Stealing the Heart of a God

3

A/N: I did say updates will be super slow until I have break again. 

Zhanshi @ 5 Years old

Inside Royal General Yiban's Home

After another heated argument, Zhanshi's father, Royal General Yiban, left the house and went over to his mistress' place while his mother weeps on the ground where she was tossed by his father. This scene has happened so many times before, so Zhanshi is no longer surprised by the aftermath. However, he is still hurt by it.

As he watches his mother weep uncontrollably and curse at his father, he steadies his tiny heart and walks over to his mother. "Mother please don't cry. I'm still here.I promise to take care of you." Zhanshi softly says in hopes of cheering her up. However, per usual, his mother screamed at him and tells him to get lost. "--sob-- hmph!...I don't need you. It is all your fault that this happens. --sob-- get away from me!!!

Seeing as Zhanshi is not moving, she picks up a nearby small vase and tossed it at him. Thankfully, Zhanshi's brain kicked into gear and he was able to move out of the way before it hit him.

Hurt that his mother cared so little about him and that she even willingly tried to hurt him, he quickly turns around and runs away from the large manor.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Hurt and tired of all the arguing between his parents, Zhanshi just wanted to get away from it all. So he paid very little attention to where he was going. When he finally came to a stopped and looked at his surroundings, he realizes that he had ran into the royal garden.

Realizing that he can't suppress his tears anymore, Zhanshi found a field of tall violet flowers and quickly walked towards them and then hid himself there. As he sat down, the tears that he had been holding back finally breaks free.

As Zhanshi continues to cry his eyes out, a clear voice beams from behind him and startled him. "Are you okay?". Zhanshi quickly whipped his head around and sees a beautiful boy his age staring at him.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Both Zhanshi's father and mother have always told him that crying is a sign of weakness, thus Zhanshi has never allowed anyone to see him cry, and even though he still wants to cry, now that there is someone else there, he couldn't. Zhanshi quickly suppresses his tears and places a force smile on his face as shakes his head. Indicating that he is fine. He did not want to speak because he was too scared that tears may flow again.

Seeing that Zhanshi is obviously suppressing his tears, the boy causally leans back on his arms and tells Zhanshi, "Even gods cry once in awhile. Don't be ashamed of crying." Thus, causing Zhanshi to let the remaining tears fall freely.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Zhanshi continued to go to that place and after a month of hanging out with the boy, he learned that the boy is actually the crown prince. However, this did not really surprise Zhanshi because the boy was very commanding and had a royal aura.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Zhanshi @ 8 Years old

After taking a calm breath, Zhanshi releases the arrow in one smooth motion. However, instead of landing it in the center, the arrow lands slightly towards the left side of the center.

"Why can't you even get something so simple! Do not let him stop until he hits the center 3 times in a roll. I don't care if he has to stay here all night." Zhanshi's mother spat at the archery instructor with a calm face that completely contradicts her harsh tone.

Frowning, the archery instructor tells her, "Lady Chiteng, Zhanshi is my top student. It is nearly impossible to hit the center three times in a roll at his age. Having him try multiple times could also damage his hand."

Without changing her calm expression, she crossed her arms in an elegant way, completely ignored the instructors warnings, and tells him, "until he gets it right. He cannot come back home. What would his father and grandfather think of me. I refuse to raise a failure."

---------------------------------------------------------------

Zhanshi @ 13 Years old

Evening

As Zhanshi was about to head out, his mother's cold voice ring from behind him.

"Where are you going?" Zhanshi's mother questions in a cold tone, causing Zhanshi to stop and turn around. "I'm going over to Shen's place." Zhanshi says in a polite tone. Narrowing her eyes, after examining him from head to toe, she coldly tells him, "You can't go. Your grandfather and father are in the grand study room. Go there."

Frowning, Zhanshi tells his mother, "But I have been studying all day. Can't I go over to Shen's place."

Upon hearing his words, his mother narrows her eyes even more and yells, "Do you want that whore to take everything from me!!! You need to go over there and get on your father's good side. Playing will not get me anywhere. Now go!"

Sighing, Zhanshi rolls his eyes and reluctantly makes his way towards his grandfather's study.

As he approaches the door, he hears his grandfather and father talking seriously and decides to quietly eavesdrop in on their conversation.

Grandfather: "--sigh-- Are you sure this is wise? What Mistress Xing is asking for is not little."

Father: "I love her more than anything in the world. I have to do this. She has been kind enough to wait this long."

Grandfather: "But you do realize that if you make her your official wife, you will have to demote Lady Chiteng. Furthermore, Mistress Xing's son will be the one to inherit your Royal General title and fortune, not Zhanshi. Are you okay with that?"

Father: "I need to take care of them. There is no other way. They will not survive if anything happens to me. I'm sure that Zhan-"

Before Yiban could finish his sentence, Zhanshi barges into the room with a frown on his face and shouts, "So mother and I mean nothing to you?!...Didn't you say once that mother is the love of your life, that's why you married her. Didn't you promise to love her and care for her for the rest of your life?!"

"I was young and stupid. You'll understand once you get older." Zhanshi's father sternly reply in an indifferent voice.

Annoyed that he still has the audacity to act so commanding and not even try to deny that he plans on throwing away Zhanshi's mother, Zhanshi couldn't control his anger and yanked out his grandfather's sword.

Upon seeing Zhanshi reach for the sword, Yiban also pulled out his sword and blocked Zhanshi's attack. "You dare raise a sword at your father. Don't think that i'lI go easy on you just because you have my blood." Yiban roars out in a cold serious voice.

But Zhanshi could care less about what he says and quickly strikes with the sword again.

---------------------------------------------------------------

As his father had promised, he did not go easy on Zhanshi, and unlike most people who just inherited titles and royal positions without the actual skills to defend the title, his father seems made for the Royal general title. He is the strongest and most skilled martial artist in the country. Thus, Zhanshi's attacks were like mosquito bites to him. However, he could care less about Zhanshi's strength and treated Zhanshi the same way he would have if an enemy attack him. Thankfully, Zhanshi was too annoyed to feel all the deep and painful wounds during the fight.

After a significant amount of cuts and bruises, Zhanshi's grandfather was finally able to stop the fight and told Zhanshi to go get medical attention, but he was too angry to care and instead stomped over to Shen's Wing.