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mll_hgmThere is something I have always been very curious about when it comes to the show canon of Guardian. In fact, Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan have had their first meeting three times - once ten thousand years ago as a false 'Kunlun' and Wei, twice as the Black-Cloaked Envoy and the chief of the SID, and the thrice as Chief Zhao and Professor Shen. While the first and third meetings have been greatly elaborated on, I have remained curious about the second - and I have not found anything so far detailing this. (Which is probably due more to my ineptitude at finding anything on the internet than any originality.)
However, here is my brief contribution to the Guardian fanbase - a first-time fan-fiction filled with my own ideas about the cursorily detailed Guardian show's universe.
Zhao Xinci's retirement is a rather sudden thing, though Shen Wei truly cannot bring himself to be disappointed. The man's skills as a detective are beyond reproach, he's practical, sensible, and professional – Shen Wei can acknowledge this. Yet Zhao Xinci is, and has been, ever since the death of his wife, bitter and trigger-happy when it comes to facing down criminals from Dixing.
And while Shen Wei is someone who believes in justice and upholding peace and the law (with cold steel and roiling dark energy if need be) – Zhao Xinci's readiness to fire on Dixingren is too much. To shoot first and ask questions later is not a valid strategy; this Shen Wei believes with all his heart. Things are not always so clearly delineated as good and bad, black and white, Dixing and Haixing. Justice is in the eye of the beholder, and as the final authority in so many cases, it is Shen Wei's responsibility to find it within everyone's eyes, even if he must appear cold and uncaring for the well-being of individuals.
There have been many times when Shen Wei stands betwixt Zhao Xinci's gun and a Dixing runaway to the bright surface, one that has done nothing wrong but wish desperately to feel sunlight and somehow slip up to show their identity, and Shen Wei says, "I will bring them to justice," then must hide all trace of the person's existence, swear them to secrecy, and release them somewhere far.
With the news of Zhao Xinci's retirement there comes both hope and apprehension. The next chief could be either better or worse, and Shen Wei cannot count on the better.
"My son will replace me," says Zhao Xinci, and by the slightly bitter twist to his mouth, there is an unpleasant history that Shen Wei can only guess at.
Zhao Xinci's son is a shadowy figure that Shen Wei knows nothing of. The man would be rather young for the position of Special Investigation Department Chief (his Haixing title) and Guardian Lord (his Dixing title), but to be able to receive such rank at a young age would speak highly of the man's skills and accomplishments. Shen Wei knows only this, and that the man's name is Zhao Yunlan. The name means little to him.
Their first meeting happens during Zhao Yunlan's first case as chief; a woman from Dixing and a rogue snake Yashou man having a largely destructive fight on top of a high-rise building in the center of Dragon City.
Shen Wei is only able to arrive in the aftermath, having been teaching a class, and only seeing the final explosion from the window of his office afterwards. He teleports in with a roll of thunder and a flash of lightning, the sky darkening to mark his arrival, and time seeming to stop.
The rooftop is smoking and pitted with craters, the water tank has been blown up, and there are splatters of blood everywhere from the fight. The two who had been locked in mortal combat are truly frozen in their steps as Shen Wei slams the butt of his glaive down against the ground, a temperature-less frost travelling from the point of contact, up their legs and bodies, covering them motionless in a sheet of binding ice.
But what is surprising, Shen Wei only realizes a moment later, is that the two criminals had been fighting against previous restraints also.
Some kind of dart that spreads into a binding net of thin steel threads has the Dixing woman's arms behind her back, and the Yashou man's legs tied together. And of the group of SID officers standing on the stairwell to the roof, only one is on the roof itself, twirling a third dart in his fingers. His back is to Shen Wei, so his only distinguishing features so far are his tousled hair and leather jacket, though there's something familiar about the easy way he holds himself, how he manages to look taller than everyone even while slouching, in the way he distributes his standing weight into only one of his legs and has a hand carelessly stuffed into the pocket of his artfully tattered jeans.
A few seconds after Shen Wei’s arrival, the dart stops spinning between his fingers.
