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 Thirty One
The morning is a tumult of preparation that ends with them seeing off all the children except for A-Yuan and A-Zhi, and several Wei, all seated in carriages Min Cenxi hired after breakfast.
At breakfast they finally asked A-Zhi if he wanted to go to Lotus Pier ahead of them or stay, and he immediately said he wanted to stay. During the loading of the carriages, he is extra clingy as though concerned he might be sent against his will. Lan Wangji wonders if he should address it with the boy or if the fact that they followed his wishes is enough reassurance. He decides to ask Wei Ying about it later, instead, letting the boy cling as he wishes.
Jiang Wanyin even rides in one of the carriages, A-Fang still refusing to be separated from him and her brother refusing to be separated from her. Though slower than flying, the carriage is preferable to flying with nervous children.
The days following bring two new children, but no more rogue cultivators. On the fourth day, Xiongzhang arrives with a small number of senior disciples to practice 'Inquiry'—Shufu isn't among them.
Xiongzhang looks concerned, which tells Lan Wangji he heard of at least the first attack, and they quickly discover he didn't know of the second, for his expression is soon appalled.
"Jiang Cheng took the first load of kids home," Wei Ying tells him. "They had to rent carriages to take them all."
"Which may alert the Jins," Xiongzhang says with a sigh. "With the bounty, they're crossing a line. Wuxian is no longer being simply outcast, but pursued. I've heard nothing from A-Yao, so I have no insight, but would it not be safer to rent more carriages and evacuate to Lotus Pier?"
Wei Ying shakes his head, looking regretful.
"Not with the Seal still intact, unfortunately—I need to destroy it before I can go to Lotus Pier or they will be targeted to try to get the Seal. I don't want to be the reason for an attack on Lotus Pier."
He can almost hear the "again," and knows that's something that will need to be addressed at some point, as it hurts Wei Ying.
Lan Wangji has watched his husband try to devise a way to destroy it, but each plan includes the inevitability of a dangerous backlash that could kill him, leading both Lan Wangji and Wei Qing to veto them.
"Plus we have all these kids coming here. I'd have to ask Nie-xiong to change the yuefu to send them to Lotus Pier."
"I will search the library at the Cloud Recesses to see if I can find any texts that may offer a solution to the seal," Xiongzhang kindly offers, to Wei Ying's happy surprise. "I will leave you to speak with Nie Huaisang."
Xiongzhang is thrilled to meet the newest Wei, A-Zhi, who in turn is excited to meet another uncle.
"I can have two?" the boy says in surprise, and Lan Wangji realizes he missed their discussion about uncles with A-Yuan.
Fortunately, A-Yuan is only happy to tell him about all their uncles.
"Ning-shushu, too," A-Yuan finishes, having already listed Nie Mingjue and Nie Huaisang to add to Jiang Wanyin and Xiongzhang.
A-Zhi is overcome by the amount of family he has, and requires cuddles to calm down a little.
"A-Zhi was just A-Zhi," he tells them. "But now A-Zhi has Baba and A-Die, and Bobo and, and everyone!"
"A-Zhi isn't alone anymore," Wei Ying says, patting the boy's back, wholly prepared for the tears, watching him too knowingly, and Lan Wangji knows he is thinking of his own losses at a young age, seeing himself in A-Zhi.
Xiongzhang chooses that moment to bring out the toys he brought, originally for A-Yuan, but now for both his nephews, and the distraction stops the tears.
The Lan disciples perform 'Inquiry' one at a time, while others note the location of remains, names, final wishes, and any other relevant information for the spirits of the Burial Mounds on paper, then go out into one of the uncleansed areas to play cleansing songs. The effort leaves the areas with less resentment, and after the evening meal Lan Xichen comments on the success of their mission, with multiple spirits put to rest.
"I wi-will look for the remains overnight," Wei Ning says, "so we may put more to—to rest."
There are seven sets of remains to find and perform proper ceremonies for, and Wei Ying comments that sometimes even the spirits around the ceremonies are freed, not simply the spirit of the one body.
"Honestly, this will put a bigger dent in the spirits than you know. Sometimes something that small can appease them, especially the weaker ones who no longer remember why they resent."
Lan Xichen is intrigued by this.
