Chapter 37 Preparation "Mr. President..."

Zhong Li's voice was as hoarse as he remembered. He introduced himself slowly:

"Hello, my name is Zhongli, and I'm a guest at the Wangsheng Hall."

Dadalia smiled and interrupted, "Oh, yes, let me introduce Mr. Ran to you. Mr. Zhongli is also a "friend" of our Fools. We have some business dealings. Mr. Ran's place has a quiet and elegant environment and the tea is also very good. After hearing what I said, Mr. Zhongli was also very interested in this place and planned to come here for a visit. By the way, we also plan to discuss some future cooperation here."

Yiran nodded and said, "I have long heard that Mr. Zhongli, the guest official of Wangsheng Hall, is knowledgeable and well-versed in ancient and modern times. I am fortunate to meet him today. I feel very honored."

He gestured towards the chairs, and his voice was as gentle and comfortable as the breeze in the morning light: "Please take a seat, everyone. We will talk slowly."

After everyone was seated, Zhongli continued, "According to Mr. Dadalia, Boss Ran is the president of the newly established Songlan Chamber of Commerce in Liyue. It is truly admirable that he has achieved such a great success at such a young age."

Yiran smiled back: "But it's just luck. If it weren't for Liyue's prosperity and stability, and its openness and tolerance to business, how could an ordinary businessman like me have the opportunity to achieve all this."

Zhong Li disagreed: "It is because Mr. Ran has extraordinary business skills and talents, coupled with his unique personal charm, that he has been able to reach this point."

Just like this antique shop, although it is located in a remote area, as long as the news is spread that the president of Songlan Chamber of Commerce is running this place, there will be countless small merchants and hawkers rushing to visit and make acquaintances, seeking opportunities to connect with this big shot.

But without Zhang Yang, this place would just be an ordinary antique shop. Its owner does not even ask for price or profit, but just wants to preserve its elegance, simplicity and tranquility to the greatest extent, waiting for the right person to visit.

It is like a treasure placed in the jade dish of Liyue Harbor, inconspicuous but hidden treasure, everything attracts people to explore carefully.

Whether it was the interior decoration, the carefully selected antiques, the fine tea, or even the owner's style of doing things, everything was just to his liking.

Fenric sat quietly beside Yiran, his pale golden eyes staring casually at the tea he had added, remembering in his mind the easiest way that Tartaglia had taught him to disguise himself as a human:

Silent and cool.

The smart Tartaglia interrupted, "Okay, okay, stop talking about these occasional things. Let's get down to business, about... how to meet the Immortal Ancestor Fafei."

“…”

Yiran, who was carrying the immortal body of Rock King after his death, paused and raised his head slightly. The Rock King opposite him also raised his head slightly and inadvertently looked at Yiran. It seemed that there was some undercurrent surging in this second of eye contact, and then quietly disappeared.

Zhong Li withdrew his gaze, picked up the cup without changing his expression, and sipped his tea calmly.

Yiran also made clear one fact from that glance, that Zhongli could feel the ancestral magic hidden in him.

In addition, this cooperation was discussed by Tartaglia and Zhongli, so he did not speak. He raised the teapot and poured himself a refill in a slow and standard manner.

Seeing that no one responded, Dadalia continued, "Mr. Zhongli, do you think... it is feasible for the Wangsheng Hall to organize a farewell ceremony for the God of Rock?"

Zhongli put down his teacup and said, "Of course, for thousands of years, whenever an immortal left Liyue, there would be a grand memorial ceremony. However, this time it was a farewell ceremony for the God of Rock, but even the Seven Stars had no time to attend. It was really inappropriate.

However...after all, the assassin of Yan Shen has not been found yet. Given the current situation, Wangsheng Hall will be responsible for contacting and discussing with Qixing, and then taking over this matter. "

He paused for a moment and said, "Once the ceremony of sending the Immortal is completed, we should be able to see the body of the Rock God."

Tartaglia crossed her arms and said, "That's great. I will arrange another meeting soon to introduce the foreign traveler to Mr. Zhongli. This will also help with this Immortal Sending Ceremony."

