Chapter Text
The first thing Shen Ye Zun, King of Dixing, did after:
- sending Shen Wei and Zhao Yun Lan off to rest and recover
- getting Lin Jing started on his research and calling for one of the Human’s favorite Dixingren technicians to help
- formally greeting Her Excellency Zhu Hong, Leader of the Yashou Alliance, and directing her to accommodations complete with a bevy of servants in order to be properly pampered
- promising his friend Zhu Hong that everything would be okay and he would visit with her later
- giving Guard Commander Meng Qian Xue (belatedly in attendance after being recalled from holiday) instructions regarding how all their guests should be treated, what to do with the criminal now in custody, and how they should secure the still dangerous site
was to retreat to the royal chambers, throw everyone out, sit down against the back wall and try to have a nice, quiet panic attack in peace. He was unsuccessful.
Xiao Guo was a natural born busybody and Zhi-ge had picked up the habit from Guo Chang Cheng. So here he was sandwiched firmly between the two of them, having his hands held and his back intermittently rubbed as they talked him through an exercise to help him get his breathing back under control.
It was not easy being the King.
Frustrated, he began knocking his head against the wall. He managed it twice, before Chu Shu Zhi inserted his hand, cradling Shen Ye Zun’s skull even as he harshly admonished, “Just because you are King, does not mean you are allowed to break the rules.”
Shen Ye Zun frowned, but stopped. Self-punishment was forbidden. Normally it was Shen Ye Zun doling it out to Chu Shu Zhi, but the puppet master had been known to reciprocate.
Witnessing the interaction, Guo Chang Cheng reflected that his partners’ relationship could best be described as “complicated”. He didn’t really understand it as he had zero inclination that way himself, but as long as they followed the rules he just shrugged his shoulders and let them have at it. He was insistent that he not be left out of the aftercare, however. Chu Shu Zhi usually found his catharsis during, Shen Ye Zun tended to break down after and then Guo Chang Cheng was allowed to take care of them and spoil them both rotten. That was everyone’s favorite part anyway.
Thinking he had the main problem that was worrying Zun-ge identified, Guo Chang Cheng tried offering reassurance, “I am sure Shen Wei is going to be all right now.”
Shen Ye Zun made a sound that was supposed to be a laugh, but couldn’t quite make it past his efforts to get his breathing back under control. He widened his eyes at Chu Shu Zhi and tilted his head back towards Guo Chang Cheng.
Chu Shu Zhi patted Shen Ye Zun on the shoulder before going back to holding one of Ye Zun’s hands in both of his. He inhaled deeply and dropped the bombshell news.
“We are pretty sure he died.”
Guo Chang Cheng blinked at them speechlessly. “I think I would have noticed …?”
Shen Ye Zun made that sound again.
“Xiao Guo, you haven’t even noticed you are probably immortal yet,” Guo Chang Cheng accused with mild irritation.
“I have too.” By the Haixing calendar Guo Chang Cheng was 56 this year and he looked exactly the same as the day he started working at the SID. He had noticed. His Aunt and Uncle had noticed, which was why he had stopped video calling them and only sent them letters anymore. “I just kind of assumed we all were.”
Exposure to the Hallows could have unpredictable effects. Shen Ye Zun had gotten stuck in the pillar for 10,000 years. Shen Wei had sort of napped his way through that, waking periodically in concert with the ebb of the Hallows’ power and his brother’s need. Da Qing had lived through 10,000 years, even if he didn’t really remember a lot of it. Zhao Yun Lan was now part of the Guardian Lantern and Lin Jing, Zhu Hong, and Guo Chang Cheng seemed to have stopped aging. He assumed Chu Shu Zhi had stopped as well though it was harder to tell with Dixingren because they already had a much longer lifespan. And if he hadn’t, Guo Chang Cheng knew where the Longevity Dial was kept.
Chu Shu Zhi shrugged at him. “After you got Ye Zun out, I touched Shen Wei,” he frowned at the memory. “There was nothing there, it was a shell.”
“But …,” Guo Chang Cheng waved a hand in the vague direction of Shen Wei and Zhao Yun Lan’s palace apartment. Where, when he had inquired, Zhao Yun Lan had informed him that Shen Wei would probably sleep and soak up dark energy for a week but overall he was fine, thank you very much.
Shen Ye Zun nodded at the unspoken refutation. “Gege is just that stubborn.” He drew in a deep breath which seemed to finally settle the worst of his anxiety. “It helped that Zhao Yun Lan was there, refusing to let him go.”
Guo Chang Cheng thought Ye Zun had probably helped as well, but he was unlikely to think that. Zun-ge had a huge blind spot about himself. “And he promised,” Xiao Guo said instead.
“Promised what?” Shen Ye Zun asked, “To who?”
“He promised Chu-ge to be there when he woke up.”
“That would help as well,” Ye Zun agreed. “Gege does like to keep his promises.” He theorized some of that was due to guilt over his “abandonment” of his Didi. Shen Wei’s resolve to keep his promises had caused some friction between Zhao Yun Lan and himself when he could not in good conscience join the SID due to conflicting allegiances. Consult with them yes, but he could promise them neither obedience nor loyalty.
