Reborn and returned, sisters swapped

Chapter 162 Observing the Camp's Terrain

Several open spaces outside the city walls were places the enemy was bound to pass through, so Zhao Lingfeng decided to dig traps there.

The soldiers, ignoring their exhaustion, grabbed shovels and began digging holes.

In the darkness, the sounds of shovels striking the ground rose and fell, sending dirt flying everywhere.

The trap was about the height of a person, with sharp wooden stakes stuck at the bottom and a thin layer of straw mats covering the top.

It is difficult to notice without careful observation.

Meanwhile, in the low-lying area outside the city gate, soldiers carried large water jugs, filled them with grease, and gently placed them on the ground.

Zhao Lingfeng looked around, nodded in satisfaction, and ordered several soldiers to guard the oil tanks.

If the enemy forces approach, immediately ignite these oils to keep them out of the flames.

After the setup was completed, the soldiers clenched their fists to encourage each other.

The soldiers defending the city knew that this battle was a matter of life and death for their country. If Hesha City fell, the northern frontier would be indefensible.

Zhao Lingfeng stood atop the city wall, his gaze sweeping resolutely across the night sky, the faint firelight from within the city reflecting on his face.

Despite the shortage of supplies, with these traps and defensive measures, the soldiers of Hersha City will surely be able to fight the enemy to the bitter end.

As dawn approached, the city of Hersha was silent, save for the whispers of the garrison soldiers carried on the wind.

Facing the impending life-or-death battle, the soldiers were filled with fear, but also with courage.

The following morning, Agur saw that not a single soldier in the garrison of Hesha fired an arrow in return. He sneered to himself, concluding that the city had run out of arrows.

He ordered two of his most valiant generals to lead the attack on the city: "Hesha City is already at its end. First, take the west gate and break through this city!"

Two generals led several hundred soldiers, carrying shields, forward, intending to approach the city wall.

However, just as they approached the city wall, they suddenly heard a loud bang—the traps hidden in the pits had been triggered, and the soldiers fell into them, getting trapped and injured.

Before they could catch their breath, the Hesha garrison threw down logs and stones, and the Northern Desert army cried out in agony, suffering heavy losses in an instant.

Seeing his attack thwarted, Agur's face turned ashen, and he was furious.

A moment later, he waved his hand and shouted, "Order the entire army to storm the city gates regardless of casualties! Completely crush Hesha City!"

Upon receiving the order, the soldiers of the Northern Desert Army rushed toward the city gate one after another.

Seeing the enemy army approaching step by step, Zhao Lingfeng decisively ordered the defenders to set fire to the oil cans poured outside the city wall. In an instant, flames soared into the sky, blocking the enemy's attack route.

Using the firelight, the defenders shouted to boost morale, and the soldiers fought bravely and relentlessly, undeterred by danger.

Agul's generals found it difficult to break through the fiery defenses, and the Northern Desert army suffered repeated setbacks and heavy losses.

Although the defenders of Hesha City were exhausted, thanks to Zhao Lingfeng's ingenious defenses and firm command, they successfully withstood the enemy's repeated attacks.

The battle continued until evening, and the air above Hesha City was filled with the smell of smoke and blood.

Zhao Lingfeng and his soldiers held every pass and fortress of the city. Although their morale was low, the city of Hesha was united and determined, and the city remained steadfast.

Argul was ultimately forced to withdraw his troops and temporarily retreat to his camp. He angrily ordered a rest and reorganization, and then planned the next offensive.

At night, Zhao Lingfeng inspected the city walls, shaking hands with each soldier to encourage them, and whispered, "Although the reinforcements are late, we are fighting for our country and must not slacken our efforts in the slightest!"

The soldiers were all deeply moved and vowed to defend the city to the death.

During a lull in the fighting in Hersha City, the city enjoyed a brief period of tranquility.

While the soldiers were resting, Zhao Lingfeng remained vigilant, patrolling the city walls alone.

Because Gu Zining knew some medical skills, he would come over in his spare time to help with medical care.

She had no time to rest, constantly rushing between the wounded.

