Chapter 6: The Old Hua Tuo of Youthful Face

  Just then, a clear voice came from the nearby woods. "May I ask which general's command are you gentlemen under? Have you encountered mountain bandits?"

  At this moment, everyone who could move immediately picked up their nearby weapons and vigilantly looked over.

  Sun Ce couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat, and he whispered to Sun He: "Fortunately, it wasn't the enemy who came to attack. We're still not being cautious enough; when we rested, we even forgot to post sentries. We must learn from this lesson! From now on, no matter what time it is, the rules for setting up camp cannot be neglected!"

  Sun He's face suddenly turned red, and he scratched his head: "It was a subordinate's mistake, I was just talking carelessly, it won't happen again next time."

  Sun Ce tried to sit up, but was defeated by a muscle-tearing pain.

  He could only slightly lift his head and look forward. He saw a young old man with a handsome appearance and elegant movements walking out of the forest.

  It's impossible to tell his age, and it's hard to give him a suitable title. All that can be seen is that his hair has turned white, but his face is still rosy and tender, just like a young child's, smooth and unblemished. It's completely impossible to guess how old he is.

  He wore an ordinary yet fitted bodysuit and had a wicker basket on his back filled with various plants, apparently returning with a full load.

  He was seen with one hand leaning on a long pole, standing there very relaxed. Yet it made people feel that he was so natural and blended in with the forest, as if he should have been there all along. Sun Ce thought to himself: "This must not be an ordinary person."

  At this time Pu walked up and said: "Please, sir! May I ask if you are a doctor? How did you know we were government troops?"

  Sun Ce took a closer look and indeed resembled the standard image of a medicine collector from the TV shows before his rebirth.

  "I've really gotten used to seeing doctors in white coats, I don't recognize traditional Chinese medicine practitioners in their attire. Need to get used to this era! Must work hard!"

  "Haha" was all that was seen of the young old man's bright smile, who didn't mind at all that Cheng Pu was being cautious and hadn't answered his question.

  "This old man has traveled far and wide for many years, and I'm confident in my judgment. One look at you and it's clear that you're not bandits or refugees. You don't have the aura of those mountain thieves who only know how to burn, kill, and loot, bringing harm to innocent civilians. If you were those kinds of scoundrels, I wouldn't dare show myself to you. The fewer of those scoundrels there are, the less suffering the people will endure!"

  He paused for a moment and continued: "I am Hua Tuo, a native of Pei State, Qiao County. I am a physician. I came here just to collect some medicinal herbs in the mountains."

  "Hua Tuo! Divine doctor!" Sun Ce exclaimed excitedly, "Please save my soldiers! They can't hold on much longer."

  "General, you actually know my humble name! Don't worry, don't worry, General is truly a benevolent person! In all these years, I have never seen a general as considerate of his subordinates as you are. You must be even more loving to the people!"

  "I see that those soldiers are mostly suffering from external injuries, and most of them have already stopped bleeding. As long as I apply some medicine to them and let them rest for a while without aggravating the wound, they should be fine!"

  "I think General, your injury is probably even more severe. I've never seen an injury like yours before, may I take a closer look?"

  She didn't even wait for my agreement and hurriedly walked to Sun Ce's side, stroking his body. While touching him, she occasionally used her fingers to press, poke, or squeeze different parts of Sun Ce's body.

  For Sun Ce, this diagnostic and treatment method is unheard of. Modern medicine wouldn't have such means, at the hospital they would directly send you for imaging.

  X-ray is unclear, there's still CT. CT is also unclear, then 3D imaging can be done. Many methods are available, but the patient's wallet will become thinner and thinner.

  Sun Ce's body was truly neither painful nor itchy under his 'diagnosis', this is what it means to be in pain and yet feel pleasure.

  Look at Hua Tuo's facial expression, it's also rich and colorful, happy for a moment, puzzled for a moment! It's like a child who has just received a new toy, immediately immersing himself in it, exploring the subtleties of it, as for the feeling of the toy, that's completely not worth considering!

  It wasn't until a while later that he was finally freed from the probing 'devil's claw'. Sun Ce couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh, only to unknowingly stir up another meridian, causing him to grit his teeth in pain once again.

  Hua Tuo examined Sun Ce's body and then squatted down beside him, looking dazed. After thinking for half a day, he seemed to have encountered an extremely troublesome problem. Cheng Pu, Sun He and others were all staring at this divine doctor with wide eyes, not daring to blink, fearing that he would say something bad.

  Only Hua Tuo muttered to himself: "Strange! Obviously, he used too much force and injured several important tendons. There is no vital energy in the pulse, this should be a fatal injury."

  "How can you feel that those few withered meridians have signs of recovery? What a strange person! Never seen before, interesting, interesting. The heartbeat is extremely strong and powerful. It should be due to his own physical strength! Hmm! It should be like this. Otherwise, it cannot be explained, such severe injuries, ordinary people will definitely not survive."

  Because he was very close to Sun Ce, although his voice was low, I still heard it clearly.

  Sun Ce was taken aback, "It can be seen that way. Really worthy of being a divine doctor! Not just bragging. There's real learning! If it wasn't for me crossing over this time, I'm afraid Sun Ce would have been a dead man by now. It's really a case of mistaken identity, but the historical Sun Ce didn't die so young."

  Wasn't it also pierced by some short-lived guy back then? What a misfortune! It seems that this body, I must cherish it well. Can't let Sun Ce die in vain so many times.

