He changed Tiwat

"If Your Excellency wishes to guide Inazuma towards 'eternity,' how can you not consult the people who are intimately connected with 'eternity'?"

"And the 'win-win' method I'm talking about is also hidden in 'people's hearts'."

"Human nature...?" Lei Yingdian murmured to himself.

The castle tower is located in Inazuma Castle, and it seems that the Shogun has never been far from his people.

But now it seems that a distance of five hundred years has separated her from her people.

“My ‘win-win’ method doesn’t require you to break your promise,” Han Fulai said. “Your promise is ‘eternity, unchanging for thousands of generations.’ But you haven’t defined the specific meaning of ‘eternity’…”

“What is eternal can be a nation, a landscape, an object… and of course, the human heart.”

"How can the people's eternal pursuit and yearning for a better life not be 'unchanging through the ages'?"

“Your ‘defeat’ today is not against me, Han Fulai, but against the eternal pursuit of a better life by the people of Inazuma. In this sense, I have won, but you have not lost either—because you have given Inazuma true eternity and fulfilled the wishes of your people. The victory of the people of Inazuma is your victory.”

Shenzi, Ying, and Xingqiu exchanged a glance, all thinking the same thing: Liyue civil servants' mastery of wordplay should be enough to be considered gods, right?

Han Fulai extended his hand to Lei Film again: "As the proposer of this 'win-win cooperation,' I will take responsibility to help the people of Daofu achieve true 'eternity.' At the same time, I also need your strength to save the world from the crisis it faces."

"This is the contract between you and me."

"Nothing in the world is more or less like this: what one person cannot do, two people can do."

"If you are willing to believe me, please hold my hand, and the contract will be made."

The moonlight within the sacred ground seemed even brighter at that moment.

Lei Yingdian extended her hand and shook hands tightly with Han Fulai.

Everyone present witnessed that scene—

For the first time in five hundred years, General Thunder smiled.

Her smile was as bright as moonlight.

September 3, 37XX (Liyue Calendar), noon.

The "Seven Rulers of the Mortal Realm" who rule Inazuma, the "Eternal God" Balzeb, along with Han Fulai, the "Successor of the Emperor" of Liyue and the Deputy Director of the Moonsea Pavilion, boarded the "Tianheng".

With the help of the magic array on the deck of the "Tianheng", General Raiden's "Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War" resounded throughout the entire Inazuma land:

[Having deeply considered the global situation and the current state of affairs in Inazuma, I intend to take extraordinary measures to resolve the current situation. I hereby inform my loyal subjects:]

I wish for the well-being of my wife, my subjects, and the prosperity of the people of the seven kingdoms; this is the legacy of the generals of the past, and what I earnestly strive to achieve.

The civil war between the Inatsuma Shogunate and the Kaiji, the "Eye-hunting" and "Isolation of the Country" edicts, were acts of rebellious ministers, certainly not my intention. Two years of war have passed; the bravery of the Heavenly Commander's troops, the diligence of the officials, and the service of the hundreds of thousands of common people have all done their utmost. However, the war's entanglement and the resulting devastation are truly unpredictable; in such a situation, how can I protect the people of Inatsuma, and how can I uphold the eternal and unchanging principles for thousands of generations?

To my subjects, those who died in battle, perished in the line of duty, or met untimely ends, and their families, my heart is torn apart. And to those wounded in battle, afflicted by disaster, or who lost their homes and livelihoods, I am deeply concerned for their well-being. I am well aware of the sentiments of my subjects. This is why I have declared war, for it is unbearable, unbearable, and I wish to usher in an era of lasting peace.

I, having been granted the right to uphold the national polity and relying on the loyalty of my subjects, have observed that the Tenryō (Heavenly Commander) and the Kanshō (Investigation Commander) have been causing trouble, ostracizing our fellow countrymen, disrupting the political situation, misleading the nation, and betraying the trust of other countries. This is something I have deeply regretted. Therefore, for the crime of treason, I hereby dismiss the Tenryō and Kanshō commanders from their posts and temporarily detain them pending trial. The envoy from the Eastern Kingdom, who colluded with the two commanders, attempted to assassinate me in front of the palace and has already been executed. The ignorant masses and merchants will be expelled immediately.

