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Chapter Text

Jiang Cheng had learned long ago not to waste the few precious moments of peace he could earn if he performed well. He was nothing if not a perfectionist, an attempted outperformer in every possibly aspect. He yearned for these moments and did his best to get them.

It was the fear of losing them, more than anything else, that forced him to hold his tongue until now.

Maybe it was the softness in this current moment which lulled him into a deceptively confident state of mind. The room was comfortable and warm with the balcony doors opened to allow the late morning sun in. The expensive deep red silken sheets caressed his bare skin as his body sunk into the soft bedding. The solid, muscled chest he rested on rose and fell in repetitive calming motions. If he closed his eyes, he could pretend he was floating in a boat on the water back in Lotus Pier. The arm thrown loosely around his waist holding him against the man’s body made the fantasy impossible to truly fall into.

They’d been laying there for perhaps half a shì if the movement of the sun across the room was anything to go by. Time mattered little to Jiang Cheng anymore. He only found himself watching to avoid thinking about what time late morning less than a year ago would mean to him; the ending of morning training.

As he lazily watched the day go by, a different, just as obsessive thought returned to him. He was going to be put out soon probably. He’d have nothing to do but go back to his room where the other two were. The thought made him want to burrow into the body he lied against and never leave. Here, he was in limbo, simply existing, with no real concerns. The last thing he wanted to do was return to them where he experienced nothing but stress. In thinking about it, the question he’d been wanting to asked bubbled up again.

He’d toyed with discussing the matter recently and with nothing to do or focus on it refused to leave him. He wanted to ask. He needed to ask. It was becoming impossible to ignore. He couldn’t live with those…shells anymore without some sort of explanation as to why. If for nothing more than figuring out how to live with it until something happened.

He just needed to work up the courage. And hope his questioning didn’t make his or the Twin Jades’ situation any worse.

The limp hand at his hip began rubbing and squeezing at the bony outline the tight skin there pulled against. Jiang Cheng hated this. It reminded him of how much he was literally wasting away. He wasn’t eating as much as he should, especially with how his core was locked away, denying him any possible assistance with inedia, weak as it would be. The way his wrists grew more bony and the dips in his hips and collarbones grew deeper told him so. He just couldn’t bring himself to eat. He had no appetite.

Wen Ruohan didn’t seem concerned.

Distracted by, and welcoming, the mild frustration of the unwanted touching, Jiang Cheng breathed out a sigh across Wen Ruohan’s toned bare stomach. He earned a deep rumbling chuckle in response.

“Is my Lotus Petal satiated?” Wen Ruohan asked in a jovial tone.

He got like this sometimes after a particularly satisfying fuck at the expense of Jiang Cheng’s body. It usually happened more when his sons were away. They’d both been absent from Qishan for more than a month now. Jiang Cheng was just waiting for when he’d bring out “Cheng-Er” again and, in accordance to how cuddly and handsy he was becoming as of late, it was fast approaching. Just the memory of that being whispered into his neck followed by soft kisses and supple sucking sent a cold shiver down his spine.

Jiang Cheng didn’t feel one way or another about being “satiated”. He just hoped Wen Ruohan was after the three rounds they had.

Still…a question like this, in this moment, with how endeared Wen Ruohan was, made Jiang Cheng wonder—could he ask?

The rubbing and squeezing softened into loose petting as Wen Ruohan simply enjoyed the skin of the body he earned through war. Well…attempted war. Not even attempted yet. At the expense of a covert mission to retrieve their swords, then. The hand moved further down to Jiang Cheng’s upper thigh near the crease of his ass.

Jiang Cheng sat up at this. The hand fell away. “Master,” he said in a tone he hoped sounded light and curious for curiosity’s sake. He was never any good at the false high-toned coquettish voice he heard people use to get what they wanted out of someone. “I was hoping I could ask you a question.”

The hand moved to his lower back now and it irked Jiang Cheng to no end. It sat heavy and present. Unignorable. His fingers twitched almost seemingly of their own volition as though they were separate from himself and were just as disgusted as him. No matter what he did, he couldn’t escape being touched.

If it was him, a simple “fuck off” and a shove to the side would be enough to be released with no hard feelings. Here, where he wasn’t allowed to decide what happened to his body, Jiang Cheng yearned for the ability to even say “fuck off” let alone break the offending hand.

Jiang Cheng tamped down the urge for unnecessary violence that would just get him into trouble and looked to Wen Ruohan’s face.

Wen Ruohan was an attractive man. He was tall and broad with defined muscles. Jiang Cheng probably would have drooled over his body in jealousy two or three years ago. His face was angled with high cheekbones and thin eyebrows, giving him a permanently mischievous and conspiring look but Jiang Cheng might also just be biased there. In these moments where he was relaxed and appeared unguarded (though he never truly was) the sharp lines of his jaw and fierce expressions were softened. His deep brown eyes had widened with his own curiosity of Jiang Cheng willingly asking a question. His thin lips quirked slightly upwards on the right side of his face. He was accepting, for now.

Jiang Cheng paid careful attention to the miniscule movements in his expression as he said, “I wanted to know why you’re doing what you’re doing to Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji.”

The quirk in his lips dropped. They became a thin line but they weren’t tight. Yet. The light in his eyes dimmed slightly but they weren’t narrowed. Yet. He was calculating.

Jiang Cheng hoped he’d get an answer because it was becoming insufferable. If he didn’t get one he might actually whine.

“Why do you want to know?”

He couldn’t help the hysteria creeping into his voice a bit. “Because I can’t live with it anymore!” He winced internally. That was too revealing. He decided to barrel over it with as much talk as he could. “They’re…I can’t explain it but it’s disturbing to live with them now. They barely talk at all anymore. They don’t do anything. I’ve seen Lan Xichen simply stare at a wall. For hours. I watched him. And Lan Wangji cries now. He never used to cry. Even when he was whipped when we first got here he didn’t cry.”

Shit that was too much AGAIN. The last thing he wanted was to remind Wen Ruohan of when they were first found creeping around the palace. Since when was he like him? Incapable of shutting the fuck up!

He’d lost track of Wen Ruohan’s face in his mini rant and found his heartbeat skyrocketing. The random flashes of panic he’d grown accustomed to lately returned with a vengeance, twisting his stomach and heating his face. Was it too much? Wen Ruohan was kind enough to allow Jiang Cheng to vent on occasion, but never directly about him or what he was doing.

He couldn’t bring himself to look up.

“Do you really want to know why I’m doing this?” He asked. “The real reason why?”

Was it a trap? Was he testing him? Seeing how much he knew? He sounded genuine, as though nothing would be more interesting to him than explaining his reasonings to Jiang Cheng. But it could just be a trick, too. He got like that sometimes. He occasionally liked to use his words to twist the emotions of the people under his control.

Jiang Cheng decided to err on the side of caution. Wen Ruohan always preferred when he deferred to him.

“May I know, Master?” He asked, hoping it was submissive enough.

He heard the sheets rustling as shifting weight next to him sunk the mattress slightly. Wen Ruohan had sat up and was now cupping his face, running a thumb across his gaunt cheek.

“I’m doing it for fun.”

The air in his lungs disappeared. He clenched at the sheets with a knuckle-white grip to fight off the horrified shudder. The easy amusement in the man’s voice made Jiang Cheng want to vomit.

He was doing this for fun.

Even without looking at him Jiang Cheng could tell he was telling the truth. He was breaking them, turning them into something terrifying and gut-wrenching and horrific…for fun.

“That’s only part of it,” he continued. “The other reason is to break them and I believe I am almost there.”

That at least Jiang Cheng expected. It was the main threat the three of them first heard when Wen Ruohan initially revealed his plans for them. He’d been terrified at the time: to receive such treatment and to watch two of the most capable cultivators he’d ever known be systematically, and possibly irreversibly, broken down.

Wen Ruohan and his sect were sadistic. It was the one fact he refused to allow himself to forget. It kept him alive so far.

“Make me some tea while we talk, A-Cheng,” he ordered.

Jiang Cheng rose from the bed immediately. He was thankful for a chance to get away from the man even if it was to make tea. He picked up the thin robe he’d shed a few hours earlier and put it on as he crossed the room to where the tea brazier sat. The robe was little more than a decorative outer robe, crimson in color and embroidered with white and pink flowers Jiang Cheng didn’t recognize. It wasn’t much but it was enough to keep his skin from crawling.

He lit the cold brazier with a set of sparking stones (provided due to Jiang Cheng’s current distinct lack of qi-access) and set to work preparing the tea. While he worked, Wen Ruohan continued, much to Jiang Cheng’s simultaneous joy and chagrin.

“You know as well as I do how headstrong they are. Lan Wangji, with his confident pride and ego. Lan Xichen, with his quiet self-assuredness and natural-born ability to guide. Lan Wangji would defer to his brother and Lan Xichen would gladly take the lead, controlling the situation while they made decisions for and with each other. They needed to be broken. I only discovered the true possibilities for them myself once I began the journey.”

Jiang Cheng had set the pot on the brazier and began putting everything away, listening silently as he went. It made sense. He knew what Wen Ruohan was talking about. Lan Wangji respected his brother enough to refer to him as “xiongzhang”. He’d easily let his brother handle and lead their interactions with Wen Ruohan and Lan Xichen was capable enough to make his control and protection subtle and hide it. Someone like Wen Ruohan couldn’t accept that.

But did he have to go so far? And what did that mean for Jiang Cheng? He certainly hasn’t gone to such extreme lengths for him.

Yet, if he were to be honest with himself, he didn’t think he needed much “breaking” to begin with. He’d had the worst few weeks of his life before being thrust into the worst months of his life. He wasn’t…aloof to his situation. He also wasn’t particularly interested in doing anything but surviving day to day with a detached indifference. And even that was too hard sometimes.

When he was first captured he’d probably asked to be killed at least once a day, if not more. He fought and argued and tried to convince anyone to beat him enough that it could kill him. Those feelings never truly went away.

He only remained in a state of being alive to avoid how his selfishness would reflect negatively onto the Lan brothers. This is what Wen Ruohan did when everyone did what he wanted. Jiang Cheng didn’t want to imagine what would happen if he killed himself.

