Yang Chen sat in the car with his sons Yang Zichun and Zhou Aichen early the next morning while Yang Zaihua was driving the car. Both children, still groggy from waking up so early, were a bit drowsy. One of them nestled in Yang Chen's arms, drooling in his sleep, and lost in his sweet dreams, while the other leaned against Yang Chen, nodding off as the car bumped along. Anticipating this, Yang Chen had brought cloaks to keep them warm. When they were close to Xishan Mountains, he woke the boys, dressed them in their cloaks and carried Zhou Aichen out of the car. The crisp morning breeze roused Yang Zichun a bit more. Four of them made their way toward the tents.
As they walked, Yang Chen's gaze wandered to a pile of bricks concealing a secret room beneath a colonnade. He noticed something unusual but he didn't pay much attention and continued stepping toward the tent. After a few more steps, he suddenly realized something there, quickly handed Zhou Aichen to Yang Zaihua, who clumsily took the child and looked at Yang Chen in confusion. Yang Chen dashed back to the pile of bricks. Yang Zaihua followed with Zhou Aichen in his arms, both startled to see a person lying on the pile of bricks. Yang Chen quickly flipped that person over and shouted in shock:
"Dizi!"
Yang Zihua, holding Zhou Zhou Aichen, hurried over and asked anxiously:
"How is he?"
He saw that Zhou Di was in a dire state. His clothes were worn out and bloody scratches marred his chest and legs, especially his legs, where the wounds were a mess of torn flesh and dried blood. Yang Chen couldn't hold back his tears, crying out:
"Dizi, wake up, don't scare me! Dizi!"
As he called out, he kept kissing Zhou Di on the forehead and cheeks. When he saw Zhou Di's pale and cracked lips, he kissed them fiercely as if trying to breathe life back into a healthy and lively Zhou Di, hoping to restore his Dizi he remembered, healthy and full of vitality. Yang Zichun, overwhelmed, also threw himself onto Zhou Di, crying out:
"Pa, Pa!"
Zhou Aichen, cradled in Yang Zaihua's arms, also cried out:
"Pa!"
He struggled to get down, making it difficult for Yang Zaihua to hold him any longer. Reluctantly, Yang Zaihua had no choice but to set Zhou Aichen on the ground. Once free, Zhou Aichen ran to Zhou Di, hugging him tightly as he sobbed, repeatedly calling out, "Pa!".
The commotion drew the attention of the soldiers having breakfast inside the tents. They rushed outside, only to witness their esteemed God of War, the usually composed and dignified Young Marshal, shouting hoarsely with crying out: "Dizi!" as he held and kissed the injured man in his arms. His cries, coupled with the wails of the two children and Adjutant Yang were also in tears. The leader of this group soldiers hurried over and pulled Yang Zaihua aside and asked, concerned:
"Adjutant Yang, what's happening?"
Yang Zaihua quickly wiped his tears and responded:
"Do you have a larger vehicle here?"
The leader replied:
"Yes, we have a small truck."
"Give me the key and two blankets, quickly!"
The leader sprinted away to fetch the truck key while another soldier rushed to retrieve the blankets. Within moments, the leader handed the key to Yang Zaihua. At the same time, the soldier returned with blankets. Yang Zaihua instructed him:
"Spread one blanket on the back of the truck."
Turning to Yang Chen, he said urgently:
"Young Marshal, it is best for us to take Mr. Zhou to the hospital immediately."
Yang Chen, snapping out of his grief-stricken daze, nodded and instructed:
"Chun'er, follow your Uncle Yang and take care of Aichen."
Yang Zichun moved to take Zhou Aichen's hand, but Yang Zaihua picked Aichen up and said kindly:
"Master Zichun, let me carry Master Aichen this time." Without waiting for Yang Zichun's response, he cradled the still-crying Zhou Aichen in his arms and shouted to the leader, "Where is the truck?"
The leader gestured toward the parked truck and the group hurried over. Yang Chen, holding Zhou Di tightly, refused to let anyone else carry him. One soldier stepped forward, offering:
"Young Marshal, let me carry him for you."
Yang Chen shook his head firmly, his expression resolute, and declared:
"No, it is only I can carry him."
Climbing into the back of the truck, he gently laid Zhou Di down and covered him with another blanket, urgently shouting:
"Zaihua, drive, quickly!"
The truck roared to life and sped away. Watching it disappear into the distance, the leader turned to his soldiers and barked:
"Forget everything you saw here today. Don't breathe a word to anyone, not even your parents, not your spouses. If anyone leaks this, I won't deal with you personally. Remember, he is our Young Marshal, our God of War. No one is permitted to tarnish his name. Is that clear?"
