He changed Tiwat

“That’s what makes it deceptive. How can a bandit gang wear their banditry on their sleeves?” Han Fulai shrugged innocently.

After a few rounds of banter, Gan Yu continued, "To be honest, I don't know much about this Gu Hua. I've only occasionally heard the Emperor and my master mention the name. As for investment... I don't have much savings, so I'm afraid it won't be enough to support the reconstruction of the Gu Hua Sect."

"It's not about those things. The reason I need your help is actually related to the reorganization of Yuehaiting."

"Oh?" Gan Yu tilted her head.

Han Fulai pointed to the documents on the table. "The reason why the reorganization of Yuehaiting started with the layoffs of redundant staff was to establish its authority. Since the goal is to establish authority, it is obviously more effective to take down a big tiger than to swat a few small flies."

“Yesterday I sneaked into Wangshan Hall, the stronghold of the Guhua Sect, and saw the notes of the previous sect leader. According to the notes, the mining tycoon Maocai Gong had always intended to seize the Guhua Sect’s mountain gate because there was an undeveloped mine in the area where the Guhua Sect was located. I believe that the dissolution of the Guhua Sect is inseparable from Maocai Gong’s deliberate suppression.”

“Yes, I understand your thinking. But Maocai Gong isn’t a civil servant, is he?” Gan Yu asked.

"I remember you once told me, Gan Yu, that the wealthy family scions in Yuehaiting often use their access to government documents to make personal profits. What if there was an important document related to mining that was leaked to Maocai Gong by some of the Yuehaiting secretaries? By the way, there is a young master Sheng in Baishuiting who is now on good terms with many of the Yuehaiting secretaries."

Gan Yu's purple eyes flickered.

"Actually, leaking secrets is just a trivial daily matter for Yue Haiting."

"So what would be considered a big deal?" Han Fulai asked with a smile.

"Being discovered is a big deal." Gan Yu also smiled.

"The Geo Archon has just passed away, and Liyue is going through a turbulent time. Our Moonsea Pavilion is implementing these reforms precisely for the long-term stability of Liyue. If a serious leak were to occur at the Moonsea Pavilion, and the people of Liyue were to discover that some civil servants were embezzling public funds for personal gain, or that some wealthy merchants were taking advantage of the situation to profit, it would be a heavy blow to the credibility of the Seven Stars government," Han Fulai said solemnly.

"If such a heinous incident were to occur, I would certainly investigate it thoroughly with Miss Tianquan Ningguang, and show no leniency to the leaker and those who profited from it." Gan Yu was impartial and incorruptible.

"With such a big incident, it's quite appropriate to use Mao Cai Gong's head to quell public anger, isn't it?" Han Fulai blinked. "I remember hearing Lord Gan Yu say before that you have a very good memory, and that Mao Cai Gong's property cannot all be given to Miss Ning Guang. Our Yuehai Pavilion should also keep some for ourselves in the future."

At this point, Han Fulai, with an air of righteous indignation, proposed to Gan Yu: "At that time... could you please ask Lord Gan Yu to invest these industries in the revitalization of the Guhua Sect? You see, the Guhua Sect is a well-known skills training institution for unemployed youth in Liyue. It can not only increase employment opportunities in Liyue, but also improve the overall quality of employed personnel. It is actually quite suitable for our government departments to invest in."

Gan Yu smiled and shook her head. "Bandit, I think you're starting to resemble a treasure-hunting gang."

Chapter 88 Ancient Hua Sect, Xing Qiu [4k]

Following their previous plan, Han Fulai and Gan Yu were separately preparing for the reorganization of Yuehaiting. Whenever they had free time these past two days, they would change into Liyue's everyday clothes and spend time in "Wanwenjishe," the largest bookstore on Feiyun Slope.

Wanwen Bookstore is a long-established bookstore in Liyue, known for accepting all kinds of books. The proprietress, Ji Fang, is kind and allows customers to browse freely even if they don't buy anything. However, if a book is damaged during browsing, the customer must pay for it.

Han Fulai had asked the proprietress why she allowed customers to freely browse the books, but Ji Fang only smiled and remained silent. It wasn't until Han Fulai browsed the books twice that he understood the reason—standing to read was too tiring. Besides the proprietress's seat, there wasn't a single chair in Wanwen Bookstore. Some customers, engrossed in their reading, would stand for tens of minutes at a time. Naturally, their legs would ache after standing for so long, and unwilling to part with the book, they would simply buy it.

