The Princess's Inner Thoughts Were Overheard by Her Emperor Father

Chapter 161

Xiao Yunzhou recited the formula for the Anesthetic Powder from his daughter's inner thoughts, including the proportions of each ingredient.

After showing off, he looked at Head Imperial Physician Hu and said, "I haven't made any mistakes, have I? This is what you wrote in your report to me, right?"

Head Imperial Physician Hu's eyes trembled, almost bloodshot with excitement, amazement, and trepidation. "Marvelous... ahem, Your Majesty, that is indeed what I wrote."

He was excited and amazed because he had just heard another exceptional formula from a master.

Such an exquisite and ingenious recipe was a once-in-a-lifetime blessing to hear.

However, as he continued, his voice grew softer due to his guilt over the report.

But Xiao Yunzhou was determined to attribute this 'achievement' to Head Imperial Physician Hu.

Head Imperial Physician Hu was an honest man, and his reddening face and unusual demeanor were hard to conceal. Fortunately, both Meng Chun and Meng Can, uncle and nephew, were so astonished by this series of anesthetic methods that they didn't have time to notice Head Imperial Physician Hu's expression.

Only Wei Zheng noticed something slightly off, but he thought Head Imperial Physician Hu was an even better flatterer than himself.

"Head Imperial Physician Hu, you're going too far," Wei Zheng said.

"It's your own report, yet you act so surprised and full of praise... I don't even know what to say about you anymore."

Wei Zheng was truly impressed by Head Imperial Physician Hu's thick skin.

"No wonder you're the head of the Imperial Academy of Medicine, despite not being the oldest," he added.

Head Imperial Physician Hu's face alternated between shades of green and red.

Xiao Yunzhou cleared his throat lightly, stopping Wei Zheng's rudeness, just as hurried footsteps were heard from outside.

"Is Doctor Meng inside?" someone called.

"Quiet! The Emperor is here!"

"Ah? Old Liu's stomach pain is severe! Can Doctor Meng come out for a moment?"

Inside the medical tent, Xiao Yunzhou heard this and quickly nodded to the group, "You should attend to the patient first. I've said all I needed to say."

Meng Chun was also anxious to go out and treat the patient, so he hurried towards the tent's exit.

Only Meng Can looked at the emperor with slight confusion.

Wasn't the emperor here to ask Head Imperial Physician Hu about the report?

What did he mean by "I've said all I needed to say"...

But Meng Can's confusion didn't last long. In just a moment, his expression changed dramatically.

"It's intestinal abscess!" Meng Chun urgently asked outside the tent.

"How long have you had severe pain in your lower right abdomen?"

"It seems to have been almost a day..." a soldier's voice responded.

Meng Can and Head Imperial Physician Hu's faces changed drastically. They lifted the tent flap and went out, disregarding Emperor Xiao Yunzhou.

"Intestinal abscess?"

As they went out, Xiao Yunzhou followed to see.

They saw a soldier with a pale face, forehead covered in large beads of sweat, his body curled up like a shrimp, hand pressed tightly against the right side of his abdomen.

Meng Can immediately reached out, touching the abdomen and checking the pulse. His brows furrowed, "It's definitely intestinal abscess, and a severe case at that."

"What?"

"Old Liu was fine yesterday. Doctor, are you sure you haven't made a mistake?"

"This... this is bad, isn't it? I've heard intestinal abscess is a serious illness that can be fatal."

[Intestinal abscess, is that the same as acute appendicitis in modern terms?]

Xiao Chuchu, being held by Liu Chaniang in the emperor's tent, stopped playing around when she saw this.

[That requires surgery. If it's too late and the appendix ruptures, it's really bad.]

[Even in modern times, acute appendicitis can't be treated with just medication. Surgery is needed as soon as possible.]

Liu Chaniang sucked in a breath.

Meanwhile, Meng Chun had reached the same conclusion as Chuchu.

"I'm afraid medication won't be enough," he said.

"We might have to... open up the abdomen," Meng Chun said with a grave expression, looking to his uncle for confirmation.

Meng Can nodded solemnly, "Let's prepare. There's no other way. Medication won't be able to control it."

"What? Open up the abdomen?"

"What did you say?"

"Cut open the stomach?"

A group of soldiers was shocked.

The soldier on the stretcher was already soaked as if he'd been pulled out of water, barely conscious from the pain.

Head Imperial Physician Hu briefly checked the pulse and shook his head, "I have no prescription to offer. Acupuncture won't help either."

"Intestinal abscess..."

The commotion among the Jing Country soldiers soon caught the attention of Duoti and the other grassland people.

They came to see what the fuss was about, their faces a mix of shock and fear.

"Intestinal abscess can be fatal. I had a brother who died from it before," Ba Tu said through gritted teeth. "This man was just talking about wrestling with me yesterday."

"Has he... has he made arrangements? Who will take care of his property and children?"

Duoti kicked him, telling him to shut up.

But as he looked at the Jing Country soldier who was now unconscious from pain, his eyes were filled with sympathy.

He probably wouldn't survive.

Intestinal abscess was a dreadful disease on the grasslands.

