#pallas.rtf

[spriteofmushrooms]

The first time Jin Guangyao held Jin Ling did not go as he'd expected. Jiang Wanyin, half-mad and barely functional, for some reason had been allowed into the nursery by Jin-furen. The moment whispers of this reached Jin Guangyao, of course he went to intercede; and it was fortunate he had. He could hear wailing halfway down the corridor.

"Why is he crying?" Jiang Wanyin demanded of the wetnurse as he held the baby incorrectly.

"This one is sure Sandu Shengshou knows better than her," she replied, eyes wide. Jin Guangyao made note of this, but he had few hopes of improvement. Jin servants knew to be meek.

"Obviously, I don't," Jiang Wanyin snapped, brows furrowed as he stared down at Jin Ling. Jin Guangyao purposefully brushed the silk of his robe, and like a dog Jiang Wanyin raised his head at the sound. "Lianfang-zun, what am I doing wrong?"

With a smile, Jin Guangyao moved between the shaking wetnurse and the mad dog of Lotus Pier. "Jiang-zongzhu, babies require support. Adjust your hand--yes, ah, slightly to the side--"

"Please just show me," Jiang Wanyin said, sounding tired as he held out Jin Ling.

The moment stilled. If his cultivation were better, Jin Guangyao believed he would hear the wetnurse's breath stop. She was, after all, expressly forbidden from allowing his whoreson hands to touch his nephew; yet neither of them could deny a sect leader.

A-Ling was warm and soft, sweetly heavy as all babies should be. His embroidered, daffodil-colored swaddling still burned with the heat of Jiang-zongzhu's high cultivation. Automatically, Jin Guangyao checked the boy for a fever; but of course no illness was allowed to fester in this child.

His chubby cheeks were red from crying, but as Jin Guangyao settled him in his arms, Jin Ling slowly quieted.

"As expected of Lianfang-zun," Jiang Wanyin said, slightly mocking.

When Jin Guangyao gauged his expression from under his eyelashes, however, Jiang Wanyin seemed wistful. He looked as young as he was.

(For a moment, Wen Ruohan's laughter filled his mind. "Xiao-zongzhu" had been a common target of derision, in the beginning. Wen Chao's account of the rape of Lotus Pier had been unusually thorough, and its contents were well-known amongst Wen Ruohan's inner circle. Jin Guangyao had not included the details in his reports to either his father or Lan Xichen. He doubted that this discretion would matter at all to Jiang Wanyin, who had tortured Wen Chao at the side of Wei Wuxian. What would he do to Jin Guangyao for being the last to know?)

Choosing to ignore the self-deprecation and memories both, Jin Guangyao instructed Zidian's master on the handling of human children. Jiang Wanyin made an attentive student, but he did not reach to take Jin Ling even once Jin Guangyao finished. "Would you like to hold him?"

Frowning with concentration, Jiang Wanyin nodded and sidled closer. He held his arms as Jin Guangyao had shown him, and then he checked Jin Guangyao's face, seeking approval.

"Good," Jin Guangyao said. Jiang Wanyin didn't smile, but some tension eased. Careful not to touch hands, Jin Guangyao returned Jin Ling to his jiujiu.

The wetnurse's gentle "oh" described the scene well.

Against the black and violet, Jin Ling looked like a ray of sunshine piercing clouds. Jiang Wanyin's face cleared until he looked as delicately beautiful as gossip painted him to be; while Jin Guangyao generally considered him fragile, it was more in the sense of an arrow point designed to break once it pierced flesh. Now, though, he could understand why Jiang Wanyin was so often painted as a mourning lover spurned by the Yiling Laozu.

Then Jin Ling fell asleep, and Jiang Wanyin's eyes watered. He slowly settled onto the couch, careful not to jostle their nephew.

"How long can I stay?"

Ideally, half an incense stick. Jin Guangyao turned to the wetnurse. "Could you please ask Jin-furen to advise us?"

She bowed her head and left.

After a few moments, Jiang Wanyin said, "She needs guards in the room with her. If she can't even tell me I've fucked up, how will she fare against assassins?"

"Gold Scale Tower has many guards," Jin Guangyao began, but Jiang Wanyin snorted.

