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“If you think I’m letting you out of my sight for even a second you’re out of your fucking mind.” Wei Wuxian practically snarled, eyes wild as he gripped Jiang Cheng’s arm.

She struggled back as hard as she could but he wasn’t relenting. She even considered biting him, eying a bare patch of skin, but she wasn’t an animal. (She still might though, later. When things were more desperate.)

“I already told you! I’m going back, you can go to Meishan and find Shijie but I’m going back to Lotus Pier.” Jiang Cheng fought to tug her arm out of Wei Wuxian’s hold but he was (irritatingly) stronger than her on her best day.

Right now on what was rapidly becoming the worst day of her life she couldn’t hope to budge him. As soon as Zidian’s bindings had released her first thought was obviously going back to Lotus Pier and she was sure Wei Wuxian would have agreed. He should have agreed.

Instead he was vehemently opposed to the idea.

“If you think I’m letting you go anywhere alone let alone back to Lotus Pier you’ve officially gone insane.” Wei Wuxian’s hold tightened, “Don’t be an idiot Jiang Cheng.”

Considering Jiang Cheng was the one usually calling Wei Wuxian an idiot this role reversal was throwing her off.

She still kept struggling against his hold, “So you don’t even fucking care?? You’d just let them fight to-“

“Of course I care! But Madam Yu and Jiang-shushu told me to do whatever it took to keep you safe. You saw how many Wens they brought to Lotus Pier.” Wei Wuxian’s gaze is unusually serious, strangely solemn, and a far cry from the perpetually laughing and irreverent façade of her shixiong, “You heard what Wen Chao wants; there’s no way I’m letting you within a hundred li of him, especially not now. Going back to Lotus Pier right now is not a good idea.”

Even as Jiang Cheng’s stomach turned at the reminder of what Wang Lingjiao (that stupid fucking bitch) had said Wen Chao wanted she still kept trying to break Wei Wuxian’s hold. She finally reached forward to bite him but he effortlessly twisted them so she was caught in a position where her teeth were unable to reach flesh.

Jiang Cheng continued to struggle, “But they could need our help we can’t just- those are my parents- it’s Lotus Pier we can’t just let the fucking Wen Dogs have it!”

“I know.” Wei Wuxian’s face looks almost grey in the low light, “I know, but we can’t. I’m sorry we can’t.”

“Wen Chao is a piece of shit.” Jiang Cheng argues back, “He’s weak, he isn’t-“

“The core melting hand isn’t weak, and they had enough people to entirely overwhelm Lotus Pier. Wen Chao said he wanted to take you as his concubine.” Wei Wuxian’s face twists with disgust. It had been that “generous offer” conveyed by Wang Lingjiao on behalf of Wen Chao that had driven Madam Yu past the point of fury into almost impotent rage.

“You DARE. You stupid presumptuous low-born whore dares to come to Lotus Pier and spit such dirt. I’ll have your master’s head on a pike and I’ll flay you open first.”

In fact Wei Wuxian seems even more disturbed and furious about it than even Madam Yu.

She would never admit it but his words felt a little like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on her head. Abruptly everything felt a lot more terrifying and her bravado had slipped slightly.

Wei Wuxian wasn’t an idiot, as much as he may pretend to be one at times, and on those rare occasions when he became serious and solemn it was jarring and usually somewhat grounding. Or at least it would be if Jiang Cheng’s head wasn’t a cacophony of panicked screams.

Her shixiong continues relentlessly, “You know what they do to women in war times.” His face is grim and his grip on Jiang Cheng tightens to the point of pain, “They told me to look after you. I’m not letting you go back there when it’s swarming with Wens and Wen Chao wants… that. If they catch you… no no fucking way. Especially after the indoctrination, the way he looked at you-”

Jiang Cheng tunes out the last part of whatever he’s saying. She focuses on the fear and the panic. “Well then what are we going to do?” She asks hotly. She knew even if she didn’t say it that Wei Wuxian could tell she was beginning to let go of the struggle because his grip on her loosened ever so slightly.

“We’re going to Meishan and we’re going to get Shijie.” Wei Wuxian sounded confident, or at the least vaguely sure about their direction, “There were disciples that were away from Lotus Pier when the Wens arrived, we’ll meet with them and go to Qinghe. Qifeng-zun has been fighting the Wens for a while already and since the Cloud Recesses was burnt down the Lans will be on their side. We’ll go join the fight and we’ll take back Lotus Pier.” He takes a deep breath, “And if Sect Leader Jiang and Madam Yu survived we’ll join up with them too.”

Jiang Cheng blinks away the furious impotent tears that have started to sting her eyes. She rubs aggressively at her face with the back of her wrist all while it’s still clasped in her Shixiong’s hold. Wei Wuxian thankfully stays quiet.

“Fine.” She says shortly, “We’ll go get A-jie.” She feels stiff and brittle.

“Ey, don’t look so glum Jiang Cheng.” Wei Wuxian’s grip loosens enough that he can pull back slightly to smile at her (the smile is terrible, slightly wobbly and insincere), “It’ll be okay. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“Idiot.” Jiang Cheng protests, blinking away more tears, “Who put you in charge huh? Who says I need you to look after me?”

Wei Wuxian just presses his lips to together in another grim smile, “Well you’re getting it whether you like it or not. Come on, without our sword it should take less than a week to Meishan on foot if we hurry.”

Jiang Cheng turns and starts forward in the right direction, grabbing Wei Wuxian’s hand and holding fast as they walk. She doesn’t offer an explanation and for once Wei Wuxian doesn’t tease or laugh; just squeezes her hand back as they walk away, leaving Lotus Pier behind.

*

They would have tried to disguise Jiang Cheng as a boy to travel except it never would have worked. Her features too delicate, she looks too much like her mother, her hair is too long and her face is far too recognisably aristocratic to hide properly. Instead, Wei Wuxian is the one who ventures into towns to get food and information while Jiang Cheng hides in the woods and twists Zidian around her finger in restless circles.

“The Wens are looking for us.” He tells her grimly after he gets back to the rendezvous spot, passing her a baozi and an apple, “They have posters of us up everywhere, thankfully I’m not as recognisable as a Jiang disciple,” He gestures to his black and red robes, “But we need to get new clothes for you.”

Jiang Cheng’s fingers catch the edge of her purple robes and rub hard, “I-“

“I know. I know.” Wei Wuxian’s voice is strangely gentle as he coaxes her to take a bite of her bun, “I haven’t heard anything about Madam Yu or Sect Leader Jiang.” He says then before she can ask, “And I didn’t want to raise suspicion by asking too many questions.”

Jiang Cheng nods as she takes a bite of the apple, “Here.” She passes it to him, “Have the rest.”

“Wow so generous shimei!” He says with a grin, it looks mostly sincere.

Jiang Cheng just sighs and gets up, “We need to get to Meishan, come on. A-Jie will be worried sick.”

“Maybe she can cook for us when we get there.” Wei Wuxian suggests, sounding excited, “I want some good food. I swear I dreamed of her soup last night.”

“You better not dare ask A-Jie to cook the moment you see her.” Jiang Cheng glares at him.

Wei Wuxian pouts dramatically as they start walking, “Aiyo, do you really think I have no manners at all? Jiang Cheng! I’m offended.”

“Go ahead and be offended, it’s your own fault I have this impression of you.” Jiang Cheng said shortly as they keep walking.

“Jiang Cheeeeeng.” Wei Wuxian whines dramatically.

She just ignored him though she couldn’t even try to deny the fact that her stomach didn’t feel like it was twisting itself into knots with him by her side. She felt… almost safe knowing that he was there.

*

Jiang Cheng, thirteen and still slim and small, wakes up in the middle of the night to find a puddle of blood in her nightclothes and staining her bed sheets. She looks, eyes wide, at the blood and even dips a finger into it.

It’s blood.

Very red and a little gloopy. It… it seems to be…

She reaches her fingers into her nightclothes and brushes them against her sex. They come out wet and red.

Jiang Cheng’ feels a sudden flash of panic and deep-seated embarrassment. Now everyone’s going to see it and everyone’s going to know that the Jiang heir has bled for the first time and it’ll be news in a way that it never is when boys grow up. As a girl this mean she can have children. Maybe could even be married. All of those far-off adult woman considerations that she’s managed to ignore by virtue of spending all her time training for Sect leadership will suddenly be relevant. Until this moment she hasn’t really been treated like she has any specific gender, existing in the formless sexless space of youth. She was a girl obviously but she didn’t dress like A-Jie or learn womanly arts. Nor did she get to spend time alone with the other male disciples like Wei Wuxian and take off her clothes when it got too hot.

Now… what if everything changes? What if now that there’s real proof she’s a woman father does what mother is always accusing him of wanting and makes Wei Wuxian the heir instead? And she gets married off to some Sect heir like A-Jie and has to spend the rest of her life like her mother or Madam Jin?

Jiang Cheng gets out of bed and creeps out of her room and down the corridor to the one person who keesp all her secrets no matter how stupid and never asks more questions when she tells them to shut up.

“Wei Wuxian!” She hisses, shaking his bare shoulder where it peaks out from under his blanket, “Wake up!”

“Wha-“ He wakes blearily, sitting up and rubbing at his eyes, “Jiang Cheng?”

“Who else idiot? Now get up! You have to help me!”

Wei Wuxian gets up and grabs a shirt off the floor before following her out because despite being the most annoying person in the world, he’s also the best.

“What is it?” He whispers back, already slipping into “secret mode” the way he’s good at every time they go on adventures or get into trouble together.

“I bled.” She hisses, “You have to help me clean it up!”

That clearly hadn’t been what he was expecting and when they arrive at her room he questions her (though it’s only the once).

“Why? It’s normal right?” He looks down at her bloody sheets and stained discarded nightclothes with something like fascination.

“Don’t look at it!” She hisses.

“It’s just blood.” He rationalises sounding surprisingly very mature about the whole thing, “Remember when you bled all over me during that last nighthunt because that yao got you with its claws? It’s kind of the same thing right?”

Everything in Jiang Cheng unwinds as he begins to efficiently strip off her sheets, “Where are the spares kept?” He asks.

“In the maid’s quarters.” Jiang Cheng answers.

Wei Wuxian chews his lip, “Okay, divide and conquer. You get the new sheets. I’ll burn the old ones.”

“Okay.” Jiang Cheng feels less panicked and far more together with his help, “Oh wait.” And she grabs the clean part of the sheet and begins tearing it into strips, “I need to wear something to catch the blood.” She says tightly.

“Huh, makes sense.” He lingers a little awkwardly for a second even after she’s done, “We can go out tomorrow and see if we can find some better rags for you to use.” He offers and she takes it for the attempt it is.

“Okay.” There’s another pause while they ready themselves to go and get started on the tasks, “I’m just not ready yet.” She blurts out.

He doesn’t say anything to that except to pat her on the head a little jokingly and a little condescendingly, “Okay meimei.”

She glares and he pouts back and everything in that moment is almost perfectly okay.

*

“I’m so sorry A-Cheng, A-Xian.” A-jie’s eyes were red-rimmed, “I heard a few days ago. I’m sorry you had to find out now.”

Jiang Cheng stood with her fists clenched in disbelief, “No… no they can’t- no they can’t be-“ She turned to look at Wei Wuxian and realised with a dawning horror what that expression on his face meant, “You knew.” She said, her voice sounded strange, “You knew they were dead.”

Wei Wuxian’s face spasmed and that was all the confirmation Jiang Cheng needed.

She punched him across the face.

“How dare you?! How dare you lie to me! Not tell me! How dare you!”

“A-Cheng!” A-Jie was holding her with arms around her waist as she tried to reach forward and claw Wei Wuxian to ribbons, “A-Cheng stop!”

“I had to.” Wei Wuxian’s face was solemn, a bruise was developing on his cheekbone but he didn’t look repentant, “If you knew you would have tried to go back again and I couldn’t let that happen.”

“I should have gone back! I should have been there! You don’t-“

“They told me to keep you safe!” Wei Wuxian all but yelled with no little heat, “I wasn’t going to do anything to let you go back!”

“So you would lie to my face?”

“To keep you safe? Absolutely.” He answered with no trace of hesitation.

Jiang Cheng found the words caught in her mouth. She stopped struggling against A-Jie’s hold. Jiang Yanli slowly let go of her.

“I’m not going to forget this.” She tells Wei Wuxian, determined to make him understand how much her stomach feels like it’s full of snakes, how her heart feels torn out of her chest.

“I don’t expect you to.” Wei Wuxian sighed like he had aged a thousand years since they left Louts Pier which he probably had, “But I’m not going to stop keeping you safe. Jiang Cheng… or should I say Sect Leader Jiang.” There was a strange suspended moment and then abruptly he knelt before her, “Like I promised, I’ll be your right-hand man and serve you like my father served your father. I swear.”

Jiang Cheng’s throat felt choked up and she blinked away rapid tears. It was too much. Everything was too much. Zidian sparked on her finger and Jiang Yanli’s face was uncharacteristically serious as she regarded them.

“Get up.” She said after a moment, “I-“ She coughed, knowing one thing for certain and that there were few things more uncomfortable than watching her brother kneel before her even if he was technically supposed to, “You’re still my brother. I… I don’t forgive or whatever, but I… we’re here together. We’re in this together and we’re going to rebuild Lotus Pier.” And then the tears are falling, “We’re taking it back from those fucking Wen dogs and we’re rebuilding it and… you better not leave for some rogue cultivator! I mean it! I won’t let you just go chasing after the first pretty skirt!”

Wei Wuxian chuckled as he got up with a slight wince, “Wouldn’t dream of it. I know that the prettiest skirts are in Yunmeng anyway.” He winks and it could have fallen flat except that A-Jie laughs gently and Jiang Cheng feels something in her unclench.

“We’re together.” Jiang Yanli says, pulling Wei Wuxian forward so he and Jiang Cheng are in her embrace, “That’s all that matters right now. As long as we’re together we’ll be okay.”

Jiang Cheng leans back against A-Jie with Wei Wuxian’s strong arms around her and lets herself cry some more, just a little bit.

*

The war is a nightmare. More so than anything else Jiang Cheng finds herself unduly irritated by Lan Wangji who appears and just inserts himself into their lives, hovering near Wei Wuxian and entertaining all his weird chattering whims. Jiang Cheng is far too busy organising the war effort to bother herself with getting the second Jade of Lan away from her brother but still, can’t he just leave them alone?

She grumbled about it at length to A-Jie who spent the mornings helping her put up her hair in a style fit for a Sect Leader and the nights taking down that same style and braiding her hair for bed.

“A-Xian is quite fond of Lan Wangji is he not?” Jiang Yanli commented as she dragged her brush through Jiang Cheng’s hair.

“I don’t see why.” Jiang Cheng grumbled, “Lan Wangji is just so…. Ugh.”

A-Jie (the traitor) just laughed, “I think it’s sweet.” She said softly.

There was silence for a bit while her hair was brushed and oiled and braided neatly so it wouldn’t tangle in sleep.

“It might end up being a good thing.” A-Jie said later as they lay side by side in the big unfamiliar bed in their quarters of the Unclean Realm ready for sleep (two sisters could share a room but Wei Wuxian was absolutely not allowed to which he didn’t seem too upset by. He was probably with Lan Wangji right now. Or drinking with Nie Huaisang. Jiang Cheng scowled to herself at the thought).

“What do you mean jiejie?”

“My engagement to Jin Zixuan was dissolved which leaves us Yunmeng Jiang at a disadvantage since we don’t have any strong alliances to the other Sects.”

“None of the other Sects have strong ties to each other.” Jiang Cheng pointed out.

A-Jie hummed, “I heard that Nie Mingjue and Lan Xichen are thinking of swearing brotherhood.”

Jiang Cheng’s mind began to work furiously at calculating what this would mean to the ever-shifting political landscape, “So the Nie and the Lan are looking for stronger ties with each other.”

“The Jin sect is the strongest right now.” A-Jie continued, “But… I do not see us being able to easily form an alliance with them even with mother and Madam Jin’s friendship.”

“Fucking Jin Guangshan is still skimping on the war effort.” Jiang Cheng muttered darkly, “And no. I’d rather die than let that fucking peacock take you.” She said, mostly to herself, though she didn’t miss the melancholy expression on Jiang Yanli’s face at her words. “We’ll find you someone better jiejie, I promise.” She vowed, “Someone much nicer!”

