Chapter 30

"Thud-thud-thud—"

The heavy sound of horse hooves piled upon one another, the kicked-up dust seeming to carry the momentum of a thousand troops.

The first batch of the Dark Cavalry had returned. This group consisted mainly of the wounded, rushing back to camp for urgent treatment after the battle. The remaining soldiers, with minor injuries or none at all, stayed behind to clear the battlefield.

Weapons were to be confiscated, horses to be rounded up, and as for the prisoners...

Those who surrendered would not be killed.

In ancient times, human labor was an extremely valuable resource. Prisoners could repair city walls, serve as beasts of burden plowing fields and growing grain, or, after being disciplined, be integrated into one's own army to bolster its strength.

Therefore, the victorious side generally did not execute surrendered soldiers.

Moreover, Li Zan was merely a salt smuggler who rose to power through wealth, having enjoyed only a few years of prestige without any true military spirit to speak of.

"This battle annihilated over three thousand enemies, captured nearly five thousand prisoners—a great and complete victory!" Feng Feng, commander of the Northern Garrison, returned with the first batch of soldiers and immediately proclaimed the battle achievements.

After announcing that, he urgently asked, "Where's Old Qiao? Where is Old Qiao?!"

Feng Feng had been one of the three who fought fiercely against Wang Qinglie, so he knew all too well the peril of that earlier clash. Had it not been for Old Qiao using himself as bait and feigning an opening, the outcome of the battle would have been uncertain.

They had all underestimated Wang Qinglie. His three-pointed glaive came with overwhelming force, not only breaking Old Qiao's blade but also cleaving downward through his armor. Fortunately, Yan San was quick-eyed and swift-handed, otherwise Old Qiao might have died on the spot.

Thinking of his friend's injuries, Feng Feng couldn't help but feel dejected. Even now, it seemed the situation wasn't much better...

"Commander Feng, Commander Qiao is with Master Ding and Lady Dai," a soldier said.

Feng Feng, who had been about to go look for him, stopped. He was both puzzled and instinctively wary of this breach of protocol. "Lady Dai? How can there be a woman in the army? Why is she here?"

The soldier hurriedly explained, "She was brought back by the Marquis. Just now, when Commander Qiao was sent back, Master Ding examined him and shook his head, saying it was beyond hope. It was Lady Dai who thought of a method to keep Commander Qiao's life hanging on."

The soldier's eyes shone with fervor.

Commander Qiao had one foot in the underworld, even Master Ding was helpless, yet Lady Dai had forcefully pulled him back. One must understand, what she saved was not just one life, but countless future "Qiao Wangfeis."

If possible, who would want to see a comrade they were just chatting with yesterday die before their eyes?

Feng Feng stood there dumbfounded for a long moment, as if unable to comprehend the words, before finally sprinting off in a certain direction.

Never mind why she appeared in the army; being able to save Old Qiao was the absolute best news!

Feng Feng ran like the wind to the infirmary tent but was barred from entering, stopped by the reason that "the tent needs to maintain clean air; idlers keep out."

Also waiting outside were Mo Yanyun and a few others.

Since he couldn't go in, he inquired from those outside. Feng Feng asked Mo Yanyun, "Old Mo, where did the Marquis find this divine female physician? Her medical skills are actually this superb."

Who knew that upon hearing this, Mo Yanyun turned with a complicated expression.

"What's with that look? Is the matter of the divine female physician not to be spoken of?" Feng Feng was confused.

"...That's not it." Mo Yanyun suddenly asked, "Didn't Yan San tell you?"

Feng Feng reflexively countered, "Tell me what?"

Mo Yanyun muttered, "Right, Yan San has always been a man of few words and never gossips. It's normal he didn't tell you."

Feng Feng grew anxious, scratching his head and ears. "Then hurry up and give me the details. Where exactly did this divine female physician come from? I need to find a way to get on good terms with her. She might save my life someday."

"She's the one the Marquis captured from Taiping County," Mo Yanyun said in a low voice.

