The situation had spiraled out of control.

A month ago, Jiang Cheng had been in a room with his mother, his aunt and several other older women, some of whom were relatives and most of whom were professional matchmakers. They had been harrying him to pick someone from among the list of potential matches, so overtures could be made to the potential bride’s family.

Marriage was honestly not something he’d ever given much thought, beyond the fact that he was expected to do it someday. He didn’t particularly fancy taking a wife under the present circumstances. However, his mother had started talking about finding a match for him almost as soon as the dust settled after the Sunshot Campaign, in order to secure alliances as he rebuilt their home and clan. It had ramped up recently and culminated that afternoon, with a long list of the cultivation world’s eligible young women, complete with portraits that made them all look pretty in the same way. Jiang Cheng felt increasingly claustrophobic, closed in on by his family’s and the matchmakers’ demands.

“I don’t like any of them! I don’t want this! I don’t want to marry any woman!” he’d burst out, desperate and at the end of his rope. He hadn’t intended to say that, and in the silence that followed his outburst, he hadn’t stopped to be embarrassed. He’d turned around and stalked out of the room.

In less time than it took an incense stick to burn, the older aunties and matchmakers had filed out, walking hurriedly and talking in low murmurs as they left Lotus Pier. His mother and aunt had remained closeted away the rest of the day. They even took supper by themselves. They didn’t summon Jiang Cheng to berate him for his behavior.

The next morning his aunt had left, and his mother behaved as if nothing at all had happened at morning training. However, she asked him to come to her pavilion out on the lotus lake after breakfast.

It seemed Jiang-zongzhu hadn’t escaped a dressing down from his mother for being rude.

But to his surprise, when he came to see her and started to apologize, she cut him off with a raised hand.

“You’re the clan leader now, A-Cheng. Don’t apologize for expecting your will to be enacted,” she said.

He stared at her. This was unexpected.

“Of course, there are more diplomatic ways to make it known. The matchmakers are half convinced to blacklist you from the marriage market. Did you know that?”

“No, A-Niang,” he replied. Privately, he thought that wouldn’t be so bad. Oh, his relatives would still try, but it would be a lot harder without the assistance of professionals.

His mother motioned with her hand as if waving the concern away.

“I think it’s best we clarify where we stand and move forward from there.”

He nodded. It was probably best not to speak until he had a better sense of where his mother was going with all this.

“Did you mean what you said yesterday, A-Cheng? You don’t want to marry a woman?”

“Not really, no,” he admitted. He may as well be truthful.

There was a pause before she went on, speaking slowly and clearly.

“To be clear, you are saying you are not interested in women?”

“Not right now. Maybe things will change in the future,” he offered as a compromise.

She gave him a very frank look. “Somehow I doubt that. I’ve known men like this.”

Jiang Cheng wasn’t sure how to reply. Just because he didn’t want a wife now didn’t mean he wouldn’t in the future, but it also didn’t seem prudent to say so with his mother being so unusually receptive to his current desires.

He opted to stay quiet.

She sighed. “It doesn’t entirely surprise me, you know. You’ve never shown the slightest interest in girls. For a while, I thought maybe Wei Wuxian’s forwardness with them inhibited you.”

“I don’t really think so, A-Niang. I think Wei Wuxian’s flirting is too familiar.” Shameless, to be quite honest, but loyalty to Wei Wuxian kept him from saying that.

His mother nodded. “Still, I want you to know that I’m glad things are out in the open. As I said, you are hardly the first man to prefer other men.”

…WHAT? Jiang Cheng’s brain screeched to a halt.

Did his mother really think that was the reason he didn’t want to get married? His eyes widened in alarm.

“A-Niang, I don’t—”

“We will not be seeking any more names of girls as potential candidates to be your consort. We will find a way forward from here, for you and Yunmeng Jiang.”

Jiang Cheng blinked, and closed his mouth. Maybe having his mother think he preferred men wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

—

Despite the nagging of his conscience that he should clear up the misunderstanding, he kept quiet about it over the next month. He figured he could always explain later, when he’s older and actually interested in being married. His mother will no doubt be angry to find out either way, so he might as well enjoy a reprieve from the pressure.

It hadn’t occurred to him to wonder what Yu Ziyuan meant by “finding a path forward, for you and Yunmeng Jiang”. If he had, maybe he wouldn’t have been caught completely off-guard when she sends Yinzhu to summon him, and he once again finds himself in a room with her, his aunt Yu, and the same small crowd of aunties and matchmakers as four weeks prior.

“What’s happening?” he asks, slowly.

“The matchmakers are back, of course, with a new list of candidates for your consort,” his aunt Yu replies.

Jiang Cheng turns to stare at his mother, confused and betrayed. “A-Niang… you said…”

“I said we would not be seeking further female candidates to be your consort. The pool of male cultivators that might be amenable to the position is smaller, but I’m satisfied we will find someone suitable among them.”

Jiang Cheng can only stare. The words ‘male cultivators that might be amenable’ remain in his mind, like rocks skipping across the surface of a pond.

“It was not trivial, putting this new list together after Jiang-zongzhu’s revelation,” one of the matchmakers adds. “Who might be suitably inclined is not always common knowledge, and we were careful when sifting through rumors.”

One glance at his mother’s face tells Jiang Cheng that another outburst like last month’s will not be tolerated. This mess will not be untangled by yelling and storming out. He realizes that, for the moment, he has no option but to stay as the matchmakers go through the list extolling the virtues of eligible young masters his own age.

Worst of all is when he knows them, and he knows more than a few, from the war, or in quite a few cases, from before, from his year in the Cloud Recesses. The ones that used to be interested in Nie Huaisang’s cut-sleeve spring books are not particularly surprising. Somehow, he manages to get through most of it without incident, but he can’t keep the grimace from his face when one of the matchmakers starts talking about Su She, of all people, with barely concealed enthusiasm.

“No,” he mutters through gritted teeth.

There is a pause, as several of the matchmakers share inscrutable glances. He hates this.

“It is our humble opinion that Jiang-zongzhu should not dismiss Su Minshan out of hand,” says one of them.

“True, he is not himself a Lan,” another one pipes up, giving him a frank look, as if this is why he is objecting. “However, the fact that he is not makes it less likely he and his parents will reject the idea of him marrying into another clan out of hand.”

“This is why there are no Lan young masters on the list, Jiang-zongzhu,” adds the one that first brought up Su She. “It is our opinion that most of them would not consider it. The most suitable in age, Lan Wangji, certainly would not, even if he were inclined towards men, given his position.”

Something inside Jiang Cheng wants to curl up and die at the very idea of Lan Wangji as a possible… no! He will not think about it.

“Su Minshan is a more than capable cultivator, very handsome to look at, as are all the disciples of the—“ someone is saying.

“I said no! Not Su Minshan!”

There is silence.

Then, the eldest of the matchmakers steps forward, to take the place of the one that was so enthusiastically proposing Su She.

“We had hoped this would be easier once we learned of Jiang-zongzhu’s true inclination,” she says, somewhat waspishly. She’s old enough to get away with speaking like that to anyone. “But it seems that Jiang-zongzhu is as picky about men as about women.”

She pushes away the stack of papers with names, portraits, and the candidates’ qualities, except for one at the bottom, which she slides towards Jiang Cheng.

He stares at the familiar face staring up from a graceful ink sketch, the characters of his name running along the side.

“Nie Huaisang?” Surprised, he looks up to see the old matchmaker nod in what appears to be satisfaction at his reaction.

He licks his lips. At least, Nie Huaisang is his friend. Someone he likes. (And he’d be lying if he said he didn’t think Huaisang is prettier than most girls he knows).

“Ah… you think that Huaisang would… ?”

Not that he’s surprised to see him listed among the young masters potentially interested in men. After all, back at the Cloud Recesses he had all sorts of spring books, “I like the aesthetics of love” he would always say with a wink, but the ones about cut-sleeves always seemed to be his favorites. There have always been rumors about him, not that he bothers listening to gossip about his best friend aside from Wei Wuxian.

He doesn’t understand why seeing him on the list surprised him, or why it would make his pulse race.

