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Chapter Text

"Please," Wei Wuxian says, devastating in his earnestness. "Please do this for Jiang Cheng."

One glance down at the scroll and she knows exactly what this is.

"He won't agree to it."

"He won't have to," Wei Wuxian says. "I can tell him I'm taking him to Baoshan Sanren –"

"No," Wen Qing says, surprised by the calm in her voice. She owes Wei Wuxian a great deal, but he owes her, too. Or he owes Wen Ning. Either way, his enthusiasm and drive make it difficult to disagree. "I won't do it without his consent," she says, hanging on to the one thing she knows is right. "He must know it is your golden core."

"Wen-guniang!" Wei Wuxian pouts. "He won't do it, then!"

I hope he won't, Wen Qing thinks. Please let him be the man I think he is.

"Then that is his decision," Wen Qing says more firmly. "I won't perform this surgery on someone who doesn't know."

Wei Wuxian's whole body slumps like his bones have evaporated. "Please?" he asks, turning sad eyes on her. "I owe this to him. To Jiang."

She shakes her head. "It's not your decision, Wei Wuxian."

Wei Wuxian knows this, that's why he'd brought it to her and not to Jiang Wanyin. He rallies, shaking his finger at her like she's the one misbehaving here. "But Wen-guniang, be reasonable. He's a sect leader, he –"

"All the more reason he should be the one to make the decision. He's your sect leader."

Wen Qing knows Wei Wuxian will never ask outright. He was counting on her going along with his idiotic plan of lying to Jiang Wanyin about it. Forever.

She gets up, wipes her hands on her skirts, and goes straight to Jiang Wanyin, Wei Wuxian at her skirts like a small child asking for candy. "Wen-guniang! Wen Qing! Please!"

He quiets as they near Jiang Wanyin's sickbed, and nearly hides behind her as she approaches Jiang Wanyin to check on him.

He is fine, with the exception of his missing golden core. Devastated, of course, but his body is healthy enough. If he can pull out of his spiral of self-pity, he will be fine. "Jiang-zongzhu," she says sharply, which at least gets him to look at her, if dully.

"Wei Wuxian would like to give you his golden core."

The fire comes back immediately. He sits up, glaring at Wei Wuxian. "Why are you talking nonsense? What has he told you?"

"Jiang Cheng," Wei Wuxian says, pleading in a way that should not be convincing and yet has bested her self-preservation instincts more than once. "You need a golden core. I will be fine. It's my duty."

"Bullshit!" Jiang Wanyin roars, color returning to his face in a way it hasn't in days. "I am not taking your golden core!"

"But Jiang Cheng," Wei Wuxian wheedles. He really is very good at that. "I don't need one. I can just be your second in command, you are a sect leader, you –"

"Jie is the sect leader now," he says, with a conviction that can only be born of hours spent ruminating on it. "I'm useless, she will have to lead." There's a stunned silence in the room, and the absolutely blank look on Wei Wuxian's face means he is completely poleaxed.

Jiang Wanyin looks at them both with an unhappy twist to his mouth. "You know she has the will."

None of them say that her golden core is about as useful as Jiang Wanyin's.

But… Wen Qing can offer them this. "I can help with her health." She examined Jiang Yanli once in Yunshen Buzhichu. It had been enough to know that she suffers from a completely manageable illness. It's uncommon but not unheard of. Wen Qing has no respect for the doctors at Lianhua Wu. Or perhaps there are none and Jiang Yanli is simply dismissed as lesser because her golden core cannot manage the illness.

Both men look at her, Jiang Wanyin with mistrust and anger, Wei Wuxian, as he usually does, with curiosity and interest.

"She has an illness that requires her golden core to be preoccupied with keeping her healthy. That could be managed with medicines, and then her core could be used normally."

Jiang Wanyin looks stunned. Wen Qing had not met Madam Yu before she was killed, but she has some ideas about what Madam Yu thought of weakness. "If she wields Zidian, she would be respected."

She is thinking through the consequences, quickly shuffling through everything she can do to get the Jiang out of her outpost before Wen Chao's cronies can let him know she's been acting unusual. She's protected them too long as it is.

