Guo Jia seemed to have passed out, yet not entirely.
At least, he could still emit a series of coughs occasionally.
"Cough, cough..."
Of course, judging by his expression, the pain in his abdomen was unbearable.
"Fengxiao... Fengxiao!"
Countless people called out Guo Jia's name, their expressions filled with sorrow, as if… everyone had a premonition that this would be the last time they saw their fellow countryman, the "genius envied by heaven."
"Divine Doctor Hua? What should we do?"
Zhang Zhongjing asked Hua Tuo…
In this situation, Zhang Zhongjing, as an internal medicine physician, was certainly less authoritative than Hua Tuo, a general practitioner.
Hua Tuo's complexion was also grim!
Intestinal paralysis? He had encountered this incurable disease before, often leading to the patient suffering immensely before death. He would then prepare a dose of *Mafiesan* to allow the patient to depart this world peacefully.
But... the person before him was the Vice Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs. Should he really let him depart so lightly?
Helpless...
Hua Tuo's expression was one of utter helplessness.
Who would have thought that at this very moment.
The sound of galloping horses rang out...
Clatter, clatter!
With the neighing of a warhorse, someone dismounted and, accompanied by hurried footsteps, rushed in!
Everyone turned towards the entrance and saw Dian Wei arriving, panting.
"Everyone, do not panic. Young Master Lu says he can save him!"
Ah...
"Young Master has instructed the medical office to immediately prepare a clean silkworm house, fire wax, *Mafiesan*, high-concentration alcohol... and a steel scalpel!"
Upon hearing this...
The entire medical office erupted in an uproar.
Xun Yu, Xun You, Xi Zhicai, and others looked at Dian Wei in disbelief.
Xun Yu was the first to react.
"Is it Ziyu who has arrived?"
"Young Master is right behind!" Dian Wei was still panting. "I implore Lord Xun to proceed with the preparations as requested by Young Master..."
"Gulp..."
Unconsciously, Xun Yu swallowed.
Immediately after, he reflexively turned his head to Hua Tuo and Zhang Zhongjing.
"Two divine doctors..."
"We do have a clean silkworm house. As for the fire wax and *Mafiesan*, that should not be a problem. Only this steel scalpel."
As Zhang Zhongjing uttered these words...
"I'll go to the blacksmith's workshop!" Zhuge Jun shouted loudly, and then he hurried out of the medical office, heading towards the blacksmith's workshop.
Watching Zhuge Jun's retreating back, Zhang Zhongjing smacked his lips again.
"There's still one more item missing, and that is... high-proof alcohol!"
This...
Xun Yu frowned. Since Cao Cao had issued the prohibition on alcohol, the only place in Luoyang city that could produce wine was the Imperial College Winery!
But... what about high-proof wine?
Xun Yu pondered if the Imperial College Winery had enough.
However, in an instant, Xun Yu suddenly recalled something. "Didn't Fengxiao mention just now that there was a jar of wine he personally brewed under the peach tree at the Imperial College Winery?"
Uh...
As the words left his mouth, everyone suddenly remembered.
Fengxiao had mentioned earlier... that jar of wine was what he had prepared to drink with Lu Ziyu until they were both drunk!
Since it was specially prepared, it must be... a good wine!
Perhaps... it had a high enough proof!
"This should be easy," Zhang Zhongjing nodded. He immediately instructed his disciples nearby. "You two hurry to the Imperial College and retrieve that jar of wine buried under the peach tree!"
"Yes..."
The two disciples from the medical office agreed.
Who would have thought...
Guo Jia inexplicably woke up. Compared to his faint voice earlier, his tone was now inexplicably much louder.
"That wine cannot..."
Guo Jia's sudden exclamation startled everyone.
Xun Yu reacted quickly.
"Fengxiao! Your life is almost gone, and you're still thinking about wine!"
Xun Yu immediately waved his hand, signaling the disciples to fetch it.
Guo Jia pondered for a moment and then tried to turn his head to ask Dian Wei.
"Commander Dian... Ziyu... How does Ziyu intend to save me?"
Clearly...
He had only been exhausted earlier, not truly unconscious. He had heard Dian Wei's conversation with everyone!
"Oh..." Dian Wei scratched his head, recalled for a moment, and then said, "Young Master Lu said that to save Fengxiao, one must open the abdomen, cut out the damaged intestines, and then... remove them!"
