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

The inner chamber of the prefectural governor's residence in Zhuojun.

Ji Xuanyuan lay supine on the couch, the white gauze wrapped around his chest and abdomen revealing the surgical wound. Although it still ached, the suffocating and burning pain that used to linger and penetrate to the bone was gone.

He slowly inhaled and then slowly exhaled.

The air flowed smoothly into his lungs, carrying the slightly bitter scent of medicine and the unique warmth of the end of summer, giving him a strange sense of being in another world.

Since transmigrating, this body has been like a rusty, heavy shackle, every breath requires great effort, and every cough is heart-wrenching.

Now, although the shackles have not been completely removed, they have clearly loosened considerably. The long-lost sense of ease, like a spring stream breaking through a thick layer of ice, gently and carefully permeates his almost numb senses.

At this moment, however, he was still unable to move. Hua Tuo strictly ordered him to lie still for at least half a month before he could try to get up.

"Big brother!"

A harsh, hoarse voice, accompanied by heavy, hurried footsteps, approached from afar, breaking the silence of the room.

Zhang Fei's towering figure practically burst through the half-closed door, his leopard-like head and piercing eyes widening as he stared intently at Ji Xuanyuan on the bed. His face was a mixture of anxiety, fear, relief, and grievance, which made the usually heroic and fierce general's eyes slightly red.

"Brother! How...how could you do this!"

Zhang Fei rushed to the bedside, grabbed Ji Xuanyuan's hand, and said in a choked voice, "You kept such a life-or-death matter from your brothers! If... if something really happens to us, how are we supposed to face them?! Have you forgotten the oath we made in the Peach Garden?!"

Behind him, Guan Yu, Zhao Yun, and Li Cunxiao also quickly walked in.

Guan Yu narrowed his phoenix eyes, his hand stroking his beard paused in mid-air, his gaze falling on the gauze on Ji Xuanyuan's chest and abdomen. His usually calm and composed face was now showing signs of emotion, his lips pressed into a straight line.

Zhao Yun's expression was grave, his eyes filled with worry. He said in a low voice, "Brother, we, as your brothers, have already failed to realize how dangerous your illness was. How can we let you bear this danger alone?"

Li Cunxiao's eyes welled with tears, and his voice trembled: "Brother! You always told us to take care of ourselves, but you...you risked your life! That surgery, just hearing about it is terrifying! If...if..."

He couldn't continue, and just wiped his eyes hard.

Looking at his four younger brothers, who were gathered around the bed and were very emotional, Ji Xuanyuan felt a surge of warmth in his heart, mixed with a little guilt.

He forced a smile, his voice weak but clear: "Yide, Yunchang, Zilong, Jingsi... don't worry, look, isn't our eldest brother lying here perfectly fine?"

He paused, then slowly said, "It's not that I deliberately kept it from you, but this matter... is extremely risky, and I have no confidence in it either. You are either guarding the city or patrolling the villages, each with your own duties. If I had informed you in advance, you would have been unable to focus on your work and would have been worried day and night. Moreover, the surgery is something I have never heard of before. If you had known, you would have definitely tried to stop me, and I... have no other choice."

His gaze swept over the four of them, his eyes revealing sincerity and determination: "Rather than lingering on, gradually burning out, and finally passing away, leaving you all in vain grief, it's better to gamble on this sliver of hope. Now it seems I've won the gamble. Mr. Zhang and Mr. Hua have miraculously brought you back to life. This calamity is over. In the future... perhaps I really can stay with you for a while longer, watching you achieve great things, watching Zhuojun and even the world gradually improve."

Guan Yu took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Brother, how could we not know your good intentions? However, we are brothers and share weal and woe. If there are any more life-or-death matters in the future, I hope you will allow us to share the burden. Otherwise, we will be breaking our oath in the Peach Garden."

"Third Brother is right!"

Zhang Fei nodded vigorously, his eyes even redder: "Brother, if you keep doing this, I... I'll just stand guard outside your door every day! I won't do anything else!"

Zhao Yun and Li Cunxiao also nodded solemnly.

