Chapter 18

Chapter 18 - Elegant Turmoil Part 4

Wei Wuxian bought a bunch of random stuff in Caiyi Town and brought it back to Cloud Deep, where the other disciples quickly claimed their share. Since Lan Qiren had gone to Qinghe, there were no lessons for the next few days, and the group spent their days partying, even sleeping on the floor in Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng's room, eating, drinking, arm wrestling, throwing dice, and looking at picture books all night. One night, Wei Wuxian lost a game of dice and was sent to climb over the wall and go down the mountain to buy Tianzi Xiao, finally allowing everyone to have a feast. However, the next day, before dawn, when everyone was sprawled on the floor asleep, a sudden opening of the door startled them awake.

The sound of the door opening jolted several people awake. In their sleep-dazed state, they saw Lan Wangji standing in the doorway, his expression as cold as ice, which scared them fully awake. Nie Huaisang frantically pushed Wei Wuxian, who was sleeping with his head down and body up, saying, "Wei! Wei!"

Wei Wuxian was shoved a few times and mumbled, "Who? Who else is here? Jiang Cheng? Fine, let's do this!"

Jiang Cheng, who still had a headache from drinking too much the previous night, had his eyes closed but reflexively reached for something and threw it in the direction of Wei Wuxian's voice, saying, "Shut up!"

The object hit Wei Wuxian's chest and fluttered several pages before landing. Nie Huaisang saw that what Jiang Cheng had thrown was one of Wei Wuxian's prized erotic scrolls. Looking up again, he saw Lan Wangji's sharp gaze and almost fainted. Wei Wuxian, still holding the book, muttered a couple of words before falling back asleep. Lan Wangji grabbed Wei Wuxian by the back of his collar and dragged him out of the room without a word.

After being dragged for a while, Wei Wuxian woke up a bit and mumbled, "Lan Zhan, what are you doing?"

Lan Wangji didn't respond and continued dragging him along. Wei Wuxian woke up a bit more, and the others who were sprawled on the floor also began to wake up. Seeing that Wei Wuxian was being dragged away by Lan Wangji, Jiang Cheng rushed out and asked, "What's going on? What's happening?"

Lan Wangji turned around and said word by word, "Punishment."

Jiang Cheng froze, suddenly remembering the mess in the room and how many of Cloud Deep's rules they had broken the previous night.

Lan Wangji dragged Wei Wuxian to the Gusu Lan Family's ancestral hall, where several older disciples were already waiting. There were eight of them in total, four of whom were holding long sandalwood canes engraved with dense square characters. They looked stern and cold. As soon as Lan Wangji brought Wei Wuxian over, two of them immediately stepped forward and held Wei Wuxian down firmly. Wei Wuxian, half-kneeling on the ground and unable to struggle, asked, "Lan Zhan, are you going to punish me?"

Lan Wangji stared at him coldly without speaking.

Wei Wuxian said, "I don't accept."

By now, the other young disciples had woken up and rushed over but were stopped outside the ancestral hall. They watched nervously as the canes were raised, terrified. However, Lan Wangji lifted the hem of his white robe and knelt down beside Wei Wuxian.

Seeing this, Wei Wuxian was shocked and tried to get up, but Lan Wangji ordered, "Carry out the punishment!"

Wei Wuxian was dumbfounded and quickly said, "Wait, wait, I accept, I accept! Lan Zhan, I was wrong... Ah!"

They both took over a hundred lashes on their hands and calves. Lan Wangji didn't need to be held down and remained straight and upright throughout. Wei Wuxian, on the other hand, howled and wailed, completely unrestrained, making the onlooking disciples wince and frown. After the punishment, Lan Wangji silently stood up, bowed to the disciples inside the hall, and then walked out, showing no signs of injury. Wei Wuxian, on the contrary, was carried out by Jiang Cheng and continued to howl in pain. The group of young disciples swarmed around them, asking, "Wei Wuxian, what happened?"

"Lan Zhan punished you, but why did he take the punishment with you?"

Wei Wuxian, still on Jiang Cheng's back, sighed deeply, "Ah! Miscalculation! It's a long story!"

Jiang Cheng said, "Cut the nonsense! What exactly did you do?"

Wei Wuxian said, "I didn't do much. Last night, I lost a game of dice and went to buy Tianzi Xiao."

