Young Scoundrel vs. Young Scoundrel (Part Two)

No matter how fierce the fighting outside became, Hu Xiaotian had no attention to spare for it. Fang Zhitang was badly injured and needed first aid; stopping the bleeding had to come first. Hu Xiaotian sent Yuan Shiqing to Easy Origin Hall for strong liquor. Swallowcloud Tower had no shortage of wine, but most of it had too little alcohol to disinfect anything.

After briefly disinfecting the Hemostatic Clamp from the Brocade Box, Hu Xiaotian clamped the severed blood vessel. Then he used scissors to trim away the hair around the wound. By then, Yuan Shiqing had returned from Easy Origin Hall with the necessary instruments, bringing two assistants along as well. Hu Xiaotian sent everyone who had no business there out of the room, leaving only Yuan Shiqing and the injured man's daughter, Fang Fang.

The Brocade Box contained needles and threads of different sizes. Hu Xiaotian had to admire how thoroughly Li Yifeng had thought everything through, though he had never expected to put these instruments to use so soon. He selected a suitable needle and thread and first sutured the severed blood vessel. The Mulberry-Bark Suture was excellent. Judging by Murong Feiyan's recovery, it closely resembled modern surgical sutures and could serve as an almost perfect substitute.

Although the medical facilities were relatively poor and certainly fell short of the requirements for sterile surgery, this era clearly had fewer disease-causing microbes than modern society. The chances of infection seemed much lower, too.

Hu Xiaotian examined Fang Zhitang's wound and found that it had not damaged the membrane covering his skull. All he needed to do now was stitch the scalp closed. Only after disinfecting it again with strong liquor did he suture Fang Zhitang's scalp. Yuan Shiqing stood beside him throughout, with little occasion to help. Although this was already his second time watching Hu Xiaotian stitch someone's wound, the skillful technique still left him deeply awed. Such medical expertise was truly miraculous. In the past, they had never attempted to stitch a person's wounds closed, so external injuries often resulted in heavy blood loss, and even after healing, they left large scars.

Yuan Shiqing's gaze settled on the bloodstained clamp. What a marvelous thing it was! Just clamping it onto the spot where blood was gushing out stopped the bleeding, and its tightness could be adjusted by engaging the teeth on its handles. How had Hu Xiaotian ever come up with such an ingenious instrument?

After stitching Fang Zhitang's wound, Hu Xiaotian dressed it with white gauze. This was all left over from his treatment of Murong Feiyan. Though it could not be called strictly sterile, it was much cleaner than ordinary gauze.

Fang Zhitang regained consciousness and only then felt as though his head were splitting apart. After all, the surgery had been performed without anesthesia. Fortunately, he had passed out earlier; otherwise, he would never have stayed so still while Hu Xiaotian stitched him up. His first act upon waking was to look for his daughter. Guided by Yuan Shiqing, Fang Fang came to her father's side and clasped his hand, weeping with joy.

"He needs to rest quietly for the next two days," Hu Xiaotian said. "If his condition doesn't take a turn for the worse during that time, he should be fine. We'll remove the stitches after seven days, and the wound should be healed."

Though Fang Fang was blind, she understood perfectly well what had happened. She dropped to both knees with a thump, facing Hu Xiaotian. He hurried forward and took her by the arms, trying to help her up.

Just then, Murong Feiyan pushed the door open and entered. At the sight before her, she snapped, "Hu Xiaotian, what do you think you're doing?"

Hu Xiaotian really had been wronged this time. Apparently, this Murong girl had some deeply entrenched misconceptions about him. He was clearly doing a good deed, yet she had probably misunderstood again. Did she think he would molest a blind girl at a time like this? He was not that morally bankrupt. Releasing Fang Fang's arms, he said, "Chief Constable Murong, just do your own job. Have you caught that rich brat who caused all this trouble?"

"What rich brat?" Murong Feiyan said. "In my eyes, a prince who breaks the law faces the same punishment as a commoner!"

"Oh, please. You keep saying that old line. It's out of date," Hu Xiaotian said. "Let me teach you another: everyone is equal before the law!" He stepped outside. Though he had prepared himself somewhat, the sight still startled him.

Shi Xuedong and his entire party were sitting on the floor, guarded by Hu Xiaotian's servants. While Hu Xiaotian had been busy operating on Fang Zhitang, his men had not been idle either. Seeing Zhan Peng and Murong Feiyan teaching Shi Xuedong's party a lesson, they had rushed in to help. Zhan Peng and Murong Feiyan already far outclassed their opponents in martial arts; with eight servants joining them, they were like tigers given wings. It had taken little effort to subdue all six men. Zhan Peng, however, was nowhere to be seen. He had left at some point.

