Still Water

In the dim light of the forest clearing, Zhaohui's voice sliced through the quiet like a sword unsheathed.

"Who is that?!" he demanded, his tone sharp with a hint of danger, his hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of his sword.

The figure, previously concealed by shadows, hesitated for a moment before stepping forward, revealing himself to be Weizhe, his form silhouetted. With a grace born of both surprise and relief, the mysterious person dropped to one knee before Suyin, as if paying homage to a queen. Suyin's heart skipped a beat as recognition flooded her senses, and she leaped to her feet, her face breaking into a radiant smile that could have lit up the darkest night. "Weizhe!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine warmth as she enveloped him in a hug, a gesture as natural to her as drawing breath.

It was a gesture of camaraderie, one that spoke of the bond they shared, akin to siblings rather than mere acquaintances.

Suyin couldn't contain her joy at seeing him, her relief palpable in the way she held him close. But Weizhe, though grateful for the affection, was visibly taken aback by her exuberance.

"M-Miss Suyin!" he stammered, his voice tinged with both surprise and trepidation. "Please do not do that, Your Highness would kill me if you were to do that to me." Suyin couldn't help but laugh at his reaction, a melodic sound that echoed through the clearing like the tinkling of wind chimes.

"Sorry," she managed between giggles, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "I got too happy." As the laughter subsided, Suyin couldn't shake the nagging reminder of the stark cultural differences between her time and this unfamiliar era.

She knew she had to be mindful of the traditions and customs that governed social interactions here, even if they seemed archaic and restrictive compared to her own.

The simple act of a hug, so commonplace in her world, could be perceived as scandalous or improper in this unfamiliar time and place, a fact she was determined to remember as she navigated this new reality.

Weizhe's demeanor shifted subtly as he straightened, a respectful bow accentuating his words as he addressed the two before him.

"Miss Han Suyin," he began, his voice carrying the weight of solemnity, "Your Highness has entrusted me with a piece of crucial evidence that may prove invaluable to you."

With a fluid motion, he produced a small wooden box from the folds of his cloak, its size no larger than that of a modest ring.

His gaze flickered momentarily towards Zhaohui, who observed with a mix of curiosity and suspicion. Suyin's heart quickened as she reached out to accept the box. Yet, before she could fully process the gravity of Weizhe's words as he left, a question sprang to her lips, a desperate plea for reassurance in the face of uncertainty.

"Wait!" she called out, her voice quivering with a mixture of apprehension and longing.

Weizhe turned to face her, his expression softening with understanding as he awaited her inquiry. "How did you get out of the cell?" The words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken fear and concern. Suyin mentally steeled herself, forcing the question to its completion, her voice barely above a whisper.

"...Is the Prince doing well?" Weizhe's smile was a flicker of warmth amidst the encroaching shadows, a beacon of solace in the darkness that threatened to engulf them.

"There are matters that require attention," he replied cryptically, his words laden with unspoken truths and hidden meanings.

With a graceful nod, he turned on his heel, his cloak billowing behind him like the wings of a departing raven. As he vanished into the depths of the forest, Suyin and Zhaohui watched in silence, their thoughts a tumultuous sea of uncertainty and resolve.

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[Weizhe's POV]

In the dim confines of the "prison cell," the air hung heavy with the scent of brewing tea, a stark contrast to the oppressive atmosphere that permeated the room.

Seated at a weathered table, Qin Fuhua cradled a delicate porcelain cup in his hand, its contents swirling like liquid gold as he took a leisurely sip, his demeanor calm and collected despite the confines of his makeshift confinement.

To an outsider, the cell might have appeared more akin to a humble guest room, a testament to Shi Zhang's penchant for comfort even in the most unlikely of circumstances. As if conjured from the shadows themselves, Weizhe materialized with the grace of a ghost, his presence a fleeting whisper against the backdrop of Qin Fuhua's solitude.

