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justaghostingon · 1 year

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How to be a Bad Husband without Shijie getting Mad at You

A guide by Wei Wuxian

An arranged marriage au because i’ve been reading to many of them recently.

Just after the sunshot campagin, the jiang are still rebuilding, and jiang cheng realizes he has a problem

The jin want to marry jin zuxian to yanli, and take the jiang in as a vassal state, which he doesn’t want

And wei wuxian’s rep isn’t doing them any favors

He needs to rebuild his alliances, establish themselves, and do it fast

So when the lan’s offered a new treaty he said yes immediately, before reading it

He really should have read it, because it wasn’t a treaty, it was lan xichen, tired of his brother’s pining, offering an engagement deal between lan zhan and wei wuxian

Now jiang cheng can’t back out without losing face, and in this state he really can’t afford too.

So wei wuxian finds himself engaged to lan zhan, counting down the days towords their rapidly approaching marriage

As you can imagine, wei Wuxian is not happy about marrying someone who he thinks hates him and his cultivation methods

He complains bitterly to shijie and jiang cheng

Jiang cheng is as annoyed as he is but he can’t think of a way out without rhe lans drawing out first

Wei wuxian says he’ll just drive lan zhan away! Make him want to divorce!

Then yanli steps in, and scolds wei wuxian fiercely,

See lan zhan is marrying out, coming to yumeng to live to a culture he doesn’t know among strangers.

Jiang yanli, who was engaged to do the same once upon a time, has been trained on what to expect, a s knows exactly how hard it can be for someone who doesn’t have her husband’s respect

So help her, her brother will not be one of those faithless dogs!

Neither jiang cheng nor wei wuxian have ever heard yanli call anyone “faithless dog,” and in that moment she looks too much like her mother for either of them to cross her

But wei wuxian’s not out of the game yet.

No one knows lan wangji better than him

This goody-goody is here to play martyr, to play cleansing and keep wei wuxian from his wicked ways, but he doesn’t really like him

He’s hear to be a jailer, not a husband.

All wei ying has to do is treat him like a husband, with all the affection, touch, and teasing that comes with it! Lan Wangji’s three least favorite things!

Lan wangji will be screaming for divorce in a week!

Wei wuxian doesn’t get to put his plan into action until after the wedding, as he isn’t allowed to see lan wangji until then

But once its over, he puts his plan in full swing

First step: cuddling. Lan Wangji hates touch, wei wuxian loves it. So naturally to drive lan wangji mad, he needs to touch him constantly, sitting in his lap, holding his hand, cuddling at night, etc

This does not work. Lan wangji was a little hesitant at first, but now he seems to be tolerating it with only the slight reddening of his ears to show his rage

He even seems upset when wei wuxian isn’t sitting in his lap!

Wei wuxian thought at first that this was because they were inside their house and home, but when he plopped himself down on lan zhan’s lap at a sect conference, in fromt of everyone…lan zhan put his ARMs around his WAIST like this was NORMAL

Now wei Wuxian is the weird one who’s tucking his head into lan wangji’s neck, embarrassed

From this experience wei wuxian realizes something: Lan Zhan’s a secret cuddle bug!!!

He just never got the chance thanks to all those stuffy clan rules

And well, wei wuxian can’t leave a fellow cuddle bug hanging can he? Think about all thr hugs lan zhan has missed that he needs to make up for! He’ll just have to think of something else.

Step Two: presents. Lan zhan never liked any of the porn or alchol wei wuxian tried to give him before, so clearly he’s gonna hate it if wei wuxian gives him that and more!

Wei wuxian starts piling lan wangji with gifts. Porn! They’re married now so he can’t refuse! Alcohol, the best of the best! Spicy food he made himself! This pretty ribbon he saw at thr market and thought of lan zhan! This lantern with a bunny on it! That silk with bunnies…this painting of bunnies…

He might have gone a bit overboard with the bunnies

No matter what he gives him, lan wangji takes it with solemn grattitude, and tries it out. This proves a problem when lan wangji keeps eating the spicy food even as it clearly hurts him

Shijie frowns disaprovingly at him once while watching lan wangji guzzle water, and wei ying swore to do it never again

The less said about the alcohol incident the better

There is one more serious gift he gives lan wangji, one he knows he won’t dissaprove of. Smuggled among the presents and clothes, he brings in new “attendents” who look suspiciously like those wen remandents who seemingly vanished into thin air from their containment camp.

Lan wangji takes them in gravely, and soon their home is filled with the sound of laughter as a small boy runs after lan zhan

So clearly gifts aren’t working. Time for step three: sex

…..

…..lan zhan won.

Maybe all those gifts of porn were a bad idea, sullying such a pure mind

At this point Wei Wuxian is getting desperate, nothing he does is making lan wangji less willing to marry him. Its time for desprate measures…

Step Four: tell the truth. He’s never going to stop demonic cultivation and return to the sword path. He can’t.

He needed to tell him anyway, with all the touching they do, it was only a matter of time before he figured it out himself.

Lan Wangji says nothing as wei wuxian explains how he lost his core (still not mentioning how, he’ll take jiang cheng’s secret to the grave) how he was in the burial mounds, how its gone, gone gone and this is all he has left!

Before he knows it he’s a sobbing mess, tears and snot trailing down his face.

Not a very pretty picture for a husband huh?

Lan wangji only opens his arms, and pulls wei wuxian close, letting him cry himself silly in his arms.

It hurts, but it also feels good, safe, like lan zhan is a rock who will stay steady even against the tide of his own emotions

Still, it was a lot, and once he calms down he thinks this time, for sure, lan wangji will leave. He was kind in the confession, because that’s his nature, but surely, surely he doesn’t want to stay chained to a man who can’t even cultivate.

Jiang yanli asks to speak to lan wangji privately, to check in on how he’s adjusting, and wei wuxian sneaks in to listen, bracing for the worst

…when had the worst become lan zhan leaving?

Yanli asks if he has any complains, wei wuxian tenses, and lan zhan…

“I’ve never been so happy,” lan zhan says, because lan’s do not lie.

Wei wuxian is so shocked he tumbles from his hiding place. Yanli frowns with exasperation at him but all his attention is on lan wangji

Do you mean it? He asks

Of course,” lan wangji nods, then adds, “i love you” as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

Wei wuxian is laughing, he’s crying, he has an armful of lan zhan and the taste of his lips and well…

Maybe this marriage thing is pretty great actually.

