Chapter Sixty-Three: Improving the Crossbow for Little Yong

He wanted to protect her, just as he had when they were children.

He had chased away the chubby boy at the village entrance who bullied her, declaring that no one was allowed to pick on his little sister.

He had climbed the tree to pick sour jujubes for her, insisting that dangerous things should be left to her elder brother.

He had quarreled with the village children when they mocked her as an unwanted orphan, claiming she had family, that she was his sister.

Mother Xu came to herself and suddenly said to her son, “All right, I won’t stand in your way anymore. Go ahead and enlist. As long as you keep in your heart that one day you will bring Miss home, then I believe you’ll abide by the rules and not stray.”

“Mother?” Xu Zhengyong turned around sharply, looking at her in surprise.

“Remember this,” she instructed, “You’re not going to be a soldier just to defend the country or for fame and fortune. You’re also doing it for this family. You have a mother who worries about you, and a sister who waits for you to achieve something and then bring her home.”

“Don’t worry, Mother! I’ll remember it all—every word, I’ll keep it in my heart!” Xu Zhengyong promised resolutely.

Then he looked at his father.

Xu Zhushan had no objections; as long as his wife agreed, he had no reason to dissent. Besides, he rather approved of his son’s aspirations.

Wei Ruo quietly turned her head away, not wanting the nurse and others to notice her reddened eyes.

Honestly—she wasn’t one to cry, so why were her eyes red now?

At a moment like this, she should be smiling with happiness. What was the point of teary eyes?

How hateful—it was just so hard to hold back...

After returning from the Four Treasures Studio, Wei Ruo dragged Xiumei into her little storeroom.

“Miss, what are you looking for?” Xiumei wanted to help but didn’t know where to start.

“I’m not sure what materials I need, but I’ll see if there’s anything useful. Brother Yong is enlisting, and I want to make him something for self-defense.”

Though she supported his ambition, she couldn’t help but worry about his safety.

So, before he left, she wanted to prepare something practical for him.

“You’re right! I’ll help you look for something sturdy!” Xiumei, understanding her intent, immediately joined in the search for materials.

As they rummaged, Wei Ruo suddenly paused.

“Miss, what’s wrong?” Xiumei asked.

“I just thought of the repeating crossbow,” Wei Ruo replied.

“The repeating crossbow?”

“Brother Yong is joining the city’s garrison to fight against the pirates. If I could improve the army’s weapons, wouldn’t that be another way to protect him?”

“Of course!” said Xiumei.

“Keep looking through my things for something strong and durable. I’m going back to my room for a bit.”

Once in her room, Wei Ruo took out paper and pen and began sketching designs.

If she could make a detachable quiver, much like a magazine for bullets, that could be loaded onto the crossbow, then after one quiver was emptied, another could be swapped in. In theory, this would greatly increase the rate of fire.

Xiumei, having found nothing useful in the storeroom, returned to find Wei Ruo still drawing.

“Miss, what is that? A crossbow?”

“Yes, I fiddled with one at the training ground, but it wasn’t very effective. I thought if it could be improved, it’d be more powerful. But since I didn’t care much for the Wei family’s affairs, I never acted on it. Now that Brother Yong is enlisting, I remembered it. If I can’t make effective armor right now, then stronger weapons will do—the best defense is a good offense.”

“That’s wonderful! As long as we’re strong enough, the enemy won’t be able to hurt Brother Yong!” Xiumei exclaimed.

“I even plan to have Brother Yong take the final design and claim some merit for it.”

As a new recruit, Brother Yong would only be a low-ranking soldier. If he could claim some credit, even if it didn’t mean a promotion, at least it would make an impression on his superiors.

“But Miss, this may be a good idea, but Brother Yong doesn’t seem like someone who could design something so intricate. If questioned, he wouldn’t be able to cover it up.”

“Silly Mei, I’m not asking him to say he designed it himself, just say it came from a reclusive master he sought out. As for who or where this master is, there are so many hermits in the mountains—or perhaps an old wanderer who left the design and disappeared.”

“Miss, you’re so clever!”

“Mei, I need to find a skilled carpenter to help me bring this to life. Drawing alone isn’t enough; I need hands-on work as I design.”

“Maybe Uncle Xu could help. I remember he used to be a carpenter,” Xiumei suggested.

“Then I’ll finish this draft and go ask him.”

Wei Ruo took this matter very seriously, shutting herself in her room until evening, when Madam Yun sent someone to remind her to eat. Only then did she emerge and hand the drawings to Xiumei, instructing her to take them immediately to the Four Treasures Studio for Uncle Xu.

Given the situation, with Brother Yong possibly leaving for the barracks at any moment after registering, there was no time to waste.

When Xiumei returned, she brought back Uncle Xu Zhushan’s response: he had never made anything like this before, so he couldn’t guarantee success, but he would work through the night according to Wei Ruo’s design and would send a response by carrier pigeon in the morning, success or failure.

True to his word, the pigeon arrived at dawn. Uncle Xu had made a prototype according to her instructions and, drawing on his carpentry experience, offered a few suggestions for improvement.

Wei Ruo incorporated his advice and drew a second version.

Back and forth, refining and adjusting for three days. On the fourth day, she received Uncle Xu’s reply: it was perfect.

The crossbow she had envisioned was finally made.

Wei Ruo was very satisfied, but she didn’t rest. She hurried to prepare medicine for Xu Zhengyong before he entered the army.

Everyone around her could sense how busy she was, even those at the Bamboo Grove Court.

Today, as Wei Ruo visited the Bamboo Grove Court for a meal, Wei Jin said, “You seem especially busy these days.”

“Yes, I’ve been making medicine,” Wei Ruo replied, half-truthfully.

She couldn’t tell too many people about her nurse’s side of things—not even Wei Jin, at least not yet.

“By the way, Second Brother, do you have any way to get some angelica root for me on short notice?” Wei Ruo asked.

Angelica root was one of the ingredients for wound medicines. Because of the ongoing war in Xing Shan County, it had become scarce; all the pharmacies in town were out.

Wei Jin asked, “Is it urgent?”

Wei Ruo replied, “I need to make some medicine for a friend who is leaving soon. Yes, it’s quite urgent.”

Wei Jin repeated, “A friend?”

For some reason, he sensed that this friend of Wei Ruo’s was a man.