Chapter 47: Ying'e Rescues Mei

After the kang surface was laid, Sun Ge carefully inspected it once more. Only after confirming there were no issues did he finally exhale in relief. “Alright, now we just wait for the surface to dry.”

Jiang Bai glanced at the sky; the sun was just right. “The weather’s good today. The kang surface should dry quickly. Let’s rest for a bit and check the results later.”

Squinting at the sun, Sun Ge, along with his young apprentice and Jiang Bai, moved to a shaded spot in the courtyard to sit down. The apprentice brought out several bowls of water from the house and handed them over. “Uncle Sun, Doctor Jiang, have some water.”

Sun Ge accepted a bowl, took a sip, and let out a long breath. “You’ve all worked hard today.”

Jiang Bai smiled and waved his hand. “Hard work? We’re just making sure the strategist can sleep well.”

The apprentice smiled too. “Yeah, the strategist’s always been good to us. Helping him build a heated kang is the least we can do.”

Sun Ge nodded, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes. “Zhong Xuan has always been sensitive to the cold. With this, winter will be much easier for him. If this kang works, the whole army will benefit.”

“Exactly, a heated kang is especially comfortable in winter. If the whole team uses them, no one will have to endure the cold anymore,” Jiang Bai agreed.

Sun Ge’s gaze lingered on Jiang Bai. He had heard from Yang Bin that this doctor favored Duan Jing. They had called her over to help the young girl find excuses to interact more with Duan Jing.

As the three chatted, a faint noise came from inside the room. Sun Ge stood and walked to the door to check. The kang’s mud surface had begun to dry, with fine cracks appearing.

“The surface is almost dry; we need to fix these cracks quickly,” Sun Ge said, turning to Jiang Bai and the apprentice.

Jiang Bai stood, approaching the kang to inspect closely. “The cracks aren’t big; a bit of mud slurry will do.”

Sun Ge measured the cracks, grabbed some slurry nearby, and began carefully patching the surface. Though the apprentices were still inexperienced, they assisted earnestly.

After repairing, Sun Ge inspected the surface once more. Satisfied, he relaxed. “Alright, this should hold now.”

Jiang Bai nodded approvingly. “The temperature will be even. The strategist will definitely find it comfortable.”

The apprentice excitedly suggested, “Uncle Sun, shall we try it now?”

Sun Ge shook his head with a smile. “Not yet. The surface must dry completely before use. We’ll check again tomorrow.”

“Right, no rushing,” Jiang Bai said, patting the kang. “It needs more time to dry.”

The three packed up their tools and prepared to leave. Before departing, Sun Ge glanced back at the kang, hope shining in his eyes. “Let’s hope this works.”

“Don’t worry, with you here, it will,” Jiang Bai said. This new kang design was closer to modern ones, showcasing the incredible craftsmanship of the ancients. She provided the concept, and Uncle Sun brought it to life.

The apprentice trusted his master completely. “Uncle Sun, your skills are amazing; the kang will definitely be perfect!”

Without another word, Sun Ge led the apprentice and Jiang Bai out of Duan Jing’s room.

Early the next morning, Sun Ge arrived at Duan Jing’s room. The kang surface was completely dry, smooth and flawless. Running his hand over it, he felt a faint warmth.

“Looks like it’s working well,” Sun Ge said, tapping the kang with satisfaction.

Jiang Bai and the apprentice arrived soon after, their faces lighting up upon seeing the kang’s condition. This time, it was more successful than previous attempts, even surpassing Jiang Bai’s own at home in appearance.

“Uncle Sun, can we try it now?” the apprentice eagerly held up a bundle of firewood.

Sun Ge, having confirmed the interior dryness, agreed. “Alright, let’s give it a go.”

They lit the firewood beneath the kang, and warmth quickly spread through the layers to the surface. The temperature of the kang rose steadily, warming the entire room.

“Not bad!” Jiang Bai said with satisfaction. “The temperature is very even; sleeping on it will be comfortable.”