“So, if we are all accidentally immortal because of the Hallows,” as so often happened, Xiao Guo’s curiosity was drawn to the most important issue, “what do you get when you use a Hallow to connect a piece of another Hallow with the stubborn vestige of someone already affected by the Hallows?”
“I am not entirely certain. However, given Zhao Yun Lan’s newfound ability to create weather underground, perhaps …,” Ye Zun shrugged eloquently, “accidental gods?”
Xiao Guo contracted his hands comfortingly around the one between his. No wonder Zun-ge had had a panic attack.
“What else is worrying you?” because something was. Ye Zun had that distracted, eye wandering expression he always got when he was having difficulty coming to terms with something.
“I am fairly certain I am going to have to execute Ding Dun.”
Well, shit. Killing someone, either accidentally or on purpose, was pretty much Shen Ye Zun’s greatest fear. There was a reason he tried not to use his abilities very much. He was terrified of them. Guo Chang Cheng had tended to him and held him as he wept after he had gotten brutally mugged, so relieved he hadn’t sucked the life out of two thieves who didn’t know who they were dealing with that he couldn’t hold back the tears. Xiao Guo had made him get his cane electrified after that. And convinced Chu Shu Zhi to teach him to non-lethally defend himself.
“Are you sure?” Guo Chang Cheng asked very quietly.
Chu Shu Zhi snorted. “Ding Dun committed murder, attempted murder, and if you hadn’t saved his stupid ass” – Chu-ge nudged Ye Zun – “it would have been regicide. I’m sure.”
“I’m not going to have a choice,” Shen Ye Zun had just about resigned himself to it. “People already think I am a monster. If I don’t come down hard after an attempt on the life of the Justicar and an inadvertent attempt on Hei Pao, they are going to wonder if I can be deposed.”
Shen Ye Zun would go along with that idea in another few centuries or so. Unfortunately the way the political factions were aligned at the moment meant the next King would most likely halt travel between the realms, might even stop all communications. Dixing would become insular again and with no outlet for growth, creativity, or change it would stagnate and become a breeding ground for those coveting what was known and inaccessible above. The whole stupid, vicious cycle would start again. He had to punish Ding Dun to hopefully prevent anyone else from making an attempt to destabilize the government.
“You are not a monster,” Guo Chang Cheng insisted. “Say it.”
Shen Ye Zun set his jaw. “I don’t want to be a monster.”
Chu Shu Zhi nudged him again. “Close, but incorrect. Say it.”
Shen Ye Zun stared at the ceiling briefly. “I am not a monster.” He really wished he could believe it. “But I am King. And the King sometimes has to do unpleasant things.”
Guo Chang Cheng didn’t want to suggest it, he didn’t like the idea of anyone killing anyone, but it was technically part of his responsibilities, so “Hei Pao …?”
Shen Ye Zun shook his head. “I would be surprised if Hei Pao can stand up on his own at the moment. And this needs to come from the top down. I’m going to have to do it because they need to remember how I got this job.”
Chu Shu Zhi leaned his head against the wall, “It should probably be public. Maybe even broadcast.” He turned his head a bit to regard Ye Zun, “That means it will get out, the news will get above.”
Shen Ye Zun dipped his head once, “That might not be a bad thing. We have opened the door but we don’t want a massive wave of tourists down here. We want the scientists and researchers and those who need to come below the way some down here need to go above.”
Ye Zun was hoping the gateway would prove to be a safety valve for both societies. If that wish came true, he suspected Gege was right and the Midlands could someday be used to physically connect the realms. Just as in the past, it might provide a shared space for the three races to live and work together. He took another deep breath, he was ready to do what was necessary, “Okay, we have a plan. Let’s get to work.”
His companions did not move. Shen Ye Zun was pushing himself too hard. Sometimes as King he had to do that. Sometimes it was duty. Sometimes it was habit. Sometimes it was an effort at distraction from memories that were riding him too hard. Sometimes it was atonement. Always it was up to Chu Shu Zhi and Guo Chang Cheng to make sure he didn’t burn himself out being King. Sometimes he needed to be told to stop, and just be their friend Ye Zun.
“Tomorrow,” Chu Shu Zhi insisted.
“It can all wait until tomorrow,” Guo Chang Cheng agreed.
*****
It was very odd for Shen Wei to so passively remain in bed. However, it did provide Zhao Yun Lan with the opportunity to delight in being on the receiving end of sleepy snuggles from the love of his life. A week after his encounter with what the Chief of the SID fervently hoped were the last remnants of that ancient meteorite, Shen Wei’s energy reserves were still low. Under normal circumstances the two of them in bed meant a round of energetic coupling and then Shen Wei would pet and cosset his lover until Yun Lan fell sleep. Going on the theory that people usually give what they would like to get, Zhao Yun Lan used the excuse of Shen Wei’s recovery to be the primary giver of cuddles. And maybe he was satisfying his desire to play with the hair. As impractical as it was, he really had a kink for long-haired Shen Wei.
“I’ve missed this,” Shen Wei commented drowsily as Zhao Yun Lan finished tying off the braid. The last person to do his braids for him had been Kun Lun.
