To Travel by the Edge of a Creek

he would definitely not lay there properly and recover, given how she had tried to kill her in her half-dead state before. 

“The Lady Saintess is not going to go see her?” Na Xin saw He Xi’s posture, which showed no indication that she would go see Jiang Ling. 

“No, it’s fine if you help me take care of her.” He Xi waved a hand for Na Xin to retreat. 

“The Lady Saintess truly cares for her.”

“Mm?”

Na Xin felt that she had spoken out of turn, so she rushed to close her mouth.
He Xi responded without anger, “What do you want to say?”

“The Lady Saintess is concerned about her, yet does not go see her.” He Xi was not a frightening master.
If she had Na Xin continue, then Na Xin would continue speaking. 

“It’s not concern.
It’s guilt.” He Xi gave Na Xin the same explanation she gave herself.
She would not treat others kindly without reason. 

“Alright, I will go take care of her.”

However, Na Xin remained in place, looking at He Xi uneasily. 

“What’s wrong?”

“I cannot speak the language of the central plains.
She does not understand me.”

He Xi laughed, “It’s no matter.
As long as you take good care of her.” It was better if they had no way to communicate.
This way, matters would not develop in a direction she could not calculate. 

Because of Ge Lan’s proclivities, the majority of the Manichaen church spoke some of the central plains’ language.
Some could converse fluently and some could only understand.
Moreover, because of the trade between Xiyu and the central plains, some common people of Xiyu who travel to the central plains for business can speak some.
Na Xin was someone that He Xi had rescued from a small hamlet and thus had never studied the Han language[1].
Naturally, she could not communicate with Jiang Ling. 

The witch doctor heard that Jiang Ling had awoken and hurried over. 

“Grandmother A Xi, do not tell her that I was the one who rescued her.” He Xi reminded her.
A Xi understood Han, so she had to tell her as soon as she greeted her. 

“Aren’t you two friends?” The witch doctor did not understand. 

“An accident occured.
If she asks, tell her that Na Xin brought her back.”

Although the witch doctor did not understand, she still gave her assent. 

…

Jiang Ling was woken up by the sound of the witch doctor entering.
She moved around a little, as she felt a bit numb from lying down. 

Once the witch doctor walked into her line of sight, she could see her appearance. 

“Little lady, how do you feel?” The witch doctor used Han to speak to Jiang Ling. 

Jiang Ling’s eyes flashed when she heard the familiar words, “Much better, just a little tired.
I’m always sleeping.”

When the witch doctor heard this, she reached out a hand and checked her forehead.
It was still a bit warm, as the wound had not been dealt with yet. 

“Excuse me, were you[2] the one who saved me?” Jiang Ling asked. 

“I’m just a doctor.
It was that girl who saved you.
You’ve met her before.” The witch doctor pointed to Na Xin, who was standing beside her. 

“Thank you.” Jiang Ling gave her thanks to Na Xin.
Na Xin suddenly realized that Jiang Ling was speaking to her and felt a little helpless.
The witch doctor explained to her, and then she understood. 

“Your injuries are very severe.
Some places have already festered.
Now that I’ve seen that your awareness is much better, I’ll come back tomorrow to help you.” The witch doctor did not talk in circles.
She straightforwardly told Jiang Ling of her current situation and what she should do about it. 

Jiang Ling nodded and said: “If I can live, I can endure some pain.”

The witch doctor applied some medicine and after instructing her to get some proper rest that night, the witch doctor departed. 

When Na Xin went to the courtyard to prepare her medicine, Jiang Ling finally had the opportunity to closely examine her surroundings.
The room was quite plain, its foundation made of stone.
It was entirely different from the central plains.
Her sword had been hung on the wall, and she wore Xiyu clothing similar to He Xi and her caravan.
She guessed that Na Xin was a Xiyu resident of the oasis she had glimpsed before falling unconscious.
Once she finished healing, she must repay her. 

A while passed, and Na Xin entered the room once she finished decocting her medicine.
Jiang Ling was not unreasonable; she shifted forward so her shoulder hung off the side of the bed, took the bowl of medicine and drank it in one gulp.
Once she finished the medicine, she shifted back so her head lay on the pillow as she digested the astringent flavor.
Not once did she act willfully or finicky. 

When He Xi heard Na Xin’s description, her heart moved, giving rise to the idea of going to see such a scene for herself.
As soon as she thought of the enmity between them, a debt of a person’s life, this idea immediately left her mind.
Now was not the time to meet with her. 

The witch doctor arrived as scheduled the next day.
She brought her tools, the sight of which made goosebumps break out on Na Xin’s skin.
When the witch doctor asked her to step out for a while, Na Xin felt like she had been granted an Imperial Pardon.
She released a breath, then ran out the door. 

Unlike that day when she had gotten out of control, the now-cognizant Jiang Ling’s fortitude was strong.
She bit down on the wooden stick given to her by the witch doctor on her back molars; she did not make a sound. 

Once she had finished clearing the wound, the witch doctor applied medicine to stop the bleeding, only to discover that Jiang Ling had already passed out from the pain. 

He Xi stood outside, surprised about the quietness within the room.
Outside of the room, time seemed to stand still until the witch doctor’s hand poked out the door.
Only then did He Xi find that the wound had already been completely cleared. 

“She did well, not making so much as a sound.
She’s unconscious now.
After two days, the fever should recede.
If it hasn’t, send some people to find me.
I’ll be going, then.” The witch doctor always arrived and left swiftly. 

That night, Jiang Ling was muddled by fever, sweating over her entire body.
A pair of cool hands pressed to her forehead, relieving much of the heat. 

He Xi stroked her forehead.
She was even more scalding than two days prior.
He Xi instructed Na Xin to get some alcohol to help cool Jiang Ling’s body down. 

The second morning, Jiang Ling’s fever receded and the flush in her cheeks likewise dimmed.
Her complexion looked much better.