“Most of us do not,” the matchmaker that had proposed Su She says, looking distinctly annoyed. “In our opinion, his clan is as unlikely to accept marrying him into the Jiang clan as a consort as the Lan would be about Lan Wangji. Until his older brother marries and produces a son, Nie Huaisang is his heir. I still think—”

The eldest matchmaker raises her hand to silence her.

Jiang Cheng looks back down at Nie Huaisang’s portrait.

“Why suggest his name, then?” He asks, intrigued despite his better judgement.

“Because I insisted,” the eldest matchmaker says. “I have been doing this the longest, and I believe he is the best possible match for Jiang-zongzhu.”

Jiang Cheng feels his mouth go dry, and can’t think of a single thing to say in reply to that.

“He is Jiang-zongzhu’s friend, is he not? It is always an unexpected blessing if there is genuine affection to build upon.”

Jiang Cheng doesn’t remember ever actually saying yes, but he is well aware he didn’t say no.

He blames it, in part, on being overwhelmed in the moment by the very idea that was being proposed to him. The matchmakers considered Nie Huaisang, his friend, someone who might potentially be a man’s consort? They considered him a candidate to be his consort? The eldest matchmaker even thought they would be good together, that Huaisang was the best possible match for him? To say the idea came as something of a revelation was an understatement.

Before his brain had quite caught up, the old matchmaker was talking about initial overtures: How to handle this admittedly unusual case. How to approach Chifeng-zun with the idea.

At that point, Jiang Cheng had thought, surely Nie Mingjue will reject this out of hand, right? But meanwhile, maybe he can enjoy a little peace and quiet before having to sort out this mess.

He can always explain things to Nie Huaisang. They’re friends, after all. He’ll probably find it funny. They can have a laugh over it the next time they see each other.

Once Jiang Cheng has time to actually think about it, he decides that the best course of action will be to explain everything to Nie Huaisang before the matchmakers ever reach the Unclean Realm. Jiang Cheng is well aware that Nie Huaisang is better than he is at dealing with people and getting them to do what he wants. He’s very astute, however much he may pretend otherwise. If he knows about this ahead of time, perhaps he'll be able to handle in such a way that it just… is not an issue. Because Jiang Cheng is aware that unraveling the situation could very well become an issue, if not handled with finesse. Finesse that Nie Huaisang has in spades.

And so, that evening, Jiang Cheng takes the time to sit and write a letter to his friend.

The letter is short and to the point:

“Huaisang,

I mentioned when we last saw each other that my mother intends to see me married. I may have let her believe I'm a cutsleeve to get out of it. Unfortunately, she's now having matchmakers propose male cultivators for my consort. Anyway, one (more?) of them will be arriving at the Unclean Realm soon. Obviously, neither of us wants that, so just say no and that will be the end of it.

Jiang Wanyin”

He resolves to have the letter sent the next day. Via pigeon, perhaps. Huaisang does love to receive letters that way. He waits for the ink to dry, puts it aside, then goes to bed.

And can’t fall asleep. The more Jiang Cheng thinks about it, the more the words he’s written don’t sit right with him.

He gets up, lights a candle, and reads his words back.

"—may have let her believe I'm a cutsleeve—"

"Unfortunately—"

"Obviously, neither of us wants that, so just say no and that will be the end of it."

Short and to the point, so much so, that you could call it brusque. Dismissive or rude, even. Nie Huaisang is used to his blunt and often caustic way of speaking, he’s certainly never taken offense before, and yet…

Jiang Cheng thinks back to long days and nights spent together at the Cloud Recesses after Wei Wuxian had left. How close they had become. Certainly, the intervening years, grief, and war had put a certain distance between them, something Jiang Cheng regretted. He missed the easy camaraderie they shared, the fun they had together at the Cloud Recesses. He even missed that during the Sunshot Campaign, they had more occasions to meet and spend time together; Nie Huaisang always made it all seem better, even at the darkest times. But since then, his duties as clan leader of Yunmeng Jiang leave little time for keeping in regular touch with a friend, much less finding opportunities to actually spend time together. Regardless, Nie Huaisang remains one of very few people he considered his friends.

He certainly doesn’t want him to get the impression that Jiang Cheng thinks he isn’t worth marrying because that isn’t true at all. Nie Huaisang is talented, funny, cultured, and intelligent, no matter how hard he tries to hide the last fact, and he’s beautiful too. Anyone that marries him will be lucky to have him. If Jiang Cheng were inclined to marry a man, Nie Huaisang would be perfect.

No, this letter wouldn't do.

Jiang Cheng burns the paper over the candle's flame and resolves to write a different, better letter in the morning.

—

The next morning, Jiang Cheng gets up at dawn, like he does almost every day, and starts the day training with Sandu in his private courtyard. It's closed on every side except the east, facing a small pond that connects with the larger lake by a canal. The lotus flowers are starting to bloom, and he remembers all the times Nie Huaisang has said he would love to see Lotus Pier. He thinks his friend would love this view. He would probably want to paint it.

After finishing his own, he goes to supervise the clan disciples’ training, and it's only after breakfast that he returns to his study. He kneels in front of his desk, pulls out a blank piece of paper, and tries to think about what this new letter to Nie Huaisang should say.

He's barely managed to write a greeting, when he's interrupted by Wei Wuxian sauntering into his study with absolutely no warning.

"Good morning, Jiang Cheng!" Wei Wuxian exclaims cheerily and much too enthusiastically. He sprawls on the other side of the table and rests his chin on his hand, "I heard the most interesting thing this morning in the market!"

"And I'm sure it can wait until later," Jiang Cheng said, irritated at the interruption. This letter is difficult enough to write as it is without Wei Wuxian’s distractions.

"Hmmm… I don't know about that," Wei Wuxian replies, unfazed by Jiang Cheng's unfriendly tone. He leans across the table conspiratorially. "I heard the matchmakers were back yesterday with a brand-new list!"

Jiang Cheng glares and does not reply.

"But that's not all," Wei Wuxian continues, glancing down at the paper in front of Jiang Cheng. The ink hasn't dried, and so Jiang Cheng hasn't covered it. Nie Huaisang's name is clearly visible. Wei Wuxian's grin widens. "I also heard that a small delegation of them left this morning for Qinghe, escorted by some of our best disciples."

Jiang Cheng resists the urge to cover up the letter. He tells himself he hasn’t actually writing anything yet. Certainly, nothing that would confirm whatever gossip Wei Wuxian has heard.

"That's none of your fucking business!" he retorts, lifting his chin even as he feels his face flush. He tells himself it's anger.

"Don't be like that, Jiang Cheng! Can't I be happy that my shidi has finally found a potential bride?"

Jiang Cheng's eyes widen involuntarily and his pulse races. If Wei Wuxian heard about his proposal to Nie Huaisang in the market, it means everyone knows about it.

"That's why you're writing to Nie-xiong, isn't it?" Wei Wuxian grins, relishing the moment. "He doesn't have any sisters, so which one of his cousins is it? I know some of them. Did he help you choose?"

Jiang Cheng scoffs and leans back, relieved that Wei Wuxian doesn't know the truth of the matter. It means it's not common knowledge.

"What the hell are you doing anyway, gossiping about me in the market?" He tries to shift the topic to Wei Wuxian’s behavior. The first disciple of Yunmeng Jiang shouldn’t be gossiping in the market, not that that’s ever stopped him before.

"I wouldn't have to gossip if anyone had bothered to tell me about it!"

"That's because there's nothing to tell!" He lies, hoping Wei Wuxian will, for once, let it go.

No such luck.

"It must be one of the Nie first cousins from the main line, right? After all, you're a clan leader and that's the closest thing to a sister. I’m sure Yu-furen would insist.” Wei Wuxian taps his finger against his lip thoughtfully.

"Unless…" Wei Wuxian looks back at Jiang Cheng, eyes sparkling as if he's solved a puzzle. "There's that cousin on his mother's side, a couple of years younger than us! She's about as close as an actual human might get to that bullshit list of requirements of yours!" He grins slyly as he leans over the table. "And she's very pretty, she looks a lot like Nie-xiong.”

"What does it matter if she looks like Huaisang?!" Jiang Cheng exclaims, alarmed, and immediately regrets his outburst. Wei Wuxian looks positively giddy.

