#you can try to argue against me but i will stand by wen ning no matter what đ
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saw someone say jiang cheng shld deck wen ning for therapeutic reasons and i DISRESPECTFULLY say no
the only therapeutic thing jiang "i have extreme mommy AND daddy issues and the inherent belief that wei wuxian owes his entire life and servitude to me and my family because i was groomed to think so by my dysfunctional family and i never did anything to properly face my issues or reflect on them and i will instead blame everyone else for them" cheng needs is actual therapy and not more violence lmao go talk to a wall
#mdzs#grandmaster of demonic cultivation#mo dao zu shi#im indifferent towards jiang cheng as a character but if ANY of yall touch wen ning its on SIGHT#you can try to argue against me but i will stand by wen ning no matter what đ
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Not to mention Jin Ling then trying to turn all of his hatred onto Wen Ning afterwards. He's a kid who's been reminded of his parents' deaths with every breath he takes, only having stories about them and being fed Jiang Cheng's unhinged hatred for all the love that was lost. If Wei Wuxian turned out to not be the monster he thought he was, then he...he has to hate someone else!
But then Wen Ning turns out to be even MORE gentle than Wei Wuxian, filled with guilt for what happened, flinging himself in front of Lan Sizhui and saying "I won't fight back, get your anger out on me if it'll put you at ease!"
That scene had me crying too yo. Everyone rallies behind Lan Sizhui and calls Jin Ling out for being too aggressive - no one takes his side, no one understands how much he's been affected by his life. Jiang Cheng's solution is to tell him to get angry, but now that's just turned all of his peers against him and calling him violent and unreasonable. So he just breaks down sobbing saying "Yes, I'm a horrible person!" even though NONE of what happened is his fault and he has a right to be angry and trying to find an outlet for his emotion. He just doesn't know HOW. No one ever taught him, everyone ridicules him for crying and distances themselves from his anger. People treat him delicately yet say he needs to toughen up.
I think the worst part is that Wei Wuxian's first scathing (accidental) comment, "Your mother never taught you any manners" is kinda really true. He never had a mother to teach him to express himself, to support him and be vulnerable with him. We joke about how many uncles Jin Ling has but I mean how many AUNTS does he have? How many mother figures does he have? Qin Su is basically traumatized by the death of Jin Rusong so is maybe not the motherly type. Nie Huisang, Lan Xichen, Jiang Cheng - unmarried, unmarried, unmarried.
Wei Wuxian is really the first one to A: tell Jin Ling to get over himself and doesn't treat him like some untouchable young master who no one has the right to lord over, B: openly admits when he's sorry and apologizes and teaches Jin Ling the concept of emotional vulnerability, C: stands by Jin Ling's side to teach him to be himself rather than scolding or threatening or guilting him to fit in better. The fact that Wei Wuxian is NOT a woman may even be better because Jin Ling is seeing that men don't have to fit into the unyielding mold of tough guys but can still have fun without being a pushover.
Jin Ling is such a tragedy because there really is no one left to blame. It's not that easy. Wei Wuxian and Wen Ning are responsible, but they're not maniacal villains laughing at the top of a mountain without a care in the world for the consequences. They cared, they had family who were lost, they suffered before and don't want anyone to suffer again - they hate themselves just as much for their part in what happened.
Even Jin Guangyao is such a complicated case for Jin Ling. It's the uncle who was always nice to him, who gave him his spirit dog, who was always putting on a smile. In comparison to Jiang Cheng, Jin Guangyao was a lifeline. And then Jin Guangyao turns out to be a villain who doesn't bat an eye at killing and threatening...but who also didn't WANT these bad things to be "necessary." He too was wronged by the world and lashed out at its unfairness.
This fifteen year old kid has gone through so much, simultaneously pampered into a spoiled brat and utterly isolated from his peers, filled with vengeance for his entire life but also trying to love and be loved. He learned from Jiang Cheng to pretend to be above it all, and he learned from Jin Guangyao to be kind and forgive, but all of it was lies and unhealthy coping. Jiang Cheng essentially taught him to argue with anyone who disagrees with him or looks down on him to assert his dominance, and Jin Guangyao taught him to suppress his desire to speak his mind and never start fights because of etiquette and self-preservation - to the point that he rejects who he is and wants to be.
At this age, Jin Ling's already having to learn the lesson that everyone's going to be throwing opinions around, no one is perfect, you can't easily sort people into categories. In the end, he can take advice from others, but it's up to him to make the choice of who he wants to be. And he's learned that unrelenting resentment makes for an easy path to walk in life, but it's not actually how life works. The cultivation world can turn on someone they worshipped unconditionally. That included Wei Wuxian, that included Jin Guangyao, and even to an extent Jin Ling himself.
He has to take over the Jin Clan after all these scandals and atrocities, but he's become the kind of kid who will answer an insignificant man's plea for help, who is making friends who won't judge him and will stand by him even when he makes mistakes, and by the end of the story he's matured, yet also finally learned to be a kid. Nothing's perfect, none of the tragedies of the past can be reversed (and Jiang Cheng's still gonna get into fights whenever he accidentally runs into Wen Ning), but at least now Jin Ling can choose how he decides to live, who he hates and who he forgives.
while reading the books, i remember wei wuxianâs relationship with jin ling hitting me especially hard. i was crying when the whole stabbing thing happened. but i truly adore what becomes of them and do you know why? because jin ling does something the others could never, something miraculous reallyââhe actually unlearns the prejudice heâs been taught to hold against wei wuxian. he meets wwx, full of disdain, slowly learning about who wwx really is and it has nothing to do with wwxâs outward appearance. and when the truth is revealed, the internal warring for jin ling is plainly portrayed and even if he does give in to a hate intermingled with grief that he has internalised towards this one entity (wei wuxian was never a person in his mind, just the âkillerâ of his parents, a phantom, before the events of the book happened), you can tell his heart has already turned, that it will keep turning and thatâs what happens. you have jin ling, an orphaned child, who hated someone whom his mother loved dearly, because that man caused his parentsâ death but it is such a commendable thing that wei wuxian was able to create a space in jin lingâs heart and jin ling was able to accept it. itâs the way both jin ling & jiang cheng blame the death of their parents on wwx but only the former was able to see wei wuxian clearly and actually forge a bond of love with him.
itâs the fact that if ANYONE in this story can actually rightfully hold a grudge against wei wuxian, itâs jin ling, but instead this teenager decides that wei wuxian is much too good and that having him as an uncle is lovely, after all.
#jin ling#wei wuxian#mdzs meta#mdzs#mxtx mdzs#canon jiang cheng#jin guangyao#lan sizhui#wen ning#this got really long#jin ling deserves to cry a bit#seriously he would have grown up messed up if Wei Wuxian hadn't been there to knock some sense into him#and to love him unconditionally even if jin ling hates him#poor wen ning just being like âhate me all you want!â#there's so much discourse over jiang cheng yo#i may like him as a complex character#but that doesn't mean he's not an asshole#who was not ready to raise a child#let's all admire wei wuxian's restraint to not constantly be punching him in the face
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When Someone Flirts With You!
Hello! Little disclaimer: This is the same format used on two different blogs, theyâre both mine (if youâve seen them). This is just a really fun thing to do, so I always try to do them for new fandoms I join and whatnot. I hope you like it!Â
Sidenote: Normally, I have banners just cuz they look nice but Iâm not sure if I wanna make em for this blog, yet.
Includes: Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji, Wen Ning, Lan Xichen, Jiang Cheng, Xiao Xingchen, Song Lan, and Xue Yang.
Come one, come all! See what happens when someone flirts with you in front of your mans!
Wei Wuxian:
One day, you were at a tavern waiting for your boyfriend to get back. He had left for only ten minutes and someone had already swooped in to bother you. No matter what you said or did, they just wouldnât back off.
Like people donât know who he is-
Normally, he wonât jump in immediately. Heâll stay back and just let you handle it if you can. If you canât handle it, just look at him. Heâll know the second you make eye contact.
He prefers to stand next to the person and joins them. Of course, theyâre uncomfortable and ask what heâs trying to do and heâll respond with something like âflirting with my partner, theyâre cute, arenât they?â
Yeah, that usually doesnât work. Unless people KNOW him and are scared of him, they would just brush him off.
He doesnât like that. Not one bit, especially when youâre getting more uncomfortable by the minute.
Heâll try to do the same thing again, but the SECOND someone tries to touch you, he slaps them with his flute. No, he ainât playing it, heâs swinging it. In one whole second, heâs in front of you and the person is most likely on the floor. 10/10 would recommend.
âDonât ever touch my (y/n) ever again, ok?â
Lan Wangji:
You followed Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji on their adventures often and always tried to stay close to the duo. The ONE TIME you decided to go off on your own, you found yourself cornered. Thankfully, both Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji were just around the corner.
Oh dear.
He glares. He just idles at glaring at everyone. So even before you ask for help, heâll just glare at the person. But if you need help, feel free to call him.
Heâll immediately stand between you and the offender. Heâs not scared, heâs not arguing, just glaring silently.
50/50, heâs actually pretty scary so most people are freaked out.
In the unlikely event it doesnât work out and they continue to push you, heâs fighting. But itâs Lan Wangji, he doesnât have to try. Itâs just⊠smack and theyâre down. 10/10 would recommend.
â...â
Wen Ning:
During his adventures with Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, Wen Ning often tends to go off by himself. You always followed him, trying to keep as close as you could. There was one day where you were hungry, so you went to buy some snacks. Wen Ning didnât come with you and you definitely regretted not asking him to join you. Someone had cornered you and they just wouldnât let you leave so you had to call out to your boyfriend.
Even as fierce corpse, heâs pretty hesitant at times. So normally, heâd just wait it out to see what you do, mainly because he doesnât want to be THAT boyfriend... you know the one who just does too much.
If you need help, just call him or look at him. Heâll be in front of you in a second, hiding you behind his form. Heâll at first just ask someone to leave you alone.
0/10. Never works, he just LOOKS nervous. So people will either try to push him out of the way or just roll their eyes and ignore him, while still trying to talk to you.
Wen Ning doesnât care if people ignore him, itâs not the first time. What does really bother him though is when people canât take a hint. He hates when youâre uncomfortable, so if someone is making you feel like that ON PURPOSE, he hates it.
The thing is, they canât shove Wen Ning out of the way. Heâs actually pretty strong and so the second they try to (especially after they ignore him), he just grabs their arm and twists it, holding them in place until they apologize to you.
8/10, usually very effective but if it still doesnât work, heâll just throw them out of the establishment. He warned them TWICE, he ainât doing it again.
âAre you ok? Iâm glad... I was worried I was too late.â
Lan Xichen:
He had invited you to an event with him, one where you did your best to stay close to him. Youâd already seen some weird stares, ones that made you very uncomfortable. Unfortunately, Lan Xichen was called away for one second, but thatâs all it took for someone to immediately come bother you.
Heâs very observant, so heâs always got his eye on you. He worries more than he likes to admit, only because he doesnât want to overdo it. Youâre an adult, who can handle themselves.
However, if you do need help, just call for him. Heâs on his way. Heâll immediately stop them by grabbing their arm and pulling them away, claiming theyâre making you uncomfortable.
50/50 and it depends on whether they know him. Most donât so theyâll kinda brush him off, which he doesnât appreciate.
Heâll try again, not wanting to resort to violence. There are times where people just quit, finding him bothersome, but thereâs always ONE person who wants to try again.
One person even tried to touch you once, roughly grabbing your arm and yanking you away from Lan Xichen.
Oh boy, he had his sword out faster than youâd ever seen. The person immediately let you go and you hid behind your boyfriend.
âDo not touch people without their permission.â
Jiang Cheng:
You were with Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji, and Jiang Cheng on one of their numerous adventures. They had left for maybe thirty minutes and you were keeping busy doing your own thing, when you felt a hand grab you. You thought it was Jiang Cheng, but boy were you wrong. However, your boyfriend wasnât too far away.
He is PROTECTIVE.
The last thing he wants to see on your face is discomfort, especially when itâs caused by some creep.
Heâs in front of you in a second and heâs usually pretty aggressive. The last thing you want to see is him fight, so you often just grab his arm and hide behind him.
Just that alone, usually makes people back off. Itâs kinda obvious youâre already his. BUT. Thereâs that one foolâŠ
They often move closer to you, ignoring Jiang Cheg, and ask if youâd like to âupgradeâ to someone better. Before you can even answer, theyâre on the floor.
âYeah, like youâre any better. Come on, (y/n).â
Xiao Xingchen:
Normally, youâre glued to the hip with Xiao Xingchen, since you two were so close. There was one occasion where you stepped away from him to gather some flowers. He wanted to talk to someone about something, nothing you often concerned yourself with. Thatâs when someone took their chance and swooped in.
So he canât see you, but he can hear you. All you gotta do is call for him and heâll be at your side faster than the speed of light. Heâs not immediately jumping to fight and often prefers to talk things out, instead.
0/10. It never works. Not one time has that ever worked. People just donât back down, especially those who tend to bother you.
They usually just shove Xiao Xingchen aside, thinking heâs just a blind man who canât do anything.
This is one of those things that just⊠bothers him. Xiao Xingchen canât understand why, but when someone bothers you, it really makes him upset.
Heâll once again try to stop the offender through a more pacifistic way, but there was one time when someone roughly grabbed your hand and yanked you away from Xiao Xingchen. The squeal that left your mouth was something that just made him draw his sword.
It really was an accident. No one was hurt, but the person was scared away. 69/10 would recommend.
âAre you alright? Good, Iâm sorry they hurt you.â
Song Lan:
You had often followed him and Xiao Xingchen on their adventures, doing your best to stick close to them both. One day you saw a flower that intrigued you more than it should have. So you walked over to it and you were gone for maybe ten seconds, but when you turned around, you couldnât see Song Lan or Xiao Xingchen, but you did see another person blocking your path. He found you pretty quickly.
Heâs usually always on high alert. Heâs extremely protective of you, sometimes surprising himself.
Heâll usually step him, keeping you hidden behind himself so the other person canât see you. If someone is holding your wrist, heâll use his sheathed sword to separate you two. He mentions youâre uncomfortable and tells the person to leave.
2/10, itâll work sometimes but rarely. Usually offenders shrug him off and just pretend as if heâs not there. Even if you hide behind him, theyâll walk around and try to get at you that way. If they touch you, itâs almost as if they touched Song Lan and he really doesnât like that.
The second they try to grab you, theyâre on the floor unconscious. They donât stand a chance.
10/10 works every time. Theyâre not unconscious EVERY SINGLE TIME itâd about 90% of the time.
âLetâs go. No theyâre fine, donât worry about them.â
Xue Yang:
Xue Yang is obviously protective and he doesnât like it when people touch/bother you. You belong to him, nobody else. There was one day you strayed too far and got in some trouble with 4 people.
LMAO
Xue Yang usually laughs when he steps in, telling everyone they should leave before he kills them.
Of course people donât listen. Usually, they just brush him aside and go back to âimpressingâ you.
Xue Yang warns people ONCE. One warning and thatâs IT. If they donât listen, their funeral. Literally.
The worst occasion was when someone shoved Xue Yang away and pushed you against the wall. You screamed and felt something touching your chest. When you looked down, it was Xue Yang sword poking you which had been stabbed through the offenderâs chest.
10/10 theyâre literally dead?
âI warned you about touching what belongs to me.â
#mdzs x reader#wei wuxian#wei ying#lan zhan#lan wangji#mdzs headcanons#lan xichen#wei wuxian x reader#lan wangji x reader#lan xichen x reader#wen ning x reader#jiang cheng x reader#xiao xingchen x reader#song lan x reader#xue yang x reader#mdzs reader insert#mdzs wei wuxian x reader#the untamed x reader
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Wei Wuxianâs Actions and Morality:
I am kind of confused on some parts, and i would really appreciate it if someone is willing to discuss it with me. Itâs regarding Wei Wuxian, and his exact involvement in the events at the Accident at Qiongqi Path and Bloodbath of Nightless City.
Now, at the accident at Quiongqi path, Wei Wuxian and Wen Ning were just going to Koi tower for the full month celebration to which they had been invited to. Jin Zixun ambushes and threatens to kill him if he doesnât remove the hundred hole curse. Wei wuxian tries to explain that he didnât cast the curse and isnât guilty (admittedly he could have done it in a better way). Jin zixun doesnât believe him and continues to threaten him. Jin Zixuan appears, tries to diffuse the tension, but still insists that wei wuxian comes along to answer the accusations. Wei wuxian doesnât believe him (he isnât wrong to. Guys show up with a whole gang, accuse him of something he didnât do, and then ask him willingly to come along to âresolveâ the issue, though they had spent the past year slandering him and wanting to murder the people he is trying to protect. Just getting into his perspective of things.) Wei wuxian gets angry and accuses Jin zixuan of being on the whole thing, and is agitated and afraid. Which is when he loses control of the resentful energy, which extends to his control of wen ning, and thatâs how wen ning, not currently being in control of his body, punches a hole into Jin Zixuan and kills him. Now, automatically, I am going to absolve Wen Ning of any guilt. He is literally NOT in control of his own body. He did that due to the Wei wuxian controlling him with resentful energy. But Wei wuxian also isnât completely guilty. He was upset, confused, and to some extent scared. But not even subconsciously was he planning or intending to kill Jin zixuan. He lost control over the resentful energy. He put wen ning is a specific state, and then lost control over him, due to not being able to regulate his own emotions during the whole chaos. An accident. An accident that led to someone innocent being killed, but an accident none the less.
Now, I expect different peoples take on this is going to deviate somewhat and thatâs fine. I am cool with it. In my opinion, he isnât completely guilty, but is still responsible. He did not have the intention to kill Jin zixuan, but he DID kill him. It was because of the resentful energy that he was still learning about and how to control it. But if you are going to use a knife after everyone telling you itâs dangerous â although they are doing it just because they donât want you to have the knife, they want themselves having the knife, while at the same time threating to kill your friends, so you donât exactly have a choice, but use a freaking knife to, you know, NOT DIE â when you accidently stab someone, itâs still somewhat on you. Lan Zhan had warned him that it could end up badly if he did loose control over the resentful energy and wen ning, and wei wuxian dismissed it. But it was still something he was experimenting with and researching, and hadnât completely figured out. So itâs not like he didnât care or was dismissing that it was a bad thing, just that he genuinely didnât think it would happen. He has been controlling it so far, and everything has been fine, and since he doesnât exactly have any other options, he will have to continue using it, despite the arguments on the dangers of it.
Now, the bloodbath at Nightless City. Wei wuxian already knows at this point that wen ning and wen qing are dead, and he heads there to atleast collect their ashes and bring them back. When he arrives at the pledge conference, all the sects attending, all 3000, are collected together, and Jin Guangshan makes his speech. He announced that both wens are dead, and then spreads the ashes, the ones Wei ying had come to collect. Then announces that they were going on next day to kill the rest of wens anyway, along with wei ying, to loud applause from the crowd in attendance. Its only then wei wuxian makes his presence known. Before that, he was just listening on. Jin Guangshan makes some more accusations: at Qiongqi Path wei wuxian killed Lanlingjin sect members, the ones jin zixun brought to ambush him, and that wei ying is the one who made wen ning go in a rampage at koi tower (a lie. While jin zixuanâs death at wen ning â actually wei wuxianâs â was an accident, the rampage at koi tower, as we know for a fact, wasnât an accident (confirmed by MXTXâs interview.) I am not sure if it was mentioned in the book, but from what I can recall, it was xue yang. I might be wrong, but it was still done on Jin Guangshanâs orders. So the deaths of members of the other sectâs members, Lan and Nie, and the others, lie not at wei wuxianâs feet but Jin Guangshanâs. Wei wuxian doesnât take the accusations silently, and argues back: he was the one who was ambushed, who almost got killed. He has every right to defend himself against the men Jin Zixun brought to attack and kill him. The crowd says he shouldnât have been so heartless, and in wei wuxianâs own words: no matter what the other sects throw at him, no matter how hard they try to harm and kill him, he is not allowed to touch them, harm their members, defend himself or fight back even if it cost him his life. The sects throw in their final arguments in:
Even if he was fighting back, it doesnât account for the 130 people who died at koi tower at hands of wen ning.
He shouldnât defend the wens. They are horrible and evil and guilty and deserve to die.
He is only doing it for his pride, and to prove himself a hero.
He laid the curse on Jin zixun.
Each of them are easily nullified.
Wei wuxian didnât cause wenâs ning rampage. Jin Guangshan did. The 130 lives are on his own hands, not wei wuxians.
People arenât guilty by association, especially by family relation. None of the wen remnants have any blood on their hands. They are from wen qingâs branch and are non-combatants, thus they were not involved in any of the Wen Ruhonâs actions. Nor were they involved in at the accident at Qiongqi Path or Koi tower. They are innocent.
The argument about his pride came from their attitude towards him from before his defection. They had admired his powers and were intimated by it, but didnât like that he belonged to Jiang sect, and wasnât willing to change his loyalties to belong to them instead. He also dared being defiant and outspoken, and powerful while being a servantâs son, and thatâs a crime of itâs own in their eyes. Is wei wuxianâs slightly arrogant? Yes. Is he wrong to be? No, he is very powerful and is aware of what he is capable of. Is that a reason to hate him enough to want to kill him? No! wth
He laid the curse on Jin Zixun. He didnât. Su she did. Jin Guangshan and Guangyo were aware of that, and still sent zixun to ambush wei ying anyway.
None of their accusation hold any weight to them. Admittedly, we know that because we read the book and these characters arenât exactly able to do that. The only people here who know about it are Jin Guangshan and Jin Guangyao, who planned the whole thing in the first place. So, I am not going to paint these people as all evil. Some of the sectâs members did die. Some of these people have actually the right to be angry at what happened, though the anger is pointed in the wrong direction.
But the rest of the people are there because of the mob mentality. Because someone is guilty, someone needs to be punished. Here its 50 people and wei ying, one of their own ex members. But because they are not worth the effort, none of it needs to be investigated, to be proven. They have an available party to hold guilty, and itâs far too comfortable for them to put it on their heads rather than find the actually accountable people.
To an extent, it really does seem, by the proofs handfed to them by Jin Guangshan, the wei ying is guilty, That he actually did it. But donât they owe to the 50 wen members who are about to be slaughtered like cattle, for no other reason than being associated with Wen sect and Wei wuxian, for atleast one of them to look a bit harder, to try a bit harder? I would say so. Wei ying would too. I donât think the other sects would agree with us, but itâs ancient china society, and modern war ethics and laws arenât exactly in place to prevent them from doing so.
Back to Wei ying, he gets shot at by a disciple. It actually pierces him, just by luck not in a fatal place but only by a fluke. It was aimed at the heart. The intention to kill was there. Â He fires the arrow back, kills back the guy who tried to kill him. I donât know exactly how anyone could hold him completely in the wrong here. We might not like it, but wei ying is not some pure white angel, nor a pacifist by any means. He is a soldier, a fighter, and he is amidst people who are literally moving to kill him by any means, and he just got an almost kill-shot. He has every right to defend himself, fight back, and honestly, kill back anyone who is trying to kill him. Eye for an eye, punch for a punch. Itâs ruthlessly fair, despite sounding harsh. Honestly, it is harsh, but itâs not wrong, wither we like it or not.
He calls forth his dead, the battle begins. Lan Wangji tries to get him to stop, but it doesnât work. There are definite tones of a sort of deliriousness. I am not exactly sure to how severe it was, but it shows he wasnât exactly in an emotional and mental fit state. Itâs definitely obvious when he tries to make his way to Yanli, and is too worked up to control the corpses crowding around, and the one standing behind Jiang Yanli. He is only able to do it when yanli asks him to stop it all so that she could tell him what she had wanted to tell him. He forces himself to calm down, and is only then able to control the corpses. (I am not saying the deliriousness was severe enough to absolve him of any responsibility he does hold in the event; I am merely acknowledging itâs presence.)
Then Jiang Yanli gets killed by the bow guyâs brother, and that when thingâs go from going downhill to just jumping right off the cliff. But unfortunately, MXTXs writing doesnât exactly let us to be a witness to the scene, so the curtains close, and we are only allowed to make our assumptions on what happened, who/how/how many exactly died.
The point of this bloody essay is to determine the exactly how much of the event was Wei wuxian involved and responsibly for, so I can examine wei wuxianâs morality with all facts present.
If we go according to the book, wei ying:
Used some pretty grotesque methods to kill in the sunshot campaign
Allowed/ made Wen Ning kill his killers at Qiongqi Path
Accidentally killed Jin Zixuan
Kill Jin Zixun and his men after their ambush
Got in a fight on the way to the pledge conference with a group of cultivators: he broke oneâs nose, kicked out his teeth, and made another fall and break his legs (not a severe injury according to lan wangji)
Fought in Bloodbath at Nightless city (after they had made the announcement, they were going ahead with the attack on the wen remnants and wen ying)
I am only including actions that me, anyone else (or the characterâs) could possibly hold against him and question his morality with.
Here is where my confusion comes in. Now, I made the mistake of reading the novel only after finishing the tv show. As we know, the tv show took some liberties with the plotline and altered a few things. I honestly like a lot of the changes. Usually when tv shows make changes like that, it doesnât always work out and it kind of depletes the essence of the story, but they actually managed it quite well. But one of the key changes were the plotlines around the Qiongqi Path accident and nightless city.
Divergences in the tv show:
At Qiongqi Path, Su sheâs flute is what makes Wen Ning kill Jin Zixuan (+ Jin Zixun) rather than wei wuxian loosing control due to his emotions.
At the bloodbath, Su She playing the flute is what stopped wei wuxian from halting the battle and loose control of the fierce corpses.
(+ by the time of the battle, the wen remnants were already dead, so wei wuxianâs fight becomes more about revenge and grief rather than to protect them)
Basically, they abbreviated a lot of his action to other people. Which I understand, I guess. You are less in the characterâs head while watching the tv show rather than when you are reading the book, and for the audience to develop a better and more empathetic relationship with a lead character, liberties needed to be taken to make him more sympathetic.
My debate on his morality, hence, is more focused on the book character rather the tv show (honestly, since even his only 2 serious offences are not even his fault in the show.) but in the book, they kind of are. He did kill Jin Zixuan: accidentally. He had no intention whatsoever of him doing it; not subconsciously or consciously. He was just feeling agitated and angry and viewed Jin Zixuan as a threat, and Wen Ning, who was in his fierce corpse state, interpreted as a need to kill jin Zixuan.
