#Madame Wen
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Wuxian getting a lesson in harem politics.
And we get a little more back story for Wen Xiachen.
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The incense smelled off. Not bad, just wrong.
Shijie’s preferred incense was one that invoked an early summer day, full of fresh scents. It always reminded Wuxian of that first time shijie held him after his first time in isolation, bringing him comfort.
This incense was not it. It was too heavy with cherry blossoms and lotus, rather than magnolia.
Wuxian concentrated and sniffed the incense stick he’d been preparing. His cultivation enhanced nose detected a familiar, bitter smell – climing yellow root.
Decisively he shut the incense stick back in the package and hurried to show his findings to Jin-laoshi. She’d know if it was a murder attempt or an honest mistake on the manufacturer’s part. For all he knew, climing yellow root wasn’t dangerous when in an incense.
He knocked on her door, it was morning and Jin-laoshi wasn’t normally seen until breakfast. “Laoshi? It’s Wuxian. Something’s wrong with this incense.”
Jin-laoshi was obviously in the idle of dressing because she called from inside the room rather than opening the door. She told him to leave it by the door, she’d take a look at it, and to hurry off to finish his chores.
With a shrug, Wuxian did as he was told, and forgot about it until later that day during Jin-laoshi’s lesson.
“The most important lesson I can impart on you on schemes and assassination attempts, is that not every strange or coincidental thing indicate foul play. But anything out of the ordinary can be foul play. This morning Wen Wuxian-shizi identified something strange in the incense he was about to light for Xiachen-guniang, and bought it to me to verify.” Laoshi lifted the stick of incense up, to show the cohort present. “It was good he did. Wuxian, what did you notice wrong?”
“Well, shijie prefers the scent of magnolia, and yet the incense smelled of lotuses. And the package said magnolia, so it was strange. When I sniffed deeper, I detected the smell of climbing yellow root, which I know to be poisonous when ingested. I don’t know enough of poisons to tell if it would be harmful.”
“Very good, Wuxian-shizi. Climbing yellow root in itself is not toxic when burned, but when burned with resin, it has the tendency to disrupt qi formation. Had the incense been lit at breakfast as usual, you all would have had trouble cultivating today, and xiao-Lu and xiao-Ren probably would have been weaker cultivators.”
Shao-shijie clutched xiao-Ren to her chest, and Zhuliu-shixiong looked down at xiao-Lu who toddled around the room. Wuxian clenched his fists. Xiao-Lu was such a cutie, squealing at every new thing that caught her attention. And xiao-Ren had been born not even six months earlier.
And someone’s sabotage attempt had almost set them back for life?
Jin-laoshi’s golden nail guard tapped the incense package. “This reminds me most of the first sabotage attempt on Xiachen-guniang. There were turquoise vine flowers used in the chicken, and lemon in the water. Concubine Jin was the first to realize what the combination might do and had Xiachen-guniang throw up before irrecoverable damage had been done but was too late in helping herself. As a consequence, she miscarried every time after. Madame Wen is, of course, the only remaining person with enough reason, standing and cunning to attack Xiachen-guniang and her household in such a way.”
Wuxian grimaced.
Madame Wen was the mother of Wen Xu, who had inherited her aggressive, entitled personality. But where Wen Chao was weak and not particularly smart, like his mother, Wen Xu was dedicated to his training – and the results spoke for themselves.
Wen Xilei, head of shijie’s household guard, had said Wen-zongzhu regarded Wen Xu as the most useful of his children. Wen Xu would obey his father’s orders to the best of his abilities, up to and including killing babies. Wuxian didn’t particularly want to follow Wen Xu if he ever became Wen-zongzhu. And knowing his cohort as he did, Wen Xu’s reign would be a short one.
But Wen Xu’s reign would also be a bloody one.
Madame Wen was proof of that. Every few months one of zongzhu’s concubines died, and only half of them were killed by other concubines. And that was ignoring the number of servants that disappeared all around the Nightless Sky. A-Lin was too well known to just disappear, but every early summer when he came out of isolation, there were a few new faces to replace the disappeared ones.
Zongzhu never bothered to reign Madame Wen in. Wuxian thought it was to toughen up his children, as he’d heard shijie call it. Shijie agreed with him – to a point. She always said reward was just as important as punishment when teaching others, and Wuxian had to agree. Having shijie tell him he did well encouraged him much more than various Wen-laoshi beating his hands for minor infractions. Of course, shijie never beat him or anyone else when they messed up. (Wuxian no longer even remembered what he’d done but… “I’m not angry with you, A-Ying. Just… disappointed.” Shijie had looked so sad as she turned away from A-Ying. She didn’t look at A-Ying for three days, and he cried himself to sleep every night. Then he had a screaming nightmare, first in a long while, and Lingchang-shixiong had alerted shijie, who then soothed and comforted the desolate A-Ying back to sleep. When A-Ying woke up the next morning, shijie was still sleeping on his bed, cuddling him. He burrowed closer, nose full of her comforting magnolia scent.)
