The second chapter~
Chapter 2 – The Seven Mei Sons, All ValorousSixteen years later.
During Old Master Mei's major 50th birthday, the Mei Islet Top was decorated with lanterns and coloured streamers. Various jianghu personages came to congratulate him.
At Mei mansion main gate, the birthday man was receiving guests. Standing behind him was a row of young men, each and every one of them exceptionally talented and handsome, tall and brilliant. How many of them? Let's count one by one together. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. All of them were exactly the seven children that Old Master Mei proud of.
Everyone said that: In heaven a Big Dipper, on earth seven Mei sons.
Among the current jianghu young generation, these seven Mei sons were categorised as the most eye-catching.
The eldest was twenty-nine while the youngest was fifteen.
"Seventh brother, look. That is our family next door's Master Tao Hua Wu's little daughter. Her nickname is Peach Blossom Immortal. Doesn’t she looks gorgeous?" The sixth Mei young master at the side bumped repeatedly his elbow at Mei Qian Deng.
Mei Qian Deng's small face remained serious as she focused.
She replied, "Still not as gorgeous as my future sixth sister-in-law."
A month earlier, Old Master Mei had just arranged a good engagement for his sixth son. Therefore, among the seven Mei sons, only the youngest one, Mei Qian Deng had yet to be married. Because of that, various families and factions fixed their eyes on the remaining Mei Qian Deng, hoping to squeeze over their families' daughter as Mei family's Little Daughter-in-Law.
"Brother Mei really has a great luck for all your seven sons are outstanding figures."
Another guest had appeared.
"Alliance Leader Zhao has exaggerate. This Alliance Leader Zhao's pair of daughter and son is the true outstanding talent one."
He was Martial Arts Alliance Leader. Following behind him was a pair of dragon and phoenix twin. Their appearance were extremely good and their age were similar with Mei Qian Deng.
Alliance Leader Zhao's attention swept across the six young men before him before finally landed on Mei Qian Deng.
"So this is the youngest child that that year Brother Mei released a thousand of Kongming lanterns at Plum Islet Top to pray for his good fortune?"
That year, it was a celebration for Mei Qian Deng's one month. Old Master Mei extremely doted his youngest child. With a single wave of his sleeve like a nouveau riche, he signalled to release a thousand of lanterns for the child's one month occasion. Mei Qian Deng's fame then began from there. The spectacular scene of a thousand lanterns hanging in the air in a quiet night, there was an old momo in Mei family courtyard who would harp on every time she reminiscent about Mei Qian Deng. "Ah, that night, the thousand lanterns surpassed the starry sky's radiance as if there were a thousand full bright moons. It was extremely beautiful."
"Younger generation pays respect to Alliance Leader."
Mei Qian Deng's figure was slender and tall, had no flabby part on the body. The eyebrows were, compared to the elder brothers, much prettier a few parts. With a pair of crimson phoenix eyes and oval face, red lips and white teeth, she was strikingly alike Adonis. Although she was young, she was completely composed. She had trained Mei family's hidden knife art until the acme of perfection, absolutely was not inferior to her elder brothers.
Alliance Leader Zhao couldn’t help but to look longer at Mei Qian Deng. He satisfyingly nodded his head and called his twin children, "Mo Ran, Shu Ran, the two of you were of same age with Qian Deng. Both of you need to visit each other more and ask martial arts advice from him. Can both of you remember it?"
"Yes."
Martial Arts Alliance Leader before entered, he winked his eyes at Old Master Mei. His smile undulated as his face fully written with: Brother, I want to arrange a marriage with your family! Old Master Mei had his blue veins on his forehead pit-pat as he turned around to look at his own youngest child. Aiyo, this unexpected situation really made him worry.
"Qian Deng, come over here. Father has some words with you."
Mei Qian Deng was brought by her father to a wall corner. Old Master Mei started with kneaded between his eyebrows. He was truly troubled. On the surface, Mei Qian Deng was an honest youngster but in fact was slow-witted and her EQ was emphatically not too high. She saw her father's face twisted in agony but because she didn’t know the reason, she just remained well-behaved and stood at the side without saying a word as she decided to not disturb her father's assuage grief.
After a long time, Old Master Mei had seemed to make up his mind as he finally opened his mouth. "Ah, Qian Deng, when you were born, father was chattered away by those grandfathers and uncles of yours until my head muddled and harmed you for fifteen years. I had personally see you past your hairpin ceremony[1]. If father continue to be muddled further, it will end with you remaining single for your whole life. So, father had decided during this birthday celebration to reveal your actual female identity to the public!"
Mei Qian Deng blinked her eyes. There was no fluctuation in her expression. Her eyes were black yet bright but not profound. With a single glance, anyone would know she was a person whose heart had no distracting thoughts.