"I wonder if some larger ceremony might aid the process…" and then he and Wei Ying start to discuss the logistics of such a possibility.
The Lan camp on the floor of the great hall, underneath the bunting from the brotherhood ceremony, and in the morning they practice 'Inquiry' again, leaving a sheaf of papers to go through to finish the job of putting the spirits to rest.
Lan Wangji sees his brother off with Wei Ying and Wei Qing, and they find two children waiting for them at the base of the mountain as well.
"Mingjue will likely visit next," Xiongzhang tells them before he mounts his sword and disappears into the distance with the rest of the Lan disciples.
The two boys know their surnames, neither of which is Wen, and Wei Ying lets them know they can be adopted as Wei or Jiang if they wish, but it's not a requirement. The children are approached by an auntie with new clothing and the promise of a nice lunch after they change, and they happily follow her.
"I'm glad you're untangling my notes," Wei Ying comments again as they head to the cave so he can work. "It's made it easier to focus on each idea individually. I can tell which ones are for the Seal."
It is close to a thank you, and Lan Wangji acknowledges it with "Mn."
A-Yuan and A-Zhi attach themselves to their legs briefly just outside the cave, but run off to meet the newest arrivals as soon as they hear of them, excited by the prospect of new playmates with whom to share their toys, leaving Wei Ying and Lan Wangji to their original plan of going through more of his notes.
Wei Qing meets them inside the cave.
"The Seal is a priority, but for now it can wait. We didn't do your musical acupuncture regularly while we had guests, and I suspect we're up for more. Keeping up with your health is my priority, and more pressing at the moment."
They had been distracted by Xiongzhang's visit, among other things, and had missed a session while Wei Ying paid attention to how the resentful spirits interacted with 'Inquiry,' utterly fascinated. So Wei Ying acquiesces, and Lan Wangji spends the next half-shichen playing songs of healing over Wei Qing's needles.
After, while Wei Ying is sleeping, Lan Wangji works on untangling more of his notes alone, finding one section that discusses destroying the Seal, unfinished but promising to his inexperienced eye. He is a novice when it comes to Wei Ying's chaotic creativity, and certainly cannot extend the theories further. He sets that copied segment at the top of his pile of notes for Wei Ying to organize and work with later.
Eventually A-Yuan and A-Zhi come to announce lunch is ready, and Lan Wangji wakes his husband, and the rest of the day passes without incident.
Luo Qingyang is able to go to town to pick up herbs for Wei Qing, with no sign of rogue cultivators, and two days later, the Nie arrive.
They bring with them three Wen women liberated from brothels, along with several street children from Qinghe. Wei Qing immediately takes the women to her alcove for medical attention, and an auntie handles the children.
Nie Huaisang is in a rare form of fury that seems to make Nie Mingjue smile, with hissed pettiness about Jin Guangshan ruining all his plans.
"We can't change the yuefu to send kids to Lotus Pier yet or he'll know that's where you plan to go," Nie Huaisang ranted. "At this point, with the sworn siblinghood, you could go to Gusu or Qinghe, too, so he doesn't even know you're going anywhere right now. That's how we can smuggle the Wei there."
He's not wrong, in that so many people are coming into and out of the Burial Mounds that the only noticeable movement to anyone who might be spying on them was the carriages, which Nie Huaisang understood but wasn't happy about.
"At least those kids are safely at Lotus Pier," he allows.
A-Yuan interrupts them so A-Zhi can meet his bofu and erbo. His eyes widen when he sees Nie Mingjue.
"So big," he whispers to A-Yuan in a stage whisper.
"Mn, Bofu is really big! And strong! And Erbo is pretty and likes fans."
Nie Huaisang, snit over, gifts A-Zhi a fan, which he holds like it's made of gold, and Nie Mingjue lifts both boys onto his shoulders and lets them climb on him. The boys are entertained for some time, and then A-Zhi decides he wants to show Popo his new fan, so they rush off to do so like little whirlwinds.
"A-Zhi was the first child to come to Burial Mounds," Wei Ying says when they've left. "He asked if we could be his baba and diedie."
"Some of the rest have discovered lost family here," Lan Wangji adds delicately, knowing the others will catch his meaning.
