Chapter Text
Lan Zhan POV:
I learned many things about Wei Ying on our walk.
One, which was already quite obvious, was that he was a talker. He talked the whole way, and not once did the conversation feel awkward because I didn’t say anything. He could jump from topic to topic, and he made everything sound like a fun adventure, even if it was as mundane as watching ants walk or connecting the drops of ink that accidentally fell on his paper when he first started writing.
Another fact that actually answered my question was that he isn’t a Jiang by blood but lives with them. Apparently, they adopted him three years ago. He didn’t explicitly say his parents were dead, but I think it was implied when his eyes almost became dull and he changed the subject. I’m not going to ask more about it either. He can tell me when he wants to–or when he’s ready.
“So anyway, and then we–”
Wei Ying followed my gaze to the words engraved over the double doors after I stopped walking.
“Ah! We’re here! Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan! Let’s go! You have to try Shijie’s lotus root soup–it’s the best in the whole world!”
He released my hand and ran through the door, looking back once to make sure I was following before grinning and running ahead.
I walked to the center of the courtyard. It was decorated with only a few trees in the corners of the large area, and I saw Wei Ying bickering with two other kids, both dressed in the same purple General Jiang was wearing.
They were probably his children.
The young boy Wei Ying was arguing with was about the same height as him and looks close to the same age. The other, who was probably the older sister, was trying her best to be the peacemaker between the two.
“You didn’t need to run off! The dog was just a puppy–it wouldn’t have hurt you!” the boy in purple yelled.
“It was running and I panicked!” Wei Ying said, slipping behind the purple boy every time he turned to avoid his line of sight.
“Stop–stop moving! I’m trying to talk to you!” the boy in purple yelled frustrated, but I could see a smile making its way to his face, betraying him.
“Okay, okay. Let’s all calm down now.” The girl grabbed the collars of their robes. They both froze and looked at her.
“Now, A-Xian, you shouldn’t have run off like that. If anything, it made the dog want to chase you more, and we were very worried about you.”
Her words must have made the purple boy embarrassed because his face looked as red as a crabapple.
“I was not! I was just worried he’d embarrass us with his loud mouth!” he proclaimed with his own loud mouth.
It seemed Wei Ying didn’t believe that one bit, and the smirk on his face showed it.
“Awww, Jiang Cheng was worried about me~” he cooed.
The purple boy—whose name, I suppose, is Jiang Cheng—looked flustered and angry. If the girl hadn’t been grabbing his collar, he probably would’ve tried to punch Wei Ying, and the thought made me frown.
“A-Xian, no teasing!” Her grip on their collars tightened. “You shouldn’t have run away, and A-Cheng, we both know how he is around dogs. That’s why we keep him away from them.”
“I’m not that bad.” Wei Ying pouted and looked away, crossing his arms.
The boy in purple scoffed. “Didn’t you just run through the palace chased by a dog while screaming bloody murder? You can’t tell me I’m wrong!”
“Well, you’re wrong!” he said with his chin held high in defiance.
“That’s a lie!”
“Yeah, but it doesn’t mean I can’t say it anyway!”
“What–?”
He looked at Wei Ying more confused than anything, and his sister just looked between them and sighed, clearly used to this routine.
“A-Xian, please apologize for running off.” Even though he looked disgruntled, he obliged.
“I'm Sorry, Shijie. Sorry, Jiang Cheng.”
The two in purple accepted the apology-the boy looking smug, and “Shijie” seeming satisfied as she released their collars.
Only then did she look up at the rest of the courtyard to see me standing ten feet away.
“Oh! I am so sorry! How long have you been standing there?”
Before I could tell them I arrived with Wei Ying, he darted over and looped our arms together.
“This is my new best friend, Lan Zhan! I met him just now in the palace. He scared the dog away!”
“No, I just told the guards to take it back,” I corrected.
“Same thing, same thing—too many details!” He waved his hand gently, like he was swatting away those extra details as if they were pesky flies.
I looked over at the Jiang siblings, and they were just standing there wide-eyed—the boy with his mouth open and the girl covering her mouth with her right sleeve.
“A-Xian!” she gasped.
