He changed Tiwat

"Then, Miss Yanfei, if you were to appraise the pearl necklace that Miss Zhiqiao was wearing today, how many Mora would it be worth?"

Han Fulai was actually a little apprehensive when he asked the question. In modern Chinese society, pearls are already cultivated, but given the current level of productivity on the Teyvat continent, they should be extremely precious ornaments. However, he had only recently transmigrated, and he needed to confirm this with Yan Fei.

Yan Fei tilted her head and recalled Miss Zhi Qiao's attire today, saying, "Those are coral pearls from the island of Inazuma, growing alongside the coral. They are as cool as moonlight, perfect for summer wear. Miss Zhi Qiao's string of coral pearls is exceptionally rare, with each pearl being perfectly round and full, and of uniform size. If sold at Mingxingzhai, they would fetch no less than five million Mora based on current market prices."

Han Fulai nodded and said, "I saw some information in the policy essay section of the Liyue civil service exam. The information said that foreign trade between Liyue and Inazuma has almost been cut off due to the Thunder God's isolationist policies. As the saying goes, scarcity increases value, so Inazuma jewelry is naturally even more precious in Liyue. Do you think an ordinary merchant can afford to wear a precious necklace from Inazuma?"

“Of course not.” Yan Fei shook her head. “While five million Mora worth of jewelry may not seem like much to the wealthy merchants of Feiyunpo, it could be half a year’s total profit for ordinary small business owners.”

"So, what is the market price of the 'Jadeite Double Phoenix Hairpin with Clouds' that Miss Zhiqiao rented?" Han Fulai asked again.

After a moment's thought, Yan Fei said, "A jade pendant the size of a hairpin is worth about 3.5 million Mora. If we take into account its craftsmanship and collectible value, its market price should be over 5 million Mora."

"At least in the eyes of experts, the value of this 'Jadeite Double Phoenix Hairpin with Clouds' is not far greater than the string of coral beads that Miss Zhiqiao is wearing, right?"

"Yes." Yan Fei nodded.

"If Miss Zhiqiao wanted to use a piece of jewelry to demonstrate her financial strength to her business partners, that string of coral beads would have been perfectly sufficient. Even adding a jade hairpin wouldn't have significantly improved her business image. Why she would rent such a hairpin is one of the suspicious points," Han Fulai said.

“What you said makes sense, but we can’t rule out the possibility that Miss Zhiqiao wants to improve her business image as much as possible, and the rent is very affordable, so it’s understandable that Miss Zhiqiao is interested,” Yan Fei said.

"So, this raises the second point of doubt," Han Fulai said. "Miss Yanfei, do you remember what Mr. Klosso came to Liyue for?"

“I remember, he’s a mining merchant from Winterfell. He came to Liyue to buy ores. He heard that Emerald Jade was precious, so he bought it to make jewelry in hopes of making some money back home. He had asked me about the market prices for minerals and jewelry before,” Yanfei replied.

"Miss Ruoyanfei, if you want to rent a piece of jewelry, would you go to the famous Star Shop in Liyue, or a similar luxury goods store, or would you go to a mineral merchant who is not well-known in Liyue?" Han Fulai continued.

“Hmm… I hadn’t noticed that.” Yan Fei was silent for a moment before saying, “But there is still a possibility. Mr. Croso said that he had this piece of jewelry made at Mingxingzhai. If Miss Zhiqiao goes to Mingxingzhai to ask Boss Xingxi if there are any suitable pieces of jewelry available for rent, perhaps Xingxi will recommend that she discuss it with Mr. Croso.”

"Well, actually, I only have a question about this point myself. I can ask Miss Zhiqiao and Boss Xingxi for confirmation later." Han Fulai nodded and said, "But this third point is a question that I can't explain no matter what I do."

"what?"

"Timing. The timing of Miss Zhiqiao's renting of the hairpin and her coming to you is both illogical," Han Fulai emphasized. "Why did Miss Zhiqiao rent this hairpin in advance? And why, having just lost it yesterday, is she coming to discuss compensation with you today?"

