The meaning of protecting you with my life

Brothers' talk

Lan Wangji was sitting by Wei Ying's side, continuously passing spiritual energy as he was looking at the scene playing in front of him, not understanding anything anymore. He saw all the people who were now crowded inside the tent, all four of the great sect leaders present, yet he felt like he was all alone suddenly. He wanted to object, he wanted to say something, to defend his husband, to reassure everyone that Wei Ying would surely never go against them, that he would never step up as another Wen Ruohan. But he could not do anything.

He was too shaken and too tired, his mind was not working quite as he would like it to, he was exhausted both body and soul. He was just an intruder here, someone unrelated to this matter yet at the same time, he was just being thrown right into it. He did not feel good in his own skin as the sect leaders continued to negotiate the terms of the surveillance Wei Ying would be under from now on. Lan Wangji could not even begin to imagine how his husband would feel when he would finally wake up and find himself basically under house arrest.

It was not right to cage the free spirit like that. Lan Wangji knew that Wei Ying valued freedom and they were just casually stripping him of it. And the worst was that his family did not even object to such treatment. The Second Jade wanted to just scope his husband up and run away with him to hide him in Cloud Recesses just as he had wanted from the second they had been standing face to face and he had learned that the other had picked up demonic cultivation. He wanted his husband safe and happy.

However, this was apparently not to come, at least not in the near future; and perhaps never, as long as Wei Ying would be able to use demonic cultivation, the cultivation world would fear him and respect him at the same time. When he had won the war for them, he was a hero, but if he would ever go against them, he would become public enemy.

How could the Yunmeng Jiang sect let that happen to one of them? Had Wei Ying not been the head disciple, the adopted son of Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan? How could his parents stand there and just nod their head when the terms had been stated? He really could not understand anything at all. He shook his head slightly and took a deep breath to gather himself.

He flinched when a hand touched his shoulder. He had not even noticed that the discussion had been over and that Lan Xichen was now standing next to him and looking at him with eyes filled with worry.

"Wangji, please come with me." He asked as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

Lan Wangji looked at the still form of his unconscious husband and was about to shake his head in refusal. Wei Ying needed him now, he could not just stand up and disappear.

Jiang Cheng came towards him and promised: "Go talk with your brother, I will keep Wei Wuxian safe until you return."

It only occurred to Lan Wangji then that he had actually been appointed as one of Wei Ying's so called supervisors and that he would have to stay by his husband's side now. It was not a duty to him at all, it was everything he could have wished for in reality. Lan Xichen probably only wanted to tell him his goodbyes. Lan Wangji nodded in gratitude and stood up, following his brother out of the tent.

When they came inside Lan Xichen's tent, the First Jade gestured for Lan Wangji to sit down and then he joined him. Silence reigned between them and Lan Wangji could see his brother's hands restlessly playing with the hem of his sleeves and he knew the other would have loved to start tea preparation, which however was not possible since they were still in the war camp, even though the war had already been won.

After what seemed like an eternity, Lan Xichen finally found his words: "Wangji, I know you must be angry right now. I swear I did not want it to end like this. And I have also never wanted to use you like a pawn in this inter-sect politics' game. However, it had been inevitable. Please understand... Both the Gusu Lan sect and the Yunmeng Jiang sect do not have sufficient resources to oppose Lanling Jin sect right now. And Nie Mingjue believes Jin Guangyao's version of the story and distrusts Young Master Wei because of his use of demonic cultivation...

I do not quite know what had happened in the Nightless City palace, I had been fighting outside when the puppets stopped moving. When I came inside, you were already taking Young Master Wei away and all that was left was Jin Guangyao with a bloodied sword and the Qishan Wen sect leader by his feet. He had told us that Young Master Wei had weakened and distracted Wen Ruohan and that was why he had been able to kill him. I do not doubt his words.

It is what came afterwards that worries me. Jin Guangshan had taken the first opportunity to accept Jin Guangyao as his son and started immediately warning about Young Master Wei's demonic cultivation. Nie Mingjue stood with them on this one. Wangji, please believe me when I say that I truly had tried my best. But there had been only little I could do.

I could have only prevented the Lanling Jin sect from claiming all three pieces of the Yin iron and Young Master Wei on top of that by suggesting to share the burden between all four great sects. It was only because of Nie Huisang's insistence that Wen Ning had been his man on the inside that the Dafan Wen clan had been taken in by the Qinghe Nie sect, all the other Wens would be under Lanling Jin sect's supervision. Jin Guangshan had even already proclaimed himself the next Chief cultivator and it would take more than us three other great sects to beat him by force, we have been too weakened by the war. And we do not even have any reason with which we could sway Nie Mingjue to our side...

Wangji, I know you have come to care a great deal about Young Master Wei. That is why I have suggested you be one of the people who should keep him safe from Jin Guangshan's plans. I do not believe him to honour the agreement. I am afraid that he would want to act against it sooner or later. That is why I am now sending you to Lotus Pier to try and prevent Young Master Wei being used by the Lanling Jin sect.

Somehow... I have a feeling that if worst came to pass, we could be facing another Wen Ruohan; not Young Master Wei but Jin Guangshan. I only hope I am mistaken."

Lan Xichen finished his speech, his head lowered as if he was ashamed. But Lan Wangji could not understand why his brother was not feeling proud of his exploits, it had surely been no small matter to manoeuvre Jin Guangshan and Nie Mingjue into this agreement. Now, he could understand why the Yunmeng Jiang sect leader had not opposed the terms set out for them. There was no other option to keep Wei Ying safe but to comply.

Lan Wangji's lack of a quick response was apparently making Lan Xichen nervous because he lifted his head and was observing his younger brother with worried eyes.

"Wangji, are you angry with me for putting young Master Wei and you in such an undesirable position?"

This time, Lan Wangji was faster to give his reply. He shook his head vehemently: "Brother, I understand. I will take care of Wei Ying."

Lan Xichen finally smiled, a small tired upturning of his lips, but it was still better than his previous worried frown: "Thank you, Wangji. I hope everything will go well. I hope to see you as soon as this matter is settled; until then, please remain by Young Master Wei's side."

After the explanation, Lan Wangji was more than happy to oblige with his brother's pleas. He nodded again, stood up and bowed to Lan Xichen, to his sect leader. Without further ado, he headed towards the door, impatient to be by his husband' side already.

He did not turn around anymore when Lan Xichen called after him, his voice even more worried than ever: "Be careful, Wangji."

Another nod of his head and he was already outside, hurrying toward the Yunmeng Jiang sect tent.