The rain fell without pause over Lu Mansion, washing the marble steps until they shone like silver under the gray sky. The estate was so large that from the front gates to the main hall was a walk of nearly half an hour. Servants moved quickly through the corridors, their heads lowered, each step soft so as not to disturb the heavy silence that hung in the air.
Inside the great hall, the scent of burning sandalwood curled through the air. The carved red pillars gleamed, each etched with dragons chasing pearls. Above the hall, a giant gold-plated plaque read: LU FAMILY – HOUSE OF HONOR.
A boy stood at the center of the hall, rainwater dripping from his hair onto the polished floor.
His name was Lu Han, the eldest son of Lu Tianlong, master of the Lu family — the richest and most powerful man in the entire country.
But today, there was no sign of warmth or pride for him here.
On the high seat at the end of the hall sat Madam Rong, Lu Han's stepmother. She was a beauty draped in red silk, her hair pinned with gold phoenix ornaments. Her smile was gentle, but her eyes were as sharp and cold as knives.
"Han'er," she said in a voice sweet enough to rot, "you've caused trouble again. I heard you struck your younger brother, little wei."
Lu Han's small fists tightened at his sides. His voice trembled, but he spoke. "I didn't. He… he threw my toy in the pond. I only took it back."
Madam Rong's expression softened on the surface, but the corners of her lips curved in satisfaction. "Still, an elder brother must set an example. Your father is in the capital on business, so it is my duty to discipline you."
Two tall guards stepped forward, their heavy boots echoing in the silent hall.
Lu Han's heart thudded. He had learned long ago that when Madam Rong smiled, something bad followed. But today, there was something in her eyes that made the hair on his neck rise.
"Take him," Madam Rong ordered softly. "We will… send him away for some time to learn humility."
The guards obeyed without hesitation. One seized Lu Han by the arm, the other grabbed his shoulder.
"No! Let me go!" he shouted, struggling. But at only seven years old, his thin frame was no match for the men's strength.
They dragged him down the long corridor. He saw the painted screens, the carved furniture, the silk curtains — all the things that had been part of his home since he was born. They passed the lotus pond where his mother had once sat with him, teaching him the names of the flowers.
The rain outside was cold and heavy. They didn't take him toward the family's discipline hall as he expected. Instead, they headed for the side path that led to the back gates.
There, a shabby old carriage waited. The wheels were splattered with mud, and the horses looked thin and tired.
Lu Han's stomach twisted. "Where are you taking me?"
The guards didn't answer.
The older guard pulled out a small pouch and handed it to the driver. "Far away. Somewhere poor. Somewhere he won't come back from."
Lu Han's breath caught. "You're… sending me away?"
The older guard smirked. "Be grateful, boy. Madam Rong wanted you dead. But for the master's sake, you'll live. Just not here."
Before he could protest, they shoved him into the carriage. He stumbled and fell onto the hard wooden floor. The door slammed behind him.
Through the small barred window, he saw the guards watching with blank faces as the carriage began to roll forward.
The gates of Lu Mansion loomed in the distance. They grew smaller… smaller… until the rain swallowed them completely.
The road was long and rough. Rain leaked through the roof, dripping onto his hair and soaking his thin clothes. He shivered, hugging himself. His stomach ached from hunger.
Once, he thought about jumping out, but the carriage was moving too fast. He was too weak to survive alone in the wilderness.
Hours passed. The grand city with its tall walls and bright markets faded into rolling hills, then into deep forest.
By the time the carriage stopped, the rain had eased into a drizzle.
The driver yanked the door open. "Get out, boy."
Lu Han stepped down, his fine silk shoes sinking into the mud. The air here smelled of damp earth and smoke from cooking fires.
In front of him stood a small, shabby village. The houses were made of wood and clay, their roofs patched with straw.
The driver didn't wait for him to speak. With a crack of the whip, the horses pulled the carriage away. The sound of wheels faded until there was only the gentle patter of rain.
Lu Han stood alone, unsure where to go.
A voice called from nearby. "Child, are you lost?"
He turned. An old man with a weathered face and kind eyes stood at the doorway of a small hut. His clothes were patched and faded, but his smile was warm.
"My name is Shen," the man said. "Come inside before you catch your death in the rain."
Lu Han hesitated. "I… I have nowhere to go."
Old Man Shen stepped closer. "Then stay with us for tonight. We may be poor, but we have a roof and a fire."
Lu Han followed him inside. The hut was small, with only two rooms. A fire burned in the corner, filling the air with the smell of soup.
A woman with gentle eyes looked up from stirring the pot. "Who's this, husband?"
"A boy from the road," Old Man Shen said. "Looks like trouble chased him far from home."
The woman smiled softly. "Then trouble has brought us a guest. Sit, little one. You must be hungry."
Lu Han sat by the fire. The warmth seeped into his frozen fingers. The woman gave him a bowl of hot soup. It was thin, with only a few pieces of vegetable, but to him, it tasted better than the rich dishes of Lu Mansion.
For the first time in a long while, someone looked at him not with cold eyes… but with care.
That night, he lay on a straw bed under a patched quilt. The rain tapped gently on the roof.
But in the darkness, the image of Madam Rong's face returned to his mind. Her sweet smile, her cold eyes.
He clenched his small fists under the blanket.
Someday… he would return.
Someday… he would stand before the Lu family gates again.
And on that day, no one would be able to cast him out.
.....