Banquet (Audio Drama)

## Synopsis

Back at the Cloud Recesses, Lan Wangji requests that Wei Wuxian wait for him outside while he is lectured by Lan Qiren. Wei Wuxian promises he will obey the rules, and Lan Wangji begins to say that "even if you do..." At Wei Wuxian's sudden eagerness, Lan Wangji declines to finish the sentence.

Little Apple pulls Wei Wuxian into a field of rabbits, where he is astonished to see an actual female cultivator from the Gusu Lan Clan. As women and men are strictly kept apart, he has never seen a female disciple in the Cloud Recesses before.

The girl explains that Lan Wangji typically feeds the rabbits, but when he is gone, Lan Sizhui and the other juniors feed them. When they are away, she feeds the rabbits.

Lan Wangji approaches, and the girl quickly leaves. Wei Wuxian pulls Lan Wangji down to the grass with him. While hugging Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji says that, rather than scold him, Lan Qiren declared that a family banquet would be held tomorrow.

Wei Wuxian asks after Lan Xichen, and Lan Wangji answers that he will see him later. His brother has been in secluded meditation for days on end, and Lan Wangji intends to have a heartfelt talk with him.

Lan Wangji takes Wei Wuxian to see Lan Sizhui, Lan Jingyi, and the others. To Wei Wuxian's surprise, they are performing upside-down handstands while copying the clan rules. Lan Wangji explains that they returned after curfew for the third time while night-hunting with Wen Ning. When Wei Wuxian notices that Lan Sizhui's stack is thicker, Lan Wangji explains that Lan Sizhui was the ringleader.

Wei Wuxian asks if these handstands were how Lan Wangji acquired his formidable arm strength. Lan Wangji acknowledges that the handstands are responsible, but that they were not prescribed as punishment. Rather, handstands calm the mind.

Wei Wuxian teases him about what makes him less-than-calm, before inquiring if Lan Wangji can do him upside down. Lan Wangji replies that he can try tonight.

Before they can try that evening, Lan Wangji goes to speak to Lan Xichen.

In the Jingshi, Wei Wuxian rummages around to find Lan Wangji's old papers. He notices that, throughout all of his handwriting, Lan Wangji only ever made one single mistake, and then copied the character a hundred times.

When Lan Wangji returns, Wei Wuxian attempts to role-play with him, but when he fails to resist Lan Wangji's advances, Lan Wangji pauses. Wei Wuxian then shows him the mistaken character to tease him, and realizes that the mistake just so happened to occur at the time he was visiting the Cloud Recesses.

Wei Wuxian asks after Lan Xichen, and Lan Wangji says that his brother is not well. In all the years he was in seclusion, Lan Xichen comforted him, but now the situation is the exact opposite.

Lan Wangji rises at five the next morning, but his attempts to wake Wei Wuxian with a bath are in vain. Lan Wangji fetches breakfast, and when Wei Wuxian awakens, he insists that Wei Wuxian eat due to Wei Wuxian's dislike of medicinal cuisine in the Cloud Recesses.

Wei Wuxian recalls the lively clan banquets of Lotus Pier, where everyone sat where they wanted and ate whatever and however much they wanted. He has never been to the Lanling Jin Clan's banquets, but they are known for their lavish decor and entertainment.

The Gusu Lan Clan's banquet is rather different. Everyone is silent and grave in their place. When Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen enter, Wei Wuxian notices that Lan Xichen looks rather frail despite his smile. Lan Qiren, meanwhile, refuses to look at Wei Wuxian.

As Wei Wuxian attempts to force himself to eat the distasteful soup they are served, he notices that his bowl has suddenly become empty. Lan Wangji has shifted his table closer to his, and drunk the soup for his husband. When he begins to tease Lan Wangji, however, a harsh cough from Lan Qiren stops him.

As Lan Qiren summons his nephews away for a scolding, Wei Wuxian attempts to seek out the Gusu Lan Clan juniors. However, they suddenly turn around and leave.

