What About You?

17: the nies parting

(Wowie, it's been quite some time! Hope you've all been well. It's the end of the month, so according to my new schedule, you get an update! Enjoy~}

By the time that Sect Leader Nie and his sons left, Nie Mingjue and Wei Kuo were very good friends, and had sparred many times. All of those times, the young master Nie had only won twice, and even then it was by accident. However, that was not the case with Sect Leader Nie. He and Wei Kuo also sparred a few more times, and everyone was surprised once again that by the end of the trip, their scores of winning and losing were completely even.

"I hope you enjoyed your stay," Jiang Fengmian shook hands with the other sect leader as he, his wife, Jiang Cheng, Wei Wuxian and Wei Kuo saw the three Nies off.

"Of course we did," the other sect leader smiled, casting a pointed look at Wei Kuo. "And I'd be more than happy to return the favor when you decide to visit Qinghe."

"Thank you for the offer, we will be sure to make arrangements after the next conference," Madame Yu said with a bow.

"Very well then," Sect Leader Nie nodded, then turned and mounted his horse as his sons got on theirs. "I will look forward to seeing you at the conference!"

"We wish you a safe and pleasant journey," The group bowed as the three turned their horses around and trotted away. Right before they culd get out of earshot, however, Nie Mingjue turned around and shouted.

"WEI KUO, UNTIL NEXT TIME! I'LL DEFINITELY BEAT YOU!"

"KEEP TELLING YOURSELF THAT!" Wei Kuo hollered back, then winced when Madame Yu smacked the back of his head. "What was that for?"

"For being a nusience and for not following propriety."

"Jeez, what a stick in the mud."

"Excuse me?" Zidian sparked at the insult, but Wei Kuo just smirked with a shrug.

"I'm just calling it like it is. Yeesh," He huffed as he dodged a strike from the electric whip, and darted off with the Zi Zhizhu chasing after him.

"I'm glad they're having fun," Jiang Fengmian sighed, used to the commotion by that point as he folded his hands behind his back and glanced at the two children left with him. "Come, A'Li, A'Chang, A'Xian, we should return to the pavilion for lunch," He instructed, then smiled off into the distance. "I'm sure my lady and A'Kuo will be done playing soon."

"Yes, father!" Jiang Cheng agreed, making sure to hastily match his father's steps as they walked back to the place they would be having lunch, Jiang Yanli and Wei Wuxian trailing behind the two.

Eventually, everyone convened at the pavilion after Madame Yu and Wei Kuo had exhausted themselves from another chase. There, they had a peaceful lunch, and soon the two younger boys went off to practice their cultivation skills as Yanli cleaned and Wei Kuo helped her.

"I'm glad you were able to make a new friend of Young Master Nie, A'Kuo," Yanli said as she deposited the dishes by the sink, Wei Kuo following suit with the ones that she hadn't managed to get.

"Yeah, me too. He's a bit of a brute, but we'll be brutes together so it won't matter," He chuckled, causing his shijie to smile.

"That's a good way to think about it."

"Ah, so you were here," Jiang Fengmian suddenly appeared, causing the two to glance at him before turning to bow fully. "There's no need for that. A'Kuo, let's take a walk," He said, his usual soft expression a bit harder and more strained than usual. "We have some things to discuss."

"I'll excuse myself then, father," Jiang Yanli said, giving the two men a nod, then slipping out of the kitchen in the opposite way of which the sect leader had come. Jiang Fengmian and Wei Kuo looked at each other for a moment longer before the younger of the two gestured for the sect leader to, in fact, take the lead.

"After you," He added along with the gesture, so Jiang Fengmian inclined his head and moved so that he was outside, glancing back to make sure that the boy was following him, which he was. Wei Kuo soon went to stride next to the sect leader, only having not done it before because doorways were not for two. "So what do we have to discuss?"

"There are two matters, but first and foremost," Jiang Fengmian side-eyed him as they walked along a pier. "I heard from a particularly angry woman that her husband had been castrated."

"How unfortunate," Wei Kuo replied, not even phased by the reminder of what had happened a while back. It did make him want to give Juedui another scrub, just to be on the safe side.

"Indeed, and she strangely accused you of being the one to make her husband that way," Jiang Fengmian added, causing the boy to shrug.

"Might've, but I don't remember every gossiping toad I teach a lesson to."

"Wei Kuo," The sect leader sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose frustratedly. "Did you really--"

"Cut off some dick? Sure did. So far there've been about four..?" Wei Kuo squinted at the sky like he was digging around in his mind for the right number.

"Why would you do that?"

"Gossiping toads talking about things they shouldn't be, especially slander for their leader, should be punished," He shrugged as he continued forward, though the sect leader was slower now that he was processing the information that the child was giving him, practically rapid fire. "I think it was fair, I mean come on, at least this way, they won't have to worry about making bastards of their own, right?" He smirked darkly, and suddenly Jiang Fengmian got shivers.

I really wish I hadn't said that I would bring him to the next discussion conference, the sect leader thought to himself as he watched the sadistic boy hum at the koi fish swimming in the water. Either he and Wen Ruohan will get along famously, or they'll become bitter enemies.

I suppose I should pray to the ancestors that Wei Kuo isn't the reason that a war with the Wens starts.

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