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The next morning came bright and early -- way too early, in Mo Xuanyu's humble opinion. The bell has rung in for the hour of the rabbit (hah), and the residents of the jingshi were silently making their way around the home.

Or, well. One resident of the jingshi was making his rounds around, and it was not Mo Xuanyu, who was laying in his bed, awake since an incense stick or more, staring into nothing. It probably was Hanguang-Jun, if Mo Xuanyu were to guess, considering the Yiling Patriarch had stayed awake much longer than his (their) husband last night, cleaning the infamous Chenqing with a reverence and care one wouldn't think to attribute to the ghost flute.

Xuanyu silently debated staying in his room -- his safe corner, to be honest -- a little while longer before he closed his eyes softly and sighed almost inaudibly. He was already infringing upon both his husband and his co-husband's living space and grace, he shouldn't make them have to wait for him as well. Silently sorting through his stuff (which was still stored in qiankun pouches), Mo Xuanyu strained his ears for sounds outside of his room, an age-old wariness settling on his shoulders as footsteps grew louder.

Mo Xuanyu paused, cursing himself that he was only barely clothed, and waited with bated breath for Hanguang-Jun to do something. Barely a minute later the footsteps receded, Xuanyu's tension with it, and he hurried to finish changing into a clean set of yellow-colored robes.

Hm.

He'd have to ask about getting a white set of robes soon; his Jin-yellow was too eye-catching. His hair would do in its usual half-bun, though he'd refrained from wearing any kohl for a myriad of reasons, first of all being his former shidi and shixiong's mocking laughter whenever Mo Xuanyu had dared to openly wear it with a little more variety. Not today, misplaced sense of guilt and dread!

With one last glance around his new room, Xuanyu stepped out and glanced -- discreetly, he might add -- to his left and right, spotting a mirror one one of the walls. Well. That would explain Hanguang-Jun's earlier approach.

He straightened up and stepped towards the small, rudimentary kitchen, where Hanguang-Jun was boiling what was probably jasmine tea. He seemingly hadn't noticed Xuanyu, his attention on the small baby rabbit from yesterday who was admittedly looking much livelier already. Mo Xuanyu used this momentarily distraction to take in the scene before him and count his lucky stars that he'd not ended up married to Sect Leader Yao, with whom this… dare he say… domesticity wouldn't be possible.

And then Xuanyu stepped inside and Hanguang-Jun's eyes landed on him, somehow soft and unguarded in the early morning. A few strands of his hair were loose, slightly wavy and incredibly soft-looking, and Mo Xuanyu blushed and felt as if he'd intruded somehow. "G-good morning, Hanguang-Jun."

A soft sigh, before Hanguang-Jun answered: "Good morning." A pause. "Did Mo Xuanyu sleep well?"

Xuanyu nodded, gratefully accepting the hot tea when it was served to him. He blinked upon noticing a missing third cup. "Ah. Is. Is the Yiling- I mean, is Wei Wuxian not joining us?"

Hanguang-Jun shook his head, one of his hands carding through the little bun's soft fur. "Wei Ying sleeps until seven, usually. Maybe nine. Will eat breakfast then." He sipped at his tea gracefully. Xuanyu, who always had to struggle with his tight-packed schedule on top of his research on demonic cultivation, could not fathom to oversleep two hours, or even four.

...though, now that he wasn't in Koi Tower any longer, there was no need for such a schedule anymore, was there? One that left him half-dead in the evening because he's had to catch up studying regular cultivation and sword fighting and sect histories because he'd started so late. In fear of leaving the air empty of speech and awkward, and generally to keep his own mind from spinning around, Mo Xuanyu pointed at the little bunny. "And how is the little one?"

(It proved to be a bad move for his traitorous, traitorous heart.)

Hanguang-Jun's eyes lit up, and he sat up even straighter -- something Xuanyu thought wasn't possible, to be honest -- before he carefully cradled the rabbit in his hands and towards Xuanyu, clearly an offering if he's ever seen one. He lightly scratched over its head and its little nose twitched around. It was utterly adorable.

"Much better," Hanguang-Jun almost fucking cooed, what the hell. "Will bring it back to its barren later in the day." And then he proceeded to carefully stand up and bring the bun bun back to its temporary nest, all soft edges and concerned parent.

