Jin qing could not sleep that night. How can she after realizing how foolish she has been?

How could she not have noticed this earlier? Now, countless of lives would be costed because of her elementary mistake.

Bai yan and Ye bing understood partly what their miss is going through. They worried for her, however. Their miss had a unhealthy habit of blaming herself if anything went wrong on her account, no matter how small was her contribution. As long as she was part of it, she felt responsible.

Even serving their miss for seven years, they still never understood why. They knew that their miss was sent to the countryside at birth because of her status, and returned only for eight years, but the details they never knew.

They looked up to their miss as a elder sister. Her return has saved them from the streets, and the emperor himself trained them to be her maid and unofficial bodyguard.

They thanked their miss for that, and vowed to stay by her side.

The next morning, while their miss is still asleep, Bai yan and Ye bing went out their way to try and give their miss a good breakfast.

They came back dejected, only carrying a bowl of congee and a few steamed buns. All the good breakfast has been reserved for the royal family and the legitimate daughters of Li's family.
The only difference between their miss' meals and the servants is that there was some chopped spring onions sprinkled ontop of the congee.
Bai yan and Ye bing was furious.

They came back and helped dress their somber miss. They pushed the simple breakfast to her, and Jin qing picked up the only two steamed buns and gave it to them.

"You girls eat as well. I dont want you two hungry" Jin qing said softly.

"No! We arent hungry, you eat too!" Bai yam exclaimed.

"You better take these before my hands get tired."

Noticing how their miss wont be giving up anytime soon, they took it reluctantly and bit into it.

"Miss? You can stop worrying about the attack that night. It wasnt your fault. You can't foresee everything." Ye bing said.

Jin qing put her spoon down.

"It doesnt mean we can let our guard down. Eat, before it gets cold"

Jin qing didnt want to tell them the things that are in mind now. If she did, they'll be even more worried than they should be.

"Hunting again miss?" Bai yan asked cheerfully

"No"

Both maids looked up in surprise. "No? Why not?" Ye bing asked.

"I dont feel like it today. Besides, look what happened yesterday. I dont want to get caught up in the highness' business."

Bai yan and Ye bing looked at each other. They knew their miss is tired and most likely didnt sleep well last night.

"Alright, you rest then." Bai yan nodded.

Jin qing slowly walked back to her bed and laid down. She ws basically fully dressed, so she just laid down and put her head to her pillow and tried to rest.

Bai yan and Ye bing moved lightly and softly. Their miss is a light sleeper, so one went out and did the chores and one stayed inside.

Ye bing stayed inside and sewed up a small tear in her miss' hunting robes. She often glanced back to check on her miss to see if she was still sleeping soundly. And from the looks of it, she was.

Bai yan, on the other hand, was outside- the front face of the bombarding questions.

First, a lot of the servants asked her questions about her ever hiding miss. Then its was why her miss was so good at archery.
The questions didn't end, and Bai yan tried to best to answer them as well as she can.

Then the highness Xi jian approached her and asked where was Jin qing.

"Greetings to the Highness" Bai yan said softly, "Miss is at her tent resting. She is exhausted from yesterday."

"That's exactly why I came to ask you." Xi jian nodded. "She usually doesn't talk much, and I was wondering if all the commotion made her tired. Tell her I apologized."

"I will."

"What do you have there?" He asked, pointing to a basket Bai yan is holding.

"It's my miss' lunch. She didn't get to eat much for breakfast. I would like to make it up to her by bringing her something good for lunch."

"It's nearly noon. Here, lets go to her tent together."

"Oh! Your highness! Theres no need for that!"

Xi jian laughed. "I would like to. I'm bored alone when I'm not hunting. Besides, your miss is good company."

"Then let me lead the way." Bai yan said.

Bai yan, holding the food basket, opened the tent flap for Xi jian and allowed him to go in first.

Ye bing looked up and set down the clothes she was mending. "Greetings to the highness!"

"Where's Jin qing?"

"She's resting. I was going to wake her up when Bai yan came back with the food. I'll go wake her up now. Have a seat!" Ye bing said, smiling.

