Work Text:
“General Wen, your incisive battle strategy has delivered you another victory!”
“General Wen, your victories are unassailable. No one has ever been greater.”
“Sect Leader Wen, your sect awaits you.”
“Sect Leader Wen, we have been looking at potential wives for you. Please read through the list and tell us if any of the women are displeasing to you.”
“Sect Leader Wen, this marriage will strengthen your rule for eternity.”
“Sect Leader Wen-”
“Sect Leader Wen-”
“Sect Leader Wen-”
No. This was not who Wen Qing was.
This was not the life that Wen Qing wanted for herself.
Her self.
Wen Qing, Sect Leader, was not a man.
Despite what everyone around her wanted her to believe.
The position was too tenuous as it was. Wen Qing would never have been United behind as a woman . Only the presence of her dick allowed Wen Qing any authority here.
Her brother might have been able to be a figurehead, but he could not have rallied an army the way that Wen Qing had. No, Wen Ning had his place- leading the archery units in Wen Qing’s army.
Conquest was all but assured. Wen Ruohan’s army had been decimated, and even his most loyal followers had long since sensed the turning of the tides and joined Wen Qing’s side.
And all the while, none of them knew that they had pledged allegiance to a woman.
The wedding of Wen Qing was planned to celebrate the ultimate victory of Wen Qing, and his her instalment as the head of the Wen Sect.
No one knew the truth, and no one ever would.
Wen Qing had once walked the streets of a market dressed as a woman. People had called her Miss and had targeted her as a woman. Nothing had felt more right.
But Wen Qing knew what was at stake here. She could not say anything. To speak was to ask for ruin. All of the sacrifices of hers and her people would be for nothing, if people knew the truth.
Wen Qing wondered how she could hide it from her wife.
The bedroom had been the only place where Wen Qing could be who she truly was. No one was foolish enough to interrupt Wen Wing while she was there- she had seen to it that she got a reputation to be left alone.
No bed warmers, no visitors.
That could not continue with a wife. There would be certain expectations of Wen Qing that she was not sure that she wanted.
The world was not kind to those who chose to be different.
Wen Qing had never met the woman who was to become her wife. The match was made on paper. The woman would bring the loyalty of another sect- one that was powerful enough to be respected, but not powerful enough to overthrow Wen Qing.
Of course, once the woman found out about Wen Qing, she would have all of the leverage, and would be allowed to name her price.
As much as Wen Qing would like to be her real self in the world, she did not have a choice.
Her brother had been nothing but supportive. He had started calling her jie jie in private, and using female pronouns around her. He had even said that he would step up, if she chose to live her life the way that she wanted to.
“ None of us get to choose the life that we lead,” Wen Qing had said, “ but I would always choose to have you as my brother.”
The simple fact was that life would become immeasurably harder for Wen Qing if she were to present herself to the world as a woman. No one would listen to her as a leader anymore. No one would pay her a second glance. She would be relegated to being someone’s wife, of no other use but being a baby machine.
Which even that was not a possibility for her.
Wen Qing really had no choice. For everything to have been worth it, Wen Qing could not give this up.
Wen Qing would not be able to live as a woman until she had secured her Sect. That required an heir. Perhaps Wen Qing could manage to impregnate her wife- if it was for the sake of her family, then she could do that.
There was no reason for Wen Qing’s wife to know the truth. They could have a perfectly good marriage without talking to each other- Wen Qing had seen enough of those to know that this was normal.
Today was the wedding ceremony- someone had decided that a full pageant would be best, showcasing the might of the sect.
Look at the mighty Wen Sect- holding a lavish wedding ceremony, they must be the victors!
Or some such nonsense- Wen Qing had stopped listening after a while.
Wen qing had been offered attendants, but she had turned them all away, instead only allowing her brother to help her to get ready. Wen Ning had always been good with his hands, and he had always enjoyed brushing out Wen Qing’s hair.
Today, Wen Ning had arranged Wen Qing’s hair in a traditional bridal hairstyle. This was just to see, not to wear- Wen Ning had called it his wedding gift to his sister. Wen Qing had taken one look in the mirror and had seen herself for what felt like the first time since that day in the markets.
“My jie jie is the prettiest bride in all the world,” Wen Ning said as he began to take the myriad pins out of Wen Qing’s hair. “Just say the world, and I will be there.”
“Thank you,” Wen Qing said, giving her brother a smile in the mirror. “What would I ever do without you?”
“You would not look half as good on your wedding day,” Wen Ning said, which had the both of them laughing.
“What do you know of my wife?” Wen Qing asked, after some time of silence.
“I have been away with your army for some time now, and my knowledge of the various sects is outdated,” Wen Ning said, shaking his head sadly. “I know nothing, other than that she is said to be a beauty of the highest order, and that she is kind.”
“I suppose kindness is a good thing in a wife,” Wen Qing said, looking at the hairpin that Wen Ning placed in her hair. “I am not sure about the beauty side of things.”
“The world has made you the leader of a great sect,” Wen Ning said, standing back and helping Wen Qing to stand up. “It would not dare to give you a less than perfect wife.”
“We can only hope,” Wen Qing said, giving Wen Ning a small smile before taking a steadying breath. “Alright then. Into my wedding attire, and then to meet my wife.”
Wen Ning is right- why would the world allow me so many victories, only to snatch them away so easily?