"What's with such the hurried conversation?" Yu Qi asked, walking a little faster to catch up with Jin Qing's hurried speed. "I'd thought the conversation with the recruiter would take a little longer."

"So did I." Jin qing answered "But he seemed to be in a hurry to go somewhere and I got what I needed and wanted to know. Besides..." She smirked and patted her chest pocket were a paper package crinkled "I brought myself some sweets."

Yu Qi laughed "Oh you'll never change. Of course, you'll buy some sweets while you're at it."

"Why, who do you think I am?"

"But..." Yu Qi trailed off "You got what you needed just from that short conversation? You never cease to amaze me. Are you sure you're younger than me?"

"I'm sure."

Yu qi seemed to be having a hard time remembering that she is supposed to be a lady walking with her brother. She constantly had to watch and mind her steps, always staying rather close to Jin qing. "What do you want to do now? Do you want to head back?"

"im not too busy today, are you?"

"No, nothing much."

"Then accompany me around. I want to see the state of the city..." Jin qing mumbled under her breath "How the people are living is an important way to see how stable the country is... And not to be blinded by the whims and the advantages of the rich."

Just how wealthy were the upperclassmen compared to the poor and the slaves?

That was one question so many people overlook. They always look at how poor is the peasants, but never the comparison.
In every balanced society, there will always be a need for servants to support the kingdom as a whole. There's no point in destroying the lower class entirely- that would be pointless. Instead, a kingdom should be striving toward a balance where the workers are willing to do what the state requires because they know they won't starve under the protection of the emperor.

Tian Xiang seemed to be smart enough to avoid making any economic problems, considering how vast the Song's trade network was.

Jin qing knew Shen Feng must be managing military affairs, and Gui Fei governing over the court. It would only suit their style that way.

That did get her thinking.

After I exiled them from the Liang, they must have fled to the Song. But how did they get such high positions?

The previous emperor died roughly eight or nine years ago, which does leave the possibility of the two gainings his trust and then assassinating him and is now using Tian Xiang as a pawn. But Tian Xiang doesn't act like one, on the contrary, he seems to be quite confident in himself other than the fear of having a rebellion overthrowing him. Shen Feng and Gui Fei, as far as I'm concerned, have no talent in managing an extensive trade system, and eight years of poor management would have been enough to send it crashing down.

Or are all three of them working together? And Tian Xiang only let me out as part of a bigger plan?

Jin qing looked around as the thought, taking note of the change in both architectural style and material of the buildings. While the houses and buildings in the obvious wealthy parts of the city were made of stone and elaborately painted, the buildings in the area they were walking in smelled of rotting wood and-

Jin qing almost gagged at the sudden stench of waste and something rotting as they passed an alleyway, which cleared as soon as they passed it.

"Yu Qi- How long have we been walking?" She asked, looking around. The streets clearly showed that they weren't in the poorest areas yet, as there were still many stalls and markets with people still shopping.

"Around half an hour..." Yu Qi turned her head back, trying to identify the source of the smell. "We're in the commoner's area, beyond this would be the red light district and then the back gate to exit the city and into the countryside and farms."

Half an hour?

Jin qing looked around, trying to find anything amiss with the area. But as she suspected, there isn't much to be observed just at eye's level.

"You seemed spaced out before." Yu Qi noted "I didn't want to bother you then, but what are you thinking of now? Your short interaction with the commander perhaps?"

"Partially. He did do and say a few things that stuck to me as odd."

"I wasn't with you. Care to elaborate?"

Jin qing frowned, trying to think of a way to put her thoughts into a comprehensible sentence. "Say, for example, when you're having tea with someone, who would be the one pouring the tea into the cup?"

"Usually the one who is lower either in age or social status." Yu Qi seemed to think about this for a brief second "I saw that- he was the one who poured tea into your cup when it really should have been the other way around. A man at his standing is higher than you- a random well-dressed person from some unknown family." she nodded "You're right, that is odd, but why would that be anything of interest?"

"I may be overthinking this, but doesn't that show the state of the military?"

"Wu Xin, you don't ever overthink things- you're normally spot on. But go on."

"Well, if the military and the army is as great and is winning as many battles as he claimed, why wouldn't he be the dominant side of the conversation?" She pointed out "It means he's going on the persuasive side. He's trying his hardest for me to invite whoever into the army because they're running out of men- Shen Feng's campaign is bleeding the army's manpower dry."

"Ah, his legendary lightning advance to the capital?"

Jin qing chuckled "Advance? No, more like charge ."

"What do you mean?"

"It's his style, and I think I know what he's planning to do." Jin qing sighed "He's putting pressure on the Wei army by targeting the capital. One of the Wei armies will have to direct their attention to him, and if my guess is right, he'll probably have another waiting army crush the area the Wei left undefended."

