He changed Tiwat

Then he activated the power of the demonic remnants within his body. A beam of light burst forth from his palm, illuminating the bottom of the pit. The ores began to vibrate and tremble, and then—the ores at the bottom of the pit disappeared, turning into a pile of small gray particles.

"Huff..." Han Fulai took a breath and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Although the whole process was somewhat like alchemy, and Han Fulai didn't know the specific principles, it was successful, just like the results of his private experiments.

He successfully obtained fertilizer—superphosphate. This is, of course, a type of phosphate, and also a type of fertilizer.

According to his experiments, he can directly generate basic or common salt compounds, such as table salt, baking soda, and limestone, using his powers. However, for things like chemical fertilizers, which are quite uncommon for him, he needs to collect the necessary materials to refine them.

This may be related to the fact that the power of the demon god within him is not complete, or there may be other reasons—this remains to be studied further.

Furthermore, "hand-rubbing fertilizer" is also quite strenuous for him, consuming far more energy than "hand-rubbing salt." Based on his calculations, refining one kilogram of fertilizer requires the energy of producing about one hundred kilograms of salt. Clearly, even if he were completely exhausted, he couldn't produce enough fertilizer for the transformation of Guiliyuan, but he hadn't originally planned to rely entirely on hand-rubbing anyway.

The industrial system of Fontaine and the Celestial Academy of Arts in Liyue will both be needed. If he does it all himself, wouldn't the funding be wasted?

The ore is readily available, and sulfuric acid can be calcined. As long as there is suitable industrial equipment and production process, fertilizer can be made.

“This is the fertilizer I was talking about.” Han Fulai pointed to the gray particles at the bottom of the pit. “Burial these things in the soil for a period of time as basic fertilizer, then water them. These acidic fertilizers will decompose and neutralize the alkalinity in the soil. Hmm, it’s like an evaporation reaction in elemental reactions. When water and fire meet, the fire goes out and the water evaporates and disappears.”

He asked Shen He to help fill in the pit, leaving only a small pit suitable for planting flowers.

Then he picked up a seed and put it into the small hole.

"These are seeds of the glass lily. Let's plant one now and wait a few days."

As Han Fulai spoke, he took a gardening shovel, covered the seeds of the glass lily with soil, and then watered them.

Keqing watched him work in silence until he finished, then she spoke up: "I know what you mean by the 'drawback' of 'chemical improvement'... it's the cost, right?"

"Lord Keqing has keen insight," Han Fulai praised. "The reason this method is not the first choice is mainly because the production cost of chemical fertilizers is relatively high. At least the cost of using chemical fertilizers to change the soil quality of Guiliyuan is far greater than the value of the grain that Guiliyuan can produce."

"But your idea is to cultivate a piece of land in Guili Plain that has been treated with chemical fertilizers, so as to quickly highlight the role and value of chemical fertilizers. This is like a business losing money to gain publicity, investing in the early stage for a big sale later, right?"

Ke Qing is, after all, a businesswoman, and having spent a long time with Han Fulai, she can now understand his way of thinking.

"Lady Keqing is incredibly intelligent!" Han Fulai praised Keqing without reservation.

“The construction of the ‘Guili New District’ ​​requires a great deal of manpower. Although we have a plan to revitalize Guili Plains, it is people who will execute the plan. This is a piece of land that has been abandoned for more than a thousand years. Even if the call from the Liyue Sept or the promulgation of relevant policies to support it is difficult to get the people of Liyue to join the transformation plan of Guili Plains.”

"But if they see crops growing again on land that couldn't grow crops before, their enthusiasm for production will be greatly increased."

"What does the cost matter if it can make this wasteland bloom with glass lilies again?"

Of course, Han Fulai didn't say the second half of his sentence—"As for costs, don't we have four trillion yuan?"

Half a month later, the seed that Han Fulai had just planted sprouted into a red glass lily.

Chapter 105 Cannons and Butter [4k5]

Merchants in winter always give the impression of being "furry" because they usually wrap themselves up tightly in gray fur coats.

Even in a warm place like Liyue, the clothing of Winter Merchants is usually predominantly gray and black. From an aesthetic point of view, this undoubtedly gives a dark impression.

People who haven't been to Zhidong will find it hard to understand the taste of the people of Zhidong in terms of clothing.

But Zhiyi understands now.

In a country where everything is a vast expanse of white snow, any bright color would be too dazzling.

A person dressed in Liyue attire appeared in Winter Solstice, standing out like a firefly in the night.

So soon after Zhiyi fled to the Winter Kingdom, the Fools appeared before him.

To be honest, this undoubtedly saved his life. Although this development was within his expectations, he couldn't help but feel fortunate for the efficiency of the Fools' actions.

Because if the Fools had found him any later, he might have frozen to death on the snowfield.

The harsh cold of the North is not something that ordinary people can withstand, especially without adequate warm clothing.

In order to gain the trust of the foolish masses and make it seem as if his defection was a last resort, Zhiyi put on a complete show—he didn't prepare any luggage.

