Chapter 285: Craniotomy

Gu Jiu Ling took Jiu Yue and Yun Duo and hurried to the outside of Mr. Wen's warm pavilion; then she, taking Jiu Yue, strode inside.

Yun Duo held Xiao Yin's Dragon Spring Sword, barely standing at the doorway.

Just now the master said, no one may step into Mr. Wen's warm pavilion; even if the Crown Prince forces his way in, Yun Duo could cut him down with the Dragon Spring Sword.

Indeed, Yun Duo stood at the doorway holding the Dragon Spring Sword; not long after, the Crown Prince also chased over, just about to enter the warm pavilion but Yun Duo barely stopped him.

"What audacity! Move aside!"

Xiao Ting couldn't help but fly into a rage; a mere maid from the Rui Wang Fu also dares to block the Crown Prince's path?

His face darkened, he raised his hand to push Yun Duo aside, but Yun Duo stepped forward, the sword in her hand already drawn, a cold light flashing, actually forcing Xiao Ting to retreat several steps.

"How are you just as crazy as your master?"

Xiao Ting's face immediately sank, he fiercely stared at the presumptuous little girl before him.

Yun Duo, having been rescued by the master from the jaws of danger in the Third Prince's Manor back then, in this life she acknowledges only the master; even if the Heavenly King and his old father came, she would, at the master's word, hack the opponent to pieces before speaking further.

Yun Duo, holding the Dragon Spring Sword, rushed to Xiao Ting and bowed, saying: "Crown Prince, please calm your anger; my master said that when she treats patients, she does not like idle onlookers watching from the side."

"It affects her treatment efficacy; please, Your Highness, wait outside."

"If there is a result, my master will surely come out to explain."

Xiao Ting furrowed his brows fiercely; inside lay his teacher—on what grounds could he not be allowed to see?

He snorted coldly, regardless of Yun Duo, raised his hand and was about to push the door open and go inside.

But unexpectedly, a strong wind came head-on; the Dragon Spring Sword's edge emitted a low hum, actually slicing straight at his face.

Moreover, Yun Duo's martial arts are very unorthodox, she follows the jianghu path; although the Crown Prince also has some martial arts, they are merely basic defensive sword techniques, yet this time he was actually blocked outright by a little girl.

Only then did Xiao Ting again seriously look at the overbearing little girl before him; for a moment he actually found himself embarrassed.

But then, from inside the room came Gu Jiu Ling's voice.

"Your Highness, if you still care about your teacher's life, please do not make any further disturbance here."

"Please wait outside, Your Highness; if there is any result, whether good or bad, I, Gu Jiu Ling, carrying my child, sit here—I cannot go anywhere, I cannot escape, the responsibility is mine, you can rest assured."

"But if you continue to make a fuss, Your Highness, Mr. Wen may truly not be saved."

"Now Mr. Wen is seriously injured; I need to perform an operation on him, and I have only a fifty percent chance of success."

"If the Crown Prince continues to make a fuss and affects me, then the Crown Prince truly is a wretch who betrays his teacher and destroys his ancestors."

"I, Gu Jiu Ling, look down on you."

Xiao Ting's face changed somewhat; he ground his back teeth and glared fiercely at Yun Duo before him, flicked his sleeve, and turned to walk into the side hall.

The attendant beside Xiao Ting hurriedly offered hot tea, but Xiao Ting kicked it away.

He stared fixedly at the black jade thumb ring on his finger, while Gu Jiu Ling's clear voice still echoed in his ears.

I don't know why, but every time I see that woman, I inexplicably feel irritable.

The more outstanding she is, the more radiant she appears; that faint regret in his heart gets infinitely amplified, tormenting his mind.

As for other matters, he need not care; after all, he is the Crown Prince of Southern Qi, and he can do whatever he wants.

But Gu Jiu Ling's last words, "I look down on you," fiercely stabbed into Xiao Ting's heart.

Xiao Ting seized the teacup on the table and smashed it to the ground with a crack, fuming as he waited there.

