In peaceful times, Xia Yingchun

"I think the safest approach..." After a long while, Du Yu finally spoke. "Is still to descend when she's forty... As for an invasion by the Qin Kingdom and Zhao Kingdom, you can always send her a voice transmission telling her to flee. I think that would be best."

Dong Qianqiu nodded as well. "You're right. Even if the Qi Kingdom suffers a crushing defeat, the balance of power under heaven won't necessarily change. The legend's completion rating might be low, but it would still count as completed."

Having agreed on their plan, Dong Qianqiu set the time to the day Zhongli Chun turned forty and began preparing for the descent.

Du Yu lay on the machine, considering everything that might happen and thinking through possible responses.

He waited a long time, only to discover that he was still in the Legend Management Bureau.

"What's wrong, Qianqiu? Is there a problem with the descent?"

"Du Yu, come take a look."

Hearing Dong Qianqiu's words, Du Yu hurriedly got up and went over to the screen.

On the screen, Zhongli Chun and Xiao Xia sat in their chamber, quietly waiting for dawn. Zhongli Chun's appearance had not changed; she still looked like a girl of seventeen or eighteen. Xia Yingchun, however, had blossomed into an even more captivating beauty. Ten years had passed, and she was now in the prime of her mid-twenties.

"Xiao Xia, is it light yet?"

"Not yet, my lady."

After waiting a little longer, Zhongli Chun asked again, "Is it light now?"

"Yes, my lady."

"Let's go."

The two rose in unison. Zhongli Chun grabbed a cloak and draped it over herself, then they walked straight out the door. Their destination was none other than the royal palace of the Qi Kingdom.

To avoid causing a stir, Zhongli Chun pulled her cloak low over her face, with Xia Yingchun following behind her.

They reached the palace without trouble, only to be stopped by the guards.

"The royal palace is restricted ground! Commoners are forbidden to enter!"

Zhongli Chun raised a hand and sent two guards flying, then led Xiao Xia straight toward the main hall. Guards came running from all along the way, but apart from knocking aside those blocking her path and protecting Xiao Xia, Zhongli Chun harmed no one.

The sight left Du Yu utterly bewildered. Anyone else would have lost their head for this, but Zhongli Chun was another matter.

By the time Zhongli Chun reached the great hall where King Xuan of Qi sat, countless guards were trailing behind her. They had never seen anyone with such formidable martial prowess, and for the moment, none dared approach.

King Xuan of Qi was watching a large ensemble play the yu mouth organ. At the sight before him, he nearly fell off his throne in fright.

"Who goes there?! Protect me! Protect me!" King Xuan of Qi shouted.

Although the guards did not want to throw their lives away, standing idle in such a situation would still get them executed by the king. A few of the bolder guards roared and charged with their spears.

Zhongli Chun shifted slightly, avoiding a spear sweeping toward her, then seized its shaft. With a light shake, she wrenched it from the guard's grip. She applied pressure with two fingers, snapping off the spearhead and sending it flying. In an instant, the spear had become a staff. Wielding nothing but that staff, she swung it with blinding speed. Almost in the blink of an eye, every guard who had charged was knocked to the ground.

Before anyone could cry out, Zhongli Chun hurled the staff forward, driving it straight into the wall behind King Xuan of Qi. Half its length vanished into the wall.

At that sight, King Xuan of Qi fell silent.

An ordinary person could not have driven a staff into a wall. Even throwing a spear with its head intact would hardly have produced such force.

"I am Zhongli Chun of Wuyan City. If anyone else comes near me, do not blame me for being discourteous."

"Zhongli Chun of Wuyan City?!" King Xuan of Qi felt as though he had heard that name before. "Could you be that Zhongli the Unlovely Woman people speak of?"

"I am." Zhongli Chun nodded.

King Xuan of Qi looked at the towering woman before him. Her height was certainly intimidating, but with the cloak covering her face, he could not tell just how ugly she was.

