Overturning the World

Prologue

TLN:  There are TWO Qing Shi's in this story. The first Qing Shi is the one from this prologue, whom Yun Cheng actually loves. The second Qing Shi will show up later. In the prologue, I did NOT italicize this Qing Shi's name even though this is the Qing Shi that Yun Cheng loves, because there's no point in italicizing so much when the other Qing Shi hasn't even appeared yet.

So to clarify, this Qing Shi is the Princess Qing Shi and the Qing Shi that Yun Cheng is ACTUALLY in love with. This is not the dancer girl that will appear later, for those of you reflecting back on this chapter.

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The crimson blood colored wedding dress danced in the wind, as she stood on the Prayer Terrace in imploration, looking through her beaded veil at the many officials who bowed their heads before her. She looked elsewhere, and her sight fell on an Imperial bodyguard who stood to the right of Mt Tiantai. That Imperial bodyguard wore distinct silver metal armor and black boots, with a green jade pendant hanging from his waist, marking him as a special bodyguard of the Princess.

That was the Imperial bodyguard of the Princess, and... the person she loved.

The maid who attended to her offered her three cups of sacred wine. She was unmoving, only softly lifting her lower jaw, looking at that person with stubbornness and arrogance. No one dared press her in these circumstances. Only, the sacrificial occasion had not yet begun, and the officials below could not help but become clamorous.

These sounds finally alerted the wooden Imperial bodyguard. He turned, and his gaze merged with that of the Princess's. With her phoenix crown, his princess was prettier than all of the women in the world; but he would never be able to touch his Princess. Even when gazing at her, he could not exceed his limits.

Yun Cheng's hands tightened into fists. He turned back expressionlessly, harshly severing their joining gazes, and lowered his eyes to look at the earth beneath his feet.

The lips below the beaded veil formed an arc, that was both bitter and full of sorrow, while conveying the helplessness felt from resigning herself to her misfortunes. The red sleeve brushed past the dragon engraved proffered plate, as she lifted her first cup of wine. Behind her, the advisor of the kingdom loudly called, "Offering sacrifices to the heavens!" She lifted the wine cup above her head, and dipped her fingers in the wine, spraying it out towards the sky. Her tone and complexion were steady and unflustered as she grandly said, "Departing from the nation."
"Sacrifice to the earth!"

"Departing from the people."

"Sacrifice to our ancestors!"

"Departing from my family."

When the ceremony was complete, Yongming Princess* of the Qi Nation walked to the marriage sedan that would take her to the faraway south. From now on it would be difficult for Princess Qing Shi [1] to return to the Qi Nation.

*Yongming is Qing Shi's princess title; Qing Shi is the princess's name

[1] Qing Shi (倾世) 倾 means to overturn; to collapse; to lean, and 世 means life; age; world; lifetime. Her name is also what the story is called.

The maid by her side came over to support her over. However, Qing Shi waved her sleeve, making the maid retreat to the side. She took off the golden phoenix crown on her head and tossed it, throwing it directly in front of Yun Cheng. Yun Cheng was overwhelmed with shock, as he fiercely turned around, only to see Qing Shi spontaneously take out a knife blade that looked like a hairpin. Many years ago, he had ground it himself before giving it to Qing Shi when she reached the marriageable age of 15. It was to allow her to save herself if she was ever in dire circumstances. All these years, she had hid it like a treasure, never intending to use it once, but unexpectedly on this type of an occasion...

Only Yun Cheng knew she was about to do something foolish. He was so frightened that it seemed he was about to crack apart. He had not yet arrived at her side when he saw Qing Shi grasp her scattered hair, and sever her hair. It fell like a waterfall and with just a wave, her hair filled the whole sky and fluttered in the breeze.

The officials watching were shocked, as the Emperor witnessing the ritual also stood. The servants and Imperial bodyguards on Mt Tiantai all bowed to the ground. Only Yun Cheng stood dumbly, as stupid hope filled Qing Shi's eyes. No matter what, she could not flee. He heard her weak voice ring yet again, "Sacrifice the Princess Qing Shi, who will depart... from the Emperor."

These words seemed like chains, chaining up Yun Cheng's life, and world.

Qing Shi decisively turned around, facing the Emperor, as she bent her head in respect, "As Qing Shi leaves, never to return, she is willing to let this hair replace her, as a remnant of the great Qi Nation! May the Nation exist forever. I hope my birth Nation will be full of eternal peace!" She kowtowed three times, almost as if trying to make the three thousand li* nation tremble with emotion.

*For those of you who don't know, liis an ancient measure word that was used in ancient China.

The officials were solemnly quiet, and the monarch was rendered speechless.

Qing Shi rose, her back extremely poised. Her eyes no longer hesitated, as she walked owards the marriage sedan decisively. There was no longer any reluctance to leave.

As she had kowtowed, dust stuck to her clothes, and her silky hair had become messy. Her forehead was even suffused with blood, but in Yun Cheng's eyes, only now, was this Qing Shi the real Qing Shi. In this world, he would never again find another girl like her, never again...