Uh...
Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned.
Especially Guo Jia, his pupils widened, as if... he had seen a ghost!
For a moment, he felt like he had truly been screwed over by fate!
Opening the abdomen!
Uh...
He couldn't help but wonder if he would die from this cut?
"Thud..."
Perhaps due to being too shocked, Guo Jia truly fainted this time.
"Fengxiao, Fengxiao..."
In an instant, the entire medical office descended into chaos again!
...
...
Xuzhou, Donghai Commandery.
The bathroom was draped with light gauze on all four sides, like mist and smoke, with the steam from the hot water filling the room, making it appear ethereal and dreamlike. Himiko's attendants poured the special floral essence of the Yamatai Kingdom into the bath.
Himiko shed her light gauze, and her graceful body gradually sank into the bath.
However...
What was particularly eye-catching was not her body, but rather... the various patterns on her skin.
It seemed that these patterns recorded countless secrets of the Yamatai Kingdom.
"Queen, has it been decided?"
As the attendant splashed water onto Himiko's body, which was covered in patterns, she softly inquired.
The warm fingertips touched the various diagrams on Himiko's skin, and for Himiko, it felt like a preview of something about to happen.
"If we cannot reclaim the Yamatai Kingdom, then what is the meaning of these?"
Himiko sighed softly and murmured...
She removed the light gauze from her face for the first time, revealing a face that could be described as "enchanting." Yet, this face was also imbued with the nobility and grace of an empress. This captivating aura made one feel unattainable with just a single glance!
"But... Queen!"
The attendant seemed to have something more to say... but in the end, she swallowed her words.
Actually, she wanted to mention... the rules of the Yamatai Kingdom.
Once the Queen's body was seen by others, then...
"Alright... go and invite Grand Alliance Leader Lu. I have made my decision," Himiko's tone was resolute.
"Yes!"
The attendant agreed and retreated slowly with her head lowered.
From the rear hall, an aged voice emerged.
"Is it worth it?"
"For the Yamatai Kingdom, it is worth it..." Himiko gritted her teeth, her gaze becoming more resolute.
After a moment...
"Queen, Queen..." The attendant from before ran back in a hurry.
Himiko looked up, only to see the attendant frowning and exclaiming, "Grand Alliance Leader Lu has left Donghai..."
"Whoosh..."
Himiko suddenly stood up, completely forgetting that she was still in the bathtub.
As if sensing the sea breeze around her, she slowly sat down again, her teeth biting down on her lips.
"How... how could he have left!"
Her brows furrowed into an inverted V...
Unwillingness...
From the bottom of her heart, she was unwilling to accept this "missed opportunity"!
...
...
Lu Yu returned and, without delay, proceeded to the medical office.
He ignored everyone's greetings and, led by Dian Wei, walked directly into the silkworm house.
Zhang Zhongjing and Hua Tuo were already waiting for him there...
Steel knife!
It couldn't be forged in a short time, but... after being soaked in alcohol and heated, an iron knife was ready!
Hemostatic forceps, Hua Tuo already had them...
As for other items, bandages, sutures, and so on...
Hua Tuo was a surgical expert, and with his skill in scraping bones and detoxifying, these were naturally not lacking.
And *Mafiesan* was Hua Tuo's patent...
It seemed that everything was ready, and all that remained was to "open the abdomen and cut" Guo Jia, Guo Fengxiao...
However, even an appendectomy couldn't be treated so casually!
Now, lying before Lu Yu, Hua Tuo, and Zhang Zhongjing was a death-row inmate. There were plenty of such inmates readily available from Man Chong, the magistrate of Xudu!
And they... were the guinea pigs for this surgery!
At this moment, the death-row inmate had taken *Mafiesan* and fallen asleep.
Meanwhile, Lu Yu was explaining the human anatomy and the various intestines connected to the appendix. To Lu Yu's surprise, Hua Tuo was extremely proficient in these matters!
"Divine doctors, I will reiterate the principle of intestinal paralysis... it is this part of the small intestine that has gone bad. If left untreated, it will fester, and there is basically no cure. Therefore, what we need to do is first open the abdomen, cut it out, and remove it!"
Lu Yu spoke as he gestured on the death-row inmate's body.
He spoke fluently.
