Chapter 2, Never to be Reborn

Once again, she felt unable to face it; this heaviness surpassed sorrow, surpassed anger, and surpassed any other emotion, leaving her at a loss and her heart in agony. She had experienced this emotion at the moment she heard the tolling of the death knell for her father.

"It seems you have made it through," said an old, indifferent voice. "Having taken such a large dose of the anesthetic, especially one that I meticulously prepared, it is quite a feat to survive. You must be quite lucky to be alive." The old man sneered a few times, "Indeed, evil people live for a thousand years."

Lanlan expressed her gratitude and staggered to the grave that the old man had pointed to haphazardly. She squatted down and opened the bamboo basket slung over her arm, taking out a simple offering of incense and sacrifices.

Lan Lan knocked on the wooden door, inquiring about the old man who was boiling medicine inside. She did not cast another glance at the dirty, dazed "woman." "Which one is..." She paused, as if mentioning this name put her in a difficult position, but ultimately, with a complex expression, she said, "Xiao Lan Dan's grave"

Entrusted by someone? Lan Dan pondered this term carefully, wondering who it could be

Lan Lan let out a long sigh, "Shentu Cheng has a human face but a beast's heart, his schemes are profoundly deep, he has plotted against the entire world. A mere you, so foolish, so pitiful, how can you withstand him? It is nothing but a tragic fate. You have descended to the Yellow Springs, drink a few more bowls of Meng Po soup, forget everything, forget it all! From now on, I, we of the Xiao family, will no longer come to see you, after all, you have committed such heinous crimes. But..." Lan Lan wiped away the tears that flowed uncontrollably, "You are the first member of the Xiao family killed by Shentu Cheng, I truly do not know whether to hate you more or to pity you more..." From now on, I, we of the Xiao family, will no longer come to see you, after all, you have committed such heinous crimes. But..." Lan Lan wiped away the tears that flowed uncontrollably, "You are the first member of the Xiao family killed by Shentu Cheng, I truly do not know whether to hate you more or to pity you more..."

Since that day when the old man spoke those words, he has not uttered a single word since, and he has not shown her any kindness. His disdain and disgust are clearly written on his aged face. However, he has been very meticulous in caring for her injuries, and his medical skills are indeed extraordinary

Lan Dan bit her lip, trying to prevent her teeth from clashing noisily. She remembered that her second sister had said these words.

Lan Dan looked at her; she was the first person to come to pay her respects. It was unknown who she had braved such wind and snow to visit.

Except for him, everyone who knows her hates her to the bone. Who else would come to save her

In an instant, the only person she could think of was Shen Tu Cheng

The person who saved her was definitely not Shen Tu Cheng

A poorly clad woman trudged through the snow, making her way with great difficulty

To my surprise, at this very moment, the one who came to burn a few joss papers for her, having just offered a cigarette, was actually my second sister

The massacre lasted for nearly a month, and the mass grave expanded threefold. Finally, after a heavy snowstorm, no more bodies were brought in for disposal.

Lan Dan's heart was racing intensely; in such a bone-chilling cold day, fine beads of sweat actually appeared on her back

Because even the bones have been affected, the maximum amount of anesthetic has been used. For a period of time afterwards, the exact duration I cannot specify, your arms and legs may not be very flexible. Do not ask me anything, as I do not know anything; I am merely entrusted to help you change your appearance.

Because the second sister has mentioned before that she has secretly resented her, feeling that the second sister is the most difficult to get along with among the sisters, that her words are sharp and she cannot stand to see her do well, preferring to keep a respectful distance.

She was dressed in tattered clothes, with a clean bandage wrapped around her head, and another layer of dirty cloth wrapped over it. Her hair had not been washed for many days, and combined with her posture of dragging half of her body while walking, she resembled a disabled beggar woman who could only marry a grave keeper.

She was completely stunned, not expecting to see her second sister. She wanted to acknowledge her but did not dare to, her body trembling almost uncontrollably, forcing herself to tightly clench her fists to steady herself a little.

Seeing that the old man did not respond, Lan Lan furrowed her brows and thought for a moment before explaining: "It is... it is the... Princess Danyang of the previous dynasty." The words "previous dynasty" were spoken by her with a bitter undertone, and she had to press her lips together to restrain her emotions

The old man got up, walked to the door, and stood in front of Lan Dan, wary of her speaking out to identify him. He also casually pointed to the distant desolate grave, intentionally trying to send Lan Lan away.

Under the care of the old man, she gradually improved; her face no longer hurt as much, her eyes had also reduced in swelling, and she could slightly open her mouth to eat some soft food. However, both her left arm and left leg were still not very agile, making it quite difficult for her to sit up and walk, resembling a person who was partially paralyzed

Lan Dan remained unable to move or make a sound, it seems that someone has rescued her, yet the person who saved her appears to harbor no goodwill towards her

Vitality? In fact, she does not crave existence much; she is simply in too much pain, seeking only liberation. When resolutely facing death, she is filled with a sense of tragic indignation, believing that she should bear any punishment. Let alone enduring for eternity, she can hardly withstand even a few days. A few days is merely her estimation; who knows how long it truly is, perhaps just a few hours.

