Morax is dead, Liyue will fall into my hands.

The phrase "He really is a free man" came to mind.

"Oh? Then tell me, what is the purpose of your long journey from Mondstadt to Liyue?"

Wendy stretched out her hand in a self-satisfied gesture and said, "It was the free wind that blew me this way."

"Mr. Venti, you have come to Liyue following the will of the wind and have met me, Li Ye. What are your plans now?"

Wendy: "The wind brought us together. For such a memorable moment, Mr. Li, aren't you going to buy me a drink?"

Li Ye's face darkened upon hearing Wendy's words. "You came all this way just to get me to buy you a drink? I think you're not free spirits, you're just a fucking lunatic!"

Li Ye shook his finger and said, "I'm sorry, but Liyue has a rule that minors are not allowed to drink alcohol."

“I’m an adult now!” Venti emphasized before adding, “And bards can’t live without wine, just like Liyue can’t live without the Geo Archon.”

“But Liyue no longer has the Geo Archon.” Li Ye feigned regret, though it was an act.

Li Ye then said, "So you're sure you're not planning to work for me, or for us to collaborate? Then what brings you here?"

Wendy shook her head and said, "The wind is not bound by life, but why does Mr. Li insist that I must have something to do to see you, instead of coming to Liyue because I want to see you?"

As Wendy spoke, she skillfully played a short folk song from Mondstadt.

Li Ye was amused by Wendy's words. Although I, Li Ye, am indeed approachable, if you continue to act crazy like this, don't blame me for becoming your attending physician!

Li Ye said, "I know that poets are like the wind, they are free."

You are free and unrestrained, like sprites in the wind, not caring about tomorrow or reminiscing about the past, always living in the present.

This is an enviable attitude towards life, but it is also a pathetic way of life.

Mr. Wendy, I'd like to ask you, which way do you think the wind is blowing?

During Wendy's travels, he encountered many people who had opinions about wandering poets, but he didn't mind such worldly prejudices.

So when I heard Li Ye say the same thing, I wasn't surprised. I was just curious to see if he could offer a different perspective: "The wind is free. It has no fixed direction and can blow in any direction it wants."

Li Ye shook his head and said, "No, in my opinion, the wind always blows in one direction."

Wendy: "Where?"

"It's tomorrow!"

At this point, Li Ye's expression gradually became serious: "Wandering poets live outside of reality, pursuing their own lives; ordinary people live in reality, pursuing their own freedom."

Perhaps Mr. Wendy is not an ordinary person. I respect your thoughts and attitude towards life, but I also hope that while pursuing his own freedom, Mr. Wendy will consider the realities of other people's lives.

Li Ye's words were a bit harsh, but on the other hand, it also meant that he had a pretty good temper. If it were anyone else who had been communicating with people at such a high intensity all day and then encountered a teenager like Wendy, they would have already sent someone to kick them out.

So what if you have divine eyes?

There are at least eight hundred, if not a thousand, people with the Vision of the Gods in Liyue.

If there is a sincere desire to cooperate, Li Ye would not mind treating her as an honored guest, but if Wendy continues to act so strangely, he can only say that she is not even as good as Yuan Hua.

No matter how much Yuan Hua slacked off before, at least he listened to advice and ate his fill.

You can't even speak like a human being, and you're living in your own world at such a high intensity. Do you really think I'm free to sit here and go crazy with you?

Hearing Li Ye say that, Wendy scratched the back of her head a little embarrassedly and apologized, "Sorry, sorry. I'm used to the freedom of Mondstadt and haven't adjusted to Liyue yet after just arriving. But Mr. Li, aren't you going to buy me a drink?"

Li Ye then snapped his fingers and said, "Mr. Wendy, if I buy you a drink, what in return can you offer me?"

Wendy thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps I can play a beautiful melody for Mr. Li."

This time, Li Ye didn't object: "Okay, you can give it a try."

Wendy reached out and plucked the strings of the harp, and soon a beautiful and melodious tune flowed from his nimble fingers.

After calming down and appreciating the melody, Li Ye clapped generously and said, "It's really good, but I still have to say that the taverns in Liyue Harbor do not serve drinks to minors."

