wen Ning. 

To the right were Madam Jin, Madam Nie and Nie Mingjue. None would be involved in the preceedings but had been allowed to be present as a courtesy. 

In front of the main desk two chairs had been set up. These were for Jiang Fengmian and Jiang Cheng. A small space away was a third chair. This would be for Yu Ziyuan. 

They were ready. Lan Qiren indicated that the Jiangs should be brought in. 

As they were seated, Jiang Fengmian already looked defeated. By his side his son was scowling but the gravity of the set up gave him pause and he began to look concerned. Madam Yu had recovered her wits somewhat and her shock had given way to her habitual arrogance. 

Lan Qiren leaned forward. "Jiang Wanyin, please stand." Jiang Cheng stood, glancing around worriedly. 

Lan Qiren continued. "Jiang Wanyin, can you give us any valid reason for your attack on Jin Zixuan?"

Jiang Cheng tried to recall his previous anger as he almost shouted, "he insulted Shijie!"

Lan Qiren sighed. "Jiang Wanyin, you know he did not. You have been told this multiple times."

"Well, I thought he had!"

"And what did you do to confirm this belief?"

"Jiang Cheng was confused. What? "What?"

"Did you ask those in attendance for their accounts? Did you ask Jin Zixuan exactly what had been said? Did you do anything at all to discover the truth of the situation?"

What was Lan Xiansheng talking about? Okay, so it turned out he was wrong, but that wasn't his fault. If he hadn't been so angry about...about him. "If Wei Wuxian hadn't kept excluding me then maybe I wouldn't have made the mistake in the first place. No-one tells me anything. It's not my fault."

Still with the blaming of his son? Lan Qiren was angry. "Enough of this drivel. Your actions were your own. Both when you refused my nephew's invitation and then when you attacked Jin Zixuan. You are no longer a child, Jiang Wanyin. It is time for you to grow up and take responsibilty for yourself. Now I repeat, do you have any valid reason for your attack on Jin Zixuan?"

Jiang Cheng sulked but remained silent.

Lan Qiren turned to Jiang Fengmian. "Jiang Zongzhu, do you have anything to add?"

Jiang Fengmian stood. "My son is young. He was upset. He acted on impulse only. I apologise, Jin Guangshan, Lan Qiren for my son's behaviour."

Lan Qiren was not happy with Jiang Fengmian once again trying to excuse his son. "Jiang Fengmian. Your son is sixteen. He is no longer at an age where temper tantrums are acceptable. It was your duty as his father to teach him to control himself. You have singularly failed to do so. Your son is your heir. I suggest if you want your sect to remain viable that you begin to train him in the qualities needed to lead. Sit down."

Lan Qiren was at a loss. He hated the idea of giving up on a student, yet what could they do if Jiang Cheng refused to learn? With a sigh he looked at Jiang Cheng. "Jiang Wanyin. I give you a choice. You may leave now with your father or you may stay and finish the lectures. Should you choose to remain then you will be expected to meet daily with the Lan mind healer to discuss your behaviour."

Jiang Cheng was shocked. A mind healer? But there was nothing wrong with him. How dare the Lan treat him as though he were the problem. No, he wouldn't stand for it. Who needed them anyway. "I don't even want to stay here. I want to go home."

"So be it. You may sit. Madam Yu, please stand."

Yu Ziyuan turned her head away, ignoring the instruction from Lan Qiren. 

"Madam Yu, you will either rise of your own volition or I will have the guards assist you."

Furious, Yu Ziyuan stood, glaring at Lan Qiren and the rest of the panel sitting in judgement on her. "What right do you have to order me, Lan Qiren? I am not some common servant to be treated with such disrespect. I am the one who should be compensated. YOUR NEPHEW CUT OFF MY ARM! My maids were killed for showing loyalty to me, their mistress. And where is my Zidian? You have no right to keep it from me."

"Not like you could use it now." Baoshen Sanren muttered just loud enough for everyone to hear.

"You will be silent unless asked a question, Yu Ziyuan. This is Cloud Recesses and I am in charge here. You are - were- a guest. I asked your son and I now ask you, did you have any valid reason for attacking Wei Wuxian, Lan Yuan and Nie Huaisang?"

"I did not attack Nie Huaisang. He got in my way. And who is Lan Yuan?"

