Song Juncai never imagined that the person who would come to Riyue Mountain to kneel and kowtow three times would be himself, and that Song Xizhi had done nothing wrong at all!
He was being led away by the two men, watching the towering, precipitous mountains getting closer and closer until he couldn't even see the summit when he looked up. His teeth started to ache.
However, the two medical apprentices followed their senior sister's instructions and led Song Juncai to the stone steps in a very formal manner, then crossed their arms and stared at him.
Song Juncai shrank back, looking pitifully in Song Xizhi's direction, his voice softening as he said, "Zhizhi, Father didn't know there was such a rule before..."
“Look at my old arms and legs, and the terrain of Sun and Moon Mountain is so steep, there’s absolutely no way I can kowtow all the way to the top and ask the Goddess of Mercy for a Child to appear…”
As he spoke, his lips trembled slightly: "Or... let's just buy some medicine at that female pharmacy and go back. After all, that female doctor is a direct disciple of the Goddess of Mercy who grants children..."
Song Xizhi wanted to laugh, but his face remained serious: "Father! What nonsense are you talking about! Your own son is waiting for your life-saving medicine!"
“You and Grandmother came to the Marquis of Anding’s residence last night. The matter has become so big that the whole capital knows about it now.”
"Are you planning to go back now and let the whole capital know that you deserted your post and refused to help your own son who is dying? This would probably ruin your reputation in the court!"
Upon hearing this, Song Juncai practically ground his teeth to powder!
They deliberately made such a big scene last night to put Song Xizhi in a difficult position.
But who knew he'd end up shooting himself in the foot! Now he's in a completely awkward position!
Song Juncai looked at the endless mountain road in front of him, feeling dizzy and disoriented. He imagined his son calling him "Dad" repeatedly in his mind, and finally knelt down.
He steeled himself, bent over, kowtowed, lifted his leg, and shouted again, "I beg the Goddess of Mercy who grants children to come down from the mountain and cure my wife's illness..."
Then he raised his knees, took a step forward, bent over, kowtowed, and shouted, "I beg the Goddess of Mercy who grants children to come down from the mountain and save my son..."
After climbing only a few steps, Song Juncai was already sore and breathless. Not only were the fabric on his knees worn through by the rough rocks, but his forehead was also scraped and aching.
He stared dizzily at the stone steps before him, shaking his head at Song Xizhi: "Zhizhi, Zhizhi, your father can't go on... I really have done my best..."
Song Xizhi looked at him earnestly and said, "No! Father!"
"You can still hold on!"
"Think about your son! He's a big, healthy boy! With this son, the Song family line will never end!"
"If you cannot persevere, you will be a sinner for the Song family for all eternity! How can you face your ancestors then?"
"You are the biological father of the child in Zhao Qianlan's womb! Her own father! The father with whom she shares her bloodline! If you won't save your son, who else will?"
Song Juncai listened to Song Xizhi's words and found them quite reasonable.
He gritted his teeth and crawled forward with all his might.
The more I climbed, the more my head ached. I had only climbed about a hundred steps when I started to get bloodstains not only on my head but also on my knees.
Blood stained the stone steps, and he was panting heavily, on the verge of collapse.
"No, I really can't. Zhizhi, you know medicine too, could you go back and see if Zhao Qianlan can still be treated? Maybe drinking a little more pregnant woman's urine will help!"
If he had known that coming to Sun and Moon Mountain would require him to kowtow three times and bow nine times, he really wouldn't have come.
Song Jun-jae regrets it now, he really regrets it!
It's uncertain whether Zhao Qianlan's baby can be saved, but his life is in grave danger!
Seeing the pained look on Song Juncai's face, Siqin and the two medical apprentices felt no pity, but rather thought he deserved it!
He suffers for his son, yet he can abuse his daughter at will! He even tries every means to harm her!
My heart has turned to this!
But Song Xizhi looked at Song Juncai's dejected appearance, touched his chin, and felt a little troubled.
No, that won't work!
If her adoptive father is so weak that he would faint after only a few kowtows, how could she possibly reach the mountaintop and see her master?
Thinking this, Song Xizhi turned his gaze to the two apprentices behind Song Juncai.
She gave each of them a pill she had refined herself, and then bowed to them with her hands clasped in greeting.
“My two young brothers, you have also seen my father’s loving heart for his children.”
"Could you please follow behind him and call him 'Dad' every time he climbs a step? This will motivate him to keep climbing."
Seeing Song Xizhi's furrowed brows, the two of them hesitated for a moment, but when they took the pills from Song Xizhi, their eyes lit up and they shamelessly agreed to do it.
But Song Juncai on the ground was somewhat unwilling. He panted and said, "Eh... eh..."
"How can those two compare to the son in Qianlan's belly? They are not my biological sons at all!"
Upon hearing this, Song Xizhi, for some unknown reason, curled the corners of his lips and coaxed, "..."
"Dad, it's all the same! If my brother grows to their age, he'll be just as tall and strong. Imagine it as if your own son is calling you."
Upon hearing this, Song Juncai climbed a step, and behind him, two medicine boys shouted in a strong voice, "Father!"
Song Juncai shuddered, and for some reason, his body gained some strength.
He climbed another step, and the two apprentices shouted again, "Father!"
Song Juncai's eyes welled up with tears, and his movements became more agile.
Both apprentices shouted, "Father!"
Song Juncai was in tears, sobbing uncontrollably as he climbed up the stairs with all his might.
Song Juncai's story moved countless mountain climbers, and everyone who saw his bloodied and mangled appearance had tears welling up in their eyes.
With each step Song Juncai took up, the medical students called out "Dad!" and everyone clenched their fists and shouted, "Go for it!"
Song Juncai didn't know how long he had been climbing; he only felt his consciousness becoming increasingly blurred, and his whole body completely losing sensation.
Two figures seemed to appear out of nowhere on the dark stone steps, one dressed in black and the other in white, hopping and skipping toward him.
Song Juncai looked closely and realized that the two who jumped over were his sons, the big, chubby boys born to Zhao Qianlan!
He couldn't help but chuckle to himself.
If I could have two healthy sons to carry on the Song family line, then all the sacrifices would be worthwhile!
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