“A-Cheng is such a good meimei and sect leader.” Jiang Yanli ran soothing fingers through Jiang Cheng’s hair, “But I meant before that I think Second Young Master Lan might be sweet on our A-Xian.”

“What?!” Jiang Cheng all but screeched in indignation, “No! He’s not allowed! He can’t-“

“A-Cheng,” Jiang Yanli’s voice wasn’t chiding, she never scolded but it was still serious, “If A-Xian marries Lan Wangji he will have married into the Lan main family, it would solidify an alliance between our sects. While the Lan were also attacked by the Wen they have rebuilt well since then and are in a much stronger position than our Sect.”

Jiang Cheng glared at a shadowy point on the wall, “And if Zewu-jun and Chifeng-zun swear brotherhood that would connect us to the Nie Sect.”

“Yes.” A-Jie smiled, “It’s not so bad A-Cheng, it looks as though A-Xian quite likes Second Master Lan.”

Jiang Cheng couldn’t help but grumble in response, “He’s always been obsessed with him. Back when we were at Cloud Recesses he would tease him constantly.”

“Ah, you know A-Xian can be rather oblivious to his feelings sometime.”

Jiang Cheng continued to glare, “Are you sure? That Wei Wuxian likes him?”

“I can’t be certain but at the very least he’s fond of him. None of this is set in stone A-Cheng, we don’t know what will happen in the next months, the next years. The war… it’s uncertain.”

Jiang Cheng nodded and then buried himself closer to her A-jie, “Jiejie. I…” She didn’t continue. She needed to be stong. She needed to be resolute. She was the Sect Leader, that left no room for fear but against her sister’s neck in the dark she mouthed “I’m scared.” (Silently so A-Jie wouldn’t hear.)

“Oh A-Cheng.” A-Jie held her close anyway, “If only my cultivation was stronger I would be the heir and you wouldn’t have to bear these burdens, or at least I’d be able to support you more. I’m sorry.”

“No! Never apologise!” A-Cheng pulls back to poke her sister hard, “You do so much! And…” She hesitates but does say it, “If Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji… married, you’re not wrong, it would be good for the Sect.” Her stomach roils as she says it, an instinctive balking to the idea of giving her brother away.

Jiang Yanli hummed, “Ah we’ll see A-Cheng. We’ll see.”

Jiang Cheng doesn’t have much to say in response to that so she just snuggles closer to A-Jie and lets herself be weak and let her big sister soothe her to sleep.

*

Jiang Cheng hates the war meetings. Mostly because no one seems to take her fucking seriously if Wei Wuxian isn’t by her side. Wei Wuxian’s presence is a double-edged sword in the sense that he gives her legitimacy just by being so fucking strong but in doing so it weakens her own authority. She knows he can tell as well and is frustrated by it but there’s no good solution so the two of them don’t discuss the issue, instead silently agreeing that once Lotus Pier is retaken and they start re-establishing the Sect they can run things however they want in their own territory. Their own Jiang disciples wouldn’t dare try and undermine her authority in Lotus Pier.

Either way it still grates. It grates and grates and grates while Jiang Cheng does her best to pretend that she’s made of fucking stone. She’s never felt more like Lan Wangji before in her life.

“Those disrespectful fuckers.” Wei Wuxian hisses as they walk away from another meeting, “That fucking Nie disciple… asking you about marriage. Who the fuck gave him the gall? I should-“

“You won’t kill any of our allies.” Jiang Cheng instructs but she can’t help but enjoy the defence, “We have bigger problems anyway.”

At that Wei Wuxian becomes serious, “I was thinking….”

“Not a good sign.” Jiang Cheng tried to quip. It fell a little flat.

“Yeah well, c’mon.” Wei Wuxian dragged her into her bedroom and shut and sealed the door with privacy talismans behind him, “Okay so you remember when Lan Zhan and I killed the Xuanwu?”

“You’re really asking like I’d forget?” Jiang Cheng asks slightly incredulously.

Wei Wuxian makes a face, “It feels like a really long time ago.” He says, “Anyway, when we were fighting it, I found a sword in its shell. Old. Soaked with resentment. Powerful. I think…” And he abruptly looks nervous, “Well, I wouldn’t be suggesting this if the situation wasn’t serious-“

“Wei Wuxian! You think I’d judge you for any nonsense that you spout? Just say it!”

“Okay. Okay.” He takes a deep breath, “We’re losing. The puppets are too hard to kill. We can’t fight wicked techniques of this scale with regular cultivation methods.”

Jiang Cheng narrows her eyes and bites back her immediate protests. Nothing is more important than winning the war. She holds her tongue.

Wei Wuxian takes her silence as consent, “I can use demonic cultivation, I’ve been thinking about it and… testing it a little. How to manipulate resentful energy. I just haven’t been able to figure out how to draw it out of the environment in large enough quantities to do any significant damage. I was thinking the sword in the cave could act as a focal point for me.”

Jiang Cheng watches Wei Wuxian carefully. Her shixiong is an idiot, but he’s not stupid. And besides… they’re losing. They’re losing and they can’t lose.

Wei Wuxian watches her right back. Anxious certainly but with a resoluteness to his expression that telle her he already knows what her answer will be.

“As your Sect Leader.” She says strongly, “Nothing is more important to me than your life. I will authorise you to go on this one-person mission to Muxi Mountain to get the sword but if at any point it seems like your life might be forfeit you will not push it. I authorise your continued exploration of demonic cultivation as a method to win the war. We… we can hash out the details later.” She regards her brother, “You realise that if you do this… nothing will be the same. For you.”

Your precious Lan Zhan may never look at you the same way again.

She finds herself (wrongly) pleased by the thought.

Wei Wuxian quirks a crooked smile, “I’m here to keep you safe Jiang Cheng. If we lose the war… I want to rebuild Yunmeng Jiang, I want to crush Wen Chao under my heel and grind him to powder, I want… I want to do terrible things.”

Jiang Cheng looks at him and thinks she’s never understood him as well as she does in this moment.

“I know.” She says, “I want all of that too.”

Wei Wuxian exhales tension and pulls her into his arms for a rough hug, “I won’t be gone too long.” He says with feeling.

“You better come back safe.” Jiang Cheng clutches him back, “Or I’ll break your legs.” And then in a burst of vulnerability she felt she deserved after everything she whispered against his collar, “I can’t do this without you.”

Wei Wuxian just squeezed her back tighter.

*

“Wei Wuxian is out on a mission I personally set him.” Jiang Cheng answered stiffly to that annoying Jin cousin’s questioning.

There were mutters around the table and she burned at the implication that she wasn’t good enough on her own. That she needed Wei Wuxian by her side to be considered a Sect Leader. It wasn’t just gender; it was age and inexperience and everything. She was the youngest Sect Leader and the only woman. Her mother had never explicitly told her it would be hard, that her sex would make things harder, but looking back she can see the thousand and one ways her mother had tried to arm her for the fight she’s undertaking now.  

Instead of allowing her expression crack she keeps her face impassive and lets Nie Mingjue call the meeting to order before they moved on to actually discussing things of substance.

After the meeting she stormed out, trailed by the Jiang disciples she had brought with her.

“Sect Leader Jiang.” Oh for fucks sake.

She turned, “Lan Wangji.” She replied stiffly.

“Wei Ying has been gone for more than a week.” He commented uselessly like she would have some insight into that. She trusted her shixiong (actually her first disciple) of course but she barely understood what he was doing let alone trying to explain that to outsiders that expected her to both control and bow to the man in question.

“He is on a mission.” She couldn’t prevent how clipped her voice was.

“If he required assistance then I would have been happy to accompany him.”

Jiang Cheng gapes and has to absolutely marvel at his gall.

“As his Sect Leader his actions are entirely under my purview and discretion.” She couldn’t help but hiss back. No matter that Wei Wuxian absolutely has a mind of his own and she has no idea what he’s doing on Muxi Mountain.

“I would have been happy to accompany him.” The stupid man in front of her says again.

“Sect Leader Jiang.” Lan Xichen must have picked up on the rapidly escalating tension because he slid smoothly into the conversation with his usual smile on his face.

“Zewu-jun.” She greeted, still stiff.

“If Wei Ying-“ Lan Wangji tried to cut in again and she’d had enough.

“Wei Wuxian is my right hand, he is my disciple and under my Sect’s control. You have no right to him, no right to come here demanding information about him.” She all but sneered.

Not even if you’re… what? Sweet on him? Stupid piece of shit! He’s a Jiang Sect member! You don’t own him! You can’t have him! He doesn’t belong to you!

She’s all of a sudden assaulted by a vision of Wei Wuxian married to the dour man in front of her who will whisk him away to the Cloud Recesses with its thousands of rules and lack of spice. A place that is the absolute antithesis to Lotus Pier. She tries to imagine her brother trapped there by the rules and the elders that hate him, not allowed to laugh or drink or play and with no one for company but the silent Lan disciples. She tries to imagine rebuilding Lotus Pier without Wei Wuxian by her side, tries to imagine ruling without his help and can’t stand it. No, Lan Wangji isn’t allowed to have him.

“If that’s all I’ll take my leave.” Without waiting for a reply she turned on her heel and marched off.

*

The yells from the sentries and door guards alerted her that something was happening even before the Jiang disciple ran up to her.

“Wei Wuxian is back.” They gasped out and Jiang Cheng didn’t wait, pushing past them and all but running to the entrance courtyard of the Unclean Realm. He had been gone for almost a month.

“Wei Wuxian.” She barked when he came into sight. Her voice came out harsher than she intended but no matter.

He looked slightly gaunt but overall there was an air of triumph to him. “Sect Leader Jiang.” He said respectfully, “I come bearing gifts.” His eyes were wild, the way they looked when he refused to let her go back to Lotus Pier.

She noticed then that the horse he had rode in on was attached to a cart; one that was carrying rather heavy cargo.

Wei Wuxian threw the first body down at her feet with a flourish.

It was Wen Zhuliu.

The courtyard erupted into a flurry of noise.

The core-melting hand was missing his hands. He was clearly dead and seemed to have been for a while.

Jiang Cheng forced herself to look properly, feeling a deep satisfaction well up inside of her.

“Good work.” She praised and Wei Wuxian grinned, looking all at once dangerous and yet strangely childish.

“There’s another one.” He said and there was glee in his voice, “I saved it for you.” And then he threw down the second body.

Wen Chao.

He was still alive though maybe barely. Blood darkened his dirty robes, there was a large conspicuous patch at his crotch. Still his eyes were hate filled when they alighted on Jiang Cheng and he tried to spit something past the gag he was wearing.

“I thought I’d give Sect Leader Jiang the honour.” He said seriously with that same mad grin.

Jiang Cheng looked down at the body and twisted Zidian around her finger. It sparked.

“You’ve done very well.” She said. Her voice came out deeper than usual and when she looked at Wei Wuxian she could see her own bloodlust reflected back in his face.

Zidian unfurled in a shower of purple sparks.

*

Whenever Madam Jin visited mother they would have tea together in Madam Yu’s Pavilion. When Jiang Cheng had been younger before Wei Wuxian had come to Lotus Pier, she had loved these visits because Madam Jin would cluck and coo over her and A-Jie and despair that she didn’t have daughters to dress up. She would also bring lots of little gifts (a sure-fire to win over any child).

Then Wei Wuxian had come to Lotus Pier and these visits became fraught with tension for a while because Madam Yu would send him away for the whole visit and she spend most of the time whispering angrily to Madam Jin who would whisper back.

After Wei Wuxian came to Lotus Pier Jiang Cheng’s clothes also became richer but more suited for training. Her mother taught her how to tie her hair up so it wouldn’t get in the way during combat. She also had to train a lot more than before the boy had come to live with them.

A-Jie is the one who spends time with Madam Jin and mother when she visits. It makes sense. Jiang Cheng has to train and A-Jie is the one marrying into Auntie’s family. But still, Jiang Cheng misses getting gifts and being cooed over as well.

Today her mother has sent for her and A-Jie since Madam Jin is here. Jiang Cheng will get to say hello and then she’ll be sent away to train as usual and A-Jie will stay.

Madam Jin gasps when she sees the both of them. “Oh A-Li! So grown up! So beautiful! Oh come here and give Auntie a kiss.” She presents her cheek and A-Jie dutifully goes over and pecks her. Auntie Jin coos loudly. “Ah what a beautiful colour on you!” She fingers the material of A-Jie’s dress, “Ziyuan this silk is wonderful.”

Mother nods looking satisfied, “I’ll get you some.”

“Ah, so generous.” Madam Jin teases.

She then turns to Jiang Cheng.

“A-Cheng! You look so fierce!”

Jiang Cheng squirms internally a little but mother’s eyes are on her so she stands strong and doesn’t fidget and is rewarded by Madam Yu’s approving nod.

“Ziyuan, why don’t you have A-Cheng wear some hair ornaments?” Madam Jin asks, gesturing to Jiang Cheng’s neatly tied back hair. She has braids in for ornamentation but no hair pins or crowns unlike her mother and A-Jie. “She has such pretty hair and a nice face! It would soften her eyes.”

“She has training, hair ornaments would get in the way.” Her mother says almost dismissively, and then she says with more force than she maybe needs, “Besides, A-Cheng is the Sect Heir, she hardly needs ornaments to show her status or emphasise her looks.” She sounds almost triumphant as she says it.

“Ah, but she’s a girl. All girls like a little something sparkly.” Madam Jin teases.

Mother just rolls her eyes in the exact way Jiang Cheng is learning to imitate, “A-Cheng, you have training.”

Jiang Cheng nods and bows, “Bye mother, bye A-Jie, bye Auntie Jin.”

“Bye bye A-Cheng.” Madam Jin says indulgently, “Go train hard.”

As Jiang Cheng leaves she hears Auntie Jin and her mother continue talking.

“Ah but what about some more silks? And surely she has time for one cup of tea.”

“She can wear all the silks she wants once she’s the Sect Leader.” Her mother says and that’s the last thing Jiang Cheng hears as she runs back to the training grounds.

*

Later, after the bodies had been strung up on the gates of the Unclean Realm in a rather macabre show Jiang Cheng didn’t entirely disapprove of and the whispers and questions and demands from all the other Sects had quietened down, Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian escaped back to their rooms with A-Jie.

“You did it.” Jiang Cheng threw herself at him the moment the door was shut, “You did it.”

“Ah you have no idea how badly I wanted to kill Wen Chao myself.” Wei Wuxian admitted as he clutched her back, “I would have brought that Wang woman too but the horse could only drag the two bodies so I brought the most important.”

“A very impressive show of power.” A-Jie said softly. There was no reproach in her voice but it wasn’t quite praise either. “A-Xian you look tired, come here and have something to eat. You need it.”

“Thanks Shijie.” He plopped down, “It’s been a kinda weird few weeks.”

“You found the sword?” Jiang Cheng asked as she sat down next to him.

“Yeah. It’s… it’s powerful. Maybe even too powerful but I think… I think we can turn the tide of this.”

Jiang Cheng exhaled all her tension in one big rush, “Good. Good.” And she found she was shaking slightly.

Wei Wuxian leaned hard against her and didn’t comment on the trembling. He then proceeded to stuff his face with the food Jiang Yanli had put down in front of him.

After a while he cleared his throat and spoke again, “I.. uh there’s something else.”

Jiang Cheng nodded, feeling relaxed and open and liable to say yes to anything, “What?”

“Well… do you remember Wen Ning?”

“Who?”

“From the archery tournament in Qishan.”

“No.” Jiang Cheng admitted.

“Okay… well… I want to bring him, his sister Wen Qing and their branch of the Wen family to Yunmeng when we take it back.”

Jiang Cheng froze, “What?”

“They saved Madam Yu and Jiang-shushu’s bodies.” Wei Wuxian said and then out of his qiankun pouch he pulled out a hair crown and a clarity bell.

Jiang Cheng took them with shaking hands, “What?”

“He looked for us at Lotus Pier when he heard what happened. He wanted to help.”

Jiang Cheng shook her head, “They’re still Wen dogs-“

“They’re innocent!” Wei Wuxian protested, “Jiang Cheng, we… they’re all civilians. None of that branch of the family are proper cultivators apart from Wen Qing and Wen Ning and even then barely. They’re good people.”

“Where are my parent’s bodies?” Jiang Cheng asked.

“In Yilling, at the supervisory office there. They’ve been kept in statis and treated respectfully.”

Jiang Cheng didn’t say anything else, just twisted Zidian around her finger in restless circles.

