There was nothing Jin Qing can do about how bored she was. 

Yes, she was technically pressed for time, but was there anything she can do while she was confined to her room? There was nothing for her to pass time with until Qiang An came to her with another letter, and trying to come up with a plan would be useless because she doesn't know what Qiang An is planning. 

Waiting. 
Jin qing hated waiting. 

This place was quickly starting to feel like the prison Gui Fei threw her in her youth and the one she just got out of less than a week ago. It looked nothing like it, but the feeling of being trapped was becoming more real by the second.  

She knew how limited time was. She knew how quickly she needed to get out. She knew all that yet she can do nothing about it but wait. There are so many things for her to prepare for once she gets back in the Wei and there would be no time for rest. In the absolute best-case scenario, it'll take her a few days to get back to the capital where she belongs if there aren't any interruptions along the way. 

It wouldn't hurt if I burn down a few more fields... if Tian Xiang hasn't already ordered a harvest to be done as quickly as possible to prevent any more losses. If he did that... well, there goes one step of my plan to try and cut off their food source even by a little bit. 

I'm sure I can manage the same steps somehow once I get back to the Wei. Everything depends on if I can get back into the Wei or not. I do not want to be stuck here for any longer than I need to. Even if the heavens bless the Wei with a miracle and Kai Feng or Shang ye or one of the competent generals I selected manages to defend the city, I do not want to be here over the winter. 

War cannot be fought during the winter, but I'll be vastly difficult for me to travel around... even if I was traveling alone...

Jin qing slapped her face to stop her mind from wandering. There was no question- she's going to get out of here alive. She's going to get Nian Zhen and Xiao wen and Yu qi out of here alive. All that would depend on Qiang An, and If he manages to get another message in before nightfall. 

The sound of a rock hitting and rolling across the wooden floor caught Jin Qing's attention, and she scrambled over to pick it up to inspect the note that was undoubtedly tied to it. Her eyes scanned over the words hastily scribbled onto it, crinkled by the weight of the rock and the hurry of how it must have been stuffed in his pocket. 

Hope peeked through as Jin Qing read the letter. It contained mostly about what he was planning and some extra information he managed to withhold- what time does the guards change, some escape routes she can take once she gets out of the palace, and of course the inevitable question... 

     Why is the emperor targeting you, Yu Qi, and the orphan siblings?

Jin qing read the note over again to imprint it into her mind and tossed it into the stove where it burned to ashes. 

There is no reason for him to know why. 
He's so loyal to Tian Xiang... what is he going to think of me if he finds out who I am and what I will undoubtedly do when I get back into the Wei?

Loyalty is a good thing... but for once I wish for someone to be disloyal for once. 
I'm sorry, Qiang an, but you're going to be helping the enemy tonight...

Jin qing took in a deep breath, watching the letter burn as she sat back down, tapping her fingers against the table impatiently. 
Aside from the hurdle that Qiang An might turn on her, everything felt too easy. Everything had felt too easy for a very long time, almost as if the universe was taking it's time to draw their bow and release the sharpest arrow at her when she least expects it. 

Her life had been nothing but struggles and secrets. 
She struggled as a child to stay alive and carry out missions for Gui Fei. She struggled to keep her country afloat after the rebellion- watching it collapse under her and forcing her to flee. 
What did she get when she fled to the Wei?

Secrets. 
She struggled to keep her identity a secret- both as the Xue Xian and as Wu Xin. She struggled against Huan le and her Mother's plots against her to ruin her non-existent reputation and keep the family of the first wife in the spotlight. She struggled to maintain the stability of a kingdom for two emperors that were never really suited for war. 

Why would the world hold back now?

Jin qing looked up, sighing. Why did the world allow Qiang An to send messages so easily inside? her room should be even more heavily guarded than the emperors at the moment. There weren't nearly as enough guards to surround her, and Tian Xiang would hold back no men to guard her and prevent her from leaving. 

It was almost like... it was almost like he wanted her to leave. 

