He changed Tiwat

Han Fulai spread his hands: "It's because I can't go through the 'official channels' that I have to end up like this... Otherwise, we should be having a state banquet in the Academy of Religious Affairs right now, how could we be eating fish rolls in this little tavern?"

Before he came to Xumi, he not only collected relevant information from Ningguang and Yelan, but also sent a letter to the Xumi Religious Council through Yuehai Pavilion in the name of Yuhengxing Keqing, requesting a state visit and an audience with the Grass God.

Unsurprisingly, the Great Sage Azar of the Council of the Faith replied with a polite but uncompromising letter, stating that the Grass God was reclusive, devoted to exploring supreme wisdom, and had not received any guests for the past five hundred years. Furthermore, the Council of the Faith was currently engaged in a major engineering project involving all six Great Sages and was temporarily unable to receive foreign guests.

Clearly, this so-called "major engineering project" is closely related to the "Sumeru Locked Kingdom" mentioned by Wendy, and is also closely related to the mysterious grass god who is never seen.

Having been rebuffed, Han Fulai had no choice but to disguise himself as "Han Jiangxue" and use Jiangxue's name to "visit relatives."

In fact, this was all thanks to Jiang Xue's aversion to extravagance. When she brought Jiang'er here for treatment, she used the name of the fisherman Jiang Xue, which gave Han Fulai a rather "legitimate" false identity.

"...The good news is that we've come to Sumeru at just the right time. If we want to see the Grass God, we'll have the opportunity in the next few days," Han Fulai said.

Upon hearing this, Ying immediately looked smug, tilting her nose at Paimon, as if to say, "I knew I was right to trust him."

Paimon asked, unconvinced, "What kind of opportunity are you talking about?"

Han Fulai smiled and uttered a single word: "'Flower Goddess's Birthday Festival'."

As the three were talking, there was a knock on the door. Han Fulai immediately responded in a gruff voice, "Come in!"

A red-haired woman with a veil veiled her face entered.

The high-puffed blue and white strapless top, the sea-blue short skirt that just covered her thighs and left much to the imagination, her slender waist that could be grasped in one hand, and the pair of openwork gold-threaded ballet shoes all revealed the woman's identity—yes, she was a dancer.

Even with a light veil covering her face, it couldn't conceal her delicate cheeks and lively emerald green eyes. Ying and Paimon had no doubt that a stunningly beautiful face was hidden beneath the veil.

Actually, her mask was a bit redundant, since it's very rare to find a dancer with such a slender and outstanding figure and such distinctive red hair. People who know her can recognize her even from just a side profile.

And... her photo is right in the center of the wall in this room.

Ying and Paimon immediately looked at the "poster"—it had the words "Nil" written on it, which should be the dancer's name.

Nilu.jpg

Compared to those "small advertisements," this dancer was clearly more eye-catching, and the "poster" was also particularly large. According to Ying and Paimon's opinion, she was probably... the top dancer in Sumeru City?

"Welcome, Miss Nilu." Han Fulai remained seated on the bed, saying "Welcome" but showing no intention of getting up to greet her.

Miss Nel seemed a little uneasy. When she saw Ying and Paimon, two unfamiliar faces, a hint of hesitation flashed in her eyes, as if she was unsure whether she should turn around and leave.

Han Fulai waved his hand casually, indicating that she didn't need to pay attention to the strangers present.

Nilu glanced at Ying and Paimon, then deliberately lowered her voice: "Mr. Jiang Xue, when will we be able to settle that money we agreed on last time?"

Ying and Paimon glanced at Nel, dressed as a dancer, and then at Han Fulai, who had a bandit-like look on his face. They seemed to understand what they were talking about, "money," and both looked away. Paimon even covered her ears, feeling that this was probably not a "deal" that someone her age should be listening to.

Han Fulai chuckled: "We men at sea are the most loyal, how could we possibly lie to you? Look, the benefactor is right over there."

He pointed at Ying with his eyes.

Nilu paused for a moment, then turned to look at the blond traveler.

Ying was stunned for a moment, then pointed to her own nose, her face full of disbelief—You, you owe me money for doing that kind of thing with the dancer?!

Han Fulai smiled again: "I haven't introduced you yet. This is the famous Mondstadt 'Knight of Honor,' an S-rank adventurer from the Adventurers' Guild, a super hero who survived a 'duel before the Emperor' with Inazuma's Thunder General, the Traveler—Luminous!"

