Chapter 1: Siblings

However, she still mustered her spirits and went to the nearby copper basin to wring out a towel, carefully and personally wiping her elder brother's face. Only then did she softly say, "Elder brother, rest assured, no matter what, I will go to Songyang Temple to seek out that Daoist Sun and cure your illness! If Daoist Sun is unable to help, even if it means traversing thousands of mountains and rivers with you, I will find a renowned physician like the Medicine King of old! I promised our grandfather and grandmother when they passed away that we siblings would take good care of each other!" If Daoist Sun is unable to help, even if it means traversing thousands of mountains and rivers with you, I will find a renowned physician like the Medicine King of old! I promised our grandfather and grandmother when they passed away that we siblings would take good care of each other!

The young girl by the bedside immediately woke up upon hearing the soft call. She cast a reproachful glance at the returning maid and then whispered, "Speak quietly, don't wake up my brother!"

On the stone-paved road, a girl of about thirteen or fourteen carefully walked with a basket on her back. She was dressed in simple clothes, her figure slender, but her face, at first glance, appeared dark and shiny, which, in the current trend of fairness, could be considered unusual. When she finally spotted the familiar path on her right, she raised her hand to wipe the beads of sweat from her forehead

At this moment, Du Shiyi, lying on the bed by the north wall, was wide awake.

Taking out the last of her family savings, which amounted to twenty guan, Du Shisan Niang, despite being only eleven years old, insisted on borrowing a carriage driver from a relative to travel the long distance of a thousand miles from Jingzhao Prefecture to Songshan. Fortunately, she did not encounter any dangers along the way. However, while it was easy to enter Songyang Temple, the Daoist priest Sun Taichong, who was reputed to be quite skilled in medicine, was not easy to meet. Du Shisan Niang had to visit almost every other day, but each time the Daoist within the temple would shake his head and say that Daoist Sun was traveling and not present in the temple.

Upon hearing these resolute words, the youth on the bed remained pale and speechless. Faced with this situation, Du Shisan's mother let out a deep sigh, her small face revealing an indescribable sadness

It is said that Songgao Peak is the highest among all peaks, and it is also the most captivating. Now, in March, the outside world is filled with the colors of spring, yet there remains a hint of chill in the mountains. Generations of dignitaries and nobles have regarded this place as a favored destination for leisure. The paths originally trodden by woodcutters have gradually transformed into stone-paved roads, with each slab of bluestone becoming smooth and rounded under the countless footsteps of visitors, appearing even more slippery after a night of light rain. Generations of dignitaries and nobles have regarded this place as a favored destination for leisure. The paths originally trodden by woodcutters have gradually transformed into stone-paved roads, with each slab of bluestone becoming smooth and rounded under the countless footsteps of visitors, appearing even more slippery after a night of light rain

"My lady, although we gathered twenty guan before coming here, this situation cannot continue. " Zhu Ying looked anxiously at the lattice screen that obscured the shape of the east room and said softly, "You and your husband have been staying here for nearly half a month. The expenses on the road, the repairs to the thatched cottage, along with various other medical expenses, have already cost five or six guan. Even if the Taoist priest at Songyang Temple is willing to treat him in the future, we will still need to buy medicine, prepare a token of gratitude, and hire a carriage for the return trip. It seems we must be even more frugal..."

Waking from the dream is akin to a thousand years ago. In the days prior, various fragments would replay like a revolving lantern before his eyes, and most of the time he felt dizzy, unable to move. This period of being unable to move or speak was enough to leave a deep impression on him. Beyond this torment, the sights he encountered and the words he heard each day were so unfamiliar that they were almost incomprehensible. If it were not for his strong willpower, he might have gone mad.

He once thought this was a prank, or perhaps a fleeting dream, but everything felt too real. Accompanied by Du Shiniang and Zhu Ying, who took turns being by his side, and with the help of the illustrations, he finally distinguished between dreams and reality, realizing that he was now Du Shiyi, no longer anyone else. At this moment, he gently clenched his fists and then relaxed them. Such a simple action made him involuntarily let out a long sigh.

When she returned to the bedside and saw Du Shiyi lying on the bed with his eyes open, Du Shisan Niang was both surprised and delighted. However, she soon realized that his eyes still gazed at her with a contemplative expression, and he remained silent, clearly unchanged from the day before. This inevitably filled her with profound disappointment

"If it is expensive, so be it, as long as my brother can recover quickly." The young girl's innocent face revealed a determination that was not in line with her age. Upon noticing Zhu Ying's hesitant expression, she immediately asked, "I came all the way here with my brother to Songshan because I trust you. If you have something to say, just say it plainly."

From the first movement of his finger to now, he has finally been able to clench his fists with both hands. If he remembers correctly, it should have been a full sixty-four days!

Madam

I understand. The girl interrupted Zhu Ying's words without a second thought and said decisively, "From now on, I will eat and use less every day, but I cannot neglect my elder brother. Zhu Ying, rest assured, when my brother recovers, I will ask him to grant you a good position in the literary world, and those who have designs on you will not succeed!"

My lady, everything has been purchased. Last year's locust disaster has caused the prices of both rice and flour to rise by more than thirty percent compared to before. I have heard that traces of flying locusts have appeared in the fields again. This time, eggs are also much more expensive than last time, costing one coin each. When I went out with the thirty coins I had, after buying half a pound of salt, I chose a few vegetables, but the money was not enough, so I only spent two coins to buy two.

