Chapter 1 Abandoned at Birth
A chilling darkness covered the land as the skies showed a foreboding feeling of an incoming heavy rain. Within a thick and lush forest darted a small figure on all fours while chasing after a fast running long creature with six legs.
The six-legged creature seems fast and quick, however, the small figure in all fours was far more nimble and agile.
The small figure looks like a human infant of 3 years of age and her body is covered with torn fabric which can be considered as simple makeshift clothing. On the mouth of the little girl is a dagger made of sharpened stone and a handle of a tied up bamboo.
The eyes of the little girl have a fierce glint on them while she chases after her prey which is frantically fleeing away.
This little girl is Gu Li An.
She has been waiting for this creature for almost half a day. This six-legged creature has the appearance of a snake, but it has six legs on its sides. The legs made it move quicker and more agile. The legs also provide support for it in swallowing its prey.
In fact, the first prey was supposed to be the little girl who roamed the forest, seeming lost and looking innocent. It thought that it could devour a young flesh juicy human. But to its dismay and horror, the little girl is actually acting like a pig but in reality a tiger.
On the onset of the first clash between them, the creature immediately got several slash wounds on its long body making it wince in pain. Without hesitation, it quickly escaped the predator before it. But how could Gu Li An let it escape?
As the two run through the forest, one chasing, one escaping, they soon arrive near a small creek.
The creature, which is commonly known as Manacab, stopped near the creak with fear clearly written on its eyes.
Manacabs are snake-like creatures with six-legs. They are non-poisonous creatures and live atop trees. They mostly prey on small creatures and eggs of other animals in the forest.
They are nocturnal animals but this particular animal woke up because of the smell it picks up while it is resting on its den atop a large tree.
The smell which caught its senses was too strong and enticing that it woke up and quickly located its prey. With a watering mouth, it silently tried to approach the little human girl.
But now it realized that it was all a trap done by the devious human.
When it was young, its mother once told it that it should not approach humans no matter what. Its mother told it that those humans are despicable creatures that use all means to catch them. While listening to its mother, it was filled with fear.
But as it grew up and began feasting on the bounty of the forest, it grew more smug and fearless. It now did not put to mind the warning of its mother.
It thought, "You are wrong, mother. I am the king of this place, how could a lowly human defeat this mighty king. I am feared by most of the animals here!"
However, now that it has encountered a human, it has realized the truth of its mother's words.
As it looked at the little girl approaching slowly towards it, the manacab could not help but whimper in her mind crying, "Mommy!"
However, no matter how much it wanted to struggle, it knew that the end was near.
Water is one of the manacab's weaknesses. Though it has a long slender body and six long legs to help it, it did not know how to swim. In fact, those long legs become a hindrance when it comes to water. The long legs which are used for running and gripping become a burden when it's in water.
However, at this time, the manacab feared the little girl more than drowning. So it suddenly decided to bite the bullet and jump to the creak.
When Li An saw this, her eyes glowed in fierceness.
"How dare you escape?!" she cried in her mind.
Without hesitation, she grabs the dagger from her mouth and quickly throws it to the jumping creature while it is still in midair.
Swoosh!
Tswak!
The dagger accurately hits the head of the manacab which kills the creature instantly.
As Li An picked up the creature which is bigger than herself and a contented smile crept on her dirt filled face.
"This would suffice for a two day meal…" she muttered as she turned around and walked back to where she came from.
While walking she would sometimes skip like a happy lark while dragging the huge carcass before her.
Rumble! Rumble!
Suddenly her happy mood was interrupted by the loud rumble of the rolling thunder in the dark skies.
As she looks up, a gloomy feeling enveloped her whole being.
In her memory, she suddenly recalled her past.
…
5 years ago…
Inside the huge and grand palace, in one of its large courtyards lies a well-lit room. In that room lies a gorgeous-looking woman donned in a beautiful silver robe with golden hair bangles and ornaments decorating her bundled hair.
The woman looks stunning like an ethereal beauty.
However, the scene was ruined by a trickle of blood slowly dripping at the side of her tightly closed red moist mouth.
Her countenance was pale and her aura lifeless.
Suddenly, a young maid wearing a gray robe barges inside the room. She was followed by an imperial physician wearing their usual black and white imperial physician gown.
