The Demonesses of Wangliang Forest - Chapter 1

“Have you heard? Three hunters wandered into Wangliang Forest a few days ago. They found their remains at the foot of the mountain this morning!”

The street vendors whispered among themselves. “They say the bodies had been drained of blood. Horrible!”

I sucked in a breath and instinctively edged closer to the man beside me.

Handsome and scholarly, he reassured me, “Most likely a pack of lies. A few years ago, on my way to the capital for the examinations, I passed through Wangliang Forest. I came out perfectly unharmed.”

I smiled. “Heaven looks after a good man like you, husband.”

I reached to take Liang Qisheng’s arm, but he quietly stepped away.

Startled, I turned to look at him.

He was already smiling as he strode ahead.

He stopped before a sedan chair. “Senior Sister, have you come to see the lantern festival too?”

Inside was Wang Lian’er, Chancellor Wang’s daughter.

She was famous throughout the capital for her literary talent.

Liang Qisheng called the chancellor his teacher, so addressing his daughter as Senior Sister was perfectly reasonable.

The young lady did not step out of her chair. She merely lifted the curtain a little.

Half her face appeared. She glanced at Liang Qisheng, then quickly looked away.

Her expression was cool; she did not seem particularly interested.

Her gaze swept over me, and she paused in surprise.

“Who is this?”

Liang Qisheng moved to one side, blocking her view of me.

“A servant from my household. She’s uncouth and knows nothing of manners. Please forgive her, Senior Sister.”

Miss Wang nodded. “It doesn’t matter.”

Her voice was flat, without any particular feeling.

To her, I scarcely seemed worth mentioning.

They spoke quietly, but I heard every word.

I stared at Liang Qisheng’s straight back. All I could think of was that one word.

Servant.

I was not Liang Qisheng’s servant. I was his wife. We had bowed to Heaven and Earth together at our wedding.

Three years earlier, I had met him when he came to the capital to sit the examinations.

I had poured every coin I owned into helping him establish himself here, meet powerful people, and finally place first in the imperial examinations.

And now his wife had become his servant.

Perhaps he noticed my low spirits. When we returned home, he drew me into his arms.

“Don’t be angry, my wife. I did it for our future.”

“If Senior Sister saw us strolling together in the street and told my teacher I was too caught up in women, wouldn’t that do more harm than good?”

What a pathetic excuse.

He must have worked hard to come up with it.

He patiently coaxed me for a long time, until my resentment gradually eased.

Over the next three days, Liang Qisheng was as tender as ever. More tender, even.

He kept promising to give me another wedding, one everyone in the world would envy.

Three days later, he invited me to climb a mountain and enjoy the scenery.

Holding my hand, he led me up the winding mountain path.

The mist grew thicker and thicker among the trees. So thick that I failed to notice a small stone marker we passed.

It read: Wangliang Forest. Enter with caution.

“Wanniang, don’t blame me!”

Liang Qisheng’s face twisted as he shoved me into a deep pit.

His once delicate, handsome features now looked like those of a vicious ghost.

Had anyone else been there, they would never have recognized the young examination champion with his spotless, noble reputation.

I clung to his arm. “Liang Qisheng! Have you no heart?” I demanded bitterly.

“After all these years together, do you really care nothing for me?”

He would listen to nothing. He pried my fingers away one by one.

I held on too tightly. Liang Qisheng stopped holding back and wrenched at them with all his strength.

A sharp crack. He had broken my fingers.

“You’re in my way,” he said through gritted teeth. “The chancellor has promised me a splendid future, as long as I marry his daughter!”

“Wanniang, didn’t you say you loved me? Then help me one last time!”

“Once you’re dead, I’ll be set for life!”

“Wanniang, I’ll remember what you’ve done for me!”

With those last words, he tore my arm away.

Nothing held me up anymore. I fell into the pit, my nails leaving a deep gouge along his arm.

Trembling, Liang Qisheng stumbled backward and fell to the ground.

At some point, rain had begun to fall. Its sound filled the forest.

Countless rocks tumbled down into the pit with dull thuds.

Liang Qisheng swallowed, scrubbed his face hard, then staggered to his feet and headed down the mountain.

He seemed to be comforting himself.

“You can’t blame me. Blame your own low birth!”

“This is Wangliang Forest. There are wild beasts here. Demonesses. You won’t survive. You won’t…”

He was afraid of those things too. He fled down the mountain, barely watching where he went.

…

I had no idea how long I lay at the bottom of the pit.

Then a sweet female voice sounded beside my ear.

“Sister, you lost.”

Blood-red vines writhed around my waist.

“Qiying, keep your hands to yourself,” I said helplessly.

The vines withdrew. A beautiful woman in red, with silver hair, slowly took shape.

She bent over me, her hair falling across my face.

“Liang Qisheng betrayed you after all.”

I closed my eyes briefly and sighed.

My torn, bloodstained clothes changed into a robe of green.

I sat up and gave her a crooked smile. “Little sister, does my misfortune really make you that happy?”