Chapter 244: Zhongli, Who Worried Himself Sick Over Xiao

The immortals had great difficulty gathering together, and of course they weren't just there to discuss official business.

In fact.

They originally weren't here for official business either.

Chatting about these things was purely because they were bored, and with Zhongli's dream-message, they developed a strong interest in this mortal Luo De, whom Zhongli had mentioned several times.

After the brainstorming session ended.

They then resumed the topic they had been discussing before Luo De and the three arrived.

Taking Xiao to familiarize himself with present-day Liyue Harbor.

That sounds somewhat absurd.

But this is something Zhongli specifically asked the immortals to help with before his departure.

This is also rather helpless.

As an immortal who has lived over two thousand years, Xiao has rarely set foot in Liyue Harbor since the Archon War, and in the past few decades he hasn't come here at all.

Zhongli also knows that it's because Xiao's karmic burdens are deep; getting too close to densely populated human areas easily brings various unpredictable risks.

If it were normal times.

Zhongli wouldn't overly force him to do this.

But now it's different.

Zhongli and Xiao have already finished discussing the matter of the Geo Archon's position, so Xiao can no longer be unwilling to set foot in Liyue Harbor as before.

At the very least.

Just like the conclusion the immortals reached earlier.

The Geo Archon can transfer authority to humanity, but people must not forget the Geo Archon.

So that Xiao can fulfill the duties of the Geo Archon.

Even these immortals, accustomed to wandering the mountains and wilderness, are willing to come down from the mountains to help him a bit.

So no matter what.

Since Xiao has agreed to the transfer of the Geo Archon's position, even if he's still reluctant, he ought to take a good look at this ever-changing Liyue Harbor.

"This is the tea house he usually likes to come to; you can calm your mind and contemplate, perhaps gaining something new."

The most composed immortal, Granny Ping, familiarly introduced Xiao to the many specialties of the He Yu Tea House.

"Hmm."

After a long silence, Xiao spoke for the first time, but he only nodded.

Seeing this, several immortals couldn't help but glance at each other.

After they exchanged a sly glance, Liu Yun Jie Feng True Monarch spoke first: "Oh, I suddenly remembered that Shenhe hasn't eaten yet in the mountains; I'll go bring her some hot food and be right back."

Before his words even finished.

Her form suddenly turned into a giant white crane; before Luo De could make sense of what was happening, she vanished into the tea house in a breeze.

Immediately after.

Li Shui Die Shan True Monarch and Xue Yue Zhu Yang True Monarch each found a flimsy excuse, gave a hurried greeting, and then ran off.

Venti was even more shameless.

Seeing the immortals all sneaking away, he clapped his hands and shouted, "Wait for me!" then dashed off after the three immortals.

In the blink of an eye.

Just moments ago the private room was lively, but now only Granny Ping, Rosalyn, Luo De, and Xiao remain.

Rosalyn: "."

Luo De: "."

Xiao: "."

It seems the only one in the know, Granny Ping, chuckled and said: "You youngsters chat first; my disciples' homework isn't done yet. I'll keep you company after I finish checking their work."

Having said that.

She then leisurely walked away with her hands behind her back, her face neither flushed nor pale, showing no guilt at all for lying and deceiving.

"Ah—"

Luo De now finally understood.

The immortals' gathering was a hammer.

This is really just an excuse for the immortals to trick Xiao into coming into the city, right?

And they were there, solemnly discussing this and that.

No wonder Xiao hasn't been speaking; it turns out he saw through that these old-timers were just putting on an act for him.

The problem is you're putting on a full-blown act!

You half-act and then all run off—what kind of thing is that!

Besides!

And how is it that you all teamed up to deliberately lure Rosalyn over as well?

I can't figure it out.

I really can't figure it out!

Luo De's head started to hurt.

All he knows now is.

That the tacit cooperation between Venti and these immortals is actually meant to push Xiao onto him.

What task Zhongli set up before leaving!

There's probably nothing of the sort at all!

The idea of bringing Xiao to get familiar with Liyue Harbor should be true, but they rarely come to Liyue Harbor in their daily lives, and Granny Ping, who lives here year-round, has a limited range of activities. After thinking it over, they assigned this task to Luo De, who had been wandering around Liyue Harbor with Zhongli for several days.

As for the reason.

One is that Luo De and Xiao went through the danger of the Layered Rock Abyss together, and he himself isn't afraid of karmic debt; another is that Luo De's relationship with Zhongli is also very close, making him the most suitable choice no matter how you look at it.

"Again, it's your wicked idea, right?"

Recalling the wicked smile Wen Di had been hiding since they met, it's also obvious who the mastermind behind this is.

"The problem is you."

