Chapter 52 A Sigh: The Dead Don't Rise Up and Eat People
"Mass burial ground?"
Li Yunru's heart sank as she listened. Yan Sheng was also frightened and said angrily, "Don't talk nonsense. The Liu family and the Wang family are powerful and influential families. How could they do such a disgraceful thing!"
The man scoffed, "Ha, what kind of aristocratic families are they? They're nothing but a bunch of wolves in sheep's clothing, no different from us commoners. If they really wanted to be respectable, why are they in such a hurry to marry off their daughter after only half a year since Emperor Xuan left, not even waiting for the mourning period to end? Isn't that selling their daughter?"
"Hey, are you out of your mind to bring this up!" Someone nearby quickly interrupted, covering his mouth. The man chuckled and explained, "Gentlemen, we really don't know. You should go look somewhere else."
"Um."
Her father passed away, and Xiao Yuanshan ascended to the throne. Ha, now even his name has to be kept secret and can't be mentioned anymore.
Fine, she wouldn't make things difficult for them.
After leaving the teahouse, the man went out of the city and headed to the mass grave in the western suburbs.
She wasn't sure if they were here, and she prayed they weren't, but what if they were...?
Thinking of her once wonderful and vibrant sister-in-law, Li Yunru felt a pang of sadness, but thankfully, not for the time being!
Here, there are solitary graves, their names unknown. Fortunately, no new graves have been erected. There are only a few corpses around, whose fates are unknown. Some have been devoured by wolves, leaving only bare bones, while others still have flesh visible, bloody and horrifying.
"ah!"
Yan Sheng followed behind her, then stepped on something and screamed in fright. His terrified scream echoed throughout the forest, startling the mountain birds into flying in all directions.
"Sister-in-law...this..."
"It's alright!" She patted her hand gently to comfort her. Yan Sheng's palms were sweaty, and her heart was pounding in her throat. She dared not relax for a moment. She had seen countless human anatomy in medical books and knew them like the back of her hand. But to actually run into it like this, even though she had been mentally prepared before coming here, she was still frightened.
"Aren't you afraid, sister-in-law?"
"I'm not afraid."
Li Yunru said, "They are dead. They won't rise up and eat people if they're dead."
The ones who truly devour people are those who turned them into this.
She had seen many people like this, and she had seen scenes like this, or even more horrific ones, with piles of bones stacked like small hills, one on top of another, and countless mosquitoes and ants drawn by the smell crawling onto them, burrowing into their bodies, and some even oozing various yellowish liquids...
It's disgusting and terrifying.
But they became her lifeline.
She survived to this day only by using those despised corpses as cover.
However, Yan Sheng certainly hasn't experienced this before. She was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, so it's normal for her to be scared when she first sees it.
With that in mind, she gripped the person's hand and advised, "Why don't you go out and wait with Shuyun? Songji and I will come looking for you."
Yan Sheng shook her head, her eyes suddenly hardening. She said, "This is the first time I've encountered something like this, so it's understandable that I'm afraid. But the first time you're afraid, the second time you're afraid, and after a while, you become more at ease. In the past, my understanding of many things came only from those books and classics. They taught me knowledge, manners, and the principles of conduct, and taught me to recognize characters and judge people by their appearance. But it's all just on paper. If I don't actually experience it, I'll just stay there forever. What difference does it make whether I've learned it or not?"
"Medicine is about facing life and death. If I can't even bear to see these things now, what if I have the chance to save someone in the future? Will I give up because I can't overcome my fear, causing a life to be lost..."
"Um."
Since that's what people say, she doesn't make any more demands, but simply instructs, "Stay with me, and if you feel unwell, tell me immediately."
"Um."
The group continued walking, having searched the entire mass grave, but still did not find the person they were looking for, which made her breathe a sigh of relief.
Um.
If we're not here, at least there's still hope; things won't be so tragic, and we can maintain some semblance of dignity.
She glanced at the pile of corpses on the ground and said, "Since we're already here, let's consider it fate and give them a proper burial."
Li Yunru instructed Shu Yun and Yan Sheng to go out and find people and tools. She and Song Ji gathered up the unclaimed corpses one by one and found a place to build graves.
