Genshin Impact's Incense Burner of Liyue [481]

The matchmaking plan of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor turned into a two-hour-long bargaining session.

Director Hu Tao straightforwardly pointed out the issues with Zhongli’s so-called “archaeological expeditions” and “folklore research,” which essentially boiled down to buying overly extravagant antiques and indulging in bird-watching and opera.

Zhongli, however, countered with solid reasoning. He brought up numerous cases from the funeral parlor’s records where he had resolved malicious spirits and vengeful ghosts based on information gathered from the common folk, greatly contributing to Liyue’s peace, stability, and balance between life and death.

As for how the situation progressed from there, we’ll leave that for the next episode.

This exclusive report comes to you courtesy of journalist Gu Sanqiu, who will continue to provide updates.

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Gu Sanqiu sipped his tea calmly while the True Adeptus of Little Consequence beside him had already gone through five pots. The intensity of the battle between the two individuals in front of them was simply overwhelming, leaving him with no choice but to sit there awkwardly.

Dealing with Hu Tao’s antics was already a challenge, but if he got involved in Wangsheng Funeral Parlor’s financial matters on top of that, he seriously doubted he’d survive being slapped into oblivion by the Old Man.

Still, watching the Old Man in such a predicament was undeniably amusing. If it weren’t for the concern over his own life, he might have taken out a Kamera to snap a few pictures for the record.

He’d even thought of a name for the photo album: The Father-Daughter Economic Battle. If the Old Man ever squandered money recklessly again, Hu Tao could just pull out the album as evidence.

Then he could laugh himself to death under the starry sky—or so he thought (crossed out).

Hu Tao huffed angrily and glared at Zhongli. “That settles it! From now on, unless it’s official business, all of your expenses, even those charged to the funeral parlor, will require a formal report!”

“And if I, the Director, don’t approve of the expense, whatever you buy has to be returned!”

Zhongli set his teacup down and nodded. “The Director’s words are reasonable.”

A formal report? If he wanted to, he could draft reports filled with such eloquence and intricacy that even a thorough examination wouldn’t uncover a single flaw.

After all, if there was one thing he excelled at, it was citing references and making his points seem indisputable.

Hu Tao, however, wasn’t finished. “In addition to requiring reports for public expenses, your personal finances are now under my management! I’ll give you a fixed monthly allowance from your salary!”

With her arms crossed smugly, Hu Tao grinned. “Oh, my dear Consultant, you won’t have any spending money anymore unless I give it to you. Be sure to behave yourself, or else…”

!

Gu Sanqiu was dumbfounded. Requiring reports for public expenses was reasonable, but confiscating Zhongli’s salary and turning it into an allowance?

This is too much—it’s going to get them smited by the stars!

“This salary is my rightful compensation for labor. Director, isn’t your approach a bit unfair?” Zhongli protested.

Gu Sanqiu nodded furiously. “Indeed, indeed! Labor income shouldn’t be withheld. This is the reward Zhongli earned through his hard work. Taking it away would surely violate a contract!”

Hu Tao glared at Gu Sanqiu. “Hey! Whose side are you on?!”

I’m on the side of your survival.

Gu Sanqiu patted Hu Tao’s head. “This is a violation of contract law. On a small scale, it’s unfair to Zhongli. On a larger scale, it disrupts the harmony between employer and employee within the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. That’s not conducive to long-term development. Got it?”

Zhongli felt pleased.

Having a ‘son’ around really is useful. At least he understands the importance of contracts. It reassures me that my judgment back then wasn’t wrong.

“Oh, contracts, contracts. Don’t worry~” Hu Tao said dismissively.

Gu Sanqiu and Zhongli exchanged subtle glances, their eyebrows slightly raised in unison.

You’re heading down a dangerous path, Director!

Hu Tao suddenly stood and hugged Gu Sanqiu from behind. “Our Wangsheng Funeral Parlor never signed any contracts with Zhongli in the first place, so technically, there’s no obligation to pay him a salary.”

“No contracts, no obligations~”

Gu Sanqiu shot a glance at Zhongli and silently gave him a thumbs-up in his heart.

For some reason, hearing Hu Tao’s bold claim made him want to laugh.

Old Man, you doted on this girl too much. Without a contract to bind her, you’re truly at her mercy this time.

“No contracts?! No obligations?!”

Of course, he had to put on an act of being shocked.

Zhongli instinctively nodded in response to Gu Sanqiu’s apparent disbelief.

“Then we’ll draft a new contract,” Gu Sanqiu suggested, massaging his temples. “This new contract should include a base salary for Zhongli. The remaining portion can be calculated as performance-based bonuses. Let’s call it a performance evaluation system.”

“What’s a performance evaluation?” Hu Tao asked.

“For example, a mandatory target of completing twenty funeral parlor tasks per month. If completed, Zhongli gets his base salary. Anything above that earns bonuses, calculated based on the difficulty and outcome of the tasks. Failing to meet the basic target results in deductions.”

Gu Sanqiu briefly explained the concept of base salary versus bonuses. Hu Tao’s eyes immediately lit up.

“What a great idea! This way, if I’m clever about setting the terms, I can— mmph mmph mmph!”

Gu Sanqiu promptly covered Hu Tao’s mouth. If she kept talking, the two of them would both end up buried in the depths of the earth!

“This setup isn’t about doubting Zhongli’s work ethic. It’s meant to help him develop a more structured understanding of finances,” Gu Sanqiu explained to both sides. “And Hu Tao, our intention is to guide Zhongli into appreciating the value of money, not to devise schemes to cheat employees out of their pay.”

“Exactly,” Zhongli said solemnly. “Contracts should be clear and fair, safeguarding the interests of all parties. To inject greed into a sacred contract would erode trust, ultimately leading to the collapse of everything painstakingly built.”

Much like the Breeze Amidst the Willows pact, where the divine name of Morax carried weight. But the true allure of that “fake contract” lay in the irresistible promises it painted.

As for why Mondstadt and Liyue’s relations didn’t sour over that deal, the answer was simple:

Would Morax really stoop to such a thing?

Of course not.

Historical records from Mondstadt made it abundantly clear who the “real culprit” was.

The Knights of Favonius simply couldn’t afford the embarrassment.

Better to let the matter lie—besides, people would soon forget. And if they didn’t, a few well-timed scandals would divert attention easily enough.

“Zhongli’s absolutely right,” Gu Sanqiu said, rising to press Hu Tao back into her seat. “It’s settled, then. We’ll draft a new contract. All expenses charged to public accounts will require a formal report. Let’s call it a day.”

Seeing the two nod in agreement, Gu Sanqiu finally let out a sigh of relief. Both of these “lords” were far from easy to handle, so resolving the matter in this way was already an impressive achievement.

As expected of me!

If Gu Sanqiu hadn’t intervened, Hu Tao might’ve gone so far as to impose word counts and strict formatting requirements on the reports, pushing them toward an almost scholarly style.

At this point, it was no longer about money but rather Hu Tao’s mischievous nature running wild.

With the True Adept of Little Consequence sitting nearby and smiling faintly, drafting a contract was a simple matter. Gu Sanqiu had intended to slip away afterward, but Hu Tao dragged him back, insisting they hold a celebratory banquet.

Cold sweat dripped down Gu Sanqiu’s back.

Celebratory banquet?

This feels more like the initiation rite of joining a band of mountain bandits!

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T/N: I didn't know Hu Tao was an adeptus! Little Conscience? seems perfect to me

This is a fan translation of 原神之璃月奉香人 by 淡白蛋清. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!