Several wounded soldiers lay in a row. After being treated by the army doctors, the lightly injured had already rejoined their units to resume their duties. Most of those still remaining here were too severely wounded to move.
Upon arriving, Ye Qingcheng handed over some patients to the doctors and took charge of a few others.
However, after treating some patients, she sensed something was amiss.
She looked at the sleeping patient in her hands. His injuries weren't severe, yet in an environment that wasn't exactly quiet, he slept profoundly. Ye Qingcheng observed that they seemed completely unresponsive to the outside world.
Was it… exhaustion?
She felt the pulse of this patient, then lifted his eyelids and examined his tongue. There was nothing unusual.
Several patients among the current group exhibited this same condition. The doctors accompanying her paid it no mind.
Ye Qingcheng felt she was probably being overly cautious, thinking she was merely overthinking due to her recent escape from danger. Thus, she simply paid them a little more attention.
Perhaps it was the day's events that still affected her; she yawned, feeling sleepy and tired.
Shortly after, people from Xiao Wangye’s side came looking for her. She stood up, stretched to loosen her limbs, picked up her silver needles, and headed over.
The two said nothing throughout the acupuncture session. As Ye Qingcheng left, she offered a few words of advice from her professional duty, "You mustn't move your legs much, and it would be best to soak them with that herbal prescription for the next few days."
"What if this Prince insists on moving?"
Ye Qingcheng’s head ached. "Then your legs will never heal properly and will keep recurring."
Neither of them intended to stay. Ye Qingcheng returned to the wounded soldiers and found only one doctor present.
"Where are the others?"
"Doctor Ye. They have returned to rest. I am on duty here now."
Army doctors were unlike regular night watchmen; when there was no fighting, having one person on duty was sufficient.
So, Ye Qingcheng said to Doctor Wang, "You've worked hard."
"No, no, it's my duty. How can I say it's hard?" Doctor Wang offered a faint smile and then began chatting with Ye Qingcheng about everything under the sun.
"I heard that the Regent has captured a batch of prisoners and they are to be executed immediately," Doctor Wang said indignantly. "I say they deserve it! If they hadn't forced me back then, I wouldn't have had to flee north and later join this army. My intention was to crush them severely and avenge my hatred."
Ye Qingcheng understood these matters of national enmity and hatred. Now that she was a citizen of Cheng, she should wholeheartedly support her country. Therefore, she readily agreed with everything Doctor Wang said.
In Ye Qingcheng's original memory, if other surrounding nations fought for their own national interests, cooperating at times and confronting at others, then the barbarians were truly invaders who attacked from the south whenever they encountered them.
There was no one else seeking medical attention at this time. Ye Qingcheng and Doctor Wang were chatting when they suddenly heard a groan.
They both looked over. A wounded soldier’s face was pale, but he seemed otherwise unharmed. He had merely made a sound in his sleep.
The wind was strong that night. Ye Qingcheng pulled his thin blanket up a bit, only to discover it was the same patient who had been sleeping profoundly earlier.
She scanned the surroundings and found that the few patients she had been concerned about were still sleeping soundly.
She frowned and examined them one by one again, still finding no issues. The feeling of unease grew stronger.
She shook the shoulder of the person lying beneath her, but he remained in a deep, unresponsive sleep.
She then nudged several others in similar condition. A few opened their eyes groggily, glanced around, and then closed them again. The rest made no sound at all.
"This shouldn't be! Although their injuries are severe, they shouldn't be so unresponsive!"
Doctor Wang glanced at her and advised, "They don't seem to be in any serious trouble. Could it be they are simply too tired?"
Ye Qingcheng bit her lower lip. "Human lives are at stake; this matter cannot be taken lightly." With that, she was about to go call for help.
"Ah."
Ye Qingcheng was startled by a gust of cool air behind her. Her martial arts, which were always mediocre, finally proved useful. She sidestepped and dodged, sustaining only a minor injury. Annoyed, she immediately called out, "Help! There's a spy!"
However, to her surprise, Doctor Wang calmly tidied himself up and gave her a smile that made Ye Qingcheng’s heart race.
Simultaneously, she felt a heavy sensation come over her, her mind beginning to cloud, her body feeling sluggish and weak.
This old fellow. Ye Qingcheng thought with grief and indignation. She truly hadn't expected there to be a hidden mole within the army.
Her vision blurred, and she felt half-conscious. In reality, having experienced the apocalypse, she understood that some things happened suddenly, and preparation was necessary.
Just like now, before succumbing to unconsciousness, she had managed to press a few of her acupuncture points. She had then stored internal energy within her body to maintain circulation. Only upon hearing other voices did she circulate her internal energy to keep herself conscious.
Her vision was still unclear, but she could gradually hear things.
Doctor Wang was being interrogated nearby. "No, someone suddenly appeared and attacked Doctor Ye just now. I recognized him as a former wounded soldier. He suddenly lunged, and then fainted. Doctor Ye and I were both present. Doctor Ye approached him before I did, and then suddenly fainted!"
Some soldiers cautiously approached the people lying on the ground. As expected, those who had been sleeping profoundly, upon sensing someone approaching them, struggled to their feet, baring their teeth and hissing at the people, only to fall back weakly, seemingly regaining their unconsciousness. If not for their eyes remaining wide open, maintaining a bizarre expression.
But this was even more unsettling. The soldiers looked at these individuals as if they were demons or ghosts.
Hearing this description, Ye Qingcheng felt a chill to her bones, a feeling that even ten thousand thunderbolts couldn't describe!
Just then, Xiao Wangye finally arrived, followed by several other army doctors who huddled behind him like quails. Xiao Wangye let out a cold snort, scaring the doctors into quickly going to check on Ye Qingcheng’s condition.
Ye Qingcheng was still face down. She heard the rumbling sound of a wheelchair approaching her side and managed to force half an eye open, but her vision remained blurry.
Like a blind person feeling an elephant, she circulated her internal energy to prop up one hand, pointing in the direction of the sound, and then made a fist gesture.
She didn't know if Xiao Wangye could understand.
Fortunately, she heard Xiao Wangye order, "Seize him."
Seeing that he was exposed, Doctor Wang remained unfazed. He said, "Regent, if I were to say that the Consort's life is now in my hands…"
He displayed a sickeningly hypocritical smile. "What do you think?"
Nonsense, my life is clearly in my own hands! Ye Qingcheng thought fiercely, but soon, her internal energy failed her, and she fell into true unconsciousness.