We'd spill our brains and guts for you, Lord Schubert

After Kaeya surrendered without a fight, he was afforded not the slightest dignity.

The long-suppressed suspicions and fury of the Mondstadt civilians crowding around him erupted completely, their punches and kicks raining viciously down on him.

No one spared a thought for his past service defending Mondstadt. They saw only the indelible brand of the Abyss in his origins, freely venting the hostility and resentment in their hearts.

Just as Kaeya lay battered and bruised on the ground, barely able to hold on, pitch-black rifts suddenly tore open around the Knights of Favonius headquarters.

Dozens of Abyss Mages clad in dark cloaks emerged together from the black mist.

The power of the Abyss mercilessly swept away more than half the Mondstadt citizens present.

The furious curses and cries fell into deathly silence in an instant, leaving only devastation strewn across the ground.

Having done all this, the members of the Abyss slowly approached, carefully lifted the battered Kaeya, and leaped into the black mist, vanishing completely from Mondstadt's streets and alleys.

History always repeated itself with astonishing similarity.

Previously, it had been the Lawrence Clan who could not clear their name. Now it was him.

Now, even Jean would be unable to save him when she returned.

The Abyss Order had appeared in Mondstadt and saved him. That was even more effective than Ye Xuan's earlier oath on Barbatos.

People would only ever believe what they saw with their own eyes and what they wanted to believe.

"Eula, who is this?" Eula's mother asked.

How had her daughter suddenly become someone else's maid?

Eula replied, "They're gods."

"They?"

"That woman is the Anemo Archon Barbatos's aunt, and a god herself. She now acknowledges Ye Xuan as her master."

Those few words instantly gave the woman a clear grasp of the situation, and she committed the name Ye Xuan to memory.

Questions still lingered in her mind, and she asked again, "But why would you willingly become his maid when you were doing perfectly well?"

"..."

At those words, Eula was instantly tongue-tied, a faint blush quietly rising to her cheeks.

The reason was truly difficult to speak of.

It was simply that, when they first met, she had spoken too bluntly, mocking Ye Xuan as gold and jade on the outside but rotten stuffing within. Who knew he would be so petty as to take those words to heart and forcibly saddle her with this job?

She instinctively turned to glare at the instigator beside her, only to find that Ye Xuan had no intention whatsoever of helping her out. He was leaning down slightly, whispering to Ronova with a leisurely expression, as though none of this concerned him.

Helpless, Eula could only gloss over it. "It was merely a coincidence."

Schubert Lawrence, standing nearby, had long since reined in the haughty dignity of his former high station. His back was slightly bent, his bearing as humble and deferential as could be.

With both Jean and Grand Master Varka away from the city, leaving the Knights of Favonius a dragon without a head, the Lawrence Clan's influence had already surpassed that of the Knights of Favonius of Mondstadt.

But he understood all too well that once those two returned, utter disaster would await the Lawrence Clan.

Schubert felt that this might be the only chance he would ever have in his life. Even if speaking out of turn might anger the gods, he had to take the risk.

Everything for the Lawrence Clan.

Steadying himself, Schubert stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "Your divine eminences, might there be anything the Lawrence Clan can do for you? Whatever your commands, our clan would not shrink from ten thousand deaths."

"Schubert Lawrence."

The young man's voice suddenly rang out, calling his full name precisely.

A flash of astonishment crossed Schubert's eyes, and he looked up, overwhelmed by the honor. "I never imagined my lord would know of me."

"Eula often mentions you to me," Ye Xuan said. "She says you've exhausted your mind and strength throughout your life, devoting everything to the Lawrence Clan, and that you're an elder worthy of respect."

Those words exploded like thunder in Schubert's ears.

He stared blankly at his niece beside him, a hundred emotions welling up in his heart.

Had I been misjudging her all along? All those times she seemed distant and rebellious, going against the clan at every turn-had she actually been enduring humiliation and hardship, sleeping on brushwood and tasting gall, silently protecting the Lawrence Clan?

Meanwhile, Eula had frozen completely, her eyes filled with disbelief.

When had I ever said anything like that?

What baffled her even more was that Ye Xuan had never set foot in the Lawrence Clan, so how had he recognized her uncle so precisely?

The instant their eyes met, Eula clearly saw belated remorse in Schubert's gaze, along with deep approval.

The absurd scenes unfolding before her gave her an overwhelming sense of unreality, leaving her feeling as though she were still trapped in some bizarre dream.

