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#and i think lwj should be allowed that

monsieurboyardee · 2 years

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I tweeted this when there was discourse about lwj playing inquiry for 13 years a la cql vs lwj moving on with his life a la mdzs/fan interpretation so here u go:

Hear me out hear me out, what if "hanguang-jun spent those thirteen years moving on from wwx and raising A-yuan" and "lwj spent 13 years playing inquiry on the guqin every night" are two ideas that can coexist?

Bc death is weird and hard especially when there's things you should've said or done that still weigh in you even years later, and it takes time to mourn and to grieve even when you've got other, more important things to be taking care of. Maybe after coming out of his three years of seclusion lwj did try to move on, to raise this kid and be a good father, to be a good brother and nephew, to be the second Jade of Gusu Lan. He went where the chaos was, he helped people, he lived his life. Even when wwx was alive they weren't attached at the hip. And slowly but steadily, he begins to move on because he is more than just his grief and his pain.

But at night, it's just him. The world is asleep, or getting ready for sleep, and he's checked everything off his to do list for the day. There's nothing but the silence in the Jingshi and the soft sounds of nightfall outside. And when wwx's death was still too recent, too fresh of a wound, lwj would sit and play Inquiry until his fingers bled over the strings, just in case his spirit was still out there, just in case he still has one more chance to say he's sorry. But an answer never came, and at this point he isn't expecting it to.

And he's been trying to move on, he really is, but sometimes it's the way Shizui smiles so so brightly and beautifully, sometimes it's when he's in caiyi town and he sees a bottle of emperor's smile, sometimes it's just when the night stretches on and all lwj can think about is wwx's hands on him, of his forehead ribbon in wwx's hands, of how he's so so fucking lonely despite everything because he's still kind of caught up in the idea of what might have been, what could have happened if lwj had just said what he'd wanted to say when he'd wanted to say it.

So he stores bottles of Emperor's Smile in his floorboards, and he sits up at night and plays Inquiry. As the years pass on he only plays it once or twice, but sometimes when the ache is too strong to sleep but not strong enough to put into words, he plays a few more. And eventually it stops being a way to call out to wwx and just one of those Things That He Does, as all people have--he holds his hand behind his back when he walks, he cannot handle his alcohol past one sip, and he plays Inquiry at least once a night every night before he goes to sleep. Because it's become a tradition of sorts for him, a way to rationalize and express his grief while still being able to go about the day and live out his own life. And so even when it stops being his crutch and just starts being his routine he continues, because it feels wrong to stop now and because he is Allowed to express every thing he cannot say in that short period, and he can quietly, secretly, say everything to wwx that he couldn't say before: I'm here, I'm here for you now, even though I wasn't there for you back then. And as the years pass and his routine continues, lwj learns to cope.

Until one day, thirteen years later, lwj hears an unmistakable melody floating through air and looks into Mo Xuanyu's eyes. And for the first time in what seems like forever, something slots back into place inside of him, a feeling that he had accepted and grown used to over the years rewritten over so quickly it would be astounding if he wasn't currently quite so distracted. And for the first time in thirteen years, lwj forgets to play Inquiry before he goes to sleep. Because for the first time in thirteen years, Lan Wangji can make things right.

#basically death is hard when ur a lan and u pick ur soulmate and that’s IT #death is weird ok and there’s no one set way to grieve #and i think lwj should be allowed that #bc that grief is a part of him #even after wwx comes back #mdzs #mo dao zu shi #wangxian #lan wangji #lan zhan #lwj pov #grief #cql #the untamed #wei ying #copy pasted this from my twit #ace’s archives

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shanastoryteller · 22 days

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

a continuation of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Lan Wangji wouldn't have categorized Jiang Yanli as chatty, but tonight there's really no other way to describe her. She talks at length about Lotus Pier, about the Jiang clansmen and her immediate family. That would be one thing, but she seems to forget that they don't have the same familiarity with these subjects that she does, mentioned names and places carelessly, as if they already have context for these things.

He doesn't know why Wei Wuxian would care about the minutia of Lotus Pier, but Jiang Yanli holds his complete attention. More than that, there are several moments when he has to bite his cheek to keep from laughing and at various points his smile can only be equaled to what he looks like when he's holding his children. If his husband looked at him with a tenth of that adoration, Lan Wangji doesn't think he'd have a complaint.

He prompts her to continue whenever she trails off, because as much as he wishes that he held Wei Wuxian's heart, he can't deny him the bittersweet happiness that conversing with Jiang Yanli seems to bring him. Lan Wangji should not be greedy. He knows the Patriarch's face, his voice, his affection. He's his husband and helping raise his children. It is not appropriate for him to want more than the abundance he already has.

It's nearing the end of the banquet, where mingling and drinking will take place and propriety won't allow Jiang Yanli to hold Wei Wuxian in place. She looks at him with a desperation that makes Lan Wangji feel bad for Jin Zixuan. "You know," she says softly, "years ago, before the war, before - a lot of things, I lost my younger brother."

Wei Wuxian goes completely, utterly still. Lan Wangji stares - as far as he knows Madame Yu has only ever had two children and Sect Leader Jiang is notoriously faithful, regardless of the state of his marriage.

"He wasn't mine by blood," she continues, as if answering Lan Wangji's thoughts. "But we grew up with him and A-Cheng and I couldn't think of him any other way. He was our first disciple and he and A-Cheng used to go off together all the time - but on our way to Cloud Recess, they got in trouble, and he led that trouble away so Jiang Cheng could escape and we never saw him again."

Lan Wangji remembers now. He heard about this then, remembers how Jiang Cheng's attitude had been near intolerable that summer. His heart sinks.

His husband can reanimate the dead, but not like this, there's nothing he can do for Jiang Yanli's long dead little brother.

"I'm sorry for your loss," he says to her.

She glances at him for only a moment, but when Wei Wuxian maintains his silence, her shoulders drop and she says, "Thank you," but it comes out more subdued than anything else had tonight.

Later, when they've retired to their room and he hopes Wen Qing and Meng Yao have done the same, and they're lying in the same bed with the darkness and the quiet between them, Wei Wuxian says, "He wasn't Jiang Cheng's younger brother."

Lan Wangji, just on the cusp of sleep, blinks several time until he feels more awake. "Excuse me?"

"The - the first disciple, of the Jiang," he continues, sounding very awake himself as he lies with his hands behind his head and stares at the ceiling. "The way she said it, it sounded like he was younger than Jiang Cheng, but he wasn't. He was older. Jiang Cheng was the youngest one."

"Ah," Lan Wangji says finally, "I see."

"Yeah," Wei Wuxian answers nonsensically, then looks over and offers him a weak grin. "Sorry. Never mind. Get some sleep, we have a long day tomorrow."

"Yes," he says, but it takes a long time for either of them to get to sleep.

#prompt answers #prompts are closed #asks #anon #untamed

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rhysiana · 1 year

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Because I saw a post about how modern AU WWX would probably actually be as tall as LWJ, if not taller, since so many modern AUs don't feature him suffering as much childhood privation as canon, which reminded me of another thought I have had, about how an early life period of interrupted growth can in fact just delay a person's growth spurts rather than eliminating them. Thus: WWX who gets confusingly taller after graduating from college.

3 People Wei Ying Talked to About Suddenly Getting Taller and 1 Person Who Definitely Noticed On His Own

[Now also on AO3]

Wen Ning

Wei Ying looked down at his feet, perplexed. "Wen Ning?" he yelled down the hall. "Did something weird happen to the washing machine that you didn't tell me about?"

Wen Ning popped his head around the door to Wei Ying's room. "No? I don't think so."

"Then why are all my pants suddenly too short?" A new thought occurred to him and he looked up, now delighted. "Wen Ning! Are you actually pulling a prank on me? I know I don't have all that many clothes, but still, this must have taken so much work! I respect the dedication." He held out a fist.

Wen Ning just blinked at him. "I think... maybe you got taller, actually?"

Wei Ying scoffed. "I'm way too old for a growth spurt. Seriously, did Nie Huaisang put you up to this?"

Wen Ning gave up arguing and simply produced a tape measure instead.

~*~

Wen Qing

Wei Ying burst into Wen Qing's lab, which he might have felt worse about if she hadn't been babysitting an experiment while no one else was around. He still received an impressive glare, but he didn't have time to worry about that right now.

"Wen Qing, I need you to test me for every weird kind of chemical exposure you can think of!"

She blinked at him, looking remarkably like her brother for a moment. "Wei Ying, you're in computer science. Exactly when do you come in contact with chemicals?"

"Uh. A leak on the science campus somewhere?"

"What is actually wrong with you? Tell me in the next," she glanced at the clock, "three minutes or leave."

"I apparently grew another inch in the last month without noticing. That can't be natural. I'm 23."

She stared at him for a moment, frowned, and then her expression cleared. "You said once that you had a bad time when you were younger. Stopped growing for a while."

"Why do you even remember that?" Wei Ying asked with an uncomfortable laugh, looking away. He must have been drunk; he didn't usually bring that time of his life up in any detail. It just made people sad.

Wen Qing turned away briskly, ignoring his minor display of emotion, and checked some readouts he was pretty sure hadn't actually changed in any way yet. "Well, that's why. Your growth spurts just got delayed, not erased. It's normal. I'll send you some references tomorrow."

He swept her up in a relieved hug. "Thank you, Qing-jie. Even if this does mean I'm not developing some weird superpower mutation."

She poked him cruelly in the ribs to get him to let go. "Go away, you're distracting me."

~*~

Jiang Cheng

"You what?!" Jiang Cheng demanded at full volume. It'd been a while since they'd managed to get together in person--Wei Ying had nearly forgotten how red with frustration Jiang Cheng could get.

Wei Ying grinned and bounced a little on his toes to really rub it in. "Grew another inch."

"No! This isn't allowed! The universe can't do this to me!"

"What's the problem, little brother?" Wei Ying edged closer so he could prop his elbow on Jiang Cheng's shoulder and really lean on him. "I think I should get jiejie to measure me again and mark it on the door frame. Really make it official."

"Don't you dare!"

"Why don't I ask her now, so she'll be all ready when we see her next weekend?" Wei Ying fished out his phone and then held it up over his head, laughing, as Jiang Cheng lunged for it.

