Chapter 116: Surgery
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Ye Ling walked over to the bedside and said, “Let me take a look at your wound.”
Dr. Xu stood beside her and said, “Comrade Ye’s medical skills are much better than mine. Maybe there’s hope for your leg. You, why didn’t you let Comrade Ye take a look at your leg when you went down the mountain with her in the first place?”
After saying that, Dr. Xu turned to Ye Ling and said, “Dr. Ye, Chen Si’s wound looks quite severe. Be prepared mentally.”
With that, Dr. Xu uncovered the blanket.
Ye Ling saw that Chen Sits leg was a mess of flesh and blood, with everything below the knee covered in shades of purple, and the skin had taken on a sickly pale color.
Ye Ling’s brows furrowed tightly.
Afraid that his wound would shock Ye Ling, Chen Si quickly said to Dr. Xu, “Dr. Xu, put it down. I know the condition of my leg. If it needs to be amputated, I’m mentally prepared. You don’t need to worry about me.”
Dr. Xu slowly put down the blanket and looked at Ye Ling. “Comrade Ye, is there any hope for Chen Sits leg?”
Taking a deep breath and contemplating the treatment options in her mind, Ye Ling replied seriously after a moment, “I can give it a try, but I can’t guarantee absolute success. Also, I hope this matter can be kept confidential.”
Dr. Xu understood Ye Ling’s concern about not having a medical license. He quickly nodded and said, “Comrade Ye, focus on treating Chen Si’s leg. Don’t worry about the rest. If you need any medications, feel free to get them from the storage room.”
Ye Ling nodded in acknowledgment. Since the upcoming surgical procedure would likely take a long time, she turned to Min Nan and said, “Big Brother Min Nan, I might be returning very late. You should go back first.”
Min Nan thought for a moment and said, “I’ll go back first and come to pick you up when you’re done.”
After Min Nan left, Doctor Xu asked everyone else to leave the room and, as per Ye Ling’s instructions, placed disinfectants, anesthetics, and other items on the table. Then, he closed the door.
Ye Ling took out an anesthetic and said to Chen Si, “The anesthetic may not be sufficient, so I can only numb a local area. You might still feel some pain.”
Chen Si chuckled and didn’t seem to mind, “If I were afraid of pain, I wouldn’t have been able to endure it when we descended the mountain earlier. Comrade Ye, even if you were to amputate my leg right now, I wouldn’t cry out.”
Ye Ling praised him, “You’re truly a tough guy.”
She also handed Chen Si a piece of clean gauze. Chen Si hesitated for a moment, then stuffed it into his mouth.
Ye Ling took out silver needles from the pouch used for storage.
The “Ye Family’s Medical Code” was likely compiled over three hundred years ago, containing a wealth of medical knowledge passed down through the generations of the Ye family.
During this era, Western medicine was gradually displacing traditional Chinese medicine, with many people believing that only Western medicine could perform major surgeries involving dissections. This belief was based on the misconception that traditional Chinese medicine practitioners lacked knowledge of human anatomy, which limited their capabilities.
However, this perception was incorrect.
Some years ago, at an archaeological site, ancient human skulls dating back two thousand years were discovered. One of the skulls displayed a smooth, elliptical defect approximately 31x25mm in size. This defect indicated a successful surgical procedure, as the individual had survived long after the surgery. This was evidence of the earliest successful cranial surgery in the history of traditional Chinese medicine.
As for cesarean section surgeries, there were records in the Ye family’s medical books detailing several cases performed centuries ago.
These examples didn’t prove whether traditional Chinese medicine or Western medicine was superior. Rather, they demonstrated that traditional Chinese medicine had matured surgical expertise.
Ye Ling sealed several key acupuncture points on Chen Sits body with silver needles. Afterward, she took out a surgical knife from a stainless steel tray.
Although Ye Ling had never performed surgery before today, she had frequently witnessed her mother and grandfather conducting surgeries on patients during her childhood. Their actions and demeanor were vivid in her memory. After inheriting the “Ye Family’s Medical Code,” she often mentally rehearsed the steps and precautions for surgical procedures.
If the situation weren’t so urgent, Ye Ling wouldn’t have wanted to use Chen Si’s leg as her first attempt at human surgery. However, Chen Si’s leg was at risk of amputation, and no one else here could save it. She had to suppress her inner fear and take the risk..