He changed Tiwat

The two exchanged a glance, and everything was understood without a word.

Ke Qing, standing to the side, pursed her lips, feeling as if she were the only one excluded. She coughed and said, "Gentlemen, let's discuss our next steps."

Ningguang nodded and said, "As long as we can capture the Fools who attacked the Golden House tonight, we'll have a pretext to exert further diplomatic pressure and seize the Northern Bank..."

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

The visitor was Ningguang's personal secretary, Baiwen. Baiwen quickly walked to Ningguang's side and whispered a few words in her ear. Han Fulai noticed that Ningguang's expression suddenly turned serious.

Ningguang withdrew from the screen and fell into deep thought.

Han Fulai suddenly remembered that he had seen Ningguang outside the Yuehai Pavilion earlier. At that time, Ningguang seemed to be preparing to go out. Perhaps the matter reported by Baiwen was related to the reason why Ningguang went out at night.

Ningguang remained silent for a long time before finally speaking: "Keqing, Xiao Han, perhaps... we both made a mistake."

Han Fulai's heart skipped a beat, and he asked, "Is it related to the Golden House?"

Ningguang nodded.

Keqing asked anxiously, "Could it be that the Golden House has already been breached by the Fools? Did our men fail to arrive in time?"

Ningguang shook her head.

"What is it?" Ke Qing asked, puzzled.

“Before you returned, there was a fireworks explosion at the General Affairs Department. Of course, that's the official story,” Ningguang said.

Han Fulai recalled that when he and Ke Qing passed by the General Affairs Department before, they had noticed a lot of noise there, but they were in a hurry to see Ningguang at the time and did not stay to check.

"Actually, this was a premeditated attack. The other side used fireworks left behind by Tomoe to attack two locations where the General Affairs Department was located. Fortunately, not many people were injured—because most of the General Affairs Department's staff had been transferred away." Ningguang's voice was quite heavy.

Han Fulai's expression froze. He had considered countless possible motives of the mastermind behind this "luring the tiger away from the mountain," but he had consistently overlooked the fact that the Thousand Rock Army, this "tiger," was stationed at the General Affairs Department. If there was a "tiger's den" in Liyue Harbor, it was the General Affairs Department!

But what is there about the General Affairs Department that would warrant an attack from the mastermind? Could the General Affairs Department be more valuable than the Golden House? Or is this just another attempt by the mastermind to "lure the tiger away from the mountain," a move to lure the Thousand Rock Army back into the city after discovering that the Golden House is already on guard?

As if she could read Han Fulai's thoughts, Ningguang said, "The two locations where the explosions occurred were, firstly, the prison where the General Affairs Department held serious criminals, and secondly, the warehouse belonging to the Feiyun Chamber of Commerce office next to the General Affairs Department."

A flash of inspiration struck Han Fulai, and he suddenly remembered a problem that he had intentionally or unintentionally overlooked—the time the other party had chosen!

Since the beginning of the day, he has been facing "things that are about to happen but have not yet happened." Whether it is breaching the dikes and flooding the fields or attacking the Golden House, these are all major events that may occur, so he has focused all his attention on "prevention" and ignored "things that have already happened."

The mastermind behind the scenes instructed Peng Yi to plan the destruction of the dikes and flooding of the fields, mobilize the Qianyan Army, and silence Peng Yi, etc. These are all "things that have already happened." Since the past cannot be changed and what has happened cannot be undone, Han Fulai's focus of thought naturally shifted to preventing what is to come.

But now that I think about it, there is still one question that remains unresolved: why did the mastermind choose to carry out the plan in these two days?

Like the Lantern Festival, the fireworks display is an event that requires a long preparation period. Is it impossible to complete the "luring the tiger away from the mountain" plan if we don't do it during the two days when Keqing is away visiting the immortals? No, it's entirely possible!

The manpower shortage in Liyue has been a persistent problem, and the preparations for the fireworks festival are not yet over. If the mastermind behind the attack on the Golden House and the flooding of the fields is just a pretext to mobilize the Thousand Rock Army, then as long as they have Tomoyo's fireworks arrangement plan, they can still steal the fireworks and carry out the plan even if it's not done in the last two days.

As long as the possibility of causing a disaster with fireworks exists, the Qianyan Army will inevitably send people to guard the riverbank. If they hadn't acted in the last couple of days, Pengyi wouldn't have been exposed so quickly. If Pengyi had had more time, or if someone else had been carrying out the plan with Pengyi's blueprint, they might not have had to give up this valuable pawn.