"You're the daughter of an official. What have you come to see me for?!" King Xuan of Qi asked shakily.

"I've come to be your queen."

"What?" King Xuan of Qi hardly knew what to say, and an inexplicable anger flared within him. "I have over a hundred beauties in my harem. Why would I marry a notoriously ugly woman like you and make you queen?"

"King Xuan of Qi, if you do not marry me, the Qi Kingdom will fall," Zhongli Chun said coldly.

"Fall?!" King Xuan of Qi seethed. "Insolence! Under my rule, this kingdom enjoys peace, song, and dance. How could it possibly fall?!"

Zhongli Chun did not answer. She looked over the hundred-strong ensemble in the hall, then said to King Xuan of Qi, "Your Majesty, do you enjoy listening to the yu?"

"Yes... Yes... It is my favorite instrument, so I assembled a hundred musicians to play it." King Xuan of Qi was puzzled, unsure what Zhong Wuyan meant.

Zhongli Chun walked straight up to one of the musicians and asked, "What is your name?"

"Huh? I... I am Master Nanguo..."

Zhongli Chun nodded. "The others need not play. Let me hear you perform alone."

"Huh...?" Master Nanguo instantly panicked. "I... I..."

Zhongli Chun gave a cold snort. "Your Majesty, this man cannot play the yu at all. You cannot even distinguish a musician who merely fills a seat in your ensemble. How can you govern the whole Qi Kingdom?"

The civil and military officials exchanged looks, none daring to speak again. In their hearts, they marveled at how formidable Zhongli the Saltless Woman truly was. If she could hear one false player among a hundred musicians, how could she fail to hear their whispers?

A civil official beside King Xuan of Qi hurried forward and whispered, "Your Majesty... This woman possesses extraordinary abilities. Moreover... Guiguzi is said to be exceptionally skilled in reading faces, and Zhongli the Unlovely Woman is one of the Master of Ghost Valley's disciples... We cannot dismiss what she says..."

King Xuan of Qi was troubled. "Even if you say that, my minister... You know I could never take an ugly woman as my queen..."

"Oh, right." Zhongli Chun suddenly remembered something and began approaching King Xuan of Qi, step by step.

"W-w-w-what are you doing?!" King Xuan of Qi was badly frightened, but he could not simply abandon his throne. The officials around him had no such restriction. As Zhongli Chun approached, they fled from his side.

Zhongli Chun walked up to King Xuan of Qi, then removed her cloak, revealing a face as flawless as jade.

"Xiao Xia told me you're very fond of women, so I must take off my cloak and let you have a look." Zhongli Chun gazed at King Xuan of Qi with her bright eyes, then thought for a moment and added, "Xiao Xia also said that if you marry me, you will have her too. You won't lose out on this bargain."

Zhongli Chun spoke so softly that only King Xuan of Qi could hear her.

At the sight of Zhongli Chun's face, King Xuan of Qi froze.

Her eyes were like pools of clear water, set in a fair, delicate face flushed with pink. Her neatly arranged hair cascaded from beneath her cloak, carrying a faint fragrance.

Her eyes stirred slightly, and King Xuan of Qi's heart stirred with them.

Where had this celestial beauty come from?

Forget merely marrying her. Even dismissing all hundred women in his harem for her would be worth it!

The world knew nothing of Zhong Wuyan; Zhongli was truly as beautiful as a heavenly immortal.

King Xuan of Qi murmured to himself, but after a moment's thought, he asked, "Who is Xiao Xia? Surely the woman rumored to be incomparably ugly isn't this Xiao Xia you mentioned?"

Zhongli Chun silently pointed behind her, and King Xuan of Qi stole a glance. A girl had been standing a short distance behind Zhongli Chun all along. Although she kept her head quietly lowered, she was plainly another celestial beauty.

After a long while, King Xuan of Qi slapped himself across the face with a smack.

