"Risks that might come with the treatment? I need to sign something before you can treat me?"
Ba Tu stared wide-eyed.
Xiao Yunzhou's verbal order—including the "Immortal Realm surgery risks" overheard from Xiao Chuchu—had been delivered to Head Imperial Physician Hu.
Head Imperial Physician Hu immediately pulled Meng Chun aside to explain the "surgical risks" to Ba Tu and Duoti.
"It's alright, just listen first."
"If you're not brave enough for the surgery, you can still reconsider."
It was the first time Duoti had heard a doctor recite a long list of potential risks to a patient.
What if they didn't operate?
If they did operate, what were the risks?
Not just Ba Tu himself, but even Duoti standing beside him was a bit dazed as he listened.
Although the risks sounded scary, these men who licked blood off their blades usually lived with their heads hanging by a thread anyway.
What they feared most wasn't danger, but the unknown.
If everything was crystal clear, and the doctor could explain it all plainly, then their fear actually lessened a bit.
Compared to some shamans and witch doctors on the grasslands, at least Duoti and Ba Tu now understood how serious their condition was, no longer in the dark.
Ba Tu felt more confident, "Let's do it! I'll sign! If that's not enough, have Lord Duoti sign for me too!"
Duoti: "..."
He frowned for a long while before finally speaking, "I want to be in the medical tent to observe while you operate on Ba Tu."
Duoti was still cautious, afraid the Jing Country doctors might pull some tricks.
His request to enter as "family" was highly appreciated by Meng Can, "Fine, if he wakes up midway, you hold him down! We're short on strong men anyway."
Duoti's breath caught.
Meng Can was eager to start, "When do we begin? No time like the present. I took your pulse yesterday, Ba Tu, and you're in good condition. No need to delay further!"
Meng Can reasoned, "While Lady Consort Liu is here, before she returns to the palace, she can stitch you up nicely. Otherwise, only my nephew will be available, and if he stitches you up ugly, don't cry about it."
Ba Tu panicked upon hearing this, "Today, let's do it today!"
Duoti listened from the side, his mouth twitching, but he held back.
Ba Tu was the one concerned, and he had no right to influence Ba Tu's personal choice.
With Meng Can, Meng Chun, Head Imperial Physician Hu, and Lady Consort Liu all present, this was clearly the best "surgical" team.
Duoti didn't dare let Ba Tu delay either.
That afternoon, Duoti accompanied the freshly bathed Ba Tu into the medical tent.
Washing hands, fumigating with vinegar, then disinfecting with strong alcohol—Duoti felt like a layer of skin was peeling off his hands.
Finally, Ba Tu drank some alcohol and took the "anesthetic powder" prepared by Head Imperial Physician Hu, falling into a deep sleep.
"Duoti, my lord, all my money is in my shoe sole... If anything happens to me, send it back to my mother..."
Duoti opened his mouth, but before he could respond, Ba Tu was already fast asleep.
"Ba Tu?"
"Ba Tu!"
Duoti was shocked. Even the strongest alcohol on the grasslands couldn't knock Ba Tu out with just one cup.
"Stop calling. You could shout until your throat is raw, and he still wouldn't respond."
"...!"
A full hour and a half passed, until the sun was nearly setting, before Xiao Yunzhou finally received good news.
"Your Majesty, great joy! We really did dig out two small fragments from that grassland man's chest...!"
Wei Zheng hurried to report the good news, "Head Imperial Physician Hu says it went very smoothly. Ba Tu hasn't woken up yet, but they'll observe him overnight. As long as he doesn't develop a fever, there shouldn't be any major issues."
Xiao Yunzhou had a smile on his face even before Wei Zheng came in to speak.
Because Xiao Chuchu's live broadcast had beaten him to it!
[While my mother was doing the sutures, Duoti looked at her as if she were an immortal!]
[I felt like he was about to kneel down~ Now that my mother has finished stitching, he's still in a daze, haha.]
Xiao Chuchu's inner thoughts had already informed Xiao Yunzhou of the surgery results.
She was still savoring the moment.
[Duoti: Mother asked me why I was kneeling to watch the suturing~]
[Hiya, Duoti's loyalty to my mother has reached 100%!]
At this point, Xiao Yunzhou could no longer hide the smile on his face.
[Aww, Duoti has been added to the elite gallery.]
[Elite description: Whenever Duoti comes into contact with Jing Country soldiers, he may pass on his years of charging experience to them.]
Xiao Yunzhou's eyes lit up.
Then, he heard another exclamation from his daughter.
[Woohoo, two new characters have been added to the elite gallery for potential romance!]
[Oh my, it's actually the twin daughters of the Chu State's Prime Minister.]
Xiao Yunzhou: "???"
Huh?
The daughters of a high-ranking official close to the King of Chu? Are they really elite characters?
The King of Chu has never had good intentions, always trying to trip up his Jing Country.
Xiao Yunzhou's expression grew serious at the thought.
[Chu State Twin Beauties (Elite): Two of the five great beauties of Chu State, with great influence among young talents.]
[If successfully recruited, they will occupy two slots in the elite gallery, and there's a possibility of gaining the loyalty of the Chu State's Prime Minister.]
"!"
Xiao Yunzhou's eyes widened at this.
The King of Chu was cunning, always fond of planting spies and informants in others' territories.
