#Bring on the Yunmeng Jiang PAIN | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

chaotic---calm · 10 months

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*screeching* Saw the update!!! Loved it!!!! I LOVE how nervous JC was at the beginning!!! I was so excited because JC really went to Cloud Recesses without even a sketch of what he was going to say, which meant he would improvise, and that was always going to be great (it did go brilliantly). I also adore that his nervousness clearly revolved around how he admires LXC, even when he logically sees and intents to use the similarities in their positions. Then JC bullied a poor Lan disciple (I'm sorry for the baby Lan, they ought to go cuddle a bunny in the back hills, they deserve it) into letting him talk to LXC so that LXC's future could be decided by LXC himself instead of LQR or LWJ, and I yell at how that's a perfect representation of what marriage to JC would offer: the dignity to be more than a prized doll, but rather someone with the power of choice over himself and others because JC trusts in his abilities.

In absolute concordance with my last point, I adore JC's sheer disbelief at the indignance of LXC being put into seclusion. I love how the elders' treatment of LXC is what makes JC less scared of barging in with his, one has to admit, politically weak offer. The Jiang sect couldn't give that much to the Lan sect, but JC did have something significant to offer for LXC, and that's what has him there, talking with LXC and no other. I love the detail with the tea, the admission of having payed enough attention to notice what of Yunmeng LXC liked, the mere fact of offering a sign of comfort despite (or because?) the fact that he emphatically did not offer a love match (an indication that even if there never was passion, the respect and care would be genuine, even if JC himself seemingly didn't recognize the depth of meaning in his small action).

Then, of course, there's the conversation itself. I love that JC makes such a point of declaring LXC is not the cause of his own problem, that his gender is not the shackle that stops him from continuing being a leader, his elders are. Then when LXC brings back the memory with WX, I love that they both remember the other's actions more than their own, it speaks much of the administration they both held for one another. I also really appreciate how JC uses the opportunity to negate LXC's resignation to put himself down, not allowing him to use double standards and making LXC take the praise to his younger self as also applicable to his older self.

JC then calling forward LXC's anger and frustration, all his negative feelings, is something I adore. For one thing, LXC deserves to express his feelings, deserves to have someone hear him and his pain and his frustration instead of being forced to swallow it all. For another, I clap at the magnificence of how JC transforms LXC's admission of helplessness into the opening to his offer in which LXC has the power to escape that which he had just admitted he didn't want any part of. ("What am I supposed to do to get out of this?" / "You could marry me." I love how JC says it. I love the emphasis on LXC's choice and the power it holds.)

I love how flabbergasted LXC is at the proposal. It really came out of nowhere and it didn't seem to have any relation at all with the previous conversation, so I get LXC. And I also get why he so quickly turns hopeful, that speech was excellent! JC outdid himself with that explanation and offer. I love how he doesn't just offer LXC to be equals, he already treats him so even in the language he uses during the proposal ("we shouldn't stand for it", "we defy expectations", "we could stand against anything").

I hurt over LXC's surprise at JC finding him as brilliant as he'd ever been before, but I do appreciate his caution before getting swallowed by the amazing feeling of still being recognized and valued. I also really like how LXC has conflicted feelings about JC's answer! I appreciate that LXC is given the space to consider love, acknowledge how difficult it would have been to find it even before his fall from grace, but is still given the opportunity to mourn that he'd be making the choice that cut him from having the chance, even if it's the logical choice given the other circumstances.

I also adore how LXC's silence proof JC's bravado for what it is. Man really went there, forced LXC to admit his pain, said one of the most convincing speeches ever to face against fear and oppression (no wonder he could get people to join his sect with that motivation improved charisma!) and then immediately turned to his nervous schoolboy persona, ready to run away from intimidating authority. I cackle. JC is so cute! I love him so much!

I love JC telling LXC that no, he hadn't been sure of himself or that LXC would say yes, he'd just done it anyway. I find it significant because JC is conservative and risk adverse (especially at that time, with the precarious position his sect is in, he'll push his weight around more when he has more power to his name), but he's also someone who goes for the impossible like a pursue predator: putting one step in front of the other and just going forward in small steps (unlike WWX, who does it by jumping at the impossible, struggling to make it submit, except when it doesn't it kills him). Marrying the ZWJ seemed impossible, but the one way to achieve it was to make the offer, so he did it. There will be other obstacles after, but they're the next steps, the attempt has already begun.

Regarding the oppositions to their match, I laughed at how JC teases LXC into taking them as, not exactly games, but less insurmountable obstacles, more like challenges they can enjoy beating. I smile at LXC finding fun in what they intend to do, and love JC declaring he hopes to shake things up more than once. JC is proving once again his intations of making their marriage more than mere survival for each of them, but something powerful enough to shock the jianghu.

I know not every single detail needs to be about feminism, so it's okay if it turns out I'm overreaching here, but I think the next bit with JC wanting to talk to LXC's family by himself and LXC having to stop him because he wants to join him instead is perfect. I say it because I think it illustrates small details that JC probably never considered when he offered LXC to be equals. Even though, yes, JC ends up asking what LXC wants and following through, but point still stands that at the beginning JC thoughtlessly acts one way. He isn't trying to leave LXC behind because his input doesn't matter, but because he wants to negotiate the marriage with LXC's family following proper tradition (which he already ignored once), but what is tradition if not oppression of women's (and omegas' in this 'verse) voices in matter pertaining themselves? I expect JC will find himself facing a lot of things like that, small actions when he doesn't mean to demean LXC, he just never considered that the "natural"/"obvious"/"traditional" thing to do would be going above an omega's (LXC's) choices or desires (oh! maybe it will move to JC facing reconsidering his relationship with /JYL/ and asking her if there's ever been any time when he's unintentionally stepped over her choices or feelings. would she mention about the broken engagement? I know it was more of a WWX thing, but JC also disliked JZX). I mean, it would not be disappointing if the story doesn't go that deep, because it's nice to escape real world sexism, but I do think there's an opportunity to touch on that here, what with LXC's lack of practice facing omega's restrictions (which definitely would make the change more jarring). Either way it goes I'm still excited.

Going back to the story, JC's surety that he'll never be loved hurts me personally, I adore that man! I'm also a tiny bit worried about JC idolizing LXC with all the mentions about how good and kind he is, that's dangerous because it never ends well, no one's perfect after all.

Oh! Next is their walk across Cloud Recesses and I feel so bad for LXC. He's so nervous! No one should be so scared to walk around their own home. I flinch at the elder's words and how quickly LXC looses confidence. I get so excited at JC moving forward in his defense. "I know he is Zewu-jun." I LOVE that. JC sees LXC as an admirable man, he forces others to see the same admirable man by using the title he was bestowed before the revelation about his gender made people forget who LXC really is. And LXC sees how JC does it! Sees that to JC it's a matter of fact, not of convenience! He is touched by it! *unintelligible happy bunny noises*

Enter LQR! I'm so glad LQR appears before things escalate. Also, I love the fuck you JC gives that elder by simply being polite to LQR. My heart belongs to a man that can be mean with or without words. I also love the reminder that LQR is not like other elders (one really has to wonder how different his view must be from other elders after all his years as acting sect leader!) and that he is upset for both of his nephews (because let's be real, being sect leader must be LWJ's definition of hell, that man hates politics almost as much as WWX). I'm glad LQR too sticks it to that one elder by telling him they won't wait for their meddling asses. Also, I laugh so bad at JC telling LXC that his (let's admit it, bratty) attitude is consequence of living with WWX, because it may be partially the truth, but I am positive half of it is just that he's a Jiang and therefore at least half gremlin. On a completely different hand, my heart melts at JC saying "when" and telling LXC to have faith in them. To JC, the hard part was getting LXC to agree, facing everything that comes after is much easier because he has the person whose opinion matters most on his side, neither of them is alone anymore.

Oh! How glorious! I love the confrontation with the elders! LQR snapping! LXC using the fact they vacated him against them! JC serving truths! LXC defending JC to mirror how JC did it for him! And LWJ! Oh, LWJ! I love how this scene uses LWJ's propensity to stay silent to emphasize the moment he decides to speak. And that he does it to ask for what LXC wants. I love, love, love that LXC does analyze the situation, does consider what he wants and it's not JC, what he wants is his position at Cloud Recesses, but what he can have is marriage, and JC is the best choice, not because JC won't use him, but because JC is honest and trustworthy. I love that LXC considers his sworn brothers, the explanation of why he wouldn't want NMJ (the visceral disgust at the idea of his friend changing his opinion of him enough to pursue him just for his gender) and why JGY is not an option (the idea that there is affection there, despite the fact that LXC knows JGY is the one person who could have outed him, and I wonder if we're going to touch that point again in the future, LXC & JGY isn't a tag in this story, but I think there's something to explore there).

Oh! How lovely it is when LWJ accepts LXC's choice, even if it is leaving, even if it is JC, simply because he doesn't want his brother unhappy. And once LWJ says something is, it is. Even before reading this scene I knew the elders really made a stupid choice making LWJ sect leader. He will hate it, but he's not half the conciliator LXC is, LWJ will send them to fuck off more often and more emphatically than LXC would ever dream of doing, doubly so after their treatment to his brother. Really bad choice by those elders, and it already shows.

Really love that JC and LXC get to have a little moment with LWJ and LQR after the circus. I adore the brotherly moment between the twin jades, I always appreciate family love getting emphasis in stories and it's quite obvious that LWJ and LXC's relationship here is particularly close and important to both of them. LQR suggesting being hasty AND celebrating at Lotus Pier is fantastic! It really puts weight to how much they need the wedding, how much the Lan elders are a hindrance to LXC's future happiness, and how much LQR and LWJ are trusting JC to do for LXC. And uff, that ending between LXC and JC! I LOVE LXC making sure to be there to see JC off (that's classic romance and I'm weak for it, okay?). I also adore JC's last words. He's so aware of what little he offers, that in a better world it would mean nothing because everyone would still respect LXC because nothing about him has changed, so he's thankful for the fact LXC chose him, trusted him. And it means so much because JC is dutiful to a fault, once he gives himself to someone he does it wholeheartedly. Even if I didn't know JC will fall in love (because it is a XiCheng fic), I'd be sure he would treasure LXC as his partner and I think that's the part that will eventually be most touching. No matter how many times JC accidentally makes mistakes, he'll definitely not ignore them nor stop trying to be better. If nothing, because he'll never want a marriage like his parents', which means never ignoring (like JFM) and never pressuring (like YZY) and always respecting. Always. And LXC doesn't know any of this yet, but he's already been touched by JC's continued admiration for him, and he trusts JC already for it, and I love that. Also, gosh, the scene is just so romantic with LXC talking to JC's out of sight figure!

To sum it up, I loved this chapter so much! Sorry for the ridiculous length of this ask, I'm a rambler and it's hard to cut it short when I don't even hit the comment box's character limit. I promise it's long because it's full of love! Thanks so much for writing it! I'm definitely looking forward to the next update! *sending bunny cuddles* - signed: S.D.P. 🐰💛

Hello! Thank you so much for your patience. I know it took me ages to get a reply put together. Combination of me buried under a lot of responsibility, trying to maintain various relationships, making sure my cat gets all the attention he deserves, being permanently exhausted (because who’s got time to sleep?), and battling with anxiety, depression, and apathy (whichever is giving me the most grief at any given time, lol). But I assure you, never ever ever is silence from me because I’m frustrated or annoyed at someone for gushing over something I’ve written. There literally is very little that lifts my spirits as much, so thank you so very much for such an in-depth and thoughtful reaction to my second chapter. I couldn’t stop grinning like a fool when I first read through it, and it's the same again now going back through so that I could finally compose a reply! 😊

Bashful nervousness is a favorite trope of mine, especially for typically tough (or seemingly tough; we all know JC has a gooey center) characters, so there was no way I wasn’t including those butterflies in JC’s tummy.

Another reason that JC is so careful to approach LXC first, in addition to your assessment, is because he’s teetering on first-hand experience of the same thing. Luckily not from his own sect disciples, but the other sects have been poking at him, trying to shake his confidence and insist he can’t/shouldn’t make his own decisions anymore. He knows how shitty that feels, so like hell is he going to do it to LXC. And then yes, the tea is so important, and something I think we can all appreciate; having anyone notice small things about ourselves and just automatically know things we will or won’t like and accommodate them without needing to ask or be asked is a tremendous feeling—coming from someone offering a potential future away from suffering, it’s an outright beacon of hope, I’d say.

I’m so glad you enjoyed the brief story about their past experience when they were kids! I hadn’t even planned that ahead, it just came to me while I was writing. Because of course they would have known each other and been around each other as kids, and of course two men both struggling with self-confidence issues would see in others greater accomplishment/strength than they see in themselves. Not allowing double standards for oneself is important too. That’s actually something I’ve personally struggled with over the years and gotten much better at, so unsurprisingly, it becomes a theme in many of my stories.

Regarding their conversation, I’m really enjoying your assessment of how it was structured and how it played out, because you’re pinpointing a lot of things that I didn’t intentionally do, but I think I can safely say was an instinctive choice subconsciously while I wrote. Like JC’s continued use of “we,” putting power in LXC’s hands as well as his own. You’re right that that, among other of his actions, it does a great job showing LXC the sincerity of his words and his offer more than him just giving a plain offer of words only.

😁 I agree that JC’s bravado crumpling in the face of LXC’s silence is adorable. Honestly, I’m not sure how in character it really was—the boy is probably much more likely to just keep leaning headlong into confidence until he’s alone and can have a private panic attack—but maybe not. Regardless, it’s stinkin’ cute to watch them both fumble through this conversation, proposal, and acceptance.

I really dig your analysis of the difference in how JC and WWX differently approach going for the impossible. WWX definitely is the type to run wildly in before much thought is given, whereas JC thinks very long and hard about stuff. I think his inherent trust in LXC is what helps make this attempt easier, though. He knows that LXC is a good man; if his attempted proposal were to fail, he at least can rest assured that LXC won’t ridicule him for it, nor will he spread word of what happened around the cultivation world, even if he was still known to be an alpha and still a sect leader. Already, the seeds for a successful alliance are sewn before JC even gets there.

It’s definitely not overreaching to see some parallels to feminism here. A/B/O fics open a lot of doors for exploring things like gender roles, gender stereotypes, gender oppression, etc. I’m very firmly feminist, so I definitely lean into those themes a bit in my writing in general and especially with stories like these, though it also isn’t my focus for the story or the writing, so I don’t know that I’ll lean into it super hard either.

"Going back to the story, JC's surety that he'll never be loved hurts me personally, I adore that man!" I love JC like I would a son, lol, so I always feel the instinct to hug him tightly while swatting away his enemies with a big stick. 😂 And yet, I still love to put him through some heartache and struggles before I let him have his happy endings. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Yass, JC defending LXC against the shitty elder in the middle of Cloud Recesses was one of the earliest scenes I had in mind when I started brainstorming this fic. I love protective characters, which JC is to people who matter to him certainly, and I absolutely adore characters who have the courage and wit to verbally eviscerate others because I sadly do not have that trait. Another reason JC is my favorite.

Having LQR be a good guy is a refreshing change for me. I don’t hate him really in canon, but I don’t like him either; he reminds me too much of rigid, uncompromising people I knew, especially when growing up, but I do understand that he’s certainly more complicated than a one-note villain. Way back when I first conceived this idea, I’d planned on him being hateful to LXC too, but it just didn’t feel right. I lingered on that scene near the end of the drama when Jingyi is running his mouth telling everyone all the tea about Su She, and mister prim and proper LQR is just sitting back and letting it happen, like, “Yeah, he said what he said, and he was right!” LMAO I needed that for this fic too.

You’re spot on with everything that plays out in the scene where they all have the discussion of the proposal and how things will turn out. *chef’s kiss*

"LWJ will send them to fuck off more often and more emphatically than LXC would ever dream of doing, doubly so after their treatment to his brother." Yes. Honestly, this makes me wish I was going to focus more on LWJ, because I would love to linger more on Lan “You Are Not Qualified To Speak To Me” Wangji. 😆

“I LOVE LXC making sure to be there to see JC off (that's classic romance and I'm weak for it, okay?).” lolol. Oh yeah, me too!

