The young man brushed aside his hair, his gaze falling on Mei Jiu. “Are you the Fourteenth Lady?”

Wenui and Wenbi curtseyed, “Greetings, Sixth Young Master.”

“Rise,” he said.

Wenui quietly reminded them, “The Sixth Young Master is the son of the Second Madam, the one the Old Madam mentioned. You should address him as Cousin.”

Mei Zhengjing?

Mei Jiu and Mei Ruhan immediately bowed, “Greetings, Cousin.”

Ginkgo leaves swirled down in the gentle breeze. Before Mei Jiu could see how he moved, he was already standing steadily on the ground, taking long strides toward her.

“So you’re the Fourteenth Lady who angered my mother to fainting and prevented my nephew from entering the family registry?” Mei Zhengjing’s almond-shaped eyes seemed to always carry a smile, giving a deceptively gentle impression.

Hearing that he had come to settle scores, Mei Jiu immediately shrank behind Wenui, internally calling out, “An Jiu, An Jiu!”

An Jiu, already awake and disturbed by Mei Jiu’s rapid heartbeat, clicked her tongue. “No wonder the Mei family is cursed. They all look so improper.”

Mei Ruhan stepped forward, shielding Mei Jiu. “Cousin, these two incidents truly can’t be blamed on my sister. Our sisters are new here and unfamiliar with the rules. The Second Madam asked us to apologize to a servant. Although we wish to be filial, we dare not disgrace the Mei family’s reputation.”

Seeing Mei Zhengjing’s expression unchanged, she boldly continued, “Moreover, how could my sister have the authority to prevent Cousin from entering the family registry?”

“And here I thought our family finally had someone interesting. How boring!” Mei Zhengjing turned away listlessly.

Mei Ruhan looked utterly perplexed.

Wenui explained, “Our young master’s nature matches his name. Don’t take it to heart.”

Mei Jiu sighed in relief, casting a grateful glance at Mei Ruhan.

The group composed themselves and headed towards the ancestral hall.

The main doors of the ancestral hall were wide open, with no one in sight inside or out.

Wenui and Wenbi had to remain outside while Mei Jiu and Mei Ruhan entered the hall side by side.

A chilling air greeted them. They saw hundreds of ancestor tablets arranged opposite them, a sea of dark wood.

In the spacious main hall stood ten black-robed figures with wide sleeves. The five on the west side wore masks painted with human faces – snow-white skin, long upturned eyes, curved willow-leaf eyebrows, cheeks as red as peaches, and a blood-red plum blossom on the forehead. They were meticulously styled Tang dynasty beauties.

However, these seemingly smiling faces standing silently in the eerie ancestral hall looked uncanny from any angle. Though masked, their curvaceous figures suggested they were all women.

The five on the right wore ghost masks and had tall, slender builds, clearly men.

“They’re Gandharvas and Yakshas,” Mei Jiu said trembling.

Gandharvas were celestial musicians serving Indra, responsible for playing music. They were spirits that didn’t consume alcohol but sustained themselves on fragrance, hence also known as “fragrance spirits.”

Yakshas, on the other hand, were malevolent spirits capable of devouring ghosts and harming humans.

Mei Jiu was on the verge of tears, her whole body shaking uncontrollably. Wasn’t this supposed to be just burning incense and kowtowing? Why was everything so ghostly and ominous?

The family head and five clan elders entered through a side door.

The ten black-robed figures immediately retreated to the sides.

Elder Qi’s gaze briefly turned to the “Yakshas” on the east side, as if searching for something. His eyes glistened with unshed tears, and his knuckles turned white as he gripped his cane.

The family head, without speaking, took two incense sticks from the altar and lit them.

Holding one incense stick in each hand, he said, “You two, swear before the ancestors to be loyal to the Mei family for life and never do anything to harm its interests! If you break this oath, may heaven and earth not forgive you!”

Mei Ruhan stepped forward first, took an incense stick, and knelt on the prayer mat.

“An Jiu, it’s so frightening. What if it’s a trap?” Mei Jiu said nervously.

An Jiu replied, “It’s just an oath. If you betray the Mei family and die in the future, I’ll avenge you.”

“We’re in this together!” Mei Jiu anxiously emphasized.

“What does that have to do with me? Besides, I’m a Christian and don’t believe in ancestors,” An Jiu urged. “Don’t dawdle. Do you have any other choice now? Or do you want me to take the oath for you?”

Mei Jiu moved her lips, hesitating for a long while before finally taking a difficult step forward.

“Mr. Mei,” one of the statue-like “Yakshas” suddenly spoke up in a deep, mellow voice, questioning, “Does this lady truly qualify to enter the family registry?”

The family head looked towards Elder Zhi.

Elder Zhi stepped forward slightly, “Though lacking in foundation, her innate conditions for archery are excellent.”

The “Yaksha” nodded slightly and said no more.

“Fourteenth Lady!” Elder Zhi frowned, looking displeased at Mei Jiu.

A powerful aura of authority spread, causing even the “Gandharvas” to imperceptibly shift their feet.

Under Elder Zhi’s pressure, Mei Jiu turned pale, barely able to stand straight. She now only wanted to find a safe place to hide.

Elder Zhi was so angry his beard seemed to flutter. Seeing Mei Jiu’s pathetic state, he couldn’t help but doubt if he had misjudged her that day. But now that things had progressed this far, neither he nor Mei Jiu had a choice.

Elder Zhi flashed to Mei Jiu’s front, grabbed her collar, and pulled her onto the prayer mat. He took the incense from the family head and thrust it into her hand. “Speak.”

Mei Ruhan had intended to take the oath after Mei Jiu, but seeing her tremble for so long without uttering a word, she decided to go first. “I, Mei Ruhan, swear here to be loyal to the Mei family for life and never do anything to harm its interests. If I break this oath, may heaven and earth not forgive me!”

Mei Jiu’s mind was in chaos at this moment. With someone taking the lead, she followed tremblingly, “I… I, Mei Jiu… no, Mei Ruoxi, swear here to be loyal… loyal to the Mei family for life and never do anything to harm its interests. If… if…” She swallowed dryly and gritted her teeth, “If I break this oath, may heaven and earth not forgive me!”

Though stuttering, she managed to finish.

The family head and Elder Zhi let out small sighs of relief.

Next came kowtowing to the master and offering tea. Having overcome the previous hurdle, Mei Jiu was slightly less nervous, and everything proceeded smoothly.

As they walked out of the ancestral hall, the warm sunlight on their skin made Mei Jiu realize she was drenched in cold sweat.

“Fourteenth Lady,” Elder Zhi called as he exited the main hall.

Mei Jiu hurriedly turned and bowed. Elder Zhi scrutinized her, “Why were you afraid?”

“There was a bloody aura,” Mei Jiu lowered her head, “from those black-robed figures.”

Elder Zhi was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, “Haha, good, very good!”

Ordinarily, people wouldn’t be frightened to the point of instability by some ghostly figures in broad daylight. Mei Ruhan could remain fearless because she couldn’t sense the bloodthirsty aura from those black-robed figures. However, Mei Jiu, having inherited An Jiu’s abilities, was extremely sensitive to these things, yet her psychological resilience wasn’t strong enough.

Mei Jiu thought to herself, “Shouldn’t he be scolding me for being as timid as a mouse?”

“I heard you shot and killed your pursuers?” Elder Zhi suddenly asked.

Hearing someone else say she had killed, Mei Jiu instinctively denied it, “I didn’t.”