Genshin Impact, I'm Slime

It was precisely because of his appreciation for Zhiyi's methods that Famas spontaneously came up with the idea to plan this scene.

The magnificent cloak that Wendy casually held, which belonged to Pantalone herself, was actually a fishing hook meticulously designed by Famas.

Zhiyi's superior is a Winter Man named Yusupov, who is also a subordinate of the rich man and an executor of the Fools' Plan. Zhiyi is bound to be extremely sensitive to his superior's signature items, especially his personal clothing with insignia.

Once this cloak came into Zhiyi's sight, it was like throwing a hot iron into calm deep water, inevitably arousing his uncontrollable instinct to investigate and his fear.

Therefore, when Zhiyi offered to be the guide, Famas almost immediately caught the hint of feigned composure in the other's eyes, and without the slightest hesitation, he readily agreed:

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Zhiyi. It would be even better if you had a guide who knows the way well."

Famas's gaze was calm and serene, as if he were merely accepting a kind gesture from a chance encounter.

But Wendy, standing beside him, blinked her emerald eyes almost imperceptibly. The cloak in her arms suddenly felt hot and prickly to the touch. She subconsciously gripped Famas's cuffs lightly with her fingers, her eyes conveying a silent warning:
"Can this guy... be trusted?"

Famas turned his head very slightly, his gaze precisely capturing the wind spirit's doubts. His unfathomable red eyes were calm and still, conveying a sense of certainty only in the imperceptible tremor of his eyelashes.

Wendy pursed his lips almost imperceptibly, but in an instant, the tension between his brows vanished without a trace, replaced by the carefree smile of a bard.

"Alright, you young people have a good time browsing!" Seeing that they had reached an agreement, the stall owner cheerfully waved the rag in his hand. "This old man should also pack up, go back and change his clothes, and have some sweet fermented rice balls!"

He grinned, his wrinkles smoothing out, revealing the simple kindness characteristic of an elder.

"Have a good time, you two! Liyue Harbor has plenty of interesting sights to see!"

"Thank you, Uncle Wang, for clearing up our doubts."

FAMAS nodded slightly, displaying impeccable manners.

"Thank you, Uncle Wang!"

Wendy waved goodbye with a bright smile, full of energy.

Zhiyi then led the two of them, turning around and disappearing into the swaying crowd at the dock, bathed in the glow of lights and sails.

The young man moved with light, practiced steps, effortlessly navigating the bustling unloading area and the rows of vendors, introducing the goods in a relaxed tone:

"This is the 'Voyage,' which just unloaded Mondstadt fruit. Don't let its small size fool you; the sailors are incredibly skilled. That little hill is the best spot to watch the 'thousands of sails returning to port' at dusk. Further south, you can see the lighthouse under repair; Lady Ningguang has clearly put a lot of effort into it."

"Oh, over there! Look at those seagulls! They're old residents of the dock; everyone calls them 'messengers of the wind.'"

Zhiyi's introduction was fluent and natural, his voice carrying a youthful vigor, yet also revealing a deliberate maturity.

However, when introducing the newly lit lanterns, he paused seemingly unintentionally, his gaze lightly brushing over the conspicuous cloak in Wendy's arms, like a willow leaf fluttering in a breeze:

"Speaking of which..."

Zhiyi's voice softened, adopting a perfectly casual tone, as if he had only thought of it by chance.

"The outfit this poet friend is carrying is truly rare, especially the double-winged eagle pattern on the lapel of the cloak. Such a unique style must be from the Snow Country. I wonder where he obtained such a fine piece?"

Venti tilted his head, about to casually make up some spoils of war blessed by the Anemo Archon, when Famas interrupted him, cutting off his impromptu remarks: "Just an interesting unexpected find. But the pattern on it," Famas pointed to a design on the corner of the cloak, his finger twitching twice in the air, "reminds me of some kind of paper coupon I overheard people talking about on the street corner earlier? Something like 'Sky Lantern Coupons'? Sounds quite popular in Liyue?"

Famas abruptly changed the subject, his gaze sweeping over a vendor beside him, who was exchanging crude tickets for sesame cakes, with a hint of inquiry:
"However, after walking around the dock for a while, I didn't see anyone using those paper coupons for transactions... Is the business here too small to afford them?"

Zhiyi's glasses reflected the light, and he smiled, explaining naturally:

"Sir, you are indeed astute. The Lantern Vouchers were indeed mainly circulated among large businesses and banks, used to allocate reconstruction funds or purchase large quantities of building materials."

“The volume of transactions related to people’s livelihoods at the dock is relatively small. Most transactions are conducted using temporary work points or small amounts of silver notes or mora. However, you can occasionally see transactions using lantern coupons.”

Zhiyi pointed towards the storage area at the end of the dock.

At the edge of the unloading area, a group of people dressed more respectably than the laborers gathered together and discussed in hushed tones.

One of them carefully pulled out several beautifully printed paper coupons from his pocket, depicting exquisite floating clouds supporting lanterns. Under the night light, the texture of the paper coupons and the complex anti-counterfeiting features were clearly visible, forming a stark contrast with the rough temporary work badges or food coupons in the hands of the laborers next to him, which were stained with sweat and oil.

Both Famas and Wendy had exceptional hearing, and they heard the man say:

"The boss is pressing us hard; this batch of Star Iron Ore must be loaded onto a ship and transported to Fontaine overnight. As you requested, 30% of the advance payment will be made with Lantern Vouchers, and the remainder can be exchanged at the Liyue branch of the Northern Bank with Merchant Guild Certificates once it arrives there..."

On the other side, a merchant dressed as an inazuma was standing next to a row of huge wooden crates that had just been unloaded, checking the inventory list with a local warehouse manager.

The person in charge took out a small notebook containing passwords and a seal box engraved with the Feiyun Chamber of Commerce emblem. He stamped several documents, and finally took out a thick, substantial lantern coupon. He carefully folded it, inserted it into a specially made small copper tube, sealed it with sealing wax, and solemnly handed it to the merchant from Inazuma.

"This is the settlement voucher for your batch of silk garments. With this voucher, you can withdraw gold or equivalent ore at a designated bank, or prioritize the purchase of scarce weapon quotas at the current market price."

The hustle and bustle of the dock seemed to become background noise.

Their attention was also drawn to the people hurrying between the large merchant ships and warehouses, their expressions wary, and their small copper tubes or leather pouches kept close to their bodies.

That was the real battlefield where the Lantern Tickets circulated, a place rife with calculations and secrets.

Wendy blinked, clutching the obviously expensive, yet magnificent cloak belonging to Pantalone, tightly in her hand.

Famas sighed slightly. Although it was not directly used for trading goods, the Lantern Ticket, as a top-level credit certificate symbolizing enormous wealth and value transfer, flowed like invisible blood through the vibrant body of the South Wharf, silently supporting this bustling yet tense prosperity that had survived the catastrophe.

However, none of the people in Liyue seemed to realize this, or perhaps they did realize it but didn't care.

Whether it's work points or lantern coupons, they are essentially just transaction vouchers, unlike Mora which has value forever.

Once the United Bank, which supports the Lantern Tickets, or the Liyue Septim, which supports the work points system, collapse, both of these things will instantly become worthless pieces of paper and strings of numbers.

Mora, guaranteed by the flesh and blood of the god of precious metals, can still be used as a catalyst in alchemy even after the god's death.

Even as time passes and the divine power of Mora gradually dissipates, losing its alchemical value, it can still circulate as ordinary gold.

This is an advantage that no other currency can match.

Mora possessed inherent value. (End of Chapter)