39. War Games

Apparently, the upbeat mood of the expedition had less to do with securing a third piece of yin iron than it did with getting out of a deadly series of caves and crypts alive.

Less than an hour after the return of the expedition, giving everyone just enough time to clean up, Yanli sat calmly at the table while Nie Zonghui gave the formal after-action report to her and Nie Mingjue. He had time, at least, to put fresh clean bandages over the damaged half of his face…not that it made his report any less horrifying for it.

She knew her emotions were written on her face because Ying’er and Sang’er both looked nervously contrite, and even A’Yao was eyeing her cautiously. A’Cheng kept playing with Zidian as his frustrations mounted, but she was not sure if that was because he was upset over their multiple near-death experiences or because he had not been there to participate in the adventure.

She decided to let the boys stew in their discomfort for a bit, mostly because she had no idea what to do about it. They had not done anything wrong, technically, since she herself was the one who allowed Ying’er and A’Yao to join the Nie on their mission to the crypts. She shelved the issue of them recklessly putting themselves in the path of danger for the moment.

“I vouch that Nie Zonghui’s report is accurate and reflects everything that happened to us during the journey, and is being entered into the Nie night hunting records,” Nie Mingjue offered, clearly picking up on her mood. She nodded in thanks, fearing that if she said anything it would be to yell at him for endangering her brother and A’Yao, which would not exactly be politically wise. Not to any sect leader, and especially not the sect leader of the Nie.

Appeased, he sat back in his chair.

“Now, Sect Leader Wei, I would appreciate it if you could tell me more about the meeting with Sect Leader Jiang—”

“WHAT?” Ying’er roared, standing up so fast and hard that his chair skittered backwards. “He’s here?” There was a palpable weight to the air in the room all of a sudden, along with a drop in temperature.

Yanli stood up to draw his attention to her. “Wei Ying.”

“I will destroy him,” he snarled in the low, eerie timber of voice that she hated. Hands started shifting to defensive positions around them. Crows cawed outside, and Nie sabers rattled in their scabbards. Everyone looked at him warily.

“Look at me!” She ordered, and his eyes snapped to hers. “Not now. Not yet,” she said, putting as much promise into her voice as she could. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Nie Mingjue’s eyebrows go up, but Wei Ying took a deep breath, closing his eyes. A’Cheng reached out and slowly pulled him back down into his chair, whispering their familiar breathing exercise as he did so.

There was a long moment of silence as everyone settled down again. The crows gave one last unearthly call and flew away.

“I did not realize your conflict with Yunmeng Jiang was that serious. They are still allies with Qinghe Nie, even if our ties are not strong.”

She sat down, trying to look as regal as possible. “It is a personal matter, not a political one.” She left off saying ‘unless he makes it political’ but Nie Mingjue gave her a searching look that meant he understood her meaning, and her intentions, anyway. “We will cause no disturbances with him while we are here as guests of Qinghe Nie.”

They stared at each other until A’Cheng spoke up.

“For what it’s worth, I punched him square in the face,” he said to Ying’er with a smirk.

The tension broke as Ying’er grinned back at him. “How hard?”

“Sent him all the way across Saber Hall.” A’Cheng puffed up his chest. A’Yao’s eyebrows rose as Yanli put a hand over her eyes.

“A’Cheng,” she said warningly.

“It was great!” A’Cheng mock-whispered to Ying’er, and several Nie chuckled. They loved nothing more than a good showing of bloodthirstiness.

“I wish I had been there,” Sang’er said ruefully. It was the first thing he had contributed to the whole meeting.

“Be that as it may,” she started with vigor, making everyone settle down. A room full of boys, she thought with a tinge of annoyance, wishing that she could have asked for Nie Popo to join them. “I doubt there is much I can add to what Nie Popo told you. With his sect nearly destroyed, he’s not in a position to do more than beg for help, and allowing himself to fall for the political machinations of Jin Guangshan did not show him in the best light.”

Ying’er and A’Yao wore matching expressions of surprise at her words, but mercifully kept their mouths shut.

“She said as much, and added that it was her decision to have your sect represented at the meeting as a deterrent.”

Yanli ignored the intensely curious looks from A’Yao and Ying’er.

“I was honored to have my sect put in such an elevated position near the dais, although I fear our presence did not make the meeting go well.”

“I suspect it was not going to go well no matter who was there,” Nie Mingjue sighed. “It is not the place of my sect to get between you and your former sect leader, but had you not been there, we may not have discovered Jin Guangshan’s plans to try to destabilize us. For that I am grateful to you.”

Yanli bowed her head. “We all owe Meng Shi thanks for the intelligence she provided about Sect Leader Jiang’s meeting with Sect Leader Jin.”

A’Yao did shift at that, but kept his gambling face in place.

“Do you vouch for the fact that Lady Meng has been officially a spy for Yiling Wei this whole time?”

A’Yao twitched, but Yanli had been prepared for the question.

“Less as a spy than as advanced warning, to be honest. Due to…ah, circumstances, it was unwise for Seneschal Meng to bring her to Yiling. While he was not acting on my direct orders, he was nonetheless acting under my banner.” Given how talented A’Yao was at scheming when he wanted to, she felt that it was probably at least close to the truth. She nodded at him to continue the story.

