The Concubine's Daughter by Pai Kit Fai

This book spin the saga of a mother and daughter in early 20th century based in China.

The mother, Li-Xia meaning The Beautiful One by her father in hope to boost her selling price higher. Li-Xia's mother was the Chen Jin(Thousand pieces of gold) from a noble house which become poor. She was sold to the uncouth Yikk Mun a spice merchant as a concubine.

She gave her life ad saved Li-Xia when Yikk Mun wanted to kill the newborn daughter. There were gossip flying everywhere that they are of the Fox Spirit.

Li-Xia was ignored most of the time by her father. He had tried to cripple her in order to make her have the prized "Lotus Feet".

When she came to an aged, she was sold to another merchant. There another part of her life begin. Li-Xia had always dreamt of being a scholar like her mother and this dream had lead her to a lot trouble.

Her dream had lead her to near death experience till she met Benjamin Devereaux. Would love between two opposing culture survived? And what about the treachery of the servants and the revenge of the notorious Sau-hai when Li-Xia escaped their crunches? 

Among all these evil, Siu Sing was born. She was whisked away by a faithful servant(Fish) at the instruction of Li-Xia for her safety before her Benjamin get the chance to look at her.

Fish brought the near death baby to her cousin in the hills. Here, Siu Sing earned another foe in her life. She learn the marital art and to be a scholar from Fish cousin. Then treachery happen and Siu Sing was left all alone in the world. Her "brother", Ah Keung, from the same master seems to came to her help but in the end he was one of her worst foe.

In Siu Sing's quest to look for her father, she came face-to-face with all types of people. She had to relied on her learning to survive. 

I love the first part of this book very much. Li-Xia's plight was very real and vivid. I was really depressed to read of the cruelty of the people against her.

But the same cannot applies to the part of her daughter, Siu Sing. It seems so far fetch and like a scene out of those Hong Kong TVB Kungfu Drama where one go to learn martial arts up the mountains. As suddenly as she was whisked up the mountain, she was also suddenly plunged into the art of erotic pleasure. The art of pleasuring men.

Despite the so-so plot on the second part of the book, this books is still worth the read. The first part of the book is worth all the tears. Wonderfully written.