AU in which Qing-er has a plan, the author plays with the timeline, and things work out…sort of. Not going to lie, Qing-er is by far my favorite character from the new HZGG.

Audacity: Qing-er

Qing-er's heart hurt. The mood in the carriage was also very somber. She looked around at her friends: ZiWei's face showed signs of tears, XYZ's face was drawn and tired, even Benjamin looked lost. Yongqi's impending marriage to XinRong has affected all of them. How was it that they had all started out with so much hope and now…

She sniffled as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Qing-er?" ZiWei turned towards her, "Qing-er, are you well? You haven't been right since you came back from your walk with XiaoJian."

"ZiWei…" Qing-er didn't want to burden her friend, who had enough troubles of her own, but truly, her heart ached. "ZiWei!" She threw herself into her friend's embrace.

Her friends looked at each other, puzzled. Qing-er had always been so strong, so collected, what in the world could have happened that caused her to cry like this?

Benjamin thought back to their day. "Qing-er…is it…is it…XiaoJian?"

"XiaoJian?" ZiWei patted her friend's back, "but how can that be?"

At the same time, XYZ gasped, "XiaoJian?! He may be my shifu, Qing-er, but he can't get away with making you cry!"

Qing-er wiped her eyes. "He said…ZiWei, he said we couldn't be together. He said that I belonged to the palace and he belonged in the world and that the distance between us was too great."

"Oh, Qing-er!"

Qing-er's words hit too close to home and XYZ burst into tears as well as she joined the hug. "Oh I understand, Qing-er, I understand!"

Benjamin looked at the three ladies, completely lost as to how to help them. He could only mutter in his home language, "God, why must you let these ladies suffer so?"

XYZ heard him and sniffled, "Benjamin, what are you muttering now?"

Benjamin looked at three pairs of tear-rimmed eyes and sighed. "In my homeland, there's a famous playwright named Shakespeare. He once wrote a play named Romeo and Juliet which has been accepted as one of the greatest love stories of all time."

"Did it have a happy ending?" XYZ asked.

Benjamin shook his head.

"Then why would you bring it up?!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

ZiWei also wiped away her tears, "Benjamin, will you tell us the story? It may be a sad one, but maybe it'll help distract us."

Qing-er nodded, "Please, Benjamin. We all have too many things to think about. Do tell us the story?"

And so, Benjamin did.

Later that night, as Qing-er lay in her bed, XiaoJian's words came back to her. "You are a lady of the palace," he had said. And over all of the hurt she felt, anger came.

Yes, yes she was a lady of the court. She was a member of the Aisin Gioro clan. What of it? Did that mean she was any less human? Any less capable of feeling? How could he not know her heart?

The anger gave her clarity. No, she wasn't wrong about him. The words he had said, they had pierced her heart. But he couldn't even look at her when he said them. No, he couldn't have meant them. At least, not in the way they were said. He had brought up Yongqi and XinRong's marriage, and XYZ's sadness. Did he see the situation as foreshadowing of what could happen to them? Well, she was strong, she was capable. Even if he was afraid, she wouldn't be. She will show Xiao Da Xia that just because she's a lady of the palace doesn't mean she's weak and helpless. A court lady was she? Fine, then she will use what she has learned over the years from her observations. And so, she began to plan.

When the group arrived at the flower field the day after Yongqi's wedding, XYZ immediately jumped on a horse and raced off into the distance. XiaoJian made to follow but Er Kang stopped him, "Benjamin is already catching up to her. He, more than anyone, will know how to cheer her up at this time."

Aware that Qing-er wanted to talk to Xiao Jian, he quietly led ZiWei away in a different direction.

Qing-er had watched the scene and felt some doubt.

"XiaoJian."

When he still avoided turning around to look at her, she felt her heart falter. Still, she had to try.

"Xiao Da Xia. I have given thought to what you said. I know that you do not wish for us to become another Yongqi and XYZ. I've thought about it, and I know I do not want such a sad ending for Er Kang or ZiWei either. And so, and so I've decided. I will ask LFY to appoint a double marriage. You're right, I am a lady of the court. I know how the court operates. That is the world to which I belong. But ZiWei is not. She deserves better. So I will do what I can to help her escape such a fate. I will ensure that they are happy."

She paused, waiting for some sign from him. Seeing none, she gritted her teeth and continued, "I haven't done so yet because…because …well, because of XYZ. But…but because I also need closure. And so, and so this is me saying farewell."

