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The first time Xiao woke up at Bubu Pharmacy he assumed it to be nothing but a fluke. He left quickly so as to not accidentally affect any other patients, or Morax forbid the doctor, with his karmic debt. Of course the Adeptus was grateful for the help Doctor Baizhu had given him, all without asking for anything in return.
Sitting on top of the roof of Wangshu Inn, the adeptus stared over the horizon, pondering how he should repay the doctor. He didn’t have a lot of Mora to offer and he wasn’t one to follow along with the current human trends, what they would like to receive as gifts. The obvious answer was to ask Rex Lapis for guidance, but it felt like such an insignificant thing to bother him about. There was also the option to send a letter to Aether, however he was far away, not to mention busy, so response times may be long.
It wasn’t that Xiao couldn’t wait for an answer, but it felt weird to first come with a thank you gift several months later.
Eventually, the Yaksha settled for having Smiley Yanxiao help cook up some jade fruit soup.
Xiao wasn’t planning on staying in the city for long. A quick in and out as he went and dropped the soup off, then left. And yet as he entered the pharmacy, there was no sign of the doctor. Only his snake companion on the front desk. The serpent lifted her head to look at him. “Well, if it issn’t the Vigilant Yakssha, what bringss you here?”
He had seen many things in his thousands of years alive, a talking animal was far from something strange. “I just came to drop something off for Doctor Baizhu, as a thank you.” He responded calmly as he looked at the green haired man's familiar.
With how long Xiao had been alive, he had heard the rumors of Changshengs contract. Of how each of her owners had their life cut short by illness. He wasn’t deaf to the whispers that passed through Wangshu Inn, a doctor from Liyue supposedly researching immortality. The pieces weren’t hard to put together.
Under any other circumstances, the idea of any mortal gaining immortality would have sat wrong with Xiao. Maybe he wouldn’t discourage it, but he certainly wouldn’t encourage it either. And yet, Xiao had spent so many years protecting Liyue under Rex Lapis. He had fought and seen too much bloodshed. Now humans were the ones ruling Liyue but Xiao couldn’t discredit that Baizhu was protecting Liyue in his own right. The way he sacrificed his own life force for others or how he never accepted payment from people whom he knew couldn’t afford it, even if they offered.
It was honorable to say the least and Xiao did not intend to stop him. Perhaps Baizhu, and by extension Changsheng, were the type of people that made all the pain, death and misery worth it. That someone as kind and helpful as them existed in a world like this.
Maybe that’s the real reason giving a thank you gift was so important to Xiao. He wasn’t thanking Baizhu for helping him, he was thanking him for helping all of Liyue.
- - -
It was rare for Yanfei to find herself without any work to do. No one who needed consulting, nowhere to travel, nothing to pack for her next adventure. Taking a stroll through Liyue Harbor felt like a rare luxury that she didn’t often get. Even now her mind was working overtime to find something to do.
It had been a while since she had visited Madame Ping, so perhaps that should be at the top of her list. But, she couldn’t just visit her Granny without giving her some kind of gift, flowers or a trinket of some kind.
As the pink haired lawyer walked along the harbor, she saw Qiqi and Baizhu, the two stood out amongst the crowd. Qiqi had always fascinated her in a way. The use of adeptal arts to increase a person's lifespan, even if it had come with its consequences. But, she found the zombie to be a sweet child to be around.
Baizhu on the other hand was a different story.
It wasn’t that Yanfei liked him, she didn’t dislike him either. In fact, she was quite torn on how to feel about the doctor. After all, his business practices were well known and not quite legal. Yet, everyone loved him and Yanfei certainly saw the benefits of it, so she never directly told him off.
But, charging someone based on income and wealth, making those who made more, pay more was bordering on illegal. It was a privately owned business, meaning whatever contracts the customers signed were perfectly binding. And in fact, a lot of people in Liyue were happy to pay whatever price they had to for Doctor Baizhus services. The issue came with people who weren’t as familiar with Baizhus business practices.
