Luo Sheng and Sheng Sanlang met at the inn. He accompanied them to the roadside to burn joss paper. With Tomb-sweeping day approaching, it was customary for people who couldn't visit their ancestral tombs to burn joss paper at the roadside to pay tribute to their deceased relatives. Their actions went unnoticed amidst the others doing the same.
Once the joss paper had turned to ashes, Sheng Sanlang gazed at Luo Sheng's face and urged, "Biaomei, let's return."
He felt the joss paper they had just burned was only half of what he had bought. However, lacking any concrete evidence, he hesitated to inquire further. Ahem, maybe it's just his imagination. After all, he was not very good at arithmetic since childhood.
Luo Sheng gazed at the gray butterflies, remnants of the burned joss paper, as they fluttered in the air. With a subtle nod, she spoke, "Well, let's return."
The crescent moon silently hung above the trees as the night grew darker, emanating a sense of loneliness and desolation. Dressed in black, Luo Sheng walked out of her room and smoothly left the inn, now enveloped in deep slumber.
The streets were empty, and the distant echoes of the night watch could be heard, "It's Zishi[1], safe and sound——" The night is indeed late, especially in such a city that has been away from the hustle and bustle for a long time.
Luo Sheng treaded lightly along the roadside, reaching her destination—the dilapidated mansion. Despite its weathered state, the stone lions that guarded the entrance still emanated a faint sense of grandeur, albeit far removed from their former glory.
She circled the mansion's wall perimeter for a moment, then stopped. She took a few steps back, propelled herself with a quick run-up, and effortlessly landed inside. Luo Sheng steadied herself and surveyed her surroundings.
The sight that greeted her eyes was that of an abandoned estate. Overgrown weeds that reached half a person's height, trees that blocked out the sky and sun, and the harmonious symphony of nocturnal creatures intertwined in the air.
Step by step, Luo Sheng walked forward, and a shiver ran through her body. The unfamiliarity and desolation of the place were a stark reminder that things were not what they used to be.
Perhaps it was mere coincidence, or perhaps it was the will of Heaven. Today was the anniversary of the tragedy that occurred twelve years ago. It was the day of her wedding and also the commemoration of her entire family's demise, including her own.
Luo Sheng gently touched the bundle on her arm, containing the joss paper purchased by Sheng Sanlang. At present, she can't do much. The only thing she can do is to offer joss paper to her departed relatives and tell them that she is still alive.
The once crystal-clear lake lay covered with decaying branches and fallen leaves, emitting a faint scent of decay that permeated the air. In front of a building near the lake, Luo Sheng came to a halt. It was her former boudoir, but now there was no need to revisit that once familiar place. This place held the memories of her youth—the happiest moments, as well as the tension and anticipation she experienced before her marriage.
In the eyes of the people in Nanyang City, she was the esteemed Princess Qingyang. However, when it came to marriage, she was no different from any other young woman. Wei Qiang is the husband candidate chosen by her parents for her. He is not ugly and has a good temper. She, too, has known him for many years. Naturally, she had no reason to object.
Back then, she would lean against the embroidered screen beside her bed, secretly thinking that in the future, she and Wei Qiang would be as loving as her father and mother. Little did she know that such a future would never come to pass.
Luo Sheng gazed down at her slender fingers and laughed at herself. Who would have thought that only now can she think about the future.
Luo Sheng cast one final glance at the building, nestled by the decaying lake, and prepared to leave. However, out of the corner of her eye, she saw something that stopped her in her tracks.
In a moment of surprise, Luo Sheng swiftly evaded and sought cover behind a nearby tree. Her hand instinctively reached for the dagger she had brought—a precious stone-studded weapon left behind by Miss Luo. She had tested its sharpness before and knew it could slice through the hair like mud, a testament to its keen edge.
Utilizing the moonlight, she fixed her gaze upon the approaching figure. The individual had their head and face concealed, making it difficult to discern whether it was a man or a woman. Step by step, the figure drew closer to Luo Sheng.
