Chapter 714

Before the surgery, Hu Xiaotian had already explained in detail to Xu BaiChuan the process and steps of the surgery he was about to perform. When everything was ready and he was about to operate on Xu Shengkang, Xu BaiChuan finally apologetically said: "Sir Hu, you won't blame me, will you?"

Hu Xiaotian asked knowingly: "What do you mean blame you?"

Xu BaiChuan sighed and said: "I really have no other choice; the Emperor's condition this time came on suddenly and dangerously. If anything goes wrong, I fear for the lives and fortunes of myself and my fellow imperial physicians..."

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said: "The Emperor is blessed with great fortune; how could anything happen? Sir Xu, you needn't worry too much." Of course he understood in his heart that if Xu Shengkang's condition worsened this time, those imperial physicians would surely all lose their heads. Xu BaiChuan was clearly taking him as a lifeline, perhaps he hadn't held much hope originally, but he hadn't expected that mentioning his own name would gain the Emperor's approval. One could say the real decision to let him come treat the illness was still made by the Da Yong Emperor Xu Shengkang; others' opinions merely served as a reference. Hu Xiaotian really couldn't fathom why Xu Shengkang dared to place such great trust in him, entrusting his life to him upon their first meeting.

Hu Xiaotian put on his gloves and walked slowly into the temporary operating room enclosed by curtains.

Xu Shengkang lay on the bed, calmly gazing at him; his composure deeply impressed Hu Xiaotian. In modern society, a gallbladder removal is merely a routine surgical procedure, but in this era it would be an earth‑shaking affair. Yet Xu Shengkang showed no fear—the bearing of a sovereign is truly extraordinary.

"Are we about to begin?" Xu Shengkang asked.

Hu Xiaotian nodded and said: "It will start shortly."

Xu Shengkang said: "Are you afraid of me?"

Hu Xiaotian laughed and said: "From now on, I see only a patient before me; Your Majesty won't blame me for lack of respect, will you?"

Xu BaiChuan also entered at this moment, bowed and said: "Your subject Xu BaiChuan pays his respects to Your Majesty..."

Xu Shengkang sighed and said: "What time is this, still speaking like that? Xu BaiChuan, you've spent your whole life as an imperial physician, yet you don't even grasp the most basic duty of a doctor. In this regard you should learn well from Hu Xiaotian; I am now merely a patient awaiting treatment."

Hu Xiaotian noticed that Xu Shengkang's mindset was excellent and his bearing proper. Although he was the ruler of Da Yong, in this situation he must not put on airs of sovereignty; it was best to regard himself as an ordinary patient.

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said: "Your Majesty, have you made up your mind?"

Xu Shengkang chuckled: "Do you think I will change my mind?" He shook his head and said: "From now on, do not treat me as an emperor; I am just an ordinary patient." He then slowly closed his eyes.

In Hu Xiaotian's view, those who can let go and take up responsibilities are remarkable individuals. Recall when US President Reagan was shot; he asked the doctors not to treat him as the president but as an ordinary patient. Operating on someone of Xu Shengkang's stature certainly requires great courage; for any physician it is a severe test—success might offer a chance to survive, but any mishap would leave one without a burial place.

To dare to operate on the Da Yong Emperor Xu Shengkang, both strong psychological fortitude and solid technical skill are indispensable.

When Hu Xiaotian had everything ready, Xu Shengkang suddenly opened his eyes again and whispered: "I heard you and Shengjing have become sworn brothers of different surnames?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Yes! I am grateful that Prince Yan does not disdain me. I, Xiao Tian, am truly overwhelmed and humbled by the favor."

Xu Shengkang said: "Shengjing has good judgment." On the surface he was praising Prince Yan's eye for talent, but in fact he was complimenting Hu Xiaotian's ability.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Can we begin?"

Xu Shengkang nodded, closed his eyes, and said: "You just said you would take out my gallbladder; wouldn't that make me timid as a mouse thereafter?"

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "Without a gallbladder, what is there to fear? Your Majesty will become even more fearless!"

Xu Shengkang said: "I think the same way!"

Before the surgery, a lumbar support and soft cushion had already been placed under Xu Shengkang's waist and knees. This was because the bile duct lies deep, and this position facilitates exposure and relaxes the abdominal muscles. Xu Shengkang's physical condition was good—his skin elastic, muscles full—so Hu Xiaotian chose to make the incision in the right upper rectus abdominis.

After everything was ready, Hu Xiaotian picked up the surgical knife. Seeing the cold, gleaming lancet in Hu Xiaotian's hand, Xu BaiChuan's heart leapt to his throat. Although he had heard through Zhou Wenju that Hu Xiaotian's medical skill was almost supernatural, that was merely hearsay; he had never seen it with his own eyes. If Hu Xiaotian were operating on an ordinary person, it would still be tolerable, but the patient before him was the Emperor of Da Yong. Xu BaiChuan's palms were slick with cold sweat; if Hu Xiaotian dared harbor any harmful intent, the Emperor would surely be doomed, and his own life, fortune, and lifelong reputation would hang on that blade. Yet now everything was set in motion—there was no turning back.

Within the operating area, Shi Kuan and the Grand Princess Xu Lingjun stood in the corners observing; they were also the second and third assistants Hu Xiaotian had arranged beforehand, ready for any need during the surgery.

