Time Travel: The Best Doctor in Ancient Times

Chapter 362: Chapter 236: Killing the Undeserving Opportunist Chapter 362: Chapter 236: Killing the Undeserving Opportunist Emperor Zhoulin heard the words, his joy was beyond containment, “Great Zhou! Great Zhou! God’s bless our Great Zhou Dynasty! A Heavenly Destined Girl has descended! Taoist, where within Great Zhou does the land of the hook and the chain constellation point to? Speak quickly, and I will send people to find the Heavenly Destined Girl at once!”

With the Heavenly Destined Girl, he would command the world! The grand plan for his Great Zhou to unify the Four Kingdoms was just around the corner!

Hearing Emperor Zhoulin’s words, a contented smile crept across the face of Xuan Qing the Hermit as he slowly opened his mouth to reply, “In the Great Zhou Liuzhou Region, that is the birthplace of the girl destined by heaven!”

“The Liuzhou Region?” Emperor Zhoulin was startled at first, then joy quickly spread across his brow.

The Liuzhou Region was the fief he had designated for his Imperial Grandson Zhou Mu, and at this very moment, his grandson had recklessly abandoned the army of a million in Southern Fujian, and returned to Liuzhou!

Could it be, Zhou Mu had long known that a Heavenly Destined Girl would be born in the Liuzhou Region? Was that why he dared to abandon his army and go there, eager to welcome her arrival ahead of time?

If this were true, then things couldn’t possibly be better!

“Issue the imperial edict to Liuzhou Region with utmost urgency, ordering Prince Mu Zhou Mu to fully investigate the Female Star of the Occupation Room designated by heaven. She must be brought to the Capital City before any action is taken by the people from the other three kingdoms! Do not err!”

Emperor Zhoulin waved his golden-yellow dragon robe sleeves decisively as he issued the command.

He wanted to see who in the court would dare to criticize his Imperial Grandson now!

“Yes!” Han Shan bowed and responded before turning to relay the orders.

At the same time, in the three kingdoms of Southern Chen, Liaodong, and Northern Mongolian, people responsible for divining the fortunes and misfortunes of nations were rushing toward the royal palaces of the Three Kingdoms.

Situated south of Jiangnan and west of the eastern coastal cities lies the Southern Chen Imperial Palace in Southern Chen.

Emperor Chenjing of the Sima Imperial Family of Southern Chen looked at the old nun standing before him with an expression full of shock and anger. In a panic, he spoke, “Is what Divine Nun Miaozhen said true? The Female Star of the Occupation Room aligns with the hook and the chain constellation, signaling the birth of the one who is destined amidst chaos right in Great Zhou’s Liuzhou Region?”

Dressed in a light grey nun’s robe with a face as youthful as a child and full of vitality, Divine Nun Miaozhen simply nodded her head.

The face of Divine Nun Miaozhen remained unchanged, but upon receiving her confirmation, Emperor Chenjing’s face turned ashen, “Heaven wants to destroy our Southern Chen! Heaven wants to destroy our Southern Chen! It was bad enough that Zhou Mu, a rare military talent appearing once in a thousand years, has pressured us into paying tribute year after year, but now even the Heavenly Destined Girl is to be born in his territory. Could this really be the will of heaven?”

Emperor Chenjing’s already stooped and aged frame seemed to sag even further in defeat.

“Imperial Father, how can you boost others’ morale while destroying your own prestige?” Crown Prince Sima Changhao of Southern Chen stood up disapprovingly, his young face unable to hide his arrogance as he spoke gravely, “The birth of the Heavenly Destined Girl in Great Zhou is a cause for celebration, not sorrow. No one in the current world questions the capability of Zhou Mu, who within a decade made Great Zhou the strongest existence among the Four Kingdoms. With Zhou Mu leading battles in the south and expanding territories in the north, he has been the dread of the Three Kingdoms. Now that the Heavenly Destined Girl has appeared in his fiefdom, we in Southern Chen cannot endure this. Can Liaodong and Northern Mongolian?”

