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The cool dawn wind that passed through the window of the room made the flames of the candles flicker and caressed Lan Wangji's skin. But the Second Jade of Gusu couldn't feel anything. He'd felt numb for hours.
Lan Jingyi was lying in front of him on a mattress, his body motionless, his complexion white. He had been unconscious for almost 2 days. His chances of recovery were uncertain. And it was all Lan Wangji's fault.
They had gone hunting -Lan Jingyi, Lan Wangji and two other juniors. Something was killing the people of Zhàomíng village and no one knew what it was. There were no major signs on the bodies to identify a cause. The victims could be young and healthy, or old and broken; there was no natural pattern between them. So, in desperation, the village chief had asked Cloud Recesses for help.
Lan Sizhui was in Qinghe, and Wei Wuxian was busy with one of their young junior classes. Lan Jingyi and two other of his classmates were free, however. Lan Wangji was also available. So the four of them had gone to Zhàomíng village.
They were only supposed to collect information about the deaths, nothing more. It should have been a simple mission.
But it hadn't been.
Not at all.
Lan Wangji felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, and a moment later he was surrounded by arms and a warm body. He closed his eyes and tried to soak in the comfort the person behind him was trying to convey.
"Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian whispered.
Lan Wangji opened his eyes and didn't respond. But he reached out to take his husband's right hand and squeeze it firmly in his own.
"Lan Zhan, it wasn't your fault," Wei Wuxian said, kissing his temple tenderly.
"It was," Lan Wangji said.
And it had been.
The three juniors and Lan Wangji hadn't all stayed together to question the villagers. And unfortunately, Lan Jingyi had stumbled upon the murderer -a rogue cultivator who apparently had a grudge against Gusu and its people- alone.
When Lan Wangji had arrived at the meeting point that he and his group had set before splitting up a few hours earlier, Lan Jingyi was already there.
But he was lying on the ground, unconscious.
Lan Wangji had rushed to him in panic. Lan Jingyi had black patches on his skin and a strange little round vial with a needle at the end was stuck deep in his left arm. Lan Wangji had immediately removed the needle from Lan Jingyi's arm, although it was probably already too late.
The small round object was transparent and the remains of a wine-red liquid were still present at the bottom. But before Lan Wangji could study it more closely, the mini-vial had jumped out of Lan Wangji's hands on its own, lit up blindingly, and then flown into the air.
Lan Wangji had been too worried about Lan Jingyi's condition to chase after it.
"I should have stayed with him," Lan Wangji said.
"You couldn't have known. It could have happened to anyone," Wei Wuxian said, pressing his forehead against Lan Wangji's temple.
"Wei Gongzi is right, Hanguang-Jun," a female voice behind them said.
Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji turned around to look at the newcomer. Lan Mei, the clan's head healer, was standing in the doorway with a bucket of hot water in her hands. She offered them a small, sad smile and approached her sick patient.
Lan Mei was a small, gray-haired woman who had passed the stage in a Cultivator's life where one could no longer guess her age. She was much older than Lan Qiren, and Lan Wangji was pretty sure she had already passed her first century. She was a competent and confident woman. And Lan Wangji absolutely needed her to give him some good news.
"How is he today?" Lan Wangji asked.
He and Lan Mei had briefly met and greeted each other when he'd entered the room this morning, but she'd gone straight to get the supplies to clean her patient. Lan Wangji had to force himself to stay put to avoid following her and immediately ask about Lan Jingyi's condition.
Lan Mei hesitated for a moment before answering his question. "The same, as yesterday."
Wei Wuxian's hand tightened in Lan Wangji's.
"Is it the Lyre Poison?" Wei Wuxian asked, his eyes fixed on the healer. "Lan Zhan said Jingyi had black patches on his skin when he found him, but those patches disappeared within minutes. That's why there were no clues on the other bodies. I looked into these kinds of symptoms and everything points... everything points to this poison. But that's not possible, is it?"
Again, Lan Mei was silent for a moment, as if she didn't really want to give the real answer.
But after a while, she nodded. "Yes, all indications are that A-Ming has been infected with the Lyre poison."
A fear invaded Lan Wangji's heart and his shoulders slumped.
Wei Wuxian had told him about the Lyre Poison, that deadly thing that killed its victims instantly. But the poison was so rare. Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian had hoped with all their hearts that these black patches were a coincidence, that what Lan Jingyi had caught was less serious.
Wei Wuxian stood up and approached Lan Mei, despair on his face.
"No one survives this poison!" Wei Wuxian said. "He should have died instantly. It has to be something else."
