South along the Xiao Pass Old Road, past Pine Tree Bend, I came upon a cottage nestled in misty willows. A cle…
South along the Xiao Pass Old Road, past Pine Tree Bend, I came upon a cottage nestled in misty willows. A clear stream ran before its door, and on the breeze rode the faint scent of herbs.
Beneath the eaves, some furrowed with worry, while others clutched themselves and wailed. Legend says a divine physician dwells here, one who can restore the dead and regrow the bone. The desperate flock here from far and wide.
Among them were many jianghu wanderers, healthy, lightly injured. They sought no cure but drifted through the sick, eyes sharp, as if gathering intelligence.
For the healthy and those not hunting treasure, there was little reason to linger. Yet the soft aroma of medicine and the occasional laughter of the healed brought a smile. For a moment, it seemed the sorrows of the world had slipped away with the stream.