After his plot to poison Tian Shu Xing was exposed, Zhi Yi was pursued by Ye Lan's subordinates and the Qian Yan Army, and fled into the territory of Zhi Dong Kingdom in a very sorry state.

In Liyue, everyday clothes are practically equivalent to being naked in the winter climate.

Hunger and cold quickly took away his strength, and just when he was about to give up, a group of Fools soldiers appeared in time, draped a gray fur coat over him, and forced him to drink a mouthful of "fire water".

After several twists and turns, he arrived here—the headquarters of the Northern Bank.

He was sitting in the reception room. The reception room was spacious, but he was alone. There was no hot tea or refreshments. The fireplace was unlit, and he seemed to have been abandoned in the reception room.

Zhiyi took a deep breath of the cold air, hoping it would help him stay calm. He had to remain calm because what awaited him was an "interview" that would determine his life or death.

After an unknown amount of time, the door to the reception room opened, and a member of the Fools appeared before him.

"Come with me." The man looked down at him as if he were looking at a pebble on the roadside.

Zhiyi displayed a degree of tension and unease, along with a hint of arrogance. This was consistent with his unease as a defector and his pride as a former successor of the Seven Stars.

He stood up with composure and walked out of the reception room first.

Then he turned his head and said two words—"Lead the way."

This deliberate coldness was merely an observation of him.

The intelligence he carried deserved appropriate treatment; acting too humbly would diminish his standing in the other party's eyes. Zhiyi was well aware that the moment he stepped into the territory of the Winter Kingdom, he was already under their observation.

The trials they began the moment the Fools rescued him. They even subjected him to some form of torture before bringing him here—ensuring his life while constantly putting him under mental pressure. Sometimes they deprived him of sleep, sometimes they withheld food, leaving him exhausted.

He only kept repeating that he had important information to share with the executor of the Fools, specifically mentioning "the rich man," without revealing any other specific details. His identity, background, and manner of behavior were enough to pique the other party's curiosity.

Among the Executors, the "rich man" who has been keeping an eye on Liyue is the one who understands his value best—provided that the information he can provide is indeed valuable enough.

A roaring fire burned in the manager's office, making the room warm and cozy.

The renowned general manager of the Northern Bank, the ninth executive of the Fools, "The Rich Man" Pantalone, sat at his large desk, head down, intently working on something. Even when Zhiyi was brought into the room, he did not stop what he was doing.

He was spreading butter on the bread in his hand with a knife. According to Pantalone's habit, the butter should be spread evenly on the bread slice, not too much and not too little, to ensure that he could enjoy the deliciousness of the butter with every bite, while not diluting the wheat aroma of the bread with too much butter.

His subordinates usually couldn't grasp the nuances, so he had to do it himself most of the time.

For a banker, a sense of proportion is crucial. Knowing when to invest more and when to cut losses—that's what a sense of proportion is. For this most successful banker on the continent of Teyvat, this almost innate judgment was the key to his success.

Maintaining adequate energy intake helps him maintain such calm judgment at all times. So even though it's not mealtime, Pantalone still eats a light work snack to ensure his body is in optimal condition.

Zhiyi entered the manager's office and saw this scene.

Pantalone didn't even look up; he simply pointed his knife at him.

"Please sit down, Mr. Zhiyi."

Zhiyi nodded, and without any formalities, sat down directly opposite Pantalone.

"You said you had important intelligence and insisted on speaking with me in person. Now you can tell me."

After Pantalone finished speaking, he took a bite of his buttered bread. Eating while talking to someone is undoubtedly impolite, but it depends on whether the other person is worthy of such courtesy.

If a person has no value, then there is no need to treat them with courtesy.

As for Zhiyi's current value, it is still unknown. He could be an important source of intelligence, or a worthless traitor... or even a 'suicide spy' sent by Liyue. In fact, there are two intelligence reports on Pantarone's table, one from Andre, the manager of the Liyue Northern Bank, and the other from his collaborator within Liyue.

“Lord Pantarone, before I reveal the information, I have a small request. I request that I be treated commensurate with this information—I want to serve as your second-in-command and exact revenge on those arrogant and ignorant Liyue people. I have heard that you share the same desire,” Zhiyi said.

Pantalone shook his head. “'Time is money,' my friend. We don’t have much time to waste. Even if I promise you here, what makes you think I will keep my promise? What I give you, or what I don’t give you, is all a gift from Her Majesty the Queen.”

“After hearing this information, you will agree,” Zhiyi said without wavering.

“You tell me first, and I’ll consider it.” Pantalone remained noncommittal, continuing to eat his buttered bread.

As a defector, he was at a complete disadvantage in negotiations, a fact that Zhiyi was well aware of. He had to make some concessions.

Zhiyi slowly began to speak: "I think you know that I was once the executor of Ambassador Yusupov's 'Qingxupu Redevelopment Plan'. The failure of that plan has led to my current position sitting in front of you."

Pantalone simply raised her face and glanced at him.

"But that plan wasn't a complete failure. I'll tell you, 'The method for making Mora is buried beneath the ruins of Qingxupu.'"

"What's buried down there?" Pantalone asked in a flat tone.

