As they approached the white pillars of the gates guarding Cloud Recesses, Wei Ying woke up.

"We're home?" He asked, sleepily blinking awake, nuzzling into the warmth of his lover's neck.

"Mn."

Lan Zhan loved it when Wei Ying woke up. His face was just beautiful anyway, but when their eyes met, it was like falling in love for the first time, all over again. The animation in those priceless silver eyes hadn't quite caught up, thoughts were dormant, and yet they were filled with love upon seeing his face.

Lan Zhan hoped the same was apparent in his own. He wished he could look at Wei Ying all day and all night. It wasn't fair that sleep, such a mundane thing, would separate them. As it was, his eyes always found peace when they rested upon his husband, and he had long ago stopped caring what others thought.

Right now, they were both tired from travelling, but they decided to go and see Uncle Qiren before resting properly. Li XiWang had been dropped off at the Jingshi by her Uncle Cheng, after her ride left them at JinLinTai.

Uncle was pleased to see them, his eyes never leaving their faces. Wei Ying produced the most exquisite shell from his sleeve and gifted it to him.

"I missed you, Uncle."

Lan Zhan could hardly believe that and full body twisted to look at his husband.

"What? It's true." Wei Ying replied, defensively.

Uncle Qiren patted his knee.

His eyes nearly fell out.

Since when did his Uncle, stickler for rules and anything that sounded like them, develop affection for the greatest rule breaker alive?

He missed the rest of the conversation because his mind wasn't ready to accept this. It was one thing to hear about his Uncle's change of heart regarding Wei Ying, but definitely an out of body experience in person. He kept stealing looks at both parties, incredibly happy.

So when they stopped outside of the Jingshi, and Wei Ying pushed him in the direction of the Great Hall, he was confused.

"Rest?"

"Not for you!" Wei Ying grinned cheekily at him. "Didn't you hear Uncle? He wants you to clear up something and there are papers to sign. I'll be right here."

He went to walk away from him, but suddenly Lan Zhan didn't like that at all, worse than normal. He yanked Wei Ying back and kissed him hard, hungry lips devouring the ones made for only him.

Hotter lips glided over his, and he tingled all over when their tongues met in a fiery dance of lust, love and desire. He slammed Wei Ying against the wall, loving how his arms held on tighter. The whimpers and moans coming from this ravishing mouth spread heat into...other parts, and he was just reaching to open the door of their room, when Wei Ying pushed him away, breathing hard.

"Li XiWang..." he panted, pointing inside the room.

Lan Zhan spotted the sleeping form of their daughter behind the screen, not before Wei Ying had seen the crushing disappointment that their activity had to be halted. He waltzed around and marched off, missing the calculating look on Wei Ying's face.

Wei Ying rushed inside, heavily disappointed in himself. He had totally lost the plot at once, the moment he had felt himself being pulled back. Why did Lan Zhan always have that effect on him? It was great all of the time, but not when he was mad at him. He should not be letting Lan Zhan have his way with him, not until Wei Ying was ready.

Wei Ying had a plan. He was proud of his mind in an abstract way, because every time he had a problem, it continued thinking about it until he woke up, inspiring the solution, and he was thrumming from the excitement of a new discovery, if it worked.

He only had a bit of time before Lan Zhan came back and he wanted to get the basics down first, so the project would flow smoothly.

He cleared the table and began scribbling his ideas out, rejecting the ones that might not work in favour of ones that would definitely work, because this was going to be a one shot operation. Maybe two shots, but he couldn't count on it.

When Lan Zhan returned, it was to a spotless Jingshi, no sign of any nefarious scheming, and a husband fast asleep on their bed. He sighed in disappointment and curled around him, falling asleep himself to the scent of sweet lotus flowers and wine.

********

Wei Ying ignored the knocking at the door, concentrating on tweaking his new concoction just so, and adding a drop of honey-

"Uncle, I was-" Jin Ling shut up when he saw the a puff of blue smoke evaporate above the cup, in front of which his uncle was sitting, lost in deep thought.

He sat opposite him.

"What's go-"

"Jin Ling, I love you, but now is not the time." Wei Ying jotted something down on the paper next to him.

Jin Ling looked at the messy room, papers strewn all over the floor, bottles opened, some closed awaiting their master, others emptied and on their sides. Used containers littered the tiny table his uncle was using as an entire lab, and then he watched as Wei Ying muttered an incantation using his two fingers to write on the liquid in the cup.

He watched, jaw dropping as the writing disappeared, as if it had never been there at all.

"Is that what I think it is?" He asked, nearly falling backwards as Wei Ying grabbed his cheeks and planted a wet kiss on his forehead, eyes shining with delight.

