"Please, Great Sage, take your seat." Rosemary adjusted her long sleeves and made a graceful gesture of invitation.
Though the entire hall had been infused with a familiar atmosphere from days long past, Monkey couldn’t help feeling a subtle discomfort—something he couldn’t quite put into words, a sense of awkwardness.
He nodded silently, saying nothing as he walked up the steps. He did not decline the invitation.
"Everyone, please be seated." Rosemary nodded amiably toward Tripitaka and the others.
Noticing something, Rosemary personally poured a cup of wine, which a maid then presented to Monkey’s table. She spoke softly: “This is a family banquet—please, Great Sage, don’t be too formal.”
Monkey nodded in response.
Once everyone was seated, Rosemary gently clapped her hands. More than a dozen maids filed in from outside the hall, serving an array of dishes.
Music and drums sounded in unison, and the whole hall instantly came alive—a scene of lively chatter and graceful dancers.
It was only then that Monkey noticed—not only for himself, but even for Tripitaka and the others—the meat and vegetarian dishes had all been deliberately matched to each person's identity.
Lowering his voice, Monkey asked, "Isn’t this a bit much?"
"What does the Great Sage mean?"
"I heard the Women’s Kingdom doesn’t welcome men. Yet here we are, not only received but treated as honored guests. Isn’t this a bit..."
Rosemary covered her lips and smiled faintly. "If it were other men, the Women’s Kingdom would indeed not welcome them. But you are the Great Sage. As for—"
She glanced at the maid serving beside her, then looked toward the dancers in the center of the hall and continued, "The Great Sage once showed kindness to this maid. Naturally, you cannot be judged by the same standard."
"Kindness? How so?"
Lifting her wine cup, Rosemary said quietly, "The Great Sage saved all of demonkind. I am a demon too—is that not a kindness?"
With that, she turned and raised her voice to her ministers: "A toast to our guests from afar!"
The civil and military officials of the Women’s Kingdom, still uncertain what was happening, hurriedly lifted their cups one after another: "A toast to our guests from afar!"
Tripitaka and the others also raised their cups politely.
Monkey symbolically raised his cup in return, but only took a small sip. He said quietly, "Whether I’ve been a boon or a bane to demonkind—I know that better than anyone."
At these words, the smile on Rosemary’s face faded.
Though banquets were not uncommon in the Women’s Kingdom, wine was not a staple. The officials attended this one purely at the Queen’s request, out of courtesy. Tripitaka and his companions were even more so. Thus, despite the soaring music, the atmosphere remained subdued.
On both sides, there were only occasional nods and polite smiles when eyes met.
Monkey, for his part, kept a gloomy expression the whole time. Even when watching the specially arranged dance, he seemed distracted and absent-minded.
This reminded Rosemary of the celebration held years ago at Blossom Mountain to welcome Monkey’s return. In the first half of that event, Monkey had also been wooden and distracted. It wasn’t until he left halfway to watch fireworks with Anna Yang that he completely changed. No one ever knew what the Third Saintess said to him in the tower that night.
Back then, Rosemary could only watch the Great Sage she admired from afar—never daring to approach. Who would have thought that one day she could sit openly at his side?
At that banquet, the Third Saintess’s seat and the Great Sage’s seemed much like they are now, didn’t they?
No, they were even closer then—they shared a single table.
But... that’s all in the past now, just old memories.
Taking a deep breath, Rosemary composed herself, straightened her back, and once again looked over at Monkey.
Rosemary's eyes widened slightly, a hint of fear flickering as she glanced at the Chancellor in green seated at her right.
At that moment, the green-robed Chancellor watched the dancers with an unchanging expression, occasionally smiling and applauding politely.
The young maid whispered, "Your Majesty, do not worry. The priestess is doing her best to stall them. It will be some time before they can enter the Mausoleum."
Rosemary nodded faintly, then looked toward Monkey, their eyes meeting by chance.
She quickly averted her gaze, hesitated for a moment, and whispered, "I have a pressing matter to attend to. Please forgive me for leaving for a while, Great Sage."
"No need to worry. We don't require anyone to accompany us," Monkey said, cracking a melon seed and tossing it into his mouth, smiling at Rosemary.
Rosemary quickly forced a faint smile in return, nodded, and rose, gathering her skirt as she left. The maid hurried after her.
"Where is she going?" Marshal Silver's voice echoed in Monkey's mind.
"I don't know."
"Did you ask her about her cultivation?"
"Not yet. I'll ask her when she returns."
From across the hall, the green-robed Chancellor raised her wine cup to Monkey. Monkey responded in kind from afar.
...
By now, Rosemary had already grabbed her long whip and rushed outside the Traveling Palace.
The palace guards were startled by their queen's anxious expression.
