#dulharpa
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a fellow (ex) cbbc watcher??? !!!
even among my uk friends, there are very little i know who used to watch cbbc or citv
what used to be one ofnyour favourite shows? idk if we watched around the same times as i never caught merlin on cbbc but shows like redakai, gormiti, huntik, house of anubis, hero 108 used to be my favourites hehe (i may be mixing up citv or cbbc but!! im curious if u recognise any of these shows :3c )
Sorry I've never heard of any of those shows maybe you were a wee bit after my time, my main presenters were Ed and owcho and Ian and hacker and my favourite shows were like young Dracula, Tracy beaker, M.I.High, horrible histories, the bazil brush show and the Sarah Jane adventures
#ask#Steve and bazil were an old married couple and no one can convince me otherwise#Also got sad when they divorce in later seasons#And bazil started dating stevens younger hotter cousin Mike#Dulharpa
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i want to astral project into your house and steal your danmei academic paper collection damn
hah, I'd be down to mail these booklets around like library copies if I didn't reference them so often, but I can provide a table of contents!
Bai, M. (2021), “Regulation of pornography and criminalization of BL readers and authors in contemporary China”
Chao, S. (2016), “Grotesque eroticism in the Danmei genre: the case of Lucifers Club in Chinese cyberspace”
Jin, F. (2009), “Addicted to Beauty: Consuming and Producing Web-based Chinese ‘Danmei’ Fiction at Jinjiang”
Martin, F. (2012), “Girls who love boys’ love: Japanese homoerotic manga as transnational Taiwan culture”
Ni Z. (2018), Steampunk, Zombie Apocalypse, and Homoerotic Romance: Rewriting Revolution-Plus-Love in Contemporary China”
Ng, E. and Li, X. (2020), “A queer socialist brotherhood: the Guardian web series, boys love fandom, and the Chinese state”
Tian, X. (2015), “Slashing Three Kingdoms: A Case Study in Fan Production on the Chinese Web.”
Tian, X. (2020), “Homosexualizing Boys Love in China: Reflexivity, Genre Transformation, and Cultural Interaction”
Tian, X. (2021), “More than Conformity or Resistance: Chinese “Boys’ Love” Fandom in the Age of Internet Censorship”
Williams, E. (2020), “BL and Danmei The Similarities and Differences Between Male x Male Content and its Fans in Japan and China”
Yan, Y., “From Online Danmei Literature to Web Series: A Study of Chinese Internet-based Adaptations Under Censorship”
Yang, L. and Xu, Y. (2016), “Danmei, Xianqing, and the making of a queer online public sphere in China”
Yang, L. and Xu, Y. (2017), “The love that dare not speak its name: The fate of Chinese danmei communities in the 2014 anti-porn campaign”
Yang, L. and Xu, Y. (2013), “Forbidden love: incest, generational conflict, and the erotics of power in Chinese BL fiction”
Zhang, C. (2016), “Loving Boys Twice as Much: Chinese Women’s Paradoxical Fandom of “Boys’ Love” Fiction”
Zhao, Y. and Madill, A. (2018), “The heteronormative frame in Chinese Yaoi: integrating female Chinese fan interviews with Sinophone and Anglophone survey data”
Zheng, X. (2019), “Survival and migration patterns of Chinese online media fandoms”
I found a few of these on JSTOR just looking up danmei; most of these are from @dulharpa, who kindly pointed me in the direction of the rest of these!
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jiang cheng (mo dao zu shi) preliminaries
jiang cheng lost to loki (mcu) in tumblr's poorest little meow meow contest
"he LOST to LOKI in the most pathetic little meowmeow contest. he got very clowned on for it and it really proved he was the most pathetic little meow meow. loki is not pathetic enough for the poll, and only won bc he is yknow.... Loki lmao. the poll also got popular after it was finished just bc people clowned him so hard. truly pathetic" -@dulharpa
jiang cheng lost to wei wuxian (mdzs) in canon
"ALSO in canon jiang cheng lost in like everything. its hilarious. he also lost against wei wuxian (his fanon brother/canon martial brother) in competitions and stuff, who his mom constantly compared him to, and his dad preferred. L. Massive L. In the show, he also attempted to kill wei wuxian after he caused the death of his sister, but just stabbed a rock and yelled at him. You cant even kill him correctly. L. So pathetic." -@dulharpa
#could not find a suitably bad picture of wwx and too lazy to go watching/readinf...#normally i make the name red but just for jc it can b purple...#prelims#second place showdown#loki#loki mcu#mcu#wei wuxian#mdzs#mo dao zu shi#the untamed
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Get to know me tag game
Rules: tag 10 people you want to get to know better!
Tagged by: @liminalweirdo
Relationship status: let’s call it a platonic de facto.
Favourite colour: I love a light pink.
Stuck in my head: I’m alternating between Grimmjow saying “Grind, Pantera!” and Unohana saying “Bankai, Minazuki” OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
Last song I listened to: Don’t Go Yet by Camilla Cabello
Three favourite foods: sisig, pork barbecue, ube halaya
Last thing I googled: “shinji bleach”, trying to find out what a Bleach character I hadn’t met yet looked like
Dream trip: currently want to go to Japan in 2025, but I don’t really have any idea on what that will look like at this point!
Tagging: @sarah-yyy, @seventh-fantasy, @bocje-ce-ustu, @willowcatkinblossom, @yogi-bogey-box, @undead-robins, @essrambles, @dulharpa, @insertmeaningfulusername, @zoeadrien
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Scum Villain Role Swap: Demon Emperor Liu Mingyan for @dulharpa. Don’t pay attention to the wandering woman in the corner, glaring at the people who are fucking up HER play! Definitely don’t call her a demon! She’s been here every night and she pays for her drinks! (Art prompts are closed, thanks!)
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post-canon wwx and jc end up deaged to being young teenagers. chaos ensues! (bonus: anything with the junior quartet)
“I bet you’re related to that damned peacock,” Wei Wuxian said darkly to the Jin sect disciple that had tied him up. “What did I ever do to you, huh?”
“Nothing at all. But I’ve also met you, so tying you up seems like a reasonable precaution.”
“Wow,” Jiang Cheng said. “He really has met you.”
“Shut up, Jiang Cheng.”
“Make me. Oh, wait, you can’t, you’ve been tied up –”
“There’s enough rope here for both of you,” the gangly Lan sect disciple said to him.
Which – hah!
“Isn’t having personality against your sect rules?” Wei Wuxian asked gleefully. Sure, he’d gotten tied up by a Jin disciple, but Jiang Cheng was being mouthed off to by a Lan. Clearly worse. “You know, the last Lan I met, Lan Wangji? He’s basically a rock. Dull, dull, dull –”
“You fall in love with him and get married,” the disciple in Ouyang colors said.
