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Chapter 50

Jin qing looked over at the baskets of clothes Yu Qi had brought to her room last night. She smiled to herself as she sifted through them, looking at the now wide arrangements Yu Qi had prepared for her.


And it seems like she knows what I'm planning to do.

Jin qing lifted a silk robe in a deep crimson color, seeming as if the cloth was dipped and dyed in blood.
The hem and the borders were lined with silver, decorated with hand-sewn white threads to hold it in place.

But most importantly, it was a man's robe.

"I haven't crossdressed since those days in the countryside." Jin qing said out loud "when they went to town and had to hide they picked up a daughter... I wonder have I lost my talent?"

It helped matters that she spent the happiest years of her life with three boys.

The family in the countryside... they were her real family. They were the ones who took her in and hid her when she stumbled upon their house when she escaped from the Liang.

Barely eleven years old.
Small and Afraid.
Wanting a safe place to stay and hide.
To start over.
Hunted by the remains of a kingdom.

Jin qing redid the rolls of bandages on her body as quickly as possible before wrapping a long piece of cloth around her chest so it would appear flatter. She slipped on the different layers of the robe and tied a sash around her waist- adding some layering on the sides to hide her feminine features.

Jin qing turned to the mirror, admiring her work from the neck-down.

"Now for the face..." she mumbled, carefully sitting down at the vanity.

She didn't need to do much except for making a few aspects of her facial structure look more angular or darker. She has seen men who looked more feminine than masculine, all they needed to do was to act finely and diplomatic.

Jin qing brushed and tugged on her long hair until it shone in a small but neat loop on the back of her head before falling to her waist.

She stood up and smiled, slowly twirling around in a circle. "Well, isn't this light? Goodness, I've missed wearing men's clothes for their lightness in comparison to the garments a woman has to wear."

She cleared her throat and tried to imitate a man's voice. "That's because a woman only stays at home and in one place. There is no meaning for a woman to dress so lightly." Jin qing purposely talked in an accent, ending hard at the end of every sentence.

Jin qing laughed softly, making it sound different by putting pressure on her throat. "I should be set. Now, I'll be off."

She was surprised to see that no one was in front of her door guarding it. Has Tian Xiang told them to leave? Did he put that much trust in her?"

A truly stupid decision on his part. But that only makes my job easier.

unless, of course, he's planning something that I'm not aware of. Everything seemed too easy for me...

That aside... now, where is Yu Qi?

She waited a few more minutes for her friend, knowing that it would be a long walk from there.

"I almost didn't recognize you." Yu Qi finally said, hurrying to her side. "Did you do this in the Wei?"

Jin qing rolled her eyes "goodness no. As a male? Definitely not. As the Xue Xian? Yes." She looked Yu Qi over and smirked "My my, look at you! Wearing such a ladylike dress and makeup! Are you sure that people won't recognize you?"

"Aside from the royal family and the army, I'm not seen very much out in public- much less in a dress like this." Yu Qi answered "I think Shen Feng wanted to hide the fact I was still alive to anyone outside the Song,"

Jin qing smirked and started walking "Didn't anyone get suspicious that someone named Yu Qi, a well-known assassin from the Liang, was in the Song? Working for the imperial family nonetheless?"

Yu Qi laughed "I think so. But Gui Fei and Shen Feng managed to win them over, I think."

"I wonder how..." Jin qing mumbled underneath her breath "I really do. But that isn't my concern at the moment. We need to get to the city itself."

"And let me guess, gather information?"

"Sounds about right." Jin qing smirked "staying in the palace won't tell me anything about the state and the welfare of the people. If I want this kingdom to fall..." she lowered her voice "you must find out their weaknesses in the people and in their army, their structure, anything you can manipulate."

Yu Qi stared at Jin Qing's expression with an amused smirk. "You haven't changed. You're only, what, twenty-one this year?"

"You're a few years older than me, so about."

"Yet you talk as if you're in your later years of life." Yu Qi let out a heavy sigh as she guided Jin qing past the main doors of the palace "you grew up too fast."

Since they were outside now, Jin qing switched into a deeper voice. "There is no point complaining. It made me who I am." After a small pause, Jin qing glanced sideways at Yu Qi with a sly smirk. "Now, that aside. Do you have any favorite tea houses in the city?"


<><><>

As soon as Jin Qing walked into the Golden Tea House, her nose was immediately hit by the rich aroma of brewing tea and the softer fragrances of the arrangements of flowers by the side.

When was the last time she drank freshly brewed tea? When was the last time a sweet treat fell into her mouth?

Jin qing took in a deep breath with a soft smirk on her face. She hasn't been near anything like this since she had left the Wei.

A serving maid approached them "Young Sir, would you like a room for two? Or just a booth?"

Jin Qing was quite glad that Yu Qi looked just as young as she did. "A booth for my twin sister and I. Thank you." She answered, keeping her voice low without making it sound too fake.

The servant maid leads them to a booth by the window, showing them the busy streets below.

