He changed Tiwat

So when the moment of parting ways arrives, even if he is mentally prepared, he still cannot control his heartache.

After the two confronted each other today, the apparent "fight without breaking down" is merely a temporary pretense and reconciliation; an insurmountable chasm has already formed in their hearts.

Han Fulai knew very well that "trust" was a luxury; being able to unconditionally believe in someone was the most extravagant thing in the world. He knew he shouldn't have such expectations.

However, not being able to do something doesn't mean one won't desire it.

If I could just fall asleep like this, and wake up to find that the date was all a dream, and Ningguang was still the Ningguang sister who could laugh and talk with him, how wonderful would that be?

At that moment, someone gently bit his shoulder.

He lowered his head slightly and saw Shen He lying on his chest, looking at him with a dissatisfied expression.

"Brother Han, what are you thinking about?"

"...Sorry, A-He, I'm just a little tired."

Han Fulai gently hugged Shen He, a deep sense of guilt welling up inside him. He already possessed the most precious treasure—a person who wholeheartedly believed in him and was always ready to reciprocate his trust.

Who said I time-traveled for nothing? He couldn't help but want to slap his past self from a minute ago.

Shen He gently drew circles on his chest with his finger. "If you're just 'a little' tired... does that mean you can still continue...?"

No man would say "I can't" in a situation like this.

Han Fulai gritted his teeth and told himself that since tomorrow was a holiday, he didn't need to get up early.

Across the corridor, Yan Fei silently memorized the rules in her room—

"...Article 58 of the Liyue Harbor Public Order Ordinance states that creating noise that disturbs the normal life of others is punishable by a fine of 20,000 to 50,000 Mora... Hmm, I'll raise the rent tomorrow..."

Han Fulai didn't wake up until late the next day.

It seems that Yan Fei took Shen He on a field trip, leaving the office empty except for him.

Breakfast was laid out on the table, and the food on the plates was arranged neatly, clearly showing Yan Fei's culinary skills.

There was a note under the plate, which, in addition to complaining about the noise he made while staying overnight and disturbing her rest, also subtly suggested that she could talk to him if she had any troubles.

Han Fulai could only silently apologize to Yan Fei in his heart, while also thanking her for her concern.

After having breakfast, Han Fulai changed his clothes and went out.

He originally wanted to go to "Chunxiang Kiln" to return the dress to Boss Ying'er... but in the end he kept the dress, just burying it in the deepest part of the wardrobe.

Some things, if you can't see them, just pretend they don't exist.

He went to Boss Ying'er to retrieve the set of casual clothes he had left at Chunxiang Kiln the day before, and then headed straight for the North Wharf of Liyue Harbor.

He wanted to find Uncle Tian.

After a night of feeling down, he spent some time sorting out his feelings and then enjoying a night of tenderness with Shen He. That was enough to give him a chance to regroup. He was determined to contact Uncle Tian today, no matter what.

What Ningguang is trying to do... let's put that aside for now. The news that "there is a traitor among the Liyue Seven Stars" is something he must take seriously.

If someone at the Seven Stars level were to truly collude with Pantalone, the harm they could cause would be unpredictable.

The only thing Han Fulai is certain of now is that if there is a traitor among the Seven Stars, then this traitor must have only recently begun cooperating with the Winter Solstice Kingdom.

The reasoning behind the judgment is quite simple: if the Seven Stars were colluding with Pantalone before the Lantern Festival, Pantalone wouldn't have needed to bomb the General Affairs Department; he could have simply asked the mole what he wanted to know.

But that is precisely why this matter is all the more serious and urgent.

The secret behind the Golden House's production halt, the Liyue National Bank's current reserves, the Liyue Thousand Rock Army's current military strength, and the development of its navy and air force—these are all classified information known to the entire Seven Stars. If these secrets were leaked to Pantalone—then Pantalone would have far too many cards to play!

If what Ningguang said is true, and the Rouran of Tianji Star is a traitor who has already cooperated with Pantalone... then he will not only be facing one Seven Star, but a vested interest group composed of three Seven Stars.

At the recent Seven Stars Conference, Kaiyang Star and Tianxuan Star were the biggest obstacles to the Qianyan Army's reforms. Moreover, Han Fulai clearly remembered that the reason these two finally agreed to the reform plan was because Rouran of Tianji Star nodded first, and they then followed suit and voted in favor.