The two orders, "Eye Hunt" and "Lockdown," are hereby rescinded.

I hope that you, my subjects, will understand my intentions.

Chapter 206 Inazuma's "Meiji Restoration"

For most of the Inazuma residents, this broadcast of the "Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War" was the first time they had heard the Shogun's voice.

This is the general who was once high above and unreachable, personally declaring his will to his people.

The imperial edict was not issued through the "Three Commissioners" or delivered to any minister; rather, it was proclaimed by the shogun himself to his subjects... This was the first time such an event had occurred in the more than 2,600-year history of Inazuma Province.

Along with the general's voice, the general's beautiful figure also spread throughout the land of Inazuma.

Ordinary people in Inatsuki were not qualified to enter the castle tower for an audience. Many people who had lived in Inatsuki Castle for generations saw the shogun's face for the first time on this day.

Previously, people's understanding of General Thunder was mostly that he was "superb in martial arts", "powerful", or even "terrifying"... In people's minds, the general was almost synonymous with "a single, thoughtless strike".

But on this day, many people changed their perception of General Thunder to "a beautiful goddess".

Undeniably, "beauty" is also a "weapon," perhaps even more powerful than "a single, unexpected strike."

A beautiful woman usually receives more preferential treatment and is more forgiving when she makes mistakes. If this beautiful woman also possesses the powerful strength to split a strait with a single stroke... well, when she bows her head and admits her mistakes, most people will choose "of course, forgive her."

Although Lei herself was unaware of this, the faith she gained that day was probably equivalent to the sum of her faith over the past ten years...

In fact, most people can't really understand the convoluted and difficult-to-understand "reply" in the general's edict, but the general meaning of the edict is still conveyed.

Moreover, the general used his divine power to return the divine eye embedded in the "Thousand-Armed and Hundred-Eyed God Statue" on the spot, returning the "wish" to the people of Inazuma, and expressing his sincerity and determination to change through practical actions.

"The general admitted his mistake, rescinded the 'Eye Hunting Order' and the 'Isolation Order,' and declared that he would punish the treacherous officials who had wreaked havoc in the court," and "The war is over, and peace has come"—these two things were enough to make the people of Inazuma cheer with joy.

Even though some of the residents of the sea and the displaced people in the lower city may not be able to completely get over their resentment toward the shogunate in the short term, at least they can see the hope for reform.

In short, "everything is getting better."

In the history books of Inazuma's descendants, the "Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War" read by General Raiden on September 3 is known as the "Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War".

In the language of Inatsume, "Tama-on" means the voice of the gods, and "Hōsō" means "broadcast".

According to historians, after the first "Jade Voice Broadcast," General Thunder seemed to have developed a strong interest in the "broadcast array" from Liyue and specially asked Secretary Han of Liyue to make a copy at the castle tower.

Later, whenever there was an important event in Inazuma, General Raiden would personally broadcast his "imperial voice." Many of General Raiden's admirers even bought the "recording machine" invented by Xavier, the inventor of Fontaine, to record the general's "imperial voice broadcast" and listen to and worship it every day—this new form of "idol worship" was probably something that General Raiden himself had never anticipated.

The historical event of the "Imperial Rescript Broadcast" not only marked the end of the Inazuma War, but also the beginning of a new era.

On September 3rd, the Kingdom of Inazuma reached an agreement with Liyue, joining the "Teyvat Community of Shared Destiny" advocated by Han Fulai. From that day onward, "fertilizer" from Liyue, along with a series of advanced political and economic measures, entered Inazuma's territory, profoundly changing the course of Inazuma's history and the lives of its people.

Of course, people at the time did not know what would happen in the future, and those who suffered greatly from the war were simply grateful for the arrival of peace.

It won't be until the not-too-distant future, when General Raiden cuts through the veil of the sky that covers the world with his "Dream Truth" and shows the people the reality beyond the world, that people will realize what this "Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War" truly represents.

