Chapter Text
After the shake-ups of the past few years, Cang Qiong had settled into a new pattern. The peak lords were openly preparing for their ascension ceremony, now; Cheng Anshuo had been heard joking that he wasn't going to start any long books. The Qing generation was shouldering new responsibilities and settling into their future roles.
Wei Qingwei was as hermitish as ever, though he did unbend enough for brief social visits now. Shang Qinghua was as happy as a bee in clover, making grand plans for An Ding's future. Qi Qingqi, as always, goaded and joked and occasionally vanished on her own secretive business.
Yue Qingyuan was radiantly happy with the new status quo and taking his place as the hub about which they all turned. And then there was Shen Qingqiu, drifting in a cloud of scholarly abstraction, except for those times he issued some stunning insight. They had been having regular, short, closed cultivation sessions in the Ling Xi caves--a boon for both of them.
It felt like things could continue on like this forever.
*
And nothing changed. There was no sign that Yue Qingyuan was even impatient. His brief discontent whenever Shen Qingqiu was away was immediately assuaged by his return. Hell, Liu Qingge was more impatient than he was, and he wasn't even directly involved yet.
"Please just talk to him," Liu Qingge sighed. It wasn't the first time he'd said it, while he and Yue Qingyuan worked on the curriculum for the military history class they would be teaching in the spring.
"But what if he no longer feels comfortable with me? We've come so far--" It also wasn't the first time Yue Qingyuan had made this objection.
"I don't think anything would alienate him from you at this point. So what if he says no? It will be a little awkward for awhile, but it will pass."
"What if we're incompatible?"
Liu Qingge threw up his hands. "Then it didn't work out! You're both adults--"
Despite Liu Qingge's best efforts to shift him out of it, Yue Qingyuan's mind was stuck in the well-worn path of worry. "Yes, but what if he agrees just to make me happy?"
"You can't honestly think that anyone could push him into anything at this point."
"I could, though! If he doesn't have strong feelings either way--"
"I could ask him about it, and feel him out for you?" Liu Qingge offered. "But I don't want him to misunderstand. Get the wrong idea, I mean." He flushed.
For a heart-stopping moment, it looked like Yue Qingyuan was considering it, but he shook his head. "You're right--it's so difficult to predict how he'll react to emotional matters."
"So you should talk to him directly," Liu Qingge repeated.
"I need to check on my staff before the meeting," Yue Qingyuan deflected.
Liu Qingge sighed. "Yeah, I'll pick up Shen Qingqiu and make sure he's had lunch."
"I'll meet you on Qing Jing and we can all walk together."
*
"Is it me, or are they going backwards?" Duan Qingze asked after the Qing generation's regular meeting, their last before the New Year festivities.
"Yue-shixiong has certainly returned to his previous level of 'silent yearning,'" Lin Qingshui agreed. "Not something I anticipated."
"The only difference is, he and Shen Qingqiu are getting along now."
"Maybe Shen Qingqiu isn't interested?"
"Maybe he's oblivious."
"Is it possible," Ruan Qingruan said with quiet horror, "That they really are just friends?"
"I am not dealing with this level of pining for the next several hundred years," Mu Qingfang said flatly.
"But they keep exchanging betrothal gifts. There's nothing else they could be."
"With all respect due to our senior martial brothers, do they know that there's a step that comes after that?" Lin Qingshui said waspishly.
There was a period of contemplative silence.
"I'll check," Qi Qingqi said, finally. "Subtly."
"Any progress on our, uh, our group project?" Duan Qingze asked.
Qi Qingqi shook her head. "If Lord or Madame Qiu was on good terms with a cultivator, their peers in the city didn't know it. And that's the kind of thing they'd brag about. I even checked into Madame Qiu's maiden family--nothing."
"Ah, too bad," Ruan Qingruan sighed. "I admit, if even you can't find anything, I'm rather stymied."
"We can't ask Shen-shixiong about it directly," Mu Qingfang said. "Even if Shang Qinghua does have his own reasons to turn eyes away from the teacher, he made a very good point about avoiding exposing Shen-shixiong to unnecessary strain."