Xuanyu was left alone for a few minutes, sipping the tea and cataloging the room, trying to get his general sense of normalcy back, and then Hanguang-Jun had reappeared, a stack of papers in his hands. The man had done up his hair with an intricate but somehow still simple headpiece and seemed almost undecided over something, before he glanced down at the papers and towards what Xuanyu assumed to be the sleeping Yiling Patriarch behind the privacy screen one room over.

"...If Mo Xuanyu wishes, he can accompany. Me."

Xuanyu blinked.

"Wei Ying is still sleeping. Until breakfast. I have to visit brother and uncle -- Mo Xuanyu could walk with me and then get breakfast together."

"To show me around?"

"En. Wei Ying will join us as well, later."

But did Mo Xuanyu feel confident enough to go outside and meet more Lan clan members, now that he probably was a stain on the esteemed Hanguang-Jun's impeccable white robes?

The answer is yes, apparently.

They'd walked out of the jingshi to the sound of one (1) very amused crow (as he's found out) and one (1) slightly confused magpie, bless his little Xiaohei's undead heart; he's never been kept reanimated for longer than a few hour's time, and never over night, and now it was already the next day. Mo Xuanyu was elated to give his feathered friend the freedom he deserved.

Hanguang-Jun simply rolled his eyes at the crow -- or, well, Xuanyu could practically feel the desire to do so, though outward nothing changed. Once they'd passed the gate he leaned towards Xuanyu and muttered, "it is good to see Mulan so happy," leaving Mo Xuanyu blinking, though he'd refrained from asking. They had walked back the path they'd taken yesterday in silence, passing by some forehead ribbon-wearing Lans who nodded at Hanguang-Jun and practically ignored Xuanyu, to his relief and confusion.

After the fifth Lan passed them, he had to ask.

Hanguang-Jun hummed, something sour finding its way to his face. "They are not main branch disciples. They dare not disrespect me."

And that was that. Mo Xuanyu instinctively stepped slightly closer, until their robes brushed together -- he saw the small twitch at the corner of Hanguang-Jun's lips, and how his face smoothed out again, glad that he could give some sort of comfort. He'd have to ask Wei Wuxian later, both about the ever-elusive ribbon and the meaning behind Hanguang-Jun's words, because while Xuanyu had an inkling as to the what, the why completely eluded him.

Sure, Hanguang-Jun had seemed scary on first glance, but it hadn't taken Xuanyu that long to find out that the man underneath the mask was a gentle and caring person; his own clan should know it as well, no?

They had passed into the main body of the Cloud Recesses and Hanguang-Jun had started to point out various important buildings, giving succinct explanations as to what their uses were, when they'd arrived in front of what was dubbed the 'Underworld Room' for whatever reason. Then the other cultivator had turned to Xuanyu. "Wait here? I will be quick."

Mo Xuanyu had nodded and done as he was told, and stayed put on the outside, merely wandering over to the railing and glancing at the perfectly-arranged greenery. It was actually quite a nice day, all things to consider. People were scurrying along the paths, all of them dressed in whites or light blues or very, very slight greys, almost all of them with the forehead ribbon on -- to Xuanyu's somewhat-limited knowledge, the ones not wearing it were probably servants or outer disciples or married in or something, but again, he'd have to ask the Yiling Patriarch.

Surprisingly enough there was not a single woman present, which made him wonder -- if men and women were kept apart for lessons and classes, it was one thing, Koi Tower had mostly done the same, but to not see a single one walking around the main body of the place was strange.

Or maybe there was something going on and Xuanyu had not noticed?

He squinted his eyes, trying to make out if he'd simply misgendered any of the cultivators, but no. No women. He continued people-watching for the next couple of minutes, trying to get a feel of the Cloud Recesses.

After following two conversing cultivators until they disappeared behind one of the classrooms and someone carrying a stack of papers and letters, Xuanyu caught sight of a sharp-looking gentleman who was on his way to his current location, passing by a group of younger disciples and -- at last! -- two women who paused shortly and bowed to him before continuing on their way.