“It’s only right.” A-Jjie said then, “If they’re civilians they can change their name and assimilate into Yunmeng. Wen Qing and Wen Ning have done us a great service, we should repay them. If we win the war their people likely won’t survive.”

“A-Jie-“

“A-Cheng, I understand. But isn’t the reason why we’re fighting to stop atrocities from happening? They’ve obviously helped A-Xian a great deal while he’s been away,” She looked at Wei Wuxian, effortlessly reading between the lines that way that she had always been good at, “We should pay back our debts.”

Jiang Cheng clenched her fists, “I don’t- I don’t know-“

“Jiang Cheng. Please. They helped me track down Wen Chao and Wen Zhuliu. I couldn’t have done it without them.”

Jiang Cheng pressed her fists to her eyes, “We… this will be a political nightmare. We’re not strong enough. I don’t-“

“It’s only Wen Qing and Wen Ning who will be obvious Wens.” A-Jie pointed out gently, “If we can find a way to justify them being under Yunmeng protection no one can say anything.”

“I…” She looked at Wei Wuxian who looked hopeful, “Okay. But,” And she jabbed her head disciple (and biggest headache) in the shoulder with a sharp finger, “You need to be there with me to rebuild Louts Pier and deal with the fallout.”

“When was I going anywhere?” Wei Wuxian asks dramatically. “I’m offended you think I’m so flighty!”

Jiang Cheng huffs and accepts the confirmation for what it is while studiously avoiding A-Jie’s knowing look.

*

“WEI WUXIAN!” Jiang Cheng all but howls, throwing herself forward to try and catch her shixiong’s falling body. He goes down hard, almost knocking her to the ground, but Jiang Cheng is the fucking Sandu Shengshou now so she grits her teeth and hoists him into her arms.

The seal clutched in his hand is still bleeding resentful energy and she snaps at another Jiang disciple to grab a cloth or something to wrap it up in as she eases his fingers off it. The battlefield is strangely quiet now, but they’ve retaken Qishan. They’ve retaken Qishan because of her brother. Because… he’s done something no other cultivator would dare to. Something… something that might end really really badly for all of them.

Her grip on his body tightens.

The alternative was so much worse. This has to be the right choice.

“Deal with the clean-up and report back to my tent when you’re done.” She barks at the nearest Jiang disciples who all nod and scrabble into some semblance of order.

They’re eying Wei Wuxian strangely which makes sense. They knew this would happen. A-Jie had forced them to all sit down and actually contemplate what doing this would really mean. No one likes demonic cultivation; Jiang Cheng remembers how Wei Wuxian was thrown out of class for even mentioning it at the Cloud Recesses. No one trusts demonic cultivators. No one walks the ghost path.

And Jiang Cheng told him to do it.

This is going to be a mess but… her fingers tighten where they’re clutching at her brother’s body and she doesn’t let herself falter. She looks down at the face that’s almost more familiar to her than her own.

I promised I’d chase away all the dogs for you and if that means I also have to chase away every other fucking Sect too I’ll do it. No one gets to look down on Yunmeng Jiang, on any of us. I won’t let them.

Now wake the fuck up and tell me we made the right decision!

His head lolls where its resting against her chest and he’s taller than her to the point where her carrying him probably looks a little absurd. But still, she won’t let go or pass him to anyone else.

Wei Wuxian was her first friend (A-Jie didn’t count. She had to like her because she’s her sister). Her first sparring partner. Her first brother. Her first partner in crime. The first person that she had gotten in trouble for when they were nine, and even at that age she didn’t doubt that she’d get in trouble with and for this person again and again and again. Jiang Cheng would take a sword to the chest for him if it meant he would still be there (besides, she doesn’t doubt that he’d find a way to heal her. He’s Wei Wuxian. He can do anything). If it’s a choice between a time of convalescence and loosing Wei Wuxain it’s an easy decision to make. (Who else does she have left at this point?)

“A-Xian!” A-Jie runs up to them on the way to Jiang Cheng’s tent and slides into step next to her, hands fluttering as she checks Wei Wuxian’s still unconscious form over, “He has a fever.” She says briskly, “A-Cheng? Can you?”

Without thinking Jiang Cheng wriggles her hand under her brother’s vambrace and begins to pass him what spiritual energy she can spare. It’s not a lot but A-Jie makes an approving sound so she keeps going until her sister signals her to stop.

“He used it.” Jiang Cheng jerks her chin to where the seal (wrapped in several layers of cloth) is burning a hole in her pocket.

A-Jie nods grimly, “Then we need to throw our support behind him even more visibly than before.” She’s already prepped medical supplies in their tent so when Jiang Cheng sets Wei Wuxian down on the floor mats she immediately moves to start dabbing at his forehead with a cold cloth. Jiang Cheng reaches for his wrist to gauge his spiritual energy properly after the transfer and check for any deeper issues.

“No change to his golden core.” She mutters, “He wasn’t lying about that at least.”

A-Jie nods, “Hold this.” And then she begins grinding up herbs while Jiang Cheng takes over brow mopping duty.

There’s a part of her that’s really afraid but she’s refusing to give it any time. What can fear do for her? Useless. If she lost Wei Wuxian….

The stupid thoughts are beginning to properly percolate when her brother takes a deep breath and finally opens his eyes.

“It worked?” Is the first thing he croaks out.

Jiang Cheng feels the tension uncoil inside of her, “We have Qishan.”

Wei Wuxian smiles, “Good. That’s good.”

“You’re not leaving my side from here until the war’s over.” Jiang Cheng commands, “You’re not getting anywhere more than three cun away from your Sect Leader’s support. I’m not letting anyone corner and question you.” She glares at him fiercely.

Wei Wuxian’s face softens, “Don’t worry meimei, I won’t go anywhere.”

“Good! Now,” And Jiang Cheng takes the seal out of her pocket with extreme caution, “Here.”

“Ah.” Wei Wuxian levers himself up with a wince while A-Jie hands him the herbal concoction she’s made, “Thanks shijie.”

“Rest up A-Xian.” Shijie begins to stroke his hair, “You deserve it.”

Wei Wuxian smiles but it comes out slightly brittle, “Did anyone see the seal?”

Jiang Cheng shakes her head, “No, there was too much resentful energy. The puppets all went crazy. No one saw the seal.”

“Good.” Wei Wuxian unwraps it, “The seal is… unstable.” He admits, “It’s not a spiritual weapon that’ll bind itself to only one person.”

“That means anyone can use it.” A-Jie says quietly. “A-Xian-“

“I’m sorry.” Wei Wuxian bites his lip, “I shouldn’t have-“

“Should have what?” Jiang Cheng demands, “Shouldn’t have helped us win Qishan? Shouldn’t have killed Wen Zhuliu? Shouldn’t have killed Wen Chao? We’re so close to winning! If you try and apologise for doing what you should be doing I’ll break all your legs!”

“I only have two legs.” Wei Wuxian says weakly, “What do you mean by “all your legs”?”

“You!” Jiang Cheng is about to reach over and strangle him (convalescence be damned) when someone shouts for her outside the tent.

Jiang Cheng goes outside and receives the report from her disciple, “Good. You did well.” She tries to compliment. It seems to work because the disciple goes pink and smiles at her.

“They’re also requested Sect Leader Jiang and Wei Wuxian’s presences at the war meeting now.”

“Now?” Jiang Cheng confirms.

The disciple nods.

Jiang Cheng swears lowly, “Those fuckers.” She marches back into the tent, “Get up. They want to speak to you and no prizes for guessing what about.”

Wei Wuxian gets up painfully, “I feel like I’ve just gone four rounds with Zidian.”

Zidian sparks on Jiang Cheng’s finger, “If those fuckers think they can try and take us out when we’re weak they can die. Yunmeng Jiang bows to no one.” She all but snarls, “Calling a meeting now? They saw you fall, they know you’re likely unconscious or hurt. And they still-“

“They want to corner you.” Wei Wuxian says, standing though he shakes slightly, “Well fuck that, I’ve got your back Sect Leader Jiang.” He smiles and it’s not great but it still settles some of Jiang Cheng’s ruffled feathers.

She twists Zidian around her finger in relentless circles, “I’ll do the talking.” She decides, “Don’t say too much, don’t mention the seal, don’t talk about the sword. Just… don’t say too much. Don’t say anything actually.”

Wei Wuxain nods with a smile, “Don’t worry Jiang Cheng, I’ll follow your lead.” A-Jie pushes a second herbal concoction she’s made into his hands and he downs it like a shot of baijiu before grimacing and wiping his mouth off with his hand, “Okay. Ready when you are.”

“A-Cheng, A-Xian.” A-Jie looks uncharacteristically determined, “I’ll come with you.”

“A-Jie you-“

“Shijie-“

Jiang Yanli shakes her head, “I’m part of this. I’m not letting my siblings shoulder the Sect’s burdens alone. Am I not also Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan’s daughter?”

Jiang Cheng nods, in actuality she’ll feel a world better with A-Jie there by her side, “Alright. Okay.”

She then puts a hand on Wei Wuxian’s arm and tries her best to pump as much spiritual energy into him as she can, “Stand up straight.” She barks.

He laughs a little wetly, “You sound just like Madam Yu.”

“Oh yeah?” Jiang Cheng doesn’t allow the pinch to her heart to disable her at his words, “Then you’d do well to listen to me.”

Wei Wuxian tries to move his arm away, “You need spiritual energy too.”

“You’re more drained than me. Don’t argue. A-Jie?”

“A-Xian you need it.”

“Ahh ganging up on me! So rude!”

“Shut up! You’re so annoying.” Jiang Cheng rolls her eyes, “Come on.”

They leave and head to the main strategy tent.

Wei Wuxian seems to slip an invisible cloak of arrogant power over himself as they walk. Jiang Cheng can’t help but be grateful for it. At the end of the day his power magnifies hers. It takes away from hers too, but the benefits are more numerous than the detractions.

A-Jie is serene and beautiful on their other side, sweeping past the gossiping camp with an equanimity than Jiang Cheng desperately wants. But that’s not her role. She’s not the calm and collected Lan Xichen or the indisputably powerful Nie Mingjue or the long-serving Jin Guangshan. She’s a different kind of Sect Leader entirely in every way she… she has no choice but to use every resource she has for everything they’re worth. She has no place for pride, no time for feeling anything over the way everyone’s eyes always go to Wei Wuxian first. The war comes first. Winning the war comes first.

“Let me do the talking.” She reminds him.

“Got it.”

“We’re here A-Cheng.” A-Jie murmurs, hand briefly brushing her shoulder as they approach the tent.

Jiang Cheng doesn’t let herself take an obviously fortifying breath and instead schools her expression into something mostly placid and yet irritated as she enters.

“Well?” She snaps before anyone can say anything, “Is there a reason this meeting was called now? Surely this can wait until we’ve recovered from the last battle.”

“You-“

Before Nie Mingjue can say something unduly aggressive Lan Xichen cuts in. He’s got that fucking Lan Wangji behind him boring holes into her brother’s head like being in love with him gives him some right to anything from Wei Wuxian.

Jiang Cheng doesn’t clench her fists as Zewu-jun speaks, “We all thought it may be better to address certain things sooner rather than later.” He says calmly.

We. We. It’s always them against us isn’t it?

“Zewu-jun.” A-Jie says with a sweet smile, “I understand that I’m not well versed in battle time protocol but I do believe that giving everyone a period of time after each battle before a debrief is both usual and also prudent to make sure everyone has the chance to recover fully. Afterall our fighters deserve to be in the best shape possible for the future. Waiting too long before treatment could potentially cause injuries to worsen.”

Zewu-jun can’t really say much in the face of her sister’s courtesy. A-Jie’s always been so much better at this than Jiang Cheng and right now she relishes in it.

“Ah, Jiang-guninag… in this case,” Lan Xichen looks at his brother who is still boring holes into Wei Wuxian, “It cannot wait.”

“I see. Well since that is the way it is I would advise that we ask our questions as plainly as possible.” A-Jie says sweetly, still placid and calm but with an edge of steel like a knife wrapped in velvet, “We all have much to do in preparation for the next push.”

“You shouldn’t-“

Before that insolent Jin can say anything Jiang Cheng cuts him off, “I echo my sister’s words. Let’s debrief.”

Nie Mingjie seems to have lost his patience, “Well then you can answer us, what was that?” He looks strangely furious.

“That,” Jiang Cheng answers with not a little ire, she’s tired and annoyed with the way everyone looks at them like they’re weaker, and she’s not fucking afraid of Nie Mingjue, “Was us winning the war.”

“Resentful energy corrupts the mind.” Lan fucking Wangji says sounding very solemn, ‘’There are no exceptions in history.”

You piece of shit. Jiang Cheng wants to hiss. You love him but you want to call him out here and now? You never deserved my brother but there’s no way I’m letting you near him now. Wei Wuxian is staying far fucking away from you and your puritanical Lan sensibilities.

Wei Wuxian almost opens his mouth but Jiang Cheng subtly stomps on his foot to shut him up.

“We were losing the war.” She said as bluntly as she can, Zidian sparks on her finger as she stares the leaders of the cultivation world down.

Their biggest advantage right now is that no one truly knows how strong Wei Wuxian’s new cultivation path was (Jiang Cheng firmly ignored the fact that she didn’t even know, and honestly she doubted Wei Wuxian did either) and that meant she could call their bluffs.

“Yunmeng Jiang will continue and win this war on our own if we have to.” Her siblings stand strong at her back as she makes her biggest gamble yet in this war since sending Wei Wuxian off to Muxi Mountain, “Wei Wuxian is my man and if you have any comments you can direct them towards me. Either way Yunmeng Jiang will not allow the war to be lost.”

There’s silence then. A strange vacuum as her words landed and were absorbed. Wei Wuxian was arrogantly languid by her side but she could see the tension in his relentlessly tapping fingers. A-Jie was perfectly pristine at her right, a vision in lilac silks even here in the slums of the battlefield.

I need them with me. I can’t do this without them.

Nie Mingjue has his eyes narrowed but she can see his tense jaw working. She knew the hard truth which was that if it was a choice between losing and using heretical cultivation everyone would make the same choice. No one’s principles were stronger than their desire to live and take revenge for those fallen in battle.

Jiang Cheng let herself relax. It had worked. They were going to be okay.

*

“Wei Ying.” Lan Wangji all but chases them out of the tent.

Wei Wuxian goes tense. Jiang Cheng is about to tell him to fuck off when Jiang Yanli intervenes.

“Second Master Lan.” She greets with a bow, “Congratulations on your new title of Hanguang-jun.”

Lan Wangji is thankfully too well bred to ignore her (though not well bred enough not to start slinging mud at her brother in front of all the other Sect Leaders), “Thank you to Jiang-guniang.” His eyes immediately find Wei Wuxian again who is steadily looking away, “Wei Ying, may I speak with you?”

Wei Wuxian opens his mouth and she has a feeling her brother is going to tell him to go away because he doesn’t particularly look like he wants to talk (and he still has to recover) but before he can Jiang Yanli cuts in again.

“It’ll be nice for you and A-Xian to catch up. I know you haven’t had the chance to talk in quite a while.”

Jiang Cheng gives A-Jie a look and Wei Wuxian is also blinking rapidly at her, but their sister’s face is perfectly congenial.

“Second Master Lan can come to our tent to have some tea. I unfortunately have to go back to the medical tent and Sect Leader Jiang has to speak to the disciples so we won’t be able to join you but we’re sure there will be other opportunities.” She turns to Wei Wuxian, “A-Xian please brew the nice tea, the one in the smaller trunk.”

“Uh…” Wei Wuxian is looking at A-Jie like she’s speaking an incomprehensible language, “Okay Shijie.”

“Wonderful, there should also be some snacks in the tent, feel free to help yourselves.” Jiang Yanli then loops her arm through Jiang Cheng’s, “We’ll take our leave.” She then all but drags Jiang Cheng away from their brother who looks panicked around the eyes.

She meets his gaze and tries to convey “scream and I’ll come running” as best as she can. His wide-eyed look of despair doesn’t dissipate.

“A-Jie what are you doing?” She hissed as they walked off, “They-“

“They need to talk.” A-Jie said pleasantly, “A-Xian’s mind will be unsettled by his new form of cultivation and his relationship to Lan Wangji is important to him. Having his support will greatly ease his mind.”

“We don’t know that Lan Wangji will support him! That man is a Lan! They abhor the demonic path! I don’t trust him!”

“He will.” A-Jie says with complete confidence, “He cares for A-Xian more than he values the Lan Sect principles.”

“What?! Are we talking about the same person? Did you see the way he spoke up in that meeting??”

