Author Notes: Hello, everyone! Enjoy this next chapter :)
Beta: JeanGirl
- Chapter Start -
Jin ZiXuan was up at dawn despite a restless night. He was much too excited to sleep. He hadn't seen A-Li for a whole week now and he had missed her every minute of it. But there were six more hours to go before the bridal procession arrived around noon.
It was hopeless.
He was hopeless.
Hopelessly in love with her and he didn't care if the whole world knew it.
Putting on his outer robe, he left his room, deciding that a long walk would calm him down and help to pass the time. It was early enough that he only met one or two servants, bowing a quick greeting to him before hurrying about their tasks. His footsteps took him through the many corridors of Koi Tower until he came to Glamour Hall where the wedding reception would take place. Even though he had come here yesterday and almost every day before that, he couldn't resist stepping inside once more.
The large hall had been transformed over the past month, with something new added almost every day. The ocean waves and carp motifs on the pillars, walls and ceiling were now hidden; the teal and gold decor almost buried under a sea of crimson. A red carpet ran the entire length of the hall, from the doors right up to the long, lavishly decorated table for the host and bridal couple. Two rows of individual tables for the guests faced each other on either side of the carpet. Yards of crimson fabric shot with gold thread hung from the ceiling in graceful waves and clothed each pillar. There were small bronze pots of incense placed along the walls, ready to be lit to perfume the air. Bunches of fresh white and pink peonies decorated the long table, their fragrance discernible even from the entrance.
In short, the entire thing... was overkill.
ZiXuan would have preferred a simpler ceremony with a lot less grandeur, but he knew how much his parents had looked forward to this day, and the immense pressure GuangYao was under to make sure nothing went wrong. As long as A-Li didn't mind then he wouldn't either.
A movement near the front caught his eye. GuangYao was already here, walking between the tables, bending to adjust a teacup or a plate as he smothered a yawn.
ZiXuan walked up to him, a frown pulling his eyebrows together. GuangYao's pale skin looked almost ashen in the reddish glow of the morning sun and there were dark shadows under his eyes. A-Li wouldn't be happy if she saw him now, not after her efforts over the past three weeks...
When the wedding date was fixed a month ago, Madam Jin insisted that A-Li stayed on to 'assist her with the planning'. It was just an excuse to have her around. She doted on A-Li and had grown even more protective of her after the death of Madam Yu, her best friend and A-Li's mother. The real job of organising the wedding fell to GuangYao who had accepted it without protest. It wasn't an easy project to handle by itself, let alone on top of the other responsibilities he had taken on.
A few days later, ZiXuan and A-Li had gone to the kitchen for some tea after a late night stroll in the gardens. A-Li had refused to disturb the servants, saying she was more than capable of making a pot of tea. They had found GuangYao sitting there with a plain bun and a cup of water. Somewhat flustered, he had explained that by the time he finished going through the accounts for the day, there was nothing left from dinner.
Touching the half eaten bun, A-Li had exclaimed it was cold and forbade him from taking another bite. She had made a fresh pot of tea and steamed some lotus paste buns with the excuse that ZiXuan wanted some supper. A quick smile from her had ZiXuan sitting down beside his half brother and trying to look anticipative.
Two days later, he had found himself going in search of GuangYao after A-Li cooked her signature pork rib lotus root soup. His suggestion that they get a servant to deliver the soup was met with a reproachful look that instantly reminded him of what happened at the Unclean Realm, and how his mistaken (read: stupid) assumptions and rash (stupid) words had almost ruined things between them. A-Li may have forgiven him for that incident, but he knew Wei WuXian hadn't.
Truth be told, he hadn't either.
A-Li had set a bowl of soup and another of rice before the confused GuangYao and said he wasn't to get up until he had finished both. The look on his face had been priceless... while the look on A-Li's face made ZiXuan realise that for whatever reason, GuangYao reminded her of Wei WuXian.
"GuangYao?"
Startled, his half brother swung around, the delicate teacup almost slipping from his fingers. He quickly set it down.
"Young Master Jin, why are you up so early?"
"I couldn't sleep."
"Too excited?" GuangYao dared to tease.
ZiXuan smiled and suddenly realised he had forgotten about A-Li's request to get GuangYao a gift for organising their wedding. Luckily, his robes had the new money pouch he had bought for himself while in Yunmeng and he pulled it out.
"A small token of appreciation from A-Li for all your hard work."
The fixed smile that always stayed on GuangYao's face morphed to wide eyed wonder as he stared down at the gift.
"Young Master Jin, this is too much! I can't accept such a beautiful gift."
"A-Li bought it for you," ZiXuan lied without batting an eye.
Swallowing hard, GuangYao accepted the pouch, tracing the delicate silk embroidery with trembling fingertips. Then he frowned.
"I think there's some money inside."
