Genshin Impact: The Sharpshooter of Teyvat

Chapter 1222 Returning to Liyue to Gather Intelligence

The next morning, it was just dawn.

Shao Yun got up early, washed up, and went to the empty room without even having breakfast.

Originally, he wanted to ask his brother-in-law, who was always out early and back late, when he had given him the dagger that could open the Abyss portal.

But when he pushed open the empty door, he found the room empty except for the blankets on the bed, which still looked like someone had slept in them and were still warm to the touch.

Left with no other choice, Shao Yun had to ask Yuan Shang, who lived on the first floor, to open an Abyss portal for him to go to Liyue.

In the living room, before leaving, Shao Yun chatted with Yuan Shang about what Kong Yitian had been busy with every day.

"Yuanshang, what has my brother-in-law been busy with lately? He's been leaving early and coming home late every day."

Upon hearing this question, Yuan Shang chuckled and deliberately changed the subject:

"These are all important matters, but Your Highness can still rest at home on the weekend!"

Seeing that Yuan Shang was unwilling to say more, and knowing that he would not get an answer if he asked any further, Shao Yun stopped asking and just smiled helplessly.

Just then, light footsteps came from the stairs, and Shen He came down.

She had originally planned to get up early to prepare breakfast, but as soon as she walked into the living room, she saw Shao Yun and Yuan Shang about to leave.

"Shao Yun, Yuan Shang, where are you two headed?"

Seeing that Shen He had gotten up so early, Shao Yun didn't bother to hide anything and answered directly:

"Go back to Liyue and investigate the details of the previous coup. See if you can find out what exactly happened between Keqing and Ningguang. What's wrong? Is something the matter?"

Upon hearing that Shao Yun wanted to return to Liyue, Shen He's eyes lit up slightly, and he immediately stepped forward, saying somewhat anxiously:

"If you are going back to Liyue, Mr. Shao Yun, could you do me a favor? I would like to ask you to give these photos to my master."

As she spoke, she pulled out several photos of herself holding her baby from somewhere.

In the photo, the baby is being held carefully in her arms, and Shen He is making a "V" sign at the camera with a bright smile. At first glance, they really look like a mother and child.

Shao Yun took the photo Shen He handed him, looked at it carefully, and casually said, "Okay, no problem."

As he spoke, he couldn't help but joke, "I didn't expect you and my daughter to look so good in the photos, especially this one. The baby is smiling so happily; she's getting closer and closer to you."

Hearing Shao Yun's praise, Shen He, as Shao Yun's godmother, felt very happy and pleased.

"Um... Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Shao Yun."

……

In the early morning in Liyue, the thin mist had not yet completely dissipated, and the summit of Mt. Aozang was shrouded in a light layer of fog.

Beside the bluestone table at the top of the mountain sat the Cloud-Leaving and Wind-Borrowing True Lord "Xianyun" and Granny Ping, who had come to visit.

Gan Yu stood beside Xian Yun, brewing tea for the two of them.

During this period, due to the political upheaval in Liyue, she was also forced to take a long vacation. Since she had nothing else to do, she returned to Mt. Aozang to accompany her master.

The entire Liyue Harbor is in chaos right now. Who would have thought that the bustling temple fair would become a final burst of energy before Liyue's economic boom?

"Master, Ge Chenlang City True Lord (Grandma Ping), the tea is ready." Gan Yu handed the brewed tea to the two of them.

Xianyun took the tea brewed by his apprentice and said to Grandma Ping, "Hmm, Ping, try the tea that Ganyu brought."

Grandma Ping, her back hunched, took the tea and took a small sip.

That's really good! Gan Yu has excellent taste!

Grandma Ping put down her teacup, glanced around, and casually asked, "By the way, is Shuyu still sleeping?"

When Gan Yu heard Grandma Ping mention Shu Yu, she nodded gently.

"Yes, last night I read with my junior sister Shuyu. She kept asking me a lot of questions, and we didn't go to sleep until late at night."

"I wanted her to rest a little longer, so I didn't wake her up."

"Studying is good. It's always good to learn more," Grandma Ping said kindly, her tone full of affection for her younger generation.

"But don't let her overwork herself. Children are growing, and staying up late will damage their health."

Gan Yu quickly replied, "I understand, Grandma Ping. I'll be more careful about controlling the time next time."

