#why? huaisang deserved a post too

[s2pdoktopus]

Since I have been rambling here a lot I will also ramble about my dear mdzs children

So these four are made because I joked about populating the female species in MDZS and then I made more...

Disclaimer: I am not Chinese so these names are very much like when Anime grabs random names for English characters. They don't make sense.

First RongQuan

I completely forgot what Chinese characters I grabbed for her name (something that means melting, I think?

The design idea for her is that of a simple looking woman

She became a disciple because she wanted to and her father loves her very much he used his family ties to get her in. Upon entering, it became very clear that he has absolutely no talent for cultivation. This, and the well known fact that she's here because nepotism, made her the subject of many disciples' teasing. To compensate for her lack of talent she became a push over, doing many menial tasks to contribute to the sect. She's too tired to feel mad about the treatment most of the time.

Post-canon:

She's doing the same thing she's always done. Her mother fears that being involved with a sect riddled with so much scandal might ruin her marriage prospects. She thought about agreeing with her mother for a solid minute but ultimately decided that if men can't handle being involved with her as a Jin disciple, they can't handle her at all and politely rejected to do as her mother asked.

Lan FeiRi

I also completely forgot what her name's Chinese characters are. (One of them is the character for sun, I think)

Her design idea is that of a fairy, I tried to make her hair have the silhouette of a butterfly for this. It's also why I chose something that would spell FeiRi lol

She is a child orphaned by a demonic cultivator and adopted by a Lan couple. She cultivated a little late so her cultivation isn't as good as it could've been but she's average on power, overall. She exudes nearly the same tranquil energy as Lan XiChen. This is just a facade though, she absolutely loves it when people she deems evil get the justice she thinks they deserve, she can be sadistic. The ultimate two-faced individual, she could be smiling on the outside but seething on the inside, caring on the outside but laughing out in joy over others' suffering on the inside.

Post canon:

She absolutely hates that the grandmaster of demonic cultivation is living just a few minutes away.

(she has one of my favorite designs among the mdzs ocs I made)

Nie QiaoLu

Again, I forgot what her name means.

I designed her last. I didn't know if my designs are outrageous already so this is me dialing back down. But she looked too simple with straight hair so I made it wavy.

She is the strongest female cultivator in her age group, She is a distant relative of Nie Huaisang. She used to be a quick-tempered child but when the reality of the Nie cultivation sunk in, she sought to find a way to minimize the possibility of qi deviation. Instead of finding some new techniques she found Hanguang Jun. She thought, surely, by imitating him she will be less susceptible to qi deviations and so she went ahead and lived her life with such belief. As if the natural consequence trying to imitate one of the twin jades, her social skills were stunted and she is disconnected from her emotions.

Post canon:

She came back to rejoin society and the first thing she heard was Hanguang Jun's recent marriage. Her reaction was, "Oh. Congratulations to him, I guess?" She's still unaware of the things happening around her. Someone needs to anchor her to the ground. (Her head is so empty she might just float away, never to be seen again...)

Ok. The Jiang kids I made plenty of first of all:

Yu Lilai

I do remember that her name is supposed to mean "beautiful future".

Lilai already has a whole post explaining her. She is my favorite to use of the bunch in the silly comic stuff I made because there's no stake in her. She's the kind of gag character you will see in an anime who has an eccentric yet loving and supportive family.

She's also my favorite of the bunch :3

I have no height chart for these kiddos anymore

Jiang Lian

Jiang RenJi (courtesy name)

His given name means "to unite" and the courtesy name means "sturdy foundation"

He is a distant relative of the main Jiang family. His great great grandmother left the sect to live a civilian life away from Yunmeng. He reentered the Jiang sect when he was eight because he heard about Jiang Cheng's story and felt really bad for him. He wanted to help rebuild his ancestral home.

He is the responsible and ever-so-reliable Shixiong! He is the guard dog to the sheeps that are the baby disciples. Though he lacks Lilai's talent in combat or XinXue's silver tongue, he is the person the baby disciples trust the most. A sturdy leader, fitting his name.

Xiao XinXue

You know how Wei Wuxian is abbreviated to WWX and Jiang Cheng is JC? Yeah. XinXue's name is just so it can be abbreviated to XXX. XinXue name means "new blood" I forgot what Xiao is supposed to mean though.

Her family was killed by demonic cultivators and Jiang Cheng saved her. She is also the first orphan the Jiang sect save whom they eventually took in as a disciple.

. She harbors a deep hatred for demonic cultivation and doesn't think anything is wrong with punishing them. In essence she represents the irl people who just hate Wei Wuxian and an answer to people who think demonic cultivation users are just poor unfortunate souls who had no choice.

She's wrong in some points and justified in other points. No one is telling her to let go of her anger but her friends, Lilai especially, are quick to tell her that she needs to direct that anger to the right place (and not to a man who was dead during the death of her family). She goes to RenJi to vent whenever she needs it.

(and RenJi is always there to tell Lilai that she really needs to be more gentle with her wording)

She's usually very mischievous. It's difficult to be mad at her because seeing her happy is a far cry from the catatonic girl they nursed back to consciousness. Surprisingly, she is the most nurturing of the disciples. It's an unspoken agreement that she handles the other traumatized kids they will save.

I planned to make more characters with funny abbreviations like, XD, LOL, OWO, etc but it's tiring to look for Chinese characters...

Finally, the nebulous existence of

Jiang Xie

She never had a name first, then someone asked and I had to give her a name. Then I forgot what the name was and I have no internet to look. For the first time she's gonna get referred to by name in a drawing so I just put Xie and was done with it. Then I forgot that it was Xie lol. I finally looked up Chinese characters to make names for others and I named her MiFu (overflowing blessing, something like that) then I saw the comic again where she is Xie and well Xie it is. Thankfully it could mean harmony which fit her despite her chaotic tendencies.

She was never planned to be anything beyond the first comic thingy. As someone who only watched the worst version (the anime/manhua) finding out that the temple scene is different from what really happened, especially people's outrage about it compelled me to both make something silly about it that can comfort the traumatized grape. Lol.

Then some people really liked her, I did have some not funny ideas in my head so I just drew that. Sometimes others would comment stuff that gave me ideas so I made those. In a sense she's a group effort I guess. She just developed like that. She is a joke character at her very core though. I wanted to hit a balance of funny innocent children stuff without making her just a walking ball of gags.

Ultimately she's a good kid who likes helping people by suggesting solutions only children would think of (Jin Ling has no dad? Swear brotherhood with her so they can share her dad!) It usually doesn't help but it makes the receiver of the advice feel better more often than not. Promising to break the legs of her loved ones' bullies is her love language.

[allthelittlecreepycrawlies]

Okok, serious post. Time for another "Things I'll probably never write!"

------------

Imagine if during the bonfire incident, Nie Mingjue goes into a qi-deviation, but instead of killing him, it de-ages him.

Nie Huaisang is too stunned by this to keep being upset about losing all his things and runs to his da-ge before Jin Guangyao can even finish bandaging his burned hands. 

He immediately knows exactly how old Nie Mingjue is, because the now-too-large robes reveal he's missing the scar on his shoulder where one of the shards of their father's saber had nicked him during the shattering.

Nie Mingjue, all of thirteen years old, squints at him.

"Da-ge?" Nie Huaisang asks hesitantly. 

"...Didi? when did you grow u- your hands!"

Nie Huaisang quickly hides them behind his back.

He has a guess why his brother is this specific age. 

It's not a happy one.

Or, rather, it's that his brother hasn't been happy. For a very long time.

He involuntarily glances at the still burning remains of everything he owned that wasn't too heavy to move (or alive).

Ah... this is his fault, isn't it?

All this time...

But... it'll be okay! He can make himself be the grown up! He can give his brother the years he's stolen! 

Right?

"Ah- don't worry about that, Da-ge. It was my own stupid mistake. Come on, we should get you to the healers."

As he stands up, he meets Jin Guangyao's concerned stare.

"Huaisang..."

He puts on a smile. "Don't worry about me, okay? I'm fine. But I've gotta make sure Da-ge will be alright, so I'll talk to you... later?… Yeah." 

It's clear his attempt at reassurance hasn't worked, but he can see a couple of the healers approaching, clearly having been alerted by witnesses, so he has other things to deal with right now.

Smile still in place, he ignores the blistering pain in his palms and fingers and wraps his arms around his brother to help him to his unsteady feet. 

—

Nie Huaisang having an absolutely miserable time trying to Handle Things but it's FINE because Nie Mingjue is finally getting to be spoiled within an inch of his life by the sect and their friends and, really, don't they both deserve what they're getting out of this? Having to take care of a brat like him was part the reason Nie Mingjue's teenage years were so hard, so...

Yeah.

They deserve this. 

On the other hand, Nie Mingjue not actually being all that comfortable with the coddling, since he doesn't remember any of the horrible things people tell him he's lived through.

(He especially doesn't like the things they say about his brother in contrast.)

He's barely been able to catch a few glimpses of Nie Huaisang over the past two weeks, and each time his brother looks more and more exhausted and harried.

He finally decides they Need To Talk, but when he gets to the study, he overhears Jin Guangyao gently chastising Nie Huaisang for not taking care of himself-

("Why haven't you even let anyone see properly to your hands yet? And when is the last time you've slept?"

-and it turns into an argument as Nie Huaisang keeps denying anything is wrong even as his defenses become more and more unhinged- 

("You're worried over nothing! it's not like i can qi deviate, everyone knows my cultivation's too pathetic for that!").

Nie Huaisang has no idea Nie Mingjue is listening in when he breaks down and admits he feels like he owes all this to his brother for years of dragging him down, and it's not like anyone disagrees-

("Even you, San-ge. How many times did you chide me for being difficult and antagonizing him?"

"I didn't mean you should hurt yourself to make amends, Huaisang, and you know that.")

Nie Mingjue is appalled at what he hears. 

But more than that, he's worried. Even if he's not physically older right now, he can't think of Nie Huaisang as anything other than his baby brother, and the idea that he's putting himself through all this heartache and stress out of some kind of surely-misplaced guilt for him makes his stomach tie in knots.

He doesn't bother knocking and just shoves the door open.

[ssuminshan-official]

FINALE!!!!!

Yao sits with his legs crossed, while hitting his hand with his fan. His team dimple were standing behind him whereas holding a serious death stare.

As expected by him, he looked as if he held all the power in the world.

Yao: bring him in!

Yes Huangdi!

Armed guards: *entering with Huaisang*

Yao: you guys can let go of him, but stand on your guard.

Sure Huangdi.

Yao: *smile* Huaisang, Huaisang, Huaisang.

Huaisang: San ge.

Yao: I was waiting till after the wedding.

So..... you were trying to manipulate my staff.

Huaisang: I....I don't know....

Yao: and you wanted to use er ge to kill me?

Huaisang: ..........San ge, I can explain.   

Yao: you can tell me. But I won't be amused.

Anyways speaking of amusement, Team D.

Xue yang: *lifts chin* yes emperor.

Su she: *rests his hands on A-Yao's shoulder.

Mo xuanyu: *strokes hair* you called?

Yao: he's all yours. Go mess with him.

Huaisang: no no, not team dimple!!! Please, San ge! They'll torment me.

Yao: do you want to be mauled by foxes?

Huaisang: ok fine, I prefer team dimple.

Yao: now tell me. What's the reason behind all of this.

Huaisang: no!

Su she: *kicks him* don't refuse him!

Xue yang: *touches nhs's face with a knife* you better open up. Or I'll open you up.

Huaisang: *trembling* I'm too handsome to die. Can you put away the knife. And I told you my plot already!

Mo xuanyu: see what I told you! Don't get on the wrong side of team dimple! Who cares if you told us! Confess your crimes.

Yi: my Huangdi, your tea.

Yao: lovely.

*sitting upright while sipping his tea*

Mo xuanyu: *sets huaisang's fan on fire*

Huaisang: nooooo, my fan!!!!

Xue yang: what a lousy little villain.

Crying over a fan.

Su she: you really think you can hurt him! You have to go through us first!

Mo xuanyu: where are his fans and NSFW comic books?!! I'll burn all of them to the ground!

Huaisang: I beg you! Leave my collection alone!!!

Yao: A-Yi, do I look cute?

Yi: yes your majesty.

Yao: I have used a new floof oil.

Yi: how delightful.  

You could never stop being the cutest hulijing ruler.

Yao: aww

Huaisang: don't touch my stuff....I'm ready to tell. San ge!!

Yao: what now. Can't a hulijing emperor talk to his eunuch.

Huaisang: San ge, I did it because I want fame and power! And that will only happen when you're gone!

Su she: *slaps*

Fuying: treason!

Yao: *laughing* it's fame and power you want. Didn't dage straighten you out? *sips tea* 

Huaisang: yes! And I'll get everything to get it!

Su she: *grabs Huaisang by the hair* what to do with him!

Xue yang: throw him in the cold palace again.

Mo xuanyu: he doesn't deserve that.

Yao: *sighs* Feng, Chuan. Escort him to Qinghe.

