He changed Tiwat

"No, I can't accept that..."

Yura pushed the wine glass back to Rosalia.

The two hands entered a stalemate on either side of the wine glass, the glass trembled slightly, and ripples spread across the surface of the liquid, as if two martial arts masters were competing in internal strength across the glass.

These two newly acquainted drinking buddies might end up fighting over how polite they are to each other.

How could Diona let such a sad thing happen?

"Hehe, this is a special gift, Yura, you get one too!"

Diona generously made another glass of wine and placed it in front of Yura.

For the first time, the battle-hardened guerrilla knights and church executioners considered deserting.

"Come on, savor it properly, and then you'll truly understand how terrible alcohol is..."

Diona stared expectantly at the two drinkers in front of her.

Just then, a fragrant aroma of wine wafted out of the glass.

Perhaps because it had been left to stand for long enough, the various components in this glass of wine seemed to have undergone sufficient chemical reactions.

The aroma of alcohol instantly filled the entire bar, and several customers nearby, like cats sniffing at cat food, approached the bar.

"Oh...this fragrance..." Rosalia's eyes, which looked sleep-deprived, were unusually wide open.

Yura also quietly swallowed.

"I'll give it a try..."

She picked up her glass, took a small sip, and her eyes widened: "This, this is so delicious! The bitterness of the lizard tail is quite obvious, but it complements the cool astringency of the dandelion wine itself perfectly! And these fish scales that were crushed while stirring, after being soaked in the wine, have no fishy smell at all, and the remaining flavor actually makes the wine taste even richer."

Rosalia, hearing such high praise from Yura, naturally didn't want to be outdone.

A moment later, she also exclaimed in genuine admiration: "After the large amount of slime liquid is fully absorbed by the wine, the taste becomes more mellow and complex, and the small pinch of butterfly scale powder sprinkled on top is simply the finishing touch to this wine, making it a pinnacle in both visual appeal and taste!"

Given the professionalism of these two reviewers, I doubt anyone would object to them seeking a job as a wine taster at the Monde Wine Association.

Diona, deeply shocked, lost the light in her eyes and almost fell off the small stool she was standing on.

"How is this possible... I've already gone this far! How could I possibly make a good drink? There must be something I didn't do well enough..."

Meanwhile, other drinkers had already gathered around, and the aroma of those two glasses of wine was enough to intoxicate them.

"This wonderful fragrance..."

"This strange color..."

"A completely new feeling..."

"Perfect new wine..."

A group of people stared at Diona, their eyes pleading – “Diona, make us a drink too!”

"You, you bunch of drunkards! Drunk cats!" Diona meowed angrily.

At this moment, Yura and Rosalia, who had downed their glasses of wine in one gulp, said in unison—

"Diona, refill!"

After all, it was the customer's request... Diona angrily picked up the shaker, shaking it while gritting her teeth: "...I'll make you refill your cups! I'll make you refill your cups! I'll make you all turn into stinky old men like rotten mud! Stinky old men!"

She had used up all the most offensive words she knew—mostly to describe her father, Duraf.

As one of the "Four Kings of Mondstadt Drinking," Dulaf's biggest fear is being called a "stinky old man" by his daughter. Well, who knows where this "stinky old man" is drowning his sorrows now? Aside from "Cat's Tail Tavern," Dulaf can be found in almost every tavern in Mondstadt.

Unfortunately, such words don't seem to be offensive enough to Yura and Rosalia, since neither of them smells like an old man even when they're drunk.

While he won't turn into a smelly old man, he might get completely drunk.

Perhaps due to her Lawrence family lineage, Yora has a remarkably high alcohol tolerance. Unless it's a strong liquor like "Hot Water," Yora rarely gets drunk.

But she does feel a little drunk now.

Diona's new specialty drink was so delicious that Yura drank quite a few cups after cup. By the time she realized something was wrong, her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were blurry. She knew she couldn't drink any more.

Yura stood up from the bar.

She has just made up her mind.

There's a saying among Mondstadt hunters: "He who follows two hares is sure to catch neither."

The meaning is "He who chases two rabbits will not catch a single one".

There are many things in this world that cannot be had at the same time, such as the Lawrence family and the Knights.

But Yura wanted to have both.

