Priceless: A widow with a baby asks the prince to marry again

The austerity of the Gobi Desert in the northern desert has not yet completely dissipated, and the aftermath of the shocking ideological battle on the Hill of Bones is still secretly fermenting among the various Wala tribes.

"Eight hundred miles of urgent news! Military report from the northern front! Urgent report from His Royal Highness Prince Kang--!" A messenger covered in blood and with torn armor was almost dragged into the king's tent by his personal guards. He fell to the ground, his voice filled with a dying gasp and extreme terror.

Inside the tent where daily military affairs were being arranged, the atmosphere froze instantly. Chu Shiyu suddenly stood up, his figure tense as a bow beneath his dark uniform. "Speak!"

"Your Majesty... the Tatars have found reinforcements! They're from... the Jurchen tribe further east!"

The messenger raised his head with difficulty, his face stained with blood and dust. "I don't know their number, but they're formidable... They suddenly attacked from the flank and joined the remaining Tatars, catching Prince Kang off guard... We were attacked from both sides... Our army suffered heavy losses... We're trapped... in the upper valley of the Onon River..."

"Jurchen?" Chu Shiyu's eyes flashed with coldness. Prince Kang Chu Shikun was in charge of the northeastern battlefield, intent on completely annihilating the remaining Tatars, who had been driven out by several factions and were nearing their end.

Although Chu Shiyu had anticipated that things wouldn't go smoothly, he hadn't anticipated the Jurchens intervening! While the Jurchen tribes weren't as powerful as the Oirat, the bravery and jungle combat capabilities of individual tribes shouldn't be underestimated. Intervening now was a wicked opportunity!

"Prince Kang...how is it?" Chu Shiyu's voice was low and no emotion could be heard.

"Your Highness is fine for now... He is just leading the army to cover the rear and temporarily stabilize the situation... But the food supply has been cut off, the arrow consumption is huge, and countless casualties... The wounded are piling up like a mountain... Rescue is urgently needed..." After the messenger finished speaking, his head tilted and he fainted.

Chu Shiyu glanced and saw someone carrying the messenger away for treatment. Then he glanced at the generals in the tent, among whom was Qin Tao, the Prince of Changtai, who had rushed over after hearing the news, with a look of shock and faint excitement on his face.

The tent was completely silent, with only the occasional crackle of the charcoal fire. Prince Kang was in danger, and this was a matter of grave importance. It not only concerned the safety of Great Xia's northern border, but also concerned the nerves of the imperial court.

If King Kang were to die here, Chu Shiyu, as a member of the Great Xia faction also in the enemy area of Mobei, would be put at the center of public controversy regardless of whether he was rescued or not.

Chu Shiyu stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes sharp as a hawk as he scanned the vast map of Mobei. The northern battlefield was quite a distance from the main Mobei camp where he was currently stationed. Rushing to the rescue would mean mobilizing troops, making a long raid deep behind enemy lines, and carrying enormous risks.

Not saving him? Sitting by and watching his brother die in battle? This would not only be a violation of personal ethics, but would also infuriate the emperor and bring disgrace to Daxia.

His gaze finally settled on the Onon River Valley, and he pointed his finger heavily: "Send the message!"

The generals were cheered up.

"Qin Tao!" Chu Shiyu called out his name.

Qin Tao was suddenly called out, but he knew that he was being assigned a task! He straightened his back in surprise, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit! He answered loudly: "Here!"

"I order you to lead five thousand elite Qin cavalry, one rider and two horses, to provide support! Travel light, bring plenty of arrows, and spare no effort in attacking the western side of the Onon River Valley at top speed. Harass the Jurchen and Tatar flanks, create chaos, and relieve the pressure on King Kang! Remember, this is a harassment and diversionary attack, not a prolonged battle!"

"I obey your orders!" Qin Tao said in a loud voice, turned around and was about to rush out of the tent to inspect the troops.

"Wait!" Chu Shiyu stopped him, his eyes icy. "This journey is dangerous. If you dare to act rashly and seek credit, and ruin the whole thing, military law will be merciless!"

Qin Tao's heart trembled, and he clasped his fists and said solemnly: "I will remember your teachings!"

Chu Shiyu glanced at the other generals and issued a series of clear and swift orders: "Lu Daqing, select 20,000 elite infantry and cavalry, equipped with powerful bows and crossbows, and siege equipment, as the central army, and follow up!"