By sacrificing one piece to gain the upper hand, one not only secures greater value but also time!

Because there was no time, the mastermind was forced to abandon Pengyi! Because there was no time, the mastermind was in a hurry to act in these two days! Because there was no time, there was that hasty plan full of flaws! Because there was no time, the mastermind acted immediately after diverting the Qianyan Army!

Now that he knows the mastermind is the forces of the Winter Kingdom, he should have realized that something has recently happened that has affected the interests of the Winter Kingdom!

Han Fulai recalled the day three days ago, the day he and Xingqiu swore brotherhood at Qingce Manor, the day he was seconded to Keqing as her personal secretary. That day was the first day after the "Liyue Strategic Materials Embargo Law" was promulgated.

The Flying Cloud Merchant Guild, which was attacked tonight, happens to be a monopoly that benefited from the "Liyue Strategic Material Embargo Law". Han Fulai's work log at Moonsea Pavilion now reads "Accompanied representatives of the Flying Cloud Merchant Guild, a monopoly of Shibo, to Qingce Village to inspect sources of goods".

"The Fools stole... amber from the Flying Cloud Merchant Guild's warehouse?" Han Fulai asked.

“Yes,” Ningguang replied.

"The General Affairs Department's prison was attacked because..." Han Fulai felt his throat go dry.

"It's because they're trying to kidnap two people who committed treason by colluding with the Fools: Lord Maocai and his son," Ningguang said slowly.

"Damn it! The Fools are showing us a stunt!" Keqing slammed her hand on the table and stood up. "It seems that expelling seventy-six Fool diplomats last time didn't teach them a lesson. We'll go and seize the Northern Bank now!"

"What's the reason?" Ningguang sat behind her desk, her hands crossed, motionless.

"They attacked the General Affairs Department, seized prisoners, and kidnapped Shi Po. Aren't those reasons enough?" Ke Qing retorted.

"Where's the evidence?" Ningguang continued to ask.

Ke Qing remained silent.

“Even if the whole world knows that this was done by the Fools, we cannot act rashly without evidence.” There seemed to be flames burning in Ningguang’s wine-red eyes, but in contrast, her tone was as calm as ice.

“Their actions are definitely not just a show of force against the Seven Stars. They went to great lengths to execute tonight's plan; they must have a bigger scheme behind it. Does Lord Ningguang know what their scheme is?” Han Fulai asked softly.

Ningguang gave a bitter smile.

“If I knew, the fools would not have succeeded. There must be some key that we do not know, and I will surely find out.”

Ningguang paused for a moment, then said, "I will not shy away from this defeat. But first, we must learn from this lesson—we must not assume that we have a complete understanding of the whole situation just because we have grasped part of the truth. Especially when your opponent is a rare sage."

Han Fulai closed his eyes briefly and slowly asked, "Who...is the opponent?"

Ningguang's voice was deep: "The founder of the Northern Bank, the most successful banker on the Teyvat continent, the ninth executive of the Fools, codenamed 'The Rich Man' Pantarone."

In the abandoned village of Guiliyuan, several large carts were pulled here by a few farmers. But upon closer inspection, one could discover that beneath the farmers' feigned simplicity lay powerful physiques capable of wielding thunder hammers.

A vanguard of elite Fools soldiers, directly under the executive officer, emerged from the ruins, leading a pre-prepared wagon. They swiftly unloaded the stone amber from the large cart and loaded it onto the wagon. Their destination was the Kingdom of Winter.

These large wagons, disguised as food transport vehicles, were parked two streets away from the General Affairs Office in Liyue Harbor. After the attack on the General Affairs Office succeeded, the boxes containing the amber and the prisoners who had been rescued were hidden inside the wagons and transported out of Liyue Harbor along with the vegetables and fruits. Meanwhile, the advance team of the Fatui broke up and left the city through various gates, gathering at the designated location on Guili Plain.

Even the Fatui soldiers responsible for carrying out the plan could never have imagined that in just one day, Liyue Harbor would be so empty that they couldn't even muster a few Thousand Rock troops to block the four gates and search.

The biggest contributor to the success of this plan was undoubtedly the young man wearing a white cloak.

Pantalone, who was at the rear of the procession, clapped his hands, and everyone seemed to freeze in place, quietly awaiting his instructions.

“Leave one carriage for me in the first squad, and the second squad will escort Shi Po on his way immediately,” Pantalone said.

"Yes!" the Fool's soldiers answered in unison.

