Chapter 237 You are my half-brother!
"Reward?"
Shen Yulou chuckled inwardly, putting on an act as if he regarded money as dirt.
"Military Marquis, why talk about money and hurt our feelings? Let's look at the goods first."
He untied the cloth bundle, revealing its contents.
A neatly folded piece of gauze, a roll of bandage, a small porcelain bottle, and a larger porcelain bottle containing alcohol.
This was the simplest set of equipment for treating external injuries.
It couldn't be any more rudimentary.
Shen Yulou could have made it better, but to leave room for future improvements, this would suffice for now.
"Military Marquis, please take a look."
Shen Yulou picked up the large porcelain bottle, pulled out the stopper, and a pungent, acrid smell instantly filled the air.
"This item, named Fiery Sun Essence, is meticulously refined from hundreds of medicinal herbs, and only after eighty-one days of distillation can a small bottle be obtained.
As long as this is used to clean the wound, it will guarantee that it won't fester."
Madam Li, standing nearby, smelled the familiar scent of alcohol, and the corner of her mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.
Fiery Sun Essence, eighty-one days... why doesn't he just say it was refined in the Grand Supreme Elder's alchemy furnace?
Isn't this just the crude alcohol that Yang Dali kid was making in the backyard?
Moreover, Shen Yulou had already popularized this stuff in the imperial palace.
"This," Shen Yulou pointed to the small porcelain bottle, speaking mystically, "is a specially made trauma powder, which stops bleeding and promotes muscle growth, with an effect more than ten times that of common products on the market."
Sima Changfeng had fought wars for half his life; what kind of trauma powder hadn't he seen?
Listening to Shen Yulou's exaggerated claims, he narrowed his eyes, clearly showing some disbelief.
Increase survival rate by thirty percent?
That's a bit of a tall tale.
Shen Yulou saw his expression and knew what the old man was thinking.
"Military Marquis, having spent your life in battle, you probably don't believe such mere words."
Shen Yulou chuckled, "We healers focus on efficacy.
If Military Marquis wants to see the effect, we can try it on the spot."
"How to try?"
"Find someone, cut them, and you'll know, won't you?"
A benevolent smile appeared on Shen Yulou's face; after all, it wasn't his person.
Sima Changfeng narrowed his eyes upon hearing this.
He already believed Shen Yulou's words somewhat, and a test wouldn't hurt.
It was just a soldier getting a minor injury.
If this thing really had such miraculous effects, then he would be truly formidable.
"Good!"
Sima Changfeng slapped his thigh abruptly and roared towards the door.
"Someone!"
A personal guard responded, entering and kneeling on one knee.
Sima Changfeng, without a word, drew a saber from the waist of a nearby guard.
He scraped it on the ground, then grabbed a handful of dirt and smeared it on the blade.
"Extend your arm," he commanded coldly.
The soldier didn't even frown, directly rolling up his sleeve and extending a bronzed arm.
Swish!
A flash of a blade, and a deep, bone-visible wound instantly appeared on the soldier's arm, blood mixed with dirt, gushing out.
Yet the soldier stood ramrod straight, as if it wasn't his own arm that had been cut, not uttering a single sound.
"Hiss..."
Shen Yulou's pupils constricted, somewhat shocked.
What a ruthless man.
This Sima Changfeng, he's quite something!
His method of military governance was like a living Nian Gengyao; his word was law, and his soldiers were all like death-sworn warriors.
At Nian Gengyao's command to 'lose a hand,' his subordinates would sever their own arms.
Sima Changfeng's level was almost comparable to Nian Gengyao's.
"Brother Shen, please proceed."
Sima Changfeng threw the saber back into its sheath and made a gesture of invitation.
"Help him sit down."
Shen Yulou directed, his face regaining the professional calm of a doctor.
He spoke to another uninjured soldier.
"You first use this Fiery Sun Essence to wash your hands, be sure to wash them thoroughly!
I'll teach you a seven-step handwashing method; you must follow it strictly.
Yes, just like that!"
"Then, use this," he handed over a bottle of alcohol.
"Pour it on the wound to wash away all that dirt! Don't be afraid of his pain; better to hurt now than have his arm rot later!"
"Hiss—!"
The injured soldier finally couldn't help but let out a suppressed cry of pain, his muscles tensing all over, but he still didn't move.
"Hold on!"
Shen Yulou was expressionless.
"Now, sprinkle the trauma powder, cover it with this gauze, and then tightly wrap it with the bandage!
Remember, wrap it tightly, but not too tight, otherwise blood won't flow, and the arm will be useless!"
A set of modern first-aid procedures was clumsily completed by two ancient soldiers under Shen Yulou's verbal instructions.
After bandaging, the bleeding on the soldier's arm quickly stopped, and the entire wound was cleanly treated, looking tidier than his other arm.
Sima Changfeng had them wait in the hall.
An hour later, the bandage was removed.
There was no sign of redness, swelling, or inflammation around the wound; it had even begun to slightly heal.
At this, Sima Changfeng could no longer sit still!
He widened his eyes, his breathing quickened, and he circled the soldier's arm repeatedly, as if looking at some rare treasure.
"Miraculous! Truly miraculous!"
He suddenly rushed to Shen Yulou, excitedly grabbing his shoulders with such force that he nearly crushed Shen Yulou's bones.
"Brother! You're my damn biological father! No, my biological brother!"
Sima Changfeng was flushed with excitement, putting his arm around Shen Yulou's shoulder, insisting on becoming sworn brothers with him.
"From today onwards, you are my true brother, though born of different parents!
Anyone who dares to touch you is touching Sima Changfeng!
When I, your elder brother, ascend to that dragon throne in the future, I will surely enfeoff you as a Prince of Equal Standing, and we shall share this magnificent empire together!"
"That's easy to say, easy to say."
Shen Yulou smiled outwardly, but inwardly, he was complaining furiously.
Who can't make promises?
Prince of Equal Standing, elder brother, you haven't even dealt with the other two Military Marquises yet, and you're already thinking about how to divide the world?
"However..."
Shen Yulou's tone shifted, a hint of difficulty appearing on his face.
"Brother, this item... its production cost is truly too high.
What I've brought is already all my assets.
This one package, at cost price, would be at least one hundred taels of silver."
One hundred taels?!
Madam Li, who had been silent, felt her eye twitch again.
Didn't he tell that foolish Yang Dali fifty taels before?
How did it double here?
Profiteer!
However, she couldn't be bothered to expose him.
She was somewhat immune to Shen Yulou's shrewd tactics now and even felt a little anticipation, wanting to see what other tricks he could pull.
When Sima Changfeng heard one hundred taels, the smile on his scarred face instantly froze; he was in terrible pain.
"One hundred taels?!"
He clicked his tongue, "Brother, this... isn't this a bit too expensive? The settlement fee for recruiting a soldier doesn't even cost that much."
One hundred taels of silver was enough for an ordinary family to live a lifetime.
This wasn't a first-aid kit; it was a death warrant!
"Alas, I know it's expensive."
Shen Yulou sighed.
"If you want it cheaper, it's not impossible."
"Oh?"
Sima Changfeng's eyes lit up.
"Brother, tell me what method! As long as the price can come down a bit, everything else is negotiable!"
"We can change our cooperation method."
Shen Yulou leaned closer, a meaningful smile on his face.
"You become my general agent.
I'll supply you at an internal price of fifty taels, and you sell it externally for one hundred taels, or even one hundred and fifty taels!
You don't have to share the extra money with me; it all goes into your pocket?
How about it?"
General agent?
Sima Changfeng heard this term for the first time.
Novel