My brothers are all warriors capable of taking on ten thousand men; I'll roam freely in the Thr

Inside the prefect's residence, the aroma of medicine was slightly bitter, mingling with the fresh scent of grass and trees outside the window at the end of summer.

Ji Xuanyuan leaned against the couch, his gaze fixed on a certain spot in the void, deep in thought.

Zhang Zhongjing and Hua Tuo, two legendary figures revered as the "Sage of Medicine" and the "Father of Surgery" in previous historical records, unexpectedly gathered in this border county of Youzhou, devoting their efforts to his illness.

He suddenly recalled reading "A History of Chinese Medicine" in his previous life and seeing this evaluation: "Zhang Zhongjing established the laws, and Hua Tuo performed the techniques, together building the two pillars of traditional Chinese medicine."

Today, these two pillars not only coexist, but are also drawn to the Academy of Sciences by the fragmented and forward-thinking medical concepts he brought, joining those originally "unorthodox" students to explore an unprecedented path of medicine.

Alcohol disinfection, germ theory, penicillin cultivation... these concepts are like pebbles thrown into an ancient well, creating ripples that are quietly changing things.

"If that's the case... it still can't be cured."

Ji Xuanyuan murmured, a faint self-mockery curving his pale lips: "Then it truly is my fate."

He did not place all his hopes on the vague and elusive "penicillin".

Although Zhang Zhongjing's herbal decoctions and acupuncture treatment over the past month have not reversed the condition, they have indeed stabilized the continuous decline. The cough and hemoptysis have been slightly reduced, and the patient can sleep peacefully for a while at night.

This gave him a deeper understanding of the resilience of this broken body.

However, if one wants to eradicate the deep-seated problems, return to official duties, or even ride into battle, relying solely on gentle rest is nothing short of a pipe dream.

The Institute of Physics, Department of Medicine.

The atmosphere here was more solemn and focused than usual, yet there was also a subtle undercurrent of suppressed excitement.

All the students involved in the research, the craftsmen who made the tools, and even the servants responsible for cleaning and chores, understood that the bottles and jars they handled might be directly related to the life or death of the young governor who gave them life, hope, and led them to see a whole new world.

This heavy responsibility has transformed into a silent driving force, making every process strive for precision and every observation extra careful.

Zhang Zhongjing's first meeting with Hua Tuo involved little small talk or pleasantries.

These two top-tier physicians of their time seemed to be born with an ability to understand the focus and curiosity in each other's eyes.

"I have long heard of Master Yuanhua's miraculous healing skills, which have saved countless lives. It is my great fortune to meet you today," Zhang Zhongjing said, bowing respectfully.

Hua Tuo returned the greeting, his gaze involuntarily drifting to the strange glassware: "You are too kind, Lord Changsha. I have come here to broaden my horizons. I have heard that you are studying new medical methods here, and I admire you greatly."

Zhang Zhongjing led Hua Tuo on a tour and explained in detail the discoveries and puzzles he had made over the past month.

From the extraction of alcohol and the speculation on the principle of disinfection, combined with the theories of evil spirits and microorganisms, to the screening and cultivation of penicillin mold, and the still exploratory crude refining process.

Hua Tuo listened intently, his hands, accustomed to wielding a knife with unwavering steadiness, gently stroking the smooth glass beaker, his eyes sparkling with wonder.

He was particularly shaken when he heard that "alcohol disinfection can significantly reduce wound ulceration and suppuration" and "penicillin may kill pathogenic microorganisms in the body and prevent infection before it occurs."

"Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!"

Hua Tuo clapped his hands in praise, his face flushed with excitement: "In my many years of medical practice, I have seen that six or seven out of ten battlefield wounds, sores, and boils are caused by subsequent internal heat and toxins attacking the heart. If there truly is such a disinfectant, there would be no need for complicated internal decoctions; it can ward off evil externally and clear toxins internally. This... this is simply a meritorious act that saves countless lives! It is especially suitable for military use and external injuries!"

Because of his expertise in surgery, he was most aware of the harm caused by infection. When he heard that Ji Xuanyuan's approach directly addressed the crux of this stubborn disease, how could he not be excited?

