It is cold. It is cold outside of Jin qing's room as well as it is cold inside. She had refused to light a fire inside her room to warm the space up lest one of her papers fall into the flames, but she was starting to regret it now that it was getting colder. Even snow had fallen last night, layering the floor like a thick white blanket. 

She was so close. Her plans have already been put into motion, and it's all going wonderfully. It was common knowledge that you're never meant to fight a war in the winter but it was her only chance if she wanted to weaken him and his army enough for her to fight him... even if it means that she'll have to sacrifice a city to do so. 

Jin qing shut her eyes. She didn't want to think about what he could be doing to the citizens of the city he was occupying-- no, the city that he was trapped in-- but her mind wandered around without her permission. She was too tired to keep her imagination in check, but she needed it to be able to think of solutions to all the problems that she needed to solve. Sure, dividing up some of the work for her trusted aids in court helped her get a few days of rest, but she never felt fully secure unless she was the one solving it all. 

Victory was close. She just needed to wait until he and his army is at their breaking point. This was their last chance. 

But until then, there was nothing for her to do except look through all the work that an emperor should be doing. With each second that passes when she's looking at that day's reports and complaints, she's even more grateful for the fact that she wasn't going to be involved in all of this once her job here was done. 

She couldn't help but look across her table at the single sheet of paper she had been pouring over since Shang ye left her room three weeks ago. she didn't need to read what was on that sheet of paper to know what was on it-- after all, she wrote it all herself. In fact, she's written the contents of what was on that piece of paper several times. 

Taking a break from her official work, she reached over and properly read the words one more time. She still wasn't satisfied with it, but there was no need to rush. She still had plenty of time before the contents of this letter were to be read by anyone other than herself. 

"Miss?"

Jin qing nearly jumped out of her own skin. She was so accustomed to the silence that Ye Bing's voice startled her. Ye Bing was about to apologize for scaring her, but Jin qing waved her hand dismissively. "It's alright. I... forgot that you were here."

"Miss, you need to get some rest if your body is asking for it."

"Don't worry-- I will when Im done. There are still some things I haven't looked at yet--" Jin qing reached over to pick up another report, but Bai Yan snatched it from under her hand. Jin qing stared at her. "give it back!"

"Doesn't this remind you  of the old times?" Bai yan asked with a grin. "Us trying to get you to sleep or go outside while you drown yourself in work. Im sure we can get you to do either of those again now!"

Jin qing smiled. Bai Yan spoke of "the old times" as if it was a long time ago when she had only been revealed as the Xue Xian for a little less than a year. It was bizarre to think that her life had changed so much in the span of such a short time.

"It's different now," she countered, still reaching for the report in Bai Yan's hand. "I was just called in for simple things. I never had to concern myself with all the other things an emperor is meant to do. Now I have to worry about everything so why don't you do me a favor and give me that paper--"

"Can I read it?"

"Bai Yan!"

"Alright, alright. Here you go, miss." Bai yan pouted, handing Jin qing the sheet of paper back. "If we can't read it, can't you at least tell us what's inside? You've even told us state secrets in the past." 

Jin qing playfully poked her stomach at that comment. "You're not supposed to say that out loud!"

"What's so important that you won't even tell us what it is?"

The sheet of paper was still folded in Jin qing's hand, but she stared at it as if she could read the ink on the other side. "It's nothing that important," she said finally. "It's a letter."

"To who?"

"Someone I know," Jin qing said vaguely. "If all goes according to plan, they won't get to read it for a while. Not at least until I'm done with my part with the war."

At that, Ye bing stopped what she was doing and knelt next to Jin qing. "Miss," she began softly. "When will that be?"

She laughed. "Well, I'm not staying here forever. I told Xi Jian already-- I'm done as soon as I deem that this war is as good as won."

"And when is that?"

What is it with people and their questions? Jin qing tilted her head. "When the Song general is dead."

"There are other generals the Song can use."

"But after that, my personal investment in this war is over. I don't want to be involved in Wei's business after this." Jin qing could see someone's shadow through the screen and nodded towards the door for Bai Yan to let whoever was outside in. She wasn't surprised to see Yu Qi walk in, still dressed in armor and wielding a sword-- which couldn't have made the imperial guards very happy. "Have you done what I've told you to do?"

Yu Qi lifted her head from a bow, ignoring Bai Yan and Ye bing's puzzled looks. "As you've ordered, your highness."

Jin qing smiled. "You've never let me down before. Sit! You've arrived at the perfect time. I have something to say to the three of you."

 Jin Qing wasn't blind to unyielding loyalty and respect for her lover for the past few years, and she couldn't help but smile when the three sat around her like children to a respected elder, waiting attentively for her words. She took in a deep breath. This had been on her mind for a little while now. 

