He changed Tiwat

Out of respect for the immortals, the villagers of Qingce Village generally do not disturb them—besides, the small lake, which doesn't even have a single fish, is of little value anyway.

But this is merely a superficial appearance.

In fact, there is indeed something strange in this clear lake; rather, the entire lake is the embodiment of that strange thing.

The Rouran traveled a long way in the rain to come to this secret place, but only to do one very simple thing.

He dipped the tip of the "Salt Sorrow" spear into the lake water and then unleashed its power.

A trace of blood suddenly appeared in the clear lake water.

The crimson color slowly spread and sank.

The Rouran put away their spears and turned away.

Shortly after he left, the calm lake surface suddenly churned, and a voice echoed from the water—

"Who broke the seal that allowed me to sleep peacefully? Was it an assassin from my homeland, or someone who dared to disturb the waters of Qingce?"

Her voice echoed across the empty lake, but no one responded.

Rouran paused for a moment on the mountain road, his eyes looking south, towards Guiliyuan.

"Where in this world is there an impregnable seal... or an impregnable riverbank?"

Chapter 365 After the lightning came the thunder [4k]

"It's raining again! Lord Yan, please have mercy and let the rain stop soon, the wall of legal codes can't get damp."

Yan Fei clasped her hands together and prayed to the heavens.

Few people were in the winding corridor. With the recent rainy weather, tourists had lost interest in admiring the flowers on the Jade Capital Terrace. Now, apart from Yan Fei and Granny Ping, the only other person in the pavilion was Mr. Zhongli, the guest of the Hall of Rebirth.

Mr. Zhongli leisurely picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said, "Even the Rock King has things he can't do. The legendary Rock King Emperor may have a dragon-like body, but he doesn't control the clouds and rain. It's no use asking him for help."

Yan Fei turned around, put her hands on her hips, and puffed out her cheeks: "I was just saying it casually, Mr. Zhongli, why are you so old-fashioned? Sometimes I even suspect that you used to be a legal consultant!"

In Yan Fei's opinion, only legal consultants would nitpick over words like that.

The entries in the legal code are different from those in ordinary books; every word and phrase is carefully considered, and a single mistake can lead to a completely different result. Because of her years of studying the legal code, Yan Fei has also developed a habit of being "overly meticulous."

During conversations, Yanfei always tries her best to eliminate ambiguity and loopholes in her words, which makes her seem a little long-winded—but this time she met Mr. Zhongli, who was even more long-winded than her.

“Well, although I have never been a legal consultant, I do know a little about Liyue’s laws. Our Hall of Rebirth is all about human relationships. Sometimes legal principles and human relationships conflict, and sometimes they are compatible. Studying the law is also beneficial to the work of the Hall of Rebirth. This can be described as ‘understanding the ways of the world is knowledge, and being adept at human relationships is literature.’”

Zhongli stroked the teacup, his movements like a retired old man touching a thermos filled with goji berries, reminiscing about his glorious past.

"Oh?" Yan Fei's eyes lit up.

Yanfei had always been curious about Mr. Zhongli's background, and had tried to subtly inquire about him with Granny Ping several times, but Granny Ping always managed to steer the conversation away from him. This time, however, Zhongli had run into her on his own, so Yanfei was naturally intrigued.

"Then... what is Article 6, Section 3 of Chapter 27 of the Liyue Commercial Code?" Yanfei asked.

"It's the partnership agreement, specifically the 'Profit Distribution and Loss Sharing' clause. Profit distribution and loss sharing shall be handled according to the partnership agreement; if the partnership agreement does not stipulate this or the stipulation is unclear, it shall be decided by the partners through negotiation; if negotiation fails, the partners shall distribute and share profits and losses according to their actual capital contributions; if the capital contribution ratio cannot be determined, the partners shall distribute and share profits and losses equally..."

Yan Fei's eyes widened even more; Zhong Li's answer was completely correct.

Zhongli maintained his calm tone, yet he recited the legal provisions without the slightest hesitation, as if he had memorized them all.

What kind of "knowing a little" is this? The Liyue Business Codex is a huge book as thick as two bricks. Even professional legal consultants rarely know it as easily as he does. Besides, the one she tested Zhongli on was the new version that Ningguang just revised last year.

Zhongli, you even said you've never been a legal consultant!

Yan Fei began to recall the most difficult case she had ever encountered in her career, and she prepared to try Zhong Li again.

