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She always sees the Chamber before the woman herself. Pulling into port, it’s impossible to avoid the looming shadow it casts across Liyue. Despite herself, Beidou can’t help but smile. Even if Ningguang is too busy for a visit this time around, there is the surety that the Chamberr will be there, following Beidou everywhere she goes. Somehow, its presence no longer makes her feel as though someone is breathing down her neck. Instead, it is like a watchful, knowing gaze that beckons her closer--a beacon of sorts. How things have changed.
She hated it when she first saw it. Years ago, when the new Tianquan had unveiled her project to all of Liyue, Beidou had taken one look at the building floating on a piece of rock and rolled her eyes. Another obnoxious display of opulence.
In a way, Beidou was being hypocritical. It wasn’t as though her own ship was entirely unadorned. Beidou herself occasionally indulged in the thrill of showing off a little, and wouldn’t begrudge someone else the same pleasure, but the Jade Chamber felt different: it hung in the sky, far above the city it was supposed to serve, perpetually out of reach to all but those privileged enough to receive an invitation from the exalted Tianquan herself.
The common citizens of Liyue would never even know it as anything but a shadow, like a cloud that hung over the harbor, forever threatening rain. It reminded Beidou of being a child, singing sea shanties by the docks and watching the fishermen and stall-merchants bustle about, perpetually busy. No one seemed to resent the monotony of the hard work, but Beidou had always wondered if they ever thought about what else might be out there for them--if they ever watched the Qixing and their business guests walk around in gilded finery and thought I could have that, too . Beidou herself looked at those that walked around with an insufferable air of wealth and thought I could have more than that.
Liyue Harbor was plenty interesting for even the most precocious of children, but Beidou was more than precocious--she was insatiable , always chasing the newest thrill. But very few would humor a rambunctious child, however intelligent she seemed. As a result, she spent most of her days by the docks causing trouble, until one day a harried fisherman who had only begrudgingly accepted her presence after months of her stubborn refusal to leave, asked her if she would like to come out fishing with his crew.
She was nearly fourteen by then, gangly, her face still padded with a fair bit of baby-fat, and most adults still didn’t take her seriously. But the fisherman looked at her not like he was offering her work out of pity, but as though she might be of some real use. She’d jumped at the chance.
Fishing was hard work, but she was strong and quick, and above all, determined. Within months, she was a permanent member of their crew--the only fisherwoman in all of Liyue at the time, and certainly the only one still going through puberty. Two years of hard work saw her becoming the old fisherman’s right-hand. It wasn’t long before he was giving her tasks that he didn’t trust any of his men with.
The crew didn’t even have it in them to be jealous--they had watched an unruly kid begin to grow into a remarkably talented and headstrong adolescent, every day commanding more and more of their respect.
When the old fisherman who had recruited her died, Beidou was seventeen and becoming increasingly restless with the work of fishing. It had been thrilling the first couple of years, learning the ropes and honing her naval skills to near-perfection, but the novelty had quickly worn off, and now every time they set out on the boat, Beidou couldn’t help but let her gaze stray to the vast horizon. It was empty, yet promised so much: an endless world out there for her to discover. More than that, a sea that seemed to stretch on in every direction forever, big enough for her to explore for her whole life without reaching the end.
The crew of the small fishing vessel acknowledged her as the new captain without much discussion. She hadn’t even asked for it, just showed up to the docks one day, a while after the old fisherman had died, and found the crew all waiting--waiting for her to take the helm.
And so she did.
Together, they ventured beyond Liyue’s harbor and out into the open sea. She guided them to other ports, trading fish in places most of the crew had never seen. And then there were other things to trade--textiles, precious ore, weapons, food--and soon it became clear that the crew and their captain were no longer on-board a fishing vessel.
Under her leadership, the crew made more money in a year than they’d made in their whole lives. One or two of the older ones retired to live out the rest of their lives comfortably, with their family, but the majority of the crew were still eager to follow her to the ends of the earth. With the profits they’d amassed over the first year of Beidou’s captaincy, they purchased a real ship--big enough for all of them and then some.