“Also, gosh, the scene is just so romantic with LXC talking to JC's out of sight figure!” *squees and claps hands excitedly* It is, it is! I’m so glad you specifically commented on that, because I love moments like that, so I simply had to include it. Similarly loved, and to come later in this fic, talking to others while they're unconscious! 😄

“Sorry for the ridiculous length of this ask, I'm a rambler and it's hard to cut it short when I don't even hit the comment box's character limit. I promise it's long because it's full of love!” No apologies necessary at all. I’m not lying when I say I love receiving comments like the two you've sent so far. 💜 I’m so very happy you enjoyed Chapter 2 so much, and I genuinely hope that Chapter 3 delivers even more. I’m maybe about halfway through writing it? I’m going to spend some time on it tonight. I’m hoping I might descend into a fever pitch and make better progress than I have the past few days, lol, but I’ve let myself start setting aside time to actually read more than just in 10-minute spurts between responsibilities, and I’m rereading an old favorite romance novel, so my heart is longing for that too. I wish there was more time in every day.

Thank you again, and I hope to hear from you next time! 🥰🐰

#asks #my asks #my fanfic #the untamed #xicheng #jiang cheng #lan xichen

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aconfusedkitten · 2 years

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I offer chengxian but make the dynamic as blurry as possible :3 feel free to go ham

"Come home."

Rain is pouring from the sky, drenching his robes as thunder fills the air, it's rumbling cry loud enough to shake the very ground Jiang Cheng stands on. Every few moments, lightning strikes, and every few moments, Jiang Cheng can see the water running down his cheeks, his lips, his nose.

Are they tears? He wonders, or just another trail left behind by the storm.

Rain is pouring from the sky, and "come home," Jiang Cheng says again, this time, more forceful. "Come back to Lotus Pier with me, Wei Wuxian," he says, "come home."

But Wei Wuxian doesn't answer, doesn't move at all.

And the people behind him are like shadows, dressed in black and without Wei Wuxian's signature red, they're faceless. Dark clothes and dark faces, their gazes downcast and, he knows without a doubt, exhausted.

They are Wen, a part of him thinks, the same people who burned his home to the ground. And there's more to it than that, because Wei Wuxian's blank face tells him everything that he needs to know, because-

Jiang Cheng knows Wei Wuxian. Knows him like he knows the weight of Sandu in his hand and knows him like he knows Lotus Pier, knows like he's seen every facet of him and is always on waiting to find something knew.

Jiang Cheng knows Wei Wuxian.

Wei Wuxian, who always fights for what he believes is the right course.

"Does that invintation extend to them as well, Sect Leader Jiang?" Wei Wuxian says.

And his voice is low, quiet, and yet somehow, the words are louder than the thunder around them, than Jiang Cheng's heart beating out of his chest because how dare he?

This isn’t a place for titles, isn’t a place for respect and false politeness, because just as Jiang Cheng knows Wei Wuxian, he doesn’t doubt that Wei Wuxian knows him. They are the Twin Prides of Yunmeng, bound together by the blood they spilled in that awful fight and-

"Are they yours?" Jiang Cheng asks, already knowing the answer.

Wei Wuxian tilts his head, looking like a rainsoaked dog. "They are their own people, Jiang Cheng," he says, and there are few times he's sounded so serious. "Is that such a crime?"

And-

"No," Jiang says, "no."

A moment passes, long and slow. It's as though time stops, as though the winds refuse to blow and the thunder refuses to cry.

As though eternity itself is waiting with bated breath, just waiting to see how this moment ends.

"Come home to Lotus Pier," Jiang Cheng says, "and bring your people home with you." A pause, a breath. "If you don't, I'll break your legs and they can follow as I drag you there."

And-

Wei Wuxian laughs. “Why so cruel?” He asks, and then Jiang Cheng can breath again, and then he’s stepping closer, close enough that Jiang Cheng can feel his breath on his face.

“Are you sure, Jiang Cheng?” Wei Wuxian asks, his words a barely even a whisper. “The other Sects won’t agree, and Lotus Pier is not as strong as it once was.”

And there’s pain in Wei Wuxian’s voice, and that familiar fire in his eyes. Burning brighter than the sun and the moon, and it makes Jiang Cheng’s heart beat something fierce.

Because times have changed.

They have changed.

But somehow, against all odds, this has remained the same.

“Lotus Pier is quieter than it was,” Jiang Cheng corrects him. “And with no elders to guide my people? No children to foster new growth? Your people shall find a place here, and a new life, should they choose it.”

Wei Wuxian’s smile is sharp, a challenge wrapped up in a pleasant and red ribbons keeping it all together. “And if they come for us?”

Jiang Cheng grins back at him, a sharp thing. “Let them come,” he says, “Lotus Pier is mine to lead, and it’s not their say who is welcome in it. We are the Twin Prides of Yunmeng, are we not?”

“I suppose we are,” Wei Wuxian says, nonchallant, but he’s smiling, too.

“Come home,” Jiang Cheng says, one last time.

Wei Wuxian bows, an exagerated and playful gesture, as though they aren’t inviting chaos to their doorstep. “Lead the way,” he says, and-

Jiang Cheng does.

fic requests

#cheshire writes #fanfic #my fanfic #mdzs #mo dao su zhi #the untamed #wei wuxian #jiang cheng #chengxian #here u go friend!!#i speed wrote this #and haven't written them in a while #and never together #so i'm hoping you like it!#i am so sorry if its ooc #but i tried xD

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words-plots-andthings · 2 years

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Ribbons Wound Tightly (Holding Us Together)

@randomreblogs tagging as asked. Thanks for the prompt that inspired me to write again after a year break. :) I’m a little rusty. Also on Ao3 with the same name. Lan Wangji is all too aware of his surroundings, but this is nothing like a night hunt. These are people, not sparing partners or fierce corpses. Killing, while forbidden in the Cloud Recesses, is not uncommon here, the grass and dirt stained red from friend and foe alike. If possible he will refrain from dealing in death. Wei Wuxian does enough for all of them. Swiftly he ducks beneath the strike of a sword, the sound resonating in his ears even as he brings Bichen up to parry. Instinctively he steps to the left and throws off his opponent's center of balance before striking. Wei Wuxian has picked up a new tune somewhere in the distance. Lan Wangji ignores the way that it reassures him even as his eyes scan the chaos for black hair bound with a red ribbon. He takes advantage of the lull the new wave of corpses has caused, striking out and disarming those nearest to him. The scrimmage is nearing an end so he approaches Wei WuXians position surreptitiously. He only means to check the other is unharmed before he takes his leave to report to Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren.

As he navigates the battlefield he meets Wei Wuxians eyes, it's only a moment but it makes him stop dead in his tracks. He doesn’t look like he’s even been in a fight, save for the way he is breathing in a deep controlled manner. Only the sudden look of panic on Wei Wuxians face breaks him out of his momentary stupor. With a jolt and graceless stumble he turns out of the way of a downward swing. He's too slow and adrenaline pours through his veins. Hyper aware he feels the fine silk of his ribbon split. The weight of it falls from his hair leaving him feeling naked and exposed. He doesn’t have time to think about it or to retrieve it as he re-engages in the battle around him. When night falls, his ribbon is nowhere to be found. He will ask for a new one. Lan Qiren will not be happy. Lan Wangji will not ask Wei Wuxian if he knows where it is. Wei Wuxian takes great pains to ensure that the stitches are even and neat as he sews Lan Wangjis forehead ribbon back together. Absently he runs his thumb and forefinger over the gold clouds and wishes the man himself were here for some company. Wei Wuxian would play a joke on him, or tease him. He’d do anything to ignore the whispers around him, the noise in his head. He’s of little to no use to Jiang Cheng now. Without his golden core, and the center of attention, Wei Wuxian is causing more harm than good by staying by Jiang Chengs side. He made a promise though and he won't break that. He can’t. He does. Hold up in his cave he draws the ribbon out of his inner robe and stares at it long into the night. He hadn’t stayed long enough to know what Lan Wangji had thought about his behavior or intentions at Koi Palace. He doesn’t dwell on it now. He is doing what is right. He knows that deep down. He only hopes his brother and sister can forgive him and that Lan Wangji won’t hate him. Jiang Cheng comes up with a plan. It’s a bad plan, they both know it. But it's the best they can do. It’s the best way he can protect the Yunmeng Jiang Clan and the remnants of the Wen clan. With tears in his eyes he tucks himself away in the darkness of his cave and cradles the ribbon close to his heart. It’s hard, harder than he thought it would be to walk this single log bridge. When he runs into Lan Wangji in Yiling with A-Yuan he can’t help but smile. Finally something good. Something happy. Something pure. He can barely bring himself to stop A-Yuans crying, Lan Wangji looks unfathomably uncomfortable and it twists his heart with delight to see it. His eyes say he wants to comfort the child, the tension in his body says he wants to run. Grinning, he interrupts. It all goes smoothly, until it doesn’t. The panic that seizes him would be crippling if he hadn’t had so much practice at pushing it down, fighting it back. Lan Wangji follows him and takes A-Yuan and so he rushes ahead; he has work to do. When Lan Wangji goes he is sad, sadder than he has been in a long time. He feels lonely. A-Yuan seems sad too, so he does his best to cheer him up as they make their way back up the mountain. The celebration is nice and he drinks too much which makes the loneliness worse when he stumbles into his cave and trips on half finished projects. He collapses on his stone bed and curls up under the tattered blankets he keeps. Half awake and humming his fingers seek out the familiar silk band and curl around it as though it were his only life line. The anchor that keeps him from floating away from himself and his body. “Xian-gege” A-Yuan wakes him. He bats the boy's hands away and mumbles into his arm. “Xian-gege, what is that?” Slowly Wei Wuxian peels his eyes open and looks around. “What?” “That?” A-Yuan asks, pointing at the ribbon as he crawls up into Wei Wuxians bed. It’s not even light out and his head is splitting open. “It’s a ribbon. It’s very special.” “Special? Why? What does it do?” “I’ll tell you only if you promise to lay down and go back to bed.” “Okay, gege.” “It’s special because it belongs to a precious friend of mine and when I hold on to it it reminds me of him. He’s very strong and it makes me feel safe to think about him when I hold it. That's a secret. Just between you and me little Radish. Now come here and go back to sleep.” A-Yuan does not go right to sleep; he pushes too close to Wei Wuxian and trembles. It doesn't take a genius to know he's scared of the ghosts and the noises and the dark. So, he pulls the boy closer and wraps him safely in his arms and lets him hold onto the ribbon too before he hums them both back to sleep. Bleeding and delirious Lan Wangji stumbles from Bichen onto the barren charred remains of the Burial mounds. His robes tug at the wounds on his back and every movement threatens to reopen the barely formed scabs further. Desperately he looks into the darkness for any sign of Wei Wuxian. There is nothing. He stumbles blindly over corpses and rubble, over uprooted vegetable gardens and gravestones until he can’t tell where he is. Still there is no sign of life. There is no sign of Wei Wuxians corpse. Defeated he stumbles half blind from silent tears up the crumbling stairs that lead into the Demon Slaughtering Cave. Barely inside he falls to his knees, his fingers brush against the dirt and stone of the floor as he lets them guide him deeper. He is too weak to keep standing, too dizzy. So he crawls. He must have missed something. There must be some sign of Wei Wuxian here. Some sign that his Wei Ying had survived. A whimper breaks through the howling wind and stiff thunk thunk of corpse footsteps outside. Without a second thought he lights a talisman. He squints reflexively, his eyes too long adjusted to the dark. The sight before him cuts his soul deeply, there is nothing left of his heart to shield it. A-Yuan is curled into a ball on the far side of the cave wrapped in the tatters of what must have once been blankets. Wei Wuxians blankets form the bed beside him. The child is hiding and Lan WangJi knows he cannot leave him here, so he crawls forward on hands and knees until he is beside him. He doesn’t care that his clothes are ruined, he can’t be bothered. He tries to speak, to say the boy's name but he can’t say anything at all. Instead he scoops him up against his chest and hisses at the way it pulls his shoulders. He ignores the sticky mess that spreads hotly down his back and weeps into the boy's hair. The talisman burns out. Lan Wangji does not light it again. He is in seclusion, but Lan Xichen breaks the rules for him. He uses flowery words and arguments to justify it. He has to, as clan leader anything less would be inappropriate. Today he gets to see Lan Sizhui. A-Yuan. The little boy who pretends to be a radish in the garden when he plays. A-Yuan, the boy whom Wei Wuxian had loved. This week he will stay with Lan Wangji while Lan Xichen is at Koi Tower with Jin Guanyao and Nie Mengjue. It is just past nine in the evening and despite being tired Lan Wangji is unable to sleep. It seems that A-Yuan cannot either. Sitting up, Lan Wangji looks over at the boy who seems to be trembling. It’s only been two weeks and neither of them has forgotten the stench of the mountain or the way the wind howling in the trees carried the same melodies that Wei Wuxian had played. It was some eerie poorly executed symphony, a mock comparison to the real thing. He stands silently from his bed and walks over to check on the boy. Is he having a nightmare? If so, what should he do about it? How does he help? He doesn’t remember what his caretakers did. Did they do anything at all? What he sees takes his breath away and he stands frozen in shock. A looming ghost in the Jingshi, a statue, a corpse. He doesn’t know how much time has passed before he comes back to himself but the moon has shifted and A-Yuan is looking at him with fear in his eyes. His bottom lip trembles and he tries to hide the ribbons in his hand. One is nearly the pristine white of the Gusu Lan sect and the other is a faded and rough around the edges crimson ribbon. Both stand in mockery of what they once were. A-Yuan cries. “ A-Yuan,” He hates the way his voice cracks. He takes a breath and steadies himself before kneeling down. “May I see?” A-Yuan stares up at him and very quietly says, “It’s a secret. Xian-gege said so.” His heart is breathing too quickly in his chest all the while it feels like there is a stone sinking in his gut. “I’m sure he did. But that one looks just like mine.” He manages to keep his voice calm and steady. A-Yuan doesn’t look convinced so he reaches up and unties his own ribbon before holding out for the boy to examine. A-Yuan reaches out and reverently picks it up. He had been told not to touch anyone elses ribbon and didn’t have his own yet. That was an ongoing battle. “Oh.” He says in the smallest voice. “You were the friend that made Xian-gege feel safe.” Lan Wangji swallows the whimper that tries to force its way up his throat and nods instead. “Do you know the song he always hummed for me? Please, can you hum it too?” He looks at the boy with uncertainty. What song? A-Yuan is already tearing up again and he panics.What would Wei Ying do? He reaches out and stumbles as A-Yuan collides with his chest. He picks the boy up and carries him back to his bed. He hums. He hums the first song that comes to mind, the one transcribed on his heart and engraved on his bones. He feels A-Yuan relax in his arms and his breathing begins to steady. It’s only after it has settled into the deep relaxed breathing of sleep that Lan Wangji finally places him down and covers him with the downy blanket. With unsteady hands he removes the ribbons from the boys smaller ones, leaving his own in their place for now. The icy air is a welcome reprieve as he stumbles against the railing. With only the moon and wind for company he lets the tears slide down his cheeks.After a while he plays inquiry softly. He expects no answer. He plays anyway. Eventually he plays Wangxian without any conscious thought. There are three people in the world who know it, and one of them is dead. He lets the last note ring in the air before he takes up the ribbons again. Absently he knots the ribbons together into a chain. He clutches it tightly in his hand. In the morning he must give it back to A-Yuan. It's all he has left of Wei Wuxian, and A-Yuan is all Lan Wangji has. He vows that A-Yuan will be safe. He will be loved. And most importantly Lan Wangji will always be there for him. This way he might ease some of the regret he harbors in his heart. Epilogue Wei Wuxian is grateful. He leans against Lan Wangjis chest and watches as Sizhui and Jingyi practice their swords. He wears a new ribbon in his hair, scarlet and bright. “Full of life, like you.” Lan Zhan had told him one night.There had been something dark in his expression and Wei Wuxian had spent the night kissing it away. Today his eye catches on something. He hadn’t paid too much attention to Sizhuis sword before but today the light hits it just right. There’s something glinting on the lanyard of his saber. “Sizhui, come here.” He calls out and waves the boy over. Obedient as ever he approaches puzzlement all over his face. “Xian-gege?” He asks, it had only taken him months to revert to using the name. Wei Wuxian smiles. “Let me have a look at your sword.” He says already reaching for it. He feels Lan Wangji shift and turn to take his hand so he ducks away stealing the blade from Sizhui and grins at the both of them. He only needed a moment to see what it was. A knotted forehead ribbon of the Lan sect wound with a faded scarlet ribbon. He examines it more closely, feeling along the ribbon until he comes across what he is looking for. Painstakingly performed stitches connected two parts of the ribbon. Smiling, he returns the saber to Sizhui. “The lanyard is interesting. Who made it for you?” Sizhui looks confused before he takes the lanyard in hand and looks at it. “Hánguāng-jūn. But I don’t remember where the pieces came from. I’ve always had it.” “I see. I see. Good, go on, back at it and remember the sword is an extension of your arm.” “Are you going to practice with us today?” Sizhui asks with a smile as he starts back towards Jingyi. “Soon.” He says waving the boy off. Lan Wangji won't meet his eyes and the tips of his ears have turned a delightful pink. Wei Wuxian approaches like a cat about to catch a mouse. MIschevious and playful he looks up at his husband and tugs at his forehead ribbon.“I guess you know where that ribbon went then.” Lan Wangji simply nods. “Thank you Lan Zhan. I’m grateful he had you.” Lan Wangji smiles the barest amount before leaning down and kissing Wei Wuxian fiercely. It's a moment of sincerity and peace in the chaos of their lives.“Hey!” Jingyi shouts at them, “That's against the rules!” “So is yelling.” Wei Wuxian calls out as he breaks away and jumps down into the courtyard to give chase, Lan Wangjis forehead ribbon wound firmly around his hand and his hair spilling loose around his shoulders.

