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[Huaisang lifts up for a moment at that, precisely the opposite reaction from what Jiang Cheng had pleaded for, and gives him a coy arch of brow, because right now he's focused on applying his best blow job skills and it's the least teasing he's been all evening.]
Sorry, Jiang-xiong. [He's not. He is the opposite of sorry. He is a unrepentant menace with wickedly promising eyes.] I should be giving you what I promised. [His motions are maddeningly slow as he picks up another piece of ice and places it to his lips, sucking it between them so that it disappears into his mouth. Grinning cheerfully up at his lover, he then promptly sucks him back down, bobbing his head swiftly with the ice in his cheek, searing a path down one side of Jiang Cheng's cock while heated lips and tongue embrace him on all other sides.]
Sorry, Jiang-xiong. [He's not. He is the opposite of sorry. He is a unrepentant menace with wickedly promising eyes.] I should be giving you what I promised. [His motions are maddeningly slow as he picks up another piece of ice and places it to his lips, sucking it between them so that it disappears into his mouth. Grinning cheerfully up at his lover, he then promptly sucks him back down, bobbing his head swiftly with the ice in his cheek, searing a path down one side of Jiang Cheng's cock while heated lips and tongue embrace him on all other sides.]
There was a pause as he considered Huaisang's words before he nodded. These were things that he never would have considered on his own. He had just assumed that it would be easy to find someone to agree to be mistress of Lotus Pier without having to go through all this trouble.
"That would be fine."
There was another pause as something occurred to him.
"How do you know so much about all this anyway?" He knew the rumors that were told about the other man though he had never been one to listen to idle gossip. Huaisang was unmarried though and never showed any interest in changing that.
"That would be fine."
There was another pause as something occurred to him.
"How do you know so much about all this anyway?" He knew the rumors that were told about the other man though he had never been one to listen to idle gossip. Huaisang was unmarried though and never showed any interest in changing that.
There was very little torture in the Nie Sect dungeons, and no neglect. Prisoners were given a blanket and a bit of straw to lay on, two bland meals a day, and--once a week--a bucket and a grimy cake of soap. The dungeons were dry and mostly free of pests, and though the temperature was not comfortable, it was insulated enough by the rock walls so that it was merely chilly year round.
Three weeks ago, Wang Lingjiao had been left in Nie Sect custody. Two weeks ago, the sun had been shot down. Since then, the remainders of the sect had been gathered up and the sect leaders had been busying themselves with courtesy and politics, while Nie Huaisang went on quietly maintaining the bureaucratic affairs of Qinghe in his brother's absence.
No one had come to ask for Wang Lingjiao. Nie Huaisang suspected that she'd been completely forgotten. The other members of the Wen Sect had been killed or conscripted into labor, from what Huaisang understood of the situation, and it would be reasonable enough for him to turn her over, but... to what authority, really? Jin Guangshan kept making power plays, but there was no real reason why the Jin Sect alone should be the arbiters of justice. Wang Lingjiao was in the custody of a major sect and could reasonably be subject to their justice. She'd wronged the Jiang Sect most, and it was possible that Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian would find some solace in her harsh execution, but they were busy with grief and reconstruction. Huaisang saw little benefit in reopening that particular wound. And yet, if the Nie Sect kept her and did not kill her, Huaisang had no idea at all what he would do with her.
He had no plan, and yet he loathed the principle of leaving people to languish indefinitely in a dungeon. If no purpose could be found for her, then he'd bring her existence back to the attention of his brother, and she could be executed or maimed and exiled as he saw fit.
It was early for Wang Lingjiao's weekly bucket and soap, and those were usually brought at mealtime. Today, however, the hatch in her door was opened and a Nie Sect retainer pushed through a bucket, soap, and ... then a clean bundle of clothing. There was not a word of explanation provided, no matter how she might ask. Discipline was unyielding in the Nie Sect. Wang Lingjiao would have found no guards at all able to be swayed by pleas, promises, threats, melodramatics, or even performances of weakness or injury.
The clothing was plain, gray, drab clothing, the apparel of the lowest of Nie Sect servants. Once an hour after the initial delivery, the hatch would open again. Whenever she was found to be wearing the new clothing--whether at once or after a matter of hours--the door would open, and she would be escorted up into the sunlit halls of Qinghe. There was still no explanation, no fanfare, only the escort of unyielding guards. If she chose to fight and quarrel, she would be dragged back to her cell, and the whole procedure would begin again after another week of silence.
