Chapter Text
During the afternoon on the sixth day of Jiang Cheng’s isolation, he sat in the private lounging room of Nie Mingjue, swords of all types decorated the wall, and a banner with beautiful calligraphy had their sect’s motto written on it hung proudly above the display.
Lan Xichen was bent over a table, pen drawing onto a map of the terrain surrounding, Nie Mingjue rubbing his jaw as he made comments and pointed out flaws in Lan Xichen’s plans. Jiang Cheng helped them with updating a few areas, deciding to keep quiet when they asked personal questions such as how were Yunmeng Jiang’s forces and where are they normally positioned at and if they had any defenses.
Despite being on the same side as these two, Jiang Cheng still had reservations and hesitations of going in completely without talking to his parents first. Lan Xichen understood, promising Jiang Cheng that he’d find a way to get his parents on his side and Nie Mingjue thought it was ridiculous that after everything the Wens have done so far, people were still undecided.
Jiang Cheng crossed his legs, placing an elbow on his thigh and he settled his chin on his hand, staring as the two men finished up their talking and rolled the map up. Nie Mingjue called out for a disciple, a woman coming in and he handed her the map, her eyes flitting to Jiang Cheng and the other man before exiting the room just as quickly as she came in.
“I wonder if anyone knows who we really are,” Lan Xichen commented, touching the edge of the talisman that was stuck to his cheek. “Your brother didn’t even recognize us!”
“Have you seen yourself?” Nie Mingjue asked, grabbing a cup of water and finishing it in one gulp. “Two average merchants from the sect down the mountain is a perfect alibi and no one will doubt it.”
“I suppose we can thank Jiang Wanyin for that,” Lan Xichen said, smiling in his direction. “I’m still a bit worried about those Wens that were following me earlier though.”
“Their scouting party consisted of only five people,” Nie Mingjue answered, filling his cup with more water. “My men were following them the second they passed through here. No messages were sent out as far as we know.”
“Good, good,” he muttered. “I’m thankful for you taking care of the bodies.”
Nie Mingjue rolled his eyes and Jiang Cheng raised a brow at the casual action. Who knew the famous Nie Mingjue could be so laid back? A small knock on the door drew the mens’ attention and Nie Mingjue promised that he’d be back in a while, the door closing with a click.
“Sorry for leaving you out,” Lan Xichen said, sitting in a chair next to Jiang Cheng and drunk from his teacup. “I just didn’t want to pressure you into telling us things you weren’t comfortable with.”
“Thank you Zewu-jun,” Jiang Cheng replied, sitting up straight to face him. “I’m sure once you talk to my parents, things will go much smoother.”
“But then you wouldn’t be able to participate in these talks anymore,” Lan Xichen reminded him. “I personally don’t think it’ll go as easy as you think.”
Jiang Cheng hummed and bounced his foot up and down, mulling over Lan Xichen’s words. There was truth in the statement but he knew how intelligent and strategic his parents were, sensing they’d too pick the side against the Wens.
“Perhaps I’m being optimistic because I feel as if this is the right thing to do,” Jiang Cheng said, scowling softly. “I know that a sect leader mustn’t put their needs before anything else but-”
“You put a lot of pressure on yourself Jiang Wanyin,” Lan Xichen interrupted. Setting down the teacup and patting Jiang Cheng’s shoulder. “I think decisiveness and the strength to stick to your decisions is a very important trait a sect leader must have.”
Jiang Cheng sighed, uncrossing his legs and released the tension in his back, sinking into his seat.
“Do you think you’ll be able to gather other sects?” Jiang Cheng asked, staring up at the ceiling.
“I have to try.”
“It’ll take a lot more than trying to get others into this,” Nie Mingjue scoffed, entering the room and looking at the two frowning with an arched brow. “Territorial expansions, trade intimidation, and stealth murders towards other sects haven’t been able to get anyone vocally against the Wens. There needs to be something more.”
“The burning of Cloud Recesses isn’t enough?” Jiang Cheng asked, tilting his head in confusion. “What more does there have to be?”
“The destruction of a sect.”
Jiang Cheng frowned at Nie Mingjue’s response, locking eyes with Lan Xichen who seemed to be in agreement with the sect leader. A destruction of a sect would seem like a tipping point, but it couldn’t be any small sect, it had to be big, prominent, with centuries of history and on amicable terms with most clans and sects. He licked the front of his teeth, a sickening foreboding feeling growing in his gut.
“Which is why Lotus Pier is next on the Wens list of intimidation?” He asked, folding his hands together. “That would…be…”
“There’s only Yunmeng Jiang and Lanling Jin left,” Lan Xichen muttered, picking up his teacup. “Which is why we need you to complete the task given to you.”
“And we’re sure that Wen Ruohan will do this,” Jiang Cheng scrunched his nose, waving his hand around, “reeducating camp, soon?”
“It has to be in the upcoming months,” Nie Mingjue said, leaning against the door. “The attack against Gusu Lan needs to be reinforced with some reminder that because they’re the Wen Clan, they’ll be able to get away with whatever they want.”
Lan Xichen nodded his head and sighed softly, setting down his empty cup and got up. He noticed the tense posture of Jiang Cheng, lips turning down at the blank expression on the fake face.
Jiang Cheng was taking a lot of risks being here, doing this, and Lan Xichen wished there was another way to get him involved rather than holding the treatment over his head, but this was real life and real life wasn’t easy and people have to do what they must to survive in this world.
“We should be on our way,” Lan Xichen said, walking towards Nie Mingjue and placing a hand on the stiff shoulder. “Thank you.”