Grandma Ping then spoke up: "Yanfei, I remember you told me when you came that you put some ancient books out to dry on the balcony today?"

"Oh no!" Yanfei tapped her head. "I completely forgot! Grandma, I have to go back right now."

It had been raining heavily in Liyue for two days, but this morning the sun finally came out, and Yanfei took the opportunity to take her collection of books to the balcony to air them out in the sun. Although she had put up a rain shelter before going out to visit Grandma Ping, if the rain continued to pour, the books would inevitably suffer. Judging from the rain, it was indeed time to go back and collect the books.

"You silly child... Here you go." Grandma Ping casually handed Yan Fei an umbrella. Yan Fei thanked her and ran off in a hurry.

Grandma Ping then turned to Zhongli, her voice tinged with reproach: "You, you, now I'm going to be pestered by Yanfei with all sorts of questions again."

Zhongli looked completely innocent. "I just have a very good memory. Ge Chen... no, Ping'er, you can handle it yourself."

"Sigh..." Grandma Ping sighed as she looked at the rain dripping from the eaves. "This rain is making me feel uneasy. Originally, with Maxius's resurrection and Xiao's 'karma' suppressed, we should all get together to celebrate, but I'm afraid we won't have the time."

"Friendship is something that can withstand the test of time, so there's no need to rush it," Zhongli said with a smile. "In a few months, it will be the 'Moon Chasing Festival,' which was originally a day for immortals to seek the path to immortality, but now it has also become a festival for people to visit relatives and friends, hasn't it?"

Grandma Ping raised an eyebrow. "Does the Emperor mean that we immortals don't need to intervene?"

"No need. I believe they can handle it." Zhongli nodded. "How can you see a rainbow without going through wind and rain?"

He glanced in the direction of Yuehai Pavilion and put down his teacup.

"It seems I should go."

As they were speaking, the other person had already disappeared.

Before long, a beautiful woman with white hair slowly walked out from the other end of the corridor.

"Ningguang has met the True Lord of Gechenlang City."

Grandma Ping waved her hand, "Tianquan Star, there's no need for such formalities. Please speak freely."

“I have come to apologize to the True Lord.” Ningguang showed an apologetic expression, took out a gift box and said, “There has been some disturbance on the Jade Capital Platform recently, which may disturb the True Lord’s cultivation. Ningguang has prepared a few ounces of fine tea to apologize to you.”

"This old woman has lived in the world for a long time and is used to everything. She no longer cares about anything."

Grandma Ping pondered for a moment, then accepted the gift Ningguang offered, adding, "I believe you know your limits."

Ningguang nodded. "Please rest assured, True Lord. I understand the Emperor's meaning. Liyue will not act rashly."

Grandma Ping took off her reading glasses, bent down to wipe them, and said softly, "Ningguang... I said back then that you could come to my school to learn the Dao, and that still stands."

Ningguang smiled gently, "Thank you for your kind words, True Lord. However... Ningguang seeks a different path."

Yan Fei hurried as fast as she could and finally arrived at her doorstep.

At that moment, a bolt of lightning ripped through the sky, and Yan Fei instinctively covered her ears.

"Oh dear, it's going to thunder."

Thunder rumbled.

"Woo-woo-wah!"

A startled scream came from Gan Yu's office, a childish and adorable sound, but of course, it wasn't Gan Yu's voice.

"Sister Gan Yu, I... I'll cover your ears for you. If you're scared, just hold my hand tightly."

The little girl in the green vest jumped onto Gan Yu's lap and covered Gan Yu's ears with her little hands. Gan Yu hugged her, both amused and exasperated, thinking that Yao Yao was still just a child.

This child is clearly afraid of thunder and wants to be held, but he speaks in a caring tone, I wonder who he learned that from—probably some very talkative crane.

Among all the immortals, the True Lord of Songchenlang City has the most connections with mortals. She has many disciples, the youngest of whom is named Yaoyao, the little girl sitting on Gan Yu's lap now.

Grandma Ping usually takes on lay disciples like Xiangling, but Yaoyao has a deep affinity for the immortals and is quite intelligent, so Grandma Ping considered passing on the orthodox immortal path to her. Originally, Yaoyao was supposed to go to the mountain to cultivate, like Shenhe, and be taught by the immortals of Liyue. However, Yaoyao is still young and doesn't want to be separated from her parents for too long, so Grandma Ping is not in a hurry.

