Ch 56

Wei Ying and Lan Zhan didn't see much of each other in the following days. Lan Zhan spent his time coordinating with the Elders and disciples of the Lan Sect about the funeral, something that seemed more complicated than it had to be because Lan QiRen was not only the first Elder of the Sect to die in many years but the first high ranking member of the Clan itself, some even considered him the Patriarch. Therefore the conversations, arguments in any other clan but the Lan, where going back and forth about how exactly he should be buried, as Sect Elder or Clan Patriarch. Wei Ying was having just as difficult a time with his assigned role. When he had first strode into the hall with several junior disciples behind him some of the emissaries had scoffed at the idea of him being the Lan Clan representative. Deep down he couldn't really blame them,the idea of the either as the ex YiLing Patriarch or Wei WuXian now standing in as the representative for the Clan who represented restraint, honour and virtue was a little comical when you thought about it. He however had a job to do and he took the role very seriously if he was going to help out his family.

Eventually most of the emissaries sent by the Sects had fallen in line with his plans when they realised that he was at least taking this role seriously and wouldn't be moved. The ones that remained stubborn and kept throwing insults his way were soon shushed by the majority of those present with the reminder that they were here for the remembrance for Lan QiRen who was Wei WuXian's Uncle in Law. Wei Ying happily organised for each emissary to have their own junior disciple as escort, pleasantly explaining the senior disciples were all busy organising the funeral and for the men to please remain with their escorts at all times. Of course expecting all the men to do so was asking to much and there were a few times when a disciple would knock on the door of the JingShi, pulling both from sleep and the warm arms of his husband, because one or more of the visitors had wanted to go find the coffin, or Lan XiChen, or both. Wei Ying would have to go find the wayward man, return him to his rooms and repeat his instructions calmly before returning home.

The job was testing his patience a little as the days passed and the funeral got closer and closer. He had managed to organise with XiChen to meet with one or two of the emissaries each day. The men would speak to the Sect Leader, offer their commiserations and then leave for their homes with Wei Ying walking them to the wards at the front gate. It seemed to be a simple system that was working, however as the funeral got closer and the emissaries disappeared the Sect Leaders began to show up and his job began all over again. Luckily the Sect leaders didn't give him any problems and followed his instructions and those of the disciples assigned to them, well all except one.

Jiang Cheng had been one of the first Sect Leaders to arrive, quickly followed by Jin ZuXuan who was accompanied by his sister. Although his sister was obviously worried she remained in the room most of the day and waited for him to come and see her whenever he was free, Jiang Cheng on the other hand didn't have the same amount of manners. On the second day of his siblings visit Wei Ying had just been explaining something to one of the disciples when a cough came from behind him. The young disciple look up and his face blanched. Wei Ying smiled at the boy and as soon as he had finished giving out the instructions allowed him to leave.

'You want something brother?' He asked without even turning his head.

'It's strange seeing you in mourning clothes' Jiang Cheng said as if Wei Ying hadn't even spoken.

Wei Ying sighed and turned round, tilting his head to the side in a silent question. Jiang Cheng paused a moment, made to take a step forward and halted. Clenched his hands by his side and then released them, before finally blurting out a little faster than he had planned.

'Sister is worried about you, so am I. So if you need any help just tell us!'

Wei Ying smiled at his younger brother. The man he had spent so many years hating, who had spent so many years hating him. It was as if those years were so far in the past now they never existed at all. He stepped forwards and rested his hand on his brothers shoulder, speaking this time from the heart.

'Thank you brother, and thank our sister for me please. I know she came this time because she was worried about me but I have been so busy I have hardly had time to see her.'

Jiang Cheng placed his hand over Wei Ying's own and nodded in understanding.

'I understand, so does she. If you want I am sure Jin ZuXuan would agree to me returning sister home a day or two after the funeral, I can stay a little while too.'

Wei Ying blinked but sadly shook his head.

'No, the immediate family has to go into three days of fasting and prayer after the funeral. I won't be around so you both just had better go home and…' Wei Ying noticed his brother shaking his head with an enormous grin on his face as if he was fighting not to laugh, for some reason that annoyed him enough that he half snapped. 'What's so funny?'

'The idea of you not speaking, running around creating havoc or drinking alcohol for three days…...are you sure you will be able to survive?' As soon as Jiang Cheng had opened his mouth he had lost all control and was happily giggling away at the look on his elder brothers face.

Wei Ying just groaned and plopped himself down in the nearest seat. Jiang Cheng moved over to sit with him. It was true that in the last few years Wei Ying had grown up a lot, in fact when him and Lan Zhan were just beginning their travels two years ago they had first come to Lotus Pier and knelt for a whole day in the family temple in front of their parents. In that time Jiang Cheng had watched as Wei Ying had apologised for all the wrong things he had done and thanked his adopted parents for saving and raising him. He had said he did not blame Madam Yu for all the harm she dealt him, or for how much she hated him, after all without her he would have not been the man he was today. A man worthy of the husband kneeling by his side. Jiang Cheng had felt tears spring to his eyes back then and was feeling the same feeling at the moment. The feeling of his elder brother being able to do something he could never do, face up to failure and ask for forgiveness for past mistakes. Before he could speak further though a voice appeared.

