Chapter 140: Paying homage to Her Royal Highness the Princess, may you live for a thousand, a thousand, a thousand years (6,000 words)

The next day, Jin'er woke up nearly an hour later than usual. Turning her head to look at Qingyue, who was still fast asleep with a faint expression of satisfaction on his face, Jin'er felt her heart soften.

With a serene smile, she quietly got up, put on her undergarments, and looked down at her trousers, which were now beyond repair. She pouted, grabbed Qingyue's outer robe to wrap around herself, and cautiously opened the door. Peering around to ensure no one else was in sight, she slipped out, gently closed the door, and darted like a wisp of smoke straight into her own room next door.

Once inside and with the door shut, Jin'er let out a massive sigh of relief. *Phew!* This feeling of a guilty conscience was thoroughly depressing; she needed to get out of this place as soon as possible.

Changing out of her clothes and swiftly freshening up, Jin'er dressed properly, opened her door, and rushed straight to the kitchen to decoct the Crown Prince's medicine.

Behind a clump of green bamboo, Heling Feng, dressed in a pale golden python robe, silently watched her retreating figure. His gaze was immensely complex, and the fists hidden beneath his wide sleeves were clenched so tightly that they emitted faint cracking sounds. Turning his head to stare at Qingyue's room for a long while, he tilted his head back, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then lowered his head, turned around, and flicked his sleeves as he strode away.

"Please wait a moment, Miss." Jin'er was carrying the medicinal tray toward the Crown Prince's quarters when she was intercepted halfway by two palace maids. One of them she recognized as serving in the Crown Prince's palace, while the other seemed completely unfamiliar.

"Is something the matter?" Jin'er halted her steps and asked.

"Miss Jin'er, this is Xiaowen, who is in charge of procuring ingredients within the palace. She says she has something to discuss with you, so this servant brought her here," the Crown Prince's maid explained.

"Oh? What is it?" Jin'er turned her gaze to the other maid.

"It's like this, Miss. Today outside the palace, I met a young gentleman who begged me to pass along a message. He said a close relative in his household has fallen gravely ill and desperately wishes to invite the miraculous physician to diagnose and treat them. He also said that Miss could name her own price. I had heard that Miss had previously treated several high-ranking officials, and since that gentleman appeared genuinely frantic, I dared to come and pass along the message."

Hearing this, Jin'er arched an eyebrow. It seemed she had truly made a name for herself in the Earth Kingdom. However, for that person to be able to bribe a palace maid to deliver a message showed they possessed some capability. And... name her own price? *Heh,* that alone was enough to tempt her.

At this thought, Jin'er smiled and asked, "Did he mention where his home is located?"

Seeing that Jin'er was interested, the maid seemed to heave a sigh of relief. She hurriedly raised her head and said, "That gentleman is still waiting outside the palace for my reply. He said Miss can set the time, but since the patient is critically ill, the sooner the very better."

"Very well, then go tell him that I will leave the palace to meet him in a little over an hour. Tell him to wait for me at the Xiangrui Restaurant."

"Understood, this servant will go right away." With that, the maid turned, nodded with a smile to the other palace maid, and hurried swiftly toward the palace gates.

Jin'er figured that while going to deliver the message, the maid would also collect the other half of her reward. Judging by the other party's grandiose tone, the payoff should be quite substantial. Smiling and dwelling on it no longer, Jin'er turned and headed toward Heling Feng's bedchamber.

Upon seeing her, Heling Feng remained silent as usual, but his eyes carried a look somewhat different from his usual demeanor. Jin'er found his steady gaze a bit hard to bear, but she could only bite the bullet and pretend not to notice.

As she was about to leave, Jin'er raised her gaze to meet his. "Lend me your entrance token; I am leaving the palace to treat a patient."

"Are one hundred thousand taels of gold not enough for you to spend?" Heling Feng stared at her without blinking, truly unable to fathom what was going on in this woman's mind.

"No one ever complains about having too much money," Jin'er pouted, replying with a nonchalant expression.

Expecting Heling Feng to deliberately find fault and withhold the token, she was surprised when he cooperated and produced the pass. "Go early and return soon. Do not miss the hour for decocting the medicine again."

"Mn. In case I am delayed, I will have Qingyue brew the medicine and bring it to you." With that, Jin'er took the token from the table and turned to leave.

***

Returning to her quarters, Jin'er went straight to Qingyue's room. Finding him still lying in bed asleep, she sat on the edge of the mattress and looked down at him. Remembering everything that had happened last night, her heart felt a mixture of sweetness and lingering unease.