Hua Tuo was fine, as he was originally researching this field. Under his theory, even a battle axe could be used to open the skull, and even according to his theory, "wind phlegm" caused by accumulated turbid qi could be removed from Cao Cao's head and then sutured.
Of course, Hua Tuo dared to say this because he had successful cases!
Now, it was merely opening the abdomen, and Hua Tuo could fully accept this surgical plan.
As for Zhang Zhongjing...
He, an internal medicine physician, was shocked to hear about opening the abdomen.
"Can cutting it out work?"
Zhang Zhongjing asked...
Before Lu Yu could speak, Hua Tuo reassured him, "This plan is worth a try..."
"Stop talking so much... time is of the essence," Lu Yu reminded him. "I don't know if it will succeed, but today I have prepared five death-row inmates! We can try it on their bodies... what if it works!"
Theory was theory after all.
If Lu Yu were to treat something like kidney deficiency, with his rich experience from his previous life, it would be a simple matter of curing it. But... performing an appendectomy, Lu Yu had only heard about it generally. He only knew it was very simple... but the specific procedure, he didn't know.
Let alone operating with a knife.
It was possible that as soon as it was cut open, blood would pour out, and the person would pass out.
However...
Hua Tuo was a trustworthy physician!
Moreover, this theory of appendectomy seemed to align with his theory of using a battle axe to open the skull!
Of course, there were also some other issues...
Hua Tuo's *Mafiesan* effect was only average.
You must know that *Mafiesan* was described as almost miraculous in ancient literature, but in reality, Lu Yu could feel... that the death-row inmate before him still had sensation... and could even squint his eyes.
*Hoo...*
Exhaling softly, Lu Yu rubbed the area where he was about to make an incision.
This was the McBurney's point in the lower right abdomen...
Which is the intersection of the outer two-thirds of the line connecting the umbilicus and the anterior superior iliac spine.
In short, Lu Yu couldn't explain it clearly. Because he had dated a girlfriend who was a doctor, occasionally... during intimate moments at night, she would practice on Lu Yu's stomach, explaining where this and that was.
Where it could be cut, and where it couldn't be cut!
If not for... Lu Yu's poor kidney function back then, they wouldn't have broken up. Thinking about it now, it was such a shame!
"Cough, cough..."
Clearing his throat, Lu Yu reassured the death-row inmate, "Don't be afraid, and don't be nervous. Fear and nervousness are useless! I have already informed Magistrate Man. As long as you survive, half of your crime will be pardoned. If you make outstanding contributions to this procedure of opening the abdomen, I will personally guarantee your reprieve from the death sentence. Of course, if you die, it doesn't matter... you were going to be executed in the autumn anyway. Early death, early rebirth. You have no choice in this life, but you can be a good person in the next!"
"He... can hear?" Zhang Zhongjing asked curiously...
Lu Yu smacked his lips, "Probably. It seems the dosage of *Mafiesan* this time was insufficient! We'll increase the dosage next time..."
Just then, Hua Tuo had finished heating the scalpel.
"Medical Immortal Lu, if you have no further instructions, I shall begin!"
"Good!" Lu Yu nodded. "My junior brother Zhongjing and I will assist Divine Doctor Hua..."
Hearing the affirmative answer.
Hua Tuo did not hesitate. He immediately located the spot and made the incision.
Steady, accurate, and fierce!
It was as fast as lightning!
Lu Yu and Zhang Zhongjing were both stunned...
It seemed that as long as Hua Tuo found the correct location, and as long as Lu Yu's method was accurate, these surgical procedures were a piece of cake for Hua Tuo!
Hua Tuo reached inside, roughly located the position, and then with a "squish," the blade seemed to have specifically tugged at the appendix, and with just one cut... the organ was removed.
"Stop the bleeding, apply medicine..."
Hua Tuo took out the appendix and immediately instructed.
Lu Yu felt a bit faint at the sight of blood. He felt like everything before him was blood, but the more it was like this... the more he was astonished by Hua Tuo's medical skills. In a fantasy novel, this would be terrifyingly powerful!
It was Zhang Zhongjing who reacted first, immediately handing over the styptic, hemostatic forceps... and fishing line.
The fishing line was quickly threaded, and Hua Tuo's suturing speed was both fast and steady. After stopping the bleeding, the next step was to apply medicine, and finally, to smear it with alcohol...