"Miss Yanfei, do you remember that Miss Zhiqiao said her family is in the mining business? Because the Layered Rock Abyss was sealed off, they were unable to deliver the goods on time, so they considered buying the ore from other merchants. That's why they needed a piece of jewelry to decorate their appearance and not be looked down upon by their business partners."

“I remember,” Yan Fei replied.

Han Fulai smiled and said, "Miss Yanfei, do you know why the rental agreement I signed with you is a short-term rental, not a long-term rental?"

"That's because... Mr. Han, you're not exactly flush with cash right now," Yan Fei said, trying to be as tactful as possible.

“Well, that’s why I’m renting it out daily because I don’t have any money! You see, I’m still paying on credit with an IOU. Luckily, the kind Miss Yanfei is willing to take me in.” Han Fulai said generously. “So, if Miss Zhiqiao is renting jewelry to prepare for future negotiations and is using this method to bluff, it means she’s not exactly well-off either, right?”

“Indeed. In fact, the compensation for the lost jewelry is difficult for Miss Zhiqiao to afford right now, otherwise she wouldn’t have come to me to discuss it. Actually, she just wants to reduce the amount of compensation as much as possible,” Yanfei replied.

"Why would someone who isn't exactly well-off pay extra for a few more days' rent just to rent this piece of jewelry in advance? No one's going to take it from her. If it were me, I'd rent it on the day I wanted to use it, and return it afterward, trying to keep the rent as low as possible." Han Fulai, who was used to being poor, smoothly explained his money-saving plan.

"Furthermore, Miss Zhiqiao has already asked the Adventurers' Guild to look for the lost item. Even if the hope is slim, I will not give up hope today and come to Miss Yanfei to discuss compensation." Han Fulai continued, "I will not spend money to look for the lost item while consulting a legal counselor to discuss compensation. Considering the cost, one of the hiring fees will be wasted."

"If we ask the Adventurers' Guild for help, then finding the lost item will naturally be the priority. After all, if the item isn't lost, there's no need for compensation. Consulting Miss Yanfei shouldn't be done today. We should at least wait until the lease expires and the Adventurers' Guild can't find the lost item before considering compensation."

"There's only one truth—Miss Zhiqiao never intended to find that hairpin from the very beginning!" Han Fulai felt that it would be perfect if Katsuo Ohno's background music were playing right now, but unfortunately it wasn't.

"So Mr. Han means that Miss Zhiqiao's visit to the Adventurers' Association was just for show, and that she came to me with the intention of seeking compensation from the very beginning..." Yan Fei said, then suddenly stopped.

"Yes, she was thinking about compensation from the very beginning," Han Fulai continued with a smile. "Tenfold compensation for fakes!"

"I've heard of a profession called 'professional counterfeit hunters,' which involves suing counterfeit merchants and obtaining compensation by using clauses like 'tenfold compensation for counterfeit goods,'" Han Fulai said. "And I have evidence for that."

Chapter Twenty-Six: Yan Fei's Pride (Seeking monthly votes and recommendations)

At this moment, Han Fulai heard Yan Fei chuckle and take something out of her box.

"Detective, is this the evidence you're talking about?" What Yan Fei was holding was a fragment of Cuihan Rock that she had obtained from Shi Tou, the owner of Jie Cui Xing, as evidence.

Han Fulai was slightly taken aback, then laughed as well.

"I see. I underestimated Miss Yanfei. Miss Yanfei is renowned throughout Liyue, so she is certainly not someone to be easily fooled."

“Of course!” Yan Fei puffed out her chest. “I’ve encountered quite a few of the ‘professional counterfeiters’ you mentioned in the cases I’ve handled in the past.”

“Take the owner of Jie Cui Hang, for example. His shop has a ‘stone gambling’ activity. The so-called stone gambling is to have customers pick out the stone with hidden gems from rough stones that are not much different with their own eyes.”

"But since it's gambling, there are naturally wins and losses. Customers who lose money gambling on stones often question whether there are any gemstones in the rough stones provided by the stone owners, and they come to me to make a fuss every few days."

