Chapter Text
He should have seen this coming.
He should have known that the retribution would come worse than getting your body torn and shredded by hundred corpses until you have nothing left - not even bones. (He wondered if there was anyone that wanted to bury his bones even after what he had became.)
After crossing the river in Yellow Springs and received the heavily stares of Judges of Hell, he, Wei Wuxian, deemed to be delivered into Wrath ring of Hell.
Of course it was Wrath. (Of course, nobody but those who killed their own family deserved to be placed under the great punishment.)
He wondered if he would meet someone he recognized from the above. Probably not.
He should have seen this coming.
The Ring of Wrath was placed under eternal winter. So cold it seeped to his bones, made his teeth rattled and his naked body easily frosted. Maybe this was intended to beat the hot scorch of anger into submission, maybe this was intended to pull the shame into the surface.
The King of Wrath, that was they called him, the damned and the punisher. Each of the damned was given an assignment in timeless deadline, to redeem themselves, to repent, to know why Wrath was not a desired trait in Heaven, and if he was scoffed so hard to the Heavenly Realm, nobody needed to know about that.
His task was to be assigned into hundred or thousand of reincarnations of evil characters in million realms then he needed to change the path of the said evil without killing the main characters of the intended realm because it would make the world collapse. More so, to assist the every damned, the King settled them with a binding assistant which gave them the information of character also gave them punishment and reward. He called it Chenqing, just for the sake of reminiscent.
See, he wasn't petty person in the beginning. The testimony would be given by Jiang Cheng if he was still in the above. He was diligent. Paving the path for the evil character into someone in the sidelines of plot, not getting killed and not killing others too. Easy life really until his time coming back into the Ring of Wrath, getting his spiritual energy as the prize for succeeding the task, and transported again into another character.
But then, whenever he tried to modify his character, because he might be placed under Wrath however he refused to let himself be humiliated or looked down like the evil character he was (because once when he was alive was enough, thank you very much), and he would be punished by Chenqing with excruciating pain that felt the same with the cause of his death.
Never be said that Wei Wuxian was idiot. He was a notorious genius in his lifetime - the inventor of demonic cultivation as well as the tools to provide easier practice of night hunts that might or might not still be used above. He took pride of his brain and his stubborn willpower because without those he wouldn't survive the fall to Burial Mounds or wouldn't succeed in harness the resentful energy into obedient creatures that he reigned to avenge his adopted family and the destruction of Lotus Pier. There was no reason why he needed to cower upon the pain, he experimented instead.
He realized that every damned was given a space for themselves before going back to the Ring of Wrath meaning that there was a suspended time where the sinner afloat in between living and death realm. Then, in punishment or reward system calculated by Chenqing, there were so many loopholes if you could bullshit through the reasoning, and lucky for Wei Wuxian, he was good on that (nobody suspect until the end that he had no golden core since his monumental came back from Burial Mound though).
And here he was, breaking, cracking, and reshaping the suspended space into his personal space and binded it into Chenqing that it would be transportation talisman in a way. Not only he could accumulate his spiritual energy in this personal bubble he also manage to reinstate the punishment and reward system that he no longer acquired to follow the rules. Truly, Teacher Lan Qiren would vomit gallons of blood if he knew even in afterlife he still broke the rules.
He missed his life. But he knew, he didn't has a right to mourn or deserve a second life for what he has done to his Shijie's life. What would the child become, an orphan, and he was the one who made that child parentless. He would repent until he was no more. And if the rumor true to those who gain enough spiritual energy to bound into reincarnation and given a second chance, he would love to have that. A time when he would do right to all wrongs he has done.
With that in mind, once Chenqing notified him of the opening of realm, he prepared himself to a world where he could be himself. This time not only he would save himself, even to those cannon fodders he would try too. No one died - hero complex Jiang Cheng called it, an idiot without self-preservation Wen Qing said it, but he did really kill countless people at above and to serve himself clean without trying to shelter those whom his hands could reach out was a sin for him.
