Li Jin Qing: The one behind it all

Chapter 26

Jin qing woke up to the metallic taste of blood in her mouth, slowly dripping back down her own throat.
She sputtered, coughing the blood out, struggling to take in a deep breath without inhaling her own blood.

Someone pressed a dry cloth to her mouth, picking up the blood that was dripping down the bottom of her chin. Another patted down on her chest, easing the tightness in her chest.

"Shhhh... this will be the one of many. But at least you're awake now... we had to make you cough before..."

Xue Hua's voice.

Jin qing's eyes fluttered open, life slowly filling her dark eyes. "Ah- How... how long..."

"About a week." Xue hua answered, wetting the bloodstained handkerchief and washing the blood of it. "Are you feeling well? Better at least?"

The burning sensations in her throat still remained, and Jin Qing coughed to get the feeling out, only to cough up some more blood. Xue hua reached over, helping her sister sit up and patter her back.

"If you can't talk you don't need to." Xue hua said softly. "Here, have some of the medicine. It helps expel the poison from your body."

Jin qing drank the brown liquid and almost spat it back out. She wasn't prepared for the sudden explosion of bitterness in her mouth. "Ack-!"

"I know it's bitter... but you need it."

"Ugh- that is disgusting!"

"It is... I made the mistake of trying a little bit of it. Even in your sleep, you had a hard time keeping it down."

Jin qing frowned, but she took the bowl by herself and sipped on it.
Even though she just awoke, her senses were still pretty sharp. She was aware of the worry line on her sister's face, the missing servant who had most likely run off to report how she had awoken.
Bai yan And Ye bing were standing to the side, smiling from ear to ear.

"Guess like I'm equally as picky in my sleep, huh?" Jin qing plastered a smile onto her face, lightly pushing her sister's arm.

Xue Hua managed a small smile. "Guess like you are. Unfortunately, you can't eat anything other than porridge... that's what the doctors had said. They also had to tend to your wounds from the time we escaped, though they commented on how expertly they were managed..."

"You didn't say anything, did you?"

Xue hua shook her head. "Of course not! I promised I wouldn't!"

Jin qing breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't want anyone to know about where they were before.

Footsteps.

"Jin qing!" Shang Ye came running in, so different from the formal him. "You're awake!"

"Yes, I am."

"You were out for a week! We were all so worried!"

"Yes, I can tell."

He sat next to her, holding onto her hand.
Xue Hua stepped back, a little smile.

Jin qing quickly took back her hand and rubbed it. "My hands are cold, if you hold it you'll just get cold,"

"I know. Just... happy you're awake. I'm so happy you're well and the medicine is actually working."

"I'm just as glad. I'll have to give my thanks to the doctors and the physicians."

Shang the shook his head. "No, actually. Your sister Huan Le actually thought of the solution."

Jin qing was shocked. During the time she had gone, did Huan Le suddenly switch hearts? "She did?" She asked, masking most of her surprise. "Well, then I'll thank her as well."