Happy holidays! 

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"Father, I want your true opinion and advice on something."

The old man opened one eye and stared at Jin Qing, who was sitting on that stool Shang Ye had sat on earlier that day. He didn't answer her except for a grunt, and closed his eyes again-- but it was an answer of permission for her to continue.

"It's a foolish thought considering all they have done to me... but, should I go back and assist the Wei?"

The old man stretched his stiff limbs as he adjusted himself on his reclining bamboo chair and made sure he was still facing the fire. It was late at night, and the only people who were awake were the old woman-- (who was tending the fire and doing some sewing), himself, and the young woman who sat beside him. "I thought you had made up your mind-- what's with the change?" he asked. "Is it something that prince told you?"

"The Wei will fall without me, and Im not sure how long would we be safe here."

"You're a girl who has never hesitated to throw yourself to the wolves if it means saving someone you love."

Jin Qing understood what he meant. "But I'm... I'm afraid and I'm prideful. I may talk about not fearing death and think about sacrificing myself to the Song so his hunt would be over, but I fear death as well as fear facing my birth parents only to tell them I didn't take revenge on their deaths."

There was a bit of silence as the old man thought about what to answer her. "Then what do you value more?" he asked. "Do you value your responsibilities as Xue Xian and as a daughter to take reins of the warhorses from behind the carriage, or do you value your freedom? Going back might mean you'll be stuck in an endless loop of taking on their problems and shouldering them."

"No, I'd hate that."

"Then the answer is no-- you shouldn't go back." He answered. "You're a smart girl. there's nothing in this world that can't be achieved with hard work and intellect. If you want to survive, there will always be a way to even if you're carrying us on your backs."

"but the people of the Wei--"

He interrupted her. "So then you're valuing your responsibilities to keep the Wei safe?"

Jin Qing felt silent.

The old woman set down her sewing. "Xin er, you're a good child, but you're trying to grasp the best of both worlds. Unless you can figure out a way to compromise the two, there's no way to reap the benefits of situations." She reached out with her free hand, her thin and wrinkled fingers closing around Jin Qing's. "And a compromise means letting a few things go."

"But I don't want to work with that idiotic emperor again."

"Then don't." The old man said matter of factly. "If he wants you to go back to the Wei and command the army, he needs to make compromises too. You can't be constantly burdening yourself and living under his terms." he chuckled, watching the creases between Jin Qing's brows relax. "You've always been a smart girl-- a girl who disliked being controlled. Understand the power you hold over him, and set your own terms."

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Shang ye flinched at the sound of a dish shattering against his feet. It was cut into three separate pieces with its contents splattered all over the wooden floor, and it was the only thing he dared to look at to avoid the seething temper of his older brother. He had never been scared of his brother, but there will always be a first to all things.

"Send a force to where she lives, right now," Xi Jian demanded his finger pointing and shaking towards the door. "I am being patient, Shang ye. I can very easily narrow down where you've gotten the information on where she is from, and I can just as easily go and pick her up myself."

Shang ye might be scared of his brother, but he was terrified of what Jin Qing could and would do if she found out Xue Hua had been interrogated for her information. The thought of her being angry and turning her back against them was enough to steel his courage. "With what force?"

Xi Jian reached for another thing to throw, but his hands grasped at nothing. All the servants around them were already on their knees, terrified for their lives. This wasn't the first time this month the usually calm emperor had lost his temper, but the stress of war and an endless string of betrayals was more than enough to crack his shell. Everything had gone so right until a month or so ago-- where did it all go wrong?

"After one talk with her, and you've suddenly grown wings, huh?" He asked. "Are you scared of her? I'm not. The army doesn't need her at the front-- all they need to believe is that she is in the capital and is giving them orders from behind. If she won't come and if you're so against bringing her here, I'll just make a fake Xue Xian."

"The army knows Jin Qing--"

"That's not her name anymore!"

"The army knows how the real Xue Xian would act. She has never been complacent in any battle she was involved in and has never hesitated to lead a charge." Shang ye defended her, though his brother's word's stung. Why has he only grown courage now?

"Then you go get her!" he screamed, his throat going hoarse from it all. "Or are you in her allegiance somehow? Has she said something to you when you were there? She's a smart woman-- perhaps she's been in allyship with the Song this entire time like Huan Le. Maybe--"

"She's not like that."

