Chapter Text
Wei Wuxian excitedly flitted around the library. But no just any part of the majestic Gusu Lan library.
The Restricted Section.
Very rarely were Gusu Lan disciples themselves given permission, and here he was, a visiting guest, looking at all these ancient scrolls.
Wei Wuxian was in awe, his eyes sparkling as he pulled out scrolls on arrays and talismans, unrolling it and absorbing the knowledge in it as he sat down.
He'd already looked at the very few scrolls they had on Butterfly Boned Beauty Feasts, and it was all stuff he already knew, so he decided he would expand his knowledge on this instead!
He moved to a table instead of just sitting by the bookshelf, humming happily as he gently unrolled the scroll again, and started making notes, pausing every now and then to listen. Even though he knew he had permission, he still felt on guard, his senses high on alert.
He got up again, once he was done absorbing everything in that scroll like a sponge, moving to put that scroll back where it came from.
He hummed, picking a few more scrolls to read on arrays, talismans, and musical cultivation! Lan Qiren had encouraged him to explore the library when he confided in him how he wanted to learn it all.
He smiled softly at the memory of Lan Qiren, scolding him, telling him he was free to do as he pleased.
"Listen, A-Ying. The lectures are for you to learn, and the knowledge in the library is yours to explore. I have given you permission to explore the entirety of the Gusu Lan archives, and I expect you to take full advantage of that!"
Wei Wuxian giggled. "Okay, okay, Lan-JiuJiu! This one will do exactly that!"
As he wandered the empty library, lost in his own thoughts, he yelped when he suddenly grabbed by his upper arms and whirled around.
He dropped the scrolls as he was brought face to face with a very angry looking elder. "What are you doing here!?" He demanded, breaking the rule about no loud noises and Wei Wuxian winced at the tight grip on his forearm.
"L-Lan-Xiansheng said I cou-"
"Lies!" The elder barked, dragging him out of the library, berating him. "Lan Qiren would never give such an unruly boy such as you permission to use the Restricted Library!"
Wei Wuxian struggled, and failed to get out of that grip. Damn the Lan Clan arm strength! "Please, I'm not lying!" he pleaded, feeling his eyes burn with unshed tears of pain and anxiety. No, no, no! He couldn't cry, no!
Many disciples watched as he was dragged throughout all of Cloud Recess, including Lan Wangji. He looked confused, and Wei Wuxian turned pleading, shiny eyes towards him.
Many disciples turned to talk to one another as Lan Wanji met his gaze, his eyes hardening, and giving him the slightest nod, before he turned around, walking as fast as he could without breaking rules. Wei Wuxian had no idea where he was going, but he hoped it was to get help. He could already feel the kiss of Zidian on his back for getting into such big trouble and shaming the Jiang Sect.
Lan Wangji walked as fast as he could to the Hanshi, where he knew his uncle would be, having his midday tea with his Xiongzhang.
He didn't know why Wei Wuxian was in trouble, and to be honest, he didn't care. All he knew was that the elder dragging him away was notorious for cruel punishments over small things can he could not let Wei Wuxian be subject that to sadism.
He burst into the Hanshi, seeming slightly disheveled. His Xiongzhang and Shufu were up immediately, having never seen him in such a state. "Wangji?" Lan Qiren asked.
Lan Wangji took a deep breath, composing himself despite his worry. "Elder Mu has taken Wei Ying in for punishment!"
Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren stiffened. Lan Xichen asked, "Isn't that the elder who proposed to Cangse Sanren, and got.. erm turned down in a rather…"
Lan Qiren scoffed, and both nephews startled at the unusual noise coming from his mouth. "He deserved the humiliation. He's just looking for a reason to take out his grudge on her! Where has he taken A-Ying?"
They rushed to the pavilion where Wei Wuxian would be punished, and as they barged in…
"Lan-Qianbei, please!' Wei Wuxian tried again. He passed by Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang, who rushed after them, asking what was wrong, and begging for the elder to let it go. "Let it go?" the elder boomed. "He was in our sacred library without permission! That is a grave crime!"
Wei Wuxian tugged again. "I'm telling you, I had permissi-" Wei Wuxian gasped as his voice cut of, a vice constricted around his throat. The Gusu Lan silencing spell.. but the crueler version. Lan Wangji had told him how there was a different spell they used to silence criminals, by constricting their airway, and making it hard to breathe.