Jiang Cheng's eyes narrowed. "An inch isn't really that much," he growled, and hooked Wei Ying's leg in a takedown they'd both learned when they were 11.

Wei Ying tossed his phone out of wrestling range and turned his full attention to finding a hold that would make Jiang Cheng tap out.

~*~

Lan Zhan

"Wei Ying."

Most people claimed Lan Zhan's voice (and face) didn't have any expression, but Wei Ying could clearly hear the shock underlying his name.

"Lan Zhan!" he returned brightly. "You're back! Did you have a good trip? You've been gone for months and months!"

Wei Ying was used to the intensity of Lan Zhan's regard under normal circumstances--one of the many things he loved about being friends with him--but he didn't think he was imagining that it was particularly intense today.

"It was as I texted you," Lan Zhan said shortly, and then, surprisingly, continued before Wei Ying could get a teasing reply in. "Wei Ying... did you get taller?"

"Oh, that!" Wei Ying felt himself start to blush, for some reason. "Yeah, I did. It was so weird at first, but Qing-jie assures me it's normal, and I've almost gotten used to it now. It was just an inch but I had to go buy all new... pants..." He trailed off as Lan Zhan pushed into his personal space much closer than he ever had without Wei Ying initiating it first, as far as Wei Ying could recall. "Hi?"

They were nearly chest to chest now, and he could see it when Lan Zhan actually had to tilt his chin up just a bit to meet Wei Ying's eyes.

"Hello," Lan Zhan said, grave and low and very, very focused.

Wei Ying wasn't entirely sure what was happening right now, but he was pretty sure he was into it.

#I dashed this off super fast #I invite other people to steal this concept #based on real life #wei wuxian #wen ning #wen qing #jiang cheng #lan wangji #a tiny hint of wangxian #modern AU #the untamed #rhys's stuff

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achillesuwu · 1 year

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I just found the citation "To become a god is the loneliest achievements of them all" (twofingerswiskey on tumblr) and let me tell you the RAW need I have to see this in a fanfic.

Idc in what form. give it to me.

I NEED Merlin (post canon or in canon, I DON'T CARE) who says that. I need Arthur talking about that powerful sorcerer, the God of the druid. I need him to ask to Merlin what do he thinks about this potential threat. I need merlin to say something like "if it's true he is a god I do not see why we should worry. If he wants to harm us he would already have done so" "Do you believe it?" "What?" "That he is a god" "I don't know, all I know is that to become a god is the loneliest achievements of them all" I NEED MERLIN PRE-REVEAL WHO TALK ABOUT HIS LONELINESS WITH ARTHUR

I need Luo Binghe who can not ascend and become a god like Shen Qingqiu can because he has demon blood. I NEED SHEN QINGQIU WHO GENTLY HOLD HIS HUSBAND CHEEK AND MURMURS "To become a god is the loneliest achievements of them all" (ofc LBH cries but what's new—)

I need dreamling idc who said this, I need Dream who did not tell Hob about who he is that say it. I NEED DREAM IN THE BEACH DREAMS POST WAKE WHO TELL THIS TO HOB. or OR I NEED HOB WHO REFUSE TO BECOME A GOD WHEN DREAM OFFER IT TO HIM

I DON'T EVEN USUALLY SHIP IT BUT Yue Qingyuan who say that to Shen Qingqiu (Shen Jiu) because he knows that SJ's cultivation is too broken to allow him to ascend (I usually ship Liujiu but sadly I don't think LQG would ever say something like that— WAIT A MINUTE : LQG BUT INSTEAD OF DYING IN THE CAVE HE DESTROY HIS CULTIVATION COMPLETELY, THEY AREN'T TOGETHER YET AND THE DAY WHERE THE PEAK LORDS ARE MEAN TO ASCEND LQG IS SITTING AT A TABLE AT A RESTAURANT BUT SJ COME AND BEFORE LQG CAN SAY ANYTHING SJ SAYS "To become a god is the loneliest achievements of them all" AND THAT'S IT)

WHAT ABOUT WANGXIAN!?!?! Immortal Yilling loazu, OR IMMORTAL LWJ IN AN AU WHERE WWX CAME BACK CENTURIES LATER, FOR THOSE WHO ARE "IMMORTALITY IS A SAD THING" ENJOYER : WANGXIAN WHO REFUSE TO BECOME IMMORTAL AND DECIDE TO GROW OLD TOGETHER WITH WEI YING WHO LAUGH AND SAY "To become a god is the loneliest achievements of them all, Lan Zhan, I would rather grow old by your side"

SO MANY POSSIBILITIES

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lancabbage · 5 months

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I go on twitter, see a bunch of twitter thread fics, roll my eyes and exit as fast as I can.

"He would not fucking say that..." Was all that echoed in my head.

Crazy take: WWX not being sure if he can trust LWJ during his YLLZ days... Excuse me? They seriously think WWX didn't trust LWJ at any point in his life? Have they even read the novel? I doubt it.

If they had, they would have noticed that WWX had given LWJ access to the mountain alongside his sect leader JC. No one else from his sect (bar JYL I'm assuming) could go up the mountain without being harassed by the fierce corpses guarding the base. So of course he trusts him! During his visit people should note he was not pestered by the corpses as he left. WWX did not command them or warn LWJ as they parted ways - because he had already given him access way before then. He actively added LWJ to the list of people allowed past his undead guards. He's not obligated to give him access like he is JC, he chose to because he trusts he would do the right thing. WWX even says/thinks as much during LWJ's visit there! He trusts him explicitly, he knows he is righteous and fair - it's one of the things he actually loves about him! So for WWX to say he needs time to figure out if he trusts LWJ - well that's just so ooc you might as well call him a different fn name!

#mdzs #mo dao zu shi #mdzs novel #wei wuxian #lan wangji #wangxian #yes... he thought lwj wanted to take him back to the cr for a while #but that was a misunderstanding and he assumed lwj thought he was evil #he thought lwj didn't trust him #but that never stopped wwx trusting lwjs moral code

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spriteofmushrooms · 7 months

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Gonna be honest, I just saw a SJ Stan bitching about JC being a horrible person and I can’t help but wonder if they have them flipped? I love SJ, but he was definitely a horrible person and all the traits they’re describing are ones JC actually has. But they were also saying LWJ should cut LXC out of his life because he allowed genocide and complaining that YQY was a bad person so I think I can safely dismiss their opinion.

First, you're always allowed to ignore people who hate Jiang Cheng and feel, for whatever reason, that you need to know this. (Unless they're your friend, in which case you should be like me pawing at my friend Salem's chat window, saying please please please be niceys to Yue Qingyuan, he has a whole entire brain damage cave!! while Salem rolls his eyes.)

Second, I think a lot of people want their favorites to not be complicit in the various war crimes of mdzs. Wen Qing ruled a territory during the occupation; Wei Wuxian tortured dozens and killed hundreds, if not thousands. Lan Wangji didn't speak up for the Wen remnants, but he was perfectly capable of saying Wei Wuxian wasn't disrespectful of Jiang Cheng (lmao) in the same meeting. Lan Xichen, head of a weakened GusuLan, at best deferred to Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangshan about placing the Wen survivors in the camp; yet he at least seemed willing to be persuaded about Wen Ning and Wen Qing before the avalanche that was post-Sunshot Chifeng-zun descended and Jin Guangshan took back the advantage.

Other than Mu Qing who has never done anything wrong ever in his life, every character in MXTX novels is fairly gray. Which is why I propose that each character must battle all of the others to prove once and for all who is the morally superior gay representation. Here is the scoring rubric:

killed nameless cultivators: 1 point/dozen

hurt Jiang Cheng's feelings: 100 points

torture (regular): 1 point

torture (misogynistic): 20 points

bullied Jin Ling: 20 points

be Jin Zixun: 1,000 points

ruined Nie Huaisang's treasured nonsense: 10 points

killed your dad: nil

killed kitties: 50 points

kept Nie Mingjue's head around (regular): 10 points

kept Nie Mingjue's head around (romantic): minus infinity points

participate in or benefit from a society that reinforces harmful hierarchies, unlike our modern societies which are all so good: 1,000,000 points

#pallas.rtf #mdzs #hi anon

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sonik-kun · 7 months

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I feel a level of accountability needs to be had amongst certain wangxian stans, particularly in regards to how some of them make us JC fans feel and have us reluctant to engage with the mainstream part of the fandom due endless hounding and bullying..

Yes, for Twitter users, this is about that one poll that is going around and the conversations I've seen amongst moots about the poll..

After reading what I've read this week.. I just need to get something off my chest about how icky this fandom is sometimes and how it has us JC fans feeling all the time. So bear with me whilst I rant. It's a lot to unpack, but it has to be said.. So here I go..

So for those who dont know, there's this poll going around on twitter for best DILF/MILF.. Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji both happen to be in that poll.

To both the surprise and excitement of us JC fans, JC is doing well.. However.. So is LWJ.. and so, of course, the possibility of them two coming head to head hangs over us..

And now, in the semi-finals, JC is up against Toji from JJK, LWJ is up against Loid from Spy x Family. It seems LWJ is going to win his.. and JC fans, as a result.. Have felt the need to step away and let Toji take the win.. In fear of backlash and what's to come for our fanbase, if LWJ and JC were to face each other in the finals..

Throughout the entire tournament, we already saw a few nasty remarks from these antis, rearing their ugly heads. So we could only imagine what it would be like should the two be put up against each other.

The fact that we as a fanbase feel the need to let another character win so our favourite doesn't recieve any backlash is both upsetting and really telling of what this fandom has been reduced to.

The fact of the matter is, it shouldn't have to be this way. Us JC fans shouldn't have to be afraid to vote for our favourite character, to see him do well and win and to enter his name or his ships into other tournaments. We should be able to enjoy ourselves and have fun, free of any fandom drama and bullying. The same freedom wangxian fans get to enjoy.

I know it's just a twitter poll, and it doesn't really mean anything, but.. It's just so disheartening seeing your moots feel that way about a character they should be allowed to enjoy.. Honestly, the whole thing has just left a bad taste in my mouth.. I wasn't really a fan of LWJ due to some of his fanbase.. But the nasty attitudes I've seen in this poll, amongst many, have only further solidified that stance..

To the kind and normal wangxian fans out there, I am sorry if you are reading this. I'm not tarring you with this lot. But I hope you all understand that this is the position of most JC fans rn. We do not trust most of you because, unfortunately, the toxic but very vocal minority speaks the loudest.

