Shi Lei glanced at him and said, “Treating injuries and wounds—what does that have to do with propriety?”

Shi Lei continued, “Though I’ve never read books or learned characters, I still know that matters like a cow giving birth to a calf, a mother delivering a baby, or treating illness and injury have nothing to do with gender or propriety—only life and death.”

Zhao Hanzhang’s injuries were all inflicted by him—what couldn’t he see?

On the battlefield, all propriety and morality were nonsense!

Zhao Hanzhang strongly agreed with what Shi Lei said, nodding. “Exactly right.”

Fu Tinghan ignored them, cleaning the wound once. Seeing the bleeding speed increase again, he couldn’t help saying, “It must be stitched. Shall I do it?”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “You do it.”

Suturing techniques had existed since ancient times, but few physicians would use them. Since all the physicians in Zhao’s army could use it, even the medics had learned some suturing.

Though not necessarily exquisite, they were all passable.

Zhao Hanzhang had mandated that every physician in the army had teaching duties each quarter—teaching medics various emergency treatment techniques could earn corresponding bonuses.

In Zhao’s army, only two things were never delayed: first, death benefits and serious injury compensation for fallen soldiers; second, the physicians’ bonuses.

Zhao Hanzhang would rather delay military pay than withhold bonuses.

So the medics in the army, even those who were illiterate rough villagers just joining, had to learn to use forceps to hold needles for suturing.

Fu Tinghan had always traveled with the army and naturally learned some of these skills. Although the needle and thread at hand now didn’t meet specifications, on the battlefield they had even twisted grass, soaked it, and used it. How much more so real thread?

So Fu Tinghan carefully cleaned his hands, then retrieved the needle and thread, his eyes sharp as he threaded the needle by firelight, then lowered his gaze and pierced the needle into her flesh.

Shi Lei, who had been watching, trembled slightly in his brows and eyes. The young man Awei, who couldn’t help turning his head to look, was also stunned.

But Shi Hontu and the others were accustomed to it—who among them hadn’t been stitched up a few times?

This was Zhao’s army’s most common method for stopping bleeding and promoting wound healing.

Sure enough, this method was truly effective. When Fu Tinghan was stitching, blood was still flowing steadily. Once he finished stitching, the bleeding greatly decreased. After he applied medicine and bandaged it, the blood basically stopped.

Zhao Hanzhang had been trying to relax her body all along, because other parts of her body also hurt. Combined with the pain from the wound itself, this basically allowed her to ignore the sensation of the suturing needle.

Shi Lei had watched the wound’s transformation clearly. He immediately said to Shi Hontu, who simply and crudely wanted to bandage the wound directly, “I also want to be stitched with a needle.”

Shi Hontu: “I don’t know how.”

Shi Lei looked at Fu Tinghan.

Fu Tinghan glanced at Zhao Hanzhang, then after helping her bandage the wound, came over to look at Shi Lei’s injury.

Seeing Fu Tinghan about to personally act, Shi Hontu’s face flushed red. He immediately took over the work from his hands. “Young master, let me do it.”

Fu Tinghan: “No need, I’ll do it.”

Though Shi Hontu and the others had also learned with him from the military physicians, their techniques were quite rough. Shi Lei’s wound condition was very poor, much worse than Zhao Hanzhang’s.

It seemed that when Zhao Hanzhang stabbed this blade, she truly hadn’t intended for Shi Lei to live.

Fu Tinghan gave him a rough suturing, but still left a small opening, reserved for examination.

Shi Lei’s wound was very deep, with intestines even protruding. After washing them, he tucked them back in. If he didn’t leave an opening, he feared something might emerge later requiring them to open the belly again.

By the time he had treated the wound on Shi Lei’s ribs, Shi Lei had already fallen unconscious.

Fu Tinghan felt his forehead, then quietly told Zhao Hanzhang, “We need to find him a physician, otherwise he probably won’t survive.”

Zhao Hanzhang frowned, then turned her gaze to the somewhat awkward Awei nearby.

Awei stared back blankly.

Zhao Hanzhang smiled at him politely and asked, “Awei, do you know if there’s a physician among these refugees?”

“A physician?” Awei said, “Even if there were a physician, there’s no medicine right now. What use is a physician without medicine?”

Zhao Hanzhang smiled slightly. “Do you know any physicians?”

Awei: “I don’t.”

Everyone: “…”

Only Zhao Hanzhang’s expression remained unchanged. She smiled and said, “There’s something I’d like to ask Awei’s help with.”

Awei: “I can’t find a physician…”

“Not to find a physician. I want to find Elder Li,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “The Elder Li from Guangzong County just now. You both belong to Anping Kingdom and have some connection, so I’d like you to convey a few words for me.”

Awei looked blank. “I, I don’t know them. Wusui County and Guangzong County are far apart.”

Zhao Hanzhang: “…It’s fine. You don’t know them, but they know you. You just need to give your name.”

Awei’s eyes lit up. “I’m that famous?”

Zhao Hanzhang smiled and nodded.

Awei immediately took on the task with confidence. “What message? Just tell me.”

Zhao Hanzhang pondered for a moment, then said, “Just say that tonight my blood runs hot and I cannot sleep, so I wish to sit by the fire and converse with the old gentleman.”

She continued, “Tell him I’ll be waiting here for him all along.”

Awei patted his chest. “Lady, rest assured. I’ll go invite him right away.”

As he turned, he suddenly remembered and turned back to ask, “I haven’t asked the lady about her background yet.”

Zhao Hanzhang smiled slightly. “Yuzhou, Zhao Hezhen.”

The name Zhao Hanzhang was widely known, but few people knew the personal name Zhao Hezhen.

Many refugees here were from Anping Kingdom, so she was cautious and didn’t want to reveal her identity easily. But since they were heading to Yuzhou, they clearly approved of her. So, couldn’t she extend a tentative feeler?

This name and place of origin were her feeler.

Awei, simple-minded, saw that she only gave a place of origin and name without details, and didn’t ask for more. He simply turned and left.

Most refugees had already gone to sleep. Though they didn’t sleep deeply, few were still moving about.

Awei was physically strong with a ruddy complexion—clearly someone who had fared well even after fleeing. So even though he walked alone from one end to the other, no one dared trouble him.

They feared hitting one would provoke a whole group.

Elder Li also hadn’t slept. He had just suppressed the Wu clan’s domineering behavior and united with other surnames to consolidate this faction of power.

The Wu clan couldn’t leave them, and similarly, Elder Li didn’t want to lose this major Wu clan force. In the chaos of migration, danger didn’t only come from within the refugee group but also from outside.

If they encountered bandits on the road and their group wasn’t large enough, they might well become the lambs to be sacrificed.

He was just discussing tomorrow’s personnel arrangements with several sons and grandsons when a young man was brought before him, head held high and chest out.

The young man came alone and, facing so many of them, showed not a hint of fear. He directly clasped his fists and said, “Elder Li, I am Gu Qilang, Gu Wei, from Wusui County.”

Hearing this, Elder Li immediately became solemn and politely said, “So it’s Seventh Young Master Gu. I’ve long admired your name. I wonder what brings you here so late at night?”

Awei, hearing that he indeed knew him, couldn’t help but smile with satisfaction. He told Elder Li, “Someone asked me to relay a message to Elder Li.”

—