“I – what? Are you insane?”
“No, just obnoxious,” the shorter Lan sect disciple said, rolling his eyes at his companion. “Come on, let’s take them back home. Someone will be able to fix this.”
“We hope,” the Jin disciple muttered.
-
“I can deal with jiujiu,” Jin Ling said in an undertone. “No problem. Can you take Wei Wuxian?”
“We can try,” Lan Sizhui said dryly. “He’s slippery, even when tied up. You’re sure you can handle Jiang Cheng by yourself?”
“I’m sure of it. Don’t you think I know well enough how to handle him by now?”
-
“You really think you can drag me around by yourself?” Jiang Cheng said, arms crossed. He was glaring. It was adorable. “You didn’t even tie me up.”
“No need,” Jin Ling said. “You’d never do anything that could put Wei Wuxian at risk.”
Jiang Cheng scowled at him.
Adorable.
“Besides, I’m not going to threaten you,” Jin Ling said. “I’m going get you to stay with something good, not something bad.”
His uncle deserved good things.
“Something good? Like what?”
“My dog.”
“…you have a dog?”
“Named Fairy. Very affectionate, loves people. Only problem is that she gets very sad when someone she likes stops petting her – and she likes you a lot.”
Jiang Cheng stayed.
-
“I feel like this is unethical,” Lan Sizhui remarked.
“What? How?” Lan Jingyi asked. “We’re taking him to see his own future husband. What’s unethical about that?”
Lan Sizhui didn’t respond.
“You can’t just say something’s unethical without giving a reason,” Lan Jingyi pointed out. “There’s got to be some sort of reason. It’s not like he’s time-traveled and there’s a risk of changing history; he just got de-aged. So what’s the problem?”
Still no response.
Lan Jingyi turned to look at him.
Lan Sizhui’s face was bright red.
“…oh, you mean the fact that they’re probably going to have sex?”
“They’re definitely going to have sex,” Lan Sizhui said mournfully. “So much sex. They’re probably going to break several pieces of furniture. Again.”
Wei Wuxian, trailing behind them, was looking between them extremely rapidly. “Are you being serious right now?”
“Unfortunately so,” Lan Jingyi said. “So much sex.”
“Well, then,” Wei Wuxian said, suddenly peppy and speeding up until he was walking ahead of them both. He was still tied up. “What are we waiting for? Let’s get going!”
“Do you want me to remove the rope?” Lan Jingyi asked.
“Does he ever?” Lan Sizhui asked wearily.
“…an excellent point.”
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hey i'm not sure if you've answered this before but i was wondering if you have any work/schoolwork tips? or what works for you!
ive heard that adhd ppl trying to force themselves to do something actually hinders them. but idk how to make myself do something i need to do until i feel panicked the day before (then i feel exhausted bc it took way too long just trying to do it aha)
thank u for your blog!! i love reading it, and your answers are great (and ur dr who sideblog is lovely too!!)
hey hey!! i was looking up "adhd study tips" on tumblr and i found the one you wrote before!! so dont worry about replying to that one haha. thank you again!! love ur blog ♡♡♡
Aha I don’t even remember what I wrote in the other post because it was a while ago, but I assume it consisted of “flashcards and highlighters”. I do have an added study tip that I’ve found recently - I think it’s only useful for people in the UK because of the courses on there, but Seneca Learning is a brilliant website.
It takes you through each topic, and then asks you questions about it. And it has GCSE and A Level courses on there. I just... really wish I’d found this site a long time ago xD
#and thank you for loving my blog!!! and the doctor who one lol#that's actually my main and i have REGRETS about that being my main bc i'm more active here#although i actually wish my rp blog was my main#adhd#adhd study tips#seneca learning#dulharpa
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fic trope: identity porn or when character x is secretly character y from another fandom 👀
[ask meme]
The latter...D, Not My Favorite. Honestly I don't think I've heard of that before? But as a rule, I don't usually go for crossovers where both universes of origin exist, save in short, somewhat cracky things - and this doesn't sound like it'd be best done short and cracky.
For general identity porn, A, Love It. To be fair I don't think I've ever sought it out under that tag, but if it's presented to me, I snap to it. I love the dramatic irony of characters interacting with someone they don't know they know, and the stress on the character who DOES know but can't say it...I love the exploration of a character by having them split their own characteristics between multiple personas, growing ever more unsure which is the "real" self, often with the ultimate answer that it's a combination of them all...may I introduce you to the Vorkosigan Saga, specifically the Brothers in Arms/Mirror Dance/Memory trifecta at the heart of it...
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with zukka, it's so weird because i got into the fandom and left about half a year before the renaissance and. damn. it was so quiet before??? and barely anyone really liked sokka and most fics were focused on other characters. at the time i was like huh. weird. hes a similar trope to most popular characters so i would think hed be popular but nope! then atla got popular again and then yeah. he got popular along with zukka . (i feel like fanon mai rlly got the short stick. first with zutara and then zukka. pls some of the bashing ive seen,,,)
yeah....... the good ol days........... significantly better times....... and it is rly crazy how neglected sokka was by fans considering he is such an amazing character, but also i feel like most ppl who claim to love him don’t actually understand him?? then again, that’s true of like, most atla fans when it comes to pretty much every character, because none of the atla characters can actually be whittled down into easy tropes to categorize them into, which ppl w Terminal Fandom Brain looove to do! and the idea that sokka only became widely-appreciated as a “replacement” for katara to ship with zuko is just. awful. bc ppl rly do think they can’t be racist if it’s gay and acting like sokka would move to the fire nation and m*rry (oh god i cant even say it).... like. no. just. no. (conversely, i have also seen ppl say that zvkka is zvtara for ppl who hate women which is just lmfaooooooo WHAT. dkjhjhkjfnkjvkdj what a hilariously stupid take. that said, ppl do seem to think that katara & sokka are interchangeable, bc i’m convinced that 98% of atla fans have never actually watched the show. fml amirite.) and to your last point, and the one i perhaps feel strongest about, mai/zuko is a garbage ship, but people who act as if mai is the one to blame for this......baffle me. zuko clearly is the one who wronged her??? like, i also just think they’re incompatible romantically for a number of reasons, but if we’re talking about who was the asshole in that relationship it was clearly him. mai was too nice, if anything! and even outside of braindead shipping discourse, even ppl who do claim to love mai don’t understand her at all. no one understands mai, actually. yet another thing she and sokka have in common, i suppose.
