Chapter 13

Chapter 13 - Elegant Disturbance Part 4

Later, Wei Wuxian reflected that his poor relationship with Lan Wangji could be traced back to its roots, beginning from the three months he and Jiang Cheng spent in Gusu at the Lan Family studying when he was fifteen years old.

There was an esteemed elder in the Gusu Lan Family, Lan Qiren, known for three things among the clans: being pedantic, stubborn, and a strict teacher who molded many outstanding disciples. Although the first two traits made many people keep their distance or even secretly dislike him, the last one made them eager to send their children to study under him. Many excellent disciples of the Lan family were trained by him. Even if they were as useless as dog feces when they entered, after a year or two under his tutelage, they would come out looking presentable, at least in terms of appearance and etiquette, much to the tearful joy of their parents.

On this matter, Wei Wuxian remarked, "Aren't I presentable enough now?"

Jiang Cheng, with more foresight, said, "You're going to be a stain on his teaching career."

Back then, apart from the Yunmeng Jiang family, there were many other young masters from different families sent by their parents to study. These young masters were all around fifteen or sixteen years old, and although they weren't particularly close, they were familiar faces due to frequent interactions between the clans. Everyone knew that although Wei Wuxian didn't share the Jiang surname, he was the foster son and chief disciple of Jiang Fengmian, the head of the Yunmeng Jiang family. Treated like one of their own, and since young people cared less about lineage and blood than their elders, Wei Wuxian quickly became close with many of them, calling each other brothers after just a few words.

Someone asked, "Is your Lotus Pier in Yunmeng more fun than here?"

Wei Wuxian smiled and said, "Whether it's fun or not depends on how you play. There are certainly fewer rules, and you don't have to wake up so early."

The Gusu Lan Family followed a strict schedule, starting activities at mao hour and resting at hai hour without delay. Another person asked, "What time do you wake up? What do you do every day?"

Jiang Cheng snorted and said, "He wakes up at si hour and rests at chou hour. When he does wake up, he doesn't practice swordplay or meditate; he rows boats, swims, picks lotus seeds, and hunts pheasants."

Wei Wuxian added, "No matter how many pheasants I hunt, I'm still the best."

A young man said, "I'm going to Yunmeng to study next year! No one should stop me!"

A bucket of cold water was promptly thrown on his enthusiasm: "No one will stop you, but your elder brother will break your legs."

The young man immediately wilted. This was Nie Huaisang, the second young master of the Qinghe Nie family. His elder brother, Nie Mingjue, was known for his decisive actions and had a formidable reputation among the clans. Although the two brothers were not born of the same mother, they were close. Nie Mingjue was very strict with his younger brother and particularly concerned about his studies. Thus, although Nie Huaisang respected his elder brother, he feared discussions about his academic progress the most.

Wei Wuxian said, "Actually, Gusu can be quite fun."

Nie Huaisang advised earnestly, "Let me give you a sincere warning, Wei Xiong. The Cloud Recesses is not like the Lotus Pier. There's one person you should be careful not to provoke."

Wei Wuxian asked, "Who? Lan Qiren?"

Nie Huaisang replied, "Not that old man. You need to be cautious of his star disciple, named Lan Wangji."

Wei Wuxian asked, "Who else could it be but Lan Wangji?"

The current head of the Gusu Lan Family had two sons, Lan Huan and Lan Wangji, who were known as the 'Twin Jewels of Lan.' By the time they turned fourteen, they were held up as models by elders to compare with their own disciples, outshining their peers and making quite a name for themselves. Nie Huaisang said, "Who else could it be? He's our age but lacks the liveliness of a teenager. He's rigid and strict, even more so than his uncle."

Wei Wuxian responded with an "Oh," and asked, "Is he incredibly handsome?"

Jiang Cheng sneered, "In the Gusu Lan Family, is there anyone ugly? They even refuse to accept disciples with imperfect features. Try finding someone ordinary-looking."

