Bab 287: Chapter 287: Yun Jin
"Zhongli, why are you here too?"
Paimon stared at the infuriating guy who had just been commemorated at the "Rite of Parting" earlier today but was now leisurely strolling down the street.
"Oh, I know you! You're the erudite and elegant consultant from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Both my father and brother hold you in high esteem!"
Hearing Zhongli's name, Xingqiu quickly recalled who he was and spoke up.
"Heh, to think that a humble consultant like me would be mentioned by two prominent figures of the Feiyun Commerce Guild—it is truly an honor."
Zhongli chuckled politely, answering with humility.
"This guy is putting on airs again," Paimon whispered to Lumine, leaning closer to her ear.
Lumine brushed a strand of golden hair behind her ear, nodding in agreement.
"Mr. Zhongli just mentioned wanting to 'sneak' in with us. Are you perhaps also interested in the Liyue opera?"
Nolan asked with a smile, feigning curiosity.
"Indeed. I have few hobbies—drinking tea, listening to books, admiring scenery, and watching opera are among them.
"As for the world of opera, Ms. Yun is undoubtedly the finest in Liyue. Opportunities to watch her performances are rare, so today, I simply couldn't miss it."
Zhongli replied thoughtfully, his gaze distant as he spoke.
"I see, Mr. Zhongli's tastes are quite refined. One might call them the 'elegant pursuits' spoken of in books."
Nolan nodded in admiration, resting his knuckles against his chin.
"Alright, enough with the mutual praise. You two can stop complimenting this guy who eats, drinks, and watches opera without ever paying—just charging it to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's tab. The crowd is getting bigger, and we can't squeeze through anymore."
Although Paimon had respect for Rex Lapis, she couldn't quite bring herself to show the same for Zhongli.
"Heh, such hurtful words," Zhongli remarked with a wry smile.
"If we can't get in through the main entrance, we won't use it at all."
Nolan observed the surroundings. The stage at the Heyu Teahouse was located on the upper floor, and the nearby buildings were connected, even featuring pedestrian bridges across the streets.
If they could climb up to the second or third floors via another building, they could easily bypass the crowd and reach the teahouse unnoticed.
Normally, the Heyu Teahouse wouldn't allow this. People trying to bypass the main entrance would be stopped and asked to return. Otherwise, with Yun Jin's popularity, maintaining order would be impossible, and other businesses might suffer.
Too many attempts, and the nearby shopkeepers might even feel like punching someone. Not even the Millelith would be able to help in that situation!
Thus, to watch a show at the Heyu Teahouse, you had to line up orderly at the main entrance. Once the venue reached capacity, no more guests would be admitted.
But with Nolan there, things were different. He could activate his "Stealth Domain" and easily lead everyone past the guards without being noticed.
Though it felt like bending the rules a little, this was a special case—after all, Xingqiu had said there was already a spot reserved for them inside.
"Oh? And how do you plan to do that?" Zhongli asked, his calm gaze fixed on him.
"It's simple, like this..."
Nolan explained his plan briefly, and after hearing it, everyone's eyes lit up.
There was no doubt that this was a very efficient plan with a high chance of success.
"Nolan, let's head up then," Xingqiu said excitedly, giving Nolan a pat on the shoulder with a smile.
Nolan nodded, gathering everyone close to him before activating his "Stealth Mode." A transparent, invisible field enveloped them, and moments later, they vanished from the street. A passing pedestrian, who had caught a glimpse of them out of the corner of their eye, thought they must have been seeing things.
In disbelief, the passerby rubbed their eyes and looked again, but there was no one there.
"Am I hallucinating from overworking at the docks?" the passerby muttered, confused.
...
Under the cover of Nolan's "Stealth Mode," the group moved as if in an empty world. They bypassed the crowd by climbing to the second floor of a nearby building and then continued up a red-painted wooden staircase to the third floor.
Soon, Nolan and the others reached the Heyu Teahouse, arriving at the open-air stage area on the third floor, which had been temporarily expanded to accommodate more guests.
"Wow, there are so many people here! More are coming up from the stairwell too!"
Paimon marveled as she hugged her arms, her eyes wide with surprise. Despite being in stealth mode, she instinctively hid behind a pillar, peeking out at the open-air stage ahead.
"You all wait here, I'll go find Manager Yun Ning to show us to the reserved seats."
Xingqiu thought for a moment before stepping out of the invisible field, his body gradually becoming visible again.
Thankfully, they were hidden behind a pillar in a corner, so no one noticed him.
Otherwise, tomorrow's headlines might read, 'Second Young Master of the Feiyun Commerce Guild suspected of using stealth to commit petty theft among the guests at Heyu Teahouse.'
If someone lost something afterward, they might even come after Xingqiu, which would be hilarious!
Not long after, Xingqiu returned, followed by a young woman dressed in traditional Liyue-style long-sleeved clothing and a mamian skirt. Her black hair was elegantly pinned up.
