"Master, the medicine has arrived."

After entering the room,

Mr. Xie led Xu Yun quickly to the bedside, handing the medicine package to Old Su.

Old Su took the package, skillfully pulling open the sealing line.

Then he pinched a small amount of the herbs, brought them to his nose, and after a sniff, he said with satisfaction:

"The herbs are fine, Xie Yuannian, go to the courtyard and start cooking the medicine."

Mr. Xie acknowledged, took back the package, and then pointed to Xu Yun:

"Master, I came across Wang Lin on my way here, and thought he might have experience in serving others, so I brought him along. What do you think..."

"Wang Lin?"

Hearing this name from Mr. Xie's mouth, Old Su paused slightly.

He then took several glances at Xu Yun, and finally remembered this young servant in green clothing.

It had been four or five days since Xu Yun entered the mansion, and Old Su had been busy with other matters recently.

Although he hadn't completely forgotten about this small and unobtrusive figure, he admittedly hadn't paid him much attention.

After all, his care for Xu Yun was purely out of kindness, and bringing him back to Jingkou was already a benevolent act.

He couldn't possibly keep track of Xu Yun's every move.

Over the years, he had helped other refugees as well, but the logistics never required his personal attention.

Xie Yuannian already had a mature process for handling such matters, sparing him much worry.

However, with Mr. Xie's remark, Old Su recalled Xu Yun's identity as a male actor:

Although he personally had a distaste for the acting profession, his feelings were mainly directed at the patrons, not practitioners like Xu Yun.

Moreover, given the current situation, Xu Yun was indeed the most suitable servant. The maids in the mansion, having only witnessed childbirth or the slaughter of chickens, were inexperienced and unable to adapt quickly to such situations.

Among the maids and the sturdy, blooded guards, Xu Yun was undoubtedly the right and balanced candidate.

Without much hesitation, Old Su nodded and said:

"Very well, Wang Lin, you stay in the room and help me out.

By the way, quickly come and meet the Captain, and the person in bed is the Captain's brother, Wang Yue, wounded in the Western Front battle, a hero of the nation."

Xu Yun responded and stepped forward to Wang Bing.

Looking at Wang Bing standing by the bed and his brother of unknown fate, a surge of complex and overwhelming emotions arose in his heart.

After a brief thought, he solemnly bowed to Wang Bing:

"I am Wang Lin, greeting the Captain."

At this moment, Xu Yun was not wearing official attire, unable to have long sleeves reach the ground, nor to hold his hands past the crown.

Yet, his entire movement was without any slack, his waist and legs forming a perfect 90-degree angle.

This bow was not driven by hierarchy pressure, nor compelled by situation constraints.

It was purely to express a touch of respect in his heart.

This was also a salute on behalf of the countless Huaxia compatriots of future generations who could not come to this era.

This hero, who threw himself into the river and perished, flickered like a star in the night, making the starry sky representing the shameful dimness of the Northern Song not so bleak.

At least when future generations gaze at the stars, they can point to that star and say, look, that is the backbone of our nation!

The heroic spirit of the world, though millennia pass, still stands majestically.

Such a hero surely deserves a bow from Xu Yun!

In fact, if the constraints of the situation allowed, Xu Yun very much wanted to tell him:

Hundreds of years later, though the land changes hands many times, the homeland of Huaxia remains, and the bloodline of Yan and Huang continues, while the barbarians of the past have long vanished.

What supports the bloodline of Huaxia are exactly those backbones that echo the unparalleled integrity!

They are also the spirit of Huaxia...

Soul!

It's peculiar.

At this time, Wang Bing, originally worried about his elder brother's injury, paid no attention to the actions of this 'servant'.

However, for some unknown reason.

The moment Xu Yun bowed to him.

A wordless heaviness strangely surged within his heart, and a warm current flowed silently, leading him to cast a gaze upon Xu Yun.

As if there was some...

A sense of closeness?

Thus, unprecedentedly, this normally stern commander extended his hands and said:

"Please rise, no need to be overly formal."

Upon hearing this, Old Su couldn't help but slightly raise his eyelids, glancing at him with surprise.

Wang Bing's grandfather had once taught Old Su, and the families had maintained contact over the years, often visiting each other during holidays.

This gave him some understanding of Wang Bing's character:

Not mentioning distant matters, just recently at the closure of the Western Front, Wang Bing had treated Wang Hou with cold eyes.

Suddenly, Old Su thought of something, and his look towards Wang Bing changed slightly:

Could it be that his Captain nephew took a liking to Xu Yun at first sight...

He then cleared his throat lightly, brushing off the wandering thoughts in his mind.

He beckoned to Xu Yun:

"Wang Lin, come over here."

After Xu Yun approached, Old Su pointed to Wang Yue on the bed:

"You see, Zhonghou's wound is on the front. When the bandages are stained light yellow with pus, you need to remove them and replace with fresh strips.

Also, every three hours, you need to change the bedpan, and provide care for at least 5 hours a day, alternating between morning and evening shifts.

As for cleaning the lower body, that can be left to the maids. Do you understand?"

Xu Yun nodded as he listened, indicating he remembered everything.

Although he wasn't sure about Zhonghou's exact rank, with Wang Bing currently being a Junior Sixth Grade, Wang Yue couldn't possibly be a marquis.

Therefore, this must be one of the many military ranks during the Song Dynasty.

Xu Yun's judgment wasn't far from the truth; Zhonghou was indeed an ordinary military rank with only two levels:

Junior Seventh Grade Huaihua Zhonghou, and Junior Seventh Grade Gui De Zhonghou.

In which Wang Yue's rank was Gui De Zhonghou, slightly lower than his brother's.

Anyone familiar with Northern Song history would know.

The tradition of the Song Dynasty was to value rank over grade.