"It's lucky money," ZiXuan lied again, and on his wedding day too.
GuangYao's eyes grew shiny as he put his hands together and bowed.
"Please thank Maiden Jiang for her kindness and generosity. I will treasure this gift."
"She will be happy to know that," ZiXuan replied and made a mental note to update A-Li as soon as he could.
GuangYao admired the pouch again before slipping it inside his robes. Then he took a deep breath and gave a wide smile.
"Please go and get ready, Young Master Jin. This is your special day. You must look your very best!"
"I will," ZiXuan said, something prompting him to add, "you need to rest more."
GuangYao's smile slipped at that.
"Once this is all over, I will take a very good rest."
For some reason, those words stayed in ZiXuan's mind as he left the hall.
- o -
The sword journey to Koi Tower took less than three hours with Master Lan and the Twin Jades employing considerable speed.
Wei Ying, already nervous and excited before leaving Cloud Recesses, was a bundle of nerves by the time they arrived. With one arm around Lan Zhan's waist, he looked down, scanning the half mile long carriage path that led to the main entrance of Koi Tower even though it was too early for the bridal procession to arrive.
"I can't wait to see shijie," he said, probably for the fifth time.
"Mn."
"Too bad I won't be able to see her face because of the bridal veil."
"We are staying the night. Wei Ying can see her tomorrow."
"Do you think she'll like my gift?"
"She will like anything from Wei Ying."
"You're biased," Wei Ying told him happily and kissed his cheek.
"Hmmph! We are here," Master Lan announced.
Wei Ying just grinned at him and ZeWu Jun. They were dressed in formal blue and white silk robes while Lan Zhan wore the same light blue robes as when he had tracked down the yin metal after the Gusu Lan lectures. Wei Ying's new robes were almost the exact shade of blue as the ones he had worn on that same trip with Lan Zhan. This time, his inner wear was white, and the only red was his hair ribbon.
Master Lan had eyed the latter with pursed lips this morning, but Lan Zhan looked approving as he carefully affixed one of his silver hair accessories over the ribbon. It was a silent proclamation of their engagement and Wei Ying felt ridiculously pleased and rather self conscious about it.
He had spent a good six hours last night carving two pendants from a block of top quality sandalwood that Lan Zhan had, polishing them and adding safety and good luck charms. He had wanted to thread them with red string, but alas, that wasn't a common colour in Cloud Recesses, so he had used white ribbons instead.
At the entrance of Koi Tower, they hopped off their swords and were politely escorted to the main courtyard where a huge flight of stairs led up to Glamour Hall.
Two years ago, a distraught Wen Qing had begged Wei Ying to find out where Wen Ning had been taken. Wei Ying had walked up these very steps, jaw clenched and back stiff with indignation. He had caused quite the ruckus, arguing with Jin ZiXun until he discovered that the Wen survivors were being held prisoner at QiongQi path. When he left, he knew there had been many faces black with anger.
Jin ZiXuan had promised ZeWu Jun they would be as welcome as the other guests, but Wei Ying couldn't help wondering how Sect Leader Jin GuangShan and Jin ZiXun would look at him today.
"Wei Ying?" A hand closed around his and squeezed.
Wei Ying turned to see ZeWu Jun and Master Lan already standing at the foot of steps, waiting for him.
"Ah, sorry. Let's go." He squeezed Lan Zhan's hand in return before releasing it, wishing he could hold on to its warmth.
Too bad he wasn't quite that shameless.
- o -
When they reached the top of the stairs, Wei Ying barely stopped himself from taking a step back which might have sent him tumbling down again. Glamour Hall was... unrecognisable. He mourned the fact that Jiang Cheng wasn't beside him right now so that they could exchange raised eyebrows and silent snickers.
A smiling Jin GuangYao hurried forward to greet them.
"Senior Lan, Er-ge, HanGuang Jun, Young Master Wei. Welcome to Koi Tower and welcome to Young Master Jin and Maiden Jiang's wedding reception."
He gave a deep and formal bow to each of them, but ZeWu Jun stepped forward to intercept him when it was his turn.
"A-Yao, you look tired," he said with a frown. "Surely you have people helping you with the preparations?"
GuangYao's smile widened.
"Of course, Er-ge. But I still have to make sure everything is perfect."
"You've lost weight," ZeWu Jun chided. "You need to take better care of yourself."
"I will, Er-ge. Thank you for your concern."
He did look paler and thinner than Wei Ying remembered from two years ago when he had tried to defuse his argument with Jin ZiXun.
"I'm sure Sect Leader Jin appreciates your invaluable help," he said impulsively.
Jin GuangYao looked startled at the unexpected praise, a shadow crossing his face before he smiled again.
"Young Master Wei is too kind. Please, everyone, come this way."
- Chapter End -
A/N: Thank you for reading! Please leave a review if you enjoyed it :)
