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In Jiang Cheng’s humble opinion, it didn’t count as avoiding his problems if he was simply addressing different problems. He had a lot on his plate, alright? He couldn’t address all the disasters at once, so he had to triage.
Political shitshow? He could handle it. Really, it had only been a matter of time before things boiled over with the Jin sect. At least he somewhat had things under control for now, and it helped that the Lan and Nie sects were withholding judgment until they had their own evidence of wrongdoing. He had a feeling he’d be getting a visit from at least one member of the Venerated Triad soon so they could see the Wen situation with their own eyes, but he was fairly confident they all had the good manners to at least warn him before they showed up.
Juggling the needs of his sect with the needs of newcomers? Well, that was somewhat new, but it got easier the more he convinced himself he was looking out for extended family. It helped that those of the Wen that could work were very willing to lend a helping hand among the Jiang disciples, especially now that they were certain Jiang Cheng wasn’t going to throw them out to the wolves. Discussions about how land should be divvied up were being held. Those that weren’t cultivators or capable of manual labor were finding work in the shops and inns near Lotus Pier. Even little A-Yuan was coming out of his shell; some of the youngest of the Jiang disciples had spotted the toddler among the Wen remnants and decided that he was to be their new playmate, and he could now often be found waddling after them as they ran around Lotus Pier, toy sword in hand.
Navigating a new fake-but-also-kind-of-real relationship? Definitely not something Jiang Cheng expected to be doing, but it was going shockingly well, especially since he and Wen Qing had actually talked about their expectations for this faux-marriage of theirs. He had always admired Wen Qing, and while neither of them were the types to be overt with their affection, it wasn’t difficult to pretend to be in love with her. It was nice having someone as steady as her in his corner; they had an understanding with each other about a lot of things, particularly having to do with duty and family and responsibility, and this made them a good team.
He had all these problems handled, more or less. The problem he definitely wasn’t avoiding, then, was that of Wei Wuxian.
It could be worse. He at least knew where the hell Wei Wuxian was, and he knew vaguely what he was up to. Optimism did not come easily to Jiang Cheng, though, and he felt neither of these things were very encouraging. Yes, he knew where Wei Wuxian was: he was in a shack, on the outer edge of Lotus Pier, which he’d fashioned into what could only be described as a cultivation lab. It might even be doubling as a bedroom, if Wei Wuxian was sleeping at all. Jiang Cheng had been by Wei Wuxian’s normal room, and it was in the same state of disarray that it had been before they went to Lanling, untouched since their return. And yes, he knew what Wei Wuxian was up to: he was using that unorthodox cultivation of his on Wen Ning’s corpse. Jiang Cheng really, really wanted to know as little about what was happening there as possible, but he had a horrible feeling this was only going to get worse the longer he left it alone.
The thing was, he understood why Wei Wuxian was doing this. Wen Qing tried to put on a strong face, but Jiang Cheng could see the way grief threatened to drag her down every time she wasn’t keeping herself busy. Jiang Cheng wouldn’t be forgetting the way she’d wailed when they found Wen Ning. Sometimes, when the exhaustion of the day wasn’t enough to knock them both unconscious the moment their heads hit their respective pillows, he could hear her quiet attempts to muffle tears in the middle of the night. He itched to hold her, to comfort her, but he was terrified of overstepping.
So, he attempted to help in a way that was more clearly his jurisdiction. He sought out Wei Wuxian.
The hut Wei Wuxian had been squatting in was, unsurprisingly, a complete mess. Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian had been living in the same household since they were children, and they shared a room for several years until they were both old enough to require their own space. It had taken Wei Wuxian a while to feel comfortable taking up space, but once he had his own room, his inability to keep things tidy was immediately evident. Items were dropped wherever he liked, forgotten as soon as a new idea occurred to him, and he was loath to throw anything away on the off chance that he might someday need it. It was even worse when he was focused on some new invention or puzzle; everything else in the world faded away from his notice, and his room always turned into a mound of clutter.