Yiran spoke in a gentle tone, lowering his eyes slightly:

"Emperor Yanwang was the only emperor that all of us Liyue people had in thousands of years. His death left an unspeakable scar in the hearts of every citizen who loved him.

The Immortal Sending Ceremony... I had this idea when I learned that no one cared about this ceremony, so if necessary, I can also provide some financial support and help prepare some matters. "

I wonder if there was a hint of nostalgia in Zhongli's eyes. He said seriously:

"Thank you in advance, Mr. Ran. If there is any need, I may come to bother you more."

After completing his mission, Dadalia was obviously much more relaxed. He put one hand on the back of the chair and added:

"The Fools don't mind providing some funds, so I'll just consider it as making friends. Well, my mission of building bridges is now complete."

Although he said it as if he had no intention of asking for anything, his only purpose was to help foreign travelers make connections or to find help for the guest officials of the Wangsheng Hall in organizing the ceremony.

But... except for Fenric who was still in a trance, no one present did not know the true purpose of the Fatui's executive officer, the Young Master.

——He wanted to find out the location of the ancestor Dharmafly, and then seize the Heart of the Rock God from it.

Although in fact, the hidden person of the ancestor Fagui, the Heart of the God of Rock God, and even Rock God himself, were all within one meter of him, leisurely sipping tea.

Unfortunately, Dadalia doesn't like drinking tea and can't fit in with the peaceful atmosphere of the two people. Compared to tea, he would rather taste the strong fire water from his hometown.

He stood up and said, "Since the cooperation has been reached, I will leave first. I will contact Mr. Zhong Li next time when I have arranged a time."

"See you later."

Zhongli nodded and stood up as well.

Before leaving, he even took away a few expensive imperial blue colored glass bowls and praised them:

“…the craftsmanship is exquisite, the shape is beautiful and elegant, the lines are smooth, the proportions are harmonious, and the dragon pattern is lifelike. One can even get a glimpse of the aesthetic concepts and artistic pursuits of that era from it. It is indeed worth collecting.”

Of course, he didn't mind giving all these porcelains directly to Zhong Li. After all, it might be difficult to find antiques more antique than Zhong Li's in the entire store.

Unfortunately, in the end, the other party rejected the proposal on the grounds that the transaction must be fair.

Of course, the bill is recorded in the account of the Hall of Rebirth.

If the things here were not so expensive, Zhongli would probably have chosen to take a few more items away in order not to add further burden to Master Hu.

However, it is fine to keep them in the store. If these antiques from the old times have souls, it must be a happy thing to be able to gather here with so many old friends.

"Goodbye, Mr. Zhongli."

Although he was aloof, Fincher was still polite and said hello at the end.

Yiran echoed, "Slow down."

Zhong Li nodded: "Goodbye, both of you."

When the brown-gold robe was no longer visible, Fenric finally came over:

"Bai, although Mr. Zhongli's eyes look friendly and casual, there is an inexplicable sense of oppression."

Yiran: "Well, don't be afraid, he's a very nice guy."

After all, he is a war god who has swept through thousands of armies. Although he has killed many abyss monsters like Fenrir, even if he now recognizes Fenrir's true form, he will never act rashly, let alone kill indiscriminately. He has his own criteria for judgment.

Yiran looked at the brown-haired boy and said, "You've worked hard today, go back and rest early."

“Ouch—”

Suddenly, Fenric turned around and changed back into the size of a beast, rubbed against the man's shoulder, and drilled back into the space.

After all, no matter how well the human body adapts, it is still not as convenient as the beast form, and it also needs time to communicate more with its wolf pack subordinates.

…

Dadalia was extremely efficient. The next morning, he took Kong to Xinyuexuan to find Zhongli. After the communication, Kong joined the long journey of organizing the ceremony to send off the immortals.

With Tartaglia's explanation, Kong also knew that Mr. Yiran was now safe and sound, so he was not in a hurry to visit him again to express his gratitude.

After Zhongli's explanation, the two prepared to buy Yebo Stone for processing tools.

