To Make You Mine

Some Tears, Some Anger

[sorry for the late upload, but I promise the chapters will be regular now]

With next sunrise the Lan clan witnessed their CP and Empress, now doweger empress in white mourning robes, made from coarse materials with torn hems kneeling infront of a heavy coffin holding the mortal body of their beloved emperor. The emperor's body has been washed, dressed in ceremonial robes, and placed in the coffin. The mourning period would go on fkr 7days,on the 8th day the late  emperor is to be buried in the royal family Burial ground. But to do so first they have to kill Wen Xu.

WWX knelt infront of his father's coffin, with his mother, who has gain some clarity of her grief heavy mind looking towards the coffin of her husband with a distant look in her eyes. Together they kowtowed, burnt paper money and other offerings. The clan also payed their respect and made themselves scarce to give the royal family some moments of privacy. The crown prince's face was dark with suppressed anger, the desire to avenge his father he vowed to pierce Wen Xu's head on spear and bathe in his blood.

The nation was also in mourning, but they were not able to show it,so they decided to tie a sash of white piece of rag as their wrist tie. They spat at Wen Xu's name, but the cursed person had the palace in strong hold by insinuating fear in people's mind - he had children and young maidens in captivity to make the people bowed to his command. They had no option but to wait for their crow prince's return.

Wei Wuxian the crown prince, spent next few days planning with Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue. They had intel about the number of soldiers Wen Xu has had with him, where they are located and also the border troops of empire who are currently marching towards Yiling, to meet at the west side of the capital, with the small troops of Lan and Nie. Wei Wuxian had told his friends not to risk their men, but they were resolute in their decisions. Their plan is to put their forces at west, and east side of the capital, while the north is mostly water way, so that side is already guarded by the naval froce, who have already sailed from their posting at the northern borders towards capital. They'll be able to reach their destination in three days time, so the Wei Wuxian shall leave for his mission on the day after today is the most convenient.

These planning went on for 3/4 days, they were all set by the 5th day of the mourning and only waiting for the naval group and border troops to reach the capital. They are going to leave tonight, so three friends were strolling the yard of Cloud Recesses, having a light conversation, mostly just walking in comfortable silence,when an incident happened.

In the past few days, Lan Xichen had been too busy to have a single evening of leisure . He had completely missed the round cheeked child looking through the gaps of doors, or from behind the skirts of his nurse. The beautiful child with honeyed golden eyes is the second young master of Lan clan- Lan Zhan - Lan Xichen's beloved didi,, adored by his family, and clingy to his big brother Lan Xichen. The round cheeks pf Lan Zhan became puffy and eyes shone with unshed tears. But his brother was too busy to notice him sulking around.

Being a little boy he was barred from attending the funeral of the emperor, there was no meaning to introduce an innocent child with the harshness of the world this soon. So he was unaware of the situation, and became resentful towards the crown prince Wei Wuxian and Nie Mingjue. Though his patience seems to broke at once when his brother walked pass him, deep in conversation with the crown prince who wears a dark look on his face and hard gaze pointed infront of him, and didn't notice Lan Zhan at all. The child was hoping to meet his brother first thing in the morning, but all his enthusiasm crushed at once, when his brother failed to notice him.

Silent tears runs down his round cheeks, and a quiet sob breaks from his throat,this little sound made Wei Wuxian to turn around and come in face to face a child of probably 11/12 years old, round cheeks are flushed red, tears silently running down from his beautiful almond shaped eyes which are at present red shots, and he is trembling slightly in the process of holding back sobs. The crown prince's eyes widened, his steps came to an halt making the others to stop in their steps too. Following Wei Wuxian's line of gaze they saw a kowtowing maid, who is probably the nanny of Lan Zhan, and a sobbing Lan Zhan on the side. Just from one glance Lan Xichen knew the problem, he took  tentative step towards his brother and half knelt infront of him, then said in a soothing tone, "a-Zhan, what's wrong didi? Why are you crying like this baobei?" Lan Zhan who, in his part didn't want anything other than to be with his brother practically threw himself in his brother's arms, who caught him in reflex, and continued to cry while hiding his face in the crook of his brother's neck, fist bunching the lapels of Xichen's robes, shaking in heartbreaking sobs.