Chapter 3: Volcanic Gorge
Seeing that the injured had been rescued, the merchants urged the caravan to be on their way. Equipped with arrows and swords, the guards did not dare to be careless and moved forward with the caravan.”Everyone, be careful. Keep an eye on the goods around you, if horse bandits are discovered, do not panic.”
The curtain of the carriage fell and the Hu woman did not dare to move the girl’s body casually. A pair of delicate scissors were used to cut away the bloody garments. Then, she carefully wiped the bloodstains and grime off the girl’s body using a clean cloth. Duan Jinke stood guard beyond the curtain. Setting aside concerns of propriety between genders. The Hu woman lifted parts of the girl’s clothing to show the girl’s wounds for Duan Jinke to examine.
This was a young female with a delicate and soft figure. There were not many places left intact from her encounters, her body littered with deep and shallow scrapes from the sharp stones. The bloody, congealed patches were extremely unsightly against spotlessly white flesh. Apart from the superficial injuries that resulted from tumbling from higher ground, there was a knife wound that stretched from the shoulder to the lower back, the flesh and blood opening up to reveal the eerie sight of ivory bones.
“It is vital to stop the bleeding first.” Duan Jinke said, “There are medicines in the carriage that can be used.”
Li Wei shouldered his quiver and directed his words to Duan Jinke, “Thank you for your troubles, Young Master Duan. When we reach our lodgings for the night, I will seek out a physician to get a diagnosis.”
Duan Jinke ordered Wei Lin to grab the medicine box, “Li da-ge can feel reassured then.”
The injured girl’s eyebrows were tightly knitted, her lips devoid of color, her gossamer breaths flowing out faintly. Seeing her breathing was troubled, Duan Jinke stuffed a soft pillow under her head and neck while the Hu woman slowly rubbed the girl’s brow. Murmurs spilled out from the Hu woman’s lips, her low tone resembling suave and tender melodies.
Duan Jinke took out a vial of medicinal powder for treating injuries sustained from falls and handed it to the Hu woman, instructing, “Apply the powder on the wound.” He was afraid that she would not understand Han, so he added in a few gestures.
The Hu woman’s green blue eyes quietly observed him and she nodded as she moved to sprinkle the medicinal powder onto the girl’s wounds. There was the smell of devil’s tongue (konjac) laced in the wound medicine, the medicinal effect was very strong. As soon as the powder settled on the girl’s skin, the unconscious female let out a vague cry of pain, her entire body convulsing. The Hu woman was taken aback and pressed down on the girl’s shoulder, looking at Duan Jinke with panic in her green blue eyes and for guidance.
“This is a wound medicine intended for use by men, as such, the medicine is unavoidably more potent.” Duan Jinke pressed the girl’s hand down and grimly continued, “I do not have any better medicine that can staunch bleeding. Take advantage of this wave of pain and sprinkle it quickly.”
With trembling hands, the Hu woman spread the medicinal powder evenly on each wound. The dying girl’s face was like joss paper1, her chest heaving violently, cold sweat covering her face and head. Her breathing seemed to grow increasingly feeble.
The other two had also erupted into sweat. Although Duan Jinke had studied pharmacology with an old retired Imperial physician from the Gu Residence for several years, this was the first time he had treated such grievous injuries. He took out a piece of soft silk and tore it into a long strip, handing it to the Hu woman. He used his own arm as an example of how to bandage the wounds.
Huaiyuan trotted over on horseback and directed his question towards Wei Lin who was on standby outside the curtain, “How is it?” Duan Jinke parted the curtains and stepped out, “The superficial wounds have been bandaged, but the wound on the chest needs to be treated by a physician.”
“There are no physicians in the villages up ahead. The volcanic gorge is nearby and not far away, there is a traveling physician.” Huaiyuan continued, “We were discussing it up front and I was sent over to ask you. How about staying in Volcanic Gorge tonight?”
Duan Jinke nodded, “Alright.”
Wei Lin went to dump out a basin full of watery blood and muttered, “This group of bandits is really too abominable, looting, plundering and killing, with no law between the lot of them. This girl was too unlucky and one does not even know where her relatives are to have just left her there.”
