Brothel meme continued

[lastjinstanding]

Continued from here

Jin Ling had really hoped he'd have A-Yuan at his side for this, but he didn't blame the sweet man for being ill one bit. In fact, he really enjoyed holding him as they finished traveling up to Lotus Pier. He sends servants off the boat to arrange a discreet delivery of his ill and subdued guest to private chambers following Ling's disembark. He instructed only Fu Geming to carry A-Yuan with Liling.

Sadly, after that, he had to leave his pets in his servants care. Squaring his shoulders, he stepped onto the pier. He bowed humbly to all of his relatives and gave them each a proper greeting- or in Wei Wuxian's case, a cheeky one.

He was brought into the main hall and given the seat next to Jiang Cheng's throne. Wei Wuxian was seated beside him with Lan Wangji at the next seat. And yes, Wangji had been offered the throne but had chosen to stay at Wuxian's side. It was Jiang Cheng's wedding, after all.

Jin Ling is happy sitting to a nice cup of tea and some wine after a long day of travel with promise of dinner coming.

~~~

"Jin-Guniang, is the young master Zheng in this room?" A young, unfamiliar male voice asks. "I have some medicine I wish to offer if you'd announce me."

"Of course. Let me ask for you," Liling says in a warm tone. She knocks on Yuan's door and peeks in. She smiles when she sees him awake. She comes in and shuts the door behind her. "Zheng-gongzi? How are you feeling? A friend of Jin-zongzhu from the Lan Clan is here to offer you some medicine. Would you feel up to seeing him?"

Comments

[notaturnip]

Wuxian actually approves of the arm around Yuan, the gentle kiss - it's increasingly clear that there really is deep affection between the two of them, and he likes that someone is so clearly protective of his son.

The sleeping together part he'll deal with later. Possibly while demanding a marriage proposal.

"No, I-" Yuan tries to protest but his father cuts him off.

"A-Yuan, hush," he says gently "nobody thinks this is your fault and you need to rest, trying to speak is only going to hurt you."

Yuan tilts his head to look up at Jin Ling, eyes searching his face like he wants to make absolutely sure he's not blaming him - he wants to make sure Jin Ling knows he doesn't blame him, either, and it takes all his effort not to try and say it. Instead he leans up to press a gentle kiss to his cheek, then snuggles up against him again.

[lastjinstanding]

Jin Ling doesn't entirely know what Yuan is trying to say, but he knows it's something loving and too giving. When he sees the question in Yuan's eyes he smiles at him and the kiss on his cheek makes him blush a little and glance again at Wuxian. It is silly to be bashful now after declaring his love so valiantly in the other room, but he isn't used to being soft and certainly not soft in front of others.

He finds himself waking up, unsure just when he fell asleep when a knock comes to the door. Lan Zhan enters the room a few moments later and has a tray in his hand. There are several cups and bottles on the tray but the first one he hands off to his husband is clearly a bottle of alcohol.

He kneels in front of the bed. He passes a small bottle to Yuan. "Drink. It'll soothe your throat." If there's a little medicine for soothing his nerves in there too, well, Lan Zhan isn't going to mention that.

[notaturnip]

Yuan is still a little too tense to sleep, but he's warm and comfortable curled up against his love and he feels himself start to calm slowly, content to just sit there quietly - even Wuxian, normally incapable of staying quiet for that long, manages to let them both rest.

"Lan Zhan," he greets his husband softly with a smile as he enters, broadening into a grin as he's handed the alcohol. "Mmm, you're my favourite."

Yuan lets go of his father's hand finally, taking the little bottle of medicine and drinking it obediently, wincing at how painful it is to swallow and hoping it works quickly.

He opens his mouth to speak and Wei Wuxian puts a hand on his arm to stop him.

"Ah ah little radish, rest your voice. He knows you want to say thank you, right?"

Yuan closes his mouth and nods.

[lastjinstanding]

Lan Zhan gives Yuan a small encouraging smile and a quiet nod back.

"How's Jingyi? What's going on out there?" Jin Ling asks, hating how silent this man always was. Didn't he understand they were worried? Yes, he was very afraid of him, but.. still. Jingyi.