Jiang Cheng said, "Don't tell me you ran into him again."

Wei Wuxian said, "You're right. I don't know what kind of luck I have. As I was climbing back up with the Tianzi Xiao, I ran into him again. I suspect he really watches me all the time."

Jiang Cheng said, "You think everyone is as free as you? And then?"

Wei Wuxian said, "Then I greeted him. I said, 'Lan Zhan! What a coincidence, it's you again!' Of course, he ignored me and struck me with his palm without a word. I said, 'Why are you like this? He said that if an outsider repeatedly breaks the curfew, they must be punished at the Lan family's ancestral hall.' I said, 'There are only the two of us here. If you don't tell, no one will know I broke the curfew, right? I promise there won't be a next time. We're so familiar with each other; can't you do me a favor?'"

The group of young disciples looked at him with disbelief.

Wei Wuxian continued, "And then he said he wasn't familiar with me, drew his sword, and attacked me without any hesitation. I had no choice but to put the Tianzi Xiao aside and fight back. He was relentless, chasing me tightly! I couldn't shake him off! Finally, I got so annoyed that I said, 'Are you really not letting go?!'

"He still said, 'Punishment!'"

The others listened in stunned silence. Wei Wuxian was so animated in his storytelling that he forgot he was still on Jiang Cheng's back and suddenly slammed his palm on Jiang Cheng's shoulder. "I said, 'Fine!' and stopped dodging, charging straight at him, dragging him out of the Cloud Deep!"

"..."

Wei Wuxian said, "So both of us ended up outside the borders of Cloud Deep Unknown! We were so dazed from the fall."

Nie Huaisang was already stunned. "...He didn't break free from you?"

Wei Wuxian said, "Oh, he tried. But I used both my hands and feet to lock him down tight. He couldn't break free no matter what, couldn't get up from on top of me, stiff as a board. I said, 'How about it, Lan Zhan? Now you're outside Cloud Deep Unknown too. You can't hold others to a higher standard than yourself. If you're punishing me, you should punish yourself too, fairly. How about it?'"

Wei Wuxian continued, "After he got up, his face looked terrible. I sat next to him and said, 'Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. This is just between the heavens, the earth, you, and me.' Then he left without saying a word. Who knew he would pull this stunt in the morning... Jiang Cheng, walk slower, you're about to shake me off."

Jiang Cheng wasn't just thinking about shaking him off; he wanted to smash him headfirst into the ground. "I didn’t ask for this!"

Wei Wuxian said, "You didn’t ask to carry me."

Jiang Cheng shouted angrily, "If I didn’t carry you, I bet you'd roll around on the floor of our family's ancestral hall all day and refuse to get up. I can’t afford to lose face. Lan Wangji took fifty more strokes than you, and he walked on his own. How can you shamelessly act like you’re crippled? I don't want to carry you anymore, get off already!"

Wei Wuxian said, "I can't get off. I'm a wounded patient."

A group of people pushed and shoved their way along the white stone path when a figure in white robes, carrying a book, happened to pass by and stopped in surprise. Lan Xichen smiled and said, "What's going on here?"

Jiang Cheng was embarrassed and didn't know how to respond. Nie Huaisang, however, had already spoken up. "Brother Xichen, Wei Wuxian was punished with over a hundred strokes! Do we have any medicinal ointment?!"

Since Lan Wangji was in charge of punishments in Cloud Deep Unknown, and Wei Wuxian had been wailing in the midst of the crowd, it seemed his injuries were quite severe. Lan Xichen immediately stepped forward and said, "Was it Wangji who punished him? Young Master Wei can't walk? What happened exactly?"

Jiang Cheng, not wanting to explain what Wei Wuxian had done, and considering that their group had encouraged Wei Wuxian to buy the wine, making everyone deserving of punishment, could only vaguely say, "It's nothing, nothing so exaggerated! He can walk. Wei Wuxian, get off already!"

Wei Wuxian said, "I can't walk." He held out his swollen, red hands and said to Lord Ze Wu, "Your brother sure knows how to dish out punishment."

Lan Xichen examined his hands and said, "Ah, this is indeed punished quite severely. It probably won't subside for three or four days."

