"What do you know? This is called planning ahead," Ningguang said.
Keqing's fists tightened. Fine, Ningguang wanted to shamelessly stay. Keqing could tolerate that much. But did she really have to use such a ridiculous excuse?
Last year's Rite of Descension and Lantern Rite had both been coordinated by Keqing.
How could she not know the full process?
Large festivals usually needed early preparation, and an event as important as the Lantern Rite even more so.
First came the theme, then the performers, the venue, and all the logistics behind the entire event.
This year's Lantern Rite was still Keqing's responsibility. There were six months left. Did Ningguang really need to "plan ahead" right now?
Keqing glared at her. "I'm in charge of the Lantern Rite. You don't need to worry about it."
"Besides, there are still six months left. What are you so anxious about?"
"Six months means we should start preparing already. I've handled this before, so I can offer you some advice."
"Keqing, you haven't been one of the Liyue Qixing for very long. On this matter, I can speak from experience."
"Thank you so much," Keqing said flatly.
"Lantern Rite… Wait, we haven't even held this year's Rite of Descension yet. Why are you already talking about the Lantern Rite?" Lumine asked.
"Mhm… That is a problem. Ryou suggested postponing the Rite of Descension before, and the matter was suppressed after that."
"Technically, we can start preparing for the Rite of Descension next, but it will take time to arrange everything."
Keqing looked at Ningguang. "Ningguang, the Rite of Descension is your responsibility. Do you have any thoughts?"
"Although the Rite of Descension was postponed before, we can't simply skip it."
"After all, this festival holds extraordinary meaning for the people of Liyue."
"I was thinking about that as well. Then I remembered that the Lantern Rite will take place half a year from now."
"Why not tie the two together and make it a double celebration?"
"Everyone can enjoy the festival, and they can also receive Rex Lapis's blessing. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
"Mhm… That does make sense." Keqing nodded.
"Then we'll need to arrange people to buy the necessary materials, especially fireworks."
"The fireworks from the Naganohara family in Inazuma are beautiful and of excellent quality. However…" Ningguang paused there.
"However what?" Lumine asked.
"Inazuma is under the Sakoku Decree. Purchasing goods there will be difficult."
"The waters around Inazuma are covered in thunderclouds. Anyone who enters Inazuman territory will be attacked."
"Only large ships can enter Inazuma's waters. Under normal circumstances, the commissions there will turn a blind eye."
"But ordinary ships can barely approach Inazuma," Keqing said.
"Exactly," Ningguang said with a nod.
"Eh? Doesn't that mean outsiders can't enter Inazuma, and people from Inazuma can't leave either?" Paimon asked.
"That's right," Keqing said.
"Wait, that's not true. Shinobu and Arataki Itto both came out of Inazuma," Lumine said, thinking of Kuki Shinobu and Arataki Itto.
"They may be exceptions." Ningguang looked at Lumine and Paimon. "Aren't you a traveler?"
"Why don't you represent Liyue Harbor and go to Inazuma for us? Help us purchase what we need."
"Don't worry. The payment will be generous."
"No," Lumine said.
Keqing suddenly had an idea.
Rather than letting Lumine shamelessly keep coming to the house, why not send her off to Inazuma?
That way, Keqing would have one less rival. Then she would only need to keep an eye on Ningguang.
As for Shenhe, Keqing had been the one who left Ganyu's house and allowed Shenhe to return to Liyue.
Keqing looked at Lumine. "Tabibito, I think Ningguang's idea is quite good."
"You've stayed in Liyue for a while now. It's about time you left for Inazuma."
"Who knows? Maybe your brother has already gone there. You…"
"I'm not going!" Lumine said, crossing her arms.
Of course Lumine knew Keqing wanted to send her away. She was not stupid.
The trip from Liyue to Inazuma would take a long time. A round trip would take at least three months.
If Keqing used those three months well, she might even be pregnant by the time Lumine came back.
"I have one hundred million Mora. You think I care about that little bit of payment?" Lumine said.
Keqing and Ningguang looked at each other, both falling silent.
Damn it. This was all Ryou's fault for helping Lumine earn that ridiculous amount of Mora for no reason.
Now Lumine had completely settled into doing nothing. She no longer went to the Adventurers' Guild, and she no longer accepted commissions.
Keqing gave Ningguang a look and said, "I'll help you convince… cough, no. I mean, I'll help you find your brother."
"Didn't you come to Liyue to find your brother?"
"I can also reason with him properly and persuade him with both logic and emotion. How about it?"
"I can help pay the Mora," Ningguang said.
