CHAPTER 340: CHAPTER 340: NEW BEGINNINGS (PART 1)

After dinner, the personal soldiers returned to their tents to rest.

Jiang Shaohua smiled and said to Liu Hengchang, "Commander Liu, you work hard every day. Please rest early; you don’t need to accompany me. I want to take a walk over to the Wounded Soldier Camp."

Liu Hengchang knew the Commandery Princess’s temperament; she disliked being surrounded by attendants and didn’t like subordinates putting on a facade. No matter where she went, she preferred to inspect personally. He said no more and left with a bow.

Chen Jinyu, Ma Yaosong, and the newly accompanying Tang Youyin all followed behind the Commandery Princess. Additionally, Song Yuan led dozens of trusted aides in escort. In the military camp, such an entourage was indeed considerable.

Jiang Shaohua stepped into the Wounded Soldier Camp in the cool evening breeze.

Since the Personal Guard Camp had secretly taken turns heading north, the Wounded Soldier Camp had become especially busy. The wounded from the First, Second, and Third Camps were all sent here.

As soon as Jiang Shaohua stepped into the camp, she noticed a difference and let out a soft sound of surprise.

"Wow! So clean! So bright!" Chen Jinyu couldn’t help but gasp in amazement.

Indeed, it was remarkably clean and bright.

The Wounded Soldier Camp originally had five tents, which had now expanded to twenty. Each tent housed three beds. This arrangement could accommodate approximately sixty wounded soldiers.

Everywhere one looked, it was exceptionally tidy. The tents were hung with lanterns, making it as bright as daylight. All the wounded lying on the beds wore large, gray hemp garments, their heads and faces washed clean. Their wounds were wrapped in white gauze, and mugwort was burning in the tents, expelling the unpleasant scent of blood and faint stench.

What stood out the most were the women tending to the wounded. They all wore uniform style gray hemp clothes, the wide sleeves of their robes concealing their shapely curves, their faces—either delicate or lovely—carrying soft smiles, imparting a gentle and serene strength.

These were the pitiable women Jiang Shaohua had rescued from the bandits’ den. They had lost their chastity, suffered torment, and been abandoned by their fathers, brothers, and husbands.

Three years later, each of them was vigorous and spirited. Some were skilled in potion-making, others excelled at cleaning and bandaging wounds, and some had even learned basic medical skills for treating external injuries. In the Wounded Soldier Camp, they received respect from all the wounded. Walking in the military camp, they no longer faced ridicule, scorn, or leering stares.

Like a rebirth.

"Commandery Princess!" Lin Huiniang was the first to rush over, kneeling down to kowtow with swift speed.

The other women, a step slower, also rushed over to kowtow.

Jiang Shaohua looked at them, her mood especially joyful: "Quickly rise, each of you attend to your tasks, don’t all gather around me."

The women, satisfied after kowtowing, dispersed back to their work.

Only Lin Huiniang and Shanxing stayed behind.

Jiang Shaohua smiled as she examined the two. Lin Huiniang wasn’t actually very old, just twenty-five this year. With lovely features and a curvaceous figure, she was in the most mature and charming age for a woman.

Shanxing was already fifteen this year. The once silly girl had finally grown into her youthful appearance. Her fair little face was delicate, and her apricot eyes were quite lively.

"Huiniang, how have things been lately?" Jiang Shaohua asked with a smile.

Lin Huiniang replied with a smile, "Better than I could ever hope for. I never imagined that one day I could live like this."

Busy and fulfilling, relying on no one, supporting oneself—this feeling was so secure and reassuring.

Jiang Shaohua smiled knowingly and casually asked, "Just now there were so many people, it was inconvenient to ask. Has anyone married in the past half year?"

Lin Huiniang shook her head, "No. Everyone feels life is quite good now and doesn’t wish to marry."

Over the past three years, of the more than thirty women who came out of the bandits’ den, only five married personal soldiers in the military camp. The rest either hadn’t found someone suitable or, like Lin Huiniang, decided to remain independent.

Jiang Shaohua made a sound of acknowledgment: "If you wish to marry, marry; if not, continue to work here in the military camp. With me here, no one will force you."

Indeed, the Commandery Princess was their greatest confidence and support.

Lin Huiniang was filled with excitement and pride, and nodded vigorously.

Shanxing blinked her adorable big eyes, "Commandery Princess, I’m learning medicine with Master. Master says in two more years, I can officially graduate."

At fifteen, Shanxing was in some respects not equivalent to girls of the same age, for example, her mentality seemed to remain at around ten years old. However, in studying medicine, she showed astonishing talent. Sun Zelan also paid particular attention to teaching this disciple.

Now, Shanxing was no less capable than any military doctor. She treated injuries boldly yet carefully, with exceptional skill at stitching wounds.

Jiang Shaohua looked at the childlike and lovely Shanxing, her heart full of warmth. She reached out to pat Shanxing’s hair, "Good, when that time comes, I’ll give you an official military doctor position just like the others, with the same pay."

Shanxing’s big eyes lit up, and she nodded repeatedly.

She was the Commandery Princess’s person, working and serving the Commandery Princess, ready to risk her life if necessary. In her heart, the Commandery Princess was like the sky above her.

"By the way, where’s Sun Zelan?" Jiang Shaohua asked with a smile, "I’ve been here for so long and haven’t seen her yet."

Lin Huiniang softly answered, "Reporting to the Commandery Princess, a severely injured person was sent to the Wounded Soldier Camp this time. When they arrived, they’d lost half a basin of blood, with intestines exposed. Miss Sun and Sun Junyi have been doing everything to save that soldier."

"In that tent over there."

Jiang Shaohua nodded slightly and walked over.

In the Wounded Soldier Camp, there was one tent that was particularly special. Bodies were often carried in and then quietly taken out at night. Every body sent in was carefully studied and sewn up again.

There was no real secret in the military camp. Over time, the personal soldiers all knew what was happening. This was Sun Zelan and her brother Sun Junyi "studying" medical skills.

At first, everyone was, of course, afraid. However, after Sun Zelan used her miraculous skills to save several severely injured soldiers with internal injuries, bringing them back from the brink of death, everyone started calling her Divine Doctor Sun.

Indeed, in the Personal Guard Camp, the one hailed as the divine doctor by all the personal soldiers was not Imperial Physician Sun or Sun Guangbai, but Sun Zelan.

Wounded soldiers, severely injured and at death’s door, had a much higher chance of being revived when sent to this tent. It was also much quieter here than in other parts of the Wounded Soldier Camp.

Jiang Shaohua gestured, signaling Song Yuan and the others to stop. She approached alone and entered the tent.

Upon entering, a strong scent of blood hit her.

Sun Zelan’s expression was grave as she extracted something from the soldier’s chest and abdomen with her slender right hand, while her other hand held a thin, sharp blade, quickly severing tissue.

Sun Guangbai’s expression was equally tense as he passed the needle and thread over immediately. Sun Zelan began the stitch-up with lowered head.