Minor cases could be treated with medicine. For severe cases, there was nothing to be done but wait for death, the pain so excruciating that one would want to bash their head against a wall, dying in agony.

"Quickly, carry him inside!" Meng Chun stood up and called out.

Several Jing Country soldiers immediately sprang into action.

"Uncle... you should perform the abdominal incision," Meng Chun said.

These words almost made Meng Can's eyes bulge, but Meng Chun quickly turned to Head Imperial Physician Hu.

"Head Imperial Physician Hu, the anesthetic formula in your report, please prepare it immediately."

"Uncle, you have those ingredients in your medicine box, right?"

The components of the Anesthetic Powder indeed had anesthetic effects, though the proportions still needed adjustment.

By following Head Imperial Physician Hu's report and adjusting the dosage based on the patient's weight, gender, and age, it would be much safer.

Meng Chun's words extinguished Meng Can's anger.

"I'll assist you by cleaning the instruments with strong alcohol," Meng Can said.

"Alright." Meng Can finally nodded, then looked at his nephew, "Lastly, you'll perform the wound suturing."

Uncle has agreed to perform the surgery!

Meng Chun was overjoyed, but his expression quickly stiffened, "Suturing... Uncle, wait a moment. I need to ask the Emperor if we can request Lady Liu's assistance!"

Meng Can's mouth fell open, his eyes wide: "??"

He understood each word individually, but put together, they made no sense.

What did this have to do with Lady Liu?

It wasn't just Meng Can; even the anxious Jing Country soldiers, Duoti, and the others standing outside didn't understand.

"What did Doctor Meng say?"

"Did I hear that right? The Lady?"

"Does the Lady know medicine too?"

"Men and women should be separate... would the Emperor agree?"

[Oh wow, Doctor Meng wants my mother to do the suturing after the abdominal surgery?]

Xiao Chuchu took a deep breath.

Xiao Yunzhou, who had returned to the imperial tent to avoid causing trouble, paused just as he was about to take a sip of tea.

Liu Chaniang, who had been practicing suturing on pig skin, also froze, visibly nervous.

[That's a real person. My mother hasn't tried it before.]

Just as Xiao Chuchu was thinking this, Meng Chun's loud and urgent voice could be heard from outside.

"Your Majesty, a soldier outside urgently needs abdominal surgery, or his life may be in danger."

"My suturing skills are not as precise and quick as Lady Liu's!"

"I know, Your Highness, that you are of noble status and a consort in the imperial harem. Men and women should be separate, but now a life hangs in the balance... Saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda!" Meng Chun's voice was so loud that half the military camp could hear him.

Xiao Yunzhou frowned.

Meng Chun had put him, the emperor, in a difficult position. Refusing would make him seem indifferent to a soldier's life!

But it wasn't just about Liu Chaniang - even ordinary women didn't go out to practice medicine or suture and dress wounds for men.

Boys and girls shouldn't sit together after age seven!

Liu Chaniang glanced at Xiao Yunzhou's inscrutable face, gripped her handkerchief tightly, and bravely stood up. "Your Majesty, I am willing to try!"

Liu Chaniang gritted her teeth. "Regardless of gender or age, they are all Your Majesty's subjects!"

"This talent of mine is both a blessing from heaven and a responsibility placed on my shoulders!"

"I cannot simply enjoy the blessings without being willing to bear the burdens."

Liu Chaniang was willing to cast aside societal views on gender roles.

Even if it meant being sent to the Cold Palace, she didn't care.

The skills the little princess gave her surely weren't meant to be left idle.

Thinking thus, Liu Chaniang felt a fire burning in her heart, completely unafraid of Xiao Yunzhou's frown.

She would act for the sake of the world, not just for one emperor!

[Oh, Meng Can's collection progress is at 85%!]

Xiao Chuchu was suddenly startled by the system's notification.

Xiao Yunzhou abruptly turned his head to see Meng Chun and Meng Can outside the imperial tent, moved by Liu Chaniang's words.

[Auntie Liu is so awesome~]

[Actually, there shouldn't be much difference between men and women, right? The appendix isn't exactly a gender-specific area.]

Xiao Chuchu's thoughts bubbled up.

[It could be like a modern surgery. Just use surgical drapes to cover all other parts of the body, only exposing the area that needs to be operated on and sutured.]

[In that case, who could tell if it's a man or a woman?]

[Once on the operating table, everyone's the same.]

As she thought this, Xiao Yunzhou's eyes lit up.

If everything was covered, there indeed wouldn't be any gender issue.

He had also seen Liu Chaniang suturing before, always using forceps to manipulate the needle, never touching the pig skin directly.

"Very well!" Xiao Yunzhou turned back resolutely and grasped Liu Chaniang's hand.

"Since you have such concern for all our subjects, how could I not support you?"

"In my eyes, every soldier is like my own child."

"I trust you, Chaniang, and I trust my subjects."

"How can concerns about propriety between men and women be more important than the lives of my people!"

[Oh, Meng Can's collection progress is at 85%!]

[Oh, Duoti's collection progress is at 78%!]

[Both progress bars have increased~]