Former Han Capital: Xinzheng
Perhaps it can no longer be called the capital of Han, as the kingdom has fallen, and the king has already been ordered by Li Teng to be escorted to Xianyang with 5,000 cavalry.
After the great battle, order was gradually restored in the city of Xinzheng.
In just a few days, the corpses in the city had been cleared away, and the bloodstains were washed clean. However, the city remained shrouded in a lingering scent of blood, which would take time to fully dissipate.
Even though the brutal conflict had ended, the city's defenses showed no signs of relaxation.
Although many of the city's inhabitants had cautiously ventured out of their homes after the chaos, they remained fearful of the Qin army. If they could, many would have preferred to stay indoors indefinitely. Yet, for the sake of survival and their livelihoods, they had no choice but to emerge.
Over the past few days, as the Qin soldiers patrolled every corner of the city, searching houses for any hidden Han officials or soldiers, the residents began to feel somewhat reassured. The Qin soldiers maintained strict discipline and refrained from harassing ordinary people, which slowly eased the tension in the city. However, for most residents, the fear of this tiger-like army was not something that could be dispelled overnight.
"Turns out the rumors spread by the court were lies. The Qin army isn't the kind of force that pillages and burns everything in its path!"
"Indeed. I just accidentally bumped into a Qin soldier on the street and thought I was doomed. But instead, he apologized to me!"
"For years, people have said the Qin army is a ruthless pack of wolves burning cities, killing everyone, and reveling in slaughter. But now it seems they are a disciplined and orderly military force."
"Our kingdom has fallen. We can only hope that Qin's court treats us kindly. For now, we just need to survive."
The city's inhabitants, observing the Qin soldiers patrolling the streets, had mixed feelings some fearful, some curious, and some still harboring resentment.
However, for the ordinary people, there was no choice but to submit to Qin's rule. Resistance was tantamount to seeking death.
In the past few days, there had been individuals who opposed the Qin soldiers' searches, but their defiance was met with swift and fatal consequences.
This situation was not unique to Xinzheng. Across all the Han cities conquered by Qin, a similar pattern played out. The populace, though apprehensive, had no alternative but to accept Qin's governance. The Qin soldiers, in turn, treated compliant citizens respectfully, creating a delicate balance.
The Field Hospital
Zhao Feng deftly stitched wounds and changed bandages for injured soldiers. His skills had improved significantly, making his movements efficient and precise, like someone who had practiced medicine for years.
"Saved one injured soldier. Gained 1 point of merit."
As the system notification appeared on his interface, Zhao Feng couldn't help but smile.
"Brother Zhao," remarked Chen Fuzi, who stood nearby with a grin, "Your speed in treating the wounded has increased noticeably, and your techniques are even more refined now. Has your medical skill improved again?"
"Haha, practice makes perfect," Zhao Feng replied with a chuckle.
After the battle, Zhao Feng divided his attention between two tasks: he directed his subordinates to clean up the corpses in the city while he focused on treating wounded soldiers in the field hospital.
He saw this as a golden opportunity on one hand, he could delegate corpse management to gather attributes, and on the other, he could personally treat soldiers to gain merit. It was a win-win strategy.
"Brother Zhao," Chen Fuzi continued, "Your methods like suturing wounds and using boiling water for disinfection have now been fully implemented across the army. They're indeed effective. However, some soldiers still develop tetanus after treatment, while many others don't. Is there some deeper reason for this?"
"That's a good question, and I've been pondering it for a while," Zhao Feng replied.
"The main issue lies in sterilization. While we're doing our best with what we have, it's far from perfect. For instance, even the threads we use for stitching need thorough sterilization, but the current medical techniques can't achieve that.
"As for using strong alcohol for disinfection, the concentration of alcohol we have now isn't high enough to achieve true sterilization."
"Alcohol concentration?" Chen Fuzi appeared puzzled, but after a moment of thought, he asked, "The strong alcohol supplied by the Ministry of Works is said to be the most potent in the land. Isn't it sufficient?"
"Not quite," Zhao Feng replied with a shake of his head.
"Is there any way to improve this?" Chen Fuzi pressed.
"For now, the best we can do is to thoroughly clean and stitch the wounds, which can significantly reduce the risk of tetanus. As for the alcohol, we'll need a higher concentration in the future," Zhao Feng explained.
While Zhao Feng was aware of the distillation process needed to produce stronger alcohol from his past life, he chose not to elaborate.
Xianyang
The following day, during the morning court session, an urgent report arrived.
The hall was filled with officials, and the atmosphere was charged with anticipation.
A messenger soldier, visibly excited, presented a sealed military report to the court.
"Your Majesty," the soldier said as he knelt, holding the report high, "this is a critical dispatch from the Grand General!"
Without waiting for further instructions, Zhao Gao stepped forward, collected the report, and returned to Ying Zheng's side.
"Read it aloud immediately," Ying Zheng commanded with a smile. "I believe the Grand General has brought us good news."
As the report was opened and its contents prepared for recital, everyone in the court awaited with bated breath. The answer was clear to Ying Zheng: the capture of the King of Han had been accomplished.
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