Liyue Harbor.
Zhongli had originally intended to listen to some storytelling, but there were simply too many people; Iron Tongue Tian's voice could not carry over the din at all, so the performance was put on hold.
Now, he had no choice but to find somewhere quiet to settle in.
Somewhere like... the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Even though the whole of Liyue Harbor was already packed with people, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor alone remained like a patch of pure land.
Zhongli lifted his teacup, took a small sip, and gazed at the black-and-white photograph of himself hanging within the hall, sighing inwardly again and again.
Business had been so poor lately that Hu Tao, hoping to court a bit of good fortune, had once more hung this photo up on display.
It left him — this very Rex Lapis — utterly helpless.
"Zhongli, come look outside, quick! What an enormous spectacle!"
"Woah——! Woah, woah! So many people!"
"Say, there won't be any sort of accident, will there?"
"Even though our Wangsheng Funeral Parlor hasn't had many orders lately, I really don't want orders to come in like this."
Hu Tao was sprawled by the window, her two long, fair, tender legs kneeling on the chair, looking thoroughly restless.
Zhongli let out a sigh: "Speaking in terms of general reason, the Millelith will have proper precautions in place. Still, a grand turnout like this is truly astonishing."
"You bet!"
Hu Tao spread her little hands and remarked with feeling: "A scene like this is even grander than back in the days when Rex Lapis was still around!"
"Back then, neither the Rite of Descension nor the Rite of Parting for His Eminence the Lord Rock King were ever this lively."
"Who would have thought our very own Consultant Ye Xi would be this popular!"
Zhongli: ....
At this very moment, Zhongli's heart felt a faint stirring of disquiet.
Come to think of it carefully, what Hu Tao said was indeed not wrong.
Neither the Rite of Descension nor the Rite of Parting had drawn many people at all!
It felt rather wounding....
Still, this groundless impulse to compare really ought not to exist.
He poured himself a cup of tea, took a sip, and eased his mood a little.
However, at this point Hu Tao's voice came drifting to his ears once again.
"Hey, Zhongli, what if we swapped out the offering table for the Lord Rock King that's set up in our Wangsheng Funeral Parlor and put up Ye Xi's instead?"
"Feels like worshipping Ye Xi would be better than worshipping the Lord Rock King."
"Pfft... cough, cough..."
Zhongli nearly choked on his tea. After dabbing with his handkerchief, he could not help but speak up: "Hall Master, Rex Lapis is the symbol of the God of Wealth."
"Since ancient times, shops great and small have all worshipped the God of Wealth — it is a tradition."
"Aiyaya~ this Hall Master was only making a little joke, what are you getting so worked up about?"
Hu Tao said with a grin: "Look at you, you nearly choked!"
"If a tea leaf got stuck and you couldn't catch your breath, wouldn't that turn into an order for our own parlor?"
Zhongli: ...
Looking at this whimsical, mischievous little girl before him, Zhongli often found himself wondering.
Had this rascal already seen through his identity?
Otherwise, why did she speak ill of Rex Lapis right in front of him every single time?
It was clearly a case of pointing at the mulberry to scold the locust!
When out and about, Hu Tao had never once behaved like this!
Zhongli sighed. Though he harbored such suspicions, so long as Hu Tao did not say it outright, there was no way for him to bring it up himself.
He could only play dumb like this, listening to Hu Tao chatter on beside him.
"Zhongli, I feel like right now is the perfect moment to promote our Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!"
"In a little while, the moment Consultant Ye Xi appears, we'll go out and put up a sign!"
"We'll say Ye Xi is the Consultant of our Wangsheng Funeral Parlor! Don't you think that'd work wonders?"
Zhongli looked rather drained of all will to live: "Hall Master, speaking in terms of general reason, people may not believe your words."
"That's true too."
Hu Tao sat down obediently in her chair, propping her cheek in her little hand as she fell to thinking.
After a short while, her eyes suddenly lit up: "I've got it! Wouldn't it be easier if I just went to find Ye Xi?"
"I'll have him put in a good word for our Wangsheng Funeral Parlor — he wouldn't refuse, would he?"
"And if he won't, I'll just offer him some benefits!"
"Benefits?"
Hearing this, Zhongli could not help but recall Ye Xi's character.
Back in Sumeru, he had already seen that Ye Xi had no shortage of wives.
And lately he'd heard the number of wives had grown even larger!
If Hu Tao went, she might very well end up being carried home by Ye Xi too.
At this thought, he folded his arms and asked: "And just what benefits does the Hall Master intend to offer Consultant Ye Xi?"
"Hmm...."
Hu Tao tilted her little head in thought, then said: "How about this — I'll gift him a free full-service package from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!?"
Zhongli: ...
"Truly worthy of being Hall Master Hu. I'd say that'll do nicely."
Zhongli put a hand to his forehead in resignation, yet felt a touch more at ease inside.
Perhaps it was not that Hu Tao had seen through his identity — this child was simply born this mischievous.
When you ask someone for a favor and present a gift, whoever heard of gifting them a passage to the afterlife?
....
Achoo——
Ye Xi twitched the tip of his nose, and Keqing, beside him, thoughtfully offered up her little white handkerchief.
"What's the matter, have you caught a bit of a cold?"
The wind atop the Jade Chamber was strong — as the saying goes, it is cold at lofty heights — and Keqing was a little worried.
Ye Xi waved a hand with a smile: "It should just be someone gossiping about me behind my back, not a cold."
His body's constitution had now been continually strengthened by the system; it was impossible for him to come down with any minor ailment.
As they were speaking, Baiwen came walking over and reported: "Lady Ningguang, Lady Keqing, everything has been deployed! We can begin at any time."