“Sect Leader is correct,” he said deferentially, then turned to Nie Mingjue. “Originally, she was simply to reside discreetly in Lotus Cove to serve as advanced warning should the Jiang decide to come after us. The opportunity to become one of Madam Jiang’s handmaidens came up unexpectedly. It was fortuitous, and she was not ordered to apply for it, but did so on her own initiative.” He looked back over at Yanli.

“I believe everything she told Nie Popo,” she said, suddenly wishing she had been given time to debrief A’Yao about exactly what had happened, since he was probably wondering what his mother had said.

“Popo sent messages to our people in Lanling to focus on Jin Zixun, so it is merely a matter of waiting to hear from them. However, given what I know of Jin Guangshan, it is believable,” Nie Mingjue said, clinching his jaw.

“Sect Leader Nie, I am concerned about what the attack on Lotus Pier suggests about Wen Ruohan’s intentions. He has to know that we now have three pieces of yin iron.” She glanced over at Ying’er. “Can you confirm that?”

Ying’er grimaced. “Not conclusively, but yes, I would swear to it.”

Silence followed that statement. Eventually, Nie Mingjue leaned forward. “During the fight with Xue Yang, and with the, ah, situation in the crypts, did you pick up any information about Wen Ruohan that might be useful?”

“Ahhhh, I was a bit busy both times. I sensed his hold over the two pieces he has, and saw…stuff. He’s mad as hell is about all I can tell you for certain.”

“Why Lotus Pier, though?” Sang’er asked thoughtfully, then hid behind his fan (one of Yanli’s designs) when everyone looked at him.

“A show of force.” Nie Mingjue shrugged.

“No no no. He doesn’t need to do that. We know he’s strong. Everyone knows he’s strong.” Sang’er frowned, lost in thought. “He marched a whole army halfway across the jianghu to take out the most vulnerable of the five great sects. That’s not showing much force, other than in numbers.”

“It’s a good way to set up a southern army to face north and northeast,” A’Cheng said, looking off into the distance as he thought it through. “He would also have effective control over the headwaters of the Yellow River and the Yangtze.”

“And the Burial Mounds,” Ying’er added unhappily.

Sang’er was tapping his fan against his hand. “He didn’t get a chance to grab the other pieces of the yin iron, so he’s doing a land grab instead,” he said, and both he and A’Cheng nodded.

“They’re probably right, Sect Leader,” Nie Zonghui said, his focus on Nie Mingjue who was staring at the table.

“Gusu is next,” Sang’er announced, and everyone flinched, but no one contradicted him. It was a fairly obvious choice if grabbing land was Wen Ruohan’s immediate priority. He might have a personal grudge with the Nie, but if he controlled both Yunmeng and Gusu, he would own all the major waterways to the coast. If Lanling Jin fell in line, that would leave the Nie very much alone to the north.

Nie Mingjue straightened up abruptly.

“Zonghui, go roust Lan Wangji. Tell him to get his ass to Cloud Recesses to warn them.”

Nie Zonghui was running out of the room before Ying’er could say “hey!”

“It’s dangerous for him to go alone,” Yanli said, hoping she got across her disapproval.

“He’ll take his retinue with him, and Nie Popo won’t let him leave without a squad of Nie,” Nie Mingjue replied, looking grim. “If nothing else, they will force him to turn back if the battle is already engaged.”

Unsaid was that he would have to be forced back, since he would probably insist on flying straight into the battle, if there was one. Ying’er was glaring viciously at the door.

“There is no way he got any armies all the way to the coast without Lanling Jin knowing about it,” A’Cheng said, confused.

“Would Jin Guangshan even care? If he’s guaranteed safety, if Wen Ruohan told him that he would get to keep his seat of power if he bends the knee to Qishan Wen, I’m not sure he would bother to complain.” Sang’er shrugged, and a few Nie nodded in agreement.

“The Emperor might notice,” Nie Zonghui said sardonically.

“He might, but the more the cultivation clans war with each other, the more he doesn’t have to worry about one of us trying to grab the dragon throne.” Nie Mingjue glanced at A’Yao. “As has been pointed out to me, Wen Ruohan has time on his side. He can humor the Emperor until he’s ready to strike. His biggest threats are all of us here right now, and Gusu Lan, who will not abide being subjugated by anyone, much less a man messing around with demonic cultivation.”

Yanli was flattered to be included in the list of threats, despite the fact that her so-called sect was a fraction the size of the current extent of Yunmeng Jiang. If Wen Ruohan was starting his long-predicted war, Qinghe Nie did not exactly have the strongest of allies, outside of Gusu Lan. Who might themselves soon be under direct attack.

“I’m adjourning this meeting until I can call in some of our long-range scouts to see if they are noticing any movement out of Qishan or Yunmeng. I assume, Sect Leader Wei, given the status of Yunmeng at this point, that you do not plan to return to Yiling at this time?”

It was a polite question but everyone present knew already knew the answer. She nodded. “With Sect Leader Nie’s gracious permission, we would prefer to stay close with our ally until we all have a better understanding of the current situation.”

They bowed to each other, everyone bowed to them, and the meeting was ended. Ying’er ran off to say goodbye to Lan Wangji, but not before Yanli got him to swear that he would not leave the Unclean Realm without her direct permission.

Even with that promise sworn, she sent A’Cheng after him, just in case.