The end

#the untamed #the untamed au #mo dao su zhi #mdsz #mdsz au #arranged marriage #wei wuxian #lan wangji #wei ying #lan zhan #jiang yanli #jiang cheng #wens #wen qing and wen ning were fake mustaches to disguise themselves and gaslight jiang cheng into believing they’re someoen else #wangxian #wangxian au

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rayan12sworld · 1 month

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🧡💙Truth Will Out (when caught on video) - End_OTW_Racism!

By:KizuKatana

Summary:

A night-hunt goes wrong, and Wei Wuxian is scapegoated for the death of the Jiang Sect Leader and the destroyed core of the Jiang Sect Heir. As punishment, his core is taken and given to Jiang Cheng, and he is stripped of his cultivation credentials and expelled from the sect.

What everyone forgot was that Wei Wuxian was wearing the standard issue body camera that each cultivator wore on training missions and high-risk night-hunts. Struggling to make ends meet, Wei Wuxian finds his way to Caiyi Town with the doctor who performed the surgery, a partial core still secretly in place. His application to work at Cloud Recesses is summarily rejected by the hard-edged Second Jade of Lan after an unfortunate initial encounter.

But things change when someone hacks into the Jiang systems and releases the footage of what happened.

Chapter:20/20

Words:178,961

Status:completed

Core transfer? His blood began to run cold. And then he got to the part that involved Wei Wuxian. The ‘choice’ he had been given between execution and removal of his core, and how—at any time—if he revealed the nature of his core injury, he would be returned to the Jiang for execution. He was on his feet with his hand on Bichen’s hilt before he had even finished reading the clause. Lan Xichen grabbed his arm to prevent him from advancing on Madam Yu or drawing his sword. Wei Wuxian was also on his feet, a hand pressed against Lan Wangji’s chest to hold him back. Some part of Lan Wangji’s brain knew that actually running Madam Yu through in the middle of a Council meeting would not be considered acceptable conduct, but he really, really wanted to. “I invoke the Rite of Requital,” Lan Wangji said through gritted teeth, momentarily cutting through the surprised voices of the Council at his actions before the room erupted into chaos at his words. The commotion nearly drowned out the voice of his brother standing beside him, still holding onto his sword arm. “Wangji!” Lan Xichen’s shocked voice came from beside him, but Lan Wangji kept his gaze locked on Madam Yu, who was looking at him as though he’d lost his mind.

~~~

“Lan Zhan, what are you doing?” Wei Wuxian whispered frantically, his hands fisting into Lan Wangji’s robes even though Lan Wangji was no longer trying to move towards Madam Yu. He had issued his challenge. He would face her at the appropriate time if the Council refused to take action. “She took your core,” Lan Wangji said, the words almost impossible to get past his throat. “She gave you a choice between execution and removing your core.” “His core belongs to the Jiang,” Madam Yu said, though her voice sounded more shaken than arrogantly confident. She appeared to be aware of the likely outcome of a duel between the two of them. “We taught him to cultivate. It was ours to give and ours to take.” Nie Mingjue and Lan Xichen looked horrified at the thought of a sect leader holding (and acting upon) such beliefs. Even Madam Jin looked at her sworn sister with shock at her words. “That is not true,” Wen Qing said, looking over to her uncle, who gave her a brief nod. “While it is true that Wei Wuxian grew and strengthened his core while training with the Jiang, my examination of his core showed that it had been developed much earlier in childhood, prior to the death of his parents. The seed of his core was not yours to take.” “Impossible!” Jin Guangshan said. “Wei Wuxian was only four or five when his parents died. No one forms their core that young.” Wen Qing eyed Jing Guangshan with thinly veiled disdain. “As the person who has studied core development for a living, and Wei Wuxian’s core in particular, I have to respectfully disagree. If the Jin are interested, I will forward the findings from my latest research for their edification when it is published.” Jin Guangshan looked like he was about to argue more, but Wen Ruohn cut him off. “In the matter of the Second Jade’s challenge, such things are irrelevant. But he cannot claim the Rite without grounds, no matter how morally offensive he finds the Jiang Sect’s actions. Lan Wangji, on what grounds are you claiming the Rite?” Wen Ruohan asked calmly. Of everyone in the room, he was the least perturbed by the turn of events. Possibly because he was old enough to remember similar challenges in the past. “Wei Wuxian is not a member of your family or the Lan Sect.” “Wei Ying is my cultivation partner,” Lan Wangji said firmly, tearing his gaze from Madam Yu to look first at Wen Ruohan, then at Wei Ying. Wei Ying was staring at him as though he had never seen him before, but he was not refuting Lan Wangji’s claim, and he did not look angry about it, so Lan Wangji did not back down. “I have grounds.”

It's an amazing fanfic, it's not like I can have all of my favourite moments in tumblr so I took this moment when Lan Wangji says that wei ying is his cultivation partner🫡

#wangxian #wangxian recommendations #mdzs #mxtx mdzs #wangxian fanfic #ao3 recs #the untamed #mdzs fanfic rec #completed fanfic #wangxian fic rec #lwj x wwx #mdzs lwj #lwj×wwx #lwj #mdzs wwx #wwx #Truth Will Out (when caught on video) - End_OTW_Racism!

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wangxianficrecs · 9 months

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Every Mother's Son by Chrononautical

Every Mother's Son

by Chrononautical

T, 11k, Wangxian

Summary: When the former Madam Lan hears that the new Sect Leader Lan married a criminal who is kept in the same house where she once lived, she has only one choice. She has to return to Cloud Recesses to rescue Wei Wuxian! Kay's comments: Ah, I love a good Madam Lan lives AU! And this once is absolutely beautiful. In this one, she faked her death and fled to ancient Japan, where she helped other women in unhappy marriages. Hearing of Wei Wuxian living in her former prison, she draws the wrong conclusions and returns to rescue him, which ends with her finally meeting her sons again and there's some complicated feelings, especially on Lan Xichen's side and I really loved that. The backstory was also really cool and Madam Lan interacting with Wei Wuxian was perfectly written as well. Excerpt: “I know you are a criminal called the Yiling Laozu and that Lan Zhan married you. I do not know what you like to be called.” “Lan Zhan,” echoed the young man. He probably wasn’t used to hearing his husband called by that name. Little A-Zhan was a person who belonged to the distant past—a gentle, loving boy who liked rabbits and sweets—now only Sect Leader Lan remained. Hu Mingyan needed to remember that, if they were caught. “My name is Wei Ying, courtesy name Wei Wuxian. Beautiful mystery women may call me what they like!” “Well then, Wei Wuxian, I’m sure you have a number of questions for me. I will do my best to answer, but first we have to find a corpse.” “Sure, sure,” he said peaceably. “You’d be surprised how many conversations I have that go in this direction. Usually I’m the one saying it, in fact! Was there a particular flavor of corpse you had in mind? Different sorts are useful for different things.” “Ideally, a young man of your approximate height and build. I know a few tricks to make a dead body look like a different person. If we disguise a corpse and sneak it back into the Gentian House, the Lan won’t search for you once you’re gone.” “Yeah,” Wei Wuxian said slowly, “I’m not going along with any plan that makes Lan Zhan think I’m dead, even for a minute. Sorry. This has been really fun, though!” Hu Mingyan blinked at him. “Fun! He will hunt you down if he thinks you’re alive. The Lan don’t let things go. They don’t let people go. Not ever.”

