Lan You Nian blankly regarded everything before her. The table in front of her was carved of fine sandalwood and meticulously engraved with different patterns, spreading an aura of delicacy and gentleness over everything. Through the window, you could see a glimpse of enchanting scenery, rolling hills, a small pond, blue-green lotus roots, and pink water lotus. From time to time someone pa.s.sed by, although the footsteps were extremely soft, the conversation was extremely quiet, you could still hear the five men who just entered.
Lan You Nian knew that she really had died, belonging to the smashed into smithereens kind of death. At the time, she did not feel any pain, but her heart felt like it was being sliced with a knife. Even now, that heart was distinctly in pain.
Her mind was filled with bits and pieces of memories. The fragment that flooded into her mind made Lan You Nian suddenly feel a headache. Curled up on the bed, Lan You Nian endured the headache, absorbing this body’s memories.
Lan You Nian, with a sweaty forehead, absorbed the new memories in her head. This body’s name was Lan You Nian, the same as her own name. Perhaps this was destined by fate?
Lan You Nian, Feng nation’s General Lan’s legitimate daughter, was also General Lan’s youngest daughter. Lan You Nian’s father was called Lan Jian Jun, Feng nation’s general who was regarded highly by the Emperor. In Feng, Lan manor was well-known.
Speaking of this Lan Jian Jun, according to this body’s memories, he was a lovesick man. Lan You Nian’s mother was called He Xiao Ran. She was Feng or perhaps the entire mainland’s well-known beauty. She was also Royal Tutor He ‘s daughter. The couple were childhood sweethearts. Lan Jian Jun’s love towards He Xiao Ran can be described as have made many unmarried maidens jealous.
On this mainland, females can marry at 16 and males have become-of-age at 18. When He Xiao Ran was 16, Lan Jian Jun married Feng’s number one beauty He Xiao Ran with ten miles of red portions. Even now, this moment was still an interesting story that people talk about.
He Xiao Ran after having married Lan Jian Jun, both man and wife were as in love as they were before. Lan Jian Jun’s care towards He Xiao Ran was the same as before. However, despite being married for 4-5 years, He Xiao Ran has not become pregnant. Gradually rumors spread more and more fiercely, but Lan Jian Jun remained the same, even didn’t take any concubines.
Perhaps due to fearing that He Xiao Ran was too upset; the couple finally adopted a boy. He became He Xiao Ran’s son and Lan You Nian’s big brother—Lan Mo Xian. This Lan Mo Xian was the child of Lan Jian Jun’s good friend and subordinate. The man died in battle and his wife also died the previous year, so Lan Jian Jun put Lan Mo Xian over for adoption to He Xiao Ran.
The three people lived happily, but who knew what happened, Lan Jian Jun finally took concubines. Although it was only one woman, he truly did accept that woman into Lan manor. That woman was An yiniang. Speaking of An yiniang, she didn’t disappoint. In the few years of marriage, she gave Lan Jian Jun two daughters and one son, seemingly has some tricks up her sleeves.
Although Lan manor came one An yiniang, Lan Jian Jun never questioned about her and towards those three children he only possessed an indifferent att.i.tude. It could not be compared to his treatment of the adopted Lan Mo Xian and towards He Xiao Ran was the same as ever.
But what was unexpected was, over many years of nursing back to health, He Xiao Ran became pregnant. This for Lan Jian Jun was very good news. He was even more careful towards the care of He Xiao Ran. But when He Xiao Ran was pregnant eight months, she suddenly prematurely gave birth.
After giving birth to Lan You Nian, when He Xiao Ran used up all her strength giving birth to Lan You Nian, she, unfortunately, pa.s.sed away. Thus, Lan You Nian’s birthday was He Xiao Ran’s day of death, a death in exchange for new life.
However, Lan You Nian felt this incident was suspicious. How could a premature birth happen so suddenly? This matter had several questionable points. That An yiniang was absolutely suspect.
His wife’s departure made Lan Jian Jun full of resentment against the newly born Lan You Nian. He felt that Lan You Nian killed his beloved woman. Therefore, after the birth of Lan You Nian, although Lan Jian Jun made sure Lan You Nian was never materially lacking, he never went to look at this daughter. To her, he also held an att.i.tude of indifference
In the ancient times’ inner compound, with no mother’s love and father’s protection, one can imagine how miserable Lan You Nian’s life was. The only person in the manor who protected Lan You Nian was the child big brother Lan Mo Xian. But Lan Mo Xian was just a child, how much could he protect her?
However, because of Lan Jian Jun, although An yiniang privately allowed the people in the manor to insult Lan You Nian, she did not dare to take Lan You Nian’s life. This is where Lan You Nian was fortunate.
But when Lan You Nian was five years old, with the war at the border urging, a royal decree was sent down. Lan Jian Jun was required to go to battle to protect Feng. Because Lan Mo Xian was the legitimate oldest son and also a male, Lan Jian Jun took Lan Mo Xian to the border to toughen him up. As for Lan manor’s Lan You Nian, Lan Jian Jun left several loyal caretakers and instructed An yiniang and the housekeeper to take good care of her, then left for the frontier.
Without Lan Jian Jun’s presence, and even Lan Mo Xian’s care, the entire Lan manor was under An yiniang‘s control. Towards this thorn in her eye, she considered Lan You Nian as an obstacle in her path. An yiniang got rid of the people Lan Jian Jun left to care for Lan You Nian, and even bribed the housekeeper. She beat Lan You Nian for no reason, didn’t allow her to eat good or wear warmly, and had her doing a servant’s work.
Outside, rumors even spread that Lan You Nian, Lan manor’s legitimate daughter, ruined her face due to mischievousness, becoming an ugly girl. At such a young age, Lan You Nian’s reputation was thoroughly ruined by An yiniang. In Jing city, even three-year-olds knew that Lan manor’s legitimate daughter Lan You Nian, was a mischievous and ugly girl, with absolutely no skills in the four arts.
yiniang: stepmother/concubine
four arts includes playing the zither, strategy game of Go, calligraphy and painting
the ten miles of red portions refers to the girl’s dowry, there is a procession in ancient marriage where the dowry leaves with the bride in red caskets, the more dowry the more precious the bride is to her parents