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There were many things Nie Huaisang was thankful he had.
One of them was definitely his brother.
Da-ge had been the one constant in his life for as long as he could remember. He was rough around the edges, he had a temper, but Huaisang never once doubted his devotion and loyalty. There were few people he would even consider trusting as much as his brother.
However, that didn’t mean he didn’t need to hide from him sometimes.
Nie Huaisang sat in his room, working on a new fan. He focused, paying intense precision to the brush strokes. In all honesty he was trying to distract himself from his impending doom. Or in other words, his brother coming and dragging him out to help host the discussion conference.
Huaisang hated these things. If it were just the sects they were allied with, then that would be fine. They could get actual work done in a timely manner and then enjoy the rest of their time in pleasant company.
However, the other sects make everything their business and must bring up every small detail. Sect Leader Yao would bring up anything and everything to make his sect try and seem important. Jin Guangshan just had to make sure he is in control of every conversation without anyone else getting a point across. The list goes on and on.
Nie Huaisang was just glad that he was not the sect leader and could sit back without having to say much. He didn't understand how Da-ge did it without qi deviating.
He was brought out of his work when a knock sounded at his door. Nie Huaisang held a groan. He thought Da-ge would give him a few more minutes of hiding before dragging him out. He opened the door to see one of the junior disciples standing on the other side.
“Tell Da-ge I’ll be there before any of the guests arrive,” he said before the disciple could say anything.
He was about to close the door when the boy began speaking. “Wait! It was not Sect Leader Nie that requested your presence.”
“Then who?” he asked.
“It was Sect Leader Jiang,” he said.
“Jiang-xiong?” Huaisang questioned. “Did it seem urgent? Is something wrong?”
He stepped out of the room and let the disciple lead him to his friend.
The boy quickly shook his head. “He made sure to tell me it was not urgent if you were currently busy. However, he did look rather nervous.”
Nie Huaisang nodded thoughtlessly, running through the possible scenarios that would lead Jiang-xiong to need to speak to him. Any sect business or urgent matter would go to Da-ge instead. He had a brother and a fiancé for any personal matters. So, what could he need from Huaisang?
It wasn’t uncommon for them to talk at these. After discussion conferences they often got together and went over, gossiped, the details of it. Mostly an excuse to get drunk and bitch about the other sects while Da-ge and Er-ge were busy having their own discussion.
However, while they conversed quite often Jiang-xiong never requested his presence. Normally, they would seek each other out when everything was over. This seemed entirely too formal.
Eventually, the disciple led him to the hall where Jiang Wanyin stood tall and proud. He wore some of his finest purple robes with his hair braided and thrown back into a tight bun with a purple ribbon. He looked prim and proper, ready for the upcoming conference.
“Jiang-xiong,” he said in greeting.
“Huaisang,” his friend said back. Nie Huaisang silently dismissed the disciple who quickly left with a bow to the two men.
“What can I do for you?” he asked.
“Am I not allowed to talk to my friend before this dreaded conference?” he asked teasingly.
This, Huaisang could handle easily. “Yes, I’m sure you and Er-ge making eyes at each other for the whole cultivation world to see will be so difficult for you,” he said sarcastically.
Jiang Wanyin rolled his eyes. “We are not that bad.”
“Sure, you aren’t,” Huaisang said, obviously placating. “But come one Jiang-xiong, I know you. There is something else you want. Come here, talk to your ge.”
Jiang Wanyin grunted slightly but sat down to tea with Huaisang. “There is nothing wrong or anything like that,” he said. “I have a request.”
“Go on,” Huaisang encouraged.
“So, I was thinking,” he began, “Yunmeng Jiang is growing stronger every day. We're gaining back numbers and the disciples are… fine, I suppose." Nie Huaisang tried not to laugh at that. As backhanded as the compliment seemed, Sect Leader Jiang still looked proud of his disciples.
Instead, he nodded, but didn’t dare interrupt. He knew his friend sometimes had trouble voicing things he wanted. He needed time to build up to his actual question and Huaisang would let him have it.
“But everything is still so fresh. So, I have been thinking that it would be best for us to secure our alliances,” he continued. “A-Jie marrying into the Jin sect is not as stable an alliance as I would like but is probably the best I’m gonna get for now. Obviously, I am marrying the head of the Lan sect, so I think I'm good there.” He took a deep breath. "I would like to create a strong connection with the Nie sect.”