“Xiachen-guniang, however, has instructed you not to do anything other than be alert for another attempt. I and A-Lin have already taken care of things,” Jin-laoshi concluded, and moved ahead with the lesson.
‘*’*’*’*’*’
Wuxian and A-Ning were eating lunch at the disciples’ dining hall when he heard some of the other disciples talking, and sharpening his hearing, heard the whole conversation:
“My cousin serves in Wen Xu’s cohort, and he said Madame Wen has been rather… irritable… lately.”
“I heard Zongzhu has a new concubine and has spurned the Madame for weeks now because of it.”
“No, no, you have it the wrong way around! Zongzhu got a new concubine because he was irritated by the Madame’s foul temper! My sister is friends with the new concubine’s maid, and she told my sister the new concubine was gifted the tea set that Madame had her eyes on, and in a tantrum broke an invaluable jade dragon that’d been one of Wen Mao’s heirlooms.”
“Do we know what started the Madame’s foul temper?”
“Apparently Wen-guniang sent her a rare medical herb for healthy hair, with well wishes to recover soon from whatever it was that made her hair look lifeless.”
“Did the Madame’s hair look lifeless?”
“I think it was a little dull some weeks past, but not enough to really notice.”
“Whoa, and guniang just sent her the herb and her well-wishes? That’s cold, that is.”
“What? I don’t get it!”
“You have no sisters, and your mother is still under forty! Just wait until she’s older and has a few wrinkles, then you’ll understand that women are the vainest of creatures! That Wen-guniang sent the Madame something to help her hair meant that she’d noticed something wrong with it. And everyone knows the Wen-guniang and the Madame barely see each other, so for her to notice, it must have been bad. But because the herb was from Wen-guniang, Madame can’t use it in case it’s been tampered with. And since she’s Wen-guniang, who had no mother to guide her, no one would believe she’d have tampered with it-“
“Stop it with your conspiracy theories already! You’re confusing poor Ding-shidi! Don’t listen to him, shidi, he’s convinced Wen-guniang is some insidious mastermind out to rule the Jianghu, rather than the kind shijie she is.”
“Because she is! Her servants and cohort are creepy! They practically worship the ground she walks on!”
“Because she saved them from the gutter, you half-wit!”
“Can we get back to why the Madame has been so irritable lately?”
“Short answer, zongzhu has a new concubine. Long answer, whatever conspiracy Gui-shixiong came up with this week.”
Wuxian hid his smirk behind his rice.
#mo dao zu shi#grand master of demonic cultivation#fanfic#wei wuxian#wen xiachen#ocs galore#backyard politics#madame wen#owe it all 'verse#wen wuxian
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Sleep Deprived College Student Becomes World’s Strongest Cultivator By Bullshit Means
Chapter 4 + 5: The Father Trap Pt 1 and Pt 2
Summary:
Chapter 4: Confronted by Wen Ruohan's twin, Ani must navigate a deeply emotional landscape without giving away the fact she knows absolutely jack shit about what's going on.
Chapter 5: Ani meets face to face with Wen Ruohan's twin sister, Wen Xia and There is enough landmines to send anyone flying to the moon. Luckily for Ani, she has no idea what's going on, and the novel literally doesn't help. Clearly, she is soooooooo not screwed or anything.
Chapter 3: (Prev)
Chapter 6: (Next)
Content Warnings: People yelling, Dead person mentioned resulting in people being triggered (I mean the actual psychological definition), Dead child mentioned, Pregnancy death implied.
AO3 Chapter 4
AO3 Chapter 5
Was I supposed to know Wen Ruohan had a twin sister or was I supposed to find out from said twin sister crashing a family reunion party while beating up the Core Melting Hand, and calling me Didi?
Luckily for Wen Zhuliu, all his injuries were minor, none enough to drip on the dark wood floors or Ani wouldn’t have hesitated to have Wen Ruohan’s twin sister’s sword confiscated. Or something. For safety precautions.
“Sect Leader, can you verify this cultivator’s claims?” His face insisted ‘I’ll yeet her if you tell me too.’
“Pardon?” The supposed sister glared at Wen Zhuliu, “how about instead you take one look at me, and then at A-Han, and you tell me if we’re related or not?!” She pointed at her own square-shaped face and red irises—matching what Ani had seen in the mirror for the past couple days.
Wen Zhuliu glanced at her, before looking back at Ani with his equivalent of Thor Ragnarok’s ‘is she though?’
Ani paused. How could she truly verify if this cultivator was indeed his sister and not someone who really looked like her or something? She wasn’t Wen Ruohan.
The supposed sister rubbed her temples, “Didi, please.”
She called me that as she came in too-
“She’s my sister.” Ani waved at Wen Zhuliu.
