Chapter 55: A Good Plan to Save Thousands (Part 2)

The two doctors turned around at the sound, and upon seeing the newcomer, Doctor Qiu's brows furrowed. "Qi One-Eye? What good intentions do you have?"

Lei Jian also glanced sideways, as if he had seen something dirty: "Are you asking Lei to deliver you to the sick and wounded camp for treatment?"

Doctor Qiu had a long career and a wide network of acquaintances. There were countless soldiers in Qinfeng who owed him favors, and even if Qi Jun had an official position, he wouldn't take him seriously. Lei Jian, who came from the capital, was not afraid of an official who had been promoted through donations, and he had no particular fondness for Qi One-Eye, who often increased the death toll in the sick and wounded camp.

Qi Jun smiled, seemingly not bothered by the two men's disdain. "Isn't this what Doctor Qiu wants? Every time you come to Gangu, don't you always visit the sick and wounded camp?"

"…Well, I'll go and take a look." After some thought, Doctor Qiu agreed to Qi Jun's suggestion and then said to Lei Jian, "Boy, do you want to have a competition?"

Doctor Qiu was well-intentioned. No matter which city or fort he visited, he would treat the wounded soldiers. However, he traveled throughout the five states and one army of Qinfeng, and it was rare to run into him. Lei Jian, who wouldn't be intimidated by a competition, called his attendant and carried the medicine bag, ready to go.

The sick and wounded camp was not far away, and it only took a few steps for the three of them to reach the entrance.

Doctor Qiu stopped in surprise, "How did it become so clean in just four months?"

Lei Jian, who also stopped, had the same thought, but he had only been in Gangu for three months.

Unlike Lei Jian, who came to Gangu to gain prestige, Doctor Qiu was a genuine old military doctor. He had more experience than Lei Jian, having treated more soldiers and seen more sick and wounded camps. However, this was the first time he had seen such a clean and tidy place.

In the vast sick and wounded camp, the ground, once covered with filth and garbage, was now clean, having been treated with lime. The stench in the barracks had greatly diminished, and the moans that should have been constant were gone, replaced by laughter and joy.

"Is this the sick and wounded camp?" Both doctors were stunned, not believing their eyes and ears. "Did we come to the wrong place?"

"We didn't come to the wrong place!" Qi Jun sneered from behind them. "Doctor Lei, you've been in Gangu for quite some time; Doctor Qiu, you've come here many times since the city was established. But it seems you can't match what someone else did in just one day…"

"What's going on?"

Lei Jian angrily grabbed a soldier who was about to leave and demanded, "Who did this?" He was the medical officer of Gangu City, and although he rarely visited the sick and wounded camp, the affairs of the camp were still under his jurisdiction. Now, no one had informed him, which made Lei Jian furious. Who had usurped his authority?

The soldier, eager to leave, struggled and pointed to the room, "It was Scholar Han."

"Scholar Han?"

Lei Jian let go of the soldier and strode into the barracks. With just a glance, he fixed his eyes on Han Gang. Among the hundred or so people in the barracks, Han Gang's scholarly aura made him stand out like a crane among chickens, impossible to mistake.

Lei Jian rushed to Han Gang, disregarding etiquette, and demanded, "Are you Scholar Han?"

"I am Han Gang!" Han Gang took a half-step back and clasped his hands. "May I ask who you are?"

Just by looking at the small attendant with a medicine bag behind Lei Jian, Han Gang knew his identity but asked deliberately.

Lei Jian didn't answer Han Gang's question but pressed further, "Whose orders did you follow to come to the sick and wounded camp?"

"Do we need orders to save people?" Han Gang replied decisively. "I act to ease my conscience, and it has nothing to do with others."

Lei Jian felt inexplicable anger and said harshly, "The army has its own rules. You can't do whatever you want."

Han Gang hadn't answered when the wounded soldiers and their relatives, who all knew Lei Jian and had no good feelings towards him, stepped in. "Mr. Lei, if you won't save us, don't stop others from doing so!"

"Scholar Han worked all night for us, but we haven't seen you once. Now you come, not to treat us, but to cause trouble for Scholar Han."

"You won't save us, and you won't let others save us. Do you want to force us to our deaths?"

Surrounded by a dozen angry soldiers, Lei Jian's face turned pale. Few soldiers had good tempers, and being surrounded by them was not a situation to be taken lightly.

"What's the commotion?" Han Gang suddenly intervened, defusing the situation for Lei Jian. "Mr. Lei, aren't you here to treat them…?"

Han Gang's anger made the surrounding soldiers back off. Lei Jian, still shaken, lost much of his earlier arrogance.

