Hong hui saddled up a horse early the next day to head to the city to tell them that the Xue xian is safe and in their home, requesting an escort for her to return to the capital.

"Hurry back, Hong hui." The old woman hovered worriedly by his side.

"I will, mother. You shouldn't worry too much about Long Yin and Hai Lin now that Xin er is here."

"That is the very reason why I'm telling you to hurry. Having Xin er is like throwing crows into a field. She hasn't changed."

"Is she causing trouble already?"

"She still has quite the appetite." She chuckled, and gently slapped the side of the horse. "Hurry off. The country needs your sister."

"I'll be back by tomorrow. Good bye!"

Xue hua helped the old woman back into the house, where Jin Qing was dressed in simple robes that allowed her to move around easily, taking off all of her jewelry and hairpins.

Jin Qing was cleaning the house with a broom, something the maids would have done back at home
.

"Should I help?" Xue hua asked.

"No. Xue hua, you don't need to." Jin Qing grinned "just help take care of mother, will you? Take the gloves on the counter, it'll help protect your hands."

"But what about you?!"

Jin Qing laughed "dont worry about me. Put them on, I don't want your hands to become rough like mine."

"Xin er! Fetch me a bucket!" Long yin shouted from the garden.

"Get it yourself!" Jin Qing shouted back with a smile.

"I can't! I'm stuck!"

Jin Qing put down her broom and stepped outside, her hands on her hips "and standing in the middle of the garden makes you stuck?"

"Yes."

Jin Qing held out a bucket, and set it down by the door. "Come and get it if you want to finish your chores~"

"Xin er!"

"Long yin!" Jin Qing teased.

Jin Qing picked up a basket and looked up at Xue hua "you want to take a walk in the forest? We won't go too far, pick some herbs while we're at it."

"Of course." Xue hua smiled "would your mother be alright?"

"Oh I'll be fine!" The woman smiled "go on! I won't disturb your time together."

Jin Qing held Xue hua's hand. "Come on! Let's go!"

"Ah-! Wait!"

Jin qing knew her sister wasn't used to her being this carefree. But her environment caused her to be this way. She grew up here, so many fond memories, carefree nights and days full of laughter. Here, she was just a normal person, not the Xue Xian.

They walked around, Xue hua following Jin qing closely, watching her pick flowers and wild herbs.

"Have you always been so cheerful?"

Jin qing laughed, her dark eyes twinkling. "Well, I can't act like this in the palace, can I?"

"But for eight years you had to act- you had to pretend-"

"Well, if I was alone I would let loose a little, my maids can vouch for that." She smiled.

"But- Ive never would have guessed."

"Of course not. I didn't want anyone to. Do you really think the first wife and Huan le would let me live it down if I acted like this at home?"

Xue hua shook her head. They would never stop poking fun at Jin Qing if she did, humiliating her for her unlady like actions.

Jin qing looked at her sister with a little smile "what do you think of this place? I know you've wanted to vist here as much as I wanted to come back."

Xue hua let out a content sigh. "Its beautiful here, and your brothers are very pleasant."

"Of course. If you said otherwise, there would be a problem" Jin qing replied, her fingers reaching down for a flower.

"Were they like this when you were younger?"

Jin qing looked up at the sky, listening to the tweeting of the birds and the gentle rustle of the leaves. "Yes, of course. And I've missed them, they're truly like my brothers."

"What are you going to do when we get back?"

Jin qing chuckled. "Why, Im going to make sure my actual brother is alright first! I imagine the emperor is in distress, so I'll most likely go there next."

"Oh, mother and father will be so happy!"

"Your mother and Yi Ping's mother will be overjoyed. The first wife will not." Jin qing reminded her. "Also, can I ask you to do something when we get back?"

"Yes? What is it?"

"Dont mention any of this to them. No one should know that we ended up arriving to this elderly couple's house. If anyone should ask, we simply stumbled upon a random person's home."

"Why?"

Jin qing had her trademark smile on her face. "For reasons you won't be able to understand. Promise me, alright?"

"Of course. Not another soul will know." Xue hua said confidently.

"Good. Now lets get this basket back to mother."

<><><>

Hong hui returned a day later, saying how a carriage will arrive the next morning to pick Jin qing and Xue hua up so they can return to the capital.

Xue hua was a little disappointed to leave, the countryside is a pleasant place to relax in, and understood why her sister loved this place. Xue hua folded her gloved hands across her stomach like a lady, sitting on a bench in the garden with the elderly woman.

The woman looked up with twinkling eyes. "You don't want to leave, huh?"

Xua hua looked up in surprise. "How did you know?"

"Usually when we tell a lady that she's going back to the city, she'll be happy to be back in an area where they are treated like the noble they are."

Xue hua smiled and looked down at her hands. "It's very pleasant here. I can finally understand why Jin qing likes it here so much."

"Jin qing..." The old woman chuckled. "I look at her now, hard to believe she is the Xue Xian, the same child that was once pulling up worms in the dirt."

"She what?"

"Do you really think she was always this ladylike? No, it didn't show until your father came. It was a surprise to me too, but apparently the old man was teaching her things behind our back."

"Did she really learn from him?"

"I wouldn't say he taught her everything she knows. She was already an intelligent child who figured many things on her own."

Xue hua looked up with a smile. "You really wish she was your own daughter, don't you?"

The old woman laughed. "I have three sons and no daughters. Of course I do."

Xue hua leaned forward and gently rubbed the woman's hand. "And I'm sure she feels the same."