It really is ruining the whole fandom experience and making MDZS look like a joke and I think that is a conversation that needs to be had.

JC fans aren't the only ones who feel this way. Anyone outside of Wangxian feels very alienated by some of the fans of the main ship.

As a result, a lot of us are afraid to enjoy our characters the same way wangxian fans do.

No Wangxian fan would ever feel afraid to enter their fave into a mainstream poll, and rightfully so. So why should we feel afraid? Why can't we enjoy our characters the same way?

Sorry, this is all mostly me rambling, but.. I just couldn't sit there and not address all the ick.. Especially whilst I was having so much fun, seeing JC doing so well and my moots being so happy as a result..

Note: Just to make it clear, in case I haven't already, I'm not upset with the JC fans who chose to no longer vote for JC towards the end of the tournament. Giving all the bullying and backlash we receive, I can see why you wouldn't want him to win for that reason. A part of me felt the same way, too. I just wish it didn't have to be that way.. It just sucks to see that some people can't behave and let others have their fun :(

#mxtx mdzs #mo dao zu shi #mdzs #the untamed #the grandmaster of demonic cultivation #jiang cheng #canon jiang cheng #jiang wanyin #please.. mdzs fandom.. do better

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gentil-minou · 9 months

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Gosh I need to edit this more before I actually start posting but I'm just so excited so here's a preview of my wangxian OUAT au, featuring wwx as emma, lwj as regina, and ayuan as henry (though are veering far away from both canon in both cases so no need to be familiar with the show to enjoy)

----

The doorbell rings.

He blinks once, then twice. Wei Wuxian isn’t normally one to get visitors, especially at this time of night. He tries to remember if there’s a no-candle policy in his lease his landlord might nag him about when the doorbell rings again.

He scrambles to his feet and stumbles to the door, already preparing an apology for something he probably didn’t know he wasn’t supposed to do and another apology in case he did know. He opens the door and sees….nothing.

Until he hears a quiet cough and looks down to see a little boy.

At first, he thinks maybe he’s a trick-or-treater who got a bit lost, but Wei Wuxian’s building is secured with a key and callbox entry. Plus, although he’s been wandering streets alone since forever, he’s pretty sure a kid this young would have a chaperone with him. He looks behind the kid and doesn’t see anyone else there.

But instead of asking something sensible like where his chaperone may be or even if the kid’s lost, he blurts, “How did you get in?”

The boy tilts his head and replies, “The front door. It wasn’t locked, I just walked in.”

So much for secured entry. But that doesn’t really answer why there is a human child at his door at nearly midnight. There’s definitely a law somewhere that says that’s illegal, probably.

The kid, who can’t be more than ten years old and really should have learned about stranger danger by now, beams up at him, as if technical breaking and entering is something to be proud of. Which, okay, maybe Wei Wuxian is kind of impressed by that.

“Aren’t you going to let me in?” the boy asks, his smile so sweet and unassuming that before Wei Wuxian even realizes it, he’s turned to the side and let the boy in.

The kid is wearing a blue puffy coat and carrying a white backpack that has homemade floppy ears made of felt that make it look like a bunny. They bounce up and down as the boy walks inside and slips his shoes off. Wei Wuxian very maturely resists the urge to tug on those floppy bunny ears, though only just.

Shoes off, his socks patterned with fluffy white clouds, the boy turns back around to look up at Wei Wuxian. His entire face beams up at him as if he were a sunflower facing the sun, which wow what an ego-boost. He’s got dimples, little baby dimples that are very cute and look very pinchable but that doesn’t matter because there is a baby in his house! And okay he’s at least ten years old but regardless why is there a whole entire child in his apartment? What is one supposed to do when some random kid shows up at their doorstep and invites themselves in?

“Oh shit uh, wait not shit,” Wei Wuxian stammers. “Shit, sorry. Um. A drink, you want a drink?”

Ask the random child if they want something to drink, apparently. Perfect.

The kid nods, still giving him that doe-eyed look. Wei Wuxian doesn’t have much by way of child-friendly beverage options, but he wasn’t exactly expecting something like this tonight. He settles on milk that looks like it hasn't gone too bad yet. Besides, expired milk builds immunity and character in children, that's how it works, right? He pours a glass for the kid, making sure to give him the cleanest one even though there’s a tiny crack on the surface.

He guides the kid over to the coffee table and hands him the milk. The kid takes the glass and sinks onto the deflated beanbag while Wei Wuxian perches on the edge of the couch. He grabs a can of beer from the six-pack still on the floor beside the table and takes a sip. Wait, is that allowed? Can he drink alcohol in front of children?

The kid doesn’t seem to care. He takes a tentative sip of his milk and makes a very polite face that fails to mask his disgust, before putting the glass down on the table next to the forgotten cupcake. Fair, it’s nice to see him asserting boundaries and all that.

"Okay," Wei Wuxian says, amused despite the situation. "Who are you and why are you in my house at—" he checks his phone for the time"—five minutes to midnight on a Friday night?"

The kid doesn't answer right away. His eyes are still focused on the cupcake, but in a way he probably thinks is sneaky. Wei Wuxian tilts his head to get a better look and sure enough, there’s a furrow between his eyebrows like the kid is trying really hard to ask a difficult question. After a minute, it becomes clear he hasn’t worked out a nice enough way to ask, but it’s a good thing Wei Wuxian knows enough about being a hungry child to recognize one.

He nudges the cupcake over to him and says, "Help yourself." Immediately, the kid grabs the cupcake with all the care in the world, like it’s a priceless artifact and promptly devours it. Wei Wuxian can’t help but smile as he eats. Suddenly the cheap cupcake feels like an excellent choice.

When the kid finishes licking the last bits of frosting and crumbs off his fingers, he sits politely with his hands in his lap and looks longingly toward the kitchen. He’s still too nice to ask forthright, but Wei Wuxian knows better and he isn't a monster.

Wei Wuxian gets up and opens one of the cabinets to look for something that’s probably child-appropriate, pulling out a bag of his least spicy chips. Chips are made of potatoes which are vegetables which means it’s probably not that bad for kids. Either way, the kid takes the bag gratefully and eats the chips with relish, even though they’re definitely way too spicy for someone his age.

“Alright, alright. You’ve been fed. Now tell me, who are you?” he asks again, though he can’t stop the tiniest bit of fondness from creeping into his tone. It’s just that everything this kid does is so cute! He can’t help himself!

The kid stops eating and tries to speak, but what comes out instead are the quietest little coughs Wei Wuxian’s ever heard. He’s been eating these spicy snacks and slowly turning as red as they are, but he’s so polite he hasn’t said a thing about them.

All at once, Wei Wuxian realizes he likes this kid, despite knowing practically nothing about him. It’s strange. He hates the kids the customers at his job will bring sometimes, especially when their parents just let them loose like it's a daycare and not a coffee shop. Wei Wuxian isn’t mean or anything, it’s just that wrangling kids is way above his pay grade. He didn’t even get along with other kids when he was a kid. All the other foster kids stood clear of him pretty much as soon as the social worker told his foster parents he was known for being “emotionally dysregulated” and labeling him a problem child.

But this kid is different from all the others, even though Wei Wuxian can’t quite put his finger on what’s so special about him. He seems like the kind of kid who would politely ask for steamed oat milk and say thank you, then ask his parents to let him give Wei Wuxian the tip. When he finishes, he’d probably throw his trash out without anyone asking and call goodbye to him one last time before he leaves. Even just imagining it makes Wei Wuxian feel wistful for something he’s never really wanted before.

It doesn’t help that this kid’s got what must be the fluffiest hair he's ever seen, and those dimples! It takes all of Wei Wuxian’s self-control to keep himself from pinching those chubby cheeks.

He doesn’t quite succeed and leans forward anyway to ruffle the kid's hair. "Ask for water, you silly,” he says, already standing and heading back to the kitchen.

When he hands him the glass, the kid just looks up at Wei Wuxian with his big, bright brown eyes filled with wonder. He’s looking at Wei Wuxian like he has the answer to everything. Wei Wuxian doesn't, but it's nice to feel like someone thinks he knows what he's doing.

The kid drinks half the glass before clearing his throat and finally answering Wei Wuxian’s question. “I’m Sizhui, but you can call me A-Yuan. Or even Little Radish, if you want! You called me that before.” He says it all in one breath, practically vibrating with energy by the end.

Wei Wuxian pauses in the middle of taking a sip of his beer. He’s not sure why he would ever call anyone a radish, and he’s pretty sure he’s never met this kid before. Does A-Yuan have mistaken him for someone else? Could this kid have some weird memory loss, except one where he gains fake memories instead of losing them? It’s definitely not the strangest thing about this whole situation.

Like all problems Wei Wuxian doesn’t know how to deal with, he decides to ignore that for now and asks, “Okay, A-Yuan then, why are you here?”

“Because,” A-Yuan starts, leaning forward and looking at Wei Wuxian with all the seriousness someone pre-puberty could possibly possess. “I need your help.”

“…Okay…” Wei Wuxian replies. The world must truly be fucked if someone is coming to him for help. He hasn’t had a vegetable in a week, unless pizza actually does count. “What do you need help with?”

He’s expecting the kid to say something normal like “my homework” or “getting to the train station”, you know, normal things a kid would ask a stranger to help him with.

He’s not expecting A-Yuan to respond gravely, “To save the world and everyone we love.”

Wei Wuxian blinks, speechless. A-Yuan doesn’t seem to notice, continuing to speak as he lifts his backpack onto his lap and rummages through its contents. “My family’s in trouble, our family. Everyone we know is, and you’re the only one who can fix it. Look here, see, I’ve got this book, it’s all written here. There’s a curse that’s affecting everyone and we need to break it.”

He plops the book down on the coffee table. It’s not at all what Wei Wuxian expects. It’s hand-bound, with a simple red fabric cover that’s blank except for the title that’s written in Chinese calligraphy. It’s written entirely in Chinese, in fact, completely by hand with the same impeccable calligraphy. Inside are what appear to be a bunch of stories or folktales. There are beautiful gongbi illustrations on every other page, inked in bright colors with an incredible level of detail.

Wei Wuxian can’t help but be impressed. The book is something he would expect to see at a museum or in a period drama, not on his coffee table with its chipped surface and water stains.

