"Keqing, calm down. Hear me out first."
Ningguang spoke gently, soothing her before continuing, "That Lora has had contact with Xiao, the Conqueror of Demons of Dihua Marsh. In every gesture, Xiao showed her great respect—her background is anything but ordinary. On top of that, with the Emperor's assassination throwing Liyue Harbor into chaos, relations between the Qixing and the adepti are extremely tense right now."
She paused briefly, then said with emphasis, "We need someone who stands outside the storm—someone who can speak with the adepti. Lora is a very suitable choice. She isn't from Liyue, yet she has deep ties with the adepti."
"Is it really appropriate to let an outsider get this deeply involved in Liyue Harbor's affairs?" Keqing still frowned, weighing the risks. "With the Emperor gone, Liyue has become a nation without a archon. Stability is needed on every front. Liyue can't withstand too much upheaval right now."
"Rest assured, I know where the limits are," Ningguang replied calmly.
With Yelan's investigation results in hand, and based on her own conversation with Lora the previous day, Ningguang believed she was trustworthy.
Keqing studied Ningguang's confident smile, then let out a soft sigh.
"All right. Since you've already made up your mind, I won't say more. Recently, the Fatui have been rather restless—should we take some action?"
"They are a diplomatic delegation from Snezhnaya," Ningguang said coolly. "For now, it's best not to tear things open. Stabilizing Liyue Harbor is the top priority. As for their little schemes… a warning will suffice. If they don't know when to stop, then we'll deal with them properly."
At the mention of the Fatui, her gaze sharpened instantly.
That organization, "renowned" across the continent, was truly difficult to like. If the Liyue Qixing weren't tied up with current affairs, they wouldn't be allowed to act so freely in Liyue Harbor.
"I understand. I'll bring you the detailed plan this afternoon," Keqing said with a slight nod. As the Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing, this was her responsibility.
Just then, Ganyu entered carrying a large stack of documents.
"Ningguang, these are all the incidents triggered by the Emperor's passing. According to protocol, they're to be handled by the Tianquan. I've brought everything over."
"Thank you for the trouble, Miss Ganyu," Ningguang replied, taking the documents and placing them on her desk.
Ganyu lingered, her gaze fixed on Ningguang. After hesitating for a moment, she finally voiced the question in her heart.
"Ningguang… has the Emperor truly passed away?"
Knowing how deeply Ganyu revered Rex Lapis, Ningguang couldn't help but sigh before nodding. "Yes. I personally examined the Emperor's Exuvia. His Majesty… has indeed passed on."
That Exuvia bore no trace of life at all—it was completely lifeless. Only the Emperor's death could explain it. No one would ever imagine that it was merely an empty shell Zhongli had casually discarded.
Ganyu's complexion dimmed. She sighed softly. "I understand… There are still many matters at Yujing Terrace that require my attention. I'll take my leave."
Watching Ganyu depart, Ningguang sighed again. "Ganyu has always admired the Emperor above all else. His sudden passing must have been a tremendous blow to her."
"The Emperor…" Keqing murmured, but she quickly regained her usual composure. "Though I too regret his departure, Liyue has now lost its god. The age of human governance is inevitable. As the Liyue Qixing, we have responsibilities more important than mourning."
"Yes," Ningguang agreed with a nod. "In these turbulent times, the Qixing must shoulder that responsibility. Go on—keep a close eye on the Fatui."
"Understood." Keqing nodded and left the office.
After the Emperor's assassination and passing, the Liyue Qixing had already begun to move.
While maintaining stability and security in Liyue Harbor, they also swiftly took control of the city's authority, filling the power vacuum left behind.
This wasn't merely the vision of this generation of the Qixing—but because of the Emperor's presence, only they had been able to act this decisively.
…
After leaving the Jade Chamber, Lora entered Liyue Harbor.
Only today did she finally feel like properly exploring the harbor in daylight. Compared to the bustling nights, daytime Liyue Harbor was a little quieter. Even so, under the governance of the Liyue Qixing, the Emperor's passing hadn't caused much visible disruption.
As she wandered, Lora began to feel hungry.
The Jade Chamber had provided breakfast, but for her, that small portion was nowhere near enough. She couldn't help wondering how Ningguang managed to eat so little and still stay energetic through the morning.
A habit formed from hunger in childhood, perhaps?
Just as that thought crossed her mind, a rich, smoky aroma drifted over from somewhere nearby. Lora caught the scent instantly—her eyes lit up as she followed it without hesitation.
Turning a street corner, she spotted a restaurant. It was smaller than the Good Hunter, but full of Liyue's local character. However, what truly caught her attention wasn't the restaurant itself, but the person standing at its entrance.
"Hey, Zhongli! What are you doing here? What a coincidence!" Lora walked over and gave Zhongli a friendly pat on the shoulder, her familiarity suggesting they'd known each other for thousands of years.
Which, in truth, they had.
Old colleagues, after all.
In all of Liyue, aside from herself, the only other person who could treat Zhongli like this was that director who remained blissfully unaware of the truth.
"…It's you," Zhongli said, unsurprised. But a moment later, he recalled her situation and frowned slightly. "Why are you here? Don't tell me you—?"
Seeing his expression, Lora immediately understood what he was thinking. She raised a hand at once.
"Stop right there! I didn't break out of prison. I'm a perfectly legitimate guest of Tianquan Ningguang now—staying at the Jade Chamber."
"I see…" Zhongli relaxed slightly. As long as it wasn't another jailbreak, that was fine.
"I've heard of Tianquan Ningguang. She's well-versed in commerce and quite capable in governing Liyue," he said. "How did you end up becoming her guest?"
Lora spread her hands.
"It's all because of the 'Emperor's passing.' Yesterday, when I was speaking with Xiao outside Liyue Harbor, Ningguang's people happened to see it. She believes that under the current circumstances, communication between the Qixing and the adepti will be difficult."
She smiled faintly.
"Since I have a somewhat special relationship with the adepti—and I'm not from Liyue—she wants me to serve as the bridge between them."