He changed Tiwat

“Mr. Bai, you can just call me Pantalone.” Pantalone waved his hand. “I’m really sorry to have troubled you to come all this way to gather herbs for me.”

“It is extremely rare to use horsehair in medicine, and I have never seen it mentioned in the pharmacopoeia, so we did not prepare it here. In Liyue, people grind horsehair into powder, knead it, ferment it into dough, and then use it as food.” Bai Shu stroked his chin.

The horsetail he mentioned is the horsetail grass that grows in the Dihuazhou wetlands. It is a purple plant that grows alongside the reeds, but it is more upright and fuller than the surrounding reeds. However, Qiqi had never collected horsetail grass before and could not distinguish it from the surrounding reeds, so Baizhu specially went to Dihuazhou with Qiqi to collect herbs this time.

"It's just a folk remedy, I'm afraid Mr. Bai has made a fool of himself." Pantalone opened the gift box, inside which was a beautifully crafted chess set.

"This is a chess game that we play in winter. Consider it a local specialty and give it to Mr. Bai."

Bai Shu nodded and picked up a chess piece.

"The exquisite craftsmanship of these chess pieces is comparable to that of the 'Liyue Millennium' chess pieces made by Lady Ningguang herself. They must be extremely valuable. I would be unworthy to accept them."

"Oh? Mr. Baishu also enjoys playing chess?" Pantalone seemed quite surprised.

"I only have a slight understanding," Bai Shu said with a smile. "A patient from the Kingdom of Winter once taught me the rules."

"Would Mr. Bai be interested in playing a game of chess with me?" Pantalone asked expectantly.

"With pleasure." Bai Shu readily agreed and set up the chess pieces with Pantalone.

Pantalone plays white first, and White plays black second.

"I wonder what kind of opening Mr. Bai prefers?" Pantalone asked.

He asked this question because chess is widely played on the continent of Teyvat, and the seven Teyvat nations each have their own distinct style of play, resulting in unique opening strategies for each country.

"I was taught the rules by the people of Zhidong, so naturally I started with Zhidong," Bai Shu replied.

“Then let’s use the Winter Opening.” Pantalone nodded. “The Winter Opening is a wide-ranging and aggressive style that focuses on the central battleground. Compared to the lengthy piece mobilization of other countries, the Winter Opening can launch a fierce attack within twenty moves.”

Pantalone picked up the white soldier above the king and moved it two spaces forward.

"E2 to E4".

White's move corresponds to the Winter Opening opening, similarly advancing the pawn above the black king by two squares.

"E7 to E5".

“At the beginning of a game, you must let your opponent know your next move. Then, carefully predict every move your opponent will make.” Pantalone smiled and pinched the white bishop to the right of the king.

Chapter Thirty-Nine: If people don't know what you're doing, they won't know what you've done wrong.

The carriage continued on its way.

Han Fulai briefly recounted how he captured Xingxiu, the leader of the treasure-stealing gang, and the information he obtained from them. Of course, he omitted the process of seeking help from Xiao—partly because Keqing did not want to use the power of a sage, and partly because it was not very respectable to talk about fighting and calling for help.

Then he took the scrolls and gold bars he had obtained from Xingxiu out of his satchel and handed them to Keqing. At the same time, he also explained to Keqing that Pengyi might not have committed suicide, but was murdered by the mastermind behind it to silence him.

Ke Qing took the scroll, examined it carefully, and her expression changed constantly.

"Lady Keqing, I have a question I'd like to confirm with you." Han Fulai spoke softly, not wanting anyone other than Keqing, such as the coachman outside, to hear their conversation.

"Was this 'fireworks display' suggested to you by Pengyi?"

Keqing finally put down the scroll and replied, "Yes. I didn't expect Pengyi to actually..."

Han Fulai nodded and said softly, "Then this matter should only be known to you and me, Lord Keqing. Since Pengyi has already atoned for his sins with his death, please keep this scroll that was taken from the treasure-stealing gang safe, Lord Keqing. As for Pengyi's death... let's just say that he conspired with the treasure-stealing gang to steal fireworks, and committed suicide out of fear of punishment after the matter was exposed."

