Chapter 281: 280 Kuang Anming Returns To Allegiance, Gang Leader Wang Attacked By Grenade, Fang Wen Becomes Human Ct Machine
Republic of China year 25, December 30.
Boeing 247 fuel plane landed at Guangzhou Dashatou Airport.
The entire Kuang family was waiting inside the airport. Fang Wen parked the airplane, pulled the reluctant Kuang Anming out of the airplane.
Immediately, a large group from the Kuang family surrounded them, solicitously asking Kuang Anming about the cold and warmth.
Perhaps in their eyes, Kuang Anming was still the shy boy from a few years ago, not knowing that the current Kuang Anming had long grown up and matured.
Facing the concern from his family members, Kuang Anming, who had just returned from the battlefield, felt a bit uncomfortable.
Fang Wen saw it in his eyes and secretly laughed in his heart, walking alone to Father-in-law Kuang Shanming.
“Father-in-law, mission accomplished, your precious son has been brought back. Why don’t you go over? Could it be that you father and son have become estranged?”
He was joking. Kuang Shanming liked his youngest son Kuang Anming the most. Fang Wen actually understood that Kuang Anming was doing this to maintain the dignity of the family head.
Kuang Shanming was a bit embarrassed. To cover it up, he deliberately avoided mentioning Kuang Anming and instead chatted endlessly with Fang Wen.
“It’s good that you all returned safely from Spain. Things have changed a lot domestically now. A few days ago, a domestic telegram announced a nationwide halt to the civil war, uniting against the outside.”
“Is it over? What about the situation of Generals Zhang and Yang?” Fang Wen couldn’t help asking.
From Father-in-law’s words, Fang Wen knew it was the same as in history: Chiang Kai-shek, upon returning to Nanjing, immediately detained Zhang and imprisoned Yang.
Fang Wen couldn’t help thinking that Zhang actually didn’t suffer much; in the war-torn era, he lived leisurely without worrying about military affairs, but Yang was different—not only might he suffer during imprisonment, but he would also be killed in the future.
If there’s a chance, General Yang must be rescued.
At this time, the entire Kuang family came over. Under the embrace of family affection, Kuang Anming returned to his carefree young master identity and proactively called out, “Dad, I’m back.”
This one sentence was worth a thousand from others, making Kuang Shanming’s old face beam with joy, rarely showing a smile.
He patted his son’s shoulder: “You’ve grown up, you’ve made something of yourself, but you also need to know how to settle down and establish your life. Your life isn’t just your own; it concerns the entire Kuang family. Let’s go, head home.”
Saying this, he turned to Fang Wen: “You stay in Guangzhou for a day before leaving.”
Fang Wen nodded, chatted briefly with the airport managerial personnel, then went back with the Kuang family.
Back at the Kuang family courtyard house, it was lively inside, with several large tables set up for a family banquet.
Fang Wen and Kuang Anming looked at the table full of delicacies, their appetites whetted.
After all, in Spain, the food was just to fill the stomach; how could it compare to the delicious domestic delicacies.
Kuang Shanming also noticed this. As family head, after a simple speech, he started the banquet.
This table of delicacies became prey for Fang Wen and Kuang Anming. The Kuang family watched in surprise at the two’s exaggerated eating process.
Fang Wen was okay, stopping after two bowls, but Kuang Anming continued, eating heartily.
This scene brought tears to Mother Kuang’s eyes, and others sighed too.
After a while, Kuang Anming satisfiedly put down his bowl and chopsticks: “Full.”
“My poor son. Anming, tell us how you lived in Spain?” Mother Kuang asked.
This question immediately sparked Kuang Anming’s interest. He had originally wanted to give the reporting speech in Yangon, with a stack of speech drafts written, but Fang Wen had directly brought him back to Guangzhou.
Although there weren’t as many listeners as in Yangon, there was at least room for him to perform here.
Immediately, Kuang Anming sipped tea and vividly recounted his experiences in Spain.
From going to Spain with friends from France to join the revolution, to later joining the International Brigades when the civil war broke out.
This part was relatively tame.
Later, when fighting started, real guns and bullets on the frontline, each occupying a building 500 meters apart in head-on engagement—this scene, in his emotionally charged speech, made the Kuang family listeners highly tense.
“Oh my god, people die there, young master, you were too bold.” Mother Kuang’s personal old maid exclaimed.
“That’s nothing. Rifles can’t penetrate cover; as long as you’re careful with protection and look for shooting opportunities, it’s safe. But later, the enemy’s heavy artillery appeared. If I hadn’t sent the guidance signal to my brother-in-law, the heavy artillery could have leveled the frontline position.”
Kuang Anming proudly described the later events and his experiences in the Asian Aviation team.
Finally, he solemnly requested: “Brother-in-law, I want to learn flight piloting from you. I don’t want to be an unknown little soldier on the battlefield, dying without anyone knowing.”
The Kuang family instantly fell silent, not expecting the young master to still not settle down.