"Where do you think we are? If some pompous Jin cousin demands Jin Ling, would she say no? Much less someone with weapons drawn."

"As a servant--"

"Jiang servants can and would."

Jin Guangyao smiled. "Is it not true that Jiang servants are entirely comprised of disciples, disciple candidates, and those who failed to cultivate but chose to stay?"

"It's a sect," Jiang Wanyin answered. "Typically, they are operated like sects, yes."

"Gold Scale Tower must run in accordance with its scale," Jin Guangyao said. "The servants are often merely servants."

Jiang Wanyin, whose face displayed his opinion of that, said nothing for a moment, allowing Jin Guangyao to notice his headache. "She needs guards for herself, not just outside of the room," he repeated.

"Perhaps this is something you can address with Jin-furen?"

Looking up from Jin Ling, Jiang Wanyin studied him. "Alright. Is there anything else you want me to say?"

Jin Guangyao's fingers twitched with the desire to straighten his gold robes. "Between Jin-furen and Jiang-zongzhu, I am sure that all concerns have been considered."

"Please, you notice everything and didn't accept one single item I suggested for a-jie's wedding," Jiang Wanyin said. "Do you expect me to believe you don't have opinions on Jin Ling?"

Jin Guangyao inclined his head, and then he tentatively offered an observation and a suggestion. When Jiang Wanyin merely looked thoughtful, Jin Guangyao continued; while Jiang Wanyin occasionally asked clarifying questions, he never reacted emotionally.

It was... strange, to be in a room with this man, discussing the care of a child he wasn't allowed to do anything for. He wondered what he must look like to Jiang Wanyin to be accepted so easily as an expert on Jin Ling, on anything. Unsettling.

Yet unlike Nie Mingjue, being seen didn't seem dangerous; unlike Wen Ruohan, being noticed didn't accompany invitations to violence.

No, Jiang Wanyin observed him, and his conclusion was that Jin Guangyao could teach him how to hold his one treasure.

For the first time, it seemed like sharing a nephew with this man might be interesting, not simply alarming. Jin Guangyao looked forward to observing him further.

#pallas.rtf #mdzs #chengyao #my writing #i've never written from jgy's pov before 🙈 hopefully it's not too wrong #i wanted to show that jgy is the kind of person who is always thinking; always remembering; always connecting threads #you know. the kind of person who won't get dementia because his neural links are too vast and sexy #and also that he's afraid All The Time #anyway. #chengyao real #also that he plays with jiang cheng like a very stupid but cute puppy #this is deeply important to me and my chengyao feelings

[spriteofmushrooms]

Why is everyone mean to Yue Qingyuan? Isn't that Shen Jiu's job!!

#pallas.rtf #svsss #''this fic is not yqy friendly'' NEITHER IS CANON. HASN'T HE SUFFERED ENOUGH 😭 #qijiu

[spriteofmushrooms]

Mo Xuanyu summoning The Enemy of the Cultivation World, the Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, the Yiling Laozu Wei Wuxian to kill three normal people will always be iconic.

#pallas.rtf #mdzs #pros: funny #cons: killed mxy forever. makes me sad about mxy. makes me think about mxy a lot

[spriteofmushrooms]

All Jiang Cheng Ships Are Bad and You Should Feel Bad, a non-comprehensive list:

xicheng? Trying to upstage wx by taking the #1 eligible bachelor for your ugly #5 blorbo. As IF!

chengxian? Literal incest literally literally. Even more incestuous in MXY's body. That's THREE JL uncles?

zhancheng? Fiction is REAL and you are making your fugly slut into a HOMEWRECKER!!

zhanchengxian? Ummm first of all, everyone knows that fictional mlm only need a mommy (bottom) and daddy (top). What would he even do? 🙄

sangcheng? WWX barely even mentions NHS and JC interacting, and since he was gone for 9 months of the GSL lectures and then dead for 13 years, I think he'd know!!

mingcheng? What, just because he's tall and strong and WWX teases JC about NMJ? Great OTP, idiot. He's not even in the top five eligible bachelor list.

chengyao? Infidelity much?? Or are women not REAL to you?

