#or what sect you're from or who you're voting for chief cultivator

[jaimebluesq]

WIP Wednesday - 10/05

A little something from a longer fic I'm writing - the scene turned out really well so I thought I'd share it. Post-canon, NHS owning the Jianghu :D (This was SO satisfying to write, ngl) WWX's pov

~~~

“Why are we even arguing?” Sect Leader Huang shouted, quieting most of the noise. “We all know there are only two possible candidates.”

“You're wrong,” Sect Leader Yao countered. “There is absolutely no reason a minor sect leader cannot be Chief Cultivator!”

Sect Leader Huang glared at Sect Leader Yao, then looked to the rest of the men and women in the hall. “Is there even a single person in here who would vote for Yao-zongzhu?” Sect Leader Yao's bluster began to fade as not a single person spoke up in his defence – in fact, he looked rather offended when Sect Leader Ouyang avoided his gaze. “Only the larger sects have the history, the resources, and the connections to give legitimacy to the role, and among them, Jin-zongzhu is far too young and inexperienced, and Lan-zongzhu is in seclusion. That leaves us with Jiang-zongzhu and Nie-zongzhu, whether you like it or not.”

There was more murmuring throughout the room, though it was halted by a loud cough coming from the head of the Nie contingent. Nie Huaisang stood up and flicked his fan open, using it to cool himself as he faced Sect Leader Huang. “I believe I can make this even simpler for the leaders of the Jianghu,” he said in a serious tone that few in the room had likely ever heard from the 'Headshaker'. “Even should you decide to vote for me, I cannot possibly accept.”

“But why?” Sect Leader Yao looked confused that anyone would reject such a prestigious position, and he was not the only one.

Nie Huaisang's fan paused and he took in a deep breath before closing it once again. “The reason is actually something I had planned to announce at the end of the conference, though I suppose there is no better time than the present. I cannot be Chief Cultivator because in two months' time, I am abdicating my position as Nie-zongzhu and handing it down to my Head Disciple, Nie Zuilong.”

For a single moment, the room was so silent that Wei Wuxian could have heard the dropping of a pin – then it was suddenly filled with people voicing their shock. At first, it looked like the many comments were falling upon deaf ears as Nie Huaisang made no reaction, but then Wei Wuxian heard someone shouting out, What would Nie Mingjue think about this?

Wei Wuxian's eyes went straight to Nie Huaisang in time to watch his jaw clench, then suddenly his fan was thrown to the floor, the dark metal banging against the polished wood of Lotus Pier's main hall and drawing the attention of every pair of eyes in the room.

“What would my brother think?” Nie Huaisang echoed – and if looks could kill, the unknown disciple who had asked the question would be on his way to his next life. “My brother has no opinion because he isn't here. He's dead, locked in a tomb with the very man who murdered him. If you want to go to Yunping and open his coffin to ask his opinion, then by all means, do so.”

“Now be fair, Nie-zongzhu,” Sect Leader Ouyang said condescendingly. “The comment was perhaps a little out of line, but your answer doesn't become a proper sect leader.” Behind him, his son shrank away, looking like he would much rather be sitting with the Lan or Jin delegations.

Wei Wuxian thought back to the first time he'd met with Nie Huaisang after being returned and thinking how sad it was that his old friend had grown so weak and helpless, and he remembered the way the man had passed out in the treasure room beneath Koi Tower – he could see how the other sect leaders would feel themselves better than someone like the Headshaker. But he also remembered Jin Guangyao's final words and his own suspicions about just how much Nie Huaisang may have been involved in his downfall. At his side, Lan Wangji tensed as if getting ready to involve himself – Wei Wuxian placed a hand on his husband's arm and shook his head.

He wanted to see where this would go – he had a feeling it was going to be quite entertaining, and possibly cathartic. He couldn't help but notice at the head of the hall, Jiang Cheng was keeping out of it as well, also looking like he was curious about how this argument would go.

Nie Huaisang's lips curved into a smile and Sect Leader Ouyang relaxed – likely because, unlike Wei Wuxian, he hadn't noticed that the smile did not reach Nie Huaisang's eyes. “Why thank you, Ouyang-zongzhu, for telling me how I should and should not comport myself. I'll surely take advice from a man who is incapable of telling when he has bored the rest of the conference attendees to death.”

There were a few chuckles from around the room, but Nie Huaisang was not laughing.

Wei Wuxian suddenly wished he had some peanuts to eat while watching the show.