Huaisang didn’t know where he was going with this. He knew that Da-ge held Jiang Wanyin in high regard. Him marrying his sworn brother also helped to increase ties quite a bit. But anyway, sect alliances would be a better discussion for the sect leader than his younger brother.
“I want to be your sworn brother,” Jiang Wanyin finally said. Nie Huaisang looked at him with wide eyes. That was not what he was expecting.
“I-” Huaisang started but didn’t know how to finish. He didn’t know what to say.
“Despite what I just said I don’t want you to think this decision is entirely politically motivated,” he said quickly. “My decisions rarely are. My marriage certainly isn’t and despite how it started, my sisters isn’t either anymore. I want a strong tie to the Nie sect but I also-” he cut himself off with an audible shut to his mouth.
“Also?” Nie Huaisang asked.
“I want you to be my sworn brother,” he said. Huaisang could tell it was hard for him to say it out loud. To be vulnerable and admit he wanted something. It was easy to hide behind political gain. Jiang Wanyin could have stayed distant and made the process like a business transaction. However, he didn’t, and he opened himself up to Huaisang. “I trust you more than I trust most people, and I consider you one of my closest friends.
“If you say no, I will walk away, and we can pretend this conversation never happened. But I want you to know there is no one else I want to ask this,” Jiang Wanyin finished.
Huaisang stayed silent for a few long moments. He opened and shut his mouth a few times while Jiang Wanyin sat across from him silently but patiently. Huaisang was trying to process the request. He never thought he would be asked this.
Da-ge was the sect leader, the important one. Nie Huaisang was just the bratty younger brother that had a hard enough time keeping up with his studies at the Cloud Recesses. He was only approached by people if it meant they got closer to Sect Leader Nie. People never wanted him.
It wasn’t something that Huaisang was upset about exactly. It was just a fact. He would never be a sect leader like Jiang Wanyin or Jin Zixuan. He was not the strongest of his generation like Lan Wangji or Wei Wuxian. In order to truly see Nie Huaisang’s strength you had to be willing to get close to him and very few ever saw the need.
Other than Jiang Wanyin.
Their friendship had really only started by association. Wei Wuxian had been outgoing and ready to make friends to get into trouble with, while Jiang Wanyin had always somewhat reluctantly tagged along with their antics.
He didn't think that he and the Jiang heir had anything in common. Sure, they were both younger brothers, but it seemed to stop there. And Jiang Wanyin never really seemed happy in his company either.
But as time went on, he got to understand Jiang-xiong too. He started closed-off, but when you got close, you could see beneath the hard cover. He was fiercely loyal, he was righteous, and he had more strength than Nie Huaisang could imagine. It made Huaisang think that being the sect heir could be just as lonely as being the bratty younger brother.
And maybe they had a lot more in common than he originally thought.
Lost in his thoughts, Huaisang hadn’t realized his friend had run out of patience and began speaking “...if you need time to think-”
“Okay,” Huaisang interrupted.
“Okay, what?” he asked.
“Okay,” he repeated. “I will be your sworn brother.”
“Y-you will?” he asked in surprise. “You’re sure?”
“Yes,” he said, and there was no falter in his voice. “I want to be your sworn brother.”
Jiang Wanyin allowed himself to smile and Huaisang wondered for a brief moment if anyone would really believe this man was cold and cunning if they just saw him smile once. He didn’t do it often, at least not in public, but when he did it was with his whole being. His shoulders dropped slightly but his body opened up and his eyes shined with unbelievable warmth.
"Then we will announce it at the end of this conference." Jiang Wanyin grabbed his cup and raised it to Huaisang. “To new alliances,” he said.
Nie Huaisang raised his cup as well. “To new alliances,” he repeated and clinked their glasses together. “ If we survive this conference,” he continued after they took a drink. “I hear the Yao sect has been having trouble with water ghouls recently and that the Yu and Ouyang sects have been having trade disagreements.”
Jiang Wanyin rolled his eyes. “Fuck, we’re never going to get out of there.” Huaisang kept a small smile on his face as they continued to talk.
There were many things Nie Huaisang was thankful he had.
And his sworn brother was definitely one of them.