Jin Qing watched the two siblings sleep, tucking the blankets around them a little more lest they get cold. 

The boy had slept through that afternoon and the entire night, and the little girl had fallen asleep next to him after finding herself too tired to stay awake. 

The morning sun peeked through the silk curtains, which Jin qing quickly drew over so the light of the sun wouldn't wake the kids up. 

 
Slipping on a jade green dress, Jin qing quickly tied threw on a simple white jacket over to provide some protection against the harsh late-summer sun. 
It would be autumn before she knew it, the period where the previous year's harvest would run out and the people would have to rely on this year's harvest to survive through the winter. 

Jin qing placed two bowls of porridge and a few light breakfast dishes in the wooden box, placing it next to the fire so it would stay warm for the children to eat. 

Though she didn't want to leave the two alone, she knew she mustn't be distracted from her ultimate goal. 
She turned her head back at them, making sure they were sleeping soundly. 

Watching and taking care of someone younger than me, talking so low and so softly... It reminds me of my life in the Wei. 

I wonder how is Xue Hua doing? I know Bai yan and Ye Bing will be alright and in good hands in that countryside home, but they all must be worried sick to find out I've been captured. 

There's no need for worrying. I'll be back soon, leaving this kingdom to burn behind me.

Jin qing stood there, lingering a little longer in her thoughts. 
She snapped out of it when the boy shifted for the first time, waking up in a coughing fit. Dropping all of her thoughts, Jin qing hurried over to him and sat by his bed, gently rubbing on his back to ease the coughing. She pressed the back of her other hand to his forehead and was relieved to find that it has cooled. 

"Are you feeling better?" 

The boy looked up at her with a confused expression. "Who are- who are you-"

Jin qing smiled, patting the boy's head "My name is Jin qing. My friend and I brought you and your sister from the alleyway to my home to treat your fever." She glanced over at Nian Zhen, and the boy followed her gaze "Your sister fell asleep after staying up. Are you feeling any better?"

The boy nodded, still staring at her. "You... You look like the man at the alleyway-"

Jin qing laughed, amused at how that was his next question despite all the other things he could have asked her just now "That's a question for your sister. She'll explain more when she wakes up."

"Are you... Are you going anywhere?" He asked, clutching at her soft silk dress with his small and bony hands. 

She smiled softly "I need to go outside to run some errands. Don't worry, I'll be back soon."

"Can I come with you?"

Jin qing found it interesting that the little boy would trust her so quickly. She shook her head "No, you're still a bit sick. It'll be better if you stay inside." She answered "Go back to sleep and snuggle in with your sister. I'll be back before you know it."

She knew she couldn't ask Yu Qi again. Though Yu qi had helped her with so much, she couldn't neglect her own duties in the court. 

"Okay..."

"Good boy." Jin qing stood up and tucked the little boy in. "I'll bring you two snacks when I come back, alright?"

The boy grinned sleepily and nodded. 

Jin qing's smile vanished as soon as she left the room. She wanted to see Tian Xiang first and give him some news so it would seem that she's at least doing something to uphold her side of the deal. She also wanted to tell him about the two kids, and she knew she wouldn't take no as answer concerning if those kids are allowed to stay. 

Tian Xiang seemed to be upholding his side of the agreement rather well. She hasn't even seen Gui Fei all this time, and Shen Feng was away on that campaign. 
He had kept her safe just as he promised. 

Goodness, what is that man planning? I should be enjoying this sense of safety, but I can't help but be worried that he'll turn against me. I got here much too easily, what does he want with me?

 If today goes well, I want to go and see the state of their military. If all of the Song soldiers are like the ones that held me captive the first time around... Well, this would be much easier for me. 

There has to be a disciplined force, and that's probably the one Shen Feng is using. He wouldn't settle for anything less than strength, but what about the rest of the army? 

Jin qing almost wandered into the hall with her heads in the clouds if she didn't pass by the guards in the front. She quickly got past them, as they didn't try to stop her. 

Tian Xiang seemed to be waiting for her when she walked in and stood up from his throne at the end of the hall "I heard you weren't in the palace almost all of yesterday." 

"I couldn't have done my job properly if I just stayed in the palace all day, could I?" She teased "If you do find a way to, please let me know."

"You're more of the type of person to stay inside, aren't you?"

"Yes, but not exactly."

She preferred the peace and quiet of the home, but she too wanted to be free. 

"So? Why'd you come?" He asked, stepping down from his throne "Let us take a walk. I have a feeling you and I have more words than we'd think."