With a deferential bow, he addressed the prince with a mixture of reverence and trepidation, his voice a hushed murmur in the stillness of the room. "Your Highness," he began, his words laden with uncertainty, "I have presented her with the evidence that may hold the key to her affliction. Do you believe she is capable of unraveling its mysteries?" Weizhe's gaze flickered with apprehension as he awaited Qin Fuhua's response, his own anxiety mirrored in the furrow of his brow. But Qin Fuhua, ever the cold-hearted Prince, betrayed no hint of his true thoughts as he lifted the cup to his lips, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Behind the ceramic façade, his eyes sparkled with amusement, a silent testament to his inner amusement at Weizhe's earnestness. "I shall wait," Weizhe declared with a fervor that bordered on defiance, his frustration palpable in the tremor of his voice.

Unlike the prince, who exuded an air of serene patience, Weizhe's nerves thrummed with restless energy, his impatience a testament to the urgency of their situation.

And yet, paradoxically, it was Qin Fuhua's inscrutable expression that only served to stoke the flames of Weizhe's anticipation, curious of the Prince of Qin's reaction.

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[Suyin's POV]

Suyin cradled the small wooden box in her hands, its weight a tangible reminder of the mysteries it contained. What secrets lay hidden within its confines? What revelations awaited her within its depths?

As she pondered the significance of the "evidence" Weizhe had entrusted to her, her thoughts were interrupted by Zhaohui's skeptical gaze, his expression laced with a hint of sarcasm as he questioned her with a raised eyebrow. "You're suspicious of me, but who are you?" he challenged, his tone tinged with curiosity and a touch of disbelief. "How do you know so many people with that kind of power?" Suyin merely shrugged, her response casual and dismissive. "It's called bad luck," she quipped, her words tinged with a hint of wry humor.

Yet, beneath her nonchalant façade, a sense of unease gnawed at her, a reminder of the tangled web of alliances and betrayals that had brought her to this moment. Zhaohui chuckled at her retort, his laughter echoing through the stillness of the forest like the rustle of leaves in the wind. "Forget what I said," he declared, his voice tinged with a note of apprehension. "It's scary enough to know you and the power of people you associate with." With practiced ease, Zhaohui approached one of the ancient trees that loomed before them, his movements fluid and assured. With a deft twist of a hidden key, he unlocked a secret door nestled within the gnarled bark, revealing a hidden passage concealed within the heart of the towering oak. "Speaking of which," Zhaohui remarked as he stepped into the darkness, Suyin following closely behind.

As the entrance sealed shut behind them, they found themselves in a small room bathed in soft lamplight, its walls adorned with handmade trinkets and mementos of a life lived in solitude. "There's one thing that I found to be ominous ever since the illness began," Zhaohui began, his voice grave with concern as he took a seat at a weathered wooden table, his fingers laced together in thought.

Suyin joined him, her gaze drawn to the array of objects scattered around the room, each one a silent testament to the mysteries that lay buried beneath the surface of their tranquil surroundings. "The villagers began feeling ill after they toured this lake nearby here," Zhaohui continued, his words heavy with the weight of revelation. "Although I have tested and examined to see if there was any poison or foul play, the water was perfectly fine to drink." Suyin's brow furrowed in deep contemplation as she absorbed his words, her mind racing with possibilities.

Zhaohui's words hung heavy in the air, his tone laden with the weight of uncertainty as he spoke of the village's mysterious illness.

Suyin listened intently, her mind racing with possibilities as she struggled to unravel the tangled threads of intrigue that bound them all together. But amidst the turmoil of her thoughts, there was a nagging sense of unease, a feeling that something crucial had eluded her grasp.

It wasn't the villagers or even the shadowy figure of Shi Zhang that troubled her—it was something far more elusive, something hidden beneath the surface of their tranquil surroundings. Her fingers traced the edges of the small wooden box that Weizhe had entrusted to her, its contents a tantalizing mystery that begged to be unraveled.

