Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3734 They cut down the oaks and shrubs, and cultivated the land. A thousand pairs of people worked the fields, moving through the marshes and along the plains.

Wake up! Wake up!

In the dim light, Wang Wu opened his eyes groggily.

The smoke of battle in Gongxian County seemed to linger, and the adrenaline rush still made people restless. The thick stench of blood dominated almost all the olfactory cells, constantly reminding them that this was a dangerous area.

Wang Wu was in a daze for a moment, until the sharp pain in his left thigh came in waves, like countless red-hot steel needles were being twisted inside, and he realized that he had been injured and unconscious...

He tried to move his body to find a position that wouldn't tear at his wounds, but this only resulted in more violent spasms and his vision going black.

Sweat mixed with dirt smeared on my face, blurring my vision and making my ears ring.

Am I... going to die?

The thought popped up uncontrollably, carrying with it a chilling despair.

He was from Anyi in Hedong, the son of a tenant farmer. For generations, his family had farmed for the Wei family of Hedong, barely making ends meet.

When General Fei Qian arrived, he distributed land, exempted him from those deadly taxes, and even allowed this peasant boy to attend the village school and learn a few words.

He remembered the day he received the land deed; his parents knelt on the ground and cried like idiots in front of that meager plot of land.

When the conscription order reached the villages, the village head made it clear: those who join the army are protecting their own fields, their own houses, and the good life their families have finally been looking forward to! They are not risking their lives for some lord!

Without much thought, Wang Wu signed up.

Of course, the cavalry were paid in full, and merit could be exchanged for new land, which was one of the fundamental reasons why Wang Wu and others were willing to risk their lives.

He thought that after the war was over, with the land he earned through military merit, he might be able to marry Chunni from the neighboring village, allowing his parents to enjoy a few days of peace and quiet without having to worry about others...

But now...

Wang Wu remembered.

During the final assault on Gongxian, a spearhead, seemingly out of nowhere, pierced his thigh, blood gushing out immediately. He remembered dragging his wounded leg, gritting his teeth, and following his squad leader up the breach in the city wall breached by cannon fire. With all his might, he plunged his sword into the chest of a Cao army commander, only to be knocked down by a powerful force and never get up again.

Before his consciousness faded, he only saw the squad leader's blood-splattered face yelling something at him, and then he was dragged away by two comrades...

Hey! Wake up! Don't sleep!

A voice rang in Wang Wu's ear.

Wang Wu struggled to open his eyes and saw a blood-red shadow moving in front of him.

"The injury is quite serious...the bones...thankfully, they're not broken, but the wound...there was a lot of blood loss...thankfully it was bandaged..."

The old military doctor's voice seemed to float in the clouds, reaching Wang Wu's ears intermittently.

Give him a stick... to prepare for wound cleaning...

Someone pried open Wang Wu's mouth and stuffed something into it.

"Hold him down!" the old medic said to his apprentice, while he swiftly used a sharp, flame-scorched dagger to cut open Wang Wu's tattered robe and congealed scabs on his leg, and began to clean the wound.

A sharp, piercing pain made Wang Wu's vision go black, and he almost fainted.

Wang Wu wanted to scream loudly, but then he realized that he had a wooden stick in his mouth. He could only groan and moan a few times before his whole body convulsed in pain.

"If you want to live, just bear with it!"

The old army doctor didn't waste any words. He used a cloth soaked in strong liquor to vigorously wipe the dirt around the wound, even using it to rinse the wound. Then he opened the wound to check and clean the foreign objects in the blood and dirt.

The excruciating pain caused Wang Wu to tremble and convulse uncontrollably.

If the apprentice hadn't held Wang Wu's body and limbs down firmly, he might have fallen off the sickbed.

"Hemostatic powder!"

The old military doctor gave the orders without even looking up.

The apprentice immediately poured some grayish-white powder from a ceramic jar and sprinkled it evenly on Wang Wu's bloody wounds.

The moment the powder touched the wound, there was another intense burning sensation, but miraculously, the gushing blood seemed to slow down.

Next came the bandaging.

The veteran medic skillfully and steadily wrapped, knotted, and secured the cloth strips layer by layer.

"Kid, you're halfway back now... The rest is up to you..."

