Xuelei, Tears of Blood

Prologue

The night sky glowed an eerie orange reflecting the bright fire that raged in the Zhen household. Thick grey smoke bellowed out of the burning cluster of buildings that made up the sprawling Zhen mansion. What was once a beautiful proud home was now being razed to the ground.

People were in shock. The fire was too big and fierce for anyone to even go near the main gates. The crowd that had gathered outside could only watch helplessly as the raging fire did its damage.

Inside, the place was littered with the dead and dying. Guards, servants and maids lay motionless or waiting in terror for their deaths. Some had been slashed, red blood staining their clothes. Others choked and suffocated from the thick smoke. Some poor souls had the misfortune of actually burning, caught in the flames as they tried to save material possessions and loved ones. They were screaming.

A black clad woman strode confidently from the Master's study. She carried Zhen Shuren's limp body. Quickly she made her way out the back and stashed his body. She caressed his cheek tenderly and bent down to kiss his cold lips.

"I'm sorry my love."

She would give him an honourable burial later. Right now, she had another task to complete. She got up resolutely leaving him in relative safety from the fire.

She went back into the burning mansion and went to the Master's bedroom. She smiled cruelly as she saw Lady Zhen's body on the floor. The Lady was not quite dead yet, but weak from breathing in smoke. She had wasted time wetting cloth to swaddle her baby. He was crying piteously at his mother, pulling at her clothes. She was coughing, gasping for breath, too weak to move.

The black clad woman went to her. She bent down so that Lady Zhen could see her. The she pulled down the cloth that covered her face.

"You!"

"Yes me. Now die bitch!"

She slashed Lady Zhen's throat, cutting her windpipe. The beautiful lady of the house fell to the floor. Blood gushed out, soaking her expensive silk night dress. Lady Zhen could only make gurgling noises as she choked on her own blood. Her hands reached uselessly for her baby, her blood smearing onto the frightened toddler. Tears leaked from her eyes, it broke her heart to know that her precious son was as good as dead.

"I'm sorry Xiumin. I love you, my son." Only a wet gurgle came out.

Her hands fell from him as she died. Her last act was to hold him one last time, still trying to protect him from his terrible fate.

The killer reached for the toddler. He could not be more than two or three years old. He cried, terrified and instinctively held onto his mother's corpse. She pried his sturdy little fingers from the blood stained cloth.

"Come little one, we have to go bury your father."