"Yes." His happy face was replaced by a look of cunning. "Wanna try it?"

Jin Ling stared at his uncle, practically vibrating with excitement.

"I have questions."

"Good boy. I'd have been disappointed if you didn't." Wei Ying nodded in approval.

"What does it do, and who is it for?"

"Well, originally, it was only for Lan Zhan, because he's definitely hiding something. But I remember SiZhui doing the same. I was gone for two days, Jin Ling, TWO DAYS! I need to know." His fingers struck up a steady staccato on the last bit of space on the table. "This is a liquid talisman, specially created to inebriate, loosen one's tongue if you will, but I added a truth serum. And no aftereffects, because the Great Hanguang Jun suffers from hangovers, and I'm not sure how much I want to punish him."

The door opened and Wei Ying had a minor heart attack until he saw it was his brother.

"What are you two doing?" He scowled at his nephew and planted himself in between them. Then he saw the cup and reached for it.

"NO!" They both yelled at him and he hastily put it back.

"For someone so recently poisoned, you're remarkably casual about putting things in your mouth." Wei Ying said, snittily. All his hard work would have been wasted...

"Why? What is that?" Jiang Cheng folded his arms across his chest, interested now.

"Truth serum mixed with liquor. For Hanguang Jun and possibly, SiZhui." Jin Ling informed him.

"You don't mind then?" Wei Ying smirked at his nephew, who refused to look away or be embarrassed now.

"No, go for it. If he's hiding something, I want to know too. These Lans think they're so clever half the time, it will be worth it." He smirked back.

Jiang Cheng stared at him for a moment, and then said, "will it work on XiChen? He normally burns away the intoxicating part with his golden core."

"Want me to fix it so he can't?" Wei Ying grinned.

"Absolutely. I've never seen him drunk. It will be an eye-opener."

Jiang Cheng grinned back.

Wei Ying rubbed his hands gleefully and got to work.

*********

Lan Zhan met XiChen outside the Jingshi and greeted him, surprised. On his face though, it was an eyebrow raised minutely, and a question in his eyes.

"My husband is in there." He pointed to the door.

They heard raucous laughter coming from within.

"So is mine."

XiChen smiled. His brother was never the loquacious type, but at least he was more verbal these days. His sense of humour, practically non-existent before Wei Ying, was blooming like a flower in the desert.

SiZhui came up to them.

"Any one seen Jin Ling?" He asked, happily.

More loud laughter spilled out of the room and into their ears.

"Oh."

There was definitely more than two people in there.

XiChen opened the door.

The noise stopped immediately, and three guilty faces looked up at them.

Space was made and they sat down around the table, even though it was a tight squeeze. They ordered food to be brought and Wei Ying poured the wine, all the while a smile played upon his face.

"Wei Ying is happy?" Lan Zhan asked, more than a little concerned at the crazy look in his husband's eyes.

The truth was, Wei Ying had needed to test his concoctions, because great inventions needed to be perfected, and to do that, they had to be tested. He didn't want to make Jin Ling do it because the boy had to return home at some point and they didn't know how long the effects would last. Plus he needed someone to record the results, otherwise it would just be a pointless drinking game. Jiang Cheng had taken over being the test subject because after only a sip, Wei Ying was wasted.

He thought it was a miracle he could sit up straight.

"Ahah. Just as happy as you're going to be in a few minutes." Wei Ying answered, losing himself in the golden glow of love.

Lan Zhan was looking at him with a mix of devotion and warmth, deep affection shining from within. He leaned in for a kiss when a sharp pain radiated on his arm where Jiang Cheng had pinched him.

"Ow." Wei Ying rubbed the spot.

Jiang Cheng glared at him and then cowered closer to his own husband when he glared at by the other's.

Wei Ying raised his own glass and they did the same. He wanted to giggle at the sheer genius it took to come with the idea of making it look like water.

They didn't know what hit them.

SiZhui put his arms around Jin Ling and sighed into his neck, producing a red faced boyfriend who couldn't look anywhere there wasn't an uncle.

XiChen was making cow eyes at Jiang Cheng who thought it was adorable.

Lan Zhan pulled Wei Ying into his lap, despite him trying to wriggle away, and held him down without effort, just to kiss his nose.

"Love Wei Ying." He told him with the utmost sincerity.

Wei Ying felt momentarily bad, but he told himself off. This chance was not going to be wasted.

"Where did you get the oyster pills from?" He asked, checking his mental list of ready questions.

"Mimi Jiaoyi."

"Brothel." SiZhui giggled.

Lan Zhan giggled.

