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 Twenty Nine
The response from Yunmeng is swift, with Jiang Cheng showing up personally with multiple disciples within days. During that time, Wei Qing didn't go to Yiling, and the magistrate sent a messenger to the Burial Mounds to inquire her whereabouts; he came away with details of the Jin-sent attack, and apologies that they may not be able to return to Yiling for some time.
Already ailing villagers have come to the base of the Burial Mounds, at least those desperate enough, and she treats them once they're brought to the settlement by Wei Ying and Lan Wangji, sometimes with Wei Ning's assistance.
All of them seem stunned by what they see at the settlement: peaceful people simply farming, the laughter of children playing, and none of the rumors of the Yiling Laozu evident. The lotuses have sprouted, though it will take time for them to bloom, but so far the commoners are witnessing the truth of the yuefu. In truth, having patients come to them will enable positive rumors to spread, something Lan Wangji is certain will help.
Children have continued to arrive as well, including two before Jiang Wanyin's arrival.
He first informs them he sent a letter to the Nie about Jin Guangshan's move, then lets Wei Ying know he'll take all the children who want to go and any adults they can evacuate as well.
"I'd like to get you out of here, since they're after you specifically," he says to Wei Qing, adding, "and our brothers, of course."
"I can't leave until I figure out how to destroy the seal," Wei Ying says regretfully.
"And this idiot needs me to treat him," Wei Qing demurs.
Only the day before, they discovered that Wei Ying had resentful energy in his bones, concentrated around prior breaks—of which there were many because of his fall into the Burial Mounds. Wei Qing made him submit to an examination, and she cataloged the breaks and congratulated him on effectively binding them with resentful energy while they healed.
"None of them healed poorly enough to require rebreaking," she told Wei Ying, who seemed relieved at the news. "Even your broken fingers, which is a bit surprising."
Lan Wangji's heart aches for the pain his zhiji has suffered.
They will just need to figure out how to dispel the resentment, as Wei Qing believes it could be causing some pain. She shared with Lan Wangji that she hopes rebreaking won't be necessary to clear the remnants of resentment, and he hopes Wei Ying can be denied that additional pain as well.
They don't tell Jiang Wanyin this information, as Wei Ying deserves some privacy, but Wei Qing gives him a list of additional ingredients she needs.
"Wei Wuxian, you have a target on your back!" Jiang Wanyin spits, Zidian sparking at his emotions as they walk up the mountain toward the settlement.
What Lan Wangji once would see as anger he can now tell is worry and a desire to protect Wei Ying, one he can appreciate in its intent. If not the method.
"What I have is a yuefu sending kids and sometimes battered wives here," Wei Ying retorts. "That target has been on my back a while now, A-Cheng. I'm used to it."
Jiang Wanyin deflates, recognizing the truth in his words—Wei Ying has had a target on him since before the war, and has simply changed from one odious marksman to another, trading Wen Chao for Jin Guangshan.
"I figured you'd end up staying, so I brought more supplies," Jiang Wanyin mutters, handing Wei Ying a qiankun pouch filled with kid-sized disciple uniforms. "I'm leaving more disciples to help you, too."
"Jiang-shushu!" A-Yuan shrieks as he catches sight of him, dragging A-Zhi behind him. "A-Zhi, this is Jiang-shushu. We have a lot of uncles. A-Zhi is my new brother, Jiang-shushu!"
A-Zhi grabs the leg A-Yuan hasn't and looks up at him intently. At Jiang Wanyin's questioning look, Wei Ying shrugs.
"A-Zhi asked if we would be his baba and die, too, and so he is your new nephew. He is the first one who came to the Burial Mounds," Lan Wangji supplies.
"He's the bravest," Wei Ying says, patting the boy's head. "None of the other kids asked, at least not yet. Some of them found family already here."
"Then we'll move family together," Jiang Wanyin says after taking a moment to consider that information, picking his nephews up in the silence, to their delight. "Yes, I'm Jiang-shushu. Did anyone wish to take the Jiang name?"
Wei Ying bites his lip, and Lan Wangji shakes his head to respond for him.
"We asked which they wished to become and they wanted to take Wei like the rest here," he explains.
Jiang Wanyin nods, apparently unbothered, and carries the children away, telling them of the toys he brought for them. He seems to have assumed A-Zhi will stay with them in the Burial Mounds, something not discussed but likely.
"Huh. I worried he'd be offended," Wei Ying says, watching his brother approach Wei Qing. "I'm glad he's not."
They were raised, Lan Wangji knows, to be unhealthily competitive, something that has marred their relationship. He hopes this is a good sign.
Wei Ying passes out the disciple uniforms to the various children, calling them to queue up for them. Once he has them sorted out, he encourages them to "go meet Jiang-shushu," giggling to himself.
"He won't admit it, but he'll love the kids mobbing him," he tells Lan Wangji, smiling brightly.
Min Cenxi makes her way over, shaking her head at his antics.
"Da-shixiong, you're incorrigible," she says.
