Chapter 407 - 401: Material Collection
This time, after getting injured, he stayed in the medical tent the entire time, observing how they treated the wounded.
Honestly, Military Doctor Cheng and his team’s efficiency is considered very fast for this era, but in Fu Tinghan’s eyes, the division of labor is not clear enough, medical resources are extremely scarce, and efficiency is also very slow. They need an overhaul from top to bottom.
While Fu Tinghan was conducting trials on the scale production of penicillin in Chen County, he was also busy with reforming the military medical system.
And the announcement issued by Ji Yuan spread swiftly, soon reaching the ears of the wandering refugees. Coincidentally, a group of refugees arrived at Chen Family’s Castle, having heard that refugees were being sheltered here.
Only upon arrival did they find out that the new Inspector had designated this place as the county seat, intending to build a town here, and so was sheltering refugees and paying them with work.
Upon hearing this, the refugees’ spirits were lifted, and they immediately followed into the castle to survive.
The newcomers all voiced their praises of the Inspector’s benevolence.
However, privately, there was a quiet rumor that the new Inspector was ruthless. If anyone dared oppose her, she would have the military doctors dissect them.
The bandits on the mountain refused to surrender and killed many of her soldiers, so she handed the captives to the military doctors, who dissected them with extreme cruelty, and there’s even talk of cannibalism.
Among them, a young man dragging his wife and children overheard this rumor and, after a brief thought, led his family to the Chen home’s front door to seek an audience with Zhao Hanzhang.
Recently, many people have entered the castle, but few have directly asked to see Zhao Hanzhang.
So, upon hearing of it, Zhao Hanzhang had the person invited in.
The young man was thin but appeared quite tall. Seeing Zhao Hanzhang seated above, he was a bit surprised, knowing the new Inspector was a young woman, but not expecting her to be so young.
However, he dared not be lax, pulling his wife and child to their knees, saying, "Commoner Zhang Sheng greets the Lord."
"Rise," Zhao Hanzhang nodded warmly and said, "I heard you requested to see me, may I know the reason?"
Zhang Sheng rose and bowed, "I heard outside that the Lord is recruiting doctors, so I dared to give it a try."
"Oh?" Zhao Hanzhang, knowing this was the announcement Ji Yuan issued through the Inspector Mansion, leaned forward interestedly and asked with a smile, "Are you good at medicine?"
Zhang Sheng replied, "I consider myself quite good."
His wife, standing beside him, looked a bit apprehensive, nervously clutching the corner of her clothing. Zhao Hanzhang glanced over and asked with a smile, "So, Doctor Zhang, what illness are you particularly skilled in treating?"
"I have some knowledge in most areas, but I’m particularly skilled in external injuries."
That indeed suits a military doctor very well.
Zhao Hanzhang said with a smile, "A few days ago we had some wounded soldiers from a bandit suppression action who have not yet healed. Would Doctor Zhang be willing to treat them?"
Zhang Sheng readily agreed.
Though winter was here, some injuries still healed poorly, festered, and rotted. This required cutting open the skin, squeezing out the pus, removing the rotten flesh, and then applying medicine.
That’s exactly the kind of patients Zhao Hanzhang wanted him to handle.
Zhang Sheng pulled out his knife without a change in expression and began to work.
Watching him skillfully excise the rotten flesh, more deftly than Military Doctor Cheng, Zhao Hanzhang raised an eyebrow.
There were eight injured soldiers selected by Zhao Hanzhang, each with slightly different wounds, all external injuries, and each one was handled smoothly and adeptly by Zhang Sheng.
Zhao Hanzhang was very pleased and invited Zhang Sheng to lunch together.
Zhang Sheng was a little surprised. He was only a doctor, even though intending to join her, but at most he would be a military doctor. Is this the kind of treatment external doctors receive now?
A State Governor actually invited him to a meal in person.
Nonetheless, Zhang Sheng accepted, somewhat apprehensively joining Zhao Hanzhang for a meal.
Zhao Hanzhang glanced at his wife and son and smiled, "Doctor Zhang is blessed indeed, having family by your side."
Zhang Sheng relaxed slightly, nodding, "Yes, it’s the greatest fortune of my life."
"Would Doctor Zhang be willing to follow Hanzhang and settle here in Yu State?" Since she was recruiting, naturally the terms needed to be made clear. Zhao Hanzhang disliked ambiguity in such matters which could lead to suspicion, so she straightforwardly said, "Considering you have a family, difficult for them to serve in the military, I will arrange housing for you near the military camp or in the city."
Zhang Sheng’s eyes brightened as Zhao Hanzhang continued, "As for your salary, it matches that of Military Doctor Cheng, three thousand coins monthly, and three dou of grain. How does that sound?"
The offer was generous, leaving Zhang Sheng a bit uneasy, "And my daily duties would be..."
"Naturally, the duties of a military doctor; in addition, I want you to train apprentices," Zhao Hanzhang said, "Yu State has ten commanderies, with many stationed troops. Currently, the skill level of the military doctors varies and they are scarce. I need you to train apprentices and occasionally give lectures at the school."
She added, "Naturally, lecturing at the school will have an additional remuneration."
Zhang Sheng did not object.
Over the past year, they had wandered endlessly, surviving solely due to his medical skills, occasionally earning some grain in exchange for treating illnesses, allowing his family of three to barely survive.
But hoping for stability and prosperity was impossible.
He had tried to find more prominent castles to settle in, but the outcomes were always disappointing.
First, compared to scholars, doctors were not valued, and second, he had bad luck, always encountering people who knew him after settling, and his reputation wasn’t good, even resulting in expulsion after joining.
Zhang Sheng hesitated briefly but chose not to reveal his checkered past, deciding a day of opportunity is better than none, hoping for any additional gains before the next inevitable misfortune.
Zhao Hanzhang found him satisfactory and immediately called Qiu Wu, "Take Doctor Zhang to the military to find a tent to rest in, and settle his family properly."
Qiu Wu bowed and agreed, "Yes."
After handling the documents sent from Chen County, Zhao Hanzhang stood and went to find Zhao Cheng. Seeing him, she broke into a big smile, quickly approaching, "Uncle Cheng, have you rested well today?"
Zhao Cheng nodded lightly, "You’ve settled the refugees I brought, leaving me entirely free, so how could I not rest well?"
He understood his niece well, knowing she wouldn’t seek him unless with purpose, especially during such busy times, so he asked directly, "What do you need from me?"
"My dear Uncle knows me well," Zhao Hanzhang said with a smiling squint, "I was hoping to ask Uncle Cheng for a few people."
Zhao Cheng anticipated her request, remarking, "You’ve already taken the older ones like Zhao Kuan and Zhao Rong. Now, those left with me are youngsters like Zhao Ze."
He paused and said, "Your clan brothers, if you don’t mind, you can take them for use."
He referred to the young men always by Zhao Cheng’s side, only three. Of the three, two were from a branch of the Zhao Family with poor backgrounds, who started working for the Seventh Ancestor at twelve and gradually became long-term workers.
When Zhao Cheng traveled, they served as carriage drivers and attendants. Formally, they were Zhao Family clansmen, but long recognized as servants of the Seventh Ancestor’s household.
But Zhao Cheng didn’t see them as mere servants, having them follow his students to learn reading and writing. But talent is one of those things, difficult to articulate.
Sometimes without talent, no matter how hard one tries, it is futile.
The two of them belonged to this category.