“Still kinda mad at you,” Zhao Yun Lan said, continuing to stroke the dark tresses. They should probably have this conversation now that they were far enough from the main event their tempers would not burn so hot.
Shen Wei shifted slightly to more comfortably rest against his Yun Lan pillow, “Can you tell me truly you would have done any differently than I did?”
Zhao Yun Lan snorted. “No.”
Shen Wei propped his chin on Zhao Yun Lan’s chest so he could raise his eyebrows at him. “Which of course is why I get so upset with you, when you recklessly disregard your health and safety for an uncertain goal.”
“Whereas you,” Zhao Yun Lan waggled his head back and forth, “just risk your health and safety for a certain goal.”
“Exactly,” Shen Wei smiled.
“That is an infuriating argument,” Zhao Yun Lan smiled back.
“If you are still all that upset,” Shen Wei’s smile turned into a playfully evil expression, “you could punish me for it later.”
Zhao Yun Lan’s brain went offline for a minute as it contemplated the possibilities. “That is a totally underhanded way to win an argument,” he complained good-naturedly, and a little bit ambitious on Shen Wei’s part. Considering Shen Wei had spent the majority of the week in bed, quietly soaking up energy, bedroom games were wishful thinking at the moment.
Shen Wei laughed and rolled off his pillow and onto his back, the better to reach and hold onto Zhao Yun Lan’s hand. “But completely fair when you do it.”
“Yes, definitely,” Zhao Yun Lan kissed the hand that held his captive. “This is a one way street Professor.”
“Hmm, not anymore,” Shen Wei’s tone was reflective, watching as Yun Lan tried to decide if he wanted to keep kissing fingers or move on to other body parts.
Zhao Yun Lan glanced at him in confusion. He seemed to have totally lost the thread of the argument.
“Haven’t you noticed?”
Shen Wei was about to go all professorial on him. With the long hair no less.
Shen Wei moved their joined hands to poke him gently with a finger in order to focus his attention. “Look inside.”
Okay, that was a fairly simple exercise. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the connection between them. He hadn’t really done any admiring of it lately as he had been busy admiring the living, breathing Shen Wei. But now that he was paying attention he could see that it had changed. What had once been a cord binding them together was now a taijitu.
They didn’t need a cord. They were white and dark energy curling around each other, each nurturing and protecting the core of the other. Yin and yang, separate but forever together in orbit around one another.
“This is great,” Zhao Yun Lan pronounced smugly, “You can’t ditch me next time.”
Shen Wei huffed at him, “I didn’t this time.”
“One phone call Shen Wei. That’s all it would have taken,” Zhao Yun Lan disagreed with a mild glare, “I was literally upstairs from the Door. You could have called and I would have met you there.” He was becoming impatient with Shen Wei’s failure to acknowledge his argument. And a little hurt.
“Yun Lan.” Shen Wei sighed and capitulated gracefully. “You are correct.”
Zhao Yun Lan did a small double take. He knew he was right, he just didn’t think Shen Wei was going to admit it.
“I’m sorry I did not think to call you for help.” Shen Wei’s thumb was rubbing across the back of Zhao Yun Lan’s hand. “My only excuse is that for a very long time I was the help.” He looked up into Zhao Yun Lan’s eyes. “There was no one with more ability. No one with more knowledge. No one with more authority.” Shen Wei’s gaze skittered away. “No one,” he said softly, like it was some sort of shameful admission.
Zhao Yun Lan forgot at times that this particular issue was fighting against 10,000 years of inertia. Zhao Yun Lan had had Shen Wei at his back from practically the first moment he had met him. Both times. Before and after Shen Wei he had had a team of people to help him, along with family and friends and superiors to guide him.
Shen Wei had had himself. Too young he had lost his parents, his world, his brother. Too young a champion for the oppressed. Too young a general at war. Perhaps after so long alone, he was too old and set in his ways to behave any differently.
“Hey,” Zhao Yun Lan reached over with his free hand to lay his fingers against his partner’s cheek drawing Shen Wei’s gaze back to his own, “you have me now. And apparently we are inseparable. So you are going to have get used to having me tag along on your adventures.”
Shen Wei smiled the special smile that Zhao Yun Lan had only ever seen directed at himself. It was soft and bright and his eyes reflected warmth and love and happiness, the whole effect making him appear both impossibly young and eternally knowledgeable.
Shen Wei covered Yun Lan’s hand with his own, “I do.”
So naturally, having reaffirmed their vows to one another - they were interrupted by a knock upon the door.
“Aaraargh,” Zhao Yun Lan’s head dropped in aggravation.
Shen Wei had the audacity to laugh at him. “Answer it. If they think we aren’t here they may take the opportunity to barge in and clean up after us.”
“After me you mean,” Zhao Yun Lan shamelessly declared his guilt.
Servants waltzing in and out of their apartment was yet another reason Zhao Yun Lan wanted to go home. But they were stuck here until Shen Wei soaked up enough dark energy to fully recover. So Zhao Yun Lan metaphorically put on his big boy pants and abandoned the comfort of the bed and his bed warmer to answer the damn door.