"Oh, nothing, just that since she looks like Nie-xiong, you must agree she's pretty."

“Why would I—!” Jiang Cheng sputters.

"Come on, Jiang Cheng! I've heard you say Nie-xiong is pretty more than once when you're drunk!"

Jiang Cheng's eyes widen in alarm.

"What? When!" He does not remember saying any such thing.

"At the Cloud Recesses, of course, and a couple of times more recently too," Wei Wuxian informs him smugly. "And it's not like Nie-xiong hasn't heard it, either. You told him so at least once that I remember."

“What! When did I do that? Why would I do that?" Jiang Cheng is mortified.

"You were very drunk, it was the night that Lan Zhan caught me bringing back Emperor's Smile," Wei Wuxian says matter-of-factly, as if that narrows it down. "Anyway, my point is he knows you think he's pretty, and he knows his cousin looks like him. And he knows your dumb list too! It is her, isn't it?"

Jiang Cheng panics, mortified and unable to come up with a retort. He rises to his feet and points at the door, as Wei Wuxian laughs in amused delight.

"Get the fuck out!” He can feel a vein throbbing in his temple.

Wei Wuxian makes a show of sighing and pouting, but he gets up and saunters to the door. "Fine! You can tell me all about what Nie-xiong said to get you so worked up over her later."

“Now!”

Jiang Cheng does not manage to write the letter that day.

He doesn't sleep that second night either. He keeps thinking about what Wei Wuxian revealed so casually this morning. He really has no memory of ever admitting to Wei Wuxian that he thinks their friend is pretty, much less of confessing the fact to Nie Huaisang himself. It's mortifying.

He doesn't really question having said it, however. After all, it is true, he's thought Nie Huaisang was beautiful since they met. It's just objective fact, and not something he'd ever actually say out loud while sober.

He tries to think back to those long ago nights drinking with Nie Huaisang in the room he and Wei Wuxian shared at the Cloud Recesses, but it's been so long ago. He does remember Nie Huaisang staying the night several times, and also thinking how pretty his lightly flushed face looked as he laughed and leaned against Jiang Cheng. How pleasant it was to feel his warmth next to him. But he honestly can't remember ever saying it.

He tries to imagine what Nie Huaisang's reaction might have been. Would he have blushed and looked away? Would he have laughed and said, "You're drunk, Jiang-xiong, go to sleep!"? Could he possibly have said he thought Jiang Cheng was attractive too? Or would he perhaps have been too drunk to remember? After all, he's never mentioned it since.

No, it's too much to hope for that only Wei Wuxian registered and remembered it. He's going to have to assume that Nie Huaisang is well aware of him making an ass of himself.

He really needs to write that letter.

—

“Huaisang

I hope you and your brother are well. It has been a long time since we last spoke, and I have a lot to tell you.

Soon, a delegation of matchmakers will arrive to propose a marriage between you and me. I understand this must come as a shock. I will explain the situation when we see each other, and you will no doubt get a laugh out of the story. Until then, know that while I think you are certainly worthy of marriage, this proposal is a due to an assumption that got out of hand. I value our friendship greatly and hope you don’t take offense. I’m sure Chifeng-zun will dismiss the proposal, and that is the best course of”

"Jiang Cheng!" The voice rings out mere moments before Wei Wuxian himself appears in his study, and Jiang Cheng scrambles to cover the nearly finished letter with other papers.

"What do you want now?" he asks, exasperated. He can see the ink blotting.

"I just spoke to Shijie."

"How nice for you," Jiang Cheng replies sarcastically.

Wei Wuxian ignores his tone and perches on his desk. "I asked her if she knew about your impending betrothal, and she has no idea either!" he says, pointing an accusatory finger at Jiang Cheng's chest, who swats the finger away.

"This again?"

"It's one thing for you and Yu-furen to keep me in the dark, but Shijie too?" Wei Wuxian says, crossing his arms.

"First of all, get off my desk," Jiang Cheng tells him, annoyed, as he pushes Wei Wuxian off his perch. "Second of all, Jiejie just got back from Meishan Yu last night. Third of all, there is nothing to tell."

"Nothing to tell! You've finally found someone you want to marry! Because I know Yu-furen asked your opinion about this—”

"Wei Wuxian!" Jiang Cheng sighs, pinches the bridge of his nose. "There's nothing to tell because the Nies will say no."

He stops speaking. He didn't mean to confirm anything.

"So it is one of Nie-xiong's cousins!" Wei Wuxian exclaims triumphantly, before turning a quizzical eye on Jiang Cheng. "Why do you think they'll say no?"

"Get out. I have work to do."

"Is this why you're being so weird about this? You really think they'll say no? Why would any family say no to a marriage with Sandu Shengshou, one of the great heroes of the Sunshot Campaign?” Wei Wuxian actually sounds earnest about this. It makes it worse.

"They just will! I know they will!" He replies, raising his voice.

“It’s ridiculous! It’s an alliance between Qinghe Nie and Yunmeng Jiang, it makes sense! And even outside the political angle, you know Nie-xiong wouldn't suggest you propose to someone who would say no to you. He’s your friend.”

Jiang Cheng can only glare at this.

“Unless he didn't suggest her? Is this why you're writing to him?" Wei Wuxian leans forward and tries to grab the papers in front of Jiang Cheng.

"Out!" Jiang Cheng springs to his feet, slamming his hand on the papers before the other can reach them.

Wei Wuxian takes a step back, raising his hands as if to appease him. "Fine fine! But I really think you're wrong about this." he says as he backs out of Jiang Cheng's study.

Once he's gone, Jiang Cheng sinks back to his knees with a huff. He waits a few moments before gingerly lifting the papers off his letter to Nie Huaisang.

It's mostly legible, but smudged and ruined. He can't send this to Huaisang.

While he burns the letter, Jiang Cheng thinks maybe it's for the best. After all, Wei Wuxian almost read it. Any letter he writes might fall into hands apart from Nie Huaisang's. It's probably a good idea to be more circumspect about what he writes.

—

“Huaisang,

A delegation will arrive at Qinghe soon with a proposal. I’m sure Chifeng-zun will reject it, and you need take no action. Please know I value our friendship and you greatly, and mean no offense. I look forward to seeing you again at the next cultivation conference, and I hope you will give me the chance then to explain.

It has been a long time since we saw each other, and while I certainly don’t miss the war, I miss that we had occasion to meet more often.

Jiang Wanyin”

Jiang Cheng reads over his finished letter and sits back, satisfied.

It’s concise, and avoids actually spelling out the situation or mentioning anything incriminating, while providing enough information that Nie Huaisang will certainly figure it out once the delegation arrives. He indicates clearly that his intention is for the proposal to be rejected, and just as importantly, he emphasizes how important Nie Huaisang and their friendship are to him. He hopes the admission that he misses Huaisang will drive that home.

And he’s managed to write it with no interruptions.

He has it sent immediately, since by now the delegation has been traveling for several days and the letter should, of course, arrive before they do.

It takes Nie Huaisang a minute to realize the pounding torturing him isn’t due to his activities of the night before, but to someone hammering on his door.

“Nie-er-gongzi! Nie-zongzhu requests your presence as soon as possible!”

Fuck fuck fuck, he thinks.

“Uh… yes… tell him I’ll be right there,” he manages to reply, pushing himself to sit up on his bed.

He wonders if the guards on duty last night betrayed him and told his brother the time and state he came back in last night.

Nie Huaisang takes as long as he dares to make himself presentable before making his way to the main hall, all the while planning what kind of revenge to exact on the traitorous guards and their big mouths. He distinctly remembers bringing them a jar of very fine wine to share, how dare they tell on him! If he can only figure out who was on duty when he came back, they’ll be sorry. It was very hard to tell, from inside the carriage.

At least there’s no way for Nie Mingjue to know exactly where he was or what he was doing last night. He hires men from the town to drive his carriage, instead of using Nie disciples, whose first loyalty is, of course, to his brother.

