The frame narrative is set about three years after the Guanyin Temple. Wangxian has been married for a little over two years.

风向转变时,有人筑墙,有人造风车 (When the winds of change blow, some build walls while others build windmills.)

The Annual Roundtable Conference of Cultivators was well underway by the time Sect Leader Jiang stormed out of the room, sparks flickering from Zidian, to destroy a training ground and Hanguang-jun turned in an exasperated flurry of white robes to seclude himself in one of the attached quiet chambers for a session of emergency meditation.

Really, the disagreement shouldn't have gotten as out of hand as it did. Lushan Bai had proposed a new trade route between Lushan and Qinghe so they would have a direct route to one of the major sects in the event of an emergency. No one found any issues with the proposal itself but when it came down to the details, Hanguang-jun reminded everyone that there was a river that cut between Lushan and Qinghe that needed to be addressed. Jiang Cheng had scoffed, pointing out that the river was fairly slow moving and easy to swim across. Lan Wangji pointed out that most people did not live on the lake like those from Yunmeng and were unlikely to be strong swimmers. Jiang Cheng stated that cultivators could simply use their swords. Wangji countered back with how the purpose of a trade route was so non-cultivating merchants could also make use of the road and they would have to cross not only themselves, but their goods and wares. Jiang Cheng's solution was to build a small dock for boats while Lan Wangji suggested building a bridge. Between the bridge and the boats, what should have remained a minor disagreement ballooned into a full-blown fight. Jiang Cheng and Hanguang-jun knew better than to exchange petty remarks aloud, but they had mastered the silent conveyance of insults through what was not said.

As it was, the conference was now missing one of the leaders of the Four Great Sects and a Chief Cultivator.

"Well," Wei Wuxian winced as everyone stared at the two newly vacated seats. "It looks like we'll be taking our recess early today."

Stretching out his back as he stood, Wei Wuxian poured the rest of his drink down his throat before making his way towards the pillar where he had spotted Sizhui and Jingyi standing with Lan Xichen, Jin Ling, and Ouyang Zizhen. First bowing to Lan Xichen - "Sect Leader Xichen da ge," who smiled placatingly having long since grown accustomed to Wei Wuxian's penchant for flirting with impropriety - Wei Wuxian turned towards the juniors

"So," Wei Wuxian drawled in a blatant exercise of false cheer when no one else spoke, "that could have gone better?"

Five sets of eyes blinked at Wei Wuxian.

"What? Why are we staring? What did I do now?" Startled Wei Wuxian, tapping the side of his nose as he pouted.

Everyone exchanged knowing glances with each other. "Senior Wei," Sizhui finally spoke, breaking the silence, "this is the most cordial Sect Leader Jiang and Hanguang-jun have ever been to each other during a disagreement."

"Ah?" Wei Wuxian's eyes widened, jaw dropping. "That? Lan Zhan? My Lan Zhan? That is cordial?"

Jingyi nodded, uncharacteristically somber. "Senior Wei, there is no damage down within the meeting chamber."

"No swords were drawn," Sizhui pointed out, wide eyes as earnest as ever. Sizhui hadn't done anything in particular, but Wei Wuxian still had to restrain himself from patting his son on the head where everyone could see.

"Hanguang-jun didn't pull out the silencing spell," Jingyi added, shifting uncomfortably. His fingers unconsciously clenching and unclenching around his sword.

Staring incredulously, Wei Wuxian said, "That's your measure of diplomacy? Property damage?" As he had tucked Chenqing into his belt, Chenqing's tassel swished back and forth at his back as Wei Wuxian turned between everyone standing before him. All wore the same expression of uncomfortable resignation.

"My advisors scheduled in time for this break," Jin Ling said, with all the authority of a child trying to tell off a parent. "Each discussion matter has been allotted an unneeded extra five minutes. We brought out all the old furniture to the training grounds and prepared extra training dummies for Jiujiu. He will provide us more than enough kindling for the winter by the end of this conference."

Ouyang Zizhen jumped in. "Senior Wei, have you never seen Hanguang-jun and Sect Leader Jiang interact with each other?"

"Of course I have!" Wei Wuxian defended himself, crossing his arms for emphasis. "Lan Zhan and Jiang Cheng just ignore each other!"

Zizhen stared at Wei Wuxian, his brow furrowed with confusion. "Senior Wei, didn't Sect Leader Jiang try to attack you with Zidian in Lotus Pier so Hanguang-jun had to save you with Bichen and hold you tightly in his arms to defend your honour?"

Jin Ling and Jingyi interjected simultaneously.

"Jiujiu didn't know Dajiu was innocent yet! He was upset with everything happening!"

"Of course! Only Hanguang-jun is allowed to whip Senior Wei!"

Everyone froze at Jingyi's words and Jingyi flushed, realizing what he had said.

"Lan Jingyi," Wei Wuxian said slowly, still regaining his bearing and trying to retain what little modicum of respect the juniors had left for him, "what have you been reading?"

"I haven't been reading anything!" Jingyi snapped back, indignant. "Who do you think cleaned the Jingshi while you and Hanguang-jun spent the week in Yiling for your anniversary, huh? You even left it on your bed! How shameless!"

Before Wei Wuxian could even open his mouth, Jin Ling added, "You think that's shameless? The last time they stayed at Carp Tower, they left strips of silk tied to the bedposts!"

Zizhen also had a contribution to make. "We've all seen how Hanguang-jun likes to kiss Senior Wei against trees! It's romantic! Hanguang-jun always sweeps in like the hero he is to save Senior Wei from monsters!"

Wei Wuxian wasn't blushing. He was too shameless for that. He did, however, refuse to meet Xichen's eyes knowing that his brother-in-law was now privy to a small portion of what his everyday activities with Lan Zhan entailed. Shameless as he was, even Wei Wuxian had his limits.

"Senior Wei," Sizhui cut in again, ever the voice of reason, redirecting their conversation to the matter at hand before Jin Ling, Zizhen, and Jingyi could dig too far into his parents' personal affairs and reveal too much. Personal affairs which Sizhui did not need to know, and had no interest in ever learning about. Wei Wuxian's heart melted as he saw what a fine young man Lan Zhan had raised their little A-Yuan into, commanding the attention of his peers. "The incident at Lotus Pier is a standard interaction between Sect Leader Jiang and Hanguang-jun."

Sobered with the reminder of the tension between his brother and husband, Wei Wuxian sighed and leaned against the ostentatious gold pillar with his arms still crossed. "But Jiang Cheng barely even speaks to Lan Zhan!"

"Because they hate each other," Jingyi mutters under his breath.

Sizhui steps on his foot before Jingyi can say anything with the potential to start another war between the sects.

Wei Wuxian continues to protest, although he can feel his heart clenching at these new revelations. "Lan Zhan and I have visited Lotus Pier several times! Jiang Cheng always lets us stay in Lotus Pier. He even commissioned a bigger bed so Lan Zhan can stay with me! In my old room!"

"You think he does that for Hanguang-jun!?" Jingyi snaps. Lan Qiren had not come with the Gusu Lan retinue to this year's conference, trusting his nephews to adequately represent Gusu Lan. Still, somewhere in Cloud Recesses, Lan Qiren is coughing up blood.

"You think Jiujiu hates Hanguang-jun more than he misses you!?" Jin Ling shoves his finger into Wei Wuxian's chest. Not aggressively and with no intention to hurt, but Wei Wuxian's coreless body is weaker than a cultivator's body and he still winces. Jin Ling looks slightly ashamed when he sees Wei Wuxian curl back from his finger.

"You just never see them fight because neither of them are willing to do it in front of you, Senior Wei," Sizhui says. His eye is twitching, but his rigid Lan upbringing helps him keep his composure in the face of Wei Wuxian's obliviousness.

"Wangji knows that seeing him in disagreement with Sect Leader Jiang will hurt Young Master Wei," Lan Xichen finally says, arms folded neatly behind his back, watching the discussion unfold before him with amusement.

"That's so romantic," Zizhen gushes, hands clasped on his heart. "Hanguang-jun really will do anything for Senior Wei."

With eyes narrowed at Zizhen, Jin Ling adds for Wei Wuxian's benefit, "Jiujiu thinks you'll stop visiting him in Lotus Pier if he says or does anything unfriendly to Hanguang-jun in front of you."

For several moments, Wei Wuxian is silent and stunned. While he processes all the information that has been imparted upon him, the juniors slowly relax. Sizhui shifts his foot back under his robes as he no longer needs to be prepared to stomp on Jingyi to discreetly silence him. Jin Ling retracts his finger and crosses his arms, allowing a feckless glower to settle on his face. Zizhen and Jingyi look to Lan Xichen, who is unbothered by the comotion unfolding before him.

"When...when did this start?" Wei Wuxian asks softly. He is still leaning against the pillar but only because he needs to feel the steadiness and the pillar behind him. It is no longer the playful shirking of propriety that it had been earlier. "After I died?"

The juniors all look amongst themselves, unsure. As far as they know, Hanguang-jun and Sect Leader Jiang have always been at odds. Every discussion conference that they had attended came with the assumption that Hanguang-jun and Sect Leader Jiang would inevitably come to blows.

Unmoving, with the same subtly amused expression on his face, Lan Xichen answers. "Much earlier," Xichen says, arms still folded behind his back. He shifts his feet so he is facing Wei Wuxian. Lan Xichen's movement is so fluid that Liebing and Shuoyue, hanging at his side, barely even sway. "Wangji has never had particularly friendly feelings for Sect Leader Jiang but Uncle had hoped they would develop a friendship when they worked together during the Sunshot Campaign. Their friendship was always tenuous, established only on the basis of finding you, Young Master Wei, so it was not a surprise to me when you became the basis of their animosity."

Who should keep Suibian?

Lan Xichen and Jiang Yanli cross paths in one of the hallways in the Unclean Realm, where they are looking for their younger brothers. Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji had arrived in Qinghe hours earlier to deliver their reports, return the confiscated swords, and regroup with the Nie cultivators.

They smile and nod politely at each other. "Lady Jiang," Xichen greets, bowing politely.

"Sect Leader Lan," Yanli bows in return, with no faltering and perfect angles.

"Am I correct to assume you are searching for Sect Leader Jiang?"

Xichen maintains his peaceful, friendly demeanor, but Yanli's expression inadvertently dims at the reminder that her family - her home - is gone and that her youngest brother is now her Sect Leader. A flash of grief passes through her eyes before she regains her composure. "Yes, I was told A-Cheng arrived earlier today with Second Master Lan. Is Sect Leader Lan also searching for his brother?"

Nodding, Xichen is about to propose they continue their search together when they hear an angry yell from a nearby building. Alarmed, both share a glance before heading in the direction the sound came from. Lan Xichen is not running, but Jiang Yanli takes hurried steps to keep pace with Xichen's longer strides.

Swinging open the door, Lan Xichen and Jiang Yanli find their younger brothers standing in the centre of the room. Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji are glaring at each other. Xichen and Yanli stop in the doorway, unwilling to approach their volatile siblings any closer. The tension in the room is palpable and washes over them like a wave, freezing any tentative peacemaking attempts. A table has been thrown against the back wall.

Right up before Wangji's face, Jiang Cheng snarls, "As his brother, it makes sense that I would carry his sword! Wei Wuxian is a disciple of Yunmeng Jiang. Our first disciple! Gusu Lan has no such connection to him, how can you expect to be trusted with Suibian?" Xichen winces instinctively at the sound. By Jiang Cheng standards, Jiang Cheng isn't yelling. By Gusu Lan standards, Jiang Cheng has created a new level of yelling.

"Mn." Lan Wangji appears nonplussed, not a hair out of place despite the terse situation. Yet, at his side, his hand is clenching Bichen so tightly that Xichen is worried Wangji may actually shatter the sheath. Wangji's knuckles are snow white with how tightly he is grasping Bichen just to keep himself grounded. The effort he is expending to keep himself from drawing his sword on Jiang Cheng is clear.

If asked, Jiang Cheng would deny being enraged. Yet, his cheeks are flushed, his eyes are narrowed, and his lips are wet with spittle from all his yelling at Lan Wangji.