'Ahh so this is where you two are hiding'

Both men looked up and smiled at the angelic face of their beloved sister as she approached. As usual she didn't ask to sit, didn't need to around her brothers, she just sat and the three began speaking letting Wei Ying feel a little relief for an hour around his siblings.

The funeral day had arrived and so far it was going well. Everyone had white bands around their heads or arms, the Lan's of course where fully dressed in a white cloth over their normally patterned uniforms. Lan QiRen's coffin had been taken down to the Lan family mausoleum quietly the night before and everyone now stood in the family temple which was filled with the name tablets of all the influential Lan's of the past. The Sect Leaders of course stood outside, but the doors were wide open and they could easily see what was happening inside. Lan QiRen's name tablet stood front an centre on a table, covered with a white silken cloth. Beneath it knelt Lan XiChen with both Lan Zhan and Wei Ying to either side and a little back and SiZhui behind his two fathers. Since the four had knelt about an hour before none had moved or spoken, an Elder of the Sect had been the one to read the rights and the honours of the deceased. Then after two hours the Elder walked out of the shrine and beckoned for the doors to be closed, effectively sealing the still kneeling figures inside. Facing the assembled leaders the Elder spoke the same voice he had used to lead the ceremony.

'Thank you all for attending, I am sure my long time friend will appreciate the fact that he will be missed by so many.' The Elder nodded to the shut door. 'His family will remain with him for three days until his soul has passed on into the pool of reincarnation I ask that everyone leaves quietly and does not disturb their vidul.'

The assembled Sect Leaders simply nodded and began dispersing, speaking between them about getting home and meeting up for this or that reason. Only two people silently lingered, their eyes on the closed doors for a few moments, the worry for their own sibling shown clear on their faces before turning away and walking down the steps hand in hand.

'Three days!' Wei Ying moaned again as he walked into the JingShi stretching out his back. 'dry rice and stale water for three days! not to mention I can't feel my legs from not moving for that long!.'

'You have said that already, several times in fact' Lan Zhan stated blandly as he glided past Wei Ying as if he hadn't been kneeling for three days right alongside his aching husband.

Wei Ying growled.

'Show off!'

'You have said that several times already as well' Lan Zhan paused and moved behind a screen before his disembodied voice appeared again. 'The bath is ready'

Wei Ying would have run if he was able. The idea of a hot bath to soothe is aching muscles was too tempting. Instead he half hobbled over to the tub, stripped off his clothing with the help of his husband and was practically lifted into the bath when it became obvious he couldn't climb in. The sigh of relief when his body hit the water just came out of him, quickly followed by a little squeak of pain as his tight muscles complained. A body, obviously Lan Zhan, was getting in behind him and forcing him to move forwards to allow the second person access. Normally such a thing would have been sensual between the two of them but right now Wei Ying just wanted to soak in the warm water. Lan Zhan's hands started massaging Wei Ying's shoulders, eliciting another small squeak at the beginning but soon followed by the contented sign once more. The hands moved down to his waist and hips, nothing sexual, just messaging the tight muscles from three days worth of kneeling and praying. Wei Ying felt his eyes drifting shut at the mix of those gentle hands and the hot water only to open them wide when he smelled something delicious in the area. He swung his head round and winced as the muscle complained once again.

'Food?' He asked. 'Proper food? edible food?'

Lan Zhan smiled and nodded. The bath had already begun to cool so the two got out and towelled themselves dry, Wei Ying already feeling a bit better after the bath and massage. His steps where longer as the two sat down at the table which was filled with Wei Ying's favourite food, Lan Zhan must have ordered it from Gusu city as it was never made in the Cloud Recess. Only two of the dishes were simple and they were placed in front of Lan Zhan. Both men set about eating, Wei Ying had a glint in his eye as he ate his way through the whole table, not even realising Lan Zhan had also put some of his own plain food on his plate and he had eaten that as well. Once the dishes where eaten Wei Ying did indeed feel the effect of no sleep for three days. Food, bath, massage…..he was dropping to sleep at the table.

Lan Zhan's strong hands were there to catch him before his head bobbed forwards and he opened his eyes once again.

'Seems I don't have the stamina I once had Er'ge, I'm not as young as I once was.'

Lan Zhan scooped Wei Ying up in his arms and placed him on the bed, removing both his own and Wei Ying's robes before climbing in with him. Lan Zhan's hand softly ran over Wei Ying's hair as he spoke in little above a whisper.

'You are perfect my love, and I will not be complaining about your stamina for the hundreds of years we have in front of us I promise….' He paused and looked down. 'Wei Ying?'

But Wei Ying was already fast asleep cuddled up in his arms.