The iron manacles were cold and heavy around Lin Wei's wrists. The cell was a hole dug into the earth, smelling of damp soil and despair.
A sliver of moonlight cut through a high grating, illuminating motes of dust. But Lin Wei wasn't contemplating his fate; his mind was racing, the system interface overlaying the grim reality with cold, clinical data.
"[Re-evaluation of Subject: Sergeant Li complete. Symptomology: convulsions, tachycardia, hyperthermia. Toxidrome analysis: 94% match for Aconitine poisoning.]"
"[Analysis of Herb Sample: Residual traces on tunic match Aconitum carmichaelii (Common Monkshood). Visually similar to Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen) when dried. Conclusion: Deliberate adulteration highly probable.]"
"[Antidote Protocol: Supportive care. Activated charcoal if recent ingestion. Atropine for bradycardia. Antiarrhythmics for ventricular tachycardias... UNAVAILABLE.]"
UNAVAILABLE. The word pulsed in his mind. He had no modern antidotes. But the system was a database, not just a dispenser. It provided another thread:
"[Historical/Traditional Mitigation: Boiled licorice root and ginger decoction shown to slow absorption and alleviate gastrointestinal symptoms. Supportive hydration critical.]"
It wasn't a cure, but it was a lifeline. A treatment. His own survival depended on proving his methods worked. He had to get to his patients.
The scraping at the cell door came hours later. Sly Liu slipped through the bars like a shadow. "Doc," he whispered, pressing a waterskin into Lin Wei's hands. "They're saying you poisoned them. The sergeant… he's not in a good shape."
"I know," Lin Wei said, his voice urgent. "Listen. It's Aconite poison. Monkshood. Wang gave it to me disguised as Danshen. I need you to get to the hospital tent. Find Scholar Zhang. Tell him I need a decoction of licorice root and ginger, boiled strong. He'll know the proportions. You have to get it to the poisoned men. Sergeant Li and the two others. It won't cure them, but it might slow the poison enough to give them a chance."
Liu's eyes widened, but he nodded instantly. "I'll get it to them." He vanished.
Lin Wei waited in the dark, each moment an eternity. His fate was now tied to the efficacy of a traditional remedy and the stealth of a thief. This was the brutal reality of his new world.
Later, the heavy tread of boots announced a different visitor. Ox Li's bulk filled the grating, blocking the moonlight. "Doc. The sergeant still lives. A boy from the penal battalion, one of Liu's runners, brought a pot of something. Made him drink. His tremors are less."
Relief washed over Lin Wei. The first part of the gamble was working. "Li, I need you to guard them. Wang will try to finish the job. He might send one of his own physicians to 'treat' them with something that will stop their hearts. Trust no one. Only the men we trained."
Ox Li grunted, a sound of grim understanding. "They will not pass."
Dawn was breaking when Commander Xin arrived with the guards. Lin Wei was led out, not to a trial, but directly to the hospital tent. The scene was tense. The three poisoned men lay on cots, pale and sweating, but alive. Ox Li stood like a mountain over Sergeant Li, his arms crossed, glaring at a flustered Physician Wang, who was demanding access.
"Stand aside, convict!" Wang spat. "I must attend to these men you have harmed!"
"Commander," Lin Wei's voice cut through the tension, calm and firm despite his chains. "Physician Wang claims I poisoned these men with the herbs he provided. I claim the herbs were already poisoned. The sergeant's symptoms are classic Aconite poisoning. I have administered a stabilizing decoction. Their improved condition proves the diagnosis. The poison was in the herbs before I received them."
Wang's face flushed. "Lies! This is a trick! You seek to cover your incompetence with more quackery!"
"Then you won't object to a test," Lin Wei said, his eyes locking on Wang's.
"Commander, send someone to fetch the rest of the herb batch Physician Wang provided me. We will steep a fresh portion. Then, find a goat or a dog from the kitchens. Let the animal drink the tea. If I am lying, the animal will be fine. If I am telling the truth, it will show the same symptoms as these men. Let the evidence speak for itself."
The color drained from Wang's face. It was a bluff—Lin Wei had used almost the entire pouch—but a calculated one. Wang's reaction was the true testimony. His composure cracked. "This is an outrage! To subject a learned physician to such a... a farcical trial based on a convict's word!"
It was all the confession Xin needed. He saw the panic in Wang's eyes, the calm logic in Lin Wei's proposal, and the three soldiers who were stabilizing under the care of the penal troops.
"Enough," Xin's voice was like a whip crack. He looked at Wang with cold contempt. "Your... oversight has nearly cost me three soldiers. Your authority over field medicine is suspended. You are confined to the camp infirmary. You will have no further contact with battle casualties."
He then turned to Lin Wei. The guards stepped forward and removed the manacles. The feeling of the cold iron falling away was more liberating than any pardon.
"These men are your responsibility," Xin said, gesturing to the patients. "The field hospital is your command. Do not make me regret this."
As Xin walked away, Physician Wang shot Lin Wei a look of pure, undiluted hatred before scurrying off. The battle was won, not with a dramatic trial, but with a medical treatment and a well-timed bluff.
Lin Wei had saved the patients, and in doing so, had saved himself. He rubbed his wrists, the weight of the chains replaced by the heavier weight of command.