chengsu? WHY ARE YOU OBSESSED WITH BREAKING UP THEIR MARRIAGE?? Also she has like two lines of dialogue, they have clearly never spoken before. 🙄

3zuncheng? More like JC's healing bussy. Which is NOT healing, FYI.

chengqing? Well Wen Qing is canonically a lesbian who's repulsed by men. Sooo lesbophobic.

chengning? Get your necrophiliac hands OFF my uncomplicated sweet baby Wen Ning!!

chengxuan? Oh my god, do you not even care about Jin Ling!

rencheng? LAN QIREN IS AROACE. PROOF?? IT'S FUNNY. Aphobe much??

zhucheng? Oh my god, WZL is literally at work. I suppose you'd write JC harassing baristas, too?

chaocheng? This is double homewrecking.

zhuicheng? Barf!! In my version of the novel, JC constantly tried to murder every Wen survivor and said he'd eat a-Yuan!!

chengyi? It's sooo curious that you just recreated the chengxian dynamic without the real incest... Stealth chengxian shipper.

zhencheng? Who's Ouyang Zizhen?? Oh, right. AGE GAP!!!

xuecheng? Why would JC care about an orphan street kid with a lot of resentment? That's right... chengxian III: The Return.

OC/JC? Kind of telling that you had to make up a guy to ship with your blorbo... Unlike LWJ, who was specifically designed for WWX by the author, this is just sad.

JC/reader? Love yourself.

#pallas.rtf #mdzs #in honor of various good posts i've read over my time here

[spriteofmushrooms]

Seven Seas translation of MDZS & official illustrations by @baoshankaro

#pallas.rtf #mdzs #this might make no sense #but i. Personally. am unwell #no one wants you(r sacrifices) because you're too injured to keep up #canon jiang cheng #jiang cheng #wei wuxian #jin guangyao

[spriteofmushrooms]

Your tag in this post about how wwx never sees jc for who he is. You are right and I am crying right now

Jiang Cheng takes after his mother, and that's an immutable fact so it doesn't matter that Jiang Cheng begged Yu Ziyuan on his knees to spare Wei Wuxian. They're the same! It doesn't matter that Jiang Cheng is more diplomatic than his mother or more active than his father, or that he raised Jin Ling in such a way that he feels safe talking shit to Jiang Cheng (which Jiang Cheng NEVER did, only Wei Wuxian talked back).

Wei Wuxian's torture of Wen Chao was all a display for Wen Zhuliu because Wei Wuxian wants him to know how it felt to watch Jiang Cheng suffer. And aren't they the same?

Wei Wuxian knows exactly who 34-year-old Jiang Cheng is: he's 9- and 12- and 15- and 17- and 19- and 21-year-old Jiang Cheng.

Jiang Cheng was most upset about his dogs, who all had stupid names anyway; but actually Jiang Cheng was most upset that his father could love on and comfort Wei Wuxian but not Jiang Cheng. Jiang Cheng was upset at losing because he's sooo competitive, but actually he smiles when he learned Wei Wuxian won in both CQL and the donghua.

Wei Wuxian is the one who knows Jiang Cheng best! Jin Ling is never right. It's impossible that Jin Guangyao knows Jiang Cheng well enough to hurt him.

Jiang Cheng is truly the child who cannot be taught! Jiang Fengmian said so. Which means that Jiang Cheng could never give up any negative feelings he has for Wei Wuxian, and there's no point in explaining anything, and it was all lost long ago without hope of recovery.

#pallas.rtf #mdzs #add1ctedt0you #replies

[spriteofmushrooms]

Wei Wuxian sipped the wine Lan Zhan brought from Gusu in one of Jinlin Tai's many ostentatious peony gardens. He had found a branch in a ginkgo tree that was high enough that no one should see him at a glance where he still had a good view of the moon between the yellow leaves. It wasn't the worst way he could have spent his time at the Discussion Conference. Lan Zhan, for example, had to be xiandu. What could possibly be worse than that?

"Jin Ling, what's the matter now?"

Wei Wuxian rolled his eyes. Really, Jiang Cheng is such a wronged mother. He plays his part like a grand madam.

