Indebted marriage

Prolouge

"Mumma, I don't wanna get married to that guy. He is scary".

"Zhan we have no choice but to give you to him. We don't even know why he agreed to marry you because we heard stories of him. He never marries anyone just take them as his slave. You are lucky you are not his slave but his wife. Just do what he says and you might survive. Please ".

Zhan kept crying whole night. He kept having nightmares of the monster he was gonna marry. Everyone in the village knew not to mess with him because when someone goes on wrong side of that guy they are never seen on face of earth again. That's what everyone told them.

Zhan wanted to runaway so badly but then he will kill his parents and if he was ever found he would be thrown in dungeon in the palace and there it is rumoured that the person doesn't even survive an hour. He shivered remembering the dead body of a guy that came back from dungeon as per king's order and it had several marks of teeths and there wasn't a single drop of blood in body it was wrinkled and blue.

Many had vomited immediately that day and decided never to go against kings order or rule. No one ever questioned when people kept disappearing from villages and ignored the fact that all of them had gone toward the palace.

Xiao zhan's parents had taken some money from king to support their second child's nourishment and now it was time to return the debt but they had no money. They could barely feed themselves. So they were offered to send one of them to palace. And forget about the person and they are never gonna return. Xiao zhan was second born child of the family he was 18 already. He had a senior sister but she was married already and expecting a child. So he was the only option.

He heaved a sigh when he remembered how the guards from royal palace had come back other day with king's letter and informed them about kings decision to take Xiao zhan as one of his concubine.
All of them thought that he was lucky to be on kings good side but nobody knew he was actually on worst. Being a concubine in palace was worst nightmare.

There had been rumours few years ago that king had lost his all concubines in a week and they all the lost blood from their body and their were marks on their bodies too but it was rumoured because nobody saw the bodies. Now that Xiao zhan was selected as one everyone pitied him and wished him luck.

Xiao zhan woke up next morning to find himself all alone in the house. There was no one not even clothes in the house. Nothing all the house was empty. He rushed outside to see that other than him all of them were gone. He went to ask from neighbours but they shut their doors at him. He was broken-hearted that his own family abandoned him when he needed them the most. Just then guards with a royal seal came in his compound.
"Cooperate and follow us to the palace in palanquin or we will have to force you".
Xiao zhan had no choice but to follow them and he sat quietly in the palanquin.
He could see everyone was watching him from the windows but no one came out. He had lost hope that anyone would help him. They all abandoned him in his time of need.

He cried silently and sat there waiting for his arrival at palace. Giving himself hope that maybe the king isn't as ruthless as they claim.