Presently, Old Master Mei had received two irritations. One was all the jianghu people wanted to push their daughters to marry his youngest daughter. This was absolutely the biggest joke in the world! Two was the other families' daughters were already lovesick at fifteen years old yet his daughter had no one bit of lovesick sign. He was afraid that these few years, Mei Qian Deng herself had forgotten she was a girl herself.
Hence, Old Master Mei decided, rather than telling those various heroes and men who wanted to marry for Mei Qian Deng today to wait foolishly a few more years since at that time they would scold his Mei family was not human[2], he would rather reveal earlier for he did not want to delay the lifelong happiness of his own daughter and other families' daughters.
He thought back to the moment Mei Qian Deng was born. When Old Master Mei heard it was a girl, he was crying tears of joy. He thought that the Mei family hundred year curse of giving birth to only son had finally got rid of! However, not long later, the few elders that hear the news stormed over. They practically held their treasured swords on Old Master Mei's neck as they threatened, "Mei family must never has a daughter. This daughter will harm our Mei family's status in jianghu. Mei family's hundred year fame is established based on the fundamental of pure men only."
Fuck their pure men only!
Old Master Mei had nothing to do with it.
"Ah, Qian Deng, go to your room to change your clothes. Later, appear only when father call you over."
Qian Deng lowered her head to look over her current clothes. It was newly made by mother and looked still good.
"Go now."
"Oh."
After the father and daughter duo went far, a young man appeared from the other side of the wall. He stared in trance at Mei Qian Deng's back.
The birthday feast started.
"Mo Ran, where did you run off to earlier? This place is not like our house, don’t bring trouble to me." Alliance Leader Zhao caught his son and carried his back to their table.
On the main table, Old Master Mei build up some morale as he looked around. Jianghu personages mainly ate at the main hall. It was a good opportunity. He cleared his throat and raised his cup as he said, "Truly honoured by everyone's attendance to congratulate my[Mei mo[3]] birthday. I[Mei mo] can't thank all of you enough."
After finished saying, he drank the whole cup of wine.
Everyone payed close attention to Old Master Mei. The latter continued, "Today, there is still a matter that needs to be stated clearly to everyone."
Someone immediately cut in. "It can't be that it's an announcement about Little Young Master Mei is going to marry a family's daughter?"
Bang! Old Master Mei smashed a wine cup angrily onto the wine table as he stood up.
"The matter indeed has a connection with her[4] but it's not about marriage matter. Instead it's——"
Just as he was about to reveal the truth, who would have known at this critical moment, a shrill voice surpassed Old Master Mei. It swooped down the whole area as it shouted, "An Imperial Edict has arrived——!"
At this moment, Old Master Mei's heart crumbled a bit.
"According to the god's will, the Emperor decreed: The seven Mei sons are talented exquisite fine gentlemen, are well-behaved and have exquisite martial art skill. They are truly the pillars of the youths. Today, specially confer Mei family youngest son Mei Qian Deng as the Crown Prince's study partner. Within the next few days, he will leave for the capital. By the Emperor himself." After finished reciting the Imperial Edict, the court eunuch from the palace smiled widely as he asked Old Master Mei, "May I know which one is Mei Qian Deng the Little Young Master?"
Old Master Mei's scalp was tingling. He completely did not expect this unforeseen accident.
Sixteen years ago, the Empress and Generalissimo Madam came to Mei family to ask for two bowls of water to drink. Not long after returning, they were pregnant and both gave birth to a son each. Because of this matter, the Emperor and Generalissimo dispatched some people over to send a large amount of reward.
But actually, Old Master Mei could not understand those imperial court people's mind.
He had ridiculed with his wife, "The Emperor and Generalissimo finally had a son. That is the fruit of their great effort in bed. I[Laozi] don't give a damn about it. It's not like I[Laozi] am the one who let the Empress and Generalissimo Madam pregnant. Where have I contribute? Wife, don’t you agree with me?"
Madam Mei instantly kicked him down the bed for a round of thrashing.
Who would have thought the Emperor was a loyal person, after sixteen years, he had still remember his Mei family.
Normally, becoming the Crown Prince's study partner was a good job. The Crown Prince was the future Emperor. If able to foster good relationship with the Crown Prince, Mei family could bloom both in jianghu and imperial court, ruling both black and white sides. If the ancestors at the netherworld found out, they would surely be delighted.
However——!
Qian Deng was a girl. How could she be the Crown Prince's study partner?
Furthermore——!
If he revealed the truth that Qian Deng was actually a girl in front of this court eunuch and so could not be the Crown Prince's study partner, wasn’t it going to be the crime of deceiving the Emperor?
Old Master Mei's inner heart had thoroughly collapsed.
