Chapter Ninety
“What did you feel just now?” An Jiu asked again.
“Everything went black, like I was about to faint.” Mo Sigui stared at An Jiu with suspicion, but considering her meridians were completely destroyed, it was unlikely she could still fire a Startling String. Moreover, the power of the Startling String was far greater than what he had experienced. So, he dismissed the momentary discomfort and extended his hand toward her. “The antidote is ready. Hand over the folding fan.”
An Jiu had intended to return it, but seeing his arrogant demeanor, she felt slightly annoyed. “After you save the person.”
Mo Sigui snorted twice and didn’t press further about the fan. Instead, he turned and shouted for Ling Gu to prepare some food. Once he had eaten his fill, he slung his medicine box over his shoulder and leisurely headed down the mountain alone.
Ling Gu watched him go, noting that he still seemed like a big child, and couldn’t help but feel a little worried. But then she remembered that he had been fending for himself for many years, making her concern unnecessary.
After delivering a meal to Lou Xiaowu, Ling Gu went to An Jiu’s quarters.
“Mei Niangzi, my mistress said that if you’re feeling bored, I should take you to her room.” Ling Gu didn’t dare look directly at An Jiu and kept her head lowered as she explained. “My mistress enjoys tinkering with mechanisms. Knowing you’re skilled in archery, she invites you to pick a few that suit your liking.”
The mental strength Startling String was merely one of the byproducts Elder Zhi had experimented with while pursuing the true Startling String. It was far from the real thing, with limited lethality. However, the Blue Light Crossbow, which rivaled firearms, had given An Jiu a new perspective on the weapons of this world and reignited her passion for them.
“Alright.” An Jiu wasn’t one for polite refusals—she acted on her thoughts directly.
During the previous trial, An Jiu had witnessed Lou Xiaowu’s Rope Crossbow and Light Crossbow, recognizing her mechanical talent. Yet, upon entering her room, she was still taken aback.
Lou Xiaowu’s room was enormous, with the inner chamber occupying only a tenth of the space. The vast outer chamber held just one long table and a few stool-like seats. Numerous shelves lined the walls, and the floor, tables, and walls were covered with various mechanical devices, including many crossbows.
An Jiu’s gaze was drawn to a crossbow on the table, its shape strikingly similar to the Blue Light Crossbow wielded by their enemies during the trial.
She stepped forward to examine it closely. Noticing her interest, Ling Gu explained, “This is something my mistress recently made. She says it’s defective.”
An Jiu loaded an arrow, walked to the doorway, and aimed at a tree in the courtyard before pulling the trigger. With a sharp hiss, the arrow shot out in a streak of blue light, embedding itself firmly into the trunk and sending wood chips flying.
It bore some resemblance, but its lethality was far inferior to the original Blue Light Crossbow. Still, the fact that Lou Xiaowu could create something like this in such a short time after just one glance spoke volumes about her extraordinary mechanical talent.
Sensing An Jiu’s admiration, Ling Gu thought about how her mistress seemed to enjoy interacting with this cold Mei Shisi and decided to bridge the gap between them. “My mistress was born prematurely and has poor health. She can’t practice martial arts for more than two hours a day, so she spends her time tinkering with these things.”
An Jiu gave a noncommittal hum and returned to the table, sitting down to fiddle with the crossbow in her hands.
The principles of crossbows and guns were similar. Having disassembled and reassembled sniper rifles blindfolded with ease, she was intimately familiar with their mechanics.
Ling Gu watched as An Jiu focused intently on the crossbow, her demeanor oddly reminiscent of Lou Xiaowu’s. Unconsciously, the distance in Ling Gu’s heart lessened, and she began sharing more about Lou Xiaowu’s life.Having tasks to pass the time, An Jiu thoroughly enjoyed solitude, burying herself in her work without paying any attention to Ling Gu.
After speaking for a while, Ling Gu found it dull and left her to her own devices.
The rocky mountains were blanketed in white snow, and due to the presence of Mystic Ice, this place was colder than anywhere else.
With Mo Sigui away, and both Lou Mingyue and An Jiu being quiet individuals, Lou Manor was enveloped in silence. If not for Ling Gu preparing meals daily, it would hardly seem like a place where people lived.
Thanks to Mo Sigui's antidote, the plague near Bianjing had been alleviated. The imperial court dispatched troops to burn the infected corpses, finally averting a major crisis before the New Year.
Ten days later, with just two days left until New Year's Eve, Mu Qianshan was ordered to Mei Manor to escort Mei Jiu and Mo Sigui back to Plum Blossom Village.
Elder Zhi being detained by the imperial court for investigation had deeply wounded the sentiments of the Crane Control Army families. The handling of this matter clearly demonstrated the emperor's distrust toward these families, further widening the already fragile rift between the ruler and his subjects.
As for the Lou family's misfortune, though the Crane Control Army eventually came to their aid, the delay in their response was still deeply disheartening.
In this vast web of conspiracy, the enemy had achieved a resounding victory.