"I'll give you the information for the medicine. You will need to train her on Zidian and help manage the sect. You were the one trained to do that."

There are a lot of emotions showing on Jiang Wanyin's face. Disbelief, relief, thankfulness… but she cannot accept gratitude for this. She could have given this information to Jiang Yanli years ago, but Wen Qing thought she'd never need it. Jiang Yanli was planning on marrying into the Jin – she'd be safe at least until she'd produced a couple of children and then likely not be seen as a threat anymore.

There's the sound of a scuffle outside the door and she hears Wen Ning's call of "Jiejie!" a moment before she hears the much less welcome sound of Wen Chao calling, "Cousin."

The door opens and all three of them turn in shock to see Wen Chao standing in it.

"Aha!" he says, grinning maniacally. She has always doubted his intelligence but until this moment, she hadn't thought to doubt his sanity. "I knew you were working against us," he says, striding across the room toward her.

Fear washes over her like a wave, dragging her into the undertow. She stands her ground but she doesn't move to protect herself. He grabs her by the neck, lifting her off the floor. The fear sharpens into a survival instinct, has her clawing at his hands, ignoring the spittle coming from his insane ravings as he yells at her.

"Just wait until father hears about this, you –"

Wen Chao drops her abruptly and she glances wildly around, looking for what made him stop. Wei Wuxian is holding a talisman but he clearly hasn't activated it yet, and Jiang Wanyin is on his feet but swaying dangerously.

Wen Chao makes a gurgling noise and stares down at his own chest dumbly. There's a sword sticking out of it.

He falls forward, and fear chokes her again, forcing her back two steps so he doesn't fall on her. He drops to the floor face-first, and when she sees her brother's sword sticking out of his back the situation clicks back into place with a terrifying calm.

Wen Ning is standing behind Wen Chao, none of his sweetness or innocence on display. There is only disgust and a white-hot rage as he stares down at the unmoving body.

"Wen Qionglin," Wei Wuxian says reverently, going over to him and shaking him by the shoulders, a huge grin on his face.

"Shut up," Wen Qing says coldly. Wen Chao goes nowhere alone, and it will not be long before Wen Zhuliu and that wretched Wang Lingjiao come looking for him. "Shut the door."

Wen Ning returns to his timid self, closing the door quietly. Wei Wuxian paces as he thinks and she turns away from him. She needs to concentrate and his flailing is distracting. "What if –" he says, but he's interrupted by a syrupy sweet voice calling for Wen Chao.

"Sweetie? Where are you?"

They all freeze, except Wei Wuxian, who melts backwards into the corner, almost out of sight. The doors open again, and Wang Lingjao's face betrays shocked nothingness for only a moment before she starts screaming for Wen Zhuliu at the top of her lungs. He's seconds behind her, bursting into the room with that damn hand outstretched.

Wen Qing pushes Wen Ning behind her, moving completely on instinct. She can live without a golden core. Her needles are sharp but she needs to be close to use them effectively on a target as large as Wen Zhuliu.

Before Wen Zhuliu can reach her, though, something crashes into him, knocking him entirely off course and sending him pinwheeling.

Wen Qing blinks to recover herself and sees Jiang Wanyin sprawled on the floor. He must have launched himself between them. Her heart does absolutely nothing in response to that. It does lurch when she sees he's not moving, though.

"Worry about yourself," Wang Lingjiao taunts, standing behind Wen Zhuliu and sticking her tongue out at Wen Qing.

Wen Qing is plenty worried, but she has been raised to control her fear and never show weakness. She lifts her chin and Wen Zhuliu nods his head at her as if he approves. He approaches slowly, with his hand out, and she holds his gaze. She might lose her golden core, but that's the tradeoff for incapacitating him with her needles, and it will absolutely be worth it.

It seems she and Wen Zhuliu have made the same mistake, however, in forgetting about Wei Wuxian. There is an aborted scream from Wang Lingjiao, and Wen Zhuliu turns around, hand first, just in time to be impaled by Wei Wuxian's sword. Wen Qing stabs her needles into the base of his skull, and any forward momentum he had simply stops. Wei Wuxian uses a flat palm to shift Wen Zhuliu's trajectory so he falls onto Wang Lingjiao and not Jiang Wanyin.