If the customers are just there to browse the books, the proprietress will eventually recognize them after a while. If she greets them with a smile and says something like, "You're here again today! I've put that book you were looking at on the first shelf on the left for you," the customers will usually blush and readily pay for it. After all, most book lovers care about their image; compared to the expense of buying the book, being caught browsing by the proprietress and losing face is far more unpleasant.

Ji Fang quite liked Han Fulai, this book lover. Han Fulai was elegant and refined in his speech and manners, and his evaluations of books were quite insightful. Conversing with him was a pleasure for the proprietress. Of course, more importantly, Han Fulai was very generous. Every time he came to browse books, he would buy several on the spot afterward.

Today, Han Fulai had lunch, changed his clothes as usual, and came to Wanwenji House.

"Oh, it's Mr. Han! The fourth copy of 'The Lone Sword in the Wilderness' arrived today! I specially reserved a copy for you." Ji Fang greeted Han Fulai warmly as soon as she saw him from afar.

"Thank you, ma'am." Han Fulai replied with a smile, took the novel, and began to read it.

After turning a few pages, Han Fulai shook his head regretfully and commented, "In a world without elemental power and alchemy, 'as easy as using an arm or finger, as easy as using one's mind and eyes' is the key to mastering the sword. But the protagonist, Jin Qishierlang, has been blinded by hatred, and I'm afraid he has failed to grasp the true meaning of the sword."

A clear voice suddenly rang out behind Han Fulai—

"This is because Jin Qishierlang has lost his sect and is no longer bound by the rules of chivalry. He is just a thirsty, lonely ghost, wielding a solitary sword, yearning to taste the blood of his enemies."

Han Fulai turned his head and looked towards the source of the sound.

The speaker was a handsome young man with delicate features. He had short blue hair and a pair of bright, amber eyes. A sky-blue jade bead tassel earring hung from his right ear, subtly revealing the noble air of a wealthy family.

The young man wore a dark blue brocade robe with cloud patterns, but the cuffs were uniquely trimmed with fluffy white ruffles, giving this traditional Liyue attire a strange, exotic flair. Following the blue square jade pendant at his waist downwards, one could see dark blue shorts paired with white stockings, highlighting the boy's youthful energy and drawing attention to his fair, delicate legs. In fact, Han Fulai's gaze was completely captivated by the boy's legs.

...Wait, why am I staring at a boy's legs? Han Fulai quickly visualized Gan Yu's black stockings and Ning Guang's long legs in his mind to confirm that his orientation was perfectly normal.

He shifted his gaze from the other person's legs and continued, "So, although this book, 'The Lone Sword of the Wilderness,' is currently the most popular martial arts novel in Liyue, it cannot be considered the best martial arts novel. Its strength lies in creating a cold-blooded lone wolf protagonist who defies traditional tropes, but it also fails because it blindly subverts tropes. The way of martial arts is that if there is only martial arts but no chivalry, how can it go far?"

"Oh?" The young man's eyes lit up. "May I ask, in your opinion, what is the best martial arts novel from Liyue?"

Han Fulai smiled slightly, deliberately looked Xingqiu up and down, then suddenly clenched his fist and said, "You are a female official disguised as a man!"

The young man paused for a moment, took a half step back, then suddenly realized what he meant and laughed, saying, "Brother, you have a good eye. Her official rank is Shangyi Tongshi. We two are military officers with spears and swords drawn from the Jinwu and Yulin, assigned by the Jinzi Guanglu Dafu to come here to subdue the evil sword."

Han Fulai extended his hand and smiled, "I never expected to meet a fellow book lover here at Wanwen Collection House. It is fate that we meet. I am Han Fei, a book enthusiast."

The other person extended their hand to shake his, saying, "I am Xing Qiu, but I am merely a bookworm in the sea of ​​books."

Compared to Han Fulai, Xingqiu's hands appeared very small and delicate. If it weren't for his mature and sophisticated tone of voice and his men's clothing, he would probably be easily mistaken for a girl.

After Xingqiu finished his self-introduction, he withdrew his hand and said, "I was thinking that it should be the day when Wanwen Collection House receives new novels, so I came to take a look. I didn't expect to meet a fellow enthusiast here."

