greatmasterairplane | [open post] NEW USER: Shang Qinghua

Look, this clearly isn't Proud Immortal Demon Way. Shang Qinghua might not remember all the details of what he wrote—that's what his most devoted fans are for, to point out inconsistencies in the comments section so Shang Qinghua can bullshit some mystical explanation, hahaha—but he's sure he didn't write this Western-style mansion. The System, when he tries to question it, is silent. So maybe it's some kind of test?

If so, not fair! Arranging the invasion of the Immortal Alliance Conference was supposed to be his last thing. The original Shang Qinghua died shortly after that, so how much plot relevance could he have?? He was meant to be retired, living life in the lap of luxury (or drudgery in the employ of his king, but whatever). Why doesn't the System just reward him for all his many years of loyal service? Can they have a "being hand-fed melon seeds by a group of big scantily-clad men" event, please???

He skims through the welcome table materials. Okay, so a world between dimensions, people pulled in from disparate worlds and trapped for eternity, sure. Classic stuff. His king is bound to show up at some point and drag Shang Qinghua away by his collar like a tiger scruffing a kitten. Until then, he'll just try to stay out of trouble.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

greatmasterairplane

"Ah, no." He can't pretend to lie about that, he definitely does not remember MDZS well enough to bluff through it. He barely remembers the details of the book he actually wrote! "In my world, I have heard tales of your illustrious achievements."

From:

lightbearinglord

This so nearly makes sense that Lan Wangji can imagine a slightly stupider version of himself believing it. When he came here, for the first time, he found himself completely absent of his typical reputation. None of the people here recognized him, not even Luo Binghe. Shen Yuan did only because of some useless and inaccurate dramatic adaptation in which Lan Wangji is apparently, impossibly, interested in women.

Keeping his voice mildly neutral, he asks, "Such as?"

From:

greatmasterairplane

Ah, man. What the hell happens in MDZS, besides demonic cultivation? Shang Qinghua remembers the fandom more than the book, so all he knows for sure is that Lan Wangji has a huge dick and Wei Wuxian is a mouthy bottom. There was definitely a war, like all the clans teamed up against the evil clan, except it turned out the true evil was the wealthy people who profited off the war and persecuted the refugees, which is a message Shang Qinghua can get behind.

"Hanguang-jun participated in a great war," he says, wracking his brain for the name of the evil clan. Some neural circuit improbably connects. "The Sunshot Campaign."

From:

lightbearinglord

Lan Wangji's eyes narrow a little. Stories of the Sunshot Campaign have made it to other worlds? This seems improbable as well, although that may be mere wishful thinking on his part. If Lan Wangji must be remembered, he would rather it be for the hundreds of night-hunts, ranging from the mundane to the grueling, that he tackled after Wei Ying's death, but perhaps it is inevitable that some part of his legacy will remain forever tied to the Wen cultivators who fell to Bichen's blade. Most see war as more glamorous than minor exorcisms.

Realizing something, he turns a cool gaze on Shang Qinghua. "Are you an associate of Shen Yuan's?"

From:

greatmasterairplane

Shang Qinghua does not know anyone called Shen Yuan. He does know a Shen Qingqiu, and the tone of the surname is right, so either that's a coincidence or Cucumber-bro picked the most obvious secret disguise name of all time. But his strategy of "everyone likes Cucumber-bro" has served him well so far, so if it is him, that's an enthusiastic yes! "Are you speaking of a tall man"—he gestures—"who wears light green robes and carries a folding fan?"

From:

lightbearinglord

Lan Wangji refrains from pettily pointing out that Shen Yuan, while tall, is not quite as tall as he is. "Mn." The look on his face performs a subtle yet unmistakeable shift from cool blankness to icy irritability. "Peak Lord Shen."

From:

greatmasterairplane

That's him, alright, and Lan Wangji doesn't look too happy about it. Shang Qinghua maintains his composure, but inside he is cackling. Cucumber-bro, what did you do to piss off Hanguang-jun?? Probably rode Luo Binghe's dick too hard. Shen Qingqiu is nice to everyone, including literal monsters, unless he feels they've wronged his precious baby. Shang Qinghua expects to be sued for custody any day now. "Our connection is professional, not personal," he assures Lan Wangji. He leans in to say, conspiratorially, "Between you and me, he can be a bit overzealous. Unable to maintain his detachment from worldly matters." Sorry, Cucumber-bro, but Shang Qinghua's not taking the fall for whatever you've been up to.

From:

lightbearinglord

In answer to this, Lan Wangji's eyebrows twitch a little, but at least it is with a flicker of amusement rather than continued irritation. He gives Shang Qinghua a renewed look of careful assessment, one sweeping glance from head to toe. "He is unable to control Luo Binghe," he says, somewhat evocatively dry about it.

From:

greatmasterairplane

"Oh, that's an understatement," Shang Qinghua says, warming to the topic—especially after Lan Wangji gave him those elevator eyes! Shang Qinghua knows he's married, but he'll take it. "You should have seen him when Luo Binghe was his disciple. Absolutely no boundaries! The worst favoritism you've ever seen. I thought it was inappropriate," he adds, disapproving.

