Before long, someone from the Xiao family came over.
This time, it was the Xiao family’s eldest daughter-in-law, Xu Yao.
She rushed over in a few quick steps and dropped to her knees directly in front of Jiang Wanyue.
“Please… please save Xiao Qi.”
“Xiao Qi” was what the Xiao family called Xiao Hengchuan.
“Please get up first. What happened?”
“Xiao Qi has a fever. He’s still unconscious. I saw that you know medicine last night. Please save him. If you’re willing to help, I’ll never forget your kindness. I’ll serve you like an ox or a horse for the rest of my life.”
Xiao Hengchuan’s injuries were in an awkward place.
The blows from the paddling had landed mainly on his waist and lower back, with some wounds extending onto his buttocks.
None of them knew any medicine.
Xu Yao had only come to beg Jiang Wanyue because she had no other choice.
Originally, Old Madam Xiao had refused to let her come.
Given where the injuries were, it would damage an unmarried girl’s reputation if she treated him.
Examining the wounds would inevitably require touching his body.
But Xu Yao couldn’t simply watch Xiao Hengchuan die.
Old Madam Xiao hurried over as well, looking distressed.
“Eldest Daughter-in-law, what did I tell you? This young lady is a good person. We mustn’t burden her any further.”
“But Mother… I can’t just stand by and watch Xiao Qi die. He’s the last bloodline of the Xiao family.”
Old Madam Xiao let out a heavy sigh.
“Perhaps… this is simply the fate of our Xiao family.”
Looking into the hopeless eyes of the Xiao family, Jiang Wanyue said,
“Please stand up first.”
“I won’t get up unless you agree.”
Lin Jingyuan stepped in front of Jiang Wanyue protectively.
Morally, they ought to save him.
But Lin Jingyuan couldn’t bear to let his daughter suffer any more undeserved trouble.
“Is your Xiao family trying to force and threaten my daughter?”
“Yueyue…”
Seeing the two families on the verge of confrontation, Jiang Wanyue turned to Lin Jingyuan.
“Father, don’t worry. I know what I’m doing. Besides, in a doctor’s eyes, there is no distinction between men and women. I’ll go take a look.”
As someone who had once been a military doctor, Jiang Wanyue simply couldn’t stand by and watch a soldier who had protected his country die.
Moreover, according to the original storyline, after Xiao Hengchuan’s death, when foreign enemies invaded, the Great Yuan Kingdom would have no capable generals left.
Then famine and disasters would follow one after another, plunging the entire nation into misery.
Perhaps…
If Xiao Hengchuan survived…
The future might turn out differently.
When Old Madam Xiao saw Jiang Wanyue coming over, she tried to kneel before her with the support of her second daughter-in-law.
Jiang Wanyue quickly caught her before she could.
“Child… it is our Xiao family who has wronged you.”
“Please don’t kneel. I can’t accept that.”
“I must. I must. The Xiao family has already fallen into such a state. Yet you’re still willing to save Xiao Qi. This old woman is endlessly grateful.”
“Old Madam, let’s not talk about that right now. Please take me to the patient first.”
“All right.”
Following Old Madam Xiao, Jiang Wanyue walked over to Xiao Hengchuan.
His head was turned to one side.
His eyes were tightly shut.
His face was flushed an unhealthy red.
Even though he was being ravaged by high fever and excruciating pain, the sharp, handsome contours of his face remained striking.
His sword-like brows were tightly knitted together.
His long eyelashes were damp with tiny beads of cold sweat.
Though he looked desperately weak, the noble, imposing aura in his bones hadn’t diminished in the slightest.
Instead, he resembled a sword still sheathed, quietly radiating danger.
Jiang Wanyue couldn’t help admiring him inwardly.
He truly had been blessed with exceptionally good looks.
She stepped forward and gently touched his forehead.
It was burning hot.
His temperature was frighteningly high.
She hurriedly asked,
“Have you been cooling him with wet cloths?”
The women all shook their heads.
Old Madam Xiao answered,
“I was just about to give him some water to drink when I discovered he had developed a high fever.”
The Xiao family consisted mostly of women.
In this era, strict propriety separated men and women.
No one dared approach him too closely.
He had probably been burning with fever for quite some time before anyone realized it.
His condition now was genuinely alarming.
He had a high fever.
The weather was already hot.
