6. Hidden Jade

*Trigger Warning * Sexual Assault

The Kao Country, was previously a large Empire, which had many provinces and a brutal history of rulers. The line of Emperors each had a great title matching their cursed personality.

Hundreds of executions were carried out during each coronation, that it had become a custom.

The land would become barren, during the winter, yet the taxes remained heavy if not doubled putting the poor on the verge of death.

Such an Empire, was challenged by the Yang General.

He collided with the other countries and Kao lost its provinces.

The meek emperor was just a puppet to the nobles, unable to hold onto his country. He relinquished his responsibilities and escaped.

Leaving his 7 children to fight for the throne.

Among them, the Eldest Princess, was Xia, her birth name was, Huang Ming Xia.

After her father escaped, the eldest brother took charge of governing the place even though he was just 13.

In a single month, he was assassinated. Her 5th and youngest sister died due to falling in a river.

It hadn't even been a year, but they had many graves filled.

One night, Xia who was 10 years old, went outside her palace, to meet her friend, the gardener's daughter.

But all hell broke lose, the Yang General had attacked the palace, brutally murdering everyone.

Xia froze as she saw in horror from a distance, the screams that filled the night.

There was blood everywhere.

Both of them, ran. Unlike Xia, who had been a closed off princess, her friend, Xing guan was more mature and knew the consequences of them staying there.

She and Xia exchanged clothes.

Xing guan knew, if they chased after, they would probably kill the princess and end the line.

Together they ran away, scouring the region for food and got caught for stealing.

Xia had been beaten up pretty badly.

For a month, they survived on the scraps thrown by merciful people and were given a place to stay.

They worked for an old couple near the mountains, they had very less to eat but they managed. Xia would cry everyday thinking of what happened. She the got new that the line was completely eradicated. A new line began, with the Kao Country having a few mountain provinces. The Emperor Wu appointed his Nephew as the new King.

Saddened by the turn of events, Xia And Xing guan went to put some lanterns by the river to honour their death. but soon they were captured by slave traders.

Xian guan died in captivity, Xia was rescued by the Shen Lord.

He took pity on her and found out her original identity by the Jade medallion worn by Xia.

He agreed to hide her, and they soon made a deal.

Xia sighed as she reminisced about the past. It made no sense to her anymore as she turned 23 this year. She was already growing old. The passion for revenge was the only thing getting her by each day of tremendous work.

She heard some noise, laughter followed by cheering.

She looked at the direction and saw a handsome man, the bodyguard of the guest being hazed by the other servants.

She sighed. They had already gotten warning from the butler.

She went over to stop it.

"Guys, Isn't it time you stopped behaving like little kids.", She said glaring at the guy who poured a bucket of water on the bodyguard.

The bodyguard was quiet, his long hair covered his face, so the expression was hard to understand.

"No no, you see Xia we were punishing him.", one guy said.

"Yes yes,we were.", the others said.

"For what exactly?" Xia asked coming forward, the other servants knew not to mess with her. There were rumours that she was Lord Shen's mistress after all.

Xia used this rumour to make everyone afraid to hurt her.

"He… was performing indecent acts towards this little maid,", they said and pushed forward the new recruit.

"Uh…, yes, he did.", the new Maid who was barely 16, said.

Xia understood what was going on, they basically made up a whole scene to justify their hazing.

Old habits die hard after all,

"What did he do to you?", Xia asked.

"He… was touching his private parts when I walked by- I mean, in front of me.", she said very embarrassed and red. She probably didn't even use those words ever but now had to say in front of a group of men.

"We too saw this man, being so rude to this young maid. So we intervened.", they said, a few guys chuckled.

"Are you saying the truth?", Xia asked the young girl.

"I-…", she got cut off mid sentence.

"How about you go have a rest, maids have a lot of work, sadly she must traumatised how about you take her with you to the workers quarters.", the guy said.

"Leave the punishment to me and go back.", Xia said firmly and made the young girl go.

"What are you talking?", They retorted.

"I will speak to butler about this personally, and you all are the witnesses right? I am sure he can find the right punishment…", Xia threatened.

"Ye..yes,yes.", they said unsure of what she was trying to say.

"Of course, we are doing the right thing, but I am so scared, this guest is a favourite of Lord Shen, and he seemed to adore his bodyguard... I hope we don't cause a rift between our masters relations.", Xia said.

"Yes, of course not.", They said and left.

Xia sighed, they were never that gutsy to even go to butler.

"Are you alright?", She asked the bodyguard.

"Huh… huh…", the guy was panting.

She looked at him properly, he was drenched but his hands were completely red.

It had some cuts on it.

She took him to the store house to get a better look at him. He didn't speak but kept on panting softly. Her head groaned thinking what they could have done.

The last time, they made the new recruited guard cut off his ear for listening in on their conversation, the previous guy had his hands slit and made to pour hot oil on the scars, just for giving Li hua flowers.

These stories never got out and no one bothered, after all if a commoner lost his arm or leg what would matter?

The leader for all of these hazing rituals was the son of the judge, born through a concubine who was previously a courtesan.

So, he wasn't accepted as a noble, but a noble enough among the commoners,

Despite his ancestry he received love of his father and thus he became the captain of the guards in Shen Manor responsible for the security of the manor.

