Chapter 1 — After Receiving My Mother's Letter, I Decided to Marry Someone Else

When I received the letter from my mother, I was just beaten by Co Than with thirty lashes, my body was in so much pain that I lay face down on the bed, my eyes dizzy and I couldn't understand the words in the letter. In the letter, the mother strictly ordered: If after half a month I still cannot bring Co Than back to discuss the marriage, then my marriage will be decided by the people in the palace. I trembled as I held the letter, but before I could put it away, the curtain was lifted. Co Than's eyes were sharp, he glimpsed the words "marriage" on the paper, his eyebrows furrowed: "Marriage? I haven't completed my career yet, can I get engaged to you? Or... are you that impatient?" 1 He seemed extremely certain that the marriage partner mentioned in the letter was him. After all, for the past three years, because of him, I studied medicine and endured the cold on the border to work as a military doctor. I'm afraid even the trees, plants, and stones here know clearly about my attachment and affection for Co Than. Seeing that I didn't answer, Co Than tried to say something but was interrupted. "Okay, the main military base is not the place for you guys to discuss love affairs between men and women." Behind him stood a female general with an imposing posture, seemingly impatient to listen to these boring stories. Co Than's expression calmed down, and when he looked at Hua Uyen, he showed a bit of gentleness and tolerance: "Didn't you say you were worried that she couldn't stand it, so you asked me to bring you here to see?" Hua Uyen laughed: "Anyway, it's because of me that you punished her, of course I had to come and take a look." "Otherwise, thirty lashes with a stick is nothing. Going into battle to kill the enemy is much more dangerous." Co Than did not speak, but looking at his expression, he clearly agreed. He turned to look at me and said faintly: "Thanh Hoa, you made a mistake in your treatment. I punished you with thirty lashes to set an example, do you understand?" I nodded slightly, but this action pulled on the wound on my back, causing me so much pain that I could barely speak. Hua Uyen glanced at me: "Looking at this appearance, it should be okay, let's go, the brothers are still waiting to drink." Co Than nodded, as if he didn't see the terrible whip marks on my back, along with the large piece of blood-soaked clothes, and advised: "You rest well, there are still many wounded soldiers in the barracks waiting for you to treat. Don't delay the treatment of others because of your problem." As soon as he finished speaking, he was impatiently pulled out of the tent by Hua Uyen. I opened my mouth, intending to say that I am also a wounded soldier now. But looking at the backs of the two of them leaving side by side, in the end they still didn't say anything. Yesterday, while Hua Uyen was competing with the soldiers, she accidentally got a cut on her arm and called me to bandage it. I was clearly very gentle, but she still turned pale and said I hurt her. Co Than's face immediately darkened and scolded me: "I know you always dislike A Uyen because of me, but you are a doctor, how can you take advantage of the time of healing to take revenge?" “Thanh Hoa, I will punish you thirty sticks, I hope you can seriously repent.” After that, he himself took the whip soaked in salt water and mercilessly hit my back. Thirty lashes, one lash is not enough. During the process, I fell into a coma many times, and was woken up with cold water. I gritted my teeth and endured thirty lashes. Even to deter others, completely Everyone in the camp was called to stand aside and watch, almost trampling my dignity to the ground. After being punished, no one dared to come and help me apply the medicine. One is because Co Than ordered to teach me a lesson, two is because I am a female doctor, Co Than feels there is no need to waste manpower taking care of me. But he never thought, the wound is on my back, how can I heal myself? When Co Than came just now, I still had some hope, hoping he would comfort me like before. But how could I forget, from the moment Hua Uyen appeared, I was no longer the person who could fight side by side with him. My affection and sacrifice, in his eyes, have become a burden. Stunned for a moment, I endured the pain, took out a pen and paper from the bed, and wrote a letter back to my mother: "After half a month, I will return, mother will be in charge of the wedding." 2 On the second day, the wound on his back, because it was not cleaned and applied medicine promptly, began to develop pus and putrefaction. Because of that, I also got sick and had a high fever that wouldn't go away. My mind was hazy, but someone yanked me up from the bed. The pain was so painful that it tore my heart apart. I raised my head and only saw Co Than's worried face: "Quick, come with me to see A Uyen's injuries, she was attacked and seriously injured!" He didn't need my consent at all, so he forcibly pulled me into his camp. As for Hua Uyen, she was taking off her shirt and lying on his bed, revealing one shoulder that was hit by an arrow. I was so weak that I couldn't even stand, so I forced myself to open my mouth: "Taking out arrows and applying medicine, other military doctors can also do it, so why do they have to call me?" But Co Than harshly reprimanded me: "A Uyen is a woman, the other military doctors are all men, how could they see her like this?" I was stunned, wanting to ask, normally Hua Uyen still exposes her arms, and even puts her arms around other generals, is it okay to let the military doctor treat her now? If you really want to avoid suspicion, then why do you let her lie naked in your bed?