Chapter 383

Wan Boping said: "Please, sir, treat my son's illness as soon as possible." Although I don't know how capable Hu Xiaotian is, what he most wants is still to save his own son.

Hu Xiaotian smiled faintly, saw the grand master's chair empty beside him, walked over slowly and sat down.

Wan Boping gave a glance, steward Wan Changchun hurried over to serve tea, Hu Xiaotian took the Chazan and drank slowly and deliberately.

Wan Boping, having spent years in the marketplace, immediately understood his meaning and said in a low voice: "As long as you cure my son, I will pay you one hundred taels of gold."

Hu Xiaotian gave a sly hehe laugh and said: "Is the Second Young Master's life really worth only one hundred taels of gold?"

Wan Boping silently cursed this kid for being black-hearted; not to mention Qingyun Xian, looking across the whole Xichuan, those who can afford this consultation fee are already few enough to count on one's fingers, and I don't even know how good your medical skill is, yet you already start raising the price. But Wan Boping now has no other option; seeing Hu Xiaotian speak with such confidence, he can only hold some expectation. No matter what, let's agree first and talk later; he's just a doctor; if he cures my son, we'll talk later; if he lacks the ability, I will never forgive him. Wan Boping said: "As long as you can cure my son, I will add another hundred taels of remuneration on top of that."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Empty words aren't enough! Let's first draw up a contract."

Wan Boping sneered: "Sir, you underestimate me, Wan someone. Go ask around; in all my years of business, when have I ever gone back on my word?"

Hu Xiaotian said indifferently: "I've just arrived in Qingyun Xian; I'm not familiar with you and have no time to inquire. I only know that money can make ghosts turn millstones. Without money, there's nothing to discuss."

Wan Ting Chang said from the side: "How do we know you can cure my brother? What proof do you have?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "No proof needed; besides me, you have no better option."

Wan Ting Chang said to his father: "Father, don't believe him; I see he's nothing but a bragging liar, just trying to swindle us out of money..."

"Shut up!" Wan Boping shouted angrily, then turned to Hu Xiaotian, already putting on a humble and courteous facade: "Money is no problem, but I don't know how you intend to treat my son."

Hu Xiaotian said: "I just said there is a blood clot in his cranial cavity. To treat him, we must remove the blood clot."

"How can the blood clot be removed?" Wan Boping felt extremely nervous; with his limited medical knowledge, he simply could not imagine how to extract the blood clot from his son's cranial cavity.

Hu Xiaotian said: "The only method is to open a window in his Skull, then we can extract the blood clot."

Wan Boping sucked in a breath of cold air; the method Hu Xiaotian described is actually a very simple neurosurgical plan, but in this time and space, on this continent, to Wan Boping and everyone else it seems utterly unthinkable, shocking and outrageous.

Wan Ting Chang said: "Father! He's not only a liar, but also malicious; if you open a window in a person's skull, how could they still live? Father, please don't believe his deceitful words. Come on! Throw this wandering quack out!"

Two servants stepped forward upon hearing that; Murong Feiyan stepped forward to block Hu Xiaotian. Her pretty face was frosty, exuding authority without anger. The two servants felt a chill in their hearts at her gaze and involuntarily stepped back.

Wan Boping, being an old sly fox, although he couldn't be certain how skilled Hu Xiaotian's medicine was, his confidence and analysis of his son's condition already caused him to waver. Up to now, all the noted doctors in Qingyun Xian he had summoned. Yet seeing his son's condition, they all shook their heads and sighed, helpless. Some even made a diagnosis, the same as Hu Xiaotian's earlier one, but even after diagnosing, no one offered any treatment plan; they all sentenced the son to death. Hu Xiaotian was the first to clearly propose a treatment plan.

Looking at his son, who was like a corpse, Wan Boping realized he could only take a risky gamble; perhaps this young doctor really possesses supreme skill, or maybe it's just treating a dead horse as alive; if we delay further, the son might lose even a sliver of hope. Wan Boping said: "Sir, if you cure my son, I am willing to pay you two hundred gold, but you must guarantee my son's safety!"

Hu Xiaotian thought to himself, even if I kill your son by curing him, it would just be an accident, not a medical malpractice; what can you do to me? He stood up again and said: "Wan Yuanwai, given your son's condition, even if Hua Tuo were resurrected, there would be no absolute certainty. I cannot guarantee it, after all anything could happen during treatment; the only thing I can guarantee is that I will do my utmost. By the way, add a clause to the contract: if any mishap occurs during the surgery, you bear the responsibility, not me."

Wan Boping understood; it turns out this kid guarantees nothing, yet he wants me to write a contract for him. Wan Boping steeled himself, fine, I'll write it! This is Qingyun Xian, and moreover it's on my Wan Family's turf; I don't believe you kid would dare play tricks. If something really happens, I'll make you regret coming into this world.

Wan Boping had someone fetch brush, ink, paper, and inkstone; while he was writing the contract there, Hu Xiaotian had him send people to Fulai Inn to find Liang Da Zhuang and bring his surgical instrument box. The craniotomy surgery relying solely on the instruments he brought from the capital is not enough; Hu Xiaotian also had the Wan Family prepare hammers, clamps, and chisels, which could be of some use in the craniotomy. He had helpers prepare the surgical sheets, gauze, etc., all sterilized in a steamer.