The smile on Lan Zhan's face fades. "He's sleeping. I don't know when he'll wake." There's an edge to his tone to indicate it isn't as simple as what time but almost an if. "The guests are waiting for Sandu Shengshou to make an announcement. He's speaking now with the Ouyang sect leader and Ouyang Anju's father."

"Why? What's this got to do with any of that?" Jin Ling prods, realizing the first set of answers was a rare gift.

Lan Zhan simply looks away without answering the rest.

[notaturnip]

Yuan bites his lip worriedly - Jingyi had to be okay, he had to be, Yuan would never forgive himself if the other boy didn't wake up. Xiaowen had been waiting for him, if Jingyi hadn't been there he wouldn't have got hurt... he turns to press his face into Jin Ling's shoulder and tries not to start crying again.

Wei Wuxian frowns at his husband's follow up, looking concerned.

He's about to say something but his gaze flicks briefly to Jin Ling and he decides against it - the last thing he needs his nephew to hear is the possibility that his uncle might be having problems because of the chaos. It's not Jin Ling's fault somebody tried to assassinate him. It's not Jiang Cheng's fault either.

"I'm sure he's handling that well." is all he says. He does not sound convinced.

(Maybe he shouldn't have stormed through the pier attacking Jin guards...)

[lastjinstanding]

Lan Zhan gets up and moves to a kneeling desk on the other side of the room. With a wave of his hand his qin appears on the table. He glances at Wuxian hoping he recognizes this song and leaves if he doesn't want to be effected by it. He starts to play Rest to slowly charm both of the injured and/ or stressed boys to sleep again. There was no benefit for them to be awake right now and sleep would speed their recovery, reasons the Lan leader.

In the rest of the house there's plenty of un-rest. There are Jin clan members injured and after just being attacked by the sect leader's realm they're currently in. The wedding guests were hungry and slighted. The groom and bride were at odds. And there was a dead man in the next room.

[notaturnip]

Wei Wuxian takes his liquor and sleeps off the bed, giving his husband a kiss on the forehead and making a vague excuse about going to see what he can do to help.

(He knows that the best thing he can do to help is stay out of the way, technically, but he's sure he can find something)

Yuan looks up long enough to give him a soft, grateful smile before curling back into Jin Ling's side. As the music washes over him he sighs softly, feeling himself begin to relax against his love, sleep stealing over him.

[lastjinstanding]

As Wuxian leaves the room and heads down the hall, he eventually passes by a smaller meeting chamber where there are several angry tones.

"You swore! You gave her your word! You know the kind of insult you are delivering to my clan?" Ouyang Huifang, Wanyin's supposed future father-in-law cried with outrage. "I will not forgive this slight! Tell the servants, we shall leave at once!"

"Please, Ouyang-shidi! Calm! Jiang-zongzhu! Reconsider! This is still a good match! Lady Ouyang Anju may be willing to wait. Circumstances happen. We all know this."

"No, Ouyang-zongzhu. No. I've made up my mind. It's off. I'm needed elsewhere," Jiang Cheng answers, though his voice was more hollow than it normally was. That hollow tone was still encased in steel. "You may tell your clan and I'll go inform the rest of the guests. I'll return whatever has been gifted to me or repay the value as is proper-"

"Double! Triple! I want triple for this humiliation! There should be retribution!" Huifang demanded.

"No, Ouyang-shibi, no. Let's be reasonable. If Jiang-zongzhu will pay an additional.. fifty percent. That should be-"

"Thirty!"

"Triple!"

"Thirty-five?"

"Done."

"Jiang-zongzhu will pay back the dowry plus an extra thirty-five percent and thus will dissolve this agreement. Sandu Shengshou, I am sorry for what happened with your nephew. I hope you can assist him in rebuilding his guard." The Ouyang sect leader and the former-future-father-in-law leave the room, leaving Jiang Cheng looking about ready to commit murder.

[patrianarchy]

Wei Wuxian debates, for a moment, just turning around and leaving the way he came - in the wide world of people who can piss Jiang Cheng off, he's pretty much hogged the top spot for more years than he cared to count.