Han Fulai knew that his days of waiting had not been in vain; he had finally met Xingqiu, the second young master of the Feiyun Chamber of Commerce. He had come all the way to Wanwen Bookstore to buy martial arts novels, even sacrificing sleep to memorize passages; all his preparations had finally paid off.

"Since Brother Xingqiu is also a loyal reader of 'The Record of the Broken Halberd of Shenxiao,' you must know about the legendary 'Phantom Volume Six,' which is long out of print?" Han Fulai asked.

"So Brother Han is also searching for this book. You truly are a kindred spirit. Alas, it's a pity I'll never have the chance to see it." Xingqiu shook his head.

"By the way, ma'am, do you have any clues about the sixth volume of 'The Record of the Broken Halberd of Shenxiao'?" Han Fulai turned to ask Ji Fang, the ma'am of Wanwen Collection House.

Ji Fang thought for a moment and replied, "I definitely don't have any books that are out of print. If you really want to see them, you can try your luck with Master Chang."

"Master Chang Jiu?" Xingqiu pressed.

Ji Fang turned to Xing Qiu and replied, "Master Chang was a famous businessman in Liyue Harbor in the past. He was my old customer, and I still sometimes send him a couple of rare books."

"Hmm, the famous merchant Chang Jiuye from Liyue Harbor? I've never heard of that name before..." Xingqiu muttered to himself.

“That was in the past. He now lives in Qingce Manor and collects all sorts of books. Although he has a bit of a temper, he’s quite talkative when it comes to his book collection,” Ji Fang said.

“Qingce Village… that’s quite a distance from Liyue Harbor. Even by carriage, it would take at least half a day. Considering the round trip, I’m afraid we won’t make it today.” Han Fulai calculated the distance and realized that his lunch break wouldn’t be enough. He would have to ask Gan Yu for a day off in advance to go to Qingce Village.

"I've longed for Volume Six of 'The Record of the Broken Halberd of Shenxiao' for a long time. If I can really find this book, then no distance is too far to travel." Xingqiu seemed indifferent.

"Well... Brother Xingqiu, since we are both book lovers, why don't we plan to go to Qingce Manor? We'll meet at the North Gate of Liyue Harbor tomorrow morning."

"Excellent, excellent. Good books are treasures, and finding a treasure is a chivalrous experience." Xingqiu was clearly unable to contain his excitement.

The two agreed on a time and place to meet the next day, and then went their separate ways.

Back at Yuehai Pavilion, Han Fulai informed Gan Yu of the matter and was granted a day off, which also allowed him to make ample preparations for the trip to Qingce Village the next day.

The next morning, the two met up on the outskirts of the north gate of Liyue Harbor.

Han Fulai carried a satchel containing some miscellaneous items such as drinks and dry food. Xingqiu was dressed the same as yesterday, except that he now had a longsword at his waist. The blue hilt was adorned with intricate ceremonial decorations, resembling ornaments commonly used by Mondstadt nobles.

The two hired a carriage and embarked on their journey to Qingce Village.

Despite the bumpy journey, the two found themselves getting along better and better.

Han Fulai had previously memorized many popular martial arts novels in Liyue, and along the way he quoted from them, discussing various classic martial arts scenes, making Xingqiu feel as if they were old friends who had met sooner.

Encountering beautiful scenery along the way, Han Fulai, a top student in Chinese literature, took full advantage of his talent, composing poems with great pleasure. Xing Qiu, also well-versed in literature, complemented Han Fulai perfectly in their poetic exchange.

The two of them, one saying, "Climbing Xiaogui Ridge to the south, I gaze upon the returning wild geese," and the other, "My clothes are like jade, my hair is thin and frail, and I am filled with the sorrow of parting." They replied, "The wild geese fly south, their wings rustling, their wings swaying, their wings gleam ...

Upon arriving at Qingce Village, Xingqiu had already regarded Han Fulai as a lifelong confidant. Their conversations and actions had also become much more intimate without them even realizing it.

Qingce Village had recently suffered from flooding. Although the impact was not widespread, the soldiers of the Qianyan Army who had previously come to provide disaster relief were still stationed at the foot of the village.

