by Crane
Cheen's body went rigid and he snapped his head up. Hok saw a glimmer of hope in his eyes. He pointed downriver excitedly. Perhaps he knew where to find some herbs.
Cheen pointed to Seh and motioned for Hok to stay next to the skiff. Hok nodded and watched as Cheen ran beneath the oak tree, carefully lifted Seh, and carried him back to the boat. Cheen laid Seh inside the skiff next to his sister and motioned for Hok to help him push the skiff back into the river.
Hok glanced downriver and thought about Tong-long and AnGangseh. They were out there somewhere. HaMo was, too. AnGangseh had said that they weren't interested in her or Seh, but she couldn't be sure.
Hok ran her hands through her stubbly brown hair. Anything was better than standing around in the rain, watching the river rise. Besides, she had to at least try to treat Seh and Sum. Both might suffer long-term damage if left unattended, or even lose their lives.
Hok helped Cheen push the skiff back into the swollen river and climbed aboard.
Hok watched Cheen skillfully steer the skiff downstream for hours through the heavy rain. By late afternoon, she still hadn't seen any signs of Tonglong, AnGangseh, or HaMo. She hadn't seen any other boats venturing out in this horrible weather, period. The only thing she had seen was li after li of swamped trees, and great mounds of mud sliding down the riverbank into the river. The mud had an increasingly yellow tint, and Hok knew the color came from a special mineral, one used to make explosive powder. It was the abundance of this mineral that gave the river its name—the Yellow River.
Horrible weapons, qiangs, Hok thought, and her mind drifted to Charles. She wondered how he was doing. Hopefully, he hadn't had to use his weapons. She hoped he was still with her mother and GongJee and that they were all doing fine. Malao and Fu were another story. Hok simply hoped those two were alive. The same was true for her oldest brother, Long, who had essentially disappeared.
Hok looked at Seh, unconscious on the floor of the skiff. He was lying on his back with his face to one side, and she noticed a pool of rainwater accumulating near his nose. She bent over and rolled Seh onto his side to get his face out of the puddle, and her thin eyebrows raised up. There was a long, narrow bulge in the small of Seh's back that she hadn't noticed before. In some ways, it resembled the outline of one of Charles’ qiangs. Also, tied to one side of Seh's sash was a pouch. Hok poked the pouch and it jingled. There were coins inside. She wondered where he had gotten money.
Hok reached toward the bulge in Seh's back, then jerked her hand away. A telltale lump on Seh's right wrist began to move. It was his snake. She would have to work quickly if she wanted to find out what Seh was hiding.
Hok untied Seh's sash and rolled him gently onto his stomach. She took hold of the bottom of his blue silk robe and flipped it up. Tucked into the waist of Seh's silk pants was some sort of scroll. Even though it was thoroughly soaked, Hok could tell it wasn't one of the dragon scrolls. It looked too new to be something as old as the scrolls were supposed to be.
Hok stared at the scroll for a moment and noticed the snake beginning to make its way up Seh's arm, beneath his robe sleeve. Hok snatched the scroll away and folded Seh's robe back down. As the snake began to make its way over Seh's shoulder, she turned him back onto his back and quickly retied his sash.
The snake poked its head out of the folds of Seh's robe, and Hok leaned backward. The snake stared at her for a moment, then pulled its colorful head back into Seh's robe, out of the rain.
Hok shuddered and looked up. She saw Cheen staring at her.
“I don't like snakes very much,” Hok said.
Cheen nodded as if in agreement and turned away, staring intently downstream. Hok noticed that his mood seemed to have changed. He appeared anxious.
“Are we close to our destination?” Hok asked.
Cheen nodded again. Less than half an hour later, he pointed toward shore. Hok squinted through the rain and saw a small house set back in the trees atop a mound of yellow earth. It was a simple wooden structure, wisely built quite some distance from the rising water.
Cheen steered the skiff toward the shore and found a narrow clearing between two partially submerged maple trees. He ran the skiff up onto a stretch of yellow mud and jumped out. Hok followed. Together they dragged the skiff into the forest, well beyond the water's edge.