Xuanyu debated making himself scarce for one hot second upon seeing that the Lan cultivator wore both a elaborate headdress and a grim expression and was thus, firstly a high-ranking member and secondly, probably in a bad mood, but he swallowed down the instinctual decision and instead stood up somewhat straighter, cataloging the man's appearance for possible future meetings: a scar on his brow, some stubble around his chin that could turn into a small beard in the next few days but gave him a roughish charm nonetheless, light blue robes with a white outer layer, an impressive sword at his side and a myriad of tassels and jade tokens on his belt, one of which appeared to be a master's seal of some sort.

And then the stranger turned into Xuanyu's -- or, more likely, the door's -- direction, and Mo Xuanyu could make out what was probably dark brown eyes and wait.

"Um."

The Lan cultivator turned towards Xuanyu, who swallowed. "Um. I beg this Master's forgiveness, but Hanguang-Jun is currently meeting with Sect Leader Lan and," Aaah-! What is Lan Qiren's proper title? Surely not Teacher Lan?? That's simply what everyone calls him! "Master Lan Qiren. I don't know if they would like to be interrupted."

"I see." Dark eyes glanced between the door and Mo Xuanyu, before their owner took a step away from the door. "And who might this cultivator from Lanling Jin be? Are you perhaps also waiting to speak to our Sect Leader?" He sounded amused.

Mo Xuanyu bowed deeply, flush creeping up his neck. "This one, is, Mo Xuanyu. I am m-merely waiting for my… for Hanguang-Jun."

The other cultivator copied him. "I am Lan Zhiqiang, current Sword Master of the Lan sect. Well met."

Mo Xuanyu echoed him. Lan Zhiqiang eyed him over critically. "Forgive me for presuming so, but you are Second Young Master Lan's second husband, no? The main branch has been alerted of your arrival yesterday."

Xuanyu merely nodded. He wasn't surprised by it. The Sword Master continued: "Some of your circumstances have been made open knowledge amongst those amongst the main branch of the clan -- and while I cannot speak for others, mind you, I shall give you the same courtesy as the one I've given Wei Wuxian; my training hall and fields are always open if you ever wish to use them."

Mo Xuanyu blinked, surprised (and somewhat mortified). What 'circumstances' exactly? It sounded way too ominous for his tastes. And also --

"...Wei Wuxian? That--" sounded less angry or mad or vicious than I'd expected. Considering the Yiling Patriarch's words yesterday. Xuanyu let the end of his sentence trail off, letting Lan Zhiqiang come to his own conclusion as to what Xuanyu would've asked. It was a trick he'd learned from Jin Guangyao which had come in handily on more than one occasion.

Like right now. Lan Zhiqiang snorted. "I was that idiot's instructor during his study period, no matter how short it was, and we've fought side-by-side during the Campaign. He's not a bad person, no matter what some might think, and he's taken everything that was thrown at him with unfathomable cheer -- if you want some advice from me, kid, then don't believe everything that the rumors say about him or the Second Young Master, for that matter. Gossiping is forbidden, after all."

Mo Xuanyu was saved from answering by the opening of the doors of the Underworld Room, Hanguang-Jun stepping outside.

"Sword Master."

Hanguang-Jun and Lan Zhiqiang exchanged short bows with each other before he stepped over and put his palm against Xuanyu's lower back. "We are leaving."

Xuanyu nodded and bid the Sword Master farewell, barely catching the youngest cousin, what brings you here by Lan Qiren before the doors fell shut again. He glanced at Hanguang-Jun -- the expression was neutral as always, but it didn't seem particularly stressed or anything, so. Xuanyu was curious, okay?

"The Sword Master, uh. Has offered me his training hall. Said he'd done the same to the Yiling Patriarch."

"Mn. Lan Zhiqiang instructed Wei Ying and all the Sect Heirs from our generation in swordsmanship." He blinked, brows pinching together slightly. "Except the Wen. It was a great honor for him."

"I see." It would be quite the honor, yes, Xuanyu mused, while they walked over to a building that had been previously labeled as kitchens. And then blinked. "Then the honored Sword Master has also taught Zewu-Jun?"

Because generations were such a funny thing; sometimes a generation of young cultivators could have an age-gap of up to six or seven years, because they were grouped together not only on an age-basis but on a cultivation-level as well. Xuanyu's generation was commonly referred to as the 'lost' generation because they'd been children robbed of their childhood because of the war, and the ones born during- and shortly after the Sunshot Campaign were the 'new' and 'hopeful' generations, because they could live in a peaceful world made possible by the blood of their parents.