This small, single room building was in the worst state Jiang Cheng had ever seen Wei Wuxian leave a room. Talismans were on every surface, some intentionally placed and some clearly forgotten. Half formed tools littered the ground as tripping hazards, and the space practically stank with resentful energy. In the corner was a cot with a suspiciously human shaped lump, completely obscured by the number of talismans stuck to it. Next to the cot was Wei Wuxian, perched on a stool and furiously scribbling away on a piece of talisman paper. He glanced up when Jiang Cheng entered but didn’t stop writing.
“Ah, Jiang Cheng, can you hand me that extra stick of cinnabar?” He gestured absently to the corner of the room, then did a double take, as if registering Jiang Cheng’s presence on a delay. “Oh. Jiang Cheng.”
“Wei Wuxian,” Jiang Cheng said, voice low with danger, “What the hell is going on in here?”
Instead of answering, Wei Wuxian shushed him, gesturing to the cot next to him. “Aiyah, keep it down. I only just now got him to calm down again.”
Jiang Cheng’s heart sank. “Is that…?” He trailed off, hesitantly taking a step forward. Wei Wuxian nodded and gently pushed a few talismans back to reveal Wen Ning’s face.
“He can hear us,” he said, smiling sadly for a moment before sighing, “But he’s not responsive.”
“What are you doing to him?” Jiang Cheng asked, horrified. He was now close enough to read some of the talismans, but they weren’t any he could immediately recognize.
“What do you think? I’m trying to bring him back,” Wei Wuxian said flippantly, as if he was suggesting a quick swim across the nearest river.
“You’re resurrecting him?” Jiang Cheng half-shouted in alarm.
“Ah, Jiang Cheng, you think too highly of my skills,” Wei Wuxian gave him a wry, humorless smile. “I can’t reverse death. Not yet, at least. I’m just trying to bring his consciousness back,” he said, as though that were a simpler task.
“And that’s something you can do?”
“Well, no. But attempt the impossible, right?” He tucked a knee up onto the stool and continued scribbling on his talisman. Jiang Cheng took a deep breath and tried to center himself before he blew the hell up at him.
“Wei Wuxian. You know what this looks like, don’t you?”
“What does it look like, Jiang Cheng?” Wei Wuxian asked, tone tinged with irritation. “Enlighten me.”
“It looks like you're doing exactly what all the other sects have been terrified you'd do,” Jiang Cheng growled. “Desecrating corpses. Playing with life and death. Manipulating the dead to become your- your puppets.” He spat the last word out, disliking its taste in his mouth.
“Is that what they think?” Wei Wuxian's tone was cold and unamused. “You should know by now I don't care what the other sects think of me.”
“Well, you should!” Jiang Cheng was fighting a losing battle against his own temper. “Don't you understand the situation we're in? You might think you're invincible, but the rest of us have to live in the real world where your actions have consequences!” At some point while he was speaking, Wei Wuxian had risen from his stool, and they were now nearly chest to chest. “The Wen might be safe for now, but the instant word gets out that you're doing this-” He gestured angrily at Wen Ning's body, “They're going to be storming Lotus Pier, demanding your head!”
“And then what? What will you do, Jiang Cheng? Will you hand me over? Will you hand them over?” Wei Wuxian's anger had a different tone than Jiang Cheng's explosive outbursts; it simmered poisonously in his eyes. “No one asked you to do this.”
“No, because you're too damn stubborn to realize that maybe you don't know best!” He shoved violently at Wei Wuxian's chest.
“And you do?” He snatched Jiang Cheng's wrist and held it with a death grip. “Let me ask you a question, Jiang Cheng. Will you be the one to look your wife in the eyes and tell her that it's on your orders that her brother stays dead?”
Jiang Cheng's heart stopped for a second, temporarily struck by the memory of Wen Qing wailing when they found Wen Ning. It took a second before he realized the low keening sound was not just in his head; it was coming from the talisman covered body next to them. Wei Wuxian seemed to realize this at the same moment he did, releasing Jiang Cheng's wrist to instead face Wen Ning's twitching corpse. He set his jaw grimly and drew his flute from his belt.