  "This genius doctor is a rare talent! Can't let him go. Otherwise, if something happens to him, there's no place to call 120 for help. It's best to have insurance on hand! How can we get him to come with us? Need to think carefully!"

  At this time, Hua Tuo finally stood up and said to Cheng Pu, Sun He and others who were staring at him: "Everyone, your young general was already seriously injured and could not be cured."

  As soon as the words fell, Cheng Pu was immediately stunned, and big tears gushed out from his slightly wrinkled eyes. Sun He and the soldiers next to him immediately knelt down and cried in unison.

  Sun He wailed: "Why? It can't be! You won't abandon us, Young Master! You said you'd take us to pacify the chaotic world and bring a bright dawn to the Han Dynasty, so that all the people can live a good life!"

  You promised us! Why? Now that we've just begun, you're going to leave?! Heaven is unfair! You took away the life of General Pu, making his great ambitions unfulfilled! Now that you've given us a glimmer of hope, you're taking away the young master too!

  "How can you treat me, a member of the Sun family, so unfairly?! I'd rather it was me that you took away! Ahhh..."

  Tears are flying in the air, it seems that I, Sun Ce, am about to die. But my heart is also moved by these truly loyal brothers who can live and die with me!

  "Sun Ce made a silent vow in his heart: 'Brothers, as long as you do not disappoint me in this life, I, Sun Bofu, will definitely not disappoint you.'"

  At this time, Hua Tuo awkwardly said: "It turns out to be a descendant of Sun Baotou, no wonder he looks like a righteous man! Sorry, sorry! I apologize!"

  "And, General, don't cry yet. I haven't finished speaking! What I mean is that the young master was already beyond cure, but his body is extremely robust and seems to have passed the most critical juncture. Now he has started recovering. As long as my wound medicine is applied for ten days, he should be able to recover!"

  This time Hua Tuo seemed to be afraid of being interrupted by Sun He and others again, so he spoke very quickly and finished what he wanted to say in one breath.

  Everyone listened, and suddenly they were stunned, looking at each other in confusion, not knowing who shouted first, "Oh! The young master doesn't have to die, we have hope again!" Suddenly, they hugged each other in pairs, jumping for joy, tears bursting forth on faces filled with smiles.

  My eyes have become a little moist. This is the true feeling of human relationships!

  This is a group of simple and honest men. They followed me for a hope, even when they were about to face death, they didn't frown at all. But because the hope was about to be shattered, they cried like rain, and because the hope was reborn, they were overjoyed.

  Yes, isn't it because of having one hope after another that people can live on strongly?

  "I, Sun Ce, will never let them down, nor all those who see me as their hope. I must bring happiness to them and their families. At the very least, there will always be hope!"

  Just as I was thinking alone, a shout came "Old Three, what's wrong with you? Wake up! What's wrong?"

  Sun Ce looked up and saw a soldier lying not far away, another burly man holding his limp body, cradling his head, and shouting anxiously.

  Hua Tuo walked over quickly, felt his pulse and checked his breathing. He shook his head, patted the shoulder of the man beside him and said: "You should be prepared for bad news! He was too exhausted and encountered great joy and sorrow, his already weak body couldn't withstand it, he's gone. Alas! What a pity about this man!"

  He then turned to a group of soldiers beside him and said: "You all must also be careful, don't be too emotional. Take good rest for a few days, lest there be another unexpected event!"

  Only I, Sun Ce, kept thinking on the side, "No, extreme joy and sorrow can cause high blood pressure. But this soldier is so young, he shouldn't have high blood pressure or heart disease. It should just be temporary shock, if rescued in time, he should be able to be saved."

  Sun Ce hastily said to the man who was crying bitterly, "What's your name? Don't cry for now. Listen to me."

  "Tell the young master, my name is Lin Jia Da, and I'm the third son of the Lin family. My second brother died in that chaotic battle a few days ago. Now he's gone too, and I'm the only one left in our family."

  Sun Ce was silent for a moment. "What good three brothers! Why didn't he call Lin Jia Yi? Sun Ce still ridiculed my name as being old-fashioned."

  But it is unknown that ordinary people in this era usually don't even have a name.

  I suddenly woke up and hurriedly said: "If you want your brother to be okay, don't cry first. Listen to me, do it the way I taught you. First, let him lie flat on his back."

  "Alright, that's it. Take a deep breath, pinch Old Three's nose shut so the air doesn't leak out, and then blow the air into his mouth. After blowing, release your hand. Pause for a moment, and then continue blowing. Don't stop according to your breathing rhythm."

  "Come another one." Another soldier who seemed to be lightly injured walked up. Sun Ce ordered, "You kneel down and press the base of Lao San's chest with your palm root, fingers pointing towards Lao San's head, and the other hand pressing on the back of the hand. What don't you know where the breastbone is? It's about an inch below the nipple, stupid! Is it the left side or not the right side?"

  Straighten the elbow joint. Relying on body weight and arm shoulder muscle strength, vertical force is applied to compress the lower segment of the sternum in a backward direction, causing the lower segment of the sternum and its connected lower ribs to sink about an inch, don't use too much force, don't break Lao San's bones.

  "After squeezing, suddenly relax, pay attention to grasping without leaving the chest wall, relying on the elasticity of the sternum to restore the position. Do it in my rhythm, don't stop."

  "I finished and began to report numbers at a speed of about 100 times per minute: 'One two one two one two......'".