#Writing #Fanfiction #mdzs fic #feels good to write again #i got a little emotional writing this #Wangxian

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rosethornewrites · 2 years

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Saturday-Tuesday T & G reading

The usual

Finished

Teen:

Blooming Bruises on my Soul and Body, by xxxMiaHikarixxx

Wei Ying is used to hiding his pain and injuries behind smiles and talismans if it means he can have his siblings by his side and a chance to make friends. But when the hunt to exorcise some water ghouls turns into a life-threatening situation, everyone around him discover how many things were hidden under those playful smiles and loose dark robes and are unwilling to keep it a secret any longer.

How to piss off the Yiling Laozu in one simple step!, by Eicas

After Wei Wuxian has vanished with the Wen remnants, Lan Wangji roams the land, nighthunting wherever he is needed... and promptly gets himself kidnapped by rogue cultivators who believe having captured the great Hanguang-Jun will be a surefire way to win the Yiling Laozu's favour.

It is not.

Drunk Husband To The Rescue, by miixz

When a drunk Lan Wangji stumbles upon a room full of bickering sect leaders wrongly accusing his husband, he stands up for him.

Earning Trust, by wolfsharingan15 (12 chapters)

Wei Wuxian wakes up after the Wens have surrendered. With no one left Wei Wuxian breaks and locks himself away in the Burial Mounds as a punishment in hopes that he will die there and make everyone happy.

Well...things don't go that way exactly. After an abysmal failure to capture the Burial Mounds, Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng come to Wei Wuxian for help. Wei Wuxian has lost all faith and trust in the sects, but he helps because Lan Zhan is missing.

Promise me a place in your house of memories, by EuphoricRed

It’s fun to experiment and learn new spells, but sometimes, accidents happen and things go too far. Wei Wuxian just wanted to be useful but instead he created more issues. This wasn’t supposed to happen.

Or, Wei Wuxian is taken in by the Nie after the truth of Madam Yu’s treatment to Wei Wuxian comes out and his failed experiment backlashes.

看客散去唯你我不忘 | the world forgets but i still remember you, by prettyxianxian

Wei Ying made his way down the staircase, feeling a bit unsettled by the wailing sirens of the police cars surrounding the plane. Something had to be really wrong for them to receive such a welcome. The grim expressions on the uniformed people’s faces in front of him were not reassuring at all.

“Uh, there are some people here who need assistance. What’s wrong?” Wei Ying asked out loud. Hearing him, a man dressed in formals stepped forward, clearing his throat.

“Well, the problem is that your flight was supposed to land in Shanghai on July 12th, 2009…today is July 12th 2022. All the passengers of this flight had been missing and eventually presumed dead for thirteen years.”

_____

or, a Wangxian Manifest AU

i like your shoelaces!, by Anonymous

"'Unrequited crush culture is watching your crush drenched in blue paint after tripping on a bucket full of blue paint, and still think that he is the prettiest person in the world.'" Jiang Cheng read aloud, lifting one of his eyebrows. "Yeah, what about it? Did you send this ask?"

"Nope!" Wei Wuxian grinned. "But I did get drenched in blue paint during Art Class last week, in that exact scenario! What are the odds?"

Story of a heart, by ThisIsWhereTheMagicHappens (8 chapters)

With an internal shudder, Lan Sizhui remembers Wei Wuxian’s words from yesterday’s evening after their dinner in the Jingshi: “Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan.” he had said with an unusually serious expression, swinging the wine jar in his hand, “If I would leave the Talisman the way it is now, you would even find me if I would be in trouble in a future reincarnation.”

The Junior Quartet time travels into a future Yunmeng where they find Wei Wuxian on the edge of deaths door, and bring him back home where he belongs to.

General:

Beginning, by Befallings

For the Untamed Winterfest 2019 Prompt 31: Beginning

Elder, an Aesthetic, by MarbleGlove

Wei Wuxian always enjoyed picking an aesthetic and really leaning into it. As an adolescent, he was joyous, entitled and high-born; during the war, he was dangerous and threatening. After the war, he was lost. But then he found his new aesthetic: Elder of the Jiang Sect.

Take Care, by Cerusee

Jin Ling really doesn't know that much about his parents. Jiujiu never talks about them, and half of what Jin Ling thinks he knows about all that stuff that happened when he was a baby has turned out to be a pack of lies. It's a little weird, that his best source of stories about his mom turns out to be the man who was supposed to have killed her...but you know what, Jin Ling will take it.

Jin Ling and Wei Wuxian, bonding over family history.

Carry Me and Care for Me, by xxxMiaHikarixxx (2nd in a series)

Lan Zhan's eyes keep following Wei Ying during the idoctrination camp and after they are forced to go to a night-hunt. As Lan Zhan's injury starts showing, Wei Ying offers to carry him.

Unfinished

Teen:

吃一堑，长一智。, by Ididntrunawaythitimeright

He noticed when the look on Lan Zhan’s face changed. As if something within him had shuddered back to life, painful and quick. Like slipping a knife between someone's ribs and twisting.

Then panic had him wrapped it's cruel gelid grip. The space where Lan Wangji had been suddenly empty, a physical space inside Wei Wuxians chest suddenly carved away, gaping, hollow, then flooded with that same freezing terror.

He couldn't do this without him. He couldn't- He coudn't- air refused to slide down his throat. Refused to enter his lungs, or perhaps his lungs had been ripped from his being to make space for the cavity inside him. He couldn't breathe. He was going to-a blur of white and blue tumbled towards him like a god cast from the heavens, a star shot across the sky, fleeting and beautiful and sorrowing, and horror tore into him beside that panic as Lan Zhan came hurtling towards him.

He had stood so close to the ledge. Wei Wuxian had not been falling long. He was so close.

It was like he was on fire. He was burning up. He was frozen. He was closing in, and Wei Wuxian could do nothing to stop him.

Wei Wuxian falls and Lan Wangji jumps. It changes everything.

Here With Me, by iamwish

Wen Qing finds him on the roof of where he’s been staying, nursing a jar of Sishu’s wine.

“Wei Wuxian! What are you doing up there?”

Wei Wuxian hasn’t had nearly enough wine to get tipsy, let alone drunk enough for his words to slur, but he slurs them anyway for nostalgia. “What if Lan Zhan doesn’t fall in love with me?”

Wei Wuxian finds himself in the past, a few months before the Gusu Lan lectures, and decides that his best shot at hiding his trauma fixing the future is faking his own kidnapping and asking Wen Qing who all he needs to kill before she or someone she trusts is in charge of QishanWen. Clearly, he thought this through.

Or: Wei Wuxian creates a No War!AU, and then he has to live in it.

Pocketful of Soul, by Jenrose

“It’s a kid?” Wei Wuxian says to Wen Qing. “What’s a kid doing dabbling with the ghostly path? Talking to my ghosts?” He sounds indignant.

“Perhaps you should ask him,” Wen Qing says dryly.

“Kid, why are you using demonic cultivation?” Wei Wuxian asks.

“It works better when you want to work with spirits, rather than fight them,” Mo Xuanyu says. “And I’m not using demonic cultivation, I merely greeted your spirit and told him I was a friend and needed to talk to you. Well, something to that effect. Intention matters more than intonation with this stuff.”

“Who taught you that?” Wei Wuxian asks, his voice shifting from indignation to intrigue.

“You did,” Mo Xuanyu says. “Or well, your notes did, hmmm… five or six years from now.”

Wei Wuxian wags a scolding finger at him and says, “You should be developing your golden core, not dabbling around with things you don’t under—Did you say five years from now? As in, in the future?”

OR: What if instead of Sacrifice Summon, Mo Xuanyu discovered Wei Wuxian’s flawed time travel talisman?

A Mo Xuanyu-centric found family time travel looping epic.

Fic is complete, posting frequently.

Whatever it takes, by Moonlit_dewdrops

Jiang Cheng and Wei WuXian are sent back to the past. This time, they can save everyone they love. They can make the right choices. They can learn to trust one another. However, everything comes with a price.

Talking is Better than Silence, by KuroiWrites (blackcatkuroi)

"This path harms the body. Harms the nature of one's heart even more." Lan WangJi spoke those words upon first seeing Wei Wuxian alive after the Burial Mounds, unknowing of the truth.

Wei Wuxian, though, didn't need to be told, and he accepted that he'd lost whatever he might have once had with Lan WangJi. Several nights later, in a moment of drunken weakness under the melancholic light of a full moon, he tells Lan WangJi the Truth. He'd never needed Lan WangJi to spell out his fate for him - he'd known since he walked out of the Burial Mounds alive.

But one small bit of honestly can go a long way, and Talking is far better than Silence.

finding you always, all ways, by BlueFrogs

Wei Wuxian’s stomach drops as he sees Wen Ning reel his arm backwards, aimed straight for his shijie’s husband.

His body moves before he can think about it. In an instant, he pushes Jin Zixuan out of the way, into safety.

A soft gasp is punched from him, as Wen Ning’s fist runs straight through his abdomen.

Wei Wuxian thinks that beyond the pain, it’s ironic how hollow he feels. He never thought he could feel more empty than when he lost his golden core, but it seems that having a gaping hole cut through him could do the trick.

---

Wei Wuxian dies instead of Jin Zixuan at Qiongqi Path. This changes everything.

Truths Laid Bare For All, by Preludian_Staves

The betrothal letter comes in the Springtime with a Lan escort, changing how events happen in Wei Wuxian's life.

AKA Wangxian meets early before the Cloud Recesses lectures and slowly starts moderately sooner, some things change and others stay moderately the same. Plus WWX flourishing under the tutelage of the Lans when there isn't prickly Heir or his equally prickly mother lurking around that needs near constant appeasement and a truth serum is involved somewhere in the course of things.

A-Ying Lives Alone, by DizziDreams

Lan Qiren approaches, trying not to frown as he looks down at the young boy in his strange clothes. “Young man, are your parents at work? They should not have left you home alone without a caretaker."

"No, shushu!" The boy shakes his head vigorously, large eyes growing wide. "A-Ying lives alone!"

Couldn't Scream Couldn't Shout, by mermorgie

Frustrated and desperate to stop hearing Wei Wuxian’s voice echo in his ears, Lan Wangji makes a mistake with the Lan silencing spell that he cannot undo.

Temporarily muted, Wei Wuxian struggles to pretend that he’s fine, while Lan Wangji struggles to make it up to him.

You Double-faced Entendre, by pink-lotus-pods (Waterlogged_fireflies)

"Wei Wuxian! You will be charged-"

“First of all, my name is Yuandao, and second of all, you aren't a judge, but you’re the one who’s got me tied up like a chicken! Let me go, damn it, I need to get back to my chickens and my farm!” Yuandao struggled violently, but the thin, golden ropes were a lot stronger than they looked.

The man in gold on the frankly, tastelessly ostentatious throne spluttered, turning the same colour as the cauliflower that he liked to put in his stews.

“Wow. You were right, he really doesn’t remember.” A man built like a mountain whistled, his face twisted into something that looked like amusement. “Either that, or he’s a world class actor.”

“For the last time, I’m just a farmer!”

Or, an amnesiac Wei Wuxian wakes up, gets himself a new family and is immediately roped into a political schism, EXACTLY in that order. He is very unhappy about having his cottagecore life uprooted.

Updates will be once every two weeks. Some tags have been hidden until the chapter will be posted, but there will be additional warnings in the chapter notes should you want to skip a particular scene

General:

and the other gold, by ryfkah

“What,” Wen Qing said, “do they teach all you Jiangs? Do they raise you on nothing but ballads and martyrdom?”

(or, the one where Jiang Yanli manages to slide in before Wei Wuxian to sacrifice her golden core)

Two Heart As One, by Shadoak_uwu

Wei Wuxian and The Junior Quarter were thrown into the past when they almost died because of an assassination from Jin Guanyao followers.

With his baby 8 month old in his stomach, will Wei Wuxian manage to go back with the Juniors to their own timeline, or he need to stay there and create a No war Au so everyone can finally be happy.

#the untamed #mo dao zu shi #mdzs #cql #chen qing ling #untamed fanfiction

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bigmilkshakekitten · 10 months

Text

MDZS Wangxian - Not Jiang friendly

↑Description:

From a young age, Jiang Cheng assumed Wei Wuxian and he would simply end up getting married someday.

However, that's not what life had in plan for him.

Almost two decades later, he gives his nephew a ride on his first date. He immediately dislikes the man that opens the door for him.

↑Description:

The Gusu Lan hides a treasure. The Jades' pretty little treasure.

↑Description:

What if Jiang Cheng lost his core because he decided to be impulsive? What if the reason why he lost his core was not because of Wei Ying, how does it change things?

↑Description:

The one where Yu Ziyuan time traveled but she thought that it was her visions of her alternate life.

↑Description:

story where Wei Wuxian defected from Yunmeng-Jiang Sect before the attack and what happened to him and everyone else after that.

↑Description:

Through about of unexpected time traveling, they decide to usurp Fate's plans and do their best to make different choices to create a more hopeful future.

↑Description:

Wei Wuxian travels back in time with a vengeance.

↑Description:

Wei WuXian had enough of them blaming him for everything.

↑Description:

Wei Wuxian wakes up with an old back pain and a lack of a familiar warmth by his side. He groans, moving his arm around the bed to feel for Lan Wangji. Except what he feels is not a bed. Startled, he gets up quickly to find himself on a familiar slab of rock in a very familiar cave. Rubbing his eyes in disbelief, he takes a look around. His half-finished talismans are lying around on the floor and he can hear voices from outside.

↑Description:

Lan Wangji lost everything when Wei Ying slipped out of his grasp. Since the 'righteous' path failed him. He'll take the unorthodox way back to him, bringing all the people who truly cared along with him.

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stiltonbasket · 2 years

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Can we have more of 15year old lwj wwx interactions at cloud recesses from your fem wwx betrothed au ? I would love to see how mischievous wwx tease and annoy lwj while knowing she is going to his future partner

“I don’t like it,” is all Madam Yu says, when Jiang-shushu announces that Wei Wuxian and her Shijie will be accompanying Jiang Cheng to Gusu. “Mark my words, Jiang Fengmian! You’ll come to regret it, just wait and see.”

“Why? Luo Qingyang from the Jin sect is going, too,” Wei Ying protests. “And anyway, uncle-in-law will be our laoshi. He’ll take care of both of us.”

“I am not worried about A-Li,” Yu-furen snaps. “I am worried about you.”

Wei Wuxian blinks at her. “Huh?”

“A-Xian, Lan Wangji likes you,” Jiang Yanli says gently, “and the standards of propriety are different in Gusu. You’ve never been there before, and it’s possible that you might do something the Lan consider disgraceful without even meaning it. Mother is only concerned for your safety.”