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thoughts on harry/ron? or harry/ron/hermione (with harry/ron im that meme with marge simpson holding up the potato 'i just think theyre neat')
youre so right..... absolute queen...........
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how do you feel about some lxc meta ??
🌙 More on Lan Xichen and the principles of fairness and justice 🌙
⚖️ He made so many sacrifices and concessions for Lan Wangji because he loved him unconditionally and above all else
⚖️ This is a Huge Deal, and here’s why
I love my boy xichen 🥺
someone shared this with me in a xiyao server and I was very pleased dhchcbfbdjdj so glad there are people out there with cultural knowledge and the means to express it that I lack
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Hi hunxi! In your post the other day about The Way Spring Arrives, you said in the tags that you’d put it on a list of required reading for people interested in danmei. I’m curious, is there anything else you’d recommend for people who want to learn more about the culture/context surrounding danmei? Thanks!!
oh goodness, I suppose I did say that somewhat flippantly but I do want to take a moment and reiterate that I am not qualified in the slightest to make a list of required reading, nor do I think that required reading is a thing that should necessarily exist, since we should all read whatever we'd like in our own free time; there is no moral directive on what someone should or should not read, we're all just here to have a good time!!
but! for those so inclined, I... don't think I have so much a reading list as a series of reading thought exercises?
first of all, some academic articles that I found deeply worthwhile:
Jin Feng's 2009 paper: “Addicted to Beauty: Consuming and Producing Web-based Chinese ‘Danmei’ Fiction at Jinjiang”
Tian Xiaofei's 2015 paper: “Slashing Three Kingdoms: A Case Study in Fan Production on the Chinese Web.”
Xi Tian's 2020 paper: “Homosexualizing Boys Love in China: Reflexivity, Genre Transformation, and Cultural Interaction”
Xi Tian's 2021 paper: “More than Conformity or Resistance: Chinese “Boys’ Love” Fandom in the Age of Internet Censorship”
Yang Ling & Xu Yanrui's 2017 paper: “The love that dare not speak its name: The fate of Chinese danmei communities in the 2014 anti-porn campaign”
Yang Ling & Xu Yanrui's 2013 paper, “Forbidden love: incest, generational conflict, and the erotics of power in Chinese BL fiction”
The Way Spring Arrives and Other Stories ed. Yu Chen and Regina Kanyu Wang. I've already gushed about this elsewhere, so I shall leave this be for now
this is by no means a comprehensive list, merely the ones that have really stuck with me for various reasons. I compile a table of contents of my research booklets here, and @dulharpa has been kind enough to share their immense resources here
I'd like to stop short of compiling a list of danmei novels for people to read because folks have different genre and narrative tastes than I do. instead, I think what might be more interesting and customizable would be a kind of reading challenge, paired with thought exercises:
read works by three (or more!) danmei authors
what recurring themes, character traits, narrative tropes, or cultural aspects to you observe across works by different authors? what differences do you notice? do you think these similarities/differences are hallmarks of the genre, coincidental stylistic choices, authorial interests, or wider cultural trends? how do different authors address certain issues, or avoid them altogether? how do these choices affect the content and style of the text, as well as your perception of and/or response to these texts?
read two different danmei novels by the same author (if you can wrangle it, try to read novels in different genres)
what recurring themes, character traits, narrative tropes, or thematic commonalities do you observe across an author’s works? how do the different narrative or genre contexts of each novel affect characters and themes in each work? do you observe changes in an author’s perspective, views, or opinions on common themes and/or social issues from novel to novel?
read a danmei novel that is not wuxia, xianxia, or xuanhuan
how do aspects of worldbuilding differ across genres? what new aspects of culture, character, or language do you observe in a different genre setting? how much character or worldbuilding do you think is attributable to genre convention, and how much isn’t? what do you think readers find attractive about wuxia/xianxia/xuanhuan settings? what do you think readers find attractive about other genres?
read a danmei novel set in modern day China
how do the emotional and narrative stakes of novels change depending on time period? what were you surprised by? what similarities or resonances did you recognize between the text and your own life? how does the fabric of the setting in this novel differ from novels set in other time periods and settings? in what ways do class and power factor into character conflicts and relationships? how do these differ from the way class and power are addressed in historical novels? what is the role of tradition and history in this novel? do you find the text more realistic because it’s set in modern day? why or why not? how important do you think “realism” is to the text and the readers? why might this be? how important is “realism” to your reading experience? why might this be?
read a webnovel that was not serialized on JJWXC
there are many other Chinese internet literature platforms, such as 长佩文学 and 奇点文学网. explore one (or more!) of these literature platforms and note any observations about differences, similarities, or things you’re surprised by. how does this inform your understanding of the larger scope of Chinese web literature? in what ways are literature and genre organized differently from what you’re familiar with? compare and contrast your experience reading a non-JJWXC novel with a JJWXC novel. what was the same? what was different? do you think these similarities/differences are influenced by the different audiences of these websites or larger societal trends in media and culture, or something else entirely?
read a webnovel by a danmei author that is not danmei (i.e. 言情 / heterosexual romance, 无CP / no romance)
what similarities do you observe between this novel and a danmei novel written by the same author? what differences do you observe? how do narrative reflections of gender and character dynamics differ? what other themes, issues, or narrative aspects do you notice coming to the forefront when the focus has shifted away from male/male romance? what were you surprised by? what weren’t you surprised by? has your perception of the author’s views on gender/gender dynamics changed? if so, how? if not, why do you think this is?
read a danmei novel with 2+ adaptations into other forms of media (e.g. audiodrama, donghua, manhua, live action)
what do you think about this novel generates wider media attention and interest? how do the characters and narrative change from text to adaptation? why do you think this happened? how did the popularization via adaptation affect the original text, if at all? how did you come to discover this text, and how many platforms did it have to jump to get to you? why do you think this text received attention on the platform you first heard of it? in what ways beyond the content of the text itself did this novel draw wider attention?
read a danmei novel with no adaptations in other forms of media
why do you think this novel hasn’t been chosen for adaptation yet? in what ways would this novel be challenging to adapt? what medium do you think this novel would be best suited for? how would an adaptation of this novel change your perspective and experience of this text? what would you hope to see in an adaptation of this novel?
read a traditionally published work of Chinese speculative fiction
how does a traditionally published work of Chinese fiction differ stylistically and narratively from the web literature you’ve read? what does the wider field of Chinese speculative fiction look like? how do the imaginations and concerns of Chinese authors manifest in their worldbuilding, setting, characters, themes, and conflicts? how do subgenres of Chinese speculative fiction resemble and differ from genres you’re more familiar with? what did you like about this work? what puts you off about this work? did this work raise any questions or themes that you haven’t thought about before? what aspects of the novel seem rooted in contemporary Chinese society, and which themes seem more universal? if reading in translation, did you identify any moments where context was lost between languages? were there footnotes in the translation, and if so, how did they affect your reading experience? if not, did you ever wish there were footnotes? what kind of additional context did you wish you had? how do you think the translation influenced your reading experience? how high-profile is this work of Chinese speculative fiction, and why do you think this is?