Both: yes Huangdi!

~~~~

THIS IS THE END OF THE HULIJING EMPEROR!

BUT A PART 2 IS COMING SOON! 🌼🌼🌼✨️✨️🦊🦊🦊.

Xue yang: there will be more chaos.

Mo xuanyu: must be.

Xue yang: i wonder if we can light Xichen on fire.

Su she: lol or barbecue him.

Yao: no, please don't cook Xichen.

Xue yang: why Jiggy?! They're asking for more chaos!

Yao: who?

Xue yang: the readers.

Su she: yea, Huangdi, the readers are threatening us. If we don't give them more chaos, they'll stab us with a sword.

Mo xuanyu: I'm too cute to be stabbed.

Yao: heehee. You don't need to threaten team Dimple. Of course, part 2 will have more chaos.

Rusong will be 17, but still cute.

Mo xuanyu: yea, at least there's Song'er.

Su she: and Huangdi will still be our glamorous Huangdi.

Yao: anyways. Keep reading. *smile* I'll make you some tea to stay energized.

Xue yang: and some candy!

Now stay tuned to see if team D will barbecue Xichen.

Mo xuanyu: stay gorgeous!

But you can't be as gorgeous as Yao gege. That's scientifically and mathematically impossible..

Part 2 of the hulijing emperor will be posted here:

Thanks for reading!

In book 2 ~~ Rusong and A-Qing have a crush on each other, A-Yao and team D are still fab, Xichen lives in Jing Manor, Meng Shi arrives~ and takes her rightful place as the sweet, sassy and savage empress dowager.

Also Huaisang works for Zixuan.

Please do read the second book for more fun!💖💖💖💖💛💛💛💛🦊🦊🦊🦊🦊🦊🦊

[bishy437]

ok fine i’ll write a dissertation on why sangcheng is a great ship and deserves to win just as much as chengyao.

sadly i’m not eloquent nor am i a wordsmith like all these other chengyao-ologists but here goes something

*ahem*

these two idiots are completely different people and yet Still manage to have so much in common it makes me want to chew my own face

CR era they are just two teenage sect heirs. one striving for greatness. the other completely disinterested in the cultivation world.

neither of them will ever live up to their parents'/guardian's expectations. ever.

they have no shared hobbies/interests and zero reason to even acknowledge one another other than political ones but thanks to wwx they are now in the same friend group

they get into shenanigans they get drunk and read porn together they do stupid teenager shit. ((nhs potentially being jc’s gateway into porn is hilarious btw))

anyways they had a grand ol’ time until wwx punched some guy and got kicked out so we don’t know what happened with them after that

lots of directions you can go with it but it Will end with them estranged

fast forward to wwx + nmj kicking the bucket.

They have now both experienced utter betrayal by someone they loved dearly and trusted. they lost their entire families. they've been pushed into roles of leadership way too early and they dont know what the hell they're doing but they have to do it.

are they on friendly terms post res? does jc wonder what happened to the friend he made in gusu to make him this way? how did the kid who managed to sneak contraband into the jianghu equivalent of Juvie become so useless/clueless????

whatever. Jc has bigger things to worry about. Like dragging wwx back to LP.

and he fails. miserably.

but guess what. JC still got his ‘brother’ back. he got to talk to him again. it wasnt like old times, but wwx is There. they’re not bros anymore and may never be again but at least wwx’s *alive*

he got his closure, he got his sorry.

but Dage’s still fucking dead. even after GY temple hes dead and mindless and never coming back.

Can you not see the Potential in that? can you look me in the eyes and tell me that nhs wouldn’t secretly harbor resentment towards jc?

like 'you got what i wanted. you got what i needed. i did all these horrible things and maybe it wasn't even worth it'

these men spent their entire adult lives working towards revenge/their brother (almost brother ykwim) and have nothing to show for it other than terrible reputations that precede them.

and what the hell do they do post GY temple without their anger to fuel them?

theyre not divorced, theyre the only two people standing in an empty room together fighting the urge to scream bloody murder as the walls close in on them.

they're tired they're confused they're devastated

jc: im tired of being angry and nhs: i dont want to be alone anymore CAN YOU NOT SEE???? THE POTENTIAL

these men understand each other like no one else and at the same time they Don't. they will never get each other's methods or mindsets.

who even are you anymore? who even am I? can you fix me? can you make the pain go away? get away from me. share a drink with me.

also. GY temple ends without Jc finding out the truth about what nhs did. Huaisang could easily take that secret to his grave if he so wanted. but if jc finds out via wwx then guess what. DIVORCE.

Now theyre divorced.

maybe jc will try to kill nhs for what he did and maybe nhs will let him.

so no, sangcheng is not a 'pair the spares' nor is it a simple 'uwu pure tender childhood fwends romance' it is So much more it is FUCKED

they're Doomed they're Saved they're headless chickens they hate each other they love each other do you Get it

there's so much more i could try to speak on but im not an adept writer and i cant articulate things well! but I will go down with this ship figuratively and literally.

and yeah maybe sangcheng nation doesnt portray enough angsty content in our fanworks for nonbelievers to respect us but who cares that doesnt mean im not constantly thinking about jc taking psychological damage battling his own mind on whether he wants to kill huaisang or fuck his brains out 24/7

enyways thanks for coming to my ted talk vote sangcheng bc they are just as spicy and deserving to win as chengyao! ^v^

Tournament of Jiang Cheng's Lovers

Semifinal, Bracket 2

Link to bracket

[br-disaster]

Nie Huaisang’s outfits appreciation post

After the terrible loss of our second best dressed cultivator and fashion icon Nie Mingjue, the cultivation world now lacks one of it’s pillars. But little did they know, our fashion king had a disciple, someone capable of honoring his legacy in many ways.

While we all grief, a new icon rises.

And I’m here to prove that Nie Huaisang deserves his late brother’s title not only because Mingjue’s no longer serving looks -may his fashionable soul rest in peace-, but because Huaisang has always been a stylish icon on his own.

I mean, this look right here is enough proof:

 Huaisang has quite a lot of robes, and they are all so different, I decided to compile them chronologically:

1. the “assigned fashionable at birth”one

Look at this small bean with his cream-colored robes. Whoever chose this color for him did a great job, though it’s a bit weird that they looked at baby Mingjue and went “all you’ll wear is dark gray from now on” and then Huaisang was born and “cream it is!” And we don’t really see anybody else from the Nie sect wearing this color, I wonder if it has anything to do with Huaisang’s mom, or if it’s just for the dark\light color contrast,  the two young masters can’t possibly wear the same colors, it would ruin the aesthetic.

 It looks just like his main-possibly-stay-at-home-robes, like he just really loved this especific set and had a lot of other robes that looked just the same growing up.

Really small, really cute, makes you want to carry him around saying: look at my baby, he’s so stylish!

2. the “good old Gusu days” one

This is like a uniform, there’s nothing really special about it. But I’d like to point out two things:

One: the silver embroidery on the shoulders and the silver on his waist belt matches the pristine white of his robes really well.

Two: look how wide his shouders look, there you go, Huaisang, keeping the Nie shoulder game strong!

3. The “it’s called fashion, dage” one

Cream-colored again! It embodies teen!Huaisang’s aesthetic perfectly: it’s expensive, it’s pretty, it looks comfortable, but it’s minimalistic.

I mean, I have no idea if it is actually expensive, but it surely looks expensive.

It has no discernable patterns, but the fabric just looks so good, look at the texture. It looks warm and heavy (rip Ji Li). And it’s pleated, look at him! Everything about this one screams rich-carefree-spoiled-delicate-pretty-gongzi.

And well, we see him strolling around and getting in trouble instead of going straight home in this robes, then on Fatal Journey we see him painting landscapes instead of practicing and claiming he doesn’t want to become the Nie sect leader in this very set of robes. Maybe he has indeed been wearing similar robes since his childhood and wants to, you know, go back to when things were as simple as taking the long way home coming back from Gusu.

4. the “didn’t really engage on the war but needed to look good regardless” one

This one is so pretty, y’all. It’s silver and white and gray, the brothers  are matching with their disciples’ robes, you won’t find a Sect with a superior fashion sense.

I can totally understand why he didn’t change to some post-Sunshot robes. Imagine looking this good at home, with none of your friends or disciples or brother to see you. Nope. This robes belong to a banquet, even one as unpleasing and akward as this one.

(They technically saw him, since he wore the same robes while they were planning the whole Sunshot thing, but no one was paying attention to it, right? And you can’t let such a nice look go to waste)

One of my favorites, for sure. It even matches his fan. It’s peak aesthetic.

5. the “I’m only here for the food and the drama” one

I didn’t really like this one at first. It looked kinda futuristic in my head, you know? It’s probably just the really structured fabric and the color, but It was a bit too much.

But now, looking at it as I take screenshots, I like them. It’s bold and fierce and remember the shoulder accessories being a code for battle? Well, I doubt Huaisang shot a single arrow that day, but he was supposed to be competing, so it makes a lot of sense that he’s dressed like this while his brother is wearing his pretty, dark yet lighter civillian robes to watch him.

He’s even wearing epaulettes (well, I trust that that’s the name) that matches the ones Mingjue wore with his Sunshot robes! Are they the same pair? Did he borrow it? Or do they secretly comission the same robes and accessories  and wear them on alternate occasions?

These are the most battle-coded (and at the same time is not battle-coded at all, it’s too ostentatious) robes we see him wearing until now, and he is representing his sect at the hunt, he has to look like a proper heir that is capable of fighting, whether he likes it or not - and judging by how unenthusiastic he was during the opening shoot-the-wen-prisioners ceremony, I’d say he was not enjoying it at all-.

But it’s such a cool look, I really like it now.

6. the “he will throw hands with a non-corporeal entity while giving his big brother all the love and understanding he deserves” one

 This may look like the same robes we usually wears at home, but they lack the pleated part and I don’t think his long sleeves would fit inside his wirst thingy, which I now know it’s called a vambrace or a bracer,  they were quite wide sleeves.

Anyway, we again have his minimalistic aesthetic. No patterns, the only addition being the outer robe that realy looks like the one Mingjue wears with his stay-at-home robes, except with no sleeves; and the bracers\vambraces.

But look how different this looks in comparison with the previous one; he wasn’t fighting shit in those pompous silver robes, but he was so determined here, ready to face anything. This is the difference between a battle-coded look and a battle-codded Huaisang.

It’s practical, it’s pretty, looks comfortable and it’s perfect for scolding your older brother then comforting him because he gets emotional when people argue with him, ok?

Huaisang is the best younger brother, fight me

8.the “sad, sad” one

I’ll just say that the inner robes are really similar to the one Mingjue wears with his stay-at-home robes, though they are not the same. Perhaps my theory that they did comission a lot of similar itens is correct after all.

I don’t think this look is particularly good, and the context surely doesn’t help at all, but it’s interesting to see him in gray and black.

 Overall, I hate it here.

9. the “somehow even worse” one

Look, if I had to compile all his outfits, I had to include this one. But there’s nothing to say about it except just looking at him wearing it makes me sad.

10. the “you didn’t see that coming, did you?” one

This one here is a trick, ok? At this point of the story we have no idea of what’s going on and if this misterious person is important or not; all we know is that he is quite fond of patterns and dark clothing. And that he has some money.

But damn, once we find out who this is, it instantly becomes something else entirely. 

It’s so fucking DARK!! It’s Wei Wuxian’s kind of dark, it’s crazy to think our boy Huaisang, who’s been wearing light grays, white and cream all his life would come up with something like that. It doesn’t even look Nie, and that’s probably what he was going for, y’know, so no one could recognize him and all of that.

But jesus, this look is just wow.  It’s perfect for a scheming mastermind, even though we don’t really know about it yet. The scales pattern is really nice and I love when he wears this sort of robe, with the fitted sleeves and the extra fabric at the shoulders. The flame (I think) pattern is nice too, though it’s a bit too much here, just a bit. But he seems to like this pattern a lot, so let him have it

And the craziest part is: we know these robes. And i’ve seen a couple of posts about them, it’s the same inner robe he wore at the Phoenix Mountain night hunt competition, almost 16 years ago. 

Like what are these robes made of??

11. the “sneaky, sneaky” one

The famous Nie pattern, am I right?

I love all theories about this one and as I took the screenshots, I noticed how his inner robe is the same as robe number 8. Huaisang says no to excessive buying, please reuse your clothes!

I’m particularly fond of the theory that Nie Mingjue comissioned robes for both his didi and his boyfriend Xichen, but I can accept that Huaisang just inherited his brother’s robes, though the flame pattern (once again proving we won’t guess Huaisang is behind everything not even after seeing him wearing the same patterns as in episode one twice) at the bottom is definetly a Huaisang thing.

I really like how heavy it looks, and the black thin stripe.We know it’s the same pattern as Xichen’s robe but seeing it combined with the back and light gray of the Nies really gives it a distinct identity.

12. the “and the oscar goes to...” one

Look at him, all innocent-looking placing all the chess pieces on their right places. Gotta love director Nie.  And it makes so much sense that he would wear something as light as this robes for this moment. He wore light colors for most of his youth, when he was carefree and naive and harmless; he cultivated a reputation of being dependent, fearful and stupid even. In this moment, more than ever, he needs people to believe this is exactly who he is, and what’s the best way of doing it?

Yes, reminding them of your old self. All he does is pretend and lie while he cries and faints.  A director and an actor too!

Throw yourself at your brother’s sworn brothers trying to look harmless while annoying the hell out of them? check.

Faint conveniently as your brother’s murderer lies at your face about killing said brother because even you have limits and you can’t watch that fuckery and not want to murder him right there? check.

Pretend to be stupid while conducting the protagonist and pretty much everybody else to ask the right questions and therefore unmask the terrible things your nemesis did?  also check.

And the robes are really pretty, look at the texture at the bottom right!! Silver and white go really well together. Wide, wide sleeves and this heavy-looking fabric. Superb, really, one of my favorites again.

And look at him carrying his saber (which he  probably left at Pier Lotus later)!

13. the “...and cut!” one

Look at these robes and tell me they don’t absolutely look like something Nie Mingjue would wear. You know he would. 

And it’s such a contrast to his previous robes. The white and silver one for looking innocent and lost and funny; the dark gray to look like a serious sect leader who will endorse the accusations against his enemy (Ok, he did act confused and lost and innocent in these robes, but he also showed real shock and grief and sadness, he did show his true feelings too)

He’s honoring his brother here, he did it, he brought justice to him, he defeated his brother’s murderer.  He spent years wanting and waiting for this moment, it’s only fair he would do so while looking so much like his beloved older brother.

I love everything about this look. The color palette is almost the same as the one robe his brother wore to the post-Sunshot campaign banquet. The dark,shining gray, the black, the thin bronze\golden stripe at the collar. Even that extra overlaid fabric at the bottom front of his robes is the same as Mingjue used to wear. Beautiful, really.

He would be really proud of you, I hope you know that, Huaisang.

14. the “I may or may not steal your chief cultivator status, watch out Wangji” one

I know he would never steal Wangji’s post, cql!NHS doesn’t even want it; but like, we deserved Chief cultivator!Huaisang, right? So it was worth the joke, I think.

The inner light gray robe yet AGAIN, I suspect this is his favorite inner robe.

We have some bold patterns here, so elegant. I really like when he wears this kind of outer robe, accentuating his shoulders, suits him really well, And this is such a Nie color palette, just like the previous one. In fact, Huaisang wears way more dark colors than we give him credit for. Especially after becoming sect leader. 

Sleeve game on point too, really long. And it matches his fan as well.

Lovely look, I wish we could have seen more.

In conclusion: 

King of versatility, resusing 16 year-old robes AND looking damn good while doing it! He looks good scheming, he looks good lying, he looks good fainting, he even looks good tricking people into stabbing other people!

 Name a more iconic king, I’ll wait.

[vrishchikawrites]

Post-post-post cannon Wangxian being completely in love in the cloud recessess as teenagers who time travelled back to their own 16-17 year old bodies on accident.

In love. Wangxian are in love. In love. Just smooph and fluff.

Like they're effortlessly in love. (No matter how much Jiang Cheng yells and ties to control Wei Wuxian, Wei Wuxian casually refuses to hear any of it, as he'd been ignoring Jiang Cheng's homophobia and hate forever by the time they both came back by accident. )

Also wwx doesn't hide his genius and every one around him is like senpai *heart eyes* (honestly he's almost forgotten how to hide his effortless genius.)

(Just FYI, don't have to include this: this Wei Wuxian has long since come to terms with all his war and Sunshot and Shiji related trauma— just FYI.)

I just want to read as much of the smooph, smushy fluff and love you can stomach writing please.