"Mn!? That's all you have to say for yourself? Mn!?" Xichen sees Sandu hanging at Jiang Cheng's side. At least there is no risk for Wangji being stabbed by Jiang Cheng, for now.

Subtle as it is, Lan Wangji's brows furrow further in anger. "Mn."

Indignant, Jiang Cheng scoffs. "And this is the Hanguang-jun that we uphold as our paragon of virtue? The master of the gentlemanly arts? Hanguang-jun, who takes custody of swords he has no business handling?"

At Jiang Cheng's words, both Jiang Yanli and Lan Xichen's gazes drop to where Wangji holds Suibian in his other hand. Where Wangji's grip on Bichen threatens to shatter, his grip on Suibian is much gentler - almost a caress. Unconsciously, Wangji is running his thumb against the lines engraved on Suibian's sheath.

Lan Wangji says nothing in response to Jiang Cheng, and his hair falls in a curtain covering his ears but Xichen knows his brother well enough to be certain that the tips of Wangji's ears are flaming with anger.

Still at the doorway, just barely inside the room, Jiang Yanli and Lan Xichen look at each other with a combination of despair and amusement at their younger siblings' antics.

"Wangji," Xichen finally cuts in before Jiang Cheng or Wangji can go into Qi derivation, "why do you have Young Master Wei's sword?"

"It was handed to me," Wangji's response is terse, succinct, though his tone has softened ever so slightly. Xichen notes with surprise that Wangji does not look at him the way he did when they were younger and Xichen would point out mistakes in Wangji's homework. Wangji does not look at him with the shame and embarrassment he had after being caught drinking in Cloud Recesses after curfew with Wei Wuxian. Here, Wangji looks back at his brother with absolute conviction behind his actions.

Jiang Cheng splutters, irate. "As if your disciples have any business simply handing Yunmeng property to you."

"A-Cheng," Jiang Yanli says, taking a step forward and finally injecting herself into the conversation, "I am sure Second Young Master Lan has his reasons." Jiang Yanli's mere presence is overwhelmingly calming and Lan Xichen can see how Jiang Cheng's eyes are no longer bulging out of his head with anger after hearing his sister's voice, even though the intensity of the glare Jiang Cheng has fixed on Wangji is not diminished.

"If there are such good reasons for why I should turn over my brother's sword, then why doesn't Hanguang-jun share them with us?" Despite the respectful title, Jiang Cheng's tone is anything but deferential.

Lan Wangji simply glares harder in response, remaining as silent as ever.

"All this trouble for someone Hanguang-jun hates! What did Wei Wuxian do to wrong you so much that you refuse to return to him the dignity of carrying his own sword?" Xichen sees the muscles on Wangji's back tighten further, knowing that Jiang Cheng is misreading - perhaps even willfully misunderstanding - Wangji's feelings towards Wei Wuxian.

"Forgive my brother, Sect Leader Jiang," Xichen jumps in, trying to show Wangji that he still trusts and will support his brother, even though they are both fully aware that the vague splatterings of information that he has gathered from this discussion are heavily in favour of Jiang Cheng taking Suibian. "You must remember from your time as a guest disciple that my brother has a reticent nature."

"A-Cheng," Jiang Yanli steps forward and puts her hand on Jiang Cheng's arm. "You know how A-Xian is. Didn't you tell me that A-Xian travelled together with Second Master Lan? A-Xian and Second Master Lan protected each other in the Xuanwu Cave. Mother says," Yanli's breath catches here and that same flash of grief from earlier flickers through her eyes again. Still, she continues speaking, "Mother often said there are things that can only be understood by those who have experienced them at your side. Second Master Lan is a trusted friend of A-Xian who has protected A-Xian in the past. Perhaps we can honour A-Xian's judgement and trust Second Master Lan as A-Xian does. Surely Suibian will be safe in the hands of the righteous Hanguang-jun."

Huffing angrily, Jiang Cheng gives Lan Wangji one last scathing look before storming into the wide corridors of the Unclean Realm. As soon as Jiang Cheng is out of sight, Xichen can feel the tension disperse from the room now that there is no risk of anyone drawing their swords on each other.

With her expression as serene as ever, Jiang Yanli turns to Wangji with the same pacifying smile she has maintained throughout the entire ordeal. "Please take care of A-Xian's sword. He will be happy to know that Second Master Lan has protected Suibian for him." Yanli says knowingly, a thoughtful glint in her eye. Xichen suspects that she knows the same thing as him regarding Wangji's relationship with Wei Wuxian. At the very least, she must share the same suspicions as he does regarding the extent of Wangji's friendship with Wei Wuxian. "He will be glad to have it returned by the honourable Hanguang-jun." Yanli bows, angles still perfect, before turning to rush after Jiang Cheng and placate him with a bowl of soup.

Left with Wangji, Xichen looks over to see that Wangji's grip on Bichen has finally relaxed now that he safely has custody of Suibian.

"Xiongzhang," Wangji nods. Even now that the tension is gone, a steadfast glint remains in Wangji's gaze.

Xichen sighs. He is far from unhappy that Wangji has developed such a close relationship with Wei Wuxian but he does wish his brother would confide in him more, if only to satisfy Xichen's own growing curiosity.

"So that's why Lan Zhan had Suibian…" Wei Wuxian says quietly, looking at the ground.

"Why else would Hanguang-jun have Suibian?" Jingyi says snarkily and with a surprising degree of confidence for someone who had not even been born yet during the Sunshot Campaign. Sizhui has half a mind to stop Jingyi before he gets himself more lines as punishment but nods in silent agreement.

"I thought Jiang Cheng was angry with me!"

Jin Ling looks like he wants to call on Fairy to scare some sense into his ridiculous uncle. "Why would Jiujiu be angry with you?" Jin Ling's voice rings loudly enough to draw the attention of a few nearby cultivators. "You gave him mmmf!?" With his lips sealed together by the Gusu Lan silencing spell, Jin Ling glares instinctively at Wei Wuxian, then at Jingyi, before Lan Xichen raises his hand.

Ever the pacifist, Xichen is as serene as ever as he warns Jin Ling, "Apologies, Sect Leader Jin, but I must remind you of discretion."

Jingyi and Zizhen share a look, not understanding what Jin Ling could have said that was such a closely guarded secret that Zewu-jun would not want to be shared but still be privy to. Jingyi opened his mouth, about to ask, but clamped his mouth shut immediately once he saw the expression on Wei Wuxian's face. There was very little that could stop Wei Wuxian from smiling and making inappropriately timed comments, but Wei Wuxian looked sad and Jingyi didn't know what to do with a sad Wei Wuxian. Looking beside him to Sizhui, all Jingyi received was a slight headshake.

Wei Wuxian never told Sizhui about the golden core, but Sizhui knew. Once, Sizhui had asked Wen Ning why he left Lotus Pier with Senior Wei and Hanguang-jun so suddenly after Bicao and Sisi's revelations but Wen Ning had simply shaken his head. "It is not my story to tell."

Unlike Jingyi, Sizhui had seen Wei Wuxian when he was sad. Often in the morning after a nightmare, Sizhui would walk into the Jingshi looking for Hanguang-jun and find him still in bed and holding Wei Wuxian. On those days, Hanguang-jun would always delay that day's duties and meetings to take care of his husband for as long as he needed and Sizhui would slip out before Senior Wei could see him and pretend he was alright.

"Senior Wei," Zizhen says, feeling the mood drop and trying to move on, "what did Sect Leader Jiang have to be angry with you for? Weren't you still Yunmeng Jiang' first disciple during the Sunshot Campaign?"

Leaning heavily against the pillar, Wei Wuxian raises his gaze to look at Zizhen. "It was my fault Wen Chao attacked Lotus Pier." Wei Wuxian says this with a smile, but it is the saddest smile Zizhen has ever seen and he can feel his heart twisting in his chest. Jingyi and Sizhui are no less affected with Jingyi looking the most remorseful Zizhen has seen in a while. Even Jin Ling looks contrite even through his indignation of having the Lan silencing spell placed on him.

With the patience of someone who has spent decades lamenting over his brother's inability to communicate in his love life, Xichen steps forward to rest a comforting hand on Wei Wuxian's shoulder. "Xiao Wei," Xichen says, waiting for Wei Wuxian to look at him before continuing, "I am certain that you have spoken of this matter to Wangji before so I will not say much. Only that it is my belief that Sect Leader Jiang never blamed you for the actions of Wen Chao and Wen Ruohan. Regardless of the events that transpired during the Wen Indoctrination, know that I am selfishly grateful you protected Wangji."

Wei Wuxian is still slumped against the pillar. An outside observer would brush his improper posture off as Wei Wuxian being Wei Wuxian and shirking the expectations of the spouse of the Chief Cultivator, but everyone standing around Wei Wuxian can see the invisible baggage weighing him down.

After several moments of no one saying a word, Zizhen jumps in with false bravado in hopes of cheering up Senior Wei. "The Sunshot Campaign is nothing, no offense Sect Leader Lan," Zizhen adds in hastily, remembering Sect Leader Lan is still in their presence. Xichen looks at Zizhen, amused, and nods to indicate no offense has been taken. His hand is still on Wei Wuxian's shoulder, a comforting weight even if it doesn't match up to Lan Zhan's hugs. "After everything, Hanguang-jun once delivered a message to my father and accidentally ran into Sect Leader Jiang."

"Oh?" Sizhui asks, prompting Zizhen to continue.

"It's become a legend in Baling," Zizhen says with a wide grin that becomes more and more genuine as he speaks. "We stage retellings before each conference hosted in Baling as a cautionary tale so everyone remembers to keep Hanguang-jun and Sect Leader Jiang away from each other."

How to raise a child?

Having been dispatched by Lan Qiren to hand deliver an important message to Baling, Lan Wangji is sitting with Sect Leader Ouyang for a tea that he has no interest in remaining present for when one of the Baling Ouyang cultivators interrupts.

"Apologies Sect Leader, Hanguang-jun, for interrupting" the cultivator greets hurriedly, bowing to both men. "This disciple merely wishes to inform our master that Sect Leader Jiang has arrived. He is returning from Lanling and requested the hospitality of Baling Ouyang before making the remainder of the journey to Yunmeng."

Sect Leader Ouyang, pleased with having been graced with the presence of two of the Great Clans in one afternoon, does not notice the way Lan Wangji's grip on his tea cup tightens. He does not notice how Lan Wangji's hand shakes, spilling droplets of tea over his hand, or how the corners of Wangji's eyes tighten and his mouth hardens.

"We cannot turn away such a close friend and ally! Quick, prepare the guest chambers for Sect Leader Jiang and his disciples and invite him up. Tell him he is in luck, he will be joining the venerable Hanguang-jun for tea!" Sect Leader Ouyang says enthusiastically, blind to the increasing discomfort of his guest and unaware of the disaster he is creating for himself.

Privately, Lan Wangji hopes that Jiang Wanyin will turn around and change his mind after hearing that Wangji is already here.

"Ah, such fate!" Sect Leader Ouyang pours himself another cup of tea as his disciple scurries off to carry out his orders. Even though Wangji is physically in the room, Sect Leader Ouyang is more or less speaking to himself and remains oblivious to the darkening of Lan Wangji's gaze. He is not glaring, but only because he fears Lan Qiren will punish A-Yuan for Wangji's misbehaviour. "It must have been a long time since you have seen Sect Leader Jiang. I've not seen you together since the Nightless City when Sect Leader Jiang delivered the final blow against the evil Yiling Patriarch and avenged his late sister and parents!"

At the mention of Nightless City, Lan Wangji's chest floods with another tsunami of sorrow, his grief from that night still fresh even after three, nearly four, years. Even he, having held onto Wei Ying's last moments, is unsure if Jiang Wanyin had really intended to kill Wei Ying when he drove Sandu into the rock. That doesn't stop Wangji from blaming Jiang Wanyin. Jiang Wanyin's new reputation for his ruthlessness in hunting down all fledgling practitioners of demonic cultivation and resolute executions of all those who claimed to be possessed by the spirit of the Yiling Patriarch certainly does not improve Lan Wangji's already poor opinion.