Inhaled. Exhaled. He tapped Chenqing and be ready for the battle.
----
Beep
Beep. Host entering.
Beep. Reading memories.
Beep. Beep. Reading data is completed. All the restrictions have been removed.
The first thing he noticed once he opened his eyes was the room was dark, dark in a way only the luminous moonlight seeped through the paper curtains. Through every realms, from ancient to middle to modern, he was sure that this looked like ancient China where light was burned through candles but not so far away into cultivation world.
Inhaled. Exhaled. He called out Chenqing and got an onslaught of memory the body he lived in. He was shocked to find the body's name was Wei Wuxian. His own name. Was it coincidence? Did the King of Wrath know the mole in his realm? The virus in the system? There was cold dread climbing on his throat that he waved it off. Better to think about it later then.
Wei Wuxian from the House of Wei, the only survivor of Wei lineages, was currently resided in the Great Lan Kingdom (the foreboding was getting more intense by this rate) as the Noble Consort of the current Emperor, Lan Wangji (he screamed internally, this was fucking bad). This realm has unique male population who was called as Ger where they could conceive and birth children. The fertility rate on this Ger population was known on the beauty mark in a pearl shape on between the eyebrows which the brighter of the red color it was, the more fertile they were. From what he has read, this body was truly evil incarnation. Jealousy was the biggest motivation of his malevolent action. He avenged all those who wronged his late family. He resented so much his adoptive siblings for their existing parents while his were dead. He was deceitful and manipulative that everyone looked better than him would be finished.
But.
But the truly thing that drove this character mad enough was his love to the current emperor. Wasn't that making him fear. Geez. He? Wei Wuxian loved Lan Wangji? If this Lan Wangji was the same with the person in his lifetime, he agreed that he was beautiful and righteous and fun to be teased and when he was mad the expression on his face ---
Okay. He wasn't in love with Lan Wangji, but he liked him enough to be his friend. Too bad that uptight dude didn't want anything with him, so hateful with him that person always asked him to return to Gusu for denouncing him and caging him perhaps. Sigh.
Not only that this Wei Wuxian paving the path for Lan Wangji to be seated on the throne, regardless the First Prince was still alive, but also clearing the ministers in court who opposed to Lan Wangji's reign. His downfall started by the time Lan Wangji taking the Empress for his kingdom, it wasn't Wei Wuxian, but Jiang Yanli from Jiang House, his adoptive sister (he felt the bile of blood ready to be vomited this time. Fuck fuck fuck) because he wasn't fertile enough. His sister here too? Was it the same person? How the hell he would manage to get out of this realm unscathed.
Again, this character was so petty. He did anything and everything to pull the Empress seat from Jiang Yanli, eradicated Jiang House to the bones, even worked with the spy from Wen Kingdom inside the palace, Meng Yao the Male Consort of The First Prince (the internal scream intensified) to abdicate Lan Wangji from the throne and kill him in cold blooded then kill himself at the end. Truly, a dramatic villain with penchant of jealousy streak as much as every drop of his blood. He was shivering. He didn't know whether to cry or scream. Maybe both of them. Once he succeeded in hacking the system and space, he was getting this kind of realm? SS zones. Fuck.
Now now, he should clear his mind. He was lucky he was sent to a month period before the marriage of Emperor to his sister. Exact time was when this news broke from the court and he was trashing a tantrum that put him under confinement punishment. He gritted his teeth in annoyance. Really? This guy was too much ah. The thing that he knew about man, the more you clutched them in your palm the more they rebelled and hated you in return. Geez. And if this Emperor was having the similar personality with his Lan Wangji then it would make sense why he hated this Noble Consort, even Lan Wangji at his time hated him for making an attempt to befriend him like a sticky rice with full teasing ammunition.
He built the plan in his head, he realized that he got headache so much from the memory attack combed with hunger this body felt after the stubbornness of starving himself, he thought he would undergo the planning once the sun rose.
