THE CEO's LOVE 109 MILADY

From her flashback, she heard screams. Loud cries of her people then she opened her tired eyes. She was sleepy, but what was wrong with her? She had almost fallen asleep in her enemy's territory.

Some of the villagers had been captured and dragged to the market place, not too far from the prison yard. She watched as different men, dressed in silk came forth and purchased men and women from her village. 

She had keen eyesight and so saw clearly two beautiful women, one older and the other younger. Dressed in expensive silk, a tiny umbrella over their head as shade. It was to protect them from the harsh sun. They looked delicate and their hair in intricate designs.

And then something clicked. She heard that in the capital, they had brothels, even in all the four kingdoms. She immediately stood up and grabbed onto the iron bars.

She was so focused on the women that she didn't see a figure stand beside her.

"Taking my men and women as slave isn't enough, now as brothel girls? How dare them?"

"Tsk, tsk. Go get them then,"

She turned to her side, it was the big man.

He turned to look at her and her bloodshot eyes shocked him. Her jaw clenched and her hands balled into fists.

He had never seen that part of her. He cleared his throat. "That's what we took them for. Many of the brothel workers have been murdered by wealthy family. You know, like an aristocrat son, when they get tired of the same face. They poke a little too deep with their knives and then..." He paused on purpose.

The meaning of his word clear as day.

She gritted her teeth. "And you serve them more women? They are humans too!"

"Yes, but "low born" don't forget!" He grinned at her.

Ruqin smirked. "Then you're going to sell me then? Get me out there. I can't wait to start."

The big man chuckled. It took him two minutes to calm his nerves.

Ruqin wondered what was so funny.

"We're not fools." He finally said. "You'd be better at politics... If we can get the prime minister to make you his fourth wife, it would benefit us more than selling you."

"I want to be sold as a brothel worker!" Her tone, firm and commanding.

"Yes ma," he bowed. "Get her out!" He said in a loud voice and a guard ran forward to unlock the metal door.

Once outside, the guard forcefully grabbed her ropes and headed to the market square.

"No, she should change first." The big man stopped the guard's in his track.

The guard turned and dragged Ruqin towards a corner. It took some couple of turns before they arrived at a place filled with women.

Dressed in rags. Their hair braided. Some of the women smoothened the sword while some shined it. Some smoothening the shield. In another big cage, women forged swords, shields, blades, daggers and needles. It was so obvious as they raised it up to the sky, to have a better look at it.

What in the world is happening here?

"Get her changed, fast!" The guard yawned lazily.

A woman about fifty years same forward, she was dressed in a neat Hanfu.

She got close and sized Ruqin up. Her grim expression said she was displeased by what she saw. 

Ruqin looked down at herself. She still had her shoes on. Even though her white inner cloth had changed to carton colour, it still didn't change the fact she was a noble.

The woman spat out and took two large steps forward. Not even an inch space left behind. She roughly grabbed Ruqin's jaw. "Where do you come from, huh?"

Ruqin turned her face to avoid the woman's touch, but it only made the woman hold on, more tightly. "You wench..."

Ruqin head snapped at the word "wench" "Don't you dare call me that!" She hissed. "I'm of a noble birth!"

And the woman cackled. So loud that heads turned to them. Eyes now focused on them, the guard snorted. "You're too full of yourself. Noble birth my ass!" 

"Where did you say, you hail from?" 

"Yanbian village," Ruqin tilted her head, a show of arrogance. 

"You..." The woman raised her hand to strike.

"That's enough!" Someone yelled and they all turned. It was a guard, but a guard with rank. A royal guard. "She already gave an answer, why do you still want to strike?" 

The woman, the guard and the others working bowed. Excluding Ruqin. She still hung her head in that arrogant manner. 

"She was being disrespectful," the woman said.

"She was just stating the fact," the guard's words hit the woman hard.

She nodded in agreement. "I apologize,"

"That's okay. Have her changed." After saying that he strode away with his hands tightly clasped behind him.

Ruqin raised her hand to scratch her nose. "At least, some people here still have manners," it hadn't meant to be loud, but the woman and guard had heard it nonetheless.