Jiang Cheng, not realizing it had been so severe, exclaimed, "What? It won't subside for three or four days? His legs and back were also hit with the disciplinary rod. How could Lan Wangji do this?!" The last sentence involuntarily carried a hint of dissatisfaction, and Wei Wuxian quietly patted him, prompting him to realize it. Lan Xichen, however, didn't mind and smiled. "But it's not a big issue. Young Master Wei, I'll tell you a method that will heal it in just a few hours."

Later that night, in Cloud Deep Unknown, at the Cold Springs.

Lan Wangji was meditating with his eyes closed in the icy waters when suddenly a voice sounded beside his ear. "Lan Zhan."

"..."

Lan Wangji opened his eyes abruptly. Sure enough, there was Wei Wuxian, lying on the cold stone by the springs, grinning at him.

Lan Wangji blurted out, "How did you get in here?!"

Wei Wuxian slowly got up, unfastening his belt as he said, "Lord Ze Wu let me in."

Lan Wangji asked, "What are you doing?"

Wei Wuxian kicked off his boots and continued to shed his clothes as he said, "What do you think I’m doing, getting undressed?" It's said that the Gusu Lan Family’s Cold Springs not only serve to calm the mind and cultivate one's nature but also have the function of removing bruises and healing injuries. So, my brother-in-law let me in to soak with you. But it’s not fair for you to hog all the healing time by yourself. Wow, it's really cold, brr—"

He entered the water and was so shocked by the icy cold that he rolled around in the pool. Lan Wangji quickly distanced himself by a full zhang and said, "I'm here for cultivation, not for healing. Don't splash around!"

Wei Wuxian said, "But it's so cold, so cold ah..."

This time, he wasn't deliberately causing trouble. Outsiders really couldn't adapt to the Cold Springs of the Gusu Lan Family in a short time. It felt as if standing still for a moment would freeze one's blood and limbs, so he had to keep moving to warm up. Lan Wangji, who had been meditating peacefully, was splashed repeatedly by Wei Wuxian's thrashing. Water droplets slid down his long lashes and black hair. Finally, unable to bear it anymore, he said, "Stop moving!"

With that, he stretched out a palm and pressed it against Wei Wuxian's shoulder.

Wei Wuxian immediately felt a warm current flow from the point of contact, making him feel better. He couldn't help but move closer to Lan Wangji. Lan Wangji warned, "What are you up to?"

Wei Wuxian innocently said, "Nothing, it just seems a bit warmer over there by you."

Lan Wangji firmly kept a palm between them to maintain distance and said sternly, "It's not."

Wei Wuxian originally wanted to get closer to him, to chat him up and make conversation, but after failing to get near him and being rebuffed, he didn’t get angry. He glanced at his palm and shoulders; the wounds hadn’t healed yet. It was clear he wasn’t here to heal his injuries. Wei Wuxian sincerely said, “Lan Zhan, I truly admire you. When you said you’d punish yourself, you really didn’t show any leniency. I’m speechless.”

Lan Wangji closed his eyes again, saying nothing.

Wei Wuxian continued, “Really, I’ve never met anyone as principled and unwavering as you. I definitely can’t be like you. You’re amazing.”

Lan Wangji still didn’t respond to him.

Once Wei Wuxian warmed up, he began to swim around in the spring. After a while, he still couldn’t resist swimming to Lan Wangji’s front and said, “Lan Zhan, didn’t you notice what I was doing just now?”

Lan Wangji said, “I don’t know.”

Wei Wuxian said, “You didn’t catch that? I was complimenting you, trying to get on your good side.”

Lan Wangji looked at him and said, “What do you want to do?”

Wei Wuxian said, “Lan Zhan, how about we become friends? We’re already quite familiar with each other.”

Lan Wangji said, “We’re not familiar.”

Wei Wuxian splashed the water and said, “This isn’t fun anymore. Being friends with me has its perks.”

Lan Wangji said, “For example?”

Wei Wuxian swam to the edge of the pool, leaned his back against the blue stones, and rested his arms on the stone, saying, “I’m always very loyal to my friends. For example, any new erotic paintings I get, I’ll let you see them first… Hey, hey, don’t go. No big deal if you don’t want to look. Have you ever been to Yunmeng? Yunmeng is a lot of fun, and the food there is delicious. I don’t know if it’s a problem with Gusu or Cloud Recesses, but the food at your place is terrible. If you come to Lotus Pier, you’ll get to eat all kinds of delicious food. I’ll take you to pick lotus seeds and water caltrops. Lan Zhan, are you coming?”

