"But why?"

"The empress said so. She was the one who saved you from destruction. You owe her your life."

"But I don't- I cant."

"Don't make us beat it into you again. You are nothing, now do what the empress wants you to do. If you value your life."

"I can't... sir please I beg you-"

"Do you wish to die, you daughter of a swine?"

"No... please sir I don't want to, not again- I promise I'll be good next time-"

"That's that you said last time. But look at where you are now... weak, pathetic. Now get up. Good girl."

"Please. Please sir, I don't want to-"

"Get in."

"Sir please!"

"You may be a child, but if the Empress wishes this then so be it."

"Please!"
.
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<><><><><>

"Miss, did you fall asleep? Would you like to rest?" Bai yan asked, waving a hand in front of Jin Qing's face.

Jin qing looked up from her book. She must have dozed off or something. It was in the middle of the afternoon

"The meeting from yesterday must have exhausted you more than you give yourself credit for." Ye bing nodded. "Would you like to get some rest?"

"No, Ill be fine. I won't be able to sleep anyway, especially with so many thoughts in my head. Thank you for asking though."

"What are you thinking about?" Bai yan asked.

"Something you two won't be able to understand."

"Is it what Huan Le said?"

Jin qing sighed. Bai yan did have a point there. The subject of Huan Le never left her mind. "Yes, that's all." She lied.

"Well, she'll never figure out where you went, and we're going to find out eventually who poisoned you." Ye bing said reassuringly.

"I hope."

Ye bing continued to mend some clothes that were torn and stayed quiet. Clearly their miss didn't want to talk, and so they didn't try to make her.

"Where did you go anyway?" Bai yan asked. "You didn't even tell us."

"Like I said, some skilled medic's household where they helped patch up my wounds."

"Are you sure?" Bai yan tilted her head.

Jin qing looked up from her book again, her eyebrows furrowed together. "Why would I lie?"

"Because you don't want us to know something."

"Bai yan, if I can't trust you two, who else in this life can I trust?"

Bai yan looked back down at her hands but didn't say anything. She knew that their miss lies to them regularly, usually so that they don't worry. Perhaps Jin qing already knew this, but by lying to them made them worry even more.
Both of them wished they can be closer to their miss. There are so many things about their miss that they don't know.

Jin qing looked back down at her book and tried to continue reading. Every once in awhile she'll look up at the door only to look back down, looking disappointed.

"Second sister~!"

Jin qing cracked a grin. Only one person in this world would say something like that. She closed her book and looked up. "Xi yan, I thought you were back at home?"

"Nope! Or at least, I was. Father let me out of my lessons a little earlier today, and look who I brought with me?" Xi yan asked, and looked back toward the door, which no one followed.

"Who? A ghost?"

"No!!! Xue hua, hurry up!!!" Xi yam skipped over to the door, and after a few seconds dragged Xue hua into the room.

"Good afternoon, Jin qing." Xue hua said with a smile, her face pink.

"Good afternoon too. What brings you two here?"

"We can keep you company!" Xi yan said with a brilliant smile. "Ever since you woke back up you've been busy. I haven't played with sister since before you left and I've missed it!"

Jin qing smirked. In the last time, she was talking about, Xi yan got poisoned. How can she miss that? "Well, What do you two girls have in mind? I can't stay too far from the palace in case they need me again."

Xi yan pouted. "Awww... I was hoping you would come with us outside the palace today..."

"Staying in the palace would be fine too, and it would probably be the best." Xue hua agreed "after all, off Jin qing goes into the city it would attract too much attention."

"Oh..."

Jin qing smiled and walked up to her sisters. "Let us go take a walk. I've been indoors all day, and we can talk about what we can to do today as we walk."

"Yes! To the gardens!" Xi yan exclaimed and grabbed her sister's hands and dragged them out the door. "Quick! Perhaps we can even make it back before dinner if we decide quickly!"

Jin qing quickened her steps to match Xi yan's quick pace.

"Slow down Xi yan!" Xue hua squeaked, weighted down from her heavy dress and ornaments. Xi yan was still young, so she can still wear lighter and simpler clothes.

Jin qing was used to the weight and managed quite well to move around in them. She didn't like it, but that didn't mean she couldn't manage in it.

Xi yan finally slowed down when they reached one of the many courtyards with a beautiful garden surrounding it. To their surprise, the prince Min yin and Shang Ye was already sitting there.

Jin qing caught the small shift in Xue hua's footsteps as she stood behind Jin qing.

"Jin qing." Min yin stood up. "It's been a while."

"It couldn't have been that long since we last saw each other." Jin qing grinned.

"Well, with Xi Jian stressing over every decision while you were asleep, it gets stressful and time seems to pass slower."

"How are you feeling? Is my brother overworking you?" Shang Ye asked.