Fang Wen was also a bit surprised; just back and already making this request. He looked at Kuang Shanming, whose face suddenly turned cloudy, and spoke out:
“Can’t you stay home properly for a while?”
“Yes, but after resting, I still want to learn flight from you.” Kuang Anming replied. Having returned from the battlefield, his temper had become stubborn instead.
Seeing this, Kuang Shanming sighed and stood up: “Fang Wen, come with me; let’s talk, just us two.”
Immediately, the two left the table and went to Kuang Shanming’s study room.
In the study room, Kuang Shanming said wistfully: “They say daughters will leave when grown, sons won’t obey parents when grown. I originally thought such things wouldn’t happen in the Kuang family. The eldest, Mr. Kuang, is timid by nature; though he can’t achieve anything, he won’t cause trouble either. Daughter Kuang Mingzhu married you; she’s sensible and knows how to act, so I don’t worry. But unexpectedly, Kuang Anming, whom I had the highest hopes for, is the most worrisome. I’ve figured it out: his ambitions aren’t in the Kuang family; he wants to make a career in this war-torn era, which is the most dangerous. I regret coming back now; if the whole family had gone to Europe and settled in France, it might have been better.”
Hearing this, Fang Wen thought to himself that going to France would be about the same; after Germany’s blitzkrieg occupied France, it might be even worse than domestically.
The safest places in the world right now were North and South America.
But he also understood that the Kuang family’s industries were here; it was impossible to go to the United States.
For this, Fang Wen spoke to comfort: “How about I persuade him again, or arrange a marriage for him to settle his mind.”
Kuang Shanming shook his head: “No use; we’ve tried those methods before, and it only made him run off to Europe. I’ve figured it out: he won’t stay in the Kuang family after all, but I’m also afraid of him joining the army. You know the National Army’s situation; even if everything is arranged, he can’t handle the dirty operations inside. With his temperament, he might get shot in the back before even reaching the frontline. Fang Wen, your side can at least look after his safety. I beg you to take him in.”
After saying all this, unexpectedly, Kuang Shanming was willing to let his son go out, with the only request being to join Fang Wen’s Taishan Volunteer Army.
In the end, it was a father’s worry for his son, thinking of ways to protect him.
Fang Wen nodded: “No problem from me, but learning flight requires talent. In Spain, he had expressed interest in this; I tested him once, and he has no talent for flight—probably can’t handle fighter jets, but slower seaplanes should be fine. I’ll arrange training for him there, but not urgently now; let him stay home to accompany you two elders for a while first.”
Hearing Fang Wen say this, Kuang Shanming smiled.
The two walked out of the study room, and Fang Wen communicated with Kuang Anming.
“I’ve talked it over with your dad. You can come to my side, but you have to stay home to accompany them through Spring Festival; then someone will come pick you up.”
“Okay, brother-in-law.” Kuang Anming was overjoyed.
“Stay home properly during this time, make your parents happy, don’t cause trouble, got it?”
“Got it. After Spring Festival, you must send someone to pick me up.”
Kuang Anming’s matter was thus settled, and the Kuang family returned to its festive atmosphere.
A day later, Fang Wen left the Kuang family, riding Kuang Shanming’s car to the airport.
At the airport, Kuang Shanming instructed: “We’ve checked it out: Gang Leader Wang is at Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, with British people vouching for him and police guarding daily; several assassination attempts have been stopped. Be careful when you go.”
Fang Wen nodded, got out of the car to bid farewell to his father-in-law, and boarded the Boeing 247 to fly to Hong Kong.
Guangzhou is far from Hong Kong; soon the airplane arrived at Kai Tak Airport.
After more than a year, Kai Tak Airport had begun expansion; Imperial Airways was the first civil aviation flight path company in Hong Kong.
Fang Wen was also considering opening a seaplane short-haul flight path between Kai Tak Airport and Guangzhou Dashatou Airport in the future, to complete Taishan Airlines’ domestic flight routes.
But this matter would be left to the domestic branch company to negotiate; he hadn’t come to Hong Kong for that.
After parking the airplane, Fang Wen walked out of the airport and, as last time, proactively went to the Walled City to visit Master Ma Wu.
After getting two bodyguards from Master Ma Wu, Fang Wen headed directly to Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital.
Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital is at Wong Nai Chung Road in Happy Valley, at the center of Hong Kong Island; it was once the Yuen Yuen Playground, later turned into a sanatorium, and then became Hong Kong’s most famous private hospital.
At this time, Hong Kong’s public hospital Queen Mary Hospital was still under construction, making Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital the place with the best medical conditions.
To go to Hong Kong Island, in this era without the Cross-Harbour Tunnel, one could only take the ferry.
Fang Wen and the three took the crowded ferry to Hong Kong Island dock. After disembarking, he exchanged with the bodyguards: “Can you get a car?”