Beidou took to it like she had taken to fishing years ago, with unwavering confidence and zeal. And thus they became the Crux, an extended family more than a crew, forever picking up new strays wherever they docked.
It was the life Beidou had always dreamed up for herself, and she truly felt content to be where she was for the first time in her life.
And then there was Haishan, and the Vision that had quite literally struck her like lightning, and suddenly she couldn’t dock in Liyue Harbor without a crowd of onlookers bouncing on their toes to catch a glimpse of her.
Beidou hadn’t anticipated the popularity, and while it didn’t exactly bother her, she couldn’t quite understand it. She was the same person who had spent years on these very docks, getting into everyone’s business and singing so loudly that sometimes people offered to pay her to shut up and sit still. And now those same people revered her, looked at her the way they looked at the Qixing--or, no, the way they looked when they were talking about the adepti.
It was unnerving. Beidou simply pretended that nothing had changed, going about her business in Liyue as though she were still a nameless fourteen-year-old. She answered people’s questions with casual nonchalance and responded to incredulous stares with a wink or a raised eyebrow, depending on her mood.
After Haishan, she began spending more and more time away from Liyue, making a name for herself in other parts of the world, too. Then one day she came home, and no one was waiting at the docks to bombard her with praise and curiosity.
Instead, as she would learn shortly thereafter, they were all gathered in the square, watching the Qixing present the new Tianquan.
Or, rather, watching the Tianquan present herself.
The Qixing had been present in Liyue’s business affairs for a long time now, but mostly behind closed doors, their work requiring little public engagement with the average citizen of Liyue. But now at the head of the mysterious Qixing was a striking young woman Beidou had never seen before, and she was speaking to everyone like she meant to be their leader.
Beidou was familiar with most of the faces in Liyue, but this woman seemed to have stepped out of the clouds and descended to Liyue Harbor in all of her glory. Maybe she was actually an adepti. Or perhaps she had simply grown up in a different social strata. That seemed more likely; the woman seemed to have been bred into elegance. She wore delicate silks that looked like they had been fitted especially to fit her, and she held herself in a way that made you feel shorter than her no matter how tall you were.
(And Beidou was slightly taller than the petite woman, which she noted with no small sense of satisfaction.)
The Tianquan introduced herself as Lady Ningguang. Beidou snorted at the title and continued to size her up as she spoke. Her voice was pleasant--not too high, but as level and even as her expression. Her words were concise and well-chosen, and by the end of her little speech, everyone in the crowd looked dazzled.
Beidou recognized the look--how could she not? It was the same look she had grown accustomed to being greeted by every time the Alcor pulled into port. Beidou wondered if the shine of Lady Ningguang would eventually wear off, or if the citizens of Liyue would fall more and more under her spell every time she addressed them.
And she would continue addressing them, Beidou knew. This woman was not simply a merchant, nor an advisor, nor the spoilt daughter of some filthy-rich clan. She was a politician. A leader.
Beidou didn’t feel the slightest bit threatened by the Tianquan. Powerful, beautiful, rich, and whatever else she was, it did not affect Beidou’s life. Beidou was the leader of her crew, and the Alcor was a world entirely separate from the day-to-day of Liyue Harbor. The only thing that mattered was that the economy remained stable enough to continue trading between Liyue and other nearby nations, and the Qixing had never failed in that regard before. Everything would remain precisely the same.
And for a while, that was true.
Occasionally when Beidou came home, she would catch bits of the latest gossip at the dock, most of it about new fishing regulations and the recent shortage of black-bass in the area. But the Tianquan’s name was spoken too often to ignore, and always with respect and reverence. It seemed that whatever Lady Ningguang was doing was only increasing her popularity with the people. Beidou took note of this with vague interest, but had little stake in the matter.
Until, of course, a messenger appeared on the docks one day, just as the crew were loading up the Alcor for another long voyage. Beidou, holding a crate that a man twice her size had struggled to carry, was intercepted before she could board her ship.
