The Central Medical Hall of the Divine Land of Justice was a bastion of quiet efficiency. Within, Chief Physician Yù Huái was meticulously compiling reports on patient statistics and medicine inventories for the king’s review.

  [Yù Huái]: "Lin Wei, can you deliver this to His Majesty? I have more ledgers to reconcile."

  Lin Wei’s face lit up at the chance to see her brother. She gave a firm, eager nod, snatched the report, and darted from the hall, a whirlwind of youthful energy.

  Outside, Lǐ Róng gestured for Wǎn Lù to proceed. "Your Highness, let us go inside."

  Nodding with a knot of nervousness in her stomach, Wǎn Lù stepped forward just as Lin Wei burst through the doors. The collision was inevitable—a tangle of limbs and scattered parchment as both young women tumbled to the ground.

  [Lin Wei]: "My sincerest apologies, sister! I did not see you there!" she blurted, scrambling to her feet and offering a hurried, deep bow.

  [Wǎn Lù]: "[Getting up and brushing off her robes]It is quite all right. It happens to everyone. You seem incredibly happy, little angel."

  [Lin Wei]: "[Beaming]I am! It has been too long since I’ve seen my brother. He told me to become the greatest healer in the kingdom, so I have been studying day and night. I was so busy, and he was busier!" Her bright eyes travelled up to Wǎn Lù’s face, and they widened in awe. "Wait… you are so beautiful. Like a celestial deity! If you are unattached, you should marry my brother! You would make a splendid pair, would you not, Lord Lǐ Róng?"

  Lǐ Róng, caught off guard, could only respond with a carefully neutral, diplomatic smile.

  [Wǎn Lù]: "Oh, you precocious little lady," Wǎn Lù said, a playful lilt in her voice to mask her surprise. "Your brother would have to be a titan to win the heart of a celestial deity. I do not bat my eyes at mere mortals. Now, you should run along."

  As Lin Wei skipped away, Lǐ Róng found himself briefly entertaining the girl’s whimsical suggestion, picturing the severe Dragon King beside this luminous Phoenix Princess. A silent, private smile touched his lips before he schooled his features back to neutrality.

  Inside the Medical Hall, the atmosphere was calm but purposeful. Wǎn Lù was struck not by scenes of grievous illness, but by rows of healthy-looking citizens—some merely waiting, others clearly with child. Puzzled, she approached a woman.

  [Wǎn Lù]: "Excuse me, sister… if I may ask, why are you here? You appear to be in perfect health."

  [Patient-1]: "It is for the regular biennial examination, "the woman explained with a friendly smile. "We record the condition of our bodies every two months to ensure we remain healthy. It is a preventative measure. It stops sickness before it can take root."

  [Wǎn Lù]: (Internal Monologue)They care for their health to this degree? But such vigilance must be exorbitantly expensive.

  [Wǎn Lù]: "Sister, if it is not too rude… are you wealthy? Physician consultations are costly, aren't they?"

  [Patient-2]: "You must be new to our kingdom," another patient chimed in kindly. "Our medical treatments are subsidised by the king. The examinations cost little, and for treatments, we may donate what we can if we wish to contribute."

  [Wǎn Lù]: "The king pays for you? That dead-eyed tyrant?!" The words escaped her lips before she could cage them. Horrified, she immediately clapped a hand over her mouth, offered a flustered half-bow, and hurried away, the murmured confusion of the patients following her like a wave of shame.

  She and Lǐ Róng soon reached the Chief Physician’s chamber. Entering, Wǎn Lù was met with the sight of a mature, serene woman whose aura was one of profound calm. She was annotating scrolls with a steady hand. Wǎn Lù felt a spike of genuine curiosity—female chief physicians were a rarity she had not expected.

  [Yù Huái]: "[Without looking up, her voice a smooth, calm stream] Welcome, Lord Lǐ Róng. It seems you have brought a guest."

  [Lǐ Róng]: "Greetings, Chief Physician Yù Huái. I may present Her Highness, Princess Wǎn Lù of the Azure Mandate Empire"

  Yù Huái finished her notation, set down her brush, and finally looked up. She offered a gentle, professional nod, utterly unruffled by the royal title. Wǎn Lù was taken aback by the lack of deference.

