Chapter 724: and translation of title

That bastard, even after taking a high position, doesn't let people rest easy; truly damn infuriating! Traveling a thousand miles, twelve imperial edicts—am I some kind of flying legs? And I'm supposed to return within half a month to oversee the state? Oversee my ass!

Jinzhi lifted her gaze to Zhao Lang, who was holding their daughter and cursing, and said angrily, "Say a few less words; the Emperor must have had something major happen in the palace, which is why he summoned you back!"

Zhao Lang looked at Jinzhi, and his tone instantly softened; he said with a reassuring smile, "I'm just worried about you!"

I'm thick-skinned, so it doesn't matter to me, but you just brought a pair of children to the frontier to find me, and you haven't even settled in for three months, and that bastard Xiao Yin has stirred up such a huge mess!

Zhao Lang looked at his wife with affection; she had borne him a pair of children, and her health had suffered.

After staying a few days in Jing Cheng, Zhao's elderly parents didn't want the young couple to be separated often, so they brought their daughter-in-law and the two little grandsons and moved the whole household to the border city where Zhao Lang was stationed.

Here there is no scheming and flattery of the upper-class circles of Shang Jing, no deceit and intrigue; the folk customs are extremely simple and honest.

Along the way, Madame Zhao took good care of Jinzhi, and they simply toured mountains and waters as they went.

Both adults and children had noticeably gained weight, which made Madame Zhao very happy; as long as her daughter-in-law was well, the Zhao family was fine.

These days, Jinzhi's life with the Zhao family was especially comfortable; Madame Zhao was broad-minded and kind, and without the many formalities of aristocratic clans, she even waived Jinzhi's morning and evening greetings, saying she wanted to sleep in and not be disturbed.

Upon arriving at the frontier, the whole family felt right at home; each day Madame Zhao watched the two little grandsons, and when Zhao Lang had free time he personally took Jinzhi horseback riding to take in the magnificent scenery of the borderlands beyond the passes.

He took her hunting, even catching a snow fox for her to play with, utterly pampering Jinzhi like a child.

The family had barely been happy for a few days when Xiao Yin sent an imperial edict to the frontier; Zhao Lang's state of mind truly exploded, and he even entertained the thought of directly seizing the throne and killing Xiao Yin.

Jinzhi advised from the side: "You are a subject; defending the country abroad and being loyal to the Emperor and loving the people at home is what you ought to do."

Privately, the Emperor and Empress have shown kindness to us; if it weren't for the Empress delivering our little treasure, we might have lost both mother and child...

As Jinzhi spoke, she choked up, recalling all the past hardships; now she is doing much better.

Zhao Lang feared most seeing Jinzhi cry; he panicked, not knowing what to do, and hurriedly held the child, moving close to Jinzhi's face to whisper a comforting smile.

That servile demeanor bore no resemblance to the battlefield's Zhang Yang, the killing god.

"Don't cry, don't cry; I'm just venting a bit. Mainly, I feel sorry for you after your arduous journey, worried your body can't take it."

"Right, little treasure? Daddy is also worried about Mommy," Zhao Lang, having no choice, employed his ultimate tactic and lifted the seven-month-old little treasure up to Jinzhi's face.

The little one thought Daddy was teasing her to play, and she happily laughed.

Jinzhi glanced at him, snatched the child, and held her carefully in her arms; immediately, a faint shadow of worry fell over her brows and eyes.

"Although the Emperor didn't clearly state why he wants you to return to Shang Jing to oversee the state, something must have happened."

"Now that the Emperor trusts you, that is our greatest blessing; one should know how to repay kindness, which also counts as accumulating merit for our two children."

Zhao Lang tightly gripped Jinzhi's hand, smiled, and said, "Rest assured, I have no real interest in the Dragon Throne in the Golden Hall; as long as you are healthy, that's better than anything."

Jinzhi knew Zhao Lang understood her meaning; she had always been unwilling to interfere in his affairs.

She had wandered with her mother since childhood, later settling in Liangzhou in the northern frontier; her mother had instilled in her from youth that one must be virtuous.

She knew Zhao Lang held command of several hundred thousand troops; putting him in charge of overseeing the state, she had no idea how great a reaction it would provoke.

Originally she didn't want to interfere in this matter, but she also wanted to remind Zhao Lang from the side: overseeing the state is just overseeing the state; one must never be greedily insatiable, ending up wanting more.

However, she trusted Zhao Lang's character; if he were truly such a petty person, Xiao Yin probably wouldn't have let him return to oversee the state.

Zhao Lang was about to say a few more words when suddenly the carriage outside jolted violently and came to a halt.

This sudden change arose abruptly; Zhao Lang in one motion pulled his wife and children behind him, protecting them thoroughly.

"What's going on?" Zhao Lang's voice sank.

A guard rushed up to Zhao Lang's carriage in a panic; before he could speak, a barrage of arrow rain came from afar, tearing through the sky.

Jinzhi looked in terror at her father-in-law, wondering how anyone could still come halfway to rob them.

The bandits probably don't realize that her husband is a formidable general of Southern Qi; robbing the Zhao family, do they think they're courting death?

Zhao Lang said nothing, gently embracing his wife and children and patting Jinzhi's shoulder, then whispered, "Do you remember what I told you before we set out? If something happens on the road, hide at the place I told you; if I don't come personally to fetch you, no one should follow anyone."

Jinzhi didn't expect Zhao Lang to suddenly say such a thing; to ordinary bandits, Zhao Lang would not be afraid at all.

The Zhao family army had also brought eight hundred personal troops along the way; with such strength, any bandits attempting to rob on the road wouldn't even have time to flee.

Now it seems they've run into serious trouble; even her retreat route had been prepared, and in her panic she grabbed Zhao Lang's sleeve.

Zhao Lang softly soothed: "Don't be afraid; in a moment I'll have them send you out; this might be an old friend coming, I need to go meet him…"

Before his words finished, shouts of killing came wrapped in the smell of blood; he lowered his head and gave a bitter laugh: "That bastard Xiao Yin predicts events like a god."

But he said this in an extremely low voice, like self-mockery and a sigh, and Jinzhi couldn't make it out at once.

Jinzhi had always been obedient and listened to Zhao Lang; although she felt myriad worries and reluctance, she understood that if she stayed by his side she would not only be unable to help him, but might even become his weak point.

She hurriedly clutched her son and daughter; not long after, Zhao Lang lifted the carriage curtain, and at that very moment another volley of arrows flew toward them.

Poisoned arrow shafts pierced the carriage wall, and Zhao Lang's killing intent in his eyes suddenly surged.

"Someone! Take the lady away!"

Besides the eight hundred iron guards beside Zhao Lang, he had also cultivated twenty highly skilled martial artists, whom he personally trained to be responsible for the safety of his wife and children.

Through the carriage window, Jinzhi in horror saw that a large group of people clad in dark martial attire had surged out from all sides, advancing toward them.

Such a sky-filling barrage of arrow shafts was like a torrential downpour, shooting rapidly at them.

Jinzhi's heart gave a sudden jolt; this was hardly bandits.

This must be some people who deliberately set a trap here to slaughter their whole family.

Moreover, this mountain valley is the sole passage from outside the gates into Shang Jing.

As the capital of Southern Qi, Shang Jing is surrounded by connecting mountains; to enter the city one must pass through this canyon.

Last time Xiao Yin encountered danger in this canyon; now it's their turn.