Chapter 25: Emerging Untainted from the Mire (1)

When Song Qi heard “transmitting back,” she thought she was going home. It turned out she’d been too optimistic.

Everything went black. She couldn’t see a thing.

A few seconds later, a blue light screen appeared in front of her.

[Name: Song Qi

Quest: Campus Romance

Quest Completion Rate: 60%

1. Help Qin Xiao get into A University. (Complete)

2. Deal with the villainess, Gu Si. (Complete)

3. Lead Romance Storyline. (Incomplete)

Mission Evaluation Result: Reclassified from the Romance Zone to No CP, inspirational.

Final Mission Grade: D]

Song Qi narrowed her eyes. “If I completed sixty percent of the quest, why did I only get a D?”

The System didn’t answer. The light screen changed.

A book appeared in the upper-left corner. Its title was Study Hard and Make Something of Your Life.

“Host, the book was originally titled Sweet Times with You. But the story changed, so its nature changed, too. It’s now an inspirational story about striving for success. That means the part where you dealt with the villainess can’t count toward your score.”

Song Qi frowned. “How many quests do I have to do?”

“Host, don’t worry. We’ll let you know when the time comes.”

Song Qi took a deep breath and forced down the anger rising inside her.

At least she understood a little more now. The final mission grade was probably based on the completion rate and plot utilization rate.

Song Qi thought of something else. “System, back then, when I said I wouldn’t follow the plot, you said I’d be punished. Were you making that up?”

The System was silent.

Given the result, it seemed that she wasn’t required to complete every task.

So the System was only a guide, nudging her back toward the intended plot. It couldn’t actually force her to do anything.

“Host, would you like to rest, or go straight to the next world?” After a moment of silence, the System spoke again, avoiding Song Qi’s question.

“Let’s go straight there.”

There was no point resting in a place this dark.

“General Shao, you’ve worked hard.”

Song Qi’s head was bowed, one knee on the ground. She was starting to ache. “Your Majesty, it was nothing.”

The Emperor smiled and helped her to her feet.

Song Qi stared blankly at him, nodding now and then. On the surface, she seemed to be listening to his rambling. In truth, she was quickly reviewing the world she’d landed in.

Her current identity was that of the only female general in a fictional kingdom. She stood at the center of the nation’s power, and her situation was far more complicated than that of a high school student. She’d better get her bearings before she did something wrong.

The female lead was Shao Jie. She’d been born just as news of a victory arrived at the border, so her family had named her Jie, meaning “triumph.”

Her father and three older brothers had all died on the battlefield. Just as everyone thought the Shao Family was about to fall into decline, Shao Jie took up her father’s military tally and went to war. Despite everyone’s doubts, she fought her way to become the War Goddess—a legendary figure.

And now Song Qi had become this legendary woman. Just a few days after the victory banquet, the Emperor issued an imperial decree naming her a Noble Consort.

Song Qi didn’t understand the logic, but she understood the Emperor’s intentions.

In a society ruled by men, a woman who did better than the men was bound to make certain people feel small.

As she received the decree, the System frantically spoke into her ear.

“Host, you have to enter the palace. Don’t think about running away or causing trouble. If a world gets an F rating, it counts as a failed quest, and you’ll be assigned ten more worlds. I absolutely am not making that up.”

“Your troops are outside the capital, and there are only a thousand of them. The rest are even farther away on the frontier. A coup isn’t happening!”

Song Qi: …

She swallowed her thoughts, took a deep breath, and accepted the decree.

Eunuch Yang watched her with a fawning smile. He chirped out one auspicious phrase after another in his shrill voice. Song Qi didn’t hear a word. She gave him a money pouch, and that was that.

From the moment she received the decree until she entered the palace, Song Qi barely spoke.

The quieter she became, the more nervous the System grew.

She’d already handed over her Tiger Tally. All that remained of her life on the battlefield was her sword, her armor, her scars, her rough skin, and the calluses on her hands. She looked awful.

The palace seamstresses had prepared an elaborate, heavily embroidered wedding gown for her.

Song Qi sat in a chair, gripping the sword on her lap, while people fussed over her hair and clothes.

“Your Highness, you can’t bring a sword into the palace.”

“What if I insist?” Song Qi turned to look at the speaker. Shao Jie had killed countless enemies on the battlefield. She was already imposing, and the murderous aura Song Qi brought to the body only made her presence more suffocating. Everyone in the room fell silent.

The woman shivered and looked as if she wanted to say more, but didn’t dare.