"Do you think Zizhen-ge is a better sect leader than I am?" Jin Ling hissed.

"What?" Wei Wuxian looked down. Through the branches, he could see Jiang Cheng's silver lotus guan glimmer with his head shake. "Where did you get that from? A-Ling, sit and explain."

"You complimented him in front of everyone," Jin Ling grumbled, but he flounced onto the bench.

Jiang Cheng folded himself gracefully, careful of the drape of his robes. "It's his first conference. All I did was walk him through presenting himself, like a junior should be treated."

"You liked his proposal."

"You like it, too, brat. Besides, a little support in the beginning keeps the old men at bay."

Jin Ling knocked his shoulder against Jiang Cheng's. "So it's not because you always wanted a poet for a nephew?"

Wei Wuxian couldn't see it, but he could imagine Jiang Cheng's face. But when Jiang Cheng spoke, it didn't match the tone he expected. Sad, but trying to joke. "After the poems Zixuan wrote?"

"A-Die wrote poems?"

Oh, oh, Wei Wuxian wanted to leave.

"Once he became enlightened, he was devout. 'Rain pearls on lotus leaves which bow gracefully/Thoughts of you collect and overwhelm me.' A-jie blushed for weeks." Jiang Cheng sighed. "The Jinlin Tai library should have them all somewhere. Please don't let Ouyang-gongzi read them."

Jin Ling huffed a laugh and threw his arm around Jiang Cheng's shoulder, which is when Wei Wuxian realized Jin Ling was taller and broader now. He hadn't seen them side by side in years. A light breeze stirred the gingko leaves and lifted the scent of peonies.

"Hanguang-jun didn't murder anyone with his eyes today," Jin Ling chirped. "Do you think he's starting to like politics?"

"Don't."

"Jiujiu..."

"He's the xiandu, Jin Ling. What do you think would happen if anyone overheard you disrespect him, especially while hosting the conference?"

Jin Ling groaned and threw his head back dramatically, jostling Jiang Cheng. Briefly, Wei Wuxian amused himself by imagining what Yu-furen would have made of her grandson. Then he gently slapped himself. "You're so boring, jiujiu! It's not like he respects either of us."

Jiang Cheng snapped, "I didn't realize you aspired to be so immature and irresponsible."

Immature? Irresponsible? Jiang Cheng had a lot of nerve! Wei Wuxian would tell him so, but then he would have to admit to hiding in a tree. Jiang Cheng would be so annoying about it, and Wei Wuxian really didn't want to bother!

"Aiya, jiujiu, if I can't complain to you about him, who can I? No one else sees what he's like."

Jiang Cheng leaned against Jin Ling, but then he ruined the picture by saying, "It's good that most people can't tell. If half of the sects ran to Zewu-jun with complaints about his beloved didi, he would leave seclusion before he was ready."

They were quiet for a few moments. Suddenly, Jin Ling burst out, "Do you really not care?"

Jiang Cheng paused. "About?"

"You know I spend time with—him!"

"You're sixteen, Jin Ling. Your memory should be good enough to remember every other time you've poked at this. And use his name; he doesn't actually appear every time you call."

"Wei-qianbei misses you!" Jin Ling grabbed Jiang Cheng's shoulders and started to gently shake him back and forth, but then Jiang Cheng pushed his hands away and stood.

"As you are clearly feeling better, I will leave first," Jiang Cheng hissed.

Jin Ling zipped in front of Jiang Cheng, blocking his path. "Jiujiu, I don't understand you at all! You want to talk to him, and he wants to talk to you. Why are you waiting?"

"He wants to talk to me so much that I learned about his elopement from gossiping disciples? He wants to talk to me so much that he lives in Cloud Recesses, which he hates? He wants to talk to me so much that he ignores Lan Wangji's hand on Bichen every time we meet?" With each question, Jiang Cheng prowled forward, and Jin Ling backed up.

"I don't think he hates Cloud Recesses..."

That's right; Wei Wuxian didn't. Lan Zhan was there, for one thing. And the juniors!

"That's because you don't fucking know him," Jiang Cheng snapped.

"Oh, and you do? When you won't even talk to him?"

