As was his morning routine, Zhongli woke before the sun had time to rise. Taking care of his body was far more time consuming now than it ever was, and he wasn't about to stumble out the door without first brushing his teeth, and more importantly, drinking tea.

In the fading darkness he stepped out of bed and immediately strode to his wardrobe. His suit coats, ties, slacks, and shirts all hung neatly and perfectly pressed. The fragrance of silk flowers clung to the fabric like steam to cool glass, but to his chagrin it never completely erased the dusty scent of the funeral parlor and death.

He sighed and began to dress, carefully folding each and every layer over the remaining pigmentation on his arms. Though most evidence of his divinity evaporated from his form with his apparent death, traces still remained. He wasn't about to risk revealing himself to his nation, which had only recently recalled it could work without him.

He doubted faking his death would work twice, and even so his contract with Xiao prevented him from ever doing so in the future. With that in mind, he delicately pinched his cufflinks shut and went about the rest of his day.

Given his plan to visit Feiyun, he understeeped his tea by a handful of seconds. Unfortunately the brightness of the violetgrass didn't emerge quite as starkly against his tongue, but he savored it nonetheless; after he finished and provided himself ample time to eat, he stepped out the door as the sun rose. Ordinarily he would watch its rays gently graze the horizon, but today he would see his questions answered and his errands finished.

Gratefulness rose in his chest as he escaped the funeral parlor's upper terrace without meeting Hu Tao. If they were to talk, she would undoubtedly bubble with questions, sales pitches, and anecdotes that all consumed precious time. Of course he loved listening to her speak and answering her inquiries with lengthy responses, but today he couldn't afford to let his mind wander within its typical bounds.

As he approached the commerce guild he adjusted his gloves and he pulled back the silver handles.

The building was frenzied as it had been last night, with the exception that far more staff were involved. The gilded halls never silenced thanks to the pacing of heeled shoes, and his presence was only rewarded with a few curt, tired nods. His ears twitched as if the pressure in the room had shifted, and glimpsing the hall he could tell why.

"Excuse me. Sir? Can I help you?" Urgency guided his voice, yet the secretary still patiently awaited his response.

"Apologies, just lost in my own thoughts," he turned to face the man. Hongxing if his memory served correct. "I'm here on behalf of the funeral parlor across the street. We'd like to place an order to be used within funerary boxes."

"Oh! I'm terribly sorry, but due to the increased demand, we don't have any available representatives for you to meet with right now. I can schedule an appointment about four weeks out, but that's our first available time slot."

"Four weeks? Is the demand truly so high?"

"Unfortunately, yes. I can pen you into the schedule, but there's truly nothing else we can do."

In truth, he actually did need to place an order. Fortunately, he anticipated a seasonal lack in stock and the parlor still had some reserves. Although that did mean his first lead wasn't going to carry him much further.

"I see. It doesn't take someone with a business degree to see that you have your work cut out for you, so I won't trouble you any further. However, if it isn't too much to ask, what is it that has you so busy? We've partnered with you before..."

"I apologize, but according to contract that is classified information. I have a direct advance from the guild manager himself that forbids me from disclosing information concerning our current partnerships."

He hadn't intended to make his face so legible, but he also hadn't expected to hear that. Suspicious businesses always wanted to save face, so they sought scapegoats and promotions to distract the public. Given Feiyun's status they weren't even hiding it at all.

The rational voice in his mind which was usually dominant, worked hard to convince him of his paranoia. This wouldn't be the first time he relied on past knowledge only to find that it was centuries old; of course businesses would change how they operate. Nothing could stay the same for long...but if that was the case, why did this still feel so wrong?

"Young Master Xingqiu! I hadn't expected you to be up so early. To what do I owe the pleasure?" That was his cue to leave. He wasn't about to take it.

"You wouldn't happen to be giving Mister Zhongli a hard time, would you Hongxing?" Despite the clear fatigue in his voice he still smiled with friendliness, though the expression didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Not at all. I was simply explaining our current shortages. N-not anything confidential mind you!"

"I see. Well, given how long we've worked together I think we can make an exception," he turned to face Zhongli, his sleeves billowing as he folded a hand over his chest, "I do apologize. High volumes contribute to high stress, mentally and physically." It was true that he realized his elemental energy, so he saw him speaking in the hall, though Zhongli hadn't actually intended to resort to his third lead.

"It's nothing. I thank you for your time regarding this matter. It shouldn't take long."

"I'm sure of it, Wangsheng has always been an excellent customer." Xingqiu nodded to the receptionist, and gestured with a simple side step for him to follow. He now knew what Lumine had meant before- even his most simple gestures felt rehearsed given his grace. He wanted to trust in that, which made him very dangerous.

"It's been awhile since we've last spoken. I recall you spoke with my father and brother some months ago, but I don't think we've met since the traveler requested aid clearing the domain in Jueyun Karst."

"That's true. You have a good memory."

"I assure you that it's nowhere near dependable as yours." With practiced ease he held the lofty sandbearer door and shut it behind them as they entered an exquisitely decorated office. The dark hues of the solid, attentively constructed sandbearer furniture contrasted nicely with the blues and reds that adorned the carpets and curtains.

The desk before them was long enough to span an average Liyuen sitting room, and it was piled high with what he assumed were invoices. Trinkets which consisted of high carat silver and gold spanned the entire surface, but most importantly, a very overwhelmed filing cabinet huddled in the corner. If he could glimpse at a ledger or two, he might find what they worked so hard to hide.

That task would no doubt be a challenging one given Xingqiu's attentiveness.

"So, you were discussing our shortages with Hongxing," he slid into the seat behind the desk which was clearly too tall for him, "it's true that we've been overwhelmed lately. I can't even tell you how many invoices I've penned myself." It was at that moment that he noticed the immense bags under his eyes.

"I'm sure. That's why I'm all the more grateful."

"It's no issue. A friend of the Traveler is a friend of mine. Oh! And our businesses have a longstanding history, of course."

"Indeed." An awkward silence filled the room as they both considered their next move; in most trade offers, the conversation was shallow while strategy was deep.

"With that said, it is standard protocol to begin with an NDA. In the unlikely situation that our competition approaches you, anything we discuss is confidential. The same is true on our behalf. Additionally, I've been informed that a new clause has been added. I'll give you time to review that yourself."

The new clause, which was written a few sizes smaller than the rest, stipulated that he wasn't permitted to disclose sensitive business information to members of the Qixing or Millelith. Another red flag rose in his mind, which Xingqiu must have anticipated.

"My form is identical to yours, so I am bound to the same agreement." That did little to instill confidence, but it was true that if he were to deny him now he wasn't leaving with any leads. It would be equally suspicious not to sign, because why would either party need to approach law enforcement? The silk trade wasn't so unscrupulous. The archon in him shuddered as he signed his rights away, just as it did when he signed for his gnosis.

Just as he did before, he prayed it was worth it.