In the afterglow of the battle, the dim firelight in the tent illuminated a busy figure. She bent down and focused on bandaging and applying medicine to the wounded soldiers, her sleeves already stained with blood.

At this moment, a soldier whose shoulder had been pierced by an arrow was carried to Gu Zining.

The man's face was deathly pale, his breastplate was soaked with blood, and his mind was gradually becoming hazy.

Gu Zining's expression hardened, and he bent down to examine the arrow wound, quickly making a judgment.

She gestured for someone to hold down the soldier's shoulder, and then carefully pulled the arrowhead out of the wound with tweezers.

Her movements were extremely steady; the tweezers moved carefully through the wound, and finally, she carefully removed the arrowhead.

The soldier gritted his teeth, enduring the excruciating pain, and was drenched in sweat. Gu Zining gently comforted him, "Don't worry, it will be over soon."

She then took out hemostatic powder from the medicine pouch at her waist, sprinkled it on the wound, and wrapped it tightly with clean strips of cloth.

Her technique was skillful and gentle. She patted the soldier's shoulder lightly and encouraged him, "Rest well and you will surely recover."

In another tent, a soldier had been grazed on the arm by an arrow. The wound was not fatal, but it had begun to turn red, swollen, and painful due to the wind and sand.

After careful observation, Gu Zining immediately prepared to clean the wound.

She scooped water from a basin and gently wiped the soldier's wounds on his arm before applying herbal paste and bandaging him properly.

The soldier closed his eyes tightly in pain, and Gu Zining said softly, "Bear with it for a little while, and the swelling and pain will stop afterward."

As she spoke, she comforted him, saying, "Don't forget to come back every day to change your dressing. You'll be fine after a few days of rest."

As evening fell, hurried footsteps echoed through the camp as a soldier with a severely lacerated leg was carried into a tent, bleeding profusely.

Gu Zining rushed over, checked the depth of the wound, and immediately tied a strip of cloth tightly around the wound to stop the bleeding.

She took out a suture needle from the medicine box and patiently stitched up the wound, her movements gentle yet firm.

The soldier was deathly pale from blood loss, and a hint of fear appeared in his eyes.

Gu Zining smiled and patted the back of his hand, saying softly, "Don't be afraid, don't close your eyes, tell me where your hometown is."

When you come home, your family will be so proud of you.

Under her reassurance, the soldier gradually regained some of his senses.

Gu Zining applied hemostatic herbs to the stitched wound, then covered it with hemostatic gauze, and breathed a long sigh of relief.

After treating the wounded, Gu Zining did not stop for a moment and continued to move between the tents.

She patiently gave each wounded soldier instructions.

With tenderness in his eyes, he said, "You are the guardians of the city walls, and the city of Hersha will endure because of you."

The soldiers' eyes were filled with gratitude, as if their fighting spirit had been ignited by her words and actions.

Under Gu Zining's meticulous care, the morale of the garrison in Hesha City gradually rose.

Gu Zining stood in front of the empty camp, gazing at the ruins ravaged by war.

If a convalescent camp capable of accommodating a large number of wounded soldiers cannot be quickly established, many soldiers will lose the opportunity to receive treatment.

With time running out and supplies limited, she had to mobilize all available manpower and resources.

As Gu Zining pondered, he gestured with his finger on the ground to indicate the planning map.

She divided the campsite into several functional areas to maximize the use of space:

The severely wounded area: located in the center of the camp for easy monitoring and treatment. She plans to build makeshift beds using planks and bamboo poles to prevent the wounded from lying directly on the damp ground.

Minor injuries zone: Located on the outer ring, near the entrance and exit, to facilitate their movement and assistance with camp affairs.

Herbal medicine storage area: Located near the area of ​​serious injuries, valuable herbs and bandages are stored in wooden boxes and earthenware jars.

The hearth for boiling water and decocting medicine: Located on the west side of the camp, a large fire was lit for decocting medicine, disinfecting, and providing warmth at night.

She immediately assembled a group of capable people and assigned tasks to ensure that the camp could be formed quickly.