With a flick of her wrist, she flipped open the lid, revealing the lone inhabitant within—a dead mosquito, its lifeless form preserved within the confines of the tiny container. Zhaohui leaned in closer, his gaze shifting between Suyin and the curious object in her hand.

"Miss Suyin," he began, his voice tinged with confusion, "why is there a dead mosquito in there, and how is that going to help us?" But before she could respond, a spark of realization ignited within Suyin's eyes, a glimmer of understanding that illuminated the darkness of their predicament. With a sudden burst of energy, she sprang to her feet, her voice ringing with newfound determination. "Zhaohui! About the lake—show me where it's at!" In that moment, Suyin knew she had stumbled upon the solution to their plight, a revelation that held the power to save not only the village but also Qin Fuhua himself. With unwavering resolve, she set out to confirm her theory, her heart pounding with the promise of salvation that lay just beyond the murky depths of the mysterious lake.

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As Suyin and Zhaohui approached the still waters of the lake, a sense of eerie tranquility washed over them, the silence broken only by the soft hum of insects and the occasional crackle of distant branches falling to the forest floor.

Massive trees loomed overhead, their gnarled roots reaching towards the water's edge like ancient sentinels guarding a sacred shrine. The air was heavy with the scent of earth and decay, the fragrance of decomposing plant matter mingling with the sharp tang of stagnant water. The lake itself lay motionless, its surface as smooth and unyielding as polished glass. Not a ripple disturbed its serene facade, not a whisper of movement betrayed the depths that lay hidden beneath its tranquil surface.

To the untrained eye, it might have appeared frozen in time, a silent testament to the passage of ages. "Was it always like this?" Suyin ventured, her voice a soft murmur as she surveyed the stillness of the water. Zhaohui nodded solemnly, his gaze fixed on the desolate expanse before them. "From the rumors of the villagers," he replied, his voice tinged with sorrow, "they have complained of a lack of rain for the past year. And with no rain to replenish its waters, the lake has grown stagnant, its once teeming depths now devoid of life." Suyin's mind raced with possibilities as she pieced together the puzzle before her.

If the lake had ceased to flow, then the problem was not one of water consumption but of the flow of water! With no fish left to inhabit its waters, the true culprit behind the village's illness lay bare before them. "No fishes," Suyin murmured, her thoughts racing to a startling conclusion. "The absence of predators means that whatever is responsible for this illness is the very reason the fish disappeared in the first place." With a sense of grim determination, Suyin nodded, her resolve steeling with each passing moment.

As Suyin turned to face Zhaohui, her eyes bore into his with a fierce intensity that caught him off guard, her expression betraying a seriousness he had rarely seen from her.

"Zhaohui," she began, her voice steady with conviction, "I think I have the solution to help the village now." Zhaohui watched in astonishment as Suyin's demeanor shifted, her smirk hinting at a newfound confidence that filled him with both intrigue and admiration.

"There was a case back in the hospital---er.." Suyin coughed to change the terms, "Back where I lived. A child was sick with similar symptoms of chicken pox, but it wasn't chicken pox. He had another disease called, Dengue Fever."

He listened intently as she recounted a case from her past, her words painting a vivid picture of a child stricken with a disease far more insidious than the doctors had realized. "Dengue Fever," she declared, her hands gesturing animatedly as she explained her theory. "Still water is the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes, and with no fish to prey on their eggs, the villagers were defenseless against the onslaught of these disease-carrying pests." Zhaohui's eyes widened with comprehension as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place, his mind racing with the implications of Suyin's revelation.

"So the real culprit behind the illness is the mosquitoes," he exclaimed, a note of disbelief coloring his voice. "Mhm!" Suyin affirmed, her grin widening at his newfound understanding. "And the medicine prescribed by the doctors only made matters worse, exacerbating the illness rather than alleviating it." With a sense of triumph coursing through her veins, Suyin turned to share her victory with Zhaohui, only to find him gone, his presence evaporating like mist in the morning sun.

