As madam Yu started shouting, Wangji understands that's it's not an ideal situation to say anything, as everyone is against Weiying, but somehow his heart is saying something different, he doesn't have any answers.
He is so disappointed in himself, and angry at... He has no idea he should be angry at weiying, who's not telling him the truth, or Jiang's who's screeming in the main hall, or at himself for his helplessness, having nothing left to say, he's somehow emotionally broken down from within.
Even though he always lives like a sadhu there's no love in his life, but he does expect a few things from his marriage too, deep down he knows how much he loves kids, how much he cherished a happy, loving and understanding family, which he never gets, he does crave for it, though he never showed, but all he had is his brother. His uncle does raise both of them, but never been emotionally attached to them, he's more like a teacher than a father figure in his life.
Letting all his feelings aside, he composed himself and look at his brother, who's trying to get the situation under control, yeah it's not difficult for his brother to understand that Wangji lies to everyone about Weiying situation, he concluded that there must be something serious hidden behind it.
'Sect leader Jiang and land Jiang, we do understand your worries, we all are going through the same difficulty, it's hard for everybody, we don't know where is your daughter is, but I do know she's safe, wherever she is, but I'm sure we all will able to know where's she very soon. I think it's best if we let Wangji to talk with him, it's for the best, as he said that he married Wangji on his own will or some purpose, I think he may tell Wangji the truth.' Lan Xichen said this with seriousness on his face.
'I think, I know how to make him speak' and as these words had been said everyone turn their faces towards the speaker, 'I do believe that punishment is the best solution for this problem' one of the elder of the Lan clan said this. Qiren stroke his beard and said 'you're right, of he's not punished, he's not gonna speak, but as we look through the situation can't beat him anymore or he will die before he opened his mouth to speak.'
'Let's give him the punishment we all decided for him earlier, I'm sure it will break him down and force him to open his mouth' said an elder of the clan.
As Madam Yu's shouts echoed through the hall, Wangji felt the weight of the situation press down on him. It was clear that everyone was against Weiying, yet his heart whispered something different. Conflicted, he grappled with feelings of disappointment in himself and anger at those around him—should he be angry at Weiying for withholding the truth, at the Jiangs for their outbursts, or at himself for feeling so helpless? Emotionally broken, he felt like a sadhu, devoid of love yet yearning for a family he had never truly known.
He composed himself and glanced at his brother, Lan Xichen, who was striving to restore order. Wangji knew Xichen could see through his façade; he had lied about Weiying's condition, and it was evident that something serious lay beneath the surface.
"Sect Leader Jiang and Lan Jiang," Xichen began, his voice steady but compassionate. "We understand your worries. We're all facing this difficulty together. We don't know where your daughter is, but I believe she is safe wherever she may be. I think it's best if we let Wangji speak with him; if he claims to have married him willingly, perhaps he will reveal the truth."
Just then, an elder of the Lan Clan spoke up. "I believe punishment is the best way to make him speak."
Lan Qiran stroked his beard thoughtfully. "You're right; if he isn't punished, he won't talk. But we can't beat him anymore or he'll die before we get any answers."
"Let's proceed with the punishment we decided earlier," another elder suggested. "It will break him down and force him to open his mouth."
Wangji's heart sank at the thought of further tormenting Weiying. He felt a surge of protectiveness rise within him, battling against the cold logic of clan traditions. *This isn't right,* he thought, but felt powerless to voice his dissent amidst the clamor of anger and fear surrounding them.
Hearing this Wangji got numb for a movement, he feels dizzy, he can feel the incongruity of the situation cos this happened before, with his own mother... That's something he can't deal once again.
He closed his eyes, he can't breathe remembering the day when he lost his mother, he's scared.
But he needs to maintain the dignity of the second young master of the sect, he can't how this to anyone, not even to his brother, but his brother, he reads him like an open book. So, of course, he can tell through Wangji expression, despite of the fact there's no expression on his face, still he can see through his heart.
On other hand Lan Xichen situation isn't very different from Wangji, he had lost his mother too, but he there's nothing he can do, neither for Wangji nor for Weiying.
Wangji can't see this anymore, he can't stand, his legs are giving up, only he knows how he's standing right now, stopping himself from collapsing in front of everyone.
His mother, he loves her the most, she was so special for him, but what do a few years old can do, to save his mother from an irrational treatment of clan elders.
He was helpless back then, he's still helpless, he can't do anything making him feel nauseous.
While all elders were discussing what they're gonna do with Wei Wuxian next, Wangji was standing there helplessly in his own thoughts.
And now they had finally decided what's Wei Wuxian punishment will be, they all decided to put him in a seclusion, which isn't a normal seclusion, it's worse than the one Wangji's mother went through.
They decided to frame a seclusion where no one is allowed to be involved with Wei Wuxian, no one will be there to help him, no proper food will be provided, where the meal is served just to keep him alive.
He will stay completely disconnected with the outside world, he's not allowed to talk, he's not allowed to grow anything only a limited water supply. Or in other words they're gonna put him in the prison where his situation is gonna be worse than a prisoner.
Wangji was beyond shocked after hearing this, he knows they will completely cut down his connections from outside, but he never thought that his clan is so cruel to not give an enough food to a person.
But as he can't do anything, he just simply steps outside the hall and walk towards Jingshi with a heavy heart.
As Wangji can't do anything in this, he decides that it's best to ignore it, if he can't change anything, and Weiying does wrong no matter what the reason is, but now Wangji can't get married to anyone as per his clan tradition they only marry once in their lives, he's not gonna have a life he imagined deep down in his heart, cos of Weiying he thought, with that thought, he sits in the Lotus position and started meditating.
Though it's quite hard for him to concentrate with the thoughts enveloping his mind.
Hearing the elders discuss Weiying's punishment, Wangji felt a wave of numbness wash over him. The situation felt eerily familiar, reminiscent of the day he lost his mother—a memory that haunted him. He closed his eyes, struggling to breathe as the pain of that loss resurfaced. The fear of reliving such trauma gripped him, but he had to maintain the dignity expected of the second young master of the sect. No one could see his turmoil, except his brother, yet Xichen could read him like an open book.
On the other hand, Xichen shared Wangji's pain; he too had lost their mother. But he felt powerless to help either Wangji or Weiying.
Wangji stood there, legs trembling as he fought to remain upright, feeling as if he might collapse at any moment. His mother had meant everything to him—she was special, a beacon of love in his life. As a child, he had been helpless against the irrational decisions of clan elders, and now that helplessness returned, leaving him nauseous.
While the elders debated Weiying's fate, Wangji was lost in his thoughts. Finally, they decided on a form of seclusion that was far worse than anything he could have imagined—one that would cut Weiying off entirely from the outside world. He would receive minimal food and water, just enough to keep him alive, and no one would be allowed to interact with him. It was a prison disguised as punishment.
Wangji was shocked by their cruelty; he had never thought his clan could be so heartless. Unable to bear it any longer, he stepped outside the hall and walked toward the Jingshi with a heavy heart.
Feeling powerless to change anything, Wangji tried to push aside his emotions. He knew Weiying had made mistakes—no matter the reasons—but now he felt trapped in a marriage that would never allow him the life he had envisioned for himself. With this weight on his heart, he settled into a lotus position and began to meditate.
Yet concentration eluded him as thoughts of Weiying swirled in his mind, each one a reminder of the bond they shared and the pain that now threatened to sever it forever.