Securing Sect Leader Jin

Before SSLJ you must first secure an uncle

The elders, having been thoroughly exhausted trying to convince Jin Rulan not to reinstate Luo Qingyang, and failing, decided to pause their discussion on who would take over as regent for Jin Rulan and reconvene after lunch. They could have probably chosen someone that very morning (they couldn't, they were all too power hungry to settle it that soon) if they didn't get sidetracked by Jin Rulan's ridiculous notions of filial piety. Couldn't he uphold his grandfather's wishes instead? He was raised partially by the man after all; Jin Zixuan had been dead before he was a year old, shouldn't he give his grandfather more consideration? Pah!

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"Jiujiu!" was all he heard before he had an armful of teenager.

He'd have scolded Jin Ling for behaving improperly (the Jin sect had eyes and mouths everywhere) but they were in a private room and so he let it go and just let his nephew whine and bury further into his embrace. Jin Ling had been acting more mature lately and had grown up alot (too fast unfortunately... he wished it wasn't like this but alas...). The fact that he was behaving like this now meant... well he was clinging so hard he was actually shaking a bit and Jiang Cheng was worried.

"What happened, A-Ling? Did they force you to reject Lady Luo's admission? Did they already choose a regent?"

Ouyang Zizhen had told them all about how Lady Luo showed up to 'visit' the day before, upon hearing of Jin Ling being sect leader, as an old friend of his fathers, to check up on him and bring him anecdotes etc. They of course had her saying all of this publicly at dinner so others heard tales of Jin Zixuan as a boy and were receptive to her (the younger ones at least who didn't know who she was).

Jin Ling, having been briefed already on their plan, pretended to be surprised when she showed him the letter Jin Zixuan sent her after she left the sect. She wanted him to have it so he could have another personal piece of his father with him but upon seeing the letter and hearing of Jin Zixuan's wishes and her refusal, he begged her to rethink her decision and join the Jin again, as his father wanted.

This way even though the elders objected vehemently in private that morning and tried to convince him to not reinstate her, it was public news that Sect Leader Jin and the former sect heir Jin Zixuan himself, invited Luo Qingyang to be part of the sect once more and that she refused them both, but after being coaxed by Jin Rulan, finally relented. Nobody could say that she begged them or came crawling back (though there were those who would still say she manipulated him into it).

It didn't stop the elders from trying every angle they could to prevent her being a Jin disciple once more, now one given a favoured position too as she had been close to the sect leader's father. Jin Ling had left her in a suite of rooms meant for those of high rank to let her settle in, and had personally ensured only those that he knew were loyal to him would help her reintegrate into the motions of the sect. She might not have joined them yet, still settling in as she was, but she was there to stay.

So Jin Ling shook his head when his jiujiu asked if the elders had gotten their way, but still didn't say anything.

Jiang Cheng sighed and let him be, petting his head soothingly (unconsciously just like he did with Jiunyan).

The other two in the room felt a bit awkward but Ouyang Zizhen stayed silent and Wei Wuxian busied himself eating snacks that had been prepared for them before lunch was served (they were all waiting on Jin Ling.)

Eventually Jin Ling, feeling calmer after having his jiujiu's attention, separated himself and told them all what had happened and how much the elders fought him on his decision.

"Those old coots dared to try and make you choose between Jin Zixuan and Jin Guangshan?!"

Jiang Cheng was pissed.