It only took not more than 3 minutes before the physician showed a solemn look on his eyes. He looks at the beauty before him with a deep sigh of exasperation.
In his mind he could not help but think, "Another one died… This is the 3rd one this month."
He looked at the maid and shook his head.
"I will inform the palace of this situation. You should not move the body of your mistress." He said calmly as he walked out of the room.
When he saw some guards standing by the door, he gestured to one of them.
"Tell his majesty of this news quickly…" he commanded and just stood to the side of the door without moving.
He is to wait for the emperor to come and see his main concubine for the last time.
This month, 2 side concubines died and the current one is a main concubine. He already knew the reason why she died, but he dared not meddle in the war between the women in the harem.
He could not help but shiver upon the thought of that vicious figure who had committed such an act in the dark.
Actually almost everyone in the palace knew the culprit but no one dared to act for fear of offending that person.
Only the emperor could make a decision for all of this as even the queen did not dare make her move.
The name Concubine Xu Shang is a name dreaded in the palace harem. No one dared to offend her for her vicious means. Her background is a bit mysterious as only the emperor knew who she really was.
So, in the span of time she has entered the harem, she has created a lot of problems for the concubines and the empress.
Everyone called her, the White Witch, in secret.
The reason why those three people died is because they began provoking her due to the emperor's favor towards them.
Concubine Xu Shang was once deeply favored by the emperor. However, due to her capriciousness and willfulness bordering on crazy obsession, the emperor lost his interest towards her. She could not accept this fact, hence the incident happened.
A few days later, after the incident in the palace, an imperial edict was proclaimed which condemned Concubine Xu Shang to the cold palace.
At that time, she was already pregnant with a baby.
She was wrathful and angry at the emperor for pushing her away. She began to scheme against the emperor and the harem that when she gets the chance to get out of the cold palace she would exact her revenge against them all.
She carefully caresses her belly with an evil smile.
"My son…" she muttered.
According to her close imperial physician, the child in her belly should be a son. Since the little one is a son then he would be a prince. If that is the case, then she would have a chance to get out of the cold palace as soon as the child is born.
With that hope in mind, she began to hatch her schemes in the darkness for the span of 10 months. She has already envisioned herself sitting in the throne as the mother of the young emperor who would guide her own son to greatness.
She would rule this pesky land with an iron hand and would kill those who would not obey her command.
As she looked at the low flickering light, a dark and sinister thought embroiled her mind.
Beside her stood her only maid who followed her in the cold palace.
When the maid saw the sinister smile on her mistress, she could not help but shiver in fear.
Actually she pitied her mistress as she grew up with her.
Her mistress is not that vicious in her eyes. She is just claiming what's rightfully hers in the first place. When the emperor favors her mistress she is lively and full of glee. However, because of those scheming women in the harem, her mistress fell from the grace of his majesty.
That is why she supported her mistress's designs.
In the span of many months she toiled to help her mistress with providing food in the cold palace.
Because of the crime of Concubine Xu, the emperor has decided to dispose of her. Hence, food was not delivered in the cold palace. There were no eunuchs and maids assigned to be in that place either.
That is why… the maid has to make do with what she could provide for her mistress.
In the span of nine months, Concubine Xu's money dwindles and before the time of the birth of the baby in her belly, they only have a few silvers left.
…
That night, a heavy rain began falling as Concubine Xu lay in bed. Her stomach is not painfully contracting. She is now about to give birth.
"Argh! Why is it so painful!" she shouted in anger.
She wanted to lash out, but she could not.
Her mind is now full of wrath for the emperor for putting her in this situation. She blamed everyone for her circumstance and could not wait for the child to be born and for her return to the palace.
With great determination she exerted her effort to birth the little imp in her stomach.
However, the expression of the maid helping her is grim.
She could see what was happening, and her heart could not help but feel worried.
Blood, too much blood is coming out. It is not the usual ones she had seen before.
But her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the cursing of Concubine Xu.
"I will kill them all! Argh! All of them should die! No one will be spared of my wrath!" she should as he gathered all of her strength and uses them all at once.
Suddenly, she collapses with her breathing shallow.
Then a loud cry broke through the silence which echoed inside the room.