canon divergence, post-canon, established relationship, madam lan lives, lan family feels, madam lan backstory, madam lan deserves better, reunions, misunderstandings, japan, implied/referenced rape/non-con, lan xichen in seclusion, chief cultivator lan wangji, sect leader lan wangji, family fluff, adopted children, hurt/comfort, happy ending, @chrononautintraining

~*~

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

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poorlittleyaoyao · 1 year

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Similarily CQL takes some of JGY's attention from LXC to Jin Ling in the temple. That "he wouldn't even let me hold you" line isn't in the book because its show only, but also because he's mostly talking to Xichen in the book, whereas in the show he's also trying to explain himself to Jin Ling. I love xiyao but I'm entirely on board with this change, it's not ALL about you er-ge!! Xiao-shushu rights!(This is part of why despite its flaws I defend cql with my life)

That line is one of the few moments from the temple that consistently has me like 😭 and it’s suchhhh a good addition. We see it happen in real time, so we know it for sure happened, and it stuck with JGY so acutely that he’s listing it right alongside the stairs and the disrespect of MS and the fucked-up marriage situation as a reason JGS was the worst. It makes it all the more painful when JGY nonetheless takes Jin Ling hostage a moment later. JGY never caring about his nephew at all? Boooooring. JGY caring deeply but nonetheless choosing his own self-preservation when the chips are down? Now that’s the good shit.

And Jin Ling’s response to it all! He looks so distressed when he hears that Xiao-shushu wasn’t allowed to hold him! And even after JGY harms him (and, in CQL canon, after learning that JGY arranged his JZX’s murder), Jin Ling still yells for him to watch out once Baxia/Corpsejue shows up, thereby drawing their attention and endangering himself! And then his “fuck you!! I’ll grieve if I want!!” bit in the novel... I just! He is such a good boy and he loves both his uncles even when that’s hard to do. 🥺

#now. I will say. the includion of ‘he wouldn’t let me hold you’ + the emphasis on JL’s reactions in CQL #does make the utter LACK of reaction to Qin Su’s death all the more apparent

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231s-prompts · 2 months

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Wanji's Missing (or as I more affectionately call it, farm)

I was entirely going to just put the idea I had, but then I ended up writing it. It was in my drive for too long for me to not play with it. Find it on ao3 here, otherwise, enjoy!

After the events at Guanyin Temple, Wanji, himself, and the rest of the Lan went back to the Cloud Recesses together. A Discussion Conference would have to be planned earlier than usual, but Xichen wouldn’t be participating in it or the planning as Shufu had agreed that it was best for him currently to go into seclusion. Wanji seemed happy enough to pick up some of the work leading the Sect and Shufu would assist him.

Perhaps in hindsight seclusion really wasn’t the best idea.

Sizhui would send him regular letters about recent happenings, and he would read them with his midday meal, between meditation. It was mostly the same thing, sometimes Wei Wuxian would be mentioned, but not too much. It was mostly offhanded, using two sentences to describe the man, at most. “We bumped into Wei-qianbi on our most recent night hunt. He’s doing well and asked about how you were doing,” or sometimes just a “Wei-qianbi is doing well, we heard about him in a village we passed through.” Xichen didn’t feel hurt by it, Wei Wuxian wasn’t bothering Wanji and was doing his own thing now. Wanji couldn’t be hurt by him.

Wanji also sent him letters, mostly apologies for not making time to talk to him through the door. He wrote much more about Wei Wuxian. “Wei Ying is currently traveling just north of Lotus Pier, he sent a painting of a lake with his most recent letter to Sizhui. It was beautiful. I would like to go there with you,” or “Wei Ying wants to stay somewhere north during the winter because the south isn’t exciting enough. Shufu doesn’t want him to come, so Wei Ying might go to Qinghe instead.” Truthfully, Xichen thought that Wanji could write much longer about Wei Wuxian than he did, but just reading Wanji talk about him hurt. This is a man who hurt Wanji, who he took whip lashes for, who he sealed his core for, and he can just… talk so casually about him? Xichen… Xichen was- is- hurt by a-Yao. He killed a-Yao, but that wasn’t- he didn’t actually do anything. Xichen just… killed him. Like that. Like a-Yao did to da-ge and Jin-zhongzu but Xichen was still a good person?

Xichen could draw parallels between himself and Wanji, Wei Wuxian and a-Yao, even Nie Huaisang and the rest of the Jianghu for days. And he did. And he did. Both Wanji and himself saw the best in the other. A-Yao and Wei Wuxian hurt the other and committed actual, legitimate crimes. A-Yao and Wei Wuxian had the other commit crimes, Wanji attacking the elders, and Xichen killing someone. Nie Huaisang and the Jianghu put them in difficult positions.

Everyday was the same for Xichen. Wake up at Mao Shichen, eat morning meal, meditate on his actions and how to improve himself, eat midday meal, read letters if there are any, meditate on improving himself, eat evening meal, go to sleep at Hai Shichen. It was repetitive, there were no surprises, and no one he trusted that he could hurt again or be hurt by.

He had a lot to meditate on. A-Yao’s actions and exactly how he did them. His relationship with a-Yao and how he trusted him so much. If a-Yao ever trusted him. How he felt about Nie Huaisang.

The last part was hard. He still wanted to call Nie Huaisang a-Sang, but what Nie Huaisang was objectively wrong. He lied and manipulated and waved his fan while doing it. The rules said not to associate with evil, but Xichen wanted to associate with Nie Huaisang. Despite everything, they were technically brothers to some degree and they were likely the last of da-ge for each other. Da-ge would be sad to see them like this.

It was a day he had decided that he needed to understand how he felt about Nie Huaisang when someone knocked on his door. He hadn’t known what the weather was like until a voice reached him-

“I’d apologize for interrupting your seclusion, but it’s raining lakes out here and I’d like to come in first. There’s also a huge problem like- currently happening and we need some help.”

Lan Jingyi’s voice, panting from exhaustion. Xichen had known the boy since Sizhui brought him to have dinner with while Wanji was still in seclusion himself. But why was he knocking now? And what was the problem?

“Come in.”

With those words Lan Jingyi opened the door and quickly came in, closing it behind himself. “Oh man, I feel so happy to see you right now. First of all it’s not raining in here,” he said, taking off his outermost layer, a thicker layer for the rain, “which is great. And you’re not panicking yet,” he exchanged a quick bow, “which is also great because between Sizhui and Grandmaster Lan I think I’ve seen enough stress to go gray.”