This is similar to his "Mafeisan" to alleviate surgical pain and "Wuqinxi" to strengthen the body and prevent disease; both are fundamental approaches aimed at benefiting the masses.

Naturally, there are also doubts.

How can mold overcome "evil"?

Is the extracted substance safe?

How to determine the dosage?

However, after seeing the vibrant Penicillium thriving in the petri dishes, hearing Zhang Zhongjing's explanations of "correcting imbalances with imbalances" and "molds being yin and cold, which may clear heat and toxins" in conjunction with traditional medical principles, and reading the relatively rigorous animal experiment records, these questions transformed into an even stronger desire to explore.

The two renowned physicians, one skilled in internal medicine and the other in surgery, one steady and meticulous, the other bold and careful, quickly set aside their differences and began to cooperate closely because of their shared desire to save the world and their thirst for the unknown medical knowledge.

With his profound understanding of the properties of medicines and pathology, Zhang Zhongjing helped optimize the culture medium and experimented with using decoctions of different medicinal materials to influence the growth and metabolism of molds.

Hua Tuo, with his extensive surgical experience and understanding of human anatomy, proposed an infection model that was closer to real-world practice, and personally designed more detailed animal trauma experiments to observe the effects of penicillin on infected wounds.

With their involvement, medical research seemed to be injected with a powerful boost.

The direction is clearer, the methods are more systematic, and the debates are more constructive.

The students, who were initially somewhat lost, suddenly had a clearer understanding and became full of enthusiasm under the guidance of the two masters.

Seven tense yet hopeful days passed by in countless failures, adjustments, and re-experiments.

On this day, the afternoon sun slanted through the window. Inside a cubicle specifically used for animal experiments, several students were diligently recording data.

A few days ago, they used the latest batch of extracted, cloudy penicillin liquid to treat more than a dozen rabbits that had been artificially wounded and inoculated with common "septicemia".

The control group was cleaned with alcohol only, while the experimental group was injected with a small amount of penicillin after cleaning.

The air seemed to freeze, with only the scratching of the pen tip across the paper and the occasional rustling of a rabbit.

Suddenly, a young student in charge of observation sat up abruptly, rubbed his eyes, and peered closely at the cages for a long time. His voice trembled with excitement: "It's...it's a success! Rabbits number three, five, seven, and nine...the redness and swelling of their wounds have subsided, there's no pus discharge, and their energy and appetite have returned to normal! The control group...most of them have suffered worsening ulceration and are listless!"

"Me too! Over 80% of the test group survived! The cause of death for the rest was not infection!" another person exclaimed.

The news spread like wildfire throughout the entire medical department.

Zhang Zhongjing and Hua Tuo almost simultaneously put down their work and rushed over.

They personally examined each rabbit. In the experimental group, the wounds of most rabbits, which were originally shockingly red, swollen, and ulcerated, had significantly subsided, and some had even begun to scab over.

The rabbit's eyes regained their sparkle, and it began to eat on its own.

The control group, on the other hand, was in a terrible state, with most of them on the verge of death.

Hua Tuo carefully used a sterilized silver needle to pry open the wound that was about to heal on one of the experimental rabbits. He examined it closely, then smelled it. His eyes gleamed: "No putrid odor, bright red granulation tissue... definitely no signs of pus! This thing... truly has such miraculous effects!"

Although Zhang Zhongjing was composed, he could not hide his shock and joy at this moment. He repeatedly compared the records and pondered, "Dosage, timing, individual differences... there are still many variables that need to be investigated. However, this experiment has undoubtedly proven that this penicillin extract has a significant effect on preventing and even treating such wound infections! Moreover, no immediate severe toxicity was observed in rabbits."

It worked!

Although it's just a rough product, although it's only been tested on rabbits, and although there are still countless difficulties ahead, it's the first step, and also the most crucial one.

The effectiveness and relative safety of this method were proven, and thanks to the efforts of two renowned physicians and a group of students, it was achieved in Youzhou, a border region at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty!

After a brief period of cheers and excitement, the room fell into a deeper silence, a silence mixed with hope and immense pressure.

Everyone understands that the success of the animal trials is just the beginning.

The real test is yet to come: human trials.