Nie Mingjue rolled his eyes and moved out of the way, Jiang Cheng noticing the extremely subtle way the older, stronger man softened and eased his harsh expression.
“As if I had a choice.”
“You do,” Lan Xichen reminded him, a gentle smile playing on his lips. “Jiang Wanyin?”
Jiang Cheng nodded and followed Lan Xichen, bowing gently towards Nie Mingjue who nodded. They walked out the sect’s door, Lan Xichen getting onto a horse and Jiang Cheng following the movements onto his own horse. They waited until they were far out of sight, Lan Xichen pulling out his sword and stood on top of it, hand held out for Jiang Cheng to grab ahold of.
As they finally reached the outskirts of Lotus Pier, the early morning light signaled a new day and Jiang Cheng yawned tiredly as he jumped off of Shuoyue, Lan Xichen elegantly stepping off and sheathed his sword.
“I’ll be in contact soon,” Lan Xichen promised, taking a step back from Jiang Cheng.
“Wait Zewu-jun!” Jiang Cheng called out, taking a deep breath and bringing forth all his courage. “About the cure-”
“Treatment,” Lan Xichen corrected yet nodded solemnly in response. “As I said earlier that whatever your current progress in cultivation is, this will be forever your stage. Someone your age has a few more years to go before your core can fully reach maturity.”
“But the longer I wait, the more the sickness will spread,” Jiang Cheng replied, balling his fists. “If not now, then when?”
Lan Xichen hummed and walked forward, placing a hand on Jiang Cheng’s stomach, blinking hard as Jiang Cheng flinched away.
“I’m going to check something, I won’t hurt you.”
“Sorry,” Jiang Cheng mumbled, ears tinting in embarrassment at the intense reaction. “Right. Go ahead.”
The feeling of Lan Xichen’s spiritual energy flooding into his system felt icy and minty, a strange sensation running through as he forced himself to remain open. There was no threat or indication that Lan Xichen had something else planned up his sleeve, so Jiang Cheng inhaled and exhaled, making it easier for Lan Xichen to check whatever he needed,
“A year and a half, at most,” Lan Xichen muttered, bringing his hand away from Jiang Cheng’s body. “That’d be the earliest you can do the treatment.”
Jiang Cheng opened his mouth and Lan Xichen raised his hand, shaking his head firmly.
“That is the earliest I’ll allow you to use the book,” he said. “Jiang Wanyin, the upcoming days, months, everything will need everyone at the top of their game. You can’t just look at the now, but the future, the days beyond what will come.”
Jiang Cheng worked his jaw, releasing the tension in his shoulders and hands. It was true that Jiang Cheng was being short sighted and that the days to come will be more complicated and harder than he can imagine. However, if he were to wait, just hold his tongue and continue to play his role well, then he’d be able to imagine the upcoming days clearer, a brighter future than he thought.
“Fine.”
He watched as Lan Xichen walked towards the village located near the entrance of Yunmeng Jiang, biting his lip hard to prevent any words of discontent and anger from slipping out. How dare Lan Xichen hold the treatment to the flower sickness over him?
This was supposed to be a mutual relationship, but it was all too clear that Jiang Cheng was lacking any collateral that might help him get the upper hand, or at least be on equal footing.
Jiang Cheng exhaled noisily, rubbing his face hard. There was nothing else he could do for now, except wait for the announcement that the Wens were sure to give out, and pray that everything went according to plan.
Jiang Cheng snorted loudly, wading in the lake as Wei Wuxian popped up from under the water, face panicked and stressed.
“Are you not going to help?!” He asked, splashing Jiang Cheng with lake water. “It’s your fault!”
“Who told you to push me into the water when you were carrying my mother’s pendant?” Jiang Cheng easily spat back, grinning at Wei Wuxian’s pale face. “You have plenty of time to find it.”
“I fucking-uuugghh!” Wei Wuxian complained, diving back down into the water to find Madame Yu’s pendant.
Jiang Cheng waded in relaxation as he laughed at the bubbles that floated up in the water. He didn’t know why his sister would give their mother’s pendant to Wei Wuxian to give to him, she could have waited a few more hours to give it to Jiang Cheng herself, or even give it to their mother in person.
The pendant wasn’t super important or valuable, it was just a sign that whoever had it had the trust and word equivalent to their Jiang matriarch, but of course the Jiang siblings were well known in Lotus Pier and didn’t need it in the first place.
“I don’t even know why your sister had it to begin with!” Wei Wuxian yelled in frustration, pushing back the wet strands out of his face. “Fuck fuck fuck! Your mother is going to flay me alive!!!”
“You know my sister likes to do everything official,” Jiang Cheng answered, his clothes starting to feel heavy on his skin. “She probably used it to enter the family library or had to get something from a tradesman outside and needed it. It has to be around here.”
Wei Wuxian scoffed and went down again, Jiang Cheng slipping underwater to take off his clothes with ease. He threw his outer robe onto the docks, tying his sash around himself tighter and he bent down and took off his shoes as well.
“Are you going to go for a swim while I’m searching?” Wei Wuxian asked incredulously, voice edging with frustration. “Come on Jiang Cheng! Please help me out!”
Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes and rolled up the wet sleeves of his shirt and tsked loudly.
“ Fine. But only because I’d hate for my mother to punish you over this,” Jiang Cheng muttered, swatting away the water that Wei Wuxian flicked towards him. “Go a bit further out in case it went over there. I’ll search here.”