“I’ll make some tea then, but please tell me what’s going on.” Xichen quickly got the tea out and ready while Jingyi sat himself down at the table, clearly taking the moment to rest and catch his breath.

It was only once the tea was done and Jingyi had nearly drank half his cup when he spoke next. “Hanguang-jun is like- fully missing. He didn’t show up for morning meal, which is totally normal because Sizhui says he sometimes takes it in his- err, your- office, but then one of the outer disciples who’s in charge of making sure he gets the paperwork said that he wasn’t in there, and some kitchen staff said that he wasn’t in the office so they thought that he was going to take it with everyone else-”

Xichen raised his hand, halting the boy. Hanguang-jun is like- fully missing. “Wanji’s missing?”

Jingyi quickly nodded, “I was gonna get to that. Sizhui was kinda the first one to realize he’s missing, so he told me to tell Grandmaster Lan while he checked the Jingshi, except while I’m in the middle of telling Grandmaster Lan everything, Sizhui comes in and is all ‘A-die’s missing,’ which is weird because Sizhui only calls Hanguang-jun ‘A-die’ when he’s stressed or not in public, and probably once in front of Grandmaster Lan ever. So now they both are worried and have people looking everywhere. Like- literally everywhere. Grandmaster Lan apparently looked in the Forbidden Library, had the storehouses checked- the ones where we keep stuff for safe keeping, like the more dangerous Wen weapons and stuff- Sizhui checked the rabbits with me and we both went to the Cold Ponds, but he’s just gone.

“So then the three of us looked in the Jingshi again because Sizhui realized that there could have been a note left, or signs that he was taken, but nope! Aside from Hanguang-jun, only some trinkets, books, paintings, and personal items are missing. So Grandmaster Lan is saying stuff like that he just left of his own choice and how he couldn’t have gotten far and has a bunch of disciples looking for him outside of Cloud Recesses and then he disappeared towards some of the other houses used for seclusion and I thought he was coming to tell you, but then he came back and just said that he didn’t find him and didn’t mention you, so I said that I was checking the office again for any more signs, but actually just found the house you are supposed to be in seclusion, here, and decided you needed to be told.”

Jingyi took a deep breath.

“I will obviously accept any punishment you feel fit, but that’s as far as we’ve gotten and Hanguang-jun is your brother.”

That… was a lot to take in. It certainly sounded like Wanji had decided to up and leave. But why? Nothing in any of the letters he’d sent seemed to point to anything weird happening to him. Or anything being wrong. Perhaps… perhaps Wei Wuxian had something to do with it.

“Go check the Jingshi for the most recent letter you can find that Wei Wuxian sent him. I need to get properly dressed, and will meet you in the office.”

Jingyi must have just noticed that Xichen was still in his sleep clothes, as he quickly stood, bowed, and rushed out, barely remembering his rain layer.

A year and a half. Efforts to find Wanji hadn’t decreased in that time, but he was very well gone. No one had heard from him, even Nie Huaisang- which was a complicated conversation that included lots of crying on both sides, a reconciliation, and a difficult, though thorough, explanation of Wanji’s disappearance. There was one other piece of news, that was only very worrying, and that was that no one knew exactly where Wei Wuxian was. Jiang Wanyin, Jiang-zhongzu, had seen him a month before Wanji disappeared, but nothing else. He had just been traveling through to get to Qinghe. The Juniors had stopped bumping into him and his donkey, a-Sang said that he never came to visit during the winter, and even Wen Ning said that he hadn’t heard anything from him, not even the slightest pull through resentful energy.

To get a break from the sudden work thrust upon himself, since he had to now do all the work his brother had been doing- really, how he managed so much was unknown to Xichen- and still follow possible leads. Another member of the inner members had been put in charge of running night hunts, as Wanji had still been in charge of them, and the Juniors were put in charge of caring for the rabbits -some of whom had disappeared, likely with Wanji- and even the other tasks Wanji was responsible for as heir were pushed to Sizhui, though Uncle was insistent on helping.

Xichen had his hands full with Sect Leader paperwork and decisions, limiting the amount of power the Elders had- apparently Wanji was insistent on doing this, for no apparent reason- and making sure the Sect didn’t fall to chaos. And this was just the in-Sect business. Making sure the image of the Lan didn’t fall in the eyes of the common people, or the other Sects was paramount. Wanji’s constant nighthunting for the past few years had greatly benefitted them, but it had really just created a standard for the rest of the Sect.

So the sudden stress, from previously being secluded in one of the seclusion houses and meditating to now being the face of the Sect again, culminated in Xichen taking a night hunt himself. He had taken a few short ones since Wanji disappeared and he was put back in his role as Sect Leader and they helped quite a bit, so he didn’t worry about taking a slightly longer one. This one was from one of the outer towns, who lived in a valley between a large lake south of Caiyi, and the great shore. Really, it should be Jiang territory with how far south it is, but Jiang Wanyin had never asked about it and the town itself never asked for much.

They typically didn’t ask for aid that often, since they were mostly just a large community that collectively farmed and lived together. They were large enough that workers would come during the growing season to help out, and when the harvest came around, their tourism would boom, but overall, they only needed a Sect to oversee them to help with their trade to Lotus Pier and Caiyi.

This time however, they had sent word about a particularly strong Gui haunting their docks, making them unable to send any trade across the lake to the small village on the other side, or any of the houses that were nearby. So Xichen went by himself, since it didn’t seem violent or feral, just incredibly protective of the docks.

The trip wasn’t difficult, just long. It was long enough that Xichen’s spiritual energy was running low when he finally landed near the town. Sheathing Shuoyue, it took a quarter incense time to get to the town and for the people to recognize him.

Running towards him and bowing, the man who ran the larger of the two taverns looked apologetic. “Ah, Lan-zhongzu, we really must apologize, but you’ve come for nothing!”

Xichen startled. “Nothing?”

In the letter the town had sent, the problem seemed quite major, since the village was largely dependent on the rich teas and materials from the town.

“Yes, the kind daozhangs helped her out! Why, it just took them an incense’s time to sort it out with her, and the issue was resolved!” The townsperson looked relieved at that, but obviously still felt bad for Xichen.

“And when was this?” Xichen asked, vaguely airily.

The man thought, putting his hand on his chin. “Ah, about a week ago? We had just sent the letter when they came in. They usually come to help around with repairs and to help the old man near the water tend to his lotus flowers every few weeks, but this time they helped everyone! We didn’t even know they could!”