That was the other warning they all received that day, along with a demonstration. Everyone was reliant on the other. If you fucked up, disobeyed, or displeased Wen Ruohan, someone else was punished.

That first day, Wen Ruohan suffocated Jiang Cheng until Lan Xichen kissed Lan Wangji on the lips. Jiang Cheng was nearly dead by the time Lan Xichen submitted with fire in his eyes and clenched fists. If he could’ve thought past the lack of breathing he would’ve been disgusted. He’s still disgusted, not with Lan Xichen, but with Wen Ruohan.

It took a sick and twisted person to elicit glee from forcing two brothers to lie with each other.

The tea was made and Jiang Cheng carefully carried the tray over to the side of the bed. Wen Ruohan took the steaming cup and sipped at it. Accepting that he was probably going to be used as a table, Jiang Cheng knelt down and used the edge of the bed to steady and help support the tray. His endurance had improved exponentially since he began stupid exercises like “be a table” but it didn’t mean he had to like it. Wen Ruohan didn’t say anything so he took it as permission.

That was dangerous in and of itself. Again—Jiang Cheng didn’t care all that much.

“You are probably wondering where you land in all of this,” Wen Ruohan continued. Jiang Cheng knew what he was going to say because he already understood it. The reasoning, however, surprised him. “You never needed to be broken because you already were. You spent your entire life attempting to please your pathetic neglectful father and doing anything you could to earn his affection. You’ve been raised from birth to be broken and to submit. And you perform it so beautifully…” he took another sip and continued, almost in a happily surprised tone, “and so conscientiously too. I hardly had to do anything.”

Okay…that actually stung a little. Jiang Cheng shook with an intense and raw emotion he couldn’t quite place. He was glad he’d chosen to use the bed as a support.

The implication was a lot. It was true, in its own way, he supposed. Jiang Cheng had chased after the affections of a man who didn’t like him because he was too much like the woman who gave birth to him. He tried to please him, gain his attention, earn his love. But this was different. He didn’t want Wen Ruohan’s love or his attention. He wanted to be left alone to rot in a corner. If pleasing the bastard was what got him there, well that was simply a means to an end.

That’s what he told himself.

The reality of the situation was much worse. All the routes he’d initially taken to remain sane were gone. He was practically alone in this situation now. There were no more late nights awake talking with Lan Xichen because neither one of them could sleep. There was no more arguing with Lan Wangji (attempting to, anyways) to distract from their reality. There was no more planning, convalescing, discussing. There was nothing to keep him from the obsessively negative thoughts. Nothing to keep him present. More and more, he found himself staring at walls, not sleeping, not eating, and not interacting with anyone but Wen Ruohan.

Still, it didn’t change how desperately he was trying to keep everyone and everything together. He didn’t have a future once or if they made it out of this but they did. They still had a home and family and sect members. They could recover and move on. And they had each other.

As for his future…

He’d said it so many times the bite was no longer there. He didn’t have anyone or anything anymore now, or in the future. He was no stranger to relying on himself, it just sucked in these circumstances and made everything more difficult. He didn’t think anyone could ever get used to losing everything they had ever loved but the idea of it stung a little less every day as the truth settled in with each reminder.

This time was no different. He found himself sinking into the bottomless hole in his innards he crawled out of each day, ready to serve a sadistic asshole with a body that was no longer his to control. It was wearing him down slowly, bit by bit, turning him into something just as unrecognizable, in its own way.

The hand returned this time to settle on his head. The deft fingers began toying with the silken black strands, occasionally massaging his scalp.

He felt like a pet.

“You can’t deny how beautiful they are together. Two jades, twins in everything now.”

Yeah, right down to the fucking haircut.

It was downright eerie. He knew them before all of this. He saw them before all of this. Lan Xichen was bright and smiley and at ease, comfortable with his position and confident in his capabilities. Lan Wangji was above everyone and everything, practically a master at age fifteen, with the easy elegance and mien of someone who knew it.

Now they were the exact same.

Their bodies looked the same. Their hairstyles. Their clothes. Their mannerisms. Mirrors. Clones. Two halves of a single, perfect, coin. And they were forced together day after day for sick sadistic man’s amusement.

It tore their minds apart.

“Would you like to know how I managed it?” Wen Ruohan asked.

His tone suggested he was surprised by his own offer. It took Jiang Cheng by surprise as well. It was coupled with the anxiety and nausea and disgust at the entire situation.

He knew, to some degree, how Wen Ruohan did it. Jiang Cheng may mostly be used by Wen Ruohan alone these days but he was there before they reached this point. He was used while they were trained. Still, he knew he didn’t know all the man had done to them. He didn’t think he really wanted to…up until this exact moment.

Wen Ruohan was never this open. If Jiang Cheng knew exactly how he trained them to be the clones they were, he might be able to help them in the future.

“How?”

Wen Ruohan released a self-satisfied sigh, as though he were reveling in the results of a long and hard days’ work.

“ I suppose I already had the idea of this from that first day you three were captured…” he began

Jiang Cheng prepared himself to listen in, past the general fucked-up-ness of it all, hoping to find something in it to help them, or him.

____________

Jiang Cheng had never seen the throne room of the Scorching Sun Palace before. He never had any reason to. Any of the discussion conferences he attended and the indoctrination happened on the outer grounds of the palace or further out in Qishan territory. It didn’t look too different from what he imagined. Opulent, imposing, surrounded by guards.

The floor tile was cold and hard on his knees while the room itself was hot and stifling and still, as though the doors hadn’t been opened for a year. There were gold and red accents everywhere. If Jiang Cheng didn’t know better he’d think this was a wedding hall. But he did know better and would much rather sit through a wedding than whatever the hell was going to happen to them.

Everything hurt. This was not a new predicament. Jiang Cheng just forgot how much being physically restrained after being beaten hurt. He’d been blissfully unaware for about a month.

Lan Wangji looked subdued with his head bent down where he knelt next to Jiang Cheng on his right. He couldn’t imagine Lan Wangji was faring any better than he was. His leg seemed to have healed since the whole cave thing but it would never be the same. Injuries like that when you aren’t allowed proper rest and care never would. The kneeling certainly didn’t help.

Lan Xichen was hard to read. Jiang Cheng was too far away to notice anything other than steadfastness. He was the only one with his head held high, staring up at Wen Ruohan where he remained perched on his throne on a dais at the top of the grand staircase they’d been thrown down in front of.

Lan Xichen was lucky. He was the only one out of the three of them to: 1) never be held captive in Qishan and 2) never be physically assaulted by the Wen. All three of them were in a similar situation when it came to assaults on their sects, though, making it surprising Lan Xichen is even willing to save face.

Jiang Cheng wasn’t interested in anything like that anymore. Surely Wen Ruohan knew what had happened to him and his sect. It was possible he knew what was done specifically to him. He knew what could happen to him if they were caught. It only felt right to meet his end here.

He tried to decide how he felt about it all and found himself returning to one emotion, and one only: a deep-seeded rage.

He was angry at Wen Ruohan and his sect. He was angry about getting caught. He was angry at Wei Wuxian disappearing and knowing he now was never going to be able to find him. He was angry at himself for failing his sect for the third time in one month.

All of this rage settled just beneath his skin, buzzing in him like Zidian upon his finger. Kneeling there, waiting, had him wanting to lash out. He was becoming wild. He could feel it. Something in him was snapping. Eventually, it was going to break.

He just hoped someone killed him before he got there.

The chances of that were looking good if Wen Ruohan WOULD GET THE FUCK UP AND DO SOMETHING!

He was merely sitting on his throne staring down at them like the filth he thought they were.

Maybe that was why Lan Xichen was glaring at him. Jiang Cheng thought it might have something to do with being on slightly more equal footing with Wen Ruohan than Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji. He was, naturally, more politically aware and had been at his uncle’s side in preparation for becoming sect leader longer than Jiang Cheng. However, it was possible he wasn’t saving face, he was just that pissed off at him. Jiang Cheng could appreciate that, at least.

He sucked in a breath and blew it out. He clenched his fists, cracking the knuckles, testing the binds once again. Anything to dispel some of the energy. He felt more than saw Lan Wangji’s eyes on him. He could fuck off and go choke.

“Sir, these were the only ones we could find. They were acting alone,” Jiang Cheng heard someone say. The voice sounded familiar. Probably one of the ones who captured them.

Nothing happened as far as Jiang Cheng could tell. He refused to look up to the man who destroyed everything he’d ever loved. It took a while, but finally the descending footsteps became audible.

How lucky they were to be in the direct presence of the chief cultivator.

“These three hardly need any assistance. Lan Xichen. Lan Wangji. Jiang Wanyin. Two sect heirs—well, one sect leader, his brother, and one former sect heir. Three of the most promising cultivators of their generation. Surely they need no introduction.”

“Of course not, my lord,” the man giving the report said while bowing deeply.

“I wonder what led you to come here,” Wen Ruohan said, this time to them. None of them responded. “Hmm?” He encouraged.

Jiang Cheng bristled. He didn’t want to start a fight he would lose instantly. He had to clench his teeth to keep from responding. Thankfully, it seemed Lan Xichen was willing to take the reins.

“We came to retrieve the swords of the cultivators you held captive here.” Jiang Cheng stared down at the floor with wide eyes. He couldn’t believe Lan Xichen was going to be so…candid. “We only want them to be able to defend themselves since you stripped them of their weapons. We thought, perhaps incorrectly, Chief Cultivator Wen would not be so willing to return them. Therefore we chose to perform a stealth mission.”

“I wonder why you thought I would not be willing to return them,” Wen Rouhan said in response. “Was it not the young cultivators who left of their own volition, without their weapons?”

The jabs would have been comical if the situation was different. He was speaking to three members of sects either maimed or completely destroyed by his sons and their sect. Two of the three of them were main actors in the “leaving of their own volition” event. Jiang Cheng didn’t even want to leave and wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for Wei Wuxian and fucking Lan Wangji.

Why not add that back into the mix of things he was angry about? He had some to spare.

“Forgive me, Chief Cultivator Wen, but it is far from surprising that they left, considering they were being used as live bait for Wen-led night hunts without weapons. My brother and Young Master Wei of the Jiang Sect became trapped in a cave and needed dire assistance. Sect Leader Jiang left in search of help.”

