"My lady!! Miss!! You can't do this!! Miss, come back!! Miss, please!!"

"Haha! Come and catch me if you can!" Su Qing laughed as the servant girls stopped to catch their breath, before continuing to chase after her. She had been prohibited from leaving the manor grounds by her father as punishment for several of her previous mischiefs but there was just absolutely no way she was going to rot away indoors with nothing else to do but sewing, reading or writing poetry, painting, and a good number of other things that were nice for young ladies her age to learn. She ran towards the main entrance, and knowing she wouldn't be allowed through it, decided to scale the surrounding wall instead. Just as she had reached the wall and was ready to jump, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning around, she came face to face with BaiXue, her childhood friend and personal maid. 

"Miss."

"AH!" Su Qing let out a startled yelp, before immediately relaxing and began to pout. 

"Xue'er... please please please please please please not you too... I really really reallly want to go out today. We can go get the peach cakes from XiLou that you love so much?"

Baixue's stoic face softened and her lips curled up into a small smile.

"Miss, perhaps you should change first. It wouldn't do for our manor's reputation if we allowed the general's daughter to run around town causing trouble."

"Hey! Who said I was going to cause trouble..." Su Qing had begun her complaint when she realized the message behind Baixue's words. A grin broke out across her face and she reached out to clasp Baixue's hands.

"Xue'er! I knew you always treated me the best! Let's go, let's go!"

Baixue smiled and followed her mistress back into her room, where they both donned the plainest clothing Baixue owned. When they stepped back out the door, the only thing that could indicate Su Qing's noble status and wealth were the intricately carved jade token that hung from her waist and a little silk bag filled with silver pieces and coins. 

"We should exit from the main entrance. Nobody will recognize me now!"

Baixue scoffed and when she spoke, sarcasm dripped from every word.

"Yes, we should. As if everyone in this manor doesn't recognize your face, miss. Those people outside our manor who can only catch glimpses of you from afar may not recognize you in these clothes and without your makeup but here inside these walls we've either watched you grow up or have grown up with you. No matter what you become or do we'd be able to recognize you immediately. Now let's go before someone comes around that corner and catches us. I'd rather not be punished for going along with you, miss."

"Yes, madam. Let's go jump over the wall."  Su Qin smiled sheepishly as Baixue rolled her eyes. 

"Miss. Master would be ashamed that climbing over walls is all his teachings amount to."

-

The marketplace was especially lively that day and performers crowded the streets. As Su Qing and Baixue made their way through the crowds, one particular performance caught Su Qing's eye. It was a duel between a scrawny little boy and a large muscular man. The boy was incredibly quick, his movements smooth and his strikes without hesitation. The man was undoubtedly a gifted warrior but in those moments he seemed slow and every swing appeared unrefined and desperate. Su Qing thought, 'I like this boy.' and in an effort to get closer for a better view, she bumped into a young man. When he turned to look at her, Su Qing felt a wave of nostalgia wash over her. There was something familiar about them that she couldn't place her finger on, but she would never be so audacious to ask a stranger if they had met before. He spoke first.

"Miss. Have we met before somewhere?"

She looked at him in disbelief.

"How... how rude of you! Do you know who I-"

She was stopped by Baixue who pressed her hand to her mouth and hissed.

"Miss. People are watching; be careful of what you say."

Indeed; the duel had stopped and the crowd had turned towards them, their eyes glimmering with curiosity. Who could this young lady be? A nobleman's mistress? A lady in disguise? The empress's servant girl? It would definitely be the talk of the town.

"Miss?"

"Who I- I- Who I work for! I am a servant girl of Miss Su Qin from the general Su's mansion!"

Baixue suppressed a laugh, but the young man didn't and neither did the crowd. 

"A servant girl!"

"Oh what was I expecting!"

"Haha! Know your place, you're just a maid!"

"So what if you work at the general's manor! It's the general and his family who have power! You're nothing but a servant!"

 Su Qin felt her face burn up and glared at the young man. She would not suffer this humiliation alone. 

"You!" She pointed at him.

"What's your name!"

"Me? Just call me Chen."

"Alright, Chen. I challenge you to a duel!"