—The end of the war was merely the prelude to another war.

Fortunately, before this global war arrives, they still have enough time to appreciate the hard-won good life, to accumulate strength, and to protect their beautiful life.

That afternoon, General Raiden convened court officials and representatives of the people at the castle tower for the largest council meeting in Inazuma's history.

—After all, this war, which lasted for two years, was nominally a "military remonstrance," and the "rebellion" launched by Konta Village and Kurosawa, who led the displaced people in the city, was nominally a "purge of the emperor's inner circle."

So naturally, the general would listen to the voice of the people.

Besides the civil officials of the government office and the magistrate of the shrine, the representatives of Umijima, Goro and Ying, the former princess of the Kujo clan and the current representative of the Kageyama Tengu clan, Kageyama Sara, the successor of "Isshinden", Kaedehara Manyo, the leader of Konta Village, Konta Densuke, the leader of the rebel army, Kurosawa Kyonosuke, and others, all participated in this court meeting. Also present were Han Fulai, the "successor of the Emperor" of Liyue, and Xingqiu, the representative of the trade.

This court meeting lasted from the beginning of the day until the end of the night, and the discussion covered almost every aspect of life, from the political ecology of Inazuma to the livelihood of the people of Tenryo. Even the establishment of the "Kaiji Special Zone" and the development of islands such as Qinglai and Kakukan were mentioned.

On that day, dozens of edicts were issued from the castle tower. In addition to the handling of the Tenryo Magistrate and the Kansei Magistrate, there were a series of personnel changes, as well as official documents issued to the "Real Human God Priestess" of Umijima Island and the Umiji Guardian Coral Palace Heart Sea.

General Raiden will dispatch a special envoy, Kageshiro, to Tasasuna to discuss the construction of the "Umiji Special Zone" with the Umiji Island authorities. With Han Fulai's strong push, the "Higashiyama" area on the west side of Hachiyeon Island should also be included in the "Umiji Special Zone"—though nominally, this special zone will be managed by the Sangokyu as an "economic pilot project for the Inazuma Shogunate's open-door policy."

In addition, the initial outlines for new tax policies, relief for the lower classes in Inazuma, a series of public educational institutions, and a civil service examination system for non-aristocratic classes were also established at this meeting.

It is no exaggeration to say that September 3rd of Liyue Calendar 37XX was a turning point in the history of Inazuma Country.

Later generations called it the "Meiji Restoration," meaning "His Majesty the Shogun is wise and powerful, and through harmonious actions, he will eventually achieve a lasting great undertaking."

Years later, the history of the Meiji Restoration was made into a feature film by the great Fontaine filmmaker Xavier, titled "Inazuma's Longest Day".

Chapter 207 Strangers in the Wilderness, Unfamiliar with Old Friends

The next few days were very busy for everyone in Inazuma.

The post-war reconstruction and pacification work, as well as the implementation of a series of new policies, all required the shogunate officials to work overtime to complete the tasks—in a sense, this can be seen as Han Fulai bringing the life of Liyue civil servants to the adults of the Inazuma shogunate.

With the death of Tenryō Magistrate Kujō Takayuki and the imprisonment of Kanjō Magistrate Hiiragi Shinjō, the high command of both magistrates is currently at a complete standstill. As per the Shogun's instructions, until a successor is determined, the duties of Tenryō Magistrate will be temporarily assumed by the Director of the Government Office, Matsukawa Sōzen, while the duties of Kanjō Magistrate will be temporarily assumed by the Acting Director, Nagaoka Hidemitsu.

For these two long-marginalized civil servants, the workload brought by overtime work is a kind of "happy trouble." Being able to fully realize their ambitions is a blessing in disguise.

For those serving at the grassroots level, however, life is not so pleasant.

For example, Owada Yoriki, the town magistrate, not only had to lead his subordinates to clean up the battlefield in the town, but also had to go to the outskirts of the city to retrieve the equipment of the magistrate's office that had been robbed that day—the swords and armor in the magistrate's office that were mixed with "tamahagane" were valuable items, so of course people would not return them to you voluntarily.

