He changed Tiwat

"You spend the other half of your time eating and sleeping?" Han Fulai glanced at Youla.

Yura snorted: "Listen carefully, the dining room is a place to display prestige and power. The main purpose of nobles' dining is not to enjoy the delicious food, but to show off their wealth, power, and status, and to demonstrate their corresponding morality, quality, and refinement through etiquette. If you want to eat your fill... then eat alone in secret."

At that moment, the door to the private room opened, and two waiters in formal attire walked in, each carrying a silver tray in one hand.

The appetizer has finally arrived.

"Before the meal, we should perform a 'pre-meal prayer.' The nobles of Mondstadt give thanks to the wind god... Of course, we, the Lawrence family, are an exception. As for you, you should pray to the rock god or the water god, clasp your hands in front of your chest, and silently recite the prayer to the deity."

Yura crossed her arms over her chest, demonstrating for Han Fulai.

Han Fulai recalled seeing anime characters put their hands together and say "I'm eating" before eating. It was said to be a kind of pre-meal blessing ritual, but he wasn't Inatsume, and Liyue didn't have this custom...

He thought for a moment, then put his hands together and recited two lines of poetry: "Hoeing the fields at noon, sweat drips onto the soil. Who knows that every grain in the bowl is the result of hard work?"

Chapter 176 An Individual Who Betrays His Class [4k5]

For the first time in his life, Han Fulai felt that eating was torture, especially since this meal was expensive... He could only laugh at himself, saying, "I paid money to suffer."

The food and wine were impeccably delicious, but even the most delicious food couldn't be properly enjoyed when paired with aristocratic etiquette.

First, there's the matter of posture while eating—you must always keep your back straight, including when you're cutting your steak and drinking soup…a slight bow of the head is acceptable, but drooping your head will be considered unseemly table manners…

While keeping your back straight, you don't have the option to bring the plate to your mouth.

Meat and vegetable salads, including bread, must be eaten with a knife and fork, while meat broth and soup must be scooped into the mouth with a spoon—Han Fulai could probably understand why Western meals are always so small. If the portions were larger, the simple act of raising his hand to put the food in his mouth would exhaust those damned noblemen.

There are also specific rules for how to eat it.

For example, when cutting steak with a knife, the meat must be cut from left to right; the cutting force should be light and even, so as not to cause juices to splatter or the knife to make a sound when hitting the plate; when bringing the meat to your mouth with a fork, the knife must be placed down with the back of the blade facing outwards; cut one piece at a time, do not cut and eat at the same time, and you should not even eat too fast... otherwise, Yura will scold you as a "hungry barbarian"...

Of course, no chewing noises are allowed while eating. The same applies when drinking alcohol or soup; please remain quiet.

When holding a wine glass, you should only use your thumb, index finger, and middle finger to grip the stem. Your thumb should not touch the rim, and your ring finger and little finger should not touch the bottom. You must drink it all in one gulp; otherwise, it will be considered disrespectful to the person offering you a toast—this is why Diluc, despite being unable to drink, downed his "Hot Water" in one go.

The good news is that, to prevent noblemen from making a fool of themselves by getting drunk, the glasses were usually only filled to the brim. This is a rare and commendable aspect of aristocratic tradition.

What caused Han Fulai the most serious trouble was that spoon... to be precise, "meatball spoon".

The way to hold a spoon is like holding a quill pen, with your thumb pressing on the upper middle part of the handle, and your index and middle fingers for support. Never grip the handle with your whole hand like you're scooping out a watermelon.

When drinking soup, tilt the spoon and scoop the soup from the inside out. Do not fill the spoon too full to avoid dripping soup when you lift your hand.

When there's not much soup left in the plate, you certainly can't scrape the plate. You have to elegantly press down on the edge of the plate with your fingers, tilt it slightly, and then use a spoon to scoop it clean—this is a new rule of the declining Lawrence family. If it were a thousand years ago, leaving the soup broth uneaten would have been a noble virtue.

