“But! But we’re a family. These are all external possessions. Isn’t it most important that our family stays safe and together?”
“Big Sister… Mother passed away when I was very young. I don’t even know what she looked like. To compensate, everyone in the family pampered me like a treasure. Of course, I remember your kindness.”
“I’ve worked so hard to reach this point just so I’d have the chance to protect you all in the future. But — “
Yun Wei reached this point and could no longer continue.
She understood the darkness of the Imperial Court all too well.
Those glamorous officials and members of the Nobility were all, in reality, walking on thin ice and struggling through every step.
Any tiny mistake could lead to their eternal downfall.
Accompanying a ruler is like accompanying a tiger; one must be careful every moment.
That was no joke.
But… Yun Wei could no longer endure even one more parting of life and death.
Her three brothers who had pampered her the most had died on the battlefield.
Her eldest brother’s body had not even been sent back; only a piece of broken, blood-stained armor had been recovered.
Her sister had been willing to remain a widow for her entire life for the sake of the family’s reputation.
After death, she would even be buried in another family’s ancestral tomb.
From her beloved Big Sister, she had become a mere relative, completely an outsider with a different surname.
And now, her father was going to die as well…
So many people who loved her had made various sacrifices to pave her path.
What right did she have to accept their efforts without even a change in expression?
“We’re a family, Big Sister.”
“I beg of you, let me save Father. As long as Father can survive, everything will get better.”
“I’m willing to pay any price. I just want you all to be well.”
Yun Wei hugged the thin-shouldered Yun Xiang and wailed loudly, completely abandoning her image as the future Marquis Wuding.
Her crying was tragic and soul-shattering.
“Um…”
Shen Yu, who had been watching this family drama for quite some time, could not help but speak up in a low voice, interrupting the tragic scene.
She had just simulated the entire process of an Appendectomy in her mind, pondering its feasibility for a long while.
Now, the success rate in her heart had increased from 60% to 75%.
She had originally thought the sisters would have finished talking, but when she looked up, not only were they not done, but Yun Wei had actually started wailing.
“I’d like to say something. This illness still needs to be treated quickly. Since you already believe the Marquis doesn’t have much longer to live, you might as well let me try.”
Shen Yu’s words caused Yun Xiang to subconsciously frown.
“Medical Officer Shen, do you know what you’re saying? Even the Imperial Physicians from the Imperial Academy of Medicine have already reached a conclusion. Why must you wade into this muddy water? Do you know how much of an impact it will have on you if you fail to cure my father?”
In Yun Xiang’s eyes, if Shen Yu took the easy way out and did nothing, she would still be the Shen Yu favored by the Empress, and her future room for promotion would remain vast.
But if she got involved, she would be taking on a searing hot potato.
If she could cure her father, her image in the eyes of His Majesty would certainly rise several times over in an instant.
But if she could not… she would be cutting off her own future.
Furthermore, she most likely could not cure him…
Again, the Imperial Physicians had no solution.
Why could a young girl like her do it?
Based on a burst of passion?
Do not be ridiculous…
Yun Xiang had seen too much of the world, which had made her invisibly cynical.
Some things were not as simple as they appeared on the surface.
At their level, every action had widespread repercussions.
“Physician’s Benevolent Heart — saving lives is my duty. If I have the ability but do not act, I would be violating my own original intentions. Moreover, I promised Yun Wei I would do my absolute best.”
“Why doesn’t Young Lady Yun Xiang listen to my treatment plan first before making a decision?”
“As for those worldly matters… I suggest setting them aside for now. A human life is at stake; saving the person is what matters most.”
Hearing Shen Yu say this, Yun Xiang could not help but be slightly stunned.
‘What a fine Physician’s Benevolent Heart…’
If these words had come from those old foxes in the Imperial Academy of Medicine, Yun Xiang would have certainly felt they were just empty formalities, even appearing somewhat oily and fake.
But coming from Shen Yu’s mouth, it truly felt different.
It was not just because Shen Yu was young and her eyes held a pure sincerity, but also because Shen Yu truly had an excellent reputation with her younger sister.
Thus, with a “try and see” mindset, Yun Xiang listened to Shen Yu’s rough plan.
However, the more she heard, the more terrified she became…
“You mean? Cut — cutting open the abdomen, taking out the intestines, and then sewing them back? Are — are you a lunatic?”
“Can this really save a person?”
Yun Xiang’s shock was entirely within Shen Yu’s expectations.
“This is the only way, Young Lady Yun Xiang. I will only say one thing now: as a physician, I am willing to be responsible for my actions and my words. The rest depends on whether you want your father to live.”
“How — how much of a chance do you have?”
“About 80%.”
“That high?”
Shen Yu was noncommittal.
In her view, an Appendectomy in the modern world was nothing more than a very simple minor surgery; some people did not even need to be hospitalized after it was finished.
Shen Yu had the technical skill, but the current environment was too rudimentary.
The 80% figure even contained a bit of exaggeration specifically intended to soothe the family’s emotions.
“But… but you haven’t even seen my father’s condition yet.”
“I’ll take a look first, but it shouldn’t be much different from what I’m thinking.”
After Shen Yu finished speaking, Yun Xiang froze for a moment.
Then, she looked at the pitiful appearance of her teary-eyed younger sister beside her.
Recalling the words her sister had just spoken, she gritted her teeth and hardened her heart.
“Follow me!”