Yu Qi lowered her voice and leaned forward "is there a particular reason you chose to dress as a male?"

Jin qing diverted her attention from the streets to Yu Qi. "Take a guess."

"Knowing you, you probably just didn't want to dress in anything heavy to irritate any wounds Shen Feng might have given you." Yu Qi began "and let me guess, the freedom of being a man?"

Jin qing chuckled "just about. How strange would you think it would be to see a lone woman in the streets? Sure, two might not be as strange, but how would you be able to explain the motives of two women in the more... dirtier sides of the city?"

A serving maid approached them with a piping pot of tea and a tray of cookies.

Once she left, Jin qing gestured to the streets below "after this, let's take a walk through the streets and see if we can talk to anyone. I need to know this kingdoms weakness-"

Yu Qi interrupted her "that's great and all, but why did you ask me to bring you here?"

"Why," Jin qing smiled, her dark eyes twinkling "I want sweets."

Yu Qi laughed "that can't be the only reason. Tell me the truth."

"Well, the poor wouldn't know too much about politics, now would they?" Jin qing asked and pointed to a middle aged man a little ahead of them "look at the finely made sword hanging by the side of his waist. Look at the beads, he must be some commanding officer. Look at his clothes- he must be from some aristocratic family. If we want any news about the shape of the army and what that commander says to... let's say a potential recruit."

"And you'll compare it to the actual shape of the army when you get back." Yu Qi smirked, crossing her arms "which will show the lengths the commanders are willing to lie to keep morale up."

"Exactly." Jin qing nodded "and don't cross your arms, Yu Qi. You look very unladylike."

Yu Qi put her arms down "the more absurd the lie, the more exaggerated is the victories, the wearier the soldiers actually are." She continued "you're a genius."

"Oh don't flatter me like that."

Yu Qi looked back at the commanding officer "Now that you've mentioned it... that's one of the four major general's subordinates. Why would he be here? He should be with the general he is assigned under... Goodness, the military leadership in the Song is worse than I'd thought."

"I'd like to think the Wei isn't suffering from the same thing." Jin qing remembered the map Tian Xiang had shown her and assured herself that the Wei is in good hands. "We're getting off-topic. I need to approach him without sounding too strange or suspicious. Stay here, a woman following her brother to matters like this would only arouse suspicion."


Before Yu Qi could protest, Jin qing stood up and walked over to the commanding officer. "Sir? I saw how finely your sword was made, and from my guess, you are from the great army of the land, yes?"

The man sat up straighter and nodded, coughing into his fist "Yes, yes! I am. I'm the third subordinate to one of the four major generals of this country- how can I help you?"

Jin qing took note of his unprofessional look, but sat down in front of him anyway. "my name is An Ping." Jin qing said, playing the part of middle class man. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Likewise."

"I'm so glad Im able to see you today." Jin qing talked in a low voice "You see, I have. Younger cousin, aged eighteen, who would like to join the army."

"Ah! That's great!" The man poured tea into a cup and passed it to her. "We are in need of soldiers, and a draft will be issued soon if no more volunteers come forth."

Jin qing watched his reaction carefully.
Why would he be the one who is pouring tea for her?

"Though, his parents are a little more skeptical about him." Jin qing tilted her head every so slightly "tell me, what is the army like? The conditions? I heard the first and great general Shen Feng went on a military campaign- my cousin wishes to join his division."

"Let me tell you- the Wei doesn't stand a chance." The man rolled his eyes "were crushing them in everything that we need to win. Our men are a disciplined and unstoppable force. We have not lost a single battle in a way that our losses didn't outnumber our gains."

"That's... impressive." Jin qing paused, pretending to be in awe "the war has dragged out for so long, yet the great Song has not suffered a sigh defeat?"

"Exactly." The man nodded "tell your cousin and all your male relatives to join! Young sir, you look well, tall and strong. Why don't you have a go too? If you survive the war and help us gain victory, you'll come home a hero!"

Jin qing chuckled "me? I'm not much of a fighter or a warrior. I was born with a limp, and I wouldn't be much use."

"Oh that doesn't matter! The army does not discriminate against physical ailments."

Jin qing smirked.
That goes one mistake made by the man.
"Thank you, but I'll tell my cousin and his parents what you have told me. Good day to you, sir."
Before Jin qing could stand up, the man spike again.

"Since your cousin wants to join under General Shen Feng's command, I suggest you wait till he comes back from his campaign toward the surround area of the Wei capital and sign up directly under him." The man said, "General Shen Feng has been planning this advance for a while now. He said that the weak nation would survive a constant stream of pressure while all around the surrounding countryside. Why knows what he might be planning?" He stood up first "I'll be leaving now. Remember, we are always grateful for all new recruits!"

Jin qing nodded and watched him leave the building. She stood up and walked back to Yu Qi with a smirk on her face.

The conversation may have been shorter than she'd liked, but she now knew some... key things about the army-
And what Shen Feng might be planning to do to the Wei.

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