Wei Wuxian nodded in agreement and swam a bit away from where they both fell in, Jiang Cheng dipping under the water and swimming towards the bottom of the lake in search of the white jade pendant. He popped up every now and then, shaking his head towards Wei Wuxian if they both appeared for air at the same time, and would go back down, hands sifting through the silt and pebbles.
After twelve minutes of searching, Jiang Cheng’s fingers caught onto thread, his eyes squinting in the water and swam back up to the surface, lifting the string up and smirking at the jade pendant.
Wei Wuxian appeared a few minutes later, splashing the water around him in annoyance.
“Found it,” Jiang Cheng called out, one arm holding onto the leg of the dock as Wei Wuxian turned around, relief coloring his expression. “Want me to toss it to you?”
“NO! Don't!” Wei Wuxian begged, swam over quickly and tried to grab it back from Jiang Cheng who easily kept it away. “Well fine, have it. I was supposed to give it to you anyways.”
“What’s my reward?” Jiang Cheng asked cheekily, gently placing the pendant above on the dock. “Clearly you couldn’t have found this without me.”
“What? I so could have!” Wei Wuxian scoffed, kicking Jiang Cheng under the water. “I didn’t even need your help.”
“You literally asked for it,” Jiang Cheng reminded, pushing at Wei Wuxian. “Don’t be a sore loser.”
“We weren’t competing!” Wei Wuxian huffed and swam closer to Jiang Cheng, grabbing his shoulder. “Don’t be so mean to me.”
“Hey!” Jiang Cheng frowned, trying to push off Wei Wuxian’s sticky hands. “Don’t cling onto me.”
Wei Wuxian laughed and pressed his lips against Jiang Cheng’s, the cold and wet droplet of lake water falling down their faces. Jiang Cheng made a muffled sound behind his lips and Wei Wuxian tangled their legs together.
“I’ll drown you,” Jiang Cheng muttered as Wei Wuxian licked his lips. “Stop, someone will see.”
“Then let them,” Wei Wuxian said, softly capturing Jiang Cheng’s bottom lips between his teeth. “I don’t care.”
But Jiang Cheng cared. They weren’t in the Jiang family’s private lakes, but in the public pier area where most disciples went for a quick dip or to hangout. Someone, anyone, could be passing by and only had to look around the pier to see the two of them entangled and pressed against each other.
It was too risky to do this here but Jiang Cheng didn’t want Wei Wuxian to actually stop. It felt good to have their lips pressed together, to have Wei Wuxian’s tongue in his mouth, swirling and tracing the ridges of his mouth.
His eyes fluttered close and Wei Wuxian laughed through his nose, his long legs wrapping around Jiang Cheng’s hips and Jiang Cheng let out a ‘hmph’ in surprise. His hands reached out and grabbed onto Wei Wuxian’s butt, sinking into the water slightly as Wei Wuxian reached out and held onto the dock.
“Whoops,” Wei Wuxian mumbled, laughing softly and bit Jiang Cheng’s nose gently. “Got me?”
“Mhm,” Jiang Cheng answered, squeezing Wei Wuxian’s butt as punishment and widened his eyes at the hitch in Wei Wuxian’s breath. “Can you hold us up?”
“Who do you think I am?” Wei Wuxian joked, leaning forward and capturing Jiang Cheng’s lips, kissing him messily. “Don’t leave bruises.”
“Hah! As if!” Jiang Cheng spluttered, embarrassed by Wei Wuxian’s words. “How hard do you think I squeezed?!”
“You can if you want,” Wei Wuxian whispered, fluttering his eyes coyly. “I won’t complain if you do.”
Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes at the coquettishness of his shixiong, digging his nails into the soft flesh of Wei Wuxian’s ass, the other teen snorting loudly and squirming closer into Jiang Cheng’s chest.
“All you ever do is complain!” Jiang Cheng scolded, lessening his grip.
Wei Wuxian frowned and rubbed his nose against Jiang Cheng’s, biting the tip once again and tried not to smile at Jiang Cheng’s reaction to it.
“Shh, don’t waste our time talking,” Wei Wuxian said, chastely kissing Jiang Cheng. “We don’t wanna get caught right?”
Jiang Cheng’s scoff was swallowed by Wei Wuxian, his shixiong shoving his tongue in with no niceties and eagerly moaning, softly rutting against Jiang Cheng’s stomach. Jiang Cheng furrowed his brows, cautiously putting all his weight onto Wei Wuxian, legs quickly kicking under water to keep his balance and not sink.
Wei Wuxian made small needy noises and Jiang Cheng squeezed and groped and kneaded the flesh of Wei Wuxian’s ass, fingers greedily going up and down his thighs to ass, digging hard on the inner sensitive flesh of his thighs. This wasn’t the optimal place to be getting frisky, the location and the awkwardness of floating making it all that much more difficult, but Jiang Cheng could never say no to Wei Wuxian.
Jiang Cheng groaned at Wei Wuxian’s high pitched whine, the hardness of Wei Wuxian’s cock pressed hotly against his clothes and Jiang Cheng wanted nothing more than to grab at it, to pull Wei Wuxian’s clothes off and lick and suck, to bring Wei Wuxian to pleasure, to climax and to remind him that only Jiang Cheng could ever make him feel like this.
“A-Cheng,” Wei Wuxian whined, nibbling at his lips. “Fuck, I wanna-”
“Yeah?” Jiang Cheng replied hoarsely, hands roughly digging into Wei Wuxian’s ass and Wei Wuxian keened loudly. “Oh my gods, can you be any louder?”
“Uhh probably,” Wei Wuxian laughed, pressing his forehead against Jiang Cheng. “This isn’t enough, I need more.”
