Chapter 19: Returning from the Brink of Death

Fang Xian observed closely as another needle swiftly pierced her abdomen and was quickly withdrawn; once more, the child began to move, likely startled by the pain. In this way, Fang Xian administered four or five needles, prompting the child to stir with each one. The midwife, who had been monitoring the situation, suddenly cried out in delight, “The baby’s head is coming out!”

Yet, Ah Fang remained unconscious, unable to exert any strength. The midwife had no choice but to gently reach in, grasp the child’s shoulders, and slowly pull him out—a boy. However, the child had been trapped inside Ah Fang’s womb for quite some time; the previous struggles had sapped his energy. Now, he was too weak even to cry, and no matter how the midwife slapped his bottom, there was no sound.

“Let me try,” Fang Xian said, and with a deft prick on the baby’s bottom, the newborn at last let out a loud wail, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

“The child!” At the very moment the baby cried, Ah Fang suddenly regained consciousness and attempted to sit up with a shout, but Fang Xian gently pressed her shoulder to keep her still.

“Sister-in-law, the child is born—a boy. Don’t worry, with me here, both mother and son are safe. But your body is weak; you must rest well,” Fang Xian assured her. Hearing his words and her baby’s cries, tears welled in Ah Fang’s eyes; she understood how close she had come to death.

Fang Xian then retrieved his silver needles and left the rest to the midwife. As he turned to go, Zhou Tianming suddenly knelt before him. “Brother Xian, thank you for saving Ah Fang, my son, and me as well.”

“Elder brother, please don’t. If anyone is to blame, it is me. I shouldn’t have gone hunting when sister-in-law was so near her time. Had I stayed in the stronghold, she might have been spared all this suffering.” Fang Xian quickly helped him up, speaking with guilt.

“No, no, you mustn’t blame yourself. It’s my fault. You told me many times to watch over Ah Fang and not let her fall. I failed to keep a close eye on her—it’s all on me,” Zhou Tianming said, shaking his head.

“All right, brother, now that both your wife and child are safe, don’t blame yourself any longer. However, after this ordeal, she may not have milk. Find a few nursing mothers in the stronghold to share some milk for the baby. I’ll prepare some medicine to help her recover, so she can regain her strength in time,” Fang Xian advised.

“Fang Xian, thank you for preserving two lives for the Zhou family. If you ever need anything, just ask your Second Uncle—we will never forget this,” Zhou Boxiong said gratefully, taking Fang Xian’s hand as they stepped into the courtyard.

“Second Uncle, there’s no need for such formality among family. Congratulations on the new addition to the Zhou family—when the baby’s first month comes, I’ll be here for the celebration,” Fang Xian replied with a smile.

“Good, good! There’ll be plenty of wine, I promise,” Zhou Boxiong laughed, full of joy—at last, the Zhou family had its heir.

When Fang Xian returned to the clinic, he prepared several packets of medicinal herbs and brought them back to the Zhou residence. As he arrived, Ye Hongxiu hurried up the mountain and, upon seeing him, anxiously asked, “Husband, how is sister-in-law?”

“When I arrived, she was in a state of suspended animation, and everyone thought she was gone. But I managed to bring her back; both mother and child are safe, and she gave birth to a healthy baby boy,” Fang Xian replied with a smile, and Ye Hongxiu instantly relaxed.

They entered the courtyard, where Zhou Tianming greeted them. Ye Hongxiu offered her congratulations, “Elder brother, you finally have a son—you must be overjoyed! I’ll go see sister-in-law and keep her company. You two go ahead and talk.”

“Brother, I’ve prepared some medicine. Have someone use it to stew chicken; the broth will help sister-in-law regain her strength,” Fang Xian said, handing over the herbs.

“Thank you, brother Xian. Please, come sit,” Zhou Tianming replied, passing the medicine to a servant to take to the kitchen and inviting Fang Xian to sit at a table, pouring him some tea.

“Elder brother, there’s something I need to tell you. This ordeal has left some lingering effects—sister-in-law may not be able to bear children again,” Fang Xian said quietly after thinking it over.

