The Prince of Pingyang tried to reach out for the chamber pot, but how could he possibly reach it?
Thinking of the guards outside, the Prince of Pingyang resisted the urge to call for someone.
He turned his wheelchair around and searched the room for a tool he could use.
After looking around, the Prince of Pingyang's gaze finally landed on a clothes pole.
He wheeled himself to the bed, reached up, and took the pole off the clothes rack.
The Prince of Pingyang pushed his wheelchair back to the door.
He hooked the pole through the handle of the chamber pot and pulled it over.
Then, the Prince of Pingyang placed the chamber pot next to the bed.
Gripping the pole tightly with one hand and supporting himself on the edge of the bed with the other, he struggled to shift toward the chamber pot.
The chamber pot was too low, and after several attempts, the Prince of Pingyang still couldn't sit down.
He leaned against the edge of the bed, not daring to let go.
If he missed the chamber pot, he might accidentally knock it over instead.
If that happened, he would definitely have to change his clothes again.
As time passed, the Prince of Pingyang's arms began to ache, and his lower abdomen felt uncomfortably full.
This wouldn't do!
In a moment of desperation, the Prince of Pingyang aimed for the chamber pot and stepped out with one leg.
He didn't fall; he sat securely on the chamber pot.
Relieved, the Prince of Pingyang finally let out a long breath.
He raised a hand and wiped the sweat from his cheek.
Suddenly, he realized something was wrong.
Had he just stepped out with one leg?
The Prince of Pingyang stared at his legs, which were as thin as twigs under his trousers, and carefully recalled which leg he had just extended.
Right leg?
No!
Left leg?
He wasn't sure.
With trembling hands, the Prince of Pingyang pinched both of his legs.
No feeling!
So it was all just an illusion!
The Prince of Pingyang buried his face in his hands. After a minute of silence, he raised his head.
He wasn't dead, so what was there to be disappointed about?
Supporting himself on the edge of the bed, the Prince of Pingyang stood up and pulled up his trousers.
He prepared to sit back in his wheelchair.
Because of the earlier struggle, the wheelchair had been pushed a bit further away from the bed by the pole.
The Prince of Pingyang reached for the pole, intending to use it to pull the wheelchair closer.
But he forgot that the pole was leaning against the bed. The moment his hand touched it, the pole rolled onto the floor.
"Your Highness?"
The guard outside heard the noise inside.
"Get lost! Without my orders, no one is allowed to come in!"
The Prince of Pingyang roared.
He couldn't let anyone else see him in such a wretched state.
"Yes, sir." The guard didn't dare enter the room.
The Prince of Pingyang leaned against the edge of the bed and looked at the wheelchair just a step away, a surge of frustration rising in his chest.
He wanted to stand up!
One day, he would ride a horse, shoot arrows, and gallop across the battlefield once again!
The Prince of Pingyang instinctively stepped out his foot to hook the wheelchair.
His leg stopped halfway.
The Prince of Pingyang struggled to turn his head and looked at the extended leg.
He had just extended his left leg!
The Prince of Pingyang's face was filled with disbelief.
He blinked and then lifted his foot again.
His leg reached the front of the wheelchair, and with a hook of his toe, the wheelchair moved behind him.
The Prince of Pingyang pushed the wheelchair away again and extended his foot to hook it back.
After moving it back and forth a few times, the Prince of Pingyang finally believed it: his leg could move!
The Prince of Pingyang sat in the wheelchair, excitedly stroking his left leg.
It could move!
It really could move!
The Prince of Pingyang gripped his legs tightly, his knuckles turning almost white.
Forcing down his excitement, the Prince of Pingyang tried to extend his right leg.
His face turned red from the effort, but his right leg only trembled slightly and could not stretch out.
However, the Prince of Pingyang was still extraordinarily thrilled.
His right leg had a reaction too!
Did this mean he would recover soon?
The Prince of Pingyang extended his left leg and hooked the pole on the floor back to himself.
He threaded the pole through the chamber pot's handle, wheeled himself over, and put the pot back in its place.
Then, he placed the pole back by the bed.
Even after doing all this, the Prince of Pingyang was still in a state of immense joy.
He was a man who had been given a death sentence by the imperial physicians.
But now he could move!
Was it that the imperial physicians were incompetent?
Or was someone intentionally playing tricks behind the scenes?
Or perhaps, because of Duoduo, his luck had improved?
At this thought, the Prince of Pingyang's joy faded.
He couldn't tell anyone that his legs were getting better!
No, except for Duoduo.
Subconsciously, the Prince of Pingyang wanted to share his joy with Duoduo.
"Your Highness, the guard who returned to the manor is back."
Lingfeng's voice came from outside the door.
"Come in."
The Prince of Pingyang composed his expression and straightened his clothes.
Lingfeng pushed the door open and saw the Prince of Pingyang in the middle of the room.
He felt a bit curious.
"Your Highness, the guard brought a message sent by carrier pigeon."
Lingfeng handed the letters in his hand to the Prince of Pingyang.
He pushed the Prince of Pingyang to the desk and then brightened the candlelight.
The Prince of Pingyang opened and read the letters, then held them over the fire to burn them.
"The guard outside, have him go guard the outer courtyard."
The Prince of Pingyang ordered.
Lingfeng's heart skipped a beat.
This meant the Prince of Pingyang was no longer allowing the guard outside to serve as a close-quarters protector.
There were many types of guards.
Some were only responsible for patrolling the outer courtyard; such guards rarely had a chance for promotion in their entire lives.
Some were responsible for the close protection of their masters; these guards were the most likely to be heavily favored.
Today, Lingfeng had to go out, so he had casually picked a guard to come and serve.
With such a great opportunity, the guard had actually managed to offend their master?
Thinking about what happened in the afternoon, Lingfeng understood a bit.
"Yes, sir."
"Did you find the place this afternoon?"
The Prince of Pingyang looked at Lingfeng.
"Answering Your Highness, we found it!"
"It turns out there is an iron mine in this back mountain."
"The estate manager had people mine the ore and then had it forged into weapons."
Surprise flashed in the Prince of Pingyang's eyes.
"An iron mine? Is there still more?"
Lingfeng nodded.
"This subordinate went in and took a look. The estate manager has only mined a small section."
"According to that man, the iron ore is hard to mine. The estate manager spent a lot of manpower just to get this much."
The Prince of Pingyang fell deep into thought.
His hand unconsciously began to stroke the jade thumb ring on his finger.
"Your Highness, this mountain is originally registered under the Princess Consort's name."
"This iron mine naturally belongs to Your Highness as well."
"What do you think, should we continue to mine out all the remaining iron ore?"
When Lingfeng saw the iron mine this afternoon, he was absolutely ecstatic.
With an iron mine, they could naturally forge all kinds of weapons.
All of their men could be equipped with one.
With weapons, and considering the Prince's prestige in the military...
As long as the Prince raised his arm and rallied the troops, he could even become the Emperor himself!
Lingfeng moved his lips but didn't dare speak his thoughts aloud.
If these words were ever known by those above, it would be the end of them!
At this moment, the Prince of Pingyang was thinking about something else entirely.
"Go and investigate. See how many people know about the existence of this iron mine."
"Also, put those men under strict watch. We will deal with it tomorrow."
"I am a bit tired and wish to rest."
"Yes, sir."
Lingfeng pushed the wheelchair to the bedside, skillfully lifted the Prince of Pingyang, and placed him on the bed.
He covered the Prince of Pingyang with a quilt and walked out quietly.
Hearing the sound of the door closing, the Prince of Pingyang, who had kept his eyes closed, opened them.