Everyone turned to look at her: with a narrowed expression, Wen Xu tightened his grasp on his sword, and Wen Zhuliu raised a fucking eyebrow.
“Do you really think someone who isn’t my sister would call me ‘Didi’ to my face without fearing consequences?”
Wen Zhuliu saluted, “I’ll return to my station.” The second Wen, who Wen Xia had thrown into the room earlier, limped after Wen Zhuliu, likely to avoid being left alone with the mad family.
“Fuqin,” Wen Xu pointed his sword at his pseudo-aunt, eyes narrowed into slits, “If she is family, why did she hurt Wen Zhuliu?”
The pseudo-sister froze, her painted lips opening and closing like a fish, “Xu-er? Is that you? I barely recognize you.”
He backed up, pulling Wen Chao behind him, sword raised to her face, “I don’t know you!”
“You were just a few months old when…” She reached out for Wen Xu, who stepped back again. The wooden floor carpeted in red silk was an ocean between them. She shook her head, “I’m Wen Xia. Your Gū Ma.”
Wen Xu lowered his sword with a tight frown.
“You weren’t there long enough for Xu-er to remember you, so how can he? You’re a stranger to him,” Ani thought out loud.
Wen Xia’s face fell, “I wouldn’t expect you to.”
“Gu Ma shouldn’t be sad!” Wen Chao interrupted, little fist still clutching his brother’s robe, “Eat sweets. It’ll fix everything.”
Wen Xia burst into laughter. “Would you look at this adorable young man!” She said with the vigor of an aunt about to pinch Wen Chao’s cheeks off. “I would happily share some with my cutest Zhizi, of course if your Fuqin and Muqin allow me to stay…”
As she turned towards Ani, as if to plead, she paused in front of the empty table. Ani opened her mouth to respond, but Wen Xia interrupted.
“Where’s A-Qui?”
Wen Xu stiffened. Wen Chao gasped, tiny fists clenching as he buried his face in his brother’s robe.
A-Qui? The name of –
“Where’s Yao LiQui!” Wen Xia demanded, her hands wrapping into white-knuckled fists, “Her seat is right there, why isn’t she here. Where is she?!”
A cold pit bloomed in Ani’s chest, icicles puncturing her organs. Her vision swam, colors blurring together. Back home, her father’s seat remained at the table. Untouched. Waiting for an owner who never will sit on it again.
“Muqin is dead.” Wen Xu replied in a flat tone.
Wen Xia blinked. She stared at Wen Xu, looking him up and down as if checking that he is real.
Her fists trembled so much the bracelets around her wrists clinked together, “When?” Her voice sounded strained. Weak. As if she couldn’t breathe.
Wen Xu wavered. A hesitance to his lips as he opened and closed them.
“Three years.”
Wen Xia sharply inhaled, shoulders trembled. She raised a hand to cover her face.
“Why am I finding out only now?” She asked. It was a quiet whisper, barely heard.
Ani closed her open mouth.
You’re asking the wrong person.
Wen Xia lowered her sleeve. A shiver flew down Ani’s spine. An ugly snarl etched on her face, nose flaring as she flashed her teeth.
“Why am I finding out about this now?” She growled. Red eyes narrowed into slits. Right at Ani. Sweat prickled at the back of her neck and the palms of her hands.
“Well, Ruohan? Why am I finding this out three years later?” Wen Xia gestured at Wen Xu. Her face twitched, teeth gnashing.
Ani opened her mouth, but no words could come out. What could she say? She didn’t know what was going on in Wen Ruohan’s head!
“It’s been three fucking years, and you didn’t even send a note that my sworn sister was DEAD!”
Sworn sister? Oh no.
Ani’s silence only made Wen Xia’s brows twitch more.
“Why are you always like this? Why didn’t you tell me of Yao LiQui’s death! She wasn’t just your WIFE.”
A crash followed: Wen Chao knocked over his bowl of noodles. His brown eyes wide, swimming with tears, looking between Wen Xia and Ani.Wen Xu rushed to him, pulling his tiny body close.
Wen Xia didn’t seem to notice his distress, opening her mouth for more.
“Enough.” Ani interrupted Wen Xia’s tirade.
“You think you can get out of this conversation just because you’re Sect Leader-?”
Wen Xu held Wen Chao close, his face unreadable.Wen Chao’s shoulders trembled in quiet sobs. Wen Xia continued to glare at Ani as if they were the only ones in the room.
“ENOUGH!” Ani shouted. Her cheeks felt like fire, “Wen Zhuliu!”
Wen Xia ground her teeth and clenched her fists, opening her mouth to say more...
“Not in front of the children,” Ani snapped, gesturing at a sobbing Wen Chao, and a stone faced Wen Xu.
The door swung open as Wen Zhuliu walked in. Under his black sleeves, his hands emitted a red glow.
Ani pointed at Wen Xia, “Escort her to her rooms, provide her with whatever she needs until my arrival.”
