Chapter 270: Trauma Department

"Reporting for Your Excellency's awareness: the selection of captives from all camps here in Chuzhou is complete. The artisans and craftsmen Your Excellency listed number nine hundred and thirty; merchants, traders, and those from money house and the like number three hundred and sixteen; those who manage heads of livestock number one hundred and ninety-one; Government Student, Licentiate, and those literate number fifty-five. Adding the family dependents of the above, the total is one thousand nine hundred and thirty-two persons."

Mr. Hou's voice came from behind. Pang Yu walked while looking at the petition paper in his hand. Tens of thousands of captives had been taken around Chuzhou, yet only a little over a thousand had been selected in total.

"The above are mostly natives of Nanzhili, recently abducted into the bandit ranks. About thirty percent are from Huguang and Henan. Several hundred more among the various units are actually usable, but their accents are more northern, and the roving bandit captives in each unit are mixed together — many do not know each other, and there is fear that old bandits are hidden among them. Screening them is also quite inconvenient. Following Your Excellency's opinion, this subordinate rejected them all."

"Better to lack than to take the unworthy. We absolutely cannot allow old bandits to slip into Anqing."

Pang Yu handed the petition paper back to Mr. Hou and stopped by the river embankment. When he looked up, he was directly facing Chuzhou's Small West Gate. Carved on the gate plaque were two large characters: "Observe Virtue."

Chuzhou's city walls were magnificent, with both an inner and outer city. The inner city, also called the Inner City, had a circumference of one li and one hundred sixty-two paces. The outer walled city was nine li and eighteen paces around. Outside each city gate, a Moon City was built. Corner towers stood atop the walls. The waters of the West Stream flowed in through the upper water gate; in summer, it could provide ample water for the moat. The entire wall system had deep moats and strong fortifications. If the defenders' will was firm, it would be a city fortress very difficult to capture.

At this moment, the Small West Gate was tightly shut. Large crowds of commoners were on top, a noisy, chaotic scene. That Prefect Liu was full of wariness toward the government troops outside the city, keeping only the Small East Gate open intermittently.

The roving bandits had lost nearly all their plundered wealth in this great defeat. The various goods and supplies were countless. Every camp had left men behind to seize the spoils of war, all wanting to convert them into ready silver. Many bulk commodities were being dumped at once, so prices were very cheap. But Prefect Liu would not open the gates, and traffic between inside and outside the city was blocked. Merchants in the city with connections could bribe their way out to buy, but ordinary commoners had no way to leave. However, the walls were full of community soldiers and yamen runners. Spending a bit of silver to get up onto the wall was still possible. Soldiers and auxiliaries from the various units dragged supplies below the wall and loudly haggled with those commoners, the line stretching half a li along the city wall.

This kind of trading from the walltop was something Pang Yu was also seeing for the first time. After watching for a long while, he said to Mr. Hou, "All under heaven bustle for profit. Sima Mace's words are concise and incisive."

"The soldiers from each unit are all undercutting each other's prices, giving these Chuzhou people a bargain. It is still Your Excellency who foresaw things. On the very first day the city opened, you bought up most of the tobacco and wine in the city. Now that the city's wine is exhausted, these soldiers and auxiliaries outside the walls would trade a bolt of silk for half a jar of wine."

Pang Yu lifted his steps toward a large compound. "It's all just small profits, barely making up for our expenses. Our equipment and supply losses this time were not small. Have you finished tallying them?"

Mr. Hou hurriedly followed and said, "Lost and damaged: three hundred forty long spears, seventy-three waist sabers, seventy-three rattan shields, sixty-five tents, two bronze cannons, sixty-one bows, seventy-eight bowstrings, one hundred twenty-one cooking pots, ninety-five spades and picks, three hundred sixty-nine water bags and ladles, forty-one of our own military horses, seven donkeys and mules, thirty-one flags and drums. The Water Army lost three grain transport ships and one small patrol boat..."

Pang Yu felt the urge to scratch his head again. The numbers jumping out of Mr. Hou's mouth would soon become an enormous sum. Pang Yu now somewhat understood people like Lei Shisheng and Pan Keda. An army in peacetime was a black hole — money had to be spent everywhere, consuming enormous effort and care. In a single moment on the battlefield, all investment could be wiped to zero. Just like Luo Rucai's cavalry raid that time: one company of the Personal Guard Unit was shattered instantly. After battle, the unit had to be rebuilt, requiring another large outlay of silver, and then wait for the next battlefield.