Wei Wuxian emphasized, "Incredibly handsome." He gestured to his head, "Dressed in white, with a headband, carrying a silver sword. Very handsome but with a stern face, as if he's in mourning."

Nie Huaisang confirmed, "That's him!" After a pause, he added, "But he's been in seclusion recently. You just arrived yesterday. When did you see him?"

"Last night."

"Last night? Last night?!" Jiang Cheng was astonished, "There's a curfew in the Cloud Recesses. Where did you see him? Why didn't I know?"

Wei Wuxian pointed to a high wall eave.

Everyone was speechless. Jiang Cheng, with a headache coming on, gritted his teeth and asked, "You're already causing trouble! What happened?"

Wei Wuxian grinned and said, "It's no big deal. When we passed by that 'Tianzi Lao' tavern on the way here, I couldn't resist last night. So, I went down the mountain to the city and brought back two jars. You can't get this in Yunmeng."

Jiang Cheng asked, "Where's the wine?"

"I had just climbed over the wall, and before I could even step inside, he caught me," said Wei Wuxian.

A young man said, "Wei, you're lucky it wasn’t worse. He probably just came out of seclusion and was patrolling at night, and you were caught red-handed."

Jiang Cheng said, "Why would he let you in? Those who return after curfew aren't allowed inside until the end of the Mao hour."

Wei Wuxian shrugged. "So he didn’t let me in. Instead, he made me pull my leg back out. How was I supposed to do that? So, he effortlessly floated up and asked me what I was holding."

Jiang Cheng felt a headache coming on. "What did you tell him?"

Wei Wuxian said, "'Tianzi Lao! I’ll share a jar with you. Just pretend you didn’t see me, alright?'"

Jiang Cheng sighed. "...Cloud Recesses has an alcohol ban. That’s an additional offense."

Wei Wuxian said, "He told me the same. So I asked him, 'Why don’t you tell me what exactly isn’t prohibited in your family?' There are over three thousand rules, written in seal script. Who would read that? Have you? Have you? I haven’t. So why get so worked up over it?"

"Exactly!" Everyone agreed and began to complain about the bizarre old rules of Cloud Recesses, wishing they had met earlier. "Who has over three thousand unique family rules? Things like no killing within the borders, no private fights, no indecent behavior, no night walks, no loud noises, no running around... And then there’s 'no unwarranted laughter,' 'no slouching,' 'no eating more than three bowls of food'..." Wei Wuxian added, "What? Private brawls are banned too?"

Jiang Cheng said, "...They are. Don’t tell me you fought with him."

Wei Wuxian said, "I did. And I also smashed a jar of Tianzi Lao."

Everyone slapped their legs and exclaimed in regret.

Since the situation couldn’t get any worse, Jiang Cheng shifted focus. "You took two jars, so where’s the other one?"

"I drank it."

Jiang Cheng asked, "Where did you drink it?"

"Right in front of him. I said, 'Alright, alcohol is banned inside Cloud Recesses. So I won’t go inside. If I stand on the wall and drink it, that doesn’t count as breaking the ban, right?' And I drank it clean in front of him."

"...Then what?"

"Then we fought."

"Wei brother," Nie Huaisang said, "You’re really bold."

Wei Wuxian said, "Lan Zhan has good skills."

"You’re asking for trouble, Wei! Lan Zhan’s never been humiliated like that before. He’ll have his eye on you now. Be careful, even though Lan Zhan doesn’t sit in on our lessons, he’s the one who handles punishments in the Lan family!"

Wei Wuxian waved his hand fearlessly. "What’s there to fear! Isn’t it said that Lan Zhan was a child prodigy? He’s so precocious; he must have learned everything his uncle taught him long ago. He’s always in seclusion practicing. He won’t have time to keep an eye on me. I..."

Before he could finish his sentence, they rounded a latticed wall and saw a white-clad youth sitting upright in the Hall of Orchids, his long hair and headband tied neatly. His presence was like a frosty aura, and he gave them a cold, sweeping glance.