“If you're not going to help, you should leave,” he said, voice low. Jiang Cheng started to protest, but Wei Wuxian whirled on him, Chenqing a more ominous threat in his hand than a blade. “Leave.”
Left with no other option aside from brawling with his brother right then and there, Jiang Cheng snarled and turned on his heel, storming out of the shack with crooning sounds of Wei Wuxian's dark melodies following at his back.
He was in a foul mood for the rest of the day. God, he hated the influence Wei Wuxian had over his emotions. Jiang Cheng's already short temper was paper thin after their argument, making him snap at his disciples over the smallest infractions. Zidian was a sparking threat on his hand as he prowled Lotus Pier's halls like a storm cloud.
He knew it must show on his face when he ate dinner with Wen Qing that night, and he was grateful she didn't ask. He had no idea how he'd answer her. The worst part was that Wei Wuxian, damn him, was right. Even if the circumstances of their engagement were a facade, he and Wen Qing were to be partners now. He promised to protect her family. How could he, in good conscience, tell her that her brother should be doomed to his cruel fate?
Instead, he decided to speak first at dinner, to ensure the conversation did not swerve dangerously. “Is everyone settling in well?” he asked, scooping a generous portion of stir-fried seafood into her bowl. She was no longer skin and bones now, but it still brought him a small joy to see some of the roundness return to her cheeks as she ate regular filling meals made by some of the best cooks in Yunmeng.
Wen Qing nodded, accepting the food with a small smile. “Popo has gotten a job with some of your weavers. Her joints give her trouble some days, but they respect her experience enough to let her advise them when she can't weave.”
“She doesn't have to work,” Jiang Cheng said with a frown. “I didn't bring them from one work camp just to force them all to work here.”
“I know,” she reassured him. “They just want to contribute. They want to feel normal again.” She sighed, sorrow returning to its all too familiar place on her face.
Guilt twisted nastily in his chest, making it difficult to swallow his mouthful of food. Dammit, he'd been trying to avoid sensitive topics, but he'd stumbled into it anyway. “If anyone gives them trouble,” he said firmly, “Tell me immediately.” He waited until she nodded, then forced his shoulders to relax. “How's A-Yuan?”
That was a much safer topic. Wen Qing's smile returned as she told him, with some exasperation, that Jiang Cheng's youngest disciples had decided A-Yuan needed to learn how to swim, and they'd taken it upon themselves to teach him. She'd given them a hell of a scolding when she found out, and they'd promised, under threat of a tongue lashing, that they'd at least bring one of the teenaged juniors to supervise them next time. Jiang Cheng felt a complicated mix of pride and heartache at that; most of the little shidi that had attached to A-Yuan had never known Yu Ziyuan, but they would grow up knowing a lady of Lotus Pier that was just as formidable.
His mother's death was no longer a gaping, bleeding wound inside him anymore, but whenever he risked thinking about her absence, it still elicited an ache within him. He ran his thumb over Zidian and tried his best to focus on his meal. He wondered what she would do in his shoes. He knew what her reaction to Wei Wuxian's current brand of bullshit would be. Knowing what she'd think did not mean he felt any less complicated about it.
At the same time, he remembered how fraught her marriage to his father was. He loved his parents so much it threatened to eat him alive sometimes, but he was anything but blind to how miserable their marriage was. His father did not respect her, didn't prioritize her wishes. Among all Jiang Cheng's misgivings about the inevitability of marriage, most of all was his fear that his marriage would at all resemble his parents’ relationship. When he offered this solution to Wen Qing, he made a promise to himself that he would not become his father. That Wen Qing would feel respected and appreciated by her husband, that she shouldn't have to fight to have her desires answered.
And yet, he knew that her greatest desire at this moment, the thing that would bring her the most happiness, was her brother's return. And he did not know if he could, or should, give her that.
His meal, no matter how delicious he knew it was, tasted flavorless in his mouth. He slept poorly that night, and prayed that she would not ask why.