“I saw concern. And a man who has… difficulty saying what he wants to.” A-Jie says delicately.

Jiang Cheng couldn’t help but bark a surprised laugh.

“Even if A-Xian does not have romantic feelings for him, Second Young Master Lan is still someone whose opinion he greatly values and who he cares for.”

“I suppose so.” Jiang Cheng admitted a little petulantly (far too petulantly for an actual Sect Leader), “But he doesn’t need him. He has us.”

A-Jie didn’t pause to sweep a hand through her hair, “Yes he does. But wouldn’t it be nice for him to have Lan Wangji as well?”

“I don’t like him.” Jiang Cheng complained. It felt stupid and childish to complain further to A-Jie on this subject but there was so much more she wanted to say. About how the man had been in the Cloud Recesses. About how once she had heard him tell Wei Wuxian that he and Jiang Cheng shouldn’t be so familiar since she was a woman and they weren’t blood related. She’s never liked him and she isn’t going to start now.

“He needs to prove himself of course and show that he can be good to A-Xian. But… I think he has potential.” A-Jie decided firmly, “Don’t worry A-Cheng, not just anyone is worthy of our A-Xian.”

Jiang Cheng groaned and didn’t voice the thousand and one very real complaints she had. A-Jie had always been far too nice.

*

Jiang Cheng personally debriefed all the disciples and ran them through an appropriate number of drills until she felt like enough time had passed for Wei Wuxian to have had a full conversation with Lan Wangji. Besides that guy was a brick wall, was he even capable of holding a conversation?

She wouldn’t admit to running but she certainly hurried back to her and A-Jie’s tent. It was an inspired location, bigger than Wei Wuxian’s own so there was more space and still familiar territory to their brother. But since it wasn’t his own if things went South he could always just leave. A-Jie was so smart.

She gets to the tent and hesitates for a few seconds, straining to listen for any sound. When all she can hear is silence she steels herself and enters.

Wei Wuxian is sitting there slumped over the low table. He doesn’t look upset or particularly unhappy but he’s frowning and tapping his fingers on the table in an uneven rhythm.

He still looks up at her when she enters, “Ah meimei.”

“What happened? Do I have to go break his legs?” Jiang Cheng asks shortly as she sits down opposite him.

Wei Wuxian hums, “I… actually don’t really know what happened.”

“What does that even mean?”

“I mean…” He’s still frowning, “We talked. He told me he doesn’t approve of demonic cultivation which I was expecting and then he offered to play me cleansing. I told him there was no need but he was pretty insistent. He told me he’d play me cleansing after every time I use the resentful energy if I won’t stop.”

Jiang Cheng blinks but then reaches for his wrist, “How are you feeling?” She asks as she checks his spiritual energies for herself.

“Good? I guess? I mean it definitely helped; the resentful energy does take a greater toll than regular spiritual I guess.”

“Hmm.” Jiang Cheng glares at the table, “I can learn cleansing.” She says slowly, “If you need help.”

Wei Wuxian’s smile is very fond, “Ah meimei you have a terrible sense of rhythm.”

Jiang Cheng scowls darkly at the table, “Whatever. And stop calling me meimei. It sounds way too familiar. I’m the Sect Leader.”

Wei Wuxian retaliates to that by pouting dramatically, “But meimeiiiiii.” He draws the word out.

“Shut up!” She tries to hit him upside the head as he dodges and feels something in her settle slightly at the familiarity of it all. Lan Wangji still isn’t allowed to have him but… he can help with this as long as her brother stays in Lotus Pier after the war ends.

*

It probably wouldn’t have been so bad if it hadn’t happened on the heels of that disgraceful peacock making A-Jie cry.

Wei Wuxian had started shouting first (he’d gotten there first) and hearing the tail end of his castigation Jiang Cheng had felt a little lost though that feeling had dissipated the minute she had seen A-Jie’s flushed face.

“I never though you were worthy of my Shijie but after the indoctrination I thought you were maybe alright for helping me and Sect Leader Jiang.” Her brother had spat. “Turns out I was dead wrong!”

Her and Wei Wuxian had then almost ripped him apart (all but throwing any hope for an alliance with the Jin Sect away by calling the heir all number of awful things. All of them deserved. Wei Wuxian had also punched him. Jiang Cheng hadn’t tried to stop him) and in the aftermath she’s still seething. A-Jie is thankfully ensconced away in their tent sipping at some tea and still looking a little shellshocked.

Wei Wuxian had unfortunately disappeared which was annoying because A-Jie was asking for him.

Jiang Cheng is still so furious she can barely look straight ahead. A-Jie and Wei Wuxian and their handful of Jiang disciples are all she has left of the legacy that her ancestors had built for generations before laying it at her feet.

She’s in uncharted territory and she needs to think smarter but she’s always just so angry and the thought of someone hurting A-Jie is enough to send her straight into murderous. A-Jie can’t protect herself the way she and Wei Wuxian can. If Wei Wuxian was tasked to take care of her, she’s been tasked to take care of A-Jie.

So Jiang Cheng stomps through the camp scattering soldiers in her wake as she searches for Wei Wuxian.

She hears them before she sees them.

“Lan Zhan I can’t talk about this right now.”

“Wei Ying-“

“I don’t know what you want me to say Lan Zhan! I can’t just gallivant off whenever I want to. I have duties, I have a Sect, I have a family, I-”

“Wei Ying needs help.”

“I don’t. I need the war to be over.”

“Wei Ying,” The response is on the edge of pleading and when Jiang Cheng finally rounds the corner she sees the Second Jade of Lan crowding her brother against the back of a tent, “After the war, please, come to Gusu with me.”

Jiang Cheng’s anger is a horrifying thing. It doesn’t burn cold like her brother. When Wei Wuxian gets angry its icy and terrifyingly calm in its application. But he can suppress it. He can leave it behind and move on. Jiang Cheng isn’t like that. Her emotions last longer. She can never seem to get rid of it. It simmers under her skin constantly like Zidian’s electricity. A permanent coating of flammable oil always ready to catch a spark and set her alight. She has her mother’s temper and, right now, none of her temperance. Jiang Cheng’s anger isn’t the elegantly cutting thing her mother could make hers. It’s like a blunt force weapon. She’s always been a little afraid of it.

“What.” She snarls, Zidian unfurling to spark at her side, “Do. You. Think. You’re. Doing. To. My. Brother?”

She should be worried. Hurting or even insulting one of the Twin Jades would be a terrible thing but she’s realised that the last person she’s afraid of is Lan Wangji. She won’t let herself be afraid of Lan fucking Wangji of all people. (She won’t even let herself be afraid of what he could do.)

“Jiang Cheng!” Wei Wuxian dances out from behind Lan Wangji, “Meimei I think-“

“HE’S NOT YOURS.” Jiang Cheng shoves past her brother to get up in Lan Wangji’s frozen face, “HOW DARE YOU.”

“Meimei!” Wei Wuxian grabs her arm, avoiding Zidian’s sparks, “Lan Zhan was just talking about cleansing me of resentful energy, I’m probably going to need it anyway-“

“No! He’s a dog that’s been sniffing far too close to home.” Jiang Cheng sneers, “You think you can take advantage of my brother? You think because you’re Hanguang-jun I’ll let you? You with your stupid Lan rules? He didn’t even like Gusu! Leave my brother alone!”

“Gusu isn’t actually that bad.” Wei Wuxian says a little weakly.

No one listens to him.

Lan Wangji looks at her and there’s something like hatred in his expression as well. Jiang Cheng welcomes it. She wants him to unsheathe Bichen so she can fight him.

“Meimei, come on. Did A-Jie asked you to look for me? Did she? She must have! Let’s go back to her! Bye Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian grabs her bodily and with that strength he had displayed when he had stopped her from going back to Lotus Pier the day of the massacre he drags her away.

Jiang Cheng doesn’t bother to struggle. She just withdraws Zidian and lets herself be steered back to A-Jie.

“That dog.” She mutters.

“Ah… Jiang Cheng Lan Zhan is a good guy.” Wei Wuxian says and he sounds strangely uncertain. Probably due to her disproportionate anger.

“He’s dangerous.” She muttered and she didn’t quite know if she meant dangerous to Wei Wuxian or dangerous to her.

“Right… I wouldn’t really agree. I mean no doubt he’s strong and powerful and yeah, I suppose objectively dangerous but I don’t know if I would say he’s dangerous in the way that you’re obviously implying.”

“Whatever.” She muttered.

“Meimei.” Wei Wuxain seemed hesitant but he put an arm around her, “I’m not going to Gusu, you know that right?”

Jiang Cheng doesn’t let herself say anything else for fear of what could come out of her mouth. That’s a lesson she learnt from watching her mother.

In the end her mind catches on something else to bring up.

“What did you mean about Jin Zixuan at the indoctrination? How did he help you and me?”

Wei Wuxian had gone quiet for a few moments the way he did was he was internally considering things before coming up with a response.

“He… remember how I always snuck out of the accommodation?”

“Yeah I’m still shocked you were never caught. I remember thinking the Wens were even more incompetent than I would have expected.”

“Ah yeah. Well, Jin Zixuan did help out then. He would cover for me if anyone came around to check up on us and I gave him one of those alert talismans so when I was gone he could call me back if he needed to.”

Jiang Cheng hadn’t known that. She blinks at Wei Wuxian. Jin Zixuan had… she had forgotten about this part but he had insisted on himself and the Jin disciples escorting her to the boarders of Yunmeng before they headed back to Jinlintai even though it was in the opposite direction. She hadn’t thought too much of it at the time, too worried about Wei Wuxian trapped in that fucking cave, but he had been unusually serious and wouldn’t take no for an answer. The memory… it rubs a little awkwardly at everything else she knows about him. She can’t quite understand why he did it, even looking back now.

Wei Wuxian nods and laughs a little awkwardly, “I probably would have gotten caught a bunch of times if it wasn’t for him.”

“You didn’t have to sneak out.” Jiang Cheng said feeling slightly exasperated, “There was no need for it.”

Wei Wuxian’s expression goes battlefield serious at that, “Trust me Jiang Cheng, there was a good reason.”

She’s not sure what to say in response.

*

When they retake Lotus Pier Jiang Cheng stands there on the dark wood and wonders if this is the spot where her parents died.

“Sect Leader Jiang?”

“Go begin the clean-up.” She commands, “Prioritise the inner and disciple chambers.”

“Of course.”

“Such a good Sect Leader.” Wei Wuxian teases slightly, sidling across to her, “Very competent.”

But she’s not in the mood for frivolities.

Lotus Pier, the Jiang Sect, Yunmeng itself… all of it is a legacy that has been firmly on her shoulders since she was born. A-Jie’s weaknesses were revealed before Jiang Cheng was conceived. It was possibly the reason her parents had had her though that had never been confirmed either way. Just another vicious rumour in a long line of them.

Still, in a lot of ways Jiang Cheng had been brought into the world to be a Sect Leader and yet she’s spent the first few months of her leadership leading a handful of disciples on far away battlefields. This is the first time she’s been home since that awful day Wang Lingjiao had come to Lotus Pier and her mother had whipped Wei Wuxian half to death.

Jiang Cheng has nothing in the world beyond the legacy given to her. Not gifted, not placed, even slightly reluctant in the application of the duty, but hers all the same. She was raised for one purpose and this is that purpose.

All the years of training. All the lessons. All of the attention her parents had poured into her have led to this moment when she stands on the wood of Lotus Pier as its leader.

Jiang Cheng is terrified. The concept of inheriting the Sect had always seemed so far away. Years and years and decades into the future after a slow transition from her father. She wasn’t supposed to become the Sect Leader at seventeen. Wasn’t supposed to lead her Sect during wartime at that age either.

“Wei Wuxian.” She says through what feel like bloodless lips.

“Yeah Jiang Cheng?”

She looks at him and she hopes her desperation isn’t so visible on her face. (She hopes he can see it and that it burrows its way into his bones.)

“You’re my right hand, my second, my man, right?”

“Yeah of course! Obviously Jiang Cheng. Who else?” He smiles as he says it and the expression is so familiar.

Jiang Cheng looks back over the dark lakes where the bodies of her fallen martial brothers and sister surely rot and feed the lotus flowers.

She needs to be strong. Resolute. Unshakable. Here at this important junction she can’t show weakness. Can’t give any leverage for anyone to use. She’s the Sect Leader.

I can’t do this without you. She doesn’t allow herself to say out loud.

*

Madam Yu is screaming she’s so furious.

Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian are crouched (hidden) outside the main hall where her parents are having the worst fight she’s ever heard. The only reason they’re here in this empty corridor listening when everyone else has (smartly) exited the immediate vicinity is because Jiang Cheng heard both her and Wei Wuxian’s names and well, someone who doesn’t try to face all the facts (even the bad ones) is a coward. And Jiang Cheng isn’t a coward (Wei Wuxian is here not because she needs support! It’s because he’s so nosy!).

It’s unnerving to hear her mother scream. Most of the time her parents’ disquiet manifests in small skirmishes and petty arguments. She very rarely hears her mother actually scream; her mother is usually more composed than that. Deadlier. Quieter. Meaner.

Jiang Cheng reaches out and grips Wei Wuxian’s hand. He squeezes back.

“You’d engage A-Cheng, your heir, your own daughter, to that servant’s son?! Have you no respect for her face??”

“A-Ying is our head disciple and well-respected in the Sect. He’s strong and-“

“If A-Cheng marries she could have her pick of any young master or heir in the cultivation world! The sole mistress to one of the five great sects with impeccable lineage and you want to give her away to some… some… commoner!”

“Wei Wuxian is not a commoner.” Her father argues back.

Jiang Cheng squeezes Wei Wuxian’s hand.

“A-Cheng is a Sect Heir! She has strong cultivation, good looks, a fair eye for leadership and politics,” This may be the most complimentary she has ever heard her mother be towards her, “She could have anyone and you want to force her to have that Wei Wuxian?”

“A-Cheng likes A-Ying-“

Her mother cuts him off with a cold laugh, “Oh? And you think that’s the most important thing in marriage? Some childish affection? Don’t make me laugh.” She says laugh the way one might say spit blood, “What about alliances? What about power? Support? You can’t be blind to the fact that as a woman A-Cheng will face her own challenges. Wei Wuxian is already bound to this Sect; she will have his support without having to tie herself to him in marriage! A-Cheng doesn’t have to give away her favour so easily to a man who is already loyal to her.”

Wei Wuxian jerks in shock next to her. Whether at the whole conversation finally catching up to him mentally or for Madam Yu’s assessment of his loyalty Jiang Cheng doesn’t know.

“Or is that not why?” Her mother’s register has dropped out of shouting to that deadly calm voice that’s more normal but no less scary, “Is this meant to be a way to make that boy your real son? You couldn’t have his mother so you’ll force my daughter to have him.”

Jiang Cheng’s nails dig into Wei Wuxian’s hand but he doesn’t pull away. When she glances at him he’s pale and his lips are pressed in an unhappy line. But he doesn’t pull away from her sharp nails or painful grip.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Her father says and he sounds exhausted, “You know that’s not the case.”

“Do I? I don’t think I do know considering you brought up this absolute nonsensical plan in the first place. How am I supposed to know when you treat your own daughter’s future so shamelessly!”

Her father just sighs, “Forget it. I see that it’s not worth it.”

Jiang Cheng hates her father sometimes for never fighting back. For always making her mother look like the bad and unreasonable person with his passivity.

She sees her mother bristle to reply and has the feeling that they’ve seen what they need to.

She tugs at Wei Wuxian’s hand and he catches on immediately, turning to creep away with her right behind him.

They end up outside on the piers with their legs dangling over the water.

“Haha,” His laughter falls flat but she appreciates that he’s trying anyway, “Wow, can you believe that-“

She doesn’t really want his levity right now though, “It makes sense. That father would try and do that.” She darts a look at Wei Wuxian. Whose face is so familiar to her. Who took a Yao’s strike to the back to protect her on their last nighthunt. Who is one of the strongest and most loyal people she knows. She looks back down and traces the whorls of the wood they’re sitting on with her eyes. If she has to marry someone… she would rather it be Wei Wuxian. At least she likes him and he likes her and she doesn’t think they’d ever fight the way her parents do.

“You know you don’t have to marry me for me to stay right?” Wei Wuxian asks suddenly, “I know that’s not really the issue but I’d be loyal to the Jiang Sect whether or not we’re married.”