Only once Wang Lingjiao would walk in relative cooperation between her guards would she be brought to a quiet reception hall. There was no pageantry on the halls, no court or ministers in attendance. It was an empty room whose entire purpose was to be purposeless. Matters conducted here had none of the authority of the great hall, the Sect Leader's study, the bureaucratic offices. It was an anonymous parlor, just a little dusty. At the far end, easy to overlook, was a young man curled up in a chair, looking all the younger for the way that he lounged with one leg up over the arm of the chair and the other tucked beneath him. He had a book open in his lap, and looked for all the world like an underclerk sneaking away from duties or studies in order to hide in a room where he would be unlikely to be noticed. The only thing to tell the lie of this was the way that the guards stopped at the entrance to the room, leaving her to choose her own course of approach to the young man with his book. He didn't even seem to have noticed that anyone had entered.
Three weeks ago, Wang Lingjiao had been left in Nie Sect custody. Two weeks ago, the sun had been shot down. Since then, the remainders of the sect had been gathered up and the sect leaders had been busying themselves with courtesy and politics, while Nie Huaisang went on quietly maintaining the bureaucratic affairs of Qinghe in his brother's absence.
No one had come to ask for Wang Lingjiao. Nie Huaisang suspected that she'd been completely forgotten. The other members of the Wen Sect had been killed or conscripted into labor, from what Huaisang understood of the situation, and it would be reasonable enough for him to turn her over, but... to what authority, really? Jin Guangshan kept making power plays, but there was no real reason why the Jin Sect alone should be the arbiters of justice. Wang Lingjiao was in the custody of a major sect and could reasonably be subject to their justice. She'd wronged the Jiang Sect most, and it was possible that Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian would find some solace in her harsh execution, but they were busy with grief and reconstruction. Huaisang saw little benefit in reopening that particular wound. And yet, if the Nie Sect kept her and did not kill her, Huaisang had no idea at all what he would do with her.
He had no plan, and yet he loathed the principle of leaving people to languish indefinitely in a dungeon. If no purpose could be found for her, then he'd bring her existence back to the attention of his brother, and she could be executed or maimed and exiled as he saw fit.
It was early for Wang Lingjiao's weekly bucket and soap, and those were usually brought at mealtime. Today, however, the hatch in her door was opened and a Nie Sect retainer pushed through a bucket, soap, and ... then a clean bundle of clothing. There was not a word of explanation provided, no matter how she might ask. Discipline was unyielding in the Nie Sect. Wang Lingjiao would have found no guards at all able to be swayed by pleas, promises, threats, melodramatics, or even performances of weakness or injury.
The clothing was plain, gray, drab clothing, the apparel of the lowest of Nie Sect servants. Once an hour after the initial delivery, the hatch would open again. Whenever she was found to be wearing the new clothing--whether at once or after a matter of hours--the door would open, and she would be escorted up into the sunlit halls of Qinghe. There was still no explanation, no fanfare, only the escort of unyielding guards. If she chose to fight and quarrel, she would be dragged back to her cell, and the whole procedure would begin again after another week of silence.
Only once Wang Lingjiao would walk in relative cooperation between her guards would she be brought to a quiet reception hall. There was no pageantry on the halls, no court or ministers in attendance. It was an empty room whose entire purpose was to be purposeless. Matters conducted here had none of the authority of the great hall, the Sect Leader's study, the bureaucratic offices. It was an anonymous parlor, just a little dusty. At the far end, easy to overlook, was a young man curled up in a chair, looking all the younger for the way that he lounged with one leg up over the arm of the chair and the other tucked beneath him. He had a book open in his lap, and looked for all the world like an underclerk sneaking away from duties or studies in order to hide in a room where he would be unlikely to be noticed. The only thing to tell the lie of this was the way that the guards stopped at the entrance to the room, leaving her to choose her own course of approach to the young man with his book. He didn't even seem to have noticed that anyone had entered.
"Mm, try that again, Jiang-xiong," Huaisang gives him an amused and encouraging little smile, nudging him to do it over. "If it's just fine, then it sounds like it's an ordeal you're only enduring because you must. No one wants to feel like their husband considers them an ordeal. Try to say instead how you look forward to being able to share your favorite places with me, or that you will enjoy spending more time in my company. I want to feel like my presence brings you pleasure."