The nearby women that were carrying laundry stopped by them. “Oh yes, those handsome men do help out much more than they need to, Cheng Song (pine tree) didn’t even need to ask, Hei-daozhang just saw them and asked to help! And then Lan-daozhang just followed like he usually does!”

Another one nodded, joining in, “And they’re so talented! They just asked about the house -oh this was about a year and a half ago now-, bought some seeds- Lan-daozhang is truly so rich- and the next time we saw them, they had mentioned that it was all fixed up!”

“Ah, and the kids love them,” the third chimed in, “the two of them spend time teaching the kids how to read and write, and Hei-daozhang shows us how to organize our planting to grow the most produce, and when you’re lucky Lan-daozhang will ask Hei-daozhang to show Fang Xiaofan (little ordinary) how to play the dizi some more- and then when they start to finish up, Hei-daozhang will needle Lan-daozhang to play with him, Lan-daozhang plays the qin, and they play such a pretty duet!” The other two women nod furiously.

“Yes! You would never think that two men would be so in tune with each other, but it really is magical!”

“Song Meili (beautiful and graceful)!” The first woman chided the second woman, “They are two men that live in a house together, farm together, and have traveled all over the place with each other! Of course they’re in tune with each other! And Wan Liu (the willow)! Don’t confuse Lan-zhongzu!” She turned towards Xichen, “They come every few days to take the kids in the afternoon to the great shore to teach them all sorts of things, reading and writing obviously, but also archery and mathematics. They were going to show them how to hunt, but the men wanted to!” The women laughed to each other, and bowed, taking their laundry wherever they were going.

Two men, one in white and one in black, came to town about a year and a half ago, bought a house and occasionally come to help the town and teach the children some of the noble arts, and play duets together. A dizi and a qin. The man in black helps tend lotus flowers.

There’s no way that they’ve been here this whole time. There’s no way that Wanji and Wei Wuxian have been in this little town, that regularly traded with Lotus Pier and Caiyi, unnoticed for a year and a half.

Xichen turned to the tavern owner. ��Does Lan-daozhang happen to bear any resemblance to Hanguang-jun?” Xichen knew his face was pale. He was tired from the paperwork, tired from the sword flight here, tired from his worldview from turning. Most importantly, he was tired from missing his brother.

“Hanguang-jun? I suppose so, but doesn’t Hanguang-jun dress… oh, Hanguang-jun is your brother, right? You do look rather similar to Lan-daozhang he’s just… well I suppose that he looks more relaxed than you. And Lan-daozhang wears much rougher clothing than you do, Hei-daozhang manages to get the white much more green and brown than yours could probably handle…” Wanji… gets muddy? Willingly? Wanji, who as a three year old, would refuse to let the bottoms of his hems touch the ground in case they got dirty? Who cried himself to sleep after spilling water on himself?

Xichen could feel himself frowning. “And where is their house?”

“Just south of here, if you walk around the lake you should be able to see the clearing, it’s difficult to see from a boat, and they don’t have a dock, here I’ll show you.” He walked for an incense time, pointing out people the duo had helped, along with main businesses and the best inn. Eventually though, they came to the docks overlooking the lake. “Over there,” he pointed, “you can’t see them, but there’s two docks that the village uses, since they’re a bit more in-land, they don’t do much on the water.” He pointed slightly left, “and between us and them, there are two more docks, both of them are abandoned. Between those two docks, there’s a large patch of lotus flowers growing, and their boat should be tipped over on land nearby. Then you’ll see the clearing with their house. I wouldn’t suggest going to find it now though, it’s easily a quarter day’s walk to their house… though you can fly on your sword… hmm.”

“Thank you, I’ll stay here the night and find them in the morning then.” The man looked delighted, and they bowed, departing from each other.

Getting a room for the night was simple and quick -despite planting season being well underway, the ground had yet to fully thaw and some snow still lingered so the workers who would come to help during the growing season hadn’t yet fully arrived. Also, the town was not particularly warm recently, so there were no tourists.

Brushing his hair out to prepare to go to bed, Xichen took the moment to reflect on the events of the day. They seemed familiar, until Xichen took out the letters Wanji had written him just before he disappeared. The last one, “Wei Ying wants to stay somewhere north during the winter because the south isn’t exciting enough. Shufu doesn’t want him to come, so Wei Ying might go to Qinghe instead.” The one before, “Wei Ying is currently traveling just north of Lotus Pier, he sent a painting of a lake with his most recent letter to Sizhui. It was beautiful. I would like to go there with you.” Wei Wuxian had traveled north of where he had been previously, through Lotus Pier, to get to Qinghe. This lake was north of Lotus Pier, but a bit east. Wei Wuxian wanders, it's not improbable that he got off track. He saw the lake, painted it for Sizhui, and eventually bought a house and started a farm. Well, Wanji bought a house. But Wanji was also happy here. And Wanji didn’t write, to Uncle or to Xichen. Or even to Sizhui.

Wei Wuxian hurt Wanji though. That was unforgivable, as Wanji’s brother. His big brother. Xichen practically raised him, since Uncle was often busy with Sect matters. Why- How could Wanji do that?

But come morning, the answers will be revealed.

Xichen woke up as he usually did, at Mao Shichen, quickly getting ready for the day and eating a brief morning meal. His spiritual reserves had recovered, so he found himself packing up and pulling out Shuoyue. The tavern owner’s instructions were simple, but easy to follow, and he soon found the lotus flowers just halfway past Si Shichen.

He landed on the ground efficiently, dusting himself off before he trekked through some tall grass, soon getting to the clearing. A large house was in the middle, a field of sprouting flowers between him and the house. The house itself was expansive, though the roof was clearly mismatched. Laundry was hanging in the sun, and a small shed sat near a small farm that didn’t yet bear plants. Plant pots were sitting on the stairs leading up to the house, and he could tell that the stone pathway had been recently weeded. A larger shed sat near the far edge of the clearing, much larger than the one that must hold tools. While pieces of wood leaned against the smaller one, scraps of random materials were sloppily piled on top of each other outside the larger shed.

As he walked closer, a small table made itself clear in the middle of the small flowers. A voice soon followed, though it seemed to be on the other side of the house. As he approached, Wei Wuxian’s recognizable laugh made itself clear. Walking faster, and a wide curve around the house, he came across a rather… soft scene.

Wanji was pouring tea on a bench outside their house, while Wei Wuxian had evidently tumbled backwards, holding a rabbit above himself. Wanji was smiling, watching as Wei Wuxian pulled the rabbit to his chest and gently rubbed between its ears.

Their peace didn’t stay, as Wanji noticed Xichen almost immediately, his smile fading as he quickly stood.

