Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 4-7 2019 | Page 258

Yuqing nodded politely, the spark in her eyes a second ago was extinguished. She bid Doctor Li a goodbye
and closed the doors, but as if recalling something, she reopened them and called out to him.
“Yes?”
“I just remembered, you said “it’s a shame” when you came. What exactly were you referring to?”
“Oh, that.” Doctor Li took a deep breath and responded hesitantly, “I was referring to you. You had
always been keen on medicine when you were younger, memorizing the effects of herbs and collecting
them. I could rely on you to sort out my prescriptions. It’s a shame now that you’re getting married; you are
obliged to focus on domestic duties and probably will never touch herbs again.”
“I once climbed a tree just to collect them, risking being told off by my mother…” Yuqing chuckled, but
then her voice trailed off as she said wearily, “What use does my interest have? My parents would rather
have me painting and doing embroidery ‘like a proper lady’. Also, women are never allowed to be doctors.”
Doctor Li sighed remorsefully, “Too bad you aren’t my apprentice, going on the voyage with me.” He
tried to sound lighthearted and playful, but somehow the remark didn’t come out like a joke as he had
intended, for he saw how Yuqing beamed at him, although her smile was gone in an instant.
“What was I thinking?” Yuqing shook her head and muttered to herself, “Doctor, I really need to send
you off now or else I will start to have crazy thoughts!”
There was something about Yuqing’s manner that made Doctor Li felt regret at disappointing her –
perhaps it was the way her face glowed that reminded him of her ambitions that she was forced to conceal.
He called Yuqing back as something suddenly occurred to him and said something that would change her
life forever, “Miss, I have always been impressed by your passion in medicine. If you really wish to go, there
may be a way around this.”
Yuqing’s eyes widened in shock. Behind her, the oriole flew out of the window that was left ajar while the
two of them were once again engaged in conversation.
*
*
*
The Sun emerged from the horizon, casting beams of sunlight in every direction, illuminating the massive
crowd that has gathered at the port. Some were loading cargo onto the ships, others occupied themselves
with military supplies. Normally, Yuqing would marvel at such a sight, but at this moment panic and
anxiety overtook her.
Change your identity; beware to conceal your gender. Doctor Li’s words repeated themselves in her head.
The sound of them drowned the million voices talking around her. Try not to draw attention to yourself.
Her clothes were identical to all the doctors, she was now “Doctor Li’s mute apprentice” to everyone; her
real identity was kept only to herself.
“Look at the ship!” Doctor Li exclaimed and pointed.
Yuqing’s eyes followed the direction of his finger. Huge would be an understatement for the size of a
treasure ship – it looked like it could fit an entire city in; the masts towered the crowd. It was accompanied
by several treasure ships and countless smaller ships.
She gazed beyond them and wondered about the world that lay on the other side of the horizon.
Mother, father, please forgive my departure. She quietly went over some of the words she wrote hurriedly
to her parents the night before. I will make this up with the remainder of my life – or if I can’t, with my
afterlife.
*
*
*
“Take this one! He is wounded!”
Yuqing was brought in front of a soldier, his armour was lifted slightly to reveal a garment that was dyed
red by blood, resulting from what seemed like a spear wound. He moaned in pain as she approached him.
Yuqing shot him a reassuring look although she could feel her own heart pounding against her chest
with a mixture of nervousness and apprehension. This was the first time that she was allowed to treat a
wound like this. Many of the soldiers were injured after helping to fight the uprising at Sumatra and all the
doctors were summoned to treat them, before this, Yuqing had only been called upon when a sailor caught
a cold or when doctors worked on cures for foreign diseases.
The soldier mumbled as she tried to clean the wound, “Would it...ever..heal?” He stared at her blankly.
Yuqing nodded and put on a sympathetic look; she made a couple of gestures telling him that she’s trying
to bandage the wound and stop the bleeding.