As for Jin qing, she was in for a surprise when she got back home. Already, she wasn't in a good mood from failing to bring back home her brother, so the realization that a prince of the very country that banished her was at her home waiting for her was the final straw. 

She didn't realize this immediately, of course. Though, she did find it odd that Yu Qi was waiting for her by the path leading towards the home rather than doing chores. It was nearing winter-- the old woman would have never allowed anyone to stand in idle unless she had deemed them worthy enough. 

"Yu Qi?"

She snapped into attention, pushing herself off the tree she was leaning on and hurried over to her horse to lead it back home. "Your highness," she breathed out.  "You're finally back."

"Don't call me that anymore. What's wrong?" Jin qing caught the slight glance behind her, but Yu Qi didn't say anything about the absence of a brother behind them. "Did something happen?"

"Not something... someone."

"Someone?" Jin qing couldn't see anything out of the ordinary as they approached the home, but Yu Qi nodded as if this 'someone' was a grave threat to both of them. Everything was in place: The old woman preparing preserved vegetables with Xiao Wen and Nian Zhen by the fire in front of the house, the old man and the boys out of sight-- possibly doing their own thing in the forests or by the lake-- and her maids scurrying around with chores. The only thing new about the yard was an extra stool, the tiny ones that any grown man sitting on it would have to bend their knees in an uncomfortable way for them to even plant their bottoms on the seat. 

At the sound of hoof steps, the ones present in the front yard looked up to see who it was-- their eyes full of hope to see Hai Lin behind Jin qing... and each pair of eyes dropped in disappointment when they realized that she had come home alone. 

Yu qi helped Jin qing off her horse, and the old woman gave her a hug. Without Jin qing saying anything, the old woman put her hand to her cheek and gently stroked it. "It's alright you didn't bring Hai Lin home," she said softly "Don't burden yourself with it."

Jin qing didn't say anything and could only nod, leaning her cheek against the comforting touch of someone she considered to be her true mother. For the past week or so, she had been trying to get to Hai lin and the recruitment officers to see if she could try and bribe them for them to make him an exception, and for one week they have failed. She had originally thought it was because that the money offered wasn't enough, but she eventually learned that it was because Hai Lin wasn't even in the area anymore. He had been sent to the capital for basic training the day after he was drafted. 

Is the Wei this desperate for soldiers, that they would send them that early? Typically, they would allow drafted men to say their goodbyes to family before leaving. That type of treatment was only for prisoners and criminals. If this was happening across the country, no wonder the army is in a general state of revolt. 

The old woman wasn't finished, and she stepped aside to nod her head towards the house. "Besides, there are other opportunities to bring him back if Xue Hua couldn't get her brother to release him." 

"Huh?"

"Someone decided to crawl back to you like a dog with its tail between its legs," Yu Qi grumbled, clearly unhappy that this 'someone' was here. "Why is he still inside?" She asked, raising her voice and shouting at the house. "Auntie, I'll kick him out of the house and serve his pampered behind to you on a platter if you say the word."

The old woman chuckled. "It's early in the morning, and scrubbing pig pens is harder than you think. I told him to stay in and help Bai Yan clean some of the peasants that the boys hunted yesterday." She tilted her head towards the door. "Xin er, I know you're curious. Why don't you go and find out who it is?" She suggested, using her free hand to rein Yu Qi back when she tried to follow Jin qing to the house. 

Jin qing didn't understand why were they were so secretive, so she followed her curiosity and slowly opened the door. She didn't notice anything out of the ordinary at first-- just Bai Yan standing menacingly over a dead bird with a knife. Bai Yan noticed her, said her greetings, and went back to work, but Jin qing didn't pay her too much attention and continued scanning the room... until her eyes met with a man holding a basket of chicken feathers, who had just walked out of the other room. 

"Jin qing--"

A door was slammed in his face before he could even finish his sentence and approach her. She didn't want to hear anything he might have wanted to say and turned right around on her heels and started to walk away. Even those she passed by could tell how quickly and how badly her mood had soured, and even Yu Qi didn't try and follow her out and could only stare in pity at the prince who now had to deal with what he had asked for. 

