Chapter 11
Meng Yao knew that Wei Wuxian liked Sisi and his mother. While his mother had readily accepted a title of Ayi, Sisi had insisted she didn't need one and wanted to be called informally, so Wei Wuxian had happily obliged.
It had been nearly two months since they had brough his mother and Sisi back to the Nie sect, and while it had been a semi difficult adjustment for them all, he was grateful that he finally had freed his mother of that awful place.
She had been a bit subdued once she had realized what had happened to her son when he'd approached his father, and Meng Yao didn't blame her. He had felt the same way; he was so sure his father would love him, and he did not.
Sisi had been a disaster in the kitchen, matching only Wei Wuxian in talent for burning food so badly that it was unrecognizable. But she had taken on odd jobs like cleaning to ensure the Nie sect was still functioning smoothly.
"Ayi, can we please have more sweets?" Nie Huaisang followed after her sweetly, as she rolled her eyes fondly at him and Wei Wuxian and handed them a piece each of the candy that she'd picked up in the market.
If anyone would be able to get his mother to be more comfortable in their new home, it would be Nie Huaisang and Wei Wuxian. Those two had a way of making sure everyone felt welcome and loved.
There were rumours following Meng Yao around, especially now that they had brought not only one but two prostitutes back to the Nie sect. He knew the other sects must also be gossiping about it loudly, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He was the son of a prostitute. But now he was also the son of a free member of the Nie sect. His mother was safe. That was all that mattered.
"You both need to eat dinner still," his mother said with a light scold as Nie Huaisang had given her another pleading look, "How are you going to be able to eat if you keep eating sweets?"
"We're growing boys," Wei Wuxian pouted, "We can eat dinner still, I promise."
"Somehow I don't doubt that," Meng Shi laughed, "But no more. You both have training to get to, do you not?"
"Do you have to remind me?" Nie Huaisang said pityingly, "My schedule is somehow busier now that Da-ge agreed to let me use musical cultivation. And when San-di finishes with my fan, it's only going to get worse. I hope it takes you much longer to complete it, San-di."
"I'll do my best," Wei Wuxian grinned, "To finish it as soon as possible for you, Er-ge."
Nie Huaisang clutched his heart, looking betrayed at his brother's words.
"How could you do this to me, San-di?" Nie Huaisang asked dramatically, pretending to fall over, "I thought you loved me. I thought you trusted me and wanted me to be happy. How could you go about betraying your favourite brother like this?"
"Who said you were my favourite?" Wei Wuxian asked him innocently, and his mother laughed. He had rarely heard her do that growing up, as they seldom had true reasons to be happy. They didn't have much, but they had each other through it all. And now his mother was often smiling and laughing as she accepted her place in their new home.
"How could I not be?" Nie Huaisang demanded, "If it weren't for me wandering off, we'd never have met! I begged Da-ge to take you home with us! I bought you so many toys. I have done so much for you. Why wouldn't you choose me over Da-ge?"
"Because Da-ge doesn't ask to be my favourite," Wei Wuxian teased, and he saw Nie Huaisang looked puzzled at that.
He figured that Wei Wuxian most likely did not favour either Nie over the other. The boy wasn't good at hiding his emotions, and it was clear that he looked up to both and cared about them deeply.
The only person who he assumed came anywhere near close to holding a similar standing in Wei Wuxian's heart would be Lan er-gongzi. But Meng Yao couldn't help but wonder if that would change as he got older. Friends could be fleeting at that age, especially as Wei Wuxian met more peers his own age in the coming years.
Would he prefer people who were more social? Or continue to enjoy Lan er-gongzi's company?
"That's so mean, Wei Ying," Nie Huaisang cried, "I love you! You're my brother! You can't be betraying me like this! You're supposed to be the one who will always be by my side just like I'm going to be by yours! How can you choose someone else other than me? Is it cause you're afraid of Da-ge? Because if you are, that's okay! You can pretend Da-ge is your favourite and tell everyone that he is, and then you and I can know the truth together."
