The fort master looked at his wife, closed his eyes, and drew a long, slow breath.

He opened them again and fixed his gaze on the two physicians kneeling before him. “Whatever the situation is right now, you must not give up. Is that understood?”

“I don’t care what methods you use or how many costly medicines are required — you must bring the Elder Fort Master back.”

“If it cannot be done, send someone out at once to fetch a physician from Phoenix City, or find one from elsewhere.”

“As long as it saves the Elder Fort Master, I will agree to any condition!”

“Move quickly! Why haven’t you started preparing?” The fort master swept his gaze across everyone in the chamber and called out sharply.

“Yes.” Everyone nodded in unison and rose to their feet.

Two serving girls went and helped the fort master’s wife up from the floor, clearing space around her.

One physician returned to the bedside; the fort master stepped to one side. The second physician left with two manservants in tow.

Before long, the people inside and outside the chamber were busy and moving again. Apart from the fort master and his wife standing guard to each side, everyone else was rushing about without a moment’s pause.

Regrettably, after half a quarter-hour had passed, the Elder Fort Master showed not the slightest sign of improvement.

“Fort Master.” Suddenly, the steward appeared in the doorway of the chamber.

The fort master looked out, furrowed his brow, and stepped outside.

In the main hall outside the chamber stood not only the steward but two team leaders and the Grand Elder as well.

“Fort Master, the brothers have reported that someone has slipped inside — they are currently within the stone forest to the west.” The West Gate Team Leader clasped his hands and reported.

“Who are they?” The fort master’s brow, already deeply creased, showed no sign of relaxing.

“It appears to be Miss Feng, along with her people. Word has it they have already made their way successfully into the depths of the stone forest.” The West Gate Team Leader replied, a trace of apprehension in his manner.

“The Small Elder has taken our brothers over to reinforce the area and sent me back to inform the Fort Master.”

“Does our stone forest truly have no effect on them at all?” The fort master was in a state of intense agitation.

The Grand Elder stepped forward, looked at the fort master, and sank to his knees.

“Fort Master, this elderly one sincerely apologizes. I used every idea I could think of to rearrange the formation, yet to no avail…”

“Rise. Miss Feng is surrounded by gifted and capable people — it is genuinely difficult.” The fort master shook his head and exhaled softly.

“Fort Master.” The South Gate Team Leader clasped his hands. “There is something I am uncertain whether I should say.”

“Say it!” The fort master said sternly. “Why are you dithering at a time like this?”

“Fort Master.” The South Gate Team Leader clasped his hands again. “I have heard that Miss Feng is a divine physician.”

“The Elder Fort Master’s condition is now critical. Even if those sent out can truly find a suitable physician, by the time they arrive…”

“What do you think you’re saying?” The West Gate Team Leader glared at the South Gate Team Leader. “Their people caused the deaths of eleven of our own — why would they be willing to come in and save anyone?”

The South Gate Team Leader furrowed his brow and looked up at the fort master.

“Fort Master, there is not a shred of evidence proving that it was Miss Feng’s people who carried out last night’s attack.”

“The Fort Master has had dealings with Miss Feng himself — she is open and aboveboard by nature, not the kind of person to do such things from the shadows. Furthermore, those who died were women and children. She would not…”

“South Gate.” The West Gate Team Leader cut the South Gate Team Leader off. “How many times have you actually met this woman? Do you really think you know her character so well?”

“Or is it that because she is beautiful, you’ve decided she cannot be a villain? What kind of reasoning is that?”

The tall, dark, and powerfully built South Gate Team Leader looked at the West Gate Team Leader, urgency rising in his expression.

He furrowed his brow and turned back to the fort master, clasping his hands again. “Fort Master, I am absolutely not speaking up for Miss Feng merely because of her appearance.”

“Setting aside her character entirely — if she truly intended to act, she would not have marched her troops away last night. She would have attacked right then and there. There would have been no need for all this maneuvering.”

“Given that our stone forest formation poses no obstacle to her at all, why would she go to the trouble of climbing over mountains and trekking through rough terrain rather than attacking straight through the main gate?”

“Fort Master, this matter is not as simple as it may seem. I beg you to think carefully!”

After the deaths of eleven clanspeople were discovered that morning, the fort master had convened an impromptu meeting with everyone early on. The fort master, the deputy fort master, and the Grand Elder had not yet taken a firm stance on the matter — after all, people had died, and no one was in a good state of mind.

Of the East, West, South, and North Gate Team Leaders, all except the South Gate Team Leader, along with the Small Elder, had concluded that the incident was the work of Feng Jiu’er and her people.

The South Gate Team Leader had been standing alone without support, and had not dared to press his point at the time.

Now, hearing that Feng Jiu’er and her group had crossed mountains and rivers to enter the fort, the South Gate Team Leader was even more certain that they had not been responsible.

The fort master said nothing. The main hall fell silent.

Inside the chamber, a manservant came rushing out in great haste, moving so frantically that he tripped and fell flat on the ground. He looked up for a brief moment, then scrambled forward on his hands and knees with trembling urgency.

“Fort Master, the Elder Fort Master has…”

Before the manservant could finish his words, the fort master was already striding back toward the chamber, leaving everyone in the hall exchanging bewildered glances.

The fort master walked into the chamber in swift, long strides, his voice nearly a shout: “What is the Elder Fort Master’s condition? What is my father’s condition?”

At the sight of the fort master entering, everyone knelt again.

“Fort Master.” A physician’s voice came out hoarse and strained. “The Elder Fort Master has regained consciousness, but with the poison attacking his heart… I fear he may not last…”

“May not last until sundown.”

The fort master stood at the bedside and half-crouched down, taking the Elder Fort Master’s hand in his own.

The Elder Fort Master had come round by this point, but his eyes were vacant and without focus, his lips darkened, his complexion still stark and pale.

“Father.” The fort master’s voice carried a slight tremor.

“Life and death are matters of fate. Cough…” The Elder Fort Master looked at the fort master, and the moment he opened his mouth to speak, he broke into a cough.

“Father, don’t worry! I will find a way.” The fort master gently rubbed the Elder Fort Master’s chest, released his hand, and stood.

“Who was it just now who said Feng Jiu’er is a divine physician?” He swept his gaze over everyone in the room and called out.

“That was the South Gate Team Leader, Fort Master.” The steward’s voice carried in from the doorway of the chamber.

The South Gate Team Leader, who had followed the steward over, stepped forward immediately, walked into the chamber, and came into the fort master’s line of sight.

“In reply to the Fort Master — Miss Feng is indeed a divine physician. Everyone in the city knows it, though as to the exact extent of her medical skill, this subordinate cannot say with certainty.”

“Bring her here. Go and bring her here now.” The fort master said in a firm, measured tone.

“Fort Master.” The West Gate Team Leader, who had just entered, immediately drew his brows together.

“South Gate — since you believe Feng Jiu’er is above suspicion, you will go and bring her in personally.” The fort master looked at the South Gate Team Leader and waved his hand.

“As long as she can save my father — and even prove her own innocence — from this point forward, I will listen to her. I, Jia, am a man of my word.”

“Go — go now, at the fastest pace possible, and bring her in.”

“Yes.” The South Gate Team Leader dipped his head and vanished from the chamber.

Feng Jiu’er had not expected that a group of people would suddenly appear in the stone forest, announcing they had come to invite her inside.

She had gone to all the trouble of scaling the highest peak and cracking the stone forest formation — and now, out of nowhere, they were saying they wished to invite her in.

Looking at the tall, dark, powerfully built man bowing deferentially before her, Feng Jiu’er furrowed her brow again.

“What was it you just said? Say it once more!”