"I was his assignment, Jin Ling. He either played with me or starved; he either trained to be the best or lost his position." Jiang Cheng laughed, dark and mean. "Not that I noticed."

"Jiujiu..."

"Let him live the life he wants, Jin Ling. Let me go to bed."

#pallas.rtf #mdzs #my writing #went through my old wips

[spriteofmushrooms]

Late night brain blast but JC gets transported back in time to when his parent’s generation was studying at Cloud Recesses and manages to blow everyone away. JC being the strong confident self he becomes during crisis because come hell or high water he’s getting back to his nephew, thus attracting everyone’s attention and awakening some crushes. Everyone initially assumes he’s from the past and that he’s JFM’s ancestor, which makes JFM feel inadequate as he should, especially with how starstruck his SIC is by him. LQR being the youngest and having the biggest crush on JC because he talks to him like his opinion really matters and doesn’t focus on whatever heroics his elder brother has done this week. I just think it could be fun and full of shenanigans.

Anon, this is absolutely incredible, and I feel like @not-rude-ginger needs to see this ASAP. More to add later when I'm done being raked over the coals by this zcx fic.

#pallas.rtf #mdzs #hi anon #baby lqr being taken sooo seriously by wanyin-ge #wcz like 👀👀👀 what fine form he has #jfm SUFFERING AGONIES as he deserves

[spriteofmushrooms]

Yue Qingyuan, who believes that Shen Qingqiu was healed by forgetting him, who misses him and worries about him, who almost takes up Xin Mo, who never pushes Shen Qingqiu or acts as if he has some better claim, who never learns the truth, who lost his soul in the pursuit of saving xiao Jiu and never blames him or holds it over him,

#pallas.rtf #svsss #i was having a good and normal day (sad about jc) #why do this to me lansplaining??

[spriteofmushrooms]

The interesting thing about Jiang Cheng is that he refuses to be his mother's golden child to Wei Wuxian's scapegoat; he actively chooses Wei Wuxian again and again. He defends Wei Wuxian from her until she dies. It's unusual.

This doesn't mean that Wei Wuxian's experience was any less fraught--being hated by a caretaker is awful even if everyone else loves you. But it was an interesting choice by MXTX.

#pallas.rtf #mdzs #this is perhaps because i spent a lot of time on various subreddits #but either golden children don't protect their siblings or the golden children who protect their siblings don't end up posting on reddit #because i've never encountered a clear golden child and scapegoat dynamic like jc & wwx's in real life or in fiction #i suppose that's wuthering heights again--cathy defends heathcliff (until she learns how to be a proper lady) #but i don't know. it's interesting to see jc step in for wwx directly in the novel and then contrast that to wwx comforting jc after jfm #doesn't praise jc for helping to save wwx #i often wonder if wwx was as resentful in the moment or if--like all memories--wwx reframed that interaction after the golden core transfer #the way he talks about jc like he's sooo delicate and breakable that obviously wwx has to comfort him is v. reminiscent of how he acts like #jc almost directly forced wwx to do this mad impossible thing because jc was sad and breaking #if jc read mdzs he'd probably curl up in a miserable little ball #but yeah like... memories are shaped so much by what we think and feel now #all memory is imagination... and wwx was a tormented ghost for 13 years because no one offered him anything #so what would that do to you? #i'm off topic

[spriteofmushrooms]

I need something positive, how do you think JL would handle his JiuJiu’s baby. Doesn’t matter who the other parent is I just want some JC and JL feels.

"He's a total pushover," Jin Ling whispered to the baby.

The little one, Jiang He, gazed at him with starry black eyes. He snuggled a-He closer; what a perfect baby.

"Jiujiu acts aloof, but really he wants to give you everything you want," he continued. At Jiang He's look of deeper baby concentration (was that jiujiu's notorious frown line between his brows?), Jin Ling clarified, "Unless you want something dangerous. But then he'll give you something safe to make up for it."

Swaddled in white cotton and lavender silk, Jiang He had no defense against being booped on the nose other than to blink. So Jin Ling did it again, this time adding a soft "boop!"

Jiang He yawned.