When Wendy heard Li Ye stick to his position, she immediately deflated.

Why is it that even after arriving in Liyue, one still cannot escape the constraints of being a "minor"?

Seeing Wendy's disappointed look, Li Ye stroked his chin and said with a smile, "But perhaps we can indeed cooperate more deeply."

While I can't provide you with drinks, I can offer you Mora as payment; whether you can actually buy the drinks is up to you.

"Mr. Li, I've already emphasized that I don't intend to work..."

"No, no, Mr. Wendy, you may have misunderstood. It's not work, it's a collaboration. A bard is someone who turns legendary heroic deeds into poems and sings them. Is my understanding correct?"

Wendy didn't quite understand: "So, what Mr. Li means?"

As Li Ye said this, a mischievous smile appeared on his lips. "Perhaps you could turn my story into a poem through artistic embellishment and have it sung throughout the cities of Mondstadt."

"Huh?" Wendy really didn't expect Li Ye to make such a request.

What is this? Spending money to brag about yourself?

Li Ye said frankly, "Mr. Wendy, you don't need to be surprised. Fame and fortune are just tools to help me realize my dreams."

Furthermore, my situation is all true, and Mr. Wendy can easily inquire about this; it is far more real than the fabricated stories in the poems.

And I'm not forcing Mr. Venti to only tell my story. It's just that while you're playing beautiful melodies and recounting heroic tales to passing travelers, why not also share the true story from Liyue with a wider audience?

Wendy thought Li Ye's words made some sense.

But why do I feel like I've been tricked after I agreed?

Chapter Seven: More Money Required

Wendy's arrival actually reminded Li Ye that cultural export should be done sooner rather than later.

It was one thing to lack the resources before, but now that both the economy and the achievements are there, it's time to give Mondstadt a cultural baptism.

They simply hired dozens of wandering bards to sing their praises in three shifts, 24 hours a day, while also describing how developed Liyue Harbor was.

This will not only make the people of Mondstadt yearn for the riches of Liyue, but also remember that there is a merchant named Li Ye in Liyue Harbor who possesses immense wealth and is also adept at recognizing and employing talent.

If I go through this, I can live a life of wealth and honor in my next life, with plenty of Mora.

Ideally, Mondstadt residents should be brainwashed so that when they meet each other, they don't say "May the Anemo protect you," but rather "May good people live a long and peaceful life, and may you be reborn in Liyue Harbor."

Considering that those who can travel thousands of miles from Mondstadt to Liyue Harbor are usually people with some skills, or even if they don't have skills, they have great perseverance, if someone is really fooled by the time they arrive, Li Ye can practically snatch up talent with his eyes closed.

Before the transmigration, the Free and Beautiful Country did exactly that; during the years of its most frenzied cultural export, it absorbed a great deal of top-notch talent from all over the world.

Thinking of this, when Li Ye looked at Wendy again, his slight impatience vanished, and a kind smile appeared on his face.

Looking at the change in Li Ye's expression, Wendy had a sense of déjà vu, as if she had seen it somewhere before.

Where exactly did you see it?

Wendy thought about it seriously for a few seconds, and then suddenly realized that she used to do the same thing when she was fooling others. Oh well, it's okay.

Li Ye said earnestly, "Mr. Wendy, the free wind has brought travelers from all over Teyvat to Mondstadt, and has also brought news from all over to the ears of the people of Mondstadt. I believe that the free people of Mondstadt have the right to know about the outside world."

As a wandering poet, shouldn't you use your poetry to broaden the horizons of the Mondstadt people and help them understand the magnificent continent of Teyvat?

The free Mond should not be like the eternal Inazuma, forever bound in a cage.

After hearing Li Ye's impassioned speech, Wendy silently thought to herself: I understand the logic, but I still feel like you're trying to fool me. I have experience with this kind of thing.

Wendy was very touched, but then politely declined, saying, "Mr. Li, the free wind cannot be bound. I will consider your proposal."

This guy is too dangerous, it's best to avoid dealing with him. I'm outta here.

