Meanwhile, the Wen troops in Gusu receive notice of the change in leadership and orders to GTFO. They comply, highly nervous about what the change in leadership might mean; Wen Ruohan was at least a known evil. 

It takes a week after the Wens retreat for Lans-in-hiding to begin showing their faces again, but they do. Most of those who were alive when Lan Zhan left are still alive, including all the children. There are still no sightings of Lan Xichen.

Not for lack of trying. Meng Yao was able to leverage his shiny new War Hero Wen Zhuliu-Slayer status for permission to travel to Gusu personally in search of the sect leader. He has the letter from the Wen Sect, separate sealed letters from Nie Mingjue and Lan-guniang, and very little to go on. 

He tries town after town, refusing to believe that he won't find Zewu Jun soon. Meng Yao is very good at asking questions.

Zewu-jun is much better at staying hidden than one might expect. 

But eventually, Meng Yao can catch hold of a lead that's plausibly Zewu-jun that actually is Zewu-jun. He's surprisingly competent at pretending to be a normal person, for someone born to the cultivator gentry, but even so anyone who knows him would recognize him as soon as they see him in person. 

Meng Yao runs to him as soon as he sees him!

"Zewu-Jun! You are well!"

Lan Xichen looks around quickly to ensure that nobody heard him called that, then gently and politely but firmly drags Meng Yao away from any witnesses. 

"I'm fine," he assures him. "Are you alright? What are you doing here?"

"I am better now that I know you to be well. -- I apologize for addressing you by your title, but you have no more need to be afraid. Wen Ruohan is dead and the Wen occupation of Gusu has ended." Bow. "Forgive me for alarming you."

His shoulders slump in exhausted relief. "He's dead?"

Nod. "He and both his sons have been defeated. Wen Ying claims possession of the throne." And for some reason Wen Qing seems to be allowing that, Meng Yao has no idea why.

"She succeeded, then. That's an enormous relief. Do you know anything about what has happened to my sister?"

He smiles. "She is alive, and participated in the coup. I hear that Wen Ying has now taken her as a concubine."

"What?"

"I overheard much gossip from the returning disciples about them, but rumors are only rumors. Apparently Lan-guniang sleeps in Wen Ying's rooms and does not ever leave her side."

"--Well, I suppose that's less worrying than it would have been before Wen Ying managed her coup."

"I wish I had more information to put you currently at ease. Apologies for my inadequacy, Zewu Jun."

"You're not inadequate. Even this much information is incredibly useful," Lan Xichen says firmly. 

"Then perhaps these will also be useful." He pulls the three letters neatly from his sleeve and offers them to Lan Xichen with a smile. "Letters to Zewu-jun from Nie-zongzhu, Wen-zonzghu, and Lan-guniang."

He takes the letters as quickly as he can without outright snatching them and opens Lan Zhan's first. 

Lan Zhan's letter is written to her family. To Uncle or to Brother, whoever it finds first. (Whoever is alive.)

To her Senior, she writes: she is alive. She is well. She hopes that Uncle and Brother are both unharmed and safe.

Wen Ying has disposed of Wen Ruohan and his sons. She is now positioned as Sect Leader, and Lan Zhan is her wife. Lan Zhan offers reassurances of Wen Ying's intention to support the Lan Sect, offer aid and withdraw Wen occupation.

She was not forced into the marriage. It had been initially an accident, necessary in the Cold Pond Cave and proposed by Lan Yi, but it was Lan Zhan's own decision to inform Wei Ying what the ribbon-binding meant. This is what she wants.

Lan Zhan will visit (as soon as is permitted by her doctor) once she hears of Brother or Uncle's location. They will be safe to emerge from hiding. She hopes to see them soon.

Well. 

That sure explains a whole lot about A-Zhan's reactions after the Cold Pond Cave. 

What the hell, Lan Yi.

Okay, well, wife is...objectively better than "concubine," although he would cheerfully have settled for "girlfriend." And now he gets to explain this to Uncle, joy. 

Still. A-Zhan is alright. And happy. That's what's important. 

"Thank you," he says sincerely to Meng Yao. 

"You have good news, then?" says Meng Yao, who definitely has not already read and resealed all the letters.

"A-Zhan is well. And a wife, apparently, rather than a concubine," he says firmly. "Before they even left Cloud Recesses, even--I really have to wonder what Lan Yi was thinking..."

"I couldn't presume to speculate... I do not know Lan Yi or her intentions. But perhaps it will at least afford the Lan Sect more security to have given Qishan Wen a bride." He smiles. "I'm glad to hear that she is well."

"If marrying Wen Ying were necessary to secure the Cloud Recesses...I can't say Lan Zhan wouldn't do it, but she wouldn't be happy about it. If Lan Zhan is happy, which she says she is, then the Cloud Recesses were safe regardless as soon as Wen Ruohan died."

Meng Yao considers that a questionable assumption to make, but doesn't argue.

"It must have been hard on Zewu-Jun, worrying all this time. Are you alright?"