These rules made Han Fulai feel as if he had never drunk soup in his life.

As Yura said before, the nobles did not dine to fill their stomachs, but rather as a "performance," a performance that "because of my noble blood, I can eat so elegantly."

Watching Yura dine with aristocratic etiquette was undoubtedly a pleasure. Every movement of hers was full of beauty, gentle and exquisite. Whether cutting food, using a spoon, or raising a glass, all her movements carried a silent rhythm, as if the meat, wine, soup and everything else were gracefully flying from the container into her mouth.

Furthermore, Han Fulai noticed that Yura's lips were completely free of any food juice—noble ladies would wear makeup to banquets, and it was a basic requirement to avoid food staining their makeup.

These rules, which require immense effort to remember and follow for ordinary people, were as natural as breathing for the old aristocracy. This was how they distinguished themselves from ordinary people.

As for Han Fulai's performance, well, it can only be described as "trying to walk like someone from Handan who failed miserably."

Although Yura's instructions were quite simple and easy to understand, Han Fulai regretfully found that his body was honestly resisting these tedious formalities. Yura's movements seemed simple, but when he actually tried to imitate them, he felt awkward all over. He was like a clumsy actor, either forgetting his lines or overacting…

Especially when scooping soup with that tiny spoon—he had to use the "Wind-Slaying Sword" micro-control technique to ensure that a spoonful of soup was neither too much nor too little, keeping his wrist completely still as he raised his hand, and finally managed to bring the soup to his lips... and then he forgot to open his mouth.

Fortunately, the waiters present were all professionally trained, otherwise some of them might have already burst out laughing.

Yura calmly watched Han Fulai's embarrassed appearance; Han Fulai's performance was entirely within her expectations.

These aristocratic manners were not something that could be acquired overnight. Even in their decline, the Lawrence family still aspired to return to the ruling class. To prepare for this momentous occasion, their education and upbringing of their children were rigorously demanding, bordering on the pathological.

To maintain her aristocratic demeanor, young Yura had to balance a teacup full of tea on her head from the moment she woke up. She couldn't spill the tea while talking to people or eating, and she could only take the teacup off before going to bed. If she spilled even a little bit, she would not only be forbidden to eat for the day, but she would also be slapped on the palm with a measuring tape.

For Yura, aristocratic etiquette was already a matter of muscle memory. It would obviously take at least ten days to two weeks for an outsider like Han Fulai to master these etiquettes through "special training." And Schubert couldn't possibly stay in Mondstadt for that long either.

In other words, this "special training" was doomed to fail from the start.

In reality, as long as Han Fulai has some understanding of aristocratic etiquette and is taught some fixed, pretentious actions and lines, that's about enough. Everything else can be attributed to the fact that the etiquette traditions of the Fontaine aristocratic family are very different from those of the Lawrence family.

The reason why Yura went to such great lengths during the special training was mainly because... after being disciplined for so many years since she was a child, it was finally her turn to discipline others!

Last night you made me say those embarrassing lines three times, so it's not too much for me to embarrass you for three hours today, right?

While secretly pleased, she calmly picked up her teacup and began to instruct Han Fulai on how to drink tea after a meal like an aristocrat.

"Pour the tea first, then the milk... When stirring the milk, stir back and forth between the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions... Place the tea spoon on the saucer as far away from you as possible... Do not hold the teacup ring with your whole hand! Imagine you are holding a flower, pinch the ring with your index finger and thumb, and support the bottom of the ring with your middle finger. Also, do not make a sound when blowing air."

Han Fulai sighed and slammed the teacup down.

It's better not to drink this tea.

"What, can't you stand this?" Yura's voice carried a hint of sarcasm.

Han Fulai shook his head. "No, I've already learned them all."

"Oh?" Yura tilted her head, her face full of disbelief.

