Chapter 60

The arrow had pierced between the seventh and eighth ribs. When Xue Wanche's robe was removed, under the dim light, Zhao Chen looked at the black arrow tail protruding from the ribs and couldn't help but draw a sharp breath.

The area around the arrow had already started to fester, probably due to the intense fighting earlier. Now, the wound was oozing dark red blood, mixing with the already rotten flesh, making it a sight that made one's scalp tingle.

However, what Zhao Chen was worried about was not this, but whether the arrowhead had penetrated into the chest cavity. If it had, he could simply walk away. He was completely clueless about medicine, and his first attempt at surgery was out of sheer necessity. He had studied video tutorials for half an hour before reluctantly performing the operation, and in his nervousness, he had even forgotten the basic step of administering anesthesia.

If it weren't for the old eunuch's toughness, his first surgery in the Tang Dynasty would have been a failure!

"This is a bit troublesome!" Zhao Chen didn't want to deceive Xue Wanche. Even if he were ten times more confident, he wouldn't dare to make any promises. If something went wrong, who could bear the responsibility?

Xue Wanche looked at Zhao Chen silently, his eyes showing a hint of disappointment. Just a moment ago, this guy had seemed ready to face death, but now he showed such disappointment. Zhao Chen's heart stirred slightly, sensing why Xue Wanche hadn't left, but he maintained a calm demeanor.

"Even Brother Zhao can't do anything?" Qiu Zeyu frowned and looked at Zhao Chen, his eyes also showing disappointment. This guy was the one who had kicked Liu Hui at the city gate, causing Liu Hui to sprain his foot.

"Don't call me brother, we're not that close!" Zhao Chen glanced sideways at Qiu Zeyu and said bluntly.

Qiu Zeyu's face turned red with anger, but since he still needed Zhao Chen to treat General Xue, he swallowed his anger.

"Removing the arrowhead isn't difficult!" Zhao Chen looked at Xue Wanche seriously and said, "The problem is, I can't determine how deep the arrowhead has penetrated. If it has injured the lungs, there's nothing I can do!"

When Xue Wanche and the others heard that removing the arrowhead wasn't difficult, they showed a glimmer of hope. However, when they heard Zhao Chen's next words, their hope quickly faded.

"How can we determine if the lungs are injured?" Xue Wanche frowned and hesitated before asking.

"Ha!" Zhao Chen couldn't help but laugh bitterly. "There's no other way, we can only take a gamble!"

Xue Wanche was taken aback by Zhao Chen's words. After a moment, he sighed and said, "Then let's take the gamble!"

Zhao Chen was right; at this point, they could only leave it to fate!

"Alright!" Zhao Chen stood up and went to his room, where he bought tweezers and a stethoscope from the supermarket. He then returned to Xue Wanche's room, placed the stethoscope on Xue Wanche's chest, and asked him to take a deep breath.

"Do you feel any pain in your chest when you take a deep breath?" Zhao Chen couldn't hear anything unusual through the stethoscope, so he removed it and looked at Xue Wanche to confirm.

Xue Wanche shook his head and said, "Apart from the wound, I don't feel any pain in my chest."

"That's good!" Zhao Chen couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. The lack of significant pain suggested that the lungs were not damaged or only slightly injured. As he had said, they could only take a gamble.

Next, Zhao Chen asked Xue Wanche to lie down, took out the tweezers, and began to remove the arrowhead. Actually, removing the arrowhead was easy; it was just that the doctors of this era lacked a pair of fine tweezers.

He carefully cut away the rotten flesh around the wound, cleaned it with medicine, and then, amidst Xue Wanche's pig-like screams, used the tweezers to slowly pull out the black arrowhead.

He had forgotten to administer anesthesia! But this time, it was intentional. The soldiers outside were all groaning in pain; why should Xue Wanche be any different?

However, hearing Xue Wanche's screams, Zhao Chen couldn't help but sneer. This guy's endurance was nothing compared to the old eunuch!

