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Nie Huaisang had always knew he was the exception rather than the standard when it came to Nie cultivators If he hadn’t been in line to be Sect Leader Nie, he wouldn’t have even bothered with cultivation. His passion lay in the arts and not the art of war. His older brother was the epitome of what ever Nie cultivator should be: extremely strong and concise, the epitome of the law and power, fair and just.
His big brother was the best. While everyone might say that about their own big brothers, Nie Huaisang knew it was true with his. Nie Mingjue would do just about anything for him, including buy him things to decorate fans.
Nie Mingjue had said he wasn’t going to do it unless Huaisang passed Lan Qiren’s classes this year, but Huaisang had failed just like every other year and Mingjue had still bought him everything he wanted!
Usually, Huaisang had premade fans and just painted them, but he had always wanted to learn how to make his own, so Mingjue had bought him all the fabric and bamboo he’d need to do so. That’s why Mingjue was the best!
His first attempt wasn’t as nice as he would like- some of the folds were awkward and when the fan was completely collapsed, it wasn’t pleasing to look at. He laid it aside for now, perhaps he could modify it later and went on to the next.
It took three tries before he was satisfied with the fan. And then he started painting it. Nie Huaisang didn’t care for the glories of war, but his brother did, so one side of the fan had the 義 character on it. The other side he had originally thought to do some of the forms for Nie saber fighting, but eventually dismissed those. This had to be perfect for Mingjue, because his brother didn’t like fans.
The classical landscapes were out...Nie Huaisang returned to the two fans he had rejected outright for. The first one, he painted birds on. It was gorgeous, but he couldn’t see his brother using it. It seemed as though it might fit better in Gusu Lan then the Unclean Realms. Next, he tried mountains, but that too wouldn’t be what Mingjue would want. He saw enough mountains in Qinghe, he didn’t need more. He wasn’t like Huaisang who loved landscapes. Mingjue had always complained that most art was so boring…
An idea came to Huaisang and he set aside all three fans, grabbing some of the bamboo and painting it grey. He took the finest of the brown silk there was and carefully measured it before cutting it and weaving in into the bamboo slats to make fan. He repainted the character on it in gold then turned it over started a faint outline of the Unclean Realm’s rock garden. It had been Mingjue’s favorite place before he had become sect leader. Super imposed on it, Huaisang added the Nie Sect emblem. Then to the left, he added his own personal emblem- the canaries he so loved. And to the right, he drew Baxia. If Mingjue had his own seal, he would’ve done that instead but Huaisang knew how much his brother loved Baxia and being a cultivator, despite the fact he was likely to meet his death by qi deviation like all Nies before him.
Satisfied with his work, Huaisang left it to dry and collected it some hours later, folding it tight into his hands and heading towards the main hall of the Unclean Realm.
Meng Yao was out front, smiling gently as the occasional servant and cultivator came up to him. He was once again acting as the voice of Sect Leader Mingjue while the actual sect leader was dealing with other things. Hopefully Mingjue was in, Huaisang hadn’t heard of him leaving recently, but sometimes Mingjue got restless for a nighthunt and went out to sate his bloodlust.
“Meng Yao!” Huaisang called out, coming up beside his brother’s right hand. “Is my brother inside?”
Meng Yao offered him a bright smile and a bow. “Your brother is in, Nie Huaisang. Would you like me to announce you?”
“It’s fine,” Huaisang assured him. “It’ll be quick and I know how busy you are.”
“Never too busy for you, A-Sang.” Meng Yao assured him and Huaisang’s smile grew. He was sure at some time that the Jins would realize how amazing Meng Yao was and want him, but until then Meng Yao was all theirs. Perhaps when the time came, Meng Yao wouldn’t want to leave! Wouldn’t that be nice? And then Mingjue would always have someone on hand when he got just a tad too abrasive when it came to doling out justice.
Realizing he’d gotten a little lost in thought, Huaisang gave Meng Yao a little bow and entered the receiving chambers of the Unclean Realm. Mingjue was in his throne with a table set before him, full of food and letters. He looked up when the door opened and frowned when he saw Huaisang, which wasn’t the most auspicious of starts.
But Huaisang persevered. “Brother! I made you a fan.” He bowed, unfolding the fan as he did so so that Mingjue might see the design on it.
Nie Mingjue frowned down at the fan and Nie Huaisang, who tried not to hide from his brother’s eyes. It was hard though. Had he done well? “Come up here, Huaisang.” And Huaisang stood up and scrambled up the few stairs so that he might stand next to Mingjue, a courtesy usually only reserved for Meng Yao.
“Yes, brother?” Nie Huaisang asked, visibly nervous as Mingjue didn’t say anything. Usually by now there was a remark about how art would not help his cultivation (such comments hurt, but Huaisang knew his brother was just looking out for him). Mingjue carefully took the fan from his brother and looked it over in silence. It looked extraordinarily delicate in Mingjue’s hands, but he handled it carefully.
After he inspected it, he looked to Huaisang again. “Thank you, Huaisang.” Huaisang smiles so wide that it feels like his lips might tear. “I will use it often.” That almost makes Huiasang gape, but his hides it with bowing. Mingjue accepting the gift is one thing, but agreeing to use it regularly?
“Please do, brother. And if you want me to make you anymore, you let me know, alright?” He leans in with a conspiring smile, emboldened by Mingjue’s acceptance of the gift. “Perhaps it’ll help all the hot air from the other Sect Leaders circulate better.” Mingjue throws his head back and laughs, something Huaisang rarely sees these days.
“Come, little brother, sit with me.” Mingjue invites him, pulling two cushions off his throne and laying them down beside the table. “I feel like it has been much too long since we talked.”
Eagerly, Huiasang sits beside his brother and accepts the cup of tea he pours, inclining his head in thanks. They haven’t eaten a meal together for years now and Huiasang is surprised by how much he misses it. The meal passes in a flury, but the brothers remain sitting together for many hours after, until Mingjue’s duties call him away, but before he goes, he lays a hand on Huiasang’s shoulder and tells him that they will now eat together once a week as long as Huiasang is in the Unclean Realm.