For the purpose of this FanFiction – i will be doing my best to stay in the Universe as told by the Light Novel & Manhua *
Mo Dao Zu Shi - Making Peace with Uncle – Chapter 2: Morning in Gusu
Wei Ying stirred languidly under the covers of the bed he shared with Lan Zhan as he slowly woke up. Scratching his head, he yawned and stretched before fisting his back to massage the stiffness of the previous night's trysting out. On his shoulders and arms small dashed circles of dark pink were interspersed with faint rose blooms across his skin. He wasn't sure why, but Lan Zhan seemed incapable of not using his teeth during their lovemaking. Almost seeming to prefer it to the the softer bloom from firm kisses left on the skin. Not that Wuxian minded, but it sometimes seemed as if Lan Zhan was determined to leave a mark for all to see. It didn't bother Wuxian much, but he couldn't help worry what the old man across the way might think if Lan Zhan carelessly left such sights to be seen...
Lan Wanji's Jianshi was about 3 timber walkways away and there were about 4 ornamental gardens and ponds between them. Usually, in the soft cool misted air that was found in the Gusu mountain forest range – one would expect sound to be muffled and hard to hear. For some reason, perhaps because of all the song energy played thoughout the centuries in Cloud Recesses; rather than muffling sound like other misty foggy forests, the air here within the Sect Home seemed to absorb and store all sound. Keeping it clear and fresh as if newly made. This tended to mean if the wind blew in the direction of the strict Disciple's Jianshi, as it had the night before then the it was more than likely that the soft sounds of their arousal had likely been carried over. If he wasn't so certain that the old man would scold and lecture him, as he had been wont to do in his younger years, Wei Wuxian would have at least apologised for disturbing the elder's sleep. Instead he had to listen to the old man's displeasure via the acerbic comments he passed to his nephew, the HanGuang-Jun.
In the distance, Wuxian could hear the steady firm footfalls that indicated Lan Wanji's return from the usual morning meeting. With the time they spent together, Wuxian found himself waking closer and closer to Lan Zhan's strict ingrained sleeping pattern. Wei Ying scratched his head again and yawned, thankful that the distasteful Lan Sect internal clock hadn't completely erased his own comfortable rhythm yet. It was probably about 7 or 8 in the morning? Perhaps earlier? He figured Lan Zhan's ministrations tended to leave him pleasantly exhausted and senseless maybe about the eleventh hour of the night? Unless Lan Zhan was certain he had no tasks to tend to the next day, or WeiYing offered him alcohol for another night of teasing (which often led to Wuxian finding himself on the losing end of his intended plans). Looking around, he saw the scattered clothes and leftover dishes from the previous night. Busying himself, he neatened the bed then dressed himself quickly in the clean robes Lan Zhan must have left aside from him. He spared a smile as he found himself donning the garb usually reserved for guests visiting Cloud Recesses. It brought back memories of his student days, meaning he tended to feel a bit selfconcious – though he doubted Lan Zhan disliked seeing him in such an outfit... he'd certainly stripped it off him eagerly enough the night before. (Wuxian only had about three suits of his favourite dark colours. Actually, only now two – a night of drinking 6 months ago at an inn during their travels had resulted in Lan Zhan literally tearing the black & red hanfu to shreds... -I should probably pilfer some more of Wanji's money and get myself another outfit- WeiYing mused.) WeiYing suspected that Lan Zhan perhaps enjoyed the reminder of their younger days – especially now, when there were (mostly) no more misunderstandings between the two. The bed probably was't as neat as Lan Zhan's precise military style folding that was a result of the Gusu Lan Sect's rigid discipline training, but it was neat and presentable at least. WeiYing hurried to stack the previous meals dishes and clean whatever else was on the floor. He'd enjoyed the amusement of the 'rich young lord cleaning up after a servant' for about the first year and half, but had started to feel a bit guilty as time had gone by. Lan Zhan's strict principles meant that he always cleaned up before leaving to tend to whatever duties or missions he was required to attend to – but it meant that he might have had to hurry and expend more energy sword flying than was necessary to maintain his punctual reputation. He never complained with his usual stoic countenance – but WeiYing had started to help with cleaning duties that he'd never assisted with before. He'd gotten better at reading Lan Zhan's stoic features not his face, but his eyes. The light coloured eyes seemed to glow or darken depending on the emotions Lan Zhan seemed to repress on a daily basis. Lan Zhan had never protested or complained about Wuxian's slovenly laxness, but Wuxian had detected an air of exhaustion in the disciple's usually smiling eyes. When he'd been the Yiling Patriach, the Wen Remnants were aware to not touch his diagrams and notes that he'd left wantonly scattered about the blood pool and the cave he did his research in at the Buriel Mounds that had once been his home – he'd had no one to worry about impressing or showing a neat distinguished face to, so he hadn't worried about it then. Who'd come to visit the Yiling Patriach, Sourge of the Cultivation world anyway? But Wei Wuxian was no stranger to cleaning and other such duties; He'd always cleaned up after Jiang Cheng, his adopted brother during their youth in the YunmengJiang Sect. He was also one of the best when it came to cleaning kitchens and the like – often keeping the Lotus Pier kitchens spotlessly clean, less his dearest Shijie, Yanli get her lovely hands dirty. Wuxian paused for a moment as the pain of the memory of the moments that could never be, crossed his mind as such activities were wont to stir. It passed quickly though and he hurried with the aim of showing Lan Zhan a neat clean room before his return. The HunGuang-Jun was far too important a personage after all, to turn up late and drained as he went about to save the day, one mundane righteous deed at a time.