"The remains of an ancient rock-type demon god. With it, the Golden House can resume production; with it, you too can possess the Golden House," Zhiyi replied.

“Good intelligence.” Pantalone reached out, picked up a piece of paper from the table, and waved it in front of him. It was intelligence provided to him by his collaborators in Liyue.

“But you’re too late. I now know not only what lies beneath Qingxupu, but also that you conspired with Theofan to kill Yusupov. Unfortunately, this information is not even enough to atone for your crime of murdering the ambassador of Zhidong.”

Pantalone's slender eyes stared intently at Zhiyi through his glasses, and Zhiyi's lips curled up in a smile.

Zhiyi raised his hand and tapped his forehead.

“Then I have a second piece of information. Information that is enough to offset Yusupov’s death.”

“Please speak,” Pantalone said with a smile.

"The information about the Qingxupu Ruins is a trap. That sentence was given to you by Han Fulai from Yuehaiting."

"He used the evidence of poisoning Tian Shu Xing as leverage to coerce you into bringing me that previous intelligence?" Pantalone asked.

“Yes. And he also wants me to act as a spy to report the Fatui’s actions back to Liyue,” Zhiyi replied calmly.

“Oh, so it was indeed Deputy Minister Han’s scheme.” Pantalone nodded and put down the bread in his hand.

"He also said that even if you knew it was a trap, you would still do anything to get what's in the Qingxupu Ruins," Zhiyi continued.

"What were the conditions that Deputy Minister Han agreed to?" Pantalone asked with great interest.

"He said that if the plan succeeded, he would let me return to China to work on Tian Shu Xing."

"You went so far as to poison and murder your own teacher for the position of Tian Shu Star, why are you betraying him now?"

"Because he can't possibly keep this agreement; the position of Tian Shu Star can't be given to a traitor." Zhi Yi shrugged.

Pantalone's smile grew even wider.

"Then what makes you think I would trust a traitor like you?"

"Because you need me, this double agent."

Zhiyi stared directly at Pantalone.

Pantalone nodded.

"Very good, your life is saved."

Zhiyi breathed a sigh of relief; he had already passed half of this life-or-death "interview".

“Next, I need you to demonstrate your value,” Pantalone continued.

Zhiyi sat upright and solemnly answered.

Pantalone tapped her fingers lightly on the table.

"The enactment of a new monetary policy and the allowance of exchanging counterfeit currency for real currency is the first step in that Deputy Minister Han's plan. He is provoking us to cause a run on the Liyue National Bank."

“If you decide to launch a counterfeit currency run, he will block the Northern Bank’s currency transportation routes, forcing you to use your moles planted in Liyue. This is the second step of the plan,” Zhiyi interjected.

"He anticipated that I would use the counterfeit currency run as a pretext to actually target the Qingxu Pool Ruins—he dared to set this trap and was confident that he wouldn't repeat the mistakes of the Lantern Festival... This means he has already joined forces with the Liyue immortals, right?"

Pantalone's fingers tapped rhythmically on the desk, the sound seemingly urging Zhiyi to answer.

“I’m not 100% sure, but I think that’s right. If you take the third step, it’s like stepping into an open pocket.” Zhiyi nodded slightly.

"What he actually wants is my investment. He takes as much as I invest. He's betting that I will never give up on my plan to build a 'golden house' in Zhidong. That's his fourth step. He's retaliating against my initial 'four-step kill'."

Pantalone smiled and adjusted his silver-rimmed glasses.

"Mr. Zhiyi, if I really don't want to give up the 'Golden House,' what should I do?"

Zhiyi lowered his head slightly, recalling the last words his teacher, Tian Shu Xing Yuntian, had said to him before he set off—

"Zhiyi, remember this: when you return to Liyue next time, I will personally greet you... or perhaps, I will personally kill you."

“Let’s take control of Liyue. If Liyue is ours, then the ‘Golden House’ is ours too.”

"Oh?" Pantalone's narrow eyes behind his glasses suddenly opened, a glint of light flashing in them.

"Liyue is currently facing internal strife. As far as I know, there is a power struggle between Tianquan and Tianji, while my teacher... the current Tianshu and Yuheng stars are on the side of a third party, ready to intervene at any time. Which side are you betting on?"

Pantalone clapped his hands with a smile, "Investing is always risky. If you want to make a sure profit, the best way is called 'risk hedging'."

“…Tianquan Star, Ningguang.” Zhiyi uttered these five words.

"Hehe, no matter who I bet on, I don't want to miss out on a single penny of the profits I'm entitled to," Pantalone chuckled. "Mr. Zhiyi, I wonder if you could give me a little surprise?"

"Destroy the Qingxu Ruins and recover as much Mora as possible. After all, I sat in the position of successor on Tian Shu for a few days, and I happen to know that Ningguang is printing a large number of Liyue coins." Zhiyi's tone was cold.

"Cut off any possibility of the 'Golden House' resuming production, and then try to control as much Mora as possible—because this will strike at the Liyue National Bank's 'Liyue currency—Mora' system."

"How do I do it?" Pantalone unscrewed the cap of the ink bottle on the table, picked up a quill pen, and put it into the ink bottle.