Jin qing furiously stormed to the court of the emperor, all sense of her untouchable elegance leaving her in an instant.

Xi jian looked up in surprise when the usually calm Xue Xian came in. He was a little scared, but what can she do?

"Allow me to get this straight." Jin qing took a deep breath. "My brother and the prince is currently being held hostage, and you wouldn't tell me."

Xi jian stood up "who told you?"

"None of your concern" She snapped. "From what I've heard, you wouldn't tell me because you didn't like the ransom."

"Exactly."

"So tell me, what exactly is the price?"

Xi jian dismissed the guards and stepped down to level himself with Jing qing. "You."

Jin qing had expected as much. "Me." She rolled her eyes "Well isn't that tragic. How exactly?"

"For us to gain the city and the army back, we must make an exchange." Xi jian explained. "Your life for theirs."

"They want my head on a silver tray." Jin qing rose her eyebrow.

"No no no." He shook his head in response "they want you alive. They said if we meet them at the border, they will give in exchange for the city and its people alive and unharmed. Then they will take you."

"And you don't want to lose me, I see" Jin qing nodded. "But they aren't killing me, that seems suspicious..."

Xi jian narrowed his eyes at her. "You aren't thinking..."

"Oh yes." Jin qing looked up with a smile "Yes I am."

"But why?" He demanded "why would you throw your own safety away for the sake of an army and a small city? Your life is worth so many of theirs!"

"Do you hear yourself?" Jin qing asked. "No matter how smart you may be, one man alone cannot win a war. You will need an army. And think, if you do nothing and let the men and women perish inside those walls, do you not think the families of the soldiers will revolt?"

Jin qing took a deep breath, attempting to calm herself. "You will also be losing a brother an-"

"-I know."

"And I will be losing mine."

Xi jian was quiet. "I just want to keep you safe."

"Keeping me safe won't win this war." Jin qing said firmly. "I assume that peace talk didn't work out."

"No. It did not."

"And why is that?"

"They are asking us to surrender and pay them the tribute" Xi jian turned to her "prices no one will be able to pay."

"And so to uphold your pride and the country's treasury, you decided to keep on waging war."

"There is more too it."

Jin qing sighed. "You are the emperor. You do what you believe is best for the people. If you wish to wage war, then so be it."

"However..."

"However, I am not letting that city be burned or destroyed if I can help it."

"Jin qing!"

"I have made up my mind. Tell them I accept."

Xi jian grabbed Jin qing by the shoulder, who shook his hand off. "What you are doing is basically suicide!"

"Does it look like Ill die this easily?"

Xi jian paused, realizing what she said.

"If you cant manage an empire without me, you don't deserve to be called an Emperor" Jin qing said firmly. "I am only here to help. And I am going to help in getting those troops and your brother back safe"

Xi jian was quiet, nothing to say.

"Now, if you would do me a favor and tell whoever struck you the deal that you are willing to fulfill it." Jin qing took a deep breath "You will do that, right?"

"Yes. Under one condition."

Jin qing looked up, her anger had yet to fade from her eyes. "Yes?"

"You will swear to me that you will find a way back."

Jin qing folded her hands by her stomach. "Of course. Who do you think I am?"

"It will be no doubt that your room will be heavily guarded and the chances of escaping will be slim." He said, walking around her in circles. "If you don't, promise me you will be safe."

"Safe in enemy ground? You amuse me, Xi jian." Jin qing smiled. "But I will. You can count on it."

"When do you plan to leave?"

"The sooner the better. I'll start packing tonight."

<><><>

Jin qing repeated the deal and the decision she had made to her maids back in her room.

"Miss! You can't do this!" Bai yan stood up.

"Yes, I can, and I just did." Jin qing said firmly.

"You are asking to die!" Ye bing cried, holding her miss' hands. "You are the Xue Xian, they would love to have you dead!"

"And I would love it if everyone is safe." Jin qing covered her maid's hand with her other one. "Don't worry, I have a plan."

"We can't even come with you!" Bai yan sat on the floor. "Miss, please don't go! They'll kill you!"

"Shhh..." Jin qing whispered. "If they wanted me dead, they would have told that assassin to kill me, not take me alive."

Her maids shut up and realized that their miss had a point.

"Why, you two are acting as if I got sentenced to death!" Jin qing clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "Wipe the tears away now. Don't worry, I never decide on anything unless I have a plan."