"I've heard a lot about you, and now I finally get to meet you, huh," he says.
That voice stops Shen Wei's breath in his lungs.
"Greetings to the Lord Black-Cloaked Envoy. I'm the new SID Chief, Zhao Yunlan."
He turns around, and Shen Wei's heart seems to stop beating for an eternity before beating furiously within the cage of his ribs.
The sparkling eyes, the roguish half-smile, even the white stick of the lollipop between full lips – Shen Wei is overwhelmed by only one thought as he takes in the man before him. Behind the mask, his eyes are wide and his face is pale.
Kunlun.
It’s Lord Kunlun.
"If one day I leave without saying goodbye, don't blame me. You only need to know, we will surely meet again."
Those words, said by a man who looks at him with a strong emotion within his eyes, though they had met only once before, to a grim young general who is smiling for the first time in too long, under a starry sky ten thousand years ago – those words echo within Shen Wei's mind. But those two people are gone; one disappearing into a swirling vortex in the sky, one reborn as an Envoy after years of fitful sleep beneath the earth.
Shen Wei does not take a step forward and embrace him, he does not fall to his knees, he does not shake or waver – for, with a terrible sinking feeling, he sees no recognition within Zhao Yunlan's eyes. This man is Kunlun, and yet not Kunlun – and Shen Wei hides his confusion, grip tightening white-knuckled around the handle of his glaive. Ten thousand years later, and they meet again.
Once more, Shen Wei is glad for the protection his mask can offer. He returns to himself, wrapping himself in the cold of his 'Envoy' persona, and realizes that a silence had stretched between Zhao Yunlan's words of greeting and his own scrutiny.
"The new Lord Guardian," he says, and when he speaks, his voice is blessedly even. "Well met." And because he is filled with a curiosity that can distract him, his gaze goes back to the glinting dart in Zhao Yunlan's hand, a question unasked.
Zhao Yunlan's face splits into an easy grin. "You like them?" he asks, fearlessly taking a few steps forward, then lounging against the railing of the roof, holding the dart out for display on his palm. "My new techie came up with them, so we can gift-wrap our criminals nicely for you. They don't always work, apparently – and I’m docking his bonus for that – but some of them do, so they're alright in a pinch. If you have a good arm like I do, at least." He jokingly flexes, winking.
This man does not recognize Shen Wei, yet holds no healthy fear for the Black-Cloaked Envoy, and perhaps he is one of the few people that Shen Wei can forgive for it. On the landing of the stairs, a young man in overalls is covering his face with his hands. Shen Wei bites the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling. Kunlun's irreverent attitude had been a point of consternation with Lord Ma Gui and General Fu You once, too.
But they have the business of justice to attend to. “That man is of the Snake Yashou Clan,” Shen Wei says.
Zhao Yunlan confirms with a nod. “The woman is a Dixingren,” he adds. “I’ll have one of my people call in the Snake Clan Leader to deal with the guy.”
“Very well,” Shen Wei says with approval. “I hope our future of working together will run smoothly,” he finally says after yet another long moment of drinking this not-Kunlun Zhao Yunlan in with his eyes.
“Same here,” says Zhao Yunlan. “Until we meet again, Hei-lao-ge.” He inclines his head in somewhat of a bow, but he winks again when he looks up.
Shen Wei’s jaw is straining with the effort of containing his smile. The previous chiefs had called him only ‘Lord Envoy’ and the like, and he had reciprocated with only ‘Lord Guardian’. But now he must wrack his mind for an address that is suitable for this roguishly grinning man before him. “Until we meet again, Zhao-xiong,” Shen Wei says, the barest hint of a smile escaping his iron grip on the coldness of being ‘the Envoy’.
Zhao Yunlan does not notice that briefest of smiles, but he gives a wave.
When the Black-Cloaked Envoy and the frozen statue of the Dixing woman disappear into the crackling, nebulous portal of dark energy to whatever corner of Dixing, and the slowly thawing Yashou man is being carted away to Zhu Hong’s fourth uncle, Zhao Yunlan sinks down to sit down on the stirs with a shaky sigh. “Well, that took a few years off my life,” he says lightly, taking the lollipop out of his mouth with an emphatic motion and slight ‘pop’.