Throughout the entire process, Hua Tuo operated methodically, as steady as Mount Tai!
"Hoo..."
After completing these steps, Hua Tuo finally exhaled a breath and remarked, "This method is feasible and should save his life!"
Good heavens...
Lu Yu was dumbfounded. Indeed, he knew Hua Tuo was amazing, but he didn't expect... this was like a mother cow sitting on an electric wire, incredibly powerful and striking like lightning!
"It worked? It worked?"
Zhang Zhongjing asked in shock.
"Not yet!" Lu Yu explained. "We still need to observe. If the wound does not get infected, he will likely live!"
"What if it gets infected?" Zhang Zhongjing was full of curiosity about the unknown.
"If it gets infected, then it's his misfortune!"
Saying this, Lu Yu looked up. "Divine Doctor Hua? Shall we continue trying?"
This...
Hua Tuo pondered for a moment, his eyes becoming resolute.
"Let's begin directly!"
Indeed, he also wanted to practice a few more times, as the theories proposed by Lu Yu were too advanced, and everyone's body had subtle differences!
The more times it was tried, the higher the success rate would undoubtedly be.
However...
Could Guo Jia wait that long?
As a physician with a benevolent heart, Hua Tuo did not want to operate on these condemned criminals, nor did he want to delay Guo Jia's treatment. Therefore... he had to bear more responsibility.
"Alright..." Lu Yu nodded. "Then I'll have them prepare carefully."
Performing an appendectomy on Guo Jia was different from performing an appendectomy on these condemned criminals!
Sanitary conditions were of paramount importance...
With Hua Tuo's skill,
Clearly... removing the appendix was not a problem!
The problem was... whether bacteria would enter the wound and whether bacterial infection would occur.
Not a single point could be overlooked!
...
...
The sun shone on the nine-ridge roofs of the Grand Chancellor's mansion. Cao Cao was reading a bamboo scroll in his official residence.
This was a classical text he had specifically sought out regarding naval training methods.
He nodded slightly, but this did not conceal his preoccupation.
Finally.
"Tap, tap..."
On the stone steps outside the door, footsteps grew louder.
"Chancellor... Chancellor..."
Xu Chu rushed in... Cao Cao immediately stood up and anxiously asked, "The office? How is it?"
"Guo Fengxiao has not yet been treated, but... the procedure of opening the abdomen mentioned by Lu Ziyu has already been attempted on a death-row inmate." Xu Chu reported truthfully.
"What about that death-row inmate? Is he alive?" Cao Cao asked with increasing urgency.
"He is alive for now..." Xu Chu said. "But some medical officials say whether he will survive still needs a few days of observation! Now, Divine Doctor Hua Tuo is preparing to operate and open the abdomen of Vice Director Guo!"
*Hoo...*
Hearing this, Cao Cao let out a heavy sigh.
He had heard from the Tiger Guards' report that Yu'er had returned and had gone directly to the medical office, even proposing to open the abdomen...
It must be known that ancient people attached great importance to the integrity of their bodies, and the idea of opening the abdomen was unprecedented.
Fortunately, he was now recognized as a medical immortal in the medical community, and he was also Cao Cao's eldest son... Cao Cao believed in Yu'er's "wickedness" and had sent Xu Chu with the Tiger Guards to investigate.
Even...
Cao Cao was thinking, if the abdomen could be opened, then what about Hua Tuo's proposal of using a battle axe to open the skull!
For the first time, Cao Cao actually linked "opening the skull with a battle axe" with the words "can live"... this was already absurd!
"Continue to investigate!"
"Regardless of whether Guo Fengxiao can be cured, report to me immediately!"
"Yes!" Xu Chu agreed and quickly departed.
Cao Cao walked to a corner of the room, and with a "swoosh," he drew his sword from the rack... his wrist suddenly exerted more force, smashing the rack.
"Dong... Dong..."
As the rack fell to the ground, it made a loud noise upon impact with the wooden floor.
Cao Cao's eyes gradually narrowed.
He kept murmuring to himself.
—"Open the skull with a battle axe! Remove the wind phlegm! Open the skull with a battle axe... remove the wind phlegm!"
—"Open... the skull! Open... the skull!"
Continuously chanting these words...
For the first time, Cao Cao's ingrained "stubbornness" began to waver greatly!
...
...