To survive in a place, one must abide by its rules. Before uncovering the secrets of the Mei family, they would no longer act rashly—this was the consensus An Jiu and Mei Jiu had reached.
That evening, Mei Jiu followed Wen Cui to the Pine Listening Courtyard.
Built along the mountain slope, the courtyard's foundation stood two to three zhang higher than the surrounding areas. A stream cascaded down the mountain, forming a small waterfall as it met the steep cliff face, its waters crashing into the cold pool below with a splashing sound.
True to its name, the Pine Listening Courtyard was filled with ancient pines, their gnarled branches exuding strength. Perhaps due to the pines growing near the cold pool, the chilly waters carried a faint scent of pine, refreshing and invigorating.
"Fortunately, the young master hasn't moved in yet. I've already dismissed the nearby servants, so you may bathe here directly, young mistress," Wen Cui instructed the maids to place the bathing supplies on the stone table by the shore.
Noticing the thick cotton quilts, Mei Jiu asked curiously, "Why are quilts prepared?"
"Young mistress, test the water temperature first," Wen Cui replied with a smile.
Mei Jiu approached the pool's edge. Even before bending down, she felt the biting cold air rushing toward her. One could only imagine how it would feel to immerse oneself entirely!
"Bathing at noon would have been more comfortable, but since you missed that, you'll have to endure it. Just stay in for a quarter of an hour," Wen Cui said as she helped Mei Jiu undress. "They say this cold pool has the effect of cleansing and refining the body—something ordinary people can only dream of. It would be best if you could stay for an hour."
Clad only in her inner garment, Mei Jiu sat by the pool and slowly dipped her feet in, immediately jerking them back upon contact with the water.
An Jiu interjected, "Can you handle this? If not, let me take over!"
Mei Jiu hesitated, then said, "Then you do it."
"Think of how you feel before falling asleep—completely relaxed."
An Jiu had only ever taken control of Mei Jiu's body when she was asleep or unconscious, unaware that their sensations were actually interconnected.
An Jiu speculated that even if she controlled Mei Jiu's body, the intense stimulus upon entering the water would likely trigger Mei Jiu's instinct to reclaim control. She intended to use this moment to practice competing for dominance over the body.
Feeling Mei Jiu's body gradually relax, An Jiu immediately attempted to manipulate the limbs.
At first, the body responded sluggishly, but after a few movements, it became more natural.
An Jiu paused for a moment, focusing her mental strength to prepare for Mei Jiu's potential resistance upon touching the water.
"Young mistress, hurry and get in," Wen Cui urged.
Ignoring her, An Jiu slowly touched her feet to the water's surface.
A piercing cold shot through her toes, causing Mei Jiu to shiver involuntarily and reflexively pull her feet back. Her consciousness directly influenced the body's reaction.
An Jiu lost control again. It seemed that as long as Mei Jiu was awake and aware, competing for control was difficult.
"Relax again," An Jiu said.
"Okay." Fortunately, Mei Jiu was still exhausted and drowsy, making it easy to relax.
An Jiu took control once more.
Yet again, Mei Jiu reclaimed dominance.
Could even the strongest mental strength not overcome a natural right? An Jiu refused to believe it—the word "retreat" had never existed in her life!
After four or five repeated attempts, An Jiu still couldn't find a way to maintain control. Meanwhile, Mei Jiu grew increasingly alert, making it harder to achieve the necessary relaxation between mind and body.Wen Cui stood to the side. In the beginning, she had been so anxious watching that she nearly kicked Fourteen Lady into the pool herself. But when she noticed the determination and grit in Fourteen Lady’s clenched teeth as she steeled herself to enter the water, Wen Cui decided to observe her temperament and refrained from urging her again.
Two quarters of an hour had passed. Just as Wen Cui was about to step forward to help, she suddenly saw Fourteen Lady return to the edge of the pool. The moon rose in the east, its reflection shimmering in the dark water mirrored in her eyes. As she gazed at the surface, it seemed as though she wouldn’t retreat even if faced with a mountain of blades or a sea of flames. Wen Cui halted, thinking to herself that if Fourteen Lady couldn’t bring herself to enter this time, she would definitely have to step in and assist!
However, the sight before her now brought Wen Cui relief—Fourteen Lady was slowly submerging her legs into the water.
Meanwhile, Mei Jiu was enduring immense mental pressure. The icy water numbed the soles of her feet, as if she were stepping on sharp blades. Yet she could only be manipulated like a puppet, forced into the water against her will.
The bone-chilling cold seeped into every limb and joint. An Jiu’s heart stirred as she focused her mental strength to feel every piercing pain throughout her body.
For ordinary people, distraction is a good way to alleviate physical pain. But the omnipresent agony allowed An Jiu to sense every inch of this body’s existence through her mind.
The physical pain amplified, and she remained wary of Mei Jiu’s sudden resistance. Even in the freezing water, beads of sweat dotted her forehead.
When she first entered the water, her entire body felt as though it were being sliced by knives. Yet after a while, An Jiu began to feel warmth spreading through her, the water now as gentle as a spring breeze, soothing her aching skin.
She didn’t know how much time had passed before Wen Cui’s voice finally reached her ears. “Young Mistress, an hour has passed. You mustn’t stay any longer.”
An Jiu rose from the water and walked straight to the table, shaking out a thin blanket to wrap around herself.
These simple movements revealed a stark difference to Wen Cui. Before entering the water, she had been shy while undressing, but now she emerged naked without a care. Wasn’t such a drastic change in such a short time strange?