She rushes over to Jiang Wanyin but he is already sitting up, only winded, not wounded. "I'm fine," he says grumpily, and accepts the hand Wei Wuxian holds out to pull him up.

The silence around them is deafening. Her mind whirls, all her options narrowing to a single point. There is no way to hide anymore, no way to toe the line as a tepid supporter of her uncle. This is treason.

"We're allies now," she says calmly. She hopes Wei Wuxian and Jiang Wanyin understand what this is costing her. She thinks through what she's about to ask carefully. Wen Chao's troops destroyed the Jiang home and family. They're holding Wen Qing and Wen Ning prisoner here. They are allies, easily. But what they need to do next is… uncomfortable. Undignified. And while anything is fair during wartime, they're not technically at war. Yet. She knows it's coming, and what's she's proposing might well be the catalyst.

"Wen Ning and I need to die here," Wen Qing says. "Our bodies have to be found and identified."

"No!" Wei Wuxian says, a horrified look on his face. She waves a hand at him to shut up and listen, and for once, he does.

"We need to kill all of Wen Chao's troops and set the entire supervisory outpost on fire," Wen Qing says. "And leave unidentifiable bodies with identifiable items."

Wei Wuxian nods, like he's understanding her. "How many soldiers? How many cultivators?"

"A dozen troops, none are strong cultivators. None even as strong as Wen Chao."

"I need an exact number," Wei Wuxian says. "We can't have anyone surviving to tattle."

"Wei Wuxian!" Jiang Wanyin says, and they all turn to look at him. He is Jiang-zongzhu, after all. He could order Wei Wuxian to stand down. He looks torn.

"I'm doing what I have to so I can protect you and shijie," Wei Wuxian says grimly. "Protecting Wen-guniang and Wen Qionglin is just a bonus."

"Fourteen," Wen Ning says suddenly. "I know all of them and I can support you with my bow."

"No," Wei Wuxian and Wen Qing say together, sharing a glancing nod of understanding.

"Yes," Wen Ning says gently. He and Jiang Wanyin share a similar nod.

"Yes," Jiang Wanyin says. "You need someone who knows everyone and who can back you up." He pulls a bow out of a qiankun pouch and hands it to Wen Ning, who takes it solemnly. "It's no use to me anymore. If I can't protect Wei Wuxian, you must. Wen-guniang and I will finish everything in here."

They leave with determined steps and Jiang Wanyin lists to the side. He's still weak. "Sit down," she says. "I'll pack for us and if they're not back by the time I'm done, I'll pack for you."

She has three qiankun bags: one for her herbs and tools, one for their clothes, and one for travel rations. There's still wine, water, and hard tack in there, but she grabs everything in her small pantry and packs it in as quickly as she can.

When she returns to the main room, she looks thoughtfully at Wang Lingjiao. She is the only other woman here. They don't look anything alike in body type, but she's hoping her sword and guan will mean no one bothers to take the measure of the body. She takes the pins out of her hair and quickly exchanges their guans and sets her sword down next to her. She will be sad to leave it, but not nearly as sad as Wen Ning. He was so happy to receive a cultivation sword at all.

Wen Ning and Wen Chao are alike enough, so she grabs his guan and sword to tuck into the qiankun bag with their clothes.

There's nothing to do with Wen Zhuliu, though. She is staring down at his body when Wei Wuxian and Wen Ning come back in, identical grim looks on their faces. "In a qiankun bag for now," Wei Wuxian says, his voice as steady as a pillar.

The four of them work quickly, Jiang Wanyin packing his and Wei Wuxian's belongings while Wei Wuxian modifies a fire talisman to burn hot enough to make the bodies nothing but charcoal. She helps Wen Ning take out his hair and put his guan on Wen Chao. She nods at his sword and sees the moment he realizes he will have to leave it. Recognizes the glimpse of despair before determination takes over and he sets it down gently just outside Wen Chao's reach.