“But the peacock’s going to be there, and you’re coming with me. Can’t I just follow your example, Jie?”

“Lan Wangji likes you,” her sister repeats. A pained look flickers across her eyes, so swiftly that Wei Ying scarcely catches it, and then she leans forward and grasps Wei Ying’s hand. “You can’t treat him the way I treat Zixuan. How could either of you bear it, when he spent his last summer here watching you climb trees with the shimeis and catching you when you fell out of them?”

“Well, I’d hate it,” frowns Wei Wuxian, “but Lan Zhan would probably be relieved. His idea of a good day is ten hours of silent reading, in a library. He won’t even take his books outside unless I make him, and then he says he doesn’t understand why Uncle says my homework demonstrates better comprehension than his—as if Lan Zhan doesn’t know that fresh air and hot hulatang are all anybody needs to help stimulate the mind! It’s a pity that I won’t be able to shake him up in Gusu like I do here, but it can’t be helped.”

Madam Yu looks at Jiang-shushu in despair.

“You see?” she complains. “Suppose Lan Wangji yields to temptation, and they are discovered together? Wei Ying is only sixteen, and their wedding is not set to take place until the year after A-Li’s—if there must be a hasty marriage, we will never be able to hide it! This is folly!”

“I will visit Pan-daifu in the village before we leave,” Shijie says diplomatically. “Just in case we require a—a prescription. For later.”

Wei Wuxian furrows her brow and glances over at Jiang Cheng, who looks just as confused as she does. Shijie always pays a visit to Healer Pan before traveling because of her delicate health, but Wei Wuxian doesn’t understand why bringing that up now would assuage Madam Yu.

“Fine. Fine! If my own daughter believes it meet to flout my wishes, what other recourse do I have?” Yu-furen bites out at last, flicking a water beetle off her sleeve. “And you, Fengmian! If this venture goes ill, on your own head be it!”

"Lan Zhan.”

“...”

“Aiyah, Lan Zhan.”

Lan Wangji glances up from his latest composition (an essay titled The Role of Intention in Inquiry and the Contributing Effects of Resentment, by Young Master Lan Wangji) and tries not to shy away from the bright eyes of his betrothed. “Yes?”

“Lan Zhan, you’re ignoring me,” she accuses him. “To think that I traveled all the way from Yunmeng to see you, and you barely give me the time of day! What a neglectful betrothed you are!”

“You are here with me now,” Wangji points out. “I spend more time with you than I do with anyone else, save Shufu and my brother.”

“But I’m only here for the summer. Didn’t I take care of you well at Lotus Pier? You have to pay back the favor now that I’m here.”

Lan Wangji lays his brush aside and folds his hands neatly in his lap, for he had felt a little wretched at the thought of disappointing her. “Then what would you like to do?”

“Well, first I want you to tell me what’s allowed here and what’s not,” Wei Ying says reasonably. “Jiang-shushu’s only rule for us was—”

“I remember!” Lan Wangji interrupts. He was rude just then, he knows, but he doubts he could bear hearing Wei Ying repeat that particular rule in the safety of the Cloud Recesses. The only provision for his continued welcome at Lotus Pier was that he should never be caught alone in a room with his betrothed behind closed doors; other than that, Jiang Fengmian only asked that he accompany Wei Ying to her meals to make sure that she ate on time, and to treat her kindly and defend her if she fell into danger.

Those were simple rules to follow, and Lan Wangji had felt very proud of the trust that came along with them, but to mention them being caught together here in the Cloud Recesses—

“Why is your face turning red? Do you have a fever?” Wei Ying demands. “Lan Zhan, let me check.”

He tries to protest, but her rough fingers are already scrabbling at his brow, trying to feel his forehead through the cold silk of his ribbon, and Lan Wangji nearly passes away on the spot as the ribbon slips down to his nose. Engaged couples are allowed to touch each other’s ribbons, though it isn’t often done, and pushing her away would only hurt her feelings: so Lan Wangji forces himself to endure while she checks his pulse and temperature, taking care not to pull away too quickly after she finishes.

“You are sick,” she gasps, looking down at her empty palm as if she could still feel the heat of Wangji’s skin burning there. “Let’s go to the healers and ask for medicine.”

“No need.”

Wei Ying tugs at his sleeve. “Then what about Shijie? She could set up her own private apothecary here with all the medicine she brought from home. And she apprenticed with our Lufeng doctors, so she’ll definitely know what to give you. Come on!”

Lan Wangji cannot bring himself to refuse; for he can feel the sudden pounding of his pulse and the flush darkening at his throat, and a blissful sense of dizziness that worsens when Wei Ying grasps his hand and haul him out of the library pavilion. He follows without resistance, allowing her to tow him along like a doll dragging behind a child; and when they reach the guest quarters, Wei Ying kicks her sister’s door aside and pulls Wangji over the threshold.

“Shijie!” she cries, startling Jiang-guniang so badly that she rends a long hole in the sampler she was embroidering. “Jie, I know Lan Zhan’s not supposed to be here, but we need some of the medicine Pan-yishi gave you.”

Jiang Yanli blanches and drops her needle.

“You need what?”

“I know it’s expensive, but I’ll pay you back,” frets Wei Ying. “Please, Shijie? For Lan Zhan’s sake?”

For some reason, Jiang-guniang looks more astonished than ever. “You...A-Xian, you need it now? You’re not anticipating it for, ah, later?”

“Right now,” Wei Ying says firmly. “Any delay in treatment could cause trouble, Shijie. Lan Zhan didn’t want to go to the infirmary, you see, so I brought him here.”

“I see,” Jiang Yanli frowns, shooting a stern glare in Lan Wangji’s direction. “Very well, then. I’ll go fetch the herbs and water for tea.”

She stands up and hurries towards the back of the house, shooting Lan Wangji a stern look on her way; and then she disappears, leaving Wangji and Wei Ying alone in the middle of the receiving room.

“Your Shijie is not happy with me,” Lan Wangji murmurs. “You have asked for the herbs on my behalf, and I will not reject your kindness, but it seems the medicine is dearer to Jiang-guniang than I thought. Will you come down with me to Caiyi tomorrow so I can buy quality replacements for her? It must be difficult to part from a needed medicine so far from home.”

“Shijie isn’t angry,” Wei Ying whispers back. “She carries more fever tonic and strengthening pills than she could ever need. Pan-yishi gives her a whole year’s worth at a time, and we’re going back home before autumn.”

A moment later, Jiang Yanli re-enters the room with a pot of hot water and a bag of herbs, which she distills into medicine so quickly that most of the Cloud Recesses’ best healers would have envied her speed. The tea takes less than a a minute to steep, and two minutes to cool; and when Jiang-guniang can put it to her lips without wincing at the heat, she passes it over the table to Wei Ying.

“Here, Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying says tenderly, giving it to Lan Wangji. “Drink.”

“No!” Jiang-guniang cries, snatching the medicine back. “A-Xian, you’re supposed to drink it. What could it possibly do for Second Young Master Lan?”

“But Shijie, that’s not fair! He’s the one who needs it!”

“I know such things are not fair,” Jiang Yanli says, glaring daggers at Lan Wangji; apparently, his worries about the value of the herbs had not been unfounded. “But there is no way to place this responsibility on men, so you must take the medicine. Quickly.”

Wei Ying blinks, puzzled by her sister’s irritation, and reaches out to take her hand. “Jie,” she beseeches, “Shijie, don’t be angry. Lan Zhan wouldn’t have come near me if he’d known that—”

“He is old enough to know,” Jiang-guniang says tartly. “And I’m not happy with you either, Xianxian. I thought Mother was being too strict with you, and that she should trust Lan Wangji to treat you with due respect, but it seems that she was right and I was wrong.”

“Lan Zhan is always respectful towards me.” Wei Ying looks more confused than ever. “If he came to the library knowing he had a fever, it was only because I asked him to accompany me while I copied lines. And he took ill after we got there, anyway, so it’s not his fault!”

“Sister-in-law,” Lan Wangji cuts in. “I apologize for the intrusion. I should not have entered your quarters, or accepted your medicine when you have need of it yourself. Rest assured that I will procure more herbs for you before this afternoon, and seek treatment for my fever elsewhere. Good day.”

He turns around and walks out into the garden, taking slow, measured steps with one hand tucked behind his back. Wei Ying runs after him, urging him to come back and finish the tea Jiang-guniang prepared; but for some reason, Jiang Yanli rushes out after her, looking so embarrassed that her snowy-white cheeks are practically scarlet.

“You wanted medicine for fever?” she gasps, giving Wei Ying a gentle shake. “Just—a simple fever, because Lan-er-gongzi was taken ill in the library?”

“Fevers and sweats, and a shallow pulse,” Wei Ying tells her, counting on her fingers. “You can take his temperature, if you need to. Lan Zhan won’t mind.”

Lan Wangji very much would mind, but providing proof of his fever seems important. He holds out his wrist and lets Jiang Yanli feel it, wondering if she suspected some ailment that could have endangered Wei Ying: perhaps one that harmed women more readily than men, since she had tried to give the medicine to her sister instead. If that is the case, Wangji thinks, Maiden Jiang’s anger is justified; for he would never forgive a man who knowingly made his brother ill, especially if the guilty party was Xiongzhang’s intended.

“I’m a fool,” Jiang Yanli mutters to herself, dropping Lan Wangji’s hand. “But you’re not ill, Lan-er-gongzi. You had a fit of nerves, that’s all.”

“Nerves!”

“Yes, nerves,” Jiang-guniang repeats. “I recommend solitary meditation after training with your sword and hot milk before bed. It worked wonders for A-Cheng when he was a child.”

And with that, she bids them both goodbye, and hastens back into the little guest house before closing the doors behind her.

“I have no idea what just happened,” Wei Ying confesses, “but A-Jie really thought I was in danger. Does Gusu have some kind of mountain fever that spares men and kills women?”

“Not to my knowledge, no.”

“Ah, well. At least we know what’s wrong with you,” his intended says cheerfully. “Let’s go meditate, you dear fuddy-duddy. Shijie told you to start after breakfast, and it’ll be lunchtime in less than a shichen.”

Suddenly, Lan Wangji’s heart feels so full that he can scarcely breathe.

“En, you are right. I will do as you say,” he smiles, taking her hand in his. “Lead the way, Wei Ying.”

#wangxian #the untamed #mo dao zu shi #lan wangji #wei wuxian #jiang yanli #my fic #fem!wwx au #long time no see for this au!!!#please reblog if you liked this :>

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silverflame2724 · 2 years

Note

WWX overhears Jin Zixun talk about a prison camp on Qiongqi Path BEFORE encountering Wen Qing, thus not needing to interrogate him the hard way.

Storming the prison camp WWX leaves no Jin witnesses and hides the Wens in the Burial Mounds. No one knows about WWXs involvement because he returns to Lotus Pier and the prison break isn't discovered until a week after due to Jin Zixun's sloppy paperwork.

WWX against the protests of JC goes into Seclusion to work on his cultivation and does not emerge for years(except for inventing many talismans for the Jiang Sect), but with the aid of teleportation talismans is the co-leader of the secret Burial Mounds Settlement. To the Jins dismay the Cultivation world starts to approve of WWX when Lotus Pier starts to crank out many vital revolutionary talismans invented by WWX to purify resentment (really just WWX scrambling to protect the Wens).

A few years later after WWX has accidentally managed to somewhat repair his blackened reputation with his inventions he exits Seclusion with Wei Yuan(old enough now to keep secrets) at WWXs side as his hidden son. WWX doesn't expect his joke of birthing A-Yuan while in Seclusion by himself to be taken as fact due to Demonic Cultivation being largely misunderstood but he just runs with it, gleefully. (inventing a talisman for it as a excuse even.)

After years without WWX, LWJ returns to Lotus Pier deciding that he needs WWX like the air he breathes. JC wants to suffocate himself with a pillow so he doesn't have to witness the UST fueled pining.

In another world, Wei Wuxian would have not attended banquets as Jiang Cheng's right hand. He would not join, wanting Jiang Cheng to avoid coming under scrutiny because of Wei Wuxian's demonic cultivation.

In another world, Wei Wuxian would find Wen Qing, starved and injured, on the streets and burst into a Jin-held banquet demanding answers.

In another world, Wei Wuxian would publicly free the Wen Remnants, becoming the evil pariah of the cultivation world.

This is not that world.

...........................

"No. Wei Wuxian, you will listen to me this time! You will come with me to the banquet held at Koi Tower!!" Jiang Cheng yelled.

"I will not!!"

"Why not?"

"Jiang Cheng," Wei Wuxian sighed tiredly. "You know my reputation. I'll just bring you down. And after-- I can't just--"

"You are my brother, my right hand! If you don't show up, it'll be worse for me!"

"It would be worse if I attended." Wei Wuxian turned away.

Jiang Cheng looked at him for a moment before signaling to someone out of his sight, "Wei Wuxian, I didn't want to do this, but you asked for it."

Wei Wuxian turned around, confused, "Huh?"

"A' Jie."

"Oh no."

"A' Xian......." Jiang Yanli looked so disappointed and Wei Wuxian's heart crumbled.

Jiang Cheng grinned victoriously.

............................

Wei Wuxian ended up attending. Under his Shijie’s insistent gaze, he changed into the purple robes he was never allowed to wear and put his hair up in traditional Yunmeng style, braids and all. He carried his sword too, despite the pain of never being able to wield it again.

Jiang Cheng and Shijie were especially pleased to see him all dressed up so Wei Wuxian couldn’t find it in himself to back out now.

As he and Jiang Cheng, along with the other disciples, sat through the rather boring Discussion Conference, Wei Wuxian’s mind and eyes decided to wander as he caught Lan Wangji’s gaze. The other had been staring rather insistently at him ever since he stepped into the room and Wei Wuxian couldn’t figure out what his strange gaze meant.

Seeing Lan Wangji again made a strange, mischievous streak he didn’t know he still had in him awaken as he sent a paperman over to tug at the Lan’s lapels. Lan Wangji caught the paperman, that strange.....soft look back and mouthed ‘shameless.’

Wei Wuxian’s mood immediately became better, somehow. He was about to send another paperman to tug on Lan Wangji’s forehead ribbon when his name was called out.

As he turned his attention to Jin Guangshan, he knew, based on the sect leader’s smarmy smile, that he wasn’t going to like whatever the man had to say.

.........................

Wei Wuxian’s limit was nearly up. With Jin Guangshan asking after his demonic cultivation, despite him not using it after the war, and other people joining it to harp him, he became angry, telling everyone that he was going to destroy the Seal and to stop bothering him about it.

“And yet, so many months later, you still have it in your possession.”

“Well, if you ask my sect leader, you would know that I blew up a forge trying to melt it down. And any other method involves me dying. I’d really rather live to see my Shijie find someone who loves her.” Wei Wuxian shot a not-so-subtle look to Jin Zixuan.

“.....You would destroy such a useful tool?”

“A useful tool, it is indeed.” Wei Wuxian agreed. “A useful tool of war, that is. And the war I created it for is over. We have no need of it anymore.”

“But--”

“Jin-zongzhu, is there some reason you are focusing so much on my sect’s disciple?”

Jin Guangshan smiled and made excuses before Jin Guangyao stepped in and changed the subject, signaling to the servants to bring some food and drink.

Wei Wuxian was glad for that. As the drinks flowed, tensions eased and people’s tongues became looser. Wei Wuxian walked around, hoping to get some fresh air and maybe tease Lan Zhan some more.

However......

“.....of course, and then I told that bitch Wen....Wen Qing?....that if she didn’t cooperate, I’d hurt her brother *hic*.” Jin Zixuan’s rather shitty cousin slurred.

Wei Wuxian paused. Wen Qing?

“Of course, that damn woman complied almost immediately but that dumb woman’s brother went ahead and protected her. *hic* Well, I sure showed him who was the boss around here!”

The Jin disciples surrounding him cheered him on, crowing about his achievements.

“I left that damned Wen to rot in the valleys of Qiongqi!! That should show him not to mess with me! Hahahaha.....”

Whatever that Jin had left to say, Wei Wuxian didn’t stick around to hear it. All he could think about was the Wen siblings and how stupid Wei Wuxian was for thinking, so naively, that they would be safe from the war and its aftermath.

