Chapter 76 (Combined Chapter 76)

One day in early June, Miaozhen woke up in a cold sweat, which startled Xiao Jingshi, who quickly asked her, "Zhenzhen, am I here? Were you having a nightmare?"

After much thought, Miaozhen realized that this was the only way to tell Xiao Jingshi what she knew; otherwise, it would be too late.

"This dream was so real! I dreamt that on June 25th, the Tatars invaded Datong, and Generals Zhang Da and Lin Chun died in battle. It's really strange, isn't General Dou the current commander? How come there's also Deputy General Lin?" Miaozhen slapped her head.

Xiao Jingshi never believed in ghosts or gods, but today he was horrified because the transfer order just issued by Deputy Commander Dou had been issued, and the Ministry of War document stated that Lin Chun would take over.

"What else did you dream about?" Xiao Jingshi asked.

Miaozhen pressed her temples: "I dreamt of blood, blood everywhere. I wanted to run, but someone was holding my feet and I couldn't move. I don't remember the specifics very clearly, but I know that the emperor ordered General Qiu to resist the Tatars, but he ordered his old servant Shi Yi and a man named Hou Rong to bribe the Tatar leader to bypass Datong. But the Tatars bypassed Datong and attacked Gubeikou from Jizhen."

"Is that so?" Xiao Jingshi was certainly aware of the troubles posed by the southern barbarians and the northern Japanese pirates in this dynasty. They often had to write about these things in their studies. However, Miaozhen's words were too accurate.

Miaozhen nodded: "Yes, because of this, many people have died. I heard it was because they stopped trading with them."

“The border trade is far too sensitive a matter,” Xiao Jingshi frowned.

But the next day, he went to Datong, Xuanfu and other places to patrol the border again. He thought it would be better if the dream was the opposite, but his wife's words were too vivid.

He didn't believe in ghosts or gods, but he had unwavering faith in his wife.

It is said that his wife received enlightenment at Guiyuan Temple when she became a doctor. In just one or two years, she learned almost what others had accomplished in seven or eight years. Are some people born with innate knowledge?

Miaozhen wasn't idle either. She was now frequently visiting Zhang Shi, teaching the two older children at home how to bandage and apply medicine. "Look carefully, this is the powder in the bottle. Sprinkle it on the wound, then give them this medicine."

Fu Jie'er and Zhao Ge'er both held cloth dolls and imitated sprinkling medicine powder on them. They saw the words on them clearly and nodded frequently.

After teaching for half a day, she heard from outside that Madam Ruan had arrived. Miaozhen smiled and went to greet her. When she was treating Madam Ruan, she mentioned that she loved the poem "Meeting Li Guinian in Jiangnan". Madam Ruan felt that they shared the same interest and could talk to each other, so they started to interact.

As the saying goes, shared interests can deepen the friendship between two people. When Madam Ruan came in, she said, "What has Sister Xu been busy with lately? She hasn't been visiting us much."

"It's nothing, I was just lazing around at home. Come in, have a seat." Miaozhen invited her in.

Every time Ms. Ruan visited Miaozhen's home, she felt a sense of warmth and would say, "Sister's home is so nice, so well-decorated, and the children look so good."

Miaozhen laughed and said, "That's just how I am in front of guests. I'm quite mischievous at other times. By the way, you said last time that you liked our Suzhou Songluo tea, so I prepared some for you to take back with you. If you need more, just ask me."

"Why do you always favor your elder sister's best things?" Ruan Shi had heard that Imperial Censor Xiao also came from a wealthy family, so it was no wonder that the Xiao family was not like ordinary official families.

As Miaozhen sipped her tea, she suddenly remembered the tea-horse trade. She didn't have time to entertain Ruan Shi, so she excused herself and went to Xiao Jingshi's study to look up Xie Jin's theory on tea boundaries, as well as Yang Yiqing's theory of "using tea to govern the barbarians" from the Hongzhi era. In fact, this was the only solution.

However, it would be too difficult to implement. First of all, Xiao Jingshi was just an imperial inspector. He had only graduated from the Hanlin Academy in three years and had no connections. If he were to be sent up, it would cause a huge uproar and the emperor might demote or even kill him in a fit of anger.

Of course, this is still the way to get the message to the emperor. If it can't, it's just a piece of waste paper. Sending it up won't help, and it will just be shelved.

Now, Xiao Jingshi was born into a merchant family, and his family was in the tea business. Of course, he knew the tricks of the trade. Although the tea industry was strictly regulated, the high profits made many people take risks, and it was impossible to stop it.