read a novel written by a Chinese diaspora author
how do characters, themes, settings, and worldbuilding differ from the perspective of a diaspora writer? what aspects feel the same? how does translation on linguistic, cultural, or metafictional levels factor into the text? what is the role of tradition and reception in the narrative? what other influences can you spot in the text? what Chinese work would you put this text in conversation with, and why? how are different cultures portrayed in diaspora works vs. non-diaspora works? based on this text, have cultural values shifted in diasporic reception? what is the relationship presented in the text between identity and nationhood, tradition and ownership?
okay I had way too much fun coming up with those discussion questions, but I genuinely do think that these are interesting thought and reading experiments to pursue! I think there’s a lot you can learn about danmei, internet literature, and the wider cultural context of these phenomena simply by taking some time to sit back and reflect on these texts, or observing Chinese fandom interactions (there can of course be a language barrier in doing so, but I’ve learned so much from 弹幕 culture and I heartily encourage other people to do so).
and seriously, if anyone ends up trying this reading challenge, please let me know how it goes!! I’m still pushing myself to read outside of my comfort zone (a lot of these challenges are ones I’ve posed to myself), and would love to hear if other folks have thoughts on their reading journeys
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am.. am i allowed to ask for an ot3? if so, zhanchengxian (lwj/jc/wwx) :D
surprisingly enough given my lan wangji/jiang cheng feelings (positive, albeit horribly) and my wangxian feelings and my yunmeng shuangjie feelings, I haven’t actually thought about this as a possible triad! but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t, and I’m always open to ot3s, so let’s go.
Cons:
I mean, there’s a few here, at least for me. First of all, the fact that, as I’ve mentioned before, I tend to prefer Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian with a more sibling-y relationship than a shippy one. So that’s one layer of barrier for me personally.
Then there’s the, uh, loathing that exists between Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng that is pretty intense, unless you set it earlier in canon (which I’ll poke at in the “pros” section, or try). It takes work to get them to a truce point, and I don’t know that I see them ever really being friends. (I can see them cooperating on very specific things, but friends, not so much; and in this context I don’t think Wei Wuxian would be down for the hatefucking angle with two of his favorite people. It would just make him sad.)
Lastly, Jiang Cheng would approach this, outside of the bounds of pre-established Chengxian and maybe even within it, from a vantage point of - as he does in canon! - FINE YOU LIKE HIM BETTER THAN ME, OKAY, WELL I SEE HOW IT IS and decide to absent himself from the vicinity of Wangxian because it sets off all his abandonment issues and complexes about not coming first in peoples’ affections.
Which might be the biggest challenge here, actually. I can see Jiang Cheng coming around on Lan Wangji, and the first one is more personal and I can be flexible on, but the power of Jiang Cheng’s emotional insecurity as a fourth person in this threesome cannot, I do not think, be understated.
Pros:
on the other hand what a fun possible dynamic this could be! if messy. definitely messy, and I mean when has “it’d be a lot of work to make it a thing” ever stopped me from shipping something.
I mean, for one thing there is a period of time where Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji actually seem to be getting along pretty well! Namely during Sunshot when they are both looking for Wei Wuxian. They seem to be communicating and collaborating pretty smoothly. So there is a potential universe where instead of Wei Wuxian managing to wedge that potential team apart by alienating Lan Wangji and setting Jiang Cheng between them, Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji stand united on the “what is up with you, something is wrong, please explain actually” front. Which might not be much/any more effective on getting Wei Wuxian to actually spill his guts, but would establish some precedent of team work and cooperation that might keep them from being quite so much at each others’ throats later.
so if there’s a universe where that stays at least sort of the case, such that they’re not completely alienated from each other while Wei Wuxian is dead (??? I’m not going to fill in this whole AU), then maybe when he comes back there’s Potential for putting something together.
but also...in a more canon universe, either where Chengxian was a thing at some point or where the feelings were there on some level but remained unrealized for various reasons, I have no trouble and actually feel that I like the idea of Wei Wuxian as at least a little poly, and after some negotiation with probably a slightly antsy Lan Wangji (initially, though I think it could work well for him in some ways) I can easily see him from that perspective reaching out to Jiang Cheng, and from there bringing him in? Closing the triangle of them is harder, but if I squint I can kind of make it work in my head.
and there is somewhere a dom!Lan Wangji/Jiang Cheng interaction that is very uhhh alarming but also “into it and that scares me???” to Jiang Cheng and very “into it and that’s very surprising” to Wei Wuxian and working much better for Lan Wangji than he thought it would.
this is sort of all [strokes chin] requires further thought, but there’s some spitballing off the top of my brain.
#jiang cheng#lan wangji#wei wuxian#zhanchengxian#ship opinions meme#the sad queer cultivators show#dulharpa#conversating
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mingcheng where nmj defends or protects jc? (thank u for ur mingcheng fics!! theyre v good!!!)
Since you’re the first person to ever send me in a prompt, I kind of ran away with it.
It’s a bit long, but I hope you’ll enjoy it!
Four times Nie Mingjue defended or protected Jiang Cheng, and the one time he couldn’t
1. What else have we got to lose? A lot.
Nie Mingjue has been listening to the same three men argue about the pros and cons of rice taxation for the past two hours while Jin Guangshan sits there and watches like a lump of fools gold.
If Lan Xichen doesn’t show up within the next few minutes, Nie Mingjue is just going to say fuck it.
There’s no point in discussing politics when he has those Wen bastards knocking on his door every five minutes, figuratively that is. Nie Mingjue would sooner die than let any Wen step foot in Qinghe without a fight.
And oh look, Sect Leader Yao is speaking, yet again. Why is it that every time this man opens his mouth Nie Mingjue feels dumber? He’s surprised his eyes rolled out of their sockets at this point. He doesn’t know how his father dealt with this bullshit for so long.
Sect Leader Wang is just about to rebut Sect Leader Yao’s accusation that “the Gods are conspiring against us” because his sect “deserves” more respect and resources when he notices white entering the corner of his peripheral vision. He huffs. About damn time.
Lan Xichen practically floats into the room, graceful as ever when he greets his fellow Sect Leaders. It’s not only the hard gleam in his eyes that tells Nie Mingjue this conference is about to get infinitely more interesting.