"I'm sorry, Wei Gongzi, but I'm sure of it; it's definitely the Lyre poison. Almost all the signs are there."
Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji exchanged a look, and the worry in Lan Wangji's heart only increased.
"There has to be a way to cure him," Wei Wuxian said, sounding sorrowful. "Please tell me there's something we can do.
"I'm sorry, this is out of my area of expertise. The Lyre poison is fatal," Lan Mei said in a saddened voice.
"He will die, then," Lan Wangji said.
"Lan Zhan!"
Wei Wuxian looked at him in shock, as if he couldn't believe that his husband had dared to say the conclusion that no one had wanted to voice until now.
Lan Wangji didn't want Lan Jingyi to die. Of course he didn't. He had always thought of the boy as his turbulent second son.
But he wanted to know what to expect. He needed to know what the consequences of his poor judgment in Zhàomíng village were. Lan Wangji had made a mistake and Lan Jingyi was in danger of dying.
If only he had arrived earlier. If only he had told Lan Jingyi to have one of his comrades accompany him, if only-
"We can have hope in the fact that he's still alive, right now," Lan Mei said softly. "You're right, Wei Gongzi, the Lyre poison normally kills its victims instantly. But the fact that A-Ming is still breathing is a small hope. Not very big, but a hope nonetheless."
Wei Wuxian's eyes landed on Lan Jingyi, and he reached out to take the motionless boy's hand in his own, looking devastated.
They all remained silent, watching Lan Jingyi breathe.
If they didn't do something, this ball of energy, this ray of sunshine, would die.
Lan Wangji clenched his fists.
He wouldn't let that happen.
"Have you asked other experts, or the other sects?" he said.
Lan Mei nodded. "Yes. I sent urgent letters to all the sects. I've made it clear to them that this is a matter of life and death. They will have to respond to me quickly if we are to have any chance of saving Lan Jingyi's life."
She then sighed and looked at Wei Wuxian.
"I have high hopes in a particular sect, Wei Gongzi," she said.
Wei Wuxian looked at the healer and frowned for a moment.
Then, his eyes widened, seeming to understand what Lan Mei meant:
"Oh."
Lan Sizhui didn't know.
That Lan Jingyi was seriously injured.
Or at least, he didn't know it yet. Lan Wangji had only written to him yesterday; the message probably hadn't reached its destination yet.
Lan Jingyi and Lan Sizhui were normally inseparable. They moved as one, and rarely did anything without the other. Just before the accident, it had been one of the few times Lan Jingyi and Lan Sizhui were going to be separated for more than a week, and even then, the two boys had hesitated for a long time not to go to Qinghe together. Finally, as Lan Jingyi wanted to do some research that week, Lan Sizhui had reluctantly left him in Gusu alone under the care of Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen.
And this was the result.
The two boys were separated only once, and Lan Jingyi was fatally poisoned.
Lan Sizhui was going to be devastated. Lan Wangji didn't even dare to imagine his son's reaction when he would hear the news. Of course, Lan Sizhui was too polite to blame his adoptive father directly, but that didn't stop Lan Wangji from being accountable. He had been responsible for Lan Jingyi's critical condition, and he should also be responsible for his recovery.
And for Lan Jingyi, Lan Zhan would get down on his knees and beg anyone...
But this man.
This angry, arrogant man, this insufferable being, this-
"Lan Zhan, we have no choice," Wei Wuxian said beside him.
They were in the Hanshi, sitting at a low table, facing Lan Xichen. A servant had served them tea. No one had touched it yet.
Lan Xichen had been out of seclusion for a little over a year, and had now fully resumed his role as sect leader, allowing Lan Qiren to teach and travel as he pleased.
And whether it was Lan Qiren or Lan Xichen, Lan Wangji had a feeling that their suggestion would be the same for Lan Jingyi; go to this man for help.
"Wei Wuxian is right, Wangji," Lan Xichen said softly, looking him in the eyes. "We must act quickly, if it really is the Lyre poison."
"Lan Mei is sure it is, at least," Wei Wuxian said with a frown. "But something is bothering me about this story."
Lan Xichen looked away from his brother and set his eyes on Wei Wuxian. "What's that?"
"According to the readings, the Lyre Poison is something you inhale, not inject through the blood, normally; I don't see why this rogue Cultivator would have gone to all this trouble, if he could just throw his poison into the air."
"Maybe he was afraid of being infected himself?" Lan Xichen suggested.
Wei Wuxian shook his head before turning back to his husband. "You said the murderer had a protective mask covering his mouth, right?".