They all stared at him.

"Brothel?" Wei Ying recovered first, but he was still in shock.

"Mn." Lan Zhan had been smiling seconds ago, but now he looked as if he was going to cry. "No Wei Ying. Nothing." He lamented. "All alone. Wanted to find Wei Ying."

Wei Ying did feel bad now. But he had more questions.

"Why were you so nice to Daden Yaonu?"

Lan Zhan looked surprised at the change of topic.

"She took me to Wei Ying. Found Wei Ying." He planted another kiss on his nose. "She looked after our daughter."

"That's it?" Wei Ying asked, disbelievingly.

"Mn. Nice lady."

Here it comes, Wei Ying thought, preparing himself for what he thought Lan Zhan was going to admit.

Lan Zhan giggled again and leaned in to whisper inside his ear. "She told me Wei Ying is beautiful and she understood why I wanted to find him."

Wei Ying was floored. He did not expect that.

"Yeah, but you were nice to her. Like, really nice." He persisted.

"Only family to our daughter. Felt bad." He sighed, sadness creeping onto his face.

"Is that why? Really?" Wei Ying was starting to have doubts about all this now.

And Lan Zhan was looking even sadder.

"Why does Wei Ying like kisses from others?"

"What?" Wei Ying racked his brain, trying to find the memory of when that might have happened...and came up empty.

"Suanni. Twice." Lan Zhan held up three fingers and stared at them, confused.

XiChen put the extra one down for him, and received a grateful smile.

"You're so cute, Didi." XiChen patted his head.

"Suanni?" Wei Ying was still thinking of an explanation. "That wasn't my fault! He did it without asking!" He replied, hotly.

"Wei Ying is always flirting." Lan Zhan told him, mournfully. "It hurts." He slapped his own chest where his heart was. "Here."

"I'm not flirting...that's not true," Wei Ying whispered, feeling awful now.

"Yes, it is." Jiang Cheng told him.

He'd always had a cheerful disposition, masking how he really felt with a smile, or a wink, or an arm wrapped around someone's shoulders. He had never considered what it could have meant, especially to his husband, who had been hurt tremendously by his actions.

"I'm so sorry!" He whispered.

Tears fell from his eyes, horrifying Lan Zhan, who tried to get him to stop by making him drink from his cup. Neither noticed who's it was, until Wei Ying started giggling.

Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes.

"I love you so much." Wei Ying kissed him noisily.

Jiang Cheng left them to it, wondering what he could ask his husband, and whether or not Wei Ying had accidentally created a love potion instead of what he thought he'd made.

Right now, XiChen was staring at his lips.

He inched closer.

Jiang Cheng watched him, mouth dry.

Those soft, pink lips came towards his and he lost the battle to resist.

"I never thought you would visit a brothel." Jin Ling said, smiling at the now blushing SiZhui. "Ever."

"Didn't want to. Had to find father." SiZhui smiled against his neck. "I love you. More than ice cream on a summer's day."

"What?" Jin Ling asked, laughing. He wrapped secure arms around his boyfriend.

"More than anything. Jin Ling. Only one for me." SiZhui's eyes were beginning to droop closed.

Jin Ling took his weight, sighing contentedly. He looked across at his Uncle Cheng and was about to stop him, but it was too late. Jiang Cheng downed the cup he had thought was water, regret ghosting on his face, seconds before he also succumbed to giggling.

Jin Ling rolled his eyes.

There was one last cup remaining.

He looked up to see his Uncle Wei eyeing it at the same time.

Their eyes met, with immediate understanding.

Jin Ling got to it a millisecond before Wei Ying, and drank it down, crowing when he was done.

Lan Zhan had already passed out.

When Li XiWang opened the door to the Jingshi, the smell hit her delicate nose first, before she spotted the six adults passed out on the floor, one still giggling in his sleep.

She frowned and went to get JingYi.

*********

A/N

And we are done with this book.

It always makes me sad, and since the only cure is to keep writing, I shall do that right away. New book will start tomorrow fresh.

This one took me just over a month, bearing in mind the extra long chapters. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I had fun writing it.

I always say this, but I mean it with my whole heart and soul. Thank you for reading, thank you for deciding to comment, and voting, even though I have no idea what that counts for.

I love when you tell me what you think, your lovely guesses at the plotlines, and in turn, I want to make everything I write interesting, exciting and fun for you too.

Today is a Saturday and undoubtedly busy at work, but look out for a bonus chapter if I get the time.

This one is extra long and it is a gift for all of you.

I hope you have a fantastic day/night - must have chocolate in there somewhere - and we will return tomorrow for Book 5.

Bye.

Charlie.