Further amused at the question, Huaisang glances away coyly. "You know that I've always had an interest in... romantic literature." That's putting it mildly. "And I hear plenty of gossip about everyone's romances. Perhaps you aren't aware, but I have a reputation for giving excellent advice with matters of the heart. You may ask anyone."
Further amused at the question, Huaisang glances away coyly. "You know that I've always had an interest in... romantic literature." That's putting it mildly. "And I hear plenty of gossip about everyone's romances. Perhaps you aren't aware, but I have a reputation for giving excellent advice with matters of the heart. You may ask anyone."
Ever since she first came to the Nightless City, Wang Lingjiao’s life had been one of success after success. Making maid of Wen Chao’s wife had been a great success for a girl of her standing and becoming his mistress had been the greatest height she could dream of, lifting her high above all other servants. Her family had been allowed to form their own sect thanks to her connections and if that wasn’t far more than all these other people who sneered at her for being a mistress could say for themselves and their pathetic little selves and their pathetic little lives.
Deep down, she had always known that Wen Chao would eventually tire of her as he had tired of all his previous mistresses and she had been vicious in her fight to keep the status she had fought so hard for, but even in her glummest moments, she had never thought it would end like this. It was such a letdown after everything her life had been. She didn’t even get a noteworthy death, nothing to ensure her name would be remembered, and she certainly didn’t get to walk away with wealth and privileges as you might if you were clever during your time as mistress.
She still remembered the day she had been taken prisoner; she had expected to be killed on the spot but inside she had been carted off to Qinghe to die of boredom in the most uninteresting cell she had ever seen. It figured the Qishan Nie would be too terribly boring even to make interesting jailers. She had spent days upon days yelling until her throat was hoarse, shouting obscenities and offering bribes, making empty promises and at one point, begging to be tortured simply because she didn’t think it could hurt more than the utter indifference with which she was treated.
On the day Wang Lingjiao first moved to Nightless City, she had promised herself she would become someone who mattered and now, as she slowly rotted away in her pathetic cell, she found herself right back where she had started out.
She cried. There were angry tears and sad tears, and a whole lot of self-pitying tears.
For a while, she remained convinced Qishan Wen would win the war; she spent some very fine days ranting and raving at her jailers about all the gruesome things she would see done to them once she was free and they locked away. They still didn’t react and eventually, she had to admit to herself that there was only one explanation why the Unclean Realm never fell, and didn’t even seem embattled at all.
When the clothes first appeared, it only took her a few hours of furious complaints until she gave in and changed. It took her three more weeks to actually make it to the parlor. The first week she tried to escape, the second week she threw a tantrum when her demand for explanations weren’t heeded and the third… well, the first was some of column A and some of column B, really.
On the day she finally made it to the parlor, she stopped barely having crossed the threshold, utterly outraged by the sight of the nothing for which she had been forced through so much trouble. The man curled up in the chair barely held her attention at all, his surroundings and his own demeanor all spoke of him being someone unimportant and thus, he was clearly beneath her notice. A terrible imposition on her valuable time, really.
“That’s it?!” she demanded, her voice shrill and demanding with outrage even by her standards. “You force me into these ugly rags your Sect calls clothes and then I’m sent to talk to a servant?” It had to be a servant, she figured, nobody respectable would hold court in such a drab room that didn’t even speak of his importance.
She stepped further into the room, head held high with the same arrogance she had been known for among the Qishan Wen. They could force her into ugly servant’s clothes and throw her away in the deepest cell but she wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of acting the part. You had to constantly remind people you were important, it was the only way to be treated as important.
“You, boy!” she said, snapping her fingers. “I’m talking to you!”
Deep down, she had always known that Wen Chao would eventually tire of her as he had tired of all his previous mistresses and she had been vicious in her fight to keep the status she had fought so hard for, but even in her glummest moments, she had never thought it would end like this. It was such a letdown after everything her life had been. She didn’t even get a noteworthy death, nothing to ensure her name would be remembered, and she certainly didn’t get to walk away with wealth and privileges as you might if you were clever during your time as mistress.
She still remembered the day she had been taken prisoner; she had expected to be killed on the spot but inside she had been carted off to Qinghe to die of boredom in the most uninteresting cell she had ever seen. It figured the Qishan Nie would be too terribly boring even to make interesting jailers. She had spent days upon days yelling until her throat was hoarse, shouting obscenities and offering bribes, making empty promises and at one point, begging to be tortured simply because she didn’t think it could hurt more than the utter indifference with which she was treated.