Luo De didn't mind accompanying Xiao to get used to his duties ahead of time, and he didn't hide his thoughts, speaking bluntly: "Although I don't know whether your appearance was an accident or their intention, since they kept you here, I want to ask, what do you think?"

"Ask me?"

As smart as Luo Shan Lin is, she naturally wouldn't be fooled by the adepti's clumsy lies.

Thus her expression was the same as Luo De's, equally bewildered, saying: "You ask me, I ask who?"

"."

Got it.

It's obvious at a glance.

Luo Shan Lin's appearance was purely an accident.

No one knows what Wen Di was thinking, but he just threw Luo Shan Lin onto me as well.

Luo De stroked his chin, carefully pondering the adepti's expressions just now.

Looks like.

They don't seem surprised by Luo Shan Lin's arrival, nor do they mind keeping her.

That means they tacitly allowed Luo Shan Lin to follow Luo De and Xiao.

"Why?"

Luo De couldn't help muttering a sentence.

"Maybe they just look down on me."

Luo Shan Lin heard his voice, glanced over sideways, her tone tinged with faint mockery.

It's not easy for her to say something like that.

Luo De pursed his lips, turned to look for Xiao, and found that Xiao was actually sitting seriously on the windowsill, intently staring at the stage below, completely oblivious to him here.

"From the moment you were spacing out earlier, he's been there listening to the opera."

Luo Shan Lin said angrily.

Both of them are uncommunicative tight-lipped gourds; if it weren't for Her Majesty the Empress's task on her shoulders, she really wouldn't want to stay here another moment.

Luo De had long been used to Luo Shan Lin's attitude, and instead of his previous indifferent behavior toward her, he invited her, saying: "Want to listen to some Liyue opera together? The Yunhan Society is Liyue's finest opera troupe; you normally can't even get a chance to hear them."

"No interest."

Luo Shan Lin is from Mondstadt.

Just as Liyue people don't like Mondstadt poetry, she also doesn't like Liyue's Liyue opera.

For her,

Liyue opera is a strange, oddball vocal style; listening to it is far less pleasant than the songs of bards.

As for her,

Listening to Liyue opera is even worse than the Fontaine tune she heard on the street that day; at least their singing can stir emotions, making it much more enjoyable than Liyue opera.

"Alright then."

"Let's listen first."

Luo De hehehed a smile, no longer bothering with the impatient Luo Shan Lin, he moved a stool, picked up a teapot, and sat beside Xiao, imitating how Zhongli had previously invited him to listen to the opera, pouring two full cups, sipping tea while explaining the pieces below to Xiao.

Funny enough.

Today's performance by the Yunhan Society is exactly the same as the one Luo De and Zhongli watched that day.

To be honest.

Luo De didn't used to like this kind of opera much.

Since the last time Zhongli brought him to watch an opera, his interest has been sparked.

Xiao also seems pretty much the same as Luo De.

Here's the similarity.

Meaning he also didn't used to listen to opera much.

After all, Liyue opera is mostly performed in cities, and there rarely are opera troupes making a living at Wangshu Inn where he resides; plus, he's constantly out slaughtering, and when he returns he's usually exhausted, so naturally he has no mind to worry about what ordinary people down below are doing.

This is still the first time he's listened so attentively to Liyue's traditional melodies.

Along with Luo De's explanation of the pieces on stage.

Not saying he's as obsessed with opera as Zhongli, but he's rare-ly at peace, and the worries that had been weighing on his mind have settled considerably.

After one song finished.

Xiao's complexion visibly improved compared to before, and he sighed, saying: "No wonder the Sovereign loves to linger here; there truly is something mysterious about it."

"Something mysterious?"

"How can I not hear it?"

Bored Luo Shan Lin, upon hearing this, seemed to deliberately say some buzzkill lines.

"It's just because you're not used to it."

Luo De shrugged, then seemed to recall something, grinning mischievously as he said: "I remember you used to be a singer, right? You must be good at singing; otherwise, if you don't think Liyue opera is pleasant, you could also give us a piece of Mondstadt song for us to appreciate."

As soon as he said that.

Luo Shan Lin's face turned icy at a visible speed, frost spreading rapidly across the tabletop where her fingers rested, and at the same time her cold voice seemed to be dragging people into an endless frozen hell.

I haven't sung in many years.

To be precise.

After Rustan died, there was no one left in this world worthy of hearing her voice.

Oh, is that so?

Luo De showed no fear at all; with a flick of his hand, he turned the ice-cellar-like room back into a pleasant spring March, and said nonchalantly, "If that's the case, then don't stand there spoiling everyone's fun, or else I might become very interested in your singing."

A threat!

A naked threat!

However, facing such a threat, Luo Shalin could only frown, then fell silent, turning her head to look at the street scene on the other side.