No, the shadow of purple standing behind Xichen just off to the side, as if waiting for the proper time to strike, that what really gets him geared up.
As he tunes in to actually listen to what Xichen is saying, he can’t help but feel a certain sense of vindication. Here the First Jade of Lan is, ever noble and just, making a case against the Wens.
Nie Mingjue has been trying to get these lazy fools to do something for months because there is only so long Qinghe can fight alone, but he guesses it’s easier to listen when it’s coming from someone as pleasant and diplomatic as Xichen.
The others really shouldn’t be so shocked by this, especially after the burning of the Cloud Recesses. Especially after what happened to the Jiang Sect.
It’s when the first indication of dissent arises that the purple shadow emerges.
Less like a shadow and more like a typhoon, the man Nie Mingjue recognizes as the previously assumed deceased Jiang heir openly calls these men for what they are.
“-Do the lives of my family, my sect, my people mean nothing to you? What about the lives of your own people? Are you willing to sacrifice them for cowardice?”
“Of course not! Had the Jiang Sect just complied-”
“Compliance you say,” the Jiang kid’s eyes narrow and Nie Mingjue is already on the edge of his seat, “so you’ve lost your pride along with your humanity it seems”
“How dare you!” And there goes Sect Leader Yao again.
“I loathe to say it, but Yunmeng Jiang complied,” the young heir raises his voice, loud enough to be heard over the crowd, “We complied and tried to play the peacemakers just as you all so wisely suggest, but what did that get us?”
Nie Mingjue can see another insensitive prick about to open his mouth. Luckily, Xichen interjects. Had he been successful, the Jiang kid- no, the new Jiang Sect Leader probably would have strangled the man, if the sparks slithering up his arm are any indication.
“We have all heard of the atrocities committed by the Wen Sect, many of us here have even experienced it first-hand.” Xichen begins calmly, “The truth of the matter is that we cannot predict what Wen Ruohan has planned next when his only goal is escalation.”
“First the Nie Sect,” Xichen looks at him, and then continues around the room, making eye-contact with each leader present. “They have expressed unease several times as the Wen Sect made various attempts to encroach upon their territory; they warned us of their intentions. We did not listen.”
“Next was Gusu.” Lan Xichen pauses for a moment to collect himself, Nie Mingjue can see the slight tremble in his hands as he forges on.
“I had to watch my people flee with their children and only the clothes on their backs to escape the scorching flames engulfing their homes. I, myself, had to flee in an effort to preserve centuries of knowledge and culture. An act that haunts me to this day. We asked for help, you did not listen.”
“And then the Jiang Sect.” Xichen looks to the side at the new Sect Leader, thrust into the position much too young.
“What can I even say-” his voice breaks slightly, “I should hope I do not need to explain how utterly vile what happened that night was. What continues to happen within the walls of Lotus Pier.”
Nie Mingjue commends the Jiang kid. He’s been firmly maintaining eye-contact with anyone who dares look his way. Not once has he flinched away from the assessing eyes, not once has he shown weakness.
“Three of the five major sects,” Xichen continues, “the time for asking has long ended. Are you going to listen?”
And that’s Nie Mingjue’s cue.
He cuts through the silence. “I agree with Sect Leader Lan and Sect Leader Jiang.” Forty eyes turn his way.
“And I’m not as nice as Xichen so I’ll just say it. There’s a reason we’re called “Great” and you lot are not.” He points at them, he doesn’t care if it's rude or that they’re all twice his age. He’s long stopped caring about what those men think of him.
“Half of you rely on us for protection. Either support us and help take those sons of bitches down, or watch the consequences of your own weakness.”
Nie Mingjue rises from his seat, bows to Xichen, bows to Jiang Wanyin. “Sect Leader Lan, Sect Leader Jiang.”
When he rises he makes eye-contact with the youngest of them all, “You have my support, no matter what.”
2. To mourn
The days have been grueling and morale is getting lower by the hour.
Nie Mingjue has heard about wars, how could he not, but never has he actually participated in one. Never has he had to lead one. It is tiresome and Nie Mingjue has seen enough death to last him a lifetime.
It’s been a year since the start of the Sunshot Campaign.
They’re making their way along the border of Yunmeng and Qishan, Sect Leader Jiang heading the group, with Nie Mingjue mere steps behind him. They’re supposed to be meeting with Xichen at some point, but he thinks it might be better to set up camp at this point.
Suddenly, Sect Leader Jiang stops. “Something’s wrong.”
Nie Mingjue blinks, “Explain.”
“The markers are gone. Expect an ambush.”
Okay then. Nie Mingjue has always been a fan of brevity, he appreciates that his ally utilizes it well. He sends a signal down to the back of the group and they all shift into position, hands on hilts.
The first arrow that comes aims for a newly minted member of the Jiang Sect.
A wave of red.
It starts.
...
Nie Mingjue has often been told that he rivals a force of nature when he fights, those people have obviously never seen Sect Leader Jiang in action.
He wields both his sword and Zidian expertly for his age, and the Yunmeng style pairs with his own rather well.
One by one red begins to fall, seeping into the forest floor.
This group was smaller than the others and lacking in experience, but they still managed to do some damage.
Nie Mingjue looks at the bodies littering the ground, counts his casualties, and prays for their souls. Sect Leader Jiang does the same for his men.
Seven of theirs were lost, two of his and five from Yunmeng.
Sect Leader Jiang kneels down by a particular body, purple soaked in so much red it’s almost black.
Ah, the young Jiang disciple from earlier. He looks to be a few years younger than even the Jiang Sect leader. Nie Mingjue curses the Wens once more.
He signals the rest of the men to begin retrieval as he goes to stand in front of Sect Leader Jiang’s trembling back, as he clutches the robes of another brother lost.
Nie Mingjue is tired.
3. Watch out
Nie Mingjue has visited Lotus Pier several times since the end of the campaign, and each time he cannot help but feel impressed by how much it has changed.
It has only been a few months since his last visit, and already all of the foundations are built, Nie Mingjue notes as he is led towards where the man he’s come to visit is. It comes as no surprise when he and his guide finally find him crouched on a roof somewhere; hammer in hand and nails in his mouth.
“Sect Leader!” his head pops up, searching for the voice that called out to him and Nie Mingjue stifles a snort, Huaisang was right when he said Jiang Wanyin could be quite...puppy-like.
When he finally spots the sect leader spots his target, he takes the nails out of his mouth and the Jiang disciple bows, “Sect Leader Nie has come.”
Blue eyes lock onto his own, and Nie Mingjue bows his head in greeting. “Sect Leader Jiang” does the same.
