Chapter 650   - Returning Home in Honor

Zhu Hanwen frowned at this. Wasn’t his imperial father being a little too lenient? It was too obvious that he had some vague intentions towards Official Yu. That wouldn’t do! He needed to surreptitiously remind his mother a bit on another day. His imperial father had always respected his imperial mother’s opinions, so he should be willing to listen to her advice. He needed to make sure that this got nipped in the bud before it got too late!

Following that, at the next court session, Yu Xiaocao had been promoted to the fourth rank ‘Clerk of the Capital for Grain’ for her efforts in eradicating the poisoning case at the stud farm as well as the promising results in the rice paddies. She was now completely in charge of crop breeding and her task was to improve the rice paddy yield as well as the winter wheat seeds.

The emperor recalled that Xiaocao was Great General Zhenxi’s fiancée, so he especially summoned her along to leave the capital to welcome him back home. His intention was simple. He wanted to give her the opportunity to see her fiancé as soon as possible. However, he would have never expected that his younger cousin had snuck into the capital earlier and had bummed around the Yu Residence, acting lovey dovey with his future wife, before he finally left.

Regardless, Yu Xiaocao felt a sense of pride and glee rise up within her heart when she saw that familiar dark figure within the army as she rode next to the emperor’s carriage with the envious gazes of other officials surrounding her. When a woman’s man was successful, her face also became brighter.

The high-ranked officials who had come out today to receive the army all felt mixed feelings arise in their hearts when they saw the handsome and heroic Royal Prince Yang come back. In the past, Royal Prince Yang was impetuous and cruel with a cloud of bad rumors surrounding him. His reputation wasn’t much better than the hedonistic good-for-nothing sons from rich families. Who would have thought that after he turned fifteen and was given the mission to travel to the west, he would come back like a changed man. His personality had become stable and steady and he became more and more outstanding as time passed.

He not only brought the high-yielding corn seeds back, but he also luckily discovered the current ‘Clerk of the Capital for Grain’, Official Yu, who had a talent for farming. With higher-yield crops now on hand, the commoners, who had previously been living in harsh, post-war times, now had a surplus to eat. As the fortunes of the people rose, so did the fortunes of the empire. Now that the commoners were living better lives, the empire was now richer and more powerful than ever.

Furthermore, Royal Prince Yang wasn’t just good at regular issues, he was also a genius at military matters. After the Xishan Barracks were given to him to manage, in less than two years, any soldier from that assignment could easily fight against three to five ordinary soldiers with ease. The firearms division was especially astounding. Each soldier there had top-notch martial arts skills like the rest of the soldiers within the Xishan Barracks, and they were also sharpshooters with their firearms. They were truly the best of the best!

Not only was he talented at training troops, but he was also skilled at military strategy and tactics. When the northeast rebellion had occurred, it felt like only a practice session for him to put it down. This time, with the war in the northwest, he was finally able to display his outstanding abilities. Even the previous dynasty’s Old General Zhao and Young General Zhao had to admire this young and skilled royal prince’s talents.

Furthermore, the two generals from the Zhao Family were only alive today because of him. Naturally, this was also related to the fact that Royal Prince Yang had external help——Royal Princess Jinan’s medicinal abilities. Only he had a fiancée who was skilled at medicine and detoxifying poisons.

It was also rumored that the unfathomable Military Inspector Su had been saved by him! Chief Steward Su was the emperor’s closest and most intimate confidant and subordinate. Unfortunately, he was very hard to get close to and was extremely cunning and sly. Whoever could catch his eyes and have him say a few flattering words in front of the emperor naturally had a career that would soar without boundaries. However, Royal Prince Yang didn’t require his good words as his own abilities were more than enough to ensure a smooth and steady climb up to the top!

Royal Prince Yang was a youth with an extremely promising career ahead of him. Unfortunately, he was an engaged man. The high-ranking officials who had previously rejected Princess Consort Jing’s attempts to matchmake her son in years past were now incredibly regretful. If it weren’t for the fact that they had disdained Royal Prince Yang when he had a bad reputation, they could be his future father-in-law now and have another strong ally at court. Thus, their official careers would also be more smooth. What a pity...

