Work Text:
Three bows, that was all it took. Well, three bows, a red robe and a whole lot of ceremony. But those three bows sealed his fate with more finality than any agreement or signed document ever could. He looked at the man next to him, the man he didn’t know, and wondered what he was thinking. Had he been sacrificed to the alliance as well? Had he agreed? At least he, as the designated ‘man’ of the marriage, could marry again for love, if he so wished. As for Jiang Cheng, he had his hands and feet tied.
He could only hope the Nies would treat him well.
Usually, there was a courtship before a marriage like this. Before any marriage, really. At least one meeting between bride and groom, or both grooms, in this case, to have a talk and at least know each other’s face. The courtship, however, had been skipped in the name of expediency. Jiang Cheng knew it was more likely because his father feared that the Nies would change their mind if they learned of his aggravating nature. His father hadn’t held back when he’d said Jiang Cheng should be happy to be getting married at all.
Sitting next to his new husband during the banquet was awkward, to say the least. Jiang Cheng didn’t know how to act. They were two strangers shoved together and married. Was he supposed to place parcels of food in Nie Huaisang’s bowl? Like a good wife would? He didn’t even know what Nie Huaisang liked. Although, seeing that this was his wedding at his own sect, it was likely that he enjoyed all the dishes being served. Jiang Cheng decided to just leave it be and eat what little he could stomach himself.
Looking around the room didn’t really help to distract him from his situation either. To their left was Nie Mingjue, who was throwing frowns at Jiang Cheng in a way that made him not want to meet the man’s eyes. In the crowd, he could see Wei Wuxian. It stung to see him be his usual, boisterous self. It stung even more realising that his father would have long scolded him for his behaviour had Jiang Cheng ever acted like that. The fact that Wei Wuxian was now the sect heir didn’t seem to curb Jiang Fengmian’s liberty towards Wei Wuxian’s behaviour. Yu Ziyuan glared at them both and, for once, Jiang Cheng agreed.
Then there was Jiang Yanli. She kept throwing pitying looks at him. He hated her pity. Especially given that she alternated them with looking lovingly towards Jin Zixuan. No matter that her fiancé was also the result of an arranged marriage and that she had found love – no matter how one-sided it seemed to be – it was Jiang Cheng who was to be pitied.
It was a long evening. Barely a word was spoken between him and Nie Huaisang. Jiang Cheng had allowed Nie Huaisang to do all the talking whenever people came to wish them well. They all knew the marriage was arranged. They all knew the two of them didn’t know each other. Their hypocrisy was hard to deal with for Jiang Cheng. Yet Nie Huaisang didn’t seem to have trouble at all with keeping up pleasant conversation. At least Jiang Cheng had some luck there.
Eventually, he was ushered off into the marital bedroom, where he was left to sit on the bed like a waiting maiden. He tried to stifle his nerves but couldn’t. He didn’t even know how two men were supposed to have sex with each other. No preparing information had been forthcoming, as he knew did happen for young women. He could only hope Nie Huaisang knew what he was doing.
Luckily, he didn’t have to wait long. He tensed as footsteps came closer, then hesitated in front of the door. When Nie Huaisang walked in, it was with his fan open and covering his face.
“Ah,” Nie Huaisang said. “You already undid your veil.”
“You want me to put it back on?” Jiang Cheng dryly asked.
“No. No. No need.”
The fan fluttered nervously in front of his face as Nie Huaisang gazed at him over the rim of it. Jiang Cheng looked back. No matter how stressed he felt, he wouldn’t back down. He couldn’t quite bring himself to be pleasant though, as would probably be his best bet with the future in mind. How could anybody be pleasant after they’d practically been sold like a cow?
“It, uhm, seems we are obligated to share the bed at least tonight,” Nie Huaisang said.
It didn’t quite sound like Nie Huaisang wanted to. Still, Jiang Cheng asked, “Do you know what you’re doing?”
“Doing?” Nie Huaisang asked, sounding confused.
“You want me to spell it out?” Jiang Cheng snapped. “It’s our wedding night.”
“Oh. OH! No. Yes. I mean, I don’t want to.”
“Of course,” Jiang Cheng said, standing and turning his back to Nie Huaisang. Even though he didn’t want to either, it was far from pleasant to be so bluntly turned down. “I guess we’re simply going to bed then.”
There was a silence before Nie Huaisang softly answered, “Yes, I guess so.”
The awkward silence continued as they both undressed to their undergarments and each chose a side of the bed. Jiang Cheng stayed awake for a long time while Nie Huaisang seemed to have no trouble falling asleep at all. He was a restless sleeper. Moving this way and that, sprawling across the bed as if he was used to having one that large all for himself. For all Jiang Cheng knew, he did.
In the end, Jiang Cheng managed to get a few hours of sleep but he felt far from refreshed when he was woken by Nie Huaisang. The hand Nie Huaisang was shaking him with was quickly snatched back when Jiang Cheng opened his eyes.