She wants to be a "Surf Rider" and also a "Yura Lawrence," and she just happens to have come up with a great idea to achieve this goal.

He lived up to Mondl's expectations, and he did not disappoint Lawrence.

So she went to find the person who could help her.

Rosalia watched Yura's departing figure with interest, without stopping her—Yura was indeed a bit drunk and had even forgotten to pay the bill.

Of course, she had already given her wallet to Sarah when she was at "The Deer Hunter," so even if she remembered to pay, she would be embarrassed to find that she didn't have any money.

But Rosalia was in a good mood today and was willing to pay for her new drinking buddy.

As a nun, she would normally pray for her drinking buddy's future at this time, but Rosalia did not. Having seen through the coldness of the world, she could not close her eyes to sing praises of divine protection, nor was it necessary.

She never needed divine salvation; she held salvation in her own hands.

Rosalia believed that her fellow "sinner" drinking buddy could grasp her redemption.

She raised her glass to her drinking buddies as they walked away: "Ah, city blessed by the wind god. Close your eyes and sleep peacefully."

Chapter 168 A Good Daughter-in-Law Keeps Secrets from Both Sides

In the Grand Master's office, Qin had just finished explaining to Han Fulai the background of events from the "Black Fire Case" a year ago to the Grand Master's expedition.

In short, it was during last year's "Badminton Festival" that the Executive Director led a diplomatic team to visit Mondstadt.

The "Doctor" seemed to want to recruit a group of young people from Mondstadt as reserve members for the Fatui, but this request was firmly rejected by the Mondstadt diplomatic team led by Sir Simon.

Unable to achieve his goal, the "Doctor" did not stay in Mondstadt for long before returning to Winterfell and withdrawing his Fatui diplomats.

The Winter Kingdom's diplomatic corps was assassinated as it left Mondstadt. The assassin used a giant, black serpent of fire to set fire to the carriages leaving the city, resulting in the deaths of two diplomats and serious injuries to fifteen members of the Fools' retinue.

Since the assassination occurred within Mondstadt and was carried out in broad daylight in full view of many people, with the Knights of Favonius's guards present for protection, the responsibility fell on the Knights of Favonius.

At the time, the diplomatic mission was escorted by Jean, the then vice-principal of the Knights, and a cavalry squad led by Kaiya. They were also tasked with tracking down the murderer.

Thanks to the brilliant actions of the detective knight Amber, the "Blackfire Case" was finally brought to a successful conclusion.

The assassin's true name is Cole, and he comes from Sumeru.

As a child, Colette contracted "Demon Scale Disease" and was entrusted by her parents to a "missionary" who claimed to be able to save her. However, the "missionary" was actually a member of the Fools, subordinate to the executor "The Doctor," who was collecting children as subjects for experiments for the Doctor's evil plan. Colette and other children were injected with demonic remnants and then discarded by the Fools.

To cover up their crimes, the Fools murdered the children and their families.

Cole, who was supposed to be silenced, luckily escaped from the burned-down underground experimental site, but she no longer had a home to return to.

After that, the survivor, Cole, wandered through the Seven Kingdoms, seeking revenge against his enemies, the Fools, which led to the "Blackfire Case".

Kore is the only witness to the Fatui's illegal human experiments. Kaeya originally planned to bring Kore under the control of the Knights, using her as leverage in negotiations with the Fatui. However, at that time, Kore was not only suffering from severe "Demonic Scale Disease," but also being corrupted by the remnants of the Demon God, and probably didn't have long to live.

To save Cora's life, Lisa used her connections at the Faculty of Sumeru to ask her junior brother, Seno, the Faculty's High Priest, to come to Mondstadt to provide emergency treatment for Cora, temporarily sealing the remnants of the demon god within her. Seno stated that Mondstadt lacked suitable medical facilities, and that Cora might have a chance of recovery if she returned to the Faculty with him, but that staying in Mondstadt would likely cause her condition to worsen.

Out of disgust for the Fools and sympathy for Corleone, Jean pretended to know nothing about Corleone being the murderer of the "Blackfire" case, and let Amber let Corleone go.

As for the explanation to the Fatui... Kaeya shifted the blame to Mondstadt's famous "Night Hero," and even tied up the "Night Hero" and handed him over to the Fatui—well, during the transport, the Fatui passed by Dawn Winery, and then the "Night Hero" disappeared.