Cheen scooped up his sister and nodded for Hok to do the same with Seh. Leery of the snake, Hok cradled Seh in her arms like a baby instead of slinging him over her shoulder like she would normally have done. Holding Seh this way was difficult, to say the least, especially with her arm still hurting, but at least she could keep an eye on the undulating lump that had once again settled around Seh's wrist.
Cheen headed for the house with Hok on his heels. They reached the front door and Cheen knocked against it with one foot. No one answered.
Cheen knocked again, a little harder this time, and the door swung inward. He walked straight into the house without announcing them. Hok followed warily, her eyes darting left to right.
The moment Hok crossed the threshold, she relaxed. There were herbs everywhere! They hung from the walls and the ceiling. Piles were stacked on the floor. Hok saw cabinets and bottles and buckets and barrels overflowing with medicinal plants. She could tell that this was the home of a doctor. More than likely, a very good doctor.
Hok saw numerous things that she could use to help Seh once he regained consciousness. Why, right next to the door was a row of lung-enhancing herbs. There were huge clumps of hai zao, or seaweed; large pots of xing ren, or apricot kernels; small jars of bai jie zi, or mustard seeds … the list was endless. Hok realized that there were more herbs here than they had ever had back at Cangzhen. There were even a few she couldn't identify.
Excited, Hok set Seh down on the earthen floor to take a better look around. As she did, she noticed the snake on Seh's arm go rigid.
Hok heard a voice behind her.
“Can I help you?”
Hok turned to see an ancient woman hunched over in the doorway. Her wet hair was thin and gray but her skin was taut and her eyes shined bright and clear. She was very old, but appeared extraordinarily healthy.
Hok lowered her head. She felt like a thief. “I—”
“CHEEN!” the old woman exclaimed suddenly, interrupting Hok. “Is that you? I haven't seen you in ages! Come over here so that I can get a good look at you.”
Cheen approached the old woman with Sum in his arms. The old woman's face went pale.
“Oh, dear,” she said. She glanced at Seh lying on the floor, then her eyes settled on Hok. “You poor children. My name is PawPaw. You have come to the right place. I am a healer.”
Hok felt the warm glow of relief spread through her soaking wet body. PawPaw meant Grandmother. What a perfect name for a healer.
Hok wiped the rain from her brow and bowed. “My name is Hok.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Hok,” PawPaw said with a polite nod. “It is a shame we couldn't have met under better circumstances. Who did this to you?”
“A man called Tonglong, a man called HaMo, and a woman called AnGangseh,” Hok answered.
PawPaw spat. “You must be pretty special to have the likes of them on your tail. I will do what I can to help you. Cheen and Sum have helped me several times in the past. You seemed to be looking for something a moment ago. What was it?”
“Xiang mu,” Hok replied.
PawPaw looked surprised.
“It's a type of evergreen tree,” Hok said. “But it has leaves. It's medicinal.”
“I know what it is,” PawPaw said. “Do you prefer the leaves, the stem, or the bark?”
“It depends how fresh the clippings are,” Hok said. “What I'm really looking for is salve squeezed from fresh-cut branches.”
PawPaw's eyebrows raised. “What will you do with it? Have them drink it?”
“Never!” Hok said. “I want to rub a bit beneath their noses to see if the smell will wake them up.”
PawPaw sm
iled. “I see you have a talent for the healing arts, yet you are still quite young. I am impressed. I would have prescribed the exact same thing. Unfortunately, I do not have what you need, but I know where you can find a healthy specimen. There is a village nearby, and the tree you seek grows in its central courtyard. It is a bit of a walk, but I will take you there. Let's get Sum and your friend comfortable first.”
“His name is Seh,” Hok offered as she bent over and picked Seh up again.
“Snake and Crane?” PawPaw said. “That's odd. The two animals usually don't get along.”
“He is my brother,” Hok said.
“I see,” PawPaw said. “Bring your brother in here, then.” She headed into the next room.
Hok followed and found herself in a small bedroom with two narrow beds. PawPaw pointed to one. “Place Seh there,” she said. Cheen entered the bedroom and laid Sum down on the other one.
