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Qiren was in the main hall, with Zewu Jin, discussing Lan Clan matters. Since Wangji was busy caring for an ill Wuxian, they both decided to cover his duties in his absence. A disciple hands them a letter of entrance from Jiang Clan requesting audience with Lan Wangji. Grandmaster Qiren reads the letter signed by Jiang Cheng and slams his tea cup down in fury. Before Zewu Jun could react, Qiren gets up and storms towards the gates of Cloud Recesses.
Cheng was waiting patiently at the gate with some disciples from his clan. He sees Grandmaster Qiren approaching the gate and stands straight in shock: 'Why is the grandmaster greeting me instead of Wangji or Zewe Jun?' He and his followers bow deeply in respect to the old man and receive a cold glare in return: "State your business here."
Cheng was thrown off by the cold and disrespectful demand: "Grandmaster, I request an audience with his Excellency."
Qiren: "What for?"
Cheng: "I have a personal inquiry."
Zewu Jun was able to catch up and after exchanging bows, Zewu Jun turned to his uncle: "Uncle, why don't we continue this conversation inside?"
Qiren takes a calming deep breath and turns around, heading towards the Orchid Room. Cheng instructed his companions to stay outside and follows them in.
Once seated, Qiren continues his hostile interrogation towards Cheng: "State your purpose."
Cheng bows his head and replies: "Grandmaster, I was under the impression that Jiang Clan and Lan Clan are in an amicable relationship. May I ask what is the reason behind your displeasure?"
Qiren huffs: "We have no quarrels with Jiang Clan. It is you that I am vexed with."
Both Zewu Jun and Cheng were shocked: "Uncle, what did Leader Jiang do?"
Qiren continues to sneer at Cheng: "He knows what he's done and what he has failed to do."
Cheng was at a loss. He looks at Zewu Jun for clarification but the other just shakes his head with mirrored confusion.
Cheng tries again: "Grandmaster, forgive my ignorance. May you clarify what caused your displeasure with me?"
Qiren lets out a resentful laugh: ".. displeasure? I have no grievances with you. It's your actions that have been made clear to me recently that I cannot condone or let pass without judgment."
Zewu Jun's eyes widened in realization. He looks back at Jiang and says: "Uncle recently performed a Soul Empathy with Wei Wuxian upon his request to join our clan by bonding."
Jiang showed his eagerness: "My brother is here?"
Qiren slams his hand on the table in anger: "You have no right to call him brother!"
At that moment, Wangji announces his arrival and joins them without sparing Jiang Chen a glance: "Uncle, Brother, the disciples can hear your loud conversation from afar and request that I interfere." He glares at Cheng then looks back at his uncle: "Please calm down."
Cheng turns to Wangji: "Your Excellency, where is Wei Wuxian?"
Wangji turns to him with a cold look: "State your business."
Cheng: "I want to see my brother!"
Wangji just glares back with a cold aura. Cheng: "You cannot keep me from seeing him!"
Qiren grabs his sword: "This is our sect and he is our future clan member-in-bond. We will protect him EVEN IF IT STARTS A WAR!"
All three younger men were taken back by the sheer amount of rage coming from the grandmaster. Zewu Jun gets closer to his uncle and places his hand on the arm gripping the sword: "Uncle, be calm. He just wants to visit Wei Wuxian. I doubt he has ill intentions towards his adopted brother. Wangji, is brother-in-bond well enough to receive visitors?"
Qiren is breathing harshly in unconcealed irritation but allows his nephew to answer: "He is not."
Cheng: "What's wrong? Is he ill?"
Zewu Jun answers before another word sparring match starts: "He experienced an adverse reaction to the emotional backlash from the Soul Empathy. It manifested physically into fever and weakness. It's been a week but he is recovering slowly."
Cheng was starting to get concerned: "When he would get ill in the past, Shijie would make him lotus and rib soup. It always made him feel better."
He turns to face Wangji: "If you would allow it, I can prepare it for him."
Qiren knew how much Wuxian missed his sister and cherishes the taste of her soup. When Wangji looks at him for guidance he nods his approval.