He told Nie Mingjue that he was going into town to pick up new books, which was true enough. His brother gave him a long look but said nothing, and Nie Huaisang didn’t mention what type of books, or his plan to attend a musical performance in the entertainment district after. His brother didn’t disapprove of music, but would surely have something to say about the venue, and the other activities Nie Huaisang might engage in there, the least of which was a copious amount of drinking. Not that the elder Nie brother was a prude, he was certainly no Lan. But he was of the opinion that Nie Huaisang spent far too much time in frivolous, hedonistic pursuits when he should be training, or learning the ropes of being a clan leader.

Nie Huaisang doesn’t share Nie Mingjue’s priorities, of course. He doesn’t expect to be clan leader any time soon, and he hopes fervently he never will be, in fact. As for frivolity and hedonism… Nie Huaisang will go ahead and listen to a beautiful yiji¹ perform beautiful music, and sometimes even indulge in pleasurable encounters with beautiful men (and even the occasional woman). After all, the Sunshot Campaign had taught him that horrors and death might be waiting when you least expect them. To be fair, he had been shielded from the worst of the war, due to spending most of it in the Cloud Recesses for his protection, but he saw some of it. He saw the aftermath, and he certainly heard about it, from his brother and Xichen-gege. And sometimes when they saw each other back then, Jiang Cheng needed someone to confide in.

He sighs. The truth is, he really hadn’t actually planned on staying out quite so late, nor had he planned on doing more than listening to music and drinking a little. But one of the men at last night’s establishment had looked a bit like Jiang Cheng, especially after some wine. Sharp cheekbones, broad shoulders… that mouth… Nie Huaisang thinks he can’t really be blamed for succumbing to that particular temptation.

He stops at the door to the Unclean Realm’s main hall, takes a deep breath, squares his shoulders, and walks in.

“You called for me, Dage,” he says, pleased that his voice is hardly rough at all, and stops to bow like a filial younger brother. “Before you say anything, whatever the guards on duty last night told you was mistaken. I was on my way back just after nightfall, when we came across a young woman, making her back to town in the dark. With her baby. What kind of man would I be if I didn’t offer her to take her safely home in my carriage?”

“How chivalrous. The guards said nothing, perhaps I should ask from now on, in case one of your good deeds goes badly,” Nie Mingjue replies.

Shit, Huaisang thinks.

“Ah, Dage, there’s no need!” He hopes he isn’t whining.

“Never mind, we’ll talk more about your exploits later. A delegation arrived an hour ago from Lotus Pier. They’re proposing a marriage between our clans.”

Nie Huaisang doesn’t miss a beat, “Ah, it’s finally here.”

He wishes he’d taken the time to bring one of his fans. It’s the sort of comment he’d punctuate by snapping it open and idly waving it in front of his mouth.

“You knew about this?” His brother seems surprised.

“Not the particulars, but Jiang Wanyin wrote telling me to expect it.”

Jiang Cheng’s letter had arrived a few days ago, and he’d spent hours puzzling over it. He didn’t really hint at the nature of the proposal, and Nie Huaisang had arrived at the conclusion that he meant a marriage proposal by process of elimination.

Nie Mingjue’s eyebrows rise and Huaisang hurries on.

“At first I thought he must mean they would propose to one of our cousins on his behalf,” he continues. He remembers feeling a pang of sadness at the thought of Jiang Cheng married to any of his cousins. “But something he said made me think of another possibility.”

“It certainly isn’t about any of our cousins,” his brother says, a strange expression on his face. He seems… bemused?

I was right! Nie Huaisang thinks smugly.

“So Yu Ziyuan is actually proposing you marry Jiang Yanli?” he asks.

It’s the only thing that makes sense. Why would Jiang Cheng write such an apologetic letter about a perfectly proper proposal to marry one of their cousins? Why would anyone take offense to that? Unless the proposed marriage was something more controversial, or maybe the proposal itself is what might be the problem. He could see how some men might take offense if the woman’s family was the one to propose. It was certainly a break with tradition, and the sort of thing Yu Ziyuan might do.

“Jiang-guniang and I?” Nie Mingjue laughs. “I think Jiang Wanyin didn’t explain the situation accurately. The proposal is for you.”

“For me? They want Jiang Yanli to marry me?” Nie Huaisang is taken aback. He never considered that possibility. His brother was up to his ears in thinly veiled suggestions from cultivators about the charms of their daughters, but none of it had ever been directed at him. Why would it be, he was the widely reputed to be the useless younger brother, a dandy who preferred painting fans to sabers, and he would be out of the succession as soon as Nie Mingjue had a son. Not to mention, surely Jiang Cheng knew that while Huaisang thought his sister was lovely, he would have no interest in marrying her. Maybe that was the reason for the letter?

“Not Jiang Yanli. Jiang Wanyin. They want you to marry in. To be his consort.”

Nie Huaisang gapes. He blinks several times, unable to make sense of what he just heard. He wonders briefly if he’s still drunk.

“Close your mouth, Huaisang.”

He does. His brother is watching him carefully. Judging his reaction, Huaisang realizes. A horrible suspicion dawns in his mind.

“Is this a joke, Dage? Because it isn’t funny.”

It would be just like his brother, to take advantage of his hangover to do something like this. He probably thinks he’s teaching Huaisang a lesson.

“It’s no joke,” Nie Mingjue says. He extends a rolled up paper. “Read it yourself. In Yu Ziyuan’s own hand.”

Nie Huaisang reaches out to take it, hand trembling slightly. He scans the flowing, elegant script. One line near the end catches his eyes: “In the event that the unusual nature of this proposal is a cause for concern, let me assure Nie-zongzhu that it is not simply about a political alliance. I have taken to heart the lessons my life has given me about trying to force a marriage against the parties’ wishes.”

He takes a breath, mind working furiously. Nie Huaisang had wracked his brains trying to think of a reason for the tone of Jiang Cheng's letter. Learning that it was about a proposal for him to marry Jiang Cheng puts everything in a whole new light. How self-effacing and apologetic he’d been, the insistence on their friendship and how important it is to him. And now those words Yu Ziyuan wrote.

He wishes he wasn’t so hung over. He needs to think clearly.

His brother is still watching him closely. “Huaisang, is there anything you haven’t told me?”

Well. There are many things Nie Huaisang hasn’t told his brother, but however much he might have wished otherwise, Jiang Cheng has only ever been a friend. It’s true that sometimes, late at night after drinking too much, he’s suspected that Jiang Cheng may have feelings for him that he isn’t ready to face. But that line has never been crossed.

And he’d never expected it to be crossed.

“Dage, this is as much of a surprise to me as it is to you,” he answers carefully.

“I see,” Nie Mingjue nods. “Obviously, I wanted to speak to you before giving an answer, in case there is more to your friendship than you’d told me. Since there isn’t, it’s easy enough to reject it. I need no reason apart from you being my heir, but I can tell them that we have several cousins that would be suitable, all from the main Nie line. Jiang Wanyin can have his pick, male or female.”

“No!” Nie Huaisang surprises himself with the vehemence of his voice.

“No?” Nie Mingjue asks him.

“Don’t do that, Dage,” he pauses, worrying at his lower lip.

“I thought you said there wasn’t anything more than friendship between you,” Nie Mingjue sounds perplexed.

“There isn’t, Dage. But…”

He wishes he had his fan. He can feel an uncharacteristic warmth crawling up his neck. And his brother is just watching him.

“Huaisang?” Nie Mingjue prompts, when it becomes clear Huaisang isn’t going to say more.

Nie Huaisang thinks about it. Can he take this at face value? He still doesn’t quite understand all the meanings in Jiang Cheng’s letter. He promised to explain when they saw each other, but who knows when that might be. This won’t wait that long. He needs what answers he can get now.

“Jiang Cheng… did he…?” He trails off. Did Jiang Cheng choose him, is what he wants to know.

“According to the matchmaker, Yu Ziyuan insisted on his involvement, and several lists of candidates have been presented to them,” Nie Mingjue tells him. “They say he has shown no interest in anyone before, or even outright rejected them.”

“Are the matchmakers still here?”

“Of course. I’ve given them lodgings,” Nie Mingjue tells him with a roll of his eyes, as if to say I’m not a barbarian.

Nie Huaisang lifts his chin. “Can I speak with them?”

“I’ll have them summoned. But Huaisang?”

“Yes, Dage?”