<<>>

"Xin er, will you visit again?"

"Mother, I can't promise anything, but I'll try."

"Don't make us wait eight years next time." She warned.

"I won't"

The old man simply held onto his crutch and smiled.

A carriage was leaving in less than an hour, and Jin qing was saying her goodbyes. Part of her didn't want to leave them, but she knew she was going to be needed in the Wei.

Xue hua stood by the door, watching her sister. She has only been here for a few days, but she knew she would miss this place.

Long yin stood next to her, a basket covered in some sort of cloth. "Hello."

Xue hua looked up with a little confusion. Why would he be talking to her and not Jin qing? "Hello."

"Jin qing is busy saying goodbye, I figured I'll just give this to you." He said handing over the basket.

Xue hua lifted up the cloth to find all sorts of sweets inside, all wrapped in cloth to it stays clean. "But why?"

"Mother noticed how you and Xin er likes the sweets she makes. So she made some yesterday and told me to give it to you girls so you can have some to eat when you go back."

Xue hua smiled, looking over at the considerate woman, who was sobbing into Jin qing's shoulder. "Tell her I said thank you. I did enjoy them."

"Good to know. Are you girls planning on visiting again?"

Xue hua shrugged. "If my sister does, I know Ill be there to accompany her."

"Good. Eight years without her has been lonely. It's going to be hard adjusting again."

"And I'll have a hard time seeing her as the quiet lady again. She seems so carefree here..."

"I'll be honest when I say it'll be difficult to imagine your sister to be anything other than the little energetic person she is." He laughed. "But she'll be fine."

"Of course."

The carriage was ready and was about to depart.

"You should hurry. I don't think the carriage will leave without you but you shouldn't make them wait."

"Of course. goodbye..." Xue hua said softly, running to join her sister on the carriage so they can begin their day long journey back to the capital.
<><><><><><>

"Xue Xian, we have arrived back in the capital."

"Mhmm." Jin qing responded, the coldness coming back to her now that she was back in the city.

"We have orders to send you straight into the palace. If the Xue Xian would just wait a moment further, we should be arriving soon."

The basket Long yin had given Xue hua has been left untouched.

"Are you alright?" Xue hua asked gently.

"I'm fine."

Xue hua didn't say anything else. Now that she has seen the other side of Jin qing, she wasn't used to the more serious side. She looked out into the city and wished she can be home, but she knew they had to drop Jin qing in the palace first.

On Xue hua's hands was the gloves she have received, she didn't want to take it off, not yet. She looked up at Jin qing, who was looking outside the thin cloth windows with a blank look on her face.

So different from the lively Jin qing she saw just a day before.

"Xue Xian! We have arrived!"

"I'll see you later, Xue hua." Jin qing said quietly, preparing to get off. "Tell Yi Ping I said hello."

"Of course."

Jin qing walked back, the usual cursty and the kowtows from the others as she stepped into the emperor's court.
She lowered herself into a kowtow at the foot of the emperor's throne, then stood without his command.
Who cares? She didn't even need to kowtow, but no one can tell her what to do.

"Welcome back, Xue Xian." Xi jian said formally. "The great Wei is overjoyed to see that you have returned safely."

"And this humble servant is happy knowing she can continue her service to the great Wei."
When in front of many, be humble, sound small.

"We are all glad to have you back. I'm sure you already know that the Great Wei is now in war with the Song."

"Of course."

Xi jian stood up. "We have come up with plans of what to do next on our own, would you mind giving us some of your own input?"

"I would not."

"First. We seek to make alliances with the Qi to gain hold of their military to back our own." Xi Jian explained. "Men are already out to scout and map the border of the Song and the Wei and to inform any nearby forts."

Jin qing nodded. Nothing she wouldn't do. The war is still early, and preparations must be made.

"And to combat the Yu clan that has clearly switched to the Song, so we plan to head into the Liang to search for any assassins or elite guards."

Jin qing looked up in curiosity. The Liang? 
"The Liang is now a wasteland full of bandits and thieves who follow no one. Do you have a plan to keep them in check? Most of them are just weak minded criminals looking for coin."

"Of course. We only intend for the bandits to conduct raids and be used as scouts. As long as we treat them well they shouldn't turn on us." Xi jian agreed. "We don't intend on using their assassins, we wish to look for the child assassin Wu Xin."

Wu Xin.

Why Wu Xin... out of all the assassins you could have chosen... why Wu Xin in particular-?
"Are you sure she can even be found?"

"We hope so. Groups of search parties are ready to be deployed. There has been reported movement in the borders of the Song and Wei that mimics the records of Wu Xin. If we can, we can go and find her."

Jin qing paused, trying to think of what to say. "During my time in the countryside when I was younger," she began "I heard of another name that wasn't as well known as Wu Xin but just as capable. Her name is Yu Qi."

"From the Yu clan?" Xi jian rose his eyebrow.

"Yes, but I've heard stories on how her father pledged alliance with the fallen Liang's royal family. I don't believe her body was ever found either."

"So you think we have a better chance of finding Yu Qi."

"Yes. Wu Xin would be far too difficult to track. I doubt the Song would be able to find her too."

"Then the decision has been made. Tell the orders to the search parties. We must find her at all costs." Xi jian looked back at Jin qing.

He was confident in the Xue Xian's advice.

Jin qing breathed a sigh of relief.

I'm sorry if this chapter seemed rushed >~<
But I hope you all still enjoyed it!
See you all next Sunday!!!