The only way you could put this against him is if you hold him responsible of using such an unstable and dangerous form of cultivation/magic. But he already gave an answer for that, which none of us can argue against: he didnât have choice. He never did with demonic cultivation.
He started using it in the Burial mounds to survive and make it out.
He used it to seek justice for his sects massacre (go ahead and debate the need for that if you need to. I donât)
He used it to fight in the Sunshot campaign, and he was a MAJOR force in the campaign, and a enormous contributor to itâs success. Could they still have won if he hadnât been with them? Maybe, sure. But if there was any risk to loosing them, and wen sect remained undefeated, Jiang chen and yanli and wei wuxian were as good as dead. No way they or the other sects who had raised arms against wen sect would have been allowed to live or survive.
He used it to save Wen Ning and other wen remnants: war prisoners who were undergoing severe abuse and were basically being killed off. For no reason than being wens. Yes, I know it was common in ancient china to kill off the whole family. But itâs not right. Wei wuxian doesnât think so. And neither do i.
He used it to bring back Wen Ning for Wen qing.
-Â I donât know where I read it that he brought him back for protection or as a weapon. He didnât. He was pissed at what they did to him, and brought him to allow him to tell wei ying who had kill him then allowed him to get his revenge. He than made him sentient because he had promise wen qing & the other wen members that he could bring him back. He promised his sister that he could bring her brother back. Thatâs why.
He used it to protect burial mounds and the wen remnants: A bunch of non-combatant members that he had grown to love and care about as family. As you can see here:
â He turned around, knowing that itâd be a long time before heâs get to see the people he was familiar with again.
ButâŠright now, wasnât he on his way to seeing people he was familiar with as well?â
He used it to fight back during the ambush. He doesnât have a gold core; He literally cant wield a sword to defend himself. So he uses it to summon corpses to fight against Jin Zixunâs men.
·      He uses it to fight in the Bloodbath of Nightless City, after Jin Guangshan announced that they were going ahead with killing the rest of the wens and wei ying, and the attending crowd voiced out their excitement over the prospect.
 Second, the bloodbath at nightless city. Yes, it was a very brutal battle with many casualties. But these people were planning to kill him and the wens. They had decided it by the time he spoke up. It was a definite thing that was going to happen.
 Now you can argue against the use of violence, and need of it. But while I am very anti-war myself, I still hold to the belief that there are some fights that are worth fighting for, that need to be fought for. The wen remnants were innocent, and no one, NO ONE, had the right to decide they needed to die just because they were wens. They were innocent people. They had not actively killed or participated in the massacre that the main wen sect had conducted, and being blood relations to the actual guilty party is not an indication of being guilty too.
You could also argue the value of 3000 lives against 50. I have seen people do it, and write metas about. But whats the value of 1 life or 10 or 50? How are we supposed to decide who deserve to live more? How is that anyway moral?
Wei wuxian didnât act to choose one group of lives over the other. He did it to protect himself and the people he cared about, and that meant fighting against anyone who was actively intending to kill and harm them, and was an acting threat. As human being who, like any other being, has the right to defend himself, to protect himself, to survive and be able to live. 3000 people wanting to kill him, and wens doesnât take away his right to do that. There isnât a rule that if enough people want you dead and murdered, rightly or not, you should just let them go ahead with it and turn your belly up. ThatâŠjust doesnât make sense?
I am in acceptance that he is a grey character, with his flaws and his merits. What I am confused about is exactly how much black and white went into making his grey. Maybe because I watched tv show and read the novel at the about same time, I feel like I am missing something. Did I miss anything? Did he do anything else? Am I wrong? What do other people think? Where do you guys lie on your judgment of wei wuxian as person and on his moral stance?
#wei wuxian#Wei ying#the untamed#mo dao zu shi#wei wuxian meta#wei ying meta#the untamed meta#mo dao zu shi meta#yiling laozu#yiling patriarch
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@evilteddybear requested: I always love a LWJ/WWX fic where the sect leaders, especially Lan Xichen, Nie Mingjue, and Lan Qiren, come to the Burial Mounds and see what it's like before attacking, try to negotiate.
Thanks for the request (and your patience in seeing it filled), hope you like it!
[Masterpost] [Ao3]
--
âXiongzhang.â
âWangji. I donât like it any more than you do but itâs going to be the best solution for everyone.â
The weight of his brotherâs glare is nearly a physical blow but Lan Xichen is used to it and stands firm. It helps that he can distract himself from the heat of it by focusing on the long trek down to the bottom of the staircase of Jinlintai. With Jin Guangyao busy for the afternoon Lan Xichen had offered to take Lan Wangji into the city for the day, though now heâs wondering just why he had though that would be a good idea in the first place. Now at least, he supposes, they have the excuse of going off to purchase paper fine enough to be suitable for an invitation for Wei Wuxian to attend his nephewâs one-month celebration.
âI will take him the letter myself,â Lan Wangji states, voice pitched low and steady. Though itâs an obstinate, unmovable tone that Lan Xichen has heard far too many times before, he canât help but feel that itâs his duty to put up at least something of a token argument. He can never seem to argue with anyone but Lan Wangji, but even then he almost always ends up bowing out as gracefully as he can under the strength of his headstrong brotherâs will.
âWangji, itâs not safeâŠâ
âWei Ying will not hurt me.â
âI didnât say that he would.â
âThe Wens are not a threat.â
Lan Xichen sighs heavily and pauses as they reach a landing to close his eyes against the inevitability of his little brother getting to have his way. He always has until the day Wei Wuxian left with his band of Wens, and Lan Wangji has been doggedly pursuing him â whether Wei Wuxian is aware of it or not â ever since. Heâs never done well with not getting precisely what he wants when he wants it, and Lan Xichen adores his brother and the fact that heâs grown up being given what few things he has wanted without much thought. However in this moment, for this situation, he canât help but privately wish deep down that his brother knew how to practice the same sacrifice that Lan Xichen himself makes when it comes to those he wishes to protect.
âIf you doubt me you may come with me.â
âWangji-â Lan Xichen cuts off with another sigh as his brother simply walks away, his piece said and his interest in the conversation clearly exhausted. They both know very well that heâll do what he wants, and Lan Xichen will allow it. Which is why, in the end, itâs no surprise at all that Lan Wangji makes his way to Yiling with his invitation tucked safely in a qiankun pouch, nor is it particularly surprising that Lan Xichen has accepted Lan Wangjiâs sort-of-bluff of an invitation to go with him. What isa surprise is that Nie Mingjue had elected to join them when heâd caught wind of where they were going and why.
âMingjue,â Lan Xichen attempts to soothe now as the man in question paces back and forth in the confines of their room. In the interest of keeping the peace he had taken it upon himself to make sure that Lan Wangji got to have his own space, but any notions that Lan Xichen may have had about utilizing the relative privacy this arrangement affords to Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue have so far borne no fruit whatsoever. âI warned you that this would be a matter of patience, you didnât have to come with us.â
âWhat? And let you both walk into the lionâs den? Of course I had to come.â
âWangji and I are far from helpless, Mingjue, and he is certain that Wei Wuxian wonât harm us.â
âHeâs the only one.â
âHeâs not, I-â
âXichen I will walk all the way back to Qinghe right now if you can honestly tell me that youâre completely and utterly certain that Wei Wuxian wonât hurt anybody!â
Xichen lets out an uncharacteristically audible sigh at that and fixes Nie Mingjue with one of his Looks that always make the man cave. âEven if I could meet those terms I wouldnât want you to go back to Qinghe. Itâs been too long since weâve seen each other.â
âCan we stay on task here?â
âWe are. We are waiting for someone to leave the Burial Mounds so that we may approach them in town rather than appearing threatening by attempting to infiltrate their settlement on the mountain. There is nothing to do now but be patient. What about our current activities are not on task?â
âWe need to use this time to strategize. Plan. Things may go wrong. We may need to protect Wangji, he may need to protect either of us. We donât know what weâre in for.â
âMingjue.â
âXichen.â
âThis is not a battle, nor a war. We are approaching a young man â a young man Wangji trusts - who hasnât done anything dangerous in a year so that we may invite him to a family event. Please sit down and relax.â
Nie Mingjue finally stops his pacing to turn a betrayed glare on Lan Xichen, but as with Lan Wangji heâs well used to absorbing Nie Mingjueâs frustration and neutralizing it with the soft, reassuring lines of his smile. Nie Mingjue has never been able to stay angry with him â or even near him â for longer than a few heartbeats anyway, and Lan Xichen watches the tension bleed from his broad shoulders with his next blustering exhale.
âWangji believes that our presence may alarm the inhabitants of the Burial Mounds should we be allowed to enter their wards. You will need to remain calm in such a case so that we can show that we bear them no ill will.â
âSpeak for yourself,â Nie Mingjue grumbles and Lan Xichenâs heart aches a bit for Nie Mingjue, so level-headed when it matters but so hot-headed when it shouldnât. Nie Mingjue meets his gaze and then groans, covering his face with both hands and tipping his head back a bit as he says, slightly muffled, âDonât give me that look, Xichen, thatâs not fair. How do you always know how to get your way?!â
âIt would be significantly harder to have my way if you didnât know in your heart that Iâm right. This is a delicate situation, Mingjue, we canât let past anger cloud our judgement now. Wangji has been here before and he says that whatâs going on here isnât what everyone says it is. Weâre only here to keep him safe on his errand and see things for ourselves, alright? Now is not the time to declare the continuation of Jin Guangshanâs blood feud with the Wens.â
âYes, fine, fine! Iâll keep my thoughts to myself.â
âAnd no glaring.â
âXichen!â Nie Mingjue manages an affronted look for only a scant moment before it too fades into grumbling acquiescence as he resumes his pacing. âFine. As little glaring as I can manage.â
âThank you.â
âUh-huh.â
âI love you.â
âXichen!â Lan Xichen laughs softly to see Nie Mingjueâs blush overtakes his handsome features, turning his entire face a lovely shade of red as he splutters his way through returning the infrequently-expressed sentiment and accepts kisses that thoroughly distract him from any lingering anger.
It takes two full days of waiting before Wangji suddenly stands and strides off right in the middle of their morning meal. The behavior is so unusual that Lan Xichen is instantly worried, though as he stands to follow â with Nie Mingjue hot on their heels â he relaxes ever so slightly to see that Lan Wangji is heading straight for a young man Lan Xichen recognizes dimly as Wen Qionglin. He reaches out instinctively to rest a restraining hand on Nie Mingjueâs arm when he feels the man tense next to him, but though the Ghost General looks a little wary upon spotting Lan Wangji he doesnât look hostile. In fact, he looks as timid and soft-spoken as he had when Lan Xichen had seen him during the lectures in Cloud Recesses. The only hint that he can see that something is different than it was then is the pallor to his skin and, just barely visible through the curtain of his mostly-unbound hair, thin spiderwebs of black cracks on his neck that creep up towards the underside of his jaw.
It takes some convincing from Lan Wangji before Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue are allowed to approach, and then further convincing from Lan Xichen before Wen Ning agrees to let them all come up the mountain. He takes the invitation Lan Wangji presents with gentle, steady hands and holds it as gingerly as one would expect someone to hold little Jin Ling himself, and once again Lan Xichen finds his heart aching â this time for the cruelty of the world that always seems to touch the gentlest of souls.
The trek up the mountain is slow and hot, but the further they get from the town the colder things get. The sensation of the sun on his skin is still there, but it somehow brings him no warmth. The shade cast by the twisting, barren limbs of the trees seems wan and thin, and yet the chill he feels in their shadows reaches into his bones with clawed fingers of dread. The soil becomes loose and dusty under their feet and before too much longer he can feel resentful energy crawling along his skin, seeking weakness. That sensation, at least, passes almost as soon as he notices it and he realizes they must have passed through the wards. Things grow, if possible, even more gray and sere from then onwards, though by the time he can begin to hear sounds besides the wind through dead, hollow trees there are a few with some life in them. A few gnarled leaves on some of the branches in the underbrush, a few trees bearing small fruits.
They pass the first field for planting before they see anyone to till it, though the next field has a figure bent to their task. They sit up straight to watch them pass and Wen Ning offers a little wave to the figure who nods back, wariness etched into every line of their posture. Lan Xichen chances a glance at Lan Wangji to find him facing staunchly ahead, fist held behind his back and his eyes glued to the invitation in Wen Ningâs hand.
âWei-gongzi should be tending to his field this time of day,â Wen Ning says in his typical soft stammer as they approach what seems to be the heart of the settlement. There are more people around now, all going about various agrarian tasks with varying degrees of vigor. Lan Xichen is about to ask what he means by field when he looks ahead again and spots it, shocking in the gray landscape around them â a bright green space dotted with soft pink petals, and a man in shades of black and grey bent over it with his trousers rolled up to the knee.
Itâs clear that Lan Wangji is aching to go to him but theyâre stopped before they can go any further by a small young woman suddenly in their way, her feet planted and her arms crossed over her chest.
âWen-guniang,â Lan Wangji greets with a salute as Wen Ning offers a quiet, âJie..â
âA-Ning. What are they doing here?â
Thereâs a beat of silence that Lan Xichen abruptly realizes itâs his responsibility to fill, despite this being Lan Wangjiâs errand.
âWen-guniang,â he greets with a salute of his own that Nie Mingjue copies at his side a beat later. âWangji has an invitation to extend to Wei Wuxian, and Nie-zongzhu and I agreed to accompany him.â
âAn invitation?â At her prompting, Wen Ning hurries to hold out the document itself for her to take, which she does with another skeptical glance at the three of them before she opens it to read the contents. Lan Xichen watches her face for some sort of reaction to the news that Wei Wuxian is invited to Jinlintai, but if she has any sort of feeling about it she does an admirable job of hiding it.
âWei Wuxian!â she calls without looking away from them. Lan Wangjiâs spine stiffens and goes miraculously straighter, as if Wei Wuxianâs name alone is enough to electrify. The man in question waves a mud-stained hand in their general direction without turning around.
âWhat is it, Wen Qing? A-Yuan is playing with Popo right now.â
Lan Xichen glances up at Nie Mingjue at that with a question in his expression though he knows Nie Mingjue likely doesnât understand that any better than he does. Nie Mingjue isnât even looking at him anyway, as it turns out. Instead heâs looking around what they can see from where they are â a crumbling stone structure built into the side of the mountain. Crude wooden huts made from the subpar lumber available in the twisting dead forest around them. Tired farmers in clothes that look one hard winter away from falling apart. And over it all the pall of death and decay thatâs inescapable in the midst of a field that had once been, as the name suggests, nothing but a hill of bones and restless spirits.
âYou haveâŠguests.â
Lan Xichen looks ahead again in time to catch Wei Wuxian whipping around so quickly he nearly falls off his perch at the edge of his âfieldâ of lotuses, thriving right there in the middle of the Burial Mounds, against all odds.
âLan Zhan!â he squeaks, looking utterly shocked to see Lan Wangji, let alone him or Nie Mingjue. âWhat are you-â
âRich-gege!!!â A tiny voice suddenly cries and Lan Xichen is startled to see a small blur come running from the direction of one of the other fields to plaster itself against Lan Wangjiâs leg.
âHello A-Yuan,â he says softly, almost too softly for Lan Xichen to hear, and he drops his hand down from behind his back to pet the top of the boyâs head, smoothing flyaway hairs back from his little face.
âA child, Mingjue,â he whispers, though the volume canât hide his horror. This is the âband of Wen rebelsâ the Jin Sect is so afraid of? This is who remains as the target of their revenge and hatred?
âI see him,â Mingjue replies quietly, jaw working with a little flutter of the muscles in his cheek. âI see them.â
âRich-gege Xian-gege said you wouldnât come back but you did!! Pick up, please!â
Lan Xichen wonders if itâs possible for his eyes to go any wider as Lan Wangji reaches down without hesitation to curl his hands under A-Yuanâs reaching arms and, heft him up onto his hip where the boy promptly clings and lays his head down, seemingly content to hug and be held.
âLan Zhan what are you â what are you all doing here?â Wei Wuxian tries again as he stumbles out of the mud of his pond to traipse across the space between them, cleaning his hands rather ineffectually on his robes hiked up around his hips. When he draws level with Wen Qing she holds the invitation out to him with a look in her eyes that Lan Xichen canât quite decipher. Itâs the first time sheâs taken her eyes off of them since she had intercepted them, and Lan Xichen is a little embarrassed to realize heâs relieved to no longer be the subject of her sharp attention.
âThey brought you this. You can go see your sister.â
âWhat?!â Wei Wuxian scrambles to open the letter, eyes flying across the page as he reads whatever it was Lan Wangji had written â knowing him itâs probably as bare-bones as possible, conveying only the necessary information and nothing else. It doesnât take him long at all to look back up from the page with suspiciously shining eyes. âIs this real?â
âMn. It was agreed upon.â
âJiang Cheng agreed to this? And Jin Zixuan?â
âMn.â
For an alarming moment Wei Wuxian looks like heâs in desperate need of a place to sit, but he rallies quickly and all of a sudden his smile is absolutely blinding, the way it had been once when heâd been a younger, much more carefree teenager coming to study in Gusu. When his smiles had turned Lan Wangjiâs ears red and made him glare daggers through whatever poor wall or floor or passing disciple happened to be in his line of sight.
âOh. Oh wait come in, come in, youâre making everybody nervous out here,â he says with a laugh that doesnât sound..entirely genuine, but another glance around the settlement proves that heâs got a point. The Wens are all watching them now, tasks forgotten in the need to watch for approaching danger. âLan Zhan sorry about A-Yuan, he probably wonât be willing to let go for a while.â
âNo need.â
âAiyah. Fine, fine. Come in. Wen Qing and Wen Ning, you too. Come on, letâs go,â he says and just like that Lan Xichen realizes with amusement that theyâre all being shepherded intoâŠa cave. Itâs a spacious cave, the dilapidated remains of the palace built into the mountain, but it is still effectively a cave. There are tables set up in whatâs clearly a communal dining area and Wei Wuxian bustles ahead of them to swipe some accumulated dirt from a couple of the benches before gesturing for them to sit.
âAh Zewu-Jun, Chifeng-Zun, apologies for my manners,â Wei Wuxian says with a salute for both of them that Lan Xichen is quick to smile away. âWeâre not exactly ahâŠequipped for visitors such as yourselves, Iâm sure you understand.â
Lan Xichen takes a seat at the table between Nie Mingjue and Lan Wangji, who has now transferred the child clinging to him to his lap where the boy sits looking at the two strangers to him with wide, curious eyes.
âXian-gege, Rich-gege brought friends this time,â he observes and earns himself an affectionate ruffle of his hair from Wei Wuxian.
âHe did! And theyâre very important friends so behave for Rich-gege, alright?â
âA-Yuan is better behaved than you are, Wei Wuxian,â Wen Qing retorts in what Lan Xichen is sure is meant to be their usual banter, though it comes out flat and, if heâs not mistaken, too stressed for the joke to properly land. Wei Wuxian doesnât seem to notice, or if he does then he is still adept at charging through any sort of tension with his usual charm.
âSo rude, Wen Qing, we have guests,â he says with a little flourish as he finally takes his robes down from where theyâre hitched up and pats them into place where they belong. It becomes even more apparent how threadbare they are with the full length of them on display. He sits down quickly enough and the Wen siblings move to stand behind him, arms crossed protectively over their chests though rather than looking intimidating, as heâs sure other people would find them, to Lan Xichen they just lookâŠafraid.
âWei Ying,â Lan Zhan says softly, and though Lan Xichen knows his brother well enough to know that thereâs a whole thought tucked into those two words, he doesnât know them well enough to know what those thoughts are. And that is strangely disconcerting, to realize that thereâs an entire facet of his brother that he doesnât understand anymore.
âLan Zhan, not that Iâm not pleased to see you, of course you know I am. But why are you here?â Lan Wangji flicks his gaze towards the invitation now stowed safely in the front of Wei Wuxianâs robes and the man rests a hand gently over it, though his resolved expression doesnât waver. âThis could have been delivered by post, or by messenger. The townspeople know Wen Ning, they would have gotten it to him if you had left it for us. Why did you come here in person? And - no offense Zewu-Jun, Chifeng-Zun, but..why are you part of this too?â
âWei-gongzi,â Wen Ning speaks up softly, surprising everyone else in the room. âI donât think youâll be safe in Jinlintai.â Itâs something of a non-sequitur but somehow the thoughts must be connected, and Wei Wuxian muster understand how they are judging by the way his entire demeanor changes into something much more alert.
Lan Xichen sighs softly as Wei Wuxianâs sharp gaze fixes on them, but itâs Nie Mingjue who speaks up first.
âJin Guangshan wants your amulet.â Itâs bold and barefaced in the way that Nies tend to be and though Lan Xichen is used to it, it still makes him feel a bit squirmy and anxious in the pit of his stomach to hear something so unpleasant laid out so plainly. Not that heâll ever let it show, of course.
âWell he canât have it. Next.â
âHe thinks the Wens here are dangerous.â
âClearly weâre not. Wen Qing, Wen Ning, and I are the only cultivators here. Besides, weâre barely feeding ourselves, let alone preparing to take on the Jins. Next.â
âWei Ying,â Lan Wangji cuts in, and this agonized tone, at least, Lan Xichen recognizes.
He interrupts before they can begin any sort of argument. âWei-gongzi. During the discussion of whether or not you should be present for Jin Lingâs celebration, Jin Guangshan presented concerns about both the amulet and Wen-gongzi. You canât deny that these are valid concerns for those whom you consider to be enemies.â
âI donât have enemies unless they make themselves my enemy,â Wei Wuxian shoots back, all trace of boyish excitement gone from his face now. âNone of you were there that night in Qiongqi Pass. Did any of you even visit the work camps Jin Guangshan put the Wens in? Did you see, with your own eyes, the field of corpses they created because they knew that the cultivation world would turn a blind eye?â Thereâs ringing silence for a moment before he repeats his demand. âDid you?!â
âWei Wuxian,â Wen Qing warns, low and quiet.
âIf Jin Guangshan is so bored of watching over Lanling and sending his cultivators to protect the interests of his own Sect then by all means, create an enemy of me. I knew what I was doing when I took these people away and brought them here. I know what people say of me, and of the Wens, do you think I donât? Words are nothing. Fear is nothing. But if someone acts against me and those Iâm sworn to protect, can I not defend myself? Can I not defend them?!â
Lan Xichen curls his hands into slow fists on his knees under the edge of the table as Wei Wuxian makes a wild gesture in the general direction of the rest of the settlement, beginning to look desperate as he works himself up.
âYou saw them with your own eyes. Theyâre just farmers, theyâre just regular people, the kind that weâre supposed to protect! Popo plays with A-Yuan to keep him occupied while we work in the fields and Fourth Uncle makes wine from the fruit that grows here and everyone here is just trying to survive, yet you would rather see them all dead for the sin of having once been related to a man who has already been killed for his crimes?â
âXian-gege,â A-Yuan says softly from his perch in Lan Wangjiâs lap. Lan Xichen turns an agonized glance on him to find him reaching out for Wei Wuxian with one chubby little hand, his eyes still wide though now itâs with something like concern rather than the curiosity of before.
âA-Ning, take A-Yuan back to Popo,â Wen Qing instructs. Her brother obeys with a nod, reaching down for A-Yuan even as the boy tries to cling to Lan Wangji.
âWant to stay with Rich-gege!â
âI will come find you soon, A-Yuan,â Lan Wangji promises with something fierce and immovable in his eyes. âGo with Wen Ning.â
Thereâs a quick flutter of activity as the child allows himself to be carried away, and as Lan Wangji shifts his weight to get comfortable again Lan Xichen doesnât miss the way he subtly positions himself a little closer to Wei Wuxian. Itâs hardly noticeable, but it puts him on the same half of the table as Wei Wuxian and Wen Qing still standing behind his shoulder, and when Lan Xichen meets his brotherâs eyes he knows precisely whose side he will stand on should it come to that.
He desperately hopes that it wonât.
âThis invitation to Jin Lingâs celebration is a trap, isnât it?â Wei Wuxian asks and unlike the boyish cheerfulness of before, or the anger of mere moments ago, his tone is now as cold and blank as the stones outside.
âNo,â Lan Xichen protests, though itâs undercut significantly by Lan Wangji replying with a simultaneous (and much more convincing), âYes.â
âLan Zhan?â
âJin Guangshan wants the amulet. He knows you will not miss a chance to see your family. He will demand you hand over your amulet and Wen Ning to show that you are no longer a threat to him, and if you refuse I do not know what he will do.â
âHe just wants to destroy the amulet and theâŠweapon,â Nie Mingjue cuts in, gruff and clearly unhappy with the way things are going but it is, surprisingly, Wen Qing who rises to meet him.
âYou canât seriously tell me you buy that? That a man like Jin Guangshan can be handed something powerful and decide, out of the goodness of his heart, to get rid of it,â she snaps, eyes once again cutting and her hands clutched in her sleeves where her arms are crossed. âAnd that âweaponâ is my brother, who, in case you havenât seen, is in full control of himself and his thoughts. He counts as one of us, and destroying him now would be to finish the murder that those guards at the work camp didnât finish.â
An uncomfortable silence drops in the wake of her anger and in it Wei Wuxian rises slowly from the table to stand next to Wen Qing, his arms crossed over his chest as well. Lan Xichen canât help but flick a cautious glance at the hand closest to the flute tucked into his belt but at least for the moment it doesnât seem like heâll be reaching for it.
âIf youâve come as nothing more than Jin Guangshanâs messengers then Iâm taking you right back down the mountain, one way or another. Iâm protecting these people, and that is not up for negotiation. You can tell Jin Guangshan that yourself.â
âWei Ying-â
âLan Zhan this isnât directed at you. Itâs them.â
Lan Xichen blinks slowly as he realizes that Lan Wangjiâs subtle positioning hadnât gone unnoticed by Wei Wuxian after all. Or, he supposes, itâs equally likely that Wei Wuxian simply trusts Lan Wangji. Despite their differences, their arguments, itâs possible that Wei Wuxian sees now how ardently Lan Wangji wants him to be safe. How far it seems heâs willing to go to ensure it.
âSo whatâs the deal, if we leave you keep Wangji here as leverage?â Nie Mingjue barks. Lan Xichenâs eyes go wide as he abruptly realizes heâs lost all control of this conversation and it is heading in a dangerous direction much more quickly than he could have expected.