Lan Zhan slowed his steps, coming to a stop silently as he watched his lover though a small space in the door opening. His eyes lingered on the discoloured marks that adorned his lover's body, before WeiYing shrugged into the thin white robe of the visiting guest disciple. His memory traced the path he'd marked with his hands and mouth across the lithe young man's back in the previous night. His eyes seemed to glow with his deep endless hunger as he watched WeiYing bounce around like an energetic bunny; fixing the bed, clearing and stacking the papers from the floor that had been scattered when they'd chased each other around the room, collecting and stacking the dinner dishes – desperately trying to present a tidy display before Lan Zhan's entrance. He'd heard that partners of long standing would often become a sum of the two, taking on the traits of the other. The Hunguang-jun definitely liked the idea that in time, WeiYing would be eventually infused completely in Lan Zhan's Essence in his entirety.
A part of Lan Wanji still feared that one day he might return, only to find an empty room bare of WeiYing's presence. He couldn't forget that the Patriach, scared of discovery had initially sought to run during the first days of his return. Just as Lan Zhan could never forget all the days watching the young man forever walk away from him whenever he offered his hand in aid, 13 years before. Back then, neither of them had understood the complicated feelings they had towards one another in their tulmultous younger days. Now at least their hearts understood each other – but Lan Zhan would never truly forget that fear. If a Qiankun Pouch had allowed one to store living creatures, he might very well have found a way to shrink the young man down and carry him with him always. Wei Ying was getting better at reading him now though; a part of him feared that such a desire sealed within his heart, if revealed might scare off the resurrected man. He loved the careless teasing smile that often graced his lover's face. Similar to the one that had always faced him in their student days, back when he found such attention vexing. Lan Zhan much preferred this face compared to the mocking haughty visage borne by the Yiling Patriach in days long past. Back then, Lan Zhan had always felt as if that mocking smile had been twisted by some unknown tortured pain. He'd thought it was a side effect of the Ghost path Wei Wuxian was walking back then. He was thankful that most of that pain seemed to be faded now, allowing WeiYing's carefree teasing smile to grace his life once again. As Wei Ying collected the last plate, Lan Zhan used a small amount of spirit energy, directed by his elegant fingers hidden in his long sleeves to silently open the doors to the jianshi undetected.
"Aii!" Wei Ying found himself enveloped in strong white robed arms, gripping him firmly, trapping his arms against his chest, the last bowl still in his hands. Lan Wanji's head nestled in the curve of Wei Yings neck, lightly brushing his lips across the red rimmed bite mark he's left on his lover's collarbone that the loose lapel of the robe did not quite cover, "What the... Lan Zhan where did you come from!" For some reason, Lan Zhan seemed to be able to always catch him off guard nowadays. Lan Zhan breathed Wei Ying in deeply, his soft pale eyes locking with Wei Ying's before his tongue lightly caressed the bite, followed with another soft kiss. Wei Ying twitched, smothering a laugh as the sensation tickled, squirming to get out of Wanji's embrace, "Bad Lan Zhan... what are you a dog? Let me go, Let go! I need to clean," he laughed, tapping at Lan Zhan's shoulder with the one arm he'd managed to shrug out from Wanji's vise like grip, "aren't I a good Serving Boy now? The Honourable HanGuang-Jun has the Yiling Patriach cleaning his house – How terrifying his prowess with the sword must be?!" Wei Ying raised his eyebrows in good humour with a teasing tone, unaware of how his words could be taken. Lan Zhan set the last dish on its tray with the other diningware to be taken to be cleaned and turned Wei Ying to faced him, ears slightly pink at the tips. Soft lips caressed one another as soft morning bird calls drifted through the window. Wei Ying broke off first, " I still don't get how you managed to sneak up so fast on me – I was certain you were still a good two ponds away. I was sure I was going to finished before you arrived for a change!" Lan Zhan rested his head on Wei Ying's shoulder again, his firm elegant hands loosening their emprisoning grip to glide down carressing Wuxian's back before firmly cupping his lover's derrière.