There was no roster of refugees who participated in the uprising to trace, and in the process of recovering these weapons, Ōwada's hair turned a few strands white, and he began to miss Ōnoin Dōshin even more.

Meanwhile, other officials closely associated with the Kujo and Hiiragi families lived in constant fear, unsure when they would be targeted for retribution. Although the shogunate had issued a statement saying that there would be no changes to the officials' positions and asking all officials and servants to remain calm, the number of people carrying gifts to the Matsukawa, Nagaoka, and Kamisato families had increased several dozen times in recent days.

Kanoin Doshin, whom Ōwada Yoriki had been thinking about, had truly returned home in glory. After comfortably serving as a "prisoner" on Kaijima Island for over half a month, he was already slated for promotion to Yoriki upon returning to Inazuma Castle. To reward him for his arduous and near-death experience, he was granted a rather long vacation. So, upon returning to Narukami Island, he immediately went to Narukami Taisha Shrine to report his safe arrival to his cousin, Kano Nana.

Then his cousin, Kano Nana, conscripted him.

To celebrate Inazuma's return to peace, Narukami Taisha Shrine and its magistrate will hold an even grander "Koka Eiso Festival" during the autumnal equinox. Yaedo will also launch special festival-related events during this period, and it is said that many bestselling authors' book signings will be held at the same time. The shrine maidens of the shrine and the editors of Yaedo have been extremely busy lately.

Upon seeing Heizo return safely, Kano Nana scolded him sternly, then tossed him a ritual robe and made him her assistant. Well, as long as Heizo was safely back by her side, she'd have plenty of time to listen to his battlefield stories.

In fact, besides his cousin, Heizo also really wanted to see Yaeguji. After the war ended, he stopped having that strange dream about "what this land lacked," and he really wanted to find Yaeguji to find out what was going on.

Unfortunately, since the issuance of the Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War, Yae no Miko has been claiming illness and taking leave, no longer receiving visitors. She also did not attend that important Meiji Restoration conference.

Of course, according to the shogunate's custom, the priests were not required to participate in court meetings, so it was normal for the chief priest not to attend. In Kano Nana's opinion, the excuse of illness was indeed the chief priest's way of being lazy... Considering the chief priest's hard work during the war, it was understandable that he wanted to rest for a while, since he would definitely have to preside over the festival when it started anyway.

After the shogunate abolished the "Eye-hunting Edict," the previous arrest warrants for Kaedehara Manyo and other resisters of the "Eye-hunting Edict" were also lifted. Manyo was finally able to return to his homeland openly without having to hide.

However, the Kaede family mansion has been sold, and the lineage of the "Isshinden" school has been interrupted for many years. Manyo has no intention of returning to the ranks of the "Raiden Goden".

He had already accomplished what he wanted to do upon returning to Inazuma. Rather than staying in Inazuma Castle as a swordsmith, the phrase "like an autumn leaf, drifting on distant mountains and seas" suited his nature much better. Besides, he hadn't yet repaid the kindness of Sister Hokuto in taking him in when he was in trouble.

Beidou plans to return to Liyue after the "Radiant Festival," and the time before their return is a holiday to reward the crew. Most of the Southern Cross crew took advantage of this time to tour Inazuma Castle, making up for the regret of not being allowed to enter the city during the "Isolation Order," while Manyo went to Mt. Shadow alone.

—The broken sword left behind by his friend Okudaira during the "duel in front of the emperor" was buried by him at the foot of Mount Kagehira.

He wanted to go to the "Broken Knife Tomb" to pay respects to his deceased friend and comfort his spirit in heaven.

To his surprise, there were already two worshippers who had arrived before him at Okudaira's "Broken Sword Tomb".

One of them was Okudaira's fiancée, Ms. Shigenobu.

Like Manyo, Miss Shigenobu also came to comfort Okudaira after hearing that the "Eye Hunting Order" had been cancelled.