"General Li, you are responsible for the defense of Tucheng! Food, fodder, and weapons must be ready within a quarter of an hour! We will march in half an hour!"

The military order was as heavy as a mountain. Everyone in the tent responded loudly and quickly dispersed to carry it out.

At the same time, in Tucheng Medical District.

Ever since most of the wounded from the New Year's Eve battle had recovered, the place had become unusually quiet. Like the other doctors, Liu Rusi was somewhat bored, sorting medicinal herbs and discussing difficult illnesses.

Suddenly, there was a commotion—the guards carried in a messenger covered in blood!

This sudden appearance of a "wounded soldier" instantly ignited the doctors' long-dormant enthusiasm. After all, a professional military doctor's greatest value lies on the battlefield. Almost all the idle doctors gathered around.

Li Chunfu took the patient's pulse first, then frowned and muttered, "It's not a serious injury! The pulse is a little floating, but the foundation is not weak. It's just that he is too tired, and the mind is too frightened, so he fainted!"

"Master, it's not a serious injury. Isn't that a good thing?" Liu Rusi replied with amusement as she neatly cut open the blood-stained clothing on the messenger's shoulder, revealing a light arrow wound. The other doctors, in tacit agreement, began preparing hot water, cloths, and sutures, expertly assisting her.

After the intense rescue efforts during the New Year's Eve battle, these renowned doctors and practitioners from the Central Plains, originally skilled in observation, auscultation, and prescribing medicinal herbs, were now, under Liu Rusi's guidance and instruction, roughly mastered surgical techniques such as battlefield first aid, disinfection, debridement, and suturing. In turn, Liu Rusi humbly sought their advice, learning a wealth of profound Traditional Chinese Medicine theories and prescriptions, a fruitful experience.

"Hmm..." Liu Rusi examined the wound. The arrow wasn't deeply embedded in the flesh, but it needed to be removed. "Hold him down and remove the arrow." She picked up a sharp knife and prepared to cut open the edge of the wound.

"Ah!" As the sharp blade touched his flesh, the intense pain instantly woke the unconscious messenger! He struggled violently, his eyes shrouded in fear.

"Ah..." Liu Rusi sighed helplessly, signaling her assistants to hold him down. In this era, there were no reliable anesthetics. Although he had just been given Ma Fei San, it was clearly far less effective than modern anesthesia. It was all too common for him to be awake during the procedure, or even to struggle in excruciating pain. She could only grit her teeth. Amid the messenger's screams and struggles, she swiftly and precisely cut, probed, clamped the arrowhead, and pulled it out with all her might!

"Puff!" The bloody arrow was thrown into the tray.

"Hold it down! Sew it down!" Liu Rusi immediately picked up the curved needle and catgut.

The messenger was still screaming and struggling in pain.

"Don't move! If the wound opens, it will be even more troublesome!" Liu Rusi shouted, her hands moving non-stop, the needle and thread moving rapidly through the flesh. The intense pain made the messenger unconscious, and he began to scream and mutter unconsciously:

"The Jurchens...are coming!...So many...so many arrows...King Kang...is surrounded...Dead bodies...Dead bodies everywhere...Save us...Save His Highness..."

All the doctors in the tent paused, and Liu Rusi's fingers, still stitching, trembled slightly.

Jurchens? King Kang is under siege? Something happened on the northern front? And it sounds like there were heavy casualties!

Liu Rusi's heart sank. She quickly completed the final knotting, disinfection, and bandaging, her movements astonishingly fast.

After treating the wound, she immediately said to Li Chunfu, "Master, he didn't lose much blood. He's mainly suffering from asthenia and convulsions. Please prescribe a prescription to calm his nerves, soothe his nerves, and replenish his Qi and strengthen his essence."

After saying that, she hurriedly took off her burqa, washed the blood off her hands, turned around and rushed out of the medical area, running towards the central military tent!

When she ran out of breath to the central army tent, she saw the generals leaving one after another. The atmosphere inside the tent was solemn and awe-inspiring, the air filled with the bloody smell of an impending battle.

Liu Rusi did not rush in rashly. She waited until all the generals had left before she took a deep breath and strode in.

Her voice was filled with a hint of rapid breathing, but her eyes were resolute. "I heard that His Royal Highness Prince Kang is under siege, and the wounded are piling up like mountains! The military medical battalion must accompany the main force of the central army!"