As night deepened, Wang Dali bowed and accepted the order. He then led several soldiers, grabbed axes and ropes, and quickly headed towards an abandoned open space in the city.

Gu Zining specifically instructed him to dismantle sturdy timber from the beams, pillars, and door panels of the old house, so that the shed could be simple yet durable.

Wang Dali led his soldiers to a dilapidated, empty camp.

The wood has been eroded by wind and sand, and is somewhat corroded, but the frame is still quite sturdy.

He carefully tapped the wooden pillars and selected several that were not infested with insects.

He then signaled several soldiers to secure the wooden pillars tightly and to chop down the necessary timber with axes.

The soldiers were covered in sweat, but under Wang Dali's leadership, their movements were neat and swift, and they finally stacked the dismantled timber piece by piece.

"These planks, though old, are exceptionally sturdy due to years of accumulation, making them perfect for building sheds."

He nodded slightly, tied the timber together, and the group carried it back to the camp together.

Back at the camp, Wang Dali directed the soldiers to sort the timber by size and length before starting to lay the foundation.

He chose to lay a flat foundation using short, wide planks, raising it as high as possible to isolate it from the damp ground.

Following his instructions, the soldiers nailed the planks together securely, forming a simple but sturdy foundation.

Next, he took out long wooden pillars as supports and directed the soldiers to insert them into the four corners of the foundation. Then, he used long crossbeams as the top frame to fix them on, forming the basic framework of the shed.

The group pulled on the ropes while using wooden nails to secure the frame in case the strong winds collapsed.

Because there wasn't enough timber, he specially laid the remaining old cloth and straw mats on top to serve as a roof and keep out the wind and rain.

"Gentlemen, work a little harder and tie the remaining strips of cloth and straw mats on," Wang Dali shouted to the soldiers around him, "so that the wounded won't be exposed to the cold wind!"

The soldiers responded in unison and quickly covered the area with strips of cloth and straw mats, one by one.

Although the strips of cloth and straw mats were somewhat damaged, they were sufficient to keep out the wind and rain.

After a busy night, the simple yet sturdy shed was finally completed.

Wang Dali stood in front of the shed and carefully inspected it, finding that some gaps needed to be reinforced.

He then stuffed the wood chips into the gaps and secured them tightly with rope and wooden nails.

Finally, he weighed down the bottom of the shed with stones to prevent the wind from blowing up the straw mats and strips of cloth.

Once everything was in place, Wang Dali let out a long sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

He patted the soldier beside him on the shoulder and laughed, "Mission accomplished! This shed may be rough, but it will surely last for several months, sheltering the wounded from the wind and rain!"

Gu Zining rushed over to inspect the place and, seeing the simple yet sturdy shed, nodded to Wang Dali with satisfaction.

She smiled slightly and said, "With this shed, the wounded can recuperate in peace. Wang Dali, you deserve praise for your hard work."

Upon hearing this, Wang Dali laughed heartily, cupped his hands, and said, "As long as I can protect the lives of my brothers, what are these menial tasks! When the enemy comes, I will definitely stand on the city wall again!"

Grandma Li took the thin wooden plaque handed to her by Gu Zining, brushed a strand of silver hair from her forehead, and looked at him with a firm and steady gaze.

The importance of wartime medicines cannot be neglected in the slightest.

Looking at the groups of wounded soldiers in the camp, she made a decision in secret.

We must use every means to collect enough medicinal herbs in order to keep this recuperation base running.

Granny Li beckoned to several soldiers with minor injuries and pointed to the hills on the west side of the camp.

He said, "There are some commonly used herbs growing in these mountains, such as golden wound grass and wild mugwort leaves, which can be used to reduce inflammation and stop bleeding."

But beware of wild animals when you go, and do not get separated from them.

The soldiers nodded, slung their baskets and herb-gathering knives over their shoulders, and set off into the mountains.

Granny Li watched them leave, then turned and instructed the soldiers remaining in the camp: "Old wooden boxes and dilapidated cabinets often contain old medicinal herbs."