Wen Xia’s jaw dropped. She moved to say something, but Wen Zhuliu saluted her, motioning her to follow him.
Just as Wen Xia passed through the doorway, she paused. “You will keep your word, Ruohan?”
“Yes.” Ani said. Best as I can.
The moment Wen Xia left, Wen Xu pried Wen Chao’s hands off his robes, no expression or emotion visible except for the tightness around his eyes.
“Xu-ge? Xu-ge!” Wen Chao cried out. Hands grasped for his brother, but Wen Xu didn’t spare him a second glance.
“Please excuse me, Fuqin, I wish to retire early.”
Before Ani could even respond, he turned to leave in a billow of white and red robes.
Wen Chao remained standing behind his own table, one foot on the maroon pillow meant to cushion him, hand outstretched.
“Xu-ge, don’t leave me.” He whispered. Red-rimmed eyes watered with tears that flowed on his blotchy cheeks. Their soup and noodles lay unfinished on their designated tables.
Ani approached him, crouching down and pulling his small quivering body close. Wen Chao hiccuped into her shoulder. She rubbed circles on his back, heart aching with every shiver he made.
Everyone just left him.
No wonder he’s crying.
“Let’s get you to bed. It was a long day.” Ani whispered, lifting Wen Chao into her arms, tucking his head, which only just was the size of her hand, into her shoulder. He sniffled a few times before glancing back up at her with enormous eyes.
He’s so young.
“Baba went the wrong way.” He snickered.
Ani cocked an eyebrow, “You sure Chao-er?” She tried.
Wen Chao didn’t show a sign of confusion, so this must be the way Wen Ruohan referred to him. Or he didn’t care. Instead, his brows pinched, and he pouted, which was becoming one of his most signature expressions, “Yes Baba!”
“How about you tell me where to go so I can take you to your room?”
Wen Chao nodded, pointing at which halls to take, giggling whenever Ani took a wrong turn. Obediently, Ani turned around and walked down a hallway while bouncing Wen Chao in her arms. They passed by two hallways, one going to Ani’s room, the other heading elsewhere. Ani paused and Wen Chao shook his head.
Two nannies lingered in the hall, most probably awaiting orders to take back Wen Chao after his dinner. Unlike Ani, who stood on the red carpeting in the center of the hall, the nannies stood along the sides, delicately balancing between stepping on the carpet and touching the walls. Both of the nannies stopped and saluted them.
“Does Sect Leader wish for us to take Young Master to his rooms?”
Wen Chao tightened his hold around Ani’s neck. His face paled by a couple shades.
“No need. I’ll take him to bed.” Ani dismissed.
The nannies stared at her for a moment, both their mouths falling open before falling into deep bows, “As Sect Leader prefers.”
Wen Chao’s grip relaxed. He laid his head against her shoulder, fingers tightening on the front of her robe.
Further along the hall, they came to a fork of hallways going three different directions. Wen Chao pointed to the left.
“My room.”
Instead of heading left, Ani turned to the right hall. She prepared for Wen Chao to giggle and say she was going the wrong way. He didn’t. Instead, he looked about the hall with wide eyes and open mouth.
“Baba.” He said, voice quiet and edged with hesitation, “you said never to come here.”
Ani froze in her track, one foot still in the air. She eyed the hall. Unlike the rest of the Wen estate she had been in, dust lined the corners, and there was no carpeting. All that was missing were cobwebs to finish the ‘definitely haunted hallway of doom.’ There was even a creepy door towards the back of the hall, not even lanterns to illuminate it. Abandoned. Wen Chao clutched at her robes, eyes shooting to every corner of the hall like it too sent shivers down his spine.
“Whoops, I wasn’t paying attention.” Ani whirled on her heels, walking back towards the fork. She bit her lip, holding Wen Chao closer, “let’s go.”
As soon as they entered the correct room, Wen Chao’s knuckles turned white around her collar. He gave Ani big doe eyes.
“I’ll stay and tuck you in. I won’t leave.” Ani rubbed circles on his back. His grip relaxed.
When he lay in his bed, Ani kneeled by him.
His hand shot up from his blanket, grabbing Ani’s sleeve, “Baba, stay. Don’t leave me. Don’t go away again.”
A knot formed in Ani’s throat.
She brushed his brown hair with her fingers, careful to not pull or scratch him with her nails, “I’ll wait until you fall asleep.”
Dark eyes watched her. His hand, barely the size of her palm, held onto her sleeve. His breaths slowed, and he closed his eyes.
He lost his mother three years ago. He lost his father two weeks ago.
She took a sharp breath, her throat squeezing as if she wore a too tight scarf.
Wen Xu and Wen Chao are orphans and they don’t know it.
_________________________________________
After Wen Chao fell asleep, Ani took the center hallway to Wen Xu’s quarters to check on him.She stood before his chrysanthemum-motif door, her hand hesitating.