“I’m sorry,” Nie Huaisang said. “But we must meet da-ge for breakfast and he’s an early riser. Sadly enough.”
Jiang Cheng grumbled under his breath but dutifully got up. A servant must have already come by as there was a pot of tea ready on the low table and the previously arranged clothing had been brought in. Nie Huaisang was already dressed so Jiang Cheng made quick work of splashing some water in his face and putting on his robes. It felt awkward to be half-naked in the same room as Nie Huaisang, even though they were both men. Such a thing had never bothered Jiang Cheng before.
Nie Huaisang was looking out over the garden, his back to the room, when Jiang Cheng was finished. Jiang Cheng went to the table and poured himself a cup of tea. He contemplated offering Nie Huaisang one too, but the used cup on the table signalled that Nie Huaisang already had some. Jiang Cheng’s cup was only just finished when a servant arrived to tell them breakfast would be served. It was the only moment, apart from being woken up, that Nie Huaisang looked at him.
Once they arrived at the room where Nie Mingjue was waiting, Jiang Cheng dutifully bowed to him. Nie Mingjue merely grunted and motioned for them to sit. Immediately, Nie Huaisang started talking about the wedding and the people and everything that had been said. It seemed as if he’d been holding it all in and it all came rushing out at once now that he was with his da-ge, who dutifully listened. Jiang Cheng bowed his head and silently ate his breakfast. No mention was made of his family, but he guessed Nie Huaisang and Nie Mingjue would discuss them later, in private.
When breakfast was finished – how Nie Huaisang had managed to eat at all midst his waterfall of words, Jiang Cheng had no idea – Nie Mingjue looked up at Jiang Cheng. His look was stern, almost threatening.
“Although this marriage was arranged,” he said, straightforward. “I suggest you treat didi with respect and courtesy.”
“I will,” Jiang Cheng answered. What else could he say? Even if he hated it, even if he didn’t want to, his entire life was now dependent on how well he treated Nie Huaisang. What other option did he have?
As they left the breakfast room, silence once more descended over them. Nie Huaisang guided Jiang Cheng through hallways and courtyards until they met their final destination.
“These will be your quarters,” Nie Huaisang said, that fan still open, still hiding him. “Your trunks have already been delivered. I’ll, uhm, I’ll be going now.”
With that, Nie Huaisang turned and walked away. Jiang Cheng watched as the fan was closed to dangle from Nie Huaisang’s hand as soon as his back was turned. Jiang Cheng huffed. Clearly, Nie Huaisang wanted to place as much distance between them as he possibly could.
His suspicion was confirmed as it turned out that ‘doing well by Nie Huaisang’ seemed to equal staying away from him. Jiang Cheng tried to make himself at home in his new rooms. He had to admit that they were comfortable. He meditated and practised martial arts to try and prevent himself from getting bored. Neither Nie Huaisang nor Nie Mingjue came to visit him even once. His meals were brought to him. He was being taken care of, yes, but he was clearly also being kept away.
At one point, feeling like he was going to go crazy of boredom, Jiang Cheng risked asking a servant if there was a library. The servant led him there. Jiang Cheng quickly selected some books, then was escorted back to his rooms. Jiang Yanli had promised to write him, but letters were yet to arrive. Unless the Nies were holding back his correspondence. He didn’t think they would resort to such measures – why would they – but there was no way of knowing.
Days turned into weeks and almost two months had gone by when Jiang Cheng spun mid-form only to find Nie Huaisang watching him. He stopped and turned to face his husband, surprised to see him at all.
“Do you not care for your new home?” Nie Huaisang asked, not even greeting him.
“What?” Jiang Cheng questioned, thrown off guard.
“Apart from the library, you haven’t gone out even once.”
Jiang Cheng laughed bitterly. “Am I allowed to?”
Nie Huaisang’s fan abruptly shut, revealing the delicate face underneath. Jiang Cheng had of course seen it at their wedding and the morning after, but he seemed to have forgotten exactly how dainty his husband looked.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Nie Huaisang demanded.
“Exactly what I said,” Jiang Cheng snapped. “You’ve put me in nice quarters, yes, but so what? You clearly wish to see as little of me as possible. I’m surprised you’re even speaking to me now. I see nobody but the servants, my food is brought to me daily and whenever I do go to the library, I’m escorted there and back.”
Nie Huaisang’s eyes went wide. “You think you’re a prisoner.”
“An unwanted husband,” Jiang Cheng retorted. “Which doesn’t seem to be much better.”
“Oh no. No no no. Jiang Che- Wan- What do I even call you?”
“Whatever pleases you, husband.”
There was no reason to remain pleasant. They’d pushed him into a corner simply for existing. What else could they do if he was rude to Nie Huaisang? Take away his books? His luxuries? Jiang Cheng wondered if he even cared.