Ye bing swiftly walked over to her miss and shook her awake. Before her miss can say anything, Ye bing said softly. "The highness Xi jian is here."

Jin qing's eyes snapped open and stood up straight. "What's he doing here?" She asked softly.

"I don't know! Bai yan came back and he was following her!"

Jin qing's eyebrows knit together. She was not ready for this.
Nontheless she put on her composed face and allowed Ye bing to tidy her up.

"Greetings to the highness." Jin qing said softly. "What brings you here today?"

"I just wanted to make sure you were alright. I heard there was an attack yesterday while everyone was at the banquet and you left early." He said.

"Thanks to the highness for wondering." Jin qing thanked. "But I'm fine. No one came in."

"That's nice to know." Xi jian nodded. "My father request a meeting with you, however. He said he needs to ask you something."

Jin qing nodded.

The food was set out on the table and ready to eat.

"Would your highness like something to eat?" She asked politely.

<>

When the moon was high and the camp quiet, Jin qing and her maids went to the emperor.

A small tent was set up for them to meet in, and Jin qing walked in with trembling hands.

Even after all these years She sighed My hands still shake.

She walked in and curtsied. "Greetings to your majesty"

"Xue xian. No doubt you had an assasian charge in your room last night. There was only one death- the one your maids killed."

"Replying to the emperor. Yes."

"So no doubt you know that the assasians are sent by the Song."

"Yes"

"What do you think?"

"The fire was no accident. It was a setup."

His eyes widened. "What?"

"Fire is a wild beast that when unleashed, it is nearly impossible to control. By burning the country side where most of our millet fields are, it shortens this year's supply of food." She said, her voice shaking more and more. "My solutions was to regrow the crops now, because then only the harvest season will be a little later. We still needed to provide some food to the people, which caused an open in the storage."

"Which solved that problem. But why here?"

"During the shooting performance I was in last night, I noticed movement in the forest. The movement and the amount of birds that were disturbed- it's more than what came last night."

"You're saying that theres more out there."

"Yes"

"Then we need to leave as soon as possible then. Do you know when they are going to attack?"

"They are becoming more and more careful and moving closely. I'll say tommrow night or early morning before the sun rises."

"The moon is at his height. With your predictions, they'll come tommrow and we'll leave the next morning."

"No"

"What?"

"Today."

"Why?"

"They know we are expecting an attack. They would want to attack before our defenses strengthen. The morning is before the soldiers switches shifts. The men would be groggy and unable to defend themselves."

The emperor though to himself, stroking his chin. "I see. Then the imperial family will leave now- no, let the women leave first. We change shifts in about an hour so the troops will have time to get ready and be awake. Would you like to stay?"

"No thank you."

"Then get ready. I'll tell the soldiers to wake the woman up so they can be taken to safety first. And I'll stay here to defend."

"No."

"What do you mean?"

"You are known in the land as a legendary Emperor, and if they knew that you are here, they will aim for you first." Jin qing said. "If you will stay, I'll stay here too."

Jin qing looked at him in the eye, something that she is able to do.

"If I die, my son Xi jian will become emperor." He said. "It is your life that matters. Do not worry, I'll be back alive."

"If your majesty insists, but you know my wishes" Jin qing said, but inside, she was more worried than anything. "Xue xian will take her leave."

The emperor laughed. "Xue xian. If it wasn't for your background and age, I would have taken you as my wife."

Jin qing didn't respond, and closed the flap.

The guards didn't bother to go into her room to wake her up. All she needed to do was to throw on a warm coat and leave.

The daughters of the imperial family left first and with the most security. Then came the legitimate daughters, then her.

Xue hua wanted to sit with Jin qing, and so she did.

"Why are they making us leave? We just got here~" Xue hua moaned, rubbing her eyes. She too, only had her sleepwear on and a fur coat.

Jin qing rested Xue hua's head on her lap and threw her own blanket on her sisted. "If you are tired, sleep"

Xue hua yawned as Jin qing spread a blanket on her. "You're so soft and warm. So nice to sleep on."

Jin qing smiled but didnt say anything, and looked out the window. Thinking.