Hidden Shadow – CH 041

Chapter Forty-One: Severely Injured

On the west side of the mass grave, six black-clad women stood like tombstones in the night wind.

One of them broke the silence: “The time has come.”

Their figures flashed, leaving only afterimages in an instant.

One of the black-clad women blew a whistle as soon as she entered the mass grave, her voice like the cry of an eagle. Soon, the same whistle sounded from another direction, and the black-clad woman immediately rushed towards it.

Soon, she saw An Jiu crouching in the grass.

“Did you get the dagger?” The black-clad woman landed in front of An Jiu.

An Jiu had heard their coded message and knew her movements might have been monitored. She took out the dagger she had taken from the young man. “I wonder if this is it?”

The black-clad woman glanced at it and nodded. “Since you’ve found it, it’s yours.”

An Jiu was surprised. This dagger was clearly obtained by accident! Could it also be arranged by the Grand Madam? Or perhaps the young man accidentally obtained the dagger in the graveyard, only to have it snatched by her…

The second possibility would be too coincidental, but the first was also unlikely. Four mere daggers could easily overwhelm several inexperienced children; there’s no need for such a fuss.

An Jiu carefully recalled her two encounters with the young man. Although there were many suspicious points, it did not seem to have anything to do with the Mei family.

“Come back to Mei Mansion with me first,” the black-clad woman said.

An Jiu recognized her as the person Mei Yanran had entrusted to her, so she agreed and silently followed her out of the mass grave.

A dozen or so horses were parked at the bottom of the slope. The black-clad woman asked, “Can you ride a horse?”

“Yes,” An Jiu replied. She had learned on the farm, and the only unladylike thing Mei Yanran had taught her was riding a horse.

An Jiu chose a strong, black steed. The black-clad woman glanced at her again, then whipped her horse and rode off.

Riding a horse at night was a true test of skill, and An Jiu’s skill was only average. However, her excellent eyesight kept her from falling behind.

Half an hour passed, and the light grew dimmer.

At first, a few large raindrops fell, then the rain became more concentrated, and a torrential downpour began. Her clothes were instantly soaked.

The countryside was cold. Mei Jiu woke up from the cold, finding her vision blurry. “Where am I?”

An Jiu showed no emotion. “Are you blind?”

Mei Jiu felt a little aggrieved. The rain was so thick that she could not see anything beyond two zhang¹, only knowing that she was in the middle of nowhere!

Rain streamed down her face, somewhat obstructing her vision. Mei Jiu raised her hand to wipe it.

The sudden clash between her two consciousnesses caused her to lose her balance. Coupled with one hand being freed from the reins by Mei Jiu, An Jiu’s body tilted to the left. In the instant she tried to suppress Mei Jiu’s sluggishness, she was abruptly thrown off!

The horse galloped away. Her body, like a kite with a broken string, crashed heavily into a tree trunk the size of a bowl, a muffled thud like a thunderclap echoing in her mind.

An Jiu felt as if her soul had almost left her body, followed by a complete loss of sensation.

Mei Jiu had fainted, but An Jiu remained awake, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

“Whoa—” The black-clad woman’s heart skipped a beat, and she reined in her horse, turning back.

“Fourteenth Young Lady!” She leaped off her horse and rushed to An Jiu’s side, examining her closely. “Oh no!”

She quickly untied her outer garment and covered An Jiu with it, releasing a signal.

A sharp sound tore through the rainy night, exploding in the sky with a deafening roar.

About the time it takes to brew a cup of tea. A man on horseback galloped through the rain, a male voice calling out, “What happened?”

An Jiu heard the black-clad woman say, “Fourteenth Young Lady fell from her horse and hit a tree. Internal injuries are confirmed, but we cannot determine if her vertebrae are broken. I dare not move her.” The newcomer walked to her side, his cold fingers pressing against her wrist.

After a moment, he asked, “Can you still move?”

An Jiu paused, forcing herself to sit up, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and said in a hoarse voice, “My vertebrae are not broken.”

The man hesitated for a moment, then said, “Hold on a little longer; I will take you to Elder Qi’s place.”

