The next morning, Wǎn Lù prepared herself in the guest chamber, steeling her resolve for the first day of her mission.[Wǎn Lù]: *(Internal Monologue)* Mama, my task begins today. I must uncover the truth of this kingdom and its king. Yet… their knowledge of medicine, industry, and warfare surpasses even our empire's. If we could secure this, perhaps it could quell the fires in the North. I must succeed.

  After dressing in simple, practical robes, she made her way to the royal dining hall. Jian Zhi was already there, eating in silence. The table was laden with dishes whose aromas made her stomach clench with sudden hunger. She took a seat.

  [Wǎn Lù]: "If I am not mistaken, you are Lian, yes? Might I trouble you for a meal? I find myself quite hungry, and my duties begin today."

  [Lian]: "Of course," Lian replied with a kind smile. "We never deny a request for food in this kingdom." She served Wǎn Lù a generous plate: steamed rice, soft flatbread, a rich chicken gravy, stir-fried livers, and a bowl of steaming vegetable soup.

  Wǎn Lù took her first bite. Her eyes widened as a symphony of flavours unfolded on her tongue—savoury, complex, and deeply comforting.

  [Wǎn Lù]: "Sister Lian, your skill is extraordinary. You will make an exceptional wife," she said, offering an impressed thumbs-up.

  [Lian]: "[A shy, flustered smile] Oh, no, I'm not that skilled. I merely learned from my master." Her gaze flickered almost imperceptibly toward Jian Zhi. "I only hope to find a worthy man one day."

  Wǎn Lù caught the longing in Lian's eyes but said nothing, finishing her meal with a newfound appreciation for the kingdom's hidden depths. Fortified, she set out for the Medical Hall, determined to work diligently and unravel its secrets.

  Upon arrival, she found the senior physicians gathered in urgent conference. She edged closer to listen.

  [Yù Huái]: "Our herb stores are running low, and the Dawnbreak Vale district has requested a mobile medical camp. As this district currently has fewer emergencies, the majority of senior staff will depart for this expedition tomorrow at dawn. Until we return, Lin Wei will oversee the assistant physicians in the hall."

  The plan was met with unanimous agreement. Wǎn Lù felt a flutter of anxiety. *My first day, and the masters are leaving?*

  [Wǎn Lù]: (Internal Monologue) Aish… why must my first day be so chaotic? But perhaps this is for the best. Less scrutiny means more opportunity to speak with the people. The advanced medicine will have to wait.

  As Yù Huái and the senior physicians dispersed to prepare, Lin Wei stepped forward, her youthful face set with unexpected gravity. She gathered the assistants.

  [Lin Wei]: "I trust everyone will perform their duties with utmost care today. To your stations. You, sister—it is your first day, yes? Come with me. I will instruct you. The rest of you, proceed as usual. Summon me immediately should an emergency arise."

  Lin Wei led Wǎn Lù to a small side chamber, pulling well-worn textbooks from a shelf.

  [Lin Wei]: "Look, sister. These are the foundational texts I studied. You may use them for reference in minor treatments. They will serve you well."

  Wǎn Lù accepted the books with a gentle, grateful smile.

  [Lin Wei]: "Sister… you and my brother share a quality. I feel an inexplicable safety in your presence. The kingdom is secure, yet with you both, the safety feels… deeper."

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  [Wǎn Lù]: "He is your brother. It is natural to feel safe with family. As for me… I cannot guess the reason."

  [Lin Wei]: "He is not my brother by blood," Lin Wei whispered, leaning close. "He is the one who liberated me. We were both alone. He asked me to be his sister." Her voice dropped further. "He is a mystery to us as well. But beneath that stern exterior, he is profoundly kind. He always smiles for me… yet I sense a deep loneliness within him."

  [Wǎn Lù]: "A mystery? What do you mean—"

  A frantic knock shattered the moment. An assistant burst in, breathless.

  [Assistant-1]: "Lady Lin Wei! An emergency! A pregnant woman—unconscious, bleeding heavily from a head wound!"