"And then there's Mr. Bai Shu from Bubulu. He avoids me whenever he sees me on the street, afraid that I'm accusing him of selling fake medicine on behalf of a client. It's not that I don't understand Mr. Bai Shu; for some minor illnesses, there's not much difference between taking medicine and not taking it. But being accused of selling fake medicine because of this is really distressing," Yan Fei said with a smile.

"I believe Mr. Han, you are absolutely certain that Miss Zhiqiao is a 'professional counterfeiter' and is working at Jie Cui's shop, right?" Yan Fei asked.

"Yes," Han Fulai nodded. "Miss Zhiqiao was able to identify this as Cuihan Rock rather than Cuijue Rock just by glancing at these scraps at the Jadeite Shop. This shows that her eye for jade is quite good. As a member of a family of mineral merchants, Miss Zhiqiao is surrounded by minerals and jade every day. Even if she has never seen Cuijue Rock before, she should at least know some of its characteristics. Otherwise, wouldn't she have suffered a great loss by buying fakes when purchasing minerals?"

“Moreover, Emeraldite is a common mineral, often used to make jewelry, and it’s quite cheap and popular in Liyue Harbor. Since Miss Zhiqiao has touched that ‘Emeraldite Double Phoenix Cloud Hairpin,’ she naturally already knows it’s a fake,” Yanfei interjected. “So whether the hairpin is lost or not, Miss Zhiqiao will eventually demand ten times the compensation from Klossor on the grounds that she received a fake.”

Yan Fei and Han Fulai exchanged a smile, sharing a tacit understanding.

"So, what does Miss Yanfei plan to do next?" Han Fulai asked.

“Of course, we need to get Bai Shu’s professional assessment from Bubulu,” Yanfei said. “Although I am a Liyue master… well, actually, I’m just a very immature one… legally, I’m not qualified to issue relevant assessment reports. So we need to find Bai Shu to prove that the Jadeite Rock is harmful to ordinary people’s health in order to cut off Mr. Croso’s escape route. In this way, Mr. Croso will have to choose between paying ten times the price for the fake product and ‘illegally selling dangerous substances’.”

"Hey, what does 'illegally selling dangerous substances' mean? Does that mean buying Cuijue Rock is illegal in itself?" Han Fulai asked curiously.

"The elemental power of Jadeite is harmful to the health of ordinary people, and it is generally only used by the Liyue Ascetics or those with the Vision. According to Liyue law, selling Jadeite products to ordinary people without professional knowledge is considered 'illegal trafficking of dangerous substances'. Even if the other party insists on buying it for collection or resale, the seller should emphasize the risks and fulfill the obligation to inform them, and complete the transaction with the notarization of the General Affairs Department."

"Mr. Crosso's purchase of the Emerald Jade Rock was legal, because he had consulted me before, and I suggested that he obtain the relevant certificate from the General Affairs Department before using the Emerald Jade Rock to make jewelry. There would be no problem if he made jewelry and sold it to immortals like me and holders of the Eye of God. For example, Granny Ping actually has some Emerald Jade Rock jewelry."

As Yanfei spoke, her eyes narrowed dangerously: "However, for some reason, he left the Jade Hairpin behind, not for the purpose of reporting to the General Affairs Department, but instead used it to swindle rent by using a fake hairpin, and even stole the hairpin by criminal means to defraud the breach of contract fee. As the defender of the law in Liyue Harbor, I must teach him a profound lesson!"

"Then how should we judge Miss Zhiqiao's behavior?" Han Fulai pressed.

"The so-called 'professional counterfeit hunters' are actually in a gray area of ​​Liyue's laws. In previous revisions of the laws, Ms. Ningguang of Tianquan has also discussed this matter, but it has not yet been finalized. However, in my opinion, fighting counterfeits is actually a good thing," Yanfei said. "It is because of the existence of these counterfeit hunters that merchants are more self-disciplined. Liyue is a country of contracts. If you don't sell counterfeit goods and don't violate the contracts, naturally no one can fight counterfeits."

“Take Shi Tou, the owner of Jie Cui Xing, for example. He used to often put a bunch of rough stones with no gems at all for customers to choose from at his jade gambling events. Of course, the customers couldn’t find anything inside. But since he was exposed for being a fraud, Shi Tou’s jade gambling events now have a guaranteed minimum price! Customers have a chance to find gems inside, so more customers are participating in jade gambling, and his business has naturally improved.”

