The Mulan of Balhai Temple

[Taiylor Wallace]

Over dinner, Luangzu smiled to his family, and he looked to both of his girls. "Jia, our daughter performed admirably today... Her talent is obviously healing." He reached over to take Fang Li's hand. "I'd like for you to pursue your talent. It's a wonderful skill to have, and you can rise to serve great people. You already make me proud, Fang, so what you decide is your decision alone, but I think you'd do well to become an apprentice to Hanzhou's healer. She would be happy to have you, especially after how well you took care of Master Gan Zu. Don't you think so, Jia?" He smiled to his wife.

[kishiseta]

"Oh most certainly!" Her mother chimed. "It is as great an honor to be a healer as it is to have a good and honorable husband."

Her parents' words lifted the weight of the world off her. She didn't have to marry for marriage's sake! "Of course!" She said excited at the prospect. "I'll work really hard. I promise! I'll definitely bring honor to your name, father. Thank you so much!" She hugged both her parents.

"What about me?" Xuzhu complained.

"Well, you can try to find out what you're good at. Then be great at it." Jia ruffled her son's hair and took him in the family hug.

A few days later, Fang Li was packed and ready to go to the Hanzhou's healer, eager to learn more. She hugged her parents and smiled at her kid brother. "You're in charge of mother and father now. They're not as young as you so they're your responsibility."

"Of course! The next time you see me, I'll also take on yellow turbans!"

"Of course you will." Fang smiled at her family but deep inside, she was worried for Master Gan Zu. She still hasn't heard word of him yet and she fretted if she did the right thing.

[Taiylor Wallace]

Becoming an apprentice meant living with the healer herself, and therefore leaving home for the first time in Fang Li's life. But, that was only if the healer wanted an apprentice. It would also cost money, which Luangzu would happily put up for the sake of his daughter and her future. And becoming a healer, and her reputation, would open fine men's eyes to her and she wouldn't need the strict old matchmaker.
.
"Good luck, sweetheart, Luangzu hugged his daughter in tight. "I don't need to tell you to remember anything, you already know. Just... come home often. I'll miss you. I'm sure you'll get the apprenticeship." He sent her off with a kiss to her cheek and his favorite horse for her to keep.
.
In Hanzhou market, the healer's large home and workplace stood connected together, with a sign out front with the words 'Hanzhou Apothecary & Infirmary' around a handpainted image of an iris and indigo. The healer was a widow, and the only woman in the entire town to own and run her business without a man. Even when her husband had been alive, he hadn't had a hand in her work. She was a strange woman in her thirties with a few odd quirks here and there, but she was known in the area as a healer who'd lost very few patients and had once served Lord Liu Bei of Shu and saved his infant son Liu Chan, who'd been sickly when he was first born. Her reputation was extensive, but she'd worked so hard for so long that it was already beginning to catch up to her.
.
When Fang Li arrived, the healer woman Ban Mei, known as 'Miss Mei' to all, was out in front of her shop, having been sweeping the stoop. But she'd paused to speak to a Monk, who just so happened to be Gan Zu himself. His arm, still in its sling, hung inside his sash, and he had to lean heavily on his staff. The bandage on his head was gone, revealing the healing cut. He spoke with a smile to Miss Mei, and he noticed Fang Li out of the corner of his eye. "Young Miss Chan," he smiled brightly, "lovely to see you again."

[kishiseta]

Fang Li grasped her sack tightly, nervous for the first time in her life. She knew how difficult it was to get the woman's approval. The fact that she still has never had an apprentice after all these years was proof enough of that. There was someone who dared, once, but immediately quit, feeling overwhelmed. She ran a thousand propositions in her mind on how to introduce herself and ask apprenticeship, but they all sounded wrong. Too mousey. Too arrogant. Too lame. Too excited...No. None of these were right. Maybe a simple straightforward plea would do?

The trek was nerve wracking, but it was the kind of nervousness she welcomed. As soon as she got near the place, she closed her eyes to call out to Miss Mei, but stopped seeing Gan Zu. Before she could greet him, he turned to her first.

"And it's great to see you too! I mean...how do you feel?" Fang Li hurriedly covered for her too-familiar speech. "I hope you feel better. I wasn't able to properly thank you for saving our village so...thank you. From my family. We're really grateful for your help and the other monks as well."