"I can recite every single word of all the etiquette you just mentioned to you," Han Fulai said sullenly.

Yura crossed her arms: "You carry me, I'll listen."

"..."

He could tell that Yura was secretly pleased.

Of course, he was telling the truth; reciting is one of his strengths.

However, he had a ulterior motive for halting the special training... what if Yura got addicted to it? Considering that this "rehearsal" alone cost over a million Mora, what if there were more of these—

Back in Liyue, Ningguang asked him what had happened to the money she had prepared for him. He replied, "I used your money to accompany another girl on special training, and it all ran out." Ningguang then asked him what the training entailed. He answered, "Taking her out to a fancy hotel for dinner..."

...How can we live like this?!

Yura was still very strict: "Even if you can recite it, it's useless. You have to be able to do it."

Han Fulai waved his hand, "Don't worry, I won't give anything away when I see your uncle. We're not in front of your uncle right now, so let's relax. You don't usually have to act like this when you're interacting with people, do you?"

Since she was in a position of asking for a favor, Yura could only comply with Han Fulai's "student" skipping class openly.

"Okay, I hope you really mean it."

However, Han Fulai didn't just make empty promises that he wouldn't reveal any flaws; he naturally had a plan in mind.

Seeing that Yura's expression was somewhat displeased, Han Fulai changed the subject: "I really admire you, Yura."

"What do you admire?" Yura asked curiously.

“I admire you for being who you are today. Judging from your mastery of those aristocratic etiquettes, they have become an integral part of your life—or rather, you should have been ‘assimilated’ by this aristocratic system. But you have been able to break free from this system…that is what surprises me the most.”

As a member of the Liyue civil service system, Han Fulai's words were absolutely sincere. Although he had only been in Teyvat for half a year, he had already seen too many people assimilated by the system in that time.

Every system, after operating for a period of time, will develop its own unique rules, or "unspoken rules." Just as nobles have "etiquette" and civil servants have "morality," every industry and social class will also have its own set of rules. The whole that they form together is what is known as "social reality."

Whether you call it "going with the flow" or "going along with the crowd," trying to challenge such a behemoth with one's own strength is undoubtedly like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, but Yura has that kind of courage.

More importantly, she was the last person who should have rebelled against the aristocratic system. As the heir to the Lawrence family, she should actually be considered a "beneficiary" of this system.

Her upbringing and the money and labor required to cultivate these aristocratic manners clearly told the world that she was a rentier who received sustenance. Every aristocratic manner she displayed was a message: "I don't have to work; I have people to serve me."

Even though she has fallen from being a "princess of a country" to "the eldest daughter of an exiled noble family"... compared to the general public, she is still undeniably a person of high status!

Anyway, Han Fu asked himself if he were to transmigrate into the Lawrence family, he would probably consider becoming the foolish son of a landlord. To become an "individual who betrays his class" always requires immense courage, and Yura's experiences in Mondstadt and her current predicament clearly demonstrate what a difficult path it is.

“Ha, the aristocratic system…” Yura smiled, but there was no joy in her smile. “Everything in this system is suppressed, everything is suffocating. For example, you can’t show too much emotion—you’re not allowed to laugh heartily, you’re not allowed to fall in love…you’re not even allowed to cry in public. When your family arranges a marriage for you, you have to accept it.”

"They feared that once those strict rules were no longer in place, the authority of the nobility would cease to exist, and their entire world would fall apart. They painstakingly adhered to all sorts of rules, essentially to protect their own position."

“I was taught from a young age to be confident, self-respecting, proud, to keep my word, to have unwavering faith in my ideas, and to make every word I spoke carry weight – because we have authority, and everyone must listen attentively when we speak.”

"How you dress, how you eat, how you stand, how you speak—no detail is overlooked, because it reveals your status and class. It determines whether you are a noble master sitting upstairs drinking tea or a butler or servant huddled in the kitchen downstairs."

