Li Jin Qing: The one behind it all

Chapter 70

A/N (Sorry for the late and short chapter: I had final exams that I couldn't afford to fail. Good luck to those taking/have taken exams!)

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The safest place in the world. 
In truth, the 'safest place' may not be the sturdiest place in the world in terms of defense or even location... but it was the only place in the world that Jin qing felt truly at home. It was the only place she felt safe in without the watching eyes of those around her, and it was finally time to go back. 

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"Are you-- Is that... Miss! It's Miss! Ye bing, It's Miss!"

Jin qing nearly broke down again for what felt like the hundredth time that week when she saw Bai yan drop everything in her hands to sprint toward her at full speed. She quickly dismounted her horse, nearly slipping off in the hurry to accept the warm embrace from her maid. 

Bai yan turned back to the people peeking their heads up and out from whatever they were doing, shouting at the top of her lungs. "Miss is here! Miss is back! Everyone, she's finally back!"

After the message was announced to the world, there was a lot of hugging and crying-- mostly from her two maids. Her adoptive brothers mostly just stood there with big smiles and cheerful laughs. 

"Xin er, we were so worried about you!" Long yin exclaimed. "We heard what happened from your maids, and was even more worried when the news was leaked to the emperor--"

"I can't believe you're back--"

Hai Lin pounded his fists together. "I can't believe the emperor had the audacity to call you a criminal even after all you have done for h--"

"Right?" Long yin agreed. "The emperor is an idiot--"

Hong Hui looked over at the three people behind Jin qing. "Who are they--"

"We were so worried about your safety--"

The sound of a low and hearty laugh from behind quieted them all brought their attention to the old woman standing by the gate. She had her hand on her hip and holding a spatula in the other, shaking her head disapprovingly.  "Xin er had just gotten back, lets not overwhelm her so quickly." She said softly. "She has three guests behind her-- are we really just going to ignore them?"

Jin qing smiled, struggling to her feet to bow in front of the woman she had always considered to be her mother-- causing her to burst into a peal of brighter laughter. 

"Oh, Xin er-- look at what the world has done to you." The woman cooed, picking Jin qing up and helped her stand. "They've beaten you down so low that you've started laying yourself on the floor! Get up, you. Boys, help the woman and the children off their horses, would you?"

Yu qi and Nian zhen both looked confused, but Jin qing looked back on them to assure that it was alright. 

"Your... your highness. What's--?"

"Yu qi, don't worry about it." She said, grinning. "This is the family that took me in when the Liang fell... plus two other people," she gestured to her maids, who were both still crying with tears of joy. "These two are the maids that served me when I was in the Wei. They are good people-- you can trust them."

Long Yin stared at Yu qi as Hai Lin helped the children get off their horses. "Who's she then?"

"A good friend of mine when I was in the Liang. Her name is Yu qi."

The name seemed to click poorly with the young men-- after all, the Yu clan isn't very well-liked for their trained assassins. However, the old woman and her maids didn't seem to mind all that much. 

"Anyone who is a friend of our miss is a friend of ours." Ye bing said with a bright smile. "We've always operated under those rules."

"That's right!" Bai Yan smiled, taking the reins of the horse from Yu qi's hands. "Anyone our miss trust is someone that we can trust me. Long yin, what are you standing there for? Come help me bring these horses back!"

Long yin shuffled over to the two horses on Bai yan's command-- which was kinda funny to Jin qing, since she had always known him as someone who didn't take orders well. 

Xiao wen seemed to have no problem with the big brother who was holding and carrying him. He was already small and thin for his age, so Hong Hui has no problem lifting him off the horse. 

Nian zhen and Yu qi still looked very uneasy, so Jin qing simply went over to them and held onto their hands to reassure them. She knew it would take some time for the two of them to fully trust everyone, but this was the best that she could do for them when it came to safety. 
Besides-- Nian Zhen and Xiao wen deserved to be in an actual home for once, and not just on the streets. 

"Mother, sorry for suddenly bring three more people under your care..." Jin qing mumbled, ashamed. "I already brought two with Bai yan and Ye bing without telling you, and now I've brought four more including myself."

the woman shook her head disapprovingly. "Don't worry about it, Xin er. the two ladies you brought over have been carrying their own weight and some of mine!"