A few days later, the heated kang was completely cured and ready. Duan Jing eagerly lay down, basking in the warmth radiating from the kang, exclaiming, “So warm! This is far better than a stove.”

Sun Ge smiled. “The kang’s heat spreads slowly and steadily, unlike a stove that’s hot one moment and cold the next. It’s definitely more comfortable. But you must control the fire carefully—not too strong, or the kang will overheat.”

Duan Jing nodded, promising caution. For the next several days, he enjoyed lying on the kang, savoring its warmth.

But good times were short-lived. One night, Duan Jing was abruptly awakened by choking smoke. Sitting up, he found the room thick with smoke and the fire beneath the kang burning too fiercely.

“What’s happening?” he asked, covering his nose and rushing to open a window for ventilation. Looking back, he saw flames leaping from the firewood pile beneath the kang, nearly reaching its edges.

“Uncle Sun! Chen Tao! Someone help!” Duan Jing shouted.

Since the kang’s completion, Sun Ge had been building them elsewhere and was not at the residence that night. Jiang Bai happened to be coming by with medicine for Duan Jing when she heard the call and hurried over.

Duan Jing, rushing outside, collided with Jiang Bai entering. Staggering, he nearly fell backward, but Jiang Bai caught him swiftly, pulling him into her arms.

Her hands were warm and strong, sending a soothing heat through his thin clothing. Looking up, Duan Jing met her steady gaze, her eyes bright in the firelight.

“What’s going on?” Jiang Bai asked, her brow furrowed with a subtle tension.

“The fire under the kang’s burning too fiercely; flames are coming out!” Duan Jing said urgently, pointing toward the smoky room.

Jiang Bai’s expression darkened. She released him and hurried inside. Duan Jing tried to follow but was overcome by smoke, coughing uncontrollably. He had no choice but to wait anxiously outside.

Inside, Jiang Bai grabbed a pillow from the bed and began smothering the flames beneath the kang. Though the fire was not large, the wood pile was glowing red hot, and flames sporadically leapt out, threatening to spiral out of control.

While beating at the fire, she shouted, “Strategist, fetch water quickly!”

Hearing her, Duan Jing rushed to the courtyard, found a water jar, and hurried back with a bucket. Chen Tao arrived just as Duan Jing returned, took the bucket, and dashed inside.

Chen Tao handed the water to Jiang Bai, who wasted no time dousing the fire beneath the kang. The water hissed on contact, thick smoke billowing and forcing them to cough.

“Another bucket!” Jiang Bai called.

Chen Tao hurried out for more water. After several rounds, the fire was finally subdued; the flames beneath the kang died down, leaving only wisps of smoke curling upward.

Jiang Bai wiped sweat from her brow, then turned to Duan Jing. “Are you alright?”

Duan Jing shook his head. Though his eyes were red and nose numb from the smoke, he was unhurt. Looking at Jiang Bai, whose clothes were stained with soot, he felt guilty. “Sorry, it’s my fault for not monitoring the fire properly. It nearly caused a disaster.”

Jiang Bai waved him off gently. “It’s not your fault. The kang’s fire is tricky to manage. With Uncle Sun gone, it’s tough for you alone.”

Duan Jing lowered his head. He had thought he could handle the kang, but it had gone wrong. Had the fire grown larger, the whole room might have burned, endangering the entire residence—a terrifying thought.

Seeing his remorse, Jiang Bai soothed him softly. “Don’t dwell on it. The fire’s out now, that’s what matters. You should get some fresh air. I’ll clean up.”

Duan Jing nodded and stepped outside. The night breeze was cool, dissipating the smoke from his clothes and calming him. He looked up at the star-studded sky, the moonlight casting a tranquil glow over the courtyard.

After a while, Jiang Bai emerged with several charred pieces of firewood. She tossed them to a corner, brushed the soot from her hands, and approached Duan Jing. “The kang can’t be used tonight. You should rest in another room.”