On the day Wang Lingjiao first moved to Nightless City, she had promised herself she would become someone who mattered and now, as she slowly rotted away in her pathetic cell, she found herself right back where she had started out.
She cried. There were angry tears and sad tears, and a whole lot of self-pitying tears.
For a while, she remained convinced Qishan Wen would win the war; she spent some very fine days ranting and raving at her jailers about all the gruesome things she would see done to them once she was free and they locked away. They still didn’t react and eventually, she had to admit to herself that there was only one explanation why the Unclean Realm never fell, and didn’t even seem embattled at all.
When the clothes first appeared, it only took her a few hours of furious complaints until she gave in and changed. It took her three more weeks to actually make it to the parlor. The first week she tried to escape, the second week she threw a tantrum when her demand for explanations weren’t heeded and the third… well, the first was some of column A and some of column B, really.
On the day she finally made it to the parlor, she stopped barely having crossed the threshold, utterly outraged by the sight of the nothing for which she had been forced through so much trouble. The man curled up in the chair barely held her attention at all, his surroundings and his own demeanor all spoke of him being someone unimportant and thus, he was clearly beneath her notice. A terrible imposition on her valuable time, really.
“That’s it?!” she demanded, her voice shrill and demanding with outrage even by her standards. “You force me into these ugly rags your Sect calls clothes and then I’m sent to talk to a servant?” It had to be a servant, she figured, nobody respectable would hold court in such a drab room that didn’t even speak of his importance.
She stepped further into the room, head held high with the same arrogance she had been known for among the Qishan Wen. They could force her into ugly servant’s clothes and throw her away in the deepest cell but she wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of acting the part. You had to constantly remind people you were important, it was the only way to be treated as important.
“You, boy!” she said, snapping her fingers. “I’m talking to you!”
Huaisang lifted his head in innocent confusion as Wang Lingjiao spoke to him as though she was still a high-ranking mistress. That month and a half in the dungeon clearly hadn't made much of an impact on her attitude. He shut his book, slipping it into his sleeve and replacing it with his fan, which he opened between them as a courteous defensive wall. "Me?"
It was no surprise that she didn't recognize him. They'd been in the same location more than once, but they'd never had a reason to interact.
He sat up straight, eyes wide and scared under the force of her temper, hiding behind his fan. "Ah, Wang Lingjiao..." he started, gentle and pacifying, lowering his fan just enough to give her a pleading, placating look.
It was no surprise that she didn't recognize him. They'd been in the same location more than once, but they'd never had a reason to interact.
He sat up straight, eyes wide and scared under the force of her temper, hiding behind his fan. "Ah, Wang Lingjiao..." he started, gentle and pacifying, lowering his fan just enough to give her a pleading, placating look.
"Romantic literature isn't the same as real life." At least, that's what he assumed. He never would have described his parent's marriage as romantic. His mother had been strict and unyielding, never sparing his father from her sharp tongue. But his mother was the strongest person he knew, aside from his father. Huaisang was showing him a part of marriage he had never seen before.
He tried not to flush as he tried to find the words. He was determined to get this right even if it was difficult and he found it a struggle. "It..it would be a pleasure if you join- joined me out in Yungmeng- " He took a moment to find the right words. "- or dine with me privately."
There, he tried.
He tried not to flush as he tried to find the words. He was determined to get this right even if it was difficult and he found it a struggle. "It..it would be a pleasure if you join- joined me out in Yungmeng- " He took a moment to find the right words. "- or dine with me privately."
There, he tried.
Huaisang grins happily at the stammered words. They might not be elegant, but they were heartfelt, and that was what mattered. "Well done."
Jiang Cheng deserved a reward for that effort. Lifting briefly onto his tiptoes, Huaisang kissed his friend's cheek, warm breath tickling for a moment against the skin before he drew away. "I'd like that very much. You don't have to change tonight's arrangements at all. I do not wish to inconvenience anyone. But tomorrow it would be pleasant to try some of those other possibilities."
Jiang Cheng deserved a reward for that effort. Lifting briefly onto his tiptoes, Huaisang kissed his friend's cheek, warm breath tickling for a moment against the skin before he drew away. "I'd like that very much. You don't have to change tonight's arrangements at all. I do not wish to inconvenience anyone. But tomorrow it would be pleasant to try some of those other possibilities."
He managed a little smile at the compliment. Maybe this wasn't entirely hopeless though he knew he had a way to go. At least Huaisang was being patient with him.