No wonder, Xia could get in and out of the manor without anyone discovering it.

She made him sit on the ground beside a table.

The room was small as it wasn't made for habitation but rather one person to write and store the records.

She brought along some bandages and a lamp to see properly.

The second she brought a lamp towards them, it began raining.

The lamps outside near the path were all extinguished. It was dark inside the room.

Xia held the lamp and kept it in the table.

She held out bandages and asked,

"Knife cuts, stab wounds, burn scars… what do you have?",

"Hmmm, leave me.", he said.

His voice was coarse an deep. Xia got goosebumps listening to it. She maintained her composure and said.

"I will leave, don't worry. I just needed to know, did you behave indecently with the maid?", She asked staring into what she could presume were his eyes.

His hair was disheveled and covering his face.

"I don't know.", he said.

"What?", Xia said.

"I took your side, because your master seems respectable! Don't tell me you actually were indecent with her!", she said angrily.

"I… was not. I assure you. They put me in that situation.", he said and groaned as if pain.

Her eyes slowly got adjusted to the lack of light, and servants had already replaced the wet lamps, with new covered lamps. The light, though not much slowly seeped through the window above them.

She could see better and what she saw was too much.

The bodyguard was panting, his clothing was undone, revealing his chest. He was sweating and panting continuously. His hand covered his lower area, which was quite prominently making an appearance.

She blushed, how indecent!

She moved backwards, going to leave.

"Wait…" he said holding onto her.

"Leave me alone, and take care of your business!", she said.

"I want…. Some water. … please..", he said.

"Uh… fine, she took some water from the pot beside and offered it to him.

"Here Take it!" She said sounding impatient.

"Wait…, please help me drink… I can't… anymore.", he moaned and covered his groin with his two hands.

"What is up with you?" , Xia was grossed out, but his voice managed to convince her of the need.

She slowly brushed off his hair aside still maintained quite a lot of distance from him, she slowly kept the glass up to his mouth and he began gulping down water as if he hadn't drunk since ages.

"Slow down… you will choke otherwise.", she said.

"Hmmmf", he replied sounding as groggy as ever.

Once he had drunk all the water, she turned to go away.

He put his head around her waist and made her fall, making her sit perfectly between his legs.

He was in a daze, it all happened in a flash, he hugged her from behind and pushed her downwards towards him.

Xia was furious, she had frozen for a second. She tried removing his hand from he waist, but he was holding on too strong.

And he pulled her, she could feel it, it was getting Warmer.

Flustered she kept pushing away. She put her hand behind and scratched his face with all her might. That shocked him and he stopped holding on to her, she the got up and screamed at him.

"I will let your master know of your horrible actions! You should just die!", Xia said and ran out.

She felt so angry to have even thought of supporting that idiot, she was going to make him pay.

Being handsome didn't give him right to be cocky and abusive.

She went in the rain, slightly covering herself by the roof and she heard,

"Do you think he will last the night?" , a guy snickered.

"Haha, I don't think so, if only that bitch Xia didn't come, we could see both of them fucking.", Another guy said,

"Yes, I really wanted to see that new bitch get ravaged. How do you think she will scream?", one guy asked.

"Of course similar to her mother, she tried seducing my father in broad daylight to get her sentenced reduced.

Some people say she moaned to death! Hahaha", they laughed by.

"What if he complains about the aphrodisiac?" , They asked.

"No one cares, he is just a commoner. His sword was also a mess. We can always feign ignorance as usual.", he said and Xia left.

Aphrodisiac? She thought, there should be no aphrodisiac pills so easy to procure.

The only ones, present in the manor, were, meant for animal consumption.

Horse aphrodisiac, to stimulate the breeding stallion.

She sighed. This time, these guys were gonna get it.

She took a sleeping drug, which worked as an antagonist and ran to the storehouse, she hoped he didn't get out and r* anyone.

She felt slightly bad, maybe she shouldn't have judged him so fast. He was pretty much respectful at the beginning, the horses who took those pills would even fuck a door to relieve themself.

She stood outside the door. She was scared. But there was no time.

Those were dangerous after all.

She went inside and saw him, he was completely out of it. He was clenching his jaw, he saw her and panicked.

"Go… away…", he said.

"Eat this," she came closer showing the drug, she took a glass of water and came nearer.

He looked straight into her eyes, his eyes way more desperate than ever, he looked away, he slowly opened his mouth and let Xia pour down the drugged water.

He panted and she noticed his hands still covering his area.

He was still fighting the drug. She was so amazed. His endurance must be amazing.

But she didn't want to overstimulate, she covered his chest but pulling the clothing properly around him,

He flinched but he didn't react.

"You will feel very weak, try to …. Relieve yourself once. I know you will take revenge on them. But… do so discreetly or else, your master may bear the brunt of it.", Xia advised him and went back to her room.

Today was quite eventful.

She never saw a man pant like that, it was reawakening those hidden desires from puberty.

She sighed. Nope, no thinking of men. She turned and tossed around trying to forget the image.

It was hard.

She blushed and slept. She had a long day tomorrow, complaining about those

Idiots and even doing errands for Li hua