Xiao Jingshi sighed, "Hunan tea is cheap, but it's smuggled through Sichuan and Shaanxi. There's a lot more to it than meets the eye."

“We can’t just sit here and wait to die. It would be great if you could patrol those passes more often and urge them to strengthen their defenses,” Miaozhen said.

Xiao Jingshi smiled and said, "Don't worry, I have a plan."

He really thought Miaozhen was amazing, as if she had the ability to open her eyes. But he advised Miaozhen: "Don't tell anyone about the things you dream about in the future. Otherwise, if the things come true, it means that Heaven has given a sign that the court will be defeated. People will say that you are spreading rumors. But if these things don't happen, you will still be in a bad situation and people will say that you are spreading rumors."

“I understand, I only told you that.” Miao Zhen certainly understood all of this.

Xiao Jingshi looked at her and said, "Zhenzhen, I want to have someone send you back to the capital. The border areas are still too dangerous."

Miaozhen shook her head: "Where is there peace once there is war? You know that in the end, people went to the capital and looted for eight days in my dream. That means I am not safe in the capital either."

“Since we can’t escape it, we might as well deal with it actively. These days I’ve been teaching the children and the people around me how to bandage wounds, and I’ve also taken out money to buy wound medicine. I’ve made quite a lot myself, so I can do my best when the time comes.”

Xiao Jingshi looked at her, "Aren't you afraid?"

“What is there to be afraid of? In this era, only a few people live to be seventy. If we continue to run away, even our children will look down on us in the future,” Miaozhen said.

Xiao Jingshi was also filled with passion upon hearing this, and patted Miaozhen on the shoulder: "You really are a man."

"Cough cough, you're going to slap my internal organs out of me!" Miaozhen said angrily.

Xiao Jingshi put his arm around her again and said carefully, "Quickly, let me see if there's anything wrong?"

"I'm fine now, you go ahead and get busy. In any case, we may not be able to turn the tide, but we can do as much as we can," Miaozhen said.

After listening to Miaozhen's words, Xiao Jingshi recently went on another inspection tour of Xuanda and found that the court really "valued Xuanda and neglected Jizhou". He did not directly demand the opening of the tea-horse trade, but wrote about the weak defenses in Jizhou and other places in the capital region. He also mentioned Anda Khan's prestige at the end.

Naturally, he had a fairly good relationship with Governor Lu, thanks to Miaozhen's medical skills, which led him to share his concerns with Governor Lu.

Xiao Jingshi originally thought that what he had written would be lost forever, but unexpectedly on June 20th, the emperor issued an edict praising him for his intelligence and wisdom. Miaozhen was also honored to hear this.

"Your Majesty is truly wise and insightful," Miaozhen said with a smile.

Xiao Jingshi said, "I think it must be Governor Lu who spoke up for me. One sentence from him is worth ten sentences from others."

"That only works if you write well. If you don't write well, saying all this is useless," Miaozhen said with a smile.

As for opening up trade, the imperial court remained tight-lipped, and Xiao Jingshi was powerless to do anything about it. On June 25th, war broke out, and Xiao Jingshi was already astonished. He looked at Miaozhen and said, "Is that really so? It seems your dream came true. Could you explain in more detail?"

Miaozhen naturally told almost everything she knew, including the story of Qiu Luan succeeding Zhang Da as general.

Xiao Jingshi couldn't write it down on paper, but luckily he had a good memory and remembered almost all the time points. He then asked Miaozhen, "Was I in the dream?"

Miaozhen shook her head.

"Okay, I understand." It was already difficult to see through the secrets of heaven. Xiao Jingshi saw Miaozhen sitting to the side with infinite affection and kissed her forehead. "I will go to the front line first. You take the children and stay in the manor. Keep the doors closed."

The main duties of the Imperial Inspector during wartime were to supervise military operations, impeach generals who violated discipline, and report the war situation directly to the emperor. Xiao Jingshi was also preparing for the military examination when he was young, so he was very skilled in archery and horsemanship. He hugged Miaozhen tightly.

Miaozhen handed him a box of medicine: "It contains various powders, and I've written labels and instructions on how to use them for each one."

"good."

"Please make sure nothing happens to you," Miaozhen said.

Xiao Jingshi laughed and said, "Everyone calls me Xiao Lang, but I'm not afraid. By the way, I put the profit-sharing contract for the Wu family business under your dressing box. I know you wouldn't accept it normally, but now it's my private property, so you can't refuse it. But if anything happens to me, you can forget about the profit-sharing and just keep the money we have every day. That's enough for you and your children to live on."