"Haha, this even appeared in the Liyue civil service exam questions," Han Fulai laughed.

"But if the fraudsters are being unreasonable, like Mr. Bai Shu who is often falsely accused by medical malpractice activists, I will handle such cases impartially. My principle is to always stand on the side of justice and uphold the dignity of the law!"

"But Miss Zhiqiao lied to you too, aren't you angry?" Han Fulai asked again.

"Although as a legal consultant, I really, really hope that my clients can tell me the truth! This will help me to grasp the facts and better handle related legal disputes, in the cases I have encountered in the past, more than half of my clients have lied to me..." Yan Fei sighed, "For example, because of a lack of legal knowledge, for the sake of face, or to get more benefits, they have all sorts of reasons to lie."

"Regardless of whether the client is lying or not, I can unravel the truth and bring about a perfect resolution to the case. This is what makes me, Yanfei, proud to be Liyue's number one legal consultant!"

Yan Fei said this with a face full of pride.

She patted the suitcase she carried with her, as if encouraging her comrade-in-arms. The suitcase was filled with a large number of notes, the culmination of Yan Fei's years of work as a legal consultant.

"Miss Yanfei truly deserves to be Liyue's best legal consultant!" Han Fulai exclaimed sincerely.

“Then Mr. Han is the most amazing detective in Liyue!” Yanfei said with a smile.

"The combination of a detective and a legal consultant is classic. I saw such a combination before in... in a novel by Inazuma. The detective and the legal consultant team up to solve all kinds of major cases." Han Fulai recalled a comic he had read in China before.

“If Mr. Han doesn’t pass the exam to become the secretary of Yuehaiting, then stay by my side and work on cases with me! You’ll definitely become a famous detective in Liyue!” Yanfei said.

"Then Miss Yanfei is going to suffer a loss," Han Fulai said with a smile.

"Huh, why?"

"Because in that novel, the famous detective and the legal consultant ended up getting married."

"You..." Yan Fei's ears turned red instantly. "This is the first time I've ever seen someone try to get the better of me with words like this!"

Hehe, I'm the top student in the Chinese Literature Department of a 985 university, so I'm no less eloquent than you! Han Fulai felt a surge of pride that belonged to a test-taker.

Unfortunately, although the atmosphere was good, Han Fulai had to say something that would spoil the mood: since he had decided to help Yan Fei in this matter, he had to see it through to the end and not leave any hidden dangers. Even if these words might hurt Yan Fei's pride.

Thinking of this, Han Fulai spoke up, saying, "Miss Yanfei, let's make a bet. The wager is tonight's dinner."

"Hmm? What are we betting on?" Yan Fei asked with interest.

"I bet what we're seeing now isn't the whole truth!"

Han Fulai leaned forward, looking directly into Yan Fei's emerald green eyes—

"The truth is, Zhiqiao and Croso conspired to create a scam, and the person they were trying to scam was you, Miss Yanfei."

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Is there 500,000 for reporting spies in Liyue?

Han Fulai and Yan Fei obtained the professional appraisal certificate provided by Bai Shu and successfully met up with Zhi Qiao at the tea stall at the east end of Liyue Harbor.

The three arrived at Croso's ore shop, where Zhiqiao explained to Croso about her lost hairpin.

Crosso was furious. He berated Zhi Qiao and demanded that she compensate him according to the market price of the jade hairpin, and asked Yan Fei to be a witness.

Yan Fei, however, turned the tables and pointed out that the "Jadeite Double Phoenix Hairpin with Clouds" that Crosson had lent to Zhi Qiao was a fake.

Crosso vehemently denied it, while Yanfei, following the previous plan, presented three key pieces of evidence in turn.

The first piece of evidence came from the receipts and fragments of Cuihan Rock from the owner of the Jie Cui shop, proving that Klosso had processed ore at Jie Cui shop. Klosso, however, insisted that Cuihan Rock was the outer layer of Cuijue Rock, and that it was not surprising that the leftover scraps were only fragments of Cuihan Rock.

