Chapter 130
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Chu Hechao calmed down after venting his anger. He pointed to one of the guards and said, “Go and bring the Lord Governor here, speak to him with a begging tone, say that our General’s wound has started hurting.”
The guard went as instructed and returned after a while. “General, the Lord Governor says that if you’re in pain, you should endure it.”
Chu Hechao didn’t say anything, his chest heaving heavily, eyes reddening with anger, unable to utter a word.
He propped himself up on the bed, wanting to go to Yuan Li and act miserable, using a strategy of pretending to be in pain. But as soon as he sat up, he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen.
Chu Hechao’s expression changed slightly, and the guard was alarmed, saying, “General, doing this will only make the Lord Governor angrier!”
Chu Hechao was awakened by the warning and remembered Yuan Li’s expressionless face. His temples throbbed, afraid that if he went now, Yuan Li would indeed become even angrier.
In the end, Chu Hechao hesitated for a while but decided to lie back down and not move.
Though he had shared a bed with someone before, lying alone in a room with only guards to take care of him made Chu Hechao feel a bit lonely and restless.
With a suppressed anger in his heart, nothing felt right. Even though the bed was clean and soft, and his body was exhausted, Chu Hechao couldn’t calm down enough to sleep. He longed for the night to pass quickly, yet it felt endless.
On the other side, after Yuan Li returned to his room, he was still angry.
He had seen through Chu Hechao. When Chu Hechao wasn’t injured, he had thick skin, but when he was really hurt, he remained silent, trying to hide it and not be noticed.
Yuan Li decided that he wouldn’t forgive Chu Hechao until his injury was healed, making sure Chu Hechao would never dare to do something like this again. However, when the guard sent by Chu Hechao came and said that his wound was hurting, Yuan Li’s reply sounded cold, but deep down, he couldn’t bear it.
He pursed his lips, got up, and went to find the medical officer living in the side courtyard.
The medical book provided by the system was the best available for this era, and it also included the method of surgical sutures.
In fact, in ancient history, there were detailed records of surgical sutures early on.
However, to perform surgery safely, very strict requirements were needed. While traditional silk thread could be used as sutures, forceps, scissors, lancets, and more needed to be specifically crafted, and a complete disinfection environment had to be prepared, along with the availability of anesthesia.
Within these two years, Yuan Li had someone make some of the surgical tools. However, these tools were so delicate and demanding that they were very scarce in quantity. After rotating the use among the medical officers, not everyone had a chance to learn how to use them.
Not every medical officer dared to wield a knife on a person, and their medical talents were diverse. Yuan Li selected some medical officers suitable for this practice and allowed them to practice suturing techniques on pig meat first before trying it on animals once they were proficient. The results were excellent.
This time, in case of emergencies, Yuan Li brought along the five best medical officers skilled in suturing.
However, because the battles went smoothly and due to the scarcity of materials, these medical officers had not performed real sutures on patients until now.
Yuan Li understood why Chu Hechao wanted to hide his injury. Besides not wanting to worry him, Chu Hechao also didn’t want to reveal his injury to other feudal lords, especially to Chen Wang and Wu Shanshi.
Once it was known that Chu Hechao was injured, the deterrent power brought by Youzhou would be greatly reduced. With so many feudal lords present, no one could predict what might happen.
Given the limited time for recovery, Yuan Li pondered and ultimately felt that surgical sutures would be the most effective and safe approach.
When it was barely dawn, Chu Hechao still couldn’t fall asleep, and he heard noises outside.
Shortly after, the guards carried him, bed and all, outside.
Chu Hechao frowned and asked, “Where are we going?”
The guards said, “The Lord Governor ordered us to move you to another room.”
Chu Hechao’s eyes lit up, patiently waiting for the guards to move him. He scanned the surroundings until he saw Yuan Li’s figure. Suddenly, he felt revitalized, his face showing exhaustion yet joy, “Le Jun, are you not angry anymore?”
Yuan Li’s face was stern. “Don’t talk. The medical officer is coming to suture your wound.”
“Suture my wound?” Chu Hechao asked curiously, “What is suturing a wound?”
After saying those words, Chu Hechao noticed that the room was somewhat strange.
There were no extra furnishings in the room, only a bed covered with white cloth. The room was permeated with a strange smell, like alcohol, but more pungent than ordinary liquor.
The guards didn’t enter the room, and the medical officers carefully moved Chu Hechao onto the bed. These medical officers were dressed very strangely, wearing cloth hats that covered all their hair.
Chu Hechao felt uneasy in this unfamiliar environment, and his whole body tensed up.
Yuan Li and the other medical officers were all dressed similarly. Seeing Chu Hechao’s calm yet nervous expression, Yuan Li stood by the side of the bed and explained in a low voice, “Your injury is not light, and we’re afraid it might open up again. It’s better to suture it. Don’t worry; they have experience, and it will be over quickly. After you take the anesthetic, you’ll be fine when you wake up.”
Chu Hechao knew what the anesthetic was. The wounded soldiers in the army who took it would sleep like pigs and couldn’t be awakened no matter what. Frowning, he said, “Can I do without this thing?”
He was worried that if he used it, there might be dangers while he was asleep.
“It will be very painful without it,” Yuan Li glanced at him, “and the medical officers will be afraid, fearing you might move during the operation. It’s better to use it. You’re the Grand General, and if you recover well after the surgery, you can set a good example, and your subordinates will also understand the benefits of surgical sutures.”
