When the confident emerged from the rumbles of the mansion, it was already the early hours of the morning. The sky was bleak and his heart was bleeding: a mountain of corpses, the remnants of his family could be seen. The acrid smell of old blood permeated the whole area. 125 corpses. A prestigious and righteous family, his family, reduced to nothing in the span of 1 night.
Tian Shang, the confident, felt an immense hatred invading his whole being.
"I will take my revenge! I curse the perpetrator of this crime against my family and all his future generations to live a life worse than death. May the gods be my witness." He shouted with his fist towards the sky.
Oblivious, he rushed to the dead corpses. Though, his expectations were very low he still hoped he would not find his best friend's body. He also wanted to bury all the deceased.
Undoing the mountain a person at the time, even the old and the children were not spared. Tears, sweat and blood were mixed with the soil he used to bury them. By the time he was done, his hands were raw and his eyes no longer looked like they were sane. But among those 125 corpses, his best friend and also distant cousin Bo Shang was not found. A glint of hope flickered in Tian Shang's heart, maybe Bo Shang had been able to escape this calamity. Maybe their family would be able to revive.
The day was long gone when he went back to the ancestral room.
Both the lady and Miss were asleep. He knew his ennemies would be looking for them. Since the roots were not eliminated, they would not stopped until all the Shang family members would be dead. Something of this envergure, it was definitely done with the consent of the emperor. In this country who could deploy a troop without the emperor's knowledge? Tian knew their family had been betrayed by their country he just didn't know why. They must have been framed.
Though the Shang family was an old noble and prestigious family, they didn't dwell in politics and had always been loyal to the emperor. To say they had power, that would be a long stretch as they didn't had any backing in the imperial court and no close ties with any of the high officials. To say they didn't have any power would also not be accurate as they were experts in trade and thus a lot of the livelihood of the capital city and of the country was dependant on them. They had ties and hands in all industries good and... not so good. It's just very few were aware of the ramifications of their family.
On the surface, they benefited from a good reputation though their family was in decline in the face of the nobility of this country. No scholar or military achievements for the last 3 generations. It was a miracle the family still existed and now, no male heir, though the clan leader was still young but in all those years, he only managed to have one female offspring.
As Tian Shang was looking at the remaining faces of his family, he swore he would not let anyone go but at the same time he was powerless now. The country was in high alert, where they were was the safest place for now. Nobody would think to look for them here. They would have to wait for the dust to settle.
Exhausted, Tian tended to his wound and went to sleep. Tomorrow will be a brand new day.
15 years earlier
"Have you heard? The surrounding area of the Shang's family house is haunted." One of the laundry maids was talking with her fellow maids while washing the clothes of her employer at the river.
"I know. I heard the souls of the Shang's family are restless and screaming for revenge. Almost every night, cries and wailing can be heard." The second maid was shuddering as she was speaking.
"It is so scary...apparently some when it started, the officials sent out guards to investigate but none of them returned alive." Another maid added to the discussion. Then she lowered her voice, signed to the others to come closer and continued. "Their body were also not retrieved complete, they were all in pieces."
On this word, a huge bang was heard and all the laundry maids screamed in fright.
A beggar had come to the river and had strongly threw his bowl against his cane, producing the bang heard by the maids. Normally, such a sound would not be loud enough to startle people but for some reason, the beggar had put a lot of force into it. Dirty, smelling, the beggar was asking for the alms but all the people he approached were reluctant to give him anything.
Seeing that they screamed in fright for nothing, the laundry maids started laughing to relieve their nervousness. It wasn't that the sight was funny, more they were so enthralled by the ghost story when realizing it was a very normal occurrence they could just laugh at their silliness.
The beggar however took the laughing as being mocked. He was reduced to such a state and those maidens dare to laugh at him?! He would make them pay. Jumping, his cane in his hand, the beggar hit one of them with it on the head. The maid immediately sank on the ground, dying on the spot. Now the other maids were also crying and screaming. Still, the beggar was not satisfied. He was completely consumed with anger and started hitting all the people present indiscriminately.
As a Monk was passing by, he heard the screams, and leaped in with the intent of protecting the innocent bystanders. Using one of his palm, he stroke the beggar on the shoulder, infusing his blow with internal force, successfully stopping him from hitting additional people.
The beggar stopped but was not injured. The Monk realized the beggar was not a simple person and he was not strong enough to subdue him with force.
"Amituofo, these people are innocent. We do not have the right to take their lives. Please spare them on my account?" Maybe the beggar would let them go for Buddha's sake?
"I also see you had been suffering a lot. Little brother I do not own anything but was given food earlier. Let me share it with you." Seeing that the Monk had a strong internal force and was probably skilled in martial art, the beggar also did not intent to fight him and thus accepted the peace offering.
As soon as the beggar accepted the food, the Monk signaled to the rest of the people to do the same and soon, the beggar had few coins of money but a bag full of food. Having received the alms he was asking for, he quickly left the vicinity of the river and disappeared from view.
The people that were left sighed in relief.
"We thank you so much for you assistance! Thank for saving us!"
"Quick, explain to me what happened?"
The people recounted the events to the Monk. Nothing was kept from the maid speaking of Shang's family territory to being cursed to the maid laughing and the beggar turning crazy on hearing the laughing.
"Do not speak of it anymore. Nothing will turn good from talking about the Shang's family affairs. This Monk has to continue his journey, may all of you be blessed. Amituofo"
On those words, the Monk parted with them. But, on this Earth, nothing was harder to control than the mouths of the populace so even though the Monk warned them, these people could not resist retelling the events to their family. Soon, everyone from the capital city to the 4 corners of the kingdom were aware that whomever was to speak about the Shang's family affairs would also be cursed to death. Not only their territory was haunted and had to be left untounched but their name could not longer be spoken unless one wanted to bring death upon them and their family.
Even though the Emperor was irritated with the rumors surrounding the Shang's family, he was also quite satisfied with the outcome. Now no one would talk about this sordid story and in a few years, it would all be forgotten. He only had to ensure the survivors were found and killed. How difficult was it to find a woman and a little girl? His esteemed grand advisor was even more satisfied. Plunging that family to oblivion had been his ultimate goal and soon he would achieve it.