Taking roots after the misty rain

Ch-19

"Thank you, Wei Gongzi." Lan Xichen immediately bowed. 

"Lan Gongzi, I was about to send someone to inform Xiao Chi of our consensus. Perhaps you should inform her yourself. A servant will show you the way."

"Shi," Lan Xichen bowed and hastily walked out of the room. 

It had been a long time since Lan Qiren had seen someone in his family so happy. Perhaps, he had been too paranoid since the incident with his brother. He had tried to turn his nephews into cold Jades, just to save them from the Ancient Curse of the Lan clan. He had always been worried that Xichen would fall prey to it. But he had prepared himself for the day if it ever came. 

It all started centuries ago, with the founder of the Lan Clan- Lan An. Lan An had once been a monk in a temple. One day while picking herbs, he met a young maiden only a few years younger than him. He was attracted to her wit and gentle demeanour. He left the temple and proposed marriage to her. His request was accepted on the condition that he present a rare herb from a dark cave on the outskirt of the town. 

Undeterred by the perils the journey promised, Lan An wandered into the depths of the cave. Unknown to him, an immortal was resting there. In his quest to woo his beloved, he disturbed the immortal. Furious, she cursed him and his descendants to never have the one he yearns for the most. However, when she later saw how distraught he was, and how hard he worked to convince the father of his beloved, the immortal fell in love with his sincerity. She realized her fault and the consequences of her hasty judgment haunted her day and night. 

Finally, going against the laws of heaven, she made a small modification to the curse since she could not completely remove it. If any member of the Lan clan falls in love but hesitates in pursuing them, then even if they may end up together, they shall never truly be so. Soon enough, Lan An married the maiden who captured his affection on the first meet. The day Lan An got married, in the dark cave descended Heavenly guards to capture the female immortal. She had broken the laws set by Heaven for immortals. Her cultivation was destroyed and she was left to die. She watched Lan An smile happily as she shed the last tear before succumbing to her injuries. 

This curse was a secret so well kept that no one other than the members of the main clan knew of it and Lan Qiren was yet to tell the next generation about this curse. 

*-*-*

Lan Xichen could barely keep himself from breaking into a sprint. The servant brought him to the door of Zixian's pavilion and instructed the disciples guarding the door to let him enter the room. She bowed to him and left. Lan Xichen nodded in response. He opened the door slowly and through the crack, he saw his fiancée pace back and forth. A woman sat on a stool by the table and smiled warmly at her. 

He entered the room silently. The lady made a salute and left the room, indicating that they would have privacy there. He softly snaked his arms around Wei Chi's waist and stopped her from pacing herself into oblivion. 

"A-Huan, how come you are here? If you are here, does that mean they consented?" 

"Mn." He replied in a gentle voice. "We are going to get married, Xian'er." 

*-*-*

The months passed like a flowing river. Soon, invitations were sent by the Lan Clan of Gusu for sect heirs of various sects to attend half a year of training and classes in the Cloud Recesses. Each Sect started its journey to Gusu. 

"Wei Wuxian, do you have the invitation with you? I am not climbing to the top of this giant mountain only for you to have lost it." Jiang Wanyin threatened.