Chapter 12: The Veteran Doctor Becomes an Apprentice

“Uh… I… might I take Miss Han as my teacher?”

“What?”

Han Lei was so startled that her jaw nearly hit the ground. Just as she was wondering how to respond, a hearty laugh came from outside the tent.

“Hahahaha…”

Zhao Zun entered. “At last, this prince gets to see you prostrate yourself before someone. Hahahaha…”

Behind him came Pingchuan, Ma Cheng, and the young officer who had led the troops yesterday. All three wore amused expressions as they looked at Old He.

Old He’s face was a picture of embarrassment. He cupped his fists toward Han Lei and said, “Marshal, please don’t mock this old man. I am sincerely asking to become your disciple.”

“Yes, yes. Old He is humble and eager to learn. Truly admirable!” Ma Cheng joined in the teasing.

“Hmph! Naturally. When you don’t understand something, you should ask for guidance with an open mind.” Old He shot him a glare.

Zhao Zun pressed his lips together in a smile and looked toward Han Lei. “Did you hear that? You actually managed to make the arrogant, self-important Old He bow his head and ask to become your disciple. That is no small achievement.”

Han Lei’s pretty face flushed. What merit did she possess? How could she dare accept a disciple?

Old He’s aged face reddened as well.

“Doctor Han, please don’t laugh at me. To be honest, when I first saw you yesterday, I truly looked down on you. I thought, what could a young girl possibly know? Perhaps you had merely read a few medical texts.”

“Heh.” Old He gave a self-mocking laugh. “But when I witnessed your suturing technique with my own eyes, I realized how thoroughly I had been humbled. Your movements were practiced, and every stitch was precise. I stood there utterly dumbfounded, secretly astonished. And then there were the surgical knives you mentioned, as well as those methods of disinfection and infection prevention. You truly opened my eyes—and made me deeply ashamed of myself.”

Old He drew a deep breath and sighed with emotion. “Ah! I’ve spent my entire life in military camps and treated tens of thousands of wounded soldiers. Behind my back, they all called me a veteran of the trade. Only today have I truly understood that there is always a higher heaven beyond the heavens, and a better person beyond every person.”

Han Lei gave a shy smile. “Uncle He, you make too much of it. You and I have simply studied in different directions. Surgical suturing combines ordinary medical practice with the latest medical theories and practical experience. As for becoming your teacher, I would never dare accept such an honor. If you are interested, Uncle He, we can discuss these things together and improve side by side.”

“Good! Good!”

Old He’s eyes shone as he nodded like a pecking chicken.

“Old He, you’d better study hard. Don’t let your master beat your palms with a ruler! Hahaha…”

The young officer laughed heartily. He had stayed behind yesterday to help and had personally witnessed the entire process of Han Lei treating the wounded. Seeing the men who had nearly been killed by his own blade and those of his subordinates return from the brink of death, he sincerely hoped Old He would succeed in becoming her disciple. If he did, more of their brothers might survive future battles.

“Hahahaha…”

Everyone burst into laughter, and Han Lei could not help laughing as well. Her laughter was sweet and clear as a silver bell.

Zhao Zun turned and gazed deeply at Han Lei. Her humility had been pleasing to behold. She did not flaunt her abilities, nor did she belittle Old He simply because her medical skills were superior. She knew exactly how to advance and retreat, and carried herself with effortless grace.

She truly was different from those pampered noble ladies and daughters of distinguished families. She was like a dazzling ray of light, yet the light was not harsh. It only made people feel warm and yearn to draw near. Even his heart could not help but stir.

Suddenly, a clear chime rang inside Han Lei’s mind. She kept the smile on her face, but turned her consciousness toward the system.

“Ding! Congratulations, host. You have successfully treated numerous wounded soldiers. You are rewarded with five hundred taels of gold and a portable storage space.”

Wow, I’m rich! Five hundred taels of gold—and there’s even a storage space?

