The 1st OS that was asked of me: The deliberation of the Council, following Lan Zhan's revolt against his uncle and his clan.

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Wangji had just come out of the orchid room with his ultimatum.

The day before, he had warned Xichen that he would not compromise. Either they agreed to leave him in peace or he would leave. SiZhui, who was also present, assured that if his father left, he too would leave YunShen Buzhi. Wangji did not try to dissuade him. Xichen had long understood that his brother had a different way of bringing up his son than the Lan clan. Wangji was an attentive father, guiding his child but leaving him free to choose.

He never judged without knowing all the facts about a problem. But could one know all the facts of a problem? Very often some of them remained hidden and appeared when one least expected it!

"This is unacceptable, we can't let this go!" said HanRan, one of the elders.

Lan Xichen stood up and took a few steps forward.

"Elders, how about we calmly study what Han GuangJun is accusing us of?"

"How about we look at what he did to us instead! We came to get him to bring him back here and he attacked us and hurt us!" said Wan Jian.

"Did you even listen to him?"

"Of course, he supposedly made a promise to the Patriarch of Yiling.

"Wrong!" replied the Lan Clan Chief.

"What do you mean, Zewu Jun?" said Lei An.

"There is one thing you can't blame him for, and that is that he is a man of honor!" replied Xichen.

"What are you talking about?" asked Lei An.

"Elders, you should know that I myself am bound by a promise I made, not only as a brother but also as a clan chief. Wangji has revealed to me a number of things that justify his actions towards you! That day, if you had listened to him to the end, none of this would have happened. You forced him to act. I have to tell you that if I had been in his place, ... I would have done the same thing and fought you."

In the room, all the faces of the elders, including his uncle's, looked surprised. Xichen was known to be a calm, thoughtful and moderate person. He hated drawing his sword and only did it when he had to!

"On the other hand, when you judged him, did you realize what you were doing? Did you realize that the amount of discipline lashes should have killed him? Or did you let your resentment and desire for revenge drive you? Wangji was a teenager at that time and he beat you! You elders and your best students! He didn't kill you, although he could have! He just made you unable to follow him! Why did he do that? What were you looking for? Justice or revenge?"

"Lan Xichen, it's clear you're on your brother's side!" snapped HanRan.

"I am on the side of reason! Do I need to remind you of the significance of the headband we wear? It is clear that on that day when you passed your sentence, you were carried away by your feelings and did not listen to your reason! He deserved a punishment, but not the one you gave him! On the other hand, why didn't you wait for my return? As a clan leader, I had my say too! But you preferred to go behind my back, knowing that I would have found an alternative that would have satisfied the majority, with a few exceptions of course."

No one in the orchid room dared to pick up on this last remark. Everyone knew he was right. They had taken advantage of his absence. Some of the elders had always been envious of his younger brother. They had never accepted that Bichen, the sword of their Clan's creator, had chosen a teenager and not one of them! They also found it hard to accept the title Wangji had obtained without asking: Han GuangJun, the light-bearing lord!

"We cannot go back on what has been done. Today we must look forward! Uncle, Wangji was always different from me. Even if he hid it and you know it very well! You know his determination! You realized it when we lost our mother! He never stopped going to Jingshi every month. Even after you told him that mother was not coming back because she was dead! Resignation is a concept he doesn't know! That's why you should not believe that he will give up, he will go all the way even if it means giving up Lan's name. Wangji is a thoughtful person and he never acts on a whim. If he gave us this ultimatum, it's because he has fully weighed the pros and cons, but especially because he has organized everything for his son and himself. During the whole year he left YunShen Buzhi, not once did he ask for money to be paid to him. He found a way to support himself without us! He's right... he doesn't need us anymore! He is perfectly self-sufficient, his reputation is well established, his cultivation powers are so powerful that none of us could defeat him. The only ones who are dependent are us! Dependent on his strength, his intelligence, his power, and you all know it very well!".

"Do we have an option left?" said Lei An.

"We only have two options as he so clearly pointed out: either he stays or he leaves. But I'm not sure we really have a choice! Because if we accept that he stays, nothing tells us that he will accept it. There is always a risk that he will decide to leave."

"Lan Clan Chief, in your opinion, what would be the consequences if he made the decision to leave?" asked Chen Feng.

Xichen thought for a moment. The Lan Clan was known for its integrity, but clearly in the past few years, that integrity had taken a hit even if some argued that these "lies" were necessary to maintain their reputation!

"Lan Zhan pointed out very well, our clan is known for its integrity. But you must admit that for the past few years, we have not been totally honest. I am as guilty as you are, because I have kept silent. Wangji could destroy our reputation even without saying a word! Just leaving our clan and giving up his name would be enough to make the other clans suspicious. As I told you he is a man of honor, he is known for that and his integrity is recognized by all!"

"We could do the same and cast doubt on him!" said Wan Jian.

"Do you really think that would work? Wangji has been traveling the world for years. Although not very sociable, everyone knows him when he appears and listens to him when he speaks. Those words he speaks, however rare, are always wise and everyone knows it. He represents the Lan Clan more than any of you! And since we have to be honest, you are right, I am on his side! Not because he is my brother, but because we were all wrong to do what we did to him! Now it's time to vote. I know my choice. It's up to you to make yours."

Xichen motioned for a disciple to bring a ballot box. He took it and placed it on the table near his seat.

"Very well, the white ball means he can stay on his terms and the black one means he must leave. As for me, you know my vote."

Xichen dropped his white ball into the ballot box. Xichen then invited each of the 12 elders, including his uncle, to cast their vote. Some did not hesitate to show their vote, others preferred to keep it secret by dropping the marble with their hand inside the ballot box.

Xichen poured the contents into a tray. An almost invisible smile appeared on his lips.

"10 white and 3 black marbles. The decision is made by a majority. Han GuangJun can stay on his terms at YunShen Buzhi."

Han Ran, Wan Jian and Xiao Long left the orchid room. You could see the anger on their faces. But the decision was made. Even Uncle had chosen to give in!

All the elders left the room. Xichen was left alone.

He took a piece of paper on which he wrote these simple words with a smile: 

"They surrender.