The moment he was certain he could not be overheard, Nie Huaisang dialled his brother's number. He waited for him to pick up, having to smile. He missed him. He was so sick of the terrible food, the constant state of alertness, the lack of proper bed and so many other reasons this was a less than ideal time for him. "Da-ge?"
Feeling relief just at being able to talk to him, he continued right away. "I am by myself, I had the chance to take Wen Chao's ohone."
"A-Sang? Are you okay? Are you --" He wanted to ask if he was alone but he didn't want to give it away. Nie Huaisang and he had some up with a system, in case his brother had gotten kidnapped again, and he remembered to use it. "Are you well? I miss you. Your birds do too. Especially Gengi."
He didn't have a bird called Gengi, of course. But if he corrected him on it, then he was alone and they could talk.
"Thank you for checking in on my birds, da-ge. But you know I don't have a bird called Gengi." He was so proud that their system was working, he felt his heart could sing the way his birds did. If Nie Mingjue talked like this, he must be feeling secure in his surroundings himself, so Nie Huaisang was certain they had no one to worry about. "The other hostages have escaped during a-- I don't know. A mission of sorts."
It had all been rather strange. "I assume they might be in hiding still. I'm unharmed myself."
"The Jin boy sent a message to me about the situation as we had to go and collect Lan Zhan. His leg was in a very poor state." Apparently the boys couldn't get very far because Lan Zhan could not longer walk on his leg and no one was willing to abandon him. He was proud of those boys. Even from rival gangs, they had respect for each other. "They're all safe, all in hiding. We're keeping locations to ourselves. I had hoped..."
He had hoped his A-Sang had been there. It burned him inside that he didn't have his didi and everyone else had their boys back. "Do you know where you are?"
"It is within easy driving distance to wherever Wen Chao currently resides, that's all I've been able to find out. Anyway, it does not matter. I am quite safe, da-ge, you don't have to worry. I have not been harmed." Through his own efforts, but whatever. He was feeling uncomfortable for a number of reason, such as lack of fresh clothing, opportunities to wash properly and good food, but he wasn't in danger. "The Wen clan plans on attacking Lotus Pier on Wednesday. In the afternoon, from what I gather."
Given that Wen Chao wanted to take him to his place in the evening or at night. "They want to infiltrate by using a disguised fishing boat."
"They do?! Why Lotus pier? That crazy old bastard." There was the sound of paper moving as Nie Mingjue pulled over a pad of paper and scribbling down the details. He could hurriedly tell Lan Xichen. Him, Meng Yao and Lan Xichen tried to plot every move carefully. It was extremely delicate right now. "I would have thought with them having one hostage, it would be smart to go for the Unclean Realm."
It was strange but not entirely unwelcome. Though he was sure it would be for the Jiang family. "Just one fishing boat or multiple? Hopefully they won't bring the same level of force they had for Gusu. Cloud Recesses burned, A-Sang. Most of their property is gone. Their people too."
"Oh no." He had assumed as much. "Please extend my sympathies to the Lan clan. I tried to converse with Lan Wangji when he was here but he only talked little and mostly to Wei Wuxian. I think Wei Wuxian is the reason that the Wens are targeting Lotus Pier first. Wen Chao has convinced his father of it, as he is obsessed with destroying Wei Wuxian."
For whatever reason. Jealousy and more, Nie Huaisang expected. "So I assume it will be multiple fishing boats. They want to go after you, da-ge, you are supposed to be the lynchpin. But I have not told them a thing about the Unclean Realm."
"If it gets dangerous, if you are getting badly hurt, you can tell them anything about me and how to get to me. Okay? It's not ideal, I want you to try and hold out but do not lose limbs for me. Do you understand?" Nie Mingjue's tone was very serious as he spoke because he really did mean it. He could survive this but he wasn't sure if his baby brother could. "Make sure you lead them to me, not to our gang. I don't want anyone getting hurt. Not you, not them."
Just himself but he could take it. He was a big guy and had already taken down the most Wen dogs out of anyone. "I will send word and we will all protect Lotus Pier. Or, at least, those who are united. The Jins remain a hold-out to a proper alliance. Selfish bastards."
