Xi yan ended up going to the palace alone. Jin qing wanted to stay home where she hoped no one can bother her.

She, of course, didn't mind the servants coming in with boxes of tea leaves that occasionally dropped by to refill her own supply. They were bringing in food, how could she?

Qiu ye, Huan le's mother, came to visit her sometime before noon.

Jin qing was instantly alert, her back straightened, and her mind became less focused on her needle-work. She never came to her unless it was to tell her things or if she wanted something.

"Greetings to the Xue Xian," The woman smiles sweetly "At home since I am your maternal mother, can I address you by your regular name?"

"You may." Jin qing nodded.

She sat down across from Jin qing, and her eyes scanned across Jin qing's entire body. "You look pale," She said softly "Are you coming down with something?"

"No, I'm fine." Jin qing replied.

Qiu ye laid her hand on Jin qin's sleeves and stroked it motherly. "Your father is very proud of your success."

"I've heard."

"I wish every child under Li's name ends up doing this family proud. Don't you?" She asked, smiling sweetly.

"I do."

"Would you, perhaps, as sisters, teach Huan le how you became this successful." She said, "Would you want your sister to fall such behind?"

"No, I wouldn't"

Qiu ye smiled, a shine in her eyes. "Next time you visit the palace, can you take her too? She's very lonely at home."

"I will."

With a soft smile, she sighed "I see you are tired. Make sure to get some rest, Jin qing. I wouldn't bother you anymore. Have a good day." She said, stood up, and left.

Jin qing breathed a sigh of relief when she left. "Humph! Like I will!" she said a little while Qiu ye had gone. "She already goes much more often than me. Besides, if I was to teach her, would she listen?"

Bai yan and Ye bing looked at each other and smiled.

"What are you two smiling at?" Jin qing asked, frowning.

"Nothing," Bai yan smiled.

Jin qing rose her eyebrow.

"You can hardly have a day of peace now." Ye bing replied. "People are always coming over to see you, unlike before."

"Before, I was only that little lady of the Li family. I'm the Xue Xian now, we just have to get used to it." She grinned "Though who would have guessed? The shy and quiet lady who was rumored to mute is the most respected person of the entire kingdom."

"When the Emperor said to protect you were the key to his success, we almost didn't believe it." Bai yan smiled, and lit up a incense candle.

"I remember the day we were introduced to you, as clear as day." Ye bing sighed dreamingly. "Both of us was surprised to be serving such a young girl. We are only two years older than you."

"Come to think of it, you are." Jin qing looked up "Yet we act like we are the same age."

"Does that mean you are too mature, or are we too like children?" Ye bing laughed.

"A little bit of both." Jin qing replied, amused.

<>

Night fell, and her maids got her ready for bed after a short walk.

Before sitting down on a chair for so her maids can get her undressed and such, Jin qing stepped on a little brown packet.

She retracted her foot, and Bai yan picked it up. "What's that?" She asked.

"A bag of some white stuff. Sugar, from the shape of it. It must be from the basket of tea things the servants brought in today."

"Hmm," Jin qing nodded, looking at the bag and the contents inside. "Throw it out, it must be dirty from being on the floor all day."

Ye bing did what she said as Bi yan sat Jin qing down on a chair and got her ready.

They carefully combed their miss' river of black hair, and dressed her in her sleepwear.

Jin qing turned the small bejeweled hairpin that the new Emperor gave her as a gift of being the Xue Xian. She studied the detail on the jewels, and held it up to the small candle, watching the light reflect and bounce off.

"It does seem like the Emperor likes you." Bai yan teased.

Jin qing turned around "Don't joke about things like that!"

"Why not? It does seem like it. If not him, then his highness Shang ye."

"Why do you say that?"

"They pay special attention to you, do you not think so?" Ye bing smiled "The Emperor gave you all those gifts and treats you like his equal. Shang ye just seems, I don't know, less cold to you?"

"It might also because of my rank. Who wouldn't hold up jewels and sweet words to someone above you?"

"You wouldn't" They answered at the same time.

Jin qing laughed "You're right. I wouldn't."

Ye bing yawned. "Oh I'm sleepy tonight! I can't wait to get to bed!"

"If you girls are tired, finish up and go to sleep." Jin qing said, taking the comb from Bai yan.

"Alright then, good night miss!" Bai yan smiled.

Jin qing watched her maids leave to their own rooms next door, and took a handkerchief from her pocket. She carefully wiped all her combs and jewelry, one by one, and set them down. She frowned at the handkerchief, then placed it on the side.
She drew a bit of water for herself, and washed her hands and face.

Jin qing laid down on her bed and closed her eyes, but she couldn't fall asleep.