Wei Wuxian quickly noticed and followed, “Zhan- oh, Lan-zhongzu.” he instantly looked uncomfortable. Wanji noticed, and signaled for him to go into the house. Wanji himself quickly lead Xichen back to the field of flowers, and they sat themselves down at the table.

The table of which, was poorly constructed, but did have intricate carvings on it.

Wanji… Wanji looked a little disgruntled, but was the first to speak.

“Wei Ying made this table. He wanted to surprise me for my birthday. I was just happy he remembered it. It’s broken five times since he built it, but he will not let me help fix it, because he wants it to be a gift, to me, that’s entirely from him.”

“Wanji…”

“Wei Ying and I spoke when I came. He wasn’t expecting me, but once we had time to settle down, we spoke. It took time, but he told me what you said to him.” Wanji looked up, meeting his eyes for the first time since before Guanyin Temple. “I love him very much, and I have for a very long time. I understand why you said what you did, but it hurt when I found out. And it still does.” He looked away again.

Tears grew from Xichen’s eyes, prickling as his vision blurred. “Wanji… I’m sorry.”

Wanji’s gaze went to his hands. “Then please apologize to Wei Ying. And stop assuming that he will hurt me. He worries about that enough.”

“...I will.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ve missed you, Wanji.”

Wanji froze, before he looked up at Xichen again, drawing his hands closer to Xichen’s. “And I, you.”

“The town’s people told me about what the two of you have been up to. Very enthusiastically.”

“Mn.” Wanji smiled, just the smallest bit.

“You’ve been doing good here. And you seem happier.”

“Mn. …I do not know if I want to return to the Sect. I have not left in any official capacity, but…” Xichen reached for his hands, resting his on top of Wanji’s.

“You do not want to, but you want to be distanced?” Wanji nodded. “The Elders won’t get any say over it, I can help on the official side.”

“Thank you.”

Quickly mapping out a plan, Xichen continued. “And… I’ll have to talk to you both about it, but you can likely still help out, if you want. We can send younger disciples to help during the harvest, so they can gain experience and have time away from the Sect. Jingyi and Sizhui’s group could have benefitted from the experience.”

“We could use the help, we plan to have more growing this year… Wei Ying would be happy for the company.” He glanced at the house. “But we should still ask.”

A comfortable silence rested upon the two, before Xichen broke it.

“Wanji… can I ask why you haven’t sent any letters? Everyone has been looking for the two of you.” His brother looked away again, his hands tensing for a moment before relaxing again.

“Mn, had asked Sizhui about how he would feel if I went to see Wei Ying. Sizhui knew that Wei Ying was getting closer before he passed for Qinghe. Sizhui had mentioned how easy it would be to see Wei Ying.” Wanji had very clearly met his maximum amount of words used for the day now, and seemed uncomfortable with saying more.

Thinking back, Sizhui had seemed to… accept that his… parents had disappeared together. He became complacent with the idea. He no longer looked as fervently for them, but still would spend extra time on his night hunts to look in the nearby area. “So Sizhui knew that the two of you would be together. Knowing him, he probably expected for us adults to catch onto that. Uncle had thought that Wuxian had kidnapped you, but we haven’t spoken on… any of this for a while now.”

Another peaceful silence covered them, but it seemed easier now. Xichen could easily deduce that by not sending a letter, the duo weren’t drawing more attention to themselves, and perhaps dealing with their first planting season and their first winters had taken up more energy than they had expected. During the silence, rabbits started to pop up, coming to take their pets and attention.

Eventually, midday came around, and Wanji silently led him to the house, where the entry room was in disarray. A few silent words in another room, and the two came out, hand in hand.

“Welcome to our humble abode, Lan-zhongzu. Lan Zhan mentioned the idea for disciples to help out during the harvest, and the town could certainly use the help. Old Man Fang’s back has been getting worse, so the lotus flowers will need help getting harvested.” Wanji visibly squeezed his hand, glancing at him meaningfully. “...And… we could use some help, probably.”

“Excellent.”

The lunch that passed was peaceful, Wuxian mostly spending the time gradually gaining more confidence and telling him more about the town as time went on. The brothers stayed quiet, but Wuxian took it in stride. He was collecting the plates and talking about their plans for their farm when they were finished. Xichen then found himself helping plant the first seeds, the plants that will take the longest to grow. Wuxian spoke about how he was working on making talismans that would let them grow year-round, mostly to help the town make more produce and avoid a surprise food shortage during the long winter. He had already developed talismans that help keep food good for longer, and he hoped to make ones that would alter the soil to help grow more variety.

Wuxian clearly didn’t realize how much this would impact the rest of everywhere else, and Wanji also clearly understood this when he shared a look with Xichen.

Apparently Wuxian had a head start on the talismans due to him trying to grow potatoes in the Burial Mounds.

Which, was actually quite depressing.

When they finished, Xichen was invited for dinner, and then invited to stay in a guest room for the night.

When he woke up at Mao Shichen, Wanji was already making tea.

He would leave soon after Wuxian appeared and everything was sorted out, taking Shuoyue and arriving back at Cloud Recesses just after curfew. The first thing he did was wake Sizhui and tell him where his parents were.

When he wakes up the next morning, a whole two incense times late, Sizhui is gone and Jingyi is panicking again.

But come fall, and the younger disciples are leaving to help Wei-gongzi and Hanguang-jun harvest their crops, and help the town harvest theirs, and when they come back, a few days before the first snowfall, they will tell Xichen and the rest of the Sect and the youngest disciples about the tasty lotus seeds and the rabbits that are just like the ones on the back hills and the new talismans that Wuxian has finished. But mostly, they will bring gossip like little children, and they will bring peace to the cultivation world, because Wanji and Wuxian are safe and sound.

Really though, if there’s any real benefit that Xichen will get from this, is the regular letters he gets from his brother, interspersed with bits from Wuxian, and the beautiful pressed lotus flowers.

#231 #mo dao zu shi #mdzs #lan xichen #lan wangji #wei wuxian #lan sizhui #farm #look! I actually wrote stuff!! I even touched this blog!!#fanfic

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the-pudding-is-a-lie · 2 years

Photo

Finally the last one of my MerMay pictures for this year! (A bit late but psssst, it’s just sum-Mer, don’t look at me.)

As always, Wei Wuxian is very hard to draw for some reason. But this might be one of my most handsome Lan Wangji’s so far.

My other MerMay art from this year:

((Buy me a kofi, get a doodle! :D))

#wangxian #mo dao zu shi #mdzs #the untamed #mermay #wei wuxian #lan wangji #lan zhan #wei ying #fanart #lan sizhui #wen yuan

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rosethornewrites · 4 months

