Aside from the Jade Chamber, Yujing Terrace was the highest point in all of Liyue Harbor.
Ji Ming descended along the bluestone steps. An artificial stream flowed beside him, cascading down a sheer drop, its sound clear yet never grating.
As he walked lower, the refined air of Yujing Terrace faded away, replaced by the ceaseless bustle of the main city. Dockworkers with sun-darkened skin stripped off their shirts even in the chill of the season, sweat still pouring from their backs.
Porters and carriage drivers never lingered in one place, rushing about for a few taels of silver. Unlicensed street vendors were chased through the alleys by General Affairs Department enforcers—once caught, a fine was unavoidable.
Liyue had two faces.
Yujing Terrace and the main city represented entirely different ways of life. Unless one was extraordinarily lucky—or blessed by virtuous ancestors—it was impossible to ever mingle with the elites of Yujing Terrace.
Ji Ming stopped and glanced back once more at the terrace behind him. Then he raised his head, looking up at the Jade Chamber high above, its shadow seemingly capable of covering all of Liyue Harbor forever.
So lofty.
So suffocating.
Ji Ming had no intention of touching the mora Ganyu had given him. The money he'd squeezed out of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was more than enough—renting a place would be easy.
Now that he knew where Third Brother and Eldest Brother were imprisoned, the remaining brothers' whereabouts were still unclear. Ji Ming planned to spend some mora to grease the wheels—at the very least, shorten Third and Eldest Brother's sentences and make their time inside more comfortable.
Land in Liyue Harbor was worth its weight in gold. Renting here was never cheap, and before long he'd be scraping by again.
Looks like he'd have to start taking side jobs once more.
After ten years drifting through Liyue Harbor, Ji Ming knew exactly where rent was cheapest. If one wanted the best value, nothing beat the yin residences near Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Liyue folk believed deeply in ghosts and spirits. Houses near Wangsheng were said to be steeped in yin energy from all the funerary business. As a result, prices were rock-bottom—owners didn't even want to stay and often sold them directly to Wangsheng to store coffins.
Ji Ming wasn't superstitious. And besides—he was technically a disciple of Cloud Retainer now. Even if it was only nominal, he was still connected to the adepti.
What kind of ghost would dare mess with that?
Wonder what Hu Tao's up to, he thought.
Maybe she'd gone to cry to Xiangling.
When those two saw him again, would they be shocked? Thrown into jail in the morning, released before noon—Ji Ming would personally demonstrate what a speedrun through Liyue Prison looked like.
Without hesitation, he headed straight for Wangsheng.
Inside the reception hall, only one undertaker was present. It seemed Hu Tao hadn't returned yet.
"Oh! Miss 'Not Worth Mentioning'!"
The undertaker's real name was unknown—she always introduced herself as "not worth mentioning," so Ji Ming had simply adopted it.
She looked up—and immediately covered her mouth in shock.
"Mr. Ji Ming?! You… you broke out of prison?!"
Ji Ming laughed despite himself and waved his hand.
"Who told you that? I wouldn't dare even if you gave me ten lives."
"Then how did you get out? The Director just went to look for Miss Xiangling—you must have escaped!"
Flustered beyond her usual calm, the undertaker rushed out from behind the counter, grabbed Ji Ming's sleeve, and tried to shove him back behind the desk.
Ji Ming found it amusing and didn't resist, teasing her instead.
"If I really escaped, this would count as harboring a fugitive, you know."
"For the Director's future happiness, I'd harbor criminals without hesitation!"
"…Hold on," Ji Ming said slowly. "What do you mean by the Director's future happiness?"
The undertaker froze. Her eyes darted aside—guilty as charged.
Ji Ming's expression sharpened. He calmly stood up and walked toward the exit.
Panicking, the undertaker raised her arm to block him and blurted everything out.
"Manager Meng said that sooner or later, Director Hu Tao will have to take a husband—and Mr. Ji Ming is one of the candidates! Because you're not repulsed by funeral work!"
Meng.
You dare scheme against me?!
He, Ji Ming—upright and unyielding—would never marry into Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!
If not for the help Manager Meng had given him in the past, Ji Ming would've stormed out on the spot.
Hu Tao? A little gremlin like her? He had zero interest. He much preferred the gentle, nurturing type—like Senior Sister Ganyu.
(…Motherly.)
Besides, if he actually agreed to this match, Hu Tao would bury him in Wuwang Hill the very next day.
Ji Ming shook his head and decisively changed the subject.
"I'm looking to rent a place on Feiyun Slope. Any recommendations, Miss Not Worth Mentioning?"
"Renting?" she replied. "You could ask the landlords on Feiyun Slope—most vacant houses are in their hands."
"Too expensive. I want to rent Wangsheng's unused properties. You do have vacant houses there, right?"
Her eyes widened.
"So… Mr. Ji Ming is willing to go that far for Director Hu Tao? I'm moved!"
Ji Ming stopped responding to the nonsense and urged her on.
"Are you renting or not? If not, I'm leaving."
"Don't go! Forget renting—we'd even sell you one if you wanted! And at a discount!"
Ji Ming sat back down, slipping into negotiation mode.
"How big a discount?"
The undertaker smiled triumphantly and raised one finger.
"If you're renting purely for housing, Wangsheng offers a 10% discount.
If you're doing this for Director Hu Tao—we'll gift you a three-courtyard residence outright."
Miss Not Worth Mentioning's intentions were well known across Liyue.
"…Then I'll take the 10% discount."
She looked at him pitifully.
"Really not reconsidering?"
"I plan to stay long-term. Can you give me a bit more off?"
Her expression instantly turned cold.
"No discounts. Storage house. Monthly rent—five hundred thousand mora. Thank you for your patronage."
"Hey! That's outrageous!" Ji Ming protested. "A storage room that small and you're charging five hundred thousand? Weren't you just talking about discounts?!"
She snorted and straightened up, deliberately accentuating her figure.
"Nope. Discounts are for Wangsheng's future son-in-law. You're not him. Why should you get one?"
"Dropped the polite tone already? No service spirit at all," Ji Ming sighed.
"Alright, enough joking. Give me a final price."
Seeing that he was serious, she dropped the act as well.
"Three-courtyard residence. Monthly rent—twenty thousand mora."
"Deal." Ji Ming paid on the spot, took the keys, and left cheerfully to inspect the place.
What a steal.
Twenty thousand a month—money he'd squeezed out of Wangsheng would cover that for ages. He could live there for a lifetime.
As soon as Ji Ming disappeared, the undertaker bolted out from behind the counter.
She had to report to Manager Meng immediately.
Today was an absolute success.
Trading a mere three-courtyard residence for a future son-in-law—
Wangsheng Funeral Parlor had made the deal of a lifetime.