Chapter 108
Chapter Summary: [None of the three spoke again. Only after leaving the library did Lan Wangji say, "I'm going to see my uncle..."]
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None of the three spoke again. It wasn't until they left the library that Lan Wangji said, "I'm going to see my uncle."
After a long silence, Lan Xichen said, "I'll take Young Master Wei back. You can come back later."
He led Wei Wuxian along the white stone path of Cloud Recesses for a while, until they returned to the secluded cottage filled with gentians. Standing before the door, Wei Wuxian asked, "Does Mr. Lan know Hanguang-jun...?"
Lan Xichen said, "My uncle has only been awake for a short time, so I told everyone not to say anything more about him."
If Lan Qiren knew what Lan Wangji had done to him at Jinlintai, he would surely faint from anger as soon as he woke up. Wei Wuxian said, "Thank you for your hard work, Senior Lan."
Lan Xichen said, "Uncle has indeed worked hard."
Seeing that Wei Wuxian also knew to keep it from him, Lan Qiren really didn't know whether to be angry or amused; his mustache was practically standing on end.
Lan Qiren pointed at the unconscious Wei Wuxian, sighed, and ultimately said nothing.
Suddenly, he said, "Young Master Wei, do you know what kind of place this house is?"
Wei Wuxian asked, "Why do you think I would know, Zewu-jun?"
Lan Xichen glanced at him and said, "This is where my mother lived in Cloud Recesses back then."
Lan Xichen's mother, who is also Lan Wangji's mother. Wei Wuxian found this quite strange. The residences of the successive heads of the Gusu Lan Clan were called "Han Shi" (寒室), which certainly wasn't this small house tucked away in a corner of Cloud Recesses. Could it be that Lan Wangji's parents, like Jiang Fengmian and Madam Yu, were incompatible and forced into marriage, thus living separately?
The separation of the clan head and his wife couldn't possibly be a pleasant one. Furthermore, the wife of the previous clan head of the Gusu Lan Clan, Qingheng-jun, was said to be frail and weak, spending years in convalescence and unfit to be seen in public. Little was known about her, and the clans privately speculated that her "illness" might be something shameful, such as disfigurement or disability. Therefore, Wei Wuxian refrained from asking further questions and remained silent, waiting for Lan Xichen to explain himself.
Upon hearing this, everyone from the Lan Clan lowered their heads. As members of the Lan Clan who were forbidden from speaking, neither they knew nor knew anything about the story of Qingheng-jun and Madam Lan.
Qinghengjun and Madam Lan exchanged a glance. The past was like smoke, and now that they had a second chance, they would not repeat the same mistakes.
Lan Xichen said, “Young Master Wei, you should know that my father has been in seclusion for many years and does not concern himself with worldly affairs. Over the years, the Gusu Lan Clan has been almost entirely managed by my uncle.”
Wei Wuxian said, "I know that."
Lan Xichen lowered his hand, his hand holding Lie Bing not hidden in his white sleeve, and slowly said, "My father has been in seclusion for many years because of my mother. This place is more like a place of house arrest than a residence."
Wei Wuxian was stunned.
Zewu-jun and Hanguang-jun's father, Qingheng-jun, was once a renowned scholar who achieved fame at a young age and enjoyed unparalleled glory. However, at the tender age of twenty, he suddenly withdrew from the limelight, announced his marriage, and ceased to concern himself with worldly affairs. Although it was said to be a period of seclusion, it was more like a retirement. Others speculated on many reasons, but none of them were ever confirmed.
Lan Xichen bent down beside the gentian flowers, gently stroking the delicate petals, and said, "When my father was young, he met my mother outside Gusu City on his way back from a night hunt." He smiled slightly and said, "It is said that he fell in love at first sight."
Wei Wuxian smiled and said, "Youth is full of passion."
Lan Xichen replied, "But this woman was not in love with him, and she even killed one of my father's mentors."
