Lan

Lan: A ruthless king but a perfect politician. She has a strategy. She forces everyone to respect her. The punishments she considers are very harsh, such as cutting off hands. And once, when the government's treasury minister raised taxes and harassed the common people, Lan cut off his head in front of all the ministers. How are the ministers? Let me tell you: the ministers indirectly tease each other, they fake smiles. Not many people dare to say anything to the king, but the ministers tease each other with very funny jokes.

During the imperial era in China, social customs and hierarchies determined everything. Even the smallest mistake by a servant could lead to public punishment or humiliation. Servants, especially those with distinctive features, such as white hair or icy eyes, were constantly under the watchful eye of jealous colleagues and courtiers.

People believed that a person’s eyes and appearance could reveal their soul and destiny. Ice eyes or white hair were seen as a sign of difference and hidden power, but at the same time, they were also a source of envy and ridicule.

The court was a place where pity and stinging were intertwined: servants would humiliate and torment each other to gain attention or maintain their status; sometimes by doing hard labor, throwing them in water, or blaming others. These behaviors were seen as not only normal, but also a way to maintain power and social prestige.

However, those who were calm, intelligent, and confident could use these pressures to develop their character or to attract the attention of the king and queen. Indeed, opportunity and threat always coexisted, and every small move in the palace could change the fate of a servant.

Rumors spread in the alley and market: “They say those girls with snowy hair are a sign of something that came from above — either misfortune, or the evil eye. We’d better close the windows tightly at night.”

Short sarcasm in the market: “If your hair is so white, you must have had a lot of experiences in life — or maybe you’ve whitened the luck of others too!”

Subtle mockery between children: “Let’s play; I’m the king, and you’re a girl with eyes like ice, don’t be afraid!” (and they gather around laughing)

A superstitious rumor told by the old man in the market: “They always bring cold winds with them; whoever looks at them feels their luck diminishing. I myself once saw them in the eye, and my farm hasn’t improved since that day.”

🧿 Implicit sarcasm (servants or neighbors say)

“His eyes are like ice; one wants to wrap a warm blanket around him, or draw a line around him!”

“If one day bad luck comes, it will start among us. But don’t worry, we know who to keep our distance from.”

“Some say this is a sign of an old plague; others laugh and say it’s just a new fad. People say this to each other at midnight and laugh in front of the nuns in the morning.”

🌾 The impact of this stigma in everyday life (short text for use in the story)

In ordinary city life, the stigma of "being unlucky" follows him like an invisible halo: the greengrocer tries to keep his distance, mothers direct their children in the other direction, and young people pass him in the alley with a grin. Some tie a symbolic stick in front of their house to ward off bad luck or recite a prayer under their breath — and all this means that someone who is different does not have the right to live a simple life. But kindness can save the person who looks different and soften people's hearts.