Genshin Impact: I, the Winter Prince, reign supreme.

This chapter is quite long and is published as a combination of two chapters.

Chapter 154 Confidence

More and more people came to the Deer Hunter's Restaurant for breakfast, and soon Kong and Paimon were surrounded by diners.

On his right, two young men dressed as miners caught his attention.

"Hey buddy, did you see that? There's an emergency notice posted on the bulletin board next to the flower bed. The casino is open all day today."

"Really? Before, they were only allowed to open for three and a half hours each afternoon. The Knights of Favonius have relaxed their regulations, that's great!"

"There's no relaxation; this policy is temporary. Director Jean has consistently demanded the strictest management of the gambling industry, and the decree allowing only three and a half hours of operation per day is what she issued. I think this matter is related to Prince Winterfell. I heard from a friend that he publicly challenged the Immortals' chess skills in Liyue, and the casinos have specially increased the betting on the event; the odds are quite high right now..."

The surrounding environment was too noisy, and Kong could no longer hear the conversation between the two, but he roughly understood what they were talking about.

"Paimon, how much money do we have left?"

Since meeting Paimon, Sora has lost control of the finances. Paimon, the miser, insisted on taking over the management of the money, and after considering it, Sora handed it over to her.

You don't know the cost of firewood and rice until you're in charge of the household. Teach this guy how to manage money so he'll learn to be frugal.

Paimon held up his ten fingers and counted for a while: "After deducting the money for breakfast, there are only eighty moras left."

Kong bluntly exposed her lie: "No, that's not right. You took on a few missions from Miss Catherine last week, and you even hid fifty Mora in your secret stash. We should have one hundred and thirty Mora left! Did you secretly buy food?"

For Paimon, calculating hundreds of Mora was a huge undertaking, as she was a complete math idiot and often couldn't figure out numbers.

However, for Kong, a few hundred Mora was nothing; with just a little attention, he could accurately calculate the expenses and balance, so he immediately realized that Paimon was lying.

Paimon explained, looking aggrieved, "Well, you found out after all. I was trying to surprise you. I paid Miss Catherine the fifty mora to place a missing person notice to help you find your sister as soon as possible. This kind of service usually costs at least one hundred mora, but Miss Catherine said she'd give us a 50% discount because of our relationship with Prince Winter."

"I'm sorry, Paimon, I misunderstood you."

Paimon smiled and said, "It's alright. I'm the one who should apologize; I shouldn't have kept it from you. Traveler, would you like to go to the gambling den?"

“Yes, I’m betting on His Highness to win. I believe he will definitely win. According to the current odds, with an initial investment of eighty Mora, we can earn back one hundred Mora, which is equivalent to the cost of breakfast.”

"Wow, let's go place our bets after breakfast!"

The gambling den was packed with people, and the sales windows were filled with queues.

Fortunately, Kong and Paimon arrived early and only waited for a little over half an hour before it was their turn.

The saleswoman, a short-haired woman, greeted him with a smile upon recognizing him as Kong and Paimon, who had recently gained some fame in the city: "Good morning, traveler. There are many competitions to bet on here. The gladiator tournament in Nata, the classical instrument performance in Fontaine, the light novel writing contest in Inazuma Yaedo, the Windflower Festival brewing contest in Mondstadt, and the Go tournament in Liyue are some of the most popular events."

Knowing that the two had only recently arrived in Mondstadt, the salesperson patiently recommended several tournaments and explained the specific gameplay.

Paimon rubbed his hands together after listening: "They all sound really fun. But we'll only bet on the Liyue Go Tournament. I've already discussed it with the Traveler, and we're betting on His Highness the Prince to win."

"Are you sure?" the salesperson asked, somewhat surprised. "Everyone is betting on the Immortal to win."

Paimon's tone became tense: "Why? Does everyone lack confidence in the Prince?"

The salesperson whispered some information to them: "The Liyue Sage has won the title of 'Go Master' in the last Go tournament. Although the Prince of Winter is powerful, he is clearly no match for the Sage in Go. A professional organization has assessed that the Liyue Sage's Go skills are ranked first among the Seven Kingdoms."

