The welcoming banquet that evening was also held at Dawn Winery. Gu Sanqiu wondered if Diluc would be inclined to kill Kaeya when he returned, but it seemed like Kaeya had gotten approval beforehand.
After feeding the Windcatcher Butterfly swarm and amassing over a dozen crystalline cores, Gu Sanqiu returned to the winery to make an appearance. After all, he wasn’t in Liyue, and as the official envoy, it would’ve been poor manners to keep everyone waiting.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this fine batch of wine was personally prepared by none other than the owner of Dawn Winery, Master Diluc, as a welcome gift to you all,” Kaeya announced smoothly, slipping right into the role of host, setting the mood with charm.
Gu Sanqiu settled onto a nearby sofa, sipping his drink slowly. Kaeya’s hope was clear: get the wine flowing, and soon enough, the trade talk would follow.
The Millelith and the Knights maintained their decorum, opting for large glasses instead of downing bottles straight out—likely out of a desire to keep things civil. Initially, Fengyan and his team hadn’t planned to drink, but Kaeya’s assurance that there would be guards posted around the winery grounds eventually won them over.
Naturally, before drinking, Fengyan had made sure each of his men got a detox pill from Gu Sanqiu. So long as they didn’t drink themselves to death, the pills would work like a charm.
Why had Gu Sanqiu brought such rarely-used pills along?
He knew Mondstadters’ fondness for their wine was practically legendary across Teyvat. There was even a street vendor in Springvale who would leave his shop unattended just to get a drink in Mondstadt City. The odds of encountering multiple drinking banquets here were high, and he had prepared for the worst.
Mondstadt was a city of freedom, and events like these were celebrated by residents and visitors alike. Not just in the main banquet hall, but around the city, people would be hosting celebrations big and small.
Gu Sanqiu could handle it, but for the rest of the delegation, being prepared for a wine-heavy reception was essential.
“Well, now, Gu—could it be that Mondstadt’s hospitality isn’t to your liking? Why sit here drinking all alone?”
“With a fluent Liyue accent, no less,” Gu Sanqiu replied, amused. “You’re as erudite as the rumors say, Captain Kaeya.”
Kaeya laughed, waving it off. “You flatter me. Mondstadt’s Knights are fortunate to have a few well-read members among them. As they say, ‘in close company, one learns from the best.’ I just picked up a little from them.”
Gu Sanqiu raised his glass. “Whatever the case, anyone who still takes the time to read in this day and age deserves praise.”
They clinked their glasses. Kaeya’s eyes glinted as he said, “So, it seems you’ve already had a chance to enjoy a few of Mondstadt’s more unique sights.”
“Indeed.”
The energy he’d stirred up feeding the Windcatcher Butterflies was bound to be noticed here in the Land of Wind. Besides, standing before him was Kaeya, one of the Knights’ sharpest minds, with an eye for subtlety.
Gu Sanqiu held up a handful of crystal cores, letting them shimmer under the light. “Your butterflies don’t seem to scare off easily. When they stuck around, I took the chance to offer them a meal.”
“A meal, hmm? You’re truly a unique individual, Gu,” Kaeya said, surprised. The butterflies were known for their elusive nature, and yet the cores Gu Sanqiu held still retained the vibrant energy of Anemo—proof they were recently acquired.
“Few even in Mondstadt get to interact so closely with Windcatcher Butterflies and receive such gifts. In fact, I’d say there’s only one person here with that kind of affinity.” Kaeya poured him another glass. “If the opportunity arises, I’d be glad to arrange a meeting. I imagine you two would have much to discuss.”
“Oh?” Gu Sanqiu replied with interest. That would be Mondstadt’s fabled Scout Captain, no doubt.
Ebony and ivory, perhaps, united in the winds—a curious prospect indeed.
Kaeya’s instincts about the banquet were spot-on. Before long, the merchants from Liyue had already begun negotiating with the Dawn Winery representatives, each hoping to score a major deal on their very first day. A partnership with the winery was lucrative, whether the goods were sold locally, shipped overseas with The Crux, or resold to traders. Profit was a guarantee.
Out by the vineyards, Gu Sanqiu stood with Fengyan, a Windcatcher Butterfly core now serving as his new “mint sprig” of sorts.
Yes, he’d already tried to bite it. No luck.
“So,” Fengyan began, “anything useful from your chats with the Knights?”
“Not yet. They don’t seem aware of what we’re after, but that’s expected. Captain Kaeya, especially, is no open book. This wouldn’t be something the high ranks would share freely.”
“And the Fatui?”
“Business as usual, with nothing out of the ordinary. The Adventurers’ Guild has even deployed some of its members to keep tabs on them.”
Not surprising, really. Despite its scope, the Guild’s backbone was local adventurers, so cooperation with Mondstadt authorities was inevitable. Unlike in Liyue, where wealthy families and the nouveau riche financed adventurers to do the dirty work, it seemed Mondstadt’s Guild was doing a fine job staying in check.
“Interesting. In any case, hold off on any bold moves for now. Go along with whatever arrangements Mondstadt makes for us.”
Gu Sanqiu tapped the Vision at his side. “My movements should be less restricted than yours. There are things I can look into more easily.”
“Then we’ll leave it to you.”
The next morning, the caravan was ready to set off once more, with Kaeya and his squad of knights escorting them to Mondstadt City. Gu Sanqiu noted that Kaeya had packed a crate of wine into one of the balloon cargo baskets.
Well, well. Couldn’t even hide the sheep-shearing.
He’d already prepared Kaeya’s excuse for him: something along the lines of “consideration for Liyue’s guests who might grow thirsty along the road” or “product samples for visiting merchants.” Last night at the banquet, he hadn’t had the chance to scope out Diluc’s office for a large, overly ornate flower vase.
Finally, after what felt like ages of monotonous travel, the city outline of Mondstadt came into view.
Standing up, Gu Sanqiu gazed across Galesong Hill at the city on the lake’s edge, the sight both nostalgic and new.
“What is it?” Fengyan asked.
“Oh, just wondering if Mondstadt’s got a ‘Welcome to Mondstadt’ banner, a line of kids on the bridge holding flowers… maybe a ribbon-cutting ceremony or two,” he replied, smirking.
Fengyan simply ignored him. At least he’d managed to get that out of the way—better than letting Kaeya pick up on his rambling and embarrass them all later.
Though Gu Sanqiu didn’t exactly get his hero’s welcome, the pristine bridge and the absence of the self-proclaimed King of Teyvat feeding pigeons were promising. Mondstadt seemed to be taking this event seriously.
“So the question is, should I hit Angel’s Share first or Cats Tail?”
Reader discussion
0 Comments
Be the first reader to share a thought about this chapter.