Jin qing woke up to Bai yan shaking her up.

"Miss, miss, it's time to wake up"

Sitting up groggily, Jin qing rubbed her eyes and tried to adjust her eyes to the light.

"Who- wha? What time is it?"

"It's time for miss to wake up. In celebration of the successful Fire decree, the emperor has requested a hunting trip to celebrate"

Jin qing's eyes lit up at the sound of a hunting trip.

"A hunting trip you don't say? Hee-hee, finally I get to test my skills out in the open! With their fine bows too!" Jin qing smiled like a child on new years.

"Yes, now miss, time to rise"

All of Jin qing's worries and doubts haven't disappeared, it was simply forced back sightly so Jin qing can enjoy herself ever so slightly.

Jin qing loved hunting trips. Even in the company of people, she always felt like she was alone, surrounded by so many trees and animals.
Though she needs to repeatedly remind herself that she isn't alone, and there are several other people hunting with her, and the walls of the tents are extremely thin.
And besides, it's one of the only places where a lady like her can use a weapon and won't be looked down on.

"I hear that the entire imperial household will be entering."

"Oh? The princesses too? I thought they would be too dainty to hold and aim a bow."

"Don't say that! But yes" Ye bing answered, braiding her mistress' hair when Jin qing got dressed. "Bai yan and I have packed for you the night before. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, I did" Jin qing replied, lying so well that even her maids believed her. "We are leaving today right?"

"Yes!" Bai yan smiled, pinning a golden chrysanthemum pin in her hair that matched the pale color of her miss' robes and the even paler flowers on the shoulders, chest, and torso.

Standing up, jin qing twirled around and around, laughing. "Oh, hunting trips! Finally!"

Once she got settled down and eaten, Jin qing decided to go out for a walk until it was time to leave. On her mind was full of different possibilities the plan she gave last night can go wrong. She was so zoned out she nearly passed Min yin without greeting him.

When she did, she curtsied awkwardly, but with grace and elegance as she was taught. "Greetings to the prince Min yin"

"The second daughter of the advisor Li, you weren't seen in the banquet last night."

"I felt like a person like me did not deserve to be sitting in a banquet like that." Jin qing replied, her voice and her face unreadable. She looked like the ideal lady, soft and polite.

"You are the daughter of Advisor Li. You have every right to attended."

On the inside, Jin qing smiled. "Was your highness looking for Jin qing?" she asked shyly

Min yin's eyes widened, is she taunting me? "No, I was not. I was only curious."

"Jin qing gives a great effort not to be noticed, hardly anyone notices I don't attend banquets, how did your highness know I was gone?"

On the outside, she was the little lady that wanted to know things, but on the inside, she was laughing at Min yin's expression.

All Min yin wanted then was to get out of this strange lady's sight and out of earshot of her questions.

"We know that advisor Li has four daughters, and that night I only counted three. So I wondered where was the fourth. That aside, you are attending the hunting trip correct?" Min yin asked, silently triumphing now that he is the one asking the questions.

Jin qing smiled. "Yes, I will.

"How is your skill with the bow?"

"Very well, thank you."

"Well, see you there. We leave at noon, be ready."

Min yin left, and Jin qing breathed a mental sigh of relief. She wanted him gone too.

"Miss, that was interesting" Bai yan smiled.

"Oh be quiet" Jin qing replied, her voice still soft but with a small teasing voice.

"We still have several hours till noon, would you still like to take a walk?" Ye bing asked.

Jin qing nodded, she wanted to go somewhere alone so she doesn't get bothered by anyone else.

She ended up in the fields toward the back with a lake. It was lined with fields of flowers and a small porch with benches.

She and her maids sat on the bench while Jin qing tried to clear her mind and breath in the sweet smell of flowers.

"The eldest sister's face last night when she saw Xue Xian." Ye bing giggled softly.

"Shhhhhh" jin qing warned.

"I know, but her face was priceless!"

Jin qing couldn't help but smile.

"We are in the palace," she reminded her maid. "Be mindful of what you say, it might affect the family."

"It's such a blessing to be your maid! Even if you only came back into the family only seven years ago." Ye bing sighed dreamily.

Jin qing didn't reply, she only continued to sip on her cup of tea.

"Why do you think the Highness Min yin asked where you were last night?"

Jin qing put her cup down gently. "He simply just wanted to know where I was"

Ye bing and Bai yan looked at each other, they knew their miss knew something that they didn't. Something told them both that she won't share it either.

"Miss, during the hunting trip, do you think there would be anything special going on?" Bai yan asked.

Jin qing gave her maid a little look of fake confusion. "Why Bai yan, what else do you expect to happen?"

"Jin qing!"

Yi ping ran over to his older sister and held onto her hands. "I was looking for you all day, where were you yesterday?"

Jin qing's lips curled in a very small smile. "You know I don't like banquets."

Yi ping let out an exaggerated sigh, "I know you don't like them, and I'm not asking about that. I'm asking where were you the entire day."

"Where do you think I was?" Jin qing asked gently.

"The gardens? The study? The kitchen? The room?"

"You got two of them right."

Yi ping sighed, but then smiled teasingly. "Why are you always there? Have a crush on the books?"

"You have a crush on the armory?"

Yi ping looked away, "No! Its that they have such good equipment!" He huffed.

Jin qing did not reply, she only had her trademark smile on her face.

<>

Jin qing rode with Xue Hua over to the hunting grounds.

Xue Hua was asleep on her shoulder during the entire trip. Meanwhile, Jin qing was constantly looking at outside the small flap of a window.

Jin qing stared at the steady puff and suck of her little sister's breath intake and breathed in.

Jin qing smiled to herself. Her little sister was a lot more clever than she looked. No wonder Min yin was looking for her!

No doubt that the observer was sent by Min yin to follow her movements for being so shady. Dashing around, avoiding princess An ru, and not attending the banquet.

Jokingly, Jin qin poked her finger toward Xue Hua's cheeks and smiled. "You sly little fox. I wonder what you told him about me?" She said cheerfully.

Though underneath the scent of royal incense, she detected the sweet and earthy smell of herbs.

"Going into the garden too? Or the kitchen? Or are you visiting Chun ting who always smells so sweet?" Jin qing wondered out loud. "What are you not telling your big sister?"