“What is wrong with them?” PawPaw asked.
“Sum hit her head very hard against a tree,” Hok replied. “Seh was struck in the neck with a poisoned dart.”
“When did this happen?”
“Several hours ago,” Hok said.
“Then there isn't anything we can do for either of them,” PawPaw said. “What's done is done. We'll have to wait for them to wake up.” She looked at Cheen. “Can you keep an eye on these unfortunate souls while Hok and I go to the village?”
Cheen nodded.
“Good,” PawPaw said. She nodded toward a large trunk in one corner of the room. “You'll find several dry robes in there, Cheen. Get yourself out of those wet clothes, and change Seh's and Sum's clothes as well. Are you comfortable doing that?”
Cheen nodded again.
“All right, then,” PawPaw said. “Come with me, Hok. I have the perfect outfit for you to wear when we return. For now, you might as well just stay in those wet clothes. We're going to get soaked walking to the village.”
PawPaw walked out of the bedroom and turned suddenly toward the open front door. Hok thought PawPaw was getting ready to leave, but then Hok heard footsteps splashing outside. A rain-soaked boy raced up to the doorway and collapsed against it, completely out of breath. He looked like he had been running for quite some time. He closed his eyes and bent over, his hands on his knees, as Hok stepped out of the bedroom.
“The village …,” the boy managed to say between breaths, “… was attacked. … Please … come help…. Bring your … medicines.”
“Attacked?” PawPaw replied as she began to scramble, grabbing a wide variety of items and throwing them into a large basket. “Tell me more.”
“It was … the Emperor's … soldiers,” the boy said as he sucked wind.
“Are you sure?” PawPaw asked. “Why on earth would the Emperor's men bother to attack a small village in the middle of nowhere?”
“They said … they were looking for … someone … important.”
“That's preposterous,” PawPaw said. “Who on earth could be that important?”
The boy opened his eyes and glanced around the room. When his gaze met Hok's, a terrible scowl settled across his face.
“They were looking for … a traitor…. A girl … with brown hair….”
Hok could hardly believe her ears. Was an entire village really attacked because of her?
The boy in the doorway straightened up and took a step toward Hok, still scowling.
“Stop right there,” PawPaw said. “You will not lay a hand on her. There has been enough violence today.”
Behind her in the bedroom, Hok heard a noise. She looked over her shoulder and saw Cheen puff out his chest. He walked to her side and stared hard at the boy.
Hok hardly knew what to say. She didn't want anyone to fight over her, and she felt horrible about the attack. She looked at the boy. “I am very sorry about your village. I am not a bad person. Let me prove it. I will help heal your wounded.”
The boy continued to scowl. “You can't help us! This is all your fault. Besides, you're just a girl.”
PawPaw looked the boy in the eye. “Listen to me, young man. I believe this girl has done nothing wrong. She has proven to be an experienced healer, and she can help your fellow villagers. I suggest you let her help. I also suggest you keep your mouth shut about who you think she might be.”
The boy's eyes narrowed and he folded his arms.
“Let me put it this way,” PawPaw said. “If she doesn't go, I don't go. The fate of your village lies in your hands.”
Anxiety filled the boy's eyes. “Okay,” he said. “I won't tell. Please, hurry!”
“Good,” PawPaw said. She opened a cabinet drawer and removed a straight razor. She handed it to Hok.
Hok was dumbfounded. “A weapon?” she asked.
“By the heavens, no,” PawPaw said. “It's for your head. You can't go looking the way you do. Even if I had a large hat or turban to cover your brown hair, there are still risks. You must shave it off. You need to change your clothes, too. You'll have to pretend to be a boy.”
Hok frowned. “I understand. What about Sum and Seh? Won't we be gone for a while?”
“They could be asleep for a day or more,” PawPaw replied. “Come, help me now at the village and I promise I will do everything I can for Sum and your brother when we return. The four of you can stay with me until Sum and Seh make full recoveries.”
Hok hesitated, then nodded.
