Chapter 4 New Master - Nima

"Go on with the lute." The group of people quickly moved and stood in a half circle, revealing the speaker in the middle of them.

Li Qiufeng walked stiffly and slowly towards the door as if he got cramp in his legs. It took him quite a while to walk up to the man. Then Li Qiufeng got a chair for the man and asked San to serve him tea.

"Good evening, Master Nima." Li Qiufeng fell to the ground on his knees in front of the man.

What sort of person Master Nima was? Why was everyone afraid of him? The full name of Master Nima was Nima Ciren. He was a nobleman of the Zang nationality and had free access to the Imperial Palace. Except for his father and the Emperor, he feared no-one. It was said that he was ruthless and lecherous. He had always lived in the capital but recently he returned to this town and planned to spend the summer at this summer resort.

Nima ignored Li Qiufeng and walked up to Ci. "Play a tune for me."

Ci raised her head and looked at the man in front of her. He was nearly middle-aged and had sharp, penetrating eyes. His gaze was like a stab into Ci's heart and brought her a sense of disgust. Ci frowned and looked away from him.

"What's wrong? Don't you want to play the lute for me?" Nima wasn't angry; instead, he smiled, "Anyway, I like your stubborn spirit."

Li Qiufeng looked at Ci with imploring eyes because he couldn't afford to offend Nima.

There was dead silence in the teahouse. Ci began to sing, "The tender clover ferns float in the water; the vivid pink apricot flowers are all open; a pair of beautiful mandarin ducks play in the river. A well decorated pleasure-boat cut merrily through the water. Songs hovered in the air. It's a bright spring day. The river is calm. Boating with a young beauty, my heart is full of tenderness."

Nima was enthralled by her singing. He stared at Ci who was playing the lute, in a trance. In China, a pair of mandarin ducks were a metaphor for an affectionate couple.

Li Qiufeng had a foreboding that Ci would be taken away.

"Give me this girl." Nima hoisted Ci on to his shoulder. Ci bit her lips hard and tasted blood. 'I have never been mistress of my own destiny,' she quietly sighed and relaxed her grip on the lute which fell on the ground with a thump and broke in two.

Li Qiufeng got a silver draft. San clenched his fists in anger.

But they dared not say anything because Nima was rich, powerful and able to get whatever he wanted.

Ci felt the man's long beard prickling her skin. 'These are troubled times and wherever I am I will suffer,' she thought in despair and stopped struggling.

"Put me down. I can walk myself," she said in a whisper.

Nima was dazed for a second and then put her down. Ci straightened up and noticed that he was sweating, so she took out her handkerchief and stood on tiptoe to wipe away the beads of sweat on his forehead.

"Where are we going?" Ci asked.

Nima answered, "You're mine. Of course I will take you to my house."

"Oh." Ci asked, "You want me to be your maid, right?"

Nima nodded and thought, 'A dissolute master and a maid of humble birth. It seems interesting.'