Nolan used his spiritual sense to scan the surroundings.
Once he confirmed that no one was paying attention to them, he deactivated everyone's invisibility, and they all approached.
"Hello, are you the friends that Young Master Xingqiu mentioned?"
Yunhan Opera Troupe's manager, Yun Ning, greeted them warmly.
"Yes, yes! That's us! We're Xingqiu's friends!"
Paimon quickly nodded in affirmation.
"Alright, please follow me," Yun Ning said with a smile.
The group followed the manager into one of the private boxes in the Heyu Teahouse. From there, they had an excellent view of the stage, allowing them to see the entire performance clearly.
Once everyone was settled, Yun Ning left to tend to other matters. Meanwhile, Nolan and the others sipped tea and enjoyed some snacks while waiting for the performance to begin.
Time flowed like water, and the moon slowly shifted in the night sky.
As the Heyu Teahouse filled to capacity, the performance was about to start. Those without seats had to stand and watch.
At that moment, the stagehands were busy setting up various props.
One of the props was especially familiar—it depicted the three-headed Vortex God. It seemed to be made from a large piece of cardboard, painted and cut to resemble the terrifying entity.
The depiction was so lifelike that it almost felt like the real Vortex God had appeared.
"It looks like the first performance will be the story of the Geo Archon subduing the Vortex God Osial," Zhongli remarked with interest.
"Of course! Tonight's performances are all about Rex Lapis, after all," Paimon said, floating in the air and spreading her arms.
As they spoke, another prop was brought onto the stage—this one in the shape of a dragon, depicting a half-dragon, half-kirin divine creature. It was none other than the Geo Archon!
"..." Zhongli watched silently.
"Mr. Zhongli, is there something wrong? Is it that the depiction of Rex Lapis on the cardboard isn't lifelike enough?"
Nolan asked curiously, noticing Zhongli's expression.
"Hmm, according to the ancient texts I've read, the form the Geo Archon used to subdue Osial was not a dragon. But of course, using a dragon is fine. In Liyue opera, it's the actor's skill that truly matters."
Zhongli replied thoughtfully.
"From the way you speak, it sounds like you know quite a bit about the Geo Archon!"
Xingqiu marveled at Zhongli's vast knowledge.
He had never heard of anyone having seen the Geo Lord in any form other than the one depicted in books or legends.
"Heh, I just happen to know a little," Zhongli said calmly, sipping his tea.
Nolan couldn't help but give Zhongli a side glance. Is this guy going to accidentally reveal his true identity while chatting? Luckily, they were in a private box, so no one else could overhear their conversation.
"They're here, they're here! Yun Jin is about to appear!"
A round of applause erupted outside the teahouse's private box.
Nolan and the others quickly turned their attention to the stage, eager to see the performer even Zhongli admired.
After all the props representing Rex Lapis and the Vortex God's battle—such as stone spears and water projectiles—were arranged, the lights dimmed, leaving only the stage illuminated.
The curtain opened.
A young girl wearing an opera hat adorned with three colored pom-poms gracefully stepped onto the stage, twirling a prop spear in her delicate hands.
Her appearance was captivating.
Underneath her neatly trimmed black bangs, her eyes held a soft, gentle look, while her red eye shadow added a touch of boldness.
She wore a pink cloud-shoulder cape over a long-sleeved dress decorated with traditional Liyue patterns.
Despite her delicate appearance, she exuded an air of strength and heroism, more like a valiant warrior than a fragile girl.
Her white skirt, which had purple stockings beneath, accentuated the graceful curve of her knees, while her long boots hugged her slender legs.
Overall, she presented a perfect blend of softness and strength, a harmonious balance that was pleasing to the eye.
Her mere presence on stage already outshone many famous actors.
"Here we go~"
With her clear and melodious voice, the girl began the performance, and the accompanying instruments slowly joined in from behind the scenes.
The play "The Geo Archon Subduing the Vortex God" officially began.
As the young girl sang, the backdrop displayed a vivid fight between Rex Lapis and Osial. The paper figures, manipulated from behind the scenes, created an authentic and captivating performance. Whenever her voice reached a dramatic peak, the cardboard figure of Rex Lapis would strike in sync.
Under her lead, the audience felt completely immersed in the unfolding scene.
As time passed, the young performer finished her act, bowed in thanks, and retreated backstage to prepare for the next scene. Only then did everyone come back to their senses.
"Indeed, Sir Yun's performances always hit the mark—her precision is truly rare," Zhongli remarked, sipping his tea.
"Yeah! Even someone like me, who's never seen Liyue opera before, felt like I was right there in the story!"
Paimon added, nodding enthusiastically.
Suddenly, she widened her starry eyes in realization. "Wait, you all said 'Sir Yun,' but the person on stage just now was a girl!"
(End of Chapter)
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