Eyebrow raised, she paused before the messenger and waited for him to get out of her way. But he simply stood there, staring at her, a little dumbstruck. Beidou hadn’t been struggling before, but standing there with the dead weight of the crate in her arms was starting to fatigue her.
“Hey, kid,” she said shortly. “Are you lost?”
He snapped out of it abruptly, shaking his head and apologizing with way too much fervor for Beidou’s comfort. She waited uneasily until he finally calmed down enough to say, “Th--the Tianquan. I--I mean the Qixing --” He let out a frustrated breath and started over. “Lady Ninnguang, Tianquan of the Qixing, has formally invited you to the Jade Chamber. I... I’m here to deliver that invitation.”
He held out a small but thick piece of paper to her. Its surface was glossy, and it was embossed along the edges with intricate golden filigree--flashy, but not too ostentatious. Beidou glanced over the brief sentences written in impeccable cursive and found that the messenger, bless him, had been telling the truth.
“Right now ?” she asked, not even bothering to keep the exasperation out of her voice.
“U--um, well, yes.” The messenger cleared his throat. “If you would follow me, Lady Beidou--”
“It’s just Beidou,” Beidou interrupted. “Or Captain. Got it?”
He visibly swallowed and nodded, apologizing again.
“Take a breath, kid,” Beidou said, voice softening a little. She looked around for her nearest crew mate. “Hey, Furong!”
The young woman looked over immediately. She had just handed off a huge sack to one of the men who was stocking the hold, but there wasn't a drop of sweat on her. It figured; Furong was tiny, but somewhere in her body was an iron core that nearly rivaled Beidou’s own. Furong was the only one on the crew who had lasted more than a minute in an arm-wrestling match with her.
“Yes, Captain?” she asked brightly, looking very eager to please.
Beidou smiled at her. “Do you mind taking this crate off my hands? Apparently, I’m late for a meeting with the Tianquan.”
Both of Furong’s eyebrows rose. “T-the Tianquan ? Why?”
Beidou laughed; most of the crew was respectfully reserved when it came to questioning her, but Furong never bothered to hold her tongue no matter who she was speaking to. It was cute.
“I’ll find out once I’m there,” Beidou said, passing the crate to Furong. “Can you let Juza know where I’m going so he doesn’t come looking for me?”
Furong nodded, taking the weight of the crate with ease.
“Thanks,” Beidou said. “I shouldn’t be more than an hour!”
“Actually,” the messenger began, but one look from Beidou shut him up immediately.
She let him lead her to the secret entrance to the Jade Chamber--a bit ridiculous, if you asked Beidou. Even as a security measure, it was too much. Surely the Tianquan already had the millelith shadowing her every move. Was she still that worried about being in danger?
... Well, probably not, if she had invited over a random sailor with no precedence.
The Jade Chamber was exactly as opulent as Beidou had expected, and so she treated it like she treated any of the other expensive things she came into contact with: she assessed it calmly, wondering what value she might get for it at the next port. Not that she could take a thing like the Chamber with her, but there were definitely a few treasures in there that could fit into Beidou’s satchel and she bet they wouldn’t be missed.
Before she could get very far in her mostly hypothetical ponderings, the Tianquan stepped out of the front doors of the Jade Chamber with two identically-dressed women trailing behind her, looking like they wouldn’t hesitate to drop to their knees and kiss the ground the Lady walked on if asked.
Beidou almost snorted. But she managed to maintain at least a semblance of good manners, arms crossed and face carefully neutral as she waited for the Tianquan to begin explaining what unscrupulous task she had probably lined up for Beidou and her crew.
It made sense that a woman sitting so high up needed someone down below to do her dirty work, didn’t it?
Or perhaps, Beidou thought with some degree of amusement, the Tianquan was going to attempt to discipline her, impose restrictions on the Crux, maybe make them pay more taxes.
Instead, Lady Ningguang smiled in a reserved but self-assured manner and said, “Would you care to join me for a cup of tea, Miss Beidou?”
“Beidou,” Beidou corrected immediately. Then she smirked. “Unless you want to call me Captain .”
