Never mind the women chattering excitedly together at the gate. Qi Yue followed A’Hao into a narrow alley.
Compared to the courtyards of Marquis Dingxi’s mansion they had walked through, this place was cramped, low, and dark. After walking a long stretch of road, they stopped in front of a simple, low courtyard gate that stood wide open.
“Yuan Bao, Yuan Bao.”
A’Ru’s crying voice came from inside.
Qi Yue and A’Hao went in and saw four or five people standing in the courtyard, men and women, all wearing hemp cloth shirts and looking poor and disheveled.
In the middle of the courtyard, a young man lay on a door panel—more precisely, a half-grown child of fourteen or fifteen. Half his clothing was dyed red with blood. His right arm was wrapped in several layers of torn cloth but still bleeding, and he was making rapid, pained gasps and agonized wails. A’Ru lay crying over him, inconsolable.
Just as Qi Yue was about to step forward, someone entered behind her.
“Make way, make way, the doctor is here,” shouted a man in azure clothing, walking over with his hands tucked in his sleeves, his eyelids drooping as he didn’t watch where he was going. He elbowed Qi Yue and A’Hao aside.
Hearing that a doctor had arrived, the crowd hurriedly made way, looking at the newcomer with hope.
This was a young man in his twenties, thin and weak, wearing a long azure cloth robe that was better than these people’s hemp shirts, though it was stained with oil or something else, looking grimy all over. His whole person seemed slouched, unable to straighten his back properly. He carried a worn medicine box on his shoulder, swaying leisurely as he walked over. He didn’t even squat down but just poked his head forward to look, seeming somewhat afraid.
“No good, no good. Lost so much blood, can’t stop it. No saving him. Prepare for the funeral,” he said, waving his hand.
Hearing him say this, A’Ru wailed and fainted. Two women immediately cried while pressing her philtrum and calling her name. The injured child also struggled to call for his sister.
“How… how is there no saving him?” Qi Yue had originally wanted to see how ancient doctors worked their miraculous healing skills, but didn’t expect this person to deliver such a verdict directly without even looking, listening, asking, or feeling the pulse. Moreover, he spoke so boldly he could almost frighten patients and family members to death. If this were in her hospital, the director would give him a thorough scolding. Could this person’s medical skills be so divine that he could understand everything with just a distant glance?
Hearing a woman’s voice questioning him, the doctor turned to look. His eyes lit up at the sight.
“This lady…” His slouched body straightened up as he coughed to clear his throat. “This person has a blade or axe wound causing unstoppable bleeding. You see, golden wound medicine has been applied, but it simply can’t stop the bleeding. Since it can’t be stopped, think about it—if a person bleeds dry, won’t they die…”
Qi Yue stared at him, somewhat dumbfounded.
This expression fell in the doctor’s eyes as him thinking this beautiful young lady was frightened. As they say, doctors have the heart of parents. Though the facts were cruel, one should speak more gently so as not to frighten people. So he cleared his throat, preparing to say a few more words.
Before he could open his mouth, he heard the young lady snort.
“What nonsense,” Qi Yue muttered, walking over in a few steps and pushing the doctor aside with her medical kit. “Make way, make way.”
Only then did the people in the courtyard notice two young women had appeared. Not recognizing who they were, they stared blankly.
Qi Yue had already walked over and crouched down, rolling up her sleeves. A’Ru’s younger brother looked at this woman who had suddenly appeared and shouldn’t appear in their environment. Whether from fright or excessive blood loss, his already pale face became even paler. When Qi Yue untied the clothes and cloth binding his arm and touched the wound, he was in such pain his whole body curled up.
After examining the wound and his whole body, Qi Yue’s expression relaxed as she reached out to press A’Ru’s brother’s arm.
“Right elbow lateral wound, approximately 5cm long, grazed the periosteum, partial muscle and joint capsule rupture, no fracture. Looks like that person was also a first-time attacker. Good, good,” she said to herself.
She remembered that time during clinical internship when they received a gang fight victim. One person’s slash wounds required doctors from every department in the hospital, even obstetrics and gynecology, because there was a pregnant gang girl…
And A’Ru’s brother’s wound just needed cleaning, suturing, and a tetanus shot…
Tetanus?!
Qi Yue frowned. She didn’t have that… she’d have to use antibiotics instead.
This was considered good? Everyone around was dumbfounded by her words.
“Go prepare some water. A’Hao, bring my kit over. I’ll clean and suture his wound,” Qi Yue said, looking up.
After she spoke, not one person around moved. They all stared at her.
“Hey, where are you from? Are you also a doctor? Not from this street, right? Why haven’t I seen you before?” The previous doctor came to his senses and squeezed over to ask.
Qi Yue glanced at him, having no good feelings for this doctor who issued death certificates without even examining patients.
“There are plenty of doctors you haven’t seen,” she said.
Heh, this way of speaking was really… doctor-like, so sharp, indeed a real doctor too…
“The bleeding stopped!” A woman standing nearby suddenly shouted, interrupting the two doctors’ conversation.
The young doctor was greatly shocked, looking over in disbelief.
“This… this… what medicine did you use?” he asked, stuttering.
“Just pressure hemostasis,” Qi Yue said, glancing at him while looking around again. “Hey, you all help get some water first so I can clean the wound for suturing. Only after suturing can the bleeding be completely stopped, then there’ll be no problem.”
A’Ru had already awakened and was startled to see Qi Yue. Before she could address her properly, Qi Yue turned to look at her.
“I’ll treat him. Go help me get water,” she said.
A’Ru stared intently at Qi Yue, biting her bloodless lower lip, then said nothing and crawled up to rush to one side. She stumbled as she scooped a basin of water, then knelt before Qi Yue with a thud.
Qi Yue nodded without saying more, examining the wound again. Watching her open the wound, the bloody mess made A’Hao, who had come over to watch, unable to help covering her eyes and trembling all over as she screamed and backed away.
Qi Yue washed her hands and opened the medical kit.
“…This… what is this?” the young doctor asked curiously, looking at this strange box opening to reveal a full array of instruments. “Knives? Rope? What kind of rope is this? So soft… Ouch…”
Qi Yue slapped his hand as he reached over to rummage through everything, glaring at him.
“Stand back,” she said, putting on a mask and gloves.
Seeing her dressed like this, the young doctor’s eyes widened even more, pointing at this and that, unable to speak coherently.
Qi Yue paid him no more attention, using water to clean around the wound. Blood water flowed all over the ground, and Qi Yue’s clothes, hands, and body were covered with stains. During this time, she kept talking, directing people to help spread dirt and ash to absorb the mess in the courtyard, urging A’Hao to boil water, and having A’Ru fetch more clean water. The small courtyard was busy but orderly, leaving the forgotten young doctor on the side gaping.
“What is this?” the young doctor’s voice rang out again near her ear, looking at the large syringe in Qi Yue’s hand.
Qi Yue ignored him.