Whenever Han Lei purchased something from the system, she had to take it out immediately, which was highly inconvenient if someone happened to be nearby. With a storage space, she could put the system’s goods inside first and carry them with her wherever she went. No matter how many items there were, she could bring them out all at once with a single thought. For example, she could transfer a large shipment directly into a warehouse. That would make things far more convenient.

The storage space took the form of a small, exquisitely crafted watch. Worn on the wrist, it could tell the time and store objects.

Han Lei closed the system panel and returned her attention to the present.

“Uncle He, take them to inspect the other tents as well. If you find anything amiss, come back and tell me. Pingchuan, you go too. I have something to discuss with His Highness.”

“Right away!”

At his master’s command, Old He hurried off with great enthusiasm.

After sending the others away, Han Lei thought for a moment. She then pushed Zhao Zun’s wheelchair out of the tent and asked him with unusual seriousness, “Of the ten thousand jin of grain you gave me the night before last, how much is left?”

“At most, enough to last through tomorrow.” A troubled expression crossed Zhao Zun’s face. That was assuming they continued eating nothing but thin porridge at every meal.

“Then how long before the grain sent by the Ministry of War arrives?” Han Lei asked again.

“Usually, it arrives before the fifth day of every month. But with the snow making the roads slippery, there’s no telling whether it will arrive on time.”

Han Lei frowned as she calculated. “It’s only the end of the month. Even if it arrives on schedule, we still have to wait five or six days.”

The grain would last at most through tomorrow. Could they really gnaw on grass roots and tree bark for the next five or six days?

She had just received a reward of five hundred taels of gold and had been thinking she had finally made a small fortune. But there were still so many wounded soldiers who needed their medicines changed and their wounds treated, while the army still needed food to survive. She could not simply stand by and watch the soldiers run out of provisions.

“Ah…” Han Lei clutched her head and wailed. “Heavens above! You sent me across time and space—surely you didn’t bring me here just to help the poor?”

Zhao Zun was startled. “You… are you all right?”

Han Lei looked dejectedly at Zhao Zun and decided that she might as well continue serving the suffering masses.

“I can obtain some more grain and medicine. But…”

“But what?”

Zhao Zun’s eyes lit up. This girl always managed to bring him pleasant surprises whenever he was at the end of his hope.

“It will only last another five or six days. And you must not tell anyone that I obtained the grain.”

“Why not?”

“If you want the grain, don’t ask why. I told you, once this crisis is over, I’ll explain everything.”

“Very well. I won’t ask, and I won’t let anyone else know.” Zhao Zun raised a hand as though swearing an oath.

So long as there was grain, he was willing to do anything. Besides, the night before last, Han Lei had taken ten thousand jin of grain and a great deal of medicine out of an ambulance that was not even particularly large. He had already found the matter strange. He knew the girl was hiding many secrets. But since she was unwilling to speak of them now, it was best not to press her.

After all, Han Lei had said she would tell him once this crisis had passed. There was no need to rush.

Seeing how seriously Zhao Zun was preparing to swear an oath, Han Lei waved her hand. “Forget it. There’s no need to swear. Remember, this is a secret known only to the two of us. Take me to where the grain is stored.”

A secret known only to the two of them?

Zhao Zun was overjoyed.

Did this mean Han Lei regarded him as the person she trusted most?

Zhao Zun pointed in a direction, and Han Lei quickly pushed his wheelchair to a row of wooden buildings beside the cookhouse.

“The warehouse where we store the grain is here,” Zhao Zun said as he pushed open one of the doors.

Han Lei followed him inside. The place was pitch-black and empty. Perhaps to prevent dampness, logs and planks had been scattered across the packed-earth floor, with several used burlap sacks lying on top.

“Your Highness, what you are about to see may seem quite unbelievable. But remember—under no circumstances may you speak of it to anyone.” Han Lei turned to Zhao Zun, her expression extraordinarily solemn.

“Yes!”

Zhao Zun nodded gravely.