“Besides restoring trade between our two nations, we hope to retrieve the people the Fatui sent into the Chasm in Liyue.” “You mean retrieve the people the Fatui sent to the Chasm to scout out Liyue’s intelligence?” See, see—here you go again with this.
Honestly, any nice-sounding words turn outrageous the moment you phrase them that way.
The art of language, in this regard, is something else.
“With Miss Ningguang’s intelligence, you surely already know that the disaster in Liyue back then was, in large part, the handiwork of the Fatui’s Second Seat, [the Doctor].
Those people were merely following orders.
As you know, it was all they could do just to survive—they wouldn’t have gathered any intelligence at all.” “That’s not so certain, Mr.
Piers.
Anything is possible.
What if one of them really did come to know some important intelligence about Liyue?
Here’s what we’ll do—for the sake of friendship between our two nations, I’ll only ask for a ten-percent stake in this Northland Bank of Liyue.” Ningguang put on the air of someone taking a great loss, but with his years of experience, Piers saw through it at a glance.
In terms of wealth, a ten-percent stake in Liyue’s Northland Bank meant nothing to Ningguang.
But if she actually got hold of it, she could justifiably slot that bunch from the General Affairs Office inside.
After that, the Fatui’s operations in Liyue would be utterly transparent—and not just in Liyue.
Even their operations in other nations, Ningguang would find a way to learn about.
“Miss Ningguang looks to be about my own age, so beautiful, and so understanding too.
If these negotiations go smoothly, I’d rather like to invite you to dinner privately—I wonder if I might have that chance.” Hearing Piers’s words, Ningguang—who had been negotiating in earnest—suddenly froze.
Then a blush began to rise on her once-fair face.
From Piers’s understanding of playing the game Genshin Impact in his past life, Ningguang was at least thirty.
As everyone knows, once a girl reaches this age…
well, those who know, know.
Add to that Piers’s good looks, and the fact that Ningguang happened to be rich.
Normally, this would be the moment to stage the scene of an understanding, wealthy big-sister listening to some down-and-out young man’s story about his troubled family of origin.
Only, Piers wasn’t down and out at present, nor did he have any family-of-origin story to share.
“Since it’s Mr.
Piers inviting me, I’ll naturally accept—but only if the negotiations go smoothly.” After all, having served as the Tianquan Star for so many years, Ningguang’s self-control was quite strong, and she wasn’t completely charmed by Piers.
“Of course.
But a mere ten-percent stake in the Northland Bank’s Liyue branch would be far too much of a loss for Miss Ningguang.” “Then what does Mr.
Piers mean?” Ningguang’s voice no longer carried the aggression of a moment ago.
“I hear there have been rather a lot of flies in Liyue lately.
We in Snezhnaya recently developed a batch of powder made specially to mark flies—it can pinpoint their exact location.” “Flies…
powder?” Ningguang didn’t quite follow what Piers was saying, but one thing was certain—he definitely wasn’t talking about powder.
“A painter fishing in Dihua Marsh, an apprentice learning to make tofu in Qingce Village, a hand looking to help out at Wanmin Restaurant—these people of murky origins.
I wonder if Miss Yelan has ever mentioned them to you.” At these words from Piers, Ningguang suddenly recalled that when Yelan had been grumbling to her about having too much work and wanting a vacation, she’d seemed to mention some people of murky origins in Liyue, saying they appeared to be connected to an organization called the Northern Continent Intelligence Network.
But Yelan had only mentioned it in passing.
Ningguang was, after all, a merchant; she didn’t understand intelligence work all that well, and generally left such decisions directly to Yelan.
Still, she had once asked Yelan whether the General Affairs Department had the capability to root out the mastermind behind this Northern Continent intelligence organization.
But Yelan had told her that even rooting them out would be useless—the intelligence network’s base lay far away in Nod-Krai.
The General Affairs Department had no trouble within Liyue, of course, but in a foreign land, it could do very little.
“These people—I have indeed heard Yelan mention them, but I’m not sure what Mr.
Piers means by bringing them up now?” “I naturally trust that Liyue’s General Affairs Department can trace the source, and I don’t intend to trade mere intelligence for friendship.
But the source is, after all, too far from Liyue, and the General Affairs Department isn’t skilled at operating in other nations.
Yet leaving it alone only invites further harassment—and endless defense isn’t very pleasant, now is it?” With things spelled out this plainly, even as unfamiliar with such matters as she was, Ningguang had more or less grasped it.
“So…
you want to cooperate with us?” When two parties have internal conflicts that are hard to reconcile, one need only manufacture a third-party conflict, and the price of the two sides negotiating and making up drops considerably—sometimes requiring no cost at all.
“Exactly.
Since the Northern Continent Intelligence Network keeps harassing Liyue, but Liyue’s General Affairs Department can’t operate freely in Nod-Krai, we happen to be in a position to help.
After all, on the surface, Nod-Krai counts as Fatui territory.
What does Miss Ningguang think?” In truth, within the Fatui—the House of the Hearth and the Adventurers’ Guild in particular—had crossed swords with Nephele’s Northern Continent Intelligence Network.
Piers, too, had received no small number of intelligence files of this sort.
But while the Fatui’s intelligence reach was broad, it wasn’t deep enough; in their encounters they generally lost more than they won.
Coming to Liyue to seek Yelan’s cooperation had been part of the plan from the very start.
“Heh heh heh…” Ningguang covered her mouth with a black-gloved hand and laughed softly.
“It seems I misjudged you, Mr.
Piers.
Had I known, I should have had Yelan put in some overtime today to have a proper talk with you.” “Oh?
So, are you planning to swap negotiators?
That’s quite all right—we can continue the negotiations another time.” Even if Yelan were brought in to replace her, Piers believed the other side would still agree—at most it would cost him a little something extra.
Snezhnaya didn’t want to give up dealing with Liyue, and Liyue naturally didn’t want to give up a choice piece of meat like Snezhnaya.
But given how big a scene the Fatui had made in Liyue before, Snezhnaya had to offer some face-saving gesture, or Liyue wouldn’t be able to keep up appearances.
“No need.
We’ll do as you say; we agree to this matter.
I’ll have the General Affairs Department’s people contact you afterward.
But even though the Qixing have agreed, the people of Liyue still bear ill will toward the Fatui.
If you’re going into the Chasm to retrieve your people, remember to disguise yourselves well.” Ningguang slowly rose to her feet, agreeing in a very casual tone.
So this was the power of the Tianquan Star—a single word outweighing the people, able to decide a nation’s diplomacy outright.
The local emperor of Liyue, practically grander than even Rex Lapis.
(Hats stacking ever higher.) “Understood.
I’ll be sure to have my subordinates disguise themselves well.” Seeing Ningguang stand, Piers prepared to get up and take his leave as well.
But just then, the newly risen Ningguang instead walked over toward him, laid a hand on his shoulder, and brought her face close to his ear.
“Little brother Piers~, don’t you forget to treat me to that dinner, hmm?” Having said this, she even breathed a soft puff of air against his ear before slowly turning and walking away.
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