“Though if you would take some advice from this humble one,” Nie Huaisang continued, and to Wei Wuxian, his voiced sounded menacing. “I would do a better job locking the door when having those 'private' meetings with Yao-zongzhu - I fear your wife 'overheard' your last meeting, and may now have the wrong impression about your relationship with him – that is why she chose not to accompany you today, is it not?”

Whispers spread throughout the room. Sect Leader Yao let out a forced laugh. “Ah, how amusing Nie-zongzhu, really. Now perhaps we can ignore such ridiculous fabrications and get back to business.”

“Ridiculous,” Nie Huaisang echoed, his eyes narrowing and looking remarkably like his brother.

Something was placed on the table in front of Wei Wuxian; he looked down to see a small bag of peanuts. He looked up at Lan Wangji and grinned, blowing him a kiss in thanks, then began cracking open the first nut.

“Ridiculous.” Oh, Nie Huaisang now sounded just this side of unhinged, and Wei Wuxian was loving it. “Let me tell you what's ridiculous: the pile of trade offers that landed on my desk in the wake of Liangfang-zun's death. After ten years of thinking the only reason you couldn't take advantage of my unsuitability as sect leader was that I had his and Zewu-Jun's support and aid, you were all suddenly interested in sending the most insulting offers now that neither of them are here to act as my support. All of you! With certain notable exceptions,” he added with nods to Jiang Cheng, Jin Ling, and Lan Wangji.

The only other sound in the room was the cracking of Wei Wuxian's peanut shell.

“Not that none of you tried to get to me when they weren't around,” Nie Huaisang continued, beginning to walk down the room so he could look from one sect leader to another. “Oh, you did try, and every now and then I'd let you think you got one over on me and go cry to San-ge that I thought I'd messed something up, because every time I wanted to remind him about just what sort of position he had put me in!”

There was a small sound from behind Wei Wuxian; he glanced back and saw Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi watching raptly, with the former's hand clapped to the latter's mouth to keep him from making any noise. He grabbed a few peanuts and dropped them on their tables to share.

“What fucking irony that in ten years of being unable to sleep at night, of being constantly paranoid and terrified that he was going to find out I knew what he did to my brother,” there were gasps from the crowd, “ten years of hating him... and I still like and respect him more than almost every single one of you! How does it feel,” Nie Huaisang paused before Sect Leaders Yao and Ouyang, “to know the son of a whore you all derided and turned on the moment it was convenient, that he was better than the lot of you put together!”

The various sect leaders in the crowd looked insulted, but none of them dared speak. Wei Wuxian, quite frankly, thought they could use a good dressing down.

“I didn't want this, any of this,” Nie Huaisang continued with a wave of his hand, once again pacing along the hall. “And you dare to even suggest making me Chief Cultivator?! What would my brother think? He would think the same as I do, that the only reason you would want me in the position would be because you think I'm easily manipulated without anyone else to watch out for me.”

Wei Wuxian saw Jiang Cheng lift a hand to rub at his lower face and wondered if he was the only one who'd noticed the smirk being hidden behind that hand.

“And perhaps there might have been a time I would have allowed you to think that and gone along with it, and used your ignorance against you once I was elected... but I'm so fucking tired, and I want out.” Nie Huaisang's shoulders dropped as if he was running out of steam. “I've given up so much to try and make Da-ge proud, to not let our sect be destroyed or absorbed by another because I owed him that much. You have no idea what I've let go of or put on hold because I couldn't risk watching the things I love be destroyed. None of you have any right to ask more of me. I'm done, I've had enough, and in two months' time, there will be another Nie to deal with all of your bullshit.”

Nie Huaisang stopped his pacing next to the fan he had thrown, picking it up and cradling it between his hands. He turned and faced the head of the room, lowering into a formal bow to Jiang Cheng. “My deepest apologies, Jiang-zongzhu, for the disruption. No disrespect was intended to our host – you have always been one of the few to be just and honest in your dealings with Qinghe Nie.”

“No offence was taken,” Jiang Cheng replied simply. “I think the Jianghu can do with a little more blunt honesty.”

“Thank you.” Nie Huaisang set his shoulders back. “Now, I'm afraid I'm feeling a little under the weather and will leave the conference to decide as it will. I will leave all votes to my Head Disciple, who will act on my behalf.”

Nie Huaisang made a perfect, graceful turn and strode down the hall, leaving a room full of angry and embarrassed sect leaders in his wake.