"Are we ready?" she asks, when they are standing amidst the carnage, bags in hand and hesitating to move to the door.

"Where are we going?" Wei Wuxian asks, looking at them one by one.

"Meishan," Jiang Wanyin says. "To consult with Jiang-zongzhu."

Chapter Text

Phoenix Mountain is Jiang Yanli's first non-war sect gathering. It is ostentatious and ridiculous and she does not sigh. She cannot sigh.

Behind her, Wen Qing sighs and it's almost as good. "So much pointless bluster," she whispers and Jiang Yanli does not smile. Not here, at the first major sect hunt since the war ended.

She doesn't get to do anything so fun as smile anymore. Not as Jiang-zongzhu. She's not a figurehead, and no one, not even Yao-zongzhu, would venture to suggest it. She joined the war with the Meishan Yu forces and Wei Wuxian, and no one could say they contributed more to winning the war than the Jiang.

In truth, she and Jiang Cheng together are Jiang-zongzhu, but politics and cultivation being what it is, she is the one with the title because she is the one with the golden core. But Jiang Cheng had trained to it and had a remarkable ability to put the pieces of sect business and politics together. He had been at her side throughout the interminable war councils and fed her information through a simple set of hand signals.

But she has also been brought up with an expectation of leadership. She was trained to handle the logistics and household of a great sect, after all, and her greatest strength was the ability to use her naturally gentle demeanor to make people think they were getting what they wanted when it was really what she wanted.

It's something she recognizes in Jin Guangyao as well, and she has already advised Jin Zixuan to get to know his half-brother. It is clear Jin Guangshan underestimates him and Madam Jin despises him.

She and Jin Zixuan became easy friends after her rise to zongzhu had made them unsuitable for marriage. She had ultimately given him the tools to join the fight well before Jin Guangshan would have ever bothered. She hopes their friendship could continue now they are no longer in proximity after the war.

A gasp to her left pulls her out of her thoughts, and when she looks at Wen Qing, her face is ashen. "What is it?" she asks in a whisper.

Wen Qing doesn't say anything, just continues to stare at… the field? The targets? The…

Oh. The people being dragged out in front of the targets. The Wen.

"Popo," Wen Qing whispers, and that's when Jiang Yanli realizes none of these people could possibly be cultivators. The one that caught Wen Qing's eye is an elderly woman.

"What is the meaning of this?" she asks, clearly signaling her distaste.

"An additional challenge for our esteemed cultivators," Jin Guangyao says, and Jin Guangshan is smiling indulgently.

"Human lives are not disposable," Jiang Yanli says.

"They're just Wen dogs," Nie Mingjue says, and Jiang Yanli hears Wen Qing sob softly.

"They're not cultivators or soldiers," Jiang Yanli says. "They're not responsible for the war."

"They are clearly civilians," Lan Xichen agrees, and Nie Mingjue looks sour but he doesn't say anything else.

Jin Guangyao seems to sense the growing dissatisfaction and says, "Let's forgo the opening ceremonies, hm?" He turns to Jin Zixuan and says, "Won't you lead our guests into the grounds?"

Jiang Yanli glances at Jin Zixuan and he's looking at her with concern. She tilts her head slightly toward the hunting grounds. He is leading everyone into the grounds but he will not be expected to compete. She can meet him and they can talk. She looks for Wei Wuxian and he is, naturally, pulling Lan Wangji's pigtails. The Wen captives are shuffled back off the field and Jiang Yanli strains to see where they are taken with no luck.

She needs to get onto the hunting grounds to meet Jin Zixuan. She turns to look at Jiang Cheng who looks resigned. "I'll stay," he says. "Wen Qionglin, you go with a'jie. Wen Qing…"

"No," Jiang Yanli says firmly. "Wen Qing has her needles and I am more likely to over-exert myself than get attacked. I'm sure a'Xian will probably find me before Jin Zixuan will. Wen Qionglin will stay with you."

Jiang Cheng bristles but doesn't disagree. Someone from the Jiang delegation must stay and she knows Madam Jin still harbors wishes for her and Jin Zixuan to marry, so she can take advantage of that.