âLan Zhan is free to come and go as he pleases, he wonât hurt us. He allowed you to come here with him this time so I assume he trusts you to do the same. But if seeing the truth is going to do absolutely nothing to change what you want and what youâll help Jin Guangshan accomplish in wiping the Wens off the face of the earth then weâre done here, and you will not be welcome back.â
Lan Xichen canât deny the dread settling thick and heavy in the pit of his stomach, and only a small portion of it has to do with the resentful energy in the air. Wei Wuxian has proven himself time and time again as a formidable opponent, and while Lan Xichen doesnât think that itâs necessary to see him as an enemy he knows that the majority of the cultivation world would disagree. Itâs plain to see, though, that even should that be the case thereâs no force on earth that could turn him aside from the path heâs on. He said it himself â his purpose now is to protect the Wens, and if the cultivation world sees that as a reason for him to die alongside them then he will.
âWeâll help you,â he promises. Rash, perhaps. Uncharacteristically sudden of him, perhaps. But itâs actually not really, in the end. Lan Wangji has been worried about Wei Wuxian ever since that banquet in Jinlintai and his disappearance with the Wens later the same night, and so Lan Xichen has been worried about his brother since the same moment. And not only that, but he still remembers Wei Wuxian as he had once been. Where now it seems everyone wants to paint him as a devil, as an evil mastermind, as a cruel and power-hungry tyrant amassing an army of the dead, all Lan Xichen can see is a young man whose heart has always been kind, who cultivates with evil things he canât understand but whoâs using it to keep a group of helpless people safe. It is not such a sudden change of heart for him to wish to see everyone around him treated well and fairly.
âXichen,â Nie Mingjue says, startled by his declaration, but Lan Xichen puts a hand on his knee beneath the table, a silent promise to explain himself later.
âWeâll help you. The Lan Sect. What do you need?â
Wei Wuxian is staring at him, mouth hanging open rather comically, and so itâs Wen Qing who speaks up after a moment though Lan Xichen can see in her eyes that she doesnât trust him yet.
âFood. Blankets for A-Yuan and for the elderly at least. And we want to be left alone.â
âThese are the only demands you have?â
âWhat else could you possibly offer us, Zewu-Jun?â
âFertile land,â Lan Wangji supplies, eyes beginning to alight with the first dangerous edges of hope. âProtection. Homes.â
âIn Gusu?â Wei Wuxian cuts in to ask. Thereâs weight behind that question, a hostility, but when Lan Wangji looks at him all Lan Xichen can see is his desperation.
I want to bring a man to Cloud Recesses, his brotherâs voice echoes softly in the back of his mind. Bring him there and keep him safe.
âIt would not have to be permanent, necessarily,â Lan Xichen supplies, hand tensing a little more on Nie Mingjueâs knee when he feels the man shift restlessly beside him. âBut it could be. None of this should have happened to you and your family, Wen-guniang. Will you allow the Gusu Lan to begin attempting to make reparations?â
Wei Wuxian and Wen Qing look at each other but whatever passes between them in their glances is beyond Lan Xichenâs comprehension.
âI will think about it,â she replies after a moment and Wei Wuxian turns on his heel to put his back to the rest of them, effectively hiding whatever expression he makes in response. âCome back in three days.â
Itâs a clear dismissal and so Lan Xichen stands, Nie Mingjue at his side. Lan Wangji doesnât move, his eyes fixed firmly on Wei Wuxianâs back, but he doesnât seem to be included in the dismissal anyway. Wen Qing simply leads them to the doorway again where Wen Ning is standing patiently on the steps outside, likely to keep any eavesdroppers away.
âWeâre escorting Zewu-Jun and Chifeng-Zun back to town,â she informs him and he falls in quickly at her side.
âWhere is Lan-er-gongzi?â Wen Ning asks with a concerned glance over his shoulder. âIs he alright?â
âHeâs fine. He and Wei Wuxian might finally be ready to stop acting like they donât want to be together,â she replies so flippantly that Lan Xichen is suddenly grateful for Nie Mingjueâs hand at his elbow as he stumbles ever so slightly on the uneven terrain in response.
âO-oh,â Wen Ning stammers out and Lan Xichen is abruptly sure that if it were still possible he would be blushing. âWell thatâs nice I suppose. Is Wei-gongzi going to go to Jin Lingâs one-month and see his sister?â
Wen Qing glances back at them at that, though what sheâs measuring them for Lan Xichen isnât exactly sure. âWhose idea was it to have him there?â she asks with a raised eyebrow.
âWangjiâs.â
âOh yes then I daresay heâll go no matter if itâs a trap or not,â she remarks so dryly that she actually gets a chuckle out of Nie Mingjue, which is startling to say the least. Lan Xichen looks at him, trying to gauge what heâs thinking, but heâs got his expression carefully locked into stern, unreadable lines. They continue on in silence down the mountain and back to their inn in the town. Only when the Wen siblings have departed and he and Nie Mingjue have retired to their rooms does he unbend enough for Lan Xichen to see that heâs deep in thought.
âDo you think Jin Guangshan truly means to destroy the amulet?â Nie Mingjue finally asks when Lan Xichen has waited him out long enough for him to speak his mind.
âIn all honesty no, I do not. At least not right away, and power corrupts. We already know he is a man of vices, itâs no secret that power is one of them.â
âCan you really offer the Wens land and protection without consulting anyone else? The elders, your uncle?â
âIt will have to go through more official channels I suppose to actually begin the movement â weâll need to send resources to keep them clothed and fed while travelling and cultivators to keep them safe, after all. But yes, that is something I can offer them. I will make my case to the elders with what we saw here today, Wangji is my witness, and you could be too. Theyâre nothing but humble citizens who simply bear the curse of an unfortunate name through no fault of their own. So many Wens have already paid the ultimate price for what Wen Ruohan has done. Thereâs nothing and nobody in this last remaining group to be so afraid of that they must be eliminated. The only part that should worry the rest of the sects is that Wei Wuxian is at the helm, but their fear of him is slightly misguided as well. I believe once Uncle and the rest of the elders know the truth they will allow such peaceful people to live and work in Gusu.â
âHm. Well alright then, the Nie will support you.â
That pulls Lan Xichen up short and he stares at Nie Mingjue with undisguised shock. Nie Mingjue at first only raises an eyebrow at him, but after another moment he exhales sharply and shakes his head as if bedeviled by a fly.
âI still donât like the Wens but I canât in good conscience lead them to the slaughter. If you want to protect them, then protect them. And Iâll protect you. Maybe we can finally take Jin Guangshan down a notch or two in the process, I definitely wonât be opposed. Nor do I think Jiang Wanyin will take much issue with it either, not if it can get him his brother back. And we already know Jiang Yanli will support anything that repairs Wei Wuxianâs reputation, and Jin Zixuan will support anything that makes Jiang Yanli happy. Iâd say the winds are in our favor if we act too quickly for Jin Guangshan to counter it.â
Lan Xichen can still only blink as Nie Mingjue finally cracks his expression to smile ever so slightly and offer him a wink.
âYou should have agreed to strategize with me days ago, none of this would have been so surprising, I thought it may become an option. Now itâs just up to Wangji to talk Wei Wuxian and Wen Qing into agreeing.â
âI believe he will find it in himself to be persuasive, and Wen Qing at least is quite sensible. I believe she understands their position well and knows that it is not sustainable for much longer. Or that even if it were, it would be better if their people could get the care and treatment they need to thrive, not just to survive. I believe theyâll agree.â
âWell weâll just have to wait and see.â
Lan Wangji doesnât return once during the three days Wen Qing asked for them to wait. On the morning of the fourth day Wen Ning returns for them to bring them back up the mountain where they find Lan Wangji kneeling in the dirt with A-Yuan perched happily in his lap chattering away to Wei Wuxian, who is sitting far closer than necessary to listen as the rest of the Wens bustle around them, hurrying from field to field at a much quicker pace than mere days ago. Wen Qing meets them again at the entrance to the main clearing, arms once again crossed over her chest as she eyes them up like a hawk studying its prey.
âWe accept. Weâll all come to Gusu with everything we can carry to start things anew.â
And just like that Lan Xichen gains a new branch of his family in the most unlikely of places.
#the untamed fanfic#Wangxian#Nielan#Lan Xichen#Lan Wangji#Nie Mingjue#Wei Wuxian#Wen Qing#Wen Ning#Prompt fill#I hope this works!#@ everyone who's sent in a request over the last couple of weeks:#I see the requests I promise and I'm trying to come up with stuff to write haha#It's been a busy couple of weeks
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Nightless City â An analysis of Wei Wuxianâs accountability
Iâve come across several takes about the bloodbath of Nightless City that donât really sit well with me. Some people say Wei Wuxian is totally to blame, others that heâs totally blameless, and I personally disagree with both. I think that, like in many other events in the novel, what really happened is more complex.
(All the translations are by Exiled Rebels Scanlations)
First of all, the text shows us that Wei Wuxian wasnât completely clear-headed even before going to Nightless City, which is normal considering what he was going through. His whole world had crumbled in just a few hours. Everything heâd done until that moment â the sacrifices he had made for what he believed was right â appeared to be for nothing. He ended up hurting the people most dear to him, and he couldnât even protect those he had wanted to protect. When he could move again after the three days he spent in the cave immobilized by Wen Qingâs needle, for a while he didnât even know what to do or where to go.
After he got down the mountain, he stood amid the bushes, catching his breath. Bent down, he propped his hands against his knees for a long while before he stood up straight again. Yet, looking at the wild grasses that covered many of the mountain paths, he didnât know where to go.
Burial Moundâheâd just gone down from there.
Lotus Pierâhe hadnât been back in over a year.
Koi Tower? Three days had passed already. If he went now, it was likely that Wen Qingâs corpse and Wen Ningâs ashes were the only things left.
He stood blankly. Suddenly, he felt that the world had no place for him, despite how large it was. He didnât know what to do either.
(Chapter 77)
Itâs rare to see Wei Wuxian so utterly lost and miserable. What happened was too much for even someone like him â who always tends to look at the bright side of any situation â to be able to deal with it. Since he doesnât know where else to go, he decides to go to Koi Tower to retrieve the Wen siblingsâ ashes, but he doesnât manage to do anything before heâs discovered and forced to flee. He wanders without purpose for a long time until he arrives at a city gate where he hears a group of cultivators talking about him with contempt, which triggers his anger.
The longer Wei WuXian listened, the colder his expression grew.
He shouldâve understood long ago. No matter what he did, not a single good word would come out of these peopleâs mouths. When he won, others feared; when he lost, others rejoiced.
He was cultivating the crooked path either way, so what exactly did the years of persistence mean? What exactly were they for?
However, the colder his eyes were, the brighter the raging fire within his heart burned.
(Chapter 77)
We see him come to a very bitter realization: no matter his noble intentions and moral integrity, everyone has already made up their mind about him, he would be made into a villain no matter what he does. Before what happened at Qiongqi Path he had managed to keep a positive mindset, since he was doing fine in the Burial Mounds with the Wen remnants. It wasnât an easy life, but they were safe, they didnât starve and Wei Wuxian was free to focus on his research and inventions in peace, creating the Compass of Evil and the Spirit-Attraction Flag. He missed his family, but he also found another one. He had people who loved him and valued him, and whom he loved and valued in turn. All in all, he was content. He thought that as long as he didnât actively seek trouble, the world would leave him alone. But he was wrong. Jin Zixun ambushed him accusing him of something he didnât do, and everything spiraled down so quickly he couldnât do anything to prevent it, until he lost control of his demonic cultivation and killed Jin Zixuan.
In this moment, Wei Wuxian feels completely alone. The Wen siblings are gone, his beloved shijie might hate him for killing her husband and the cultivation world as a whole canât wait to besiege him. If it had been another time, he wouldnât have beaten up those random cultivators. Itâs not like it was the first time he heard awful rumors about himself. The fact that he reacts so violently here says a lot about the state of mind heâs in. Wei Wuxian is clearly looking for a way to vent his anger, so he takes it out on the cultivators who are speaking ill of him. His rage is justified: not only were they saying malicious things about him without even knowing the full story, but they were doing it cowardly behind his back. However, his reaction is somewhat disproportionate to their offense: one of them gets kicked in the face until he passes out from the pain, while another gets his legs broken for daring to speak up. Although he doesnât kill them, he does terrorize them and in the end he leaves them there immobilized by the spirits he had summoned (if Lan Wangji hadnât been looking for Wei Wuxian, who knows how long they would have had to wait to be freed).
After this, Wei Wuxian sees the announcement of the pledge conference and goes to Nightless City. Iâve seen people argue that he was only trying to protect the Wen remnants and that the people who were there had already pledged to kill him, so it was self-defense. But is it really the case? Personally, I donât think what he did was self-defense. Sure, he tried to discuss first and didnât attack until he was attacked, but defending himself and the Wen remnants wasnât the main reason he was there in the first place.
The crowd flung curses at him, but Wei WuXian accepted all of them.
Anger was the only thing that could suppress the other feelings within his heart.
(Chapter 78)
All of his pain, desperation and guilt were too much to handle at once, so he tried to suppress them all with anger, and directed that anger at the people who hated him. Wei Wuxian didnât go to the pledge conference to try to prevent the siege from happening (since he thought it wouldnât change anything anyway) or to weaken the Sectsâ forces. He went there to vent his anger and frustration. Wei Wuxian is not clear-headed here, as highlighted by this passage:
Wei WuXian spun around to dodge the attack and laughed, âFine, fine. I knew since the start that weâd have to fight a real fight like this one sooner or later. Youâve always found me disagreeable no matter what. Come on!â
Hearing this, Lan WangJiâs movements paused, âWei Ying!â
Although he shouted the words, any sane person would be able to tell that Lan WangJiâs voice was clearly shaking. However, right now, Wei WuXian had already lost his judgement. He was already half-mad, half-unconscious. All evil was being augmented by him. He felt that everyone loathed him and he loathed everyone as well. He wouldnât be scared no matter who came at him. It wouldnât matter no matter who came at him. It was all the same anyway.
(Chapter 78)
In this moment Wei Wuxian believes everyone hates him and thereâs no use trying to convince them otherwise â thereâs no use trying to reason with them in a diplomatic way because no matter what he says or does, his words will be twisted to fit the opinions of the crowd. He almost welcomes the attack because this way he can attack them back and vent all his pent-up anger. Wei Wuxian is not behaving like his usual self here. He canât see Lan Wangji isnât trying to hurt him because his mind is not lucid. This is why he loses control of his demonic cultivation for the second time, injuring Jiang Yanli.
His shijie is the only one who manages to calm him down a little despite his chaotic state of mind. He manages to stop the corpses from attacking everyone and waits for her to tell him what she thinks of him, if she forgives him or not. However, she dies to save his life before being able to say anything, and the whole situation becomes simply too much for him to bear. All of his emotions crush him at once, so in his already half-unconscious state he activates the Tiger Seal, effectively erasing any chance he might have had to redeem himself in the eyes of society.
The point of this analysis isnât to blame or absolve Wei Wuxian. Itâs very easy to empathize with his anguish in these scenes. What he was going through was incredibly stressful and the root cause (the ambush at Qiongqi Path) wasnât his fault. Even Lan Wangji says he can neither condemn nor justify his actions, but heâs willing to face all the consequences with him anyway.
I told [Wangji] when I went to see him, Young Master Wei had already made a grave mistake, there was no use augmenting it. But he said⊠that he could not say with certainty whether what you did was right or wrong, but no matter what, he was willing to be responsible for all of the consequences alongside you.
(Chapter 99)
Wei Wuxian isnât blameless for what happened at Nightless City. I donât think heâs proud of what he did and all the people he killed, either. The fact that he destroyed the Tiger Seal after returning to the Burial Mounds is quite telling. He definitely didnât act in the most rational and clear-headed way, which resulted in a lot of people â including his shijie â to lose their lives, but the point of all this is that Wei Wuxian is human. He makes mistakes because no one is infallible, no matter how heroic, selfless and virtuous. Not even he can be totally immune to all the criticism and accusasions, even though he often acts like he is. Wei Wuxian is a fundamentally positive person, so most of the time he can ignore the bad things that happen to him and focus on the good, but this time his situation was simply too extreme for anyone to be able to stand it.
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This is just something that came from a different story Iâm writing, so, itâs just a one shot. And itâs not really editted (sorry).Â
 This is A/B/O, with Omega wwx and Alpha lwj, but honestly it doesnât really show up much, like itâs not a focal point of the story for the most part, itâs just kind of, there. Thereâs minor NieLan, and past wangxian with hopeful future wangxian (hopeful future IMO), and itâs modern non cultivation!
 Other than that, enjoy? And if you have questions feel free to hop into my inbox.
It had been years.
Five, to be exact.
Wei Wuxian wouldn't lie and say Lan Wangji never entered his mind, he did almost constantly. But he had long accepted he would never see the Alpha again. Lan Qiren had made it rather clear he was to never contact Lan Wangji again.
That hadn't been a pleasant conversation. Well. Argument.
For once Wei Wuxian was glad he was no longer in contact with the Jiangs, even if it wasnât for long, he'd hate for them to have been involved. He's not entirely sure who's side Madam Yu would've been on, but he hoped she would've been on his. Although, if she was, he's not entirely confident Lan Qiren would still be walking around. Lan Qiren might be a hard ass, but he had nothing on Madam Yu.
He should write Nie Huaisang. See how the Jiang's are doing.
"Are you alright?"
Wei Wuxian blinks, brought back to the present, silently filing the idea to write Nie Huaisang for later, and looks up at Lan Xichen. Who he had just run into. Literally.
Wei Wuxian ignores the hand and stands on his own, "Perfectly. Just distracted. Sorry to bother you." Wei Wuxian says, nodding and turning, deciding he could get A-Yuan's candy later, after the milk. He had made it a few steps before Lan Xichen grabbed his arm. Wei Wuxian tenses, snapping around with a glare on his face before he registers that Lan Xichen isn't going to attack him. Not physically at least. So he lets the glare fall. "Sorry."
Lan Xichen drops his hand, "No, I should not have grabbed you. I apologize." An apology from a Lan. Maybe he died.
A-Yuan would be heartbroken. A-Yu probably doesn't know what Death is and probably wouldn't understand for a few years.
Lan Xichen was talking. Wei Wuxian should be listening, not thinking of his death. Lan Xichen smiles, as he normally does, "You were not listening."
"Sorry. My brain drifts, it pissed your uncle off to end, remember?" Wei Wuxian says, shrugging.
Lan Xichen nods, "Uncle seemed to anger easily around you, yes. I was wondering if you had the time, we could talk. Perhaps over tea?"
He can't ask for alcohol instead. For one, Lans don't drink. For two, he has to pick A-Yu and A-Yuan up in half an hour.
"I have a half hour, I guess we could finish up shopping and go to the Starbucks down the block." Lan Xichen's eyes tighten at the mention of Starbucks, which makes Wei Wuxian remember the heavily disturbed and deer-in-headlight look Lan Wangji had when Wei Wuxian dragged him there. Repeatedly.
Lan Wangji never seemed to get used to Starbucks.
None of the Lans seem to like it either.
Lan Xichen nods though, so Wei Wuxian does a U-turn to grab the candy he promised A-Yuan and then made a bee-line for the two other things he was missing. He loses Lan Xichen at some point, but when he gets to the check out, Lan Xichen is waiting by the door with a bag.
Wei Wuxian smiles at the Cashier, Mingyu, who seemed slightly concerned for him. But Wei Wuxian waves off the concern, even when Mingyu decides to ask, "Is he a friend or should I call security?"
Wei Wuxian considers this, Lan Xichen isn't a friend, but security isn't necessary. Wei Wuxian grins when he comes to a response, that's both honest and fun, "He's Daiyu's uncle." Wei Wuxian informs, finishing with his payment and taking his items. "See you in a week Mingyu!" Wei Wuxian calls as the other man is clearly trying to figure out how he hasn't met this uncle until now.
"A friend?" Lan Xichen asks as they walk down the road.
"Eh, more I'm a regular." Wei Wuxian shrugs. He only talks to Mingyu when he buys groceries. Not much other reason to talk to the teenager.
Especially since he tends to remind Wei Wuxian that, uh, he is only twenty-two.
That's not something he particularly likes to remember. Especially when he's on his way to pick up his kids. He looks older enough that none of the other parents comment on him being A-Yu and A-Yuan's brother, and none of them comment on the utter shame of having a child at seventeen. And presumably fourteen if A-Yuan was actually birthed from him. As he so often jokes, especially after A-Yuan learnt where babies came from.
A-Yuan thinks it's funny.
Wen Qing thinks it's stupid.
But it's meant to entertain the eight year old so it's not a problem.
"So you live around here." Lan Xichen comments, more to himself than to Wei Wuxian, and Wei Wuxian has to mentally curse himself. For five years, no Lan has known where he lived. No one from that life knew where he was except Nie Huaisang. And for all he can be a coward, Wei Wuxian knows he wouldn't have given away his location to anyone.
But he just confirmed to Lan Xichen that he lived in this town.
Fuck.
"What're you doing here?" Wei Wuxian asks, opening the door for Lan Xichen and gesturing for the man to enter the Starbucks. Lan Xichen gives him a tight smile and enters, clearly not liking being inside the store.
Tough. Wei Wuxian doesn't want to be having this conversation, neither of them get to be comfortable. Wei Wuxian follows Lan Xichen in, walking up to the register and ordering a drink with a smile before turning to Lan Xichen for his order. Which he gives with a tense smile. The barista nods, repeats the order back and then Lan Xichen pays, because this was his idea and Wei Wuxian would much rather be at home right now.
They amble over to a table to wait for their drinks to be made. Well. Lan Xichen got his at the till since it was just a Green Tea, but they have to wait for Wei Wuxian's. Might as well get this chat over with.
"The Nie have a lakehouse a mile out of town." Oh right. Oh fuck. "Mingjue and I are having a little vacation." Lan Xichen says in response to his earlier question.
"And you came to get some groceries."
"Just a little. Mingjue will be back for the rest." Lan Xichen winces when he sips at his tea, clearly not liking it. He sets his cup aside, "You know, Huaisang seemed very against us going to this partical vacation house."
Oh for fucks sake. "Huaisang's specialty isn't subtly." Wei Wuxian says with a shrug, then stands and gets his drink when the barista calls out his name.
Lan Xichen waits for him to sit back down. "No, it isn't. Might I ask, why Huaisang knows where you are when no one else does?"
"I don't like the Jin. I don't want to burden the Jiang. The Lan want nothing to do with me." Wei Wuxian shrugs, "Nie Huaisang is the only friend I have left." Outside of the friends he now lives with. Wei Wuxian sips at his flat white.
Lan Xichen's brows twitch in a furrow before smoothing out, "What do you mean we want nothing to do with you.
Wei Wuxian raises an eyebrow, "Was there a part of Lan Qiren's order that was unclear?"
Wei Wuxian's response only seems to confuse him further. "I believe, there has been some miscommunication." Lan Xichen suggests politely.
"Not really." Wei Wuxian refutes. "Lan Qiren told me to get the fuck out and never contact any of you again. Not much room for miscommunication."
"He said what?" Lan Xichen asks, sounding light and a little confused. But Wei Wuxian had spent enough time around Lan Wangji, and hence Lan Xichen since Lan Xichen was Lan Wangji's favoured company, to know he was getting very pissed off.
Huh.
Wei Wuxian shrugs, too little too late, in his opinion. It's been five years. "It was shortly after I left the Jiang, I went to stay with Lan- Wangji." Wei Wuxian catches himself before using the familiar address. Lan Xichen seemed to catch the slip up too. "Just for the night. The departure went a little more explosively than I meant for it to, I came to spend the night. Lan Qiren told me to leave and never return, that Lan Wangji wanted nothing more to do with me. Not to contact anyone in the family. Obviously I argued, but I had already argued with Madam Yu and Uncle Jiang that night, so, he won. I left. And then a week later he sent me two hundred thousand Yuan." That wasn't a pleasant night to remember. It wasn't a pleasant week. He found out he was pregnant, then the Wen shit happened, and he was moving across the country with Wen Ning and his family. Wei Wuxian shrugs again, drinking his flat white.
Lan Xichen's brow furrows slowly, and he shakes his head, "I'm sorry, Uncle told us nothing about this. All Wangji and I have known is that you left the Jiang and disappeared. Wangji certainly didn't say anything about not wanting your company anymore." Lan Xichen seemed offended at the very idea.
Oh.
Huh.
Lan Wangji doesn't hate him.
Oh fuck.
Lan Wangji doesn't hate him.
But he probably will. When he tells him about A-Yu.
Fuck.
"Is everything okay?" Lan Xichen asks, making clear that Wei Wuxian's panic is clear on his face.
"Um." Wei Wuxian swallows, twisting the paper cup in his hands, "In theory. If, uh, when I left, I had been uh," No. Nope. He can't think of a good way to say this. He checks the time. "Uh, do you have twenty minutes?"
"I'm supposed to meet with Mingjue in ten."
"Great. Uh. Meet me at the park with the giant octopus sculpture in fifteen, bring Da ge, I need to drop my groceries off at my house." Wei Wuxian doesn't wait for Lan Xichen to agree, picking up his groceries and hurrying out.
When he gets home, he dumps the groceries on the counter, giving Wen Qing a quick, "Lan Xichen's in town and he's metting A-Yu and A-Yuan, see you in fiften minutes. Thanks bye!" before running back out, not responding to her shout of 'what' that followed.
When he gets to the octopus sculpture, he doesn't have to wait long fo Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue to show up, thankfully. He bounces over to them, the nervous energy coursing through him a little too much to keep still. "Hi Dage."
"Wuxian." Nie Mingjue greets, as if Wei Wuxian hasn't been off the grid for five years and was still popping into his house every other weekend to do weird shit with Nie Huaisang.
Nice to know somethings don't change.
"What is it you wanted to show us?" Lan Xichen asks politely.
"Um, this way." Wei Wuxian takes them to the school, which was only a few minutes away.
"A school." Nie Mingjue deadpans.
Wei Wuxian looks at the other parents waiting, a few of them looking back at the group with furrowed brows. One of the mothers makes a very harsh 'come here' gesture, so Wei Wuxian turns to Nie Mingjue and Lan Xichen, "Uh, I'll be right back. Don't move." He was clearly confusing the pair, but they nod so he rushes off to Mrs. Yang.
"Is that Daiyu's father? Other father?" Mrs. Yang demands, almost glaring at Lan Xichen.
"It's his older brother." Wei Wuxian corrects with a tight smile. "Please don't go yell at him."
"Oh, his family decides it's okay for you to raise a child for five years on your own, and I shouldn't yell?" Mrs. Yang demands, already gearing up to go.
"Uh, I'm, about to tell him Daiyu exists."
