Call On Me

7

Dressed in my sect leader robes and elegant mask, I wandered around San Bao with Wen Qing taking inventory of our medical supplies. We have supplied the sects with a lot of herbs and other medical supplies that we have begun to run low on our own supply. I sighed knowing we couldn't possibly send anything more and Wen Qing knew this too. Our gardens don't grow fast and this area isn't suitable for some of the herbs we need. We have to order some of them from across the country and that can take up to a month if not longer to retrieve. It could take more than two months due to this war going on as they get the first of the rations, leaving every other location who isn't even involved, to suffer from lack of supplies.

"This is getting to be too much, A'Ying, we have a sickness hitting out young ones too, and those herbs are needed to help them. If they need any more supplies, we cannot send more," Wen Qing said, "If they need supplies, they need to look elsewhere."

I nodded, "I understand," I said, "I know you have a good amount stashed away due to my health because I am more human now than cultivator, but if you have to, use them for now. I am doing well with my health that I can spare some supplies. These children need it."

"A'Ying, if you neglect your health, our theories of you cultivating again might not ever happen," she told me, "you take those because it helps keep the energy you have left from dispersing. If you lose that, you can no longer even handle any spiritual power."

"Is that so bad?" I asked, "I will be even more human than normal. That is the sacrifice that I have to make. I knew that if this type of day came I would have to give it up for good."

"That means you can't even use those needles anymore A'Ying," Wen Qing told me.

I sighed, "I am not stopping the treatments Jie, just lowering the dose. Will that cause me any problems?" I asked.

"I suppose it wouldn't by much, but I can only reduce it by half at most. I don't want to take any risks with you," She told me.

"Very well," I said.

"Now, can you get those sects to understand our situation here and explain why we can't help?" She asked.

"I will do what I can, I will have A'Ning come get you if I need you for further explanation," I said.

"Alright," she said, "and be careful of that Sect Leader Jiang, knowing him, he may be pissed that you took him out so easily yesterday."

"I will," I said with a giggle and made my way to the main hall where everyone was waiting for me, "Sorry to keep you waiting, I had to check inventory, and visit our intensive care unit in our infirmary. We have a sickness spreading that only hits the children here."

"It is alright," Zewu Jun said, "What kind of sickness?"

"High fever, rash, vomiting, body pain," I explained, "no child should suffer from being so sick."

"Is it going to be okay though?" Hanguang Jun asked.

"It will but due to the situation, and our lack of supplies we have to hold off sending more your way for the time being. We hardly get shipments in due to the war as it is. You guys get the first dibs on the supplies after all, leaving us all defending for ourselves. So to protect my people, I have to hold back on sending out supplies," I said.

"Is there a way you could send people to help aid us with the wounded?" Sect Leader Jiang asked.

"Unfortunately we cannot do that either," I said, "some of our staff have been overworked due to this illness going around. If we can we would do more but we cannot. As leaders yourselves, you have to understand that your own sect members have to come before everyone else's."

"I understand," Hanguang Jun said, "since Gusu has some rare herbs, we can see if we can spare some for you and send them over."

"Wangji, we would have to speak with Shufu and our head healer first to make sure we have enough of our own supply," Zewu Jun told him.

"So you can understand why we cannot offer anymore assistance," I said.

"We appreciate the support you have provided use thus far," Chifeng Zun said, "in the future, we will do what we can to repay our debts to you."

"We will hold you to that," I said.

"A'Yuan!" I heard A'Ning shout from outside the door.

"Want Ying-GeGe!" I heard a little boy yelling just after A'Ning did.

I smiled knowing that this little boy is such a cutie. He just wants to be by my side all the time, "Don't run!" A'Ning shouted after him again.

"Gege!" A'Yuan shouted and ran to me.

My smile grew as I knelt down, "A'Yuan, are you being mischievous again?" I asked.

"Shushu said you were in a meeting," he said and held his arms out.

I lifted him up into my arms and stood up, "I am, you should be with Popo."

"She got sick," A'Yuan said with a pout.

My smile disappeared, "What?" I asked and looked at A'Ning, "what does he mean?"

"She collapsed from exhaustion late last night and woke with a fever this morning," A'Ning said, "Jie was only just now informed and is tending to her personally."

I sighed, "is she going to die?" A'Yuan asked. The look in his eyes looked so heartbreaking. He looked scared.

"Your aunty will do what she can to help her," I said, "it will be okay Little radish."

"Sect Leader San?" Hanguang Jun questioned.

I looked at him then the others, "I apologize, he just needs me for a moment," I said hugging A'Yuan closer.

"Xiongzhang, I wish to stay and help here for a few days," Hanguang Jun said.

"Very well," Zewu Jun said, "as long as Leader San is okay with it I am too. I will talk to Shufu. Maybe we can spare some aid."

"If not medical aid, finances," Hanguang Jun said.

"I will see what we can do," Zewu Jun said.

"A'Cheng, I am going to stick around and help out here as well," Maiden Jiang said.

"Why? I understand that they need assistance but let's not forget that our own sect is still being rebuilt," Sect Leader Jiang said.

"You have managed without me before," Maiden Jiang said, "and I am staying here. You however, are banned from here, remember? Be thankful Leader San hasn't kicked you out yet. Despite you not apologizing for your behavior yesterday."

"What is so special about this man!?" Sect Leader Jiang asked angrily, "Why must we help him?"

"Because he already offered us so much help as it is, and you don't even realize that," Maiden Jiang said, "and I met with A'Xian yesterday. He told me what you did to him when you found our dead parents. 'Get lost servant!' Were your words to be exact. I have never been so disappointed in you before now. You may have been grieving, but A'Xian lost more than what we have. Yes we lost our parents and sect. He lost our parents, our sect, and long before that, he lost his own parents. He lost his ability to cultivate in order to protect you and you don't even care!"

Sect Leader Jiang was speechless and didn't know what to say. For once he was actually shut up without being told to by someone first, "I...I don't know what to say," he mumbled.

"Then don't say anything," I said, "he doesn't want your petty apologies. For those who want to stay, I will be okay with it. Sect Leader Jiang is the only one who has to leave as it was our terms of agreement from our little fight yesterday."

Sect Leader Jiang scoffed and left the building. I gave A'Yuan to A'Ning and escorted the others out. Since they wanted to check out our current situation, I lead them to our infirmary to let them have a look for themselves.