A-Yuan flips to a picture of a man with long hair dressed in black and red robes. He’s playing a flute as shadows dance and twist around his frame. Then tendrils lift high into the sky and block out the sun. He’s standing on a pile of human bones, to really sell the whole villain energy this guy’s got.

A-Yuan points at the guy. “That’s you, you see?”

Wei Wuxian does not see, he’s pretty sure he would have noticed if his body was covered in shadows. Also, he would need way more conditioner for that length of hair.

The kid continues, interpreting Wei Wuxian’s stunned silence as something else entirely. “You’re the only one who can help them, who can save us all.” A-Yuan thrusts the scroll out to Wei Wuxian, who’s too floored to do much more than take it from him. “So, I’m here to bring you back.”

Wei Wuxian has to admit, the guy in the picture does look pretty badass. But it’s still just a drawing, and there’s little to suggest this looks anything like him at all.

He glances up. A-Yuan smile is so bright and excited that Wei Wuxian wishes he could feel his excitement too. The guy in the picture does look super cool, like someone he’d want to dress up as when he was A-Yuan’s age.

But all he feels is concern and confusion. Before, he was actually starting to enjoy spending time with this kid, but something is wrong, though it’s not what A-Yuan thinks. There’s a random kid in his apartment late at night, making up stories. And whether he likes it or not, Wei Wuxian is the adult here. He has to remember that.

“I’m sorry, kid,” he says, and the smile slowly drops from A-Yuan’s face and Wei Wuxian feels like the absolute worst person on the planet for doing that to him. “But I don’t know what this is, or who you are. I want to help, you’ve just gotta give me some actual answers. Where are your parents? Do they know where you are?”

A-Yuan looks down and mumbles, “I was so sure you’d remember if you saw this, if you held it.” He tightens the hands on his knees into fists and looks up at him with a startling conviction. “But that doesn’t matter. I know it, I know who you are. You’re Wei Wuxian. This is you. And you’re the only person who can save us.”

Wei Wuxian rubs his temples and contemplates chugging the remainder of his beer. He holds it in his hand, wishing he’d gotten another pack. “Look, I don’t know how you know my name, maybe you saw it on some mail outside or something, but—"

"You're my dad!” A-Yuan hastily interrupts. “That’s why, that’s how I know!"

Wei Wuxian drops the can. There's a splash of something spilling all over the carpet and he should probably make sure it’s not too bad. He's too busy trying to figure out how he could have a ten-year-old at twenty-five when he was definitely still a virgin at fifteen.

The initial shock slips away, leaving him only more confused. He raises an eyebrow at A-Yuan, willing him to explain.

"Not my real dad," A-Yuan says, rolling his eyes like somehow Wei Wuxian is the one claiming something impossible. "But you're my dad in every way that counts."

Wei Wuxian wishes he hadn't dropped his drink. He'd really like to take a sip of it now. And several more, maybe the rest of the cans, too.

This day needs to end. He should have stayed home and drank his way to oblivion, so he’d have been too far gone to answer the door in the first place.

TBC

#i need to remind myself it's okay if no one reads this #i have very little presence in this fandom #but im so excited for this au #mdzs #wangxian #mdzs fanfiction #mo dao zu shi #the untamed #wei wuxian #a-yuan #wen yuan #bushy writing #i need to throw this in the void and then not think about this post ever again sgfsdfjs #this first chapter is 10k words by the way which tells me its only going to get worse #apparently my idea of short preview is 2000 words oops #also i only did a cursery read through and brief error check so if there's something glaringly bad please tell me #im hoping to have the first chapter up sometime in the next week if you want to follow me on ao3!#okay now im gonna go melt away #how obvious is it that i haven't shared my writing with anyone else in over a year

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not-rude-ginger · 7 months

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I love your story"For what, for all but myself," it's so good! I do wonder though, what would have happened had JC actually died. Like we know what practically would have happened but grief is messy even at the best of times. I dunno I just like angst.

Ah, so you want the bad timeline! OK let me see...

The immediate fallout is WWX and JL screaming, crying, throwing up. The only thing the doctors can do is present them with Jiang Xi. JL takes him and holds him, thinking he's warm -- he holds JC's last warmth. He huddles around JX, and so we have the first split, because WWX is still wailing over JC's body, gabbling about ways the doctors should try to bring him back. However the doctors can't do anything more -- JC is already gone. WWX starts thinking aloud about how to reanimate him, but the doctors make it very clear they will not let him, and when he starts getting YLLZ about it, they point out that JC's will states that WWX is not to interfere with his body, and in fact is not allowed to have any involvement with his funeral preparations, because JC was afraid he would try something.

This shakes WWX deeply, that JC was so prepared for him, but he still fights LWJ trying to pull him away until one of the doctors knocks him out with a needle.

JL uses his fixation on JX to keep his grief at bay, so he sets about initiating the plans JC laid out. JSH is named sect protector, the other guardians are called to move into the family residence, and then JL announces the news to the sect, all the while still clutching JX. It's only when JX has to feed that JL can be persuaded to let him go and then when his arms are empty JL is overwhelmed with grief. He cries in JSH's arms and JSH's eldest daughter helps take care of him.

They keep WWX under while preparing for the funeral, worried what he might try. JL tells LWJ he must keep WWX from doing anything to JC, no matter how much WWX begs. They do let him attend the funeral and he's unable to keep his composure, everyone is afraid of him turning back into YLLZ.

LXC returns to seclusion following the funeral -- he put too much hope into the relationship he wanted with JC, and can't cope with the loss. NHS is full of regrets.

The rest of the Jianghu is reeling that Sandu Shengshou could stop the resentful cloud and save them all, but bled out during surgery. They eye JX in JL's arms with deep suspicion.

Once the funeral is over, WWX starts coping by fixating on JX, i.e. he doesn't cope at all and distracts himself. He hovers around JX all the time, won't let him out of his sight, sleeps next to the crib, follows the wet nurses around -- JL wants to stay and help, but he has to go back to LLJ as JC would have wanted so he has to say good bye and go home and grieve by himself. Except the other juniors follow him and stay with him in LL.

WWX stays in YMG, he won't leave LP, not even when LWJ is called back to CR to help LQR with running the sect because LXC is in seclusion again. Their parting is messy, not a break up but not a simple 'traveling for work' split either. LWJ is conflicted between his primal possessive jealousy and his basic decency that understands why this is the way things are. He can't even be angry that JC died, because he knows the man tried so hard to stay. He feels a grief he cannot process, for someone he did not like, but had come to somewhat respect and recognise how important their existence was for the running of things.

YMJ is desperately grieved by the loss, the kids are all crying, the disciples insist on bowing and mourning the correct way over and over. Some ask to travel, others want to stay and make sure nothing bad ever happens to their precious new sect leader. JL visits frequently, bringing gift after gift because he feels it's all he can give. Eventually Granny has to tell him Tadpole needs no more new things, he needs JL to be his tangxiong, who will tell him what it was like to be parented by JC when he's older, who will hug him and tell him he's brilliant and brave, just like his a-die.

Much like with LSZ, WWX is more of a fun uncle than a guardian Bobo, although he does learn how to change a nappy, burp the baby and rock him to sleep. When he's not looking after JX, he's working with the Plum Blossoms on new defenses for the sect, he goes to Conferences and watches the other sect leaders with deep suspicion, waiting for one of them to slip and expose their nefarious schemes for YMJ.

Still, as he gets bigger and goes from baby to toddler to child, JX is a source of great joy for many. He reminds Granny of JC at that age, everything he does is amazing for WWX, who sees so much of JC and JYL in him, and after being involved with his rearing, even from afar, JL decides to find a wife and raise a family, making sure that JX is close with his cousins.

They never stop missing JC, his absence is a physical thing, but JX was a worthy thing to die for, and exactly the sort of thing JC would die for. JX sometimes feels overwhelmed by the feeling he should be filling in all the gaps JC left behind -- especially with WWX who seems to sometimes forget that JX is not JC. However JL, who knows that feeling, makes sure he knows they don't expect it, and if they do, it's not his problem.

As he becomes a teen and goes to CR for lessons, some of his peers are suspicious and nasty to him because of his origins. They don't know whether to call him a bastard or abomination, but YMJ's disciples and then LWJ when he overhears, step in to punish and correct them. WWX returns to the Jingshi so he can be nearby if JX needs him.

JSH runs the sect very well, they don't have the same micromanagement habit of JC, but they helped him build YMJ into the smoothly running machine it is, so they simply continue the pattern, always thinking about how JC would handle a situation before acting. They hold onto the role of protector until JX is 21, allowing him time to mature. With JL now grown and a father, and an experienced sect leader, they keep the balance in the jianghu - not that LXC or NHS are in any way interested in messing that up.

Ultimately JX grows up pretty well, venerating the father who died for him, taking on the lessons of JSH, Granny, LH, WWX, JL and everyone else who helped raise him to become a sect leader JC would be proud off. He looks so like his father, but his personality is much softer, unafraid to show his feelings in a way JC never was. JC would say his son is the better version of him -- the kind his own parents would be proud of.