Feng Feng froze, feeling as if his brain had been struck by a heavy hammer, as though something had been overturned.

Yan San indeed disliked gossip, but those who stayed behind at the Jiang residence weren't just him; there were a few other Dark Cavalry soldiers.

Feng Feng vaguely knew the Marquis's trip to Taiping County was ostensibly because of a young woman, though the specifics were unknown to him. He couldn't connect a seductive concubine who served with her looks to the divine female physician who saved his friend from mortal peril.

Mo Yanyun patted his shoulder, his expression still complex. "This Lady Dai is no ordinary person. Privately, I believe she has extraordinary abilities. You'll understand later."

Being able to "extinguish the fire" of the enraged Marquis—wasn't that an extraordinary ability? At the very least, in all these years, he had never seen anyone who could stroke the tiger's whiskers, even slip away from the Marquis a few times, and still remain completely unharmed.

Inside the medical tent.

Originally sealed up like a cocoon, the medical tent now had windows opened as per Dai Li's request, maintaining air circulation as much as possible.

The cow wrapped around Qiao Wangfei had been moved here. Dai Li and Ding Lianxi were discussing the matter of suturing.

Surgical procedures had already appeared in this era. The Book of the Later Han: Biography of Hua Tuo records: "If an illness arises and knots within, where needles and medicine cannot reach, then first have the patient drink the Mafeisan powder with wine. Once intoxicated and unconscious, cut open the abdomen or back, and remove the accumulated mass."

This means when acupuncture and medicine are ineffective, one must anesthetize, then open the abdomen or back, and excise the tumor.

But surgery rests on three cornerstones: antisepsis, anesthesia, and hemostasis.

Antisepsis means sterility. One must ensure a clean environment, preventing the weakened patient with an open wound from getting infected. This single requirement alone is extremely difficult to fulfill. Fumigating the room with mugwort, clove, and other plants is possible, but how can one guarantee complete sterilization?

Ancient times lacked antibiotics. Post-operative infection mortality rates were extremely high, essentially like sending your name ahead to the underworld, just waiting for the person to arrive.

Therefore, surgical procedures in this era were undoubtedly rare, a type even the most elite masters at the pyramid's peak would not lightly attempt.

Ding Lianxi was a military physician, so his chances of performing surgery were far higher than others in the medical field. Yet now, facing the severely injured Qiao Wangfei, he had no confidence at all.

Earlier, he had roughly examined him. Qiao Wangfei's wound was massive, almost cleaving him open from the collarbone down to the middle of his abdomen.

"We need to clean the wound and then suture it closed," Dai Li said, standing at the tent entrance, not getting too close to Qiao Wangfei.

How dirty blades were—covered in mud, stained with others' blood, perhaps even crawled over by insects. If debridement wasn't done, even if Qiao Wangfei's life was hanging on now, he would definitely die from infection.

Ding Lianxi instinctively frowned, thinking it dangerous to reopen the wound now that the bleeding had finally stopped. Nevertheless, he said, "Then let's wash the wound. Xiao Li, go fetch charcoal to boil water."

"We also need salt. Go get some salt from the kitchen troops on the way, and bring another cow," Dai Li added.

Ding Lianxi was surprised. "Why do we need salt?"

Dai Li fell silent.

How to explain that she wanted to make saline solution? Normal saline has a concentration similar to human extracellular fluid, making it perfectly suitable for wound cleaning.

In this era, distillation technology had not yet emerged, so there was no purified water, and strictly speaking, it was impossible to prepare a proper saline solution. Using salt water with impurities to clean wounds carried certain safety risks.

But as the saying goes, desperate times call for desperate measures. Qiao Wangfei was at death's door anyway; he couldn't be worse off, so it was worth a try.

"It's another folk remedy," a deep male voice remarked. It was Qin Shaozong, who had been standing at the entrance of the military tent with Dai Li and had remained silent until now.

Ding Lianxi's lips moved, but in the end, he asked no further questions.