The industries these three individuals are involved in, ranging from military to agriculture and forestry, are all vital to Liyue's national economy and people's livelihood. Furthermore, the luxury goods and entertainment industries represent a deeply entrenched network of relationships within Liyue's upper echelons. If these three were to defect to Winterfell, it could be said that Liyue would lose half its territory—and history has repeatedly shown Han Fulai that "fortresses are always breached from within."

When Han Fulai arrived at the North Wharf, he saw Uncle Tian sitting on a small boat, his fishing rod gently lifting a large black-backed bass about a foot long out of the water.

The black bass struggled frantically, seemingly about to escape the hook at any moment, but Uncle Tian flicked his wrist, and the black bass slid in an arc, landing precisely in the fish basket next to him!

Uncle Tian calmly rebaited the hook, then leisurely cast the line back into the water. His entire operation was as smooth as flowing water, which made Han Fulai stop and watch.

Han Fulai only stopped watching when Uncle Tian adopted a meditative posture, then remembered the purpose of his visit and quickly went forward to greet Uncle Tian.

"Brother Han is here, please have a seat." Uncle Tian seemed unsurprised by his arrival, and gestured to the small stool beside him.

Han Fulai then noticed that not only had an extra stool been placed next to Uncle Tian, ​​but there was also an extra fishing rod and a fish basket.

"Zhiyi just told me you were here, so I let him go ahead. It's not a good time for you two to meet now, is it?" Uncle Tian explained with a smile.

It seems that Uncle Tian was fishing with his disciple Zhiyi just now. But how come Zhiyi seems to have eyes in the back of his head while fishing? He didn't even see Zhiyi, but Zhiyi spotted him first and slipped away before him.

How can you expect to catch anything if you're so distracted while fishing? Han Fulai looked down at the fish basket at his feet—empty. Sure enough, the kid came back empty-handed again!

Han Fulai explained the forgery of Mora and the luminous marrow to Uncle Tian, ​​and added some of his deductions. Of course, he omitted the entanglement with Ningguang, and only said that it was something Ningguang had discovered.

After listening to his story, Uncle Tian simply nodded silently, then pointed to the fishing rod beside him: "Since Brother Han is here today, why don't you accompany this old man fishing for a while?"

Han Fulai had no idea what Uncle Tian was up to, but he hadn't come to see Uncle Tian for fun today, so he could only politely decline: "I've never fished before..."

Uncle Tian seemed to have anticipated his refusal, smiled, and said, "Fishing is a matter of some difficulty, others simple. Even beginners can find enjoyment in it. I prepared the fishing spot here long ago, the bait was prepared in advance, and the fishing rod is the 'Willing One' bestowed by the Emperor himself. Why not give it a try, Brother Han? I guarantee you'll have a good catch."

Judging from Uncle Tian's expression, fishing was out of the question. Oh well, after all, he was now in need of Uncle Tian's help. Han Fulai did as he was told and picked up the "Willing One" sword.

This "Willing Man" fishing rod is quite beautiful. It's four meters long, with an elegant and upright shape resembling bamboo joints, and its yellow and black color scheme is very similar to Zhongli's attire. To put it simply, this fishing rod exudes the feel of a "fishing marvel."

Uncle Tian gently guided him, teaching him how to bait the hook and cast the line.

Han Fulai awkwardly baited the hook, following Uncle Tian's instructions. He gripped the rod handle with his right hand, the tip pointing towards the fishing spot. His left thumb and forefinger held the sinker on the line, pulling it back slightly towards his body to bend the rod into an arc.

Once the fishing rod was perpendicular to the water, Han Fulai released the sinker from his left hand, while simultaneously raising his right hand to slightly extend the rod forward. In the instant the sinker sprang out, the hook, line, and rod formed a perfect straight line, accurately reaching the fishing spot, and the float fell into the water, slowly rising to its upright position.

"Young Master Han has quite a talent for fishing." Uncle Tian praised him generously, and Han Fulai was secretly pleased with himself.

Thirty minutes passed, but the fish still showed no signs of taking the bait, and Han Fulai was starting to get restless.

However, in those thirty minutes, Uncle Tian had already caught two more fish.

"Sigh...it seems I don't actually have a talent for fishing." Han Fulai sighed.

"What makes you say that, Brother Han?" Uncle Tian asked, his face full of disapproval.