–
Jiang Yanli’s return to Lotus Pier might as well have been a holiday for how much everyone celebrated. Her boat was swarmed as soon as it pulled up to the dock, surrounded by shidi and shimei asking how her trip was, how things were in Lanling, if she’d brought anything back for them. Jiang Cheng held back behind the crowd, waiting for them to disperse a little, but Yanli spotted him and made a beeline for him anyway.
“A-Cheng!” she exclaimed, a broad smile on her face. Her grin turned teasing when she spotted Wen Qing at his side. “A-Cheng, I can’t believe you didn’t tell me earlier.”
She was joking, of course; he’d made sure to send her a letter as soon as he had a chance, informing her about the reality of his and Wen Qing’s engagement. Still, her teasing had the desired effect of making him flush. “Jie,” he whined, because being sect leader didn’t mean he wasn’t still her petulant little brother.
She patted his cheek gently, then turned her smile on Wen Qing. “I hope my brother has been treating you well.”
“He has been an excellent host, Jiang-guniang,” Wen Qing said, bowing politely.
“You don’t need to do that.” Jiang Yanli interrupted her bow by taking her hands. “We’re going to be sisters, aren’t we? You can call me jie.”
Wen Qing was slightly awestruck. Jiang Cheng puffed up with pride. Why yes, his sister was so wonderful and kind that it was awe-inspiring. He’s glad someone noticed. Wen Qing recovered quickly and returned Jiang Yanli’s smile. “Thank you, Yanli-jie.”
“Shijie!” A loud voice interrupted their moment, and they turned to find Wei Wuxian weaving through the crowd to get to them. Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. Of course this is what finally got Wei Wuxian out of his depression cave. He wouldn’t leave it to eat or sleep, but Yanli’s presence was enough to have him sprinting across Lotus Pier to meet her. She happily let him take her hands and shake them around like they were still kids. “You’re back! Jiang Cheng, I can’t believe you didn’t tell me shijie was coming home today,” he complained with an exaggerated pout. For a second, it almost felt like everything was normal between them. Jiang Cheng let himself savor the feeling and scowled without much heat.
“As if you would’ve showed up on time even if I told you,” he scoffed. “Knowing you, you’d sleep right through it.”
“I would not! I would never be late for shijie,” Wei Wuxian said, sticking his tongue out at him. Jiang Yanli tsked lightly at them and patted Wei Wuxian’s cheek the way she’d patted Jiang Cheng’s a moment earlier.
“A-Xian,” she said, tone tinged with concern, “You look so skinny. Have you been eating enough?”
“Ah, you know your Xianxian.” He attempted to laugh it off and failed. The dark circles under his eyes were worse in the light of day. “I would forget to eat if not for shijie feeding me.”
Jiang Yanli’s mouth twisted with worry, but she pushed a smile onto her face anyway. “Well, I guess we should get started on dinner, then.”
Of all the family dinners Jiang Cheng had sat through, it was not the most awkward. If he ignored the way Wei Wuxian was blatantly avoiding his gaze, it would almost feel like any other dinner from their childhood, though Wen Qing’s presence at his side was certainly new. While they ate, Jiang Yanli updated them on what had happened at Carp Tower since they left. Jin Guangshan was, as predicted, absolutely furious. Jin Guangyao was being worked to the bone running damage control, and Yanli felt rather bad for him. None of this was a surprise, but what was a surprise was that apparently Jin Zixuan wanted to help them.
“That peacock?” Wei Wuxian exclaimed incredulously. Jiang Cheng grimaced. At least this was something they still agreed on.
“He's not that bad, A-Xian,” Jiang Yanli scolded gently. “He says he had no idea what his family had been doing to the Wen. He wants to help make up for the injustices they've done.”
Wei Wuxian grumbled incoherently, and though Jiang Cheng shared the sentiment, he had to admit this was an unexpected boon. Jin Zixuan might be an arrogant pain in the ass, but he was sect heir, and he had a reputation as an upstanding gentleman and a war hero. If they managed to get him on their side – even directly opposing his father – it would be a big deal politically.