"Night Stone? Hmm... Why are the sales of Night Stone so high recently? Unfortunately, all the Night Stones above candlelight grade have been bought. If customers want ordinary grade ones, I still have some."

Shitou shook his head and said embarrassedly.

Sora looked towards Zhongli.

"No, the Night Stone required for the Immortal Ceremony... must be of at least candlelight grade quality."

Zhong Li shook his head.

Paimon: "Eh? Then let's go to another stall and have a look?"

Stone interrupted the conversation of the three people and said, "Hey, three guests, excuse me, you need the Night Mooring Stone... for organizing the ceremony of sending the immortals?"

Paimon: "Yes, yes, Boss, do you know where else there are candlelight-grade or higher night mooring stones for sale?"

Shitou looked solemn: "Lord Yan, he really is...

Sigh, sir, it's not that I don't want to help you, but you may not have heard that recently all the high-quality Night Stones in Liyue Harbor were bought up by the Songlan Chamber of Commerce.

As I said before, the man who bought all the high-quality Night Stones here was a young man with long white hair. I wonder if he is the legendary president of the Songlan Chamber of Commerce. "

Hearing the long white hair, Kong suddenly thought of Yiran.

Paimon also thought: "Oh! Speaking of which, we do know a businessman like this... but we don't know if he is the president of the Chamber of Commerce you mentioned."

Sora asked, "Does he also have a water-attributed divine eye and tassel feathers on his waist?"

Stone: "Yes, yes, yes, it was a customer who had a good eye for gambling on stones, was knowledgeable, and had a lot of money. He took away all the Night Stones I had."

派蒙：“哇……一然居然這麽有錢的嗎？也對，畢竟是能把史萊姆生意做到蒙德晨曦酒莊的商人呢。”

鐘離：“你們說的朋友我昨天也有幸剛好拜訪過，确實是個很值得深交的人。

松藍商會的會長本就以史萊姆凝液的餐飲加工和新穎的味道出名，然先生本人也沒有說過要瞞着會長的身份，他們确實是一個人。”

派蒙：“這個松藍商會很厲害嗎？”

石頭：“？客人，您不會是剛來璃月港吧，松藍商會可是我們這裏很有名的大牌商會，還是最近剛剛崛起的，會長更是厲害，只要你稍微在這裏多呆兩天，就能感受到那沖擊性的史萊姆特色吃食了。

連我這做礦石生意的都聽說過什麽史萊姆奶昔，史萊姆奶凍，史萊姆夾心蛋糕……”

咕咚。

派蒙狠狠地咽了一口口水，顧不上感慨他們又認識了一位和迪盧克老爺一樣的有錢人，她拽着空的袖子，眼睛裏已經冒出了亮閃的星星：

“空，我們剛來璃月港就趕着去參加請仙典儀，後來又迫不得已跑了一趟絕雲間，好不容易回來了，我們快去找個飯店感受一下璃月的風土人情……”

空莫名想起了那份仙人送來的，一樣口感極佳的史萊姆杏仁布丁。

但還是被袖口不斷的晃動扯回了思緒，無奈說道：

“……派蒙，我們正在幹正事呢！”

鐘離笑了一聲：“哈哈，派蒙小朋友倒是真性情，璃月的菜肴确實種類豐富，這史萊姆相關的吃食也确實是難得的新穎美食，有些甚至能融入傳統菜色中還絲毫不減風味，實在令人佩服研究出這些食譜的人。”

空：“咳咳，我們要不還是先說回夜泊石的事……”

再說下去，派蒙的口水都快要流到地上了。

鐘離從善如流：

“昨天拜訪然先生時，他答應說如果我們有需要，會幫忙籌備一些事宜，既然這樣，我們先去準備下一項典儀需要的材料吧，路上也可以買些甜點吃食，給然先生帶些禮物，最後再順路去他的店裏走一趟。”

空點點頭，即使對方說過會幫忙，也不可能真的無償請人幫忙，在璃月還是要注意這些人情往來的規矩的。

派蒙的小腦袋只捕捉到了中間的那半句“路上也可以買些甜點吃食”。

瞬間興奮了起來：“走，我們快走！”

