Princess of the Jurchen Empire 12

I already wrote that Zhen Underground City was huge.  It was possible to enter the underground city from several sides.  To be precise, there were four gates.  However, all paths led to one place, to a huge square on which stood the majestic temple of the Jurchen people.  Near the temple was a strange structure.  The people called this building the scales of time.  At first glance, the scales of time were a rather awkward structure.  They were huge, their size was amazing.  If we correlate the scales of time with modern buildings, then the height of these scales corresponded to about a five-story building.  However, when a person approached the scales of time, the cups of the scales fell down.  The heroes of my already written books entered the underground city of Zhen from different sides.  I already wrote that the city was incredibly huge, moreover, in front of different travelers, the city turned in different, sometimes quite unexpected, facets.  Glass galleries, labyrinths, greenhouses, magic mirrors, books of time, Buddhist temples - travelers could see all this when they entered the city, or they could ... And not see it.  When the city was founded, sorcerers, geomancers, shamans, and soothsayers were invited.  Prince Aguda listened to everyone.  A lot of ideas have since been brought to life.  But the main purpose of the underground city, as I said, was to protect travelers in trouble.The stone bird and the wall of coincidences were in a single copy.  But there were four lakes, as well as gates.  Unfortunately, not a single fugitive or traveler could subsequently tell how he got into the secret city.  The scales of time erased all memories.  Therefore, you, my dear readers, will have to take my word for it.  So I repeat, before the various fugitives who entered the gates of the underground city, the secret city of Zhen appeared in a different form.  So this time, the underground city opened up to the satellites with that facet that I meet for the first time.  But let's get it right.  When people woke up and left their houses, it turned out that not everyone could endure the hardships of the journey.  Several dozen people got sick.  When we left Xuping, there were about three hundred people at the beginning of the journey.  When they had gone several kilometers, ten people refused to go any further.  These were two families who believed that the unknown that lay ahead of them was worse than the Mongol army.  Wang Li tried to dissuade people, but they did not listen to him and returned back.  Twenty more people refused to go further when they saw an abandoned village where no one lived now.  These people decided that they could live happily in an abandoned village without fear of any threats.  270 people, or rather 269 people, reached the secret city of Zheng, not counting the Mongol spy.  So, I repeat, together with their leader, the giant Wang Li, there were now 269 people in the secret city.  The giant wanted to gather everyone who came to the city with him and talk, but it turned out that several dozen people were seriously ill.  The giant believed in the magical power of water from barrels, and asked the audience to drink small sips of those who fell ill with this water, and those who fell ill ate Butramuss apples.  By evening, there were no patients left.  Water and apples really had healing powers.  Even the little princess Xi tried to keep up with the other children when the children had a common game. The giant decided that it was time to finally talk.  He was about to begin his speech and unroll the scroll that the general had given him, but Wang Li's speech was interrupted.  Several women laughed and pointed somewhere sideways and down.  Lady Ming, a lady who was a lady-in-waiting to one of the imperial wives, stumbled upon a hot spring bath while walking.  It was there that she called the women now, but Wang Li suddenly became furious.  To be heard, the giant had to strain his voice.-Stop!  I answer to the emperor for every life.  Danger can lie in wait for the ignorant even here in the secret city.  There are several black spots on this map,” Wang Li held up the map above his head.  This means that you cannot go to these places categorically.  Only dedicated people, when laying the city, knew what was in these places.
 The people quieted down.
 - We walked for so long, we overcame so many obstacles to survive, - the giant calmed down and began to speak more quietly, - each of you is valuable to me, I don't want to lose you!
 “I'm sorry, sir,” Ms. Ming lowered her eyes, “I didn't mean to endanger anyone.  Could you show me if there is a bath that I found on the map, and I would like to believe that the bath is not blacked out.
 Ms. Ming's expectations were confirmed, the bath was on the map, and luckily it wasn't blacked out.
 The giant relented. The idea occurred to him that the baths are exactly the place where everyone can gather and, after bathing, talk.