the thread may stretch or tangle but it will never break

by Rose Thorne

Disclaimer: I don't own anything associated with The Untamed, and make no money writing fanfiction.


Chapter Four

Despite getting to sleep past hai shi, Lan Wangji still wakes at mao shi out of habit. He had offered Wei Ying the softer bedroll, arguing he deserved the comfort, and had been rebuffed. He hadn't been particularly surprised; Wei Ying had already been snippy following the nightmare, his vulnerability on display, and being subtly bullied when both Wen Qionglin and Lan Wangji kept refilling his bowl and staring at him until he ate more likely didn't help his mood.

Wei Ying is curled on his side on the stone 'bed,' still wrapped in the warmer robe, the threadbare blanket over him. He at least seems to be sleeping soundly.

He stows his bedroll back in the qiankun pouch, but before he leaves the cave, he drapes the blanket from his bedroll over him to ensure his comfort. Wei Ying will likely reproach him later, but he hates that he's left him to suffer alone so long. If he's bothered by being taken care of, so be it.

Lan Wangji can only hope the funds he gave Wen Qing can ease the conditions here for everyone, including his ever-stubborn zhiji. At the least, blankets. Perhaps the materials to build proper beds. Perhaps, once Xichen sees what Lanling Jin has lied about, perhaps much more can be done. He dares to hope.

He meditates outside the cave entrance as the sky lightens on the horizon, finishing when the first rays of the rising sun hit his face. The Wens were rising, used to farm life tethered to the sun by now.

The elderly woman caring for A-Yuan motions to him to follow to the communal area to break his fast with them, and when he thanks her and calls her "zhang-Wen," she waves off the title and insists he call her "popo."

His polite reply of "Of course, Wen-po" only gets a frown.

"Just popo."

The other Wens introduce themselves, similarly refusing to use their surname. Each asks that he refer to them as their given or courtesy name, accepting only -shu or -yi. One man simply introduces himself as jifu.

When their largely radish-based breakfast is over, Wen Qing motions for him to follow her.

"They would prefer not to be known by Wen," she tells him as they make their way out of the communal hall. "A-Ning and I are too well-known, but they… they are all civilians."

Lan Wangji only nods. It makes a certain sense that they would prefer not to be associated with Wen Ruohan. The decision cannot have been easy, as it is unfilial. But the same shackles of filial piety that had kept them from acting against the clan head during the war had left them mere remnants fighting to survive, forever associated with Wen Ruohan and expected to atone for his wrongs. What was filial piety in these circumstances?

He understands, because he too is breaking filial piety in staying in Burial Mounds, in choosing Wei Ying over Gusu Lan.

Officially, his sect has chosen to let Lanling Jin decide the fates of the Wen remnants, regardless of whether their decisions are righteous. His decision will put him at odds with not only his own sect, but with all of society.

He knows this is why Wei Ying broke from the Yunmeng Jiang sect publicly, freeing them from association with his actions, freeing his brother from responsibility even as he opened himself to the shame of being unfilial, the judgment of society.

And if Xichen requests, he will do so as well. He will stand with Wei Ying, the two of them for the ideals they pledged to uphold.

He has chosen to be filial to his zhiji over his sect.

They are both orphans, in truth. Sect or no, Lan Wangji's blood family is limited to Xichen and shufu. He can be assured his brother will care for Lan Qiren, will take the sect in hand as he was always destined to do. He was always only the Second Jade.

In blood, Wei Ying is alone. Has been alone since childhood, forced to find family through other bonds.

But Wei Ying has Lan Wangji, who claimed him in the Cold Spring cave.

He has never told him the significance of what he had done, handfasting him and claiming him in front of his ancestor, taking the first bow with him. He has, in fact, told no one of what he had done, not even Xichen. At sixteen, his feelings about Wei Ying confusing and upsetting to him, he didn't have the words, and war had given him no time to find them.

With filial piety in question, and his owed to Wei Ying, the time to finally speak of it seems to be fast approaching. He will have to find the words now.

Lan Wangji somehow doubts the Lan elders will agree with his conclusions, but they will not be able to deny the significance of the handfasting and his responsibilities.

