Chapter 40: The Wounded Soldiers’ Camp

Tian Mi agreed immediately. She changed into a set of dark clothing and tied her hair into a high ponytail, taking on the look of a young man. After all, it was a military camp, and dressing as a man would be more convenient.

As Zuo Zhengfeng waited for them, he saw Minghui holding little Tian Lin while Xu Feiyan carried little Tian Mei. The two children, with their chubby faces, were irresistibly adorable. Zuo Zhengfeng walked over to play with them but paused, sensing something strangely familiar about the kids. There was even a subtle aura of authority about them.

He shook off the thought—it was just two children. Naturally, since Tian Ming herself was good-looking, her children were bound to be attractive as well.

Unbeknownst to him, both little Tian Lin and little Tian Mei bore faint traces of Bai Mucheng’s features.

However, as a rough and unobservant man, Zuo Zhengfeng didn’t notice the resemblance, nor would he ever imagine such a connection.

A while later, the three of them set out on horseback toward the military camp. Huang Yuanying, not accustomed to riding, lagged behind slightly. As he observed Tian Mi’s graceful yet commanding demeanor, his face lit up with a smile of admiration. No matter the time or place, she was always so beautiful and poised.

Upon arriving at the camp, Zuo Zhengfeng led them to meet Bai Mucheng. Tian Mi noticed the two men bowing to Bai Mucheng and suddenly remembered that such formalities were common in ancient times. She mimicked what she had seen on television in her past life, bending her knees lightly in a quick curtsey.

Bai Mucheng, who had been reviewing some documents, hadn’t paid much attention at first. Looking up at the trio, his eyes landed on Tian Mi, and he couldn’t help but notice her distinct presence. This woman truly seemed different every time he met her. Her current appearance was especially fitting for the military camp.

“Thank you, Doctor Tian, for saving General Jin,” Bai Mucheng said. “Your suturing technique is invaluable to our military. I hope you won’t hesitate to teach it to our medics. I’ll report this to the court to ensure your contributions are recognized.”

Tian Mi smiled slightly. “You’re too kind, Your Highness. It’s my honor to help.”

Her androgynous appearance paired with her gentle smile exuded a sense of calm and sincerity, causing Bai Mucheng’s eyes to brighten.

He then instructed Zuo Zhengfeng to take her to the wounded soldiers’ quarters.

War, no matter the era, is always brutal. Injuries were inevitable.

The wounded camp had been set up in the courtyard of an empty village temple. A large canopy covered the area, surrounded by makeshift walls. Inside, occasional groans of pain echoed through the air.

The sight shocked Tian Mi. Setting aside the discomfort of mosquito bites, the conditions and the weather were a breeding ground for infections.

Zuo Zhengfeng, already accustomed to such scenes, led her inside. “The lightly injured soldiers are in their barracks. These are the severely wounded, still in need of treatment.”

Inside, wooden planks had been arranged in a grid to form beds, all closely packed together. Over forty soldiers lay on them, their bodies crammed into the limited space.

The density was suffocating.

Three doctors were busy treating the soldiers. Two appeared to be in their thirties or forties, while one was older, sporting a goatee.

Introducing them, Zuo Zhengfeng said, “Doctor Zhang, Doctor Li, Doctor Wang—this is Doctor Tian, the miracle healer who treated General Jin. She’s here to teach you suturing techniques. Please exchange knowledge with her.”

Tian Mi greeted them with a smile. “Hello, everyone. My surname is Tian. You can just call me Tian Tian.”

The three doctors responded warmly, saying, “Doctor Tian, it’s impressive for someone so young to have such advanced medical skills. We’re honored to learn from you.”

After some polite exchanges, Zuo Zhengfeng left.

Tian Mi followed the doctors in checking the soldiers’ wounds. Most of the issues were due to infections or reopened wounds. Many soldiers had died from excessive blood loss or infections rather than the initial injuries.