After bandaging the wound, the old army doctor wiped the sweat from his brow, patted Wang Wu's uninjured right leg, and said, "The initial bandaging and hemostasis were timely... there's no debris... the bone is fine too. Go back to the Hundred Medical Clinic and rest well... who knows, this leg won't be ruined! You can still go back to farming!"

The wooden stick was taken from Wang Wu's mouth. He gasped for breath, his voice hoarse and trembling with disbelief, "Really...really?"

It can't be ruined?
Can I still farm?

The immense hope instantly lessened some of the pain.

"Why would I lie to you!" The old army doctor glared at him, but his tone softened. "Remember, don't touch your wound on the way! When you get to the Hundred Medical Clinic, listen to the doctor!"

He turned to his apprentice and instructed, "Give him a list of wounded soldiers and move it to the back!"

The apprentice responded.

Before Wang Wu could even think of thanking him, the old military doctor had already moved on to the next wounded soldier.

……

……

Wang Wu was lifted onto an oxcart specifically used for transporting seriously wounded people.

The oxcart was large and covered with a thick layer of hay.

There were already four or five wounded soldiers lying on top.

Several bamboo water jugs and a cloth bag containing dry food were hanging beside the cart shaft.

The driver was an old man with gray hair, dressed in simple coarse linen clothes, his face etched with the marks of time, but his eyes were gentle.

"Kids, lie still! This old ox is steady, just slow, don't rush!"

With a shout, the old man cracked his whip in the air, and the oxcart creaked and started moving, slowly driving away from the scorched earth that had just witnessed blood and fire.

The journey has begun.

For the first few days, Wang Wu spent most of his time in a coma, exhausted from the pain of his wounds and the bumpy journey.

Every so often, a young medical worker who accompanied the vehicle, who looked to be only fifteen or sixteen years old and was said to be an apprentice at the Chang'an Hundred Medical Hall, would come to check their wounds, change their dressings, and distribute dark-colored herbal medicine in bamboo tubes to Wang Wu and the others.

There was also water and dry food.

The medic apprentices were not talkative, but their movements were quick and efficient, and they tried their best to reduce the patients' pain each time they changed their dressings.

"Young man, you...you're a scholar?"

Once, when changing the dressing, Wang Wu couldn't help but ask.

The young apprentice smiled shyly. "No, I'm an apprentice at the Chang'an Hundred Medical Clinic. I'm on duty at the front lines with my master... Once I've finished my apprenticeship... hehe, I can go back to the clinic and become a resident doctor, or I can practice medicine in the local area..."

"You're not a scholar, how can you be a doctor?" Wang Wu asked, somewhat surprised. In his mind, those who treated people were all "teachers," scholars, high-ranking officials…

"What's wrong with that?" Little Zhang said, skillfully wrapping the new bandage around his arm. "The General said, 'A doctor's heart is benevolent, regardless of social status.' The Hundred Medical Hall teaches the skills to heal and save lives, regardless of background. My father was a bricklayer, and my mother did laundry, but they still supported me to take the entrance exam for the Hundred Medical Hall apprenticeship, didn't they? As long as you're willing to learn and work hard, there's always a future! Look at the old army doctor; he used to be just a country bumpkin, but now he's a master at treating wounds!"

Wang Wu was somewhat stunned by what he heard.

Regardless of social status?

Can a bricklayer's son also become a doctor?

He thought of the plot of land his family had been allocated, and of the children in the village school who, like him, wore patched clothes but could still sway their heads and recite along with the teacher…

There seemed to be a vague yet brand-new road, appearing and disappearing before his eyes.

……

……

The oxcart continued westward.

With less time spent in a drowsy state, Wang Wu began to have the energy to observe the scenery outside the car.

The road is no longer as bumpy as it was near Gongxian County; it has clearly been repaired.

Although it was still a dirt road, it was much wider and flatter.

The roadsides are no longer barren fields or dilapidated villages.

"Old man, this land...it looks really nice."

Wang Wu couldn't help but say to the old man driving the cart.

The old man turned around and chuckled, a satisfied look spreading across his wrinkled face. "Yes, sir! The government gave us new plows and even sent agricultural officials to teach us how to compost, choose seeds, and irrigate… See that irrigation canal? I built it… uh, I went to build it! I managed to finish it just before the flood season! Otherwise, the fields would have been flooded! Before… before, we wouldn't have even dared to dream of such a thing! Look at this crop, it's sure to be a good harvest! Once it's harvested, we'll have a good meal!"