He will also need to find the words for Wei Ying. Lan Wangji does not regret the handfasting, but he does not know how his zhiji will feel, not only about the handfasting itself, but the fact that he has not told him for so long.

His name being called by Wen Qing interrupts his thoughts, and he finds her watching him with an inscrutable look on her face. He wonders if she's said his name more than once. If so, she does not tell him.

"There are certain necessities we will use your contribution for," she says after a moment. "Though I believe perhaps your input would be welcome. And perhaps acquiring more practical clothing or materials to sew them for you, as well."

He can hardly argue with that; his robes, though practical for fighting, are not suitable for activities such as farming. He nods.

"Blankets," he tells her. "Or perhaps materials if someone has the skill. Materials to construct beds, if practical."

She eyes him, and nods. "One of the uncles used to be a carpenter. Several of the aunties can sew. Materials are less expensive than finished products. Beds would be welcome, especially for popo and some of the elders."

Wen Qing pauses for just a moment, then smirks at him. "And Wei Wuxian needs to stop sleeping on a damn rock."

Lan Wangji can feel the tips of his ears heat; she has seen through him. But she also seems to approve, so he only nods.

After all, she did ask him to help Wei Ying, and he will.

"Also on my list are certain herbs, maybe seeds we can grow," she tells him. "And maybe we can buy some damn potatoes to shut the idiot up, since he's so obsessed with them, though I'm not sure Burial Mounds' soil will grow them well. Different kinds of squash might work, though."

One of the duties Lan Wangji grew up with was occasionally helping in the garden. While he does not know a lot, he is certain if he finds a bookstore in Yiling he can find out what will grow in poor soil. He says as much to Wen Qing.

"Well, I feel like an idiot," she says with a short laugh. "We should have done that months ago."

"You have had other things on your mind," he allows.

She makes a noncommittal noise. "Nails, other building supplies. I know Wei Wuxian will want cinnabar and talisman paper, as well as paper in general. Hell, he probably has a list of things he wants for his experiments."

Wei Ying chooses that moment to pop out of the cave, yawning widely.

Wen Qing looks at him with a scowl Lan Wangji is fairly certain is largely manufactured.

"Go eat. You're going to town today, and there's only so much daylight. Lan Wangji will make a list to bring with."

Wei Ying makes a show of sulking, but A-Yuan runs to him and he's quickly distracted and on his way to the communal area in the care of popo, who is commenting about him being far too thin.

"Peppers," he comments once Wei Ying is out of hearing.

He receives a flat stare from Wen Qing.

"He's going to poison us all, you know," she says despairingly. "We'll have to ban him from the kitchen."

"Apparently one of the few rules at Lotus Cove is that he is not allowed to cook," Lan Wangji comments, remembering a tale he'd heard about ruined cooking pots.

Wen Qing sighs. "Noted. Get paper and ink for the list. I'll choose an auntie to send with you to choose suitable fabrics and materials, and to haggle."

When he reaches the cave and his qiankun pouch, he notices there is a scrawled addition to the letter to Xichen.

Zewu-Jun,

I've tried to convince him to go home. Perhaps you will have better luck.

Apologies,

Wei Wuxian

It's as good an addition as any. This decision is Lan Wangji's, and Wei Ying has already fruitlessly lodged his protests. Any offered by others will be similarly ineffective; he has made his decision.

He already expects shufu to read the letter, which is part of what led him to cite so many of the principles. But Lan Qiren already thinks poorly of Wei Ying, and will no doubt cast blame on him regardless.

Nothing he or Wei Ying can add to the letter will change that reality, and so he simply tucks the letter in his sleeve before gathering the paper, inkstone, and ink from the pouch to take outside with him.


I was writing and lwj just decided to have a 400-word internal monologue about it. He's stubborn af.

But given that Lan Wangji's decision here (and actually Wei Wuxian's in canon as well) controvert filial piety, it bears exploration as to the logic of why he might abandon it now. I also believe it's a very important element to the series as a whole. So I researched it, not that I necessarily did it justice or can fully understand it.

I have feelings about the concept of filial piety, but I'm also white, and I have no right to pass judgment on a culture not my own. I apologize for any possible cultural insensitivity.