Chapter 29 : Tension
29: Tension
Yue Ning quickly supported Jiang‑shi, urgently asking Lüxiu, "What did Ninth Young Miss say?"
Lüxiu’s eyes reddened, looking troubled. "Ninth Young Miss didn’t say anything."
Jiang‑shi clutched Yue Qiong’s arm. "Master, why must Mother’s stomach be cut open? Such a method of healing, I’ve never heard of it. Master, go invite Divine Physician Huang. Divine Physician Huang…"
At least Divine Physician Huang wouldn’t cut open someone’s stomach.
Yue Qiong’s brow furrowed deeply. He hadn’t expected Qin Wan to use such a method either.
They had originally trusted Huang Jinyuan. But last time, after the Grand Princess returned from the roadside, Huang Jinyuan, after seeing the prescription, straightforwardly said Qin Wan was more confident in treating the Grand Princess’s illness than he was. So today, Yue Qiong hadn’t invited Huang Jinyuan.
Yet the person was already critically ill. If the stomach was cut open, where would the hope of survival be?
Yue Qiong looked at Lüxiu. "You, go tell Ninth Young Miss, just!"
"Marquis." Yan Chi, who had been standing by the window without speaking, suddenly spoke.
Yue Qiong and the others looked at Yan Chi. Yan Chi said solemnly, "Grand Aunt is at a critical juncture between life and death. Even if we go invite Divine Physician Huang now, it would be too late. It’s better to trust Ninth Young Miss."
Yue Qiong’s lips moved, wanting to speak but hesitating. Yan Chi continued, "The Great Zhou believes the body, hair, and skin are received from parents and should not be lightly damaged. Therefore, very few physicians treat illnesses this way. However, having been on the frontier for many years, I heard that shamans among the barbarian enemies use such methods to heal people, sometimes cutting open the chest or abdomen, sometimes operating on the head. There are even cases where, during childbirth, they directly cut open the abdomen to extract the infant, after which both mother and child are unharmed."
Hearing Yan Chi’s words, Jiang‑shi’s eyes widened. "Cut open the abdomen to extract an infant? How is that possible…"
Childbirth was already a brush with death. To directly cut open the abdomen?
Yan Chi’s expression was serious. "Hearing it may be unbelievable, but this matter is true. Among my soldiers, there is a child of mixed barbarian and Zhou descent. He witnessed this with his own eyes."
Jiang‑shi’s eyes still held fear. "Master…"
Yue Qiong was someone who, once he trusted someone, did not doubt them. Coupled with Yan Chi’s words, he quickly made up his mind. He grasped Jiang‑shi’s hand. "Let’s trust Ninth Young Miss this once!"
Jiang‑shi, anxious and uneasy, nodded with trembling hands. "Alright, then we trust Ninth Young Miss!"
Hearing Yue Qiong and Yan Chi say this, Lüxiu exhaled and turned back to the inner chamber.
The moment she entered, Qin Wan said, "Did the Marquis and Lady object?"
Lüxiu’s face flushed. She had slipped out secretly; now it seemed she didn’t trust Qin Wan.
"Ninth Young Miss, it’s not that this servant doesn’t trust you, it’s just…"
Qin Wan shook her head while boiling wine. "I understand. You only need to answer me."
Such a healing method was indeed shocking. If the Grand Princess weren’t at death’s door, she too would be reluctant to use such a risky method.
Lüxiu then said, "The Marquis and Lady initially had some doubts, but Prince Rui’s heir said shamans among the barbarians heal this way. He believes in you very much."
A flicker of surprise passed through Qin Wan’s eyes. She hadn’t expected Yan Chi to speak up for her.
Qin Wan’s expression steadied. She immersed Cold Moon in the boiling strong liquor…
In the side hall, Jiang‑shi and Yue Qiong’s brows furrowed tighter and tighter.
Cutting open the stomach would reveal a person’s internal organs. Could someone still survive like that?
In contrast, Yan Chi beside them was much calmer. He still stood by the window, his gaze falling on the wood anemones in the courtyard, but his mind held Qin Wan’s image.
