Jin qing woke up to the metallic taste of blood in her mouth, slowly dripping back down her own throat.
She sputtered, coughing the blood out, struggling to take in a deep breath without inhaling her own blood.

Someone pressed a dry cloth to her mouth, picking up the blood that was dripping down the bottom of her chin. Another patted down on her chest, easing the tightness in her chest.

"Shhhh... this will be the one of many. But at least you're awake now... we had to make you cough before..."

Xue Hua's voice.

Jin qing's eyes fluttered open, life slowly filling her dark eyes. "Ah- How... how long..."

"About a week." Xue hua answered, wetting the bloodstained handkerchief and washing the blood of it. "Are you feeling well? Better at least?"

The burning sensations in her throat still remained, and Jin Qing coughed to get the feeling out, only to cough up some more blood. Xue hua reached over, helping her sister sit up and patter her back.

"If you can't talk you don't need to." Xue hua said softly. "Here, have some of the medicine. It helps expel the poison from your body."

Jin qing drank the brown liquid and almost spat it back out. She wasn't prepared for the sudden explosion of bitterness in her mouth. "Ack-!"

"I know it's bitter... but you need it."

"Ugh- that is disgusting!"

"It is... I made the mistake of trying a little bit of it. Even in your sleep, you had a hard time keeping it down."

Jin qing frowned, but she took the bowl by herself and sipped on it.
Even though she just awoke, her senses were still pretty sharp. She was aware of the worry line on her sister's face, the missing servant who had most likely run off to report how she had awoken.
Bai yan And Ye bing were standing to the side, smiling from ear to ear.

"Guess like I'm equally as picky in my sleep, huh?" Jin qing plastered a smile onto her face, lightly pushing her sister's arm.

Xue Hua managed a small smile. "Guess like you are. Unfortunately, you can't eat anything other than porridge... that's what the doctors had said. They also had to tend to your wounds from the time we escaped, though they commented on how expertly they were managed..."

"You didn't say anything, did you?"

Xue hua shook her head. "Of course not! I promised I wouldn't!"

Jin qing breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't want anyone to know about where they were before.

Footsteps.

"Jin qing!" Shang Ye came running in, so different from the formal him. "You're awake!"

"Yes, I am."

"You were out for a week! We were all so worried!"

"Yes, I can tell."

He sat next to her, holding onto her hand.
Xue Hua stepped back, a little smile.

Jin qing quickly took back her hand and rubbed it. "My hands are cold, if you hold it you'll just get cold,"

"I know. Just... happy you're awake. I'm so happy you're well and the medicine is actually working."

"I'm just as glad. I'll have to give my thanks to the doctors and the physicians."

Shang the shook his head. "No, actually. Your sister Huan Le actually thought of the solution."

Jin qing was shocked. During the time she had gone, did Huan Le suddenly switch hearts? "She did?" She asked, masking most of her surprise. "Well, then I'll thank her as well."

"She didn't leave your bedside either, often staying the night to watch over you." Shang Ye nodded "all the while studying for a cure."

"A cure? But-"

"Yes. This is only a temporary solution to your poison. We are still trying to figure out who and what poisoned you. The poison will not be fully solved until every last bit in your body is destroyed."

Poison.
"It's alright. As long as most of it is out of my system I would be glad."
She was used to it.

"Xi Jian is in a meeting. But prepare for him to come charging into your room when he comes out." Shang Ye chuckled. "He was worried too, always stressing out on the decisions you would usually make."

Jin qing grinned. "And what about you?" She asked teasingly. "My board game buddy."

"M-me?" Shang Ye was shocked for a second then coughed into his fist. "Well of course. I can't have the only person who defeated me in XiangGu leaving, can I?"

Jin qing laughed at his reaction. "I'll be fine. This is nothing."

"Well of course. The Xue Xian is stronger is than that!"

Jin qing.
One of the few people he can slightly let loose with.

Jin qing let out a forced laugh. "Well... I guess I'll be staying here or the doctors will have my head."

"Yes, and not to mention my brother."

"Of course. Can't forget that!"

"Would you like a rematch? Since you're going to be staying here anyway."

"Sure!"

Xue hua noticed the change in her sister's tone. When did his highness Shang Ye get so close to Jin Qing? Did something happen between them?

Bai yan ran do get out the box with the pieces as Ye bing set up a table. Shang Ye helped Jin qing up and settled her down on a cushion, wrapping a blanket around her.

"So you don't get cold." He muttered under his breath.

Jin qing nodded, rubbing her hands, breathing hot air onto it. "Thank you..."

<><><>

Xi Jian's meeting had just ended when a messenger came running up to him.

"Greetings to the emperor!" The messenger called out. "Pardon me for my rudeness, but his highness Shang Ye told me to come as soon as you're done..."

"What is it?"

"The Xue Xian is awake!"

Xi Jian's day brightened up instantly. "She is? Take me to her!"

The servant quickly leads him into her room, where she was playing a game with Shang ye.
Jin qing looked up when she heard the loud footsteps approach her door.

"Jin qing!" Xi Jian rushed over to her and sat down next to her. He immediately placed his hand on her forehead to check for a fever or any sign of discomfort. "Are you feeling alright? Better now?"

Jin qing nodded, backing away from his sudden action. "Yes. Why, if I was still feeling ill, do you really think I'll be able to sit up?"

Shang Ye moved a piece and waited for Jin qing to respond to his move.