While the soldier was off boiling water and fetching salt, Ding Lianxi prepared the items needed for "suturing the abdominal wound with medicinal paste": silk thread and medicinal ointment. The former was for stitching the wound, the latter for accelerating its healing.

Dai Li picked up the silk thread, hesitating to speak.

Ding Lianxi was now paying extra attention to Lady Dai's every move. Seeing her expression, he promptly asked, "Lady Dai, is there something unsuitable about this silk thread?"

Two pairs of eyes fell upon her. One was eager, thirsting for knowledge; the other was obscure and unfathomable, like a vast sea on an overcast day, holding an impenetrable darkness.

Dai Li turned her head, meeting those brown eyes directly without flinching.

If before her monthly courses had arrived, she had been apprehensive of this man, thinking Qin Shaozong was a man-eating tiger that left no bones behind, and that she might be devoured by him if she let her guard down for a moment...

During the days of her courses, she had stayed within the temporary enclosure. Outside, that very tiger had paced back and forth, watching her with a covetous gaze.

And now, as the fence was about to be dismantled, she felt not a trace of panic. Because she believed she might have found a muzzle, something that could keep this greedy tiger from opening its jaws at her.

A smile curled on Dai Li's red lips. Although her words were for Ding Lianxi, she didn't look at him. "Master Ding, have you ever considered using mulberry bark thread instead of silk thread?"

Ding Lianxi was stunned, murmuring, "Mulberry bark thread?"

Mulberry bark paper already existed in this era. This type of paper, highly absorbent and resistant to insect damage, was highly favored by calligraphers.

Dai Li continued, "Mulberry bark has medicinal properties for clearing heat, detoxifying, and promoting wound healing. Using it to suture wounds is not only beneficial for the body, but because the mulberry bark thread can fuse with flesh and blood, there's no need for later stitch removal. It's truly achieving twice the result with half the effort."

When Dai Li mentioned the medicinal efficacy of mulberry bark, the corner of Ding Lianxi's mouth began to tremble uncontrollably. With each sentence she spoke, the light in his eyes grew brighter. Finally, he sighed in admiration, "Marvelous! Lady Dai is truly knowledgeable and well-traveled. I am filled with admiration. This mulberry bark thread should indeed replace silk thread!"

Dai Li smiled without replying.

Just as Shennong, the legendary founder of herbal medicine, once identified herbs by tasting hundreds of plants, leading to the discovery of various medicinal herbs, every profession develops through a process of exploration. She was merely standing at the later end of the long river of history, looking back to inform her predecessors of certain outcomes.

Ding Lianxi was extremely excited, wishing he could immediately make mulberry bark thread and use it on the wounded. Immersed in his own thoughts, he failed to notice the undercurrents swirling within the tent.

Across the distance, the two of them locked eyes, neither looking away. Qin Shaozong watched the slow curl of her red lips, realizing that her deeply hidden defiance was surfacing again.

Well, this cunning fox was up to her tricks again.

The soldier was quick, soon returning with the required items.

After Dai Li estimated the proportions and prepared the salt water, she handed everything over to Ding Lianxi. She was merely an armchair strategist; the actual cleaning of the wound was something she couldn't do at all.

Moreover, Master Ding probably hadn't realized that from the very beginning until now, she had never taken a close look at Qiao Wangfei's injury. It was too bloody, the wound too large; she couldn't quite bear to see it.

After a great deal of busy work, and later changing the dressing for Qiao Wangfei, everything was finally finished. Ding Lianxi let out a long breath and looked at Dai Li again. "Lady Dai, what should be done next?"

Dai Li thought for a moment. "Keep the area ventilated. The clove and mugwort incense must burn without interruption. If Battalion Commander Qiao wakes up and says he's thirsty, don't let him drink too much water. At most, just moisten his lips."

Someone who has just suffered major blood loss should not consume large amounts of water. Excessive fluid intake can lead to a drop in blood volume and, if one is not careful, cause heart failure.

The admiration in Ding Lianxi's eyes grew even stronger.