“You say this as though he could not have returned to Nightless City with my son in search of help. Your argument is weak, Lan Xichen. As is your reasoning for attempting to break into my sect.”

Jiang Cheng wanted to argue. Their arguments weren’t weak. He’s ignoring the facts, which were that Wen Chao trapped them in the cave and then tried to kill them when they managed to escape. Not only that, his own father tried to argue for their weapons back and had failed. Of course they decided attempting a direct approach would fail. It appeared Lan Xichen was also unwilling to ignore the reality of the situation.

“Perhaps Sect Leader Jiang would have been more inclined to seek out assistance with Young Master Wen if he hadn’t tried to kill the cultivators when they managed to escape the cave.”

“Which begs the question, why could he and the others escape, yet not Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji?”

“Wangji and Young Master Wei were injured and the Tortoise of Slaughter blocked their path.”

“Despite my son having killed the tortoise himself?”

Lan Xichen was caught. He had two choices in front of him, which Wen Ruohan knew. He could point out how Wen Ruohan and everyone else there knew he was lying or he could maintain the lie and have his main defense fall apart. Neither were good options.

Wen Ruohan continued on, “Regardless of past reasonings, another slight from the sons of the Lan Sect and Jiang Sect has occurred. You cannot simply expect me to allow such insult and abuse.”

“We only want returned to us what is ours. We apologize for the lengths we took to retrieve our belongings. It was wrong and we should have gone through the proper channels. We acknowledge the disrespect and request Chief Cultivator Wen’s understanding and leniency.”

Damn, he must’ve been planning that speech even before they were caught. Jiang Cheng was impressed. He’d never have been that good with his words. Not now, anyways.

Movement out of the corner of his eyes told him Lan Xichen bowed low enough to press his forehead to the floor and Lan Wangji followed his lead. Jiang Cheng refused. He would kneel before the monster in front of him but he would die before willingly showing such deep respect.

“Were it only this, I might allow you to leave with minor punishment.”

Jiang Cheng held his breath as Wen Ruohan’s footsteps moved closer to him. He knew. He knew everything. And based on what he’d seen and heard about their little escapade, he’d know Jiang Cheng somehow had a core. He was screwed. There was no way he was going to just let him die now.

“Chief Cultivator, please. I implore you to allow us to leave. There is nothing else we wanted besides our weapons.”

“That may be true. Unfortunately for you…” Jiang Cheng saw Wen Ruohan stop in front of him. A hand found its way to his face and lifted his chin, forcing Jiang Cheng to look up at him. “You’ve revealed quite the anomaly to me; one that I cannot simply allow to leave.”

“Is it not enough that our sects have been burnt down? We are all three orphans now. Sect Leader Jiang has lost his entire sect and is being forced to rebuild. Is that not punishment enough for the crimes committed in the past?”

Lan Xichen was desperately trying to persuade Wen Ruohan but Jiang Cheng knew it wouldn’t work. He didn’t tell them what the Wens did to him or that he was even captured. He didn’t tell them about his core.

Wen Ruohan stared down at Jiang Cheng with narrowed eyes and thinned lips. “Tell me, Jiang Wanyin, how is it that you have a core?”

Jiang Cheng clenched his fists. The silence from Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen was deafening.

“I understand you were caught by my son, and in the struggle, you lost your core. How is it you now have one?”

Lan Xichen’s gaze burned from where Jiang Cheng knew he was staring. Jiang Cheng grit his teeth. The last thing he’d wanted to do was tell them about what happened to him.

“Oh? Did Young Master Jiang not inform you? You’ve been traveling with him all this time and were unaware?”

“We—I didn’t…” Lan Xichen stuttered, clearly at a loss for words. He then said, voice soft, “it was not my place to pry.”

“And now here you are—because he refused to share necessary information. I would have let you go if not for him.” Wen Ruohan then turned back to Jiang Cheng. “What do you have to say for yourself, Young Master Jiang?”

“Let them go and leave me.”

“What?” Lan Xichen gasped at the same time as Lan Wangji bit out a harsh, chiding, “Jiang Wanyin.”

Jiang Cheng wasn’t looking at them. This wasn’t between him, them, and Wen Ruohan. It was only between him and the bastard who murdered everyone he’d ever loved.

“There’s nothing you can do to me you haven’t done already,” Jiang Cheng hissed.

The sharp sound of skin hitting skin hit him before the radiating pain in his cheek. The slap sent Jiang Cheng careening to the side. The silence once more grew oppressive. No one knew what to expect next as Wen Ruohan stared down at him with rage in his eyes.

Jiang Cheng wondered if this is what an offending cockroach in a storeroom felt like; existing to be squashed. He knew he’d angered Wen Ruohan but there wasn’t much reason for him to care. Even less so if Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen were let go.

Unfortunately for all three of them, Wen Ruohan did not seem inclined to release any of them.

Wen Ruohan turned to the man who’d given the report earlier. It seemed he had some sort of authority over the guards because when they were done talking, the man began barking orders.

“You there, Lan Xichen shall be taken to the dungeons. And you two, Jiang Wanyin shall be taken to the Inferno Palace.”

Lan Xichen gasped, his eyes on Jiang Cheng the entire time. He apparently understood something Jiang Cheng didn’t and it immediately put him on edge. What was the Inferno Palace?

Wen Ruohan left first. Then, Lan Xichen was dragged out. Finally, Jiang Cheng was taken in the direction Wen Rouhan went. Jiang Cheng looked back at Lan Wangji, who was watching his brother being taken away. Even as Jiang Cheng figured he was being taken somewhere to be tortured, he couldn’t help but wonder—What about Lan Wangji?

He received his answer soon enough.

Jiang Cheng was thrown into a small chamber inside the Inferno Palace. It was barely larger than a meager room at an inn. A chair secured to the floor sat in the center back wall. Chains hung down from the ceiling. Besides this, the room was bare.

Jiang Cheng was sat down in the chair. One of the guards undid the chains binding his arms and wrists. Two others, one on each side, grabbed one arm each and secured it to the arms of the chair. Jiang Cheng wasn’t thick or overweight by any means yet the metal cuffs securing his to the chair were so tight the metal instantly pressed into his skin and began to scrape against it. Struggling would prove useless and would do nothing but cause unnecessary damage to his wrists.

He was secured to the chair by a strap around his torso and on each leg. Aside from being uncomfortable and making deep breaths difficult, Jiang Cheng couldn’t understand what the point of this was. How was he supposed to be tortured when he was sat like this?

His thoughts were interrupted when the door opened.

“I suspected you might say something to that nature: ‘nothing you could do to me would matter’.”

Wen Ruohan entered with another man wearing black robes. The man stepped to the side while Wen Ruohan approached him.

Jiang Cheng was immediately on edge. If he knew what Jiang Cheng would say or do, then why go through all of the trouble? He received his answer in the form of the door opening and Lan Wangji being shoved through.

“…wait,” Jiang Cheng breathed out.

The picture of what was about to happen became clearer and Jiang Cheng didn’t like it. He didn’t like Lan Wangji either, for that matter, but he didn’t know what Wen Ruohan had planned and he didn’t want Lan Wangji to be subjected to it.

If Lan Wangji was confused about the situation, he didn’t show it and Jiang Cheng couldn’t tell. He was smart though. Jiang Cheng was sure he’d figure it out.

Lan Wangji was shoved into the center of the room and made eye contact with Jiang Cheng. He then continued to maintain said eye contact as though he wanted to interrogate Jiang Cheng himself. He probably did.

Jiang Cheng was forced to watch as Lan Wangji’s robes were ripped away from his body leaving him in only his pants. Then, his wrists were bound in front of him, yanked above him, and secured to the ceiling with a chain. Lan Wangji remained silent the entire time.

“What are you doing?” Jiang Cheng demanded. “I’m the one you want information from. What’s the point of bringing him into this?”

“It’s simple. You’ve made it clear nothing I could do to you would change your response. While I think I could persuade you otherwise, I believe this will be more effective.”

Lan Wangji was turned to the side while Wen Ruohan moved across the room, giving him perfect view of both Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji. It was at this time Jiang Cheng spotted the whip.

He pulled wildly at the wrist and chest restraints keeping him in the chair. “Wait…wait, don’t do this!” He yelled. “Lan Wangji has nothing to do with this!” The cuffs bruised and scratched against his wrists as he tugged. They were so tight that even breaking his hands wouldn’t let him free.

“This will hopefully change your mind.”

The torturer took several steps back. He ran the whip through his gloved hand once. Twice. He raised his arm. Jiang Cheng heard the whistle as it cracked through the air and hit Lan Wangji’s bare back with a harsh thwack. Lan Wangji remained silent. Why wasn’t he fighting?

One more hit across his back. On the third Lan Wangji finally made a sound. The wet, breathy groan slinked out of him like he’d tried to hold it back. On the fourth Jiang Cheng could see the blood flick off the whip as it retracted.

“Stop! Stop stop stop! I don’t know, alright! It was all Wei Wuxian! He—” Lan Wangji let out a whine on a fifth or sixth hit and Jiang Cheng swallowed thickly trying to keep himself from getting sick. “He took me to Boashan Sanren and she gave me a new core!”

“Stop.”

The sudden silence was loud in the small room. Lan Wangji panted softly through the pain with his head bowed but his breathing stuttered as though he was trying to hide it. Jiang Cheng sagged into his seat. His eyes and cheeks and clothes were wet with tears and sweat. His heart was beating so fast it felt like it was going to explode. Yet he couldn’t look away from the scene.

Is that what he looked like when he was whipped? Is that how he sounded? Did he try to be brave? He couldn’t remember anything past the fire radiating from his chest and side. The wound itched.

Wen Ruohan crossed the room. He stopped so close Jiang Cheng had to tip his head back just to look at him. The angle made his neck ache.

“You went to Boashan Sanren?”

“Yes.”

“Tell me. Now.”

Jiang Cheng glanced to Lan Wangji. “Let him go and treat him, and I will.”

“Tell me, or I will have him whipped until he dies.”

He didn’t have any bargaining power here and he knew it. He proceeded to tell Wen Ruohan as much as he knew which, as he told it, he realized wasn’t a lot. He probably would’ve learned more if Wei Wuxian hadn’t disappeared off the face of the earth.

