"Keqing, aren't you and Ningguang on bad terms? Why are you suddenly…" Ryou asked.
"Ningguang and I could never be friends. But Ryou, are you hiding something from me about her?" Keqing looked at him.
"No," Ryou said.
"Really?" Keqing asked.
Ryou nodded.
"I believe you. Then why did you agree to let her open a lottery shop in Liyue Harbor?"
"Didn't you say she was a capitalist? You even said she'd end up hanging from a streetlamp one day, so there was no way you'd help her." Keqing stared at him.
"Cough. There was a reason." Ryou pulled Keqing closer and gently stroked her back.
"I agreed partly because Ningguang helped me gather some materials."
"The other reason was what my uncle said before."
"Your uncle?" Keqing thought for a moment, then understood. "You wanted to use Ningguang to test how accepting Liyue people would be of lottery tickets, then judge whether it was worth opening your own lottery shop later?"
Ryou kissed her. "My Keqing really is clever."
"Your uncle said before that lottery tickets would have a hard time stirring up much interest in Liyue Harbor, while the effect would be much stronger in Mondstadt."
"That's why I agreed to Ningguang's request. I happened to need those materials at the time, so I went along with it."
"And now the result is about what your uncle predicted. The lottery barely made a splash in Liyue Harbor."
"Of course. The Feiyun Commerce Guild has been rooted in Liyue Harbor for so many years. My uncle understands the market far better than we do," Keqing said with a smile.
After hearing Ryou's explanation, Keqing felt much better.
"Ryou, let's go home." Keqing hugged his arm and smiled.
Ryou patted her head. "Silly Keqing, are we just going back like this?"
"What else do we need to do?" Keqing asked.
"We need to call Ganyu too," Ryou said.
"Oh, right! I'll go right now!" Keqing nodded and hurried upstairs.
Ryou watched her run off and shook his head slightly. Sometimes Keqing still missed small details.
He had agreed to Ningguang's request partly for the reason he had just given, but if he was being honest, Ningguang herself had played a bigger part.
He had to admit it. Ningguang's mature charm was dangerously tempting. Most men would find it hard not to be moved by a woman like her.
Ryou glanced upstairs, then walked toward Madame Ping's side.
He needed to get the item while Keqing had not come back yet.
Meanwhile, at the Jade Chamber.
After returning to the Jade Chamber, Ningguang stood in her study for a while, thinking about how she had failed to drink Ryou under the table last time.
Quite a few people would be present tonight, and Keqing's attitude earlier had been far too strange. She needed to be careful.
Also… she alone definitely would not be enough. She needed to arrange more people to help.
"Baishi," Ningguang called.
"Ningguang-sama!" Baishi hurried over.
"Is Beidou still in Liyue Harbor?" Ningguang asked.
"Ningguang-sama, Captain Beidou is in the city today," Baishi reported.
"Go invite Beidou here. Also, have her bring Kaedehara Kazuha. Tell them I have something I'd like their help with," Ningguang said.
"Yes, I'll go at once!" Baishi nodded and left.
Ningguang looked at the table in front of her. All kinds of wine had already been arranged on it.
Every bottle was extremely strong. A normal person would collapse after only a few cups.
To be safe, Ningguang had specially asked people to buy these strong bottles.
One bottle even came with the seller's claim that three cups were enough to knock anyone down.
"With Beidou and Kazuha urging him to drink, plus all this wine, I refuse to believe Ryou can stay sober this time," Ningguang murmured, full of confidence.
Thinking back to the strange situation last time, Ningguang hesitated for a moment, then had Baishi call over several wine experts.
"Ningguang-sama!"
"Ningguang-sama!"
The three wine experts soon arrived.
"I invited you here because I would like you to judge these wines for me."
"Among these wines, I need you to pick out the five strongest bottles."
"Leave it to us!" one tall wine expert said.
The other two also patted their chests and promised to handle it.
They sat down, poured a cup, and began tasting.
Ningguang watched them drink. After the first cups went down, all three of their faces turned bright red.
By the third cup, one of them had already collapsed onto the floor, mumbling things like "good wine."
The other two made it to five cups before falling as well.
Ningguang looked at the three men and shook her head. "Someone, take them all away."
"Yes, Ningguang-sama!"
The attendants carried the three men out.
Ningguang looked at the bottles and said, "These wines are all strong, and the alcohol content is high. Most people won't be able to handle more than a few cups."
"I refuse to believe Ryou won't get drunk this time."
Just then, she heard footsteps behind her. A moment later, Baishi's voice came from outside.
"Ningguang-sama, Captain Beidou has arrived!"
"Ningguang, what did you call us here for? I'm busy on my end," Beidou said bluntly.
Because of the battle against that god some time ago, The Alcor had suffered heavy losses.
If Venti had not saved them at the critical moment, their losses might have been even worse, perhaps close to seventy percent.
