He Jiuniang didn't even glance at the corpses scattered all over the ground outside, and took Kang Tanhua back to the General's Mansion.

Kang Xiucai's condition was worse than she had imagined. He had been beaten, had some internal bleeding, and his severed finger had not been properly treated, causing excessive blood loss. In addition, his health was not very good to begin with. If she had arrived any later, she would have been able to collect his body.

He Jiuniang had people prepare water, strong liquor, and enough candles to ensure the room was well-lit. She also had her medicine box brought over and instructed, "Tell the people outside not to disturb me unless necessary. Also, come in and help me."

The maidservant beside her knew some martial arts and had a decent mental fortitude. At the very least, she could wipe her sweat, since reattaching Kang Tanhua's severed finger was a major operation.

The maid initially thought He Jiuniang was just going to treat Kang Tanhua's injuries, but her eyes widened instantly when she saw He Jiuniang take out the severed finger from her bosom.

"Does Madam intend to set Mr. Kang's severed finger?"

"Okay, remember to wipe my sweat later, so you don't block my view."

He Jiuniang's tone was calm, but the little maid's heart trembled. It had already been cut off, could it still be put back together?

Has the lady's medical skills reached such an extraordinary level?

Even though she was shocked, she still respectfully agreed, and was even excited to be able to witness all of this. This was a moment to witness a miracle, and she didn't want to blink!

After the preparations were completed, He Jiuniang began to work, her expression very serious and focused.

They gave Kang Tanhua an anesthetic injection first, so he wouldn't die of pain in a little while.

The syringe had been treated; it looked like a bamboo tube made from bamboo joints. The maid simply assumed that her mistress had given Mr. Kang a special medicine and didn't suspect anything.

After the anesthesia took effect, He Jiuniang began her work, carefully suturing the severed nerves back together, then realigning the broken bone and fixing it with a small metal piece before starting the suturing, inserting the metal plate, and finally applying a cast. (This medical procedure is purely fictional and should not be taken literally.)

The surgery lasted for four hours, from dawn to midnight.

The maidservant changed three handkerchiefs after wiping her hands; two were used by He Jiuniang, and one was used by herself.

Shocking, absolutely shocking!

"Once you're done, tell the kitchen to prepare some food and send it to my yard so we can eat together."

He Jiuniang stretched, it had been a long time since she had performed such a long surgery, it was really not easy.

The maidservant breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and then walked out with light steps.

She felt that everything she had seen today was enough for her to brag about for a lifetime.

Her wife is truly amazing!

While the maid was away, He Jiuniang quickly had Kang Tanhua's blood tested, took out a bag of blood plasma from her space and injected it into his vein, while giving him some nutrient solution with her other hand, otherwise his body simply couldn't withstand it.

As for his other injuries, they are not too fatal for the time being; she can deal with them after she has a meal.

Having arranged for someone to guard the entrance and prevent anyone from easily entering, He Jiuniang returned to her own courtyard for a meal, and took the opportunity to listen to Steward Huang's report on the situation outside.

The court's solution to Zhu Lian's death was to provide some compensation. In addition, Zhu Lian had a younger brother who was also doing well in his studies, but an exception was made to allow him to take Zhu Lian's place as a newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination), and he would be appointed as an official after the palace examination.

However, since we don't know the actual ability of this substitute, we will test him separately before the palace examination to see his abilities, and then assign him a minor official position as a way of giving the Zhu family an explanation.

Although Zhu Lian's family was heartbroken, the deceased was gone and life had to go on. Moreover, the court's sincerity was great, so they did not cause any further trouble.

In fact, based on some clues at the scene, the stick could prove that Zhu Lian was not innocent, but since he was already dead, there was no need to investigate too much, so it was left unresolved.

As for the place He Jiuniang broke into, the Crown Prince also conducted a thorough investigation. He learned that the official whom He Jiuniang had dealt with had accepted bribes from the people of Dongting, which was why he turned a blind eye to it and even helped defend him when his subordinates questioned him. The Crown Prince sent people to confiscate his house and exile all his family members.

In addition, there was Zhuo Jiayu in prison, who was said to have fainted. The jailer called a doctor to see her, who said she was too frightened. When the people from the Duke of Mu's mansion found out, they wanted to visit her but were refused. So they came to the gate of the General's mansion to make a scene, but were chased away by Steward Huang and his men.

At this point, Steward Huang snorted coldly and said, "Don't they know where we are? Do they think they can just barge in like that? Any servant in our household knows a few moves; dealing with the people from the Duke of Mu's mansion is a piece of cake!"

Butler Huang was in his forties, with a short beard, and spoke with a smug air, which amused He Jiuniang.

He continued, "Madam probably doesn't know yet, but the story of how you single-handedly rushed in to save people has spread far and wide. Everyone outside is praising you as a heroine! They say the way you carried Mr. Kang and leaped onto the horse was incredibly dashing. Some people have even drawn that scene and are selling it at high prices, and it's still in high demand!"

"Madam, you are truly remarkable. The streets were in a state of panic because of the appearance of the Dongting assassins, but you single-handedly wiped out so many people and rescued Mr. Kang. The people's hearts were instantly calmed down, and they were no longer afraid!"

...

Butler Huang kept talking, praising He Jiu Niang. He Jiu Niang was very pleased and ate two more bowls of rice.

The little maidservant also ate happily beside her, and even chatted with Steward Huang, saying how amazing He Jiu Niang's medical skills were, that she was simply a fairy descended to earth, the kind who knew magic!

Butler Huang was astonished, and the two began to chat animatedly. The servants and maids nearby also came over to join in the fun, making the courtyard incredibly lively.

Of course, this was all because He Jiuniang was kind and gentle, which made everyone feel relaxed, and it was all with He Jiuniang's permission.

After finishing their meal and having heard enough gossip, He Jiuniang went to treat Kang Tanhua's injuries, but this time she didn't let anyone follow her in.

Kang Tanhua is still receiving an IV drip, so no one can see that.

When He Jiuniang came in, she noticed that Kang Tanhua's eyelids twitched, as if he was about to wake up. She looked up at the IV drip that was only half finished, and without saying a word, she took out a silver needle and gave him another injection. Then Kang Tanhua fell into a deep sleep again.

She muttered, "Mr. Kang, get some sleep. Anyway, you'll only feel pain when you wake up now, so sleep one more night."