Chiba's Revenge

It's midnight, no moon. The Chiba Manor at the foot of the mountain is as quiet as a sunken well. The wind does not shake the trees, the dogs do not bark at night, and even the brass bells on the eaves and corners are mute. Seventeen-year-old Chiba was sitting in front of the window, holding a jade pendant in his hand. The jade is an old object, with the corners polished and smooth. The pattern is engraved with lotus flowers and a "thousand" character is printed in the middle. She wiped it slowly with a cloth, over and over again. This jade pendant has been passed down in the family for as long as she can remember. Grandma said that our ancestors guarded something that could not be seen in the light or let go of. She asked what it was, and her grandmother just shook her head. Later, my father also said, we are not here to occupy, but to protect. Protect what? No one told her. She didn't ask too many questions. The days went by like this, practicing calligraphy in the morning, managing accounts in the afternoon, and lighting up and reading in the evening. There are not many servants in the house, and things are done according to the rules. The master does not make trouble and the slaves do not jump. She has a cold temper and talks little, but she is never vague about the matters she should take care of. This novel and its characters are purely fictitious. Any similarity is purely coincidental and should not be imitated.