"Well, knowing how stubborn you are, yes." Xi Jian laughed.

"Well, I'm feeling fine now."

"That's perfect. We're going to need your help in the near future now that war has begun."

Jin qing bit her lip and nodded, returning her attention to the game in front of her.

"When do you think you can come back?" Xi Jian asked.

"I'm not too sure... when would you like me to?" Jin qing wasn't really paying attention to Xi Jian. She wanted to win the match quickly.

"Tomorrow?"

"Then tomorrow it is."

"But she just woke up!" Shang Ye disagreed. "She's still in a fragile state, would it really be a good idea for her to return to her duties that early?"

"The Xue Xian is alright with it. She knows her limits better than we ever will, and she says it's alright."

Shang Ye looked at the woman in front of him, her eyebrows furrowed in thought on how to play the next move, all masks ripped off her face to reveal her true emotions. "Jin qing, are you sure?"

She looked up briefly and then looked back down at the board. "Of course. I'll be alright." She said softly, picking up a piece and moving it.

"Perfect. Then I won't disturb your game then." Xi Jian stood up and left the room.
His words and actions didn't describe how much of a relief it was now that she was awake. Everything will be alright.

Shang Ye looked back at Jin qing after Xi Jian had left. "If you were lying before, now is the time to speak the truth."

Jin qing paused and looked up. "Why, do you doubt me?"

"No, not at all!" He shook his head "worried about your health. Don't overwork yourself. If you need the rest, take it."

Jin qing let out a heavy sigh. "If I rest, who would help your brother run the great Wei?"

"His advisors, the generals."

"Some of the generals were practically under my command while your father ruled. They are competent people, but I still worry."

"As you said, competent. They can handle a short while more."

"The beginning of war decides everything." Jin qing answered. "I can rest later, but this is a crucial time. If we want to win, we need to seize every advantage we can get with vigor."

Shang Ye reached over and grabbed her hand, much to Jin Qing's surprise. "Your health comes first. The middle is important as well, as it's the time where advances are made. What we cannot gain from the start is made up for in the middle and the end."

Jin qing pulled her hand back and rested both of them on her lap. "If we don't acquire the supplies we need in the beginning and secure a few early victories, the war might as well be lost."

He sighed. It was very difficult arguing with this woman. "I can't argue with you. But you know what I mean. Don't be afraid to get rest when you need it. Remember— the poison isn't fully expelled from your body, so it isn't cured."

Jin qing nodded. She almost forgot about that. "I will. Don't worry."

Shang Ye didn't believe her words. He knew that Jin qing will always put the country before herself and will be always willing to sacrifice herself for the sake of the Wei.

Her maid set a freshly brewed cup of tea from a new batch of tea leaves. As their miss was unconscious, the other servants had cleaned out her entire room to rid of any poison that might have been there.

Jin qing didn't touch her tea but continued staring at the board with a blank expression on her face. She tried to control her heavy breathing to it wouldn't be too obvious and soothe the tightness in her chest.
She hasn't reacted to anything in a while. Why now?

Her pale hands gripped the fabric of her dress underneath her sleeves, her eyes pretending to scan the board.
She already knew what to do, along with the next few moves after that, but she couldn't move her hands.
Every inch of her felt like it was covered with dirt. Every inch of her felt like it was being watched.

That terrified her.

She lifted up her hand and tried to stop it from shaking and moved her piece.
No interruptions.
Perfect.

Shang Ye didn't notice anything, concentrated in the game. He wanted to win this game.

After half an hour, the game was finished with Jin qing as the winner. Shang Ye stretches his arms and leaned on the table. "You've managed to beat me again."

"Why, are you surprised?"

"Yes."

Jin qing gave him a tight smile. "Well, you're always welcome to come back for a rematch if you're not satisfied."

"Oh, I will. I won't give up until I've defeated you."

Jin qing began to put the pieces back. "Will you come back tomorrow?"

"I doubt it. Now that you're up and awake, no doubt I'll be on the battlefield carrying out your orders."

Jin qing laughed softly, placing a hand to her temples. "You're always welcome to be in charge of yourself."

"No!" He laughed "ill probably lose the fight if I listen to myself."

Jin qing tilted her head "but XiangGu is a game of war. You seemed pretty confident."

"It's a board game. We're playing with wooden pieces, not with human lives."

"You have a point there, but as long as you're in the military career..." Jin qing swept the pieces back into the box and shut it. "You're going to be in a position where you're cut off from orders."

"Don't tempt the heavens."

"I'm not tempting them. I'm simply giving you a warning."

"A warning from the heavens then."

Jin qing looked up, a little confused. "What do you mean?"

"Xue Xian. The immortal of blood, goddess of snow. Giving a lowly human like me a warning." He stood up and bowed "thank you for your warnings."

Jin qing laughed. "Oh don't be so formal!"

"But you just were. You suddenly changed when my brother came in."

Her face seemed to darken for a little.

"Quite the actress you are. I wonder which one is the real you."

Jin qing managed a small laugh. "Let's see if you can find out."

Okay.
How did we go from 6k reads to 7.44k in a week???
Thank you all SO much! New readers and returning readers alike! Seriously! You guys are awesome!
☆*:.｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆

Soo I decided to update again in celebration! Thank you all again for sticking with me and Jin qing for this long! We have so much in store and ready for you all Huehuehuehue~