Jin Ling and Rusong and -- Xuanyu could bet -- A-Yuan and his three friends from yesterday were all part of that new, hopeful generation of cultivators.

Hanguang-Jun made some sort of affirmative noise. "Taught brother and I almost everything we know."

And then they'd reached the kitchens, some servants without the Lan ribbon and in slightly darker grey robes smiling shyly at Hanguang-Jun and him before letting them pass inside, where Hanguang-Jun proceeded to prepare breakfast.

Mo Xuanyu was rooted to the spot by sheer surprise, watching as his husband flittered about the kitchen as if he owned it, preparing noodles and fruit and vegetables and buns, his sleeves folded back over his forearms. a few minutes in a woman poked her head inside, forehead ribbon slightly askew, and beamed when she'd seen him. "Second Young Master! We missed you yesterday! There are some leftover vegetables the girls had wanted to bring to the rabbits today, but you can take them instead."

Hanguang-Jun, "En."

The woman disappeared just as fast, leaving a still-confused Xuanyu to stare at Hanguang-Jun again.

"What would Mo Xuanyu like to eat?"

Xuanyu, on autopilot, "Usually soybean milk and dough sticks. Or congee, if I have to hurry."

Hanguang-Jun hummed.  

And then Xuanyu blinked himself out of his stupor, a vaguely-alarmed expression on his face when Hanguang-Jun was about to prepare the first suggestion. "Hanguang-Jun! Ah! I can do it myself, I know how to cook-! You do not have to, for me- really. I can eat whatever you and Wei Wuxian eat! Truly!"

Hanguang-Jun squinted his eyes slightly in what might've been a glare. "Mn."

He steered clear of the soybeans, though. Xuanyu wasn't allowed to help.

"...do you always cook for yourselves?"

Hanguang-Jun hummed again. "The food in the Cloud Recesses disagrees with Wei Ying; especially breakfast. We eat breakfast and lunch in the jingshi, communal dinner in the dining hall sometimes. I make breakfast." He paused for a second before glancing down at their laden tray while the finishing touches were put on it, and then his gaze wandered over to Xuanyu, some unreadable emotion coloring his eyes. "Enjoyable. Calming."

These two, really…

Wei Wuxian had accepted the breakfast with gusto, already out of bed by the time they'd made their way back -- though still indecently underdressed, with hair more reminiscent of a rat's nest than actual hair -- and Xuanyu had the ubiquitous honor of seeing him almost nod off while Hanguang-Jun brushed it out before courtesy demanded him to wait outside for them, which he did, blush high on his cheeks and heart beating in an unneeded staccato.

Instead he watched the two undead birds frolic around the garden of the jingshi, Mulan diving into the water as if she were a dog and not a bird. Hanguang-Jun and Wei Wuxian emerged shortly thereafter, the Yiling Patriarch dressed in his infamous black and red instead of Gusu Lan white.

Xuanyu blinked. Wei Wuxian noticed. "Oh, this? I have formal clothing both in black and in white, but I generally wear black or dark grey around the Cloud Recesses. Lan Zhan thinks white doesn't suit my complexion." It was clearly a jab, but Hanguang-Jun ignored it, holding the basket of leftover vegetables that they'd been given earlier in one and the baby bun's nest in the other hand.

"Rabbits first."

Wei Wuxian nodded. "Yeah. We'll show you the rabbit meadow first and then the disciple's quarters, because they're practically next to it, and continue from there. How does that sound?"

Xuanyu nodded. He followed after them, content to be silent and let the Yiling Patriarch speak for all three of them, but apparently that wasn't allowed, because he was soon drawn into a discussion on -- of all the things -- demonic cultivation. In front of Hanguang-Jun.

...who didn't seem to mind, actually, sometimes chiming in with a soft mn or chiding Wei Ying.

Then the topic shifted to whatever it was that Xuanyu had studied at Koi Tower, and he was just about to say everything, really, when the rabbit meadow became visible.

"Wow."

It was, well, a meadow filled to the brim with rabbits, little handcrafted hutches separating the males' and females' sleeping habitats. The bunnies came in all shapes and sizes and colors, from small and brown-furred to agile black ones and curly-haired white ones. Some had looped ears, some had standing ones -- and those close to the three humans were suddenly pointed at them.