Lan Wangji faintly nodded. "When we encountered him on the way back to the sect, the Rogue Cultivator did indeed have a mask with a purifying array marked on top. The poisoned air wouldn't have affected him."
"And now that he's dead, it will be difficult to get answers about his methods," Lan Xichen said.
Lan Wangji remained silent.
Another of his mistakes.
That night, with Lan Jingyi sick in his arms and the other two juniors by his side, Lan Wangji had rushed out of Zhàomíng village to take Lan Jingyi back to the clan for treatment, no longer caring about the murderer. But unfortunately, they had run into the rogue Cultivator on their way back. Lan Wangji had ended up killing him. And now they were at an impasse again because of this. He should have kept the rogue Cultivator alive, to at least answer their questions.
A gentle hand came to grab his, and Lan Wanji quietly opened his palm to entwine his fingers with Wei Wuxian's.
"Lan Zhan, he attacked the other juniors, it's only natural that you had to kill him," Wei Wuxian said softly. "Don't feel bad about it. You did the right thing."
"Yes, Wangji, no one could blame you for that," Lan Xichen added. "You kept more of our juniors from getting hurt."
Lan Wangji's shoulders slumped a little. "But we're missing information about this poison now."
"Information we could get from Lotus Pier," Wei Wuxian said.
Lan Wangji almost scowled, hearing this.
Although it hurt a little to say, the Yunmeng Clan was the only one that could easily match Gusu Lan's strength, and was even considered the greatest sect by many people. Qinghe Nie had been in decline since Nie Mingjue's death, the Jin Clan was still in turmoil, and Gusu Lan was reclusive and had never sought to expand its power. The Yunmeng Clan, however, had been growing steadily for some years.
About 6 years prior to Wei Wuxian's resurrection, Jiang Wanyin had reinstated the Spiders: Cultivators who specialized in espionage and assassination. The group was mainly composed of Meishan Yu clan disciples or new disciples who were learning the old ways of the deceased Yu Furen's clan. They were, indeed, advanced connoisseurs of all things related to poisoning.
Every year, some new young Cultivators were impressed by this and decided to join the Yunmeng clan.
And every year, Lan Wangji wondered if those same young Cultivators regretted their decision after being around their new Sect Leader for more than a week.
"We could try to summon the spirit of the rogue Cultivator and ask him questions," Lan Wangji tried.
He didn't know if the villagers had already found the murderer's body in the forest near their village, but even if they had already buried it somewhere, it shouldn't be too hard to find out where.
Wei Wuxian beside him sighed, as if he had expected his husband not to give in so easily. "Lan Zhan, even if we find the body, I doubt the rogue Cultivator's soul will answer our call. And if by chance he does, there's no telling if he'll know how to heal Jingyi. It certainly wasn't that aspect that concerned the Cultivator before."
"That's a risk we unfortunately don't have the leisure to take," Lan Xichen said. "Whereas, on the contrary, Lotus Pier knows plenty about poisoning of any kind. The Spiders are experts in this; Wanyin's clan will be able to help."
Lan Wangji pressed his lips together as he heard the familiar name come out of Lan Xichen's mouth.
How he hated it when his brother called the Sect Leader of Lotus Pier like that.
"Someone else must have a solution too," he said. "Jiang Zongzhu is so...."
...Bitter.
...Self-centered.
...Stubborn
Lan Wangji had so many unflattering descriptions to portray Jiang Wanyin.
Wei Wuxian's hand, still in his, squeezed him a little tighter.
"Lan Zhan, we are talking about Jingyi's life. Please," Wei Wuxian said in a soft voice.
Lan Wangji wasn't unreasonable. If this was truly the safest solution, he wasn't going to risk Lan Jingyi's life because of his resentment towards Wei Wuxian's former shidi. It was true: he would kneel before anyone to heal Lan Jingyi.
But just thinking about that man who had hurt Wei Wuxian so much in the past made it hard for him. He had seen how Jiang Wanyin treated Wei Wuxian and it made him angry. Was it the way he treated Lan Xichen too?
A new hatred crept into Lan Wangji's heart at the thought of Jiang Wanyin treating his brother badly.
He knew he had always been a little overprotective of his brother, but he was sure that this time, it was justified. Lan Xichen didn't need any more shadows in his life, he didn't need someone who would verbally abuse him like Jiang Wanyin had seemed to do with Wei Wuxian during his childhood.
Lan Wangji didn't understand how his brother could be friends with someone like Jiang Wanyin. He didn't understand why Wei Wuxian would automatically defend Jiang Wanyin when someone spoke ill of the Sect Leader behind his back.