Extra points if you can show them both just effortlessly and absentmindedly flirting.

(You don't have to incude this, but: They just take like a weekend off and go raze the main Wen family to the ground casually— back late with Starbucks— "We were night hunting. What do you mean the Wen family died? So sad. We feel so bad. Don't we feel bad?" " Mm. Feel bad.")

Thank you so much for existing in this fandom. I love your fics. I love you. 💖

Xichen is proud of his brother but he can't deny that he is sometimes concerned for him as well. Wangji is a dedicated and accomplished disciple but he is isolated from his peers. Xichen has friends and confidants but Wangji is simply content to be by himself.

That is concerning, even for a Lan.

He had hopes that incoming disciples would manage to shake him up a little but that hope didn't last long. Year after year, Wangji continued to remain aloof, not expressing any interest in the disciples.

But something has changed this year. Xichen didn't even know what was going on until a few weeks into the introduction of the guest disciples.

He spots them by chance. Young Master Wei is cheerfully waving at a vendor, his smile wide and bright, ensnaring the old woman's entire attention.

Wangji is right by him, Bichen in one hand but the other…

The other is placed on the small of Wei-gongzi's back.

Xichen watches as they move on from the vendor. He sees how Wangji seems to shield Wei-gongzi from the crowd, angling his body slightly to ensure his companion can walk freely.

It is a gesture of protectiveness. It is a gesture of possession.

Xichen studies their body language carefully. Wangji seems content to follow Wei-gongzi around, his expression closed but gentle. There are no frosty glares or pursed lips. His brother, for once, looks entirely relaxed. Everything about him is loose and easy underneath all of his Lan elegance. His shoulders slope gently, his spine isn't as rigid, and his walk is steady.

The First Jade has never seen his brother look so settled.

Wei Wuxian seems happy too, his smile incandescent and lovely. Almost as tall as Wangji, the boy is the very antithesis of his brother. While Wangji is sedate and content, Wei Wuxian is nearly bursting with energy and joy. His silver eyes sparkle in the sunlight and his long hair sways with every movement of his body.

Xichen's heart softens at the glimpse of such open beauty. There's certainly something alluring about Young Master Wei. He seems to suffuse his surroundings with happiness.

There's something in the air around them.

Despite his lively mind wandering from one stall to another, Wei-gongzi always finds his way back to Wangji, looking at him with a hopeful smile and a cheerful comment.

His brother's expression is unfamiliar to him. Wangji looks like his entire world is smiling up at him.

'Is this love?' He wonders to himself as he watches his brother gently pull Wei-gongzi out of a running child's way. He doesn't miss how the touch lingers, fingers curling slightly around the slender wrist before pulling away.

There are many eyes following Wangji and his friend, and all of them have indulgent expressions. The people of Caiyi town have seen Wangji since he was a child. They know him and his nature well enough.

Xichen suspects they're just as happy to see Wangji roaming the markets leisurely as a pretty butterfly flutters around him.

"Is that Lan Wangji?" Nei Mingjue observes, stepping up beside him.

Xichen nods, "And his friend, Wei Wuxian."

"Hm," his friend says, "I've been hearing that name a lot recently. They say the only reason Jin Zuxian beat him in the rankings is because of his looks."

Xichen chuckles at Mingjue's tone, "Ah, Da-ge, you must hate that."

His friend rolls his eyes, taking a sip of his tea. "How do looks matter when you're facing down Fierce Corpses?"

"From what shufu says, Young Master Wei is Wangji's equal in many ways." Shufu had been wary at first, wondering what sort of chaos the son of Cangse Sanren would bring to Cloud Recesses. So far, Wei Wuxian has proven to be a mischievous but brilliant student. "He challenges shufu in class. They end up having loud, angry debates," Xichen chuckles because he knows his uncle, despite all appearances, loves being stimulated, "He mentions the boy often." There's a comment about Wei Wuxian almost every time he has tea with his uncle.

He looks at the two younger master's thoughtfully, "I didn't expect this."

"Are they courting?" Nei Mingjue asks bluntly, "Because your little brother is acting like a husband already."

Xichen stills and looks at the pair again. That is what's off about their body language. They move around each other confidently, not like a young couple in fresh blooms of love.

There are no tentative glances, awkward touches, and hyperawareness. Wangji touches Wei Wuxian like it is his right. Like he is confident that his touch is welcome and desired.

For a moment, he feels a pang of worry. Xichen looks at Wei Wuxian, studying him carefully to see if there's any sign of strain or distress.

He finds nothing. Wei-gongzi responds to every gesture of affection like a flower blooming under the Sun.

"Ah." He realizes, "You think…?"

"Strong bonds form quickly between cultivators with matching potential." Nei Mingjue observes, "It wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility. Your brother looks a little too enamored for this to be a teenage fancy."

Well, isn't this an interesting development?

---

"Your hair looks nice," Nie Huaisang says, hiding a smile behind his fan. Wei-xiong always looks good but there's something particularly radiant about him now. He seems to stand a bit taller, carry himself with a bit more confidence. His gestures seem stronger, somehow carrying more authority than before.

But the hair intrigues him. There's a glittering silver hairpiece in it and the strands of ebony are tied up in a neat style.

Neater than Wei-xiong's usual style. While Huaisang is certain Wei-xiong is perfectly capable of making himself as elegant as the Jades of Lan, he usually doesn't bother.

This was done by someone else's careful, loving, hand.

Jiang Yanli isn't at Cloud Recesses and Jiang Cheng would rather burn his own hands than show even an ounce of love towards his shixiong - something pricks when he thinks about that.

So there's someone else, someone willing to comb Wei-xiong's hair until every strand is glossy and straight, before tying it up with a silver and jade pin that looks expensive.

Wei-xiong is courting- no, he corrects himself, watching his friend wave enthusiastically at Lan Wangji, 'Wei-xiong is being courted.'

Wangji-xiong bows to his brother and walks towards Wei-xiong, his gaze softer than usual. His friend is smiling widely and immediately dissolves into excited chatter. Wangji-xiong doesn't seem bothered, just nodding occasionally and watching with indulgent patience.

There's something entirely lovely about the way Wangji-xiong's eyes remain fixed on Wei Wuxian's face. It is like nothing else is more important to him than Wei-xiong's smile and cheerful voice.

Standing together in the courtyard, both clad in white and glowing under the warm light of the morning sun, they look stunning. Huaisang's romantic heart sighs at the sight.

"What is he doing?" Jiang Wanyin hisses and Huaisang looks at him, startled by his icy tone, "I can't believe he's making a nuisance of himself again!"

"Jiang-gongzi-"

"Wei Wuxian! What are you doing, messing around?"

The loud voice catches almost everyone's attention. Wei-xiong looks over his shoulder and Wangji-xiong's expression turns frosty, all warmth draining from it immediately.

"Aiya, Jiang Cheng," Wei-xiong grins but it doesn't have that sheepish, placating quality that Huaisang had seen before, on those rare occasions he visited Lotus Pier with his da-ge. This grin was full of confidence and almost... dismissal. "Why are you angry now?"

Was that tone... mocking?

Huaisang's lips twitch as Jiang-gongzi swells further with rage, "Wei Wuxian! How can you be so shameless? Imposing yourself on Lan Wangji, always trying to distract him. Think of our sect's reputation for once!"

"Do not speak for me." Wangji-xiong's voice is icy and it cuts Jiang-gongzi's rant short immediately, "Wei Ying is free to seek me out whenever he wishes. No one may stop him."

And that seems to be that. Wei-xiong laughs and Wangji-xiong guides him away gently like he's someone delicate and not the strongest cultivator of their generation.

But, Huaisang muses, even strong people deserve gentleness.

---

"Da-shixiong! Show us that one again," A Jiang disciple demands and Wangji looks up from his work. He has clear sight of the training ground from where he's sitting. Wei Ying is standing in the middle, surrounded by a few Jiang and Lan disciples.

They're all looking at him in adoration.

Wangji feels a flood of amusement and sets his work aside, content to take a small break. It is always a treat to see his husband in his element; teaching people and nurturing young minds. They may be back in their teenage bodies, but their soul is much older.

Wei Ying, with his natural ability to charm juniors and his hard-earned wisdom, is the perfect teacher.

"It is amusing to see you so smitten," Wangji looks up to see his brother smiling at him, "Wei-gongzi must be very special, yes?"

His brother probably aims to fluster him, he is so fond of teasing Wangji. But Wangji had been Wei Ying's husband for more than a decade before an accident sent them back in time. He is no longer flustered or overwhelmed by his feelings. "Very special," He agrees, unable to help glancing back at his beloved, "Very lovely."

Xichen chuckles, "He is indeed lovely." His expression turns sly, "Do I need to speak with Uncle? Betrothal negotiations may be complicated in this case."

Wangji remains unphased, "You may," He says calmly, much to his brother's surprise, "Wei Ying will marry into the Lans. Give no concession to the Jiangs. He is just their Head Disciple, not the part of the family."

"Wangji," His brother breathes, "You're that invested?"

"Un. Will marry Wei Ying. Give him a better life. A life of dignity, freedom, and respect. Free of unnecessary debt that no one should foist on a child."

That is enough for Xichen to understand. His gaze turns solemn and he looks at Wei Ying carefully, "If that is what you wish, brother, you will have it."

---

Wangji feels his heart still when he steps into the library pavilion. He gazes at the scene before him, feeling the stiff formality of his expression melt away.

Wei Ying is beautiful, sitting there and reading peacefully. The evening sunlight envelopes him, giving him an ethereal glow. He traces his husband's features, feeling something akin to desperate love. It has been so since he saw this face and this body. Mo Xuanyu didn't lack beauty and Wei Ying's radiant personality had only added to it.

But this is Wei Ying's true body.

Helplessly drawn, he steps forward. "Xingan."

Wei Ying looks up, startled to hear such an endearment aloud. Immediately, his face is aglow with a pretty blush even as he laughs teasingly, "Lan Zhan! Don't be so bold!"

He walks towards Wei Ying and settles down by him, closer than truly appropriate but this is his husband. "Research?"

Wei Ying smiles, drawing Wangji's attention to his lips. There's no one in the library so Wangji permits himself the touch, reaching forward to gently caress them, "Such beauty." He whispers.

Wei Ying blushes again, "Er-gege," He protests, "Have mercy on my heart."

His fingers slide under Wei Ying's jaw, drawing him in gently. His husband is sweet and compliant as Wangji kisses him, an innocent brush of lips and nothing more. "My Wei Ying." His voice is low, heated in ways Wei Ying recognizes. He watches as those enchanting silver eyes brighten with passion.

His Wei Ying buries his warm face in his neck with a moan of protest, "Mercy, husband. You're so cruel to tease me like this when you can't take me to bed."

It is indeed a challenge to not have their 'everyday' but Wangji can be patient. Xiongzhang is already working on it.

For now, he is content.

They sit like that for a long time, Wei Ying leaning against him, trusting and calm. No one disturbs them and Xichen only stops by once, smiling knowingly in their direction and pointedly ignoring Wangji's restraining hand around Wei Ying's waist, stopping him from pulling away.

They spend the rest of the evening exchanging soft murmurs and softer kisses.

Nothing will stand in their way this time.

[thebiscuiteternal]

Ahahaha, after telling Nonnie I was gonna post this, I completely forgot to actually post this and just left it sitting in drafts. Whoopsie. So! More little snippets and such from my twitter.

- Everybody mocks the sect descended from butchers until a boar demon the size of a city grain warehouse goes down and nobody else can deal with the carcass because it’s just too fucking big. By the time the thing has been taken apart and properly dispersed, the entire jianghu has had an Awakening to the fact that Some People (even the small cute one) are at their hottest when mostly covered in demon blood.

- Bitty!Huaisang tags along with his brother on some sect business to Yueyang and while he and his minder are eating lunch in the markets, he notices a street kid staring at the food like a starving wolf. Without thinking, he puts a plate of duck buns in easy reach and watches it and the kid vanish. By the end of the day, he’s practically forgotten about the whole thing, distracted by other stuff. But even more bitty!Xue Yang has just found himself a mark.

- Thinking about Nie Bros and how Huaisang decided early on that annoyance and exasperation were better than condescending pity and started playing up his lazy behavior to cover for his body’s failure to keep up and how Mingjue knows this, but has to make himself believe that Huaisang could do better if he actually tried, because otherwise he would constantly be swamped with guilt over the fact that he will inevitably be leaving his sickly brother to handle the sect.

- AND ON THAT NOTE, thinking about the fact that for all Huaisang is considered a pathetic cultivator, literally none of the adaptations have him “showing his age” more than cultivators who are supposed to be leagues more powerful than him, and even the novel just describes him as being pretty. Therefore, thinking of the possibility that all his desperate efforts to find Da-ge’s missing body pieces and/or soul wound up strengthening his golden core considerably (and he was Not Happy when he realized this) but no one noticed because he was that effective at keeping up the hapless idiot act.

- Rule 63!Huaisang where literally none of the Nie family dynamics have changed and everyone else is very ????? about it. Some Rando: “Shouldn’t your brother be getting you married instead of throwing a saber at you?” Huaisang: “Have you met my sect?”

- Nie-er-furen and Lan-furen were both yao, but Mama Nie was a cat and Mama Lan was a rabbit. Therefore, when the older brothers tried to introduce Nie Huaisang and Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan’s new instincts went “Predator!” and that is why Nie Huaisang has bite scars.

- Mo Xuanyu escaping Koi Tower and going to live with the (extremely grudgingly acknowledged) Yiling Wei sect, featuring Wei Wuxian being an absolute gremlin about his disciple’s crush on Nie Huaisang while still oblivious/in denial to Lan Wangji’s crush on him. WWX: “Follow your dreams and get your man!” MXY: “...Okay. So when are you gonna take your own advice and let Hanguang-jun court you?” WWX: “Haha, what? That’d never happen, Lan Zhan likes girls.” MXY (to NHS later): “So my sect leader might actually be an idiot.”

- Wei Wuxian in a Number Five situation. Fucks up an experimental talisman and winds up chucked  into an apocalyptic future (maybe even one demonic cultivation caused?) and is trapped there for decades before being slung back into his "just started raising corpses" age. Bonus points if it is a zombie apocalypse, but he doesn’t realize it because what evidence he was able to find pointed to the Sunshot Campaign having lost, so when he gets back to his present time, he starts working even harder at building up enough of an army to fight the Wens...

- So my personal headacanon is already that all of Jin Guangshan’s kids look more like their mothers than him because he doesn’t deserve anything good. But. Imagine the emotional/social fuckery if every single one of his bastards had at least some of his features, while Jin Zixuan is a male carbon copy of Jin-furen.

- The assumption that the original soul would be obliterated during the body sacrifice ritual was just that: an assumption. Wei Wuxian doesn't realize this until the first sect conference after Guanyin Temple when he sees his own reflection glare at him and then wrap the exhausted-looking reflection of Nie Huaisang into a reassuring embrace as the man discusses something or other with a minor sect leader.

aaaand everything else I was thinking about pulling over would be long enough for their own “Things I will probably never write” posts, so that’s all for this go round!

[atqh16]

I think the fact that I’m late to the fandom also plays a part. Cause I find few haters and more JC supporters. One of my biggest pet peeve isn’t even how some of them unfairly put down other characters to prop up JC. It’s how in an attempt to protect JC some of them will see him only as a victim and strip him of his flaws and mistakes when no, that’s what made him compelling in the first place! That’s what makes his growth so satisfying by the end. And tbh I think the fact that a lot of people agreed with my original post shows how extreme JC lovers have been.

Though I’ve had arguments with antis too. Like the whole homophobic thing is so stupid. I like it as a fanon gag or crack but like you said everyone is a little homophobic in the story.

Context definitely matters when it comes analyzing material but I think at the same time it’s also important to know when to break out of it. Like the amount of people who use the context to justify the killing the Wen remnants, to the point where some see it as deserved is alarming. Like the context definitely adds layers to the logic used in universe but it absolutely does not justify what they did. It’s another issue I have with many JC lovers who freak out at the idea of JC having done anything horrible. That Loki effect where they take the woobification too far. Like I said, maybe if I didn’t make it clear in my original post, my issue is with fans who insist on justifying their favs even when the story itself makes it clear that they were in the wrong.

