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The story from the Three Kingdoms period, obviously, something that later historians and medical practitioner worldwide deem as the revolutionary practice on human medical systems.

The legendary Chinese physician Huatuo, when summoned to treat Caocao's excruciating pain inside his head, come into conclusion and diagnose his illness as caused by Brain Tumor.

Huatuo's reputation has speak for himself and as Caocao heard about how Huatuo scrape the poison from Guanyu's arm bone without anaesthetic, decided to one up his once underling and sworn brother of his rival by agreeing to have his surgery done while he is fully awake. Of course, before the operation, Caocao needs an insurance and ordered Huatuo's extended family to be lodged at the palace, so in case of failed operation, Huatuo and all of his family would be executed for murder. Huatuo agreed with this arrangement and decided to go on with the operation.

The operation was done in cold winter month, Huatuo and his assistants carefully shave Caocao's hair and made small incision into Caocao's skull, all while Caocao continue to read campaign reports held by his adjutants. Nearly everyone else save Caocao and Huatuo winced looking at how the operstion was performed, but Huatuo performed the surgery excellently and successfully remove the black ball of tumor from the inside of Caocao's head, before re-set the removed skull part and sealed the opening with a thin golden plate.

Needless to say, Caocao recovered from his operation rather quickly and go on to unite China under Wei, all while proudly showing his golden skull plate as proof that he has defied death. While Huatuo remained as court Physician for the rest of his life, his writings on medical treaties, the famed Qing Nang Shu, end up being the literal gold standard of Chinese medical practices, with many procedures that is hundreds of years more advanced than the contemporary Greco-Roman, Indian, and Middle Eastern medicines. The treaties on cleanliness and sanitary process also helped revolutionarize Chinese Medical practices to be the most reliable way to treat illness even until today.

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But let's say that Caocao is somewhat less trusting, more paranoid, or outright has cold feet and refused to go on with the operation. What would happen then and how this will impact the Chinese medical knowledge?
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