Facing my wine, I did not see the dusk

[fanoperator]

Frustrated at his lack of progress, Huaisang wanders aimlessly through the halls. He empties his mind, taking turns at random, letting his feet carry him where they will. The most important thing is to be truly aimless.

A man with a tendency for "aimless wandering" who keeps wandering into important corridors, knocking over important records, and forgetting to announce himself outside of doors where important conversations are taking place, well, that man's an enemy who needs to get murdered. A man with a tendency for aimless wandering who tends to get lost and show up in the horse stables or the laundry far more often than he turns up anywhere strategically important, well, that man's just an idiot. No need to worry on the rare occasions that he wanders himself somewhere with secrets. No need to guard one's conversation in front of him.

Huaisang scratches at his head with his closed fan, thinking about his conversation with Meng Yao rather than where he's going. There'd been a stranger in the room when he'd entered. A foreigner, taller than anyone else in the room. And Meng Yao hadn't dismissed him, not even for Huaisang's antics.

Third brother, I don't know what to do, there are monsters popping up in the forest south-west of Qinghe. Can you send some of the cultivators from the watchtowers you built? Isn't that why you built them? No, of course I don't mind your cultivators crossing into Qinghe territory, why would I?

Third brother, the Nie Sect has still not rebuilt from the war and there are not enough generals to teach the new recruits, what will I do? Can you send some of your generals to help to teach them? No, of course I don't mind having Jin Sect cultivators in the heart of Qinghe, why would I?

Yes, of course we'll provide the Jin Sect with steel from the mines at a discount. Barely more than the cost of mining. I'm happy to do it, third brother. You do so much for us.

Third brother, my second cousin says that he needs money for a new roof but there isn't money in the treasury, what should I do?

Finally Meng Yao sent him away as Huaisang's problems became more and more petty and foolish, and Huaisang went back to the rooms where he always stayed when he came to visit Meng Yao. And Huaisang was so often in need of his dead brother's sworn brother's guidance that he spent almost as much time in Lanling as he spent in Qinghe.

And he, of course, had a tendency for aimless wandering. Which was just as well considering he had no plan. 

His first plan had ended in tragedy. His other efforts had garnered some gems of information, but it wasn't enough. Years had passed, and all he had was the word of a maidservant and an elderly prostitute. That wasn't nearly enough to bring down the most honorable and powerful man in the cultivation world. He needed someone stronger. He needed Wei Wuxian, but there was no use wishing for the help of the dead.

Mulling over his own helplessness, Huaisang had genuinely no idea where he was when he turned a corner and walked into a warm, solid chest.

Comments

same era different account (this one is logged in on my phone)

[icasm]

Meng Yao is a man with secrets.

Certainly Loki had been informed that the man was nothing if not the paragon of virtue. That the bodies that fell between Meng Yao and the man's current seat of power were all unfortunate, truly, but what could he have to do with it?

Loki has, on the occasion he'd asked about this, or about the death of Wei Wuxian (which he, personally, assumes is not an unconnected death... he is many things but he is not an idiot) been confronted with the same song and dance. They were all unfortunate tragedies, and that is where the connection ends.

Sure, Loki thinks, knowing good and well that is not how power or fate works. There is a snake involved. His money is on Meng Yao.

And then Huaisang comes swanning into the room.

It would be impressive, really, the way that Meng Yao put up with Huaisang's hysterics, if Loki wasn't ninety-nine percent certain that it was all an act.

He's read the notes on Huaisang's trade agreements with other powers in the last few days. Noted the way the man managed to make the best deals for his people, without it being ostentacious or even noticed by whomever was across the table with him. Huaisang is clearly intelligent, driven to protect his people, and yet there he was, insisting he didn't know what to do and so, Meng Yao had to help him.

Loki didn't believe it for a hot second.

He wasn't, actually, looking for Huaisang but he was curious about where the man went when Meng Yao tired of his hysterics. Loki had excused himeslf, much to Meng Yao's momentary confusion before he was waved off, and then Loki began his own wanderings.

This, perhaps, is fate. Loki was not intending for it to happen. But Huaisang walks right into him, even after Loki pauses in his steps, meaning to move aside before Huaisang turns right into him. Loki's hands come up, to steady the other man at the shoulders, and he smiles down at Huaisang.

"Greetings." He lets go and steps back, giving a little bow. "Are you all right?"