Wei Wuxian ventures to meet them in a secluded piece of woods. The juniors return to find him, and Lan Jingyi explains that Lan Qiren forbade them from speaking to Wei Wuxian. Wei Wuxian finds this humorous, and jokes that Lan Qiren must feel "like his big, beautiful Chinese cabbage was dug up by a pig."

When Wei Wuxian inquires after Wen Ning, Lan Sizhui says that he is hiding in a secluded part of the mountain, waiting to be found again the next time they night-hunt. Lan Sizhui then reveals that they encountered an angry Jiang Cheng during their last night hunt.

Apparently, the juniors met up with Jin Ling on their night-hunt. Wen Ning trailed the Lan juniors while Jiang Cheng trailed Jin Ling, and the two ran into each other when the hunt turned dangerous.

Wei Wuxian asks how Jin Ling is doing, as Jin Ling has been appointed Clan Leader of the Lanling Jin Clan. However, the clan is in disarray, Jin Ling is young, and many members have various self-interests. Ultimately, Jiang Cheng stepped in to temporarily secure Jin Ling's position as Clan Leader.

Lan Jingyi says that Jin Ling's temper is better, though he still calls him "Young Mistress." Lan Sizhui scolds him for calling Jin Ling this name behind his back, but Lan Jingyi retorts that he does so to his face as well.

Wei Wuxian returns to the Jingshi where he grows hungry, but even after nine, Lan Wangji has not returned. When he finally does, Wei Wuxian is ecstatic to smell spicy cuisine.

Wei Wuxian is delighted, believing the food to be that of the Hunan cuisine restaurant in Caiyi Town. Wei Wuxian tells Lan Wangji that he, Jiang Cheng, and sometimes Nie Huaisang would eat there during their time in the Cloud Recesses, before teasing Lan Wangji for never accepting his invitations to join.

Presuming that Lan Wangji violated the rules for him, Wei Wuxian teases him before complaining that the soup earlier made his mouth bitter. Lan Wangji kisses him to "neutralize" the taste.

Lan Wangji tells him to eat first, and then they can do it. Wei Wuxian jokes that he will eat the cabbage first.

## Characters

*In order of appearance:*

* Little Apple
* Wei Wuxian
* Lan Wangji
* Female Cultivator
* Lan Xichen (mentioned)
* Lan Sizhui
* Lan Jingyi
* Wen Ning (mentioned)
* Lan Qiren
* Jiang Cheng (mentioned)
* Jin Ling (mentioned)
* Jin Guangyao (mentioned)
* Nie Huaisang (mentioned)

## Events

* Confrontation at the Guanyin Temple (mentioned)

## Locations

* Cloud Recesses
* Guanyin Temple (mentioned)
* Yunmeng (mentioned)
* Lotus Pier (mentioned)
* Caiyi Town (mentioned)

## Divergence from the Novel

In the novel, Wei Wuxian recognizes the female cultivator as the Round-Faced Girl he ran into a few times around Dafan Mountain.
However, as the Audio Drama did not include her character, his recognition of her was cut as well.

The audio drama omits their lovemaking for half the night before they discuss Lan Xichen.

In the novel, Lan Wangji has long since given up on waking Wei Wuxian early; in the audio drama, he still attempts the impossible task.

In addition, Lan Qiren coughs to stop Wei Wuxian from leaning against Lan Wangji, rather than to stop him from teasing him.

The audio drama omits that Lan Xichen looks frail, and mixes up two night-hunting locations before Lan Qiren intervenes to conclude the banquet.

The scene where Wei Wuxian pretends to dead on the floor before smelling the food is also cut.

## References

1. ↑ Audio Drama, "Banquet" Extra
2. ↑ Novel, Chapter 114
3. ↑ Audio Drama, Season 1, Episode 2
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Novel, Chapter 115
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Novel, Chapter 116