Inside the newly completed council chamber within the Core Area of the Serenitea Pot, the long sandalwood table gleamed with a steady luster. Outside the window, the newly planned experimental plots showed vibrant green under the stable light of the barrier, and the tall, heavy ears of Akaho corn hung low, forming a picture of a busy yet orderly sanctuary.
The air was filled with a faint scent of mixed new wood and earth, but a lingering heaviness hung over the brows of everyone seated around the long table.
Keqing tapped her fingertips gently on the table, breaking the brief silence. "Before we begin, let's taste our latest source of 'confidence'." Several attendants served trays of golden corn cake, giving off a rustic grain aroma, accompanied by small bowls of thick corn mash. Neuvillette gracefully picked up a small piece of corn cake and gave a slight nod. Furina sat a little further away in the observer's seat, watching with keen interest the solemn occasion, which was so different from the Fontaine Opera House, as she sipped her tea in small sips. Zhongli's gaze was calm, and Madam Ping wore a gentle smile. The sound of brief chewing and whispering slightly eased the tense atmosphere.
Chapter 59