Beidou did not follow Ye Xi; she still had the fleet's affairs to handle.
Loading and unloading cargo, signing bills of lading, supervising the carriers in fulfilling the terms of their contracts, and then collecting the shipping fees—that sort of thing.
She watched the retreating figures of Ye Xi, Yae Miko, and the others, then walked down off the ship.
No sooner had she stepped onto the dock than a familiar shout reached her from nearby.
"Big Sis Beidou!"
At the sound, Beidou gazed off into the distance—and there she saw Thoma waving at her from over this way.
"Thoma?"
Smiling, Beidou sidled over and said, "You little rascal—ever since Inazuma enacted the Sakoku Decree, you've been nowhere to be found here on Ritou."
"How is it you're actually on Ritou today?"
"Hahaha, Big Sis, ever since the Sakoku Decree came into effect, we of the Yashiro Commission have been awfully busy too."
"The Master of the House dumped a whole pile of odd jobs on me, so I haven't had the time to come to Ritou and drink with you."
Beidou didn't believe Thoma's explanation for one second.
This fellow was the local kingpin of Ritou—mingling within the Kanjou Commission's turf was, in itself, a very important secret mission of the Yashiro Commission.
Being busy for a day or two she could let slide, but surely he couldn't be impossible to track down every single time?
There had to be some other matter he was keeping hidden here on Ritou.
She didn't press him about it, but said teasingly, "You're not here to drink with me today, are you?"
Thoma nodded and said with a smile, "I never imagined that after such a long absence, Big Sis's ship would have become so formidable."
"Actually, the one looking for you isn't me—it's this Lord of the Kanjou Commission here."
"On behalf of Inazuma's merchants, she'd like to discuss some related business with you."
"Oh?"
Beidou was mildly surprised, though it was within her expectations.
She knew, of course, that the appearance of the cruiser would be a dimensional-reduction strike against her fellow shipping-and-transport peers.
And the Southern Cross fleet was sure to be lavishly praised by the merchants.
That being the case, the Kanjou Commission's people would come knocking on the fleet's door.
Only, she hadn't expected that the Kanjou Commission's Magistrate would come in person—and so quickly at that!
"Captain Beidou, hello. I am Hiiragi Chisato of the Kanjou Commission."
"This meeting is rather hasty, but it's because everyone in the Commerce Guild is far too eager!"
"If you're willing, please come back to my residence as my guest, and we can talk in detail."
As it happened, there were quite a few of Beidou's peers on the dock as well.
They too were in charge of helping the merchants run shipping and transport.
Seeing the Lord of the Kanjou Commission personally invite Beidou, they couldn't help but cast envious glances her way.
One had to understand, the Kanjou Commission was one of Inazuma's three great political bodies.
The Yashiro Commission, the Tenryou Commission, and the Kanjou Commission—these three great bodies ran present-day Inazuma.
To be invited as a guest by the Kanjou Commission was, quite simply, the highest of honors!
And yet, at this very moment, Beidou's answer left everyone dumbfounded.
"Sorry, Lord Magistrate, but the Southern Cross fleet isn't mine to speak for anymore, so I won't be going."
"Eh!?"
Hiiragi Chisato's face was full of astonishment.
The peers gathered around were stunned as well.
"You've got to be kidding—isn't the Southern Cross fleet Beidou's?"
"How many years has she been running ships to Inazuma? Who doesn't know Captain Beidou!"
"Coming up with an excuse like that—she's not simply trying to turn down the Lord Magistrate, is she?"
"Why? Why on earth would she actually refuse the Lord Magistrate's invitation! What a rare honor that is!"
"Could it be she looks down on the Lord Magistrate?"
"..."
Hearing the muttering all around her, Hiiragi Chisato felt her dignity slipping a little.
If this really were simply an attempt to refuse her, then the excuse she'd come up with was a touch too contemptuous of others.
Even saying she had business to attend to, or any other reason, would have done—but to insist on such an obvious pretext, one that everyone could see right through!
Thoma hurriedly put on a forced smile and said, "Big Sis, don't joke around—the Southern Cross fleet was built single-handedly by you!"
"That's something everyone knows!"
