Starting Afresh

Hello, my name is Jia Pangzi, and one day, I hope my name will be Congming Shuaiqi. My parents might whip me for being unfilial, and my grandmother might die of pneumonia, but too long have I suffered under the Jia family with the accursed name… Pangzi

If only my parents loved me enough to bless me with the beautiful name, Jia Shuaiqi De Mingzi.

”accursed brother! How dare you steal the beautiful name that was meant to be mine! ”

”accursed parents! Were you disabled when you were picking out my name?! How dare you open your eyes and ears only when you had my brother! ”

”young master? If you are done cursing out your family, can we go back to the old hou—

”NO! I still need to complain about my grandparents! ”

”forgive this servant for interrupting you. ”

”well if you
e that sorry, why don you kneel? ”

The servant kneeled so flawlessly, it was as if he were used to such a routine.

”aren you forgetting something? ” asked the domineering Jia Pangzi.

The servant looked into the young masters eyes, his own eyes welling with either tears or water.

”please forgive this poor servant! He didn mean to commit such a grave crime! I will take responsibility for this sin and hang myself! ”

”ok. Im tired of this everyday play we have. Sure, it was fun at first, but its getting repetitive. Ill have the head servant hang you tonight. ”

”y-yes, y-young f— MASTER! ”

What looked to be a vein had burst in young master Jias forehead.

”there is only so much I can tolerate, Shuai Pu Yi Hao! Insulting my name and spitting on my face?! Not even the buddha himself can quell my rage! ”

”I-Im sorry young master! Please forgive me! I won say anything like this ever again! ” begged the handsome servant in desperation.

”whats the point in forgiving you? No matter how much pain I cause you, your death already been decided: tonight. ”

”y-you w-weren joking, young master? ”

Damned pig. How lowly do you think of me?! Despite my name, I am still the proud eldest son of the Jia family. How could a lowly servant dare to insult me?! I cannot believe how low our family has fallen! And all because of those bastards! Damned father, why did you have to fool around with those whores…

”whether I were joking or not, you will only find out tonight. Just make sure to come to my courtyard at dawn. And don you dare think about dying on me, ” he said as he gave a snake-like smile to the trembling servant. ”lest your family be punished for your mistake. ”

The servant wasn the brightest person on the block, but he wasn stupid either. He seemed to understand what the young Pangzi said, seeing as he soiled his pants.

”yes, thats right my dear Hao Hao. I know where all of them are. The whore in the red light district, the second bastards personal servant, the sick woman near the outskirts of town. ”

”and if you dare defy my orders, I will have the guards drag the old woman around town while whipping her. Father obviously won approve, but he will only find out by the time that whore is dead! ” he mocked the slave as he trailed off into a laugh.

”please young master! Anything but my family! Ill do anything you want! Anything at all! ” he screamed desperately.

”do not worry, Hao. I am not without a heart, you know? I am willing to forgive you and your family, as long as you go to my courtyard at dawn. And don you dare tell father of this. ”

”thank you young master! Thank you! I will devote my entire life to you! ” said the servant in a moment of euphoria.

”now go back to the old house. Tell my father I am coming soon. ”

”yes young master! ” he shouted as he ran off into the town.

Theyve been coming more and more frequently these days — the moles. It might be because father wants me to kill someone again, or because of the royal family visiting tomorrow.

Even if the thousand year war has ended in our victory, there is no reason for the royal family to visit us. Instead, they could ask us to go instead.

Whatever, ”don worry father, Ill make you proud! Just believe in me this once! ” he screamed.

He made his way from the vineyard to the old house, where his father was.

As he was making his way over there, he got distracted by a little girl on the road. Her body was covered in wounds, and she was drinking the piss water from the towns makeshift sewage systen. It was obvious to him she was being abused, but there is no need for the aristocrats to meddle in the commoners business, usually.

He walked over to the little girl who seemed a year younger than him and said, ”hey sewer rat? You know you
e drinking piss and shit from the townspeople, right? ”

As if she were reminded of what it was that she was drinking, she gagged and vomited a piece of half digested rotting meat and what seemed to be shit she unknowingly drank in her desperation.

”disgusting rat, how do you feel about becoming my servant? You won get paid and youll have no personal life, but you can eat, drink and sleep like all the other townspeople. ”

”au-au. ” she said, as if unable to properly voice her thoughts.

”if that is you agreeing, follow me, little rat. If you lag behind me, make your way to the mansion on the other side of town and wait till I come out. Just so you know, you might be flogged and beaten by the guards, so I suggest you come in with me. ” he said, giving the same snake-like smile he did to the servant.

He entered the town and passed by the very spot she was drinking the piss water from.

She was clearly the lagging behind him, but he was still moving with an unchanging speed, as if he wanted her to be beaten to death. But anyone who knew him well could see in an instant he was walking half his usual speed.