Despite her best intentions, she felt a tear roll down her cheek. Stubbornly, she wiped it away. "Still. I want to thank you. For saving my life, for letting me know that there's someone else in this world who share the experiences of my youth. Thank you for letting me have, if only for a short while, for letting me have a small taste of what ZiWei must feel for Er Kang. In this life, Qing-er will never forget you. Perhaps, perhaps in the next one, I will be able to wander the world with you."

Despite all the preparations she had done, all the thought she had put into this moment, Qing-er found that she still could not control her heart from breaking. And so, she turned and made to run away.

XiaoJian was finally moved to action. With one strong tug, he gathered her into his arms.

"I told you," he murmured as her tears soaked into his shirt, "that you will be the death of me."

How she wished she could stay in his embrace! But no, she couldn't, not now. And so, she roughly pushed him away, "Don't. Don't prolong this. My decision is made. I cannot waver."

"Qing-er!" XiaoJian felt all of his determination to leave her disappear. "Qing-er! How can I watch as you sacrifice yourself and do nothing?"

"But I've thought about it, it's the only way to spare them further heartache. And it's so small a thing for me to do that can mean so much for them."

"So small a thing…No, you'll have to think of another way!"

"XiaoJian! You don't understand. There is no other way. Not if I do not wish to prolong their suffering."

"Their suffering? What about your suffering?"

"ErKang will treat me well. Surely you can believe that. I may remain his wife in name only, but they will both treat me well."

"In name only?"

Qing-er laughed bitterly through her tears, "Do you really think ErKang could truly take me for his wife?"

She wiped at her tears, "XiaoJian. Forget me. Take XYZ away from all of this. She, like ZiWei, deserves better."

"What does have XYZ have to do with anything?"

"XYZ has to do with everything! Do you truly think I'm blind? I've seen how angry you get on her behalf. I can see that you care for her. I grew up in the palace, remember? I am not ignorant of how a man can hold more than one person in his heart."

"What are you saying?"

"I think Xiao Da Xia knows very well what I'm saying."

He looked at her determined expression in disbelief. "Er Kang will never agree to it."

"I will talk ZiWei around to it. As long as she agrees, he'll go along with it."

"Qing-er. Think carefully."

"I have. I have thought carefully. Since that day by the waterfall, all I have done is think. All that I've done my whole life is watch and think. You cannot know how much grief I have seen. You think that the palace is all sunshine and roses. Well, it's not. It's a cold and heartless place. Er Kang knows this. I know this. ZiWei has had a small taste of it but she has not yet accepted it. She is still hopeful. She is my friend, the first true one I have ever had. I will protect her innocence."

"How can I not know it's a heartless place? I have seen with my own eyes how XYZ has suffered."

"Exactly. You want to rescue XYZ. Do. ZiWei doesn't belong, XYZ definitely doesn't belong. They are both too sweet, to naïve in their own ways, not to be destroyed by that place. Tell me truthfully, can you bear it?"

"I…"

"No." She answered for him, "No. You cannot. So, be Xiao Da Xia. Right the wrong. Prevent her further grief. I…I wish you great happiness."

"Qing-er!"

Tears still shone in her eyes but her gaze remained steady. Once again, XiaoJian wondered at this girl, at her bravery, at her audacity. Her petite figure hid such a stout heart.

"You mean it."

Qing-er lifted her chin stubbornly, "Yes."

"Qing-er…If I am Xiao Da Xia, if I am to right the wrong…then I cannot let you be drowned by the darkness of that place either."

"It's too late," she shook her head.

"No. No, it can't be. The very fact that you would wish to protect ZiWei, to give her and ErKang a chance at happiness..."

"They are my dearest friends."

"Am I not dear to you then?"

Her eyes widened at such a direct question.

"Qing-er…I…I don't want to wait for the next life."

"What are you saying?"

"I want you in this life."

"You have XYZ in this life."

"No!" He exclaimed, "How can I make you understand?! XYZ is my sister!"

She could only gape at him in shock. His declaration was not one that she had expected or suspected.

As though he had also just realized what he had blurted out, Xiao Jian repeated, "XYZ is my sister."

He explained their family history to her.

"I see."

"Is that all you can say?"

To his surprise, she laughed. "Oh goodness, we really are Romeo and Juliet!"

At his look of confusion, she only shook her head, "A story Benjamin had told us. Maybe someday he'll tell it to you too."