Mrs. Yang blinks, clearly taken aback. "Wei Wuxian." Wei Wuxian flinches at her tone, oh no. He's in trouble. "Did you not tell the Alpha family you were pregnant?"
"In my defence," because he needed one if he wanted to survive, "their uncle had already told me their family wanted nothing to do with me before he found out I had gotten pregnant. I don't think that opinion would've been changed in my favour. Given we were seventeen, and unmated."
Mrs. Yang hmphs, but nods. "Fine. But if he seems anything less than overjoyed, I'll be having words."
"Yes Mrs. Yang. Thank you." Wei Wuxian says, nodding. He meant it. Mrs. Yang was one of the more supportive parents. Like Granny Wen she had more or less started treating him like family.
It probably helped that her eldest was only two years younger than Wei Wuxian.
Wei Wuxian smiles and then hurries back to Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue as the elder grades started to be let out.
"I'm sorry, do you babysit?" Lan Xichen asks, clearly very confused. Nie Mingjue doesn't seem to be much better.
"Uh. Sometimes." Wei Wuxian shrugs, "Not today." His answer only served further confusion, but he wasn't paying much attention to the pair. Instead to his incoming missile.
"Xian-gege!" Wen Yuan yells, and Wei Wuxian picks up the eight-year old as the boy had launched himself at Wei Wuxian.
"A-Yuan! My, I think you've grown!"
Wen Yuan pouts, "You saw me this morning gege! I haven't grown at all!"
Wei Wuxian shakes his head, "Hmm, nope! You've grown a full inch! I know it."
"No! A-Yuan hasn't grown at all!" Wen Yuan counters, pouting more deeply. Ah, not in the mood to be teased today. Okay.
"Ah, ah yes. A-Yuan is correct." Wei Wuxian agrees, and puts A-Yuan down. "A-Yuan, this is Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue. They're old friends." Wei Wuxian introduces.
Wen Yuan was half through a bored wave when he actually looked at Nie Mingjue and his eyes utterly lit up. "You're so tall!"
Nie Mingjue barely blinked, very used to this reaction, but he seemed delighted at A-Yuan's very prescence. "Yes." Seeing as A-Yuan was practically vibrating, Wei Wuxian gently encourages him, and really that was all that was necessary before A-Yuan was attached to Nie Mingjue's leg and asking a million questions a minute.
Nie Mingjue seemed amused, and politely answered every question he caught.
With A-Yuan distracted, Wei Wuxian looks around the schoolyard for his other charge. Normally Daiyu would be attached to his leg by now. He finally spots her hiding by a tree, or, behind a tree. Her eyes widen when they meet his, and he waves her over. She hesitates, but eventually decides to come over. She walks, and then runs the last little bit, entirely hiding behind Wei Wuxian's legs, peeking a little to look at Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue.
Lan Xichen had frozen.
As expected, given Daiyu's golden eyes.
"Daiyu, this is Nie Mingjue and Lan Xichen. Lan Xichen is your Bobo." Daiyu seemed very doubtful of that, making almost the exact same expression Lan Wangji did when Wei Wuxian had tried to convince him necromancy was a perfectly viable career path. Wei Wuxian would like to be offended. "I'm telling the truth."
"I thought Baba's family didn't want anything to do with us." Daiyu counters, doubt clear.
Ai. Who told her that? They didn't but still. "Who told you that?"
"Qing-jie."
...Ok. Wei Wuxian wasn't going to yell at Wen Qing for telling Daiyu that. Even if he wanted to. He was going to call her a liar.
"Well, she's wrong." Wei Wuxian crouches, turning to pick Daiyu up before standing straight. "It's complicated, and something I'll talk to you about in private. But Lan Xichen hasn't been able to be around until now."
Daiyu narrows her eyes but shrugs, "Fine." She didn't sound fine. But Wei Wuxian was not about to argue with a five year old. Not in public.
"Ok. Lan Xichen, Nie Mingjue, this is Wei Daiyu."
"Hi."
"Hello."
Daiyu looks at Wei Wuxian before responding, "Hello."
Well. This was awkward. And Lan Xichen looked like he was about to faint. "Why don't we go to the park?" A-Yuan seemed all for that idea. A-Yu looked like she'd rather not but when Wei Wuxian put her down she ran with A-Yuan toward the park. Wei Wuxian lead the adults in following after them.
While the kids played at the Octopus park, Wei Wuxian and Lan Xichen sat down at a bench, as Wen Yuan had dragged Nie Mingjue into their game.
"You were pregnant."
Wei Wuxian nods. "Lan Qiren didn't know. I, didn't know, until a week after that argument." Wei Wuxian shrugs, "I took Lan Qiren's words to heart, and didn't contact Lan Zhan about her."
"But you told Huaisang." Lan Xichen states.
Wei Wuxian blinks, "Huaisang doesn't know. I only talk to Huaisang for updates on the Jiang." And other things, but, mostly the Jiang. Once or twice Lan Wangji, but not all that often. He probably wouldn't take it well if Nie Huaisang sent back that Lan Wangji had gotten married.
"You, didn't tell anyone?"
"Nope. You're the first person outside of this town that knows." Wei Wuxian shrugs, and Lan Xichen just, stops. Wei Wuxian worries he's broken him, but soon enough Lan Xichen shakes his head.
"I can't- Apologies, this is a lot to process."
"How do you think Lan Zhan will react?" He's expecting anger. That's what some of the other omegan parents tell him to expect, whenever he considers sending Lan Wangji a message about Daiyu. No Alpha ever takes a pup being kept from them well. That's what they always say.
Lan Xichen's eyes widen, then he winces slightly, "I imagine, you are the not the one to worry about Wangji's reaction." Eh? "I'm sure he'll be happy. Saddened to have missed her first few years, but happy none the less."
Wei Wuxian opens and closes his mouth, trying to figure how to phrase his question before giving up and just asking, "Is he with anyone?"
Lan Xichen blinks and turns to look at Wei Wuxian, confused for a moment before understand dawns and he shakes his head slightly, "No. Uncle has tried for arrangements, but Wangji refuses them all. but I'm certain if you contact him, he'll be happy to see you." (Lan Xichen does not mention that he's rather confident Lan Wangji will immediately run to Wei Wuxian's side and help in raising Daiyu if Wei Wuxian even hints that that is what he wants. That seems a little much for right now.)
Wei Wuxian nods, not entirely believing that, but not willing to argue. "Now I just have to get Daiyu to come around." He did not expect his daughter to be the stickler here. Then again, Wen Qing had made her opinion on Lan Qiren years ago and wasn't quiet about it.
"She's aware of what Uncle said?" Lan Xichen asks.
Wei Wuxian shakes his head, "Uh, my friend, Wen Qing, yeah, that Wen Qing, I'm living with her family, long story, anyways, Wen Qing knows, and she holds very unfavourable opinions about it and she's not quiet about them. So, even if Daiyu doesn't know the full story, Wen Qing has given her enough to go on that she's formed her own, unfavourable opinion." Wei Wuxian shrugs, he couldn't really argue against it. Up until half an hour ago, he was rather confident the Lan's hated him and wanted nothing to do with him.
Now he has to explain a five year misunderstanding to his daughter.
Fun.
âI have to tell Wangji what you just told me.â Lan Xichen states, clearly not looking forward to that conversation.
Wei Wuxian shrugs, âItâs Lan Zhan, heâll make a displeased face and not talk for a week.â It wasnât that big of deal. Lan Wangji doesnât do grudges, not really. At least, he didnât five years ago.
Lan Xichenâs face was pure pity, which Wei Wuxian didnât understand but it was gone before Wei Wuxian could formulate a question. âDo you want us around or shall we leave you alone?â
Oh. Wei Wuxian hadnât considered that. âUm, maybe leave us alone for tomorrow? I guess I can give you my number and, if A-Yu is agreeable you guys can hang around. If it wonât mess up your vacation.â Because, who wants to spend their vacation with their little brotherâs ex and daughter?
âThat would be wonderful.â Lan Xichen says, pulling out his own phone and letting Wei Wuxian type in his number. Wei Wuxian then texts himself so heâd have the number on his phone too. âWe should be getting back, I believe Mingjue wanted to stop by the butcher and they close at five.â
âYes, they do. Because he needs to eat supper and spend time with his kids.â He kne Changpu, he was nice. Stodgy, but nice.
Lan Xichen nods and stands up, walking over to the playing trio and speaking quietly to Mingjue, he bids goodbye to the children, before the pair start walking away, they wave goodbye to Wei Wuxian, which he returns, and then they disappear.
Then, Daiyu runs up to him, âA-Niang, does that mean A-Die doesnât hate us? Will he come live with us? Will we see Xi-bo a lot? Are they going to live with us? Like Granny and Uncle Four?â
Fuck.
Upon returning to the cabin, Lan Xichenâs day wasnât going any better. Nie Mingjue was cooking supper, so Lan Xichen was alone with the decision to call Lan Wangji about Wei Wuxian. Obviously, he would. How much to say though?
Wangji, as it turns out, would make that decision for him.
After exchanging greetings, Lan Xichen barely got out, âSo I ran into Wei Wuxian today in the city near where Mingjue and I are vacationing.â Before the call was dropped. Lan Xichen blinked, staring at his phone where it said âCall Endedâ, meaning Wangji hung up on him. Lan Wangji hung up without a word. Without letting Lan Xichen finish. He was never so rude. He normally at least made a sound to indicate a goodbye. Nie Mingjue laughed at him when Lan Xichen explained why he was so flabbergasted.
Lan Wangji showed up the next morning.
#Wei Wuxian#Lan Xichen#Nie Mingjue#A/B/O#wwx#lxc#nmj#cql#mdzs#Modern Au#my writing#my fics#Wei Daiyu#I forget the characters for her name but I have them written somewhere#Sheâs like#my Wangxian go to child for any fics Im writing where they have a child aside from lzs#I havenât posted in forever#I donât remember how I used to tag these#Five Year Misunderstanding
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[read it on ao3]
cw for cheating, but with each other, not on each other
--
"Wei-xiong, have you heard about Lan Wangji?"
Nie Huaisang's voice is clear and pressing through the phone as Wei Wuxian leans one shoulder against the door of his apartment, the bag of groceries still hanging in the other hand while he searches for his keys.
The last time Wei Wuxian had seen Lan Wangji had been in his hotel room, they hadn't been able to go to Wei Wuxianâs place, he'd still been sharing an apartment with Wen Qing, Wen Ning, and their little cousin. It would have killed the mood entirely.
"I still have his number blocked, Nie-xiong." Wei Wuxian answers honestly, the door finally giving in with just enough bargaining.
Both Lan Wangjiâs arms and his bed had been warm until Lan Wangjiâs phone rang, and he'd told the person on the other end, his husband on the other end, that he was alone, and suddenly, Lan Wangjiâs bed had nearly frozen Wei Wuxian in place.
He'd waited until Lan Wangji had hung up to climb out of it, pulling the sheet around himself, even as Lan Wangji's suddenly too heavy arms wrapped around his middle.
"Wei Ying, come back?" A steady line of kisses had started down Wei Wuxianâs back, but he'd pulled away and wrapped the sheet tighter around himself before he turned and smiled sadly down at Lan Wangji.
"Lan Zhan, listen, I'm going to shower, and then I'm going home." Lan Wangji did not and does not love his husband, Wei Wuxian knew it, but it hadn't made it any easier to choke down what they had just done.
Anyone who didn't know him wouldn't have been able to see the change in Lan Wangjiâs face, but Wei Wuxian had watched sadness creep into his eyes. He hadn't had the heart to stop Lan Wangji from grabbing onto his wrist. "It is too late and dangerous for you to go back, stay here." With me, hadn't been said, but it had been there all the same when Wei Wuxian had begun the task of peeling Lan Wangjiâs hand off of him.
"You know I can't, Lan Zhan, your husband wouldn't like it." His words had been cruel, but Wei Wuxian had still tucked a lock of hair behind Lan Wangjiâs ear, though he hadn't set that hand on his cheek the way he might have in any other situation. "I'll message you, so you'll know I got home alright, but you won't be able to message me back."
"Why not?" Lan Wangji had looked far too hurt and far too young right then. It had nearly broken Wei Wuxianâs resolve.
"Because I'm going to block you, on everything." He couldn't leave any possibilities, Wei Wuxian had known that first, before anything else.
"Wei Ying,"
"That's enough, Lan Zhan."
When Wei Wuxian had left, Lan Wangji had trailed behind him, all the way to the sidewalk outside of the hotel, as if he had hoped Wei Wuxian would change his mind at the last minute.
He almost had.
Now, there's a pause from Nie Huaisang, his end of the call going almost completely silent, save for the sound of him tapping his fan against something.
"His divorce was finalized." Nie Huaisang says finally, the words running together as if he'd been holding his breath.
They startle Wei Wuxian enough to make him run into the coffee table, his shin smarting while he swears and Nie Huaisang calls his name.
"I heard Er-ge talking to Da-ge about it, Er-ge said that Lan Wangji mentioned you, but then I got caught." Despite everything, Wei Wuxian still chuckles at Nie Huaisang's flippancy. It hadn't changed between high school, college, or post-grad, Wei Wuxian is grateful for it.
"He hasn't been divorced for a month yet, Nie-xiong, I don't think he'll come knocking at my door to whisk me away any time soon." Lan Wangji might not come for him at all, and Wei Wuxian doesn't want that thought to hurt as much as it does, but it's easily pushed back down while he puts his groceries away.
It isnât until later, while Wei Wuxian is cooking his dinner, when he hears a knock at his door, and it sounds all too familiar not to make him freeze where he stands. He thinks about standing in place until whoever is at his door leaves, but the sizzling of the prawns in the pan pulls Wei Wuxian back to the present. He turns down the heat until it hovers, small and blue, before he wipes his hands on a towel and walks towards the door.
He doesnât need to look through the peephole to know who was standing on the other side.
âWei Ying.â Lan Wangji offers in way of greeting, surprise lightening his eyes to something soft. Wei Wuxian feels something twist in his chest.
âLan Zhan,â Wei Wuxian hears his own voice, but he doesnât feel his mouth move, âyou cut your hair.â Lan Wangjiâs hair had been a dark waterfall down his back the last time Wei Wuxian had seen him, but now itâs cropped short, and Wei Wuxian wants to mourn the length it had been.
âYou grew yours out.â Lan Wangji doesnât take a step into his apartment, but he does start to reach for Wei Wuxian, his hand coming up slowly to catch the long end and run his thumb over it. This time, Wei Wuxian feels his mouth open and close, trying and failing to find something to say, but the point of contact is too much, and his words catch in his throat.
Something crackling and sputtering on the stove stops them both, and Lan Wangjiâs hand drops back down to his side.
âMy stove is still on.â Wei Wuxian says dumbly, pointing backwards into the apartment.
âWei Ying has learned to cook?â Thereâs genuine surprise and curiosity in Lan Wangjiâs voice, and Wei Wuxian barks a rough laugh. He hadnât been able to cook anything without burning it hopelessly and over spicing it the last time Lan Wangji had allowed Wei Wuxian to try to cook for him. Heâd had to take over less than halfway through.
âOnly a little,â Wei Wuxian assures Lan Wangji, stepping back to allow him inside, though he knows he shouldnât, âIâm still not as good as Shijie, but itâs okay, no one is.â
Lan Wangjiâs cooking had been close, though.
Wei Wuxian doesnât look back to see if Lan Wangji is following him into the kitchen, he knows he is, and it still sends a shiver down his back, even as Lan Wangji lingers in the doorway behind him. âSee! Itâs not even a little burned!â That wasnât completely true, the prawns and the green onions had started to burn, but Wei Wuxian had managed to save them at the last minute, a feat he isnât sure would have been possible without Lan Wangji on his heels. âHave you eaten yet? The prawns are already cooked, but I havenât added the tofu yet, I could still make something vegetarian for you.â
What was he doing? Heâd sworn he wouldnât go running back to Lan Wangji again, but now he was inviting him to dinner.
But Lan Wangji had been a married man when Wei Wuxian had promised himself that he wouldnât go back to him.
Lan Wangji was no longer a married man, though.
Turning to look at him, he catches sight of something soft and molten in Lan Wangjiâs eyes, his hand braced tight against the doorway, as if he felt faint.
For a moment, all they can do is stare at one another while Wei Wuxian feels himself begin to soften too, his lips parting.
Finally, Lan Wangji speaks, âI will help Wei Ying cook.â
Everything Wei Wuxian had ever learned about playing host rises up then, he shouldnât allow Lan Wangji to help, he was a guest, if anything, Wei Wuxian should push him back out into the living room and make him wait on the couch while he finishes up. Lan Wangji is already opening Wei Wuxianâs refrigerator and pulling out various vegetables, though, and he gives Wei Wuxian a look when he sees the state of what had once been a nice head of broccoli.
Thereâs comfort and familiarity in that particular look.
Wei Wuxianâs kitchen is barely large enough for his own chaos while cooking, but with the two of them working, itâs impossible not to feel the heat coming off Lan Wangjiâs back against his own. He wants to press himself into it, just like he used to.
They work in silence, passing the cutting board back and forth awkwardly in the small space. Lan Wangjiâs cuts and his knife skills are good, they always had been, but itâs with a smug satisfaction that Wei Wuxian notes that their skills at cutting up vegetables are evenly matched.
Lan Wangji lingers behind him, even after heâs finished his task, his eyes bearing into the back of Wei Wuxianâs head.
Before, Lan Wangji would have wrapped his arms around Wei Wuxian from behind, his nose would have nuzzled into his neck, and Wei Wuxian would have been greedy for it. Itâs almost a comfort to know that he and Lan Wangji are just as unsure of each other now.
âWei Ying,â Lan Wangji says softly, his fingers ghosting along the sleeve of Wei Wuxianâs hoodie, but not touching just yet, âcome back to Gusu with me.â
A bitter laugh catches against the lump in Wei Wuxianâs throat, but they knock the words forward, âYou havenât been divorced that long, Er-gege, donât you want to see if Iâm really what you want? You donât want to think about it?â
This isnât a conversation they should be having in the kitchen, Wei Wuxian doesnât want to argue in this kitchen.
âI have only thought of Wei Ying for six years, I know you are who I want. I do not need to think about it.â
âThe plates are in the cabinet behind you, could you grab them, Lan Zhan?â Wei Wuxian asks, instead of answering. Filling his mouth with silken tofu and prawns and all the vegetables Lan Wangji had tipped into Wei Wuxianâs pan would keep him from literally and physically jumping into Lan Wangjiâs arms.
If Wei Wuxian were to turn around, heâs almost certain that he would see hurt in Lan Wangjiâs eyes now, but he takes the plates from him blindly, murmuring thanks under his breath before he starts plating their dinner and directing Lan Wangji to the drawer of utensils.
Lan Wangji doesnât fumble and open the drawer full of sauce packets and napkins first, he opens the right drawer on the first try.
âYour uncle wonât like it.â Wei Wuxian says, continuing the conversation after their empty plates have been stacked on top of each other on the coffee table. Lan Wangji hadnât objected to eating on the couch with the TV playing on a low volume.
To his surprise, Lan Wangji deflates, âI followed my uncleâs wishes for eight years, but it did not change anything. I love you, Wei Ying. That is all there is.â
They hadnât used that word for it before, Wei Wuxian hadnât allowed it, because Lan Wangji had been married to someone else, but now, Lan Wangji wraps both of his hands possessively around one of Wei Wuxianâs, his thumbs stroking back and forth. Itâs a plea, Wei Wuxian knows it is.
His mouth hangs open again, but this time Wei Wuxian does not reach and scrabble for the words, âItâs too late for you to go home, Lan Zhan, stay here tonight.â Wei Wuxian knows he shouldnât, but he leans in close, his free hand coming to rest on Lan Wangjiâs forearm.
âWill Wei Ying be here when I wake up?â Lan Wangji leans in, unafraid of what Wei Wuxian might do because of it.
âThis is my apartment, Lan Zhan,â Wei Wuxian laughs, and Lan Wangjiâs hands tighten, squeezing and hopeful, âshouldnât I be the one asking you that?â
âYou should.â Lan Wangji agrees, allowing their lips to brush as he speaks.
âLan Zhan, will you be here when I wake up?â Wei Wuxian asks, only half serious as he closes the distance left between them, his hand coming away from Lan Wangjiâs forearm to rest on his neck, just like it used to.
âI will be here when Wei Ying wakes up.â Lan Wangji sounds breathless when they pull apart, but he makes his promise all the same, sealing it with another kiss, far sweeter than the one that had come before it.
Thereâs comfort and familiarity in it.
#the untamed#mdzs#mdzs fic#wangxian#lan wangji#wei wuxian#lan zhan#wei ying#wwx#lwj#theuntameddaily#modern au#yall know this is as angsty as i ever get right
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Ask not for whom the clarity bell chimes, it chimes for thee.
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13913863/1/Ask-not-for-whom-the-clarity-bell-chimes-it-chimes-for-thee
Summary: Whatâs an esteemed sect leader to do when his nephew wants him to spend time with his estranged brother? He hides, of course. Unfortunately said nephew is stubborn... wonder who he got that from? Now heâs forced to talk about -ugh- feelings.
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âUncle!â Jin Ling panted, moving apart the lapels of his tent to find him sitting there with a cup of tea, âThere you are!â
Jiang Cheng snorted, âWhere else would I be A-Ling?â
His nephew scowled. âYou could be sitting with the rest of us.â He fought the urge to roll his eyes. Jin Ling had been setting him up. It was the third night hunt that heâd gone on with those friends of his that heâd actually invited Jiang Cheng to. Of course normally heâd follow Jin Ling anyway but Jin Ling used to scowl at him and pretend he was part of the scenery like the Ghost General whoâd become his unwitting junior-stalking partner. He was surprised the first time he was actually invited. It wasnât until this last time however that he realised what his nephew was trying to do. Because on every occasion that he was invited someone else was too. Someone who his nephew tried very hard to get him to interact with.
âGo back to your friends A-Ling. You donât get much time with them as Sect Leader now do you? If youâre taking precious time away from your sect for this the least you can do is use it well.â
âHow can I go back without you? I invited you, you know. Even Wen Ning is sitting around the fire with everyone and he doesnât even need to warm up!â
âDonât be stupid A-Ling you know very well that my presence will just make things awkward.â As it had the past two times. The juniors were more subdued when he was around and Lan Sizhui looked constantly anxious and alert because if an argument started he would inevitably land up playing peacemaker. The Ghost General seemed to have exhausted his anger in one shot the night he shouted at him in his own home no less, and now spent the time fidgeting around him like he was a bomb ready to explode whenever they werenât busy spy-- protecting the kids. To say nothing of the other guest. Only the loudmouthed Lan seemed completely fine with his presence and he had to admit, the kid had guts.
Well, except when confronted with ghosts apparently. A matter that gave him no small source of amusement when he really thought about it. It made the last night hunt slightly tolerable because it put him in a good mood --a cultivator afraid of ghosts! Who ever heard of it? (He found out this little fact when the unorthodox Lan was faced with the ghost of a butcher and was apparently way more terrified of the ghost than of him, given that he screamed at the sight of it and clung to Jiang Cheng like a particularly large baby...a move that startled him enough for Zidian to lash out and banish the ghost without him even consciously doing it. Lan Jingyi couldnât look at him for the rest of that hunt without turning beet red. It was hilarious. Contrary to popular belief, he did have a sense of humour. And if the action led to Jin Ling sticking closer to him than usual while petulantly glaring at the Lan all the while, well he wasnât going to complain...much.)
His thoughts sobered as his nephew, already worked up from running around to find him only to realise he was just in his tent all along, lost his composure. âIâm not being stupid! Is it so bad to want you two to get along?â
âAha! I knew it. So you admit youâve been inviting me so that Wei Wuxian and I would what, fall into each otherâs arms and cry and be bosom buddies again?â
Jin Ling flushed, âYou donât have to make it sound like that jiujiu!â Then he deflated and said in a smaller voice, âYouâre the only two people I have left to call family.â
âAnd donât say the Jins are my family, you know theyâre not!â he snapped before Jiang Cheng could even open his mouth. Not that he would have said that anyway, the only other Jin he had considered family in that viperâs pit was Jin Zixuan who was cold in his grave.
âI just want the only family I have left to be on good terms, is that too much to ask?â his nephew continued, pouting slightly. A habit that he had been steadily leaving behind as he got accustomed to his role as Sect Leader Jin. He knew Jin Ling must have been incredibly upset to let it show. Indeed his eyes were starting to look shiny.
But Jiang Cheng was tired. Jin Ling was young enough to be optimistic. Jiang Cheng hadnât been that way for a long, long time. He was prepared to be angry with his nephew for this when he finally confronted him about pushing him and Wei Wuxian together, but one look at that round pouty face made all the anger drain out of him suddenly as he was transported back to a young Jin Ling asking him about his parents after being bullied for being an orphan for the first time and being unable to answer without being choked up himself.
âA-Ling,â he said softer than usual, âSometimes things just donât work out the way we want them to.â âI should know,â he said bitterly, staring into his tea with a frown, recalling how the one thing he was most sure about all those uncertain years ago came back to bite him in the ass in the most horrible way possible. Even in the depths of his despair he had never regretted what he did to save Wei Wuxian. Now though...if he had only known what it would lead to... But how could he have ever even fathomed what would happen? Wei Wuxian did the impossible time and time again. His own sacrifice was rendered completely worthless. Just like him he supposed.
âBut canât you just try to get along with him?â his nephew continued, ignorant to his musings.
âIâm polite to him arenât I? I donât just flat out ignore him. And we havenât even argued,â he said grumpily, still frowning at his tea like it personally wronged him. There was once a time when arguing would have solved everything. Theyâd air out their grievances and come out all the better for it. But Wei Wuxian didnât seem to be inclined to do that any longer. That heâd attacked him instead of falling back into their routine that day in Lotus Pierâs ancestral hall was all the evidence he needed, even before Wei Wuxian said what he did in the temple.
His nephew huffed, âThatâs not what I mean by get along and you know it!â
âItâs a two-way street A-Ling!â he bit out. Forcing himself to restrain his steadily rising temper he continued, âIâm aware you want us to act like a family but I donât need to remind you of what happened on that horrible day do I? You were there. You heard him. He didnât care for apologies. For him, it was a lifetime ago. He wants the past to stay the past. And it was all about repayment. Everything he did, he did because he felt he owed my parents and your mother.â
The bitterness crept back into his voice, âHe wants nothing more to do with me or the Jiang sect. The least I can do is respect his wishes. After all, Iâd be nothing without him, as his Ghost General took pleasure in reminding me. The only one who was foolish enough to hold onto things all this time was me. Besides, you werenât there A-Ling, the first time around. I wasnât enough for him then, what makes you think Iâd be enough for him now? He has his Hanguang-Jun to hang off of, he has no need for a brother he never even considered one. And why would he? Itâs not as if that accursed Jin Guangyao was entirely wrong anyway.â
âWhat exactly do you mean by that!?â came an offended voice. They both whipped around in shock.