"Perhaps tomorrow night we can have dinner in Yungmeng," he suggested. He flushed a bit when his friend kissed him on the cheek but he didn't pull away. When they reached the guest quarters, he pulled away slowly. "I'll see you shortly. If there is anything you require, let me know."
"Perhaps tomorrow night we can have dinner in Yungmeng," he suggested. He flushed a bit when his friend kissed him on the cheek but he didn't pull away. When they reached the guest quarters, he pulled away slowly. "I'll see you shortly. If there is anything you require, let me know."
Huaisang nodded as he pulled away, giving Jiang Cheng a slight bow and a playful smile that seemed to belie it. "Thank you, Sect Leader Jiang. I look forward to dinner."
He slipped into the guest quarters, glancing back once over his shoulder with a smile before disappearing.
Changing into relatively informal robes--a mere three layers of soft gray silk--Huaisang fussed over his appearance for a few minutes, but there was simply nothing else to do. His braids were tight and perfect, and he could not yet risk any flamboyance or informality.
A polite guest and respectable sect leader, Huaisang emerged from his chambers looking slightly softer but still the lofty Sect Leader of Qinghe.
He slipped into the guest quarters, glancing back once over his shoulder with a smile before disappearing.
Changing into relatively informal robes--a mere three layers of soft gray silk--Huaisang fussed over his appearance for a few minutes, but there was simply nothing else to do. His braids were tight and perfect, and he could not yet risk any flamboyance or informality.
A polite guest and respectable sect leader, Huaisang emerged from his chambers looking slightly softer but still the lofty Sect Leader of Qinghe.
"As do I."
He returned the smile with a slight one of his own. It was nice to have the company of an old friend. He paused for a moment as a thought occurred to him.
"Tomorrow we can take dinner in your rooms. And perhaps we can have some drinks, though perhaps not get as drunk as we once did when we were younger." Granted they had gotten into trouble when they had gotten drunk at the Cloud Recesses but that night had been entertaining. He wasn't as young and foolish as he was when they were that young but he would allow himself one night.
He returned the smile with a slight one of his own. It was nice to have the company of an old friend. He paused for a moment as a thought occurred to him.
"Tomorrow we can take dinner in your rooms. And perhaps we can have some drinks, though perhaps not get as drunk as we once did when we were younger." Granted they had gotten into trouble when they had gotten drunk at the Cloud Recesses but that night had been entertaining. He wasn't as young and foolish as he was when they were that young but he would allow himself one night.
Huaisang nodded gladly at the suggestion, eyes lighting up at the prospect of mischief. Perhaps not as drunk, but surely they could get pleasantly drunk enough to get up to some kind of wicked shenanigans. "I'd like that."
He licked his lower lip, sucking on it briefly with delighted anticipation. "I'll see you at dinner, Jiang-xiong."
Winking playfully, he slipped into his rooms.
He licked his lower lip, sucking on it briefly with delighted anticipation. "I'll see you at dinner, Jiang-xiong."
Winking playfully, he slipped into his rooms.
He watched Huaisang vanish into his rooms, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. He turned to head back towards his own quarters. He had some work to handle before the evening but he found it difficult to focus. His thoughts kept drifting back to the whole proposal and what adjustments to his life he would have to make. But it would enable him to finally be able to find a wife and follow in his father's footsteps.
He was a bit late to dinner in the evening, hurrying to the dining hall as soon as he was finished. "I trust you settled in," he said as he entered, waving away the attendants once the food was served.
He was a bit late to dinner in the evening, hurrying to the dining hall as soon as he was finished. "I trust you settled in," he said as he entered, waving away the attendants once the food was served.
In all fairness, she should have recognized him - but Wang Lingjiao had never been in the habit of paying attention she thought beneath her notice, not when she sneered at the hapless heirs while gloating at Wen Chao's side, and certainly not now that she believed herself to be talking to a servant. The thought that anyone of importance could be content to receive guests as important as her in such humble surroundings was preposterous anyway.
She sniffed and straightened, taking heart from how frightened he appeared. As he should. "Well, at least one of you brutes knows when he's in the company of his betters!" she exclaimed and shot the guards a withering look. Then she forced herself to gather her thoughts, she did have something more important to do here than complain, this being her first opportunity to speak to anyone at all.
"I demand an audience with Sect Leader Nie." Her chin rose, fake as her courage may have been. "I expect to discuss the terms of my release."