"Please, Jin qing, allow me to explain myself--"

Jin qing whirled around, her fists balling up beside her. "Explain what?" She asked, comfortably raising her voice since she had led him away from everyone else. "Explain how you're a coward and how your brother is an idiot? I already know that. You don't need to explain anything. You should be apologizing."

They hadn't spoken to each other in a while, and he grimaced at her sharp words. "Of course I came to apologize for my brother exiling you but--"

"for your brother?!"  she exclaimed in surprise. "He can explain and apologize for himself when we're both dead and awaiting our punishment in the palace of hell."

"I know you're angry about me not speaking up, but I had planned to go and ask for your forgiveness when you've been arrested. I never had expected you to go off and run--"

"Then why didn't you ask for forgiveness while I was being charged for crimes I didn't commit?" Jin Qing asked, her voice softer and now filled with all the hurt she felt that day. "Why didn't you ask for my forgiveness while I was in the Song?"

Shang Ye froze, his eyes lowering in shame as she spoke. 

"You're a coward, that's why," Jin Qing whispered. "You're a coward that's too afraid to take risks on your own without the support of someone walking behind you and standing there-- and I refuse to go back to a country run by an arrogant idiot and a spineless coward."

"Have you heard about what's going on outside this safe haven you have here?"

"I just came back from trying to stop my brother from getting drafted. Of course I know what's happening outside."

"Then do you really think your... your half brother would stop there? Do you really think this safe haven you keep retreating to will last if you don't help us?"

She glared at him. "Is that a threat?"

"No, I wouldn't dare. It's a warning of what could be."

Jing qing would be lying if she answered to his face that she did think this home would be safe if Shen Feng really did conquer the Wei, but her pride wouldn't allow her to admit that. "The Wei and the Song aren't the only countries in the world," she answered. "There are other places we can flee to."

"Then you aren't afraid that he would conquer those places? The Wei is the only country strong enough to stand against it in a fight."

"Then I won't endanger my family. It's me he wants, no one else."

Shang ye was silent for a moment. "We both know you're making excuses for yourself. You're a smart person, Jin Qing. You know how influential you are to the army-- and to our victory."

Now it was Jin Qing's turn to be silent. What he said was indeed the truth-- if the Wei wanted to win, they would have to repair this bridge that they have burned with her so she could rally the troops behind her once more and charge out against Shen Feng and his army. 
The logical thing would be to go back. But she didn't want to. She wasn't about to go back because someone asked her to. It may seem that Shang ye was redeeming himself by building the courage to invite her back, but she knew better. This wasn't his idea. Xi Jian must have forced him to come, and given him his support. For all she knew, there could be a hidden force somewhere in this forest, waiting to back the prince up with force.

Even now, he needed to rely on someone else to stand-- just like the rest of the Wei. 

"I'm still not going back."

"What if we force you to go?" Shang Ye asked. "All we need is your presence in the army. The men would follow us then. We just need to bring a force here to bring you into the capital."

"Then I'll defect and go to the Song," Jin Qing crossed her arms. "I left on good terms with the Song emperor," she lied. "I'm as useful to him as I am to the Wei. If I'm under his protection and if he's indebted to me, it'll be child's play to get him to execute Shen Feng. What makes you think the Wei is truly my last resort?"

"So you're going to betray us? Abandon us?"

"I'm not the one who abandoned you-- You're the one who abandoned me." While he was silent from what she said, she started walking past him towards the house. "I'll get Yu Qi to pack your things and give you your horse. You've wasted your time here."

He didn't give up, chasing after her and reaching out for her hand. "Can you come back just... just on the basis that you and I were once friends?" He asked softly. "My board game buddy?"

Jin Qing shook his hand off, but she did turn around to face him. The expression on his face was pitiful, but she was done feeling sorry for him and his stupid family. "If I ever do go back to the Wei," she said slowly. "It'll be because I owe a debt to the Wei for giving me a place to stay all these years-- not because of your brother, not because you came and asked me to, and definitely not because you and I were once friends." 

Shang Ye recoiled. 

"If you don't want to walk back to the capital, you can stay here, Prince of Wei," Jin qing said, finally turning around and walking away without any more interruptions. "Your things will be given back to you shortly."