From:

lightbearinglord

Lan Wangji, who goes to great lengths to remain fair-minded with his own disciples despite that Sizhui is very much his favorite of them, gives him a curt nod. Thinking back to a conversation with Claudius, he says, still fairly icy about the whole topic, "They deserve one another."

From:

greatmasterairplane

Oh, haha, so he hates Bingge too. That's... kind of a bummer! Everyone's supposed to love Luo Binghe or get murdered until they do. That's, like, the whole character. But fine, whatever. Lan Wangji's from a book with actual themes and morals. Guess he's too good for stallion trash, or something. Maybe he's not too good to share some gossip, though? "Have they... grown close, here?"

From:

lightbearinglord

The tightening of Lan Wangji's mouth should do more than enough to convey both the answer to that question, and his feelings about said answer. "Reportedly."

From:

greatmasterairplane

Clearly not a beloved couple. Shang Qinghua can only imagine. If he knows his son, Luo Binghe gets very intense about new romances, and everyone in the Twelve Peaks knows how deeply annoying Shen Qingqiu is about his pet disciple. Shang Qinghua is happy to keep shit-talking them, if that's what this extremely hot man would like to do. "Lack of discretion," he says, shaking his head ruefully. "So inappropriate for one of Shen Qingqiu's rank. You know, the sect leader indulges him shamelessly."

From:

lightbearinglord

Talking behind others' backs is prohibited, Lan Wangji thinks to himself, with only, generously, half as much guilt as he ought to. This is surely not the worst of his violations. So he gives Shang Qinghua a blankly curious look, inviting him to elaborate further if he would like.

From:

greatmasterairplane

Okay, now Shang Qinghua is getting a little excited. He never gets to tell this story! He wanted to put it in PIDW, but he cut it because the fandom discourse would have been unbearable. It was painful rising through the ranks of Cang Qiong Mountain Sect and hearing everyone speculate on the nature of Shen Qingqiu's relationship with Yue Qingyuan, knowing he had the juiciest piece of gossip in the whole sect, yet unable to share it.

He draws himself up to look more dignified, as befits the serious nature of this backstory. "It is a tragic tale. Shen Qingqiu and our sect leader, Yue Qingyuan, were childhood friends. As close as two children can be. Yet both were born into bad circumstances. Yue Qingyuan had the opportunity to escape, and promised to return for Shen Qingqiu, but circumstances delayed him. Before he could do so, Shen Qingqiu found his own path to better things." He's not going to mention all the murdering Shen Jiu did on the way out. He is implying all this happened to Cucumber-bro, after all. "He always believed Yue Qingyuan betrayed him. And Yue Qingyuan, afflicted with guilt, is too shamed to enforce the sect's rules upon him."

From:

lightbearinglord

Lan Wangji listens to this thoughtfully, and thinks of Wei Ying and Jiang Wanyin. Jiang Wanyin still believes he was betrayed; no other paths were open to Wei Ying. This is not the same, but many stories share that basic makeup: betrayal, love, guilt, and the changes wrought by the passage of time.

Something occurs to him, then. "Shen Qingqiu? Or Shen Yuan?"

From:

greatmasterairplane

"Same difference," Shang Qinghua says, and then pauses. "Wait. No. Shen Qingqiu. I didn't know the name 'Shen Yuan' until today, but his past is different. It's complicated."

From:

lightbearinglord

"Mn. I know some of the details." Lan Wangji doesn't look particularly impressed by them, but he does know them. What he actually wants to know is this: "Shen Yuan spoke of a grossly inaccurate dramatic adaptation of my past and that of my husband. Is that how you knew my title as well?"

From:

greatmasterairplane

"Oh, you mean Chen Qing Ling? No." Of course Shen Yuan is the kind of guy who only watched CQL and didn't read the actual book. What a loser. Also, he's ruining Shang Qinghua's attempts to come across like a normal, non-transmigrating cultivator! "I read the book it was based on. They did make a lot of changes for the drama."

From:

lightbearinglord

Almost immediately, Lan Wangji's eyes narrow. Whatever small amount of frigidity had melted away during their conversation returns in full force. "The book?"

From:

greatmasterairplane

Shit. Did he not know about MDZS? Shang Qinghua tries to psychically reach out to Shen Yuan. Cucumber-bro! Why didn't you tell me exactly what I should and shouldn't say to Lan Wangji!

But that's not actually a power that exists in PIDW, so he's still stuck here answering the question. "Yeah, it's. It's called the Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation?"

From:

lightbearinglord

The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation? Lan Wangji's mouth thins. He stares at Shang Qinghua, utterly cold. He isn't even certain whether to believe this, but if it is true, then he does not care for this title. What was it that Wei Ying suggested, once, as the title for Lan Wangji's song? Love Song of Lan Zhan and Wei Ying? Something along those lines would have been vastly preferable. "I see," he says, almost acidic with it.