#for what for all but myself #ideas #sad timeline #jiang cheng #jin ling #wei wuxian #asked and answered #the untamed #mdzs

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tbgkaru-woh · 1 year

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Heyyyy I read through your chengxuan comic "Pride of Jin" and I loved it!! Just wondering if you have any thoughts as to what happens after chapter 10 when wwx is resurrected?

hey, glad you liked it! I always have thoughts, many thoughts! I actually wanted to do an epilogue comics but didn't find the time/energy for that specific thing. Whether it's fair, good or bad, the endings for all characters got changed majorly: JGY gets to leave with his mom's ashes and SMS (Su Minshan) accompanies him on his travels to somewhere where JGY won't be recognized and can start a new life LXC learned about NMJ and JGY in a less stressful situation, in a situation where JGY was no longer in the picture to twist the knife that true stabbed in him, but instead of brooding solitute, he reverts to less healthy coping mechanism - feeling so guilty for not trusting NMJ regarding JGY, he wishes for nothing more than to be able to fix this mistake. goal that aligns with NHS's, who shares that WWX "owes him" bringing NMJ back. WWX doesn't want anything to do with that life again, but NHS finds a big appeal in it and WWX basically teaches NHS ways around demonic cultivation, just so NHS can get his brother back. NMJ gets "brought back" but isn't as controllable as he should be, NHS keeps NMJ in chains but keeps him close, dressed up with his hair styled again, always by his side as he leads the Nie clan in a way where it's less him being part of any events and more in the "don't fuck with Nies, we literally have feral fierce corpses". WWX, JC and LXC are the only ones allowed inside the walls, LXC visits often to play soothing music to NMJ and talks to him, trying to bring the "human" part of him back. WWX and LWJ still get together but it doesn't leave LXC alone, jgy dead and yi city boys destroyed so i call that a win. didn't have many thoughts on their endgame though. and Yi City, i couldn't decide if i'd give xue yang the ability to have both song lan and xiao xingchen by his side as fierce corpses, OR if i'd still have him try and bring XXC back as SL is loyaly by his side as a fierce corpse without wangxian ever interrupting, OR if i'd have Song Lan never find XY and XXC and they'd continue living in their bliss (and i don't want to think of the tragedy i'd throw Song Lan's way to make that be the case :') ) JC and JZX still each have their sect but they have a publicly acknowledged bond/allyship where they may as well work as a unit. JZX finally rules the proud Jins in a respectable way and the Jiangs are stronger than ever under JC's leadership, to the point where Yunmeng becomes the prefered location for new disciples to enlist. JC gets the validation he deserves without being in WWX's shadow and JZX finally turns anew leaf on Jin's-not-so-great track record. And the Juniors, i'd love to explore their together times during studies, not unlike the main characters in their Gusu days, until eventually, i will do a timeskip with them all grown up, causing both mayhem but also being the heroes no one asked for but we all deserve, this DND adventuring group

#this is long i apologize #please feel free to ask thoughts or headcanons on any ship or scenario i LOVE doing these #hcs #mo dao zu shi #mdzs #the untamed #pride of jin #chengxuan #suyao #nielan

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thepurplewombat · 9 months

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For the violence ask game, can I request your answers to numbers 3, 10, 14, 21 and 22?

ooooh lovely choices here!

3: screenshot or description of the worst take you’ve seen on tumblr

Oh, god, there are so many. But I think the worst and most frustrating ones are related to Jin Guangyao and Mo Xuanyu. I've seen a number of people say things about the whole thing being a lie from JGY's end to discredit MXY, and I've even seen some that called JGY a groomer, and tbh, it makes me sick on multiple levels. Allow me to explain:

So first of all, denying that MXY really did what he was kicked out of JLT for completely ignores some of the only things that we know about him from his own words (filtered through WWX of course, but isn't everything?). On Page 19 of Volume 1, WWX is reading MXY's demented scribblings and comes across the part where he is talking about having been kicked out of JLT. It is never mentioned that he feels resentment for this, or that it was all a lie - and if there is anywhere that it would say outright that MXY was angry because he was falsely accused, wouldn't it be in the private ramblings hidden in his own room?

Second of all, if JGY had really fabricated rumors that MXY had harassed him in order to get him kicked out, he would have had his own wound on WWX's arm. Which, let me be clear, he does not. We're talking novel canon here, and in the novel, all the wounds close once the Mo family are dead.

Third of all, I find it sickening because it is part of a pattern of placing JGY at fault for sexual and other violence committed against him. He was harassed by his own brother to the point of forcing him to expel him from the clan, he ended up married to his own sister - neither of those were his fault, but people tend to look at these situations and have just the most absolutely dumpster-fire rancid takes, like JGY committing sexual assault against Qin Su (he didn't - once he knew about their relationship he never slept with her again, and while yes, he should have told her the truth about why, his reasoning is completely understandable), or being into incest etc.

Actually also a lot of takes wrt JGY and sex are pretty rancid, but I think the MXY thing is the worst, and it keeps coming up and make me want to set the whole tag on fucking fire.

10 - worst part of fanon

There are a lot of fanon takes that annoy me - WWX is good at diplomacy, NMJ is a fluffy cuddlebear, LXC is a himbo, but none of them quite make me want to Hulk Out as bad as fanon JGY, who is essentially just JGS in a funny hat.

You want an uncomplicatedly and unrepentantly evil villain to pin your hate on? JGS is right there.

You want a rapist who never shows an ounce of regret? JGS is right there.

You want a monster who ordered human experimentation with resentful energy to be done? JGS is right there.

You want the author of all of WWX's post-Sunshot misery? Jin Guangshan is RIGHT FUCKING THERE!

But no, we're gonna go ahead and pin all of JGY's father's crimes on him.

ugh.

14 -that one thing you see in fics all the time

oh god, if I could have a penny for every time I have seen surprise villainYao in a fic tagged with xiyao I would be so rich. It's especially frustrating when it's in a modern AU, when a lot of the pressures that caused JGY to do the shit he did just didn't exist. With a lot of modern AUs you can't even say 'cool motive, still murder' (a valid take on JGY tbh) because 90% of the time he doesn't even have a motive? He's just out there killing people for shits and giggles and I'm like, 'You're thinking of Xue Yang. This isn't JGY, this is Xue Yang in a funny goddamn hat.'

21 - part of canon you think is overhyped

I've been sitting here for ten minutes trying to think of a specific part of canon that's overhyped and not just annoying to me personally, and I can't really think of anything? Like, there's this perception in fandom that LWJ is a loving and caring brother who did a lot for LXC, and that pisses me off because he is the worst didi in a work full of bad didis - JGY killed his elder brother, and still managed to not be as terrible a little brother as Lan 'abandon my brother who's just killed his best friend of twenty years with his own two hands to go fuck Wei Wuxian under a bush' Wangji. But that's annoying because it's wrong, not because it's overhyped, so I'm just gonna go with a big old 🤷‍♀️here.

22 - your favorite part of canon that everyone else ignores

I mean, I don't think it's ignored necessarily, but I would love for more people to pay attention to the fact that WWX literally made Wen Chao eat his own flesh, and that was really gross and horrible but also very sexy of him.

Because like, a part of the appeal of WWX is that he is legitimately monstrous. He does absolutely monstrous things during the Sunshot campaign, and people are right to be afraid of this extremely powerful and unpredictable person who commands the goddamn dead. But WWX is like an example of how you can be a monster but also try to be a good person, and a lot of people strip a lot of the complexity out of him by making him a Manic Pixie Dream Necromancer who's like, a little quirky but ultimately cool, and no, fuck that noise.

Wei Wuxian was a monster. He became a monster in response to the pressures of the war and his massive pile of untreated PTSD, but he was so terrifying that for a moment while I was reading the rescue of the Wen, I wasn't sure that they were going to go with him. And I wouldn't have blamed them for a second because this is the man who nearly single-handedly destroyed their clan, slaughtered their friends and families, and then commanded their corpses to slaughter even more. That's fucked up and villain behaviour, and nobody would have blamed the Wen for preferring the ordinary human torture and death and murder over whatever Wei Wuxian might choose to do to them. At least once the guards killed you the torment was over.

But a monster isn't all he is. He tries to do the right thing, he tries to be good, and while it doesn't solve the situation, it does mean something. Wei Wuxian's story is the story of a man who covered himself in blood to save his own life and the lives of others, and then found out that sometimes you don't get to go home. Sometimes the blood doesn't wash off and you spend the rest of your days with the shadows of your past hanging over you.

But he still tried! He still tried, and in the very end of the story, he is free, and happy, and loved.

But removing his darkest moments takes so much away from the light at the end, renders it so much less meaningful without the contrast of his darkest times.

Thank you for playing, sorry that my answers are so damn long, but apparently I get wordy sometimes!

#Wombat answers asks #wishthefish #jin guangyao #wei wuxian #yep I chose violence today #LWJ is the worst didi fight me

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drwcn · 1 year

Text

《WITHOUT ENVY》 STORYBOARD 20 - SERIES COMPLETE!!!!

cql au: concubine/sleeper agent!wwx & prince!lwj

[storyboard 1] [storyboard 2] [storyboard 3] [storyboard 4] [storyboard 5] [storyboard 6] [storyboard 7] [storyboard 8] [storyboard 9] [storyboard 10] [storyboard 11] [storyboard 12] [storyboard 13] [storyboard 14] [storyboard 15] [storyboard 16] [storyboard 17] [storyboard 18] [storyboard 19]

Snippets chronological: [5] [10] [2] [6] [6.2] [1] [3] [4] [7] [8] [9] [11] [12]

Final Storyboard 20 Undercut! a bit long since it is the last one. Sorry it took like 8 months... I am a baby doctor and am off doing busy baby doctor things (as in i am junior, not that i'm a neonatologist)

The Emperor, the Consort, and the Concubine:

Like Lan Wangji, Lan Xichen was having relationshp problems of his own. For months after the war, he did not visit Meng Yao, nor did he strip him of his title and rank. Instead, Meng Yao was allowed to carry on living as though nothing had changed, for on paper, nothing had. Still, the ears of the palace had caught wind of the Emperor's changed heart, and of the sordid truths from Meng Yao's past.

Nie Mingjue knew better though. He knew the real reason why Lan Xichen was angry was not because he found out that Meng Yao was the son of a prostitute, but that he had organized and ruled over an entire secret military operation behind Lan Xichen's back. He had everyone on his team: Lan Xichen's uncle, Lan Xichen's husband, Lan Xichen's courtiers...everyone except Lan Xichen himself.

Ultimately Lan Xichen was just hurt by Meng Yao's lack of trust. Nie Mingjue, not wanting to see the two men he loved the most hurting like this, did his best to play the mediator, helping Lan Xichen to understand Meng Yao's reasons. See [Snippet 11].

Yes they reconciled. I'm not crazy, this is a happy story with happy ending for my little meow meows. [Snippet 12].

Hanguang Manor aka all was not well in the state of denmark

Lan Wangji's visit to the Imperial Prison left him in a state of emotional disarray, having discovered the truth about Wei Wuxian's role in the war. As with most things that didn't involve war and battlefield, Lan Wangji's only source of pragmatic advice on how to manage his otherwise clusterfuck of a private life, is his wife.

The candle was burning low in the princess consort's chamber by the time Lan Wangji stumbled through its threshold. Jiang Yanli looked up from from where she was waving a fan slowly beside a slumbering A-Yuan, drool dripping sideways onto his cherub cheek.