But Cheng is his brother, and Wei Wuxian cares about him (cares about him enough to give up his golden core) and the last thing he wants is for him to be left alone - if he wants to yell at someone, he can yell at Wei Wuxian, they're both used to it.

"Jiang Cheng?" he peers around the door, suddenly glad he picked up another couple of bottles of liquor in his wanderings, and he lifts them up to show his brother "Seems like you might need a drink?"

[jiang_cheng]

Wanyin isn't the philosophical type. He isn't unintelligent, he's just very practical. Nonetheless, he wonders if there is a point you can literally transcend anger to a new reality of rage. If so, he is nearing that point. There is the blue part of a flame, well he just might be the purple part of the fury.

As far as wise choices for self-preservation, Wuxian's decision to come near him wasn't a good one. In fairness, it wasn't because of who he was just simply anyone coming into his proximity had a much higher chance of being struck by zidian today than usual. In this moment, that probability should have petrified his older brother. Well, except they both knew better.

His glare is borderline deadly when he levels it at Wuxian but after a moment, he holds out his hand. "This isn't your god-awful lotus wine is it?"

[patrianarchy]

It's simultaneously the best idea and the worst, he can see that, but he thinks the benefits might be outweighing the potential costs - which is to say, the benefits to Jiang Cheng outweigh the likelihood that Wei Wuxian is going to feel Zidian again.

But not right now, and that's something.

He hands over the jar and laughs, shaking his head.

"No, no, this is much better." It's some of the wine Jiang Cheng bought for the wedding, but he's not going to make mention of that right now, no sense bringing up something that's just been called off. "There's more where that came from, too. C'mon shidi, let's get drunk."

[jiang_cheng]

He looks down at the bottle and of course recognizes it. Part of him wants to just throw it against the wall, but instead he uncorks the top and takes a sip. "This is your solution to everything, isn't it?" The criticism normally would be bitingly harsh, but there was no fire behind it now.

"Whoever you made a wager with that this wouldn't work out, you should go collect from," he says in one of his bitterest tones. Which is saying something, since he has a number of them.

[patrianarchy]

Wuxian shrugs - it works, at least some of the time, and if it ain't broke why fix it?

He looks around for the most comfortable place to drape himself and drops down, taking a sip of his own bottle.

"Hey, I would never bet against you." he pauses "Well. I didn't this time."

He really had thought this was going to work out, that Jiang Cheng had finally found someone who ticked all his boxes. Maybe he should have added 'able to deal with the inevitable chaos that dogs our every step' to the list.

[jiang_cheng]

It is irritating Wuxian wasn't being more irritating. Of all times to decide to be a good big brother, why did Wei Wuxian pick when he'd just had his heart smashed like an alabaster jar and when he's enduring his most public disgrace? That is so annoying. Could anyone on this earth have a more obnoxious sibling? What would you wager the man is going to follow him into the other room when he finds the strength to announce to his guests they have to leave and take their wedding gifts with them? What possible crime did Wanyin have done in his previous life to have deserved such a horrible pest?

He takes a heartier drink and closes his eyes. He thinks back to his mother and how she stood against Wen Zhuliu and Wen Chao's mistress so courageously. He squares his shoulders and lifts his chin. "Let's go."

He has the servants summon the wedding guests, at least those not part of the Ouyang family who were already in the process of leaving. He grits his teeth as he bows as humbly as he can to the crowd. "My deepest apologies for the inconvenience and disrespect this has brought to you, but I must ask that everyone return to their own realms now. Lady Ouyang Anju and I will not be continuing our pursuit of marriage and our agreement between our clans has been dissolved. Please take your wedding gifts with you when you go. If you cannot we will make arrangements for repayment at a later time."

There's a surprised gasp and murmur through the crowd. So this was what was causing all the drama earlier? The chatter in the room immediately going rampant with gossip, questions, and theories.

"What have you done, Sandu Shengshou?" The Yao sect leader demands. "I heard shouting and Jin-zongzhu's men were attacked! I heard his voice! Is this why her lady doesn't want to wed you? Are you prone to violence?"