When it comes to JC’s treatment of Jin Ling I’m simply very particular about any adult verbally degrading a child, especially if they are that child’s guardian/parent. I think it gets swept under the rug as being acceptable way too often when it absolutely should not be. It has nothing to do with gentle parenting or any of the like. I simply think verbal insults and threats (even if they are empty) towards a child is unacceptable. Especially since at one point the child themselves would not have known they were empty. As I’ve said abuse is an extremely complicated issue that is rarely black and white. A lot of times it’s mixed up with genuine affection and love that is simply warped by a person’s interpretation of how to express it. Like I had no doubt that no matter what Lady Jiang did Jiang Cheng still loved her with everything in him. Even then I’m not saying Jiang Chengs actions towards Jin Ling makes him an irredeemable monster. I think he simply needs to self reflect and recognize his own faults and the fact that he’s proven to be capable of doing these things is one of the reasons I adore him as a character. I don’t think the fact that therapy was non existent in that era or the fact that his actions were culturally and socially acceptable is a good reason to excuse his behaviour. It makes them very understandable but there’s a difference.

I definitely disagree with you in regards to Lan Zhan. That might simply be how we both interact differently with the source material, which is valid, but I find him to be just as compelling as Jiang Cheng or Nie Huaisang or Wei Ying. Especially after we find out more about the past version of himself. Mxtx does this thing with her characters where you are meant to read between the lines and she allows room for readers to simply fill the blanks with their own thoughts and theories and it’s one of the things I like best about her writing because it allows more reader-content interaction. Some might consider that lazy writing but I disagree. It’s why I don’t have an issue with different interpretations of a character. Simply the resistance to criticism. I love Wei Ying but absolutely understand many of the issues people have with him though I do think some readers are more harsh with him than they should be and I think it’s a product of him being a main character and being a character that’s generally loved by most readers. Which is unfair but that’s a topic for another day.

Like people keep saying that Wei Ying kept running away from giving Jiang Cheng the answers and explanations he deserved to know and in a way he did but I disagree as to why. I think Wei Ying genuinely thought he was protecting Jiang Cheng by hiding the truth (he wasn’t). I think his actions came out of a place of love instead of selfishness especially since we have a lot of proof that Wei Ying loved his siblings dearly. I think he let Jiang Fengmian’s last words get to his head. I think the idea that he had a savior complex is an unfair oversimplification of his character the same way some people simplify Jiang Cheng to simply being a bitter hateful person. I think he’s just as much a victim of generational trauma as Jiang Cheng is but his detractors don’t take that into account the same way they do with their favs. I think by the end of the story him leaving wasn’t about him running away but about him sincerely thinking his presence would be a hindrance to his brothers healing journey and after seeing the level of contempt his brother showed him at his return, I don’t blame him for thinking that. Even if I do disagree with his decision. BUT I think the hint of reconciliation that we saw between them during the climax was mxtx’s way of giving their relationship an open ending. I think their story would have required an entirely different book and I get that mxtx might have felt it was not a story she could tell or was ready to tell. Disappointing but it’s only her second series so I’m giving her room especially since tgcf shows how much she has improved. It’s why I frequent mdzs fanfic spaces more than I do tgcf. Haven’t read svsss cause I’m finding it super hard to find a readable online version cause I don’t have the choice of getting the physical copy.

I think in regards to Wen Ning it’s really unfair to judge him for being harsh with his words. Especially since we give Jiang Cheng himself SO much leeway for being a consistent ass throughout the story and the golden core reveal was one of the few moments Wen Ning allowed himself to be emotional. He’s tried his best to take accountability for his actions throughout the rest of the story and for a character who has basically lost everything I think it was understandable to see him react the way he did with Jiang Cheng who was physically fighting with a defenseless Wei Ying at the time even if the latter ‘started it’. I think it’s really telling that it took Jiang Cheng raising his whip against Wei Ying for Wen Ning to step in. I don’t know if Wei Ying ever talked about how Lady Jiang used zidian against him as a child but I think it’s still significant enough to note.

But I definitely still think his intention was to shake Jiang Cheng out of his denial and I still think while awful, everything Wen Ning said was something Jiang Cheng needed to hear. Even if he was incorrect with some of his points. I don’t think Wen Ning was meant to be entirely accurate with his words. I think like you said he is his own unreliable narrator but he still provides a valuable perspective. Jiang Cheng didn’t need to just hear the truth. He needed to decipher some of it himself. I think it’s why his words during his confrontation with Wei Ying at the climax about how his anger was still valid was so very very important because it was. It very much was. But him recognizing that it didn’t justify his actions was what was pivotal.

Can you tell that Jiang Cheng is my Roman Empire and the resistance towards criticism by some fans is what irks me the most and not actually his character?

I don’t think Wen Ning told Jiang Cheng about the golden core because he wanted him to know he owed Wei Ying or any of the sort. Like a lot of people seem to think that and therefore conclude Wen Ning was out of line. But it’s more likely that he did it to give Jiang Cheng the wake up call he needed. Because he has lived for 13 years in denial of the truth in that Jiang Yan Li’s death was not Wei Yings fault and he himself had a hand in his brothers demise. It was meant to be a reminder to him of who Wei Ying actually is and the made version he has in his head is a perception that has been warped by his anger and grief. It’s meant to be a reminder of how much Wei Ying loved him. Jiang Chengs anger is understandable but it doesn’t justify him treating Wei Ying the way he did and putting all the blame on him without ever trying to comprehend the choices his brother made and why he made them.

[robininthelabyrinth]

Prompt: Post-canon, Nie Huaisang drops the 'Headshaker' facade and his disciples stop pretending they think he's incompetent, and a bunch of Sect Leaders who are used to being able to step all over Qinghe Nie are suddenly faced with a cunning, brilliant leader who Takes Absolutely No Shit.

Associates - Part 1 - ao3

Untamed verse

“I’m sorry,” Nie Huaisang said, so shocked that he didn’t even raise his fan in front of his face. “You want me to what now?”

“Help,” Lan Wangji said. He was seated across from Nie Huaisang, as stiff-backed and formal as if they were having a discussion conference banquet rather than a meal in Nie Huaisang’s private quarters in the Unclean Realm.

“Yes, I gathered as much,” Nie Huaisang said. “Two questions: Help with what? And – why me?”

Lan Wangji’s brow wrinkled minutely, which for the Lan sect suggested a state of extreme stress. “Brother has entered seclusion.”

“I know that,” Nie Huaisang said, firmly ignoring the niggling feeling of guilt. If Lan Xichen hadn’t wanted to be completely wrecked as collateral damage in Nie Huaisang’s revenge plan, he shouldn’t have tried to take Jin Guangyao’s side even after he knew what he’d done.

His da-ge deserved better than that. Especially from Lan Xichen.

“I have been appointed Chief Cultivator,” Lan Wangji said.

“I know that, too,” Nie Huaisang said. “I sent you a present in congratulations, didn’t I?”

Lan Wangji gave him a dead-eyed look, which meant he’d received it.

“I thought you and Wei Wuxian would enjoy it,” Nie Huaisang protested, hiding his twitching lips behind his fan. His favorite, as always – he might switch them out on a regular basis, but he always came back to this one, the one his brother had given him long, long ago. It served as a reminder that he should trust no one, which was a concept his stupid heart had a tendency to otherwise forget. “I understand that appropriate preparation is a very important part of the proceedings –”

The dead-eyed looked turned into a glare, and Nie Huaisang coughed into his hand and stopped talking about the jade phallus and jar of lubricant that he’d sent to the Cloud Recesses in a discreet package under the guise of a congratulations gift.

He really hoped he was lucky enough that Lan Wangji had opened it in front of other people, but sadly he suspected the other man knew him too well to do that.

“Speaking of which, have you married him yet?” he asked, ignoring his hurt at not having been informed. He hadn’t expected an invitation to the happy event itself, of course; Wei Wuxian had made very clear what he’d thought about what Nie Huaisang had done – don’t associate with evil. There was a reason that Nie Huaisang had carefully returned to referring to Wei Wuxian by name, rather than casually. But not even to receive a letter informing him of it having happened…?

“I have not,” Lan Wangji said. When Nie Huaisang goggled at him, disbelieving, he shifted minutely in his seat and said, “He wanted to travel. I – could not.”

“Well, of course you couldn’t,” Nie Huaisang said blankly. “You’re the Lan sect heir. If your brother goes into seclusion, then responsibility for managing your sect falls to you – and of course you were just named Chief Cultivator – wait, are you doing both jobs by yourself?”

Lan Wangji nodded.

Nie Huaisang had a momentary feeling of sincere pity, and then the true horror sunk in.

“And you’re asking me to help you?!” he yowled. “Hanguang-jun! You can’t be serious! Don’t you know what everyone says about me? Me, the hapless ‘I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know’, the one they all call the Headshaker?”

“I know what they call you,” Lan Wangji said, stoic as ever. “I also know what they said about Wei Ying, and about Lianfeng-zun. There is not much gain in listening to what people say.”

“I don’t think those are comparable situations,” Nie Huaisang complained, but even he had to admit it was a bit of a weak response.

“No?” Lan Wangji said. “Then you are not the man who drove Lianfeng-zun into a corner with no route of escape?”

Well, when he put it that way.

“That doesn’t mean I know anything about running a sect,” Nie Huaisang pointed out. “Sure, I’ve managed, but I had –” Er-ge and san-ge do it. “- help.”

“They each had their own sects to run,” Lan Wangji pointed out in return. “You must have done much of it yourself.”

“But –”

“Nie Huaisang,” Lan Wangji said, and Nie Huaisang blinked. Lan Wangji hadn’t called him as informally as that in years, and certainly never since he became Sect Leader. “Please. As a favor to me.”

Nie Huaisang pursed his lips and looked down at his plate, reaching out and playing with his teacup.

It was a low blow, that.

Pity for Lan Wangji that low blows didn’t work on him anymore.

“We used to be friends, once,” Nie Huaisang said, not looking up. “A long time ago – do you remember? I was seven, you were eight, it was right after my father died. I slept in your room.”

He’d had screaming nightmares back then, and they were worse when he was alone. It hadn’t been just about his father, either, but his brother, the memory of fear in his eyes and bruises on his face, the desperate way he’d pleaded for Nie Huaisang to agree to go to Gusu just for a little while, the persistent worry about what was happening back home once he’d agreed, the haunting thoughts of losing him in the same way he’d lost his father…

Lan Wangji hadn’t been much of a talker back then, either, but he’d crawled into the cot they’d set up for Nie Huaisang in his room and had held his hand, right up until he’d passed out like clockwork at nine. His steady breathing had reminded Nie Huaisang of his brother, calming his nerves, and eventually he’d started confiding in him. Telling him all his fears – the secrets he’d guessed about the Nie family cultivation he only half-understood – the qi deviations –

“I remember,” Lan Wangji said.

“Later, when I came back to the Cloud Recesses to learn for the first time, I was so excited to see you again, and so disappointed to find out you were preparing to go into seclusion. When I snuck over to see you, you chased me away – and when you came out, you only spoke to me long enough to scold me about how I wasn’t obeying the rules properly. I thought you were embarrassed to be seen with me.”

Lan Wangji said nothing. He probably had been. With the benefit of hindsight and age, Nie Huaisang could even understand: adolescence was such a prickly age, and little things seemed so important.

“I was angry at you back then,” Nie Huaisang said. “Very angry – but all I did was start treating you coldly, calling you Lan-er-gongzi instead of Lan Zhan, waiting for you to remember that you liked me. And then the next year we had all those adventures together, you and me and Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian, and of course we were close again during the war. You remember, I’m sure, how we used to stay together every time you came back to the Cloud Recesses or visited the Unclean Realm, how I couldn’t do anything for the war but worry, couldn’t do anything but keep you company, but you said it helped to lift your spirits before you headed out again. I even sent you letters after what happened with Wei-xiong– with Wei Wuxian. The siege of the Burial Mounds. I knew how close you were, and I wanted to comfort you if I could...but you never responded to any of them.”

He shook his head and rolled the teacup from one hand to another.

“And then you didn’t show up when my brother died. In seclusion again! For years and years! The honorable Hanguang-jun, always thinking about his cultivation; what a good seed you are, a pride and joy to your sect. Just like everyone always said.”

“I didn’t have a choice,” Lan Wangji said. His voice was very quiet, a little hoarse. “I was not well.”

Nie Huaisang shrugged. “No one ever explained, either then or thereafter. And no one else ever guessed ‘busy mourning the death of the love of your life’ was the reason, either, so I don’t know why you would expect me to.”

“You never spoke to me again,” Lan Wangji said, his jaw and throat working. He’d tried, a few times, but Nie Huaisang had looked through him as if he wasn’t there, twittering like a foolish little bird with only the most formal of addresses on his lips. “Only in passing, when you came to visit my brother.”

“As I’m sure you’ve realized by now, I’m very good at holding a grudge,” Nie Huaisang said, and put his teacup down. He knew perfectly well that he was being unfair, that he was being cruel and selfish and completely disregarding the many ways he had undoubtedly been unfair to Lan Wangji in turn through lack of consideration or otherwise. But he was cruel and selfish, his mission this past decade and more evidence enough of that, and that old pain of abandonment had lingered far past the point of reason. Still lingered, if he was being honest. “I’m sorry that you’re struggling, and for my part in it, but you’re going to have to do better than please.”

Lan Wangji was quiet, bowing his head. After a time, he said, “I was in recovery during that period. I did not learn about what had happened to your brother until – until much later. It was kept from me so as not to disturb me as I was healing...I can show you the remaining marks, if you wish.”

“That’d be something,” Nie Huaisang said, because he was a petty person like that. Because that had hurt back then, thinking that Lan Wangji was ignoring him even at that most desperate moment, hurt more than anything.

Well. Not more than anything.

Not more than losing his brother. Than finding out the truth about Jin Guangyao.

Than realizing he was the only one who could right this wrong, and that he would have to do it alone.

“If things had been different,” Lan Wangji said, and he did not lift his head. “If things had gone – otherwise. Would you have trusted me?”

Now it was Nie Huaisang’s turn to bow his head. If he had had Lan Wangji, had trusted Lan Wangji…yes, things might have gone very differently.

For Lan Xichen, at least.

“Perhaps,” he said, unwilling to commit himself but knowing that his mere lack of response said everything. “But enough about the past. Far more importantly - what about the future?”

Lan Wangji blinked at him.

Nie Huaisang sighed. “You’re right. I did learn to run a sect, at least somewhat. I may not be very good at it, but I know all the things a sect leader ought to know – all the secrets, all the gossip, how to commit to nothing while making people think you’ve agreed, who should sit next to who and who shouldn’t, what’s a trap and what isn’t, all the things you’ve never needed to care about it. Your brother made sure I knew it all, and told me many stories about things he was doing to run your sect to use as examples. As you suspected, I can probably help you, even if only in figuring out how to appropriately delegate the work.”

“But?”

“I may not be a very good custodian of it, but my sect is the only thing I have left,” Nie Huaisang said. “And you may have once been my friend, Lan Zhan, but now you’re the Chief Cultivator. Do not associate with evil. Am I to expect a freeze in trade relations? A subtle ostracization of my disciples? Will I be invited to the discussion conferences, or will people turn their faces away from me?” He shrugged. “You don’t get to play hot and cold with me anymore. You want my help, you stand by my side. No more judgment.”

Lan Wangji was frowning. “As Chief Cultivator, I must be impartial.”

“Just like the last three were? Wen Ruohan, Jin Guangshan, Jin Guangyao…oh yes, impartiality is truly intrinsic to the position, with such grand examples in your predecessors,” Nie Huaisang said archly, and this time he did open his fan. Trust no one. “I’m not asking for favoritism. Equality with all the others, and your support if someone tries to criticize me or remove me, especially for anything to do with Jin Guangyao; that’ll be enough. Well?”

Lan Wangji considered it for a long time.

It wasn’t anything personal – Lan Wangji was a contemplative sort of person – so Nie Huaisang didn’t take offense, just waited, occasionally moving to eat a little of the food.

“Very well,” Lan Wangji finally said. “I agree.”  

Nie Huaisang was ready with his next question, and also a bite of some grilled vegetables, which he swallowed down before speaking. “And if Wei Wuxian doesn’t?”

Lan Wangji’s hands tightened around his knees. “I have said I will defend you. I have not named exceptions.”

“Just checking,” Nie Huaisang said, then smiled and put some of the vegetables into Lan Wangji’s bowl. “Eat up, Lan Zhan! We’re going to have our work cut out for us.”

Lan Wangji nodded. He seemed resigned.

“If you want, I’ll even deal with Jiang Cheng for you,” Nie Huaisang said. “But it’ll cost you.”

