Six black-clad women stood like statues in the night wind on the western side of the Chaotic Graveyard.
One broke the deathly silence, “It’s time.”
In an instant, they vanished, leaving only after images.
Upon entering the graveyard, one of the women blew a whistle that sounded like an eagle’s cry. Soon, a similar whistle responded from another direction, and she swiftly ran towards it.
Before long, she spotted An Jiu crouching in the grass.
“Did you get the dagger?” The woman landed in front of An Jiu.
Hearing their coded signal, An Jiu realized her movements might have been under surveillance. She pulled out the dagger she had taken from the young man, “I’m not sure if this is it.”
The woman glanced at it and nodded, “If you found it, it belongs to you.”
An Jiu was puzzled. She had obtained this dagger by chance! Was it arranged by the Old Madam? Or did the young man find it in the graveyard, only for her to take it from him?
The second scenario seemed too coincidental, but the first was unlikely too. There was no need for such elaborate schemes if four daggers could cause such chaos among untrained children.
An Jiu carefully recalled her two encounters with the young man. Despite many suspicious points, it didn’t seem related to the Mei family.
“Come with me back to Mei Hua Village,” the woman said.
Recognizing her as Mei Yanran’s trusted person, An Jiu agreed and silently followed her out of the graveyard.
Over ten horses waited at the bottom of the slope. The woman asked, “Can you ride?”
“Yes,” An Jiu replied. She had learned at the farm, and horseback riding was the only unladylike skill Mei Yanran had taught Mei Jiu.
An Jiu chose a sturdy black stallion. The woman gave her an extra glance before riding ahead.
Nighttime riding was challenging, but An Jiu’s keen eyesight compensated for her average skill, allowing her to keep up.
After half an hour, the light dimmed further.
At first, a few large raindrops fell. Then the rain intensified, turning into a downpour that instantly soaked their clothes.
The countryside was cold. Mei Jiu awoke, disoriented by the bumpy ride. “Where are we?”
An Jiu responded emotionlessly, “Are you blind?”
Mei Jiu felt hurt. The rain was so thick she couldn’t see beyond two zhang away. All she knew was they were in the wilderness!
As rainwater slid down her face, affecting her vision, Mei Jiu raised her hand to wipe it away.
The sudden clash of two consciousnesses destabilized their body. With one hand off the reins due to Mei Jiu’s control, An Jiu’s entire body tilted left. In the split second of sluggishness caused by suppressing Mei Jiu’s consciousness, she was violently thrown off!
As the horse galloped at full speed, her body flew like a kite with cut strings, crashing hard into a tree trunk as thick as a bowl. The impact resonated in her mind like a thunderclap.
An Jiu felt her soul almost leave her body, followed by complete numbness.
Mei Jiu lost consciousness, but An Jiu remained awake, coughing up blood.
“Whoa!” The black-clad woman’s heart skipped a beat as she reined in her horse and turned back.
“Fourteenth Miss!” She leaped off her horse and rushed to examine An Jiu. “This is bad!”
She quickly took off her outer garment to cover An Jiu and released a signal flare.
The sharp sound pierced the rainy night, exploding loudly in the sky above.
About the time it took to drink a cup of tea later, a rider emerged from the rain curtain. A man’s voice called out, “What happened?”
An Jiu heard the woman reply, “The Fourteenth Miss fell from her horse and hit a tree. Her internal organs are injured, but I can’t determine if her spine is damaged. I dare not move her.”
The newcomer approached and placed cold fingers on her wrist.
After a moment, he asked, “Can you move?”
An Jiu gathered her strength to sit up, spat out a mouthful of blood, and said hoarsely, “My spine isn’t broken.”
The man paused, then said, “Hold on for a while. I’ll drive a carriage to take you to Elder Qi.”
“Mm,” An Jiu closed her eyes.
The black-clad person saw her deathly pale face, yet devoid of any pain. After a moment of silence, he turned and left.
There was a rustling beside her. An Jiu slightly opened her eyes to see the black-clad woman crouching next to her. A strange feeling arose in her heart, making her let down her guard and fall into a deep sleep.
If An Jiu had a dream, it used to be owning a farm. Now, it was killing Mei Jiu. As an assassin, she had suffered injuries far worse than this, but never had she felt so pathetic!
Mei Jiu kept lowering the bar for stupidity. It was simply intolerable!
An Jiu was certain this was heaven’s punishment for her countless killings.
In the sound of pouring rain, An Jiu’s blood mixed with rainwater, forming small streams in the night.
The rain continued on and off for three days, causing a sudden drop in temperature. It already felt like early winter.
The day after those who took the Dark School test returned, everyone who needed to know in the Mei household had received the news: Mei Tingzhu and Mei Tingjun had fought each other to a standstill, Mei Tingyuan’s right arm was injured by hidden attackers, and only Mei Tingchun had returned unscathed. However, none of them had obtained a dagger. Surprisingly, Mei Fourteen, the least promising candidate, had unexpectedly acquired a dagger.
This news greatly pleased Elder Zhi! Yet, this capable person had fallen from her horse on the return journey and remained unconscious until now!
Given this unreliable outcome, several elders believed the Mei family’s future was worrisome.
…
In Yuweiju, the lights were dim.
Mei Jiu felt she had slept for a long time. When she woke, her mouth and tongue were parched.
“Ah!” She tried to sit up but grimaced in pain at the slightest movement.
“My lady is awake!” Yaoyue exclaimed joyfully, parting the bed curtains. “Please don’t move, my lady. Let this servant help you with anything you need.”
“Water,” Mei Jiu’s throat was so dry that even this single word hurt terribly.
Yaoyue poured a cup of water and fed her slowly with a small spoon. “Does my lady feel better now?”
“Yes, much better,” Mei Jiu replied.
Yaoyue wrung out a cloth to wipe her face, sighing, “How did my lady fall from the horse?”
Recalling the incident, Mei Jiu felt guilty. When she had awakened, she was confused and didn’t realize they were on horseback…
“An Jiu,” Mei Jiu called softly in her heart.
There was no response. She thought An Jiu must be very angry.
“My lady?” Yaoyue, seeing no reaction, was startled.
“I’m fine,” Mei Jiu replied absent-mindedly.
“That’s good.” Yaoyue tucked in her blanket. “Lady Yan watched over you for two days and nights. Elder Zhi finally persuaded her to rest. I’ve sent someone to inform Lady Yan that you’re awake.”
Mentioning Mei Yanran brought Mei Jiu out of her self-reproach. “How is Mother?”
How could she be well? Mei Jiu was Mei Yanran’s most precious treasure. She had been unconscious for three full days, leaving Mei Yanran anxious and wishing she could take her place.
“It’s all my fault,” Mei Jiu murmured.
Yaoyue consoled her, “Don’t say that, my lady. What mother doesn’t worry about her daughter? Your entry into the Dark School was unavoidable, and Lady Yan couldn’t prevent it. She’s very distressed. You should take good care of yourself when you’re away and practice diligently. That’s the best way to put Lady Yan’s mind at ease.”
Mei Jiu froze.
She had always thought that obedience was the way to show respect and filial piety to her mother. She was accustomed to her mother’s protection but had never considered what she could do in return.
Seeing that her words had an impact, Yaoyue said no more. “I’ll go prepare your evening meal, my lady. There are maids outside if you need anything. Just call out.”
“Alright,” Mei Jiu mumbled.
She thought for a long time, suddenly feeling enlightened. However, when she calmed down, she noticed a subtle difference in her body—the heaviness in her heart that had been present since discovering An Jiu’s existence was gone!
So An Jiu…