"I'm going to walk the edges of the hunting grounds," Jiang Yanli says. "I would like to see how well my sect is performing."

Jin Guangshan completely ignores her, which is standard from him unless she has something he wants. Nie Mingjue looks wistful but he stands his ground, as does Lan Xichen. "Jiang-zongzhu," Lan Xichen says.

"Do not let the conversation stray to the Wen captives without me here," Jiang Yanli whispers, and Jiang Cheng dips his head enough to acknowledge it.

"Don't think it'll be a problem," he mutters. Jin Guangshan is bothering the serving girls and Nie Mingjue and Lan Xichen are sharing stories of their brothers. She is sad to miss that but Jiang Cheng will fill her in about anything of interest.

She and Wen Qing head down to the hunting grounds and as soon as they're out of earshot, Wen Qing says, "Popo is a member of the Dafan Wen. We're doctors and healers, not cultivators of the sword. Popo was a seamstress, she doesn't even have a golden core. I recognized at least four other Dafan clan members."

Jiang Yanli listens. Wen Qing has gotten more vocal over the years of the war; when Jiang Yanli first met her, she was nearly as stoic as Lan Wangji, more likely to speak up on behalf of her brother than anything.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Jiang Yanli says. "We will get to the bottom of this nonsense."

She doesn't say that it wouldn't be acceptable for anyone to be treated that way, because it is clearly personal for Wen Qing. Her posture is stiffer than it has been in years.

"Jiang Yan–" Jin Zixuan coughs. "Jiang-zongzhu." He bows, a little hurriedly, but appropriately.

"Jin-gongzi," Jiang Yanli says warmly, bowing in return. She had been ready to find love in her heart for Jin Zixuan when they were to be married, but she is pleasantly surprised to find fondness simply from getting to know him better. He is a decent man, just one that is overshadowed by his terrible father. "Why were human targets brought onto the field? What was the meaning of it? Why were they in chains? You could see they were not cultivators."

"Yes," Jin Zixuan admits with a grimace. "I had not heard about this, and truly I did not know my father was keeping war prisoners. I will make some inquiries and let you know what I find."

"Is this peacock bothering you?" Wei Wuxian says as he runs up to them, though with more humor than vitriol. His feelings toward Jin Zixuan have not been entirely mollified but he seems to be cheered by the knowledge that no marriage could be possible between them anymore. Lan Wangji is striding quickly behind him to keep up without running.

"A'Xian," she scolds. "Jin Zixuan is helping us look into the situations with –"

"Ah, right," Wei Wuxian says, looking over his shoulder at Lan Wangji. "Lan Zhan was very unhappy about that."

Jiang Yanli gives him a look, and he instantly backtracks. "Aiya, I was also very unhappy, of course that is terrible and should be rectified." He bows to Jin Zixuan, earnestly and with perfect form. "Thank you for assisting, Jin-gongzi."

Jin Zixuan nods stiffly and thanks her for standing up for the innocents, and leaves before his cousin can come over and ruin their little gathering. "Come, shijie," Wei Wuxian says. "I'll walk you back to the stands."

"We will be fine," she says. "You go out there and show what the Jiang are made of." She bows to Lan Wangji. "Hanguang Jun, best of luck."

"Thank you, Jiang-zongzhu," he replies, bowing perfectly and turning to Wei Wuxian. "Wei Ying."

"Okay, Lan Zhan, it's a race, let's go!"

Wei Wuxian runs off, Lan Wangji right on his heels and Jiang Yanli can feel Wen Qing rolling her eyes next to her.

The post-hunt banquet is interminably long and boring. She partakes lightly of the food and not at all of the drink. Lan Xichen had once taught her how to burn it off with her golden core, so she can drink if she must, but Nie Huaisang had also taught her some sleight of hand that allowed her to switch it out with tea or water that works better.

Jin Zixuan is not present and she is getting nervous. His cousin is being as loathsome as always, starting with insisting that the Lan drink and then insulting Wei Wuxian when he intercepts the drink for Lan Wangji. She stands and pitches her voice to carry. "Jin-gongzi I must ask you to apologize to my brother. He engaged in no such wicked tricks and earned his rating the same as everyone on the field."