Lan Wangji tilted his head to the side, as if it could hide how much his eyes had brightened in anticipation of that particular burden being taken off his back.

“Remember when we were kids and I asked you to do my copying for me?”

A slow blink. “You want me to do paperwork?”

“I want you to do so much paperwork,” Nie Huaisang said emphatically. He even waved his hands around in emphasis, he meant it so strongly. “I’ll tell you what needs to be done and who needs to do it, I’ll show you how to keep the smaller sects in line and how to manage conferences, but if I never see another memorial in my life it will be too soon..!”

“I think,” Lan Wangji said dryly, “that we will be able to devise an equitable division of labor.”

“Old friend!” Nie Huaisang trilled happily, holding out his arms.

“Do not hug me.”

“Ah, Lan Zhan, don’t be like that –”

“Do not hug me.”

“Don’t be so cold! How are we going to get Wei Wuxian back by your side if we don’t put some effort into making him jealous?”

“…explain.”

“Well, the way I see it –”

[songofclarity]

when you said "[Huaisang] took taking down jgy so seriously and so professionally; he has no cheering moment or hail of victory" I was reminded of another post I saw about the moment at the beginning of NMJ's Empathy flashback where the disciples are celebrating the victory over the puppets but NMJ only looks grim. It's something the Nie bros have in common: both consider violence and killing to be necessary and justified— but it's a grim duty, to be undertaken with seriousness, not satisfaction

Yes, that comparison is exactly it, Anon! I do appreciate how CQL ensured Nie MingJue was all business during his fights. Even at the banquet when the Sunshot Campaign was over and done with, his group arrived late (‘Sorry I’m late, I didn’t want to come’) and he looked miserable. Not even an official victory party could put a smile on his face, much less encourage him to celebrate three years of hard work!

I would hesitate, however, before accusing the Nie brothers of finding violence and/or killing as necessary. Those are just tools in the tool box and they could be taken out as needed but they weren’t always needed, much less required. We see time and time again how the Nie brothers pick non-violent options when violence and murder would make their lives so much easier. And this choice between violence and non-violence is important. This is the choice that separates them both from Jin GuangYao. Because when it comes down to it, what was the point of having fought against the Wen Sect if they were all just to become violent and murderous themselves?

For convenience, I have outlined Nie MingJue’s 5 year plan here:

Fight a war against a violent sect

Win even if it might cost him his own life

Go home and live in peace

Nie MingJue stayed his hand from murder not once, not twice, but three times when confronted directly with a cold-blooded murderer. He picked suffering Meng Yao/Jin GuangYao to live over easily justifiable back-alley execution. He banged on the doors of Koi Tower demanding Xue Yang be turned over to him, but never used violence to take matters into his own hands, not even when he held Baxia at Xue Yang’s throat and could have ended the discussion right then and there.

The only people Nie MingJue ever killed were nameless cultivators on the battlefield; nameless cultivators when he was being held prisoner in the Sun Palace; and Wen Xu, a declared enemy met on the battlefield. There is no evidence or accusations that he ever killed anyone after the Sunshot Campaign, not at the Burial Mounds and not when he had his qi deviation.

Nie HuaiSang, for his part, could have just stabbed Jin GuangYao in the chest when he was crying on him and be done with it. Violence is easy. Murder is easy.

For the Nie brothers, violence was never necessary, but justice was. And there is no justice if you just become the beast you fought to defeat, so rules and morals must be taken into account.

Nie MingJue decided, on his own, to send Meng Yao back to his father to face justice after the murder of the Jin disciple. Nie HuaiSang worked to expose Jin GuangYao’s crimes and let the world decide on their own whether or not Jin GuangYao’s crimes deserved punishment.

Nie MingJue followed the rules. He played fair. He asked for permission. He talked in private. He made his demands. He was aggressive, but he never killed to get his way. How easy it would have been if he killed to get his way like Jin GuangYao did! But he didn’t. Nie MingJue was good. Nie MingJue died.

Nie HuaiSang picked up where Nie MingJue left off. The letter to Qin Su was just a letter to Qin Su revealing some of Jin GuangYao’s crimes. Jin GuangYao got away with murdering the Jin disciple all those years ago, and now he’s going to get away with direct involvement in the murder of his own child? Or baby-trapping and then marrying his own sister? No, no he is not. And he’s absolutely not getting away with Nie MingJue’s murder or dismemberment.

Nie HuaiSang still never picked violence. He never picked murder. He never told people what to do or how to do it, and he certainly never held a weapon in his hand. That’s the beauty of his revenge.

As the saying goes: the pen is mightier than the sword. He picked letting the information speak for itself and giving other people the option to use violence, but that was never their only option. Sadly, no revenge plan, no matter one taken as seriously as this one, is foolproof when other people are involved. Qin Su and the letter were discovered by Jin GuangYao, who then blackmailed her, imprisoned her, and then pushed her to suicide. This shows the depth of Jin GuangYao’s cruelty. Jin GuangYao reacting in violence is a Jin GuangYao problem.

As another saying goes: do not shoot the messenger. We already saw how the Jin Sect protected and absolved Xue Yang of his well-documented mass murder. Nie HuaiSang would have heard about how Jin GuangYao, Jiang Cheng, and Lan XiChen were all OK with the Jin protecting Xue Yang while Nie MingJue and popular rogue cultivator Xiao XingChen were very much not. In order to make Jin GuangYao face justice, the one choice Nie HuaiSang never had was to stand up and speak out and expose Jin GuangYao’s crimes. Xiao XingChen tried that with Xue Yang and it got him a fate worse than death. Nie MingJue tried to stand up to the Jin Sect and it got him betrayed and his death to look like an unfortunate event, not even a murder. So instead, Nie HuaiSang got the information out there as secretly as possible and let everyone else decide on what to do with it.

And thankfully everyone agreed with him that Jin GuangYao was trash. No violence was needed to help them see the light. Jin GuangYao made his bed and now he has to sleep in it.

Violence is only a Nie brother final resort when justice is about to be evaded. Nie MingJue is so horrified after the Sun Palace that he’s willing to kill Meng Yao and then himself over the murder of his subordinates. Meng Yao uses the “I saved your life” get-out-of-jail free card, which not only threatens to hold Nie MingJue hostage to a life debt but also means at least two cultivators where killed to save Nie MingJue’s one life. That’s terrible math! Where is the justice in this?? But in case he is in the wrong, Nie MingJue agrees to kill himself too, so justice WILL be served one way or another before Meng Yao runs away again.

Violence and murder are indeed grim tools for a serious duty and they need to be handled respectfully and with resolve! Note how Nie HuaiSang at no point lies and says, “I had no choice.” It was his choice to send the letters, it was his choice to put himself in danger at the Second Burial Mounds Siege and at Guanyin Temple, and it was his choice to save Sisi from her unlawful imprisonment and let her speak on her own behalf. This boy had choices, choices other than violence and murder, and he never victimized himself by claiming otherwise. He never pleaded innocence or passed the blame. He simply dodged the discussion entirely, but the ending shows he knows what he did and why.

Nie HuaiSang, "Wei-xiong, why do you keep on asking me? No matter how much you ask, I don't know anything." With a pause, he continued, "But..." Slowly, Nie HuaiSang brushed together his storm-drenched hair. "I think that if this person hates Jin GuangYao so much, they'd probably be entirely merciless towards something he cherishes more than his life." (Ch. 109, ERS)

Nie HuaiSang has so much conviction that his cavalier attitude after Jin GuangYao's death is so cold that if anyone touched him they would probably be burned. When Nie HuaiSang lies, he says, “I don’t know.” He knows the importance of information and he’s not about to expose himself for having any that might get him killed. Nie HuaiSang’s fight was different than Nie MingJue’s in tone and shape, but Nie HuaiSang kept the same agenda and, frankly, played by the same rules as his Nie MingJue.

Some rules Nie MingJue lives by:

Outside input is important

Don't kill people for the rewards

Have conviction in your choices

Jin GuangYao was in the process of fleeing justice at Guanyin Temple just like he fled justice at Langya. Jin GuangYao laid a trap for Nie MIngJue at Langya and there was no doubt going to be a trap at Guanyin Temple--so Nie HuaiSang sprung one on him first.

“Brother XiChen, behind you!!!” (Ch. 108, ERS)

And the choice to stab Jin GuangYao was Lan XiChen’s, not Nie HuaiSang’s, although Nie HuaiSang was determined to see justice prevail and that treacherous Third Brother brought down.

Of interest, Nie HuaiSang’s ten year agenda:

Expose Jin GuangYao’s violent crimes

Win even if it might cost him his own life

Go home and live in peace

Violence and murder were never on the agenda. They aren’t necessary. They were never necessary. The tragedy is thinking that they might be, and that’s Jin GuangYao’s tragedy, not the Nie brothers. Nie MingJue’s behavior shows a man who thought if he fought hard enough, pushed hard enough, allowed redemption arcs to a murderer, tried to work with people who didn’t want to work with him, peace might find a way.

Violence was only needed because Jin GuangYao could not be stopped in any other way. He burned the brothel down with all the women inside it to hide his past and he tried to massacre the whole cultivation world to hide his crimes. Considering the amount of death the Nie brothers have faced, from family dead from qi deviations to piles of bodies on the battlefield to allies killed to save their lives, I dare say the Nie brothers had a respectful relationship with violence and murder because they wanted to escape the cycle the most.

[wangxianficrecs]

Fic Finder

~*~

1.  Hi, I'm looking for an Untamed fic, maybe you'll be able to help. It's a canon divergence AU in which WWX doesn't lose his core, Jiang Fengmian lives and it's implied that his core was transferred to JC (heavily implied; JFM retires as the Sect Leader after that). This is absolutely not the most important part of this fic but it's a paragraph that I've got stuck in my head and now I'm searching for the rest @_@ Thanks in advance! ~ @otemporaetmores

FOUND! by @notsobabblespace, who was reminded of  I’m aching and I know you are too by edenwolfie (part 3 in series, M, 23k, wangxian)

FOUND!  by @jim-is-spocks-thyla, who suggests ❤️ to arrive late is better than not to arrive at all by Moominmammashandbag (M, 35k, wangxian) [ETA:  Oops, not this one.  JFM has no core, but he didn’t give it to JC]

~*~

2.  Hi Mojo! I’m in need of you/your followers help in finding a fic that I read a little while ago. It was a fic where Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi lived together in Cloud Recesses and their children were Sizhui and an OOC that was younger than him. I remember SiZhui faced a lot of criticism for not being the chief cultivator’s real child? And they were happy he had a younger sibling that would be sect leader in the future because he was blood. Come to think of it, this is probably an ABO fic too. Thanks for your time 💜

FOUND! @andidontmeanto believes this is Blue Blood by PotterheadAvengerDemigod (T, 91k, wangxian, my post)

~*~

3.  Aksks it's like 3 am but I just remembered a fic and I can't find it?? I'd really, really appreciate your help. It was a wangxian fic, maybe a oneshot idk, and lwj was kind of a nerd and wwx a badboy? So basically lwj has a massive crush on him and dresses up like wwx etc. (i think he even got an undercut) and after a party they sleep with each other at lwj's place?

~*~

4.  i’m looking for a fic set in the where lwj’s mother killed his father? i don’t think that was a main plot point but it did show up in his backstory - any idea what this might be? ~ @thehype

FOUND!  @rentslirott thinks this could be ❤️the best of you by sysrae (E, 42k, wangxian, my post)

FOUND!  @castaways-logbook offers  The Right to Care by travelingneuritis (E, 39k, wangxian, WIP)

~*~

5.  ... same as #6 ...

~*~

6.  Hello friend, sorry for the inconvenience but I wanted to see if you could please find me a fic that I lost but I only remember more or less the final part, it goes more or less like this, lan zhan and wei ying are kidnapped by jin guangyao and lock them up if not I'm wrong in some cells next to lan xichen after the fights jin guangyao dies but lan xichen did know how bad jin guangyao had done and he didn't care and then to get revenge he wants to kill wei ying but lan zhan kills him and sizhui gets scared It was more or less like that, please help me ~ @isa0123lol

FOUND!  by @wangxiansfics who says that tragically it’s no longer available, but @dulachodladh found it on WaybackMachine here: Thread and Needle by haysel (M, 86k, wangxian)

~*~

7.  Hi, Mojo! I'm glad that you're back but I hope you enjoyed your time off tumblr! Can you and/or your followers help me find a fic? I think the summary was talking about wwx and somehow they were asking mingjue for help since he's the only one who can help. The summary was in italics and it's a dialogue from some guy? And a shorter summary below. Sadly this is the only thing I can remember but I hope you can still help me

FOUND!  @alwayswenning suggests love, in fire and blood by cicer (E, 360k, wangxian, has it’s own fanfic here, I just finished this last night!, my bookmark)

~*~

8.  Sorry to bombard you as soon as you're back, but this one's driving me crazy--a modern AU where they met online. WWX thinks LWJ is an old man from how he talks. I don't remember much except the excerpt made it seem like he still was amused by/enjoyed talking to him, and Wen Qing was telling him it was a bad idea and to stop. It's not How to Fall In Love With a Catfish, tho that one is brilliant! (Also any top notch identity porn would be great) Hope your break was restful, you deserve it! Thanks

Here’s my #identity porn tag, but I’m not sure about this exact story.

I'm the anon for #8 on the fic finder. Though I'm excited to read it, the suggested fic isn't the one I was looking for. I swear I thought I saw it on here around a month ago or slightly more, but searches have failed me.

FOUND!  Rating: General Audiences by Mishaa (T, 18k, wangxian WIP) -  mysterious author LWJ (speculated to be an old man because of his formality) and infamous artist WWX paired up for an Untamed Big Bang (in an AU where JGY was the series’ antiheroic protagonist; this fic was written before the release of CQL.)

FOUND?  could you be looking for  Something Real by Latios (G, 5k, wangxian, my post) - wwx thinks lwj is an old man, but there’s no WQ.  There are many pictures of bunnies.

SIMILAR! @emilysidhe thought of ID Bro Saga by Bowandtie (T, 39k, wangxian)

~*~

9.  Hey, how are you? Could you help me please? I've read 3 fanfics once, but I can't find them anymore. 1 - Nanny Problem, Wei is going to be the babysitter of A-Yuan, he is an omega and Lan is an alpha. 2 - Doctor Perfect, Yibo is an omega nurse and Xiao is an alpha doctor. 3 - The Baby of my Omega, Yibo is omega and Xiao is alpha, both of them are bodyguards, but Yibo has to protect Xiao in the beginning. I think they were at ao3, but I really can't find them. Can you help me please? Thank you!! ~ @weallmad

~*~

10.  Hi! Im happy you’re back. I hope you had a good break. I missed your recommendations, but at the same time i got a break from fics and actually studied to my tests haha.  [Ah!  I’m glad to hear your time was spent productively!]  I’m looking for a fic like Linger in the Sun by etymologyplayground. In the fic im looking for wangxian slowly lose their senses instead of all of them at once. Like they lose their hearing, then touch, sight etc, They can’t see each other or hear each other. I’m sorry i can’t explain very well.

FOUND?  Could you be thinking of  ❤️shadows in the sun rise by Yuu_chi (E, 25k, wangxian)?  Only lwj losese his senses one by one in this one, though.

~*~

11.  heyyy im trying to find this fic where wwx died the first time he was thrown in to the burial mounds then 10 years later he gets resurrected or something. I can't find it on AO3 and it's been bugging me for days. Thank you!

FOUND!  Well, @moku-youbi offers both of these as possibilities:

Did I Not Explain Why the Sunset Turns Red? by 3988Akasha (E, 100k, wangxian)

we're starting at the end by Miss_Enthusiasimal (M, 95k, wangxian)

~*~

12.  Hi I am looking for a fic where wwx is a witch (/mage?) in a world where magic is being persecuted (especially in Gusu) except for Yunmeng/Lanling I think but they're still frowned upon nonetheless. Then after accidentally hurting Shijie, wwx runs away, and ends up hiding in Gusu pretending to be a servant to lwj (lwj is a prince, lxc is the emperor) but lwj actually knows of his identity and tries not-so-discreetly to protect him from being caught. Thanks!

FOUND! by @bibliobasilisk who gives us Witchfinder by misbehavingvigilante (E, 86k, wangxian)

~*~

13.  Hi! Firstly, I'm glad to see you're back, and I hope your break was a good one! I'm trying to find a LWJ/WWX story that I had planned to read and ending up losing before I could. It was set in the immediate aftermath of the 33 lashes, LWJ is in the Jingshi recovering when a healer(?) discovers he's pregnant (by WWX). It may have been a/b/o verse, but I'm not 100% on that. Part of the story was a flashback to when WWX was still alive. Thank you!

FOUND!  by nonny themself.  It’s Unexpected Surprise by Glucose_Gremlin (E, 4k, wangxian)

SIMILAR! @mondelgel suggests my heart is kept as pure as ice in a jade vase/一片冰心在玉壶 by Daledesu (M, 21k, wangxian, WIP)

SIMILAR! from @impending-cuttlefish:  something new, something white, something blue by ariskamalt (E, 140k, wangxian, WIP)

~*~

14.  I'm trying to find this one fic where Jin Ling finds this diary that Wei Ying wrote as the Yiling Patriarch that basically reveals everything, including the golden core reveal and it even has training tips that helps Jon Ling improve. When Wei Ying comes back, he tries everything to keep him there because he is THE best uncle now. I need to find it because it is a N E E D.

FOUND? by @theladypeartree who says, “The Truth (Untold) is jl reading jyl's journals, not wwx's though. And mordant is jl returning wwx's journals that he found, not grew up with. Neither fit #14 properly, but I seriously could not find anything closer after two solid days of searching. Good luck!“

