Soulmates are a thing?!

Part 14

                       Nie Huasang was brave enough to hug Lan Wangji in congratulations before cowering away as if expecting to be hit. Lan Wangji just stared at him, puzzled. His engagement was a secret no one in his sect, apart from the elders, knew about. Nie Huasang swore up and down, saying that he had been waiting for them to get together since their attraction was obvious.

                        As Wei Wuxian's best friend, he was obliged to attend. Plus... he was here to suggest a sworn brotherhood between Jiang Cheng, Lan Wangji, and himself. With all the talk of war in the horizon it seemed the best time to strengthen friendships and gather allies. He even knew about Wei Wuxian becoming the third heir of Meishan Yu and the Jiang's actual brother. It was why he hadn't included his best friend in the sworn brotherhood.

                        Lan Wangji was so confused that Nie Huasang knew all of that that he asked Wei Wuxian one of the few times they got to see each other. It was only after Wei Wuxian stopped laughing that he explained that Nie Huasang always knew everything. It was one of the reasons he hoped to keep his friendship for years to come. He was also apparently the only one who could challenge Wei Wuxian intellectually, aside from Lan Wangji.

                      It was a storage concept for Lan Wangji, who had seen Nie Huasang fail his studies at Cloud Recesses two times before.  Still, he knew about everything happening in secret when even the people around them were clueless. He had other things to worry about than Nie Huasang's presence.

                      The wedding was going to be a Meishan Yu-style wedding. He would have to pass a challenge from Jiang Wanyin, Jiang Yanli, their teachers, and Madam Yu. Sect leader Jiang would have been included, but he was still furious and refused to take part in the ceremony. The brotherhood ceremony took place the night before the wedding after he was separated from his love for the traditional cleansing seclusion.

                      The day of the Wedding Wei Wuxian found himself taking a milk bath behind a privacy screen while Madam Yu set out his Wedding robes. " Muqin, do you think Lan Zhan will be happy with me? What if he is forced to accept me because of this curse? Like...I always thought he hated me, but now his reactions to me are so different. I just... I want him to be happy, even if it's without me. Is that weird?" 

                       Madam Yu sighed deeply and sat on the other side of the privacy screen. "A-Ying, that boy loves you. Don't forget that his sect discourages showing emotions. Even then, he still looks at you like you are the most amazing thing he has ever seen. These are wedding nerves they are completely normal. Besides, do you think if he didn't love you, he would put up with all the training and wedding tests we are putting him through?" Wei Wuxian let out a relieved laugh as he got out of the bath to wait for his sibling to help him get dressed.

                      

                     Lan Wangji meditated in his room while Lan Xichen and his new brother Nie Huasang helped set up his wedding robes. "Really, Wangji-di, even though this wedding is rushed, we will make sure you look perfect for Wei-Xiong." Nie Huasang kept up commentary as he fixed and refixed Lan Wangji's robes. The man was nervous and just a little sad. 

                    "Xiongzhang, what if Wei Ying hates me for forcing him to marry me?" (What if it's like mother?) His eyes please, with Lan Xichen completely ignoring the fuzzing Nie Huasang. "Wangji, young Master Wei agreed to marry you of his own free will. Please don't think like that. He seems very fond of you. Isn't that right, Huasang?" The boy nodded while Xichen gently fixed Lan Wangji's hair. "Come on didi we have to get you ready for your challenges." After that, the room fell into a comfortable silence.

                       On the other side of Lotus, Pier, Wei Wuxian was trying to sit still while Madam Yu did his hair and gave him wedding instructions. " Now remember A-Ying, you need to hurry. Your betrothed will be fighting challenger after challenger until you get there. Only then will the two of you fight against me as a team for your right to be married. There will be traps and arrays as well as your own challenges from Qingheng-Jun, Lan Qiren, and Lan Xichen. You must last in a match against me for fifteen minutes for your wedding gift.

                     Oh, make sure when he goes to wrap his ribbon around your wrist, it is the hand with his name on it. This will allow the goddess to bless your marriage. Okay, A-Ying, your hair and makeup are good to go. This veil has talismans so you can see through it and so it stays in place no matter how much you move. Good luck." With a last tap on his shoulder, Madam Yu left him alone until his Shijie came to allow him to start.