"Oi! You behave you!" Wuxian slapped the imoveable back of the man. "You know if this was my old body, you wouldn't be able to catch me off guard so much, right?!" It irked him that the willow thin body of the taller man in front of him could pin him down as easily as a he would an errant thief. With his former body he would have been able to match the HanGuang-Jun, blow for blow in battle as they had done before. Wanji had probably still been the stronger in power but for speed, agility & flexibility Wuxian had been his match. Mo Xuanyu's body, his new container, aside from it's low spirit cultivation, lacked in physical stamina and endurance as well. Wei Wuxian still found the difference difficult to get used to, even three years on. Still inspite of that, he felt at peace and stable within Lan Zhan's strong arms. He'd never expected to be a cut-sleeve (even back in Yunmeng the idea had been positively alien – indeed, he'd not had a inkling such a state existed in his youth until his early twenties, after he'd separated from the Jiang Sect Clan and roamed Yiling as the Yiling Patriach eavesdropping conversations as he stopped at various inns), certainly he'd never expected to turn cut-sleeve for Lan Wanji of all the straight faced reserved rigid rule keepers that had ever existed. But he doubted he could live without the man now.
Frankly... such a state scared him more that he was willing to admit. Sometimes he wanted to run away when he was out roaming Gusu (when he escaped to get out and away from all the stern eyed stifling elders in the Sect), before he somehow hurt the HanGuang-Jun with his presence, just by exisiting by his side... He sometimes thought he should leave quickly before the elders blamed him for some deficiency of the Twin Jade, but just as soon as the thought graced his mind, it was almost immediately followed with an almost aching need to see the stiff expressionless face of the HanGuang-Jun – firm and unshaken as it always been. If Wuxian had been willing to place it into words... it was already too late – he needed the imoveable rock that was Lan Zhan in his life, less he drown in the isolation and emptiness that the man filled within his soul. When the HanGuang-Jun was away for what ever mission the Gusu Lan Sect and his brother needed of him, Wuxian would miss him horribly (though he laughed it off and drank his worries away on the money Lan Zhan left for him).
"So what does the day hold for Lan er-gege?" he murmered into the man's firm chest, the sandlewood incense of the library that always seemed to waft from the HanGuang-Jun tickling his nose. Lan Zhan released one hand from his rear to slide it up and grip his neck gently, pressing the smaller man deeper into his embrace.
"I am to assist with the Teaching Elders in the 3 day training mission with the senior students ." Wei Ying twitched and chuckled as Wanji's warm breathe warmed his ear, a warmth nestling in his chest as seemed to happen whenever Lan Zhan's even voice carried the affection that didn't show on his face. "Guess I'll be sitting this one out then." He had joined in on two training exercises with the Sect students to date – one intentional, since he'd been following Lan Zhan that day; the other unintentionally, as he'd come across the juniors and their teacher during his wanderings around the Gusu mountain around Cloud Recesses. In this instance, with Lan Zhan stating the 'Teaching Elders' in that tone of voice, it most likely referred to the group of stiff necked elders that particularly disapproved of Wuxian's presence in Cloud Recesses. Wei Wuxian suspected that they were all croneys of Lan Qiren... and possibly the elders represented by the 31 scars that marred Lan Zhan's smooth back. They Clearly had Every Reason to Resent the Yiling Patriach – so his presence would not have been welcome in the slightest. Lan Zhan's head drooped as he rested it lightly on Wuxian's shoulder, rubbing slightly like a cat seeking attention. "I'll be fine." Wuxian said, "I've been good and behaved whenever I visit haven't I? I just need to drop off the dishes at the kitchens and go bath, but I'll stay in the Jianshi and do my best to stay out of trouble like I have been. I'll only sneak out when the Hour of Study occurs and those old fuddy duddys are all to busy to pay attention to me when I need to head out for some air. I'm doing my best not to offend anyone while i'm here." Lan Zhan only tighened the arms hugging Wuxian. "I definitely don't want my ears to bleed like they did back then the last time your uncle scolded me when I brought that alcohol in back then. Do you remember – even you took the punishment back then... I still don't get why you'd want to be punished as well. We were kids then, but i'm sure the old man will still yell at me if i'm out of line now."