Suddenly, those long, fan-like eyelashes fluttered, and a pair of mesmerizing phoenix eyes opened. "Back already? Want to lie down a bit longer?" he asked with a faint smile, his eyes holding a lazy, enchanting allure.

"I certainly do not!" Jin'er pouted, expressing her dissatisfaction. "You were far too unruly."

Qingyue chuckled, propped himself up on his elbows, and pulled Jin'er into his embrace. "I was simply too deeply in love with you, and too terrified that it might all be a dream, so I indulged a little... Jin'er, this isn't a dream, is it?"

Jin'er smiled, raised a hand to cover the back of his hand, lifted her face, and gently kissed his lips. "I don't know whether this is a dream or not either."

Qingyue smiled warmly, lowering his gaze to look deeply into her eyes. "If it is a dream, do not let me wake up, alright?" Lowering his head, he captured her lips and kissed her tenderly.

After a long moment, Jin'er reluctantly pulled away from his lips. "Are you tired? Should I bring you some breakfast? You can go back to sleep after eating."

"I can manage myself. You should go rest first."

"Be a good boy and stay in bed." After forcing him back down with a stern look, Jin'er stood up and left the room.

Bringing back breakfast, Jin'er watched Qingyue eat while saying, "I am going to leave the palace for a while later. If I haven't returned by noon, please help me brew the Crown Prince's medicine."

Qingyue paused, raised his eyes with a worried expression, and asked, "Alright. But you barely slept last night; can you go tomorrow instead?"

"This is about saving a life, it's urgent. I am fine, my body is perfectly healthy." Jin'er smiled, raised her arm, and flexed her muscles to show off, which coaxed a chuckle out of Qingyue. "Heh... you." Lifting a hand to affectionately flick the bridge of Jin'er's nose, Qingyue felt an indescribable sense of comfort and sweetness blooming in his heart.

***

After leaving the imperial palace, Jin'er arrived at the Xiangrui Restaurant, where a waiter at the entrance greeted her warmly.

"Are you dining alone, honored guest?"

"A friend is waiting for me." At that, Jin'er suddenly realized she had forgotten to ask the young gentleman's surname earlier, and she had no idea how they would find each other.

"Is the guest a physician?" the waiter asked shrewdly.

Jin'er nodded, thinking to herself that she had indeed worried needlessly.

"Please follow me, Miss." With that, the waiter turned and led Jin'er upstairs to a private room on the second floor.

"Young Master, the friend you were waiting for has arrived," the waiter announced outside the door, speaking through the bamboo bead curtain.

"Come in." A pleasant male voice sounded from within, and Jin'er vaguely felt that the voice sounded somewhat familiar.

"Please go in, Miss. This little one will take his leave."

***

Jin'er nodded, lifted the curtain, and stepped into the private room. Raising her eyes to look at the person inside, she froze instantly.

*Him??!*

Standing there gracefully was a handsome young man holding a folded jade fan. He exuded an extraordinary bearing, yet his unrestrained and dashing face currently registered a trace of surprise and confusion.

"You are that miraculous physician??" the man spoke, his gaze filled with inquisitive scrutiny as he looked at Jin'er.

"Chu Yifan?" Jin'er murmured in bewilderment, her brow furrowing.

The moment the name left her lips, the young man was struck dumb with astonishment. The confusion in his eyes vanished completely, replaced entirely by profound shock. "You..."

"Jin'er???" A sudden female voice rang out, making Jin'er realize there was someone else in the room. Turning her head toward the source of the voice, her heart instantly leaped into her throat.

Staring unblinkingly at the beautiful young woman, Jin'er's heart could scarcely bear the weight of her shock. Though carrying an added aura of maturity, how could it not be her? How could there be someone so remarkably similar? Moreover, she was together with Chu Yifan.

"Ying'er..." Jin'er called out, her voice choking. With a blink of her eyes, tears silently spilled down her cheeks.

"Jin'er..." The two of them simultaneously broke into a run toward each other, embracing tightly. Memories of the past rushed over them like a tidal wave, and their tears quickly soaked through each other's clothes.

"You're still alive..." they choked out in unison, unable to hold back their sobs before finally breaking down into uninhibited, weeping cries.

Having thought that her best friend was separated from her by the realms of life and death, lost forever, Jin'er never expected such an unexpected reunion. To be able to embrace each other and feel one another's warm body heat was an overwhelming shock and joy!