"I am Mei Qian Deng."
Mei Qian Deng walked forward. Elegant and charming, she was dignified in appearance. She followed her father's order, returning to her room to change into a nice-looking clothes. The light greenish blue silk clothes were covered with a layer of muslin. It gave the impression of a vast expanse of misty, rolling waters. It matched her forever calm crimson phoenix eyes, just like a celestial being reclusive of the world. She tied up all her hair with a similar colour hair string. It was neat and tidy, matched with her usual outwardly dull temper with not a shred of sloppy appearance.
This was absolutely a cool and admirable beautiful young man!
Where would she have the impression of a young girl?
The court eunuch was awed by Mei Qian Deng's elegant demeanour as he praised, "No wonder they are the seven Mei sons, they really are outstanding youngsters." Then, he shoved the Imperial Edict into Mei Qian Deng's bosom.
Qian Deng received it without delay.
Lightning flashed and thunders rumbled in Old Master Mei's mind. It's over, already received the Imperial Edict. If still want to say that Qian Deng is actually a girl, this will really be the crime of deceiving the Emperor.
After a silent for a moment, the jianghu personages returned to their senses as they hurriedly came forward to congratulate Old Master Mei. It really is a double blessing descended upon the house!
"Brother Mei, earlier what matter you wanted to announce?" Alliance Leader Zhao somehow still remembered the matter before being interrupted by the Imperial Edict.
"It—It's nothing."
Old Master Mei supported his forehead as he walked to the back hall. He wanted to have a moment of alone.
Mei Qian Deng chased over. "Father, do you think the clothes I'm wearing now is pretty?"
Old Master Mei cried without tear.
This stupid child, earlier father wanted you to change into female clothes! She actually didn’t understand his meaning.
Never mind then since it is the will of Heaven.
The eunuch who came to reveal the edict did not leave. He said he wanted to accompany Little Young Master Mei to enter the capital together.
At midnight, Old Master Mei called Mei Qian Deng into the study room.
This child was among his seven children, the best practitioner of the hidden knife arts, has the best martial art talent. Her heart had no other disturbing ideas as she focused solely on learning, completely persistent in it. It was because of her focused heart that made her behaviour toward others aspect a bit lacking. At Mei house, everyone given in to her naturally since it was no matter. However, she was going to the capital city and stayed beside the Crown Prince. What to do if she offended the Crown Prince?!
"Qian Deng, these two pieces of jade pendants, you have to take good care of them. Only as a last resort should you quickly take them out."
Old Master Mei told her the story of the origin of the two jade pendants and of the Empress praying for son.
"Father in the past had never planned to use these two pieces of jade pendants."
It was exactly the same line he used that year when he rejected the idea of using the Chun Yang Spring water into a product of a national chain stores. Those fuckers didn’t give birth to a son is not my[Laozi]'s problem. If, because the Empress and Generalissimo Madam gave birth to son after drinking his family spring water and he went to the capital to ask reward and stole others' credit, Mei family's integrity was just like being eaten by the big black mastiff dog beside the stone tablet at the foot of Jing Yang Mountains.
Furthermore, the Divine Doctor had once said, giving birth to son or daughter, all are up to the father. Getting son only by depending on the son-praying water, Old Master Mei thought that those two fathers would never admit that. Wasn’t this a big slap to the true Son of Heaven and the mighty Generalissimo's face?! To point out that their certain function was not working properly?
He blew away some of the dust off the two pieces of jade pendants and then carefully put them into Mei Qian Deng's hand and told her, "You have to take good care of them. If you ever offend the Crown Prince, just bring out the yellow jade pendant and ask for the Emperor to pardon your life and release you back to our house. If the matter is extremely serious, bring over this black jade pendant to the Generalissimo mansion. I heard that the relationship between the Emperor and the Generalissimo is extremely good so use it to ask Lord Generalissimo to ask for your pardon too."
Mei Qian Deng responded once. She didn’t care one bit about this Crown Prince.
"Anyway, remember. After entering the palace, you must not be wilful. You need to pay attention to the custom there. Never, absolutely never offend the Crown Prince. Do you understand?!"
Mei Qian Deng pondered briefly before arbitrarily changed the meaning, "En, unless a last resort, will not go offend the Crown Prince."
[1] A coming of age ceremony, for females, they receive hairpin ceremony at 15 while for males, they receive capping ceremony at 20
[2] Which means his Mei family has bad moral conduct, far worse than human until no longer considered as human
[3] 梅某, Mei mo, a term addressing oneself loosely as This Mei
[4] As all of you may know, the word for she and he has same pinyin yet different strokes in Mandarin so while Old Master Mei was referring Mei Qian Deng as she, the others that did not know the truth thought he was referring Mei Qian Deng as he.