Dragon Moon Read Online Free PDF

broken only by the sniffling of a small boy.
    The next day and a half passed in a bustle of preparation as Princess Yangxin supervised the packing of Ping’s baggage. Ping didn’t object to the piles of clothing and cooking equipment, the boxes of animal furs and cushions, the large tent and the great quantity of food that was being packed for her and Kai’s use. It was better that the household was occupied. Ping collected more practical things—a jar of red cloud herb ointment for healing, a good bronze knife, a pair of fire-making sticks.
    The Princess gave Ping a roll of calfskin, brush and ink so that she could write to her. Ping tried to refuse, but the Princess insisted. Yangxin also wanted her to take fine gowns and jewellery. This time Ping was firm.
    “A simple gown is best for travelling,” she said, selecting a dark green hemp gown with shallow sleeves and simple pale green silk edging. “And my bamboo square is all the jewellery I need.”
    “Kai wants to take the backscratcher,” the little dragon said. “Plenty of jujubes. And worms.”
    Ping was telling him they couldn’t take any worms when an attendant arrived with a message that the Duke wished to see her in the Peony Hall.
    “You will need money for your journey, Ping.” The Duke signalled to his administrator who gave Ping a purse.
    “There are some gold pieces,” he said, “but gold attracts attention like flies to a dead dog. I have also given you plenty of copper coins for making small purchases.”
    “That’s very kind of you, Your Grace,” Ping said.
    The Duke smiled at her. “I willmiss our poetry readings in the library,” he said.
    It was a tearful farewell. Ping had made many friends at the palace and Kai had endeared himself to everyone—from the chief advisors to the kitchen boys. They were all sad to see the pair go. There was another reason for their sadness, though nobody mentioned it. No one in the palace wanted to see the cause of all their good luck leave. The Duke had done his best to convince the palace’s inhabitants that the dragon’s departure was the only way to continue their good fortune, but they didn’t believe him. Every single person in the palace wanted to touch the dragon one last time for luck.
    The Princess was crying again.
    “I know you are following your true path, Ping,” she said as she hugged her friend. “I am being selfish. I will miss you, and I did so much want Yong Hu to grow up with a dragon.”
    Before long, their carriage, crammed with enough baggage for a dozen people, was passing through the western gateway of Beibai Palace. Though Ping had been eager to begin the journey, now that she was actually leaving she was sad to say goodbye to her friends and the place that had been such a comfortable home.
    The Duke had insisted that they travel with an armed escort. He had wanted to send six men. Ping had managed to convince him that six soldiers would attract too much attention, and that two soldiers and a driver would be more than enough. She leaned out of the carriage and watched Beibai Palace shrink into the distance. It was unimpressive from the outside. Made of unadorned mud bricks, its blank walls gave no clue as to what lay inside. Ping had a feeling she would never return.
    Kai was hanging out of the carriage window making sounds like a cracked bell ringing. But when the palace finally disappeared from sight, he pulled his head into the carriage and settled down quietly with his head in Ping’s lap.
    The regret Ping had felt was disappearing. She knew the time was right to leave. Her stomach was churning with excitement and anticipation. She remembered the first line of her
Yi Jing
reading.
At the beginning, a hidden dragon. It is wise to be inactive
. Ping had interpreted it tomean that while Kai was submerged in the well it was all right to stay at the palace. Now that he was not hidden, it followed that it would be unwise to be inactive. To delay any longer would lead to