Jiang Cheng's Honest Feelings (Xicheng)

Chapter 11: The Jiangs

There weren't just two of them. As it turned out there was one attached to each of her hands. A grand total of six sect leader Jiangs.

"And I thought one was more than enough" Wei Wuxian joked. Huffing his brother(?) responded.

"Well at least there aren't any more of you"

It was freaky, seeing the lineup of Jiangs, side by side. Some with their arms crossed, some rolling their eyes, but all being smug about putting their brother in place.

"Silence" the woman said. "Since you don't seem to have any interest in a trade, I have no interest in you. Leave" She leaned back waiting for them to get on their way.

"You promised I'd get to say goodbye" Jiang Cheng complained.

"Yes, and now that you've gotten to see them one last time it's time for them to leave" She wasn't compromising on this front. Lan Xichen had yet to figure out which one was the original, which one was the real Jiang Wanyin? He couldn't save more than one, if they were made to leave now... What if he got the wrong one? Would he disappear the same way the Wei's bell had or would he remain like Jiang Wanyin's? He was not going to take any chances and so he stepped into the cave desperate to buy himself some more time.

"Then what if I do a trade with you?" He asked.

"Another boring face..." she sighed.

Lan Xichen didn't mind being called boring. His looks did not matter right now, something the Jiang seemingly did not agree with.

"What the fuck are you on about! Do you need to have your eyes checked?" Suddenly he was no longer agreeing with her takes on who is or isn't good looking. A light blush crept up on Lan Xichen's face as he tried to focus on the task ahead. But the Jiang's words did not continue as he was swiftly hushed.

"Pets don't talk unless spoken to." Having had his leash pulled once more Jiang Cheng settled for silently glaring at her yet again. "Especially not when their master is working." she scolded before turning her head towards the small white clad person. "As I was saying, your face is nothing to write home about but there is one thing... the battery" she pointed at him. "I want the battery wrapped around your head"

He had poured spiritual energy into said 'battery' every day for years now. If he had intended to use it as a battery it would have been considered fully charged long ago. "Deal" It was an easy decision to make. Compared to Jiang Wanyin, the simple piece of fabric and even the power within it might as well be considered worthless.

"It seems we've come to an agreement, go get it for me" she said with a smile, pushing one of the Jiangs forward. Letting his leash drop to the floor he was able to walk freely, but he did not make a run for it. Instead he calmly walked up to the Lan with his head held high, though he refused to meet his gaze. Standing face to face, Lan Xichen untied his headband before handing it over to Jiang Wanyin.

He'd long since imagined what this day would feel like if it ever where to occur. The day when he'd hand over his headband to show just how much he loved him. No matter how many configurations of this interaction his mind had come up with, none of them were anything like this. There were times when the Jiang had gladly accepted, reciprocating his feelings. There were times when he'd politely declined keeping the Lan's honor as sect leader intact by never mentioning the incident again. He'd even imagined less peaceful options, like receiving a swift punch to the gut. But he'd never imagined what actually occurred.

Jiang Wanyin solemnly nodded as he gripped the headband. Looking at it for a little while before returning to his captors side, placing it inside one of the empty boxes making up her throne.

"Take your pick. One thing of yours for one thing of mine. If you can get it out that is. Those stones you're carrying are only good for one person, one time. Once they pass through the seal that's it they can't be used again." she said, implying that the only way to take one of the Jiangs with them would be for one of them to stay behind. But Lan Xichen didn't need help getting Jiang Wanyin out, he just needed to know which one was the original, the real one.

"That's fine" Turning to the others he asked "Why don't we just pick one at random? If they are all the same, why would it matter?" He asked, prying for information. They were clearly not the same, despite her trying to make them so.

ting ting ting, the lone bell rang. Don't worry Wanyin, no need to be scared. I've got you. No way Lan Xichen was going to leave this place without the Jiang. The real Jiang.

"Oh, I'm beginning to like this one. But sadly they are not the same. Their looks are on point and behavior likewise, there is really no way to tell them apart, but sadly there is only one soul. In a day or two the rest will turn to dust and at which point I will need the original to bring them back." As expected, the same way the bells disappeared, so would the fake Jiang Chengs.

Dividing themselves into pairs, each person got their own Jiang to examine. All had the same goal: prove that your Jiang is not the real one. But that was easier said than done. She had not lied when she said that they all behaved like Jiang Wanyin. But Lan Xichen had a different strategy, instead of focusing on his own Jiang, they'd observe those which the others had. Sitting down on the cold rock floor it didn't take long for things to escalate.

Crack, the loud sound of a whip could be heard echoing inside the cave. Everyone's attention turned to the man responsible. The Jiang who Wei Wuxian had been working with.

"What did you do that for?" an aggrieved Wei Wuxian shouted.

"What did you expect? You can't just hit uncle and expect nothing to happen, he has every right to retaliate!" Jin Ling shouted back.

CLANG CLANG CLANG, similarly to his nephew Jiang Wanyin, did not particularly appreciate him being hit.

"That would be true if this indeed was Jiang Cheng, but it probably isn't. I have a five in six chance it isn't the real him." Wei Wuxian pointed accusingly at the Jiang he'd been assigned. "Unlike him, there is only one me. He knows I am the real deal!"

"How can I be sure?" the Jiang sneered back at him. "You don't look like my brother, you're far too short and scrawny" Mo Xuanyu didn't look much like Wei Wuxian's original body, but Jiang Cheng certainly knew it was him. The entire cultivation world knew about it at this point. He'd shown off his skills with Chenqing more than enough times that anyone worth convincing knew about it.

"Hey, weren't you the one who was so certain it was me back then? Except for Lan Zhan, the only other person to figure me out was YOU." This was not the case. Lan Huan had recognized the man the instant he had turned up at Gusu. Though he had to admit it was mostly because of the fact that Lan Wangji had brought him. Not only had he brought a guest back to Gusu, but because he was forcibly dragging him inside. There was no doubt in Lan Xichen's mind that it was the Yiling Patriarch. What method he had used to revive himself, or why he looked the way he did, the Lan had not known but there was no doubt about his identity. Lan Xichen was certain that his younger brother would not bring another man home.

"I don't know, you were very happy to claim that you weren't my brother back then. How can I trust that to not be the truth?"

"I am your brother, of cou-AOOW!" This time Lan Wangji's Jiang had joined in to hit the Wei. His Zidian laid unfurled on the ground after it had landed on the Wei's back.

cling cling cling

"What? You being the real Wei Wuxian is only more of a reason for me to want to hit you" The Jiang smirked at his angry brother before swiftly being tied up by the Lan beside him. Having identified a threat to his husband, Lan Wangji had not only tied up the Wei's Jiang, but his own as well.

Looking over he considered doing the same with the juniors' Jiangs as well but they didn't seem to pose any threat. They simply stood there glowering at no one in particular, and with that the altercation was over.