Everyone fell silent as if they’d been hexed, and they quietly entered the Hall of Orchids, each silently choosing a seat, leaving the desks around Lan Wangji empty.

Jiang Cheng patted Wei Wuxian's shoulder and whispered, "He’s on to you. You’re on your own now."

Wei Wuxian turned his head just in time to see Lan Wangji’s profile. His eyelashes were long, and he was extremely handsome and elegant, sitting perfectly upright, gazing straight ahead. Wei Wuxian felt like starting a conversation, but at that moment, Lan Qiren entered the room.

Lan Qiren was tall and thin, with a straight back. Though he had a long black goatee, he was not old. According to the Lan family tradition of producing handsome men, he certainly wasn’t ugly. Unfortunately, he carried an air of rigid pedantry, so calling him an old man was not inappropriate. He held a scroll and unrolled it, letting it stretch across the floor. He then began to lecture about the Lan family rules. The young men in the room all looked horrified. Wei Wuxian, bored, let his eyes wander and glanced at Lan Wangji’s profile. His expression was genuinely focused and serious, which Wei Wuxian couldn’t help but admire. "How can he listen so attentively to something so boring?"

Suddenly, Lan Qiren ahead of them slammed the scroll down and said coldly, "They’re carved into the stone walls, but no one bothers to read them. So I’m reciting them one by one, to see who can still claim ignorance and break the rules. Even so, some people are still not paying attention. Very well, I’ll talk about something else."

Though this remark applied to everyone in the room, Wei Wuxian had a feeling it was a warning directed at him. Sure enough, Lan Qiren said, "Wei Ying."

Wei Wuxian responded, "Here."

"Let me ask you, are demons, spirits, and ghosts the same thing?"

Wei Wuxian smiled and said, "No, they are not."

"Why not? How do you distinguish them?"

"A *yao* is a non-human living creature that has transformed into a spirit. A *mo* is a human who has turned into a demon. A *gui* is the spirit of a deceased person. A *guai* is an inanimate object that has transformed into a spirit."

"'Yao' and 'Guai' are easily confused. Can you give an example to differentiate them?"

"Easy." Wei Wuxian pointed to the lush green trees outside the Hall of Orchids and said, "For instance, if a living tree absorbs the energy of books over centuries and develops consciousness, it becomes a *yao* that can haunt and disturb people. But if I chopped the tree down, leaving only a stump, and that stump later transformed, it would become a *guai*."

"What was the occupation of the ancestor of the Nie family of Qinghe?"

"A butcher."

"The emblem of the Jin family of Lanling is the white peony. Which variety is it?"

"The *Jinxing Xuelang*."

"Who was the first person in the cultivation world to elevate family clans at the expense of sects?"

"The ancestor of the Wen family of Qishan, Wen Mou."

Wei Wuxian answered fluently, causing the others present to feel a mix of relief and luck, hoping he wouldn’t stumble. They silently prayed he would continue to answer so that Lan Qiren wouldn’t have the chance to call on them. However, Lan Qiren said, "As a member of the Yunmeng Jiang family, you should know these things inside and out. Answering correctly is nothing to be proud of. Let me ask you another question. Imagine an executioner with a full family—parents, wife, and children. In his lifetime, he has beheaded more than a hundred people. He dies a violent death in the streets, his body exposed for seven days. His resentment builds up, leading him to haunt and commit violent acts. What should be done?"

This time, Wei Wuxian did not answer immediately. The others assumed he was stumped and began to feel uneasy. Lan Qiren scolded, "What are you looking at him for? You all think as well. No cheating by looking things up in books!"

The crowd quickly removed their hands from the books they were preparing to search through, also stumped. A violent death, exposure for seven days—this was clearly a vicious ghost and a fierce corpse, a difficult situation. They desperately hoped that Lan Qiren wouldn’t call on them to answer. Seeing that Wei Wuxian had not answered for a while and was merely deep in thought, Lan Qiren said, "Wangji, explain to him what should be done."