After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 847 - 834: Gathering Materials

Qiu Wu finished reading the letter, immediately returned it with both hands to Zhao Ming, and solemnly accepted the orders.

Zhao Ming then instructed both to go and prepare.

Separated by a city, Zhao Hanzhang returned to the military camp with a chill around her, threw down her long spear, and turned to the wounded soldiers’ camp.

Injured soldiers were being carried back continuously, mainly injured by stones and arrows, and there was also the burning oil...

At the entrance, military nurses were sorting the injured, categorizing them by the severity and urgency of their injuries, and having them carried to different areas for treatment.

Among the Zhao Family Army led by Zhao Hanzhang, there were only fifteen military nurses, with eighty-six military nurses, most of whom were women.

They were strong and skilled, stopping bleeding, sawing off legs, and digging out arrows as soon as the injured were carried in.

As Zhao Hanzhang walked, she rolled up her sleeves and asked the head nurse who had rushed over, "Is the medicine still enough?"

"It’s still enough, a batch of medicinal herbs was just sent over from Luoyang, but we are short-handed. Sir, if we continue the siege tomorrow, the number of wounded will likely increase."

After a brief contemplation, Zhao Hanzhang said, "I will have Tinghan find more people for you."

The head nurse agreed.

Zhao Hanzhang waved him off to continue his work, rolled up her sleeves, and went to help. Both she and Fu Tinghan had learned battlefield emergency treatment from the nurses, and now the military’s treatment scale was due to their years of management and training.

Unfortunately, specialized talents like doctors are still rare. Though trained for three years, there are only a bit more than a hundred military nurses; fortunately, quite a few are in training, and with the military nurses’ assistance, the treatment and care of the injured are much better than before.

But to Zhao Hanzhang, it is still far from enough.

She stayed in the injured soldiers’ camp until nightfall. After ensuring the injured had been treated and calmed, she left, covered in blood.

The subordinate generals in the military had already made arrangements and were waiting in the large tent.

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t change her clothes, simply wiped her hands, and asked, "Any news from various places?"

The subordinate general Zhao Ze reported, "Back to you, sir, we have lost contact with both Meng County and Ningling, but judging by the sounds, the main attack has initiated. There seems to be an offensive from the direction of Sui County and Wuping, and eighty miles from Xiaxi County, there’s the silhouette of an army."

Fu Tinghan handed over a piece of paper saying, "Just received news, three days ago, Shi Le quietly split off a main force leaving Xiaxi County, their movement seems directed towards Jizhou."

Zhao Hanzhang’s eyes brightened, asking, "How many people?"

"Scouts couldn’t find out temporarily; they bypassed our recaptured cities, moving rapidly towards Jizhou through Qingzhou’s western Yan State, and all traces along the way have been swept clear."

Zhao Hanzhang said, "It seems that Shi Le has left few in Xiaxi County. Now that Meng County and Ningling are under strong attack and we have recaptured so many lost territories, he is very likely withdrawing to Yan State to preserve his strength."

Zhao Hanzhang tapped the table and said, "Shi Le will certainly rescue Zhi Xiong and Tao Bao and might abandon Xiaxi County to support Meng County and Ningling, Chen Yi."

A bearded man immediately stepped forward and respectfully answered, "I’m here."

"Tomorrow, take two teams to guard the roads from Xiaxi County; if you find enemy presence, report immediately!"

"Yes!"

Zhao Hanzhang said, "Zhao Ze, Wuliang."

"I’m here."

"Continue the strong attack tomorrow; within three days, we must seize Meng County!"

"Yes!"

Once they retreated, Zhao Hanzhang asked Fu Tinghan, "How much more gunpowder can be made with the available materials?"

Fu Tinghan replied, "Ten pounds."

Zhao Hanzhang frowned.

Fu Tinghan noticed her frown and said, "Tomorrow, I’ll take people out to search for saltpeter and sulfur."

He continued, "The equipment is available in the army; as long as we find the materials, even if they are crude, I can refine them."

After some thought, Zhao Hanzhang nodded, "Take more people with you."

Fu Tinghan agreed.

Due to war, even finding a common villager nearby was difficult. Fu Tinghan had to travel far before finding several abandoned elders in a village.

The village was deserted, with only five elders huddled together in a house.

Actually, they weren’t that old; one was only thirty-nine, but his hair was gray, his back hunched, and his face full of troubled wrinkles. All five were barefoot, their clothes barely covering them.

When they saw Fu Tinghan on horseback, they immediately hid inside, shivering and afraid to come out.

Only after Fu An shouted several times outside, saying they were the Zhao Family Army, did the elders come out trembling, casting cloudy looks over the soldiers’ faces before settling on Fu Tinghan.

Seeing his gentle demeanor and noble appearance, they bowed even lower, kneeling immediately after stepping over the threshold, saying in quivering voices, "All the young men in the village were taken by the barbarians or have fled; no labor left in the village, nor any grain."

Fu Tinghan stepped forward to help them up, took the bag of grain from Fu An, and placed it in their hands, saying, "We are not here to recruit soldiers or collect grain; Zhao Family Army is reclaiming Meng County. If we are fortunate to receive your help, the battle might end early and those who have left can return sooner."

The elders exchanged glances, anxiously inquiring, "How could we help the general?"

"Is it to act as human shields?" One elder touched the grain bag that had just been given and, gritting his teeth, said, "It’s not impossible, but this grain is insufficient; we won’t be full, at least add another two pounds so we can go eat well first."

As he spoke, the other elders quickly nodded, "Yes, even if we die, we want to die full!"

Human shields are when civilian and captive are driven upfront to absorb arrows from the city wall during a siege, allowing the army behind to have time to rush in.

Shi Le and Liu Cong often drive Han people and captives as shields, and several cities were captured this way, with heavy Han casualties.

Fu Tinghan had never faced such a situation, but hearing about it was enough to imagine the devastation, his heart trembled, and he shook his head, saying, "Not as shields; Zhao Family Army needs some items, and we are unfamiliar with our surroundings, so we wish to ask you elders about them."

Fu Tinghan described sulfur and saltpeter, "... with a particularly pungent smell, or is there a hot spring nearby?"

After a pause, he added, "Does your village or do you know anywhere with old, especially smelly latrines?"

With no luck finding saltpeter, they would have to consider toilets.

Finally, the five elders led Fu Tinghan to a latrine at the village’s end, a heavy odor assaulting him, forcing Fu Tinghan to cover his mouth and nose.

The elders said, "This is where our village stores manure and compost."

Fu An covered his nose in disbelief, "Your village also stores liquid manure?"

Noblemen are troublesome; manure is manure, yet they call it liquid gold.

But the elders didn’t voice that, saying, "This was arranged by Zhao Family Army, saying Governor Zhao had concocted a new formula for quick composting. The fertilizer produced is quick and good; indeed, harvests increased by ten percent during those years."

"Alas, good times didn’t last; who knew barbarians would attack again and capture our county? Two years’ savings vanished overnight; we must have committed grave sins in our past lives to be born into chaos in this life."