For the first time after his death, pulling himself into sleep never been this easy. In the dark, Chenqing which was strapped on Wei Wuxian's wrist glowed in vigorous red light.
The morning came and Wei Wuxian found himself rising before his usual waking time. Perhaps, numerous reincarnation with terror of punishment from Chenqing made him full alert anytime in a day. However, once he rose from the bed, the cries emanated from the audience on his sides that he didn't realize he had.
It was several servants lining up in front of his bed, kneeling obediently like the rows of corpses in his glory days.
And the air was sucked out of his lungs. Two people in the front row were ones he wouldn't ever forget. There, living in flesh and blood, Wen Ning and Wen Qing.
Before he realized that his limbs moving, he crashed to Wen Ning like a bird landed on its nest. The sobs that echoing in the room came from him. He thought that this crier nature of him must be the personality trait of this body. Convenient huh? But this didn't lessen the agony he truly felt.
Two figures he thought he was losing in his timeline. Sacrificed themselves for the unworthy him, eliminated themselves to cut out the liability, no one did it for him but these people.
"You- Your Highness! Are you all right?"
"Wen Ning!"
"Ma-master?"
"Wen Ning!"
He hugged this boy tighter to his chest and sobbed to his shoulder. If his head in better space, he wouldn't cry like this. Too bad he was long gone. At first, the boy squeaked and didn't know how to put his hands, was it to the master's shoulder or waist? But doing so would incite the inappropriate scene.
He spared a glance to his sister. If anyone could handle this master of him, it would be his sister.
"Your Highness, you hit your head quite badly, would you permit this servant to check on your health?" his sister said smoothly.
Who knew that the sobs got louder than before. All of the servants in the room were agitated and worried. Although the Noble Consort, Wei Wuxian was known to be ruthless and troublesome, the servants were loyal to him, and seeing their master crying like this made them sad too.
"Wen Qing, is that you?" Wei Wuxian asked softly after he released Wen Ning from the shameless embrace. He didn't dare to look at her on the eye. The remnant of pain memory, the feeling of left behind was still raw wound for him. It wasn't their fault but his.
Although beforehand their master never called them by their name, Wen Qing couldn't help but nodded and affirmed it so the man would know.
"Yes Your Highness, this servant's name is Wen Qing".
This "servant" talk really got in his nerves. No matter how many times he diminished Wen Ning's calling of him as Master he would prefer they called him by his name. But fate was truly pulling his legs in this realm that made him their superior. He couldn't help but sobbing again.
Afraid that there was wound on master's head which made him this hysterical, Wen Qing dared herself to move closer to Wei Wuxian.
"Forgive me, My Lord.."
Before Wen Qing could finish her request of permission, she was pulled into hug while the man kept saying "I am sorry, Qing-jie". This threw her off her balance. This master, Your Highness Noble Consort, the prideful man not only said sorry but called her Qing-Jie. What kind of dead door this man just knocked.
"Please Your Highness, let these humble servants serve you to make you feel better, please cry no more" Wen Ning offered hurriedly. He really couldn't see his master to be this sad. The rest of servants provided the same sentiment.
Once Wei Wuxian felt that he got emotions under control, he looked up and offered the people in the room a smile that could challenge the sun. If the crying Noble Consort was shocking, the smiling man who usually smirk or scowl was enough to raise goosebumps all over the skin of servants.
"Wen Qing, did you say I hit my head? How bad was it?"
He thought it must be bad because the headache hadn't recede yet. He hoped this wasn't concussion.
"Yes, Your Highness, but this servant has checked and found no concussion. However, the outburst days before must be taking toll on Your Highness' body."
This close, Wen Qing could see that the pallor of the man wasn't better yet and his breath was short. She stroke the iron while it was still hot, while her master still close to them for whatever the reason, she had better offering the food.
