Genshin Impact: The Sharpshooter of Teyvat

Chapter 1223 Zhongli's Confession

……

After Xianyun, Granny Ping, and Ganyu left, only Shaoyun and Zhongli remained on the summit of Mount Aozang.

Zhongli walked slowly to the stone table, sat down gracefully, and remained as composed as ever.

Looking at Zhong Li, who had a calm expression, Shao Yun skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the point, asking, "I won't beat around the bush, why did Ke Qing suddenly launch a coup?"

Based on Xianyun's words, he vaguely guessed that perhaps this matter was related to Zhongli.

Zhongli didn't try to hide anything, and simply said calmly, "The reason is very simple, I did it. The goal was to replace Ningguang in her current position and let Keqing take over. It's that simple."

Upon hearing this, Shao Yun's pupils contracted slightly. His suspicions were confirmed, but he was even more puzzled.

"Why? Although Ningguang has been somewhat opportunistic in recent years, her contributions to Liyue are undeniable. Why do you insist on replacing her?"

Zhongli avoided Shao Yun's question, saying somewhat distantly, "This is an internal matter of Liyue, it has nothing to do with you, right? It's probably not appropriate for Mr. Shao Yun to interfere too much in Liyue's affairs."

Shao Yun raised his hand and pointed to the west of Liyue Harbor.

“Ningguang is currently staying at my home in Nata. She’s on the verge of a mental breakdown because of this coup. Do you think I should ask her about it?”

When Zhong Li heard that Ning Guang was at Shao Yun's house, his face remained calm. He simply nodded, his tone as casual as if he were dealing with an ordinary object.

"Really? That's perfect. Now that she's pledged allegiance to you, Ningguang is yours. From now on, her fate is entirely up to you, and has nothing to do with Liyue."

Upon hearing Zhongli hand Ningguang over to him as an object, Shao Yun said angrily, "What? Are you kidding me? What do you mean it's mine now?"

Zhongli explained naturally, “You don’t need to get so agitated. From the moment Ningguang chose to rely on your prestige to consolidate her position, she has already ‘objectified’ herself into your possession.”

"Like a well-bred puppy, enjoying the protection provided by its owner, it will definitely run to its owner's arms the moment it encounters danger."

"Now that Ningguang has nowhere else to turn, isn't it perfectly normal for her to seek refuge with you, her 'master'?"

After hearing Zhongli's almost cruel and dismissive remarks, Shao Yun's impression of him was confirmed once again.

"Are you crazy? You were the one who came to me personally, begging me to save her, saying she was crucial to Liyue. Now you're saying you can just replace her, just abandon her?"

Zhongli didn't answer why he suddenly abandoned Ningguang, but instead focused on the principle of "the winner takes all, the loser is condemned," saying:

"Am I wrong? I'm just stating the facts."

"Besides, you're the one who's crazy! I admit you've done a lot for Liyue, but I can't let Ningguang, who's a madwoman like you, rule Liyue!"

“I helped you ‘kill’ the Wind God, so we’re even. I don’t owe you anything anymore.”

At this point, Zhongli even quoted Shao Yun's words to retort: ​​"Moreover, just as you said at Wangshu Inn, this is just a normal political fluctuation, isn't it?"

"If you could remain so calm back then, why get angry over a loser now?"

"Heh." Shao Yun laughed when Zhong Li used his past words against him. "So, there's nothing to talk about?"

Zhongli nodded and presented his theoretical basis:

"First, I didn't scheme against you or your family; second, Liyue should handle its own affairs. You are an outsider and have no right to interfere."

"In short, it's your business how you want to deal with Ningguang. She's someone you 'took in,' so she's your 'possession.' Whether you kill her or keep her is entirely up to you."

"But remember this: if she dares to set foot back in Liyue, I will kill her with my own hands, understand?"

Seeing that Zhongli had gone this far, Shao Yun now only had one question: Ke Qing's attitude.

Was she being coerced, or did she genuinely want to challenge Ningguang?

"I want to see Ke Qing now. Find out what she's thinking, and that would be a way to give Ning Guang an explanation."

Upon hearing that Shao Yun wanted to see Ke Qing, Zhong Li immediately objected, saying, "No way."

Shao Yun didn't care about Zhong Li's attitude and said indifferently, "Why? Are you afraid I'll kill her?"

