Newborn 1927

As they approached Qinglong Village, the two fell silent. Yang Jiefang feigned unconsciousness, leaving everything to Chu Gu. The guards at the village gate, upon hearing that Yang Jiefang had been shot and fallen from his horse, erupted in chaos. Some rushed to report to the chief, others went to fetch the quack doctor, Yao Guanzi, and still others clamored to go down the mountain to chase the assassin, vowing to tear him to pieces. Chu Gu impatiently shouted, "Stop the noise and don't move! Take him back to his room first, and we'll leave him to Yao Guanzi to handle later." So, except for two guards left at the gate, the rest of the men escorted Chu Gu and Yang Jiefang inside. Along the way, everyone who had received the news rushed over and gathered around.

As they approached Yang Jiefang's residence, Zhao Changgui, Wang Dali, Chen Ergou, and others arrived after receiving the news. They parted the crowd and went to Yang Jiefang's side, asking, "What happened? How could this happen?" Aunt Chu said, "We'll talk about that later. First, get him to bed. Be careful! He was shot and fell off his horse, so we don't know exactly where he was injured or how serious it is. We don't want to worsen his condition!" Hearing this, no one dared to move him. Zhao Changgui, Wang Dali, and the others worked together to lift Yang Jiefang onto the bed.

Soon, Medicine Jar came running over. The crowd urged him on, making way for him to get in. Aunt Chu shouted, "Don't block the doorway! Go outside, it needs to be quiet here." Zhao Changgui asked Medicine Jar, "Should we leave two people here to help you?" Medicine Jar, panting, shook his head, "You all go out first, I'll see. I'll call you when I need help." Aunt Chu, Zhao Changgui, and the others worked together to herd everyone outside the courtyard and stood guard at the door.

At this moment, the leader, Black Widow, along with Master Kong, Niu Sanbian, and others, arrived one after another. Seeing Black Widow, Chu Gu felt as if she had found her pillar of support, crying out, "Leader—Waaah—" and bursting into tears in her arms. In truth, Black Widow had raised Chu Gu; the two were like mother and daughter. Black Widow patted Chu Gu's shoulder, comforting her, "Good child, don't cry! Tell me what happened?" Chu Gu stopped crying and recounted the ambush on the way back to the mountain and how Yang Jiefang was shot and fell from his horse. Of course, she omitted mentioning that she had deliberately kept her distance from Yang Jiefang; everyone assumed she had been present at the time.

Black Widow asked, "Did you get a good look at their faces?" Auntie replied, "We were a bit far away, so I couldn't see very clearly. But one of them looked familiar. He was carrying a pistol and wearing a straw hat that covered half his face. But judging from his build and movements, he seemed to be one of our bandits." Black Widow pressed, "Who?" Her eyes flashed across everyone around her. Everyone looked alarmed and warily eyed the others. Auntie quickly said, "He's not here now. That person looks like the incense stick-pulling manager from Tian Wutian who came down the mountain not long ago..."

"What? Tian Wu?" Niu Sanbian roared. "Are you sure? Is it really him?" Chu Gu quickly explained, "I just said I didn't see clearly, but the figure looks like him. Also, when I went to Yantai this time, Brother Chu Yi told me some news: that carpenter Li who pulled up the incense sticks and went down the mountain, he joined Black Bear of Rushan Village." Another shocking piece of news! Niu Sanbian was so angry that he cursed on the spot, "That bastard, I'll chop him up with my own hands!" Chu Gu continued, "Actually, Brother Chu Yi had already told Xiao Dangjia this news. Xiao Dangjia asked him to check the whereabouts of the other people who pulled up the incense sticks and went down the mountain. As a result, after checking, they found that of the five people who went down the mountain, Carpenter Li joined Rushan Village, Tian Wu disappeared, and the other three were all dead." Everyone was shocked and curious, and asked how they died.

Aunt Chu replied, "After they came down the mountain, they built houses and bought land; everyone knew they had become rich. But one was murdered while sleeping; another was targeted by the authorities and beheaded on charges of colluding with bandits, his property confiscated; and yet another married a beautiful wife, only to be scammed and have all his money stolen, dying of anger on the spot." Everyone sighed in dismay. They knew the world was turbulent, but it wasn't just the poor who lived hand to mouth; the rich were just as vulnerable. No wonder the landlords and wealthy men needed guns and guards.

