Love Lock

Chapter 16 How to Place
The next day, the bright red sun rose again in the sky, bringing some warmth to the cold and desolate earth.

Han Lei got up early and used the silver rewarded by the system to buy several sets of fleece-lined sportswear. In order not to look too out of place, she also bought a cloak from this dynasty to wear over it.

After tidying herself up, Han Lei slung her first-aid kit over her shoulder and headed towards Zhao Zun's large tent next door.

With the guards' permission, Han Lei stepped into the main tent.

Zhao Zun was sitting at his desk, his brows furrowed, intently looking at the note in his hand. Hearing footsteps, he quickly grabbed a book to weigh down the note.

As soon as he looked up, Zhao Zun's eyes lit up instantly, and Han Lei had already gracefully stepped into the tent.

Today, Han Lei wasn't wearing camouflage; instead, she was dressed in an ancient-style fur-trimmed cloak. The snow-white fur gently brushed against her neat bob hair, creating a wonderful and harmonious blend of modern and ancient styles on her.

With his short, neat hair and flowing cloak, he seemed like a time traveler, stepping into the long river of history with a carefree smile.

"You're here." Zhao Zun's voice carried a barely perceptible gentleness.

Han Lei smiled slightly, walked to his side, and said softly, "I'll help you remove the stitches. You can get it wet after that."

"it is good!"

Zhao Zun lifted his robe and turned his face to the side, letting Han Lei do as she pleased.

It wasn't that he was too timid to look; rather, the strict separation between men and women was a chasm in that era.

Every time the dressing was changed, Pingchuan would be there to help, and he always ordered Pingchuan to turn his face away. Han Lei was a doctor, but she was, after all, a woman.

After removing the stitches, Han Lei tidied up her tools, and Zhao Zun took a package from under the table and placed it in front of her.

"This is a new one that I specially had someone bring into town to buy for you. Try it on and see if it fits."

Han Lei took the clothes, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes: "This... is for me?"

Zhao Zun nodded, "I noticed you only had that one set of clothes, so I had someone go and buy some more. The border isn't like the capital; you can't find good quality fabrics there, so you'll have to make do with these."

Han Lei opened the package, gently stroked the fabric, and felt a surge of warmth in her heart. She smiled and teased, "I didn't expect you to be so thoughtful."

"I'm glad you like it!" Zhao Zun lowered his eyes to hide the deep affection in them when he saw Han Lei accept it.

As the two were talking, a commotion arose outside the tent, as if many people were walking towards them.

"Miss Han. Master, Master, are you there?" It was Old He's booming voice.

Han Lei and Zhao Zun exchanged a glance, then Han Lei picked up her first-aid kit and hurriedly walked out, with Zhao Zun limping close behind.

Han Lei thought someone was injured and Old He couldn't handle it, so she had to treat them. But when she went outside, she saw Old He walking towards her, followed by a large group of soldiers, who looked to be more than a hundred.

That dark mass looked like they were about to start a brawl.

Old He is over sixty years old, but he walks with a light step and a cheerful face.

In the past few days, under the guidance of Professor Han Lei, he has learned suturing techniques, simple injections and infusions, and has also absorbed many basic Western medical concepts.

The later care of those seriously wounded soldiers was all done by him under Han Lei's guidance, leading the military medical team.

The combination of theory and hands-on practice led to a rapid improvement in his medical skills, and he truly appreciated Han Lei's exceptional medical expertise. Therefore, he addressed her as "Master" even more enthusiastically.

"Uncle He, what's going on here..." Han Lei looked surprised.

"It's nothing, it's just that these brats kept bothering me, insisting that I bring them here." Old He chuckled, pointing to a group of soldiers behind him.

Han Lei looked up and saw that the group of wounded soldiers who had been on the verge of death, the ones she had treated, were the ones following behind Old He.

Because of malnutrition, they recovered very slowly, and they all looked pale and thin.

They helped each other up, staggering towards Han Lei. Suddenly, a slightly stronger man knelt down with a thud and began kowtowing repeatedly, startling Han Lei.

"Hey, hey, what are you doing? Get up!" Han Lei quickly took two steps forward, trying to help him up.

That's incredible! She's never encountered anything like this in her entire life!

But the strong, muscular man was stubborn and refused to get up from his knees. His kneeling caused a massive mass of wounded soldiers behind him to kneel as well, leaving Han Lei unsure who to help first.

The strong man raised his head and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Han Lei. A white bandage was visible under his collar, and his eyes were filled with tears and gratitude.

"Miss Han, thank you for saving my life. My name is Tao Qing, a rough man who isn't good at sweet talk. If there's ever anything I can do to help you in the future, I'll go through fire and water for you!"

Han Lei knew this strong young man named Tao Qing; the arrow had lodged in his sternum through the edge of his tattered armor.

Although the injury was not serious, the arrow was at a tricky angle, and the military doctors were unable to remove it with their medical skills. That's why the military doctors judged it to be hopeless, and he almost died because of his own comrade.

It took a lot of effort for Han Lei to perform surgery on him and remove the arrow.

“Yes, Miss Han.” The young soldier, A Mao, chimed in, “If it weren’t for you, I would have lost this arm long ago.”

"Miss Han, thank you so much for saving me!"

……

Everyone chimed in, their gratitude overflowing, creating a lively and bustling scene.

Han Lei smiled, a tear glistening in her eye. She knew that these vibrant lives were more precious than any honor.

Zhao Zun remained silent, watching the wounded soldiers express their gratitude.

He understood the feelings of these rough men who had survived the ordeal. If it weren't for Han Lei's miraculous appearance, their lives would have ended on that cold night.

After everyone had finished speaking, Zhao Zun turned to Han Lei and asked, "If they recover, will they still be able to go into battle?"

"Some things are possible, some things are not."

Han Lei couldn't hide her regret. Some people missed the best time for treatment and have already suffered lifelong disabilities! Even she was powerless to reverse it.

"Hey!"

Zhao Zun sighed deeply, his face ashen.

These were his brothers who had fought alongside him through thick and thin, some even being uncles and elders who had gone to war with his father. Following them, he hadn't achieved any official rank or title, but instead ended up crippled and destined for a miserable existence, barely scraping by.

Thinking about it, Zhao Zun felt a dull ache in his heart.

"You'll take good care of them, won't you?" Han Lei raised her little face, looking at Zhao Zun expectantly.

She had made a promise to the wounded soldiers a few days earlier, but hadn't asked Zhao Zun beforehand. Therefore, she was afraid Zhao Zun would abandon them.

After all, the Great Jing Dynasty was not China, and she didn't know what kind of treatment wounded soldiers who were permanently incapacitated would receive in this era.
“Of course,” Zhao Zun nodded. “I will temporarily place them in the supply camp.”

Han Lei chuckled with satisfaction. However, she caught a key word in Zhao Zun's words—

"Temporarily? What about them in the future..."

Zhao Zun did not answer, but faced Han Lei and looked into her eyes. His deep eyes seemed to contain many indescribable emotions.

After a long while, Zhao Zun finally uttered a nonsensical remark.

"Aren't you going to find the way back to China? Come on, I'll go with you."

Thank you all for your support, thank you for the footprints you left behind, I love you all. May you all have a fantastic 2025!