#nie huaisang #the untamed #wip wednesday #wip excerpt

[songofclarity]

skdhhejdh i like to think there were gay men throwing flowers at nmj but wwx was just so caught up in his comp het that he only noticed that the women weren’t

Honestly, if you suggested that there were gay and straight men cheering Nie MingJue's name at the top of their lungs and/or throwing flowers to him, I would be inclined to believe you because I am all for it! The novel simply specifies the men were cheering while the women were just standing in closed-fist silence and letting their hearts burst with yearning and just, RIP them all but I’m different!

I’m getting the impression that people are treating my post/this situation as inclusion/exclusion of who was doing what along gender and sexual-orientation lines. Could an older gay man have thrown flowers to Nie MingJue? Absolutely! Could a little straight girl have thrown flowers to Nie MingJue? Of course! The author wrote it with generalized gender groups but having one or two or more people acting outside the norm wouldn’t be wrong! It happens in real life!

What I noticed was that Wei WuXian throwing a flower was not something that drew attention. Men throwing flowers isn’t apparently worth social commentary. What does make it stand out is that he throws a flower at the very unimpressed Lan WangJi, and no one wants to deal with them arguing right now -- because Wei WuXian throwing a flower to him, with their turbulent history, is perceived as teasing at best or mockery at worst.

But this is true for Nie MingJue as well: Nie MingJue looks heated as a solar flare so to see any delicate flowers fluttering about him would draw attention. To see any flowers would raise the question: who would be so bold!? Such a question would absolutely be of Wei WuXian’s interest, because Nie MingJue is indeed fearsome to behold, but Wei WuXian is not interested because he doesn’t see anything beyond the women holding back.

With that said, my “but I’m different” post is just playing on the grand scheme of things, because it was never defined that Nie MingJue didn’t receive any flowers. The main take-away, as I understood it, was that everyone else, from the Lan Sect to the Jiang Sect to the Jin Sect, was getting a torrential downpour of flowers while Nie MingJue, noticeably, did not.

When men who were high up on the list of cultivators entered, almost all of them couldn’t be spared from being showered with a faceful of flowery rain.

As the one ranked seventh, Nie MingJue, however, was an exception... even if the maidens could already feel their hearts bursting from their chests, clutching in their palms sweat-soiled flowers, they didn’t dare toss them out no matter what, afraid that they’d anger him and his saber hacked into the watching tower. However, many of the male cultivators who admired ChiFeng-Zun cheered for him. The cheers almost brought pain to the ears. (Ch. 69, ERS)

I love this because it’s a clear show-don’t-tell of what Wei WuXian identifies more clearly later on during empathy:

On Koi Tower, people came and went. Before Nie MingJue’s high viewpoint, the crowd parted again and again, with both sides nodding at him in respect, calling him “ChiFeng-Zun”. Wei WuXian thought, Such a show of extravagance is going to reach even the heavens. All these people both fear and respect Nie MingJue. There’s quite a few people who fear me, though not a lot who respect me. (Ch. 49, ERS)

The power Nie MingJue holds is unmatched! No one is throwing Nie MingJue flowers out of fear, but they respect/admire him so much they literally can’t shut up about it. Where he walks, the sea of people part. The power of the gods is being challenged. And dropping flowers on him might evoke the god-like wrath that made him MVP of the Sunshot Campaign.

Nonetheless, he still could very well have gotten a few flowers from anyone! But compared to how many flowers all the other top-ranking cultivators was getting, it was negligible. Nie MingJue’s aura and reputation precedes him. Even though we have evidence to show he means no harm towards innocent men, women, or children, people are still in fearful awe of him.

In closing, we should also bring up how if Nie MingJue isn’t getting a face full of flowers then Nie HuaiSang isn’t getting any secondary flowers either! Our boy came dressed to the nines, has rings on his fingers, has his fan in hand, has his saber for once, and he’s having a great time! But he, too, could do with more love in the flower department!

The Qinghe Nie are good men and deserve all the flowers from everyone is what I’m saying 🥺

#anon #asked from above #mdzs thoughts #mdzs quotes #nie mingjue #nmj is getting all the posts today apparently #i mean this in the nicest way possible #and as clearly as possible #everyone should be throwing flowers to nie mingjue #i don't care about gender or sexuality #or your zodiac sign #or what sect you're from or who you're voting for chief cultivator #or if you don't like pineapple on your pizza #or if you have pre-existing conditions #or are eligible for financial compensation #throw. flowers. to. nie. mingjue. #and flowers to nie huaisang as well he just wants nice things! #on another note i believe wwx is demi lol