Wen Cui handed An Jiu a dry cloth to wipe her hair, her voice tinged with joy. “Young Mistress stayed in the pool for a full hour. Now is the best time to take the warm medicinal soup. Shall we return to your room?”
“Mm,” An Jiu replied.
Wen Cui lowered her head, thinking that though the voice was the same, the tone was entirely different. Stranger still, though it was the same person, she now didn’t dare lift her head to meet her gaze...
The other maids seemed to sense the shift in atmosphere as well, not daring to breathe loudly along the way. The night was cold and silent, save for the rustling of fabric.
Back in the room, Wen Cui had the medicinal soup served.
An Jiu lowered her head and quietly drank the soup.
Wen Cui pondered how to coax her into speaking more, hoping to understand her situation better.
As soon as An Jiu set down the bowl, Wen Cui eagerly handed her a handkerchief. “Shall this servant explain what to expect tomorrow?”
An Jiu paused, covering her mouth as she yawned. When she opened her eyes again, the sharpness in her gaze was gone, replaced by a watery softness. She pouted slightly, as if whining. “Can’t you tell me while doing my hair tomorrow morning? I’m so sleepy now—I probably won’t remember anything.”
Wen Cui was dumbstruck. She only managed to stammer, “Alright,” as she watched the girl climb into bed.
“That was close! How did you know Wen Cui saw through us?” Mei Jiu asked.An Jiu concentrated for a full two hours, feeling slightly exhausted. "The difference between a fool and a genius is obvious. Do you think everyone else is as blind as you?"
"Can you speak without mocking others?" Mei Jiu retorted, displeased.
An Jiu ignored her, focusing on resting.
Mei Jiu, also worn out, closed her eyes and gradually drifted into sleep.
In the depths of the night, the dreams of two souls intertwined.
From fragmented images, Mei Jiu sensed an extreme coldness—no sunlight, no fragrance of flowers, no hope, only endless death and bodies covered in wounds.
An Jiu, too, saw a stretch of dull yet peaceful and tranquil life.
The next day.
At the first light of dawn, Wen Cui came to wake her.
An Jiu didn’t rush to seize control of the body. She knew last night’s victory was just a small step forward and didn’t mean complete dominance. To avoid arousing Mei Jiu’s vigilance, she had to conceal her ambitions until the day she found a way to expel Mei Jiu or gained full control over the body.
A maid came to help Mei Jiu with her hair while Wen Cui explained the etiquette to observe during the apprenticeship ceremony that day.
It was quite simple—kowtowing and offering tea. As for the ancestral rites in the clan hall, those were mostly handled by others. Mei Jiu only needed to kowtow, burn incense, and follow her master throughout the ceremony.
In most wealthy families, only the principal wife could participate in ancestral worship, while daughters were barred from entering the clan hall to burn incense. But the Mei Clan treated everyone equally, distinguishing only by legitimacy of birth, not by gender.
"Sister."
Just as she stepped out, Mei Jiu saw Mei Ru Yan approaching with a radiant, infectious smile.
When Mei Ru Yan reached out to link arms, Mei Jiu suddenly recalled An Jiu’s warning and immediately sidestepped.
Mei Ru Yan’s hand hung in the air, and she smiled awkwardly. "Let’s walk together."
Mei Ru Yan had been in high spirits these past two days. She had risen from being a courtesan’s daughter to a legitimate young lady of a prominent family—all thanks to Mei Jiu. Filled with gratitude, she wanted to get along well with her. Yet ever since their return, Mei Jiu had been avoiding her at every turn. What was going on?
She decided to find an opportunity to talk properly with Mei Jiu.
The path from Tingsong Courtyard to the ancestral hall was short, but the walk felt somewhat stifling. Mei Ru Yan tried to lighten the mood. "Sister, yesterday, one of the elders clearly confirmed they would take our cousin as a disciple. Why was he suddenly rejected?"
This topic, however, was poorly chosen.
Mei Jiu stiffened and stammered, "R-really? I didn’t know."
Noticing the odd reaction but pretending not to see Mei Jiu’s tension, Mei Ru Yan quickly changed the subject with a smile. "By the way, how long did you sit in the cold spring, Sister?"
"About an hour," Mei Jiu answered guiltily. At the time, her senses seemed entirely overtaken by An Jiu. Aside from the initial plunge, she had hardly felt any pain.
Mei Ru Yan stared at her in astonishment. "Sister, you’re incredible! I nearly fainted after less than a cup of tea’s time in there."
Though Mei Ru Yan had endured cold and hardship as a kitchen maid, the chill of the spring was nothing like winter’s icy water. That bone-deep coldness didn’t numb the pain—it remained sharp and clear.
Excited, Mei Ru Yan added, "It was unbearable while soaking, but today I feel refreshed all over. That spring is truly miraculous. You stayed for an entire hour—you must have gained so much. Congratulations, Sister!""You mentioning it makes me realize I do feel refreshed and clear-headed today," Mei Jiu remarked.
Seeing that Mei Jiu was finally willing to speak to her normally, Mei Ru Yan was about to seize the opportunity to chat a little more when Wen Cui interjected, "Young misses, we're nearing the ancestral hall now. Please remain silent."
Mei Ru Yan had no choice but to reluctantly give up.
As the group descended the steps, they spotted a man in plain white robes lying on a thick, horizontal branch of an ancient ginkgo tree, his jet-black hair and simple attire cascading down like flowing clouds.
Hearing the footsteps, the man turned over, his dark locks partially veiling his bright, handsome features. With a smile, his radiant eyes sparkled as they swept across the scene, revealing a row of neat, pearly white teeth.
OpenNovel