Also fetched candles and a bronze mirror to increase the room's lighting.

The Wan Family folks were bewildered; is this guy treating disease or chiseling stone? Is he a doctor or a stonemason? But the Wan Family, being wealthy, satisfied all of Hu Xiaotian's demands.

After everything was ready, Hu Xiaotian first had the barber they had found earlier shave Wan Ting Sheng's head clean; this is not a prank, medically it's called preparing the skin, the purpose being to fully expose the surgical site to avoid intra- and post-operative infection.

Murong Feiyan assisted from the side; Yuan Shiqing had once sent Hu Xiaotian some anesthetic drugs, which now came in handy, but the potency of these anesthetics was obviously not strong enough, so Hu Xiaotian had Murong Feiyan help stimulate Wan Ting Sheng's acupoints, to ensure everything went smoothly.

For patients with epidural hematoma, the earlier the treatment, the higher the chance of survival. Hu Xiaotian naturally understands this; although he has performed many surgeries since arriving on this continent, craniotomy is still his first time, so it's still quite risky; his own risk is secondary, the patient's risk is greater, especially since Hu Xiaotian's motive for operating on Wan Ting Sheng today is not pure; in his eyes, Wan Ting Sheng's life or death isn't that important. He also considered the worst outcome. If Wan Ting Sheng really dies during the surgery, the Wan Family will surely not let it go, but having the contract in hand is enough to detach himself; even if the Wan Family tries to bully with power, I will reveal my true identity. I'm sure you wouldn't dare move against me.

After routine disinfection with strong alcohol, Hu Xiaotian picked up the scalpel and cut open the patient's scalp. Although he despises Wan Ting Sheng's character, once the surgery begins he involuntarily sets aside prejudice; in the eyes of a true physician, the patient has no good or bad distinction. A doctor's duty is to save the life before him; saving the dead and healing the wounded is his responsibility. As for whether this person deserves death, that is something to consider only after he is saved.

The scalpel cut through skin, subcutaneous tissue, and the galea aponeurotica; each segment was clamped with skin clips; in the absence of an electric cautery to stop bleeding, Hu Xiaotian used an iron chopstick heated red in the fire as a substitute hemostat, and the room filled with a burnt smell.

After cutting the scalp, perform blunt dissection of the loose connective tissue layer beneath the galea aponeurotica, then flip the skin flap base.

Although Murong Feiyan has experienced countless battles, large and small, and her subordinates have taken dozens of lives, seeing Hu Xiaotian's current actions also makes her feel creeped out and shocked; she truly doesn't know if he is iron-hearted, remaining expressionless throughout—could he really be a reincarnated murderous maniac?

Although Hu Xiaotian holds the scalpel, he is not trying to kill but to save; after successfully separating the scalp layer, the subsequent work is even more unbearable for Murong Feiyan to watch, and next comes the craniotomy.

The scalpel cut along the inner edge of the incision to separate the periosteum; although Hu Xiaotian possesses a set of surgical instruments given by Li Yifeng, this set is incomplete, lacking a cranial drill for craniotomy, so he can only use a hammer and chisel to open the skull; these are not professional tools, really rather primitive.

Murong Feiyan never imagined Hu Xiaotian would use such a savage, brutal method to perform the craniotomy; hearing his clanking blows and seeing his focused, all-out effort, he looks exactly like a dedicated stonemason. Murong Feiyan's face has turned pale, not from worry for the patient but from being frightened by Hu Xiaotian's actions; who would dare say this guy isn't a demon reborn? This isn't saving a person—it's outright murder. Murong Feiyan is already imagining the possible outcomes: the Wan Family's second son will surely die, and hundreds of people in the Wan Manor will rise up against them. She took a deep breath, preparing to flee at any moment.

The clanking sounds inside made the waiting patients' relatives outside also feel their hearts pound; this sound is clearly the hammer striking the chisel—could this Doctor Hu really intend to use this method to crack open the young master's skull?

Wan Ting Sheng's skull still had considerable hardness; merely chiseling open the bone and lifting the bone flap took Hu Xiaotian half an hour. He narrowed his eyes to look into the opening he had made in Wan Ting Sheng's skull, but the light was too weak to see clearly, so he turned to Murong Feiyan and said: "Help me adjust the bronze mirror, focus the light on this opening."

Murong Feiyan felt faint, her delicate body drenched in sweat, she even felt like vomiting, but she couldn't, or else vomit would get into Wan Ting Sheng's skull and cause trouble. Looking again at Hu Xiaotian, his hands covered in fresh blood, he looked like a bloodthirsty maniac, his gaze on Wan Ting Sheng's skull—good heavens! A hole the size of a fist had been blasted into the skull, Hu Xiaotian, Hu Xiaotian! Do you really think you're selling watermelons, just making a hole to see what's inside? Murong Feiyan was frightened and closed her eyes again.

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