Mei Zhengjing, at twenty-three, was the only surviving male of the “Zheng” generation in the second branch, aside from the family head. He was the most likely candidate to become the next family head. If the current head didn’t meet an untimely demise, Zhengjing would be Elder Zhi’s successor. Thus, despite his lack of principles, his words carried significant weight.
“If you’ve eaten your fill, get lost. Go find your mothers and stop cluttering up the place,” Zhengjing said impatiently, annoyed by the crowd. After a pause, he remembered something. “Tingjun, go tell that old fossil I’m taking Fourteen to the ancestral hall for punishment.”
Mei Tingjun halted, respectfully responding, “Yes, sir.”
“Sister—” Mei Ruyan was about to speak but caught Zhengjing’s glare and swallowed her words.
Mei Ruhan quickly pulled her away.
In the blink of an eye, the bustling dining hall was left with only Zhengjing and An Jiu.
As Zhengjing left, An Jiu followed behind.
Exiting the dining hall, they passed through a lush courtyard before reaching the mountain cave.
The cave’s path twisted and turned. Without torches, they could only see by the light from outside at first. After walking about fifty meters, it became pitch black.
The sound of dripping water echoed in the cave. Zhengjing’s footsteps were inaudible. Despite there being two people, only one set of footsteps could be heard, creating an eerie atmosphere.
After a while, Zhengjing suddenly stopped, surprised to find An Jiu halting immediately as well.
“Why are you following me?” Zhengjing asked.
An Jiu, with her excellent eyesight, could faintly make out his smiling face in the dim light. “Aren’t you taking me to the ancestral hall for punishment?”
“Haha.” Zhengjing patted her head. “I was just joking. Don’t take it seriously. Next time you kill someone, I’ll take you there.”
“Why are you helping me?” An Jiu asked.
Zhengjing’s smile faded, and he replied irritably, “I’ve always been upright and impartial. There’s no favoritism here. Don’t talk nonsense.”
“I’m sorry,” An Jiu said, not in the mood for games. “The Mei manor is an assassin organization, isn’t it?”
Zhengjing didn’t understand the term “organization,” but he understood “assassin” and could grasp An Jiu’s meaning. He scrutinized the young girl before him and commented, “You seem beyond your years.”
An Jiu was eager to know more but restrained herself from pressing further.
“Assassins, huh?” Zhengjing mused. “Not entirely, but close enough.”
An Jiu hadn’t expected such an easy admission. However, the answer was cruel, even if she had suspected it.
Despite her expectations, An Jiu found it hard to accept.
“Heh.” Zhengjing’s light chuckle was a mix of emotions. An Jiu couldn’t discern all of them, but the mockery was clear.
He muttered, “I don’t know what it’s all for.”
Zhengjing left silently. After he had gone some distance, his voice echoed in the cave, “You’re a member of the Mei estate. Under heaven, except for the royal family, you can kill anyone, and the Mei clan will cover for you. Just remember, never harm your flesh and blood. Otherwise, there’ll be nowhere in this world for you to hide.”
The sound of cracking knuckles echoed in the cave as An Jiu’s well-manicured nails dug deep into her palms.
“It hurts,” Mei Jiu said angrily. “Haven’t you had enough?”
An Jiu didn’t respond.
Mei Jiu thought she had finally calmed down. “After this scene you’ve caused, how am I supposed to face our clansmen? What about mother and sister?”
“Don’t you know,” An Jiu said coldly, “not everyone is as useless as you, always looking to depend on others to survive. Mei Yanran and Mei Ruyan can survive anywhere, but without them, you’re as good as dead! Since you’re so incompetent, stop pretending to be a protector. It’s disgusting!”
For the first time, Mei Jiu realized that words could kill invisibly. These words felt like a hand tightly gripping her throat, leaving her breathless and voiceless.
An Jiu didn’t intend to let her off, continuing to mock, “This family makes a living by killing. You don’t need to get along with your siblings because people with blood on their hands don’t deserve to have a family!”
Sensing Mei Jiu’s negativity, An Jiu smirked and slowly walked toward Master Qingming’s residence. She wouldn’t miss any chance to strengthen herself. Only by learning the skills to survive in this world would she have the opportunity to choose her path.
When she returned to Qingming’s residence, Lu Qingming was giving a Zen lecture. The courtyard was filled with meditation cushions, and people sat cross-legged.
Lu Qingming had changed into monk’s robes. He sat refreshed on a large rock by the pond, his beard, and hair frost-like, his eyes clear—a stark contrast to his disheveled appearance that morning.
Lu Qingming’s gaze rested on An Jiu, who stood under the orange tree. He seemed to look at her, yet not see her. “Tranquility comes from within. Don’t seek it externally. Let go of past troubles, don’t worry about the future, and don’t cling to the present. Then your heart will be at peace. When your heart doesn’t envy others or covet anything, when it’s free of selfish desires, it will always be tranquil. Don’t overvalue what you have, don’t envy others, don’t covet what others have. If you envy or covet, you won’t realize that your heart is Buddha, and you won’t find inner peace. When you learn to appreciate the serenity of solitude, you’ll no longer be lonely.”
An Jiu repeated the last sentence in her mind.
Lu Qingming asked, “You seem deep in thought. Have you gained any insight?”
Everyone turned to look at the beautiful yet frail girl standing under the orange tree. Beneath the abundant orange fruits, her face was bright but not overly vibrant. When she smiled, there was an inexplicable coldness to her beauty.
She said, “Master is teaching self-entertainment. But loneliness is loneliness, no matter how serene it might be.”
“What a stubborn stone. I wonder if, when cracked open, it will reveal a beautiful jade or remain just a stone,” Lu Qingming chuckled. “Go tend to the sheep for now.”
An Jiu replied with a “Yes” and left the courtyard.
“Uncle didn’t take her to the ancestral hall for punishment!” Mei Tingxuan said resentfully.
“Mei Seven, go pick ten baskets of oranges and send them to the elders,” Lu Qingming said.
Mei Tingxuan knew this was punishment for her unpeaceful mind, so she didn’t argue and went to pick oranges.
An Jiu followed her nose to find the back of the house, released all the sheep from their pen, and herded the lead sheep towards the southern slope.
Mei Tingxuan, standing in the orange tree, saw this and muttered, “She knows how to herd sheep.”
An Jiu’s grandmother had owned a farm. As a child, she occasionally visited and helped herd sheep. After her grandmother passed away, the farm was sold, and she has lived in the city ever since. Until she began her career as an assassin, she often reminisced about her childhood experiences, though that carefree innocence could never be recaptured.
In her life, she had two outstanding skills—killing and herding sheep.