“There you go, complaining,” Jiang Cheng said, capturing Wei Wuxian’s lips again. “I thought this was my reward?”
Wei Wuxian laughed loudly and relaxed his legs around Jiang Cheng’s waist, one hand coming down to grab at his hardness. Jiang Cheng hissed and Wei Wuxian’s grin grew sharper, eyes glittering with mischievousness.
“You’re right,” Wei Wuxian muttered, dragging his lithe fingers up and down the clothed cock. “Let me just-”
“Boys?”
Jiang Cheng pushed at Wei Wuxian hard, eyes panicked and Wei Wuxian instantly let go of the dock, Jiang Cheng dipping under the surface in surprise. They untangled and swam out further into the lake where they had a better view of Jiang Yanli briskly walking up the pier, a frown on her face.
“So much for that,” Wei Wuxian groaned and Jiang Cheng splashed him. “What?”
“Compose yourself!” He hissed, noting the still flushed expression on Wei Wuxian screamed that he was enjoying himself just a few seconds earlier.
“You’re no better,” Wei Wuxian scowled, splashing water back at Jiang Cheng. “Oh wait don't-”
Jiang Cheng growled and pulled at Wei Wuxian under water, the other teen laughing and sputtering water out of his mouth when he emerged.
“A-Cheng~ don’t be so violent~” Wei Wuxian crooned, dodging and pushing away Jiang Cheng. “Shijie! Help! He’s trying to drown me!”
“Don’t ask her for help,” Jiang Cheng said, dunking Wei Wuxian under water again. “A-Jie he’s being dumb, ignore him.”
“You two,” Jiang Yanli sighed, shaking her head. “This isn’t the time to be messing around.”
“What’s wrong?” Jiang Cheng asked, suddenly losing all warmth that Wei Wuxian passed onto him only a few minutes ago. “A-Jie?”
“Mother- she-” Jiang Yanli sobbed, pressing a hand over her mouth as she squeezed her eyes shut.
“What happened to Aunty?” Wei Wuxian asked, swimming to the dock and pulled himself up, scrambling to comfort Jiang Yanli. “Shijie? Is she…?”
“She’s fine, she's just,” Jiang Yanli inhaled shakily, the rims of her eyes red. “She wants to see you, A-Cheng. Now.”
“Oh, okay,” Jiang Cheng muttered softly, swimming to shore and grabbed Wei Wuxian’s hand to hoist himself up. “Where is she? Should I change first?”
“Just go to her quarters,” his sister replied, plucking a piece of seaweed off his drooping bun. “Probably fix your hair before you go but you don’t have to change.”
“Alright,” he muttered, reaching for his robe and undid his sash with trembling fingers. “What happened that she wanted to see me for?”
Wei Wuxian sighed and helped Jiang Cheng undo the knot he made, pulling off the sash and waited for Jiang Cheng to wrap his outer robe around himself. Jiang Cheng stood still as he watched his sister try to compose herself, eyebrows pinched as she tried not to cry.
“She said- said that she’s not going to make it in time for Wen Qing to come around.”
“Oh.”
Jiang Cheng looked down at the knot that Wei Wuxian did for him, the long skinny fingers frozen on the purple material, and he peeked through his lashes to examine the usually animated face of his shixiong, now cold and shocked.
“It can’t be,” Wei Wuxian muttered, shaking his head. “Your mother shouldn’t be progressing this fast. There has to be an explanation for this, it can’t just-”
“Wei Wuxian,” Jiang Cheng hissed, stepping back and undid his messily soaked bun. “Sometimes things aren’t as complicated as you make it out to be. People die and there’s no way to stop it.”
Jiang Yanli inhaled sharply and Wei Wuxian glowered at Jiang Cheng who simply rolled his eyes and tied up his bun neatly.
“I’ll go visit mother.” He briskly said, walking past his sister who started to weep openly and Wei Wuxian who was gently consoling her.
Jiang Cheng regulated his breathing as he made his way to his mother’s residence, hands clenching and unclenching, heart in his throat as fear started to slowly fill his guts. Something had to have happened recently in order for his mother to deteriorate so suddenly. Qing Wen was supposed to be there in a couple of months but if his mother couldn’t make it, then there was only one other option…
He swallowed loudly, gnawing on his bottom lip as he tried to figure how to convince his mother that he could save her, save them, everyone here in lotus pier, in the cultivation world- No, he was giving himself too much credit, he was trying to pretend this was something other than selfish desires but Jiang Cheng couldn’t help it.
To have his mother last more than a couple of months, to last into the next years, the next decade, well, that was simply wishing on his part. The reality of it was, if his mother didn’t want to fight, if she was content to waste away, petals suffocating her to death, all he could do was watch and mourn.
A suppressed sneeze alerted him of his arrival at his mother’s residence, the smell of incense and astringent herbs leaking from the closed doors. He nodded to the disciple that was on guard that was rubbing her nose and entered the seating room, a soft haze filling the room and he went deeper into the quarters, his mother’s chambers to the left and the tearoom where they so often sat and talked on his right.
“There you are,” his mother said as she turned the corner and found him standing in the hall. “It wasn’t so urgent that you had to come looking like…that.”
“Sorry.” Jiang Cheng muttered, feeling like five years old under his mother’s scrutiny. “Uh, A-jie said it was important so… I can always come back later.”
“It’s fine,” his mother sighed heavily, opening the sliding door to the tearoom. “Come in.”