Da Qing nestles up to him. “You are crazy, you know that?”
“Am not,” Zhao Yunlan says, but shudders. “He looks like the kind of guy that if you don’t fear but respect him, he’ll like you. Besides, if we have to work together, it’s best to be friendly.”
“Like you? The Envoy doesn’t like people. You were flirting with him – I’m surprised he didn’t try to smite you there and then,” Da Qing splutters. “See? Crazy. I called it first.”
Zhao Yunlan shudders again. “Although, the way he was staring at me… I thought he might be thinking about eating me or something.”
“That would probably be bad for diplomacy,” Da Qing says thoughtfully, and it’s at times like this that Zhao Yunlan remembers that he is just as much cat as he is human. “But who knows. Be careful not to piss him off.”
“It was an exaggeration. A joke.” Zhao Yunlan smacks him. “I’ll get used to it. It’s the mask, that’s what it is – it just puts people off. Probably why he wears it,” he says, folding his arms behind his head and leaning back more comfortably. He grins a little, rolling the lollipop over in his mouth. “Besides, he called me ‘Zhao-xiong’ back.”
Thank you for reading - my writing skill is as yet lacking, but I hope that my attempt could raise more questions within the fandom.
Wishing everyone good health and an enjoyable day.
However, here is my brief contribution to the Guardian fanbase - a first-time fan-fiction filled with my own ideas about the cursorily detailed Guardian show's universe.
Zhao Xinci's retirement is a rather sudden thing, though Shen Wei truly cannot bring himself to be disappointed. The man's skills as a detective are beyond reproach, he's practical, sensible, and professional – Shen Wei can acknowledge this. Yet Zhao Xinci is, and has been, ever since the death of his wife, bitter and trigger-happy when it comes to facing down criminals from Dixing.
And while Shen Wei is someone who believes in justice and upholding peace and the law (with cold steel and roiling dark energy if need be) – Zhao Xinci's readiness to fire on Dixingren is too much. To shoot first and ask questions later is not a valid strategy; this Shen Wei believes with all his heart. Things are not always so clearly delineated as good and bad, black and white, Dixing and Haixing. Justice is in the eye of the beholder, and as the final authority in so many cases, it is Shen Wei's responsibility to find it within everyone's eyes, even if he must appear cold and uncaring for the well-being of individuals.
There have been many times when Shen Wei stands betwixt Zhao Xinci's gun and a Dixing runaway to the bright surface, one that has done nothing wrong but wish desperately to feel sunlight and somehow slip up to show their identity, and Shen Wei says, "I will bring them to justice," then must hide all trace of the person's existence, swear them to secrecy, and release them somewhere far.
With the news of Zhao Xinci's retirement there comes both hope and apprehension. The next chief could be either better or worse, and Shen Wei cannot count on the better.
"My son will replace me," says Zhao Xinci, and by the slightly bitter twist to his mouth, there is an unpleasant history that Shen Wei can only guess at.
Zhao Xinci's son is a shadowy figure that Shen Wei knows nothing of. The man would be rather young for the position of Special Investigation Department Chief (his Haixing title) and Guardian Lord (his Dixing title), but to be able to receive such rank at a young age would speak highly of the man's skills and accomplishments. Shen Wei knows only this, and that the man's name is Zhao Yunlan. The name means little to him.
Their first meeting happens during Zhao Yunlan's first case as chief; a woman from Dixing and a rogue snake Yashou man having a largely destructive fight on top of a high-rise building in the center of Dragon City.
Shen Wei is only able to arrive in the aftermath, having been teaching a class, and only seeing the final explosion from the window of his office afterwards. He teleports in with a roll of thunder and a flash of lightning, the sky darkening to mark his arrival, and time seeming to stop.