Just then, Xianyun drank half a cup of tea, looked towards Liyue Harbor below the mountain, and said in a melancholy tone:

"To be honest, I still don't understand why Keqing would cause all these troubles out of the blue."

"Ningguang may be a bit too ambitious, but her feelings for Liyue are genuine, and she has done a lot for Liyue's commercial development over the years... Now that Liyue Harbor is in such a mess, sigh..."

She simply couldn't understand how Keqing, who was known for her rationality, could rashly launch a coup without adequate preparation, plunging Liyue into chaos.

Seeing that Xianyun was worried about Liyue again, Grandma Ping advised her to relax and said, "I don't understand the thoughts of young people, let alone the power struggles we see now."

"But Liu Yun, don't forget, the storms Liyue has weathered in the past were far more severe than those we're facing now..."

"The Demon God War, the famine—each one was a near-death experience, yet Liyue survived in the end, didn't it?"

Grandma Ping has only one rule: as long as the sky doesn't fall or a demon god-level enemy threatens Liyue's safety, then it's a peaceful day.

Xianyun looked at Grandma Ping holding her teacup with a calm expression and felt a pang of envy.

Having weathered countless storms, Granny Ping always maintained a calm and composed demeanor amidst the chaos. I truly admire her unwavering composure, like "a mountain collapsing before you without changing your expression."

"Ah Ping, I really envy you. You can always maintain such a good attitude. If it were me, I would have been restless long ago seeing Liyue Harbor become like this."

Grandma Ping took another sip of tea and slowly said:

"Actually, there's no secret to it. Think about it, the current situation isn't the return of the old demon gods or the impending annihilation of Liyue. It's just that the power transition in the human world has gone a bit wrong."

"As long as you adhere to the principle of 'human matters are solved by humans; matters of the immortals are solved by the immortals,' and don't always try to shoulder all the responsibility, your mindset will naturally become more balanced."

Even after hearing these words, Xianyun still couldn't completely let go of the matter.

She hesitantly took off her red-rimmed glasses and rubbed her throbbing temples.

"Even so, I still feel uneasy."

"I really want to go to Liyue Harbor to see if I can help, but why did the Emperor tell us immortals not to interfere?"

Grandma Ping looked at her conflicted expression, smiled faintly, and didn't say anything.

Just then, a slightly complaining voice came from behind.

"Mount Aozang is so high! My legs are so weak from climbing it. If you installed a lift mechanism like the one in Fontaine, it would be so convenient."

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Shao Yun had arrived!

Grandma Ping immediately gave him a kind smile and greeted him warmly:

"Shao Yun's here! When did you return to Liyue? Why did you suddenly decide to come to Mt. Aozang?"

Shao Yun walked to the stone table, his gaze quickly sweeping over the three people present. He nodded in greeting as he spoke:

"I just got back not long ago, hello Grandma Ping; Miss Xianyun, long time no see. And..."

Finally, his gaze fell on Gan Yu, and his voice suddenly stopped.

Because in Nata, he would occasionally see the mother goat who was watching him transform into "Rain" and meet him.

Seeing the real Gan Yu suddenly made him a little nervous.

"Gan Yu?!"

Gan Yu was taken aback by Shao Yun's suddenly louder voice and strange look. She subconsciously touched her cheek, wondering if there was something dirty on her face.

She wiped her face haphazardly and asked in confusion, "Mr. Shao Yun, what's wrong? Is there something dirty on my face?"

Shao Yun looked into Gan Yu's clear amber eyes and compared them to the "fake" Nata had conjured up in his memory.

Her eyes are fine; this is really Gan Yu!

He breathed a sigh of relief, and his tone became more natural: "N-nothing, I just didn't realize it was really Gan Yu..."

When Gan Yu heard the words "the real Gan Yu," he was as bewildered as Louis XVI.

"Huh? What do you mean 'really'? Mr. Shao Yun, did you encounter something strange in Nata?"

Shao Yun quickly waved his hand, deliberately changing the subject.

"It's nothing, it's nothing. I've just been a little dazed since I haven't seen you in so long. By the way, I hope I didn't interrupt your conversation by coming in so suddenly?"

Gan Yu's attention was abruptly diverted, and she didn't press the matter further. She simply shook her head blankly and explained softly:

"No disturbance, we were just chatting about the recent situation in Liyue."