Regarding not immediately replenishing fluids after major blood loss, he actually knew this point.

How did he know?

Learned through the tragic cost of soldiers' lives.

Without having treated large numbers of wounded soldiers, for her to know this point likely meant only one thing—

Knowledge passed down through generations.

It seemed this Lady Dai was likely like him, coming from a family with generations of medical practice. However, unlike the widespread fame of his Ding family, her family practiced medicine to aid the world without seeking reputation, possessing true integrity.

Ding Lianxi felt a desire to exchange knowledge with a fellow practitioner. "Lady Dai, I wonder when you might have time. I would like to—"

"She has no free time recently," someone interjected abruptly.

"My lord," Ding Lianxi called out disapprovingly.

Qin Shaozong looked at Dai Li and simply led her away. "My lady, there is no further use for you here in the tent. Come with me."

This Ding Lianxi was already becoming dim-sighted at such an early age, actually mistaking her for a physician. Pray tell, where in this world is there a healer who dares not even look directly at a soldier's wound?

Indeed, there was no use for her here. She couldn't help with anything else, and staying would only be in the way. Dai Li followed Qin Shaozong out.

All the Xuanxiao Cavalry had returned to the camp. Today was a day of triumphant return, and the atmosphere in the camp was fervent and jubilant. The army cooks, having received military orders, were enthusiastically sharpening their knives, generously slaughtering sheep and boiling meat to celebrate the great victory.

The news that Qiao Wangfei, hanging by a thread between life and death, had been pulled back from the gates of the underworld also spread through the entire camp like a whirlwind. From battalion commanders to common soldiers, everyone knew that a miraculous female physician had arrived in their army.

As the sun set in the west, the aroma of meat and dishes gradually wafted through the camp. Dai Li and Qin Shaozong walked side by side through the camp, their shadows stretched long by the orange-yellow sunset, one tall, one shorter, not far apart, like two trees standing close together.

At first, neither spoke, until Qin Shaozong broke the silence.

"What are you plotting?" His voice was very calm, betraying no emotional fluctuation.

Hearing this, Dai Li paused, turning to look at him. Those captivating, watery eyes curved slightly, their long, straight lashes catching the brilliant, shattered gold of the sunset, like a beautiful little fan.

Alright then. Since he had taken the initiative to broach the subject, she would seize the opportunity to speak.

"If that Battalion Commander Qiao survives, would it count as me saving his life?" Dai Li asked softly.

"Yes." His answer held no hesitation.

Dai Li asked again, her tone light and cheerful, "The Marquis's army must have regulations for rewarding merit, right?"

They both knew perfectly well this was a completely superfluous question. Qin Shaozong glanced at her sideways. The half of his face not touched by the sunset appeared exceptionally stern and imposing. "Without rules, nothing can be accomplished. Where there are laws to reduce crimes, naturally there are also rewards for merit."

"The Marquis speaks most wisely." The smile in Dai Li's eyes deepened a little. "I hope Battalion Commander Qiao can overcome this danger. That way, I can claim a reward from you for this along with submitting the folk remedy."

Now that they were alone, Qin Shaozong had no need for pretense. "Was it truly a folk remedy?"

"Actually, not entirely. This method was recorded in an ancient text from my family's collection. As for its authenticity..." Dai Li answered honestly, "Just as I said at the time, Commander Qiao's condition couldn't be worse, facing certain death. It was worth trying, a case of treating a dead horse as if it were still alive."

Unconsciously, Dai Li followed him to the front of the main tent.

The main tent was distinctly different from the other military tents in scale. It was larger and more towering, standing firmly in the Xuanxiao Cavalry camp like an immovable pillar. The small flag atop its peak and the army's main standard were both whipped into sharp arcs by the wind.

In front of the main tent, low tables were arranged in opposing rows. In the center stood a large cauldron and a wooden-frame fire pit, over which half a sheep, impaled by an iron halberd, was roasting.