A yelp of surprise abruptly came from the Hu woman inside the carriage. Duan Jinke turned his head and saw a tiny dagger clasped in her hands. It turned out that it had fallen out of the girl’s boots when she had been taking them off. The dagger was heavy, its entire body jet-black, without a trace of decorative motifs. The scabbard was wrapped with a dirty silk ribbon and when the ribbon was pulled away, it revealed a good blade that was immersed in coldness.
A girl disguised as a young man also had a small dagger hidden in her boot, which was quite strange. Duan Jinke stuffed the dagger under the girl’s pillow, shaking his head.
There were more than a hundred households in the Volcanic Gorge, the largest village in Red Ravine Valley. There was only one inn and as soon as the first batch of people stepped through the threshold, the innkeeper swiftly attended to his guests, heating water, slaughtering sheep and kneading noodles to make soup.
A large, roaring fire was ignited in the middle of the courtyard and a big black cauldron was set up. The necks of fatty sheep were slit and the blood was drained. Once the blood was drained, the pelt was removed, the head and hooves cleaned, the guts fished out before they were finally put into the cauldron. Piercing along the bones, a dagger was inserted and the sheep’s bones and joints were removed skillfully and easily. Red jujubes were stuffed into the lamb belly and the whole lamb was thrown into the cauldron and boiled.
By the time the sun had set and the night sky was as dark as ink, the soup in the cauldron was the color of hoarfrost, the bones softened and meat tenderized. The owner of the inn slipped in sheep blood, tripe among other various sheep parts along with finely chopped wild coriander.. Finally, a pinch of coarse salt was added in and the air in the courtyard was saturated with white steam, the fragrance wafting out for ten miles.
Smelling in the aroma, everyone’s stomach rumbled with hunger. Mutton soup was ladled into bowls, a piece of soft and tender mutton was added to enjoy along with the inn owner’s homemade brewed liquor that intoxicated the mind and entered the stomach soundly.
The strong alcohol, mutton and roaring fire burned one’s limbs and bones. Those who ingested such food and drink had flushed, ruddy complexions, their foreheads glistening with head, their bodies piping hot
The itinerant physician lived at the east end of the village. It was an old man with a white beard who was currently squinting his eyes, concentrating on choosing herbal medicines under the lamplight. Hearing a norse neighing outside the door, a short and stout little pharmaceutical clerk with bulging round eyes rain in, “Yeye, someone is here.”
Cheng Baishi arose from his seat and headed out. Catching sight of the visitor, he could not help but let out a surprised cry, “Li Wei, what brings you here?”
Li Wei dismounted from his horse and bowed, brightly smiling, “Physician Cheng, long time no see, hope that you are in good health.”
“This old body of mine is still healthy.” Cheng Baishi stroked his beard and beamed, “Have not seen you for a long time, how have things been recently?”
“Due to the elder’s care, everything is fine.” Li Wei continued, “Just returned from Dayuan and we are staying in the inn tonight. I am here to invite you to visit a patient.”
When Physician Cheng entered the inn, he could smell the strong stench of meat and could not help sniffling, commenting with a smile, “This smell is heavenly enough to attract immortals.”
The upstairs guest room was simple and crude. Duan Jinke was sitting under the lantern’s light, clutching a large bowl, stirring a mysterious, dark-looking medicinal convocation. The girl on the bed was still unconscious and the Hu woman held a bowl of warm water, using a small spoon to moisten the girl’s chapped lips.
Li Wei had already explained the situation earlier on the road and Chang Baishi ordered Li Wei to light another light and carefully examined the girl’s wounds.
The young lady was tender, slender and weak, the soft and delicate arc of the jaw was extremely beautiful. Under the hazy yellow light, the whole person seemed to present a kind of alienating, frail, yet touching and gentle softness.
Cheng Baishi probed her skull inch by inch with his fingers and could not help sighing, “Really very lucky indeed, to not have hurt her head when rolling into such a deep ditch.”
“What medicine was used to treat the wounds?”
Duan Jinke handed over the medicine bottle and explained, “It is just an ordinary hemostatic medicine used for knife wounds.”
