It's been thirteen years since Lan Zhan was last in a room with Wei Wuxian, but its been five minutes since he saw Wei Ying teaching art online. Devising a complex plan to save Wei Ying from being framed from murder, Lan Zhan throws his life and he...
Wolves are circling, birds wheeling overhead hoping for a glimpse as the predators of the ground, skirted around the light and dive into shadows.
Nie Huaisang watched the approaching mountains of Qinghe, as the train ascended the steep hill, knowing that it was time for the past and the present to collide.
He thought watching the flock of birds land on the lake in the far distance, that it was time he repaid the Jiang for their kindness to him. Time he protected them from the wolves circling, as best he could, in the only way he could.
He thought he would feel more trepidation making this journey, considering what he was about to do. Maybe even relief. That this vicious cycle was coming to an end. But in truth, he felt neither. It wasn't bitterness either. Mostly he was tired and he knew in his bones that while this was going to save the Jiang and ultimately save Da ge as well, the truth was not going to be kind.
It was going to split their world like bruised skin, fester if he wasn't careful and would likely scar. It was going to hurt Nie Mingjue, shake him from his delusions and maybe he wouldn't be forgiven go for that. Maybe this estrangement would be real. His big brother no longer interested in trying to lure him back.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Da ge had memory problems after all. A entire chunk of time he didn't remember, blamed so conveniently on a Night Hunt gone wrong and no one outside the sect, other than Meng Yao and Lan Xichen knew either. It was the best kept secret.
Only thirteen people knew why it had happened, the actual stone cold reason why.
An assassination attempt gone wrong, like something from a harem drama on TV.
So Nie Mingjue had woken up one day and found his brother missing, their father dead and him the sect leader. Finding out, their father was dead and he was 'estranged' from Nie Huaisang after the latter had been struck from the sect for not being blood, had led them into this quasi-reunion.
Time for that to end too.
If the Wen wanted a subtle war, Nie Huaisang would draw the most blood, lending Lan Zhan the sword.
If the Jin wanted to attack, to still bring Nie Mingjue to their cause or worse yet, hurt Da ge for not wanting to believe their lies...Nie Huaisang would offer them the distraction needed to derail their plans. One that would last long enough to let Lan Zhan and his network, deal the death blow.
Nie Mingjue could not leave in two days time for the Discussion Conference, where rumor had it, the Jin were planning his poisoning. He would deal with the Jin in due time, but the safest way to protect Da ge, was for him to never attend in the first place. The only way to do that was to create a bigger scandal.
And if the enemies inside their fortress wanted to act, for greed and ambition, against Nie Mingjue, he would put an end to them as well.
It was time for this choking pain to end, this morass of guilt.
