20demayo Chapter 120 Life and Death 1 Line
Chapter 120 Life and Death 1 Line
Setting up camp takes time, but Yinzhi couldn't wait a moment longer. Kangxi immediately ordered someone to bring a bed from the back of the carriage, and then had cloths strung around the area. Instantly, the open space became a temporary barracks.
Imperial Physician Wang didn't want the whole family to be playing games, so he naturally did his best in the treatment. He first, together with several other imperial physicians accompanying the army, removed the arrows from Yinzhuo's back and shoulder. After that, the group used all their strength and effort to stop the bleeding from the wounds.
The weather on the grasslands in March wasn't very warm, but even in this semi-open environment, the imperial physicians were all working up a sweat. Looking at Yinzhuo on the bed, whose face was pale but whose breathing was relatively steady, the physicians exchanged glances and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Your Majesty, we have now removed the arrow from the Sixth Prince's body and stopped the bleeding. As long as he doesn't develop a high fever in the next two days, the Sixth Prince will have survived this ordeal. However, this place is bitterly cold, and if he wants to recuperate properly, we should return to the capital as soon as possible."
Upon hearing this, Kangxi's tightly furrowed brows relaxed only for a moment. He himself had been on the battlefield and had seen too many soldiers who did not survive due to high fever after being wounded in the wounded soldiers' camp. So he naturally knew that high fever after injury was far more troublesome than bleeding from the wound.
"Imperial Physician Wang, you will stay here in the Imperial Tent for the next two days. You can return after the Sixth Prince's condition stabilizes. I'll say it again: I want my son to live well. Do you understand?"
"I understand. Isn't it just that if he lives, I live; if he dies, I die?" "I understand completely," said Physician Wang, though his heart was filled with unbearable bitterness. He still respectfully bowed to Emperor Kangxi.
"Your Majesty, I understand. I will do my utmost to save the Sixth Prince."
Kangxi's imperial tent was set up not far from the temporary camp. After the tent was set up, Liang Jiugong personally led people to check and arrange it properly before reporting to Kangxi. Yinzhu was injured and still unconscious. Kangxi was naturally not comfortable leaving him alone, so he simply had him carried to the imperial tent along with his bed.
Kangxi's purpose in setting up camp at the White Pagoda was to send off the army that was about to embark on a long expedition. Now that Yinzhuo had been assassinated and seriously injured on the way, it was inconvenient for him to move. Kangxi was also reluctant to leave him alone here, so he decided to stay in place with Yinzhuo and let Yinzhen go to the White Pagoda in his place.
Yinzhen was still leading his men to search the mountains and fields. Naturally, he was unaware of his father's arrangements. Because he was worried about Yinzuo's injury, he was somewhat absent-minded all afternoon. After finally meeting up with Changtai, he hurriedly pulled him and rushed to Kangxi's side.
"Oh, I wonder how the Sixth Prince is doing now. Heaven, please bless him so that he may be safe and sound..."
Changtai had a good relationship with Yinzuo before, so he was naturally very worried about Yinzuo's injury. When Yinzhen heard his words, he stopped in his tracks, looked up at the sky that was slowly darkening, and for the first time, he hoped so urgently that the Eternal Heaven could really hear their prayers.
"Father, how is Sixth Brother doing now?"
When Yinzhen and Changtai were invited in by Liang Jiugong, Kangxi was sitting on a chair next to Yinzuo's bed, reviewing the military reports sent from the front lines that day. Yinzhen was anxious and, without even bowing or greeting Kangxi, asked about Yinzuo's injuries first.
Since the Empress's death in the twenty-eighth year, Kangxi had not seen Yinzhen so unsteady for many years. He was momentarily stunned when he saw him like this, but he knew very well why Yinzhen was acting this way, so he naturally would not hold his rudeness against him at this moment.
"The arrow has been removed, and the bleeding has stopped. The imperial physician said that as long as he can get through these two days without developing a high fever, his life can be considered saved. Given the current situation, I am not comfortable leaving him here alone. Therefore, tomorrow you will make a trip to the White Pagoda to see the army off. After that, return as soon as possible. We will set off back to the capital once Yinzhuo's condition has stabilized."
Normally, Yinzhen would be overjoyed to hear that he could go to the front lines to see off the army on behalf of Emperor Kangxi. But now, he was worried about Yinzuo, whose fate was still unknown. So he accepted the task somewhat reluctantly. But as the saying goes, a higher rank can crush a person. He didn't have the guts to disobey the imperial decree.
Even though Emperor Kangxi, Emperor Yinzhen, and even the imperial physicians were all praying that Yinzhuo would not develop a fever, he still did develop a fever in the middle of the night. Emperor Kangxi touched Yinzhuo's burning forehead and got up to look at the imperial physician Wang beside him.
"Your Majesty, please don't be anxious. The medicine has just been taken and its effects haven't started yet."
Physician Wang knew what Kangxi meant from his look. He also wanted to cure the disease instantly, but he was just a skilled doctor, not an omnipotent deity. He didn't have that kind of ability.
Although Kangxi was pacing back and forth, his eyes never left Yinzhuo's face, which was flushed from fever. Yinzhen stood by, anxious but helpless. The group waited anxiously for half an hour, but Yinzhuo's fever not only did not go down, but seemed to be getting higher and higher.
"Doctor Wang, waiting like this is not a solution. Do you have any way to quickly reduce the fever in the Sixth Prince's body?"
Imperial Physician Wang was nearly driven mad with worry. He stepped forward, took Yinzhuo's pulse, examined him carefully, and then stood up to report to Emperor Kangxi.
"Your Majesty, I do have a method here, but I do not recommend using it unless absolutely necessary. Stimulating several acupoints with silver needles can indeed quickly reduce fever, but if this method is not done properly, it can damage a person's health. Therefore, I suggest that you give the Sixth Prince more fever-reducing medicine for now and wait and see."
Kangxi was naturally unwilling to gamble with his son's health on such a probability issue. Upon hearing this, he could only ask Liang Jiugong to bring over the medicine that had been kept warm. He then personally went over to help Yinzhuo, who was lying on the bed, up, pinched his chin, and had Yinzhen administer the medicine to him.
Although Yinzhuo was unconscious, he was still coughed unconsciously by his father and brother's rough way of feeding him medicine. Yinzhen was so frightened that he quickly put down the medicine bowl in his hand and wanted to pat his back. However, he suddenly remembered that his back was injured halfway through the action. The usually calm man suddenly became a little helpless.
"Father..."
Kangxi carefully avoided the wound on Yinzhuo's back and half-lifted him into his arms. Then he raised his hand and patted Yinzhuo's chest to help him catch his breath. Only when Yinzhuo's cough was not so severe did he put him back on the couch to lie down.