A New Beginning
ShinYoung Kwon, Group 3: Fiction, Hong Kong International School
ull sunlight filled the small settlement of Taoyun, the signal of morning sending a small glimmer of
hope into the villagers. Despite the cold, the children ran towards the edges of the small town, while
their mothers ushered them back, although their own searching eyes betrayed their actions. All the
men of Taoyun along with the other men from the Yan warring state, had been called by the Qin
emperor to join the construction of the connection of the Yan and Zhao walls.
Taoyun, near the once existing border of Yan and Zhao, before Qin Shi Huang unified the seven
warring states, use to be filled with happiness. The men would bring in medicinal roots from nearby forests and
mountains, and also play with the children. The women would sing while soaking the laundry in creek water,
and gossip together.
After the unification, the town was quiet from morning to midnight, the women taking care of the
fields without a man's strength, and the children playing with year old rag dolls.
The Elder of the town, an old woman, who also served as the seer and healer, quietly observed the
townspeople. The Elder prepared three fresh peaches on an altar everyday in the town's temple, and lit incense
to foresee the day the men would come back, but the ancient ritual would not surrender any information. The
town was slowly breaking apart, and the women were slowly dying of an unknown disease.
Almost everyday, a new patient, led by a relative or a friend, would appear in front of the Elder's house,
begging for treatment. The Elder would proceed to set up the altar once more, along with the ancient scrolls
despite her bad back and perpetually poor vision. Her apprentice, Xuehua, would have helped her, but Xuehua
herself was ill with the unknown disease. The Elder would chant to her ancestors, praying for them to spare the
ill, and to rid the demon who was haunting the women with its sickness spreading malice.
Little did the villagers know that the women were suffering from influenza, a dangerous disease that
could kill a human being without the right treatment.
Taoyun was spirit was slowly dying, as was its faith in their ancestors. Their culture was falling apart.
"
Xiao Ming? Xiao Ming! Where are you, my son?" a woman anxiously called out. Her son had
mysteriously disappeared, and the other villagers were convinced that it was the doings of a ferocious demon.
Taoyun's beliefs were solely based on the myths and legends regarding their ancestor spirits, the great
Heavens, and the demons, or yaoguai. The ancient scrolls contained every fable and legend regarding the history
of Taoyun, along with its beliefs.
However, Taoyun's ancient scrolls were slowly fading away, as was its history.
One day, while weeding the rice fields, the Elder witnessed a small, cloaked figure, most likely an
unwed woman, sneaking beyond the town gate. Quietly, the old woman followed the cloaked figure,
undisturbed by the questioning gazes from the other villagers. As the cloaked figure started to disappear into the
woods, the Elder realized that she was heading in the so called direction of the Great Wall construction site.
Before the Elder could call out, the cloaked figure slumped onto the ground, the rice cakes tumbling
out of the basket.
Hurriedly, the Elder shook the figure, trying to see whether they were conscious or not. She turned the
figure around, and despite her years of wisdom and patience, could not hold back a horrified gasp.
It was a young woman, whose face was a sickly pale shade of green, with extremely gaunt cheeks. She
was gasping for air, and her bulging eyes reflected pain. However, what shocked the Elder most was who this
woman was. It was Xuehua, the Elder's adoptive niece. Xuehua smiled wryly, an unfitting expression for a
woman so young, with so much hope ahead.
"
So... You found out, auntie?"
"
Little Xuehua... Why? Why did you leave the infirmary?"
Xuehua breathed in, and slowly took her hood off. She was struggling to get up, and when the Elder
tried to help her up, Xuehua signaled for the Elder to stop. "I couldn't worry you anymore. I'm the only one
other than you that knows of your slowly worsening sight."
Hot tears rolled off the Elder's cheeks, and the Elder curled her hands into angry fists. She couldn't
even protect her own niece from this accursed illness—how would she protect the village?
"
I wanted to see him one last time, before this sickness takes me. I wanted to meet old farmer Li's
grandson." Xuehua managed to sputter out, before breaking into another coughing fit.
"
I promised to marry him this autumn. But now he's at the construction site, and I wanted to at least
deliver these rice cakes to him."
D