Hot Coal

The day had turned dark, Li Guang felt it was better to stay here than outside the gate which was safer for her, she had gone back to look for Wen moshen but was informed he wasn't around and since she was not allowed into the office were they met, she decided to head back to the apple tree.

  ''First thing tomorrow i will leave here''

 ''I will work extra hard for papa''

She said quietly to herself, the night breeze carrying her determination to the ears of the unknown.

    She laid flat on the under the tree ,it didn't take long for her to fall asleep.

   It had been a long day for her.

 The calm demon came outside walking steadily without noise of his footsteps, he covers the curled chicken who was shivering like a chicken dipped into cold water.

  Li Guang woke up to a soothing smell wafting into her nostrils, she sits up to see a big cloth over her to keep her warm against the cold.

  She noticed a basket placed beside her ,she opens it to see food wrapped in thick cloth to keep it warm.

  'Is this wen moshen?'

 She concluded it was wen moshen which was explainable since she knew no one here, she thanked him silently.

  And even though they just met after a long time and had many things to say and discuss about, her main priority was meeting her father because today marks the three days grace and she was really worried about it.

  After having the food, she headed off home, this time she slept immediately the carriage moved she was feeling anxious and she didn't know why.

  She got home by evening but to see few persons standing with her father and aunt shoaming, she increased her pace ,when she got there it was a heated argument between them.

  ''What is this you are giving'' the man she recognized as sir Bai stated loudly pointing at the coins on her fathers hand.

  Adding the amount she had brought along with her from the goods she had sold along with what her father had currently offered but it was still rejected, even aunty Shoaming was feeling dejected on what to do since hers didn't amount to anything.

 ''You owe me twelve gold coins and you are give me four?'' he spoke angrily

  And this money had been saved from seven months of good work, gold coins were not easy to come by for people like them.

 Even when aunty Shoaming tried to say something she was threatened by one of the thugs stepping directly in front of her line of view and she was intimidated by the action.

   When Li lanbei saw the way everything was going, he sadly gave up ''You can have my store with all the goods in it''

 '' I Have checked what is there ,and he doesn't add to anything and this house isn't worth anything''

 He signaled his thugs who immediately went behind Li Guang taking both her hands,

 ''I will take my payment this way'' he smiled his smile revealing his evil intention.

 She hadn't expected this move and she was still shocked ''Get your hands off me ,we would pay you your money'' she said her voice laced with anger.

 For Li lanbei it was like his world was about to end to see his daughter taken forcefully as payment ,the man who had not cried after seven years broke down.

 ''Please sir give spare me some days i will get you your money'' he went on his knee his eyes were red from holding back his tears.

   Li Guang was beyond hurt when she saw her father reduced to this state ,he had always been a strong man to her no matter the situation they had found themselves in.

  When they didn't pay attention to their pleadings and her struggles to release her , she gave up not to add more sorrows to her father.

 They had to offer, this was the state they had finally be reduced to, Li Guang had always feared about this happening and now it is, even though they begged it will take more than five months of intense hard work to pay off since gold coins were never easy to come by, they had promised never to borrow and it will continue like that, they had done that because her mother who was on the brink of death. There was no use struggling anymore.

   ''Spare me few minutes to talk to my father'' with red eyes looking directly into sir Bai eyes without hiding her anger.

 He smiled '' Sure'' the thugs released her hands

 Taking both her fathers hands into hers ''Papa don't worry about me now and focus on yourself from now on'' she continued looking into his eyes '' When i work hard enough and get my freedom i will come back to see you''

  Her father nodded with red eyes

 ''So don't worry papa, i will take care of myself and you too papa'' raising her eyes '' Aunty shoaming please take care of papa for me''

 '' Sure my dear i will' she had tears all over her face hugging Li Guang.

 ''Xiao Guang''

 ''Papa ,don't be sad ,i will write to you whenever i get the chance''

 She hugged him with saddened heart when she didn't even know what the future held for ,he hugged his daughter back.

  He had no words to utter because it was unexpected.

  They had thrown her into a dark room with no food or water till the next morning and when morning came she was given a passable food and little amount of water.

 ''Yes definitely, she is a beauty just came in yesterday'' Sir Bai laughed leading the door man to the storage rooms.

 He turned the lock, the other man stepped into the room and when saw Li Guang he broke into a wide grin his dirty yellow teeth surfacing.

  Li Guang was oblivious with was going on, she had thought she been taken hostage as a worker until her service complete her fathers depth and then she will left free.

  ''I will take her'' the man stated leaving the room.

Sir Bai laughed happily '' she is all yours lord Zhang''

 Li Guang was taken out of the storage room blindfolded and thrown into a moving carriage with the destination unknown to her.

  When they arrived she was thrown into a room, after several hours of struggling to free her hands which was tied, she successfully freed her hands but her wrist were bruised in the process.

  When she took off the blindfold she saw she was in another room with just a bedding and a table, when she tried getting out she found out the windows and door was locked from the outside.

  She was beyond frustrated ,tired and confused, after several trial she gave up, when the day had gone dark, she heard the door knob click, she got up to check who it was, it was a woman who looked like a maid.

 ''Follow me'' the woman commanded .

   They went into another room which had more items in it, '' undress and get in'' the woman commanded again.

  She wanted to protest but she had question to ask so she kept quiet, after several painful minutes of scrubbing, she was dressed in red gown.

  She had tried to ask questions but was met with dead silence, the woman was tight lipped as if it were a ghost speaking to her.

  ''Stay here, the lord will be back soon'' she said leaving the room.

 ' The lord?' 

 ''Please wait....'' before she could run to meet the woman she heard the door click shut.

 She banged the door, pleading to be let out but she was met with silence, she had a feeling about her been taken as a slave to serve the lord earlier on his bed but she brushed it away having her hope high on everything going well for her.

  The door opened once more and stepping inside was the man she saw earlier before she was blindfolded and taken away.

 She was petrified when the older man gave her a ugly smile taking off his clothes, using this opportunity she ran for the door.

 ''Nonsense'' the man face twisted in her when she saw her trying to escape, he caught her by the hair pushing her forcefully back into the bed.

 ''Sir please let me go, i can work for you as you servant in doing any chores'' she begged her eyes red from desperation.

  The man turned deaf ears to her words ''I paid for you and i am going to use you the way i want'' the man stated coming towards the bed.

 Li Guang backed off slowly, when she saw an opening she ran for the door again but found it locked, panicked she try to run elsewhere but the man caught her hair again in a forceful grip.

 ''YOU BRAT!'' he gave her a hard slap on her cheeks, she fell back in the process, her face showed a stung expression from the pain.