"Someone with such a long title must be incredibly rich!"

Nilu's eyes widened: "So you're that great adventurer! I've heard of you!"

Before Ying could react, Nilu warmly grasped her hand: "That's wonderful! Thank you for your generosity! On behalf of the Zubair Theater and all the people of the Grand Bazaar, I thank you for sponsoring the 'Flora Festival'! By the way, please do us the honor of visiting our theater. Mr. Zubair would love to have a good chat with you."

Ying was even more confused now, as was Paimon.

What is all this about?

How did we suddenly become "sponsors"?

What are "Zubair Theater", "Grand Bazaar" and "Flora Festival"?

Two questioning gazes were simultaneously cast toward Han Fulai.

Han Fulai finally got off his bed and walked aggressively to Nilu: "Hey, Miss Nilu! This Miss Ying only invested in the 'Flower Goddess Festival' because of me! Mr. Zuber is treating, isn't there any for me?"

With that face, he was indeed quite frightening when he feigned anger. Miss Nilu flinched and quickly shook her head: "Of course, of course you have a share too!"

"Hmm." Han Fulai nodded in satisfaction. "Then, introducing Mr. Humayi to us shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Nilu turned her face away somewhat awkwardly: "This... it depends on Mr. Zuber..."

Han Fulai clapped his hands heartily: "What are you still dawdling about? Come on, take us to the Zubair Theater!"

Chapter Thirty-Five: Of all pursuits, only studying is noble. [4k]

Led by Nilu, the three passed through the tree hole tunnel, which was heavily guarded by the "Thirty-Man Group" of mercenaries, and arrived at the location of the Zubair Theater—the Grand Bazaar.

The Grand Bazaar is located at the lowest level of Sumeru City, an underground space completely enveloped by the gnarled and thick roots of a sacred tree.

In the Sumerian language, "Bazaar" means "market," or more colloquially, "Sumerian Farmers' Market."

Just as Liyue Harbor has Tiger Rock and Jade Peak, and Inazuma Castle has Hanamizaka and Castle Keep, Sumeru Castle also has upper and lower districts.

The area above Treasure Street, where the Adventurers' Guild's Sumeru branch is located, is the Upper City. The area above Treasure Street, including the location of the Order House and its affiliated facilities, is the Lower City. The area below Treasure Street, including the port area where the "Lambad Tavern" is located, and the dark and gloomy Grand Bazaar, is the Lower City.

Most of the desert dwellers who enter Sumeru City, as well as merchants and tourists with slightly tight wallets, will stay in the Grand Bazaar.

As a farmers' market, the Grand Bazaar is a very lively place. Street vendors hawk their wares, children chase and play, and shops stand side by side, all showcasing the city's most vibrant and down-to-earth atmosphere.

In terms of population density, the Grand Bazaar is the most populous area in Xumi City.

Ying and Paimon looked around with curious eyes and quickly discovered the biggest difference between the Grand Bazaar, Baoshang Street, and other areas of the Sumeru City—

"There are very few scholars from the Order of the Church here..."

For outsiders, the scholars of the Academy, dressed in green robes, have become a landmark of Sumeru City.

Whether in shops, taverns, gardens, or streets, one can always see the scholars of the Order of the Church.

It's no exaggeration to say that Sumeru City is a "city of scholars," with more than a third of its population being students of the Order of the Church. Even those not wearing the Academy uniform have mostly had experience studying at the Order of the Church, but simply didn't choose an academic path.

Pick any shop on Baoshang Street, and the owner might just be a graduate of the Academy of Educational Sciences—someone who has published numerous academic papers, holds relevant industry patents, and then switched careers to business because of those patents. The kind of person Academy students would call "senior" or "senior sister" when they meet...

In this densely populated bazaar, Ying and Paimon didn't see a single uniform from the Church of England on the street.

This is certainly a very strange thing!

Like the Scarlet Cloud Slope in Liyue Harbor and the Town Street in Inazuma City, the Treasure Street is considered a "high-end shopping street." While the goods are good, they are expensive. For ordinary people who want to satisfy their daily needs, the best choice is still to eat at Tiger Rock and Hanamisaka.

Are all the scholars in the Academy as rich as Haidiff, only buying expensive things and not the right ones?

Han Fu could tell what Ying and Paimon were thinking just by looking at their expressions. He whispered, "It seems you've already discovered it. This 'Grand Bazaar' has mercenaries, dancers, merchants, and craftsmen... but it's missing scholars from the Order of the Church. As far as I know, no scholar lives here."

