Chapter 1 — The Marquis was wronged, I hid with my young master, and later overturned the capital to collect debt.

The Marquis Palace has been wronged, I will preserve the young master's bloodline, and will definitely overthrow the capital and eat this person. That night, fire burned half the sky red. The moment the edict to confiscate the family's assets was just issued, I was in the back room building the fire. The whole palace's cries echoed up to the sky, but I didn't cry. When the soldiers rushed into the backyard, I hugged the young master and hid him in a pile of firewood. They tore through every inch of land in the Marquis Palace, but they only missed a small corner where I was hiding. I hid in a pile of firewood for three days and three nights. When I stepped out, the Marquis Palace had turned into a pile of ruins. The strong smell of blood lingered for a long time, never dissipating. I hugged the young master and left this man-eating capital. Behind is endless darkness, in front is an unknown path. But I'm not afraid. As long as the young master is still alive, the bloodline of the Marquis Palace will not be broken. That night, fire burned half the sky red. The moment the edict to confiscate the family's assets was just issued, I was in the back room building the fire. The fire in the kitchen licked each dry wood stick, making continuous clicking sounds. It was as if on behalf of a hundred years of Marquis, he was singing a final lament. From above and below, the cries echoed up to the sky. I don't cry again. Tears are the most useless thing in this world. It cannot be exchanged for a way of life. The masters who live in luxury all year round and are pampered in the palace don't understand that, but I understand. I am Tham Dien, a slave who was sold to the Marquis Palace three years ago. My life is as cheap as trash. But the person in my heart is not. The sound of the soldiers' armor colliding with each other, from far away, gradually came closer. I took one last look at the dancing flames in the kitchen. The firelight shone on my face, a calm and cold look. I turned around, went against the stream of people crying and ran away, and rushed straight towards the backyard. On the main side of the monastery, the fire was the most intense. That place soon turned into a hell on earth. I didn't hesitate for a moment, I ran straight to young master Co Chieu's yard. As soon as I arrived at the door of the courtyard, I saw Mrs. Hou staggering out. The gorgeous dress on her body was torn to tatters, her hair was messy, and blood and tears mixed together on her face. Seeing me, she was like seeing the last straw that saved her life.

“Tham Dien!”

She rushed forward and tightly grabbed my arm. Her nails dug deep into my flesh, but I felt absolutely no pain. She stuffed a baby still in diapers into my lap. It's the young master, Co Chieu. The child slept very deeply, completely unaware that the Marquis Palace had collapsed.

“Give it away.”

Mrs. Hou's voice was so hoarse that it almost broke, carrying a strong smell of blood.

"Never return to the capital, never tell him his identity."

She pulled a golden brooch from her head and stuffed it into my hand.

“Live on.”

She looked deeply into Co Chieu's heart, her eyes filled with determination that there was no way back. Then, she turned around and pulled out the sword from a guard's waist. The blade slid across her snow-white neck. Blood splattered all over my body. Warm and hot, carrying the strong smell of despair. I don't have time to grieve. I hugged the young master tightly and used my fastest speed to rush towards the firewood room in the back yard. The soldiers rushed in. When they saw people, they immediately killed them, and when they saw property, they immediately robbed them. I am like a mouse hiding in the dark, avoiding the flickering light of the torch and the sharp cold light of the sword. The firewood room is filled with dry firewood for the winter. I found the deepest corner and buried myself and Co Chieu inside. I hugged the young master and hid him deep in the firewood pile. The pieces of dry wood stabbed into the body, both itchy and painful, like small needles continuously pricking the skin. I don't dare move even a little bit. We listened to the miserable screams outside, the curses, and the endless searches. The footsteps stopped right in front of the firewood room door. My heart feels like it's hanging in my throat, with just the slightest movement it could fall. I covered Co Chieu's mouth tightly, so scared that I was afraid the baby would make even the slightest sound.

"Search carefully! The residue of the Marquis Palace, not even one person can be missed!"

The door was kicked open. The firelight from the torch penetrated through the gaps in the pile of firewood. We see each pair of soldier's shoes covered in dirty blood. They tore through every inch of land in the Marquis Palace, but they only missed a small corner where I was hiding. A long spear aggressively stabbed straight into the pile of firewood right next to me. The spear's nose is less than a finger's length away from my eyes. We can smell the strong smell of blood clinging to it. I don't even dare to breathe. I don't know how much time passed, but the people outside cursed and left.

“Unlucky, couldn't find anything.”

“Go, go to the front yard to see if there's anything else of value left.”

The sound of footsteps gradually went away. But I still don't dare to relax even a little bit. I hid in a pile of firewood for three days and three nights. Until no sound could be heard from outside anymore. Only the sound of the wind remained, moaning like a cry, passing through the destroyed palace. Only then did I dare to slowly, little by little, crawl out of the pile of firewood. When he stepped out, the Marquis Palace had completely turned into ruins. Once exquisitely carved pavilions and pavilions were once carved, now only broken walls and desolate ruins remain. In the air, the strong smell of blood lingered for a long time, lingering around forever, refusing to go away. I hugged the young master and left this man-eating capital step by step. Behind is endless darkness with no end in sight, ahead is an unknown road leading to nowhere. But I'm not afraid. As long as the young master is still alive, the bloodline of the Marquis Palace will never be broken. This is the only promise I make to Madam Hou. Under our feet are broken bricks and tiles, behind us is firelight rising to the sky. That fire burned continuously for three days and three nights. Burn all the prosperity, burn all the evil, and finally turn into a pile of ashes. But I am the one who crawled out from those ashes. Sole survivor. It's two people. I bowed my head, looking at Co Chieu sleeping in my arms. It's still alive. So, that's enough.