"Lan Xichen!" Lan Qiren growled as he demanded an explanation. Both for the sword and the marks.
"Uncle, sect leader Jiang, madam Yu. I am deeply in love with young master Jiang and have every intention of marrying him." Lan Xichen said with a deep bow.
"You do?" Jiang Cheng asked, looking over at his lover. As much as he had hoped for it, it wasn't like getting married had ever been an absolute. Overwhelming joy flooded through the Jiang, it felt like a bunch of fireworks were set of and exploding inside of him. Zewu-jun wanted to marry him. Jiang Cheng dropped Shuoyue to the floor with a clang as he spun around, it wasn't like his mother would stab him in the back, and as long as he was standing in between them Lan Huan would be safe as well.
"You really think I would let anyone else have you?" Lan Xichen asked with a raised eyebrow. "Jiang Cheng. I am sure you have heard of how having the most beautiful lotus flowers on your wedding will lead to a long and happy marriage."
Jiang Cheng nodded, as the heir of the region which produced the most high quality lotuses of course he had heard of it. "I will get us the most beautiful ones there are." No one but them would have access to high quality lotus flowers for the entire next year. The future Jiang heir's wedding was hardly a time to cut corners. If Lan Huan wanted them all Jiang Cheng would happily drown him in flowers.
"There's no need, I only need one." Lan Xichen reached out and took his lovers hands, holding them gently in his own. His eyes focused solely on him and no one else, not even the woman whom had mere seconds ago attempted to take his life. "Jiang Cheng, will you allow me to have the most beautiful lotus of all time to be my groom? Will you give me my happily ever after?"
Jiang Cheng was too overwhelmed to speak and instead chose to excitedly nod his head up and down before throwing his arms around the Lan. Of course he'd agree to marry him. Never before had he wanted something so much.
"Don't just stand there. Do something!" Madam Yu shouted at her husband, who so far had just silently stood and watched as his son got engaged.
"What are you expecting me to do? Threaten that I'll hand the Jiang sect over to Wei Ying if he doesn't marry a woman?" Madam Yu glared at him, she of course did not want something like that to happen. Jiang Cheng was her son, Wei Wuxian was not. As the wife of sect leader Jiang of course it would be her kin who would take over the throne.
"That wouldn't work anyways. I'll be marrying Lan Zhan, so you'd get a cutsleeve as sect leader either way" Wei Ying chimed in, supporting his brother in his own unconventional way. But unlike Lan Xichen's proposal which was met with a joyous agreement Wei Ying's was far less successful. The Lan he was aiming to court simply gave him a frown as he clasped the hilt of Bichen.
And the Lan was not the only one sending glares his way. Lan Qiren as well as Madam Yu was less than enthusiastic about the suggestion as well. One unconventional couple was already more than enough. A second one was not happening on their watch.
"I just need to convince him first..." Wei Ying looked down at the floor as he spoke, somewhat dejected about how harsh the Lan's refusal had been. "But I'll make it happen eventually." He added underneath his breath, still not giving up on his crush.
Seeing that one of his nephews still had common sense Lan Qiren turned to the one which needed guidance. "Lan Xichen, I hope you don't believe that you will be an exception to the rules of the Lans. Every engagement has to go through the one-month period..." his uncle lectured.
"...And if anyone voices their grievances with it the engagement will be null and void. Don't worry uncle I remember. All Lans, including you and me, are subject to Gusu rules. No exceptions." Lan Xichen replied, showing that as the future Lan heir he was very well aware of what restrictions there were. But Jiang Cheng had not been. If just a single person disagreeing with their engagement would be enough to stop it...? They wouldn't last a day, much less an entire month.
"I will not allow the marriage." Lan Qiren said darkly, proving Jiang Cheng's point. It was hopeless. When it came to the Lans' rules their love was not enough for them to officially be together. No wonder the Lan had been so determined to keep their relationship from his uncle.