"That's why the Lawrence family places such importance on etiquette?" Han Fulai seemed to understand.

“That’s why the Lawrence family values ​​etiquette so much,” Yura nodded. “Because without etiquette, there’s no difference between nobles and commoners. Commoners can wear noble clothes and accessories… but they can’t learn noble etiquette, just like, uh… a Hilichurl wearing human clothes wouldn’t be human… Sorry, that’s what the etiquette teacher said, I wasn’t talking about you…”

Then please don't bother adding that last sentence, okay...?

Han Fulai ignored the last sentence and continued, “The tedious etiquette and the extravagant display all reflect how they try to achieve a ‘perfect’ lifestyle. Impeccable etiquette symbolizes the virtue of the nobility—and conversely, as long as the etiquette is impeccable, it is equivalent to possessing perfect virtue. Thus, they can enjoy all the privileges with a clear conscience because they possess ‘virtue’.”

"It's like... 'Saving lives is a knight's virtue, not a knight's duty.'"

Yura paused for a moment, then lowered her head: "At that time, I was actually..."

Han Fulai smiled: "Now I understand. You are actually a very kind person, and you also dislike the noble knightly rules that treat good deeds as charity. Moreover, you also said that knightly etiquette is inherited from that of the nobility, only simplified. In other words, even though you joined the knightly order, you haven't completely escaped that system..."

"But you wanted to change the system. And in order to change it from the inside, you had to work hard to accumulate merit and gain more influence. You were a bit impatient back then, weren't you?"

"How...how do you know all this so clearly?" Yura couldn't help but ask.

"Because this isn't something exclusive to nobles. In fact, we civil servants also have a set of things that circulate within a small circle," Han Fulai said with a smile.

"In fact, any circle will develop a set of rules to distinguish classes: bloodline, background, wealth, education... even accent. If they can't find superiority in these things, some people will even look for differences in their beliefs, such as, 'You're naive for believing in a certain viewpoint, while I don't believe it because I'm wise and have social experience, so I'm superior to you.'"

Anyway, just by surfing the internet, you'll see at least ninety-nine such people every day, if not a hundred. They may also dislike the aristocratic manners, but deep down they actually yearn to be aristocrats. As a modern time traveler, Han Fulai certainly has far more knowledge in this regard than the Teyvat natives.

He extended his hand to Yura and said, "I'm just like you; we both want to fight against a massive system. In this respect, we can be considered comrades-in-arms."

Yura thought for a moment, then finally took his hand: "Well, at least we can be considered friends."

She held his hand, shook it twice, and then shook it again.

Han Fulai tilted his head to watch her movements.

Yura explained to him in a serious tone: "The Lawrence family etiquette is: when facing a 'close friend,' that is, someone with whom you have a moderate relationship, shake hands twice; only true friends and family shake hands three times. Now you are my dear comrade-in-arms, Sir Humphrey."

Chapter 177 The Fontaine Traveling Circus

The somewhat grueling lunch was over, but Han Fulai and Yura's "rehearsal" was not yet finished.

Table manners are only part of aristocratic etiquette. In Yura's eyes, Sir Humphrey's "aristocratic temperament" still needs to be polished, such as his daily behavior and speech, or to put it more clearly, "aristocratic topics".

After all, Sir Humphrey will soon be meeting his fiancée, Miss Yura, with her parents. In addition to being impolite when dining with the elders, the topics of conversation must also be "aristocratic".

Regarding this point, Yura explained it as follows:

"First of all, we must avoid discussing money—the Lawrence family's rule is 'nobles don't talk about money; those who do are nouveau riche.' And you know, the Lawrence family isn't very wealthy right now..."

"Talk about work or leisure on weekends? No, don't bring up those two concepts, because they don't understand 'work' and 'weekends.' Nobles can live comfortably simply by inheriting land and property, and women enjoy their husbands' wealth through marriage. This is a self-evident concept for nobles."