The rooftop is smoking and pitted with craters, the water tank has been blown up, and there are splatters of blood everywhere from the fight. The two who had been locked in mortal combat are truly frozen in their steps as Shen Wei slams the butt of his glaive down against the ground, a temperature-less frost travelling from the point of contact, up their legs and bodies, covering them motionless in a sheet of binding ice.
But what is surprising, Shen Wei only realizes a moment later, is that the two criminals had been fighting against previous restraints also.
Some kind of dart that spreads into a binding net of thin steel threads has the Dixing woman's arms behind her back, and the Yashou man's legs tied together. And of the group of SID officers standing on the stairwell to the roof, only one is on the roof itself, twirling a third dart in his fingers. His back is to Shen Wei, so his only distinguishing features so far are his tousled hair and leather jacket, though there's something familiar about the easy way he holds himself, how he manages to look taller than everyone even while slouching, in the way he distributes his standing weight into only one of his legs and has a hand carelessly stuffed into the pocket of his artfully tattered jeans.
A few seconds after Shen Wei’s arrival, the dart stops spinning between his fingers.
"I've heard a lot about you, and now I finally get to meet you, huh," he says.
That voice stops Shen Wei's breath in his lungs.
"Greetings to the Lord Black-Cloaked Envoy. I'm the new SID Chief, Zhao Yunlan."
He turns around, and Shen Wei's heart seems to stop beating for an eternity before beating furiously within the cage of his ribs.
The sparkling eyes, the roguish half-smile, even the white stick of the lollipop between full lips – Shen Wei is overwhelmed by only one thought as he takes in the man before him. Behind the mask, his eyes are wide and his face is pale.
Kunlun.
It’s Lord Kunlun.
"If one day I leave without saying goodbye, don't blame me. You only need to know, we will surely meet again."
Those words, said by a man who looks at him with a strong emotion within his eyes, though they had met only once before, to a grim young general who is smiling for the first time in too long, under a starry sky ten thousand years ago – those words echo within Shen Wei's mind. But those two people are gone; one disappearing into a swirling vortex in the sky, one reborn as an Envoy after years of fitful sleep beneath the earth.
Shen Wei does not take a step forward and embrace him, he does not fall to his knees, he does not shake or waver – for, with a terrible sinking feeling, he sees no recognition within Zhao Yunlan's eyes. This man is Kunlun, and yet not Kunlun – and Shen Wei hides his confusion, grip tightening white-knuckled around the handle of his glaive. Ten thousand years later, and they meet again.
Once more, Shen Wei is glad for the protection his mask can offer. He returns to himself, wrapping himself in the cold of his 'Envoy' persona, and realizes that a silence had stretched between Zhao Yunlan's words of greeting and his own scrutiny.
"The new Lord Guardian," he says, and when he speaks, his voice is blessedly even. "Well met." And because he is filled with a curiosity that can distract him, his gaze goes back to the glinting dart in Zhao Yunlan's hand, a question unasked.
Zhao Yunlan's face splits into an easy grin. "You like them?" he asks, fearlessly taking a few steps forward, then lounging against the railing of the roof, holding the dart out for display on his palm. "My new techie came up with them, so we can gift-wrap our criminals nicely for you. They don't always work, apparently – and I’m docking his bonus for that – but some of them do, so they're alright in a pinch. If you have a good arm like I do, at least." He jokingly flexes, winking.
This man does not recognize Shen Wei, yet holds no healthy fear for the Black-Cloaked Envoy, and perhaps he is one of the few people that Shen Wei can forgive for it. On the landing of the stairs, a young man in overalls is covering his face with his hands. Shen Wei bites the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling. Kunlun's irreverent attitude had been a point of consternation with Lord Ma Gui and General Fu You once, too.
But they have the business of justice to attend to. “That man is of the Snake Yashou Clan,” Shen Wei says.
Zhao Yunlan confirms with a nod. “The woman is a Dixingren,” he adds. “I’ll have one of my people call in the Snake Clan Leader to deal with the guy.”