Wei Wuxian made a decision just then. The banquet would go on for a few more days but Wei Wuxian wasn’t required to attend. It was mainly sect leaders only and Wei Wuxian knew Jiang Cheng could handle whatever happened then. His little brother had always been good at politicking, unlike Wei Wuxian who more often than not cared little for it.

Using one of the improved teleportation talismans he invented, he immediately got to work. Of course, he hadn’t been to Qiongqi Path before so he couldn’t get there right away, but instead took a series of detours along familiar paths before reaching the place.

Wei Wuxian knew he couldn’t be too impulsive now and waited for night to fall. When the last of the Jin guards fell asleep, not even bothering to change guard - really, they were so lax -, Wei Wuxian snuck into the camps and nearly toppled over at the overwhelming resentment of the tortured souls of the Wens.

Once he mastered himself, Wei Wuxian took a good look around and took a double-take at the amount of elderly and seemingly non-cultivating people. There were even a few pregnant women here! Children too!

Wei Wuxian had only planned to get Wen Ning and Wen Qing out of here, but now he realized that he couldn’t leave these people to their deaths.

Now Wei Wuxian was sure that at least some of these people were cultivators and had participated in the war, but he wasn’t entirely sure which people they were. Everyone here was so beat up and thin that it was hard to tell. He had to find Wen Ning and Wen Qing and hope they were well enough to identify those who were truly guilty of their crimes.

.......

It didn’t take long to find them. The Qiongqi Path labour - slave, Wei Wuxian corrected internally - camp was not large at all and just a li away from the entrance, he found the siblings. Wen Ning, thankfully, was alive but more than worse for wear. Wen Qing seemed to be healing his wounds as best she could in her own ragged state, so she probably was admittedly shocked hearing and even seeing Wei Wuxian pop up out of seemingly nowhere.

“What.....are you doing here?”

Wei Wuxian shuffled awkwardly, “I heard....that you were here. And some Jin were bragging about harming you and Wen Ning. I couldn’t just leave without doing something.”

“Wei Wuxian, you owe us nothing. Don’t be a self-sacrificing idiot now! The political consequences of saving us aren’t worth it.”

“On the contrary, I owe you a lot. Wen Ning, especially. I will not leave you here to rot. You can’t ask that of me, now that I’ve seen the conditions here. You will die.”

Wen Qing was silent before gritting her teeth, “Alright.”

“I should make it clear that I’m taking most of the people out of here. Just identify the ones that aren’t guilty of their crimes, okay? I don’t want to accidentally release an actual criminal.” Wei Wuxian whined.

Wen Qing sighed, but it was fond, “Okay.”

Eventually, Wen Qing identified them all and Wei Wuxian decided that over the course of two days, they’d send small batches of the civilians and innocents away from here.

“The people dropped dead in a similar amount of time, anyways.” Wen Qing stated mournfully. “It’s not like these guards would notice.”

The first batch of people they sent away were the women. There weren’t many in the first place, most of them being sold to brothels or killed - whether by suicide, starvation or from their injuries. Wei Wuxian cursed not hearing about this sooner and sent a quick prayer to those who passed away.

Once the women had been safely sent off to a nearby abandoned village, the children were next. There were about ten of them in total and Wen Qing was very tight-lipped about whether there were more.

Her glance at the edge of a valley filled with resentment spoke volumes.

They sent the elderly and then the men away last, leaving behind the actual criminals, of which there were quite a few. In total, only about two hundred or so civilians and innocents were sent here. The other hundred or so left were all people who willingly participated in the war.

Wen Qing, Wen Ning and Wei Wuxian teleported away soon after accounting for everyone and began to settle the Wens into the abandoned village. Wei Wuxian set up some barriers in case and left back for Koi Tower.

Luckily, no one really noted his absence. He had been gone for three days but the banquet had lasted longer with talks about trade deals and the lands they absorbed from Qishan being discussed in length. Wei Wuxian had also told Jiang Cheng that he was going to tinker with some talismans and his brother had given him permission to do just that, so Jiang Cheng didn’t suspect anything.

Wei Wuxian continued on with his life, as if he had never seen the labour camps and conditions in it. (Though he did shoot Jin Zixun a dirty look every now and then.)

Wei Wuxian returned to Lotus Pier and was going to go about his daily life when he received an emergency message from Wen Qing.

We’ve been discovered. We need to relocate.

Those two sentences brought an untold amount of panic in Wei Wuxian. He cited going off on a night hunt before rushing to the village. Wen Qing explained everything. The barrier had held up but as there was no concealing array, some Jin disciples had stumbled upon their village and recognized Wen Qing.

Those disciples had escaped rather quickly, probably to inform Jin Guangshan and Wei Wuxian couldn’t have that. But he didn’t know of any other place these many people could relocate to.

No. He did know of a place, actually.

“The Burial Mounds.”

“What?”

“We can go to the Burial Mounds.”

“........Are you insane?”

“I survived there for three months. I can make it livable.”

The look on Wen Qing’s face made it seem like she wanted to stick some needles in him and look him over but she nodded. “Very well, if you can make it safe for them.”

“I can. .....I will.”

............

They headed to the Burial Mounds, in small groups of course. Wei Wuxian cleared the resentment for enough space to allow the Wens in and set up some wards to keep it that way.

There was nothing but raw materials there but there were enough able-bodied people that they were able to set up some makeshift shacks for everyone to reside in soon enough.

Wei Wuxian and Wen Qing sighed in relief once it was all settled and Wen Ning smiled, bringing in some warm water for the both of them.

Wei Wuxian was thanked over and over by the Wens once he rested enough. They had been wary of him at first but after seeing how much he did for them to aid them all for some measly debt that most people would ignore, they had significantly warmed up to him.

Wei Wuxian left the warm embrace of the Wens and set one final barrier over the village, making it seem like there was nothing but resentment there.

Deed done, he left for Yiling where he was asked to take care of some nearby fierce corpses. There was a night hunt to do, after all, and Wei Wuxian was happy to have some proof of a night hunt to bring back to Jiang Cheng.

................................

Wei Wuxian returned to Lotus Pier and began to do some of the work he had as head disciple. Sure, he may not be able to wield a sword, but he could do paperwork and teach the younger disciples just fine.

Normally, he’d be drinking away his sorrows and suppressing the pain he felt, but Wen Qing’s work as a doctor - she had a veil of course - in the town of Yiling had gotten her enough income to get him some herbs for the scars on his back. Her healing had done wonders for his pain and her needles - he shuddered - had eased the pain of the resentful energy residing in his body.

She also realized that the resentful energy, while it was harming him, suppressed his previously severe wounds and asked him to release control over certain areas of his body so that she could heal them and he wouldn’t need to rely on the resentment too much anymore.

Like this, a week passed and the rumors went wild, as people gossiped about the escape of the prisoners of Qiongqi Path. No one had really noticed the deficiency of prisoners, until Jin Guangyao had noticed the absence of Wen Qing, one of their more high-profile prisoners, hidden in the sloppy paperwork Jin Zixun had turned in.

The Jin had apparently spotted her in some village but when a small battalion of Jin had checked on the village again, it was abandoned and Jin Guangshan had raged on and on about her escape.

Wei Wuxian sighed a breath of relief, knowing that the Wens were safe, for now.

...........................

Wei Wuxian took back any amount of relief he felt, seeing his brother harp him about carrying his sword. He was really tired of making excuses and was honestly shocked that Jiang Cheng - anyone, really - hadn’t noticed why he might not be carrying his sword, despite Wen Chao, who was always accompanied by Wen Zhuliu, bragging about throwing him into the Burial Mounds to anyone and everyone.

Wei Wuxian was so annoyed, in fact, that he finally put his foot down and announced that he was going into a self-imposed seclusion and for no one to follow him.

Jiang Cheng blanched and protested and whined about not having a head disciple and Wei Wuxian just sighed, said he would train one and then go into seclusion.

His brother, evidently, didn’t believe him about the seclusion thing and was genuinely shocked when Wei Wuxian named a rather competent senior disciple as his successor before taking all his belongings and shutting himself in one of the specially designed seclusion houses.

Jiang Cheng sat outside the room for a while, wanting to call his bluff, even calling Shijie to try and entice him out but no matter what, Wei Wuxian was not going to exit!

He might be throwing a (small!) tantrum. But he really didn’t want to be poked and prodded by his brother anymore. And besides - and Wen Qing would agree with him! - he needed some rest. After everything he’d been through, he deserved it.

.............................

Wei Wuxian didn’t actually go into seclusion. He, of course, returned to the Wen settlement and began making some improvements to their living space, namely by inventing a purifying talisman that would help ease the spirits of the Burial Mounds.

Of course, this wasn’t his first option. He tried going through a series of sessions of Empathy, listening to each spirit’s stories in hopes of helping them pass on. Most spirits were satisfied with having their story told and passed on peacefully, while others were harder to help. It was draining to do Empathy so much and Wen Qing took one look at him and banned him from doing any more.

Wei Wuxian complained and whined until Wen Qing had had enough and knocked him out, making sure to force feed him a concoction that would ensure a dreamless sleep considering she’s seen how bad his nightmares could get.

Wen Qing gave him an hour lecture about the importance of his health and safety, not only because he was the only one able to ease the resentment of the Burial Mounds but also because ‘I care about you, you idiot! Don’t make me watch you die! Are you listening, Wei Wuxian?!’

Wei Wuxian was not listening until Wen Qing sicked A’ Yuan on him. The boy was devious despite being only a one-year-old and looked at him with big, wet eyes. Wei Wuxian crumbled and invented that purifying talisman not long after.

A’ Yuan was one of the ten children that survived that horrible camp. He had an older sister who was also with them but his parents, well. One died from his injuries and the mother died from childbirth.

A’ Yuan was a sweet boy and babbled incoherently about random things and Wei Wuxian couldn’t believe that the Jins could take one look at A’ Yuan and try to kill him.

..................

Like this, years passed. Wei Wuxian invented talisman after talisman, hoping to improve the lives of the Wens and eventually, with Wen Qing’s insistence, turned these in to his brother - who had been sending periodic meals to him - who sold them and raked in a bunch of profit, both for himself and for the Jiang sect.

Apparently, as Wei Wuxian had learned, there was some sort of smear campaign being run against him that, while successful when he was out and about in public, started to die down after he went into seclusion and began to invent many useful talismans that aided both the common people and cultivators.

People were less enticed to slander him if he was being helpful.

....

Wei Wuxian really enjoyed “seclusion” and was tempted to stay there for a while longer. However, with the injuries he sustained both before and after the Burial Mounds healed through Wen Qing’s hands, he was finally able to re-cultivate his golden core.

Wen Qing’s original estimation for him when she first removed it had been about five years barring any significant damages to his meridians and that he survived through the war, but after his use of demonic cultivation, her estimation had extended by a few years.

And now, almost a decade after he entered seclusion, Wei Wuxian finally regained his cultivation to the point he had before it was removed. He did miss his Shijie, having heard that she married Jin Zixuan and had several lovely children. He got to even name one of them. Jiang Cheng had been upset that he didn’t want to come out of seclusion for Shijie’s wedding, but Wei Wuxian did not want to risk causing trouble at her wedding, considering he hadn’t formed his core back then and was still a reviled demonic cultivator.

It was different now and Wei Wuxian was finally ready to return to society.

But before that, he wanted to bring A’ Yuan and his older sister with him. He had gotten close to the ten remaining Wen children but all of them had parents - who taught them cultivation - except A’ Yuan and his sister. They had already started calling him ‘Baba’ and the Wens all agreed to let him adopt them. But Wei Wuxian wanted to bring the two into the Jiang sect.

Wen Qing agreed to have them dropped off near Yunmeng where Wei Wuxian would “find” them and ask to adopt them and formally induct them into the Jiang sect.

With that in mind, Wei Wuxian exited seclusion and informed his brother of this. Jiang Cheng looked.....older, more mature. But the way he clung to Wei Wuxian after smacking him on the shoulder spoke as to how much he missed him.

Wei Wuxian patted Jiang Cheng’s back and chose to ignore how Jiang Cheng wiped away his tears.

“You’re back. I--You’re just in time. A’ Jie wanted to celebrate her youngest son’s first birthday. She’s invited us.”

Wei Wuxian nodded, “Mm.”

“You’d better come.”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world!” Wei Wuxian replied cheerily.

“But you--” You missed her wedding. “......Just wear the purple robes I prepared for you.”

“Of course. You’ll have to help me with my hair though, you know how hopeless I am at doing braids!”

“Mmhm.”

Wei Wuxian knew that things were awkward between them, especially with the way he had left for “seclusion” and how he’d been gone for a decade. But he knew, deep down, that this time away from each other had allowed Jiang Cheng to grow without Wei Wuxian. It was better this way. There had been rumors that Wei Wuxian would take over his position as sect leader and how Wei Wuxian was better or how he was the reason the Jiang sect prospered and he knew that these rumors poked harshly at Jiang Cheng’s insecurities, causing him to lash out. But with Wei Wuxian having “left” for so long, those rumors died out.

Wei Wuxian chatted with Jiang Cheng for a while longer before citing that he wanted to see the town. Jiang Cheng sighed and gave him some expenses before Wei Wuxian left. As soon as he reached town though, Wei Wuxian ducked into and inn and found A’ Yuan and his sister, A’ Fang, waiting for him. The two of them were old enough to know not to talk about their Wen heritage which was why Wei Wuxian chose to leave seclusion at this time.

Of course, he had taught the two the basics of cultivation and had gotten them to form their golden cores, but Wei Wuxian knew that they’d benefit from being in a major sect.

As Wei Wuxian returned to Lotus Pier a few hours later, Jiang Cheng noticed the children and asked who they were. Wei Wuxian cleared his throat and told the prepared story that was a mix of half-truths and lies.

Jiang Cheng looked suspicious but nevertheless agreed to have them tested to see if they were a good fit for the Jiang sect.

The children passed with flying colors, of course. And Wei Wuxian hugged them tight, praising them for their performance.

“Wei Wuxian, where did these children come from?”

“Jiang Cheng,” Wei Wuxian whined. “I just told you--”

“I know what you told me. I have my doubts.”

Wei Wuxian pouted but was internally panicking and blurted out the first thing that came to mind, “I birthed them!”

Silence.

“.........What.” Jiang Cheng looked perplexed. “Is this because of demonic cultivation?”

“Huh?”

“Demonic cultivation is a largely unknown practice. Of course, there must be some side effects that even we don’t know about--”

“Aish, Jiang Cheng, listen here! These children are......” He hooked an arm around his brother’s neck and led him away, the children following him like little ducklings

Chaos was left in their wake.

.............................

Wei Wuxian woke up the next morning afternoon to a message from Wen Qing asking him why there are rumors that he birthed children because of demonic cultivation.

“Uhh, what?”

He sent a message back and received a detailed summary of the rumors. Wei Wuxian sighed. “It’s barely been a day and the rumors have spread this far?” He grumbled.

Well. He’ll just roll with it. There’s no harm in allowing people to believe that.

And then he had a horrible idea.

Maybe I should invent a talisman just in case people ask....

But he needed to know the anatomy of a woman for that to work and looking that up in the Jiang sect library will bring unneeded questions so he’ll just ask Wen Qing.

.....

Wei Wuxian teleported back to his room naught a few hours later a little more than traumatized at the information he received from Wen Qing. He now praised women for the amount of trouble they go through because he could never imagine the pain they must feel.

He sat by the pier and fished for some lotus pods for comfort and then sat down in his room and managed to come up with a few talismans that would aid in male pregnancy.

.............................

Wei Wuxian was having a good life. Sparring with Jiang Cheng, chatting with Shijie, teasing the younger disciples, taking care of his children, and aiding the common people had kept him so occupied and busy that he nearly forgot about Lan Zhan.

Seeing him now as he fought off a few yao made Wei Wuxian realize how much he’d missed him.

Once Lan Zhan dispatched the yao, Wei Wuxian jumped in front of him, startling him into pointing Bichen at him.

“Aww, Lan Zhan! I haven’t seen you in a decade and the first thing you do is point a sword at me? I’m hurt!”

Lan Zhan looked so startled to see him, he nearly dropped his sword, “W-Wei Ying?”

“Yup! It’s me! Did you miss me Lan Zhan?”

