aircannonsinc Chapter 1026 Keqing's Confession
Chapter 1026 Keqing's Confession
After listening to this, Keqing gently stroked the rim of the teacup with her fingertips and repeated it with her head down.
"A god?"
Then, Keqing asked abruptly, "Ms. Barbara, from your perspective, do you prefer a Liyue ruled by humans or a Liyue ruled by immortals?"
Barbara rolled her eyes and feigned surprise, responding based on the anecdotes she had heard in Liyue the previous two days.
"Oh? I heard that Miss Keqing is the 'vanguard' of the human rule of Liyue. Why would you ask such a question?"
Seeing that Barbara knew what was going on with her, Keqing lowered her head in embarrassment.
After a long while, he heaved a long sigh and said self-deprecatingly: "Oh, it's embarrassing to say..."
At this moment, her eyes no longer had the sharpness of the past, but were more confused.
"I used to keep saying that times are changing, that Liyue is ruled by man... but now, I'm actually doubting the path I've taken..."
After experiencing so many things, it is inevitable that Keqing will have some doubts about the new era she firmly believes in. This is normal.
If you guide them correctly, the little knots in your heart will be solved directly.
But unfortunately, she now meets the esoteric "Barbara".
When Barbara heard Keqing say "doubting her own path", her brain started working fast.
Confused people are most likely to accept faith. As a high-ranking official in Liyue, if Keqing can be convinced of the "God", the subsequent spread of the esoteric teachings will be much easier.
She immediately softened her tone and leaned forward slightly, just like when he was guiding the people in Mond.
"Ms. Keqing, when I was in Mondstadt, I often met people who were struggling with life's hardships or uncertain about their future. They were reluctant to talk at first, but after they spoke about their troubles, they felt much more relaxed."
"If you want, you can tell me anything you have in your heart. I won't think it's a bother."
Keqing raised her head and looked at the friendly Barbara, her heart trembling.
She was just about to pour out all her frustrations, but then she thought it would be better not to say such things out loud.
After all, Barbara is a tourist from Mondstadt, and she came to Liyue for tourism. How can an outsider be asked to take on Liyue's internal political troubles and her personal struggles with beliefs?
It would be bad if it caused trouble for Barbara or made her feel that Liyue was "unstable".
She pursed her lips, swallowed the words that were about to come out of her throat, and shook her head.
"This... doesn't seem appropriate."
"These are Liyue's own affairs, and my personal struggles. Telling you would only cause you more trouble."
"You came to our Liyue to relax and unwind, so please don't get involved in these troubles, lest they affect your mood."
……
Barbara knew that if she missed this opportunity, she might not have another chance to make Keqing open her heart.
She stood up, picked up her small bamboo stool, and gently moved it in front of Keqing. She was so close that she could see the fatigue hidden in Keqing's eyes.
Without waiting for Keqing's reaction, she reached out, gently held Keqing's hand with her warm palm, and comforted her, "Miss Keqing, don't keep everything in your heart."
"God always provides guidance when people are lost, and as God's messenger, I am here to answer your questions and resolve your doubts... Are you willing to trust me just once?"
Keqing looked at Barbara who was so close to her. There was no utilitarianism or prying in her eyes, only pure "concern", and even her breathing was gentle.
Keqing looked at the friendly Barbara, and the last line of defense in her heart was broken.
She really needs to find someone to talk to.
In fact, there are very few people Keqing can confide in.
“Ningguang… although she’s not an enemy right now, she’s still a political rival due to her differing political views.
If I tell her that I doubt the path of rule by man is feasible, wouldn't I make a fool of myself in her eyes?
Ganyu is the representative of the immortal family and also a veteran in Liyue’s political arena.
In the beginning, I was advocating for human rule, saying that "immortals should retreat behind the scenes", but now I tell her that "I don't think human rule is feasible". Isn't this slapping myself in the face?
Ye Lan is a person who can keep her words to herself, but she is an intelligence officer. If you say more to her, you are afraid that she will turn around and write down your troubles as important intelligence.
Exposing your vulnerability to an intelligence officer doesn't seem right no matter how you think about it, right?
Ying and Paimon? Although they have a good relationship, they are travelers after all, and may not truly understand Liyue's political affairs and the politics of "rule by humans or rule by immortals".
As for Shao Yun...I don't even have the courage to confess my feelings to him, let alone tell him my secrets.
Moreover, he had been married to Ying for a long time and they even had a child. The family lived a happy life.
It feels so awkward to confide in him!
Keqing is lonely now. Seeing that Barbara is willing to talk to her, and she is a priest of the Church of Favonius in Mondstadt and has no vested interests in Liyue, she is indeed a good person to talk to!
"Okay," she said softly, a sense of relief that a weight had been lifted from her voice.
