Xiang Yu slowly opened his eyes but realised that his left eye wouldn't open. His other eye managed to focus and he could see the half-rotten beams of his small room at the back of the brothel. He took a breath and his chest screamed in pain. It seemed he had a broken rib grinding against his insides. His shoulder which had been dislocated and put back in place was throbbing. When he moved his legs he felt one of them was painful. His ankle on his right leg was twisted and swollen.
His throat felt raw as if invisible hands had squeezed the life out of him. Both his eyes were swollen with one blue and the other closed shut. His right eye's blood vessels had burst. His lip was split and had a crust of dried blood. He licked his lips from thirst only to have the taste of iron linger on his tongue.
The older woman who was keeping watch on his bedside opened her eyes from a short nap. When she saw his movements her sickly pale complexion brightened up. She honestly thought she would be guarding a corpse. The child hadn't woken up for two days and they had already prepared for the worst. The boy's head had been bashed against the wall and floor several times. The injury at the back of his head was more severe than any of his other injuries. This alone made them lose hope.
Her eyes filled with pity she poured out some water. "You are awake," she murmured, offering him the cup of water. "Thank the heavens. You are lucky to be alive."
The woman held up his head and helped Xiang Yu drink the water. "Slowly. You don't want to choke," she said her voice filled with concern. "Stay still. I will go call the Madam."
Xiang Yu was left alone in the small room her words echoing in his mind. "You are lucky to be alive," he repeated those words in a soft murmur. Wasn't he too lucky? He was told that when he was born a thief broke in and accidentally stole him only to dump him in the forest.
They said he was in the cold snow for three days and he was lucky to be alive. Was it luck or something was wrong with him? Xiang Yu was well aware that he was different from other children. When he got hurt he would heal much faster than others.
This coupled with his mother calling him a monster he had a feeling that there was something special about his father but he had never thought about it until now. Knowing that his mother didn't want him and almost killed him he sneered the coldness in his eyes intense. He chuckled but it emerged as a raspy wheeze.
The door was suddenly opened and the proprietress walked in. She didn't say much. She carefully checked his injuries with a focused gaze.
After a long silence, she said, "I didn't think you would live. You are indeed blessed by the heavens," with a sigh. "Your relationship with your mother is irreparable. Your mother has severed ties with you so... as soon as you get better you should leave. I can help you find another home."
Xiang Yu thanked her before closing his eyes. Taking this as the child wanting some time to process his feelings she left him alone softly closing the door behind her. After she was gone Xiang Yu's grimace masked the evil glint in his eyes. His mother's betrayal had carved him into something new, a creature of vengeance and pain.
***
In the heart of the small town, nestled between the shadows and the red lanterns the Spring Lights brothel was bustling, alive with the energy of drunken clients and the allure of gorgeous women. The night was young, and the air was thick with the scent of desire and indulgence.
Every courtesan seemed busy at work all except for Li Hua. Tomorrow was the day she would finally leave the brothel and become Huang Chao's third concubine. The courtesan well known for her unparalleled beauty and grace was about to be a madam in the Huang estate. How could she not be excited?
She moved through the crowd with the elegance of a dancer, her silken gown shimmering in the dim light. She had a delicate face, framed by long, black hair that cascaded down her back in soft waves. Her eyes were like pools of ink, reflecting the depth of her soul and the secrets she held within.
The proprietress glanced in her direction and felt quite regretful. She should have charged that bastard more money to redeem such a beauty.
Li Hua planned to take a bath and be refreshed for her new husband tomorrow thus she made her way to the bath house. She placed her clothes on the stool and her jug of wine beside the steaming bath.
Her clothes rustled as she took them off. Her silk robe halfway down her arms she paused having heard a sound. She listened for a moment, her heart pounding in her chest. "Is there anyone there?" she called out, her voice barely above a whisper. The wind blew the curtain gently, and she realised she was being silly. She slipped into the wooden bathtub, the warm water enveloping her body and soothing her senses.
She poured out some wine and took a sip. A smile crept up her face her heart filled with a sense of contentment. Tomorrow, she would be leaving this place, embarking on a new chapter, far different from the world she knew. She took another sip and closed her eyes, letting the warmth of the water wash over her.
But as she lay back, she found herself sinking further into the water. She tried to sit up, but her limbs were paralysed, her movements slow and sluggish. She tried to move her arms, but it only made her sink further until the water was around her mouth.
Li Hua panicked, her heart racing as she struggled to break free from the water's grip. "Xiang Yu," she tried to cry out, but her voice was muffled, her words lost in the steam that filled the room. He had always been close by so why wasn't he here now? It seemed she had forgotten that he was bedridden because she left him for dead. She was trapped, her body paralysed, her mind racing with fear and uncertainty.