[曦澄 | XiCheng]: The Fear Of Falling In Love [~PART 1~]

[90.] The war isn't over.

The housekeeper entered to check on them, bowing.

- Masters, both the Hánshì   and the Jìngshì  are ready. I took the liberty to get the children to the kitchen to dry and get proper breakfast. I am guessing the Masters will want privacy.

- Very good. Please, prepare hot water for our bath too.  -  Hanguang-Jun's voice echoed in the Hall. –  Keep the children busy till afternoon  –  this is when their classes will start. They will need their nap soon, they will be tired after the journey.

- Of course, Master.  –   she bowed and left.

- So strict, Hanguang-Jun...  -  Wei Wuxian mumbled, pouting, but aroused  -  Lan Zhan giving orders always mysteriously turned him on.

- Mmmm.  –  Lan Zhan leaned in to kiss his cheek, and then said:

- Brother, I must apologize for this sudden visit, but life at the Yunmeng Jiang Clan has become... hmm, increasingly... impossible.

- It's my fault, Zewu-Jun...  -  Wei Wuxian sighed.  –  Lan Zhan was trying to protect me, in some extreme ways.

- Wei Ying, I will never agree my children to grow up and be brought up under the same roof as this... woman!  -  Hanguang-Jun hissed.

- I understand. We understand.  -  Jiang Cheng murmured, still hugging Lan Xichen's waist.

Lan Wangji raised his eyebrow, but his grip on Wei Ying tightened. He bit his lip; he knew that every time Hanguang-Jun did that  -  it meant he was worried or afraid, or angry.

- I think I have been quite patient. It's been eight months since your wedding, Brother, and I do understand that you and your new... husband... need your privacy. But had we stayed there, I would have murdered quite a few relatives. -  Hanguang-Jun grumbled.  –  My patience runs deep, but it is also finite.

- We understand.  -  Jiang Cheng said again, ignoring the sarcasm, speaking faster than his husband, and answering out of turn, which  –  he knew  –  would infuriate Lan Wangji. – And I think you did the right thing, Hanguang-Jun. You are always welcome to stay, as long as you wish.

- My husband is correct.  –  Zewu-Jun said, caressing his loved one's hair distractedly. –  But, Wangji, I need details. I need them as the Gusu Lan Clan Leader. The Yunmeng Jiang Clan has offended us in our home too, so I need to know what actions to take. This cannot just be ignored.

Jiang Cheng looked up quickly, worried, but stayed silent. He now belonged to the Lan Clan and had to heed whatever orders the Clan Leader gave. Both Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian were quite amazed at how smoothly those two communicated. They both had changed in the two months that the four of them were apart.

- I'll speak.  –  Wei Wuxian looked at his husband sadly.  –  My heart, let me.

- Mmmmm.

- Zewu-Jun, A-Cheng, things just got a little heated after your shared birthday celebration. Madam Yu kind of... uh, lost it.  –  he grinned.  –  It was a huge blow on her ego  –  servants not letting her in to see her son? And then banished from the Clan's territory? She had to lash out somehow.

- And you were conveniently there...  -  Jiang Wanyin mumbled, knowing his mother.

- Ehh, let's say that it wasn't pleasant. I was just trying to reason with her that this was your new life, and your new family, and you had the right to make your own choices and decisions. She didn't react well to that...  -  he laughed.

Lan Wangji was listening to his husband telling the tale too light-heartedly, but knew how hurt he had been, how upset.

- Just say it.  –  he hissed.  –  This woman treats you like garbage, worse than she does the servants! Worse than she treats her own son!

- Lan Zhan...  -  Wei Ying blushed and buried his face in his husband's neck, kissing him gently.

Hanguang-Jun blushed too, but went on:

- I warned her. I told her that Zewu-Jun had been too patient with her, too diplomatical. But I have no such problems, I am not the Clan Leader. I am just someone who cannot witness injustice without acting!

- Calm down, Brother. The good deeds we do come back to us, always. The bad deeds come back to us, too. I was quite amazed at how strongly she hates Wanyin, I couldn't understand it...  But now I believe I see clearer. Madam Yu is a deeply sad woman, dissatisfied, frustrated, and I feel sorry for her.  –  Zewu-Jun shook his head.

Jiang Cheng stirred and got to his knees to face him.

- I love you.  –  he murmured, and kissed his husband's lips gently.

Lan Xichen smiled and let him sit in his lap, cuddling into his robes again.

- Anyway. -  Hanguang-Jun cleared his throat. –  I am here to discuss what actions you are planning to take. It is quite an open declaration of war. We cannot let this slide. I know that Uncle supports them blindly  –  I guess it is the thing he deems most prudent in the long run  –  but in the end, it's up to you, Xichen.

- We have a baby on the way, Wangji... -  Lan Huan put his palm on his husband's belly again. –  How can I start a war now?  –  he said sadly.  –  I strongly suspect that the Mistress is taking advantage of this situation... but still her behavior is inexplicable to me.

- I will tell you.  -  Jiang Cheng said.  –  My mother has never liked me, nor my brother. Anything we do is wrong, it has always been. I strongly suspect that she was the one to arrange our wedding... -  he looked up at Zewu-Jun sadly only to receive new kisses and caresses. –  She did it in the hope that I would suffer, be miserable... But as it turns out, both her sons are happy, and it drives her crazy. She likes to control the situations through emotional blackmail... I am not sure if she even realizes it... Father has been her hostage for many years now.

Wei Wuxian was frowning. There was much truth in those words. The Yunmeng Jiang Clan Leader was a gentle soul, and a loving father to all three of them. But his wife ran things, she was there for all the big decisions. He wondered how his brother would have turned out if he hadn't been so bullied by his mother. Now he could clearly see that a loving home was doing him worlds of good  -  Jiang Cheng was calmer, looked better, thought clearer.

- We can't go back.  –  Wei Wuxian mumbled.  –  We have decided to make our own home, some place else.

- I see.  –  Zewu-Jun hummed. –  As Wanyin said, you can stay for the winter, of course. We will help as much as we can. This House is too big for just the two of us anyway. –  he smiled gently.  –  Well, soon to be three.

He lifted his hand to caress Jiang Cheng's face, and blushed when his husband took it and placed a few gentle kisses on his palm.

- A baby, ha! Damn! You must tell us all!  –  Wei Ying was grinning.  –  But first, let's eat! I'm starving!