"Look, I used the same bait as you, fished in a similar spot, and even used a better fishing rod, yet you've already caught two fish while I haven't caught anything..."

"Hehe, this happens occasionally. It's okay, let's wait another half hour and try again," Uncle Tian reassured him.

However, another half hour passed, and Han Fulai still hadn't caught anything.

"Brother Han, please be patient and wait another hour," Uncle Tian said, still maintaining his unhurried demeanor. His fish basket was already almost full.

Han Fulai, however, seemed to have figured something out and laughed.

"I'm not waiting any longer, I won't catch anything if I keep waiting."

"Oh?" Uncle Tian looked somewhat surprised.

“Actually, I should have noticed it much earlier—Zhiyi’s fish basket was empty. I’m a novice, but he isn’t. If the fishing spot was already prepared, the bait was the same, and the fishing rod was better, there’s no reason why Zhiyi wouldn’t catch any fish. The fishing spot you’re pointing to, there aren’t actually any fish there, are there?”

Uncle Tian was taken aback, then suddenly burst into laughter.

"As expected of Brother Han. I just wanted to test Zhiyi's patience; that's what that kid lacks. If there's anything else I want to teach him, it's probably to tell him that even I, as his master, might lie to him... That kid sat with me like an idiot for almost the whole morning, still thinking it was because his fishing skills were bad."

"Zhiyi would never want to doubt you..." Han Fulai said with a wry smile.

"That's why he should be suspicious. Just like you, Brother Han, also suspect Ningguang... Is there a disagreement between the two of you?" Uncle Tian asked with a smile.

"...Huh?" This time it was Han Fulai's turn to be stunned. He had never mentioned what happened between him and Ningguang.

“I heard that Brother Han and Ningguang are like siblings, and you said that Ningguang gave you the information… If you and Ningguang can cooperate, why would it be my turn, an old man who is about to retire, to intervene?” Uncle Tian sighed. “I won’t ask what happened between you and Ningguang, and I doubt you would want to say.”

He paused, then said, "Of course, overseeing the Seven Stars is the duty of Tian Shu Star, and I'm willing to help you... My suggestion is to wait."

"Wait?" Han Fulai tilted his head.

“Yes, it’s all about waiting.” Uncle Tian gently shook the fishing rod in his hand. “I’ve been able to sit in this position on Tian Shu Star for decades because of this one word: ‘wait.’”

Seeing Han Fulai's puzzled expression, Uncle Tian smiled and said, "If the snipe and the clam don't fight, how can the fisherman profit? The most important thing in fishing is patience."

“That makes sense… but I’m afraid the longer it drags on, the worse it will be for the situation,” Han Fulai said thoughtfully.

“We’ll have to wait,” Uncle Tian said in a deep voice. “Do you know how many reports I receive about the Seven Stars every year? I’ve also heard about the case of the Scholar Mao that you handled, Brother Han. According to Liyue’s laws, it could implicate at least three of the Seven Stars. What did Ningguang do back then?”

She used that incident as leverage for blackmail... Han Fulai answered in his heart.

"I'm not bragging, but no one who can become a Seven Star is simple. They all have powerful backing, and their actions can have far-reaching consequences. If a small incident could bring down a Seven Star, wouldn't the Seven Stars be replaced every year?"

Treason and collusion with the enemy are not things that can be done "just because something happened." Han Fulai silently complained in his heart, but he quickly remembered that Mao Cai Gong's crime was also treason and collusion with the enemy... The evidence against Mao Cai Gong was conclusive, and there was both witnesses and physical evidence of his affair with the Seven Stars, but the Seven Stars still stood firm.

"On another note, Brother Han just said he was going to check on the 'Pearl Pavilion.' Do you really think you'll be able to find any clues if you go?" Uncle Tian asked again.

Han Fulai hesitated for a moment, then shook his head, “...I’m afraid it’s not that simple.”

"Zhudianfang" is Rouran territory, and after years of operation, it has become an impenetrable fortress. In fact, if Ningguang could find evidence from "Zhudianfang," with her intelligence network, she would probably already have irrefutable proof, so why would she need to make a deal with Han Fulai?

“You can go, but don’t go with the intention of exploring. Just treat it as a trip,” Uncle Tian said.

"Oh?" Han Fulai blinked.

