"Let me explain. I've been dealing with these tedious matters lately." Liu Ye sighed as he pulled out a comparison report on the cost of medicinal herbs, emergency medical care, and the expenses for compensating the families of fallen soldiers. The report also compared soldier survival rates and combat effectiveness.
"Pass it around and take a look," Liu Ye said as he handed his data, which he'd been compiling since April, over to Jia Xu. "I must admit, Zichuan has great foresight. Some things can indeed be resolved purely through statistical methods. I didn't understand why Zichuan asked me to record this before, but now, Wenhe, you'll see for yourself."
"Are you sure your statistics are correct? A squad with just one medical soldier reduces the casualty rate by this much? And this recovery rate— is it really that exaggerated?" Jia Xu was stunned. He hadn't realized the impact until he saw the data.
"We've been able to accumulate veteran soldiers and build elite units. Haven't you noticed anything unusual?" Liu Ye pointed outside to the patrolling city guards. "In a year, we can gather twice as many veterans compared to not deploying medical soldiers."
"Let's pass this measure. I'll have my intelligence network allocate more resources to this," Jia Xu said after confirming the accuracy of the data. A battalion of battle-hardened veterans versus new recruits— that's a decisive victory.
After speaking, Jia Xu handed Liu Ye's report to Lu Su. "You should take a look too. This medical soldier system needs to be refined. If necessary, we might even elevate doctors out of the 'artisan' category and into a new ranking."
"Is this really true?" Lu Su quickly scanned the data, his face showing shock as he turned to Liu Ye.
"Do you think I'd make a mistake in statistical analysis?" Liu Ye replied with a bitter smile. "Zichuan was right— sometimes, a small detail can make a significant difference."
Chen Xi casually smirked. He could mention that even in the age of modern warfare, the British had found that adding medical soldiers to a unit during World War I reduced casualty rates by 42%. That was an era of heavy artillery and bullets, with far more direct fatalities than in the cold weapon era. On battlefields of this era, many died not from direct wounds but from untreated injuries.
In ancient Chinese battles, casualty figures often included both the dead and the wounded. A large portion of the casualties were soldiers who were injured but couldn't be treated and eventually died. If injured soldiers could be treated and saved, the numbers of those who could return to battle would increase significantly.
Chen Xi's methods, such as disinfecting wounds with alcohol, stitching injuries, bandaging with linen, and administering herbal remedies, could save about half of the injured soldiers. And while his techniques weren't flawless, and many died due to delayed treatment, they still saved countless lives.
"You should all take a look at this. According to the statistics, an excellent doctor can train apprentices, significantly reducing battle losses. Wenhe, have your intelligence network gather all known external remedies for knife and arrow wounds from across the Han Dynasty. Collect any effective treatments," Lu Su said as he passed the data to Fazheng and addressed Jia Xu. He recognized the importance of what he was seeing.
"Indeed, Wenhe, gather all related remedies," Chen Xi added after hearing Lu Su's words. He quickly realized that this was the simplest and most effective approach.
Fazheng and Zhuge Liang exchanged glances after reading the data, both showing shock in their eyes. With this strategy, Lord Xuande's forces would grow increasingly formidable.
"When it comes to treating external wounds," Liu Yan looked up at the ceiling, "Doctor Hua is highly skilled. I remember him once performing surgery to remove necrotic tissue from someone's abdomen and saving their life. He has many effective treatments for various wounds."
"Jackpot!" Chen Xi grinned mischievously, and the others in the room shared in his excitement. This was excellent news.
"We need to find out what herbs his treatments require. Whatever he needs, we'll stockpile it. If his remedies are particularly effective, we'll add them to our strategic reserves," Chen Xi said, turning to Liu Yan.
"I'm not sure about the specifics," Liu Yan admitted, shaking his head. "But it shouldn't be too difficult to obtain. I've never seen him use any rare or expensive herbs. While he charges high prices for wealthy clients, most of the herbs he uses can be easily gathered. It shouldn't be a problem."
"Zijing, issue an order to summon all skilled herb gatherers in Taishan to Fenggao. Tell them we'll cover their food and lodging, and they'll receive a daily stipend of thirty coins," Chen Xi instructed Lu Su.
"Oh, that's doable. We have a few thousand skilled gatherers. What do you need them for?" Lu Su asked curiously.
"Once we get the prescriptions, we'll start cultivating the necessary herbs. Relying solely on wild gathering isn't sustainable, especially in times of war. It's better to cultivate them ourselves and prepare in advance," Chen Xi explained.
"I think your approach might not work," Liu Ye said after everyone stared at Chen Xi. "I've never heard of cultivating medicinal herbs. Aren't they naturally occurring? Cultivated herbs might not have the same potency as wild ones."
"We won't know until we try. If we can cultivate trees, why not herbs?" Chen Xi replied nonchalantly.
"That makes sense. We won't know until we try," Zhuge Liang chimed in. Though he appeared refined on the surface, he was full of youthful arrogance and wanted to confirm things for himself, even if it meant proving others wrong.
"Alright, let's give it a shot," Lu Su agreed, having seen enough of Chen Xi's innovative ideas to know not to dismiss them lightly.
The others had no objections. This was a minor matter that didn't concern them directly. If Chen Xi wanted to experiment, they were fine with it. Even if he didn't succeed, it wouldn't be a significant loss. Given Chen Xi's track record, they figured it was worth the attempt.
Zhuge Liang observed Chen Xi with curiosity. This situation, where Chen Xi's words were accepted without question, puzzled him. These were all highly intelligent individuals, yet they readily followed Chen Xi's lead. Still, this dynamic sparked some envy within Zhuge Liang— he wondered when he might command such respect and authority.
"Weishuo, when you have time, bring Doctor Hua over. We'd like to meet him, and he can check everyone's health while he's here. We don't want anyone falling ill unexpectedly," Chen Xi said to Liu Yan, feeling a sense of relief as he realized they were finally laying the groundwork for proper medical care.