"Your Highness, please eat first so the body can heal better" said Wen Ning with wary eyes and folded hands.
The sobs almost broke out from him again. He was a lucky bastard, wasn't him. To have these two people caring for him no matter which realm it was. Yet knowing the ending, how they were also be killed after his suicide. He wouldn't let them having that end again. This time he would make it better.
But first of all, let him having the offered food, who knew if he was going to undergo such a trial. And indeed a trial would follow.
After he finished the breakfast provided by the Wen siblings (what a delicious breakfast! Complete with chilly!), the imperial guards came and asked him to attend the hearing of his petition in the morning court.
He really wanted to lecture the person who had this body before him, not only starving himself under house arrest he was also throwing tantrum by sending a petition of refusal about the upcoming marriage. Now he could understand Jiang Cheng who facepalm whenever he was having attitude or mischief.
Before the Wen siblings could talk him out from the hearing, he agreed to be escorted to the court by imperial guards. The servants wanted to dress him up first, but he learned that if you wanted to look miserable then be miserable, if you wanted to look like supreme leader of army corpses then you needed to look like one. Confidence in Disguise. And it was surprising that this body was really the copy of him, but more slender and the hair was longer near his hips. He thought letting his hair down was better to create this sorry state of him along with his pale face and dimmed red mole.
Not as unabashed as he wanted, but with white outer robes to his inner robe, he walked to the court with head held high and regal bearing of Noble Consort (even though he still couldn't fathom how in the hell he could married into a man). He knew Wen siblings following him on the back and like he knew that Palace was a hard place to survived, once you lost favor then not only you but your subordinates would suffer too. His faux arrogance was for their sakes at least.
If he was a lesser man than he was, he would freeze on the spot once he recognized the faces in the court. Jiang Cheng, sitting on the left side on the head of court with permanent scowl etched on his face while Lan Huan, The First Prince with calm gaze and smiling face sitting on the right side of the throne with unreadable Meng Yao a little bit on the back. It seemed that he was the advisor of the Emperor.The Ministers, now he knew after a careful glance he sweeped to the court. This cabinet like cultivation world in his timelines consisted of four houses - Nie, Jin, Jiang and of course Lan. Nie Mingjue, the prominent figure with his saber on and Jin Zixuan who looked at him with clear disdain. All of those who died back to live with those who lived replicated the similar remembrance of his living above but with different roles they took here.
Then, at the centre of the attention, right in the middle of throne stage, there was a man, the Emperor himself - Lan Wangji. The same face with the same stuck up expression. He would laugh and tease him if the ambience not this intense. Lan Wangji, sigh, truly that man always managed to look so regal like celestial being wandered on earth. So above and beyond of menial things of human realm. What was so different of him, there was no white robes, the red regalia robes of Emperor instead covering his imminent figure - broad shoulder and tall body. Red forehead ribbon with the gold crown adored his hair. Once again, Lan Wangji was so beautiful he couldn't help but envy. Why wasn't him the one to be Emperor and Lan Wangji to be Noble Consort. He was manly enough, okay!
"Greetings to Your Majesty Emperor. Greetings to First Prince Lan Huan."
Although people thought he was unruly villain when he was alive, he actually was decent enough to pass Madam Yu's approval on his etiquette training. Really couldn't stay to be servant's son if he was living in the main hall of Lotus Pier.
"You may rise". Lan Zhan's voice was deeper than he remembered or was it always be enticing enough.
"Your Highness Noble Consort, Wei Wuxian, do you know why you are asked to attend this morning court?" Lan Huan asked gently with the smile still plastered on his face. Somehow, Wei Wuxian felt shiver of ominous feeling from that smile.
"This Noble Consort aware of the circumstance, Your Highness" he offered softly.
