Hidden Shadow – CH 026

Chapter Twenty-Six: The Assassin Family

Mei Zhengjing was the only surviving male member of the “Zheng” generation in the second branch of the family, besides the family head. At twenty-three, he was the most likely candidate to become the next family head. If the current family head had not died young, he would have been the successor to Elder Zhi. Therefore, even though he was unprincipled, his words carried considerable weight.

“Get out of here, everyone. Go back to your own mothers. Do not all stand around here and annoy people,” Mei Zhengjing, impatient with the onlookers, paused, then remembered something. “Tingjun, go back and tell that old codger I am taking Fourteenth to the ancestral hall to receive punishment.”

Mei Tingjun stopped and respectfully replied, “Yes.”

“Sister.” Mei Ruyan was about to speak when she saw Mei Zhengjing glaring at her, so she swallowed her words.

Mei Ruhan quickly pulled her away.

In the blink of an eye, only Mei Zhengjing and An Jiu remained in the bustling dining hall.

Mei Zhengjing walked away, and An Jiu followed behind him.

Leaving the dining hall and passing through a lush courtyard, they arrived at the cave.

The cave’s path was winding and secluded. There were no torches; initially, they could see clearly using the light filtering in from outside, but after walking several dozen paces, it was almost pitch black.

The sound of dripping water was amplified by the cave’s walls. Mei Zhengjing’s footsteps were barely audible; although there were clearly two people, only one footstep could be heard, creating an eerie atmosphere.

After walking for a while, Mei Zhengjing suddenly stopped. He was surprised to find that An Jiu had also stopped immediately.

“Why are you following me?” Mei Zhengjing asked.

An Jiu’s eyesight was excellent; even in this light, she could vaguely make out his smiling face. “Were you not taking me to the ancestral hall to receive my punishment?”

“Haha.” Mei Zhengjing reached out and patted her head. “Just kidding, do not take it seriously. Next time you actually kill someone, I will take you then.”

“Why are you helping me?” An Jiu asked.

Mei Zhengjing’s smile faded, and he said displeasedly, “I’ve always been upright and incorruptible. How could I be biased? Do not talk nonsense.”

“Sorry.” An Jiu was not in the mood to play games with him now. “The Mei family is an assassin organization, is it not?”

Mei Zhengjing did not know what “organization” meant, but he understood the word “assassin” and could grasp the meaning of An Jiu’s words. He carefully examined the girl before him again and commented, “You do not seem like a teenager.”

An Jiu was eager to know, but she patiently refrained from asking.

“An assassin,” Mei Zhengjing clicked his tongue. “Not entirely, but close.” An Jiu had not expected an answer, yet he’d spoken so easily. And the answer she received was so cruel.

Even though she’d anticipated it, An Jiu still found it hard to accept.

“Heh,” Mei Zhengjing chuckled, his tone a mixture of emotions. An Jiu could not discern the other emotions, but the mockery was clear.

He murmured, “I really do not know what he’s after.”

Mei Zhengjing left silently. She did not know how far he’d gone, but his echoing words reverberated in the cave: “You are a member of Mei Mansion. Under heaven, except for royalty, the Mei family can cover up any murder you commit. Just remember, you must not kill your own siblings or close relatives; otherwise, though the world is vast, there will be no place for you.”

A cracking sound came from the cave as An Jiu’s neatly trimmed nails dug deeply into her palm.

“It hurts,” Mei Jiu said angrily. “Have you not had enough?”

An Jiu did not answer.

Mei Jiu thought An Jiu had finally calmed down. “With you causing such a scene, how am I supposed to get along with my brothers and sisters in the clan? What about Mother and my sister?”

“Do you know,” An Jiu said coldly, “that not everyone is a burden like you, always trying to depend on someone to survive? Mei Yanran and Mei Ruyan can live anywhere, but you are doomed without them! Since you are so incompetent, do not put on this protective act and disgust people!”

For the first time, Mei Jiu felt that words could kill without leaving a trace. These words were like a hand tightly gripping her throat, making it impossible for her to breathe or utter a sound.

An Jiu had no intention of letting her off the hook, continuing her sarcasm: “This family lives by killing. You do not need to get along with your brothers and sisters at all, because those with blood on their hands have no right to have family!”

Sensing Mei Jiu’s despair, An Jiu curled her lips and slowly walked towards Master Qingming’s residence. She would not let go of any opportunity to strengthen herself. Only by learning the skills to survive in this world could she have the chance to choose her own path.

When they returned to Qingming Residence, Lu Qingming was lecturing on Zen. Floats were laid out in the courtyard, and everyone sat cross-legged.

Lu Qingming had changed into Zen robes, sitting refreshed on a large rock by the pond. His hair and beard were white as frost, and his eyes were clear and bright—a stark contrast to his disheveled appearance that morning.

Lu Qingming’s gaze lingered on An Jiu under the orange tree, seemingly looking at her, yet also seemingly not at her. “Tranquility originates from within; do not seek it externally. Let go of past troubles, do not worry about the future, and do not cling to the present, and your heart will be at peace. Your heart will not envy others, nor will it covet anything; it will be selfless, and at all times, your heart will hold tranquility. Do not overestimate what you have gained, do not compare yourself to others, do not envy others. If you compare yourself to others, if you constantly envy others, you will not know that your own heart is Buddha, and you will not attain a peaceful mind. When you understand the tranquility of solitude, you will no longer be alone.”

When you understand the tranquility of solitude, you will no longer be alone… An Jiu repeated these words in her heart.

Lu Qingming asked, “You seem lost in thought; have you gained any insights?” Everyone turned to follow his gaze and saw a beautiful yet frail girl standing under the orange tree. Beneath the abundant, golden oranges, her face was bright but not garish; however, when she smiled, she possessed a strange, cold beauty.

She said, “The master is teaching people to find joy in solitude, but loneliness is loneliness, no matter how tranquil it may be.”

“What a stubborn rock,” Lu Qingming chuckled, “but I wonder if what lies beneath will be a beautiful gem or just another rock. Go and herd the sheep.”

An Jiu said “Yes” and turned to leave the courtyard.

“Uncle really did not take her to the ancestral hall to receive her punishment!” Mei Tingyuan said bitterly.

“Seventh Young Lady Mei, go and pick ten baskets of oranges to deliver to the elders,” Lu Qingming said.

Mei Tingyuan knew this was punishment for her inner turmoil, so she did not argue and got up to pick oranges.

Following the scent, An Jiu found the back of the house, released all the sheep from their pen, and herded a few lead sheep towards the south slope.

Mei Tingyuan, watching from a perch in an orange tree, could not help but mutter, “She really knows how to herd sheep.”

An Jiu’s grandmother owned a farm, where she would occasionally play as a child and help herd sheep. After her grandmother passed away, the farm was sold, and she lived in the city ever since. Until she began making a living as a killer, she often relived her childhood experiences in her spare time, but that carefree innocence could never be found again.

She had two most outstanding skills in her life—killing and herding sheep.