They watch as Jiang Wanyin passes out candy to the kids, prepared in a way that Lan Wangji wouldn't have expected of him. Wei Ying seems unsurprised, and he subtly tugs on Lan Wangji's sleeve and points surreptitiously at Wei Qing, who is watching Jiang Wanyin with a blush across her cheeks.
He imagines if he saw such a scene with Wei Ying in the midst of children, giving out candy, and he feels his ears heat as his body reacts to the image, and he understands Wei Qing.
The children, who now have new clothing and candy, eventually disperse to dress, and Wei Yating, the runaway wife, approaches Wei Ying, having changed into a dress in Yunmeng Jiang colors, the fabric high-quality. She seems overwhelmed, fingering the sleeve of her dress in a stunned way.
"Gongzi, we're really going to Yunmeng? We'll be safe from my husband there?"
Min Cenxi fields her, reassuring her that she and her children will be protected at Lotus Pier, that she needn't worry, and the young woman returns to her children satisfied with the answer.
"The yuefu has truly worked," she tells him, her voice elated. "So many children will bring life to Lotus Pier. Did you plant them here, or will you make them lotus babies?"
Wei Ying laughs brightly, and shakes his head.
"No, not yet—I think I'll make A-Zhi a radish baby like A-Yuan, but the others will be happy lotus babies."
"Could make them lotus babies here, as well," Lan Wangji says, looking toward the lotus pond.
"Not with this batch, in their new clothes. A-Cheng would kill me."
"I can handle them, Da-shixiong," Min Cenxi says, giggling. "You can get the next ones. I already planted A-Mei while she was learning how to swim."
"I bet she was thrilled," Wei Ying says with a snort. "She seemed to have an aversion to dirt. When we dug the lotus pond she watched us like we were crazy."
"If looks could kill!"
She tells them about A-Mei's adaptation to Lotus Pier, which is going 'swimmingly' (pun intended), and shares how having an adult close to her while she experiences the new environment has been a benefit.
"She's a bit young for the disciple dormitory yet, so she's housed with Qiuyue-ayi. She asked after you."
"Ah, you can tell A-Mei her Xian-gege is just fine," Wei Ying says, his smile wide. "She needs to focus on settling in well."
Min Cenxi grins back.
"I think we're spending the night and leaving in the morning, excepting those disciples who'll be stationed here," she tells them. "Zongzhu didn't know there'd be so many kids—I think you impressed him."
"Every time I impress him it gives him more work, so I'm not sure he's happy about it," Wei Ying says with a laugh.
"You're giving me a new generation of disciples, so I'm fine with it," Jiang Wanyin breaks in, waddling up to them with A-Yuan and A-Zhi clinging to his legs and giggling. "Though it'll be a challenge to get them all this trip. We certainly don't want to drop any in flight."
"If you have to return for the others, you know you're welcome," Wei Qing says. "Or rent carriages from Yiling."
"Too obvious," Jiang Wanyin says. "That much movement from Yiling to Yunmeng won't go unnoticed."
Wei Qing scoffs.
"We have allies now, and Jin Guangshan has put a price on our heads. Obvious doesn't matter anymore. Getting everyone to safety efficiently does. Wei Wuxian needs to focus on finding a way to destroy the seal so we can retreat to Lotus Pier," she argues.
"It's not like the Burial Mounds can't be defended—there's undead aplenty here," Wei Ying says. "I just… With the kids in the mix, it's a bit dicey. I can't just raise corpse guards and scare them off."
Jiang Wanyin looks at him like he's grown a second head.
"No corpse guards, Wei Wuxian! We're trying to repair your image, not make it worse."
"Wei Ying is aware," Lan Wangji interjects, holding his arms out for A-Yuan and A-Zhi, who immediately abandon Jiang Wanyin's legs in favor of their baba.
Lan Wangji isn't smug, and does not feel anything at the sect leader's obvious disappointment. The boys clamor about their toys and candy, and he pats both of them on their heads.
"We must still think of other ways to defend the Burial Mounds from attack, now that rogue cultivators may do so."
For now, they are handling it by not leaving the Burial Mounds, something possible now that they have ample supplies, but Lan Wangji knows Wei Ying worries about the wards and the possible need for defense against intruders.
"That's why I'm leaving more disciples here," Jiang Wanyin says, his voice brusque. "To defend the settlement."
"I know, A-Cheng," Wei Ying says, clearly trying to calm his brother. "I appreciate it."
Jiang Wanyin reddens a bit, looking startled, as though he didn't expect to be thanked.
"Yes, well… I'm not about to let Jin Guangshan's bullshit hurt my brother."
Wei Ning announces the midday meal is ready and the distraction of cheering kids heading for the main hall in barely-contained fast walks—Lan Wangji's impact; he'd assured each child that they would eat, but stressed the importance of safety and how running could harm themselves or others—ends the conversation for the moment.
He is pleased when Jiang Wanyin sits with Wei Qing, who leads him to a table and surreptitiously waves for them to sit elsewhere, giving Wei Ying a short break from his brother's acerbic brand of caring. Min Cenxi sits with them, as do their sons and Popo, and they all take turns putting more food in Wei Ying's bowl until he's laughingly accusing them of bullying.
