To Make You Mine

The Desire I Hold - 1

(chapter warning - violence, blood, torture, death)

Days went at their own pace,, and with them the undeniable desire Wei Wuxian feels towards Lan Wangji grew at impossible pace. 

Nowadays Queen Mother Cangse has taken the task of walking through the imperial garden with Lan Wangji in tow, sometimes asking him to play the qin or just share light talks.

In those innocent moments Cangse Sanren mentions her son atleast five to six times, she starts an interesting fact about him, then suddenly stops. Let Lan Wangji stew in childish curiosity, waits for him to ask her the rest of the story with bright glee. Unbeknownst to himself falling in love with The Emperor. 

Lan Xichen writes about this to his family, to warn them to be prepare for a royal edict arriving Gusu. Lan Qinghen has somehow made peace with the news, and Lan Qiren throwing quiet suppressed tantrums at the impropriety of the whole charade. 

He is not against the marriage match, of course not! There will noone be good enough for his, beloved little Wangji than the Emperor himself. But the way Queen Mother is roping Wangji in, also the fact that even before the betrothal announcement or receiving Royal decree Lan Wangji is currently residing in the imperial palace, in close proximity of random alphas is his main concern! 

But all his tantrums are in vein! 

In palace, the life goes on with some minor and major ripples caused by situation and people. The most dramatic thing to happen in recent time has been the punishment of Jin Zixun. 

Who was found guilty of multiple offences - First , attending a royal banquet uninvited also ignoring a royal order of banishment from palace 

Second, offending the most important ally of royal family the Lan clan by insulting their youngest member 

Third, forcefully offering alcohol to an omega, then accusing the said omega of false offence 

Where the very first offence of ignoring a royal order was enough to assign heavy punishment, Wei Wuxian made it clear that Jin Zixun will be punish for his other offences too. It'd not reflect good on royal family if they cannot ensure the safety of an esteemed royal guest, a nobel omega on top of it. 

The punishment was publicized, to make an example out of it, an warning for all. 

Jin Zixun was bind securely with a pole on an elevated platform to give a better view to the public. 

The emperor with his retinue of ministers sat at another platform at the left of the alter. Jin Zixuan represented the Jin family, while Lan Xichen represented Lan family. 

At another covered area behind the emperor sat Queen Mother Cangse with Lan Wangji, her personal guards protecting both of them. 

Whips with blunt crooked blades was used to whip Jin Zixun for 500 times, the crooked heads of the blade catching on the flesh while the whip lands on Jin Zixun's back and ripping a part of flesh when retreating. His hair was cut to show his shame, stripped of any clothing to prevent any kind of protection. The entire morning and part of noon had gone to the punishment. And after that the physician attended him just to make sure he won't die. Though there wasn't anything for the physician to do, given the flesh of total back and legs and thighs were mangled, beyond repair. Torn muscles, broken fractured bones poking through the opening of absent chunk of meat, clearly a horrible sight. The physician sighed after leaving the already dieing body of Jin Zixun after doing whatever he could do under order. 

 Jin Zixuan bowed to the emperor as a thanks for targeting his ire only on the offender and not on whole clan. He was somewhat sympathetic to see the ending of his blackship of a cousin, but then again the man had it coming to his way.