Ye Xuan paid no attention to their turmoil. Turning to Ronova beside him, he asked quietly, "How much longer can that spatial labyrinth of Asmoday's you mentioned keep Barbatos trapped?"

Ronova answered truthfully, "Two more days. They seem to have abandoned that wind dragon, deliberately leaving it outside to stir up trouble and make a commotion, solely to cover everyone's retreat. As you know, when Asmoday is determined to hide, very few in this world can find any trace of her."

"That's enough."

Ye Xuan nodded, then turned to the deferential Schubert. "Gather your people and immediately lead the entire Lawrence Clan out of Mondstadt. Relocate to Liyue."

Schubert's expression changed drastically, hesitation filling his face. "My lord, this... this is far too sudden. Our clan numbers in the thousands. If we move in such haste, where will we live?"

Ye Xuan said, "I've already told Eula this as well. The Lawrence Clan never betrayed Mondstadt. The Contract of the Leeward was a fake. Morax's signature was forged by Barbatos, because your rule stood in the way of Mondstadt's freedom."

Schubert could no longer suppress his emotions. "What right did he have?! We of the Lawrence Clan worshipped the Anemo Archon and protected Mondstadt for generations! What right did he have to frame us like this?!"

"Gods have no need to reason with mortals," Ye Xuan reminded him mildly. "Remember, Barbatos will break free of the labyrinth in two days. Once he gets out, the Lawrence Clan will face an even more terrifying reckoning than before."

A chill instantly ran down Schubert's back, his fury turning to fear in an instant. "But with so many of us, we'd have nowhere to settle even if we fled to Liyue."

"Go to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor first," Ye Xuan said. "Ronova and I both work there. There's a consultant there named Zhongli, who is none other than Liyue's Rex Lapis himself."

"Barbatos falsely accused you of selling Mondstadt to Liyue, so you might as well go straight to Rex Lapis for refuge."

Schubert was utterly stunned.

Who could have imagined that a funeral establishment in Liyue housed three gods?

If word of this spread throughout Teyvat, it would surely stir up towering waves.

He grew nervous again and bowed as he asked, "Would it be inappropriate for mortals like us to rashly visit a place where gods reside?"

"Who said you'd be living with us?" Ye Xuan raised his eyebrows. "You have family assets. Why worry about finding houses? Go back and pack whatever you can take. As for the properties in Mondstadt you can't take with you, go find Ningguang at Yujing Terrace in Liyue and exchange houses for houses. She'll agree."

"Be sure to keep this secret. Don't reveal that Zhongli is Rex Lapis. In public, only call him Mr. Zhongli. Remember to bring plenty of tea when you visit, and observe the proper courtesies."

"Your subordinate will remember!" Schubert answered, then turned and shouted sternly at the clan members behind him, "What are you standing around for? Go home and pack immediately! Do as our lord instructed!"

Everyone hurried into action, but one clan member pointed toward a corner and asked, "Clan head, what do we do with these people?"

Everyone looked toward the members of Mondstadt's Reconnaissance Company who had been captured by the Lawrence Clan's private soldiers.

Panic gripped the company members, and they cried out for help. "Captain! Save us!"

Eula's brows knitted tightly, her expression troubled.

Seeing this, Schubert thought of making amends for having misjudged Eula before and directly asked the captives, "How much are you paid each month in the Knights of Favonius?"

Still shaken, a company member hurriedly answered, "My lord, two hundred thousand Mora a month!"

"Serve the Lawrence Clan from now on." Schubert waved his hand. "You'll receive four hundred thousand Mora a month. Come with us to Liyue, and everything that happened before will be wiped clean."

Hearing this, the Reconnaissance Company members knew they would not have to die.

"Lord Schubert, we'd spill our brains and guts for you!"

"Lord Schubert, you're the one who should be Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius! That Varka is simply not worth mentioning before you!"

They agreed that easily? Eula really must have done some ideological work on them beforehand, Schubert thought.

Ye Xuan slowly walked over to Eula's side and lowered his voice, a hint of teasing in his tone. "Eula, these are the soldiers you trained? They certainly know which way the wind blows."

Eula's ears instantly turned scarlet. Embarrassed and angry, she glared fiercely at him. "Shut up!"

These fools were really disgracing her as their captain. What had she even been agonizing over just now?!

She had thought they would rather die than submit and fight to the bitter end.