Chapter 5: The Red Cloth Jade Pendant

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“Xier, during the time I am away in the capital, you must study diligently and quickly make up for the lessons you have missed. Soon, a great scholar will come from the capital with my letter to tutor you.”

In the study, Meng Hongchang held Meng Yuxi’s hand earnestly, giving her repeated advice.

“A great scholar? From the capital? We already have teachers at the residence to instruct my younger brothers and sisters-in-law. Why can’t they teach me?” Meng Yuxi felt that Meng Hongchang treated her differently, so she probed cautiously with her words.

Meng Hongchang smiled and gently shook his head.

“Although those teachers are among the top scholars in the south, they still lack some prestige. Your path ahead will be very long. Having a great scholar to guide you is the proper way.”

After speaking, Meng Hongchang took out a red cloth pouch from his inner garment.

“There is a jade pendant inside. I have kept it close to me all along. Now, I pass it to you. Well, ‘pass’ may not be the right word—this has always been yours.”

Meng Yuxi untied the red pouch. A long jade pendant appeared before her eyes. The front of the pendant was intricately carved with the pattern of two dragons playing with a pearl, vivid and exquisite. On the back, several lines of poetry were engraved in bold and imposing script, a sharp contrast to the delicate pattern on the front.

The poem read:

Nine dragons hidden in the sea,
Without the pearl, still there’s rivalry.
Ambition must soar to the peak,
Though lofty emptiness, guests abound.

Meng Yuxi touched the jade pendant, feeling its ancient and refined texture. Even within the entire Meng residence, she had never seen such a beautiful piece of jade.

“Who left this for me?” she asked in a low voice.

“Xier, just keep it close and never reveal it to others. This involves deep matters. I believe it will be useful soon.”

Meng Hongchang’s voice was low but each word was clear and deliberate, as if afraid of any misunderstanding.

Sensing the gravity of the matter, Meng Yuxi carefully wrapped the pendant back in the red cloth and hid it close to her body.

“These lines of poetry don’t look like they were carved with a blade or chisel.”

“Good eye, Xier. They weren’t carved with tools but inscribed using finger strength alone. That’s what gives it its unique value.”

“Such a hard piece of jade can be carved just by finger pressure?”

“Xier, there are countless experts in the Dali Kingdom. You were born with divine strength and have a promising future among the masters. Soon, I will assign Zhang Shilong and Zhao Senhu to be your personal guards. They are the most elite of the Meng family’s sworn retainers and are extremely loyal. If you’re interested, you can learn from them. But remember, you must study diligently, especially poetry.”

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Meng Hongchang’s constant reminders gave Meng Yuxi a nostalgic feeling, as if she had returned to her student days being grilled by her strict father.

“Old Meng, have you ever heard of Li Bai, Du Fu, Bai Juyi, or Su Shi?” she asked, one hand crossed over her chest, the index finger resting thoughtfully by her nose.

“Hmm... no, I haven’t. Are they some hidden masters?” Meng Hongchang frowned, racking his mind to find these unfamiliar names among court and scholarly circles, but to no avail.

“Highly esteemed, very high. But now it seems I’m not too lowly either.”

“Old Meng, you must have relied on your favor in the south for quite a lot over the years. Just look at this grand Meng residence—it’s truly impressive.”

Meng Yuxi chuckled and wrapped an arm around Meng Hongchang’s shoulder, shifting the topic. Her teasing words made Meng Hongchang tremble slightly.

“Xier, don’t say such things! All my income comes from my official salary.”

Though his words were firm, a smile played at the corners of his eyes.

“Old Meng, how strong are those two, Zhang Long and Zhao Hu?”

“It’s Zhang Shilong and Zhao Senhu. Of course they’re strong; otherwise, how could they be elite? How else could I assign them to serve you?”

“Do they have as much strength as that kick that sent me flying into the Huanhua Pond?”

Still holding her surrogate ‘father’ Meng Hongchang, Meng Yuxi stared straight at him, blinking innocently.

Meng Hongchang felt a sharp ache in his heart.

“That wretch Mingzhe—I honestly hated him enough to kill him just now. How could I have such a rebellious son?”

He then took a seal from the drawer in the study.

“Xier, in Dali, there are four major banks with branches everywhere. Each bank can hold silver. When the prince needs money, he just fills out a number at the bank and stamps it with this seal to withdraw funds. In our southern region, you don’t even need silver. As long as the receipt is stamped with this seal, the shopkeeper will treat it as payment.”

Meng Yuxi had already noticed Meng Hongchang’s great care toward her. Using the incident with the eldest son as a pretext, she gauged her worth in Meng Hongchang’s eyes.

She expected him to hand over tens of thousands of silver for her use but was surprised when he gave her the seal instead—equivalent to an unlimited black card. She speculated that if Meng Hongchang weren’t so madly devoted to her, then her true identity must indeed be worth this ‘limitless card.’

Taking the seal, she examined it carefully. It bore the words “Private Seal of Meng Hongchang” surrounded by intricately carved ripple patterns—complex enough to serve as anti-counterfeiting measures in this era.

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Meng Yuxi accepted the seal without hesitation, smiling softly.

“Ah, it’s always the eldest son, Old Meng. Let’s just record this matter for now. If nothing further happens, don’t bring it up again. We are all Meng family members and should stand united. Don’t you agree, Old Meng?”

Meng Hongchang nodded continuously.

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed in the Meng mansion—the sound of broken bowls and plates.

“That bastard Meng Yuxi, can she really regain her sanity?”

Wu Jiwen sat in the seat of honor inside the residence, her chest heaving fiercely, clearly furious over her two sons being insulted.

“You were too kind, mistress. You should never have let the old master bring that bastard home.”

“Now that the bastard has regained his mind, coupled with the old master’s constant favor, it’s very likely that he will inherit his father’s weaving official position and take over the vast Meng family estate. All your efforts through the years will be wasted.”

Deng He, a burly maid whose face was already swollen, glared venomously.

“Deng He, there’s no use whining here. Say something practical.”

Wu Jiwen scolded Deng He sharply.

“Yes, mistress. My elder brother is a disciple of the Five Immortals Sect. He has a secret medicine—colorless and tasteless—that if accidentally ingested causes mental confusion and foolishness day after day, beyond the help of even immortals.”

“My brother has long wanted to serve you, mistress, but has never had the chance.”

A faint smile appeared on Deng He’s swollen face, making the pain in her swollen cheek worsen as she let out a hiss.

“Hmph, it’s normal for a fool’s mind to dull again after a day or two. After all, such a great blessing is not given to just any bastard. It’s just that Heaven cannot bear it and thus intervenes. There’s no fault to anyone.”

Wu Jiwen gently wiped the tea stains from the table. Deng He, keenly aware, quickly stepped forward to replace her cup with fresh tea.

“The deputy steward position in the Meng residence is still vacant. If you have a suitable candidate, once the old master leaves for the capital, have him take the post. But make sure it’s someone unrelated, so no one suspects favoritism.”

Wu Jiwen sipped her tea slowly and said.

Deng He stepped back several paces and bowed.

“I understand, mistress.”