And he didn't understand why the two people he cherished most in his life were so attached to this angry and petty man.
His brother told him that he was biased. But in Lan Wangji's opinion, you had the right to be biased with the people you loved.
"Wangji ..." Lan Xichen said.
Lan Wangji took a deep breath.
He wasn't unreasonable.
"We'll go see Jiang Zongzhu, then," he said.
It had been almost three years since Lan Wangji had set foot in Lotus Pier. Knowing who lived there, he hadn't missed it much.
He and Wei Wuxian arrived on the same day, late in the afternoon, without even taking a break to rest.
As Lan Wangji remembered, the sect and the city around it were buzzing with energy. Of the four major sects, Yunmeng Jiang had always been the most lively and noisy. At conferences, if Lan Wangji had the misfortune to sit near Jiang disciples, their thunderous voices always gave him a headache. And no one seemed to be any quieter here.
Lan Wangji looked around. They were at the entrance to the sect, near the Tuānliú Lake. Every time he looked around the Yunmeng clan, he felt like half a dozen new infrastructures had been built since his last visit. The sect was also much more fortified than in the past and was surrounded by a constant spiritual barrier.
It was behind this barrier that Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji were waiting for some sort of permission to cross. Some of the Jiang disciples - who could cross the barrier easily - saw them and greeted them politely. One of them must have alerted the seniors of their presence, for they didn't wait long before a stern-looking woman approached them.
She was dressed in a black outer dress over a purple inner dress, and she had a huge snake tattoo on her neck. She was a Spider.
She bowed respectfully. "Hanguang-Jun, Da-shixiong. We weren't expecting your visit. May I ask what brings you here?"
Shocked, Wei Wuxian opened his mouth wide, surprised to be called that by this Jiang woman. Lan Wangji also frowned, wondering what this woman's intentions were in referring to his husband by that title.
Was she making fun of him?
Already a little irritated, Lan Wangji tried to ignore this, and bowed to greet her in return. "We're sorry to come uninvited like this. But we urgently need your sect's help to save the life of one of our sick disciples. Would Jiang Zongzhu be willing to receive us?"
The Jiang woman looked at Lan Wangji for a long moment, and Lan Wangji almost expected her to tell them to wait, that she was going to ask, or outright "No." But she did no such thing.
Instead, she reached into her pocket with her right hand and pulled out a silver token, which she handed to Lan Wangji.
"This will get you through the barrier," she explained, as Lan wangji took the token.
Then, without further explanation, she turned on her heels and walked through the spiritual barrier of the sect's entrance.
"What about Wei Ying," Lan Wangji asked, offended for his husband, strangely silent near him. Perhaps Wei Wuxian had expected this kind of scenario; forbidden to enter his former sect under any circumstances.
However, without turning around, the Spider further away simply shouted. "He doesn't need it to cross."
Wei Wuxian's eyes opened widely. With a hesitant gesture, he reached out to the slightly purple energy barrier and gently touched it. He met no resistance. His fingers passed through it.
Seemingly hypnotized, Wei Wuxian moved a little closer and ran his hand through the barrier several more times, as if he couldn't believe it.
Lan Wangji didn't know how to feel about it.
"Wei Ying. Let's go," he said.
Wei Wuxian abruptly snapped out of his passive trance and nodded. The two men entered the sect and followed the Spider woman. Wei Wuxian looked around intently, moved, apparently absorbed in his memories. Again, some of the disciples bowed as they recognized them, and Wei Wuxian returned some greetings with a hesitant smile.
Lan Wangji thought that Jiang Wanyin would have ordered all his disciples to spit on Wei Wuxian and insult him on sight. That would have been his style. At least he had some gumption for that.
That was just one good point. The only one.
The Spider woman led them through the central buildings of the sect and into the Swords Hall. She seated them at a low table and bowed.
"Tea will be brought," she said.
Then, she straightened up and left the room without another word.
Tea was indeed brought in some time later. A young girl with short hair arrived with a tray containing a teapot and cups, which she placed on the table. She then bowed as well and left as quietly as she had entered.
No one came in after that.
Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian waited patiently. The sounds of the sect's activities echoed in the room, but Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian didn't exchange a word.
A quarter of an hour passed.
Then a second.
Then a third.
The sky outside began to cloud over, turning gray and dark. And Jiang Wanyin didn't appear.
"He's doing it on purpose," Lan Wangji said.
"He's not." Wei Wuxian answered.
Several more minutes passed. With no sign of Jiang Wanyin.
