Chapter 218: Chapter 114: The Storm Begins_2
"Who would dare to attack My Lord?" A Ming asked.
"How should I know? I’m not a god. It could be anyone. We’ll have to see how the situation develops. No, I can’t, my energy is severely overdrawn. Later, people from the Spy Bureau might come to check on the situation. Siniang, you go deal with them. I estimate, I estimate it won’t be many days before the storm from this incident arrives."
"I understand. You rest. I’ve also patched myself up."
Blind Bei lowered his head, looking at the stitched wound on his chest, and said with some dissatisfaction, "Didn’t I tell you to use cosmetic sutures..."
"It’s such a large, deep gash; no other thread would hold it. Don’t worry, once the wound heals and scars over, it’ll look quite imposing."
"San’er..."
Xue Three lay there, not making a sound.
"San’er..."
"Wha’cha want?"
Xue Three didn’t want to talk. It wasn’t just a draft through his teeth; it was like a wind tunnel.
"Once you can get up, have Fanli... make a prosthetic limb for Mr. Chen."
Xue Three wasn’t angry, nor was he puzzled. He just said calmly, "Go’cha."
"He was willing to come all the way to Yan State to seek revenge for that person, all for a couple of bowls of noodles from years ago. We... we have to treat him doubly well. Make him feel guilty and ashamed when he learns the truth, so he won’t disappoint the groundwork My Lord laid at the risk of being killed."
"Understood," Siniang nodded.
"Got it," A Ming replied.
"Also, also, the most important point: when the truth of the matter is found out, before you tell him, pay attention..."
"Pay attention to what?" Liang Cheng asked.
"Make sure this bastard doesn’t get so ashamed and indignant that he kills himself!"
...
After Zheng Fan was brought back to the fortress, he only had time to give a few instructions regarding Mr. Chen before he fell into a coma.
This coma lasted for three days and three nights.
The last time he was possessed by Mo Wan and killed that Eighth Rank Silver Armored Guard, he hadn’t been unconscious for this long. The reason it was so prolonged this time was because his already overdrawn body had also suffered heavy injuries. Furthermore, he and Mr. Chen had rushed back to Green Willow Fortress overnight, constantly forcing himself to stay alert and engage in a battle of wits and courage.
After three days in a coma, Zheng Fan awoke. Thanks to Siniang’s meticulous care, although his body was still in great pain upon waking, he was already in the recovery phase.
Hui Wenzu had sent people from Nanwang City to Green Willow Fortress daily to check on Zheng Fan’s condition. Upon learning that Zheng Fan had awakened, he personally came to Green Willow Fortress the very next day.
After dismissing those around them, Hui Wenzu knelt directly before Zheng Fan.
Zheng Fan didn’t get out of bed to stop him. Firstly, his mobility was limited; secondly, Zheng Fan understood that allowing Hui Wenzu to kneel properly this one time would let Hui Wenzu truly release the lingering unease in his heart about having fled first that night.
After Hui Wenzu left, Siniang pushed Zheng Fan out in a wheelchair to bask in the sun.
Blind Bei and Xue Three, also in wheelchairs, came out to join him.
Green Willow Fortress could be renamed the Fortress of the Disabled now.
The winter sun was always so comforting; Zheng Fan couldn’t help but squint his eyes contentedly.
Then, Zheng Fan turned his head to look at Blind Bei and Xue Three.
He noticed that their three wheelchairs were surprisingly well-fitted, especially Xue Three’s, which was clearly a small model.
Both his and Xue Three’s wheelchairs were equipped with handrims to propel them, but Blind Bei’s wheelchair lacked them, as he could use his mental force to move it forward.
"Who made these wheelchairs?" Zheng Fan asked.
How thoughtful.
Blind Bei gave a somewhat helpless smile and said, "San’er made them."
Xue Three, still lisping from his wheelchair, eagerly looked at Zheng Fan with an expression fishing for praise, saying, "My Lord, how do the wheelchairs fit? Are they comfortable?"
"Very comfortable. You made these... in advance?"
Xue Three had also been seriously injured and carried back. Clearly, he couldn’t have started making wheelchairs immediately upon his return.
"Indeed, My Lord! A month ago, when you all had things to do, I was the only one who was too idle. So I thought, since I’m idle anyway, I might as well make seven wheelchairs, tailored to the body measurements and habits of all seven of us."
"You’ve been very thoughtful."
"You’re too kind, My Lord. As long as you find it comfortable, that’s all that matters."
Zheng Fan genuinely didn’t know how to praise Xue Three. Making wheelchairs in advance... what was the difference between that and preparing burial shrouds in advance in later generations? Wasn’t this practically cursing his own people? However, looking at it from another perspective, they did face dangerous fights far too often. Having these ready for recuperation... actually wasn’t a bad idea.
"My Lord," Blind Bei began, "over the past few days, after some brewing, the storm has finally begun to gather."
Blind Bei had woken up the day after their return and had immediately begun analyzing intelligence. As for gathering intelligence, they still relied on the people from the Sixth Prince’s merchant caravan.
Building the fortress was merely the first step. The Sixth Prince’s ’sponsorship’ was, in fact, still continuously flowing in. Just the weapons and armor stockpiled in the fortress’s storeroom were enough to easily equip another five hundred men; it was only because Zheng Fan had heeded Blind Bei’s advice not to hastily expand their forces.
As for intelligence sharing, in this era, there was truly no one with better access to information than merchant caravans. It was common practice for all nations to plant their own agents within these caravans to gather news.
"Tell me."
Zheng Fan took a cup of tea from Siniang, blew on it gently, and then took a sip.
"Those who assassinated us that day were one group, but comprised of three factions. Mr. Chen was one faction. The first group of assassins who charged in was another. The puppeteer, however, came from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion of Jin State, a department specializing in crafting artifacts for dignitaries and developing war armaments."