Lan Wangji said, “Not going.”

Wei Wuxian said, “You shouldn’t always start your sentences with ‘no.’ It sounds too cold. Girls wouldn’t like it. The girls in Yunmeng are also very beautiful, and their beauty is different from those here in Gusu.” He winked his left eye at Lan Wangji and said proudly, “Are you really not coming?”

Lan Wangji paused for a moment but still said, “No…”

Wei Wuxian said, “If you reject me like this without giving me any face, aren’t you afraid I’ll take your clothes when I leave?”

Lan Wangji said, “Get lost!!!”

After Lan Qiren returned to Gusu from Qinghe, he didn’t make Wei Wuxian roll back to the library to copy the Lan family precepts again. Instead, he scolded him in front of everyone. Without the classical references, the simplified meaning was that he had never seen such a stubborn and shameless person before and told him to get lost, as far away as possible, and not to come near the other students, much less sully his prized disciple, Lan Wangji.

While Lan Qiren was scolding him, Wei Wuxian listened with a smile, not feeling embarrassed or angry at all. As soon as Lan Qiren left, Wei Wuxian sat down and said to Jiang Cheng, “Telling me to get lost now is a bit late, isn’t it? The damage is already done. He’s already ‘sullied,’ right?”

The water demon in Caiyi Town caused a lot of trouble for the Gusu Lan Family. This thing couldn’t be eradicated, and the Lan family couldn’t drive it away to another place like the Wen family could. The Lan family head was often in seclusion, and Lan Qiren exhausted a lot of energy dealing with it. His lecture times became shorter and shorter, while Wei Wuxian spent more and more time wandering the mountains with others.

That day, he was once again surrounded by seven or eight young men as they were about to head out. Passing by the Lan family’s library, looking up from below, through the magnolia branches, he could just see Lan Wangji sitting by the window alone.

Nie Huaisang wondered, “Is he looking at us? That’s strange; we weren’t making much noise just now. Why is he still giving us that look?”

Wei Wuxian said, “He’s probably thinking about how to catch us in a mistake.”

Jiang Cheng said, “Wrong. It’s not ‘us’; it’s ‘me.’ I think he’s only staring at you.”

Wei Wuxian said, “Heh. Just wait. Let’s see how I’ll handle him when I come back.”

Jiang Cheng said, “You find him boring and dull, yet you still provoke him all the time. It’s like pulling the whiskers of a tiger or touching the head of a god. You’re always courting death.”

Wei Wuxian said, “It’s exactly because someone like him can be so boring that it makes things interesting.”

It was nearly noon when they returned to Cloud Recesses. Lan Wangji was sitting by the desk, organizing a stack of papers he had written. Suddenly, he heard a light rattling of the window frame. Looking up, he saw someone climbing in through the window.

Wei Wuxian had climbed up using the magnolia tree outside the library. Grinning widely, he said, “Lan Zhan, I’m back! How about it? Did you miss me while I wasn’t copying books?”

Lan Wangji remained as still as an old monk in meditation, indifferent to everything around him, even somewhat numbly continuing to organize the small mountain of books. Wei Wuxian deliberately misinterpreted his silence, "Even if you don't say it, I know. You must be thinking of me. Otherwise, why were you looking at me from the window just now?"

Lan Wangji immediately shot him a glance, his eyes full of silent reproach. Wei Wuxian sat on the window and said, "You fell for it in just two sentences. So easy to bait. You can't even hold your composure."

Lan Wangji said, "Leave."

Wei Wuxian replied, "Are you going to throw me off if I don't go?"

Looking at Lan Wangji's face, Wei Wuxian suspected that if he said one more word, Lan Wangji would abandon his remaining composure and nail him to the window sill. He quickly added, "Don't be so scary! I'm here to bring a peace offering."

Lan Wangji refused without a second thought, "I don't want it."

Wei Wuxian asked, "Really don't want it?" Seeing the wariness in Lan Wangji's eyes, he magically pulled two rabbits out of his chest, holding them by their ears. They were like two plump, round snowballs, kicking their legs randomly. He brought them close to Lan Wangji's face and said, "There are no pheasants here, but there are plenty of wild rabbits that aren't afraid of humans. Look, aren't they fat? Do you want them or not?"

