AWB Chapter 901 The Most Needed Doctor
Chapter 901 The Most Needed Doctor
Back at the camp, after the medics treated his wounds, Zong Shuo, without even taking a break, went to visit the wounded soldiers.
They had a very difficult night to defend, and if reinforcements hadn't arrived, all of his remaining men would have perished there.
Even though they managed to defend Fengming Mountain, they still suffered heavy losses this time.
When Zong Shuo arrived at the wounded soldiers' tent, he was surprised to find that most of the military doctors Huo Lin had brought were women, except for a few men. Even the doctor at the very least was about the same age as him, and the medicine she was giving the soldiers was not common herbs, but something that looked neither like a pill nor a candy.
Yan Yue had been watching with great interest from the sidelines and was even chatting with the young man leading the group.
Upon seeing Zong Shuo enter, Yan Yue immediately flashed a bright white smile and pulled Huang Sumu aside to introduce him to Zong Shuo: "Fourth Brother, guess who this is? You must be very curious, you'd never guess!"
Zong Shuo: "..."
There's no need for him to be curious; Yan Yue will definitely tell him.
Sure enough, before Zong Shuo could even ask, Yan Yue blurted out, "This is Yang Yang's disciple, Huang Sumu! Aren't you surprised? I'm surprised too. Yang Yang has actually taken on a disciple! And a disciple who truly inherits her mantle. I told you before, Yang Yang's skill in treating external injuries is far beyond what ordinary people can match. He's the one who healed my cousin's leg!"
"Do you remember when you went back to the capital? My leg was healed by Yangyang. I didn't even know she took on a disciple! Although Mingxiu is also her disciple, she doesn't have a deep understanding of medicine and can't inherit her mantle. However, Mingxiu is extremely clever. Su Mu just said that Mingxiu came along too. You'll probably see her when you return to Yingzhou! That girl is really something. I heard she used to manage accounts for Brother Sheng in the Northwest. Brother Sheng sent her here, probably to deliver supplies! This is great! With Brother Sheng's supplies, we won't have any more worries!"
Although the imperial court has never stopped supplying provisions to the north, the consumption of provisions in the north is enormous, and it is not easy to expedite the collection of military pay and provisions every year. Yan Yue used to be in the southwest, where grain production was relatively abundant, and the soldiers could eat their fill. However, in the north, the food was far worse, and it was even more unbearable in winter. Not to mention ten days or half a month, they might not even see meat once a month.
Zong Shuo naturally knew Lu Yangyang. He had only returned to the capital once in recent years and only caught a glimpse of her. He remembered her as a slender and petite girl. It was because of Su Fengqu's matter that he had a deep impression of her. He never expected that such a small girl would have such great power and eventually become his sister-in-law.
But Zong Shuo was curious about the strange medicines, so he asked Huang Sumu, "What are these medicines?"
“Reporting to the General, these medicines are convenient and highly effective drugs developed by my master and great-master. They can quickly relieve symptoms and prevent potential illnesses. Pharmacies have already been opened in the Northwest and Southwest specifically to produce these medicines. In addition to tablets, there are also powders, granules, and liquids, which are effective quickly for common colds, fever, pain, and diarrhea. Moreover, many of them are extracted from medicinal herbs and blended in specific proportions, which has been verified to be safe and risk-free,” Huang Sumu explained.
"How about that? Isn't Yangyang amazing? Aren't you impressed?" Yan Yue said with a proud and smug look on his face.
Zong Shuo glanced at him and nodded to Huang Sumu: "This is a good thing for the soldiers, thank you."
Military medicines are scarce and difficult to store, and military doctors are also in short supply. Every year, a considerable number of soldiers die from colds alone. If there were medicines that are easy to carry and effective, it would be a blessing for the soldiers.
"Master said that the soldiers are protecting the country, and what we did was just a small thing, not worth mentioning," Huang Sumu hurriedly said.
"How can it be a small matter? Yangyang is too modest!" Yan Yue muttered, "It's a pity I missed it, otherwise I would have liked to see how she makes this medicine!"
Yan Yue left in a hurry and didn't have time to witness this miraculous scene.
Later, he corresponded with Jiaojiao and heard her mention a very powerful medicine they had made. However, Jiaojiao was always cautious in her letters and did not mention what this powerful medicine was. So, it was only today that he saw this miraculous new medicine for the first time.
"There is one more thing I would like to discuss with Doctor Huang in private," Zong Shuo said to Huang Sumu after glancing at the scene inside the tent.
Huang Sumu roughly guessed what Zong Shuo was going to say, and went outside with Zong Shuo and Yan Yue.
The snow from last night has stopped, and the valley is covered in white as far as the eye can see. The ground is frozen solid, and it crunches underfoot.
“I observe that about 80% of the people Dr. Huang brought are women. There are regulations in the military camp that prohibit women from entering. This is not a targeted offense, but rather for the sake of these women’s reputation. However, since Second Brother has allowed Dr. Huang to bring his people here, there must be a reason. I would like to ask Dr. Huang to explain his reasoning,” Zong Shuo said sincerely.
He was always extremely strict in his military discipline, never allowing women to enter or leave the camp. This was not because he looked down on women; there were many remarkable women around. His second brother and mother had taught him from a young age not to have any gender bias, and he kept that in mind. However, the military camp had its own rules, and breaking those rules could cause trouble. That was one reason. Secondly, most of the soldiers' injuries were external. If these women were to treat the soldiers, there would inevitably be physical contact, which would affect their reputation. He did not want them to come to save lives only to be implicated.