Zhao Yun Lan was expecting one of the maids, or maybe one of the errand runners with a message or a snack depending on who happened to be thinking of them at the moment. Instead the open door revealed Yu Huian, who was effectively the director of palace affairs. A little bit surprised because he couldn’t recall a recent screw up of protocol bad enough to rate a visit from her, Zhao Yun Lan stepped back to let her enter.
She bowed precisely first to Zhao Yun Lan and then to the reclining Shen Wei. She remained respectfully inclined forward as she addressed Shen Wei. “With apologies, gracious Lords. The King is ill and not receiving visitors.”
Zhao Yun Lan observed Shen Wei’s polite attention become laser focused.
“Or allowing the servants to attend him,” her tone held muted distress. One of Yu Huian’s primary responsibilities was seeing to the comfort of the King. It was a duty she took seriously, and seriously enjoyed after so many centuries of a rapid succession of monarchs who completely lacked any interest in or appreciation for things other than administrative matters. “Perhaps his brother would be so kind as to pay a visit.” Her bow deepened in supplication.
“I would be honored to pay my respects to His Majesty.” Shen Wei responded formally. “If you would wait outside a moment, I will be with you shortly.” Shen Wei waved a hand dismissing her in practiced manner that never failed to catch Zhao Yun Lan by surprise. He was a regular guy and the conventions of Dixing sometimes struck him in a way that made him think he had hit his head and was dreaming of an alternate universe.
Yu Huian again deepened her bow even as her body posture relaxed. She smiled as she straightened and retreated to the passageway.
Zhao Yun Lan began silently cursing. Shen Wei was going to get up and exert himself when he should still be resting and enjoying his turn at being pampered. It wasn’t as if he did not understand why he was going to do it, Shen Ye Zun was his twin after all. However, he could admire and respect Shen Wei for doing his familial duty while at the same time resenting him for hurting himself. Which he knew would be Shen Wei’s exact reaction were the situation reversed. As frustrating as it was, sometimes you had to just stand by and wait to pick up the pieces.
Shen Wei levered himself upright slowly. As he scooted himself to the edge of bed Zhao Yun Lan took note of and bit his tongue against commenting when the movement caused a slight drain of color from his face. Too thin, hollow eyed, and far too easily exhausted - frankly, Shen Wei looked terrible. As resilient as he had been in his recovery he still looked fragile. Despite his poor appearance, Zhao Yun Lan preferred it to the weird perfection Shen Wei had attained under the influence of the meteorite fragments’ malignant drain.
Shen Wei paused a moment in his efforts to rise from the bed, took a fortifying breath and spoke, “Zhao Yun Lan. Help me.”
“Wow!” Zhao Yun Lan remarked softly. And then with delicate curiosity asked, “Did it hurt to say?”
“No,” Shen Wei huffed at him with a small smile. “But it is something I had to learn to do.” Shen Wei’s expression turned earnestly serious, “I am sorry it took so long.”
“Stubborn, stubborn man,” Zhao Yun Lan’s smile was broad, so proud of Shen Wei’s continual efforts – technology excepted - to learn and grow. “Let’s go help your brother.”
Zhao Yun Lan rummaged through the wardrobe to find Shen Wei’s scholar robes and some shoes. Helping him into the robes he couldn’t help but notice the similarity the deep blue color had to the Professor’s favorite suits. As Shen Wei stood, Zhao Yun Lan straightened the cloth across the shoulders so the folds fell correctly, twitching his fingers free after the calluses caught against the embroidery. Light being intermittent and strange in Dixing, texture instead of gilt or precious stones were the signs of wealth or status.
Zhao Yun Lan gave Shen Wei his arm to lean on, thinking how strange his companion looked dressed for public but with the long hair. Even in Dixing, maybe especially in Dixing, Shen Wei usually wore his glasses and his hair short as he was under the impression they made him seem more approachable. Zhao Yun Lan suspected that, by leaving his hair long and loose, Shen Wei was kink catering. He planned to enjoy the thoughtful gesture to its fullest and he would be sure to show his appreciation later. Which was probably the exact goal ever canny Shen Wei had in mind.
Except when there was an entertainment happening or Shen Ye Zun was in the process of plotting with or against the court, corridors this deep in the residential section of the palace were usually sparsely populated. Today, instead of minions running hither and yon doing the King’s business, it seemed like everyone was standing around, looking mildly anxious, and bowing with even more respect than usual to Shen Wei. They obviously expected him to fix something.
Shen Ye Zun was ill. How exactly did that happen? Outside of recent events, Zhao Yun Lan had never seen Shen Wei ill. Okay, he had managed to give himself alcohol poisoning that one time. He hoped they weren’t dealing with poison. They had just barely dealt with a murderer. You’d think the schemers would give it at least a week.
“Was your mother very upset about dinner?” Shen Wei asked, nodding at the next bowing figure in the seemingly unending line.
“Dinner?” Zhao Yun Lan, deep in his musings, was a bit blindsided by the non sequitur.
Shen Wei stopped suddenly, much to the consternation of the shepherding servants. “We were supposed to have dinner with your mother tomorrow night. You did call and make our apologies.” Shen Wei said it as a statement instead of a question. As if that would help make it true.