Paimon had to seek Sora's opinion: "Traveler, what should we do? How about we all buy the Immortal Victory together?"

Kong insisted on his opinion: "I have confidence in the Prince."

"Alright then, good luck to you."

The salesperson fills out a voucher, affixes the casino's official seal, and the transaction is complete.

As Paimon walked out of the casino, he worriedly asked, "Was what the salesman said true? Why do I have a bad feeling about this?"

Kong tapped her little head with his finger and chuckled, "Just trust me. His Highness the Prince is a steady and reliable person, not the kind of person who acts rashly. Since he has decided to challenge the immortals, he must be absolutely certain of success."

The two wandered around Mondstadt for a while, then planned to leave the city and raid a Hilichurl camp, where they could cook and rest at night, thus saving on accommodation costs.

Now that they are penniless, this is the only way.

Just then, a sudden gust of wind swept through the bustling street, and cries of alarm rose and fell among the crowd.

A fiery red figure descended from the sky on wings of wind; it was Amber, a scout knight of the Knights of Favonius.

Paimon greeted her happily, "Amber, you're amazing! You can still fly in such strong winds."

"Hehe, I have goggles."

Amber then explained her purpose.

The Stormterror Dvalin caused a storm that attacked a human caravan. She was very worried about Dvalin's condition and wanted to go out of the city to investigate the reason for Dvalin's rage.

The Knights of Favonius have all been dispatched on disaster relief missions, and she hopes that Sora and Paimon can assist her investigation.

When the Knights of Favonius encountered trouble, Sora naturally wouldn't stand idly by and immediately agreed to her request.

……

On a sunny day in Inatsuma, the rich fragrance of cherry blossoms wafts from within the walls of Narukami Shrine, attracting every passerby with its aroma.

Groups of young girls sat on the nearby lawn, enjoying the fragrance of the cherry blossoms.

Strangely enough, not everyone can smell the fragrance of flowers.

For example, this morning, the Tianling Enforcer arrested two guys for fighting. The fight started when one of them said he smelled a fragrance, while the other insisted he didn't smell any flowers. After arguing, the two started fighting.

Since the case concerned Narukami Taisha, Kujo Sara, a general of the shogunate, personally presided over the trial.

After questioning them, she immediately knew the answer. After giving them a verbal reprimand, she released them.

Then she went to Narukami Shrine to pay her respects to the high priestess.

Chapter 155 Fragrance of Flowers

"General Kujo came because of the fragrance of the flowers, right?"

At the entrance of Narukami Shrine, the young shrine maiden Nana Kano was already waiting.

Kujo Sara was somewhat surprised: "That's why. Did the chief priest know I was coming?"

Kano Nana replied, "The chief priest said that the Tenryo magistrate will definitely send someone to investigate the unusual fragrance of the flowers."

With her professional instincts, Kujo Sara realized that this matter might not be so simple.

At first, she habitually assumed that this was Yae no Miko's quirky sense of humor. After all, given the style of the high priestess, it was not uncommon for her to cause a stir by doing bizarre and absurd things near the shrine.

For example, one summer, Narukami Shrine was suddenly bathed in a brilliant glow, as if a divine being had descended to earth.

The three heads of the family, filled with excitement, led their men to the shrine in search of the treasure, only to discover after investigation that it was all a ruse by the chief priest.

Yae no Miko always manages to generate enough buzz for Narukami Taisha, and these buzzes add a layer of mystery to the shrine, attracting more tourists to come and offer incense and prayers, thus boosting the shrine's income.

Last year, Kano Nana's year-end bonus was only slightly less than that of the Great General, which she complained about in private when she met with the Thunder General.

The fact that Yae no Miko had her subordinates waiting at the entrance undoubtedly indicates that the unusual fragrance of the flowers was not a prank, but rather...

Kujo Sara had a vague, uneasy feeling about her.

"By the way, before I go to see Lord Kuji, there is something I must tell you."

"please say."