"Why?" Ying and Paimon were both puzzled.

Han Fulai glanced at the street and whispered, "The reason is that—"

In the direction his gaze was pointing, a little girl with freckles and pigtails was sitting on the ground crying, while a big yellow dog was licking her cheek, as if comforting its little owner.

Standing next to the little girl was a middle-aged man with an angry expression, hands on his hips, loudly scolding the crying girl: "Your family has spent so much money on your tutoring classes, and you skip school to come to the Zubair Theater to watch some dance... How can you be so insensible!"

Seeing that the little girl was only crying, the middle-aged man raised his calloused hand as if he wanted to teach her a lesson, but he lowered his hand halfway and instead covered her face.

"Sigh... Kumari, do you know how hard your mother and I work every day from dawn till dusk? Do you want to grow up and be like us, spending your whole life making a living in this tree hollow where you can't see the sun?"

Hearing her father's voice, filled with bitterness, Kumari finally managed to stop sobbing, but her tear-stained face was still full of resentment: "Watching dance... what's wrong with watching dance? I love watching Sister Nel dance!"

"Sister Nilu is so beautiful, has a lovely voice, and dances beautifully... and everyone in the Grand Bazaar loves her!"

"If I master dance, I can dance in the theater like Sister Nilu when I grow up and become a big star!"

Her father shook his head in anguish: “Nilu…sigh, Miss Nilu is different. She is a born dancer, a dancer chosen by God…she was already performing on stage at your age and even gained the Eye of God. What about you?”

"Besides Miss Nilu, what other girl can make a living by dancing? Do you know what kind of lives those dancers from the desert lead?"

"More important than dancing is studying hard and getting into the Faculty Academy—only by getting into the Faculty Academy can you become a respected scholar and create a better life for yourself..."

"Woof... woof!" The big yellow dog suddenly barked twice.

Yes, its name is Spoon, just like its call.

The father and daughter looked in the direction of the sound and saw the "big star" they were talking about, Nilu.

Nilu took out a few candies from a hidden pocket in her dance costume, squatted down, and placed them in Kumari's hand: "Mari, be a good girl, listen to your father. When you're not in class, your big sister is very happy to have you come to watch the show."

When Kumari's father saw Nel, he looked visibly embarrassed, after all, he had just been talking about her behind her back.

Nilu smiled, indicating that he shouldn't mind, and then reached out to stroke Kumari's head.

“Little Mary, let me tell you, studying and loving to dance don’t have to conflict. The ‘Mysticism School’ in the Faculty of Arts is said to be a school that is very good at the arts. I know several students from the ‘Mysticism School’, and they also love to dance. They sometimes come to me to learn dance steps… If you can get into the Faculty of Arts, I will teach you the ‘Dance of the Flower Goddess’ as a celebration, okay?”

These gentle words immediately made Kumari stop crying and start laughing. She hugged Nel immediately and said, "I love Nel the most!"

Nilu gently patted the little girl's back while softly coaxing her, "Little Mary, promise your sister you won't skip school anymore, okay?"

"Okay, I promise you, Nel!" Kumari finally nodded.

After seeing Kumari and her father off, Nilu turned around and bowed apologetically to Han Fulai and the others: "I'm sorry to have kept you all waiting... Just around the next corner, the Zuber Theater is not far ahead."

Paimon looked surprised: "So Miss Nel, you really are a 'big star'! And you even gained the 'Eye of God' because of dancing?"

The photo they saw in the tavern was actually a still from Nilu's performance at the Zuber Theater—well, out of all the "advertisements" on the wall, only Nilu's was a genuine "promotional poster"...

Nilu waved her hand shyly: "I'm not a star at all, it's just a kind name from everyone. I'm just an ordinary dancer, and all I know is dance. Responding to everyone's kindness with dance and bringing joy to everyone is the meaning of my life."

"As for the Eye of God, that was just... well, good luck. I don't know why the gods bestowed the Eye of God upon me. Maybe it was because the gods happened to be in my audience when I first performed on stage? Or maybe... they recognized the beauty of human-created art?"

Ying then spoke up: "By the way, why was that child's father so resistant to his child learning to dance? In every country I've traveled to, artists are highly respected."