She pressed a jade tablet into her maid's hand and whispered, "Do not neglect the Great Sage and his companions."
With that, she turned and soared into the sky, speeding westward like a gust of wind.
...
At the temple, outside the tightly closed stone doors of the tower, a wall of female soldiers blocked the way of several women generals.
"Move aside!" The leading general in red robes already had her hand on her sword hilt.
The soldiers stood firm, not moving an inch.
Standing before the soldiers, a priestess in a gray robe spoke softly, "Her Ladyship is resting. How could idle outsiders be allowed to intrude?"
"Her Ladyship instructed that if there is a real emergency, it may be reported at once."
"How am I to know whether what you wish to report is truly urgent?"
"Her Majesty allowed foreign men into the Traveling Palace without Her Ladyship's permission, breaking the law set by Her Ladyship. Is that not urgent enough?"
"As you yourself said, the intruder is formidable. Perhaps Her Majesty is merely feigning compliance?"
"If you know the enemy is powerful, all the more reason to inform Her Ladyship!"
"You are mistaken," the priestess said, lifting her chin. "If Her Majesty did not order us to report to Her Ladyship, it means she deems it unnecessary. If Her Majesty believes we can resolve this ourselves, why trouble Her Ladyship and disturb her rest?"
"You!"
"No men are allowed within the borders of the Women's Kingdom—this is Her Ladyship's law. We, her subjects, have served Her Ladyship for generations, as she decreed. If we disturb her rest for a trivial matter we could solve ourselves, does that not invert the order, making Her Ladyship serve us instead?"
At this, the red-robed general flared with anger and shouted, "What if Her Ladyship breaks the law of the Women's Kingdom for an old tie outside our realm? What then?"
Fixing her gaze on the furious general, the priestess replied slowly, "Her Majesty is appointed by Her Ladyship herself. If Her Ladyship made this choice, it means she trusts Her Majesty. Are you questioning Her Ladyship's decision?"
It was truly a contest of civil versus military.
For a moment, the red-robed general was left speechless, mouth agape, and stepped back.
Her two colleagues quickly stepped forward to support her.
"What now? They won't recognize the Chancellor's warrant."
"Should we go back and consult with the Chancellor again?"
"No, there's no time. They must have already notified Her Majesty. If we leave now, we may never get back in." After a brief pause, the red-robed general asked in a low voice, "Will you dare storm the Mausoleum with me?"
With that, she stared wide-eyed at her two colleagues.
After a long moment, the two hesitated, then nodded.
Almost at once, all three gripped their sword hilts. The soldiers and priestess opposite them were instantly shocked.
This Mausoleum sat at the very heart of the Women's Kingdom, surrounded by layers of defenses. It was the most sacred place in every citizen's heart. If an enemy reached this point, all other lines must have fallen, and the kingdom would have no defenders left. Thus, the guards here were mostly ceremonial—more an honor guard than a fighting force. In a real clash, these three generals would easily overwhelm them.
"What are you doing?" the priestess cried out in alarm.
The three generals said nothing, gripping their sword hilts and advancing step by step, forcing the soldiers to retreat.
"Stop! Are you rebelling?"
Just then, with a thunderous crash, a figure descended from the sky like a bolt of lightning, landing squarely between the two sides.
Everyone froze in shock.
When the dust cleared, they saw Rosemary standing firm in an orange gown at the center, her long whip coiled in her left hand, trembling with surging spiritual power.
Her wide almond eyes were filled with intense hostility.
Standing beside Monkey, Rosemary had been the very picture of a gentle woman, but now she was every inch a queen.
"Your Majesty!" The priestess and soldiers knelt at once. The three generals, however, remained standing, staring at Rosemary, fear still lingering on their faces and their hands tightening on their sword hilts.
"Return with me at once, or you will suffer the consequences."
With that, Rosemary flicked her whip. With a deafening crack, it struck the stone at her side like a bolt of lightning, carving a deep groove and sending up clouds of dust.
The entire ground trembled slightly.
Even the priestess, who had steadfastly sided with the queen, was stunned.
For generations, the queens of the Women's Kingdom had served Mother Nuwa as their sacred duty. This was Nuwa's temple, and Rosemary, appointed by Her Ladyship herself, was about to use force here?
Such a thing had never happened in the thousands of years since the founding of the Women's Kingdom.
What could possibly drive the queen to confront her own officers at this holy place?
Knowing they were no match, the three generals glanced helplessly at the tightly closed stone doors behind Rosemary, then knelt.
"We obey, Your Majesty!"
Seeing their surrender, Rosemary finally breathed a little easier.
"Enough. Let's go back. Return with me, and this matter will be forgiven."
She was about to step forward when, suddenly, a rumbling sounded from behind—the massive stone doors slowly began to open...