Gu Zhao’s hand was steady as he cut away the necrotic flesh, then disinfected the wound with a bubbling liquid – hydrogen peroxide – before sprinkling it with anti-inflammatory medicine.
After attending to his arm, he proceeded to treat the wounds on the thigh.
Following the debridement, Gu Zhao North skillfully bandaged the wounds.
His movements were methodical, efficient, and unhurried.
Gradually, Lord Xia’s consciousness returned, though he remained unable to move.
He knew Gu Zhao North was cutting away his flesh, yet he felt remarkably lighter afterward.
With the combined effect of anti-inflammatories and anesthetic, the sharp pain from his wounds, as well as the feverish haze, began to dissipate. The Lord couldn't help but let out a sigh of comfort.
This was the first sound the Lord had made in ten days.
“My Lord, are you awake?”
The Consort, startled, finally regained her senses. She had been on the verge of fainting upon seeing the amount of necrotic tissue Gu Zhao North had removed.
At this moment, the servants carried away the discarded medical waste and began cleaning the floor. Like busy, diligent hamsters, they soon had the Lord’s chambers spotless and orderly.
Gu Zhao North marveled again at the ruthless feudal system that made people so diligent.
Seeing the Consort’s relief, Gu Zhao North said calmly:
“There’s no major issue now. His Lordship will certainly make it through the night.”
“Ah? Thank you, Divine Doctor Gu. Then… what about afterwards?”
The Consort’s heart tightened at his words.
“Within an hour at most, His Lordship will wake up,” Gu Zhao North stated. “Rest assured, I will continue to monitor his treatment and guarantee his recovery. If anything goes wrong, you may take my head.”
Gu Zhao North spoke with such conviction that the Consort felt an immense surge of confidence.
Tears of joy streamed down the Consort’s face. “Thank you, sir, first and foremost.”
Gu Zhao North, consumed with worry for his daughter and her potential suffering, was anxious.
However, with Lord Xia still unconscious, he couldn’t press his request immediately. He said:
“I must remain at the manor tonight to observe His Lordship’s condition and administer treatment as needed.”
“That is essential. Thank you for your trouble, sir.”
The Consort now regarded Gu Zhao North as her savior, her benefactor.
Unable to leave the chambers herself to sleep, the Consort reclined on a nearby chaise lounge for a brief rest.
A servant placed a screen between her and Gu Zhao North.
As a physician, Gu Zhao North was now, in a sense, genderless; otherwise, how could an unrelated man share a room with a sleeping Consort?
The Consort had no choice. She had reached her limit. After tending to Lord Xia for ten days, and being pregnant, she was on the verge of collapsing.
She had initially resigned herself to the Lord’s impending death, her grief overriding her need for sleep. But then Gu Zhao North appeared like a divine intervention, pulling the Lord back from the brink. The Consort’s tension finally dissolved.
And with that release came exhaustion.
As soon as the Consort lay down, she began to dream. She saw the Lord dying and herself weeping uncontrollably. Suddenly, the Lord’s eldest son burst in with a sword, accusing her of seducing his father with bewitching arts, causing his mother’s death. Now that his father was dead, she had no one to protect her, and he intended to avenge his mother by stabbing her in the abdomen.
The Consort woke with a scream.
Opening her eyes, she realized she had been dreaming. Listening carefully, she heard no other sounds.
Gu Zhao North was slumped over the table, his eyes closed, seemingly asleep.
She quickly got off the chaise lounge and went to check on the Lord.
Seeing that the Lord was sleeping peacefully, his complexion no longer ashen, his lips regaining a slight color, she rushed forward and touched his forehead. Heavens! The fever had broken!
Every previous time she had touched his forehead, it had been burning hot. This was a completely different sensation.
The imperial physicians had said that if the fever broke, the Lord would recover.
A divine doctor!
Truly a divine doctor!
The Consort’s tears flowed freely. Not only was the Lord’s life saved, but their lives, mother and child, were also secured.
At that moment, her trust in Gu Zhao North reached an unprecedented level.
As dawn broke, the Lord finally stirred and woke.
Although half a bowl of flesh had been removed from him the previous night, strangely, the Lord didn’t feel excessive pain from the wound. Instead, there was a faint itching sensation.
This feeling was familiar to the Lord; it was the sensation he experienced when his wounds healed after hunting accidents.
Could it be that his two seemingly unhealable wounds were actually healing?
Lord Xia slowly opened his eyes and gently moved his head.
“My Lord, you are awake?”
The Consort’s beautiful face appeared in Lord Xia’s vision.
She caressed his cheek, tears of joy glistening in her eyes.
Lord Xia nodded weakly, then looked towards Gu Zhao North, who stood beside him.
He had seen this person in his delirium; he was the one who had saved his life. He gave a slight nod to Gu Zhao North before weakly closing his eyes.
Gu Zhao North stepped forward and felt the Lord’s forehead. His temperature was normal. He then took his pulse, which was now beating with a noticeably stronger rhythm, a stark contrast to its previous faintness.
It could be said that Gu Zhao North, in a desperate gamble, had pulled Lord Xia back from the gates of hell.
“My Lord, Your Highness, the condition is now controlled. As long as the fever does not return and the wounds do not fester, he will be fine.”
Gu Zhao North offered them reassurance, though a hint of uncertainty remained in his words.
A physician never speaks with absolute certainty.
When have you ever heard a doctor confidently claim they would definitely cure your illness?
When signing consent forms for surgery, even for a simple appendectomy, the document lists numerous terrifying potential complications.
“We will continue to rely on you for my Lord’s treatment, sir.”
The Consort said with profound gratitude.
Gu Zhao North’s expression turned somber.
Seeing this, the Consort first comforted Lord Xia and then invited Gu Zhao North to the outer reception room for a private talk.
“What is it? Divine Doctor Gu, are there any further complications with His Lordship’s illness?”
Gu Zhao North was secretly pleased. The Consort was indeed astute. Despite her youth, her ability to read people was remarkable.
“Your Highness, I have no problem continuing with His Lordship’s follow-up treatment. However, I am currently facing a personal predicament…”
“Oh, Divine Doctor Gu, please tell me whatever it is. If it is within my power, I will surely help you.”
The Consort now considered Gu Zhao North her savior and was eager to repay his kindness.
Furthermore, the Lord was not yet fully recovered; he had only just been pulled from danger and still required Gu Zhao North’s continued treatment. Thus, the Consort was highly invested in his affairs. If she could offer him a favor now, Gu Zhao North would be even more dedicated to his patient’s care.
Seizing the opportunity, Gu Zhao North explained how his daughter had been purchased by Old Master Gu of Pukou Village to be a child bride.
He specifically emphasized that although the person who sold her was his own father, his daughter’s paternal grandfather, their family had already separated, and without his consent, Old Man Gu had no right to buy or sell his daughter.