Great Wall.
However, I think it would be pity for such a beauty to be devastated in this way. So you are now offered a
second chance that is to be my imperial concubine and enjoy luxurious life.”
“
NO!” I replied firmly, “I am not afraid of any punishment, even though I am not the real princess, I came
here in peace, and I hope that your majesty would treasure the lives of the civilians. Moreover, I will not be re-
strained by fame and wealth!”
The Emperor’s face had turned into vividly red and his moustache was quivering, “Do not try to ask for
more just because my idiotic son likes you, actually you have no right to choose! I’ve been generous with you
and you’ll surely be regretful of what you have said today! Take her to the Great Wall!” The Emperor shouted
furiously,
As a result, I was exiled to the Great Wall. Yet, the people there were no longer scary once we got to
know each other. From our conversation, I knew that most of them were the captives, while the others were
male civilians. All these years the Emperor launched wars in all the places trying to unify the seven countries
and be the King of China, and Qin had become more and more formidable, but at the same time, more and more
families were broken up unwillingly.
People in the Great Wall were like brothers and sisters, helping each other whenever they’re in need and
their power of love had never weakened, even we lost our friends one by one every day under those ruthless
whipping and cumbrous rocks.
And as my fingers became rougher and rougher, my mind was strengthened more and more, and the ache
of the wounds would only made me stronger; I was no longer the pamper girl that grumbled and wept when
things didn’t go well, I would be the woman who stood up and fought back.
Some glittering white wispy snowflakes landed lightly on my finger tips and melted into a bead of crystal
dew that reminded me of the pure white lilies in the field. Were they frozen into ice of flowers and slowly with-
ered?
And in the night of coldness a pair of familiar hands wrapped a fluffy warm mink around me; it was Qi-
liang, and the ice freezing my heart melted the second I saw him.
“
My father is sending me to a war, I might be away for a while, and this will protect you while I’m away.”
He said, handing me a hair pin of a phoenix pecking a lily. We spent the night on the hilltop, watching the stars
in the beamy sky till the sun came out and he left grudgingly.
I’d been waiting for him day and night until the terrible news came and blew my mind: The crowned
prince was killed in the war!
However what made it worse was that the death of one of his sons didn’t seem to bother the Emperor nor
dispel his determination to marry me. He had decreed that we are getting married at the reconstructed part of the
Great Wall.
On the wedding day, the Great Wall was decorated with cardinal red fabric, candles and paper art, and I
was dressed in satin sheen gold cheongsam and accessories, I put on the hair pin Qiliang gave me and took a
deep breath. I was now locked in a golden cage surrounding by flaming fire, but the phoenix would rise from the
ashes again.
I walked down the alley, and just before anyone can react to me, I pulled my hair pin and stabbed it to my
heart. Bright red blood splashed out onto the golden carpet, and I jumped off the slope in front of all the shock-
ing faces.
Well, at least that’s what the story you were all familiar with, but now the secret would be revealed.
Qiliang actually did not die in the war, but in order to get away from this dreadful place without being
tracked down; we had decided pretending to be dead and enjoy the life of the isolating world.
In fact, the hair pin Qiliang gave me had a gear inside, when I stabbed it into my heart, the long fine pin
slide in and pierced the bag of chicken blood, giving an illusion that I was badly hurt. Moreover, when I jumped
off the slope, everyone though that I would be dead, but of course, Zhong was waiting for me at the slope in
order to keep me safe.
We ran away by riding horses, galloping all the way from the palace to the ‘Lilies Garden’ restlessly; I
jumped off the horse once we arrived and ran to the field, searching for Qiliang anxiously. Finally I saw him
standing under the moonlight, just as the first time we met.
I rushed to Qiliang, and he opened his warm arms and hugged me tightly forever, even when we were
watching the stars or telling stories to our children or when silver started to appear in our hairs.
****************************************************
My eyes become wet and tears are streaming down my cheeks, through the words of Meng Jiang Lian, I
suddenly feel that the Great Wall is very sacred; it has changed a girl’s destiny and witnessed how her family,
friendship and love are destroyed by wars and how a weak girl grew up as a strong woman.