#song lan

first of all, I’m pretty sure I love your grandparents.

So imagine this, novel verse, so if they’re at this conference it’s run by PR specialist extraordinaire Jin Guangyao.

Xiao Xingchen on his knees on a gravel path, and oh, Zichen, he hasn’t seen this in ages, did you know this can bring down fever in infants, how clever of them to grow this by the nursery, and yes, by this time he is beginning to suspect that it isn’t clever of them at all, that this is the sort of thing some gardener might be punished over, but still, there’s the chance that this was supposed to be here.

And Song Lan could save him face by telling the growing, disconcerted crowd that Xiao Xingchen, a disciple of the immortal Baoshan Sanren herself, who descended from the Celestial Mountain to fight injustice and alleviate suffering in this struggling world (in these trying times) is really so grateful to be given the opportunity to cut even a few leaves off this plant. 

To praise the Jin Sect for their generosity in offering it. To thank them for their patience, to make up a complete lie on the spot, that there is no greater sign of respect on the Celestial Mountain than to take a cutting from the path of a host. 

In fact, it would be an insult to Lanling Jin if he left this place without some herb in hand.

But the looks on everyone’s faces are pretty funny right now, and you know what, he told Xingchen it wasn’t worth coming to this, he warned him that this would be useless and miserable for them both, and that no one really wanted to hear what they had to say, that if anything it was another attempt to get them to affiliate. 

And Xingchen said he wanted to experience it anyways, that they had things to teach, and they ought to at least try and impart their knowledge.

So as far as he’s concerned, Xingchen can lose a little face over this.

(He doesn’t. Jin Guangyao takes one look at the situation, pastes on a smile, and informs the crowd that the Bright Moon and Gentle Breeze has been looking for this herb for a while, and that he can and will use it to save lives, and that he was so overwrought, overcome by the opportunity that he simply couldn’t wait to ask about it, had thrown himself to his knees in gratitude and delight.

And everyone ooohs and ahhhs and isn’t it romantic and heroic, please, take all the weeds you could ever want, and come back next year Daozhang, and also my daughter is of marriageable age, and also our sect is always looking for guest disciples, it would be an honor to have someone as prestigious as yourselves join us, and oh, how did my handkerchief end up over there - oh, you’re using it to wipe dirt off your hands?

Okay. We guess.)