A day before, Xi jian was minding his own business, doing whatever he is doing as an emperor. His mind was still on Jin qing and her safety, still thinking if there was any way to get her back, though he knew she would be furious if he intervened and brought her back.

He had a feeling an enraged Xue Xian will be more than he can handle.

He took a break and decided to walk along the gardens. Even though his title was emperor, he sometimes felt like he was still a prince, and sometimes liked to be alone.

If Jin qing was still here in the palace, he'll look for her for company, but because she wasn't, he walked around the gardens, taking in the scenery.

"Your majesty."

Xi jian looked up. "Why, if it isnt the eldest daughter of the Li family."

Huan le dipped to curtsy, only to be stopped by the emperor.

"We have known each other since we are children. There is no need to be so polite."

"But that was when you were still a prince. Now you are the emperor." Huan le contradicted. "Its only right to show you the respect you deserve."

"Your sister is the Xue xian, but I believe you still talk to her as usual?"

"That's because we are sisters." Huan le smiled "and nothing can come between that."

"Are you worried for her?"

Huan le's face darkened. "Yes, very much."

Xi jian looked up, staring at the pond in the middle of the field. "Losing her will be like losing an arm, we need her."

Huan le looked up at Xi jian, an unreadable expression on her face. "I can help."

"What can you do?"

"Whatever you would like me to do."

"Then how about to keep me company? I was going to ask Jin qing to do that if she was still here."

"Of course."

They walked along the stone path, going nowhere in general, silent. Huan le walked with a small smile, looking down at her feet while Xi jian walked with more of a regal expression.

Xi jian suddenly laughed, breaking the silence.

"What is it?" Huan le asked, curious.

"What did we used to talk about? We used to talk on hours without end while I was still a prince." He chuckled "now we are quiet."

Huan le batted her eyelashes shyly and smiled "you're right."

"How has your family reacted over Jin qing's departure?"

The smile on her face disappeared. "Very worried. Xue hua wanted to go with her, and so we are all very distraught about that."

"I figured it would be a good idea to have someone she knows go with her so she won't be lonely." Xi jian explained, "so her last moments in Wei will be a happy one."

"Of course. Just..."

"Yes?"

"Oh, how I wish my sister was back!" She cried out "I miss the talks I have with her as I teach her how to sew and embroider, as she shared to me her knowledge of books and such!"

Xi jian's eyes softened "I miss her as well. But it must be unbearable for you."

Huan le nodded, looking away, trying to hide the tears that were now pooling in her eyes.

"Oh no, don't cry, Huan le." Xi jian said softly, placing his hand on her cheek "don't cry, she'll be fine."

"I hope so!" Huan le nodded.

"Your majesty! Your majesty! Bad news!"

Xi jian pulled away and turned toward the messenger. "What's wrong?"

"The city was recaptured by the Song!"

"What?!"

"Yes! Our army was cut down by reinforcements by the Song, but about two-thirds managed to come back alive!"

"Is my brother alright?"

"Is a commander named Yi ping alright?" Huan le asked.

"His highness Fu chen is injured, but no other word is sent."

Xi jian's mind ran through the millions of different reasons why the Song might counterattack.
He grimaced.
"The Song is asking for war, and a war we shall give them. Send messages out immediately to retrieve the Xue xian."

"Wait!" Huan le cried out.

The two men turned to look at her.

"Xi jian, I beg you to think! The great Wei has just suffered through famine, do you really think it would be wise to start a conflict with the Song?"

Xi jian sighed "We must. Your sister had come up with a solution to that, we just need to trust in her that her plan works. What they have done is a violation of our attempts to establish peace."

And so he left Huan le with her maids alone in the field.

Huan le sighed, furious.

"I am trying to have a conversation with you without my sister's name in it." Huan le said, walking back to her carriage to go home. "Why can't you just listen to me?"

Her maids were silent, terrified of what their miss was going to do.

"I'm actually glad she's in the Song, there will be no way for her to get back now." Huan le took in a deep breath, then a small smile formed on her lips "and even if she does..."
She has a plan of her own.

<><><>

Xue hua awoke to an empty bed with no one next to her.

Its been three days since they have arrived, and for three days she has woken up to find her sister gone.

She knew her sister was taken for more interrogation at least until later tonight.

She reached under her straw mattress and pulled out the rope they had made using the fabrics on their dress and some straw from a certain spot on the roof.

It was quite long now, long past her height. Jin qing didn't say how long it should be, just a very simple order to keep on braiding.