She sniffed and straightened, taking heart from how frightened he appeared. As he should. "Well, at least one of you brutes knows when he's in the company of his betters!" she exclaimed and shot the guards a withering look. Then she forced herself to gather her thoughts, she did have something more important to do here than complain, this being her first opportunity to speak to anyone at all.
"I demand an audience with Sect Leader Nie." Her chin rose, fake as her courage may have been. "I expect to discuss the terms of my release."
Huaisang was lingering around, toying idly with his fan and wondering how long his friend would make him wait. He smiled at the sight of Jiang Cheng, settling with him to eat. "Yes, thank you, Jiang-xiong."
His place had been set near to Jiang Cheng's, a place of honor with only the two of them in the hall. Huaisang was a little bit amused. Jiang Cheng had gone to the effort to have them dine privately, but the banquet hall was still far too formal for Huaisang's tastes.
Tomorrow, he thought, he would tour around some of the available reception halls and parlors of the Jiang Sect in order to find one appropriate for the Sect Leader to host a small number of honored guests in order to make them feel that they were taken into his confidence. It would be a useful tool in his arsenal, and Huaisang would see to it that he understood how to use such a thing.
Starting to chatter pleasantly as they ate, Huaisang talked about things he'd noticed on his journey. He spoke with praise on new developments of interest in Yunmeng--an inn, a temple, a bridge--and complained with good-natured innocence about inconveniences along the way in order to diplomatically slip them onto Jiang Cheng's radar--a washed-out section of road, a damaged stone array, a bridge support starting to rust. The travelogue of Huaisang's experiences edged a few times into boring territory, except for how his sweet-natured charm made it all exasperatingly amusing. ("I swear the bridge was shaking as we crossed it, one of those bridge supports had rust on it, and it was so high up, I was frightened, I couldn't help clinging a bit to one of my attendants, I might have shrieked once...")
His place had been set near to Jiang Cheng's, a place of honor with only the two of them in the hall. Huaisang was a little bit amused. Jiang Cheng had gone to the effort to have them dine privately, but the banquet hall was still far too formal for Huaisang's tastes.
Tomorrow, he thought, he would tour around some of the available reception halls and parlors of the Jiang Sect in order to find one appropriate for the Sect Leader to host a small number of honored guests in order to make them feel that they were taken into his confidence. It would be a useful tool in his arsenal, and Huaisang would see to it that he understood how to use such a thing.
Starting to chatter pleasantly as they ate, Huaisang talked about things he'd noticed on his journey. He spoke with praise on new developments of interest in Yunmeng--an inn, a temple, a bridge--and complained with good-natured innocence about inconveniences along the way in order to diplomatically slip them onto Jiang Cheng's radar--a washed-out section of road, a damaged stone array, a bridge support starting to rust. The travelogue of Huaisang's experiences edged a few times into boring territory, except for how his sweet-natured charm made it all exasperatingly amusing. ("I swear the bridge was shaking as we crossed it, one of those bridge supports had rust on it, and it was so high up, I was frightened, I couldn't help clinging a bit to one of my attendants, I might have shrieked once...")
Huaisang continued hiding behind his fan, wide-eyed, as she fumed and made her demands.
"But he's not here," Huaisang said, all blinking innocence, as though her demand might have been something to consider if Nie Mingjue were here, as if the reason for her confusion is a total mystery to him. "He's in Jinlin Tai, at a conference."
Cowering in his chair, Huaisang shyly shut his fan and lowered it most of the way toward his lap. "What terms did you have in mind?"
He gazed up at her, earnest, as though she possessed all the information and explanations to be had in this situation and he only existed to accommodate.
"But he's not here," Huaisang said, all blinking innocence, as though her demand might have been something to consider if Nie Mingjue were here, as if the reason for her confusion is a total mystery to him. "He's in Jinlin Tai, at a conference."
Cowering in his chair, Huaisang shyly shut his fan and lowered it most of the way toward his lap. "What terms did you have in mind?"
He gazed up at her, earnest, as though she possessed all the information and explanations to be had in this situation and he only existed to accommodate.
He found himself relaxing during dinner as he listened to Huaisang chat about his journey and his observations in Yunmeng. A smile slowly appeared on his face as Huaisang recounted his trip over the unsteady bridge. He could clearly imagine the other man clinging to one of his attendants with worry.