Nie Mingjue would like to think that they’ve become somewhat friendly over the past few years, so it only amuses him when his fellow leader calls out, “Are you gonna stand there or help me build this roof?” This time he does snort, it seems he will be dealing with “Jiang Wanyin” today. Good.
“What a way to treat your elders,” he says as he dutifully makes his way onto the roof. He’s glad he wore practical-wear this time.
“I apologize. Sect Leader Nie, please be useful and help me finish this roof,” a smirk, “better?”
Nie Mingjue huffs, “Gods, you’re such a brat. No wonder you and Huaisang get along so well.”
“Oh please, at least I didn’t ask you to help restore the paintings,” he says with a roll of his eyes, “Enough chit-chat. No freeloaders in Lotus Pier.”
“Yessir, Sect Leader Jiang, sir” Nie Mingjue mock salutes as he gets to work.
They work in silence for the most part. Nie Mingjue securing much of the structure, while Jiang Wanyin works on the roof paneling. If Nie Mingjue hears slight humming as they work, well, it only makes the day more pleasant.
The sun is close to setting by the time the two of them finish.
Nie Mingjue begins collecting the tools while Jiang Wanyin puts the final touches on the last panel.
“I hope I’ll at least get some food for all my efforts,” Nie Mingjue says over his shoulder as he tosses the tools to the ground. It earns him a chuckle.
“When have you ever come to Lotus Pier and not eaten a village’s worth of food?” Jiang Wanyin retorts.
“Street food is one thing, but I’ve been craving that dish you used to make at the camps, you know, the spicy one. Think you could put it together?” Nie Mingjue asks, eyebrows slightly raised, eyes hopeful.
Jiang Wanyin pretends to think about it, makes a whole scene of it with his hand on his chin and everything. “Hmm, I think I can manage that,” he says as he makes his way to Nie Mingjue on the corner of the roof, “as long as you brought some good wine, that is,” he finishes, showing a rare smile.
Nie Mingjue scoffs to cover his breath catching, “Who do you think I am?” He turns to look out at the rest of Lotus Pier, just for good measure, and Jiang Wanyin does the same.
The sun has just about set as lanterns begin to light up the night. It’s quiet. It’s peaceful.
“We should head down,” Nie Mingjue murmurs, reluctant to leave the view behind. From the corner of his eye, he can see Jiang Wanyin nod.
Just as they begin to make their way down, a crack sounds through the night and Jiang Wanyin’s foot is sliding out from under him, knee buckling. Nie Mingjue acts on instinct, reaching out to the younger man and pulling him back towards himself.
They stand there for a few tense moments, Jiang Wanyin’s back to his chest, hands clutching the arm circling his waist.
“I guess I need to add more support to that part of the roof,” is what breaks the silence, hushed.
“Mn. We’ll work on it tomorrow morning.” Nie Mingjue responds, just as low. He can feel Jiang Wanyin nodding.
Slowly, Jiang Wanyin regains his footing and Nie Mingjue’s hand releases from around his waist, reluctantly sliding off. Jiang Wanyin lets go of his arm, too.
They make their way off the roof.
Quickly, Jiang Wanyin’s composure returns.
Quickly, Nie Mingjue tries to forget what it felt like to have the younger man in his arms.
4. Nie Huaisaing.
Nie Mingjue doesn’t know what he was expecting when he went to go look for Nie Huaisang, but it definitely wasn’t whatever...this is.
Currently, his little brother is clutching onto Wanyin’s legs- in a rather impressive hold- while screaming something about broken promises and-
“I already told you that was a one-time thing!”
Well. That can’t be good.
Before his brother can fully metamorphose into a koala, Nie Mingue decides to make his presence known. By rather loudly clearing his throat.
What greets him are the faces of two men caught red-handed, doing what, Nie Mingjue isn’t quite sure, but he knows he’s about to find out.
“Nie-”
“Da-ge-”
Nie Mingjue holds up a hand. He can already feel a headache brewing, but if someone has cheated his little brother, then he can’t stand idly by, even if the cheater is someone that he’s become rather fond of. Now, to approach this situation diplomatically.
“What the fuck?” Apparently, that’s the best he can come up with.
“Da-ge, Jiang-xiong promised he’d be my model but he keeps going back-”
Wait what.
“I already modeled for you when we were students! Plus, I was drunk-”
Now that’s...
“Being drunk doesn’t change the fact that it was a promise. And who said it was a one-time thing? And you wore clothes! You promised-”
Fuck.
Nie Mingjue feels as if he’s been blindsided, just a bit. Wanyin modeled? Jiang Wanyin? For his brother?
Nie Mingjue can’t even begin to imagine how that came about- although, obviously alcohol was involved. And now that it’s out there, he can’t help but think that Wanyin would have looked absolutely-
Oh, he’s being looked at. Expectantly. Again. He sighs.
“Huaisang, let Jiang Wanyin go, we’ve important business to discuss.”
He ignores the disappointment he feels at the thought of being unable to sneak a peek at Huaisang’s finished piece, especially when he notices relief flood Wanyin’s face.
“But Da-ge!”
“No.”
He watches the little brat untangle himself from Wanyin’s legs, huffing and puffing his way out of the room, complaining about disrespect and “whatever happened to bros before…”
Nie Mingjue squints at his brother in suspicion, nose scrunched. He better not have been-
A cough breaks him out of imagining the various ways he can torture a confession out of his brother.
There’s a flush high on Wanyin’s cheeks, he tries to compose himself and Nie Mingjue lets him.
He clears his throat and bows, “I’m sorry you had to see that...and thanks for saving me from your brother-” Nie Mingjue wouldn’t have been able to stop the laugh that burst out even if he tried, “-what business did you want to discuss?”
“Don’t worry about it, Wanyin. You aren’t his first victim, and I doubt you’ll be his last.” Wanyin cocks his head to the side. Nie Mingjue’s heart stutters at how cute the display is. He continues, “And there wasn’t any business. You just looked uncomfortable.”
“Ah. Well,” a cough, another flush. “Thank you, again.”
“However,” Wanyin’s shoulder’s tense minutely, “if you have time, Wanyin, I wouldn’t mind a sparring partner.”
Wanyin snorts and the tension bleeds away. “Of course,” he motions with his hand, “lead the way.”
5. Help
How do you help someone when you can’t even help yourself?
Nie Mingjue knows he’s going to die soon.
He feels it, every time. His qi is eating him from the inside out, slowly breaking down his core and driving him insane.
He doesn’t understand. It wasn’t supposed to be like this, everything’s moving too fast. For fuck’s sake, he’s only twenty-four.
But he can’t help it.