  Lin Wei jolted from her chair, all youthful hesitation gone, replaced by the swift decisiveness of a healer.

  [Lin Wei]: "Sister Wǎn Lù, fetch **Crimson Clot Fern** and **Dāng Guī** from the storeroom. Now! Lead the way to the patient!"

  They rushed to the treatment chamber. Inside, an assistant was desperately trying to stanch the flow of blood from a deep gash on a woman's temple. Lin Wei’s trained eyes assessed the patient—unconscious, pale, and clearly nine months pregnant.

  [Lin Wei]: "What happened?"

  [Assistant-2]: "She collapsed in the market, struck her head on a stone. Bystanders carried her here."

  [Lin Wei]: "Collapsed… likely severe iron deficiency. This is catastrophic. If we cannot deliver the child, both will perish from oxygen deprivation."

  Wǎn Lù returned with the herbs, her heart clenching at the sight of the vulnerable mother.

  [Lin Wei]: "Perfect timing. Support her head, keep her steady."

  With practised hands, Lin Wei applied the mashed Crimson Clot Fern to the head wound. The bleeding slowed, then ceased under the fern’s potent clotting properties. Another assistant prepared a paste of Dāng Guī, which Lin Wei mixed with milk, carefully tilting the woman's head to help her swallow, hoping to fortify her blood.

  Suddenly, the patient’s body tensed, then began to seize violently. Assistants struggled to hold her limbs steady. A cold sweat broke out on Lin Wei’s brow.

  Lin Wei’s Internal Monologue: *No, no, no… This is wrong. Her pulse is fading… It’s slowing. Should I use **Spirit-Fire Ginseng**? It would shock her awake, but the backlash could stop her heart outright. Think! THINK!*

  Wǎn Lù saw the panic in Lin Wei’s eyes, the terrifying weight of two lives slipping through her fingers.

  *Wǎn Lù’s Internal Monologue:* *Should I reveal myself? It would be a disaster… but two lives are fading right before me. I cannot stand by. Damn it all. Fine.*

  [Wǎn Lù]: "Lin Wei. Send the others out. Now."

  [Lin Wei]: "But—what are you—?"

  [Wǎn Lù]: "[Her voice low, absolute, leaving no room for argument] Do not ask. Just do it."

  Pushed by the sheer command in Wǎn Lù’s tone, Lin Wei ordered the two assistants from the room. Wǎn Lù locked the door behind them.

  [Wǎn Lù]: "Lin Wei, look at me. What you are about to see, you must never speak of. Swear it to me."

  Bound by the gravity in the room, Lin Wei gave a frantic, solemn nod. Then, she witnessed a miracle.

  From Wǎn Lù’s back unfurled wings of breathtaking majesty—not of flame, but of cascading cobalt blue and liquid silver, like a waterfall of moonlight. An aura of serene, ancient power filled the room. Wǎn Lù gathered a soft, warm light—a Phoenix’s healing fire—at her fingertips. She placed them over the woman’s heart. The gentle light sank into her chest, and colour rushed back to her pallid skin. Her pulse strengthened, steadying from a faint flutter to a resilient rhythm. The woman’s eyes flew open with a deep, gasping breath, consciousness restored.

  [Wǎn Lù]: "Now. Call them back. Deliver this child. I believe in you."

  Wǎn Lù retracted her wings, the celestial vision vanishing as quickly as it appeared. She stepped out of the room, leaving Lin Wei standing amidst the scent of herbs and miracles, her mind reeling.

  Alone in the corridor, Wǎn Lù leaned against the wall, panic rising. *I revealed myself. To a child. What have I done?*

  From behind the closed door, she heard the focused murmurs of the midwives, Lin Wei’s voice now firm with renewed purpose. Then, cutting through the tension—clear, bright, and vibrant—came the sound she had fought for: the first, indignant, healthy cry of a newborn.

  The sound washed over her, a pure note of life triumphing over death. It soothed the frantic edges of her fear.

  [Wǎn Lù]: *(Internal monologue, a warm, tired smile touching her lips)* Perhaps… I am overthinking. I will trust that little lady who carries the weight of maturity so well.