The man brushed aside his hair, his gaze settling on Mei Jiu. "So you're Fourteen Lady?"
Wen Cui and Wen Bi curtsied. "Greetings, Sixth Master."
"Rise," he said.
Wen Cui softly reminded them, "Sixth Master is the son of Second Madam—the one Old Madam mentioned. Both young ladies should address him as Uncle."
Mei Zhengjing?
Mei Jiu and Mei Ru Yan immediately curtsied. "Greetings, Uncle."
Apricot leaves swirled gently in the breeze. Before Mei Jiu could clearly see his movements, he had already landed steadily on the ground, his long legs striding toward her.
"So you're the Fourteen Lady who made my mother faint and prevented my nephew from entering the family registry?" Mei Zhengjing's peach-blossom eyes seemed perpetually smiling, giving a misleading impression of gentleness.
Hearing he was here to settle scores, Mei Jiu immediately shrank behind Wen Cui, frantically calling in her mind, "An Jiu! An Jiu!"
An Jiu, disturbed by Mei Jiu's frantic heartbeat, had already woken up. She clicked her tongue. "No wonder Mei Shi is cursed—everyone here looks so irregular."
Mei Ru Yan stepped forward, shielding Mei Jiu. "Uncle, these two matters truly can't be blamed on Elder Sister. We sisters are new here and unfamiliar with the rules, but when Second Madam demanded we apologize to a servant, though we wished to be filial, we couldn’t possibly disgrace Mei Shi's dignity."
Seeing Mei Zhengjing's expression remain unchanged, she mustered the courage to continue, "As for Cousin, how could Elder Sister possibly have the authority to prevent him from entering the family registry?"
"I thought our family finally had someone interesting. How dull!" Mei Zhengjing turned away with a bored expression.
Mei Ru Yan looked utterly baffled.
Wen Cui explained, "Our young master's temperament is just like his name—best not to take it to heart."
Mei Jiu sighed in relief and gave Mei Ru Yan a grateful glance.
The group composed themselves and proceeded to the ancestral hall.
The hall's doors stood wide open, with not a soul in sight inside or out.
Wen Cui and Wen Bi had to remain outside, while Mei Jiu and Mei Ru Yan entered side by side.
A chilling aura greeted them. Directly ahead, rows upon rows of spirit tablets loomed—hundreds of them, dark and oppressive.
Ten figures in black robes with wide sleeves stood in the vast main hall. The five on the western side wore masks painted with human faces—pale complexions, narrow upturned eyes, delicate willow-leaf brows, cheeks flushed like peaches, and a blood-red plum blossom at the brow. They resembled meticulously adorned beauties from the Tang Dynasty.
Yet their faintly smiling expressions, standing silently in the eerie ancestral hall, were undeniably sinister. Though masked, their curvaceous figures suggested they were women.
The five on the right wore Ghost Masks, their tall, slender frames clearly male.
"They're Gandharvas and Yakshas," Mei Jiu whispered, trembling.
Gandharvas were celestial musicians serving Indra, nourished only by fragrance, hence also called "Fragrance Spirits."
Yakshas, meanwhile, were malevolent spirits that could devour ghosts—or harm humans.
Tears welled in Mei Jiu's eyes, her body trembling uncontrollably. Wasn't this supposed to be just burning incense and bowing? Why was everything so haunted?
The family head and five elders entered through a side door.
The ten black-clad figures immediately retreated to the sides.
Elder Qi's gaze drifted toward the "Yakshas" on the eastern side, as if searching for something. A glimmer of tears flickered in his eyes, his knuckles whitening around his cane.The family head remained silent as he took two incense sticks from the altar and lit them.
Holding one in each hand, he declared, "Swear before our ancestors that you will remain loyal to Mei Shi for life and never act against its interests! Should you break this oath, may heaven and earth forsake you!"
Mei Ru Yan stepped forward first, accepting the incense and kneeling on the prayer mat.
"An Jiu, this is terrifying. What if it's a trap?" Mei Jiu whispered nervously.
An Jiu replied, "It's just an oath. If you betray Mei Shi and die for it later, I’ll avenge you."
"We're in this together!" Mei Jiu insisted anxiously.
"What does that have to do with me? Besides, I’m a Christian—I don’t believe in ancestors," An Jiu urged. "Stop stalling. Do you have any other options right now? Or do you want me to swear for you?"
Mei Jiu bit her lip, hesitating for a long moment before finally forcing herself to move.
"Master Mei." One of the silent, statue-like Yakshas suddenly spoke up, his deep voice laced with skepticism. "Is this young lady truly qualified to be entered into the family registry?"
The family head glanced at Elder Zhi.
Elder Zhi took a slight step forward. "Though she lacks foundation, her innate talent in Archery is exceptional."
The Yaksha gave a slight nod and fell silent again.
"Fourteen Lady!" Elder Zhi frowned, displeased as he stared at Mei Jiu.
An overwhelming pressure radiated from him, so intense that even the Gandharvas subtly shifted their footing.
Under Elder Zhi’s oppressive aura, Mei Jiu turned deathly pale, barely able to stand upright. All she wanted was to find a safe place to hide.
Elder Zhi’s beard bristled with anger. Seeing Mei Jiu’s pitiful state, he couldn’t help but wonder if he had misjudged her that day. But now, with the arrow already nocked, neither he nor Mei Jiu had any choice.
In a flash, Elder Zhi appeared before Mei Jiu, grabbing the back of her collar and hauling her onto the prayer mat. He snatched the incense from the family head’s hand and shoved it into hers. "Speak."
Mei Ru Yan had intended to swear after Mei Jiu, but seeing her tremble without uttering a word, she took the lead instead. "I, Mei Ru Yan, swear before all here that I will remain loyal to Mei Shi for life and never act against its interests. Should I break this oath, may heaven and earth forsake me!"
Mei Jiu’s mind was in chaos, but with someone having set the example, she finally stammered, "I… I, Mei Jiu—no, Mei Ru Xue—swear before all here that I will… remain loyal to Mei Shi for life and never act against its interests. Should I… should I…" She swallowed dryly before gritting her teeth. "Should I break this oath, may heaven and earth forsake me!"
Though halting, she had at least managed to finish.
The family head and Elder Zhi exhaled slightly in relief.
Next came the ritual of kowtowing and offering tea to their master. Having crossed that first hurdle, Mei Jiu’s nerves eased somewhat, and the rest proceeded smoothly.
Only when she stepped out of the ancestral hall, the warm sunlight washing over her, did Mei Jiu realize she was drenched in cold sweat.
"Fourteen Lady." Elder Zhi emerged from the main hall.
Mei Jiu quickly turned and bowed. Elder Zhi studied her. "Why were you afraid?"
"There was… bloodlust," Mei Jiu murmured, head lowered. "From those men in black."
Elder Zhi paused, then suddenly burst into laughter. "Hah! Good. Very good!"Ordinary people wouldn't normally be so frightened by a few ghostly figures in broad daylight that they'd lose their footing. Mei Ru Yan could remain fearless because she couldn't sense the bloodlust emanating from those black-clad figures. But Mei Jiu, having inherited An Jiu's abilities, was acutely sensitive to such things—though her mental fortitude wasn't yet strong enough to handle it.
Mei Jiu thought to herself, "Shouldn't they be scolding me for being as timid as a mouse?"
"I heard you shot and killed your pursuers?" Elder Zhi suddenly asked.
Hearing someone speak of her killing, Mei Jiu instinctively denied it. "I didn't."
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