Chapter 54: A Good Plan to Save Thousands (Part 1)

Wang Shunchen left with doubts.

After seeing him off, Han Gang returned and washed his hands in the basin of clear water, rinsing off the pus and blood that had stuck to his palms from changing the bandages for the wounded soldiers. A civilian laborer came over, took away the dirty water, and brought in a basin of fresh water. Not only was the water constantly replaced, but the originally dirty and filthy ground was also cleaned up.

"This bandage must be boiled in hot water before it can be used again," Han Gang picked up the hemp cloth bandage, soaked with pus and blood, and handed it to another civilian laborer. He loudly reminded everyone in the barracks, "Every quilt, clothing, and bandage that has been changed must be boiled in hot water and dried in the sun before it can be used again. This is to prevent the spread of disease. Also, the barracks must be cleaned every day, otherwise, an epidemic will surely break out."

In just one night, Han Gang had not yet established the authority to have his word be law in the wounded camp. Most of the wounded soldiers were still puzzled by the sudden appearance of Han Gang, who had come to take care of them. However, they were genuinely grateful for the long-awaited treatment. At the same time, Han Gang's words were echoed by all the civilian laborers. Everyone called him 'Scholar Gong' and nodded in agreement.

The civilian laborers from Chengji County, led by Zhu Zhong and Zhou Ning, were now busy in the wounded camp. They were different from Han Gang, who served as a clerk and had official duties. The civilian laborers served as laborers, working wherever they were needed. Zhang Shouyue had the authority to keep the civilian laborers but not Han Gang.

To repair the damaged defenses of Gangu City, Zhang Shouyue immediately issued an order upon his return, prohibiting all civilian laborers from leaving Gangu City and reporting the decision to the Military Commissioner's Office. Once approved by Li Shizhong, the work would begin immediately.

The civilian laborers could not leave, and Han Gang did not want to leave. The two sides came to an agreement. The civilian laborers had already been guided by Han Gang, knowing this was a rare opportunity. Repairing the city defenses was a hard job, and hunger and whippings were common. Serving in the wounded camp, though dirty, was better than physical suffering. Before the official order to start work was issued, Han Gang brought the civilian laborers to the wounded camp, hoping to create a fait accompli. No matter what, the civilian laborers from Chengji County were serving their injured comrades, and Zhang Shouyue, even if he had no personal feelings, would not transfer them to the construction site.

Han Gang was busy, but he felt a sense of satisfaction, thinking, 'Wang Zhao, you don't want to recommend me? Then I'll find Zhang Shouyue! It doesn't matter whether I serve as a civil or military official. Even if Zhang Shouyue doesn't recommend me for an official position, with the good karma I've built in the army, who can still cause me trouble?'

One should take full advantage of others when possible, but one must never rely on them. One must decide one's own direction, and the future depends on oneself. This has always been Han Gang's principle!

"Was Han Gang in the wounded camp all night?"

Listening to the report from his confidant, Qi Juan was puzzled. Logically, Han Gang should have returned to report after receiving the receipt. Zhang Shouyue's order only applied to civilian laborers, not clerks. If Han Gang wanted to leave, he could show the receipt at the city gate and leave. Why did he go to the wounded camp to linger?

Han Gang's unexpected windfall made Qi Juan resentful. Since he had accepted Chen Ju's generous gift, he had no intention of returning it. If one receives money, one must help the giver. Although Han Gang had already received the receipt, as long as he had not left the city, there was still a chance to act.

Qi Juan was not a fool who only exploited clerks. He had the ability to find a patron and the self-control to refrain from touching the treasury's resources. However, he lacked the insight to distinguish between luck and persistence in Han Gang.

All the teams that could reach Gangu City could have taken this opportunity, but in the end, only Han Gang seized it. Opportunities are everywhere, but none come without risk or effort.

"Where is Lei Jian?" Qi Juan, who had not found an opportunity to act, saw a chance in Han Gang's foolish move in the wounded camp. "The wounded camp is his responsibility."

Qi Juan's confidant hesitated, "Doctor Lei hasn't been to the wounded camp for months. If someone else helps, he should be happy..."

Qi Juan's lips twitched, a smile that was not quite a smile. Even if Lei Jian looked down on the situation, what he considered his own would still be his own. If a stray dog snatched it away, wouldn't any dog chase after it and try to get it back? The same principle applies to everything in the world. Qi Juan didn't believe Lei Jian could bear it. Moreover, Han Gang's actions in the wounded camp were clearly accusing the doctor from the capital of dereliction of duty.

How could Lei Jian tolerate this?

