Work Text:
Refuge
A Harmony is the Value Story
By Sif Shadowheart
At first Wei Changze breathed and existed moment by moment. Counting every second, every breath. Waiting for the pain to ebb away enough for him to move from counting to resolution to action.
That was how he withstood the invaders to his family’s grief.
How he maintained an appropriate affect whilst neighbors and near-strangers alike mouthed platitudes.
How he kept his temper as he watched his former sect-brother in Jiang Fengmian visibly calculate whether he would press the advantage to use the grief that had stricken the Wei Family towards his own ends or if he would wait.
Kindly, wisely, Jiang Fengmian had chosen patience over imprudence.
A good decision.
Wei Changze didn’t know if he would’ve been able to restrain himself from reaching out with one hand and tearing out Fengmian’s spine for the sheer brazen audacity if he had dared try to press Wei Changze to return to Yunmeng now that his wife was dead.
As, presumably from what little Jiang Fengmian knew, the major impediment against the return of his former right-hand was removed with her death.
Then the mourners left, all but his tiny family and the stranger who had returned his a’Hua and her belongings to him, and slowly, painfully, Wei Changze started to live first kè by kè, then shí by shí. Not a full day would pass that Wei Changze didn’t have moments where his breath froze in his lungs and his heart cried out for the knowledge that his a’Hua was no longer simply away but that she was gone. Before he knew it, the Spring Festival had come and gone. a’Xia had tucked red strings of coins from the village aunties and uncles away in the chests he kept for his children, along with red packets from Lan Qiren who had started coming by every week or two for tea taken in compassionate silence.
Zhao Zhuliu through some magic of his daughter’s sweet voice and his son’s teary eyes, continued to stay.
Helping the not-stranger (not any longer) clear out the attic room that had originally been intended for a’Xia when she grew old enough to need a private room away from her younger brother was one of the crisp memories of those early days following his a’Hua’s death.
Never let it be said that even in the depths of his fresh grief that Wei Changze was a poor host.
So it was: out of pity or becoming endeared by the children, or some device that Wei Changze never noticed, Zhao Zhuliu stayed with the Wei Family.
It was strange, but also not.
Zhao Zhuliu was a rogue, yes, but not one like his a’Hua who had a love of roaming and the wilds baked into her bones. He was searching for something, or maybe someone. And among the desolation caused by the death of Xiao Meihua, he apparently found it.
No stranger, it should be said, than the day two months after the funeral of Xiao Meihua when Lan Qiren arrived for his weekly tea with Wei Changze - only this time, he wasn’t alone.
Lan Qiren was at his wits end.
His nephew Lan Zhan was grieving far harder and longer than expected given that he’d only ever spent one day a month with his mother - and that predicated on the elders not withholding a visit based on an infraction, though that only occurred once before a’Zhan learned what was at risk if he broke the Lan Precepts despite being a child.
The Lan elders were vicious about stomping out any sign that his nephews might have unsavory or unbecoming characteristics or traits from their parents, to the point that they seemed to have forgotten that a’Huan and a’Zhan were only children.
And, due to the strange detante of the Lan Sect and the precarious balance of power, Lan Qiren had limited power to prevent the elders from acting.
One day, power would officially pass from Qingheng-jun to a’Huan when his elder nephew came of age.
Until then, everything else was nebulous and a push-pull between Lan Qiren as Acting Sect Leader, and the power that the elders were so swift to gather into their own keeping - as unfilial as that thought might be.
Lan Qiren would have to assign himself a punishment for it later, but that didn’t make it less true.
He feared what might come - what action the elders might deem necessary - if a’Zhan’s current course of public grieving and disobedience continued.
Then he thought of the solace he had found in his friendship with Wei Changze, one that gave him respite long before his friend found himself a sudden widower, and a plan emerged.
Even among the other young Lan disciples, his nephews were set apart. Both by being the mainline sect heirs and by their parents. It wasn’t fair - would never be fair - but there were those within the clan that made it clear through action if not words (gossip was forbidden after all) that there was a faction who felt Lan Qiren’s perfect nephews were tainted. That the actions - murderous and unfilial and otherwise - of their parents could potentially spread through a’Huan and a’Zhan and infect the other young ones.
Ludicrous, and hateful, but without anything being outright publicly stated, there was nothing that Lan Qiren could directly address.
a’Huan was so busy with his lessons as the sect heir, that he was mostly unbothered by the relatively scant pool of children to befriend, especially as he was so pleasant and sweet that those few who were open to his friendship nearly leapt to befriend him.
Lan Qiren feared for a’Zhan however, as he knew there were those amongst the elders who would see his more taciturn nature in combination with his current misbehavior as yet another sign of Qingheng-jun and that woman to be quashed - through whatever means necessary.