Jiang Cheng nodded, entering the room and sat on the small cream pillow, his hands balled up in anxious fists on his thighs. He licked his lips, his mother casually making her way into the room and sat in front of him, her fingers gently moving and setting up the tea.
“What did you need me for, mother?” He asked, watching her drop two sugars into her tea and three into his.
“My son isn’t so rude that he can’t wait for tea to be served before asking questions right?” Madame Yu asked rhetorically, her sharp brow angled in her forehead. “Where have all your manners gone?”
“I’m sorry,” he bit out, looking down at the dark stained wood.
“It must be all that time spent with that child,” Madame Yu continued, her voice carrying a sharp edge. “Ha, never have I met a person so purposefully ignorant of their own standings.”
He dug his nails into his palms, swallowing softly at his mother’s tirade. Her harsh words and treatment towards Wei Wuxian wasn’t new or unusual, but now more than ever did Jiang Cheng feel that she never gave the other a chance. Sure Wei Wuxian was wild and uncaring of social lines and boundaries but it’s not like Jiang Cheng tried to enforce them.
They were different from other people. Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian’s circumstances were different from other young masters and their servant’s sons. Their fathers were sworn brothers, they had history, they were bound by fate and destiny. His mother couldn’t understand.
“Thank you,” he said instead, grabbing the tea in front of him and rotating it in his hands.
He peered up from his lashes, his mother’s figure looking thin and haggard. She had thin lines across her forehead and the bags that formed under her eyes showed exhaustion. Her purple lipstick looked out of place on her pale face, exemplifying the blue lines that crawled up her neck.
There was a bewildered expression in her eyes and Jiang Cheng knew that she was probably under some pain medication right now. According to his sister, their mother was trying out different doses and types of medication, not wanting to be surrounded in pain 24/7 but also wanting to be lucid enough that she doesn’t act out of character.
Sometimes though, when the pain of being taken over by an invasive species was too much for Madame Yu, she took too much, or rather she was forced to take more than she would like. Her mind would become muddled and her words take on an airy tone. Her vocabulary would become less harsh and strict, turning more forgiving and understanding. Her hands, soft and yielding, not stubborn and cold.
Once, Wei Wuxian was on the other side of Madame Yu’s soft exterior, his face stricken with embarrassment and apprehension as she reached out and grabbed the ends of his ponytail, eyes staring at him but mind a million miles away from their current situation.
“Shimei, your hair is always so messy,” Madame Yu tutted, fingers tangling up in Wei Wuxian’s ponytail. “Let me do it for you.”
Jiang Cheng remembered pausing and holding his breath as Wei Wuxian stiffly sat on his knees, Madame Yu taking a comb out of nowhere and began to undo Wei Wuxian’s ribbon, combing the ends of the hair to the root. Wei Wuxian anxiously made eye contact with him and Jiang Cheng had to suppress the jealousy in his heart at Wei Wuxian’s pink face, his mother’s soft smile growing as she combed through the black strands.
Jiang Cheng couldn’t recall that last time his mother treated himself so tenderly, maybe when he was still a child and the relationship between his parents wasn’t so fractured but seeing Wei Wuxian being treated gently by his mother left a funny taste in his mouth.
“Shimei,” she sighed, sounding exasperated but the warmth in her eyes showed otherwise. “What would you do without me? Huh?”
She ended up braiding a complex braid, two separate ones starting from the roots of Wei Wuxian’s crown and brought them together into one delicately intertwined plait. Her fingers worked slowly yet she never messed up or had to redo it. It was as if she’s done this hundreds of times and was used to someone in front of her squirming and pulling away when she was doing so.
“There, now you look presentable,” his mother muttered, hands bringing the loose baby hairs around Wei Wuxian’s face behind his ears.
Wei Wuxian patted his hair gently, eyes staring down at the mats of Madame Yu’s sitting room and kept quiet. Jiang Cheng stared at his mother, wondering who in the world could she be thinking of that caused her to treat Wei Wuxian with such carefulness and spotted the watery look in his mother’s eyes, his mind stuttering with confusion and alarm.
His mother’s attendant came out of nowhere before he had a chance to call out to her, Yinzhu pursing her lips at Wei Wuxian’s new hairstyle. She excused herself and Madame Yu, not before looking back at Wei Wuxian and furrowed her brows with a conflicted expression.
“Don’t ever mention this to your mother,” Wei Wuxian begged after they left the compound, his cheeks still a pale pink but he brought forth his braid and was gently tugging the ribbon that kept it all together. “She’ll kill me.”
Jiang Cheng laughed and teased Wei Wuxian about his new hair but he secretly thought that it looked good and mentioned jokingly ‘hey we match’ tapping at his own twin braids in his hair and Wei Wuxian blushed violently, scoffing about how much better looking his hair was as opposed to Jiang Cheng’s stuffy bun.
“Now that we’re settled,” Madame Yu spoke, and Jiang Cheng returned to the present. “There are a few things I'd like to talk to you about.”
He straightened up and nodded stiffly, taking a sip from his cup, the hot tea burning the tip of his tongue. His mother set down her own cup, picking up another sugar cube and placed it in the tea, swirling her spoon idly as she stared blankly at Jiang Cheng.
“You’ll need to start taking over the financial duties that I’ve been doing,” she began, voice even and clear. “There’s also the cultural division you’ll head over with your sister, the preparation for morning practices as well as monthly hunts will also need to be taken over by you. At the end of this week, I’ll have a scroll of merchants that you’ll need to formally be introduced to, as well as other vital things you’ll have to know.”