One rabbit glanced up.

The Yiling Patriarch grabbed Xuanyu by his wrist and stopped him from continuing. "Watch this," he said, gesturing to the still-approaching Hanguang-Jun, anticipation in his voice.

Another glanced up.

Mo Xuanyu expected them to shy away somewhat, small and easily startled creatures that rabbits usually were.

Three more glanced up.

Hanguang-Jun entered the rabbit meadow.

The rabbits rushed up to him.

Xuanyu blinked. "What?"

Wei Wuxian grinned. "I know, right? It's so ridiculous--"

The rabbits were climbing over each other in their eagerness to reach Hanguang-Jun, who allowed it all with a soft expression. This was not how rabbits should behave, if they were half-wild!

"--nd they don't even like me as much, even though I'd been the one to first gift a pair to Lan Zhan! The traitors."

Wei Wuxian let go of Mo Xuanyu's hand and they walked over to the rabbits, one watching the proceedings with amusement and the other with incredulity. They watched Hanguang-Jun almost wade through a sea of fluffy bunnies until he'd found a spot he deemed worthy enough of leaving the vegetables, and then he waded further along to one of the hutches where he left the previously-sick baby bunny.

"We can visit them again later in the day, but it wouldn't be a good idea to stay now."

Xuanyu blinked. "Why?" Were… were there hours of visitation for the rabbits? A rule? Does the Cloud Recesses have a rule like that?

"Well." Wei Wuxian grinned; Hanguang-Jun was besieged once more by fluff. "The current junior disciples are always sneaking out between their lessons, and they think Lan Zhan doesn't know about it. We let them believe for just a little while longer."

Mo Xuanyu had to snort at that. Ah, the innocence of twelve-years-old juniors. Or ten-years-old juniors. Or fourteen-years-old juniors. Of juniors in general. They'd think that they're sneaky while spying on his work on some arrays, but he'd heard them from three hallways down, in truth. He'd still let them do it until he'd basically left Koi Tower, really.

And then Hanguang-Jun had rejoined them at the gates to the meadow, not a single wrinkle in his clothes, and they'd continued the tour of the Cloud Recesses.

"Hey, Xuanyu," Wei Wuxian asked, sometimes after they'd passed the male disciple and then the guest disciple quarters; Wei Wuxian had glanced over to his former place of residency with some strange melancholy for their lost innocence before he's pushed it down forcefully. "You weren't sent to the Cloud Recesses for a study year, were you? Not that there'd been many guest disciples in the past years, considering, well, everything."

Mo Xuanyu shook his head. "Jin Guangshan -- he said that I wouldn't have benefitted from it, considering how late I'd started with cultivation. As it is, I, ah. I barely know my way around some topics most cultivators wouldn't have to think twice about, and my history knowledge is still a bit shaky." A self-depreciating shrug. "The only topic I'm moderately good at, when it comes to cultivation, is theoretical application in the form of talismans, arrays or seals and sigils in a myriad of situations. Or making them up when needed. And. Well. Crafting them, but that's hardly a skill needed out in the fields. So." He shrugged again.

Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji shared a look. Arrays and the like didn't come to people easily, even to those with much more experience than Mo Xuanyu. Lan Wangji, prodigy that him and his brother were, was only well-versed in the more common ones, and one of his weakest subjects had to be written sigils.

Wei Wuxian was knowledgeable about all of them, and he was pretty good too, but. He had been called a genius by many cultivators before they started cursing his name --and he was, no matter how self-absorbed it may sound. He did invent a whole new branch of cultivation in a matter of a few months, after all. Arrays and talismans came easy to him, especially in conjuncture with demonic cultivation.

So. For Mo Xuanyu to focus on those instead of, say, swordsmanship or archery or the tactical side of cultivation? The younger man had talent. Or was off his rocker. Wei Wuxian wasn't sure wich -- he shelved it for later.

"Huh. Well. There's a big library filled with utterly boring history of all of the Great Sects dating back a couple of centuries. You're welcome to visit it and read through the stuff in self-study. Or ask someone. No-one's going to keep you from it."