"Just a little. I'll be fine though." Jin qing manages a short laugh. She then turned to Xue hua with a little grin and then stepped out of her way so she would be in plain sight.

"Lady Xue hua, didn't see you there." Min yin said with a small laugh. "Why were you hiding?"

Xue hua blushed, very unsure what to reply. But it was Xi yan Who arguably saved her sister's face by changing the subject.

"We were just taking a walk! Jin qing is always in her room so we thought it would be a good idea to have her come outside."

"Can we join you?" Shang Ye asked and stood up.

"Of course!" Xi yan smiled. "The more the merrier!"

Jin qing didn't want any more people on their little walk, but if it made Xi yan happy, she'll stand through it.

And so began their afternoon of idleness in the garden.

Min yin and Xue hua walked behind them, talking with hushed tones so that no one but themselves can hear. Jin qing didn't try and listen in on their conversation, but judging from Xue Hua's smile, Jin qing was sure of two things.
One, she was having a good time, and two, her brother in the countryside Long Yin wasn't going to be happy.

Xi yan was talking, a little softer now that the princes were here, just to be polite and act a little more ladylike.
And Jin qing... she didn't say anything.

It could just be her personality, but she disliked being in idle like this. Sure, she needed to relax and stretch, but she constantly felt like she needed to do something in contribution to the country. Such an important person like her shouldn't be taking walks and chatting idly.
Jin qing silently scolded herself. She didn't need to think that way anymore. She was her own self now. Besides, she had already taken steps to rid of that type of thinking. But still, she... wanted to be in her room, as usual. But she also knew her sisters wouldn't let her.

"Jin qing, the lady who is always thinking. What are you thinking about now?" Shang Ye asked, suddenly walking in front of Jin qing.

"Nothing."

"Well, your face had that look of concentration again. Clearly you were thinking of something you were puzzled about."

"How can you be so sure of that?"

"I've seen that look before when we played board games together."

Jin qing managed a small grin. "Well, fine."

"So? What were you thinking of?"

Should she tell him what's going on in her head? The amount of pressure built on her every day just because of her stupid position and where she came from?

"The war."

"Ah, makes sense..." Shang Ye nodded. "But you shouldn't worry too much. It'll be fine."

"Fine? Are you sure? Don't lie, Shang Ye."

"How about you?" He grinned "you should start telling the truth too. My best guess is that the war wasn't the only thing on your mind. Care to tell me more?"

A smile played on her lips "The truth is that you're too dense to figure out that a certain lady doesn't want to talk right now."

Shang Ye laughed "Alright then. But still, if you need a break, don't be afraid to ask. You know, let your brain rest for a little while."

"But I'm not kidding when I say you're too dense." She sighed.

"Excuse me?"

"I had to say it directly to you that I'm not in the mood to talk, yet you're still making me." She tilted her head "and I wonder."

"Wonder what?"

"Nevermind."

"Tell me!"

"No."

Shang Ye grinned and stood in front of Jin qing so he was walking backward. "Why don't you tell me anything?"

"Because nothing in this world is handed to anyone on a silver platter, and neither is information."

"You're very difficult to argue with since you're so cryptic and all."

"You've said that before."

"But do you get my point?" Shang Ye sighed "don't let my older brother pressure you into working too much. You're already doing as much as you can. You deserve a break."

Jin qing was just about to open her mouth to respond when a messenger hurried to them. He bowed to each of the princes and to Jin qing and caught his breath.

"Yes?" Shang Ye spoke up first, his voice and expression turning serious. "What is it? Who is the message for?"

"The message is for the Xue Xian, sent by General Kai Feng But forwarded from the emperor."

Kai feng was carrying out a task to defend a city near the river with his troops, as of the plan said. But why would he need help?

"Relay the message." Jin qing stepped forward.

"In simplest terms, General Li Kai Feng requests back up as he has spotted an unprecedented amount of soldiers camping out across from the nearest city to the border that is by the river. He said that he has already fought off two attempts of a siege but requests for reinforcements."

"And why was this relayed to me?"

"There is a man from the Song who requests to see you by letter."

"Did he state his name and case?" Jin qing asked.

"No. Why?"

"Don't you find it strange that when giving in a request to see someone he didn't give his name?" Jin qing asked. "When was this message sent?"

"Around a day ago. The man requested that this message be sent as soon as possible."

Xi yan took the paper from the messenger's hands and looked through it and promptly showed it to Jin qing, who noticed the exact same thing her younger sister had noticed.
The calligraphy changes as the letter goes on. Whoever composed this letter must have had several people write it, but why?

"Jin qing, you should go to Xi Jian." Min Yin suggested, "and get more details."

"But she can't just go now!" Shang Ye turned to Jin qing "you aren't thinking of going, are you? You have barely recovered from the poison, and now you're going again?"

Jin qing bit her lip but then sighed. "I don't have much of a choice, do I?"