Hidden Shadow – CH 297

Chapter Two-Hundred-Ninety-Seven: Whose White Flower Has Just Grown (2)

The Hua family’s dinner was unusually quiet.

After dinner, Prime Minister Hua and Hua Rongtian left early due to their respective official duties, while Hua Rongjian and Hua Rongjun stayed to talk with the Old Madam.

Mei Jiu had long heard of the two brothers’ reputations, but upon seeing them in person, she felt that the rumors were not entirely true. Hua Rongjun was not as cheerful as she had imagined; despite his young age, he had a melancholy air about him. Hua Rongjian, on the other hand, was more talkative but not as unreliable as the rumors suggested.

“Second Sister-in-law does not look well; she should go out more,” the usually taciturn Hua Rongjun suddenly interjected.

The Old Madam disagreed. “A young lady should be quiet, take care of her health, and give Second Brother a healthy baby boy soon!”

It was generally believed that women who practice martial arts were physically strong, but too much of a good thing could be bad; those women with high martial arts skills were actually less likely to conceive. Mei Ruyan glanced at Hua Rongjian, and seeing his reluctance to speak, rose and said, “Mother is right. Thank you for your concern, brother-in-law.”

“You must also remember this,” the Old Madam said, looking at Mei Jiu.

Mei Jiu had been married into the Hua family for over a year, and every day she would pay her respects to the Old Madam morning and evening, rain or shine, regardless of whether the Old Madam saw her or not.

If she were an ordinary daughter-in-law, it would not be a problem, but Mei Jiu was someone sent by the Emperor, and such attentiveness inevitably made people suspect ulterior motives. To prevent Mei Jiu from harming Hua Rongtian, the Old Madam secretly sent people to monitor her, but each time the guards reported back, she was either embroidering, writing, painting, playing the zither, or reading and playing Weiqi. Looking at the embroidery and calligraphy the guards retrieved from her, they discovered that she was actually a woman of great talent, completely unlike the assassins of the Konghe Army!

The Old Madam did not know much about the Konghe Army; ninety percent of her knowledge of female assassins came from her previous eldest daughter-in-law.

Hua Rongtian’s first wife was no fool either. However, since she devoted most of her energy to martial arts training, her knowledge of music, Weiqi, calligraphy, and painting was only superficial. She was far from achieving the level of skill Mei Jiu possessed.

These things could not be innate, especially calligraphy. It would take over a decade of practice to write like that. How could a female assassin spend all her time on such things? The Old Madam was puzzled.

“Your daughter-in-law will heed Mother’s teachings,” Mei Jiu said, rising.

The Old Madam, seeing her every move as that of a sheltered young lady, found it even more unbelievable. She said to Hua Rongjian and Hua Rongjun, “You two go ahead with your work. I will speak with the eldest and second sons’ wives.”

The two brothers looked slightly surprised, pausing for a moment before getting up to leave.

A maidservant brought tea.

The Old Madam waved for all the maids to leave, leaving only an old woman and a personal maidservant by her side.

“We both know perfectly well how you two married into this family. I do not want to waste my breath explaining,” the Old Madam said. The Old Madam was usually obedient to her husband and son, giving the impression of a woman lacking independent thought, but at this moment, her authority was oppressive. “Being confined to this courtyard is not as liberating as walking in the dark, experiencing the freedom of death,” she said.

Her words carried a deeper meaning.

Mei Jiu replied, “Like duckweed born of water, yet rootless and adrift, if given a handful of earth, I would gladly be crushed into dust.”

She meant that being in the Konghe Army was a matter of necessity, and if someone could give her peace, she would be willing to die in that peace.

She met the Old Madam’s scrutiny with a resolute gaze. She was usually charming and delicate, but now all her vulnerability was hidden.

After her rebirth, Mei Jiu had pondered many things. For example, her pitiful yet feigned strength could soften Hua Rongtian’s gaze, but it would only provoke disdain from other women. This insight came from An Jiu; if she had not so openly expressed her disdain, Mei Jiu would not be so keenly observing the subtle reactions of those around her. Mei Jiu was inherently a woman of an extremely delicate and sensitive nature, and having spent so much time with her maids, she had already grasped eight or nine tenths of their thoughts.

After Mei Jiu stated her position, Mei Ruyan immediately followed. “My heart is with my sister.”

She did not call her sister-in-law, but rather “sister,” intending to make the Old Madam understand that they were both women of the Mei family, bound together in the same boat.

However, Mei Ruyan preferred freedom.

“Very good.” The Old Madam’s expression relaxed slightly. “I only want to tell you that I am merely a mother, I neither understand nor concern myself with politics, but anyone who dares to harm my son, I will exact revenge a hundredfold.”

The two women agreed verbally, but in their hearts, they thought, “The one who most wants to harm your son is the Emperor!”

However, although the Old Madam’s attitude was relaxed, she thought to herself, “These two women are more difficult to deal with than the previous one!”

Ordinary female assassins did not have so many schemes in their minds. Even if they were somewhat cunning, how could they compare to the Old Madam, a master of inner courtyard intrigue? Despite her current situation—no mother-in-law, no sisters-in-law, and a weak daughter-in-law—she had once lived with her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law and had her share of squabbles.

The three women spoke for a while before the Old Madam dismissed them.

The snow outside had subsided. Mei Ruyan, holding an umbrella, walked alongside Mei Jiu, trying to ingratiate herself. “Are you from the eldest branch of the family, sister?”

Hearing Mei Ruyan’s affectionate address of “sister,” Mei Jiu felt a moment of disorientation, suddenly understanding many things. Before, she had not met many people, and among the group of girls confined together, Mei Ruyan was the kindest to her. Therefore, she naturally considered Mei Ruyan her best sister. Now, she was no longer herself, yet Mei Ruyan’s address of “sister” remained unchanged…

“You should still call me sister-in-law,” Mei Jiu said with a smile. “We must be careful about our relationship.”

“Sister-in-law is right,” Mei Ruyan replied, her smile deepening.

Whether it was the Mei Ruyan of the past or the Mei Ruyan of the present, she always possessed this affable quality. Even strangers or those with whom she harbored resentment found it difficult to remain cold. Mei Jiu thought that perhaps only An Jiu in this world could do that.

Thinking of An Jiu, Mei Jiu remembered that An Jiu had once told her about Mei Ruyan’s allegiance to Wei Yuzhi.

Even who Wei Yuzhi was, it was An Jiu who had explained it to her.

That was irrelevant. What mattered was that she knew Mei Ruyan had allied herself with the Liao Kingdom and joined the Konghe Army. Whatever the reasons behind it, she could take precautions in advance.

Seeing that Mei Jiu’s answer was irrelevant, Mei Ruyan knew she was not interested in establishing a connection, so she did not press the issue.

The two parted ways at the archway, heading to their respective rooms.

Thick cotton was sewn into the curtains to block the cold. A stove burned inside, making it warm as spring. Upon entering, one could immediately feel the heavy dampness on their clothes.

Mei Jiu, attended by her maids, changed her clothes behind a screen, dismissed everyone in the room, and sat on the couch with a book in her hand. Most of the maids were there to monitor her, so she preferred to be alone most of the time.

“What you said to your mother-in-law was so sentimental and fake; it gave me goosebumps,” a woman’s voice suddenly spoke in the quiet room.

The words were disdainful, but the tone clearly implied, “Well done!”

Mei Jiu looked up in surprise and saw a slender figure sitting down in the chair opposite her.