*Crack! Crack! Crack!*
On a bustling street, a young man was viciously lashing a frail figure with a horsewhip. This young man was none other than the infamous young master of the Lin family.
"Such bad luck! It must be you, you ugly freak, who brought this misfortune upon me!" The Lin family's young master cursed loudly as he continued his relentless whipping.
Today, not only had he failed to regain the face he lost at the courtesan's residence, but he had also made an even bigger fool of himself, becoming the laughingstock of the other young masters. The more he thought about it on his way back, the angrier he became. And now, seeing this ugly freak stutter and struggle to speak, it reminded him of the mocking laughter from the other young men. In his rage, he drew his whip and began beating the poor wretch before him.
The frail figure, the "ugly freak," curled up tightly on the ground, enduring the savage blows without making a sound, despite the whip tearing his flesh open with every strike. He silently bore the unprovoked assault.
Seeing that the ugly freak wasn't making a sound, the young master's fury only grew. Was this freak mocking him for not having enough strength? With a renewed ferocity, he put his full strength into every swing, whipping the figure on the ground even harder. Each crack of the whip echoed like an explosion, a testament to the viciousness of the blows. The small, frail figure being beaten seemed unlikely to withstand much more.
The surrounding onlookers were horrified by the sight, but seeing that it was the notorious Lin family's young master abusing his own servant, no one dared to intervene. Some lives are worth more than gold, while others are worth less than livestock. A servant's life belonged to the master, and even if the young master killed him, no one would hold him accountable.
*Clop! Clop! Clop!*
A sharp whinny broke the tension as a small red horse, tied to a stone post, watched the whipping with angry eyes. Suddenly, it broke free from its reins and charged at the young master.
*Thud!*
The small red horse knocked the young master to the ground with a powerful blow. Then, it gently nuzzled the curled-up, bloodied figure on the ground.
"Little… Red," the ugly freak whispered weakly, reaching out to pat the horse's head, his eyes filled with worry. He wasn't concerned for himself—he knew the young master would not let the horse go unpunished. The young master might even have the horse killed and its meat served up.
"Little… Red, run… away," he rasped, trying to push the horse's head away. But the small red horse stubbornly shook its head, refusing to leave.
By this time, the young master had recovered. Enraged by the humiliation of being knocked down in public, his face darkened with anger.
"You damned beast, I'll kill you today!" he roared, raising his whip to strike the small red horse.
*Neigh!* The horse didn't flinch, ready to charge at the young master again. Startled, the young master dodged just in time, avoiding another hit.
The onlookers secretly rejoiced at seeing the young master caught off guard, but their relief was short-lived as the young master soon realized something. The small red horse was staying close to the ugly freak, as if trying to protect him. Seeing this, the young master smirked coldly. He began circling around, pretending to aim his whip at the ugly freak but always striking the horse instead.
The horse, determined to shield the ugly freak, intercepted every blow, its neck soon becoming a bloody mess, blood streaming down its body. The horse's breaths grew heavy and labored.
"You wretched beast, let's see how long you can last!" The young master's face twisted with sadistic glee.
Tears streamed down the ugly freak's face as he watched his beloved horse take the blows meant for him. He could endure being whipped himself, even to the point of death, without uttering a sound. But seeing his only friend, the small red horse, suffering because of him was more than he could bear.
"Little… Red, don't… worry about me! Just… run!" he cried, his voice hoarse and desperate, tears flowing freely from his eyes. All he wanted now was for the horse to escape and survive.
But the small red horse refused to leave, standing steadfast by his side.
This touching scene moved everyone around them. No one had expected such a deep bond between the masked boy and his horse. The hearts of the onlookers softened—everyone except the young master, whose heart was black as coal.
Seeing the affection between the ugly freak and the horse only made the young master more excited. Just as he was about to deliver the final blow to kill both the horse and the boy, a bright, clear voice rang out.
"Hold on! I like that little red horse—I want it!"
Everyone turned to see a stunning woman in white, standing on the second-floor balcony of a nearby tavern. Her skin was as fair as snow, her beauty so otherworldly that it seemed to transcend the mortal realm.
As soon as she appeared, the entire crowd seemed to hold its breath, their eyes fixed in stunned admiration. The young master, too, was struck dumb, staring at the woman in a daze. In that moment, he forgot all about the courtesan he had been trying so hard to impress. Compared to this celestial beauty, the courtesan wasn't even worthy of carrying her shoes!
Everyone marveled at the woman's breathtaking beauty and graceful presence.
Until…
After speaking, the woman casually grabbed a whole roasted chicken from the table beside her and began gnawing on it without the slightest regard for her audience. She tore into the chicken with gusto, wiping her greasy mouth with her hand after a few hearty bites.
"Hey! Didn't you hear me? I said I want that little red horse!" she shouted down at the young master, her voice full of confidence.
The entire crowd's jaws dropped. How could a woman who looked like an immortal fairy act so… unrefined?
Outside the Haotian Mirror, the Yaoxi Empress watched this scene, feeling as though she had been transported back in time. It was as if this had happened just yesterday, filling her with a deep sense of nostalgia.
Back then, she had grown tired of the stifling life in the Heavenly Court, so she had fled. Free from the constraints of the Heavenly Court, she had thrown caution to the wind, abandoning all concern for rules and propriety. She had become more carefree and uninhibited, living as she pleased.
To read the manga version, please click the YouTube link https://youtu.be/GnU613H6xm8