The beginning
“Husband, why are you doing this?! Do you not hold me in your heart anymore? You swore to the heavens you would cherish me for as long as you live! Why do you break your oath?” the young woman, barely twenty years of age, with peerless visage cried out in rage. All of her woes stem from one source, her husband.
“SHUT UP YOU FOOL!” bellowed out the lord. He was a vision, with shoulder-length ink black hair tied loosely with a leather band, and wearing wearing an expensive suit that hugged his toned figure. On both of his hands were his favourite accessories, his newly acquired concubines. “Who are you to tell me what to do, you useless woman! Get out of my sight!” the young lord threw his favourite wine cup at his wife.
Seeing as the young lord’s mood was getting worse, the brighter one of the two concubines immediately grabbed onto her chance, “Milord. Please calm down. Why waste your energy on useless scum like her.” This concubine had a honey voice. She could make any man succumb to her charms with only a few words. Listening to this woman’s voice brought pleasure to the young lord’s heart. “LuLu is so intelligent. LuLu knows me best,” the young lord crooned at his new concubine.
The second concubine didn’t want to lose out in this competition for the young lord’s affection, “Milord, what about KiKi? KiKi loves you the most, milord.” The young lord looked towards his second concubine, eyes softening. This woman had a soft, baby face, arousing everyone’s desire to protect her from the big bad world.
Grabbing her by the chin, the young lord brought her closer to him. The young madam couldn’t bring herself to watch anymore. She turned and ran out of her husband’s room, her trusted maid right at her heels.
“Grab our belongings Ting Ting, we are leaving,” the young madam bit out. “But madam, where will we go? You were disowned by your family when you expressed your desire to marry the young lord,” the maid worriedly bit her lips. She had been with her mistress ever since she was eleven and grew up with her mistress. She wanted to kill the young lord, but she was only a mere maid, all she could do was swallow her anger and curse at him in her heart. “Do not ask questions now Ting Ting. We must leave this godforsaken manor first.” Madam Zhang bit out, venom lacing her voice.
In the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, the pair of mistress and maid had packed their belongings and necessities and gone out of the front gates of the manor. The guards didn’t even try to stop them. Their actions caused the young madam to scoff rather loudly, “Pathetic bunch of ass lickers!” Ting Ting was shocked at her mistress’ choice of words, as she had never seen her curse, ever. Madam Zhang looked back at the mansion, “Ting Ting, mark my words, we will get our revenge,” saying so, the young madam cast one last look at the mansion, grimacing in disgust, before turning and disappearing into the darkness of the night.
By daybreak, the entire town was bustling with the latest gossip.
“Did you hear?”
“What?”
“Lord Zhang took in two concubines right after a week into his marriage.”
“Oh My!”
“I heard that Madam Zhang ran away from the Zhang Manor due to heartbreak.”
“That Lord Zhang, I knew he was a good for nothing. But to stoop this low. Tsk!”
“Poor madam Zhang. She ran away from her maiden family and gave everything she owned to the Young Lord, praying for his prosperity.”
“I heard that her maiden family, the Shu family, disowned her.”
“Aiya! Such rotten luck. I hope she is well.”
"How will she be? She is a young maiden travelling alone with nowhere to go."
"O my, O my! Whatever shall happen to her now?"
"Fate will decide."
Elsewhere, deep in the Forest of Gloom, two young women were briskly walking north, one leading, the other following. “Mistress, where are we going?” Ting Ting asked breathlessly, panting from the long walk on the rough terrain. Madam Zhang only walked faster and faster, not once looking around, her faithful maid right at her flank. Seeing as her mistress was hellbent on keeping her silence and reaching her destination, Ting Ting no longer asked anything else. She quietly followed her mistress, at the exact same pace. In time, they reached the entrance of a large cave. “Ting Ting, whatever happens, keep your distance until I say you can otherwise. Understood?” Madam Zhang warned. Ting Ting could only nod in acceptance, slightly afraid for her mistress.
Madam Zhang only straightened her posture and took steady steps into the darkness of the cave, wishing herself good luck.