"Am I dreaming? Are you saying both of you are marrying me today?"

"Correct."

"Excellent!" King Xuan of Qi suddenly shouted. "Today, I have decided to take Zhongli Chun as my queen!"

"What?!" The officials had no idea what the two had said to each other, but the king's attitude had changed far too quickly.

"Your Majesty... Your humble servant does not understand... Has this person threatened you..." a civil official asked shakily.

Zhongli Chun glanced at King Xuan of Qi and whispered, "Do not let anyone else learn my secret." Then she put her cloak back on and withdrew.

"Er... My minister... There is something you do not know. Just now, Zhongli the Unlovely... Zhongli the Saltless Woman explained the Qi Kingdom's current shortcomings to me. It was like wisdom poured over my head, awakening me at once! I am truly ashamed, truly ashamed! Taking her as my wife will help the Qi Kingdom prosper..." King Xuan of Qi said with feigned sincerity.

"But... Zhongli the Unlovely Woman is extremely ugly. Your Majesty, you..."

"Enough!" King Xuan of Qi waved a hand. "Taking her as my queen demonstrates my... Er... My determination to turn over a new leaf! Not only will I marry an ugly queen, I will also dismiss all the singing and dancing girls! Carry out my words immediately!"

The officials truly could not understand it.

Their king, who ordinarily loved beautiful women above all else, had not only suddenly married a notoriously ugly woman today, but was also dismissing every singing and dancing girl?

Zhongli Chun and Xiao Xia silently exchanged a glance. They knew they had succeeded.

That evening, on the night of King Xuan of Qi and Zhongli Chun's wedding.

King Xuan of Qi held a banquet for all his civil and military ministers, while Zhongli Chun and Xiao Xia sat in their room.

"Xiao Xia, I've told you many times that you didn't need to come with me," Zhongli Chun said.

"My lady, I've told you many times as well. My life is yours. I had to come with you."

Zhongli Chun shook her head. "This was my obsession alone. Why should I drag you into it?"

Xia Yingchun smiled faintly. "Don't worry, my lady. Being able to stay by your side for my entire life is already more than enough for me."

Time passed little by little, and the moon rose high into the sky.

From far away, Zhongli Chun heard King Xuan of Qi's footsteps.

"He's coming..." Zhongli Chun murmured.

"Is he here?" Xiao Xia stood and quietly bowed to Zhongli Chun, a glimmer of tears in her eyes. "My lady, thank you for taking care of me all these years. Now it's time for me to repay your kindness."

"Xiao Xia... If you regret this now, it's not too late..."

"I have no regrets." Xiao Xia shook her head, turned, and left the room.

She slowly walked to the middle of the courtyard and sank to the ground.

Before long, King Xuan of Qi staggered in, reeking of alcohol, and immediately spotted Xia Yingchun slumped on the ground.

"Oh? Aren't you... Xiao Xia, who entered the palace with the queen today?" King Xuan of Qi slurred drunkenly.

"Your Majesty..." Xia Yingchun raised her head and quietly looked at King Xuan of Qi, her eyes now brimming with tears. "Is there something about me you dislike?"

"Huh?" King Xuan of Qi blinked. "Of course not, my beauty! I like everything about you!"

"Then why..." Xia Yingchun wiped away her tears. "Did you hold a grand banquet only for the queen, without giving me any proper status...?"

"I will... I will!" King Xuan of Qi slapped his forehead. "From now on, you are my royal consort!"

Xiao Xia nodded quietly. "Your Majesty... The ground is so cold. Would you like to take me somewhere warmer?"

"Huh...?" King Xuan of Qi's eyes instantly lit up. "Of course! Wherever you wish to go, my beloved consort, I'll take you!"

"I want to go to Your Majesty's bedchamber... It's cold here..."

"Oh, my beauty!" King Xuan of Qi swept Xiao Xia into his arms. "Let's go right now, right now!"