"Dianxia..." Jiang Yanli rose to her feet. She stood in her socks, having already dressed down for bed. "A-Yuan was particularly clingy tonight, threw a bit of a tantrum, so I -"

"It is no matter," Lan Wangji shook his head. "I should not have interrupted, I shall return to my own chamber -"

"No, please, stay. There's much we need to discuss." Gesturing at her handmaiden, Jiang Yanli gave instruction to move the little princeling to his own suite. The toddler whined a little when he was lifted into the handmaiden's gentle and practiced embrace, but otherwise remained utterly oblivious. His mother soothed him with a light kiss to his temple and bid him off.

Lan Wangji approached his heir before the maid carried the boy away. He remembered the night Lan Yuan was born and recalled Wei Ying's absolute delight - Lan Zhan, look how adorable he is! I don't mean to play favourite with the children but I think this one is going to be special - aww he yawned. Oh! And he has your nose. Out of his three sons, A-Yuan was the one Lan Zhan knew the least. For the majority of his short young life, Lan Wangji had been away at war. He had once believed when A-Yuan was born that he would grow up raised by all three of them: Yanli, Wei Ying and himself, but now...

"Is it true, what A-Cheng said earlier about A-Xian?"

"It is."

"And what will happen to him?"

"I went to the Ministry of Justice. I..." Lan Wangji stared helpless at his wife. The negotiations for the release and exchange of the prisoners of war were still being deliberated by Qishan's ambassadors and Gusu's Secretariat, but that only meant Wei Ying's days were numbered. "I asked to see the list of prisoners who could potentially be traded. Wei Ying's name was not there."

"What...what does that mean?"

"It means Qishan has discarded Wei Ying, left to Gusu's devices. And I know the court is going to seek justice. Except they do not know that it will be a false one."

Jiang Yanli had always been a meek and obedient girl, but her fortitude and poise throughout the war effort had demonstrated to the world that she was a fiercer woman than anyone ever given her credit for. A fact her husband already knew, which is why she was the only one he trusted to be completely and unquestioningly on his side in his moment of need.

The merits of her character, the fruitfulness of her pregnancy, and the contribution of her maiden familly during the war all came together to supply her elevation from deputy consort to princess consort. The imperial decree came just days after Lan Wangji's victorious return. Jiang Yanli was named his legal wife, the lady of his princely manor, the mother of his heir, just as they had planned all along. Theirs was no love match, but she will be his Empress one day, his partner on the throne. They understood each other well, and Lan Wangji knew that Jiang Yanli would stand with him to fight for Wei Ying. After all, her devotion to her family was absolute. And Wei Ying... Wei Ying was her family, and from the looks of it, she had believed in him even when Lan Wangji himself didn't.

"Tomorrow, dianxia, tomorrow, you and I will go to court and beg our royal brother for clemency. If he knew the truth, if he knew all A-Xian had done for our country, for you, if he knew his love for you -"

"I cannot speak on that, he - tonight -"

"Don't be a fool, my prince. Oh what am I saying, you're both fools. Wei Ying, that idiot boy, of course he would deny everything now. But if you doubt him, doubt his devotion to you, after everything he's done, then perhaps you are an even bigger fool than my brother."

Morning came and brought thunderous summer rain, but despite the downpour, Jiang Yanli and Lan Wangji donned their official courtly robes of prince and princess consort and set off to see Lan Xichen. But Lan Xichen was not in his usual imperial study, nor in his official palace of work. Instead, his brother and sister-in-law found him and Nie Mingjue in Fangfei-dian (Fangfei Palace), alternating between handling court matters and serving at Meng Yao's bedside. Unfortunately, their uncle Lan Qiren was also there.

"I am sorry, Wangji. You were never meant to find out this way." Lan Qiren sighed, dropping his tea cup onto the table with a resigned clang. They were in the zhengtang(1) of Fangfei-dian, away from Meng Yao's private quarters where he rested. Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren sat at centre front, with Nie Mingjue looking caught in an awkward position to the left. "Get up, up!" Lan Qiren urged, frowning most disapprovingly. "What are you doing, kneeling there like that in your full regalia, completely inappropriate -"

"Not until bixia has agreed to reveal the truth." Lan Wangji remained unyielding, presenting the silk-bound parchment of his letter of submital with upturned hands, elbows defiantly straight. The letter detailed Wei Wuxian's true allegiance throughout the war, written by his hand and cosigned by himself and Jiang Cheng.

"Hmph!" Angrily, Lan Qiren slammed the table. "Forcing your soverign's hand? This is sedition!"

"You are not the soverign, huangshu!"

Even Nie Mingjue appeared surprised at Lan Wangji's raised tone of voice. For a taciturn and laconic man, this was entirely out of his character. Lan Xichen rose from his seat, for he knew better than anyone present, that this was his baby brother being pushed to his limit.

"Wangji-"

"I beseech you, bixia, huangxiong -" Lan Wangji's voice wavered.He raised his eyes from where he had fixed it upon an indeterminate point ahead of him and gazed up at his older brother desperately. "Da'ge... please."

"Do you understand what you're asking your huangxiong to admit to?" Their uncle interrupted them, but with a softer tone this time. "To create the illusion of Wei Wuxian's alligence to Wen Ruohan, we've had to... make sacrifices of our men, our soldiers, sons and brothers and fathers who now can no longer go home to their families. Their sacrifice earned us the peace we have today. You would have your brother, the soverign, making such an admission which would undermine his rule at a time when this country needs stability and hope! You would, for one man, have the entire country question Xichen's integrity, his judgement, his character when he is the most blameless of us all!"

The hall was silent for a long beat.

And slowly, Lan Wangji lowered his arms, his submittal dropping to the floor. Jiang Yanli reached for him, hesitating, "Dianxia."

When no one spoke further, Jiang Yanli looked fully ready to pick up the submittal and continue where Lan Wangji had failed. But it was not necessary. Her husband stilled her hand and said without looking at anyone this time: "You are right, huangshu. Huangxiong is innocent, but Wei Ying was not the one who orchestrated those underhanded schemes either, was he? You and I both know, huangshu, which mind - mastermind - was behind it all."

Lan Xichen's expression stuttered, the worry and empathy in his eyes cooling and overtaken by another kind of emotion, something thicker, darker. Behind him, Lan Wangji saw from the corner of his eyes Nie Mingjue's fist tighten anxiously.

"Hanguang-wang -"

"Do not scold him, Da'ge. He is right." Meng Yao voice came from the doorway. He was dressed in mere sleepwear, hair half bound, with a cloak draped over his shoulders, the edge of which was damp with rain despite the umbrella Hengsheng held overhead.

"A-Yao," Nie Mingjue hurriedly helped him into the room and chastised without much heat. "You should be resting."

"I am rested enough. And it's true what he says. I was the one behind it all."

"No." Before either one of Meng Yao's lovers could protest, it was Lan Qiren who disputed his claim. "What you did was brokering an agreement with Dafan-junzhu Wen Qing to protect Gusu, supplant Wen Ruohan and replace him with her father. You did it with the full knowledge of myself, the late Marshal Jiang and Mingjue. And believe me, A-Yao, I had you investigated extremely thoroughly, and I am satisfied to say you did not act against Gusu's longterm interest in any way.

"We cannot reveal your bargain without compromising the identity of the other party. We promised Wen Qing that her father's rule would not be stained by treason, collution with outside forces, and kin-killing. Qishan needs peace and time to heal as much as we do. Dafan-junwang will make a good soverign for his people, and a good neighbour to Gusu. For the sake of our citizens, we cannot risk Qishan's court finding a reason to despise and dispose him.

"That aside, whether Wei Wuxian eventually worked for us or not, it is undeniable that he had stolen the defence plans for Yiling which directly led to the massacre that happened and Qishan's subsequent occupation there. He did that of his own volition, for Wen Ruohan. Not for us. If nothing else, he still has to answer for that, and that alone is enough to cost him his life."

Lan Wangji rose to his feet, Jiang Yanli in toll. There was anger and tears unshed in his eyes, but the way he breathed harshly signalled to all those present that he knew he had lost this fight. He watched his brother take Meng Yao's hand and Nie Mingjue's protective paws curling around Meng Yao shoulders.

Meng Yao stared at him. There was pity in his eyes, but no remorse.

Lan Wangji's knuckles turned white.

Jiang Yanli saw it before anyone else. He wanted Meng Yao dead, but he left wordlessly nonetheless. Out into the pouring rain without another look.

His wife picked up the letter of submittal and sighed. "That night, as I understand it, A-Xian had every intention of leaving Gusu and abandoning Wen Ruohan's mission. He no longer wished to fight for any side. It was Lianfang-jun who convinced to him stay. Of course I am happy that my brother, my mother, and my son are all alive today, but sometimes I wonder if A-Xian had just left, perhaps that would've been okay too. I think my husband could've lived hating A-Xian forever, but this...this I don't know."

Jiang Yani collected her self, placed her hands together and dipped into a proper curtsy. "I shall take my leave, and bid you well."

Notes: 1) zhengtang 正堂 - a traditional chinese home, from as small as a peasant's home to a palace, is actually multiple independent houses/structures within one courtyard. This courtyard can be quite complex with multiple inner sections but ultimately the perimeter is a square or rectangular wall enclosure. Each independent house within the courtyard has its functionn. A sleeping quarter is usually in the inner most portion, while a zhengtang is the front and centre house where guests are received formally.

The Execution and Other Related Shenanigan:

Wei Wuxian was scheduled to be executed in the fall. And so began a month long cold war between Lan Wangji and the rest of the Lan family. He shut himself away and refused to see anyone. Jiang Yanli, Luo Qingyang, and Qin Su became increasingly concerned.

"If Wei Wuxian dies, forgive my inauspicious words, but I fear dianxia will do the unthinkable." Mianmian whispered to her harem sisters on a hot summer night when their children were asleep. "I mean...there's a family history of Lan men throwing it all away when their beloved dies, especially when there are an abundance of heirs and regents."

In addition to Lan Wangji thinking daily of just offing himself, Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng decided - fuck it - they were gonna storm the execution site and rescue Wei Wuxian because to hell with the rules. Attempt the impossible. Or whatever. Family motto. Detailed snippet here [snippet 8].

Thankfully, Nie Huaisang (with the help of Xiao Xingchen, Song Lan and Xue Yang) managed to drag his injured partially recovered ass back to the capital at the metaphoric 11:59pm like a procrastinating college student submitting their assignmen, and saved Wei Wuxian's neck from the chopping block.