If one fought continuous combat like Lu Xiangsheng, there was no energy to reorganize and train the troops, let alone find ways to secure silver and supplies. The only option was to forcibly conscript guards to replenish numbers fastest, and losses were not heart-wrenching. After this Chuzhou battle, the government troops should have a chance to catch their breath, but Pang Yu was uncertain whether the various units would seize the moment to strengthen their combat power.

Mr. Hou's voice continued, "This subordinate has a suggestion. Could some supplies be changed to cheaper alternatives? For example, regarding the tents: Your Excellency requires twelve-man tents. Recently, this subordinate observed the camps under Excellency Lu — most use five-man tents, which are seventy percent cheaper. Without oil cloth, they are another ten percent cheaper."

"It is a good thing that Mr. Hou is thinking of saving costs for the camp, but military supplies cannot be judged by price alone. Our camp uses one tent per squad. Whether for assembly, defense, or conveying orders, it provides much greater convenience. The same applies to all other items. Take the firearms issued by the Anchi Military Defense Circuit in the past: we could make ten of our bronze cannons for the cost of one of theirs. Both are called cannons, but their uses are different. There are places we can economize a little, but for supplies meant for the battlefield, we can be somewhat more generous."

"This subordinate understands. Aside from what our Garrison Command camp uses itself, there are also losses from conscripted resources. In Chuzhou alone, seventy-one conscripted supply carts from Puzikou were damaged. A total of one hundred thirty-two mules, horses, and donkeys were lost, dead, or injured. Twenty-four corvée laborers died, and twenty-two were wounded. For comfort compensation and injury powder expenses, should we compensate them? And at what rate in silver should the dead and wounded be calculated?"

Pang Yu rubbed his cheeks. "That is a good question. How much silver would it be in total?"

"Because the prices of mules, horses, and donkeys all differ, the total has not yet been calculated clearly. If human casualties are calculated according to military rates, the total should be around four thousand."

"Is the ready silver remaining here in Chuzhou enough to pay?"

"With recent buying and selling, ready silver should still be around thirty thousand."

Pang Yu stopped in front of the compound gate. After waiting a moment, he said, "This official's army can not only fight battles but is also a benevolent and righteous force. We must maintain credibility. Puzikou is a critical junction of water and land routes — all the more reason to do so. Whatever the calculation comes to, compensate them in full. You and Jiang Guoyong will handle this matter together."

When Mr. Hou heard the name Jiang Guoyong, he knew Pang Yu still wanted Jiang Guoyong to supervise, which meant every item would be verified one by one.

Pang Yu looked at Mr. Hou and said, "For these military supply matters, this official originally wanted Mr. Yu to handle them. However, Mr. Yu cannot endure the rigors of travel by boat and cart, and managing military affairs is somewhat inconvenient for him. Mr. Hou will have to bear the hardship for now. After this matter is concluded, also write a report for He County Yamen. It would be best to interview the family dependents of a few deceased corvée laborers — with names and surnames. Embellish the content somewhat; make it emotionally moving."

Mr. Hou was briefly stunned. "How can matters of the dead be made emotionally moving?"

Pang Yu watched him for a moment, then suddenly smiled. "I forgot — we have no journalists. We lack people for everything. The task of writing reports can only be shared by Mr. Hou for now. In short, it must demonstrate that our Garrison Command camp can not only fight battles but also keeps its word and cares for the common people. The newspaper is read by many. I ask you, sir, to devote more care and effort to this."

"Then once this subordinate finishes writing, I will ask Your Excellency to correct it."

Pang Yu could only agree. The Garrison Command camp was still a small temple, lacking talent in every area. The things Pang Yu wanted to do exceeded the conventions of this era, making it very difficult to find suitable talent.

At that moment, a shrill, mournful howl came from inside the compound gate. Hearing it, Pang Yu slowly walked through the gate. In the central courtyard lay three corpses. All around were piles of bloodstained cotton cloth. Some women crouched on the ground, washing cloth.

Zhuang Chaozheng hurried over from the main house door, his face haggard, and greeted Pang Yu. "I have seen Your Excellency."

Pang Yu looked at the corpses on the ground. "Three more died today."