“Yes.”

Wei Wuxian froze. He wasn’t expecting an answer. “You did? You did miss me?”

“Mn.”

Wei Wuxian brightened. “I knew you’d warm up to me one day! Does that mean that you can admit we’re friends now?”

There was an intense look in Lan Zhan’s eyes that made him shiver for some reason but he nevertheless nodded.

That one action made Wei Wuxian’s entire day. “Good! Then, like a good friend, I’ll introduce you to my children and show you all of my favorite spots.”

Lan Zhan seemed to freeze, “....Children?”

“Mmhm, I birthed them myself!” Wei Wuxian snickered at the look on Lan Zhan’s face. “Just kidding! I adopted them, but I treat them like my own flesh and blood. They’re waiting for me nearby!”

Lan Zhan was soon introduced to A’ Yuan and A’ Fang and Wei Wuxian watched amusedly as Lan Zhan bought them trinkets that Wei Wuxian wouldn’t otherwise indulge them with. They already had many accessories that Wei Wuxian had bought them throughout the years and Wei Wuxian didn’t think they needed more. (Of course, he’d indulge his children when they’d been especially good but he didn’t think they needed an overabundance of stuff.)

“Lan Zhan, you’re going to spoil them!”

“Hmm.”

“Aiya, children, what do you say?”

“Thank you, Rich-gege.”

“Rich-gege?” Wei Wuxian pouted. “Then what am I?”

A’ Fang smirked, “Poor-gege.”

“The betrayal!” Wei Wuxian gasped. “From my own children! My flesh and blood!”

Lan Zhan huffed, his lips twitching.

Wei Wuxian turned towards him, “Are you laughing at me, er-gege?”

“Hm.”

“What ‘hm’? You are, aren’t you! I thought you were on my side, Lan Zhan!”

...............

Jiang Cheng had a long day today. The endless amounts of paperwork, requests for help, training with disciples, his own training - to make sure he doesn’t get rusty - and coordinating gifts for the delegation of sect leaders coming to discuss business and trade deals had kept him busy all day long.

So all Jiang Cheng wanted to do was sleep.

As he trudged to his room, he witnessed Wei Wuxian falling out of a tree straight into Hanguang-jun’s arms and looking at him like a lovesick maiden. Jiang Cheng tiredly looked at them lovingly stare into each other’s eyes for long, long moments before deciding he wasn’t paid enough to deal with his brother’s shit and walked away, collapsing into his pillow soon after.

He’d deal with this when his brain was at its full mental capacity.

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canary3d-obsessed · 3 years

Text

Restless Rewatch: The Untamed, Episode 28

(Masterpost) (Canary’s Pinboard)

Warning: Spoilers for all 50 Episodes!

Yunmeng Jiang Debate Club

The episode starts with the big breakup between Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian. Jiang Cheng is understandably not ok with WWX’s “raise my friend from the dead” agenda, and less-understandably not ok with his “save these helpless people including that girl you like” agenda. There is some tense back and forth, including a brief guest appearance by Wen Qing,

Jiang Cheng's arguments, outlined:

Necromancy is not cool

The bonds of friendship end when there is a risk of trouble for our clan

We will be squashed like a bug by the other clans if we piss them off

*Yaz kicks in on the soundtrack*

Nations stand against him, he's your brother Been a long time, been a long time now I'll get to you somehow, yeah

(Move out) Don't mess around (Move out) You bring me down (Move out!) How you get about it Don't make a sound, just move out!

Wei Wuxian's counter-arguments, outlined:

Necromancy is, actually, hella cool

The bonds of friendship transcend, like, everything

*cracks knuckles* *flexes shoulders* *spins flute*

(More after the cut!)

Wei Wuxian kind of naively thinks that if they just ignore everyone, everyone will chill and leave him and the Wens alone. Jiang Cheng speaks some truth to him about how the world works, which could be a good thing for WWX if it wasn't followed with the utterly terrible advice to just, you know, completely surrender to the Jins.

Jiang Cheng is the guy in the writing workshop who is great at clearly articulating the problems with your story, while always suggesting atrocious, unbearable ways to fix your story.

Great taste in accessories, though

Jiang Cheng explains that family extermination of anyone named Wen has been decided on, basically. This is pretty common in Xianxia and Wuxia stories; it’s why the hero of so many stories is a peasant who turns out to be the last survivor of the previous dynasty. Jiang Cheng isn’t here to change the ways of his genre, so he wants Wei Wuxian and all the Jiangs to get the fuck out of the way and let it happen.

Jiang Cheng decides to settle things himself by finishing killing Wen Ning, but he discovers that Zidian can't get through Wei Wuxian's resentful rope work. That boy has a future in tying somebody up.

Wei Wuxian’s turkey timer pops and he is officially done. He tells Jiang Cheng "abandon me" and says he’ll leave the Jiang Clan. This isn’t because he’s mad at Jiang Cheng, or disgusted by his choices, although he probably is; it’s because this is the only way he can see to protect the Jiang Clan and the Dafan Wens at the same time.

And then he hits right at Jiang Cheng's heart, telling him that he would do all this for anybody, not just for the Wen sibs. It's not about debt, for him; it's about justice, and protecting the weak. This sentiment is as hurtful to Jiang Cheng as it would be thrilling to Lan Wangji.

Jiang Cheng goes off, predictably, telling Wei Wuxian how much he sucks and that everything is his fault because he wants to be a hero. Heroism has no place in Jiang Cheng’s clan full of martial arts sword fighting dudes who run around with magic weapons hunting monsters for a living.

Each brother hurts the other as a way to soothe their own pain, it seems. They decide to have a duel in the morning, to make it look like a real defection. Which...it is.

Empty Larder Days

That evening, Wen Qing gives her dinner to A-Yuan, who is understandably still hungry after his one piece of fruit. Wei Wuxian shows up with enough fruit for everyone, and makes a point of being super light-hearted with Wen Qing, whose heart is very obviously heavy.

Here I just want to point out that Wei Wuxian can't cook, but he CAN successfully forage in an extremely haunted orchard at night, so he has the important skills.

There are some nice little moments with the Yiling Wens that show us how kind they are to each other. Uh, that dude is massaging his companion, not punching her.

They all talk about plans for planting food, and how things will be better later. A-Yuan gives Wei Wuxian his second piece of fruit to eat, while Wen Qing goes into the cave, getting ready to have A Talk with Wei Wuxian.

Wen Qing won't eat and is just generally super sad. She tells Wei Wuxian he should go back to Lotus Pier, and leave the Wens to die. She says that it's ok as long as she and Wen Ning are together.

Wei Wuxian uses his power of deliberate obtuseness to reject her offer, pretending that she’s upset because he ate the last piece of fruit.

Stay Up All Night

Everyone spends a restless night. Jiang Cheng has comb flashbacks; when he left the burial mounds earlier in the day, Wen Qing met him to return his comb of yearning and to tell him that he sucks.

It's worth noting that this means she kept that dang thing with her through her time as a captive and while she was wandering around starving.

It’s a tragic missed opportunity for both of them; Jiang Cheng’s fierceness and Wen Qing’s backbone, combined with both being super comfortable wielding physical violence, would make them a formidable pair. Unfortunately the one thing they really have in common is absolute devotion to their own people, which means they can never be devoted to each other.

Wen Qing goes to sit with Wen Ning while he bakes. He gets restless too, overwhelmed by pain, but Wei Wuxian settles him down by playing the Lan Clan's Song of Cleansing. This is the same song Lan Wangji played to heal him after he fought Wen Ruohan, and it’s the same song that Jin Guangyao will corrupt to kill Nie Mingjue. Lan Clan musical cultivation for the win...sometimes!

The First Rule of Fight Club is Don’t Stab Me In The Liver

In the morning, Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng fight. Wei Wuxian looks like he’s playing and Jiang Cheng looks like he’s fighting his very hardest. At one point in his barrage of talismans, Wei Wuxian throws a paperman at Jiang Cheng.

Cheeky bastard.

This is our first time seeing Wei Wuxian put up a force shield with his flute against a sword-pointy attack. Note for those who care: the sword attacks in Xianxia are half physical, half spiritual energy, so when someone is pointing a sword at you, they are actually hitting you with spiritual energy. Or trying to, in the case of anyone vs. Yiling Flute Man.

The battle ends when Jiang Cheng stabs Wei Wuxian in the gut. Wei Wuxian says JC didn't need to be so ruthless, and JC doesn't answer him, just grips his own broken left arm. Jiang Cheng always hits harder than he needs to, maybe because when he fights Wei Wuxian, he’s always on the back foot.

JC stomps back down the mountain to where his disciples are waiting, not a horse in sight. Are these like Zelda:BOTW horses, who run away if you don't register them at a stable?

Jiang Cheng declares that Wei Wuxian is officially an asshole, and dramatically throws away his cape to make the point. Or maybe that was Wei Wuxian's cape and he's just returning it.

Later, Wei Wuxian will try to pretend he's not hideously injured while Wen Qing looks worried and takes away his potatoes.

Not Lotus Pier

Back at Jinlintai, Jiang Yanli is sleeping in the middle of the day, having a super on-the-nose dream about Wei Wuxian cheerfully sailing a boat right by the doc at Lotus Pier and Jiang Cheng looking dead-eyed after him, not trying to stop him.

Jiang Yanli comes out of her room to find that Jin Zixuan, the big dork, has planted a lotus pond for her in Jinlintai, even getting mud on himself in the process. They have a depressing love declaration scene, in which Jin Zixuan asks her to settle for him even though he can't make her happy, and she accepts.

It's not as bad as it sounds because she genuinely loves him but she’s all out of joy, after so much trauma. Sometimes I need to be reminded that this show is really fucking sad, I guess.

Just Passing Through

Fast forward...a couple of weeks, I guess? Lan Wangji is chilling in Yiling, listening to the teahouse storyteller and other patrons talk shit about the Yiling Patriarch. Lan Wangji is super grumpy listening to what they're saying even though the official storyteller is basically telling the truth, albeit dwelling on the gruesome parts.

I should put a gif of the storyteller and the crowd here, but we’d all rather look at Lan Wangji drinking tea, right? Look, you can see his leg!

The crowd gets all hepped up saying that Wei Wuxian should be killed, and Lan Wangji abandons his usual reserve and cuts loose with some expressive body language and his strongest murder glare.

Then he leaves the teahouse to go have a series of memeable interactions.

First with the thirsty ladies of Yiling,

Then with future son A-Yuan,

Then with the advice dads of Yiling,

and finally with thirsty future co-dad Wei Wuxian.

So soon after Jiang Cheng refused to support Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji, pillar of rule-following, is here to just...be kind to him for a little while. Lan Wangji is still struggling to reconcile everything he is trying to be, but in this moment he is entirely about Wei Wuxian. Both of them stand still for a few breaths while the world moves around them; Wei Wuxian’s smile keeps moving and changing, because that’s who he is, even in stillness.

Although Wei Wuxian doesn't know it, Lan Wangji signals his new rulebreaking attitude to the audience by calmly lying when Wei Wuxian asks him why he's here.

Asking is Asking, Buying is Buying

Wei Wuxian bonds with A-Yuan about both being too poor to buy toys; Lan Wangji bonds with A-Yuan by being rich enough to buy him whatever he wants.

He also theatrically catches Wei Wuxian's eye while doing it, which might be a reproach for tempting the kid with things he can't have, but might just be a sugar-daddy flex.

His generosity is rewarded by A-Yuan’s devotion and by Wei Wuxian’s epic open-legged invitation sprawl.

It’s easy to see the first part of the toy interaction as Wei Wuxian being a little callous and a lot practical; his accidental Yiling Wei-Wen clan is super, super poor, and he is busting his ass to keep starvation away. But. Why does he tell A-Yuan to look at the toys? Why does he pick one up to play with it, instead of simply turning away?

There’s a lesson here, and a parallel, I think. He is teaching A-Yuan to take joy in moments, in beauty, in playthings, whether he can keep them or not. Wei Wuxian enjoys every meal and every cup of wine to the utmost; loves every friend wholeheartedly, and lives joyfully even at death’s literal door. He doesn’t let the certainty of loss, separation, hunger, keep him from devouring every good thing that comes his way.

In this moment, the gift he can’t afford to give himself is Lan Wangji. But he’s going to enjoy every second they have together today.

And so is Lan Wangji.

Soundtrack: Situation by Yaz, Up All Night by Talking Heads, Consider Yourself from Oliver! The Musical

#the untamed #wangxian #the untamed gifs #wei wuxian #jiang cheng #lan wangji #restless rewatch the untamed #canary3d-original #my gifs #episode 28 #the untamed meta #wen qing #warning: sadness

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neuxue · 2 years

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Why do you think Wei Wuxian didn't pretend it was Wen Zhuliu who crushed his golden core, so that he could tell people about it? I get he probably didn't want to during the war but it's so sad to see him push everyone away afterwards and them all speculate about why he's not carrying his sword and doing demonic cultivation, and it seems like an excuse they'd believe. Do you think it's just pride?

I do think some of it is pride, but I don't think that's all of it. In descending order of 'how willing Wei Wuxian would be to admit to any of these reasons on pain of death (though probably not his own)':

1. Jiang Cheng. I think Jiang Cheng is, at any point following Wei Wuxian’s reappearance from the Burial Mounds, about half a thought away from realising the truth. And I think the main reason he doesn’t is due to a kind of self-preserving denial: he doesn’t let himself dwell on all those pieces and the picture they could be coerced into creating. (To be clear, I don’t say this as an accusation. For one thing, Wei Wuxian knows his brother and tailored his lies very specifically to him. For another, it's very human to deceive ourselves about or keep from looking too closely at things that would hurt us to the extent that this would hurt Jiang Cheng).

But I think Wei Wuxian knows how precariously this secret is kept; knows that telling Jiang Cheng he has no golden core - even if he tried to pin it on Wen Zhuliu - would strain his own lies and Jiang Cheng’s subconscious denial to the breaking point. It may not be as incontrovertible as Wen Ning holding out Suibian, but it would be too much of a risk for Wei Wuxian to be willing to take.

2. Politics. The Sunshot campaign might be over but the political danger absolutely isn’t. Yunmeng Jiang’s position is far from secure; they were all but extinguished and are now led by the youngest sect leader in a time when the status quo of power has been upset. They cannot afford weakness, and that’s what Wei Wuxian’s lack of a golden core would be seen as.

Post-Sunshot Wei Wuxian is not doing Jiang Cheng any diplomatic favours with his refusal to carry a sword or explain his reasons for why, or hand over (or, again, explain) the source of his power. He’s seen as arrogant and potentially a threat, and draws the wrong kind of attention. But. Wei Wuxian isn’t going for diplomacy or long-term political strategy; Wei Wuxian watched Lotus Pier burn once and is optimising purely for never letting that happen again, whatever the other costs. So long as he is seen as dangerous, so long as the limits (or vulnerabilities) of his power are unknown, so long as he is feared, then at least others might think twice before attacking those he stands in front of.

If he were more of a strategist and less of a tactician... if he were even a fraction less willing to self-immolate... maybe. But here we are.

3. Pride. It wouldn’t just be seen as a weakness in a political sense, or as a vulnerability for Yunmeng Jiang; it would be seen as a weakness full stop, and you’re right that Wei Wuxian is proud in that sense. He doesn’t admit weakness, he doesn’t ask for help; he can barely ask for comfort from his shijie except by making into a performance that can be played off as a joke, as trivial, as a pretence. Besides, his entire purpose (as he sees it) is to pay down the debt of his existence, and how can he do that if he has to show himself as weak and ask for pity from the very ones to whom he owes his life?

If it weren’t for all the other reasons... maybe he could find a way to tell the people closest to him. Maybe. But there are all the other reasons. Which brings us to...

4. Sometimes pretending you’re fine becomes the only way you know to keep going. This one’s a little harder to articulate but it goes something like this. Something devastating happens and you can’t tell anyone. Whether you actually can’t or just think you can’t doesn’t much matter at this point; you Can’t, and so you have to pretend. And for a time, that pretence is all-consuming; it feels like an impossible task, but you have to, and so you hold yourself together by your fingernails and drag yourself through a facsimile of your life and deflect for all you’re worth when anything threatens to slip or anyone looks too closely.