He worked his jaw as his mother listed off her duties that he’d take over, her expression clinical and cold as she explained what she expected from him and what he is to do with his newfound responsibilities.
“So that’s it?”
“Excuse me?”
Jiang Cheng blinked in confusion as he realized with horror that he bitterly expressed his thoughts out loud.
“Do you have some…discontent to express?” Madame Yu asked, lips flattened in a thin line. “It’s okay. Let me hear it.”
Jiang Cheng opened his mouth and closed it, eyes flicking away from his mother’s stern expression. He could never dare to tell his mother what really was on his mind. This was the woman who had no hesitation putting him back into his place, he was more afraid of her than reverent.
Madame Yu coughed, a deep throaty sound, wet and painful. Jiang Cheng clenched his jaw and then relaxed, bowing deeply, his forehead nearly pressed up against the table.
“There’s a way to stop the progression of the flower sickness,” he said, swallowing down his fear and nerves. “You can be saved.”
“What in the world are you talking about?” His mother asked, clearing her throat and coughing again. “Stop listening to whatever nonsense people tell you. There is no cure.”
“There is a cure but that’s not what I’m talking about here,” he insisted, nose pressed against the table as he clenched his fists. “There’s a way to stop the flower sickness from growing and retaining your cultivation.”
“HA!” Madame Yu barked, slamming her fist on the table. “Who told you these lies? Lift your head!”
He raised his head, flinching at his mother’s heated glare. Slowly he straightened his back, dragging his bottom lip through his teeth as he exhaled shakily.
“It’s true mother,” he softly said. “Back in Cloud Recess-”
“ Oh ! I see now,” his mother laughed bitterly. “You’ve been tricked by the young master Lan haven’t you?”
“Mother!” Jiang Cheng called out, eyebrows furrowed in disbelief at his mother’s remark. “I’m telling the truth that there is a-”
“And let me guess, when you were out parading the woods with Lan Xichen did he tell you what happened at Cloud Recess? Did he somehow convince you that he could help you out if you were to help him out?”
He blinked twice, mouth agape at the discovery that his mother knew he was with Lan Xichen a week ago.
“It…it wasn’t like that.”
“Oh I’m sure Lan Xichen had such pure intentions in meeting you and bringing enemies to our doorstep!”
“How, how did you find out?” Jiang Cheng meekly asked, the feeling of being caught by his mother throwing him off balance.
“Lotus Pier and beyond is my territory,” his mother declared in a strong voice. “Not much happens within her boundaries that I am not aware of. Especially if the missing young master of a sect that was attacked suddenly appears before my son.”
Jiang Cheng rubbed his forehead, pushing down all the questions he wanted to ask and toughened up, staring straight at his mother, eyes ablaze with righteousness and duty.
“I know it sounds convenient for Zewu-jun to appear suddenly after what the Wens did to Cloud Recess, but it was purely coincidence,” Jiang Cheng tried to explain. “And he was already aware that I was trying to find a cure for the sickness way back then. Mother! I can save you!”
“Hold your tongue!” Madame Yu shouted, throwing her teacup against the wall, the liquid sloshing onto Jiang Cheng’s shocked face. “Save me? I don’t need anyone to save me!”
“But A-Jie said that you wouldn’t be able to-”
“I am quite capable of making decisions for myself and I have decided that I do not need the Wens nor the Lans ! I’ve dealt with the illness for as long as I can remember and I most definitely don’t need my child to save me!”
“A-Niang! I - !”
“Are you talking back to me?” Madame Yu yelled, standing up and the table flipped over. “Have you forgotten your place?! I am your mother! You do not tell me what I need to do!”
Jiang Cheng growled angrily, slamming his head to the ground, bowing in the lowest form and begging, tears caught in his throat and head swimming.
“A-Niang, please. Listen to me!”
“No!” She snarled. “You have been confused by Lan Xichen. He is preying on you and you are falling into his hands! Have you learned nothing from me? You would put the entire sect at risk just to save your mother? Grow up!”
“A-Niang! I am aware of what he wants and what use I am to him,” Jiang Cheng yelled back, heart beating rapidly at the rising of his voice. Never has he ever raised such a tone against his mother. “But I’ve calculated the costs and it’s worth it!”
“You speak nonsense!” Madame Yu shouted, the sound of Zidian sparking with her anger. “You are a child stuck on believing in fairytales!”
“I beg you, please,” Jiang Cheng said, slamming his head into the ground, the impact sharp and painful. “Listen to what I have to say.”
“Clearly I’ve been too soft on you over these years!” Madame Yu shouted, grabbing Jiang Cheng’s arm and dragged him out of the room. “Get up! Get out of my face! Go to your room and stay there until you’ve learned your lesson!”
She threw him outside the doors of her residence, her two faithful attendants looking alarmed and confused at the state of their youngest master and the ire of their lady.
“Lady, perhaps,” Jinzhu tried to reason, shutting her mouth at Madame Yu’s furious glare.
“Go!” Madame Yu shouted, her hand pointing in the direction of Jiang Cheng’s living quarters. “Yinzhu, tell the chefs that this child is to be without food until I say so!”
Jiang Cheng bit his bottom lip harshly, humiliation and indignation growing into his chest, small sparks of resentment and loathing spreading like wildfire. To be treated like this by his own mother, what was the point of it all? Why did he have to go so far?
He looked up, scowling, blood dripping down his forehead onto the ridge of his nose and sloping to the crease of his lips. His mother stared down, disappointment in her eyes, face flushed with anger.
