Part 7 – Utter Nonsense

Wei Wuxian didn’t quite know how to feel about Nie Huaisang.

On the one hand, despite all bumbling outward appearances, he was a ruthless conniver at heart. Single-handedly he had orchestrated the plot to bring down former Chief Cultivator Jin Guangyao, resurrecting Wei Wuxian as his tool for revenge in the process. The elaborate, vengeful plotting Wei Wuxian could overlook. In Nie Huaisang’s place, he would likely have done the same. However, Wei Wuxian resented being used, even if he’d come out ahead in the bargain. It was the principle of the matter.

On the other hand, he and Nie Huaisang had once been good friends of a sort, back during their days studying together at the Cloud Recesses. Both had enjoyed shirking their studies and gallivanting around in the woods instead. Both had enjoyed drinking Emperor’s Smile until they’d passed out in a sprawl, and both had certainly enjoyed leafing through Nie Huaisang’s rather extensive cache of pornography books.

Recollecting that all of the porn had been heterosexual in nature, Wei Wuxian laughed aloud.

Lan Wangji gave him a questioning look. From his other side, Nie Huaisang’s face fell in dismay.

“…Wei-xiong, do you really think it’s laughable? E-even to ask?”

“Hm?” Wei Wuxian said, having no idea what Nie Huaisang was talking about. “What was the question?”

Nie Huaisang’s shoulders sank. Wei Wuxian didn’t feel bad, however. The sect leader had been babbling to him pretty much nonstop since their parties had joined up on the road to Lotus Pier. Whether it was excitement at finally having a chance to catch up after all these years, or merely nervous prattling because of Lan Wangji’s icy proximity, Wei Wuxian couldn’t tell. But the fact that it was an annoying stream of ceaseless chatter remained. At some point, if for no other reason than for his sanity’s sake, Wei Wuxian’d had no choice but to tune him out.

“The peacocks of Lotus Pier,” Nie Huaisang tried hopefully again. “I’d like to add one to my menagerie. B-but I don’t know who to enquire about them…”

Wei Wuxian rolled his eyes. “Peacocks!” he muttered, ignoring Nie Huaisang altogether as he turned to his husband. “That’s what he’s been going on about all this time?—fucking peacocks?!”

Lan Wangji frowned at the curse, but Wei Wuxian couldn’t help but notice a vein pounding in his snowy temple. Unlike Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji had never been one to space out even during the most long-winded of diatribes. Not even during their younger days, when Lan Qiren would pontificate for so long Wei Wuxian’s eyes would still be glazed-over an hour later.

All this was to say that poor Hanguang-Jun had been subjected to Nie Huaisang’s every frivolous word. Wei Wuxian rubbed his husband’s back in sympathy.

Once more, Nie Huaisang ventured hesitantly, “Wei-xiong, d-do you think Sect Leader Jiang might just let me take one back, if I ask him…?”

“Sure, Nie Huaisang!” Wei Wuxian exclaimed, in mock encouragement. “Go ahead and bother Jiang Cheng with this nonsense, and see if he doesn’t whip you all the way back to Qinghe!”

Dispirited, Nie Huaisang fell meekly silent at last.

Mo Dao Zu Shi © Mo Xiang Tong Xiu