Chapter 102: Healing the Wounds, Winning Over the Commander

Cao Xun had been stationed at Jinyang Pass for many years and had never returned to the capital. Cut off from the outside world on the frontier, he naturally had no way of knowing that Prince Xuan had already been granted a marriage decree.

Inside the commander’s residence, simply furnished and austere, Cao Xun met Shen Qianmo, who had taken off her cloak and was dressed in a plain blue men’s robe. He could not help but be stunned.

So Prince Xuan’s bride was actually such a beautiful, gentle, and yet capable and poised woman. The men’s clothing on her looked in the least bit out of place; her calm bearing, her cool and perceptive gaze, blended the softness of a woman with the brisk decisiveness of a man so seamlessly that, among a group of rough soldiers, she showed not the slightest sign of timidity.

After entering the pass, there was naturally a great deal to arrange. When Cao Xun saw Ma Shizu, bound hand and foot and dragged before him, his fierce eyes blazed with anger, and he almost wished to hack the man down on the spot. This cowardly wretch, who valued his own life above all else, had actually abandoned the soldiers and civilians of Jinyang Pass and fled in disgrace. For a hard-boned soldier like Cao Xun, such behavior deserved nothing less than a thousand cuts.

Ma Shizu cowered behind Yao Wentao. Seeing this, Shen Qianmo could not be bothered to spare him even a glance; she merely ordered calmly that Ma Shizu and the other two be taken away at once and held for further judgment.

Yao Wentao assumed his threats and warnings had taken effect. In any case, with the protection of the First Prince, he was sure they would not dare do anything to Ma Shizu, so he hurried off to his room to rest. He had long been used to comfort and privilege, and the relentless forced march over these past days had nearly broken him.

Thus only Shen Qianmo, Cao Xun, Wenren Yuan, and Yun Yi remained in the room. After they were seated, and seeing that no one else was present, Shen Qianmo spoke directly to Cao Xun.

"General Cao, your injuries are serious. May I take a look at them?"

Cao Xun was startled. Of course he knew how badly he had been hurt. He Liancheng’s arrow had struck with tremendous force, nearly piercing his entire arm. But in order to steady the army’s morale, he had told no one of the severity of his wound except for a few close confidants. These past few days, he had been forcing himself to hold on, refusing to let himself collapse.

Yet this Prince Xuan’s wife, after knowing him for so short a time, had seen through the secret in his heart at a glance. This shocked him deeply.

But when he met Shen Qianmo’s composed and sincere eyes, he understood that this Princess Consort of Prince Xuan was someone worthy of trust.

Seeing the surprise on Cao Xun’s face, Shen Qianmo knew she had guessed correctly.

Ma Shizu had said that Cao Xun had been struck by an arrow and seriously wounded, yet when she saw him just now, he did not appear to be gravely injured. At first she had thought Ma Shizu had exaggerated in order to exonerate himself, but after a closer look, she noticed the flaw.

Cao Xun’s injured right arm hung limp at his side, as though even lifting it were difficult. He had been through countless battles and possessed extraordinary endurance; unless the injury were truly severe, he should not have been in such a state.

As for why he had concealed the wound, Shen Qianmo needed no guessing to know the reason.

It seemed this bearded general was a good commander indeed, rough in manner yet meticulous at heart, loyal to his sovereign and caring toward the people. Whether for reasons of feeling or duty, she would have to do everything in her power to make sure he recovered.

At Shen Qianmo’s insistence, Cao Xun finally agreed to let Wenren Yuan remove the bandage from his arm.

The wound was very deep, almost to the bone. Life at the frontier was harsh and medical care poor, so it had clearly not been treated well. By now it had festered and suppurated, showing signs of inflammation and infection.

For Cao Xun to endure this until now was truly no easy feat.

Shen Qianmo’s brows knitted slightly. With a quiet sigh, she said, "General Cao, I admire your endurance, and I am touched by your effort to conceal the wound. But if it is not treated in time, I am afraid this arm will be ruined."