Lan Wangji looked at him coldly.

Wei Wuxian said, "Alright. If you don’t want them, I’ll give them to someone who does. I’ve been craving some good meat lately."

Hearing this, Lan Wangji said, "Stop."

Wei Wuxian shrugged, "I didn't even move."

Lan Wangji asked, "Who are you going to give them to?"

Wei Wuxian replied, "Whoever can grill the best rabbit meat."

Lan Wangji said, "Within the borders of Cloud Recesses, killing is prohibited. It's the third rule on the disciplinary monument."

Wei Wuxian said, "Fine. I'll go down the mountain, kill them outside the borders, and bring them back up to grill. Since you don't want them, why do you care so much?"

"Give them to me," Lan Wangji said word by word.

Wei Wuxian sat on the window sill, grinning, "Oh, you want them now? You're always like this."

The two rabbits were fat and round, like two fluffy snowballs. One had a dead fish eye, moving slowly on the ground without budging for a long time, chewing the vegetable leaves leisurely with its pink three-lobed mouth. The other was like it had taken a fighting spirit pill, constantly jumping up and down, climbing and rolling over its companion, twisting and bouncing, never stopping for a moment. Wei Wuxian threw a few leaves he had picked up from somewhere and suddenly said, "Lan Zhan. Lan Zhan!"

The active rabbit had stepped on Lan Wangji's inkstone, leaving a black ink footprint on the desk. Lan Wangji didn't know what to do and was seriously thinking about how to clean it with a piece of paper. Not wanting to pay attention to Wei Wuxian, but hearing the unusual tone in his voice, he thought something might be wrong and asked, "What is it?"

Wei Wuxian asked, "Look at them stacked like that… aren’t they…?"

Lan Wangji said, "They are both males!"

Wei Wuxian said, "Males? How strange." He grabbed them by the ears to check and confirmed, "They are indeed males. They are males. I hadn't even finished my sentence; why were you so harsh? What did you think of? Speaking of which, I caught these two, and I didn't even notice if they were male or female, yet you've already examined their..."

Lan Wangji finally threw him out of the library.

Wei Wuxian laughed loudly in mid-air, "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

"Clang," Lan Wangji slammed the window shut and sat back beside the desk.

He glanced at the scattered rice paper and the ink-stained floor, and the two white rabbits rolling around with vegetable leaves, closed his eyes, and covered his ears.

The trembling magnolia branches were shut outside the window, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't block out Wei Wuxian's joyful and unrestrained laughter.

The next day, Lan Wangji finally stopped attending the lectures.

Wei Wuxian's seat was changed three times. He was originally sitting with Jiang Cheng, but Jiang Cheng was serious about his studies, wanting to perform well and bring honor to the Yunmeng Jiang family. He moved to the front row, which was too conspicuous for Wei Wuxian's antics, so he abandoned Jiang Cheng and sat behind Lan Wangji. When Lan Qiren lectured, Lan Wangji sat straight like a copper wall, and behind him, Wei Wuxian either slept soundly or doodled freely. Except for occasionally being intercepted by Lan Wangji when he threw paper balls at others, it was a blessed spot. But later, Lan Qiren noticed the trick and swapped their positions. Since then, whenever Wei Wuxian's posture was slightly off, he felt two cold, sharp gazes pinning him from behind, and Lan Qiren would glare at him fiercely. Being constantly monitored by both Lan Qiren and Lan Wangji, one in front and one behind, was unbearable. After the incident involving the spring palace scrolls and the double rabbit incident, Lan Qiren saw Wei Wuxian as a corrupting influence, fearing that his prized disciple would be tainted. In a hurry, he had Lan Wangji stop attending, so Wei Wuxian returned to his old spot and managed to stay out of trouble for half a month.

Unfortunately, people like Wei Wuxian never stay out of trouble for long.

Within Cloud Recesses, there stood a long wall adorned with lattice windows. Every seven steps, a carved hollow window appeared, each with a different design: a monk playing the guqin on a mountain, a sword cultivator soaring through the sky, and a warrior slaying a demonic beast. Lan Qiren explained that each window depicted the life of an ancestor of the Gusu Lan Family. Among them, the four oldest and most renowned windows told the story of Lan An, the founding ancestor of the Lan family.