"I would greatly appreciate your blessing uncle, but I in no way require it. The time for you to officially voice your complaint regarding my engagement to Jiang Cheng ended yesterday." Lan Xichen said with a blank expression, his tone equally as dark as his uncle's. Lan Huan was not playing around. "Like you said, there are no exceptions to the rules and the one-month period has already ended. Your words hold no actual power."
Was it true? They could get married? Lan Xichen hadn't asked him prior to today, how could a month already have passed? Its sounded too good to be true, but at the same time he doubted his lover would throw caution to the wind and try and bullshit his way through the argument the same way Wei Wuxian usually did. Still, Jiang Cheng didn't dare to ask out loud in case it could risk their engagement but at the same time he was dying to know. Lan Huan met his eyes and smiled gently as he explained.
"You know how there's the rule that a Lan's headband can only be touched by their close family or lover?" Jiang Cheng nodded his head, Lan Xichen had explained that as part of his confession. The Jiang's cheeks glowed a light pink at the happy memory. "There's been a recent addition to the rule stating that if a Lan ties their headband around their partner and then shows them off in front of to enough people for their relationship to become common knowledge among Lans it counts as an official announcement of their engagement. Meaning our one-month period started the moment I carried you down that hill."
Jiang Cheng was stunned. At the time when he had thought Lan Huan had ignored his confession. But not only did he return the Jiang's feelings, this crazy man had instead gone as far as to announce their future marriage right then and there.
"If uncle doesn't believe me he can ask any cultivator he wants to. They all know." Glancing over at Lan Wangji, the most trustworthy Lan there was, he simply received a nod in response confirming Lan Huan's claims to be true. Lan Xichen had in fact made his feelings for Jiang Wanyin publicly known a little over a month ago.
"S-sect leader Jiang, surely you cannot agree with this!" Unable to stop the marriage himself the Lan looked for support from the Jiang who had yet to truly speak his mind on the matter.
"I don't see a problem with it. I trust in Lan Qiren's ability to raise a man worthy of my son." Sect leader Jiang said with a carefree smile. The man who for so long had never truly been there for him, who always preferred Wei Wuxian and had never been a father figure to him... was supporting his choice of partner? Jiang Cheng was speechless, and so was his mother.
Making a furious face at her husband, who knew better than to acknowledge her rage, madam Yu stormed out of the Lan's home shortly followed by Jiang Yanli, who sent a concerned look over her shoulder at Jiang Cheng as she left. She was still worried about the marks on her brother's neck but since he was fighting so hard to marry the accused perpetrator she could only assume there was likely some sort of misunderstanding involved.
The oldest Lan silently stared at the sect leader in disbelief, he simply couldn't comprehend how he could be so calm after his son had suggested marrying a man, and a Lan to boot.
"Let's talk this over, man to man" sect leader Jiang suggested before leading the Lan outside, leaving the two sets of brothers alone.
"Sooo.... Sleeping together already huh? I was wondering where you snuck off to late at night" Wei Ying said with a smirk as he approached the two lovers. Jiang Cheng went red, he had tried to be sneaky but apparently it hadn't been good enough. Wei Ying had caught him and held on to that information, likely intending to use it against him when it most suited him... and that time was now.
"Wei Ying, saying stuff like that is not appropriate" Jiang Cheng scolded his brother in an attempt to get him to shut his mouth, it of course failed spectacularly. He should have known better than to engage with his brother.
"Why not?" Wei Ying gasped and placed a hand to cover the lower half of his face to feign innocence. "Are you telling me that you two did more than just cuddle!? How indecent" Wei Ying exclaimed, acting as though he was all clean.
"Yeah, I'm so dirty unlike you who spends all evenings reading the Gusu rules. Such a pure and virtuous man you are." Jiang Cheng said with a sneer. He never liked the way Wei Ying always chose the worst times to tease him, and right now in front of his new fiancé who had only recently proposed was not a good time.