Only then did Beidou realize that saying so would make Hiiragi Chisato deeply awkward, so she explained, "Don't misunderstand—I didn't mean anything by it."
"Just two days ago, I formally handed the Southern Cross fleet over to Master Ye Xi."
"Now, Ye Xi is the one who truly calls the shots for the fleet."
"So if you want to discuss any matters of cooperation, you'll have to go to him!"
The moment these words were out, an uproar broke out all around.
"What? The Southern Cross fleet has changed hands!?"
"Who's this Master Ye Xi?"
"My heavens, this is the Southern Cross fleet we're talking about! Liyue's most famous fleet!"
"What's going on? The fleet Captain Beidou poured her heart into building has actually been handed over to someone else!?"
The peers and merchants on the dock couldn't help but whisper among themselves.
On the other side.
The ones unloading cargo beside the cruiser were taken aback as well.
"Say, how is your Big Sis Beidou so weak—she even let someone snatch her fleet away?"
"I hear Liyue's merchants are all formidable; she wasn't outmaneuvered, was she?"
"Being Big Sis takes more than just brute strength, you know—it takes brains too!"
Hearing these various conjectures from the Inazuman dockhands, the fleet's sailors couldn't hold back and rushed to retort, one after another.
"What do you lot know? Our Big Sis didn't just give the fleet away for nothing—she only made the fleet her dowry!"
"That's right! Master Ye Xi is now our Big Sis's man! Whatever's Big Sis's is Master Ye Xi's!"
"Big Sis and Master Ye Xi are family—there's no telling what's whose between them at all!"
At this, the dockhands were left utterly dumbstruck.
"Captain Beidou's man?"
"That Big Sis Beidou has actually gotten married!? No way! Just how formidable does a man have to be for her to take a fancy to him!?"
"So that's how it is—she made the fleet her dowry! A man worth Captain Beidou going that far for—truly remarkable!"
"Did that man save Captain Beidou's life!? To be so incredibly lucky! How enviable!"
"..."
For a moment, the dockhands were filled with envy toward this so-called [Master Ye Xi].
One had to understand, Beidou wasn't only popular in Liyue—she was just as popular in Inazuma.
Beidou was good-looking, with a bright and dashing personality, and a great figure to boot.
Not only did she possess an Eye of God, there were even rumors that she had cut down Hailong with her blade.
It could be said she had no end of suitors.
Still, many people had the self-awareness to know that Beidou simply wouldn't take a fancy to ordinary folk.
Wealthy merchants, warriors of peerless martial prowess, or captains of other fleets—
none of them could enter Beidou's sights at all.
Everyone developed a fierce curiosity about this God-like [Master Ye Xi].
Hiiragi Chisato couldn't help but ask as well, "Captain Beidou, who is this Master Ye Xi you speak of? Is he aboard the ship?"
"Oh! Ye Xi! He just left a moment ago with that shrine maiden Guuji of yours in Inazuma."
"What!?"
Realization dawned on Hiiragi Chisato at once!
She immediately thought of the Ye Xi who had just been led away by Yae Miko.
"So it was him! His name is Ye Xi?"
Thoma's face was full of surprise too: "So he was the honored guest Lady Miko spoke of just now!"
"Big Sis, just who in the world is he?"
"Eh?"
Put on the spot by Thoma's question, Beidou suddenly didn't quite know how to answer.
Just what was Ye Xi's identity, anyway?
A merchant?
But Ye Xi didn't really do much business, did he?
She'd heard from Ningguang that Ye Xi had mapped out many trade routes for Liyue, and had brought in many remarkable mechanical contraptions.
So, he ought to be a master of mechanism technique?
Could the Inazuman people even comprehend mechanism technique?
After mulling it over for a good while, Beidou's eyes suddenly lit up.
She knew how she ought to introduce Ye Xi's identity!
So she spoke up: "Lord Magistrate, Master Ye Xi, he... is one of the Adepti!"
Hiiragi Chisato: ???
Thoma: !!!
Kujou Kamaji was dumbstruck.
One of the Adepti!?
One of Liyue's Adepti!??
How was anyone supposed to compete with that!?
....
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