On land, a car is the best carrier for mechanical perception. Fang Wen’s request was to handle possible accidents when meeting Gang Leader Wang.
The bodyguards sent by Master Ma Wu had their own connections: “No problem getting a car, as long as there’s money. What kind of car does Boss Fang want?”
“What can you get?”
After discussing, the two bodyguards replied: “A small boss lost money at a gambling den and pawned a sports car nearby; 500 yuan to drive it for a few days.”
Fang Wen had no Hong Kong dollars and used equivalent US dollars instead. Immediately, the bodyguard negotiated with someone, then took him to a nearby dock warehouse.
There, a car with a very unique styling was parked—a concept sports car of this era.
Square and upright, with a special nose, strange yet carrying the unique charm of this era.
It was the Ford Model 18 sports car version.
Fang Wen got into the car; the two bodyguards squeezed into the co-pilot seat. With the engine starting, they sped off.
Driving this sports car, Fang Wen headed to Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital.
It was a small hospital with two buildings; there was a gate guard at the entrance, requiring inquiry to enter.
Similarly, Fang Wen’s car was stopped.
“Mister, what is your business here?”
“I want to see a patient in the hospital.”
“Sorry, the hospital has a new rule recently: no visits except for patient’s immediate family.”
For this, Fang Wen had already communicated through his father-in-law; after all, most of the hospital’s dean and doctors had come from Guangzhou.
He directly told the gate guard his identity; soon the dean came, negotiated briefly, and let him in.
The car parked in the Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital parking lot. Fang Wen brought the two bodyguards, following the dean upstairs.
While walking, the dean explained the situation: “When Gang Leader Wang was brought in, his condition was very bad. We tried everything and could only maintain his basic vital signs, but improvement is very difficult.”
“What’s wrong with him?” Fang Wen asked.
“According to his subordinates, in Guangxi, someone threw a grenade at him from outside. He reacted quickly and dove down immediately, but a large amount of fragments still entered his body. There were too many; we couldn’t remove them all completely. Those foreign objects caused infection inside, giving him persistent high fever.”
After understanding Gang Leader Wang’s situation, Fang Wen arrived at the third floor high-risk ward.
There, Fang Wen saw Gang Leader Wang.
He could only lie on his side on the hospital bed, his back wrapped in layers of gauze.
Nearby, doctors and nurses were busy removing the gauze, cleaning the wound surface, then changing to new ones.
Seeing this, Fang Wen frowned: “Isn’t the latest anti-infection medicine working?”
“You mean Miraculous Sterilizing Agent? The infected wound surface is too extensive, requiring continuous injection, but we don’t have that much stock.”
The dean said helplessly.
Miraculous Sterilizing Agent was penicillin, only available on the black market in Shanghai, already monopolized with shares allocated among families; Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital’s medicines were bought at high prices through connections.
Fang Wen opened his handbag and gave a large box of Miraculous Sterilizing Agent to the dean: “Give him these medicines to inject.”
Seeing so much new anti-infection medicine, the dean was delighted and immediately had the doctor inject Gang Leader Wang.
But even so, it was treating the symptoms not the root; the large number of tiny foreign fragment remnants in the wound had to be removed.
These foreign objects were hard to find and numerous; current medical technology couldn’t do it, so many wounded soldiers left shrapnel in their bodies after battlefield hospital surgery.
But this didn’t stump Fang Wen.
He had a way to find those metal fragments and immediately sent a telegram domestically.
The telegram notice: only 4 hours later, a seaplane landed on the sea surface near Kai Tak Airport.
The hired Tanka people rowed a wooden boat over, carried the equipment components onto the boat one by one, then transported them to Hong Kong Island dock.
Then a small truck at the dock carried the cargo to Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital.
The items arrived: components of the latest security gate.
This oversized metal detector could detect metal objects passing through the gate, but in Fang Wen’s hands, it functioned like a CT machine.
He and the two bodyguards assembled the security gate components. This gate-like equipment was placed over the hospital bed, with a movable wooden board underneath.
With the security gate activated, the two bodyguards carefully moved it back and forth over the bed.
In this way, Fang Wen, entering mechanical perception state, gained a full understanding of Gang Leader Wang’s body.
While checking, he recorded the positions of the grenade fragments in Gang Leader Wang’s body.
Then, with this recorded information, he negotiated with the dean and attending physician of Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital.
Upon hearing that Fang Wen had pinpointed the tiny shrapnel positions in Gang Leader Wang’s main body, the dean and attending physician were very surprised.
“Are you sure these are accurate?” the dean asked.
“I’m certain. Surgery can start immediately based on this, and I request to participate in this surgery.” Fang Wen replied.
The attending physician didn’t approve of this request; how could someone without medical training participate in such a surgical operation?
But after learning about Fang Wen performing surgery on Wu Yingzong at Peking University Medical School, he agreed.
But with a three-chapter agreement beforehand: if Fang Wen was found inadequate, it must be stopped, and he would take full charge.
