Zhu Tao's affair amounted to little more than a minor incident at the banquet. As the host, Ningguang drank three cups of wine as a penalty to apologize to Yucheng and Shenhe for what had happened.
Yucheng and Shenhe naturally let the matter pass without fuss, but Liyue would not let him off so easily.
For a merchant without power to shield him, any amount of wealth was a castle in the air. What was more, Zhu Tao had offended the highest leaders of both Liyue and Inazuma at once. Under these circumstances, neither country had any place left for him.
As long as Liyue's Ningguang and Inazuma's Yucheng remained in power, Zhu Tao had no chance of returning. Even if he did return, he could only conceal his identity and live in seclusion in the mountains. Liyue Harbor's prosperity would have nothing more to do with him.
After the banquet ended, Ningguang trudged back to her bedchamber in the Jade Chamber, supported by Baixiao.
Once Baixiao had prepared some honey water for Ningguang, she slowly withdrew without a word.
Sitting at the table and slowly drinking her honey water, Ningguang rubbed her muddled head and asked the room, "Have you finished compiling the intelligence?"
After she spoke, light footsteps sounded in Ningguang's room, and a tall, beautiful figure in blue slowly appeared before her.
"Honestly, Ningguang, with your current standing, are there still banquets where you have to drink too much?"
Yelan asked, somewhat puzzled.
"Ah, you don't understand. Still, I really was happy today, so I'd already had a little extra. Who could have expected that business with Zhu Tao midway through? I ended up drinking a few more cups to apologize to Yucheng and Shenhe."
"That Zhu Tao never changes. If he hadn't been willing to spend