This was truly beyond imagination. Wei Wuxian knew it was impolite to ask, but considering that these were Lan Wangji's parents, he felt he couldn't leave it unanswered and asked, "Why?!"
Lan Xichen said, "I don't know, but I think it's nothing more than 'grudges and disputes'."
Wei Wuxian, not wanting to delve deeper, forcibly suppressed the question and asked, "Then... what happened next?"
"Then," Lan Xichen said, "when my father learned the truth, he was naturally very distressed. But after much struggle, he still secretly brought this woman back, disregarded the opposition of the clan, silently married her, and told everyone in the clan that she was his wife for life, and anyone who wanted to touch her would have to get past him first."
Wei Wuxian's eyes widened.
Lan Xichen continued, "After the ceremony, my father found a house and locked my mother up, and then found another house and locked himself up as well. It was called seclusion, but in reality, it was for reflection."
He paused for a moment, then said, "Young Master Wei, do you understand why he did this?"
After a moment of silence, Wei Wuxian said, "He could neither forgive the murderer who killed his mentor nor watch the woman he loved die. So he married her to protect her life and forced himself not to see her."
Lan Xichen asked, "Do you think this is the right thing to do?"
Wei Wuxian said, "I don't know."
Lan Xichen looked slightly bewildered and asked, "Then what do you think is the right thing to do?"
Wei Wuxian said, "I don't know."
After a long pause, Lan Xichen said in a low voice, "My father did this without any regard for the consequences. The elders in the clan were all very angry, but they had all watched him grow up and were helpless. They could only keep the secret and hint to the outside world that the head of the Gusu Lan Clan had a hidden illness and should not be seen by others. When Wangji and I were born, they immediately took us out to be cared for by others. When we were a little older, we were handed over to my uncle for education."
“My uncle… was originally a straightforward person. Because of my mother’s situation, my father ruined his life. He especially hated those with bad character. Therefore, he was particularly diligent and strict in teaching me and Wangji. We could only see my mother once a month, in this small house.”
The two young children faced only their stern uncle and strict teachings every day, surrounded by mountains of books. No matter how tired or weary they were, they had to keep their young backs straight and strive to be the best children in the clan, role models in the eyes of others. They were rarely able to see their closest relatives, unable to roll around and play in their father's arms, or cuddle and snuggle with their mother.
But clearly they did nothing wrong.
Lan Xichen said, “Every time Wangji and I go to see her, she never complains about how miserable she is being locked up here, unable to move an inch, nor does she ask about our studies. She especially likes to tease Wangji, but the more you tease Wangji, the less he will talk, and the less pleasant his expression becomes. He has been like this since he was a child. However,” he smiled, “Although Wangji never says it, I know that he looks forward to the day he can see his mother every month. He does so, and so do I.”
Wei Wuxian imagined the young Lan Wangji being held in his mother's arms, his fair face flushed pink, and he smiled too. But before the smile faded, Lan Xichen continued, "But one day, our uncle suddenly told us that we didn't need to go anymore."
"My mother is gone."
Wei Wuxian asked softly, "How old was Lan Zhan back then?"
Lan Xichen said, "Six years old."
He said, "I was too young then and didn't understand what 'gone' meant. No matter how others comforted me or how my uncle scolded me, I continued to come here every month, sit on the porch, and wait for someone to open the door for me. When I got a little older and understood that my mother would not come back and no one would open the door anymore, I would still come."
Lan Xichen stood up, his dark eyes meeting Wei Wuxian's, and said, "Wangji has been very stubborn since he was a child."
The space fell silent. No one had imagined that the story of the Lan Clan Head, which had been passed around in countless versions, was actually such a helpless tragedy.
Is it really worth it to be blamed and criticized by your clan for the sake of your lover, and to spend the rest of your life reflecting on your mistakes in your house?
For Qingheng-jun at that time, it might have been worthwhile. He should have had a better way, but he ran away from it. Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji were the ones who bore the consequences of this escape.