"Sang-er, you shouldn't bother your brother so much," his mother laughed as she patted his back, "You know he loves you and Nie Zongzhu equally."
"I do," Wei Wuxian said with a bright grin, "How could I not love my Er-ge? Who else stayed with me every time I had a bad dream? I wouldn't ask for anyone else to be my Er-ge."
"Not even Lan Wangji?" Nie Huaisang raised a brow at him, "Because you never shut up about him. Are you sure you don't want him as your Er-ge instead?"
Wei Wuxian flushed, "He's my best friend. How could he be my brother? Can you imagine being related? I don't want him as my brother! I have you and Da-ge! Lan Zhan is my bestest friend."
"Mm hm," Nie Huaisang said in a sing-song voice, and Wei Wuxian stood up, as he dragged his brother off to training.
"I hope you don't mind them," Nie Mingjue said, as Meng Yao jumped. He hadn't even noticed the man come up behind him. "Sorry if I scared you."
"It's fine," Meng Yao said with a nod to his sect leader, "Why would I mind them?"
"I know they can go a bit overboard," Nie Mingjue chuckled, "Especially with how they are treating your mother and her friend. I know I've tried to be a good older brother and father to them, but I don't have a motherly instinct. I know I'm lacking in that regard. You know A-Ying's mother passed away years ago. And Sang-er and I's situation is more complicated than that. My dad married my mom and had me, but she started to get sick a few years after I was born. My dad took a second wife, and I don't fully know their relationship, nor was it my place to ask, but I know they all loved each other equally. Sang-er never knew my mother as she died before he was born. And his own mother died when he was a small child."
"Thank you for telling me about your parents," he said, feeling touched. He'd known that Nie Mingjue and Nie Huaisang had different mothers, but no one in the sect had dared to gossip about the reasoning behind it. He assumed none of them had wanted Nie Mingjue to run them through with Baxia if they as much as said a word about it. And from what he'd gathered, the previous Nie Zongzhu had been even scarier, so it stood to reason that no one had wanted to anger him by asking intrusive questions about his wives.
"It's not uncommon in the Nie sect," he told Meng Yao, "For people to have multiple spouses. Multiple wives, multiple husbands. Or two men marrying or two women marrying. We treat each gender and relationship with respect. The Nie are warriors, and as long as everyone is able to contribute their all, whatever that may be, to ensuring the strength of our sect, then we do not pry. Nie Huaisang or Wei Ying may choose to have multiple partners one day, or no partners at all. But either way, I love them and only want them to be happy."
"You're a good brother to them," Meng Yao told him gently, "I know you said that you felt lacking at times, but it's clear how much both of them love you. You should give yourself more credit for raising them, especially given how many other responsibilities they have on your plate."
"They're my brothers," Nie Mingjue said simply, "I would do whatever it takes to ensure that they were happy, even if it meant burning down the cultivation world to keep them safe. But neither A-Ying or Sang-er had mother figures and I think that's why they're so drawn to yours. I hope you don't mind sharing her with my didis, but if it bothers you or her, I can tell them to knock it off. They'll understand."
Meng Yao felt his heart go out for them. He may have never had a father, but he'd always had his mother to rely on. Even when things were tough, she was by his side, always giving him her love and support. But Nie Huaisang and Wei Wuxian had never had that. How could he deprive them of his mother's love when he knew how much it meant to them, just as it meant to him?
"It's okay," he smiled, "She's happier now. I know it's been tough for her, but she's free to live her life now as she pleases. No matter what that may be. And I think it would be good for her, to have Wei Wuxian and Nie Huaisang around her. They're both such free spirits and so kind, and they're helping her heal and find herself once more. That line of work, it can be tough. It breaks their spirits and strips them of everything that makes them a human. It can be degrading to most of them. But she's finding herself again. You know, I can count the number of times she laughed growing up on one hand? But she broke that record within half a week of coming to Qinghe. Because of your brothers. And because of your generosity. So thank you, for freeing her."
