"Ohhhh!!!"
An earth-shaking cheer erupted from the gathered crowd.
At the very moment Morax proclaimed the founding of Liyue, the people gained a new identity—
They were now the People of Liyue!
Morax raised his hand slightly, his deep voice echoing across the plaza.
"Now then, there are still several important matters to announce."
As he spoke, Jiang Yan was led down from the stage by Guizhong and the others.
He would return later, of course—but even a ceremony needed its proper order.
The people quieted instantly, eyes filled with expectation.
"To better manage the affairs of this new nation," Morax began, pausing deliberately to build suspense,
"Liyue shall henceforth establish its permanent council of state—the Liyue Qixing."
A murmur ran through the crowd.
"They shall be known as the Seven Stars: Tianshu, Tianquan, Tianji, Tianxuan, Yuheng, Kaiyang, and Yaoguang.
These seven shall govern the affairs of Liyue in the days to come!"
As Morax's words rang out, seven figures stepped up beside the stage—six mortals and one immortal.
They bowed deeply.
"Greetings to the Lord of Geo, Lady Guizhong, and all the honored adepti."
Jiang Yan nodded in return, acknowledging the gesture.
Morax smiled faintly. "Now then—let the first members of the Liyue Qixing address the people."
The murmuring of the crowd swelled again.
"I heard the Qixing are all mortals—can that be true?"
"Idiot! Didn't you hear the Lord of Geo himself? One of them is an immortal!"
"But can mortals really govern such a vast nation?"
"With the Lord of Geo overseeing everything, what could go wrong?"
Then, all at once, the front rows gasped.
"It's the Immortal Lord!"
"The Immortal is here!"
"Ahhh—Immortal Lord!!"
"He's so handsome!"
"Only the Immortal Lord could rival the Rock God himself in beauty!"
Their cries drew everyone's attention toward the stage—
where seven figures now stood.
At the center, in the foremost position, stood Jiang Yan.
He sighed inwardly.
It couldn't be helped—his reputation and status preceded him.
Though he was equal among the Seven Stars, the others instinctively let him take the lead.
"Well then, shall I do the talking?" he asked mildly.
"Yes, please, Immortal Lord!" the others said quickly.
Jiang Yan exhaled softly and stepped forward.
"People of Liyue! It's been a long time, hasn't it?"
His voice was warm, familiar—grounded.
That was one of the reasons the people loved him so much.
Sure enough, his words brought smiles to many faces.
Their Immortal Lord—was still the same Immortal Lord they admired.
"As you can see, and as the Lord of Geo has just declared," Jiang Yan continued,
"I, the Wood Spirit Immortal, shall serve among the Seven Stars."
"I hold the position of Tianquan Star,
and act as the Grand Governor of Liyue!"
The title and rank of "Grand Governor" had been Morax's own addition.
Since Jiang Yan was skilled in governance, Morax entrusted him with broad authority,
choosing to remain largely behind the scenes—
though Jiang Yan made sure the Rock God wouldn't grow too idle.
At Jiang Yan's insistence, Morax finally agreed to descend once a year
to review and set the direction of Liyue's development—
a compromise that satisfied both.
The people erupted again in cheers.
All worries about the immortal's role vanished.
After all, it was the Wood Spirit Immortal!
Had he not rebuilt Qingce Village from a land of corpses and ruin
into a thriving, peaceful settlement in just five short years?
Able to rule a nation with wisdom, and defend it with strength—
such was their immortal lord.
"He can govern the world with his words,
and defend it with his sword—
that's our Immortal Lord!"
After Jiang Yan's introduction, the remaining six Stars stepped forward to announce their own names and responsibilities.
Each had been chosen by the adepti themselves—
mortals of exceptional skill and integrity.
When all had spoken, Jiang Yan accepted a scroll from Ganyu and returned to the front.
"As the Tianquan Star," he declared,
"I will now announce Liyue's guiding principles and foundational laws."
He cleared his throat, signaling for silence.
"Below the Seven Stars, there shall be Eight Departments,
each managing a distinct aspect of Liyue's governance and livelihood.
The specific duties of these departments will be posted publicly later."
"The Eight Departments will handle coordination and planning across all industries and crafts."
"Above them shall stand the General Affairs Bureau,
which will collect reports, oversee policies, and address internal concerns."
He raised his voice, ensuring even those at the far edge of the plaza could hear.
"As for Liyue's path forward—
Starting from the end of this year, we shall adopt a calendar system:
this year shall be Year One of Liyue."
"A foundational Liyue Civil Code will be established—details to be made public soon."
"The Liyue Millelith shall henceforth be renamed the Liyue Millelith,
divided into five corps—Qingce, Guili, Minlin, Lisha, and Tianheng—each guarding a region of Liyue."
"The Liyue Millelith Law Enforcers shall serve as law enforcers.
Citizens, please remember: follow the laws faithfully,
for 'Heaven's net is vast and none escape its mesh.'"
He paused, then continued solemnly—
"From this day forth, all trade, purchases, and commercial activity within Liyue
shall be conducted in a unified currency—the Mora."
Finally, he lifted his scroll and declared:
"Now, by the authority vested in me as the Tianquan Star
and Grand Governor of Liyue,
I hereby proclaim our nation's First National Policy—
From this day onward, Liyue shall be governed by the people, under the rule of law!
We shall value contracts and uphold trust.
Under the guidance of our Lord of Geo,
and through the labor of each generation to come—
Liyue shall flourish and prosper for all eternity!"
To read 30+ future chapters, head over to patreon:
patreon.com/ToastWizard