In order to uncover the mystery behind her sister's death, Li Jingrui will stop at nothing even if she must become a palace maid to serve a stern bastard prince for eternity.
*****
A mountain that hides the secrets of the past, a decree wr...
The guzheng¹ playing lured her with each tug of the string, and her feet broke into a run as if on its own. She was pulled, like a puppet on a string, into the forest darkened by the night.
Her boots crunched against the snowy pavement as she entered beyond the thick sprawl of trees. The blood trail carved out an endless path, leading towards a dire end. A distinctive, foul stench of blood thickened in the air the further she ventured, and she covered her nose with her sleeves.
In between the shadow of the tree trunks, she caught a glimpse of something shifting, rattling the bushes. Her eyes widened and she stopped in her tracks. The coldness of the wintry air slithered under her hanfu as she peered ahead at the hedges. What seemed to be a stark figure of a man stood in between the trees, and when he moved, every wisp of air left her lungs. The strength in her legs dwindled, leaving it to wobble like jelly. She ran her hands over the leather strap around her waist and pulled out her dagger.
Holding it out in front of her, her heels dug into the soft snow. On the spur of the moment, she thought the silhouette was her master's, but squinting her eyes for a better view, she realised he was a young man.
A stranger.
A black cloak was draped over his broad shoulders, and a hood was drawn, concealing his face. The edge of the sword in his grip gleamed in the moonlight as he looked around the tree trunks, searching for something.
The man's intimidating look deemed him more of a foe than a friend, and Jingrui felt an urge to lunge at him and run him out of her Red Valley Faction. She clenched her fists, holding herself back. From his appearance alone, she knew she was not strong enough to fight against him.
Slowly, she took steps back. As her foot landed on the snow, it crushed against a twig, and the sound rioted the night. Her heart sank to her stomach, and she turned, leaping into a run. Before she could get far, wind brushed past her, and a hand slammed onto her shoulder, pulling her away from the path. She was rammed against a tree trunk by the stranger.
She winced as the tree bark scratched her skin. The lantern in her hand slipped to the ground, extinguishing the fire. Darkness swarmed around her, suffocating her with raw fear. She opened her mouth to scream, but the stranger placed his blade by her neck, shutting her up.
"Drop your dagger." The stranger's deep voice pervaded the night.
Jingrui gulped and, without another thought, let go.
"Who are you?" he questioned as he coerced her with the blade.
"I-I should ask you," she remarked, trying to back further against the tree. "This is my home, you thief!"
"Thief?" he murmured and let his word linger in the air before chuckling. "You are quite vulgar, little girl, to have the audacity to call me by such a name."
She clenched her fists. "You broke into my faction, if you are not a thief, then what are you?"
"None of your concern, little girl," he rumbled, stressing his words.
Jingrui nodded slowly. A remnant of her spoiled brat nature fought to crumble her fear, and she found herself speaking, "Of course, it is my concern." She glowered at him. "My Red Valley has never had strangers visited. Apart from my senior and master, you are the first man I've seen in centuries." She eyed the blade and lowered her voice. "And I didn't think men from outside the valley would be so scary. If you don't get this blade off my neck right now, I will seriously, s-seriously, report you to the authorities."
The man seemed to smile under the shadow that engulfed him. "Oh my, what a fierce, little kitten. Are you threatening me?" He let out a brief chuckle, which was filled with both ridicule and amusement. "You are young and puny, and your Qi is lacking. Go ahead and report me—if you can get past my blade without your scrawny neck being sliced in half, that is."
Jingrui's breath hitched, and she sealed her mouth shut. Something within his words held substantial warning, and she pressed her back against the tree, ignoring the jabbing pain as barks scratched her skin. Her hands trembled, and she clenched them into fists.
The man eyed her, seeing her cower in fear. A sigh parted his lips. "My blade has indeed shed blood of many, but I am not fond of taking the lives of someone . . . unworthy," he muttered before casting away the sword in his hand, deeming her as no threat. He swayed slightly as he took a step back. "I am no thief, little girl. I am merely looking for a man a little shorter than me, and a middle-aged woman. They should have passed by here. Have you seen them around your home?"
Jingrui flexed her tensed neck and bared her teeth at him. "No."
"Very well. I'll take my leave." With that, he turned away.
Jingrui looked up, her blood suddenly boiling, and she felt heated even in the cold winter air. "Who does he think he is, to come and go from my faction like this? Unscrupulous, merciless thief," she grumbled under her breath, making sure he wouldn't hear. To her surprise, he paused in his tracks and wheeled around to face her.
"You are quite amusing," he remarked, the shadow that engulfed over him made him look like a beast that lurked the night. "I'm letting your neck stay attached. Isn't that enough mercy? Your faction is insignificant. The barrier at the top of the cliff faces only needed one touch of the tip of my sword to break. Anyone could come and go."
Jingrui placed her hands on her waist and closed her eyes, holding in her temper. She gritted her teeth. "You really look down on my faction too much, Mister Thief. Once my master and senior know of you, they will escort you on your way to the Labyrinth of Hell. My sister also works at the revered Heavenly Palace, so our faction has connection—"
She paused when the man let out a raspy laugh. He cocked his head to the side and took a step closer, making her inch back. "The Heavenly Palace cannot do anything against me. And your master . . . perhaps, you'd like to follow the blood trail."
"What do you mean?"
"I walked past there. Couldn't see, but perhaps, you'd like to clean up the mess at your home." The man looked heavenward. "Dawn should light up the sky soon. I've wasted enough time, and I have no business in this place. Farewell."
The man didn't give her time to react. His form before her vanished like a vapour of mist, leaving only speckles of soft dust behind. The unbidding silence encircled her once more, and she was left all alone under the soft light of the waning moon.
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1) Guzheng: traditional Chinese instrument.
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