This mass grave in the western suburbs has a long history. In ancient times, war and disaster were unavoidable, leaving behind this place. Later, poor families with nowhere to be buried, servants and concubines who were beaten to death by their masters, and people of all kinds gathered together, and many eerie and terrifying rumors spread. This place became an unruly territory.
After her father ascended the throne, remembering her past experiences and grateful for the kindness of these boneless souls, he ordered the construction of a large cemetery in the mass graves of the Jin Dynasty, so that she could be laid to rest. He also set up a special agency and sent people to guard the land.
But eventually, once the person leaves, the tea cools.
With so many things to attend to, who would remember this place filled with white bones?
well……
-
Yan Ning finished her shift at dusk.
He instructed his men to investigate the identities and backgrounds of the three main generals in charge of military power in Jiangzuo, and then left the government office.
These things are too chaotic right now; we can't act rashly!
He ran into Huan Da and Wang Wu as he came out...
Despite the major incident, Wang Wu had no connection with Miss Liu. Since the Liu family was in the wrong, they could still gain some benefits from it. He wasn't too affected and seemed to be in a good mood. The two invited him to Lanchun Pavilion for drinks.
He waved his hand in refusal, but fortunately neither of them insisted. However, Wang Wu advised, "The Liu family's affairs are none of your business, Changjun. You should refrain from getting involved to avoid causing trouble without realizing it."
Yan Ning smiled and retorted gently, "Thank you for the reminder, Brother Wang. When I do things, I only seek to have a clear conscience. I don't consider whether I'll cause trouble or not, nor am I afraid of causing trouble."
The two tacitly understood each other's meaning and maintained a polite facade before parting ways.
Back at the villa, he changed into his everyday clothes and went out to look for the person.
He knew all along that Li Yunru would not be so obedient as to stay at home and wait patiently. Before going out, he told the guards in the mansion to keep an eye out and follow her as soon as she left.
While she was at the government office, the guards sent a message saying that she had gone to the mass grave, but she hadn't returned yet, so she must still be there.
He guessed correctly; when he arrived, the person was still in the mass grave.
Dozens of newly erected graves have appeared here, with seven or eight people standing in front of them. The afterglow of the setting sun shines through the towering trees onto the group of people, as if gilding each of them with a layer of golden light.
Perhaps only his Empress Liyang would do such a thing.
Empress Zhenyuan was right. Her daughter was not as unreasonable and domineering as she appeared. She was just a little spoiled, but she had a good heart.
"You will like her, once you've spent time with her, you will like her."
That's what they said to him at the time.
Over the past two years, he has come to believe it.
How could anyone not like his princess?
No way!
No one can dislike it!
His eyes gradually softened with tenderness, and a faint smile appeared on them.
The man walked up to her, stood beside her, and bowed three times.
"elder brother!"
Yan Sheng was quite shocked when she saw the person, and her voice rose several octaves.
Yan Ning nodded and asked, "Is this your first time in a place like this? I hope I didn't cause any trouble for your sister-in-law?"
"No."
Li Yunru continued, "Asheng is bolder and more resilient than we imagined."
She really surprised everyone today.
Having been pampered since childhood, aside from the initial fear and nausea, she showed no signs of stage fright or retreat. She didn't act like a spoiled young lady at all, working alongside the hired help. She even used what she had learned from medical books to help reconnect the broken bones of the bodies, giving them a complete new body.
Li Yunru didn't even dare to imagine that if she hadn't had so many experiences in her childhood, she might not have been able to do this.
Yan Ning, this younger sister, not only has ideas, but also dares to think and act. If she weren't confined to her room... perhaps she could have accomplished something of her own, she thought.
She acknowledged his abilities, but the little guy, who always loved to show off, suddenly fell silent and stopped talking.
This wasn't a suitable place for chatting. After finishing, she paid the people she had invited and then went down the mountain with them.
There were two carriages. She, Yan Sheng, and Yan Ning rode in one, while Shu Yun and Song Ji took the one they had come in first. When she got into the carriage, she smelled the fragrance of pine and bamboo carried by the wind, and she vaguely remembered that she was wearing... Her steps faltered.
"It's alright."