Just as lunch finishes, Wei Ying tells them they have visitors at the foot of the mounds, having felt them at the wards. Wei Qing decides to accompany them, as does Jiang Wanyin. Lan Wangji walks with them, Wei Ning, and Wei Ying, wondering whether ailing patients or needy children will be waiting.
Instead, the sight that greets them is that of a rogue cultivator holding a young child captive, his sword at her throat. The poor girl is sobbing, terrified, and the cultivator is hissing at her to shut up, clearly anxious himself—and he should be, going against Wei Ying, but that sort of disposition can be disastrous. An older boy is cowering nearby, pleading for the man not to harm his sister.
The girl is wailing, "Guiying, Guiying-gege!"
It is a recipe for chaos, and a child could die. A situation out of their control.
"Wei Wuxian," the cultivator says, looking directly at Wei Ying. "I remember you from the war. Nothing personal, but you'd best surrender if you want the girl to live."
Wei Ying holds his hands up in a placating way.
"Ah, you have me at a disadvantage, Gongzi," he says, taking a measured step toward the barrier afforded by the ward.
Lan Wangji can't stop himself from reaching forward and gripping the back of his robe, stopping him.
"Lan Zhan, let me go," Wei Ying whispers, and he can't uncurl his fingers.
A man who holds a child hostage won't hesitate to kill Wei Ying. He can see his husband, dead at this cultivator's hands, his blood staining the ground at his feet. Another door, shut forever.
He won't let Wei Ying sacrifice himself like this. He can't.
He doesn't have to, as several things happen at once, seeming to occur in slow motion. Wei Qing moves suddenly and needles appear in the man's neck. The rogue cultivator drops the sword, and in the next moment Jiang Wanyin pulls the child from his clutches as he falls.
"I've got you, kid," he murmurs, his voice ringing unnaturally in Lan Wangji's ears. "It's okay."
He lets her cling to him, bawling, and beckons the older boy to come closer.
"A-Fang, A-Fang," the boy says as he hurries to them. "You're safe, you're safe!"
Without waiting for instruction, Wei Ning pulls the unconscious cultivator onto his back and disappears in the direction of the settlement.
Lan Wangji pulls Wei Ying close, holding him tightly, beyond words. He feels dazed.
"I wasn't going to surrender, Lan Zhan," he murmurs. "I was trying to distract him."
"Good," Wei Qing says, her voice hoarse. "Idiot. You can depend on us to have your back. We'll handle the kids. You two go back to the settlement."
She can see how much this has shaken him, Lan Wangji knows, and he appreciates her perception. He can trust they will handle the children and the rogue cultivator, and he finds he doesn't even care if they decide to kill the man for his transgressions.
He might even prefer it.
Wei Ying first must let the children through the wards, and Lan Wangji must go with, unable to let go. When Wei Ying turns to him, whatever he sees makes him take both his hands in his and lead him toward the settlement.
"I promise, Lan Zhan. I won't put myself at risk. I swear it."
It doesn't matter; Wei Ying is at risk, too selfless for this world, too righteous. And now with a price on his head and people after him willing to harm innocents to get to him.
Lan Wangji still cannot find words when they arrive at the cave, when Wei Ying sends A-Yuan and A-Zhi to Popo, when they reach their alcove.
But there he can find action, and as soon as the blanket curtain is drawn shut, he does, crushing Wei Ying into the wall with his weight, kissing away his nonsensical words of apology.
He needs desperately to feel him, and he scrabbles at the ties of his robes to get them off him before yanking at his own, allowing Wei Ying to help him shed them, letting them fall to the ground without a care. Their hands tangle as they pull off their zhong yi.
Then he falls back onto his husband and bites at his shoulder, relishing in the way he lets out an erotic punched out 'ah!' and arches against him. He has enough patience left to prepare him, and then he loses himself to passion, to fear, to need. To the need to show Wei Ying his worth, to make him set aside his selflessness for him.
Later, they will need to talk. For now, Lan Wangji allows his body to talk for him.
Lan Wangji just had a sort of trauma response, whoops. Who can blame him, under the circumstances? It's not really Wei Wuxian's fault, and Lan Wangji knows it. He just can't help how he feels here.
I've finally been officially diagnosed with multisystem long COVID, which is key to getting treatment and potentially disability. Yay? It's an answer. I've been waiting for one since 2022.
桂英, guìyīng, means laurel/cassia/cinnamon and flower/petal/brave/hero. 芳, fāng, means fragrant/virtuous/beautiful.
baba = dad
da-shixiong = first martial brother
die/a-die = dad
gege = older brother
gongzi = young master
shushu = uncle
yuefu = a style of narrative poetry that basically borrows from Chinese folk song traditions—the Ballad of Mulan is an example
zhiji = lifelong confidant
zhong yi = trousers and shirt that act as underwear
zongzhu = sect leader