Cheng Baishi brought the neck of the bottle to the tip of his nose, nodded and said, “ One ounce of monkshood 2and a dram each of dahurian angelica root3, tianma4, qiang huo5, and devil’s tongue which have all been grounded into a powder for application.
The old man lifted his eyebrows, “This is wound medicine used in the military, the medicinal potency is quite strong and it is a bit overbearing for ordinary people, especially women, who have weaker constitutions and are prone to distress, this may be unbearable. It would be best if it can be used along with mulled rice wine, so that the medicine’s properties can become more gentle and the medicinal effect is amplified.”
Hearing this, Duan Jinke could not help but blink in surprise. In this small village located in the barren mountain range, it was rare that an unprepossessing traveling physician could recognize military medicaments.
Cheng Baishi washed his hands and with a layer of clothes in between, pressed on the girl’s body to feel her bones. He continued pressing until he felt a soft indent on part of the chest wall. The girl let out a low whimper of pain and cold sweat broke out on her forehead. Her breathing was rapid, yet weak, accompanied by slight wheezing.
The Hu woman and Li Wei muttered for a spell. Li Wei’s brows furrowed and he said, ‘There is extravasated blood inside. Could it be an internal organ injury…when I found her, she also vomited blood.”
Cheng Baishi rolled up his sleeves, “A bone-relief medicine will be prescribed first and a hot compress will be applied overnight. If all goes well, there will be no worries about her life. If there are any abnormalities, come find me immediately.
Nodding, Li Wei replied, “I’ll escort you back.”
Duan Jinke studied Cheng Baishi’s prescription for a long time, but could not help scratching his forehead. The medicinal ingredients were very simple, common things that could be found anywhere. One catty of Chinese foxglove6 and four ounces of freshly mashed ginger were to be stir-fried and then applied as a hot compress.
Living in the walls of Chang’an was extremely expensive. It was also commonplace for physicians to use expensive and rare medicines. As such, Duan Jinke regarded such a simple prescription with some doubt.
The stewed lamb soup in the courtyard had been bottomed out. Everyone in the caravan had eaten to their heart’s content and the busy innkeeper had been exhausted from the activity. There was a pile of firewood in the courtyard and everyone sat around the fire, boasting wildly and chattering incessantly. Loud laughter accompanied by the sound of the mournful Qiang flute carried for miles.
“Your wife, how has her body been holding up recently?”
“It’s good.” Li Wei carried Cheng Baishi’s medicine box, “The road is not easy to walk on, hoping the elder will walk slowly.”
“Any new prescription?”
“Two years ago, a monk from Qiuci7 visited and I took Yun-jie to pray. The master prescribed a prescription, which she has been taking until now.”
Cheng Baishi wanted to say something but shook his head.
The two walked back to the pharmacy and Cheng Baishi gently chuckled, “When you return home, say hello to Li furen for me. If I am free someday, I will go to Ganzhou City to take a look at her condition.”
“She will always remember your kindness.”
After retrieving the medicinal ingredients from the pharmacy, Li Wei made his way back along the path. His figure moved through the dried, withered grasses swaying in the cold wind. In between the Heavens and the Earth, only a hazy silhouette could be seen, indistinct and blurred under the moonlight.
A rough, boisterous singing from the inn drifted into the air. Li Wei stood silently at the doorway for a moment, gazing into the distance. The bloodstains had dried, small and hard like specks, and he sighed deeply for reasons even he could not fully explain.
The room was filled with the scent of medicine as Wei Lin squatted by a small brazier, stirring a concoction. Seeing Li Wei enter, he called out, “Uncle Li, have you eaten. My Young Master and the Hu woman went to have their meal. The mutton today smells especially fragrant.
Li Wei smiled, his dark eyes bright, with a hint of youthful sharpness in his expression, quite unlike the rough demeanor typical of a caravan guard
“When we get to Ganzhou, I will treat you to a whole roasted lamb.”
“Sounds great! Traveling with my Young Master, braving the wind and sleeping out in the open, he is not fond of such foods, so I have missed out too,” replied Wei Lin, who looked like a frail young scholar of sixteen or seventeen years old. “I want to learn from you all–drinking and eating heartily!”