Wen Ruohan stared at him with dark, calculating eyes, trying to decipher what was true and what was a lie. All of it was true. The only thing he didn’t tell him was that someone helped them escape. He didn’t need to know that.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Wen Ruohan pulled away. Jiang Cheng closed his eyes. All he could see was Wen Chao holding the Jiang discipline whip and the joy in his face as it dripped with Jiang Cheng’s blood. The image made the rage surge again.

This was stupid. Suicidal…

Good enough for him.

He used all of the saliva and mucus left over from his tears and spit the glob at Wen Ruohan. It  landed on the center of his back leaving a wet stain that dripped down the expensive robes. Wen Ruohan paused.

Lan Wangji was whipped again three more times in quick succession. Unprepared and not expecting the hit, Lan Wangji jumped and let out a high throaty whine. The fresh marks hit across the all the previous ones and more blood flew onto the floor.

Wen Ruohan left the room.

They were unceremoniously thrown back into the cells in the dungeon. For some reason they threw Jiang Cheng in with Lan Wangji. He couldn’t understand why until he saw the jars, water, and rags. Jiang Cheng had half a mind to be mad at this. They couldn’t treat him themselves? The answer was obviously no. If it were up to the Wens, Lan Wangji would be left to bleed and die of infection. He knew that from experience.

Jiang Cheng waited until the sounds of the guards’ retreating footsteps were no longer audible. He wanted to give Lan Wangji his space before he tried to kill him for this. He wouldn’t get too far with his wounds. Jiang Cheng didn’t want the pain of a failed, struggled attempt, if death wouldn’t follow it.

He also took this moment for himself to just breathe, sagging against the bars of the cell. He opened his eyes to see Lan Xichen staring at him expectantly.

Jiang Cheng cleared his throat. “Uh…sorry. I couldn’t do anything…”

He shook his head. “What happened?”

Jiang Cheng was going to respond when he heard movement behind him. He looked back to see golden eyes piercing him with an expression Jiang Cheng still couldn’t read. His fists were clenched in front of him, still bound in chains.

“You lost your core.” Lan Wangji said. Jiang Cheng looked away. “How?”

He sighed and slumped down to the ground, scooting back until he could lean against the stone wall. He closed his eyes.

“If you don’t want to tell us, we would understand…I just wish we had known. I never would have suggested this if—”

“It’s fine,” Jiang Cheng cut Lan Xichen off. “I…” He took a breath, then another, fighting the surge of emotions. The anger would always be simmering underneath. The sadness and the pain and the humiliation were suffocating. He cleared his throat again but it did nothing to help with the thickness in his voice.

“Wei Wuxian and I made it out and we went towards Meishan Yu. We traveled for a day or so. We realized we didn’t have any supplies so when we came to a small town, we stopped to get some. We thought we’d have some time before they caught up to us. I—I wasn’t in the condition to do much, so Wei Wuxian left me somewhere we could see each other and went to buy what we needed. They showed up while we were there. I saw them and found a place to hide but Wei Wuxian…”

Jiang Cheng could never forget the panic as he watched them inch closer and closer to Wei Wuxian who remained entirely unaware. He’ll never forget the fear. He’ll never forget the realization bubbling within him that after losing everything he couldn’t lose Wei Wuxian too, and that was more important than anything else, even the future of his sect.

“Wei Wuxian didn’t see them or…or something…I don’t know. But I knew that, no matter what happened, I couldn’t lose Wei Wuxian too. I just wouldn’t be able to handle it after…everything. So, I stepped out and distracted them. I didn’t have much of a plan but I outran them when I left to get help for when you and Wei Wuxian were stuck in the cave so I thought—maybe…”

“You thought you could outrun them,” Lan Xichen finished for him. “But you failed. You were caught.”

Jiang Cheng took in another deep breath and nodded. “Yes, I was caught. I was taken back to Lotus Pier where Wen Chao had Wen Zhuliu remove my core. And I was whipped with my own discipline whip.”

“I’m sorry,” Lan Xichen said softly.

What else was there to say?

“I thought I was going to die but for some stupid reason, Wei Wuxian showed up and rescued me. I was nursed back to as much health as I could get without a core, but I was weak. If I didn’t get some form of help I was going to die. Wei Wuxian came up with the idea to go to Baoshan Sanren. I always thought he didn’t know where she was but he said he knew and that he wasn’t supposed to go back but this was important. So, he and blindfolded me and led me up her mountain. I went up, got a core, and then went back down. In all it took probably six or seven days. Wei Wuxian told me he was going to be waiting at the town at the foot of the mountain for me but when I descended, he wasn’t there. I spent probably a week or so looking for him before deciding to continue on to Meishan to update my sister and my mother’s family on everything that happened.”

“To think you met Baoshan Sanren and that she could simply give you a new core…” Lan Xichen marveled. “No wonder Wen Ruohan refused to let us leave.”

“I’m sorry. This was my fault. I knew there was a chance we could get caught.”

He looked back to Lan Wangji. He was still bleeding and no doubt was in a lot of pain. He hadn’t said anything else and had closed his eyes, seemingly focusing on breathing. Jiang Cheng eyed the medical supplies.

“Let me help you. I’m sure it’s why I was put in here with you. Wen Ruohan apparently wants you to be treated.”

"So he can use me against you,” Lan Wangji said in a thready voice.

“That’s why they took you away?” Lan Xichen asked.

“Wen Ruohan already knew everything that had happened to me and Lotus Pier. He already knows I have nothing to lose. He’s banking on my still having my humanity and not wanting someone else to get hurt because of me.”

“He was correct,” Lan Wangji said.

“I’m going to treat your wounds. There’s no point in you dying of infection when all of the supplies are right here.”

Lan Wangji didn’t respond. Jiang Cheng knew how much pain he must’ve been in. There was no telling what internal damage was done on top of the open wounds. Jiang Cheng had broken ribs among other injuries with only a few slashes of the whip. Lan Wangji received ten.

Lan Wangji remained silent while Jiang Cheng knelt down next to him to examine the wounds. He would have to clean them before applying any ointment or bandages. It would be hard with how much he was still bleeding. He hesitated with hands hovering over his back, not knowing where to start.

“Take one of the cloths and dab at the wounds until the blood can clot and the bleeding stops. Then, clean the area, apply any ointment or medicinal poultices you can, and wrap it.”

Jiang Cheng looked back to see Lan Xichen straining against the bars of his cell. His eyes were shining as he watched, desperate to help his younger brother. He looked to Jiang Cheng with an expression that told him he was leaving the most precious thing in the world to Jiang Cheng to care for.

Jiang Cheng did as he said. It took three of the cloths to get the bleeding to stop. He discarded them, fully soaked and stained with blood, as far away from him as possible. Then, he tried to clean the mess that was Lan Wangji’s back while avoiding the wounds which was…difficult.

The amount of time between receiving the blows and getting them to stop bleeding allowed the blood to dry and stain the skin. He couldn’t press too hard lest he jar the wounds again and hurt Lan Wangji more.

The entire time Jiang Cheng worked Lan Wangji had his eyes closed and fists clenched tight. He tried to be quiet but certain sounds filtered through when Jiang Cheng agitated one of the wounds or pressed too harshly.

The worst of it was applying the poultice. He was lucky enough that he had to make it himself and only had a vague idea once more of what he was doing. This once more forced Lan Xichen to walk him through the arduous task. He held up individual herbs and creams for Lan Xichen to identify for him and how to use them. Then, he had to actually apply them. Jiang Cheng’s stomach was typically not weak but having to dig around someone else’s open fresh wounds made him gag.

He was almost excited when it came time to wrap up his back and be done. That required some skill on his part. He decided on a system of applying as much on his back as loosely as possible before lifting him up just enough to get everything under him and wrap it tightly, securing it on his side.

By the time he was done, both were exhausted. Jiang Cheng laid down next to him and closed his eyes again this time to finally get some sleep.

“Sect Leader Jiang should cooperate from now on,” Lan Wangji muttered into his arms.

“Yeah…” he agreed easily. “I will.”

“We should rest. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring…and thank you for helping him.”

Jiang Cheng didn’t deem that worthy of a response and drifted off into sleep.

When Jiang Cheng opened his eyes next, it was to the screeching of the metal door to their cell being opened. He peered blearily up at the guard whose shadow loomed over him and Lan Wangji. It was one of the same Wen-dogs who dragged him to the torture chamber yesterday.

Jiang Cheng bristled instinctively. Then something inexplicable happened. He wasn’t sure if it was from still not being fully awake or if he suddenly decided Lan Wangji’s protection was his responsibility, but when the soldier moved closer, Jiang Cheng found himself sitting up to shield Lan Wangji from him. A growl escaped from his lips without him meaning it to and he blinked.

Had he just…growled? Thinking about Lan Wangji getting hurt because of him?

This thought was followed with righteous indignation because damn right he did! These cowards were using the three of them against each other. It wasn’t fair and it certainly didn’t mean Jiang Cheng was going to take the responsibility lightly.

The man, for his part, didn’t roll his eyes at Jiang Cheng’s pathetic show considering he didn’t have his core available to him at the moment. “You have been summoned,” the man said simply, in a stern, straight-forward, “I’m-not-arguing-with-you-about-this” tone.

Jiang Cheng opened his mouth, a snappy and rude reply on the tip of his tongue, when movement behind him caught his attention. Lan Wangji gazed up at him with furrowed brows.

Damn these dogs forcing him to take people he didn’t give a shit about into account. Though, from the furrowed brows, Lan Wangji could also be just as confused as Jiang Cheng at his protective display. Seriously. What was that?

Regardless, no matter how much Jiang Cheng complained to himself, it wouldn’t change anything. He didn’t know what would get Lan Wangji punished versus Jiang Cheng simply getting told to shut up with a punch to the gut. He couldn’t take any more chances when the first was so devastating.

He sighed and got up, allowing the man to lead him to gods knows where. They went up a set of stairs at the end of the hallway, confirming what Jiang Cheng suspected, that they were underground. He was then led through a series of confusing and identical hallways until, as it turned out, “gods knows where” was a conference room.