Lin Qingshui hummed. "I hoped he wouldn't push himself so hard, now that he knows he doesn't have to make up for his origins, but he still goes beyond his strength."
"He always says he's fine," Duan Qingze complained. "How often was he about to collapse?"
"Too often," Mu Qingfang said grimly. "I never thought I'd be glad of Yue-shixiong's over-solicitousness, but at least we can rely on him to intervene."
*
In preparation for his departure from the sect, He Qian had been moved from his duties on Qiong Ding to a rotating assignment which involved a lot of travel. He had just returned from such a trip. He and Gao Ning caught up on their way to a New Year gathering of Qiong Ding seniors.
"They're going into closed cultivation again?"
"For just a week, yes," Gao Ning confirmed.
"To get in tune with the new sword, perhaps."
"It's interesting that Yue-shixiong is getting the second one now," Gao Ning observed.
"Another indication that the changeover is coming up. Though I'll probably be gone by then."
"Have you picked a patron?"
He Qian nodded judiciously. "I think so. Rong Qing. He's a bit humorless, but he'll go far."
Gao Ning made an approving sound. "Agreed. On both counts."
"So the wedding of the century will be all yours."
"As it should be," Gao Ning said smugly. "Shi Kuan confirmed that Shen-shidi does embroidery at a pretty high level, so that's one mystery solved. And Old Master Shen doesn't, as far as anyone knows, so it's a clue as well."
They paused for a moment; voices were traveling down a larger hallway which intersected theirs. Shen Anwei was leading his personal disciples to make their New Year greetings to the Sect Leader.
"The prizes will be very grand, of course, but don't send anything you want back," Old Master Shen was advising. "They're rather light-fingered, even outside of the awards."
"Yes, Shizun," they heard Shen Qingqiu say obediently. "I'm only sending a single piece."
"Very practical. What have you selected?"
"A simple vase, Shizun, to demonstrate my new glaze."
"Ah, that will leave an impression." Shen Anwei sounded a little smug. "They'll definitely keep it; they'll want to be the first to own a piece. As far as they know." He looked at Zheng Jun and Shi Kuan. "Are you two planning to submit something? It doesn't have to be to the same exhibition, if you're worried about getting it back," he said kindly.
"Answering Shizun, this disciple doesn't have any projects prepared that will display well," Zheng Jun said apologetically. "I've been writing a paper, and it isn't done yet. I plan to spend more time on painting when it's complete."
"And this Shi Kuan has been composing and training for the reference librarian position," his partner said.
"That's alright; you've both been working hard. Let's plan on preparing something for the next one, though. You're both at the skill level where it's time to step into the public eye a bit more--"
Gao Ning and He Qian waited until they were past--and out of earshot--before continuing on.
"Another new technique?" He Qian asked.
"Yes, my brother showed me one of the new pieces--a ceramic glaze made with night pearls. Very striking, and prohibitively costly to produce without our resources."
He Qian nodded in approval; the value of soft diplomacy was well known to Qiong Ding disciples. "Yue-shixiong chose well."
"Any progress? While you were gone, Shen Qingqiu was seen near Yue-shixiong's house quite late--"
"They have late dinners, sometimes," He Qian shook his head. "There's nothing scandalous about it, unfortunately. A friend wrote me that Yue-shixiong has been wearing Shen-shixiong's waist ornament," he suggested.
Gao Ning sighed. "It's a new one. Shen Qingqiu made him one to match his." They exchanged a long, disbelieving look. "I know."
"Are you sure?" he asked dubiously.
"I've seen them at the same time, both wearing theirs. And I asked Yue-shixiong about it. If it is a token, they aren't announcing it."
"I don't think even Yue-shixiong could hide his reaction," He Qian agreed. "How is the plan to handle the other rumors going?"
"The distraction has been very successful; the worst troublemakers have been diverted to the books we added to the novel library. They're producing derivative works already--some good material, too."
*
Due to high spirits among Bai Zhan's juniors, Feng Anhu and his personal disciples were a bit late in arriving on Qiong Ding. Liu Qingge diligently accompanied his teacher in paying their peak's respects to Yan Anming, then was dismissed to find the other succeeding disciples. He passed Qi Qingqi and Lin Qingshui on the way, arguing fiercely under a muffling charm.