“Yes!” Wei Ying replied, looking surprised and confused.
The Jiang siblings both bowed and started to apologize, the girl leading.
“Your Highness, I am sorry for my brother’s disrespect. We are still trying to get him to pay attention to his lessons in aristocracy. He never remembers names.”
So he wasn’t playing dumb. I thought so. I’m a little disappointed his ignorance of my title came to an end so soon. But luckily for me, instead of letting go of my arm after hearing my title, he inhaled sharply, sounding extremely offended.
“YOUR HIGHNESS?!” he shouted. “Why didn’t you tell me? Were you teasing me?” His eyes glimmered with mischief, and even I could tell he wasn’t actually upset.
“You didn’t know; I didn’t want to correct.”
His exaggerated frown turned into a smile.
“Sooooo, can I still call you Lan Zhan?”
I nodded, and he hugged my arm slightly tighter. I looked back to the Jiang kids—they’d already risen and were staring at us, confused.
“What’s going on?” the purple boy asked.
“Well, like I said earlier, this is my best friend Lan Zhan, and he’s apparently a prince.”
The boy in purple looked at Wei Ying like he’d grown a second head. The girl just started giggling, and it almost looked like she was reminiscing.
“I guess we should’ve expected this—or at least something like this.”
The boy lifted his hand to rub his temples.
“I knew he’d stir up trouble, but I didn’t think it would be before we even walked through the door!” His eyebrows furrowed, and he kind of reminded me of my uncle—if he were younger—when talking about an ‘acquaintance’ he used to know.
Wei Ying looked like he was about to argue with the boy, but the purple girl lightly coughed into her hand to bring back attention.
“I’m sorry—we got off track and didn’t introduce ourselves.” She bowed while speaking. “I am Jiang Yanli, the eldest of my father, General Jiang’s children.”
The boy in purple quickly followed suit. “I am Jiang Cheng. Courtesy name: Jiang Wanyin.”
They both stood up, and Jiang Yanli said, "and you already know A-Xian.”
I nodded my head in acknowledgment.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, and I sincerely apologize for any inconveniences you’ve experienced while waiting to be escorted to your rooms.”
Jiang Yanli lifted her arms and started waving her hands awkwardly. “Please, Your Highness, there is no need for an apolog—”
Before Jiang Yanli could finish her sentence, Wei Ying, who was still hugging my arm, spoke up.
“We accept your apology! Though you really need to keep your dog on a tighter leash—or just not have them! Who lets dogs run around when visitors are visiting? I heard during my host lessons that that’s very rude!”
Jiang Wanyin looked like he was about to strangle Wei Ying but held himself back.
“They brought the dogs because apparently Father told them I used to have three, and they had new puppies they thought we’d have fun playing with while we waited. You’re just scared to death of them.”
Wei Ying was about to argue back, so I covered his mouth with my hand. He mumbled something angrily into my hand, and it kind of tickled. He could have swatted my hand away, but it seemed his hands were already occupied hugging my arm—and letting go apparently wasn’t an option.
But I still needed to show them to their rooms, and we’d already wasted enough time here. Though, I would never consider my time talking with Wei Ying a waste. I could be spending more time with him if they were in their rooms. I could help him get settled and show him around the palace. I feel like he’d enjoy seeing all the secret passages. Plus, if a dog escapes, he could use them to quickly find me so I could send it away. He would glow and thank me for saving him again…
Wait—no, what am I thinking? He’s scared to death of them! And even if a dog did escape, he should be going straight to a guard or an adult for help. Wanting him to come find me while he’s unbelievably frightened is very selfish—and acting selfishly is against the rules.
I must have gotten lost in thought because Wei Ying stopped mumbling into my hand, held my other, and stared at me with one eyebrow raised. I removed my hand from his mouth and apologized, but he just grinned.
“Anyway, my brother and I were supposed to escort you together, but we ran into General Jiang and he was lost, so he said he’d show him to the room and asked me to bring you. But then I met Wei Ying, and it took a little longer.”
There wasn’t any luggage in sight, so I assumed the butlers must have brought it to the rooms when they walked out of their carriage.
“So, if you would please follow me, I’ll bring you to your rooms.”