石頭最後也插了句話，畢竟事關送仙典儀，他的消息也像是幫上了忙：

“诶，客人們慢走，以後常來玩啊。”

……

萬有鋪子。

派蒙一口吞掉一小只可愛的日落果味水史萊姆布丁，模糊的向老板博來問道：

“老板，請問這裏有沒有霓裳花呀。”

博來：“霓裳花啊……有是有，你要哪種。”

派蒙：“哪種？”

博來難得耐心解釋道：“霓裳花的話，現在這裏只剩下「山陰錦簇」和「金屋藏嬌」這兩種了。”

派蒙：“诶？霓裳花居然還有這麽多種類嗎？”

鐘離抱臂，擡起一只手解釋了起來。

在接受了一大堆被普及的上流知識的洗禮後，空和派蒙無言震撼在原地。

博來：“哎呦，還是這位客人懂行啊，這邊這兩位是仆人吧，仆人就別趕在老爺面前說話了。”

空：“我……”

在派蒙震怒，鐘離出口解圍後，空又把話題給扯了回來：“所以說，這次的送仙典儀必須要集齊這三種霓裳花才行嗎？”

鐘離點點頭：“倒并不是我個人的意願，這其實是璃月很古老的一種傳說，只需要把三種霓裳花制成的香膏都放置在七天神像面前，然後岩神就會親自去選出他喜歡的那一種。”

派蒙：“那，那我們現在要去哪裏找你說的那種「飄渺仙緣」……而且，那麽多種霓裳花，為什麽只有這一種賣完了呀。”

空合理推測：“可能是因為在璃月，成熟的女性們更喜歡買香膏？”

派蒙：“唔，也不知道岩王帝君喜歡的是哪一種……”

在一陣沉默中，博來接過了話茬：

“各位客官，你們是要給用這霓裳花來辦送仙典儀嗎？”

他嘆了口氣：“唉，你們應該早說，早兩天知道我也把花給你們留着，不是全賣給那個男人。”

“也不知道一個大男人買這麽多花幹嘛，不僅浪費摩拉，年紀輕輕還非要長那麽好看，以後是有多少小姑娘要受他禍害呢。”

不僅如此，那腰間好像還別着一個水屬性的神之眼……博來越想越覺不對，心裏浮上一股隐隐的不爽。

鐘離頓了一下，總覺得這個場景似曾相識，他問道：

“老板，可以告訴我們是誰買走了剩下的所有「飄渺仙緣」嗎？”

博來：“不認識啊，倒是那白頭發挺顯眼的。哦，話說回來那松藍商會的會長是不是也說是個白頭發的，這小子，還模仿人家商會會長呢，那種水平的大人物可不是說染個頭發就能夠的上的。”

“……”

空、派蒙和鐘離同時沉默在了原地。

空替別人尴尬的毛病有點犯了，他面色沉靜，給派蒙遞了個眼神。

派蒙收到：“咳咳，那個，你說的那個白發男人，如果他是穿着一身白色的衣服，腰間別着水元素的神之眼和羽毛流蘇的話……那他應該就是松藍商會的會長本人。”

博來：“？？？”

哪有商會會長這麽年輕？！這麽不給人活路？

不對，他突然反應了過來，自己剛剛好像是在客人面前編排了這位會長的不是來着……

嘶……他瞬間握了握手，語氣尴尬：

“啊哈哈，各位客官，我這不也是合理的推測一下嘛，那位會長大人一看就一表人才，氣宇不凡，幾位可千萬別把剛剛的事情說出去啊，我這小商小販的，可得罪不起上面的商會會長。”

空有些無語，之前還把他們當作仆人呢，鐘離解釋後秒變臉，現在也……這麽真實的嗎？

派蒙抱着手臂，哼了一聲：“合理的推測而已，為什麽不能往外說。”