When the Fatui had first arrived in Liyue Yanfei had been approached by several members claiming they had been scammed by him and wished to press charges. When Yanfei had read over the contract they had signed, it said that Baizhu was perfectly within his rights to charge them what he felt was fitting.
Even if she didn’t necessarily approve of it, he clearly knew the law well and used it to help people. In that sense, he was good.
People talked, there were plenty of rumors about him too. His chase for immortality was the main subject of these rumors. Yanfei wasn’t sure how to feel about the idea of anyone chasing immortality. As long as he kept it legal, she couldn’t do much. But from a moral standpoint, she couldn’t help but feel like there was no way to morally achieve such a thing.
Browsing a stall, Yanfei was brought out of her train of thought as she saw some glaze lilies she quickly paid for before heading up to Yujing Terrace where she found Madame Ping.
“Why, thank you.” The older adeptus said, smiling at her.
“Granny, can I ask you about Doctor Baizhu?”
“Hm, he’s a kind gentleman, what about him?”
“Well, the rumors about his search for immortality, why doesn’t the Adepti step in and do something?”
“Ahh, that. Yes, we’re well aware of what he’s doing. Why we don’t interfere depends on who of us you ask. Some of us simply believe in not interfering with humans or their decisions. Others believe that should he achieve immortality, it would be because he has earned it. But, we’re all in agreement that he is no threat. Besides, it’s not against the law to be ambitious now, is it?”
Yanfei pondered that answer for a long time. Maybe she didn’t quite agree with the morality behind it. But, that was probably her human side speaking. After all, she had quite the strong moral compass beyond just what the law said. But, she also believed in Madame Ping, so if she said there was no threat, then Yanfei would believe her.
After all, Baizhu, like everyone else, is innocent until proven guilty.
- - -
Ever since Rex Lapis’ retirement, Xianyun had been coming into Liyue Harbor more and more. Maybe part of it was because Ganyu and Shenhe both spent a lot of time here and she wanted to get a better understanding of humans. Which of course was no issue for her at all.
Well, except that one doctor she often saw around the Harbor.
For whatever reason, Xianyun couldn’t seem to understand him at all. It seemed a lot of merchants in Liyue were out to make money, to profit. Humans, were for the most part selfish. And at first glance, Baizhu seemed to break free from this mold. He helped people, it was only natural he was selfless.
But, the more you looked under the surface, the more selfish it seemed he was. She heard him mention it briefly one night while talking with his snake, “isn’t wanting to have it all what makes us human?”
What exactly he meant by that, or what the context was, Xianyun wasn’t sure. When she asked Ganyu, her student seemed just as lost as her.
- - -
After her revival, it wasn’t uncommon for Zibai to wander the streets of Liyue, taking in all the sights, the smells, and how things had changed. As she did so she would sometimes hear wishes from vendors wanting fortune or travelers wanting good luck. It became every day for her quickly. And despite this, it didn’t come as a surprise that the place she heard most wishes from was the local pharmacy. Bubu Pharmacy, Morax had called it one. Families wishing their ill would recover. Sobs and begs to the Gods, the Archons, the Adepti, anyone that would listen, that their loved ones would make it through just one more night.
And yet, whenever she snuck in to fulfill those wishes, the patient would be doing marginally better, as if by a miracle someone else had provided. And all she could sense was the residual energy of an Adeptus, weak, but present.
At first she figured it was one of the other Adepti that sometimes visited the city, like Cloud Retainer, Moon Carver or Mountain Shaper and yet they all claimed to have no knowledge of fulfilling any wishes. After all, that was the White Horse Adeptus’ thing, not theirs.
So that begged the question as to who? Who was powerful enough to help people's wishes before she could while leaving very little trace behind. A name came to mind and yet last she had seen Herblord was thousands of years ago back in Chenyu Vale and she hadn’t heard the name come up in modern times, so that was unlikely.
