The Black Emperor's Runaway Bride

Love, Family, and Sacrifice Part 2

The Healer Valley accommodates about a hundred families consisting of healers from multiple backgrounds. The sect was known in Jianghu as Shenyigu (Immortal Physician Valley) in the Shu Han Kingdom. It was founded by Master Zhen Yu, a physician who opened a small clinic in the valley of Ba Dong.

The region was situated near the southern border of the Wei Kingdom and the West Border of the Wu Kingdom. It was initially a deserted valley where the war refugee from the three kingdoms came. The injured and sick ones got treated by Master Zhen Yu for free. In return, the families began to send their children to be his disciple. The valley that initially houses ten families expanded within the last few decades and now has around a hundred families.

The current Master of Healer Valley was one of Zhen Yu's first batch disciples known as Zhen Mo. During his early childhood, he was brought by his mother to Ba Dong as a refugee from Luoyang, the imperial city of the Wei Kingdom. Sadly, his mother passed away due to tuberculosis. Although Master Zhen Yu treated her, it was too late as she had the disease for months and the long journey took a toll on her weak body. Knowing she had no hope, she entrusted her child called Xiao Mo, to Master Zhen Yu. Pitying Xiao Mo, Master Zhen Yu took him as his disciple. Xiao Mo then took his master's name later known as Zhen Mo.

Zhen Mo now a man in his mid-fifties, a renowned master with many disciples. He has no child and never married but after he took over the sect, Zhen Mo adopts an orphan from Wen's family. The Wen couple was also Master Zhen Yu's disciples. However, the whole family was massacred by their enemies, and the survivors were a maid who managed to run away carrying the sole heir of Wen's family, 5 years old Wen Ru Yu. Zhen Mo found the child abandoned on the street of Yi Du and took him to Ba Dong. The child grew up into a talented healer who was later known as the Divine Hand, Zhen Ru Yu.

Twenty years later, Zhen Ru Yu marries Gu Miao Miao, his Shimei. They were blessed with a child a few years after their marriage. Today Master Zhen Mo held a gathering to celebrate his grandson reaching a hundredth day. All families were invited to his mansion. The celebration was held at the hour of the dog as the night started (7 pm-9 pm) at the outer hall which connected to the central courtyard. Family members were seated in the hall meanwhile another guest was seated in the central courtyard. Every guest was served 12 dishes on their table and given a red egg that symbolizes birth and a new beginning.

Zhen Mo sat at the end of the hall across the hallway on his throne-like seat. The right and left sides of the hall were filled with banquet tables among the Healer Valley Elders, Masters, and disciples. The Master of Healer Valley personally greet all his guests and proudly told everyone that Zhen Yan would be a prodigy and another divine healer would be trained by him, surpassing his son.

Zhen Ru Yu wore beautiful white embroidered hanfu, and Gu Miao Miao donned the same style in black. Together they greet all the guests who came to the celebration and accept the red envelope for the baby. Baby Zhen Yan looks adorable in a red hanfu and swaddled in a hundred-patch quilt. Each family in the valley knitted each patch as their prayers wishing good luck and longevity. The baby was asleep in a beautifully decorated sandalwood baby cot, his parents were seated beside him.

Gu Yan, the Snow Mountain Wolf Pack Qianyuan Leader, arrived with her mate, Ye Zhao the Kunze Leader. They both came with their pack's spiritual leader, the High Priestess. In their pack tradition, all of their descendants would be blessed by their spiritual leader and their future would be foretold. The High Priestess donned a black sheer robe, her face obscured by a veil, eyes unseeing. Her hair was adorned with azure beads, the same with her bangle and chain belt. With each step she took, the bell on her waist rang alerting everyone of her presence. Despite being blind, she looked more aware of her surroundings and her aura was intimidating.