Seeing that he was making his final arrangements, Miaozhen shook her head: "You are not allowed to say such unlucky things."

“I know, but don’t be foolish enough to be persuaded to remarry. Remarrying is fine, but you should at least get some money in return.” Xiao Jingshi was completely thinking of her best interests.

Miaozhen couldn't help but feel a lump in her throat: "What nonsense are you talking about?"

"Alright, that's enough. I'm leaving now." Xiao Jingshi waved goodbye to his wife and children, no longer lingering.

After Xiao Jingshi left, Miaozhen couldn't sleep well at all.

She then said that Huang Shi in the capital was already at her last gasp. The old nanny beside her said, "In previous years, Physician Xu helped you take care of yourself, and everything was fine. But last year she went to Xuanda with her husband. Why don't we invite her back?"

Huang coughed a few times. In the early years, Xu had always helped take care of her illness. It was rare that Xu never coveted any petty gains, nor would she fight for anything for her husband in front of her. As a result, their relationship was simply that of patient and doctor. Now she had a new partner and friend.

But now, only six months after Miaozhen left, she has noticed that she is not feeling well.

"How can I bring her back?" Huang thought it was impossible.

Moreover, with the war breaking out on the front lines, Huang felt her life was miserable. Her husband came to visit her in the evening. He had been very busy lately, but he still cared about her a lot.

Huang said, "It's an old ailment, Commander-in-Chief, you don't need to worry about me."

“You usually invite Xiao Jingshi’s wife to come over, but now that he’s at the front lines, she probably won’t be able to return for a while. So, I’ll find you another renowned doctor,” Governor Lu said.

There are many skilled gynecologists in the Huang family, but few are as skilled as Xu. In particular, she is proficient in medical theory and the I Ching, and has extremely rich experience. She can often figure out her own problems in one go, which is beyond the reach of others.

But she couldn't refute her husband's words.

Then Governor Lu recalled the Tatar invasion and the letter Xiao Jingshi had sent him a few days earlier, in which Xiao Jingshi had said that Anda Khan had repeatedly requested trade but to no avail, which might lead to future trouble. Now it seemed that his words had come true, and even sooner than expected.

For a moment, he couldn't help but think of Zeng Xian, who had already been murdered. If this man were still alive, there would have been no border disaster. It was all Qiu Luan's fault for framing him.

Unfortunately, this person is currently very favored, and I can't do anything about him.

He also said that because Xiao Jingshi had been patrolling the borders in advance, he saw that the war had been triggered and ordered the two generals to be on high alert. He also wrote a letter saying that the Tatars were coming in a fierce manner. He was originally skilled in mechanisms and hidden weapons. Otherwise, his family's ice boat business would not have been so successful back then. Therefore, he asked for permission to modify firearms.

The emperor knew that Xiao Jingshi was young but experienced in handling affairs, and was very capable and organized, so he agreed.

He lived and ate with the soldiers on the front lines, and even consulted them on many occasions to boost morale. He also had a good relationship with Generals Zhang and Lin, and even offered some ingenious strategies, which led to several minor victories.

Because of Miaozhen's nightmare, he came up with a clumsy idea: to keep Zhang and Lin at bay. As long as these two were there, Qiu Luan would not be able to be sent.

But the root of the problem lies in the trade. Xiao Jingshi saw it very clearly: Anda repeatedly requested trade, but the court refused. This is why there was the saying, "In autumn, they will return and cross the border to seize the capital."

General Zhang was puzzled as to why a civil official like Imperial Censor Xiao would treat him with such courtesy.

However, General Zhang said to Xiao Jingshi, "Lord Xiao, I must go out and fight no matter what. You are a civil official, and you are in charge of the army. You are fair and just in your daily work and will surely be of great use in the future. There is no need for you to take risks."

"General, what are you saying? I, Xiao, am not a coward who fears death." Xiao Jingshi indeed had unique insights into military strategy, was no ordinary scholar, and was also resourceful.

General Zhang was initially somewhat wary of this young censor, fearing he might report him to the court. However, he now saw that Xiao Jingshi was completely different from those pale-faced scholars. Although he came from Jiangnan and was handsome and upright, he was skilled in archery and horsemanship and had great insight. General Zhang trusted him greatly.