Zibai had made up her mind, it was something that required further investigation.
She eventually learned that Bubu Pharmacy was owned by a man named Baizhu. Most people in Liyue spoke fondly of him, singing his praises and telling her what a kind hearted, compassionate man he was who sought to help out everyone, regardless of status or wealth. They said he was born and raised in Chenyu Vale but had moved to Liyue Harbor when he was still young.
To Zibai, she wasn’t quite sure what to make of his character yet. Even the other Adepti said he was fully human, so the idea that he could use any sort of adeptal arts was out of the question unless he truly was made of something special.
Now, investigating people, or locations, also meant being sneaky. It was one such morning when she was walking near Bubu Pharmacy that she heard a wish come from there, “I wissh you would take better care of yoursself, you can’t keep going like this.” Someone said, their s’ sounding more like a hiss than anything. This time, she was determined to fulfill this wish, no matter whose it was or what she had to do.
Zibai wasn’t sure why it mattered so much to her. If it was the idea that the people of Liyue had someone else to fulfill their wishes, the need to prove that they could still rely on her. Or maybe it was the sincerity in the wish, that she could feel it came deep from within their hearts. Maybe the why didn’t matter. Only how she was going to achieve it.
The Pharmacy had so many stairs leading up to it and yet as she reached the top she saw a man with green hair standing near the front counter. His hair was tied into a braid that nearly reached his knees and he seemed to be talking to someone on the other side of the counter, obscured from Zibais view.
“If only you’d stop worrying so much, I’m alright.” The man, Baizhu, said. She recognized him from people's description of him.
Zibai tried to approach quietly, but the person behind the counter spoke, “it ssemss you have a cusstomer, Baisshu.”
As Baizhu turned around to face her, for a second it felt like all air had been sucked out of her lungs. Because those eyes were so painfully familiar. The snake eyes of a friend she had not seen since before her death. And yet something felt wrong. He did not have the presence of an Adeptus, nor did Baizhu look anything like Herblord had, unless she had undergone an extreme makeover.
“Welcome to Bubu Pharmacy, how may I help you?” The man smiled kindly. It felt warm, inviting. Or it would have felt that way to any mortal. But Zibai was focused on his movements, how he outstretched his hand to the counter only to reveal that he hadn’t been speaking to another person, but rather a white snake had laid curled up on the front desk and was currently making its way up his arm to coil around the doctors neck instead.
Noticing Zibais silence, he gave a polite chuckle, “don’t mind Changsheng, she doesn’t bite.”
“Changsheng…” She said, trailing off. Zibai wondered how long Herblord had gone by this name instead. Or when her eyes had turned purple.
It didn’t take a genius to figure out the adeptus was somehow tied to this human. The why or how, she didn’t exactly understand. There was time for that later though. For now, she had a wish to fulfill.
“I heard you want Doctor Baizhu to take a day off?”
“Good luck with that, he’ss more sstubborn than most Adepti I’ve met.”
Baizhu rolled his eyes at the comment, “if that’s what you’re here for, I’m afraid I must disappoint you. I have quite a lot of work to do today.”
Despite his reassuring words, something felt off, maybe it was the way he leaned too heavily against the counter. Or how his words got stuck in his throat momentarily, like he was struggling to breathe. His pale complexion was a dead give away. Obviously, the man was sick. Very sick if his qi was anything to go by.
Zibai had a lot of thoughts, why Herblord was giving her secret art to a mortal, why she was letting himself do this without interfering. Why did she remain in the form of a snake? Maybe it was a matter of preference.
“Well, if you could do any one thing, no matter how ridiculous, what would it be?” She tried anyway. After all, even if Herblord claimed Baizhu was stubborn, Zibai was worse. After all, helping her old friend felt important.
“I would love to see Chenyu Vale again.” The doctor mused, “but, I’m afraid I don’t have time to make the trip right now.”
