Lan Xichen found himself in a lavishly decorated throne room. Gleaming black stone surfaces were adorned with bright reds. It was not hard to guess where this was. No matter where you looked you would find a sun motif. Sometimes painted in black over red, but most often made of gold as it decorated the walls or furniture. Lan Xichen had been here many times for discussion conferences. Wen Rouhan didn't usually host them in Nightless city. Instead he would host them here at the 'education office.' Lan Xichen had never gotten a really good look around it, but he assumed that it was probably a bit like a second residence to the QishanWen Sect leader.

Lan Xichen could see the entire room around Wen Qing. She was kneeling politely before a familiar throne. She looked as dignified and composed as she had when she first entered Cloud Recesses. Even kneeling before Wen Rouhan she held herself with dignity and confidence, but what Lan Xichen could feel was something else. Lan Xichen had known that performing empathy would allow him to not just see an event. He would hear Wen Qing's thoughts. He would feel her emotions. He could not interact with anything, but he would feel everything Wen Qing felt in the moment.

"Have any of the sects refuse our invitation?" Wen Rouhan's voice filled Wen Qing with discomfort. When she was very little Wen Qing remembered visiting Nightless City with her father. Her father always seemed perfectly happy for the visits and Wen Rouhan would gush about his favorite cousin's daughter. He would call her niece and compliment her on how tall she was getting and how pretty she was. Wen Qing didn't like it. She wasn't sure why she didn't like it, but she supposed she just didn't like Wen Rouhan and so she didn't like his compliments.

On one of her first visits she had gotten lost in the Nightless City palace and ended up somewhere she was not supposed to be. This was how she had witnessed him beating one of his mistresses. When Wen Qing found her dad again she had urgently told him she saw a lady get hurt. The lady had lied saying that she suffered from dizzy spells and had fallen while walking the grounds. Wen Qing hadn't understood anything about what was happening at the time. She pestered the woman, not understanding why she would lie. The woman yelled at her saying that making a fuss would earn her a worse beating. She begged Wen Qing to never speak about it again.

It was only years later that she understood the woman was one of Wen Rouhan's mistresses and that said woman was being abused. By then the visits had become less frequent and Wen Qing had started more and more overhearing the sound of her father's raised voice arguing with Wen Rouhan. The last time her father visited without her, and he didn't come back. Wen Qing didn't remember what they were told the reason of his death was. She only remembered that she didn't believe it and assumed Wen Rouhan had probably had her father killed.

"Your Excellency, YunmengJiang Sect's disciples just arrived. The only clan not represented is GusuLan." Wen Qing listened to the report, but did not turn to look at the person delivering it. She knew better than to show an interest in anything. As is Wen Rouhan already knew too easily how to encourage her. As long as Wen Rouhan was pleased with her, her family would be safe. That was how this worked. If she caused problems that was not strictly the case. The last time Wen Qing had upset Wen Rouhan her didi had ended up with a broken arm and six stitches. He loved to smile at her and praise her in public, but he didn't like anything that made them look like they were not a happy family.

Wen Qing took slow regulated breaths and patiently knelt like she was a statue, unhearing and unseeing. She was disgusted by him. She had a family. A wonderful family. Even if her mother and father had been dead for a long time, she had a large wonderful family who lived by the rules of being a healer that her father had taught her. Rules that would forever mean she would never find Wen Rouhan's behaviour agreeable.

"... Once he returns from Cloud Recesses with his forces the GusuLan disciples will be present." Wen Qing just tuned into the conversation once more.

'He sent forces to Cloud Recesses? Why?' Wen Qing internally winced. That was a stupid question. Why did Wen Rouhan do anything, because he wanted to. Usually because it was something that made him feel powerful and he liked that. Wen Qing uselessly hoped the damage wasn't too great. Even though she had been cautious and tried to keep her distance from other disciples, she had really enjoyed studying in Cloud Recesses. It was very beautiful and had a soothing atmosphere, at least when Wei Wuxian wasn't in a particularly lively mood.

"Wen Xu. I look forward to hearing the details of his exploits in person." Wen Rouhan said with a small smile.

Wen Qing held back a sigh. Wen Xu was the more competent of Wen Rouhan's two children. He took things seriously, but was eager to impress his father with the blood of others. That didn't bode well for the state of Cloud Recesses. Wen Qing silently hoped that they didn't hurt too many people as she thought about all of the disciples being forced to join indoctrination. A lot of the disciples who attended the lectures were probably going to be the ones forced to attend the indoctrination. Wen Rouhan probably wouldn't supervise them himself. He'd deem the task too tedious so he was certainly going to assign it to someone else. There was a chance he might assign her to do it. He would probably have some suggestions about what the disciples should be doing, but depending on who was present she might be able to do something to give the disciples an easier time. She didn't have the luxury of getting close with people outside of her family, but she had still paid attention to the people around her. Many of the disciples who attended class at Cloud Recesses seemed like good people, she'd rather not see them suffer.

Wen Qing couldn't be certain what Wen Rouhan's goal was with this indoctrination, At best she supposed this was some effort to try and teach the clans to fall in line. At worst this was a genuine hostage situation, although Wen Qing was not certain why Wen Rouhan would feel the need for such a thing. He seemed quite confident that the other sects couldn't hope to win a war against him. Wen Qing hoped there wouldn't be a war. Many people would die. No matter who won in the end it would be awful.

Wen Qing felt her heart grow cold, but she kept herself steady.

'Don't think about it, Wen Qing. You can't do anything about it.' She reminded herself fiercely. Wen Qing's branch of the family were exclusively healers. Her memories of her parents were all from when she was quite young and most of them were related to teaching her medicine.