The soldiers responded in unison:
"Yes, sir."
The leader ordered:
"Go back to work. Now!"
In the back of the truck, Yang Chen held Zhou Di tightly, tears streaming down his face as he kissed him repeatedly. Whether it was the sound of Yang Chen's sobs or the warmth of his kisses, Zhou Di, who still was in a coma, stirred faintly. His eyelids fluttered and he weakly opened his eyes. His voice barely a whisper:
"Chen Ge ... children... Chen Ge, I'm waiting for you."
Filled with relief in his heart, Yang Chen cried out:
"Hold on, my baby, please! I am here now. Please! Hold on!"
Zhou Di's lips curved into the faintest of smiles before his eyes slipped shut again. Alarm surged through Yang Chen as he shouted frantically:
"Dizi, please hold on! Zaihua, drive faster!"
In Yucheng City, the startled people witnessed a small truck racing through the streets, honking continuously. In the back, a military officer cradled someone in his arms, kissing him repeatedly. Some bystanders recognized that officer as none other than Young Marshal Yang Chen, kissing a man.
When the truck screeched to a halt at the hospital entrance. Yang Zaihua jumped out, sprinting into the building while shouting:
"Stretcher, quickly!"
Then he returned to the truck to carry Zhou Aichen. Several nurses rushed out with a stretcher, loading Zhou Di onto it. Yang Chen followed them closely, his expression tense as they rushed toward the emergency room all the way. Behind them, Yang Zaihua carried Zhou Aichen while pulling Yang Zichun along, shouting:
"Get the best doctor here."
As Zhou Di was taken into the emergency room, Yang Chen grabbed one of the nurses, his voice sharp with urgency:
"I command you to find the best doctor here to treat my friend. Otherwise, I will execute every one of you in the name of collaborating with Wasoku army. You'll pay with your lives!"
The nurse, startled but unimpressed, retorted:
"Hey, Who do you think you are? Don't make wild threats here. As a soldier, you don't have the authority to decide... "
Before she could finish, a pistol was already pressed to her forehead. Yang Zaihua, holding the pistol in one hand and carrying the child in the other, saying coldly:
"Girl, don't say foolish words. Or you won't even know how you will die."
The nurse froze, trembling with fear. Her voice quivered as she stammered:
"I...I...I am...I'll...go...right....."
Yang Chen smiled grimly and interjected her words:
"You have five minutes to find the best doctor. If not, his pistol will fire. Go!"
Terrified, the nurse bolted. About three minutes later, she returned, accompanied by a doctor and a group of soldier with weapons. But when these soldiers saw who was standing in front of them, they quickly holstered their weapons and snapped to attention. The only one who didn't react were the frightened nurse and the doctor. The soldiers saluted Yang Chen:
"Young Marshal."
Hearing this, the nurse was stunned and finally collapsed to the ground, trembling. The doctor quickly stepped forward and said:
"I apologize, Young Marshal. I didn't know that you were here."
He extended his hand to shake with Yang Chen but Yang Chen ignored it. He said coldly and directly:
"I need the best doctor in this hospital to treat my friend. Are you the best doctor here?"
The doctor, embarrassed, quickly responded:
"I am the vice dean here, Mao Guangquan, an anesthetist. How can I assist you, Young Marshal?"
Yang Chen's tone softened slightly as he explained:
"My best friend is in critical condition in the emergency room. I need the most skilled doctors available to treat him."
Vice Dean Mao nodded quickly:
"Give me two minutes."
He disappeared into a nearby office while Yang Zaihua turned to the soldiers and said sternly:
"There is no need for you to linger here. Leave now!"
As the soldiers filed out, he glanced at the collapsed nurse still sitting on the ground but spoke to Yang Chen:
"Young Marshal, don't worry. Mr. Zhou will be fine."
Yang Chen said nothing, his ears straining to catch Vice Dean Mao hurried voice as he made a phone call. Soon the vice dean emerged and announced:
"The best doctors from several departments are on their way."
Within two minutes, several doctors arrived at the emergency room one after another. Yang Zaihua didn't says anything, just opened the door to the emergency room and gestured for them to enter. The doctors quickly filed in without a word. Yang Chen said to Yang Zaihua:
"I'll stay here to oversee everything. You must handle more things. Go back to headquarters. If there are any urgent matters, come back here to report to me. Let the children stay with me."