Then he recalled, watching as quiet, dutiful Wei Yuexia read to her younger brother at his prior visit, that there were children outside of Gusu Lan.
Children who wouldn’t have any biases against his wonderful nephews engrained by bitter, judgemental fools.
Children who were also grieving the loss of a parent.
And so it was that Lan Qiren came down from his high mountains with his two nephews in tow, to take tea with his friend Wei Changze and his family.
“Qiren,” Wei Changze exchanged greetings with his friend, affection for the stern Lan having grown over the years of taking tea and Wei Changze occasionally venturing to the Cloud Recesses to serve as a tutor. However, in all that time, he’d never officially been introduced to Qiren’s nephews, a fact which it seemed his friend had now chosen to remedy. “Who have you brought with you today?”
Wei Yuexia stood to the left of her father, with Wei Ying on his right, the two of them having come to join him in waiting in the yard for Lan-xiansheng when the time for his arrival approached.
Only to discover, as Lan Qiren walked down the road, that for once he hadn’t come alone.
She studied the two boys with care, noting the clouds embroidered in silver on their pristine white headbands that matched Lan Qiren’s own, and knew them to be Lan Huan and Lan Zhan, who would one day be called the “Twin Jades of Lan.” Both were still chubby-cheeked youth, adorable in their Lan robes and headbands, but already showing signs of their differing personalities. If one knew to look, as she did.
Neither of them had perfected their public masks yet, curiosity clearly showing on Lan Huan’s face, while Lan Zhan’s open scowl and hint of a pout wasn’t anything close to stoic, but there were hints there of the men they could potentially grow to be.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a’Ying starting to bounce on his toes in excitement, always ready and willing to make new friends, and hid a smile.
She hoped - for his sake - that Lan Zhan wouldn’t be rude to her precious baby brother due to unfamiliarity with those of more exuberant nature.
He was a little young for a shovel talk, but if needs-must…
Though Lan Huan at least looked interested in this new adventure, so there was that to offset the sheer suspicion of Lan Zhan.
“My nephews.” Lan Qiren stated proudly. “Lan Huan and Lan Zhan.”
“Lan-gongzi.” Wei Changze nodded towards the youngsters with a gentle smile. “Lan-er-gongzi. Pleased to meet you at last. This one is Wei Changze, and these are my children: Wei Yuexia,” he first rested one hand briefly on a’Xia’s slight shoulder then removed it, his other hand at the same time lowering to rest on a’Ying’s head to keep him from leaping into the air in sheer excitement at the prospect of new friends to play with. “And Wei Ying.”
“Wei-qianbei, Wei-guniang, Wei-gongzi.” Lan Huan greeted who his uncle had told them were his friend and their children. He recognized Wei-qianbei from glimpses he’d caught of the stately-but-humble tutor around the Cloud Recesses. Some of his older cousins had taken lessons from him on talismanry, and he seemed to be well-liked for an outsider. “This one is pleased to make your acquaintance.”
A nudge to the side from Lan Huan’s elbow had Lan Zhan dipping a nod, and granting them a quiet: “Mn.”
Lan Zhan was not best pleased to have his routine interrupted, to say the least.
Leave it to Wei Ying, however, to cut right through both the tension of meeting new people and the social awkwardness of Lan Zhan’s less than effusive greeting.
“Hi! We have a baby goat!” a’Ying chirped, still as exhilarated as he’d been two weeks before when one of their small herd of dairy goats had had a late live birth. “Wanna see?”
“Baby…goat?” Lan Zhan turned a little from where he was almost - but not entirely as it wouldn’t be proper - hiding from these strangers behind and between his uncle and brother.
“Mm!” a’Ying hummed in delight, wriggling in place as his baba still had one hand on his head. “I can show you?”
“Mn.” Lan Zhan decided after a moment more, the siren call of a small and soft creature working its magic as he stepped forward in unison with Wei Changze unleashing Wei Ying from his temporary (loving) captivity, the other boy bouncing over and grabbing his hand to lead him onward.
To much surprise from both Lan Qiren and Lan Huan that he actually managed it, let alone that Lan Zhan allowed it, as the second young master Lan tended to avoid physical contact from those outside his immediate family.
If anything, his touch aversion had only gotten worse with the loss of his mother and one of the few people he trusted, rather than him beginning to grow out of it.
Lan Huan would never be so rude, even at his young age, to ask who these new people were mourning. As he could see that they were, from the small white armbands that all three members of the small family were wearing. Even as he was a bit bitter that they could mourn freely and his family could not, by the elders’ decree.
He was not allowed to wear a white sash for his mother, nor was a’Zhan.
It was an injustice and a flouting of the Lan Precepts regarding mourning and filial behavior that he was young enough to notice but not old or learned enough to push back against.