The Mei family had been pushed to the point where they had no choice but to make a decision.
Plum Blossom Village.
By the misty lakeshore stood several buildings hidden behind the plum groves. Nestled at the base of a gourd-shaped valley was a pagoda-like library, its plaque inscribed with the words "Loyalty, Integrity, and Righteousness."
Mei Zhengyan, the head of the Mei family, stood with his hands behind his back, frowning at the words on the plaque.
A figure in white robes landed silently nearby and stood quietly beside him for a long while.
"Zhengjing, where should the Mei family go from here?" Mei Zhengyan sighed heavily.
The white robes shifted slightly as Mei Zhengjing stepped through the snow to his side. "Third Brother, you know I don’t want to deal with these troublesome matters."
"You must rein in your temperament!" Mei Zhengyan's gaze was full of disappointment, his tone stern. "Even though the clan has designated you as one of the future successors, I’ve never forced you. But now that Tingjun is gone, shouldn’t you step up and take responsibility?!"
If Mei Zhengjing hadn’t been so indifferent to family affairs and so unrestrained, the clan wouldn’t have sent Mei Tingjun out for training in the first place! Mei Zhengyan couldn’t help but feel resentment. Though being the head of the Mei family didn’t require life-and-death struggles, navigating the precarious relationship with the imperial court to protect the clan was even more challenging than such battles. These should have been Mei Zhengjing’s duties, yet he had to push his own son into them instead.
Mei Zhengyan’s spirits were low. "Perhaps it’s for the best that he failed this time—at least he won’t have to bear the burden of leading the entire family. He wasn’t cut out for it. Unlike you!"
The thought of Mei Zhengjing reignited his anger. "You were born with a sharp mind, yet you refuse to contribute to the family! Will you just stand by and watch the Mei family fall?"
"Third Brother." For once, Mei Zhengjing didn’t evade the topic. "As a child, I dreamed of joining the shadow unit of the Crane Control Army. I even thought of leading the Mei family in serving the court. Just a few years ago, I still felt that way."As one of the candidates for the family head position, he was bound to learn many things. Yet the more he learned, the more he realized the vast gap between reality and his imagination: the precarious relationship between the Crane Control Army families and the imperial court; how the Crane Control Army, originally meant to be a sharp blade protecting the Great Song, had now become The Emperor's butcher knife for eliminating dissenters; the court's weakness in foreign relations...
These bloody facts shattered Mei Zhengjing's long-held dreams with brutal force.
"Now the Mei Shi family is in dire straits. If our family must break away from the Crane Control Army, as a member of Mei Shi, I will naturally give my all. But..." Mei Zhengjing stared at the "Loyalty and Righteousness" plaque, his tone resolute, "To serve such an emperor and court—absolutely impossible!"
Mei Zhengyan had certainly considered this as well, but, "For Mei Shi to withdraw from the Crane Control Army would inevitably mean sacrificing everyone who has already become part of the shadow unit."
"Third Brother is being too soft-hearted!" Mei Zhengjing retorted. "A wise man discards flaws to nurture talent; a brave man cuts off his arm to preserve his life. When a viper coils around your hand, shouldn't you act decisively?"
Mei Zhengyan turned his head to see him standing tall in white robes, nearly blending into the snow. Behind those mesmerizing peach-blossom eyes was nothing but icy detachment.
"I seem to have misjudged you," Mei Zhengyan said slowly, unsure of his own feelings. "Given how deeply you cared for Eldest Brother, I always thought you were like Elder Qi—loyal and righteous. Never imagined you'd resemble Elder Zhi at your core. The wise are often heartless."
Mei Zhengjing raised an eyebrow. "I don't mind whatever Third Brother says about me. But I must defend Elder Zhi—if he were truly heartless, would he have ruined his own prospects solely for Mei Shi? With his talents, he could have even become a chancellor. If he were heartless, would he have sacrificed decades of his life for Mei Shi?"
Each rhetorical question left Mei Zhengyan speechless. He had forgotten all these things, seeing only Elder Zhi's ruthless decisiveness in daily affairs.
"Great wisdom comes with great love. If one is constantly bogged down by trivialities, how can they achieve great deeds?" Mei Zhengjing didn't dwell on the topic further. He took out a brocade pouch from his sleeve and tossed it to Mei Zhengyan. "You should deal with the traitor when you have time!"
Mei Zhengyan opened the pouch and retrieved three fragmented letters. Though badly burned, Mei Zhengjing had pieced them together enough to discern their contents—they were correspondences from the Crane Control Army's Feather Forest Decree to someone, containing orders to investigate Mei Shi's secrets.
"Where did you get these?" Mei Zhengyan asked gravely.
"The Old Madam of the main branch," Mei Zhengjing replied. "You're always busy, unlike me with all my free time to watch the inner household. I've had my eye on her for a while but lacked concrete evidence. With the current turmoil and Elder Zhi detained, those above must want to know Mei Shi's true stance—whether we might rebel, so they can act swiftly! I figured communications would increase recently, so I staked out her place and found this."