Lan Wangji's look turned into an exasperated frown, both of them clearly thinking the same thing:

"Wei Ying would be of no help."

Mo Xuanyu blinked.

Wei Wuxian shrugged, gestured at their group to stop. "Well. It's not my favorite subject, let's leave it at that. Also, we've reached the part of the Cloud Recesses where the female disciples and cultivators reside. Classes are taught separately if you didn't know, and the women have their own little community. The layout is pretty much the same as the men's residency and the previous quarters, except it's mirrored, and they have their own dining hall. The nursery, clan-intern orphanage and some of the main musical cultivation classrooms can be found here. It's practically a village on its own, actually, huh."

Mo Xuanyu blinked. "Why is it kept so strictly separated?"

Lan Wangji answered. "Tradition, mostly."

Wei Wuxian sighed. They were back at monosyllabic answers, weren't they? He shot his husband a look. Lan Wangji didn't even bat his eyelashes. Mo Xuanyu looked vaguely confused. "What Lan Zhan means, is that it was, I think, established shortly after Lan Yi's time; that's the Lan clan's only female sect leader to date, by the way, and she was highly controversial by Lan standards. There had been a protest by those members that wanted to follow her new conventions and those who didn't, and the women retreated to the northern part of the Cloud Recesses in dissent. Some even took on her name as their own; don't be surprised if you meet female Lan cultivators with the surname Yi. I was."

Not that there aren't any other clans united under the Lan sect, but the history of the Yi clan had been the one Wei Wuxian had actually paid attention to, before he'd been kicked out of the study year.

"En." Lan Wangji nodded. "It became customary for female clan members to retreat to the Hyacinth Wing. Houses were built. Cloud Recesses became larger. Lan Yi left a legacy behind." And then, almost as an afterthought, at Mo Xuanyu's fascinated expression: "Brother and uncle fully support it, despite recent push for change."

They continued on their way, leaving the tour of the women's wing for another day, until Mo Xuanyu stopped and blinked.

"Wait. Does that mean that families live apart? Like, husbands and wives in their own wing?"

With a careful glance at his husband, who'd tensed ever-so-slightly, Wei Wuxian begun answering, only to be interrupted by Lan Wangji. "Mn. Traditionally; it is frowned upon since a few years. Most families now chose to live together and near the center, or at either quarters."

Mo Xuanyu, thankfully, shut up about the topic. Wei Wuxian winced. 

"This--" Lan Wangji extended his arm towards the building, practically a flourish for him, "--is the Library Pavilion."

Wei Wuxian grinned with mirth in his eyes. It was always adorable when his husband was excited about something. They entered, the librarian shooting Wei Wuxian a glare before bowing to Lan Wangji and cautiously nodding to Mo Xuanyu (he might be an envoy, after all, if he was following around their very own Hanguang-Jun, his Jin sect robes recognizable). Wei Wuxian hung back a little and let his husband show their new husband around the place, both of them adoringly glancing around the room -- Mo Xuanyu had seemed like the scholarly type, in hindsight, and if his best subject was array-work then he'd had to have spent a substantial amount of his free time in a library, researching.

Wei Wuxian knew from personal interest that what the Cloud Recess had on arrays, talismans and the like was rather limited but incredibly potent; somewhat esoteric and out-of-field too, but only in the forbidden section. They certainly had more than Yunmeng Jiang though, which was a sect that focused primarily on the sword and versatility on (and of) the battlefield.

Leaving the other two to their own -- and thoroughly enjoying that Lan Wangji was opening up to someone new and actually engaging in conversation with them, not that Wei Wuxian could ever fault his husband for quieting down whenever he did -- he ambled over to the Lan currently on librarian duty.

"Aiay, Lan Chenli--"

"What do you want, Wuxian."

Wei Wuxian pouted. He'd only damaged an ancient page from an ancient text once! Once! The nerve of some people. Still. He was here on a mission.

"Do you think you can give me a copy of the sect rules to own? One of the newer editions, those are grouped together after similar topics and not the number. They're also conveniently smaller than the older ones."

The librarian glared at him. "I know that. Do you still not know the rules?"

Wei Wuxian rolled his eyes. Some people could hold a grudge. "Do you think I'd get away with not knowing them, Lan Chenli? They're not for me -- they're for Mo Xuanyu over there."

