Chapter Text
Heart hammering in Lan Wangji's chest, he gently undid the knot, and then unrolled it slowly.
It was indeed a formal proposal.
Wei Ying had asked for his hand.
In the background, the sounds of bickering faded, useless noise that could not reach him anymore.
Wei Ying!
He would soon be married to Wei Ying!
So Wei Ying did return his feelings!
Or did he?
Doubt crept up on him when he thought that this was not the way he had thought (daydreamed) Wei Ying would confess his love at all. In his dreams, it had always been himself who simply pushed Wei Ying up against a wall or tree to kiss him, very few words exchanged at all. A formal letter from a matchmaker? Perhaps Wei Ying’s interest in marrying him was only political after all?
He was after all a decent match, with famed beauty, high cultivation, and most of all a close relationship with his brother, the sect leader. Even if Lan Xichen was rapidly sinking in his own esteem.
But no matter the reasoning behind it, there could never be any doubt of his answer.
"I accept."
As if a silencing spell had been cast, the bickering immediately stopped.
Lan Xichen sank onto his desk and looked up at him with soulful eyes.
Lan Wangji gave him a raised eyebrow in return.
Lan Qiren on the other hand seemed to have choked on air, and was now wheezing and coughing alarmingly.
"What?"
Patiently, Lan Wangji repeated himself.
"I accept." And then, even though it seemed
painfully obvious, he decided to expand for further clarification.
"I will marry Wei Ying at the earliest convenience."
His uncle's coughing fit worsened, though he took great effort to wheeze out words anyway.
"Wangji! I said to give it consideration! To show our esteem for our allies! Honor our bonds! Not accept immediately!"
Lan Xichen shot his uncle an uncharacteristically dirty look, but remained silent in his very clear defeat.
Lan Wangji could emphasize with the look, even if the reason behind it was very different. He would never understand politics.
"Indecision honors no one. If Wei Ying desires my hand in marriage, he shall have it."
He felt the tips of his ears flush at the wording, and valiantly fought against the impulse to duck his head bashfully.
Lan Qiren, after finally recovering, huffed dramatically.
"Neither does impulsivity! Though I am beginning to suspect it may not come completely out of nowhere. I did think Wei Wuxian had agreed to your presence and attempts to cleanse his spiritual energy far too easily."
With that, he leveled both of his nephews with disapproving looks.
"I do wish I had been consulted once it became relevant, though. Just imagine if I had dpent hours and resources we cannot spare to find you a match after you had already decided on someone! But very well. It seems the Lan curse of falling deeply and irrevocably has finally settled on an advantageous match. A close alliance with the Jiang is just what we need right now. And for all of Wei Wuxian's obvious faults, he has more than proven his dedication and fortitude. And most importantly his ability to listen to you, of course."
Lan Qiren stroked his beard in silent contemplation for a while, until he finally seemed to come to a conclusion.
"On further thought, I find that the thought of you by his side permanently a relief. The dark cultivation he has used is tricky and dangerous, and we can never completely trust his ability to control it. To have you by his side would solve a number of problems quite efficiently.
If you find the match suitable, we will present the matter to the elders.
But first, we will consult your father. This matter is entirely his business, or I will make it so!"
xxx
The preparations for the first discussion conference were drawing closer and closer, and Wei Wuxian cursed himself for ever agreeing to host it in Lotus Pier. It had been the best, and frankly only, option with all of the other great clans completely driven from their territories. Yunmeng had held out in Jiang Yanli's secret fortress, and while it might not have been much, it had served as an anchor point and security for the common people working the fields to have somewhere safe to go while the Wen soldiers passed through.
Less of the harvest had survived than they had hoped, and their stores were almost emptied by hosting so many of the other clans' people, but there was just enough to get them through the winter in relative comfort. And the river had been untouched by the war, so they could actually afford to feed the delegations to come.
The other clans were in much worse states, he had learned.
Many of the reparations Wen Qing had sent out had been in food and medicine, but the Wen territory had already been supporting a war effort, and there was only so much she could spare.
So holding the discussion conference was a necessity. New trade agreements needed to be made immediately, as did assessments of which sects or territories were most likely to suffer a famine if help could not be deployed.
The fighting any dying during the war itself had been horrible enough, but somehow, this gripped Wei Wuxian's heart even worse. To fight and die to protect your loved ones and freedom was one thing, but the thought of having won, and still dying the slow and desperate death of starvation turned his stomach.