As the New Year approaches, with the old year coming to an end, all troublesome individuals are dealt with. For Shen Tu Cheng, the new year is a vibrant and flourishing spring.

They wore dirty prison uniforms, with black blood flowing from their seven orifices, which could be considered a dignified death, as they were not dismembered. Born into royalty, they were tragically discarded in a shallow grave in the yellow earth after death. Lan Dan silently walked over and stood by the roughly filled wild grave. If it were not for her, these two should have been buried in the tall hills of Xiling, enjoying the mourning honors of princes and the incense offerings of future generations.

She let out a long sigh; as long as there is a possibility for this torment to come to an end, that is enough

Someone applied something on her face, which felt cool and alleviated some of the pain

The pain, a piercing and excruciating agony, enveloped her entire face and head, making Lan Dan wish to shatter it all.

When will it come to an end? ... Will it ... ? ... Never come to an end?

Life passes extremely blandly for Lan Dan, living without knowing the purpose of existence, and death... Because she has experienced death, she is afraid. If it is an unavoidable outcome, she could still accept it calmly; however, to seek death on her own lacks a certain courage.

She raised her eyes to gaze upon the desolate graveyard, swept by the wind and snow, perhaps her sisters, her brothers, and even her father and mother... all discarded here

The graveyard is very quiet, and the cold wind gently carries her whispers, "I should not have come to pay my respects to you, you foolish thing!" Lan Lan struggles to light the paper incense in the wind, cursing bitterly. "However, if you do not receive some offerings from your family, it would be difficult for you to be reborn, right? I hate you, but given the circumstances, you may as well go ahead."

Lan Dan trembled almost unable to sit still, as if she truly were that wandering and helpless spirit in the darkness, waiting for this fleeting and fragile smoke to offer redemption

I have said it before! Shen Tu Cheng, Young Master Shen Tu, renowned throughout the capital, a talented and distinguished figure in the eyes of the Emperor and Empress, even if he were to marry a princess, it would be a case of the noble Lan Huang marrying down. How could he possibly take a liking to you, a girl with no favor or power, and of average talent and appearance?

The only dirt road echoed with the creaking sounds of the heavy wooden cart, as the laborers trudged through the snow, stepping deep and shallow, occasionally cursing under their breath. They disdainfully and irritably discarded the bodies from the cart into shallow graves in the cemetery, behaving in a rough and brutish manner. Lan Dan saw them every day, sometimes multiple times a day. Initially, they would wrap the corpses in straw mats before burying them, but later they lost patience, carelessly tossing the bodies aside, and even throwing several corpses into one shallow pit, with the yellow earth covering them failing to conceal the clothing of the deceased. Lan Dan sat dazedly on a stone by the firewood gate, watching the bodies discarded here. Many of them she recognized.

The thick layer of snow buried all the fierce sorrows, while Lan Dan still sat at the door watching, her body frozen by the cold. She was grateful for this biting chill, as her heart was frozen, and her emotions shrank somewhere, not disturbing her, allowing her to exist in a dazed and lifeless manner.

One day, she saw Third Brother and Ninth Brother

As she approached, Lan Dan's body trembled, yet she remained unable to move. It was Lan Lan, her second sister, dressed in a skirt of coarse cloth, her face haggard, as if she had become a different person. Lan Dan recognized her only by instinct at first glance, but upon closer inspection, she felt somewhat perplexed.

Moreover, if he wanted to save her, there would be no need for her to hide in such a place

Lan Dan quickly understood why she could smell the stench of decay, for she lived right next to a mass grave, and the thatched cottage where she and the old man resided was the dwelling place of the grave watchers

The old man clearly did not expect anyone to come to pay respects to Lan Dan, and after a slight pause, he involuntarily glanced at the trembling figure at the door

Lanlan walked towards the thatched cottage, brushing past Landan, who was sitting stiffly by the door. She glanced at Landan, her expression devoid of emotion

She was on the verge of sinking into a despair more profound than ever before, when suddenly she felt a light; her eyes were so swollen that she could hardly open them, and the light was like a breath of life, illuminating her heart

This year's snow is more frequent than in previous years, blanketing everything in a stark white. The desolate and dilapidated wilderness cemetery appears even more forlorn. Lan Dan feels a sense of unreality, unsure whether the vibrant and splendid world from a few days ago was an illusion or if the desolate graveyard before her is the illusion. Who was she in the past, and who is she now? No one speaks to her, and she does not wish to speak. The past and the future are burdens for her.

He was truly ruthless, almost exterminating her entire clan, and even those who were slightly related or had received some kindness from her were not spared, all becoming corpses here. With such hatred for her family, how could he possibly change his ways for her and wish for her to continue living