Immediately afterward, Shao Yun stood up and said nonchalantly, "If I really wanted to kill someone, could you stop me?"

"I just need to find out one thing, the truth of the matter, so I can go back and report. This is Ying's order."

"I'll talk to Keqing, figure out what she means, and then I'll go back to Nata, understand?"

In the end, Shao Yun issued an ultimatum.

Under Shao Yun's dual strategy of carrots and sticks, Zhong Li narrowed his eyes and said in an unfriendly tone, "You really make people uncomfortable."

Shao Yun extended his right hand towards Zhong Li, trying to ease the tension, and said, "Find out the truth, what exactly happened, and I'll leave immediately!"

Zhongli looked at Shao Yun's outstretched hand but did not accept it. Instead, he stood up and agreed to Shao Yun's request to see Ke Qing.

"No problem, let's go. But if you really kill Keqing and ruin Liyue's future... do you think I could kill you if I self-destruct?"

Seeing that Zhongli wouldn't shake his hand, Shao Yun withdrew his right hand and said calmly, "Don't worry, as long as it doesn't involve my wife and children, I'm quite magnanimous in my dealings with others."

"As for the destruction of Liyue's future, hehe, I think you, me, Keqing, and Ningguang all played an indispensable role in this."

Zhongli did not refute him, but only gave him a cold glance before turning and walking down the mountain.

"Enough with the nonsense, if you want to see Ke Qing, come with me."

……

Liyue Harbor, the inner chamber of Bubu's Lodge.

After these few days of rest, Keqing's recovery speed is much faster than Ningguang's.

At the same time, she also knew that Barbara was gone, and that she was now the boss of the entire Liyue.

However, Keqing is currently ill and cannot yet take charge of Liyue.

"Hmm... Dr. Bai, how is my recovery going?" Ke Qing asked weakly, her voice hoarse as she lay in bed.

Bai Shu was taking her pulse. After a moment, he withdrew his hand and said truthfully:

"Yuheng Star's pulse is steady and strong, and his Qi and blood are gradually recovering, even faster than expected."

"At this rate, he should be fully recovered in two days, at which point he will be able to get out of bed and resume his official duties."

Ke Qing breathed a slight sigh of relief when she heard that she would recover in two more days.

But then she remembered the coup that changed the landscape of Liyue. How did ordinary people in Liyue view her?

She hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Dr. Bai, do you...do you think I did the right thing this time?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Shu simply smiled faintly, giving off an air of "let's not talk about state affairs."

"A doctor's duty is to save lives and heal the sick. As for court intrigues and power struggles, they are not things I can judge."

Ke Qing sensed Bai Shu's evasiveness and realized she had asked the wrong person.

She nodded gently, said nothing more, closed her eyes, and prepared to rest for a while to recharge her energy.

But just then, the door to the inner room was pushed open.

Immediately afterwards, a familiar voice rang out in the room.

"Miss Keqing, how have you been?"

Ke Qing opened her eyes and looked in the direction of the sound. She saw Shao Yun standing at the door, looking at her calmly.

She was startled for a moment, then forced herself to sit up straighter.

"Mr. Shao Yun? What brings you to Liyue? And why did you specifically seek out Bubu Lodge... Is there something you need?"

Seeing this, Bai Shu immediately realized he needed to avoid the situation and found an excuse.

"Well, Miss Keqing, you and Mr. Shao Yun haven't seen each other for a long time, so you must have a lot to talk about. I still have a few herbs to process, so I'll go out and get busy first. You two can chat at your leisure."

After saying that, he left the inner room and thoughtfully closed the door behind him, leaving the two "key figures" alone.

……

After Bai Shu left the inner room, Shao Yun walked to Ke Qing's side, looked her up and down, and couldn't understand why Ke Qing would rebel against Ning Guang.

He frowned, and without beating around the bush, abruptly asked, "What's wrong with you?"

Upon hearing this, Ke Qing was taken aback for a moment, then her cheeks flushed slightly.

At that moment, the question "What's wrong with you?" made her subconsciously think that the question was about her health, and the admiration and secret love that had been hidden in her heart for a long time quietly surged up.

"I'm in good health. Doctor Baishu said I'll be fully recovered in a few days and then I'll be able to handle Liyue's political affairs."

