In fact, whether it was the generals of the Xishan Barracks or the Firearms Barracks, all of them were people of some clout in the capital. Thus, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that they were all proud and arrogant. Naturally, not just anyone could command these generals without an issue. At that time, when Zhu Junyang was still Royal Prince Yang, he relied on his hard fists and inconceivable strength to subdue these generals. Even when he wasn’t physically present, the two barracks went through their training exercises without an issue. At this time, only their leader could make them back down, so if they switched leaders, what would happen?

In actuality, the emperor had been bothered by the officials so much that he had no choice. Thus, he sent people over to transmit his oral order to have Zhu Junyang come back. However, the first time he sent people, they came back with the news that the great imperial envoy was currently researching something called ‘hybridized rice paddies’. Because there was the attack on their ships along the way there to Jinling, as the bodyguard in charge of the envoy’s safety, he needed to stay there and ensure her safety.

The second time he sent people, they didn’t even get to see heads or tails of the married couple. This was because Imperial Prince Xu had accompanied his wife to travel around the scenic areas. Since they didn’t know where they went, how could they possibly find them?

The third time he sent people over, they had finally seen the two in question. However, at that time, Yu Xiaocao had just been rescued. Thus, they could only bring back the report that Imperial Prince Xu had written. The report stated that the evil remnants of the previous dynasty had wanted to destroy the experimental fields at Jinling in order to ruin the lives of the people. Furthermore, they had also captured the great imperial envoy to steal the method away from her. Although she had been rescued, she was gravely hurt.

Zhu Junyang had written his wife as someone who was faithful and unchanging. In order to save the ‘hybridized rice paddies’ methods from being stolen, she had withstood the enemy’s torture, threats, and promises, and truly became an incorruptible official who wasn’t swayed by any means. By the time she was rescued, she had almost lost her life. Not only was she seriously injured, with fractures all over her body, but the most grave injury was that she had also almost lost the unborn child in her belly.

When the emperor read this report during court, all of the officials trying to cause trouble immediately shut up. Although this married couple had been gone from court for more than half a year, one of them had begun research on ‘hybridized rice paddies’ that could produce a thousand catties per mu, while the other one had rooted out a malignant tumor from the previous dynasty and captured one of the of the direct descendants of the old dynasty’s imperial family. In addition, he had eradicated a hidden traitor from the previous dynasty. Although neither of them were at court, who could compete with their accomplishments?

The great imperial envoy had become severely injured and almost lost her unborn child for the sake of the empire. It wasn’t that the other party didn’t want to come back. In fact, it was because she was trying to preserve her pregnancy and couldn’t come back! Who else dared to say another word now?

“Your Imperial Majesty, this official requests that we use the navy to welcome them back to the capital!” When he returned to the capital, Zhao Han had been promoted to a third-ranked commander in the Jinwei Navy. Currently, he was asking the emperor for permission to escort Imperial Prince Xu and his wife back home.

Ever since Xiaocao got married, Zhao Han had been telling himself to let her go. In the past few years, he had spent all of his time in the navy patrolling the waters. He completed his missions successfully and had been steadily promoted over time. He had originally believed that news about her no longer had any hold over him.

However, when he heard the emperor state that the weak and delicate girl, in order to keep the empire’s secret on high-yielding rice, had been imprisoned, tortured and almost lost her life, he felt as if his heart was being squeezed by a vice. Xiaocao had always been so delicate, even when she was young. In childhood, she would even run to Uncle Yu in a spoiled manner when she only had a minor cut on her finger.

Severe internal injuries, multiple fractures, almost had a miscarriage...he really couldn’t believe that such a weak and delicate girl could manage to withstand the horrible tortures from the remnants of the previous dynasty. If it weren’t for the fact that there was a vast difference in their statuses, Zhao Han really would have liked to run over to Jinling and to lift Imperial Prince Xu by his collar, asking him just how was he, the bodyguard, protecting Xiaocao.

