Work Text:
In hindsight, Jiang Cheng should have known his plan would be struck with a dose of bad luck. It should have been easy, sneak out at night, go to the Wen encampment, and offer himself to Wen Xichen in exchange for sparing Lotus Pier and its people. Then the Wens would retreat and Jiang Cheng could be happy knowing that his family was alive and safe.
He still didn't understand why Sect Leader Wen was so taken with him when they had only met and talked a few times during conferences and visits. There was also the fact that he could not provide any heirs, but this was the man who had killed his own father at a young age and taken over his sect to lead it into unprecedented glory and power. Clearly he wasn't exactly a normal person, nor was he above threatening violence to get what he wanted.
He wouldn't have even known about the marriage proposal if Wei Wuxian hadn't inadvertently opened his mouth spilled the beans. Jiang Cheng's own father hadn't deemed it necessary to tell him that Wen Xichen wanted him for whatever unfathomable reason, yet somehow Wei Wuxian knew. His mother knew, looking back on how her mood progressively became worse with every passing day, and his sister likely knew too with all the worried glances she had been throwing his way.
Of course he was the only one left out. Of course he had no say in the matter, granted he would have declined the proposal too, though Wen Xichen had clearly taken issue with his family's refusal and now the Wen army was threatening Lotus Pier, his home.
He wasn't worth a war with the Wens, so he decided to take matters into his own hands. Wei Wuxian could take his place as heir. It's what his father probably wanted anyways. Besides, it wasn't that Wen Xichen was bad to look at, even if he kind of frightened Jiang Cheng. It wouldn't be the worst fate. Hopefully he would be treated well, and if he could keep Lotus Pier safe he would make that sacrifice a thousand times over.
Leave it to Wei Wuxian to come charging in, screaming and yelling at Jiang Cheng and Wen Xichen and the Wens who had grabbed him in his stupid attempt to be heroic, and just ruin everything.
To make matters even worse, his own father, tight-lipped with a heavy frown on his face, had been escorted in by Wen Zhuliu shortly after. Jiang Cheng had to turn away from the look of disappointment his father had given him.
Fantastic.
And to top it all off, after Wei Wuxian had quieted down, Wen Xichen merely smiled at Jiang Fengmian's demand to let them go and said, "Choose one."
Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian looked at Sect Leader Wen in confusion, missing the stricken look from Jiang Fengmian as he understood what Wen Xichen was demanding.
"You are at my mercy," Wen Xichen explained in a serene voice, "Despite your rudeness to me, Sect Leader Jiang, you are free to go. However, you can only take one of them with you. Choose."
Oh. Jiang Cheng's stomach dropped and he could taste bitter bile rising in his throat. His father couldn't even meet his eyes. Wei Wuxian's voice seemed distant as he cried at the two sect leaders, and even though Jiang Cheng couldn't hear his words over the ringing in his ears, he knew Wei Wuxian would be pleading to take him and spare Jiang Cheng. Always the hero. Always the better one.
Jiang Cheng was used to be second best. The second choice.
"Just go," he told his father while staring at the floor with clenched fists, "Take him and go." Please. He wanted this to be over. It hurt too much and he hated it.
"A-Cheng-" his father started. Wei Wuxian let out an audible sobbing gasp. Jiang Cheng couldn't bare to look at his brother either.
"Go!" Jiang Cheng yelled, squeezing his eyes closed to keep the tears from falling. He knew all along that his father never chose him and never will, but to hear Wei Wuxian resume screaming as Jiang Fengmian dragged him out by the arm put yet another dagger through his battered and fragile heart.
It really hurt.
"See them back to Lotus Pier," Wen Xichen ordered Wen Zhuliu. The tall, silent man nodded and followed the two out of the tent.
A pair of arms wrapped around Jiang Cheng and drew him into a warm chest. He couldn't help the sob that escaped him, the tears he had been so desperately holding back bursting forth. How easy it was for Wen Xichen to hold him. Why could his own father never do it?
"Shh," Wen Xichen soothed, running gentle hands up and down Jiang Cheng's back, "Don't you worry. I'll give you a happy life, a far better life than you would ever have back there." The arms tightened around him. "You will be treated like the beautiful treasure you are, and you'll always be my first choice."