Yan Ning didn't shy away from the smell of dirt and decaying corpses on her; he simply grabbed her hand, showing her through his actions that he didn't care.
Acceptable.
He... is really different now.
Li Yunru stared at him blankly for a while, then finally gave him her hand completely, letting him lead her inside. She naturally sat down next to him. After everyone had recovered, she explained, "I didn't mean to disobey you. I was waiting for you in the mansion. I just wanted to do something to find Sister Liu."
She doesn't know what's going on with her brother yet. If she goes there by herself, she'll definitely be stopped. But Yan Ning is too busy to go with her right away. He said he's already sent someone with a letter to her brother.
She believed it.
But I'm still not at peace, and I hope to do something to calm myself down.
All we could do was find Sister Liu.
"I know."
He slowly brushed the dirt off her face, handed a cup of tea to the other person, and then handed one to Yan Sheng as well, saying in a relaxed tone, "If I didn't know, guess how I found you?"
Will you blame me?
Yan Ning shook her head. "I'm not qualified."
All I can do is try my best to protect you.
He sighed over the matter of Miss Liu, but that was all. He didn't have much contact with people and didn't have any deep feelings for them. He sighed and then moved on. But he knew that Li Yunru wouldn't feel the same way.
She and Liu Yanheng had a very good relationship, and she would still do the same even without her brother Li Xun.
She's always been a very sentimental person, and she couldn't bear to see things turn out this way.
I haven't experienced what she has, so I have no right to criticize her behavior.
...
This was the first time Li Yunru had a profound understanding of Yan Ning's so-called astonishing talent in Jiangzuo.
It refers not only to a refined demeanor, the ability to write poetry and lyrics, and mastery of all six arts of a gentleman, but also to foresight and wisdom.
When he's willing...
He can anticipate all your possible actions, and more importantly... he won't condescendingly judge whether what you're doing is right or wrong.
People give you plenty of freedom.
It allows you to remain comfortable and accepting even when your mind is being "read" by others.
I don't feel like I'm being monitored, or that I have any lingering resentment or discomfort.
"Do you know... where my sister-in-law's body is now?"
Yan Ning nodded: "Yes, I know."
"What!"
Li Yunru was shocked. Her almond-shaped eyes widened as she stared at him, her face full of disbelief.
"How could you..."
She had only asked casually, not expecting him to actually know. Yan Ning didn't seem flustered at all, and said quite frankly, "I was at the scene when the incident happened."
After entering the carriage, Yan Sheng remained silent, seemingly lost in thought. Upon hearing this, she spoke up: "So, did that Liu family sister really commit suicide in the bridal sedan chair? That place is so small, and there were so many people around her, how come no one noticed anything amiss?"
On their way back, they heard countless versions of the story. Some praised her for her fierce and devoted love, while others scolded her for being immature and disregarding her parents and relatives. Without exception, they all agreed that she committed suicide on the way to the bridal sedan chair, saying nothing else.
But thinking about it, Yan Sheng is right.
With so many people around her, why didn't any of them notice anything amiss? Whether it was hanging or cutting her wrists, any movement should have been noticed by those around her. After all, when a person is near death, they will have a strong will to live and will do many subconscious things, without regard for appearances or the occasion...
If Liu Yanheng's accident happened on her way to her wedding, it should have been discovered by now.
Yan Ning nodded: "Yes, it wasn't in the bridal sedan chair."
The death was gruesome; the gold hairpin pierced straight into her throat, and her blood stained her white wedding dress crimson...
Before he passed away, he experienced immense suffering.
However, neither of the two companies seemed inclined to investigate these questions.
When a joyous occasion turns into a tragedy, the first thing to do is to appease everyone and minimize the impact. Everyone was appeased, but the person directly involved was forgotten, which led to the current situation.
"Then where is she now?" Li Yunru stopped insisting on whether she had disappeared in the bridal sedan chair and turned the conversation back to the whereabouts of the body.
Yan Ning said, "At the mortuary."
He delivered it there.
Both the Wang and Liu families are aware of this, but neither has indicated where it will ultimately go, so it remains there.
"We're not going back to the manor, we're going to the mortuary!"
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Author's Note: The next chapter will be released at 11 PM Thursday.
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