Seeing that Wendy wasn't taking the bait, Li Ye stroked his chin and considered for a few seconds before saying, "One jar of apple wine, a specialty of Dawn Winery!"

Wendy was furious when she heard Li Ye's promise; it was an insult to her: "Mr. Li, do you think the wind will be bound by fine wine and have its free spirit restrained?"

Li Ye held up another finger: "One jar per month!"

Wendy coughed twice and argued, "It's not a matter of how much."

Li Ye said, "I can dine at Cat's Tail Tavern once a month, and it's all-you-can-eat."

Wendy looked somewhat conflicted: "Mr. Li, you've misunderstood. Actually, I didn't..."

Li Ye: "Add another jar of dandelion wine every month. If you're not interested, I'll find someone else. Four-legged Hilichurls are hard to find in Mondstadt, but there are plenty of two-legged wandering minstrels, right?"

"Deal!" The free wind told Wendy that Mr. Li was incredibly sincere.

Both are wealthy people, so why can't Diluc learn from Mr. Li?

After Wendy agreed, Mona, standing behind her, asked with some confusion, "Didn't the boss say he wouldn't sell alcohol to underage people like Wendy? Why are you suddenly selling it to them?"

Li Ye said matter-of-factly, "It's not for sale, I'm giving it away for free."

Mona: "..."

The boss really does have principles.

I love this principled boss!

Li Ye suggested inviting Mona and Wendy to dinner to welcome them and spread the word that he had won Mona's heart.

Wendy was excited to hear that Li Ye wanted to treat her to dinner and was about to agree immediately, but then she remembered that she was going to see an old friend and would also like to invite him for drinks, so she could only politely decline the invitation.

Li Ye hadn't expected Venti to have friends in Liyue, but after thinking about it, it made sense. He himself had never been to Mondstadt but knew Jean, so it was perfectly normal for Venti, as a free-spirited bard, to know someone from Liyue.

As for Mona, she really didn't want to eat boiled mushrooms anymore, so she agreed without hesitation.

After seeing Wendy off, Li Ye took Mona directly to the Glass Pavilion.

Li Ye had given Liuli Pavilion a lot of face regarding Rongzhu's matter last time. Liuli Pavilion reciprocated by inviting him to try their latest dishes on several occasions.

Unfortunately, Li Ye didn't have time to go, so he only verbally agreed. This was also a way to clean up the mess that Rong Zhu had made.

Looking at the opulent and extravagant buildings around her, Mona suddenly regretted coming here. Was this the place she was supposed to be? A meal in a place like this would probably cost several thousand Mora, wouldn't it?

Perhaps for Mona, a meal costing several thousand mora is the limit of her imagination.

Upon entering Liuli Pavilion, the manager warmly greeted him, saying, "We've been eagerly awaiting Mr. Li's arrival! Liuli Pavilion recently invented a new dish called 'Gathering of Rare Delicacies,' and we've been wanting Mr. Li to try it!"

Li Ye cupped his hands and smiled as he thanked her, saying, "Manager Fang, you're too kind. I must thank Liuliting for speaking up for me earlier; otherwise, I'm afraid I would never have been able to clear my name."

Manager Fang laughed and waved his hand, then took out a card made by Mora using a special process and said, "Hahaha, not at all. Boss Li stepped in to fight for justice for my Liuli Pavilion's staff and clear Liuli Pavilion's name. Liuli Pavilion owes Boss Li a great favor."

Putting everything else aside, whenever Mr. Li feels tired, he can come to our Liuli Pavilion to rest and have a cup of tea.

This is a guest card from Liuli Pavilion. If Mr. Li doesn't mind, please accept it.

Seeing this, Li Ye quickly refused, saying, "Alas, the matter of Miss Rongzhu was originally caused by me. It is my responsibility to help her get justice. I am already very grateful that you do not blame me. How can I accept this guest card?"

When Manager Fang saw that Li Ye refused, he immediately pretended to be very angry: "Mr. Li, you are being too polite. It is Mr. Li's duty to help Miss Rongzhu seek justice. So, shouldn't Liuli Pavilion thank Mr. Li for giving us a guest card?"