Ji Xuanyuan was moved, knowing their sincerity, and said gently, "Alright, it was my fault for not thinking things through this time. I will not hide it from you again in the future. You don't need to worry too much. Mr. Zhang said that the surgery was successful and the lesion has been removed. With careful recuperation, a full recovery is not out of the question. However, I will need to rest for the next few days. I will trouble you to take care of the affairs of the county."

"Brother, just rest assured and recuperate!" Zhang Fei patted his chest.

"With me, Third Brother, Zilong, Jingsi, and I here, Zhuojun won't be in chaos! Those documents, Guo the boy, Mr. Tian, ​​and Mr. Ju are reading them more diligently than I'm eating!"

The group chatted for a while, mostly telling Ji Xuanyuan to focus on his recovery and not to worry about anything in the county.

Just then, a soft cough came from outside the door, and Zhang Zhongjing and Hua Tuo came in side by side.

"Prefect Ji needs to rest and recuperate; it is not advisable to talk for too long and strain your mind," Zhang Zhongjing said gently, his gaze sweeping over Guan Yu and the others.

In the past, Zhang Fei might have grumbled a bit, but now, facing these two miraculous doctors who had pulled his elder brother back from the brink of death, his face was filled with gratitude and respect. He nodded hurriedly, "Mr. Zhang is right! We'll be going now, we'll be going now! Brother, you should rest well!"

Guan Yu, Zhao Yun, and Li Cunxiao also bowed respectfully to Zhang Zhongjing and Hua Tuo, their eyes filled with gratitude, before they withdrew.

The room returned to quiet.

Zhang Zhongjing walked to the bedside and took Ji Xuanyuan's pulse again. After a moment, he showed a look of relief: "His pulse is steady and strong, far better than before the operation. The wound is healing well, and there are no signs of internal invasion of evil toxins such as redness, swelling, heat and pain. Although the prefect's constitution is weak, his will is strong and his vitality is burgeoning. The speed of his recovery has exceeded my expectations."

Hua Tuo also stepped forward to examine the outer edge of the gauze and nodded, saying, "That's right. The effects of the anesthetic wore off early, and the prefect is clear-headed and has not complained of severe pain, which shows that his internal organs are at peace. For the next month or so, he only needs to change the dressing on time, avoid wind and cold, and gradually increase his diet without sudden supplementation."

He paused, a doctor's sharpness and a hint of lingering fear flashing in his eyes: "This surgery was truly a close call. If it weren't for the governor's trust and unwavering will, and the fact that penicillin had such a remarkable antiviral effect, greatly reducing the risk of infection during and after the surgery, the outcome would have been uncertain. Now it seems that Heaven blesses the virtuous and the brave."

Ji Xuanyuan sincerely said, "If it weren't for the miraculous healing skills of the two gentlemen, I would already be a withered skeleton in a tomb. I will never forget your life-saving grace."

Unable to get up, he could only clasp his hands in gratitude.

"Prefect, you must not do this."

Zhang Zhongjing shook his head, his thin face solemn: "The duty of a doctor is to treat the sick and save lives. Moreover, the prefect's illness is rare and stubborn. For us doctors, it is also a rare challenge and opportunity. Being able to participate in this treatment and verify new ideas, Ji and Brother Yuanhua will also benefit greatly."

Hua Tuo chimed in, his tone filled with inquiry and excitement: "Excellent! This surgery, combined with the prefect's discussion of disinfection and germs, involved repeated treatment of all instruments with alcohol, and the procedure was also performed with diluted penicillin solution. So far, there have been no signs of ordinary wounds or carbuncles. This is truly a major advancement in medicine! If it could be applied to military injuries, I wonder how many soldiers' lives could be saved!"

He looked at Ji Xuanyuan with burning eyes: "Not to mention the penicillin. Although it is still a crude product and difficult to extract, its efficacy has been verified on the governor. Such a pioneering act is worthy of being recorded in medical history! The governor is not only a patient, but also... a guiding light leading the way in medicine."