"You're important to the sect, Meng Yao," Nie Mingjue told him honestly, "I know you don't hold yourself in high regard, but we value you and your contributions. She's your mother, and she deserves a chance to live a better life. The life others should have provided her, but did not. I don't care about the rumours. Especially any concerning Sect Leader Jin. If he wanted to free your mother, he would have done it years ago. So if he is personally offended by my decisions, I cannot bring myself to care. He rejected the both of you, but it is the loss of the Jin and the blessing of the Nie to have you in our sect.
Meng Yao swallowed, trying to take in his kind words. He knew Nie Mingjue was a sweet man, even if he hid it behind his stormy exterior. And he couldn't help but look at the man in a new light.
"It helps as well that Wei Wuxian and Nie Huaisang are rather adorable, following her around like little ducklings," Meng Yao said instead, as he focused on the man's younger siblings. That was always a safer subject.
"They do look rather cute, don't they?" Nie Mingjue softened as he watched his brothers follow after Meng Shi towards wherever she was heading next. "I've never seen them open up to anyone like that before."
"Are you going to include it in your next letter to Zuwu Jun?" Meng Yao teased, as the leader of the Nie's ears burned at that. "I'm sure he'd love to hear all about what your brothers have gotten up to now."
Nie Mingjue simply scowled at him, and he couldn't help but laugh at the sight.
"Nie Huaisang, Wei Wuxian," Nie Mingjue called out for them, and Wei Wuxian quickly got to his feet. He had been reading a theory book on the creation of cultivation weapons to see if there was anything he was missing with his spiritual fan before he started the next round of experimentation.
It had been an interesting process, to try and make something so beautiful into something that was able to be a weapon. Especially given the added weight of the blades as it meant the paper he was using needed to be thick enough not to cause it all to break.
He could feel himself getting closer to it, just needed a bit more time and then he would get it. He knew it was on the cusp of coming up with it, he just needed to keep studying to see what he was missing.
He had gotten quite a few pointers from the Nie weaponsmith on how to forge spiritual weapons, and it had helped him come up with a lot of basics of it.
He wanted this to work so badly, he needed it to work.
He rarely got to do anything for Er-ge. His brother always bought himself whatever he wanted, and he made it no secret when he wanted something from Da-ge. But there was rarely anything Wei Wuxian could do. He had money from Da-ge, and he knew Meng Yao wouldn't even blink if he asked to take some money from the treasury. But he didn't want to abuse the wealth of the Nie. He didn't earn any of it, so it wasn't his to take. Especially when so much of their sect relied on the finances and the proper management of it. It wouldn't be fair for him to take it.
But this, building something using his own intelligence and his hands? This was something he could give to his brother earnestly and without any remorse. This was something he could give his brother with his own two hands.
"Da-ge?" he asked, as his brother looked over at Nie Huaisang who was still lying down on Wei Wuxian's bed, reading a book on poetry leisurely.
"Get up, Huaisang," Nie Mingjue told him more firmly, "Lan Xichen is going to be here soon. You said you were going to practice musical cultivation and he's come all this way to help you learn. He was generous enough to bring some books with him."
"Is Lan Zhan coming?" Wei Wuxian asked eagerly, as Nie Huaisang rolled his eyes.
"No, just Xichen," Nie Mingjue said with a shake of his head, "We have some business to discuss so he has come for that, and after he was kind enough to offer to give you both a lesson to help you get started with musical cultivation. He'll be here shortly, so if you could ensure you're ready for when he is, it would be helpful. He's a busy man and we should be respectful of his time."
"Why isn't Lan Zhan coming?" Wei Wuxian couldn't help but pout like a child, despite the fact that he was well into his teen years. He hadn't seen his best friend in months, and he missed him. Writing to him was nice, but it wasn't the same thing. He missed his Lan Zhan and being able to talk to him for hours.
"He is in secluded meditation," Nie Mingjue said, sighing as he looked at Wei Wuxian, "Now will you please both get ready? He's supposed to be here shortly."