"but--"

"now come along in. We've all heard about your endeavors and you must be exhausted-- and injured in some way, no doubt. You always come home all scraped somewhere." The elderly woman turned around and walked into the home as the small crowd started dispersing and returning to doing whatever they were doing before her sudden arrival. "Come on in, girls, and the one little boy in Hong er's arms," she said with a smile, turning around briefly. "Make yourselves at home."

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Nothing had changed about the little home since the last time Jin qing was here. 
Well... nothing except for the fact that the little house they were in was much more crowded than it was meant to be now that there were two young women (including herself) and two children. 

Hong Hui stood silently so the weary travelers could have a seat around the table. Bai Yan was outside cleaning the yard as she was doing before she got distracted by their arrival so that Ye bing can help cook and take the task off the old woman's hands. 

Meanwhile, the elderly woman was quickly patching and properly cleaning their cuts, scrapes, and other wounds in a way that they couldn't have managed while they were on the run. Yu Qi especially seemed to be wary of them, but another look from Jin qing seemed to have convinced her to let her guard down for now.

"Mother...." Jin qing began "Are you sure it's alright for me to bring this many people so suddenly...?"

She laughed. "Well, you've already brought them here. I'm not going to say no now aren't I? You've got nowhere else to go!"

Hong Hui cleared his throat. "We'll just have to build a separate wing to the house. Your maids have been sleeping in the kitchen so far, but it seems like building an extra space would be inevitable."

Jin qing knew that would be their answer, but that wasn't the thing she was worried about. Houses and buildings can be built... but money and supplies can't be produced from thin air. 

"I'll ask Hai Lin to help me with it-- it's already autumn and winter would be falling soon. If we want to get anything set up that will stand the cold, we'll have to hurry."

Yu qi looked up from her hands. "I'll help you." She announced, "It would be wrong of me not to help-- you're graciously accepting us into your home and going through such expenses for us."

Hong Hui raised his eyebrow, intrigued at Yu qi's demeanor and willingness to help even though she was acting skeptical just a moment before. "Uh, you sure?" he asked "You're still quite weary from the travel-- or rather, the escape. wouldn't it be putting too much stress onto your body if you were to help?"

"It wouldn't be fair. Let me help."

Jin qing waved her hand when Hong Hui looked at her. "Let her." she replied "Yu qi, just don't purposefully push yourself. We've been here for less than two hours-- we can't be exhausting ourselves just yet."

The old woman pushed her arm playfully. "You're not injured enough for you to be lying in bed all day. You'll have to pull some of your own weight. All the harder work can come later, but I'd like to think I've dressed your wounds enough for you to help me with dinner?"

"Where's father?"

"he's in the yard, most likely resting under the tree you two always play Go under." she grabbed onto Jin qing's arm before she can stand up and run out the door. "Not yet. If you go, you'll end up staying outside the entire day. You're staying in with me, young lady." 

Jin qing pouted. "I promise I won't be out for too long, mother, I'll be right b-- oh!"

Thankfully, Jin qing didn't need to finish her sentence or try and pull herself out of her surprisingly strong grip. The old man she had called 'father' walked in into the home, led by Long Yin, who guided him to the table. 

"Father!" 

"My sight might be failing, but my ears are still as sharp as ever." The old man said with a wheeze of laughter. "I heard from Long yin that you've come back and left the capital to their own devices."

Jin qing sighed, knowing that he would get straight to the point without her even trying to guide the conversation somewhere. "The emperor is drunk on confidence. I placed competent men to serve him-- the Wei won't fall. Father, why must you bring such heavy topics to me as soon as I come home?"

"Actions have consequences, child." He reminded her gently. "This isn't just you leaving the garden and leaving all the work to Hai Lin or Hong Hui anymore: this is an entire country you have just jeopardized." 

"Are you saying that I should go back?"

"I said no such thing. I only ask that you understand that your actions are worth more than some, and if you think that what you did is right..." he smiled softly, his eyes crinkling together. "Then, welcome home."