Wangji takes Cheng to the kitchen to prepare the soup then they both head out towards the Quiet Room. They see grandmaster Qiren outside waiting for them: "I will not allow you to visit him whilst carrying weapons."
Without hesitation, Cheng hands over his sword and Zidian to the grandmaster and takes his soup inside. Wuxian was laying in bed, with his eyes closed and a sheen layer of sweat covering his face. Lan Jingyi was sitting next to his bed, dabbing his brow with a cloth and cold water.
When he sees them approach the bed, he gets up and bows. The moment his eyes set on Leader Jiang he says: "Are you here to yell at him some more?"
Cheng just rolls his eyes in irritation and ignores him. Wangji goes to sit beside Wuxian on the bed: "Wei Ying, your brother is here."
Wuxian turns his face towards Wangji and whispers: "hm?"
Wangji takes his hand and brings his wrist close to breathe in his comforting scent: "Jiang clan Leader is here to speak with you."
Wuxian opens his feverish eyes to look around and sees his brother: "What's wrong?"
Cheng gets closer and sits next to the bed and shows him the bowl of soup: "I made you lotus and rib soup so you can get better."
Wuxian looks anxiously at his brother: "I don't understand."
Cheng just scoffs: "This is soup. It's something people eat when they're sick."
Wuxian just sighs and closes his eyes: "I'm too tired to argue with you, Cheng. Tell me what's wrong so I can rest in peace."
Cheng sees the direct dismissal and tries again: "Nothing is wrong. I just thought you might like to have some soup. It's exactly as Yanli used to make it. I promise."
A few tears escape Wuxian's closed eyes at the mention of his sister's name and he whispers back: "I don't deserve Shijie's soup."
Cheng puts the soup down and tries to get closer to Wuxian. Qiren's hand on his shoulder stops his movement and left him in frustration: 'Why are these people acting like I'm planning to murder my own brother!' A small voice in his head replies: 'Because you once did!'
More tears make their way out of an emotionally compromised Wuxian. Wangji places a soft kiss on the hand he's holding and says: "Wei Ying, calm down. Do you wish for your brother to leave?"
Wuxian opens his tearful eyes and looks at Cheng: "You said I have no right to say her name. Why are you tormenting me with a soup I shouldn't have?"
Cheng closes his eyes in frustration and whispers in a low voice: "I don't know how to fix this."
Wuxian hears him and asks: "Fix what?"
Cheng looks back with a hopeful look: "Our relationship. I need you to know that I am grateful for all the sacrifices made for my sake. That I'm sorry for mistrusting you, the harsh words I said in anger and most of all abandoning you when you needed me the most."
Wuxian pouts and says playfully: "It's so odd hearing words coming out of your mouth without the yelling."
Cheng scoffs: "I don't yell that much!"
Jingyi pitches in: "All you do is yell. This is the first conversation I hear from you without anger in your voice." Cheng turns around glaring at the young cultivator: "Shut it!"
Jingyi points at him: "See!"
Wuxian lets out a small laugh: "Your temperament leaves no room for envy."
Cheng swallows hard and with determination declares: "If you'll forgive me and accept my gratitude, I promise never to doubt you, belittle you and support your actions to my death." He hesitates for a second then adds: ".. and I will never raise my voice at you in anger!"
At the last statement, Jingyi scoffs: "That would be a miracle."
Cheng glares back at the young disciple and yells: "YOU I can yell at to my heart's content so SHUT IT!"
Wuxian pulls the hand in Wangji's grasp, silently asking for his help sitting up. Wangji moves behind Wuxian to support his back once he's pulled up. He looks at his brother: "I don't need your gratitude or apology. But I will accept your promise for the sake of my hearing." They both share a short comfortable laugh. Wuxian looks at the soup: "Brother, can I have that before it turns cold?"
Cheng is filled with warmth when he hears Wuxian call him 'brother' and helps the weak man eat his soup.
Grandmaster Qiren sees the beginning of a mended brotherhood, places Sandu and Zidian next to Leader Jiang and takes his leave. He has much to do to prove his acceptance of his future nephew-in-bond.
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