"Yes, Da-ge," Nie Huaisang said sweetly, and Wei Wuxian agreed as well, if not with a bit of a sulk.
"Thank you," Nie Mingjue said, satisfied, as he turned to leave the room, "I expect you both in the courtyard in an hour, ready to go with your instruments. Do whatever it is you need to for that to happen, warm up or whatever."
"Yes, Da-ge," Wei Wuxian agreed, and he stood to put away his books.
An hour passed slowly, as his brother must have been working on whatever discussions he and Lan Xichen were having, while Wei Wuxian sat under the tree off the side of the courtyard, looking over his books on musical cultivation to familiarize himself with anything Xichen-ge may ask him.
"You don't have to look so disappointed," Nie Huaisang laughed at him as he flipped a page of the book he was reading, "Xichen-ge is still nice to look at too."
"It's not the same," he pouted at his brother, "Xichen-ge is nice and he's like Da-ge! He's a brother to us. Lan Zhan is Lan Zhan. He's my friend! He's sweet and nice, and he looks so cute when he's shy! He's fun to talk to and go on adventures with and he's always listening when I talk to him! He's amazing."
"I'm glad you hold my brother in such high regards," he heard a voice say, and he scampered to his feet as he saw Lan Xichen in front of him, while Da-ge looked exasperated at him.
"Of course, Xichen-ge!" he said quickly, a bit embarrassed that he was singing his best friend's praises in the earshot of the boy's brother, "Lan Zhan is the best. I wish he could have come today. I miss him."
Lan Xichen gave him a fond look, "Wangji was quite unhappy to learn he was missing the opportunity to see you as well, A-Xian. He similarly holds you in high regards and wished he could be here to see you. But alas, he is to spend several weeks in seclusion to meditate and strengthen his core. I'm sure he will tell you all about it in his next letter to you as soon as he has finished.
"I can't wait," Wei Wuxian said wistfully, "It feels like forever already. If you can, please tell him that I miss him too?"
Er-ge laughed at that, and he scowled at his brother. It wasn't fair that Jiang Cheng was still writing to Nie Huaisang and not in seclusion while Wei Wuxian's best friend was.
"I know, A-Xian, but you'll see him soon enough," Lan Xichen's eyes twinkled, "That is one of the reasons I have also come to speak to your da-ge. I have invites for both of you to visit Cloud Recesses this year for the guest lectures. There will be other peers of your age, and I thought you would both enjoy an invite to study at Gusu for an entire year."
"An entire year at Cloud Recesses?" Wei Wuxian said in awe as he looked at Da-ge, "I can spend an entire year in Gusu with Lan Zhan?"
"As long as you're well behaved and do not break any of their rules," Nie Mingjue told him strictly, "Nor will you harass Wangji for an entire year. He has responsibilities to the Lan sect, and he will be busy. He will not have time to constantly chase you around for whatever schemes you and Sang-er have planned. You will not do anything to embarrass the Nie either by harassing Lan Wangji. Or I will bring both of you straight home."
"Can I follow him around then as long as I am not bothering him?" Wei Wuxian perked up at the loophole, "I won't bother him! He's my friend. I can really hang out with him for an entire year? And visit Gusu and see where he lives?"
"You don't even seem upset you're going to be leaving me for a year," Nie Mingjue grumbled, and Nie Huaisang wailed dramatically as he threw himself into Da-ge's arms.
"I am! I'm upset, Da-ge! How can I leave you alone for an entire year?" his brother sobbed, "I'll miss you too much. Please don't make me go, Da-ge! I love Qinghe! And I love you! And Nie Zonghui and Meng Yao! I'll miss you all terribly if I go. And San-di is going to be busy with Lan Wangji and I'll be all on my own without anyone or anything! What will I do, Da-ge? I'll be so sad and so lonely."
"Well then it's a good thing I decided to send along Meng Yao to accompany you then," Nie Mingjue said, not buying Er-ge's show for a second, "So you'll have company after all. And you won't feel as lonely as you're claiming to be. Isn't that nice?"