Jiang Cheng wants… she wants to poke that point a little more, dig harder, but she doesn’t know how. Wei Wuxian… he’s annoying and brilliant and not as funny as he thinks and an awful flirt and up for doing whatever she wants. She doesn’t want to marry anyone but if… if it really made him stay by her side forever she wouldn’t mind marrying him so much.

“Stupid.” She mutters instead, punching his arm, “As if you not marrying me would mean you would suddenly leave or something.” She says like speaking something out loud imbued it with the power to be the truth. 

Wei Wuxian laughed then, “Ah you’ve caught me Jiang Cheng! The only thing keeping me in Lotus Pier is the hope that one day I’ll be allowed to have your hand in marriage.” He pouts magnificently and rolls over so he’s sprawled on his back looking up at her with big puppy-dog eyes, “I would have run off to be a rogue cultivator a long time ago if I wasn’t so hopelessly in love!” He makes kissy noises at her.

Jiang Cheng narrows her eyes and in one quick move shoves him off the end of the pier into the water.

When he comes up for air spluttering and complaining she takes the time to pull off her boots and vambraces before leaping in after him.

*

Jiang Cheng stands on the wooden piers and breathes in deep. When she opens her eyes the landscape hasn’t changed. It’s as beautiful as it was before. As beautiful as it’s been her entire life and maybe more precious now that she knows what it feels like to lose it.

We won. She mouths to herself. I’m home.

“A-Cheng.” A-Jie comes up behind her with a plate of cut up watermelon, “Would you like some watermelon?”

Jiang Cheng takes a slice.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” A-Jie says softly as she comes to stand besides Jiang Cheng, “Aren’t we lucky to call this our home?”

“Yes.” Jiang Cheng says around the sweetness of the fruit in her hands, “Very lucky.”

“A-Xian’s been running the disciples through drills all morning.” A-Jie says sounding indulgent, “I dropped off some watermelon for all of them, they’ve been working very hard.”

“Hm. Good.” Jiang Cheng finished the meaty part of the melon and threw the rind into the lake before turning to walk off with A-Jie still by her side, “Any new missives?”

“Nothing particularly pressing. There’s an invitation to Lanling for a hunt on Phoenix Mountain.”

Jiang Cheng made a face, “The Jin Sect can go fuck themselves.”

“A-Cheng.” A-Jie chided.

“I don’t trust Jin Guangshan, not at all. Did you see the way he treated that bastard of his.” Jiang Cheng sighed and rubbed her temples, “And now they’ve all sworn brotherhood and obviously as a woman-“

“It may not have been because of gender.” A-Jie said quietly.

Jiang Cheng snorted as they made their way to her study, “No, it’s just a convenient excuse. Either way we’re the only Great Sect currently that doesn’t have strong ties to the others. We need to form alliances.”

A-Jie sighed as they sat down. They’d had this conversation about five different times in different iterations.

“Marriage-“

“I’m not selling you off.” Jiang Cheng said harshly, “Or Wei Wuxian.”

“A-Cheng, be reasonable. If you marry one of us to maybe even someone from a lesser Sect then they could marry in and-”

“No, we need alliances with the other major Sects. We already have good relations with a number of the small Sects. Fifth disciple was married to that woman from the Baling Ouyang clan. And of course Meishan Yu will always support us.”

A-Jie hummed, “What about A-Xian swearing brotherhood?”

Jiang Cheng snorted, “With who? It needs to be someone on his actual level for it to make sense and not be a humiliation so that rules out Nie Huaisang. None of the Jins are an option and I’m not even going to fucking consider the Lan clan.”

“I suspect brotherhood might not be what Lan Wangji wants with A-Xian.” A-Jie said with a little humour.

Jiang Cheng glared at her, “That man-“

“Isn’t an actual demon.” A-Jie said softly, “He’s not-“

“He would want Wei Wuxian to marry into the Lan Sect anyway.” Jiang Cheng cuts her off. She can’t explain how much she loathes the idea of having Wei Wuxian marry that stupid Lan. It just feels wrong on every level. She has the queerest feeling that if those two did marry then she would never see Wei Wuxian again. Which doesn’t make any sense but… she can’t ignore instinct right now.

She sighs, she doesn’t want to fight about this with A-Jie and she has the distinct feeling she does come across as unreasonable on this point but she can’t seem to be logical.

“Our bigger problem is what to do with the Wens.” She mutters. She can’t help but regret being so cavalier with saying yes during the war.

“They’ve integrated well.” A-Jie says. “As far as I’m aware everyone assumes they’re just general refugees.”

“No, I’m not talking about the villagers. They’re fine. The old and non-cultivators aren’t the issue. It’s Wen Qing and Wen Ning that are the problem.”

A-Jie frowns, “Nothing’s happened yet has it? The last A-Xian checked they’re doing find in the safehouse.”

Jiang Cheng sighed. The “safehouse” her brother had squirrelled Wen Ning and Wen Qing (the two most recognisable Wens and ostensibly the only recognisable Wens left) away to was never meant to be an indefinite thing.

She had no idea just what the siblings had done for Wei Wuxian during his month-long absence inventing demonic cultivation during the campaign but he had hinted that it was a big debt. Besides, she would have never been able to bury her parents with the proper respect if it wasn’t for them. She owed them and she would pay it back. But still, that didn’t mean it wasn’t a huge bother.

“No, but this situation can’t be indefinite. It’s clear that Wen Qing especially can’t just change her clothes and fade into obscurity.” Jiang Cheng glares at her desk, “And if they’re caught the situation is too delicate. We have no official claim over them or ability to have them under our protection. The civilian Wens… as long as they keep their heads down and avoid doing anything suspicious will be fine at least but even then…”

“A-Cheng,” A-Jie puts a hand on her arm, “I’m sure we can find a solution.”

“The world hates everyone with the surname Wen right now.” Jiang Cheng says shortly, “And they’ll hate us if we ally with them. I hate the Wens too, I’m only doing this because of Wei Wuxian and because we owe the Wen siblings a debt. But I won’t be able to just take them into the clan as members. The Wens killed and pillaged and raped their way through hundreds of minor sects during the war, no one’s going to forget that.”

A-Jie sighs, “You’re not wrong A-Cheng. But I still think we can think of a solution.”

Jiang Cheng thinks A-Jie is being altogether too optimistic. The Yunmeng Jiang clan may be recovering well, on a steady trajectory to once again regaining its place as one of the Five Great Sects, but that doesn’t mean they’re in the clear. They lack good alliances with the other Sects and Wei Wuxian’s use of demonic cultivation during the war was a double-edged sword that both protected and ostracised them. The public distance they’d put between themselves and the heretical path afterwards and the way he’d taken his sword back up had done much to assuage whispers but they were still dangerous. Everything was balanced on a knife’s edge and Jiang Cheng had the distant feeling she was fumbling through the dark where one wrong step could doom her and all her people.

And that’s the crux of the situation. If Jiang Cheng was liable to be an idiot she could use the strength Wei Wuxian demonstrated so aptly during the war and just do whatever she wanted. She could stop worrying about alliances and the opinions of the other sects and just forge ahead, but that would mean turning Yunmeng Jiang isolationist. It would mean being tremulously powerful but alone. It would mean dooming every single one of her people to a life without the support of the other Sects. It wasn’t a decision she could make.

“Fuck.” She presses her hands against her eyes, “Fuck. I fucking hate everything.”

“A-Cheng.” A-Jie doesn’t sound disapproving at the language, instead putting an arm around her, “You’re doing a wonderful job as Sect Leader, jiejie is so proud of you.”

That makes her feel a little better.

“If mother was here she would crush the other Sects under her heel.” Jiang Cheng mutters to herself, “She would slaughter them for any insult.”

“Real or perceived.” A-Jie quips.

“Hm.” Jiang Cheng turns her eyes to the piles of correspondence that need to be dealt with, “Gods it’s like this all never ends.”

“I think that’s just life.” Wei Wuxian has appeared and looks sweaty but fairly happy from the doorway, “It keeps going and then you die. That’s just how it goes.”

Jiang Cheng groans, “If you’re not here to help then get out.”

Wei Wuxian pouts before he drops down next to her, “So rude meimei. I am, in fact, here to help. I sent the younger disciples off on an easy nighthunt. The older ones have gone to assist with that water ghoul problem in the East lake.”

“Good. At least you’re somewhat useful.” Jiang Cheng muttered.

Wei Wuxian made a face and pulled the pile of letters towards himself before splitting them into three equally sized piles, “Whoever finishes first gets to… have something. I haven’t thought that far ahead.”

A-Jie laughed delicately as she started reading the first letter on her pile, “How about the faster we get this done the more time we have before dinner to go to the market.”

“We don’t have time to go-“

“Shut up Jiang Cheng.” Wei Wuxian said cheerfully and at her glare he pretended to think carefully before amending it to, “Shut up Sect Leader Jiang.”

Jiang Cheng resisted the very real urge to stab him through the eye with her brush.

*

When Wei Wuxian stumbled out of the woods on Phoenix Mountain and runs into her while looking vaguely dishevelled and with not as much prey under his belt as Jiang Cheng would have expected, her first reaction was annoyance. Had he fallen asleep or something? But no, the closer she looked the more she realised he looked dishevelled like someone had run fingers through his hair or something of that ilk.

“What happened to you?” She asked roughly as he approached her.

“Ah Jiang Cheng.” He seemed to be at a loss, “Nothing. Nothing at all.”

She narrowed her eyes. She didn’t believe him one inch.

Then Lan Wangji walked out of the woods.

He also looked dishevelled.

Jiang Cheng’s fury caught alight.

She grabbed Wei Wuxian’s arm and dragged him close, “What did he do?” She hissed, “Was he inappropriate in any way? I’ll fucking kill him-“

“No no! Meimei seriously, nothing that I-“

“So you sought him out?”

“Well… not exactly. But he didn’t do anything bad!”

Jiang Cheng turns her scorching gaze over to the no-longer perfect pristine Hanguang-jun who meets her eyes, though he looks shamefaced. She’s thankful there aren’t any people around because he then approaches.

“Sect Leader Jiang.” He says bowing in a show of upmost respect which shocks her, “I will take responsibility.”

“Take… responsibility…” She tastes the words on her tongue and almost chokes on them.

“Don’t you dare Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian hisses by her side, “Don’t!”

Her mind works at a creaking rate as horror overtakes her.

“Take responsibility.” She spits the foul words back out, “How dare you! My brother isn’t some cheap mistake to be… taken responsibility for! You dare… approach me like this! Asking for- for- for this! How- you!” Her fury has reached such levels she can only shake. She wishes she was more like her mother who would know exactly what to say to eviscerate this man mid step.

Instead she gets closer, one arm still on Wei Wuxian, and the other sweeping forward to gesture at Hanguang-jun in a move so rude would probably get her clan sanctioned if the man in front of her hadn’t transgressed first.

“Asking for his hand in marriage like this. No respect for his station or person! Couldn't even do it properly!" She's so furious her words are coming out choppy and unfinished. Finally she gets the strength to snarl, "If you dared touch him in any way he didn’t expressed ask for I will flay you open with Zidian and hang your guts from the rafters of Lotus Pier! What happened to Wen Chao will look like a daydream compared to what I’ll do to you!”

Hanguang-jun hasn’t moved but he looks a pale and there's horror etched into the skin around his eyes. “I will accept any punishment for my transgression.” He looks… well if Jiang Cheng were more literate when it came to emotions she would say he looks upset. Downtrodden and almost pitiful and deeply deeply shamed. 

“I wanted it.” Wei Wuxian says suddenly by her side, “There was no transgression. I wanted it.”

The formless whatever of Lan Wangji’s actions have now begun to take shape and Jiang Cheng finds it almost more horrifying than anything she could have pictured.

But Lan Wangji isn’t looking anywhere close to her or her horror. Instead his eyes are on Wei Wuxian’s and there’s something light almost like hope dusting his face.

“Wei Ying.” He breathes like her brother's name is sacred.

Wei Wuxian pulls out of her grasp and steps forward, “You didn’t transgress Lan-er-gege.”

Lan Wangji grabs both her brother’s hands in his own, “Then, Wei Ying…”

Jiang Cheng has the distinct feeling of being an outsider. More than that she’s experiencing the dawning horror of all her worst fears coming true. Lan Wangji has always loved her brother and her brother has always felt a strange fondness for this man. She’s always known since A-Jie first pointed it out that something like this could happen but… but she never thought it would. And never so soon.

She stumbles in the dark and hits her elbow. Her feet can’t find flat ground. That’s what it feels like to watch her worst fears come to light.

“Wei Ying, come to Gusu with me.” Lan Wangji breathes with nothing but love in his expression.

I’m going to lose. Jiang Cheng thinks almost hazily. I’m going to lose him. This is it. I- I don’t know what to do.

But before anything else can happen there’s the sound of a shout from nearby and then A-Jie’s voice and Jiang Cheng takes it for the divine intervention it is. She runs for her sister and leaves Wei Wuxian behind.

*

That night at the banquet Wei Wuxian slips into his seat next to her like nothing has changed. Like Lan Wangji didn’t… didn’t… do whatever he did.

It’s baffling, the fear she has about losing Wei Wuxian specifically. She supposes she always expected to lose A-Jie one day because A-Jie had been engaged to Jin Zixuan almost their entire lives but Wei Wuxian… she had always thought he would always be right there next to her.

I can’t do this without him.

Is that still true?

Jiang Cheng knows that if she speaks she’ll say something terrible, something she can’t take back, and she had spent far too many years watching her mother do it to open her mouth right now and invite that particular danger.

“What did the peacock say to you during your walk Shijie?” Wei Wuxian asks over her.

A-Jie hums, “Nothing really. And then after that monster attacked and everyone came running we didn’t speak again.”

Jiang Cheng is suddenly doused by the ugly fear that if Jin Zixuan had managed to let go of his inexplicable awkwardness around A-Jie for just one day she may very well have lost both her siblings today.

I’m going to be alone. I’m going to be all alone. She clutches at something deep inside of her. What do I have? What can I do? I need loyal support; I need people at my side that I can trust. I need…

One of the minor Sect Leaders comes over to introduce himself. There’s a young woman on his arm.

“My wife passed during the war.” He says sounding not upset in the slightest, “I would never shame her by taking another wife; this is my concubine Chu Linyuan.”

The girl bows.

Jiang Cheng keeps her distaste off her face.

Disgusting piggish man. She thinks with a flourish of indignation. She can’t forget how Wen Chao had wanted her as his concubine. It’s an absolutely absurd concept especially thinking of it right now.

She doesn’t speak to her siblings for the rest of the night since all three of them are busy dealing with the hordes of people that have come to curry favour with the freshly burnished Jiang Clan.

Jiang Cheng allows herself to feel pride and then to sink into it fully, submerging herself and letting it soothe her. She’s done it. Her clan is strong and proud and once again considered Great and powerful. Her ancestors are surely appeased.

(The deep disquiet in her chest never fully abates.)

That night they’re all too tired to do anything than simply pass out.

But the next day in the early morning where she can steal a few hours for herself she turns over her and the Sect’s problems in her mind.

The solution comes to her not in a flash of inspiration but with slightly more slow dawning horror. Oh. Oh.

But it would work.

The Jiang Sect is powerful. Last night’s festivities proved it. Both powerful and not alienated. She had conversed pleasantly with all Sect Leaders and if… she swallows heavily… if Wei Wuxian marries Lan Wangji it would only benefit the Sect.

It would only benefit the Sect.

She steels herself.

That morning when her siblings come to her room for the morning meal she speaks before anyone else can.

“I’ve decided what to do with the Wen siblings. I’ll take them as my concubines.”

The look on Wei Wuxian’s face could be considered funny.

“What-“ He splutters, “How, that’s not-“

“Oh,” A-Jie looks at her with dawning comprehension, “As concubines they would be under your direct protection but without the status of a spouse attached that could be seen as a reward. It is a position that would undoubtedly be seen as a humiliation by most. Especially considering how powerful Wen Qing was before the war.”

“While keeping them under your protection and away from the other Sects.” Wei Wuxian finishes. He drags a hand down his face with a groan.

“I doubt you have anything better.” Jiang Cheng says waspishly, “They’ve been hidden away for a long time now. Their branch of the family is alive and well. As concubines to the Jiang Sect Leader if anyone tries anything it’ll be a direct and undeniable insult to me. Besides,” She sniffs, “It’s not as though I’d try to abuse them.”