Yao Yao is intelligent and eager to learn. In addition, she is gentle, considerate, sincere and generous. Not only does Grandma Ping favor her, but her senior sister Xiang Ling and other elders also love and care for her. Of course, Gan Yu, her older sister, is the same.

Grandma Ping has acquaintances all over Liyue. She had already informed everyone that her disciple's skills were not yet up to par, and asked them to take care of her if they met her outside.

Her original intention was simply to introduce her disciple to everyone and ask her peers to teach Yao Yao more, hoping that she would learn and think more. Unexpectedly, Yao Yao, this well-behaved and considerate child, was so lovable that Liu Yun Jie Feng Zhenjun took it to heart as soon as he heard about it. He not only gave Yao Yao the "Laurel" amulet for protection, but also asked Gan Yu, as her older sister, to take good care of Yao Yao on a daily basis.

Liu Yun has two disciples. One of them works overtime at Yuehai Pavilion every day and is rarely seen. The other is even more like an immortal than Liu Yun herself. She doesn't know anything about housework, let alone taking care of her master. Moreover, she has now found a husband, so she will probably visit her "parents' home" less often in the future.

The old crane, now living alone, was hoping that Yao Yao, his "warm little cotton-padded jacket," would spend more time with her in the future. If Gan Yu wanted to get closer to Yao Yao, it would be the old crane trying to make her presence felt in Yao Yao's presence, hoping that Yao Yao would stay at her Aozang Mountain when she went to cultivate in the mountains.

Gan Yu, of course, wouldn't expose her master's little scheme. She also liked Yao Yao, so she gave Yao Yao special permission to enter and leave Yuehai Pavilion, claiming that she was the child of an acquaintance in the General Affairs Department who had been entrusted to her care.

Yao Yao is just too sensible; afraid of disturbing her work, she rarely comes to see her. Even when she does come, her first words to Yue Haiting's secretaries are always, "Please take good care of Sister Gan Yu, older brothers and sisters." The secretaries privately remark that they don't know who the real "older sister" is.

Yao Yao came over today; according to her, it was a "surprise inspection."

"Aunt Liuyun sent a message to Yaoyao saying that Sister Ganyu has a lot of work and doesn't know how to take good care of herself. Before, there was that brother surnamed Han around to keep an eye on her, but now Brother Han has been taken away by Sister Shenhe, and she has to work outside with Sister Keqing every day. There is no one to take care of Sister Ganyu, which is really worrying. So Aunt Liuyun asked Yaoyao to check if Sister Ganyu is eating properly."

Gan Yu, who had been working overtime and forgot to eat, had no choice but to stop her work and eat the refreshing pastries that Yao Yao had brought in front of her.

—And in her mind, she shot a certain crane into two pieces of poultry. Well, she's a vegetarian, she doesn't kill living beings, and she only thinks about poultry.

Another flash of lightning streaked across the window, and Gan Yu covered Yao Yao's ears.

Yao Yao blinked her eyes, and a few seconds later, another clap of thunder sounded.

"Sister Ganyu, why does lightning always come with thunder?" Yaoyao asked.

"Because lightning and thunder actually happen at the same time, it's just that lightning travels faster and sound travels slower, so we see the lightning first and then we can hear the thunder," Gan Yu patiently explained. "Many things are like this; they have actually already happened, but by the time people realize the truth, it's already too late."

Yao Yao looked at Gan Yu blankly and shook her head. "Yao Yao didn't understand."

Gan Yu smiled and said, "You'll understand when you grow up."

Lightning is followed by thunder; this is the way of nature.

If the tax evasion case at Yaoguang Saltworks was a flash of lightning, then what's happening now on Yujing Terrace is the thunder that those with ulterior motives have been waiting for.

At the Seven Stars Conference, Tian Shu Xing Yun Tian presented a secret letter written by Tian Xuan Xing Song Zu Tao, alleging that he had close ties with the Fatui Clan's executive officer "Rich Man," and that he was colluding with foreign powers to use bulk commodities to exploit Mora in Liyue.

Ningguang also produced evidence that the Song family members had previously collaborated with the Fools to help them acquire Liyue's strategic resources such as Amber, leaving Tianxuanxing speechless.

Faced with this sudden attack, Kaiyang Star firmly stood on Tianxuan Star's side and questioned the evidence. Surprisingly, Tianji Star, who was on good terms with them, remained silent.