Ningguang glanced over, and seeing Ye Xi nod, gave the order: "Then let us formally begin."
As her words fell, the amplifiers atop all three Jade Chambers sounded a tone in unison.
Hearing this sound, the entire clamoring Liyue Harbor fell silent.
Everyone gazed up toward the sky.
There, atop the Jade Chamber, a figure had appeared.
"It's Lady Ningguang!"
"The Tianquan Star! It's Lady Tianquan Star of the Liyue Qixing!"
"So beautiful! Lady Ningguang!"
As Ningguang appeared, Liyue Harbor instantly erupted in cheers.
Ningguang spoke: [People of Liyue, I am Ningguang, the Tianquan Star of the Liyue Qixing.]
[With each passing day the world renews itself, the stars shift and the seasons turn; Rex Lapis has watched over Liyue for more than six thousand years.]
[And now, with the Lord of Geo departed and the era turned over anew, the Liyue Qixing hold the great affairs of the realm in hand.]
[Once, Liyue took pride in its Age of Divine Rule; now it formally enters a new era of the Age of Human Rule.]
[.....]
Ye Xi looked at the dignified, solemn Ningguang before him and could not help but admire: "Truly worthy of the Tianquan Star — under the gaze of so many eyes, she shows not the slightest stage fright."
"What's so great about that, I'm not afraid either!"
Keqing gave a soft snort and planted her hands on her hips, as if unwilling to be outdone.
This jealous little display struck Ye Xi as quite amusing, and he could not help but give her little hand a squeeze.
Keqing, however, blushed a little.
"S-so many people are watching...."
Although, atop the Jade Chamber, the common folk below could not see anyone who wasn't standing at the very front of the elevated platform.
But right now there were quite a few secretaries from the Yuehai Pavilion and members of the Millelith around them.
If they were spotted, they'd surely become the subject of gossip!
Keqing said so with her mouth, yet her little hand did not draw back.
Ye Xi said with a smile: "What's there to fear? Every one of them is far too nervous, terrified of some slip-up in the speech — no one's paying you any mind."
Keqing glanced around and found it was indeed just as Ye Xi had said.
Still, holding hands so openly and boldly carried a thrilling, nerve-wracking feeling.
On the other side, Ningguang briefly outlined Liyue's situation, stirring up the enthusiasm of the masses.
Then, Ningguang began to speak of Ye Xi.
[By now, you have all no doubt heard a little about the matter of the vessel at the harbor today.]
[Next, I shall introduce to you all an important figure.]
[Not long ago, the Adepti sent word, commanding the Qixing to go to Sumeru and invite a helping hand to come to Liyue Harbor.]
[His name is Ye Xi; entrusted by the Adepti, he has come to Liyue Harbor to aid in its construction.]
[Today's colossal ship is the very handiwork of Master Ye Xi....]
Ningguang introduced the matter of the colossal ship in great detail.
This included how the ship had been handed over to the Southern Cross fleet and would be used for commerce and trade.
This piece of good news instantly thrilled the populace.
"Remarkable, truly remarkable! Master Ye Xi!"
"It takes only a single day to go from Liyue Harbor to Inazuma!? A round trip is three days at most!? Heavens, what a swift speed!"
"With a ship this fine, isn't using it to haul cargo something of a waste of talent?"
"What do you know — if this ship is used for commerce, it's the best thing for us common folk!"
"That's right, a cargo ship this fast can lower all sorts of costs! When the time comes, the prices of plenty of goods in our harbor will drop by a great deal!"
"Our Liyue is a capital of trade — with this cargo ship, the boost to our commerce will absolutely be enormous! No doubt about it!"
The merchants and the wealthy magnates, hearing this, were all full of praise.
As for the ordinary folk who didn't understand business, they were astonished at Ye Xi's background.
"I always said this Master Ye Xi's skills were downright miraculous — so it turns out the Adepti invited him here!"
"That explains it! No wonder the Adepti all came today; this Master Ye Xi must be on very good terms with the Adepti!"
"Ah, the Lord Rock King may have passed on, but the Adepti still hold all of us living beings in their hearts!"
"There's truly no telling what astonishing things Master Ye Xi will go on to accomplish in the future!"
"..."
Just as the crowd below was buzzing with discussion.
Ningguang shifted the topic and brought up the construction plan for Liyue's second great metropolis.
[Everyone, what comes next is the primary purpose of holding this address.]
[The reason I have gathered you all together is to inform you of one matter — the construction plan for Liyue Harbor's second great metropolis.]
[As for the specifics, let Master Ye Xi himself give you all a brief explanation.]
The moment these words came out, the crowd below instantly boiled over.
"What? A second great metropolis!?"
"Could it be that the esteemed Qixing wish to build another Liyue Harbor!?"
"This is truly... a momentous affair to be recorded in the annals of history!"
"Back then, the Lord of Geo led our ancestors to the seaside and built Liyue Harbor; it has been three thousand seven hundred years since, and now we humans are going to build a second great city with our own hands!"
"Perhaps, several hundred years from now, we will be the generation that bore witness to history!"
"Shh! Master Ye Xi is about to appear!"
At this reminder, the people who had been discussing hurriedly raised their heads to look.
Sure enough, there atop the elevated platform of the Jade Chamber, a figure had appeared.
.....
____
Gift for Everyone: Once we hit 20 Powerstones, I'll release +1 bonus chapter
________________________________________
If you want more chapters, please consider supporting my page on (P). with 50 advanced chapters available on (P)
👻 Join the crew by searching Leanzin on (P). You know the spot! 😉