“How could I harm you? I’m your sister. If even I were to turn on you, who else in this world would treat you well?”
Ningguang reached out and patted Gu Sanqiu on the head. “This is an official document sent to the Jade Chamber, you know. You’d better pick it up. Otherwise, there might be consequences~.”
“Hah? I could whip up a thousand official documents for you in no time. If you want, I can even add gold and silver embellishments.”
Gu Sanqiu sprawled across Ningguang’s desk in defiance, rolling his eyes dramatically.
“Inazuma? That locked-down place? How is anyone even managing to leave there?”
“Hehe, that’s exactly what makes it so interesting, doesn’t it?”
Ningguang picked up the document. “Oh, by the way, the people coming aren’t directly tied to the Inazuman government. The delegation visiting Liyue this time is from the Grand Narukami Shrine.”
“The Grand Narukami Shrine?”
Gu Sanqiu lifted his head briefly before flopping back down.
“Why would those shrine folks, all wrapped up in divine authority, come to Liyue? Are they hoping to learn governance from our Archon?”
“That, I’m not sure about.”
Ningguang chuckled. “But with the decree in place, it’s not surprising that the shrine managed to send representatives. After all, a shrine’s status is vastly different from ordinary institutions.”
She continued, smiling slyly, “Their stated purpose is to exchange knowledge of celestial arts and discuss how spirits and supernatural creatures might adapt to the modern world—a lofty and noble goal. How could we refuse such a proposal?”
“You could refuse,” Gu Sanqiu retorted, standing up to press Ningguang back into her chair. He wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on her head.
“Big Sis, I’m already swamped. Can’t you let me off the hook for once? Discussions about celestial arts and spirit habitats? They don’t need to involve you, let alone me. Clearly, they must’ve promised you something lucrative, didn’t they?”
“Ah, as expected of my clever little brother.”
Ningguang patted his arm affectionately. “You’re right. The shrine maiden we’ve been in contact with has already presented their terms—or rather, their goodwill.”
“It includes a safer sea route and a trade expansion agreement backed by the Grand Narukami Shrine and the Kanjou Commission.”
“Inazuma’s locked-down state has left many of its specialties highly coveted by merchants. Even for us, this deal is no small matter. Why wouldn’t we accept it?”
She added, “With the trade agreement in place and a safer sea route, even Captain Beidou can feel more at ease. It’s for the sake of her crew, who tirelessly sail across the seas.”
Gu Sanqiu collapsed to the floor in defeat.
“So, this is why you sold me out? There’s no way they specifically requested me as a liaison, right?”
“But they did.”
Ningguang walked over, crouching down to pinch his cheeks playfully.
“They mentioned that a renowned onmyoji from Inazuma, Ryukai Genzawa, once visited Liyue and formed a strong bond with your clan. This time, they hope a descendant of the Fengxiang line could accompany them.”
I’m doomed.
Gu Sanqiu stared at Ningguang in despair. “Sis, my beautiful, kind, and elegant sister, doesn’t this reasoning strike you as… suspicious?”
“Ah, such heartfelt compliments. I’ll gladly accept them,” Ningguang replied with a sweet smile. “As for whether it’s suspicious—who knows? I certainly don’t.”
She pinched his nose with a mischievous grin. “You’ve always known, haven’t you? Whatever trouble you create, you’ll have to face the consequences—even if it means crawling on your knees to deal with the fallout.”
“And you’re not worried I’ll get ambushed by some lunatic?”
“Hardly. If they wanted to harm you, would they bother with a formal visit to Liyue? An assassination attempt would be much easier.”
“This is Liyue. Who would dare make a move against you here?”
Ningguang straightened up. “Logically speaking, the shrine’s leader likely has their own plans and ambitions, which may not align with Inazuma’s ruling Shogun.”
Heh, that part was spot on. The pink-haired fox priestess certainly wasn’t on the same page as the Raiden Shogun—or at least not yet.
Only after successfully luring a certain golden-haired traveler to upend the Shogun’s definition of eternity would that fox enter her so-called “rebellious phase.”
But none of that had anything to do with the mess Gu Sanqiu was currently facing!
“Didn’t Ganyu usually handle these things in the past? Why does it have to be me this time?”
Gu Sanqiu began fantasizing about the golden-haired traveler’s arrival. Why couldn’t the story’s timeline speed up like a drunk bard’s slurred ballad? If it did, he’d have a perfect excuse to run off to Mondstadt and lay low.
Sure, whatever the Abyss cooked up in Mondstadt would undoubtedly be more dangerous in the long run. But for now, running off to Mondstadt would feel like a playful adventure compared to the drudgery of hosting visitors from the Grand Narukami Shrine.
There’s no contest.
“No can do.”
With a cheerful wave, Ningguang conjured Geo crystals from the ground. They lifted Gu Sanqiu and carried him toward the Jade Chamber’s exit.
“Speaking of timing, their delegation should be arriving around now. Why don’t you go welcome our guests?”
“…Fine. I’ll go.”
If the visitors had been from the Tenryou Commission instead, he wouldn’t have even hesitated. He’d be halfway to Mondstadt by now, dragging Kaedehara Kazuha and Buyu Raimei along to dodge the fallout.
After all, those Tenryou zealots might very well possess some divine revelation technique. If they discovered his true identity, they wouldn’t hesitate to strike him down.
As for the pink-haired fox’s visit, there was undoubtedly an ulterior motive hidden beneath the surface agreements like trade expansions.
But such high-level scheming was unlikely to involve him directly. They’d probably find a way to rope in Zhongli instead.
As Ningguang’s Geo crystals deposited him outside the Jade Chamber, Gu Sanqiu didn’t even bother adjusting his position. He simply let the wind carry him lazily toward the harbor, unwilling to exert any effort.
“Ah, it’s the young master.”
At the harbor, a woman with short ice-blue hair and delicate horns looked up, smiling at the sight of him drifting down.
“Uh, Ganyu… uh, Ganyu-sis,” Gu Sanqiu stammered as he landed. “I’m not a young master anymore, okay? I’m the head of the Gu clan now—a grown man with an adult’s responsibilities!”
“Hehe.”
Ganyu chuckled softly, covering her mouth. “But to us Adepti, no matter how old your family’s descendants grow, you’ll always be one of our juniors.”
“Well, when you put it like that…”
Gu Sanqiu thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
“The Grand Narukami Shrine visitors are arriving soon, right? Do we have a full list of their delegation members?”
“In the past, before Inazuma’s isolation, the head shrine maiden, Yae Miko, usually handled these matters directly with me,” Ganyu explained.
“But given the current lockdown, the shrine sending anyone at all is already remarkable. It’s unlikely Lady Miko will accompany them this time.”
—
This is a fan translation of 原神之璃月奉香人 by 淡白蛋清. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!
Reader discussion
0 Comments
Be the first reader to share a thought about this chapter.