Courtyard House: Rebirth of a Shopkeeper in 1937

Once the amputee soldier's condition had stabilized, Xingbao finally had the strength to examine the remaining wounded soldiers in the bamboo building. These soldiers were all quite young, mostly only a year or two older than his elder brother, an age when they should be full of vigor, yet they were all covered in wounds and looked utterly wretched. The others' external injuries weren't fatal; most were minor fractures and superficial shrapnel abrasions. The wounds weren't large and hadn't reached vital organs, but everyone's face was deathly pale, and dark red bloodstains clung to the corners of their lips. Clearly, they had suffered severe internal injuries during the bombing and impact, with damaged internal organs and disordered blood circulation.

Looking out through the bamboo house's gate, an even more gruesome scene suddenly came into view. Two soldiers were carrying a body and silently placing it on the open ground across the road. A shattered piece of metal was deeply embedded in the man's chest; his body was stiff, and he was already lifeless. Immediately afterward, another body was carried over, its appearance horribly gruesome, with half of its head missing—a shocking sight.

Xingbao's heart sank. He quickly looked away, not daring to look at anything closely, for fear of tossing and turning all night and having nightmares. Composing himself, he quickly cleared his mind and devoted himself entirely to the treatment.

Bone setting was Xingbao's forte. Through numerous practical experiences and with the aid of his mental strength, he had become skilled, steady, and experienced, capable of handling things independently. Seeing Guixiang gradually adapt to the bloody scene inside the building, no longer timid or hesitant, and able to stand steadily to the side, assisting her master in handing over needles and dressings, and helping out, Xingbao was completely relieved.

He immediately called his elder brother, and the two worked together to prioritize treating the injuries of several patients with fractures. Xingbao focused intently on identifying the dislocations in the bones, and his technique was steady, accurate, and fast. He applied precise force to reposition the bones, and his movements were swift and decisive, minimizing the patients' pain. Once the bones were properly repositioned, his elder brother immediately assisted by fetching a flat wooden board to make a splint, which was carefully fixed and tightly wrapped to firmly stabilize the injured limb and prevent further injury.

The entire rescue operation in the bamboo house had developed into a tacit and orderly collaboration. The master was in charge, administering acupuncture to the wounded, both those with external and internal injuries, precisely selecting acupoints to stop bleeding, relieve pain, and stabilize blood and qi. The father, on the other hand, focused on meticulously cleaning the wounds, removing impurities, wiping away blood, applying white medicine, and bandaging them.

Everyone performed their duties diligently and cooperated seamlessly, gradually bringing order and efficiency to the initially chaotic and tense emergency rescue scene, allowing for the efficient treatment of the wounded. However, the respite was short-lived. Suddenly, from the back door of the bamboo house came Uncle Long's heart-wrenching cries, hoarse and desperate, piercing through the low gasps and groans rising and falling within: "Doctor Yang, help! Doctor Yang, come quickly! My mother and sister-in-law are dying!"

The sudden, urgent cry startled Xingbao, who was bending over to secure a splint to a soldier. His hand jerked, and the slight misdirection aggravated the soldier's fracture. The soldier gasped and groaned. Xingbao's face flushed red with guilt, and he whispered an apology: "I'm so sorry!"

He quickly suppressed his inner turmoil and the sudden surge of panic, calming his mind and meticulously continuing to adjust the bandages and splints, steadily treating the injury at hand. The emergency at the back gate would be handled by his master and Gui Xiang; the wounded soldier's condition was urgent and could not be neglected. He had to finish this before checking on him. Having experienced several life-saving situations, Gui Xiang was already sensible and knowledgeable about medicine. She knew that the seemingly ordinary "potion" her father gave her was far from ordinary; it not only helped her practice her skills but was also a life-saving treasure in times of crisis, always proving invaluable in life-or-death situations.

After finishing the bandaging, Xingbao said softly, "Big brother, I'm going out to see what happened."

The older brother glanced across the way and, seeing his father busy and not paying attention to the two brothers, nodded: "Go quickly and come back soon; there are still a few wounded waiting for you to set their bones!"

Seeing his elder brother's permission, Xingbao nodded repeatedly and quickly walked out of the bamboo house. The scene before him made his heart sink. Grandma Long's body lay quietly at the entrance of the bamboo house, covered with a plain white cloth, shutting out the chaos of the world. Grandpa Long's eyes were empty and lifeless, and he sat slumped on the ground, his body covered in dust, his aged body exuding endless decay and sorrow.

Uncle Long stood to one side, his expression anxious and bewildered, his gaze shifting back and forth between his mother's body before him and the direction of his new house. He was helpless and utterly lost. Young siblings Long Liqin and Long Zhixing nestled around their grandmother, sobbing softly. Their innocent cries were heart-wrenching and sorrowful, bringing tears to the eyes of anyone who heard them. On the ground, a winding, glaring line of blood dripped from the old Long family house, meandering all the way to the door of Uncle Long's new house, silently recounting the horrific and terrifying scene that had just unfolded.

Inside the new house, the master's calm instructions rang out at the opportune moment, suppressing the surrounding grief and panic: "You two quickly massage her to try and save the remaining pregnancy! The baby in her womb can't be saved anymore. Push out the accumulated waste as soon as possible; the mother still has a glimmer of hope! Guixiang, feed her warm water to soothe her throat and tongue, then put some ginseng slices in her mouth to keep her alive!"

The life-threatening scenes of childbirth and the critical labor of a woman were private matters that men were not comfortable intervening in. If it weren't for Old Wang's passing and Aunt Zhen's inability to come, and the urgency of the situation, Master wouldn't have gone in either. Xingbao knew he couldn't help, so he planned to turn back to the bamboo house to continue treating the remaining wounded. As he turned, he caught sight of his uncle and a group of his clansmen, diligently clearing the rubble and digging to rescue people. They were covered in black dust, their clothes were tattered, and their hands were bled from being worn down, yet they still didn't stop, struggling to pry open the broken bricks and wood.

Xingbao observed this and felt a surge of emotion. His uncle, usually domineering, greedy, and not exactly a model of integrity, was unwavering in matters of principle. In times of crisis, he always remembered his duties as village head, stepping forward to lead the rescue efforts, ultimately demonstrating a deep sense of community righteousness. In chaotic times, good and evil are never simply black and white; the mutual assistance and responsibility among ordinary people are truly rare and precious.

As dusk settled and the setting sun painted the ruined village red, the afternoon's rescue and relief efforts finally came to an end. All those trapped under the rubble were rescued, and the tense and chaotic atmosphere in the village gradually subsided. However, the injuries and casualties scattered everywhere still weighed heavily on people's hearts.

During the air raid, several elderly villagers succumbed to the intense impact of the bombing, suffering bleeding from all seven orifices and internal organ damage, and tragically passed away. The young adults and children who miraculously survived were also not entirely unharmed; everyone sustained internal injuries of varying degrees, requiring long-term rest and recuperation to slowly recover their strength.

Surprisingly, the hunchbacked man's family, who were closest to the explosion's epicenter, became the luckiest people in the entire village. After being successfully rescued, apart from being dizzy and suffering from tinnitus and temporary hearing loss due to the violent shockwave, and being extremely frightened, the family had no external or internal injuries and were all safe and sound.