She has not had to defend Wei Wuxian since the war ended and it had been a relief to watch him put away the yin tiger seal and its ability to control Wen Ruohan's fierce corpses. He has been working on plans to destroy it but it is a very powerful artifact and she knows he worries about backlash. She worries about him. And he has never suffered fools gladly, especially ones as obnoxious as Jin Zixun.

"He will gladly meet you in a match if you would like to test his skills personally," Jiang Yanli says calmly. She knows Wei Wuxian could best Jin Zixun without trying and is anticipating how foolish he will look when he demurs, as he will have to, unless he wants to be embarrassed in front of all the sects tomorrow on the training field.

The doors slam open before he can answer, and a voice roars, "Jin Zixun!"

It is Jin Zixuan, and Jiang Yanli feels Wen Qing stiffen beside her. Jiang Cheng puts a hand on her elbow to steady her.

"Where are the Wen prisoners kept?"

Jin Zixun looks trapped. All eyes are on him, and he's glancing nervously at Jin Guangshan and Jin Guangyao. Only Jin Guangyao is looking back, with a politely curious expression.

"Zixuan," Jin Guangshan says as he tries to put his hands on the girl currently serving him wine, "who cares about Wen prisoners? This is a banquet, let it go."

"I care," Jiang Yanli says, standing. "Those prisoners are not cultivators or soldiers and should be released."

"I also care," Jin Zixuan says. "I will not have the Jin name dragged through the mud for mistreatment of civilians after the war has been won."

"How do we know they are civilians?" Nie Mingjue says, and Jiang Yanli had expected this. They have kept Wen Qing and Wen Qionglin's faces covered in public, but she does not want to have to do that forever.

"My doctor can identify them," she says. "They are from her clan, from Dafan, not Qishan. Wen Qing," she says, and there's an audible gasp as Wen Qing stands and takes down the veil covering the lower part of her face.

The sound of outrage Nie Mingjue makes is cut short by his brother's hand on his arm. "Wen Qing," Nie Huaisang says, tapping his fan against his chin. "You must have been the source of information about Wen Ruohan's health and… nefarious activities."

"That was Jin Guangyao," Lan Xichen says, looking as calm as ever, but Jiang Yanli has observed him for years now and has learned to interpret the irritation there.

"No," Jiang Yanli says firmly. "We brought the information when we brought the Meishan Yu. It was corroborated by Jin Guangyao later, however."

Jin Guangyao smiles pleasantly at her and nods his head in agreement.

There is a sudden movement to her left, and before Jiang Yanli understands what is happening, Wen Qionglin appears, blocking a blow that was clearly meant for his sister. He stands between Wen Qing and her attacker, and Wei Wuxian rushes over to defend their other side, should someone else be so foolish.

"Wen Qing and Wen Qionglin have been with Yunmeng Jiang since before the war officially started. They have saved my life, and my brothers' lives, many times. They gave invaluable information to the war effort. Those prisoners are their family, and they are healers and doctors, not cultivators of the sword."

"Where are the camps?" Jin Zixuan says, holding his cousin roughly by the arm. Jin Zixun looks over to Jin Guangshan but he simply waves his hand indifferently.

Jin Zixun spits the information at them venomously, and Jiang and Wen bow as one and turn to leave the hall. Jin Zixuan and Lan Wangji follow them.

"I will guide you," Jin Zixuan says, and they all climb on swords. Jiang Cheng rides with Wei Wuxian; one of the strange ways their relationship found its footing after Jiang Cheng lost his core was Wei Wuxian taking him flying. They needed to be able to move quickly and work together, and while Jiang Yanli and Wen Qing weren't fast, they could still fly themselves. Jiang Cheng had no such option.

Jiang Cheng stands comfortably in front of Wei Wuxian, the two of them having a shouted conversation, Wei Wuxian grinning and Jiang Cheng rolling his eyes.

When they reach the camp, the guards prove their guilt by pretending the Wen aren't even people. Jin Zixuan orders them whipped, which several Jin disciples loyal to him carry out.