Maybe he’s asleep?
She paused, placing her ear on the door. It was quiet. Or at least even Wen Ruohan’s senses weren’t enough to discern any sound.
I’ll talk to him tomorrow. Give him some time to sleep and recover.
The same could not be said for Wen Xia – Ani had promised to meet her.
As Ani walked back to the fork of hallways, Wen Zhuliu waited for her with a bandage plastered on his cheek.
“Lady Wen requests that Sect leader meets with her before midnight.”
I made a promise.
Ani nodded and allowed Wen Zhuliu to escort her to Wen Ruohan’s long-lost sister.
Every step echoed through the empty hall. The banners and paintings lining the walls sway with movement, and the pottery sitting on low tables merely winked in the low torch light illuminating their path. Somehow between the dinner, tucking Wen Chao to bed, and that hall, the ceiling shrunk, walls pressing in, as if stuck in an oversized trash compressor, like in Star Wars.
What am I to say to Wen Xia? A few hours ago, I didn’t even know she existed. Much less why Wen Ruohan kept Madame Wen’s death a secret. There was no way Wen Xia wouldn’t ask. Here I am walking into something that could reveal me without a plan.
She took a shaky breath, lungs rattling in her chest.
I could be walking to my death.
Ani rubbed her temples. Wen Zhuliu sent her a glance, eyebrow quirked “Does Sect Leader wish to delay your meeting?”
She shook her head, signaling to him to not bother. Ani wiped her sweating palms on her robes. The lighting was too low to make out if she left streaks without alerting her companion.
“Lady Wen’s rooms, Sect Leader.”
Ani raised her hand to knock, right beside one of the carved butterflies that decorated the door.
A symbol for good news, how ironic.
She knocked twice for good luck. The door opened immediately. A pair of red eyes met her own, the edges wet as if recently in tears. They widened, and the door opened fully, revealing Wen Xia still in her simple dark robes. “You came, Ruohan.”
She sounds surprised.
“I said I would, so I did,” Ani replied. Wen Xia gave her a tight half smile.
“It’s good for one’s reputation to keep one’s promises.” She bowed with a fist to her chest.
There was definitely a private joke or jab that Ani was missing.
This is going so well, right?
Ani stepped into the massive, barren room.
Strange.
The door closed behind her. With a silent gesture, Wen Xia signaled Ani to follow. They walked into an adjacent sitting room, a dark wood table sat between two multicolored woven mats. Lanterns hung from the ceiling, casting a rich orange hue on the prepared tea set.
Okay, Ani. We’re here to give Wen Ruohan’s long-lost sister the best explanation we can give and send her off.
“How is your injury?” Wen Xia began. She held her chin as if paths of tears did not mark her cheeks, sitting straight with perfectly clasped hands on her lap. Ani’s mother would remark how she held herself with appropriate dignity and pride.
“Recovering.” Ani replied.
Wen Xia looked Ani up and down, a slight quirk in her brow, “You hide it well.”
Does she know about Wen Ruohan’s Qi deviation? Is this a well-known fact, even?
“They say you entered seclusion after recovering.” Wen Xia continued, lifting her own ceramic cup of tea. Like the door, blue butterflies decorated the cup, “but that’s a load of shit. I know you. You don’t do seclusion.”
A snicker escaped Ani. She took a sip of her tea to avoid remarking. Wen Xia paused, looking down before back at Ani. Her expression, one of pride, fell away. She looked... worried.
“What happened?”
Good question. I woke up in the body of your brother to find out he somehow KOed himself a good decade before his fated demise.
Ani took another sip of her tea, not answering how she wanted to, “Just Qi deviation. According to Physician Wen.”
Wen Xia’s jaw dropped.
… did I just say the wrong thing? Did I just fuck up?
“Just. Qi. Deviation?” Wen Xia shouted, slamming her cup, causing Ani to flinch. Her ceramic cup cracked, tea oozing onto the table,“Why are you always like this- it isn’t ‘Just a Qi Deviation!’ Didi!”
Was this not the first time? Did Wen Ruohan have the tendency to not take his own injuries seriously?
“Do you know how I found out?” Wen Xia asked, her voice a deep timbre.
Ani sipped her tea, biting the edge of the cup because HOLY FUCK.
“I found out from RUMORS!” She slammed her fist on the table, making the teapot and cups jump. “Not a word from you!”
I need to finish this quickly, before I’m castrated.
“I couldn’t write you a letter: I was off conscious for two weeks. ” Ani said.
Wen Xia’s eyes widened, “You were unconscious for two weeks?!”
Fuck.
Wen Xia rubbed her face with her hands, groaning.
“Rumors Ruohan. Fucking rumors. Nothing from you or anyone from the clan?!”
Ani kept her silence. Wen Xia dropped her hands to her lap, her brows scrunching together, “The only letters I received were from A-Qui. Occasionally,” she paused, blinking several times, “then she stopped. I thought she gave up on me.”