He is no longer the unfilial son who, after the early death of his mother, was forced by his father, a renowned master of stone inscriptions, to copy texts from a young age, who once learned acupuncture from his father's old friend, and later rebelled as a teenager, running away to study music, which his father disparaged as a minor path. His footsteps once traversed much of the earth, but in the end, he could only rush back to see his father one last time before his passing. Now it is the fourth year of the Kaiyuan era, and seated on the throne is none other than Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, who both created a prosperous age and led it to its demise. He is the nineteenth son of the Du family from Jingzhao, Du Shijiu, orphaned and in decline, and among countless relatives, he has only his biological sister, Du Shisan, to rely on.

The expression on Zhu Ying's face immediately revealed profound gratitude; after deeply bowing in respect, she withdrew with her hands clasped.

Sister

Mount Song is located in the Central Plains, stretching horizontally from east to west. It overlooks the Yellow River and Luo River to the north, and is bordered by the Ying River and Jishan to the south. To the east lies Mount Taishi, and to the west is Mount Shaoshi. The seventy-two peaks are all picturesque. Since the Eastern Migration of King Ping of the Zhou Dynasty, it has been referred to as the Central Peak. During the Tang Dynasty, when Empress Wu ascended to the throne, Mount Song was further designated as the Sacred Peak, leading to a proliferation of Buddhist temples and palaces within the mountain, living up to its reputation as a renowned mountain in the capital region.

In the eastern part of the three rooms, paper lattice screens were used as partitions. In the other two rooms, apart from a low table, two bamboo low couches, and a clothes rack, there were only a few book boxes in the corner, which gave off a somewhat shabby appearance. The young girl quickly walked to the front of the book boxes and set down her backpack, then she circled around the lattice screen to the eastern room. At a glance, she saw a little girl with braided hair sitting on the mat, one hand leaning against the bamboo bed, the other gently resting on the books in front of her, her head nodding slightly as she was dozing off.

She supported the maid's hand to stand up, then turned back to stare at the person on the bed for quite a while. Seeing that there was not the slightest movement, she immediately revealed an expression of deep concern that was hard to suppress. Once she and the maid quietly circled around the screen to the outer room, she asked the maid: "Zhu Ying, have you bought everything I asked you to?"

A low sound emerged from his throat, and he couldn't help but reveal a faint bitter smile. In the initial days when he was unable to speak or move, every time he saw Du Shisan Niang bustling about, reciting poetry for him and talking to him, he could always feel his restless heart gradually calming down. Yet now, even though he could clearly move and speak, he found himself at a loss on how to face her. In his previous life, he didn't even have a single cousin!

Thank you, my lady

In this thatched cottage lived three individuals: their master and servant. Usually, all the chores, from tidying up to shopping and cooking, were handled by her alone. Even though life was hard and laborious, following this young couple on their travels was far better than staying at home facing the covetous gazes of others. Otherwise, if the gatekeeper, Du Shijiu, were to meet with any misfortune, Du Shisan would either be left alone in misery or become dependent on others, unable to protect her humble maid. Even upon arriving here, to avoid being entangled by anyone outside, she had to darken her face, neck, and hands. Otherwise, if the gatekeeper, Du Shijiu, were to meet with any misfortune, Du Shisan would either be left alone in misery or become dependent on others, unable to protect her humble maid. Even upon arriving here, to avoid being entangled by anyone outside, she had to darken her face, neck, and hands.

Elder brother

In the depths of a small path beside the foot of Junji Peak, north of Songyang Temple, there are three thatched cottages hidden among the bamboo groves. Although they are called thatched cottages, the main structure is actually made of bamboo, and the thatch on the roof has evidently just been replaced, with raindrops occasionally dripping from the edge of the roof. Outside the cottages, there is a low fence surrounding the area, and the bamboo gate is slightly ajar. The young girl gently pushed the door and entered the small courtyard, then hurriedly walked to the door of the cottage, perked up her ears to listen for any sounds, and finally pushed the door open and stealthily entered the house.

Who could have imagined that Du Shijiu, a child prodigy who had gained some fame in Fanchuan since childhood and often frequented the prestigious families in Chang'an, would, due to a devastating fire at home last year, suffer from extreme shock and illness? Not only could he no longer compose a single poem, but he also became muddled and dazed, seeking medical help everywhere without any improvement. Eventually, he could not even speak, nor could he move his limbs, becoming akin to a living corpse. To make matters worse, his parents had passed away early, and his uncle, Du Fu, who was his closest relative, had been serving as the magistrate of Xianzhou's Xiping County and had not returned for many years.

Although the Duqu of Fanchuan is a place where members of the Du clan reside, the relationships among them vary in closeness and distance, with connections among the branches of each family tree often traceable beyond five degrees of kinship. Apart from the Du clan of Huanshui, there are also the Du clans of Jingzhao, Xiangyang, and Puyang, each of which has members settled there, many of whom regard the Du Ling of Jingzhao as their ancestral home. Initially, many families were willing to help each other, but no amount of assistance could counteract the depletion caused by seeking medical treatment and idly consuming resources. Du Shisi, the biological sister of the same mother, had no choice but to take drastic measures.

After dinner, Zhu Ying, exhausted from a day of busy labor, had already fallen into a deep sleep. It was often the case that Du Shiyi would watch her fall asleep by the bedside before she herself would retire for the night. However, at this moment, Du Shisan Niang seemed unable to withstand the fatigue of the past few days and had gone to bed early. Lying on another bed against the east wall, she curled up into a ball, and apart from her even breathing, there were occasional murmurs that sounded like dream talk, blending with the faint sounds of insects from outside, adding a deeper sense of tranquility to the quiet room. Lying on another bed against the east wall, she curled up into a ball, and apart from her even breathing, there were occasional murmurs that sounded like dream talk, blending with the faint sounds of insects from outside, adding a deeper sense of tranquility to the quiet room