Li Jin Qing: The one behind it all

Chapter 76

Jin Qing wasn't sure how scandalous it was for her to be wearing commoner's clothes to court, but this wouldn't have been the first time she's been before the emperor wearing such drab clothes. Then again-- the emperor didn't look in that great of a shape either. Dark circles and heavy eye bags haunted his dull eyes, and his slightly disheveled look suggested that he was likely throwing a fit of some sort before the news of her arrival was announced. Shang Ye was, of course, standing to the right of the emperor and looking like a puppy seeing his owner, but she paid him no attention. 

Instead, her energy was on maintaining the smug smile on her face and staring Xi Jian down. 

"You're lucky I didn't immediately arrest you as soon as you stepped into the palace," Xi Jian grumbled, still trying to maintain and hold onto the last slip of dignity he had between his fingers. 

"You're lucky that you didn't," Jin Qing smiled. This reminded her of the last conversation she had with the Song Emperor. It amused her that two powerful men both found her as valuable and as integral in their plans-- though she was coming to terms that the Song emperor was likely using her from the start. "You know I'm too valuable to be arrested."

"Then why are you here? Are you finally here to pledge your allegiance to us and win the war?"

And just like the last time she was talking to the Song Emperor, Jin Qing unsheathed a blade hidden in her dress and held it to her throat-- causing everyone in the room to shift in concern. She spoke before any of them could actually lay a hand on her. "Everyone stop," She warned them. "If I feel threatened at any time during this conversation, I'll simply remove myself from your arsenal of advantages. I want to make that clear-- do you understand?"

She didn't lower her blade even after Xi Jian flicked his wrist to put the guards into their normal positions. "Wow, you actually listened."

"What do you want."

Jin Qing's face brightened up like a kid during new year's. "I'm glad you asked. First, I want you to resign your ability to rule to me-- that means you are not allowed to make any meaningful decisions outside of your own meals until I say so."

Color shot back into Xi Jian's face. A color of anger and outrage. "WHAT?!"

"I'm not done." Jin Qing continued without missing a beat. "Second, I want absolute power. This means getting rid of the entire puppet council you've set up. I will be the only one giving orders and appointing people whom I see fit. No one will be allowed to contradict me until my rule unless they want to meet the lord of hell." 

Now, this sent a very uncomfortable mummer to the council member that somehow showed up to this meeting. A few of them voiced objections, but Jin Qing simply raised her voice and spoke over them. 

"Lastly-- this is the final time I am ever helping the Wei," She said, breathing out. "Everything will return to normal as soon as I deem that the war is basically won-- and that whatever happens to this country after I leave is no longer my responsibility."

The servants had learned and wised up about Xi Jian's temper tantrums, so there was nothing around him to throw. "You might as well be empress then!" He shouted. "Two months in the countryside and three months not being in the Wei, and you really think you're some savior, huh? This country is still named Wei."

"It won't be if you don't fulfill my terms." She answered calmly. "It'll be called the Song empire if you don't let me do what I want. You either let go of your pride and compromise your power for a little while, or you let it go forever."

"A man will die in glory rather than be a servant to a woman."

"Only a foolish man would let his family fall into ruin," she countered. "You are the emperor, you should be thinking about your country. This isn't a term, but a word of advice-- let your brother rule after this whole ordeal is over. He may not be the smartest bird in the flock, but at least he knows to run when the hunter shoots."