Wangji hears Jiang Wanyin's voice first and lifts his cup in front of his mouth and holds it there, prepared to time his sip so that he will be mid-drink when Jiang Wanyin walks in. Jiang Wanyin wears his emotions almost as freely as Wei Ying once did and that will give Wangji the advantage to evaluate Jiang Wanyin's mood before Jiang Wanyin can attempt to do the same.

Jiang Wanyin breezes into the room in a swarm of Yunmeng purple cloth and his ever-present aura of righteous fury. "Sect Leader Ouyang," he greets with a polite smile, bowing easily. Turning to Lan Wangji, Jiang Wanyin's pleasant expressent darkens. It is not anger, because Jiang Wanyin has never been able to mask his anger well, but it is certainly not the amiable expression he had when facing Sect Leader Ouyang. "Hanguang-jun," Jiang Wanyin bows stiffly to Wangji.

Privately, Wangji thinks that Jiang Wanyin would have preferred if Wei Ying had taken Wangji over the cliff with him. (There are times when Wangji would almost prefer that to have happened, but he could never abandon A-Yuan.)

No longer able to delay the inevitable, Wangji finally sets his cup down and follows Sect Leader Ouyang to a standing position and bows to Jiang Wanyin with the same stiffness. "Sect Leader Jiang."

Once they are all seated again, Sect Leader Ouyang makes a fuss about his tea leaves. As Sect Leader Ouyang prattles about how he imported the finest teas from Xihu, Jiang Cheng glowers at Lan Wangji, evidently not listening to a word Sect Leader Ouyang is saying. Sect Leader Ouyang, still oblivious to the tension emanating from Jiang Cheng and Wangji, then begins rambling about something inane to Jiang Cheng. It is something related to lotus harvesting techniques and Jiang Cheng is forced to listen and offer his input.

"My young son, Zizhen, is growing to be quite the troublemaker already! Just the other day he insisted on joining my men on the lake. Naturally, Zizhen is too young and too important to be out on the lake doing the menial work of peripheral disciples, but the boy insisted on swimming after the boats! That child, aiya, nearly sent his mother into a qi derivation!"

Jiang Cheng's face softened, having found an opening to boast about Jin Ling. "Sect Leader Ouyang, surely you have taught your son to swim by now? He is about Jin Ling's age, no? Why, all the children of Yunmeng Jiang can swim before they can walk!"

"How bold, Sect Leader Jiang!" Sect Leader Ouyang gapes at Jiang Cheng. "Even Young Master Jin?"

"Of course," Jiang Cheng says. He is too old for it to be petulant, but Lan Wangji finds his tone to be denigrating for someone of his standing. "Jin Ling especially."

"But Sect Leader Jiang! Young Master Jin is the sole legitimate heir to Lanling Jin! Why, I don't dare to imagine what would become of the cultivation world if anything were to happen to Young Master Jin!" Sect Leader Ouyang's tea is cold in his cup, having long since been abandoned in favour of a largely one-sided conversation with his guests.

"All the more reason to ensure Jin Ling can take care of himself," Jiang Cheng says with pride. "In fact, I have taken personal charge over Jin Ling's training whenever he is in Yunmeng."

"Children are resilient," Lan Wangji says simply, thinking about how close he had been to losing his last connection to Wei Ying and what a bright child his A-Yuan was growing to be despite the hardships of his early life. "What is required is guidance, not overindulgent coddling."

"And Jin Ling needs more guidance than most now that he is an orphan, no thanks to you," Jiang Wanyin fires back, his carefree boasting of his nephew suddenly shifted into a narrative of blame. His previously cordial gaze has frozen into a harsh glare that he fixes on Wangji.

"Children are resilient," Wangji repeats more forcefully, resisting the urge to throw Sect Leader Ouyang's rather mediocre tea at Jiang Wanying. "When circumstances change, it is children who adapt best."

"And what, exactly," Jiang Cheng says through gritted teeth, "is Hanguang-jun saying?"

"Young Master Jin is not the only child orphaned by the war." Wangji is careful not to reveal anything about A-Yuan's parentage, nor does he implicate himself as a parent. It is safest for the people of Gusu to assume A-Yuan is Wangji's own illegitimate child and news of Hanguang-jun raising a child has not spread to the other clans.

"You dare -!?" Jiang Cheng's words are cut off by the force of his own fury. "Has my nephew not suffered enough at the hands of the crooked Yiling Patriarch Wei Wuxian, who turned his back on Yunmeng Jiang to collude with those Wen Dogs against the righteous path?"

"I do not wish Young Master Jin's circumstances upon anyone," Wangji says. His words are diplomatic, yet his expression is unnerving even to Jiang Cheng. Wangji's gaze burns with the righteous fury Jiang Cheng radiates. "The situation is unfortunate yet he is not the only child in need of guidance." How many more A-Yuans had they allowed the Jins to slaughter? Wangji wonders.

Sect Leader Ouyang stares helplessly at his guests, unsure when or how their pleasant conversation became so derailed.

"Even now, you dare defend him?" Spittle flies from Jiang Cheng's rage as he slowly loses control of his temper.

Wangji coolly stares ahead, "I am defending no one, Sect Leader Jiang. Please refrain from making unsubstantiated accusations."

"Why - !" Zidian crackles on Jiang Cheng's wrist. He sneers meanly. "It has been a long time since the honourable Hanguang-jun has been seen outside Cloud Recesses. Perhaps Hanguang-jun has forgotten his place?"

Jiang Cheng's nostrils flare as Wangji doesn't respond. Instead, Wangji reaches for the teapot and serves himself another cup of tea. He drinks the tea slowly, subjecting Jiang Wanyin to the indignity of being ignored in favour of mediocre tea. Finally, setting his cup back on the table, Wangji turns to Jiang Wanyin. "I am merely stating facts, Sect Leader Jiang."

"Bull. Perhaps the traitorous Wei - mmmph!?" Jiang Cheng's lips are suddenly sealed together and he roars from his throat.

Unbothered, Wangji simply smooths his robes knowing that his nonchalance would infuriate Jiang Wanyin the most.

Wangji was correct.

Moments after having lost Wangji's attention, Zidian smashes between Wangji and Sect Leader Ouyang. The table splinters, bits and pieces of wood flying everywhere, and Sect Leader Ouyang's finest tea set is shattered. A pool of cool tea darkens the ground as it seeps into the floor.

With his mask of inscrutability back in place, Lan Wangji turns to Sect Leader Ouyang and bows. "I apologize for the disturbance," he says before rushing back to Cloud Recesses. He need to protect A-Yuan from Lan Qiren's wrath as Lan Qiren will inevitably be informed of this incident.

On his way out, Lan Wangji makes sure to refresh the silencing spell on Jiang Wanyin.

"No wonder you two turned out the way you did," Jingyi says to Zizhen and Jin Ling, his chin tilted up with pride. "Obviously Hanguang-jun raises the best children."

Sizhui doesn't bother stopping Zizhen from digging his elbow into Jingyi's ribs, nor does he stop Jin Ling from smacking the back of Jingyi's head. "You weren't raised by Hanguang-jun either! What do you have to say for yourself, huh?" Jin Ling snarks back.

"Hold on," We Wuxian said, holding up a hand and ignoring the fighting disciples. "Weren't Lan Zhan and Jiang Cheng in agreement that Sect Leader Ouyang was overprotective? How did that escalate so much?"

Zizhen thinks for a moment and shrugs. "Sect Leader Jiang takes anything Hanguang-jun says as a personal insult."

"Hey!" snaps Jin Ling. "As if Hanguang-jun is any better than Jiujiu!"

"Oh please," Jingyi rubs his head where Jin Ling hit him. If it weren't for Gusu Lan Rule 3672, Wei Wuxian suspected Jingyi would be rolling his eyes. "the Young Mistress speaks as if he isn't terrified of Hanguang-jun."

"As if you aren't also afraid of Hanguang-jun!"

"Sizhui isn't!"

"Sizhui, you didn't enter Lotus Pier with us after the Burial Mounds, did you?"

"I wanted to keep Uncle Wen Ning company."

"And not because you're scared of Jiujiu?"

"Why would Sizhui be scared of Sect Leader Jiang when he has Hanguang-jun?"

Wei Wuxian and Lan Xichen share a look, wondering whether or not they should break up their juniors' bickering. Before they make a decision, they hear someone calling their names.

"Er-ge! Wei-xiong!" Nie Huaisang calmly walks up to them, fan in hand. Half his face is hidden behind the fan but the amusement can't be hidden from his eyes. Eyes that Wei Wuxian now knows are more observant than anyone ever gave him credit for.

Wei Wuxian doesn't think he'll ever be able to see Nie Huaisang as his bumbling friend from their guest disciple days ever again.

"Sect Leader Nie," the juniors greet Nie Huaisang as a chorus, bowing neatly.

"Sect Leader Nie," Lan Xichen repeats, a step late. There is unresolved tension between Nie Huaisang and Lan Xichen and Wei Wuxian wants no part in it.

"Nie-xiong!" Wei Wuxian falls into his carefree persona easily, even though he remains wary of Nie Huaisang in a way that would have been unfathomable in the past. "What brings you over to our little corner of Carp Tower?"

Exaggeratedly fanning himself, Nie Huaisang lowers his arm slightly so his face can be seen over the fan. "I heard you speaking of Sect Leader Jiang and Hanguang-jun, is all. Wei-xiong, I hear your marriage with Hanguang-jun continues to thrive. I am happy for you."

"Ah, thank you Nie-xiong, thank you. Your anniversary gift was very thoughtful and has given Lan Zhan and I much inspiration." Wei Wuxian smirks, thinking of the very colourful collection of pornography Nie Huaisang sent them.

Jingyi and Zizhen look at each other, curious as to what this mysterious gift was that was inspirational even to Hanguang-jun. While their thoughts are preoccupied with what kind of gift Sect Leader Nie could have sent to have impressed their Senior Wei so much, both remain unaware of the ever-present apprehension between Wei Wuxian and Nie Huaisang.

"Sect Leader Nie," Sizhui pipes up at just the right time. Even Wei Wuxian, through his rose-tinted glasses, could admit that Lan Zhan's methods of diplomacy were questionable at best but Lan Zhan had taught Sizhui to identify and diffuse situations well. "Senior Wei was unaware of the full extent of Hanguang-jun and Sect Leader Jiang's feelings towards one another. We have been telling stories to help Senior Wei understand."

"Ah, Er-ge, do you remember that discussion conference? Silly me, I made the mistake of seating Yunmeng Jiang beside Gusu Lan! Luckily I have learned my lesson." Nie Huaisang closes his fan with a flourish, prepared to launch into a story.

Xichen's smile is strained. Wei Wuxian wonders if it's because the conference was that bad, or if it is merely Nie Huaisang's presence making him uneasy.

The thing with Nie Huaisang's seating chart.

In the aftermath of Nie Mingjue's death, Nie Huaisang had hoped to avoid hosting a discussion conference for at least a year. Maybe even two or three years if he could be so lucky. And he had been so, so close to cancelling the scheduled conference due to his cries of emotional distress and his desire to honour his late brother's memory by entering a partial seclusion for half a year. With his reputation, it hadn't been difficult for Nie Huaisang to convince the other sects that he was incapable of hosting a discussion conference while his grief for his brother was still fresh. Unfortunately, with the death of Jin Guangshan so soon after Nie Mingjue's demise, Nie Huaisang could do nothing to delay the conference that Qinghe Nie had to host.

Luckily, much of the brunt work of planning had already been done by Nie Mingjue before his demise.

Unfortunately, Nie Mingjue had left no drafts for a seating plan.

It wasn't that Nie Huaisang was unaware that Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji were not on the best terms with one another. Even if he did his absolute best to avoid participating in roundtable meetings and had never personally witnessed Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji in close quarters since the Sunshot Campaign, Nie Huaisang was exceptionally well versed in gossip and knew that there was unresolved conflict between Sect Leader Jiang and Hanguang-jun. No one knew the root cause of this, nor did anyone dare to ask too many questions, but it was common knowledge that a successful conference required Sect Leader Jiang and Hanguang-jun to have no contact with each other.

Still, Nie Huaisang went out and asked everyone he could about Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji's relationship as if he didn't know anything.

Most Sect Leaders simply waved a hand and said, "You know how it is."

