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A slam of papers on a desk sounded, an exasperated sigh followed by yet another one of Keqing’s assistants storming out the doors of the Yuheng’s office.
At her desk, Keqing rubbed at her temples and groaned. That was yet another person who just resigned.
It’s been just two months since the departure of Rex Lapis and despite Keqing’s incredible determination and perfectionism to prove herself, even she was finding herself drowning in all of the required tasks to reform Liyue. Her great criticisms of Rex Lapis have been arrogant, finally knowing what it feels like to possess the same reins that he once held.
She would have preferred to tackle every issue with her own hands, but the amount of work to be done is something she could not do all on her own. That’s why she’s had assistants, but they’ve never stayed very long. They either find themselves fired or resigned for not being able to keep up with the ever growing pace of the Yuheng’s goals. Lately, it’s been the case of the latter.
“That’s the third one this month. A new record I must say.”
The Tianquan appeared by the entrance to the office with a sense of fatigue to her voice. Even Ningguang could be overwhelmed at times, especially with the recent disputes with the Fatui.
“And what is it to you?” The Yuehng turned her head up to face her.
“A waste of resources, time, not to mention your reputation. Normally, I wouldn’t be so concerned, but considering the current climate of Liyue, it’s important that your work isn’t hindered.”
“What does my reputation have anything to do with an assistant?”
“You’re already infamous for this. You’re going to eventually hire every person in Liyue Harbor and still not find someone suitable for your standards. You need to lower them.”
“If I lower them, nothing is going to get done at the rate it should be. I’m not particularly interested in some advice at the moment, Ningguang. Besides, these last few assistants have been nothing but incompetent and were causing more trouble than help.”
“Haven’t you at all considered that your brash and impatient attitude is what is causing issues in the first place?”
The Tianquan took a step into the Yuheng’s office.
“Insisting your assistants to speed along with their tasks without wasting any time you consider ‘procrastination’?”
She strode in another step further.
“I admire your tenacity, but rushing head first as you usually do into this ever changing tide of Liyue is going to bring down the Qixing. Be a little patient. Especially with your assistants.”
“Patience is something I can't afford at the moment. I’m sure you would understand the insurmountable work we have ahead of us. I’ll never reach my goals for Liyue at this rate.”
Ningguang grasped at her forehead, exasperated.
“I see once more that our differing ideals are conflicting. Very well. I will leave you to continue your duties.”
She turned towards the exit but paused. Her heel snapped onto the wooden panels with a satisfying click.
“Unless, you’d care to join me for tea?” Her voice softened, as if she wasn’t just frustrated just a second ago.
“I know you’re not quite fond of breaks in the middle of your work but I think it would be beneficial for both of us to not only speak in terms of business.”
“I’d rather call your breaks just another name for procrastination but,”
Keqing glanced over the several documents on her desk for a moment. There was still much work left to do. Rewriting the laws of land distribution, dealing with the issue of the water contamination by Chihu rock, and finding a new assistant. She sighed.
“I suppose I can spare the time. It’s not like I could deny a request from the Tianquan herself.”
“It has been quite the inconvenience ever since I lost the Jade Chamber in the fight with Osial, but I’ve made do since.”
Ningguang poured the tea into the two porcelain cups set out at her desk. Similar to Keqing’s workspace, her own was twice as cluttered with reports and letters. Since this was only a temporary office due to her original one, the Jade Chamber joining the ocean, it’s rather bare. Only the needed essentials to sign documents were laid out, but Ningguang has always been one for efficiency over decoration.
Placing the teapot down, she gestured to the tea. The Yuheng reached for her cup with her eyes locked with Ningguang’s the whole time. Keqing was no stranger to the Tianquan’s ever so deadly perceptive senses. She’s rather familiar with that hawk-like gaze, her eye contact always never wavering. Most of those merchants currying for Ningguang’s favor don’t notice it, but Keqing does. It’s rather unsettling actually, to say the least.
But today, Ningguang seemed less observant. Her eyes just barely glazed over the teapot, seemingly in a haze. Was she simply tired, or was it a guise? Just a trick to gain further insight on the Yuheng? Ningguang would eventually find ways to exploit weaknesses for Mora, one way or another. There was no point in stressing over such things.
The two sipped their tea in silence. A tranquil yet somewhat tense air between them. It wasn’t very long ago they had their little argument after all.
Exhaling a bit after taking a drink of her beverage, Lady Ningguang turned her eyes back at Keqing’s.
“Well, I suppose since we’re not having a conversation, would you care for a game of Liyue Millennial?”
“Was this break just a trick to get me to play your game?”
The Tianquan chuckled. “Of course not, but I will say that playing games can’t hurt during this downtime, now will it?”
Keqing scoffed. “Fine. I’ll humor it today, but don’t think you’ll find me procrastinating like this again anytime soon.”
A brief smile flashed over Ningguang’s face.
“Understood.”
Setting up the board took quite a bit of time. It was after all, a complete replica of Liyue Harbor, all the way down to the tiniest detail. As someone who, before accepting the role of Yuheng, analyzed every aspect of the Harbor’s natural and man made features, this was a masterpiece. The board even featured a miniature Jade Chamber, held up by a shard of Plaustrite, just like the original once was made of.