Devastating. Had any other child ever been sweeter? No, of course not. Jin Ling knew he himself had been a difficult child, loud and needy. Jiujiu had carried him up and down the piers to soothe him, sometimes for hours. Jin Ling used to demand jiujiu's attention when he was training senior disciples or even at discussion conferences, which Jin Ling was reminded of at every conference. Multiple Jiang juniors had been shoved away by toddler Jin Ling, furious that any other child would try to steal his jiujiu away.

Jiang He would be much better behaved, Jin Ling could tell.

"If you're one of those children who can't ask for what you want, I'll tell jiujiu for you," Jin Ling decided. "You shouldn't be so obedient that you accept coal like it's a precious gift."

Jiang He's eyelids drooped. Unable to resist any longer, Jin Ling kissed the little frown line.

"My biaodi deserves the whole world; I'll make sure jiujiu gives it to you."

(和 hé means gentle, peaceful, kind. Since rivers grow more peaceful as they age, I thought it was a good goal for the heir of YMJ who would inherit a once-riotously new sect. If that doesn't work as a name, though, please let me know!)

#pallas.rtf #mdzs #absolmon #my writing #jl: you don't seem like a brat but that's okay. i'm a superbrat and i'll do the work for you 😤 #jh: 👼🏻

[spriteofmushrooms]

Jiang Fengmian deciding that Jiang Cheng is either imitating his mother and therefore not embracing individual expression or that Jiang Cheng's individual expression is bad and he should amend it? Just like a dad. Why can't you be yourself the same way a-Xian is himself, Jiang Cheng?

#pallas.rtf #mdzs

[spriteofmushrooms]

Still thinking of the JC RPF tropes and the Lan sect being enamored with "SLJ emoting vivaciously." (especially LWJ being furious about his twin pride kink)

Jiang Wanyin twisted to the side, his violet eyes flashing like lightning. "What do you mean!!" he yelled loudly without considering if it was quiet hour or not. His four no five belt adornments settled against his intricately woven robes, but even they couldn't hide his shapely legs since he only wears three layers with scandalous slits due to the Yunmeng heat.

Lan Yourname said, "Jiang-zongzhu, please restrain yourself."

"Ha!!!" Jiang Wanyin laughed vivaciously but also mockingly. You squirm because he's paying attention to you but in a mean way. "As if some pathetic Lan disciple could contain my nature!!!!"

But then through no fault of your own Jiang Wanyin tripped and fell into an elaborate bondage setup.

• If you want to gag him, turn to page 37.

• If you don't want to gag him, turn to page 214.

Lan Wangji frowned down at the page. This was a serious question worthy of consideration. Gagged, Jiang Wanyin would not attract attention; yet was attention so undesirable? Would it not be pleasing for Jiang Wanyin to be humbled by multiple disciples witnessing his degradation?

"Lan Zhan, what are you reading so early in the morning?" Wei Ying asked sweetly from their bed.

"Cultivation manual," Lan Wangji replied, turning to page 37. This writer was known for punishing unwise decisions with the appearance of certain Lan elders, including Wangji's own shufu. It would be unfortunate to find one of these endings yet again.

#pallas.rtf #runespoor7 #mdzs #zhancheng #it's chengyi kind of since ljy wrote it. but since it's implied chengyi i don't think i deserve to tag it #my writing

[spriteofmushrooms]

He's everyone's ex. He's never been kissed. He's dangerously unstable. He's painfully boring. He's impulsive. He overthinks to the point of inaction. He's threatening. He's protective. He can't lie. He can't tell the truth. He's the best actor in the world.

But, above all, he's Jin Ling's jiujiu.

#pallas.rtf #mdzs #i didn't say his name but he popped into your head didn't he 😏 #i have a lot of stupid posts in my drafts. be free my child

[spriteofmushrooms]

Lan Xichen loves his brother.

Meters away, Jiang Wanyin bends forward slightly to brush off the shoulder of one of his junior disciples. "Pan Fu, is this how you intend to meet Lan-laoshi?"

"No, zongzhu," the boy responds, all sweetness. His eyes are brightly innocent, which in a YunmengJiang disciple is a sure sign of mischief. Lan Xichen wonders if the junior intentionally rubbed dirt on his robes; affection for Jiang Wanyin seems to lead the afflicted down strange paths.