I’m sorry. I’m sure she had a good reason.
“Why didn’t you tell me about A-Qui? If A-Qui could send me letters, why didn’t you?” She choked on the last words, her hands gripped the wood until it creaked.
Holy fuck what do I say?
Sorry? Aliens kidnapped my brain and I forgot to write?
Wen Xu ate a giant beetle and we had his stomach pumped?
I’m not your brother? – anything but that one.
“I couldn’t find you,” Ani lied.
Wen Xia snorted; she bared her teeth, “Bullshit. Didn’t you hear what I just said? A-Qui sent me letters.”
“I didn’t know about the letters.”
A quiet gasp escaping her, “oh.”
Tears welled up in Wen Xia’s eyes as she stared at the white fabric in her hands, “What happened? How did she die?” Her gaze met Ani’s, big and watery. Ani took in a sharp breath, pressure pushing behind her own eyes, “The last she wrote was about expecting. Please, A-Han, I beg. Kick me out tonight. I’ll leave. But please tell me what happened to you and Yao LiQui!”
Expecting? As in pregnant? Then where was the–
Wen Xia continued, “It must be so hard raising a baby without its mother! Nannies can never replace a mother. Where is the child?”
“There isn’t one.” Ani whispered.
“There isn’t… A-Han!” She grasped Ani’s face in her hands. Her tears glittered under the lantern light, “oh Guanyin.”
Ani didn’t realize how badly she was shaking until Wen Xia pulled her into an embrace. Wen Xia wasn’t still either.
“I should have been there.” Wen Xia wept into Ani’s shoulder, “I should have been there. And I wasn’t. I’m so sorry, Didi.”
More tears flooded down Ani’s cheeks.
This is Wen Ruohan’s apology. And he will never get to hear it.
Her grip around her not-sister tightened. She should tell her to go. Go so Ani didn’t have one more person to worry about.
I can’t.
I shouldn’t.
“Where’s your robe?” Ani barely croaked out.
Wen Xia lifted her head to look at her, brows pulled together, puzzlement illustrated.
I cannot give you your resolution with your brother, but I can give you this.
“You expect to walk around in the Wen Sect in a black robe while being Wen Xia?”
Her lip trembled. She opened her mouth and closed it. Fresh tears poured from her eyes.
“You want me to stay?” Wen Xia asked.
Ani snorted, “Of course. The children need their Guma.”
Before heading to bed, Ani paused before the third hallway. Torches still illuminated the barren hall with minimum paintings and other decorations. The missing third child.
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ever think about the great sect madams of the generation before?
about madam yu, the violet spider, one of few in her generation to earn a title (even her husband was only ever sect leader. even wen ruohan was never regarded by a title other than sect leader wen). about yu ziyuan, about what she was like before years of jealousy and envy twisted her to only her most bitter parts? about the girl who was the third daughter of a sect leader, and then the wife of another, and yet all of her immense martial power meant nothing to the society around her.
about madam jin, known only by her title and never given a name or a natal sect, who was still somehow the closest friend to yu ziyuan. the mother of the sect heir and yet a wife who can do nothing but stand by as her husband dishonors their marriage over and over again.
about madam lan, the murderess locked up for her crimes, never seeing a trial and dying alone, only allowed to see her children once a month. who was she before she was the wife of the lan sect leader? was there a reason she killed the lan elder? did she want that marriage to qingheng-jun? did she even want the children she was kept from?
about the madams nie and wen, who only exist by implication, by the knowledge that their children exist and therefore so must they. about how so little is even implied about them?
#sharpie says shit#ma dao zu shi#mdzs#cql#madam yu#yu ziyuan#madam lan#madam jin#madam nie#madam wen#idk i just find the women of the generation before Very Interesting#mostly because we get barely anything about them compared to their husbands#madam lan is the exception but only kinda because there are still SO MANY QUESTIONS#this isn't madam yu apology btw i just think looking at her character is Neat#she is obviously a woman of great physical power#but due to the state of Being Female all of her social power is basically dependent on jfm#and i think years of being powerless while Wanting More takes their psychological toll#also how did she and madam jin even become friends? were they sisters? sect sisters? sworn sisters?#we're never told
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MXTX writing MDZS female characters who were not Mianmian:
#mdzs#mo dao zu shi#cql#chen qing ling#the grandmaster of demonic cultivation#the untamed#mxtx#mo xiang tong xiu#jiang yanli#wen qing#yu ziyuan#a-qing#wang lingjiao#qin su#madam jin#granny wen#jinzhu and yinzhu
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The corners of her lips lay between a frown and a smile- she was a natural at sneering, just like Jiang Cheng.