Seeing that Ke Qing had completely misunderstood him, Shao Yun sighed helplessly and added bluntly, "How is Li Yue now?"

Shao Yun tried to keep her tone calm and avoid sounding too aggressive.

Upon hearing the name "Liyue," Keqing's shyness vanished instantly, replaced by unwavering determination and a hint of guilt.

She sat up straighter, looked directly at Shao Yun, and spoke with a heavy yet utterly serious tone:

"Mr. Shao Yun, I'm sorry, perhaps my actions this time have disappointed you."

“I hadn’t noticed before, but Ningguang had gradually strayed from the right path in order to consolidate her power.”

"She used your reputation to suppress dissent, monopolized resources through business means, and led Liyue step by step into the abyss of desire."

"I realized this too late, so I must take action to set things right and get Liyue back on track."

Shao Yun had developed a physical aversion to the phrase "correcting past wrongs," but he suppressed his discomfort and patiently explained:

"I have no interest in your political struggles, nor do I enjoy discussing them. I simply want to know, is your opposition to Ningguang based on a genuine belief that she poses a threat to Liyue, or is there another reason?"

"I just want to hear your true feelings, not these high-sounding reasons."

When Ke Qing heard Shao Yun ask about this, she felt a little guilty deep down... but now that it was too late, there was no use in regretting it.

She took a deep breath, raised her head again, and said resolutely, "I know that, from a personal point of view, I have let Ningguang down."

“But for the sake of Liyue’s future, I have to do this. Her ambition has gone beyond what we can control. If we let it continue, it will only bring greater disaster to Liyue. I have no choice.”

After hearing Keqing's words, "I do indeed want to actively change Liyue," Shao Yun's last trace of doubt vanished.

It seems that Keqing was not coerced by Zhongli, but rather she was determined to overthrow Ningguang from the start. This coup was the result of her own initiative.

He was silent for a moment, then asked bluntly, "So, you mean that you subjectively intend to 'rebel'?"

“That’s right!” Ke Qing nodded vigorously without the slightest hesitation.

"Ningguang's path has deviated from the right direction for Liyue, and her ambition will only plunge Liyue into a greater crisis."

"I'm taking the initiative to change all of this, not as a rebellion, but for the future of Liyue!"

She deliberately emphasized the word "future," as if to stress the legitimacy of her actions.

Seeing Ke Qing's resolute attitude, Shao Yun knew that there was no point in pressing her for an answer.

Since it was her subjective choice, then I have achieved my goal for this trip, and I can give Ying and Ningguang a clear explanation when I go back.

"Okay, I understand. I respect your choice and wish you success in achieving your goals."

To Shao Yun, this was just a polite way of ending things, but to Ke Qing, it was a form of recognition and encouragement.

She instantly broke into a happy smile, her eyes sparkling like a child who had received affirmation.

"I will not let you down! Believe me, I will definitely govern Liyue even better and will not disappoint you!"

Upon hearing "I will not let you down," Shao Yun quickly waved his hand and reminded him:

"No, I didn't have any expectations of you. I was just stating my opinion objectively, nothing more."

Ke Qing solemnly attributed the credit to Shao Yun, saying:

"You gave me the courage to stand up and bring about change again. I will reshape Liyue in my own way."

Shao Yun didn't understand what Ke Qing meant, so he could only take a few steps back and hastily say goodbye, "Jesus, never mind, whatever makes you happy. I'm leaving now..."

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the door, as if deliberately avoiding something.

Ke Qing watched Shao Yun's hurried departure, and the smile on her face instantly froze.

She wanted to talk more with Shao Yun and share her plans for the future of Liyue, but he wouldn't give her the chance. His evasive manner was as if he were avoiding a plague.

A strange sense of grievance and imbalance welled up in her heart. Ke Qing gripped the blanket tightly beneath her, like a jealous little woman.

"Why? Why do you sound like you don't believe me at all? Is it just because Ningguang is better at negotiating and saying nice things than me? Am I really not as good as her?"

However, she quickly suppressed her grievances.

Ke Qing took a deep breath, her eyes regained their resolve, and she secretly made up her mind.

"I won't give up so easily! I'll prove to everyone that I'm stronger than Ningguang!"

"I will make Liyue a better place through my actions, and I will make you look at me in a new light! At that time, you will definitely recognize my abilities!"