“No matter how strong an individual is, they cannot fight against the combined force of many. If we use this opportunity to reach a consensus among the Three Kingdoms to jointly resist the rise of Great Zhou, surrounded on all sides, no matter if Great Zhou has a million brave soldiers or the War God Zhou Mu, what can they do?” with this, Sima Changhao revealed a determined and chilling smile on his face and slowly continued, “Imperial Father, fortune rests upon disaster, and disaster rests upon fortune. Whether the Heavenly Destined Girl is a blessing or a curse for Great Zhou is yet to be determined. Imperial Father, your son begs for your decree to embark on a mission to Great Zhou!”

Emperor Chenjing looked at his son kneeling on one knee before him, a flicker of hesitation crossing his face, “One must not stand under a wall that is about to collapse. At this time, a mission to Great Zhou would have obvious intent and be fraught with danger. As the Crown Prince of Southern Chen, how can you put yourself at risk? I cannot allow it!”

“Imperial Father, only with your son going there can we ensure that there is no danger to life. I am well aware that in terms of leading troops in combat, I fall far short of Zhou Mu, but in terms of wit and strategy, I am not the least bit inferior. If my predictions are correct, the Three Kingdoms will definitely send envoys to Great Zhou at the same time, and those sent will all be individuals of substantial stature. It is most fitting for your son to go!” Sima Changhao moved forward on his knees, urgently addressing his father, “Imperial Father, this is a heaven-sent opportunity to form an alliance among the Three Kingdoms. Once missed, it won’t come again. I implore Imperial Father to agree!”

Watching his son before him, handsome and commanding, Emperor Chenjing’s eyes filled with pride. With such a wise and discerning son, how could Southern Chen lack successors?

“What do you intend to do with that Heavenly Destined Girl?” Emperor Chenjing, acquiescing to Crown Prince Sima Changhao’s proposal to go to Great Zhou, asked softly.

Sima Changhao’s eyes narrowed slightly with a glint of cold intent, and he spoke with conviction, “If she becomes ours, it will be our fortune; if not, she must be executed! We absolutely cannot allow her to fall into the hands of the other three kingdoms, especially Great Zhou!”

Almost simultaneously, the Khan’s great tent in Northern Mongolian welcomed their National Protectorate National Master, and the Liaodong Imperial Palace also received a visitor from the Astrology Pavilion…

That night, the Royal Family of the Four Kingdoms was shaken, as one decree after another was swiftly dispatched.

That night brought unpredictable events and celestial anomalies, which also stirred the Southern Border, where the Great Witch of the Miaojiang Witch Priest Ancestral Temple opened its doors, closed for over twenty years.

Dressed in black, the Great Witch knelt at the top level of the nine-layer Witch Priest Ancestral Temple. Her wide hat concealed her face, leaving only her hands exposed. Her skin was tanned and loosely wrinkled, with her long nails a dreadful dark red, giving anyone who saw them an eerie sensation.

“Oh almighty God of the Red Sun, after more than twenty years, my Miaojiang has finally awaited the great chaos that has come upon the world! At last, Xiangka Tianji of the Xiangka Clan awaits the opportunity to lift the curse of my clan…”

The voice of the Great Witch, as if ground by a millstone, sent shivers down one’s spine.

At this moment, she lay devoutly curled upon the ground, with a hoarse and strained roar that startled the young man behind her.

“What does Ancestral Aunt mean?” the young man maneuvered his wheelchair a step closer, his face showing disbelief and surprise.

“The Four Kingdoms are about to plunge into chaos. King Xiangka Song, as the ruler of Southern Border, what are you waiting for? Why have you not dispatched our people to search the Four Kingdoms for the Holy Maiden of the Phoenix Clan? Only the bell ringer can undo the bell’s toll. Phoenix Holy Maiden, let’s see how long you can hide!” the Great Witch trembled throughout, her voice laden with unrestrained hatred.

“Yes!” King Xiangka Song of Southern Border replied, his voice full of hope, “Ancestral Aunt, can the Phoenix Holy Maiden truly lift the curse from our Xiangka Clan? My Xiangka Clan usurped the throne of the Phoenix Clan in Southern Border, and since she has cast this curse, how could she willingly help us break it?”