If worst comes to worst, the Wei would have to divert their own advance to stop his more aggressive campaign. It would stop Shen Feng, but that would be at the cost of their own plan going to waste.

"Even more reason for you to go back to the Wei, huh?"

"Exactly. Not because people might not catch up on what Shen Feng is planning, but perhaps I can ease the tension of spreading generals and armies too thin..."

"How long do you think you have?"

Jin qing shrugged "how long will it take for Shen Feng to move close enough to the capital? That will be how long I'll have."

"So not too long." Yu Qi said "I've been hearing that his charge is slowing down. You're probably right- he's running out of manpower."

"All he has to do then is just to get more men by the draft." Jin qing said quickly "it would take them some time to train them to military quality, so I'll say I have at most a month and a half."

"A month and a half to start a rebellion of some sort?" Yu Qi chuckled "that's not a lot of time."

Jin qing knew that. To start a proper rebellion, especially one that starts after she leaves all within a month sounds a little impossible.

"When do I ever have enough time?" Jin qing sighed, "it always seems I'm racing against in some way. But I guess the world can't give me everything I need-"

Jin qing was interrupted when a door to their right slammed open with a crash.

Two apples rolled across the ground from the door and stopped by Jin Qing's feet.

"And don't you ever come back here again! You thieves!" A man shouted, kicking two children in ragged clothing out those doors. "Don't let me see you ever again!"

He slammed the door shut as those two children scrambled to their feet.

The girl ran toward Jin qing, scooping down low to grab the apples on the ground, looking up briefly at Jin qing, locking eyes.

Jin qing didn't try to stop her and stepped back so the little girl can make her escape into the crowd with the younger boy in tow.
She looked up at the window of the store the two children just ran out from to watch and listen to the owner continue cursing about the thievery.

This is the middle-class section, huh?

Jin qing nudged Yu Qi's arm. "Let's follow those two kids. Did you see where they went?"

"Somewhere behind us." Yu Qi turned around "why?"

"I want to ask those children a few questions." Jin qing answered. "Quickly, before they get too far."

She had gotten a few questions answered about the military, but what about the well-being of the people?

There will be no better group to ask about poverty than the impoverished themselves.

Yu Qi nodded and lead Jin Qing through the crowds, both of them looking around to see if they can spot those two children.

It took a while, but Jin qing wasn't exactly surprised when they ended back in the foul-smelling alleyway from before. They hadn't paid too much attention to this before- as they didn't see anything that would pique their interest, but what they didn't see before was the two children, huddled in the back and away from the bustling streets of the public.

Jin qing took out the white paper packaging filled with sweets she had brought from the tea shop. "Yu Qi, when we get there, I want you to give these to them."

"Ah, to gain their trust?"

"Well, wouldn't two well-dressed noblemen arouse suspicion?" Jin qing asked "Besides, you're a lady. I know you have a soft side, after all, you were the one who played by me when I was a child."

"All so there will be a contrast between you and I. Of course. Save your words."

Yu qi took the packaging and placed it in her pocket, and walked into the alleyway first.

The two children were eating the apples they had stolen from the shop before and looked up in alarm when they saw Jin qing and Yu Qi.

The little girl immediately backed up so she was shielding the boy, watching them closely and carefully.

Jin qing cleared her throat, reminding herself that she was dressed as a man. "Sister, these two are the kids that caused that shopkeeper some trouble earlier." She said in a more serious tone.

The girl's eyes widened in panic and shook her head vigorously. "N-No! We aren't! We really aren't-"

Yu qi laughed, her entire demeanor changing instantly into something more cheerful. "Oh, brother. Calm down- they aren't criminals of any sort- they're children."

"Children or not-"

"younger brother, hush." Yu Qi smiled and took out the packet of sweets and held It out to the children "Don't pay him any attention. He's just grumpy that he didn't get any sweets to eat, but you two look like you haven't gotten anything filling in a long time."

The little girl's eyes flickered back and forth from Yu qi and Jin qing, watching and studying them carefully.

She reminded Jin qing of herself when she was younger and on the run. Always watching those who seemed to be too suspiciously willing to her. But somewhere behind that dirty and ragged appearance was a spark of intelligence.

After all- with her physical form and age, she and her younger brother wouldn't have gotten through that thievery through strength alone. The little girl seemed to know more than she seemed, and that's why Jin qing decided to find her and her younger brother.

If her suspicions about this girl's knowledge were correct, she could come to use her in the future.

Jin qing watched the little girl. Now... how will you respond to Yu QI?

Sorry everyone for the late update!
I didn't get to finish this chapter on time, and finished it just now.

Updates probably won't go back to normal as once a week for a while, so sorry again!

I'll probably post notices on updating schedule on my page if I ever need to delay anything, so I guess check there is I magically poof off into the world of life for too long.

I'll see you all in two weeks!