Beidou did not regret her choice, but the heavy casualties among her crew had affected all of The Alcor.
Explaining things to their families, distributing Mora, and handling the aftermath had left her completely overwhelmed.
"Baishi, you may leave first," Ningguang said.
"Yes, Ningguang-sama!" Baishi nodded and withdrew.
Beidou found a seat and sat down. Soon, she caught a strong smell of wine.
"Ningguang, why do you have so much wine in your study?"
"This smell… it's…"
"Adeptus' Drunk," Kazuha said.
"Oh? You two know this wine?" Ningguang was a little surprised.
"Of course." Beidou glanced at Ningguang. "A lot of people say Adeptus' Drunk is extremely strong. Most ordinary people can't handle more than three cups."
"Even Vision bearers like me and Kazuha would have trouble getting past seven."
"You bought this much wine, and from the smell, it's all strong liquor. What are you planning?" Beidou asked.
"Captain Beidou, you really are well informed," Ningguang said.
"I heard The Alcor has been in a difficult state recently, especially with shortages of manpower, supplies, and materials." Ningguang looked at Beidou.
Beidou got straight to the point. "If we can help, we'll help as much as we can. If we can't, you'll have to find someone else."
"Captain Beidou, I can provide help. Help in every area."
"I only have one request. Come drinking with me later and help me get someone drunk. Mm… you and Kaedehara Kazuha should both join in," Ningguang said.
Beidou's interest was piqued. Drinking was nothing to her.
But Ningguang wanted to get one person drunk, and she even needed Beidou and Kazuha to join forces?
Beidou said, "Ningguang, I'm good at drinking, but don't blame me for being blunt…"
"With liquor this strong, even if Kazuha and I both went all out, most people probably wouldn't survive ten cups."
"Who are you drinking with? Don't tell me it's an adeptus."
"No." Ningguang shook her head.
She looked at Beidou and Kazuha. "Keqing and Ryou returned to Liyue Harbor today. I'm planning to bring you along to drink with us."
"I want you to help me get Ryou drunk."
Beidou froze, unable to react for a moment.
Ningguang wanted her to help get Ryou drunk?
What was going on?
Beidou remembered the last time she drank with Ryou. He had been even wilder than her, drinking straight from the bottle and still not getting drunk after bottle after bottle.
That gathering had left a deep impression on her. Even after she went back, she had not slept. The whole thing had been far too strange.
Beidou admired Ryou. He was direct and straightforward. If he said he would drink, he drank. No nonsense.
Other people drank from bowls. He drank straight from the bottle.
Beidou liked that kind of personality. If she had met Ryou when she was younger, she might even have fallen for him.
Wait.
Get Ryou drunk?
Beidou looked at Ningguang. She knew Ningguang and Keqing had some friction between them. Their relationship was not exactly good.
But surely it had not reached that point.
Then Beidou thought of Ryou's stunning looks, then of Ningguang's request.
She was so shocked that she almost could not speak.
She never imagined Ningguang would have that kind of plan.
Ryou was a married man, yet Ningguang still wanted to make a move on him?
That was bold.
Beidou coughed. "Ningguang, this kind of thing is not acceptable. Even if you and Keqing have some grudge…"
"You and Ryou absolutely cannot. You'd be ruining someone else's marriage."
"Don't say that. Could you pull it off?" Ningguang asked.
"No. This is not happening. What you're doing goes against basic morality."
"Ningguang, with your status, who couldn't you marry if you wanted to? Why set your sights on Ryou? What kind of mess is this?" Beidou said.
"If you put it that way, then from now on, I'll have the Millelith inspect your ship more strictly."
"Also, your Crux Fleet has committed more than a few minor offenses in Liyue Harbor."
"I helped suppress them before. If I bring them up now, every one of you will be in serious trouble," Ningguang said calmly while sipping her tea.
"Ningguang, you…" Beidou pointed at Ningguang, too angry to speak.
Wasn't this just forcing her?
"Captain Beidou, I'm only asking you to help me toast Ryou. As for anything else, that is merely your imagination, isn't it?"
Ningguang set down her teacup. "Drinking is your specialty. Can you help me with this?"
"I'll help!" Beidou glared at Ningguang, then said, "But don't regret this."
"Captain," Kazuha called.
"Relax. I'm only urging him to drink. Besides, Ryou's alcohol tolerance is even stronger than mine. Who ends up drinking who under the table is still unknown."
"Ningguang, if I can't get him drunk, you can't blame me," Beidou said.
"Don't worry. As long as you agree, that is enough." Ningguang smiled.
This time, she had prepared so much strong liquor. She also had Beidou and Kaedehara Kazuha helping her urge him to drink.
She refused to believe Ryou could stay sober.
Today, Ningguang was determined to get what she wanted!
[End of chapter]
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