After the caravan passed Yanxun Pass, it entered the territory of the Southern Chu Kingdom.
In early spring, March, while the land of the Great Jin was just beginning to sprout new green leaves, the Southern Chu Kingdom, located in the southwest of the Great Jin, was already a picturesque landscape of clear waters and lush flowers. A great river called the Gui River embraced the capital of Southern Chu, winding eastward through the mountains before flowing into the sea.
Although the scenery along the way was picturesque and the weather was warm like summer, no one in the convoy had the heart to appreciate it.
Jiang Wenpei sat next to Chu Yi, looking at the unresponsive Chu Yi with worry. Bai Zhiyi sat on the other side, her eyes lowered behind the clown mask, seemingly preoccupied with something.
When the convoy arrived outside the capital of Southern Chu, the emperor of Southern Chu had already led his civil and military officials to greet them outside the city.
Emperor Chu Chang of Southern Chu was nearly fifty years old. With his sword-like eyebrows and deep-set eyes, one could tell that he had been a dashing and handsome man in his youth. Now, however, he had grown a short beard and deep wrinkles on his forehead, a testament to the passing of his youthful vigor.
Before the carriage had even come to a complete stop, he hurried to the front of it. Watching Chu Yi being lifted from the carriage, he stretched out his trembling hands and said, "Yi'er, can you hear me?"
Chu Yi's eyes were closed, and he showed no reaction. His chest rose and fell slightly, wrapped in a thick white cloth, with a fist-sized dark bloodstain on the left side of his chest.
Jiang Wenpei reached out to stop Chu Chang, saying, "Your Majesty, I have already given the Seventh Prince a drug to make him appear dead. He should be sent to Jinhua Mountain for treatment as soon as possible."
Chu Chang asked, "What's wrong with him?"
Jiang Wenpei said, "The Seventh Prince has been stabbed in the chest. Miss Qiu can inform His Majesty of the details. I will first send the Seventh Prince to Jinhua Mountain. Please rest assured, Your Majesty, as long as he has a breath left, the family of divine physicians can save him."
Chu Chang released the stretcher and bowed to Jiang Wenpei: "Mr. Jiang, Yi'er is extremely important to both my Southern Chu Kingdom and my family of divine physicians. Please go quickly."
Jiang Wenpei returned the greeting and had his men carry Chu Yi into the carriage, heading towards Jinhua Mountain in the north of the city.
After regaining his composure, Chu Chang said to Qiu Jie, "This must be Miss Qiu. I have been waiting for you and Yi'er to return and get married. We were all overjoyed when you conquered Xiping Pass. We never expected you to return like this."
Qiu Jie spoke slowly and sorrowfully, “Your Majesty, the Seventh Prince promised me that he would help me avenge Wei Jingzhuo by killing him. That night, he went to assassinate him, but when he returned, he was stabbed in the chest and was on the verge of death. In this world, besides Wei Jingzhuo, who else could possibly harm the Seventh Prince?”
The Fifth Prince stepped out from behind Chu Chang and said, "Father, Seventh Brother is too arrogant. He's never serious. If Third Sister were here..." The two princes beside him stopped him from continuing.
A military officer also said, "Your Majesty, Wei Jingzhuo stabbed the Seventh Prince. How can we swallow our anger?"
Chu Chang said, "The Great Jin army is pressing forward step by step. How could I not know? We cannot enter the sacred land without permission. Let's return to the city and wait until Yi'er wakes up before we discuss this further."
Chu Chang summoned a squad of soldiers and said to Qiu Jie, "Since Miss Qiu is a goddess, we should line up outside the city to welcome her. However, things have happened suddenly, and Yi'er is injured. I am in a panic and will make up for it later. Please go to the sacred land of Jinhua Mountain as soon as possible. We need your help to heal Yi'er."
Qiu Jie bowed and said, "Your Majesty, as the Seventh Prince's fiancée, I will naturally do my best to save him."
Chu Chang said to those behind him, "Attendants, bring my imperial carriage to escort the goddess up the mountain. The Prime Minister and the General will accompany you."
The Emperor of Southern Chu offered his imperial carriage to Qiu Jie, demonstrating the utmost courtesy. The princes, officials, and generals behind him all understood the goddess's significance and none voiced any objection.
Qiu Jie did not stand on ceremony and boarded the dragon carriage. Chu Chang said to her, "After the goddess heals Yi'er, you may come down the mountain to the city. I have something to say to the goddess."
Qiu Jie nodded in agreement, and the soldiers escorted the imperial carriage to the foot of Jinhua Mountain.
Jinhua Mountain is a towering mountain next to the capital of Southern Chu, soaring into the clouds with a majestic presence. After the group made several turns along the mountain path, the view suddenly opened up before them.
"A family of legendary healers... I've come here again."
Qiu Jie looked up at the scenery before her and said something in a voice only she could hear.
A courtyard house with white walls and blue tiles stands on a clearing halfway up the mountain. Clouds and mist swirl around the mountainside, enveloping the large courtyard in a misty, ethereal atmosphere, like a fairyland. A long stone staircase leads down from the courtyard, with probably over a hundred steps.
The soldiers stopped the imperial carriage, and the Prime Minister of Southern Chu said to Qiu Jie, "Goddess, the sacred land is just ahead, and we cannot approach it. Please walk in on your own, and we will wait here for you to heal the Seventh Prince and return so that we can go together to see His Majesty."
Qiu Jie arrived at the stone steps and saw a stone tablet standing beside it, with the two characters "Resurrection" engraved on it in a flamboyant style.
She ran her hand lightly across the stone tablet, as if sensing something. Then she climbed the steps and came to the open gate of the courtyard. A breeze blew by, carrying a faint fragrance of flowers.
Two boys stood guard on either side of the gate. One of them stepped forward and said, "Is this Miss Qiu? Uncle Jiang has already informed us to invite the goddess inside. The head of the family is waiting in the main hall. The seventh prince is seriously injured, so please forgive the head of the family for not being able to come out to greet him."
Qiu Jie nodded in acknowledgment and entered the courtyard.
As she went inside, one of the boys said to another, "This goddess looks a bit creepy."
Another said, "She was wearing a black robe and a mask. Naturally, she looked different from ordinary women. Didn't Uncle Jiang mention in his letter that she was disfigured by the Crown Prince of the Great Jin Dynasty, so she has always carried hatred in her heart?"
After Qiu Jie entered the courtyard gate, there were long corridors with red-lacquered railings on both sides, and in the center was a circular pond with an artificial hill in the middle. The artificial hill was full of strange rocks, and a waterfall, like a transparent ribbon, hung down from the top of the hill and splashed into the pond, creating sparkling water droplets.
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