Why was she so uneasy? She knew exactly why.

She rested fitfully, often awaking to the smallest of sounds. The howling of the wind, a soft snore of her maids in the room next door, and once the creak of the floorboard.

Jin qing closed her eyes, and stayed awake.

When the sword came flying at her, had just enough time to throw her covers up and knocked the sword away.

Jin qing spun and took a cloak from a hook and threw it around herself for simple modesty. She was in her sleepwear after all.

The assassin wasted no time and brandished two knives, and ran toward her.

What he didn't expect was a woman who was taught martial arts and was quite skilled in it too.
He underestimated her, and ended up having his own knives at his throat, Jin qing's knees pinning onto his back.

"Speak." Jin qing ordered, her voice grave.

The man stayed quiet.

"I assume you put my maids to sleep, the reason why they haven't awoken, but you clearly didn't think of a possibility of a light sleeper." Jin qing almost laughed. "Or did you poison them? Some slow-acting poison you got there. Check your pockets next time, you dropped a little packet."

The man grunted and tried to move, but Jin qing held on.

"So? Care to tell me where do you come from?"

The man didn't respond, and wriggled under her grasp.
Suddenly, he threw his entire weight onto one side, and Jin qing tumbled off of him.

The assassin was fast, and the tables had turned.

Jin qing had lost one blade, but she still stood high and confident. "Hm. Alright, shouldn't talk too much, always forget that. Better to hand you over alive than dead, so don't squirm."

"That is my goal as well."

Jin qing's eyes widened at the sound of the man's voice. "Huh, you decided to speak."

The man didn't respond again but ran towards her and their blades crossed. He knew better to underestimate her this time, so he kept his guard up and tried to aim for a weak or unguarded spot.
But each time he tried, he was shocked to have Jin qing block or move aside.

"Who are you?!" He growled.

"Xue Xian, if you don't know." Jin qing smirked.

"I know that, but how are," He grunted as he deflected a strike. It seemed like Jin qing wasn't tired at all, and was only amusing him by attacking. "-but how are you this skilled?"

"Mhmm. Ask the man who taught me" Jin qing smiled, took a deep breath, and dashed in "You're open."

Using the hilt of the blade, she struck the jaw of the assassin and he went out.

"Huh. Expected more form a Yu assassin. Oh well." Jin qing shrugged, and sat down on her bed, finally breathing heavily like she should be. She stared at her hands and frowned.

You're getting tired easily. She noticed. Now, what should I do with him?

She stood up and walked out of the room and approached a guard.

"Lady Xue Xian!" He sputtered "It's late at night, why- why are you out of bed?"

"A cloaked man, an assassin from the Yu clan, has entered my room." She said quietly. "Can you do something about his unconscious body? And please, do a better job of your work next time."

"Erm, yes!" He saluted and ran off.

Jin qing sat on a stone bench, chilly in her thin coat and sleepwear. She shivered and pulled her coat closer to her for warmth.

"Xue Xian, are you cold?" A guard asked. "Would you like me to fetch you a cape or blanket as you wait?"

"No, I'm fine. Don't trouble yourself."

At least an hour passed before she was allowed to go back into her room. The man was gone and her things back in order.

She climbed back into her cold bed and shivered.
She doubted that she'll get any sleep.

<>

Word travels fast, and before the sun has even risen, a servant awoke Xi jian and informed him of the attempt on Xue Xian's life.

Xi jian, who has just woken up, snapped awake and sat up, wide-eyed. "You say what? The Xue Xian was almost assassinated?"

"There was an attempt, but not really. More like an attempt on kidnapping her. She says the man told her he needed to take her alive."

Xi jian buried his head in his hands in frustration. This woman was the secret to his father's success, and will no doubt she will be his too.
Truth to be told, he has long taken interest to this quiet maiden of the Li family. He can read people easily, but her he could not.

"Tell her to come to the palace," Xi jian ordered "and as soon as she can. Even her own home isn't safe now. She must stay at the palace where there are enough guards to protect her."

The servant bowed "I have served your father for many years. I shall tell you the same thing every time he thinks the Xue Xian is in danger, she can handle herself."

"Every man, or woman, can fall because of the numbers against him." Xi jian disagreed. "To ensure her safety, she must come to the palace."

"If you insist." The servant nodded. "Emperor, would you like to rise? It is a little early."

"Yes, I don't think I would be able to sleep until she is safe." He nods.

"Pardon me for asking, but has the emperor taken a liking to the Xue Xian?"

Xi jian sighed "Perhaps."

Ack im late ;-;
Hope you all enjoyed the chapter!