Fan fiction "Bound by Fate: The Marriage of Ice and Fire"

Madam Yu stood at the window of the great hall, Zidian wound around her wrist as her eyes blazed into the lake beyond. Jiang Fengmian sat at his desk, a piece of blank parchment before him, his brush held ready. The silence was tense, heavy as the cloud on the horizon.

"You're really going to do this, aren't you?" Madam Yu's voice was sharp, laced with cold disbelief.

Jiang Fengmian dipped his brush into the ink calmly, as though her words were no more disruptive than the rustling of the reeds outside. "Yes. It's the right thing to do."

Madam Yu spun on her heel, her robes of purple flowing as she stood before him. "The right thing? You have lost your mind. This is an abomination, Jiang Fengmian! To bring Wei Ying—no, our clan—into such shame. You expect this to ingratiate us to the cultivation community? That the Lan Clan will actually welcome him?"

He started writing, his strokes slow and firm. "Lan Wangji proposed it. The Lan Clan has already agreed. It's not for us to question their motives. And more importantly, it's not for us to refuse Wei Ying this chance."

Madam Yu laughed, her tone bitter and sharp. "Opportunity? You talk as if he's being presented with a golden future. Have you forgotten who he is? What he is? The son of a servant, a boy who entered our lives with nothing to his name but strife. And now you're allowing him to bind himself to one of the most respected families in the world of cultivation?"

Jiang Fengmian placed the brush down and faced her, his countenance serene yet resolute. "Wei Ying is worth more than that. He is genius, talented, and devoted. He has made the Jiang Clan proud time and time again. If Lan Wangji recognizes his value and offers him his hand in marriage, then who are we to intervene?"

Madam Yu's fists were balled at her sides. "This is not just about him. This is about the Jiang Clan! Do you think the rest won't gossip? Won't snicker at us? They already believe the Jiang Sect is weak, and now you're providing them with evidence!

"Other people's opinions are nothing to me," Jiang Fengmian stated softly but firmly. "What is important is Wei Ying's happiness. He has sacrificed everything for this family. If this marriage brings him stability and peace, then I will agree to it."

Madam Yu moved closer, speaking low and menacing. "And what of our own children? Have you considered what this will do to A-Cheng? To A-Li? Or have you again decided that the happiness of Wei Ying is worth more than theirs?"

Jiang Fengmian's eyes relaxed a bit, but his determination didn't falter. "A-Cheng and A-Li will get it. Wei Ying is their brother. This does not take away from them or their futures. It makes our bonds with the Lan Clan stronger.

Madam Yu snorted, turning away. "Naïve as ever. You think Lan Clan would care about connections to us? This is a bid to hold him back, to keep Wei Ying in their grasp. And you're too blind to notice it."

"Maybe," Jiang Fengmian conceded, "but even so, the sincerity of Lan Wangji is evident. He doesn't merely wish to control Wei Ying; he does care for him. You've witnessed it yourself."

Her silence spoke volumes, but she was too stubborn to voice it out loud. She turned back to him once again, her face set like steel. "Do as you please, Jiang Fengmian. You always do. But when this catches up with you, don't look to me to clean up after you."

Jiang Fengmian went back to his letter without saying a word, his brush gliding smoothly over the parchment.

To Sect Leader Lan,

It is with utmost respect and appreciation that the Jiang Clan welcomes the offer of marriage between Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji. We recognize the privilege of such a union and eagerly await meeting Young Master Lan Wangji in person.

Within the next few days, the Jiang family will travel to Gusu to officially discuss and finalize the arrangements.

May the ties between our families continue to strengthen.

Yours in mutual respect,

Jiang Fengmian

He put down the letter and left it to dry as he gazed up at Madam Yu, who stood motionless where she had been beside the window. "I will post it tomorrow. If you object, say so now."

She remained silent, her back to him. But the rigidity in her stance was enough.

"Very well," Jiang Fengmian said softly, folding the letter into a square. He understood this choice would not calm their family, but it was one he had decided upon. For Wei Ying's sake.

The tempest raging outside grew more violent, much like the turmoil churning inside Lotus Pier.