The old man's words were full of hope for the future, a pride that belonged to the land's owners and to the hard-working people.

Wang Wu looked in the direction he pointed. Sure enough, a wide, straight irrigation canal, neatly paved with stones, stretched across the vast fields like a silver ribbon.

Under the sunlight, the canal water glistens, reflecting the blue sky and white clouds.

In the distance, there were several craftsmen leading a group of laborers, seemingly inspecting and reinforcing a sluice gate.

This scene was deeply imprinted in Wang Wu's mind.

He recalled his childhood, and the humiliation his parents had to kneel and kowtow to the steward of the Wei family in order to get a little more water for irrigating the fields...

When did it change?

Wang Wu was somewhat stunned.

But he wasn't sure how long this change would last, or if it would revert to its original state someday.

But at least for now, he saw smooth roads, neat irrigation ditches, and smiles on the faces of the farmers.

……

……

The oxcart continued on its way.

The roads became wider and flatter, and there were more vehicles and horses.

They often encountered large convoys of cavalry supply trains coming towards them.

The oxen and horses pulling the cart were plump and strong, and the wheels were edged with sheet metal, leaving deep ruts on the compacted road surface.

The cart was loaded with sacks of grain, neatly bundled arrows, wooden crates and barrels covered tightly with tarpaulins, and bundles of spears, swords, and shields...

The escorting soldiers were gleaming in their armor, full of spirit, and marched in unison.

Whenever these soldiers encountered Wang Wu's entourage of wounded soldiers in oxcarts, the soldiers would voluntarily move aside to let them pass, and the officer in charge would wave to them from afar and shout, "Brothers! Rest and recover!"

He would even berate some of the obviously new recruits in his ranks, saying things like, "What are you standing there for? You cowards! Salute! These are veterans!"

These simple greetings were like a warm current flowing into the hearts of Wang Wu and the wounded soldiers in the same car.

Wang Wu and the others struggled to raise their hands on the oxcart in response. Although the movement aggravated their wounds and caused pain, their faces were filled with smiles.

It wasn't out of politeness or for the sake of empty formalities, but from the words and actions of the soldiers and officers in these supply trains, they sensed that Wang Wu and his wounded soldiers were not useless burdens, but rather protected "family members" and respectable "brothers." Their wounds were for the sake of protecting everything that had come so hard.

The front and the rear, soldiers and farmers, wounded soldiers and supply trains, were tightly linked together by an invisible bond called the "General of the Cavalry".

As you travel west, the scenery changes, but the vibrant, orderly, and hopeful atmosphere remains constant.

The barren fields were reclaimed, the abandoned villages were filled with the smoke of cooking fires, and the dilapidated bridges were repaired.

The oxcart creaked and groaned, and finally one morning, the weathered exterior of Luoyang City came into view, and the clamor of reconstruction could be heard.

The closer you get to the city gate, the denser the flow of people and vehicles becomes.

There were caravans transporting goods, farmers carrying loads into the city, officials in various colored uniforms hurrying by, and wounded soldiers' convoys like them.

Everyone followed the instructions of the city gatekeeper, categorizing themselves and entering the city in an orderly manner.

There were no scoldings, no extortion, only clear commands and efficient actions.

Passing through the still somewhat dilapidated city gate, which bears the marks of swords and spears, we entered Luoyang City.

What hits you is an indescribable atmosphere of vitality and order intertwined.

The streets became wide and smooth again, and shops on both sides sprang up from the ruins like mushrooms after rain.

Banners fluttered in the air, selling grain, cloth, ironware...

Pedestrians thronged shoulder to shoulder, but the crowd was not chaotic.

The inspectors, dressed in uniform black official robes and carrying knives at their waists, maintained order at the street corner.

The air was filled with various aromas, including the wheat scent of freshly baked flatbread and the fragrance of alcohol wafting from somewhere.

Various sounds filled the air, including the clear laughter of children and the clanging of metalworkers.

All of this made Wang Wu, who had just come from the bloody battlefield, feel a sense of unreality...

It felt like being in a dream.

This……

How long have they been away from Luoyang?

Was it a year?

It feels like ten or eight years have passed.
The oxcart did not stop in the bustling streets, but headed straight west of the city.

