"Get two more strong men! In case Imperial Physician Hu's formula doesn't work well, we'll have to hold him down! To prevent him from thrashing about!"
Meng Can, with his wealth of experience, called for assistance immediately.
Outside the imperial tent, Head Imperial Physician Hu's expression wasn't one of anger, but rather of apprehension.
To be honest, this anesthetic formula wasn't his own invention, and he wasn't entirely confident about it.
"I'll do it!"
"I'm in!"
As soon as the call for volunteers was made, some tall and sturdy Jing Country soldiers stepped forward.
But they were all outmatched by Ba Tu, who took a step forward. Ba Tu was built more robustly than anyone else.
One look at him, and you could tell he could pin someone down with ease.
Duoti's eyes flickered with concern, wanting to say something, but Meng Can, unaware of the situation, had already picked Ba Tu, "Alright, you'll do. And you too! We need the two strongest men here!"
If they weren't strong enough to hold the patient down, it would all be for naught.
Inside the medical tent, Head Imperial Physician Hu had his assistant bring out the 'protective gear' he had brought along.
"We developed these at the Imperial Academy of Medicine when dealing with the Yellow River plague. They can help prevent infection."
"Everyone, put these on."
These 'protective suits' might have looked ordinary, but they were actually made of cowhide, smooth on the surface, and regularly fumigated with white vinegar and heat-treated.
Not only had they worn these while treating patients during the last plague to avoid infection, but the Imperial Academy of Medicine and some renowned doctors in the capital had also worn them during their recent smallpox research.
Both times, they had proven highly effective.
While some doctors still contracted the plague or smallpox, the overall infection rate was much lower than without the suits.
"I figured if these cowhide garments could protect against epidemics and smallpox, they might also be useful here to prevent us from introducing dust or harmful air into the patient's wound," Head Imperial Physician Hu suggested. "Harmful air entering the body could easily cause the wound to fester."
Meng Can and Meng Chun glanced at him but didn't refuse.
[The ancients didn't know about bacteria or viruses, but they had already grasped a hint of the truth about wound infections.]
Xiao Chuchu couldn't help but marvel as she watched the live broadcast.
[Oh, my mother has suited up too.]
[They've also covered the patient with cowhide, leaving only the lower right abdomen exposed.]
[Wow, Head Imperial Physician Hu is using strong alcohol and fire to sterilize the knives, scissors, and forceps!]
[Meng Can and Meng Chun are also following Head Imperial Physician Hu's instructions and washing their hands.]
Xiao Yunzhou had initially wanted to enter the medical tent to see if this otherworldly method would actually work, but the thought of the gruesome scene of cutting open a body made him reconsider.
At this moment, he was pretending to read a memorial while actually eavesdropping on his daughter's live commentary of the 'surgery'.
As he listened intently, Wei Zheng came over to pour tea and exclaimed, "Your Majesty, you're holding the memorial upside down."
Xiao Yunzhou: "!"
Wei Zheng quickly knelt down and said, "Your Majesty's concern for the ill soldier truly marks you as a wise ruler."
[Damn, where did Wei Zheng learn to flatter like this? Can someone introduce me to that school too?]
Xiao Chuchu was caught off guard and laughed.
But after glancing at Xiao Yunzhou, she nodded, [It seems the Emperor Father is indeed very worried about the appendicitis surgery next door.]
Hearing his daughter's praise, Xiao Yunzhou's anger dissipated, and he puffed out his chest proudly.
However, his ears turned slightly red, feeling ashamed for his earlier reluctance to let Concubine Liu help next door.
Perspective.
His perspective was still far from matching his daughter's!
Xiao Yunzhou dismissed Wei Zheng, feeling restless. He decided to pick up Xiao Chuchu and walk out of the imperial tent, waiting outside for the surgery results.
Meanwhile, inside the medical tent, Ba Tu stood three steps away, his tall and imposing figure frozen in shock.