To the side, Chu Yifan silently watched the two embracing and weeping. A faint, gratified smile tugged at the corner of his lips, though as he looked at Jin'er, a trace of probing doubt and curiosity lingered in his eyes.

*How did she manage to survive that calamity?*

After crying for a long while, Jin'er and Ying'er finally calmed down, holding hands as they walked over to the table and sat down.

"Jin'er, you've grown so beautiful. The little girl from back then has suddenly blossomed into such an exquisite young lady—I almost didn't recognize you. If you hadn't called out Brother Yifan's name, I wouldn't have dared to address you." Ying'er wiped away her tears while speaking with a happy smile.

Jin'er smiled and said, "I almost didn't recognize you either. Right, what... what happened back then?"

At the mention of past events, Ying'er's expression darkened. Gritting her teeth, she said, "Thanks to the jade pendant my mother left me, which deflected a portion of the force, and even more thanks to Brother Yifan for carrying me away in time to seek medical treatment, I managed to survive by a hair's breadth." Saying this, she turned her head to look at Chu Yifan with a soft smile.

"Right, what about you?" Ying'er turned back to look at Jin'er with curiosity. Her own narrow escape from death had been a matter of extreme fortune; how had Jin'er managed to escape unscathed?

"...I sneaked out of the Liu residence late at night. When I returned the next morning, I discovered..." Jin'er did not dare to tell the truth and had to fabricate this excuse. As the memory resurfaced, bringing back the death of Mammy, she lowered her gaze in sorrow.

Ying'er reached out to grasp Jin'er's hand tightly, speaking with resolute determination, "Don't be sad. I will definitely avenge this!"

Hearing this, Jin'er's heart tightened. She raised her head with a hint of apprehension and asked, "You know who did it??"

Ying'er gave a bitter, self-deprecating smile. "The court of the Jin Kingdom."

Hearing this, Jin'er felt an inexplicable sense of relief wash over her. For some reason, seeing that Ying'er was still alive and well caused her to involuntarily think of Night, and the heavy burden in a corner of her heart seemed to lighten considerably.

"How could you possibly fight against the imperial court? The armies of the Jin Kingdom are said to be the most powerful in the Five Spirits Continent. Didn't our Wood Kingdom fall to their iron cavalry back then?" Jin'er frowned and said.

Ying'er bit her lip, resentment bleeding into her tone. "No matter what, the lives of over two hundred people in the Liu residence cannot just be written off like that!! Very well, we can discuss these matters in detail later. For now, let's talk about the urgent business at hand. Jin'er, are you truly that miraculous physician who cured the Crown Prince's chronic illness of many years?"

Ying'er's eyes were filled with doubt and utter disbelief. Although she had known Jin'er was exceptionally talented since childhood, only three or four short years had passed; how on earth could she have become a miraculous physician?

"Indeed, it is me," Jin'er replied with a serene smile.

"That's incredible! When there's time, you must tell me all about how you've gotten by all these years. Right now, let's hurry and leave this place to save someone; I'm afraid if we are late, it will be too late. What do you think, Brother Yifan?" At the end, Ying'er turned to seek Chu Yifan's opinion.

"Mn, let's go," Chu Yifan nodded and took the lead, walking ahead.

Seeing the worried expressions on both of their faces, Jin'er refrained from asking further questions and followed them straight out of the restaurant.

After winding through various alleys and walking briskly for over half an hour, the three of them finally arrived at their destination. It was an average-looking courtyard, neither extravagant nor shabby, resembling a residence belonging to a moderately wealthy family.

Chu Yifan knocked on the door, and a middle-aged woman's voice called out from within, "Who is it?"

"Mother Zhang, it's me," Chu Yifan replied, and the tightly shut heavy doors were immediately unlatched and opened.

Upon seeing the visitors, Mother Zhang's face lit up with relief as she welcomed the three inside and quickly closed the courtyard gates behind them.

"This way." Chu Yifan glanced at Jin'er, then turned back and strode off to the side.

As she walked, Jin'er surveyed the courtyard. Although not particularly large nor lavishly decorated, it was impeccably clean and serene, and seemed to be inhabited by quite a few people. Aside from Mother Zhang at the entrance and another male servant beside her, from a distance Jin'er spotted at least seven or eight other domestic servants scurrying about, and shadows could be vaguely seen flickering inside the main room ahead.