"Now that Yuehai Pavilion has temporarily stopped operating, I have been forced to take a long vacation, so I came back to Aozang Mountain to spend more time with my master."

Speaking of holidays, she still feels a little unaccustomed... Having gotten used to a busy life, suddenly having free time makes her feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Grandma Ping added after Gan Yu's words:

“Yao Yao has been accompanying Qi Qi to gather herbs lately. I’m an old woman and I’m bored, so I thought I’d come to Aozang Mountain to chat with Liu Yun, have some tea, and also visit Gan Yu and Shu Yu.”

Xianyun put his red-rimmed glasses back on and asked with renewed focus:

"Mr. Shao Yun, you came all the way to Mount Aozang for more than just a greeting, didn't you? Is there something you need to discuss with us?"

Shao Yun walked up to Xian Yun, took out the photo Shen He had given him from the backpack of Eastern Legend, and handed it over with both hands.

“This is a photo that Shen He asked me to give to you. She also specifically told me that she is living well in Nata and that her baby is healthy, so you don’t need to worry about her.”

Upon hearing that the photos were sent by his beloved apprentice Shen He, Xianyun immediately accepted them.

Ever since Shen He went to Nata with Shao Yun and Ying, she has been thinking about this disciple, but due to her status as a celestial being, it is inconvenient for her to visit him frequently.

When Xianyun saw Shen He holding a beautifully sculpted baby and making a peace sign at the camera, he couldn't stop smiling.

"Oh my, this child is so cute!" Xianyun exclaimed, gently tapping the baby's face in the photo with her finger.

"She's so chubby and has such bright eyes, she's just so adorable. Mr. Shao Yun, your daughter has grown so much! Just last time she was a tiny little thing that would cry in your arms. Time really flies."

Her joyful expression perfectly embodies the image of an "empty-nest elderly person" and the "grandparents' affection for their grandchildren."

Seeing Xianyun admiring the photo, Shao Yun sighed, "Yes, time really flies. My daughter is very close to Shen He."

After putting the photos away, Xianyun looked at Shaoyun with a hint of a mother-in-law looking at her son-in-law, and greeted him:

"Well, speaking of which, you didn't come all the way back to Liyue from Nata just to bring me photos, right? There must be something else going on, right?"

Seeing that Xianyun had brought up serious matters, Shao Yun stopped beating around the bush and got straight to the point:

"I came back this time mainly to ask what exactly happened in Liyue Harbor. How did Liyue become such a mess?"

Upon hearing this, Xianyun's smile vanished instantly, and he felt deeply ashamed.

Family scandals shouldn't be aired in public, how did this get so far...?

"Well, we immortals don't know the specifics either. The Emperor forbids us from getting involved in the affairs of Liyue Harbor..."

Upon hearing Zhongli's decision, Shao Yun immediately sensed something was amiss.

Zhongli has always valued the stability of Liyue, so why is he still so calm after Keqing launched her coup?

This is really illogical. Could there be some other hidden story behind it?

Just then, a gentle breeze swept across the summit of Mount Aozang, and a tall figure descended from the sky.

Zhongli stood with his hands behind his back, his robes fluttering gently in the mountain breeze, exuding an aura of quiet authority, and landed not far away.

He first coughed twice to clear his throat, then greeted him with a barbed tone, "Mr. Shao Yun, how have you been? I didn't expect you to suddenly return to Liyue from Nata."

The moment Xianyun, Granny Ping, and Ganyu saw Zhongli, they immediately stood up, bowed respectfully to him, and said in unison, "Your Majesty."

These three are all from Zhongli, so it's understandable that we should be respectful to them.

When Shao Yun saw Zhong Li suddenly appear, he casually waved to him, speaking as if he were greeting an old friend.

“Zhongli, you’ve come at the perfect time. I was planning to go to Liyue Harbor to find you after I came down from Mt. Aozang.”

Zhongli seemed already used to Shao Yun's casual attitude and didn't take it too seriously. He simply turned to Xianyun, Granny Ping, and Ganyu beside him and gave them instructions:

"Liu Yun, Grandma Ping, and Gan Yu, please excuse me for a moment. I have some important matters to discuss with Mr. Shao Yun privately."