Drive to the Tang Dynasty, where supplies are refreshed daily!

Chapter 114 Surgery - Anti-inflammatory drugs!

Xiao Ran was looking at things from a later perspective, but Li Shimin himself couldn't see it.

Li Shimin did not mention sending Wang Ji back to the court again.

Wang Ji's ambitions lay elsewhere than in the imperial court.

Empress Zhangsun also asked Sun Simiao to examine the patient's condition.

Overall, things are a bit better than before.

Xiao Ran also noticed that Empress Zhangsun had prepared masks.

It's much more refined than what's used in the coal mines; after all, this was made in the imperial palace.

After the examination, he didn't rush to leave.

Li Shimin and Cheng Yaojin came earlier, but the others didn't know.

There's a lot of attention on Kaolao Village now, it can't be kept secret anymore.

Li Shimin stopped fishing there and only came to Kaolao Village when he had something to do.

Otherwise, the censor would criticize Li Shimin again.

The two little princesses are young, but there's no need to worry.

The two little princesses have been enjoying playing here lately.

With Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang around, nothing will happen.

It wasn't until evening that Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun finally left.

Seeing the large pile of books, Xiao Ran smiled.

No need to buy books, these are enough.

The majority of books brought by Li Shimin, Li Lizhi, and the others were primers, which was just right.

As winter approaches, the weather is getting colder and colder.

Xiao Ran used to make heated beds, and now the effect is getting better and better.

Compared to other places, the kang (heated brick bed) is very warm.

Early in the morning and late at night, the three little girls liked to play on the kang (a heated brick bed).

Xiao Ran also asked Princess Yuzhang to confirm Li Lizhi's birthday.

As her birthday approached, Li Lizhi showed no intention of returning home.

Xiao Ran found Li Lizhi and asked, "Fifth Sister, is tomorrow your birthday?"

Li Lizhi was quite surprised, "That's right, how did you know, young master?"

"I asked Sixth Sister, do we not need to go back for the birthday celebration?" Xiao Ran said, "If Fifth Sister doesn't mind, we can stay here."

"Young master, you're being too polite. Of course, I don't mind at all. It's just that I'm sorry to trouble you and your wife."

"It's just a casual meal, no trouble at all."

Xiao Ran told Zhang Erya and Zhang Jinhe in advance to prepare the food and other necessities.

In this era, fruits and vegetables are relatively scarce, so there's really no need to prepare so much.

I asked Zhang Jialin to help me buy some mutton.

With a large family, we've run out of venison and bear meat.

Xiao Ran didn't want to take the chance anymore; that thing was a bit dangerous.

Even if there is truth, it is not safe, let alone Xiao Ran doesn't want others to know that the truth exists.

As promised to Li Lizhi, Xiao Ran was going to help make a cake.

Cream, in particular, was a favorite not only of the three young girls but also of Li Lizhi and the others.

It has a sweet taste and tastes great.

Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang never treated themselves as guests; they helped with household matters whenever possible.

Preparations for my birthday began well in advance.

Xiao Ran knew that Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun would definitely come.

It's unclear how many others will be able to come.

Li Yuan should also have to come.

As expected, Li Yuan, Consort Zhang, and Empress Xiao Yu all came along.

There was also a lame man, a fat man, and a little boy.

Xiao Ran knew who they were from their appearances.

It can only be Li Chengqian, Li Tai, and Li Zhi.

"Oh, it's so warm here, young master," Li Yuan said as he entered the living room.

I didn't see any stoves or braziers, but it felt very warm.

As the weather gets colder, I'm wearing more layers of clothing.

They were all old acquaintances, so there was no awkwardness.

Xiao Yu went to the kitchen to help with the cooking.

Li Chengqian greeted Li Tai and Xiao Ran, then went to find Li Kecheng, Chu Mo, and the others.

Li Zhi was young and played with three little girls.

I was attracted by Xiao Hei.

Li Yuan, Empress Xiao, and Wang Ji all knew each other.

I was completely numb; it was terrifying.

Wang Ji is now unsure whether Xiao Ran knows the true identities of Li Shimin's family.

It's clear that Xiao Ran has a close relationship with Li Shimin's family.

Empress Zhangsun and Empress Xiao did not want to go out and stayed on the kang (heated brick bed) to chat.

Li Shimin liked to wander around and look at the glass incense burner.

Li Shimin could clearly sense that the purity of the glass here was getting higher and higher, and its value was increasing.

Li Chengqian and Li Tai also stayed by the furnace, very interested in the glass that Xiao Ran was making.

“These must be very valuable.” Li Chengqian looked around; the shelves inside the wooden house were filled with them.

“Of course!” Li Shimin picked up a cup.

"Sanlang, could we find more people so we can do more?" Li Chengqian asked Li Ke.

“Of course it’s possible, but it’s probably not possible now,” Li Ke said.

"Why is that?" Li Tai asked from the side.

"Young master feels that this quality is far from sufficient, and mass production can only be done after high quality is achieved."

Apart from Xiao Ran, everyone else felt that they had already accomplished a great deal.

I took a stroll and returned to the yard.