However, there were still some people scheming quietly in the background, thinking about their concubine-born daughters at home. Some of them even thought about offering their legitimate daughters to the prince to become his concubine. What man, especially the hardworking and talented ones, didn’t have a crowd of wives and concubines at home? Royal Prince Yang was very likely going to be promoted into an imperial prince in the future, and it was very normal for a grand and noble imperial prince to have a courtyard full of women at home, right? For example, Royal Prince Yang’s imperial uncle, Imperial Prince Sa, not only had two ranked concubines at home but he also had so many lower ranking concubines that he couldn’t keep them straight.

Naturally, there were also some people who wondered whether Royal Princess Jinan could even marry the prince at this point. No matter whether it was personal or familial status, the two of them were not of the same background. Royal Princess Jinan was truly talented. After all, a little girl climbing up to a fourth-ranked official’s position wasn’t something to be scoffed at.

However, the vast majority of men preferred women who were gentle and unassuming. If one had to be honest, Royal Princess Jinan’s personality couldn’t be considered sweet and considerate...perhaps the position of Royal Prince Yang’s official wife was something that could be negotiated!

Royal Prince Yang had no idea that his future marriage and inner courtyard was currently being schemed over by many people. Currently, he had just spotted his little lass, who was next to the golden yellow imperial carriage. She was dressed in a tiny official’s robe and her hair had been styled into a nimble and handsome ponytail. The day before yesterday he had been preoccupied with spending time with her, so he didn’t pay attention to the fact that she had some pretty significant physical changes in the past year.

Although she still had a very slim and slender figure, she had grown perceptibly in height. By now, the top of her head should be around his chin height. Her facial features had also blossomed. She had a pair of round and innocent looking eyes that now seemed more elongated. They glittered with liveliness and an air of coquettishness. Her roomy official’s robe also couldn’t completely hide her alluring body figure, mhm...his little lass had truly matured and was becoming more and more beautiful with every passing day.

At this time, Xiaocao’s entire attention seemed to have been magnetized. She couldn’t seem to move her eyes away from the heroic figure in front of her. Zhu Junyang was attired in a general’s armor and looked incredibly handsome! There was something incredibly manly and stunning about him! His broad and sturdy figure paired with that alluringly handsome face didn’t seem out of sorts at all and harmonized into one perfect whole. The mere sight of him made her little heart pound faster. Yu Xiaocao placed her hands over her heart as she was afraid that her heart might jump out of her chest from being too excited...

The emperor was speechless at this. It looked like it was truly the wrong choice to bring that lass Xiaocao along with him. These two people only had eyes for each other. He was pretty sure that neither of them had heard a single word of his grandiose and imposing speech. Such a waste of his eloquent and touching words!

Under the gazes of everyone around them, this youthful engaged couple stared longingly at each other. The soldiers under Zhu Junyang all grinned knowingly as they elbowed each other. If it weren’t for the fact that the emperor was present, it was likely that they would have long started heckling the prince.

Yu Xiaocao finally realized that everyone was staring at the back of her head. However, she wasn’t the least bit embarrassed. Instead, she calmly moved away her gaze and smiled tranquilly. This made all of Zhu Junyang’s subordinates view her, as their leader’s future wife, in a different light. She truly was a woman worthy of being admired by their leader as she had the right temperament to be with him.

It was no wonder that she, as a woman, was able to become an official and a successful businesswoman. At such a young age she had been made into an official...eh? The leader’s wife was currently wearing the robes of a fourth-ranked official. Heavens! Two years ago, the leader’s wife was only a tiny little sixth-ranked official. Now she had already been promoted into a fourth-ranked official.

Fortunately, their leader was also someone with incredible abilities. This time he came back victorious from the battlefield, so getting rewarded was a sure thing now. Otherwise, wouldn’t he be surpassed by his own wife by now? Royal Princess Jinan wasn’t someone that anyone could marry. After all, most ordinary men would be completely pressured by her!