From the moment they were born, they could not enjoy the company of their parents like ordinary people. They could only see their mother a few times. They also had heavy schoolwork on their shoulders because they were responsible for the future of the Lan clan.
Love is never selfish. Qingheng-jun's love for Madam Lan is too one-sided, so one-sided that it is somewhat selfish.
A cultivator behind them whispered to his companion, "So, does Madam Lan really love Qingheng-jun?"
Do I love you? Of course I do.
If she didn't want to stay in the Lan Clan, she had a thousand ways to escape. But she sensed Qingheng-jun's sincerity and understood his pain and struggle, so she willingly stayed in the Jingshi for the rest of her life, giving up everything to stay by her husband's side.
Lan Huan, meaning "the ice melts away," signifies that they had already let go of their past hatred when Lan Xichen was born.
Lan Zhan, the name Zhan means clear and bright. At that time, their minds were clear and they had figured things out.
Perhaps Qinghengjun's actions were indeed selfish, but I believe that the days they spent with the two children must have been happy and warm, at least during their daily imprisonment, this time was very beautiful.
It's just a pity that Madam Lan passed away too soon.
She did not live to see her two sons grow up.
The leaves rustled, and the clusters of gentians in front of the house swayed gently in the wind, their beauty captivating. Wei Wuxian's gaze fell on the wooden corridor of the small house, and he seemed to see a small child, with a headband tied around his neck, sitting upright in front of the house, silently waiting for the door to open.
He said, "Madam Lan must be a very gentle woman."
Lan Xichen said, "My memory of my mother is indeed like that. I don't know why she did such a thing back then, but in fact, I also..."
He took a deep breath and confessed, "I don't want to know."
After a long silence, Lan Xichen lowered his eyes, took out the Liebing flute, and a gust of night wind suddenly carried a mournful flute melody, the sound low and deep, like a sigh.
Wei Wuxian had heard Lan Xichen play the Liebing flute before; the sound was just like Lan Xichen himself, gentle and warm like a spring breeze. But at this moment, although the flute music was still exquisite, it left a bad taste in his mouth.
A gentle night breeze stirred, causing Lan Xichen's black hair and headband to become slightly disheveled. However, the Gusu Lan Clan leader, who was always extremely particular about his appearance, paid no attention to it. Only after the music ended did he put down Liebing and say, "Music is not allowed to be played at night in Cloud Recesses. Today I have repeatedly overstepped my bounds and made Young Master Wei laugh."
Wei Wuxian said, "What's the big deal? Zewu-jun, have you forgotten that the person standing in front of you is the one who has broken the rules the most..."
Lan Xichen smiled and said, "The Gusu Lan Clan has never revealed my and Wangji's background to the outside world, so I shouldn't have told you. Tonight, I suddenly felt the urge to confide in someone, and it was just a momentary impulse."
Wei Wuxian said, "I am not a talkative person, so you can rest assured, Zewu-jun."
Lan Xichen said, "But I don't think Wangji would hide anything from you."
Wei Wuxian said, "If he doesn't want to say, I won't ask."
Lan Xichen said, "But given Wangji's personality, how can he tell you if you don't ask? There are some things he won't tell you even if you ask."
Wei Wuxian was about to reply when he heard footsteps behind him. Turning around, he saw Lan Wangji approaching, bathed in moonlight. He carried two round wine jars with bright red seals in his right hand. Wei Wuxian's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed, "Hanguang-jun, you're so thoughtful!"
Just moments before, Lan Qiren was still immersed in the old stories of his elder brother when he looked up and saw his two beloved sons committing offenses one after another.
It's one thing for my nephew to play the flute late at night, but I can understand his feelings in this situation.
My second nephew brought two jugs of wine and...
Lan Qiren took a deep breath, wondering how many wine bottles Wei Wuxian had hidden in the Jingshi room after wandering around Cloud Recesses for so long. He would definitely have to search it thoroughly when he got back.
Wei Wuxian is truly a menace.
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