Sizzle. A few sparks of purple emit from Wanyin's clenched fist but apparently there has been some progress from when he was a child or someone would've gotten whipped for that comment. He is however visibly seething. "How dare you ask me that in my house! Get out!"

[patrianarchy]

Of course Wei Wuxian follows him into the other room, he scans an eye over all the guests and notes with some satisfaction that Jin Ling and A-Yuan are nowhere to be seen - clearly his husband has kept them from being disturbed. It's probably for the best, he's already realised that Jiang Cheng is going to get all noble and self-sacrificing and take the scandal on himself (who, he wonders, did he possibly pick up those tendencies from) and Jin Ling would only muddy the waters. This way they can get everybody out of the way and the only people who'll need to be informed of the assassination attempts are the Jin clan, rather than forcing the young sect leader to defend himself against -

Against the single most annoying sect leader in the world, just like his uncle is doing now. Wei Wuxian narrows his eyes at Yao-zongzhu and he's gratified to see the man give him a brief, intimidated glance. Between him and Jiang Cheng's temper, the older man just grumbles something incomprehensible and beats a hasty retreat.

Which is for the best, really, but Wei Wuxian wouldn't mind seeing him whipped, just once.

He holds his tongue, for his brother's sake, but he hovers vaguely menacingly until more people decide asking questions isn't worth it and they get out of there - he can't stop the gossip, but he can at least try and minimise how painful this is for Jiang Cheng.

"Lan Zhan and I will take our leave once A-Yuan and Jingyi wake up," he tells Jiang Cheng "I think Zizhen-gongzi might wait around for the latter as well, even with his family all leaving before then."

[jiang_cheng]

He gives a curt nod at his brother's plans. "Just leave as soon as you can." It was a rude request, but he doesn't care and he's pretty sure Wuxian doesn't either. "And make yourself useful getting these people out of here." With that he takes his bottle and strides out, heading toward his own private chambers. He wants to drink, but he's not in the mood to share what might slip out with his brother around.

Learning the sect leader of the realm, particularly a grumpy Jiang Cheng, plus an unhappy Wei Wuxian, turns out to be a powerful motivator to get people moving out of the house. They're all given bundles of food as they go so the Jiang clan isn't forever marred with rumors of forcing starving people out of their door.

One of the Jiang clan members, Mentao, stops Wei Wuxian when it's clear Jiang Cheng isn't coming back out for a while. He's a younger man but it's unclear if he's still considered a 'junior' or not. "Wei-qianbei, I apologize for bothering you, but do you know what is to be done about the uh.. the sealed off guest room? Also the Jin clan guards are afraid and angry. I've been treating their wounds, but I don't know what to tell them anymore to keep them calm."

[patrianarchy]

Wei Wuxian is actually kind of enjoying shooing people out of Lotus Pier, honestly, but he keeps his grumpy expression on his face and makes sure everybody leaves (and maybe if he makes himself as much of an annoyance as possible, people will go away grumbling about him rather than Jiang Cheng - it's not much, but he'll help where he can, and he doesn't mind people being mad at him at this point).

The fun he's having stops rather abruptly when Jiang Mentao approaches him, and he sobers up a little to consider the question. It's not something he wants to bother Jiang Cheng with, he's also not something he really wants to bother his nephew with at the moment, though he knows he's going to have to step up and be a leader about it before long.

"Alright," Wei Wuxian says after a moment. "tell the guards to please be patient, they have nothing to worry about if they haven't been moving against Jin-zongzhu. Watch them when you say it, then come and tell me how they reacted. I'll go deal with the guest room."

Xiaowen is (hopefully) the head of the snake, but that doesn't mean there aren't still a few scales to shed. He pauses before he leaves and looks back.

"Tell them Jin-zongzhu dealt with Xiaowen's betrayal personally. Tell me how they react to that, as well."

[jiang_cheng]

Jiang Mentao nods along with the instructions until he belatedly realizes what Wuxian is asking him to do.

