The rest of the spring and entirety of the summer is a challenge for the young sect leader, though it's improved greatly by the inclusion of his allies both new and old. He finds the best healers in the realm to work with him to rebuild his strength. It's exhausting and painful as he keeps pushing his capabilities to regain what had been taken from him.
He misses his friends, though Yuan is high above any other. He's yet to hear anything from the young man and he's been too afraid to contact him himself. It seems the most honorable thing to leave Yuan alone to focus on his new life and forget all he left behind from his past one- including Jin Ling. No matter how they look at it, Jin Ling was still a client and he's slowly convinced himself that he treated the long lost Lan as a prostitute and nothing more. It's a little easier to deal with his heartbreak if he blames it on that somehow.
Either way, he writes to Zizhen on occasion but for the most part his attention is on his recovery, working with Huaisang's spies to learn everything he can about how to protect himself and his sect, and planning the tournament.
~~~
Jiang Cheng has quietly continued his affair with the Nie sect leader. There are a few more gifts here and there, but after the amount he had to spend on cleaning up his nephew's mistakes he keeps them modest. They usually include poems he's written or found or a bird one of his people caught that is rare and particularly beautiful.
When he isn't helping his nephew or his 'planning meetings' with Huaisang, he keeps rebuilding and strengthening his sect. His damaged reputation was going to take a while to mend, but as he has conducted himself with honor since the ruined wedding it's starting to heal. People are now starting to rationalize that his boorish behavior had been born of some kind of heartbreak- something that is, perhaps, understandable. Ouyang Anju is a lovely maiden, after all. Who wouldn't be disappointed not to marry her? Though just why Jiang Cheng ended the engagement is still a mystery.
~~~
Wangji has never been happier. He is a quiet but constant support for Yuan as his son repeatedly proves how worthy he is among the clan. There are other night hunts that are successful and build the boy's reputation. The novelty of Hanguang Jun's bastard son (a story the Chief Cultivator has made no attempt to correct) has waned among the clan members and they've accepted Yuan for the most part. It was hard not to with him being as likeable as he is! Even Lan Qiren has softened considerably, though he's always the first to remind Yuan when his behavior is less than impeccable.
Xichen took his mantel of leadership back and conducted the execution of Madam Mo. The beheading was public, swift, and carried out by his own blade as a symbol to all of the Lan clan's might, justice, and unity. As he's slowly taken back more and more of his responsibilities, one of his first tasks was officially deem Yuan as the heir of the Lan clan of Gusu. He's quietly told the elders to make no more requests of him to marry or they'll be dismissed from his counsel.
Between that and the head disciple swearing brotherhood with Yuan, no one with any connections to the clan would dare speak or take action against the Chief Cultivator's son, however he came to be.
no subject
He misses his friends, though Yuan is high above any other. He's yet to hear anything from the young man and he's been too afraid to contact him himself. It seems the most honorable thing to leave Yuan alone to focus on his new life and forget all he left behind from his past one- including Jin Ling. No matter how they look at it, Jin Ling was still a client and he's slowly convinced himself that he treated the long lost Lan as a prostitute and nothing more. It's a little easier to deal with his heartbreak if he blames it on that somehow.
Either way, he writes to Zizhen on occasion but for the most part his attention is on his recovery, working with Huaisang's spies to learn everything he can about how to protect himself and his sect, and planning the tournament.
~~~
Jiang Cheng has quietly continued his affair with the Nie sect leader. There are a few more gifts here and there, but after the amount he had to spend on cleaning up his nephew's mistakes he keeps them modest. They usually include poems he's written or found or a bird one of his people caught that is rare and particularly beautiful.
When he isn't helping his nephew or his 'planning meetings' with Huaisang, he keeps rebuilding and strengthening his sect. His damaged reputation was going to take a while to mend, but as he has conducted himself with honor since the ruined wedding it's starting to heal. People are now starting to rationalize that his boorish behavior had been born of some kind of heartbreak- something that is, perhaps, understandable. Ouyang Anju is a lovely maiden, after all. Who wouldn't be disappointed not to marry her? Though just why Jiang Cheng ended the engagement is still a mystery.
~~~
Wangji has never been happier. He is a quiet but constant support for Yuan as his son repeatedly proves how worthy he is among the clan. There are other night hunts that are successful and build the boy's reputation. The novelty of Hanguang Jun's bastard son (a story the Chief Cultivator has made no attempt to correct) has waned among the clan members and they've accepted Yuan for the most part. It was hard not to with him being as likeable as he is! Even Lan Qiren has softened considerably, though he's always the first to remind Yuan when his behavior is less than impeccable.
Xichen took his mantel of leadership back and conducted the execution of Madam Mo. The beheading was public, swift, and carried out by his own blade as a symbol to all of the Lan clan's might, justice, and unity. As he's slowly taken back more and more of his responsibilities, one of his first tasks was officially deem Yuan as the heir of the Lan clan of Gusu. He's quietly told the elders to make no more requests of him to marry or they'll be dismissed from his counsel.
Between that and the head disciple swearing brotherhood with Yuan, no one with any connections to the clan would dare speak or take action against the Chief Cultivator's son, however he came to be.
[Story continues here]