Qi Jun, seeing the situation, stepped forward. "Han Gang, although you call yourself a scholar, medicine is not something you can learn just by reading a few books. Quacks can kill, and by treating people recklessly, how many soldiers in Gangu City do you want to harm?"

Doctor Qiu had been watching from behind, and he was secretly pleased to see Lei Jian suffer. Although Qi Jun was causing trouble for Han Gang, what he said was not wrong. Human lives were not to be trifled with. If Han Gang had real skills, he would refute it; if he only cleaned up the barracks, Doctor Qiu would be happy to see this young man receive a lesson.

The old doctor stood behind, looking left and right. The clean barracks pleased him. He thought about whether to speak to Zhang Shouyue to get Han Gang out of trouble after he had suffered a bit. However, he inadvertently noticed a wounded soldier.

The old doctor's eyes widened, and he rushed forward, grabbing the soldier's arm and asked in shock, "Who did this?"

Many in the sick and wounded camp recognized Doctor Qiu, and they almost cheered when he appeared. His sudden shock made everyone look at the soldier. The soldier had four wounds, the most serious being a cut on his chest that nearly split him open. Additionally, his right thigh had been pierced by a long arrow. Both wounds had been treated and bandaged properly. His right arm, which was broken, was not a serious issue. Han Gang had his broken bone realigned and fixed with a splint, following modern procedures, though he couldn't complete all the steps due to the lack of plaster.

Doctor Qiu examined the splinted arm. In Qinfeng, using splints to fix broken bones was his unique technique, known only to his few apprentices. However, when he saw the wood used as a splint, he shook his head, "Only the surface, not the essence!"

Han Gang was clueless about bone-setting, but Zhu Zhong could only do some sewing. Zhou Ning, who had read some books and learned some basic first aid, helped realign the broken bone and fixed it with wooden splints as Han Gang instructed.

Lei Jian also looked at the soldier's arm and exclaimed, "Why use wood? Broken bones should be wrapped with fir bark!" He then glared at Han Gang, clearly looking for a fight.

But Doctor Qiu came to Han Gang's defense, snorting, "Fir bark is useless! Broken bones should be fixed with willow wood. Willow wood grows easily, and when planted, it thrives, making it suitable for healing bones."

"Like eating brain to nourish the brain, eating heart to nourish the heart. Ancient medicine has many assumptions. Doctor Qiu's reasoning is based on this. Willow trees can grow from cuttings, and when a branch is planted in the ground, it quickly grows into a tree. Seeing this characteristic, he believed it had regenerative and healing properties."

Han Gang took note of this, while Lei Jian dismissed it. To him, Doctor Qiu's methods were just street tricks, and he relied on luck to treat people. In terms of medical theory, one should follow the medical books: "For broken bones without skin damage, apply medicine and wrap with fir bark."

Han Gang frowned, feigning surprise, "How can fir bark be used to fix broken bones?"

"What else would you use?" Lei Jian countered. "The use of fir bark is clearly stated in the 'Lishang Xuduan Fang.'"

"Blindly following books is worse than not reading them at all!" Han Gang's voice was passionate. "Fir bark is soft and weak. How can it be used? Whose bones are as soft as bark? Willow wood is the right choice for healing bones. To heal quickly, the splint must be as strong as bone!" He sighed, "But where can we find willow trees now? We can only use whatever wood we can find."

In fact, any type of wood could be used to fix broken bones, but Han Gang understood the principle of using force to one's advantage. The old doctor seemed more reliable than Doctor Lei and was not as hostile towards him. Therefore, he followed the old doctor's advice. It was the first time Han Gang had heard about willow wood healing bones.

However, just agreeing with others was not enough; he needed to show his own abilities. Han Gang knew exactly how to do this. The old doctor had extensive experience but lacked theoretical knowledge. By aligning with the principles of the Five Elements in traditional Chinese medicine, he could impress the old doctor. This was thanks to Han Gang's previous experience in a medical-related job: "Using only willow wood splints is not enough. After applying the splints, the wound must be covered with soil and tightly bound to ensure stability. Humans are born with the energy of the Five Elements, and to treat bone injuries, the properties of wood and earth must be harmonized to see results."

Han Gang asked the attentive audience, "Who has seen a willow branch grow roots and leaves in water? It must be planted in soil, right?"

Everyone nodded in agreement. How could plants grow without soil? Lei Jian could not refute this, and Doctor Qiu, stroking his gray beard, remained silent. Han Gang's explanation was simple and understandable, but the logic was sound, leaving no room for argument.