The first time, seeing her from afar, he had been struck. This time, up close, the sense of being struck remained undiminished. On the contrary, the light in her eyes, her courage to step forward and save the Grand Princess, moved him.
A sixteen-year-old young lady could actually meet his gaze so calmly.
A sixteen-year-old young lady dared to take on the responsibility of saving the Grand Princess.
She must clearly know that if she failed to save the Grand Princess this time, even if the Yue family, being reasonable, didn’t blame her, the matter spreading would affect her reputation.
Yet she didn’t stand by idly. What had she said?
As long as one person believed in her, she would not let them down.
The light in Yan Chi’s eyes grew increasingly brilliant and penetrating.
He hadn’t expected this trip to Jinzhou to yield such a great harvest.
How did the Qin household raise such a young lady?
When Bai Feng reported last night, he had mentioned that this Miss Qin had been ignored by the Loyal and Valiant Marquis’s household while in the capital. Coming to Jinzhou, her situation was even worse, akin to a servant. He also said she had been timid and cowardly before, enduring mistreatment from the Qin household without daring to speak, only changing greatly after jumping into the lake. Yan Chi narrowed his eyes. Bai Feng said she had returned from death. Could it be…
Extreme pain or life-and-death crises could indeed change a person’s nature.
But was that really it?
Yan Chi shook his head inwardly. Based on his years of insight, he was certain it wasn’t that simple.
Thinking of this, Yan Chi suddenly frowned.
He had never paid such attention to a young lady he had only met twice.
Was this a good thing or a bad thing?
Waiting was always long. Qin Wan arrived at the Anyang Marquis’s estate past noon. They waited until nearly dusk without a definite result, only Lüxiu coming and going to report progress.
"Ninth Young Miss first soaked the knife and needles in boiling strong liquor, then asked for hemp powder and hemostatic ointment. After that, she had all us servants withdraw."
"Ninth Young Miss… Ninth Young Miss extracted a cup of foul fluid from the Grand Princess’s stomach."
"Ninth Young Miss then used needle and thread to stitch up the Grand Princess’s stomach. This servant glanced; the incision was only about an inch long, not as bloody and terrifying as imagined…"
Lüxiu came and went. Hearing this last sentence, even Jiang‑shi couldn’t help wanting to go to the inner chamber to see.
"Stitching the stomach? With what?"
Lüxiu’s eyes still held astonishment. "With needle and thread! Ninth Young Miss heated the needle to bend it, then asked for hemp stalks from the household. This servant watched her boil them in strong liquor, then twist them into extremely fine thread…"
Hearing this, Yue Qiong and the others exchanged glances, all faces filled with shock.
"Truly unheard of. To think… to think there is such a method."
Lüxiu added, "Ninth Young Miss said she should have used sheep intestine, but there wasn’t time to prepare it today."
Jiang‑shi looked at Yue Qiong. "Master, you saw many imperial physicians in the palace back in the day. Have you ever heard of these things?"
Yue Qiong was the Grand Princess’s only son. As a child, he practically grew up in the Great Zhou imperial palace and could be said to have extraordinary见识. Yet he shook his head. "Never. Where Ninth Young Miss learned these strange methods, I don’t know."
Hope gradually kindled in Jiang‑shi’s eyes. "Ninth Young Miss truly is a medical immortal of this age. She will certainly save Mother."
Yue Qiong nodded slightly. These strange methods perhaps further proved Qin Wan’s skill. If so, then the Grand Princess’s life might be saved.
As soon as Jiang‑shi finished speaking, a maid came from the direction of the inner chamber.
"Marquis, Lady, Ninth Young Miss says you may come now!"
Delight lit Jiang‑shi’s eyes. She hurried out, the others hastily following. Yan Chi stood still for a moment before stepping forward.
He was someone who remained unperturbed even facing thousands of enemy troops. Yet now, a thin layer of sweat moistened his palms. This long day of waiting, he had unconsciously felt tense for Qin Wan.