"Do you still want to speak to LFY now?"

"Yes."

"Qing-er!"

"I thank you for your trust in telling me this secret. You need not worry; I will not whisper a word of it to XYZ or any of the others. But the fact stands that you were right. You and I are of two worlds. With this secret, the gulf between us deepens."

"My old master," Xiao Jian insisted, "had said that the biggest virtue is forgiveness. I want to try. For you, I want to try. Qing-er, I can't let you marry Er Kang. Not when I know that the one you should be marrying is me."

"Should? Xiao Da Xia presumes much."

"Do I? Yes. I suppose I do. But you know it too. Qing-er, please."

When she did not answer, he took the risk of clasping her hands in his. "Qing-er?"

"I am thinking."

That she did not push him away again gave him hope.

Finally, she raised her gaze to meet his. There was a fierceness within it that scared but also exhilarated him.

"I will marry Er Kang. For ZiWei. I will. If…if you can stand to have me after I have been his wife, then yes, this can work."

"Qing-er?"

She smiled at him, "I have a plan."

A few days later, she heard that LFY had summoned ZiWei to Ci Ning Gong for a talk. It could be nothing good. As early as she could, she rushed over to Shu Fang Zhai. Looking at the scene in front of her, at ErKang's furrowed brows, ZiWei's tear-stained face, and XYZ's lost look, she felt that she had arrived just in time.

"Er Kang, ZiWei, you must both calm down."

They turned towards her.

"Please. ZiWei, stop pushing Er Kang away."

She repeated the same words she had spoken to XiaoJian, "I have a plan."

"A plan?"

Seeing that she had everyone's attention, Qing-er nodded. "It will take some sacrifice from everyone, some long-term planning, lots of patience. It will take time but as things stand, it may be our only option."

Seeing that she had everyone's attention, Qing-er continued, "LFY has been clear that she won't recognize ZiWei. Which in turn means that she won't appointment you marriage. Well, I can change that. And so, what I say is that, we let LFY have her way. I will marry Er Kang."

"Qing-er!"

Ignoring Er Kang's exclamation, Qing-er turned towards ZiWei, "Don't misunderstand me, Zi Wei. I don't want Er Kang for myself. I would be a fool to. I will tell LFY that I will marry Er Kang. It's her dearest wish. I will fulfill it, but only if you also marry Er Kang. That will be my condition. She can either appointment a double marriage or there'll be no marriage at all. And then…ZiWei, I will be Er Kang's wife in name only. You will be his only true wife. Er Kang will not be going back on his promise to you. You and he will still have forever."

"But Qing-er, that is unfair to you!"

"Unfair?! ZiWei, this is your chance for happiness, just as it is for me! Let me finish. In a few months, maybe a year, when things are calmer, I will fall ill. I will even die. But the casket they bury will be an empty one. XiaoJian was right. As a lady of the palace, the distance between us is too great. But if I no longer belong to the palace, then I can fly away with him. That is my plan."

"You…" ZiWei gasped, "You would be his Juliet!"

Qing-er smiled, "Yes. Fortunately, my Romeo knows my plan."

She looked at her friends again, "Er Kang, ZiWei. We have tried. We have all tried to resist. But look at Yongqi. He also tried. Well, why do we fight against what is inevitable? Why do we not fight within our limits? You are my dearest friends, my family, it is within my power to ensure your happiness. Please. Let me."

"But Qing-er, what about you?"

With such a question, Qing-er knew ZiWei will agree to her plan. "ZiWei. You will be helping me. When I 'die,' you and Er Kang will have to put on such an act! Er Kang, when you receive the edict of marriage, you will still have to beg LFY and HuangShang to reconsider. And then you have to dejectedly give in. We can't give away anything. I know I'm asking both of you to lie, to be dishonest. But for me, will you?"

Er Kang looked between the two ladies, "ZiWei?"

"Er Kang. Qing-er is right. Er Kang, I told you, I don't care about the manner in which I marry you. First wife, second wife, I don't care! As long as I do get to marry you."

"But I…"

"Er Kang. Once I do 'die,' ZiWei will be your one and only. For the sake of my memory, neither LFY nor Huang Shang will ever appoint any other marriage to you. I am certain of that."

Er Kang looked at the hopeful looks the two ladies were giving him. "I…"

"Er Kang," Qing-er begged, "Please."

He studied the two of them a moment more. "What must I do?"