“You’ve never even met them.” Wei Wuxian says sounding… well not happy with the idea but overall not too upset. Which made sense because he was going to leave and wash his hands of all this anyway.

With that in mind Jiang Cheng motions to him even as her heart sinks. It’s fine. She’s resigned herself to this. It’ll be okay. “What about you and Lan Wangji?” She asks.

Wei Wuxian colours, “Ah, yes… about that…”

“A-Xian!” A-Jie is starry eyed, “You and Second Master Lan?”

“He kissed me.” Wei Wuxian blurts out, “Yesterday in the woods.” He then decides to stare very intensely at his food, “And I kissed him back.” He says very quietly before gripping large handfuls of his hair and tugging, “I didn’t even know I was a cut-sleeve!”

Jiang Cheng snorts because if nothing else then everyone else had picked up on that attraction a long time ago.

“Don’t laugh at me!” He whines, “It’s terrible!”

“Terrible?” A-Jie looks concerned, “Why is it terrible A-Xian?”

Wei Wuxian groans and buries his face in his arms, “We can’t be together! The Lan elders hate me. They hated me even before the whole demonic cultivation thing and now they hate me more. There’s no way anyone would sanction us being together.”

Jiang Cheng’s first impulse is extreme relief. What does that say about her? That’s she’s selfish probably. That’s she’s selfish and she loves her brother and doesn’t want to lose him and she’s… human.

Her second impulse is indignation, “As if those stuffy Lan elders think my brother isn’t good enough for their precious Hangunag-jun!” She swears, “Who won us the Sunshot campaign?! Who’s my right hand? Who’s one of the greatest cultivators of all time! Just watch them try and turn you away, I’ll break all their legs!”

Wei Wuxian is gaping a little at her, “Uhh… I-“

“What did you say to him?” Jiang Cheng snaps at him.

“I- I told him we couldn’t be together. Not like that. And… we didn’t do all that much talking.”

Jiang Cheng’s eyes flash, “Taking liberties!” She all but yells, bringing her palm down onto the table with a crack, “How dare he!”

Wei Wuxian chuckles weakly, “Ah Jiang Cheng we weren't actually doing much of... well I don’t-“

“I’ll speak to Zewu-jun about his brother’s disgraceful conduct.” Spits Jiang Cheng.

“No! Ah meimei please don’t! Why am I being treated like the young maiden taken advantage of by a scoundrel!” He all but wails.

A-Jie pats him on the arm in comfort, “A-Xian, it would be nice if Second Master Lan could show you the courtesy of waiting for all the proper rights to be carried out.”

Wei Wuxian gapes, “I was involved you know! Heavily involved! I was a very involved party! I’m not some naïve-“

“Shut up.” Jiang Cheng says shortly, “You’re being far too relaxed with your favour. Do you want Lan Wangji?”

Wei Wuxian nods but slowly.

“Fine. Then you’ll have him. You’re the right hand to the Sect Leader of Yunemng Jiang. You can have whoever you want.” She says shortly. “Our Sect is not so downtrodden that you will be denied some lacklustre Lan. Who do you think we are?”

Wei Wuxian’s eyes are wide and Jiang Cheng feels a little like she’s digging a dagger into her own leg by being so facilitating but… well she wants her brother to be happy and ultimately the more she emphasises Lan Wangji’s own terrible conduct the better the marriage negotiations will go in her favour. She’s being smart. Making the right decision. She won’t fall apart with Wei Wuxian. She can do this. She can really do this.

A-Jie nods at her very approvingly and Jiang Cheng’s heart seizes as she overcomes her indecision.

“But to make up for those discretions it will be a very long courting period where he will observe every formality or be tossed out of Lotus Pier without a second chance.” She threatens.

In Wei Wuxian’s beaming smile she tried to read that she’d done the right thing.

*

Jiang Cheng makes sure the meeting she sets with Zewu-jun (with just the two of them and some appropriate servants) is entirely proper. Even stifling in its propriety. She hasn’t used these lessons in a very long time. A-Jie was the one that learned courtesy but her mother taught her everything she would possibly need as a Sect Leader and this is one of those lessons.

If her mother was here she’d have the ever-smiling Zewu-jun begging for mercy in seconds.

Jiang Cheng pours the tea for them.

“Thank you.” Zewu-jun looks a little… off. Well not quite off but there’s a small prickle of discomfort in the pinch of his mouth. As if he’s got other things on his mind. Well, he’s a Sect Leader he definitely does.

“I appreciate a busy Sect Leader such as Zewu-jun taking the time to speak to me.”

“Of course.” Zewu-jun’s smile is completely implacable as he takes a sip of his tea, “The Gusu Lan would always honour their good relationship with the Yunmeng Jiang.”

Jiang Cheng nods although inside she brushes his words away as nothing more than fluff.

“The reason why I have called this meeting is on the subject of marriage.” She tests the waters. She’s terrible at this kind of thing but it’s enough to see the way Zewu-jun’s eyes widen slightly and his fingers clench on his cup.

“Ah, that is certainly an important subject.” He says.

Jiang Cheng nods, “May I ask if Second Master Lan Wangji has any prior betrothal commitments.” She’s sure he doesn’t or he wouldn’t be making disgusting cow eyes at her brother and assaulting him in the woods. But if he does it’s a good excuse to go eviscerate him.

“None.” Zewu-jun says rather quickly, “My brother is unattached.” His face is lightening in increments.

“And as his Sect Leader would you be the person to make betrothal arrangements for him?” Jiang Cheng asks.

Zewu-jun nods in a way that can only be considered eager, “Yes, and if I may be so bold Jiang-zhongzhu, would this betrothal be for Wei Wuxian?”

Wow. Zewu-jun, famous for his saintly manners, is actually being rude. Jiang Cheng should have been the one to bring it up first.

She grins internally. Good. This means they have more power than they thought. There’s a reason she didn’t bring A-Jie (well two reasons, the first being there needed to be someone distracting Wei Wuxian and keeping him away from the Lans and the meeting room) which was that A-Jie liked Lan Wangji far too much and was far too invested in seeing him and Wei Wuxian together.

Jiang Cheng was the opposite. She didn’t want to see her brother with that stupid man and as a result the minute this didn’t turn out to be extraordinarily beneficial for both her brother and the Sect she would cut their losses.

But Zewu-jun being so eager could only be a good thing.

She takes a long sip while Lan Xichen watches her in something that she would almost class an impatience.

“Yes.” She finally answers.

Zewu-jun all but sags in his seat, “Truly?” And his eyes are all but sparkly, any semblance of propriety thrown out the window, “Wei Wuxian has a desire to marry Wangji? Ah, Wangji came to me yesterday and he said-” He cuts himself off with a graceful chuckle, “Well, he’ll certainly be happy to hear that.”

If Jiang Cheng was her mother that would be the end of the discussions. The informal way Lan Xichen is speaking would be too much of an insult even if its not meant as such and she would get up and walk out. Her mother looked for slights and insults everywhere, finding them even if they didn’t exist. Jiang Cheng has to physically stop herself from doing the same. (Especially at the realisation that Zewu-jun knows what a fucking perverted lecher his brother is, fuck Wei Wuxian saying he wanted it it’s still an imposition, and is sitting here acting so casual!)

“Second Master Lan,” Jiang Cheng says in a clipped voice, “Has taken liberties with my first disciple and right hand. The issue of whether or not to allow him to benefit from his indiscretions and marry my brother is something that I remain undecided on.”

Lan Xichen’s mouth opens and he looks all at once shocked, aggrieved and unsure.

Jiang Cheng ploughs ahead because she’s still so angry and she doesn’t even want to be here doing this! So of course she’s not going to make this easy for anyone in attendance. “His behaviour is severely lacking and if he thinks that Wei Wuxian is some cheap whore to be used ill and then taken responsibility for he is sorely mistaken. As Wei Wuxian’s Sect Leader I reserve the right to all arrangements made in his name and so far I am not convinced that Lan Wangji should receive the honour of being able to court Wei Wuxian.”

Lan Xichen has been steadily looking more and more horrified (and slightly ill) through her speech. If it were Yu Ziyuan speaking it would likely have been phrased with far more spite (and maybe much better) but Jiang Cheng is still proud of herself.

Zewu-jun swallows, “As Wagji’s Sect Leader I offer whatever apologies and reparations I can for his behaviour.”

Jiang Cheng nodded and revelled in feeling as though she held all the cards (which she did).

A silence passed as she took another sip of her tea. Zewu-jun looked ready to expire as he waited for her to speak further.

“Lan Wangji will be given leave to court Wei Wuxian for a period of no less than a year.” She finally said, bringing out the contract she had prewritten and signed, “Any official outings will take place in Lotus Pier and be pre-scheduled. Know that I do this for my brother and nothing else. He is the one willing to give Lan Wangji a chance. Know that if Second Master Lan steps a foot out of line and transgresses again I will ban him from entering Lotus Pier and from communicating with my brother.”

It was an intense statement and perhaps circling the edges of completely undiplomatic but she could read the room well enough to know that Zewu-jun would accept it.

And accept it he did. He took the contract and after a perfunctory read without saying anything else signed it and gave it back to her.

Jiang Chneg nodded and slipped it into her robes.

“I’ve taken up much of Sect Leader Lan’s time.” She said, “But I hope as our families become closer we will have many more causes to work together.”

“No amount of time spent could ever be an imposition.” He said with a smile. It was obvious he had many other things on his mind which was to be expected.

“Even so we both have many things to do. I shall take my leave.” Jiang Cheng stood and saluted before walking out with her Jiang retainers flanking her. Once out of the reception chamber after dismissing the servants she allowed herself a brief wild grin and a punch to the air.

Take that! If mother was still here Jiang Cheng was hard-pressed to imagine the woman saying she handled that anything less than skilfully.

She then marched into the inner chambers they’d been gifted by the Jin Sect for their stay where A-Jie was distracting Wei Wuxian, and with that same smile she couldn’t repress, slapped the contract down on the table.

He looked wide-eyed up at her where he was sitting on the floor next to A-Jie.

“Jiang Cheng…”

“I don’t know what you did to ensnare Lan Wangji so thoroughly but either way it can only benefit us. Zewu-jun was practically desperate to accept. He signed without looking twice.”

Wei Wuxian looked down at the contract and then up at her, “Lan Zhan… likes me that much?”

“If he didn’t he would be an idiot of the highest order.” Jiang Cheng declared.

Wei Wuxian once again looked down at the contract and then almost wonderingly he said, “Lan Zhan…” Before hopping up, “I have to go talk to him!”

“Now? But we just signed the contract.” Jiang Cheng tried to protest uselessly. “It’s barely been-“

Wei Wuxian just blew past her, “I have to talk to him!”

“With a chaperone!” Jiang Cheng protested, “Take A-Jie with you! You’re not allowed to go anywhere with him without a chaperone!”

“But-“

He was cut off by A-Jie getting up and coming to stand next to him, “I’ll come with you.” She said with a smile. It was clear she would be far too indulgent but Jiang Cheng would rather eat Zidian than chaperone Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji herself.

They left then after a handwave by her and once she was alone she slumped down and rested her head on her hands.

It was over. Wei Wuxian… she was really doing this.

She was really doing this.

She squeezed her eyes shut.

I’m making the right decision. She said to no one at all.

*

Lotus Pier is a relief. Always a relief. Standing here she feels like the best version of herself without the twitchiness and random flashes of violence that characterise her headspace the rest of the time. She’s deeply aware that Lotus Pier will never be “safe” in the sense that what the Wens did could happen again. But Jiang Cheng knows one thing for certain and that’s as long as her and her sister and her brother live the Sect and the clan will live on. Hadn’t the war proved that? Jiang Cheng can lose Lotus Pier, lose Yunmeng, lose the majority of her disciples, lose everything but as long as she has Wei Wuxian and Jiang Yanli the clan will survive.

Even so being back in Lotus Pier feels right (and she fucking hates Lanling with every beat of her heart).

Once back (with Lan Wangji’s scheduled visit a few weeks away and Wei Wuxian practically crawling up the walls in anticipation) they get started on the second issue.

The Wen siblings.

Jiang Cheng doesn’t think her plan is a bad one. Nor does she specifically regret it. But it does unnerve her if she thinks about the finer details so she very carefully does not think about the fact that she’s about to have two “concubines” and instead invests her time into maintaining and expanding her Sect’s reach.

Concubines are normal. She assures herself. Lots of Sect Leaders have concubines and second spouses and it’s not something I ever specifically wanted and none of the Great Sect Leaders have them but all the Great Sect Leaders right now are absolute losers so I shoulnd’t use any of them as a model of behaviour. Usually insulting the other Sect Leaders in the privacy of her mind is enough to calm her a little.

But still. It unnerves her. It’s not so much that the principle is very normal or that the application would go badly. She and Wei Wuxian have planned it out with enough input from A-Jie that she’s sure it’ll be okay. That at the end of this not even Nie Mingjue will be able to protest.

But… it’s still unnerving.

Jiang Cheng considers that as she looks out over the lakes. It’s not so much a fear but more a sensation that by doing this she will be changing a lot of things. Namely changing everyone’s perception of her in an irreversible way. It’s similar to the first time she had bled all over her sheets and underclothes and had to get Wei Wuxian to help out. She hadn’t really been able to explain it beyond “I’m not ready” back then. She hadn’t felt properly ready for almost half a year and Wei Wuxian had been there the whole time until she had felt ready.

Jiang Cheng doesn’t feel ready right now. Not ready to be seen as someone who… has sex at least. Not that sex is the real issue. She’s young but definitely old enough to be having sex and children. In fact, her mother had been her age when she had married. (Her mother would hate this plan with every fibre of her being. Would shout at Jiang Cheng for tarnishing her good name and inviting rumours and throwing away her favour on useless people. She would also blame Wei Wuxian for everything.)

It’s more that as soon as Jiang Cheng does this she will be seen as someone who wants by the Cultivation world and it’s a change that she doesn’t think she’s ready for.

Afterall, concubines aren’t spouses. They don’t help with household tasks like spouses do. Their primary role is sex. They can, of course, bring great political advantage but that is absolutely not what the Wen siblings will do. In all likelihood the Wens will invite nothing but disadvantage.

Jiang Cheng can weather it. For her parents’ memory and for the prestige of Lotus Pier. For Wei Wuxian. She can weather it. As a woman she’s already somewhat ruined. She’s spent too much time alone with different men during the war with no chaperone. That wasn’t really something she had thought about at the time because why would she? A-Jie was careful but that’s because she’s A-Jie. Jiang Cheng has always been a different kettle of fish.

But she’s a Sect Leader like she was always meant to be. Jiang Cheng’s power is tied to the land she lives in, bound to the Sect she rules. She doesn’t have to bank other’s opinions on her virtue. She’s free from the usual worries that plague women. Her mother had fought for her to be Sect Leader she’s sure. She’s sure when the second healthy child had been a girl it hadn’t been enough for some but Madam Yu was a fearsome woman and her mother had fought for Jiang Cheng to be able to rise above the usual constrains of her gender. Beyond the chains that shackled Yu Ziyuan.

Her mother would be furious at her for attempting this.

Jiang Cheng is going to do it anyway.

*

The plan is very simple. Wei Wuxian will “catch” the Wen siblings and bring them to Lotus Pier for judgement.

Jiang Cheng will then say some shit about how the Wens desecrated Lotus Pier and demand reparations. Then in a move that will make perverse sense to everyone in attendance she’ll take them as her concubines.

Then the Wen siblings will get squirreled away into the inner chambers of Lotus Pier until they can slowly be integrated into the clan over time and move around more freely. They saved Wei Wuxian’s life and are the reasons she was able to bury her parent’s bodies with the proper rights. That’s the reason Jiang Cheng is doing this for two people she’s never even met before. The cultivation world is fickle anyway with shorter memories than expected. Trouble blows over, rumours fade, opinions change.

It’ll be alright. She’ll make sure it’s alright.

*

The Wen siblings look very… muddy. That’s Jiang Cheng’s first thought. Why are they so muddy? She thought they were living in a safehouse near Yunping. An actual house. Not wallowing in the fucking wilderness for the past year! What the hell happened to the money she gave Wei Wuxian to sort something out for them?

“What is this?” She hisses at Wei Wuxian. She means it partly because of the mud and her very real annoyance must bleed through too obviously because the disciples and servants around the hall take a worried step back.

“Sect Leader Jiang, I captured Wen Qing and Wen Ning nearby.” Wei Wuxian says, all respectful. Far more respectful than he ever is in private but he’s good at giving her face in public.