Luo Sheng and Sheng Sanlang met at the inn. He accompanied them to the roadside to burn joss paper. With Tomb-sweeping day approaching, it was customary for people who couldn't visit their ancestral tombs to burn joss paper at the roadside to pay tribute to their deceased relatives. Their actions went unnoticed amidst the others doing the same.
Once the joss paper had turned to ashes, Sheng Sanlang gazed at Luo Sheng's face and urged, "Biaomei, let's return."
He felt the joss paper they had just burned was only half of what he had bought. However, lacking any concrete evidence, he hesitated to inquire further. Ahem, maybe it's just his imagination. After all, he was not very good at arithmetic since childhood.
Luo Sheng gazed at the gray butterflies, remnants of the burned joss paper, as they fluttered in the air. With a subtle nod, she spoke, "Well, let's return."
The crescent moon silently hung above the trees as the night grew darker, emanating a sense of loneliness and desolation. Dressed in black, Luo Sheng walked out of her room and smoothly left the inn, now enveloped in deep slumber.
The streets were empty, and the distant echoes of the night watch could be heard, "It's Zishi[1], safe and sound——" The night is indeed late, especially in such a city that has been away from the hustle and bustle for a long time.
Luo Sheng treaded lightly along the roadside, reaching her destination—the dilapidated mansion. Despite its weathered state, the stone lions that guarded the entrance still emanated a faint sense of grandeur, albeit far removed from their former glory.
She circled the mansion's wall perimeter for a moment, then stopped. She took a few steps back, propelled herself with a quick run-up, and effortlessly landed inside. Luo Sheng steadied herself and surveyed her surroundings.
The sight that greeted her eyes was that of an abandoned estate. Overgrown weeds that reached half a person's height, trees that blocked out the sky and sun, and the harmonious symphony of nocturnal creatures intertwined in the air.
Step by step, Luo Sheng walked forward, and a shiver ran through her body. The unfamiliarity and desolation of the place were a stark reminder that things were not what they used to be.
Perhaps it was mere coincidence, or perhaps it was the will of Heaven. Today was the anniversary of the tragedy that occurred twelve years ago. It was the day of her wedding and also the commemoration of her entire family's demise, including her own.
Luo Sheng gently touched the bundle on her arm, containing the joss paper purchased by Sheng Sanlang. At present, she can't do much. The only thing she can do is to offer joss paper to her departed relatives and tell them that she is still alive.
The once crystal-clear lake lay covered with decaying branches and fallen leaves, emitting a faint scent of decay that permeated the air. In front of a building near the lake, Luo Sheng came to a halt. It was her former boudoir, but now there was no need to revisit that once familiar place. This place held the memories of her youth—the happiest moments, as well as the tension and anticipation she experienced before her marriage.
In the eyes of the people in Nanyang City, she was the esteemed Princess Qingyang. However, when it came to marriage, she was no different from any other young woman. Wei Qiang is the husband candidate chosen by her parents for her. He is not ugly and has a good temper. She, too, has known him for many years. Naturally, she had no reason to object.
Back then, she would lean against the embroidered screen beside her bed, secretly thinking that in the future, she and Wei Qiang would be as loving as her father and mother. Little did she know that such a future would never come to pass.
Luo Sheng gazed down at her slender fingers and laughed at herself. Who would have thought that only now can she think about the future.
Luo Sheng cast one final glance at the building, nestled by the decaying lake, and prepared to leave. However, out of the corner of her eye, she saw something that stopped her in her tracks.
In a moment of surprise, Luo Sheng swiftly evaded and sought cover behind a nearby tree. Her hand instinctively reached for the dagger she had brought—a precious stone-studded weapon left behind by Miss Luo. She had tested its sharpness before and knew it could slice through the hair like mud, a testament to its keen edge.
Utilizing the moonlight, she fixed her gaze upon the approaching figure. The individual had their head and face concealed, making it difficult to discern whether it was a man or a woman. Step by step, the figure drew closer to Luo Sheng.