"Zhaohui?" she called out, her voice echoing through the stillness of the forest, but there was no response, only the eerie silence of the surrounding woods. "So much for supporting me," she grumbled under her breath.

But there was no time to dwell on his absence, not when the fate of the village hung in the balance. With a determined stride, Suyin set off toward the village, her heart pounding with the urgency of her mission.

She had a solution now, a way to save the villagers from the grip of illness that threatened to consume them.

And as she hurried through the forest, a solitary figure watched from the shadows, a knowing smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Young Miss," he murmured to himself, his voice carrying on the breeze, "it seems like only you can save them."

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Jiaoshu village is nestled amidst the undulating emerald hills, a picturesque haven painted with nature's brush strokes. Each dwelling seemed to blend seamlessly with the verdant landscape, creating a harmonious tableau of rural life. As Suyin traversed the cobblestone pathways, the afternoon sun cast long shadows, accentuating the tranquility that enveloped the village. The ambiance was reminiscent of scenes from ancient Chinese martial arts wuxia, where wisps of clouds danced around lofty peaks, and the air hummed with the whispers of legends.

One could almost envision an esteemed shifu perched atop a craggy summit, surveying the land with a sage-like gaze. Despite the hour, the village hummed with activity, albeit of a quieter sort. Villagers, their faces weathered by the sun and hands calloused from toil, went about their daily chores with a sense of purpose. Some tended to the verdant fields, while others labored by the riverside, their rhythmic motions akin to a choreographed dance with nature. Suyin, her resolve as steely as the mountains that loomed in the distance, ascended the hill to Shi Zhang's abode.

Yet, her determination was met with wary gazes and murmurs that rippled through the crowd like a gentle breeze through fields of wheat. "I heard this female wanted to be a doctor, but watch her hurt us instead," one villager's words hung in the air like a heavy mist, laden with skepticism and doubt. Undeterred, Suyin squared her shoulders, her eyes blazing with a fierce determination that spoke volumes.

With a silent vow to prove her detractors wrong, she pressed on, her footsteps echoing against the worn cobblestones. As she approached Shi Zhang's dwelling, the air crackled with anticipation.

Qin Fuhua's soldiers, their weary countenances a testament to their arduous vigil, stood sentinel outside the residence.

Suyin, unfazed by their presence, rapped boldly on the door, the sound echoing through the tranquil village like a clarion call. "Who is there?" The voice, muffled yet tinged with curiosity, emanated from within, as a cautious servant peered through the partially opened door, his eyes alight with intrigue.

In the dimly lit interior of Shi Zhang's home, Suyin's eyes met those of the familiar male servant, a silent recognition passing between them.

It was the same servant who had aided them on their previous visit, a flicker of acknowledgment flashing in his eyes before Suyin's swift action shattered the moment. With a determined force, Suyin's foot connected with the door, sending it crashing open with a resounding thud.

She knew resistance would be met at every turn, especially given Shi Zhang's clandestine efforts to thwart her quest for the cure. Bounding through the threshold, Suyin navigated the labyrinthine corridors with the agility of a panther on the hunt.

The male servant, caught off guard by her sudden intrusion, attempted to impede her progress but stumbled and fell, his efforts futile against her unwavering resolve. "In a hurry, are we?" The voice, tinged with amusement, echoed through the main residence as Suyin burst into the room, her gaze locking onto Shi Zhang, who regarded her with a knowing smile. Before the male servant could utter a word of warning, Shi Zhang dismissed him with a wave of his hand, his demeanor betraying a sense of amusement rather than concern. "A good entertainer, you sure are," he remarked, his words laced with a cryptic undertone that left Suyin momentarily perplexed. Undeterred by Shi Zhang's strange behavior, Suyin wasted no time in presenting her findings. The elderly man reclined in his chair, an aura of casual indifference enveloping him as he listened to her words. "I found the solution to prevent this illness from spreading," Suyin declared, her voice tinged with a mixture of determination and urgency. "Not just that, but I know how to cure the people who are sick." Shi Zhang, though initially nonchalant, sat up straighter, his interest piqued by Suyin's proclamation. His smile widened, betraying a hint of genuine curiosity beneath his veneer of aloofness. "Ah, so you found a solution then? That's great!" he exclaimed, his tone laced with genuine enthusiasm. As Suyin stood before him, grappling with the that he was the Shi Zhang, she couldn't help but wonder at his motivations. The oscillation between support and obstruction left her baffled, a puzzle she yearned to unravel. "May I have a paper and brush, please?" Suyin's request cut through the air, a tangible reminder of the task that lay before her.

