Work Text:
Mu Qingfang had, rather unexpectedly, gotten married before even ascending as a Peak Lord.
He never planned to do so - his only love had been medicine for as long as he remembered - but the circumstances have forced his hand.
The circumstances being a teenager he met at the chaos of the most recent Immortal Alliance Conference, one whose meridians were half-shredded and barely holding on together by a thread. Mu Qingfang got to examine his qi only once, when the other was unconscious, but it had been enough to glimpse the breadth of the damage.
His shizun thought the damage was caused by succumbing to demonic cultivation; Such an opinion was shared by the rest of the Peak Lords.
But Mu Qingfang thought differently. He didn't think turning to demonic cultivation destroyed the meridians; He thought it was the only thing holding that system together.
It happened first, the destruction. Demonic cultivation was a way to compensate for the shredded pathways, to continue cultivating despite them.
Mu Qingfang had been, quite frankly, intrigued by the adaptation. He would have loved to conduct a proper study on the way the teenager blended those two styles of cultivation - usually believed to be opposites - into a functional whole.
He would not have gotten his wish if the teenager was executed or imprisoned, which seemed to be the strongest contenders right then.
So he stepped up beside Yue Qingyuan - who had been arguing ardently in favour of “his Xiao Jiu", yet unable to sway the Peak Lords - and offered his support.
Even Yue Qingyuan looked at him weirdly for that.
“Wu Yanzi's disciple is a danger to be around," the Sect Leader said.
“Wu Yanzi's disciple had likely been poached by that man from a situation that left him with no other choice," Mu Qingfang countered. “It's obvious that he's been through some traumatic events; Meridians don't just shred on their own. His behaviour doesn't fit a demonic cultivator. It does, however, fit a cornered animal."
Yue Qingyuan didn't seem to appreciate his words, glaring from off to the side - and when had Yue Qingyuan ever glared before? - but he remained silent, letting Mu Qingfang push his angle.
And it did seem to work. The Peak Lords began their discussion with a renewed vigour, attitudes somewhat improved. The outcome, however, improved not at all.
“It is a risk to the sect to accept him as a disciple," it was decided.
“What about as a-" Mu Qingfang was going to say patient. He really was, except that he had realized that might have been a bit unethical, and even bordering on imprisonment, which would have still been better than Huan Hua's Water Prison, but there had to be another option… “-a disciple's spouse?"
…Well. That. Sure was an option. Was it a good one? Debatable.
The Peak Lords were similarly stunned. “Mu Qingfang wishes to… Wed Wu Yanzi's disciple?"
Alright, so Mu Qingfang had very much not intended to imply he should be the one marrying the boy, but it's not like he could walk back that idea now. He nodded instead.
“Very well," his shizun rubbed the bridge of her nose. “You may try."
He didn't understand why everyone seemed to consider it a brief intermission before returning to their original course of action, but Yue Qingyuan was kind enough to enlighten him.
“Xiao Jiu is never going to agree.”
***
Technically, Mu Qingfang was given until the next morning to get Xiao Jiu to agree to his proposal, but he figured it would be best to get started on it straight away.
So he intercepted a servant who was bringing Xiao Jiu his dinner, and brought the tray into the room himself.
The patient was subject to some unorthodox techniques, including being tied to the bedframe with immortal binding cables; An overkill for someone without a Golden Core, in Mu Qingfang's professional opinion.
He paused after closing the doors, considering his options. Xiao Jiu was watching him closely that whole time, those piercing phoenix eyes burning a hole in Mu Qingfang's face.
First order of business: putting the dinner tray down.
And the second: untying Xiao Jiu, so he could eat comfortably.
“Who are you?" the teenager asked, eyes trained on the chopsticks Mu Qingfang had to add to the tray himself. “What are you playing at?"
“Just bringing your dinner," Mu Qingfang offered, and was met with clear skepticism. “This one is Mu Qingfang, Head Disciple of Qian Cao. I'm here with a proposition for you."
