Chapter Text
The death of his father had forced Lan XiChen out of hiding, and projected him at the forefront of their sect. It was lucky, really, that the Qishan Wen Sect found itself too busy with other matters to remember Lan XiChen had refused to obey their orders. Or perhaps they remembered his rebellion, and simply considered the Gusu Lan Sect to no longer be worth their time. They would not be wrong. Unless forced to be sufficient events, they would focus on rebuilding Cloud Recesses for months. It might have been their plan all along.
The Qishan Wen Sect had many plans. Another was to establish Supervisory Offices in several major cities situated on the territories of other sects. That, unacceptable as it was, might have ended up tolerated out of fear, as so many of Wen RuoHan’s decisions were, if not for the massacre committed by his son’s forces in Lotus Pier. After all that the Cultivation world had allowed, finally there had been an accident too terrible to be born.
There would be a war, and the Gusu Lan Sect would take part in it.
Troubling as that perspective was, it was not the only problem on Lan XiChen’s mind… though he suspected his other source of worry was linked to the first. Since escaping that cave on Dusk-Creek Mountain, Lan Wangji had behaved oddly. Not in a way that might be noticeable to someone who did not know him, of course. In fact, Lan XiChen was confident that even people who knew his brother and saw him daily had not noticed the change. It was Lan Wangji’s blessing and his curse to be hard to understand, but his brother knew him as no other did. So did their uncle, for that matter, and he was the one to first mention the subject.
“He’s distracted,” Lan QiRen complained to his nephew one afternoon, as they were reviewing what forces their sect could contribute to the conflict about to break.
Lan XiChen sighed softly. “There is still no news of Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian. He does not have many friends, his mind won’t be at rest until we have more news.”
“Good riddance if Wei Wuxian never returns,” Lan QiRen barked. “It doesn’t help, but that’s not it. I’ve seen that look he has on someone else before. Your father was the same before his mistake.”
It was always unpleasant to hear of his mother referred to as Qingheng-Jun’s mistake. Lan QiRen hardly ever called her anything else, resentful of a passion that, he thought, had deprived their sect of the full guidance of a brilliant man.
“He never spoke of anyone in such a manner,” Lan XiChen protested.
“He never speaks much at all.”
“Hm.” That was a fair point, though Lan XiChen would be upset if his uncle were right. Lan Wangji had always spoken to him, or at least made sure to express himself in a way his brother would understand. At least, he used to. This had been another change, but not as recent. A result of growing up, perhaps, or an effect of him making a new friend who liked to pull him into less than respectable adventures. Nobody could tell their family what they did with Wei Wuxian.
“I will speak to him,” Lan XiChen promised.
“Do not let him make your father’s mistake,” Lan QiRen warned. “He’s too similar to your father.”
A passionate dreamer under the icy demeanour, that was Lan Wangji indeed. Meanwhile, Lan XiChen had always suspected he took more after their mother, this practical woman who had agreed to a marriage that would save her from justice. What needed to be done, he did.
And what he would do was talk to his brother.
No matter what was going on that he tried to hide, Lan Wangji was a boy of habits and his brother always knew where to find him at any given moment of the day. That left Lan XiChen free to decide precisely where and when to approach him for a conversation that would surely be enjoyable for neither of them.
In the end, it felt most appropriate to join him in the Jingshi. Lan Wangji had somewhat claimed the place as his own since the rest of Cloud Recesses had burned. That little house had been untouched by the fire thanks to its isolation, but no one had considered using it to lodge the sect’s disciples due to its history. Out of them all, only Lan Wangji saw it as a homely place, and when he returned that night, it was to find his brother waiting inside with some tea for both of them.
“I thought we had not had many chances to spend time together,” Lan Xichen explained, answering his brother’s silent question. “Things have not been easy, but we should always be able to speak.”
Almost imperceptibly, Lan Wangji’s eyes narrowed. That was as close to a guilty expression as he had ever shown. Still, ever the obedient brother, he sat down on the other side of the table and waited.
“You have not said much about what happened when the Qishan Wen Sect took you,” Lan Xichen said, pouring tea for both of them. “To be wounded and worried, among such people… I can only hope those around you helped you when you needed it.”
Lan Wangji did not answer, but took the offered cup of tea.
“In adversity, we often find those we can truly count on,” Lan Xichen continued, used to such silences but watching carefully for subtle signs. “I know I received unexpected help when I most needed it. I wonder if you too found such people?”