“Even if his intentions are pure,” Wen Qing interrupted with a dose of realism, “He should not visit yet. A-Yuan still has nightmares about men in yellow robes. It’s going to be a long time till we feel comfortable having a Jin cultivator in our midst.”
Jiang Yanli nodded sympathetically. “Of course, I understand. I’ll let him know the situation. I’m sure he’d be willing to keep his distance for now.”
“Shijie,” Wei Wuxian whined. “You’ll be telling him by letter, right? You won’t be going back to Lanling?”
Jiang Yanli laughed and petted his hair. “I just got home and you’re already worried about me leaving again?” He pouted. “I’m not going anywhere, A-Xian. How could I leave when my brothers are so hard at work here?”
Jiang Cheng scoffed as she doted on him. As if Wei Wuxian had been pulling his weight lately. He rolled his eyes and glanced over at Wen Qing, hoping she might commiserate with him. Instead, he found her staring at Jiang Yanli and Wei Wuxian with such longing and grief that it almost bowled him over. Guilt knotted itself in his chest again. Right, this family dinner was missing a member. Here they were, Jiang Cheng and his siblings reunited after barely over a week apart, while Wen Qing’s brother lay unbreathing just outside Lotus Pier.
“Qing-mei,” Jiang Yanli said, startling them both, “Is there anything I can do to make your family more comfortable? I know you’re a skilled doctor, but I was a nurse during the war. I would be happy to lend you a hand with anything you need.”
As the two of them talked, Jiang Cheng risked looking over at Wei Wuxian again. When Yanli had her attention on him, he lit up like a flower under the sun, but now that she was turned away, the exhaustion returned to his features, making him pale and haggard. He seemed to feel Jiang Cheng’s eyes on him because he glanced over and made eye contact. Neither of them said anything. Wei Wuxian’s jaw clenched, and Jiang Cheng gripped the spoon in his hand tighter. They looked away at the same time, both in agreement that they were not going to talk about it.
After dinner finished, Wen Qing pulled Wei Wuxian aside, whispering to him in hushed tones. Jiang Cheng wanted to know what they were talking about, but he had a feeling he could make a good guess. Instead, he let his sister take him by the arm and lead him away, claiming she wanted to walk by the lake. She eventually led him to a secluded dock, one where the three of them had often played as children, swimming and plucking lotuses for each other. She sat at the edge, gently tugging him down with her.
“Oh, A-Cheng,” she sighed, examining him like she could read every inch of him. She probably could. “You’ve been working so hard.”
Something in him crumbled at that. He appreciated her choosing such a private dock; it meant he could curl up against her side like he was still small without worrying that all his disciples could see him. She wrapped her arms around him and gently petted his hair, impossibly soothing as always.
“Do you love her?” she asked after quietly holding him for a while. He shook his head.
“No. At least, not like that.” He sighed, unsure how exactly to articulate his feelings for Wen Qing. He admired her? He respected her? She made him feel understood? “I care about her,” is what he finally settled on.
“My A-Cheng has always had such a soft heart,” Yanli said, making him snort. He was fairly certain she was one of the only people who would say that about him.
“She makes me think of mom, sometimes. In all the best ways,” he quickly added when he felt his sister go still. She didn’t say anything; she just laid her head on top of his and resumed rubbing his back. Feeling vulnerable in his sister’s arms, he mumbled, “I wonder what she would think if she saw me now.”
Jiang Yanli was quiet for a long time, and he thought for a second that she wouldn’t answer him at all. “I think she would be very proud of you,” she eventually said. She pressed a kiss on top of his head and said nothing more.
–
Jiang Cheng glared at the door to the hut. Behind it were the sounds of quiet conversation, too muffled for him to decipher. He wanted, very badly, to knock down the door with all his might. Instead, he forced himself to open it with as much calm as he could muster.
Both Wei Wuxian and Wen Qing looked up as soon as they heard the door open. Wen Qing had an alarmed expression usually reserved for ensnared deer, but Wei Wuxian just straightened himself up to his full height and glared at him.
“Jiang Cheng,” he greeted him coolly. Jiang Cheng grit his teeth and did his best not to snap at him.