Yang Zaihua hesitated before replying:
"Young Marshal, it is better for me to stay here with you. I will contact the headquarters and have Zhang Jie drive the truck back to Xishan. If there is something happened, let them come here to report to you. Master Chen, I am here to help you."
Yang Chen patted him on the shoulder and said:
"My brother, thank you. It is up to you."
Yang Zaihua nodded and handed Zhou Aichen to Yang Chen before turning to Vice Dan Mao. He asked:
"May I borrow the telephone?"
"Sure, right this way please."
Vice Dean Mao led Yang Zihua into the room where he had just made the call. Once Yang Zaihua was inside, the vice dean stepped back out. At the same time the nurse quickly crawled over to Yang Chen, her face pale with fear. She pleaded:
"Young Marshal, please, please forgive me. Spare me!"
Before Yang Chen could respond, suddenly Yang Zichun spoke seriously:
"Mr. Mao, my dad is too tired to deal with her. Tell her to shut up and don't disturb my dad now. Adjutant Yang will come to deal with her if he has time."
Yang Chen smiled at his son's maturity, gently patting Yang Zichun on the head and kissing him on the forehead. Vice Dean Mao, eager to please, quickly chimed in:
"Young Marshal, there is no one in that room so you can take a rest while waiting for the result. I will arrange for some tea and cakes for you."
"Thank you!"
Yang Chen carried Zhou Aichen and led Yang Zichun into the room. It was a standard doctor's office with an additional sofa that could seat two. When they walked in, Yang Zaihua glanced at them and continued making phone calls. Yang Chen leaned down to whisper to Yang Zichun:
"Chun'er, if you are tired, you can take a nap on the bed for a while. Aichen can sleep on the sofa and I'll take care of him."
When Vice Dean Mao returned with some tea and cakes, he found the two children already asleep, covered in their cloaks. Seeing that the adjutant wasn't present, he quietly placed the refreshments on the table and left again. A short while later, he returned with two extra blankets. Yang Chen smiled and said:
"Thank you, Mr. Mao."
After carefully tucking in the children and sipping some water, Yang Chen leaned back on the sofa, closing his eyes, not to sleep but simply to rest. His emotions were a storm of exhaustion, distress and tentative relief. About half a hour later, the door to the emergency room opened. A doctor, accompanied by Vice Dean Mao, walked in. He introduced himself to Yang Chen:
"My name is Wang Hai, the dean here." Yang Chen shook hands with him and gestured for him to sit down. Dean Wang sat down and continued, "We have just examined the patient completely. The patient's condition is stable and there is no immediate danger to his life. However, his legs are another matter entirely. They are in a worse state. Young Marshal, to tell the truth, I am afraid one of his legs may need to be amputated."
At this point, Wang Hai paused, noticing Yang Chen closing his eyes, tears streaming silently down his face as Yang Chen covered his face with his hands. With a trembling voice, Yang Chen said:
"Please continue."
Dean Wang nodded gravely and continued:
"It is evident that the gunshot wounds in both legs were treated promptly at first after being shot, preventing massive blood loss. One leg suffered a through-and through bullet wound that missed the bone. However, the wound has since become inflamed and ulcerated. The situation is worse with the other leg which is more complicated. The bullet is embedded in the bone and the wound has festered, leading to severe rot and inflammation due to improper care. Even with surgery, it's challenging to remove the bullet from the bone. Apart from amputation, there is no other option. If not, the infection could spread and endanger his life."
Yang Chen remained motionless, his hands still covering his face. But Dean Wang could see tears slipping through his fingers. After a moment, Yang Chen spoke in a muffled voice:
"You are a doctor so I trust you to choose the best treatment for him. What matters most to me is saving his life. Please find the best surgeon to perform the operation."
"Don't worry, Young Marshal. I am the surgeon. I've worked as a military doctor under your father. I have performed this surgery many times in the military."
"Great! I'm sorry, I can't ...," Yang Chen's voice faltered, overcome with emotion, "I'm sorry, I.... Thank you very much!"
"Young Marshal, I understand your feeling. I served under your father before and now I am also your subordinate. I will do everything I can."
Dean Wang Hai left the room, instructing Vice Dean Mao:
"Prepare for surgery. You'll handle the anaesthesia."
After the doctors left, Yang Zaihua walked into the room, offering a towel to Yang Chen and trying to comfort him:
"Master Chen, please don't be too upset. Mr. Zhou will be fine."
Yang Chen wiped his face with the towel, trying to regain his composure:
"What did you do with the nurse?"
"I reprimanded her and handed her over to Vice Dean Mao."
"Don't be too harsh. She is just a young girl after all."
"Yes, Young Marshal."