The advance team of the Fools, belonging to the second detachment, finished loading the vehicles and quickly drove away from the village under the cover of night.

Watching the convoy depart, Pantalone turned around, adjusted his silver-rimmed glasses, and smiled at his trusted confidant: "Andre, the Northern Bank in Liyue Harbor still needs your management. You did a great job this time."

"I merely followed your orders, sir, and dripped the herbicide into Pengyi's wine glass. It's nothing special," Andrei replied humbly.

“No, the achievement lies in getting him to drink without any suspicion and without leaving any loose ends.” Pantalone reached out and, as if to offer his consolation, brushed some dust off Andrei’s shoulder.

"These fruits and vegetables also need to be delivered to where they are supposed to be delivered. I don't want anyone to be able to find any loopholes later."

"I will obey your orders," Andrei replied, placing his hand on his chest and bowing.

“It’s just a pity about Pengyi,” Pantalone sighed. “He should have been a more valuable piece.”

“This is a glorious sacrifice,” Andrei said.

“This is a glorious sacrifice,” Pantalone nodded in agreement.

"I will give the modified fireworks and firework tube designs he left behind to the 'Doctor'. In time, they will become our weapons. Pengyi has such talent, yet he is buried in an unknown corner as a mere fireworks master. The people of Liyue, pampered by the Geo Archon, only know how to rely on divine power. How foolish they are."

“The people of Liyue have a deep-rooted faith in the Geo Archon. They are used to walking with the gods, but they dare not imagine that humans could possess technology and power comparable to the gods,” Andre said.

"Therefore, they also cannot imagine that humans can achieve the great feats that gods have accomplished."

Pantalone chuckled, picked up a Mora, and held it up like the Buddha holding up a flower.

"Look, what's the difference between this Mora and the Mora you usually use?"

Andrei took the Mora and examined it closely. He couldn't see anything special about it, either in terms of its shape or weight.

“There is no difference.” Andrei, a professional bank manager who handles millions of mora a day, made this judgment.

“But if you put this Mora on the alchemy table, you’ll find that it will only turn into a pool of gold and impurities,” Pantalone said calmly.

Andre felt as if the Mora in his hand had suddenly become hotter; his palm even felt burning. Anyone holding a fake Mora would feel it was burning hot. Since the Rock King forged the first Mora, in the three thousand seven hundred years since, there had never been such a thing as "counterfeit currency" on the continent of Teyvat.

This is blasphemy against the gods!

However—any executor of the Fools is an outright blasphemer.

“Gold and other precious metals, pure rock elemental power, and the flesh and blood of the Rock Demon God—this is the truth about Mora.” A glint of light flashed behind Pantalone’s silver-rimmed glasses.

"According to the 'Doctor's' research, we are only missing the flesh and blood of the Rock Demon God to become the true Mora. But it won't be long before I complete that as well. At that time, the Golden House will no longer be the only mint on the Teyvat continent."

Pantalone placed his hand on his chest and bowed towards the north.

“I once swore to Her Majesty the Queen, ‘I will use every means to make us the heart of the money in circulation.’ Soon, it will be the moment for me to fulfill my oath.”

“But before that, I need enough time. This coin will buy enough time for our cause.”

“This…this is…” Andrei held the “Mora” in his hand, extremely excited.

"The so-called 'Stone Amber,' also known as 'Heart of Geo,' is a crystal formed from the purest rock element. The god worshipped by the people of Liyue is essentially the Geo Archon, whose divine power is no different from the power condensed in this Stone Amber. Although it lacks the flesh and blood of the Geo Archon, this inferior imitation can still roam freely in this world."

"With the batch of amber we've acquired now, the Geo Archon's power is sufficient. Soon, the Northern Bank will have countless Mora. Your next task is to absorb a large amount of the Mora currently available in Liyue and then distribute our replicas to the market."

“Let’s name this plan ‘Bad Money Drives Out Good Money’,” Pantalone said with a smile.

Chapter 44 Seven Stars, I Don't Even Consider Them a Risk [5k6]

“‘Bad money drives out good money’…” Andrei repeatedly chewed on this phrase. He didn’t really understand the deeper meaning behind the plan, but he vaguely felt that it would be a very, very terrible thing.

Pantalone observed Andrei's reaction, his smile unwavering, and continued, "You just said that this replica Mora is indistinguishable from the real one. Since you can't tell the difference, no one else can either."

