northernbook Chapter 737 Is Fengdan Worth Saving?
Chapter 737 Is Fengdan Worth Saving?
As the first rays of sunlight streamed into the Opikley Opera House, Xu Ning was already stretching and walking towards the Lu Jingquan.
The security team delivered the results early on.
Marcel was eventually diagnosed by the Fontainebleau court's medical examiner as having died from shock. As for why he was shocked to such an extent, Esmond and the other guards couldn't say.
Although the reason I took Marcel to Lujingquan was because that guy named Kong said he saw the incarnation of a girl being dissolved in Lujingquan.
However, no one could verify this claim. Instead, the people believed more that Marcel had committed many evils and was punished by the water god at Lujing Spring.
Just as the shadow hanging over Fontaine seemed to be dissipating after the series of missing girls was perfectly resolved, an even larger and thicker shadow once again descended upon the city.
That prophecy that has been circulating for so long may actually come true.
If the people of Fontainebleau can truly dissolve in water, then when the legendary second flood season arrives, who can guarantee they will survive such high tides?
As a result, many wealthy households who like to plan ahead have started their relocation projects in advance, and the most suitable place to move to recently is naturally Liyue.
I heard that Liyue's "return home plan," which started a few years ago, has been quite successful recently.
There are now large tracts of cheap and good land waiting to be developed and constructed on Guili Plain, so moving there now can be said to be perfectly timed.
Driven by this wave of relocation, ships have been frequently traveling between Fontaine and Liyue recently.
As one of these passing ships docked at Harbor, an unassuming Liyue native boarded an orbital ship bound for Fontaine.
"I never expected you to come here in person."
Xu Ning sat at the square table in the Hidden Cave, poured a bowl of wine for the person in front of him, and then watched her face transform from that of a stranger into that most secretive shadow of the Liyue General Affairs Department, Ye Lan.
Running her fingers through her hair, Ye Lan said irritably, "It's all because someone has been so heartbroken ever since he lost his bedmate that he's lost his appetite and spends all his time standing on the attic gazing into the distance, practically turning himself into a statue waiting for his husband. Luckily, I, as his subordinate, know how to share my boss's burdens, so I came here specifically to ask that big radish when he's going to come back to serve me in bed."
Even though Xu Ning had a thick skin, he almost blushed deeply because of Ye Lan's unfiltered words.
"Stop talking nonsense and setting a bad example for the children. Let's get down to business. Something that made you come here in person must be something important, right?"
Ye Lan wasn't in a hurry. She affectionately asked Qing Yi to cook two hot dishes for her to enjoy with her drinks, and specifically instructed her to add plenty of chili.
Seeing that Qingyi was happily setting up the pot, he then slowly sat down at the table to talk.
"This time there is indeed a tricky matter that I need to discuss with you."
Yelan said solemnly, "Since Lady Ningguang took over the duties of Tianquan and began conducting normal business with various countries, our caravans have been continuously gathering information from these countries to the general affairs department of Liyue Harbor..."
Xu Ning was naturally aware of this.
In an era when news traveled slower than by carriage, the fastest and most accurate sources of information were mostly caravans, and in many countries, caravans were organizations that were both commercial and espionage.
As one of the most important trading hubs in the world, Liyue Harbor naturally attracts many caravans engaged in similar activities.
"...The news about the Fontaine prophecy had already been on the Seven Stars' desk many years ago."
Xu Ning finally understood what Ye Lan was trying to say.
"So, based on Fontaine's prophecy, Liyue has had some kind of scheme against Fontaine that I'm unaware of for a long time, right? And I've inadvertently stumbled upon these plans?"
Ye Lan chuckled and said, "You're quick-witted, aren't you? That's certainly true."
"Uncle Tian had heard about these bizarre disappearances in Fontaine long ago and connected them with the Fontaine prophecy. At that time, he made the assumption that if the Fontaine prophecy came true, a great flood would engulf Fontaine, the local people would dissolve, and Fontaine would become a no-man's land overnight. Only foreign merchants who were not insoluble in water would remain to divide this vast country."
If we disregard the water god's bizarre plan and the potential chain reaction that Fontaine's submersion might trigger in other countries, it's safe to assume that any nation would welcome Fontaine's impending doom.
After all, who wouldn't want to take over a country's resources without bloodshed or loss?
"In other words, our people have been infiltrating many key locations in Fontaine for a long time, and I recently..."
Xu Ning paused abruptly at this point, realizing that among all the things he had done recently, the one most likely to trigger Li Yue's schemes was the countless powerful and influential people he had reaped that night.
Ye Lan picked up a bright red chili pepper and popped it into her mouth, laughing, "You figured it out? But it doesn't matter. First, those powerful and wealthy people in Fengdan are just figureheads deliberately placed in the spotlight; their core assets have long been controlled by our people. Second, these people all have their own ways of getting themselves killed. If you make the first move, you'll just send them to their next life sooner, which won't affect our overall situation at all."
"Lady Ningguang sent me here this time to seek an answer from you—is Fengdan worth saving? Whatever your answer, we will cooperate fully."
In other words, if they were willing to bring about the destruction of Fontaine for the benefit of Liyue, then they would naturally do everything in their power to push Fontaine, this great ship, into the abyss of dissolution.
If they were prepared to lend a helping hand to Fontaine when it falls, providing Liyue with a stable ally, then they would naturally do their utmost to save the people of Fontaine.
A few days ago, when I was at the Fontaine Opera House, I was thinking that I was not the Fontaine water goddess or the savior that the people hoped for, and it was their business how they wanted to play.
But today, Yelan came to tell her that with Ningguang leading the Seven Stars and the Thousand Rock Army, Liyue's will could already move freely in Teyvat without any hindrance, and they didn't even need to ask for her opinion. They would let her live or die as she pleased.
"In that case, you may stay in this Hidden Dust Cave for a few days."
Xu Ning pointed to the facial makeup that Aji was painting, "I remember you're very skilled at painting, so make sure the children's faces are painted beautifully. As for me, I'll go see our old friends first, at least to see how they react, right?"
Just then, Qingyi said that someone was knocking on the door. Judging from the voice, it should be Clarinde, Furnessa's bodyguard.
Xu Ning chuckled, "It's like a pillow being delivered when you're sleepy, here it comes!"