The letters did not stop. Every week, Lan Xichen would find a letter at the bottom of the stack, innocent like a child before mischief and open it to find out about another loss in trade, another village rebelling. Merchants were boycotting them, traders were avoiding them, townspeople ignored them. Only Lan cultivators were noticed and respected.
Sometime later, even other workers started reporting about being mistreated. It reached to a point that only Caiyi and nearby areas were open for trade.
Their trade with other sects too were suffering.
Lan Xichen ordered disciples to accompany the tradespeople. The trade with YunmengJiang and LanlingJin sustained only because Jiang Wanyin had his own disciples and trusted workers travel with the trade items.
The storm was near.
*****
" Just a bit more and then you can rest."
" Can't he rest now ? It's already a greater progress than we thought. "
" No, if he is going through what I think he is then absolutely not. Don't look at me like that. I trust you,I really do. But my baby cousin has suffered enough for blind people that I am not taking chances. At all. "
" But-"
" No buts. Out, you two."
Wei Wuxian exchanged a glance with Lan Xichen who just shook his head. They exited the room and before Wei Ying could ask anything, the door was shut in his face.
Rude. Is a Lan allowed to be this rude?
"She is a bit protective of Wangji." Lan Xichen supplied.
" I can see that. " Wei Ying muttered.
" It's not like I will-" Wei Wuxian never got to complete his sentence as a familiar duo came 'briskly walking' and absolutely not running towards them. It's Sizhui and Jingyi and by the looks of the things, they have been seen something.
" Sizhui?"
" Wei qianbe. Zewu-Jun. " They chorused, bowing. Lan Xichen nodded but frowned after a critical look at them.
" Sizhui, what happened?"
Sizhui was breathing heavily, like he ran a mile to reach them.
" It's-"
" We need-" Both of them spoke at a time, looking at eachother in embarrassment.
Wei Wuxian laughed. " Aiyah A Yuan, take a breath and then speak. Also,decide who will say what. "
" Wei qianbe you need to come with me."
" Hm. Sizhui just found something. "
" What?"
" We cannot explain here Wei qianbe. You must come with us. "
Wei Ying looked at Lan Xichen, who was frowning. The First Jade looked conflicted, as if he was wondering what to do. On one hand they were waiting for Lan Zhanshi to complete her work so they could discuss their next step; on the other hand, Sizhui looked distressed. His AYuan, who had perfected the art of appearing impassive or smiling like both his not-blood-related-parents and still nailed it like nothing.
So, yes. It was difficult to decide.
" Uh..Zewu-Jun, maybe-"
" Go on Wei gonzi. I will brief you on our discussion later. "
" Thank you Zewu-Jun. "
One thing's for sure. Some Lans were rude, especially when a baby brother was involved.
****
The backhills had a visitor.
When Wei Wuxian reached the area with Sizhui and Jingyi, he found himself near the cold spring, in the bamboo groove leading down the stairs.
There were marks, a broken twig here, a crunched leaf there.
Anyone would think this was common in this area but.
The bamboos were on the side, lining the path in a way one would never stumble in unless they were pushed or hiding.
****
Later that night, Wei Wuxian discussed all the details with Lan Xichen which he had missed earlier. Confirming everything he needed to, he saw the Lan Sect Leader out of his room; before starting to brainstorm about his theory.
If his calculations were correct, his talisman and idea should work.
He went to bed well after every being on earth had, only hitting the mattress after the strokes started appearing blurry.
****
Come morning, Wei Ying was jittery. He played with his food in the dining hall and absentmindedly ate whatever Sizhui put in his mouth. The wait and nerves were killing him inside. Lan Zhanshi had told him that having Lan Zhan awake before the procedure would probably be better so that he could know about what was going to happen; so the wait.
Wei Ying spent his day strolling, stalking the backhills and cursing the sun for its slow pace for the most part and lurking near teachers and juniors, which had Jingyi and Sizhui snickering and the Lan teachers tensing everytime a shadow passed by the window of their Lanshi.
Finally, the sun was up in the sky right above everyone's head- the heat a bit more than usual. Wei Wuxian thinks that's the Sun's way of glaring at him for his previous curses. He gives the sun a stinky eye and skips towards his destination. Heat has never bothered him, Yunmeng was five times more hot than Gusu will ever be in a millennium.
*****
Lan Zhan was awake and sitting when Wei Ying arrived. He was holding onto his cousin for support, his back slouched and arm muscles taut with the effort. Lan Zhanshi was holding him silently, her gaze soft as she helped her cousin up.
A sight which reminds him....Shijie.
Blinking furiously, he pushed the image at the back of his mind.