More and more he feels himself slipping. Lan Xichen is doing what he can, Huaisang has started scouring the archives and bringing him “home remedies” (he hasn’t mentioned anything, but he knows his brother isn’t as dumb as he claims to be), and even Jin Guangyao has tried to play for him.
Yet nothing seems to calm the rage quickly overwhelming his soul.
And Wanyin… Nie Mingjue hasn’t dared to see him in months, afraid of ever losing himself in the other’s presence.
Nie Mingjue knows he tries to hide it, but Wanyin hasn’t been the same since the siege (no one has, really). The only things keeping him afloat are Jin Ling and his overwhelming sense of duty to his people.
Nie Mingjue refuses to give Wanyin another burden.
All he can do at this point is to manage what comes his way, avoid the things he knows trigger his deviations, and hope for the best. He’s not good at hoping. He knows this.
Huaisang knows this.
So why the fuck is Wanyin standing in the middle of his chambers arms crossed, demanding answers?
He looks horrible, dark welts under dull eyes, face a pallid color. Nie Mingjue can’t even judge though, he’s sure he looks more living corpse than human at this point.
“You shouldn’t be here,” is what he says instead.
Wanyin flinches, eyes widening in disbelief. “‘You shouldn’t be here,’ that’s all you have to say? After months of silence? What the fuck is wrong with you?”
Nie Mingjue can already feel his patience beginning to thin, whatever of it is left anyway, if Wanyin doesn’t leave soon, he’s not sure what will happen.
“I’m sure whatever Huaisang told you was an exaggeration. You should leave,” he grits out between clenched teeth. Fingers already digging marks into his hands.
“Huaisang didn’t tell me shit other than that you’re being a stubborn asshole.”
“Excuse me?” He seethes. Nie Mingjue can already feel his qi fluctuating dangerously, and by the looks of it, so can Wanyin because he looks at him warily, and takes a hesitant step back.
“I need you to leave.” This is it, this is his last-ditch effort to get Wanyin as far away from him as possible before he loses all remaining control.
Wanyin’s eyes go cold, looking more like ice than the warm pools of water Nie Mingjue is so familiar with.
“No”
Nie Mingjue snaps.
…
…
When he comes to, he notices two things immediately.
One, he can’t move anything from his neck down. And there’s a sharp sting at the slightest twitches.
Two, there’s an incessant fucking “ding” every twenty seconds.
Nie Mingjue manages to peel his eyes open and is greeted by one of his worst nightmares.
His room is almost completely destroyed. There’s debris everywhere and blood splattered across the floor. Any residual anger drains from him; he feels sick. He’s going to be-
“It was one of the disciples, he’s fine. There are more, by the way, standing outside.”
Nie Mingjue whips his head to the side, as much as he can, and sees Wanyin, his Wanyin, looking bloody and bruised, but alive. Very much alive.
Nie Mingjue thanks every god he believes in that Wanyin is still breathing, that he didn’t just kill one of the two people he swore he’d never lay a hand on.
“Do you want to tell me what the fuck that was all about or do you want me to tell you what my theory is?”
Nie Mingjue goes to move and is once again reminded why he should when he feels a sharp sting race across his spine; he looks down. Well, that explains some of it. Zidian is wrapped around his entire body. He sighs.
“Wanyin...” Nothing. He finds there’s nothing for him to say. His head drops to avoid eye contact.
“Okay, then. What do you need?”
“What?”
“What do you need? Do you know why this is happening? What have you tried? Is there anything else we can do? We have this practice in Yunmeng-” Jiang Wanyin goes on.
Nie Mingjue feels immense fondness surge for the man in front of him, but he knows it’s too late.
“Wanyin,” Nie Mingjue calls, but he’s so lost in his mind, pacing back and forth that he doesn’t hear him. “Wanyin,” he tries again, a bit louder. Nothing.
“Cheng’er.”
Ah, that gets his attention. “We’ve already tried everything. There’s nothing left.”
Wanyin glares at him, even as tears well in his eyes, “No...No! You’ve tried everything, I haven’t! I haven’t even started. I refuse to just let you die like this.”
Wanyin rubs furiously at his eyes, and even if he can’t move, Nie Mingjue yearns to reach out and hold him. To wipe away his tears and assure him that things will be fine. But he can’t.
“Wanyin-”
“No, what happened to ‘Cheng’er’? You haven’t even let me try to help, don’t tell me I can’t.” Nie Mingjue feels Zidian loosen and sees it return to its owner. “You know what my sect’s motto is.”
Nie Mingjue does. He’s seen Wanyin attempt the impossible, seen him conquer it. But Nie Mingjue has also seen the toll it’s taken on him.
“I won’t be another burden on your shoulders, Cheng’er,” he says. He’s been released, but he refuses to move from where he is on the floor.
“Shut up, that’s not your decision to make.” Wanyin moves closer, kneels in front of him with hands that reach up and cup his cheeks, “I want to help, please let me try. I can’t lose you too, Ming-ge.”
Nie Mingjue has always been regarded as a beacon of strength, but he’s never felt weaker than he does right now.
“I hurt you,” he tries.
“You didn’t. I’m stronger than you think.” Wanyin’s right hand slides to the back of his neck, forces him to look at him. To see him. “Let me help.”
He sighs for what feels like the hundredth time this night.
“Okay,” he says as he leans his forehead against this storm of a man, and looks into warm lakes once more.
“Okay, Cheng’er. Help me.”
--
Have you made it to the end? What do you think?
Thank you for reading! And I’m open to more prompts.
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Scum Villain + The Untamed Sticker: Jiang Cheng/Luo Binghe!
I call this AU: “Oh, yeah, Wei Wuxian, did anyone tell you? While you were dead, your brother’s new head disciple died under mysterious circumstances! Now it looks like that dead disciple is back as a Demon Emperor and determined to woo your brother’s heart.” Featuring a shameless and totally anachronistic hand-kissing gesture that is definitely a “demonic cultural thing”. (Luo Binghe, do you want to get electrocuted? Because this is how you get electrocuted.)
Just imagining Luo Binghe’s “Notice Me, Shizun!!!” energy being directed at Jiang Cheng of all people made me laugh out loud. Jiang Cheng’s “blacklisted by all the matchmakers” bachelor status versus Luo Binghe’s stallion protagonist determination to woo his former sect leader, FIGHT.
For @dulharpa.