[Taiylor Wallace]

"I'm doing just fine," Gan Zu came and hugged her. "Thank you so much." Miss Mei smiled at this, and she was known not to smile often. Gan Zu looked down at Fang Li, "I imagine you're here to apprentice under Miss Mei. I heard from Jun Lo, the monk who took my place patrolling, your father told him. Miss Mei, would you consider taking my dear friend under your wing?" Gan Zu stepped behind Fang Li, his good hand on her shoulder as his staff leaned on his own.
.
"So this is the girl that saved your life, Gan Zu? Hm..." Miss Mei leaned on her broom.
.
"She's more than worthy of your time, I promise you that."
.
"Well... I could use some help around here what with all you troublesome monks getting hurt, and I'm not getting any younger. I'll give you a week to impress me, dear. Chan Fang Li, isn't it?"

[kishiseta]

Gan Zu's sudden hug shocked her, but it was warm and comforting enough that when he pulled away, she actually missed it. She looked at him as he explained how he knew. Word was known to travel fast in town. She just didn't know how fast until now. Gan Zu's vouch for her carried a heavy weight on Miss Mei's consideration, she knew, and with that, she owed him another debt. Not that he was racking up her debt just because he could. He was just really helpful that way, but she couldn't help but feel indebted.

"Yes, Miss Mei. Chan Luangzu's daughter. I'll do anything you ask!" Fang Li stopped herself, hearing the over-eagerness in her voice. "I-I mean, I'll do my best. I won't disappoint you. We can get started immediately if you wish."

[Taiylor Wallace]

"Awfully eager, aren't you? I like that. You'll be perfect for all that running around I can't do." Miss Mei laughed. Actually laughed. Fang Li was well on her way to winning the stern woman's affections.
.
"I'll leave you ladies to it. I have a Selection to attend. Good day," Gan Zu bowed before turning to head back to the temple. Selections were for young monks of between ten and twelve. It was the day they became viewed as fully-fledged monks and became part of one of the four Elemental ways. Within the week, they'd recieve their Mulan Cat and Elemental tattoos, and begin harder training that was more in-depth to their style.
.
"Come on in, child." Miss Mei opened up the door, "We'll put your horse into the stables next door in a moment. Tell me, how old are you, and what other skills do you know? Have you ever had a proper teacher in healing, or was it just your mother?"

[kishiseta]

Fang Li waved Gan Zu goodbye as she shouted her thanks before heading over to Miss Mei. Her parents had to know she had been accepted!

"I'm nineteen...well, twenty by the next new moon." Her voice came out steadier than she felt. All she wanted to do was run and scream and laugh. "Other skills...well, I could track and hunt, but I'm not very proud of it. My mother taught me most of what I know and I discovered some myself when I went home and didn't want my parents to know what I've been up to. I think I'm an OK cook, but accidents sometimes happen in the kitchen...um...I guess, you could say I'm not really marriage material...Ah! You, uh...don't need to know that, do you? But, yes, I can run around for you. I'm good at that."

Fang Li crossed her fingers hoping she didn't blow her chance with that one statement. Why was it so difficult to keep her mouth shut?

[Taiylor Wallace]

"Calm down, girl," Miss Mei laughed again, finding Fang Li's bumbling terribly amusing. "I could use a hunter. All those skills that your father doesn't want you to show off, I need someone who can do them. Being on my own, I don't have a man to shoo out hunting and fishing when I need it. I usually need to charm or threaten some young man into it." Whether she was serious or not, Fang Li couldn't tell beyond her amused smirk. "First of all, I want you to help me clean this place up. What with those heretics around, we're likely to have a few more people in Gan Zu's condition." She handed Fang Li her broom. "Sweep everywhere you can reach, I have some stock sorting to do. Once you're done, you can head home, because I can see in your eyes that you want to go running and tell your parents. I'll have lunch ready at high noon. Oh, and if anyone comes in, just let me know." She disappeared into the back room. It wasn't ten minutes before someone did indeed enter. A fire monk, stocky and carrying a curved blade at his side. His dark eyes fell upon Fang Li, intense and fiery.
.
"Good morning," he nodded to her.

[kishiseta]

Fang Li stabled her horse and began sweeping, making sure not to disappoint Miss Mei by running her finger on the places she just cleaned. She moved on only if her finger came out clean. In a little while, she heard the thud thud on the floor before she saw the monk entering. The greeting ready on her mouth faltered, surprised by the intensity of the monk. She cleared her throat and put on her smile again.

"Good morning. Do you wish to see Miss Mei? Please wait a while, I'll go get her." Fang Li crept into the backroom, not sure whether she was supposed to be there or not and called out for Miss Mei just at the threshold. "Miss Mei? A Fire Monk is here."