Li Chengqian moved closer to Li Lizhi and asked, "Fifth Sister, does the young master know your father's and your identities?"

"I didn't say it outright, but I knew it in my heart," Li Lizhi said truthfully.

Li Chengqian had long been interested in Xiao Ran, but he couldn't compete with Li Shimin for her.

Li Shimin, Li Lizhi, and the others were leaving far too frequently.

Li Chengqian also knew that Li Shimin valued Xiao Ran highly, and that Xiao Ran himself was of considerable value.

Li Chengqian also knew about curved plows, glass, and coal.

These talents were enough to attract Li Chengqian's attention.

Li Chengqian wanted to strike up a conversation, but he didn't know what to say. Xiao Ran had also carefully observed the three Li brothers, and they seemed to be getting along well now.

Li Zhi was too young to be compared to Li Chengqian and Li Tai.

Whenever Xiao Ran saw Li Zhi, he felt that Li Shimin was green with envy.

"Hey kid, is something the matter?" Li Shimin felt that Xiao Ran's gaze was a bit off.

"It's alright, Uncle, don't worry about it."

"Young master!" Li Chengqian walked to Xiao Ran's side and smiled.

"Dalang!"

Li Chengqian and the others were younger than Xiao Ran, so it was understandable that Xiao Ran addressed them that way.

Xiao Ran looked at Li Chengqian's legs, which made Li Chengqian feel a little uncomfortable.

This is Li Chengqian's sore spot.

"Has your grandfather seen your leg?" Xiao Ran asked, proving that he had no ulterior motives and was simply concerned.

Some people are just watching the joke.

"The legendary doctor Sun examined me," Li Chengqian said.

Sun Simiao was wiping his hands, which he had just used to grind medicinal herbs, when he heard this. He turned around, his gaze falling on Li Chengqian's legs, his eyes filled with a serious expression.

"Dalang's leg injury is a chronic, recurring problem."

"When the bone broke, it didn't go back into place. Over time, the broken bone fragments grew into the flesh, and the tendons followed the crooked bone and formed a new shape."

"Just like seedlings in the field, if you try to straighten them after they grow crooked, their roots will have already dug into other soil cracks. If you try to force them, the seedlings will break and the soil will crack."

"If we really want to take action, we have to pry open the long-standing bone fragments and loosen the tendons."

"This time it's no less serious than when it was broken. The skin and flesh will be torn open again, and not to mention how much blood will be lost, the worst thing is that the bones will be moved and the skin and flesh will be broken. That 'evil spirit' will take the opportunity to crawl into the body, follow the blood, and rush towards the heart. At that time, the leg will not be healed yet, and the person will have lost their vital energy. This is no joke."

Xiao Ran heard that 'evil spirits' probably meant infection. In this era, people didn't know about bacteria, fungi, or microorganisms, and they didn't know what infection was.

However, we also know that if a wound is not treated properly, it can be fatal.

“Furthermore,” Sun Simiao stroked his beard, a hint of helplessness in his eyes, “Dalang has built up some strength in his legs over the past few years through walking. Although his legs are not straight, he can stand steadily and take steps.”

"If it were to break and be reattached, not only would I be bedridden for a year or two, but no one could guarantee it would ever fully recover. If the reattachment wasn't as stable as it is now and instead became a burden, that would be truly worrisome."

"The way of medicine is to 'go with the flow.' The most important thing for Dalang's leg right now is to take care of it and prevent it from being bumped or injured again. If we force it to change, I'm afraid it will be more trouble than it's worth."

"Sir, are you capable of performing surgery?"

When they heard the word 'surgery', Sun Simiao, Li Shimin, and the others were all stunned, as they had never heard of it before.

"Surgery?" Sun Simiao asked, "What does that mean?"

“Um,” Xiao Ran thought for a moment, “It’s like operating on a patient, like cutting open flesh, treating internal injuries, that’s surgery.”

Xiao Ran always knew things that others didn't, and Sun Simiao and Li Shimin got used to it.

Sun Simiao had tested him, and it turned out that Xiao Ran truly did not understand medicine.

Xiao Ran's words immediately piqued the interest of Li Shimin and Li Chengqian.

Although Li Shimin didn't say anything, he was very concerned about Li Chengqian's lameness.

He didn't say it aloud, but he was even more bothered by it than Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian was no ordinary man; he was the crown prince of the Tang Dynasty, representing the Tang Dynasty.

It's not a good thing to say that the crown prince is disabled, especially to Qinglan.

It affects the image of the emperor.

Li Chengqian also looked at Xiao Ran with anticipation.

“I can do some simple things.” Sun Simiao said solemnly, “The ‘surgery’ that the young man is talking about is just cutting open the flesh to treat internal injuries. I did it a few times when I was young.”

"It's nothing more than encountering acute illnesses like arrows piercing the bone or carbuncles festering, where one has to cut open the flesh to remove the arrow and drain the pus. But this is by no means an easy task; every time it's like walking on thin ice."

