Night in Ning.
Meihua Village was peaceful.
In the dimly lit dining hall of the clan school on the mountainside, over ten masked figures in black sat quietly by the windows.
Ten ghost-masked men and women, who had appeared in the ancestral hall before, stood like statues on either side of the main door.
The family head, five elders, and Mei Zhengjing arrived one after another. Despite the gathering, only the wind between the cliffs and the rushing water below could be heard.
The family head broke the silence, “You all carry the family’s honor on your shoulders. Your blood must water the battlefield. You can only advance, never retreat!”
“Yes!” everyone answered in unison.
Mei Zhengjing lowered his gaze, silently watching the intertwining shadows on the ground. After the family had finished his speech and allowed everyone to move freely, he followed a ghost-masked man who was heading out.
“Big brother,” Mei Zhengjing called softly.
The man paused and turned his head slightly to look at him.
Mei Zhengjing wanted to say more, but was interrupted, “You’ve mistaken me for someone else.”
The voice was as clear as moonlight, instantly evoking the phrase “gentleman like jade”. For a moment, even the eerie mask on his face seemed to soften.
“My apologies.” Mei Zhengjing’s older brother was nearly forty this year, and couldn’t possibly have such a voice.
The man seemed to see through his confusion and said, “He had matters to attend to. I’m taking his place.”
“Thank you,” Mei Zhengjing replied, feeling disappointed.
Today, the Mei family was sending another batch of people to the Crane Control Army. These ghost-masked men and women were sent to assist. Mei Zhengjing’s older brother held an important position in the Crane Control Army and was supposed to lead this time.
“We haven’t met in ten years. Missing this chance, who knows when we’ll meet again,” Mei Zhengjing sighed.
The ghost-masked man paused again, turned back, and asked, “I hear Elder Zhi has taken on a disciple?”
Mei Zhengjing looked up, meeting a pair of exceptionally clear eyes. He hesitated before answering, “Yes.”
The ghost-masked man nodded in thanks and slowly walked away.
Moonlight gilded his figure, outlining his tall, powerful form.
Watching him, Mei Zhengjing couldn’t help but think of a phrase: “A gentleman is like a horse, elegant as an orchid, pure as a lotus, firm as bamboo, and resolute as a plum blossom.”
“Gu Jinghong,” Elder Qi suddenly appeared beside him.
“Gu? Not a well-known surname,” Mei Zhengjing looked surprised briefly, then regained his composure. “But a glance that startles swans’ truly fits the man.”
Mei Zhengjing meant that there was no Gu family among the influential clans in the Crane Control Army.
“Have you seen Second Brother?” Mei Zhengjing asked.
A trace of sorrow flashed across Elder Qi’s face as he sighed, “Meeting is not as good as not meeting, yet not meeting leaves one constantly yearning.”
Elder Qi’s greatest regret in life was passing on his medical and poison skills to his son. Even though his son hadn’t learned half of what he knew, he still couldn’t escape the fate of joining the Crane Control Army.
“It’s better to have met,” Mei Zhengjing said, his mood also low.
Mei Zhengjing was the youngest legitimate son of the “Zheng” generation. His father had passed away before he was born, so his eldest brother was like a father to him. They shared a deep bond. Being separated for ten years, despite his efforts to console himself, he couldn’t help but feel sad.
“It’s Sigui’s blessing from his previous life to have met you,” Mei Zhengjing suddenly changed the subject.
Elder Qi finally smiled, “It’s fate.”
Mo Sigui had an extraordinary talent for medicine. Elder Qi admired his talent and secretly raised him like his own child, developing a father-son bond. Thus, the matter of entering Mo Sigui into the Mei family register became Elder Qi’s deepest concern.
Over the years, no matter how many excuses he found, Elder Zhi could see through them all. If it weren’t for the Fourteenth Miss this time, Mo Sigui might have become another of his regrets.
The moon gradually set in the west, entering the darkest period before dawn.
Shadows flitted across Meihua Village, returning to the houses on the cliff.
From the houses on the cliff, one could see the sun slowly rising over the opposite mountain – this was their purpose for existing.
Everyone stood by the windows waiting. Perhaps this would be the last time they’d see the sun in their lives.
The clouds parted to reveal the sun.
It was just another ordinary morning in Meihua Village.
Mei Jiu had tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. She heard various strange sounds, even low voices talking.
She had encountered too many unbelievable things lately and still felt as if she were in a dream. She didn’t want to face reality, only fantasizing that perhaps one morning she’d wake up back in her courtyard in Yangzhou, where her daily routine consisted of embroidery, reading, and waiting to be married, rather than trudging up the mountainside to the clan school at dawn to study.
There was no class with Teacher Zhao today. Everyone gathered in the schoolroom to read. Most were napping on their desks, with only a few softly reciting their lessons.
Mei Ruyan, with faint dark circles under her eyes, came to Mei Jiu with a book, asking her to explain some difficult passages.
After spending an hour in the schoolroom, they went to Lu Qingming’s place.
Lu Qingming didn’t lecture on Zen today but instead supervised their martial arts practice.
Everyone lined up in the courtyard, practicing the same set of fist techniques. Only Mei Jiu stood awkwardly to the side, wanting to imitate the movements but too embarrassed to do so. She was used to taking delicate steps, never having seen women move their limbs so freely! Yet standing still made her feel even more out of place.
Mei Jiu suddenly envied Mei Ruyan. That teacher had only one disciple, so even if she knew nothing, she surely wouldn’t be as embarrassed as Mei Jiu was now!
Lu Qingming frowned for a long while before walking over with a book. “These are the basic first techniques. Take this and read it while tending to the sheep. Familiarize yourself with it for a day or two, and then I’ll teach you.”
“Thank you, teacher.” Mei Jiu took the book, bowed, and ran off as if escaping.
Mei Tingyu snickered.
Lu Qingming turned and glared at her. “You’ll run around the mountain today until you’re left with just one breath!”
Mei Tingyu quickly composed herself and replied, “Yes!”
Mei Jiu had previously said that she would let An Jiu use her body while tending the sheep. She kept her word, and An Jiu didn’t refuse, directly taking control of the body.
She found that she was becoming more and more in sync with this body. Initially, it had been so difficult to fight against Mei Jiu’s consciousness, but now, although she still couldn’t control it freely, she had made great progress.
An Jiu drove the sheep to the south slope and climbed a crooked tree. Leaning against a branch, she read the martial arts book Lu Qingming had given her.
She was very interested in Eastern martial arts and practiced the movements in her mind as she read.
As she was engrossed in reading, a hand suddenly snatched the book away. She instinctively threw a punch.
The person caught her wrist.
Although the grip was light, it felt like an iron vise she couldn’t escape. An Jiu had never encountered such a strange situation before and frowned. Looking up, she saw an upside-down ghost mask.
“I mean no harm,” he said.
An Jiu believed that if this person had killing intent, she would already be dead. But she also didn’t think this person was playing a prank.
However, if he meant no harm, could he possibly have good intentions? An Jiu didn’t believe that.
“You don’t seem to have practiced martial arts,” the masked man said, looking at her fingers.
As soon as he finished speaking, An Jiu swiftly moved her hand. She had initially intended to use the grappling technique she had just read about to grip his throat, but quickly changed her mind and instead snatched off his mask.
The masked man had just confirmed that An Jiu hadn’t practiced martial arts and didn’t expect her to move so swiftly, with a strength that was not that of an ordinary woman.
The mask was tied at the back of his head, bound together with his hair tie. He felt a sharp pain on his scalp, then a cool breeze on his face as his black hair suddenly fell loose, with strands of broken hair falling.