"Y- you want me to tell you how they react?" He asks with a little nervous tremor to his voice. He looks at the most senior ranking person around with wide eyes that have the slightest touch of blue to the dark color. "What if I miss something or misinterpret? I don't want to falsely accuse anyone." He flushes realizing how that might have sounded. "I mean.. yes sir. I- I'll do as you ask!"

[patrianarchy]

Wei Wuxian puts a hand on his shoulder and smiles kindly.

"Jiang-gongzi. Just watch them carefully and tell me how they react, as much as you can. Take someone else with you if you'd like a second pair of eyes. Just do your best, you don't have to catch everything but anything you do see will help, do you understand?"

He doesn't need to rush off to deal with the room right this second, so he'll make sure Jiang Mentao knows what he's doing and feels confident about it first.

[lastjinstanding]

The young disciple is surprised to get this kind of reassurance. Jiang Cheng was a good man, but he wasn't very gentle or patient, so this is pretty new. He bows grateful for the encouragement and hurries off feeling better about his orders- especially getting permission to find a friend to help him. (Weren't all juniors the same on some level needing their buddies to back them up?)

When Wuxian goes back down the hall with the guest rooms, he'll find the song has changed quietly to Cleansing.

[patrianarchy]

Wei Wuxian watches the young disciple rush off with a smile and then turns to head to the guest quarters. When he gets there and hears the music, he smiles slightly - he does so love it when his husband gets things started.

He shoos away anybody lingering near the guest quarters, peers into Jin Ling's room to give the sleeping boys a once over and his husband a grateful, loving smile before disappearing back into Yuan's room to deal with the body.

[lastjinstanding]

In this instance, the song and Wuxian's plans are a happy coincidence. The person's whose mind is being cleansed in Lan Zhan's room is Yuan's. All the horrors he'd just experience from being attacked were going to haunt him and if there was even the slimmest chance the song could heal any of that damage, he was trying it. It was better than feeling so powerless, knowing his child had suffered his whole life and again moments after Lan Zhan learned who he was. The guilt was almost more than he could bear.

Fortunately by now, Jin Ling was simply too exhausted to need any more help staying asleep. The soft music, the comfortable bed, and Yuan curled against him were plenty to keep him in a deep slumber. The Chief Cultivator was glad for this since he knew as soon as the young man rose, he would need to do the hardest thing he's ever had to do- let go.

At least this time it was into the arms of a loving family and not into a rocky cavern. His hands stop for a moment and he takes a shaky breath to steady him. No matter how long it's been or how often he has a very alive and happy Wuxian in his arms, a piece of him breaks whenever that memory comes back to him.

[patrianarchy]

It doesn't actually take him that long to clean up the mess in the other room, and he makes use of the gentle music from his husband's guqin to ensure Xiaowen's resentful energy doesn't cause them any trouble - they have seen the last of that bastard and that's all there is to it.

Once he's finished dealing with it and making the guest room spotless, he gathers up all of Yuan's belongings (there's no way they're going to let him stay in that room again) and heads back to the other room with them.

"Lan Zhan?" he asks softly as he closes the door behind him, frowning at the expression on his husband's face.

[graceandguqin]

His eyes flick sharply to the door, but the subtle alarm fades a second later seeing who it is. He looks away, embarrassed, moving a hand to dismiss his qin. He gets up and moves to the door to quietly shoo Wuxian out the door so they can talk without disturbing their baby bunnies.

Somehow though, the position he finds himself in is the most domestic and breath-taking one he's been in in a long time. His back was against the door to a room with their child in it and Wuxian was standing so close to his front. He realizes in that moment this has been a secret dream in his heart he never even knew about and despite his age and position- and even what Wuxian just saw him thinking about- there's the tiniest blush on his cheeks. "I don't want us to wake them," he explains, which in retrospect was completely obvious. Did.. he just 'babble'?

[patrianarchy]

Wuxian isn't entirely sure what's going on in his husband's mind, but there's something so soft in his expression that his heart is already melting - and then Wangji blushes and says something wholly unnecessary and Wei Ying is winding his arms around Lan Zhan's shoulders and kissing him softly before he can even think about it.

"Something wrong, my love?" he asks quietly, wondering what is going on in his head. He pauses, then continues "Other than the obvious, of course."