And the wounds from yesterday’s beating had likely never been properly treated.
Some of the bloodstains on his body had already dried and hardened.
If they didn’t treat him immediately…
There was a real chance the fever could permanently damage his brain.
“Do you at least have a wet cloth?”
“We left in such a hurry…”
The Xiao family had been in an even worse situation than the Lin family.
Their home had been raided without warning.
They hadn’t been able to bring anything with them.
No one had come to see them off or deliver supplies.
In the emperor’s eyes, the Xiao family were enemies of the state.
Not a single person had dared help them.
There wasn’t even a towel.
But without cooling him down…
He wouldn’t survive.
Without hesitation, Jiang Wanyue tore a strip from the inner lining of her skirt.
Handing it to Xu Yao, she said,
“Go soak this in the river.
Also, does anyone here recognize mugwort and dandelions?”
The Xiao family’s third and fourth daughters-in-law immediately raised their hands.
“I do!”
“So do I!”
“Then hurry and gather some! Quickly!”
After taking Xiao Hengchuan’s pulse, Jiang Wanyue was relieved.
Fortunately, his physical condition was exceptionally strong.
Even after suffering so many blows, he had managed to hold on until now.
She turned to the others and said,
“You’ve all seen that his main injuries are on his back, waist, and lower abdomen.
I need to find a somewhat secluded place…”
“Let’s find a place to examine his injuries.”
While catching fish earlier, Jiang Wanyue had noticed a shaded spot behind the hillside, not far from the water. It was secluded and would be perfect for treating his wounds.
With so many people around, there was no way she could strip him in public.
She pointed toward the spot she had chosen.
“I think that place is secluded enough. Let’s take him over there.”
“I’ll carry him!”
“I’m stronger!”
“Count me in!”
Fortunately, the women of the Xiao family weren’t delicate ladies. Three of them stepped forward to help lift the wooden door serving as a stretcher. Since there were four corners to hold, Jiang Wanyue took the remaining one.
They carried him to the place Jiang Wanyue had chosen.
By then, the eldest sister-in-law had soaked the strip of cloth in water, and the people sent to gather mugwort and dandelions had returned with several plants.
Jiang Wanyue instructed them, “Leave the herbs here, then go gather more. And while I’m examining his wounds, no one is allowed to come over. Wait until I tell you it’s okay.”
Old Madam Xiao stood guard like a lone general holding back an army.
“Go ahead, child. Don’t worry. I’ll keep watch nearby.”
“Alright.”
Jiang Wanyue steadied herself. She used the wet cloth to wipe the cold sweat from Xiao Hengchuan’s face, then rinsed it clean.
His fever was dangerously high. Cooling only his forehead wouldn’t be enough.
She had to remove his clothes and wipe the areas with major blood vessels—his neck, armpits, and groin—to help lower his temperature.
Knowing his condition couldn’t be delayed any longer, Jiang Wanyue stopped worrying about propriety.
But after struggling for quite some time, she realized that his wounds had stuck firmly to his clothes. There was no way to take them off normally.
The only option was to cut the clothes open.
Unfortunately, they didn’t have any scissors.
After thinking for a moment, Jiang Wanyue went to the riverbank and searched until she found a thin, sharp-edged stone.
It would work well enough to slice through the fabric.
She carefully cut the clothes open with the stone, tearing the parts that wouldn’t cut cleanly. The moment she saw the wounds beneath, she couldn’t help but gasp.
Still… the man’s physique was truly remarkable.
Broad shoulders, a sturdy back, and solid muscles.
Even after treating countless patients, she had never seen a man with such an impressive build, and she couldn’t help but steal a few extra glances.
But those well-built muscles were covered in horrific injuries.
Dark purple bruises twisted across his body like vicious claws. Deep gashes continued to ooze dark red blood, while dried blood mixed with sweat had formed sticky, crusted patches over the wounds.
The skin around the injuries was swollen, tight, and shiny. A faint metallic smell of blood lingered in the air.
It was obvious the wounds were badly infected.
If they dragged on any longer, the flesh would start to rot.
Jiang Wanyue couldn’t help muttering, “You’re lucky you ran into me. Otherwise, your life would’ve been over.”
What Jiang Wanyue didn’t notice was that the moment she finished speaking, the man lying on the wooden door gave the slightest flutter of his eyelashes.