#dulharpa#tossawary art#tossawary svsss#tossawary mdzs#svsss#mdzs#crossovers#jiang cheng/luo binghe#luo binghe in lotus pier au#luo binghe#jiang cheng#mxtx stickers#the untamed#bingcheng#mxtx remix request stickers
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lan jingyi as lan qiren's son! all of lqr's childrearing points were used up on lxc and lwj leaving ljy as the baby of the family. (jingyi IDOLISES his older brothers (just like in canon))
Lan Qiren had always helped out with raising children at the Cloud Recesses, whenever he could, and the war had only accelerated those habits of his. Accordingly, Lan Wangji wasn’t surprised to see him with a sleeping toddler tucked into his arm, or tucked into a pouch on his back, or even being rocked to sleep in a cradle by his uncle’s Xinfei, a sword which otherwise rarely saw any use.
It was, however, something of a surprise to realize after some time that it was the same toddler.
Lan Wangji asked his uncle about it during one of their tea times.
His uncle had been coming by like clockwork, like a rule, even when Lan Wangji refused to speak a single word to him. After a few months of awkward silences, both of them maintaining their dignity and resolution in their rightness of their own actions that nevertheless yielded to old affection and time, they had slowly started to resemble something like a relationship again.
So he asked, and his uncle looked - almost embarrassed.
“His name is Jingyi,” he said. Lan Qiren would never bow his head and start fiddling with his sleeves the way his more mischievous students would, but for once he looked as if he wanted to. “One of the war orphans – the child of some branch cousins, I believe.”
Lan Wangji did not doubt for a moment that his uncle knew the exact details of Lan Jingjyi’s ancestry, and that he had only introduced uncertainty into the sentence due to his nervousness. But why would his uncle feel nervous about explaining his work with a war orphan?
“I plan to adopt him,” his uncle said.
That was a surprise.
“As a replacement?” Lan Wangji asked, and his uncle flinched as if he’d been bodily struck.
“No,” he said, his voice tight with pain. “Never. Never, Wangji.”
There was that, at least. His uncle still loved him, despite everything Lan Wangji had done to disappoint him – though that wasn’t saying much, really. His uncle had loved their father until the end, even though the man’s decisions had effectively destroyed his life before it had even really started. Through his selfishness, Qingheng-jun had trapped Lan Qiren in the Cloud Recesses as thoroughly as he had trapped his unwilling wife, making Lan Qiren run his sect for him and raise his children for him –
“I always thought you’d get married once we were older,” Lan Wangji said. It had always been impossible before, no matter how renowned or respected his uncle became as a teacher – very few clans would marry their daughters to a man who had all the burdens of leading a sect and none of the benefits, whose children would never inherit absent some new disaster – but surely now that Lan Xichen was managing well on his own..?
An adopted child would make that more difficult.
“Jingyi needs a family,” Lan Qiren said simply.
Lan Wangji wondered if that was why Lan Qiren brought the child here, to the jingshi, rather than simply leaving him with the other young children. To meet him, because they were family.
He wondered if the child would grow up thinking that Lan Wangji was a disappointment, too.
But no – perhaps that was harsh. His uncle tried his best, taught them everything he could, but despite all his efforts it seemed to be the failing of their Lan blood to love too deeply, too selfishly.
Even his uncle.
After all, Lan Wangji could have been – and probably should have been – executed for what he did. Aiding and abetting a mass murderer, allowing him to escape, injuring his own family to do so…justice demanded an answer to that. It demand publicity, shame, and blood paid for in blood.
The punishment his uncle had devised had satisfied the desire for vengeance by most bloodthirsty members of their sect while preserving Lan Wangji’s life and reputation, trading temporary pain – however agonizing – for a future in which Lan Wangji could travel as he willed and do what he wanted.
All that needed to be sacrificed was the trust and love between them.
Another thing his uncle had given up for their sect.
For his family, who he loved as deeply and as selfishly as Lan Wangji had loved, as Qingheng-jun was loved.
(Sometimes Lan Wangji wished that he could break the walls that kept his uncle trapped in the Cloud Recesses, chained by duty and love, the way he wished to have broken the jingshi’s walls that were closed around his mother. But just as he had been too young then, he was too weak now, unable to find a way to unlock the doors and set them all free.)
“He’s a lively child,” Lan Wangji said, out of lack of anything else to say.
His uncle nodded. “I hope that he remains so. Perhaps it is something you can help teach him.”
Lan Wangji looked at his uncle in surprise.
Lan Qiren looked tired and sad, older than he should be. He inclined his head towards Lan Wangji. “I have only ever wanted to raise you to be happy,” he said. “I thought being strict with you would help you avoid –”
He shook his head.
“I do not refuse to learn from the past,” he concluded. “I placed your future above your present, and yet the heavens easily dispose of the plans of men. I will not make the same mistakes again, but I am stubborn and set in my ways – I will need you to help me.”
Lan Wangji’s heart trembled in his chest. “You did a good job, uncle.”
His uncle was strict, but he had been loving – his praise, though rare, was always given with a full heart and pride in his eyes, his pleasure in their progress unfeigned. It was not his uncle that had overly restricted Lan Wangji; it was the rules of their sect that Lan Wangji had followed too strictly and without understanding, learning by rote instead of by heart. It was the rules of the cultivation world that stood against them –
The tragedy ordained by the heavens, that Wei Wuxian would meet the doom that plagued all the blood of those taught by Baosan Sanren, that Lan Wangji would like his father love too much where his love was not returned.
“Strive to constantly improve yourself,” his uncle reminded him, and Lan Wangji nodded.
“Do you also care for A-Yuan?” he asked. He did what he could, given that he couldn’t really move - his injury was too great - but small children could not be raised at a distance, and so someone had to be the main caretaker in his absence. He had assumed his uncle would, but if he was busy with Lan Jingyi…
“Your brother volunteered,” Lan Qiren said solemnly, but there was a faint crinkle to his eyes that spoke of amusement.
“Uncle is caring for A-Yuan,” Lan Wangji concluded.
“Yes, I am,” Lan Qiren acknowledged. “Your brother tried.”
Lan Wangji imagined how it must have gone, and his lips twitched.
“He tried very hard,” his uncle stressed, and Lan Wangji raised his sleeve to his mouth to hide his involuntary chuckle as a cough. “I continue to hope that he will eventually learn to enjoy the company of children.”
It seemed somewhat unlikely.
“Preferably before he has any of his own.”
That seemed – equally unlikely, though Lan Wangji suspected his brother would in fact end up with some children of his own one day, whether through adoption or otherwise.
“We will help him,” Lan Wangji assured his uncle. He thought it would please his uncle, but instead his uncle only looked tired again, and sad.
“Yes,” Lan Qiren said. “Each in our own way, I’m sure.”
#mdzs#lan wangji#lan qiren#my fic#my fics#in which lan jingyi is Sir Not Appearing In This Fic#dulharpa#whistling brook
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