The kind-hearted Lord Diluc treated the poor Fools' escort team to fine wine; those soldiers who unfortunately lost their prisoners will probably never have the chance to drink again after returning home...

Although the "murderer" was caught, the fact that the Fools' diplomatic mission suffered heavy losses in Mondstadt due to an assassination attempt was a stark reality. Taking advantage of this, the "Doctor's" side reopened negotiations and coerced the Knights of Faith into joining the "Protection Agreement."

However, in reality, Grand Master Falgar had very practical considerations in signing the "Protection Agreement"—the Knights' expedition route required passing through the Kingdom of Winter. The long supply line could not be maintained by the Knights' logistics team alone, and after signing the agreement with the Kingdom of Winter, the Kingdom of Winter would have the responsibility to protect the Knights' supply route.

In Falgar's words, "Mondstadt and Winterbreak are in the same boat." It could be said that this agreement was essentially a mutually beneficial transaction.

So after last year's "Badminton Festival", Grand Master Falgar led most of the Knights on an expedition.

The "Black Fire Case" has now come to an end.

However, the Fatui's ambitions did not end there. Taking advantage of the "Dragon Plague," they launched a new round of conspiracies in Mondstadt, where their forces were depleted.

For example, the Fools are now beginning to have frequent contact with the old noble family of Lawrence in Mondstadt.

"The Lawrence family was once one of the three most prestigious families in Mondstadt. They were blinded by desire, which plunged Mondstadt into a dark age of oppression by the nobility. Later, Lady Vanessa overthrew the old nobility and established the Knights of Favonius, and the Lawrence family quickly declined."

"For the next thousand years, their flames of revenge never died out... but they never managed to stir up any more trouble. This time, Schubert Lawrence's visit to Mondstadt is probably related to the Lawrence family's long-cherished wish to restore their power."

"According to the intelligence we have now, the Fatui's frequent contact with the Lawrence family may have two purposes. One is... to obtain the 'Ice Mark' inherited by Yura; the other is to use the Lawrence family as a springboard to unite the remaining old noble forces in Mondstadt. As for which purpose it is, or whether it is both, we are not clear at the moment."

At this point, Qin had pretty much said everything that needed to be said.

Han Fulai nodded with deep feeling.

He had witnessed Yura's "Ice Seal," and it truly possessed power at the level of a remnant of a demon god, so it wasn't surprising that the Fatui wanted to possess it; as for the remnants of the old noble forces within Mondstadt, he was completely unsurprised—Chairwoman Jean herself was the largest remnant of the noble forces...

This is actually quite normal. Vanessa was just a slave gladiator from Nata who overthrew the Lawrence family with the help of Wendy's divine power, but that doesn't mean she has the talent to govern a country—even if she did, it would be impossible for her to manage a country well on her own.

As the saying goes, "It's easier to conquer a country than to rule it," and if Vanessa wants to secure her rule, she still needs to rely on those old nobles who have surrendered to the Knights.

Feudal legacies aren't so easily eradicated. Don't be fooled by the fact that Mondstadt no longer has nobles; it's just a name change. They used to be called nobles, now they're called "the most prestigious families." They used to be called landlords and rich peasants, now they can be called respected local elders.

“I understand the difficulties faced by Director Qin, and I also understand why you came to me.”

"Then what does Vice Minister Han think we should do?" Qin hurriedly asked Han Fulai for his advice.

Han Fulai smiled slightly and replied with an old saying from Liyue: "A good wife can keep secrets from both sides."

Chapter 169 Mondstadt's Wife and Mondstadt's Wine

"What does Vice Minister Han mean by this?" Qin was puzzled.

Han Fulai smiled and said, "What I mean is, Commander Qin, you came to me to be a good 'daughter-in-law,' keeping it a secret from both your superiors and subordinates, and quietly resolving the matter. You actually already had a plan in mind, didn't you? Hmm, if I were in your position, I probably would have done the same."

After careful consideration, Han Fulai quickly understood Qin's concerns:

First, Mondstadt and Winter are now diplomatic allies with an agreement, and it is important to maintain diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Secondly, Grand Master Falgar's expeditionary force needs to secure its supply routes until winter. If relations between the two countries break down, the Knights' expeditionary force could be caught in a dangerous situation, attacked from both sides.