Jin qing played along with it, not bothering to curtsey as he walked past her. "How so?"

"It's been a while since you've been let out. Surely you'd have some kind of plan and information by now?"

Jin qing laughed "How highly do you think of me?"

"Better that than underestimating someone. I've heard of your feats before and know what you are capable of."

"Then you're quite right." Jin qing said with a sly smile "I do have a plan, and I do have some information."

"Then-"

"Ah, not yet." Jin qing interrupted him before he could get the chance to speak. She knew that if she gave him any information now, he wouldn't listen to her about the two children she had brought in from the streets. 

Tian Xiang looked aghast that anyone would dare to interrupt him, but gestured his hand in permission for her to speak. 

"First, I brought in two orphans into my room." 

"And so?"

"Will you allow then to stay?"

"What are the uses of the two orphans?"

No wonder they're so wary of the wealthy. Though I'm no better myself as I'm using them as my source of information, Tian Xiang most certainly is more direct. 'What are the uses of the two orphans?' They're human too, not objects that you can use to your liking. 

"I can't feel bad for them?" Jin qing frowned, hiding her thoughts expertly "Two orphans like them would have starved or taken ill and died on the streets."

"Of course you can," Tian said quickly "but knowing you, you probably have some kind of hidden motive for bringing them in."

"I'm terribly sorry to disappoint you, but I have no other motive other than the simple idea of saving a few innocent lives." Jin qing lied "So? Are you going to allow me to keep them?"

"Until they cause trouble."

"I'll make sure they behave, don't worry."

The two passed by a garden, blooming with flowers late to the summer season. The air held damp with water and the impending heaviness of storm.

Tian Xiang lead the way, with Jin qing following behind him. "What else have you come to tell me?" he asked "Anything else? Have you found anything else that may actually interest me?"

Jin qing chuckled "Stop talking like that. You sound much more serious than you actually are." Her fingers passed and brushed over the pots of flowers and herbs, plucking a fully-bloomed one from the stem and held it out to Tian Xiang "Here, take this."

Tian Xiang reached out, taking the flower and spun it around between his first finger and his thumb as the sides of his lips tugged in a smile. "What for?"

"What, I can't take something and give it to you?" Jin qing frowned "I don't see you as an emperor, so I'm not exactly going to go out of my way to treat you as one until you've earned my respect. Take the flower, it matches your robes."

"Alright, so it does." Tian Xiang tucked the flower into the sash by his waist and looked up "But back to the subject at hand, do you have anything else you want to tell me? Anything you've noticed? I've kept up my side of the bargain, I trust that you haven't see Gui Fei lately."

"And her son is on that legendary campaign, I've heard." Jin qing smirked, "One that I'll stop as soon as I get back."

"That's never going to happen if you keep on diverting the subject away from my question."

"And if I'm diverting the subject away, then it should be obvious that I don't think Gui Fei is going to be having the rebellion she wants anytime soon." Jin qing answered, despite the irony of her trying to start one herself. 

Tian Xiang breathed a sigh of relief "That's excellent. How did you know?"

"I don't know."

"Hm?"

"I've taken a walk through town." She said with a shrug "Everything seems rather normal. Everyone who can afford it is fed, everyone who can afford it has a roof over their heads, nothing that really sticks out as something that can lead to a fast rebellion." with a smirk, she turned her head over to Tian Xiang "I'd hate to admit this, but you're doing a rather good job on the home front while Shen Feng is off risking his neck." 

"Thank you, if that was meant as a compliment."

"It can be." She smiled "If you take it as one."

"I'll admit that war isn't my level of expertise." Tian Xiang looked up at the sky, dotted with clouds that ruined the painting of a perfect blue sky "Shen Feng can take that field. I'll worry more about keeping it so that war doesn't break out in the home. If you wage war outside while there is conflict within, you have already lost."

Jin qing stared at him, partially in awe at how much he made it sound like a common thing all men should know. "That's... quite wise of you."

"My methods can be improved, as I can't see everything that happens under the sun." He looked down at the stone path with a sorrowful expression "I have many people assisting me. It isn't my place to take all the credit." 

"Are you sure you aren't eighty years old in disguise?"

Tian Xiang laughed "No, I'm in my mid-twenties and I'm sure of that. Why?"

"I'm pretty sure the emperor of the Wei can't even bring himself to admit what you just said."

"That's high praise."

"It is." 

"Are you going to address me by my proper title now?"

Jin qing smirked, "Only occasionally, emperor Tian Xiang."