#madam yu#jiang cheng#His mother has left him with sexy feud with the wens#mdzs donghua#my horrible gif
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#xao xingchen#jiang fengmian#jiang yanli#lan sizhui#wei wuxuan#wen qing#jin ling#jin zixuan#jiang cheng#nie huaisang#wen ning#jin guangyao#lan jingyi#lan wangji#xue yang#apple#fairy#a qing#madame yu#lan qiren#nie mingjue#lan xichen#mdzs#mdzs meme#mdzs fandom#mdzs donghua#the untamed headcanons#the untamed meme#the untamed#mo dao zu shi
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mdzs dad alignment chart thingy
#ok before yall argue about how no one character is truly good or bad yadayadayada i know and i agree#this is just for the funsies and to bash jgs#you can look at it objectively and ill do my best to answer#but yeah. just my silly thoughts#lan qiren & jiang cheng arent here bc they are uncles but if they were they would be “complicated person / good uncle”#mo dao zu shi#mdzs#jiang fengmian#jiang cheng#wei wuxian#jiang yanli#qingheng-jun#lan wangji#lan xichen#madam lan#yu ziyuan#wen ruohan#wen xu#wen chao#jin guangshan#qin su#jin guangyao#mo xuanyu#jin zixuan#former nie sect leader#nie papa#nie mingjue#nie huaisang#jin rusong#lan sizhui
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Explain why, if you want
#jiang yanli#jin zixuan#jiang cheng#wen qing#jin guangyao#qin su#wen chao#wang lingjiao#jiang fengmian#yu ziyuan#madam jin#jin guangshan#mdzs polls
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pale shadows of forgotten names by Chrononautical
pale shadows of forgotten names
by Chrononautical (@chrononautintraining)
T, 56k, Wangxian
Summary: To protect the Wen, Wei Wuxian throws himself on the mercy of the Lan Sect. To protect Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji marries him. To protect them all, Lan Xichen orders the Yiling Laozu's seclusion in the Jingshi.
But the Jingshi had another occupant in the past. One who lingers on, furious to think that history might repeat.
Kay's comments: An interesting story that just finished posting! Based on The Untamed canon and characterization, a story where Wei Wuxian marries Lan Wangji/let's himself be imprisoned by the Lans for the Dafan Wens' safety. However, it turns out he's not the only one trapped inside the Cloud Recesses. Featuring lots of Wangxian miscommunication/misunderstandings, Wei Wuxian's need to receive therapy and Wei Wuxian and the Wens being a family.
Excerpt: Fortunately, despite the hasty arrangement of his marriage, it had previously occurred to him that learning to prepare those foods favored by residents of Yungmeng might be a valuable skill.
In truth, it had been a foolish pursuit at the time. Wei Wuxian had been so thin during the Sunshot Campaign. He drank alcohol eagerly, but seemed to pick at any food not prepared by his sister. Back then, Lan Wangji had been gormless enough to hope that someday peace would come again and with it Wei Ying’s return to proper cultivation. He might visit the Cloud Recesses as a welcome guest, perhaps on sect business as the Jiang’s First Disciple. So someone should be able to make the food he liked. On the off chance that such a situation came to pass.
Shamefully, Lan Wangji was also aware of the warm praise Wei Ying always gave to his sister when she made his favorites. He fantasized sometimes that Wei Ying might flatter him similarly, in that easy, honest way.
Now, of course, it would be undeserved. As his jailer, offering Wei Ying palatable meals was merely meeting the baseline of his moral obligation. Nothing Lan Wangji did for his husband could be praiseworthy. Not anymore.
Even so, when Wei Ying rolled out of bed in his sleeping attire and snatched a baozi from the steam basket with his bare hand before Wangji could offer properly, he smiled.
pov alternating, canon divergence, fix-it, wen remnants live, madam lan lives, hurt/comfort, emotional hurt/comfort, imprisonment, wei wuxian needs therapy, wei wuxian gets therapy, miscommunication, misunderstandings, developing relationship, mutual pining, married lan wangji/wei wuxian, arranged marriage, getting together, friends to lovers, first kiss
~*~
(Please REBLOG as a signal boost for this hard-working author if you like – or think others might like – this story.)
#Wangxian Fic Rec#The Untamed#Wangxian#MDZS#Kay's Rec#December 2023#pale shadows of forgotten names#Chrononautical#Teen#long fic > 50k#pov alternating#canon divergence#fix-it#wen remnants live#madam lan lives#hurt/comfort#emotional hurt/comfort#imprisonment#wei wuxian needs therapy#wei wuxian gets therapy#miscommunication#misunderstandings#developing relationship#mutual pining#married lan wangji/wei wuxian#arranged marriage#getting together#friends to lovers#first kiss
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#poll#mdzs#grandmaster of demonic cultivation#mo dao zu shi#svsss#scum villian’s self saving system#tgcf#heaven official's blessing#wind master#shi qingxuan#wen qing#Sha hualing#ning yingying#liu mingyan#MianMian#madam jin#madam Yu#Yu Zixuan#Ling wen#rain master#Jiang Yanli#little palace mistress#I said Sha Hualing#mostly bc I have a big gay crush on her
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hysterical to me that everyone talking about blue eye samurai is like “it’s mulan with murder” and mulan is actually in it
#blue eye samurai#bes#ming na wen#mizu blue eye samurai#bes mizu#madame kaji#the chokehold this show has on me rn
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Alright, I've finished book 3.
