Wen Qing finishes grinding the pain relief medicine for Lan Zhan and administers some to her. She kneels down to wrap the broken leg.

Wen Ying determines that her medicine has reached the correct temperature and drinks it. 

The liquid is spicy, and tingles with warmth going down. The feeling of gradually spreading warmth is pleasant, not alarming.

Wen Qing tends to Lan Zhan's leg, then her ribs. Then she checks on Lan Zhan's older, healing injuries; a deeper cut has reopened on her back, but nothing more.

"Alright, you're fine for now. I will give you both more medicine before bed. Now, A-Ying, please put that head somewhere else."

"I should probably use it to make people understand that the power dynamics have shifted drastically and they should not fight the visiting disciples anymore." 

"I'll come with you."

"Hmm." She looks Lan Zhan up and down thoughtfully, then scoops her up with the arm not currently wielding a severed head, so that the arm is wrapped around Lan Zhan's thighs and Lan Zhan's hip is against Wen Ying's shoulder. 

Lan Zhan is IMPRESSED AND FLUSTERED. Luckily her swooning over her strong and perfect sect conquering wife will be nearly undetectable, aside from the pink tinge to her ears.

(oh no this is so hot and they can't have sex about it immediately Oh No)

Focus. "You will not strain yourself?"

"Mm-nn."

She looks to Wen Qing for confirmation.

Wen Qing looks exasperated, but nods. "Be careful."

"I will, da-jie." 

Waving Wen Ruohan's severed head is a great way to get people in Qishan to stop doing things and run away, it turns out.

It looks like none of the other disciples got killed while Wen Ying was seeking medical attention! That's very good. 

They've been doing really well at not dying! But they definitely have an easier job of it once Wen Ying shows up and their opponents scatter off.

There is lots of staring and some confused shouting.

"Wen-guniang!! You're back, you did it!" She bounces up to her friend but does Not hug her because she doesn't want to accidentally touch Wen Ruohan's head or to accidentally dislodge any shoulder-Lans.

"I did it!!!! Lan Zhan helped. A lot." She squeezes her shoulder Lan. "Is anyone hurt?"

A Jin disciple and two Jiang disciples have deeper injuries, everyone else is fine or only lightly scratched.

Wen Ying's hands are full but she can examine injuries and give people first-aid instructions. 

Jiang Cheng wants to know why she doesn't put down her shoulder Lan and she replies airily that sometimes people are stubborn and the only way to keep them off of injured legs is to physically carry them. 

Her shoulder Lan looks Very Dignified and unaffected by both the affectionate squeeze and all the staring. 

Inside, she is feeling warm and fuzzy. And not at all apologetic about preventing Wen Ying from hugging other people. 

Disciples who are not busy carrying bloody heads or pretty girls busy themselves in accordance to the first aid instructions.

"I need to lock things down more firmly," she sighs after a minute. "Waving around Wen Ruohan's severed head is only a short-term solution to authority." 

"What do you plan to do, can we help?"

Wen Ying has plans! Wen Ying has been planning this for a long time. They can absolutely help that sounds great. 

Great! They can go get started on that, then. Except for the Nies, who think they should at this point probably go retrieve their first heir now that the coast is relatively clear.

Sure sounds good. 

They can go back to the palace now themselves.

No, actually, they can't. 

News reached Wen Xu quickly of his father's death. He knew immediately that Wen Ying would want to kill him, as the proper heir and successor to his father. He also knew that anyone who could kill his father could certainly kill him -- unless they were already weakened and injured from an entire battle against Wen Ruohan and his Yin Iron.

The most recent batch of shooed Wen soldiers crossed his path and directed him to the group of disciples.

Now here he is sprinting down the road towards them, sword drawn. He sees Wen Ying carrying his father's head, fueling him with rage, and also -- her concubine, on her shoulder for some reason?