"Then go get her!" His brother broke down, his anger suddenly turning into desperation-- likely at the mention of Huan Le's name. Shang Ye wasn't there the night his brother's childhood companion defected to the enemy, but he knew now what kind of woman she was: a woman so good with lies and schemes and false promises that she had managed to wrap and break the emperor of a country like a dish by his feet.

Where did it all go wrong?

Shang ye took the opportunity and left the room, leaving Xi Jian on the floor like a broken man. He would recover in a few hours and return to his prideful self-- he was sure of it. It was only unfortunate that he was always the subject to witness the moments when he wasn't, but there wasn't much he could do about it. As usual, the only person that could fix it all was Jin Qing-- someone who didn't even want to be anywhere near them both.

He looked up when he heard a small squeak and some light footsteps. He would have missed who it was if they weren't in an open, interconnected pavilion, but he recognized the patterns on the dress as he hurried over to the young woman.

"Third miss Li, I--"

Xue Hua turned around, maintaining a careful distance between them. She was alone except for a singular servant behind her, and neither of them was dressed in the once extravagant ensembles he had once seen her wear. Her entire family had been detained and kept in arrest in the palace in thanks to their eldest's brother's demands and reputation, but they clearly had not been in the best of care. She awkwardly curtsied, still remembering how he had practically cornered her for information on where Jin Qing was two weeks ago. "Your-- Your imperial highness..."

"how... How have you been?"

"As well as I could be."

The least Shang Ye could do for Jin Qing was to take care of her family. "I'll send a few servants to give your family a few more baskets of coals later tonight," he cleared his throat. "Winter is creeping closer by the day. You shouldn't be outside."

"I... I like the outside."

Shang Ye couldn't help but think of Jin Qing, who had always preferred to stay indoors to read. "Getting fresh air is good, but you might catch a chill."

"Your highness, I appreciate your kindness, but I don't understand why you're suddenly being so kind to us."

"Huh?"

Xue hua looked up, and how her eyes shone reminded Shang Ye of Jin Qing. "His Imperial majesty would have sentenced my family to death if it wasn't for my eldest brother. Forgive my uncourteous words, but where were you then?" She asked. "If you're suddenly being kind to us in hopes you'll convince my sister to come back and help the Wei or for some other selfish reasons, then I'll have to politely decline your help on the behalf of my family."

Shang Ye stopped in shock.

"The palace is treating us well on the face of my brother. We may not be living in luxury as we used to, but we are making do just fine without your alms." She curtsied, her eyes lowering once more. "I told the guards outside my room that I was only going outside to take a walk. I don't know what your imperial highness is doing in this part of the palace, but I should be heading back."

Shang Ye could do nothing except watch Xue Hua hurry back in the opposite direction. This was the second time in a week he had been shunned and walked away from by a woman-- both of them from the same family. He found it both humbling and also infuriating at the same time. Nevertheless, he too started walking away-- questioning himself on his motives for suddenly wanting to help the Li family, and where he got his bursts of courage to talk to them from. After all-- he had been avoiding them for the most part, interacting with them only on necessity.

His feet eventually brought him back to the former room of the Xue Xian, who had been left untouched-- as if it was waiting for its owner to return to its place. There are so many things left waiting for Jin Qing to fill. A proper leader, a general, an advisor, his board game buddy... He shook his head. Jin Qing had made it clear to him about her thought about him. The most he could hope for between him and her was a neutral relationship, one where they could talk to one another about shallow topics, but he doubted he would ever again be tricked hopelessly in boards games by her ever again. After all, she made it so clear that she would never do anything for him again, and if she did come back it wouldn't be because of him--

As if thoughts could summon a person, a servant ran to him breathlessly-- almost collapsing into himself when he finally caught up to him. "Your-- Your Imperial highness-- urgent news."

"Did something happen to my brother?" He asked, worrying that perhaps something had happened to him during his breakdown.

"No! Well, something will surely happen once word reaches him--"

"What is it then? Get to the point."

"The Xue Xian was at the gates. I don't know who ordered them or who gave them the permission but the soldiers there had opened it up for her," The servant breathed out, still trying to catch his breath. "There's a parade of civilians and soldiers alike leading her to the palace, and she should arrive here in around than twenty minutes depending on the size of the crowd slowing her down--"

Shang Ye stopped listening as soon as the servant spoke his first sentence. He picked up his feet and began to run towards the main hall to receive the Xue Xian; the immortal of snow, the savior of the Wei, and the goddess of blood.