"This is why the terms of bets are kept secret," Gao Qinggao informed him. He'd evidently been walking with Qi Qingqi, but abandoned their martial siblings to their argument while he continued with Liu Qingge to the hospitality room Yue Qingyuan had arranged.
Gao Qinggao went right in, but Liu Qingge inhaled and had to stop in the doorway as he spotted Yue Qingyuan. Their shixiong was wearing a new embroidered sash and cuffs, embellished in Shen Qingqiu's distinctive style. It was a striking look, even on plainer robes than the ones Liu Qingge had seen Shen Qingqiu constructing. He understood now why Shen Qingqiu had been concerned about distractions at diplomatic events. Yue Qingyuan always dressed carefully, for an effect, but that effect didn't generally include attractiveness. Shen Qingqiu evidently had other ideas. In fact--
"Where is Shen Qingqiu?" Liu Qingge asked, when he'd exchanged New Year greetings with the others.
"I'm not sure," Yue Qingyuan said, glancing again toward the other door. "He excused himself not long after he arrived."
Liu Qingge didn't have time to volunteer to find him--or, more likely, split up to track him down--because Shen Qingqiu chose that moment to reappear. He looked a little flustered, but no worse for wear. Liu Qingge put two and two together, and cheerfully made a note to tease him about it later. Following him, Qi Qingqi and Lin Qingshui arrived together, hostilities apparently suspended for now.
"I'm surprised he isn't wearing the robes I saw you making," Liu Qingge told Shen Qingqiu as he joined them. Apart from the new accessories, Yue Qingyuan's robes were a dignified blue rather than his usual black and white.
"In deference to the occasion," Shen Qingqiu explained. "Wearing all black on New Year would be bad luck, no matter the intention."
"My teacher said it was inauspicious," Yue Qingyuan agreed. "But she encouraged me to wear them at the Intersect Alliance meeting."
Shen Qingqiu looked pleased. "I should have at least one more set of cuffs done by then. You might be able to wear a different set every day."
They welcomed Ruan Qingruan--and Zi Dan, who had missed the gathering last year. "It's so nice that Xiao Dou is old enough to be left on his own now," Ruan Qingruan said happily. "Though we brought him to Ling You to play with the others today."
Shen Qingqiu had distributed his New Year gifts in the preceding days; one of those had been matching coats for Xiao Dou and Xiao Kuai, which they and Duan Qingze thanked him for. He'd also given Shang Qinghua a carrying gourd for Babao, enhanced with a carved cooling charm.
"He loves it," Shang Qinghua gushed. "And this way I can bring him with me when it gets hotter without worrying about him."
Shen Qingqiu nodded regally. "Good not to leave such an intelligent creature alone too long. Who knows what he'd get up to."
Shang Qinghua leaned forward. "And I've been meaning to talk to you--I'd like your help." His eyes widened plaintively. "You've corresponded with the author of War in Heaven--could you send them another letter? Same address."
Shen Qingqiu looked unconvinced.
"It doesn't even have to be anything special!" Shang Qinghua said hastily. "You just have to use a piece of paper I'll have prepared with a tracking charm on it."
"I didn't know Shang-shixiong could do that," Lin Qingshui said, surprised. He'd approached while the others were talking.
"I was going to talk to you next," Shang Qinghua said frankly.
Liu Qingge had received a complete but not completed version of Yue Qingyuan and Shen Qingqiu's collaborative novel, and Shen Qingqiu's ominous promise that he was halfway through the printing plates for it.
"And once they're done, you'll have no excuse," he finished.
"Thanks," Liu Qingge said sincerely.
"It also has blank facing pages so you can make notes," Yue Qingyuan added helpfully. "It can be expanded at any point; we'd love to see more of your suggestions."
"A novel?" Lin Qingshui asked curiously. He'd gotten one of Shen Qingqiu's customized qi boards, made of separate pieces that could be rotated to change the game play.