The two inquired with the Thousand Rock Army soldiers about the whereabouts of Master Chang Jiu and then ascended Mount Qingce. When they found the dilapidated courtyard surrounded by a fence on the mountain, they saw a middle-aged man dressed in a traditional Liyue robe standing at the door, looking up at the sky and sighing repeatedly: "Alas, the heavens are going to destroy me... the heavens are going to... destroy me..."

Han Fulai stepped forward and bowed. "May I ask if you are Master Chang Jiu?"

The middle-aged man, with a bitter expression, turned to look at Han Fulai with considerable impatience: "Hmm, is there something you need? Speak quickly if you have something to say."

Han Fulai put on a warm smile, "We heard that you have many rare and out-of-print books here, Master Chang. We are all book lovers and would like to borrow one from you..."

Upon hearing that Han Fulai had come to borrow books, Master Chang waved his hand, interrupting him: "Sigh, don't mention books anymore, I'm already fed up. Since the Abyss of Layered Rocks was sealed off, my family's mining business has been in dire straits, and the 'Fools' are still plotting against us..."

Following the Asura Summoning Ceremony, Ningguang dismantled the Fatui spy network, while Keqing ruthlessly expelled seventy-six Fatui diplomats. The Fatui of Winterborn became like rats in Liyue, universally despised. However, even so, this was merely a diplomatic struggle between Liyue and Winterborn. Although Tartaglia was no longer in Liyue, it was rumored that Winterborn would soon have a new executive officer stationed there.

The Northern Bank remains the largest bank in Liyue, and the Fatui still wield considerable influence in the region's financial sector. After years of operation, the Northern Bank holds debts on numerous Liyue businesses and has always operated legally. Even if Ningguang wanted to eradicate the Northern Bank, she currently lacks a suitable pretext.

Upon hearing the words "fools," Han Fulai naturally took note.

With a worried look on his face, Master Chang said, "To raise money for goods, I had no choice but to pawn all my beloved books. Do you know what that means?"

"Does that mean... you're a little short on cash right now?" Han Fulai asked with a forced smile.

"No! It's my life! All the books I've collected and protected with my whole life are gone!"

Master Chang roared angrily, then sighed a moment later.

"Sigh... Forget it, there's no point in yelling at you. The important thing is to raise the money and redeem the books as soon as possible. I have nothing else to say, and I'm not in the mood for chatting. Let's go, let's go." Master Chang waved his hand, preparing to close the door to visitors.

At this moment, Xingqiu, who had been silent all along, stepped forward and asked softly, "Could it be that even the sixth volume of 'The Record of the Broken Halberd of Shenxiao' has been pawned?"

Upon hearing "The Record of the Broken Halberd of Shenxiao", a hint of joy appeared on Master Chang's bitter face, like a poor gourmand seeing a delicacy. Although he couldn't afford it, he could still feast his eyes on it.

"Oh? I didn't expect to hear this name... You have quite the taste. This is a remarkable book of its time. When it was first released, no one thought it would be good... but it changed many people's impression of martial arts novels, and a large number of imitators appeared afterward."

Han Fulai nodded in agreement: "Yes, the initial edition was produced in very small quantities and almost immediately went out of print."

Xingqiu also added: "In later reprints, the sixth volume, which was intended to supplement the story, was not reprinted for some reason."

Master Chang slapped his thigh and said, "Yes, yes, that's it! Because there are so few of them in existence, no matter how much money I need, I can't bear to pawn them."

"So, the book is still in your hands?" Xingqiu's eyes lit up, seeing hope for this trip.

"Yes, this is the only book I have left that I love..." Master Chang's tone was full of helplessness and reluctance.

Just then, accompanied by heavy footsteps, a burly man appeared behind the group. Before Han Fulai could even turn around, he heard his loud voice: "Hey, Lao Chang! Stop dawdling, is my master giving you face? Are you going to sell that batch of amber or not?"

"Ah! How come... it's happening again." Master Chang's voice trembled slightly, it was hard to tell whether it was anger or fear.

"Who is this?" Han Fulai asked Chang Jiuye in a low voice.

“His name is Lü Hu, and he is a servant of Maocai Gong…” Before Master Chang Jiu could finish speaking, Lü Hu stood in front of him with his arms crossed, like an iron tower, looking down at him and saying, “To anger Maocai Gong is to anger the ‘Fools.’ You should understand this principle, right?”