During the time Manyo was away from Inazuma, Miss Shigenobu meticulously cared for "Broken Sword Mound." In fact, Miss Shigenobu was also a member of the underground resistance organization that secretly joined the resistance army, and she played an important role in providing support when the Umijima detachment infiltrated Inazuma Castle.

The other one was a strange young ronin wearing a huge straw hat.

The young ronin claimed he was just passing by when he happened to see the broken sword entangled with an obsession. He suspected the sword's owner had unfulfilled wishes and feared the sword would become a "demon sword" that would bring disaster in the future, so he prepared to exorcise it.

However, after Miss Shigenobu paid her respects, the lingering resentment on the broken sword dissipated. The young ronin inquired about the sword's owner's deeds, admired the hero, and also lit incense at the grave.

The boy said he was about to embark on a long journey to a distant land, perhaps never to return to his homeland. He had some regrets and mistakes in Inazuma that he could not make amends for, and his journey to this distant land was to eliminate the source of those mistakes.

It was fate that I was able to meet Manyo before leaving, so I entrusted him with a book and asked Manyo to pass it on to an old friend in Inazuma Castle.

After Wan Ye accepted the book, the young man said goodbye and left.

When Manyo opened the book, he discovered that it was actually a sword manual called "Akame Isshin Den" (Red Eyes Isshin's Transmission), written by the swordsmith Akame Kanenaga, who had defected to winter and was now writing about his sword-making experience.

It contains not only the forging method of the "Demon Sword", but also the control method that Akame Kanenaga comprehended before his death, which is called "The Transmission of Pure Heart".

While this method cannot completely eliminate the influence of the demonic remnants within the "Demon Sword," it can minimize it. If the samurai wielding the "Demon Sword" is strong enough, taming it is not impossible.

Furthermore, many of the forging methods recorded in this book seem to have similarities with the "Mikage Furnace Core" currently used by the Weaponry Bureau. If used properly, it might even help the artisans of Inazuma effectively prevent the "Mikage Furnace Core" from being contaminated.

For Inatsume swordsmith, the value of this sword manual is priceless.

Wan Ye grew increasingly astonished as he read, until he turned to the last page of the sword manual and saw the young man's inscription:

"A gift to my old friend, whose descendants have long and beautiful red feathers."

Below that, there was a line of small, blurred text that appeared to read "Qiuqi Zhe".

His ancestor's surname was Niwa.

The "old friend" to whom this sword manual was to be entrusted turned out to be him...

But Dan Yu's ancestor has been dead for more than four hundred years, so how could there be any "old friends" still alive?

Chapter 208 General and Minister Han Fulai [4k]

Han Fulai has started missing Keqing these past few days.

Aside from the emotional longing stemming from not seeing each other for so long, the main reason is... beauty arises from contrast.

Putting aside her workaholic tendencies, Keqing, as a member of the Yuheng Star, is a good boss, an excellent colleague, and a reliable partner. She is not only capable and strong-willed, but also willing to take responsibility and will never shift blame to her subordinates.

Although Keqing has high and somewhat harsh standards for herself and others, as long as someone meets her standards, she is a good partner to whom you can entrust your back.

As Ke Qing's personal secretary, Han Fulai's main job is to pull Ke Qing back from her ruts when she gets stuck on a problem, or to provide her with "problem-solving methods" that go beyond common sense and are very much in the style of Secretary Yue Haiting...

In terms of work, Han Fulai, who was deeply influenced by Gan Yu, usually plays the role of a "good teacher and helpful friend" in front of Ke Qing. Well, he himself actually likes this role. How should I put it? Being able to make a cute girl like Ke Qing feel "so amazing" would make any man feel his vanity satisfied, right?

But with Lei's movies, it's a different story.

According to his contract with Ray Films, he must take responsibility to help the people of Inazuma achieve true "eternity".

To put it bluntly, he was responsible for making sure that "everything was alright" for Inazuma.

With his current abilities and resources, fulfilling this promise is not difficult. Although he cannot make Inazuma leap from Teyvat's "least developed country" to a "developed country" in one step, he can at least pull him to the level of a "developing country" and ride the wave of the "Teyvat community of shared future".