"To give a full account, not to be locked in a dungeon," Lan Zhan says, but his words sound tired even when they're in his mouth. He spoke the truth then, and the truth of the same now. "Not to hurt. Not to punish. To help, to heal. To stop further damage, mend what can be mended."

Why can't he see what this is doing to him? Surely he must know he's a temple with a single pillar now --- if he falls (and he will fall) he'll bring it all down on the Wens who depend on him too.