He inhaled deeply and tried to calm the waves within his heart. Zhao Han wasn’t so naive to believe that by eradicating a nest of old traitors in Jinling meant that all of the remnants of the previous dynasty were gone. A cornered dog was a dangerous one. It was very possible that other traitors would try to do something now! Furthermore, they had captured one of the descendents of the previous dynasty’s imperial family. Thus, it was obvious that their journey home would be fraught with danger.

After thinking all of this through, Zhao Han asked for this appointment at court. It would be much safer for them to travel in the open seas, with the navy escorting them, compared to traveling by river or on land roads.

Zhu Junfan also wanted to make sure these two officials were safe and was currently wondering what would be the best course of action to bring them back from Jinling. When Zhao Han proposed his idea, it was as if the youth was offering up a soft pillow to a sleepy individual. How could the emperor not agree to his request? He immediately set that task upon Zhao Han and ordered to take the most elite soldiers from the navy as well as the most modern ships to pick the great imperial envoy and Imperial Prince Xu and bring them back home safely.

“Older Brother Han?” Yu Xiaocao exclaimed in happy surprise when she saw Zhao Han arrive in the outer courtyard of the guest residence. He was dressed in military attire and seemed very energetic.

Zhu Junyang had always disliked his wife’s ‘childhood friend’ and naturally didn’t have a pleased expression on his face, “Why are you here?!”

“The emperor had gotten the news that the great imperial envoy had gotten injured and was worried that having only two bodyguards was insufficient for her safety. Thus, he sent this official over to bring the navy to escort the great imperial envoy back to the capital.” Zhao Han was very displeased with Imperial Prince Xu as Xiaocao had gotten injured. The prince couldn't even guarantee his wife’s own safety, so how could he possibly give her happiness?

Su Ran had been drinking tea under the tree. After being inadvertently insulted, he rubbed his nose and decided to leave as he didn’t want to be in the crossfire between these two jealous men.

Zhu Junyang could hear the unspoken words within Zhao Han’s words and his gaze sharpened, ‘If this prince isn’t able to make my princess consort happy, who could? You, ah? You’re a coward who doesn’t even have the guts to confess your feelings. You deserve being left behind by the object of your affections!’

Zhao Han didn’t back off after receiving Imperial Prince Xu’s sharp look. He stared back and sparks flew between them. The tension was palpable.

“Oh wow! We can travel on seafaring ships back ah! Doesn’t that mean we’ll pass by the harbor at Tanggu? I might even have some time to visit my family for a couple of days!” Yu Xiaocao inserted herself between the two men with the help of Wutong. She cradled her belly that was already a bit prominent and immediately dissolved the awkward atmosphere between the two.

Zhao Han carefully looked at Xiaocao from head to toe. When he saw that her face was rosy and bright, he knew that she had been nursed well recently. He glanced briefly at the slight swell of her belly and then pretended that he hadn’t seen anything. He smiled, “Get everything ready. We will do our best to get to the harbor at Tanggu before the ice starts to spread. When I left, I had someone send a letter over to Uncle Yu. He said that he will personally receive you at the harbor.”

“There’s not much that needs to be packed. All of the gifts and presents I bought in Jiangnan have long been sent away. As for my personal belongings, we’re pretty much done organizing them in the past few days. If all goes well, we can head out tomorrow.” If it weren’t for the fact that her husband had insisted on having her stay in Jinling longer to recuperate her body, they would have headed back half a month ago to the capital. Even if the emperor didn't send anyone over to take them back, they would have begun traveling within the next few days.

Although Zhu Junyang wasn’t pleased by the fact that Zhao Han was here, for the sake of his wife’s safety, he was willing to pinch his nose and deal with it. With his wife’s current condition, he didn’t want to take any unnecessary risks.

They took a ferry from Jinling before they reached the open waters and boarded the seafaring ships. Their journey back was not completely smooth. Fortunately, Zhao Han was very experienced in battles on the water and he easily defeated the attacks sent over by the traitors. The enemy wasn’t even able to get close to the official ships before they were eliminated by the navy.