"What's so wrong with reading my rulebook? You do it too don't you?" Jiang Cheng froze. "Ha! You didn't think I would notice it moving each time you were left alone at home? Or how certain pages would be more used than others? I have a feeling I know exactly which rules are brother-in-law's favorite ones." Wei Ying teased with a grin.
"Pah, you're just jealous you don't know Lan Wangji's favorite rule" Jiang Cheng snapped back. What him and his lover did or didn't do was not something Wei Wuxian was allowed to know, nor was it something he was allowed to bring up in conversation like this.
But though Jiang Cheng had meant the comment as just a fleeting comeback it wasn't like it wasn't based in the truth. The usually loud and talkative Wei went silent, his eyes fixated on the floor. When the topic of Lan Wangji was brought up again, it had reminded him of the rejection he had just been subjected to. The most recent one in the string of many. But since it happened so recently it still stung.
Jiang Cheng had overstepped, but before he could head over to cheer up his brother with a hug Lan Huan spoke up. "It's Always keep your word" at which the Wei's face lit up and he chuckled. Lan Xichen's attempt to console the younger cultivator, although misguided, brought him back to his usually lively self as he spun around to face Lan Wangji who had silently remained in the background.
"Really? That's a very sweet one, it suits you very well. Mine is Do not smile foolishly, haha drives Lan Qiren insane" Wei Wuxian laughed, having completely forgotten about the Jiang's previous jab.
Jiang Cheng blanked out the Wei's continued blabbering as he once more relentlessly teased the Lan. His mind instead concerned with something more important. Why was it that their family had traveled to Gusu? Based off of what his mother had said it was because they believed Lan Huan was assaulting him. A clear lie and as such there was no proof of it. Who could have not only managed to convince them it was true, but also made them act on said allegation?
A claim like this, whether it was true or false, would inevitably create a massive rift between the two sects. Choosing to make such an accusation was a big deal, not something to be done impulsively. As such their source must have been very trustworthy. But not trustworthy enough, as the information had been false.
"Wei Ying, do you know why they believed I was being mistreated?" Jiang Cheng asked after which the Wei directed his attention back to him. His brother was unlikely to have much more intel than Jiang Cheng himself, but he had been the one to run over here to warn them about their parents' imminent approach.
"Oh right. Here" Wei Wuxian reached into his sleeve to pull out a crinkled up piece of paper. "Sister said they came as soon as they got it." Letting go of Lan Huan's hand to grab the letter Jiang Cheng began to read.
'One of the Lans has been mistreating me in secret, making me act like a doll for him to play into his horrific and cruel fantasies. Since I didn't want to cause trouble I tried to endure, but it hurts so bad.
Please help, I can't deal with this much longer.'
Worse than the content of the letter was the fact that it was written in Jiang Cheng's own handwriting. No wonder his parents had believed it.
"I didn't write it." Jiang Cheng reassured his lover who was reading over his shoulder. He did not want Lan Huan to believe for even a second that he wasn't fully on board with what they had been up to. Even though his back might hurt slightly, given what they had gotten up to last night, it was by no means unbearable. Nor would he want any of it to stop.
Having taught his classes Lan Xichen was very familiar with the Jiang's handwriting and was likely very confused by the message looking like it had been written by his lover. Unlike Jiang Cheng, he was not confused, because although he hadn't written it himself he was pretty sure he knew who had.
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A/N: Hello everyone, a little update. Once this story is completed we will start with the interactive Xicheng fanfic (yippee <3), which will have slightly sporadic uploads as a result of what it is (you guys will need time to respond, and I will need time to write).
In parallel we will also have another, regular, story with two chapters posted per week. And so I wanted to ask if there are any particular days which would suit you guys better than the previous Tuesday, Saturday. If I don't get any response I'll just assume that our previous upload-days works just fine and we'll continue with those.
I also want to apologize because I'm really struggling to finish my stories :( I have multiple stories that I have already written 20+ chapters for but I am just incapable of finishing for whatever reason. So we might have to post some short stories for a while until I manage to finish one of the longer ones.
See ya! <3