"Oh"
Oh, indeed, coming from Meng Yao. His first resolution to eliminate himself from evil path would be cutting the ties to this two-faced man. He might give him that impeccable smile but after thorough understanding this morning, the one who gained so much from his madness in killing Lan Wangji and himself would be the First Prince but knowing Lan Huan wouldn't be that scumbag to his own brother then it was only Meng Yao. However, he praised inwardly for that clever man. Who knew if this man was also indirectly fabricated his death before. Wouldn't be too surprising.
"May Your Highness Noble Consort provide us with the reason of the petition sending to the court?" Nie Mingjue's words were composed but the cutting voice was intended to intimidate. The Venerated Triad, sigh, of course they were sworn brothers too in here.
"The reason this Noble Consort sending the petition is because the hesitation of acquiring a wife for the Emperor". For strange reason, his heart clenched when he said that. Weird.
"This Advisor knew that Noble Consort was retained at his palace for several days, does Noble Consort still want the petition to be processed?" asked Lan Huan.
Maybe it was because his acting had been refined through countless evil reincarnations, maybe it was because the sorrowful memory, maybe it was because this body naturally felt agony so much that he was falling on his knees and bowed his head with tears running on his cheeks.
"This husband is wrong." [Do you hate me Lan Zhan?]
The gasp was vibrated in the room, the volume was so thick that it was known this scene was not common. For Noble Consort to bend himself so humbly and acknowledge his wrong was like asking Heaven to bloom the flowers in the winter. Utterly gobsmacked and conspicuous.
'Let's strike the iron while it's hot, Wei Ying'
"This husband is wrong. He was promised to be the only spouse for the Emperor that made him jealous and angry to know Your Majesty will take an Empress. This husband deserved punishment for even installed these horrible traits in Your Majesty harem. This husband have reflected and known for it is this husband's incapability himself for bearing a child that My Lord must find someone to procure a heir. This husband begs Your Majesty's forgiveness."
The tears might be a little bit overkill but it kept flowing when he remembered clearly how Lan Zhan hated him that until the end of his life that man was still raising his sword to kill him. No matter what the other thought of him, annoying or sinister, he always thought Lan Zhan as his friend. It saddened him to know his end was so miserable without any friend backed him up, not even his brother. Maybe Gods above added his punishment by giving a body who cried easily, naturally, that somewhat also a cunning deceitful manipulative male spouse. What a joke.
To say the court was stupefied by this confession was understatement. Jiang Cheng gaped like fish out of the water, Lan Huan's smile stuck on its asymmetrical line, Meng Yao frowned vaguely, even the courtiers he remembered supporting him were having their eyes almost out of their sockets for its bulging so comically. Then, the Emperor himself widened his eyes in moment longer than a fraction, Wei Wuxian was laughing maniacally inside to know he could illicit such an expression. How satisfying!
If you wanted a drama then Wei Wuxian was happy to provide!
Adding more miserable expression to more wronged gesture, hands clenched the collar of his robes while tears were flowing heavily.
"This Noble Consort will heed to The Majesty Emperor's decree and rules obediently. This husband will follow Your Majesty no matter what his decision. May Your Majesty live thousand years and have a glorious reign all time". He knocked his head enthusiastically to the floor to add the genuine act of the wronged mistress but too in love to stay mad to the husband. Nie Huaisang would have a joyous source of his scandalous book while watching this drama unfold he thought.
After several minutes, the court was coming back from its stupor by the clearing throat of the Emperor.
"The punishment will be delivered to the Geranium Palace and the house arrest will be lifted. You may rise".
With those few words, Lan Wangji not only dismissed Wei Wuxian but also the court. After last greeting, he let himself be helped by Wen siblings to walk into his chamber, the Geranium Palace. He was aware of the muted exchanging glances from the siblings, but he was too absorbed to his next plan when he was in his room. It was clear who was digging his pitfalls, who was sincere on supporting the Emperor, and who was silently and grudgingly still favored the First Prince. He needed to lay one by one action to execute his plan. But for now, he needed to settle the problem of his own household. Sigh, what a predicament of married person!