Li Jin Qing: The one behind it all

Chapter 69

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.