"...Why?" Ke Qing asked in astonishment.

“If people don’t know what you’re doing, they won’t know what you’ve done wrong,” Han Fulai replied calmly.

"This is deception!" Ke Qing's voice rose.

“This is deception,” Han Fulai said in a deep voice.

Ke Qing's voice was slightly annoyed: "Are we just going to let the real culprit go like this?"

"Then can Lady Keqing find out who the real culprit is?" Han Fulai asked in return.

Ke Qing remained silent for a long time before finally shaking her head.

The source of the poison used by Peng Yi cannot be traced, and the gold bars seized by Han Fulai were unmarked. Tracing the source of the funds, whether through the murder weapon or the money itself, is destined to be futile. Ningguang might be able to glean some relevant clues from the complex intelligence network, but the possibility is equally slim. As for Keqing, she is essentially powerless to help.

"I know that Lady Keqing's intention in organizing the fireworks display is out of enthusiasm, but if someone with ulterior motives tries to make a fuss about it, do you think you can escape responsibility?"

What Han Fulai said was something Ke Qing knew immediately upon reflection.

If her political enemies knew that the fireworks display was a conspiracy, and that Keqing's specially promoted subordinates had orchestrated such a major case as destroying dikes and flooding fields, it would be a waste not to use it to attack Keqing. If someone were to indulge in conspiracy theories, they might even conclude that Keqing deliberately manipulated the destruction of dikes and flooding of fields in order to profit from land consolidation and construction planning after the disaster.

If all the details of this case were made public, it's uncertain whether the real culprit could be caught, and Ke Qing would lose her position as the Jade Balance Star. However, Ke Qing's principles and pride only intensified the inner conflict within her.

"...Do you think I'm reluctant to give up my position as one of the Seven Stars?" Ke Qing's voice was filled with resentment, sounding both sarcastic and self-deprecating.

"So, if you give up your position as one of the Seven Stars, can you get the mastermind behind this to come forward and be brought to justice?" Han Fulai asked expressionlessly, simply stating a fact.

Ke Qing remained silent.

"If Lady Keqing is unable to continue serving as the Star of Yuheng because of this, then the reforms in Liyue will be even more impossible. For the sake of Liyue's future, I urge Lady Keqing to be patient for now and preserve her usefulness." Han Fulai observed Keqing's expression and knew that she was wavering, so he added a sentence at the right time.

The carriage suddenly jolted, and Pengyi's scroll jumped and rolled to the ground.

Ke Qing looked at the scroll and recalled the genuine joy on the face of the fireworks master when he was appreciated by her and tasked with organizing the fireworks festival. She could sense that when Peng Yi suggested it to her, he truly wanted to use fireworks to connect people's feelings.

She closed her eyes.

“Let’s do it this way… but I will not let the mastermind get away with this. I will settle this score.” Ke Qing’s voice was firm.

"Please rest assured, Lady Keqing, I will remember this grudge for you."

Han Fulai raised his hand, bent his index finger, and tapped his temple, indicating that he would never forget.

"Moreover, we are not entirely without the ability to fight back," he said.

Ke Qing stared at Han Fulai's face and asked, word by word, "Mr. Han, do you have a way to track down the mastermind behind this?"

“Yes, because I also set up a trap just now.” Han Fulai’s face showed a confident smile. “I can only guess at the specific identity of the mastermind. But since he wants to stay behind the scenes, he must need someone to carry out the plan for him. Although we didn’t catch Peng Yi, we still have a chance to catch the person who killed Peng Yi.”

"Oh?" Ke Qing's crimson eyes lit up. "Mr. Han, please speak."

"Has Lord Keqing considered the significance of Pengyi to the mastermind behind it all?" Han Fulai asked.

Ke Qing thought for a moment and replied, "Peng Yi is... a pawn used by the mastermind to distract us."