  [Wǎn Lù]: "I have come seeking employment within your Medical Hall, "Wǎn Lù began, adopting a tone of demure earnestness. "My knowledge of traditional medicine is… foundational, but I am a diligent learner. I wish to study under you." She punctuated her request with what she hoped was a convincingly cute, innocent smile.

  [Yù Huái]: "Very well. We shall begin with a brief assessment of medicinal principles. It will help me determine where your skills may be best applied."

  Wǎn Lù nodded, her nerves taut. Yù Huái took a slow, centring breath, her demeanour shifting into that of an examiner.

  [Yù Huái]: "First question. How would you treat a deep sword wound where the bleeding will not cease?"

  Wǎn Lù’s mind did not race through herbology texts. Instead, she envisioned the crisis itself—the gushing wound, the panic. She closed her eyes, gripping her hands tightly, and answered from instinct, not scholarship.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  [Wǎn Lù]: "First, I would cleanse the wound with purified water. I would use clean cotton to absorb the excess blood and apply direct, firm pressure with a cloth bandage to stem the flow until a senior physician could arrive." She opened her eyes, offering a smile of practical confidence.

  Yù Huái’s Internal Monologue: I asked for medicine, and she gave me battlefield first-aid. A curious answer for a princess… but not an incorrect one for a novice. Her instincts are practical, not academic.

  Yù Huái gave a slow, inscrutable nod, revealing nothing. "Second question. What are the medicinal properties of Jīn Yín Huā (金银花) – Honeysuckle Flower?"

  This, Wǎn Lù knew. Her face brightened with relief. "Jīn Yín Huā is a superior remedy for febrile conditions! When the body’s heat soars uncontrollably, a decoction of this flower, especially when paired with complementary herbs, becomes a powerful agent to combat the fever." She gave an enthusiastic, almost proud, thumbs-up.

  Yù Huái observed the basic but correct knowledge. It was enough. The princess was clearly no master herbalist, but she was not entirely ignorant, and her first-aid instincts showed a useful, hands-on temperament. She had passed by the narrowest of borders.

  [Yù Huái]: "Miss Wǎn Lù, you may serve as an assistant within the Hall. Your duties will consist of retrieving herbs from the storeroom and attending to our long-term convalescent patients. The remuneration is thirty silver sils per month. Is this acceptable? You may begin your training tomorrow. For today, familiarise yourself with our standard pharmacopoeia." She handed Wǎn Lù a thick, well-worn ledger.

  The Pharmacopoeia of the Divine Land (神州本草 - Shénzhōu Běncǎo)

  I. Combat & Trauma Medicine

  · Iron-Mend Root (金骨根 - Jīn Gǔ Gēn)

  · Description: A knobby, metallic-grey tuber found entwined with Iron-Bamboo roots. Frighteningly dense and difficult to slice.

  · Usage: Crushed into a paste and applied to fractures, it hardens instantly into a rigid cast, accelerating bone knitting by infusing the skeleton with trace Metal element energy.

  · Side Effect: Application is excruciating, described as feeling like molten metal coursing through the veins.

  · Crimson Clot Fern (血凝蕨 - Xuè Níng Jué)

  · Description: A vibrant red fern thriving in the damp shadows of the Giant Tree Forest, its leaves resembling clots of fresh blood.

  · Usage: The cornerstone of battlefield medicine. Crushed leaves applied to a wound halt haemorrhaging near-instantly, acting as a powerful biological sealant. It is the primary component in all military medical kits.

  · Numbing Ghost Petal (麻鬼瓣 - Má Guǐ Bàn)

  · Description: A pale, translucent flower blooming only under moonlight, emitting a faint, sweet, and dizzying fragrance.

  · Usage: A potent anaesthetic. One petal brewed into tea can numb a limb for surgery. Concentrated extract can induce unconsciousness for hours. Vital for amputations or deep wound suturing when Hún Guāng healing is unavailable.