After thinking for a moment, and without waiting for Cao Xun’s reaction, she called out toward the door, "Lv Zhu, bring in my medical kit."

What followed was a busy round of treatment.

First Shen Qianmo gave Cao Xun a dose of anesthetic powder, since in a moment she would need to scrape away the rotten flesh from the wound. Even though he was a veteran of countless battles with iron will and extraordinary strength, it was still best to prepare thoroughly for the live cutting of flesh.

Then came disinfection, debridement, application of medicine, bandaging, and a whole sequence of steps. With the help of Wenren Yuan, Yun Yi, and Lv Zhu, everything proceeded in orderly fashion.

Cao Xun watched Shen Qianmo’s every movement, so calm and composed, and could not help but admire her deeply.

When she used a dagger to scrape away the dead flesh from his arm, even Wenren Yuan and Yun Yi could not bear to watch, but Shen Qianmo’s expression remained unchanged. Her hand fell and rose with the blade, her movements showing not the slightest pause or hesitation. The professional precision, the unruffled demeanor, the practiced ease of her posture: everything was so natural, with not the slightest sense of incongruity, as though such skill had been born into her from the start.

This Princess Consort of Prince Xuan truly was no ordinary woman.

That was the shared thought of everyone present.

"Many thanks to the Princess Consort of Prince Xuan." Because of the anesthetic, Cao Xun felt somewhat dazed. Yet he forced himself to remain conscious and thanked Shen Qianmo sincerely as she turned back to tidy her medical kit.

Without looking up, Shen Qianmo replied calmly, "There is no need for courtesy, General Cao. This medicine is very effective against wound infections. If any other soldiers need it, you may also have them come to me."

"On behalf of all the soldiers at Jinyang Pass, I thank the Princess Consort of Prince Xuan."

Not only was the Princess Consort of Prince Xuan superb in medicine and fearless in spirit, she also cared for those under her command. Gifted hands and a compassionate heart. Grateful for Shen Qianmo’s initiative in treating his wound and moved by her concern for her subordinates, Cao Xun looked upon her in a new light from that moment on, and his obedience to her came from the heart.

At that time, Shen Qianmo could never have imagined that her act of treating Cao Xun’s wound would one day earn her his lifelong loyalty.

Wenren Yuan, having just seen the arrow wound on Cao Xun, said with worry, "That arrow struck with tremendous force. He Liancheng is indeed not to be underestimated."

"Hmph. He is nothing more than a beardless brat. What is there to fear? This old man was merely careless for a moment and fell into his trap," Cao Xun said, already irritated by being injured in his first engagement and naturally speaking with some sharpness.

The corner of Shen Qianmo’s mouth lifted slightly. She found the bearded general’s indignant embarrassment rather amusing.

The four of them were discussing the troop deployments and defenses at Jinyang Pass when a deputy commander suddenly arrived with a report.

"General, Ma Shizu is shouting and cursing in the prison. He says he insists on seeing General Yao Wentao."

The moment Cao Xun heard this, the black-bearded lines of his face darkened even further.

This Ma Shizu, since coming to Jinyang Pass as deputy general for less than a year, had done nothing but eat, drink, and enjoy himself. He had also spent all his time complaining in Cao Xun’s ear about the bitter cold of the frontier. Since Cao Xun knew he was merely here to hold a post for training, relying on the backing of the First Prince and Yao Chong, and would be sent back to the capital in another month or so, he had not bothered to pay him much mind.

But this time, Ma Shizu was clearly not so fortunate.

Yun Yi gave a mocking snort, shaking his head in disdain. "That Ma Shizu is so desperate to have his head chopped off? He’s already been thrown into the dungeon, and he still refuses to behave, insisting on making his presence known before us. Hopeless beyond cure."

Wenren Yuan also wore a look of disgust. He was straightforward by nature and naturally looked down on a coward like Ma Shizu.

For a moment, all three turned their eyes to Shen Qianmo.

Her expression remained unchanged as she said evenly, "Those who shake the army’s morale must be executed. Those who flee before battle must be executed. By either measure, Ma Shizu must die."