Within the market streets to the west of the city, the thin morning mist gradually dissipated. A vendor selling fried pancakes placed the dough into the pan, and with a sizzle, a rich aroma filled the air.
The fragrance wafted through the air, slipping into a medical hall adorned with a signboard that read “Spring Hall.” The proprietor of the hall, Doctor Li, adjusted his gray beard, observing that there were still no customers in the shop. He called out to the interior, “Xiaoxi, come out and arrange the medicinal herbs that arrived today.”
With a prompt “Yes,” a young assistant dressed in coarse linen clothing, with a round face, emerged from behind the curtain. Though his expression appeared timid, his movements were swift as he efficiently sorted the various bags of herbs into separate compartments.
After meticulously checking all the herbs to ensure nothing was overlooked, he heaved a sigh of relief. Then, as if remembering something, he swiftly dashed into the inner room to pour a cup of tea for Doctor Li.
Doctor Li smiled as he lifted the teacup, seemingly pleased with the young man’s performance. However, he couldn’t help but lament inwardly at the sight of the calluses forming on the once delicate hands of this young lady. He wondered what circumstances had led her, a seemingly well-bred girl, to wander into this commonplace seeking a livelihood.
Then, a thought occurred to him. Given her composed demeanor and evident intelligence, she must have come from a wealthy family and fallen on hard times. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have ended up in such a humble establishment. Seeing her potential, Doctor Li felt a fondness for her and realized that she would be a suitable match for his unmarried son, who was nearing twenty years old.
Meanwhile, disguised as a young man named Yuanxi, the girl named Yuanxi remained oblivious to Doctor Li’s thoughts. She was engrossed in studying the annotated medical records in her hands. Though she had read many medical books during her time in the women’s quarters, she had never had the opportunity to treat actual patients. It was only in the past half month, under Doctor Li’s guidance, that she realized the complexities involved in treating various ailments. Despite the challenges, she found the learning process fascinating and not as arduous as she had initially imagined.
Observing Yuanxi with a growing sense of delight, Doctor Li couldn’t resist asking, “By the way, what prompted you to come to our medical hall as an apprentice? And where are your family members?”
Yuanxi was momentarily taken aback, her gaze drifting away from the book in front of her as she reminisced about the day she left the Marquis’ Mansion.
That day, she had learned about a secret passage and seized the opportunity to slip away unnoticed. To avoid arousing suspicion Xiao Du, left without taking anything with her, aside from a few silver coins hidden on her person. She planned to find accommodation at an inn using the coins, sustain herself for a while, and then find a ship to leave the capital. Her only goal was to distance herself as far as possible from His Highness.
However, she had underestimated herself. Having rarely ventured outside before, she was unaccustomed to the bustling streets of the city. When she attempted to buy a bun, she realized that no one could break her large denomination silver bills. Hungry and disoriented, she wandered for a long time. Eventually, seeing the Marquis’ Mansion mobilize many people to search for her, she ducked into a clothing store and purchased men’s clothing to disguise herself. Unaware that she was carrying such a large sum of money, she attracted the attention of some unsavory individuals.
In a dark alley, several menacing men surrounded her, demanding she hand over the silver bills. Terrified, she trembled and dropped the bills before turning to flee. Fortunately, at that moment, a patrol officer passed by, causing the men to seize the bills and refrain from pursuing her.
Fearful of being discovered by either the authorities or the thugs, she ran as far as she could until she stumbled and fell to the ground, her hands scraped by rough stones. At that moment, she realized her helplessness and fell to her knees, weeping bitterly.
But even after her tears dried, she knew she had to continue. Without the broad shoulders to shelter her from the wind and rain, she had to rely on herself to stand up. Wiping away her tears, she resolved to figure out her next steps. It was then that she saw the signboard for the Spring Hall ahead.
A small medical hall like this, capable of sustaining itself without drawing too much attention, seemed like the best choice. Summoning her courage, Yuanxi walked in and inquired about apprenticeship opportunities. At that time, Doctor Li had just finished seeing a patient and glanced at her before coldly saying, “Where did this little girl come from? Don’t disturb me while I’m treating patients.”
Flushed with embarrassment at being seen through so easily, Yuanxi bowed her head and clutched her clothes, but stubbornly remained standing in the corner, refusing to leave. Seeing her defiance, Doctor Li snorted and continued with his tasks. Yuanxi remained standing until her legs grew numb, having gone a whole day without eating. Despite feeling dizzy and faint, she persevered.