Third, Jean is not the official leader, but merely the acting leader. At the very least, she has no right to declare war on Winter on behalf of the Knights—and even if she did, they might not be able to win. This means she cannot forcibly expel the Fools.

Fourth, remnants of noble power still exist within Mondstadt, much like the Salt God's descendants and powerful clans in Liyue. While Mondstadt's old nobles may have transformed into enlightened noble knights or wealthy manor owners, their essence remains unchanged. They are a chronic problem plaguing Mondstadt for millennia, and eradicating them requires a painful and disruptive process. And Mondstadt, having just experienced the "Dragon Plague," needs stability.

Fifth, Jean still wanted to protect Yura—otherwise, she could have ordered the arrest of Yura's uncle and Yura herself right now, thus thwarting the Fools' plans.

Jean is now like a poor, unfortunate wife. She has in-laws to take care of, a husband to look after, and so many children to worry about. She wants to take care of the Grand Master and the expeditionary force, her friends and colleagues in the Knights of Favonius, and the people of Mondstadt... The result is that she is not only exhausted but also easily offended.

No wonder she, as an acting commander, acted like a minor section chief in a neighborhood office, only able to do small things related to the livelihood of Mondstadt residents, such as helping people find their cats and dogs. Of course, the blame should be placed on Falgar, the commander, since he insisted on embarking on that adventurous expedition at all costs.

Qin can only be considered a temporary substitute prime minister. Falga said that he would let her act as the leader of the group, but she herself needs to know her limits.

The position of regent prime minister, when viewed as a powerless wife caught in the middle, is exemplified by Fang Xuanling during Emperor Taizong's expedition against Goguryeo, a renowned prime minister whose name will be remembered for eternity; when viewed as a mere acting emperor, that is Hu Weiyong, the last prime minister of China.

Jeanne, the "Mundo's wife" who wanted to take care of both sides but was unable to move, naturally thought of seeking help from outside.

Mondstadt's wife, the leader of the harem.jpg

Borrowing external help is a troublesome matter; it could easily turn into inviting trouble. At this point, Han Fulai came into Qin's sights.

Although Han Fulai came to Mondstadt under the guise of tourism, his whereabouts were not kept secret from the Knights of Favonius. Kaeya knew that he was looking for a certain drunken poet, and Jean probably knew that he had shown the Wind Wings given to him by Venti to Yura in the snowy mountains.

In other words, Jean knew that he had come to Mondstadt to find the Anemo Archon and had already made contact with him.

Thus, his "Liyue outside force" became "one of our own" with the endorsement of the Anemo Archon Barbatos.

"You approached me in a private capacity, ostensibly to seek advice, but in reality, you wanted me to deal with the Fatui cult that had taken over Mondstadt. My Liyue region is already hostile to the Fatui, and I have a general idea of ​​my reputation among them. Heh, I'm the perfect person to carry out this dirty work. Afterwards, as long as you pin the blame on me, Mondstadt won't be implicated."

Qin was silent for a moment, then a bitter smile appeared on her face: "I still can't hide it from you."

From Qin's perspective, she couldn't openly exchange benefits with Han Fulai about the cooperation project between the two countries in front of her subordinates like Kaiya, so she could only resort to this method of private "personal exchanges".

Han Fulai waved his hand: "I promised you I would help you, and I will definitely keep my word. Besides, our interests are aligned; the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Commander Qin, you don't need to feel like you're using me. We'll have another opportunity to cooperate soon, and Commander Qin won't treat me unfairly, right?"

Qin nodded earnestly and said sincerely, "Even if Vice Minister Han doesn't help with this, the cooperation between our two countries will not be affected."

Han Fulai laughed again: "Then let me consider this as me voluntarily helping a friend, as a testament to our friendship, how about it?"

Qin bowed deeply to Han Fulai: "On behalf of Mond, I will remember your kindness."

“Sigh, I’ve already said we’re friends, why are you being so polite?” Han Fulai quickly helped the harp up and said seriously, “After all, I came to Mondstadt under the guise of tourism, and I’m not very familiar with the distribution of the Fatui forces in Mondstadt. Besides, I need a trigger to target the Fatui…”