"You're saved today doesn't mean you will be saved tomorrow. Everyday isn't Christmas."

"Cut off this ropes," Ruqin raised her tied hands. "And say that again." Her eyes dark.

"Bring the noble lady her Hanfu, made of expensive silk!" The woman smiled.

Some of the women laughed and some smirked. While some had no change in expression.

Clothe as brown as the mud was brought forward, and the woman slammed it on Ruqin's chest.

"Here, you have it milady." And a roar of laughter erupted. Even the guard laughed.

Ruqin jumped at the sight of the cloth. "Disgusting! I would never wear such!" 

The woman casted her eyes down. "Miss Yan, wear it or be stark naked!" She then raised her eyes, it was dangerous in a way. Ruqin had to admit.

"I refuse! I'm not doing any!"

"Oi, oi. Causing trouble everywhere," Ruqin recognized the tone. 

"Big man tell..."

"Dasheng, milady." The big man smiled. "Call me Dasheng."

The woman's mouth fell open. "Sir Dasheng?"

"Change her quick!" Dasheng stopped smiling.

The woman tugged Ruqin along to go get changed. 

*

It took struggle and strength to get Ruqin out of her inner clothes. She had been adamant and the woman same.

The two came out, the woman grabbing onto Ruqin's hair.

Dasheng was shocked to see Ruqin following the woman's lead. Unknown to him, the woman had a dagger poking at Ruqin's back. With any rash move, she could poke it in. 

"Are you ready?" Dasheng asked.

"Ye...yes," Ruqin said through gritted teeth. Her scalp was hurting. 

The woman pushed her forward, and she turned immediately to hit the woman.

The woman smirked and put the dagger on Ruqin's throat. "I dare you to make a single move,"

"That's enough," Dasheng smiled. She always lost her temper to men...and now it's a woman and she's doing less.

The guard pushed Ruqin forward. Ruqin started walking forward but her eyes didn't leave the woman. She muttered something wish the the woman lick her lip. "I'll come back for you!"

"I think you might like to meet someone," Dasheng darted a glance at her. She did the same, but with a scowl. 

"Who?"

"Someone,"

"No name?"

"You might know better than I do." And a giggle escaped his mouth. 

"If you're so nice, why did you join this bunch of evil doers? They beat men, rape and abduct women. And take innocent people into slavery..."

"You think I enjoy doing this?" A light frown on his face. "I do, though." And he started laughing. The guard laughed too.

"Where are we going?" Ruqin asked when they didn't walk straight to the slave market place.

They turned an alleyway, "To the men prison." 

"Do I get to dance for them?" She snorted.

"Find out yourself," he stopped. She bumped into him. Then she looked through his hand in akimbo. 

A very familiar face. Shock on her face, for the first time. Dasheng admitted. 

Horror-stricken. Her heart rose and fell. Her heart pounding heavily against her chest as her legs gave out on her. Her eyes glinted with moist... 

What the hell is he doing here? 

His face was wrinkled in agony. Bruises all over his body. He lazily hung the other leg, while the second lay without life. The white cloth was painted red. His ankle bandaged, a sign of sprained ankle. 

That familiar face, the familiar figure lay there without moving.

He was writhing in pain! 

It was at this moment she saw life flash through her... 

She opened her mouth to say something, but no word formed.

The tears from her eyes started dropping.

She crawled up to the iron bars and grabbed it. Her hand tightened against it. "Fa...fa...father," she hiccupped due to pent up cries.

The man lazily stirred. And opened his eyes. Slowly, he recognized the foreign place. He had arrived two days ago. Almost beaten to them by the group of masked men. His ten able men had been killed, brutally. With no mercy, because they tried to resist. 

He tried to move his leg... It was broken. He was taken to the torture ground everyday, since he arrived. He reached to pull his right leg with his hand...

He seemed to have felt a pair of eyes on him and turned to the bars. 

A cold sweat trickled down his temple. Shock on his face. He shivered in the hot afternoon.

And then his heart flew away!

What is she doing here!?

Chapter end