And then after a while, the pretence becomes the default. And then, it shifts from being an impossibility to feeling intrinsic to keeping yourself going at all. How would you keep from falling apart, if you didn’t have to in order to Keep Anyone From Knowing? And so at that point, the thought of letting anyone know becomes terrifying not (only) for whatever initial reasons you had, but because if someone knows, then you don’t have to hide it anymore, and if you don’t have to hide it anymore, what is left to keep you from falling apart? (In case it’s not clear, I’m not saying this is healthy, just that it’s a thing that happens).

Wei Wuxian survives and drags himself out of the burial mounds for vengeance, but from the moment he reunites with Jiang Cheng (and Lan Wangji, and the rest of the world), Keeping The Secret becomes almost equally imperative. And after Sunshot, it becomes the imperative (along with protecting those he loves, but in a way the two are very much intertwined; see points 1 and 2 above).

He may not hide it perfectly; he definitely doesn’t come across as Completely Fine, Nothing’s Wrong, but he does hide it, and I very much think that the act of doing so becomes a large part of his... drive or determination or source of ‘strength’ to keep himself going at all. And so then it comes to that shift, where to tell anyone becomes unthinkable not just for all the reasons above but because how can he tell anyone without losing a fundamental part of what keeps him dragging himself through each day?

And (his thoughts not mine) he has to keep going, because there are people who need him and debts he has to pay; he can’t afford to fall apart, even temporarily, even if it would allow him to eventually find a stronger and safer way to keep going, because he’s never in a space where he can afford even that temporary weakness. So he tells no one, and keeps to this ultimately unsustainable path of pretence, keeps pushing himself harder and clinging to the performance he feels he must maintain and the debts he feels he owes and anything else he can wrap his consciousness and resentment and determination around and call it enough to get the job done.

#sorry for sitting on this one for several months anon #i got scared of getting too close to golden core ~discourse; dropped it into my drafts instead; and then linear time happened.#wei wuxian #the untamed #asks #anon

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besanii · 3 years

Note

Oka so lxc has feelings. Amazing. How and when did he realise them?? Does wwx know?? How does he feel?? Are they gonna tell wangji?? Ahhhhhh i am dying thank you so much

[ part one (LWJ) | two (LXC) | three (WWX) | four (LWJ) | five (NQY) ]

Lan Xichen doesn’t touch him. Not the first night, nor any other night he has called upon Wei Wuxian in the month after he enters the inner palace.

Even though Wei Wuxian cannot help but be somewhat relieved—truth be told, he had been dreading that particular aspect of his duties as a consort—he knows it will have to happen eventually. Even if Lan Xichen himself insists there is no need, people are already talking, speculating on the true nature of their relationship, questioning whether there are ulterior motives behind his new status as an Imperial consort.

You must serve the Emperor well, Jiang Cheng’s most recent letter had read. Do not give them any opportunity to pull you down.

With Jiang Fengmian severely ill and unlikely to recover, the management of Yunmeng’s affairs have fallen onto Jiang Cheng’s shoulders under the guidance of his mother. And while Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan’s reputations maybe enough to keep Yunmeng’s adversaries at bay for now, if—when Jiang Fengmian passes, Yu Ziyuan alone would not be enough to fend off the vultures already circling around them, eager to be first in line to tear out a piece of the fresh meat.

Wei Wuxian crumples the letter in his hands.

He should be there with Jiang Cheng, supporting him, watching his back. Helping him forge his standing amongst the older generation of nobility. Doing what he can—what he must—to defend against those who wish to harm the ruling family of Yunmeng, as a loyal vassal should.

Instead he is here in the capital, trapped in the gilded cage of the Imperial harem, his wings well and truly clipped.

Consorts are forbidden from interfering with politics on pain of death.

It is the first cardinal rule of being an Imperial consort, and the one used to placate Qishan in the aftermath of his confrontation with Wen Chao. It is frustrating, to say the least—all his years of studying and training to one day become a pillar of support for both Yunmeng and Jiang Cheng gone to waste—but he contents himself with the fact that he is alive. And as long as he is alive, he will find a way to live.

“Wuxian.”

There is something deeply intimate in the way his name falls from Lan Xichen’s lips, something soft and gentle that stirs warmth in the recesses of Wei Wuxian’s chest, in the hollow left behind by Lan Wangji. It is immediately chased away by the guilt that curls in pit of his stomach at the thought, so he does not allow himself to dwell on it for too long. He schools his expression and turns to pay his respects.

“Your concubine greets Huangshang.”

Lan Xichen is helping him upright with hands under his forearms before the words have fully left his lips; when he raises his head, he is greeted by the sight of Lan Xichen’s smiling face. He feels his own lips tug upwards in response.

“Huangshang looks to be in a jovial mood today,” he observes. “Will you share the good news with your concubine so that your concubine may also have something to celebrate?”

“Good news indeed,” Lan Xichen agrees. “Come, sit with me.”

He lets Lan Xichen lead him over to the table in the centre of the sitting room with a hand on his lower back and takes a seat, waiting patiently for Lan Xichen to settle himself in the seat beside his. The servants back out of the room at a wave of his hand, leaving the two of them alone. Lan Xichen takes his hand in both his, brushing his thumb tenderly over his knuckles with a tenderness that has Wei Wuxian’s heart tightening in his chest.

“Wuxian,” he says gently. “I know it has been difficult for you to be confined here in the Inner Palace for the last three months.”

“Huangshang...” Wei Wuxian feigns a smile. “Huangshang does not need to apologise. Your concubine understands the necessity.”

“I knew you would,” Lan Xichen says with a sigh. He squeezes Wei Wuxian’s hands. “Envoys from the Northern border tribes arrived today with their yearly tributes. Including fifty of their finest war horses.”

Wei Wuxian nods. “A generous tribute indeed,” he agrees. “I have heard the horses bred on the Northern plains are taller, stronger and faster than the ones we have here in Gusu. I’ve always wanted to see one for myself—”

“Is that so,” Lan Xichen says, patting the back of Wei Wuxian’s hand, expression deceptively thoughtful. The almost...playful tone catches Wei Wuxian’s attention at once.

“Huangshang,” he says slowly, suspiciously. “Would you perhaps be hiding something from your concubine?”

His suspicions grow with the twinkle in Lan Xichen’s eyes.

“Come with me and find out.”

He’d forgotten the feeling of the wind in his hair, the thrum of hooves pounding in the dirt beneath his feet, the warmth of the sun on his face as he throws his head back with an exhilarated laugh. The black stallion he’s riding tosses its head with a grunt, panting with exertion. Wei Wuxian pats its mane and tugs them both around to wait for Lan Xichen to join them.

“Wuxian,” Lan Xichen calls as soon as he is within earshot. “I see your horsemanship skills have not waned in the slightest. I willingly concede to your superior skills.”

“Huangshang is just out of practice,” he laughs, nudging his horse against Lan Xichen’s own. “And I cannot take all the credit. This is such a fine horse—I felt as though I were flying!”

He laughs again, loud and joyous, feeling as light as air. The hills beyond the outskirts of the city are reserved for Imperial use, so they are blessedly alone. Even the attendants have been ordered to remain in the palace, leaving only a small retinue of Imperial guards trailing behind them in the distance, enough to be within view, but completely out of hearing range. It is easy to forget the shackles of the palace, to pretend as though he is once again Wei Wuxian, the ward of the Marquis of Yunmeng, and not Wei Wuxian, the consort.

“I am glad you like it,” Lan Xichen tells him. “It is yours.”

Wei Wuxian whirls around, jaw dropping.

“Huangshang!” he gasps. “You cannot be serious—” He catches himself and his lack of composure, and clears his throat. “Huangshang, as the people say, one should not accept a reward without due. Your concubine has done nothing to deserve such a generous gift. I dare not accept it.”

Lan Xichen laughs and waves away his protests.

“After witnessing the way the two of you flew across the hills as though you would be one with the wind, there can be no other person more suited to taming this creature.” He reaches over to brush a stray wisp of hair back from Wei Wuxian’s face; his fingers linger over the arch of his cheek. “From now on, should you desire to ride again, I will accompany you.”

His touch is feather-light, fingers barely grazing, but Wei Wuxian feels it spark and tingle, vibrating beneath his skin like a plucked string, rippling through his entire body, freezing him in place. His heartbeat quickens and his face warms.

He is the Emperor.

He is only doing this out of pity, he reminds himself firmly.

He is your husband. Is it not improper.

It is, the other part of him insists. It is improper. It has only been three months—

He is kind. And he is honourable. Would it be so bad?

The sound of thundering hooves breaks the fragile silence between them. Lan Xichen sighs and withdraws his hand, curling it into a fist briefly before bringing it back to his side; if Wei Wuxian had not known better, he would have thought he looked annoyed by the interruption. But then the moment passes and the Emperor is back, expression level as the soldier pulls up alongside them and swings off his horse onto his knees.

“Huangshang, urgent report from the front.”

“What is it?” Lan Xichen asks calmly.

“It’s Hanguang-wang.” Wei Wuxian stiffens and turns, startled, to meet Lan Xichen’s equally wide eyes. “He’s alive!”

buy me a ko-fi!

more paper-thin fic | verse

#mdzs #my writing #wangxian #xixian #lan wangji #wei wuxian #paper thin fic #薄命 #王爺機 x 妃子羡 #皇帝曦 x 妃子羡 #consort!wwx #emperor!lxc #prince!lwj #lan wangji x wei wuxian #lan xichen x wei wuxian #lwj is only mentioned but still #imperial au #harem au

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veliseraptor · 2 years

Note

for the ship or don't ship meme: chengxian or wangxian, your choice

since I don't feel like unpacking my currently rather convoluted wangxian feelings (in a word, yikes @ myself) I'll go with chengxian which is sort of complicated because...it falls very much into my relationship feelings category of "I don't want them to, like, fuck or get married or anything, but it's so intense and important both to them and to me that it really should qualify as a ship, basically, because the distinction is pretty fine at that point."

so ultimately I'm going to answer on the basis of "ship it" because that's closer to the feeling.

What made you ship it?

Probably it was when the opening narration told me that Jiang Cheng was Wei Wuxian's sworn brother and also killed him and the, like, five seconds of interaction at the cliff's edge that had me going "oh yep here we go."

As I said immediately after my first watch: came for the gay romance stayed for the fucked up sibling relationships.

What are your favorite things about the ship?

[drags hands down face] it's such a meeeeeesss you guys and I love that about it. It's no secret around here that fucked up sibling or sibling-esque relationships are catnip to me, and the dynamic between Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian is so excruciatingly painful along so many axes that I just lose my entire mind about it. The inability to communicate! The crossed wires! The incompatible priorities struggling to coexist with the emotional bond that becomes increasingly harder to sustain! The frankly agonizing state of things after Wei Wuxian comes back!

god! thinking about Them again and now I wish I had a fic in progress I could channel all these feelings into

Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

While on the one hand I understand and support the desire to have the whole "Jiang Cheng got caught by the Wens because he was luring them away from Wei Wuxian" thing coming out because boy if I don't have a thing for someone's self-sacrificial gestures they didn't want anyone to know about being exposed, probably against their will (don't look too closely at that one!), I also feel like...how to put this.

So much of the dysfunction between Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian comes down to this...perception of obligation and duty and who is obligated to what and where that obligation intersects with love and the anxiety about evening scales and repaying debts - for Wei Wuxian, the sense both that he needs to and also that it's not about that, the uncertainty about where exactly he resides in the family architecture, and for Jiang Cheng the need to know that peoples' love isn't an obligation they're enduring but a choice they're making.

and bringing that cycle back to life with another turn of the Yunmeng Sibling Self-Sacrifice Wheel just feels like it would...rather than helping anyone move on or heal, just make things worse. And while I'm not averse to making things worse, there's also something poignant to me about that particular sacrifice remaining something silent, unspoken, and unknown. And the choice, on Jiang Cheng's part, to make it so.

#conversating #mikkeneko #jiang cheng #wei wuxian #the sad queer cultivators show #ship opinions meme

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sepia-mahogany · 3 years

Note

Prompt: hearing about xuanwus defeat, madam jin and jin zixuan come to lotus pier and overhear madam yu saying wei wuxian should have let the 'sect heirs die', lwj who's recovering also overhears, the 3 get first hand experience of jiang household situation and decide fk this and take wwx out of there, its a prompt from vrishchikawrites blog (a wonderful write!) So maybe ask permission?

From the prompt on @vrishchikawrites

Jin Zixuan could not forget the young man, the head disciple of Yunmeng Jiang, who, despite his previous (petty) grievances with, had stepped up when everyone else had been frozen on the spot, and no matter how hard he tried, he could not get his blood stained image out of his mind. Which had led to this discussion.

“What? No! I forbid it.” his father responded when he asked for sending reinforcements to Jiang Sect, while he understood with Cloud Recesses burnt down, and Nie under attack, either Yunmeng Jiang or Lanling Jin were next on the table, and despite having well equipped men, with the best of weapons, his father refused to extend help.

Refused to stand against those who sought to harm his son, ‘in situations like these, know when to step back’ he had said, and Jin Zixuan could feel shame creeping up under his skin, outnumbered and clearly at losing stakes, he hadn’t hesitated to save him, and what would that make him if he forgot the debt so clearly owed? To live the lavish life of a coward..! He could see his mother fuming from where she stood, and closed his eyes to suppress his bitter thoughts, he wanted to do something, anything to help.

And suddenly, anger melted from her face and that smile crept up her face and he felt a chill down his spine, a sense of foreboding overcame him, he could see his father tense as well. “Of course, the Jin Sect sides with them.” she spoke, venom dripping off her every word. “Nothing wrong if the Sect Leader’s wife wants the marriage renewed?” a pit formed in his stomach, he did not want to marry a woman he barely knew, but using this opportunity, they could, in a sense create a bond, stronger than of just two sworn sisters.

However, “Madam Jin meets up with her sworn sister, Madam of Jiang Sect, just as Qishan Wen begins its attacks?” the war has been declared, how would it seem if the two sect Madams, and the Sect heirs are meeting, with or without the Sect Leader? “The risks are completely unneeded, what do we gain from this?” his mother glared at his father, who pointedly ignored her, Jin Zixuan exhaled, thinking things over.

As much as he disliked the engagement, he knew she would not bring it up, unless the situation, as dire as it was, needed it, this bond could provide future aid to one another should the need arise, so Jin Zixuan kept his disagreements to himself, because he knew she wouldn’t force him, not with the concerns of a cold loveless marriage like his parents, he knew she was using it as a cover to aid her sworn sister.

An opportunity, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then remembered how the Second Jade, Lan Wangji had stood shoulder to shoulder with him, and Wei Wuxian, Head Disciple, had stepped up to save them.

Jin Zixuan exhaled, and made a decision, muttering out a half-hearted excuse, he left them on their own, and later into the night, he approached his mother.

--------

The boat landed steadily, unnoticed in the middle of the night, his mother had won the final say in the matter, of course with the reluctant agreement of remaining disguised as just another trade ship, the serene view would have been calming, had his nerves not have been high strung from adrenaline, small sacrifices, he could of course find a way to break off the engagement in a future of more peaceful times.

Jin Zixuan climbed out the boat first, followed calmly by his mother, the disguises were near perfect, for the disciples around the brightly lit place to look curious, but not alarmed. One, he recognised seeing a few times at Cloud Recesses, came near them with a nervous smile. “We offer you our sincerest apologies but...we’d appreciate it if travellers could avoid an audience with the Sect Leader?”

The disguises were perfect then, for they had been mistaken as travellers that would go to and fro from Yunmeng Jiang Sect, his mother sniffed and looked at the disciple sternly “We are not here for the Sect Leader, but the Violet Spider, we have an important message for them.” Jin Zixuan had noticed before but now it had become more apparent as the disciples shifted around, something was off, it dampened his enthusiasm and the rush he had felt earlier, instead concern filled him, had something happened to Wei Wuxian?

His mother held out a token, the disciple’s eyes widened and he bowed in respect, “I assume this would be enough?” Madam Jin said curtly, and the disciple nodded, though tensely. “This one will escort you to the guest chambers”

The curious gazes had not been moved, as they moved inside, step by step, down the corridor they went, as the muffled voices became more distinguishable, all 3 of them froze when they heard, unmistakably the Jiang Sect Heir’s voice. “-You shouldn’t have played the hero and you shouldn’t have cared for such a hell of a thing. If in the beginning you hadn’t….”