“Take a bath first. It wouldn’t do to meet the women tasked with making your marriage to Jiang Wanyin happen reeking of alcohol.”

—

It has been long enough since Jiang Cheng sent the letter for the matchmakers to reach the Unclean Realm and be at least partway back to Lotus Pier. He hasn’t received a reply from Nie Huaisang.

Jiang Cheng realizes that the final letter had been somewhat cryptic. He didn’t necessarily expect Nie Huaisang to write back as soon as he received it. But surely, once the matchmakers arrived and the letter’s meaning was clear, and Nie Huaisang would have written back to him. Perhaps the letter got lost? Or perhaps Nie Huaisang has taken offense after all. Jiang Cheng hopes that isn’t the case. Losing Nie Huaisang through this fiasco is the last thing he wants.

He can’t help but worry about it. What did Nie Huaisang think? What did he and Nie Mingjue say to the matchmakers? Why hasn’t Nie Huaisang written back? Thinking about the matter is taking up entirely too much of his time, he’s by turns pensive and more irritable than usual. Everyone around him notices.

“I don’t understand why you’re moping about like this,” his mother tells him as they have tea in her private pavilion. “It’s beneath you.”

“I’m not moping,” he says, frowning down at the table.

“No matter how much affection you may feel for Nie Huaisang, if they say no, it would simply prove he doesn’t deserve you. In that case, we will find someone who does.”

Something in his mother’s voice makes him look at her. She’s angry, true, but there is something else in the way she looks at him, something she seldom let him see before that terrible night when she gave him Zidian while Lotus Pier burned.

“You’re a good man and anyone who thinks they can do better is a fool,” she finishes fiercely.

He’s still not used to his mother openly showing pride, even if she’s more open about it since he became clan chief and brought the Jiang clan back from near extermination. Usually, it makes his heart swell. But hearing her say these things today, knowing he’s lied to her… what would she think if she knew? Would she think him a coward? Someone who would rather let a misunderstanding stand just so he can avoid an unpleasant confrontation, like his father did to her.

He tells himself the rejection can’t arrive soon enough.

—

“A-Xian says you’re worried the Nies will say no,” his sister tells him another day, as they sit on a dock looking out at the lake at sunset.

“I know they’ll say no,” he tells her.

“You must really like this girl,” she says, placing her hand on his arm.

He wants to confide in her. He decides on sharing a version of the truth.

“That’s not the problem. I just don’t want this to affect my friendship with Nie Huaisang.”

“Oh, A-Cheng!” She smiles, eyes sparkling. “I’m sure it won’t, regardless of what happens with the proposal. It’s really not about the girl, then?”

Jiang Cheng lets out a dry laugh. “It’s entirely about Nie Huaisang, Jiejie.”

“I can see why you’re worried it might make things awkward, A-Cheng, but I don’t think you need to worry. About Nie-er-gongzi or a rejection. You’re quite the catch!”

Jiang Cheng scoffs. His sister laughs fondly, and he looks away, out over the water.

“You haven’t asked who it is once,” he finally says.

“I’m sure you and A-Niang will announce it when the time is right,” she says. “If you’re not ready to share, I won’t push.”

“I wish Wei Wuxian would do the same,” he can’t keep the irritation from his tone.

“He’s just excited for you, A-Cheng” she says, smiling. “We all are.”

For once, his sister’s kindness doesn’t make him feel any better.

—

Wei Wuxian definitely doesn’t follow Jiang Yanli’s lead. He keeps pestering Jiang Cheng, trying to find out who his future bride is. And he also keeps insisting on how unlikely it is that the proposal will be rejected. In the most annoying way possible.

“I’m not making fun of you! Or not much, anyway. And Nie-xiong agrees—“

Jiang Cheng immediately frowns at Huaisang’s mention.

“What? Why would he agree?” Could Wei Wuxian have written to Nie Huaisang himself?

“Well, we were talking about it once—“

Okay, so that’s a no. Still…

“Why would you and Huaisang be talking about this?”

“Well, it was actually about how so many clan leaders are young and unmarried right now, and how that’s unusual,” Wei Wuxian grins. “And then Nie-xiong told me he doesn’t understand how you aren’t engaged by now, since you’re so young and handsome.”

“He did not… did he?” Jiang Cheng can feel his cheeks flush. He hopes it isn’t noticeable.

“He did. I told him it’s because you’re too picky. He said that makes sense, that he can’t imagine anyone saying no to you.”

Jiang Cheng rolls his eyes, and Wei Wuxian leans over and bumps their shoulders before continuing. “He said if he was a young maiden, he would be thrilled if Sandu Shengshou wanted him. Her.”

Jiang Cheng chokes. Wei Wuxian laughs and claps him on the back. “I’m sure he’ll convince her parents and Chifeng-zun that it’s a great match!”

—

Jiang Cheng spends yet another sleepless night after that particular conversation with Wei Wuxian. He keeps trying to imagine Nie Huaisang saying that, trying to guess what his tone and meaning might have been. Was he just goofing off with Wei Wuxian? That’s the most likely, of course, the two of them seldom have a serious conversation. And yet… Huaisang is interested in men, he knows that. Could he possibly have meant that he would be open to being with Jiang Cheng? Is he attracted to Jiang Cheng? Or did he just mean he thinks a woman would find him attractive?

Morning comes, and Jiang Cheng can’t decide what he thinks his friend meant. He wishes, once again, that he knew what had happened in the Unclean Realm.

As it turns out, he doesn’t have to wait long. The matchmakers arrive back at Lotus Pier that very afternoon.

—

¹ A yiji was a high class courtesan, like Gong Yu from Nirvana in Fire.

The next day, Jiang Cheng and his mother are discussing the new disciples’ training regiment when Yinzhu comes in.

“Yu-furen, Jiang-zongzhu,” she says after bowing. “Wei Wuxian is outside. He is escorting the matchmakers, back from the Unclean Realm.”

Jiang Cheng starts. They’re back. Finally. But why is Wei Wuxian with them?

“Send them in,” his mother tells Yinzhu.

Wei Wuxian walks in, followed by the three women. On his best behavior, he stops at a respectful distance and puts his hands together to bow to them both. He glances at Jiang Cheng, but addresses Yu Ziyuan, since she is the one who sent matchmakers to propose the marriage.

“Yu-furen, I was out in the town when I came across our delegation coming back from Qinghe. I took the liberty of relieving our disciples and escorting them here.”

Of course, you did, Jiang Cheng thinks, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. He knows perfectly well Wei Wuxian is doing this simply so he would be here to hear what they say.

Wei Wuxian steps to the side, and the old matchmaker, the one who suggested Nie Huaisang, steps forward. She’s really the one conducting the negotiations, while the other two are mostly there to assist her (and, he supposes because a delegation of three is grander than a delegation of one). Her face is impassive as she bows respectfully.

Wei Wuxian is practically vibrating behind them. He keeps trying to meet Jiang Cheng’s eyes, a manic grin on his face. Jiang Cheng ignores him.

“Yu-furen, Nie-zongzhu sends their regards to you and Jiang-zongzhu, along with his reply,” the old matchmaker says, holding out the letter with both hands.

As his mother reads the letter, Jiang Cheng realizes his hands feel sweaty, and he swallows, trying to keep his features calm. He hopes his mother isn’t too angry with what she reads.

Wei Wuxian is still attempting to catch his eyes, and Jiang Cheng still refuses to look at him.

His mother looks up from the letter, and there is a small, satisfied smile on her lips. Jiang Cheng did not expect that. She turns to the three women.

“Thank you for your hard work on our behalf, it’s a long journey to and from the Unclean Realm,” she tells them before turning back towards her son. “Nie-zongzhu has accepted our proposal.”

Jiang Cheng reels back, eyes wide and pulse suddenly hammering in his ears.

“What? Yes?” He’s flabbergasted. What the hell.

“Of course, yes,” she tells him, sounding exasperated. “I never expected differently, you shouldn’t have either.”

Jiang Cheng stares from his mother to the old matchmaker. There must be some mistake. But the old woman smiles at him.

“Nie Huaisang sends his particular regards to Jiang-zongzhu. He said he hopes to be able to see you soon,” she tells him.

