Something was wrong. Numbers weren't matching up. Somewhere, somehow, someone had fucked up. With a soft groan Childe began back working meticulously until he found where the numbers stopped matching to what they should've been. And checking where those numbers came from. Yielded another annoyed grunt from him. The Qixing of Liyue. Of course. OF COURSE, there's someone fucking with the Qixing's affairs. He sighed and made a note of where the numbers began going fucky, the exact entries, and what they should've been and what that difference was. With how long this has been undetected, a lot of things would have to be dug through and fixed to set things back on course. He'd finish the unrelated paper work he had and then he'd go about fixing this.
There... wasn't a whole lot of paperwork that didn't relate in one way or another to the fudged records, so it ended up taking him all of not-very-fuckin-long to finish it. Once he was satisfied that he couldn't ignore this anymore, he trudged his was to Ekaterina at the front desk, not even paying attention to the vague sounds of fear the patrons made as he appeared this time.
"Ekaterina."
"Yes Master Childe?"
"Please book a meeting with the Qixing for me as soon as you can get."
"I- huh? Master. Childe. You, want a meeting with the Qixing?" He stared at her. "Yes, I'm not deaf. I am wondering the reason behind this though. You know setting up meeting with them is difficult on so many levels." Childe took a deep breath and let it out slowly,
"The numbers are fucked." Ekaterina nodded slowly as if that explained why he needed a meeting with the most important people in Liyue barring the archons themselves, but regardless, if Childe is saying it, it's probably true if it's numbers.
"Right. I'll see when I can get you in-"
"Ah- Actually I don't think that'd be necessary." Ekaterina leaned around to glance past Childe, hidden eyebrow raising at the sight, Chidle turned to the new voice,
"Miss Ganyu?" She smiled at him,
"I was just coming to check on something when I overheard, the Qixing don't have any meetings today so I could take you now!" Childe blinked for a moment, then smiled,
"That would be wonderful Miss Ganyu! Thank you for your kindness truly, let me treat you to lunch tomorrow as thanks?" Ganyu floundered for a response, just for a moment, before accepting politely. With a wave of both dismissal and goodbye to Ekaterina, Childe left the bank. Idly chatting with the half-adeptus was calming. Osial had known her when she was just a child and he was delighted to see her doing well for herself. He knew she loved food, truly a kindred spirit, and was more than happy to treat her to lunch. He, might, need to warn Morax of her joining though. He's pretty sure the Adepti don't know Morax as Zhongli, and she might recognise him if they're in close quarters for so long and Zhongli is not prepared... Maybe he shouldn't warn Morax. It would be interesting.
It didn't take long before he was standing in the lobby of the Jade Chamber, and Ganyu was hurrying off to find who he would meet with. When she returned with Ningguang herself, Childe was more than pleased. Anyone from the Qixing would've done, but the higher the clearance the easier it would be to unravel this mess.
"Miss Ningguang, Tianquan of the Qixing, it is an honor. I wish I could come bearing better news for our first meeting. Unfortunately though, I'm afraid I come bearing both bad news and more work." The Tianquan's eyes narrowed, flicking over him before returning,
"Childe, Tartaglia. State your news." He nodded,
"I was looking over reports regarding several trade businesses that the Northland Bank backs and I came across numbers that were not lining up." Ningguangs face sours slightly, "I dug through the past ledgers in attempt to find the source of the mismatched numbers. I was able to trace it back to it's source, which happens to directly be the office of the Qixing." A minute widening of her eyes betrayed her surprise and Ganyu looked openly both shocked and mildly horrified.
"You are implying?"
"At some point, a worker within the Qixings office has either accidentally mis-recorded or miscalculated your numbers and it has gone unnoticed to spiral out of control. Or, a worker with the Qixings office has been doing something extremely naughty and purposefully changing numbers to allow themselves a little extra spending money. And, unfortunately, the numbers suggest the latter." He has her attention now.