"We have less than hour before his execution, shouldn't we head to the arena?!" Song Lan called out over his shoulder as he violated several ancient fantasy china traffic laws while speeding down the street in his horse-drawn carriage.

"And say what?!" Exclaimed Nie Huaisang back in frustration. "We have no official decree, and I look like a stale shit shat by a constipated cow in my state. I need to see my brother, give the Emperor a usable reason to pardon Wei Wuxian, and a good enough lie for old man Lan to placate the court and their pesky ministers."

Nie Huaisang's sudden ressurection changed everything. While he could not claim that Wei Wuxian was their spy from the start, he did create a very believable and elaborate lie about how he was able to convince Wei Wuxian part way through the war to do act against Wen Ruohan for Gusu's benefit. Not because he loves Gusu oh no, but because despite Wei Wuxian's "loyalty" to Wen Ruohan, his heart lies with Lan Wangji. And while yes he had faced the prince on the battle field, had killed his men, and even injured the prince himself, he never wished for Lan Wangji to die. So when told about Lan Wangji's predictament in the snowy freezing hills of the Burial Mount, Wei Wuxian devised a plan to rescue Lan Wangji.

Nie Huaisang produced an eloquent and vague letter from Wen Qing, who had corresponded with since he learned of Wei Wuxian's impending death. In it, Wen Qing said nothing of Wei Wuxian's history as a spy, only that in the last moment when Wen Ruohan had trapped his entire court inside the palace, lured in Gusu's troops, and had every intention to light everyone aflame, it was Wei Wuxian who stopped him, saving everyone, and forgoing his chance to escape to freedom. This much, she can publically acknowledge without implicating herself or her father in any way.

And to Nie Mingjue, Nie Huaisang said, "Da'ge, if it weren't for Wei Wuxian sending Xue Yang to rescue me, I probably would've been tortured to death or worse at the hands of Xue Chonghai."

The public asked: if Wei Wuxian was not the hellish monster that they all believed to be, if his love for Hanguang-wang was true, then how come then he did not say anything to defend himself?

Because, replied Nie Huaisang, Wei Wuxian is a man who has a conscience, and he knows he's done wrong, and he believes he deserves to die. Such a man is rare in this world, and should be given a chance to do more, to atone with the rest of his life all that he'd taken away. The dead can never come back, and killing Wei Wuxian when there's so much he could do for the those left behind by the dead, would be a waste and a shame.

And so after many months, it was decided that Wei Wuxian would be exiled indefinitely to border city of Yiling - the neutral zone - to rebuild the community that his actions had destroyed. He was due to leave at the onset of winter.

In the meantime, Lan Wangji was officially installed as Crown Prince, his brother's legitimate heir, and Jiang Yanli as Crown Princess Consort.

Before Wei Wuxian began his exile, his family came to see him off. Detailed snippet here [snippet 9].

And immediately following snippet 9 ->

Lan Wangji arrived on horseback, his white winter cloak bellowing behind him as he charged towards the departure party. He must have come straight from the palace, for he was still in his stately court robes.

Wei Wuxian did not wish to stare, but he couldn't tear his eyes away. The last he'd seen of the man he loved was when he had driven him away, tears in his eyes, from his prison cell. The time before that was when Lan Wangji found him cradling Wen Ruohan's dead body at Nevernight and promptedly arrested him. And then time before that was when they had clashed swords in the snow and Wei Wuxian had inadvertidently killed Mo Xuyuan. And the time before that, was when Wei Wuxian had held Jiang Yanli and A-Yuan hostage trying to escape from Hanguang Manor, and then shot Lan Wangji with an arrow during the chase.

Wei Wuxian thought he would feel more upon this reunion, but all he felt was shame. He would hide himself in a hole in the ground if he could, except of course, this may in fact be the last time he'll ever see Lan Wangji ever again.

When the man in question reined his horse to a stop and hastly jumped off, Wei Wuxian found he suddenly could not raise his eyes off the ground, off the sight of his worrying fingers and the lingering dirt still trapped beneath his nails. At least he had bathed. Thank the gods that the administrators of his exile had allowed him to scrub himself clean of months of prison grime before his journey. As it was, he was in his least threadbare prison garb, and probably was not going to looked better than he did.

Lan Wangji advanced towards him without hesitance, and Wei Wuxian dreaded that he would embrace him, or kiss him, or anything that involved the physical touching of his skin against his own. Because - because -

There was no part of him that Wen Ruohan left unmarred.

So when Lan Wangji was all but a step away, Wei Wuxian tried to drop into a deep kneeling bow. "Taizi-dianxia -"

But Lan Wangji was one step ahead of him. Catching him at the elbow, he pulled him to his feet and gripped him in a crushing embrace. "Wei Ying."

Shaking despite himself, Wei Wuxian fought with the very last of his pride. "I am not Wei Ying."

Except he should've known he could never win against Lan Wangji's bullheadedness.

"You are."

"I am Qishan's Wei Wuxian."

"You are. You are Qishan's Wei Wuxian. And you are my Wei Ying."

Wei Wuxian would be embarrassed at how easily he gave in and all but crumbled into tears in Lan Wangji's arms, except he was literally about to be exiled for life, so he really didn't care.

"I'm sorry," said Wei Wuxian when he collected his breath and drew back to gaze upon Lan Wangji's face properly. "I'm so sorry."

And Lan Wangji did not implacate him with lies. "I know."

"I came to Gusu with the singular goal of infiltrating your court. I endeared myself to Jiang Fengmian to use his family for access. I followed Jiang Yanli to get close to you. I was tasked to seduce you."

"I know."

"I killed 37 men and women while living under your roof. I stole the defence plan of Yiling and countless other documents."

"I know."

"I killed Mo Xuanyu on the battlefield. I didn't mean to."

"I know."

"I...I laid with Wen Ruohan, after you. I never wanted to, but I never refused. I laid with him four hundred and seventy one times in the last two years." Wei Wuxian swallowed, his words becoming thick and dry in his mouth. "I laid with him even the night before I killed him."

Wei Wuxian held his breath. He kept his eyes lowered, too ashamed and afraid to look at Lan Wangji now, until he felt warm hands cradling his face, and a pair of warmer lips press into forehead.

"I know," said Lan Wangji quietly. "I've heard it all."

"I'd ask for your forgiveness, but I don't even know how to forgive myself."

"For what?"

"For...? For - "

"He had hurt you in the worst ways possible. I'd offer to kill him for you, but you've demonstrated that you're more than capable of avenging yourself."

Wei Wuxian can't believe Lan Wangj is making a joke, of all things, at a time like this. But it made him laugh, nonetheless. "I'm capable of so much more than you know."

"Oh I know. You were a formidable enemy, ruse or not. Perhaps one day you'll agree to a fair duel, mhm?"

"Perhaps. But what will the people say when their Taizi-dianxia lose to a lowly servant?"

Lan Wangji was quiet for a moment, his eyes turning serious, but gentle. Wei Wuxian had a split-moment premonition that whatever the prince planned to say would break his heart all over again.

"I already lost to you, Wei Ying."

"Lan..." Wei Wuxian struggled with a shuddering breath, Lan Wangji's name choking in his throat, his eyes flooding again with tears. He sniffled in the cold, and made an inelegant swipe at his snotty and drippy nose. "Lan Wangji, you bastard! Saying things like that - how am I supposed to go into exile in peace?!"

"If I could but keep you..."

"You can't, Lan Zhan. This is what I deserve. Putting aside sentiment, you have to see that this is fair."

Lan Wangji held his hands tightly, tears like crystals in his eyes. “Wei Ying, I’ll wait for you.”

But Wei Wuxian only shook his head. “Don’t. Time doesn’t stand still. Live your life Lan Zhan, and one day when I come back, you can fill me in on everything you have achieved. My Lan Zhan is the best. You will be a great taizi, and a great huangdi. And I will guard Yiling and its people for you, until the end of my days."

Overwhelmed, Lan Wangji pulled him in by the nape and kissed him squarely on the lips.

And even though they were about to part forever, for the first time in two awful years, for Wei Wuxian, it felt like coming home.

Eventually, the exile party had to depart. Jiang Cheng bear-hugged Wei Wuxian and threatened him with bodily harm if he was stupid enough to get himself killed in Yiling. "If you dare die on us, I'm going to hell to bring you back and kill you myself!" Jiang Yanli had many many reminders for Wei Wuxian to take care of himself, before handing him the bundle of things she'd packed for him. "Zhangjie, you know I have to carry this to Yiling myself." - "The guards can help you carry it if you get tired" - "Zhangjie, I'm being exiled, not going on vacation!" Two-year-old Lan Yuan was very confused by all the emotional adults, but was extremely cute when he hugged Wei Wuxian around the legs and obediently said, "Xian-diedie, goodbye", like his mother asked him to.

Wei Wuxian embarked on his journey with a care package from the Crown Princess Consort, and the Crown Prince's own winter cloak drapped around his shoulder. His family watched him go until they could no longer see him in the distance.

The End

Okay fine...some closing remarks, epilogue of sorts.

1. Jiang Cheng and Wen Qing:

Yu Ziyuan just about had a stroke when her son, the now very popular and in-demand bachelor Young Marshal Jiang Wanyin wrote to her that he had every intention of marrying Qishan's Grand Princess Wen Qing. And the very political but equally very love-driven marriage was underway when unexpectly Wen Qing's father the new emperor of Qishan had an ACTUAL stroke. He didn't die, but this bout of severe illness left him incapable of governing, and because Wen Ning was all but thirteen, the position of Regent naturally fell to his very capable older sister who was twenty-one and wise beyond her years. Jiang Cheng had his own very unironic "I'll wait you" moment with Wen Qing, and if Wei Wuxian knew about this he'd laugh.

They pushed their wedding back by 5 years, but just when Wen Ning came of age, he told his sister that he never wished to rule and would rather be a physician or a general or literally anything but a soverign. Wen Qing could not force her beloved brother onto the throne, so she became Empress and claimed all children of royal Wen blood eligible to inherit. The heir would be selected by merit alone, and she alone would name her heir when the time came.

