Chapter 39 Growing Fame
In the quiet of the slums, a gentle hum of life was emerging. What was once a dreary, forgotten corner of the capital city had transformed into a lively, hopeful place. People of all ages and backgrounds filled the narrow streets, whispering in awe as they neared the Little Fairy Doctor's clinic. The scent of herbal remedies hung in the air, and the voices of patients and helpers merged into a gentle murmur.
Li An stood at the heart of it all. Her presence was striking—both a child and a sage, her dark eyes wise beyond her years. Over time, she had gained a reputation among the city's poor as a healer of miracles, a Little Fairy Doctor whose knowledge of medicine rivaled even the seasoned physicians of the court. She had turned this slum into a beacon of healing and hope, drawing not just the impoverished but also curious nobles and scholars who ventured into the area to glimpse this young prodigy.
Due to the influx of patients, Li An had decided that her work needed support. No longer could she manage the growing crowd of sick and injured alone, and so she decided to begin training doctors and assistants to help ease the burden.
Her two maidservants and trusted friends, Misha and Alu, assisted in finding suitable recruits. Misha and Alu came from the palace but somewhat knew how to read common people. They moved through the bustling crowd, observing potential candidates and bringing them to Li An for approval. Seedee, her mysterious apparition-like companion, floated at her side, only visible to Li An. With Seedee's help, Li An conducted her own investigations on each candidate, ensuring only those who truly wanted to help the people would join her ranks.
Li An discovered that the little clinic she started is actually earning money. It was pure profit as those were given to her by the people not to buy herbs or medicine but as a grateful gesture to her. Li An did not sell medicine and would just prescribe them. It is up to the patient to buy them. She did this because if she buys the medicine for the patient then her own money would run out.
The patient would first buy the prescribed medicine and she would record and check for its authenticity.
This decision of hers causes balance within the medical community. Although some physicians look at her with angry and envious eyes, many have learned to adapt to her ways. Some could even get patients from her clinic.
…
One quiet evening, as the sky began to darken with hints of twilight, Li An gathered the people she had chosen and hired. She stood before them in her modest clinic, a small room filled with shelves of herbs, stacks of neatly folded bandages, and jars filled with various remedies. Her new assistants, a mix of hopefuls from the slums and those with basic knowledge of healing, looked at her with admiration and a touch of curiosity.
"Today, you will begin learning the essentials," she began, her voice soft but commanding. "Medicine is not just a practice. It is compassion. It is duty. If you're here only for recognition or to gain favor with nobles, do so at your own peril."
Her words cast a somber silence over the group. After a moment, they all nodded, clearly captivated by the Little Fairy Doctor's wisdom and seriousness.
Among the recruits, however, two individuals stood out. They were older than the others, and their attire was too clean, their demeanor too composed. Li An sensed their unease, though they wore polite smiles and expressed gratitude for the opportunity. These two men were the ones secretly sent by Empress Su Mu Fang as spies—an attempt to infiltrate the Little Fairy Doctor's inner circle. She could almost hear the Empress's thoughts: this girl, a nobody from the Cold Palace, was daring to grow her influence. But Li An had already anticipated such a move, and she was more than ready to play along with the Empress's scheme.
She gestured for the group to follow her to a separate room, where she would begin her first lecture. As she spoke about basic treatments, from tending to wounds to recognizing symptoms of common illnesses, she carefully observed the reactions of her new assistants. The Empress's spies made every effort to appear attentive, asking intelligent questions, and nodding at each of her words. She met their eyes occasionally, holding their gaze just a bit longer than the others. A hint of amusement sparked in her mind—she would allow them to stay, at least for now.
Seedee, ever vigilant, floated around the room, taking note of every detail, from the nervous twitch of a young boy's hand to the too-composed expressions of the spies. It had scouted them already, of course, confirming that they were not here out of true desire to help the people.
Later that night, as the clinic quieted and her assistants departed, Li An remained in the back room, examining her herbs and concoctions. Seedee hovered nearby, watching her work. With a faint, mischievous smile, she turned to it.
"The Empress really thinks she can fool me, doesn't she?"
Seedee bobbed in agreement, its form shimmering slightly in the dim candlelight. "She underestimates you. But that will be her mistake."