It was unknown why he had taken a liking to the poor abused girl, but it mattered not. Even if her parents or abusers saw her following him, there was nothing they could do, for that was the gap between the powerful and the weak.

At some times, he would walk faster, and at other times hed stop walking faster, but one thing was for sure: he never slowed down.

As he broke out into a jog, the girl who was lagging behind had broke into a run. It was clear how desperate she was, and it was much clearer how much he wanted to torture her.

As they approached the mansion, he finally stopped running and looked behind at the poor girl who recently vomited her guts out. He felt no pity for her situation and walked into the mansion.

”young master! Is this person a guest of yours? ” asked the guard at the mansions gate.

”no, ” he replied sarcastically. ”she is my new personal servant. Get her cleaned and fed. If anyone dares to lay a hand on her, cut their hands of and scatter the ashes of their ancestors. ”

”y-yes, young master. ”

”and when you
e done with her, send her over to the mistress. Make sure she gets properly taught. Ill check up on her in three months. Just make sure none of the bastards know about her. ”

He walked into the old house and went to greet his grandmother. As usual, she wasn allowing any visitors, so he went to see his father.

”father, I am home. ”

”the trash of our family is here at last. ” responded father.

”the trash that you and your wife have created. And yes, I am here. ”

”so what do you want? ” asked the huge man who towered at an astounding ten Chi (one Zhang).

”do you want me to kill a person? ”

”its nice how you catch onto these things that quickly. If only Jia Shuaqi De Mingzi was as smart as you. ”

”well you still love him more. Now answer my question. ”

”I will, but I heard you brought a beggar into the old house? What will you do when mother-in-law finds out? ”

There is no reason to run in circles, is there? If so, why does he do this?

”in three months, the beggar will become my personal servant and grandmother is too sick to do anything right now. ”

”I want you to marry the princess… ”

So this is why he was running around so much. Unfortunately for him, I won do as told.

”has our engagement decided? ” I asked with a small smile.

”no, but that is precisely what the royal family is visiting for. ” replied the ten Chi giant.

If the princess doesn want the marriage, we can both make a scene and cancel it. If she wants the marriage, Ill have someone defile her and make a bigger scene.

”I know what you are thinking, fatty. Don even think about breaking off your engagement. ” he said as if he could read minds. ”the emperor wants to strengthen the relationship with our Jia family since the army has gotten much stronger after the thousand year war ended. ”

”so if he uses marriage to bind our families together, our Jia family can use any military power against the imperial family. ”

”it goes further than that. Since we control more than 70% of the empires forces — a hundred and fifty thousand soldiers and half the elite forces in the empire — the emperor is scared we will overthrow them. ”

”then why don we overthrow the royal family? Won that be more profitable? ”

”because of the aftermath. Its too dangerous for us at the moment, and the emperor is tired of having to constantly monitor our movements, so hes binding us with marriage. ”

”can the princess not marry Jia Shuaqi De Mingzi instead? ”

”no, she must marry you. ” he replied instantly.

”is it because I am the oldest legitimate child? ”

”since you are done, get out and let me do my work. ”

If he won answer, it seems that neither me nor the princess are in a position to decline this marriage.

I walked out of the building which was my fathers office and made my way to the courtyard.

As I neared my room, a small figure blocked my path: the sixth bastard.

Its hard to believe my father is pumping out kids as if he is twenty, but my unimportant and soon-to-be-dead 25 siblings seem to disagree. Well, minus Shuaiqi, so 24 soon-to-be-dead siblings.

Luckily only me and Shuaiqi are legitimate children, otherwise, succession would get really messy.

”Pang Pang! ” screamed the lovely little girl who blocked my path.

”dumpling! ” I screamed back before running to embrace her.

”my name is not dumpwing! ” said the little 6 year old as she tried pushing me away.

”why? You are pretty round, fat and soft. ” I say as I stretch her dumpwing-like cheeks.

”hmph! I hate you, fatty! Ill never talk to you again! ” shouted the little dumpling.

”okay okay, big bro is sorry, can you forgive him, little Jiaozi? ”

”Jia Jia is NOT a dumpling! ” she screamed as she ran off.

”haha. If only everyone else is as fun as Jia Jia. ” I chuckled.

I opened the door to my room and started to change.

My hair usually gets in the way of I do everything, but I like to keep it down since it looks nice. My grandmother on the other hand seems to think I am filial. Well I am the oldest, so it isn unnatural for her to be biased.

Damned coot. Why can she just die already. She coughs up so much blood every day with low blood pressure, yet she keeps living for so long!

I guess she wasn lying when she said she would only die after seeing my wife.

Leave it. It does no good wishing for her death. I should just lie down, skip evening class, eat dinner, sleep and torture that rat.