" Lan guniang. "
Lan Zhanshi turned her head and nodded at him. She then turned to Lan Zhan and murmured something, who gasped. Wei Wuxian only caught the tails of it "....yes, he is here; if you want I can tell him...."
They got to work quickly. Lan Wangji didn't have any complaints against Wei Wuxian touching him, guiding his body to lie or using resentful energy to cure him when asked. He seemed perfectly fine with everything. This confused Wei Wuxian, who just scratched his head once and then got to work.
Atleast he doesn't hate me.
Just as Wei Ying looked up from his talismans, having decided how to start; he saw how Lan Zhanshi was smiling a bit in Lan Zhan's direction while Lan Zhan....his ears were red.
What the hell happened in two minutes ?
Putting it aside, he got to work.
" Lan guniang, I will need someone to keep an eye on Lan Zhan and his response. Can you do that ? "
She nodded, her eyes firm.
" Of course. Xichen Xiong would be here soon too. "
" Wei..Ying..?" Wei Wuxian jerked towards the hoarse voice, drawn to it like a moth towards fire.
Lan Zhan looked so weak, his pale skin paler, his hair in disarray and robes frazzled and sacred ribbon absent.
Still,his eyes shone gold. They were a but dull but the light was there.
Even after so much pain, Lan Wangji held on.
" Lan..Z-Zhan ?"
Lan Wangji's brows were furrowed when he said the next sentence as if it was beyond his understanding as to why such a thing was the way it was.
" What about you ?"
If Wei Wuxian was a goner before, he was absolutely sure that the expression on Lan Zhan's face was the final strike.
Lan Wangji was worried! Worried because he didn't know if someone would look out for Wei Ying!
If Wei Wuxian thought he was lucky to have survived that breathtaking smile, then he must be in heaven now; because even with all the shadow of pain and sorrow, Lan Zhan's expression was too cute for his heart!
Seeing that Wei Ying was not responding, Lan Wangji's eyes drooped and Wei Wuxian gave himself a mental kick.
Stupid brain, why do you have to shut down at such a moment ?
' Cause you were busy gawking at the person in front' his brain supplied unhelpfully.
" Ah..Lan Zhan! Don't worry, I have this under my control. You haven't seen me for a whole year, I have improved!"
When Lan Wangji continued to look too cute with the frown etched between his brows, Wei Ying whined " Aaaahh I promise! Nothing will happen. Believe me a bit will you ?" He pouted, huffing and crossing his arms in his chest.
It worked, as Lan Zhan's expression relaxed. If Wei Wuxian squinted, he could see a ghost of a smile.
Victory!
Afterwards,it was just a game of control and trust. Lan Xichen arrived shortly, and they begin.
The resentment in the whip marks and the claw marks was vicious, especially the whip—like it had accumulated generations of resentment in it. It only grew with the resentful energy provided by the claw marks, a sly fox hidden carefully.
Yet the sly energy couldn't escape Wei Wuxian's call of command.
It fought, thrashing and threatening to burn Lan Wangji but Wei Wuxian played a shrill and sharp tune, the melody forcing the energy to bend, to kneel and dissipate or else be eliminated. The sly one bent, the whip marks woke up in full force.
Even the combined forces of Leibieng, Chenqing and Lan Zhanshi's Xiao couldn't control it. It was too powerful.
They had to stop or else Lan Wangji's body would burst with the resultant force.
They stopped. Wei Wuxian continued playing, but this time he switched to calming notes; pacifying the energy, cajoling it to listen, and it worked.
The melody echoed throughout the room to outside it, a deep soothing thing; complete and incomplete in itself. A comfortable silence fell on the occupants of the room when Wei Ying lowered his dizi, the Lan siblings having closed their eyes during the play.
Amongst all, no one noticed a lone tear escaping or a small smile waking.
****************♤********************
🎊🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎊🎋🌺🐉HAPPY BIRTHDAY🐉🌺🎋
🌺🐲 WEI WUXIAN 🐲🌺
🎊🧧🧧🧧🎊
🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎈🎉🎉🎉🎈
I really wanted to gift something to one of the most realistic and relatable fictional character ever created, Wei Wuxian, Wei Ying.
A person who according Jiang Yanli, was born smiling.
May he always have all the happiness.
For all those who are like our adorable and king of self- sacrifice Wei Wuxian, remember: you deserve happiness.
Not because you paid your debts or because your name was cleared, but because everyone - no matter how they were viewed by the world for their different thinking, deserve to be loved.
You don't have to sacrifice always, learn to share your burdens. Sometimes, no one is willing to see the real you. Just hold on, keep searching.
Who knows, maybe you will find your own Lan Zhan ?😊
Rebel just for kicks👇
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Last written and Published on : 31 October,2021