It began to rain heavily outside, aggravating Lan Wangji's mood.
"He's doing it on purpose," he repeated.
"...Okay, maybe, yeah."
Lan Wangji looked down at the ground, still irritated.
Did Jiang Wanyin think this was a joke?
A disciple's life was at stake.
Before Lan Wangji finally decided to get up and go get Jiang Wanyin himself, the sect leader of Lotus Pier finally appeared at the doors of the hall.
Jiang Wanyin was dressed in a combat outfit, leather bracers on his arms, close-fitting clothes on him, high boots on his feet and hair tied up in a high and severe bun. He had a scowl on his face -because Jiang Wanyin always had a scowl on his face- and gave them an unfriendly look as he approached them.
Despite this unpleasant reception, Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian stood up and bowed.
"Jiang Zongzhu," Lan Wangji said, trying to be as polite as possible. "Thank you for receiving us."
Jiang Wanyin narrowed his eyes, but shallowly bowed to Lan Wangji.
"Hanguang-Jun," he said with all the disdain he could muster in his greeting.
Jiang Wanyin then turned to Wei Wuxian and gave him another unflattering look. "Wei Wuxian. How nice of you to show your face after three years. When was the last time you visited? Please remind me."
Wei Wuxian lowered his gaze and looked like he wanted to make himself small.
"Ah yes. It was when you broke into my family's ancestral hall without my permission," Jiang Wanyin spat.
Jiang Wanying had just lost the point Lan wangji had given him earlier, and beyond.
This man was as hateful as ever.
"They were his family too," Lan Wangji said, automatically defending his husband.
Jiang Wanyin slowly set his eyes on Lan Wangji, filled with his usual contempt. Zidian, on the leader's right finger, sparked dangerously.
"I wasn't talking to you," Jiang Wanyin said.
"Please, Jiang Cheng, we didn't come to fight. We came with urgent matters," Wei Wuxian said, seeing the situation was taking a wrong direction.
Jiang Wanyin, surprisingly, scoffed and calmed down at that. He then dropped onto the seat cushion on the floor and made a rude gesture for them to do the same.
"So, what's the matter?" he asked.
"Lan Jingyi is sick." Wei Wuxian said carefully as he sat back down.
Jiang Wanyin didn't react, his eyes fixed on his brother. After a brief moment, he simply poured himself some tea and began to drink it.
"And why is this my problem?" he said.
Lan Wangji gritted his teeth, but Wei Wuxian didn't seem fazed by the question.
"He was affected by the Lyre poison," Wei Wuxian explained.
"The kid should be dead, then," Jiang Wanyin pointed out.
This time, Wei Wuxian seemed a bit uncomfortable by the sect leader's casual tone.
"Well... he isn't. That's why we need to hurry up," Wei Wuxian said with a glance at Lan Wangji.
"Alright, and, why are you here?" Jiang Wanyin inquired with a drawl.
"Jiang Cheng, you know very well; your clan is expert in all things related to poisoning. Surely, you can help us save his life. The kid is dying, Jiang Cheng. We need you, please."
"And I'll ask you again; why should I give a damn?"
Lan Wangji clenched his jaw, his disgust with Jiang Wanyin skyrocketing, and Wei Wuxian also looked at Jiang Wanyin as if he couldn't believe what had just come out of his former shidi's mouth.
"You wouldn't... You wouldn't let a child die just because of a fight with me!" Wei Wuxian cried. "I know you Jiang Cheng, this isn't you!"
At that, Jiang Wanyin abruptly put down the cup he was holding on the table and shot a murderous look at Wei Wuxian.
"And what do you know about me?" hissed Jiang Wanyin.
Wei Wuxian fell silent and a hint of guilt crossed his face. Jiang Wanyin tightened his grip on his cup.
"You missed 13 years when you were dead, and another 3 years wandering around with your husband. You missed 16 years of my life, Wei Wuxian. I changed when I had to clean up your mess, when I had to rebuild Lotus Pier by myself, when I had to raise Jin Ling without siblings. I can't believe you dare say you know me after all this time."
Lan Wangji couldn't take it anymore and intervened."This is not about you."
Jiang Wanyin slowly turned his head towards Lan Wangji and looked at him with cold polar eyes.
"I understand that you have a problem with me and Wei Ying, but Lan Jingyi has nothing to do with our quarrel," Lan Wagji continued.
"And for the third time, that's not my problem."
Selfish.
This had always been the problem with Jiang Wanyin, which was why Lan Wangyi couldn't stand him.
