Passing on the torch, ensuring the continuity of our nation and its people.
When the news of Shen Jiye's great victory over the Turks reached the capital, it coincided with the morning court session. The eunuch loudly read the battle report, declaring the main Turkic force routed and all lost territory recovered. Thunderous praise erupted in the court. The emperor was overjoyed and immediately slammed his hand on the table: "Shen Jiye is young and promising, possessing both courage and wisdom; truly a pillar of our Great Jing!" He then issued an edict appointing Shen Jiye as General Who Guards the North, in charge of all border military affairs, and awarding him a thousand taels of gold and a hundred bolts of silk as a reward to the entire army.
The news reached Jiangnan by fast horse, where Shen Chengyou and Wang Ruoxi were pruning flowers in the courtyard. Upon hearing the good news brought by the messenger, the scissors in Shen Chengyou's hand clattered to the ground. He looked towards the northern border, his eyes blazing with intense light, and his voice was filled with barely concealed excitement: "Good lad, you haven't disgraced the Shen family!"
Wang Ruoxi wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, her face full of a relieved smile: "Jiye has inherited your fortitude and decisiveness, as well as Nianqing's composure and strategy. Now that he is guarding the border, we can truly rest assured."
When Shen Jifang arrived after hearing the news, she was carrying a heavy wooden box. She smiled and opened the box, inside which were neatly arranged carefully prepared wound medicine, cold medicine, and several packets of refreshing herbs: "My brother is fighting bloody battles on the front lines, and I can't do much to help. These medicines were prepared by me according to the secret recipe passed down from my great-grandmother. They can treat external injuries and prevent diseases. I will send someone to deliver them to the border by fast horse to do my part for the soldiers."
Shen Chengyou looked at his daughter, then gazed northward, and sighed, "Our Shen family has a long history. From Qing resigning from the civil service exam to report to the country and remaining unjustly accused, to Nianqing assisting the government and devoting himself to the cause, to me guarding the border and you practicing medicine, and now Jiye has taken on the heavy responsibility of protecting the country. Every generation has had loyal and virtuous people, and every generation has been dedicated to the country. This sense of responsibility in our blood has never been broken."
Wang Ruoxi held his hand and said softly, "These are all family traditions passed down from our ancestors. You often tell the children, 'Never forget the blood of our ancestors, never fail the grace of this prosperous age,' and Jiye truly keeps these words in mind and puts them into practice."
For several years afterward, Shen Jiye diligently performed his duties on the border. He not only fortified the city's defenses and trained the troops, repeatedly thwarting raids by remnants of the Turkic tribes, but also cared deeply for the border people—organizing them to build irrigation systems, turning dry land into fertile fields; establishing trade markets to facilitate exchange between different ethnic groups along the border; and setting up schools next to the military camps so that the children of soldiers and local children could all learn to read and write. The once war-torn border gradually became a place of peace and prosperity, with people saying, "With General Shen here, we sleep soundly and live with peace of mind!"
Meanwhile, Shen Jifang's "Cheng'an Hall" became increasingly renowned. She not only took on many disciples and imparted all her medical skills to them, but also often personally led her disciples to the border to set up temporary medical tents near military camps to treat wounded soldiers and diagnose the sick. Her medical skills were superb, and she was gentle in nature, treating all people equally, whether they were soldiers or civilians. Gradually, she was revered by the people of the border as the "Goddess Doctor".
In the courtyard of Jiangnan, Shen Chengyou and Wang Ruoxi enjoyed their later years in peace. In their leisure time, they would read the letters sent by Jiye, or listen to merchants recount the stories of Jifang practicing medicine on the border. Watching their children and grandchildren display their talents and serve the country and its people, their hearts were filled with comfort.
As the sun set, the osmanthus trees in the courtyard flourished, their fragrance filling the air. Shen Chengyou gazed at the vibrant life within and said softly, "Family traditions are like lamps, passed down from generation to generation. As long as this loyalty and responsibility to our family and country continues, the story of our Shen family will continue." Wang Ruoxi nodded with a smile, her eyes reflecting the warm and resolute glow of the setting sun.
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