"Wen children?" Nie Huaisang murmurs thoughtfully. "At least A-Yuan wasn't really the last."
"Many of them have tragic stories," Lan Wangji says. "Their parents did not survive, as far as we know, rounded up by the Jin."
They all know it's unlikely they survived, though perhaps among those Nie Huaisang liberates there will be a mother for one of the children.
"Plus the yuefu brought a woman fleeing her abusive husband with her kids," Wei Ying comments. "So more than children are coming. If any Wen are hiding among the populace, they may come, too."
"That's the hope," Nie Mingjue says. "Your image is rehabilitated, at least somewhat. She trusted you more than her husband."
"I think she knew I'd scare her husband and keep her safe. I adopted her and her kids, and she's at Lotus Pier now. Her kids call me Wei-jiujiu."
The conversation continues on the subject of their young refugees for some time, until Nie Mingjue takes his disciples on a night hunt in one of the warded areas of the Burial Mounds, leaving them to discuss the success of the yuefu. The bright side, Nie Huaisang insists, is that the public now has a more favorable view of Wei Ying, the Auspicious Eight taking hold of the imaginations of the peasants.
"I hoped it would take longer for Jin Guangshan to act," Nie Huaisang says with a sigh. "Though I guess there's no telling whether it's related to the yuefu."
"Maybe he's just pissed that I'm now his son's sworn brother," Wei Ying comments. "Given rumors of how he treats his son's other siblings, I'm not surprised he put a price on our heads."
Nie Huaisang laughs, shaking his head.
"Honestly, I feel sorry for Jin Guangyao, but not if he's helping his father try to hurt you. Sending rogue cultivators after you is too much."
"Killing Wen civilians was too much," Lan Wangji says. "All else is beyond the pale, relying on power to intimidate."
"That's what the yuefu and Auspicious Eight are about—removing that power," Nie Huaisang murmurs, clearly irritated that it wasn't enough.
"Unfortunately, he's unpredictable when his power is threatened," Wei Ying says grimly. "In this case, turning me into a night hunt."
Wei Ning shuffles in with plates of shaobing, and Nie Huaisang removes a sheaf of papers from his sleeve, spreading them on a table.
"I want to add the injustice you're facing from Jin Guangshan, including the price he's placed on your head," Nie Huaisang says. "It makes for good tension and will hopefully shift the people against the Jin."
"You're sure you can add to it easily?" Wei Ying asks, his voice skeptical.
Nie Huaisang waves his fan dismissively.
"I'll send the new one to the tea houses where I sent the first one—it'll just be a few added lines, I think."
"Wei Ying has faced injustice through rumors and slander. I agree adding to the yuefu is necessary," Lan Wangji cuts in.
"M-me too," Wei Ning says. "We can't even go to town, except Luo-guniang, and Jiejie can't treat her patients easily."
They sit down to find a place or places to add to the yuefu, and Lan Wangji pushes one of the plates of shaobing toward Wei Ying, pointedly to remind him to eat. He's still not recovered his weight, though he's much better than he was when Lan Wangji first arrived at the Burial Mounds.
"It should come after the kids," Wei Ying says after taking a bite and making an appreciative noise at the discovery of meat. "And should probably mention that one kid was held hostage by a rogue cultivator."
"What happened to the cultivator?" Nie Huaisang asked, his tone dangerous.
"Sent to Lotus Pier for Jiang Wanyin to handle," Lan Wangji assures him, and receives a satisfied smile for the answer.
"Jiang-di will handle it appropriately, and put the fear of heaven into them. Punishment by lightning and the three poisons."
None of them have asked Jiang Wanyin his plans for handling the rogue cultivators, and Lan Wangji suspects Wei Ying doesn't want to know. He doesn't need that on his conscience; he's too good. Lan Wangji is not, though for Wei Ying's sake he tries.
They munch on shaobing and work on the additional lines for the yuefu, keeping busy while the others night hunt, much as they did on the last visit by Chifeng-Zun and Nie Huaisang. The added lines are scattered throughout the yuefu instead of all in one place, so it takes more reworking than expected.