The two women standing behind the Tianquan made absolutely scandalized noises, and this time Beidou let herself laugh aloud. Lady Ninnguang looked completely unphased, simply waiting for a response with the same placid smile.
“Sure,” Beidou said eventually. “But I’d rather have rum.”
The Tianquan’s mouth twitched upwards briefly. “That can be arranged,” she said airily. She turned to glance over her shoulder. “Baishi, would you mind fetching a bottle of rum from the kitchen? Ask Chef Lee for the best bottle we have on hand.”
Beidou reeled in a faint spark of surprise. She hadn’t expected to be taken seriously, but she certainly was not inclined to complain.
Baishi bowed so low her head almost touched her knees. “Yes, Lady Ningguang. Right away.” Then she scurried away faster than a rat on a ship.
Amused and slightly less annoyed to be here, Beidou followed the Tianquan into the Chamber. The interior was just as nice, if not nicer, than the exterior. There were rich carpets, beautiful wall panels, and various expensive-looking vases and artworks arranged on each level of the Chamber.
After a while, the scenery all started to blur together, until finally they stepped into a more open space with a huge jade screen sitting behind a stately looking desk. Based on context clues and intuition, Beidou identified it immediately as the Tianquan’s office.
The room was certainly opulent, but overall it was rather spare in terms of furniture, and except for the board cluttered with papers off to the side, it was perfectly neat. Even the papers and scrolls on the desk were so orderly it looked like they’d never been touched.
The other woman with the Tianquan, presumably another secretary of sorts, disappeared abruptly and reappeared seconds later with a chair that was as beautifully carved and upholstered as the one already behind the desk. She placed it directly across from Lady Ningguang’s seat and promptly vanished again.
Lady Ningguang made her way through the room and stood beside her chair, gesturing for Beidou to sit. Beidou thought perhaps she was supposed to politely defer and insist that the Tianquan take a seat first, but instead she sat down with a content sigh and waited for the other woman to follow her lead.
Lady Ningguang wordlessly settled into her chair and folded her hands atop the desk. A moment later, Baishi bustled back into the room and presented them with an admittedly gorgeous bottle of rum and two gleaming crystal glasses. The rum was a brand that Beidou usually saved for special occasions--not her favorite, as her tastes usually tended to be less expensive--but damn good rum nonetheless.
The Tianquan thanked her and Baishi bowed again and dismissed herself in a hurry. Lady Ningguang poured the rum for both of them instead of getting a secretary to do it, which was interesting enough that Beidou took note of it.
“Here you are,” she said, sliding the glass over to Beidou.
Beidou immediately took a generous sip, then let herself relax a little into the chair, sighing with content. “Not that I don’t appreciate your generosity ,” she said. “But I would like to know what inspired it.”
Lady Ningguang smiled that same placid smile from before. It was a business smile--a smile that gave away nothing and presented a non-threatening facade. But Beidou knew better to be completely at ease.
“It is my job as Tianquan of the Qixing to be aware of the inner and outer workings of Liyue. As such, I keep a record of all of the commerce going in and out of the harbor, as well as who comes and goes. Over the past few years, you and your crew have established a pattern of leaving for months at a time and returning with enough mora to single-handedly fuel Liyue’s economy for a year if you so chose.”
“What can I say?” Beidou took another swig of rum. “We’re competent.”
Lady Ningguang narrowed her eyes, assessing her openly for the first time since they’d met. “Not only that,” she said thoughtfully. “The Crux is known for being consistent, efficient, and reliable. None of my sources could find fault with your crew. But that’s not because everyone on your crew is remarkable, is it? It is because of your remarkable leadership.”
Beidou raised a pointed eyebrow. “Is this a roundabout way for you to insult my crew?”
“Not at all,” said the Tianquan. “Quite the opposite, actually. Regardless of their individual temperaments, they have all rallied behind you with the kind of loyalty that is not easy to come by, especially in business matters.”
“We’re more like a family,” Beidou said, feeling a little of her defensiveness recede. “It’s not all about business.”
