Chapter 185

Many merchants in Liyue Harbor did not sleep.

By dawn, many early risers saw that some businessmen were already pulling carts full of goods towards the nearest bank.

Some even traveled directly to Guili Plains, preparing to exchange for the new Mora.

Ningguang also woke up early.

The first thing she did was instruct her staff to post official announcements detailing what to do at the bank—how to deposit money, how to withdraw, and other essential information.

At the same time, she arranged for some of her people to take Mora to the bank and personally became the first depositor.

Other high-ranking officials of Liyue stationed themselves at various bank branches across the city to set an example.

Meanwhile, a large crowd had already gathered outside Northland Bank, holding cheques in hand, eager to withdraw their deposits.

Although Northland Bank had yet to open, its entrance was already swarming with people.

Inside, Childe sat at his desk, his expression grim.

He hadn't slept all night.

After reporting the situation to Snezhnaya, he had been waiting for a response.

However, no news had arrived yet.

For now, the only option was to distribute whatever Mora they had on hand to those who came to withdraw.

Fortunately, he had managed to arrange a large shipment of Mora from Mondstadt overnight.

Thanks to the Fatui's methods, they had managed to secure a decent sum for the morning.

That should keep them afloat for now.

Still, the situation was spiraling into chaos.

Why was Liyue suddenly establishing its own bank?

Just thinking about it gave Childe a headache.

With a deep sigh, he reluctantly gave the order:

"Open the doors."

"If someone wants to withdraw money, let them."

"We won't stop them."

"At the same time, expedite the shipment of Mora from other regions."

Luckily, for now, Liyue Bank was only opening within Liyue.

If they expanded to other nations, then things would truly become difficult.

Northland Bank simply didn't have enough Mora to sustain mass withdrawals across multiple countries.

Mora was not just currency—it was also an essential alchemical material.

The Winter Kingdom required a steady supply.

Whenever resources were needed, large sums of Mora were transported back to Snezhnaya.

But now?

They had no choice but to reroute shipments from other branches and request emergency transfers from their homeland.

Stopping withdrawals was not an option.

If Northland Bank refused, Liyue Qixing would surely intervene and expel them completely.

This situation was completely out of their control.

At last, the hour arrived.

Banks across Liyue opened their doors.

People eager to deposit their money stepped into Liyue Bank.

Just the name—"Liyue Bank"—was enough to earn the people's trust.

And since this initiative was directly sanctioned by the Geo Archon, the citizens had no doubts about its credibility.

The newly trained bank staff promptly greeted customers, guiding them through the process of opening accounts and teaching them how to use their new bank cards.

Once people understood how the system worked, they were astonished.

"This is so convenient!"

"I can check my balance anytime just by looking at my card?"

"And it links to my phone, so I can track my transactions instantly?"

Excitement spread quickly.

Phones had recently become available for purchase.

Anyone with extra money had already bought one, especially merchants who needed to conduct business more efficiently.

No matter how expensive, they considered it a worthwhile investment.

Even for those without a phone, the system still functioned fine.

They only needed to take good care of their bank card.

If a card was lost, reapplying for one was a hassle.

The cardholder would need to present identification at the General Affairs Bureau before visiting the bank for reissuance.

The first batch of customers receiving their bank cards quickly spread the news.

At the same time, many people were exchanging their old Mora for the new ones.

Looking at the newly issued paper Mora in their hands, citizens were filled with curiosity.

Each note featured beautiful artwork of Liyue's landscapes and bore the official seal of Liyue Bank.

Everyone admired the design.

However, some skeptics questioned whether these paper notes would actually be accepted in transactions.

To test this, a few people took their new Mora and headed straight to local shops.

After verifying that the new currency was legitimate, shopkeepers immediately accepted it.

Yesterday's radio announcement had already informed the public about this change.

Everyone was aware.

Since the material composition of Mora remained unchanged, businesses saw no reason to refuse it.

Moreover, they could always exchange it back for the old Mora if needed.

Under these circumstances, Liyue Bank's launch proceeded smoothly.

Many citizens now regarded their bank cards as one of their most valuable possessions.

Some even purchased phones specifically for the added convenience of banking remotely.

This led to a surge in mobile phone sales as well.

Atop the Jade Chamber, Ningguang sat waiting for updates.

Her subordinates provided her with real-time reports from various bank branches.

Hearing about the overwhelming response, she couldn't help but smile.

"Success."

She knew that Northland Bank would be feeling the pressure now.

A significant amount of wealth had already been deposited into Liyue Bank in just a few hours.

If she wanted to see the exact figures, all she had to do was check the central database.

All transactions were logged in real-time at the bank's headquarters.

At a glance, she could determine how many people had deposited money, how much had been exchanged, and the total assets now held by Liyue Bank.

At that very moment, Keqing was at the headquarters, carefully monitoring the figures.

She would report back soon.

Ningguang eagerly awaited the results.

By noon, the awaited phone call arrived.

As Ningguang listened to Keqing's report, the corners of her lips curled into a triumphant smile.

No matter how much she tried to contain it, her excitement was evident.

"We did it."

Placing the phone down, she exhaled in satisfaction.

In just one morning, over a billion Mora had been deposited into Liyue Bank.

And this was only the beginning.

Many of Liyue's largest merchant guilds were still tallying their assets.

Once their calculations were complete, they would deposit even more.

This news only fueled Ningguang's enthusiasm.

Liyue Bank had firmly established itself.

With this foundation, future operations would become significantly easier.

She fully understood the power and influence that came with controlling a financial institution.

The future of Liyue's economy was now in her hands.