Black Widow coldly said, "That makes sense. It's not so easy for Carpenter Li and Tian Wu to go down the mountain and live a peaceful life. If they were forced to, it wouldn't be surprising if they sought refuge with Black Bear or the government." Niu Sanbian asked, "Chief, you're saying Tian Wu sought refuge with the government?" Black Widow replied, "Our Qinglong Village's mortal enemies are Black Bear and the government. Since Tian Wu was the guide, the assassination attempt must have been carried out by the government." Although somewhat arbitrary, it made sense.

Master Kong added, "Regardless of who did it, my concern is that they're not just after the assassination of the young master; they might have a bigger scheme. The young master's fate is uncertain. What if the authorities take advantage of this to attack? What should we do?" This was undoubtedly a pointless question. Naturally, everyone clamored for revenge for the young master. Niu Sanbian immediately shouted, "As long as the chief is here, what are we afraid of the authorities? If they dare to come, we'll make sure they don't leave alive!" Master Kong echoed, "That's right. Qinglong Village is not what it used to be. As long as we don't fall into internal strife, Black Bear and the authorities are no match for us. But right now, Dragon, Tiger, Leopard, and Wolf are not on the mountain. If the authorities attack now, can the village's current strength handle it? Should we urgently recall the other four detachments?"

Black Widow didn't immediately respond. She looked at Sun Zhiyong and Yan Donglai in the crowd and asked, "With our current strength, how big of a crisis can we handle?" Although these two weren't Yang Jiefang's closest confidants, they were definitely his right-hand men and wielded considerable influence in the stronghold. Sun Zhiyong and Yan Donglai exchanged glances. Sun Zhiyong replied, "Little Boss is still receiving treatment. Shouldn't we discuss this later?" Yan Donglai added, "As long as Little Boss wakes up, we're not afraid of any crisis, no matter how big."

Everyone fell silent, staring at the gate, hoping for a good outcome. After a while, the man with the medicine pot emerged, looking exhausted. He glanced at everyone and said, "Shot in the chest, a bit troublesome. Multiple fractures, probably from the fall from the horse. He's still unconscious; I don't know when he'll wake up." Hearing this, Chu Gu knew the man with the medicine pot was also playing along with Yang Jiefang's act. These were Yang Jiefang's exact words. Black Widow asked, "Can we go in and see him?" The man with the medicine pot replied, "Of course, but not too many people, and it can't be too noisy. The young master needs to rest. Chu Gu, come with me to get the medicine; you can help me out later." Chu Gu agreed and followed the man with the medicine pot to get it.

Black Widow nodded, gesturing for Master Kong and Niu Sanbian to follow her inside; she also agreed to let Zhao Changgui, Sun Zhiyong, and Yan Donglai come in to check on things. Yang Jiefang lay on his back on the bed, his clothes, stripped off and tossed aside, were covered in blood. He was covered with a thin blanket, only his face was visible, but it was clean and unblemished. Zhao Changgui walked to the bedside and gently lifted the blanket. Yang Jiefang was only wearing a pair of shorts, with a strip of cloth wrapped around his chest, clearly torn from his clothes and stained with blood. Zhao Changgui checked Yang Jiefang's breathing, confirming he was still alive; he softly called out, "Little Yang—Sanwazi—" Sun Zhiyong and Yan Donglai also approached and softly called out, "Little Boss—" Yang Jiefang pretended to be unconscious and didn't respond. Black Widow and the others sighed, their faces full of worry. Master Kong comforted him, saying, "Young Master is a lucky man, he'll be alright. He was rescued and brought up the mountain, but he was unconscious for two days before waking up and then he was as lively as ever." Although words of comfort shouldn't be taken literally, they were at least comforting to hear.

The medicine pot returned with Aunt Chu, saying, "You all saw that, right? The young master needs someone by his side now. These greenhorns are good at guarding outside, but they don't know how to take care of people. Master, we need to arrange for someone careful to stay and take care of the young master!" Black Widow nodded in agreement and turned to Aunt Chu, saying, "Girl, you're quite careful, so stay and take care of the young master! No matter when he wakes up, you must tell me immediately!" Aunt Chu replied, "Okay." The medicine pot sent everyone out, leaving only Aunt Chu to help him apply the medicine.