The Truth (Untold) by anxiouswreck0_0 (g, 3k, wangxian, jin ling & wei wuxian)

or this one on ffn:

mordant by tennisnotensai (M, 18k, wangxian, here’s the link for mobile)

~*~

15.  I have heard tell of a Sizhui/Jingyi fic where the boys end up going to Wangxian for advice about how to be intimate. Can you help me find it?

FOUND!  @manaika-chan says this one is On Advisement by LaMachina17 (M, 19k, wangxian, zhuiling, chengyi)

~*~

16.  nm

~*~

17.  Hi! Sorry, do you happen to know that nsfw fic where wwx is still studying in the cloud recesses and he’s reading a novel (im not sure if it was from nhs) that features a cultivator couple and there’s a scene in the book where the woman was pegging her husband? Basically wwx got curious about this and tried fingering himself. I remember he was hiding in the back mountains and then lwj eventually caught him

FOUND?  Could you be thinking of  Deep in the Woods by malkinmalkout (E, 5k, wangxian, my post)?

~*~

18.  Ahhh I'm going crazy trying to think of a fic that I've read where Lan Zhan killed Wen Chao in a locker room and nie huaisang stood guard outside the door! Then lan zhan went to lan huan and said I killed someone and he said did they deserve it? Then it's fine. And I can't remember the name of the fic! Have you heard of it? ~ @uchihaautumn

FOUND! @artemisisdiana offers So Full Of Love (Wouldn't Know Where to Start) by witchupbitch (M, 54k, wangxian, WIP)

~*~

19.  Hi, I was wondering if you could help me find a fic. I read it a while ago and I don't really remember all the details but it was a modern au where Lan Wangji was a police officer in this small town and Wei Wuxian comes back after years, having left the town due to some stuff. Thank you in advance.

Btw love your blog. I live for your fic recs.  [Thank you!]

FOUND?  Could you be looking for medium blues by dark_and_terrible (E,193k,  wangxian)?  It appears to be taken down atm, but it might come back (it’s done it before).

FOUND! by @grannyweatherwaxshat who offers When a Bird Flies, It Leaves Feathers by Bem_Kofi (not rated, 75k, wangxian)

~*~

20.  Hi mojo!! First of all I luv your blog Thank you so much for all those ficrecs.  [You’re welcome!]  Actually I’m looking for a fic I read months ago. I probably found the fic from your blog. But I can’t seem to find it now 😢 it was a modern au wangxian fic (inspired by call me by ur name?) wwx was like 5 years older than lwj. (And lwj was like 16?) Wwx lives in another city but he spent around a year in cloud recesses with lwj in the past. And wwx yanli and jc visits cloud recesses again and wangxian gets 2gether

~*~

[My ko-fi.]

[apiratefellinlovewithastar]

sorry for hijacking your post op but I ran out of space in the tags 😭😭

“modern mdzs au in a softer world” you’re SO right!!

Imagine LWJ pulling up to haunted houses to clean his future-husband’s-but-current-headache’s mess in the hopes of catching him in the act, but he’s always too late?

Wouldn’t it be funny if WWX wasn’t even aware of LWJ’s beef with him? 😭😂 he’s honest to god minding his own business, just chilling and living one day at a time, trying to provide for the Wens and buy A-Yuan cute toys and outfits.

Would be even funnier if ​LWJ doesn’t know it’s WWX bc he goes by Yiling Laozu, and when he’s not wearing a mask shadows are always covering his face (so that his employers can’t use his demonic cultivation against him bc even in modern society that’s still frowned upon), WHILE he’s courting Wei Ying after running into him and reconnecting years after Cloud Recesses. Bonus points if they actually ran into each other a the nearest cafe from the one (1) haunted house Lan Zhan could have caught the Yiling Laozu at, had he been 5mins earlier, when Wei Ying hadn’t changed out of his get-up yet. 😂

WWX several weeks later‚ closing the laptop where he’s editing last night’s vlog bc he wants to give his Lan Zhan his undivided attention: hi hun! how was work?

LWJ‚ wrapping his arms around his bf bc he DESERVES this okay?! the past week was really trying after failing yet again to catch the ever elusive Yiling Laozu AND having to deal with incompetent buffoons at a conference: mn

WWX‚ sympathetically patting his hand: that rough‚ huh?

In true mdzs fashion, it’s a romcom from WWX’s POV but a mystery romance from LWJ’s 😂

The identity reveal isn’t angsty, it’s just LWJ dropping by in the middle of Wei Ying and A-Yuan’s afternoon nap, only to find them sprawled on the couch with the living room looking like a mini tornado passed through it, with papers and legos everywhere.

He finds the lattest video in the process of being uploaded, and a sticky note on the keyboard that reads: “ask Lan Zhan if he wants to join in on my next haunted house vlog! it might be fun! maybe he can record if he doesn’t want to be on-screen?” in WWX’s chicken scrawl. Cue Lan Zhan connecting the dots and processing some of the things he knows about Wei Ying:

he has three jobs (plus several side hustles), including being a faceless youtuber (in his own words)

he’s one of the main sources of income for his family

he always tells LWJ he knows some of the places he goes to whenever LWJ opens up about work, so it’s not like he lied to him (and it’s not like LWJ doesn’t talk about his work, it’s just that he doesn’t want to burden WWX when he already has a lot going on, and they could be doing better things anyway, like going on dates or taking A-Yuan to his favorite places)

Life goes on like in canon in that he doesn’t act any differently towards Wei Ying—but now he has no more YLLZ-related headaches, and every benign haunted house mission is looked forward to in fond exasperation.

Meanwhile, Lan Xichen has known all along and finds it amusing because he doesn’t know Wangji doesn’t know. He just thought that his didi had a little crush on this cute chaotic gremlin who, would you look at that! turned out to be his childhood best friend and first love (he once overheard Huaisang say I’m glad Wei-xiong is still going strong with his channel! when he was over at the Nies to pick up Mingjue for date night). Which is why he always sent LWJ the latest video the Yiling Laozu had posted.

LWJ: I must find him. it’s of the upmost importance

LXC, nodding and smiling and watching him go: yes, I bet you’re looking forward to reuniting with your beloved friend

You're an extremely powerful necromancer and can summon all kinds of beings from benevolent ghosts to infernal spawns of the devil himself.

Unfortunately it's not a very lucrative business most of the time, and a very unpopular party trick. You personally like to be among the living and in order to earn money to eat you have a side hustle: a YouTube channel.

It's very easy, you summon (mostly benevolent) ghosts to haunt houses and abandoned buildings and then use all of your creative writing skill to make up bullshit about the property and the ghosts that is haunting it. You're a pretty popular channel and everyone wins, you get money, you pay the ghosts fairly and they have practicing their acting skills.

Only problem is that you can't unsummon the ghosts once you summon them

Well gotta give the exorcists something to do right?

(Can't decide between strictly gen found family comedy, with necromancer and a bunch of theater kid ghosts or an exorcist x necromancer enemies to lovers fic if I ever write this)

[veliseraptor]

CQL Characters Rated by Their Stress Levels

On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being “Lan Wangji smiling at Wei Wuxian” and 10 being “Lan Xichen at Guanyin Temple.”

Lan Wangji: Varies wildly over the course of the series; see @howpeacefulislwj for detailed rundown. The roundup post averages his peacefulness at 4.2/10. Generally speaking, stress levels middling, between 3/10 and 5/10 with some extreme highs, pretty much all Wei Wuxian related.

Wei Wuxian: One of those people where you’re like “god I hate him, everything’s so easy for him and he can do everything better than me, it’s the worst, how the fuck does he do it” and then years later you find out that he had an epic burnout and dropped off the face of the earth for sixteen years because actually it wasn’t that easy he just made it look that way. 

I mean, he starts the series at about a 5/10 general state (he’s managing a lot but handling it okay) and basically escalates to a relatively consistent 9 or 10/10 for most of the stretch from the Burial Mounds through to his dying. Someone should make a @howpeacefuliswwx chart, I’d be curious to see his average.

Jiang Cheng: Has been existing in a constant low-level state of stress since late childhood and only grows over time. The calmest I think we ever see him is when he’s holding a bunny and other than that it’s mostly downhill. I worry about him getting ulcers sometimes. 8/10.

Jiang Yanli: Jiang Yanli is so used to being stressed that she barely even registers it any more. What do you mean, most people don’t raise two other children when they are also a child? What do you mean, most people take breaks from supporting others to help themselves? Weird. If she was thinking about it she’d be at a 8 or 9/10 but since she’s so accustomed to this way of life that it just feels totally normal she’s more like a 4 or a 5. 

Jiang Fengmian: Avoids being more stressed by generally avoiding his problems, which is one way to deal with it but doesn’t really end up working out most of the time. 3/10.

Yu Ziyuan: Resides somewhere in the vicinity of 5/10 stress levels, 11/10 rage levels, and when the stress levels get above 5 then everyone else’s stress levels better be hitting the roof.

Lan Xichen: Lan Xichen would probably be relatively unstressed if life didn’t consistently come crashing through his relatively chill vibes. Lan Xichen on a good day is, like, 3/10, handling pretty well, but when things start going wrong around him then he pretty quickly hits critical stress levels and will do drastic things to resolve that, such as convincing Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao to set aside their near-murder differences and swear brotherhood, which will definitely work out absolutely fine. Ends up averaging closer to 8/10 because things keep going wrong around him.

Lan Qiren: He’d be fine if his entire family didn’t insist on causing him problems, constantly. Handling it surprisingly well, all things considered. Still 6/10 though.

Nie Mingjue: I mean, does spend a large chunk of time steadily inching toward a qi deviation? That on its own is pretty stressful and also he just seems like generally a high blood pressure sort of person. But the qi deviation inducing saber is definitely not, like, helping. Putting him at a roughly 6 or 7/10 with a median level that just keeps inching slowly upward.

Nie Huaisang: Actually less stressed than you’d expect given how flighty he seems to be! Even when plotting revenge is less “stressed” than “determined.” Pretty good at keeping himself calm most of the time. Generally sits at a stress level of 4/10 or so with a few significant exceptions.

Jin Guangyao: Very stressed all of the time. He has a lot to be stressed about! Between the various complexes and the tendency toward paranoia, Jin Guangyao is definitely among the most stressed in a room at any given time, while doing his best to convey otherwise. But seriously, look at this smile. Does that look like the smile of a serene man to you? 10/10.

Jin Zixuan: You know those high-strung racehorses that sometimes get spooked by, like, a shadow on the ground? That’s Jin Zixuan. Mostly manages to mask his constant low-level “AHHHHH” with a layer of arrogance and/or social awkwardness that looks like arrogance, but it’s there, in the background. 7/10.

Jin Zixun: Shielded from the general Jin neuroses by being an asshole. It’s not fair, but there you are. 3/10 because he does seem to have some inferiority complex issues going on, but that’s not the same thing as stress.

Jin Guangshan: Deserves to be a lot more stressed than he is. Alas, is confident enough to not be terribly stressed. 2/10.

Mianmian: So you know how cheetahs are very panicky animals and so they often in zoos get paired with dogs who will help them figure out that this situation is safe and they don’t need to panic? I feel like Mianmian is Jin Zixuan’s stress meter in their friendship. She will let him know when to be stressed! Because she is not going to spook at her own shadow. Has a sense of reasonable responses to stressors and knows how to remove herself from a bad situation when necessary. Generally a 5/10 because the inherent stress of existing in the Jin Sect is a real thing. 

Wen Qing: It’s hard to be the most competent person in the room most of the time who spends most of her time in very politically precarious positions and with her or her brother’s life at least sort of in danger! Pretty up there for “most stressed” candidates. She’s really having a time of it. Generally hovers around an 8/10.

Wen Ning: Generally not stressed, at least not in the traditional way. Is distressed a lot, but not so much stressed. Ends up at roughly 4/10.

Wen Chao: Like Jin Zixun, gets somewhat shielded from stress by being an unrepentant asshole, though his end of life 11/10 stress via Wei Wuxian kind of makes up for the rest. Averages more of a 2/10 most of the time, though? I don’t think we can let that relatively brief period skew the scale too much.

Wen Ruohan: Does “magic induced losing your mind” count as stress? I mean, he has a pretty stressful job even before that, but he doesn’t project “stress” so much as “incipient madness” during the period where we actually see him doing things. Not sure what rating to give here. It seems like he’s kind of on a different scale.

Wang Lingjao: For the most part seems to manage to get by relatively stress-free, up until things start going completely to shit and she gets haunted to death. Generally closer to a 2 or 3/10, because life as a servant ascended to mistress in a strictly hierarchical society is inherently a wee bit stressful.

Wen Zhuliu: Too sick of this shit and not getting paid enough to really stress out about it. 1/10.

Lan Sizhui: One of those people who manages to appear serene and calm all the time but mostly has just gotten used to functioning at a higher level of stress and therefore can pass for calm even when he is having an Experience of it, which makes his stress levels kind of hard to gauge. But I’d put him at a relatively consistent 6/10.

Lan Jingyi: Wouldn’t call him stressed exactly but he’s definitely very high energy. Kind of gives off the vibes of a very energetic dog who would be stressed if you didn’t keep him busy, but mostly (because I feel like Gusu Lan Sect is pretty good at keeping him busy) hovers around a 2 or 3/10. 

Jin Ling: I feel like Jin Ling isn’t stressed most of the time up until the actual events of CQL itself, where he is both very stressed and very confused almost constantly from the time he first runs into Wei Xuanyu, and it only goes downhill from there. So covering the events of the show I’m going to put him at a 7/10, because he does manage to deal with some wild things with some equanamity and makes it all the way to episode forty-five without breaking down sobbing.

Ouyang Zizhen: Seems like a sensitive soul but doesn’t give off the impression of carrying around a lot of stress, at least not from what we see of him. Probably the chillest of the junior quartet, tbh. Gonna give him a 2/10.

Xiao Xingchen: For most of his life Xiao Xingchen manages his stress very well! He’s actually surprisingly chill. Gets significantly more stressed, understandably, after Xue Yang engineers his no good very bad breakup (the first one) with Song Lan. But in general not that stressed! It is actually part of why he doesn’t handle the stress when it comes very well. He’s not used to it and he only had one pair of eyes to sacrifice. In general a 3/10.

Song Lan: Makes up for Xiao Xingchen’s relatively low stress levels by picking up on the stress for both of them. Still chiller than a lot of people on this list, though, but there’s a lot of very stressed people in this show, so. 5/10.

Xue Yang: Manages his stress by making everyone else very stressed, on purpose. If he’s having a bad day he’ll go and make someone else have a worse day and it helps. At least until there’s a dead Xiao Xingchen and then nothing helps! But as a rule exists at a general 2/10 and honestly he deserves it.

A-Qing: Her life is inherently stressful because she is a street kid trying to make it in a world that is not very friendly to people with no structure supporting them, but she manages to bear it pretty well on the whole. Still, it’s hard being a-Qing. She just makes it look easy. Probably a 4 or 5/10.

Sect Leader Yao: He’s not stressed, but he’s very good at making everyone around him stressed every time he opens his mouth. His presence is a +2 to stress for everyone in his vicinity with the exception of Sect Leader Ouyang, who is for some reason immune. 0/10.

[ssuminshan-official]

《Team dimple + hauisang, chilling at night》

Xue yang: the deed is done.

Su she: ahahaha good.

Mo xuanyu: what about guanggoile?

Su she: he's sleeping.

The guy literally sleeps on a mat lol.

Huaisang: a mat?!!

Su she: nah, I lie. He sleeps on a couch.

Yao: what are you guys up to.

Su she: we snuck into his room, and stuck drawings of Madam Meng all over his wall while he was sleeping.

Yao: *laughing* oh my goodness

Mo xuanyu: also we let some people go near his room to talk about a made up story to scare him.

We told them to say that the spirit of empress- goddess Shi still haunts Jing Manor. And she would appear to those who had angered or pleased her.

If you anger her you'll see her picture all over your room and your tea will turn red.

If you please her, the place will brighten up.

Su she: then I secretly slipped some red cinnabar into his tea.

Xue yang: we added that, if one had exploited her, she will come and castrate them right there.

Huaisang: spooky right! I know that he'll turn cold.

Yao: you four are so crazy. And I love that. Hahahaha.

Now guys, what if A-niang appear to him?

Huaisang: how??

Xue yang: Jiggy! Are you going to??

Su she: dress up as Madam Meng!!!

Yao: of course I am!

Mo xuanyu: that's so cool!

He'll shit his pants!

Yao: that's what we want, lol.

Xue yang: and you resemble her a lot!

Yao: exactly.

Huaisang: aw, foxy is so mischievous.

Su she: and use your hulijing powers too!

Yao: that's a must.

Su she: I'll give you a teleportation talisman.

And one to disguise your voice.

Yao: thank you so much!

~ Some minutes after getting ready~

Yao: *dressed as a woman* team dimple, how do I look!!

Su she: awwwww sooo beautiful.

Xue yang: smoking hot!

Huaisang: cute!

Mo xuanyu: I think I'm straight.

Can someone make a person straight?

Yao: heehee.

You are all so cute and kind.

Now I got to go.

Su she: Huangdi......well, Huanghou, some of your guards are hidden near that area, so that they can protect you from evil guangshan if he dare tries to do anything.

Don't worry, they know the drill, so they'll address you as empress instead of emperor.

Yao: lovely.