The second piece of evidence came from documents from Mingxingzhai, proving that Croso had commissioned jewelry from Mingxingzhai under the name "Jadeite Double Phoenix Cloud Hairpin". Croso became even more arrogant, stating that this further proved he had used genuine jadeite to commission the hairpin, and that Yan Fei was framing him.

So Yanfei produced a third piece of evidence, namely a professional certificate for Atractylodes macrocephala, proving that Cuijueyan is harmful to the human body.

These three pieces of evidence were inextricably linked, immediately putting Crosso in a dilemma. If he admitted the hairpin was fake, he would have to pay a penalty of ten times the purchase price, amounting to approximately 50 million Mora. If he insisted the hairpin was genuine, he would be guilty of "illegally trafficking in dangerous substances," a charge with a minimum sentence of three years.

Faced with the choice between losing money and going to jail, Crosso finally knelt down and admitted that his hairpin was a fake made of Cuihan Rock. He then began to complain bitterly, saying that after buying Cuihan Rock at a high price, he carried it with him, but due to the influence of elemental power, he could not eat or sleep well. After seeking medical treatment at "Bubu Lu", he learned that Cuihan Rock was harmful to the human body and dared not actually take it out to make jewelry. He could only lock it in a specially made box that could isolate elemental power and keep it with him.

Klossor then recounted how difficult it had been for him to do business in Liyue since the winter solstice. He had gone to great lengths to acquire the rare Emerald Jadeite ore and meticulously designed the phoenix-and-cloud-borne design, fully expecting to make a fortune by crafting it into a hairpin. However, he soon discovered that Emerald Jadeite was a dangerous substance and difficult to sell. Unwilling to waste his investment, he became obsessed and crafted a fake hairpin using Emerald Jadeite of similar appearance and color, hoping to pass it off as the genuine article.

The scene of Crosso's tearful confession gave Han Fulai the feeling of watching a long-running detective anime in China, and he immediately wanted to complain, "Please add some background music by Katsuo Ohno, otherwise it just doesn't feel right!"

The compensation of fifty million Mora was indeed not something Crosso could afford all at once. However, despite Crosso's desperate pleas, Yanfei remained impartial and insisted that Crosso fulfill the compensation according to the contract—of course, Yanfei's reward of twenty million Mora was definitely not to be missed!

Zhiqiao seemed to feel sorry for him, so she helped Croso up and said that she could forgive Croso and that there was no need for so much compensation.

Yan Fei asked Zhi Qiao one last time to confirm, "Miss Zhi Qiao, are you willing to forgive Mr. Croso?"

Zhiqiao nodded and said, "I am willing to forgive Mr. Croso. However, Liyue is a kingdom of contracts. Mr. Croso has violated the contract and must still be punished. So please pay Miss Yanfei's compensation."

Kross was overjoyed. Although he couldn't come up with fifty million Mora, he could still scrape together ten million. So they agreed to use the Emerald Jadeite ore as compensation, and with the remaining funds, they made up the amount of Yanfei's reward.

At this moment, Zhiqiao changed the subject and made a suggestion: "Mr. Crosso, I have seen the design of your hairpin, and it is indeed very exquisite. I actually have quite a few gemstones at home that are suitable for being made into jewelry. If Mr. Crosso is willing, why don't we cooperate? With my minerals and your design, we will surely achieve great success in the field of jewelry."

After a moment's thought, Croso agreed to Zhiqiao's suggestion and began to discuss it with her.

Now that the clients had reached a settlement and the payment had been received, the case was closed for Yan Fei. Yan Fei, Han Fulai, and Zhi Qiao bid farewell and began their journey home.

In this incident, Yanfei successfully mediated the dispute and upheld justice. Zhiqiao, with the keen business acumen characteristic of Liyue merchants, seized the opportunity, establishing a long-term partnership with Klosso, sacrificing short-term gains for long-term benefits. Klosso avoided bankruptcy and imprisonment, and even gained new opportunities.

Overall, it was a happy ending for everyone.

If I hadn't made the bet with Mr. Han, it would have been a win-win situation for everyone. Unfortunately, it seems like I'm the only one who lost. Yan Fei thought to herself as she walked.