Lan An had been born in a temple and grew up listening to Buddhist chants, developing great wisdom and spiritual insight. As a youth, he became a famous monk far and wide. At the age of twenty, he left the monastic life, adopting the name "Lan" from "Jia Lan," a term for a temple guardian, and became a musician. During his quest for immortality, he met his "destined one" in Gusu, and they became spiritual partners, laying the foundation for the Lan family together. After his partner's death, he returned to the temple to live out his days. The four windows were titled "Jia Lan," "Learning Music," "Spiritual Partner," and "Final Rest."

After many days, this was the first time something interesting had been discussed. Though Lan Qiren presented it as a dry chronology, Wei Wuxian actually paid attention. After class, he laughed and said, "So the ancestor of the Lan family was a monk. No wonder. He left the monastery for love, and when that love was gone, he returned to the temple, leaving no ties behind. But how did such a romantic ancestor produce such unfeeling descendants?"

The crowd, also surprised, began discussing how the famously rigid Lan family could have such an ancestor. The discussion then turned to "spiritual partners," as they exchanged ideas about their ideal immortal partners and evaluated the renowned ladies of the present. At this point, someone asked, "Brother Jin Zixuan, which lady do you think is the best?"

Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng looked at each other and simultaneously turned their gaze to the front row of the Hall of Orchids, where a young man sat.

This young man had an air of pride and handsome features. A red dot adorned his forehead, and his collar, cuffs, and waistband were embroidered with golden stars and snowy white peonies. He was the young master of the Jin family of Lanling, Jin Zixuan, who had been sent to Gusu for cultivation.

Another person said, "Don't ask Brother Jin Zixuan about this. He's already engaged, so of course, he'll say his fiancée."

Hearing the word "fiancée," Jin Zixuan's mouth twitched slightly, revealing a hint of displeasure. The indiscreet disciple continued to ask cheerfully, "Really? Which family's lady is she? She must be extraordinary, right?"

Jin Zixuan raised an eyebrow and said, "Let's not mention it again."

Wei Wuxian suddenly interjected, "What do you mean by 'don't mention it again?'"

All the disciples in the Hall of Orchids turned to look at him in surprise. Usually, Wei Wuxian was always joking and never truly angry, even when scolded or punished. But at this moment, there was a visible trace of hostility between his brows. Jiang Cheng, unusually, did not scold Wei Wuxian for stirring up trouble as he usually would and sat beside him with a dark expression.

Jin Zixuan arrogantly said, "Are the words 'let's not mention it again' so hard to understand?"

Wei Wuxian sneered, "The words aren't hard to understand, but what's your problem with my senior sister, Jiang Yanli?"

Whispers filled the room, and after a few exchanges, they realized the unintended consequence of the previous remarks. Jin Zixuan's fiancée was none other than Jiang Yanli of the Yunmeng Jiang family.

Jiang Yanli, the eldest daughter of Jiang Fengmian and Jiang Cheng's sister, had a gentle disposition but lacked striking beauty. Her speech was steady but lacked memorable flavor. With above-average looks and unremarkable talents, she paled in comparison to the blooming beauties of various families. It was hard for her to compete with other renowned family ladies. The reason she was betrothed to Jin Zixuan was due to her mother's lineage from the Meishan Yu family, which had a close relationship with Jin Zixuan's mother's family. The two ladies had grown up together and were very close.

The Jin family's pride was something Jin Zixuan had inherited fully. He had high standards and had long been dissatisfied with this betrothal. He wasn't just unhappy with the match but also resented his mother for deciding his marriage without his consent, which fueled his rebellion. Seizing the opportunity, he vented, "Why don't you ask what it is about her that satisfies me?"

Jiang Cheng stood up abruptly.

Wei Wuxian pushed him back and stepped forward, sneering, "Who do you think you are to be so picky? What gives you the right to nitpick?"

Because of this engagement, Jin Zixuan had always looked down on the Yunmeng Jiang family and had long disapproved of Wei Wuxian's behavior. Priding himself on his unparalleled status among his peers, he had never been looked down upon like this before. In a fit of anger, he blurted out, "If she's not satisfied, let her break off the engagement! I don't care. If you treasure her so much, why don't you ask her father for her hand! Isn't he kinder to you than his own son?"