~~~

《The haunting, lol》

Yao: *hides in jgs's room

Jgs: *wakes up from his sleep* No!! *panting*

Gosh it was just a nightmare.

That evil emperor's minions keep talking nonsense, and having me dreaming it.

Yao: *throws a fire talisman, which lit a few candles*

Jgs then let out a scream when he saw the Meng Shi posters.

*now whose prank is this!!

Tea. I need tea. I'm feeling thirsty.

*pours tea* oh my goodness!!! Why is the tea red!!!

*laughing nervously* evil emperor. You did a good job scaring me. Which one of your team dimple did this. Hehe.

Yao: *walking in, as Meng Shi.

His hair and clothes blew fiercely, while his ornaments, hairpins and eyes glittered in the moonlight seeping through the curtains.* you fool!!!!

Jgs: haha......ha....you prost*tute, what are you doing here? And you posted your fanart all over my wall.

Yao: *knocks him off the couch, with his power*

Jgs: n.....now how did you do that!

Yao: *dimpled smile*

Jgs: you wh*re! Go from here!

Yao: is this how you greet me, you insolent being!!!

Jgs: who are you then!

Yao: I'm Shi Huanghou!!! The goddess of Hulijings!!! You dare cause atrocities towards my son!

Jgs: *whimpering* that bastard. He deserves that treatment.

Yao: the one who brought success to the Jin sect!! Who listened and obeyed your stupid demands without question!!!

This is how you repay him!

Jgs: leave from here! Get out

Yao: everywhere is mine, you fool! I can go anywhere I wish! I can take that couch away from you, and make you sleep on the cold floor!

Jgs: no no. I'm sorry, Madam Meng.

Yao: Shi Huanghou!!!

Jgs: *covers face* Shi Huanghou.

Yao: *knocks over a jar of water and sausage*

Jgs: *sweating* n...no.

Yao: this could be you!!

Jgs: no...I'm not afraid of you! Get that away from me.

Yao: *uses his spiritual power, to toss him across the room, by his neck and hair*

Jgs: *screaming for his life*

Yao: no one will hear or help you!!!

Jgs: stop! Stop!!

You evil thing!

Yao: how dare you!

Is this how you speak to a highly elevated hulijing goddess!! I can rip your core from your body!

Jgs: noo, not the core.

Yao: you don't even use it!

Jgs: *shivering in fear* stop, stop throwing me across the room like your rag doll!

I beg you, goddess of Hulijings.

Please.

Yao: *drops him*

Jgs: ouch! You could have dropped me more delicately.

Yao: why the hell are you here!

Jgs: your son and Zixuan had hired me!

Yao: I see! Serve them properly!!!

And have some respect!

Jgs: I can never!

Yao: you never learn, don't you! You mistreated my A-Yao!!

And how dare you exploit me and innocent women*

*pulls out knife* guess I must chop it off.

Jgs: *covering his crotch* no no, empress. Not the baby maker. Stay away from me. Move.

Yao: *sauntering ominously*

Jgs:  stay away!

Yao: *starts chasing him*

Off with your dck!

Jgs: you're insane!

Yao: ahahahahahaha. 

Jgs: nooo empress!

Yao: I will castrate you!

Jgs: Please, spare me, empress! That's my manhood!

Yao: you're a creature! Not a man!

Jgs: empress, please. I'll do anything you ask ok! Do you want jewelry?! Should I light joss paper for you?!

Yao: you're unworthy of serving me! And you are broke! I don't want anything from you!

Jgs: *sobbing*

Yao: fine then. I'll spare you ok. But if you even look at my A-Yao in the wrong way, the dck comes off!!  

And you will sweep the steps of my temple!

Jgs: oh gosh, you know I don't like to clean.