âWei Wuxian, were you eavesdropping?â he snarled, âJust what do you think youâre doing?â
âI just came to see if Jin Ling found you, but never mind that! Explain yourself! How could you say a thing like that?â he said, outraged, pushing his way fully into the tent.
âDid I say anything wrong, Wei Wuxian? Please, do tell. What did I say that you didnât say or imply yourself?â he said, angry that Wei Wuxian felt the need to intrude on his space and then had the nerve to get offended after eavesdropping on a private conversation.
Jiang Cheng wasnât a total idiot despite being made a fool of time and time again by this man. If there was one thing he was particularly good at, it was knowing when he wasnât wanted. Heâd had a lifetime of practice after all.
The core in his body was given out of a sense of duty. After Guanyin Temple he recalled his parentsâ last words to Wei Wuxian. Was it any wonder he felt like he had to give away the one thing that he cherished most if it would save Jiang Cheng? The people who brought him in from the streets and raised him had beseeched him with their last words to protect their children with his life, and so, he did. Maybe not in the way they would expect but in giving away his core, he also gave away his life as a cultivator. And debt paid, Wei Wuxian ran off to be with people who he chose for himself.
Jiang Cheng had slowly reconciled with the idea of having a core that wasnât his because if he didnât, what would be left of him? Yunmeng Jiang needed him and so did Jin Ling. He had no choice but to carry on like he had been doing for what felt like his whole life... for his sect and his nephew. The weight of responsibility that he had didnât go away just because his once shixiong embodied his sect motto more than he did. His entire life revolved around duty; once again he recalled how the one thing he did that went against duty, that he did out of love, caused a chain reaction of misery.
Wei Wuxian seemed stunned, his mouth opening and closing like those fish he had liked to catch so many years ago.
âDo you really think like that?â he croaked, âAfter all weâve been through, you think I donât care for you?â
âAll weâve been through?â Jiang Cheng hissed, leaving his now cold tea and standing up to face him with a stormy look on his face,âWhy are you now talking about all we've been through? What I know about all weâve been through, Wei Wuxian, is that the one thing I wanted after losing my home, my parents, and the rest of my sect, was my second in command by my side. The second in command that my sister called her blood brother* in a way I was never allowed to. I had thought that despite the fact that we were unable to label our relationship thanks to my parents, that we understood what we were to each other. That he would do as he promised and stand with me. But what did he do instead of staying by my side? Out of a sense of duty to the sect, he mutilated himself to give me his precious golden core, his life force as a cultivator, without telling me! Without asking me if I would let him do that to himself for me. He made me believe that I regained my own and that the alcoholism and lazing around was because he didnât respect me enough to support me as sect leader in a time where the leaders of the other sects would pounce at the first sign of weakness. He avoided meetings and banquets where he should have rightfully stood beside me and I wondered, what happened to his promise of support?â
Jiang Chengâs body was heaving, having let out the words that had clogged up his chest for over thirteen years.
He continued, more softly now, resigned and tired, âHe left out crucial information about himself that could have allowed me to see the situation for what it was. He let me think that he didnât care if we lost face in front of the others, during a time when we couldnât afford to lose face. Then he ran off to the Burial Mounds to save the rest of the Wens and refused my protection.â
(I'm afraid you don't know that the Wen cultivator whom Wei WuXian wanted to save was called Wen Ning. We owe him and his sister Wen Qing gratitude for what happened during the Sunshot Campaign he had said, in defense of Wei Wuxian. It wasnât enough. The hatred for the Wens was too great, and they hadnât been aware of the Jin sectâs machinations at that time. But if he couldnât save them he could at least save Wei Wuxian. Except Wei Wuxian hadnât wanted him to. Just another failure to add to his list. Jin Guangyao was right after all. Maybe... if he had insisted⊠But it wouldnât have changed a thing would it? Since unbeknownst to them there was Jin Guangyao himself working against them. So in the end it was a lie wasnât it⊠the idea that he could have kept Wei Wuxian safe was a lie. Because the Jin sect wanted his seal all along. Whether he was in the Burial Mounds or in Yunmeng that fact would not have changed. But knowing was one thing, and feeling was another. And Jin Guangyao had known this and taken advantage of it.)
âJiang ChengâŠâ Wei Wuxian said, sounding pained, âIâŠâ
âYou wanted me to renounce you,â he said, interrupting brokenly, âThat was your grand idea. You let me think that you didnât respect me rather than telling me outright that you couldnât do certain duties anymore. Even if you had to lie and say it was Wen Zhuliuâs fault it would have been better than making me think you didnât care. Why...why didnât you trust me?â
His voice cracked but he shakily continued, âThat fight we feigned...why would you let me injure you like that? You had your Ghost General break my arm but you had no core. Had I known, do you think I would have stabbed you anyway? Was our relationship that poor? Just because we never labelled it does that mean it didnât exist then Wei Wuxian? I thought that we understoodâŠâ
He broke off to choke back a sob.
âYou said you could control the resentful energy...the seal. I trusted you. I may not have reacted very well when the sect leaders tried to drive a wedge between us but I trusted you regardless. I trusted you even though you had been acting unreliable. I trusted you up until the moment A-jie died to protect you. You think youâre the only one who lost it then? The only one who went mad with grief? Do you think if you hadnât died from the sealâs backlash I would have killed you? Because even now I donât know the answer to that question. But what I do know is that the two of you broke me; one after the other you died, just like that. We promised that it would always be us three didnât we? If it wasnât for A-Ling I might have joined you then and there sect be damned.â
He was too far in the past to notice the strangled sound his nephew made in the background on hearing his words. Wei Wuxian, though, was as stiff as one of his corpses (or even more accurately, his annoying husband). He couldnât seem to make a sound if he tried. His heart was pounding, disbelieving of the words he was hearing. Shellshocked, he just let Jiang Cheng rant.
âThen, when our old school friend somehow manages to scheme his way into bringing you back to the land of the living and clears your name in the process, what do you say? Take it as repayment to the sect Jiang Cheng, letâs not mention it again. Forget it. Itâs all in the past. As if I could ever forget it. As if Iâll ever get the image of A-Jie dying in my arms out of my mind. As if the image of you getting torn apart by corpses right in front of me hasnât been seared into my brain for all these years. And you want me to forget it. You come back and run off with Lan Wangji. You come to Lotus Pier and what do you do? Go to make bows in the ancestral hall with freaking Lan Wangji. The man who we all thought hated your guts even before the whole Yiling Laozu schtick. Itâs been easy for you to forget and move on hasnât it? Iâm the only one stuck with these memories. Iâm the only one who held on to promises,â he scoffed self-deprecatingly, âFalling apart in front of everyone in that temple and claiming you owed the sect was all I could do given that you would never come back for me. But you abdicated yourself of that responsibility too so what else could I say? Donât talk about all weâve been through Wei Wuxian. In the end, Iâm the only one left who cares about that.â
âYouâre wrong!â Wei Wuxian yelled, the accusation of not caring seeming to strike a chord, breaking him out of his state of speechlessness, âHow could anyone give up a core for duty? I said it was repayment because I didnât want you to feel obligated to me. I know we have our differences but I still know you enough. Donât tell me now that you know that you donât see everything you did to rebuild the clan differently! Youâve always felt inferior because of me and I never wanted to put you in that position. How could I have told you what I did? I didnât want to hurt you, and donât say you wouldnât have been hurt because you would have! How can you say I donât see you as a brother? How can you not have known how much IâŠâ
He trailed off and started again, eyes glossy, âIn the end, your life was worth more than mine and I did promise your parents I would protect you. I cared about you much more than I cared about cultivation. I didnât want you to give up, and you looked like you would. I wanted you to live and be the leader you were always meant to be. I found a method that would work and in the end it wasnât a hard decision to save you. Even if I didnât survive it, I would have been happy to have been of use to you. You could not be lost; you were Yunmeng Jiangâs last hope. I could be replaced. And I was right! Look how well youâve done. The Jiang Sect is flourishing now, better than before and itâs all thanks to you. So if I had the choice to change whether I gave it to you or not, I wouldnât. Iâd do it again!â
âYou really are arrogant arenât you?â Jiang Cheng intended to sound harsh but instead he sounded closer to despair. âYou think that because you think something is so then it must be. You think everyone else feels the same way about you as you do. Youâre the only one who thought that you could afford to be sacrificed. Nobody who cared about you thought of you as disposable. Funnily enough Iâm sure your irritating husband would actually agree with me for once.â
âLan Zhanâs not--â
âShut up! Who asked you to destroy yourself? Do you think I wanted this? Do you think A-Jie wanted this? Itâs why you made sure we sent her away isnât it? I only realised it later on. She would have put a stop to it. You did what you wanted to do as always. Mother and Fatherâs wishes came before my own with you didnât it? So what if I was depressed? How was that worth your life? Do you think I would be happy that you lost your cultivation because of me? Whatever âinferiorityâ I felt Iâve never once wished for you to be destroyed because of it. But you donât seem to acknowledge other peopleâs feelings for you, do you? We loved you, you complete imbecile! How could you for one second think that weâd be okay with you dying to give me a core? You said you may not have survived it well that much I gathered on my own! Nobody ever did such a thing of course the risks were high. Did you ever consider what would happen if you did die? Would Wen Qing just bury you in secret and a-jie and I would be left wondering what happened?â he said, openly crying now and not even bothering to try and stop it. Not like Wei Wuxian hadnât seen him look even worse than this. But he continued his rant nevertheless. A few tears couldnât stop him now that he was on a roll.
âI would wake up with a brand new core and one brother less, which is exactly what happened except you came back from the Burial Mounds⊠but there would have been no coming back from dying then. Youâre only here now because your famously ignominious death got you summoned as an evil spirit!â he paused to wipe his nose and continued, voice devastatingly melancholy,âDo you know how I felt when I found you missing? I came down that mountain expecting to see you waiting there with that annoying grin of yours, but you were gone. Vanished into thin air and nobody could tell me what happened to you. I feared the worst. And I was right to! Nobodyâs ever walked out of the Burial Mounds. We had no idea where you were and everyone was whispering that you were dead. A-Jie and I refused to believe it; how could you be gone? All I could think of was that maybe if I hadnât gone up that mountain you wouldnât have been in a position to get captured in the first place. It was all my fault. What was the point of me getting back my core if you died because of it when in the first place I lost it to--â
He stopped. No. He couldnât say that. He never meant for Wei Wuxian to find out what he did. After the events at the Guanyin Temple heâd considered coming clean but had held back. It would have seemed as if he was lamely throwing it out there. Like âha it isnât only you who can sacrificeâ. It would just seem petty and like he was trying to one-up Wei Wuxian, and to him that would have diminished the worth of his actions. Heâd done it without hesitation, expecting to die but preferring that to the alternative aka letting it be Wei Wuxian instead. He hadnât done it to get acknowledgement. (He was man enough to admit --to himself at least after lots of time to think in the aftermath- that Wei Wuxian probably felt the same, except if the Wens had caught him, Wei Wuxian would have surely died, whereas without a core Jiang Cheng just felt like dying. So really in the end there was no need for Wei Wuxian to risk his life because Jiang Cheng would not have actually lost his.)
Surprisingly, Jin Ling had actually noticed his hesitation --which on later consideration made him realise his nephew was really growing up and heâd had some strong feelings about that-- but by that time it was too late even if he intended to say anything. It wasnât as if Wei Wuxian had the time of day for him then anyway. He hadnât even glanced Jiang Chengâs way before making off with his stubborn donkey⊠and Lil Apple.
âWhen you lost it to what?â Wei Wuxian said hoarsely, still disbelievingly processing what was being said to him and latching on to the thing he actually knew instead, âIâve never faulted you for wanting to retrieve your parentsâ bodies. You were grieving.â
Jiang Cheng was flabbergasted. His tears stopped abruptly in his shock. He had never actually given much consideration to how Wei Wuxian determined he was in Lotus Pier and why. When he had woken up in Wen Qingâs domain all heâd been told was that Wen Ning helped Wei Wuxian save him. At the time he was too empty and hurt to think much about anything further than that he was alive and broken, and then all the other shit in his life happened and he hadnât given that question a second thought. But to think, all this time andâŠ
âThatâs what you thought I was⊠Okay yes, thatâs why I was in Lotus Pier,â he said decisively. He couldnât believe Wei Wuxian thought he was that foolish but better he believed it was because Jiang Cheng was a grief stricken child that went back on his own. He wouldnât blame himself then.
Except Wei Wuxianâs eyes narrowed. He may have been struggling with many complicated emotions but his mind was still sharp. âJiang Cheng,â he said slowly.
âWhat!?â
âYou went back for your parentsâ bodies, right?â
â...â
âRight?â he said, stalking forward and clasping Jiang Chengâs shoulders urgently. âYes! That's what I said! Have you developed a hearing problem now?â Jiang Cheng barked defensively, half-heartedly struggling in his suddenly tight grip.
But Jiang Cheng hadnât said that, he did.
âWhat did you do?â
âNothing!â
âJiang Cheng! Why were you in Lotus Pier?â
âIt doesnât matter! Let it go, Wei Wuxian. Itâs all in the past like you said.â
But Wei Wuxian had a sick feeling in his gut.
âYou didnât go back on your own, did you?â he said, chest tightening as his certainty grew.
His grip went slack. âYou didnât choose to go back. So whyâŠâ
âBut I did choose,â Jiang Cheng said, a rueful smile forming on his face. It was his choice to step out from where he was hidden and distract the Wen soldiers. Although arguably, in the moment, there was no choice at all because letting them take Wei Wuxian was never an option.
âNoâŠ. No, if it wasnât for your parents then you wouldnât leave shijie. You wouldnât have chosen to go back. Youâre not stupid. You wouldnât have tried to take back Lotus Pier by yourself.â
âAs you said, I was grieving. Maybe I was reckless. You were there, you would have taken care of a-jie.â
âNo, shijie was sick, you wouldnât have left!â
He remembered going out to buy some food and medication for Jiang Yanli, who was too ill to take care of herself. There was a moment when heâd been afraid heâd be caught by some Wen soldiers but then theyâd been distracted and heâd breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the Wens had caught up too quickly and he had to get the others out of there asap. Heâd gone back with the supplies intending to let them know only to find that Jiang Cheng was gone.
But⊠thinking of it⊠hadnât they left him alone because someone shouted âIâve got himâ?
No!
It couldnât be.
âJiang Cheng⊠Tell me you didnât.â
âI canât tell you I didnât leave Wei Wuxian, clearly I did,â Jiang Cheng said, rolling his eyes.
âNo not that. You got caught on purpose. YouâŠâ his voice cracked.
âWhy would you say that? Who would be foolish enough to get caught on purpose. Youâre overthinking. Didnât you just say I wasnât stupid?â Jiang Cheng retorted.
âDidnât you just say that maybe you were reckless?â he fired back, tearing up, âHow could you⊠Why?? Why didnât you just let them take me?â
Jiang Cheng scoffed, âWell arenât you full of yourself. Not everything is about you, Wei Wuxian.â Why wouldnât Wei Wuxian just drop it? Didnât he know there was only pain going down this road?
He laughed, a broken hollow thing. âNo, not everything is about me. But this is. My memory is full of holes but I remember that day. I remember how it felt to find you gone. And now, now I remember what happened before I found you missing. Why did you do it?â
He tightened his grip on Jiang Cheng once more and shook.
âYou should have let them take me. How could you do such a foolish thing?â he almost screamed, tears leaking down his face.
âHow could I do such a foolish thing? How could you carve out your core and give it to me?â Jiang Cheng growled.
âYou were the new Sect Leader! Why would you give up your life like that? I promised that I would protect you with my life. Why would you throw it away for me? Your mother was right, it was all my fault. I wasnât wor-- mmph!â Jiang Cheng covered his mouth.
âDonât you dare finish that sentence! Were you not listening to a thing I said?!! Who gives a shit about worthiness? Do you think a-jie was thinking about worthiness when she threw herself in front of that blade for you? I certainly wasnât thinking about worthiness when there were Wen soldiers about to capture you and take you to Wen Chao for his torturing pleasure. Who was going to let him take you? He dared?! Did I just stand aside when that Wang Lingjiao demanded your hand? And not in marriage! Why would I stand aside for some measly soldiers?â
Heâd come to terms with the fact that taking the blade was his sisterâs choice. Heâd done the same after all, in a different way but nevertheless⊠he did. If this was a few years, heck months, ago heâd probably still be painfully in denial. Yanliâs death had unhinged him. And it had taken Jin freaking Guangyao to deliver a proverbial slap in the face for him to start to reflect on his own behaviour, as well as that of his siblings, with a clearer mind. Despite the fact that heâd come to the conclusion that Jin Guangyao was wrong about a great many things (given that he conveniently didnât mention that he would have manipulated things in the Jinâs favour no matter what Jiang Cheng did), it had been the push he needed to work through his years of resentment. It had taken a while and was probably still going to take some more time, but heâd been learning a great deal about himself.
Which is why he was so mad at Wei Wuxian, whose tears were dripping onto the hand Jiang Cheng was using to cover his self-deprecating mouth. âHow can it be that Lan Wangji hasnât managed to get you to stop that? Youâre sickeningly in love with each other and the entire cultivation world knows it, yet you have the nerve to come here and say youâre not worthy? To my face? A-Jie would be sad. Your sickening husband would be sad.â He was sad.
He grimaced as Wei Wuxian licked his hand in an attempt to dislodge it, possibly because he insulted Lan Wangji again and Wei Wuxian had a compulsive need to defend the man.
âNice try,â he grinned, âBut Iâve changed A-Lingâs dirty diapers, a little spit isnât going to gross me out.â
His nephew, whose presence had been totally forgotten by both of his uncles, squawked in indignation. Jiang Cheng didnât acknowledge it. If he had turned to look, he might have seen that the boy was shedding silent tears the whole time in solidarity with their emotional meltdowns. Jin Ling also briefly had the thought that Ouyang Zizhen would have loved to witness this spectacle and would definitely have declared it novel material.
Ignoring his nephewâs reactions, Jiang Cheng addressed Wei Wuxian, âDo you think that Lan Wangji would say you arenât worth sacrificing for? Do you think heâd say youâre replaceable?â
Unable to speak, Wei Wuxian just shook his head. Lan Zhan would be hurt if he said those things.
âAnd why do you think that is Wei Wuxian? Why would Lan Wangji not think that?â He squished Wei Wuxianâs cheeks, forcing him to speak with fish lips. âB..cs e lv.s muh?â
âExactly.â He finally let go of Wei Wuxianâs face.
âJiang Cheeeng *hic*â cried Wei Wuxian.
âWhat!?â âI love you too,â Wei Wuxian said while sobbing some more and throwing himself at Jiang Cheng.
âWho said anything about love? Get off of me!â
âY..*hic* youuuu did!â He clung to Jiang Cheng and refused to let go until Jiang Cheng gave in (but not before struggling a bit, had to at least look like he resisted) and hugged back just as fiercely. The two of them stood there holding each other and weeping for a solid quarter of an hour.
Wei Wuxian felt raw inside. He had never expected that Jiang Cheng would⊠It had never occurred to him that Jiang Cheng distracted their pursuers just to save him. Him. Jiang Cheng had let himself be taken instead. Jiang Cheng who was so prideful and who had blamed him for bringing ruin to Lotus Pier. That Jiang Cheng had been angry with him and yet saved him anyway. Saved him knowing that he was likely going to die for it. Saved him because he loved him. What else could he do now but cry? He felt wrung out. Like his world had shifted.
---
âSoooâŠâ said Jin Ling, clapping his hands together once decisively and smirking slightly (after drying his own tear-filled eyes), âSince you guys ended up falling into each other's arms and crying, that means that the only thing left is for you to become bosom buddies again.â
âBrat!â Jiang Cheng sniffed, pulling away from Wei Wuxian to threaten his nephew, âAre you looking to get your legs broken?!â
âNo thank you!â he cried, rushing out of the tent quickly, only to bump squarely into Lan Sizhui who only managed to keep them both upright thanks to the infamous Lan arm strength that Jin Ling may or may not have been admiring surreptitiously the entire trip.
âWhat are you all doing out here?â Wei Wuxian asked, upon fixing his face and following Jin Ling out and seeing the rest of the juniors and Wen Ning nervously huddled outside of Jiang Chengâs tent.
âSenior Wei!â fretted Lan Jingyi, âWe were so worried!â
âYeah, we thought something might have happened since you guys were taking so long to come back and we came to check it out but then we couldnât get in! We had no idea what was going on inside,â said Ouyang Zizhen who had tear tracks on his face. He had clearly expected Wei Wuxian to come out as a corpse.
Wei Wuxian was stunned and looked at Wen Ning for confirmation.
âI would have tried to break in but A-Yuan stopped me,â said Wen Ning sheepishly and if he could blush his face would have been bright red.
âAre you all stupid?â snapped Jiang Cheng, âAm I a person that looks like I have a death wish? Who would take care of my sect if Hanguang-Jun murdered me?â
âA..ah I told them that Jin Ling would have come for help if anything was going on,â Sizhui piped up, â I told you guys not to worry so much.â
Responsible as always, that Lan Sizhui. How someone like Lan Wangji raised a well spoken boy like that was a mystery to Jiang Cheng. Though he guessed Lan Xichen would have had a hand in it too. The boy did remind him very much of the Lan Sect Leader. Only in temperament however, looks-wise⊠well he stopped that train of thought before it could go too far. Some things were probably best left unacknowledged, though he was spending way too much time observing the juniors and the Ghost General on night hunts not to notice⊠well again, best to let sleeping dogs lie.
âFinally! Someone with sense,â was all Jiang Cheng muttered in the end.
âBut how come you couldnât come in?â Wei Wuxian asked curiously.
âAh wellâŠâ Jin Ling rubbed the back of his head, âI kinda sorta maybe put up a privacy ward when you two started airing grievances. No need for the whole camp to hear about family business.â
âThis kidâŠâ Wei Wuxian laughed, secretly pleased that Jin Ling seemed to have accepted him. âCome here!â He slung his arm around Jin Lingâs neck and held him in a death grip to ruffle his hair. âLet go of me!â Jin Ling protested, pushing half heartedly at his arm. Two soft jingles followed the movement.
âWait,â said Ouyang Zizhen, eyes widening, âDid you hear that?â âIs thatâŠâ queried Sizhui, also noticing the sound.
âItâs a clarity bell!â announced Jingyi, â Senior Wei, why do you have a Jiang clarity bell?â
âAh well.. Itâs mine?â
âHuh, since when?!â
âUh since I joined the Jiangs?â
âWhy do you sound like youâre questioning it, idiot!?â said Jiang Cheng, barely refraining from whacking the back of his head. He did remember that his shixiongâs new body was frail.
âAh hehe, Iâm not, Iâm not,â he raised his hands placatingly.
âBut weâve never seen you wear it, Senior Wei,â said Ouyang Zizhen innocently.
âThatâs because I gave it back when I defected,â he said sheepishly.
âThen why do you have it now?â questioned Lan Jingyi, somewhat bluntly.
âKid, has anyone ever told you you talk too much?â said Jiang Cheng.
âIâm not a kid!â he pouted, at the same time that Jin Ling said, âAll the time!â
And well sure he technically wasnât a kid anymore, at 21, but if Jiang Cheng admitted that then his 19 year old nephew wouldnât be a kid either and Jiang Cheng wasnât ready to accept that yet.
Lan Jingyi shot a rancid look at Jin Ling, who cheated and hid behind Sizhui, and turned back to Wei Wuxian like a dog with a bone. (Which was a hilarious analogy because, you know itâs a dog and they all knew what Wei Wuxian thought of dogs.)
âDoes this mean youâre going back to the Jiangs then, Senior Wei?â
âAs if his husband would ever let that happen,â Jiang Cheng snorted before he could answer.
âHanguang-Jun lets Wei-qianbei do whatever he wants!â Lan Jingyi said, unable to hide the starstruck tone he used with Lan Wangjiâs title.
Jiang Cheng sighed, âI forgot I was with the Hanguang-Jun fanclub.â
Lan Jingyi turned red and was ready to retort but Wei Wuxian cleared his throat and derailed the tirade before it could start. âNobodyâs going anywhere except to bed. As for the bell, Jiang Cheng just returned what was originally mine in the first place. Itâs not a big deal.â
It absolutely was a big deal.
He couldnât believe Jiang Cheng had held onto it all this time. He was sorely tempted to burst into tears again. Much like Chenqing, it was kept in pristine condition. Before they left the tent Jiang Cheng had shoved it at him like it was burning and told him to come home sometimes (âeven if you have to bring your prissy husband with youâ). It so was a big deal. Jiang Cheng and Lan Zhan did not like each other at all. He privately thought that as much as he loved Lan Zhan and wanted to show him Lotus Pier, heâd make the first few visits on his own. Best not to push Jiang Cheng too much.
âWell Iâm happy for you, Young Master Wei,â said Wen Ning, smiling as much as his face allowed. He at least had an idea of what it meant. Not just in general, but to Wei Wuxian.
âThank you, Wen Ning.â He smiled softly at his friend.
âWell, Iâve had enough talking for one day,â said Jiang Cheng, âIâm going to go to bed. If youâre all going to continue talking, please do it somewhere thatâs not right in front of my quarters.â And with that he bid them all goodnight and ducked back into his tent.
âAh yes, I think it is past your Lan bedtimes is it not? You two also need to skedaddle,â Wei Wuxian said to the little Lans.
âOf course Senior Wei, weâll head in now,â said Sizhui who promptly did as he said and turned to step into a tent.
âHey! Why are you going into the Young Mistressâ tent?â called Jingyi, âWerenât we supposed to share?â
âAh well Jin Ling offered,â Sizhui explained.
âYou just want to take advantage of his very fancy sect leader tent,â accused Lan Jingyi.
âHehe guilty as charged,â he said,âGoodnight Jingyi. And to you Wen-qianbei, Wei-qianbei, Zizhen.â He left all four of them standing there and went to bed.
âNo fair, I want to sleep in a fancy sect leader tent too. Ours is not nearly as comfortable,â lamented Jingyi.