"Lan Yuan is my grandson. He is five months old and was sleeping in his fathers arms when you attacked them. He will be scarred for life because of your actions."

Yu Ziyuan frowned. "I saw no baby."

"Nevertheless, he was still assaulted. You have yet to provide an explanation for your actions."

"Why should I? I have the right to punish those who wrong me. Wei Wuxian has been nothing but a thorn in my side. He does not deserve my mercy."

Madam Jin gasped, her hand over her mouth. "Ziyuan, for years I have tried to find ways to justify your behaviour. But no more. When I first heard the stories of how Wei Wuxian was taken from Lotus Pier I refused to believe them. I thought they had to be an exaggeration. That you had to have a reason. I believed you when you told me that Wei Wuxian was some kind of demon child. But then I met him. He was sweet and kind. Nothing like you had described.

"Even so, I did not want to believe ill of you. I wanted to believe that it was a misunderstanding. Yet, even now, ten years after Wei Wuxian was removed from you, you still persist in blaming him for all your woes. Why can you not see that it was never him? It was never Cangse Sanren. It was always you. You are not happy because you don't know how to be. I am sorry for that, Ziyuan. I am sorry that nothing will ever be enough for you. But I am done. Done excusing you, done pacifying you, done believing you. I am done with you, Yu Ziyuan."

Nie Min took Madam Jin's hand in comfort. 

Yu Ziyuan simply stared at her former friend in shock. "What are you saying, Lihua? I am your sworn sister. Would you believe That Brat over me?"

Jin Guangshan huffed. He had been trying for a long time to end his son's betrothal, convinced his heir was wasted on Jiang Yanli. His wife had made that difficult but now that she had discarded Yu Ziyuan he could find a better match for Zixuan. A shame the Qin girl was taken. She was a pretty little thing and he would have enjoyed having her in his court but no matter. There were other possibilities. "Well now, considering what has occurred, I believe it would be for the best to disolve the betrothal between Zixuan and Jiang Yanli."

"No!" Jin Zixuan had jumped to his feet. "Father, none of this is Yanli's fault. She has done nothing wrong."

Jin Guangshan scowled at his son. "Don't disrespect me, boy. You will do as you are told."

Jin Zixuan shook his head. "I'm sorry Father, but I will not. I will marry Yanli. I would prefer to do so with your blessing, but if not then I will find another way, but I will marry her and no-one else. I love her."

"Hmph. Try it and I'll disown you. Do you think that girl will want anything to do with you without the might of the Jin Sect behind you."

Jin Zixuan looked anxiously at Jiang Yanli. "Yanli?"

Jiang Yanli was crying, holding tightly to Jin Zixuan's arm. "Zixuan, I would marry you even if you were a beggar in rags. I love you too."

"How touching. I..."

"Enough, Guangshan." Madam Jin was glaring at her husband. "You forget yourself, Husband. I arranged this betrothal and I stand by it. You will not interfere if you know what's good for you. A-Li is a dear child and I have always thought of her as a daughter. The cessation of my friendship with Ziyuan does not in any way affect my love for her daughter. The betrothal will continue."

Jin Guangshan crossed his arms and pushed away from the table. He would have stormed out except that they were in the middle of a trial and he would have looked foolish since he would have needed to return immediately.

Lan Qiren gave Madam Jin a sharp look. Just what did she have on Jin Guangshan to cause him to give in to her so quickly? Interesting. But they were going off topic. This was a trial. "Does anyone have any further evidence to consider?"

No-one answered. "Then we should vote." 

One by one they declared Madam Yu guilty of attacking Wei Wuxian, Nie Huaisang and Lan Yuan without cause or provocation. They were undecided as to the attack on Jin Zixuan and Lan Wangji since that was carried out by her maids who were already dead.

Lan Qiren turned to where Wei Wuxian and Nie Huaisang lay. "Wuxian, Nie Huaisang, you are the most affected by Yu Ziyuan's actions. I would like to know what you consider suitable punishment. They looked at each other having clearly discussed this before. Nie Huaisang indicated that Wei Wuxian should speak for them both. "A-Die, we believe that Madam Yu should understand exactly what she has done. She needs to feel the pain she has inflicted. Consequently, she should be struck three times with Zidian. One stroke for each person she injured. Once the punishment is completed, Zidian should be destroyed so it can never again be used to hurt an innocent." 