"Da-ge," Nie Huaisang whined, as Lan Xichen looked over the three of them fondly.
"You're just trying to get out of studying, Sang-er," Nie Mingjue told him strictly, "You know that the Gusu lectures are going to be difficult and you won't be able to sweet talk your way out of them, so you don't want to go. But you will, and you will get a good grade. I already did not send you these last two years despite how badly I wanted to, because I wanted you and A-Ying to go together and be with others your own age. I hoped if I sent you while you were older you would be more mature."
"Da-ge," Nie Huaisang pouted at him, "Aren't I doing better now? I've been practicing saber, haven't I? And I've been studying all this theory. Why are you still making me go?"
"Because Xichen has been kind enough to put together an extra class for students wishing to learn the basics of musical cultivation, just for you. He made an entire curriculum for you to learn. So you will go and you will appreciate him for teaching you when he is already busy. And if I even hear a whisper that you have been slacking off on those classes and abusing his kindness, I will come there myself and set you straight," Nie Mingjue warned him, "Is that understood?
"Yes Da-ge," Nie Huaisang grumbled. "Thank you for putting together lessons for me, Xichen-ge, I appreciate that you were willing to do so despite your busy schedule."
"It is not a problem, Sang-er," Lan Xichen smiled kindly at him, "I view you and A-Xian as my brothers as well, and if I can help you learn this then it would be my pleasure to do so. All I ask is that you earnestly try to give it your all. Can you do that for me?"
"Yes, Xichen-ge," Nie Huaisang sighed.
"Good," Lan Xichen smiled at him. "And yes, A-Xian, you will be able to see Wangji for an entire year. I can assure you, he is looking forward to your company as well. Especially for an extended period of time. I hope you both will enjoy your stay in Gusu."
"And that you will stay out of trouble," Nie Mingjue warned them again.
"When have I ever gotten into trouble?" Wei Wuxian asked innocently, and Nie Huaisang burst out laughing.
"A-Ying, the other day you insisted on cooking congee for us," Nie Mingjue reminded him, "And when you went to season it by dripping a bit of chilli oil into it, the entire bottle spilled in by mistake. But instead of starting over, or adding more rice to fix it, you served it as is. And did not warn either Sang-er, or I, or any of our disciples. You let all of us eat your congee without any warning."
"I thought a hole was going to form in my stomach from how much it burned," Nie Huaisang complained, and he could see Xichen-ge was struggling not to laugh at the story.
Wei Wuxian instead simply looked earnestly at his brothers, "I thought it tasted pretty good."
"You don't count," Nie Huaisang glowered at him, "You probably burnt off your taste buds years ago. Your taste definitely does not count."
"But Er-ge," Wei Wuxian started, and Nie Mingjue cut him off.
"You are both going to behave," Nie Mingjue said firmly, "Now, let's not waste Xichen's time any further. I'll let you practice in peace."
"I'll teach them well, A-Jue," Xichen-ge promised Da-ge, and Da-ge's eyes softened as he looked at Xichen-ge.
"I know you will," he told the man, squeezing his arm gently, "It's these two I don't trust."
Wei Wuxian watched the exchange with interest, before Da-ge moved to sit beside them under the tree, listening to Lan Xichen as he instructed them carefully.
Wei Wuxian stood nervously outside Da-ge's office. He'd sent a message with Meng Yao that he wanted to speak to him, and he couldn't help but wonder what about.
He knocked gingerly, and the door swung open, as his brother let him into his office.
"Come in, A-Ying," Da-ge said to him, and he sat down by his brother's desk. He looked at Wei Wuxian's expression in amusement before saying, "You don't have to look so frightened."
"I can't help it," he said relaxing a bit, "Yao-ge didn't tell me what you wanted to talk to me about. Just that you did."
Da-ge's eyes softened as he sat down beside Wei Ying.
"I wanted to have a talk with you before you went to Cloud Recesses," Da-ge told him, "You're getting older now, and as you do, you will be going out more and more, and some of the time, I will not be there beside you. I will not always be there to keep you and Sang-er safe."