Hearing this, Jiang Cheng's expression hardened, and Wei Wuxian flew into a rage, leaping forward and throwing a punch. Although Jin Zixuan had been on guard, he hadn't expected such a swift attack. Before he could finish his sentence, he was hit, his face going numb, and he immediately retaliated.

This fight alarmed both major families. That very day, Jiang Fengmian and Jin Guangshan arrived in Gusu from Yunmeng and Lanling, respectively.

After viewing the two kneeling in punishment, the two family heads endured a scolding from Lan Qiren and then exchanged pleasantries, wiping their sweat. Jiang Fengmian then brought up the intention to dissolve the betrothal.

He said to Jin Guangshan, "This betrothal was insisted upon by Yanli's mother. I never agreed to it. Now it seems that both parties are unhappy, so it's best not to force this."

Jin Guangshan was taken aback and hesitated slightly. Breaking off a betrothal with another major family was never a good idea. He said, "What do kids know? Let them fight. There's no need for us to get involved, Brother Jiang."

Jiang Fengmian said, "Brother Jin, while we can arrange their betrothal, we can't live their lives for them. After all, they're the ones who will have to live together."

This marriage had never truly been Jin Guangshan's wish. If he wanted to form a marital alliance with a family to consolidate power, the Yunmeng Jiang family wasn't the only option, nor the best one. Since the Jiang family had initiated the dissolution, and the Jin family was the groom's side, there was no need to prolong the matter. Besides, Jin Zixuan's dissatisfaction with his fiancée was well-known to him. After some consideration, Jin Guangshan boldly agreed to the dissolution.

At this moment, Wei Wuxian had no idea what consequences his fight had caused. He knelt obediently on the pebble path designated by Lan Qiren. Jiang Cheng approached from afar and mocked, "You're kneeling pretty obediently."

Wei Wuxian said with a smirk, "I get kneed a lot, so I'm used to it. But Jin Zixuan has probably never knelt before. Today, I'll make him cry for his parents."

Jiang Cheng lowered his head for a moment and said calmly, "Father is here."

Wei Wuxian asked, "Did my senior sister, Jiang Yanli, not come?"

Jiang Cheng said, "Why would she come? To watch you embarrass yourself? If she were here, she’d definitely come to check on you and bring you some medicine."

Wei Wuxian sighed and said, "It would’ve been nice if she came. Luckily, you didn’t get a chance to hit him."

Jiang Cheng said, "I totally would have. If you hadn’t stopped me, Jin Zixuan’s other cheek would’ve been toast."

Wei Wuxian said, "Let’s not. With his face all lopsided, he’d look even worse. You know how much that guy loves his pretty face—it’s like he’s a peacock or something."

Laughing harder, Wei Wuxian added, "You know, I should’ve let you go at him. I could’ve just stood back and watched. Then Uncle Jiang probably wouldn’t have shown up. But I couldn’t resist!"

Jiang Cheng snorted and said, "Yeah, sure, keep dreaming."

Wei Wuxian’s comment was offhand, but his feelings were anything but. He knew, deep down, that it wasn’t just a joke.

Uncle Jiang had never rushed to another clan in a single day—no matter what happened, good or bad, big or small.

Seeing Wei Wuxian’s gloomy expression, Jiang Cheng thought he was still upset about what Jin Zixuan had said and said, "You should go. No need to stick around. If Lan Wangji shows up again, he’ll catch you. You should check out Jin Zixuan groveling on his knees."

Jiang Cheng raised an eyebrow. "Wait, Lan Wangji? Why would he come?"

Wei Wuxian said, "Yeah, I can’t believe he has the guts to show up. His uncle probably sent him to make sure I was kneeling properly."

Jiang Cheng’s instincts kicked in. "So, were you actually kneeling when he left?"

Wei Wuxian said, "I was kneeling properly. After he walked a bit away, I took a stick and started digging a hole in the soil next to me, right at your feet. There’s an anthill there. I found it after some effort. When he turned back and saw my shoulders shaking, he probably thought I was bawling or something. You should’ve seen his face when he realized I was just messing with an anthill!"

"..." Jiang Cheng said, "You better get your ass back to Yunmeng before he changes his mind! I don’t think he ever wants to see you again."

That very night, Wei Wuxian packed his things and left with Jiang Fengmian to return to Yunmeng.

Author’s Note: Alright, that wraps up their time at the academy. The past is done. Tomorrow night, we’ll pick up where we left off in the present.