'It is a healer's duty to help the sick and injured. All life has value and is deserving of respect. Never use the knowledge to heal in order to kill.' These were the rules her father had told her were the most important part of being a healer. She carried them in her heart every day, and every day she promised herself she would do her best to live by them. Repeating those words to herself a few more times calmed and centred her.

"Wen Qing." Wen Rouhan's voice immediately drew Wen Qing's attention. "Wen Chao is going to be running the indoctrination. Assist him, see that he doesn't cause me too many problems." Wen Qing felt her stomach revolt, but didn't let it show on her face. She bowed in acknowledgement and remained until she was dismissed.

Not long after Wen Qing had reached a door, outside of which stood Wen Zhuliu. Wen Qing was about to ask him to fetch Wen Chao so that they could head out, but stopped when she heard loud moaning coming from the other side of the door. Wen Qing felt her stomach turn and she could almost taste bile in the back of her throat. No wonder Wen Zhuliu was standing outside the door instead of inside the room. Wen Chao was apparently entertaining one of his mistresses.

"Once they're quiet, tell Wen Chao it's time to leave. The disciples have already arrived and His Excellency has asked me to assist Wen Chao in as he oversees indoctrination." Wen Qing spoke in a clear and commanding tone. Wen Zhuliu nodded and Wen Qing did her best to leave the hallway as quickly as possible without appearing to flee.

Wen Qing waited by the main gates. She did not have to wait very long before Wen Chao arrived in the company of Wen Zhuliu and his favorite mistress. Wen Qing was glad he was bringing his mistress, Wang Lingjiao, along. Not because Wen Qing liked her. The woman was obnoxious and petty to say the least. However, she was also easily jealous. Wen Chao was disgustingly lecherous. At one point he had tried talking Wen Rouhan into marrying Wen Qing to him as a mistress. Fortunately Wen Rouhan had considered that insulting to his 'favourite niece'. Since then Wen Chao had come on to her many times. By now she was practically a professional at redirecting and dodging the slimy second son of Wen Rouhan.

However, with Wang Lingjiao around she wouldn't need to dodge him. Wang Lingjiao never wanted Wen Chao to look at anyone else. She would do quite a lot to make sure that was the case. It meant Wen Qing did not have to tolerate his thinly veiled overtures. It also should mean that the female disciples in the indoctrination should be relatively safe from him. Wen Qing would still need to make sure none of them were alone with Wen Chao, but Wang Lingjiao would probably do most of that work on her own.

They descended the stairs and Wen Qing ignored Wen Chao's lengthy speech. She skimmed the group of disciples below, careful to not meet their gazes if she could help it. She recognized a lot of the faces down there. Suddenly there was movement in the back. Her eyes looked up at the movement of white fabric. A group of disciples entered wearing the uniform of the GusuLan sect. Normally GusuLan disciples were extremely diligent in their appearance. Now however many of the disciples walking in looked exhausted. There was dirt and blood staining their robes. The most put together was Lan Wangji, except. Wen Qing observed a slight difference in the way he was moving. It was a mostly concealed limp. Even with her expertise she might not have noticed it at first, but the bloodstain on Lan Wangji's clothing had drawn her eye to the area.

Lan Xichen felt his breath hitch. That was Lan Wangji. To Wen Qing's eyes he was as unreadable as ever, but Lan Xichen could see so much more. His didi was devastated. What did QishanWen Sect do to put that look in his didi's eyes?

"A-Chao, I brought you your last guests," Wen Xu said with a smug smile.

"I thought these GusuLan disciples were supposed to be all righteous and dignified. Look at how sloppy they appear." Wen Chao sneered. Wen Xu smirked.

"They are the lucky ones. The ones that could still travel by the time I was done teaching GusuLan sect what a proper lesson looks like." Wen Xu gloated. "Most of them were so weak they probably didn't even participate in the real battle. They couldn't even keep up with a crippled Lan-er-gongzi. Keep him on his feet long enough A-Chao and you might get to see him collapse. I broke his leg for daring to tell us that we can't burn their library. Like he would be enough to stop us. Even Sect Leader Lan was no match. The old fool came out of seclusion just long enough to cross blades with me. If he isn't dead yet he will be soon, he should have stayed in seclusion rather than try to fight me. I sliced him open like I was gutting my kill after a hunt."

Lan Xichen suddenly felt like he couldn't breathe.

'They... what did they do? To Wangji? To our home? To... Fuqin... Die... A-Die?' Lan Xichen felt like he had been stabbed. It had been almost ten years since the last time he tried to speak to his father. His father never answered him. Never left his seclusion. Not when Lan Xichen said he missed him. Not when their mother died. Not when Lan Xichen cried outside his door. Not when Lan Xichen told him that Lan Wangji was withdrawing. Not when he told him that Lan Wangji was still waiting for her. Not when Lan Xichen told him that Lan Wangji was breaking. Lan Xichen felt his heart breaking. His father might be dying, and Lan Xichen had never even heard his voice.

Wen Qing found herself standing in the crisp mountain air of Cloud Recesses.

'This is... odd.' As the subject of empathy wasn't she only supposed to be self aware of what transpired afterwards? Wei Wuxian had told her that it would be like dreaming. She would re-experience the memories as part of them, with no realization that it was just a memory. She would say, do, think, feel, everything she had before. So why was she now standing in Cloud Recesses, aware that she should still be in empathy?

A small figure walked with slightly hurried steps down the path beside her. He looked somewhat familiar. Wen Qing followed behind for quite a ways until they came to a secluded residence far away from the rest of Cloud Recesses. The young boy looked to be only eight or nine. He entered the courtyard of the residence slowly approaching another child who could not have been more than six years old. The older boy she had followed crouched down beside the younger boy.

"A-Zhan. Muqin is not here to open the door. Won't you come back with me?"