What if their Jing Country managed to recruit the Chu State's Prime Minister and cultivate him as an informant? Would that work?
What a move—an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth!
The more Xiao Yunzhou thought about it, the more excited he became. He took a deep breath to suppress his restless heart.
[The system hints that because we've successfully collected three elite characters, Jing Country's national power has significantly increased recently.]
[So it will attract more elites to Jing Country.]
[The Chu State Twin Beauties will secretly arrive in the capital of Jing Country in the coming days.]
Xiao Yunzhou gasped. So soon?
He wasn't even prepared yet.
"Wei Zheng! Go tell Head Imperial Physician Hu that We and Concubine Liu have stayed here for quite some time, and it's about time we return to the palace."
Originally, he had come to observe the sparring between the grassland warriors and Jing soldiers.
But now, apart from Duoti, there were hardly any grassland warriors in good health.
How could they fight now?
Anyway, Duoti had already submitted, willingly teaching them horsemanship and grassland marching techniques.
Xiao Yunzhou didn't plan to stay in the military camp any longer, wasting time. "Leave the sparring until Ba Tu recovers. Let Hou Yuchuan and the Duke of Dingguo oversee it."
[Ah, I haven't played enough yet.]
Xiao Chuchu whimpered.
Xiao Yunzhou hugged his daughter tenderly to console her, "We'll come again next time~ Be good, Chuchu~"
On the day the Emperor and Concubine Liu were to return to the palace, not only did all the Jing Country soldiers kneel to see them off, but even the grassland people, who had always been proud and looked down on Jing soldiers, performed their most respectful grassland ceremony towards Xiao Yunzhou and Concubine Liu's carriage.
Ba Tu, still wrapped in bandages, was supported by Duoti as he kowtowed on the ground.
"Lord Duoti, I... I deserve death."
"I kind of want to stay in Jing Country now..."
!
Who doesn't?!
Not only the other grassland soldiers, but even Duoti's expression couldn't help but change complexly.
Jing Country was so good!
They had food and drink, winter clothes and blankets, and such skilled doctors.
Even the consorts in Jing Country's imperial harem were as kind, beautiful, and capable as immortals.
Duoti watched the carriage depart with reverence.
That night, he went out of the military camp for some air and ran into a Chu State spy.
"General Duoti! What are your intentions? I've sought you out many times, but you keep avoiding me and haven't taken any action?"
Duoti narrowed his eyes, "I'm thinking."
"Thinking about what?" the Chu spy questioned impatiently.
"Does Chu State have down jackets?"
"W-what?"
"Does Chu State have chicken wraps? Instant noodles?"
"Huh?"
"Does Chu State have suturing techniques?"
"?"
The Chu spy looked completely bewildered, unable to answer any of the questions.
Duoti glanced at him and shook his head with a sigh, "Go back and tell the King of Chu that I'll return everything he sent me in the past when I go back to the grasslands."
"What? Duoti, what are you saying! If your Khan finds out you accepted gifts from us—"
"If the King of Chu wants to report me, let him tell the Khan. Anyway, I've changed my mind. I don't plan to help Chu State anymore."
Chu State had nothing he wanted.
There's a saying in the Central Plains: A good bird chooses a tree to perch on.
What's wrong with him choosing the better Jing Country?
Duoti pulled an arrow from his quiver, snapped it with a crack, and threw it on the ground!
"My relationship with Chu is like this broken arrow! If you come looking for me again, I'll personally capture you and take you to the Jing camp!"
"Oh, and when I return tonight, I'll tell the Jing soldiers that I saw suspicious figures here, likely Chu people."
The Chu spy's eyes widened, and he fled backwards in a flash!
But Duoti shot him in the arm!
*
[Aww, the morning market is so fun~]
Meanwhile, Xiao Yunzhou brought Concubine Liu and their precious little princess Xiao Chuchu back to the palace, deliberately choosing the bustling market for an incognito outing.
He had the expert Jiu Xiao follow Fifth Prince Cheng Qian and Liu Chaniang, who was holding Chuchu.
Xiao Yunzhou walked behind with two guards.
Just to let his playful daughter browse along the way, Xiao Yunzhou nearly worried his guards to death.
Fortunately, the common people's focus wasn't on the emperor now.
Everyone was still playing the board game 'Tycoon' every day, or busy with their livelihoods, and no one would pay attention to the faces of passersby.
"Fresh steamed buns, hot off the steamer!"
"Customer, would you like some noodles?"
[Wow, buns and flatbreads, Jing Country has quite a variety of food too~]
[I'm hungry, but I really miss jianbing guozi, youtiao with sticky rice, youtiao with soy milk or tofu pudding, xiaolongbao, pan-fried buns and potstickers~]
[Wow, walking around is making me thirsty, I kind of miss bubble tea.]
As Xiao Chuchu's mouth watered, her thoughts ran wild.
Youtiao? Bubble tea? Xiaolongbao?
The whole family was stirred by Xiao Chuchu's inner voice, their throats bobbing.
Only two thoughts remained in Xiao Yunzhou's mind.
First, return to the palace and whip up some kind of face mask for Concubine Liu to use.
Second, figure out how to recreate these Immortal Realm delicacies!
Third, win over the daughter of Chu State's Prime Minister!