Sacrifice

It was a terrible winter that year, the snow started in September and ended in early May. The freezing temperatures seemed to have stopped the time as well, the hours passed slowly and the days were the same. He did nothing all day, but to sit at the wooden desk and study from his economy books. He was under the strict surveillance, of four private tutors.

Lu Ye Ze remembered he used to peek out the window sometimes and imagine he was out there in the snow. He could do so much, he could've travelled so far and play so long outside in the snow.

So one day, he mustered his courage and asked his teachers to be excused. He stepped outside dressed up in layers and layers of clothes and went into the forest to play. A while later, he had found a frozen fox cub. He was taught to not hold any attachments to any living or inanimate beings, but he couldn't bear to leave the cub alone in the snow, to die from the cold. So he removed one of his jumpers and wrapped up the cub with it. He picked it in his arms and hold it tight to his chest. Feelings of protection, anxiety and happiness rose in his heart. If the cub was to overcome it's condition, Lu Ye Ze, now had a little friend to play with.

The child then run back towards the estate's stables, he sneaked inside, whitout being seen and placed the cub in a box, next to the hot water tank. He made sure the cub was safe and warm and then went to fetch a bowl of warm milk. After the cub drank the milk and warmed up, it was now feeling better and was able to make little steps. Lu Ye Ze was overjoyed, he was happy he had saved a life.

He was now bringing food and water for the cub everyday and patted his head every time. The cub became livelier and livelier, until one day when he ventured outside and stumbled upon a member of staff. The later, informed his Master about the cub arrangements in the stables and suspected it must have been little young Master, who had found it in the woods.

Lu Ye Ze then remembered that morning. He was woken up by a member of staff and dragged into his Great Grandfather's study. He was forced down to kneel on the cold stone floor, but he wasn't aware of his body's movement as his eyes were fixated at his Great Grandfather's arms since he had entered the room.

The fox cub, his little friend, who he had saved from the frost was now in the arms of that man, it was struggling to escape as if, it could feel the fate that was about to cast upon him. The child's eyes were trembling filling up with tears, his little heart shrunk at the size of a pea while his body froze in its kneeling position on the cold floor. The cub's eyes begged him to be saved, while he was standing there unable to move. The sudden rasp deep voice of his Great Grandfather disturbed his thoughts.

"This is your friend? A stray from the woods would never be loyal to you! Do you understand this? You can trust only your own blood! You shall never keep close to you a stray!" The man said loud and clear while lifting the cub in the air by its neck.

Lu Ye Ze's pupils dilated instantly with the man's movement. The cub was still struggling in the man's tight grip. Lu Shaoting then proceeded to open the cub's mouth. Lu Ye Ze gasped and squealed.

"Grandpa!.." then closed his eyes quickly. The man, then made a signal to his aid, to make his grand nephew to continue looking at him. The aid then grabbed Lu Ye Ze's by his neck with one hand, while the other hand cupped his little face lifting it up, forcing him to keep looking.

Lu Shaoting then ripped the cub's mouth forcefully. The cub squealed desperately in pain. Lu Ye Ze started crying involuntarily, looking terrified. The man looked at his grand nephew pleased, he had served his lesson. Then he proceeded to skin the cub alive, the squeals of the cub and the crying of the child mixed with the blood bath, turned into a horrible scene.

After all this, Lu Ye Ze realised that he hadn't saved a life, but in turn he had served the cub's life as a sacrifice for his Great Grandfather's lessons on how to become the fiercest ruler.