Jin qing wasn't too concerned about how Tian Xiang was going to get in her room without Gui Fei's guards noticing. He is the emperor, something as trivial as going into some lady's room should be nothing too difficult. 
she laughed to herself. 

unless, of course, that unmarried lady just so happens to be the biggest threat to his reign. One of his biggest threats. Technically the fact that he doesn't have a legitimate heir is a problem. Huan le did say she's his consort but she really doesn't seem like it. 

However, Jin qing was most concerned about what might happen after Tian Xiang visits her. How in the world was she going to escape? It wasn't a part of the deal they made that Tian Xiang was going to help her, only that he wasn't going to try and stop her. 
Everything was going too well, even if Gui Fei decided to lock her in her room for the time being. Jin Qing isn't a child anymore, so something as trivial as this shouldn't be able to hold her back very well. 

But what's going to happen to her if she leaves her room? 
Gui Fei must have known something was coming, so placing such light security around her must be a bait for her to escape. 

She shivered, standing up and watching the door anxiously. Worrying wasn't going to get her anywhere, and if she can secure the support of the emperor... well, Gui Fei wouldn't be too much of an issue. 

<>

It was a little bit after midnight when she heard tapping against her door screen. Jin qing had nearly fallen asleep waiting for Tian Xiang, but she hurried to open the door. "Finally. I have been waiting for you for ages."

Tian Xiang, dressed in less conspicuous clothes, hurried in as Jin qing shut the door behind him. "Im sorry. Preparation took a little longer than i thought. Besides, I had to wait until the guards shifted duties for my guards to infiltrate and pretend to be Gui Fei's guards... that woman is very careful."

"You can always say that you'd think the emperor's guards will be more effective," Jin qing suggested "You're still emperor. You still have more authority over her."

He sat down with a heavy sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose as Jin qing poured them some tea so they don't fall asleep. "For now, anyway. Unless you can finally tell me if Gui Fei is planning a rebellion behind my back?"

"From what I can see?" Jin qing sat down in front of him, pulling her own cloak closer to herself "She's not planning a rebellion. I've asked and looked around the palace and the city- everyone seems to have an enormous amount of faith in you and your abilities."

"you've only investigated for a little less than a week."

"And that's all i need-" Jin qing stopped, looking up "What, you want me to make a through investigation? I'm not staying for that long."

"I know you're not. Anything else I need to keep in mind?"

"As far as i'm concerned, you have the trust of the people. Be careful of Shen Feng and his power of the army- that's where the real danger is. I haven't been in court, but I'm guessing you're going to fight a little war against Gui Fei and Huan le."

"You don't like court drama, do you?"

Jin qing laughed "Oh no. I hate dealing with the court. Put me in battle any day. Keep your people happy and make sure Shen Feng doesn't have too much control over the army. Maybe it's time for you to go out to the battlefield yourself and earn some respect."

"I've done so when I was a prince against the Liang. I'd like to think I still have some respect among the ranks."

"My, then you must have been very young when you lead! You only seem to be a few years older than me."

Tian Xiang took his eyes off Jin qing and leaned back, holding and sipping on the tea Jin Qing had poured for him "As a commander- I was no where near experienced enough to lead an entire army."

"Impressive enough." Jin qing answered "my... younger brother in the Wei was a commander under his older brother."

"General Kai feng?" Tian Xiang raised his eyebrow "I've heard about your fake family in the Wei from Huan le."

"of course you did..." she muttered under her breath bitterly. "They're not a fake family- i genuinely consider them to be my family. They all- or at least, most of them- treated me like family."

"That's because they don't know who you are."

Jin qing lifted her chin up in the air "i'm sure they'll think nothing less of me," she answered "Which brings me to the most pressing topic: my release." Jin qing stood up, putting her hands behind her back as she walked around "I know our agreement states that you're not going to assist me in any way, but I'd really appreciate it if you helped me- even more so than keeping a blind eye. You did break the deal in a certian way by allowing Gui Fei to see me-" She turned to him "Why are you so quiet? You are going to help me... right?"

Tian Xiang looked everywhere except for her eyes. 

Panic sized her heart. "Please tell me the reason why you're quiet is because I'm talking over you-" Jin qing sat down in front of him, leaning forward with her brows knitted together in worry "And not because you're not planning to help me."

he looked up after a moment of silence "Not just that- Im not planning to let you out at all, in fact."

Jin qing grabbed onto the collar of his robe and pulled him up "What do you mean you don't plan on letting me out-"

"You really thought I was going to let you out so freely?" Tian Xiang asked, gripping her wrist and wrenched it away from his collar, forcing her to release it "Thank you for your information and warnings, but I suggest you not trust anyone- much less an enemy- so easily."

"But you promised- we had a deal-"

"You really believed me? I've told you before- the war wasn't only Shen Feng and his mother's idea." Tian Xiang kept his grip tight, still clutching onto Jin Qing's wrist and holding it high in the air above her head "Pity- didn't think you were so hell bent on leaving."