"I'm relieving you three of all your duties." 

The three's faces quickly shifted from confusion to shock, to horror. Yu Qi and Ye bing both knelt with their foreheads to the ground, while Bai yan looked up defiantly. Even with such varied reactions, they all repeated the same thing. 

"Miss," Bai yan and Ye bing began, while Yu qi addressed her as 'your highness', "please reconsider!"

"Now, hold on--"

"If we did anything that wasn't to your standards, your highness, you must let us know!" 

"Miss, did we do anything wrong?" Bai Yan asked. Ye Bing was tugging on her sleeve to try and get her to kneel, but she shook her hand off. "You don't want us anymore?" It was only when Jin qing herself had to lean over and pull Bai Yan to the ground so she was on eye level did she finally sit down. "Miss!"

"Let me finish speaking."  A little part of Jin qing was happy to see them all surprised. It meant that they respected her as much as she respected them, and that was enough to make her smile. "It's not happening now, of course. I still need my capable maids and my loyal guard with me for the final battle with the Song general. Don't be so startled just because of some words."

Ye Bing sighed, lifting her head up. "Miss, but you can't just say that  without expecting a word of protest from us. We've served you faithfully for many years, and we'll continue to do so no matter where you are or who you are."

Jin Qing's smile turned a little bit sad at her words. "That's exactly the reason why I'm reliving the three of you from your duties after I'm done with the war," she said gently. "It feels unfair to keep you three to a miss who doesn't even know what she's doing for the rest of her life."

"We won't mind if you were the empress of if you were another beggar on the street," Yu Qi said bluntly. "Your highness, my family has failed in our duty to protect you, the rightful heir, for all the years that we believed you were dead. Allow us to continue serving you, and repay all the debts of human compassion that we still owe you." Bai Yan and Ye Bing nodded enthusiastically at that, showing their approval for her words. 

"The rightful heir to what?" Jin qing countered. "The Liang is long gone, and I have no intention of ever going back. There is nothing binding you to me anymore." Yu Qi looked away, and Jin qing turned her attention to her maids. "Yu Qi, Bai Yan, your years of servitude are exactly the reason why I'm letting you go. You girls are older than I am, and yet you've never had a life outside of the mess I keep getting myself in. The two of you deserve something more than serving a useless miss for the rest of your lives." 

Everyone fell silent. 

Jin qing sighed. "I don't want to let the three of you go either, but even a little maiden will have to leave home and marry elsewhere someday. It's time for all of us to think a little bit about the future."

 More silence. 

"Do we all understand?"

Bai Yan grabbed her hand. "But miss, what about you?" she asked. "What about your future?"

There it was. That question, again. 

Even if Jin qing had an answer, she didn't know if she would even want to answer. "I'll figure something out," she answered vaguely. "But I know I won't be staying in the Wei anymore. It'll be hard for me to build a new life for myself if I get called the Xue Xian everywhere I walk."

Yu Qi knitted her eyebrows in concern. "You're leaving? But it's dangerous! You need--"

"Yu Qi," Jin qing tilted her head at her, her tone dipping in warning. "How did you think I survived on the battlefield all those times?"

"I misspoke. Forgive me, your highness."

"If you leave, you will come back and visit us, right?" Ye Bing asked hopefully. She held onto Bai Yan's hand and pulled her back from Jin qing. "Dare I speak a little boldly, but I think you at least should visit us every once in a while to make up for the longing-sickness that's going to come over us when you leave."

Jin qing laughed. "Of course! I promised Xue Hua that I would come back for her wedding and eat all the food at her wedding banquet. I can't leave you three out of the equation, now can I?"

Bai Yan smiled, her grip on Ye Bing's hand tightening. "You better!" she exclaimed. "Ye Bing and I will be personally cooking your meals just so we can stuff you with all the food that we would have served you if you had stayed with us."

Jin qing stifled a laugh at the mental image of Bai Yan stuffing food down her throat. "I look forward to it," she said simply. "Yu Qi, what about you?" she asked. "No, you're not allowed to secretly follow me around." Yu Qi looked disappointed, which only made her laugh. "You can try, but I will find out.

"Going back to the Song isn't at all possible now," Yu Qi answered. "Perhaps I'll make a life for myself in the Wei if the future emperor permits a traitor from another country to stay. If not, I might leave the city and witness the fate of the Liang myself."

"Are you going to try and restore it?"

Yu Qi smiled. "Unless your highness is next to me, never."

"Good. That place deserves to stay as the rubble that we left it in." Jin qing let out a satisfied sigh. That's another stone off her chest. "Why should we stay in the past when there's so much in the future to look forward to?"