Wei Wuxian clawed at his throat with his free hand, wheezing as he and the elder entered a pavilion, leaving his friends behind.
He was forced onto the ground, where he obediently kneeled, his hair out of its ribbon and a curtain around his face. His red ribbon, while trusty, was getting old and frayed. He'd need a new one.
Anyways, as he kneeled properly, he thought that maybe if he behaved, he wouldn't get into much trouble.
Oh, how wrong he was.
The elder called upon two disciples who looked at him with piteous looks as the grabbed his arms and held him in place. The elder raised the Disciple Paddle. "For dishonoring our secret library, and for the crudeness your mother once sent my way!' he boomed.
Wei Wuxian's eyes widened as he realized why he was being punished so harshly. Lan Qiren had told him a story about an elder who his mother had turned down, and who she insulted for going after someone so much younger than himself. This must be him. He was taking out a grudge on him, his mother's child and exact copy.
Wei Wuxian arched his back, letting out a muffled cry as the paddle collided with his back, already irritating the unhealed scars from Zidian across his back. The disciples' hands shook as they held his arms, their faces a mix of sympathy and horror.
Wei Wuxian slumped his, eyes stinging with pain. If he were back in Yunmeng Jiang, getting punished, it was always in private, and if he cried, no one would know apart from Madame Yu and her two maids. Here, if he cried… Wei Wuxian did not want to think about the consequences.
But he could not hold on any longer, the pain overtaking his mind as his back ached.
The doors were flung open as a golden tear streaked down his cheek, and landed on the ground, solid gold. Lan Qiren's eyes widened with horror as more streaked down his red cheeks from exertion, landing with little plinks on the ground.
The disciples froze, letting go of his arms as he brought his hands up to his face, trying to wipe his tears, but it was to late.
The disciples, the elder, and Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen had seen him crying.
Lan Wangji's eyes widened as he saw the gold tears slip down that pale curve and onto the ground. He glanced at his family to see his brother looking shocked, but not is uncle.
Was this what they had talked about on the first day of the lectures?
That.. that Wei Wuxian as the Butterfly Boned Beauty Feast?
As he thought about it, everything started making sense.
His delicate features, and his weak core, despite being so powerful, with a high level of cultivation. Him getting sick so easily, and his lack of physical strength.
As he watched Wei Wuxian bring his hands up to his face, trying to hide behind them, sobbing slightly, his heart ached. He wanted to hold Wei Wuxian, to tell him everything was fine, that he would not be subjected to what others of his kinda had been subjected to.
He would be safe.
But he watched Wei Wuxian struggle to breathe, clawing at his neck, he realized that spell put on him, and quickly released it. Wei Wuxian gasped, his sobs much for clear now as he bent over, covering his face and his heart broke just a bit more.
And as much as he yearned to comfort him… he was worried that his words would not have much effect, if any.
Then, the doors barged open again.
Solid gold tears on the ground as he covered his face, trying to breathe, but he couldn't! His chest was constricted and everything was too much, people speaking over him, calling out to him, asking if he was okay, what happened, but-
The doors were flung open again, and it was Jiang Cheng standing in the door, eyes blazing. "Is this how the Head Disciple of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect is going to be treated over petty things in the Gusu Lan Clan?" he demanded, flanked by two Senior Jiang Disciples who were glaring at everyone in the room, eyes narrowed and accusatory.
Wei Wuxian hiccuped, tears still escaping his eyes, rubbing his eyes, his head swimming, but that familiar voice bringing some clarity in an otherwise blurry world.
Jiang Cheng had the disciples stand outside as he walked in as the elder opened his mouth. "What is this!?" he screeched. "The Jiang Sect has a Butterfly Boned Beauty Feast?"
Jiang Cheng raised a brow. "What do you mean?"
The elder sputtered. "His tears are golden!"
Wei Wuxian flinched, curling into himself as a gentle hand touched his back. He startled, flinching again, this time, more violently, away from the hand. He looked up, with puffy, swollen eyes to see Lan Wangji, whose hand was awkwardly out in the air. "Wei Ying," he murmured.
Meanwhile, Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. "Fine. So what if we do? What is the Lan Clan going to do about it? You can't take him from us without causing a war."
Lan Xichen smiled in a pacifying sort of way, though he was panicking internally. This was a total mess! "We have no intention of even telling anyone of this, don't we Elder Mu?"