Text

Fic: and sings the tune without the words, ch. 10

Additional Tags: Epistolary, Food, Music, Secrets, Resentful Energy, Cultivation Sect Politics, Character Death

Summary: Nie Mingjue reports to Lan Xichen about the continued discussion conference.

Notes: See end.

Previous fic in the series: “the thing with feathers”

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

AO3 link

———————

Xichen,

Jiang Yanli has been a bit busy and said you would appreciate an update. To be direct, it’s a mess.

Apparently the Jiang sect has taken in two women who have bastard children by Jin-zongzhu, and he decided to petition that they be handed over to him like so much chattel. A-Die told him that coming to a sect and demanding their women be given to him wasn’t unexpected from him even if it was more brazen than his usual infidelity and that, as well as Jiang Wuxian’s health, led to the discussion conference being recessed for a few days.

Yu-furen has been a force to behold, and Yao-zongzhu has already departed with a broken nose. She’s fiercely protective of her children, and anyone who dares blame Jiang Wuxian for Wen Ruohan’s demise regrets it shortly. One would think he was her child by blood.

Wen Qing’s testimony about Wen Ruohan’s activities was rather damning. Apparently there’s some Yin Iron artifact tainted by resentful energy that led to a big war generations ago and it was split into pieces and locked away in multiple locations. One of those was near her village, and in unsealing it he awakened a goddess statue that killed her parents and damaged the spiritual consciousness of her didi. He expected her to treat the effects of his use of resentful energy and often implied he would harm Wen Ning, who’s younger than A-Sang!

She started to detail some of his terrible experiments, and Lan Qiren insisted the content was not appropriate for children, which apparently includes me, and we were made to leave. When she returns to the family area following each day, she looks worn enough to be an adult, and yet she is only our age.

The discussion conference has shifted away from whether Jiang Wuxian is responsible for Wen-zongzhu’s death, which seems to be a relief for the Jiangs. From what I’ve heard, the consensus seems to be that he caused his own death through dabbling with demonic cultivation and hubris. We hear a little through the servants, who report to Jiang Yanli what they can.

The last few days, A-Sang and I have been cloistered with the Jiangs and your brother during the day. When you wrote me about the bond Jiang Wuxian has with your brother, I found it hard to believe, but seeing them together I can see why you’re certain they were destined to meet. The boy is bright, if often confused by his loss of memory, and has a weird way of drawing people in, almost eerie but not in a threatening way. When he first met me, he asked where my mustache was and then passed out, and remembered none of it when he woke. I’m given to understand something similar happened when he met A-Die. It must be somewhat terrifying to not know what of your memory you can trust, but he seems to try to think positively, which I suppose is really his only viable option.

Jiang Wanyin reminds me of Wangji in his biting stage, but with words, with a temper like his mother, very protective of his siblings. He’s frustrated with not being allowed to attend the discussion conference, but it comes out of worry for his brother. I’d not heard Jiang Wuxian had a meimei, but the child takes after him in certain mannerisms and clearly adores him, so I suppose she just hadn’t been publicly known of when their parents went missing. It’s their business, and not mine to pry into.

Jiang Yanli has a way of calming Jiang Wanyin and keeping the days on a certain pace and trying to keep everyone from climbing the walls. Wen Ning sometimes cries for his jiejie and needs consoling and distraction, and she provides the latter while her siblings provide the former. Even Jiang Lian will tug him over to play with toys when he’s getting upset. A-Sang has found a friend in Jiang Wuxian, who also enjoys painting, and that keeps him at least somewhat distracted. He also enjoys listening in on the Jiangs practicing their instruments, to the extent that I half-expect him to want to learn himself.

She seems to have taken over some of her niang’s duties for the duration of the discussion conference, including organizing the servants and attending to household matters, but with the added burden of recent events it is quite a lot. She has the help of a woman named Meng Shi, whose son Meng Yao is also cloistered, as well as a young lady named Mo Yun and her infant son. They’re the ones Jin Guangshan demanded, and it’s pretty clear why, but they’re understandably nervous about his demands.

Wangji is quite well, but very distracted by Jiang Wuxian, who had a fever while he was unconscious. I’m no longer surprised by their betrothal, given their closeness. He seems content to let Jiang Wuxian yammer on about whatever he’s thinking about at any given time (seriously the boy never stops talking), and he’s actually listening because he’ll occasionally respond. I’ve never heard him speak so much as he does to Jiang Wuxian.

It is difficult not to be bored. The furor about Jiang Wuxian has died down, thankfully, and we’re just waiting for the conference to end. It’d be one thing if there were tournaments, but it’s definitely not the typical discussion conference. They’ve got the family area locked down with regular patrols by senior disciples, even, after the attempt on Jiang Wuxian.

Not that I expected it to be the typical discussion conference with what’s happened, but I also didn’t think I wouldn’t be allowed to attend—not that I want to hear about Wen Ruohan’s resentful energy experiments any further than I have, as what has been trickling in to Jiang Yanli has been unsettling and there is much the servants won’t tell us. It’s already bad enough that we’re not relaying any of it to the younger ones, and poor Wen Qing’s exhaustion is understandable if she’s been forced to watch much of it. I gather Wen-zongzhu felt it constituted medical training for her to be present, so no wonder she grabbed at the opportunity for her entire family to flee from the Wen sect.

As much as the discussion conference started with accusations against Jiang Wuxian, I’m of the opinion that, had Wen Ruohan lived, a war would have been inevitable; either he would have gone mad from wielding resentful energy, or he would have sought more power, or perhaps both. That he was killed basically attacking the boy should have made it clear he caused his own demise, but some among the gentry need an even clearer indication he is a villain somehow—I’ve made note personally of those who would excuse an attack on an ill child, as I don’t think they should be trusted, and I will share them if you wish, but not on paper. I think your uncle will be largely concerned with the disposition of whatever artifact Wen Ruohan was using, which I’m sure some in the Wen sect would like to keep, if it is to be found.

I don’t know if I’ll still be in Lotus Cove for you to reply, but I’m stuck here until the discussion conference ends. I wish you were here but also you’re better off not being here. At least Meng Yao is a decent conversationalist, and Jiang Yanli and Wen Qing (when she’s available) are also good to talk with about cultivation, for all that they’re focusing on healing. I just wish I could do some training, but I suppose I’ll have to settle for meditating with Baxia instead.

Hopefully the rest of the conference goes quickly. Maybe after I can convince A-Die to visit Gusu somehow.