“Umm.” Yeah, Zhao Yun Lan had totally forgotten to phone his mom. He was in so much trouble. Shen Wei had reminded him and everything - disappointed and regretful and begging Yun Lan to make abject apologies on his behalf because he wasn’t yet recovered enough to return to the surface.
“Zhao Yun Lan.” Shen Wei’s disappointed look was a fearsome thing. “When was the last time you talked with your mother?”
“Last week?” A great deal of trouble. Because the cardinal rule, set in metaphorical stone by his late and not always lamented father, was that she was not allowed to call. It was a rule established before phones could be easily silenced and so ingrained she’d never been able to break it.
“So the only news she has heard about you in a week,” Shen Wei’s tone had attained that dry delivery that meant Zhao Yun Lan was in even more trouble than he had previously suspected, “is what has been reported in the news feeds and papers or what has been discussed and dissected on the news broadcasts.”
“Ah.” Zhao Yun Lan squeezed his eyes closed as he realized just how deep the hole he had dug for himself was. All he had to offer was the lamest excuse ever. “I’ve been a little busy …?” his intonation going up with his shoulders, his expression a combination of apology, cringing guilt, and hope that he would be forgiven. Soon.
Shen Wei knew it was in fact true that his partner’s time had been thoroughly occupied. When Zhao Yun Lan had not been doing his very best to look after Shen Wei, he had been popping up and down all week long dealing with the buildup and fall out of Ding Dun’s trial and execution.
In the end, they had collectively decided against broadcasting the events, but Cong Bo had been allowed access to the proceedings as a representative of the Haixing media. The news and information had quickly gone viral. While everybody had heard about the door opening, because the two realms had been communicating for thirty years with increasing consistency, it had been seen as a gradual expansion of business as usual. Reaction to restricted travel between Dixing and Haixing had been some mild interest and even milder concern. So mild that the topic had relatively quickly been supplanted in the news cycle. Murder, however, was always good copy.
With Da Qing still catting about and not at SID to help ride herd on all the new members, Zhao Yun Lan had had to bear the brunt of the media’s scrutiny. The damn cat griped at him for years to come back topside, and just as soon as he did had taken off in a snit. He wondered if curiosity at the news would win out over the other aspect of his cat nature, having gotten what he wanted he then had to pretend he didn’t want it, and get him to come home.
Yu Huian was all but quivering to get Shen Wei moving so - with an exasperated roll of the eyes towards Zhao Yun Lan - he obliged her. Upon reaching the royal chambers they found Chu Shu Zhi in a silent standoff against Guard Commander Meng.
The Guard Commander smiled upon seeing him, “Physician Shen.” Chu Shu Zhi huffed and moved to the side to allow Shen Wei to meet her face to face.
Shen Wei nodded at the least used of his titles, “He has forbidden friends and family, hasn’t he?”
She bowed respectfully.
“I’ll see to it.” He materialized his staff, a lovely piece of wood easily the length of his Gonggong that Ye Zun had sent him. Since Didi had chosen it, it naturally coordinated well with his scholar’s robes. He leaned on it instead of Zhao Yun Lan.
“Call your mother Yun Lan, she worries,” Shen Wei not quite ordered as he was allowed through the door, past the relieved expression of Meng Qian Xue and the grumpy acceptance of Chu Shu Zhi.
Entering the sleeping chamber, Shen Wei was immediately struck by the aroma from latest results of an upset stomach emanating from a bin by the bed. He banished the mess promptly and stirred the air to disperse the smell.
“Should you be doing that? Should you even be out of bed?” Shen Ye Zun complained, looking at him balefully from his own resting place. “You’ve lost weight.”
Shen Wei sent a thread of energy - which Shen Ye Zun absorbed thoughtlessly along with the information it contained - as he made his way slowly across the room.
“Hmmfpf,” Ye Zun commented. Gege still looked ill, but his energy was almost fine. He could push his body through to full recovery now, which is what he usually did, even though it was always better to take it slow. His jaw literally dropped when he figured it out. “You are indulging Zhao Yun Lan.”
“He’s had a hard week,” Shen Wei smirked. He propped his staff up against the wall next to the bed. “Budge over.” Ye Zun obligingly rolled away as Shen Wei climbed onto the surface, laying down against the bolster. Ye Zun then rolled back, sprawling over his brother and suffering his hair to be stroked. Allowing himself to be held and comforted in a way they had not often found the time and peace to enjoy.
“How long are planning this indulgence to last?” Ye Zun asked as he burrowed into his brother’s side.
“Intellectually he knows I am close to fine,” Shen Wei’s hand passed through the length of Ye Zun’s hair, gently detangling the snarls, “His heart needs a little more reassurance. He will eventually run out of things he thinks he needs to do for me, even broken up as it has been by his trips above.”
Ye Zun puffed out an amused breath, “He outed himself rather spectacularly.”
“Hmm,” Shen Wei continued his grooming efforts, “He never thought it was a good idea to pretend to be his own nephew. The administrative bureaucrats are somewhat annoyed their plans have been thwarted. However, they have had to bend to the public acceptance of him. The rumor mill seems to have helped pave the way there.”
“Been admiring yourself on the social media platforms?” Didi snickered.