Jiang Fengmian and Jiang Cheng had jumped to their feet in protest. Jiang Cheng shouted angrily. "Wei Wuxian, how dare you! You have no right humiliating Mother like that."

Wei Wuxian looked coldly at him. "Shut-up, Jiang Cheng. You have no say in this."

Jiang Fengmian implored him, "Wuxian, please be reasonable."

"She struck MY SON Jiang Fengmian. MY BABY SON. You dare ask me to excuse that? I will not."

Lan Qiren was also standing. "Sit down Jiang Fengmian. These proceedings are not yet ended. Wuxian. Who do you wish to carry out this sentence?"

Wei Wuxian again looked at Nie Huaisang then turned to Lan Qiren. "We believe that one stroke from each father would be fair. That's you, Nie Zongzhu and Lan Zhan."

Lan Wangji stood proudly. "I agree."

Nie Jiahao also rose. "As do I."

Lan Qiren nodded to them both. "So be it. In addition, the Lan Sect disolve all trade agreemants between the Lan and Jiang."

Nie Jiahao agreed. "The Nie will also withdraw from all treaties."

Lan Qiren looked around. "Then let us go to the punishment pavillion to carry out the punishment. After it is complete, Jiang Fengmian, you will take your wife and son and go."

Jiang Fengmian hung his head in despair. This was worse than he could ever have imagined. Bad enough that his wife was to be publicly punished but the loss of the trade agreements with two major sects would be a massive blow to the Jiang. But what could he do? "Yanli, come."

"No, Father."

"What do you mean, no?"

"I am not going with you."

"You heard Lan Xiansheng. We must leave Cloud Recesses immediately."

"You, Mother and A-Cheng must leave. I was not included."

"A-Li, you are being ridiculous. You are my daughter. Your mother will need to be cared for after this barbaric punishment has been carried out."

"Then you had better care for her, Father. I will not. None of this had to happen. If you had curbed Mother's excesses years ago then she would not be so out of control now. But you did nothing. You stood by while she poisoned A-Cheng's mind with her bitterness and spite. You are as much to blame for this situation as Mother and A-Cheng so now you must bear the consequences of your inaction. I will not help you. Not anymore. I will stay here and complete the lectures and then I will accept Madam Jin's invitation to visit Koi Tower. I shall not return to Lotus Pier. Zixuan, would you escort me back to my room, please?"

Jin Zixuan was looking at her in awe. "Yes, of course. Mother, will you come?"

"I will. A-Li, since you will be marrying my son, perhaps you would call me Mother?"

"Ah, I do not have the best associations with that word. Perhaps Hua-Ayi?"

"That would be lovely."

Jin Zixuan led them out as Madam Yu began to realise that this was, in fact, happening. That she was powerless. Her screams rang through Cloud Recesses as for the first time, she would not escape the consequences of her actions.

[jaimebluesq]

ship ask! Yu Ziyuan/Wen Zhuliu and/or Yu Ziyuan/Jin-furen

also xisang

Yay!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!! I very very rarely get any of these ships in ask games, so I'm going to answer them all (because it's my blog and I can :-p).

Yu Ziyuan/Wen Zhuliu

Ship It

What made you ship it? - We know there is a history - he's the only person to ever refer to her as something other than YZY and Madame Yu. What is the story behind the Violet Spider and the Core Melting Hand??? Like, okay, MXTX probably didn't intend it to be sexy, but damn, when you look at YZY's marriage, the idea of her having some secret past before JFM where she really got to live, but gave it up for duty... That's the kind of thing I eat up!

What are your favorite things about the ship? - THE NAMES. Seriously, Violet Spider with a sexy purple whip, and hand that could crush your golden core, two seriously dangerous people that one-on-one you would NEVER want to mess with!!! *Sighs* yeah, definitely sexy.

Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship? - Are there any *popular* opionions about them? /s When I think about it, I guess it would be that they would be no better for each other than YZY and JFM, that there is a reason their history is history, having much to do with the sects they ended up in, and they were never a "meant to be", just a "could have been, maybe, had the world been different".