As the servant scurried off to fulfill Suyin's request for paper and brush, the anticipation outside Shi Zhang's residence reached to his home.

Villagers, drawn by whispers of the unfolding drama, gathered outside, their murmurs blending with the rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze.

Peering through windows and congregating in the courtyard, they awaited Suyin's next move with a mixture of curiosity and skepticism. Undeterred by the scrutiny of the villagers, Suyin focused intently on her task, her brow furrowed in concentration as she meticulously transcribed her findings onto the parchment before her.

The ink flowed from her brush with purpose, capturing the essence of her solution to the village's plight. Amidst the murmurs and giggles that permeated the air, Suyin remained steadfast, her focus unwavering as she outlined the root cause of the illness and proposed solutions to combat it. "What is important is for your village to build a foundation of moving, current water from the still water," she asserted, her voice carrying a note of authority born of conviction. "You can do this man-made by digging enough to connect it to the river or waterfall nearby. This will help the fish reach the lake and help with the infestation of mosquitos too." As she delved deeper into her analysis, detailing the significance of the lake and the misguided efforts of previous treatments, Suyin couldn't help but steal a glance at Shi Zhang, who observed her with a mixture of amusement and intrigue.

However, as Suyin broached the topic of the necessary herbs to concoct her cure, a ripple of uncertainty momentarily clouded her features.

"There are some herbs that I need, in order to cure everyone who is ill right now," Suyin mumbled to herself, contemplating about the ingredients.

"We can provide that, but the question is, who will be willing to be your first patient?" Shi Zhang's challenge hung in the air, a testament to the villagers' ingrained distrust of outsiders.

As the murmurs of doubt swirled around her like an ominous tempest, Suyin felt the weight of skepticism pressing down upon her shoulders.

Being a woman in a society steeped in tradition only compounded the challenge she faced. How could she, a mere female, presume to offer aid in matters of healing? "She will just make a fool out of herself just like the Doctor from the Long Kingdom," a disdainful voice cut through the air, accompanied by an exaggerated roll of the eyes, echoing sentiments of doubt that lingered within the crowd. "How would we know she was making this all up?! What if her medicine will poison us instead?!" another voice cried out, the fear of the unknown palpable in their tone. Suyin's heart sank at the chorus of skepticism that surrounded her.

It seemed her uphill battle to gain Shi Zhang's trust had become even steeper, with doubts now multiplying like weeds in a neglected garden. Just as despair threatened to take root in her heart, a ray of hope pierced through the gloom.

"I will allow her to cure my son as my first patient," a resolute voice rang out from the throng, cutting through the din with unwavering conviction. A hush fell over the crowd as all eyes turned toward the source of the proclamation.

A woman, her countenance resolute, stepped forward, her hand raised in a gesture of solidarity. Suyin's eyes widened in disbelief as she recognized the familiar face that met her gaze. "Meifeng!" Suyin's smile blossomed like a radiant sunrise, relief flooding her being at the unexpected show of support. But her joy was short-lived as she caught sight of her brother, his demeanor betraying a mixture of shame and embarrassment.

A busted lip and downcast gaze spoke volumes, revealing the consequences of his recent misdeeds. Suyin's glare bore into him, a silent reprimand for his indiscretions, though a part of her couldn't help but feel a pang of pride at her sister's assertiveness.