Miaozhen had been keeping an eye on what was happening on the battlefield, but she never expected that Cui Ningzheng would die in battle. Miaozhen went to visit Zhang Shi. Zhang Shi had no feelings for Cui Ningzheng, but she felt very guilty. She said, "I just wanted him to come here to gain some experience. I never expected that he would lose his life. It's all my fault."

“The war is still raging, and it would be dangerous for you to go back to the capital alone. Why don’t you wait until the fighting stops before going back? If there’s anything I can help you with, just let me know,” Miaozhen said.

Zhang wiped away her tears and looked at Miaozhen, saying, "Sister Xu, I'll listen to you. You know what? I also want to be as strong as you, but I always think about relying on others."

"Don't say that. You should start preparing for the funeral in your family." Miaozhen stayed with her for a few days, helping her to handle the funeral arrangements, before returning home.

When Miaozhen was at home, she would make masks with her children and servants. After a war, it was easy for epidemics to spread. To prevent infection, making masks was the first step to isolate people.

After the war had been going on for more than a month, the Imperial Medical Academy sent doctors over, but there were still not enough people. When Miaozhen learned of this, she volunteered.

As luck would have it, the imperial physician sent over was the same one who had examined her years ago, and he agreed to the position.

Zhang was quite capable. Although it was during the mourning period, upon hearing that Miaozhen was going to treat the soldiers, she brought more than a dozen wives of soldiers from her local area to go with Miaozhen.

Although Miaozhen doesn't know how to set bones, she is very skilled in acupuncture and moxibustion.

"What talk of strict separation between men and women? Now is the time for battle, and we should be treating and caring for the soldiers," Miaozhen said.

Zhang has a strong ability to rally people. She is good at building relationships and now she is coordinating everyone. She said to them, "Let the men see how powerful our women's army is."

There were no military doctors among the five or six hundred soldiers. Some of the soldiers were only fourteen or fifteen years old and still very young. Miaozhen had already taken off her fine clothes and was only wrapped in an ordinary handkerchief on her head. She looked at him and smiled, "Just bear with it."

After saying that, he first disinfected his wound with liquor, and then sewed it up with mulberry bark thread.

She used medications that she brought herself, and donated almost all of them.

As Zhang was distributing masks, she said to them, "Remember to wear them. Only by wearing them will you avoid being infected by others."

A soldier nearby had a festering wound and a persistent high fever. Miaozhen first had Sister Tian brew a five-flavor disinfectant drink for him to drink, to reduce internal heat. Then she used a needle to squeeze out the pus. It was a bit painful during the process. Miaozhen looked at him and said, "It hurts a bit. You can bear with it. It will be fine soon."

"Madam Xiao, please rest assured and get treatment. I'll be fine." The soldier was wincing in pain, but he was deeply moved to know that the wife of the Imperial Inspector had come to treat them personally.

Once the pus has been drained, apply Yu Hong Ointment.

Miaozhen then saw that two soldiers had arrow wounds and were bleeding profusely. She quickly took out the Flower Stamen Stone Powder and gave it to them.

After treating six patients in a row, Miaozhen was so hungry that she felt dizzy. She washed her hands, took the steamed bun from her sleeve, and went outside to eat. She happened to run into Physician Hu and asked him for advice on surgical techniques: "Although I have been studying these days, there are still some things I don't understand. You must teach me."

Physician Hu said, "When I examined you before, I felt that you were a promising talent. However, you have devoted yourself to the study of gynecology and made great achievements. Now, I see that you are also good at surgery, but there are some areas where you need to be careful..."

The two exchanged opinions, and before long, Miaozhen went in. She knew she couldn't sew it up well by herself, so Zhang became her biggest helper.

Previously, Zhang would faint at the sight of blood, but now she was able to suture with mulberry bark thread without blinking. Miaozhen went over and gave her some more guidance before continuing the treatment.

Zhang was impressed that Miaozhen had treated fifty or sixty people in just one morning.

Female doctors are all quite meticulous. For example, Miaozhen has lit mugwort in the entire tent and used mugwort, realgar, and atractylodes to disinfect it.

With Xiao Xifeng's mother taking care of things at home, Miaozhen felt at ease, but she couldn't help but sigh when she thought of the war. After a short while, she continued to clean the soldiers' wounds and said to Zhang Shi, "These medicines are all brought by me. They are limited, so we have to use them sparingly so that everyone can be treated."

Zhang nodded: "Don't worry, Sister Xu, I know."

The rest of the people were not doctors, so all two hundred or so people here had to be examined and treated by Miaozhen one by one, and then she would give them medicine and treat them according to Miaozhen's instructions.