He let out a short laugh at the end of the story, amused. It was easy to relax in Huaisang's presence, his friend was skilled at entertaining conversation that would be boring coming from anyone else. He made a note about the work that needed to be done to deal with later- it could wait until tomorrow. He hadn't had the chance to have company for dinner like this in a long time.
By the end of the evening when they finished, he felt more relaxed as he finished his last glass of rice wine. "I should retire for the night. I take tea in the pavilion by the lake in the morning before I work for the day if you want to join me."
He let out a short laugh at the end of the story, amused. It was easy to relax in Huaisang's presence, his friend was skilled at entertaining conversation that would be boring coming from anyone else. He made a note about the work that needed to be done to deal with later- it could wait until tomorrow. He hadn't had the chance to have company for dinner like this in a long time.
By the end of the evening when they finished, he felt more relaxed as he finished his last glass of rice wine. "I should retire for the night. I take tea in the pavilion by the lake in the morning before I work for the day if you want to join me."
"That would please me very much." Huaisang rises with a smile, bowing deeply to his friend and host. He steals no extra touches or flirtations this time. There will be plenty of opportunity for that, and the idea is to take things slow. Relatively slow. Huaisang can't wait for their courtship to deepen enough that he can begin suggesting that they practice kissing and other intimacies.
Slipping away, he glances back at the doorway, gaze lingering on Jiang Cheng for a moment before he steps through.
Huaisang has never been a morning person. When one of his attendants rouses him that he should dress if he wishes to take Sect Leader up on his invitation, Huaisang whines and rolls out of bed only with difficulty.
When he turns up at the pavilion, he's wearing a mere three layers--undergarments, inner robes, and outer robes, and his braids are wound in a simple bun rather than his usual elaborate knot.
Eyes bleary with fatigue, Huaisang drops onto the cushion across from his friend and immediately slurms across his side of the table. "Jiang-xiong, do you really always get up this early? How do you function??"
Maybe if he hadn't stayed up late reading erotic poetry, he wouldn't have had so much trouble with the early hour.
Slipping away, he glances back at the doorway, gaze lingering on Jiang Cheng for a moment before he steps through.
Huaisang has never been a morning person. When one of his attendants rouses him that he should dress if he wishes to take Sect Leader up on his invitation, Huaisang whines and rolls out of bed only with difficulty.
When he turns up at the pavilion, he's wearing a mere three layers--undergarments, inner robes, and outer robes, and his braids are wound in a simple bun rather than his usual elaborate knot.
Eyes bleary with fatigue, Huaisang drops onto the cushion across from his friend and immediately slurms across his side of the table. "Jiang-xiong, do you really always get up this early? How do you function??"
Maybe if he hadn't stayed up late reading erotic poetry, he wouldn't have had so much trouble with the early hour.
Jiang Cheng had been getting up early every morning for as long as he could remember. He wanted his father to be proud of him and wanted to prove to him that he was taking his duty as the future sect leader seriously. It hadn't been easy to do as a child when he just wanted to sleep in while in bed with his dogs, especially on cold mornings.
He looked up at Huaisang as he arrived, surprised at his appearance. "I'm used to being up at this hour, I find it peaceful." Lotus Pier was almost silent at this hour, it gave him some time to mentally prepare himself for the day ahead.
A servant came by to silently serve them tea and food before leaving them alone. "You could sleep in tomorrow if you would like."
He looked up at Huaisang as he arrived, surprised at his appearance. "I'm used to being up at this hour, I find it peaceful." Lotus Pier was almost silent at this hour, it gave him some time to mentally prepare himself for the day ahead.
A servant came by to silently serve them tea and food before leaving them alone. "You could sleep in tomorrow if you would like."
"So you're telling me that you had me dragged out of my cell and paraded through the Unclean Realm for nothing but a chat with a lackey?!" she blurted out, aghast. Well, at least this servant acknowledged her innate superiority. That was something. Not much, but more than she had gotten from anyone else here.
She took to pacing, her head held high and posture proud as if she didn't mostly want to use the opportunity to stretch her legs after having been locked up in her dreadfully small cell for far too long.
"I'm going to be released at once, of course," she went on. A matter of course. "And I wish to be returned to my sect, the Yingchuan Wang." Her throat clenched with dismay. If her sect still existed. They would have fought for the Wen, if the Wen were defeated...
She took to pacing, her head held high and posture proud as if she didn't mostly want to use the opportunity to stretch her legs after having been locked up in her dreadfully small cell for far too long.
