1 week and 6 days later

"I can't believe Miss Lian would do something horrible to you." Li Qin said, brewing the tea, "Why would she do this to you, Miss. She was like a big sister to you when you're child." She gave me tea as I took a sip.

"Qiao Lian wanted to use me as her chess piece because my family is more powerful than her family and my father is also the emperor's most trusted friend. She only pretended to be my friend so she could get close to the royal because I was a fool and naive to trust her. She only wanted wealth, status and luxury life for themselves, even power." My eyes narrowed and stared at the tea.

"What's she planned to do with you?" She asked.

"If I'm corrected, she or her family wanted me to marry the 4th prince because I have a crush with him but not anymore... I also know she has feelings with him..." I gently put the tea on the table. In my last life, Qiao Lian wanted me to marry the 4th prince for my happiness. I thought it was weird because she also has a feeling with him, "I'm going to marry the 3rd prince when I turn 18 which will ruin her plan. The 3rd prince never liked Qiao Lian from the start."

"I understand, Miss but I won't let it happen to you. I will stay by your side and protect my life even if it means death." Her words hit my mind as she said the same words from her last life. I can't lose her again.

I smiled at her and said, "Li Qin, you've been my faithful servant over the past 11 years and never left my side..." She's only one and loyal companion over the past 11 years. She sacrificed herself to save me in the last life but she died brutally and thought of me as her family. I look at her and express myself with the smile. "I'm glad to have you, not as a friend but more as a family."

Li Qin stared at her master who expressed her words and felt happy inside her but she couldn't believe it, "Miss... I... Don't know... What to say?" She stuttered with her words as tears fell from her eyes.

"Li Qin, what's wrong?" I saw her tears as she wiped her tears.

"It's just..." She struggled with her words and took a deep breath.

"When I was 7 years old, my father died from the illness and I have no chance but to buried him with my hands until I was captured by the human trafficking and turn into a slave. The slave master forced me to work day and night without resting. Only a little bread to eat and drink the cold water from the well. He was such a cruel, abused person and loved to tortured me if I didn't do all the chores. I cried so hard and wanted to die so I would be able to meet my family in heaven until I decided to escape and run away from that horrible place. He sent his minions to capture me. The day I met you when you saved me from the men who tried to take me..."

Flashback

2 days ago, a 7 years old girl who wore old and dirty rag clothes was Li Qin, runaway from the slave master and wandering around in the alley.

She saw the man who was eating the buns while walking on the street as her stomach began to growled very loudly. She was very hungry and hadn't eaten for 3 days. She grabbed his shirt, "Mister, can you spare me some food please?" She begged him in a soft voice.

The man looked at her in disgust and pushed her harshly, "Don't touch me with your dirty hand! You filthy street rat!" He yells at her as Li Qin flinches in fright. He left her and grunted angrily.

Li Qin standing there and crying desperate for food, "I just wanted some food to eat... Urgh... Urgh... Urgh... Mommy... Daddy... I wish that you weren't dead... Urgh... Urgh... Urgh..."

She wiped her tears and noticed some group of men were running toward her. Her face went paled as she saw her master's face with anger expression, "LI QIN! YOU FUCKING SLAVE! JUST WAIT I WILL GET MY HANDS ON YOU AND MAKE YOU CRIPPLE SO YOU WON'T ABLE TO ESCAPE FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!!!"

LI Qin turn and ran to the alley as fast as she could. The men chase after her with the speed with the bag and ropes on his hands. Her eyes widened with fear as the man grabbed her wrist and pulled her harshly.

Li Qin used her strength to kick his groin. The 1st man yelled in pain and let go of her wrists. She quickly ran away from them, "GET THAT FUCKING BRAT!!" He yelled as 2 men ran after her.

She ran with her own bare feet and looked for a place to hide, "I have to get away from them but where?" Her eyes spotted at the noble carriage and went inside. She covered her mouth and nose as she heard their voice.

"Where did she go?" The man said while looking around.

"She can't be far, let's check at that alley." They left in a hurry.