"You mean the Old Madam of the main branch is The Emperor's spy planted within Mei Shi?" Mei Zhengyan was aghast.
"The evidence is irrefutable. The mastermind behind her is either the current or previous emperor, or the one who orchestrated the attack on Lou Shi," Mei Zhengjing said coldly. "Either way, it's treason. So you see, Third Brother, how 'prudent' the main branch has been."
The main branch's numbers had dwindled. Among the few remaining, first Mei Yanran fled with her daughter, and now the Old Madam was colluding with the enemy."This matter is of great importance. Let's return to the council hall first. Come with me." Mei Zhengyan quickly stowed the items away into his robes.
"Third Brother!" Mei Zhengjing attempted to stop him, but Mei Zhengyan had already vanished.
Mei Zhengyan was deeply troubled. If Old Madam was merely an informant for The Emperor, it would be manageable—though tricky, at least The Emperor wouldn’t act rashly against Mei Shi under the current circumstances. But if Old Madam was colluding with the enemy and betraying the nation, Mei Shi would inevitably meet the same fate as Lou Shi.
At least Lou Shi could still place that plaque of loyalty and righteousness in their ancestral hall, but this time, Mei Shi might even bring disgrace upon their ancestors who had sacrificed themselves for the country!
As a shadow unit family, Mei Shi responded to summons with exceptional speed. Mei Zhengyan hurried toward the council hall while sending out a signal. By the time Mei Zhengjing arrived, several elders had already gathered in response.
Such an urgent summons indicated no trivial matter. Unable to find an excuse to delay, Mei Zhengjing refrained from further interference and allowed Mei Zhengyan to disclose the situation.
Unfortunately, the elders were either too passionate, offering overly radical suggestions, or too engrossed in martial arts to devise any clever strategies for such intricate matters.
This outcome was entirely within Mei Zhengjing’s expectations. Fortunately, the elders were composed enough, and since Mei Zhengyan demanded secrecy, there was no worry about leaks.
The matter was temporarily set aside as Plum Blossom Village began preparations for the New Year.
The following evening, An Jiu and Mo Sigui returned to the estate.
Jade Serenity Residence was brightly lit, a rare sight after so long. An Jiu relinquished control of the body back to Mei Jiu.
"Madam, I’ve sewn new clothes for you," Yao Ye said with a hint of joy.
When Mei Jiu had left Mei Estate, she’d felt as though she would stay with Lou Shi for a long time. She hadn’t expected to return so soon. Puzzled, she asked, "Yao Ye, do you know why I was brought back?"
"One shouldn’t celebrate the New Year in another’s home, after all," Yao Ye replied, finding nothing unusual about it. "I heard it was Sixth Master who asked the family head to bring you back."
"Sixth Uncle?" Mei Jiu had a favorable impression of this unconventional uncle, as he had once sided with An Jiu.
"Sister!" A clear voice called from outside the door.
"It’s Shishi Niang," Yao Ye said, going to open the door.
Mei Jiu hadn’t seen Mei Ru Yan in a long time and missed her dearly. She rose happily to greet her. "Little Sister."
Mei Ru Yan wore a rose-pink lined jacket and a pale green silk skirt. Her dark hair was styled in a side-swept fashion, with a single braid hanging by her right ear, exuding both charm and liveliness.
Her features had matured further, her slender phoenix eyes now even more alluring than before.
"Sister," Mei Ru Yan took Mei Jiu’s hand, her bright smile infectious.
These soft, delicate hands—An Jiu felt uncomfortable, but sensing Mei Jiu’s genuine happiness and recalling how she had ruined her Meridians, she endured it for now. It wasn’t easy for Mei Jiu to feel such joy.
"Since coming to Mei Estate, I haven’t had a proper chance to talk with you," Mei Ru Yan said, tears glistening in her smile. "Though it’s only been a few months, it feels like ten years. I’ve missed you terribly these days, Sister."
Moved, Mei Jiu choked up. "A Shun."
Hearing the name, Mei Ru Yan’s expression flickered briefly before she wiped her tears and smiled. "Sister, let’s go to the mountainside to see the lanterns. I spotted them on my way back from school this evening—they’re so beautiful!"Her alternating between tears and laughter showed a rather genuine temperament.
Mei Jiu turned her head, silently asking Yao Ye with her eyes.
Yao Ye smiled and said, "Young mistress should dress warmly. This servant will accompany you."
"Alright!" Mei Jiu beamed with joy and followed Yao Ye into the inner chamber to change clothes.
Since it was evening, there was no need for elaborate dressing. Mei Jiu simply wore a light yellow dress with a matching lined jacket, her dark hair loosely braided into a hanging plait.
"Elder sister is truly beautiful!" Mei Ru Yan praised.
Hand in hand, the two headed towards the mountain where the Clan School was located.
Suddenly remembering Mei Ru Yan's affection for Mister Mo, Mei Jiu quietly asked, "Little sister, has Mister Mo been treating you well?" (To be continued...)
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