Gu Jiu Ling heard that outside had finally quieted down, then she relaxed and looked at Mr. Wen before her.

She gave a rough check, and her heart rose to her throat.

Aside from other injuries, there were only some superficial abrasions, yet he remained unconscious.

That suggests a high possibility of intracranial bleeding.

Here, surgery must be performed immediately; the sooner the better.

She drew a deep breath and looked toward Jiu Yue.

Jiu Yue understood at once, quickly rose and moved outward to avoid; she only heard from behind a sound of things being placed, along with other noises.

Jiu Yue suppressed her curiosity; not long after, Gu Jiu Ling had her turn around.

Jiu Yue hurriedly turned to look, and a flash of surprise crossed her eyes.

At this moment, many objects she didn't understand were placed on Mr. Wen's head; in the master's words, they were medical instruments.

These things are very effective for treating illness; among them, she has now learned the simple operation of some instruments.

Only, Jiu Yue felt especially puzzled: in such a short time, how did the master produce these things?

The master didn't say, and as a servant she dared not ask further; she and the master are of one heart, the master doesn't want to explain, and she dares not pursue it.

In Jiu Yue's eyes, the master is none other than the Guanyin Bodhisattva who saves the suffering.

Thinking this, she couldn't help but secretly ponder: perhaps the master really is a bodhisattva incarnate.

This time she also dared not let her thoughts run wild; she turned and stood beside Gu Jiu Ling.

Master and servant had coordinated many times before, but this was their first time performing this craniotomy.

Jiu Yue watched wide-eyed as Gu Jiu Ling picked up the specially made tool and scraped it across Mr. Wen's scalp, whereupon she gasped.

"Jiu Yue!" Gu Jiu Ling whispered a reprimand, suppressing the terror in Jiu Yue's heart.

This time, healing and saving lives is different from before—actually they intend to split open a person's head?

This is utterly unheard of; will there still be a life after this cut?

Could it be that the master really intends to kill Mr. Wen?

She couldn't help but blurt out: "Master, how will we dispose of the corpse later? Where will we dump it?"

Jiu Yue didn't care about anything else; if the master kills, she dumps the corpse—she had to ask how to do it.

In the eyes of Jiu Yue and the other little maids, the greatest thing in this world is the master.

As for Mr. Wen, the Crown Prince, or the legitimate master in the palace, in their eyes they amount to nothing.

Even if the master walks a single path into hell, Jiu Yue would follow and jump down as well.

"What corpse are you throwing? Little melon‑seed head, wake up a bit!"

Gu Jiu Ling laughed and scolded.

It's no wonder Jiu Yue hasn't seen such a scene; even in modern society, this kind of surgery is quite troublesome.

Gu Jiu Ling first shaved Mr. Wen's head bald, then immediately took out a specially made tool and injected anesthetic into Mr. Wen, put him on a ventilator, and performed general anesthesia.

Although Jiu Yue did her best to follow her master's actions, at the moment her master opened the skull she was so frightened she shut her eyes and dared not look again.

Time gradually passed, and when it reached the early‑morning hours—the darkest moment before dawn—outside was pitch black, you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

Xiao Ting had already heard Jiu Yue's startled cry earlier, and hurried to rush into Mr. Wen's warm pavilion, but Yun Duo firmly blocked him.

He wanted to order the attendants to seize Yun Duo, this stubborn girl, but he didn't expect Gu Jiu Ling's voice to come from inside the room again; hearing that voice, even the act of writing a ring seemed unchanged, and only then did his heart relax—yet he could no longer stand in the side hall, instead standing at the two doors of Mr. Wen's residence, staring fixedly at the window.

Xiao Ting didn't know how long he had been standing here; it seemed he would stand until the earth grew old and heaven turned desolate, just as the eavesdropping door was gently pushed open from inside with a soft push, a weary‑faced Gu Jiu Ling emerged, sweat still not wiped from her forehead, walking slowly out and standing before him.