“Alright.” An Jiu closed her eyes.

The black-clad man saw her pale face, yet showed no sign of pain, remained silent for two breaths, and then turned and left.

A rustling sound beside her, An Jiu slightly opened her eyes and saw the black-clad woman squatting down beside her. A strange feeling welled up inside her, making her no longer need to be wary, and she fell into a deep sleep.

If An Jiu had any dreams, before it was to buy a farm; now it was to kill Mei Jiu. As an assassin, she had suffered injuries many times more severe than this, but never had she felt so humiliated!

Mei Jiu had repeatedly lowered the bar for intelligence; this was intolerable!

An Jiu was certain this was divine punishment for her countless murders.

Amidst the rushing sound, An Jiu’s blood mingled with the rain, gathering into a gurgling stream in the darkness.

The rain had fallen intermittently for three days, the temperature plummeted, and the air felt like early winter.

The day after those who had undergone the test of secret arts returned, everyone in the Mei family who needed to know the results had received the news: Mei Tingzhu and Mei Tingjun had fought to a standstill, Mei Tingyuan had been scratched on the right arm by an ambush, and only Mei Tingchun had escaped unscathed. However, none of the four had obtained a dagger. Only Fourteenth Young Lady, the least favored among them, had unexpectedly obtained one.

What a gratifying piece of news for Elder Zhi! Yet, this very capable girl had fallen from his horse on the return journey and remained unconscious!

With such an unreliable result, the elders believed the future of the Mei family was bleak.

…In the dimly lit Yuwei Residence.

Mei Jiu felt as if she had slept for a very long time; when she awoke, her mouth was terribly dry.

“Ah!” She tried to sit up, but the slightest movement caused her face to contort in pain.

“Young Lady is awake!” Yao-Ye exclaimed with delight, parting the bed curtains. “Do not move, Young Lady. What do you need? I will help you.”

“Water.” Mei Jiu’s throat was dry; even a single word felt excruciating.

Yao-Ye poured a cup of water and fed her spoonful by spoonful. “Are you feeling better, Young Lady?”

“Yes, much better,” Mei Jiu replied.

Yao-Ye wrung out a handkerchief to wipe her face, sighing, “How could the young lady have fallen off the horse?”

Mei Jiu recalled the situation and felt a pang of guilt. She had been somewhat dazed when she woke up, only noticing her swaying vision and not realizing she was riding a horse…

“An Jiu,” Mei Jiu called softly in her heart.

No one answered. She thought, An Jiu must be very angry.

“Young Lady?” Yao-Ye was startled by her lack of response.

“I am fine,” Mei Jiu said absentmindedly.

“That’s good.” Yao-Ye tucked the blanket around her. “Lady Yan stayed by your side for two days and two nights, and it was not until Elder Zhi persuaded her to go back and rest that she finally agreed. I will send someone to tell Lady Yan.”

Mentioning Mei Yanran brought Mei Jiu back from her self-pity. “Is Mother alright?”

How could she be alright? Mei Jiu was Mei Yanran’s lifeblood. This time, she had been unconscious for three whole days, and Mei Yanran had been worried sick for three days, wishing she could take her place.

“It’s all my fault,” Mei Jiu murmured.

Yao-Ye comforted her. “Do not say that, Young Lady. What mother does not love her daughter? Your joining the Dark School was unavoidable; Lady Yan could not stop you, and she’s heartbroken. You must take good care of yourself while you are away and practice your skills diligently. That way, Lady Yan can feel more at ease.”

Mei Jiu froze.

She had always thought that obedience was the only way to respect and be filial to her mother. She was used to her mother’s protection but had never thought about doing anything herself.

Seeing that she had taken her words to heart, Yao-Ye said no more. “This servant will go prepare dinner for you, Young Lady. Maids are waiting outside the room; just let me know if you need anything.”

“Alright,” Mei Jiu murmured.

She thought for a long time, and then her mind cleared. However, when she calmed down, she noticed a subtle difference in her body—the heaviness in her heart that had been there since discovering An Jiu’s existence had disappeared!

That An Jiu…