The Jing Country soldier, who had been curled up in pain like a shrimp, fell asleep shortly after being given some powder mixed with alcohol by Head Imperial Physician Hu.
The strong scent of alcohol permeated the tent, making Ba Tu's stomach growl with hunger.
But the next moment filled Ba Tu with a mixture of fear and awe as Meng Can and Meng Chun actually cut open the patient's lower right abdomen!
Ba Tu involuntarily took a step back.
Although he had been on battlefields and seen bloodshed, even suffering severe injuries himself, he had never seen or heard of doctors cutting open someone's stomach to treat an illness. This had never happened on the grasslands!
How was this different from outright killing someone? Was this really treatment? Could the patient survive?
Ba Tu watched with wide eyes, his mind racing. As the sun began to set, he heard Meng Can let out a satisfied "Hmm."
"Let's stitch him up."
Meng Chun had already prepared mulberry bark thread and made way for Liu Chaniang.
Liu Chaniang took a deep breath and began the operation.
It would be a lie if Liu Chaniang said she wasn't nervous about suturing a human body for the first time.
Fortunately, she had forced herself to practice on bloody pork and mutton, gradually accepting the daunting sight of raw meat, bones, and blood.
Moreover, thinking of her precious Chuchu, who was surely watching her performance on the 'live broadcast' at this moment, a surge of passion welled up in Liu Chaniang's heart.
She had never felt braver.
A mother's strength knows no bounds!
She couldn't let Chuchu down!
She wanted to become her daughter's pride.
With these thoughts, Liu Chaniang's nervousness gradually turned to composure as she made the first stitch.
Suturing the appendix.
Closing the abdominal wall incision layer by layer.
One layer after another, her stitches were fine, even, and nearly identical in spacing.
Her hands were steady and quick, and even the knot-tying was perfect.
When it was all done, the wound was almost completely smooth.
Ba Tu: "!"
Meng Can: "!"
Everyone witnessing this live suturing for the first time was astounded by the miraculous skill.
[My mother succeeded, it's perfect~]
Xiao Chuchu couldn't help but marvel as she watched the surgery broadcast.
[My mother has been practicing stitching and knotting on pork and pigskin recently. Today's operation was truly beautiful, as smooth as flowing water.]
Xiao Yunzhou was overjoyed when he heard this.
It seemed the surgery was a success.
He stood outside the tent holding Xiao Chuchu, ears perked up to listen. But before he could hear his daughter's next thoughts, Meng Can's excited voice already rang out from inside the medical tent.
"Are you Concubine Liu? I, Meng Can, humbly request to become your disciple!"
Xiao Yunzhou's jaw dropped: "!"
[Wow, Meng Can's progress collection is 100%, he's entered the elite character gallery!]
[Our country's medical skill has increased by 0.7%. The system prompts: Please continue to research the scalability of surgery.]
Xiao Yunzhou was delighted.
But then, another shout came from inside the medical tent.
"I agree to let you cut open my chest! I agree to let you remove the arrow fragments from inside me, but I want to be treated like him!"
"I want Concubine Liu to stitch me up!"
Ba Tu yelled.
"I also want to drink that fragrant strong alcohol, and then you can operate on me!"
This time, not only Xiao Yunzhou but also Duoti, who had been casually walking around outside the medical tent, was startled.
*
That night, Duoti took advantage of the darkness to leave the military camp for a walk to clear his head.
Suddenly, an arrow with a note attached whizzed past him, embedding itself in a nearby locust tree!
"When will you take action?!"
Duoti unfolded the note and glanced at the words, his expression growing complex.
It was a spy from Chu State, urging him to sabotage the relationship between Jing Country and the grasslands.
Duoti closed his eyes.
He too wished to act soon and leave this place behind.
But Ba Tu wanted the Jing Country official to perform open-heart surgery on him!
The corner of Duoti's mouth twitched.
How could he possibly make a move now?
He didn't dare to do anything at all!