While Zibai didn’t know Baizhu very well, she doubted the truth of his words. It was more likely that he was incapable of making the trip. Either way, she had a solution.
“Well, come with me.” She said, turning on her heel and leaving the pharmacy. “Go, follow her, Gui can handle the pharmacy for a few hourss.” Herblord said behind her. And Zibai could hear a deep sigh coming from the green haired doctor before she heard the sound of footsteps following her.
Summoning her carriage was an easy task as she stepped into it, taking a seat and gesturing Baizhu to follow her. He raised an eyebrow before slowly doing so.
“May I ask your name before you kidnap me?”
“I’m the White Horse Adeptus. But, most call me Zibai these days.” She said as the carriage went into the air, the breeze gentle. Maybe to the colder side, but not enough that she would complain. Usually, she would go higher in the carriage, over the top of the Liyue mountains. However, if the doctor was indeed sick like she suspected, the higher altitude would most likely make breathing harder, so she would have to take the longer route and steer around them. Not that it was much of an issue.
“How long have you and Herb- Changsheng known each other?” Calling Herblord by a different name felt unnatural, but perhaps it was for the best for now, just to be safe. She wasn’t sure how much Baizhu knew about his snake and her past, after all.
“Since I started learning medicine. She belonged to my master, after he passed it became my job to make sure she was cared for.”
“And who endss up taking care of who?” Changsheng asked, a teasing tone in her voice.
"I suppose that is still up for debate.”
Baizhu didn’t look out over the scenery, instead he looked at Zibai, “why did the White Horse Adeptus come to me? I didn’t make any wish.”
Considering he was from Chenyu Vale, it wasn’t a big surprise he had heard the stories about her before. “You didn’t.” She said simply, “but, Changsheng did. And it’s my job to fulfill her wishes. Although, I had expected more of a resistance from you.”
“Hm,” Baizhu let out a gentle hum, “I know when to listen to her. Besides, it’s not every day an adeptus comes to visit me in my pharmacy. So, you must forgive my curiosity for what you wanted with a simple mortal such as me.”
While Zibai didn’t know Baizhu particularly well. She did know Herblord, and she knew the white snake adeptus would never choose any “simple mortal” as her host. The idea was simply ridiculous. Herblord had always had a very specific kind of people she favored. And if Baizhu was one of them, Zibai was sure he had a good heart.
Zibai looked out over the horizon, the mountains of Chenyu Vale coming into view far in the distance, looming high and imposing yet so familiar all at once. “Something tells me you’re far from an ordinary mortal. But, I suppose only time will tell.”
- - -
As the God of Contracts, Zhongli had seen more contracts in his lifetime than even he could count. He saw those who dedicated their life to following contracts and he saw people who broke contracts on a whim because they didn’t understand their significance. Because they didn’t respect others.
To Zhongli, contracts are about respect, about making sure you uphold your promise and making sure equal exchange is upheld. Of course, there are those who scam others using contracts, adding things in the fine print that no one else sees. It was a balance between making sure to always read things through, and a sense of disgust at being willing to take advantage of others.
But, if you had to ask Zhongli for the one example of someone who upheld a contract to the very end, no matter what. It would be Baizhu and his predecessors.
To the God of Contracts, they were the very definition of what contracts were supposed to be about.
The mutual respect and understanding between Baizhu and Changsheng was not to be scoffed at, the way the two cared for each other in their own way was admirable. He saw it in the way the Changsheng would rarely be seen leaving Baizhus side. And the few times she did, she stayed close enough that she could still feel his presence nearby.
There was this endless sense of devotion, to each other, their beliefs and their crafts.
Of course, Baizhus hunt for immortality was not only to save his own life, but to save his companion as well. And yet he refused to prolong her suffering by letting her carry on the same contract once more.
This idea that the contract would end with Baizhu was something Zhongli rarely saw in contracts.
Because it wasn’t just a business deal, it was love.