Ningguang held up the handful of dice in her hand. A whole assortment of six-sided, twelve-sided, even twenty-sided dice all carved out of “Star Jades” as she calls it. Keqing found it as a pretentious name for a just a purified version of Cor Lapis, but it does have its own special properties that only Ningguang can manipulate with her Vision, in the rare case she ever actually used it.
“First or second?”
“First.” The dice slipped into the Yuheng’s hands as she began to roll.
This was not Keqing’s first game, but she wasn’t an expert. Ningguang is the undefeated champion of her own game for a reason after all. Keqing suspects it’s because she changes the rules so often so she’d have the advantage, but she doesn’t care for this game enough to call Ningguang out on it.
A roll of seven, not bad. Her piece moved up the tiles, just now sitting by the entrance to Chihu Rock.
More dice rolled, pieces clicked onto the board. By now, Ningguang has taken the lead as per usual. The stacks of counters she’s already accumulated after just five turns was rather baffling, even to Keqing.
“I have to ask, since you seemed so invested with my own affairs, how do you manage to work with your assistants?”
“Well, I consider my secretaries as tools. Another pair of eyes and ears. And like most tools, they must be finely honed and maintained, lest they begin to chip and crack under stress. You understand?”
Of course Ningguang considered her three most trusted secretaries as tools. Just another pawn in her ever growing chess board that is Liyue Harbor. Moments like these often remind Keqing of how drastically different the two of them are.
“I understand.” She could understand, but just the dehumanizing thought was repulsive enough.
Lady Ningguang chuckled. “I can tell that you're a bit resistant to this idea. How about, consider that ‘Survival’ hairpin of yours. You have it on your person don’t you?”
The Yuheng reluctantly produced the hairpin from her side. She’s never left home without it, it is her most trusted tool. However, she would never wear it as a normal hairpin. The amount of fish innards it has pierced during her expeditions was reason enough.
“Ah. The fabled hairpin. Infused with an Electro Crystal at its handle while the metal is made of an alloy of White Iron and brass. It was hand-crafted at Hanfeng’s Ironmongers by Master Zhang. It’s been over six years since its initial forging, almost seven in four days, correct?”
Keqing could only blink in response. The pure accuracy of the information that Ningguang has in hand baffles her so often. She could only wonder where she received such information.
“Why yes. That is alarmingly accurate.”
The Tianquan only smiled amused in response as she reached for the dice for her turn.
“Well, with that hairpin of yours, you wouldn’t be mining away at a Noctilucus Jade vein now would you? Utilizing the proper tool is really the case of understanding its limits, wouldn’t you agree?”
As much as Keqing despised her way of thinking, she had to admit that her advice was rather sound and even, just possibly, a little helpful in her case.
“I must admit that I do agree.” Keqing huffed before taking another sip of her still steaming tea.
“Even admitting to agree? I’m surprised you even considered my advice in the first place. Quite the achievement I’ve unlocked.”
“Is that sarcasm I’m hearing from the refined Lady Ningguang?” The Yuheng quirked a brow.
“Possibly.” Not even Ningguang could resist the urge to smirk despite her best efforts to hide it. The corners of her mouth shifted ever so subtly behind her hand.
Their attention resumed back to the game at hand. Turns passed, counters stacked and dice rolled. Surprisingly enough, the two eventually were at a tie. Both held forty-eight counters in their possession and there were only four left on the board to claim. Keqing was surprised by her competitiveness over such a silly game, but the possibility of defeating Ningguang with her own creation was enough of a drive.
“Your turn.” The clink of the dice brought the Yuheng’s attention back to the board.
This final roll would determine if she would win or not. If she would claim the last four counters in order to confirm her victory. Such a ridiculous game and yet, Keqing was completely enamoured by the chance of victory.
Holding her breath, she tossed the dice.
It was a two.
She did not win. Not even a single counter. All of the excitement building up quickly crashed once her opponent reached for the dice for her turn.
And of course Ningguang rolled a perfect twelve and claimed the rest of the counters left on the board. The Tianquan was the undefeated champion of her own chess board for a reason after all.
“Well, that was a rather insightful match.” Ningguang began, pouring another steaming cup of tea for herself.
“Insightful?”
“You’ve improved since the first time we’ve played, but more interestingly, you’ve also changed a considerable amount since the departure of Rex Lapis. Heh, I mustn’t say more.”
Her brilliant scarlet gaze tilted up from her tea and straight into Keqing’s.
“Look too far in and you’ll turn yourself inside out.” Their eye contact broke as she took a sip from her newly refilled teacup. There was no haunting smile, but it was cryptic all the same.
“Other than that horrifying imagery, I can at least say that this break was actually enjoyable.” Looking into her cup, Keqing’s tea has been all drunk.
“However, I do believe it is time for me to return to my duties.” She rose from her seat.
“This was,”
She hesitated.
“Nice.”
She left in a confident stride, not in a hurry but with an objective in mind. As the young lady exited the office, the Tianquan couldn’t help but grin and muse over such a bold person.
“I must wonder, is Liyue better off with the Yuheng we have now, or the Yuheng we used to know?”
She uttered under her breath, circling her finger around the rim of her cup.
“Only time will tell.”