After eating a proper meal, Feng Jiu’er sought out several physicians in the military camp, held a thorough discussion with them, and then returned to the tent.

Seeing that the female general was still helping Jian Yi recover, Feng Jiu’er pressed her lips together and walked over.

“All right — that’s enough.” She sat down beside Jian Yi and carefully supported him.

The female general slowly withdrew her inner energy, drew several steady breaths, then rose from the bed.

Feng Jiu’er propped Jian Yi up and, with great care, helped him lie back down. She deftly undid the ties on his clothing and drew open his robes.

She felt for his pulse for a moment, and at last managed to release half a breath of relief.

She opened the cloth pouch she had fetched from another tent — the one that belonged to her — and took out everything she needed, laying it on the low table nearby.

She let the silver needles soak in medicinal oil for a while. Then, holding a needle between her fingers, she aimed it at Jian Yi’s acupoints and pressed it in.

“Miss Jiu’er, how is your companion doing?” the woman asked suddenly, her voice quiet.

“His life is out of immediate danger for the moment — but if we do not carry out a thorough treatment soon, he will not survive for much longer.” Feng Jiu’er gave a faint sigh.

Surgery was something that had to be done immediately, yet even Feng Jiu’er herself could not predict the success rate. If it failed…

She did not dare to let her mind go further. She only hoped she could bring Jian Yi back to consciousness before anything else — for a matter this grave, she at least wanted to hear his own thoughts on it.

The tent fell quiet for a moment. Then Feng Jiu’er’s voice drifted out again from the bedside: “What is the general’s name? You are from Desert City, are you not?”

“Yes,” the woman replied softly. “My name is Huo Baixue. I am from Desert City. My father, Huo Yinping, is the city lord of Desert City.”

“So you are Miss Baixue.” Feng Jiu’er’s voice carried from beside the bed. “The city lord mentioned in his letter that he would send his eldest daughter to lead reinforcements for me.”

“Miss Baixue is not only a woman of extraordinary courage — she truly lives up to her name. You lead troops into battle every single day, yet your complexion remains as fair as ever. That is truly remarkable.”

“Compared to Miss Jiu’er, I fall far short,” Huo Baixue said with a light smile. “I have always believed that even as a woman, one must accomplish something of worth.”

“Father has no sons. He raised me as he would have raised a boy from the time I was small — and I think that was for the best.”

“By the way, where is Miss Jiu’er from? Why are your healing methods so unusual? It is unlike anything Baixue has ever seen or heard of.”

“I grew up in the imperial capital,” Feng Jiu’er said, her hands never pausing in their work. “By a stroke of fortune, I came to study some rather uncommon healing methods.”

“How remarkable — it is truly an eye-opening experience.” Huo Baixue gave a soft sigh. “Indeed, there is no end to what one can learn.”

Hearing such an unexpectedly refreshing turn of phrase, Feng Jiu’er’s lips curved faintly.

“Miss Baixue’s own breadth of knowledge must also be quite different from most people’s.”

“Baixue has merely traveled to a few more places than others — I would not call it true knowledge,” Huo Baixue replied lightly.

“By the way, the thorough treatment Miss Jiu’er spoke of — what will it require? Shall I have someone prepare for it?”

“I am not one for flattery, but I genuinely hold great admiration for Miss Jiu’er.”

“To look at you, you appear to be nothing more than a sheltered young lady of good family — yet it turns out you can lead troops into battle and possess medical skills of this caliber as well.”

“A patient whom several physicians had already given up on, and yet you actually brought him back — that is no small feat.”

“Miss Baixue flatters me,” Feng Jiu’er said. After completing the needling, she began massaging and stimulating Jian Yi’s circulation, preparing him for the surgery ahead.

“There is, however, something I would like to ask of Miss Baixue.”

“What is it? Please, go ahead!” Huo Baixue looked at the person who had turned to face her and gave a wave of her hand.

“Jian Yi’s surgery will require a large supply of fresh blood — as Miss Baixue saw this morning, not just anyone’s blood is compatible with him.”

“I will need to find one or two more people whose blood is a match, so that they can replenish Jian Yi’s blood supply as needed during the surgery,” said Feng Jiu’er.

“Of course.” Huo Baixue gave a light nod. “Miss Jiu’er need only say the word — I will find them as quickly as possible.”

“And if truly no one can be found — well, my blood works anyway. We can start with mine.”

“No.” Feng Jiu’er shook her head and turned back to continue massaging Jian Yi. “I will teach Miss Baixue the method in a moment. See if you can find someone suitable.”

“Also — from now on, just call me Jiu’er. And if you don’t mind, I’ll call you by your given name, Baixue. What do you say?”

“By all means.” Huo Baixue responded with a nod.

Feng Jiu’er said nothing more, and Huo Baixue refrained from interrupting. She could only wait quietly to one side.

She watched, riveted and completely absorbed, as Feng Jiu’er tended to Jian Yi’s treatment — until the moment Feng Jiu’er stood up and turned to look at her, and she finally came back to herself.

“Jiu’er, how can I help?”

Feng Jiu’er went over, placed all the cups she had just used back onto the tray, picked up the tray, and carried it to Huo Baixue’s side.

“Have someone wash these cups thoroughly — they must be rinsed with clean water, or it could affect the results. I’ll prepare the solution now so it will be ready when needed.”

“Understood.” Huo Baixue took the tray and turned to disappear from the tent.

Shortly after, she returned to Feng Jiu’er’s side with clean cups in hand.

Feng Jiu’er once again squeezed a tiny drop of blood from Jian Yi’s fingertip and let it fall separately into each cup of solution.

She picked up the tray holding the several cups of solution, rose to her feet, and turned to hand it to Baixue.

“Each cup only needs one drop of blood from one of our brothers. Record their names alongside each cup, and then bring everything back for me to assess.”

“Only those who are in good health should participate. If truly no one suitable can be found, I will think of something else.”

“If no one is found, use mine again — I genuinely do not mind.” Huo Baixue took the tray and glanced at Feng Jiu’er.

“Is there anything else you need to prepare? When do you plan to carry out the treatment?”

“I have already instructed the physicians on the other items needed. If everything is in order, the surgery will proceed immediately.” Feng Jiu’er pressed her lips together and looked back over her shoulder.

Why has Jian Yi still not woken up? She truly wanted to ask what he thought.

Cardiac surgery carried extreme risk. If it failed, he might never wake up again.

Jian Yi had no family of his own. Right now, she was all he had — and he was the only family she had too.

Feng Jiu’er desperately wished there were someone she could consult, even if they could only offer half an opinion. Anything would be better than facing this alone.

Unfortunately, right now it was just the two of them.

If Jian Yi did not wake, then for his sake, the surgery still had to go forward on schedule.

Time was already far too pressing — there was no room for any further delay. Feng Jiu’er wished more than anything that she could hear their beloved, simple-hearted Jian Yi say just a few words.

Huo Baixue seemed to sense what was on Feng Jiu’er’s mind, and her gaze drifted briefly to the man lying on the bed.

“Jiu’er, proceed as you see fit. I believe Jian Yi would support whatever you decide.”

She gave Feng Jiu’er a look of firm reassurance, then lightly pressed her lips together, picked up the tray, and turned to walk out.