Shen Wei suppressed a smile, letting him have his fun. The notoriety from the photo of Hei Pao being carried by the Lord of the Guardians was annoying, but he did not worry about his image the way everyone seemed to think he did. And he was always pleased to have another picture of Zhao Yun Lan to add to his collection.
“I’ll know he’s reached the end of his ideas when he offers to cook.” The twins shuddered in concert. Zhao Yun Lan had a great many accomplishments. Cooking was not one of them.
“I don’t know why I am sick,” Ye Zun offered quietly. Usually he knew. Usually it was his lungs causing the problem, or a reaction to the medicine meant to aid his lung function.
“Your brain is unhappy with you, so it has convinced your body that you have been poisoned,” Shen Wei clarified for him. “The body’s primary reaction to poison is to expel it, hence the sickness.”
Ye Zun expelled a deep breath from his cooperative lungs, “I wish there had been another way.”
“You could have let me do it.”
“You could barely stand up.” Ye Zun had been quite concerned Hei Pao was going to pass out before the end of the trial. Not, he suspected, as concerned as Zhao Yun Lan had been. Shen Wei had solved the problem by picking a dramatic moment to summon his yanyuedao, slammed it on the ground with a clang that reverberated through the chamber, and leaned on it until everything was concluded. “Dixing needed to witness the deterrent. If this demonstration can make it unnecessary to repeat the exercise, then it will have been worth it. But …”
Shen Wei felt the shudder that traversed Didi’s body. “But …”
Ye Zun’s voice was small and ashamed, “I enjoyed it.” And he was mightily afraid he might reawaken his addiction to it.
“Did you execute him because you wanted to?” Shen Wei’s voice held no censure, only a mild curiosity. Because he knew any other reaction would end this conversation immediately. And Didi needed to have this conversation.
“No,” Ye Zun answered positively. He had racked his genius brain trying to find a way around it.
“I have killed a great many people, Didi.”
Ye Zun glanced up at his brother in surprise. Gege was staring at the ceiling fiercely, even as he held his sibling in gentle arms.
“In battle. For the purposes of justice. In defense and attack. Sometimes accidentally. Or mistakenly.” Shen Wei swallowed down against his own nausea. “And I have hated myself for the blood I have spilled.”
Ye Zun repressed the urge to reach up and touch the tear trail on his brother’s face.
“I have never killed because I wanted to. But if I had known the rebel general I strategized against during the war was the man who had kept you from me,” Shen Wei looked down to hold his brother’s gaze, “I would have hunted him down and killed him with a great deal of satisfaction.”
Gege was crying. Gege should not cry for him.
“So I just wanted revenge?” Ye Zun wasn’t sure believing that would make having done the deed any easier to bear.
“Did you?”
Ye Zun explored the concept. “He hurt you.” Killed you, he thought, there had only been a whisper left. Less than that, Shen Wei had been an idea held in place by determination and love. “He hurt Chu Shu Zhi. He would have killed Cheng-ge.”
“Yes. I imagine your gratification in his death is not a particularly welcome feeling,” Shen Wei’s countenance held nothing but patience and acceptance, “but I think it not at all unusual you should feel this way. Do you need me to justify the execution?”
Ye Zun could not look at his brother’s unconditional love any more. He hid his guilty face against Gege’s chest and gave the tiniest of nods.
“His crimes were manifest,” Shen Wei began his lecture with a dispassionate tone, “the evidence clear, supported by testimony of accomplices and witnesses. He admitted his guilt during the trail. The Justicar and the Envoy agreed upon the sentence. It was witnessed and sanctioned by the Lord Guardian, representing the Humans, and Her Excellency Zhu Hong, representing the Yashou Alliance.” He took a breath and hugged his trembling Didi. “But this isn’t the exoneration you are looking for.
“What has you so terrified that you are making yourself ill is the thought you might start indiscriminately absorbing those around you.”
Ye Zun bent his head further into Shen Wei’s robes. It was his turn to cry.
The Nightmare Master had given him an all too believable vision of what he could have become after 10,000 years isolated in the Pillar - an insane raging monster. Ye Zun had raged, oh how he had raged the first couple of millennia. And then Gege was there and Ye Zun had raged at him. Probably about the midpoint of his confinement he had stopped raging and started to listen. To allow Gege to tell him he had never been abandoned. Accepted his companionship until Hei Pao was required above to find the missing Hallows. Gege had broken the pillar rather than leave him behind.
Shen Wei waited until Didi had tired himself out. “Tell me brother, would he have stopped?”
“What?” Ye Zun sniffed.
“If,” Shen Wei relentlessly laid out the speculation, “you had pronounced the judgement as mercy, as you did the last time he stood before you, if he declared himself remorseful and willing to atone, if he had served out some sentence - would he have then killed again?”
That was a most difficult question because it forced Ye Zun to review what he had seen when he had devoured the mind of Ding Dun along with all of his energy. Having to do a task he most definitely did not want to do, Ye Zun had tried focusing on the revenge aspect in order to just get through it. He had thought of Chu Shu Zhi drawn into a trap by the murder of a man for no better reason than he had looked like Guo Chang Cheng. Guo Chang Cheng almost led to his death had he not thought to request Shen Wei’s accompaniment. Shen Wei bleeding out energy to protect Zhi-ge. Ye Zun had allowed himself to get angry, then fostered the anger in order to wring every last ounce of revenge possible and so in the course of absorbing the essence of Ding Dun he had ruthlessly examined the man’s life and thoughts.