So all he could do, was dwell instead, though he did so quietly rather than the silent rebellion that a’Zhan had been undergoing that was so very in keeping with a’Zhan’s nature.
“You do not have to call us so formally, Lan-gongzi.”
Lan Huan was drawn out of his darkening thoughts by the soft voice of Wei-guniang. Which was a good thing but also...bad. As he hadn’t the slightest clue how to talk to her. He’d never been around… girls. His older cousins were either old older with their own families or lived in the women’s quarters as unmarried maidens. Not a place that Lan Huan would ever have cause to go, nor would he be allowed in the women’s quarters even when one day he becomes sect leader as his uncle said he must. And the few younger were even smaller than a’Zhan, so…
Lan Huan had never had cause to talk to a girl before.
“We are not gentry.” Wei Yuexia continued, completely unaware of the internal flailing her companion was undergoing. “You should call us by our names, it wouldn’t do to have people think we are overreaching our station, being called by titles that are not ours to claim.”
“Why not?” Lan Huan asked, puzzled. “It’s only polite, Wei-guniang.”
Wei Yuexia sent an amused glance over at the slightly-frowning young boy, already seeing the shades of the courteous man he would grow to be, one who had less care than most sect leaders for hierarchy.
But then, Lan Huan could afford to discard the social stratification of the world around them - he was at the top of it.
Other than his uncle and likely his sect elders, who would dare to censure him for being conversationally egalitarian?
“But this one is not a young mistress, Lan-gongzi.” She informed him softly, taking pains not to seem like she was trying to chide or lecture him, even as she kept an eye on their younger brothers until they cleared the paddock gate. Zhao Zhuliu liked to meditate on the garden wall between the paddock and the back veg-and-herb garden behind the cottage. He would have heard them coming and would keep an eye on them, ensuring that a’Ying’s antics didn’t see them charged and trampled by a protective mama-goat. The rest of the small dairy herd that had grown from their original nanny-goat and kid were all out grazing in the forest, her father's talismans keeping them safe and from wandering too far, so she at least didn’t have to worry about that. “My mother was a rogue cultivator, my father seceded from his sect when they eloped. We have no status among the gentry.”
“Wei Yuexia, then.” Lan Huan countered stubbornly, refusing to treat the family that hadn’t so much as blinked at his little brother’s taciturn nature with anything less than courtesy. “And you shall call me Lan Huan in turn.”
Wei Yuexia watched him warily for a long moment, as they cleared the paddock gate after their brothers and found the pair - a’Ying effusive and Lan Zhan quiet, both gently petting at the small kid with its dun-brown coat - talking. Well. a’Ying was talking. Lan Zhan was mostly humming and either nodding or shaking his head, but that was just fine. a’Ying when he got going talked enough for three people, let alone a single shy boy.
“You’re going to be stubborn about this, aren’t you Lan-gongzi?” She asked wryly.
“Just as stubborn as you’re going to be, Wei-guniang.”
“Lan Huan, then.”
“Yes, Wei Yuexia.”
“The children get along even better than I’d hoped for.” Lan Qiren noted as he and Wei Changze watched the two pairs - the small boys and their watchful elder siblings - from a distance after they’d given them a bit of time to grow used to one another.
He’d noted that Zhao Zhuliu was also keeping watch, but that was nothing new. While the man was cordial towards Lan Qiren and calm otherwise, he seemed to be taken with the Wei children, ensuring that they were safe when playing or going about their chores. He’d even seen him on one occasion leading little Wei Ying through a moving meditation in place of Wei Changze, who’d been having…a bad day.
With the loss of their mother, another adult around to help support the children as well as Wei Changze himself was only to be encouraged.
Lan Qiren had seen no sign of the rogue being dangerous or walking a crooked path, and so would keep his peace.
Though if Zhao Zhuliu ever thought to take advantage of the kindness that had led to his refuge among the Wei family, Lan Qiren would be sure to disabuse him of that notion.
Especially as now he had need of that same refuge himself - if mostly on behalf of his nephews, who were in such pain and grief.
Lan Qiren would not see it ruined for anything, if the Weis managed to bring a’Zhan out of his shell.
“They are good children.” Wei Changze agreed with a small sigh, eyes brightening for a moment as he watched a’Ying giggle and little Lan Zhan almost smile at the sound. “It will be good for the heirs of Gusu Lan to know how to interact with those outside of their sect.” He readily supplied an excuse for Lan Qiren to make to his elders. After all, Qiren wasn’t the only one to gain from having their children become friends. He couldn’t remember the last time his a’Xia spoke for longer than a moment or two with others her own age, besides her brother for whom she had endless patience. “It will serve them well when it comes time for diplomacy and networking.”
“Hm.” Lan Qiren hummed, sharing a look with the mourning father, both of them all too aware of how vicious sect politics could be - whether internal or external. “And so it will.”