But why would he want that? 

<><><>

It was nighttime, and Jin qing was getting a little anxious. 
Qiang An had said in his note that he was going to come and get her after the sun sets when some parts of the palace will only be lit up by the moon so it'll be easier to hide her- but he never actually said what he was going to do. 

What was he planning?

Jin qing knew too little of him to really judge how well can he make plans and such, but there was nothing she can do except to trust him and whatever he's planning- and improvise on the way if something went wrong. 
It's not her preferred way of doing things, but it's not like she'll have much of a choice. 

She was getting used to the schedule of the guards. They'll come in every two hours to check on her if she was still there and still alive, and they would come in every six hours to give her food. It was a little funny to think that either Tian Xiang or Gui Fei was being nice to her and actually feeding her despite the obvious advantage of weakening her by refusing her food... but they would never catch her complaining about being fed in some amount. It was always some crude wheat pancakes and a pitcher of water- nothing fancy, but it filled her up to some extent and definitely worked to keep her from starving. 

By the time the next bi-hourly inspection came at around midnight, Jin Qing was almost ready to fall asleep and assume Qiang An got caught up on something and pick her up tomorrow night... but something a little more unexpected happened. 

She was sitting by the table, her appearance and the room around her not exactly neat nor presentable- but why would she tidy herself up for the enemy? They barely paid attention to her anyway- they would always just search the area a little, search her to some extent, and then leave. The process took no more than fifteen minutes, and they would come back in two hours. 

As soon as the two guards stepped into the room and closed the door behind them, one guard struck the other one in the stomach before snatching their helmet and whacking him in the back of the head with it. 

Jin qing stared at the body as it fell to the floor, looking up at the guard who had just knocked the other one out. "Qiang an?" She said, raising an eyebrow. 

"I'm sorry, but we don't have much time..." He said, looking a little flustered "Can you please put on the armor? Quickly? I was planning to get you out of here another way but those guards pay more attention than you think... You're about the same height as him. I never liked him anyway- can you please hurry-?"

Jin qing wondered why he was so flustered, and only realized why when she knelt down to take the armor and the outer garments off the guard that he just knocked out that she realized what she was still in sleepwear. 
Oh well. The thin material means she'll be able to slip on the outer garments a lot easier since she can just use them as undergarments, and she quickly dipped into the back of the room to change before hurrying back out so Qiang An can help her assemble herself into the armor itself. "how much time do you think we have before the guards outside starts getting suspicious?"

"I don't think we have much longer... how long do they usually take in here?"

"fifteen minutes?"

"Then maybe we can drag it to twenty. We can always say that we couldn't find you or something and had to search around just in case you escaped somehow. We'll have an hour before the alarms start to ring." Qiang An tightened the strap on her shoulders and grabbed the helmet for her "Why is the emperor targeting you anyway? There's nothing you've done wrong."

Jin qing paused and turned around. "How much faith do you have in the emperor?"

"Enough not to question his judgment if he had the reason to support his actions. Why is he targeting you? Have you done anything?"

"You will help me, right?" She asked "You're the only person here that has the capability to help me. Please, Qiang An. They're going to kill us if you don't."

There was a slight pause before Qiang An out the helmet on her head "We're wasting time. I'll help you. Yu Qi has always been kind to me and I don't want to see Nian Zhen and Xiao Wen executed along with you two. Quickly, follow me." 


Jin qing followed him out of the front door, her heart pounding wildly underneath her armor. She stood incredibly still as Qiang An gave his fake report and false reasons why they took a little longer than expected when they asked, only moving to salute and walk when prompted. 
She felt incredibly guilty for lying to Qiang An, but feeling guilty and telling the truth won't get her out of here- in fact, it might end up doing the opposite. He might have his own reasons for helping her... but where would his loyalties lie in the end?  

There was no time to worry about that now. She was on her way out of here. 








A/N
Thank you again for waiting so long for an update!
See you all next chapter! :D