Sun Simiao's gaze swept over Li Chengqian's leg, and his voice became even deeper: "When the flesh breaks through to the bone, the most dangerous thing is 'hemorrhagic hemorrhage' - if the blood gushes out like water bursting its banks, even a god would find it difficult to stop, and the person will die in the blink of an eye."

"Furthermore, once the skin and flesh are broken, it's like leaving the door wide open to thieves. Those unseen 'evil spirits' can take advantage of the situation and sneak into the body. At best, the wound will fester into a hole; at worst, the whole body will be burning up and one will talk incessantly. Nine times out of ten, one will not survive it."

"Medicine demands caution," Sun Simiao stroked his beard, his tone full of prudence. "Unless it is a matter of life and death, one should never easily resort to surgery. For common illnesses, it is better to treat them slowly rather than to cut open the flesh to treat them on a whim—that is not treating the disease, but gambling with people's lives."

Hearing this, Li Shimin and Li Chengqian felt deeply disappointed.

Sun Simiao was definitely better than the other imperial physicians. If even Sun Simiao said so, then the others had no way to help him.

If the imperial physicians could cure it, they would have done so long ago; otherwise, Li Chengqian would still be lame.

Li Chengqian's gaze fell on Xiao Ran again.

Li Shimin also hoped that Xiao Ran could find a solution, as he did not want Li Chengqian to be crippled.

"The old man said it's a hemorrhage, which means massive bleeding that can't be stopped, right?"

Sun Simiao nodded. "Exactly."

"The term 'evil spirit' doesn't feel right. I've seen it in ancient books before; it refers to infection!"

Wang Ji, Li Wu, Zhang Anan, and the others stood by silently, thinking that Xiao Ran was very capable.

Few people understood these things, but judging from Sun Simiao's reaction, Xiao Ran wasn't talking nonsense.

Xiao Ran scratched his head, trying to make it sound like something Sun Simiao could understand: "Grandpa, I can't really explain it either, I'm just guessing based on what the ancient books say—you see, if a wound gets dirty and isn't cleaned properly after it breaks open, it will swell up and ooze pus after a few days, and the person will also get a fever and shiver, right?"

Sun Simiao stroked his beard and nodded: "That's right, this is a sign of 'evil spirits entering the body'."

“The ancient book says that this is not some kind of evil spirit,” Xiao Ran squatted down, picked up a twig and drew a crooked wound on the ground, “but some tiny things that we can’t see are causing trouble. These tiny things are smaller than dust, hiding in the soil, in sewage, and even in the air. They take advantage of the wound to crawl in and ‘make trouble’ inside, ruining the healthy flesh, which is why it oozes pus and causes fever.”

"The 'evil spirits' you mentioned are actually these little things causing trouble, which are called 'infection' in ancient books. Washing wounds with alcohol and covering them with boiled cloth are actually killing these little things or inhibiting their growth."

Xiao Ran didn't mention bacteria, fungi, or microorganisms because they were even more inexplicable.

Sun Simiao's eyes lit up. He stared at the painting on the ground for a long time, then suddenly clapped his hands and laughed: "So that's how it is! I've practiced medicine all my life, but I only know the 'what' but not the 'why.' I always talk about 'avoiding filth' and 'cleanliness,' but it turns out we're preventing these unseen 'little bugs' from causing trouble? Now that you put it that way, it's much more practical than 'evil spirits'—isn't that right? The cleaner the wound, the less likely it is to heal, isn't that because these 'little things' are being kept out?"

"Can't the little thing see?" Li Shimin asked from the side.

"It's invisible, it's too small, but it exists."

"Can the Thousand-Mile Eye see it?" Li Shimin continued to ask.

"You can't see it with a telescope; you need something even more powerful, like a microscope."

This is yet another new term; Sun Simiao wasn't particularly interested in telescopes before.

Now I'm interested in microscopes; they're very useful in medicine.

Sun Simiao also wanted to see what these 'little things' Xiao Ran had mentioned were like.

"A microscope!" Li Shimin smiled. "When the glass is pure enough to make a telescope that can see for miles, can we also make a microscope?"

"Microscopes are even more difficult; I can only say I'll give it a try."

This gave Sun Simiao another reason to stay.

Sun Simiao didn't usually need the telescope, but he felt he could use the microscope.

"I'm getting off topic, sir. I have medicine that can prevent infection to a great extent. I can't say it's 100% effective, but the chance of infection is much lower. Could you perform surgery on Dalang?"

Li Chengqian and Li Shimin's eyes lit up immediately.

Sun Simiao was similar, "There's such a medicine?"

"Yes, Grandpa can give it a try."

"If that's the case, then the chances of success are much higher. But we'll have to see how effective the medicine is." That was all Sun Simiao could say; he couldn't really guarantee anything.

Li Chengqian had given up on treating his leg, but now he suddenly sees hope.

Xiao Ran possessed such a miraculous medicine, which astonished not only Li Shimin, Wang Ji, and Zhang Anan, but also Sun Simiao.

Sun Simiao was even more aware of the preciousness of this medicine.

Let alone in the Tang Dynasty, anti-inflammatory drugs were more precious than gold during modern wars; they could truly save lives.

(End of this chapter)