I think this sums up my current mental state pretty well:
Okay let's see, any parting thoughts...
Wen Ning is a precious babygirl cinnamon roll who deserves the world.
Wen Chao was a bitch, but damn that death was, a lot... I'm not sure how I feel about it, to be honest.
The marital issues are intense. Poor Jiang Cheng, poor Wei Wuxian, poor everyone in that situation to be honest!
So this is just straight up gonna be the one that breaks me isn't it? TGCF book 4 came close, but I made it. This one's gonna finish the job, huh?
#my first read through of mdzs#I'm slowly deteriorating the deeper into the story I go#but I'm loving it nonetheless#mdzs#wei wuxian#jiang cheng#jiang fengmian#madam yu#wen ning
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Guys, it's time for serious questions now. You know how it's kinda widely accepted that all juniors have crushes on Jin Ling's uncles? Whether it's Jiang Cheng or Hanguang Jun? I think they'd have crushed on Jin ZiXuan if they could have met him.
Please mention the reason behind your choice in comments or tags.
#mdzs#mo dao zu shi#mdzs headcanons#mdzs crack#the grandmaster of demonic cultivation#cql#the untamed#lan qiren#wen rouhan#jin guangshan#qingheng jun#jiang fengmian#madam yu#cangse sanren#wei changze
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Meng Shi 🤝 Yu Ziyuan 🤝 Cangse Sanren
actually having full names as moms
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wen ruohan x shen jiu? shen jiu gets turned into wen ruohan's newest consort?
Oh man, imagine a different kind of Wen Jiu fic where it’s really Madame Wen getting reunited with an old childhood friend turned sect leader upon the death of the former’s husband.
A very unfortunate death.
And of course when a lonely widow struggling to death with the consequences of his husband’s death…
No one is very surprised to hear that Madam Wen gets remarried. Especially not when it entails getting married to one of the most powerful sect leaders on the continent.
(Heaven knows that a strong sect leader is very much needed to reign in the two Wen heirs who aren’t related to Madam Wen by blood. If even Wen Ruohan couldn’t control his unruly waste of a second son from something as drastic and insane as attacking another sect - rumors has it that the recently deceased sect leader’s death was a stroke from hearing Wen Chao’s actions! - one could only hope that a more powerful sect leader such as Yue Qingyuan could be more successful.
Didn’t Yue Qingyuan defeat one of the cultivation world’s biggest threats, a heavenly emperor?)
#svsss#svsss ideas#svsss au#shen qingqiu#scumbag self saving system#shen jiu#Yue Qingyuan#mxtx#the scum villain's self saving system#mdzs#mao dao zu shi#mdzs ideas#the untamed#wen ruohan#madam wen married Yue qingyuan after his husband’s unfortunate death to control his unruly stepsons AU
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What a plot twist you were. [x]
#Like. The narrator introduces jc to us as the antagonist#Then we got to know him. Not who people think he's. But who he really is#And we saw jc giving wwx a piggyback. Giving him soup. Rescuing him. Putting himself between wwx and any danger (madam yu/wen soldiers)#And even the staged fight. It's yk. Staged#jc wanted to protect wwx at any cost. But wwx wasn't willing to compromise. But jc did#The fight was wwx's idea. Because jc is an enabler (just like jfm and jyl)#jc is ready to bend for his loved ones sake#The point is. Every action jc takes. Is in the name of his loves ones' safety. And surprise. wwx is one of the people jc really cares about#Even after wwx' return. Aside a broken cup. jc isn't doing much to stop wwx or anything. We know that jl was able to free wwx from Zidian#only because jc - Zidian's primary master- wanted it!#And jc fling himself into danger countless times to save wwx even though wwx can't sit still with him for a hot minute#What I wanted to say it's that the jc is presented to us - the mean ungrateful man- is very different from the real jc -#the indulgent uncle who rolls his eyes at his nephew antics. the brother who buries the hatchet for his sister's happiness.#the uncle who kinda wants to help wn to get up from the floor because he was an ass to jc but he helped jl and that's what matters to jc#the sect leader who let two women speak freely their mind in a patriarchy society#People better than me have already said this. shit I can't remember my point lmao#Like. jc is presented as an antagonist but what this man wanted was an apology and an explanation#This post is a mix of a rant I wrote last year (ha) after seeing a bad take. About what I don't remember lmaoo. And me wanting#to make gifs of wzc in this scene. Why does he look so good. It should be illegal. Seriously#jiang cheng#*mgifs
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