Jin qing was ready to scold herself for trusting the enemy, but she was a little too occupied on trying to break free from Tian Xiang's grasp. "Why wouldn't- Why wouldn't I be?" She asked, keeping her voice steady "You've underestimated me. I'll never be loyal to a place that has kept the two people who ruined my life safe for all these years."

 Who knew a seemingly quite good-natured person like Tian Xiang had such strength hiding behind a desk and rolls of paper? It seems like he wasn't kidding when he said that he was a commander in his youth. 

With a sudden release, Jin qing was sent tumbling to the floor with the emperor of the song towering over her "Like I said- pity. It's an assurance that they're not going to rebel against me, though I should probably strip Shen Feng of his rank when he comes back- or limit his power in someway- then crush the Wei. Your help is greatly appreciated." He followed Jin qing's eyes as she stood back up with a sense of dignity that he grudging admired- even if there was a hint of fear behind that facade. 

"Fine," Jin Qing answered, dusting off her robes "You won't let me free then. What do you plan to do with me?"

"i'll throw you back in your cell, since you have no more use to me." Tian Xiang answered matter of factly.

"If I have no more use to you, why don't you kill me?" Jin Qing asked "you know i'll escape eventually no matter what you do. You still have something else planned for me, don't you?" 

A flicker of doubt seemed to pass Tian Xiang's eyes, which Jin qing managed to catch before it faded away. "Nothing at the moment, but I can't let a bargaining chip slip out of my hands so easily" 

"I'm no one's trading card." Jin Qing snapped "I'll sooner kill myself then let myself be used or let the Wei fall just because i'm stuck here." 

Tian Xiang somehow managed to laugh "Expected nothing less from the honorable Xue Xian."

"And here I am, thinking that you were an honorable man."

 "Am I not?" Tian Xiang asked, putting his hand to his chest in mock surprise "By keeping you in Song land, I'm keeping you safe from the fate that awaits you in the Wei. it's honorable for a gentleman to keep a lady safe."

Jin qing couldn't help but roll her eyes at his words "the fate that awaits me in the Wei? Tian Xiang, this isn't a play that you see acted out on stage. Nothing is going to happen to me. I'd think that I'm in more danger here since your 'protection' clearly isn't as effective as you claimed it to be."

 Tian Xiang, being a lot taller than Jin qing "What might happen when you leave?" 

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Gui Fei would demand me to expose your identity as the former empress of the fallen Liang- and the assassin who supposedly killed so many people- including important people from the Wei." He answered "I doubt even your impressive reputation would save you. You'll be in captive here, and you'll still be known in legacy as a savior in the Wei- and you won't die under my protection since you said Gui Fei isn't planning a rebellion here."


The problem isn't the fact that Jin Qing suddenly felt a lot more afraid of going back into the Wei- the problem was that Tian Xiang made sense. 
Everything else he had said Jin qing can at least try and argue with, but this? 

She somehow managed a light laugh  "you know who this reminds me of?"

"Hm?"

"Xi Jian. Emperor of the Wei." Jin qing answered "Why are you men so obsessed with keeping me safe?" This question seemed to catch him by surprise, something she relished in. "I am perfectly capable of keeping myself safe. I'd like to think that the my accomplishments and fame in the wei can still secure my spot- after all, Xi Jian needs me whether he cares to admit it or not. Since Gui Fei probably isn't planning a rebellion here- who knows if she will- I'll have to strengthen the Wei so you and Shen Feng doesn't crush it." 
if only she was a confident as she sounded. 
"Throw me in prison, do whatever you want to me." Jin qing told him "But I'll escape. You'll only delaying the inevitable."

Tian Xiang watched her as she spoke with a unnerving smirk on his face. "The Inevitable, huh?"

"Yes." Jin qing lifted up her chin "The inevitable. The Wei will stand stronger than the Song ever will as long as I have the title of the Xue Xian- and I'll make sure those who have wronged me will finally have their punishments dealt to them-" She faltered "why are you walking out? Face me like a man."

"Have a good night, Wu Xin." He laughed without turning back around "I'll face you some other time, but I have just remembered something I need to take care of... that may or may not affect you."

The confident expression on Jin qing's face fell as she followed Tian Xiang out "What- what do you mean?"

"Making sure that the people who have wronged the Song will finally have their punishments." Tian Xiang answered without stopping by the door "I think Yu Qi and the orphans have assisted you enough to be named as traitors, don't you think?" He glanced back before the doors closed on Jin qing's face "And traitors deserves death."

Hey everyone! Im back! (I hope)
Thank you for waiting so long for this update- and for 77k reads! 
Setting my sights up high, but at this point 100k is just a breaths away. 
I really want to do something special (q/a maybe?), but I've asked a few times already with little to no response. Drop ideas? questions?

Thank you again!!