"The Jiang will take in these people," Jiang Yanli tells him as Jiang Cheng is already organizing transport. There is a storm coming and she would prefer not to be out in it. "We are still rebuilding and the extra help would be welcome."

"Of course, Jiang-zongzhu. As the family of your trusted friends, the Jin will turn them over to your care."

"Popo!" Wen Qing cries from where she is identifying her family and friends. She hugs the elderly lady that caught her attention that morning. "Where is –"

"A'Yuan," Popo says, and a child, no older than four or so, shyly joins her. Jiang Yanli breaks away from Jin Zixuan to go look at him. There is a child. In a work camp. It is unthinkable. And then time seems to stop as Popo says, "This is your mama, a'Yuan," and Wen Qing picks him up and kisses his hair.

Jiang Yanli blinks. Wen Qing has a child? From… Jiang Yanli quickly does the math and it leads back to the Yunshen Buzhichu. She snaps her head to look over her shoulder at her brother.

Jiang Cheng is staring, dumbstruck, at Wen Qing and the child she's holding. She knew he had a crush on Wen Qing back then but would not have guessed he did anything untoward. It is so very unlike him. It would explain why he has always been unsettled by Wen Qing.

This is an unexpected and welcome surprise. Now these people are not just Wen – that is a Jiang child. No one is going to question her obligation to them. She calls to Wei Wuxian, where he is checking over several of the injured with Lan Wangji. "Come meet your nephew!"

Chapter Text

Wen Qing wakes slowly. She's warm and comfortable, thankfully a much more common occurrence during this pregnancy. She loves a'Yuan more than anything, but the pregnancy had been hard.

Her husband is wrapped around her and that explains the warmth, she thinks. She finds it strange that he seems to burn hotter without his golden core than he did with it. After a moment she realizes he is not sleeping, but crooning softly to her belly and she shakes with laughter.

"A'Cheng," she says. "What silliness are you telling our little dumpling today?"

"I'm telling her she needs to come out now, we have waited for her so long! Her brother wants to meet her!"

His voice carries the gruff edge it always does but she is now just as used to it as Jiang Yanli and Wei Wuxian. She knows how to read all the nuances of his annoyance. "Stop telling our child that they have to be a girl. Maybe there's a boy in there, waiting to get out."

"Don't listen to her," Jiang Cheng says softly. "You're my best girl."

"Hey," Wen Ching says tartly. "I am your best girl."

"You are my beloved wife and the best woman I know other than my sister but I am very sure you are not a girl."

Wen Qing huffs but she can't keep up the act and pets her husband's hair fondly instead of sniping at him. "Well, this woman needs to get going for the day and needs your help getting dressed."

Jiang Cheng gets up then and goes about setting out everything Wen Qing needs before coming back to assist her out of bed. She is getting spoiled by the way he dotes on her, but for the first time in her life, she is not nervous about what comes next.

"Are you excited for Jin-zongzhu's visit?" she asks, and Jiang Cheng gives her an exceptional eyeroll for this hour of the morning.

"No one is ever excited to see Jin-zongzhu."

She thinks Jiang Yanli might be excited, but she doesn't say so. It's still a sore spot with her brothers. "Well, we have a lot to do for the day, and I am planning a special treatment for your sister today. Days with a lot of excitement need to be managed before they start."

"Just tell me what you need me to do," Jiang Cheng says, and kisses her neck before taking the cloth down it.

Fourth shidi is more wide-eyed than she has ever seen anyone, and he rushes up to them and bows. "Shixiong, Wen daifu," he says, breathing fast. "There is a visitor at the gates."

They share a look. Only very important visitors might cause this sort of flurry. "Who is it?" Jiang Cheng asks.

"Hanguang Jun. He's says he's here for da-shixiong. Do you think he wants to fight?"

Jiang Cheng scoffs and rolls his eyes. Wen Qing had managed to keep her reaction under control, but only because she knew Jiang Cheng would react enough for both of them. "I could never be that lucky," he says. "Let him in, I'll get Wei Wuxian."

She accompanies fourth shidi back to the gate, and Lan Wangji bows entirely too deeply for her comfort. "Wen daifu," he says. "You look well."