Jin Zixuan felt a cold pit forming in his stomach, surely he must be mistaken, but seeing the expression twisting on his mothers face, he could assume he was not, in fact, misunderstanding what Jiang Wanyin was implying.

The disciple bowed quickly, slightly panicked “If you’d follow me-” Madam Jin pointed at him and he immediately shut up, head bowed, just as the Jiang Sect Leader reprimanded “Jiang Cheng.” Silence followed. “Do you know in which ways what you just have said is not appropriate?” was followed by a glum “Yes.”

Even if slightly, Jin Zixuan relaxed, his mother’s expression lightening into a frown, ‘at least someone is self-aware’ Madam Jin thought. “He’s just angry and speaking without care” another voice added, Jin Zixuan perked up, Wei Wuxian! So he was alright, he felt relieved. Madam Jin continued to frown, Wei Wuxian was clearly trying to lessen the pressure off of the Jiang heir.

Another harsh voice cut through them all “Yes, he doesn’t understand but what does it matter, as long as Wei Ying understands!?” rang out her voice, Madam Jin’s lips pursed into a line, of what her son had just said, that was what she was focusing on?

“‘To attempt at the impossible’ is exactly how he is, isn’t it? Fooling around even though he knew it’d bring trouble to his sect!?” Jin Zixuan sneaked a look at his mother to see her eyes cold, her fist clenched tightly, he was aware they shouldn’t be hearing this, but this? It wasn’t what they expected at all, he was frozen in place, what in the world was he hearing?

Madam Jin’s thoughts matched her appearance, for once she felt less than charitable towards Yu Ziyuan, and more and more like a fool, here she was, risking her and her son’s safety, her sects safety, for a woman who couldn't care less about her son’s life, but was also wilfully blinding herself to the war right on the horizon, ‘No’ she thought to herself, ‘it was I who was truly blind’

And it was the boy she heard being called ‘Fengmian’s bastard’ or ‘son of a servant’ who had saved her son's life instead, she bit back the bitter chuckle that threatened to escape her, truly, what a fool she was, to be caught in the violet spiders web.

She looked at her son, whose face clouded over the more he heard, she grabbed his arm tightly, if nothing else then to prevent him from barging inside, with Jiang Fengmian’s favor, she was sure that they didn’t need to interfere, until, “My lady, what are you doing here?” she held back her disbelief, her son on the other hand, inhaled sharply.

This was what he was focusing on? Not the insults to his bas- to his ward? To his sect’s entire foundation? It would seem she was truly mistaken, in her and Yu Ziyuan sharing their miseries, entirely wrong about her character, and who was still throwing around callous words for the sake of it, for what else? If not her own cruelty?

"What am I doing here? What a joke that I am asked of such a thing! Sect Leader Jiang, do you still remember that I'm also the leader of Lotus Pier? Do you still remember that every inch of the earth here is my territory? Do you still remember, between the one lying there and the one standing there, which one is your son?" Disbelief and disgust couldn’t even begin to describe what Madam Jin was feeling, the Sect Leader’s response, however, “I do remember.” Enhanced those to the heights she didn't even know she was capable of feeling.

And so stood the enraged Madam of Jin Sect, the horrified Jin heir and one ashamed disciple whose head could bow no lower, but that was nothing compared to what was said next “You do remember, but there's no use if you simply remember. Wei Ying, he really can't take it unless he stirs up some trouble, can he? If I had known, I would've made him stay in Lotus Pier properly and not go outside. Could Wen Chao really have dared to do anything to the two young masters of the GusuLan Sect and Lanling Jin Sect? Even if he did, it'd mean that they ran out of luck. Since when was it your turn to play the hero?"

Blood roared in Madam Jin’s ears, her nails digging into her palm, she wanted to bite Yu Ziyuan’s head off there and then. ‘Of all the idiotic, foolish, horrid, things she could utter-’ in her cursing, she only realised she had put too much force in her rage filled haze when her son hissed in pain, she immediately let go of his arm, and pinched the bridge of her nose, taking calming breaths.

She was afraid she would do something terrible and irrevocable if she stayed there any longer, listening to a pathetic mockery of- she exhaled and pushed Jin Zixuan towards the open doors. “B-but mother-” he looked back but she gave him that look and he quietened “Later a-Xuan.” while moving outwards, the disciple trailing behind them, they could easily catch some of the words the woman threw at Wei Wuxian.

Madam Jin gritted her teeth in anger, and left without looking back, once she and her son were seated in the boat. “A-Xuan” she began, lightly ruffling his hair “Your marriage is up to you to decide, I will have no say in the matter from here onwards” Her son was not going to be married into that cursed Sect no matter what if she could help it, she moved forward to pull him into a hug, “Mother was wrong.”

“But mother what about..?” She heard him say, she pulled back and rest one hand on his shoulder, the other caressing his cheek, her son, who by the Jiang’s standards, should’ve been killed, and her blood boiled in her veins. “We came here to make a bond and talk if it were possible, since that wasn’t possible, it can be done some other day.” She lightly patted him, and seeing his thoughts drift off, thought to herself darkly ‘and if the Jiangs are attacked, well, they ran out of luck then.’

Her son hesitantly nodded, “Wei Wuxian...I owe him, for saving me then, if not for him.....” She sniffed, as if indicating what was obvious “Of course,” When the news spread later that Lotus Pier was attacked, with Jiang Wanyin and Wei Wuxian on the run, she hoped for Wei Wuxian’s survival, more so than the Jiang Sect Heir.

And if, perhaps, after a few years her son proposed sworn brotherhood with that Wei Wuxian, well, it wasn’t without her approval.

----------------------------

authors notes i guess?

Okay so writing Madam Yu’s lines legit left me disgusted like wtf was she even saying?? Also like I tried to write Madam Jin similar but a bit less than Madam Yu (ya know madam jin never whipped kids with her spiritual weapons, if she had any, not to our knowledge at least...right?) but ended up venturing straight into slightly dark madam jin heh, also like no engagement, no jin-wei tense relationship, (there’ll be 1-2 parts more probably) also wwx woke up earlier in this one, this’ll serve as catalyst for later years.

#mdzs fic #jin zixuan #madam jin #jin guangshan #jiang wanyin #jiang fengmian #madam yu #unnamed disciple lol #prompt writing #anon asks #my writing

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rosethornewrites · 10 months

Text

T & G reading since 6/27

The usual

Finished

Teen:

Sunlight On A Broken Column, by LaivineNinuiel (2nd in a series, 10 chapters)

Before him, Jiang Wanyin stares at him as if he had just spoken profanely, and his mouth is slightly agape when he pushes himself out of his seat. What follows, unsurprisingly, is anger. “You wouldn’t dare,” he hisses. When Lan Wangji is about to state that he certainly would, Jiang Wanyin continues, “If such a thing were to happen, you can ask him the right way, or not at all!”

He blinks.

Then, he feels his ears start burning.

Ignoring the elevated pace at which his heart thumps against his chest, he takes his indignation and pours it into the gaze he levels Jiang Wanyin with. “As a disciple—”

“No,” is the brusque interruption. “If he is to be a disciple, it will be of the Jiang sect, where he belongs.”

When minor clans put forth a petition to the Chief Cultivator to deliver the Yiling Laozu to be tried for his continued demonic cultivation activity—with a not-so-friendly addition that demands verification for Lady Jiang’s resurrection—Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji butt heads over how best to protect Wei Wuxian from such unwanted accusations.

General:

Rest, at long last, by istgidek1234 (3rd in a series, locked to ao3 accounts only)

Wei Wuxian knows the pain of watching someone die. He saw it, so clearly on Jiang Cheng’s face, on Lan Zhan’s face, when he pulled away, when he let go, the whispers fading and leaving him alone.

Which is why when he jolts back into awareness, and pain sinks back into his body, bringing with it the whispers of revenge 'for me, Yiling Laozu, revenge for Mo Xuanyu, let us free' – Wei Wuxian is tired. So tired of having to live, so tired of trying to move past his mistakes and find himself tethered to this world with the most troublesome rope ever. His reputation scares people, but it entices them, like a game of poking a bear with a stick.

Unfinished

Teen:

The Spider and Hound, by Alexirose

Yu Ziyuan has always been a bitter reminder of the twisted nature 'wrong place, wrong time'.

But when she, the 'Queen of Yunmeng', The Violet Spider, falls in love with the malicious leader of the QishanWen Clan - it's a matter of time before all hell breaks loose.

"Such blasphemy! A disgrace!"

War is on the horizon. Dishonor and political strife cloud the YunmengJiang Clan.

Tensions rise: With not only Jiang Cheng's life at stake - but also the horror of partnership between of Yu Ziyuan and Wen Ruohan (to the so-said misfortune of the Cultivation World), what will change?

For better.... Or for worse?

General:

But I’ll keep a smile on my shoulders 'til I'm sweaty, by hamlets_ghost (9th in a series)

Lan Xichen is back in his safe little bubble that is the Cloud Recesses and plans to stay there.

The cultivation world has other plans.

[Set directly after 'Hadn't gone as I planned' and 'The sky is overcast and I'm sorry']

A Street Kid Named Wuxian, by NaoNazo

“Pffffff- ahahahAHAHA!” The kid curled up, resting one hand on his stomach while he used the other to smack at Lan Wangji’s shoulders. “That was close!” he giggled.

Lan Wangji was starting to think he’d been saved by a madman.

“... Thank you.” He bowed as best he could while seated and prepared to make his way down.

“Wait wait wait!” The kid grabbed at his sleeve before he could shift away. “If you go down like that, you’re just gonna get caught, y’know!”

Lan Wangji looked down at himself and back at the kid, raising an eyebrow.

The kid propped himself up on his elbows and gave him a blatant once-over, obviously holding back laughter. “You’re wearin’ all white, genius. Even if you scuff it up a bit and take off the girly ribbon--” Lan Wangji scowled reflexively-- “no one around here wears stuff that nice.”

Lan Wangji had to admit he had a point.

#the untamed #mo dao zu shi #mdzs #cql #chen qing ling #untamed fanfiction

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tangledinmdzs · 3 years

Note

YES! A hug for every MDZS character!! They all deserved better!!! Well, may be not all of them but, like, a vast majority. Hence, can I ask for some hcs for some mostly lovely Sect Leaders (LXC, JC, NMJ, JGY) getting some kind of massage from their s/o? Shoulder, hand, back massage - whatever pleases you. Being Sect Leader is difficult, they deserve some rest! You too, btw, you living embodiment of writing talant and human sunshine! Don't overwork yourself, sleep and eat well :P

aha hi!

aw thank you thank you! i will take care of myself as well~ you all stay healthy too, okie?

caring for sect leaders, yes absolutely on board.

here’s to your request~

.✫*ﾟ･ﾟ｡.★.*｡･ﾟ✫*.

Lan Xichen

you love seeing Xichen like this,

after hours,

inner robes soft in the candlelight of the Hanshi

forehead ribbon off

you sit on the bed, staring at Lan Xichen’s back as he shrugs on his change of inner robes for sleep

you notice the tenseness of his muscles, how every push and pull of his limbs feels a bit strained

anyone can tell that Xichen was weary, to the bone

from his sect leader duties to his cultivation training

to being your husband

and in the spare time that you have for one another, you know Xichen would never ask you to do anything for him

you sigh at his selfless personality,

one that he catches as he sits down on the bed besides you

“y/n?” Xichen asks you, worry and curiosity in his voice

were you mad at him?

did he do something to upset you?

you shake your head at him, before roughly turning his back to you

he lets out a surprised breath at being slightly manhandled, one that turns into a sigh of relief when your hands begin to prod and massage his tired back

slowly you watch as Xichen melts under your hand, feeling so relaxed that he basically ends up leaning into after a few minutes,

“you’re so tired, A-Huan,” you tell him as you’re massaging his shoulders

Xichen shakes his head in front of you, lets you massage for as long as you please

then takes your hands off his shoulder as you’re slowing down, and wraps your arms around him as he leans into you

you smile as you hug him, resting your head against his

“i love you, y/n” Xichen whispers, brings one of your hands to kiss

“i know,” you reply, and kiss the side of his temple where you can reach him

Xichen holds your hands to his lips, littering kisses there

a small thanks for all their hard work

Jiang Cheng

Jiang Cheng’s entrance into the bedchambers is quite loud,

you hear the frustrated slamming of the door long before you hear your partner come into the inner portions of it to your shared bed

you’re sitting by your vanity, brushing your hair in front of the mirror

so you watch the reflection of Jiang Cheng head straight for the bed and simply

drop there

and let out a very noticeable frustrated shout into the goose feather pillows

you hide a giggle behind your hand, putting your comb down to walk over to him

imagine what the people of Yunmeng Jiang would think if they knew their gruff leader still threw tantrums

“rough day?” you ask softly, while a gentle hand lands on the nape of his neck, patting there softly before massaging

you don’t really hear Jiang Cheng’s muffled affirming grunt as your hands move to his shoulders

as you begin to massage you move to sit at the bottom of his back,

since he’s already lying on the bed, so it’s easy for your hands to come up

you work out all the tensions and stress in his muscles, smiling at each loosening feeling under your fingertips

Jiang Cheng’s breathing levels out, and he’s so quiet throughout this, that you wonder if he actually fell asleep

“A-Cheng, are you awake?” you ask, leaning down by his ear

your hear a half hum, that you interpret as a yes and get off his back

slowly, Jiang Cheng turns around, eyes still closed and you move to get off the bed, to let sleep come easier to him

but before you can, a strong hand grabs your wrist, pulls you down into his open arms

you laugh a little as he wraps around you like an octopus, his loose limbs holding you close

Jiang Cheng doesn’t say ‘thank you’; not very often

but you know how thankful he is

by the kiss that he places on your forehead

and then the long one you both share into the rest of the night

Nie Mingjue

you stare quietly, as you watch Mingjue settle down onto the bed

after so many months with him, you’ve come to read his expressions well

and as his cultivation partner

it was easy fo you to tell

he was tired

so tired

hair frazzled with a quick brushing

callused hands and aching muscles making his movements a bit more stiff than normal

you sigh at him, walking over to the bed to where he is sitting,

still looking at scrolls even on the bedside,

“Mingjue,” you tell him, as you hover by his side

your hardheaded partner has never ever heeded your words, you know this too well

so you simply wrap the scrolls that’s he’s reading and take them away from him without another word

it’s a testament to how tired Mingjue is when doesn’t even put up a fight, just lets out a sigh

“i still have work to go over, y/n” Mingjue tells you lowly when you sit down behind his hunched back

“well, work can wait” you reply easily and begin massaging his back

Mingjue grunts, a bit in pain, a bit in exasperation as you begin working on his super tense and hard muscles

your click your tongue at him, wondering how long he’d been pushing himself to get to this rate

“you need to take care of yourself better,” you tell Mingjue, as his shoulder begin to ease the tiniest bit under your care

“i need to care about my work,” Mingjue smart mouths you back

“no work will be taken care of when you fall ill” you tell him

and Mingjue sighs

knows that you’re right

but he can’t help it

you shake your head at him, squeezing his bicep just hard enough to be a borderline pinch

“you-” Mingjue scolds, turning around just to meet your worried eyes,

“if you can’t take care of yourself, at least let me take care of you,” you tell him, quietly

Mingjue blinks at you,

you stare back at him, honest as can be

Jin Guangyao

when your hands land on Meng Yao’s shoulders, they are surprisingly tense, worked up

“it’s just me,” you reassure, breath tinkling the side of his ear before you lean back and begin to massage his shoulders

you hear a soft breath in front of you, one you hadn’t realized Meng Yao had been holding in anyways

but you’re glad that he feels safe with you

with each press the muscles under your hand relax, easing out into a more comfortable, less rigid form

you smile when you lean a bit to the front to catch Meng Yao’s face, eyes closed, the smallest of smiles from his lips

“better?” you ask him, as you’re pressing into his shoulders

Meng Yao blinks his content eyes open to look up at you

gives you that dimpled smile that he usually wears around the sect

you give him a smile in return

get back to massaging away the tenseness of his daily work

this close, you can see many details of him

like the tenseness of his eyes

one that you don’t quite know yet

how to ease

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