"Yes, you're right. That's why strangers often talk about the weather. It's best to start your conversation with the day's weather as well."

"Then you can appropriately criticize Mondstadt and the Knights of Favonius, accusing them of losing their noble traditions, and talk about the noble traditions of Fontaine. Talk more about the luxury and beauty of Fontaine's upper districts; my uncle should enjoy hearing that. Also, preparing a few jokes about Frynn would be very effective. Fontaine's nobles like to make up stories about Lady Frynn to show off her closeness to the gods; of course, I've heard that most of those jokes are true..."

"Huh? You didn't know? Let me tell you a few. For example, there's a law in Fontainebleau that prohibits naming pets 'Furina,' but you can name it 'Fou'..."

"There's another law—'In all open waters of Fontaine, bivalve mollusks stranded during the dry season belong to the water goddess Funina, while conch shells belong to the people.' Hmm, because she once had her finger pinched by a giant crab inside a conch shell while collecting seashells on the beach, and has had a phobia of conch shells ever since..."

The two walked and talked, and before they knew it, they had followed the crowd out of Mondstadt.

They didn't leave the city because they wanted to go on a date to a secluded, scenic spot; rather, it was because their destination was outside the city.

"Aside from the weather, the topic that can never go wrong is theatrical performances. For a nobleman, a meal can be skipped, but a theatrical performance is indispensable." This is Yura's definition of social interaction among nobles.

Han Fulai could quite understand the nobles' love for theatrical performances. Just like modern people talking about the latest popular movies and TV series, it was a low-barrier topic that everyone could talk about, making it easy to integrate into the group and find a sense of belonging.

For the nobles, all you had to do was memorize the cast list and the play's title to start your grand pronouncements. As for whether you actually understood the script or knew anything about theatrical performance... who cared? After all, there weren't many true connoisseurs in the entire theater audience.

During the "Badminton Festival," the most famous theatrical performances are by the traveling circus from Fontainebleau, and the "traveling magic troupe" that accompanies the circus.

This "traveling magic troupe" is no ordinary troupe. The troupe's head magician is none other than Mr. Linni, who is now known as the "Number One Magician of Teyvat".

Just as Mondstadt residents enjoy drinking, Fontainebleau residents also have a national hobby: watching plays.

Fontainebleau residents are passionate about all kinds of theatrical performances—they love highbrow operas as well as folk songs; they adore hilarious circuses as well as the unexpected plot twists in mystery stories.

If you ask a Fontainebleau resident what the most popular theatrical performances are in Fontainebleau right now, they will tell you two terms—"trial" and "magic".

The most worthwhile performances to see in Fontaine, besides the trial at the Opiclie Opera House, are the magic shows performed by the great magician Linni and his assistant Linette.

"Trial" uses the truth to determine justice, while "magic" uses illusion to move people's hearts.

Even though all the audience members knew perfectly well that everything on stage was just a cleverly constructed mechanism and a fabricated technique, they still couldn't help but be dazzled when the "miracle" actually appeared before their eyes.

Magic is such a wonderful experience; with just a ticket and some free time, you can enjoy a magical journey amidst applause and exclamations.

Mr. Linni, Fontaine's premier magician, is already considered a "big star" or "idol" in the public eye.

He is dashing and romantic, exceptionally talented, and seemingly nonchalant, yet he manages to achieve one miracle after another.

In the magic industry, having a signature trick is enough to make you famous and live a comfortable life for a long time without having to endure hardship. But Linni's performances are always full of new tricks. It is said that in every show he has participated in so far, the closing magic act has never been repeated—this creative genius is the guarantee of his fame.

Some say he came from a poor background and had an almost greedy desire for fame and fortune, which is why he was unwilling to stop creating. Others say he has a team of hundreds of people behind him who advise him and give him endless new magic tricks to perform. Whatever the truth, it is a consensus among every Fontainebleau resident that Mr. Linni's performances are worth watching.