Inside a small farmhouse in the village of Shihong, to the North of China, sat a girl cross-legged on the floor. She was no more than sixteen, a book balanced between her slender hands as she turned each page with care. Her long, sleek dark hair cascaded down past her shoulders and brushed the pages she was hunched over; her brown eyes scanned the fine paper with interest and curiosity not daring to look away. She was small for her age, the youngest of the three daughters of the Hai family. Quiet and patient, she was often overshadowed unintentionally by her two older sisters. They were more confident than she, beautiful and more or less self-assured around other’s, yet always withholding the honour of the family. She, on the other hand, preferred the company of her books and the characters within them – it avoided the awkwardness of society.

Her family were fairly wealthy, her father, having once been a loyal member of Government to the Emperor himself, had now retired to a quiet country life in Shihong with his wife and daughters. It was a happy family life, she had never really wanted for anything, sometimes times had been hard but more often than not life was comfortable. The three girls had been care-free children, now they had grown older things had not much changed. But had they stayed that way there would be no story.

I guess the ball really started to roll with the marriage of Yusheng, the oldest Hai daughter. She had always been the favourite, beautiful, kind, lady-like, she possessed all the qualities a woman should have. Her life was simple, the match was easy to find – she was sought after by many, though had eyes for only one. However I shall not give away the story to you dearest reader - that is for you to find out for yourself.

Allow me to introduce myself, I am, well…how can I describe it? I am not the blue-eyed cherub you’d usually picture that’s for sure – yet neither am I the beautiful Goddess alternative! No, personally I like to alter my appearance with the changing fashions. I am a traveller by nature, my style depends greatly on where I am – I like to dress for the occasion. Despite my changing exterior, you see me everyday, everywhere you go. In fact one could argue you can’t get rid of me. Many grow sick of my twisted ways, yet others prosper from them. It is rare for a person to escape my presence in life, no matter what shape or form, and the Hai girls were no exception. Ah, yes, the Hai family – I remember them well, three daughters I seem to recall…not one escaped a confrontation with me, oh no. Similarly to others, I changed their lives forever; there was no turning back after we were acquainted. And now, my friends I shall acquaint you with them also.

The girl you see sat before you in your mind, the youngest one, that’s right, the one reading the book, that’s Meifeng. Mei to you and I. The two sisters I mentioned before: one of whom you know of already, Yusheng, and the other, Jiaying – well Jia for the likes of us. Now where to start on their long journey of life? At the beginning of course!