Imperceptibly, Lan Wangji’s grip on the cup tightened.
“I see. Uncle thinks that, perhaps, while away from us you found someone you might want as your cultivation partner. Is he wrong?”
This time, the reaction was rather stronger than Lan Xichen would have expected: his brother looked away, while his ears took on a delicate pink hue. There could be little doubt. Lan Wangji had met someone, and that had led to intense emotions.
“I know our parents have set an example to be avoided, and that our uncle never sought out this sort of partnership, but you do not need to hide this from us. We would be happy to welcome whoever you choose among our ranks, you know that, don’t you?”
“No.”
The answer surprised Lan Xichen. For all of its rules and strictness, at least the Gusu Lan Sect had always been inclined to let its members decide on their own partner, rather than to throw them into political unions. Do not have greed for power. Do not use people for your greed.
“You would not welcome this person,” Lan Wangji clarified.
“Ah.”
That was a different matter, and a more worrying one. Lan Xichen had hoped that his brother was simply shy, or that he feared to disappoint their uncle who disapproved of such things. But if there was something to disapprove in his chosen partner…
“Is it a servant? Or someone of unsatisfactory cultivation level?”
Lan Wangji remained as ice, refusing to meet his brother’s eyes.
“She is a cultivator, is she not?”
After the briefest hesitation, Lan Wangji nodded. That was a relief, at least. Unions with non cultivators were always complicated, and rarely satisfactory to either party.
“Even if she is any of those things, it does not matter if you decide she is the person that must be at your side,” Lan Xichen promised. “You can tell me who it is.”
“No.” Lan Wangji hesitated again. “Uncle would not approve of this person’s attitude.”
This was said with such iron certainty that Len Xichen couldn’t help a short laugh. Of course his brother would worry about such a thing.
“That does not necessarily make her a bad choice for you. Why do you think he will not like her?”
“This person does not like to follow rules.”
Lan Xichen laughed again. First there had been Wei Wuxian who had somehow become his friend, and now Lan Wangji had found a girl who did the same. Indeed Lan Qiren would not be happy with that, but perhaps that was his fault for being so strict with his nephew.
“I am sure that will complicate some things, but if you like her this way and do not mind, I do not see why uncle should have a word to say. He won’t be the one marrying her.”
“I cannot marry this person.”
The smile on Len Xichen’s lips disappeared.
“Is she married already?”
Lan Wangji quickly shook his head.
“Then why not?”
“It is impossible. I cannot bring this person to Cloud Recesses for such purposes.”
“Why not? A-Zhan, I cannot see… oh. Does she not like you?”
For the first time since they had first breached that subject, Lan Wangji allowed his eyes to meet his brother’s. Lan Xichen saw confusion. Sadness. Above all else, he saw hope and resignation.
“It is impossible,” Lan Wangji repeated.
Doubt crept up in Lan Xichen’s heart. This certainty that the union could not be, and the timing… he could only hope to be wrong, or else events to come would held great risk of breaking his brother’s heart.
“I will not insist for the time being,” Lan Xichen conceded. “I hope in time, you will tell me more about this person, and perhaps we will find a way for things to work after all. There have been unconventional and scandalous marriages in our clan since it was first founded, A-Zhan. Even if yours should prove to be the most scandalous of them all, if you are happy that way and do not stray from the right path, I will be on your side.”
Seeing his brother’s eyes light up at the promise, Lan Xichen made himself smile. So Lan Wangji truly believed that, whoever he had set his heart on, his union would be a more terrible thing than even their own parents wedding? There was only one way this could be true, and it made Lan Xichen ache for his brother.
Having obtained as much information as he might hope to get at present, Lan Xichen bid his brother goodnight and left the Jingshi. Once outside, he hesitated. Lan Qiren would want to hear what little he had heard of course, but he found himself unsure whether he could share this.
The person Lan Wangji had fallen for was not of a prominent clan, nor even of very high birth at all, perhaps. The rules of Gusu Lan Sect would not sit well with them. The romance, such as it was, appeared to have started when Lan Wangji was a prisoner of the Qishan Wen Sect, and the person was someone who Lan Wangji clearly believed he could not marry at all because their own sect would refuse.
Lan Xichen sighed deeply.
How was he going to explain to their uncle that Lan Wangji had likely fallen in love with a Wen girl?