“Well, that may be the case on the Alcor,” Lady Ningguang started. “But the Qixing works differently. I’m sure you’re aware of the importance of our role in ensuring that everything in Liyue continues running smoothly. Though, admittedly, it takes a lot of resources and too much time to maintain the integrity of all of our business ventures simply by operating out of the Jade Chamber.”
“Ah,” said Beidou, draining her glass in one swallow. “And this is where my crew and I come in?”
“No,” said Lady Ningguang. “Just you. I cannot trust just anyone to carry out the Qixing's business. I need a reliable and capable contact who can be my eyes overseas. The fewer who are involved, the better.”
Beidou snorted. “Why me?” She gestured to herself. “I’m a pirate, aren’t I? There are plenty of more reputable captains of more official ships that you could try to recruit.”
“Despite what you may label yourself, you are known almost universally as an intelligent and discerning leader. Even those who do not like your... disposition seem to respect you. Your reputation truly precedes you.”
No matter what Beidou said, she was sure Lady Ningguang had some silver-tongued counter-argument ready to deploy. It was at this point that Beidou realized the conversation would go in circles forever if she didn’t forcefully derail it.
“Look, Ningguang,” she said frankly. “The flattery is nice, but it’s not going to get me to sign anything.”
The Tianquan’s smile flickered, and for a moment Beidou thought maybe she’d won--maybe she’d finally thrown this porcelain doll off her game. But then Ningguang was smiling for real, eyes lighting up with actual mirth, and Beidou found that she herself was thrown off.
“Not even more rum?” Ningguang asked slyly, cutting her gaze to the bottle they had barely made a dent in.
Beidou took her in for a moment, reassessing. The image of the Tianquan that she had constructed in her head morphed into something more palatable. She found herself grinning, too, out of simple amusement.
“Now you’re speaking my language.”
Beidou cracked her knuckles and slid her glass over for a refill, which Ningguang did without complaint. Her own glass was still half-full, but she topped it off a little. She put the bottle down and took a careful sip. A little wrinkle appeared between her pristine eyebrows. “You know, I’ve never liked rum.”
"What ?” Beidou almost got out of her chair.
Ningguang looked at her unapologetically. “Wine is much more agreeable, if I had to choose alcohol.”
"Agreeable ?” Beidou scoffed. “You’re not much of a drinker, are you?”
Ningguang gestured to a shelf to her right where several tins were lined up beside one another. “Tea,” she said simply. “I prefer the taste, and I rarely have time to indulge in anything stronger, anyway.”
“Being Tianquan sounds like a punishment.” Beidou tried to imagine herself in Ningguang’s position and failed spectacularly. She couldn’t endure being locked up in this office even for a single day.
“It’s not a job for everyone,” Ningguang said lightly. Her smile turned into a little smirk. “But I imagine being a pirate captain isn’t, either.”
Beidou honestly couldn’t imagine herself being anything else , but she understood that most people--even those who looked up to her--would not want to handle the reality of her life if presented with the option of being in her position.
“Well, we all have our strengths, I guess,” Beidou said. “You must be a very patient person.”
“In some respects,” Ningguang conceded. “But I’m not made of stone, you know.” She held out her hands and a few shiny rocks materialized in her palm. “Despite what it may seem.”
Ah, a geo Vision, then. Somehow, Beidou hadn’t gathered that. Nothing about Ningguang’s mannerisms suggested that she might be a Vision-wielder, but that was mostly because a lot of the Vision-wielders Beidou knew were fighters. Ningguang didn’t seem like a fighter.
But there was a fierceness in her eyes at times, well-concealed yet not undetectable. Maybe it was more than the ferocity of a ruthless businesswoman. Again, Beidou’s perception of Ningguang began to shift subtly.
“You mean to tell me,” Beidou began, already grinning, “that you’re not so perfectly poised all of the time? I’ll believe it when I see it.”
“I am human,” Ningguang said simply.
Beidou’s grin turned into a bit of a leer without her express permission. Maybe the rum was a little stronger than she’d anticipated. “Prove it.”