The trio arrived outside a room guarded by two maidservants. The moment they stepped inside, a grey-robed old man of around fifty or sixty hurried forward to meet them.

"Young Master..." he choked out, tears instantly streaming down his old face. "The master... he is gone..." At the end, he broke down into sobs, appearing deeply grieved, though his weeping sounded somewhat atypical compared to ordinary people.

Hearing this, Chu Yifan and Ying'er were struck pale with horror, and they hurried toward the bedside in panic. Jin'er followed with a furrowed brow, only to find lying on the bed a young boy of around five or six years old, his pale face covered in blisters, completely devoid of any signs of life.

It appeared she had arrived a step too late...

"Brother Yifan, what should we do now?" Ying'er wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes in distress, asking with an anxious expression.

Chu Yifan clenched his fists, closed his eyes in helpless resignation, took a deep breath, and finally spoke in a hollow voice, "Make arrangements for the funeral first."

Ying'er nodded, stood up, and signaled to one of the maidservants, who acknowledged the command and stepped outside. The old man stood off to the side, wiping his tears with his sleeve while weeping uncontrollably.

After watching him for a long moment, Jin'er realized he bore a striking resemblance to an imperial eunuch. Both his demeanor and the pitch of his crying sounded remarkably similar.

***

Pushing these stray thoughts to the back of her mind, Jin'er turned back and spoke to Ying'er with a pang of guilt, "I'm sorry, Ying'er, I arrived too late."

"It's not your fault. His illness had already dragged on for quite some time, and other physicians couldn't cure it. We only thought to try when we heard a miraculous physician had come to the palace. It's just a pity he couldn't hold on." Ying'er said with a sorrowful expression.

Jin'er pressed her lips together and nodded gently, at a loss for words. For some reason, she felt that though both Ying'er and Chu Yifan appeared deeply saddened, the worry in their eyes far outweighed their grief.

"Ying'er, is there some trouble? Tell me, perhaps I can lend a hand."

Just as Ying'er was about to reply, Chu Yifan cut in ahead of her with a faint smile. "It's nothing, we can handle it ourselves. Ying'er, you two sisters haven't seen each other in ages; take Jin'er to the parlor to catch up properly." With that, he cast a significant glance at Ying'er.

Ying'er froze slightly, a flicker of confusion crossing her mind. But she quickly regained her composure, nodded with a smile, and linked arms with Jin'er, preparing to leave.

"Wait!" A trembling voice laced with a sob suddenly rang out, freezing all three of them in their tracks.

The grey-robed old man wiped away the tear tracks on his face, his gaze locked fixedly onto Jin'er as he involuntarily took a step toward her, looking her up and down from head to toe.

Jin'er felt thoroughly uncomfortable under his scrutiny. Puzzled, she turned to look at Ying'er and Chu Yifan, only to find them looking just as bewildered.

"Uncle Wang, what is the matter?" Chu Yifan asked, his brow furrowing in incomprehension.

The old man, addressed as Uncle Wang, paid him no mind whatsoever. He walked straight up to Jin'er, inspected her meticulously once more, and finally spoke: "Your name is Jin'er?"

Jin'er blinked twice and nodded, growing increasingly suspicious that he was indeed a eunuch.

"She resembles her... she resembles her so much..." Uncle Wang muttered to himself. Suddenly recalling something, he stepped to Jin'er's side and leaned in to inspect the back of her ear.

Unsure of what he was attempting to do, Jin'er instinctively recoiled, her brow knitting in annoyance.

"Please forgive this old slave's presumption, but might Miss allow this old slave to look behind your ear?" Uncle Wang asked with a tense, nervous edge to his voice.

All three of them were left utterly baffled by his bizarre behavior, yet curiosity compelled them to see what Uncle Wang was up to. Consequently, Jin'er nodded and turned her head to the side so he could clearly see her earlobe.

Uncle Wang leaned in closer for a look, drew in a sharp breath of air, and the next instant, dropped heavily to his knees with a dull thud. This sudden action stunned everyone present.

"This old slave pays respects to Her Royal Highness the Princess, may you live for ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand years..." A faint tremor of excitement and joy laced Uncle Wang's trembling voice.

The imperial bloodline of the Wood Kingdom still lived... it still lived...

Silence hung heavy over the surroundings. Jin'er stared blankly at the man kneeling before her, her emotions overwhelmingly complex. Beside her, Chu Yifan's eyes were filled with astonishment, while Ying'er's jaw dropped in disbelief, forgotten for a long time.