"Just think of tomorrow's trip to the 'Pearl Boat' as a 'fishing trip'."

"'Spinning rod'?"

"Brother Han, you're notorious in the eyes of the Winter Solstice people now. Your sudden arrival at the 'Pearl-Inlaid Boat' will surely arouse suspicion if the Rouran are truly colluding with the Fools. They'll definitely investigate whether you know anything you shouldn't. Even if they don't investigate, the Fools who are cooperating with you will," Uncle Tian said with a smile.

"Uncle Tian is using me as bait," Han Fulai laughed.

Uncle Tian nodded.

"It's like fishing. Fishing is a battle of offense and defense between the fish and the angler. The fish are nowhere to be found in the water; the angler holds the rod and waits for the change. When the hook enters the water, the surface will eventually be disturbed, and the fish will also notice the bait underwater. But the fish will not take the bait easily; they will observe and test... You see."

Uncle Tian gestured to Han Fulai to look at the water. Han Fulai turned his head and saw that his fishing float had started to bob up and down.

He was about to pull up the fishing rod when Uncle Tian stopped him.

"At this point, you have to 'wait'."

The fishing float bobbed for a short while, then suddenly returned to stillness.

"As time goes by, the situation evolves, and your opponent's actions can create opportunities for you at any time," Uncle Tian said slowly.

The fishing float suddenly sank sharply downwards.

"Now!"

Han Fulai and Uncle Tian pulled up the fishing rod together, and a huge, plump golden blackback bass was thrashing about on the hook.

Uncle Tian helped him unhook the fish and put it into Han Fulai's fish basket.

“I told you from the beginning, I guarantee you’ll gain something.” Uncle Tian winked at him.

"But isn't there no fish at this fishing spot?" Han Fulai asked, puzzled.

“When you cast your line, there were indeed no fish. But if you wait long enough, the fish will swim away… My fishing spot isn’t far from yours.” Uncle Tian shook the fishing rod beside him, and Han Fulai then realized that Uncle Tian had put his fishing rod away while he was talking to him.

“‘Those who break their vows, take up the rod.’” Uncle Tian patted the rod that read “Those who break their vows.” “When the Emperor bestowed this fishing rod upon me, he told me these six words. He said that only those who are willing to break their vows are qualified to hold this fishing rod.”

As he spoke, he shoved the fish basket into Han Fulai's hands.

"See, Lord Yan will not let those who bear the contract leave empty-handed."

Chapter 72 Will those old vermilion gates still stand a thousand years later? [4k]

The following day, Han Fulai went to the Qunyu Pavilion and received the invitation to the "Pearl-Inlaid Boat" prepared by Ningguang.

He then went to the North Wharf of Liyue Harbor again, but this time he was not looking for Uncle Tian, ​​but a boatman named Ping Hai.

Following the route Ningguang had given him, Han Fulai wandered around the dock for a long time before finally spotting the boatman next to a simple dock pier.

Pinghai was a dark-skinned middle-aged man who wore a straw hat. He was unremarkable in appearance and stood out among the fishermen at the dock. If he had anything special about him, it was that he always stood alone in the wind, keeping a distance from the other fishermen, and seemed to be an outsider.

When Han Fulai greeted him, Pinghai merely adjusted his straw hat slightly, appearing indifferent: "If you want to go out to sea or go fishing, go find those guys. I'm not like them."

Han Fulai didn't bother arguing with him. He took out Ningguang's invitation from his pocket and waved it in front of him.

"I want to go to the 'Pearl Pavilion'."

Although Pinghai did not know Han Fulai, he recognized the "Jiheng Yizuo" symbolizing the Tianquan star on the invitation.

Pinghai's demeanor changed instantly, and he hurriedly nodded and bowed, saying, "I was blind and neglected you, esteemed guest. So you really are the master going to the 'Pearl-Inlaid Boat'. Come, please board the ship."

As Pinghai spoke, he quickly set up the boat planks and served Han Fulai very warmly as he boarded the boat.

His small boat looked no different from other fishing boats on the outside, but its interior was a completely different world. Beaded curtains hung at both ends of the cabin, and the interior decoration was quite exquisite. There was a table and a couch in the cabin. On the table were fine wines and incense, and on the couch were fresh flowers and brocade. Just this small boat used to receive guests was enough to make one imagine the luxurious scene that must have been on the "Pearl-Inlaid Boat".