Wei Wuxian pointed over and both watched, somewhat fascinated, as Lan Wangji explained the cataloging system of the Library Pavilion to one very excited Mo Xuanyu. The younger cultivator really was too adorable for his own good. Lan Chenli blinked, eyes still on them. "And who might the young master be?"

Ah. Well. How best to answer that question?

Lying is forbidden.

(And the truth would be out soon enough.)

Wei Wuxian hid a grimace behind a cheery grin he knew annoyed the librarian to no end. "Mo Xuanyu is Hanguang-Jun's second husband, of course. I'm just making sure that he'll know the rules, as is expected of me as first husband." I think. Maybe.

Lan Chenli whirled back to Wei Wuxian so fast that it gave the latter whiplash from just watching him. His Lan composure cracked. "What?!"

Wei Wuxian shrug-nodded.

And then, a terse moment later: "I knew Hanguang-Jun would get fed up with you one day, Wuxian."

"Speaking ill of someone behind other's backs is forbidden, Lan Chenli."

The Lan rolled his eyes at Wei Wuxian's loose relationship to the rules and disappeared for a short second, reappearing with the bound rulebook Wei Wuxian had previously described in cheerful glee, holding onto it while he glanced between the three husbands. "...will I find out the reason or are you going to let me believe that Hanguang-Jun, paragon of virtue, who's been fending off female suitors left and right for you, suddenly decided that he wanted another spouse after all?"

Wei Wuxian grinned wryly. "There's been extenuating circumstances." Then he sobered up. "I have a feeling that Mo Xuanyu will spend a lot of time in the library in the future, so I'm warning you, Lan Chenli: be gentle with him, yeah? And nice. I have a feeling that he's been through a lot."

Lan Chenli nodded. "Unlike you, I understand the basics of common courtesy, Wuxian. And now get your Hanguang-Jun and shoo, Lan Yang's shift will start soon, and you've been banned from the Library Pavilion whenever she's on duty, for whatever reason."

The reason involved him and Lan Wangji and Bichen, to Wei Wuxian's everlasting amusement (and horror).

"And this is the infirmary."

Mo Xuanyu glanced at the impressive building, noting the sect members and servants scurrying in- and outside. "It's… surprisingly lively?"

Hanguang-Jun hummed. "Juniors are back from unsupervised night hunt."

The Yiling Patriarch flinched in sympathy. "Ouch. Their first one?"

"Mn." Their husband inclined his head, and Xuanyu felt a shiver run down his spine. Ouch indeed if it had landed them in the infirmary.

Wei Wuxian started walking inside, Hanguang-Jun after him. Mo Xuanyu blinked. "Uh. Should. Should we go inside if there's wounded?"

Wei Wuxian shrugged. "If the situation were dire there'd be more commotion. And if it is the case Lan Zhan had told me about, then the juniors will be more embarrassed than hurt. Is it that one?"

Hanguang-Jun, "It is."

"Oooh, those poor kids. I'm only telling you two words, Xuanyu: possessed porcupine."

That… was a surprisingly unsettling picture that was emerging in his mind. They rounded a corner, catching a glimpse of one of the juniors and... yep. Xuanyu shuddered. He really, really, really wasn't one for night hunts. Then they waited for a few minutes, watching a healer emerge and exchange a few short words with Hanguang-Jun, before a fierce-looking woman stalked up to them, arms crossed and eyebrows raised.

"Why are you here, Wei Wuxian?" And then, with a much nicer tone: "Greetings, Hanguang-Jun. Greetings, Young Master."

Wei Wuxian pouted.

"Aiya, Qing-jie, you are evil. I haven't even said anything."

She raised an eyebrow. Mo Xuanyu noticed that she wasn't wearing a sect ribbon nor the standard white robes -- hers were much more grey than white, and there was not a single streak of blue visible except for a jade token. Wei Wuxian relented with an eyeroll and Hanguang-Jun, standing between Xuanyu and Wei Wuxian, huffed quietly. He seemed amused.

Wei Wuxian continued. "Anyways, Qing-jie, this is Mo Xuanyu. He'll be coming to the family dinners from now on. Xuanyu, this is--"

"Yi Qing, formerly Wen Qing. You're the second husband, then?" She glared at him, critically, and if there had ever been a time in which Mo Xuanyu had considered to be maybe attracted to women it would have shriveled up and died at the don't-fuck-with-me attitude the former Wen had, because he was currently terrified out of his mind. He might've started shivering, slightly.

