1 The Last Straw (1/2)
”Fa Chun,” a weakened woman called feebly.
A seven year old Fa Chun got up from where he was reading his mother's medicine book disguised as a children's picture book.
He limped to his mother who was sitting by her window and making a parcel. She always did so in the hour of the monkey (15:00 to 17:00).
His mother smiled at him weakly before giving the parcel to him.
He leaned in to hug his mother.
”Mother, is it today?”
”You'll know Fa Chun, when the time is right,” she replied as she patted her 'son's' back.
Five year old, Fa Bai who was playing in the corner hobbled up to her mother.
”Mommy, I'm hungry,” she said, as she rubbed her tummy.
Fa Chun felt the piece of bread in his pocket. He had saved his lunch so that he could skip dinner.
”Here,” he said, giving the bread to his sister.
He knew she didn't understand that their mother had lost their father's favour long before they were born. There was a silent rage in his eyes when he thought of his father.
”Fa Bai, how many times to tell you to not call me 'Mommy',” Fa Hua sighed as she picked up her daughter. She frowned at the piece of bread her daughter was holding. She had seen her son save his lunch instead of eating it, but she told nothing as she was unable to provide either of her children with food.
Her heart filled with pride when she thought of Fa Chun.
”Fa Chun, know that your mother loves you and is proud of you.”
Fa Chun smiled, as he looked at his mother's maid.
”Please take care of them until I return, Auntie Li.”
The An pavilion was where Fa Chun and his little family resided. It was the smallest, most shabby courtyard located in a remote corner of his Father, the Prime minister Fa's, estate.
The only good thing about it was that it served as an entrance to the forest from where Fa Chun collected his herbs and other edible things. He limped all the way to the back wall making his presence as small as possible.
The usual first sons and daughters weren't there to bother him today.
He hated all of them.
The current First wife had stolen the position from his mother long before he was born. Sad to say, his mother had let her. His mother didn't love his father anymore and it was understandable looking at the scars on her back which she had received from his beatings.
His mother had hid his identity as the first daughter by portraying him as a limp idiot so that he didn't have to suffer as much as she had.
His mother had once told Fa Chun his real name, 'Xierong', he'd found it beautiful but unfitting as in his seven years of existence he had brought no glory to his mother. Instead, he had contributed in making his mother lose face.
Crawling out of the hole in the back wall, Fa Chun stood up straight and ran to the tree in which he hid the supplies. His mother had been planning on escaping for a long time. She was the one who'd marked the tree with a white ribbon.