He had no idea how Jiang Cheng had even managed to get their clan into the relatively good position they were in now.
Or, well, he did have an idea. But he shied away from thinking about it, because every time he did, it was liable to break his heart. He simply knew, with all his being, that Jiang Cheng had to have suffered through every last post war nightmare he could think of.
He could see it in the lines on his face, and how even the most lackluster report smoothed them out with obvious relief. It was clear that no matter how close they were cutting it now, in his first life, Jiang Cheng had had it much worse.
But this also meant that when Jiang Cheng had told him to find a workable solution or at least relief for a flood within four years while he got their sect through the post-war chaos, Wei Wuxian took it very, very seriously.
They had not had much time to speak of it, and Jiang Cheng was not forthcoming at all, but in his dreams, the world around him kept dying. Logically, he knew they were not true, that he had no way of knowing any details unless he was told. And yet the blood gleamed vivid red whenever he closed his eyes, and there were empty eyes watching, waiting.
It was only when the soft chime of a clarity bell in the distance vibrated through his whole body that he noticed he had stopped.
That he was clutching the amulet in his hand so hard that his knuckles had gone white.
He tried to open his hand, but his fingers would not move.
Once again, blood and darkness and long shadows cast by bright, hungry flames crept into his vision from the corners of his eyes until-
His own clarity bell rang out, just as clear and bright as a mountain stream.
Wei Wuxian felt the resentment recede and sighed in relief, quickly returning his amulet into his sleeve.
He hated to admit it, but the old goat had been right.
Lan Zhan playing cleansing and clarity had helped his control immensely, and made the task near effortless. It was getting more snd more difficult the longer they were seperated.
Wei Wuxian sighed, forlorn. But the dark mood from the episode was mostly gone, and he rang the bell twice more in order to lift his spirits properly.
He stretched, and let the sun's still powerful autumn rays warm his heart while the sound of gentle waves lapping at wood soothed him.
The faint smell of rotting wood always seemed strongest during this time of year, and that too was something he should make a note of. He doubted they would be able to spare the people before it got too cold, but come early summer, the waterlogged planks and supports would need to be checked over by divers.
He sighed, and eyed the pavilion where he had just left Jiang Cheng trying very hard not to explode on his father.
"I really should get back to work..."
Although getting any kind of work done right now was... a challenge.
He could concentrate on neither important reports or engineering and talisman craft while Jiang Cheng was withholding important information from him!
Speaking of important-
"Shijie!"
Jiang Yanli turned towards him and smiled, and somehow the world around them steadied.
"A-Xian. Are you trying to escape your duties again?"
Wei Wuxian pouted.
"Shijie! How could you assume the worst of me like this!"
And technically, it was not even true. Well, he should be doing all sorts of important things, but Jiang Cheng had been very clear that while he expected Wei Wuxian to put in an effort, if he needed to move, he should move.
If he had needed any more confirmation that this was not the same Jiang Cheng from two years ago, that certainly would have confirmed it!
So he added reluctantly: "My head was too full to continue. I am taking a walk to sort it out a little."
Jiang Yanli nodded with compassion in her expression.
"Is it your engagement?"
"Yes! Well, I mean mostly, other things too, but I can't believe Jiang Cheng won't even tell me who it is!"
This made his sister blink and purse her lips.
"He really did not? He seemed so sure of his choice!"
"I know! He didn’t even try to listen to the matchmaker's suggestions! Just gave them a name and told them to make it happen. I hear they were so insulted that he is blacklisted now."
The last part he leaned closer to share in a conspiratorial whisper, and he was rewarded by his foster sister's light giggle.
It lifted his heart and calmed him to see her happy and safe, despite all they had gone through in the last two years.
But then she glanced at him mischievously, and all the fondness was soon replaced by betrayal.
"Well, if A-Cheng thinks it's a good idea not to tell you, then I won't either."
He reared back as if slapped, and gaped at her in horror.
"Shijie! You know?!?!"
"I do. But I shan't tell."
"No! How could you?! I have no friends here! Everyone is turning against me! I wish Lan Zhan was here! HE would tell me!"
But this only seemed to amuse her even more, and her cheerful giggles turned into an entirely unladylike peal of laughter.
Wei Wuxian continued to pout and whine, but his heart was suddenly full of love, and even the torture of not knowing something he was incredibly curious about, was completely worth hearing that sound.