Zhuang Chaozheng replied, "Two from the Seventh Company, one from the First Company."

From a side room nearby came another howl, followed by the sound of tables and chairs collapsing. Someone inside was shouting in panic. The several women at the door, however, dared not enter to help.

"Reporting to Your Excellency: the severely wounded in that room have lost their senses from pain and cannot be held down. One of them likely will not survive the day."

Pang Yu nodded and turned to Mr. Hou. "If this official remembers correctly, from the end of the battle until now, more than seventy have died of severe wounds."

"That is indeed the case. The most died on the second day — over thirty. The number has gradually decreased each day since. This subordinate has gone daily to count and observe. Not a single one who suffered a stab wound to the chest or abdomen has survived."

Zhuang Chaozheng said in a low voice, "The few who died today were all wounded in the lower abdomen, their intestines injured by heavy arrows. They endured all these days, but still could not pull through."

Pang Yu walked toward the covered corridor and glanced inside the doorway. In that room were two hired bone-setting doctors and their two apprentices. Faced with battlefield injuries of this kind, they too were helpless.

The Garrison Command camp's organizational structure was incomplete. Pang Yu had no dedicated military medics, nor professional nursing staff accompanying the army. On the march, care for the wounded fell to other soldiers. Previously, this was to improve mobility, but after the battle at Chuzhou, Pang Yu understood that the military structures and regulations of later eras all had their basis.

Caring for the wounded is not merely a matter of humanity. Whether on the march or in combat, a lack of medical care and nursing creates a burden for the unit. Severe injuries inflicted by cold weapons are horrifically gruesome. If combat units directly care for them, it severely batters the mental spirit of the other soldiers and spreads throughout the entire army. Once morale drops, it is very difficult to rouse again.

Therefore, after encamping at Chuzhou, Pang Yu immediately concentrated the severely wounded here, isolating them from the other soldiers. He selected some women from the captives to tend to daily needs and temporarily hired bone-setting doctors in Chuzhou. But these bone-setting doctors truly could only treat sprains and fractures. Their trade mainly dealt with simple injuries from fights and falls in the city. Faced with severe wounds of this kind, they could only offer comfort.

The simple disinfection knowledge Pang Yu possessed ultimately could not save these wounded soldiers either.

"Once we return to Anqing, we must add some accompanying army doctors and medical aides. Do either of you know where such military physicians can be recruited? Spending a bit more silver would not matter."

Zhuang Chaozheng and Mr. Hou shook their heads simultaneously. Pang Yu felt some disappointment. Still no suitable talent. The effectiveness of establishing military medics would be relatively limited then, but it was still better than nothing.

Mr. Hou suddenly said, "This humble one only knows there is a field called trauma department, but I do not know where such doctors can be found. Your Excellency just said the newspaper is read by many. Why not recruit through the newspaper? Surely in the vast world, there must be those skilled in military trauma care."

Pang Yu stopped and looked at Mr. Hou in surprise. Even he himself had not thought that the newspaper could so quickly be used to publish recruitment advertisements — yet Mr. Hou had thought of it.

"Mr. Hou has reminded me well. We are not only recruiting for trauma care — steelmaking, copper work, iron work, lacquerware can all be recruited." Pang Yu paced in a circle, somewhat excited, and pointed at Mr. Hou. "Also lenses, gunpowder, cannon-making, gun-making. The pool will always be larger than in Anqing."

At that moment, Guo Fengyou hurried in through the main gate and whispered in Pang Yu's ear, "Someone has come from Anqing. Roving bandits have appeared in Qianshan and Susong. Two large bands are in the direction of Lu'an. Circuit Intendant Shi wants Your Excellency to return to Anqing as quickly as possible."

Zhuang Chaozheng and Mr. Hou both showed tense expressions, not knowing how many roving bandits had come this time.

Pang Yu was silent for a moment, then said to the two men, "The largest band is Gao Yingxiang. Those near Anqing should be small camp heads. Zhuang Chaozheng will remain in Chuzhou to handle the aftermath. The First and Second Divisions will return to Anqing via Jiangnan, with Wang Zenglu leading the unit."

After hearing this, Mr. Hou said, "Then Your Excellency is..."

Pang Yu sighed. "This official must go to Jurong to see Commandant Zhang. The money house and newspaper office in Nanjing involve a multitude of threads; this official must also make a trip there."