PawPaw turned to Cheen. “There should be a boy's robe and pants in that trunk I showed you that Hok can wear. Could you please find them for her?”
Cheen nodded and headed for the other room.
PawPaw looked at Hok. “Behind the house you will find a rain barrel. Shave your head, then come back in and change. I will finish gathering the necessary items. Hurry!”
While they raced as quickly as possible, in the heavy rain, it still took them more than half an hour to reach the village by foot. PawPaw had said the river was too swollen and treacherous to attempt to travel by boat.
As they approached, it was clear the soldiers had already left. The scene reminded Hok of Cangzhen and Shaolin. She wondered how people could be so cruel to one another.
The village was large by local standards, but it was nowhere near as big as Kaifeng. Hok saw perhaps one hundred buildings of various sizes, and several of them were smoldering in the rain. They passed by rows of storefronts riddled with holes from qiangs on their way to the central square.
Once they reached the square, Hok immediately identified the xiang mu tree that PawPaw had mentioned. Hok thought about how she might use it to wake Seh, but that thought only lasted a moment. Once the villagers realized that PawPaw had arrived, Hok and PawPaw were overrun with injured people of all ages.
A group of men quickly set up a small tent, and Hok and PawPaw set up their makeshift clinic inside it. Hundreds of injured villagers lined up outside in the fading afternoon light, shivering in the cold rain. By the time night had fallen, the rain had mercifully ceased. Several large fires were started to help chase away the chill for those still awaiting treatment, and oil lanterns were brought into the tent to work by. It was a very long night.
Most of the wounds Hok saw were from qiangs, and they were unlike any she had treated previously. Weapons-practice mishaps were fairly common at Cangzhen, and she had gotten quite good at dealing with those types of injuries. While a sword or spear could slice flesh and cause blood loss, the wound could be treated in a rather straightforward and obvious manner. The wounds simply needed to be wrapped tightly and the dressings changed often.
Qiang wounds, on the other hand, required much more skilled attention. The lead balls fired from a qiang left gaping holes in the skin that could not be closed by simply realigning the remaining sections of flesh. The holes had to be filled, and clean packing material was in short supply. Additionally, the qiang balls shattered bone, crippling the victim and leaving fragments that needed to be removed. Fragments of bone could lead to infection.
Unfortu
nately, Hok also encountered a few patients who were beyond help. Hok tried her best to make them as comfortable as possible, using any means she could think of. In some cases, that meant Dream Dust. PawPaw kept a small supply, and Hok let her administer it. Hok wanted nothing to do with it.
By the time Hok had seen the last patient, the sun was rising and she was so tired, she could barely keep her eyes open. PawPaw came over and handed her a piece of ginseng root to chew on for energy.
“You did very well last night,” PawPaw said. “I would say that you will make a great healer one day, but I believe you already are one. Thank you.”
Hok frowned. “Don't thank me. It was my fault that—”
PawPaw raised her hand. “I don't want to hear any more of that kind of talk.” She glanced around and lowered her voice. “Let me tell you a secret. I communicate with a man called NgGung who possesses vast amounts of information about people and events in this region. I know who you are and I believe you've done nothing wrong.”
Hok blinked. “I've met him,” she said.
“Wonderful!” PawPaw said with a smile. “Then there is nothing more to discuss on this topic. What we haven't discussed yet is what you plan to do next. What do you have in mind?”
Hok rubbed her tired eyes. “I'd like to stay here. These people need treatment. So does Seh.”
“But what about your other brothers?” PawPaw asked. “NgGung told me you had a total of four brothers who survived the attack against Cangzhen. Haven't you made plans with them?”
Hok shook her head. “I don't even know where they are anymore, except for Seh, and I don't expect he'll be fit to travel for several weeks at least. Until then, I think I can help the most people by staying here. After that, I'll go in search of my brothers with Seh.”
PawPaw smiled. “That is very thoughtful of you, helping the majority. These villagers will never forget your selflessness. I suggest you stay with me until enough people recover to the point that I can handle the remaining treatments myself. We should reach that point about the same time your brother Seh is fit enough to travel. How does that sound?”