Jiang Cheng opened his mouth, venom pooling at the back of his throat, ready to strike, to hurt when Madame Yu doubled over and began to cough violently, the force of it shaking the ornaments in her hair. Jinzhu came over and handed Madame Yu a handkerchief, the pale purple suddenly turning dark as she used it to cover her mouth.
This was the reason why, wasn’t it?
Jiang Cheng bowed against the floor again, his shins parallel to the ground, arms bent and his hands near his head, and forehead against the dirty ground.
“You!” Madame Yu snarled, taking a step forward to pull him up, but stumbled instead, Jinzhu grabbing hold of her arm. “Fine! You want to stay there? Go ahead! Stay there as long as you want! I don’t care!”
She turned around, pausing before entering and gave her son one last look, his form small and pathetic against the paved floor, the left side of his uniform wet with tea and his bun skewed on the top of his head.
“No one is to talk to or feed him!” She commanded. “If they do then they’ll receive five lashes from Zidian! Let it be known!”
The disciples that were lingering around and looking at the young master with pity in their eyes suddenly turned away, the fear of their matriarch and her purple whip dismissing any thoughts of trying to curry favor with Jiang Cheng by advocating for him or feeding him sneakily.
Jiang Cheng pursed his lips and closed his eyes slowly. His mother was angry, rightfully so, but it’d eventually fade. This was his mother, sure she was cruel and cold and callous, but she loved him and to leave him in this position, well, he had confidence that it wouldn’t last more than a day before she yelled at him to go to his room and that they’ll talk later.
Jiang Cheng winced as he shifted, his knees aching and sore from kneeling for three days straight and his back was strained from being in this low position for so long.
His mother did not tell him to get up and go back to his room. In fact, every time she got out of her compound, she’d breeze right past him, her footsteps steady and light, her two attendants awkwardly hurrying by.
He licked his lips, his mouth dry and his throat was parched, but he preserved. He had a mission and he refused to give up after coming this far. There were no disciples around his mother’s complex, all of them afraid of evoking the wrath of Madame Yu, so Jiang Cheng thought about old texts and sword movements to pass the time.
Occasionally his sister and Wei Wuxian would pass by, loudly whispering his name and making sure he was okay before they scurried off and the sound of Jinzhu or Yinzhu checking in on Jiang Cheng.
It was boring more than anything. He was sure that he could last a bit longer, that his stubbornness could outlast his mother’s. This time alone gave him space to think, to re-word his pleas and try to perfect how he could beg and possibly bargain with his mother.
He sighed as he pressed his forehead against his forearms, twisting and turning to get kinks out of his neck and back out. Slowly dozing off, Jiang Cheng wondered if his mother was keeping an eye on him at all during these past few days.
“Wake up.”
Jiang Cheng lifted his head, back aching at the position he was in and squinted in the darkness.
“Open your mouth! Hurry!”
He groggily opened his mouth, sitting up straight as something soft was stuffed into it.
“What! What the hell? Wei Wuxian?!”
Wei Wuxian snorted and grabbed the bun before it could fall on the ground.
“Shh, less talking and more eating,” Wei Wuxian whispered, placing the bun back in Jiang Cheng’s mouth and pulling out a flask. “I have water too. Hurry up before someone sees.”
“Stop it,” Jiang Cheng sighed, taking the bun out of his mouth and handing it back. “I’m not allowed food or water. You’re going to get in trouble.”
“I don’t care,” Wei Wuxian scoffed, rolling his eyes. “It’s messed up that she’s forcing you to stay out here like this with no food or anything to drink. You could seriously get sick due to this. Come on, don’t be dumb.”
“I’m not being dumb,” Jiang Cheng answered, pushing away the flask that was nudged on his cheek. “I’m trying to prove something here and if my mother finds out that you were here then it’s all for naught.”
“You have nothing to prove,” Wei Wuxian mumbled, his hand gently wiping at a particularly dark smudge on Jiang Cheng’s face. “What’s the point of doing all of this? Why did she get mad at you?”
“I’ll tell you later,” Jiang Cheng promised, grabbing Wei Wuxian’s hand and squeezing it. “Now hurry up and go before they find you here and you get punished.”
“I don’t wanna leave you,” Wei Wuxian whined as he stuffed the food and flask away. “Stop being stubborn, there’s no need to stay here.”
Jiang Cheng sighed and looked up, the stars shining brilliantly in the night sky. There was a reason for doing this, he knew it’s a good reason, but he couldn’t help feeling resentful for going to such lengths to do so.
“I’ll see you when this is all over Wei Wuxian,” Jiang Cheng said, smiling lightly. “”Now get out of here before you get whipped.”
“Ugh fine! ” Wei Wuxian huffed, rolling his eyes. “Don’t say I never tried to help.”
He laughed softly and watched how Wei Wuxian sprinted and jumped over Madame Yu’s compound walls, his figure quick and agile, no sound coming from his actions. Jiang Cheng rubbed his eyes harshly, the lingering taste of bread in his mouth, wishing he was in his bed and sleeping.
He didn’t blame his mother, no that was a lie, maybe deep down, hidden under the carefully cultivated layers of filial piety and never wanting to question his parent’s motivations, Jiang Cheng blamed his mother.
To have waited this long, to put their children through this, to expect them to just go along with everything, no say or expectations that perhaps the children they raised would have objections to how everything is playing out, how could he not hold resentment and blame towards his makers?
What was the use of being heir to the Yungmeng Jiang clan if he couldn’t even protect those closest to him? Jiang Cheng sighed heavily, rubbing his face one more time before stretching and getting back to his kneeling position.