By the time the Nie return, Nie Mingjue grinning widely, satisfied with the results of the night hunt, they've finished and it is nearly time for the evening meal. The atmosphere is festive, with the Nie mingling with the Wei, and all celebrating the success of the night hunt, which cleared out a significant number of yao, making the Burial Mounds just a little bit safer.
The newer denizens of the Burial Mounds, the women and children, seem to settle in well at dinner, able to eat as much as they desire, and with good company. The women are grateful to the Nie for their rescue, and to Wei Qing for their treatment. Wei Ying introduces himself to each of them and lets them know he will do an adoption ceremony so they can take his name. The children he lets know they have a choice—they can keep their names if they know them, or they can take the Wei or Jiang name.
"We'll hold the ceremony in the coming days," Wei Ying tells them.
The meal is hearty, added to by a gifted qiankun pouch of meat, which thrills A-Yuan, meat having been scarce not too long ago. Their guests are well-liked among the Wei, who not too long ago were afraid of Nie Mingjue, but no longer. Popo even pats his cheek and thanks him for his hard work, and Chifeng-Zun can only smile at her graciousness. The hall buzzes with conversation.
"The Burial Mounds have many yao to hunt," Nie Mingjue comments. "We will definitely return to night hunt more often."
"Eventually I hope to cleanse this place," Wei Ying says, "so you're welcome to it."
"A worthy goal, and one I hope we can help with."
Wei Ying smiles at him.
"You've already started making this place safer. Sometimes energies break through the wards, so you're doing us a huge favor."
"There are no favors among family, Didi," Nie Huaisang insists. "Our help has no price."
Wei Ying ducks his head, and Lan Wangji grasps his hand under the table, squeezing gently. He knows Wei Ying was raised to think about favors as debts, and this is a good way to start changing his way of thinking.
Nie Huaisang insists on reading the new lines to a captive audience, and receives applause from the gathered refugees and the Nie, to his obvious delight.
After dinner, one of the uncles brings out some liquor, which Wei Qing bans Wei Ying from imbibing, but Chifeng-Zun and the other Nie are happy to settle in and drink with the uncles. The aunties round the children up for bed, and A-Yuan and A-Zhi snuggle in Lan Wangji and Wei Ying's laps until Popo comes for them, ready to take them off for a bath and sleep.
Wei Ying looks exhausted after such a busy day, so Lan Wangji says their farewells, pulling him toward their cave, and they're handed several items by Wei Ning on their way out, including a sachet for his bath and a balm for Lan Wangji to use on his back.
Sex is fumbling handjobs, Wei Ying too exhausted for much more, and he nearly falls asleep in the bath afterwards. He does fall deeply asleep while Lan Wangji applies the balm, so much so that he doesn't bother to try to dress him in zhong yi shirt and robes, just joins him in his trousers only to sleep, reveling in the sense of skin against skin contact.
The next morning, after breakfast, brings another Nie night hunt in the depths of the Burial Mounds, while Nie Huaisang runs the new lines by the rest of them in the light of a new day. This doesn't take very long, and leaves them to have a snack of osmanthus cakes and tea while just passing time in idle enjoyment.
Of course, just when they've relaxed, Wei Ying and Wei Ning both stand suddenly, the wards indicating a visitor. Wei Qing leads the way down the path to the entrance, holding her needles at the ready.
Standing near the wards, a child in his arms, is a figure in white, his eyes covered by a slender band of white cloth. Lan Wangji is struck by recognition.
"Xiao Xingchen," Wei Ying whispers, his voice full of emotion that is easy to parse, uncertainty at the fore, as though preparing himself for heartbreak.
After all, Xiao Xingchen, Wei Ying's own shishu, could view him as a threat to be removed.
I changed Nie Huaisang to erbo here, as he's older than Wei Wuxian. I fixed it in earlier chapters, too.
Sorry I'm not actually writing the yuefu.
I'm working on accepting my limitations due to the long covid. It's not easy.
baba = dad
bobo = father's elder brother
bofu = father's elder brother, elder uncle
di/didi = younger brother
diedie/a-die = dad
erbo = second uncle
popo = grandma
shishu = martial uncle
shushu = father's younger brother
xiong = brother
xiongzhang = elder brother
yuefu = a style of narrative poetry that basically borrows from Chinese folk song traditions. The Ballad of Mulan is an example.
