Nie Mingjue is discussing military logistics with Meng Yao in the throne room. He looks up when the women come in. "Lan-guniang," he says, bowing his head respectfully. "I am sorry I was not able to greet you properly last night." 

She lets go of Wei Ying to bow properly. "No need."

Lan Zhan looks at the map laid out before Nie Mingjue. "Are you discussing strategy, Sect Leader Nie?"

"Yes."

"Wei Ying said you had not heard about the Cloud Recesses."

His jaw tightens. Baxia rattles in its stand. "I have heard that they burned, that Wen Xu took an army there and slaughtered and destroyed. Of the aftermath--nothing. Even that you have survived is better news than I had previously had." 

She nods slowly, her eyes cold and distant. "I have heard nothing since I was taken to Qishan. There were survivors. Not many. Uncle was injured. Brother - fled. He is missing."

So. Much. Jaw. Clenching. 

"I am glad he is not confirmed dead or captured," he says tightly. "He may have been unable to communicate securely; I would certainly not wish for him to risk capture to send word." 

- he wants to go to Gusu.

"We are grieved to hear of your losses, Lan-guniang. If it is not too painful, I would ask how many survivors remain. It is possible that we could house some and lend aid to others."

"I saw thirty or fewer." There might have been other survivors among the bodies that she ran past or hidden somewhere in the burning wreckage, or others who escaped and scattered. There could have also been more deaths since Lan Zhan was taken. Wen Xu could be slaughtering them all at this very moment, she doesn't know. It hurts like another broken limb, not knowing.

She looks down. "I want to return to Gusu. The survivors need medicine and protection."

"Of course. Medicine is simple enough; protection is harder. The Unclean Realm has been built and rebuilt to withstand attack and we still have plenty of contingency plans in case the Wens arrive in force; ensuring that the tragedy at Cloud Recesses is not repeated will be more difficult." He calls for a servant to bring maps of Gusu and a chair for Lan-guniang so they can discuss logistics and strategy regarding the defensibility of possible locations given different sets of resources. 

Would Wei Ying like to use the chair?

"Are you asking like you're trying to be polite and you forgot your leg is broken or like you want to share." 

"If Wei Ying wants to sit, she should sit."

"Lan Zhan. Your leg is broken. If I need to sit down I can ask for another chair." 

Well fine. Lan Zhan sits. Now they can discuss some logistics.

The Cloud Recesses were never a fortress like the Unclean Realm, and even less so now; the Cold Pond Cave is a useful bolt-hole but too vulnerable to conventional siege tactics even leaving aside the difficulties with getting Nie disciples sent to help inside. Different tactics are likely to be necessary.

The Cloud Recesses are surrounded by forest; how well do the Lan disciples know the land? Guerrilla tactics with a home turf advantage might be viable...

They know the land well. They should have a particular advantage in the back hills, where outsiders had not been allowed before the invasion.

- she should also probably mention that the Yin Iron piece is currently hidden in a rabbit burrow.

"Well, that's much better than the Wen having gotten it off you." 

"Yes."

"If the Wen have not discovered it yet, it seems unlikely that they will. But I think that retrieving the Yin Iron should still be among our highest priorities. Where on the map is the burrow, Lan-guniang?"

She points it out.

(Wei Ying's hand comes down to interlace her fingers comfortingly with Lan Zhan's)

Nie Mingjue goes over various guerrilla tactics with Lan Zhan and suggests various possibilities depending on the skillsets held by surviving Lan disciples and confers with Meng Yao on Nie disciples with relevant skills to send to help.