Jiang Cheng eventually became Wen Qing's consort at the age of 44 when his eldest niece Lan Yiran, by special dispensation of her royal father His Majesty Hanguang-di, was named Marchioness of Yunmeng and commander of the Jiang Clan army in the southern border. She relinquishes her royal surname Lan and adopts her mother's maiden name Jiang. She reports to court every summer, but lives her days in her main helm of Yunmeng. Ouyang Zizhen, the lovesick son of Minister Ouyang, follows her there as a zhuixu(2) despite his clansmen's protest.

Note: zhuixu - is a man who marries into a woman's family, whose children will have his wife's last name instead of his own. Tend to be looked down upon in history.

2. Lan Wangji, Jiang Yanli & the Harem (Mianmian and Qin Su):

It was a sentiment shared amongst all of them that there wasn't enough daughters to spoil rotten. Kaisong, Jingyi and Sizhui (yes Lan Wangji is still that bitch who names his son to long and yearn for) were great kids, but they were dirty rowdy boys. And since Mianmian and Qin Su were very devoted to each other and living their best sapphic life, and since Jiang Yanli was in fact the legal wife, she and Lan Wangji decided to make a few more people. They were very lucky and got two daughters back to back: Yiran and Duanluo.

3. Lan Xichen, Meng Yao, and Nie Mingjue:

Lan Xichen ruled for another seven years after the war. Then one day he decided okay that's enough of that and abdicated the throne to his brother. Both Meng Yao and Nie Mingjue too left their status behind and the three of them fucked off to travel like retirees in a throuple. But don't worry, Nie Huaisang and Jiang Cheng were more than experienced enough to fill in for the brains and brawns position of Lan Wangji's new court.

4. Xue Yang, Xiao Xingcheng, Song Lan ....And Wei Wuxian

Xue Yang, having been Wei Wuxian's shidi and friend most of their violent lives, just couldn't abandon his pathetic little meow meow shixiong to wither away in Yiling by himself. So he convinced Xiao Xingcheng that like...isn't a good taoist supposed to go and help the needy or whatever. The three of them eventually went to Yiling to see what they could do to help the wartorn city. What they found was that Wei Wuxian had already started the rebuilding effort. Yiling was far away from both Nevernight and Cloud Recesses, so Wei Wuxian's infamy wasn't as well known. But the fucking idiot announced on day one of his arrival who he was and confessed his 300 crimes. "I have no protest if the good people of Yiling find my crimes deserving of death. My life is yours to take. But, if you grant me the grace of mercy, I will use the remainder of my life to rebuild and serve this city. I am Yiling's servant, from this day till the last of my days."

And so little by little, Yiling recovered. Wei Wuxian wrote countless letters to local and provincial and imperial administrations asking for grants and funds (and books. What he didn't know, he learned, and read, and sought help from the locals). Thankfully, Wen Qing and Jiang Cheng took it upon themselves to make sure funds were provided. Neighbourhoods were rebuilt. The poor, wounded, widowed and orphaned were cared for. Wei Wuxian set up schools, re-developed farmlands, retrained the able-bodied to form the new defence system of the city. Slowly, businesses returned. Newcomers arrived seeking these opportunities. Babies were born. The sun rose and the sun fell, day after day, night after night.

Wei Wuxian had found a small abandoned residence when he first arrived, no more than a 600 square ft courtyard, barely enough to fit a donkey and a well. He lived there even after things got better, and never moved from this cramped little place.

Xue Yang, XXC and Song Lan came to visit every now and then, so he didn't get too lonely, but being nomadic, they never stayed too long. Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli wrote, as frequently as they could.

Every month or so, a letter would arrive from Cloud Recesses, and Wei Wuxian would sit by the dim light of his oil lamp and bore over Lan Wangji's neat calligraphy. The next day, he would send off a letter of his own.

The years went on. A decade went by.

Entirely against his will, Wei Wuxian had somehow gained a new moniker: Yiling Laozu. He's not sure who started it, but the people of Yiling now would smile and kindly call him Yiling-jun, whenever they pass him on the street. His repentence and dedication had earned him their forgiveness, and over the course of 13 years, their respect. But the toil of his labour took a toll on his health, and at 35 years old, Wei Wuxian found himself at death's door yet again.

"If I didn't come to see you, were you really going to just roll over and die? Why didn't you say something in your last letter, fucking idiot!"

Wei Wuxian's fever addled brain could hardly process the blurry figure sitting at his bedside. "Jiang...Jiang Cheng?"

"Yeah, who else. You look like shit."

"...Thanks."

"Don't worry, you'll live. Qing'er sent her best physician."

"Qing...? Qishan's Empress? Damn, she hasn't dumped you?" Wei Wuxian chuckled despite the heavily in hs chest. Literally even breathing hurt. "Amazing."

"Shut up. When you stopped writing altogether, Lan Wangji nearly lost his goddamn mind. A-jie too was worried sick."

The emperor and empress had sent three consecutive royal missives, which were delayed by outrageous winter storms known to plague the borderlands. Jiang Cheng had found them unopened. Wei Wuxian had been too weak to do much else than lie in bed and wait to die by the time he'd arrived. "Jiang-dage, Wei-gongzi should rest. There will be plenty of time to chat later." A kindly young man interrupted their banter as he entered the room with freshly brewed tonics. Wei Wuxian took in the sight of him and found him entirely too ...unintentionally posh to be just a physician. "Thank you, A-Ning. Leave the tonic to me, I'll make sure he takes it. You go get some rest. The travel here was rough; if you fall ill your sister will declare war on my entire house."

"A-Ning" didn't argue, merely smiled and said he'll come back to reassess Wei Wuxian in a couple hours. "...Was that?" "Yeah." Jiang Cheng helped Wei Wuxian sit up, and handed him his medicine. "Drink up, get better, we'll return to the capital at the onset of spring."

"...We?" Jiang Cheng gave him a crooked smirk. "You've been pardoned, you dumbass. The citizens of Yiling banded together and submitted a letter on your behalf to the imperial court, so moving it made even Old Man Lan shed a tear - okay, maybe not. Point is, the people gave Lan Wangji a reason to pardon you. Your exile is over."

"...Over? I'm...I'm going home?"

"Yeah Wei Wuxian, you're going home."

#cql #the untamed #wangxian #without envy #cql ficlet #corie fics

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evilhasnever · 9 months

Note

who do you think is the initiator when it comes to intimate moments in the context of xiyao/3zun? I'm not a big fan of the 'all lans are only pretending to be pure and reserved, and are quite perverted on the inside' trope, but it seems to be the case for at least one lan. and lxc appears to be the most eager one to pursue reconciliation between his sworn brothers, which may indicate him taking the lead in other aspects

Hey anon! first, allow me a disclaimer: I enjoy platonic 3zun content, but I don’t ship it in any romantic/sexual way, so I’ve got nothing for you there. (In fact, I get a bit peeved when my gen 3zun art is tagged with shippy comments… but it is what it is. This is unrelated to your ask, sorry!)

Anyway, let me talk about xiyao, since that is my jam! I think saying Xichen’s support of the sworn brotherhood somehow informs his tendencies in the bedroom… is a bit of a leap. I’m with you on the “not all Lans have to be closet freaks”, but I definitely think they’re all repressed. I remember when in an interview Liu Haikuan said (paraphrased): “LXC is just as passionate as Wangji, but had to repress it even more because he was the sect heir”… ain’t that the truth! Poor Xichen. I don’t think his own inner freak would manifest in the exact same ways as LWJ though. If he is a freak, he’d be suave about it. ;)

Honestly, I’m a fan of subby service top LXC, so I like to think he’d be waiting for JGY to ask something of him rather than taking unwanted initiative, you know? (Just imagine him vibrating while waiting for A-Yao to give him A SIGN. Oh, A-Yao, breach that divide because LXC wouldn’t dare to presume…! He will take the lead if A-yao wishes him to!)

BUT! JGY is also repressed for entirely different reasons (shame, trauma, etc.) so it’d be hard for him to want to initiate things, and thus xiyao were probably sexually frustrated for years. The UST is out of control. That’s why their gazing scenes should come with an adult warning.

#Ask box #shhh shiome

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lancabbage · 9 months

Text

I've seen a few comments flying around about WWX and JC being close at one point and I just have to vent a little because I think so much is overlooked.

Let's simplify every so the people at the back can understand. Take away all the history they have, reverse the clock and lets have WWX grow up in a different sect or something like that. Now let's have JC and WWX meet...

Okay, now how are these to people ever going to be friends? They are almost polar opposites in every sense - and yes, while my friends are very different to me at times, our core values are similar, whereas JCs and WWXs are not. JC is always threatened by those who make him feel inferior - it's another reason he dislikes LWJ. So there's that hurdle to get over. Not to mention JC is a classist snob who does not like those he deems of a lower birth. Let's also note the fact WWX likes to stay positive and JC is a negative cloud of absolute mood killing vibes. They are simply incompatible and only got on because they were thrown together.

Those cling to the comment WWX said about always thinking JC would be by his side, that really should be taken with a pinch of salt in my opinion. WWX often glazes over things that are painful for him. WWX probably did think he'd be at the sect his whole life, but that wasn't necessarily out of fondness towards JC, it was out of duty and debt more than anything. He never really imagined a real future for himself until he got a second chance at life!

There is a very contradicting line when JC arrives at the burial mounds, when WWX thinks about a falling out was a long time coming. Because they are different and not that close. He didn't even expect him to help (even though it was his debt to pay), he already took Suibian (a sword he can no longer wield!) and his small amount of personal belongings to the burial mounds prior to that! It's a major clue he knew JC would be a dick about it all.

WWX meets JL and instantly notices all his bad traits, blaming JC and JZX. I'd say that's pretty damning evidence to the contrary to be honest.

It doesn't make WWX a bad person because he wasn't really a true friend to JC, people are allowed to not really get along with others and still be a nice person. Of course WWX cares for JC (a little) but it's hard to muster up such feelings when someone is pretty abusive towards you and doesn't support you at all. WWX is kind, but he's no fool.

WWX's actions when it comes to JC are mainly from a place of debt and there is nothing wrong with that. WWX makes the most out of a bad situation, and unfortunately this is no different. He's obligated to get along with JC in his first life, he chooses not to in his second, because that obligation is no longer there and he's had enough of the self centered ass.

#mdzs #mo dao zu shi #wei wuxian #canon jiang cheng #mdzs novel #wangxian

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