"They wrote, uh. A unique story. It's split up into sections, and the reader decides how to continue each one." Liu Qingge was suddenly self-conscious. Even compared to the elaborate and personalized gifts Shen Qingqiu had already given, this one stood out.
"Oh, how interesting. And they gave you the first draft? Are you planning to publish it?" Lin Qingshui asked Yue Qingyuan and Shen Qingqiu.
"You should," Liu Qingge encouraged.
"It's for Liu-shidi," Shen Qingqiu said uncooperatively.
"If other people use the idea, I'll have more to read," Liu Qingge suggested.
Yue Qingyuan smiled at him and Shen Qingqiu looked slightly mollified.
Shang Qinghua had been listening with unusual intensity. "A choose-your-own-adventure book?"
"Oh, what a clever name for it," Shen Qingqiu said easily. "I hadn't thought of one yet; that will do nicely. Thanks to Shang-shidi."
"Mm, no problem." Shang Qinghua looked suspiciously at Yue Qingyuan and then, bizarrely, at Liu Qingge. "Where'd you get the idea?"
"From our writing class. You know, the exercise where we combined novels--"
"Oh."
*
Once gifts had been distributed, discussed, or exclaimed over, the disciples drifted apart into smaller conversational groups. Liu Qingge watched as Shen Qingqiu flicked another glance toward Yue Qingyuan, stopped himself, and resolutely looked in the opposite direction. It was a familiar tic, and Liu Qingge realized it was something he'd done before his breakthrough and thaw. It was easier to recognize it for what it was, when it wasn't couched in the haughty manner which Liu Qingge now realized meant Shen Qingqiu was uncomfortable. He wished he could talk to that earlier Shen Qingqiu.
Oh, that gave him an idea. He withdrew to the edge of the room to jot it down in the poetry ideas notebook he'd begun keeping with him.
"What are you up to?" Lin Qingshui asked curiously as he passed by.
"Got an idea. What were you two arguing about earlier?"
"Qi-shijie wanted me to do divinations on our martial siblings' past lives."
"Hmm, chancy."
"Exactly," Lin Qingshui agreed, with some asperity. "The risks far outweigh the benefits."
"You're just sour because your love match is embarrassing," Qi Qingqi said cheerfully as she swept up and handed him a cup of wine.
Lin Qingshui huffed as he accepted it. "I'm going to ignore him."
"Lin-shidi has a love match?" Liu Qingge echoed with interest.
"No," Lin Qingshui said firmly.
"Yes," Qi Qingqi said gleefully.
"We aren't even going to meet until his next life," Lin Qingshui said snippily. "And I refuse to believe I could ever be drawn to such a character." Qi Qingqi cackled. Lin Qingshui ignored her. "Liu-shixiong, Shen-shixiong says that you and he have played on boards similar to the one he gave me. If you wouldn't mind...?"
"Sure," Liu Qingge agreed. "Actually, from what he was telling me, you can put a few boards together--"
*
It turned out that Shen Qingqiu was carrying a few of his multi-player qi boards, in various qiankun items. Liu Qingge started out telling Lin Qingshui about Shen Qingqiu's three- and four-person qi games, and the gathering ended up with several of the strategy minded disciples first combining them, then using them to sketch out a board for a sprawling, ten- or twelve-player game.
"If we draw it on smaller sheets of paper," Shen Qingqiu was saying. "Then they can be rearranged to make different game boards--"
"An element of randomness," Gao Qinggao said with interest.
"Maybe next time," Duan Qingze suggested. "Some of us need to get up at dawn." He'd been studying the boards. "You know, all the hazards are permanent, which really isn't realistic. If we could add rifts that pop up temporarily--"
"And activate them with dice," contributed Liu Qingge. "That could be really fun. We'd need to hide them somehow, so they're as unpredictable as the real ones."
"This could take days," Lin Qingshui said of the partially finished game on the boards.
"Especially if some people keep cheating," Ruan Qingruan said, leveling a stare at Qi Qingqi.
"Skill issue," she said, unbothered.
"I'll put them in a qiankun item to preserve the game," Shen Qingqiu said. "We can continue another time."