Genshin Impact: I am the Great General of Liyue

Bolai looked at Ying and Paimon beside him, treating them as servants of the Feiyun Merchant Guild and Zhongli as a distinguished guest of the Feiyun Merchant Guild.

"The two beside him are servants, aren't they? Servants shouldn't speak before their master."

(Is this karma for calling for Paimon emergency food...?)

Ying thought to herself. Then, frowning, she stared at Bolai and said, "No, don't you think I look a little familiar...?"

Bolai's squinting eyes opened slightly.

"Hmm? We seem to have met before..."

Upon recognizing the person who had arrived, Bo Lai's tone instantly became polite.

"Oh, you're a traveler. I'm sorry, my tone wasn't very nice just now."

Bo Lai's palms were sweating, and he stammered as he looked at Zhong Li, "Please, please, please take a look, esteemed guest. If you have any other thoughts, please share them."

Huiyuan looked at Bolai with a slight hint of anger.

(Before, you admitted to being involved in the dark industry right in front of me. Today, you even dared to call my lovely Ying-mei a servant! Hmm? Ying-mei is a maid, Ying-mei in a maid outfit... Hehehe, I have a good idea...)

Seeing that Bo Lai's tone had softened and he was even bowing and scraping as he asked for advice, Zhong Li didn't say much. After Bo Lai pulled out the Rainbow Flower, Zhong Li began explaining the science behind it.

"Yes, depending on the growing environment and ancestral relatives, the Rainbow Flower will exhibit different characteristics... These few plants are all good, and they are very fresh."

Zhongli picked up one of the Rainbow Flowers on the table and began to introduce it.

"For example, this kind has lush branches and leaves, and its flowers are like a beautiful woman hidden in a golden house. Its green leaves last forever, and it often grows in places with complex hydrological conditions."

After putting down the Rainbow Flower in his hand, Zhongli began to explain the knowledge about the other two Rainbow Flowers.

"In shady or damp areas, the Rainbow Flowers often grow with large petals and dense stamens, exuding a captivating fragrance, truly a riot of color. The last type is aloof and solitary, with sparsely arranged branches, leaves, and flowers. Its fragrance is faint yet extremely long-lasting, and it was discovered by chance by ancient people seeking immortality while climbing mountains. However, most wild Rainbow Flowers have become extinct during the geographical changes of Liyue, and now they are mostly cultivated artificially..."

After listening to Zhong Lidao's explanation, Boss Shi immediately praised him.

"Oh my, sir, you are truly an expert. Even I didn't know there were so many intricacies involved..."

"That's all. My traveler friend is not to be underestimated; he's the one who will eventually travel all over the continent."

Ying felt embarrassed by Zhongli's praise, so she started praising Huiyuan instead.

"Actually, she's not that amazing... Sister Lingling is the real one, with fair skin, beautiful appearance, and incredible abilities... uh, she's clever and quick-witted!"

Ying turned her head to look at Huiyuan, who was grinning mischievously, and suddenly felt a chill run down her spine.

(Did I use the wrong word to praise you?)

In fact, Huiyuan was daydreaming about Ying wearing a maid outfit and obeying her orders.

Huiyuan snapped out of her daze and looked at Zhongli, speaking to him.

"Thank you for the compliment, Sister Ying. Zhongli, which of these three types of rainbow flowers is more suitable?"

Without any hesitation, Zhong Li said to the boss of Bolai in a very generous manner: "Boss, I want them all."

Paimon was so frightened that he leaned back.

"Again?!"

Seeing Paimon's reaction, Zhongli couldn't help but smile.

"Ah, when watching a play, you have to choose the most famous actress; when walking your bird, you have to buy the most expensive thrush—that's life. However, buying three kinds of Rainbow Flowers this time isn't based on my life motto. You don't know this, but according to tradition, if you make different Rainbow Flowers into perfume and offer them before the 'Seven Gods' statues, the Rock King will make his own choice. However, these ancient customs and some overly complicated traditions have gradually been simplified. But this is the only 'Sending Off the Immortals' ceremony for one of the Seven Gods in the past 3,700 years. Let's follow tradition and offer these perfumes one by one. Hmm, so... hmm... did you bring any money?"

Upon hearing this, Huiyuan could no longer hold back and burst out laughing.

(He worships himself, offering the most and the best, and even claims he will make the choice. Is this what they mean by "You're talking about the Emperor, what does that have to do with me, Zhongli?")

Paimon stood angrily with his hands on his hips, glaring at Zhongli.

"You didn't bring any money again—! Zhongli—!"

Ying shrugged.

"It would be even stranger if he brought it."

Seeing the noisy Paimon, Boss Bolai interjected, "...Uh, gentlemen, excuse me for interrupting. Are you going to offer these flowers to Prince Yan?"

"That's right."

After Paimon finished speaking, Boss Bolai's attitude improved a little.

"Sigh, you should have said so sooner... After that 'Invitation to the Immortals Ceremony,' I also heard bad news... I won't go into the ominous parts. In short, I've been very worried about Prince Yan, worried that the news was true. If it's for Prince Yan's sake, I won't charge you for these flowers; just convey my heartfelt wishes."

Paimon looked at Bolai with surprise.

"Is this... really appropriate...?"

"Look at what you're saying! Without Prince Yan, there would be no place for a commoner like me to live. If it weren't for Prince Yan's poem back then, these precious Rainbow Flowers wouldn't be so valuable..."

After hearing Bolai's description, Paimon and Ying sighed in admiration.

"Wow... the local customs and traditions of Liyue that I heard about along the way were all things that received direct care from the gods at some point in time."

Zhongli became slightly more respectful when he saw that Boss Bolai was willing to give it away for free.

"...Anyway, thank you boss, you've saved us from our urgent problem."

Seeing Zhongli's shamelessness, which rivaled Wendy's, Paimon offered a rather scathing critique.

"Forgetting your money isn't Zhongli's fault!"

Ignoring Paimon, Bolai also bowed to Zhongli.

"Oh, it's just a small thing."

After Bolai packed up the Rainbow Flowers for everyone, Huiyuan put them into the Eye of God.

Although Paimon was still a little angry that Zhongli didn't bring any money, he still needed him to take the next step.

So Paimon asked, "We've got the flowers, but how do we make the sachet?"

"Ideally, I'd like to find a skilled incense maker. However, among the people I know, almost none of them know how to personally brew perfume balm..."

"Yeah, you can tell they're all rich just by listening to them."

"So, I'll have to trouble you to go into the city and ask around, for example, about young ladies from ordinary families."

"Okay, especially the kind where you smell nice, right? Sounds like a pretty good job."

"I'll wait for you near the Seven Gods statue. Let's meet there after we've finished making the balm."

After parting ways with Zhongli, Huiyuan remembered an old friend...