Kano Nana said in a deep voice, "I hope you can get along well with my cousin. Recently, the two of you have been fighting each other openly and secretly, causing chaos in the Tenryo Observatory. Even I heard about it at Narukami Taisha. One of you is a general who is highly regarded by the shogun, and the other is a great detective who is highly regarded by the shogun. Putting aside past grievances and cooperating sincerely is the right way for you to get along."

Kujo Sara frowned deeply: "Keep these words to yourself and tell them to Kanoin Heizo when you get back."

"Your constant infighting will not only damage the image of the Heavenly Ranks in the eyes of the people, but will also make the other six kingdoms think that we are not united. I hope the general will consider the overall situation."

Kujo Sara listened with extreme impatience, and said in a cold tone, "Tell him that if he dares to obstruct me from carrying out the 'Eye Hunt Order' again, don't blame me for being ruthless."

Last time, Prince Zhidong somehow persuaded General Leidian to relax the implementation of the "Eye Hunting Order," so that General Leidian's interest in the Thousand-Handed Hundred-Eyed Statue was not as great as before, and the number of times he received her also decreased.

However, as long as the general does not explicitly prohibit the "Eye Hunting Order," she will carry out the order without fail and do her best to capture those who wear the Eye of God.

Anyone who tries to stop her will be regarded as an enemy by her.

Last time, when Kanoin Heizo dared to openly protect those who possessed the Eye of God on the street, it was his delay that allowed those people to escape. She was furious and confronted him with swords in the street.

Kujo Sara's attitude was resolute, so Kano Nana stopped trying to persuade her: "What a coincidence, before I left today, my cousin also asked me to tell you that if he sees you bullying the people on the street next time, he won't be as polite as last time."

Kujo Sara snorted angrily, "Further words are useless. Ms. Kano Nana, please lead the way."

The two walked one after the other through the secluded path and arrived at a dense forest deep in the back garden.

Even from a great distance, Kujo Sara could see two beautiful figures standing beside the messy granite.

A woman in a flowing pink dress, her long pink hair dancing in the wind, was none other than Yae no Miko. Standing beside her was a cold and beautiful woman in a purple robe.

Although it was just a glimpse of her back, Kujo Sara immediately recognized her identity.

She rushed forward, knelt on one knee, and said with utmost respect, "Greetings, General! I was unaware of your presence and have disturbed your enjoyment. Please forgive me."

Kujo Sara hadn't seen Raiden-sama leave the castle tower for many years, but today she was quite surprised and delighted to see Lord Narukami in the back garden of Narukami Taisha.

"Rise, General Kujo, that was merely a phantom of a general. She once pondered here what the eternal way is."

Yae no Miko's voice brought Kujo Sara a little peace of mind.

She tried to sense it, and sure enough, it was just a phantom, without any fluctuation of elemental power.

"Greetings, Lord Chief. I have come for the fragrance of the Divine Cherry Blossom."

Yae no Miko said softly, "Some people can smell a rich fragrance, while others can't smell anything at all, and some even smell only decay. Which category are you?"

"I didn't smell any fragrance along the way."

Yae no Miko asked Kano Nana, "And you?"

"My lord, I can smell the fragrance of the cherry blossoms."

Yae no Miko said, seemingly asking but not asking, "General Kujo, you should know how serious this problem is."

Kujo Sara nodded, her expression grave: "There's something wrong with the Divine Cherry Tree."

Yae no Miko praised, "Oh my, you are indeed very clever. As expected of a descendant of the Tengu bloodline. As for the Divine Cherry Tree, she is ill, and this time she is very ill. Go back and prepare. I will announce the start of this year's Divine Cherry Great Purification soon."

The Great Sacrifice of the Divine Sakura is absolutely a top priority for Inazuma.

During those days, Narukami Shrine will be closed, and the high priestess will lead a group of junior priestesses to focus on cleaning the filth from the roots of the sacred cherry tree.

The task of the Heavenly Commander is to ensure that the Great Purification of Divine Cherry Blossom is not interfered with by outsiders.

Historical records indicate that General Leidian attached great importance to each of the Great Sacred Cherry Blossom Purges.