9 powerstones left to reach the 50 mark. Let's try to reach it before the reset(4 hours left) for a bonus chapter.
.....
Once everyone had left, Shajin finally dropped the act and got straight to the point.
"How much do you know about the dirt on the other Qixing, Mr. Ke Feng?"
Ke Feng instantly understood what Shajin was aiming for. He let out a chuckle.
"Hah, Mr. Shajin, you're bold. I like that."
Ke Feng stood and walked to a corner of the room. With a push, a hidden compartment revealed itself.
He retrieved a thick dossier and a videotape, handing them to Shajin.
"I had been saving these for the right moment. But now, I believe you're the better man for this job."
Shajin casually flipped through the documents—and was immediately stunned by the contents.
The evidence was damning: detailed records of embezzlement, abuse of power, and all sorts of corruption among several Qixing. The sums involved alone were jaw-dropping.
He carefully put the materials away and bowed slightly. "Thank you."
Ke Feng waved him off. "Think nothing of it. If these vermin can be removed from Liyue, all the better."
His gaze was sharp and resolute. There was no trace of hesitation in his decision.
"You can come in now," Ke Feng suddenly called toward the door.
A moment later, Keqing cautiously poked her head inside, her curious eyes scanning the room.
Ke Feng looked at Shajin with a faint smile of appreciation.
"You're a smart man. You know how to read the tides—that's something I value highly. I always prefer working with people like that."
Shajin replied humbly, "Your praise honors me, Mr. Ke Feng. Gaining your trust means a great deal to me."
"Things are bound to get turbulent in Liyue soon," Shajin continued seriously. "I wonder… would you consider working with me?"
Ke Feng nodded slightly, lips curling into a thoughtful smile.
"Of course. I'll seriously consider your offer. But we'll need to go over the details later—thoroughly."
Shajin agreed with a nod, his eyes gleaming. "Naturally. I look forward to it."
They moved into deeper discussions, diving into all aspects of potential collaboration.
Laughter occasionally broke through the air, lightening the weight of their serious plans.
Eventually, Shajin stood and gave a respectful bow. "Thank you again. I look forward to our next meeting."
Ke Feng saw him off personally, walking him all the way to the gate.
Their meeting ended on a note of firm cooperation.
As Shajin left the manor, plans were already forming in his mind. He could see the path to the future he wanted—clearly.
Ke Feng stood at the window, watching Shajin's figure disappear into the distance. A faint smile crossed his face, as if seeing a younger version of himself.
"This kid… he's got spirit. No wonder Keqing's taken a liking to him," he murmured with a chuckle.
He turned to glance at Keqing, whose gaze kept flitting toward where Shajin had gone. Her cheeks flushed like a ripe apple, and she hurried back to her room.
Ke Feng chuckled and shook his head, smiling warmly.
He knew that his daughter—soon to become the next Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing—had always focused on her duties and rarely spared a thought for personal feelings.
But seeing her like this made him feel as if he had found an oasis in the desert.
…
"Charlotte, long time no see."
"Been a while, Shajin. Got another scoop for me?"
Over the years, Shajin had provided Charlotte with plenty of major stories—some his own, some not.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that her rapid rise to a formal journalist at The Steambird owed a lot to him.
The two were quite familiar with each other by now.
"A scoop? Oh, it's a big one, all right~"
Shajin gave a sly smile.
"You'll definitely be interested in this one."
"I want you to publish the entrepreneurial journey of someone next Monday. She plans to run in the upcoming Qixing elections."
Shajin handed over a copy of the manuscript, along with records of Ningguang's current business holdings.
Charlotte took the materials and began to read seriously.
Moments later, she gasped in admiration.
"This Ningguang is incredible!"
She spoke with genuine awe.
"She started with absolutely nothing, and rose to become one of the most powerful businesswomen in Liyue! The obstacles she had to overcome—her mind is brilliant."
Shajin nodded. "Exactly. That's why I want more people to know her story. Let the public understand the journey of this remarkable woman."
But Charlotte frowned, hesitating.
"Still… what if it doesn't gain traction? What if people don't care?"
Shajin patted her shoulder.
"Don't worry. Just go ahead and publish it."
Charlotte hesitated a moment longer, then relented with a small sigh.
"Alright. Since you're so insistent, I'll give it a shot. But whether it succeeds or not depends on the readers."
Shajin grinned. "Trust me. They'll love it."
"But that's not all," he added, lowering his voice. "I have something even more explosive. I want you to publish it on the day of the Qixing election."
With a wave of his hand, a thick stack of dossiers appeared before them.
Charlotte's jaw dropped.
"This… what is this?!"
She grabbed the top file and started flipping through it, growing more and more animated.
Her cheeks flushed with excitement.
"Shajin, this is insane! You're amazing!"
Shajin smirked. "So, would you call this big news?"
Charlotte practically shouted, "It's huge! With this, I could write an article that will shake all of Teyvat!"
Satisfied, Shajin asked, "By the way, do you folks in Fontaine have machines that can play video directly from film reels?"
Charlotte thought for a moment. "Huh? Yeah, we do, but the price—"
Shajin waved dismissively and handed her a card. "Don't worry about the cost. Can you arrange to send one over?"
Charlotte took the card and gave a thumbs-up. "Consider it done!"
_
Please support my patreon, patreon. com/TravelerDouluo
And get early access to my 10 advance chapters.