Wei Wuxian couldnât share the sentiment because his Lan Zhan always made sure he was the most comfortable. But he also couldnât resist teasing Jingyi.
âThereâs a very fancy sect leader tent right here,â he smirked, âEnter at your own peril.â
Lan Jingyi blanched and squeaked, âNever mind!â
Zizhen laughed heartily at him, âBetter luck next time buddy!â
---------
Authorâs note: * Since I read the translation of MDZS I am not sure how Yanli refers to Wei Wuxian in the novel other than as a brother which in English does not convey as much as the Chinese text would. In The Untamed episode 25 however when she is defending him from Jin Zixun she refers to him as didi, which I have gathered is what you would call a younger blood related brother, rather than shidi which would be the term for a martial brother. Since I donât know Chinese though correct me if Iâm wrong ^^;
Also I donât recall the novel mentioning if wwx had a clarity bell or not so I am working with the assumption that much like the Lansâ forehead ribbons, the Yunmeng Jiang disciples would have a clarity bell... in The Untamed, Yanli gives him one when she shows him her wedding dress but I am taking creative liberties and saying he already had one as a member of the clan. Maybe main family members and disciples have different ones like the Lan ribbons but Iâm leaving that up to interpretation.
#the untamed#mdzs#cql#wei wuxian#wei ying#sect leader jiang#jiang cheng#jiang wanyin#jin ling#jin rulan#lan jingyi#lan sizhui#lan wangji#ouyang zizhen#wen ning#chen qing ling#the untamed fanfic#mdzs fanfiction#aurora077#twin prides of yunmeng#yunmeng bros#yunmeng shuangjie#family#reconciliation#post canon#canon blend#hurt/comfort#jin ling's uncles#clarity bell#Ask not for whom the clarity bell chimes it chimes for thee
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CQL Rewatch - Ep 27
Note: I will be critical of Jiang Cheng in these posts. If you canât handle that, please feel free to scroll on.
It's really interesting here that Wei Wuxian tells Lan Wangji that he has to save Wen Ning. I wonder if he even understands that that is precisely how Lan Wangji feels about him. I mean, I suppose it's different. Wei Wuxian also feels like he's indebted to Wen Ning, which he is because of what happened at Lotus Pier, but I also think there is the secondary reason that Wen Ning and the other Wens are being treated unfairly, and Wei Wuxian won't stand for that.
A lot of people see this as a romantic moment: Wei Wuxian saying that he'd be honored to be killed by Lan Wangji. I think rather than being romantic, it's just really sad. Lan Wangji doesn't want to fight with Wei Wuxian, and he certainly doesn't want to kill him. He wants to take him home and hide him so that no one can hurt him, because he loves him. So there's that. It's also sad because it's as if Lan Wangji's feelings haven't gotten through to Wei Wuxian at all. He must be feeling like, "What did I do wrong? Wasn't I clear enough? Did I not do enough to show him how I feel?" Obviously Lan Wangji didn't confess or anything, but it must be disappointing to hear that Wei Wuxian is fine being killed by him. Like, don't you understand that I would never kill you? Doesn't he understand that Lan Wangji is willing to break the rules for Wei Wuxian? He'd certainly never do that for anyone else.
This is a defining moment for Lan Wangji. If he followed the rules, if he followed what the other cultivators want, he would have fought with Wei Wuxian right here. In fact, if Wei Wuxian's expression is any indication, Wei Wuxian expected him to fight with him. He seemed to think that Lan Wangji's devotion to orthodoxy and the rules of his clan would have compelled him to stand in Wei Wuxian's way. I guess he didn't understand their relationship, that Lan Wangji values Wei Wuxian more than any rules or orthodoxy, that he values him as a man--a friend, a lover if the two of them could ever get on the same page. But Lan Wangji chooses Wei Wuxian here. He chooses to protect him by letting him go. He chooses to love him from a distance, at least knowing that Wei Wuxian is safe. He chooses to break the rules because his devotion to Wei Wuxian is stronger than any devotion he has for the orthodoxy of the other clans. The most heartbreaking thing for me is that old adage: if you love something, set it free. He loves Wei Wuxian, so he has to let him go. Standing in his way won't make him happy, taking him back to Gusu won't make him happy. There is, really, nothing Lan Wangji can do for him anymore. He failed. He couldn't save him. And that's what's so sad.
So...this scene kind of sucks for Jiang Cheng: they're all dragging out his dirty laundry. Really hammering home Jiang Cheng didn't really do his job in keeping Wei Wuxian in line. You can see he's struggling with the fact that Wei Wuxian is so close to him and yet completely out of his control, which, as a control freak, he absolutely HATES. The only way their relationship works peacefully is if Jiang Cheng maintains control. And clearly, after the banquet, he's totally lost control. I mean, even before that, Wei Wuxian wouldn't listen to him. But what is a little annoying here is that Jiang Cheng doesn't try to understand where Wei Wuxian is coming from, at least not at this point. Lan Wangji goes out to stop him or reason with him after the banquet, but where's Jiang Cheng? That's right! He's crushing cups in his hand! My feeling has always been (whether I practice this or not) that if you didn't try to do anything about it, then why should you get to complain? Jiang Cheng hasn't been there for Wei Wuxian. He hasn't tried to understand him, he hasn't tried to listen to his side of the story. All he's really tried to do is get Wei Wuxian to act normally. And I think Lan Wangji is guilty of this as well, except for the fact that Lan Wangji's motivation is to save and protect Wei Wuxian (because he loves him). What's Jiang Cheng's motivation? Control and power. His desire to look better than Wei Wuxian outweighs any sense of filial bonds.
The only person in the damn room (outside of MianMian) who will stand up for Wei Wuxian. Jin Guangshan spreading actual lies about Wei Wuxian, and no one in this room disagrees until Lan Wangji speaks up. And if anyone would have heard Wei Wuxian say anything about Jiang Cheng, it would have been Lan Wangji. He was with him just about the entire time. I honestly love this scene for a lot of reasons, but it's so hard watching Lan Wangji just sit, his lips pressed together, trying to stop himself from shouting back at these people. He can't say anything, though. Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren are both there and he doesn't want to cause them trouble. But he's clearly incensed by what these people are saying about Wei Wuxian. And then they say, "Oh, Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian are close friends--he'll say anything to protect him." And I think that's true in this situation. Lan Wangji absolutely is on Wei Wuxian's side, even though what he did wronged the Jin Clan. So Lan Wangji can't refute that statement, and he knows that he can't argue against people who are just looking for a witch hunt. The Wens are all but gone, so now they need someone else to go after, someone else who isn't following the rules of the larger clans.
Poor MianMian, trying to use logic on a bunch of men who are just looking for a scapegoat. She's so right here, though, and I really don't think it's because she feels like she owes Wei Wuxian anything. I'm sure she's still grateful for what he did for her back in Xuanwu Cave, but I don't think that is what drives her to speak. She's one of the only female cultivators in this room right now, amongst a bunch of men who don't really know Wei Wuxian at all. Let's be honest, she barely knows him either. But even Jiang Cheng won't stand up for him! The only other person in the room who has defended Wei Wuxian was Lan Wangji. I think MianMian, like him, just wants to do what's right here. Wei Wuxian doesn't kill indiscriminately--he kills who is to blame for the atrocities against Wen Ning and the other Wens.
But the way they all attack her here is so disgusting. There aren't a lot of women in this show/novel, but the ones in it always make an impact. We get to see what it's like for a female cultivator in a seemingly male-dominated world. The immediately imply that she's only standing up for Wei Wuxian because she feels guilty about what happened to him in Xuanwu Cave. They make it about feelings, you know. They take the logic out of her argument and convince the room that it's her female emotions that are driving her statement. This is a character we haven't seen for quite some time, yet we all remember what happened to her, we all remember how he stood up for her, we all remember how she cried big tears for him. But here she is, several years later, a cultivator in her own right, and this room just sees her as that young girl who couldn't defend herself.
It sucks that Jiang Cheng is essentially being scolded here, in front of everyone, by Jin Guangshan. Seriously, it must be so humiliating. It's pretty clear what they are trying to do, though. They want him to tame Wei Wuxian or, if that's not possible, abandon him. They want to ostracize Wei Wuxian to the point that he's nothing with no power, whether that's as a member of the Jiang Clan or not. And Jiang Cheng just goes along with it. I mean, he has to, doesn't he? If he stands up to them and says that Wei Wuxian was right (if he believed that, which I don't think he does), then he'll be the one being ostracized. Obviously he can't have that. He's a new clan leader--he has to continue rebuilding to return his clan to its former glory. He really has no choice but to go along with Jin Guangshan and the other clan leaders here. That's not really correct--there is a choice. His clan or Wei Wuxian. And what would most clan leaders do in that situation? They aren't going to sacrifice their entire clan for one person, no matter who that person is.
His face throughout the whole thing: smirk. Seriously, it's like he's engineered this whole thing and he's just enjoying the evil villain-ness of it all. I just giggle every time they pan over to Jin Guangyao, because he always has this evil genius smirk on his face. Very entertaining.
On a side note, every time the Lans are shown, they look like they've just eaten something sour. They both look so uncomfortable with everything here. I'm sure they are the only ones who feel that these actions are questionable. But they also have taken some heat for what Lan Wangji did, likely, when he let Wei Wuxian go off with the Wen prisoners. Lan Qiren came out of seclusion for this meeting, but he says nothing. Lan Xichen seems mostly worried about Lan Wangji, who is obviously struggling.
Ugh, it's hard seeing Lan Wangji get scolded here. Obviously Lan Qiren is just worried about him! In CQL verse, he's raised Lan Wangji longer than his father ever did (well, in any verse, because even when his father was alive in the novel, he was in seclusion), so he's more of a son to Lan Qiren than a nephew. He's tried to be subtle, pushing the disciplines on Lan Wangji, making him recite and transcribe them over and over again--but that hasn't worked. He refuses to see that it doesn't matter what the rules are. Lan Wangji will break them because it's Wei Wuxian. It's a bit confusing in CQL, because I guess we're supposed to believe that Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian are just best friends and that nothing more is going on. I realize this is A Thing and that it's believable that Lan Wangji would give up his life for Wei Wuxian as just a good friend, but when the book is so centered around Lan Wangji having romantic feelings for Wei Wuxian, that's a hard pill to swallow. Lan Wangji isn't doing all this because they are friends-he's doing all this because he loves Wei Wuxian. And part of novel!Lan Qiren's issues are that he knows what the other cultivators are saying--that they are questioning what a strange relationship Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji have. But of course, primarily, he just wants Lan Wangji to stick to the disciplines and not end up like his father. Actually, imagine if Lan Wangji had brought Wei Wuxian back and locked him in a house. Yikes. ::smirk::
I love how Jin Zixuan grabs her arm and tells her not to go, and it's so tropey, but I love it so much! Why do they make my heart flutter? I don't know, but they do!! Even though I know how it turns out, I still love watching them fall in love, or rather, realizing that they love each other.
He seems upset here. Did he not think that this whole thing with his sister and Jin Zixuan was going to work out? Did he hope that she would stay in Lotus Pier forever? How selfish is he? We know that Wei Wuxian is extremely selfish about his shijie and also doesn't like Jin Zixuan, but Jiang Cheng has always rolled his eyes about that. So it's odd now that he's upset about his sister. I guess this means that he'll be very much alone, unless he can convince Wei Wuxian to come back to Lotus Pier with him.
Stop it. This kid is too cute. And I love him and want to protect him forever and ever and ever. Also this part about planting a child and growing more children is adorable. I just can't.
Jiang Cheng is so upset when he arrives. He sees that these are women, children, and elderly people, and not some evil Wen warriors ready to destroy the rest of the cultivation world. I think Jiang Cheng wanted to show up and be self-righteous, and take Wei Wuxian out of the mess he'd gotten himself into. So when he sees that Wei Wuxian actually did a good thing by rescuing these people, he finds that extremely irritating and it just makes him angry.
Also he's a dick to A-Yuan, telling him to get off. I won't forget this, mister!! The next stranger that A-Yuan grabs onto is not mean to him--uncomfortable, yes, but he isn't mean to him. I'm going to have to gif these two bits, side by side, how Jiang Cheng sneers at him and how Lan Wangji smiles down at him. Ugh, my heart.
The way that he behaves here, he's like a jilted lover. He barely even glances at Wen Qing--but she doesn't owe him anything. There was never anything between them, yet he treats her like she wronged him, when, in fact, she did quite the opposite. She didn't accept him as a lover--does that give him the right to treat her this way? It's so annoying.
Other episodes: 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 | Or just check out the #CQL Rewatch hashtag
#wangxian#wei wuxian#lan wangji#cql#the untamed#jiang cheng#jin zixuan#jiang yanli#wen qing#mdzs#mo dao zu shi#ep 27#cql rewatch
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âCompetitionâ
Reverse Age Nies, One-Sided Attraction, Sexual Harassment, Ancient Chinese Roofies (but nothing happens), Nie Mingjue is this close to committing murder. And his friends might help.
__________
"What has you so troubled?"Â
 Nie Mingjue blinked and looked up from adjusting the fletching on his arrows to find Lan Xichen watching him with concern. A short distance away, his friends from the Jiang sect were also studying him with expressions a bit more tense than usual.Â
"Nothing. I'm fine."Â
Wei Wuxian openly snorted. "You usually kick our asses way easier than this. Somethingâs got you off your game."Â
He rolled his eyes, then scratched the back of his neck with an annoyed growl. "He's doing it again."Â
Lan Xichenâs eyes went wide. âOh, no. I thought that would have stopped by now.â
"Wait," Jiang Cheng cut in. "Who's doing what again?"Â
"Every time they're in the vicinity of each other, Wen-zongzhu starts eyeing my brother like a particularly nice dish at a banquet."Â
Wei Wuxian's nose wrinkled. "Seriously?" Â Â
"Watch this."Â
Turning, Nie Mingjue waved to his brother up in the stands. Nie Huaisang beamed and enthusiastically waved back, and, just a couple seats away, Wen Ruohan turned his head slightly in the middle of a conversation with one of the minor sect leaders.Â
There was no missing the way his gaze tracked from Nie Huaisang's raised hand down his back and then back up before he resumed whatever he and the other sect leader were discussing.Â
"Oh, that's fucking creepy," Jiang Cheng muttered in disgust.
"How long has this been happening?"Â
"Seven fucking years. Ever since their first meeting as fellow sect leaders. Sang-ge insists he's only doing it to provoke us into embarrassing ourselves by making accusations we can't prove."Â
"Yeah, no. If that were the case, he wouldn't be doing it where other people can see it."
"Unfortunately, no one seems willing to actually call him on it," Lan Xichen pointed out, disappointment written on his face. "Even shufu only reminds him of propriety every so often."Â
"Which is why I told the disciples that Sang-ge has to have at least one guard at all times until we get the hell out of here. I trust that bastard as far as sect Leader Jin could throw him."
âA fair assessment.â
---
It was well after dark when a pounding on the door startled Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng out of bed.Â
"Wen Ning? What are you doing here so late?" Wei Wuxian asked, ignoring his shidi's hissed question as to how the hell he knew a Wen.Â
 "I am so, so very sorry!" Wen Ning stumbled over the words and nearly his own feet as he bowed low. "But there is a problem and your room was the closest!"Â
 "What kind of problem?" Jiang Cheng asked, immediately suspicious.Â
 "This way."Â
 The two of them glanced at each other, then followed.Â
Whatever possibilities they had been considering, finding Nie-zongzhu slumped against a pillar in a daze, barely able to stay standing, wasn't it.Â
"Drunk?" Wei Wuxian asked.Â
Wen Ning shook his head. "I checked his eyes. This is something much worse. He needs to see a-jie, but-"Â
"We'll help," Jiang Cheng said roughly. "Wei Wuxian and I can get him to his room, then one of us can keep watch while the others get Mingjue and your sister."
They took up positions on both sides, slung the barely-conscious sect leader's arms over their shoulders, and put their own around his waist. Even with the sluggishness of the drugs, one of them probably could have carried him easily, and he made only the smallest incoherent mumble of protest as they started down the hall.Â
"Wasn't he supposed to have a guard already? Why the hell is he out here alone?"Â
"I have a feeling that no matter what answer to that question is, we're not gonna like it, and Mingjue's gonna like it even less."Â
Nie Huaisang's room was empty of anyone when they arrived. At the sight of the overturned table near the door, Wei Wuxian cursed softly.Â
"What?"Â
"And was already addled enough to get lost. Damn. Lucky he came our way, instead of running into a Wen guard."Â
"He must have tripped over it trying to get out of the room." Which would have meant he was aware of the drugs starting to take effect. "He wasn't just wandering around, he was trying to get help."Â
Actually getting their burden onto the bed proved more difficult than getting him down the hall. Whatever it was he'd been given had progressed enough that it was more like moving an oversized noodle than a person.Â
But they managed, and when Wei Wuxian turned, Wen Ning had already vanished. "Okay, so who has to break this to Mingjue?"Â
Jiang Cheng winced, then sighed. "I'll do it. If someone shows up to make trouble, you have a better chance of defending Nie-zongzhu."Â
Wei Wuxian clapped his shidi on the shoulder with a grin. "You're a brave and noble man."Â
"Shut it."
---
Nie Mingjue stood beside the bed, a positively murderous scowl on his face as he watched Wen Qing work. "Well?"Â
He didn't bother fighting the urge to growl. He had absolutely no illusions as to what this was about. There was only one reason that someone here would so obviously want his brother alone and entirely unable to defend himself. "Can you purge it?"
"Frankly it's a miracle he was still on his feet at all," she said as she finished running her tests. "The combination of sedatives and muscle relaxants should have put down a horse."Â
"Qi circulation would help, but with that dosage, it'll still take hours. Since there's no danger to his breathing or his heart, it would probably be better to just let him sleep it off."Â
"Why not?" Nie Mingjue asked bitterly. "He has been for almost a decade." That earned a round of flinches from the rest of the room's occupants. "But I know what Sang-ge will say," he continued. "And as much as it pisses me off, he's right. We have no way of proving that it was actually Wen Ruohan or someone on his orders. It could have been Jin-zongzhu or one of the vassal sects looking to settle a score."Â
"What do we do in the morning?" Jiang Cheng asked. "Sect Leader Wen can't just... get away with an attack on another sect leader."Â
"If that were the case, it says nothing good about the security here," Wen Qing pointed out archly. "Wen-zongzhu would still take offense."Â
Wei Wuxian looked absolutely galled. "So we have to keep quiet about this? That's horseshit!" he protested.Â
 "It is horseshit," Nie Mingjue agreed.Â
Wen Qing sighed. "You're... not wrong. But you're also in the middle of a stronghold not your own, with only a few disciples to back you up. Can you actually afford to piss him off?"Â
Nie Mingjue gritted his teeth, and for a moment, he was damn well willing to try. But... if he lost, that would leave Huaisang alone to face someone who'd already shown he'd use the worst of underhanded tactics to get him into bed.Â
He forced his jaw to unclench and his hands to relax. "No. We can't. Not yet."Â
Wei Wuxian looked like he had something to say about that, but Jiang Cheng elbowed him sharply before he could run his mouth. "So what do we do?"
"I'll tell Sang-ge what happened in the morning and see if I can find out what happened to the guard. And then I'm taking over guarding him myself. There's still another day and night to go before we can leave, and if that bastard had the stones to try once, he'll probably try again."Â
 "If you don't mind other sects assisting, we could take a couple of shifts," Wei Wuxian suggested. "I bet Lan Xichen would, too."Â
"I'll consider it. For now, the rest of you should get back to your rooms." He hesitated for the briefest moment, then saluted sharply. "Thank you all for your assistance and good night."
---
His brother was still sleeping when the door cracked open and Jiang Cheng poked his head in. "The first event for today's at si shi, do you need one of us to take over so you can get a bath and some sleep?"Â
"I bathed before bed last night," Nie Mingjue replied. "But I suppose I could use an hour nap or so."Â
The other boy nodded, then vanished. Roughly a fen later, the door opened again and Lan Xichen entered with a breakfast tray. "The others explained what happened," he said as he set it down on the bedside table. "Is he alright?"
"Hasn't so much as twitched, but his breathing evened out a few hours ago. It's just a waiting game, now."Â
Lan Xichen shook his head a little. "Horrible. I knew Sect Leader Wen was brazen, but this-"Â
A tiny, confused noise from the bed caught their attention, and when he turned his head, Huaisang's eyes were slitted open. They still looked cloudy, though, and when Huaisang tilted his head to look at him in turn, his brother blinked several times before registering his presence. "Jue-er? What time is it?"Â
"Still early," Nie Mingjue murmured, gently sweeping mussed bangs out of his brother's eyes. "Do you remember anything from last night?"Â
"Anything after the banquet?" Lan Xichen clarified.Â
"N... no." Huaisang put an unsteady hand to his forehead, then rubbed his eyes. "I don't. Gods, did I seriously drink that much?"Â
"No!" Nie Mingjue snapped vehemently, then at the startled looks from the other two, he took a deep breath to get his anger reined in. "You didn't. Someone gave you drugged wine."Â
Huaisang stared at him, the color slowly draining from his face. "What?"
"Nothing happened!" he quickly elaborated. "Some of my friends found you and got me and a physician."Â
"Still... Wait, what happened to Zhang Fai?"Â
"I'd like to know that myself."Â
"I overheard Liu Hei telling your deputy that he didn't report in this morning."Â
Huaisang groaned softly. "Fantastic. So he's either in a dungeon or a ditch somewhere, or he left on purpose."Â
"He better be in a dungeon or a ditch," Nie Mingjue muttered. "And I'm taking over guarding you."Â
"No. We're not arguing about it. My friends-" he nodded to Lan Xichen, "-have offered to help when I absolutely have to take a break, but I'm not letting that asshole get near you again."Â
"Jue-er-"Â
Huaisang sighed and reached up to swat lightly at his cheek. "Stubborn brat," he chided fondly. "Fine, then. I'm in the capable hands of you lot until we leave for home."Â
"Good. And on that note," Nie Mingjue said as he rounded the bed to flop on the other side, "You're up, Xichen. Don't disappoint."Â
Lan Xichen smothered a laugh with his sleeve. "I'll do my best," he said with a teasing salute as Huaisang rolled his eyes.
Satisfied, Nie Mingjue settled in, and sleep claimed him surprisingly quickly.Â
#mdzs#nie mingjue#nie huaisang#wei wuxian#jiang cheng#wen ning#wen qing#lan xichen#reverse nies#fanfic
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Leaving literally everything aside about how badly JC treats WWX, how he nearly strangles him, how he blames him for his parents deaths, how he treats a child like a dog, how he abandons WWX when WWX needs him the most, as his only familyâŠ. leaving all that aside I just want ONE person to explain to me how they can justify JCâs enormous moral failing in being willing to let actual innocent people die because it is what the others want. Not only was he okay with it, he would not hesitate to do it himself, hell he was ready to do it himself when he used Zidian to attack an unconscious Wen Ning, whom he quite literally owed his life to.
Anyone can interpret JCâs personal relationship with WWX however they want. You can bromance the heck out of it, ship it, idealize the best aspects of it (?) while you ignore the very real, abusive, horrible aspects of his character. Do I think JC has always hated WWX? No. I wholly believe JC loves WWX. But the ability to love someone does not make you a good person. The ability to love, at all, does not make up for your moral failings. It does not excuse JC, at best, standing by and watching as hundreds of innocent people are killed (the Wen remnants WWX saved were not the only ones hunted and killed for no other reason than bearing a now bad name) despite having both the position and the power to object it, to stop it, to seek another way, and at worst, doing the killing himself.
Someone with conscience, someone who is good, someone who is just, would never be okay with any of this. If JC had an ounce of Wei Yingâs moral compass*, (or Mianmianâs balls) he would have taken all of the Wen remnants back to Lotus Pier, tell the Jin clan that they are under his protection and he would have his brother, Wei Wuxian in all his righteous glory, standing beside him. The twin prides of Yunmeng truly living up to the unbound, unapologetic spirit of the Jiang clan (with the freaking Hanguang Jun quite possibly standing beside WWX as well) and no one would dare move against them for a handful of grannies and uncles and one turnip of a child.Â
*what irony that WWX builds an actual compass the whole cultivation world uses despite hating his guts
Oh, yeah. You can argue JCâs feelings towards WWX all day long, you can even try to justify his treatment of WWX if you really want to (maybe donât, though), but you cannot justify the fact that JC knowingly let fifty innocent people die despite knowing they were innocent and despite the other major sect leaders clearly being willing to let them off with evidence that they werenât on WRHâs side (which JC had) without even trying to save them. The best you can say about JCâs actions there is that maybe he was worried about what would happen to his own sect if he spoke up, but given that one of the other three great sects was only arguing against helping them because they thought they were on WRHâs side and another was actively arguing in their favour at first plus the fact that JC knowingly and willingly led the slaughter of these innocents even that much benefit of the doubt doesnât really hold any water. JC didnât even just stand back and watch them die, he actively killed them himself, knowing all the while that they were innocent and that he owed them his life and the existence of his sect, when helping them would only have cost a bit of time and effort. There is no justification for that.
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1- you know JC stans always try to deflect claiming LQR LXC LWJ and NMJ are all equally at fault bc they didn't stand for trhe wens either but JC and WWX are literally the only two people who know the truth about the wen sibs and he decided not to tell anyone so the public has no means of knowing everything they did and risked for him, they literally committed treason to save the jiang sect and protect them from the wen army but in the eyes of the public they are known as loyal disciples to WRH-
Thank you for the question anon!
Relevant passages in regards to this issue posted first since a lot of it gets very misconstrued with what blame lies where with the Sect Leaders before the events when it came to the massacre at Nightless City and the deaths of the Wen Remnants. This is not necessarily clean cut after the fallout with Jin Zixuan and Jin Zixun's deaths. This is also still with the underlying plot of Jin Guangshan aiming for the Yin Hu Fu. There is a lot of political intrigue that goes ignored with this by manipulation of the Jin Sect and Jiang Cheng being blinded by his own jealousy.
â⊠Four inspectors were harmed. Around fifty of the remaining Wen Sect members escaped. After Wei WuXian led them into Burial Mound, he summoned hundreds of fierce corpses to patrol the base of the mountain. Our people still canât get any further.â
â⊠Four inspectors were harmed. Around fifty of the remaining Wen Sect members escaped. After Wei WuXian led them into Burial Mound, he summoned hundreds of fierce corpses to patrol the base of the mountain. Our people still canât get any further.â
When he finished, silence filled the Golden Pavilion.