He thought about it a lot these past few days, how the feelings of resentment and confusion were overflowing. He didn’t know how he’d be able to look at his father’s face without the emotions of enmity crawling up his throat begging to be released, how he could face his mother without feeling betrayal and to prevent himself from not wanting to face her head on.
Jiang Cheng was old enough to know what can and cannot be said, what must be hidden and stuffed down into his deepest parts of his mind, to pretend and go along with the charade that his family set up. It was an art that he perfected at a young age, when Wei Wuxian was introduced and he no longer was his father’s favorite and his mother no longer gave him proud smiles in public.
He wouldn’t try to go against the flow for no reason, but this was different, there was no way he’d let his mother accept her fate when there could be a chance to change it.
Time passed and the sun was setting on another day when the wooden doors of his mother’s compound slammed open, her figure imposing as she stared blankly at Jiang Cheng’s bewildered expression.
“Get up.”
“Mother?”
“Enough of this already,” Madame Yu said loudly, leaning against the door frame. “Just come in, let’s talk.”
He could hear her weariness, her posture tired as she used the door frame to hold herself up.
“Really?”
“Do you want to stay here?” She asked, her voice sharp and Jiang Cheng quickly stood up, body aching and head swimming at the action. “I’ll be in my sitting room.”
Jiang Cheng slowly walked, his legs covered in pins and needles, stomach clenched tightly at the anticipation of what’s to come. His mind was blank, heart beating loudly as he stepped into his mother’s sitting room, a warm glow from candles littered everywhere and the strong smell of incense making him scrunch his nose.
“So not even that boy could get you to leave?” His mother asked as she lounged against her desk, head between both her hands. “What do you want from me, A-Cheng?”
“A-Niang…” he started, suddenly guilty at the weariness in her voice and her slumped figure. “I want you to live.”
Madame Yu sighed heavily, her fingers gently massaging into her scalp. Jiang Cheng swallowed and kept talking as she kept silent.
“I know you’re suspicious of Lan Xichen’s help, of course you’d be. It’s not like I’m unaware of the dangers that his help would bring, but,” Jiang Cheng stepped closer to his mother’s desk. “There is a treatment. I read it and while I didn’t understand the theory or the process, we could have someone look it over. Trusting Lan Xichen is a safer option than Wen Qing.”
“Why did he come to Lotus Pier?” His mother asked, slowly lifting her head up. “What did you offer to him?”
“I didn’t offer anything,” Jiang Cheng quickly said, only to pause and re-word his sentence. “Well, I did say I would help out but nothing more than that. I haven’t involved anyone other than myself in this. As for why he came here, I guess he figured that due to our acquaintanceship from when I studied at Cloud Recesses, he could find an ally here.”
“Did he?”
He froze at his mother’s question, licking his lips and slowly shrugged.
“I want to save Lotus Pier,” Jiang Cheng confidently proclaimed. “All that I’ve been working for is for our clan's prosperity and the eventual continuation of the liveliness and happiness of those that are under us.”
“We’re not in danger,” Madame Yu softly spoke, one hand tapping at her desk. “What has he told you?”
“Mother, I came to ask you to please reconsider your future actions,” Jiang Cheng deflected, taking two more steps until he was in front of her desk, hands flat across the wood. “At least meet with young master Lan and see what he has to offer, don’t let this be a waste.”
His mother sighed loudly and heavily, her shoulder slumping at the request.
“I have never asked you for anything,” Jiang Cheng pleaded. “I have done everything you and father ever requested, expected , of me. I have always admitted my faults and all my wrongdoings, I’ve bitten my tongue whenever I was wrongly chastised or blamed, I have never ever begged or pleaded for anything before.”
Jiang Cheng cleared his throat, indignation and fury at his own incompetence swelling in his chest.
“Mother, if you have any love for me, for A-Jie, you’d listen to me, just this once.”
The silence was deafening and Jiang Cheng wanted to speak, wanted to yell for his mother to not be so prideful, to understand where he was coming from. He was conscious of his breathing, slowly evening it out, his heart in his throat.
“Let us meet then.”
“What?” Jiang Cheng whispered, hands shaking. “Mother, are you sure?”
“You just begged me to give Lan-gongzi a chance and now you’re asking me if I’m sure?”
“I mean, I…” Jiang Cheng shut his mouth and bowed as deeply as possible, tears burning the back of his eyes. “Thank you mother, I’ll make sure there are no regrets about this.”
“Enough,” his mother snapped, leaning into her chair and waving a hand at him. “Leave, you need to take a shower and get some rest. I’ll let you know when I have contacted Lan-gongzi.”
“Of course,” Jiang Cheng said, taking a step back and grinned widely at his mother, quickly flattening it at her blank stare. “Thank you A-Niang, truly, thank you.”
Madame Yu sighed, her hand covering her eyes as she waved him off again, Jiang Cheng slowly walking out of the room, only to sprint and leave the complex.
He did it, he seriously did it. He bit his lips as he made his way into his courtyard, chin wobbling and his chest aching. Gods, he didn’t think it was possible, he really didn’t think he’d get this far.
Tears slipped down his cheeks without permission, walking into his room as he roughly swiped at them, breathing heavily through his mouth.
His mother was going to survive, he just knew she would. And if it was true that the treatment works, that if it could stop the sickness at such a deteriorated stage, then- then he could live as well.
He slowly coughed, the petals easily slipping down his throat, Jiang Cheng grinning viciously at them. The roots in his chest had no chance, there was no need to be afraid of anything anymore, he’ll be fine. His mother was going to be okay.
Everything was working out according to his plan.