Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

Chapter 230 The Duty of a Physician

Before the ripples of the Miao people's heart returning to their homeland had subsided, an official edict, personally drafted by Chen Xing and stamped with the imperial seal and the Ministry of War's seal, was delivered to Lan Fenghuang, who was temporarily residing in a corner of the Feihu Pass camp, in the "Hundred Herbs Cottage," a newly built facility with the assistance of Baiyue believers.

The imperial edict was worded solemnly and clearly:

"...You, the Holy Maiden of the Baiyue religion, Lan Fenghuang, are intelligent and knowledgeable in traditional Chinese medicine, especially skilled in treating miasma and poisons, and also understand the nature of all things in the mountains and forests. Now, the nation is on a southern expedition, and the soldiers are fighting bravely. However, the Jiangnan region is damp and prone to miasma, making it susceptible to disease and epidemics, a truly worrying situation. I am deeply concerned about this. Therefore, I hereby appoint you as the Chief Physician of the army, with a rank equivalent to the fifth grade, overseeing all physicians and pharmacists in the southern expeditionary forces. Your duties include treating the wounded and sick, preventing and controlling epidemics and miasma, identifying poisons, and managing the distribution of all medicinal materials and supplies. Furthermore, you are permitted to establish a 'Special Intelligence and Medicine Scout' team, selecting capable individuals to investigate epidemics, water sources, and possible poisoning schemes within enemy territory, reporting intelligence directly to the headquarters. I hope you will diligently serve the king, make good use of your strengths, ensure the health of the soldiers, and assist me in pacifying Jiangnan as soon as possible. This is my decree."

Along with the imperial edict came a set of medical officer attire modified according to the regulations for fifth-rank civil officials—a scarlet round-necked robe, embroidered egret patches, a black gauze hat, and a small bronze official seal with the inscription "Seal of the Chief Medical Officer of the Southern Expeditionary Camp".

Holding the imperial edict and official robes, Lan Fenghuang stood at the entrance of the medicine hut, gazing at the Xingqi soldiers drilling and the busy physicians and apprentices not far away, lost in thought for a long time. From childhood, she had been revered as a saintess, holding a high position within the Baiyue religion, but that was largely based on faith and blood ties of awe. This formal appointment from the emperor of the Central Plains Empire, however, represented a completely different kind of recognition—a recognition of her personal abilities, an acceptance of the knowledge system she represented, and a weighty entrustment concerning the lives of countless soldiers.

"Your Majesty... do you really want me to manage so much?" she murmured to herself, her eyes sparkling with a complex light—excitement, trepidation, and a warm feeling of being trusted.

The eunuch who came to deliver the imperial edict respectfully replied, "His Majesty said that the Holy Maiden is deeply versed in the medicine and toxicology of the South, a skill beyond the reach of ordinary people. At this critical moment in the southern campaign, the health of the soldiers is crucial to the fate of the nation, and this position is one that only the Holy Maiden can fulfill. His Majesty also instructed that the Holy Maiden may use and inspect all the existing personnel and supplies of the Medical Bureau, and if there is any need for supplementation or restructuring, she may directly submit a memorial."

Lan Fenghuang took a deep breath, carefully putting away the imperial edict, her fingers tracing the cool bronze seal. She knew this was no idle post, nor was it a perfunctory arrangement. The Emperor had entrusted her, an "outsider," with the most vulnerable yet crucial link in the southern expeditionary army—medical support. This trust weighed as heavily as a thousand pounds.

She didn't hesitate for long before changing into the scarlet physician's robe. The robe was a little loose, but it accentuated her slender figure. Under the black gauze hat, her face, painted with light-colored totems, lost some of its rustic mystery and gained more of the dignity and heroic spirit of a court official. These elements blended together in a strange way, creating a unique charm.

On that very day, Lan Fenghuang officially took office. The first thing she did was to convene a brief meeting with all the medical officers and pharmacists in the camp, as well as several elders skilled in medicine who had recently returned from Miao territory.

The meeting was held in the open space in front of the medicine hut. Facing dozens of gazes—some curious, some scrutinizing, some slightly resentful—Lan Fenghuang remained calm and got straight to the point:

"Fellow colleagues, I, Phoenix, am entrusted with the position of physician by His Majesty's trust. I am aware of my youth and limited knowledge, and my understanding of Central Plains medicine is not profound. However, I have some experience with the miasma, insect poisons, and forest diseases of the South. I have summoned you all here today not to establish my authority, but to discuss matters together. Most of the soldiers on the southern expedition are from the North, and they are prone to illness upon entering the Jiangnan region. There are three most urgent matters at present: first, to prevent heatstroke, dampness, and miasma; second, to treat external injuries and poisonous wounds; and third, to prepare emergency antidotes."

Her voice was clear and crisp, and her points were well-organized. She quickly pointed out the common ailments in the military, the state of medical supplies, and some potential problems she had observed. She then proposed several specific improvement measures:

First, she immediately compiled and distributed "A Brief Guide to Disease Prevention for Soldiers on the Southern Expedition," using simple language and illustrations to inform soldiers how to identify poisonous plants and animals, how to purify drinking water, and how to maintain personal hygiene to prevent heatstroke and dampness-related illnesses. This was dictated by her, recorded and compiled by several clerks, and supplemented with illustrations by Miao elders.