「喲，稱呼都變成會長大人了。」

「剛剛還那小子呢」

「好典啊這老板」

「這變臉速度……難道這就是當代成年人的世界嗎」

「老見風使舵了」

「下次不來你這買東西了」

「你等着，我記住你了，等我回去就給會長大人告狀」

「我也記住你了，要是敢偷稅漏稅第一時間逮你」

「讓你還敢把爺當作仆人」

「爺不是仆人，是內人」

「我不想當仆人，我想當鐘離大人的狗」

「我是會長大人的狗（）」

鐘離微嘆一口氣，他不想去評判一位商人看他人的勢力與眼色行事的作風，事實上，人想要僅靠兩句話就改變他人的性格、扭轉他人的觀念實在有些太過無力。

但他還是為一然維護了兩句：

“作為松藍商會的會長，他确實不需要靠模仿來獲得自我的滿足，況且他的優秀已經足夠內斂，即便這樣也能招致蜂蝶的刺咬，那或許就真有些無計可奈了。”

派蒙支棱起來，驕傲說道：

“是啊，我們可是會長的朋友，你要是再看不起人，我們可就要告狀了。”

博來尴尬中帶了點悔意：“是是是，老爺們說的是。”

等把剩下的兩種霓裳花買齊，空問道：

“接下來我們去找一然嗎？”

也不知道他為什麽要買下那麽多的夜泊石和「飄渺仙緣」。

鐘離：“順路去一趟賣風筝的攤位吧，有一些送仙典儀上需要的風筝款式得請老板提前定做。”

直到說明了來意并且沒有經過等待就直接拿到了象征七國的七只風筝……

派蒙：“？”

空：“……他甚至已經幫我們付過了全款。”

鐘離若有所思，送仙典儀上需要這樣的風筝也是一個很古老的傳統了，不管他是怎麽提前得知的這個消息，都一定是花費了心思，并且真的是有想過要舉辦一場送仙典儀。

怪不得他昨天和自己說，如果有需要籌備的事宜可以找他幫忙，或許他也還不能确定送別岩神的儀式是否需要這些東西，就沒有提前開口吧。

鐘離出聲推測道：“這樣看來，或許那些被買走的燭照級以上的夜泊石和飄渺仙緣也很有可能正是一然為送仙典儀準備的。”

畢竟限定條件都框的那麽明确了，甚至于「飄渺仙緣」這種霓裳花也，嗯……

鐘離微微笑了一下：“走吧，看來還是得再去叨擾然先生一番了。”

……

感受着不斷波動的規則力量，一然敲了敲桌子：

“又得接待客人了呢。”

芬裏垩從撕裂的空間中鑽出來，變回了人形：“白，我已經學會怎麽泡茶了。”

男人頓了頓，誇贊道：

“芬裏垩真厲害。”

他用手摸了摸桌上的茶盞：

“不過我叫你出來，其實也是希望你可以多和外人接觸接觸，你很開心不是嗎？……不是讓你泡茶來的。”

芬裏垩點點頭，但說出的內容卻沒變：

“我知道，但還是能幫到白更重要。”

Yiran smiled:

"You can help me by just standing here and greeting our guests. I will make the tea today."

First, rinse the pot, clean the tea set, warm the cups, prepare the tea leaves from centuries-old trees, and wait for the guests to come... basically, the tea soup is ready.

When Kong and Paimon opened the store and slowly walked in, they saw this store surrounded by antique bronze and porcelain, calligraphy and paintings, cigarettes and alcohol.

The afternoon sun shone through the side window, and the man's soft hair was rarely tied up loosely so as not to affect the action of making tea.

Yiran stood in front of the table with his left hand behind his back. He held the lid of the cup with his right index finger, leaving a gap. The remaining fingers rested on both sides of the rim of the cup, and he poured tea into the prepared cup gracefully.

The aroma of tea was rampant, impacting every corner of the store, and it completely intoxicated the white-haired man who put down his teacup and looked up at the visitor gracefully, and then it dispersed lightly like water and mist.

That kind of touch seems to penetrate deep into the bone marrow, yet it is so cunning that people always remain unaware of it.