Chapter 34: Escape
While shaking her mother’s body, Duan Xiyan asked anxiously in a low voice, "Mother, what should we do now? Since Father failed to send that bitch to Master Chen, then– Will Master Chen send someone to take me to the Chen Mansion? What should I do? I don’t want to marry that perverted old man! I don’t want to die! Mother, you must help me!"
After hearing what she said, Zhao Xiaohua remembered that they still had this problem. Since the Yamen guards arrested her husband, then he could not send Duan Yixin to Master Chen. Thus, Master Chen will not let her daughter go unless they send him another bride. But how can they get him a bride while they are locked up here?
As for her husband, since the kidnapping of Duan Yixin failed, he should still be able to save his life. The maximum penalty would be jail time and not the death penalty.
After thinking for a moment, Zhao Xiaohua grabbed her daughter’s arm and said, "Xiyan, go pack your things. Mother will create opportunities for you to escape."
Duan Xiyan shook her head and asked tremblingly, "Mother, where can I go after I leave home? I don’t know anyone, and I have never left our village."
Zhao Xiaohua tightened her grip on Duan Xiyin’s arms and said urgently, "If you don’t want to die in Master Chen’s hands, you must listen to Mother. Let’s go pack your things now!"
After saying that, she quickly stood up from the ground and walked into her and Duan Sida’s bedroom. She pulled out the bamboo bed and dug into the wall in the corner of the bedroom with her bare hands. After a while, Zhao Xiaohua took out a small wooden box from the wall.
Duan Xiyan looked at the old wooden box and asked, "Mother, what is that?"
Zhao Xiaohua handed the small wooden box to her daughter and said seriously, "Xiyan, this box contains all the money Mother has saved over the years. In addition to the money, there is also a jade pendant. If you need more money, you can pawn or sell the jade pendant."
Listening to her mother’s words, Duan Xiyan opened the wooden box and saw a few pieces of broken silver, a bunch of copper coins, and a beautiful jade pendant. She picked up the jade pendant, took a closer look, and was fascinated by its beauty and exquisite pattern.
After staring at the jade pendant for a few seconds, she looked at her mother and asked, "Mother, where did this jade pendant come from? I knew our family didn’t have the money to buy this jade pendant."