Zhongli Chun listened quietly inside the room, her heart filled with a jumble of bitter and sweet emotions.

Before long, Xiao Xia reached King Xuan of Qi's bedchamber. She drew him down to lie beside her and blew out the lamp.

From that day onward, Xiao Xia was no longer a maiden. Though tears shimmered in her eyes, she continued coaxing King Xuan of Qi with sweet words.

My lady... I will do everything in my power to protect what you wish to protect...

Before dawn the next morning, Xia Yingchun got out of bed, fetched a basin of warm water, and went to Zhongli Chun's room. Zhongli Chun was still sitting quietly where she had been the night before. She had neither undressed nor gone to bed.

"My lady... Did you stay awake all night? I've come to comb your hair." Xiao Xia smiled, but sorrow lingered between her brows.

"Xiao Xia, from today onward, you need not dress my hair before the mirror anymore."

"Huh?" Xia Yingchun froze for a moment. "Why...?"

"You're a good girl, Xiao Xia. Now that you have joined the royal family, you should have a better life."

"No... You mustn't!" Xiao Xia burst into tears. "My lady, I've combed your hair for ten years. Please don't send me away..."

"Xiao Xia..." Zhongli Chun turned and looked at her tenderly. "I'm not sending you away. It's just... You are no longer my maid."

"I've never felt like a maid at your side, my lady. Every day has been happy..."

"Enough." Zhongli Chun bit her lip. "I've already wronged you terribly... I have no reason to make you keep serving me..."

Xiao Xia did not know what to do. For Zhongli Chun, she could surrender her chastity, so long as she could remain at her side.

"My beauty?!" King Xuan of Qi called from a distance. "Consort Xia, where have you gone?!"

"Go, Xiao Xia." Zhongli Chun smiled. "Remember to live a better life."

"No... You can't..." Xiao Xia shook her head through her tears. "If I'd known I would have to leave you, my lady, I never would have let you come to the palace..."

Zhongli Chun clenched both hands, her heart aching beyond measure.

Just then, King Xuan of Qi suddenly pushed the door open, catching sight of Xiao Xia, her tear-streaked face like pear blossoms in the rain, and Zhongli Chun's cold expression.

"Oh... My two beauties, what happened?" King Xuan of Qi asked.

Before Xiao Xia could answer, Zhongli Chun suddenly stood and struck her across the face with a smack.

"You wretch! How dare you cry! If you hadn't stolen His Majesty away on my wedding night, would I have been left alone in an empty room?"

Xiao Xia recoiled in fright. She covered her cheek, her tears falling like a torrential downpour. She knew how strong Zhongli Chun was, yet the slap had not hurt at all. Clearly, her lady had held back for fear of injuring her and was deliberately putting on an act for King Xuan of Qi. At that thought, Xiao Xia's heart ached even more.

"No... That's not true... My lady, you mustn't say that. His Majesty will misunderstand..." Xiao Xia cried out through her tears. "I understand! My lady, I'll do as you say... You must never do this again..."

"Good, then. Why haven't you gotten out yet?" Zhongli Chun said coldly.

Xiao Xia did not know what to do. She only knew that if she stayed any longer, her lady would do something that would make King Xuan of Qi dislike her even more. Wiping her tears, she hurried away. King Xuan of Qi looked at Zhongli Chun, then at the fleeing Xiao Xia. Naturally, he thought Xiao Xia would be easier to handle, so he hurried after her.

"My beauty! Oh! My beauty, wait for me!" King Xuan of Qi shouted as he ran.

"I..." Xiao Xia looked at King Xuan of Qi, not knowing what to say.

"My beauty! Don't be angry! That fierce woman may not want you anymore, but don't you still have me to dote on you?"

"You mustn't call my lady a fierce woman!" Xiao Xia's heart hurt beyond words. Perhaps no one in the entire world knew better than she did just how gentle Zhongli Chun truly was.