Jiang Cheng keeps glaring, “They’re Wens.” She spits the word with real loathing. Its’ not hard to summon. She genuinely does hate the Wens.

“I brought them back to Lotus Pier for Sect Leader Jiang’s judgement.” Wei Wuxian says before stepping back.

Jiang Cheng glares down at the two muddy kneeling figures. She had forgotten how much she hated the Wens and now that she’s thinking about it she wonders if she would have agreed to this if the Wen siblings hadn’t been such a strangely nebulous concept. She’s had Wei Wuxian dripping honey into her ear for the past who knows how long, pleading and justifying, and now she has two actual Wens in front of her. The last time she’d seen a Wen it had been on the battlefield and she’d been cutting them down with Zidian or Sandu. Wei Wuxian was the one who handled all things Wen related (as he should considering the fact that he was the one who got them into this mess in the first place).

Jiang Cheng gestures to two disciples, “Grab them and follow me.” She barks before getting off the Lotus Throne and marching out of the hall.

The Wens seem compliant at least. Jiang Cheng is just being hit with the dawning realisation that she’s about to take two people she can’t even look at without summoning fury as her concubines.

She leads the way to the ancestral hall and once there gestures for the disciples holding the Wens to throw them down on the ground.

“You will kowtow to my parent’s ancestral tablets.” She says and the anger is still there, hot and bright and if she’s being honest this is very much not an act anymore.

She’s still refusing to look at the two of them but sees them comply out of the corner of her eye. It’s a good kowtow at least, full and deep with all the respect her parents deserve. Her anger abates very slightly.

She can see Wei Wuxian also hovering outside the hall and in a fit of pique gestures him over.

“Take them to get cleaned up.” She snaps, “They’re disgustingly dirty.” She turns to leave but not before throwing out a, “Then take them to my inner chambers.”

And with that Jiang Cheng sweeps away.

She’s still so fucking angry.

*

Jiang Cheng deals with the anger the best way she knows how. She goes to her private training grounds, unfurls Zidian and thrashes everything in sight until she’s tired enough that even feeling angry is far too much effort.

Muttering darkly to herself she retreats back to her rooms and cleans off quickly, unbinding her hair and brushing through it with brisk motions. She wants a bath but doesn’t have the patience to ask for one and wait for it to be prepared.

She’s already exhausted and it’s hardly even evening.

She digs her fists into her eyes and allows herself one very strong fuck Wei Wuxian.

Then there’s a knock on the door.

“What?” She snaps.

“Ah Jiang Cheng it’s me, and the Wens.” Come the voice of her biggest headache.

She sighs, “Come in then.”

Soon enough her room is all but invaded. Wei Wuxian bounces in first.

“Ah so scary meimei! That was really good! Everyone’s gossiping about you getting ready to gouge Wen Ning’s eyes out!” He throws his arm around the terrified looking Wen Ning who when he catches her gaze squeaks, goes pink, and abruptly drops his eyeline to the floor. Wei Wuxian continues heedless, “And then you’ll get famed doctress Wen Qing to heal him up before doing it again.” He nudges Wen Qing conspiratorially. Jiang Cheng had no idea they were so close.

Though she supposes Wei Wuxian has been visiting the siblings regularly over the past year they’ve been secluded away out of sight. After whatever initial activity had bonded them during the war that was just the icing on the cake.

“No one’s eyes are being gouged out.” She snapped.

She motioned to Wen Qing, “Wei Wuxian has explained things to you.”

The woman bowed graciously. At least she was less muddy now. “I can only thank Sect Leader Jiang deeply for her boundless mercy towards me and my people.”

Jiang Cheng feels a little awkward at that. If it had been up to her she wouldn’t have touched the Wens with a ten foot pole.

She hands waves away that issue.

“You and your brother will be housed in the smaller Lotus courtyard.” Those sets of rooms were traditionally reserved for concubines for the past Sect Leaders. “The rooms are somewhat attached to mine and within the family section. You will be treated well.” More than you Wen-dogs deserve. Is Jiang Cheng’s own mean private thought. “You can direct any problems to Wei Wuxian.”

The man in question groans, “Jiang Cheeeeng. Why do I always have to do the work?”

Jiang Cheng just rolls her eyes and orders everyone out of her chambers. She has a lot of work to do and wrangling two members of the same clan that murdered her parents is not on her list of priorities.

*

She doesn’t see neither hide nor hair of the Wen siblings for the next few weeks though from what A-Jie says Wen Qing is helping in the medical wing and is so competent and frightening that no one dares cross her.

Jiang Cheng takes the lack of attention for the boon it is. She doesn’t have to do anything in respect of the Wens and she’s not going to. She has a fucking sect to run and surely she can leave the fate of two people up to Wei Wuxian. He can handle it since he started all these problems in the first place.

None of the rest of the Sects make any noises about her recent acquisitions and from what gossip she manages to catch from the disciples none of them have any particularly worrying opinions on Jiang Cheng’s supposed sex life either. So that’s… good.

Whatever. Jiang Cheng may have two concubines but it’s in name only and she still sleeps alone apart from the lone nights she feels far too cold and goes to seek out A-Jie like a small child and not the Sect Leader she should be.

Jiang Cheng really didn’t think her stupid plan through. She was the one who suggested this whole concubine farce without comprehending that as her concubines these two Wens (who she can’t look at without feeling a little flash of hatred) would live in Lotus Pier for the rest of their lives under her favour or be brutally hunted down and killed by the cultivation world.

At least Wen Qing is useful.

She sort of forgets that there’s another one until one day when she’s passing the training hall and stumbles upon a group of disciples harassing a lone figure. She frowns to herself and stays out of sight, it’s maybe immature to hide but it’s not a bad idea to gauge most problems before going charging in. If there’s bullying going on in the disciple ranks then that’s actually a problem Wei Wuxian should deal with since he oversees the disciples. Though she can’t imagine actual bullying taking place under her brother’s purview.

Still. This is her Lotus Pier. She doesn’t allow anything to happen without her say-so.

She therefore stays slightly hidden and listens.

“Wen dog!” Snarls one of her disciples, “You think you can walk around polluting the halls of Lotus Pier?”

“Shameless.” Chimes in another disciple.

“Our merciful Sect Leader may be too good for vengeance but I doubt you really hold her favour.”

“At least your sister is useful.”

“You’re not fit to lick Sect Leader Jiang’s boots let alone share her bed!”

Jiang Cheng isn’t sure who they’re even talking to until she catches a glimpse from around the corner and lands eyes on the other Wen. Wen Qing’s younger brother. Wei Wuxian is especially fond of this one but again, Jiang Cheng is hard-pressed to even recognise him.

Even so something curdles in her gut at seeing him so obviously cowed and shrinking beneath the cruel words of her own disciples. It’s a queer feeling. Not so much compassion as an awareness of the truth which is that this could have been her. Not exactly like this but Wen Chao wanted her as a concubine. They’d won the war by the skin of their teeth. She had tried to go back to Lotus Pier while it was being taken. There are a hundred thousand tiny moments that could have led to her as the abused figure, the last of her clan, hounded by disciples of a rival victorious Sect.

Besides. They’re technically under her protection.

Jiang Cheng comes out swinging.

“What do you think you’re doing?” She bites out. Tone just as terrifying as her mother’s had been.

The disciples scatter and stammer apologies but she just lets Zidian spark on her finger as she sweeps past them and grabs the cowering Wen by the arm.

“This is my concubine.” She hisses, “Under my protection. If you disrespect him you’re disrespecting me as your Sect Leader.”

The disciples all but fall to the ground to kowtow.

“If I even catch a hint of this happening again I’ll break all your limbs and throw you in the lake.” She snarls before marching off, tugging the Wen along with her.

He’s got the face of a small defenceless animal with big doe eyes which he blinks guilelessly up at her.

“Ah Sect Leader J-Jiang.” He ducks his gaze to the floor, “S-Sorry.”

“Why are you apologising?” She asks waspishly, “Does that happen often?”

“N-no-“

“Don’t lie to me.”

He squeaks in fear. “No! No not that often and… and I understand why it does…” He trails off sounding sad.

Jiang Cheng doesn’t know what to do so she lets go of his arm and comes to a stop before turning to face him, eying him up and down critically. His robes are clean and in Jiang colours. Not quite as nice as what a favoured concubine would be wearing but still acceptable. His hair looks healthy and there aren’t any bruises on his skin. That’s good.

“What do you do with your days?” She asks, still eying him up and down. There’s a smudge of dirt on his face. She frowns and reaches forward to wipe it off with her thumb.

He blinks at her and goes a little pink but doesn’t protest.

“Ah, I usually assist Master Wei with anything he needs. Or Jiang-guniang. But neither of them need help right now.”

Wei Wuxian is away on a nighthunt and A-Jie is dealing with private Sect correspondence.

Jiang Cheng nods briskly to herself.

“Follow me.” She barks.

Wen Ning all but stumbles to keep up.

As the day goes on he’s a constant shadow that she uses to fetch, sort and carry things. She has to be honest, he’s certainly useful. He talks very little and is fairly competent with everything he does. More than that he seems to weather her rages with very little reaction. Besides, keeping him with her prevents any bullying. It’s no harm to display her favour perhaps more openly than she maybe would think to. Both the Wen siblings technically belong to her anyway. She should look after them even if she’s clumsy at it.

At the end of the first week she finds having Wen Ning around really is useful and she decides to keep him with her, so she gives him a Lotus hair ornament he can use to help tie back and hold his hair where it hangs around his face. It’s messy. He looks wide-eyed at it and stammers out his thanks. Jiang Cheng rolls her eyes and dismisses his stuttering with a hand-wave. She’s not interested in useless words.

“What is your courtesy name?” She asks one day as he helps seal her correspondence.

He blinks but answers promptly, “Qionglin. Wen Qionglin.”

“Hm.” Jiang Cheng returns to work. Is it bad that she didn’t know his courtesy name until now?

She puts that thought aside.

When they’re done he follows her to her private training grounds. She hasn’t dismissed him so she supposes that’s why he’s still here when she just wants to be alone.

Whatever. She can train with someone watching. That’s not a problem.

Jiang Cheng takes a deep breath and moves into the first stance then flows into the next sequence of movements. Zidian unfurls and like a jolt of lightning straight to the system she finds herself invigorated. She can imagine her mother running through these exact moves with Yinzhu and Jinzhu at her back. She hasn’t really thought of them at all. While they were a constant presence by her mother’s side they seemed more a part of the woman than people of their own.

She twirls and strikes and has one moment of pure insane elation where she wonders if she’s actually surpassed her own mother’s lofty standards. Zidian feels like an extension of her, a manifestation of all the rage that always lurks in her body. She wonders if her mother felt the same. She thinks she did.  

Jiang Cheng pauses to shake out her limbs and reach for her water flask. When she finishes drinking she looks up and sees that Wen Ning is still there. He’s watching her in all his shy, stuttery glory. It dawns on her slightly randomly that everyone thinks the two of them are having sex.

She wants to laugh. Or curse.

Instead she throws her water pouch at Wen Ning, “Fill it up for me.”

He nods quickly and leaves.

Jiang Cheng resumes training. When she turns for more water Wen Ning is back and he’s also brough some fresh fruits.

Hmm. Helpful.

*

“Wow.” Wei Wuxian breathes as Jiang Cheng emerges from their Nie gifted chambers in full regalia for the first night’s banquet. It’s the very first discussion conference since the war ended, hosted by the Nie sect, and this is undoubtably the most important event they’ve engaged in all year.

Jiang Cheng is resplendent is layers and layers of Yunmeng’s finest silks with enough sharp ornaments in her hair to rival her mother at her most vicious.

“You look just like Madam Yu.” Wei Wuxian murmurs as he takes her in from top to bottom.

Jiang Cheng feels a flash of absolute satisfaction.

“Good.” She says shortly, “Are you ready?”

“Mmhm.” He hums and comes closer to peer at her hair, “Y’know,” He says with a little humour in his voice, “When I first came to Lotus Pier I thought Madam Yu’s hair ornaments were the most beautiful things I’d ever seen. I always wanted a tiara like hers.” He waves his hand at the complex gold arrangement in her hair that A-Jie had taught her how to do.

Jiang Cheng blinks, “You never told me that.”

Wei Wuxian laughs, “Ah why would I? Could you imagine Madam Yu giving me one of her tiaras? Or even a hair pin?”

Jiang Cheng scowls, “You can have as many tiaras as you want. There’re a few in the treasury and A-Jie and I only have one head of hair each.”

Wei Wuxian laughs again, louder and harder, “Ah Jiang Cheng! Meimei! Could you imagine me wearing a tiara now? What would people say?”

Jiang Cheng scowls even more ferociously and punches him in the arm, “What? You think you’re too good for Yunmeng’s finest jewels? You think you’re too good for my mother’s tiaras? I’ll get you a hundred tiaras when we’re back in Lotus Pier and you’ll wear them and like them!” She declared hotly. Before he could remark on any of that she sniffed and began to march towards the door, “You better be ready because I’m leaving now and I’ll go without you.”

He laughs again as he jogs to catch up with her, “I’m ready I’m ready!” He grins, “Think A-Jie will have fun holding down the fort without us?”

“The disciples worship the ground she walks on.” Jiang Cheng says as they walk down the familiar corridors of the Unclean Realm. “Everything will be fine.”

“Wen Qing and Wen Ning are useful too ah?” Wei Wuxian pushed.

Jiang Cheng couldn’t deny it. Wen Qing was beyond useful. A true asset in every sense. After she had saved the fifth disciple from certain death after a bad hunt her place in the Sect hadn’t been subject to even the slightest dissent. She gave good counsel too. Once Jiang Cheng had gotten used to having her around she found Wen Qing’s advice monumentally useful. There were benefits to the experience gained from working and surviving under a maniac like Wen Ruohan.

Wen Ning on the other hand was personally useful to Jiang Cheng. He was the best assistant/helper she could ask for.

“Yes.” She fixed Wei Wuxian with a look, “You better flirt hard with Lan Wangji.” She said lowly as they walked to the banquet hall, “This will be our first opportunity to test the reactions of everyone to our decision to take in the Wen siblings. Having the Lan on our side will be useful so I don’t care what you have to do, make sure there’s no chance of him opposing us.”

“Oh meimei! So eager to have her own brother whore himself out-“

“Shut up! Though if he does anything inappropriate-“

“I know I know! I’m sick of having chaperones.” Wei Wuxian pouted, “I just want to spend time with my future husband together just the two of us.”

Jiang Cheng snorted, “As if you’re trying to pretend I don’t know the two of you are meeting every time you go on those long nighthunts away.”

“Accusations! Slander!” Wei Wuxian protested.

Jiang Cheng just rolled her eyes. “Just don’t be inappropriate.” She commanded which was ruined almost immediately by Wei Wuxian spotting Lan Wangji among the Lan delegate entering the hall.

“Lan-er-gege!” He called out, waving vigorously despite being an unmissable figure.

What felt like an entire village worth of people turned to look.

Jiang Cheng resisted the urge to sigh.

“Wei Ying.” Hanguang-jun called back like the two of them had been separated for centuries.

Embarrassing.

Wei Wuxian all but throws himself at Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng forcibly turns her gaze away.

Instead she greets Lan Xichen and is pleased to find him treating her with his usual levels of respect and consideration. He watches Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian make absolute fools of themselves with an absolutely indulgent expression. Jiang Cheng tries to ignore it with far less patience. At least no one can accuse them of not being a love match when they act like that.

Currently Wei Wuxian is all but hanging off Lan Wangji’s arm and whispering at him. The venerated Hangunag-jun looks impassive but his ears are bright red. Jiang Cheng wants to slap both of them.

Before that can happen everyone takes their seats and Wei Wuxian migrates back over to sit next to her as her right hand.

“The two of you are disgusting.” She tells her brother.

He just winks at her, “You say that now Jiang Cheng but just wait until you find your own Lan Zhan-“

“The last thing I want is anything similar to your Lan.” Jiang Cheng says shortly.

Wei Wuxian sighs slightly but he continues giving dazed and lovesick looks to the man who isn’t even seated that far away. The worst part is that Lan Wangji is looking back with just as much fervour.

“Can you believe I’m going to marry that?” Wei Wuxian asks dreamily.

“Unfortunately.” Jiang Cheng mutters.

“He’s just so good. Hanguang-jun and all of that. Goes where the chaos is. I just… he’s the best person I know.” Wei Wuxian’s voice has become soft as melted butter.