"I'm going to be released at once, of course," she went on. A matter of course. "And I wish to be returned to my sect, the Yingchuan Wang." Her throat clenched with dismay. If her sect still existed. They would have fought for the Wen, if the Wen were defeated...
"I might have to." Huaisang sits up eagerly enough when the tea and food appears. "As happy though I am to be here with you, I am not used to these hours." He yawns, eagerly helping himself to tea and closing his eyes blissfully at the taste of it. When he opens his eyes again, his smile is bright and sweet, as playful as ever. "For the view and the company, I'm willing to make the effort."
The early morning light on the lake is absolutely beautiful, cresting the lotus blossoms with pinkish light, and Huaisang takes a moment to admire it before offering the next topic of conversation. "What do you propose for our itinerary today?"
The early morning light on the lake is absolutely beautiful, cresting the lotus blossoms with pinkish light, and Huaisang takes a moment to admire it before offering the next topic of conversation. "What do you propose for our itinerary today?"
"Getting up early is easier the more you do it." He returned the smile a little, amused.
"Perhaps you may be interested in visiting Yunmeng? The weather promises to be pleasant, and I could join you later in the afternoon," he offered as he took a drink of his tea. He didn't think that he would be that busy today. At least, he hoped so.
"Is there anything you wanted to do while you were here?" he asked. He wasn't used to planning out events for his guests, mostly leaving them to their own devices.
"Perhaps you may be interested in visiting Yunmeng? The weather promises to be pleasant, and I could join you later in the afternoon," he offered as he took a drink of his tea. He didn't think that he would be that busy today. At least, he hoped so.
"Is there anything you wanted to do while you were here?" he asked. He wasn't used to planning out events for his guests, mostly leaving them to their own devices.
Huaisang doesn't correct her calling him a lackey. He doesn't want to be impolite by interrupting her or implying her ignorance of the situation, after all!
Watching as she paces, Huaisang continues to regard her with an intimidated and slightly worried gaze, obviously invested in pacifying her as much as possible.
"O-oh," he says, brow furrowing in confusion. He shakes his head, gazing at her as though she is surely going to explain the obvious practicalities of this which he has misunderstood. "But I don't think there is a Yingchuan Wang sect any longer. All of the sects allied with the Qishan Wen sect have been dissolved. The Jin Sect is overseeing most of the administration involved in annexing and redistricting the Wen lands. I could send you to them, if you'd like, and it's possible they could reconnect you with any of your family members who weren't executed for their involvement."
He blinks his eyes with earnest innocence, as if he's hoping that this offer will meet with her approval.
Watching as she paces, Huaisang continues to regard her with an intimidated and slightly worried gaze, obviously invested in pacifying her as much as possible.
"O-oh," he says, brow furrowing in confusion. He shakes his head, gazing at her as though she is surely going to explain the obvious practicalities of this which he has misunderstood. "But I don't think there is a Yingchuan Wang sect any longer. All of the sects allied with the Qishan Wen sect have been dissolved. The Jin Sect is overseeing most of the administration involved in annexing and redistricting the Wen lands. I could send you to them, if you'd like, and it's possible they could reconnect you with any of your family members who weren't executed for their involvement."
He blinks his eyes with earnest innocence, as if he's hoping that this offer will meet with her approval.
"The theater and the lake excursions we had discussed." Huaisang nods eagerly. "I think that's a lovely idea. I'll enjoy Yunmeng for the day, and then perhaps later we can go out on the lake. You can row and I can admire those powerful arm muscles."
Huaisang hides his wicked grin behind his cup, eyes glinting playfully over the edge of it. Being able to tease Jiang Cheng wakes him up faster than any tea.
Huaisang hides his wicked grin behind his cup, eyes glinting playfully over the edge of it. Being able to tease Jiang Cheng wakes him up faster than any tea.
He flushed slightly, not used to the flattery. He never considered himself vain by any means but the comment was appreciated nonetheless. Huaisang seemed to know just how to flatter without making it seem insincere.
"That would be nice then. Tell me when you get back from Yunmeng and we'll go out on the lake after lunch." He rarely got the chance to go out on the lake just to spend time. But now he had an excuse to do so at least. He took a drink of his tea, hiding a slight smile of his own.
"That would be nice then. Tell me when you get back from Yunmeng and we'll go out on the lake after lunch." He rarely got the chance to go out on the lake just to spend time. But now he had an excuse to do so at least. He took a drink of his tea, hiding a slight smile of his own.
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