"Let me first reveal something about myself... Actually, I chose to tell you this because you have no vested interests in Liyue. You won't be as concerned about political views as Ningguang, nor will you be as concerned about the distinction between immortals and mortals as Ganyu."
After she finished speaking, she slowly opened her mouth and spoke out the words that had been hidden in her heart for many years.
Immediately afterwards, Keqing began to talk about her background, the situation of the immortal rule of Liyue, her original views on it, and her desire for change.
"I come from a distinguished family. I understand more deeply than most the impact the Geo Emperor has had on the people of Liyue."
"At that time, Liyue was like a cycle. Every few years, after the Summoning Immortal Ceremony, Liyue's business community would experience great turmoil. The Emperor's newly announced decisions would always bring joy to some and sorrow to others."
“Poor people hope to make a fortune from this opportunity, while rich people pray that the change in wind direction will not affect their own industries.
"Businessmen are more interested in faith-based investments than in economic development."
"In Liyue at that time, this choice was understandable. Relying on the Emperor, the people of Liyue could have no worries about food and clothing."
"But I have always had concerns: What if the Emperor no longer fulfills this responsibility? What will become of Liyue?"
"Liyue Harbor's current prosperity is like a magnificent sandcastle on the beach. It's not humans themselves who decide whether the tide rises or not."
"However, to others, a mortal's life is but a fleeting moment in Liyue's history. Why worry so much?"
At this point, Keqing clenched her fists, recalling her former self who was full of vigor and energy and fearless like a newborn calf.
“I really couldn’t swallow this breath!”
"Why should humans leave their fate to the gods? Why would we choose to embrace the security of 'divine protection' rather than seize our own future?"
"I think the idea that 'relying on the gods is enough' is both lazy and cowardly. It denies the very existence of our species!"
"Think about it, if humans can only survive by relying on gods, then why would gods love us? Do gods really like a group of people who only wait for charity?"
"So, with that feeling of 'hate iron but not steel,' I chose to question it."
"I question the Emperor's 'spoiling' of the people. He arranges everything, but in return, he deprives humanity of the opportunity to grow. I question the laziness of the people. I question even more the way a society ruled by immortals operates."
"Matters concerning the fate of humanity should be handled by humanity itself! And I truly believed at the time that humanity could do better!"
“We may make mistakes, but we will grow from them. We may walk slowly, but every step is our own, which is more solid than following the footsteps of gods.”
Barbara had been listening quietly and spoke up at the right moment.
"That sounds truly ambitious, Miss Keqing. You must have been full of energy back then, right? But why do you feel lost?"
"Did something happen later that made you doubt your original idea?"
Upon hearing this, the light on Keqing's face dimmed instantly. She slowly loosened her clenched fists, her shoulders slumped slightly, and she let out a long sigh.
"Yeah... Back then, I always thought I could change everything. I was so full of myself that it was ridiculous. But in the end, I still failed..."
She looked at Barbara with complicated eyes.
"Do you know about the 'Bachelor's Rebellion'?"
"The Basque Rebellion?" Barbara blinked and shook her head frankly.
"When I was in Mondstadt, I heard some merchants who came to Liyue to do business mentioned it, but I don't know the details of it."
Keqing sighed, muttering to herself, "Over the years, I've been wondering what exactly led to this situation..."
"Was it because I was too impulsive at the time, too eager to prove that rule by man could work, that I overlooked the details that should have been considered?"
As soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly raised her hand and hit her thigh hard. The pain from her palm made her eyes flash with unwillingness.
"But! It's clearly written in the ancient texts, 'A thousand men will unite in battle, relying on the sharpness of the Qianyan spears, to quell the demons and eliminate the evil, advancing fearlessly.' They stubbornly held the line!"
"I even copied so many 'Returning Machines' specifically to deal with the 'Bache'. How could this happen..."
However, Keqing forgot one thing, that is, the Qianyan Army originally fought on foot, and the battle of Bazhe was a naval battle.
According to the records in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", Cao Cao arrived at the battlefield of Chibi with a northern army that was said to have one million soldiers but was actually only seven or eight hundred thousand.
Finally, because of the unfamiliar climate and seasickness, Pang Tong used the "iron chain" trick, but was defeated by Zhuge Liang's east wind and Zhou Yu's fire attack, and his entire army was wiped out.
Everything should be done according to local conditions. The Qianyan Army, who were fighting on the ground, were fighting a naval battle. It was indeed courageous, but that was all it was…
At this moment, Keqing held her head in regret, not knowing how many times she had told the ending of the Bache Rebellion.
"But, in the end, because of my mistake, the conflict between the Liyue Seven Stars and the Immortal Clan over whether Liyue should be ruled by humans or immortals completely erupted!"
"Now, because of this conflict, we've allowed Ningguang to grow unchecked, ultimately becoming the dictator of Liyue Harbor!"