Yu Xiaocao looked at the army and stopped her eyes on two familiar figures. The Zhao Family’s two generals had also spotted the slender and graceful young maiden who was next to the imperial carriage. Gradually, their memories of that super thin little figure in that tiny fishing village had merged with the youthful maiden in front of them.

They would have never expected that the Yu Family’s sickly and tiny Xiaocao was now the most successful out of all of them! Although they had been stationed at the border, the Zhao Family’s two generals had also heard the stories of Royal Princess Jinan, who was talented at farming and had expertly bred high-yielding crops, changing the lives of the people for the better.

Furthermore, Lady Zhao, who had been left at the capital, often wrote letters to them that spoke of this little lass. She stated that the lass had a kind and compassionate heart. Xiaocao was afraid that she might be lonely by herself in the capital, so she often came over every few days to spend time with her. In addition, Lady Zhao wrote that the lass’s pastries were incredibly delicious. Every time she came up with new pastries, she never forgot to send some to her. Finally, the little lass had also helped to nurse Lady Zhao back to health. She had a lingering illness after giving birth but now her problem hadn’t reoccurred for several years.

Lady Zhao often lamented within her letters that she would have liked Xiaocao to become her daughter-in-law if it weren’t for the fact that Royal Prince Yang moved too fast. Unfortunately, it was too late. Their family hadn’t struck when they had the advantage and allowed Royal Prince Yang to monopolize this child. Now, the prince was only waiting for her to reach adulthood before marriage.

Eight years had passed since the two Zhao generals had last seen this little lass, who used to sweetly call them ‘Grandfather Zhao’ and ‘Uncle Zhao’. They would have never expected that she, by relying on her own abilities, would be able to become a fourth-ranked official. Normally, fourth-ranked officials weren’t high enough on the rankings to accompany an imperial procession to welcome back a victorious army. However, the little lass was standing next to the emperor’s personal carriage, which meant that the emperor himself had allowed her the great favor of coming along. Who else within the empire could obtain this type of honor and glory?

However, that lass’s personality hadn’t seemed to change one iota. She was still as simple and pure as before. Just look, when she saw the two of them, the little lass revealed a broad and wide smile and even raised her right hand to wave at them furiously. All of the other officials here looked at her with expressionless faces. Even the emperor cocked his head over at her and glared at her with a smile on his face. The young maiden sheepishly lowered her hand and rubbed her nose. Her actions now were the exact same as when she was young.

The two of them began reminiscing of years past. Back then, there was a skinny and slight little girl who childishly followed their son (grandson) from behind, begging him to teach her how to set traps. Now, she had already grown into the Yu Family’s glorious and honorable young maiden!

Royal Prince Yang had been put in command of the army to fight the war in the northwest. He fought against the odds and put out a daring plan, which succeeded in pacifying their borders. He managed to beat back those ambitious wolves, the foreign tribes hankering at their border, sending them into a riotous retreat into the bitter and harsh conditions of the north. In less than two years’ time, he had obtained a total victory and was likely going to become a rock steady figure in the empire! He was truly too good to be a match in marriage. They weren’t sure whether the engagement between the two would be a fortune or calamity for her in the future!

The news that the emperor had personally come out of the capital to welcome Great General Zhenxi back to court had long been disseminated throughout the city and its surrounding suburbs. The commoners had also all come over, finding a suitable place to stand as they crane their necks to get a glimpse of the Great Ming Empire’s army who had protected their country from foreign invaders. The bulk of the army had been stationed about two kilometers outside of the city while Royal Prince Yang brought all of the high-ranking officers along to enter the city.

Both sides of the street in the capital, as well as the shops lining the area, were all squeezed full of people. The men entering the city had just experienced the bloody and exhilarating battlefield, so they came in with austere and serious looking faces. The emperor’s carriage and escort were also glorious and stately, cowing the people in the crowds into a silence. The entire street was as quiet as if there wasn’t a single person there.