"Of course, da-ge. I know how to act under duress." He knew that he was supposed to sacrifice his brother should he have to, yet he didn't want to hide behind him this time. Not if he had a choice about it. "I will not get hurt. I just miss being home."
For so many reasons, although probably most of all because he wanted to relax and stop having to do so much work all the time. "Wei Wuxian is very clever, da-ge. If you talk to him and he suggests a plan, please do hear him out, even if it might be unorthodox. He is my good friend and he has suffered here to protect us. He reminds me of you. A young hero."
Between Wei Wuxian and his brother, he didn't doubt things could be handled out there.
"I'll hear him out. For you. I'm not sure if I like how that punk speaks but he tends to have a pretty good head on his shoulders." Kids these days, with their sassy lingo and rockstar haircuts. Wouldn't have seen such a thing back in his day. His father would have canned him bloody if he'd had long hair!
"I miss you too, A-Sang. Constantly. But you know how sad I get whenever you leave for too long." When A-Sang went to summer camp, it had been so hard for him. He had spent an unhealthy amount of time in his brother's room. He needed A-Sang, as much as A-Sang needed him. "Don't tell anyone your brother is a sap when interrogated. Spare me my pride, eh?"
"There is no shame in being close to your family, da-ge. I believe it is our greatest strength." He let out a short laugh. "Well. It is definitely my greatest strength. I don't have much else."
He was not the one bench-pressing a ludicrous amount of weight. "I will delete this call from the call log. But I will try and be home by Friday. I don't want you missing me much longer."
"I don't want to miss you too long either. Delete the call and move before they catch you, there's a good boy. And when you're back, we'll celebrate. You love that one place, with the fancy little lighting and the weirdly small plates of tiny food. We'll go there!" Even if last time he had gone, he had left hungry and baffled. Who put two pieces of tofu on a plate?!
"I'll see you Friday. Stay safe. We'll eliminate all the Wen dogs yet!" He would make it his mission.
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Feeling relief just at being able to talk to him, he continued right away. "I am by myself, I had the chance to take Wen Chao's ohone."
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He didn't have a bird called Gengi, of course. But if he corrected him on it, then he was alone and they could talk.
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It had all been rather strange. "I assume they might be in hiding still. I'm unharmed myself."
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He had hoped his A-Sang had been there. It burned him inside that he didn't have his didi and everyone else had their boys back. "Do you know where you are?"
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Given that Wen Chao wanted to take him to his place in the evening or at night. "They want to infiltrate by using a disguised fishing boat."
no subject
It was strange but not entirely unwelcome. Though he was sure it would be for the Jiang family. "Just one fishing boat or multiple? Hopefully they won't bring the same level of force they had for Gusu. Cloud Recesses burned, A-Sang. Most of their property is gone. Their people too."
no subject
For whatever reason. Jealousy and more, Nie Huaisang expected. "So I assume it will be multiple fishing boats. They want to go after you, da-ge, you are supposed to be the lynchpin. But I have not told them a thing about the Unclean Realm."
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Just himself but he could take it. He was a big guy and had already taken down the most Wen dogs out of anyone. "I will send word and we will all protect Lotus Pier. Or, at least, those who are united. The Jins remain a hold-out to a proper alliance. Selfish bastards."
no subject
For so many reasons, although probably most of all because he wanted to relax and stop having to do so much work all the time. "Wei Wuxian is very clever, da-ge. If you talk to him and he suggests a plan, please do hear him out, even if it might be unorthodox. He is my good friend and he has suffered here to protect us. He reminds me of you. A young hero."
Between Wei Wuxian and his brother, he didn't doubt things could be handled out there.
no subject
"I miss you too, A-Sang. Constantly. But you know how sad I get whenever you leave for too long." When A-Sang went to summer camp, it had been so hard for him. He had spent an unhealthy amount of time in his brother's room. He needed A-Sang, as much as A-Sang needed him. "Don't tell anyone your brother is a sap when interrogated. Spare me my pride, eh?"
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He was not the one bench-pressing a ludicrous amount of weight. "I will delete this call from the call log. But I will try and be home by Friday. I don't want you missing me much longer."
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"I'll see you Friday. Stay safe. We'll eliminate all the Wen dogs yet!" He would make it his mission.