  II. Soul & Cultivation Aids (Hún Guāng)

  · Void-Mind Lotus (虚心莲 - Xū Xīn Lián)

  · Description: A pure white lotus growing in placid pools fed by mystic waterfalls, emitting a soft, ethereal glow in darkness.

  · Usage: Consumption of its seeds calms the spirit and lowers mental barriers. Used to guide novices safely into their Heart's Domain (Xīnyù) for the first time or to stabilise a practitioner during a perilous "Harrowing."

  · Spirit-Fire Ginseng (灵火参 - Líng Huǒ Shēn)

  · Description: A root perpetually warm to the touch, threaded with crimson, vein-like streaks, found near geothermal vents.

  · Usage: A high-risk stimulant. Chewing a slice provides an immediate, potent replenishment of exhausted Hún Guāng reserves and physical stamina. · Danger: Overuse scorches the user's internal meridians, causing "Spirit Burn," which can disable cultivation for days or weeks.

  III. Alchemical Ingredients (For Royal Innovations)

  · Frost-Scale Lichen (霜鳞地衣 - Shuāng Lín Dìyī)

  · Description: A blue, crystalline moss clinging to rocks in the frigid peaks of the Devil's Mountain.

  · Usage: Possesses aggressive heat-absorption properties. An extract is used in the cooling systems of the Divine Rain artillery to prevent barrel warping during sustained fire.·

  Shadow-Stalk (影茎 - Yǐng Jīng)

  · Description: A black, reed-like plant that seems to absorb light, creating the visual illusion of a slit in reality.

  · Usage: When burned, it produces a thick, lightless black smoke that obscures vision and dampens sound. Employed by special operations units for stealth manoeuvres and creating tactical cover.

  [Wǎn Lù]: (Internal Monologue)This kingdom catalogues its flora like a general marshalling an army. Each plant has a defined, often violent, purpose. It is terrifyingly systematic… and fascinating.

  In the royal palace, Jian Zhi was reviewing the report delivered by his adoptive sister. A rare, warm smile softened his features.

  [Jian Zhi]: "Lin Wei. I hear you are studying diligently. I also heard you successfully treated a patient’s fever in the physicians’ absence. I am proud of you. Continue on this path. Become the physician this kingdom deserves."

  [Lin Wei]: "I am the king's sister. I must earn the title of 'Healing Princess' through merit! I will work tirelessly, brother." She fidgeted, then leaned in conspiratorially. "Also… I met a lady today. She is as beautiful as a celestial deity! She would be a perfect queen! Do you not think so?"

  [Jian Zhi]: "[A soft, genuine laugh at her innocence] Perhaps. But a queen must bring peace and wisdom to a kingdom. She must be a ruler of the mind and heart, not just a vision of beauty. You focus on your medicines, and leave the marriages to the future."

  Lin Wei bowed and skipped away, her mission accomplished. The moment the door shut, the smile melted from Jian Zhi’s face like snow in a forge. He slumped slightly, a hand rising to massage his temple, his expression etched with deep-seated pain and weariness.

  [Xuè Lán]: "Hey,brat. How long do you plan to hide your condition from the people who care for you?" She entered without ceremony, her sharp eyes missing nothing.

  [Jian Zhi]: "It is better this way," he muttered, his voice tight. "My suffering is merely physical. Theirs would be a mental anguish that would, in turn, become a greater agony for me. You will keep this silent." A single, stark drop of crimson welled from his nostril and traced a path down his lip.

  [Xuè Lán]: "You stubborn, infuriating child! You will not change! You lack the Water element. Your Fire and Metal rage unchecked, and your Dragon consumes you from within. Do you honestly believe you have ten years left?"

  [Jian Zhi]: "Ten years is a lifetime. It is enough to ensure my people never know misery again. That is all that matters. Now, cease your nagging, old woman."

  Xuè Lán’s worry flashed into anger. She stepped forward and delivered a sharp, sisterly smack to the back of his head—an act of profound frustration and care.

  Xuè Lán’s Internal Monologue: Why must this boy work himself to ashes? You stubborn fool… without you, how will these people stand against the threats gathering on all horizons? I must find a way to balance his elements. I must find the Water he lacks, or he will burn himself to a cinder long before his enemies ever reach him.