EMPEROR OF ZHONG YUAN

CHAPTER 6 Silent Pains

A maid dressed in a simple sky-blue dress, the uniform color for the female servants in the Sang residence, made quick, hasty steps to the room in Sang Zhi's background. Sang Zhi had a guest room in her backyard which she lent Wei Xin as she wanted to spend more time with Wei Qian.

Another person who held prejudice against her, Wei Xin thought bitterly.

Ever since she was a child, Wei Xin had been the black sheep of her family. Vicious, hateful and scheming. All these were appointed to her. However, no one thought to ask why; why was she vicious, unruly and scheming?

In reality, Wei Xin was the most pitiful in the Ling mansion. Her mother died at childbirth, so she was raised by Concubine Shang since she was born. Yet not once had Concubine Shang shown true parental affection towards Wei Xin.

If anyone had, it was Second Madam Li, Ling Gu Zhou second wife. Indeed, to have a second principal wife while your first wife was alive was truly pitiful of First Madam Gao, however First Madam Gao was also selfish as because of this she was forced to be more loving and concerned to her own children. Wei Xin naturally didn't receive anything from her.

As Wei Xin grew, she realized why she didn't live like the others. Ling Wei Niang and Ling Wei Qian were the daughters of the principal wives while she was the daughter of a concubine, born and raised.

Her spite grew, and with spite came envy and eventually hatred. While Wei Xin couldn't compete with Li Mei Niang's daughter Li Wei Niang as she followed her mother's passion for martial arts, she could compete and had fair shot at defeating her little sister Ling Wei Qian.

Li Wei Niang followed her father and mother and learnt many things on war, military defenses and strategies. She even trained with the spear and was constantly praised for her strength and perseverance.

The Li family of Ji were a military family that had control over private army known as Li Liang Army (army of strength). Li Mei Niang's brother was Li Dong, the recently deceased White Tiger General. Despite surnamed "Ling", Ling Wei Niang always hoped to become a general and lead the Li Liang Army troops.

This is because the founder of the Li Liang Army was a woman named Li Lian Hua during the early years of Ruying, reign of Emperor Feng Ru An's elder brother Emperor Ru Quan.

Who would have thought that her dream would have such hope of fulfilment as she followed her mother and father to join Vermillion Bird General, Ling Jing, to save Ji province despite her young age of fifteen.

Matters of Wei Qian were slightly different but still better than Wei Xin's situation. Since childhood, Wei Qian lived a wonderful life as the only daughter of the First Madam of the Ling mansion. As First Madam Gao's only daughter and last born, she was pampered and loved by everyone, particularly the Gao family of Shang province. First Madam Gao's maiden family.

The Gao family of Shang province were renowned scholars and even more renowned for their poetic and musical expertise. The patron of the Gao family, Gao Du, is First Madam Gao's father and was famous for his exquisite zither craftsmanship and his obsession with qin music.

Although he never served the Imperial Court of Jin, he was renowned and would often be consulted by royals of the Central Plains on matters of politics. It is rumored that even the Third Prince of Duan once sought him for advice. As Gao Du is an open-minded man with no prejudice, he naturally gave advice to Third Prince and eventually dismissed him. Three years later, who would have thought that Third Prince would sit on the throne as Emperor Ao of Duan.

With the backing of the Gao family, even though First Madam Gao, Gao Hunnian, was not favored by her husband, she could still live a fulfilling life. She was her father's first born and because she married at the young age of sixteen, her father naturally gave more thought to her and cared for her.