Chapter 1 — Little Demon King Khang Vuong Phu

My father is the sixth brother of the current Holy King, Khang Vuong family. All his life he was weak, bullied by his brothers, ignored by his subordinates, and even the two stone lions in front of the royal palace gate seemed more majestic than him. When he was fifty years old, God opened his eyes and gave him a daughter. That's me. During the month-long banquet, my father hugged me, tears streaming down his face: "My daughter will definitely be the most famous and virtuous lady of the Upper Capital in the future." Sixteen years later. I overturned the Crown Prince's carriage with one kick, whipped the Prime Minister's son with a whip, and even pushed the head of the Minister of Rites' precious niece into the lotus lake. The people in Thuong Kinh city's tea and wine queens were again talking: "Little devil king of Khang Vuong Palace, what new tricks did you show today?" My father knelt in the hall, facing the tablet of the ancestors of the ancestors, crying bitterly: "O ancestors, what evil have you done..." As for me, I was sitting cross-legged on the rafters, munching on a gourd candy to watch the excitement. Until that day, a decree was passed down in the palace, and after hearing it, my father fainted on the spot.

01

My father is King Khang, the sixth brother of the current Holy King. In the Upper Capital, whenever he was mentioned, no one had time to call him Royal Highness, and people had to burst out laughing. People say he has a soft personality. Others told him his fate was sad. Someone teased that the two stone lions in front of the gate of Khang Vuong Palace knew how to glare at people more scarily than him. When I was young, I didn't understand. I only see my father every morning going to court, only to return after dark. When he returned, his uniform was still neat, but the sleeves always had a few faint dust marks as if someone had stepped on them. He never got angry. The servant brought the wrong tea, he said it was okay. The manager reported a lack of money, he said he must have remembered wrongly. His grandfather borrowed a horse from the royal palace for half a year and didn't pay it back. He just sent someone to bring another bag of dry grass there. My mother passed away early. There is no one in the government to discipline us. So my father personally raised me. His arms held me very firmly, but his voice was always careful for fear of startling me.

“A Man, you girls have to be a little gentler.”

I bit into the gourd candy and nodded. The next day, I beat the young master of the National Palace - who dared to steal my candy - to cry. Father hugged me and apologized. The lady of that family sat in the upper position, the tea lid in her hand hitting the cup, making cold rattling sounds.

“Kang Vuong, this princess of your palace, the rules and regulations should be taught properly.”

My father repeatedly nodded yes. I stood hiding behind him, seeing the young master hiding behind the screen, sticking his tongue out and teasing me. I went straight over there, opened the screen, and gave him another punch. From that day on, my father knelt in the temple hall all night long. I also sat on the rafters all night. He lamented his ancestors for a moment, and I took a bite of the gourd candy. Crying until midnight, he raised his head to look at me.

“Ah Man, come down here.”

I shook my head.

“Go down, father won't hit you.”

I shook my head again. He sighed.

“I'm just afraid you'll have to suffer in the future.”

I threw the bamboo stick away.

“Father, you have suffered all your life, after all What good do you get in return?

The street suddenly became completely silent. Incense sticks fell from the urn. Father looked at me, his eyes red, but he did not scold me. He just bowed his head and bowed again towards the tablet. From that day on, he no longer told me to be gentle. He only advised: don't cause murder. I agreed very quickly. Because in this Upper Capital, without causing murder, I still have a way to make others suffer for a long time. On my sixteenth birthday, a spring party was held in the palace. The carriage of King Khang's palace was parked outside Tay Hoa gate. The other noble ladies got out of the carriage, followed by four maids and two maids. I stepped out of the car, a soft whip hanging on my waist, and a slingshot hidden in my sleeve. When the king saw it, his face turned pale.

“A Man, today is a banquet in the palace.”

“I know.”

“The Crown Prince was also present.”

“The better.”

The king's father's hand trembled and he almost missed a step. I quickly reached out my hand to help him. He whispered: "Don't say the word 'better', I'm scared when I hear it." I was just about to laugh when a round of mocking laughter came from the front. Several descendants of the clan are gathering around the palace gate. The leader, wearing a dark red brocade, is the young prince of Khanh Vuong Palace - Tham Tung Le. He is three years older than me, and his tongue is sharper than a knife.

“Wow, isn't this Uncle Luc?”

My father stopped walking. Tham Tung Le laughed loudly.

"Uncle Luc also entered the palace today. I thought you were claiming illness again."

The person next to him followed.

"You have to have someone to believe you when you confess your illness. Khang Vuong's bones are still healthy, it's just that his liver is a bit small."

The whole group burst into laughter. My father's face turned pale, but he still clasped his hands in patience.

“Tung Le, before the palace gate, be careful what you say.”

Tham Tung Le took a step forward, his eyes glanced at my waist.

"Don't be afraid, Uncle Luc, I didn't say anything wrong."

He raised his hand and patted my father's shoulder. The pat sounded gentle. But my sharp eyes noticed that his fingers were deliberately pressing hard on his old wound. The king's lips trembled. I reached out and grabbed Tham Tung Le's wrist tightly. He was stunned. I also smiled.

“No need for this arm anymore, right?”

Tham Tung Le's face darkened.

“Tham A Man, do you dare to act arrogantly in front of the palace gate?”

I pushed his hand away.

“If you touch my father one more time, I will make you roll from here to the end of the royal road.”

All around the laughter fell silent. Father quickly pulled my hand.

“A Man.”

Tham Tung Le stared at me and suddenly laughed coldly.

“This thing raised by King Khang Palace really has no rules.”

I raised my eyes to look at him.

“Who do you call a bastard?”

He opened his mouth to curse back. But suddenly the sound of a carriage bell rang out in the distance. On the palace road, a horse-drawn carriage with a golden top and jade top was slowly approaching. Everyone pulled aside to make way. Someone lowered his voice and whispered:

“Dong Palace's car.”

My father's palms were wet with sweat. He pulled me, wanting to step aside. But that carriage deliberately stopped right in front of us. The car curtains have not been opened. The lazy voice from inside said:

“Who dares to make noise in front of the palace gate?”

Tham Tung Le immediately bent down and reported:

“Report to the Crown Prince Your Majesty, the princess of Khang Vuong Palace does not understand the rules."

There was silence in the car for a moment. Then, the Crown Prince burst out laughing.

“Oh?”

“Is that the little demon king rumored throughout the Upper Capital?”

My father's face turned even whiter. As for me, I stared at that car curtain, my hand slowly grasping the slingshot hidden in my sleeve.