The next day, early morning, a thick mist blanketed the area.
Ritou.
A massive ship lay anchored by the shore.
On board, sailors were busy hauling cargo destined for Liyue. Ever since the Raiden Shogun issued the Sakoku Decree over six months ago and deployed the Storm Barrier across the surrounding waters, goods from Inazuma had become increasingly rare.
Rarity commanded a high price. Now, Inazuman specialties like Lavender Melons and Sakura Blooms saw their prices skyrocketing in Liyue. The only vessel capable of piercing through that Storm Barrier was the flagship of The Crux fleet the Alcor!
By now, the goods brought from Liyue had been unloaded, and the local Inazuman specialties were fully packed, yet the ship did not depart.
Standing on the deck, a woman with long hair wearing a red high-slit cheongsam stood with her arms crossed, gazing toward the wharf.
"Big Sis, the cargo is all on board. We can set sail!" the sailor Hailong reported.
However, the first mate interjected, "We still have one more guest who hasn't boarded. Wait a little longer."
"Eh? But we've stayed so long already. If the people from the Tri-Commission catch us..."
The first mate shot him a look, and Hailong immediately went silent.
Minutes and seconds ticked by.
Logically, with the Sakoku Decree in effect, they shouldn't have been in Inazuma for trade at all. Therefore, their time at the shore was critical! Normally, staying for even fifteen minutes was considered pushing their luck, yet they had been anchored here for a full hour!
It was strange; perhaps due to the heavy mist, the Kanjou Commission had yet to discover the Alcor. Otherwise, the ship would have been impounded long ago.
The first mate paced the deck anxiously. "Big Sis, why hasn't Brother Ye Xi arrived yet?"
The woman addressed as "Big Sis" was none other than the leader of The Crux, Beidou.
"No need to rush. We wait," Beidou said, standing firm with an air of command that hadn't weakened in the slightest.
The crew was baffled as to who this person Big Sis called "Brother Ye Xi" actually was. Big Sis was someone who valued time above all else! No one absolutely no one had ever made Beidou wait this long, especially while standing on the deck to receive them.
Not even Lady Ningguang, the Tianquan, commanded such respect.
Furthermore, this wasn't Liyue; it was Inazuma. Every extra minute spent here was a minute they risked the entire fleet being detained. Big Sis always put the fleet and her brothers first, yet this Ye Xi was apparently worth risking it all for an hour-long wait at the Ritou port.
If word of this got out, no one in Liyue would believe it!
Currently, everyone on the ship was praying that Ye Xi would hurry up and board.
Beidou also stared into the distance, anticipating the figure she hadn't seen in a long time. The morning mist was heavy, leaving the world a sea of white. Those who had come to unload cargo earlier had already used the mist as cover to leave Ritou. The entire harbor was deserted.
As the mist began to dissipate and visibility improved, the rising sun threatened to burn away their cover entirely.
Just as everyone was sitting on pins and needles, a figure emerged from the thinning fog.
"He's here! Big Sis, that must be Brother Ye Xi!"
Beidou looked in the direction the first mate was pointing, and her brow furrowed into a tight knot. "Old Zhao, those are people from the Kanjou Commission. Go prepare the paperwork and stall them immediately."
"What? The Kanjou Commission!?" The first mate was startled.
However, what shocked him more was Beidou's next command: prepare paperwork and stall them!
What paperwork?
Because of the Sakoku Decree, no ship currently possessed legal paperwork! She clearly meant for him to use his wits to deceive the Kanjou Commission officers.
"This..."
"Big Sis!"
Seeing Beidou unmoved, the first mate sighed and walked toward the gangway. The sailors panicked.
"Old Zhao! You can't go! What if the Kanjou Commission arrests you?"
"Yeah, let me do it!"
"I'll go stall them!"
Everyone knew that getting off the ship at this time likely meant being detained by the Kanjou Commission.
But Old Zhao barked, "My life belongs to Big Sis! None of you come with me!"
With that, he walked down the gangway alone. He had received great kindness from Beidou years ago, and he had no regrets. He simply didn't understand why this Ye Xi was worth Big Sis risking a clash with the Kanjou Commission just to wait.
Soon, a group of people arrived at the foot of the ship. The morning mist had vanished, and the rising sun turned the surface of the sea into rolling gold.
"You must be the officers from the Kanjou Commission. Our ship..."
Before Old Zhao could finish, the leader stepped forward and greeted him. "Are you the boatmen here to pick up Lord Ye Xi?"
"Eh?" The question left him stunned.
"Boatman, we are from the Yashiro Commission. We have come today to see Lord Ye Xi off!"
As soon as those words were spoken, Old Zhao's eyes widened, and the sailors on the ship looked on in utter disbelief. Just moments ago, they were grumbling about Ye Xi's lack of punctuality, but now they were all staring at each other, dumbfounded.
Seeing Ye Xi off? The Yashiro Commission?
This was Inazuma! Was this a joke?
Because of the current Sakoku Decree, Inazuma didn't allow any merchant ships to dock. How could they possibly send officials from one of the Tri-Commission to personally see someone off? It was like seeing a ghost!
Beidou breathed a sigh of relief and murmured, "That guy has been doing quite well for himself, it seems..."
The crowd in the distance grew larger. It wasn't just the Yashiro Commission; there were many domestic servants as well.
"Doesn't the Yashiro Commission handle shrines, festivals, and the arts? Why are they involved in foreign trade matters?"
"Hiss, look! Isn't that the head of the Yashiro Commission and the master of the Kamisato Clan, Lord Kamisato Ayato!?"
"My god, the head of the Kamisato Clan?"
"How is that possible!"
"The one next to the Clan Head... isn't that the Shirasagi Himegimi? Heavens, it's my first time seeing the Shirasagi Himegimi!"
"Truly as beautiful as a celestial being!"
"Could they all be here to see off Brother Ye Xi?"
"What kind of status does Brother Ye Xi have to receive such a grand send-off?"
Loud discussions broke out on the ship, everyone thoroughly shaken by the scene.
At that moment, Kamisato Ayaka was gazing toward the end of the road. The golden sunlight poured down, making her skin appear even more translucent.
"Ayaka, I shall take my leave now. You just need to do as I told you."
After saying that, Kamisato Ayato tactfully departed. Since the two of them were clearly close, he didn't want to overstay his welcome as a third wheel. Kamisato Ayaka's cheeks flushed slightly red as she nodded gently.
A moment later, two figures appeared in the distance.
"You greedy fox, you made me late."
Ye Xi was walking in a hurry. He had wasted quite a bit of time earlier making Fried Tofu.
"What does it matter? I am the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine. Even if the Kanjou Commission doesn't respect me, one word to Ei and they'll obey me regardless."
Yae Miko looked completely relaxed. In truth, she simply didn't want Ye Xi to leave. Even one extra second together was precious to her.
Ye Xi was left speechless. Yae Miko wasn't wrong. The Tri-Commission all answered to Raiden Ei; who would dare disobey her?
He quickened his pace. When he reached the Ritou port, however, he was stunned to see the massive crowd waiting on the shore.
He froze. Yae Miko froze as well.
Because she saw Kamisato Ayaka! Why was the young lady of the Yashiro Commission here?
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