“That’s right. Peng Yi was a scapegoat.” Han Fulai nodded. “Then why would the mastermind abandon Peng Yi?”

"Huh? Isn't it to cut off the clues?" Ke Qing asked curiously.

"Actually, it was precisely because Pengyi was silenced that I was able to narrow down the suspects behind the scenes. If Pengyi hadn't died, there could have been many other schemes by the mastermind. But Pengyi died, which was a huge waste."

“The value of Pengyi far exceeds this. In my opinion, abandoning Pengyi at this time would be an extravagant waste,” Han Fulai said.

"Extravagant waste?"

“As I told you in my previous report, Pengyi’s ‘destroying the dikes and flooding the fields’ plan was devised while you were away visiting immortals. It was essentially a spur-of-the-moment plan.”

Ke Qing nodded.

“Pengyi, on the other hand, should have been a more valuable pawn. If used properly, he could have influenced, or even overturned, the political situation in Liyue,” Han Fulai said.

Inside the Bubu Lodge, the game between Pantalone and White continued.

Pantalone gently picked up a white bishop and moved it three squares diagonally to the upper left, bringing it to the center of the chessboard.

"F1 to C4".

As Pantalone said, he had actually already foreshadowed his next move to White. The Winter Patient who taught White the rules had emphasized to him not to touch the pieces unnecessarily, because the opponent could predict your next move based on your actions.

White unhesitatingly adopted the conventional response of the Winter Opening. He also took the black bishop next to the king and moved it three spaces to the upper left of the board.

"F8 to C5".

At this moment, the pieces on the board are facing each other, and the bishops are facing each other, presenting a completely symmetrical situation, almost like a mirror.

"In a game, a smarter approach is to let the enemy know your second move."

Pantalone gently stroked the white queen.

Chapter Forty: Sacrificing Pawns to Win the Race

"Peng Yi's value...?" Ke Qing was taken aback. In her view, Peng Yi was merely a fireworks mastermind who carried out the plan to destroy the dikes and flood the fields for the mastermind behind the scenes, and this plan was just a cover. Ke Qing couldn't imagine that Peng Yi had any value beyond that.

Han Fulai continued, "If Pengyi had been better prepared and had more resources... for example, instead of cooperating with petty thieves, he had hired more professional people to do it, and the Feiyun Chamber of Commerce wouldn't have found out so easily. The outcome would have been completely different. This plan to destroy the dike and flood the fields would actually have a high chance of becoming a reality."

"The feasibility of this impromptu plan lies in Pengyi's identity. Pengyi is a professional fireworks master. Although he has little experience in administration, his fireworks-making skills are so advanced that even immortals admire him. That's why you trust his abilities and have entrusted the research and setup of the fireworks festival to the highly skilled Pengyi."

"Moreover, before you hire anyone, you always conduct a certain degree of investigation. The fact that Pengyi was able to pass your review shows that his background is absolutely clean and impeccable, which is why he was specially promoted by you."

“Indeed. Tomoyuki’s family has been in the fireworks business for generations, and he himself has lived in Liyue for a long time. I can’t even imagine why he would do something like this,” Keqing said.

“If you have someone like that by your side, he can accomplish much more and greater things. For example, with the experience of this successful fireworks display, you can entrust Pengyi with an even more important task for the next Lantern Festival. Imagine if, during the next fireworks display, those specially made fireworks suddenly turned into time bombs…”

Ke Qing was shocked. "That's right! If Peng Yi is allowed to continue his undercover work, his value will be far greater than what he showed in this incident!"

“That’s right.” Han Fulai nodded. “Pengyi was only responsible for planning the fireworks displays outside Liyue Harbor during this fireworks festival, and he was able to cause damage on the level of destroying dikes and flooding fields. If he were to go further and become the chief planner of the next fireworks festival, he could even set up fireworks displays at places like Scarlet Cloud Slope, Jade Capital Terrace, and Jade Pavilion. How much damage could that cause?”

