Chapter 466

First Volume, Chapter 466: Ideological Incompatibility

Initially, the physicians present, mindful of Qin Feng's status, dared not intervene in the argument.

But Qin Feng had gone too far!

Sun He had practiced medicine for thirty years and enjoyed great renown throughout the Northern Border; he could have opened a yiyuan in Jingdu and become famous throughout Heaven, yet he abandoned his future to remain in Beixi County, solely to contribute his strength to the Northern Border.

Qin Feng did not even show gratitude—yet he accused Sun He of killing his patients?!

Unthinkable!

The three physicians present immediately walked over to Sun He's side, filled with righteous indignation.

"Master Sun, let's leave together!"

"Beixi County may be fine, but with such a foolish magistrate, there's no reason to stay."

"Master Sun works day and night, exhausted and worn thin, just to save more wounded soldiers—such meritorious deeds are met with false accusations and slander? Hahaha, truly, good intentions are repaid with donkey's liver—shameful!"

Not just the physicians, even the apprentices went on strike on the spot.

All who practiced medicine, like scholars, were proud and aloof—how could they tolerate such defamation?

As it became clear the yiyuan would close before even officially opening, even Lin Quqi hurried to dissuade Qin Feng, urging him not to escalate the matter.

But Qin Feng paid no heed, speaking calmly: "A wise minister chooses his lord; a fine bird chooses its tree. If you all refuse to stay in Beixi County, I, Qin Feng, will not stop you. Lin County Magistrate, this yiyuan is a public institution of Beixi County—its expenses should come from the county yamen's treasury. Give each of the four masters five hundred taels of silver, and each of the ten apprentices fifty taels."

The situation was now beyond repair.

Yet Lin Quqi deeply did not want the physicians to leave—Beixi County had only these four physicians; if they departed, not only would the soldiers have no one to treat their wounds, but even common folk suffering illness would have no access to medical care.

Lin Quqi quickly grabbed Sun He and the others, turning to Qin Feng with a stern voice: "Brother Qin, what is your reason for this?"

Qin Feng showed no sign of yielding, his stance firm: "If you merely treated common folk, I might let it pass—but Beixi County lies in a strategic battleground, where warfare is constant, and arrow wounds and sword cuts are as common as family banquets. None of you physicians are capable of handling such cases. I cannot let our soldiers die needlessly—dying not by the enemy's hand, but by their own people's incompetence—how can we comfort the spirits of the fallen?"

The four physicians turned pale with rage.

Qin Feng's words were no longer mere slander—they were pure insult!

Sun He, furious, let out a bitter laugh: "We heal the sick and save lives, yet in your mouth, General, it becomes greed and murder? Hahaha, ridiculous—truly ridiculous!"

Qin Feng raised an eyebrow: "Am I wrong? Then let me ask you, Sun Hall Master—have you ever heard of 'blood poisoning'?"

Upon hearing the term "blood poisoning," Sun He frowned slightly.

Having practiced medicine for thirty years, Sun He had never heard this term before.

Having studied classics for thirty years, Sun He had his pride—he would not leave without understanding. He asked directly: "What is blood poisoning?"

To change Sun He's stubborn views, Qin Feng patiently explained: "Arrowheads are made of iron and stored in armories, where they rust. During war, to increase lethality, arrowheads are often soaked in fecal matter beforehand."

"Once an arrow strikes, the filth invades the flesh."

Qin Feng had wanted to say "bacteria," but realizing he'd have to spend hours explaining what bacteria were, he opted for plain, understandable language.

"To treat an arrow wound, you must clean the wound immediately, apply a small amount of medicine to stop bleeding and remove impurities, then bandage it with a thin layer of cloth. Never apply herbal medicine or wrap it in thick layers of bandages, because herbs clog the wound, and thick bandages prevent airflow."

Seeing Qin Feng speak with such authority, showing clear insight into treating arrow wounds, Sun He remained angry—but his gaze no longer held the same contempt.

Yet Qin Feng's "insights" were still incomprehensible.

Sun He asked immediately: "Why must the wound breathe?"

In Sun He's understanding, an arrow wound must first be stopped from bleeding; once bleeding ceased, one could then nourish the wound until it slowly healed—and then the patient would recover.

But Qin Feng did the opposite—he exposed the wound? Utterly absurd!

Qin Feng did not hide his thoughts, knowing these physicians would one day be vital assets to Beixi County.

"Arrow wounds fall into two categories: if the wound is shallow, there is no life-threatening risk—only minor care is needed. If the wound is deep, nine out of ten cases will worsen and ultimately kill the patient."

"The reason arrow wounds are so hard to treat is that impurities or rust on the arrowhead corrode the flesh. If you cannot grasp this, think of it as poisoning. This poison is anaerobic—the deeper the wound, the less airflow, the higher the chance of poisoning, leading to blood poisoning, which is certain death."

"Moreover, herbal medicine mixing with blood and rotting inside the wound is another major cause of blood poisoning."

Sun He stared blankly at Qin Feng.

Concepts like blood poisoning, poisoning onset, anaerobic—these utterly overturned Sun He's understanding.

At that moment, Qin Feng pressed on: "Sun Hall Master, dare you make a wager with me?"

Sun He frowned tightly: "How so?"

"Simple!" Qin Feng's expression was utterly confident.

"I will personally treat the Former General's arrow wound. If I cure him, you will follow my medical principles. If I fail, I will kneel before you in public and apologize, and give you one thousand liang of silver as travel expenses, personally escorting you to Jingdu to open your yiyuan."

With words spoken thus, Sun He could not refuse.

Moreover, he truly wished to witness Qin Feng's medical skill firsthand.

The two immediately made their wager.

Qin Feng wasted no time—he called over a yiyuan apprentice and, without concealment, gave direct orders: "Go to the Tianji Camp and bring two barrels of saline solution."

The apprentice looked bewildered: "Commandant, what is saline solution?"

Qin Feng was too lazy to explain: "Go find Lu Ming—he'll understand."

Long before Qin Feng planned to reform Beixi County's medical system, he had already given Lu Ming a long list of required items—including saline solution.

Making saline solution was simple: the main ingredient was non-iodized salt—coarse, unprocessed grains naturally contained no iodine. After purification and refinement to ensure cleanliness and hygiene, it could be used to make saline solution.

The Tianji Camp was not far from the yiyuan.

Soon, the apprentice appeared before them, carrying a large wooden barrel.

The barrel was specially made—wooden on the outside, with a specially fired ceramic liner inside, sealed at the lid by a rubber gasket that fit perfectly when needed.

The gasket was crude, made from rubber resin bought from merchant caravans traveling north, simply boiled down.

True rubber was beyond Qin Feng's ability to produce—he could only substitute.