“He… what?” What does that even mean?

Before he can say anything else, Wei Wuxian finally sheds his proper bearing and strides over, a wide smile on his face.

“I told you so! Congratulations! You’re getting married, Jiang Cheng!” He exclaims happily as he throws an arm around his neck.

“Wei Ying!” Yu Ziyuan chides, but her tone lacks the usual bite. She’s obviously pleased by the news. “Have tea and food brought for our guests.”

“Yes, Yu-furen,” Wei Wuxian replies, still grinning as he lets go of Jiang Cheng, outwardly unfazed by the dismissal.

“We’ve troubled Yu-furen and Jiang-zongzhu,” the old matchmaker says. “There is no need.”

“Nonsense, my son and I have much to discuss with you.”

Wei Wuxian is halfway to the door when the matchmaker replies. “Indeed. Nie-zongzhu has made it clear he expects a substantial bride price for his brother’s hand.”

There is a ruckus as Wei Wuxian trips over the steps near the entrance and knocks over a lamp. Everyone turns to state at him as he hastily picks himself up.

“Sorry, sorry!” he says, laughing a little wildly as he escapes out the door. But not without giving Jiang Cheng one last look. Baffled, amused and, worst of all, intrigued.

Jiang Cheng pinches the bridge of his nose before turning his attention back to his mother and the matchmaker.

—

When Jiang Cheng finally leaves the room, he finds Wei Wuxian sitting outside on the steps, waiting for him.

He tries to just walk past without acknowledging him, but of course, that’s not going to happen.

“Nie-xiong? Nie Huaisang? That’s who you’re going to marry?” Wei Wuxian pipes up.

“So? Is there a problem with that?” Jiang Cheng stops, crossing his arms and glaring at Wei Wuxian. Daring him to comment.

Wei Wuxian laughs. “Of course not! Nie-xiong is great! I just never realized you two actually…”

Jiang Cheng bristles. “Us two what?”

“You know! I had no idea you were a thing! And you let me keep guessing all his cousins like an idiot!” Wei Wuxian seems very amused by the whole thing.

“We’re not a thing,” Jiang Cheng says, wishing he couldn’t feel heat crawl up his neck and face.

“You’re getting married, aren’t you? That means you’re a thing.” Wei Wuxian is obviously enjoying this entirely too much. “It only surprised me because you’ve kept it so quiet, it actually makes a lot of sense.”

“It makes sense?” Jiang Cheng hates having to play catch up in conversations with Wei Wuxian.

“Well, yes,” Wei Wuxian gets up off the steps and slings an arm around Jiang Cheng’s shoulders. “You think he’s pretty. And I told you, he said he’d be happy if you wanted to marry him.”

“You said he said if he was a young maiden, he’d be happy!” Jiang Cheng protests.

Waves his hand as if dismissing that. “Clearly that part is not relevant, since he said yes!”

“Chifeng-zun said yes.”

“You don’t think Nie-xiong had a choice? You heard the matchmaker. He sends his particular regards and hopes to see you soon.”

—

Jiang Cheng doesn’t understand what has gone wrong. He thinks that while the letter to Nie Huaisang obfuscated what he was writing about, he was quite clear on the point about just letting Nie Mingjue say no. Maybe the miscalculation was assuming Chifeng-zun would say no? He’d thought that was a given, Huaisang was his heir, after all. Maybe the old matchmaker was just that good at her job. Maybe with his brother inclined to accept, Nie Huaisang felt he couldn’t say no.

Jiang Cheng winces any time he considers that possibility. Nie Huaisang being trapped into a betrothal with him is not something he anticipated, and certainly not something he ever wanted.

Wei Wuxian’s words, that Nie Huaisang had told him he would be happy if Jiang Cheng wanted him, try to worm their way into his mind, and he ruthlessly squashes them. If he was a girl. But he isn’t. It was all hypothetical, and he’d be a fool to assume otherwise.

The situation has become all the more complicated. If Chifeng-zun had said no, that would be that, but breaking things off now will be so much more fraught. Sure, they’ve only just started the process, but they’ve accepted. The matchmaker said they have Nie Huaisang’s birth details with them. They’ll be taken to a fortuneteller soon.

Maybe the fortuneteller will say the match isn’t advisable? But he can’t afford to depend on that.

He wishes he could just get on his sword and go talk to Nie Huaisang. Both to clear things up and because he’s sure his friend could come up with a solution, once he’s assured Jiang Cheng never intended this mess. But he’s Yunmeng Jiang’s clan leader now, he can’t just leave with no explanation. His mother certainly will not accept it.

The solution presents itself early the next day. Word comes from a remote village to the north about a yao infestation that needs to be handled. It sounds simple enough that a couple of the senior disciples can handle it along. But Jiang Cheng decides to turn it into a training exercise. They can take care of it and give the new disciples some practical experience. And he also decides that he’ll go himself to supervise.

“You want to do this now?” his mother asks, somewhat impatiently. “We need to discuss betrothal gifts.”

“And we’re also waiting for Aunt Yu to arrive, and the matchmaker has to go to a fortuneteller for the birthday matching,” he replies reasonably. “A few days won’t matter, and it’s my duty as clan leader to see to the disciples’ training.”

The last point in particular was not something Yu Ziyuan could argue against. And so, Jiang Cheng, Wei Wuxian and a dozen disciples of Yunmeng Jiang leave on a night hunt.

They arrive at dusk, and just as Jiang Cheng had hoped for, the yao troubling the area provide just enough of a challenge to occupy the Yunmeng Jiang disciples.

Early the next morning, Jiang Cheng pulls Wei Wuxian aside to tell him that since the problem has been dealt with, there is a personal matter he needs to deal with. He instructs Wei Wuxian to lead the disciples in a canvas of the area, more as a further training exercise than anything else. He’ll be back in two days at most.

Wei Wuxian, of course, is curious about just what it is he’s going to do, and Jiang Cheng refuses to explain.

“Okay, fine, don’t tell me, but I’m going with you,” Wei Wuxian tells him.

“No, you’re not,” Jiang Cheng says, crossing his arms.

“What if something happens to you? Do you have any idea what Yu-furen would do to me?”

“I’m a grown man, I don’t need you to take care of me.”

“At least take two disciples. As a favor to me,” Wei Wuxian insists, attempting to sound reasonable.

“I don’t have time for that.”

In the end, he agrees to take the two most advanced disciples, just to get Wei Wuxian to shut up.

“I’m in a rush, so keep up, and don’t breathe a word about where we go or what I do, or I will break both your legs,”

And so, with the two disciples in tow, Jiang Cheng gets on his sword and flies northeast at top speed, towards Qinghe and the Unclean Realm.

They arrive at the town nearest to the Unclean Realm a couple of hours before dusk.

Jiang Cheng makes them get off the swords and enter the town on foot, he doesn’t want anyone knowing he’s here. He’s put on a long, dark green cloak to hide his purple robes. He managed to source cloaks for the two disciples as well, back at the village.

Satisfied that they can blend in somewhat, he tells them to go to a high-end restaurant that Nie Huaisang had taken him to, the last time he was here. He gives them instructions to reserve a private dining room for tonight, and then take rooms for the three of them at the nearest inn. He’ll meet up with them later, and they’re free to do as they want as long as they’re discrete and no one figures out who they are.

After the two leave, he makes his way to a certain bookshop Nie Huaisang brought him to a couple of times when he visited. It’s Huaisang’s favorite shop, and the owner procures erotic books discretely for him.

He lets the shop owner see his robes and Zidian, so he’ll recognize him, and then asks the man to have a message delivered to Nie Huaisang as soon as possible. Within the hour.

Then he goes to wait at the restaurant.

—

It isn't unusual for the owner of Nie Huaisang’s favorite shop to send him messages informing him that he has a new book Huaisang might be interested in. In fact, hey have a system in place. However, what is unusual is for a message to arrive this late in the day.

This particular message makes no mention of books. Instead, it's an invitation to meet Jiang Cheng at the restaurant he’d last taken Jiang Cheng to, in a private room.