Ye Zun was intimately aware that the mind of Ding Dun had hungered for more death. The man had killed and enjoyed it. Had plotted and planned and enjoyed that. Had watched the spring of his trap and rejoiced. Ding Dun had until the very end relished the chaos and destruction and death.
Ye Zun, in his detailed dissection of Ding Dun, in his absorption of his essence into himself, had been very much remined of how that had felt and was terrified he would be desirous of it again. It was a powerful and intoxicating feeling to be able to manipulate those around you.
Ye Zun scrambled over his brother to hurl into his bin. By his point he was only able to expel a bit of bile before his efforts to turn himself inside out degenerated into dry heaves. Exhausted and heart sore he fell down against his Gege.
Ye Zun wondered sometimes what would have happened all those millennia ago when he knelt at his brother’s feet, if he had been truly repentant and not just focused on the murder of or being murdered by him. Would he have been executed for his crimes the way he had executed Ding Dun?
Shen Wei again dismissed the mess. He stroked his hand across Didi’s forehead and hair soothingly. “Your reservations and this reaction is why I am not worried. You already know you don’t want to be like him, quit making yourself sick thinking you have to be him.”
“I was,” Ye Zun admitted miserably. “I was exactly like him. I should have the same fate.”
“10,000 years imprisoned in the pillar, my brother,“ Shen Wei sighed, “I think everyone would agree you have paid for your transgressions.”
“Some things can’t be paid for,” Ye Zun countered wearily.
Shen Wei nodded unseen by his guilt ridden brother. “Why did you go to work for SID?”
Ye Zun did not understand why Shen Wei wanted to talk about this now, so he provided the most basic answer. “They wanted me.”
He’d been flattered really. They had asked for him specifically. He had suspected at first Gege had put them up to it, but Gege couldn’t lie to save his life so the lack of awkward silences and passive acceptance of governmental security when Ye Zun discussed job offers meant the SID had truly desired him based on his own merits.
“So did many others,” Shen Wei remarked. “You could have stayed at the University. You could have moved into the private sector for research or development. Of all the offers you had, you chose SID why?”
“I thought it might help you.” Which while true, was not the whole truth.
The SID had been recruiting to fight the scourge of monsters and had had no idea they were engaging one. Ye Zun had enjoyed the irony. And he had thought it would not be boring infiltrating and spying on the Guardians. Maybe he had been under the influence of too many dramas, a form of entertainment not available in Dixing at the time, but he thought it would be interesting and exciting working for the SID. And if it turned out they were too terrible, he would tell Gege and Gege would take care of it.
However, it proved to be that the SID was not targeting all Dixingren. They were after the predators and the breakers of the peace. So Ye Zun did his job and watched and assisted from the edges. And then Zhao Yun Lan had come and the SID had changed, and Ye Zun thought maybe he should truly help and started entanglingly himself with Lin Jing’s inventions.
“Since you have been able to choose,” Shen Wei said carefully, treading lightly on reminders of past unpleasantness, “not a prisoner of situation or circumstance, since you have been able to conceive of a path other than survival or simply moving forward - you have chosen to help.”
Ye Zun resisted the impulse to disparage that tedious therapist Shen Wei was surely quoting. When therapy with someone demonstrably less intelligent than them had proved to be a failure, Gege had made him read the research. Familiarity with the literature, however, did not actually make him feel any better about it.
Shen Wei reflected on the fact that both of them had been relatively young when the Hallows came into their lives. Ten thousand years had physically matured them into adulthood, but he thought emotionally they had only recently got there.
“And in helping you have allowed others into your life who would like to help you in return.” Shen Wei tapped a gentle finger against Ye Zun’s forehead to turn his thoughts away from self-flagellation. “You don’t have to do this to yourself. Or by yourself.”
Ye Zun thought about that for a moment. “Even when I hated you, I knew you were there.” He had needed his hatred. It had given him a goal, a reason to live through another in a lifetime of horrible days. “For a little while I thought you were going to die and leave me alone, and I got an idea of what you felt then.” When Gege had believed his Didi was dead and he was alone in a world gone mad.
“And …?”
“Didn’t like it.” That was the grossest of understatements.
“But even if one of us dies,” Shen Wei declared, “neither of us is alone anymore.”
“Zhao Yun Lan.” Ye Zun acknowledged his brother’s husband.
“Guo Chang Cheng and Chu Shu Zhi,” Shen Wei countered, as Didi’s companions came as a set. “Beyond them we have an extended family in Da Qing, Zhu Hong, Lin Jing, even Zhao Yun Lan’s mother. All of these people will help you, but like I had to learn to ask, you are going to have to learn as well. Maybe we could start by asking Xiao Guo to come in?”
“Maybe.” Ye Zun tentatively agreed, his hold tightening on Shen Wei.