The bandages they used were stained with blood, and Tian Mi could tell that, due to the high cost of fabric in this era, they were reusing these materials. There wasn’t much choice.

The doctors treated Tian Mi with respect, aware of how critical General Jin’s injuries had been and how helpless they had felt before calling her in.

Surveying the unsanitary conditions, Tian Mi couldn’t help but feel alarmed.

After a moment of hesitation, she retrieved a bar of soap from her small satchel. It was something she had created during her experiments with the spiritual spring water in her previous life.

“Anything that comes into contact with a wound must be cleaned thoroughly and boiled before use,” she explained. “And we should wash our hands frequently as well.”

Tian Mi then took a small porcelain bottle of alcohol from her bag and said, “After cleaning the wound, use this to disinfect the area. After cleaning, try to avoid letting the wound touch anything to minimize the risk of infection!”

Doctor Zhang, the oldest of the group, asked, “Doctor Tian, what exactly is an infection?”

Tian Mi realized that their understanding of terms might differ. She quickly explained, “It means redness, swelling, pus, and a fever that won’t subside.”

“Oh, so that’s what it is,” the others replied in understanding. This was a common issue.

Tian Mi continued, “Infections mostly happen because of poor hygiene. When stitching up a wound, the goal is to keep the wound closed and prevent it from reopening or bleeding. The most important part is to protect it from coming into contact with dirt and bacteria.”

She was about to clean and disinfect the wound of a soldier who had a back injury. Not wanting to make her spiritual spring water too widely known, she decided to use alcohol instead.

She turned to the soldier and said, “Big brother, cleaning the wound will hurt a little, but if you endure it, it will heal faster. Do you want to try?”

The soldier, having seen no improvement despite repeated treatments, thought he was going to die. Hearing that cleaning it could help him heal, he immediately nodded, agreeing.

Tian Mi wasn’t heartless enough to clean his wound while he was still conscious, so she had to make sure he was prepared mentally before starting the treatment.

The other soldiers, having forgotten their own pain, craned their necks to watch.

Tian Mi instructed the doctors to give the soldier an anesthetic powder. After a while, the soldier fell unconscious. Tian Mi began disinfecting the wound with alcohol. Even though he was unconscious, the muscles in his back were trembling, showing just how much pain he had endured.

Next, Tian Mi applied some medicinal powder to the wound before taking out her needles and thread. She disinfected them with alcohol and began stitching up the wound, carefully explaining her technique to the doctors.

She focused on hygiene, emphasizing that any dirt or contamination on the wound would nullify all efforts. She also explained that stitching the wound properly would prevent it from opening or cracking, which was the best way to ensure proper healing.

The three doctors were surprised by how meticulously she stitched the wound, far more carefully than stitching fabric.

The wounded soldiers, seeing their wounds being stitched up so securely, felt a sense of relief and comfort.

Tian Mi smiled and said, “Once the wound has healed in about five to seven days, just snip off the thread and remove it.”

The three doctors looked eager to try.

Tian Mi encouraged them, “It’s not difficult; the most important thing is practice. Just remember to maintain hygiene. Anything that comes into contact with the wound must be disinfected, and you must disinfect between each patient.”

Immediately, the three doctors began cleaning and disinfecting their tools with Tian Mi’s soap, alcohol, needles, and small forceps.

Doctor Zhang cleared his throat and said, “I’ve been in the military camp for many years. Let me show you the first demonstration. If I do something wrong, you can help me improve.”

Doctor Gu said, “My eyesight is still good. Let me do it, and you can guide me.”

Doctor Wang added, “Stop arguing! It’s not important who does the first demonstration—just let…”

“Shut up!”

Tian Mi couldn’t help but chuckle at their bickering. The wounded soldiers, afraid to speak, looked at Tian Mi with pitiful expressions. This only made her laugh more.

She comforted the soldiers, “Don’t be afraid. I will make sure everyone gets treated and healed.”

“As long as you’re asleep during the treatment, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”