Nie Huaisang feels a thrill before burning the message. He hadn’t expected to see Jiang Cheng until negotiations were much further along, or maybe at Lanling Jin’s annual Phoenix Mountain hunt. And yet here he is, so soon after the proposal, coming to Qinghe and arranging to meet in secret. He honestly didn't think Jiang Cheng had it in him.

He chooses his robes carefully but quickly. For a moment, he considers a new set he’s had made recently that he hasn’t had occasion to wear. Pale aquamarine brocade over pristine white silk under-robes, with a belt of beaten gold adorned with gold tassels, and long earrings to match. And on top another white robe, embroidered and lined in deeper green with sleeves so wide that when he saw them, Nie Mingjue complained about how impractical they were.

He’d also complained about the earrings, and the belt.

Ultimately, he decides against the new robes. This is a secret assignation with his betrothed, quite improper really, and he would rather not call attention to himself by going all out with his attire. Instead, he wears the set of robes he usually wears when going into town. Perfectly nice, he looks good in them, but not like he's trying too hard.

However, he takes the earrings. He will put them on in the carriage.

He also takes a new fan. Black and white separated by a sinuous line, with gold details.

On his way out, he stops to tell his brother he's going to town to pick up some books.

“At this hour?” Nie Mingjue asks, skeptical.

“The books arrived this afternoon, and I just got the message, Dage.”

Nie Mingjue frowns. “Huaisang, you know that I don’t interfere with your activities, even though I think you should spend more time training instead. You’re grown up now.”

Nie Huaisang isn’t sure how to react to that. “What are you trying to say, Dage?”

“Things are different now, Huaisang. You’re going to be Jiang Wanyin’s consort. You can’t be seen frequenting brothels.”

Huaisang’s eyes widen. If his brother thinks that’s where he’s going, he may simply forbid him from leaving.

“Dage, I’m not going to a brothel, I promise.”

Nie Mingjue simply looks at him.

“I was going to have dinner at the restaurant I like. On my own, I swear,” he says, trying to sound calm and reasonable and, most of all, trying not to whine.

“You need to be mindful of your reputation in a way you haven't had to be before. That's all.”

“I'm not stupid! I realize things are different. I wouldn’t do that now.”

Nie Mingjue lets out a long breath. “Fine, I trust that you genuinely want to marry Jiang Wanyin, and you’ll think twice before doing anything that puts that at risk. But make sure to come find me when you get home, Huaisang. I’ll be waiting.”

No doubt to make sure he isn’t drunk. It also means he can’t stay out too late with Jiang Cheng. Nie Huaisang forces himself to put on a smile. “Of course, Dage!”

—

Night has fallen and lanterns light the restaurant merrily when Nie Huaisang arrives. He’s well-known here, and despite Jiang Cheng’s cloak and dagger invitation, he doesn’t even consider trying to disguise himself. It wouldn’t work anyway, not without going to a lot of work.

Indeed, when he arrives, the owner, a motherly middle-aged woman who dotes on him, informs him that his friend has been waiting for him for over an hour now.

“He seems very anxious to see you, Nie-er-gongzi,” she says, eyes sparkling.

Nie Huaisang doesn’t take the bait. He wonders if they’ve figured out that his friend is Sandu Shengshou. It’s likely, Jiang Cheng doesn’t exactly blend in. He knows that rumors are running rampant about the delegation from Lotus Pier, and that everyone knows it was for a marriage proposal. He isn’t sure if it’s already common knowledge that it will be he who is married into the Jiang clan. No need to feed the gossips just yet.

He follows a maid to a private dining room on the second floor. She bows and leaves, and he smooths his robes, snaps open his fan and walks in.

Jiang Cheng is pacing the room, looking very much like a tiger in a cage. He’s very handsome in his agitation, and Nie Huaisang pauses a moment, lifting the fan to hide the small smile on his lips at the sight.

“Jiang Wanyin,” he says, a teasing tone in his voice. “Do you really think it’s proper to ask your future consort to meet in secret like this?”

Jiang Cheng stops his pacing and looks over at him. He strides over and pulls him inside by the arm. “Not so loud, no one is supposed to know I’m here.”

Nie Huaisang resists the urge to laugh. He can see a heavy, dark green cloak in a corner, but even for someone who doesn’t know Jiang Cheng’s face, the purple robes and the ring on his finger are a dead giveaway the moment anyone sees them.

Jiang Cheng shuts the door firmly and rounds on Nie Huaisang.

"What the hell happened, Huaisang?"

"What are you talking about?" Huaisang replies, confused at Jiang Cheng’s outburst. He hadn’t let himself think very much about the reception he would get, but it certainly wasn’t this.

Jiang Cheng rubs his face with a hand, looking particularly harried. "Didn't you get my letter? I told you, just go ahead and let your brother say no. I don't understand why he would accept. Fuck, this is such a mess."

"Your letter," Nie Huaisang repeats, suddenly feeling cold.

"Yes! Like I told you, I meant no offense, fuck, why didn't you… you couldn't talk him out of it?"

"You… wanted a rejection?"

"Yes! Of course! Why would you think--"

"Because of your letter!"

"What the fuck? Why?"

Nie Huaisang snaps his fan closed. "I can't deal with you right now."

He spins around, pulls the door open and stalks out of the room. He starts down the stairs as he hears Jiang Cheng swear and start after him.

Nie Huaisang makes it down and several steps into the common area before Jiang Cheng catches up to him.

"Huaisang! Wait!"

Nie Huaisang ignores him and keeps walking, so Jiang Cheng hurries ahead of him (his legs are longer, it's an unfair advantage!) and blocks his path, grabbing him by the shoulders.

"Just… don't go, ok, Huaisang?" Jiang Cheng is practically pleading.

Good! Let him beg, Nie Huaisang thinks. He crosses his arms and looks up at Jiang Cheng, face carefully blank.

Jiang Cheng lets go of his shoulders and looks around. People are staring. He steps closer and lowers his voice.

"I'm sorry I've put you in this position, I really am, I just…" he looks away, frowning. "Fuck! I messed up, I'm sorry."

He looks miserable. He's always been easy to read, and Nie Huaisang knows him well enough to know he's beating himself up over whatever it is that led to this situation.

"You clearly did mess up," Nie Huaisang tells him. Jiang Cheng winces at the words. Huaisang glances around. People are still watching. Customers and staff alike. It will be all over town by tomorrow morning. "And you'd better have a damn good explanation, Jiang Wanyin. Let's go back, we're making a scene here."

Jiang Cheng nods and takes Huaisang by the arm. For a moment, Nie Huaisang thinks about brushing him off. Instead, he lets out a soft exhalation and lets Jiang Cheng lead him back up the stairs to their private dining room.

—

Once the door is shut behind them, Jiang Cheng notices the change in Nie Huaisang’s demeanor. He snaps open his fan as if the scene downstairs had never happened. He walks leisurely to take a seat by the table, laden with food and drink that had been delivered before his arrival.

“Pour some wine for me, Jiang Wanyin, it’s the least that you owe me,” Huaisang tells him as he fans himself idly.

Jiang Cheng strides over and sits before pouring for them both. He’s never exactly sure what it means when Huaisang calls him by his courtesy name. He always puts particular emphasis on it, and it always means something, but what, exactly, changes.

Nie Huaisang sips at his cup and hums appreciatively. “At least you got good wine.”

Jiang Cheng can’t help rolling his eyes at this. “Of course I did. When have I not?”

Instead of answering him, Nie Huaisang sets his cup down, turning to face him fully. “Well?” he prompts, a little petulantly. “Explain.”

Jiang Cheng takes a deep breath before starting. “My mother insists I marry,” he starts. “The matchmakers brought a list. My aunt came from Meishan Yu. They wanted me to pick one. It was overwhelming, and I said I didn’t want to marry any of the women… any woman. And I don’t, not right now, anyway. A-Niang misinterpreted. She… thinks I meant I’m a cutsleeve.”

“And you didn’t feel the need to correct her?” Nie Huaisang asks, raising one eyebrow.

Jiang Cheng shifts in his seat uncomfortably. “I should have, but I thought…” He shakes his head. “I didn’t expect her to have the matchmakers bring a new list of… of men.”

Surprisingly, Nie Huaisang lets out a laugh at this, shaking his head. “Jiang-xiong… oh, Jiang Cheng.”

