Thank you for 100k! Wattpad really boosted the reach for a few weeks and helped us push through the biggest milestone so far-- right in time for my birthday!
so I'd thought to update early as a small celebration (since I never know what to do for milestones.) 
Many thanks to the new and old readers alike! Now enjoy the chapter with the funny number :D

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Jin qing needed to get out of there before the guards overwhelmed her. 
She had the element of surprise on her hands and that definitely brought her a few seconds, but ultimately it was only a few seconds. 

There was no time to waste. 

After landing on the floor, she charged out the door, ducking underneath the two guards at the door that tried to stop her by crossing their spears in front of her. 
When that didn't work, they simply left their posts at Xi Jian's command and joined the already numerous amounts of people chasing her. 

A part of Jin qing felt honored that Xi Jian had prepared so many people to chase after one person, but she didn't have time to take it all in. She needed to figure out a way to get out without inviting any more guards to chase after her. 

There was no way for her to try that suicide trick again as she pulled on Tian Xiang-- unlike him, Xi Jian wanted her dead. 

Jin qing leaped down the descending stairs that lead up to the palace, taking advantage of the fact she wasn't wearing armor to roll and spread out her fall. It hurt, yes, but it was nothing compared to the pain if she got stabbed. 

The guards at the bottom of the steps had taken the notice of the army chasing her, and approached her with pointy weapons with the intent to capture her-- alive or dead. 

Jin qing didn't stop running and brandished her sword with a yell.

The guards are still human and are still susceptible to human emotions, and Jin qing can only guess how terrified they must have felt when they saw the infamous goddess of blood charging at them with full force. 

In one swift movement, Jin qing grabbed onto one spear and snapped it easily with her foot, swinging the sharp end around at face level to force the guards to step back and create the smallest of a gap between them. Without hesitation, Jin qing dropped the broken spear and kept on running. 

It would take forever if she dealt with each of the guards one at a time. All she needed to do was to disarm whoever was in her way and go on with her day. She was aware of the fact that those two guards were now closer to her and more likely to catch her, which meant that she needed to go somewhere with lots of twists and turns for her to duck under...

Thankfully, Xi Jian had forced her to stay in the palace for a little while, and all the walks her maids forced her to take allowed her to know the palace well-- perhaps even better than the guards. 

So, with some reluctance, she turned a few tight corners and ran for her old room. There was no way she would be able to run forever, and the palace was far too large for her to leave in one go. If her room and the area around it were left relatively untouched... well, at least there she would be somewhere familiar and might shake off some of the guards with all the different directions she could have run.


"Second... sister?"

Jin qing nearly stopped in her tracks, her head spinning towards the sound of the familiar voice. 

Xue Hua's jaw was dropped open in an extremely unladylike way, but it was clear she didn't expect to see Jin qing as she was now-- that is, in dirtied clothing and running for her life. She seemed well-- a little thinner and not dressed as well as she usually would be, but looked healthy. 

"What's--"

Jin qing grabbed onto her hand and dragged her inside her old room. "hide!"

Thank goodness Xue Hua had always been an obedient child because she immediately followed her into the room and shut the door behind them as Jin qing looked for a place that could fit the two of them. 

Jin qing threw open a closet door and pushed Xue Hua inside before getting in and closing the door just as the sound of footsteps pounded outside. 
Her heart raced, trying to take deep but quiet breaths to calm herself down. She knew Xue Hua was staring at her with wide eyes, but any sound they made would have alerted the people outside of their presence. 

Judging from the relatively light footsteps, Jin qing guessed that the crowd of guards had split up at the numerous crossroads to get to her room. Thankfully, none of them thought to check inside and hurried on. 

When the outside grew silent, the two tumbled out of the tight space and collapsed on the floor. The only difference is that Xue hua stayed there catching her breath while Jin qing shot to her feet and began poking around her old room. 

"Second-- I, wait, I shouldn't be calling you that anymore--"

"Call me whatever you like. I'm sorry you have to see me this way and in such a rush--"

"No!" Xue Hua shook her head, rushing to her side. "What are you looking for? Just tell me what you need and I'll help you look. Are those men chasing you? Will you be okay?"

Jin qing paused for a moment, taking one hard look at someone she genuinely considered to be her sister, and almost broke down in tears. 
Sweet, Xue Hua! She didn't even think to ask any of those questions she must have had in her mind and instead chose to help and follow her without a second of hesitation despite what she must have heard about her. 

How much slander and how many insults had she had to suffer through all because she was her 'sister'? Even so, she didn't seem to harbor any resentment again her. 

Instead of crying, Jin qing chose to give her a hug for a few seconds before pulling away. 

"I'm not looking for anything in particular," she answered, pretending nothing had happened. "I'm just looking for whatever valuables I can perhaps take with me so I can sell them later on."

