Alarmed out of his calm by the word wife, his frown deepens across the table the longer Jin Guangyao talks ... as is the way when he visits, usually. Of course. This is a step nastier than last time, though.

"You are held here," he softly states with none the less sternness for a lack of volume, "because you have hurt so many people, that is all. It is not my wish to have you within all the breadth of Gusu, let alone Cloud Recesses."

Heat stings behind his eyes, blinked away slowly as a muscle works in his jaw. In no time at all since arriving, Xichen feels ill and off-kilter.

"Don't speak like a madman when you are not one."

Which makes it worse.