High above Liyue Harbor, in the suspended halls of the Jade Chamber, Tianquan Ningguang looked down upon the city below.
From her perspective, Liyue was a sand table.
Strings of intelligence reports flowed in and out of her hands; even without stepping outside, she knew everything that stirred within the harbor.
Recently, Yelan brought her an interesting report:
The rebirth of the Old Nine Gates was made possible because the Fatui are backing them financially.
At first, Ningguang assumed their collaborator must have been the founder, Liu Muzhi.
To her surprise—no.
It was the quietest, least conspicuous number nine: Ji Ming.
She had Bai Xiao from the Ministry of Civil Affairs retrieve his old files.
Ji Ming did appear frequently—but always for fraud and smuggling, never the blood-stained brutality of his eight sworn brothers.
A man like that…
And yet he was the one the Fatui chose to work with?
A chess piece?
A disposable pawn?
Or—someone who knows how to play the game?
The Fatui and Liyue called each other partners on paper, yet everyone knew the relationship was a veneer stretched thin over a field of knives.
They were currently asking to jointly develop The Chasm—something Ningguang had been cautiously considering.
If Ji Ming is valuable to the Fatui, then testing him first could reveal their intentions.
She sensed footsteps behind her.
Without turning, she spoke lightly:
"Yuheng, what brings you to this humble room?"
Keqing's brows twitched.
The Jade Chamber, a humble room—typical Ningguang.
But she didn't take the bait.
"Have you heard of the Old Nine Gates?"
"Oh?"
Ningguang's eyes sharpened slightly.
"I recall the name. Why the sudden interest in street thugs?"
Keqing exhaled—rare hesitation tugging at her tone.
"I spoke with one of them today. Ji Ming."
The name made Ningguang pause.
Keqing continued—quiet, conflicted:
"I always believed Liyue belonged to its people.
But the Liyue he knows… is one carved from its shadows.
He cherishes Ganyu because her kindness was the first shelter he ever knew.
To someone who has stood in the rain too long, warmth becomes… everything."
Ningguang finally turned to look at her colleague—this earnest, stubborn idealist.
So even the steadfast Yuheng had been shaken.
How interesting.
"And what do you think a gang is for?" Keqing asked.
Ningguang's answer was immediate:
"A tool. Useful, until it becomes inconvenient."
Keqing's expression tightened.
"Then why not eliminate all gangs and solve the problem outright?"
Ningguang rubbed her temple.
"Because a tool remains necessary until a better one exists.
And more importantly—"
She lifted her gaze, eyes sharp as a whetted blade:
"Gangs are useful for disrupting the order."
Keqing froze.
Seasoned people like Ningguang and Ji Ming both understood:
To change a rotten system, something must be broken first.
Which meant—
They were the same kind of person.
Ningguang could already taste the possibilities—her smile widened.
"Ji Ming, you say?
Mm. Bring him to the Jade Chamber sometime.
I'd like to meet him."
Keqing recoiled.
"Why don't you go yourself? Isn't this your territory?"
Ningguang covered her mouth, voice sweet as honeyed poison:
"Because I am… shy.
A delicate woman cannot simply approach a young man uninvited."
"Where?" Keqing's mouth twitched.
There was nothing shy about this woman.
Ningguang tilted her head.
"Keqing… didn't you want a larger construction budget for the Stone Gate bridge project?"
Keqing's fist clenched.
"You—this is using public funds for private leverage.
I should bring this up in the Seven Stars council meeting—!"
"Mm. Then will you bring him?"
"...I'll help."
Ningguang smiled, victorious.
"Excellent. Shall we bathe together to celebrate?"
"I am going home!"
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