Yao: then get used to it.

Jgs: ok ok. I will attend to the emperors ok. Just don't castrate me.

Yao: fine then.

I'll be watching you.

And if you don't think I am, then look at A-Yao's face and you'll see me.

Jgs: this.....this Yao do resemble you *shivers* doesn't he.

Yao: *disappears*

Jgs: *faints*

~

Next morning......

Jgs: *wakes up and checks below* whew! It's still there.

~~~

Yao: *elegantly walking with team dimple, and yes huaisang too*

Su she: you look so happy today, Huangdi.

Is it because of your performance?

Mo xuanyu: Yao gege you're so amazing.

Xue yang: and hot.

Yao: *smiling* right. I feel elated, leaving him petrified.

Huaisang: lol I could imagine

Xue yang: did you castrate him?

Yao: no, but I threatened to.

Su she: lol.

Xue yang: that's like our foxy master.

Yao: wait till I tell Zish.

Meanwhile.

Jgs: *entering* Fuying. You're *gulps* Huangdi's attendant right?

Fuying: yes. And I shouldn't speak to you.

Jgs: why?

Fuying: because you're the enemy of Jingjing. Hulijings see you as a Lanling demon. And speaking to you is like treason.

Jgs: cut the crap, and listen. I saw empress Shi last night.

Fuying: aww really?!

She's revered here.

Jgs: the woman.....the ghost! Haunted me last night. I experienced her full wrath.

Fuying: well you deserved it.

Jgs: what?!

Yao: *arrives with his entourage*

Fuying.

Fuying: *running to his side* Huangdi.

Yao: was he troubling you?

Fuying: no Huangdi.

Jgs: *trembling* empress Shi!!!!

Yao: what happened to you? Have you lost it?

Jgs: s...sorry boss. Just don't let empress Shi hurt me. *kowtows* please!!!

Yao: we love respect. Maybe if you respect us then you'll be safe.

Jgs: the baby maker too?

Xue yang: aka his dck, Jiggy.

Yao: yea yea, that will be safe too.

Now get off from the floor.

Jgs: yes boss.

Zixuan: can't a person get some peace and quiet? Why is he screaming so early in the morning.

Jintang; your majesty, it's 9am.

Zixuan: oh you know that I'm a late sleeper.

(*zixuan wakes up at 9am, while Yao wakes up at 8am or 7am)

Jgs: *screams when he sees Zixuan*

Zixuan: *startled*

Has he lost it?

Yao: wondering the same thing.

Mo xuanyu: can't loss what he doesn't have.

Su she: lol. Diabolical Jins.

Xue yang: best kind of Jin Siblings.

Jgs: y...you look like your mom, Zixuan.

And you look like boss too.

Zixuan: yea so?

Jgs: will Madam Jin come to haunt me too?

*cries* I don't want to see Madam Jin!!! She'll hurt me toooooo.

Zixuan: she's still alive, and is living in Jinlintai remember.

Jgs: would she threaten to castrate me?

Xue yang: oh heck yea she's coming for those bagaballs.

Jgs: why are they all coming for my g*nitals!!!! Why do they want to chop it off.

Zixuan: ugh!I don't have any time for this. Where's your composure old man?! We are in a palace!

Yaoyao, *grabs A-Yao's arm* team dimple, let's go have some tea and breakfast.

Yao: right.

Let's go.

Jgs: how should I help you two?

Zixuan: no need. We'll call you when we need you.

Yao: can you go cut some bush in my backyard? It's looks outgrown and ugly.

Jgs: sure sure! But boss, which backyard? You have two backyards.

Yao: the left wing. Where the koi ponds are. Oh, an you can feed the koi afterwards. They're vegan by the way. Tata.

Jgs: vegan fish?!!

Yao: did I stutter?!

Xue yang: even the fish here are divas?

~~

~having tea and breakfast~

Zixuan: now what happened to him?

Yao: *tells him the whole story, along with the various names made up by team dimple*

Zixuan: *laughing* oh my goodness! Yaoyao!! *pinches cheeks* you mischievous little foxy!

Su she: now he can perfectly do his job without insulting you two.

Zixuan: marvelous.

Mo xuanyu: you and our Yao gege deserves the world.

Xue yang: definitely do.

Zixuan: Yaoyao is so powerful and genius.

Yao: oh Zish, I'm flattered.

  

Zixuan: finally guanggoile learns some manners

Yao: yes!

@verycatbluebird

[lansplaining]

9, 10 and 27, bad vibes ONLY

9. Most disliked character(s)? Why? Setting aside the people no one likes... and setting aside Xue Yang who I hated on in the last ask... I'm gonna bring the BAD VIBES, AS REQUESTED and say............. Nie Huaisang.

Here's the thing. It's because, much like Xue Yang, I'm really mad at him. I don't think fandom acknowledges to a sufficient extent how utterly fucked up what he did was, and try to completely falsely frame him as pursuing some objective sense of justice, and so I feel like I need to make up the difference with my own personal censure. This is definitely influenced by how fed up I've gotten with the fanon take on him, and the whole Director Nie reading of his character. I like him as a hapless and incompetent and lazy teen, but by the end of canon... fuck that guy. I get annoyed (like not ACTUALLY, but you know) when I see fic and headcanons of post-canon futures for him that involve him getting reintegrated into the other characters' social lives in any way-- he's burned every bridge he has and he deserves it.

10. Most disliked arc? Why?

I do find Yi City too sad to contemplate at length, so idk if that makes it my favorite or my least favorite. The destruction of Lotus Pier/build to the golden core transfer section in the show pretty tedious, if I'm honest. There is a lot of repetitive feelings acting and it all just takes a bit too long. It obviously pays off later but even the first time through I was a bit bored in the moment.

27. Least shippable character?

Nie Huaisang again. Literally cannot imagine him forming actual human intimacy with anyone by the end of canon. Maybe in an AU where his life goes very differently from an earlier stage.

[hunxi-guilai]

Any general thoughts on Nie Mingjue that you'd be willing to share? I love your meta posts so much.

GUESS WHO FINALLY GOT AROUND TO WATCHING FATAL JOURNEY AND CAN FINALLY ANSWER THIS ASK

okay so full disclaimer, I was... not a fan of Nie Mingjue while watching CQL. Not for any particularly vehement reasons, but I was getting Real Tired of his rigid black-and-white morality, especially when it came to Jin Guangyao (I just think that if more people were nicer to Jin Guangyao, he could have turned out to be a perfectly pleasant young man? idk). Nie Mingjue, throughout CQL, is the embodiment of the TVTrope “Honor Before Reason”  combined with the Berserker in ways that I found more frustrating than endearing.

Fatal Journey put so much of that in context -- I’d been tangentially aware through tumblr osmosis that the reason why Nie Mingjue wasn’t at Cloud Recesses summer school with the rest of the cast, watching One Braincell Trio’s shenaniganery with a smirk while standing next to Lan Xichen, arms crossed, Baxia slung over one shoulder, was because he was too busy single-handedly leading Qinghe Nie as a teenager. The show gives a lot of focus to Jiang Cheng rebuilding the Yunmeng Jiang Sect more or less on his own (for which he deserves much respect!) but he’s not the only sect leader thrown into his responsibilities at a terribly young age. 

But the point I’m trying to make about Nie Mingjue is that he was forced to grow up much faster, faced with the pressure of leading not just an entire cultivation sect, but specifically one that stands on the border of Qishan, one that’s often invaded and attacked. Qinghe Nie is by far the most military sect of them all because they’ve had to become so through sheer necessity. We see this in Nie Mingjue’s militaristic demand for order and obedience; we see this in the unflinching, unwavering loyalty of the Qinghe Nie Sect cultivators in Fatal Journey. They all know going in that they might not come back alive, but in Qinghe Nie, that’s not exceptional bravery or loyalty -- that’s just a fact of life.

(which, again, contextualizes Nie Mingjue’s black-or-white morality -- when the survival of you and your sect is constantly balanced on the edge of your saber, there isn’t time for pursuing petty grievances or indulging gray morality. You’re either all in, or you get out -- and Nie Mingjue lets Jin Guangyao get out)

All of this context makes Nie Huaisang, the most un-Nie ever to Nie, even more fascinating, because it means that Nie Mingjue has been actively sheltering him from the brutal realities of Qinghe Nie for pretty much his entire life.

There’s this incredibly beautiful, wordless moment in Fatal Journey in flashback, when a young Nie Mingjue looks at the choice laid before the two of them -- 修刀 xiudao / cultivate the saber or 修心 xiuxin / cultivate the heart. A young Nie Huaisang scratches his head, looks up at his brother with a face scrunched up in confusion; Nie Mingjue unhesitatingly picks up 修心 xiuxin and hands it to his little brother, then blinks rapidly, betraying his own apprehension, as he chooses the path of early, violent death for himself. 

But then Nie Huaisang looks up at his brother adoringly, and Nie Mingjue offers a smile back, and cannot bring himself to regret the decision.

Oof. Just, oof. CQL is full of older siblings making sacrifices for their younger siblings -- Wen Qing, Jiang Yanli, Wei Wuxian, Lan Xichen, Nie Mingjue -- and while we can sing praises for their sacrifices, we have to also recognize the cost these sacrifices exact, often from the younger siblings. Overwhelmingly, the younger siblings are left behind to survive, to grieve, to lead, to endure; and sometimes, the cost of an elder sibling ferociously sheltering their younger sibling results in greater emotional devastation when the sacrifice is revealed (cough goLDEN CORE REVEAL cough). Everyone has to grow up sometime, and for Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang, the process is harrowing, brutal, and vengeful.

To be clear, I’m not trying to assign any blame to Nie Mingjue or Wei Wuxian for their sacrifices; honestly, I think it must be terrifying for them, who literally do everything within their power to protect their younger sibling so that Nie Huaisang and Jiang Cheng don’t have to suffer the same fate they do. And yet, both of them come to discover that 'everything within their power’ isn’t enough. Despite everything Wei Wuxian sacrifices -- his golden core, his future as a cultivator, his reputation, his affiliation with Yunmeng Jiang -- he still ends up saddling Jiang Cheng with a motherless nephew and years of grief; despite everything Nie Mingjue sacrifices, he still can’t survive long enough to protect Nie Huaisang as he promised. Nie Mingjue watches his impending death come for him and has no choice but to pressure Nie Huaisang to take up the same saber that will consume him soon.

The most galling thing isn’t that Nie Mingjue will die tragically, painfully, young -- it’s that even with his sacrifice, he still hasn’t managed to protect Nie Huaisang from the family doom.

There is a line of Nie Huaisang’s in Fatal Journey that sounded strange in the moment, but has come to make more and more sense the more I thought about the relationship between the two brothers:

Nie Huaisang: 大哥，你看你现在究竟变成了什么样子。小时候，你一直都是理智[...]自从你练了刀法之后就变成喜怒无常暴力至极。你现在就像一个暴君! / Da-ge, look at what you’ve become now. When we were young, you were always rational*... ever since you began practicing the way of the saber, your temper has become inconstant, your violent force extreme. Now, you’re practically a violent tyrant!

*couldn’t make out these words and the version of Fatal Journey I saw doesn’t have burned in Chinese subs rip

In the moment, I was like -- Nie Mingjue, wise? Rational? Nahhhh, sounds fake... but then I thought about the fact that we never really get to see pre-Sect Leader Nie Mingjue, pre-saber Nie Mingjue. In that case, if we take Nie Huaisang’s words at face value about the shift in Nie Mingjue’s temperament, then the cultivation style of Qinghe Nie truly isn’t all that different from Wei Wuxian’s demonic/heretical/deceptive cultivation (‘此道损身，更损心性,’ anyone?) -- they both grant great power, but at the costs of one’s own sanity/temperament. 

^ I made this post two months ago but it’s been coming back to me with a vengeance

It’s worth thinking about why characters in CQL strike down these alternative cultivation paths that lead only to early, violent death -- overwhelmingly, they’re driven not by power, but by need. The sword path is the righteous path, the traditional path, and the path of least risk -- it may be slow, but you’ll progress on your own merit and hard work. Demonic and saber cultivation take shortcuts, increase your power by exponential amounts; to make a bad analogy, it’s like taking steroids for sporting competitions. Sure, they’ll benefit you in the short-term, but the long-term consequences will eventually come for you. (the obvious solution being, of course, to die before the consequences come for you)

But for some, the short-term benefits outweigh the long-term consequences: Wei Wuxian needs the power granted to him by his alternative cultivation in order to be useful to the Sunshot Campaign; Qinghe Nie needs the speed and power of saber cultivation to fend off Qishan Wen attacks on the regular. Considered in this context, it just makes sense for an entire cultivation sect that constantly survives on the brink of war to live fast, die young Qinghe Nie does it well

The tragedy of Qinghe Nie saber cultivation is that it gets them the necessary power to survive, to keep clinging tenaciously onto the stretch of territory between Qishan Wen and the rest of the cultivation world, but it doesn’t give them the time or space to figure out an alternative, sustainable cultivation that doesn’t involve, y’know, violent death and hungry saber spirits. Which is why Nie Mingjue’s sacrifice is not in vain, because it gives Nie Huaisang the space to grow up and train his abilities in alternative, less destructive paths of cultivation.

words cannot describe how much I love this scene. I would like to request a feature-length film of just Nie Huaisang and Wei Wuxian doing cool sparkly shit with talismanic magic

Nie Huaisang solves his puzzle tomb in approximately two minutes, with no death (more or less); Nie Mingjue stumbles out of his puzzle tomb alone, having brute-forced his way to a solution. The two brothers then argue in front of the central doorway, in which Nie Huaisang challenges Nie Mingjue’s methods, to which Nie Mingjue counters that such methods have been performed so often in the past that they practically constitute family tradition.

Nie Huaisang challenges this too -- something only Nie Huaisang can do, because Nie Mingjue has never had the time or luxury to do anything other than pick up the terrible burden of his ancestors, to follow the footsteps of father and grandfather to die alone in a tomb that they’ve spilt blood and spent generations maintaining. Nie Mingjue came of age in a time of need, and reforged himself to fulfill this need. 

Nie Huaisang comes of age in a time of possibility -- after the events of the Sunshot Campaign, there is no longer the need for Qinghe Nie to remain a military state, constantly on edge and ready to repel invasions. Nie Huaisang might be the only who can conceptualize change, a deviation from tradition.

Of the entire Nie family line, the saber path has no claim on Nie Huaisang alone.

And it’s Nie Mingjue who made that possible.