Mingjue

—————

Mingjue,

I very much appreciate your letter, as I’ve been nearly frantic for news; were it up to me, I would indeed be there with you all and glad for it—it’s so difficult to be so far away from my didi during such a fraught time.

I have seen Yu-furen in action, so I am not surprised you admire her, and I find her admirable as well. I find Jiang-zongzhu similarly so, his approach to his children and sect different from the Lan. I don’t know if I told you, but we stayed for quite some time when Jiang Wuxian was first injured, and our time there was an experience I learned much from, something you might also discover.

I’m glad you’re with the Jiangs instead of at the conference directly, if I’m at all honest, since I heard there was at least one attempt on Jiang Wuxian’s life and I fully expect Wangji would throw himself between him and any threat, an assessment with which I’m certain you will agree. The news that Jiang Wuxian is less of a focus now that something worse has been revealed about Wen Ruohan is welcome, but I also wonder how the Wen delegations are handling the news, whether they are still defending their late sect leader.

Honestly, even if it was borne of Jiang Wuxian’s confusion, you would look very mature with a mustache; I know it bothers you that disciples sometimes see you as a child, and that could potentially help?

Jiang Wuxian hides much of his frustration with his memory, but he has a very positive personality and bounces back quickly. He has had several terrifying nightmares, both at Lotus Cove and the Cloud Recesses, and I know he has worried that some of what he dreams is from memory, that his memories hide something terrible, but from what others have said he has always been positive since he first came to Lotus Cove, and surely he wouldn’t have been if his memories so tormented him.

I didn’t know what to make of the Jiang family dynamic when I first arrived at Lotus Cove, but I think your assessment of Jiang Wanyin is accurate, and you have clearly seen Jiang Yanli’s fortitude and determination. I’m glad she has been gathering information from servants, but it’s disturbing that there are things Wen Qing is testifying about that they find too terrible to relate—Shufu and the Jiangs certainly have their hands full!

Jiang Lian has a similar disposition to Jiang Wuxian and absolutely adores him. I’m sure you’ve found that she’s inquisitive and curious about nearly everything. She wants to learn the dizi, konghou, guqin, and xiao—basically every instrument she’s seen played. I understand she’s inherited Jiang Yanli’s practice konghou, so perhaps she’ll start with that.

Musical cultivation might be a viable option for Huaisang, if he does become that interested. It may not be the Nie cultivation style, but at least he’d be cultivating? I know it bothers you that he doesn’t cultivate at all. Jiang Yanli did not have the health for traditional cultivation, but she’s decided she can still work on other forms, like musical and medical. It may be worth consideration. I’m glad to hear that your didi and Jiang Wuxian get along—you might find that Huaisang is influenced positively by him as well. If nothing else, it would be nice to see this generation grow stronger together by building good ties.

I only met Meng Shi and her son fleetingly, as the Jiangs took them in while we were there, along with Mo-guniang and her son, and both were taken from unpleasant situations and given new lives by the Jiangs. I’m glad you’re speaking with Meng Yao—apparently he was never given proper books on cultivation, only incorrect manuals his mother could find, so I know he likely appreciates your conversation very much. Hopefully Jin-zongzhu accepts the denial.

Wangji is more expressive than he has been since Muqin died, and it’s all thanks to Jiang Wuxian. He seems to just interact more with the world since they met again at Lotus Cove—Jiang Wuxian even helped him forge friendships with his peers. While cutsleeve marriages are unusual, in this case I believe their connection could easily blossom into romance, making their union that much stronger. I’m glad you see it too.

I have not had opportunity to meet Wen Qing or her brother, and I dread to think of the impact Wen Ruohan’s experiments with demonic cultivation had on them, particularly with the impact on young Wen Ning’s spiritual cognition. As an older sibling I’m certain she must have been terrified for her didi’s safety and well-being. Lotus Cove is a good place for her and her family to go, as the Jiangs are certain to treat them kindly. They’ve shown willingness to “take in strays” as others might say derisively, but I think rather it’s that when a Jiang decides you’re clan, that’s what you become.

I’m relieved that it’s boring for you, as cruel as it may be, because a lack of furor means safety. If the focus can remain on the apparent crimes of Wen Ruohan instead of Jiang Wuxian, I know it will also relieve Jiang Yanli and Wangji, and lead to less tension in general.

You are probably right regarding the potential for war in the future had Wen Ruohan lived. There is no shortage of historical examples of the way resentful energy taints the minds of demonic cultivators, and those who seek to gain power by resorting to that path tend toward megalomania anyway. Why else would anyone abandon the wide path after having cultivated to become as strong as Wen Ruohan? That our generation could have seen a war on that scale is sobering, and imagining Wangji ever having to experience such is sickening. I’m sure you feel similarly about Huaisang.

Hopefully that possibility has been averted, but you’re right that it depends on the disposition of the Yin artifact. I daresay keeping an eye on the situation isn’t unwarranted, including regarding the sect leaders who tried to excuse what was done to Jiang Wuxian. I know there’s a precept about gossip, but in this case I don’t believe it is such, given the possible ramifications to our siblings. Jiang Yanli and Wen Qing might like to be included, as they are also older siblings and more people paying attention is a good thing.

I’m certain the Jiangs will forward my letter to the Unclean Realm if you have departed. I think even if you don’t intend to become a healer, you may learn things from discussing cultivation with Jiang Yanli and Wen Qing that can be applied to other branches of cultivation. Even if there isn’t, there’s nothing wrong with pursuing knowledge for the sake of it.

I hope you get to come here. It would be very nice to see you.

Xichen

—————

So since Nie-zongzhu isn’t getting killed by Wen Ruohan, Nie Mingjue has no reason to hate the Wen clan specifically. And also has time to be a kid, to a certain extent. This means also that there can be an older sibling brigade. Pity the fool who hurts a didi.

I’ve started supplements for my osteoarthritis this week and it seems to be helping. Visiting friends and resting. Had a decent holiday, though overdid it a bit and my body let me know. Visiting friends and having a good time.

I’m okay. Just working on accepting that my job is to heal and rest and recover. I’m applying for disability because it’s been a year and I’m realizing it took time to get this bad and will take time to get better.

I wrote about 47k words of fanfiction in 2023, so I at least was able to do that. Hopefully 2024 will bring more energy and brainpower to write.

Glossary:

a-die = dad

didi = younger brother

furen = madam

jiejie = older sister

muqin = mother

shufu = uncle

zongzhu = sect leader

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