And so their plan unfolded. Within a month, the news of the double engagement was the talk of the Palace. Er Kang's parents, who were aware of the plan, found themselves at the end of a seemingly endless string of congratulations. The story of that night with the snow and moon was repeated many times. It was fate, everyone whispered.

The youngsters each played their roles. Qing-er and ZiWei made sure that they were seen together often. It's meant to be, everyone whispered, see how close Qing-ge-ge and ZiWei-ge-ge already are.

XYZ, glad for the distraction, planned all manners of celebrations to the great laughter of all who witnessed them.

Benjamin and Yongqi teased ErKang about his good fortune whenever they were in a public setting. Benjamin also made inquiries to ChangTaiYi and eventually obtained a bottle of liquid that he was careful to divide into thirds. One for ErKang to keep at Xue Shi Fu. One for XiaoJian at HuiBingLou. One for Qing-er herself.

ErKang, whose titles had been raised, played the part of the embarrassed suitor.

Outside the palace, XiaoJian made preparations.

Soon enough, the date for the auspicious occasion was set. All appeared to be going to plan until the youngsters were summoned back to court by a frantic Benjamin. Even in the midst of their planning, they had not forgotten about HanXiang and MengDan. So, each time the group left the palace, they always left someone behind to keep guard.

The three princesses crowded around HanXiang's bed as the room filled with butterflies.

"I couldn't stop them!" Benjamin explained to the others, "she just…she just drank that poison!"

XYZ turned to HanXiang's two loyal maids, "Where is that medicine? The one that her father gave her?"

The maids paused only a moment before running to fetch it.

They watched HanXiang with bated breath. It was ErKang who quietly remarked that with the disappearance of the butterflies, HanXiang's scent seemed to have disappeared as well.

The princesses though did not hear him quite yet, for they were ecstatic when they saw HanXiang open her eyes.

The celebration for the miraculous recovery of Xiang Fei Niang Niang, however, was short-lived. Though she breathed, she did not speak. Though her eyes stayed open, they remained empty. Her limbs stayed in whatever position they were placed.

Chang Tai Yi examined her and shook his head. "Catatonia," he diagnosed.

At the emperor's demands, he elaborated, "I'm afraid Niang Niang's spirit has suffered a blow. That medicine has helped recover life for her body, but her mind…"

"Since you know what it is, fix it!"

Chang Tai Yi only sighed, "There is no medicine on earth that can wake her spirit if Niang Niang is determined to wander."

No amount of shouting, pleading, and even tears from the emperor could move HanXiang. Even mentions of MengDan from the youngsters did nothing to change her state.

Three days into the state of things, news came that Meng Dan had also fallen into a coma. Chang Tai Yi, dragged to Hui Bing Lou by Benjamin looked at this other patient and shook his head some more.

"I understand now. There is no saving them. They have both given up on this life."

The princesses sat by HanXiang's side whenever they could. It was XYZ who was with her when HanXiang breathed her last.

"HanXiang!" Her cries alerted the maids, who then alerted the guards. Soon enough, the room was again filled with people.

As Chang Tai Yi laid the white sheet over HanXiang's face, Qing-er could not help but notice the smile on HanXiang's previously expressionless face.

"I think," she said as the group sat in morose silence in Shu Fang Zhai, "that she and Meng Dan found each other."

On hearing her words, XYZ and ZiWei dried their tears.

"Yes," ZiWei said, "we should be happy for them. Finally, they can fly together."

She turned towards Benjamin, "Your country has Romeo and Juliet. We have Liang Shanbo (梁山伯) and Zhu Yingtai (祝英台)."

ErKang, his hand on ZiWei's shoulder to give her comfort, said in a choked voice, "Like them, HanXiang and Meng Dan are now together, forever."

Yongqi, wiping away XYZ's tears, gave her a questioning look.

At XYZ's nod, he spoke up, "Qing-er, your plan, XYZ and I want to be a part of it. Romeo and Juliet, Liang Shangbo and Zhu Yingtai. They are well and good. But I do not want death to be the only time that XYZ and I can be together."

"WAG, you are certain?"

Yongqi looked at his friends, "Benjamin had asked me, if I could give up everything. My title, my father, my mother. And I can say honestly, yes. Yes I can. Having witnessed the tragedy of HanXiang and MengDan, I do not want a re-enactment."

He turned towards Benjamin, "My friend. No, my brother. When I am gone, you must help take care of my mother."