“Very well,” Shen Wei says with approval. “I hope our future of working together will run smoothly,” he finally says after yet another long moment of drinking this not-Kunlun Zhao Yunlan in with his eyes.
“Same here,” says Zhao Yunlan. “Until we meet again, Hei-lao-ge.” He inclines his head in somewhat of a bow, but he winks again when he looks up.
Shen Wei’s jaw is straining with the effort of containing his smile. The previous chiefs had called him only ‘Lord Envoy’ and the like, and he had reciprocated with only ‘Lord Guardian’. But now he must wrack his mind for an address that is suitable for this roguishly grinning man before him. “Until we meet again, Zhao-xiong,” Shen Wei says, the barest hint of a smile escaping his iron grip on the coldness of being ‘the Envoy’.
Zhao Yunlan does not notice that briefest of smiles, but he gives a wave.
When the Black-Cloaked Envoy and the frozen statue of the Dixing woman disappear into the crackling, nebulous portal of dark energy to whatever corner of Dixing, and the slowly thawing Yashou man is being carted away to Zhu Hong’s fourth uncle, Zhao Yunlan sinks down to sit down on the stirs with a shaky sigh. “Well, that took a few years off my life,” he says lightly, taking the lollipop out of his mouth with an emphatic motion and slight ‘pop’.
Da Qing nestles up to him. “You are crazy, you know that?”
“Am not,” Zhao Yunlan says, but shudders. “He looks like the kind of guy that if you don’t fear but respect him, he’ll like you. Besides, if we have to work together, it’s best to be friendly.”
“Like you? The Envoy doesn’t like people. You were flirting with him – I’m surprised he didn’t try to smite you there and then,” Da Qing splutters. “See? Crazy. I called it first.”
Zhao Yunlan shudders again. “Although, the way he was staring at me… I thought he might be thinking about eating me or something.”
“That would probably be bad for diplomacy,” Da Qing says thoughtfully, and it’s at times like this that Zhao Yunlan remembers that he is just as much cat as he is human. “But who knows. Be careful not to piss him off.”
“It was an exaggeration. A joke.” Zhao Yunlan smacks him. “I’ll get used to it. It’s the mask, that’s what it is – it just puts people off. Probably why he wears it,” he says, folding his arms behind his head and leaning back more comfortably. He grins a little, rolling the lollipop over in his mouth. “Besides, he called me ‘Zhao-xiong’ back.”
Thank you for reading - my writing skill is as yet lacking, but I hope that my attempt could raise more questions within the fandom.
Wishing everyone good health and an enjoyable day.
no subject
Date: 2019-01-17 02:23 am (UTC)I have a lot of questions about the handover between Xin Ci and Yunlan, too. It's always shocked me that Yunlan followed in his father's footsteps, given their fraught relationship. Of course, since he had watched his mother die, I can understand why he would want to prevent that kind of incident from happening. I wonder, how much did Yunlan hold the same grudges as his father? There are certain character beats from the drama that don't match up to me, and this is one of those things. I love it too, for being a drama-specific conundrum.
Have you considered linking this fic on
no subject
Date: 2019-01-17 05:20 am (UTC)I would think that Shen Wei had met Zhao Yunlan as the Black-Cloaked Envoy before the Li Qian case (since they are almost literally co-workers, keeping the peace between the two worlds) - but the reason he was very shaken upon meeting Zhao Yunlan under his professorly guise was because of the barrier that suddenly ceased to exist between them. The absence of a mask that can hide his reaction, coming into physical contact for the first time, speaking of things other than business - I would think that is why Shen Wei was so flustered upon their 'first meeting' on campus that day.
As to the handover between Zhao Xinci and Zhao Yunlan, I am still trying to work out a canon there as well. I agree with your idea, and have similar questions.
In fact, I want to write about detailing the internal affairs and politics of both the Haixing Ministry and the Dixing Court. I feel like Guardian's Science Fiction aspects weren't played up enough, and I want to write something using that also.