Successfully dealt with that party-pooper.

Luo De turned back, satisfied, and continued watching the next performance together with Xiao.

Liyue opera performances are always lengthy.

From the moment Luo De and company arrived to hear the first piece, until the last piece ended, it took a full two and a half hours.

What a coincidence.

These pieces are all ones Luo De has heard before.

Never mind the pieces.

Even the order is the same.

What's even more absurd is that

After the Yunhan Society performance ended, the storyteller who took the stage next also told a piece of pinghua that Luo De had heard when he came to watch the opera before.

This can no longer be called a coincidence.

But rather, it is obvious that someone deliberately arranged it this way.

"The Emperor has gone to great trouble for you."

Luo De pursed his lips and made a small complaint.

No wonder Zhongli specially spent that much time bringing me to watch the opera.

It turns out he had already arranged everything back then, with the sole purpose of letting Xiao have a more immersive opera experience.

Xiao knew what Luo De meant, and while remaining silent, he paid even more attention to the storyteller below the stage who was speaking with great animation.

Compared to listening to Liyue opera,

Liyue's pinghua clearly interests Luo Shalin more.

She also didn't bear a grudge against Luo De for deliberately provoking her, holding her teacup, sitting there in a posture unlike that of Liyue folk, elegantly sipping tea and listening to the story.

After a good while.

When the storyteller uttered the familiar line 'If you want to know what happens next, stay tuned for the next installment,' she finally remarked, 'Just playing mysterious to draw attention.'

"There's no helping it; that's just how they make a living."

Luo De explained to the storyteller on stage: 'If this kind of storytelling immediately explained all the suspense, then who would come to the next performance? By leaving a cliffhanger now, the audience, eager to hear the continuation, will naturally show up on time for the next show; then the teahouse will have gathered customers, the storyteller will have gained popularity, and only then can he earn a decent living.'

"If that's what you say."

"Then wouldn't these storytellers have to tell a brand-new story every time?"

Having learned from past experience, Luo Shalin did not come to spoil the fun this time; instead, she seriously asked a question.

"Not exactly."

"Some old stories that are well known may be old, but as long as the storyteller's skill is up to par, people are still eager to come and show their support."

"Of course."

"If every performance could feature a brand-new story, that would naturally be the best."

Saying this, Luo De gave a mysterious smile: 'Let me tell you a little secret—the story that storyteller just told was one the Emperor gave him.'

"What?"

Xiao and Luo Shalin said in unison.

"You wouldn't have guessed, would you?"

Luo De really isn't lying.

Everything he said is true.

Selling fresh stories to the storytellers is also one of Zhongli's businesses.

He has lived for over six thousand years.

Zhongli has plenty of stories that storytellers could never finish telling in a lifetime.

Pick any one at random, and it can at least be exchanged for a cup of tea's worth of money.

Being looked down upon for that cup of tea money.

Given Zhongli's spending level, that little cup of tea money would be enough for Luo De to openly feast at Wanmin Hall for several days.

The opera‑watching outing at Heyu Teahouse is thus completely over.

The tea money doesn't need Luo De to pay.

Zhongli had already prepaid it long ago.

This also made Luo De can't help but sigh again at how much thought Zhongli puts into Xiao.

Following the itinerary Zhongli had arranged for me over the past few days,

we left Heyu Teahouse.

Luo De then led Xiao and Luo Shalin straight to Wanmin Hall, where the crowds are thickest.

Although Xiao's expression was still somewhat reluctant, after hearing that the Emperor does this all the time, he stopped complaining, merely striving to suppress the karmic obstacles within himself, and with a slightly pained expression, he tried the Emperor's favorite innovative set meal.

As a qualified guide.

For the remainder of the day, Luo De insisted on taking Xiao to complete the route that Zhongli had originally taken him on.

He had also sighed more than once.

Every place he visited, Zhongli had made arrangements ahead of time; even places that required reservations, he could smoothly let Xiao see how Zhongli usually relaxed himself.

By late night.

After today's tour ended, Luo De enthusiastically invited Xiao, saying: "Today you don't have to go back to Dihua Zhou; just stay in this city for the night. As for karmic obstacles and such, you can stay with me—I'm not afraid of that."

He hesitated for a while.

Xiao then reluctantly agreed.

As for Rosalin.

Luo De naturally couldn't invite her to live together with him; he only asked: "Will you still be together tomorrow?"

Rosalin's reply.

It was affirmative.

Watching her receding figure, Luo De helplessly shook his head and muttered: "What exactly do you intend by leaving her with me?"

Having said that.

He then stopped thinking deeply about Rosalin's matter and went to his residence together with Xiao.

(End of chapter)