As another batch of herbs arrived at the shop, Doctor Li instructed the pharmacy assistant to organize them. Yuanxi watched intently as the assistant sorted the herbs, and her eyes lit up suddenly. Rushing over, she pointed at one of the labels on the herb rack and said, “This herb is misplaced. It should be white mugwort, not white Atractylodes. Although they look similar, the roots can be differentiated.”
Doctor Li looked at her in surprise and said, “Do you know how to identify medicinal herbs?”
Yuanxi nodded eagerly. After contemplating for a moment, Doctor Li grabbed a few herbs and placed them in front of her. He said, “Then identify each of these herbs for me.”
Yuanxi diligently identified each herb, and Doctor Li showed a look of approval. He then said, “This is a small medical hall, and we don’t have much business. Apprentices don’t receive wages, only room and board. Will you take the position?”
Supporting her hungry stomach, Yuanxi nodded excitedly and said, “As long as there’s food to eat!”
Reflecting on her past predicament, Yuanxi found it somewhat amusing. Fortunately, she now had a roof over her head and the opportunity to learn the medical skills she was interested in. She lowered her head and replied vaguely, “My family encountered some difficulties, and my parents are no longer with us. I had to come out to earn a living.”
Doctor Li looked at her with pity but didn’t press further. At that moment, the medical hall began to bustle with activity. Patients started streaming in, and Doctor Li began to earnestly diagnose them. When herbs needed to be prepared, Yuanxi assisted in the pharmacy. Otherwise, she sat beside Doctor Li, helping out and taking notes. She was eager to learn, and Doctor Li was willing to teach her. In the past half month, she had made significant progress in her medical skills, although she wasn’t yet ready to see patients independently.
Just when she thought life would continue peacefully, she suddenly found herself in big trouble.
One day, a burly man pushed a woman on a stretcher to the front of the Spring Hall, crying out loudly for Doctor Li to save his wife and child. Doctor Li quickly fetched his medical instruments and went out. It turned out that the woman was suffering from complications during childbirth, leading to uncontrollable bleeding. She was now convulsing, unable to breathe in. Doctor Li frowned after examining her symptoms, then shook his head helplessly, saying, “It’s too late, my condolences.”
The man stared at Doctor Li in disbelief, then covered his face and wailed in despair. Yuanxi watched from afar as the imposing man cried like a helpless child, refusing to let go of his wife’s lifeless body. Her heart sank, and she suddenly remembered another person’s face.
She approached Doctor Li tentatively, clutching her clothes, and asked, “Could using acupuncture needles still save her?” Doctor Li glared at her fiercely and said, “What do you know? You have no say here! Go back.”
Unexpectedly, the man had heard their conversation. He rushed to Yuanxi, grabbed her sleeve with bloodied hands, and begged, “Can you save my wife? I beg you, I beg you!” Then, he knelt and was about to kowtow to Yuanxi.
Yuanxi felt both terrified and overwhelmed. She tried to pull the man up, but he insisted. She had only read about using acupuncture to save women in childbirth in ancient texts. She pitied the man’s desperation and impulsively suggested it, but Doctor Li’s earlier expression had already told her that it wouldn’t work.
The man continued to plead desperately. At that moment, someone in the crowd exclaimed, “Your wife has stopped breathing!”
The man’s eyes widened as he rushed over and discovered his wife lying on the stretcher, lifeless. He collapsed to the ground, wailing over his wife’s body. Then, he suddenly looked up, his face contorted with rage, and stared at Doctor Li and Yuanxi, shouting, “You let her die! It’s your fault! I’ll make you pay!”
He charged towards them like a wild beast. The other two young assistants in the shop quickly rushed out and restrained him, but he struggled fiercely, yelling, “You killed my wife! I’ll report you to the authorities and shut down your clinic!”
Doctor Li’s face turned grim as he turned to blame Yuanxi. Feeling a chill in her heart, Yuanxi bit her lip, on the verge of tears. She believed that as a healer, one should strive to save lives as long as there was a glimmer of hope. However, she didn’t understand how complex and ugly things could become when pushed to the limit.
Just as everything seemed to be spiraling out of control, a clear voice rang out from the crowd, “Who’s talking about reporting to the authorities?”
Yuanxi was startled. This voice… It couldn’t be, it mustn’t be him!
Then, a man in a blue robe stepped forward from the crowd. He exuded an air of elegance and sophistication, drawing everyone’s gaze towards him. He adjusted his sleeves and said to the man, “I am just an ordinary court-appointed official. Please tell me what happened.”
Feeling a sense of relief at the sight of the familiar face, Yuanxi couldn’t help but shed tears of gratitude, murmuring in her heart, “Young Master…”