Jiang Cheng only spoke after a few moments, âWhat he did was indeed a bit too much. Sect Leader Jin, I apologize to you in place of him. If thereâs any way at all to help the situation, please let me know. Iâll definitely compensate for things however I can.â
What Jin GuangShan wanted, however, wasnât his apology or his compensation, âSect Leader Jiang, at first, for your sake, the LanlingJin Sect didnât intend on saying anything. However, some of these inspectors werenât from the Jin Sect. There were a few from other sects as well. This makes itâŠâ
Jiang Chengâs brows were knitted. He rubbed the vein that throbbed at his temple and soundlessly took in a deep breath, â⊠I apologize to all of the Sect Leaders. Everyone, Iâm afraid you donât know that the Wen cultivator whom Wei WuXian wanted to save was called Wen Ning. We owe him and his sister Wen Qing gratitude for what happened during the Sunshot Campaign.â
Nie MingJue, âYou owe them gratitude? Isnât the QishanWen Sect the ones who caused the YunmengJiang Sectâs annihilation?â
Within these few years, Jiang Cheng insisted on working late into the night every day. That day, just as he decided to rest early, he had to rush to Koi Tower overnight because of the thundering news. Heâd been suppressing some anger under his fatigue since the beginning. With his natural competitiveness, he was already quite agitated since he had to apologize to other people. When he heard Nie MingJue mention the incident of his sect again, hatred sprouted within him.
The hatred was directed at not only everyone who was seated in this room, but also Wei WuXian.
Passage 2:
Using the atmosphere, Jin GuangShan turned to Jiang Cheng, âHeâs been plotting for a while to go to Burial Mound, hasnât he? After all, with his skills, it wouldnât be too hard to set up a sect of his own. And so, he used this as a chance to leave the Jiang Sect, intending to do whatever he pleases in the bright skies outside. You rebuilt the YunmengJiang Sect with so much work. Heâs got a few controversial traits in him to begin with, and still he doesnât restrain himself, stirring up so much trouble for you. He doesnât care about you at all.â
Jiang Cheng pretended to stand his ground, âThat probably isnât that case. Wei WuXian has been like this ever since he was young. Even my father couldnât do anything about him.â
Jin GuangShan, âEven FengMian-xiong couldnât do anything about him, huh?â He chuckled a few times, âFengMian-xiong just favored him.â
Hearing the words âfavors himâ, the muscles beside the corners of Jiang Chengâs mouth twitched.
Jin GuangShan continued, âSect Leader Jiang, youâre not like your father. Itâs just been a couple of years since the reestablishment of the YunmengJiang Sect, precisely when you should be displaying your power. And he doesnât even know to avoid suspicions. What would the Jiang Sectâs new disciples think if they saw him? Donât tell me youâd let them see him as their role model and look down on you?â
He spoke one sentence after another, striking the iron while it was still hot. Jiang Cheng spoke slowly, âSect Leader Jin, thatâs enough. Iâll go to The Burial Mounds and deal with this.â
Here the sect leaders were aware of the Wen Sect remnants as prisoners of war and saw it as a justifiable reason to keep the remaining Wens imprisoned regardless of age status etc. When Jiang Cheng is asked by Nie Mingjue for clarification on the matter of the debt owed by the Wen siblings it is deflected by Jin Guangshan and Jin Guangyao with clever wordplay to rile everyone up. This leaves those who either asked for more information, Lan Xichen who is shutdown by not having enough information by the majority and Nie Mingjue distracted by his hate of the Wens already, and Mianmian and Lan Wangji who argued that Wei Wuxian was protecting innocents and was not trying to cause a coup ignored as being irrelevant opinions. Wei Wuxian is eventually labelled a defector and danger due to Jiang Cheng exasperating what they had actually planned in the staged fight.
After this several months pass until Lan Wangji comes to tell Wei Wuxian of Jiang Yanli's marriage in a week's time. Several days later the Jiang siblings arrive with the same news and Jiang Yanli is the one to extend a peace branch to try keeping the three connected with the courtesy naming or Jin Ling. Almost a year's time later Wei Wuxian is in fact invited to the one-month celebration as another peace branch by Jin Zixuan who was the one to extend the offer. Jin Guangshan, Jin Zixun and Jin Guangyao planned the murder of Wei Wuxian in Qiongqi Pass against Jin Zixuan's knowledge. This leads to the mess of his murder and Wei Wuxian being hunted down as well as all of the remaining Wens on order of Jin Guangshan in retaliation after Wen Qing is killed as the remaining leader of the Wens and Wen Ning secretly suppressed. This leads to days later to the Pledge Conference at the city which holds Jin Zixuan's body and Jiang Yanli who is there to keep the death vigils (Shou Ling) as family. It's also why her and Madam Jin are wearing the white robes when Wei Wuxian sees them and by bad luck comes across the sect leaders pact when he tries to flee.
After the the wine had seeped into the dirt, Jin GuangShan stated, âNo matter the sect, no matter the surnameâthis cup of wine is to the soldiers who have died.â
Nie MingJue, âMay their souls live on.â
Lan XiChen, âRest in peace.â
Jiang Cheng, however, still had on a darkened expression. He didnât say anything even after he poured the wine.
Afterward, Jin GuangYao walked out from the LanlingJin Sectâs array and presented with both hands a square box made of black iron. Jin GuangShan took the box with one hand and raised it high in the air, shouting, âHere lies the ashes of the Wen Sectâs remnants!â
After he spoke, he sent forth his spiritual energy and shattered the box with his bare hand. The iron box broke into pieces, and white dust drifted alongside the cold wind.
A scattering of the ashes!
A series of cheers exploded through the crowd. Jin GuangShan raised his hands, signaling for the people to be quiet and listen to him talk. When the cheers slowly died down, he continued, raising his voice, âTonight, the ones whose ashes had been scattered were the two leaders of the Wen Sectâs remnants. And tomorrow! It will be the rest of the Wen-dogs andâthe YiLing Laozu, Wei Ying!â
Suddenly, a low laugh interrupted his grand speech. The laugh was too untimely, sounding both stark and jarring. In unison, the crowd turned to look at where the sound came from.
The Palace of Sun and Flames was a rather magnificent palace. A total of twelve ridges made up its roof, and at the end of each ridge were eight heavenly beasts. Yet, right now, the people realized that on one of those ridges, there were nine. The laugh from before came from over there!
The extra beast shifted slightly. The next moment, a boot and a corner of black clothes dangled down from the roof, swaying softly.
Everyone placed their hand onto their sword hilt. Jiang Chengâs pupils shrunk. Blue veins lined the back of his hand.
Jin GuangShan was overcome with both shock and hatred, âWei Ying! How dare you show yourself here!â
The person opened their mouth to speak. What came out was indeed Wei WuXianâs voice, but he spoke in a strange tone, âWhy should I dare not show myself here? Do you people here even add up to three thousand? Donât forget that back in the Sunshot Campaign, let alone three thousand, Iâve fought against five thousand on my own before. And by appearing here, havenât I granted your wish? No need for you to come all the way to my home tomorrow to scatter my ashes.â
A few of the QingheNie Sectâs disciples died in the hands of Wen Ning as well. Nie MingJue spoke coldly, âWhat arrogance.â
Wei WuXian, âHavenât I always been arrogant? Sect Leader Jin, how does it feel, having slapped yourself in the face? Who was the one that said heâd let the matter go if the Wen siblings went to Koi Tower and gave themselves up? And who was the one that just said heâd scatter my ashes and the ashes of the rest of the Wen Sectâs remnants tomorrow?â
Jin GuangShan, âLetâs consider things as they stand! At Qiongqi Path, you slaughtered over a hundred of the LanlingJin Sectâs disciplesâthis is one thing. You made Wen Ning kill at Koi Towerâthis is anotherâŠâ
Wei WuXian, âThen let me ask you, Sect Leader Jin, at Qiongqi Path, who was the one being ambushed? And who was the one to kill? Who was the main schemer? And who was the one being schemed against? In the end, just who was the one that came to provoke me first?â
Keep in mind none of the other sect leaders were privy to the scheme between Jin Guangshan, Jin Guangyao and Jin Zixun. And they believe they are certainly fighting off a crazed Wei Wuxian and what they think are his fodder Wens meant for corpses. After this Wei Wuxian desperately fights against Lan Wangji who is trying to calm him down before it's too late which is unsuccessful leading to Jiang Yanli also trying to calm him down enough to get him away and talk some sense to get him out of there to run and get to the Wens. After her death he mentally blacks out and Lan Wangji is left trying to take him away to safety close enough to Burial Mounds. Lan Wangji then fights off his elders as Lan Xichen gathered the Lans to find them. Immediately after this is in sequestered secrecy Lan Wangji is punished. Lan Xichen presumably stays with his own brother while Lan Qiren is the acting Sect Leader for the actual Siege that the other three are part of as support. That leaves Jin Guangshan with the ulterior motive of getting the Yin Hu Fu, Jiang Cheng who wants revenge for the death of Jiang Yanli, and Nie Mingjue left to think he is killing what he considers disgraceful Wens.
So, in short, each of them had different motivations for actually being there, and different accounts for those reasons. The Jins for more power, Jiangs for revenge, Nies for justice and the Lans in solidarity. And the fault of it isn't meted out equally as all had misunderstandings and manipulated by Jin Guangshan's pull to each of their morals as cultivation sects. In the end each of the four were there to kill the Wens and Wei Wuxian aside from Lan Wangji and arguably Jiang Yanli when she was caught up trying to get Wei Wuxian to run.
#mdzs#mo dao zu shi#Nightless City and the First Seige#don't mind me#asks#I can never make these short it seems
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Fic: the thread may stretch or tangle but it will never break, ch. 15
Relationships: LĂĄn ZhĂ n | LĂĄn WĂ ngjÄ« & WĂši YÄ«ng | WĂši WĂșxiĂ n, LĂĄn ZhĂ n | LĂĄn WĂ ngjÄ« & WÄn QĂng, LĂĄn ZhĂ n | LĂĄn WĂ ngjÄ«/WĂši YÄ«ng | WĂši WĂșxiĂ n
Characters: LĂĄn ZhĂ n | LĂĄn WĂ ngjÄ«, WĂši YÄ«ng | WĂši WĂșxiĂ n, WÄn QĂng, WÄn NĂng | WÄn QiĂłnglĂn, Granny WÄn, LĂĄn YuĂ n | LĂĄn SÄ«zhuÄ«, WÄn Remnants, Wen Meilin (OC), Fourth Uncle, LĂĄn HuĂ n | LĂĄn XÄ«chĂ©n
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
Summary: The conversation continues, and the Jiang siblings react.
Notes: This chapter was hard to write, but I finally got there! Lots of dialog, which had to be balanced. Updates are slow. Life is busy. Lots of responsibilities, and non-productive insomnia. Honestly, the most research I did for this chapter was on family and martial family names.
AO3 link
Chapters: Â 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13Â | 14
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Wei Yingâs words only seem to echo in the courtyard, their gravity giving them weight that feeds the illusion. The Jiang siblings stare at him, looking concerned but puzzled.Â
âBut you found her,â Jiang Wanyin says slowly. âShe restored my core.â
âI never found her,â Wei Ying says, looking at his bowl on the table rather than his brother. âI didnât know what to do, A-Chengâyou wanted to die!â
The words are said in a rush, with remembered grief. For once, Jiang Wanyin seems struck dumb, and Lan Wangji is glad of itâWei Ying needs no interruptions. Already his posture is defensive.Â
âI looked for a way. Went through Wen Qingâs whole library. And I found a theory.â
His voice breaks at the last word, and Lan Wangji squeezes his hand, letting Wei Ying know he is here for him. He knows this reminds his husband of the decision he made, to what for most would seem like an impossible choice.Â
âA-Xian, what theory?â
Jiang Yanli, despite her makeup, looks wan and afraid.Â
âIn her papers. Treatments sheâd theorized,â Wei Ying clarifies. âIt was the only place I found any options. And I didnât know what else to do.â
Heâs stalling, but inadvertently drawing out the pain. Lan Wangji squeezes his hand again, unable to resist the urge to comfort him.Â
Zidian sparks and Jiang Wanyin glares, his patience spent.
âWhat did you do?â he hisses.Â
Lan Wangji is fairly certain theyâve already realized and are hoping theyâre wrong. He rubs the back of Wei Yingâs hand with his thumb.Â
âIt was a theory about core transplants,â Wei Ying says.Â
The shifting of emotions on Jiang Wanyinâs face makes his understanding clear. Jiang Yanliâs brows furrow, her expression one of confusion.Â
âTell me you didnât,â he hissed. âPlease tell me you didnât.â
Wei Ying flinchesâhe can tell him no such thing, at least not without lying, because he did. Instead he silently holds his free wrist out to Jiang Wanyin, as he had only days before with Xichen, inviting him to see the truth himself.Â
The Jiang sect leader recoils, physically leaving his seat and backing from the table, his face a mask of horror.
âNo,â he whispers, his voice hoarse.
And so it is Jiang Yanli who reaches forward, sends her qi through Wei Yingâs meridians, and finds the emptiness where his core once sat. Lan Wangji can tell the moment she realizes, as tears spill over, cutting furrows in her makeup.Â
Wei Ying immediately panics, pulling his hand from Lan Wangjiâs grip, dabbing at her face with his sleeves.
âShijie, youâll ruin your dress. Itâs okay, donât cry.â
âItâs just a dress,â she says, her voice hitching. âAnd itâs not okay, Xianxian. Why didnât you tell us? Why didnât you let us help you? Youâve been suffering for so long andâŠâ
She lets out a sob so deep it seems like it comes from her soul. Wei Ying lets out a little distressed noise, his hands fluttering helplessly, as though he wants to hug her but fears sullying her wedding dress.Â
âWei Wuxian, why?â Jiang Wanyin asks, his chest heaving as he fights his emotions. âI didnât ask you to do that!â
Heâs still standing backed away from the table, unwilling or unable to come closer.Â
âYou wanted to die,â Wei Ying says helplessly. âYou said if you couldnât avenge Lotus Pier alive or dead youâd rather be dead. Youâre my brotherâwhat else could I have done?â
Lan Wangji knows there is more, impliedâafter losing so much, how could Wei Ying stand to lose his brother? How much family could he stand to lose, losing his parents young, and then his entire martial family with the fall of Lotus Pier?
âIâd rather lose my golden core than that,â he finally whispers. âYou could rebuild the sect with my core.â
âYou couldâve rebuilt the sect with your core,â Jiang Wanyin retorts with a scowl.
Wei Ying smiles, but itâs a twisted, broken thing.Â
âNo. Iâve always been whatever the gentry decides I am: the worthless son of a servant overreaching, sect leaderâs secret bastard, weapon of war, and now Yiling Laozu. No one would accept me rebuilding the Jiang sect, even without the demonic cultivation, A-Cheng. Iâd be a usurper at best, never taken seriously.â
âYou wouldâve proved them all wrong!â Jiang Wanyin protests.Â
Wei Ying shakes his head.Â
âNothing will ever be enough. Iâd never be able to restore the Jiang sect to its full glory. Only you could do that, A-Cheng.â
âHe is correct,â Lan Wangji interjects when it looks like Jiang Wanyin might argue over it. âThey have never accepted him, even after he helped win the war. Wei Ying has never been thanked or shown respect, only belittled and vilified. He would never have been permitted to be sect leader.â
Jiang Wanyin frowns at that but doesnât try to argue. He cannot deny the truth.Â
âIf they knew I took you to Wen Qing and you had died in her care, theyâd say I killed you myself for power, that I worked with the Wens to destroy Lotus Pier, even. Iâd have been executed, and shijie would be all alone and without a sect.â
Thereâs a touch of bitterness in his husbandâs voice, and Lan Wangji touches his elbow, just to remind him he is there for him.Â
âLotus Pier was my fault, so I guess theyâd be part right,â Wei Ying mutters, the naked grief in his voice heart-wrenching.Â
Lan Wangji wonders if perhaps Wei Yingâs difficulty after the war was being in a place filled, at least metaphorically, with the ghosts of those for whose deaths he felt responsible. He had, by his own admission to Xichen, spent much of the time following the war drunk, until he liberated the work camp, using it as a way of coping with his traumaâfrom the fall of Lotus Pier, from the surgery, from Burial Mounds, from the resentful energy, from the warâŠÂ All of it.Â
Perhaps rescuing these people has been his way of trying to even the scales on a debt that isnât truly his.Â
âA-Xian, it wasnât your fault. They were always going to attack Lotus Pier,â Jiang Yanli protests. âA-Niang would never have tolerated a supervisory office in our home.â
Sheâs still crying, and Wei Ying mops at her face so her tears wonât ruin her dress. Her eyes seem to search his face, desperate for a sign he believes her.Â
âIt was never your fault,â she insists.
Wei Ying swallows hard.Â
âMadam Yu saidââ
âA-Niang was wrong,â Jiang Wanyin snarls.Â
âAnd I know a-die told you to protect us, but who was going to protect you?â Jiang Yanli asks.
When he avoids her gaze, she reaches forward to cup his cheek.Â
âWe didnât protect you. Youâd been whipped with zidian and lost your home, too, but youâre the one who took care of us. No one took care of you, but youâre our brother, my sweet didi.â
Wei Yingâs breath hitches, and instinctively Lan Wangji pulls him close, holds him from behind gently, hopes he can take strength from the embrace. Itâs not a full embrace, the position awkward, more of a press of chest against back, his hand a light pressure on his hip, but it seems to help, regardless. It takes a few moments for Wei Ying to compose himself enough that he is willing to release him, and during that time Lan Wangji avoids looking at his siblings, not wishing to see their reactions.Â
A-Yuan is abruptly tugging on Wei Yingâs robes.
âA-Die sad? A-Die need a hug?â
Somehow Wei Ying manages a smile for the boy and pulls him up on his lap.
âAh, my sweet son. Thatâs exactly what a-die needs.â
The child is happy to oblige, and then he lets Wen Ning take him back.
âYou told him to call me guma, not shigu,â Jiang Yanli points out softly. âA-Cheng called him zhizi, not shizhi. And you told him to call A-Cheng shushu, not shishu. You know youâre our brother.â
She sounds almost forlorn, a sharp contrast from her fire when she claimed him as her didi on Phoenix Mountain to Jin Zixun.
Jiang Wanyin takes a step toward the table.Â
âLotus Pier is rebuilt, and so is the Jiang sect,â he interjects. âYouâre coming back. Iâm giving it back. Weâll undo it.â
The offer is startling, something Lan Wangji didnât expect from him, and the soft gasp from Wei Ying tells him it is a surprise to him as well. Wei Ying shakes his head.Â
âI donât think itâs possible,â he says tiredly.Â
âWhy the hell not?!â
He seems almost affronted by the rejection. Lan Wangji can feel Wei Ying shiver, knows heâs struggling. His husband has had to have so many difficult conversations in quick succession, and this one is the hardest so far. And the offer to return the golden core seems to have thrown him.Â
âScarring,â Lan Wangji answers for him, remembering Wen Qingâs words.Â
Silence reigns for a moment, the Jiang siblings looking upset, clearly wanting more detail.Â
Wei Ying speaks haltingly, tells the tale he hasnât told Lan Wangji, of being caught in the tea house in Yiling, of trying to escape, of Wen Zhuliu punching him right in the lower dantian, his stitches tearing at the impact. Of being beaten by Wen Chaoâs men and burned by Wang Lingjiao.
âI had to get them to leave Yiling,â he said. âIf they caught you coming down the mountain, it wouldâve all been for nothing. I thought theyâd toss me in a cell in Qishan. I didnât expect Burial Mounds.â
Much of the rest of the story is the same as he told Xichen, this part having been omitted before likely to avoid having to talk about the Core-Melting Hand. This time, though, he also talks about the sword from the Xuanwu cave, the one filled with resentful energy, how it helped him survive Burial Mounds, that he crafted the seal from it during the war to help win it. Not, as the rumors suggested, from Xue Yangâs still-missing piece.
Much of this is new information to Lan Wangji, painting an even clearer picture of how incredibly impossible the odds were against Wei Yingâs survival.Â
Wei Ying continues to dab at his sisterâs face with his sleeve as he talks, keeping her makeup from running onto her dress as she cries. In the quiet that follows, her soft crying seems to echo in the courtyard.
A-Yuan vocalizes that she needs a hug, and Wen Ning murmurs softly about her special dress that needs to be kept clean.Â
âLater,â Wen Ning says, and A-Yuan is assuaged.Â
Jiang Wanyin has, during the course of the telling, returned to the table to sit heavily. The customary pinched expression normally on his face is gone, his anger drained away for the moment.Â
âAll those times I harassed you about your sword, about carrying it and polishing it,â Jiang Wanyin whispers, his voice choked.Â
âItâs too heavy for me to wield for more than a minute or so,â Wei Ying says hollowly. âEven to polish it.â
He had taken joy in his cultivation and even having given it up willingly, Lan Wangji knows itâs still something that hurts him deeply. He himself remembers the joy of crossing swords with him on the rooftop, what feels like a lifetime ago now. Bittersweet, never to happen again.Â
âWhy didnât you tell me?â Jiang Wanyin finally asks. âYou convinced me to expel you from the sect, dammit. Why would you tell Lan Wangji and not us? After he wanted to take you back to Gusu for punishment!â
âHe did not tell me until I discovered his golden core was missing,â Lan Wangji says.
Wei Ying is guiltless in that, and he will not let him be blamed.Â
âI wished to take him to Gusu for protection and healing, not punishment,â he adds.Â
Lan Wangji could see, throughout the war, that Wei Ying was suffering, that something was wrong, had wanted desperately to help him. He wonders if Jiang Wanyin is partly behind Wei Yingâs misconceptions about that, and tries not to be peevedâhow much heartache could have been prevented?Â
âWei-g-gongzi did not intend to t-tell anyone,â Wen Ning contributes.Â
His voice is sad, with a hint of disapproval for Wei Yingâs decision to withhold it. A-Yuan seems to decide he, too, needs a hug, throwing his arms around the fierce corpseâs neck.Â
âThen how do you know?â Jiang Wanyin demands.Â
âWen Ning assisted Wen Qing with the core transplant,â Wei Ying says before Wen Ning can answer. âThey were the only people who knew, until Lan Zhan found out.â
He does not, Lan Wangji notes, tell how, clearly sparing Wen Ning more ill-placed ire from Jiang Wanyin. It feels odd to be grateful his husband was injured, but without it, he might have walked away, down the mountain, ignorant of Wei Yingâs suffering.Â
âIs that why you stayed, Lan-er-gongzi?â
Jiang Yanliâs gaze is level despite her tears, her eyes sharp, and Lan Wangji feels as though she is weighing him still.Â
âEn,â he answers simply. âI could only help him if I stayed.â
He had known for some time that his uncle was unlikely to help Wei Ying heal, that hiding him in Gusu would stifle him and destroy him just as it had destroyed his mother. Lan Wangji could continue to walk away, or he could stay.Â
âAnd the marriage?â
Lan Wangji isnât quite certain what she is askingâperhaps the reason he told Wei Ying of the handfasting?
âIt could protect him, even if it was simply political.â
She smiles, but itâs tight.Â
âNo, I mean would you have told him, if you hadnât learned?â
He doesnât need time to consider the question; he assumed Wei Ying would reject him, as he had rejected the prospect of coming with him to Gusu. He had miscommunicated and misunderstood.Â
âNo,â he says, welcoming her judgment, as he judges himself. âI expected it would be a burden to him, unwelcome.â
Wei Ying startles at the admission, glancing at him. Lan Wangji hates that he sees guilt in his expression over the misunderstanding, runs his hand across his shoulder to comfort him.Â
And realizes when his husbandâs eyes go a little glassy that heâs run his hand over the hidden bite mark.Â
How could he have thought this would be unwelcome?
Jiang Wanyin snorts, and Lan Wangjiâs ears burn at the sense of being seen doing something illicit.
âThe way he mooned over you? Talked about you all the time.â
He sounds long-suffering, as though Lan Wangji should have been aware of Wei Yingâs regard. Now, of course, he can see nothing else. But before...
âAnd then after the war, he didnât,â Jiang Yanli murmurs.
After Wei Ying had survived Burial Mounds and come out scarred and afraid.Â
âWhen I told him, Wei Ying tried to convince me he was unworthy,â Lan Wangji says. âI disagreed.â
Wei Ying tried to push him away before, when they were reunited after his disappearance, and Lan Wangji now knows it was out of a belief that he would somehow taint him.
âHe feels himself unworthy of protection and love,â he adds.
A troubled look passes over Jiang Wanyinâs face, and Jiang Yanli just looks sad.
âThat would be a-niangâs influence again,â she says softly. âA-Xian, we should have protected you better.â
Wei Ying shakes his head as though to deny their culpability, and she takes his hands.Â
âNo, A-Xian. She was wrong about your worth, and I hate that she cut you and A-Cheng down so much.â
Jiang Wanyin looks uncomfortable, and Lan Wangji doubts itâs because of his sisterâs lack of filial piety.Â
âShe always compared me to you,â he grates after a moment. âI was never good enough, because you were better. And now youâll always be better.â
Lan Wangji bristles on Wei Yingâs behalf, but his husband speaks first.Â
âI didnât do it to compete with you, A-Cheng,â Wei Ying says tiredly. âWhat the fuck was the point of competing when you were dying? I just wanted you to live.â
âAnd what about you?â Jiang Wanyin retorts. âWhat about your life? You think I want it to be a competition, you asshole? You told me to abandon you, but you wouldnât tell me the truth! You keep trying to throw yourself away!â
Wei Ying cringes, and Lan Wangji returns to holding him, his own anger fizzling out as he recognizes the feelings behind Jiang Wanyinâs.Â
âYou didnât expect to live this long, did you?âÂ
The Jiang sect leaderâs tone implies itâs not really a question but a realization, and Wei Yingâs flinch implies heâs right. Lan Wangji canât stop his hold from tightening on Wei Ying, Jiang Wanyinâs words making him feel ill.Â
He has known his zhiji didnât expect to live as long as he has, but neither of them has spoken of it. Wei Ying managed to survive Indoctrination and the Xuanwu, the fall of Lotus Pier and massacre of most of his adopted clan, the removal of his golden core, the fall and entrapment in Burial Mounds, the war⊠Lan Wangji hates that Jiang Wanyin is right in this, and hates even more that Wei Ying has faced so many situations that could have killed him.Â
âYou keep protecting other people, but you wonât let anyone protect you!â
Jiang Wanyin is practically panting in anger.