Jin Guangyao said, "Perhaps Sect Leader Jiang and Hanguang-jun have opposing values."

Lan Xichen had said, "It is a deep rooted difference of opinion. Wangji is unable to compromise and I suspect it is the same for Sect Leader Jiang."

With this knowledge in hand, Nie Huaisang seated Jiang Wanyin and Lan Wangji right beside each other.

The conference begins with a word on how unfortunate Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangshan's untimely passings are. Behind his fan, Nie Huaisang says in a high voice with a false quiver, "So much dead, in such a short time! And under such suspicious circumstances! Is there a ghost after us? Ah, how can I be so unlucky!"

Intentionally leaving a long gap after his opening speech, the crowd begins to mutter amongst itself.

Huaisang simply waits for the chaos to create itself.

"Perhaps it is the resentful spirit of the Yiling Patriarch seeking revenge," one of the Meishan Yu disciples suggests. He is not the only person speaking, nor is he any louder than everyone else, but Jiang Wanyin and Lan Wangji's ears are tuned to catch any passing mention of Wei Wuxian.

"Nonsense!" Jiang Cheng snaps, rising to his feet. He had only been listening and observing the mounting whispers earlier but he couldn't just allow someone to casually mention Wei Wuxian without consequence. "I searched for my sister's killer's body personally! There is nothing left of the Yiling Patriarch. No body nor soul. He was ripped apart by his own resentful energy, as he rightfully should have been!"

Bitterly, Lan Wangji thinks Wei Ying was also your brother. His fists clench around the fabric of his robes but he says nothing.

Someone from a minor sect voices Wangji's exact thoughts. "But Sect Leader Jiang, wasn't the Yiling Patriarch your martial brother?"

"You dare!" Jiang Cheng points an angry finger in the general direction cultivator who suddenly dives behind someone else. Zidian is clearly seen on Jiang Cheng's wrist, though no sparks are fizzling. Yet. "You, of Baideng Gao! Remember which Sect graciously came to the aid of Baideng Gao after the flood! Which sect supplied Baideng with supplies for the season after your crops were wiped out? Sect Leader Gao! Whose hospitality did you personally rely on for shelter while your home was being rebuilt?"

"It is not gracious if aid comes with stipulations." Wangji interjects before Sect Leader Gao can even begin to recover from the shock of having suddenly been thrust into the spotlight. He does not look at Jiang Cheng beside him. Looking straight ahead at nothing in particular, Wangji ignores Jiang Cheng's eyes which are bulging with anger. He ignores his uncle's disapproving glare at his inability to be diplomatic and he ignores his brother's pleading gaze to not instigate a fight with Yunmeng Jiang again.

"Stipulations!" Jiang Cheng spits at Wangji. "Stipulations? Yunmeng Jiang gained not a shell from helping Baideng Gao! We did it because helping one's neighbours is the righteous action to take!"

"Political backing is a stipulation." Wangji speaks slowly, softly, as if Jiang Cheng is a child to be lectured and not a powerful cultivator in his own right and a Sect Leader who technically outranks Wangji.

It says much about how accustomed Yunmeng and Gusu are to these fights between their Sect Leader and Lan Wangji that the Yunmeng disciples continue chatting amongst themselves about mundane topics as if their Sect Leader isn't about to take off Lan Wangji's head with Sandu. The Gusu disciples simply drink their tea in peace as if their Second Jade isn't about to run Jiang Wanyin through with Bichen.

"Hanguang-jun!" Jiang Cheng turns on his heel so fast that the hem of his purple robe knocks over the tea of the Yunmeng disciple sitting behind him. The disciple frowns at the tea seeping into his robes but is otherwise unbothered as he resumes his conversation about his wife's cooking. He doesn't even bother correcting the teapot. Jiang Cheng's face is red as he yells, "You dare suggest Yunmeng Jiang is exploiting the unfortunate circumstances of Baideng?"

"I am suggesting nothing." Lan Wangji raises his eyes to face Jiang Wanyin. To the others who don't know how to read Wangji's microexpressions, Lan Wangji simply looks bored. Jiang Cheng, who has seen the rare flashes of emotional on Lan Wangji's face (like the sheer anguish when Wei Ying slipped from his grasp at the Nightless City that Jiang Cheng definitely doesn't still have nightmares about), recognizes that Lan Wangji is intentionally maintaining his inscrutable gaze to make Jiang Cheng appear the aggressor. "Aid cannot be righteous if preconditions are present."

"You!" Jiang Cheng screeches. You dare speak to me of righteousness he wants to snarl. Was it righteous when you abandoned your Sect to stand by my sister's murderer? But, he is not so far gone in his anger to dredge up the Wei Wuxian-shaped hole that makes his relationship with Lan Wangji irredeemable. Even in death, I am left in your shadow Jiang Cheng thinks bitterly, unable to formulate a response to Wangji that isn't tainted by Wei Wuxian. For all the vitriol they have spewed at one another over the years, neither Jiang Cheng nor Lan Wanji is ready to cross the line left by Wei Wuxian's absence. Jiang Cheng suspects they never will be.

"I suggest, Sect Leader Jiang," Wangji says in that infuriatingly monotone voice of his, "that you refrain from revealing the requests of others during their greatest moments of need." Unbothered as ever, Lan Wangji pours himself a cup of tea although he does not drink.

Zidian sparks out, reacting to Jiang Cheng's fury. The others gasp, pointing and trying to hide. The Yunmeng and Gusu cultivators remain unbothered, although they watch with palpable fascination as to what will fall victim to Zidian today.

Lan Wangji does not react to Zidian. Instead, he stands gracefully, holding a sheathed Bichen, and steps around his table to stop in the centre of the room. "Shufu, Sect Leader," he first bows to his uncle and brother who can do nothing but stare back in helpless resignation. Lan Wangji then turns to Nie Huaisang, whose eyes are brimming with tears but the painted fan before his face hides his wide grin. "Apologies, Sect Leader Nie. I will see myself out," Wangji says before turning around and taking silent steps towards the exit. Ever the gentleman, his hand rests behind his back with perfect posture.

Nie Huaisang could have stopped him by leveraging his rank and his status as the host. But, even though his days as a guest disciple in Cloud Recesses are long over, Nie Huaisang is still terrified of Hanguang-jun.

As everyone watches the graceful figure of Hanguang-jun calmly exit the meeting chamber framed by his pale robes fluttering in the air. He is ethereal, yet Jiang Cheng knows that Lan Wangji is still in mourning. Even now, years after Wei Wuxian had fallen from the cliff.

It infuriates him. Lan Wangji can air his grief as publicly as he wishes, drawing compliments and admiration for the image he paints in Gusu's white when the truth is that Lan Wangji wears nothing more than mourning robes. No one ever knew the true relationship Lan Wangji had with Wei Wuxian. Wei Wuxian certainly never told me anything, Jiang Cheng thinks bitterly. His face twists and he adamantly refuses to miss the man who abandoned him to rebuild Lotus Pier alone. Reacting to his tumultuous thoughts, Zidian extends to its full length and smashes into the intricately painted floor. Everyone startles at the impact, even Jiang Cheng. Zidian leaves behind a fractured floor newly lined with wooden splinters.

Completely unlike Hanguang-jun's serene exit, Jiang Cheng leaves in a flurry of purple robes and destruction. He kicks aside his table which knocks over Lan Wangji's abandoned table. The untouched cup of tea spills and the impact knocks the fine porcelain tea pot to the ground where it shatters. Jiang Cheng does not look at the wreckage he leaves behind him. Turning his back to Nie Huaisang, who is still cowering behind his fan, Jiang Cheng's heavy footsteps clearly announce his exit. Zidian is still buzzing so Jiang Cheng flicks his wrist and smashes one of the decorative pillars behind one of the minor sects. He is gone before before he can see it crumble.

From his raised seat at the head of the room, Nie Huaisang wails at the tragedy of his first conference as Sect Leader turning out so poorly, garnering the pity of Lan Xichen and Jin Guangyao. Even though some cultivators whispered that Nie Huaisang should have known better than to seat Sect Leader Jiang and Hanguang-jun so close to each other, Nie Huaisang was secretly pleased under his loud sobs.

Nie Huaisang was never going to host a conference on par with Nie Mingjue. Better to shift the blame of the disastrous conference to Sect Leader Jiang and Hanguang-jun than to invite unwanted comparisons between him and his brother.

"You're telling me this happened in front of Old Master Lan and he didn't qi derivate on the spot?" Wei Wuxian asks, one eyebrow raised in skepticism at Nie Huaisang's story. "He watched Lan Zhan prod at Jiang Cheng and didn't do anything to stop him? Didn't Lan Zhan break, like, five hundred rules?"

"Sect Leader Lan can corroborate my story if you do not trust me, Wei-xiong," Nie Huaisang says casually. He taps his closed fan against his palm, unbothered by the insinuation that he might be untrustworthy. Perhaps, if it hadn't been Wei Wuxian, Nie Huaisang would have made a fuss over this suspicion. But Nie Huaisang had more respect for Wei Wuxian than that. Wei Wuxian was too smart to fall for the same act more than once. Besides, Nie Huaisang knew that even though he no longer had Wei Wuxian's trust, he had Wei Wuxian's respect.

Lan Xichen sighs. "Sect Leader Nie speaks the truth," he says once Wei Wuxian's apprehensive gaze lands on him. "Uncle punished Wangji for the first….incidents," Xichen heistates, choosing his words carefully, "but it soon became apparent that there was nothing to be done. The relationship between Wangji and Sect Leader Jiang is too far gone. As it has not impacted Gusu's overall relations with Yunmeng, Uncle simply avoids being within hearing distance of Sect Leader Jiang at all times."

Jingyi's eyes are sparkling in awe. "Hanguang-jun is so cool," he says with the utmost reverence.

Lan Xichen looks at Jingyi, concerned over Jingyi's standards.

"Ah, I will be off now," Nie Huaisang says quickly, flicking open his fan at the mention of Lan Wangji. Knowing that the Gusu Lan's junior disciples were incredibly loyal to Hanguang-jun, Nie Huaisang thought it safer to extract himself from the conversation now that his story was over. It wasn't that Nie Huaisang was scared of the Chief Cultivator, exactly, but the Chief Cultivator was a very scary man. As he sauntered off, Huaisang waved his hand above his head. "Wei-xiong! Don't forget to let me know when you will next be in Qinghe. I will have more books waiting for you then."

Once Nie Huaisang had disappeared into the crowd, Jin Ling turns to Jingyi with crossed arms. "Hey! It isn't Jiujiu's fault that Hanguang-jun is terrifying!"

"So you admit that Sect Leader Jiang is scared of Hanguang-jun?" Zizhen says with the same mischievous grin Jingyi has.

Jin Ling raises his hand, about to smack Zizhen and Jingyi with the handle of Suihua when Wei Wuxian's voice stops him.

"At least Lan Zhan didn't resort to the silencing spell that time," Wei Wuxian smiles weakly, before Jin Ling can snap back at Zizhen. As much as he enjoys watching the interactions of the youth, Wei Wuxian is still caught up on Jiang Cheng and Lan Zhan. It is dawning on him just how impossible a reconciliation between Lan Zhan and Jiang Cheng is - that the sole peacekeeping factor between them is the presence of Wei Wuxian.

"Uncle added a new rule that forbids the usage of our silencing spell on Sect Leader Jiang after the incident in Baling," Xichen has relaxed noticeably after Nie Huaisang left their conversation.

Wei Wuxian makes a note to visit the Wall of Discipline when they return to Gusu so he can admire the rule carved into stone. "Only on Jiang Cheng?" he asks.

Xichen's ever-present serene smile is still on his face but there is a touch of playfulness around the edges. "Xiao Wei, not even Uncle is willing to remove the option of silencing Sect Leader Yao."

"Not that it stopped Hanguang-jun that one time," Jingyi mutters.

Wei Wuxian opens his mouth, instinctively incredulous towards the idea of Lan Zhan willingly breaking rules even after knowing about the discipline whip, seeing Lan Zhan bring him his beloved Emperor's Smile even as Zewu-jun watched, watching Lan Zhan unequivocally support him at Carp Tower and willfully turn down his Uncle's request to rejoin the Gusu Lan disciples at the Burial Mounds, it was difficult to imagine Lan Zhan as a rule breaker. Even after they married, and after two years of marriage where Lan Zhan bent just about every single rule that he didn't outright break just for Wei Wuxian, Lan Zhan still maintained his righteous air.

