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[rootsforyou]

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[strikingchords]

[he'll watch her with fierce concentration, trying to commit each to memory anyway! he can probably do it, if it's under 3,000,,,

he doesn't speak except to acknowledge when she prompts him, actually! but he doesn't seem uncomfortable? at least as far as she can tell. a silent and diligent student.]

[rootsforyou]

[this is what she expected of him; at social events, even seeing him from a distance, he has never seemed like a talker. it makes the instructional portion of cooking go smoothly--she starts the sauce and then has him finish it, telling him which spice to combine to the mix while checking on the chicken.

she lets it be quiet right up until she takes the chicken out and puts it in an ice bath to have it cool]

I had something I wished to speak to you about as well, Hanguang-Jun.

[strikingchords]

Mm.

You may speak.

[he is carefully chopping some extra ingredients. it is possible he was expecting this.]

[rootsforyou]

[she did say she wanted to speak with him the other day! he had time to be mentally prepared]

You don't need to go into detail if it's difficult to discuss. But I thought it would be painful to A-Xian to speak of it. Would you tell me what happened, after I died?

[strikingchords]

[pauses for a moment in his chopping... soft]

Am unsure he remembers.

...

You recall the sects' concerns, regarding the Stygian Tiger Seal.

[rootsforyou]

It was a frequent topic of conversation among them, yes.

[strikingchords]

Just so.

[watching his unmoving ingredients, voice still quiet and level]

After your death, he lost interest in control. The Seal was activated. Sect leaders escaped casualties, but they were heavy.

[rootsforyou]

I expected something like that. He mentioned he'd done something bad. But he made it out as well.

[strikingchords]

Mm. Few saw him when his strength was spent.

[rootsforyou]

Did he...not recover, after that?

[strikingchords]

[hesitates...]

Was able to escape, with assistance.

However, he chose to return to Burial Mounds alone. In preparation for reprisal.

[rootsforyou]

[takes the chicken out of the ice bath and starts cutting it up, slow and thoughtful]

Did you hear that from someone else, or witness it yourself?

[strikingchords]

Was present, until his return.

[reminded of his ingredients; gets back to chopping]

[rootsforyou]

. . .

[nods at the chicken. that's what she wanted to know]

He had also mentioned the siege on the Burial Mounds happened a few months later. And that you rescued Wen Yuan. Did you see...what happened?

[strikingchords]

[shakes his head, slightly jerkily]

I could not. Was informed after.

"Rescue" is an overstatement. Luck alone revealed him.

[rootsforyou]

Whether or not it was luck, you still brought him to safety.

[strikingchords]

[makes a tiny neutral sound, not agreement]

Regardless.

It was after.

[rootsforyou]

I see. He didn't tell me exactly what happened. But the method wasn't what I wanted to know. Who was there?

[strikingchords]

At the siege, the sect leaders. Their forces.

[there is something about the way he speaks that feels incredibly deliberate even for Lan Wangji: it's as if every word is a careful measurement against a limited amount of strength to get them out, betokening effort rather than reluctance.]

One rumor says Sandu Shengshou did the deed. Others say, backlash. I do not know.

...

After, only me.

[rootsforyou]

[lets her hands work as she takes this all in, cutting the chicken and settling it onto a plate before reaching for what Lan Wangji has put together]

...YunmengJiang was at the siege?

[strikingchords]

It was.

...

The four. GusuLan as well.

[rootsforyou]

[closes her eyes and takes a deep, steadying breath. it's easier to keep her composure when she sort of knew what to expect]

Thank you for telling me. I didn't want to bring up something painful for you.

[strikingchords]

It is fine.

[still steady]

Not my place.

[rootsforyou]

How is it not your place?

[sets their completed chicken dish aside and makes a motion towards the ingredients for the lotus and pork rib soup; they can start putting that together]

[strikingchords]

...

I am still alive.

[he starts putting them together and moves them over to her]