“You have to know what would happen,” Shen Wei patiently returned to stroking his brother’s hair, “if your nightmare came true.”
“You would stop me.” That had been part of the nightmare as well, what Shen Wei would do to himself, sacrifice of himself to put an end to an out of control beast.
“I would. But you also know that Xiao Guo and Chu-ge would reign you in as well.”
Ye Zun plucked unhappily at the bedcovers, “Maybe Guo Chang Cheng is …”
Shen Wei immediately cut off that idea, “Hmmpf, no one but me has come to visit because they have not been asked nor allowed to come. Your palace retainers have followed your instructions to bar friends and family.”
Ye Zun rocked his head back to look up at his brother. His only family, here in attendance.
Shen Wei smiled at him, “You forgot to forbid a physician and your guard commander was happy to exploit the loophole.”
“I didn’t know they cared,” Ye Zun returned in bafflement.
“Of course they do,” Shen Wei scoffed. “They love you.” He continued in the face of Ye Zun’s disbelief, “They have a king who actually acknowledges their presence, allows himself to be looked after, and is courteous.” Shen Wei pulled a braid in the childish reminder of an older brother to younger to always mind his manners. Guo Chang Cheng would need to redo the braids soon, that would settle them both down nicely. “When I arrived I found Chu Shu Zhi at an impasse with Meng Qian Xue. He is currently guarding the door to make sure you are undisturbed and I estimate you would have had another day at the outside before Guo Chang Cheng succeeded in badgering someone enough to allow him to sneak in and demand to know why you are hiding yourself away.”
“Oh.” Ye Zun was astounded.
“Yes, ‘Oh’. Do you want me to save him the trouble and send him in?”
“Yes, no, yes.” Ye Zun could not make up his mind, so he changed the subject. “I told him about what we think you are becoming. Are you worried about it?”
“I have had a lot of time to contemplate,” Shen Wei began. “I do not believe in coincidences, but I do believe in serendipity.” Not following his brother’s reasoning, Ye Zun raised his eyebrows at Shen Wei.
“What is the likelihood of that meteorite being a naturally occurring metal?”
Still unsure as to the direction of the conversation, Ye Zun answered, “The universe is vast.”
“So some dying or emerging star sends this thing out into the universe,” Shen Wei speculated. ”What is the likelihood it lands on a settlement of people most likely to die from its effects?”
“Gege,” Ye Zun gasped in horror.
“Our people came here by space ship,” Shen Wei reminded him. “If you get on a ship and travel, why do you stop?”
Ye Zun began listing the possibilities, “Arrival at destination or goal reached. If you are exploring, you liked the look of the place. If you have an accident, you have no choice. If you are trying to hide ...,” he was beginning to understand it was this last possibility that was worrying Shen Wei, “That implies pursuit. But it was such a long time ago.”
“We are a long lived race," Shen Wei pointed out, "How much longer did we live before coming here and adapting to this environment?”
It was Ye Zun’s turn to speculate, “The meterorite landed when Dixing, Human and Yashou were working together, were just beginning to make great advancements together.”
“What we are trying to do again,” Shen Wei concluded his warning to the King of Dixing. He was thinking he and Zhao Yun Lan would need to take a wander after he finished straightening out SID. They would need to determine what their abilities and limits were in order to better be prepared in the circumstance that someone was watching. In any case there would be time.
Shen Wei broke the temporal bubble that he had encased himself and Ye Zun within, allowing them enough time to talk without further upset on the part of servants. He looked to the door in anticipation, as he had aligned the bubble with Zhao Yun Lan’s desire to break in and tell them something.
“Ma, Ma, Ma,” Yun Lan was expostulating as he burst through the door, “I will. Right now. Gotta go, bye.” Zhao Yun Lan put his phone away and took a deep breath as he looked at Shen Ye Zun contritely. “Okay so I made my excuses for missing dinner, but I don’t know when we are going to get back up topside and she wants to see that Shen Wei is okay and being adequately looked after and I may have invited her here to visit.” His audience was speechless. “Sorry?” he apologized sheepishly.
Shen Ye Zun sat up abruptly. “You invited your mother.”
Zhao Yun Lan nodded, hoping the smile would help sell the idea.
“You invited your mother here,” Shen Ye Zun pointed down at his bed emphatically, but clearly he meant invited to Dixing.
Zhao Yun Lan kept nodding, turning up the wattage on his smile.
“OMG,” Shen Ye Zun exclaimed, “There is so much to do! Where is Xiao Guo?”
Shen Wei laughed delightedly as his Didi almost literally bounced out of the room.
Zhao Yun Lan was a bit confused, “Wait. What?”
Shen Wei continued laughing, this time at Zhao Yun Lan. “Your mother and he are great friends.”
“Really?” Zhao Yun Lan thought back, “All these years, every time he sent his respects to my mother he really meant it? He was not just being polite?”
Shen Wei shook his head tolerantly still chuckling to himself. An attempt to pull his staff to his hand reminded him that he may have overextended himself. But that was alright, he motioned Zhao Yun Lan over to assist him. He had Madam Zhao’s visit and her effect on Didi to anticipate and Zhao Yun Lan to lean on.
He could hardly wait to see how their story would go on.