Xue hua nodded. "where are you going? will you be alright?"

"the emperor continues to be an idiot and is currently hunting me down, so I'll be going to the safest place in the world." Jin qing scooped up a few hairpins and jewels she never used from a drawer and stuffed them in a bag. "They'll never find me there."

"Will you be alright?" she repeated. 

Jin qing patted Xue hua's shoulder. "I'll be alright," she assured her. "You know where to find me if the country tears itself apart."

Xue Hua held onto Jin qing's hand, her eyes clear with worry. "I'll come and look for you soon," she promised, taking her hand off her shoulder gently. "If the emperor is hunting for you, get out of here safe! I'll find my way out myself."

"Good girl," Jin qing smiled. "The next time you see him, give Kai Feng my thanks!"

<><><>

Now that all the personal guards had passed, there was just a little less danger running around the palace trying to dodge those who were still loyal to Xi Jian. They were obviously looking for her still, but whoever saw her was quickly dealt with or avoided. 

Jin qing wasn't surprised when a small group of soldiers caught her attention by saluting, signaling that they were loyal to her and is willing to help her leave the capital. she hurried to their side, which she was delightfully informed that the guards at the gate had told Yu qi and the children to put some distance between themselves and the capital in fear that the emperor's men would try and arrest them. 

However, she was surprised at how prepared they were. As soon as they caught her attention, she was lead to a horse and was handed a veiled hat that would allow her to travel quickly through the entirety of the capital and race out to the walls. Apparently Kai feng had ordered them to prepare as soon as she left the hall so they would be ready when they found her. 

"We can bring you out of the city with ease, Xue xian," The solider assured her confidently as she quickly mounted the horse. "The emperor does not control the men by the gates, and each of us is willing to die for you at a moment's notice."

Jin qing was shocked at their dedication and loyalty toward her. "You don't need to risk your lives for my sake!"

He saluted. "I was one of the men in the army that you rescued by exchanging yourself to the Song those months ago. My brothers and I owe you our lives-- this is nothing." he slapped the horse's side, urging her to go. "Our loyalty lies with you. Now go! Your men awaits your return!"

Left with no other way to express her gratitude except to quickly thank him for his loyalty, Jin qing exited the palace and dove into the streets of the capital. There were plenty of curious stares and a lot of scrambling to get out of her path from the citizens living there, but Jin qing was far too focused on getting out to care. 

She wondered if Xi jian was aware of the amount of soldiers that were supposedly working under him that were actually loyal to her. Shang ye and Kai feng definitely knows-- after all, they were the one who brought her to that massive show of gratitude by the army when she arrived back in the Wei the first time she was captured. 
Kai feng was obviously loyal to her as well, but what about Shang ye? 

Thinking of him made Jin qing's blood boil. He had the audacity not to speak up throughout that entire meeting when his opinion and support might have swayed anyone to her side. If he didn't say anything while she was there, did he even say anything to his brother when he got back? 

Jin qing knew that Shang ye sometimes had a hard time thinking for himself, but she thought he was improving! He was going on military campaigns and winning battles in situations where he'd had no one to rely on except himself, he was talking to her when he knew that his brother had feelings for her, and--

Feelings. 

The princesses had once told her that the two most powerful had feelings for her. 
One is blinded by his own pride to see her as an equal, and the other held back back his cowardice to protect her in the face of authority. 

Perhaps it was wrong of her to believe that Shang ye was improving and growing into his own self. Perhaps his choices had always been his brothers, just being pulled behind the curtains.  After all-- she was only guessing what might have been happening behind closed doors.  

Even her guesses can be wrong sometimes. 

Time flies when your mind is occupied with thoughts, and Jin qing arrived at the gates. 

It was still open, much to her delight. After all-- there were still hours before sunset when all the merchants would have packed up shop for the day. There weren't even any of Xi jian's personal guards standing by the gates, hinting at his false judgement to assume all the men in the capital would be loyal to him. 

The men only gave her a single signal of pounding their spears against the ground as she flew past, showing their support and silently wishing for her safety. 

She was going somewhere safe alright. 

"Yu qi!" 

Yu qi seemed to have been ready for her arrival. "Your highness! The men at the gates ushered me out of the area. Is it true-?" 

"The two heirs leading are idiots and that entire kingdom is beyond help. We need to leave quickly before they can begin to think I somehow got out of the capital."

"Then where do we go from here?" Nian Zhen looked at her fearfully, holding onto her brother's hand. "You've been insistent that the Wei would accept you and we'll be stable there. Where are we going now?"

Jin qing's answer to her was the same as the one she told Xue hua. 

"We need to leave quickly-- follow me." she repeated. "We're going to the safest place I know."