It makes Jiang Cheng feel a little better. If Nie Huaisang can see the humor in it, it means he’s not as upset as he seemed downstairs.

As if to keep him on his toes, Nie Huaisang gives him a sharp look. “That doesn’t explain why a matchmaker showed up at my home to ask Dage for my hand in marriage, if that’s not something you actually want.”

“Another of the matchmakers thought that there was no way your brother would say yes, since you're his heir. You've told me he's not likely to get a wife anytime soon, so I thought she was right, that the proposal would be rejected and that would be that.”

Nie Huaisang hummed.

"But I still, I had to explain things to you, so I wrote a letter. I thought once I explained, you would laugh about it and make fun of me.”

"You're right, I would have laughed and made fun of you… if your letter had been clear about the situation! Which it wasn’t.”

Huaisang pulls the letter out and reads it, dramatically. Hearing it back now, Jiang Cheng is forced to admit that what he ended up sending is quite ambiguous, and he can see how Nie Huaisang misinterpreted it.

"Do you see the problem, Jiang Cheng?” He asks as he finishes, waving the letter in front of Jiang Cheng’s face. “Do you understand how this letter doesn’t say what you think it says?”

“I realize that, I put you in a terrible position. I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t think it was terrible. I thought it was… nice.”

Jiang Cheng stares, surprised. “You… did?”

“Sure. I thought it was a pretty good idea, actually. You don’t want to get married to some woman you don’t know, I don’t want to be clan leader in waiting. We’re great friends. I thought it made sense. That’s why I told Dage to say yes. Plus, you’re hot.”

Jiang Cheng doesn’t know how to reply to that. After a moment, when it becomes clear he isn’t going to say anything, Nie Huaisang shrugs and finishes his drink. “But since it isn’t what you want, obviously that changes things. I don’t want to marry someone who doesn’t want me. I’m not going to force you to marry me, Jiang Wanyin.”

His courtesy name again. Jiang Cheng frowns a little, worried. He hesitates before he speaks again, purposely making his voice soft. “Huaisang… are we okay?”

“Of course. We’re friends. Great friends. That won’t change. But you’re still an idiot, and I’m not letting you forget this. Ever. We’ll be old and gray, and I’ll be making fun of you for it.”

“I don’t doubt it,” he says, relief flooding through him. “I deserve it, Huaisang. I’m sorry.”

Nie Huaisang leans back in his seat, apparently somewhat mollified by his willingness to accept fault. Briefly, Jiang Cheng thinks about Wei Wuxian before he left the Cloud Recesses, laughing as he jokes about how Nie Huaisang has Jiang Cheng wrapped around his finger. “You’re like clay in his hands, Jiang Cheng! If it was me, you’d be biting my head off.” Alarms had rung in his ears and he’d started to protest, but then Nie Huaisang had laughed and met his eyes briefly above his fan. “Is that right, Jiang-xiong?” he’d asked, and Jiang Cheng, still flustered, had felt the fight go out of him as he felt his face heat.

He’s snapped out of the reverie by Nie Huaisang, leaning forward across the table. “So, how are you going to get us out of it?” he asks, amused.

“I don’t actually know, it wasn’t supposed to get this far. I don’t suppose you would be willing to tell your brother you changed your mind?” he asks, without much hope.

“Are you insane? Your mother would declare a blood feud if I did that. And my brother would do the same if you did. He’d probably kill you.”

He’s right, of course. His mother has never forgiven Jin Guangshan for agreeing to break off the betrothal to his sister. The only reason Jin Zixuan isn’t in his bad books as well is because Jin-furen insists he didn’t know better, but that he’s learning to be better. Not that their situation would anywhere near as bad as that. It hasn’t been announced yet, for one thing. It won’t be until after their birthdays are matched.

He sighs. If that came out unfavorably, both families would just pretend it never happened. “If the fortuneteller said we’re not a good match, that would solve everything.”

Nie Huaisang gives him a quizzical look. “That’s not a bad idea, actually.”

“What? It’s a terrible idea. We can’t rely on something we can’t control!”

Nie Huaisang laughs. “You could bribe the fortuneteller.”

Jiang Cheng’s eyes widen in shock. “I could… what? Are you serious right now?”

Nie Huaisang looks at him in amusement. “You don’t actually think no one has ever slipped a fortuneteller a little money to sway the interpretation of the bazi?”

Jiang Cheng stares. “I wouldn’t even know how to!”

Nie Huaisang laughs. “You’re so cute sometimes, Jiang Cheng.”

He glares at Huaisang indignantly. He hates the idea, it seems so underhanded and deceitful. And yet… Nie Huaisang is right. It would be a simple way to solve the problem. He takes a deep breath, considering. Through it all, Nie Huaisang watches him, eyes amused and interested, as if he was watching one of his birds.

“Would you do it?” Jiang Cheng finally asks tentatively.

“Me? Oh Jiang-xiong, I said I wouldn’t force you to marry me, but this is your mess, it’s not up to me to fix it,” Nie Huaisang closes his fans and taps Jiang Cheng’s arm with it lightly. “Besides, I’m here. The fortuneteller and the matchmaker are in Lotus Pier. I’m actually surprised it hasn’t been done already.”

“The matchmaker said the fortuneteller she always uses is visiting her daughter. She wants to wait for her to come back.”

“Then you have time. But not too much time, I’d imagine.” Nie Huaisang says, tapping the closed fan against his lips thoughtfully. “You’re going to have to hurry, Jiang-xiong.”

“What if the fortuneteller won’t be bribed?” Jiang Cheng asks. Whatever Huaisang thinks about the practice of bribing fortunetellers, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that this one will refuse, especially one the matchmaker trusts and has a long-standing relationship with.

Nie Huaisang thinks for a moment. “Then you’d have to switch out the dates or times to something that can only have a bad interpretation. Probably mine, there’s too much chance someone at Lotus Pier would notice a change in yours.”

“And how would I do that?”

“I don’t know,” Huaisang laughs and shrugs. “But I’ll write down my date and time, so you can do whatever is necessary. I’m sure you’ll think of something, Jiang-xiong.”

—

Tonight hasn't turned out at all like he’d expected.

Nie Huaisang leans back in his seat, lost in thought as the carriage makes its way back towards the Unclean Realm.

Jiang Cheng had insisted on setting him out to his carriage.

"I thought you didn't want anyone to know you're here. That cloak really isn't a very good disguise, A-Cheng,” he’d pointed out.

"Anyone who saw me come down already knows I'm here, and you've told me how efficient the Qinghe rumor mill is."

"Still…"

"Whatever happens later, I don't want anyone thinking I…" Jiang Cheng had trailed off.

"You don't want anyone thinking Sandu Shengshou would go back on his word?"

Jiang Cheng had frowned. "No, I don't want anyone thinking I'm rejecting you, that I don't want to marry you."

He'd had to laugh at that. "But you don't want to marry me."

"That's not…” Jiang Cheng had paused to take a breath. "I think anyone would be lucky to have you, man or woman. You're smart and funny, I would be thrilled to have you if… if things were different. If I was different.”

In his carriage, Nie Huaisang shakes his head, remembering Jiang Cheng's earnest expression as he’d said that.

"So many mixed signals, Jiang Cheng," he muses softly. "Do you even know what you want?"

Nie Huaisang doesn’t think so.

He had done a lot of thinking since the matchmakers came to the Unclean Realm. It wasn’t that he’d never thought Jiang Cheng might be attracted to him before then. In fact, he had been fairly certain of that fact since certain drunken declarations back at the Cloud Recesses. He had just assumed Jiang Cheng would never realize or act on that attraction. But then the letter arrived, and then the marriage was proposed. Naturally, he thought something must have changed.

He’s wanted Jiang Cheng for years, of course he has. But not if Jiang Cheng doesn’t want him too, or isn’t willing to admit he does, which amounts to the same thing.

Well, he’d played the hand he’d received. He’d made it clear he would be quite willing to marry Jiang Cheng. It was all up to him now. Either Jiang Cheng will come up with a way to break it off and actually do it, or he’ll decide he doesn’t want to do that after all.

All Nie Huaisang can do at this point is wait and see.