Li Jin Qing: The one behind it all

Chapter 15

"The emperor wants me to go to the palace, again?" Jin qing rolled her eyes.

Her maids lowered their head, still ashamed that they had allowed an assassin in.

"Yes." Bai yan nodded and poured tea for her miss.

"Well, they really just have nothing better to do than just invite people over huh?" Jin qing said, then looked at Bai yan "Cheer up. It wasn't your fault last night, and neither was it yours, Ye bing."

"But-!"

"No buts, now, about this whole, me visiting the palace..." Jin qing smiled with a mischievous glint in her dark eyes "You two have always complained in the past about dressing me so plainly?"

Her two maids smiled in an effort to make their miss happy. They were glad they can finally dress their miss the way she should be dressed, but they still felt like the incident last night was still partly their fault. What kind of maid allows that?

Jin qing noticed their halfhearted smile but decided to ignore it. She knew they would be better later when something else excites them.

Bai yan chose a loose-fitting light blue gown with silver clouds hand-stitched over every inch of the fabric. The snowy white inner layer added complemented the clouds and modesty, and her outfit was complete aside from other jewelry on her hair.
They let loose Jin qing's hair and stuck in white crystals and tassels on silver pins on each fold and braid, keeping the amount small.

A carriage was being prepared for her ride.

As Jin qing waited for the carriage to finish, she caught a glimpse of Kai feng's scarlet cape from a corner of a door.

"Sister, Jin qing" He nodded

"Older brother, I thought you were in the army?"

"They allowed me a few days back." Kai Feng sat down on the stone bench on the opposite side of Jing qing. "I heard you were really the Xue Xian, who would have thought?"

"It started as me helping father with small plans during his time as a regular advisor," Jin qing answered, "When the late emperor asked him about where he was getting his plans and such from, father answered that I was."

"So he called you to the palace," Kai Feng remembered, "It was a shock, a person like you going to the palace, but you didn't look afraid."

"I did nothing wrong, why would and why should I be afraid?"

Kai feng chuckled "I haven't been home in a few weeks, and I forget how feisty you can be. You are heading to the palace again? What for this time?"

Jin qing shrugged.

"I suggest you watch your step in the palace. The new emperor is a little, ah, witty."

"Witty?" Jin qing rose an eyebrow.

"More like, very persuasive." Kai feng stood up and patted his sister on the shoulder "Be careful, you may have met your match in words."

A smile slowly crept up Jin qing's lips.

"Oh really now?"

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Jin qing knelt and kowtowed, and the emperor laughed.

"How many times do I need to tell you? We are equals, there is no need to be so formal."

"I am simply paying respect to the great emperor."

"Or is it because there are people around?"

"Most definitely not." Jin qing looked up, standing straight "The emperor called me here, is there something wrong?"