After removing the arrowhead and stitching the wound, Zhao Chen stood up, looked at the drenched Xue Wanche, patted his hands, and left the room. The arrowhead was out, and now it was up to Xue Wanche to survive.

"Tell the men to be on high alert. If Xue Wanche and his companions try to escape, shoot them on the spot!" After leaving Xue Wanche's room, Zhao Chen called Qin Ming over. When Qin Ming ran over, Zhao Chen lowered his voice and gave a stern order.

The hint of disappointment on Xue Wanche's face earlier had raised Zhao Chen's suspicions. This guy might act tough, but he might not really be indifferent to death. It could be a strategy.

It was freezing outside, and in that situation, if they tried to break out of the city, they probably wouldn't get far before being captured by the soldiers, especially with Xue Wanche's injury.

So the best strategy was to temporarily surrender and then look for an opportunity to escape.

"Does Young Master think General Xue will try to escape?" Qin Ming, a man of purely martial mind, had just been calling Xue Wanche a scoundrel, but now, seeing his noble appearance, he was completely swayed.

"It's just a guess, and I hope it's not true!" Zhao Chen said, then took a deep breath and looked at Qin Ming intently. "But better safe than sorry. Being on high alert is always a good idea!"

"I'll guard here myself tonight!" Qin Ming's eyes narrowed, and he said sternly.

Zhao Chen had already caused trouble by killing Sun Yin. If Xue Wanche and his companions also escaped, it would be even more difficult to explain. If people said Zhao Chen had intentionally let Xue Wanche go, he wouldn't be able to deny it!

Zhao Chen nodded, gave Qin Ming a few more instructions, and then yawned and went back to his room. He was exhausted from the day's events!

However, just as he returned to his room, he heard someone knocking furtively at the door. Annoyed, Zhao Chen got up and opened the door to find Wang Ning, the county magistrate of Lantian.

"Still awake, Sir?" Wang Ning immediately bowed and asked with a sycophantic smile.

Zhao Chen rolled his eyes. He had already been asleep, but this guy had woken him up. Now he was asking a rhetorical question. However, Zhao Chen knew that if Wang Ning came at this hour, it must be for a reason, especially when he noticed the box in Wang Ning's arms.

"Speak, what is it?" Zhao Chen's eyes moved from the box, wondering if this guy had come to give him a gift. If it was a gift, should he accept it? Should he accept it?

"I've come to give you a great gift, Sir!" Wang Ning glanced around nervously, then looked at Zhao Chen with a mysterious smile and whispered.

"This isn't right," Zhao Chen's fingers trembled slightly, and he put on a difficult expression. However, he stepped back, giving Wang Ning room to enter.

Wang Ning, seeing Zhao Chen step back, smiled and quietly entered the room with the box.

Zhao Chen thought the box might contain something rare, but when he opened it, he found only a stack of papers, specifically, a stack of accounts. Seeing that it wasn't something rare, Zhao Chen's face darkened. What was the point of giving him a stack of accounts?

"Take a look first, Sir!" Wang Ning, who had been smirking, suddenly met Zhao Chen's unfriendly gaze and quickly explained.

This was the most precious thing he had, more valuable than his life. He had deliberated for a long time before deciding to give it to Zhao Chen.

He had observed Zhao Chen's actions all day, especially when Zhao Chen killed Sun Yin in front of everyone and then acted as if nothing had happened. He guessed that Zhao Chen must be of noble birth!

Moreover, Zhao Chen favored Liu Hui but treated him indifferently. After much thought, Wang Ning decided to give him this.

These accounts detailed every crime Zhao Yuankai had committed in Lantian over the years. If these were verified, Zhao Yuankai would be executed many times over.

Wang Ning had a reason for giving these to Zhao Chen.

When Zhao Chen ordered the attack on the city that evening, the reason was somewhat flimsy. But with these accounts, he would have a shield against future accusations!

Hearing Wang Ning's words, Zhao Chen looked at the accounts with suspicion. As he flipped through them, his face turned from suspicious to grim, and he finally slammed the accounts on the table, shouting in anger.

"Zhao Yuankai deserves to die!"