Her maids looked up at her and realized their miss was right.

"Now, you two are the maids of the Xue Xian. What would other people think if they saw you like this? Stand up, wash your faces." Jin qing urged them, and sheepishly they went.

No matter what Jin qing said, her maids will always feel uneasy. They wanted to trust their miss that she had a plan, but it seemed impossible.

Jin qing sat down at her table, sipping some tea. She herself was a little worried. Why ask for her and not her head? They must have some kind of plan and it is driving her a little on edge not knowing what it is.

Word travels quite quickly, and within two days, everyone in the kingdom knew about the Xue Xian's sacrifice.

<><><>

Her departure is three days away. The Song has accepted and agreed to use this exchange as a sign of peace.

Jin qing shut herself in her room for the last two days, allowing only to be seen by her maids. Not even to her crying sisters.

Seeing them will only create conflict within herself.

Around the afternoon of the day, before she leaves, her maids passed her a note that was written by Xue Hua.

Her eyes scanned through the letter, read it twice, and slammed down the piece of paper.

"Is something wrong?" Bai yan asked.

"Yes."

"What happened?" Ye bing asked.

"Read it."

Bai yan took the paper with Ye bing looking over her shoulder. They didn't know how to react to the letter.

"She wants to come with you?!" Bai yan finally said.

"Yes. Or at least until the border."

"But that's too dangerous!"

"That's exactly what I am thinking." Jin qing rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hand. "What is she thinking?"

"Or more importantly..." Ye bing sighed "What is the emperor thinking?"

Jin qing sat up, her fists clenched. "Ooh, if I can, I will strangle Xi jian right now."

It was now her maids turn to remind her she was in the palace.

Jin qing reached for a map that had the trail to the border. "And they won't even tell us where they are taking me. Actually, I don't care about were they are taking me. I want to know why."

"Is that all you have been thinking these past few days?" Bai yan asked.

"Yes. I have a few crazy ideas, but none really make sense" She lied. She did have one idea that made sense, but it was too insane to be possible.

"So will Xue Hua go with you?" Ye bing asked.

"I have no choice." Jin qing sighed "I guess she'll just keep me company. They are in the middle of taking the city as we speak. But when I cross the border, the city will officially be liberated."

Someone knocked on the door.

"Tell them to go away." Jin qing groaned as Bai yan stood up to relay the message to whoever was at the door.

"Aren't you going to go outside and try and enjoy the bit of sunshine?" Ye bing asked.

"No. The kingdom is a little distraught that I'm taking this leave. Rather not." Jin qing replied.

"Jin qing!"

She sat straighter, why can't people leave her alone?

Shang ye and Min yin came running into her room.

"You have been in your room for the past two days, are you alright?" Shang ye asked first.

"Why, you should know I'm fine." Jin qing smiled.

"Well of course," He sighed "But are you sure about this?"

"Does it look like I will be changing my mind?"

"If you are going to go, at least allow us to escort you." Min yin urged.

"No thank you. My sister has against my wishes convinced the Emperor to accompany me to the border." She replied.

"Have you thought this through?" Shang ye interrupted Min yin, who was about to speak.

"Yes. One life for many. Would you not want to see your own brother back?"

Shang ye and Min yin took a glance at each other. They did worry about their youngest brother, but they were afraid of her as well.

"I'm doing this for my brother as well." Jin qing said. "Both of them are young and deserve more than dying in a siege."

"But you are no older than them!" Min yin contradicted.

"I am old enough." Jin qing sighed.

"You will die!"

"I won't die that easily" Jin qing replied, a little sick of repeating that over and over. "who do you think I am?"

"A human life is fragile, Jin qing." Shang ye marched and stood up to her. "No matter how smart or how strong you may be, you are still human."

Jin qing paused and stepped back. "And so one must be always prepared to face any challenge."

"You aren't immortal, Jin qing. Please, think this through" Min yin pleaded, standing behind her.

"I know."

"Think this through." Shange ye asked "your life is worth mor-"

Jin qing turned around to him "I am tired of hearing that. If you men cannot manage a kingdom without me, you might as well call me empress." She snapped.

The two men were speechless. This was their first time seeing her lose her composure like this.

"If you two are here to convince me to do something I have already made up my mind to do, you two are wasting your time and effort." She warned. She signaled for her maids to follow her out, and she left the two men alone.