Lumine looked at Ningguang and Keqing, then snorted. "If he doesn't want to leave with me, finding him is pointless. A brother like that can stay lost for all I care!"
Keqing stared at Lumine in silence for a moment, not knowing what to say.
But the next second, she saw Shenhe stand up, clearly intending to leave.
Keqing grabbed her at once. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to cultivate. For cultivation, I need to find a new place to stay."
"No rush. Drink tea with us first. I still have something very important to discuss with you later."
Keqing looked at Shenhe. "You want to continue living in my house, right?"
Shenhe glanced at Keqing, then quietly sat back down.
Ningguang frowned when she saw how easily Keqing stopped Shenhe.
Keqing was clearly worried that they would go after Ryou, so she was deliberately keeping them here and refusing to let them leave.
But Keqing was only one person. Holding back so many people would not be easy.
"Keqing, what did you want to ask Shenhe about?" Ganyu asked.
"A while ago, I heard my husband mention that the Mighty and Illuminated Adepti all have special abilities. Something called Sub-Space Creation, so…" Keqing said.
"Sub-Space Creation?" Ganyu said.
"You know about it?" Keqing asked.
Ganyu did not look too well. Her cheeks were flushed red.
She was already drunk.
Ganyu said, "Each of the Mighty and Illuminated Adepti has their own abilities, and no two are exactly the same."
"Sub-Space Creation? As far as I know, Cloud Retainer does not know how to do it."
Ningguang had previously had people gather quite a bit of information, so she did know something about Sub-Space Creation.
In simple terms, it meant placing a small world inside a small object, an ability only the adepti could accomplish.
From what Ningguang had found, only Streetward Rambler had mastered that ability. The other adepti did not seem to know it.
Hearing Keqing ask about this, Ningguang felt a little puzzled too.
Lumine said nothing, but she understood why Keqing had brought it up.
Ryou had asked Lumine for something before, and this time, what she wanted was exactly that item.
She just had not expected Ryou to get drunk, or for Keqing to cling to her so tightly and refuse to let her leave.
"Sub-Space Creation… So the adepti of Liyue are really that amazing?" Mona said.
"Of course. But even among adepti, there are differences. There are lesser adepti, and then there are true adepti."
"There are not many true Adepti. I've heard that only they possess the power to see through the world," Ganyu said.
"You and Cloud Retainer probably won't be able to handle this. If you want, I can introduce you to Streetward Rambler."
"Thank you," Keqing said.
Shenhe said, "Then… may I leave now?"
Keqing glanced at Shenhe and frowned. She was still worried Shenhe would go bother her husband.
"Hmph. Keqing, I came to your home as a guest. Refusing to let us leave like this goes against the way guests should be treated, doesn't it?"
"Keqing, you need to give us a reason. Otherwise, this won't make sense."
"I saw you grab Tabibito and Shenhe more than once just now," Ningguang said, crossing her arms as she looked at Keqing.
Mona grew nervous when she saw the women confronting one another.
The atmosphere was far too tense.
"Ningguang, Tabibito, is there some misunderstanding here?" Ganyu said.
"Misunderstanding? It looks deliberate to me."
"We've had enough tea. I'm going back," Lumine said, standing up.
When Lumine saw Keqing look at her, she immediately drew her sword. "Anyone who dares stop me will have to fight me!"
Shenhe did not say anything, but she silently took out her polearm. Clearly, she had no intention of being polite to Keqing either.
The whole tea gathering became tense in an instant. Mona and Paimon both held their breath, not knowing what to do.
How had a perfectly good tea gathering suddenly turned into this?
Ningguang crossed her arms and looked at Keqing, smiling.
Keqing was still too young.
She had blocked the first wave of attacks. At the very least, Xiangling, Hu Tao, and the others had read the room and left.
But Ningguang could tell that Lumine and Shenhe were already getting impatient.
After all, they had more than once shown that they had feelings for Ryou.
With just a few words, Ningguang could stir the flames between them.
Next, all she needed was for Lumine, Shenhe, and Keqing to clash. Then she, Ningguang, could take Ryou away directly.
This time, no one would be able to stop her!
Everyone looked at Keqing, but Keqing did not panic at all. She glanced at Lumine, Shenhe, and Ningguang.
She knew they were the real threats. If she did not remove them, they would be trouble, especially Ningguang.
Keqing looked at Ningguang and said, "It's getting late. You all… take Ningguang to a room to rest. Remember… send her to Shenhe's room!"
Ningguang froze, not understanding what Keqing meant.
The next second, several ninjas appeared around them.
One by one, they stepped out from the darkness.
[End of chapter]
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