“Tell me what you two are doing.” A small corner of his mind deliriously noted that if this were one of the trashy novels he’d borrowed from Nie Huaisang, this would be a dramatic confrontation charged with jealousy. The sect leader’s fiancée, caught sneaking off with his charming shixiong! What scandal!
Jiang Cheng’s reality did not function like Nie Huaisang’s trashy novels. He was fairly certain the sneaking around in those stories did not involve reanimating corpses.
“What, so you can expose our crimes to Jin Guangshan?” Wei Wuxian sneered. Jiang Cheng breathed out angrily through his nose.
“No, asshole. I want to know what you’re doing so we can avoid you getting arrested,” Jiang Cheng growled. “Unless you think acting like a shady dickhead is sustainable?”
To his surprise, Wen Qing cut in before Wei Wuxian could make things worse. “I have needles in strategic points,” she said, having recovered from the shock of his arrival. She indicated the locations of a few of the needles, placed in locations that Jiang Cheng vaguely recognized as acupoints. “They’re supposed to stimulate the healthy circulation of qi, and they’ll prevent too much of his energy from escaping.” Her hands began to shake as she gestured, so she pulled them back and tucked them close. “But when we found A-Ning, he’d already been dead too long.” Her voice grew thick with emotion. Jiang Cheng once again found himself wanting to wrap his arms around her and comfort her. He resisted the impulse and waited for her to find her voice again. “There is very little qi left in his body,” she said once she’d composed herself. “That’s where Wei Wuxian comes in.”
Wei Wuxian was still watching Jiang Cheng with a suspicious eye, but he nodded at her prompting. “I’m calling him back with this,” he said, wiggling his flute. “Reconnecting the body and the spirit isn’t that complicated. They want to be together, after all. What’s more complicated is the state of his consciousness after they’re reconnected. When a person dies, there’s no guarantee their mind is the same. Wen Ning’s death was not a peaceful one. So, we’re trying to make sure his mind isn’t too broken by the experience.” He gestured at the talismans. Upon closer inspection, Jiang Cheng could understand some of them. Talismans to contain spirits, calm resentful ghosts, soothe the mind. Nothing that immediately jumped out to Jiang Cheng as dangerous.
“And you’re certain none of this can be done with conventional cultivation?” he asked, still dismayed. “It has to be done your way?”
“If you can come up with another way, Jiang Cheng, I’d love to hear it,” Wei Wuxian said with a tightlipped smile. The unspoken challenge was clear; Jiang Cheng was a powerful cultivator, but Wei Wuxian had always been the more creative one. It was unlikely Jiang Cheng would come up with something they hadn’t already tried.
Jiang Cheng looked around the room. At Wen Ning’s corpse, motionless for the time being under its blanket of talismans. At Wei Wuxian, his shoulders stubbornly squared as if daring Jiang Cheng to fight him. At Wen Qing, the desperation and longing barely hidden behind the wariness in her eyes. Jiang Cheng shut his eyes and sent a prayer to the ancestors for patience.
“If I catch you using the Yin Tiger Amulet on him,” Jiang Cheng said, voice low with warning, “I’m killing you myself. Otherwise…” He sighed. Why is this what his life had come to? “Just tell me what I can do to help. If you’re going to do this, do it properly.”
Everything about this still made his skin crawl, but the relief on Wei Wuxian and Wen Qing’s faces almost made up for it.
–
Zewu-jun did in fact have the good manners to warn him before arriving at Lotus Pier. He did not warn him that Lan Wangji would be joining him, but Jiang Cheng supposed he should’ve expected it. Lan Xichen’s expression was as pleasant as ever as he greeted him.
“Jiang-zongzhu,” he said, bowing politely. “Thank you for allowing us to visit on such short notice.”
“Zewu-jun, Hanguang-jun.” Jiang Cheng bowed back. “I understand the situation is rather urgent.”
“I wouldn’t say it’s out of control yet,” Lan Xichen said diplomatically. “We just felt we should see things with our own eyes before the rumors spun further.” He glanced at his brother and smiled just a little. “Wangji in particular wanted to seek the truth of the matter.”