The soldier knocked on the door once then dragged Jiang Cheng in with an ironclad, bruising grip on his arm. The door closed behind them and Jiang Cheng was presented to the room. To say the first glance over the room confused him was an understatement. He stared blankly, taking in what he’d been summoned for.

The room contained nothing but a table with a large map in the center. About ten or so cultivators stood around it with Wen Ruohan at the head. Jiang Cheng was shoved closer towards the table and then held there, making any attempt to escape or hide impossible.

Wen Ruohan approached him with an almost content smile. “Young Master Jiang, welcome.”

Jiang Cheng simply blinked again. What was he supposed to say? “Thank you for having me? I prefer Melon Seed Tea?” Or perhaps Wen Ruohan is expecting him to say something like, “I know you murdered my parents and my sect and that your son tortured me, but I am so honored to be a guest of the Chief Cultivator. I prefer Melon Seed Tea,” complete with a bow?

Wen Ruohan placed his hands on Jiang Cheng’s shoulders and pulled him towards the head of the table in the space he’d previously occupied.

“You are an intelligent and clever young man. Tell me, what purpose do you believe I have for bringing you here?” He proceeded to gesture to the giant map with his hand.

Jiang Cheng swallowed, once more fighting the urge to say something that would get Lan Wangji or Lan Xichen killed, and took an actual look of the map. He leaned over the table and glanced over it. He recognized it instantly.

It was a map of Yunmeng and the surrounding areas.

Jiang Cheng memorized the map of Yunmeng when he was a child at his mother’s behest. Every cultivator needed to have an understanding of the terrain they lived in and the surrounding areas. It was ingrained in him.

Looking at the map now, even without explaining why he was there, Jiang Cheng had a pretty good idea why Wen Ruohan summoned him.

“Well?” He encouraged.

“It’s a map of Yunmeng. You want me to point out where Wei Wuxian took me…where Baoshan Sanren is.”

Some of the men around them whispered or chuckled at him, most likely for his tenacity. Jiang Cheng found it irked him. He wiggled around in the metal cuffs he’d been bound in, once more finding himself full of rage-fueled energy he needed to dispel. The chain linking them clinked quietly and the sound made Jiang Cheng freeze.

For a moment he was thrown back to when he’d first developed his core around six years old. When his parents found out, they’d been elated, and his father gifted him his own bell. He’d taught him how to put qi into it and tied it onto his robes. Then, he patted him on the back. For weeks a young Jiang Cheng’s chest grew warm from joy at the memory.

He found himself wanting to lean into the hand Wen Ruohan still had on his shoulder, the warmth and heaviness feeling just like it did from his father that day. He came back to himself quickly, however, unable to reconcile his reality with the memory. Unfortunately he was not quick enough. Wen Ruohan apparently noticed. The man squeezed his shoulder once and stared down at him. Jiang Cheng fought the urge not to fidget.

“Forgive my rudeness,” Wen Ruohan said. “Remove his bonds. He will require use of his hands.”

Jiang Cheng stared back down at the map while the chains were undone. The map had not yet been updated to show the territories Wen Ruohan had taken over. Eventually, everything would be corrected, but here, now, in this room, in this map, the Jiang Sect remained the dominating sect of Yunmeng. Here, Jiang Cheng would become sect leader with Wei Wuxian at his side. Here, he still had a family and a sect and a future.

His eyes burned.

“Where did you go? Where is Baoshan Sanren?”

Jiang Cheng scanned over the map. Wen Ruohan was correct in assuming Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian would not have been able to get far from Lotus Pier with how injured he was. He could lie. How believable was it that, after being tortured and on his death bed, Jiang Cheng was able to trek from Lotus Pier all the way to Yiling and up a mountain?

He stared down at the familiar mountain ranges around Yunmeng trying to come up with a lie before deciding it didn’t matter. He only even knew it was Yiling because, again, he was forced to memorize maps as a young child. He frowned, trying to remember the paths they took. It wasn’t like he was mentally capable at the time.

He thought it might be funny to tell him what they really did when escaping initially: how they’d escaped purely because his mother bound them with Zidian and that they actually returned to Lotus Pier, that Jiang Cheng had lost his mind momentarily and couldn’t handle the reality so his consciousness fractured. He probably would’ve loved to hear how Jiang Cheng choked out and blamed Wei Wuxian for everything. He seemed like the sadistic type to enjoy a story like that.

He couldn’t tell them they were headed towards Meishan, in case his sister was still there. That was fine. He could lie about that. Actually, he could lie about a lot. No one else knew the truth except for him and Wei Wuxian.

“Chief Cultivator—” one of the men spoke up.

Wen Ruohan held up a hand.

They were growing impatient. Jiang Cheng took in a breath and let it out slowly to center himself. The last thing he wanted to do was lose it in front of these cultivators and let them think him more pathetic than he already felt. He leaned over the table again and pointed to Lotus Pier.

“After we escaped from Lotus Pier the first time, we headed east.” He moved his finger along the map to where the town he’d been found at was. “We stopped here after a day or two of travel for supplies. This is where I was captured. When we escaped the second time, we decided to travel south.” He moved his finger towards Yiling. “We found an abandoned house along the path and stopped there to treat my wounds. The injuries from the whip healed decently, but there were other injuries which couldn’t be healed without a core…”

He paused. His eyes were growing wet and his face burned. Did any of them know what other injuries he was referring to? He sucked in a breath and released it again, much shakier than before. He closed his eyes and swallowed. He couldn’t break down. Not yet.

That same hand from before returned, this time to his back. An attempt at comfort from the man who was the cause of his pain. It made him sick. He hated it. He hated that it helped him calm down even more.

“You’re doing well. Keep going,” Wen Ruohan murmured quietly in his ear.

The pressure of the hand on his back increased. Jiang Cheng realized he was being pushed into the table, trapping him between it and Wen Ruohan. From how he was bent over and the height of the edge it dug into his stomach making breathing difficult.

He cleared his throat and continued. “When I was in well enough condition, Wei Wuxian led me…” he trailed off as he looked for the mountain. It wasn’t large or imposing but there was mist and it was ominous at the time. The only mountain large enough in the area was one just north of Yiling. “Here. This is where Baoshan Sanren is.”

One of the other cultivators looked at the location Jiang Cheng was pointing at and scoffed. “There is nothing in the area but foothills hardly large enough to call mountain, let alone be called a celestial immortal’s home.”

Jiang Cheng glared at the man. “I was blindfolded the entire time. If you want more information then you’ll have to find Wei Wuxian.”

“Where is he?” Wen Ruohan asked.

This was dangerous but Jiang Cheng was at the edge of his emotional rope. He turned his glare onto the chief cultivator. “Why don’t you ask your bastard son? After all, I’m sure he’s the one who knows where he is, if he didn’t kill him,” he sneered.

The room went quiet. The pressure of the hand on his back moved. This time the pressure increased over the previously broken and still tender ribs. A whine escaped from him as he was pushed further into the table, cutting off his air. For a normal cultivator this would be no issue. Jiang Cheng’s core was currently locked away and Wen Ruohan was strong, making it impossible for Jiang Cheng to escape from. His eyes began to water.

The sounds of him struggling to breathe through the pain were loud. His vision began to blur and his ribs ached terribly. He scrabbled at the table until his arms were bound by the chains again. Only once his arms were secure did Wen Ruohan step away.

Jiang Cheng sucked in a gasp and collapsed over the table. The paper cool paper crinkled against his burning cheek. He’d closed his eyes at some point and opened them again to blearily stare at the robes of one of the men in his line of vision. They were typical Wen red and white, but there was delicate embroidery with beads and patterns in the fire.

He still hadn’t caught his breath when he was yanked up by his upper arms and let out another whine as the action pulled on his shoulder.

“Thank you, Young Master Jiang. You did well.”

There were murmurs and quiet discussion from the men in the room. Jiang Cheng looked at them all, the map, and then finally Wen Ruohan with watery eyes. He felt the dampness around his eyes spread down his cheeks.

“However, my advisor is correct,” Wen Ruohan continued. “There are only foothills in the area you pointed out to me.” His voice and expression took on a darker edge as he said, “are you sure you are not mistaken?”

“I told you already. I was blindfolded and dying. I’m pretty sure that’s where I met Baoshan Sanren, but if you want to truly know, you’ll have to ask your son to fish Wei Wuxian out of whatever hole he threw him in.”

Wen Ruohan hummed as though he were truly considering Jiang Cheng’s words. Jiang Cheng didn’t give a fuck about any of this. What he could possibly want Baoshan Sanren for was beyond him unless it truly was just about the core. But even then, Jiang Cheng was the only confirmed case of this. Was it that big of a deal?

He supposed if his enemy had their core removed but then somehow met an immortal practically on the side of the road and got a new core, he’d be concerned too. But he’s not Wen Ruohan and this wasn’t his problem to deal with. Therefore, he couldn’t bring himself to care.

“Very well. I thank you for your cooperation. Take him back to his cell.”

The walk back was quick. He was underground once more before he knew it and thrown back into his cell with Lan Wangji. He knew Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji had questions for him. He knew he should talk to them but that could wait. For now, he just wanted to curl up into a ball and hide from the world.

He pulled himself into a corner of the cell and hugged his knees to his chest to hide his face. And though he tried to be quiet, he knew Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji could hear every sob.

_________

Jiang Cheng did not emerge for a long time.

The tears stopped a while ago. They left Jiang Cheng with sniffles and a swollen face. Moisture had built up inside the ball he’d curled into enough that his clothes, face, and even the air itself grew damp and humid. His body had gone from numb to tingling to cramping from being in the same position for too long but he couldn’t bring himself to move. He felt as though unfurling himself would leave him more open, vulnerable, exposed. He didn’t want that. He wanted to be able to hide in his knees and cry himself to sleep.

It was a child’s thought; one a younger Jiang Cheng might have had before he hit double digits in age and became used to his parents’ arguing.

Jiang Cheng supposed if there were ever a time he felt like a helpless child crying for his parents it would be now. That’s what he was, wasn’t he? The thought would’ve stung hours earlier. Now, he felt that yawning numbness again.

He was empty.

There was nothing he could do or hope for besides death and even then such a fate depended upon the actions of someone else.

Eventually he could no longer stand the stifling dampness and heat of his cocoon. He lifted his head and gingerly stretched out his legs. He was immediately met with the cooling still air of the underground dungeon and resistance from his muscles.