Every night she came back bruised and battered and tight-lipped and refusing to tell her what they have done to her every single day.

"You shouldn't worry about me" she had said the night before "as long as I'm not dead, you shouldn't worry."

Her fingers flew to braid more rope so when her sister comes back she won't be disappointed.

Once or twice she had to quickly hide it so the soldiers who came in to deliver the meals wouldn't see.
Jin qing had told her to eat, but she saved some for her sister.

Her sister had said they might be able to escape tonight if the soldiers get drunk enough to mask their escape. She hasn't told her how they were going to leave yet, but Xue hua had full confidence in her sister that she can get them out.

Then night fell.

Jin qing was thrown back to the second story house where Xue hua was, the pain starting to become unbearable.

Xue hua looked up and rushed to her sister. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She muttered with a tight look on her face "How much longer have you braided?"

"I don't know." She admitted, "A lot longer though."

"We need to leave tonight either we like it or not." Jin qing said as she slowly stood up.

"Tonight? Why?"

"We need to leave before I get too injured to do so." Jin qing sighed and held the rope in her hands. She was already feeling exhausted, fatigue washing over her, causing her to want to sleep. "This should be long enough."

"What are we going to do?"

Jin qing stood up and used a stick to push away the area where they have been taking the straw from, which gave away easily. She used the same stick and tied knots of cloth as little intervals. "Xue hua, start tying knots on the rope too. It will be easier to get down using them as things your feet and hands can hold onto."

The familiar crash of the drunk men pierced through the air, but both women ignored it.

Jin qing climbed up by leaning the stick against the roof using it as a ladder. She peeked over the edge where the wooden logs were thick enough for someone to stand on. She threw the rope over the edge and tied one end to a beam on the roof.

"Xue hua, I want you to start climbing first."

"What about you?"

"I'll get the horses so it will be easier to escape."

"But it'll be much too dangerous!"

"Better to have some distance between them and us when they find out- we're going to need horses."

"You might get caught!"

"I'll be fine." Jin qing said sharply, but when she looked up, her eyes were gentle.

Xue hua didn't say another word and did what her sister told her to do.

Jin qing opened the door and walked out, practically limping toward the stables. The saddled two horses and began to walk out, careful not to make any noise. From what she can hear, the men were still drunk.

"Hey! What are you doin-"

He slumped down on the floor, knocked out from Jin qing's strike.

Jin qing's eyes have lost the gentle shine she had while she was with her sister. Her dark eyes shone with a cold glare, the eyes of a killer.

Jin qing went back to leading the horses out from their stalls.

"Hey what is she doing out here-"

Jin qing slowly turned around a knife in her hand.

men surrounded her.

"Drop the knife!"

Jin qing stayed still.

"I said drop the knife!"

She heard the sound of a bow being stretched and threw her knife in that direction.
The man fell down, dead.

She ran toward the man and swiftly picked up her knife and his bow. She notched an arrow and fired the man who was charging in her direction, and the last thing the poor man saw was the silver tip of an arrow racing towards him.

Jin qing stood up straight, her face impossibly calm. The men around her paused, hesitant to fight her.

One man slipped away to the place where the other soldiers are drinking. trying to get past her so he can warn the others.

An arrow sprouted from his back.

The men turned from the fallen man to her again. No one had seen her move, much less shoot an arrow.

She seemed to be emitting the aura of an actual goddess, a one that is furious.

Jin qing slung the quiver of arrows onto her back and sheathed the knife. She got on the horse and placed the bow in front of her.

The men were too terrified to do anything to this legendary Xue xian.

She used a rope to lead the other horse away and practically walked out the gates.

"What happened inside?" Xue hua asked.

"Get on the horse" Jin qing ordered.

"What-"

"Get on the horse" Jin qing repeated with a hard edge to her voice.

The bells inside the fort sounded and Jin qing cursed underneath her breath.

"What- they realized we are gone!"

Shouts erupted from inside the fort and more bells rang.
Xue hua noticed the blood on her sister's dress.

"Xue hua get on the horse, now!"

Mwahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahaahahahah
(～o￣3￣)～

Also!

We hit 2.48K reads!
☆*:.｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆

Oh my god thank you all so much! I never expected this book to grow at such a rate!
Im so glad you all like this little adventure with Jin qing! I have so many plans for this book and I cant wait to write them all!

At this rate, though they always say never to count your chickens before they hatch, what do you wonderful readers want if we reach 5K?
Gimmie some ideas!

Well see you all next sunday!  ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