In the soft light of dawn, the sky gradually shifted from deep blue to a pale gold.
Ganyu, weary from a night of work, walked towards a breakfast stall at the docks.
The owner of the stall was a stooped, elderly man who had already prepared breakfast for Ganyu in advance: a large bowl of fragrant vegetarian noodles.
Bathed in the golden sunlight of dawn, Ganyu began to savor the mouth-watering noodles. She ate slowly, relishing the delicate texture of the noodles and the rich flavor of the broth. After a moment, she drank the last drop of soup and set down the empty bowl with a satisfied sigh.
As she reached for her coin purse, the old man's words broke the morning's tranquility. "Lady Ganyu, time flies, yet your beauty remains unchanged."
Ganyu's hand paused for a moment but quickly returned to normal. Over a thousand years, such conversations were no longer unfamiliar to her. There was a time when the passage of time and the changes in the mortal world would have saddened her, but now, her heart was no longer stirred by such things.
Ganyu took out one hundred Mora from her purse, ready to hand it to the old man. However, he did not take the money immediately. With a troubled expression, he hesitated for a moment before saying, "Lady Ganyu, I'm very sorry to inform you that due to the soaring price of grain, the price of the vegetarian noodles has had to be increased as well. I'm not trying to profit from you; it's truly because of the market situation."
Ganyu sighed inwardly. This grain war between the Qixing, the West Factory, and the Feiyun Commerce Guild had already affected countless ordinary citizens of Liyue.
She spoke gently to the old man, "I understand your situation. You don't need to apologize. So, what is the price of a bowl of noodles now?"
The old man replied, "Thank you for your understanding. A bowl of vegetarian noodles is now two hundred Mora."
Ganyu nodded, took out another one hundred Mora from her purse, and handed the total of two hundred Mora to the old man. He accepted the money with gratitude, the wrinkles on his face appearing especially distinct in the morning sun.
After bidding the old man farewell, Ganyu did not head straight to the Jade Chamber as she usually would. She wandered aimlessly through the empty streets, her heart filled with confusion. She couldn't understand how, in the few short years since the Geo Archon's retirement, the Qixing had become so inept.
Just as she was lost in her thoughts, the figure of a young man appeared ahead. When Ganyu saw his face clearly, she froze in astonishment—it was the Director of the West Factory, Yide.
"Good morning, Lady Ganyu," Yide greeted her with refined grace.
Ganyu, snapping back to reality, replied with a hint of nervousness, "Good... morning, Director Yide."
Yide continued, "I was hoping you could introduce me to your master, Cloud Retainer."
Ganyu was taken aback. "Why do you wish to see my master? If it is to seek the immortal arts, you may not have the fortune for it."
Yide answered calmly, "I have no intention of seeking immortality. Rather, I hope to invite the adepti to enter the mortal realm and assist in managing the affairs of Liyue."
Hearing this, Ganyu felt her mind reeling. She never would have thought that Yide, a Fontaine native, would ask a Liyue adeptus to oversee Liyue.
Her beautiful face was filled with confusion. "Why would you have such an idea?"
Yide looked at her intently, his voice steady. "The majority of the current Liyue Qixing have been blinded by profit, placing their personal desires above the well-being of the people. They are no longer fit to govern Liyue. The only ones who can bear this great responsibility are the adepti of Liyue."
Ganyu, however, remained skeptical of his view. "Director Yide, the adepti have tranquil dispositions and prefer quiet cultivation. They are unwilling to be burdened by these tedious mortal affairs."
"Tedious mortal affairs?" A meaningful smile touched the corner of Yide's lips. "Lady Ganyu, do you truly believe that if the adepti were to participate in governance, they would be as overworked as you are, with no time for rest?"
Ganyu nodded, conceding his point. "The affairs of Liyue are numerous and complex. To handle everything thoroughly, working late into the night is normal."
Yide smiled and said, "Lady Ganyu, you are mistaken. If the adepti were to oversee Liyue, they would only need to make decisions on major matters. They might only need to work a few days a month, and for only one or two hours each day."
"But, can the work truly be handled well with so little time?" Ganyu questioned.
Yide pointed to himself. "I am the Director of the West Factory. Fontaine, Mondstadt, Inazuma, and Port Fudé—the affairs of three nations and a port rest on my shoulders. Yet, I work at most two or three days a month."
Hearing this, an expression of disbelief crossed Ganyu's face. "How is that possible?"
Yide chuckled. The reason he could live so peacefully was naturally because the Lyney siblings, along with Arlecchino, shouldered the burdens for him.
He explained further, "This is the nature of leadership. Look at Tianshu of the Qixing; he spends his days fishing at Liyue Harbor with nothing to do. The Tianquan, Ningguang, manages to both work and make money, and Kaiyang even goes to the Pearl Galley for drinks..."
After hearing this, Ganyu felt a little unsettled. She worked diligently late into the night while the Qixing enjoyed their lives. The contrast made her feel a sense of imbalance.
Then, Yide added earnestly, "Work is only a small part of life. Don't let it consume your entire existence."
Ganyu's resolve began to waver.
Yide pressed on, "Ever since you started working, the time you spend with your master has become less and less. Alas, I heard that Cloud Retainer has another white hair on her head."
Ganyu immediately corrected him seriously, "My master is an adeptus with profound cultivation. She will not grow white hair."
Yide gave an embarrassed laugh and quickly changed the subject. "I have already discussed this matter with the Geo Archon, and he has expressed his support."
Upon hearing that the Geo Archon had agreed, Ganyu no longer hesitated and consented, as she also wanted to go back and see her master.