Thus, in the Imperial Guard system, the role of Gui De Zhonghou was roughly equivalent to the company commander in today's core combat regiment.

If we must describe, it was a position with some authority, and certainly not cannon fodder.

Although Xu Yun couldn't see Wang Yue's exact wound due to the bandages.

But judging from the thickness of the bandage and his physical condition, he was probably an intrepid warrior who led by example.

Afterwards, Xu Yun waited for another half-hour, when suddenly Old Su said:

"Wang Lin, the pus has oozed out, it's time to change the dressing.

Stand by my side, I will demonstrate the key points to you, and you can follow suit in the future."

Xu Yun's expression changed slightly, and he quickly moved to the bedside, listening intently.

At this time, Wang Yue had already been supported on the shoulder by Wang Bing, his body raised about thirty degrees.

His waist leaning against a cushion, he was humming some unidentified syllables.

Old Su held a wooden tool resembling tweezers, gently revealing Wang Yue's wound.

As the fabric was peeled off.

A strong smell of blood and pus immediately filled the small area by the bedside.

Looking towards Wang Yue's chest, one could see a diagonal gash of about thirty centimeters long.

With a width of three or four centimeters, the injury looked extremely horrific.

Yet, perhaps a small fortune amidst the misfortune, the blade had cut from Wang Yue's right chest to his left abdomen, sparing his heart.

As the bandage was lifted, a significant amount of bloody fluid flowed from the wound, but what made one frown was.....

Around the wound, there was still a large amount of decaying flesh and yellow pus sacs.

It was obvious.

The wound showed signs of infection.

Old Su shook his head and sighed as he peeled off the bandage, saying:

"Zheng Chen, Zheng Ru's injuries... I'm afraid are quite problematic."

Wang Bing's hands, supporting Wang Yue, remained steady, though his eyes flashed with a hint of evident anger:

"The terrain in Weichuan is treacherous with many trees, and the Western Xia barbarians took the opportunity to ambush from within, launching a night raid on the camp.

Night assaults on camps are common in warfare, who could have predicted, after Zheng Ru held their attack, the Western Xia barbarians disregarded friend from foe and fired poisoned arrows into the middle camp!

Zheng Ru led four hundred men to repel over a thousand enemies, yet he himself was struck by a sneak attack, with poison smeared on the blade.

If not for the rare medicine from Commander Tong to sustain his life, Zheng Ru might not have made it back to Bianjing."

Old Su used the wooden clamp to gently lift a piece of scab, knitting his brows as he said:

"Their aim was clearly Zheng Ru's life, the poison being secondary, but even smeared aged sewage on the blade.

Now Zheng Ru's wound is festering, his fever won't subside....

Although this recipe of mine is an ancestral folk remedy, whether it can save him, I have no confidence in my heart either..."

Despite these words, Wang Bing's expression didn't change much.

Yet the grip on Wang Yue's hand tightened involuntarily.

He lost his father young, and his mother passed two years ago.

Though the collateral branches of his family had a few members, direct relatives were only his nine-year-old son and Wang Yue.

From ancient times, soldiers dying on the battlefield wrapped in horsehide is considered fate and honor.

But to die from such a despicable method, that kind of "martyrdom" has nothing to do with honor at all.

However, everything now seems to be heading to a less favorable direction, if fate has truly destined such for his brother.....

The only thing he could do might just be to kill more Xia bandits to console Wang Yue.

As Wang Bing's thoughts surged.

Creak——

Mr. Xie, the old chief steward boiling medicine in the courtyard, entered the room with a bowl of medicinal soup:

"Master, the medicine is ready."

Old Su took the bowl, tasted it with a spoon, nodded:

"The heat is about right, Zheng Chen, Wang Lin, help Zheng Ru sit up."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yun quickly moved behind Wang Yue to assist Wang Bing in straightening Wang Yue, careful not to touch any wounds.

Old Su slowly stirred the soup bowl, feeding the medicine into Wang Yue's mouth, spoon by spoon.

Wang Yue was not fully unconscious yet, so the process of drinking the medicine did not encounter much trouble.

Less than half a quarter-hour.

The medicinal soup was completely poured into Wang Yue's stomach.

Then Old Su signaled Xu Yun and others to lay Wang Yue flat, letting out a long sigh:

"Whether Zheng Ru can pull through depends on this medicine.

If the fever subsides within three hours, Zheng Ru still has a chance; if not..."

Old Su didn't finish his sentence, but everyone present wasn't foolish, they naturally understood the implications.

Seeing this, Xu Yun opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to say something.

Yet, in the end, he chose to remain silent, determined to first observe the effect of Old Su's medicine.

A quarter-hour....

A half-hour.....

An hour.....

The time ticked by, as if conducting a countdown.

After three hours.

The atmosphere in the room reached an all-time low:

It had been three hours since Wang Yue took the medicine, yet instead of lowering, his body temperature increased significantly.

"Brother... Brother..."

Whether it was due to the fever, Wang Yue's consciousness grew increasingly blurry.

He waved his hands about, continually murmuring:

"Kill bandits... reclaim Yanyun... brother.... kill bandits..."

Upon seeing this, Wang Bing could no longer maintain his previous calmness.

The cold-faced man rushed to the bedside in one leap gripping his brother's hand tightly, his eyes bloodshot:

"Zheng Ru!"

Seeing this, Old Su sighed sadly,

Closing his eyes, he looked bitterly at the sky.

Just as he was about to summon Mr. Xie to give some instructions, he suddenly heard Xu Yun speak:

"Sir, I might have some ideas regarding Zhonghou's injuries."

.....

Note:

Happy New Year everyone!!!! See you on the first day of the new year!!!

It's the last day, asking for some monthly votes!!!!

......

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