Jiang Wanyin didn't think only of himself, but he was selfish in the sense that he only thought of what he deemed worthy of interest -Lotus Pier, Jin Rulan, Yunmeng Jiang's business- and didn't consider the interests of others who didn't fit into these categories.
Lan Jingyi had absolutely nothing to do with their dispute. Yes, he was related to Wei Wuxian, but he had done nothing to Jiang Wanyin.
How could this man...
Lan Jingyi was dying, Lan Jingyi was a kid- Lan Jingyi was a good kid- and Jiang Wanyin was talking about himself.
"I thought that underneath all this pettiness, you at least had some amount of virtue or compassion," Lan Wangji said calmly, anger loosening his tongue against his will. "But you don't even seem to have that."
Wei Wuxian looked at him in panic, but Lan Wangji's eyes were fixed on Jiang Wanyin.
"I'm not sure insulting me helps your cause here, Hanguang-Jun," the sect leader said through his teeth.
"Yes, Lan Zhan, let's not fight here!" Wei Wuxian said in a desperate tone before turning to Jiang Wanyin. "Jiang Cheng, I know the kids like you."
It was... somewhat true, and Lan Wangji didn't understand it either.
Jiang Wanyin didn't respond to Wei Wuxian's remark and just stared at him.
"And you also like the kids; I don't need 16 years of observation to notice that," Wei Wuxian continued. "Please make me pay in some other way, but not through Lan Jingyi, I'm begging you."
Suddenly looking terribly irritated, Jiang Wanyin stood up and stretched the folds of his robe with an angry gesture.
"You again, talking about payments. Fucking Wei Wuxian," he spat.
Wei Wuxian opened his mouth again, to justify himself, perhaps, but his husband cut him off.
"Please, Jiang Zongzhu," Lan Wangji said, swallowing his pride.
He sincerely hated begging this man, but he hadn't lied: for Lan Jingyi's life, he was willing to do it.
Jiang Wanyin didn't put on a smug face, as Lan Wangji had expected. He seemed more weirded out that the Second Jade of Gusu was so politely begging him.
"I'll think about it," Jiang Wanyin grumbled. "Now get the hell out of my sect."
Lan Wangyi and Wei Wuxian looked out the open door leading outside. It was downpouring.
"Uh, Jiang Cheng," Wei Wuxian began, unsure.
Jiang Wanyin scoffed. "It's not a little rain that's going to-"
A deafening thunder cut him off, almost shaking the hall.
The next second, the rain intensified.
The outside looked apocalyptic.
Jiang Wanyin pressed his lips together in displeasure. Then he glared at Wei Wuxian, as if the weather outside was somehow his fault, and stomped toward the door leading to the other corridors of the main building.
"Whatever," the sect leader said over his shoulder. "You know where your rooms are. I'm not walking you to them."
Then he left the hall and disappeared.
Surprised that they hadn't been kicked out, Lan Wangji turned to Wei Wuxian. His husband was staring at the door through which his former shidi had passed, astonished.
A flurry of emotions crossed Wei Wuxian's face: curiosity, longing, uncertainty, and more longing. He seemed to not know what to think exactly about this invitation.
Lan Wangji didn't know either.
"Wei Ying," Lan Wangji said.
His husband started a little. When he met Lan Wangji's gaze, he nodded and they stood up.
Wei Wuxian hesitated as he walked down the halls, looking around hesitantly, as if he feared a disciple would come out of nowhere and arrest him for trespassing. But the guards in the hallways barely looked at them. When Wei Wuxian met the gaze of one of the disciples, the latter merely nodded in a completely neutral greeting.
Perhaps they had all heard the semi-invitation through the corridors.
Jiang Wanyin was loud.
"This is my... this is the room where I slept.... before," Wei Wuxian said as they stopped in front of a wooden door, quite close to the leader's quarters.
Lan Wangji nodded his head silently. Had Jiang Wanyin even had the room prepared? Surely not, right? Everything had been decided at the last minute. He and Wei Wuxian were probably going to sleep on a bed with three layers of dust.
Wei Wuxian hesitated one last time before touching the door and opening it.
It was a little dark because of the bad weather outside and without the candles lit, but Lan Wangji could still see.
The room was spotless.
The interior was airy, everything was in order, and no dust was in sight.
Wei Wuxian took a few steps into the room and looked around with tears in his eyes. He seemed to be immersed in his memories. Painful or joyful, Lan Wangji couldn't tell.
"He's right, I don't understand him," Wei Wuxian whispered, his voice a little shaky.
Lan Wangji closed the bedroom door and immediately went to hug his husband. Wei Wuxian buried his face in his chest and hugged him tightly.