Yu Ziyuan/Madame Jin

Ship It

What made you ship it? - Because there is a history between them we know so little about, two women who were so close they pledged their firstborn children into an arranged marriage (and you know Madame Jin would have had to fight JGS tooth and nail to arrange it, because logically JGS would have wanted to choose the most politically/economically advantageous option, and while the Jiang had some political clout at that time, I'm sure JGS would have preferred an alliance with someone like the Wen). And because I think they'd be sexy together :D

What are your favorite things about the ship? - To a certain degree, the ship is a blank slate because we know so little about Madame Jin (including her effing name), but what we do know is that both of them are strong, opinionated women who can be vicious in their own ways, particularly when they believe they're protecting their children, even if they don't always show it in healthy ways (this is fiction, who cares about healthy ways lol). And again, the actresses in CQL are gorgeous and remind me I'm bi over and over again.

Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship? - That, personally, I find them more interesting and engaging than any other femslash pairing in the fandom? Because I can enjoy various groupings of Mianmian, Wen Qing, and Jiang Yanli, but to me they just don't have that tooth, that bite that the older ladies do. But that's just a personal opinion - I'm very ship and let ship so enjoy your ships :D

XiSang (for this one, I'm going to borrow a format I saw on one of @fortune-maiden's responses to one of these).

Neutral Ship

Why don't you ship it? - I'm trying to put my finger on it. Because I HAVE read a handful of fics, and I can appreciate the stories and the writing, and it's a perfectly fine ship! How can I not appreciate a love for NHS and LXC. I guess it just comes down to me not feeling it. They don't reach into my chest and grab my heart and scream at me that their story needs to be told in every variation possible.

What would have made you like it? - I dunno, really. As I said, I've read a few fics and tried, so I'm not sure what would shift it over from neutral to ship. I can see the potential, it's definitely there, I just kind of... *shrugs*

Despite not shipping it, do you have anything positive to say about it? - The biggest one is the shippers - a lot of the people I started following on Tumblr when I first got into the CQL/MDZS fandom were XiSang shippers, and they're all such awesome people that I will defend the ship on their behalf at the first sign of attack ;) And the characters are both ones I enjoy (NHS more so, he's my MAJOR BLORBO), and I can at least see the potential in the ship! It's one of those things where all the ingredients are there and correct, but it's just not the cake I want to eat.

[killerandhealerqueen]

Oh Stand By Me...I enjoyed that cute little republican era drama.  I really liked Feng Guanyu and Huang Weijie, they reminded me a lot of like...a younger Zhan Junbai and Yu Tangchun, if Yu Tangchun was more of a gremlin.  I really thought these two were going to give me Jiang Yuelou and Chen Yuzhi, so I’m pleasantly surprised that they gave me Junchun instead.  And I’m not complaining.

And Miss Li Taotao, I mustn’t forget our leading lady.  She’s a reporter and I was like “Oh, here we go” because I hate reporters in cdramas so I’m like...are we gonna be a Bai Youning or are we gonna be a Chu Ran and bitch, she was a Chu Ran and I loved her.  She put up with so much shit with Weijie and Guanyu, the poor thing.  But she was so bad ass, and her fighting in the wedding in her wedding dress?!  Ma’am.  I loved her.  Another win for a good female character in my book.

I thought the premise of the drama was interesting, the whump was *chef’s kiss*, bruh, the whole fucking romantic ass scene where Weijie and Guanyu ran from Songshan and then found each other again at the dilapidated house where they first went to hide?  The whole *heart eyes* and relieved/happy smile of seeing each other again?!  Come on, just fuck me up why don’t you.

Towards the end, with the whole pretending to die thing for Songshan with the poison...I need people to stop pulling a Killer and Healer because my heart can’t take it.  Like, I was about ready to rip the director’s throat out with my teeth until we got the flashback.  God, thank god for the flashback or I would have lost my mind. 

Also, the wedding.  Oh my god, the wedding.  Look, the shootout was ridiculous, but I don’t even fucking care because I loved seeing Guanyu and Weijie fight together and the whole *grabbing you by the wrist and holding you so you can slide and spin on the floor while shooting at someone* thing?  Immaculate.  And then when Songshan shoots Guanyu and thinks he can just escape?!  Not on Weijie’s watch!  (Though JAIL for Feng Guanyu for pulling what Weijie pulled on him, I thought we were getting another ep. 37 and I was about to riot)

And the ending...my Grim Reapers of Shanghai...

I really liked this drama.  I really, really did