Because he sees protecting you as the most righteous act of all, a little part of Wei Wuxian's mind chirps at him.

In the end, Wei Wuxian says nothing. He doesn't need to.

"Lan Jingyi, you can't just say things like that and not tell us more!" Zizhen says with feigned admonishment.

Jingyi is too busy making smug faces at Zizhen so Sizhui continues. "It was when Senior Wei was still travelling with Lil' Apple, before his return to Cloud Recesses. Uncle Wen Ning and I had just finished erecting the memorial plaque in Qishan and we went to meet Hanguang-jun and Jingyi in Yiling. We were heading up to the Burial Mounds to get a good look and really explore what was left when we ran into Sect Leader Jiang."

Where is Wei Ying?

"And you lived here?" Jingyi says with unconcealed awe, looking at how barren the Burial Mounds had become.

Wen Ning nods. "Jiejie said it was even worse when we first arrived. Master Wei single handedly absorbed all of the resentful energy so it couldn't hurt anyone else. He never told anyone, but Jiejie knew."

Jingyi nods, fully aware of Senior Wei's lack of self-preservation. All Jingyi knows about Wen Qing are the urban legends of her alleged witchcraft. But, having met the Yiling Patriarch and having witnessed the feared Yiling Patriarch run away from cute puppies and cry after Hanguang-jun gave him a jar of chili oil with his own eyes, Jingyi knows better than to believe any of the legends about Wen Qing. He likes to imagine a woman who would chase Wei Wuxian around with a broom while threatening to beat him into fertilizer.

"Over there is one of the areas where we grew radishes," Wen Ning continues over Jingyi's daydreams. "Master Wei kept trying to grow potatoes but Jiejie would always take the potatoes back into town and exchange them for more radishes. And that's the tree Master Wei liked to take naps in when he was hiding from Jiejie's wrath."

As Wen Ning patiently goes through everything Wei Wuxian had done to make the Burial Mounds as inhabitable as possible for the Wen remnants, Sizhui carefully observes his father's expressions.

"Wen Ning speaks of nothing that I do not already know," Wangji says, as if reading Sizhui's mind. In a way he is; Sizhui is the child he and Wei Wuxian raised and he knows what Sizhui is feeling when he feels Sizhui's concerned eyes on him.

"Ah." Wangji's steps do not falter as they explore the uneven ground and SIzhui hastens to emanate that effortless elegance without falling behind. "You came to visit us here once," Sizhui says slowly, carefully observing any changes in his father's expressions.

"Mn." Sizhui recognizes the far-off expression in Wangji's eyes. He was raised with that gaze, always knowing that his father had lost something - someone - important in the past. For a long time, Sizhui thought that look was just part of who Lan Wangji was. In a way, he was correct. Everything about Hanguang-jun was so otherworldly already, it made sense that Hanguang-jun's eyes never quite seemed to be in the present. But since the reappearance of Wei Wuxian, Sizhui discovered otherwise. Sometimes the distant look would return after reading one of Wei Wuxian's many letters, but they never again held the soul-crushing loss that once haunted Wangji.

"Did you ever think about staying?" Sizhui is almost hesitant to ask, but he wants to know the answer and he knows his father won't lie to him.

The response is automatic. "Everyday."

Sizhui wants to respond, he wants to ask more, but he is preoccupied with not tripping over roots and trying to navigate the terrain with even a fraction of the dignity of Hanguang-jun, whose posture is perfect as his hand is still held behind his back while the other hand clutches Bichen. Before Sizhui can ask his next question, Wangji speaks.

"But…" Wangji drifts off, unsure of how to continue. Sizhui recognizes the tone from when he was much younger, when his father was still learning how to live in the aftermath of a world without Wei Ying and trying to raise a sickly little child. "I was scared. I did not take a stand until it was too late."

Just before he left Cloud Recesses to travel with Wen Ning, Sizhui asked Lan Xichen how Xian-gege died.

He threw himself off the cliff. Wangji tried to catch him but in the end, he couldn't hold on.

Sizhui never asked which cliff. He never wanted to know.

It was unfathomable to Sizhui how his father managed to continue after his entire life literally slipped right out of his grasp.

"With Wei Ying…." Wangji continues talking in his detached manner. Sizhui remains silent, content with listening to however much his father was willing to share. "When it comes to Wei Ying, I have always been too late."

"You weren't too late with me," Sizhui blurts out before he can stop himself.

To his surprise, Wangji stops and turns back to face Sizhui. With a small smile, Wangji says, "For you, I finally caught up to Wei Ying."

They are at the top of the Burial Mounds, where the remnants of the settlement are, and sorting through the few items that still remain when Jingyi and Wen Ning catch up. Jingyi is amazed by everything and laughs so hard after Wen Ning tells Jingyi about the naming of the Demon Subdue Palace that he probably forgets to breathe. Wangji watches them with fond exasperation. They spend most of the day in the Burial Mounds, surveying the last vestiges of the Qishan Wen and sharing stories about Wei Wuxian and Wen Qing and Granny Wen and Uncle Four because those stories deserved to be told. Sizhui watches Jingyi wipe his eyes on several occasions but says nothing, simply happy that his best friend is so willing to learn about his past. They are nearly finished their explorations when Jiang Cheng arrives. Sizhui briefly notices the small, rectangular bundle Sect Leader Jiang holds in his hand before it is unceremoniously shoved back into his robes.

"Sect Leader Jiang," Sizhui bows. He is the only person to do so. Hanguang-jun is glaring at Jiang Cheng while Jingyi and Wen Ning immediately sneak off to some other part of the Burial Mounds before they inadvertently draw Sect Leader Jiang's ire. Traitors, Sizhui thinks even though he does not begrudge them making their escape.

As Hanguang-jun and Sect Leader Jiang are glaring at each other, Sizhui takes a step back and finds that he is on the edge of where Xian-gege's lotus pond once flourished. He crouches by the pond, long since dried up, unbothered by the dirt that stains his robes. Dirt is removable, but Sizhui doesn't know if he will ever return to the Burial Mounds after this. Poking at the dry dirt, Sizhui remembers a time when the pond was flourishing and he reached for a lotus pod. He remembers Xian-gege telling him that other lotus seeds can be eaten, but not these lotus seeds. Xian-gege never properly explained why these seeds couldn't be eaten, but Sizhui understands now. He remembers someone yelling at Xian-gege, saying that lotuses can't possibly grow in the Burial Mounds where they can't even get potatoes to take root. He remembers Xian-gege's pride at having once again achieved the impossible with his lotus plants.

With a wistful smile, Sizhui is about to stand when something small and round catches his eye. Leaning forward, he sees two pale yellow lumps standing out from the dark dirt. They are two lotus seeds, long dried but still here. Sizhui wonders if they can still grow as he tucks the two seeds into his qiankun pouch. Regardless, it'll be a nice gift for Xian-gege he thinks as he stands up and brushes as much dirt as he can from his robes. Maybe Xian-gege can even get them to grow again.

The faint smile on his face fades as Sizhui turns around and is promptly dragged into Hanguang-jun 's argument with Sect Leader Jiang. While he was distracted, Hanguang-jun and Sect Leader Jiang fell into yet another explosive argument. Jingyi and Wen Ning are still elsewhere on the mountain and keeping themselves scarce.

"After all you and Wei Wuxian have done together, that's all you have to say for yourself?" Sizhui thinks he can see Sect Leader Jiang's spittle. "Not here!?"

Sizhui, correctly, guesses that they are arguing over Xian-gege's whereabouts.

In all honesty, Sizhui doesn't know where Xian-gege is either. He and Wen Ning ran into Xian-gege in Meishan and he knows that Xian-gege has sent Hanguang-jun enough letters to be bound into several books, but no one knows Xian-gege's exact location. Not even Hanguang-jun knows, understanding that Wei Ying needed to take time to reorient himself, to cope with old grief that is still fresh to him, and come to terms with everything that has changed while he was dead.

Still, before Wei Ying took off with Lil' Apple, Wangji had given him a spiritual token that would alert Wangji to Wei Ying's location if anything were to happen.

"It is the truth," Hanguang-jun says. While his posture is as proper as ever, Sizhui can see where Hanguang's grip on Bichen tightens. His knuckles are white with how tight his grip is.

"Even now you protect him from me? How audacious of you, Lan Wangi, to lay such absolute claim on Wei Wuxian." Sect Leader Jiang is standing a fair distance from Hanguang-jun but their voices carry in the absence of other sounds. The sounds of the last remnants of a civilization had been quashed sixteen years ago. "Remember that Wei Wuxian belonged to Yunmeng before he ever belonged to Gusu!"

Hanguang-jun responds simply, nostrils flaring. "No."

"No?" Sect Leader Jiang's face twists meanly into an even harsher expression than before. The outright frosty tone of Sect Leader Jiang's voice gives Sizhui goosebumps. "No? You deny the importance of Yunmeng Jiang to Wei Wuxian? You deny the role my own mother and father had in shaping Wei Wuxian into the powerful cultivator he was?"

"You misunderstand." Sizhui can see that there is much more that Hanguang-jun disagrees with - there is much that Sizhui himself, even with his limited understanding of the past events, disagrees with. "Wei Ying belongs to no one. Gusu Lan has no claim to him, and Yunmeng Jiang even less so."

"Less so!?" Jiang Cheng looks like he wants to throw Sandu at Wangji. "Lan Wangji, do you not think the Chief Cultivator should choose his words with more care?"

Jiang Cheng's words are almost a threat, but Lan Wangji is not easily cowed. "Yunmeng Jiang spurned Wei Ying yet their leader continues to benefit from Wei Ying's cultivation."

"You think I asked for his stupid golden core?" Sizhui's hands fly up to his mouth, desperately trying to stifle his gasp. He doesn't quite succeed, but Sect Leader Jiang is too preoccupied with yelling at Hanguang-jun to care about Sizhui's presence and Hanguang-jun will not draw unnecessary attention to Sizhui.

"It only matters that Wei Ying felt it was necessary to sacrifice himself for you." As their argument becomes increasingly personal, Sizhui is glad Jingyi and Wen Ning disappeared so early.

"Wei Wuxian being a self-sacrificial idiot doesn't mean you can keep my brother from me!" Angry tears are beginning to leak from Sect Leader Jiang's eyes and Sizhui feels increasingly uncomfortable at the image of such a powerful Sect Leader being brought down to tears.

Hanguang-jun's face twists ever so slightly, unhappy with Jiang Wanyin trying to reclaim Wei Wuxian as his brother. "Wei Ying goes where the winds of change will take him."

It is very poetic, Sizhui thinks, that Wei Wuxian goes where the winds of change blow and Hanguang-jun will be found wherever the chaos is. It is inevitable that the winds of change will blow Xian-gege towards the chaos where he will reunite with Hanguang-jun.

"Lan Wangji!" Sect Leader Jiang sounds almost desperate and Sizhui wishes he was still small enough to be buried with the turnips so he could escape this argument.

"Jiang Wanyin." Lan Wangji says coldly, unsympathetic. "Wei Ying will seek you out if it is what he desires. It is not my place to facilitate such discussions for Wei Ying."

Jiang Cheng scoffs. "The honourable Hanguang-jun says such pretty words as if the Chief Cultivator is not personally hiding Wei Wuxian in Cloud Recesses."

"I will not force Wei Ying to stay if he does not wish to do so," Hanguang-jun's voice is resolute, almost like a mantra he is reminding himself of. Sizhui knows little of Hanguang-jun and Zewu-jun's early life but he does know that whatever happened left both his father and uncle emphatic about teaching Sizhui to never force others into what they do not want.

"As if," Jiang Cheng sneers. "Whatever you have wanted, you have done and achieved, surpassing everyone's wildest expectations. Humiliating me at every turn, fighting at Wei Wuxian's side at the Nightless City, hiding Wei Wuxian in Mo Xuanyu's body, turning against the Cultivation World, and yet you are now the Chief Cultivator and your righteousness is questioned by no one. I wouldn't be surprised if Wei Wuxian is locked in your Jingshi at this exact moment, a little plaything for you to shape into the perfect partner to present to Lan Qiren as your cultivation partner. And Wei Wuxian would let you because he was always too ready to throw reason to the wind when it came to you."

