Backlash Part 2

Chapter 208: Inflexible

Lan Qiren had never planned to be a father. He had never been interested in the sort of relationship that would lead someone to becoming a parent. In his youth, probably his greatest concern had been that he would one day be asked to take a spouse and produce heirs. It was technically his filial duty. Whether just to ensure the continuation of the family, or to secure a political alliance.

Lan Qiren could not imagine himself enjoying such an intimate and emotional relationship. Lan Qiren's friendships had mostly formed with whomever his Xiongzhang was spending time with. He and his brother were even closer in age than Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji. Added to the fact that Lan Qiren had been particularly well suited to academic pursuits, it meant that the two of them attended the same classes in everything short of those lessons from their father that were for future sect leadership.

Lan Qiren had never been a particularly welcoming person. His brother was the person people flocked to. He was flexible with the rules and easy to smile. His Xiongzhang had always been Lan Qiren's closest friend. No other friendship ever came close to the bond Lan Qiren shared with his brother.

Lan Qiren had always felt it was a blessing that his brother was the oldest. His brother who could smooth tempers so easily. Who managed to maintain the refined dignity of their sect while still inviting others into his space. His brother who would smile and lightly tease Lan Qiren for being too rigid.

Lan Qiren had wanted nothing more than to devote himself wholly to his studies. He wished to pursue knowledge. To excel and one day teach future generations. He was notoriously inflexible. His brother was the one who argued for interpretations of the rules. But, to Lan Qiren, the rules were as solid as the stone they were carved on.

Lan Qiren attempted, badly, to indulge his brother's insistence on flexibility. Something that became increasingly difficult as his brother gathered more friends from outside of their sect. Cangse Sanren had been a particularly frustrating example. Mostly because she was simultaneously the most academically gifted of their friends, and therefore the most engaging person to debate with, while also being the complete antithesis of a rule-abiding cultivator.

The fact that more than one of their friends were enamoured with her was a comparatively mild annoyance. Lan Qiren cared very little about the childish crushes and romantic inclinations of his peers. Maybe if he had paid attention to such things, Lan Qiren would have been able to intervene in the relationship of his nephews' parents.

Lan Qiren would never know. He had long been in the habit of ignoring his peers, and even his brother, when the topic of romance or beauty came up. Other than his brother assuring him that Lan Qiren wouldn't need to worry about having heirs. Promising that marriage and children would be no hardship. So, Lan Qiren could continue to focus on his duties as the future Sect Leader's brother.

His brother served as Sect Leader for two years. All of a sudden their teacher was dead. His murderer was now married to Xiongzhang, and Xiongzhang was in indefinite seclusion. Lan Qiren was never taught to lead the sect. He was taught what was needed to assist his brother. Leading a sect was much more than that, and it was never supposed to fall to Lan Qiren.

Less than a year later Lan Qiren was holding his baby nephew. Lan Qiren, who had never wanted to have children, was given the responsibility of raising his nephew. His brother refused to leave seclusion even for his son's birth. Lan Qiren was never meant for this role of sect leader and father. Lan Qiren had never wanted this role, but he did his best.

Lan Qiren didn't understand his brother's actions, but Xiongzhang was serving punishment. There wasn't a standard for what the punishment for this would be. What was the punishment for marrying your teacher's murderer in order to shield her from punishment? Lan Qiren was the acting sect leader. He didn't have the authority to dictate or alter the orders of the sect leader.