From Lan Xichen's side, jade creaks against metal in Wangji's grip.

Lan Xichen loves his brother. He does. However, he wishes Wangji was not here to greet the YunmengJiang disciples for the lectures.

As Jiang Wanyin straightens, the breeze catches his violet ribbons, ends fluttering near his waist. "GusuLan has expectations that you will all meet. Their methods are different than ours, and you will master them." He pauses, turning his head to meet the gazes of the whole group; his ribbons slide against his neck with the movement. "Am I understood?"

Some youths elbow each other and others giggle, but they all say, "Yes, zongzhu!"

"Disgraceful," Wangji whispers.

Jiang Fengmian had never escorted his juniors to the lectures. Why did Jiang Wanyin? Just to torment Lan Xichen? It seems unnecessary.

Jiang Wanyin's posture softens. Don't, Lan Xichen thinks wildly, but as usual his pleas go unheard. "Their food is also different, but they will feed you well. Don't go without because it's unfamiliar; although it takes time to adjust, be patient and eat well."

"Zongzhu, what if we're really hungry?" asks one of the girls. "Shen-shijie said they don't eat any meat at all, and she could barely stand without fainting!"

"Liang Min, how many times has Shen Yuxi tried to scare you and laughed when it worked? Each of you will get a small allowance for Caiyi Town each week"--several of the juniors whoop, but they quiet with grins when Jiang Wanyin turns to glare at them--"provided Lan-laoshi has no complaints of your behavior. Do not bring meat into Cloud Recesses, and under no circumstances are you to hunt or fish within their grounds."

One of the taller boys says, "Did anyone break the rules when you were here?"

"Yes," Jiang Wanyin says quellingly. "They regretted it."

The disciples look between each other, and Lan Xichen can tell that once again YunmengJiang disciples will test shufu's patience.

With a nod, Jiang Wanyin turns magnificently and starts walking toward the stairs, only to stop when he notices them. "Zewu-jun, Hanguang-jun," he greets with a bow.

One of his inner layers is bridal green¹. Bridal green. The hissed breath from Lan Xichen's side is, frankly, perfectly reasonable. Bridal green. Certainly, it's a fetching combination with violet and black, but does Jiang Wanyin not consider Lan Xichen at all when he makes his sartorial choices?

Lan Xichen returns the greeting while Lan Wangji burns quietly beside him.

Jiang Wanyin's eyes flick to Wangji and then, as if resigned to Wangji's rudeness, return to Lan Xichen. "I hope we weren't in your path?"

Lan Xichen smiles, although he can tell it isn't his best effort. "Wan--we wanted to walk up the mountain with you and your disciples."

With a polite acceptance, Jiang Wanyin moves to Lan Xichen's other side. When they move to walk together, though, Wangji stays put, only to follow immediately behind Jiang Wanyin.

When he was still a boy, Lan Xichen had made a habit of counting each stair any time he went up or down the mountain. He knows the number perfectly. Now, however, with Wangji hounding Jiang Wanyin, it feels as though there must be twice as many stairs as usual.

¹ Tang Dynasty brides wore green, which I think is very pretty and have decided to use for my mdzs works.

@runespoor7, I hope you enjoy what your comment and earlier ficlet inspired!

#pallas.rtf #mdzs #my writing #zhancheng

[spriteofmushrooms]

Jiang Cheng: Please understand that Wei Wuxian killed your guards because Wen Qing and Wen Ning were niceys to us specifically.

Lan Xichen: Wen Qing was a croney of Wen Ruohan, but sure, I never specifically heard that she herself killed anyone.

Readers: Why didn't Jiang Cheng, who didn't decide to put the Wen in camps in the first place, wasn't included in the search and rescue mission for Wen Ning, doesn't know what the fuck is happening, hasn't slept, hasn't heard from Wei Wuxian, and must improv off of what Jin Guangshan is saying, tell everyone to go fuck themselves and abandon his sect?? PROOF HE NEVER LOVED WEI WUXIAN!!

Lan Wangji: I'm in this scene too.

Readers: omg hiii

#pallas.rtf #mdzs