Zhang Zhongjing also lamented: "When I resigned from my official post and returned to my hometown, I originally intended to study typhoid fever and epidemic diseases to relieve the people's suffering. When I first arrived in Zhuojun, I was always saddened by the desolation of the people's lives along the way. However, after entering Zhuojun, I saw neat fields and few people with sallow complexions. I heard that the prefect was promoting education, reducing taxes, suppressing bandits, and making new tools to benefit agriculture... When I arrived in the city and entered the Institute of Natural Sciences, I saw a pragmatic spirit of inquiry that was different from the study of classical texts. I also heard the people's heartfelt gratitude towards the prefect."

He paused, his voice gentle yet firm: "For an official to win the hearts of the people to this extent is a great virtue. To be able to gather talent and appoint the virtuous without being bound by convention, to promote what is beneficial and eliminate what is harmful, is an even greater talent. The prefect is not yet twenty years old and is frail with illness, yet he has been able to achieve such a degree in this border region. This reminds me of the wise ministers of the past. To be able to do my part for such a person, to extend his life, and to help him continue to protect this region is truly my fortune, and it is also to preserve a glimmer of hope in this chaotic world."

Hua Tuo nodded emphatically: "When I traveled through the prefectures and counties, I saw that most officials were mediocre, greedy, and cruel. Officials like this prefect, who are genuinely concerned for the people and truly capable, are extremely rare. What's even more rare is that the prefect is not bound by prejudice, encourages the investigation of things, and is even willing to support the way of medicine. This trip north has been worthwhile!"

The two renowned physicians spoke sincerely and without any pretense.

Ji Xuanyuan listened quietly, a mixture of warmth and a sense of responsibility welling up inside him.

He knew that what he was doing was nothing more than the efforts of a time traveler who knew the course of history, struggling to survive in this chaotic world and trying to change the course of events.

Some of these actions were driven by self-interest, while others were driven by opportunism.

But in the eyes of wise men like Zhang Zhongjing and Hua Tuo, who truly possessed a heart for saving the world and had extraordinary talents, it became a "beacon of hope".

This weighty recognition and expectation made him feel somewhat ashamed, but it also strengthened his resolve to continue.

"You two are too kind," Ji Xuanyuan said slowly, his eyes clear.

"What Xuanyuan did was simply to make life a little better for himself and those around him in this chaotic world, and to reduce the suffering of the people of Zhuojun from hunger, cold, and displacement. The road ahead is long and thorny, and we will rely on you two gentlemen in many ways in the future, not only for Xuanyuan's frail body, but also for the future, so that the meager gains from this place may benefit more soldiers and civilians."

Zhang Zhongjing stroked his beard and smiled: "Prefect, you are too modest. In that case, I will stay in Zhuojun for the time being. The medical science is very interesting. The extraction of penicillin, the exploration of other possible drug effects, and even the combination of theory with typhoid fever and miscellaneous diseases can all be explored in depth. I'm sure Brother Yuanhua will also be reluctant to leave for the time being."

Hua Tuo laughed heartily: "Of course I won't leave! This place is far more expansive than where I was buried in studying cases in Qiao County! There are like-minded people, novel things, and even a patient like the prefect who's 'not afraid of death' and willing to let me operate on him. Wonderful! Wonderful!"

Amidst laughter, Zhang Zhongjing picked up his brush and wrote down a new prescription and detailed dietary guidelines, instructing, "This prescription is mild and gentle, and should be taken gradually to strengthen the body's foundation and nourish the vital energy. Once you are able to get up in half a month, Brother Yuanhua's Five Animal Frolics is an excellent method for regulating qi and blood and strengthening muscles and bones. You must persevere in it. In time, not to mention handling government affairs, even leisurely patrolling the city, or even... occasionally venturing onto the battlefield, will not be out of the question."

Ji Xuanyuan nodded solemnly and wrote down all the instructions.

Outside the window, the setting sun cast a warm golden glow on the eaves of the prefect's residence.

In the tranquil inner chamber, a place where life had been spared, Ji Xuanyuan felt the faint yet real rebirth within his body. Listening to the two divine physicians' resolute and hopeful words, the tension in his heart about "survival," which had been taut since his transmigration, seemed to relax slightly for the first time.

live.

To live a better life.

He carried the hopes of his brothers, his advisors, his people, and these two benevolent and wise men.

In this doomed world on the verge of collapse, forge a path to survival.

The road ahead is still long.

But at least he saw ahead, and it wasn't all darkness.