"I can keep Er-ge safe," he promised his brother, "Nothing will ever happen to him."
"I know you will," Da-ge said, "But that is not what I meant. Who will keep you safe, A-Ying?"
He looked up at his brother confused.
"What I mean to say, is that I want you to know that you mean a great deal to me and to Sang-er. I know that we have told you that many times before. But I wanted to make sure to tell you before you left. I know you have heard the rumours people say about your parents and your birth status. They are usually better about it when I am around, but without my presence, I fear that they will not hold back in their gossip. The cultivation world can be unkind with the rumours they like to spread. The bigger the story the better, regardless of the truth. So what I am trying to say, is that no matter what they say, what stories they spin, what they want you to be, Sang-er and I will always love you," Da-ge told him, "Nothing will change the fact that you are our youngest brother. Blood or not. You are our family. You are a Nie. You belong in Qinghe. And if anyone tries to make you feel like you don't belong, tell me and I will deal with them personally."
Somehow, Wei Ying believed his brother's threat to ram a sword through anyone who happened to speak ill of him.
"You will face it more and more as you get older," Nie Mingjue told him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Other sects may not be kind. Other disciples will parrot the words their parents have said to them. They will not care about you and your feelings. So I want you to take care of yourself. You have a tendency to put others before you and your wellbeing. And while I appreciate your need to keep Nie Huaisang safe as his brother, I am yours as well, and do not want you to risk your life or your health for anyone. Okay?"
"Okay," Wei Ying swallowed.
"Good," Da-ge said satisfied, "I also have a feeling that your Lan Zhan would be similarly displeased if anyone tried to harm you. So I will trust him to keep you safe."
"Da-ge," Wei Ying protested, as his brother laughed kindly.
"One more thing, A-Ying," Da-ge said, as he handed him a pouch. Wei Ying took it from him and opened it up, looking surprised that there was a lot of coins inside.
"Da-ge, I can't take this!" Wei Ying protested, trying to hand it back to him.
"It's yours," Nie Mingjue told him firmly, "Every sale from talisman that you have invented has been set aside. Those were your inventions, so all the proceeds are in your name. Kept separate from the Nie family treasury. You earned it yourself. This is not all of it. This is a small portion for you to use in Gusu to buy yourself anything you want. I also included a similar amount in there from the Nie accounts, as you are a heir of the Nie sect, and if you wish to purchase anything for yourself, you deserve to do so. This is your money, A-Ying."
He looked up at his brother in surprise as Nie Mingjue continued.
"I know you wanted to invent talismans for the innovation of it," Nie Mingjue said, "But your inventions have been valuable and as such, they've been in high demand. You've amassed quite a fortune, and as you get older, I will turn over the coins to you directly to do with as you see fit. This is your money. Your own fortune. I know I've said you will always have a home here, but if you ever wanted to travel for a few years or partake in any undertakings, you will have a sizable amount to help you stand on your two feet."
He couldn't help but throw himself into his brother's arms. He may have been excited to see Lan Zhan, but he was going to miss Da-ge a lot. A year was a long time to spend away from his brother, especially when Da-ge was so much more than just a brother to him.
"I'm going to miss you too, A-Ying," Da-ge said with a thick voice, "I'll come visit, okay? I have more than enough reasons to travel to Gusu, and already I go more than is really needed. I'll come visit you all the time, okay?"
"Okay," he said, holding Da-ge tightly. "Thank you, Da-ge. For everything. I know you said we're family, but we didn't need to be. I could have been a servant here. I could have been just a disciple. But instead, you gave me a family. And I love you."
"I love you too, A-Ying," Da-ge told him. "And if you ever want to come home from Gusu, just tell me, okay? I'll be there immediately to bring you home. That stands for wherever you are. Just say the word, and I will always bring you home."
"Thank you, Da-ge," he said, appreciating his family. He knew he was on the cusp of becoming a man. But for now, he wanted to stay a child for just a while longer.