Jiang Cheng knows her brother likes Lan Wangji. How can she not when all the awful glaring evidence is right in front of her? But she supposes that she had never really thought her brother liked Lan Wangji. She certainly knew her brother found him attractive and interesting (why?) and powerful. He admired him. She can’t deny that much. But she had never considered that her brother actually likes him. She had allowed this betrothal and the inevitable marriage because it made Wei Wuxian happy and it was good for the Sect. How had she done all of that without realising that Wei Wuxian had genuine deep feeling for that walking block of wood?

“Best person you know? What about A-Jie?” Jiang Cheng asks waspishly.

Wei Wuxian hums thoughtfully, “That’s true. Hmm… okay tied with A-Jie for the position of best person I know.”

Jiang Cheng isn’t going to argue with him. This conversation is stupid anyway.

The night continues more or less smoothly. Jin Zixuan comes up to her at one point and (despite his perpetual awkwardness) manages a proper greeting to her as Sect Leader. He asks after A-Jie and Jiang Cheng gives him clipped answers though she’s slightly more accommodating to him than she was to Lan Wangji. There’s just something about Hanguang-jun that rubs her the wrong way. Jin Zixuan seems less dangerous somehow. Or maybe she’s just more used to the useless Jin.

Either way she answers his stilted inquiries and after a while he goes on his way.

As the wine continues to flow Jin Guangshan finally says what she knew she would be asked tonight.

“Word is that Sandu Shengshou has taken two concubines.”

Jiang Cheng keeps her face placid as Wei Wuxian subtly shifts closer to her.

“Lotus Pier’s affairs are its own. Who I take into my household is entirely under my purview and not a matter for anyone else.” Jiang Cheng says, she tries to keep her voice lazy rather than her usual setting of heated.

Jin Guangshan smiles insincerely, “Of course of course. Any Sect Leader is of course free to take any number of concubines they desire.”

Well. Madam Jin would certainly hate that. Jiang Cheng wonders why, if the man is so certain of that, hasn’t done it. She just raises an eyebrow and ignores every other Sect Leader and disciple in the room shamelessly listening in.

“Then is there a reason why Sect Leader Jin is brining it up?” Wei Wuxian shifts even closer to her as she speaks and she feels herself relax slightly. It’s a sort of Pavlovian response at this point. Wei Wuxian is her biggest headache but with him by her side she knows that things will be okay.

“I heard a rumour,” Jin Guangshan’s recently acknowledged bastard is standing by his father’s side and Jiang Cheng notes his smile as being really quite creepy. It’s too friendly. She doesn’t trust it. “That Sect Leader Jiang’s newest bedwarmers are Wens.”

That was almost a shade too crude for public. Jiang Cheng’s smile goes brittle. Wei Wuxian shifts at her side like he’s going to say something but Jiang Cheng just motions him down.

“Sect Leader Jin’s information is correct.” She says like she doesn’t have a care in the world.

That causes a wave of mutterings.

Before anyone can cast any= aspersions on her and her Sect Jiang Cheng continues.

“After all, Wen Chao tried to propose taking me as his concubine.” She allows herself to smile, “He’s no longer with us, the Jiang Sect made sure of that, but… it’s fitting isn’t it?”

Perhaps her reputation is blacker than she realised or her expression more bloodthirsty than she intended because the subject is abruptly dropped and no one tries to bring it up again the rest of the conference.

Wei Wuxian doesn’t mention hearing any gossip about it which is unusual considering he usually keeps her up to date on what the other Sects are saying about her and Yunmeng Jiang. Jiang Cheng comes to the dawning realisation that she must be seen as particularly cruel, cruel enough that being her concubine would be a worse punishment than anything any of the other Sects could come up with.

She isn’t sure how she feels about that but ultimately she doesn’t mind being seen as a monster if it means her Sect will survive and flourish.

*

“Jiang Cheng! Jiang Cheng are you there?” Hissed a familiar voice.

Jiang Cheng sat upright in the tiny cot in the tiny single room provided by the illustrious Wen Sect for this stupid indoctrination farce and shuffled over to the door which had been locked from the outside.

“Wei Wuxian?” She whispered back.

“Oh thank the heavens.” Wei Wuxian’s voice was awash with relief. More relief than she thinks she’s ever heard from him, “Are you okay?”

Jiang Cheng’s brow wrinkled in confusion, “Obviously. Are you okay?”

“Fine fine. But you’re really okay? No one’s come to your room tonight?”

Jiang Cheng blinked in confusion, “Obviously not. They escorted me here and then locked the door behind them same as everyone else. Why the hell would anyone come to my room?”

Wei Wuxian let out a deep shuddering breath.

“What is it? Why are you being so weird? Why are you here?” Jiang Cheng questioned, getting steadily more and more irate as she spoke, “You can’t just wander around! They locked us into our rooms! Who knows what they’ll do to you if-“

“Jiang Cheng stop! It’s not a big deal. If they didn’t want us to leave our rooms they shouldn’t have made it so easy to break out.”

Jiang Cheng doesn’t mention that she had tried the lock on the door in this windowless room and had found it impossible to get past.

“Okay so what? You came to visit me.” Jiang Cheng grumbles, “You can go back now. You’ll get into too much trouble if you’re caught.”

“Aw meimei! Didn’t you miss me? Besides I’m bored on my own, the other disciples aren’t any fun. And I’m in the same room as the peacock and some other Jins. One of them snores.”

Jiang Cheng rolled her eyes even though no one could see her, “As if I’d miss you! I’m happy for a few shichen of peace!”

“I just thought you’d get lonely without anyone else. They didn’t even put you in a room with the other girls!”

“It’s probably because I’m a Sect heir.” Jiang Cheng muttered though she wasn’t even entirely sure why herself. Wen Chao had said a bunch of useless things about how someone “like herself” needed her own room before his mistress had interrupted in her grating voice.

Wei Wuxian just huffs, “Well even if you say you didn’t miss me I know it’s just lies! I missed you.”

“It’s only been two shichen.” Mutters Jiang Cheng but she feels quite pleased, “And are you just going to sit outside my door?”

“Of course! I’ll sleep out here too. To avoid the Jin’s terrible snoring.”

“What the hell?” Jiang Cheng’s voice rises above a whisper and she has to hastily quiet herself, “You’re going to sleep on the floor outside my room?! Wei Wuxian are you insane??”

“You don’t understand Jiang Cheng.” Wei Wuxian whines, “The room they put me in with the other disciples is tiny. It’s so cramped! They didn’t even give me a pillow or blanket! The peacock is practically breathing on me! It’s torture! Trust me when I say sleeping on the floor out here is way better.”

Jiang Cheng scoffs but the pleased feeling hasn’t abated. Something tight and uncomfortable inside of her has loosened slightly.

“You better not be making trouble for our Sect!” She warned, “I’ll break your legs myself if you are!”

“Jiang Cheeeeng. So mean! I came all this way to visit you, dodging guards and all that and this is the reception I receive! And to think, you were probably bored too, right? I mean you haven’t talked to anyone else tonight either have you?”

“I already told you I haven’t!” Jiang Cheng snapped back irritably, “They brought me to this room, escorted me inside and then locked the door. I’ve been alone until you showed up and started bothering me. Who else would I have spoken to??”

“Good.” Wei Wuxian said and there was something a little… off in his tone.

“You’re being weird.” Jiang Cheng muttered.

His voice immediately switched back to his irreverent whine, “Criticised again! So cruel meimei!”

“Stop calling me that.” She muttered, “Ugh, I hate this place.”

“I know right. Wen Chao too, that stupid do-“

“Stop! Don’t make trouble.” She hissed back, “If they hear…”

“They won’t. I put up silencing talismans. Still better to whisper though just in case.”

“You put up silencing talismans?” Jiang Cheng blinked, “Where did you get the paper?”

“Oh I drew them on the walls.” He replied cheerfully.

“What?! Wei Wuxian-“

“I put some alert talismans up too. So if anyone comes down the corridor we’ll know. Here.” There was a slight shuffle and then something was being slid under the door. Jiang Cheng picked it up. It was a talisman. But drawn over so the function was changed.

She frowned, “All our things were confiscated, where did you get this?” She asked harshly.

“Ah, nabbed it off one of the Wen guards but he only had three. And they were all pretty random talismans too so I had to draw over them. Anyway, that one you’re holding will heat up if anyone comes down the corridor.”

Jiang Cheng peered more closely. It looked as though the corrections were made in… blood.

She wanted to ask but in the end she swallowed it and didn’t.

“I have another one.” He continued, “So even if I’m in the other accommodation I’ll know if someone comes. I mean… no one should be coming at night anyway. Not even the guards.”

Jiang Cheng frowned, “Well of course not. Why would anyone come?”

Wei Wuxian didn’t answer immediately.

“Wei Wuxian?”

“I’ll try and steal some more talismans.” He said suddenly, “Useful to have right?”

“I suppose so.” Jiang Cheng leaned more fully on the door. Suddenly the room seemed far too big and even having the wooden panel between her and her brother felt like too much. “How far away is your accommodation?” She asked.

“Oh not too far. Took me… maybe less than a quarter shichen to get over here? But I was sneaking.”

Jiang Cheng hummed in response.

“You haven’t spoken to Wen Chao have you?” He suddenly asked.

Jiang Cheng felt her temper boil over, “Of course not! You were with me the whole day and I already told you twice I got escorted by guards here and then the door was locked. When would I have had time to speak to Wen Chao?”

“Ah of course of course. I just… I don’t like him.”

Jiang Cheng snorted, “What’s there to like?”

Wei Wuxian laughed, “You’ve got the right idea meimei.” He got quiet then again, “You can go to bed now. I’ll just sit by the door.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Jiang Cheng marched over to the bed and grabbed the blanket. She hadn’t changed out of her clothes for bed so still in her Sect colours she wrapped herself in the blanket provided and leaned against the door. “I’ll stay here too.” She said, “Don’t think I’m too weak to sleep on the floor as well!”

Wei Wuxian chuckled, “Don’t worry Jiang Cheng I never thought you were too precious to sleep on the floor.”

“Oi! Are you saying I’m not refined-“

“All I get is insults!” He quietly wailed, “Even when I’m trying to pay you a compliment! Jiang Cheng you’ll remain unmarried forever if you’re so ruthless!”

“Good.” She said decisively, “I don’t want to get married anyway. Not until I’m the established Sect Leader and A-Jie is married well at least.”

“Mm, y’know… the peacock sucks. But he… isn’t too bad.”

“Jin Zixuan? Isn’t too bad?” Jiang Cheng asks with some disbelief, “Are you really Wei Wuxian?”

 

He laughs, “Ah, not saying I like him. Just that he has some redeeming qualities.”

“What? Like refusing to give up his sword and almost getting his core melted?”

“Oh yeah, that too I guess.”

Jiang Cheng gives up trying to understand. She’s suddenly exhausted though she recognises that the chances of her actually being able to get to sleep alone in this locked room would have been slim if Wei Wuxian hadn’t turned up.

“Whatever. I’m going to sleep.”

“Okay, good night meimei.”

Jiang Cheng rolls her eyes but doesn’t protest and as she curls up next to the door she imagines that she can count Wei Wuxian’s familiar breaths through the wood.

*

Jin Zixuan visits Lotus Pier a few months later and in a fit of insanity (while Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian watch in horror) practically screams that he has feelings for A-Jie before trying to run away.

Jiang Cheng looks at the edge of the pier longingly and tries to imagine the relief it would be to fling herself off it and wash her hands of this shit show. Wen Ning shares a commiserating look with her where he stands at his ready position just to her left.

A-Jie, however, looks pleased as a plum so she sighs, hardens her face and barks her demands at Jin Zixuan for the courting and eventual betrothal. The idiot agrees immediately and spends the rest of his visit staring moonily at A-Jie and plying her with expensive gifts while being so dumbstruck with joy that he doesn’t react to Wei Wuxian’s thousand and one taunts and challenges.

Jiang Cheng supposes it could be worse.

(If she spends longer than usual at her training ground later that night, well, no one has to know).

*

Wei Wuxian is practically glowing in the late afternoon sunlight as he walks with Lan Wangji along the pier. Somewhere nearby Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan are sitting and enjoying tea together.

Jiang Cheng sweeps her eyes over the scene and then goes to her training grounds.

Zidian unfurls as smoothly as always and she expends her excess emotions the best way she knows how to. Had her mother felt the same way? Was that the reason why she trained the disciples? Sparred with Yinzhu and Jinzhu? Went on nighthunts? Was it because this was the only way she had to express her emotions in a way that didn’t hurt the people around her?

Jiang Cheng stops for a break.

“Jiang-zongzhu!” Wen Ning runs up from the sidelines at his usual spot with her water pouch and some fresh plums, “Here!”

Jiang Cheng thanks him and takes a deep drink.

“Do you like Lotus Pier?” She asks suddenly, she’s never asked before. She wonders what she’ll do if he says no.

Wen Ning blinks at her with his huge baby-animal eyes before nodding rapidly, “Y-yes! I like it! I shoot arrows with the other d-disciples sometimes and Wei-gongzi and Jiang-g-guniang are very kind to me.” He ducks his head and focuses his gaze on the floor, “J-Jiang-zongzhu also saved my family and is very good to u-us. I- I do like it here.”

Jiang Cheng hums as she takes a plum, “What do you like about Lotus Pier?” She presses, “Apart from the people?”

Wen Ning looks up at her but he answers, “The weather is nice. Q-Qishan and Nightless City are very h-hot. So Yunmeng is similar to w-what I’m used to. And… the Lotus flowers are b-beautiful. It’s brighter too, than Qishan and N-nightless city.” He looks out beyond the walls of her training grounds like he can see through the structure to Lotus Cove and beyond, “The p-people are welcoming and k-kind.”

“My disciples used to bully you.” Jiang Cheng points out.

Wen Ning shakes his head and in a surprisingly even tone says, “Yes but they s-stopped and they accepted Jiejie and I. Our p-people, the W-Wens massacred most of the p-people here but they still accepted us. And o-our relatives who l-live in Yunmeng now are very happy and are treated well.”

Jiang Cheng rolls her eyes, “I could probably guess that from the thousand and one stories Wei Wuxian tells about that little boy he’s half-adopted.”

Wen Ning smiles, it’s very genuine, “A-Yuan is very f-fond of him too.”

“Hmph.” Jiang Cheng still feels restless, her fingers twitching and Zidian hanging loosely at her side, “What else?”

“Do I l-like about L-lotus Pier?”

“Mm. Or just Lotus Cove, or Yunmeng.”

“Hmm.” Wen Ning looks thoughtful in that gentle way of his, “Well, I l-like the work that I do here.”

“The work? You mean following me and getting me water?” Jiang Cheng asks sceptically.

Wen Ning nods, “B-before with Jiejie I was always in the way. Because I’m not s-strong and Sect Leader W-Wen would use me, he w-would threaten me so she would do what he wanted.”

Jiang Cheng clenches her fists, “Piece of shit.” She mutters.

Wen Ning smiles again at her, “Y-yes. He was a terrible man. And the when the w-war started they told m-me to fight. And Jiejie didn’t want us to because our branch of the f-family are doctors. So we s-save lives, we don’t t-take them. And I agreed but… I thought that just not k-killing couldn’t be enough and I felt very… useless. I didn’t know w-what to do. I tried to help… but i-it felt like so much b-bad was happening there was s-so little I-I could do.”

“Hm.” Jiang Cheng prompts him to continue.

“I… all my life I f-felt like I was doing the w-wrong thing. Even when I wasn’t doing anything bad I still f-felt like that. But now, I don’t feel like that anymore. I feel l-like I’m doing the r-right thing. The g-good thing.”

Jiang Cheng frowns, “All you do is help me with what I need to do.”

Wen Ning just nodded. This time he didn’t drop his gaze.

Jiang Cheng felt herself flush, “What- what do you even mean by that?!”

Wen Ning actually laughed a little. He smiled at her. Pure as a sunrise. Or a puppy. “I mean what I s-said.”

Jiang Cheng felt she was flushed as dark a colour as the plums Wen Ning was still holding. She snatched another one off of him.

“Don’t say foolish things!” She tried to scold but her voice came out a little too high to take seriously.

She bit furiously into the plum to try and wash the taste of her own embarrassment out of her mouth.

Then she turned back to the training ground with Zidian by her side.

“Here, fill this up.” She commanded.

She tossed her water pouch blindly over her shoulder and, as she heard his familiar light steps, trusted Wen Ning would catch it.