The elder sputterd. "Why not? Not only is he worth billions, his ability to enhance cultiv-"
"I'm sure I did not just hear you say that?" Lan Xichen interrupted, his smile gone and his face dark. "Talking about selling a person, about using them for your own gain, all of which goes against Gusu Lan Precepts! If such things were to come out… you would surely be stripped of your title and voice."
Elder Mu's eyes blazed as he turned towards Wei Wuxian, a hungry gleam in them.. "Who are you to stop me?!"
Lan Wangji was up immediately, shielding the slighter boy behind him, his hand on his sword's hilt. "Take one more step closer, and I will sever your head form your shoulders."
The elder stopped. He knew he was no match for the Second jade, not many were. But he hissed, "I am an elder, you ungrateful boy! You will do no such thing."
He froze as the cold tip of a blade touched the back of his neck. Turning his head slightly, he saw Lan Qiren had unseated his sword, and was pointing it at him. "For breaking our clan rules and precepts, Elder Mu will be stripped of his title, whipped 5 times with the disciple whip, and…" here there was only an emptiness in his voice, "will lose the right to his voice."
Elder Mu gasped. "You cannot do that!"
Jiang Cheng added, "Also, he could still write. Besides, there's those two," he gestures to the two Lan disciples still in the room, cowering.
Lan Qiren stroked his beard. "Elder Mu will also be forced into seculsion. Anyone who approached him will met his same fate. As for them…" he nodded already at the disciples. "If they value all that they have, they will remain silent."
As they were dismissed, Wei Wuxian had ceased his shuddering, though he was still sobbing silently, golden tears plinking onto the wooden floor. As Jiang Cheng joined Lan Wangji on the floor, holding him, Lan Xichen couldn't help himself. "How long have you guys known?"
Jiang Cheng shot a glance at him. "Known what?" he asked his posture protective, and his tone unwelcoming.
Lan Xichen hesitated, and Lan Qiren answered. "We believe Jiang Zhongzhu knew what Wei Changze was, but not Cangse Sanren."
Jiang Cheng stood up, glaring at Lan Wangji, who had moved to keep Wei Wuxian in his embrace again. "Wait, both of his parents were…"
Lan Qiren nodded. "Cangse told me about herself and Wei Changze. While Wei Changze did not seem it, due to the fact that he was powerful, and did not cry golden tears, he was Butterfly Boned Beauty Feast. On the other hand, Cangse Sanren was also like him, except for the fact that she did cry gold."
He nodded to Wei Wuxian, who was still held tightly by Lan Wangji. "He cries golden tears, and his powerful. He simply lacks physical strength and… a weak constitution due to his… damaged core."
Lan Wangji gasped, looking up from where his face was buried in Wei Wuxian's hair. Lan Qiren sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. This was a violation of Wei Wuxian's privacy, but they needed to explain it fully now. He trusted his nephews, but they also needed to know Wei Wuxian's limitations, and to be more careful with him. "Due to his time on the streets, his core is not in… perfect condition."
Wei Wuxian shivered again, whimpering softly, and Lan Wangji hoisted him into his arms. "I will take him to the healing pavilion," he announced, leaving no room for argument.
Jiang Cheng glowered. "I can do that."
Lan Wangji simply walked out.
Jiang Cheng raced after him, and Lan Xichen turned to his uncle. "A Butterfly Boned Beauty Feast…. can help one attain immortality, is that right?"
Lan Qiren nodded.
Lan Xichen continued. "And Wei Wuxian… with his heritage of both parents being… yknow… does that make his… abiltiies more powerful?"
Lan Qiren tilted his head, stronking his beard as he considered this. "I supposed it does, cause some Butterfly Boned Beauty Feasts have diluted blood, so dual cultivating or consuming them won't help much. With Wei Wuxian though, I'm willing to bet even a few drops of his blood is enough to improve one's cultivation by leaps and bounds."
Lan Xichen shuddered slightly as he wondered what kind of fear Wei WUxian had to be living in everyday, to hide such a thing, such a thing that could ruin his life. Something that could trap him in the claws of vultures that could rip him apart and consume him without a second thought.
"And… Wen Ruohan, wants to attain immortatlity. With a Butterfly Boned Beauty Feast… could he do that?"
Lan Qiren nodded gravely. "Which is why we must do everything in our power to not let Wei Wuxian's truth out."