Under the gaze of countless eyes, Keqing unleashed a flurry of lightning-fast strikes, dicing the beef offal with such precision that every piece fell perfectly back into the large pots atop the wooden carts.
"Sword light, follow my bid! Cut to the chase!"
She repeated the feat ten times, completing the massive task of preparation in a mere three minutes.
[Diluc: A very impressive sword technique.]
[Kamisato Ayato: Is this the rumored strength of the Liyue Qixing?]
[Ganyu: It really is a wonderful demonstration of Miss Keqing's skill.]
[Arataki Itto: Watching this is making my stomach growl.]
[Ningguang (clapping): Fine swordplay! 'Sword light, follow my bid... cut all the offal!']
[Kaeya: Cut all the offal!]
[Thoma: Cut all the offal!]
[Xiangling: Hehe, cut all the offal!]
[Lumine: Cut all the offal!]
Keqing's face turned bright red under the intense public scrutiny, but she managed to hold her ground under the pressure.
[Keqing: Ningguang! Buy these from me!]
[Ningguang: I'm afraid I can't. If anyone from the Qixing buys them, it would count as 'hiring help,' wouldn't it, Master Chef Keqing?]
Keqing felt like she was on the verge of tears. She had no choice but to start shouting to the crowd in the street: "Beef offal for sale! 800 Mora per pound!" Since she wasn't allowed to lower the price, she had to stick to the market rate.
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: We should shift our attention back to Lady Guuji. Which option did you choose?]
Everyone turned their eyes to Yae Miko.
[Yae Miko: The correct answer, of course. Our little cross-dressing friend is an old acquaintance of mine.]
[Chongyun: ? What?]
[Yanfei: There's a connection there?]
[Albedo: Actually, I knew the answer as well. I simply didn't snatch the slot in time, and I respected the rules by not revealing it.]
[Klee: Albedo-oniichan knew the answer too?]
[Albedo: Yes. Xingqiu, Lady Guuji, and I have a certain professional partnership.]
[Xingqiu: Waaaah! This is too humiliating! With so many people watching, why am I always the unlucky one?]
The audience still didn't quite understand why Xingqiu was crying.
[Yae Miko: Xingqiu is a contracted author for our Yae Publishing House, under the pen name 'Zhenyu.' He recently signed a new book that's selling quite well.]
[Paimon: What? The Bookworm actually wrote a book!]
[Kamisato Ayaka: So Young Master Xingqiu is Master Zhenyu! I've read the first volume of 'A Legend of Sword,' and it was quite good.]
[Chongyun: Even I didn't know that!]
[Yae Miko: So, knowing his little secrets, the answer is clearly 4.]
[Keqing: 4??????]
[Hu Tao: Xingqiu's handwriting is hideous. It looks less like words and more like the messy ghost-seals I draw for fun.]
[Yanfei: It's true. His writing is so ugly that no one could ever hope to forge it.]
[Xingqiu: Too embarrassing... this is too embarrassing...]
「Ding—Yae Miko answered correctly. Reward: Space-Time Anchor Ring」
Yae Miko enabled the broadcast view, and a pink ring appeared in her hand.
[Yoimiya: Lady Guuji, what does that treasure do?]
[Arataki Itto: That ring looks like it's worth a fortune.]
[Ningguang: Most things given by this broadcast cannot be measured by mere Mora.]
[Zhongli: Such power... even the Seven would find this difficult to replicate. Truly miraculous.]
Yae Miko put it on. "What a lovely bauble. Let me test it." She focused her mind, a vision appeared in her thoughts, and she vanished instantly.
[Jean: She disappeared?]
In a flash, the broadcast camera shifted to Liyue Harbor, right next to Keqing. Yae Miko stood there, smoothing her robes.
[Yae Miko: My, arriving in Liyue is so convenient now. What a pity I'm not allowed to help buy beef offal. Ganyu-neesama, is there a good place in Liyue for tofu dishes?]
Yae Miko had teleported directly to Liyue!
[Kamisato Ayaka: Ganyu-neesama? Isn't Lady Guuji... over five hundred years old?]
[Ganyu: Miko-chan, why are you in Liyue? Wait there, I'll come to you! @Kamisato Ayaka, I am half-Adeptus, after all.]
[Yae Miko: In the past, trade between Inazuma and Liyue was handled by Ganyu and me. This ring is wonderful—it connects to 168 space-time anchors across Mondstadt, Liyue, and Inazuma. I can use it twice a day.]
[Bennett: That's... that's amazing! Adventuring would be so easy!]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: Forget adventuring; that level of mobility is terrifying.]
[Ningguang: Fortunately, it's only for a single person. Is that item tradable?]
[Yae Miko: No one else can use it but me.]
[Keqing: Beef offal for sale! Freshly sliced!]
"..."
Back on the screen, Paimon looked at the note Xingqiu gave her. "Wow, this handwriting is hideous! Even if I tried to peek, I wouldn't be able to read a single word!"
Lumine looked over. "Is it... some kind of ancient script?"
Xingqiu: "As I said, there is no need to look."
[Xingqiu: This is a disaster. Now the entire continent knows my writing is terrible. I'm the second son of the Feiyun Commerce Guild! It's over for me!]
[Thoma: Don't worry, people will probably remember the 'cross-dresser' part more.]
[Xingqiu: I can never leave my house again. My father and mother are right here laughing their heads off.]
[Beidou: Everyone in Wanmin Restaurant is laughing too. Several of your guild's servants just happen to be eating here.]
[Asahi: The second master's handwriting is inimitable. I would recognize it anywhere.]