He blinked a few times. His little ball had been dark compared to the few lanterns which surrounded them and the light hurt. He looked around, trying to readjust to his surroundings. After a few wild glances his eyes settled upon the small pots they’d been provided.

They were porcelain.

Porcelain shattered into large pieces when broken, his mind supplied.

All he’d have to do is break one of the pots and take a shard to his neck. Forget the wrists. They were too unpredictable. If the neck was sliced deep enough nothing could be done.

His hands twitched towards the pots. It would be so easy; over in mere moments. He wouldn’t have to wait for someone else to fuck up.

He could do it himself.

“-anyin…JIANG WANYIN!”

Jiang Cheng blinked.

He came back to himself slowly. First, he realized he was standing directly in front of the wall he’d been sat across not moments before. A white mark was left from something scratching or impacting the wall. Pieces of some sort of white stone were scattered about the floor in front of him. His arm was raised slightly and his hand was dripping blood due to the object clenched tightly in his fingers It was smooth and cold with a jagged, sharp edge. He turned up his palm to see a piece of the porcelain pot he’d been staring at.

The pieces slotted together to form a whole story. He brought his hand closer to examine the shard. A shiver ran down his spine. Goosepimples rose on his flesh. Was he really about to…

Jangling became audible somewhere to his left. He turned to see Lan Wangji up. He was bent over and using the wall for support but he was up nonetheless.

“…Jiang Wanyin…” Lan Wangji said, voice tense and shaking.

He must’ve been in a lot of pain. Even getting up probably strained his injuries.

He then glanced to the right where the other cells were, remembering Lan Xichen was here too. Lan Xichen had pressed against the bars of his cell and was gripping onto them as though he desperately wanted to tear through them. His chest was heaving and his face was pale. His eyes were so wide Jiang Cheng could see the whites of them.

“What…” Jiang Cheng whispered. His throat was sore and his voice came out hoarse. “What happened?” He asked no one in particular.

Lan Xichen slumped against the bars. He slid down to the ground with his head bowed, leaning against them. “Oh thank the heavens,” he sighed. “You’re back.”

“I’m…what?”

Lan Wangji cleared his throat. His voice was tight as he explained, “Jiang Wanyin suddenly rose and smashed the pot. We tried to call to you. We asked what you were doing…”

“It was like you were in a trance. You wouldn’t respond. You just stared at the pot…and your expression…” Lan Xichen shook his head wildly. “I thought you—” he cut himself off, as though he couldn’t bring himself to say what he thought Jiang Cheng was going to do.

Jiang Cheng could. He could say it. He just couldn’t quite believe it.

“I was going to kill myself…”

Everything in their small corner of the dungeon paused. Their breathing. The air. Time itself. Lan Xichen shook his head again. Lan Wangji simply stared.

Jiang Cheng examined the porcelain shard again. He rubbed his bloody fingers over the smooth surface and rough edges.

Was he really going to do it? Did he truly want to die? He had a core again. What about Wei Wuxian and A-Jie? What about their sect? It didn’t exist anymore but it’s not as if Jiang Cheng couldn’t rebuild it. Hadn’t he already begun recruitment?

What had he been thinking?

What had his parents died for? And he was going to throw it all away again because he missed them? Because he was stuck in a cell in Qishan for the time being? Because he saw a map that reminded him of his life before all of this?

He dropped the porcelain shard and took a stumbling step back from the wall.

“We can’t imagine what you’re going through,” Lan Xichen said. “And it may seem difficult, even impossible, for now…but it’s not hopeless.”

“It is!” Jiang Cheng cried. “It’s impossible, and everyone knows how terrible I am at attempting it…” He could practically feel the way Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji’s stomachs dropped. “But I’ve also never known when to stop trying. Don’t worry. I’m not dying any time soon…I just…”

“Sometimes a chasm feels impossible to climb out of,” Lan Wangji said.

“But sometimes it’s because you’re too focused on the chasm itself, not your surroundings,” Lan Xichen added on. He wore a wry smile.

Jiang Cheng had never heard this before but it sounded like an inside joke or a Gusu proverb. He figured it fit the situation well enough.

He could do that. He could look at something other than the chasm, that hole inside him built from a yearning to return to a home that no longer existed. He could look at his surroundings and move forward for now.

Said surroundings happened to be Lan Wangji leaning heavily against the wall and fighting collapse on shaking legs. Jiang Cheng couldn’t understand it. Why go to such lengths? Jiang Cheng got him whipped! If it were him watching the person who got him whipped killing himself, he’d help him along!

He huffed out a sigh. The frustration was good. It was something he could feed into that wouldn’t drive him over the edge again.

He hurried to Lan Wangji’s side and helped him back onto the ground.

“Why’d you try to stand up like that? You’ve agitated all of your wounds and now you’re bleeding again. Do you know how long it took me to stop the bleeding before?”

Lan Wangji glared at him.

“On your stomach. Let me see,” he ordered.

It was a testament to how much he must’ve been suffering that he actually did as he was told. The frustration from before bled into a small amount of guilt. It was fine. He was going to fix it.

The three of them were quiet as Jiang Cheng looked over his wounds again. He kept glancing back at Lan Xichen who had moved to resting against one of the walls of his cell. He was silently watching them.

Jiang Cheng thought he looked tired.

“What?” He eventually asked.

“It’s nothing. Please excuse me,” Lan Xichen responded.

“No, it’s something. You’re not gonna thank me again or anything, right?”

Jiang Cheng had said…things to Lan Xichen while he was in Qinghe. Terrible things. Lan Xichen took it in stride but it wasn’t fair to him and Jiang Cheng knew he was being honest by thanking him for saving Lan Wangji’s life. The thankfulness just came too little too late.

Lan Xichen huffed out a small laugh. “No, I have learned my lesson…”

“Then?” Jiang Cheng encouraged.

This was the kind of shit that he hated. Wei Wuxian used to this before they got close. He’d want to say something but hold his tongue. He still did it when he thought it was something that would upset him. Jiang Cheng would rather know than be kept in the dark.

He sat back on his heels and turned back to Lan Xichen and really looked at him. He was fidgeting with the hem of his stained white robes. It seemed the talismans they use to keep them clean don’t work when you don’t have access to your qi. His hair was a mess, the topknot coming out and the ends matting. His face and hands were dirty.

He wouldn’t look up despite how long Jiang Cheng was staring at him.

“I just wanted to ask…if you were okay.” Jiang Cheng blinked. A moment passed. Then another. He was going to respond but Lan Xichen continued. “But I realized that was a foolish question. Of course you’re not okay. I have never seen someone…wanting to do that before. I didn’t realize how deep the pain was.” He then said, voice barely a whisper, “of course you’re not okay.”

“When I lost my core and woke up safe next to Wei Wuxian, I yelled at him, asking him why he even bothered saving me. I wouldn’t eat or move or speak because I just didn’t see a point in living. There was none.” He was really beginning to hate the burning of trying to hold back tears. “I truly became the one thing I was always fighting…being useless.”

“You’re not,” Lan Xichen responded quickly.

“My father sure thought I was. He’d rather Wei Wuxian take over the sect than me. I guess in a way he died getting what he wanted.”

He glanced back to Lan Xichen when his comment was met with silence. He looked like he wanted to say something but was deciding against it. Jiang Cheng was honestly thankful. He didn’t want to hear any comment anyone could make about who deserved what when it came to his sect or his familial relationships.

It wasn’t long before Jiang Cheng had redressed his wounds. Lan Wangji fell asleep, the strain and exhaustion apparently too much for his strict Lan training. Lan Xichen moved to the center of his cell and began to meditate. With nothing to do Jiang Cheng decided to look at his own wounds. He applied a cream here and a bandage there to help with scarring since he couldn’t heal it.

He considered sleeping but that required sitting there with nothing to focus on which was apparently dangerous for him.

He went about cleaning up the broken pot. He found the piece from before he’d clutched hard enough to draw blood and decided to pocket it. They didn’t have weapons. He couldn’t access his qi so talismans and spells were out of the equation. This was probably the only form of protection he’d be able to get his hands on.

After completing those tasks, Jiang Cheng was once again left with nothing to do but wait.

Time moved slowly when one had nothing to do. Jiang Cheng thought at least something should be happening. Shouldn’t Wen Ruohan be attempting to get more information out of them? Shouldn’t they spend their days being tortured and humiliated?

Was it a blessing, waiting down here in their dank and dim cells? Was it better that he was able to consistently clean and redress Lan Wangji’s wounds? Should he be thankful Wen Ruohan wasn’t using them as tools against their sects and people?

Them being left alone meant nothing was hurting them and they couldn’t hurt anything else or each other.

There was only one problem.

Jiang Cheng was getting antsy.

The only interactions they had with anyone in the Wen sect was the guard who brought them extremely meager meals of plain congee. Not even a vegetable or a single slice of meat. Jiang Cheng was going to starve.

Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen, for their part, weren’t complaining. Lan Xichen spent most of his time meditating. Lan Wangji spent most of his time…also probably meditating. It was difficult to tell with him lying down so as to not jostle his wounds.

His back was healing nicely though. Jiang Cheng would never consider himself a proper doctor but he was proud of his work.

Besides playing medic, Jiang Cheng didn’t have much else to do. His sect didn’t meditate the way the Lan sect did. They still did it every day. It was a necessary part of cultivation. It just wasn’t the Jiang Sect’s priority. But Jiang Cheng liked it. It was something he was actually good at compared to Wei Wuxian.

He initially followed the Lan brothers’ lead and tried to meditate as well. He hadn’t focused too much on the damage Wen Zhuliu might have caused and so he decided to try to do that. Despite what it felt like, his qi paths were not destroyed, burned up, or even slightly damaged. Removing the core was simply removing the energy source, apparently. All of the damage occurred within the core itself while the different pathways merely channeled the feeling of the destruction throughout his body.

He figured this was the case considering how well his body was reacting to the new core. There were no issues he could identify beforehand. And there were no issues now…besides the whole suppressed core thing. Jiang Cheng didn’t even know permanent talismans like this existed.