The well equipped warships leisurely embarked away from the docks. Xiaocao stood on the deck and breathed in the familiar fishy smell of sea air. She opened her arms out wide, looking as if she was trying to hug the entire ocean as she yelled, “Great ocean, I, Hu Hansan, have come back again ah!”

“Who is Hu Hansan?” Zhu Junyang appeared behind her and helped her put on a silver fox cape. It was now the eleventh month of the year and Jiangnan was also more chilly. With the billowing ocean winds, he was afraid that the lass would catch a cold from getting chilled.

“‘Hu Hansan’ is me, and I am ‘Hu Hansan[1]’!” Yu Xiaocao didn’t want to tell him that this name had come from an old film she had watched in her previous life. It was the name of a stereotypical villain and it was a well known catchphrase of this character.

Zhu Junyang was quite curious by this obviously male name. He really didn’t understand why his wife would come up with such a common and crude name for herself. However, as long as his wife wanted it, even if she wanted to call herself ‘Ergouzi’, he would pinch his nose and endure it.

“You like the ocean this much?” He helped his wife fasten the hood on her cloak and then bent over to tie the waist tie for her. Then he glanced briefly at a certain area of the warship——’Hmph! Are you trying to sneak a peek at my wife? Let me infuriate you!’ He leaned over and planted a kiss on his wife’s forehead, ‘I’m doing this on purpose, but what can you do?’

As a third-ranked military official, Zhao Han saw the scene in front of him and his eyes dimmed. Su Ran, who was holding a bamboo fishing pole, appeared behind him. The older man looked in the direction he was looking and also saw the ‘eye-blinding’ scene as well. A wicked smile curved up on Su Ran’s lips as he said, “Let’s go and do some deep ocean fishing. I’m sure that lass Xiaocao will be very interested.”

Zhao Han naturally saw the evil smile on the other man’s face. He paused for a second before he immediately reacted. He nodded, “Good idea. Younger Sister Xiaocao is very talented at cooking seafood. I don’t know if she had taught any of her maidservants her skills.” Younger Sister Xiaocao was pregnant and naturally wouldn’t be suitable to spend a long time in the kitchen. This was mostly an excuse. After all, he just needed to find something plausible to interrupt the sickly sweet alone time between Imperial Prince Xu and his wife!

When the two of them arrived by the couple, Xiaocao was currently jabbering away, telling the prince that she had come up with a bunch of expensive ingredients on the first time she went gathering seafood with her father. During the hardest time of her family, they had relied on selling pig’s head meat and pig intestines to make a living. They had also relied on the sea then because their customer base were the dockworkers working at the docks. Only then were they able to change their family’s living conditions step by step.

In her previous life, Xiaocao didn’t have much opportunity to see the ocean. However, after transmigrating over into a fisherman’s family, she had been intimately connected with the ocean. With the help of the little divine stone, she had gathered abalone and sea cucumber from the deep waters, helped her father hunt sharks, participated in the pearl hunting contest, and became acquainted with the adorable dolphin named Xiaobu...being able to be so close to the sea again made her happy.

Zhao Han and Su Ran came over with fishing poles in their hands, “Younger Sister Xiaocao, do you like to eat lobster ah? Watch Older Brother Han today. I’ll make sure to fish up a lobster as large as a serving plate for your lunch today.”

“Be careful that you’re not promising too much. Do you really think that you’d be able to catch a lobster as large as a serving plate?” Zhu Junyang had an unpleasant expression on his face after his sweet time with his wife was interrupted by the two men. If the look in his eyes could kill, then Su Ran and Zhao Han would be dead many times over.

“Okay ah, okay ah!” Unfortunately, his wife didn’t sympathize with his plight and, instead, excitedly took a fishing pole and enthusiastically added herself to the competition.

[1] Hu Hansan - a despicable landlord from the film 'Flickering Red Stars'. He had gotten overthrown by the peasant farmers but then came back while screaming 'I, Hu Hansan, have come back again ah!'