Li Jin Qing: The one behind it all

The Finale (Part 2: Interlude)

Happy Holidays! 

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"Are we ready?"

Jin qing stared out at the snowy wasteland of the central planes. Avoiding fighting wars and waging battles in the middle of the winter season was one of the first rule that any good general should learn, but Jin Qing knew this was the best time to catch him off guard.

She could see the city from where she was standing, and she was sure that they could see her. From behind their walls, they'll be able to see everything that was happening in her camp. Merry song and drinking, roaring bonfires, feast after feat... everything that they didn't have while they starved away in their city, cut off from all their supply lines thanks to Kai Feng's efforts. Goodness knew what they were doing inside that city to even stay alive, but Jin qing tried not think too much about it. She could only hope that the only person the spirits of all those who had died inside those walls will be cursing will be her and not the partying men behind her.

After all, this was all apart of the plan.

Ten minutes.

Jin Qing let her men party for three more days before in high spirits and in high morale for the final advance against the city. Surely, the garrison keeping watch on her army from the city would have been exhausted and green with jealousy by now. Surely her investment on the high-ground of army morale would pay off and give her another advantage.

Five minutes.

She took a shaking breath. Her two maids were right behind her, brandishing their swords and armor as her proud right-hand women. Both of them had been briefed about the plan, and each of them were to split off from her according to strategy to storm and re-capture the city.

Now.

Confused shouts erupted behind her as men took notice of the burning bridges that they've just crossed in order to get past the partially frozen river. Everyone looked to their commanders-- and most importantly, her -- for answers.

The answer Jin qing had told her commanders to give their men was simple. With those bridges burned, the only way out of this battle was either through victory or death-- whether that be from the sharp end of an enemy spear, to the frozen, raging waters of the river.

She braced herself. A part of her expected her army to turn against her now that she's purposely trapped them inside. It wasn't like this was the only time that she could burn the bridge. In fact, she could have burned the bridge in the middle of battle for perhaps an even bigger effect.
But Jin Qing didn't. And she held her breath, waiting for an angry shout against her.

Not a single sound other than the thumping of boots against frozen soil, and the breaths of a thousand men.

The city.
It was waiting for her. It was waiting for her to make the first move against its walls. Surely, he would have seen her and her army by now-- and surely he would know that he was outmatched. Any good general would have put his men on high alert once their presence was made known across the river, which would have meant that his men would be mentally fatigued from the simple act of waiting. Waiting for an invasion that they were sure would come sooner than now.

Jin qing held her breath and raised the banner of the Wei kingdom. Her army roared in approval behind her, and charged behind their captains in a formation previously discussed in a hushed meeting room. Another roar answered them-- this one from within the city-- as the first volley of arrows and defense weaponry was fired. Jin qing was a safe distance away from the attack, but the group of men that charged ahead was not blessed with the same fate.
Another roar. Another wave of men was sent in before another tide of arrows were fired-- but Jin qing could see the inconsistency. She could see how the wave of arrows were beginning to thin even if it was only the second volley.