"So there must be a reason why Pengyi was suddenly abandoned. I even think that when Pengyi first proposed to you to hold a fireworks display, he may not have had any ulterior motives. If they had the idea of ​​destroying the dikes and flooding the fields from the beginning, then Pengyi would not have needed to collect so many fireworks. He could have just made the fireworks more powerful. Pengyi was fully capable of that."

"Therefore, I suspect that the mastermind behind the scenes probably originally hoped to use this fireworks display to give Pengyi a more important position and a greater role. He never intended to ruin the fireworks display."

"...So, Pengyi was supposed to be a long-term pawn, but for some reason, the mastermind behind the scenes changed his mind? That's why you said that abandoning Pengyi at this time would be a wasteful luxury," Ke Qing concluded.

"Yes." Han Fulai nodded and smiled. "I wonder if Lady Keqing has any knowledge of Go?"

Han Fulai suddenly asked this question. Ke Qing was puzzled, but she still honestly shook her head, "Although the elders in my family like it very much... I really don't know much about it. I was just taught some superficial things when I was a child."

“In Go, ‘sacrificing stones’ is a common tactic. Using this tactic usually means giving up local benefits to gain greater benefits. As the Go classic says, ‘It is better to lose a few stones than to lose the initiative.’”

"To avoid losing the initiative... So, the mastermind behind the scenes abandoned Pengyi in order to gain some kind of initiative in the situation?"

Han Fulai replied with four words.

"Sacrificing pawns to gain the upper hand."

Inside the hut, the game of chess had reached its third move.

"An even more sophisticated approach is to let the enemy know your third step."

Pantalone lifted the White Queen and took four steps diagonally.

“D1 to H5”.

This move by White directly penetrated Black's territory, signifying the start of the battle.

White provided a response almost as soon as Pantalone made his move, following the established pattern of the Winter Solstice Opening, where the third move would be the knight's move.

“G8 to F6”.

This move by the dark horse directly threatens the Queen of H5 and the White Soldiers of E4.

Bai Shu looked up and saw a smile curving up the corners of Pantalone's mouth.

In the southern suburbs of Liyue Harbor, Yelan led the way at breakneck speed, followed by a whole battalion of Thousand Rock soldiers led by Thousand Rock Army instructor Fengyan.

Without torches or lanterns, everyone ran silently in the darkness.

Their mission was to get to the designated location and ambush the enemy before they could reach them.

About two hours ago, Yelan was urgently summoned to Yujingtai by Ningguang.

“Just now, Keqing from Yuheng Star came to see me and told me two things.” Ningguang skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the point.

"Which two things?"

"The first thing Keqing did was remind me to strengthen the defenses of 'Mingxiao Lantern'; the second thing she did was to transfer all the cavalry mobile squads to guard the Qingcezhuang River embankment."

"...Someone is planning a bombing in Liyue under the guise of the fireworks display?" Yelan reacted quickly.

“In my contingency plan, the mobile squad is prepared for this kind of emergency.” Ningguang nodded. “But I’ve also heard a third thing.”

"what?"

"Before Keqing came to me, she led men from the General Affairs Department to arrest Pengyi, one of her fireworks masters. But the people from the General Affairs Department later told me that Pengyi had committed suicide by poisoning himself. How much do you know about Pengyi?"

Ye Lan recalled Peng Yi's information in her mind.

Anyone of noteworthy importance within Liyue Harbor is recorded in two lists compiled by Yelan. One list, a list of those of particular concern, is given to the General Affairs Department. The other list, a list of secret intelligence, is kept by her.

Peng Yi was not on either of these lists, but because he was in charge of the fireworks display setup, which involved matters with potential safety hazards, Ye Lan had investigated his background in advance based on her professional habits.

Peng Yi's importance is not worth recording, but Ye Lan has a very good memory and always remembers her past subjects.

After a moment, Ye Lan gave her answer: "His background is fine, and his family is clean—unless someone has been laying out a plan for more than three years."

"What do you mean?"

“Pengyi traveled to various countries for a period of time to learn the craft of fireworks making. Three years ago, he spent two months in winter. If he has a problem, then the problem lies in that time.”