Chu Shiyu was leaning over to mark the route on the map. Hearing this, he didn't even look up and said firmly, "No. The battlefield is changing rapidly and is too dangerous. You stay in Tucheng. It's safer in the rear and you can coordinate the allocation of medicinal materials."

"Stay in Tucheng?" Liu Rusi's voice suddenly rose, filled with incredible urgency. "Prince Kang is so far away! There's no way the seriously injured can be transported back to Tucheng for treatment in time! By the time they're brought back, the best time for treatment will have already passed! The military medical battalion must move forward! The closer we get to the battlefield, the more soldiers who could have survived can be saved!"

She walked a few steps to Chu Shiyu and looked directly into his auspicious eyes: "I am a military doctor! My duty is at the edge of the battlefield, where the wounded fall! I can't stay behind and watch them die because they can't get treatment in time!"

Chu Shiyu finally raised his head, his brows furrowed, his eyes filled with undisguised worry and toughness. "Danger! Arrows are blind! Stray arrows, fleeing soldiers, even enemy surprise attacks! Can you guarantee your safety? The other military doctors will be enough!"

"What's the difference between other military doctors going and me going? I'm here to save lives!"

Liu Rusi refused to give in. She had to make an unquestionable contribution in this war so that she could have a smoother journey after returning to the capital...

"My medical skills, especially in trauma treatment, can be of great use! During the battle on New Year's Eve, the comparison of the survival rates between my northern medical area and the southern medical area was obvious! One more person on my side can save more lives!"

"Even if I can save ten thousand people, I won't let you take the risk!" Chu Shiyu's voice was also filled with anger. He stood up straight suddenly, and his tall figure brought a sense of oppression.

Liu Rusi paused. She knew Chu Shiyu's cold temperament, and it seemed that after being exposed by her, he did not hide it in front of her...

But Liu Rusi immediately became more resolute, a hint of anger ignited in her eyes. She met his gaze without flinching: "Chu Shiyu! I am not the canary in your cage! I am an independent person! My life is decided by myself! My will is determined by myself! And now I choose to be a doctor with my own responsibilities and beliefs!"

Her voice trembled, yet was remarkably clear and powerful. "I still say the same thing! If you insist on restricting my will like this, then I will do everything in my power to get rid of you!"

The phoenix eyes and the almond eyes were confronting each other, and in Liu Rusi's stubborn and bright almond eyes, there was anger, persistence, and a desperate determination that made his heart palpitate.

How many times has this happened? And every time before, Liu Rusi never gave in...

Finally, Chu Shiyu slowly loosened his clenched fists. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the anger in his eyes was replaced by a deep helplessness and compromise, but the worry did not fade away.

"…it is good."

His voice was deep and hoarse, with an unquestionable bottom line: "You may follow the central army. However, the location of the military medical battalion will be personally designated by this king! It must be far from the core of the battlefield, at least five miles away! The location must have natural barriers or be easily defended and difficult to attack, and be equipped with sufficient guards! If the situation changes, or if you receive an order from this king, you must evacuate immediately! This is the bottom line, no negotiation!"

Seeing the deep worry and unquestionable determination in his eyes, Liu Rusi's tense nerves finally relaxed, and her intense anger turned into understanding. She knew that this was his biggest concession.

"Okay." She nodded solemnly. "I will naturally strive to ensure my own safety, obey military orders, and do my best within a safe range."

After reaching an agreement, the tense atmosphere in the tent finally eased.

Liu Rusi did not delay any longer and immediately turned around and rushed out of the tent, running back to the medical area to gather people, prepare medicines and equipment, and prepare to set off with the army.

"Hmph..." Chu Shiyu couldn't help but hum in annoyance as he watched her hurriedly leaving.

It was like this again, he'd given in before her, agreed to something he'd never agreed to… Her words, "I'll do everything in my power to get rid of you," pierced his heart like a thorn, leaving him both angry and powerless. She always managed to penetrate all his defenses and stubbornness with her persistence, her reasoning, and her reckless perseverance.

But soon, Chu Shiyu accepted the situation. Wasn't that the Liu Rusi he loved? Independent, resilient, and righteous... a shining soul whose light could never be extinguished.

What else could he do? He could only use his own way to build an iron wall to protect her, outside of the principles she had set.

After calming down his complicated feelings, Chu Shiyu summoned his personal guards: "Send an order! I will personally lead the main force of the central army and march as planned! The military medical battalion will follow the central army, and their escort force will be doubled! Also dispatch a team of elite scouts to explore the route and select a location for the military medical battalion along the way. We must ensure its safety!"