“Da-ge was right,” Nie Huaisang said, a tone of horror to his voice.
“What does Sect Leader Nie got to do with this?”
“I just wanted to give you some space to adjust,” Nie Huaisang rushed out. “I thought you would at least explore the grounds and then I could run into you and maybe show you around and try to talk to you. But you never went out. Da-ge said he thought it was because you thought you weren’t allowed to. I didn’t want to believe him, but he was right.”
Jiang Cheng scoffed. “If you want to talk to me so badly, why didn’t you say anything when we got married?”
“I was nervous,” Nie Huaisang admitted, opening his fan again. “I didn’t know what to say.”
“Nervous?”
“You’re handsome, okay? I got nervous.”
“You got nervous because you think I’m good-looking.”
“Must you rub it in?”
Jiang Cheng blinked at him in utter confusion. “You had no trouble talking to the other guests,” he finally said.
“Yes, well, I’m not married to them. That’s just … political.”
Silence fell over them as Jiang Cheng tried to process what had just been said.
“Let’s go- Yes, let’s go feed the koi fish,” Nie Huaisang suddenly, excitedly said.
“You want to go feed the koi fish?” Jiang Cheng echoed.
“Yes. They’re cute.”
“You think koi fish are cute?”
“Could you stop repeating everything I say?”
It sounded so petulant that Jiang Cheng couldn’t help but huff a laugh. That, somehow, seemed to make him approachable because Nie Huaisang stepped forward and grabbed his wrist before starting to pull him along.
“Whoa,” Jiang Cheng protested. “Let me put away Sandu first.” He was keeping the blade pointed well away from Nie Huaisang.
“Sandu?” Nie Huaisang asked.
Instead of answering, Jiang Cheng demonstratively waved his sword.
“Oh. Uhm. Sure.”
Jiang Cheng sighed. “Just wait here; I’ll be right back.”
He left Nie Huaisang behind, sheathing Sandu and walking into his quarters. He wasn’t entirely sure what was going on, but he thought it best to just go along with it. He took the time to splash some water in his face and put on different robes before returning to a waiting Nie Huaisang.
“You changed too,” Nie Huaisang remarked.
“I smelled of sweat,” Jiang Cheng countered.
“Your robes look good on you.”
“Thank you,” Jiang Cheng sincerely answered. He took pride in his wardrobe. “So,” he continued, not knowing if he was supposed to answer with a compliment as well and fearing it would sound forced. “Koi fish?”
“Yes, the koi fish,” Nie Huaisang exclaimed. “Come, they’re this way.”
Jiang Cheng followed Nie Huaisang through the Unclean Realm, seeing more of it than he had before. Here and there, Nie Huaisang pointed something out, something that had to do with their history or something that came with a short anecdote. It was clear that he was trying to show Jiang Cheng that he was allowed to know things, to see things. It got Jiang Cheng wondering if they were even taking the shortest route to the koi pond.
They finally arrived at a small pavilion on the edge of the pond. There was a box with koi food standing against the wall and Nie Huaisang quickly went to get a bowl of it. He offered it to Jiang Cheng, who carefully took some and tossed it into the water. The fish were quick to grasp the situation and were soon swimming over and under each other to get to the food.
“We’re being silent again,” Nie Huaisang said after a while. It sounded almost mournful.
Jiang Cheng merely hummed, then thought better of it and made an effort as well. “I don’t know what to say either,” he confessed.
Nie Huaisang looked at him and gave him a small smile. “Maybe we should meet as the strangers that we are then,” he said.
Jiang Cheng tilted his head and frowned, not understanding.
Balancing the bowl on the edge of the railing, Nie Huaisang took a step back and bowed. “I’m Nie Huaisang, younger brother of Sect Leader Nie. Nice to meet you,” he said.
Amused, Jiang Cheng followed his example. “Jiang Cheng, courtesy name Wanyin, former Sect Heir of Yunmeng Jiang,” he said.
“I’m sorry to have taken that title away from you,” Nie Huaisang said.
“I’m sure father insisted,” Jiang Cheng bitterly answered.
“He said that your brother wasn’t a Jiang and thus didn’t count, yet now he’s the Sect Heir. It’s a bit … peculiar.”
Jiang Cheng bitterly laughed. “Let’s not talk about my family.”
“Okay,” Nie Huaisang said after a moment. “Can we talk about your home? Did you have koi fish?”
“No,” Jiang Cheng answered, amused again despite himself. “Why have koi fish when you live next to a lake full of other fish?”
Nie Huaisang laughed, the sound clear as a bell. “I guess,” he said. “We don’t have many fish around here. We mostly have boars, and they’re not anywhere near as cute.”
Jiang Cheng huffed yet another laugh. His day was starting to look a bit brighter. Maybe, just maybe, at least a friendship could be grown from the arranged marriage he found himself in.