Wei Wuxian wasn't sure how long it took to prise the suddenly clingy Lan Zhan off, but they were able to eventually make their way out of the jianshi. Wuxian had learnt along time ago that if he bandied the teasing pet name 'Lan er gege' too much, it seemed to flip Lan Zhan's irresponsible switch so he was careful not to use it too much in the morning; lest he find himself suddenly disrobed and pressed down in a rather exhilarating manner. Normally he didn't mind, but he didn't want the Honourable HanGuang-Jun to get in trouble with what would likely be the stiffest & most closed-minded of the Lan Sect Elders. Lan Zhan wouldn't protest and would just take his punishment, which irked Wuxian something horrible – he just couldn't fathom taking on some excessive punishment for something relatively small and insignificant... but apparently in Gusu, everything insignificant that Wei Wuxian commited was the Greatest of Atrocities!
A short detour was made to deliver the stacked dishes of the previous night at the kitchens, to the cheerful ladies and attendants – a mix of paid employees, volunteers and some sour faced disciples.
When Wei Wuxian had first come to Gusu as a teen for lessons, he'd thought half the reason the Sect was annoyed with him so much was because there were no servants and the chores were divied up between the multitude of disciples within the Sect. Since his visitations, he'd come to learn that like the home he'd once had at Lotus Pier, there were indeed some servants hired to assist the disciples in training. Cloud Recesses paid well compared to some of the other sects and treated their employees well instead of the usual indifferent attitude towards a servant. In fact most of the servants as it were, were actually apprentices of sorts. Cloud Recesses was afterall, a reknown Institute of Education – Wuxian just hadn't realised that the Gusu Lan Sect also supplied lessons in skills other than Cultivation, until his repeated visits as Lan Zhan's shadow. The dishes section of the kitchen for cleaning was a bit away from the cooking section, but the nice old madame there, still passed him and Lan Zhan a basket of steamed buns. Wuxian has given his thanks with a smile, flirting and charming as was wont his usual manner; some of the more friendlier serving girls giggled and tittered away as the handome Lan Zhan glowered at them. Unlike some of the other females that served at Cloud Recesses, the HanGuang-Jun didn't have as much as a problem with these ones (maybe because they always complimented how he and Wuxian made a lovely couple in their eyes?). So they giggled as his hansome jealous glare shone from Lan Wanji's stiff face, though Wuxian was oblivious as usual. The old madame shook her head with a smile as the easy-on-the-eyes pair headed off towards the bathing rooms, before shooing off the the giggling ladies back to their duties with a sternness that could rival Lan Qiren's.
"HanGuang-Jun!"a disciple called out to Lan Wanji as they entered the bathing rooms. As Lan Wanji turned to the enquiry, Wuxian continued within without a backward glance – eager to wash the night's ministrations off. The disciple bowed & saluted the HanGuang-Jun; another disciple watching from the side, "Forgive me HanGuang-Jun, but we just replaced the baths, so maybe it would be better not to join Master Wei?"
There was an awkward pause as the HanGuang-Jun stood expressionless as usual, "...Mn." Lan Wanji gave a small nod, returned the bow and salute and turned back to follow the Yiling Patriach.
"... Do you think they... you know?" the disciple that had been at the side, whispered to his colleague.
"Hush, it's not our place to ponder that" the first disciple whispered back,"... I just hope we don't have to replace another tub – the cooper gave me a funny look last time I had to place the last replacement order."
"I never thought the HanGuang-Jun would be a cut-sleeve though? And with the Yiling Patriach no less?!"
"Oh hush, what does it matter who he chooses"
"but it's the Yiling Patriach!"
"So what?... he hasn't really done anything like the Yiling Patriach that much while he's here so what does it matter?"
"What if he's just waiting?"
"Then i'm sure the HanGuang-Jun will sort it out" the first disciple was starting to get a bit irritated as the the other disciple's fussing.
"What if the Yiling Patriach's tired him out too much though?" the first disciple rolled his eyes and shook his head before returning to his duties.