"It. It's a pleasure to meet you. L-lady Yi...?" How to address her? Even Mo Xuanyu had heard about the infamous Wen Qing -- or rather, how she and the other Wens had disappeared shortly before Wei Wuxian was spirited away to the Cloud Recesses.

She kept staring at him for another moment. Then her glare turned back to Wei Wuxian. "Don't you dare harm a hair on his head, do you hear me?"

And then she turned tail and walked briskly away.

Wei Wuxian clapped his hands together. "That went well, don't you think, Lan Zhan?"

"Mn."

They started walking back outside. Mo Xuanyu blinked. "How did -- how did that go well?"

Wei Wuxian grinned at him, full of sunshine and joy. "Qing-jie practically adopted you! She's told me the exact same thing when I'd first befriended A-Ning!"

Mo Xuanyu glanced over to Hanguang-Jun, unbelieving, but the man simply shrugged slightly in a what can you do? kind of way, and. Okay.

So. There were Wens living in the Cloud Recesses -- something Mo Xuanyu was sure the other clans and sects didn't know about. And also --

"What family dinners?"

Hanguang-Jun, "The children and junior disciples have one day in the month free of lectures to spend time with family."

Wei Wuxian nodded. "We usually alternate between dinner with Zewu-Jun and Uncle Lan and dinner with Qing-jie and Granny and Fourth Uncle and so on, and." He stopped. Blinked. Turned around. "Oh! Maybe I should explain this, huh."

Mo Xuanyu, thoroughly fed-up with being confused, had one hand resting at his hip, eyebrows raised, unimpressed: "Yes. Because I think you've left me with more questions than answers."

Hanguang-Jun's lips twitched.

Wei Wuxian shrugged. "I wanted to save the Wen Remnants, and after it became clear that life on the Burial Mounds wouldn't be possible because no-one ever left us alone I might've… asked Lan Zhan and Zewu-Jun... for help. The fifty-odd Wens are my dowry, more or less. They settled down in what used to be a formerly burned down village about an hour's walk from the Cloud Recesses and Caiyi Town. Everyone had to change their name for anonymity and protection -- and I couldn't even offer up my own because it's about as loathed as the Wen name -- and they live in peace now. A few decided to be apothecaries down in Caiyi Town, but Wen Qing got offered a position as a healer."

"And she took it?"

"And she took it; her whole branch is insanely talented in medicine and alchemy, but Qing-jie is a genius. And, well. It's better than nothing." Wei Wuxian smiled -- it was somehow both soft and broken-looking, and Mo Xuanyu ached at the familiarity of it. Hanguang-Jun took one of his hands and squeezed it, the same expression mirrored in his eyes.

Xuanyu thought of unavoidable orders and Jin Guangshan's sleazy grin, thought of of course you can join my sect, if you will study these, thought of shidis and shixiongs who were afraid of Xue Yang because he was very clearly insane, thought of having to keep silent out of fear for his life. Thought of those fifty-odd Wens that the manuscripts sometimes mentioned, always fond and happy to the point where Mo Xuanyu would root for the old tailor to get together with his childhood crush; thought of that family between the pages of pilfered work who would never leave the Yiling Patriarch unless forced, because even through text, that much had been clear.

He glanced around surreptitiously. No sect was saint.

"Is. Is she safe, here?"

Hanguang-Jun inclined his head. "Mn. Healers have authority over most of the clan in matters regarding their own; they may take an oath to never intentionally harm another and lay down their weapons." He blinked. "It is in the rules, and thus it is absolute."

"As long as she remains faithful to the oath no harm can be done to her by members of the Cloud Recesses."

"How much time do I have left to, uh, learn these rules? There's quite a lot."

"As a newly-married-in member you get a leniency period of about two months for most of them, though by four you have to know all. You might be tested."

"What?"

"Oooh, but you have to know the four hundred basic ones in about two to three weeks."

"What??"

"Mn."

"I'd advise you start memorizing them if you don't want to anger the sect elders, Xuanyu."

"Two weeks?!?!"