Chapter 142: The Emperor Smiled Kindly
Liyue Harbor, a prosperous seaport where a thousand sails converge, thrives under countless contracts and agreements. It is a place where goods from all seven nations are exchanged, making it one of the most common spots to encounter foreigners.
Scholars from Sumeru wearing glasses, merchants from Snezhnaya dressed in thick clothing, wandering bards from Mondstadt who stir the heartstrings, and eloquent adventurers—these people gather here, shaping Liyue Harbor into the most flourishing port in all of Teyvat.
Recently, the fishermen at the harbor have noticed an unusual amount of celestial activity.
For instance, in the past, when someone fell into the water, it was always the Millelith who came to their rescue. However, lately, they have witnessed immortals walking on the waves, saving those unlucky enough to fall in.
Over time, some individuals seeking divine guidance began harboring mischievous ideas.
They started deliberately falling into the water, hoping to be rescued by an immortal and, in doing so, seize the opportunity to ask for celestial blessings.
At first, the immortals indeed granted their wish, stepping in to save them.
However, as this behavior continued, the immortals grew weary. Some stopped revealing themselves, choosing instead to use magic to lift the people out of the water. Others simply reported the incidents to the Millelith.
Eventually, when the Liyue Qixing caught wind of this matter, they arrested several repeat offenders for "disrupting port order," finally putting an end to the practice.
Apart from this strange phenomenon, another curiosity stood out—a distinguished gentleman setting up a stall at the harbor.
Yes, a true gentleman.
This man was strikingly handsome, exuding elegance in both appearance and demeanor. He could eloquently discuss even a simple wooden board placed on the harbor.
His lavish attire was undoubtedly expensive.
Yet, for some reason, he didn't sell seafood like the other vendors—instead, he sold Sunsettias.
He arrived earlier than anyone else and stayed the latest. He seemed indifferent to profit and loss, often giving fruit away for free to impoverished families.
The most amusing part? He frequently carried a bright-voiced thrush, playing with it so joyfully that he sometimes neglected his business entirely.
Yesterday was an even more outrageous example—upon hearing that Master Yun was performing, he abandoned his stall entirely, carrying his birdcage to Heyu Tea House, leaving the surrounding vendors both exasperated and amused.
Exasperated because he occupied such a prime spot yet treated his business so carelessly.
Amused because whenever he failed to "sell" all his fruit, he simply handed them out to others.
Though Sunsettias weren't particularly valuable, they were still an unexpected gain for the fishermen.
His peculiar behavior led many to speculate about his identity.
Most assumed he was simply a wealthy nobleman experiencing the commoner's life. Some even began guessing which prominent household he might belong to.
"Mr. Yan is setting up shop again? Sunsettias today as well?"
An old fisherman, up before dawn, arrived at the harbor with a fresh catch—lively, energetic fish caught by his eldest son. If a buyer from Xinyue Kiosk took notice, his trip would be worthwhile.
"Indeed, sweet Sunsettias. Surely, they're better than the sour ones."
Mr. Yan offered a friendly smile, casually picking up a Sunsettia from his stall and handing it to the old man.
Though he appeared younger than the fisherman, the old man couldn't shake the feeling that this Mr. Yan was somehow much older than him.
And… were there really sour Sunsettias? Mr. Yan certainly had an amusing way of speaking.
"Thank you for the fruit, Mr. Yan, but I already had breakfast at home, so I'll pass this time."
Despite knowing that Mr. Yan was well-off, the simple-hearted fishermen felt it improper to frequently accept his generosity. Whenever he was offered fruit, he politely declined.
Recently, he had even tried gifting some of his fish to Mr. Yan. Though Mr. Yan seemingly accepted them, at some unknown point, he had secretly slipped a pouch of Mora onto the fisherman's small stool.
This left the old man feeling both grateful and a little embarrassed.
Seeing that the old fisherman had no intention of accepting the Sunsettia, Mr. Yan didn't insist.
Instead, he retracted the fruit, took out a handkerchief, and carefully wiped it again. He then cautiously broke off a small piece, tasted it first, and only after savoring it did he continue eating.
The old fisherman, watching from the side, found the scene oddly pleasing.
As expected of a wealthy nobleman—he even managed to turn eating a Sunsettia into a ritual. If it were one of them, a commoner, they'd likely not even bother wiping it and would just eat it right away.
"Mr. Yan, are you waiting for someone? A friend? Or a family member?"
After observing for several days, the old fisherman had some guesses about Mr. Yan's purpose.
If this were merely an attempt to "experience life," then it seemed more like he was actually waiting for someone.
He had noticed multiple times that Mr. Yan would gaze toward the other side of the sea, as if searching for something.
"Something like that. Not quite a friend… more like… an enemy, I suppose."
Even someone as well-read as Mr. Yan struggled to define their relationship.
Perhaps "enemy" was the most fitting term.
"Then you needn't worry. The Millelith aren't pushovers. They'll ensure your safety."
"If that's true, that would be wonderful."
Mr. Yan smiled but did not refute the old fisherman's words.
In fact, he genuinely hoped that the Millelith and the Liyue Qixing would take on the battle.
Yet… based on the energy he had been releasing, she should have already sensed his presence and arrived today.
Why was the sea still calm, with no sign of her?
Had she gotten cold feet? Was she afraid to come?
But that day, they had already made contact, and her fury at the time didn't seem like something she would simply let go of.
Just as Mr. Yan was struggling to make sense of it, an expected yet inevitable figure appeared in Liyue Harbor that morning.
She carried an ethereal presence, with a red ribbon tied at her waist and a bell-like ornament on her chest. Atop her head were two horn-like adornments—at least, that's what the citizens of Liyue assumed they were.
Though there was a slight weariness on her face, she walked with unwavering determination, as if she required no rest at all.
After briefly surveying Liyue Harbor, she quickly locked onto Mr. Yan.
She approached swiftly, nodded to the old fisherman as a polite greeting, and then turned her gaze toward Mr. Yan.
"Emp—"
"Sister Ganyu, is there something you need?"
Before she could finish uttering the word "Emperor," Mr. Yan cut her off.
Ganyu: "???"
What kind of strange game was the Emperor playing now?
After a brief moment of shock, Ganyu realized that the Emperor didn't want the old fisherman to know his true identity.
But… being called "sister" by the Emperor was just…
After a moment of internal struggle, she finally remembered the reason for her visit.
Stepping around the stall, she moved closer to the Emperor and whispered something in his ear.
The moment he heard her words, Mr. Yan's hand, which had been holding a Sunsettia, paused.
"Is this true?"
"Without a doubt."
"..."
For some reason, the Sunsettia, which had tasted sweet just moments ago, suddenly seemed bitter in his mouth.
As for what Ganyu had whispered—
"The Crux sent back news. They encountered remnants of the Overlord of the Vortex deep at sea. Fortunately, there was a wandering samurai from Inazuma aboard, and thanks to him, they narrowly escaped disaster. However, Beisht had one of its heads severed and fled into the deep ocean."
It might have been her imagination, but even though this was good news, Ganyu couldn't shake the feeling that the Emperor… wasn't pleased.
And yet, the Emperor was smiling so kindly.
. . . . .
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