“Did he,” Jiang Cheng said, eyeing Lan Wangji suspiciously. Lan Wangji’s impassive face gave nothing away. “Well, in that case you should follow me.”
Lan Xichen sending notice before arriving had given Jiang Cheng time to prepare not just himself, but the Wen remnants. When he escorted the Twin Jades to the guest quarters where the Wen were temporarily housed, the Wen who greeted them were wary but not taken by surprise. The pristine reputation of the Twin Jades of Gusu certainly helped; they were known to be even-tempered and fair, seekers of justice above all. And as they saw who exactly had been put to work by the Jin, the injustice was clear.
Wen Qing introduced them to her grandmother, who attempted to bow despite her stooped back. Wen Yuan hid shyly behind her leg, wide-eyed as he stared at them. Lan Xichen crouched down to his level to introduce himself, revealing a soft spot for children. Wen Yuan glanced up at Wen Qing for confirmation and at her nod, he darted forward to latch onto both Lan brothers’ legs, startling a soft laugh out of Lan Xichen.
After detaching Wen Yuan and depositing him in his grandmother’s arms, Jiang Cheng led them further out of Lotus Pier, to the plot of land where they were planning to build new homes. Sishu was happy to put down his tools for a moment to chat with them, the crows feet at the sides of his eyes crinkling as he spoke.
Eventually, he stepped away to get back to work, and Lan Xichen sighed. “It's clear the Jin have been lying about their Wen prisoners.”
“I thought that much was obvious,” Jiang Cheng snapped, perhaps a bit more irritable than was deserved.
“I would like to speak with them in more detail, if they’re willing,” Lan Xichen said, courteously ignoring Jiang Cheng’s rudeness. “I’d like their account of what was going on at the work camps, so it can be compared against what the Jin claimed.”
“Not today. But I can ask Wen Qing to see if any of them would be willing to speak to you.” Jiang Cheng frowned. “It won't be pretty. I saw the conditions they were in. It was horrific.”
“I can imagine.” Lan Xichen nodded sadly. “What about Wen-gongzi? Did you… find him?” he attempted to ask delicately.
Jiang Cheng clenched his jaw, uncertain how much he was willing to reveal. He remembered how furious Lan Wangji had been when they discovered what Wei Wuxian had been doing to Wen Chao. It wasn't until he thought of him that it occurred to Jiang Cheng that Lan Wangji had not just been silent; he was conspicuously absent from his brother's side. Jiang Cheng did a double take, unsure the last time he saw him. “Where did Hanguang-jun go?”
“Oh.” Lan Xichen blinked, a bit of amusement coloring his features. “I assume he went looking for Wei-gongzi.”
Jiang Cheng grimaced. Great. Great. This was just what he needed: Lan Wangji poking his nose where it didn't belong. He prayed that he'd at least find Wei Wuxian somewhere normal and not in his stupid demonic cultivation shack. Wen Ning would not stay secret for long.
“Let's go back to Lotus Pier,” he suggested, avoiding Lan Xichen's earlier question. “We can discuss what I saw at Qiongqi Path after dinner.”
Lan Xichen nodded, but before they could take another step, the sound of screams reached their ears. Jiang Cheng's heart stopped. Memories flashed in his mind’s eye, of his home burning, of his disciples under siege.
He leapt into action, jumping on Sandu and speeding back to Lotus Pier, with Lan Xichen following close behind. To his relief they were not under siege, but to his dismay , all the chaos seemed to be centered around the hut where Wei Wuxian had been staying. Where Wen Ning's corpse was being kept. The hut that was now demolished.
“Where is he?” Jiang Cheng shouted down at the crowd of disciples that had gathered. They all pointed – thankfully – away from the center of Lotus Pier, further into the marshes. They hadn't gotten far. It barely took a minute by sword for them to find all three of them – Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji, and Wen Ning.
