Meet A Scholar

Her father stood up from his seat, walked towards the young man. His movements were followed by Qing Yang, walking behind him towards the young man. Arriving in front of the young man, her father bowed "Are you okay mister?" asked her father, though he knew that the young man had injured both the palms of his hands and his knees.

"Well," the young man looked at his scratched palms. Blood gushed out in several places. "I think I've hurt my own hand," he said with a clumsy smile on his face.

"Hmm… did you bring any medicine to treat your wound?" her father asked sympathetically.

"Unfortunately, not mister" the short answer looked sad.

"Calm down, no need to panic, we happened to pick some plants that can treat your hands and knees" replied her father, telling him. "Do you have a problem with that?" her father asked, not wanting to cross the line of decency.

"Oh, of course not…. I am very grateful for your help, Mister," he answered hastily so that the mister in front of him would not be offended.

"Well, if so, wait a moment I will prepare it" he replied. Then he got up and walked over to the pot he had placed near the boulder where they had been sitting.

Qing Yang followed his father. She didn't want to be around strangers she didn't really know. Even though he didn't seem like a bad person, prevention would be better, she thought.

Her father dismantled the plants in the pot. Look for plants that can stop and treat minor injuries. After getting the plant. He placed it on the surface of a rock. Grind the plant with another small stone. When almost subtly he said, "Qing Yang can help me with the water". He asked with a small smile.

Qing Yang, who knew the water her father meant, rushed to grab his father's bag, untied it, and seconds later a small bamboo was among the piles of things under his father bag. She grabbed the bamboo and gave it to his father.

The contents in the bamboo are not ordinary water. But the dew that her mother collects every morning from the leaves that grow around the yard of their house. Dew Water is good for several things. For medicine, for drink a small amount when thirsty on a long journey is enough to quench thirst and fatigue. To brew a tea, it is believed that the aroma of the tea will come out to be inhaled when sipping it a little at a time.

Her Father took the bamboo and opened the cover. Poured the dew little by little over the plants he was grinding. When it is wet enough and suitable for treating wounds. He closed the bamboo cover and gave it back to Qing Yang, without waiting any longer she immediately accepted it and put it back in her father's bag.

During the process of making the medicine, Qing Yang paid close attention to what her father was doing. She is always enthusiastic about learning new thing that is display in front of her.

Her Father plucked a leaf that was quite wide and then put the medicinal plant inside the leaf. Then put it in the palm of his hand. Walked towards the young man again. Kneel in front of him. "If you don't mind, I will put this medicine on your wound" said her father as he showed the medicine to the young man.

"Please Mister," replied the young man quickly, not wanting to wait any longer to endure the pain he had felt since he fell.

"My name is Shu Chao Xiang," his father informed him, wanting to bring the atmosphere not too tense.

"Ah Mr Shu, thank you for your generosity" said the young man "I am Shi Bo Lin" he introduced himself while bowing his head slightly as a courtesy.

"Mr Shi" said Chao Xiang, lowering his head to return the courtesy of introduction. Qing Yang, standing behind his father concealed herself. "And this is my daughter, Qing Yang" her father unhesitatingly introduced herself to the young man and as a courtesy she nodded her head at the mister, embarrassed.

"Miss Shu" he said smiling at her.

Qing Yang just smiled, hiding herself even more behind his father body. So as not to be seen by the young man.

Father chuckled at Qing Yang's reaction then said "She is a little shy when she meets strangers"

"Ah…. That's as it should be, and even better Mr Shu, surely, we don't want her to fall into the hands of criminals right, if only she shows a more friendly attitude towards the strangers she meets at her young age. Of course, we won't know what will happen after that." Bo Lin's answer nonchalantly, considering that there are many criminals hanging around and do not hesitate to kidnap small children, especially girl, it is clear that their fate will end up being sold to brothels.

Chao Xiang nodded in agreement. Thus, he was very protective over Qing Yang wherever he took her to. If they were walking in a crowd, he would hold her hand tightly because he didn't want to lose her by accident and he wouldn't let go of his grip until the surroundings weren't too crowded.

Chao Xiang turned his body, looked at Qing Yang and said, "Do you want to help me?" glance at her with subtle smile on his face.

She nodded slowly. Her eyes glanced at the young man, embarrassed. Seeing this Chao Xiang just smiled and lifted the medicinal plant forward so she could hold it. As Qing Yang raised her palm, he put down the medicinal plant. Then turned to face Bo Lin, took his hand, holding his wrist so that he could freely smear the medicine on his injured palm. Slowly and carefully, he took the medicinal herbs from her.

Qing Yang had already stood beside her father, so that her father could more easily treat the young man. Her father scooped out the medicine with a small twig that had been wrapped with a small cloth, so that when he applied it over the wound it would not cause another wound from the sharp side of the twig. After he finished smearing his palms with medicinal herbs, he wrapped them with a small cloth which he happened to always carry with him wherever he travelled with Qing Yang, in anticipation of her getting hurt. Then Chao Xiang's attention turned to Bo Lin's knees, and he did the same as he did to his palms.

"Okay, done Mr Shi" Chao Xiang said, as he covered the young man's knees with his own clothes which were still stained with blood.

"Thank you, Mr Shu, I don't know what I could have done without you" Bo Lin replied, his face showing a deep expression of gratitude. Grateful at a critical time like this, someone helped him.

"Ah... it's nothing Mr. Shi, we should help each other" Chao Xiang replied bluntly, because for him this is something he usually does, wherever, whenever he encounters injured people, he will do the same thing.

"I will repay your help when I have successfully passed the Scholar exam to become a palace official.

"Oh… you are a Scholar?" Chao Xiang asked enthusiastically with a big smile. He really likes knowledge. Because knowledge can bring people to be wiser in saying and acting.

"Not yet Mr. Shu, but will" he replied awkwardly, of course he could not accept the praise when he himself had not taken the scholar exam and passed with the emperor's acknowledgment.

"Hahaaa….. for me you have become a Scholar Mr Shi. I'm sure you've gained a lot of knowledge in trying to take the scholar exam at the palace."

Again, he was embarrassed to hear Chao Xiang's blunt words. He just nodded in agreement and gave a small smile.