"Yes," Li An said with a quiet determination. "They may be here to spy on me, but I will turn them into my own pawns. If they want to know what I'm doing here, I'll show them what I want them to see."
Over the next few weeks, she continued training her assistants. Her teachings were thorough, covering not only medicinal knowledge but also proper hygiene practices, careful observation of symptoms, and compassion toward patients. The little clinic soon became one of the cleanest areas in the slums, a haven of health and hope amid the poverty. With the help of Misha and Alu, Li An created a system of shifts, ensuring that patients were seen at all hours and that her assistants rotated duties to avoid exhaustion.
Meanwhile, she watched the two spies with growing interest. Their knowledge of medicine was above average, but Li An quickly noticed they were more interested in watching her movements and hearing her plans. She would occasionally drop hints about the Empress, using words and phrases she knew would reach the ears of Su Mu Fang. A rumor here, a subtle comment there—she was weaving a web of misinformation, ensuring that if the Empress chose to act, she would be led into a trap of her own making.
One afternoon, as she was teaching a lesson on basic wound care, she paused mid-sentence and glanced at one of the spies. He looked at her, startled by the sudden attention.
"You've treated wounds before?" she asked casually.
"Yes, Doctor Gu," he replied, his tone respectful.
Though, the identity of Li An was still a mystery to most people, her people in the clinic already knew her name, Gu Li An.
"I've worked in a small clinic before, helping with minor injuries."
"Good," she said with a slight nod. "Then perhaps you could demonstrate to the others. Show us the proper way to clean a wound without causing further harm."
The man hesitated, then approached the patient she'd been treating. He cleaned the wound meticulously, his hands steady and practiced. But Li An noticed his reluctance to touch the patient's skin directly, and his discomfort in the grimy surroundings.
When he was finished, Li An stepped forward, nodding approvingly. "You have a steady hand," she said, her tone unreadable. "But remember, each patient is a person, not just a task. Don't hesitate to show care and gentleness."
The man nodded, his face slightly pale. Li An turned to the others and continued with her lesson, but she knew he had understood the message hidden within her words. She could sense the tension in him now—he had been reminded of his true purpose, and the young girl in front of him had subtly called him out.
That evening, Li An sat with Misha and Alu outside the clinic, enjoying a rare moment of calm as the sky dimmed. The slums were quiet, and the stars began to emerge overhead. Misha broke the silence, her voice filled with admiration.
"Little miss, the people in the capital talk of you as if you were a deity. Even the nobles come just to catch a glimpse of you. Aren't you worried this might catch the wrong kind of attention?"
Li An gazed up at the stars, her eyes thoughtful. "It already has, Sister Misha. That's why I've taken these precautions." She glanced at Alu and added, "If the Empress wants to play this game, then I will show her that I'm not afraid."
Her words were spoken with a quiet confidence, her tone mature beyond her years. Misha and Alu exchanged glances, realizing once again just how special the child before them truly was. In this young girl's heart burned the wisdom of someone much older, as well as the courage to stand against the power of the imperial family.
Days turned into weeks, and the clinic continued to grow in reputation. Li An's name reached every corner of the capital, even to the ears of scholars and officials. Some of these officials, curious and drawn by the rumors, came to see the Little Fairy Doctor themselves. They were astounded by her knowledge, by the way she spoke with the precision of a seasoned physician, and by the kindness she showed to her patients.
One evening, as she walked through the slum's now bustling streets with Seedee floating by her side, she caught sight of one of the spies slipping away from the clinic. He was careful to avoid detection, his movements shadowed by the dim light. Li An followed him at a distance, her figure hidden by the flickering shadows cast by street lamps.
When he finally stopped, a cloaked figure awaited him—a woman with a posture too refined to be from the slums. Li An knew immediately who she was. Empress Su Mu Fang had sent an attendant, someone trusted, to hear the spy's report directly. The man leaned in close, whispering hurriedly.
Li An, from her hidden vantage point, allowed herself a small smile. Her plan was working. She would let them spread whatever misinformation they gathered. And when the time came, she would turn their secrets against them.
She stepped back into the shadows, her heart calm, her resolve unshaken. The Little Fairy Doctor was far more than she appeared. For now, she would continue her work, healing those who needed her and training her assistants to do the same. The capital might talk about her as a mysterious fairy, but Li An knew the truth: she was the only one who controlled the story, the only one who would shape her fate.