Unexpected Journey

The Escape

This chapter's vocabulary: 

        Hu die-translates to butterfly in English

        Di wu wangzu- fifth prince

        Shi- Yes

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As Piping sat on her bed that evening she was thinking about ways to escape this fate of hers. "I can't and will not become a concubine of an old man, I must escape but how? The society does not treat a female well especially an unmarried lady." Then something suddenly came up to her mind. "Hmm..But it's normal for a scholar to roam around China." She must take this risk as it is the only option left for her. She untied the dark green ribbon in middle of her chest that held her chest high skirt. As soon as her ribbon came loose her long light green skirt  fell to the ground and she quickly takes off her long sleeve white robe. She then slipped on a pair of tan trousers and fastened it with a belt that was made out of cotton to hold the trousers up. She knew she was petite but the trousers seemed bigger than she thought it would be. "Great..but I have no time to alter it now. It'll just have to do." She then put on the over coat robe and fastened it with a brown belt around the waist. She looked at herself trough her small mirror that was left behind by her mother. "Oh no, it's visible even though I am wearing loose clothes." She took off her over coat robe and had to find something to wrap her chest with. She can't disguise herslef as a man if her C cup chest is going to give it away. 

She started to look over her room again, then she laid her eyes on her white bed sheet. "Perfect!" She slipped the bed sheet off her bed and started to rip it apart as it was too long and wide to wrap her chest with. She took one end of the ripped piece and started to tightly wrap her chest with it until it looked as flat as possible and secured it with a belt. "Much better." She then put her hair in a tight bun and covered it with a hat so that she resembles that of a poor scholar. 

Piping's POV

As I open the doors out of my small room, I look up into the night sky and saw that the full moon is especially bright tonight; it's so beautiful. I was lost in my admiration for a little but then came back to the reality. The good thing about being disfavored by my father and step mother is that my room was near the front gate as most of the maids rooms were. But because my family is almost bankrupt because of stepmother's endless spending, we can no longer afford to pay for maids and I was left to do all of the chores.

Look Left, Right. Good noone is in sight that means that Siping and stepmother must be sound asleep. My heart is pounding so fast at this instant that I am so afraid that someone can hear it. Because of that I started to quicken my pace to the gate in hopes that I can make it out alive and undiscovered. Just a little more, come on only two more feet to reach the front gate. No! Step mother locked it. What to do what to do. I looked at the walls and came up with an idea. I'll have to climb over the walls. But they are all so high. 

Ok one swing two swing. Toss Over. With only one pair of clothes to change in, some money that I had saved in over the years, my mother's small mirror, and the jade earrings that she left me was all that I had packed in my sack. As much as I would hate for them to break I have to toss them over the wall first. As soon as I was able to to climb over the wall, I slipped on my way down and was prepared to have a  few broken bones. As I landed on the ground, it was not hard at all I didn't even feel any pain it's actually a very comfortable landing. ____________________________________________________________________________

Fifth Prince's POV 

I am so tired of those mediocre woman who tried so hard to impress me today especially that ugly woman. I really do not want to get marry but what can I do if my empress mother wants me to settle down. Even the Empress Dowager my grandmother approve of this selection. But worst of all I can't believe that both Empress mother and Empress Dowager let her pass to the next round, I pray to the gods that she takes upon an uncurable  illness and disqualifies in the selections.

I don't want anyone but her. No one can match her. The woman that I always dream about. Even though I can't see her whole face I know that she is beautiful with a kind heart. I dream about her every night but yet - even as I paint her, I am only able to paint her body and her eyes. Those beautiful sparkly eyes that can capture and melt any man's heart. So innocent yet so pure. Where are you "Hu Die". Do you even exist in this world? 

"Ling are you there?" 

"Ling at your service Di wu wangzi."

"Prepare a horse we are going out."

"Shi, your servant will prepare right away."

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