At least, it was Wen Ning's body. Jiang Cheng couldn't claim to have known him very well, but Wen Ning had always been quiet and mild-mannered, even meek. The snarl on his face now was utterly unfamiliar, and there was no recognition in his dark eyes as he pinned Wei Wuxian in the mud. Lan Wangji was frantically playing his guqin, but the music was doing nothing.
The sound of Wei Wuxian choking was what finally made Jiang Cheng snap out of his shock. Zidian came alive in his hand, lashing out and ensnaring Wen Ning. He yanked back, pulling him away enough for Wei Wuxian to scramble to his feet and put his flute to his mouth. Wen Ning thrashed and growled against his restraints, but Zidian only tightened.
“Don't hurt him!” Wen Qing screamed, having caught up to them on foot. Dammit, not another person to account for!
“He was going to kill Wei Wuxian!” Jiang Cheng shouted, looking back at her running through the mud to them.
“He doesn't know what he's doing!” she insisted, desperation clear. Jiang Cheng grit his teeth and turned to Wei Wuxian. Wei Wuxian did not lift his mouth from his flute, but he met Jiang Cheng's eyes and shook his head. Fine. Jiang Cheng hated this, but he made sure Zidian was only restraining Wen Ning, not hurting him.
Lan Xichen had joined the fray at this point, Liebing's notes joining Chenqing and the thrums of Lan Wangji's guqin. The two Lan instruments offered support, playing music to calm and restrain spirits, while Wei Wuxian's dizi played a haunting tune. Jiang Cheng was not sure how long it took, but eventually, Wen Ning's thrashing slowed until he fell still in Zidian's hold. Wei Wuxian finally lowered his flute, and Wen Ning fell to his knees. Wei Wuxian approached slowly.
“Wen Ning?” he asked. There was a long silence, then Wen Ning's head shifted.
“Wei… gongzi?” His throat was hoarse and tongue stiff with disuse, but that was undoubtedly Wen Ning's voice. Wen Qing cried out incoherently and sprinted forward, crashing into the mud next to him. Jiang Cheng reluctantly withdrew Zidian, allowing her to get close enough to clutch her brother. Wen Ning slowly looked down at her, bleary. “A-jie…?”
Everything was a blur after that. Wei Wuxian was speaking encouragingly to Wen Ning, who gave the impression of having been woken from a deep sleep. Wen Qing was sobbing, but they were tears of joy this time, beyond thrilled to have her brother back. Jiang Cheng did not approach. This was not his moment. It was theirs, and he would not intrude. Instead, he hung back and tried to calm the pounding of his heart. For a moment, he had been so convinced that he would return to find Lotus Pier in ruins again… The emotional whiplash was hard to come down from.
Lan Wangji was standing behind Wei Wuxian, but Lan Xichen joined Jiang Cheng. “I see Wen-gongzi's situation is complicated,” he said, clearly forcing lightness into his voice. Jiang Cheng just sent him a glare and didn't justify that with a response. “This is going to make things much more difficult, you know.”
God, didn't Jiang Cheng know it. Not only was Wei Wuxian using his wicked cultivation in previously unheard of ways, but now all of them present were complicit in it. When the Jin found out, all hell was going to break loose. Jiang Cheng was in deep shit, and he knew it.
But at the same time… when he looked at the little cluster surrounding Wen Ning, he saw Wen Qing brightly lit with joy, a degree of happiness he had never seen on her face before. Wei Wuxian was smiling too, more genuine than his smiles had been lately; he was squeezing Wen Ning's shoulder and grinning proudly. Jiang Cheng watched two of the most important people in the world to him, and he realized he would face much worse than the Jin for them.
“I said I would support her and her family, didn’t I?” he said to Lan Xichen, crossing his arms. “I’ll deal with whatever comes.”
He didn't wait for Lan Xichen's reaction. He strode over to them and loudly informed them that they better not intend to come back into Lotus Pier looking like swamp creatures. Wei Wuxian responded by throwing a fistful of river muck at him, which earned him a firm shove back into the mud. Wei Wuxian cackled, and Wen Qing didn't let go of Jiang Cheng’s hand when he helped her to her feet, and Jiang Cheng thought yes. He'd do just about anything for them.