Not to mention Mondstadt, which has the "God of Poetry," Yun Jin, the pillar of Liyue's Cloud Dance Society, and Ayaka, the "White Heron Princess" of Inazuma, are also very skilled in dancing, and their statuses are all higher than each other.

Why is the profession of dancer so unpopular in Sumeru? Is it because of those dancers from the desert?

The person who answered her was Han Fulai: "All professions are inferior, only studying is superior—Xumi is such a country. I suppose in the eyes of the scholars of the Academy of Education, apart from studying and doing research, all other professions are considered 'lowly professions'."

"In other countries, people are willing to acknowledge and respect people's various talents. For example, in Liyue, great merchants are highly respected, and having business acumen is often something that people in Liyue envy... But here in Sumeru, even if you become the richest person in Teyvat, scholars won't even give you a second glance unless you also have corresponding academic achievements..."

In fact, the Grand Bazaar was not only located at the "bottom" of the city of Sumeru, but also at the "bottom" in terms of social status.

The people living in the Grand Bazaar share a common label: "academic underachievers".

He failed the entrance exam for the Church of Jesus, so he lived in the Grand Bazaar.

Those living on Baoshang Street live in upscale school districts; those living in the Grand Bazaar live in what's called the urban-rural fringe.

The "Land of Wisdom," Sumeru, is a country that divides people into different classes based on their "wisdom," or rather, their "academic ability."

In Xumi, a person's social resources and social status are all linked to academic resources.

Regardless of their profession, they all take pride in "academic" pursuits.

Graduates of the Faculty of Education who take on administrative management positions are called "scholar-cadres," while ordinary people in management positions are called "opportunistic sycophants." Graduates of the Faculty of Education who start businesses are called "scholars doing business," while ordinary people starting businesses are called "drowning in a pile of Mora." Graduates of the Faculty of Education who work in architectural design are called "civil engineers," while ordinary people working on construction sites are called "plasterers"...

For example, Tinari went to Dossing Forest as a ranger because he was a "young scholar of the 'life theory' who took root in the grassroots to protect the rainforest ecosystem"; while Cole also wanted to be a ranger because "illiterate people can only do manual labor".

In short, without a background in the Order of the Fathers, you're inferior in everything you do; you're considered "the only option because you couldn't get into the Order of the Fathers."

If there's one thing the residents of the Grand Bazaar have ever experienced in their lives where they've received equal citizenship, it's probably the "void terminals" that the Church Authority recently forced everyone to accept.

Hyde, the scholar from the Order of the Church who was doing research in the Abyss of the Rocks, once complained to Han Fulai about how he was so good at making money...

According to Heidif, the research principle of the Purbilloni group of scholars is that "money cannot be the reward for wisdom," and they even refuse all funding to insist on their own research and maintain its purity.

But in the Purbilloni school, which places great emphasis on "purity" in academia, an anomaly like Heidif emerged.

He initially just wanted to test his research in economics, so he invested some money in a futures exchange as an experiment, and as a result... he made more and more money.

“My profession is that of a scholar! I want to do research, I want to do academic work! What I want are academic achievements, not Mora achievements! I keep telling myself this... But as long as I stay in Sumeru City, I can’t help but walk into the exchange and make futures trades one after another.”

"My account balance is growing, but my academic research isn't making any progress! That's why I invited so many people to explore the Abyss of Layered Rocks. Only in this place without a trading platform can I focus on my research! If I don't achieve any results, I... I won't leave the Abyss of Layered Rocks!"

—That's exactly what Haidif said.

God knows how much effort Han Fulai had to suppress his urge to beat someone when he was still in debt to his mortgage.

Nilu gave a bitter smile: "I've never had much talent for studying since I was little. Luckily, my parents didn't expect me to be outstanding or become a scholar. Growing up happily and living a peaceful life was their only wish for me... But not every family's parents think that way."

"Sumeru reveres wisdom and reason, while artistic pursuits closely related to human emotions, such as dancing, have always been considered too sentimental to approach wisdom. I was only fortunate enough to receive the attention of the gods, which is why the scholars of the Faith Academy look at me with respect and are willing to occasionally watch my performances... But in their hearts, they do not actually approve of the art of dance..."

As she spoke, she led the group forward.

She stopped after walking for a short while and pointed to the notice board on the wall.

A large poster bearing the words "Zubair Theatre" and a photo of Miss Nilu on the bulletin board was displayed.

[Upcoming Performance Schedule:]

Regular performance: "The Merchant of Ormos", playwright: Sheikh Zubair.