"You were going to hurt him."

Oh!  Jiang Yanli believes she knows what's going on.

She steps towards Lan Wangji, enough to be intruding on the fight.  "There's no need to worry, Lan-er gongzi.  It was a fake-fight, not real danger.  We apologize for causing you concern - Lotus Pier has less strict rules defining behavior than Cloud Recesses; I'm afraid that my little brothers have forgotten this while they were playing."

Jiang Yanli gives both of her brothers a look which clearly says 'now apologize'.  

She keeps a curious eye on A-Xian in particular.  Does he seem to like Lan Wangji back?

Jiang Cheng lets his sword dip a few inches, though isn't going to sheath it until Lan Wangji does the same for Bichen.  

"Of course I wasn't going to hurt him."

Hadn't Lan Wangji ever wrestled with Lan Xichen, even as children?  That's rather sad.

"Of course?" Of course Jiang Wanyin wouldn't hurt Wei Ying, wouldn't kill him? How dare he. How dare he say that.

But Wei Ying still has a hand on his shoulder, and Jiang Yanli is being quite sincere, and Wangji remembers that he does not actually want to murder Jiang Wanyin in front of his family. Even if he deserves it.

He sheathes his sword very slowly and doesn't stop glaring at Jiang Cheng until he has done the same. Then Wangji bows stiffly to Jiang Yanli. "Apologies for misreading the situation." 

He looks at Wei Ying. "Do not be so careless."

Maybe Lan Zhan will find it relaxing if Wei Wuxian pats him a lot on both shoulders. Wei Wuxian attempts this. Pat pat pat.

"Ai, Lan Zhan, how was I careless! Jiang Cheng was the one who did such a bad job of tussling with me that you thought it was attempted murder, I am much more coordinated." He is confused but touched that the amount it would bother Lan Zhan if he were stabbed appears to be 'at all.'

Jiang Cheng sheaths Sandu.  

So Lan Wangji thought he was trying to kill his brother.  Why would he?  Wei Wuxian hadn't yet been corrupted by Demonic Cultivation.  Yanli was still alive - Even if Lan Wangji did drag Wei Wuxian somewhere that led to him learning corrupting techniques, there might still be a chance to bring him back home.  Make him stop.  Did Lan Wangji just think he was some kind of brother-killing monster who would do it at random?  Jiang Cheng had barely been able to do it even with no hope of redemption left for Wei Wuxian, and hundreds of cultivators being killed by out-of-control dark magics.  He hadn't, even, really - his arm had been shaking so badly he'd stabbed the rock nearby.  Wei Wuxian had chosen to fall.  Perhaps it had been a moment of clarity at what he'd become, or perhaps it was a plan to escape.  

There's not a good way to getting Lan Wangji alone to tell him this without risking another fight.  Not that Lan Wangji deserves an explanation.  Why is he so obsessed with Jiang Cheng's brother anyway?

Awww!  A-Xian and Lan Wangji seem to be getting along at least.  

Jiang Yanli graciously accepts the apology.  What a polite young man.  Her brothers could learn from him - neither had apologized properly.  

She wonders what the issue is between Lan Wangji and A-Cheng.  Yanli is pretty sure that A-Cheng hasn't realized that A-Xian and Lan Wangji are interested in each other romantically.  

Wei Wuxian feels a little bit A Way about Lan Zhan turning out to value his life at all. He doesn't know what the feeling is, exactly, but - oh, yes he does, it's probably wanting to tease him.

His chin joins his hand on Lan Zhan's shoulder and he grins up at him. "Awww, Lan Zhan. I didn't know you could be so worried about me! Could it be that you've realized how boring life in this clan would be without me? You've stopped hoping I would shrivel up and disappear? Hmm?"

Wangji steps quickly away from Wei Wuxian's chin (on his shoulder and his breath on Wangji's neck what the fuck) before he can have a qi deviation. His ears have gone pink.

"I have never wanted you to die."

"Nuh uh, Lan Zhan, lying is forbidden. Aha, look, I'm learning things already, aren't you proud of me?"

If I were, would it be enough - would you stay - 

He walks away.

Typical Lan Zhan.

Wei Wuxian grins at Jiang Cheng. "Who's the troublemaker now?"

"Lan Wangji is."

He's still annoyed at Lan Wangji but doesn't want to attract more attention.  Jiang Yanli eventually convinces them to sit back down, this time without nearby listeners.

Lan Wangji is busy. He and his brother make plans; fireproofing of the Cloud Recesses goes quietly underway. After a week of combing through details of the past-future, comparing the memory accounts... Brother clears Wangji to go retrieve the Yin Iron shard from Lady Florist, alone.

Of course, Wangji was alone when he set out on this mission the last time. Wei Ying had caught up to him, somehow, and that needs to be circumvented.

He visits Nie Huaisang.

He is in his room, alone and not getting into any trouble at the moment.

Nie Huaisang is less busy, as he only has Lan Wangji to speak to on future matters.  Well, him and possibly Wen Ning, if he finds more evidence and decides it's worthwhile.

"Lan-er gongzi!  What brings you here?"

"Nie gongzi." He steps inside. "I am leaving for the Lady Florist tomorrow. Wei Ying should stay here."

"Ah.  I'll do my best, Lan-er gongzi.  Maybe he'd like to go fishing?"

He is not sure if that will be enough, but he doesn't have any better ideas for things that will keep Wei Ying contained.

"Mn."

"Make sure you aren't spotted leaving or doing anything suspicious when in sight of him before you go."  That might be too obvious to be advice, but then again he's pretty sure Lan Wangji never had fun as a real teenager and might not know the basics.

Nie Huaisang is an expert on distracting people and getting in the way of things.  And it's not like Wei Wuxian had run off after Lan Wangji every day the first time around.  That's only his first of several possible plans he's come up with for distracting Wei Wuxian.  Huaisang had also spent much of his spare time this week sneaking in Emperor's Smile and other illicit contraband.  That would almost certainly work, but would be a hassle to keep restocking the jars every time.  Huaisang supposes he could always ask Wei Wuxian to help get more.

"Though, regarding suspicious things I've noticed - Wen Ning is also one of us, isn't he?"

Lan Wangji never had fun as a real teenager, but he has spent time around Wei Ying. He's not planning to even think about anything suspicious in sight of him.

"Mn. Him and Jiang Wanyin."

"That's surprising."

Jiang Cheng was more subtle than Nie Huaisang expected.  Nie Huaisang would have predicted him immediately giving himself away.  That, or a serious attempt to harm Wei Wuxian. 

"I do not trust him."

That's not surprising.  

The situation makes him think of his own brother.  Even at the very end, in the midst of his madness, Nie Huaisang was certain his own brother would not harm him.  To think that Jiang Cheng would...  Even if da-ge had attacked him first (and even if the fight would not have been hopelessly one-sided) he wouldn't have had the will to strike back. 

"It's understandable that you don't," he says.  "I don't know if I can do anything about them being near each other, but I already wasn't intending to involve him in any plans for keeping Wei-xiong busy."

"Good.

I should return quickly. Tell Wei Ying not to worry."

"That sounds like something that'll make him immediately run off to go look for you," he points out.