He turned towards his sister, "ZiWei, I know I do not need to tell you to care for HAM."

ZiWei felt fresh tears well up in her eyes.

Yongqi looked around at the group and held tightly onto XYZ's hand, "Yongqi thanks everyone for supporting XYZ through these difficult months. You have all given her the comfort that I could not. I promised her forever, and I aim to keep that promise."

The youngsters looked at each other, each filled with fresh determination. Yes, they would move forward. Though they will eventually be separated, they will move forward, together.

The court went into mourning, though it was not always quiet. Within that year, a repeat soccer match was held during which the Ge Ge team reclaimed their victory. Another dumpling festival was held, this time complete with Benjamin's Italian dumplings. XYZ, with the help of her friends, even organized a talent festival with different categories and events during which the members of the palace could show off skills. The four young servants of Shu Fang Zhai were greatly applauded by the Royal Chidlren for thei re-enactments of the Journey West. XinRong easily won the dancing portion while YuFei was awarded for her bonsai collection. The star of the show, however, was perhaps Benjamin's painting of the group of young friends as they galloped across an open field.

At the end of the year, the long awaited wedding happened. Yongqi, Benjamin, and XYZ clapped and waved as the two brides set out of the Palace in their carriages. That night, Er Kang and ZiWei bowed to heaven, to Er Kang's parents, to each other, and were at last husband and wife. As for Qing-er, though she and Xiao Jian could not do the same, Qing-er felt content that she was one step closer to her heart's home.

The next six months passed quietly. Yongqi, for his hard work in court, was given the title of Rong Qing Wang and his own residence, away from his mother. The announcement of ZiWei's pregnancy became yet another cause for celebration. XYZ begged and, with the emperor's laughing approval, moved temporarily to Xue Shi Fu to help ZiWei with her pregnancy. LFY attempted to reprimand Qing-er but found that she could only shake her head at Qing-er's genuine happiness at the good fortune of her sister wife. YuFei turned to XinRong, whose pride would not let her admit that in all this time, Yongqi had still remained distant, and slept in a completely different area of their manor.

Another two months passed and ZiWei's pregnancy was deemed stable. Her family and friends celebrated but each also knew that the time had come.

Overhearing from someone, no one knew who, that lotus roots would be good for ZiWei, XYZ insisted that she be allowed to obtain them. Used to her random ideas, Qing-er could only agree and even decided to accompany her, nominally to keep her from too much mischief. Yongqi, who had been visiting with Er Kang to discuss a matter of national security, met them in the courtyard as they were about to leave and, on hearing about their mission, insisted on helping them navigate the boat.

No one knew what happened, but an outing that started so happily would end tragically. The heavens itself seemed to know what the youngsters had planned. The sky had opened up and torrents of rain fell. WAG was able to save Qing-ge-ge, but HZGG's body was recovered in the muddy banks two days later. Qing-ge-ge and WAG both became deadly ill. Pneumonia was recorded as the cause of death.

Never had such a tragedy happened in the Royal Family. ZiWei Ge Ge fell silent. At Fu Jin and Ling Fei Niang Niang's urgings, she ate and slept for the sake of her child. But even with her HAM, she could only cry. Everyone knew she blamed herself for the accident. Er Kang was her rock through it all.

Yu Fei was inconsolable. XinRong, watching her mother-in-law's grief, knew she would never let her know that she and WAG had never been properly husband and wife.

Time passed. ZiWei Ge Ge gave birth to twins. No one was surprised when she named the girl Fu QingYan and the boy Fu Wu Qi. In their presence, she regained her smile. In their presence, LFY also found her grief lessening. She learned to appreciate ZiWei and, when the twins were two years of age, finally gave ZiWei the official title of Ge Ge.

And so, life went on. In beautiful Da Li, Xiao Jian was welcomed home by his godparents. The guests he had brought with him were also welcomed with open arms. XiaoJian, who observed as Yongqi did all he could to acclimate to life as a commoner for XYZ's sake, let go of his doubts. Eventually, XYZ learned that Xiao Jian was her brother. So the Xiao siblings were reunited.

And Qing-er, Qing-er was happy. She had worn red once more. Though this time, XiaoJian was there to remove the covering from her head. This time, she bowed to heaven, to XiaoJian's godparents, and to XiaoJian. This time, as the night descended, she was not alone. As Xiao Jian took her hand in his, as he drew in to kiss his bride, Qing-er knew that never again would she be alone.