By the roaring bonfire, Helian Guang and the other caravan guards drank. Shen Wen nudged his shoulder and gestured toward a purple-clad merchant from the state of Kangguo, saying, “Helian, look at that merchant from the State of Kang with the purple robes. He has a pouch of fine se-se beads8. Go take a look–maybe he has something you are looking for.”
Helian Guang cast a cool glance in that direction and Shen Wen mischievously chuckled, “When I went to relieve himself, I saw him speaking privately with someone. He mentioned he had come across some high-quality beads, I figured you might be interested.”
Helian Guang was silent for a moment before tossing the piece of lamb he held to Shen wan and making his way toward the Kang merchant in the crowd.
Shen Wan grinned from behind him, calling out, “After the matter is done, remember my kindness!”
The Kang merchant hesitated seeing Helian Guang approached, asking about the se-se beads. He had not planned on selling them so soon, but Helian Guang’s swift and fierce brows and eyes suggested the man would not be easy to brush off. Recognizing him as one of the caravan guards, who had endured the arduous journey and guarded them the entire way, the merchant could not easily refuse. Leading Helian Guang to a secluded corner, he carefully pulled a small, soft pouch from his sleeve, opening it with great care. He said, “My beads are all the finest of their kind, unique in every way. Just don’t know what type this brother is looking for?”
Helian Guang, originating from the Bailan Qiang tribe near Lake Qinghai, was tall and rugged in appearance. Narrowing his light-colored eyes, he spoke quietly, “About the size of a fingertip and a clear blue.”
“I have a mother-of-pearl bead that might be suitable,” the Hu merchant replied, pinching a bead between his fingers and tilting it towards the light. “This would make an excellent centerpiece for a hairpin.”
Helian Guang examined it closely, “Too small.”
The Hu merchant cupped the bead and covered it in his hand, squinting as he smiled slyly, “I do have another, but don’t know how much xiong is willing to pay for it?”
Leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, Helian Guang considered, “Two hundred tea certificates – enough?”
“Xiong is a straightforward man,” the Hu merchant chuckled, “I enjoy doing business with straightforward people.” He pulled out a bead of the desired size, “In Ganzhou, this would easily fetch five hundred tea certificates9 – Xiong has received quite the bargain.”
Footnotes:
- Joss paper: also known as incense papers, are papercrafts or sheets of paper made into burnt offerings common in Chinese ancestral worship. ↩︎
- Monkshood (Aconite/Wolf’s Bane): considered to be an analgesic, diuretic, anti-rheumatic, sedative, fever-reducing, anti-inflammatory ↩︎
- Dahurian Angelica Root: treats cold fever, headache, toothache, cold-damp pain and some skin diseases. ↩︎
- Tianma (天麻)((Gastrodiae Rhizoma): effective inhibitor of convulsion, oxidative stress, mental disorders,amnesia, cardio-cerebral vascular diseases, inflammation, anti-inflammatory, anti-depressant ↩︎
- Qiang Huo (Notopterygium Rhizome and Root): disperses cold, unblock painful obstructions caused by wind/damp/cold pain and serves as a guiding herb to the governing vessel and greater yang channels ↩︎
- Chinese Foxglove (Rehmannia glutinosa): It is an effective tonic for hte liver, kidney and heart. It can treat many ailments such as diabetes, constipation anemia, dizziness and regulation of the menstrual cycle. ↩︎
- Qiuci: ancient central Asian city state, flourished in the first millennium AD; now modern Aksu City, Xinjiang. ↩︎
- Se-se beads: Buddhist offerings for the evocation of rain ↩︎
- Tea certificates (chaquan 茶券): when government-organized sales of tea leaves was abolished. merchants were ordered to purchase tea certificates at the monopoly tax commissions of the production regions or in the capital. With these certificates, they bought tea leaves directly from the producers. These commodities were then checked, weighed, and sealed by the authorities, and thus made ready for legal sales, to be delivered in fixed quantities at a fix time to a fix destination. ↩︎
TN: Hope everyone is doing well! Again, I’m astounded by the level of detail the author has here and you can clearly tell she did her research!
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