Li Qin sighs in relief as she smells something and turns. She saw the girl in the noble clothes, eating the bun while staring at her, "Who are you and what are you doing in a carriage?"
The child asked softly and noticed Li Qin was staring at the bun on her hand with her mouth drooling as her stomach growling louder. She felt embarrassed and noticed the child offered her some buns.

"Here, have some meaty buns." The child said with a gentle smile as Li Qin took it and ate it quickly but she was still hungry and want more food. "Don't worry, there's still plenty of food on the table."

Li QIn looked at the table and gasped that she didn't realize there's more delicious food on the table as her mouth began to drool, "Thank you."

She ate the food with her mouth and never realized the food tasted delicious but she didn't realize someone was behind her with a dangerous presence.

"GOT YOU!"

A hand grabbed her collar and pulled her out of the carriage as her master appeared with an angry look. He grabbed her collar and punched her face as her nose covered with blood on it.

"YOU FUCKING BRAT!!! AFTER ALL I DONE FOR YOU AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME!!!" He threw her on the ground and kicked her stomach as the food dropped on the floor and coughed blood. He grabbed her jaws tightly and forced her to stare at him, "Listen little girl, I will give you a chance... You come with me or you die... What will you choose?" He threatened her in a low tone.

Li Qin glared at him and spit his face, "I RATHER DIE!! YOU FUCKING BASTARD!!!" She yelled at him without needing to be scared.

He was very angry and pulled the knife out. Li Qin closed her eyes and accepted the death, "Mom... Dad... I will meet you in heaven soon..." She whispered with tears.

He was about to strike his knife at her. He felt his head was hit by the object and dropped Li Qin on the ground. Li Qin opened her eyes and saw the girl hold the cup as she glared at the master, "LEAVE HER ALONE!!" The child angrily snapped at him.

He growled at her, "Another girl, huh...You just mess with the wrong person. It's very well to see a child with rare violet eyes but no matter I can sell you in the red district!"

LI Qin went pale and couldn't let her master take the girl to the red district. He's been involved with drugs and human trafficking as she jumped on his back and pulled his beard, "Run!!" She yelled at her and pulled it hard.

He stood up, "YOU BITCH!" He grabbed her collar and threw her on the ground. The girl threw the cup at his head and quickly jumped on his back. She opened her mouth, revealed her sharp teeth and bit his shoulder as he screamed in pain. Her legs wrapped around his neck and threw him on the ground with her strength.

Li Qin was shocked to see the girl making a fighting stance. He charges at her with his knife, she knocks his knife from his hands and kicks his butt as he falls on the ground. She quickly unbuckles his belt and jumps on his back. Grabbing both of his wrist and tied them behind his back.

She sat on his back and grin widely, "Never mess with the child!"

The master tried to get up but he couldn't because his hands were tied behind his back and his pants fell down which made him difficult to stand. He saw his henchmen running toward him and yelled, "KILL THAT FUCKING BRAT!"

2 men attack her but she quickly dodges them as they accidentally stumble and fall down on their boss. She laughed at them and held her stomach as she saw another man chasing her. She quickly picks the stick from the ground and hits his stomach and legs. He stumbled and was hit by the head, lying unconscious.

Suddenly a hand held her collar by the other man and struggled to break free from his hands. Li Qin couldn't let him kill her without thinking as she jumped on his back and pulled his hair. The man screamed and let go of her collar, trying to get Li Qin off his back.

The girl joins her by biting the man's arm. 2nd man quickly helped him and pulled two girls by holding their collars. The boss stomped the ground angrily and glared at them, "I'm going to k..."

"How dare you hurt Miss Xue!" They turned and saw the old lady but she's not alone. 4 guards with symbols of the phoenix followed her and glaring at the thugs with merciful eyes. The thugs went pale and dropped 2 girls as they quickly ran toward the old lady.

She bent down and held the girl with her arms, "Miss Xue, are you alright?" Her voice sounded worried as Song Xue nodded, "Why did these men attack you?" She horrified saw the bruise on her neck.