By framing Han Gang through Doctor Lei for harming the wounded soldiers, once he was in prison, it would be easy to get rid of him!

When the famous itinerant doctor Qiu Yiwén, who specialized in treating injuries, was urgently summoned from Anyuan Fort to Gangu City to treat several officers, Han Gang and his civilian laborers were busy in the wounded camp. In less than a day, the accumulated garbage in the wounded camp had been burned, and everything that needed to be cleaned was spotless. However, during this long period, not a single officer of rank had come to visit the wounded soldiers. Instead, ordinary soldiers and junior officers, showing more human touch, came to visit their injured comrades and even offered to help when they saw Han Gang and his team working hard.

"Zhu Zhong, go to bed 15 in row A and stitch his wound according to the rules!"

"Understood!" Zhu Zhong, unaccustomed to refusal, did whatever Han Gang said.

In less than a day, Han Gang had numbered the bunks and beds in the wounded camp, arranging them in rows A, B, C, D, and numbers 1, 2, 3, 4. Even if the civilian laborers were illiterate, they could count clearly.

Zhu Zhong hurried to bed 15 in row A. The soldier lying there had a leg wound from a sword cut. Although he had received a hasty bandage after being injured, it was not effective. Zhu Zhong quickly removed the bandage, and blood gushed out from the wound. After being trained by Han Gang and practicing on over a dozen people, Zhu Zhong had learned some basic first aid. Following Han Gang's instructions, he used a tourniquet to stop the bleeding, cleaned the wound with salt water, and, while the patient was numbed by the salt, stitched the wound with silk thread.

"Thank you, Doctor Zhu! Thank you, Doctor Zhu!" The attendant of the wounded soldier thanked him repeatedly, bowing deeply.

At the age of forty, Zhu Zhong had never received such genuine gratitude or been called 'Doctor.' A sense of achievement welled up in him, and he worked even harder to treat the wounded soldiers.

Although Lei Jian was only a low-ranking medical officer without an official rank, he still held a relatively high position in Gangu City. He was neither a civil nor a military official but a technical officer without real power. He usually treated the city's officials and their families, hoping to earn some military merit and experience to return to the capital in a few years. The thirty-something medical officer had memorized many medical texts, but none of them taught him how to compete with a village doctor in treating injuries.

For a deputy commander injured in battle, Lei Jian and Qiu Yiwén had different treatment plans. Officers, unlike ordinary soldiers, had homes in the city and would return to their homes to recover, not to the wounded camp to die. Wang Junwan happened to visit his deputy's home and saw Lei Jian and Qiu Yiwén arguing.

"Use gold needles to release the blood, then apply my specially prepared San Yu ointment. In three to five days, he'll be walking and jumping again."

"Don't look at the bruise on the skin. Being hit by an iron club, the injury has penetrated deep into the internal organs. What good is bleeding?"

"There's no coughing up blood, and his breathing is only slightly rapid. His pulse is steady. What internal injury?"

"What does a village doctor know about treating injuries?"

"Who are you, a young and inexperienced child, to come out and make people laugh?"

One was a well-known old doctor in Qin Prefecture, and the other was a medical officer from the capital. Ordinary people couldn't tell who was right or wrong. Wang Junwan's deputy was pale and looked like he was on his last breath. His wife and children were crying beside him. Wang Junwan, losing his patience, punched the wall and shouted, "He's almost dead, what are you arguing about?"

"Rubbish!" Qiu Yiwén, an old hand in Qin Prefecture, many old military leaders owed him favors. He didn't fear Wang Junwan, "Don't look at his current state. It's just a severe external injury. The two broken bones are already aligned. He'll be fine in half a month!"

"You're the one talking nonsense!" Lei Jian jumped up to contradict him, "The injury has affected the internal organs. Without immediate treatment, he won't last more than four or five days!"

Wang Junwan was exasperated and furious, "Then treat him both ways! Qiu Lao, you bleed him, Doctor Lei, you use your medicine. One internal, one external, they won't interfere. If he gets better, all is well. If he doesn't... you wait for me!"

Wang Junwan left with a threat, and Qiu Yiwén and Lei Jian got to work, one writing a prescription and the other applying needles and ointments. Despite their arguments, both treatments were effective. After the needles and medicine, the deputy commander's complexion improved, and his breathing stabilized.

"See, I was right. The bleeding helped."

"It was because of my medicine!"

Qiu Yiwén and Lei Jian left the house amid the deputy's wife and children's gratitude, still arguing. Suddenly, a voice came from behind them, "If you want to compete, it's easy. The wounded camp is to the south. Treat half the wounded each, and see who saves more. That will settle the matter."