Secondly, a comprehensive inventory of the existing medicinal herb warehouse was conducted, and as per her request, a large quantity of several types of commonly used Miao herbs for detoxification, heat-clearing, and dampness removal were purchased or collected locally, such as honeysuckle, isatis root, houttuynia cordata, and raw materials for several special insect repellent and snake-repellent powders.

Third, reform the wounded soldier treatment process. For ordinary knife and arrow wounds, the methods of wound medicine and suturing familiar to the Central Plains military medical officers will still be used; however, for suspected poisoning, poisoning by Gu, or fever and coma of unknown cause, it is necessary to report immediately, and she or a designated Miao doctor will personally examine the wounds and establish an independent "poison wound isolation camp" to prevent infection or mistreatment.

Fourth, establish "medicine scouting teams." Select clever warriors who have surrendered from Miao territory and existing scouts who have some knowledge of herbs, give them short-term training, and assign them the task of scouting whether water sources in enemy-occupied areas have been poisoned, whether there are any abnormal epidemics, and to collect information on poisons that may be used for military purposes.

Some of these measures challenged the established practices and "authority" of the medical officer system, especially the designation of Miao physicians to handle special injuries and the formation of a drug scouting team, which made several veteran military doctors uneasy. However, Lan Fenghuang remained resolute, offering compelling reasons and citing the imperial edict's authorization to "oversee" and "specialize in" these tasks. Most importantly, she didn't just talk the talk; she immediately demonstrated the astonishing effects of several Miao antidotes—instantly saving a soldier bitten by a venomous snake who had been deemed beyond saving.

Facts speak louder than words. Coupled with the emperor's explicit support, dissenting voices were quickly suppressed. The Imperial Medical Bureau began operating efficiently.

Lan Fenghuang was extremely busy. During the day, she inspected the various camps, checked hygiene, examined the wounded, guided the dispensing of medicine, and trained medicine scouts; at night, she would discuss cases with Miao elders and Central Plains medical officers in the medicine hut, improve prescriptions, or personally try to make new insect-repelling and miasma-preventing sachets. Her intelligence and pragmatism were once again on display. She quickly memorized the names and physical characteristics of most of the major generals and important officers, and could even prepare medicines in advance to prevent the spread of miasma to a general based on his recent patrol route, and send them to him.

In just a few days, non-combat casualties in the army caused by acclimatization problems and mosquito bites decreased significantly; the recovery of wounded soldiers also improved; and the soldiers' initial curiosity and observation of the young, beautiful, yet highly skilled and seemingly omniscient "Blue Physician" quickly transformed into sincere respect and trust. Even the older military doctors, who were initially somewhat skeptical, were completely convinced after witnessing her miraculously save a captain whose body was covered in sores from a rare poisonous insect bite, and began to humbly seek her advice on identifying and treating southern poisons.

That evening, after finishing his military duties, Chen Xing strolled to the medicine hut. Inside, the hut was brightly lit, and the air was filled with the mixed aroma of herbs. Lan Fenghuang, sleeves rolled up, was intently pounding something in a stone mortar with a Miao elder. Fine beads of sweat glistened on her nose, and her crimson official robes were stained with a little herbal juice, but she didn't look disheveled at all; instead, she exuded a unique liveliness.

She didn't notice Chen Xing's arrival until the elder bowed. Only then did she look up and see the emperor standing at the door. Her eyes lit up immediately. She put down the pestle, wiped her hands with a cloth, and quickly came forward: "Your Majesty, what brings you here? Are you unwell?" Her concern was natural.

Chen Xing smiled and shook his head: "I am fine, I just came to check on you. You've worked hard these past few days. I heard that the number of sick people in the camp has decreased significantly, and the soldiers are praising you highly."

Lan Fenghuang blushed slightly, somewhat embarrassed: "This is Fenghuang's duty, and I am also grateful for the help of my colleagues." She led Chen Xing to visit the newly set-up medicinal herb sorting area, poison specimen rack, and the sketch map of the distribution of southern epidemics that was being drawn in the medicine house, introducing them as if they were her own treasures.

Looking at the woman before him, who had so quickly and efficiently managed the Medical Officer's Office, her eyes gleaming with confidence and enthusiasm, Chen Xing was filled with mixed emotions. While his initial appointment of her was partly based on trust in her abilities, it also served as a means to further win over the Miao people. But Lan Fenghuang's dedication and achievements far exceeded his expectations. She was not only a competent medical officer, but also like a sponge, rapidly absorbing all knowledge and transforming it into tangible protective power.

"Phoenix," Chen Xing suddenly called out, his voice gentle, "you did very well, even better than I expected. I did not entrust this position of physician to the wrong person."

Upon hearing this, Lan Fenghuang felt an indescribable joy and satisfaction welling up inside her. She raised her clear eyes, looked at Chen Xing, and said in a soft but firm voice, "I am very happy to be able to help His Majesty and the soldiers. His Majesty has placed his trust in me, and I will certainly live up to it."