However, acupuncture and surgery are not suitable for non-specialist doctors. Miaozhen learned surgery from Physician Hu, so she had to do it herself.

"Sister Xu, I can't stand up anymore." Zhang leaned against the door, almost exhausted, but she was very happy.

So she can save so many lives, she's amazing.

Miaozhen rubbed her neck and said to her, "Hold on for a while and take the medicine powder for number eighty over. These two hundred people must be cured within three days, otherwise, if the medicine is not available in time, even a skilled cook cannot cook without rice."

While the medicine is being decocted, it can be given to another person at the same time, which saves costs.

"Okay." Zhang continued to bring the medicine over.

When Xiao Jingshi heard that Miaozhen had also volunteered to treat the soldiers, he couldn't help but say to those around him, "My wife is a very famous doctor. The Emperor himself bestowed a plaque upon her. With her here, she will surely be able to save many lives."

He spoke with great pride.

"Imperial Censor Xiao eats and lives with our soldiers and cares for us. Madam Xiao is also a woman who is just as capable as any man." Everyone around admired her greatly.

Xiao Jingshi actually missed Miaozhen very much, but he knew that he should focus on doing his own thing right now.

It is also said that when Miaozhen and the others went out at night, they had their servants clean their tents. Only when the ground and the environment were clean would their illnesses disappear.

That evening, Zhang and Miaozhen took a nap together. Zhang slept for an hour. When she woke up, Miaozhen was preparing medicinal herbs, so Zhang came over to help. Miaozhen smiled and said, "You should rest now. Based on my previous experience with free clinics, I've prepared for three days, but we've already treated over a hundred people today. Tomorrow and the day after, we can go back and rest. When I get back, I'll send someone out to buy more herbs, and then we won't be so strapped for cash."

“Sister Xu, do you know? I always felt like I was useless, and I even wondered what would happen to me if Cui Ningzheng passed away. But now I’m not afraid of anything anymore,” Zhang said with a smile.

Miaozhen looked at her and said, "I'm not afraid. Look at these palm readers, they talk about longevity lines and marriage lines every day, but aren't these things in our own hands? You're widowed now and have no children. If you wait a year, whether you get married or not is entirely up to you."

Zhang nodded and said, "I'm just afraid that I won't be able to keep my money. Although my family is wealthy, money can be a powerful motivator, and I'm also afraid that the person I marry might be unreliable and that my dowry might be embezzled."

"Now that you recognize me, and you've organized a rescue team, you've gained prestige. Countless people will admire your boldness in the future, so there's nothing to fear," Miaozhen comforted her.

Zhang smiled again.

The two did not rest at night, but continued to help the soldiers brew medicine, apply medicine and suture wounds. Within two days, they rescued about two hundred people. The servants of the Xiao family also sent ten shi of grain. Miaozhen led the soldiers of the rescue team to cook millet porridge and make steamed buns, which were then delivered to the soldiers before they prepared to leave.

Before leaving, they gave each of them instructions, especially since there was a troop of cavalry here, who were said to be very fierce. They were attacked by the Tatars first, but now, thanks to Miaozhen's treatment, their wounds have been treated in time. Seeing that she had been taking care of them tirelessly for the past two days, they couldn't help but say, "Madam Xiao, we thank you."

"You are the pillars of the nation, and I thank you all." Miaozhen looked at the soldiers who spoke in unison, her voice choked with emotion.

The same young soldier, still bearing the childish look of his age, stood at the door. When he saw Miaozhen about to get up, Miaozhen quickly said, "You should lie down and rest. Last time you told me that your death was not worth regretting, but I want to tell you that everyone's life is important. So you must be brave in battle, but you must also protect yourself."

The young sergeant nodded emphatically.

See, all those strict separations between men and women, all those three obediences and four virtues, are not worth mentioning. Saving lives and healing the wounded is the true righteousness.

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The author notes: Records from the Wanli era of the *Xuanfu Town Gazetteer* state that border troops were equipped with "female healers" who specialized in treating gynecological ailments and knife wounds. When Mongol cavalry raided Zhangjiakou, the garrison commander's wife, Lady Wang, led her maids to form an "emergency rescue team." They disinfected wounds with spirits and sutured them with mulberry bark thread, saving two hundred wounded soldiers in three days. Upon learning of this, the imperial court bestowed upon them the plaque "Heroine Medical Camp," and from then on, all the important border towns had female doctors accompanying the army.