Great Witch Xiangka Tianji looked up at the boundless night sky, her hoarse voice speaking hollowly, “In the world ruled by victors, the Phoenix Clan has ruled over Southern Border for a thousand years, and my Xiangka Clan has served them for a thousand years–why then can my Xiangka Clan not sit upon the throne? The curse was cast by her, we need only find her or her bloodline, there will always be a way to break the curse!”

“Ancestral Aunt, the Huaheng Clan has sworn to serve only the Phoenix Clan unto death, and they continue to stir up rebellion frequently. The unrest from the Huaheng Clan in recent years has given Great Zhou an opportunity, leading to the trampling by Prince Mu’s iron cavalry. If we bring back the Holy Maiden of the Phoenix Clan to Southern Border, I fear the Huaheng Clan will stir up trouble again!” King Xiangka Song of Southern Border analyzed the situation with a grim expression.

“If we do not remove the curse, how long can our Xiangka Clan safely hold onto the throne? The curse must be broken, and the Huaheng must be suppressed!” the authoritative voice of Great Witch Xiangka Tianji brooked no doubt. And with that, she waved her hand impatiently, “Go! Bring the Phoenix Holy Maiden to me!”

Seeing this, King Xiangka Song of Southern Border knew further words were useless, so he bowed and complied, “Yes!”

…

While the Four Kingdoms were all astir, Gu Changsheng remained leisurely, looking up at the sky in her courtyard.

Suddenly, she sniffed and her brows knit together slightly, murmuring uncertainly to herself, “Soul Attracting Incense?”

How could she smell the faint scent of Soul Attracting Incense in the air? The scent was very light, as if it were carried from a distance.

“Could it be that a bottle has broken?” Gu Changsheng mumbled to herself and then hurried toward her Pill Refining Tower.

As she ran, Gu Changsheng’s frown deepened, “How come the closer I get to the Pill Refining Tower, the fainter the scent becomes?”

Without further thought, Gu Changsheng plunged into the grand entrance of the Pill Refining Tower.

Gu Changsheng, who opened the mechanism and entered the basement, stood speechless at the sight of an empty space on the medicine shelf.

“Dammit, where’s my Soul Attracting Incense? At most, I’ve only crafted three bottles, YOU evildoer, that’s too mean, not even leaving a single bottle for me!”

Gu Changsheng clutched at the empty medicine slot with tears in her eyes.

This basement, aside from the builder Yuan Bao, only Zhou Mu knew about it, and the only one who knew that this slot had Soul Attracting Incense was Zhou Mu.

As she refined and concocted medicines, that scoundrel would always follow her closely. Every time she successfully created a poison, she would excitedly show off to him. And now, look at this, the scoundrel had the nerve to steal!

“What the hell does that evildoer want with Soul Attracting Incense? Does he need it to lure people? He’s charming enough already!” Gu Changsheng pouted and looked at the empty slot, murmuring her doubts.

Soul Attracting Incense was a concoction she had made out of sheer boredom. The incense was non-toxic but had a hypnotic effect, making anyone who smelled it unconsciously follow its fragrance…

But for what purpose had Zhou Mu taken the Soul Attracting Incense? She seemed to have detected a whiff of the incense outside her residence just before…

“Could it be that Zhou Mu, that evildoer, couldn’t sleep in the dead of night, and is playing around in the street luring people with Soul Attracting Incense?” Gu Changsheng murmured her suspicion again.

Thinking it was all so silly and unable to understand the reason, Gu Changsheng angrily climbed out of the basement. She thought to herself that she could just ask Zhou Mu when he came by tomorrow; why tire her mind guessing?

Mr. Ban Shan’s floor was still lit up, meaning he was still waging war against that stack of military tomes. Gu Changsheng chuckled to herself, humming a tune from Jiangnan as she slowly walked back to her own sleeping quarters.

While walking, she thought, “My foster father should recover from his stupor by tomorrow, right? Hehe…”

In the deep autumn conducive to sleep, Gu Changsheng was blissfully unaware of the night’s turbulent machinations. While others lay wakeful, she herself slept soundly and sweetly, without a care.

“Madam, trouble! Madam, trouble! Get up quickly!”

At the first light of dawn, Dong Lei frantically pounded on the door to Gu Changsheng’s room.