Song Xue looked at the thugs and had an idea to make them pay. With an evil idea in her mind and she pretends to cry in her arms, "Nanny Mao, it was scary! These men are scary and mean! They came inside the carriage and tried to kidnap me. I tried to run away but they threatened me but that girl saved my life." She pointed at Li Qin who was standing there, "If it weren't for her! I would be sold in the red district!" She pretends to cry by using the fake tears and peek at Li Qin who was shocked as she gave her wink.

"WHAT!?" She exclaimed and glared at the thugs, "You dare to kidnapped Miss Xue and decide to sell her in the red district! Guards beat them up before sending them to jail!" She orders them as they cupped their fist.

"Yes, madam!"

The master eyes widen, "Miss Xue? What! She's the daughter of Song Shun... The greatest general in the Xia kingdom... The lighting beast..." His face went pale with fear.

"The general who defeated his powerful enemy with his 55,000 army?!" The 1st man stutters in fear.

"I heard he always overprotected his family but I never realized that child was his kid." The 2nd man muttered with fear as 4 guards crack their knuckle with an anger expression.

"You shouldn't mess with Miss Xue!" They said in unison and beat them brutally by stomping, kicking and punching.

Which made Lin Qin jump back in shock and fear, "Wow! They're strong." She watches them, beating the thugs which make her happy. She felt something patted her shoulder as she turned her body and look at Song Xue

"Are you alright?" Song Xue asked Li Qin nodded as she smile, "What is your name?"

"My name is Li Qin..." She answered.

Song Xue held her dirty hands, "Thank you for saving me. You were brave back there!"

LI Qin's eyes widened as her cheek began to blush, "Well, you did save me first..."

"Li Qin, where are your parents? Shouldn't you be with them?"

Her eyes spilled with tears and spoke in a struggle voice, "They died and I'm all alone."

Song Xue looked at her with a pitiful eye as her mind snapped and held her hand, "You can stay with me!" She said in cheerful expression.

LI Qin looked surprised, "Stay with you? But I can't..." She said slowly as Song Xue patted her head.

"It doesn't matter... As long as you're not alone... We can always be family together..." Song Xue said in a cheerful voice.

"A family..." Li Qin said slowly and felt that she's not alone, "This girl is different from other noble girls. Mostly they never wanted to involve commoners or street people but this girl is kind and gentle." She said in her mind and nodded, "I would love to..." She said in cheerful voice.

Flashback ended

"You told your parents that you were willing to take care of me and I was happy that you gave me a hope to live with home and family. If I didn't meet you then I would be dead a long time." She said with tears as I patted her head.

Oh Li Qin, you've been scare and lonely when I first met you in a frighten expression, came into the carriage and hiding from her master. You wore the rag clothes with bruise on your body even skinnier like a bone. That's why I had to help you... I couldn't let you get killed by them and decide to save you and take you as my maid.

"I'm glad to have you on my side. But there's one thing I wanted to say... No matter what happens I also wanted to protected you as sister." I smile with stern eyes as her eyes sparkle with tears and quickly wipe her tears.

"As sister!" She exclaimed excited as we giggle. We heard the door knock as we turn and see.

"Come in." I said as the door opened. The servant holding 2 letters and bow down to me.

"Miss, here's a letter for you." He held them out to me. Li Qin take the letters from him and left.

"I wonder who is this from?" She gave the letters to me as I look at the letter. Li Qin peeking at the letter and grin, "The 3rd prince wrote the letter for you. Why don't you opened it ." She show a devil smile.

She acting like child sometimes, I opened the letter and read it as my eyes widen and my cheeks began to blush. I quickly fold it, not letting Li Qin see this.

"Can you please leave." I mumble with blush.

"Miss, are you blushing." She said with tease words. I glare at her as she quickly runaway and leaving me alone to read the letter. If she see this letter than she will faint. I can't believe Sheng say such a shameless words.

I read letter and smile, "Oh how you never change in the past since we were kids and still making a joke that would make me laugh." I held the letters to my chest and close my eyes while smile.