Chapter 1326: Chapter 1326: Gathering Herbs by Oneself

She had completely shed her previous delicate demeanor as a refined young lady. Now, carrying a heavy pack, climbing mountains and wading through water posed no trouble for her, and even her facial features seemed to have gained a more resolute edge.

Searcy teased her, “If you were to go back to the Imperial Palace of Zhuzhao now, I bet no one would recognize you.”

“What’s wrong with me?”

“You look just like a tomboy now. And who did your hair? Don’t the girls of Nanzhao usually wear thick braids?”

Jin Liuying touched her head and said, “The Prince said tying my hair up would make mountain climbing easier.”

“Nowadays everything you do is because your Prince says so. Before this, wasn’t it all about what your master said?”

“That’s not true!” Jin Liuying’s face turned red as she stomped her foot and exclaimed angrily, “Searcy, your mouth is the most venomous!”

Gu Youyou had to step in to ease the tension, saying, “Alright, Liuying, go paint. Searcy, come over here, I need to go down to pick that herb growing in the crack.”

“The herb in the crack?” Searcy, seeing the direction Gu Youyou was staring at, exclaimed in shock, “Are you trying to kill yourself? That’s a cliff down there—if you fall, not even your bones will remain!”

Gu Youyou replied, “This kind of herb only grows in cracks. So, tell me, what’s the plan?” As she spoke, she pulled a rope from her backpack and tied it to a sturdy tree.

“Why don’t you ask your esteemed Prince to come over? Isn’t he skilled in Qinggong? Picking a few herbs should be as easy as pie for him.” Searcy glanced at the steep cliff and expressed her disapproval.

Gu Youyou rolled her eyes in response. “You’ve got to be kidding me. I don’t have time for that fuss!”

With that, she had already tied the other end of the rope around herself. Flashing a grin, she stepped onto the edge and began descending the cliff.

“Watch closely, you lot. Behold the prowess of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man!”

Gu Youyou quickly found a suitable spot to land and made her way down to the herb growing on the precipice.

Above, Searcy and Jin Liuying broke out in a cold sweat, terrified that one wrong move would send her plummeting.

But it turned out that Gu Youyou was more than adept at cliff climbing. She collected the herb without incident and climbed back up in no time.

Jin Liuying patted her chest in relief. “Master, you’re so bold. Just looking at that high cliff makes my head spin.”

Gu Youyou laughed, “Good thing you didn’t follow me into medicine. As a traditional doctor, cliff climbing is a fundamental skill because countless precious herbs grow on cliffs.”

Searcy snorted coldly, “That’s only something barefoot doctors have to do to make ends meet. You, as the big boss, should be sitting in your clinic writing prescriptions instead. If your Prince hears about this, let’s see how he deals with you.”

Gu Youyou: “…”

Searcy’s mouth truly was merciless.

…

After waiting for most of the month, they finally got their chance.

“The Empress Dowager of Nanzhao Country is gravely ill. A dozen witch doctors danced rituals for two days straight, but it was all futile. Boss Gu, this is the perfect moment for you to act,” Yue Rujing said eagerly, his face lit up with excitement.

Gu Youyou’s eyes sparkled. Upon hearing the news, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of exhilaration.

She hurriedly asked, “Have they considered inviting a doctor?”

Yue Rujing’s face immediately fell. He snapped angrily, “Those stubborn fools only talk about waiting for the Great Shaman to return and haven’t even thought of asking you to take a look.”

Gu Youyou, however, wasn’t particularly surprised. This was exactly what she had anticipated.

Jin Zijin, his expression dark, turned to Yue Rujing and said, “Then find a way to make them invite her.”

Yue Rujing looked helpless and replied, “They simply don’t believe doctors can heal illness. They only trust witch doctors. If someone dies, they’ll claim it was the Shamaness summoning them back. What am I supposed to do about it?”