Xu Lingjun was there out of concern, while Shi Kuan wanted to stay close to protect the Emperor. Witnessing the scene, Xu Lingjun could no longer bear to look and hastily turned away. Shi Kuan's eyes widened, his fists clenched; he suddenly realized that at such close range, the Emperor's life was entirely in Hu Xiaotian's hands—even if he took every precaution, he could not stop Hu Xiaotian from committing harm; perhaps everything could only be left to heaven's will.

Hu Xiaotian's mind was free of distraction, truly entering the surgical state; his thoughts held no selfish worries. He fully met Xu Shengkang's demand: before him there was no emperor, only Xu Shengkang like any of the countless patients—just an ordinary person.

The lancet swiftly and cleanly cut Xu Shengkang's skin; anyone who dared to do such a thing before would already have been hacked to pieces.

With that stroke, Hu Xiaotian opened Xu Shengkang's abdomen; Shi Kuan's heart tightened, then relaxed a little as he saw that Hu Xiaotian likely harbored no malicious intent—otherwise the blade would have plunged straight in rather than merely cutting the skin. Shi Kuan had personally inspected all the surgical instruments and was certain none were poisoned.

Seeing Xu Shengkang's abdomen opened, Xu BaiChuan's legs went weak, his heart hollow, his forehead drenched in cold sweat; he felt he could no longer stand, for his trembling hands caused the instruments in the tray to clatter.

Hu Xiaotian turned his face, saw the fear in Xu BaiChuan's eyes, knew he was on the verge of collapse, and shook his head, saying softly: "Commander Shi, take over from Physician Xu."

Shi Kuan had also put on his gloves; hearing Hu Xiaotian's call, he hurried forward and steadily took the tray from Xu BaiChuan's hands. Xu BaiChuan felt a great relief, but upon looking at the incision on Xu Shengkang's abdomen, his stomach churned violently; he could no longer hold back, staggered out of the operating area, and as soon as he stepped outside he collapsed against a column and vomited violently.

Hu Xiaotian remained unmoved, already begun the surgical exploration: first he examined the liver's color and texture, checking for enlargement or atrophy, any abnormal hardness or abscess, systematically inspecting the diaphragmatic and visceral surfaces of the right lobe, then the left lobe. After confirming the liver was normal, he began to examine the gallbladder.

Xu Shengkang's gallbladder had swollen to the size of an eggplant. Hu Xiaotian gently pressed it and found that the gallbladder's emptying was obstructed, containing multiple stones, with stones impacted in the neck. There were no adhesions around the gallbladder. He then inserted his left index and middle fingers into the epiploic foramen, placed his left thumb on the hepatoduodenal ligament, and palpated from top to bottom the hepatic duct and common bile duct, checking for stones or other obstructions, and examined nearby lymph nodes for enlargement. He screened for pancreatic head pathology. Finally he inspected the stomach and duodenum for ulcers or tumors.

After thoroughly checking for any pathological changes in the organs surrounding the gallbladder, Hu Xiaotian began the surgery. He placed gauze pads on three deep retractors, then retracted the liver, stomach, duodenum, and transverse colon. Shi Kuan alone could handle only two retractors; Xu BaiChuan's condition at this point made it impossible for him to return to the operating area to help, so Hu Xiaotian had to rely on Xu Lingjun.

The Grand Princess Xu Lingjun had never done anything so cruel in her life, and now she had to help pull open her own elder brother's abdomen. After some hesitation, she finally mustered the courage to assist. When the three deep retractors were pulled simultaneously, the duodenal ligament naturally straightened, exposing the gallbladder and the common bile duct.

Hu Xiaotian blocked the epiploic foramen with saline-soaked gauze to prevent bile and blood from flowing into the lesser sac.

Xu Lingjun gripped the deep retractors with both hands, eyes tightly shut; she dared not look. Compared to Xu BaiChuan, who fled the scene, her psychological fortitude was many times stronger. She did not keep her eyes closed out of fear, but because concern clouds judgment—seeing her elder brother's abdomen being cut open and his innards being stirred about, even a strong spirit could not endure it.

Shi Kuan could now basically be certain that Hu Xiaotian would not harm the Emperor; seeing his composed demeanor, he secretly admired him. Although Shi Kuan was bold, he still would not dare to wield a blade on the Emperor's abdomen, for martial practitioners all understand that only by knowing a person's anatomy can one most effectively strike down or even kill an opponent—no wonder Hu Xiaotian could defeat the Sword Palace's junior sect chief Qiu Mubai.

Hu Xiaotian clamped the gallbladder neck with a curved hemostat, gently pulled it upward and to the right, then used the scalpel to incise the left side of the gallbladder neck along the outer edge of the hepatoduodenal ligament, carefully dissecting out the cystic duct. Throughout the dissection he continuously manipulated the hemostat, which kept the cystic duct slightly tense, making it easier to distinguish from surrounding tissue. After clarifying the relationship between the gallbladder and the common bile duct, he released the traction on the gallbladder neck to avoid overstretching and kinking the common bile duct. He then placed two hemostats on the cystic duct about half a finger's width from the common bile duct. Throughout this process he must take care not to mistakenly clamp the common bile duct, the right hepatic duct, or the right hepatic artery, lest injury occur.

Third Update delivered, Zhangyu, have you worked hard enough! (To be continued~^~)