After a long while, Jin'er finally snapped back to her senses. A flash of panic crossed her eyes, but she quickly reasserted her composure. "You must have mistaken me for someone else. What Princess? I am merely an orphan."

Uncle Wang, kneeling on the ground, hurriedly raised his head and shook it with growing agitation. "No! You are undoubtedly our Wood Kingdom's Princess Jin'er! Your name is the same, you bear a striking resemblance to Consort Yun, and moreover, this old slave held the little princess in my arms countless times. Behind her ear, she possessed a tiny cinnabar mole—you have it as well! There cannot be such a coincidence!"

"What Princess, what Consort Yun, I have no idea what you are talking about. Enough, there are no patients left to treat here anyway, so I should be heading back." With that, Jin'er grabbed Ying'er's hand and turned to leave.

"Your Highness!" Uncle Wang scrambled forward on his knees by two steps, panic and helplessness etched across his face.

"Uncle Wang." Chu Yifan's brows locked tight as he stepped forward to help him up. "Are you certain?"

Uncle Wang nodded frantically, his expression brimming with agitation. "It is her, it is definitely her! Princess Jin'er!" At this, tears spilled from Uncle Wang's eyes once more.

"This old slave served by the late Emperor's side for many years and witnessed the favor and decline of Consort Yun firsthand. Consort Yun was a good person; even during her years of greatest favor, she never grew arrogant or overbearing, and she always treated us servants kindly. It's just a pity... alas! Though I know not how the Princess managed to stay alive, this old slave is certain she is the Princess!"

Hearing this, Chu Yifan gritted his teeth, released his hold on Uncle Wang, and turned to chase after them.

"Jin'er, don't rush to leave just yet, alright? After such a long separation, we must have a proper chat before you depart." In the courtyard, Ying'er tugged at Jin'er's hand and pleaded.

Just as Jin'er was about to reply, Chu Yifan's voice rang out from behind. "The reason you despised me from the very beginning was because I resemble the person who murdered Consort Yun and your family, wasn't it?"

At these words, both Ying'er and Jin'er were startled.

"What are you afraid of? The Wood Kingdom has already fallen; no one is coming to take your life. Even if the court of the Jin Kingdom were to find out, what threat or value does a princess abandoned by the imperial family pose to them?" Chu Yifan looked at Jin'er with an air of unhurried detachment, a hint of mockery in his tone.

"Jin'er, are you truly...?" Ying'er asked, consumed by boundless curiosity. "If it's true, there's no harm in saying so. Everyone here is our own people."

Detesting Chu Yifan's condescending attitude, Jin'er shot him a resentful glare and retorted, "Who says I am afraid? I simply want nothing more to do with the Wood Kingdom's imperial family. The princess of the past—Shangguan Jin'er—is already dead. Standing before you now is merely an ordinary person with neither father nor mother, light of heart and free of burdens."

"Goodness! You really are... No wonder the first time I laid eyes on you, I felt you possessed an extraordinary bearing and an unyielding spirit. To think you were royalty all along!" Ying'er exclaimed with a sudden look of enlightenment.

Recalling the destitution of her past, Jin'er offered a bitter smile, momentarily lost for words.

"Jin'er, tell us, where did you go after leaving the Liu residence, and what have you been doing?" Ying'er asked, her eyes shining with curiosity.

"And you? How have you been spending these past few years?" Jin'er countered with a smile.

"I asked first. Once you finish telling your story, I will tell you mine." Ying'er tilted her head, raised a hand to curl a lock of long hair around her index finger, her bright, clear eyes as full of lively spirit as they had been in the past.

Jin'er smiled and proceeded to recount her general experiences over the years, deliberately omitting details such as her sealed spiritual powers and her narrow escape from becoming Empress of the Fire Kingdom.

Ying'er listened with rapt attention, transitioning seamlessly between shock, joy, excitement, and anxiety, as if she were experiencing it all firsthand. Chu Yifan stood silently to the side, listening as well, his gaze never once straying from Jin'er's face.

"Heavens, your experiences have been so colorful! Compared to you, my life has been far simpler. Still, with Brother Yifan by my side, these past few years have been quite wonderful, and my martial arts have improved significantly." With that, Ying'er cast a fond, smiling glance toward Chu Yifan.

Taking note of her expression and knowing she still harbored deep affection for Chu Yifan, Jin'er smiled, leaned in close to Ying'er's ear, and lowered her voice to tease, "Still haven't managed to marry him yet?"