Master Chang took two steps back, pleading, "But I can't sell this batch of amber at a 30% discount, otherwise... I might never be able to redeem my books."

"I don't care, do you want to read or eat? Or do you want to take a book into your coffin and lie down in it beforehand?" Lu Hu curled his lips, completely disregarding Master Chang's predicament.

"Uh, you... sigh..." Master Chang was so angry that he couldn't speak for a moment.

Just then, Xingqiu stepped forward, blocking Chang Jiuye's path, and calmly said, "You can't say that, brother. Business is about mutual consent; there's no such thing as forced buying and selling."

Lu Hu was stunned for a moment, then looked down and glared fiercely at the unfamiliar boy: "Where did you come from? What's it to you!"

Although Xingqiu was not as tall as Lü Hu, nor as loud, he possessed a righteous and awe-inspiring presence that made him seem unapproachable.

Xingqiu raised his eyes to look at Lü Hu, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword, his gaze cold:

"I am Xingqiu of the Guhua Sect, a chivalrous person who stands up for justice when I see injustice on the road."

Chapter 89 Ancient Hua Sect, Han Fei

Lu Hu's reaction to Xingqiu's righteous words was to burst into laughter, even to the point of stumbling and nearly falling.

"The Gu Hua faction, he mentioned the Gu Hua faction! Hahahaha! Did you hear that? There are still people mentioning the Gu Hua faction these days!"

He pointed at Xingqiu, as if inviting the non-existent onlookers to come and watch the clown's performance: "It's just a small sect that has lost its lineage. And this dares to act as a chivalrous knight?"

Xingqiu's eyes were cold, but his voice rose slightly, carrying a hint of sarcasm: "Justice has nothing to do with status. You're just a lowly servant who's using someone else's power to bully others. Aren't you doing evil just the same?"

Lu Hu noticed that Xing Qiu's hand was constantly stroking the hilt of the sword at his waist, intentionally or unintentionally. Although Xing Qiu seemed to be no match for him at all, his experience of wandering the streets before becoming a servant was reminding him that this was likely a sword that had seen blood.

This skinny boy dared to step forward and provoke him, so he must have some skill. And with Master Chang and Han Fulai added to the mix, he now faced three people, all armed with weapons. He might suffer a loss if things went wrong. His eyes darted around, and he had an idea.

"You...you! Fine, you just wait! Let's see if I can handle you!"

After pointing at Xingqiu and making his statement, Lü Hu turned and pointed at Chang Jiuye's nose, "And you, Lao Chang! You have to sell this batch of goods whether you like it or not!"

After saying that, he turned around and left without waiting for Xingqiu and Chang Jiuye's reaction.

"Alas! A tiger fallen into the plains is bullied by dogs. I can't go on living like this." Looking at Lu Hu's back, Master Chang recalled his former life as a wealthy merchant in Liyue Harbor, and then thought of the room full of books he used to own, and couldn't help but sigh.

Xingqiu seemed completely unaffected by the brief incident. He turned around, put on a smiling face, and asked Master Chang, "So, back to the point, can you lend me the book?"

The atmosphere froze instantly upon hearing this. Even someone as thick-skinned as Han Fulai couldn't help but cover his face. Xingqiu really couldn't read the room.

Master Chang's expression shifted, unsure whether to be angry or scolding. After a long while, he sighed, went back inside, and took out a book.

"Forget it, I don't expect anyone to worry about me. Since you just spoke up for me, take your book and get out of here."

After handing the sixth volume of "The Record of the Broken Halberd of Shenxiao" to Xingqiu, he pointed to the courtyard gate.

Xingqiu took the book and bowed.

"Thank you so much! I have been looking forward to this book for more than three years. I will repay your kindness in the autumn."

Master Chang's lips twitched, as if he wanted to laugh but forcibly held it back, and finally shook his head.

"Heh, alright, alright, just remember to return the book to me. I have no expectations of the Guhua Sect disciples..."

After saying that, he ignored Xingqiu and Han Fulai, put his hands behind his back, went into the small house, and closed the door.

Xingqiu's statement that he had "awaited this book for more than three years" was no exaggeration. As soon as he left the hospital, he couldn't help but open the book and read it with great eagerness. When he read something interesting, he would mutter to himself, "Interesting, interesting, so this is what happened... I see, there is a reason why it is so popular."