"Moreover, it is common knowledge that all the Mora circulating on the continent of Teyvat is minted by the Golden House in Liyue—including the Mora in our Northern Bank. The Northern Bank is merely a bank that circulates Mora, not a mint that produces Mora."

"Ah!" Andrei's mouth dropped open involuntarily; he finally understood what Lord Pantalone had planned.

“Yes, the counterfeiters are the Golden House and the Northern Bank; they’re just victims,” Pantalone laughed.

"Since Ningguang has announced the 'Liyue Strategic Material Embargo Law,' trade friction between the two countries continues to escalate, and soon Winter will also announce the closure of foreign trade with Liyue. However, these counterfeit Mora will only be distributed in Liyue. Next, the people of Liyue will be surprised to find that no one dares to buy the Mora they have."

"What kind of ruin will a commercial port take after it loses its credibility? It's really intriguing."

Pantalone was still laughing, but Andrea couldn't laugh.

People often say that the Northern Bank is a place where blood, tears, and wailing are passed down. Andre has served in the Northern Bank for many years, but he has never felt such a chilling cold as he does now, as if the blood, tears, and wailing of the people of Liyue are right before his eyes.

He couldn't help but shudder.

Pantalone patted him on the shoulder and handed him a bright yellow piece of paper, or more precisely, a talisman.

“Dartaria didn’t come back empty-handed from Liyue; he at least brought back a ‘Talisman of No Taboo’ made by the Geo Archon himself. Based on that talisman, the ‘Doctor’ deciphered the technique for replicating the real Talisman of No Taboo. I’ve heard that a large number of demon gods are suppressed beneath Guyun Pavilion. Let’s use this Talisman of No Taboo to awaken Oser’s wife, Barcha.

"...This is my parting gift to Liyue. I hope they will like it."

Andrei carefully stored the Unbound Talisman in his robes, feeling a tremor run through his body. The replica of Mora, and the Unbound Talisman capable of unleashing the Demon God—these two items, enough to overturn the current state of Liyue, were now on his possession. He couldn't immediately tell whether his trembling stemmed from fear or excitement.

"Andrei, you bear a great responsibility."

Pantalone tightened the grip on Andrei's shoulder.

Andrei felt the pressure on his shoulders, lowered his head, and knelt on one knee.

"Your subordinate will certainly live up to your expectations."

“Very good, I will wait for your good news in the winter.” Pantalone nodded gently.

After André left, Pantalone turned around and took a few steps, arriving at the ruins of a dilapidated house.

Besides an elite debt collector, there were two people standing in the dilapidated house: an old man and a young man. They were none other than the former wealthy merchant of Yujingtai, Maocai Gong, and his son, Sheng Jinyong.

Now, these two are no longer the arrogant and domineering men they once were; they are now living in constant fear and anxiety, tormented by their prison life.

Upon seeing the elegantly dressed young nobleman enter, Mao Cai Gong's unshaven face lit up with a hint of pride, and he bowed respectfully.

"Sheng Maocai thanks you for saving my life, sir! May I ask your honorable name? Maocai and Jinyong will be forever grateful for your kindness!"

Pantalone still wore that same unchanging smile.

“Oh dear, this is probably the first time we’ve met. I forgot to introduce myself, I’m Pantalone.”

"You are the same Mr. Pantalone who founded the Northern Bank? I never expected that you would personally come to my rescue from my predicament. I am truly... deeply grateful." As Mao Cai Gong spoke, he actually managed to wipe two tears from the corners of his eyes.

Pantalone smiled and waved his hand, "You flatter me, Master Maocai. This is what we should do. We Fools never abandon our friends."

"It is our honor to be friends with the Fools! We are willing to give our lives for Her Majesty Queen Winter! We are willing to be loyal to Lord Pantalone!"

Mao Cai Gong understood from Pantalone's words that he still had value to the Fools. Having operated in the Jade Capital for many years, he knew many secrets of the Seven Stars Government. Now that the Fools had rescued him, he was left with only one path: to be loyal to them. He quickly swore an oath of loyalty.

Seeing his father's actions, Sheng Jinyong quickly followed suit and swore allegiance to Pantalone.

“Oh dear, you two are too kind.” Pantalone said with a smile. “I came to Liyue specifically for you two.”

Mao Cai Gong was taken aback, not expecting that he would be of such great value to this executor of the Fools.

"Have you two ever heard the story of 'spending a thousand pieces of gold to buy a horse's bones'?" Pantalone asked with a smile.

"I don't know what you mean, sir?" Mao Cai Gong was momentarily confused.