Seeing Hu Xiaotian emerge, Liang Dazhuang hurried over to claim credit. "Young Master! Young Master! We caught every last one of those villains!"

Hu Xiaotian nodded, fixed his eyes on the green-robed Shi Xuedong, and approached with a smile that never reached his eyes. Murong Feiyan caught his arm and warned him quietly, "Don't make trouble. Let the law take its course. I'll take them to the Capital Prefecture for punishment."

"Who is this bastard, anyway?" Hu Xiaotian asked.

"An official's pampered son, just like you," Murong Feiyan said. After a pause, she lowered her voice. "His father is a Principal Fifth Rank official!" She had answered his question while also taking a roundabout jab at him as a bastard.

Hu Xiaotian could not be bothered to stoop to the Murong girl's level. His chest might not be as large as hers, but his heart was far broader. He had no idea what Shi Xuedong's background was, but hearing "fifth rank" immediately made him chuckle. Fifth rank! Fuck, I just don't get it. What gives the son of a fifth-rank official the right to act so high and mighty? My father's Principal Third Rank, and even I wouldn't dare do anything this rotten. Yet you, the son of a fifth-rank official, dare molest a respectable woman in the street? Are you asking to die? An official's pampered son? My ass. Compared with me, you're a pile of shit!

Hu Xiaotian walked over, and Shi Xuedong glared viciously at him. His acupoints had been sealed, leaving him unable to move his hands or feet, and his mute acupoint had been struck as well, so he could not even speak. But he was not afraid. This was hardly his first time being caught by the authorities. His father had resolved it every time, and the constables were always the ones who suffered in the end. Thus, he stared at Hu Xiaotian with brazen arrogance. He did not recognize Hu Xiaotian, either. Shi Xuedong had been running rampant in the Capital City for years; when his foul reputation had spread throughout the city, Hu Xiaotian had still been the family halfwit at home.

"Molesting a respectable woman and bullying the weak in broad daylight," Hu Xiaotian said. "Have you got any fucking shame?"

Shi Xuedong opened his mouth and made as though to bite him, hoping to frighten him away. Hu Xiaotian raised his hand and delivered two resounding slaps. "Fuck you! Can't you hear me talking? I'm hitting you so you'll remember this lesson!" All the frustration Hu Xiaotian had just suffered at Murong Feiyan's hands burst forth. Hitting someone was a way to relieve stress, too. He had also been under considerable pressure during the surgery, and those two slaps left him feeling much better. Punishing evil and upholding good-what a rush!

Yuan Shiqing came out and was startled by the scene. Hu Xiaotian's background was distinguished, but Shi Xuedong was no ordinary family's son either. Their fathers served together at court: one was the Minister of Revenue, the other the Minister of Personnel. Surely the two young men should have known each other. Why was Hu Xiaotian showing no mercy? Puzzled, he glanced at Murong Feiyan, only to find her lovely face full of satisfaction, as though she welcomed this outcome. Yuan Shiqing grew more bewildered still.

After slapping Shi Xuedong twice, Hu Xiaotian noticed that the fellow had still not uttered a sound. Only then did he realize that his mute acupoint might have been sealed. Turning to Murong Feiyan, he said, "Hey, release his acupoint. Let's hear what he has to say."

Murong Feiyan had deliberately sealed Shi Xuedong's mute acupoint. Then she had misled Hu Xiaotian by telling him that Shi Xuedong was merely the son of a fifth-rank official. That was why Hu Xiaotian had behaved so arrogantly, marching straight over to slap him. Murong Feiyan was quite devious herself: she was plainly setting out to make enemies for Hu Xiaotian.

Murong Feiyan went over and released Shi Xuedong's mute acupoint. Hu Xiaotian's two slaps had left his cheeks swollen and stars dancing before his eyes. He roared, "You little punk, remember this! If I don't tear you into ten thousand pieces, I'll take your surname!"

"Threatening an imperial official adds another degree to your crime!" Hu Xiaotian sneered. "Take my surname? A son like you would've driven me to an early grave!" Arrogant, are you? My father's the Minister of Revenue, and even I'm not this arrogant. You really don't know how to write the word 'death'! Hu Xiaotian rushed forward and kicked Shi Xuedong in the stomach. With his acupoints sealed, Shi Xuedong could do nothing but take the beating. Through gritted teeth, he said, "Just you wait... just wait until they cut off your heads..."

Watching Hu Xiaotian swagger and throw his weight around, Murong Feiyan suddenly felt a little guilty. Had she gone too far in setting him up like this? Her conscience seemed to be giving her a twinge.