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The world did not know that the Ember of East, the Lord of Weiyang City, had never been taught the ways of commerce by the city. Even her name, Wuque, meaning "flawless", was not bestowed by the former lord, Wen Tao, but chosen by herself.\nShe was not Wen Tao's legitimate daughter, but the illegitimate child of his sister, Wen Ning, and a Lone Cloud disciple. Wen Tao regarded this as a grave disgrace, hastily marrying Wen Ning to a loyal servant of the Wen family. The servant, having gained a Wen daughter, rose to power in Weiyang City, but with success came betrayal. He abused the child who was not his own, beating her without mercy.\nWith a cruel stepfather and frail mother, her fate seemed sealed: gamble on a good marriage like all Wen daughters.\n\nBut this child had defiance in her bones. The more they scorned her, the higher she'd climb.\nDefying her mother's warnings, she bound her hair, disguised herself as a man, and plunged into the depths of Weiyang City. Through humiliation and scheming, she clawed her way to Wen Tao's side. Witnessing the law of the jungle, she learned that to stand above others, one must be willing to devour ravenously and ruthlessly. The fastest, most relentless eater would rule.\n\nShe lived by this creed, seizing the entire fortune of her marital family and returning with her husband's head. Weiyang City trembled. The forgotten bastard became Master Wuque, mentioned in the same breath as Wen Wuhen and other heirs.\nIf others were ruthless, she was colder. Rumors spread that Master Wuque was capricious: laughing with you today, claiming your head and wealth tomorrow. Some even whispered she was not one person but two, and the legend of the Black and White Gods of Wealth began then. In her years of amassing fortune, countless died directly or indirectly by her hand. She feared nothing, so long as she won. No one could oust her from the game. Thus, she survived Wen Tao's deadly trials for the heirs and became the new Lord of Weiyang City.\n\nBut she forgot that if one takes all the chips, the table itself loses purpose. And Wen Wuhen, now penniless, was the one to flip it over.\nThe day Weiyang City ran red with blood, Wen Wuque was prepared, but not enough.\nOver a dozen of Wen Wuhen's relatives in her custody lay dead, while he held her mother hostage.\n"You're still a bastard from outside," Wen Wuhen laughed. "No Weiyang blood. Without the courage to sever your own arm, how can you rule?"\n\nShe could not match his brutality. Gazing at her mother's silver hair, she recalled the vow she'd made on the day she left home.\n"I will climb to the top so no one ever bullies you again."\nHer hands fell. The gold coins meant to buy her life clattered to the floor. She closed her eyes, awaiting death, only to hear the most terrifying sound:\nThe ripping of fabric and flesh. Her mother, suddenly finding strength, hurled herself onto the blade.\n\nWhy did the world always twist good intentions into tragedy?