Duan Jing hesitated. “Jiang Bai, why did you come by all of a sudden?”

She pulled out the pill bottle from her sleeve and waved it casually. “I was just bringing you medicine and heard you call for Uncle Sun. Came to check it out. Didn’t expect something to happen.”

Duan Jing felt a warmth in his heart and took the bottle. “Thank you. If you hadn’t arrived in time, I don’t know what I would’ve done.”

Jiang Bai dismissed it lightly. “It was nothing. But you must be careful; you have to keep a close watch on the kang’s fire.”

Duan Jing sighed. “Doctor Jiang, I know it’s tricky, but I never thought it’d be this difficult. It almost roasted me alive.”

Jiang Bai rubbed her nose awkwardly. She and her father hadn’t solved this problem either—it was one reason many hesitated to use kangs. Better to freeze than to get burned.

“The kang does require skill. Probably too much wood was added last night, and the fire wasn’t controlled well. But it’s a lesson learned; we’ll be more careful in the future.”

Chen Tao stood nearby, reassuring him. “Young master, don’t worry. We’ll adjust the kang’s design to prevent this from happening again.”

Duan Jing sighed, disappointed but aware of the kang’s benefits. He would patiently wait for Sun Ge and Jiang Bai’s improvements.

Looking at Jiang Bai beside him, Duan Jing lightly touched his lower back, wanting to say something but held his tongue.

A few days later, Sun Ge modified the kang, widening the smoke channel and, to Jiang Bai’s surprise, installing a device beneath the kang to regulate the fire’s intensity.

Duan Jing lay down again, noticing the heat was more even and no smoke filled the room.

“This is much better!” Duan Jing said with satisfaction.

Jiang Bai admired the improvement. “With this adjustment, it’s definitely a good thing, and the fire won’t get out of control anymore.”

Duan Jing sat up, feeling the warmth. “Doctor Jiang, you’re amazing to think of this. If only you knew farming too. Zhou Hu brought back some seeds, but the soil here is poor, and harvests have been bad. It’s really worrying.”

“I actually know a little,” Jiang Bai said, always eager to help when she heard his worries. Duan Jing’s health was unstable because he constantly stressed himself. If he stopped worrying so much, his heart condition might improve.

Duan Jing’s eyes brightened, as if grasping a lifeline. “Really? Then tell me, how can we improve the harvest?”

Jiang Bai sat by the kang and thought for a moment. “The soil is poor mainly because it lacks nutrients. We can try using organic fertilizers like compost or green manure to improve the soil structure. Also, crop rotation helps—planting different crops in turn prevents nutrient depletion.”

Duan Jing listened intently, nodding. “These sound good, but... we don’t really understand these methods well. It might be hard to implement.”

Jiang Bai took on the responsibility. “No problem, I can teach them. As long as everyone is willing to learn and takes it step by step, it will work.”

Duan Jing finally relaxed, a long-lost smile on his face. “Wonderful! Doctor Jiang, you truly are our blessing!”

Jiang Bai smiled silently—You are my calamity, you are my blessing. If only I had wished on a shooting star then for your health, strong as a young ox.

Thankfully, she was a doctor. As long as nothing else went wrong in winter, and Duan Jing stopped exhausting himself, she had the skills to restore his health completely. She had to collect several rounds of blood before spring; otherwise, when she left, she might have to take Duan Jing with her.

In the following days, free from medicine-making duties, Doctor Jiang began a new round of work. She led the logistics soldiers in making compost, taught them crop rotation, and even demonstrated farming herself. Though the soldiers were initially clumsy, under her patient guidance they gradually mastered the skills.

About ten days later, an imperial edict arrived along with the first batch of relief grain. After counting, Duan Yue and Duan Jing realized the supplies—enough only for the city’s people for one month plus one and a half months of remaining grain—would not last through the four-month winter.

As Duan Jing expected, the edict ordered him to lead troops to reclaim Li City.