His original plan was to sit back in Tucheng and observe the situation, not to personally visit the front lines—what did King Kang's life or death have to do with him? He had already fulfilled his brotherly duty by sending Qin Tao and the main force to rescue the enemy, considering Daxia's interests.

However, at this moment, Liu Rusi had to go to a place near the chaotic battlefield to treat the wounded. How could he sit back and relax?

Inside the earthen city, the urgent sound of horns tore through the tranquility of the Gobi Desert and replaced the daily drill commands.

Inside the camp, the soldiers, like a colony of awakened ants, began to move with efficiency and swiftness. The thud of heavy footsteps, the clang of armor, the anxious neighing of warhorses, and the officers' short, forceful commands blended together into a torrent of war about to erupt.

In the medical area, the scene was equally tense. Liu Rusi, like a commander on the battlefield, spoke clearly and swiftly, "Teacher Zhao, you will lead the team in inventorying all trauma medications. Golden wound medicine, anesthetic powder, and sutures should be loaded onto the trucks first! Teacher Zhang, you will lead a team in charge of splints, bandages, and boiling water kettles! The rest of you, pack all the surgical instruments you can carry! Hurry! We're leaving with the main force!"

The doctors no longer had the leisure they had before, and they carried out orders efficiently. Heavy medicine boxes, wooden boxes filled with instruments, and bundles of clean cloth were quickly loaded onto the specially allocated carriages.

Liu Rusi also changed into a dark riding suit that was convenient for movement, with a light leather armor on the outside, and her long hair was neatly tied behind her head.

At this moment, the gates of the earthen city, rammed with thick earth and effectively resistant to cavalry attacks, slowly opened to both sides with the creaking of a capstan. Outside the gates lay the boundless Gobi Desert and the unknown road leading to the Onon River Valley in the north.

First out of the city were Qin Tao and his five thousand elite Qin cavalrymen. The advantage of one man and two horses was evident, and the five thousand knights brought forth the momentum of a thousand galloping horses. Their hooves pounded the dry, hard earth, raising clouds of yellow dust. Like a roaring earth dragon, wrapped in the gleam of sharp blades and a cold murderous aura, they galloped northward, quickly disappearing from view. Their mission was to break through the encirclement!

Immediately afterwards, the main force of the central army began pouring out of the city gate in an orderly fashion. The infantry phalanx marched in a steady and heavy pace, followed closely by archers. The baggage wagons rumbled forward, pushed by the soldiers and pulled by mules and horses. The cavalry guarded the flanks, vigilantly scanning the surroundings.

In the middle of the massive central army, a convoy bearing a giant banner with the Chinese character "醫" (Medical) stood out. Dozens of carriages were loaded with heavy medical supplies, and surrounded by a far greater number of elite guards. Their expressions were solemn, their hands on their swords, their eyes scanning sharply for any approaching movement.

Liu Rusi chose not to ride in a carriage, but instead rode a warhorse to be more flexible. She was at the front of the convoy, her eyes calmly gazing at the dusty road ahead.

Just when the main force of the central army was about to leave the city, a smaller but more imposing cavalry team shot out from the city gate like sharp arrows!

The leader is none other than Prince Duan Chu Shiyu!

He donned a suit of heavy black armor, a ferocious black iron helmet, and a scarlet cape fluttering behind him. The majestic white-hoofed black steed at his steed galloped with lightning speed. A thousand well-equipped personal guards, also clad in black armor, followed closely behind him. Like a torrent of black steel, they instantly overtook the central army's infantry, stirring up an even thicker cloud of dust.

Baitiwu was extremely fast, and in the blink of an eye, he rushed to the center of the army. Chu Shiyu pulled the reins, and Baitiwu neighed loudly, stood up, and then stopped steadily.

He sat upright on his horse, his pair of auspicious phoenix eyes as sharp as an eagle's, as if they could penetrate the smoke and dust, firmly locked on the small flag with the word "medicine" in the central army, and the slender figure under the flag who was also on horseback and looking at him.

The army set out, with billowing smoke and dust, heading straight for the dangerous situation in the north.

Liu Rusi looked at the tall figure in front of her, feeling a mixture of emotions. She knew he didn't have to do this. But at this moment, this figure who was determined to do what he wanted made her feel a heavy and complicated sense of peace.

She took a deep breath of the dusty air, shouted "Gee!", urged her horse, and merged into the torrent heading north.