Zhou Tianming was silent for a moment, then shook his head. “No more children. I almost lost Ah Fang this time—I won’t let her suffer again.”

“But the Zhou family still needs to carry on the line. In the future, you could consider taking concubines,” Fang Xian suggested with a smile.

“I’m not thinking about that now. We’ll talk about it when Ah Fang agrees,” Zhou Tianming replied with a wry smile. Then he added, “Brother Xian, I’ve decided to name my son Zhou Ming’en, so that he’ll always remember the kindness you showed in saving his life. Also, Ah Fang and I have discussed it—we’d like En’er to recognize you as his godfather.”

“What, you want En’er to call me godfather?” Fang Xian was taken aback, not expecting such a proposal.

“Yes, let him be your godson, so he can repay your kindness in the future. You saved his life—it’s only fitting,” Zhou Tianming said naturally. Though a man of the martial world, he valued loyalty and gratitude above all else.

“Very well, I accept,” Fang Xian nodded. He had come to know the Zhou family—both Zhou Boxiong and Zhou Tianming were men of deep sentiment and loyalty, worth befriending.

Soon, word spread throughout the stronghold that Fang Xian had brought both mother and child back from the dead. Among the villagers, the tale grew more wondrous with each retelling, painting him as a miracle-working immortal.

“Have you heard? The son-in-law brought the dead back to life!”

“How’s that possible? How can the dead be revived? The son-in-law is a skilled physician, but even so, isn’t that too miraculous?”

“I heard it from Old Wang’s wife—she went to help deliver the second chief’s daughter-in-law’s baby. It was a difficult birth, and both mother and child were dead for half an hour. Then the son-in-law came back, used his needles, and saved them both. Now they’re perfectly fine!”

“My goodness, the son-in-law really is a living immortal!”

“Isn’t he? I’ve never heard of such a miracle. From now on, no one in our stronghold needs to fear death!”

Meanwhile, on the square before the main hall, Ye Qingyun met the returning hunters as they piled their game in the square, awaiting Fang Xian’s arrival to process it.

“Da Niu, why are you all covered in blood? How did these men get injured?” Ye Qingyun asked, noticing that most of the soldiers bore bloodstains, and five or six were wounded.

“Chief, we were ambushed on the way back by those bastards from Crouching Tiger Stronghold. But the son-in-law’s bird spotted them first, so we set a counterambush, killed most of them, and captured over twenty horses,” Da Niu reported with a grin.

“Chief, the son-in-law and the young chief also killed a formidable foe—this is his weapon. The wounded brothers have all taken the son-in-law’s healing pills and had their wounds tended,” Er Niu stepped forward, presenting a golden saber.

“Ah, this is the weapon of Cai Jindao, the only first-rate expert under Zhao Baiming. It seems the ambush was indeed set by the Crouching Tiger men. They didn’t realize Hongxiu is now a first-rate fighter, and Xian’er’s skills are nearly on par as well—that’s why they suffered such a loss,” Ye Qingyun remarked with a smile.

At this moment, Fang Xian and Ye Hongxiu arrived together, still discussing Zhou Tianming’s proposal for their son to recognize Fang Xian as his godfather. Both agreed it was a good idea, as it would further strengthen their bond with the Zhou family.

“How did you manage to kill Cai Jindao? He’s a seasoned first-rate fighter, no weaker than your second uncle,” Ye Qingyun asked with a smile.

“Father, to be honest, Hongxiu fought him head-on, while I attacked from the shadows with arrows. At the outset, we used a bit of powder on the wind, which poisoned them, allowing us to gain the upper hand. When he tried to flee, we seized the chance and killed him,” Fang Xian explained, bowing.

“Father, please don’t blame Brother Xian. Without his support, I wouldn’t have dared face Cai Jindao alone. But after this battle, I’ve learned more about what it means to fight a first-rate expert, and I’ve gained valuable experience. All in all, it was a good thing,” Ye Hongxiu quickly added, lest her father be displeased.