The silence stretches out between them as Lan Wangji refuses to respond. To Jiang Cheng, Wangji simply appears as he always does during their fights: the impenetrable Second Jade of Lan. For Sizhui, he sees the flood of remorse and anguish and intense fury all reflected in his eyes, radiating through his posture, tempered through the clenching of his jaw, threatening to rip apart his body. Hanguang-jun's body is nearly bursting with how much emotion there is mired inside him.

As tense as Sizhui has ever seen him, Wangji refuses to dignify Sect Leader Jiang with a response. Instead, he looks to Sizhui, tilts his head towards the path leading down the mountain ever so slightly, and stalks off. Sizhui follows.

"You know, Hanguang-jun," Jiang Cheng says mockingly as Wangji and Sizhui are leaving. "If you killed him, Wei Wuxian would thank you."

Hanguang-jun doesn't turn around as he swiftly exits the mounds although Sizhui sees how Hanguang-jun's grip on Bichen becomes impossibly tense. As he scurries after Hanguang-jun, Sizhui turns around just in time to see Sect Leader Jiang open his mouth, perhaps to spill more venomous words. But, his lips clamp together in what is undoubtedly the Gusu Lan silencing spell before any words can come out.

Sizhui sees the Sect Leader Jiang raise Zidian and immediately turns to run after Hanguang-jun as they descend back to the foot of the mountain. He hears a tree fall over further up the path, a victim of Zidian.

Once they are at the entrance of the Burial Mounds, Wangji turns to Sizhui as they wait for Wen Ning and Jinyi to reappear.

Sizhui still feels shell shocked at all the revelations that Sect Leader Jiang revealed. Even if he does not fully understand the extent to which Sect Leader Jiang's last accusations hit upon Hanguang-jun's deepest fears, Sizhui sees how Wangji is just barely holding himself together. So he asks questions because Lan Wangji was always a good storyteller, even if no one else believes it.

"Xian-gege…." he says quietly, leaning heavily against a tree trunk without care for the bark and sap that would stain his white robes. His legs which have faithfully carried him down the mountain without the slightest stumble now feel like they are going to give out from underneath him. "Did he really give his golden core to Sect Leader Jiang?"

In a rare moment of vulnerability, Sizhui sees Hanguang-jun's eyes become misty. With a melancholy smile, Wangji says, "Wei Ying has always been too eager to burn himself to keep others warm."

It is spring. A warm breeze carries their hair into the air. Birds chirp in the distance. Yet, all SIzhui can feel is a bone-crushing sadness that leaves him with a deeply ingrained chill. Not even his own carefully cultivated golden core can burn this coldness from him.

"Did he tell you?" Sizhui whispers. He can feel his throat clamping down on his words as he speaks.

Wangji's smile fades. Even with his back as straight as ever, Sizhui can see the regret that weighs on his father. "I did not learn until recently. Wei Ying did not wish for this knowledge to ever spread beyond him, Wen Qing, and Wen Ning. Extenuating events forced Wen Ning's hand."

Sizhui is briefly surprised that his Uncle Wen Ning was involved but as the information settles in his mind, it begins to explain why Uncle Wen Ning is so loyal to Xian-gege and so adamant about Xian-gege's goodness.

Thinking back to that night in Lotus Pier after they escaped the Burial Mounds trap when Sisi and Bicao spilled the truth about Jin Guangyao, when he had chatted with Wen Ning on the docks before Wen Ning suddenly took off in a flurry of apologies with Suibian, Sizhui realizes why Wen Ning left so abruptly. He thinks back to how Hanguang-jun, Xian-gege, and Wen Ning all departed without notice. He remembers how Sect Leader Jiang stormed through all Lotus Pier, hysterically demanding everyone he came across to unsheath Suibian.

"Please do not speak of the matter to Wei Ying, or to anyone else." Wangji turns his body so he is no longer facing Sizhui directly. The wetness remains in his eyes and Sizhui can feel the sorrowful regret radiating from Wangji's body. "He wishes to leave it in the past, and I will honour that desire."

As Sizhui's throat feels oddly choked up, he simply nods. He trusts his voice about as much as he trusts his legs.

Sizhui does not doubt that Lan Wangji would personally learn medicine and cut Wei Wuxian's golden core out of Jiang Cheng's body and return it to its original owner himself if Wei Wuxian so much as felt the slightest hint of regret over his golden core. But, Wei Wuxian had made his peace with the past so Lan Wangji would do the same, if only to see Wei Ying's smile for another day.

"So Jingyi is a coward who runs away from Jiujiu," Jin Ling mocks Jingyi.

"As if you wouldn't run away from Hanguang-jun and Sect Leader Jiang's arguing if you had the choice," Jingyi shoots back, crossing his arms.

"Sizhui didn't!"

"Sizhui was raised by Hanguang-jun," Jingyi says with such pride that one would think that it was him who Lan Wangji raised. "He's the best of us."

Wei Wuxian nods in agreement. Of course his A-Yuan is the best. He thinks about the two seeds A-Yuan had brought back from the Burial Mounds, how A-Yuan had shyly given them to Wei Wuxian. Those seeds were planted in large pots in the Jingshi where they flourished under Wei Wuxian's tender care.

Expecting his brother-in-law to remind Jingyi that excessive praise is forbidden, Wei Wuxian briefly glances at Xichen but the pride reflected in Xichen's eyes proves that there is no praise too excessive for A-Yuan.

Sizhui looks quietly pleased. He had kept his promise to Hanguang-jun, and the silent promise to Xian-gege that Wei Wuxian does not know about, and omitted the parts about Wei Wuxian's golden core when retelling the fight. He had glossed over the heavier accusations, knowing it was not his role to propagate Hanguang-jun's fears. With flushed cheeks, Sizhui humbly looks at the ground for a few seconds before speaking. "It is difficult to watch Sect Leader Jiang show such discourtesy to Hanguang-jun. I don't blame Jingyi."

"Hanguang-jun isn't any better to Jiujiu!" Jin Ling tries to defend Jiang Cheng. He isn't exactly wrong, either. Wangji does not outwardly snub Jiang Cheng and his animosity is not as clearly displayed, but the sentiment is no different.

"Jin Ling," Zizhen says, "you can't possibly think Sect Leader Jiang is the victim of every argument after the Burial Mounds story. It takes two of them to even have a fight."

"That's Sect Leader Jin to you!" Jin Ling snaps at Zizhen with no anger behind his words.

"But Zizhen has a point," Sizhui says calmly, ever the model Gusu Lan disciple.

"Yeah! Jin Rulan," Jingyi smirks as he intentionally uses Jin Ling's courtesy name, "aren't you showing a bit too much favouritism here?"

"Who are you accusing of favouritism!?" Jin Ling retorts back, tilting his head up in the classic Jin display of dominance. "No one worships anyone more than you worship Hanguang-jun!" Jin Ling's face is flushed. When he regrouped with Sizhui, Jinyi, and Zizhen on a nighthunt months after the Guanyin Temple, Jin Ling had - in an uncharacteristic display of nervousness - told his friends that they could use his courtesy name on occasion because it was given to him by his Dajiu. But never in front of Dajiu because he might cry and then Hanguang-jun will stab me for making Dajiu cry.

Sure enough, Wei Wuxian is already bawling. "Jin Ling! You do love me! Ah, my poor weak heart can't take this!"

Sizhui reaches into his sleeve to pull out a handkerchief but Lan Xichen already has his out and hands it to Wei Wuxian before Wei Wuxian can resort to using his robes to wipe his face.

Wei Wuxian is still sniffling and dabbing at his eyes with Xichen's handkerchief as Jin Ling refuses to meet his eyes. "Yeah, well," Jin Ling says awkwardly, having the same capacity to cope with emotions as Jiang Cheng. For a moment, Jin Ling is quiet as he wracks his brain to think of something to say. A wet sniffle from Wei Wuxian snaps Jin Ling back into his customary short temper. "Stop crying before Hanguang-jun sees!"

"Awe, Jin Rulan is scared of Hanguang-jun!" Zizhen teases Jin Ling.

"Shut up!" Jin Ling turns on Zizhen. His elbow accidentally smacks into Jingyi's arm as he moves but Jin Ling doesn't feel too bad about it. "You would be scared of Hanguang-jun too if he kicked you out of your own kitchen!"

"Why were you even in the kitchen?" Jingyi pokes Jin Ling's shoulder repeatedly to annoy him. "Don't you pay people for that?"

Jin Ling swats Jingyi's hand aside. "It's my kitchen! Why can't I be in my own kitchen?"

"Why was Lan Zhan in your kitchen?" Jingyi and Jin Ling stop their squabble to face Wei Wuxian who is still dabbing at his eyes.

At least Jingyi faces Wei Wuxian. Jin Ling turns his body, but his eyes are bouncing around Wei Wuxian. "It was when you got yourself cursed last year," Jin Ling says in an accusatory tone.

"I didn't choose to be cursed!" Wei Wuxian protests, holding his hands up.

"You did choose to take the curse," Sizhui points out. He almost feels guilty from the betrayed look his Xian-gege gives him, but the entire incident had shortened the lifespans of everyone involved by at least thirty years so Sizhui feels a little less bad.

"Betrayed by my own son!" Wei Wuxian wails loudly. He clutches his chest dramatically and everyone ignores his theatrics. "What was I supposed to do, let the curse hit one of you baby Lans?"

Jingyi's entire body twitches at being called a baby, but he can't quite refute the label either. "Hanguang-jun punished us for that curse!"

"Wangji's report stated that a disciple intentionally entered the cave after Young Master Wei gave multiple warnings that the cave was heavily warded," Xichen points out. Jingyi says nothing. "The punishment was for ignoring a senior's instructions," Xichen adds, even though he knows the punishment was a bit harsher than necessary. Still, he cannot begrudge his brother's deeply ingrained fear of losing Wei Ying again - especially so soon after they finally married. Plus, the outer walls of the Cloud Recess buildings have never looked better. "Regardless, I believe Sect Leader Jin has a story for us."

Everyone's attention returns to Jin Ling and he straightens. "Yeah, so you better listen!"

Who makes the better soup?

Jin Ling really hadn't wanted to host Hanguang-jun and his jiujiu in Carp Tower at the same time. His advisors carefully scheduled any meetings so that there was no chance of Hanguang-jun and Jiujiu even accidentally running into each other inside Lanling.

But, those same restrictions did not apply to his Dajiu. It seemed like a good idea at the time, to allow Wei Wuxian to bring a group of Lan disciples to nighthunt in Lanling. Sizhui and Jingyi were there, as well as Zizhen as a guest disciple, so Jin Ling's only stipulation was that they had to visit him in Carp Tower before they could leave.

And it would have gone perfectly smoothly if two things hadn't gone wrong.

The first was that Jiujiu unexpectedly arrived in Carp Tower, threatening to break his legs for having his advisors write a letter to Jiang Cheng detailing Jin Ling's progress in settling in as Sect Leader instead of writing it himself.

It wasn't ideal, having his Jiujiu and Dajiu in the same place at the same time, but Jin Ling knew that they had talked out some of their differences before Wei Wuxian got married and were slowly, tentatively, building a new relationship. Jiang Cheng had even hosted Wei Wuxian and Hanguang-jun in Lotus Pier for part of their honeymoon and there were no reports of any fights breaking out and no flickers of Zidian were seen.

So, Jin Ling figured it was safe enough for his Jiujiu and Dajiu to be around each other. He could survive an awkward dinner or two.

The second problem was that his entire plan hinged on Wei Wuxian not getting injured. When he issued the invitation, Jin Ling didn't know that all Lan disciples were strictly ordered to send a signal to Hanguang-jun should Wei Wuxian attain an injury no matter how minor. Usually, since Wei Wuxian was getting better at not being the sacrificial lamb, these calls were unnecessary. When they did call, they were mostly limited to bruises, scrapes, and shallow cuts. Occasionally, they would have to call Hanguang-jun because Wei Wuxian would overestimate his energy, use too much, and collapse.