"Ahem." Han Fulai coughed lightly, breaking the silence. "Miss Yanfei, please sit over there for a while."

“Okay.” Yan Fei nodded and sat down with Han Fulai on a stone bench by the roadside. Her mind was replaying her conversation with Han Fulai at the firm—

"The truth is, Zhiqiao and Croso conspired to create a scam, and the person they were trying to scam was you, Miss Yanfei."

Yan Fei was genuinely surprised to hear this, but she believed that Han Fulai was not the type to speak carelessly. Although Han Fulai could be glib at times, his eyes were very serious when he said this.

"Mr. Han, what do you mean by this?" Yan Fei asked.

“I believe this is a scam targeting you, Miss Yanfei. I also have some suspicions about Zhiqiao and Croso’s motives, but I don’t have any concrete evidence right now,” Han Fulai said. “I know it’s hard for you to believe me if I’m just making things up, which is why I’m making this bet with you.”

"Then how do we verify the results?" Yan Fei continued to ask.

"It's very simple, Miss Yanfei. We'll proceed as planned later, expose Croso's forgery, and demand ten times the compensation. If I'm not mistaken, Zhiqiao won't take the money, and the two of them will even reconcile and form a cooperative relationship," Han Fulai said.

Yan Fei frowned and said, "Putting aside the fact that the possibility of Zhi Qiao exposing a fraud without asking for compensation is extremely slim, there's no way she could have any cooperation with Croso. Moreover, even if things really develop as you say, where have I suffered any losses?"

“I know Ms. Yanfei’s style of doing things. As a legal consultant, everything requires evidence. Right now, I don’t have any evidence, so it’s hard to convince you. Why don’t we witness the outcome together? If the outcome really develops as I expect, then at least it means that Ms. Zhiqiao’s ‘professional fraudster’ is not the whole truth. At that time, I will reveal the purpose of these two people, and you, Ms. Yanfei, can judge for yourself.” That was Han Fulai’s reply at the time.

Now, things have really developed exactly as Mr. Han predicted, and it's time to reveal the mystery.

Yan Fei thought for a moment and then said, "Mr. Han, please speak. I am really curious about why these two are doing this and what they are planning to do to deceive me."

"Hmm." Han Fulai nodded and said with a serious expression, "If my guess is correct, Croso is a spy sent to Liyue by the Winter Kingdom, and Zhiqiao is his contact. You are a shield used to provide cover for their subsequent activities."

At this point, Han Fulai hesitated for a moment, then asked somewhat awkwardly, "Um, is there a reward of 500,000 Mora for reporting spies in Liyue?"

Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Bystander Sees More

Yan Fei gave Han Fulai a strange look: "If it refers to commercial espionage, according to Article 219 of the Liyue Commercial Code, obtaining the rights holder's trade secrets by theft, bribery, coercion or other improper means is punishable by imprisonment for not less than three years and not more than seven years, in addition to a fine. You just need to report it to the General Affairs Department."

"No, no, I mean, doesn't Liyue have a National Security Bureau or anything like that, offering a reward of 500,000 Mora to capture the spies of the Fools of Winterland?" Han Fulai asked expectantly.

In Han Fulai's eyes, Croso was simply a walking 500,000.

Han Fulai had already witnessed the power of "Northern Chinese netizens" in China! Moreover, according to the game's storyline, Zhi Dong is about to turn against Li Yue. If he doesn't seize this opportunity to arrest a few people worth 500,000 now, once Li Yue officially breaks ties with Zhi Dong, it won't be his turn to arrest them!

Yanfei tilted her head and asked curiously, "What is the National Security Bureau? Although the Fools of Winterfell are known for their toughness among the Seven Kingdoms, they also went to the Lava Pit for disaster relief with the Thousand Rock Army some time ago. I haven't heard of any espionage activities. Of course, the Liyue Septally would not offer a bounty for their capture."

In addition, why is the bounty 500,000 Mora...? Although Yan Fei was puzzled, she did not ask, and instead asked a more important question: "Mr. Han, please continue to explain why Mr. Croso and Miss Zhiqiao are spies of the Winter Kingdom."