Black Widow stepped outside and said loudly, "Young Master's injuries are severe. We don't know when he'll wake up. Just in case, let's inform the other four detachments! Tell them to be ready to return to the mountain at any time." Sun Zhiyong suggested, "Boss, when we escorted Miss Gao back to the Gao family last time, we caught two spies in Xujiadian. They were sent by Laiyang County. This assassination attempt was clearly premeditated. I estimate the enemy must have been hiding nearby beforehand. I suggest we search Xujiadian and the surrounding villages tonight; we're sure to find some clues." Black Widow agreed, "Alright. Who's willing to go?" Yan Donglai replied, "I'll take the special forces team. Please give orders to Manager Wu, Boss, to cooperate with our operation." Black Widow nodded, "Of course. Alright, everyone, stop crowding here and disperse!"

When Yang Jiefang fell from his horse, he landed on his right side first, dislocating his right elbow. The doctor, nicknamed "Medicine Jar," roughly pulled and repositioned the joint, causing Yang Jiefang so much pain he almost fainted. Now, his entire arm is severely swollen and he can't move it freely. He also has multiple bruises on his feet and back, all from the fall. The doctor could confirm that his legs weren't fractured, but he couldn't determine if the bones were cracked. Although the injuries weren't as serious as initially thought, it was still a considerable fall. The doctor applied herbs he had gathered to the wounds to reduce the swelling, though he wasn't sure how effective they would be. He advised Yang Jiefang to lie flat and rest. Yang Jiefang, of course, understood the need to rest, so he immediately lay down after landing. He secretly resolved to find a way to establish a field hospital after this incident.

After the medicine pot was bandaged, she left. Chu Gu arrived at the door, where Zhao Changgui, Wang Dali, Chen Ergou, and the others were standing. Chu Gu said, "The chief sent me to take care of the young master. I can't leave him for a moment until he wakes up." Zhao Changgui replied, "Then we'll trouble you, young lady! We're a bunch of grown men, we're not really good at taking care of people." Chu Gu reminded her, "Please also tell the others not to come in unnecessarily. If needed, I'll contact you." Zhao Changgui said, "Don't worry, young lady! We'll guard the outside of the house; we guarantee no one can come in or out casually. We'll leave the inside to you!" Now was Yang Jiefang's weakest moment; who could guarantee there weren't any malicious people on the mountain? Protection for Yang Jiefang naturally needed to be strengthened to the highest level.

Chu Gu was quite reassured by Zhao Changgui's arrangements, and then said, "Captain Zhao, I'm hungry. Could you please get me some food? Hmm—get me a lot, I have a big appetite." Zhao Changgui then realized that it was past mealtime and hurriedly said, "Okay, I'll arrange it right away."

Aunt Chu went back into the room and closed the door behind her. Yang Jiefang opened his eyes and said, "Aunt Chu, I need your help! I need to pee, I'm about to burst." Aunt Chu felt a headache coming on; it was indeed a troublesome matter. She had no experience and didn't know what to do. Yang Jiefang asked her to find a chamber pot and put it under the covers. Yang Jiefang's left hand was still mobile, so he took care of the matter under the covers. Then, he took out the chamber pot. Aunt Chu took the chamber pot, frowned, and asked, "Can't you really get out of bed and take care of it yourself?"

Yang Jiefang smiled wryly, "You saw it with your own eyes. I fell off a galloping horse, and I'm lucky I didn't lose any arms or legs. Do you think I would have been completely unharmed?" Aunt Chu agreed, and asked, "So how badly are you hurt? You need to give me a sense of the situation!" Yang Jiefang replied, "Although it's not as serious as it looks, it's not a minor injury. The doctor said it takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone, so I need to rest in bed for ten days to two weeks. During this time, I can't get out of bed to eat, drink, or use the toilet. Although his medical skills are lacking, he's quite experienced in assessing injuries from falls and blows." This made sense, and Aunt Chu believed him.

A little while later, Zhao Changgui brought in dinner. He just stood at the door and didn't come in directly. Aunt Chu opened the door, took the food, and then closed the door again. Dinner was white steamed buns, a very generous portion, most of which went into Yang Jiefang's stomach. After dinner, Aunt Chu moved over a few long planks and used two long benches to make a makeshift bed.

In the dead of night, the two lay in bed unable to fall asleep. Chu Gu had never been alone in a room with a man before, and even though she knew he couldn't move, she still felt a little scared, though she didn't know what she was worried about. Yang Jiefang tried to make conversation, chatting with her every now and then.

So the following conversation ensued between the two: "Sister Cha, are you asleep?" "No."

After a while, "Auntie Cha, are you asleep?" "I can't sleep."

After a while, "Auntie Cha..." "She's awake..."

Then, "Sister..." "Mmm..."

"Little brother..." "Sigh..."

……