"Hanguang Jun," she says, and makes a half-hearted attempt at a bow that he immediately begs her not to complete. "You are also looking well. Wei Wuxian will be happy to see you."

As if on cue, Wei Wuxian comes running across the courtyard, yelling, "Lan Zhan!" with the kind of wild grin he reserves only for Lan Wangji. "What are you doing here?"

Wen Qing had gotten better at sensing Lan Wangji's reactions when he was constantly circling Wei Wuxian during the war, but they have had little contact since Phoenix Mountain, and she finds him difficult to read at the best of times. She thinks he is happy to see Wei Wuxian, but there is also a sense that he might roll his eyes if he was not entirely too dignified.

"You invited me."

Wei Wuxian's face scrunches up in concentration and then clears all at once. "Back at the lectures," he says, grinning. "So I did. Welcome, Lan Zhan! How long can you stay?"

Wen Qing thinks Lan Wangji might stay forever, if Wei Wuxian invited him, but she is currently being ignored and likes it that way.

Lan Wangji struggles to answer, probably because he doesn't have one. Unless Lan Xichen set him a time limit, likely he could stay here for the season, if he so wished.

"Hanguang Jun is welcome to stay as long as he likes," Jiang Yanli says from where she is crossing the courtyard. "Welcome, Lan Wangji," she says warmly, bowing nearly in unison with him.

"Jiang-zongzhu. Thank you."

"Did you know Jin-zongzhu is coming tomorrow?" Wei Wuxian asks, turning and beckoning Lan Wangji to follow. "Come on, I'll get you settled but then I have a lot of things to do to prepare –"

"I will help," Lan Wangji says, falling into step with Wei Wuxian as is his habit.

"Oh, no, Lan Zhan, that's not necessary."

"I will help," Lan Wangji says again, and this time Wen Qing cannot stop the eyeroll she shares with Jiang Yanli.

"They're cute," Jiang Yanli says.

"They're idiots," Wen Qing returns.

They laugh together and Jiang Yanli gently gets fourth and sixth shidi to close their mouths and go back to gate duty.

Jin-zongzhu's arrival is, by Lianhua Wu's standards, a big affair. It is probably quaint to the Jin, but none of the arriving contingent say so where Wen Qing can hear. There are some whispers in the back of the crowd, but Luo Qingyang turns around to glare and they quiet.

Jin Guangyao and Jin Zixuan approach Jiang Yanli, bowing deeply. "Jiang-zongzhu," they intone together, and Jiang Yanli smiles. They continue their bows to the rest of them and Wen Qing starts to sway with impatience at the formality of it.

"Jin-zongzhu," Jiang Yanli finally says. She is, as always, surrounded by her brothers, Wen Qing, and Wen Ning, and they bow as a unit. "Jin-gongzi." Another bow, not quite as deep. Her back still twinges despite the hand Jiang Cheng has on her elbow.

"Welcome to Lianhua Wu."

There are pleasantries exchanged and Wen Qing starts shifting from foot to foot after a few minutes. "Let's sit," Jiang Yanli says smoothly, and they move indoors to sit at a table while Jin-zongzhu's entourage is shown to their rooms to make them ready.

"While I certainly would come to Lianhua Wu simply for the pleasure of your company, Jiang-zongzhu," Jin Guangyao says, "I think my brother is anxious to start negotiating his betrothal to you."

"Of course, Jin-zonghu," Jiang Yanli says, as Jiang Cheng rolls his eyes and Wei Wuxian makes a soft retching sound. "But as we will be family soon, please call me Yanli."

Jiang Cheng starts gently massaging her lower back, and Wen Qing closes her eyes and breathes in deeply. She loves him and his stupid brother and lovely sister. She loves Lianhua Wu, and the way her brother has grown into such a wonderful young man here.

Wen Qing looks around at her family, at Jiang Yanli beaming at Jin Zixuan, Wei Wuxian staring out the window at Lan Wangji, at Wen Ning having a silent conversation over their heads with Mianmian, and she lets herself close her eyes with contentment. Just this once, just for a moment.