#i also dont know
I’ve been trying to figure out why I have such a hard time finding a path to Nie Huaisang finding happiness postcanon, because it’s certainly not about him doing bad things or hurting the people closest to him. I and also MXTX mostly don’t believe in “irredeemable”! And I can imagine ways for most of the rest of the cast who also kind of suck to find peace and happiness, but somehow I have yet to fing an NHS-centric postcanon fic that convinced me? I have read countless fics that focus on other characters and relationships where NHS is vibing in the background, and I am happy enough with that! But if we are here to be About Nie Huaisang… I don’t know the way forward, which is odd for someone who enjoys a Yi City fixit as much as I do.
I’m still thinking it over, but it might be that Nie Huaisang is one of the very few characters who gets exactly what they want? And even more than that, had complete agency in getting what he wants. He set the stage and put this whole plan in motion. Wangxian make the most of their second chance, but they get that second chance because of NHS. Wen Ning gets as happy an ending as is really possible for him but he was kind of along for the ride? A number of other characters manage to find a measure of peace and closure at the end, but it’s hard to say that, oh, Jin Ling or Jiang Cheng got what they wanted. Nie Huaisang had a goal that he worked to achieve for a decade, destroyed Jin Guangyao in every single way possible, and got away with it. But he isn’t any happier for it and I genuinely don’t know what he wants now, and I’m not sure that he does either. What does he pursue now? What’s his motivation? Novel!NHS becomes Chief Cultivator and the Nie are slowly recovering their status, so it’s possible he does have a post revenge plan, but will it make him happy? Obviously duty is a lifeline for Jiang Cheng, and NMJ and LXC also find it fulfilling, but NHS has never been one for that. He tanked the sect for his revenge! Even if he rebuilds it after, it’s clearly not the most important thing to him. NHS is, or at least was, a very social person who wanted to live a carefree life, but he ended up with a very care heavy life and burnt all his bridges. Does he want to put the effort into rebuilding those bridges, and does the rest of the cast want to reform their relationships? Unclear! Not getting that vibe immediately postcanon, but they’ll probably all be alive for awhile so this could change! Has novel!NHS developed ambition, or is it just that he’s facing the consequences of his actions by being saddled with all of JGY’s responsibilities? I don’t know, I don’t know, I really don’t know.