What ended up happening was that the night hunt itself went well. But, another guest disciple wandered too close to a cave that Wei Wuxian had explicitly told them to avoid and triggered a curse.

Naturally, as the responsible instructor he was, Wei Wuxian moved the curse onto his own body. What he forgot to take into account was that what little spiritual energy Mo Xuanyu's body had was not enough to suppress the curse for very long. In retrospect, everyone would have been better off if Wei Wuxian had left the curse on the guest disciple.

It wasn't long before Wei Wuxian collapsed, leading Jingyi to send out the signal.

Jin Ling was watching from the top of Carp Tower's stairs, waiting for his Dajiu to bounce in with a group of disciples following behind him on foot. Fairy sat beside him, wagging her tail because Jin Ling wanted to scare his Dajiu a little before sending Fairy away. Instead, he saw Hanguang-jun fly directly to the top of the stairs on Bichen, glaring at Fairy while holding his unconscious Dajiu in his arms. The pack of disciples followed closely behind on their swords.

Hanguang-jun ordered Sizhui to lead the disciples back to Cloud Recesses and report to Zewu-jun after they had rested for a day while he remained in Carp Tower to watch over his husband's recovery until they could safely return. Jin Ling wasn't quite sure what the curse was, other than it was very serious, fatal to most non-cultivators, and all the Lanling doctors were sure Wei Wuxian was going to die for the first three days.

It was sweet, Jin Ling supposed, that Hanguang-jun never left Wei Wuxian's side in those three days. Hanguang-jun was either playing the guqin, readjusting Wei Wuxian's sleeping position so he was comfortable, or funnelling his own spiritual energy to Wei Wuxian. Preoccupied with his own worry for his Dajiu, Jin Ling forgot to be disappointed that he didn't get to enjoy Jingyi, Sizhui, and Zizhen's brief visit.

Wei Wuxian woke up on the fourth day, allowing Carp Tower to take a collective breath of relief now that they couldn't be held responsible for the death of the Chief Cultivator's spouse. While Hanguang-jun was asleep for the first time in three days, holding Wei Ying in his sleep, Jiang Cheng briefly visited Wei Wuxian. Jiang Cheng slipped out quickly before Lan Wangji could wake up and glare at him, and so Wei Wuxian could continue recuperating.

On the fifth day, Hanguang-jun finally left Wei Wuxian's room. Wei Wuxian wanted soup and Wangji was more than happy to oblige, even if he was more than a little reluctant to leave his husband. But his husband wanted soup, so Wangji would make soup. No one was about to tell the Chief Cultivator that he couldn't borrow their kitchen to make soup.

The only problem was that Jiang Cheng was also in the kitchen, intending to make soup for Wei Wuxian. He was standing over half-chopped lotus roots, knife in hand.

"What are you doing here?" Jiang Cheng snapped as soon as Lan Wangji stepped into the kitchen.

"Jiang Wanyin," Wangji coolly greets Jiang Cheng. "Wei Ying wants soup." Concise as ever, Wangji immediately opened the cupboards and began pulling out light spices, green onions, eggs, a single garlic clove, and tofu.

Eyeing Wangji's assorted ingredients judgmentally, Jiang Cheng sneered, "Don't you know that Wei Wuxian's favourite soup is lotus root and pork rib soup?"

Calmly, Wangji rinses the green onions. Opening and closing a series of drawers before finding the knife, Wangji carefully lines up the onion stalks on the cutting board. He speaks while chopping. "Wei Ying does not want lotus root soup."

Jiang Cheng huffs an aggravated laugh. "Aren't you supposed to be his soulmate? The one who knows him best? There is no life in which Wei Wuxian doesn't want lotus root and pork rib soup."

He does not want lotus root soup in this life Wangji thinks bitterly as he remembers the last time he served Wei Ying lotus root soup in the Jingshi and ended up with an armful of crying husband.

Instead of responding to Jiang Cheng's goading, Wangji continues cooking in silence. He beats a couple eggs into a wispy stream, chops the block of tofu into perfect little cubes, and he scoops chicken stock that was previously prepared by a Carp Tower chef into a pot which he then sets on the stove.

With his own pot also shimmering on the stove, Jiang Cheng looks over his shoulder to see Wangji adding white pepper and minced garlic to his pot and laughs. "Those spices are too light. You don't know that Wei Wuxian doesn't enjoy a meal unless he can't feel his tongue afterwards?"

Unphased, Wangji simply adds the cubed tofu into his own shimmering pot. "Wei Ying will upset his stomach if he consumes such strong foods on an empty stomach." Wangji speaks from experience, having watched Wei Ying miserably throw up spicy soups on a few too many occasions.

"Please, Wei Wuxian has a stomach of iron," Jiang Cheng says with the utmost confidence.

Slowly trickling the wispy beaten eggs into his shimmering pot, Wangji says, "Not anymore." While Wei Ying truly did have a stomach of iron to survive the Burial Mounds the first time, Mo Xuanyu had a weaker constitution that was never strengthened by a golden core and Wei Ying was careful to limit his use of resentful energy only when absolutely necessary. Even as he trained Mo Xuanyu's golden core, Wei Ying could feel how much weaker Mo Xuanyu was. So, without adequate amounts of either spiritual or resentful energy to sustain his body, Wei Ying was much more susceptible to mundane illnesses and much more sensitive to how slight changes affected his body.

As Wangji stirs the pot with chopsticks, he drops in the freshly chopped green onions. Bitterly, Jiang Cheng acknowledges that Lan Wangji's soup does smell very good even if there are no lotus roots.

"And you think Wei Wuxian will choose your tasteless Gusu soup over the Yunmeng soup he grew up with? Wei Wuxian has always hated Gusu cuisine." Jiang Cheng knows he is being petty, but he has never seen a bowl of lotus root and pork rib soup that couldn't cheer up Wei Wuxian. Lan Wangji has never explained why he is so adamant that Wei Ying will want his soup, and there is no way for Jiang Cheng to know just how different his brother is now.

Before Wangji can even turn to glare at Jiang Cheng, the kitchen door slams open to reveal a breathless Jin Ling.

"A-Ling!" Jiang Cheng snaps. "Is this how a Sect Leader behaves? Running around his own home like a petulant child?" Jiang Cheng notices that Suihua is not in Jin Ling's hand, nor is it strapped to his side. He is about to lecture Jin Ling for leaving his sword behind when he is struck by memories of the last time he rebuked someone for not carrying his sword. With regret still weighing down on him, Jiang Cheng chooses not to say anything further.

For his part, Jin Ling had been in a lesson with his advisors when he heard that his Jiujiu and Hanguang-jun were both in the kitchen and immediately ran away from his advisors to hopefully save his kitchen from being destroyed.

"You...haven't destroyed my kitchen?" Jin Ling looked genuinely impressed that his kitchen is still fully intact.

"You! Do you want me to break your legs?" Jiang Cheng snaps back as he grabs a bowl and ladle. Waving the ladle threateningly at Jin Ling, Jiang Cheng orders, "go tell Wei Wuxian I'm bringing him lotus root and pork rib soup."

"No need." Jin Ling wasn't about to do as Jiang Cheng said, but it was nice having Hanguang-jun diverting the attention from him so Jiujiu wouldn't yell at him for being disobedient.

"Lan Wangji, don't think that being the Chief Cultivator means you can order my nephew around!" Jiang Cheng looks like he wants to hit Wangji with the ladle and Jin Ling desperately hopes that doesn't happen. Facing Jin Ling again, Jiang Cheng tries to shoo him away. "Go find Wei Wuxian."

Ignoring Jiang Cheng, Wangji grabs a tray and moves his steaming soup onto the tray along with a bowl, a ladle, and a spoon. Balancing his tray, Wangji stares coldly at Jin Ling. "Do not bother Wei Ying."

Logically, Jin Ling knows that is just how Hanguang-jun is. Still, he can't help but feel as if he has done something unforgivable to personally offend Hanguang-jun. You stabbed Wei Wuxian, his brain reminds him and Jin Ling shivers. Wei Wuxian forgave Jin Ling for stabbing him, but Jin Ling didn't think Hanguang-jun was that forgiving. Jin Ling could say with absolute certainty that Hanguang-jun only tolerated his existence because Wei Wuxian and Sizhui would miss him.

"You are dismissed." Wangji doesn't mean to be intimidating, exactly. While he begrudges Jin Ling for stabbing Wei Ying, Wangji understands the confusion Jin Ling must have felt at that moment. But right now Jin Ling is standing in the middle of the doorway, blocking Wangji from attending to his husband, and Wangji has been away from Wei Wuxian long enough. Even weakened and injured, Wei Ying would get himself into trouble soon enough if left to his own devices.

Never in his life had Jin Ling run so fast.

He could hear his Jiujiu yelling after Hanguang-jun while loudly cursing his own lotus root and pork rib soup for cooking so slowly and ran even faster. Jin Ling didn't know what ended up happening between Hanguang-jun and his Jiujiu with the soup and valued his life enough to never ask.

He did, however, end up having lotus root and pork rib soup for dinner.

"Lan Zhan's egg drop soup is the best soup now," Wei Wuxian says with a melancholy smile. "Lotus root and pork rib soup just doesn't taste right in this body." He thinks back to how he had mentioned the lotus root soup they had at Lotus Pier didn't taste like his Shijie's soup to Lan Zhan. Lan Zhan had frowned then, but said nothing else. When they returned to Cloud Recesses after their honeymoon, Lan Zhan had painstakingly brought back fresh lotus roots from Yunmeng and tried to recreate Shijie's soup until Wei Wuxian had burst into tears.

Too many bittersweet memories were mired in lotus root and pork rib soup.

"That wasn't much of an argument," Zizhen points out while Wei Wuxian wallows in his own memories. "I mean, it would be the height of impropriety for anyone else, but Hanguang-jun and Sect Leader Jiang were in the same space without leaving behind extensive property damage? And without the silencing spell? That's practically cordial!"

"Senior Wei was in the same building," Sizhui points out. "Hanguang-jun loves Senior Wei too much to fight with Sect Leader Jiang where Senior Wei can hear."

"A true love story for the ages," Zizhen gushes, clasping his hands against his heart and fluttering his lashes. "Forget the Cowherder and the Weaver Girl, Hanguang-jun and Senior Wei are the most romantic!"

Throughout all this, Jingyi is howling with laughter at how easily Jin Ling complied to Hanguang-jun's will as everyone ignores him. Xichen watches with slight concern as to whether Jingyi is even still breathing but says nothing. "Don't worry, Jin Rulan!" Jingyi forces out through his laughter. "Your kitchen will be safe this time too! As long as you don't try to stop Hanguang-jun from making Senior Wei soup."

With Jingyi laughing so hard, it would be too easy to push him over and leave him to roll around on the ground Jin Ling thinks. Jingyi would deserve it for using his courtesy name in front of his Dajiu again. But, his Dajiu looks so pleased with the name that Jin Ling doesn't have the heart to push Jingyi for now.

He'll just have to wait to get his revenge the next time he goes on a nighthunt with Jingyi, Sizhui, and Zizhen.

+1. Sect Leader Yao is definitely wrong

When Wangji finally returns from his emergency meditation, he ignores decorum and approaches Wei Wuxian instead of returning to his seat. Luckily, Jiang Cheng has not returned yet and no one else is in any rush to resume the conference.

"Wei Ying," Wangji greets first as Wei Wuxian breaks away from the group to shamelessly throw himself into Lan Wangji's arms.

While holding Wei Ying, Wangji looks to his brother and nods. "Sect Leader."

Xichen simply smiles and nods back, long since accustomed to Wei Wuxian's antics.

"Lan Zhan, why didn't you tell me you don't like Jiang Cheng?" Wei Wuxian's voice is slightly muffled from where he has smothered his face into the curve of Lan Wangji's neck.

"Irrelevant," Wangji says as he pulls back slightly to look at his husband's face. Concerned, Wangji cups Wei Ying's face with his palm, running his thumb under Wei Ying's eye to trace the dried tear tracks on his face. "Wei Ying, why are you crying? Who made you cry?"