They were silent for a while, as the storms and rain could be heard outside through the closed windows. Lan Wangji waited patiently for his husband's emotions to calm down and tenderly kissed the top of his head.
Why was Jiang Wanyin always upsetting Wei Wuxian like this? It was exhausting.
"Is he going to take his time to 'think' about helping us? We need to be quick about Jingyi." Lan Wangji remarked.
"'I'll think about it' means yes for Jiang Cheng," Wei Wuxian's muffled voice said. "He'll help us."
Lan Wangji barely restrained himself from huffing. Couldn't Jiang Wanyin just say yes instead of making them go around in circles? This man was indeed complicated.
He hated Wei Wuxian but kept his room clean.
He hated Wei Wuxian but had kept Chenqing.
He hated Wei Wuxian but gave him free access to his clan.
Did he really hate Wei Wuxian or not?
"Let's go lie down," Lan Wangji suggested.
At least, the next day, Jiang Wanyin had the decency not to keep them waiting like the day before.
As soon as the sun rose, just before they were served breakfast in the main hall, Jiang Wanyin got right to the point:
"There's an old Cultivator named Duàn Húlí, who has lived in the mountains of Suǒpéi for over two centuries. He has the cure for the Lyre Poison."
Jiang Wanyin handed them a letter and a clarity bell that was strangely bright orange. Wei Wuxian took them and examined them.
"He doesn't like strangers, and likes to share his medicine even less, but he often helps our clan, since he knew my mother's great-aunt," Jiang Wanyin continued. "The entrance to his house is hidden, but this clarity bell will allow you to detect it. As soon as you get there, announce at once that I'm sending you. And when Duán Húlí shows up, give him this letter. He will then help you."
Wei Wuxian looked up at Jiang Wanyin, a grateful and moved look on his face. "Thank you, Jiang Cheng."
"I'll write to Xiongzhang quickly and we should go right away," Lan Wangji said as he stood up.
From here, it was a day's journey to reach the Suǒpéi Mountains. And it would take another day to return. Maybe they could shorten it if they didn't get much sleep. Lan Jingyi would have to hang on for two more days.
Lan Wanyin turned to Jiang Wanyin. The Sect Leader was not looking at him. His eyes were fixed on the table between them.
Lan Wangji still hated Jiang Wanyin.
But in the end, the sect leader was helping them, even though, technically, he didn't have to.
So Lan Wangji bowed.
"Thank you, Jiang Zongzhu."
-oOo-
Sitting at his study table, Lan Xichen put down the letter his brother had just sent him and sighed with relief. His shoulders relaxed and he felt a little lighter.
Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian had left the day before, so if Lan Jingyi could hang on for a few more hours, he would survive.
Lan Xichen knew that Jiang Wanyin would say yes.
He wasn't friends with an unreasonable man-
"Zewu-Jun!"
Lan Xichen startled a little at the call. He turned his head toward his study door and saw Lan Mei in the doorframe, guilt on her face.
When the healer saw that her sect leader's attention was on her, she entered the study room and kowtowed before him, her forehead on the floor.
"I'm so sorry, Zongzhu!" she cried.
Lan Xichen's heart began to race and dread took hold of his chest. He immediately stood up, alarmed.
"This can't be. Lan Jingyi..." Lan Xichen said, fear in his heart.
Lan Mei lifted her head a little from the ground, and looked sheepish. "Well, .... I mean... "
Suddenly, a white, young, energetic figure appeared in Lan Xichen's study like a gust of wind. The newcomer stopped next to Lan Mei, still on the floor, and gave Lan Xichen a huge smile.
"Zewu Jun!" Lan Jingyi exclaimed "I heard that everyone was worried about me! But I'm in great shape now, look! "
Lan Jingyi dropped next to Lan Mei on the floor and started doing push-ups. But after half a dozen of them, the kid collapsed on the floor and muttered "Okay, maybe it's a little too early for push-ups". Lan Xichen looked at Lan Jingyi in disbelief.
What?
"I promise, I'll take any punishment you give me," Lan Mei said with firm resolve and determination.
"But what happened?" Lan Xichen said in bewilderment before looking at Lan Jingyi, "How are you up already?"
"Oh, well, Jiang Zongzhu gave us all -I mean, Sizhui, Jin ling, Zizhen and I- a vial to neutralize poisons," Lan Jingyi explained as he stood up. "He gets all pissy when we don't have it with us on a hunt, so we normally keep it in our Qiankun pouch or around our necks. I immediately used it when I felt the effects of the poison. Getting a needle in your own arm hurts like hell, by the way."