âYou always need to be the hero, Wei Wuxian! But all the heroes die!â
He sounds dangerously close to tears, and his words send a jolt of dread through Lan Wangjiâjust the idea of Wei Ying dying sends his stomach plummeting. He can feel Wei Ying shiver against him.Â
Jiang Yanli lets out a long breath, trying to compose herself. She gives Jiang Wanyin a warning look, and he scowls, looking away but clearly making an effort to calm down.Â
âWe can only move forward,â she says. âA-Xian will just need to learn to let us protect him.â
âHe is learning,â Lan Wangji tells her.Â
She manages a watery smile.
âWhen youâre hurt, it hurts us, Xianxian. Please let us help you.â
Wei Ying seems beyond words, and just nods. A tremor runs through him, and Lan Wangji knows heâs exhausted what energy he had left for the day with this conversation. His sister seems to sense this.Â
âA-Xian, you look tired.â
Again, Wei Ying only nods, but Lan Wangji is of the opinion there should be no more secrets.Â
âHe was nearly possessed by a resentful spirit a few days ago,â he supplies.Â
Jiang Yanli gasps, and he tries not to be pleased that she will want to fix this, too. It will strengthen her resolve.Â
âLan Zhan,â Wei Ying protests, but it seems more of a token protest.Â
âFortunately, xiongzhang was visiting. He calmed it with Liebing. There are now talismans where we sleep.â
âIt tried while he was sleeping?â Jiang Cheng almost demands. âIs it still so dangerous there?!â
âI fought her,â Wei Ying murmurs, almost petulant. âShe was liberated in the end.â
âNot the point, Wei Wuxian!â
âA-Cheng,â Jiang Yanli scolds. âWe can talk about this later. I need to change so we can go with him and talk to Wen Qing. I expect she will have more to say about it, as well.â
âJ-jiejie needs some items from the market, so we need to b-buy them before we go back,â Wen Ning offers.
Jiang Yanli nods firmly.
âThen weâll meet you in the market. And then Iâll be finally able to get a hug from my zhizi.â
A-Yuan beams at her, already recognizing himself as her nephew, and she stands and shakes out her cloak to don it. Jiang Wanyin packs the tureen back in the basket.
âGet this idiot to eat the rest of his bowl,â he says gruffly. âHeâs too fucking skinny.â
âA-Cheng, language,â Wei Ying says almost automatically.Â
âJiang-shushu said a bad word?â A-Yuan asks.
Jiang Wanyin looks almost panicked for a moment, then frowns.
âYeah, yeah, Jiang-shushu said a bad word. Donât be like Jiang-shushu.â
He gestures to the boy, who immediately climbs off Wen Ningâs lap and runs over, latching onto his leg, and he reaches down and rubs A-Yuanâs head affectionately.Â
âGet your a-die to eat the rest of his soup before he goes shopping, okay?â
A-Yuan nods emphatically, happy to be given such a task, then rushes to his a-dieâs side, climbing up onto the seat Jiang Yanli vacated.
Jiang Wanyin stares at Wei Ying for a long while.Â
âWeâll fix this. Weâll figure something out,â he says heavily. âI owe you.â
Wei Ying shakes his head, obstinate.Â
âYou donât. I owed the Jiang sect everything.â
That proclamation doesnât seem to sit well with his brother, who scowls.
âNo. No debts between family. Itâs not a debt I owe, and you didnât owe me your Golden Core. Itâs what you deserve as my brother. I let Jin Guangshanâs stupid mind games get to me.â
Jiang Yanli, back in her cloak, her wedding robes and headdress hidden, approaches him and touches his elbow, murmurs his name. Jiang Wanyin glances at her, and nods, taking the basket from her.Â
âWeâre the Twin Heroes of Yunmeng, Wei Wuxian, and our sect motto is to attempt the impossible. Weâll find a way.â
Jiang Wanyin sweeps out of the courtyard with Jiang Yanli, and Lan Wangji canât help but wonder if he spends his free time planning dramatic exits.Â
Wei Ying releases a long breath, sagging against him the moment theyâre gone.Â
âAlways needs to have the last word,â he murmurs.Â
Itâs almost a mirror of what Lan Wangji is thinking, and he canât help a huff of amusement. Wei Ying turns to him with a tired smile.
âAiya, all that was missing was a cape for him to swish dramatically.â
Lan Wangji has seen some of those capes, and can easily imagine such a thing.Â
âWei Ying also has a flair for the dramatic,â he comments.
âYeah, but I have style,â he retorts with a snort.Â
He turns to the soup, thankfully not needing prompting. Lan Wangji had expected it would have gone cold by now, but itâs still steaming. Likely the scent aroused Wei Yingâs hunger. He suspects the bowl has a talisman affixed to or carved onto the bottom, meant to keep the contents warm. Somewhat extravagant, but it allows his husband to enjoy hot soup even after all the arguing, so he is grateful for the forethought.Â
They will have some time, he knows. Jiang Yanliâs robes are intricate and will need to be removed with care to avoid damage, and the headdress will also be complex to remove. She will need to wash the makeup from her face as well.Â
Time enough for Wei Ying to finish eating, to dawdle a little while shopping to account for the exhaustion he undoubtedly feels, to take a breath before more difficult conversation.Â
They have time, a gift Wei Ying apparently didnât expect to have, and Lan Wangji will work to ensure he has much more.Â
The Twin Prides, after all, now have the support of the Twin Jades.
#the untamed#mo dao zu shi#chen qing ling#CQL#cql fanfic#cql fanfiction#cql fic#mdzs#mdzs fanfic#mdzs fanfiction#mdzs fic#untamed fanfiction#untamed fanfic#untamed fic#wei ying#wei wuxian#lan zhan#lan wangji#jiang yanli#jiang wanyin#jiang cheng#a yuan#wen ning#wen qionglin#my fanfiction
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MDZS but itâs Percy Jackson
Idk. Consider this PTâs coming out of retirement to make her last contribution to the fanfiction world. Will be moved to AO3 soon. Enjoy.
--
The new boy could shoot better than Wen Ning.
Wei Ying, everyone called him. The âyingâ stands for âbabyâ or âinfantâ; not âhawk,â as he first thought.
Strange. It was more a nickname than a proper name, but one look at his boyish, sunshine face, and it was evident that something more proper would be unsettlingly serious. He had a big, stupid grin that was equal parts coy and...more stupid.
âEarth to Lan Zhan.â
He startled. âGe.â
Lan Huan smiled at him indulgently, which Lan Zhan knew to be his big-brother smile before he thrashed him like a normal sibling. âIf youâre so into him, why donât you go make friends with him?â
âGe...,â he said, only changing the intonation half a dial.
Lan Huanâs smile changed serious, just a little bit. His eyes flicked towards the new boy, whose arrow flew across the sky, and struck the target deadâbecause of Wei Yingâs hawk-like eyes.
âA-Zhan,â he said. âYouâll be claimed someday, and move to a cabin other than Hermesâs, but they are still good to us for taking us in. And, it is prudent to have friends in other cabins. Heâs already made friends with those two from Apolloâs cabin.â
Lan Zhan felt his lips thin.
He didnât respond, didnât need to. But when it was his turn to shoot, and the new boy whooped for him and called him, âLan-er!â he did not ignore him; he spared him a glance, and then refocused on what was important there and then.
His arrow thudded into the target. Dead and center.
âWait, wait, wait,â Wei Ying said to a boy next to himâsomeone Lan Zhan had seen with him before, attached at the hipââlet me go again, Jiang Cheng. Let me go, let me go, let me gooooooo.â
âMy gods,â said the boy, rolling his eyes. âFine, if itâll make you stop whining.â
Wei Ying whooped; Lan Zhan hardly registered as he brushed past him to reach the spot he had been standing in seconds ago, because he was busy registering Wei Ying brushing past him. âThat was a good shot, Lan-er,â he said.
Lan Zhan bit. âHow do you know my name?â
âWho doesnât know the great and refined Lan Zhan, brother of Lan Huan, who sleeps across my bunk in the cabin?â Wei Ying asked, eyes sparkling with mirth, like a naiadâs. âThey say youâre the next Percy Jackson.â
Lan Zhan wasnât sure that he liked the sound of that.
Wei Ying winked at him, like a naiad trying to seduce him, and turned back to face the target, nocking his arrow. âçć„œäșèæčâïŒhe said casually, in their shared language.
Without realizing itâno one else was shooting on the range, all eyes on Wei Ying, so of course he would tooâhe obeyed.
Wei Ying had chosen a classic bow, all wood and strung with something hand-coiled. He stretched it back, all angles between the bow, the taut string, the cock of his arm. The feather of the arrow moved over his profile. It slid past his eye.
With a smirk, he released.
That was why he had chosen to take up Lan Zhanâs target...before anyone could collect the arrow Lan Zhan had shot. Wei Yingâs arrow touched the end of his in the blink of an eye; in another blink, it had pierced his through.
Wei Ying was not done. Before any demigod had the chance to bring their hands together, he had pulled and fired again, twice, three times, until there was a neat stack of arrows pierced together in a pile against the center of the target.
âYou can clap now,â he told the stunned demigods gathered around the range.
They did, breaking into claps. Wei Ying turned back, casting another glance at Lan Zhan.
Lan Zhan felt his breath catch in his throat.
â
It was the first in a series of episodes in which Wei Ying played a game of Rile Him Up, with Lan Zhan as the main goal. And each time, it stirred up a raw feeling in him that made him go absolutely mad.
âHe seems to want to make friends with you,â Lan Huan commented on their outing for strawberries.
Lan Zhan stopped their trudge up the hillâglide, more like, he refused to let his back bow more than necessary even on an upward inclineâto sweep the horizon, the valley in the sunset. It was an orange sunset today, drowning Camp Half-Blood more than the sparkling sea in the distance could reach.
âHe spilled my soup yesterday,â Lan Zhan said, and his older brother was kind enough to not add, But he immediately offered you his entire lunch and claimed he wasnât hungry anyway. No, he just let it hang silently in the air instead. Lan Zhan had the best older brother in the world.
âHe can be thoughtless at times, but still so thoughtful,â Lan Huan finally said, and this thought must have circulated in his mind for quite a while, because he said it after they had picked a basketful of strawberries in comfortable silence.
Sometimes, Lan Zhan thought he should be more talkative when they had these moments together; his brother was spending more and more time with that Meng Yao, also unclaimed, and if he were Wei Ying, he would probably be begging for Lan Huanâs attention back the way Wei Ying did Jiang Cheng. But he had such a secure attachment to his brother, who had been here when Lan Zhan was born silently as he lived. Lan Huan could go far, far away, but he would always come back for Lan Zhan to treat him with cold indifference. That was his love language, after all.
Why does Wei Ying want my attention?
Why does Wei Ying cringe at every mention of Cerberus, Hadesâs hound?
Why does Jiang Cheng keep telling Wei Ying not to bother me, but then roll his eyes and look at me like I was the one bothering them?
Why am I thinking so much about Wei Ying?
âDidi,â Lan Huan said.
Out of it, Lan Zhan found his brotherâs gaze. They were almost back at the Hermes cabin. âGe.â
He just smiled. Lan Zhan was not sure whether to be annoyed or endeared. Well, it was his brotherâso both.
The Hermes cabin was so loud this time of day, when everyone ought to be tired right before bed. But instead, it was crowded, and bustling, and there was one particularly guilty culprit in the middle of it all. Its name was Wei Ying, and its laughter could power an entire skyscraper in Monsters Inc.
Which he, of course, was narrating in great detail.
âMike Wazowski is a Cyclops with amnesia!â he argued, while Jiang Cheng hovered in the background, rolling his eyes.
âMike Wazowski took his girlfriend on a date to a sushi restaurant,â said another of the boysâNie Huaisang, an actual, born son of Hermes. There had been a vague sense that he and his brother, Nie Mingjue would take on the legacy of the Stoll brothers as Cabin Elevenâs co-head counselors...until Mingjue had been claimed by Ares.
It was none of Lan Zhanâs business, but everyone wondered what kind of woman had managed to snag both Ares and Hermes as fathers to her children.
âTherefore,â Huaisang was continuing, seeming almost offended, âwhy would he eat fish? Poseidenâs pretty much all of themâs dad, thatâs like eating his brother!â
âWell, yeah,â Wei Ying fired back, âthatâs why he doesnât know. Because amnesia!â
âThe body remembers when the mind forgets!â Huaisang responded. âJ.L. Moreno, the creator of psychodrama.â
âHow do you even know that, when you canât read?â Wei Ying fairly shrieked, obviously seconds away from calling his friend a nerd.
âYou and I both have dyslexia, you know we can still read a little!â Huaisang actually shrieked.
Lan Huan cleared his throat.
All heads turned towards them. Lan Zhan wanted to be the younger brother rolling his eyes right nowâLan Huan had stage presence when he wanted to, didnât he? But he had been taught to never, ever, ever roll his eyes, so he settled for giving everyone the cold shoulder as he walked away instead.
âWe have procured some strawberries,â Lan Huan said goodnaturedly, and the entire cabin exploded in the sudden rush to gently wrest them from him before they were all gone.
âMe first!â Huaisang said, drowning somewhere in the middle. âI want to give some to my brother!â
âThe Ares kids can pick their own strawberries!â Jiang Cheng huffed, strolling back to his bunk. He slept under Wei Ying. Wei Ying had the top bunk. And Lan Zhan had the next top bunk. They were next to each other.
Below him, the entire, considerable mass of Hermes demigods had turned into a sea of sardines. Had he and Lan Huan even picked enough?
Out of that sea exploded Wei Ying. âThere arenât anymore!â he exclaimed to the crowd that he was probably trampling his way out of right now. âNo more, no more...sorry, guys...â
âYou just put them all in your pocket!â one of the Hermes kids shouted. There was a split second of silence, before the shrieking cabin kids flung themselves at him. Those shrieks turned from accusing to disappointed as they realized...surprise, his pockets were flat and empty against his legs.
They pulled back, leaving him blinking innocently. âWhy would I do that?â Wei Ying asked, sounding offended. âWhy would I get more than my share? I donât even like strawberries.â
âUh-huh,â some of the demigods said, disbelievingly, but there was nothing else they could do. They drifted back to their beds, or the front stoop of the cabin, cradling their precious red-flavored catch of the day.
It was only once Wei Ying was left to his own devices that Lan Zhan turned his head to see him huddled with his brother and sister in the corner, gently pressing strawberries into their hands. Squint, and he could see them rolling from his sweater sleeves.
That clever little...
Truly, he was a son of Hermes. Lan Zhan could not wait until he found out who his father was, and he could finally go someplace where he would not have to hear Wei Ying snoring at night.
And yet, it was nine. Wei Ying was still huddled in the corner, giggling and whispering with his siblings. These sounds were keeping Lan Zhan awake, though his eyelids were heavy and he wanted to give in to that lull.
It was not until Wei Ying clambered his way into the bunk across Lan Zhanâs that his soft, happy snores filled their side of the cabin.
As he finally fell asleep, Lan Zhan realized that he had familiarized himself with the sound of Wei Yingâs snores.
â
Spring had finally burst into a full, ripened warmth that was gentle to them even at night. Wei Ying walked around in short sleeves now, which meant that he had to find a better way to hide things.
Lan Zhan sat by his brother as food appeared on his plate.
âAh, your favorite! Watery soup!â
He twitched. âWei Ying!â he said sternly, just barely stopping himself from covering his soup with his hands.
âAh, Iâm not gonna spill it this time, promise, promise!â Wei Ying said. âI said sorry for last time too, right? You can even have some of my food this time around! Or I could climb over and get some strawberries for you right now.â
Lan Zhan could feel his brotherâs gaze on them both. âThat will not be necessary,â he gritted out, picking up his spoon with deliberate care and slowness. And that would be the end of that.
According to him, not Wei Ying, who could not be stopped, âAh, but those strawberries you and your brother picked the other day were so good. And you never got to taste them? Whatâs the point of a climb like that if you donât even get a little bit? I could return the favor.â
âThat will not be necessary,â Lan Zhan repeated. Maybe it would make him finally go away.
And on it went, Lan Zhan falling silent, Wei Ying bothering him still until his sister called him away.
âSorry about that,â Jiang Cheng said, sounding not very sorry at all. âHeâs adopted.â
Suddenly, there was a hush.
Lan Zhan could not describe it if he triedâthe chattering camp fell silent, and he was compelled to follow. Nothing had happened. No sudden appearance of anything in particular. But he was sitting there next to his brother, all at once heavily aware of an uncomfortable silence.
He exchanged a glance with Lan Huan. It was not the sort of silence that led them to think there was some imminent attack oncoming, but he tensed slightly all the same.
At the front, Chiron stood, frowning slightly. He opened his mouth, but neednât have bothered.
It became coldâthe kind that felt like opening a refrigerator too fast on a steamy summer day. Lan Zhan was used to the coolness of clouds, but nothing like this. It was bone-deep, and that was how he knew who had come.
Not very far from him at all was Wei Ying, and Lan Zhan twisted his neck to see him let go of his siblingsâ hands; he was standing between them, now staring straight at Lan Zhan as though confused. His eyebrows furrowed as he opened his mouth to speak, but for the first time, nothing came out. Black smoke furled gently from his clothes, rising above him, curling its tendons around them all. Lan Zhan refused to recoil when one touched him, and his unflinching bravery was met with a brief sense of...something. Resentment, maybe. Something dark. Something deeper than he could understand, though he understood perfectly.
As the wisps caressed his hands, his face, whatever smoke rose evaporated into a cloud above Wei Ying, whose eyes still never left Lan Zhanâs. He was stark, stark pale next to the black, and Lan Zhan was sure he looked much the same way.
Eventually, the cloud coiled into a shape. A crescent, though it stood like a tree.
A hush, for real this time.
Chiron trotted forward.
âAll hail the son of Hades,â he said.
Wei Yingâs eyebrows dragged all the way up into his scattered bangs, as he finally blinked and looked around at anyone else that was not Lan Zhan.
Hades...the children of Hades rarely ever led happy lives, and yet here was Wei Ying, the brightest mark of light in anyoneâs life.
But his large, puzzled doe eyes snapped back to Lan Zhan. Some part of them, Lan Zhan realized with a startle, was accepting. He even saw the hint of a smirk scratching the edge of his lip, like the revelation no longer troubled him. Like he embraced it, was excited for it.
âA-Zhan.â
Lan Huan. And, not just him, or Wei Yingâwhen Lan Zhan finally looked around, everyone was staring at him now. And he saw why, because his brother must be mirroring him: The two of them were surrounded by a reddish-brown glow, that slowly melted away. Nothing had changed otherwise, but there was viscerally something differentâlike his brother stood taller, his chin tilted higher.
âOh,â someone gasped.
âAh,â said Chiron. âAll hail the sons of Aphrodite.â
â
[A/N: The âyingâ in Wei Ying is a homophone for âhawkâ and by extension, âeagle.â The more you know. I will be abusing the hell out of this wordplay.
This all started because of a talk I had with my good friend, whom I converted, and who I will love forever and ever. Crackhead culture? Mayhaps.]
#mdzs#untamed#wangxian#cql#ééç„ćž#éæ
什#percy jackson#pjo#rick#perry johnson#lan zhan#lan wangji#lan huan#lan xichen#jiang cheng#jiang wanyin#jiang yanli#wwx#lwj#wei ying#wei wuxian#chiron#fanfic#nie huaisang#nie mingjue#mike wazowski#he's here too#meng yao#jin guangyao#jgy
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Hi anon!! :) Iâm so thrilled to get a btsf ask because my brain has been on discordance waves for the past week. It really has motivated me to write more for btsf. Itâs turning into a such a complex plot that Iâm feeling a little daunted. Iâve got a lot of stuff written, bits and pieces... just not....chapter two >___>
Wen Qing and Meng Yao do not necessarily work together. For the most part, they are two independent spies existing simultaneously, each with their own agenda. Below cut is a little snippet of Wen Qing.Â
Warning: SPOILERS & graphic displays of violence.Â
Wen Qing doesnât burn. No Wen ever does.Â
Still, she winces when the tea touches her tongue, a degree left of too hot, ruining the flavour. Hissing in more annoyance than pain, she flashes a cold side glare towards the underling who brought her the drink. The boy lowers his head immediately, curling into a deep, embarrassed bow. His name is Wen Tinglu, and heâs even younger than her A-Ning.
She frightens him.Â
Wen Qing sets the ceramic cup down on the table with one hand, the dismissal in her gesture clear. It lands louder than necessary, eliciting a round of half-suppressed flinches from the Wen soldiers - disciples, a reminding voice whispers - waiting at her beck and call.Â
She frightens all of them.Â
Good.Â
Wen Qing inspects her nails, drawing out the suspense she knows is eating up those around her. Theyâre painted a nice dark red, a Wen red, and long too, not too long to be inconvenient, but longer than she wouldâve had them in the past. She has no use for short, sensible nails these days. Nails that short were meant to prevent injury when she bandaged patients, to not get caught on sutures when she stitched together wounds.Â
These hands do heal anyone anymore. Â
Across the room, her victim shivers on the rack. Winter rain in the south is a wretched ordeal. The poor thing is soaked through, dragged from the muddy ruins of their latest battlefield.Â
Wen Qing approaches him silently, letting her fingers gently caress the row of instruments she has ordered to be prepared and laid out neatly in clean, wooden trays. Theyâre thoroughly washed and soaked in alcohol daily, and in the flickers of firelight illuminating this dingy little countryside hut, the metal shines and glistens.Â
She sees the manâs gaze follow her movement, his eyes though drooping from exhaustion remained focused, unblinking. She sees him swallow and his body tremble. This time, she knows itâs not because of the rain.Â
From the colour of his tattered robes, she realizes heâs one of Nie Mingjueâs men. From experience, she knows theyâre hard to break.Â
No matter, Wen Qing always gets what she wants in the end.Â
She picks up a scalpel and puts it underneath his chin. The press of her hands is gentle as she lifts his face so he can meet her smile. âTell me, brave soldier, whatâs your name?âÂ
He spits in her face. A drop lands in her eye.Â
âDemoness!â
Her disciples lurch forward to defend her, but Wen Qing waves them off with a nonchalant flick of her wrist.Â
Dabbing her face with the edge of her sleeve, Wen Qing laughs. âYou make your Nie-zongzhu proud, I must admit. Iâm sure he wonât blame you for all that youâre about to tell me.â
âI will tell you nothing!â
Wen Qing flashes him her best and brightest smile. He is stunned momentarily, the full force of Wen Qingâs beauty giving him mental whiplashes. It must be disconcerting, she muses - fully aware of her appearance and its effect on the people around her - to see such a lovely smile on a such an abhorrent face, too beautiful surely to belong to a woman promising the most terrifying of ends.Â
âWeâll see.âÂ
The scalpel cuts down the prisonerâs sternum before he could speak another word, one long stroke from nape to navel. The cut is shallow, just a thin red ribbon rippling in its trail.Â
The man does not die, but he does scream.Â
From the corner of her eyes, Wen Qing spots the boy who ruined her tea sway from where he stands, probably imagining himself in this poor sodâs place. To her satisfaction, heâs not the only one who appears mildly green around the gills.Â
Wen Qing twists on her heels, swirling around almost dance-like. âWould anyone like to try?â She holds out the bloodied blade towards her disciples, waving it in a welcoming gesture at the myriad of other instruments available.Â
No one takes her up on her offer. She doesnât expect any of them to. Back in the early days when Wen Ruohan gave her free rein to form a team, she had chosen her men and women carefully. She picked the loyal, the humble, the competent, and even the brave, but she had searched into their eyes and made sure she could not detect any trace of blood-lust. Those, she argued, should be kept on the front line where the enemies are. The disciples at her side need to be efficient, obedient and nothing more. That, is paramount.Â
âUseless!â Her expression darkens, and her friendly, teasing tone vanishes in a heartbeat. âWhy does His Excellency even bother keeping you lot around? Get out.âÂ
Her Wen disciples do not need to be told twice.Â
âYou,â she stops Wen Tinglu. âBring me another cup of tea when Iâm done. Try not the ruin it this time.âÂ
âYes, Wen-guniang.â The boy bows repeatedly, backing out of the room and nearly tripping on his feet in the process.Â
Once she is left alone to do her work, she turns back to the Nie disciple. He has closed his eyes, trying, she imagine, to retreat somewhere deep in his mind where there is no pain. He will not have much luck with that.Â
She steps up close to him, so close she can smell the sweet metallic tang of his blood. âIt would be easier if you told me your name. Iâll keep you in mind, as I keep all of them in mind.âÂ
âGo fuck yourself, Wen Qing!âÂ
Wen Qing takes out a small vial from her robes. She let the darkness slip from her disguise just a fraction. âIâm sorry I have to do this, but this will help. Youâll be with your family soon I promise.âÂ
The prisonerâs brows furrow, and he struggles in vain as Wen Qing forces the liquid into his mouth and makes him swallow it.Â
âWhat did you just give me,â he pants, retching at the vile taste of the potion.Â
Wen Qing does not answer. She closes her hand over one of his and whispers against his ear.
âThe Sunshot Campaign thanks you for your service. Now, donât forget to scream.âÂ
And he does.Â
Half a shichen later, when the screaming and begging quiets, Wen Tinglu returns with a fresh cup of puâer. Wen Qing looks up from the meticulous washing of her hands as he enters, jittering and quivering, his presence announced by the cacophonous tune of the chinas clinking against each other in his tray.Â
The boy meets her eyes, then steals glance over her shoulder to the flayed carcass left on the rack. Heâs only just able to set the tea down on the table before doubling over and throwing up onto the dirt floorÂ
Maybe the pigâs intestine was too much...thinks Wen Qing, rubbing her arm where she has also made a cut into herself.Â
Each clan has their own collection of forbidden practices, some more than others. Wen Maoâs rise to power was not entirely achieved by following the path of righteousness. One does not, after all, defeat an enemy like Xue Chonghai without a deeper understanding of the other side. This kind of cultivation is bordering on the occult, and it demands a heavy price.
Wen Qing is completely depleted; she hopes it does not show. Her spiritual core has never been cultivated to be strained in such a way. She canât go on like this forever, she knows, but the war is far from over, and the path she has embarked on stretches endlessly ahead.Â
âBurn him. I want a clean finish,â she says to Tinglu and takes a seat. She drinks her tea and closes her eyes.Â
The boy does as heâs told, but he barely has enough gumption to grasp the torch and light the Nie discipleâs body aflame. It is no wonder then that he does not notice the protection talisman carved into the prisonerâs back.Â
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