Wangji's gaze has immediately hardened after seeing the remnants of Wei Wuxian's tears but Wei Wuxian throws his head back and laughs. "Don't worry, Lan Zhan! It's just that I haven't been forsaken by my own nephew. Jin Ling is using the name I gave him! Lan Zhan, did you know I chose his name? I named him Rulan for you! Jiang Cheng laughed at me when I chose it but you don't need to fight anyone. Besides, Zewu-jun can protect me while you're gone!"

Wangji briefly looks at Jin Ling with narrowed eyes before returning all of his attention to his babbling husband who is going on about how Lan Zhan is the best husband who shouldn't get in so many fights with Jiang Cheng because Jiang Cheng doesn't mean anything he says. Jin Ling continues breathing, but just barely and only because there was the slightest undertone of approval in Hanguang-jun's gaze.

Sizhui and Xichen look at each other with the practiced exasperation of family who are too accustomed to being forgotten during their innocent fits of unadulterated love. Neither begrudge Lan Wangji or Wei Wuxian for soaking in all the joy they can, but they do wish their sudden moments of love wouldn't occur in the middle of a discussion conference.

Jingyi and Zizhen are gushing over how romantic it all is, that Hanguang-jun always catches Senior Wei and wipes away Senior Wei's tears and defends what little honour Senior Wei still has and Hanguang-jun even protects Senior Wei from misbehaving Sect Leaders with big mouths who live in a literal palace of the gaudiest gold.

Jin Ling doesn't even snap back because he's too relieved that Hanguang-jun hasn't murdered him for making his Dajiu cry.

Eventually, once Wangji reluctantly extracted himself from Wei Ying's arms and Jiang Cheng returned after sufficiently destroying Carp Tower's training grounds, the conference resumed onto the next issue. The question of Lushan Bai's trade route had been rescheduled to the next day.

The new topic of discussion was an arranged marriage between Yancheng Luo and Nanyang Li. Normally, such intersect marriages only needed to be discussed between the two parties but both Yancheng and Nanyang bordered Sect Leader Yao's territory. Sect Leader Yao accused Sect Leader Luo and Sect Leader Li of conspiring to diminish his influence in the area and raised enough of a fuss that they had no choice but to bring the matter to the Chief Cultivator.

While Lan Wangji looked at Sect Leader Yao with the same unimpressed expression he had for everyone, Wei Wuxian could see where the corner of Lan Zhan's mouth curved down to indicate his displeasure at having to address such a banal issue.

"It is an outrage," Sect Leader Yao was saying, waving his arms to emphasize his words. His speech was impassioned but his words were ridiculous. "The Chief Cultivator cannot possibly allow Yancheng Luo and Nanyang Li to commit such a grievous insult to myself and my sect."

"Sect Leader Yao," Xichen says, bowing respectfully, knowing that Wangji is likely to infuriate Sect Leader Yao with his decision and tries to pacify Sect Leader Yao before that happens. The best way to pacify Sect Leader Yao is to allow him to think he holds superior knowledge over others so Xichen plays into this superiority complex. "Forgive my ignorance, but I am unsure how a marriage between Yancheng Luo and Nanyang Li is a threat."

"Ah, Sect Leader Lan, you have missed much during your seclusion!" Xichen keeps his serene smile on his face to mollify Sect Leader Yao but Wei Wuxian notices how both Lan Zhan and Lan Xichen's hands have closed into fists under the table. Sect Leader Yao continues, "It is the gravest insult to myself, what Sect Leader Luo and Sect Leader Li are doing! You see, Sect Leader Luo has only one child, a daughter, whom they intend to wed to Sect Leader Li's eldest son. A marriage between heirs is clearly an act of aggression. When their heirs inherit, it will join their lands and increase their power! They must intend to challenge my influence in the area and to oust myself from my own lands!"

"Sect Leader Yao," Sect Leader Luo stands. His voice is exasperated, as if he has had to explain what he has to say far too many times, and he does not bother bowing. "You have been privy to the marriage contract drafted between Yancheng Luo and Nanyang Li. My daughter will renounce her rights to Yancheng Luo to fully become a member of Nanyang Li. It has been agreed upon by myself, and by Yancheng Luo's elders, that my eldest nephew will inherit the position of Sect Leader."

"Yet you and Sect Leader Li are intent on forcing this marriage through despite my concerns!" Wei Wuxian thinks Sect Leader Yao is being intentionally obtuse. A cursory glance at the faces around the room prove that Wei Wuxian is not the only one who thinks so.

A man Wei Wuxian doesn't recognize stands. He assumes this is Sect Leader Li. The man bows to Sect Leader Luo and to the Chief Cultivator, but not to Sect Leader Yao, before saying, "Sect Leader Yao, as we have explained before, this is not a genuine arranged marriage. Although Sect Leader Luo and I are officially arranging the marriage between our sects, it is a love match between his daughter and my son."

"What use do leading cultivators have for love?" Sect Leader Yao laughs mockingly. "This is clearly an excuse to gain a political advantage."

Wei Wuxian watches as Lan Zhan's fists clench even tighter. He wishes he could go over to comfort Lan Zhan, to distract Lan Zhan from Sect Leader Yao's ugly words and kiss Lan Zhan's frown away. But, in spite of popular opinion, Wei Wuxian does have some self-control. He respects Lan Zhan too much to act so shamelessly while the discussion is in session.

"If I may be so bold," a peripheral cultivator from Qinghe Nie stands, bowing to all the standing Sect Leaders and the Chief Cultivator. Nie Huaisang's lower face is hidden behind his fan again, but his eyes shine with approval. "Love matches seem to be quite successful. Hanguang-jun and Wei-furen have accomplished much since their marriage and we are all prospering from their happiness. Hanguang-jun is truly the most righteous of leaders and Wei-furen's inventions have advanced our nighthunts greatly."

Everyone's eyes fall on Wei Wuxian who can't hide his shock. He knew everyone tolerated his presence at these meetings because he was the Chief Cultivator's spouse, but he had been forsaken by the cultivation world for so long that he never dared to consider that a new generation of cultivators would acknowledge his existence willingly - nevermind praise him openly.

A rare moment when Wei Wuxian was rendered speechless, he looked to his husband who was smiling sweetly at him. Lan Zhan's fists relaxed, now resting palm down on his robes. His eyes radiated love and pride at Wei Wuxian.

The moment Wei Ying shared with Lan Zhan was cut short as Sect Leader Yao exploded. "Nie Huaisang! The Headshaker is truly as useless as they come! Is the Unclean Realm bereft of discipline? What would Nie Mingjue think of what you have done to the great Qinghe Nie, allowing your disciples to admire a monster like Wei Wuxian? You have brought it down to just a fraction of what Nie Mingjue built it up to! You dishonour the great Chifeng-zun's legacy!"

Nie Huaisang's face is unreadable, but Wei Wuxian sees how Nie Huaisang's expression hardens. "Why Sect Leader Yao, I really don't know. Wei-xiong has always been kind to me. I don't see why we must slander Wei-xiong so."

Wei Wuxian sees what Nie Huaisang is doing immediately. Beside him, he sees Lan Xichen shift as Xichen also realizes that Huaisang is intentionally leveraging Sect Leader Yao's distaste for Wei Wuxian to further derail the conference because Jiang Cheng and Lan Zhan will defend him.

"As expected of The Headshaker!" Sect Leader Yao crosses his arms, looking down on everyone in the room. "You deny that Wei Wuxian is a heretic who murdered cultivators in cold blood? You deny he sacrilegiously violates the dead to use them against the righteous path? You dare compare us just cultivators who have followed the righteous path with that miscreant?"

Even though none of these accusations are new, or technically wrong, Wei Wuxian feels a familiar cold resentment slowly building in his chest. He quickly thinks of Lan Zhan kissing him, cooking for him, feeding the rabbits with him, their wedding night, until he feels the resentful energy dissipate. Wincing, he looks to his husband. Lan Zhan is still seated, but his fury is unmistakable. "A divergent path does not need to be heretical," Lan Zhan says. "Wei Ying is not corrupt."

"Is the Chief Cultivator denying the crimes we have witnessed Wei Wuxian commit with our own eyes?" A couple rows behind Wei Wuxian and Lan Xichen, Jingyi and Sizhui share a look. Is Sect Leader Yao really going to provoke Hanguang-jun?

"Decisions are not made in a vacuum. Circumstances can drive righteous people to commit reprehensible acts." Lan Zhan looks at Sect Leader Yao the same way he looked at Su She at the Burial Mounds and in the Guanyin Temple.

Ouyang Zizhen, sitting at his father's side, looks as though he might cry from the sheer romanticism of watching Hanguang-jun defend his love with his own eyes.

Disregarding all propriety, Jin Ling buries his head in his arms. His advisors, all sitting around him, cannot even begrudge Jin Ling's lapse in professionalism. They had only made preparations for Sect Leader Jiang and Hanguang-jun. Sect Leader Yao was not supposed to start a fight.

Sect Leader Yao does not know when to stop. "You defend a vile man who disrespects the laws of nature, who fancies himself a living God, who killed his own senior sister?"

At the mention of Jiang Yanli, Jiang Cheng suddenly stands in a flurry of angry purple robes. This is a common scene but this is the first time his wrath is not directed towards Hanguang-jun. "Sect Leader Yao," Jiang Cheng snaps, "do not presume to understand my A-Jie's sacrifice!"

"Do not disrespect what you cannot understand." Lan Zhan slowly rises to his feet, Bichen in hand. He is no less angry than Jiang Cheng.

The room is overcome with absolute bewilderment at the sight of Hanguang-jun and Sect Leader Jiang in agreement.

At some point in the chaos, Sect Leader Luo and Sect Leader Li sat back down, happy to let Sect Leader Jiang and the Chief Cultivator argue with Sect Leader Yao in their stead.

While Lan Zhan and Jiang Cheng are going off on Sect Leader Yao for his lack of decorum (regardless how one might view Wei Wuxian, he is the Chief Cultivator's spouse and deserves the respect befitting that role), for his disrespect for the dead (the audacity to dishonour Jiang Yanli in her own married home, and before her only son!), and for his ungratefulness toward all Wei Wuxian had done for the Cultivation World, Wei Wuxian notices Lan Xichen chuckling softly beside him.

Sensing Wei Wuxian's confusion, Xichen explains with a smile. "You are at the root of Wangji and Jiang Wanyin's disagreements. Both care deeply for you, even if they have difficulty accepting the other's feelings. It is only natural that you are what finally brings them together."

Jin Ling's cries of despair go unnoticed under Jiang Cheng, Lan Wangji, and Sect Leader Yao's voices. Carp Tower will probably need a new conference hall after this.

The shell Jiang Cheng mentions in Nie Huaisang's flashback is a reference to how the earliest form of Chinese currency was probably seashells due to linguistic tracing of radicals in Chinese characters. CQL/MDZS draws from several dynastic periods so….shells.

I did choose to have the Nie disciple address Wei Wuxian as Wei-furen the same way Madam Yu is Yu-furen and Madam Jin is Jin-furen. Furen is usually translated as "Madam" or "Mrs." because most married couples are heterosexual, but I feel like it should be acceptable to use furen regardless of gender. Since a husband is zhangfu, I interpret furen to be more like "one who is connected to fu." If that makes any sense? My immigrant butt is not Chinese enough to be trying to explain this.

The Sects that I made up come from actual places with significance in Chinese history. Lushan is a mountain in Jiangxi which is beautiful and very important for a lot of complicated reasons. One reason is because it inspired a lot of classical poets. I chose the surname Bai after the Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi who was inspired by the flowers that grew on the Western side of the mountain. Baideng comes from the Battle of Baideng during the Han Dynasty. Gao is taken from Emperor Gaozu who was the Han Emperor who lost the battle. Yancheng Luo comes from the Battle of Yancheng during the Song Dynasty near modern-day Luohe which is where I took Luo. Nanyang Li comes from the Battle of Nanyang and Li comes from Li Zicheng who was a rebel leader during the late Ming Dynasty whose rebellion arguably helped the Manchus overthrow the Ming and establish the Qing Dynasty.

The little package Sizhui sees Jiang Cheng holding in the Burial Mounds flashback is the comb Jiang Cheng gave to Wen Qing.