As Yuan Li spoke, Chu Hechao immediately complied, “Alright, I’ll use it.”
Yuan Li lowered his eyes, then averted his gaze, not saying a word.
After Chu Hechao took the anesthetic, he soon started feeling drowsy. He tentatively reached out to hold Yuan Li’s hand, softly calling, “Le Jun.”
This time, Yuan Li didn’t pull his hand away and instead held onto it. He said, “Sleep.”
Chu Hechao’s lips curved up, and he fell into a deep sleep.
Yuan Li thoroughly disinfected the entire room and tools using distilled alcohol and saltwater infused with peppercorns, trying everything possible to ensure the utmost cleanliness. Despite this, he was still nervous, afraid that Chu Hechao’s wound might become infected and inflamed.
The suturing procedure may sound simple, but there were many methods, and proper preparation before surgery was crucial. The wound’s surrounding area must be thoroughly cleaned, and blood clots should be prevented from remaining inside the wound to avoid pus and inflammation.
The medical officers were also nervous, but rather than being anxious, they were eager to try.
During the two years of learning suturing, they had performed numerous experiments, and now they finally had the opportunity to put their knowledge into practice. They completed all the preparations systematically, checked Chu Hechao’s wound, removed any unhealthy skin around it, and then began the suturing process.
The wound, which was about the size of a palm, was sutured in just fifteen minutes. The medical officers breathed a sigh of relief and informed Yuan Li, “Sir, it’s done.”
Yuan Li quickly went forward to inspect the wound. The sutures were fine and neat, truly commendable! He also breathed a sigh of relief and, after the medical officers bandaged the wound with cloth and herbs, sent them away.
Chu Hechao slept soundly until the next afternoon. When he opened his eyes, his first reaction was to look around the room and ask, “Where is everyone?”
The guard replied, “The Lord Governor is resting.”
Chu Hechao nodded and patiently waited for Yuan Li to come over after he finished eating.
However, Yuan Li was nowhere to be seen even by the evening. Chu Hechao sent someone to inquire, and only then did Yuan Li come leisurely.
Although he arrived, there was not a hint of a smile on his handsome face. He remained silent, standing several steps away from the bed, unwilling to get any closer.
Chu Hechao knew that Yuan Li was still angry.
Feeling a bit anxious, Chu Hechao coaxed him with a low voice, “Le Jun, don’t be angry.”
Yuan Li pursed his lips and continued to ignore him.
Subconsciously, Chu Hechao tried to get up and pull Yuan Li over, but as soon as he moved, a sharp pain shot through his waist and abdomen. He winced and laid back down, his expression contorted in pain. “Le Jun, my wound hurts.”
Yuan Li sighed inwardly and reluctantly approached to check on him.
The wound was covered with gauze, so nothing could be seen naturally. Yuan Li’s mouth tightened as he coldly asked, “Is the wound swollen and hot?”
Chu Hechao replied, “No, but I feel swollen and feverish inside, uncomfortable.”
Yuan Li didn’t want to deal with him, so he covered him with the blanket and intended to step back.
Chu Hechao grabbed his hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it. The stubble on Chu Hechao’s lips grazed Yuan Li’s hand, conveying a mix of pain and affection. In a hoarse voice, he said, “My wife, don’t ignore me.”
Yuan Li tried to pull his hand back but couldn’t. He also didn’t dare to exert too much force and could only stay in this awkward situation, holding Chu Hechao’s hand stiffly.
Chu Hechao observed Yuan Li bit by bit, carefully capturing every subtle expression on his face, from the trembling of his eyelashes to the slight curl of his lips. Just by looking at him like this, Chu Hechao felt satisfied.
“I know I was wrong,” Chu Hechao said with a bitter smile, kissing Yuan Li’s hand again. “I promise you, I won’t hide anything from you in the future.”
Worried that Yuan Li wouldn’t believe him, he added, “I swear, if I ever hide something from you again, may I die without…”
“Stop saying that,” Yuan Li interrupted, frowning with a hint of annoyance. “Can’t you say something nicer?”
A sweet feeling rose in Chu Hechao’s mouth as he said, “Okay, I won’t mention that again.”
Yuan Li rolled his eyes at him and started scolding him for how dangerous it was to ride a horse in the rain to come here. As he spoke, his own anger flared up again, his eyes burning with fire. “You know the danger of getting injured, so why can’t you remember it when it’s your turn? Chu Hechao, let me tell you, if there’s another time, I won’t want you anymore. I can easily find another obedient person to eat and sleep with me.”
Chu Hechao’s breath became heavy, and he tightly gripped Yuan Li’s hand, his expression turning fierce for a moment. “What did you say?”
Yuan Li stared back stubbornly.
Chu Hechao took several deep breaths to calm down his raging emotions. He forced a smile and kissed Yuan Li’s hand again. “Don’t say angry words like that, Le Jun. I promise there won’t be another time.”
Yuan Li nodded slowly in response.
Chu Hechao pulled him to sit beside the bed, his expression changing unpredictably, and it was hard to tell what he was thinking.
Since the first time he stepped onto the battlefield, Chu Hechao had been prepared to die at any moment. After all, he was a human, not a god, and he couldn’t guarantee that he would come back alive every time.
However, Yuan Li’s words awakened him. If something really happened to him, what would Yuan Li do with someone else?
Just the thought of this possibility made the veins on Chu Hechao’s forehead throb incessantly.
Only now did he feel the belated fear.
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