It could have been a trick of the light, but Beidou could swear that Ningguang’s eyes flashed with... something. Yet she sat there just as before, composed and upright. Beidou realized she was slouching by comparison, practically lounging at this point, and didn’t make a move to correct it.
“I really am very busy,” Ningguang finally said, though now she almost did look the tiniest bit apologetic.
“Shame,” Beidou murmured, savoring a particularly rich sip of rum.
“But,” Ningguang added. “If you accept my proposal, you will have to visit on occasion so we can discuss business.”
“So, if I become your business, you’ll have time for me?” Beidou asked wryly.
“Yes,” said Ningguang. Her eyelids lowered a little before she composed herself and her expression cleared again. “Every now and then.”
“You’re a real sweet-talker.” Beidou winked at her and watched Ningguang’s eyes flash again. Interesting . She traced a finger around the rim of her glass, considering. “Do I have to sign anything?”
“This is the city of contracts, isn’t it?”
Beidou sighed. “Thought you’d say that.” Then she put her glass down and laid both palms flat against the desk. “Let’s talk terms.”
-
Beidou left the Jade Chamber after dark, three hours after the Alcor was supposed to set sail. Juza looked like he was about ready to start running through the streets yelling her name by the time she got back on-board.
Everyone else just looked relieved.
Furong was the first to step forward, eyes wide with curiosity. “How’d the meeting with the Tianquan go?”
“Are we in any trouble?” Huixing, the helmsman, asked from behind her.
“Oh, it was nothing,” Beidou said, smiling with the satisfaction of a cat who’d just caught a fresh fish. “The Tianquan just wanted to express her admiration for our contributions to Liyue’s economy.”
There was some confused muttering amongst the crew. Furong’s brows furrowed. Even the unflappable ironworker, Suling, looked vexed.
“So, nothing changes?” Juza cut in gruffly.
“Nothing changes,” Beidou confirmed. “I’ll just be keeping an eye out for the Tianquan every now and then, making sure the Qixing are navigating foreign waters as smoothly as we do.”
There were a few more mutters, but no one looked troubled anymore. Well, except for Furong. Most of the crewmates dispersed in small groups, going back to preparing the ship for sailing. Furong stayed behind, frowning.
“Something wrong, Furong?”
She startled when directly addressed, then shook herself. “No!” She cleared her throat. “No, Captain. I was just... Well, I was wondering what the Tianquan was like.”
“A bit stuffy,” Beidou responded. “Very orderly. And... Well, let’s just say that she’s not made of stone, as much as she may act like it.”
Furong’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t say anything except, “Hm.” Then she made her excuses and left to go check on the condition of the canons. She seemed unsettled. Perhaps they were due for another bout of arm-wrestling.
Beidou stood on the quarterdeck and took a moment to absorb the bracing chill of the night air. She watched her crew work down below, efficient as a well-oiled machine like always. Perhaps Ningguang had been right about one thing--her crew was excellent and loyal to a fault. But the Tianquan had been wrong to assume that Beidou’s leadership was all there was to the success of the Crux--it was a factor, sure, but even without her, the crew was a hardworking cohort assembled of people who each had unique values and knowledge to contribute. Beidou may have been the leader, but the crew members made the Crux what it was, and without them, she was no captain.
For now, she would play Ningguang’s game on her own terms--terms that Beidou had insisted on over a third glass of rum--and they would each gain something from the arrangement. Nothing had changed, really. Beidou had a new obligation to Liyue, but the sea and its countless ports were still her playground, and she would live as freely as she always had.
Beidou wondered idly if Ningguang was sitting in her Jade Chamber right now, watching the Alcor prepare to set sail like some benevolent goddess looking down upon her work to survey its progress. Perhaps that was how she saw all of Liyue, removed from the beating heart of the city, more an observer than she would ever be a participant.
The Jade Chamber really did seem more like a jade prison, if you asked Beidou. But the Tianquan’s business was not hers to dwell on. There may have been more to Ningguang than met the eye, but ultimately, Beidou doubted very much that Tianquan would ever let her guard down enough to reveal some of those well-concealed layers. Unless...
No, it didn’t bear thinking about. She had a ship to captain.