Thank you for your advice - I will definitely follow it. To be perfectly honest, I have no idea how to 'link' this, but I will surely do my best to try to figure it out. I just looked up AO3 - and unfortunately I do not have an Archive of Our Own account, but I am currently on the waiting list for one. I thank you for your compliments on my writing - I was truly debating on whether to share it or not, but my curiosity for interaction won over my embarrassment. Since my first language is not English, I am very self-conscious of when I speak or write because I constantly second-guess myself (especially while typing).
Please let me thank you again for your support - it is owed greatly to you that I have begun contributing to the Guardian fandom.
no subject
Date: 2019-01-18 02:36 am (UTC)I love everything you've contributed so far - whether it's this fic or even just the discussions and comments on the Drama vs Novel post. It's always so insightful. I really like the idea that Shen Wei and Yunlan had met as Black Claoked Envoy and Chief, and it was the lack of robe and mask that shocked Shen Wei that first episode.
AO3 is where most of the fics go in fandom - usually I post mine there too, after I spend a little longer editing it. I will asmit I don't edit as much posting to Dreamwidth because I think of it as a personal journal for my thoughts, so usually I post something on it immediately after writing, then take longer to edit and change things before posting to AO3.
I hope you continue feeling comfortable enough to share your content with the fandom!
no subject
Date: 2019-01-18 03:47 am (UTC)I think I will continue to contribute, seeing as it sparks new routes of conversation with like-minded people interested in the same thing.
After your recommendation, I have begun to peruse the Archive, and I am very happy to have found many stories that I like, written by very skilled people. Once my account is given to me, I will be glad to use it (though, perhaps, it will be another exercise in technological ineptitude and severe embarrassment as well).
Thank you again, and please have a good day today.
no subject
Date: 2019-01-18 01:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-01-22 05:59 am (UTC)I speak fluently Chinese, Russian, Korean, and then English, in that order. Though I am learning other languages, such as a smattering of academic Latin and a pathetic amount of Japanese. What languages do you speak?
Writing in English is actually quite fun, though the results can be less so - repaired somewhat by rigorous editing. Thank you for your support, and I hope that your English will improve well. This time of instant communication and connection is a beautiful one - if one wishes to learn something, the only barriers to get around are the technical aspects of a computer. (And even phones! it's both fascinating, frustrating, and little exhilarating.)
I apologize for the late reply, and hope you have a good day.
no subject
Date: 2019-01-17 07:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-01-17 08:28 pm (UTC)Have a good day.
no subject
Date: 2019-01-20 04:34 pm (UTC)I love Shen Wei's reaction, frozen and unable to make sense of things. And Zhao Yunlan seeming so flirty but being actually scared and just not showing it. (So very Yunlan!)
I also think that Shen Wei's surprise at their meeting later makes sense because he doesn't have his mask and he has to touch him. That doesn't necessarily mean it was their first meeting - just the first one where he had to get really close.
p.s.: If you still don't have an ao3-account, I have invites lying around, I can give you one.
no subject
Date: 2019-01-22 08:07 am (UTC)After longing for a certain person for a time almost incomprehensible to most human minds, he finally sees the object of his affection, or someone who seems so greatly like him that he is indistinguishable. And yet seems not to remember. I am glad you liked my interpretation. Zhao Yunlan's reaction on the opposite side holds absolutely none of the feelings that Shen Wei does, and I am glad I was able to catch an aspect of his character (since he seems to do a lot of bluffing, and often his confidence hides a lot of weariness and desperation).
I am also glad that you agree with me on that point.
As of the reply of this message, I have just established and more-or-less learned how to use my Archive of Our Own account and have posted the story there:
https://archiveofourown.org/works/17507372
Thank you for your kind offer, though it is no longer necessary. I really appreciate that thought. Please have an excellent day.
no subject
Date: 2019-01-25 07:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-02-03 01:31 am (UTC)I always wondered about this, and wanted to see it written. I took matters into my own hands this time.
My Ao3 account is: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lord_Black_Cloak/pseuds/Lord_Black_Cloak
I'm flattered that you want to bookmark it. Have a good day.
no subject
Date: 2019-02-03 03:09 pm (UTC)