The sheep had clearly been cooking for some time, its surface already a mouth-watering golden brown. Hot fat dripped from within, gathering and falling into the flames below. The fire's tongues licked it up and, as if crying out in pleasure, flared up with a satisfying sizzle.

Such fire pits roasting sheep were not few. From where Dai Li stood, she could see at least two sheep-roasting fires in front of each tent.

Judging by the setup, a victory feast was about to begin.

The sun had completely sunk below the horizon, leaving only a barely perceptible pale light in the sky. Night surged in like a tide, bringing deep, silent darkness. Yet here, in a certain part of Peach Blossom Ridge beneath the vast sky, patches of firelight connected, creating a scene of extraordinary bustle and continuous laughter and chatter.

For ease of transport, the army mostly used long, narrow tables. Two or even three people shared one, crowding together for meals.

Dai Li sat beside Qin Shaozong, sharing his long table. As the commander's table, their fare was undeniably sumptuous—fine dishes and good meat. Dai Li even spotted a small plate of wild berries.

During forced marches, they typically ate dry, hardened rations that required no heating, just hard chewing, for convenience. But during ordinary marches, the frequency of eating such rations wasn't particularly high. The army usually ate rice porridge, wheat grain meals, and occasionally flour paste mixed with various wild vegetables.

Like now, a bowl of wheat grain meal sat before Dai Li. In this era, wheat meal was made from steamed, unhusked wheat grains. As for the texture...

Dai Li, eating it for the first time, chewed thoughtfully. Well, it wasn't especially unpleasant; it felt rather novel.

The sheep was ready. The military officers, with their rough and unrestrained style, directly cut off large chunks of mutton with their short knives, each piece larger than a palm. With a thud, they were tossed onto the tables lined with broad leaves, to be eaten by hand.

The mutton was shared, everyone receiving a portion. Dai Li also got a piece.

Her table was occupied by high-ranking officers. The one who had just distributed the meat was Feng Feng. Whether he was specially thanking her for saving his long-time friend or trying to build good relations with Dai Li, Feng Feng's goodwill at this moment was particularly obvious. This was specifically demonstrated by the piece of mutton he gave Dai Li, which was twice the size of her face.

Dai Li: "..."

"Lady Dai, eat your fill. If it's not enough, just say the word, and I'll cut you more." Feng Feng grinned, showing a row of white teeth.

Dai Li: "...Thank you, but that likely won't be necessary."

Marching and fighting were physically demanding work. The officers devoured their meat ravenously. Though Dai Li hadn't been on the battlefield, she had walked many mountain paths today and was now quite hungry.

The whole piece of mutton was too large. She took out her short dagger, carefully wiped it first, then held the knife in one hand while using the other to roll up a corner of the broad leaf, wrapping it back over the mutton to press it down without dirtying her hands, before she began to cut.

The polished surface of the dagger reflected the firelight, appearing brilliantly bright from a certain angle. Dai Li was wholly focused on cutting the meat and didn't notice the man beside her glancing at her several times.

That glint of light kept catching the corner of his eye, flickering back and forth, irritating Qin Shaozong.

Such a small piece of meat, and she could fuss over it for so long. Anyone else would have finished eating, woken from a nap, and started on a second meal before she was done with that wretched piece.

"Bring it here."

Dai Li didn't initially realize Qin Shaozong was speaking to her, until he called again, "Lady."

Dai Li turned to look at him, her eyes carrying a hint of confusion. But after meeting his gaze and seeing it shift downward to glance at the mutton in her hands, she recalled his earlier words and suddenly understood his meaning.

Pinching a corner of the broad leaf, Dai Li pulled the "tray," moving the mutton in front of Qin Shaozong.

Qin Shaozong picked up his knife, ready to cut, when he suddenly heard a soft, feminine voice drift over. "Could you... perhaps use my knife to cut it?"

Immediately after, as if presenting an offering, a short dagger, handle-first, tentatively and slowly intruded into the edge of his vision from the side.

Qin Shaozong paused, his expression darkening slightly.

Did she think his knife wasn't clean enough? She might as well be spoiled to death.