Concubine - TRUE STORY [English Version]

14) little bird in a golden cage

For part of the night, Li pretended that she slept. Dai Yu was sleeping in an incredibly cute way the corner of the sheet muffled together, holding it like a teddy bear. And she was incredibly quit. Her dad snores all night.

When she thought rnough time had passed, she got up. She knew this was the capital. Xi'anyang in other words. And she had to go back to LanMeng province. Remembering the previous night, abduction night, that was a huge distance.

She stood still thinking for a moment. The night gown she had on was already wrinkled. She had no idea where her old clothes are. Shoes weren't even a thing in her life. So she had to go on the shoes she was given.

She took them of the shelf and sneaks out of the room.

Carefully through the door and closing it without sound. With the wars going on, it seemed smarter to pretend being a servant or something instead of hiding and everything.

She put on the shoes. Carefully she started walking. All concubines are housed in this hall.

Now she only had to find out which way to go. She had no idea of the main entrance, but she could take a chance on the "back door".

With her hands in her sleeves and Dai's little walk imitating, she tried to navigate in the hallway. It didn't look good, but at least it's night.

When trying to pass the corner, Li bumped into two soldiers. Without halberd, because no weapons are allowed in the palace. Li bowed when passing by.

They didn't say anything or didn't do anything. Yes! With confidence she continued finding her way.

She was now out of the Concubine hallway. But what way is it now? This whole palace is a labyrinth.
Footsteps!

Two soldiers came from the left and they didn't have the intention to turn the corner, into the hallway.

She needed the bathroom? Maybe an extra blanket cause she's cold?

No more time to think. They stop right in front of her.
"What are you doing here?!"
They weren't really trying to be quit. What do you do know?

"I'm looking for the, eh, ... bathroom?"

One of the two soldiers looked at the other one for a reaction, the other guy laughed and then said: "that's what they all say."

He grabbed Li by the upper arm.
"Come along. Madam Chu will find the right punishment. We won't do that."

Li was dragged along by a strong hand.
"Ai! Let me go pig head!"
But the soldiers weren't even a little impressed by Li's screaming and protesting.

They took her back to the hallway. They knocked on a door and made sure their posture was correct.

How she did it, Li had no idea, but the witch was still finely dressed for the middle of the night and looked like she wasn't sleeping two seconds ago.

The soldiers bowed.
"We are sorry to wake you up Madam. But we assume that she is a girl from your care?"

Chu looked at Li and she could taste the shame.
"Thank you soldier. I will take care of it."
The soldiers bowed again, wished her a good night and left.

"Li Yu. I told you not to get out of bed!"
Li replied with a grimace.
"Move" Chu said.

Chu pushed Li forward. Back to the hall of yesterday. Their was still light.

"Can you do handstand?"
Li saw that Chu had a bamboo stick in her hand. Li confirmed.
"Handstand. Against the wall. And you don't stop until I say so."

Li didn't even dare to say a word. She chose the handstand above beating.

She saw it enough on the market. People running after kids to punish them for theft. She felt it herself. For stealing moon cakes. She never ate moon cakes from the market again.

Li took a big step and went into handstand. She could do it from her childhood. They did it when a circus group traveled through the village. They could do the nicest tricks and summersaults.

But after a minute she really started to develop a headache. Chu said nothing. She was waiting on a chair and watched with the bamboo stick on her lap.

"Madam."
"Don't move."
"But..."
Chu turned her head.
"For every new escape attempt, punishment will get worse."

Li was biting her tongue. The headache was out of reality. She never felt something like this before. And she started feeling her wrists too.

"Madam!" she screamed. She started feeling sick now.

But Chu did nothing. Li was ready to fall down. But falling from this position seems very dangerous.

"You can come down now" said Chu like a saving grace.

Li came down like a dead weight.
"Make sure this never happens again. Got to your room!"

She hit Li one time with the stick. One time. But with the strength of a soldier. To make sure she would leave the room instantly. And maybe to bring her back to the real world too.

With her hands covering her face and tears, she left.

That was the worst idea she ever had.