Ultimately, the Seven Stars Council passed the impeachment motion against Tianxuan Star and launched an investigation into Tianxuan Star's collusion with the Fools.

No sooner had one wave subsided than another arose. The day after the impeachment proceedings began, Tianquanxing Ningguang was assassinated.

Ningguang was assassinated while inspecting the arsenal where the Returning Machines were being manufactured.

Following the Battle of Bazha, Liyue began a military buildup plan under Ningguang's leadership. The replicas of the Final Dawn that played a crucial role in the Battle of Bazha were planned to be used to arm Liyue's new navy and air force.

As Liyue's primary weapon, the armory that manufactures the Grimm is kept extremely secret. The factory is personally led and managed by Kaiyang, who is in charge of the logistics of the Thousand Rock Army. It is theoretically impossible for an assassin to infiltrate it.

But Ningguang's assassination attempt happened in a heavily guarded arsenal, and the poison used was a potent poison from Winter.

That day, after Ningguang finished her inspection, she drank the tea offered by the factory steward. She immediately collapsed from the poisoning, but fortunately, the poisoning was not severe. She was saved by her attendants.

The factory manager involved was immediately arrested, and a packet of poison was found on him, which was identical in texture to the poison in the tea.

According to this person's confession, he was ordered by his superior to assassinate Ningguang—and his superior was none other than Jiang Ziyuan of Kaiyang Star.

Ningguang had previously captured Kaiyangxing's daughter, Jiang Lingjun, making this assassination attempt highly suspicious, suggesting it was Kaiyangxing's revenge. Tian Shuxing declared he would thoroughly investigate the matter.

—The star Yao Guang, who had not been seen for several years, suddenly appeared on the Jade Capital Terrace, and the first thing he did was to lead his troops to surround the residence of the star Kai Yang.

Subsequently, in front of Kaiyangxing himself, Yaoguangxing, based on the factory steward's confession, searched Kaiyangxing's residence and found something extraordinary—mechanical design drawings for a replica of the Guizhong Machine.

According to confidentiality regulations, the design drawings can only be kept in the arsenal and must never be held by private individuals.

Furthermore, considering that he possessed poison from the Kingdom of Winter and was involved in Pantalone's Mora harvesting plan, the truth has been revealed.

Kaiyang, having embezzled from his post, colluded with the Fatui to betray Liyue's secrets. Just then, Ningguang inspected the armory. Fearing exposure and with his daughter and relatives arrested by Ningguang, Kaiyang decided to go all out and eliminate Ningguang to prevent future troubles.

Upon learning of this, Tian Shu Xing condemned the act as chilling and announced that Kai Yang Xing would be imprisoned.

Tianji Star did not express any objection.

In prison, the two brothers-in-arms, Chiang and Soong, were not only cold-hearted, but also deeply cold-blooded.

How did that secret letter come about? Who knew about this transaction and even imitated Tianxuanxing's handwriting?

It's easy to find someone to frame Kaiyang Xing, but who can enter Kaiyang Xing's mansion and hide that design blueprint?

How long has Ningguang been planning this series of lightning-fast actions?

Chapter 366 Though Fate Decides, I Am Unwilling to Accept It [4k]

As night fell, Ningguang stood on the edge of the Jade Pavilion, overlooking Liyue Harbor below.

Logically, Ningguang, who had just survived an assassination attempt, should still be suffering from lingering poisoning and bedridden, unable to move.

But at this moment, Ningguang's clothes fluttered in the wind, and she looked as ethereal as a fairy, showing no sign of weakness whatsoever.

Beside her stood a noble young man in blue robes, his head held high as if admiring the long-unseen moon.

When you look at the moon from a high place, it always appears larger and rounder.

“It’s been ten years, hasn’t it?” Ningguang looked at Rouran.

Her voice was flat, like a casual greeting between old friends—but the two of them were mortal enemies just days before.

Rou Ran withdrew her gaze and respectfully bowed to Ning Guang, saying, "Miss Ning Guang has a good memory. It has been exactly ten years since our duel."

Ten years ago, Ningguang Merchant Guild defeated the Liyue Merchant Alliance, which was controlled by Rouran, and became the richest family in Liyue.

"So, it's been ten years since the Rouran prince last visited my Qunyu Pavilion. How is the scenery today, after such a long separation?" Ningguang asked.