Along the streets, some houses, clearly newly built or renovated, gradually appeared. From some came the sound of students reading aloud; from others, one could faintly hear the clanging and banging of objects; and there was even a Taoist temple where people were distributing steamed buns at the entrance…

Finally, the oxcart stopped in front of a building with a high wall and guards standing at the gate.

A huge black plaque with gold lettering hangs above the courtyard gate, bearing three powerful characters:
『百XX』.

Wang Wu only recognized the character "百" (hundred).

Then below that is a line of smaller text, '@@@@'...

Wang Wu didn't recognize him.

A doctor's servant, dressed in a neat yellow and white linen smock, was already waiting at the door.

They skillfully handed over documents and identity slips to the old cart driver and the medical apprentice.

Wang Wu and the other seriously wounded were carefully lifted off the oxcart and placed on a wheeled flatbed cart.

"Name? Place of origin? Unit? Location of injury? Status of treatment at the front?" a young female doctor wearing a mask, revealing only a pair of clear and calm eyes, asked.

Wang Wu initially thought the doctor wearing the smock was male, but he was shocked to confirm it only after hearing the voice...

"Huh? A female doctor?" Wang Wu and the others looked at each other in surprise.

The female doctor seemed to have encountered this situation far too many times before, and didn't even bother to pay attention. She simply took the bamboo slips and pen and quickly made a record, while also examining the wounds of Wang Wu and the others. Her movements were even gentler and more precise than the old military doctor's, and her eyes were focused, showing no disgust at the blood and dust on Wang Wu and the others.

Wang Wu was somewhat bewildered by this situation.

He had never imagined that he, a common soldier, would be personally examined by a female doctor who looked like a lady from an official's family, and with such meticulous care. Seemingly instinctively unwilling to display his rough, blood-stained appearance to the female doctor, Wang Wu had just tried to pull his foot away when she immediately pressed it down, saying, "Don't move!"

"The wound cleaning is acceptable... there is some redness and swelling... no pus or necrosis... the work on the way here was done well..."

The female doctor casually commented, and the apprentice accompanying her couldn't help but smile with satisfaction at being praised.

"Note: Serious injury grade reduced... Monitor wound healing, body temperature... Check twice daily, ensure adequate nutrition..."

The female doctor clearly dictated her examination to her assistant.

The assistant quickly scribbled something on a small wooden tag with straps attached, then hung it directly around Wang Wu's neck.

Before Wang Wu could react, the female doctor had already skipped over him and moved on to examine the next wounded soldier.

"Uh... well... okay..."

Wang Wu stared wide-eyed at everything around him.

There is no distinction between high and low, noble and lowly, only the wounded who need treatment.

He, Wang Wu, the son of a tenant farmer in Anyi, Hedong, was, like everyone else, a "patient," someone who needed treatment.

His legs, perhaps...

No, there's a real possibility that it can be saved!

Then he can go back, see his parents, see the land he was allocated, maybe...

Will we still be able to see Chunni?

"Father, Mother..." Wang Wu murmured, his eyes welling up with hot tears for the first time as he sensed the happiness of the future.

From the fiery hell of Gongxian to the warm hospital ward of Luoyang; from despairing to die to being reborn; from the son of a tenant farmer who could only rely on his master's whims to a "patient" personally treated by a female doctor and carefully cared for by an apprentice...

Along his westward journey, he witnessed the land being brought to life by farmers, the ruins being reborn by countless laborers, the cold instruments being transformed into protective power by craftsmen, and how the Hundred Medical Hall, which embodies the hard work, wisdom, and sweat of countless ordinary people, pulled lives back from the brink of death.

This power does not reside in the high halls of power, nor in emperors and generals!
This power originates from the fields and paths, grows in the everyday life of the city, and gathers among millions of ordinary people!

He suddenly felt confused, his thoughts jumbled...

If I can protect this homeland and this future, it would be worth it even if I lost this leg!

Wang Wu clenched his fist, feeling the renewed vitality within him and his boundless anticipation for the future.

He knew that his battle, in another way, had only just begun.

For our parents, for ourselves, for Chunni, and for all the ordinary people like the old cart driver, the canal repairman, and the apprentice at the medical clinic who are creating a new life with their own hands, let us fight and protect...