Chapter 71: The Importance of Medicinal Herbs
“Mingzhi!” Yang Zhengshan called out to Yang Mingzhi again. “You’ll take these grain carts to the Left Vanguard of the Prefectural Banner’s camp and inquire if Zhao Yuan has returned!”
The Left Vanguard of the Prefectural Banner’s camp was located on the southern side of Linjiang Fortress, only about ten miles away. Since Yang Zhengshan didn’t plan to leave all the oxen and grain behind, it was better to send them off as soon as possible.
However, Yang Zhengshan was still worried. The current situation at the Left Vanguard of the Prefectural Banner’s camp was uncertain, with few soldiers and the threat of Hu horse riders. Even though they had already lost this battle, Yang Zhengshan hoped the Five Camps of the Prefectural Banner wouldn’t suffer too great a loss.
As long as the Five Camps weren’t severely depleted, the main force of Zhongshan Fortress would still be intact, and the East Sea Hu tribe wouldn’t be too arrogant.
But if the Five Camps suffered heavy losses, the entire Zhongshan Fortress would be in danger.
Under Yang Zhengshan’s arrangement, the training grounds were cleared before noon. However, Zhao Yuan still hadn’t returned, and Zhao Deyi had already led a team to search for news about Zhao Yuan outside the fortress. The situation outside was extremely chaotic, with fleeing soldiers, defeated generals, and Hu horse riders in pursuit, making it difficult to find Zhao Yuan.
In the following days, the situation inside Zhongshan Fortress remained chaotic, with rumors spreading wildly about Zhang Shouwang being captured, Zhang Yude defecting to the Hu tribe, and the Western route army being completely defeated, with the Hu horse riders about to attack the fortress.
As a result, many residents of the fortress fled with their families, more than when the Hu tribe’s army first gathered outside the fortress. The residents were worried about the fortress being attacked, and the news of the defeated army returning had instantly shattered their confidence in Zhongshan Fortress.
Yang Zhengshan, however, felt that such worries were premature. Although Zhongshan Fortress had lost this battle, the imperial power of the Da Rong dynasty was still far from collapsing to the point where they couldn’t defend even one fortress.
The East Sea Hu tribe looked fierce, but they were only a small tribe of about 200,000 to 300,000 people. It was unlikely they would dare to attack Zhongshan Fortress, which would be a significant risk.
Moreover, according to Yang Zhengshan’s information, Zhang Shouwang had not been captured and was still gathering scattered soldiers and stabilizing the situation outside. Zhou Lan had already joined forces with Zhang Shouwang, blocking the Hu horse riders together.
The combat strength of the town’s Left and Right Vanguard was still very formidable. With equal military strength, they could defeat the Hu horse riders head-on.
Four days after Yang Zhengshan returned to Linjiang Fortress, Zhao Yuan finally returned with the last wave of fleeing soldiers.
Zhao Yuan had not escaped with the defeated soldiers but had instead gone to the main commander’s tent and followed the Five Camps in retreat. However, on their way, they encountered Hu horse riders and Zhao Yuan was unfortunately injured.
It was Zhao Deyi who had bravely searched for the retreating army and brought him back.
In the Left Vanguard of the Prefectural Banner’s camp, Yang Zhengshan looked at Zhao Yuan, who was lying unconscious on the bed, and asked, “Doctor, when will he wake up?”
Zhao Deyi replied with a tired face, “The wound has become infected, and he’s had a fever for three days. The doctor said that if he can hold on for two more days, he should be able to wake up.”
At this time, Zhao Yuan’s chest was already bandaged, and Yang Zhengshan had seen the wound earlier. It was a knife wound, from the left shoulder to the lower abdomen, similar to his own wound.
But unfortunately, Zhao Yuan’s wound had become infected, which was fatal in this society with limited medical capabilities. Whether or not he could survive depended on his physical constitution.
Yang Zhengshan knew some medicines that could treat infections, such as sulfonamide, penicillin, and erythromycin, but he didn’t know how to manufacture them.
The Lingquan water didn’t have an effect on treating infections either; it only nourished the body and improved physical constitution.
With the idea of doing no harm, Yang Zhengshan still gave Zhao Yuan a bowl of Lingquan water to drink.
“Tell me as soon as he wakes up!”
Yang Zhengshan instructed Zhao Deyi before leaving, as he was of no use staying there and wasn’t a doctor.
That night, Yang Zhengshan returned to the Lingquan space.
The five days had passed, and the vegetable seeds he had planted had all sprouted. Especially the ones watered with Lingquan, which had grown more than an inch high.
“The Lingquan water helps with plant growth and has a significant benefit to it!”
Yang Zhengshan was delighted to see the sprouted gourd seeds and looked at the other vegetables watered with river water, which also had tender sprouts.
“Even without Lingquan water, they’re still growing faster than those outside!”
“If that’s the case, then this land has great potential!”
Yang Zhengshan thought to himself.
Planting vegetables couldn’t make him rich, but what about planting medicinal herbs?
Although the Lingquan space didn’t have an extraordinary effect on plant growth, it could still provide Yang Zhengshan with significant benefits.
Cultivators needed a large amount of medicinal herbs to aid their practice. Innate realm cultivators could use medicinal baths to enhance their physical constitution, and postnatal realm cultivators could take elixirs to boost their vigor.
Before, Yang Zhengshan didn’t need medicinal herbs because he had Lingquan water, and he was poor.
The saying “the poor can’t cultivate” wasn’t just a myth.
The Yang family had a martial arts legacy, but they couldn’t produce any cultivators. It was because they were poor.
In contrast, martial arts families and noble families could easily produce cultivators. It was because they had the silver to buy various medicinal herbs to aid their practice.
However, to plant medicinal herbs, Yang Zhengshan needed to prepare properly. He currently didn’t have any medicinal herb seeds, and he didn’t know which herbs had higher value.
…
On the ninth day of the eighth month, Zhang Shouwang finally returned with the Five Camps of the Prefectural Banner.
After the main camp was broken, the Eastern route army of Zhongshan Fortress suffered heavy losses, but the Five Camps of the Prefectural Banner hadn’t been severely depleted. However, in the past ten days, Zhang Shouwang had engaged in several battles with the Hu horse riders while gathering scattered soldiers outside the fortress.
Both sides had their victories and defeats, but the Five Camps of the Prefectural Banner had suffered heavy casualties. Zhang Shouwang had brought back the wounded soldiers, and Zhou Lan had also returned with him.
Upon receiving the news, Yang Zhengshan quickly arrived at the Left Vanguard of the Prefectural Banner’s camp.
Zhao Yuan had already woken up, but his body was in a poor state and would need at least two months to recover.
When Yang Zhengshan saw Zhou Lan again, he noticed that Zhou Lan’s eyes were filled with unspoken grievances, which he knew came from their previous defeat outside the fortress.
The Left Vanguard of the Prefectural Banner had suffered heavy losses, with less than 60% of the three thousand cavalrymen returning.
Not only the Left Vanguard but also the Right Vanguard had suffered similarly. They had fought fiercely with the Hu horse riders to ensure Zhang Shouwang’s safety, and although they had won a great victory, they had paid a heavy price.
It was said that they had defeated about eight thousand Hu horse riders, which was a significant achievement. However, the Left Vanguard of the Prefectural Banner had been severely damaged, and even with this victory, they couldn’t make up for their previous losses.
(The chapter ends)
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