Eunuch Yang walked in, still wearing his usual smile. He glared at the woman, then bowed to Song Qi. “His Majesty said you may bring whatever you wish.”

“Thank His Majesty for his grace.” Song Qi spoke the four words and closed her eyes.

Once she was in the sedan chair, Song Qi suddenly realized something. “Do I have to consummate the marriage with him, too?”

“Um…” The System answered cautiously. “The main storyline expects you to. Zhao Zhi is the male lead, after all.”

Song Qi’s mouth twisted. She lowered her eyes to the sword in her hands and brushed her fingers lightly over it.

“If the male lead dies, the quest fails,” the System reminded her. It had been on edge ever since this world began.

“Right.”

I wonder how many villainesses there are in this story.

Song Qi frowned again, disgusted.

After she entered the palace, she had to sit through one tedious ceremony after another. There weren’t usually this many, but the Emperor had gone out of his way to show his supposed respect for the female general.

Once the ceremonies were over, they took her to a fine palace close to Zhao Zhi’s quarters and not far from the Empress’s Fengyi Palace.

Song Qi sat on the edge of the bed. After waiting about as long as it took an incense stick to burn, she lifted her veil herself.

One of the attendants looked as though she wanted to say something. Then she met Song Qi’s eyes and promptly shut her mouth. She glanced at the sword in Song Qi’s hand and stepped back.

“Leave.”

“Yes.” Everyone let out a breath of relief and hurried away.

Song Qi found a place to put the sword, then sat at the table and ate. She cleared half the food.

The System had given up. It hadn’t expected her to sit quietly in the first place. As long as Song Qi didn’t hurt the male lead, everything was fine.

When Zhao Zhi entered, he saw Song Qi sitting at the table with no intention of getting up. She’d removed all her hair ornaments and changed into something comfortable. Half the food on the table was gone.

“If you’re hungry, I can have the Imperial Kitchen make you something else.”

Song Qi looked up at Zhao Zhi. “Thank you, Your Majesty. There’s no need.”

Zhao Zhi sat down across from her, poured himself a cup of wine, and sighed. “Do you blame me?”

Song Qi: …

Another fool.

She looked at Zhao Zhi, then gave a quiet, mocking laugh. “Does His Majesty think that if I say I don’t blame him, he’ll feel better about himself?”

The System spoke into her mind.

“There it is! That incredible acting! Listen to that tone, look at that expression!”

Zhao Zhi’s face stiffened.

“Your Majesty, neither of us is a fool. There’s no need to pretend.” Song Qi swirled her cup and looked at Zhao Zhi. “I’m here now, so you should be satisfied. Don’t ask for anything more.”

She looked at him. “You may leave. I’m tired and want to rest.”

Zhao Zhi kept looking at her, his expression darkening. At last, he stood and left.

Song Qi’s mouth twitched. Qin Xiao had been much more likable.

She slept comfortably enough on her own that night.

Before long, word had spread through the entire palace that Zhao Zhi hadn’t stayed the night.

Song Qi was woken early the next morning to pay her respects to the Empress.

Nearly all the women in the harem had gathered. Song Qi glanced around. There were dozens of them.

Her expression turned even colder. She’d just started to bow when the Empress, seated at the front, spoke gently.

“Noble Consort, you may rise.”

When Song Qi looked up, the Empress had already come over and taken her hand. Her eyes were full of delight.

“I’ve heard so many stories about you. It’s wonderful to finally meet you in person.”

The Empress looked even happier as she spoke.

“Why are you being so formal with me?” Song Qi asked.

“You reclaimed lost territory, guarded the border for years, and drove out countless invaders. How could I not show you respect?”

Song Qi studied her. She was beautiful, with a warm face and eyes that seemed to smile on their own. She looked gentle and unthreatening, the sort of person it was easy to like.

Most of the women had come to watch Song Qi make a fool of herself. When there was no spectacle, they left after the Empress dismissed them.

From what Song Qi could tell, the Empress had little authority in the harem.

“Would you stay and talk with me, General?” the Empress asked. “Or I could take you to the Imperial Garden. The chrysanthemums have just bloomed. They’re beautiful.”

“Just call me ‘you.’ Being so formal feels strange.”

The Empress nodded without insisting. “Then you don’t have to call me Empress, either.”

She paused, seeming a little embarrassed. “It makes it sound as if you’re grinding your teeth.”

The Empress covered her mouth and laughed.

“Then what should I call you?”

“My surname is Meng, and my given name is Yilan. You can call me Sister. I’m two months older than you.”

Song Qi looked at Meng Yilan, thoughtful. “All right, Yilan.”