The small vial with a needle that Lan Wangji had discovered stuck in Lan Jingyi's arm.
It was a neutralizer?
"That's why he's still alive today," Lan Mei added as she stood up in turn. "It stopped the spread of the poison and helped me stabilize A-Ming afterwards. "
"But it flew away..." Lan Xichen said, still baffled by this story.
"Yes, there's a array on it: once used, it goes straight back to Jiang Zongzhu, and it gives him a signal, so he can show up as soon as possible," Lan Jingyi explained.
"So..."
Lan Mei winced as she saw her sect leader's reaction, guilt not leaving her once. "The neutralizer is used to stabilize a body to prevent a person from dying, but it doesn't heal. I still needed help in the next few hours to keep A-Ming alive. So... Jiang Zongzhu arrived during the night with some Spiders, and... and you know, you gave him a token, Zewu Jun, so he's allowed in the clan without restriction..."
She scratched her head, looking completely embarrassed by this story.
"His Spiders had the cure, and said it would take 3 or 4 days for Lan Jingyi to wake up and be good as new... They all left the same night, before anyone got to A-Ming's bedside..." she added.
So, this meant that Lan Jingyi had been healed on the same day.
So this meant that when Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian had gone to Lotus Pier, everything was already taken care of.
Lan Mei, bowed low again, repentant.
"Jiang Zongzhu made me promise not to say anything until Lan Jingyi was up! And I value my patient's health above all else, so I kept my promise..."
"Yes and thank you for that!" Lan Jingyi said with a smile before turning to Lan Xichen. "So, where are Wei-Qianbei and Hanguang-Jun?"
Normally, Lan Xichen liked to walk into his Hanshi and see Jiang Wanyin sitting at his low table near his personal library. It was the kind of surprise he enjoyed, and being in his friend's company always put him in a better mood and warmed his heart.
But for once, when Lan Xichen entered the Hanshi, he glared at the other sect leader.
Jiang Wanyin didn't even look up when he heard him enter. There was tea and cups on the table, and Jiang Wanyin simply raised his own to his lips.
"That was a tasteless joke, Wanyin," Lan Xichen said.
Jiang Wanyin smirked. "Hm? What about?"
"You know what I am talking about," Lan Xichen said, unimpressed. "Wangji and Wei Wuxian have been worried sick. And they still are. You can't play with their emotions like that."
Jiang Wanyin snorted before standing up. He picked up a small wooden box from the ground, which was near his sword, and walked towards Lan Xichen.
When he was close to him, Jiang Wanyin pressed the wooden box against Lan Xichen's chest.
"You're welcome," Jiang Wanyin said.
Lan Xichen let out a low sigh and took the box in his hands.
When he opened it, he discovered four mini-vials with retractable needles at the end. A reddish liquid was visible through the clear glass.
"Is this the neutralizer?" Lan Xichen asked, surprised.
Jiang Wanyin nodded before walking away. "One to replace the one Jingyi used, one for you..."
Jiang Wanyin hesitated before continuing.
"One for that idiot and... one extra. You can do whatever you want with it."
Lan Xichen still wasn't impressed with Jiang Wanyin for tricking Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian like that, but he couldn't stop the faint smile from stretching his lips. He could recognize who "that idiot" was, and obviously, Lan Xichen was going to give the last one to his little brother.
Jiang Wanyin bent down to pick up his sword from the ground and grumbled, "I have to go, I just came to give you the neutralizers. And tell Wei Wuxian to show his face to Lotus Pier for something other than an action I've obviously already done, next time. He and his husband, who do they think I am? Like I'm going to let Jin Ling and his friends walk around without any anti-poison. Tch."
A mixture of fondness and exasperation washed over Lan Xichen at this.
Jiang Wanyin was always angry and complicated. And surprisingly caring with some people. Not everyone could see that.
Hm. Perhaps Lan Xichen could tell Wei Wuxian. 'Wanyin said to show your face at Lotus Pier.'
Technically, it wouldn't be a lie. He would just omit certain elements in the sentence.
Oh. That sounded like a plan.
"Thanks for your help, Wanyin, really. But I'm still not happy that my brother is roaming the mountains for nothing," Lan Xichen said with a sigh. "Just saying 'I miss you' to Wei Wuxian would be a far lesser headache."
"That was more fun," Jiang Wanyin said with another smirk.
"And here I was trying to convince Wangji that you're not a petty man. "
Instead of being offended, Jiang Wanyin seemed amused, as he smiled again:
"I never said I'm not."