"This is most concerning. If you could provide the ledgers and records, we may be able to trace the culprit through our own records and hiring ledgers." With a determined nod, and short orders to Ganyu to pass on, masses of ledgers and record books soon filled an office around and over a desk that Ningguang, Ganyu, Childe and Keqing all sat at as they dug through the information find the extent of the meddling and to find which worker of the Qixing office had been spending or earning a bit more than they should've been.
It turned out to not be a single person, but rather a group of people. A number of them had been able to get places in the Qixing and in a number of trade businesses, which is what allowed the changing of the amounts to remain undetected for so long. Several letters were written to said trade businesses, organising a myriad of meetings to work on fixing all the numbers and transactions. As well as letters to the Millelith regarding the arrests of the culprits. Notes regarding the exact employees who were at fault for each business as well as who their associates were were also arranged and sent out.
By the time it had all be sorted out and letters sent to needed recipients, the sun was nearly below the horizon, lanterns having long now become the main source of light. As the final ledgers were placed on bookshelves, ready to be revised and corrected in later meetings, Childe recalled a small detail he'd overlooked in coming to the Qixings direct office to go over these things. I missed lunch with Zhongli.
A small pout crossed his features as he thought about how to perhaps make it up to the man, he was very strict on contracts after all. He'd also overlooked how he planned to tell Zhongli of Miss Ganyu's invite to their lunch if he wasn't meeting the man beforehand. Today was a rare day where they hadn't scheduled dinner together. He'd have to get Ekaterina to send Zhongli a letter in the morning, if he didn't see said man before then. He waved goodbye to Ganyu, Keqing and Ningguang as he left the office, sure he was high up in the air, and had most certainly not paid attention to how Ganyu brought him up here, but he had a vision. He'd be fine just jumping. If it meant he startled some civilians as he landed in a hydro construct which burst into shimmering elemental energy as he jumped from it? No one mentioned it to anyone so, did it really matter?
A small frown graced his face as he thought more in depth about how to apologise to Zhongli for the missed meeting. There was very little he didn't already.. do.. for him. Celestia I'm acting like a juvenile trying to impress his crush. And for Morax no less! He sighed. You'd imagine that after being sealed by and away from someone for literal millennia your feelings for them might fade. He could practicaly feel Guizhong and Havria rolling in their the afterlives with laughter at his turmoil. They'd always loved to tease him for his obvious feelings on the dragon. Not that the damn blockhead ever noticed. Morax was the densest person, god whatever, you could possibly meet. Even Xiao, the emotionally repressed and stunted being he was, was able to clock he'd liked Morax! He had been the most protective in the most adorable way.
The door to the Northland bank swung open as Childe stepped in, having arrived on autopilot. Instantly his eyes snapped up as a person invaded his space. His hands twitched in want to summon his twin blades, but halted as divine and geo energy pulsed, protectively? His eyes caught the golden gaze of Morax- no, of Zhongli, as the consultant brought his hands to lightly turn Childes face this way and that. Much to the apparent amusement and relief? of Ekaterina based on her huff and affronted posture behind her desk past Zhongli.
"...Zhongli?" His voice seemed to break the mans focus or trance or whatever, and he stepped back, unhanding Childes face and coughing into his hand, a light embarrassed flush tinting his cheeks.
"I, apologise for my actions just now. You did not show to our meeting and I grew concerned when your secretary was unable to disclose your location." Childe huffed, This blockhead.
"I'm fine Zhongli. Just got caught up in some work affairs that lasted longer than anticipated. Does a late dinner sound acceptable in lieu of our lunch?" Zhongli smiled, the divine prescene around them relaxed. I must be hyper sensitive to divine energy or something because if anyone else felt even a fraction of that he would've been found out before I even arrived in port.
"Of course, dinner sounds delightful. Though I believe only Wanmin might be an option by now." Childe smiled,
"That works for me! If you could wait outside for me I just have to speak to Ekaterina briefly regarding the work stuff I got caught up in." Zhongli nodded cordially and exited without further fanfare.
A quick report to Ekaterina that summarised the previous hours Childe had endured, and then a brief note from Ekaterina that the Rite of Descension was approaching and to ask his consultant about it at some point, and Childe was out of the bank, walking beside Zhongli as the chatted about some part of history or another.