Chapter 2710: Following the Army

The Goguryeo army quietly retreated, and the current tents were just a diversion. The soldiers left inside were there to cover the retreat, and the main camp had stealthily moved out overnight.

But after all, it was a matter of several thousand people, so there was quite a commotion. Anyone paying attention would notice.

Heli heard the scouts’ report and couldn’t lie still anymore. He immediately got up from the wooden sickbed, put on his clothes, and went to rally the troops.

“They’re bound to run into Xue Bei when they retreat.”

Xue Bei had gone around to the back. Their plan was to attack from both front and back the next day to completely encircle and capture them, with Xue Bei cutting off their retreat from behind.

This time, Heli not only brought the cavalry but also took the remaining infantry, leaving only five hundred men for Zhou Man. He said, “If enemy forces come, retreat back to Baiyan City; there’s no need to wait here.”

The medical tent is different from other camps and doesn’t need to fight desperately against enemy forces.

Zhou Man nodded in agreement, watching them leave.

Su Mu was a bit worried, “Teacher, will enemy forces actually come?”

“They won’t,” Manbao reassured him, “unless they’re deliberately trying to lure the general, otherwise they won’t come here to cut off the retreat.”

Right now, they’re very frightened and would keep away from the Jin army’s main camp, so how would they come here?

However, the casualties from the night battle might increase.

Manbao frowned, gesturing for a commander, and instructed, “Send someone to watch the front. If the enemy is defeated, we’ll move the medical tent forward.”

The commander’s eyes lit up and he quickly took his men to keep watch.

It’s not easy to go on a campaign, so this is a rare military merit opportunity. Although protecting the medical tent is also an achievement, it can’t compare to fighting on the front lines.

The commander excitedly led his men away.

Manbao then said to Su Mu, “Pack up, and shortly, we’ll move the medical tent forward with me.”

Su Mu asked dumbly, “Then what about the wounded?”

“Leave them with Jing Zhong. I’ll allocate two hundred men to him. The rest will take medical supplies, pots, and pans, and move forward with us.”

They needed a lot of medical supplies to take with them, and not to mention other things, just the bandages would be numerous, and they must not be contaminated.

The two packed up and began waiting for the commander to return.

Heli led the large army into the enemy camp. As expected, they left fewer than two thousand men inside; the rest of the tents were empty. In fury, he led his men to annihilate them. Of course, killing took too much time, so it wasn’t long before they shouted for them to surrender, and they knelt down and surrendered.

Heli sat on horseback, watching his men confiscate their weapons, then left a detachment to guard them, and with the rest, continued pursuing the enemy main camp with the captured horses.

The commander finally caught up after the battle ended and immediately ordered his men to turn back to find Zhou Man. He stayed to negotiate with the guarding officers to set up the medical tent.

Moving the medical tent over, although dangerous, was beneficial for the soldiers, so the left officers had no objections.

No special set-up was needed, just choose a couple of the leftover tents from the enemy that hadn’t been destroyed and place the wounded there, and that would be the medical tent.

Manbao rode over, scanning the wounded lying on the ground, dismounted, and began attending to the wounded with Su Mu.

After treating these wounded, someone from the front came back to report, “The general caught up with the enemy main camp, and General Xue encountered the enemy first. They’re engaged in battle now.”

Manbao asked, “In this darkness, can they see?”

“So the general sounded the withdrawal, and the enemy also paused their attack. However, many are wounded, and they’ve recently encamped.”

Manbao then instructed people to pack various medical kits, mounted his horse, and said, “Let’s go, we should take a look.”

Night raids are only suitable when encamped, as those intending to raid at night know that the tents house enemies and would blaze with fire, allowing them to discern the armor of the opposition.

But this kind of night pursuit is prone to misidentifying allies, especially when another squad of their troops is present, and the cavalry charge can easily cut into their own side.

The enemy likewise struggles to tell friend from foe, so it’s the best time for all to pause.

Manbao had been moving with the army all night. Fortunately, they had many military medics; if it were earlier times with only one or two medics, such care wouldn’t even be considered.

A sorrowful Manbao chased after the army ahead.

No tents in sight, the soldiers slept fully dressed, clutching their weapons to their chests, quickly sitting up at the slightest rustle.

Zhou Man hadn’t rushed to the front yet but felt his hackles rise, and Keke awoke warningly, “There’s danger ahead, archers are aiming at you.”

Manbao asked, “Are they Jin troops or enemies?”

Keke gloomily replied, “Jin troops.”

Manbao then turned to the commander, “Shout out, tell them the medical tent has arrived.”

The commander was also tense, sensing the danger, so he slowed the horse and shouted loudly ahead, “Brothers in front, the medical tent has arrived, this is Lord Zhou—”

The sense of danger lessened a bit, and he breathed a sigh of relief, suggesting cautiously, “Lord, stay here and don’t move.”

He then took two men forward to confirm if the troops ahead were theirs.

This is why night marches are the worst; it’s pitch-dark, so why not rest in the camp and fight properly next day instead of fleeing at night?

The Goguryeo forces cursed silently; the Jin army was relentless, pursuing them into the night even as they retreated, cornering them with encirclement tactics, shameless!

The commander confirmed with fellow watchmen, lighting a torch to ensure they were compatriots, and hurriedly ran to greet Zhou Man with the torch.

A colonel said, “Lord Zhou, many brothers are injured, some accidentally trampled during the rush, hurting themselves badly. Please have a look.”

Trampling injuries are the hardest to treat, as most are internal. Manbao frowned with worry, followed him to the camp, and dismounted with her medical kit to attend to the wounded. She asked, “The general is alright?”

“No problem.”

Indeed, most colonels were unaware of Heli’s injury.

Carrying the medical kit, Manbao went to the wounded lying on the ground. Several fires had been set, with soldiers huddled around them. Besides this, only simple bandaging could be done, as they were camped here without even hot water.

Everyone could only drink cold water from their water sacs.

Luckily, Manbao had brought pots and pans.

Manbao walked through, selecting critically wounded ones for immediate attention, having them carried to the foremost fire pit.

After surveying, she instructed, “Light another fire, and collect some branches to lay on the ground; it’s cold at night, and the wounded can’t catch a chill.”

She didn’t mind being out in the open. In such circumstances, tents were impossible; it depended on luck if they’d survive.

Manbao began preparing to boil medicine, asking, “Is there water nearby?”

The colonel shook his head blankly, “I don’t know.”

It was late, and having just fought a battle, who had time to find a water source?

Heli, upon hearing the report, came over and ordered, “Send someone to look for it, summon the scouts.”

They had surveyed the area previously, surely knowing where water was available or not.