"Aren't you even worried?" the other disciple pestered.
The first disciple sighed, "For one – we aren't supposed to judge people like that. Don't you remember the rules? And for another, I can't really veiw the Yiling Patriach unfavourably – I owe him my thanks."
"Wha? Why? I can't think of any reason anyone would thank that man! Isn't he the devil incarnate? He even escaped the gates of hell!"
The first disciple rubbed his head, his colleague was starting to give him a headache – he was also anxious; he didn't want to be chastised by the HanGuang-Jun for 'speaking behind ones back'. He was a older disciple, only a few years older than the HanGuang-Jun. He turned to the noisy disciple from the year under him, "My daughter got lost trying to visit the rabbits in the back meadow, the Yilling Patriach managed to catch her before she tumbled into one of the pits at the Fleetfoot training area."
The other disciple was silent for a change – the pits at the Fleetfoot training area had pits 6-8ft deep to serve as training hazards that the Sect students were to avoid. A 5 yr child would have likely suffered a fatal broken neck.
"So I can't really view him poorly. His ways are not ours. He apparently hauled her out by the foot and talked about how he'd caught a skinny pheasant for the pot." the young father shrugged, "He still took her to visit the rabbits and take her home after. He even fixed up the slats in the roof that I meant to sort out my next visit home too." He had an air of wishing to return to his duties and so the conversation was over.
As bathing attendants, they were on hand to restock the bathing supplies, dole out fresh robes and towels if visitors hadn't brought their own and stoke the fires that heated the water used to fill the tubs. The Bathing Area was a large airy building with an area to the left separated with cubicle screens for privacy and a narrow trench at about hip height continually filled with pleasantly warmed water from the main vats heated behind the building. It allowed for quick washing by the simple expedient of the user using a dipper to sluish their body to wet and rinse their body clean. Soaps and unguents were on smalls shelves attached to the cubical partitions for easy access. There were usually four bathing attendants divided into the morning and afternoon shift. Usually disciples but there was also servants and other trainees learning such duties. The attendants rotated by the hour on the inside work (handing out or restocking towels and the such) or the outside duties of fetching wood for the fire that heated the water supply vat, tending the fire and in some cases fetching the water to supply the vat.
The area Lan Wanji entered on the right, led to some roomier partitions – there were no lockable doors, but the partitions were built to allow a slight entranceway for privacy before entering the larger area created to hold the wooden tubs used as a bath. If the area to the left was for those seeking a quick wash, the bathtubs on the right were for those seeking a good long soak for sore muscles and the such (though Lan Zhan & Wei Wuxian had found another use for the tubs instead). Shelves and ledges were available for towels, clothes baskets and the like. He had a small proud smile (but you had to know what you were looking for) after the words of the attendants had indeed caught his ears. It was said that Lan Wanji had the sharpest hearing in Cloud Recesses. After a pause he was able get a fix on the cubicle Wuxian had chosen. WeiYing was already submerged in the bath, enjoying the caress of the warm water as it cleaned off the dried sweat from last night. "Whoa! ...Dammit! Lan er gege, stop sneaking up on me!" Lan Zhan's hand lightly glided down Wuxian's face before pulling him into a soft kiss. "You can't come in,"Wuxian said archly, "didn't you hear? They only just replaced the baths... and that's your fault not mine!" he grinned cheekily. Lan Zhan huffed and shook his head, turning to inspect the various bottles available for use. He selected a small green bottle turning to Wuxian as he uncorked it. Wuxian wrinkled his nose at the bitter herbal scent. "Really? Don't people usually want to smell nice when they leave these things?"
"It will not linger"
"Are you sure? Why even use it? Or do you like it when I stink like old shoes?"