Xiao Jiu flipped the tray over, tossing the food into Mu Qingfang's eyes. His back thumped against the wall, and there was a chopstick digging into his neck.
“I'm not a whore to be propositioned," Xiao Jiu hissed.
It was much easier to understand several aspects of the situation in hindsight.
“I did not mean it that way," Mu Qingfang brought his open palms up, hoping to pacify the other. “It is a non-sexual proposition. The Peak Lords have elected to let you decide whether you're willing to accept it."
If anything, the snarl got worse. “I'm not going to act as a cauldron, either."
How nice of Xiao Jiu to offer Mu Qingfang a quick run-down of his traumas. “It's not…” He trailed off. “I have offered to bring you into Cang Qiong as my spouse. Nominal spouse.”
That got Xiao Jiu to step back. “Goddamn… What is Qi-ge thinking?!" He muttered under his breath.
Mu Qingfang understood him to mean Yue Qingyuan.
“Yue-shixiong doesn't actually have anything to do with this," he said. “His arguments for your joining of Cang Qiong were heated, but did not sway the Peak Lords. They think you being Wu Yanzi's disciple makes you dangerous."
“I am dangerous." Xiao Jiu whipped his head to glare at him again. “You have no idea who I am; Why would you do something like this?"
What was Mu Qingfang supposed to say? That Xiao Jiu's dual-cultivation system intrigued him, and he'd like to examine it closely? And, even putting that aside, attempting to soothe those meridians into a properly functioning system would be the challenge of a millenium?
It's not like he had any better explanation to give, so that's exactly what he said.
Xiao Jiu blinked. “...What."
“I… Rather enjoy complicated and novel cases,” Mu Qingfang elaborated. “There's not much beyond the textbook when I spend most of my time at Cang Qiong. It's all just sparing injuries or aphrodisiacs. The last time I really got to stretch my skills was- Ah. A person whose soul merged with a spiritual device.”
He received no response beyond an incredulous look.
“My point is, it's mutually beneficial," Mu Qingfang continued. “I get to work on a tricky case and potentially gain enough data for a research paper. And you get to join Cang Qiong, prove yourself to be trustworthy, learn the cultivation techniques while you wait for them to accept you onto a Peak… Also, while not a guarantee, it's likely your meridians would end up in a better state. Isn't that a good deal?"
“It is," Xiao Jiu agreed. “A suspiciously good deal."
There was nothing more Mu Qingfang could say on the topic. He just had to be patient and wait for Xiao Jiu to mull it over.
“And where does me being your spouse come into the equation?"
Ah. Yes, he forgot to mention it on either side. “Honestly, I just blurted the first thing I could think of after realizing mid-sentence that bringing you in as just a patient would be no different from bringing you in as a prisoner."
He got another odd look for that. “And marriage is any less of an entrapment?"
“I… Would hope so?"
It seemed like Xiao Jiu had some unpleasant experiences with marriage, as well. Perhaps that was why Yue Qingyuan was so certain he would refuse.
He said that last part out-loud. Xiao Jiu snapped out of his thoughts, gaze drilling into him. “Qi-ge said so?"
Mu Qingfang nodded.
“I refuse to sleep in the same room with another man,” Xiao Jiu said, a propos of nothing.
“I barely even sleep in my own bed," Mu Qingfang huffed a laugh. “But yes, there is a guest room you could use."
“Fine, then,” Xiao Jiu forcefully relaxed his shoulders, getting back into his bed. “I will have input on the marriage contract or I won't sign it.”
“Of course."
“Great.”
A moment of silence. Mu Qingfang wondered where did that sharp turnabout come from, but he wasn't about to question his good fortune, lest Xiao Jiu changed his mind again.
He glanced down at the discarded tray, the food scattered over the ground.
“I'll bring you another dinner," he offered, tiding it up as much as he could before heading towards the doors.
“Husband should do that," Xiao Jiu agreed, his voice smooth and dangerous like poisoned honey.
And, with a quick makeshift ceremony the following morning, Mu Qingfang got married.
For science.