Yan Yue vaguely knew a little bit, but he didn't know the specifics and couldn't explain it. He looked at Huang Sumu with curiosity.
Huang Sumu was clearly prepared for this question. He calmly bowed to Zong Shuo and said, "I thank you for your understanding, General. Actually, these women are not doctors, but nurses."
"Medical staff?" Yan Yue asked curiously, "What do you mean by that?"
“My master said that learning medicine relies on inheritance, talent, and, more importantly, interest and hobbies. With all these conditions combined, it is not easy to train a doctor, so the shortage of doctors is the norm.”
Yan Yue nodded: "That's true."
"So most people who want to study medicine don't have a path to it. But just like different doctors specialize in different types of lesions, we can actually further refine these categories to train new doctors. For example, specialists in acupuncture, pulse diagnosis, treating external injuries, pediatrics, and gynecology can all be assigned to these areas. This is what is meant by specialization, allowing them to better utilize their strengths in their areas of expertise," Huang Sumu explained.
Yan Yue: "I understand. It's like how some people are good at using swords and some people are good at using knives."
Huang Sumu nodded: "That makes sense."
"What does that have to do with these medical staff?" Yan Yue asked again.
“When doctors take on apprentices, they usually start by doing odd jobs, identifying medicinal herbs, and dispensing medicine for patients. Even without knowing how to take a pulse, they can learn after a period of time. Identifying medicinal herbs isn't difficult for ordinary people, and it's even simpler if it's the kind of medicine we're making now. In addition, there are tasks like bandaging and suturing wounds and caring for injured patients. If these tasks were done by specialists, a group of apprentices who can assist doctors in treating patients could be trained in a shorter time.” Huang Sumu looked towards the camp. “The thirty-odd people I brought today have only been learning for half a year, and they can already skillfully handle most external injuries. But if we were to train a group of doctors like that, it wouldn't be possible to succeed in such a short time.”
"I understand!" Yan Yue exclaimed excitedly. "As expected of Yangyang, she can actually do something like this. It's simply amazing!"
“Master said that these were all taught to her by the Grand Master, and she was just picking up scraps from others,” Huang Sumu replied gently.
Zong Shuo respectfully cupped his hands and said, "On behalf of the soldiers and the people, thank you, sister-in-law and her master. This act benefits the country and the people; it is a great act of kindness."
"That's why Master established a specialized medical and nursing academy in the Northwest. Anyone, regardless of age or gender, can come and learn as long as they are interested and have the perseverance. In the future, there will also be dedicated clinics where these medical professionals will provide specialized services to patients. In the eyes of a doctor, there is no distinction between genders; to a doctor, both men and women are simply patients. What is currently met with disapproval and inappropriateness will be resolved in the future. We must first open this door so that the world can accept and become accustomed to it, so that we can better serve the people in the near future," Huang Sumu explained solemnly.
Then he looked at Zong Shuo and conveyed Zong Que's words, "Before leaving, His Highness said that if even a place as disciplined as the army cannot accept this matter, then who else can accept it? Those women are willing to take the first step bravely, so how can we, as men, hinder them because of our gender and reputation?"
It's not just a matter of whether they can be accepted by others; what's even more commendable is their willingness to take this step for this cause. That's the most valuable thing. They have to bear greater pressure, but only by taking this step can the future be changed.
Zong Shuo bowed again, saying, "I have learned much."
Huang Sumu hurriedly returned the greeting, "His Highness said he would tell you all this."
Yan Yue suddenly realized, "Oh, I understand now. Cousin is using the special nature of the war to get everyone to accept this, so that it may be possible to truly realize what Yangyang and the others are hoping for in the future!"
Zong Shuo looked in the direction of Yingzhou and thought to himself, "I'm afraid it's more than that."
The border region lacks everything, but what it lacks most is doctors.
Injuries are inevitable for soldiers, especially in wars like this, where countless lives are lost. However, the number of military doctors is limited, and often soldiers have no choice but to endure the pain. But the reality is that many cannot survive, especially in winter, where minor injuries can escalate into serious ones, ultimately leading to death. If a sufficient number of doctors were available to provide timely treatment, their casualties could be reduced by more than half.
Just like this time, if they had only received reinforcements and not these doctors and medical staff, then less than one-tenth of them would have survived last night's battle alone.
This is a matter of life and death.
When faced with life and death, if they still have to consider gender or rules, then they can only wait to die.
So this is a good opportunity, not only for them, but for the entire military camp in the North, everyone needs this kind of assistance.
They accepted these women as medical staff to bandage their wounds and treat their injuries.
This is the first step.
He understood his second brother, Zong Que's true intentions went far beyond this. First, he wanted the world to accept women as doctors and nurses, to leave their homes and do things. The next step would be for women to take the imperial examinations and enter the court.
This is something that even my mother, who had devoted herself to it all before, could not achieve. It is the future that my mother, on her deathbed, still longed for and was unwilling to accept, a future of peace, equality between men and women, and happiness for the people.
Zong Shuo's lips twitched slightly unconsciously. Second Brother was still Second Brother, always thinking three steps ahead, or even more.
How fortunate he is to have followed them to this day.
“My cousin has already arrived in Yingzhou, and Yangyang went back to the capital with him, so she should be here soon, right? Even if it's a little later, the army travels slowly, so it shouldn't be more than a few days later.” Yan Yue put his arm around Huang Sumu's neck. “Hurry up and write a letter to Yingzhou. If Yangyang comes, tell her to come find me first!”
Zong Shuo looked at him expressionlessly, "Follow my orders."
Yan Yue immediately stood at attention. "Yes, General!"