Lan Zhan shook his head, the small smile still gracing the corner of his lips as he poured a measured amount into the bath, " It will sooth the skin". Wuxian had a twisted mouth as he watched the clear warm water turn murky. Aside from the medical scent it left quite a nice tingle on the skin, so he shrugged and finished lathering. As the soap rinsed off, he could see Lan Zhan's angry red bites and multiple hickies fade from his skin – he hadn't realised how many Lan Zhan had left on his body last night till he'd focused on bathing. "Hey it really works... not bad for wilted hay!" Lan Zhan shook his head again, allowing the small smile to bloom to a proprietry smirk as his eye's lingered on the soft skin of his lover. "Ahhaha!" Wuxian laughed, " you'll get in trouble – you guys aren't allowed to smile like that right?! What are you gonna do if the elders find o-glubub bub" Lan Zhan patted his head tenderly, then shoved the hapless Wuxian underwater, making sure he was completely submerged before letting go. Wuxian came up coughing and spluttering as he wiped the water from his face and eyes, "cough – wha – cough – what was that for?" Straight faced Lan Zhan simply replied, "it is more effective when applied everywhere"
Wuxian made a face before splashing him lightly. Lan Zhan pulled his sleeves back as he grabbed a lotion to wash Wuxian's hair. "I can wash myself you know, you don't have to do that." Lan Zhan pulled him back so that his back rested at the edge as he calmly lathered and rinsed the Yiling Patriach's dark locks. WeiYing couldn't help but relax, the elegant fingers belied their strong grip and it was very soothing being pampered like this. Until Lan Zhan had come into his life – he'd never had anything like this done for him. Not since he was a small boy learning to bath and even then he'd been at an age where he'd already known how to give himself a basic clean. He was actually drowsing before he woke with a yelp, "Wha... Hey Lan er gege!" he looked into the HanGuang-Jun's steady eyes as he gripped Lan Zhan's arms to stop them travelling further down his body, "We'll get in trouble if you break another bathtub! ... Besides I cleaned down there already!" Lan Zhan seemed to droop – what are you a dog again? - Wuxian was almost convinced he saw drooping dog ears on Lan Zhan; he certainly had a (for him) hang dog air about him. Wuxian turned to sensuously kiss the cool jade beauty in front of him, wrapping damp arms about the firm shoulders. Lan Zhan matched him, his warm tongue stroking within and soon taking control of the kiss to leave Wuxian breathless and starry eyed. "...bad boy..." Wuxian puffed, only held up by the arms he had wrapped around Lan Zhan's shoulders. Lan Zhan cool eyes hovered matching his own, their warmth washing over him and settling in his chest. As Wuxian regained his legs and made as if to exit the tub, Lan Zhan held out a towel full intent on drying Wuxian too. "No you don't!" Wuxian huffed, snatching the towel to dry himself, "I'm not a child! And don't you have a reputation to upload? Do this stuff when we're alone at the inns! No one asks questions at the inns!" He was always a little flustered at these everyday actions of Lan Zhan. They were nice (very nice) but a little much... and Wuxian wasn't really sure if he deserved them. Lan Zhan still came with another towel but Wuxian, mostly dry now, ducked out before he was trapped in those arms again. "Seriously? Do you really want to dry me that much?"
Lan Zhan nodded, the towel still held out as if pleading...
"Let me change first, then you can dry my hair" WeiYing sighed, though a smile graced his lips in the end, shaking his head. Putting action to words as he reached for the dry set of clothes he'd brought with him, his usual comfortable black and red. The was a small bench by the ledge that served as a seat which he used to lean back into Lan Zhan's towel. As the firm hands touseled his hair dry, Lan Zhan leant forward, tipping WeiYing's head back to kiss him once again.
There was a small plug at the base of the tub that WeiYing had knocked out before getting out – it always fascinated him to watch the dirty bath water drain away into a channel in the floor that took it out to the settling pond outside. There were 8 bathing rooms set aside for the use of bathtubs and each tub drained out to it's own settling pond. Wuxian guessed that the ponds held about a day's worth of bathing water? There were a lot of disciples in the sect after all; maybe 40 baths worth, each pond? There the disciples would then treat it with strange powders before taking it to water the herb gardens for medicine and the kitching gardens; emptying them twice per day – just after morning and again before the dinner hour. Maybe it was the acetic lifestyle of the Gusu Lan Sect ancestor that had led to such frugality in the current efficient Lan Sect. Hauling water was one of the few chores around the sect that he didn't get in trouble for helping with. Even if he goofed and splashed a bit in the summer heat – the servants, apprentices (?) and other disciples would laugh or shake their head. He might still get scolded, but not as violently as the older fuddy duddies did – maybe because most of the disciples on water hauling duties were the younger stonger disciples, who didn't know of his student crimes or viewed the Yiling Patriach as an old faded monster of no futher consequence in their era of peace. He'd learnt a lot just by observing, ghosting around, lingering on rooftops and sometimes even cautiously asking a few questions. It was a pity he'd not known any of these agricultural tips before – it would have been a big help for him and the Wen's when they were ekeing out a home in the arid sparse scrublands of the Buriel Mounds.