When meditation proved useless, Jiang Cheng switched his focus. He decided to run through different drills that didn’t require sword work. That at least felt normal and interesting. He had a few conversations with Lan Xichen about the differences in styles. Jiang Cheng taught him a few basic forms of the Jiang style and Lan Xichen retaught him the basics of the Lan style.

Besides that, he did a few workouts here and there.

"Sect Leader Jiang is very active,” Lan Xichen teased as he watched Jiang Cheng work through basic strength training exercises.

“I can’t stand being bored and sitting still for too long. There was always something for me to do in Lotus Pier,” he explained after finishing up his current set. He sat down and wiped away some of the sweat he’d managed to work up. “This is driving me insane.”

“It certainly feels like a test of wills, doesn’t it?”

Jiang Cheng scoffed. “Yeah, who will break first, us or him?”

“Hopefully him. I can’t tell what he wants or if he intends to leave us here until whatever is happening out there is over.”

“You would think he’d want to be parading us around. He said it himself: two sect leaders and three of the most capable cultivators of our generation. Wouldn’t it make sense to show the world how he captured us?”

Jiang Cheng was up again. The frustration, confusion, and general uneasiness at it all left him with a lot of bizarre pent up energy. He usually was not one to move excessively when he had too much energy but he couldn’t help it here. He began to pace.

Lan Xichen watched him, following his movements with his eyes. “It would make sense, which is why I am concerned. He must be planning something.”

“But what? What could he possibly be planning that he hasn’t already done to us?” Jiang Cheng exclaimed.

He was going stir-crazy. He needed to get out of this damn dungeon. He heard Lan Xichen sigh.

“I wish he had left me Liebing. I may not have access to my core but at least I could practice.”

Jiang Cheng tripped in his pacing. He knew they were all bored. He understood. He just also really didn’t want to tell Lan Xichen that he was suddenly thankful as fuck Wen Ruohan had confiscated all of their weapons, including their instruments. He didn’t know what he’d do if he had to listen to nothing but xiao music every day. Forget the porcelain. He’d end up bashing his head against the wall.

From the back of their cell, Lan Wangji took in a deep breath and let it out painfully slowly. It was so exaggerated that Jiang Cheng could see his shoulders and chest inflate and then deflate.

“As though you would not be practicing on Wangji if you had it,” Lan Xichen snapped.

Jiang Cheng had to stare at the wall and take in the exchange. Were they…arguing?

The Lan sect is weird.

Jiang Cheng was going to demand they communicate like normal human beings when a metallic screeching from above reverberated throughout he dungeon. Someone had come down to see them.

Lan Xichen climbed to his feet and approached the cell door.

Due to their Lan training, Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen were able to effectively tell the time. They woke up around 5, went to sleep around 9, and got hungry at specific times. Jiang Cheng used their schedule to track when their subpar meals were provided. They came about once a day in the middle of the day. Based on when they woke up and how hungry they were the three of them were able to tell it was no later than mid-to-late morning.

This was a change in the daily schedule.

Soon, the dungeon echoed with the sounds of multiple footsteps approaching them. Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen exchanged looks. This couldn’t be good. So many people meant at least two, if not all of them, were being summoned, most likely by Wen Ruohan. What could he possibly want with all three of them?

Jiang Cheng’s mind was spinning as he stepped away from the cell door towards Lan Wangji. His back may be getting better but he’s still not fully healed. He didn’t know how much he’d be able to handle.

A group of ten guards stopped in front of their cells. One of them opened Lan Xichen’s cell first. He and Lan Wangji watched as they pulled out metal cuffs. Lan Xichen held his chin high and did not fight them as his arms were pulled behind him and his wrists were cuffed together.

Only once he was secured with two soldiers holding either arm did they open Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji’s cell.

Jiang Cheng watched them closely as they approached. One of the guards Jiang Cheng recognized. It was one of the ones who escorted Jiang Cheng to the conference room where the table was. He stepped forward, arms spread and eyes constantly scanning the guards.

“He’s still healing,” Jiang Cheng said. “And he’s already cuffed, since no one decided to remove them.”

The cuffs were a point of contention for all three of them. Lan Wangji’s wrists were bruised, scuffed, and permanently reddened. Jiang Cheng had to wrap his wrists in bandages just to keep them from scratching up the skin too much. They jangled and clinked and were a general annoyance to everyone.

“Fine,” the guard said.

The guard gestured with his head. Four others moved forward. Two flanked Jiang Cheng and the other two grabbed Lan Wangji. It seemed they were willing to show mercy today because they were not more rough than they needed to be. Only once Jiang Cheng was sure Lan Wangji would be fine did he present his wrists behind him to be chained.

What happened next was something Jiang Cheng could have never predicted. Lan Xichen gasped and Jiang Cheng saw them blindfolding him.

“What are you doing?” he demanded.

Of course, no one said anything.

Jiang Cheng didn’t fight because he didn’t know what would happen if he would but he did not like the idea of being blindfolded. This meant they were being taken somewhere they either didn’t know, or Wen Ruohan didn’t want them to know. What the hell were they going to be put through after what, a week, of uninterrupted nothingness?

Jiang Cheng didn’t have time to ponder it. As soon as the blindfolds were tied they set off. He decided to focus on where they were going, counting steps, paying attention to turns, listening for changes in ambiance or sounds. He couldn’t tell where they were going. Everything was silent except for their steps.

It felt like they’d been walking for an eternity before the were stopped. One by one the blindfolds were removed, and once again, they were standing in the main hall of the Scorching Sun Palace.

Jiang Cheng blinked rapidly as tears formed from the sudden change in light. Everything was bright and blurry. He could barely make out the forms of the guards, Wen Ruohan, and Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen. His eyes were still watering when someone grabbed him and pulled him forward. He jumped and struggled unconsciously before he could understand what was happening.

He was moved in front of the Lan brothers. The warm hand was back on his shoulder and it made his stomach sink. He swallowed thickly, not wanting to look to his left, where Wen Ruohan stood with his arm around Jiang Cheng’s shoulders.

“I looked into what you told me. Wei Wuxian is unavailable and will remain unavailable for the foreseeable future. The ‘mountain’ you pointed us to was indeed a mountain, though it had a distinct lack of celestial immortals.” He leaned in closer to Jiang Cheng and Jiang Cheng shuddered from the breath on his ear as he whispered, “You truly expect me to believe you trekked all the way from Lotus Pier to Yiling in your condition, Young Master Jiang?”

Jiang Cheng sucked in a breath.

Wen Ruohan continued, voice still just as quiet, meant only for Jiang Cheng to hear, “we tried to investigate how exactly you managed it. No one was able to tell us. I know you had help, most likely from someone within my sect. A traitor. As the bodies of your parents disappeared precisely around the time you did.”

The hand on his shoulder moved to the joint and squeezed, applying downward pressure. Jiang Cheng clenched his teeth. The pressure only continued to build and build and Jiang Cheng couldn’t stop the high whine from releasing as Wen Ruohan pushed on the socket. He was going to dislocate his shoulder.

Just when he thought it was going to pop, the pressure lessened somewhat. It didn’t go away. Wen Ruohan simply held him there in suspended pain. He squeezed his eyes shut as tears slid down his cheeks.

“Tell me who assisted you,” Wen Ruohan ordered.

Jiang Cheng shook his head. He didn’t know! He had no idea who they were. All he knew was that the guy wore typical Wen robes.

The pressure grew again and Jiang Cheng let out a cry as his body leaned sideways.

“I don’t know. I barely even saw them,” Jiang Cheng ground out. “Wei Wuxian was the one who got them to help us.”

In an instant the pressure was gone. Jiang Cheng gasped. His legs gave out and he would’ve collapsed to the floor if not for Wen Ruohan grabbing his now aching arm and forcing him up.

“You rely on Wei Wuxian a lot, Young Master Jiang. He is the one who got you out, who arranged your care, and arranged a new core for you.”

“What about it,” Jiang Cheng demanded quickly, voice thick and shaky through the tears. Gods he was crying so much these days. It was pathetic. He sniffled and wiped his face on his shoulders.

Wen Ruohan didn’t respond. Instead, he moved around Jiang Cheng and faced Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen, who’d been forced to watch what had occurred. Lan Xichen was staring with hardened eyes and thin lips. Lan Wangji was looking away.

“Apologies for the delay. There was business I needed to address before we proceeded,” Wen Ruohan explained lightly, as though he hadn’t almost permanently injured Jiang Cheng.

“Why are we here?” Lan Xichen asked. “What is it you want from us?”

“I asked myself that same question many times in the last week. What has occurred up until this point was indeed punishment worthy of the crimes committed in the past. Unfortunately, from what I have seen and learned, allowing you three to leave is too much of a liability. I considered killing you. Making you an example to the other sects. But Young Master Jiang is already quite the example, wouldn’t you think?”

Lan Xichen’s gaze wavered over from Wen Ruohan, to Jiang Cheng, then back to Wen Ruohan. “So?” He pushed.

“I have punished both of your sects for your crimes against the Wen sect. That is more than enough to teach the others what the consequences of further actions might be. Then I thought killing you would simply solve a problem I could not bring myself to care about. I would have enjoyed it as well, breaking you steadfast Lans down bit by bit until you were begging for death.”

Jiang Cheng frowned as he listened. Where was this going? Why go through all the theatrics? He didn’t think Wen Ruohan would be the type for villainous speeches.

“Then, I went to Lotus Pier. I discovered something I myself have found interesting, and I think all of us would be curious to hear from Young Master Jiang…” He turned suddenly back to Jiang Cheng and didn’t continue. Confused, Jiang Cheng looked up at him. “Tell us your experience in Lotus Pier, after you lost your core.”

Jiang Cheng went wide eyed. His mouth dropped open. He reared back.

“You…what?”

“I want you to explain to Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji your futures here as my prisoners.”

Jiang Cheng gasped and shook his head wildly. He looked to Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji who merely seemed confused. “No…no please—I…”

How could Wen Ruohan expect him to tell them? He knew already. Why couldn’t he say it? He shook his head again. Wen Ruohan still stared at him expectantly. He was going to make him do it.

“Please…”

Jiang Cheng couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t breathe. The walls were closing in. His body was growing weaker. Hands were all over him. Touching him. Moving him. Voices were talking, laughing, joking overhead. He was choking. He can’t breathe.

“He’s panicking!” he heard Lan Xichen shout from somewhere far away.

Something was touching him and someone was murmuring something in his ear. The hands gripped his shoulders and rubbed and squeezed as though they were massaging him. Jiang Cheng focused on that. The physical sensations. He wasn’t there anymore. The pain wasn’t there. His chest and sides and body weren’t on fire and he wasn’t choking on anything. No one was laughing above him, saying how pathetic he was, brought so low by his own choices, how they’d love to get their hands on his sister and do the same thing to her.

The murmuring in his ear became clearer. The voice was soft and calm and steady. It repeated an endless stream of promises and support. How this time was going to be different. Jiang Cheng didn’t have to be in pain and used by so many. How easy it would be and he wouldn’t be alone this time.

He gulped in air like a drowning man resurfacing.

He finally was able to see clearly again. Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji both were being held back by guards. He watched them with a new understanding. The horror of it all stabbed at him and made him want to be sick.

“You can do it. Tell them. Don’t you want them to be prepared, Wanyin? Don’t they deserve to know?”

Jiang Cheng could breathe again but the breaths came in quick gasps. No matter what he did it wasn’t enough. He shook his head. He didn’t want them to know. He hadn’t intended on telling anyone what had happened. Even Wei Wuxian couldn’t understand why Jiang Cheng was on his deathbed back then. Jiang Cheng couldn’t bring himself to tell him.

“Then they’ll go on blind. They won’t know anything about what will happen to them. They’ll have to watch each other and you be taken without knowing to make it easier or how to make it so it doesn’t hurt.”

The voice was relentless. Wen Ruohan was relentless. The pressure was building again, up and up and up, never leaving his side. His breaths were still coming fast and Jiang Cheng knew Wen Ruohan would get impatient soon enough.

He swallowed loudly and tried to clear his throat.

“Very good. You can do it,” Wen Ruohan encouraged.

Why was he doing this? Why was he making Jiang Cheng do this? It was cruel. Was it punishment for the wild goose chase he sent him on? That wasn’t fair.

His breath was on Jiang Cheng’s ear again. “Go on,” he whispered.

Jiang Cheng stared at them. He felt something inside him shift. It didn’t matter. He couldn’t stop it even if he wanted to. Wen Ruohan was going to make him tell them. Wen Ruohan was going to rape him. There was nothing he could do.

The thought was almost calming as the realization struck him. It felt as though he were floating away. He was watching himself from far away as the words began to leave him.

“After I lost my core and was whipped, Wen Chao announced he was finished with me. I was thrown into a cell and was going to be left there to rot or until Wen Chao decided he wanted me dead. Him not being interested anymore meant he didn’t care what happened to me afterwards. The soldiers stationed there to guard me grew bored. And they grew bold.”

Jiang Cheng was stuck between three places, here and now in the palace, there in Lotus Pier reliving it all, and in some odd third place, watching himself retell it.

“One of the guards started it off. He insulted me, said humiliating and demeaning things. Then the other brought up my family, and how much I looked like my mom. Then the first one asked if I fucked like her. The second said they should find out. They forced themselves upon me. Then more came and saw what was occurring and decided to join in. They wouldn’t let me pass out. When I began to drift or black out they beat me or choked me. They made me bleed. And when they finished with their fun, I was left there, unable to move, bleeding out and covered in their spend, waiting for death.”

Lan Xichen’s eyes were wide in horror. Jiang Cheng could see them beginning to water. Lan Wangji’s ears were red and he’d closed his eyes, unable to face Jiang Cheng while he described his torture.

Jiang Cheng’s cheeks were wet.

“Well done, Wanyin,” Wen Ruohan said once he was finished. To all three of them he continued, “your roles will not be nearly as violent as what was done to Wanyin, if you behave and do as you’re told. You will learn to appreciate following my orders and what we do together.”

Lan Xichen choked. “You mean—we…”

“Your first lesson begins now.”

He grabbed Jiang Cheng and threw him to the ground in front of them and placed a foot on his neck. Jiang Cheng froze. There wasn’t pressure being applied. Yet.

Lan Xichen seemed to understand the situation as his eyes narrowed into a hateful glare.

“What do you want us to do?” He asked in a low, dangerous tone.

“Lan Xichen, kiss Lan Wangji.”

No one said or did anything for a few moments as the order stunned all three of them. Lan Wangji slowly looked up and glanced between Lan Xichen and Wen Ruohan. All of the bravado Lan Xichen had was suddenly gone.

“What?” he asked, sounding like nothing more than a scared child.

“This is your lesson. You will follow an order the first time I say it as soon as I have said it. If you do not, one of you will be punished. Lan Xichen, kiss Lan Wangji.”

Lan Xichen glanced down to where the foot rested on Jiang Cheng’s neck. “I—I…” he stuttered. Jiang Cheng couldn’t blame him. This was absurd. Even as the foot began to press down, he understood.

“How long before Wanyin dies?” Wen Ruohan questioned no one in particular. He was proving a point.

“Xiongzhang…” Lan Wangji called softly.

“I don’t…I can’t. You can’t expect me to do this. We’re family. Wangji and I. We’re brothers.”

Jiang Cheng coughed and wheezed and then nothing could escape or enter his airway as the foot pressed against his trachea.

“How long?” Wen Ruohan asked again.

Jiang Cheng was a strong swimmer and had learned to hold his breath for nearly a ké with his core. Without it, he had probably less than a third. All too quickly the supply ran out. He chest was beginning to burn. He needed air.

“Do not make me repeat myself.”

Lan Xichen shook his head, looking wildly between Jiang Cheng and his brother. “I can’t.”

“Then it seems the Jiang Sect ends here and now.”

“Xiongzhang,” Lan Wangji called again, voice almost desperate.

Jiang Cheng was beginning to struggle as black spots danced across his vision. Everything burned. He tried to throw Wen Ruohan off but nothing worked.

Lan Xichen turned to his brother a final time. They looked at each other in silent conversation. Lan Xichen didn’t have a choice. Lan Wangji leaned in, open and welcoming for his brother.

Lan Xichen leaned in too. Lips a breath away from lips. Then, Lan Xichen pressed in against Lan Wangji’s mouth in a soft, gentle kiss. As soon as he did it he backed away. Wen Ruohan lifted his foot. Jiang Cheng coughed and sputtered and gasped. Lan Xichen watched Wen Ruohan with a heated glare.

“Well done,” Wen Ruohan said in congratulations. Lan Xichen tracked his movements, still glaring, as Wen Ruohan began to make his exit. “Set up a room in my wing. Leave them in the dungeon until it’s prepared. When it’s finished, I expect them to be properly prepped and in my room in…” his voice faded as he disappeared down the hallway, leaving the three of them alone with the guards and their own thoughts.

They were unceremoniously thrown back into their cells, this time with Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen together and Jiang Cheng alone, to wait for their allotted time with Wen Ruohan.

None of them said anything. Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji kept their distance from each other, sitting on opposite sides of the cell. Lan Xichen occasionally pressed his fingers to his lips. Jiang Cheng watched them, still feeling like he was floating, not fully present in the moment.

After a while Lan Wangji finally spoke up. “Tell us what to expect,” he said.

Jiang Cheng didn’t respond at first. There were a multitude of things he could say and warn them about. It took him a while to land on the first thing they needed to know.

“You shouldn’t struggle,” he said eventually, voice sounding hollow even to his own ears. “Struggling makes it worse. When he enters you, don’t clench. You’ll want to, at first, because it’ll feel weird and will probably hurt. But don’t. It’ll only make everything worse. If you can prep yourself in any way you can, do it. It’ll make everything easier. If he has you suck him off, before you take him into your mouth, breathe in slowly through your throat and let it stay open as you breathe out. It’ll help with the choking. No teeth. Create suction by sucking your cheeks in and squeezing them. Let the saliva develop and pool to make your mouth wet. It’ll make him finish faster. Do what he says.”

Jiang Cheng took in a deep breath before continuing on.

“Whatever you do, don’t listen to what he says to and about you. If you let him in, it’ll fuck with your head and you’ll find yourself getting lost in it. You’re going to hear all kinds of things. You can’t let it get to you.”

He paused, fighting against the emotions bubbling up from what he was about to say. It was harder than he thought to say these things. It was especially harder when he didn’t believe them. He continued.

“My mother once told me that these sorts of things men do, do not reflect poorly on you, it reflects poorly on them. You are not shameful for having this be done to you. And, if you become…interested because of what’s being done to you, that’s normal. It’s the body’s natural response to it. You’re going to feel things and experience things and probably learn things you didn’t want to. If you can derive pleasure from it, fine. If you can actually enjoy it, that’s even better. Regardless, it’s not your fault. It’s not shameful. It’s humiliating. But you won’t be able to help it so it’s better to accept that reality now than fight with it in the moment.”

“I’m sorry you know all of this,” Lan Xichen said bitterly once it was clear Jiang Cheng was finished. “No one should need to learn any of this.”

“No…I’m sorry. I’m sorry you’re going to have to go through this.”

“You say we’re not the shameful ones…but aren’t we? I just kissed…” He pressed his fingers to his lips again.

Jiang Cheng shook his head. “You didn’t want to do it. You were forced to. You’re probably going to have to do a lot more, to each other and to me. You’re going to have to get over it.”

“How?” Lan Wangji asked.

Jiang Cheng shrugged. He thought, for the first time in his entire life, about what it would be like to do anything like this with his sister. In theory, he’d trust her. It would be awkward and mortifying and honestly Jiang Cheng probably wouldn’t even be able to get it up. But he’d be in it together with her. They’d make it through because, well, it was his sister.

“You’ll be fine,” he said eventually. “It’ll suck in the moment, but you’ll have each other. There’s no one else in the world you trust or who knows you both quite like you do. So long as you remember this isn’t you, you didn’t want this, and you’re not shameful for it, you’ll be fine.”

“…And what about you?” Lan Xichen asked.

Jiang Cheng let a humorless laugh. “Aren’t I already shameful? It’s easy to say not to let them get into your head. It’s harder when you already believe what they’re saying.”

None of them said anything. They simply sat there in their cells and did what they had for the past week: wait for Wen Ruohan to do something to them.