The Crown Princess is busy fishing

Xiao Yunqing frowned and said warily, "Miss Lin, something's not right with this fishing boat. Let's be careful."

Lin Yuge also tensed up, staring intently at the fishing boat.

As the fishing boat drew near, the people on board called out, "Fisherwoman, is that you?"

Upon hearing the sound, Lin Yuge looked over and, after recognizing the people on the boat, exclaimed excitedly, "Uncle Youcai? What are you doing here?"

Wang Youcai was also overjoyed and let out a long sigh.

He sighed, "Yuge, you have no idea how worried your family has been since you went out to sea and didn't come back that day."

"Everyone says you encountered a storm and won't come back. But your parents just don't believe it."

As she spoke, she pointed to the boat at her feet, "The village boats have been searching for you these past few days. Your mother and the others felt it wasn't enough, so they bought two small boats and had everyone split into teams to search the surrounding waters."

"We've finally found you today. If you hadn't shown up, we wouldn't have known how to comfort your parents."

Lin Yuge's eyes welled up with tears as she listened to Wang Youcai's words.

She choked up as she said, "Uncle Youcai, thank you for all your trouble. I'm perfectly fine."

"Good! Good! It's good that you're back safe and sound."

Wang Youcai nodded and quickly said, "Come on, hurry back, your family must be getting impatient."

Lin Yuge turned to Xiao Yunqing and said, "Young Master Yun, let's go. Let's rest at my house for a while, and I'll take you to Dawankou later."

Xiao Yunqing nodded slightly, "Then I'll take the trouble."

After saying that, they followed Wang Youcai's boat and headed towards the fishing village.

As soon as the fishing boat entered the bay, people on the shore spotted it.

Immediately someone shouted, "The Fisherwoman's boat is back! Lin family, come out and see if it's your girl!"

That shout was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly enlivening the entire fishing village.

In the crowd, Xie Jingwan and Lin Fanghai eagerly pushed their way to the front, their eyes fixed on the approaching ship.

Lin Yuge also saw her parents, and her eyes immediately reddened.

She stood at the bow of the boat, waving frantically and shouting, "Father, Mother, I'm here!"

Before the boat had even fully docked, Lin Yuge jumped off and ran towards her parents.

Xie Jingwan pulled her into her arms and burst into tears.

"My son, you scared your mother to death. I thought I would never see you again."

Lin Fanghai, his eyes also reddening and his lips trembling, said, "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back."

Xiao Yunqing stopped the boat and walked over.

At this moment, he regained his usual indifference.

He only restrained himself slightly when facing the Lin family.

Lin Fanghai then realized that they had returned together.

He asked with some confusion, "Young Master Yun? How come you all came back together?"

Xiao Yunqing looked at Lin Yuge and then slowly said, "Lord Lin, it was quite a coincidence. I encountered a mishap at sea, and fortunately, Miss Lin helped me."

"After that, we went through many storms together, taking care of each other, and that's how we came back together."

Lin Yuge nodded in agreement.

“Father, what Prince Yun said is true. The journey back has been fraught with difficulties. If it weren’t for Prince Yun, I’m afraid I would have had a hard time dealing with them.”

Lin Fanghai nodded after hearing this, and said with deep emotion, "So that's how it is. It's fate that we met at sea. In any case, it's good that you came back safely."

Xie Jingwan was relieved to see that her daughter was safe and sound.

She hurriedly urged, "Come on, let's go back inside. Mother will make you something delicious. Prince Yun, please come along too. We must treat you well today."

Xiao Yunqing clasped his hands in a gesture of respect and said, "I apologize for disturbing you."

The group walked together toward the Lin family's house.

Along the way, villagers gathered around, curiously looking at Xiao Yunqing and whispering among themselves.

Lin Yuge greeted the villagers with a smile and shared some interesting stories from her time at sea.

However, the dangers were only mentioned briefly.

When Lin Yuge arrived at the thatched hut, she was dumbfounded to see that only half of the house remained.

"Father, Mother, what's going on?"

Xie Jingwan said somewhat awkwardly, "Yuge, the storm that day wasn't just at sea; it affected us on the shore too."

"As you know, our thatched huts are not sturdy to begin with, and the wind is very strong, so it's become like this."

"But don't worry, your father and the villagers are already discussing rebuilding the house."

Lin Fanghai nodded in agreement, "Yes, Yuge, it's nothing serious. As long as you come back safely, that's all that matters. A house can be rebuilt."

Lin Yuge felt a pang of sadness as she looked at her parents' feigned ease.

As everyone entered the room, Xiao Yunqing looked at the scene before her, lost in thought.

Xie Jingwan quickly invited everyone to sit down.

He said somewhat embarrassedly, "Young Master Yun, my home is simple, please don't mind. I'll go and make some tea right away."

Xiao Yunqing shook his head and said nonchalantly, "It's alright. The conditions were much harsher back at the border."

“There, the wind and sand were everywhere, and the accommodations were just temporary tents that let in the wind from all sides. Compared to that, this place is already quite good.”

Lin Yuge looked at him with admiration in her eyes, "Young Master Yun must have experienced many hardships at the border, yet he can remain so calm. It truly inspires respect."

Xiao Yunqing smiled and said, "They were just ordinary experiences."

Then he looked at Lin Fanghai and asked seriously, "What are your plans for the future, Lord Lin?"

Lin Fanghai sighed deeply, "Young Master Yun, what plans can I possibly have now that I am a criminal under investigation?"

"I only hope to spend the rest of my life peacefully in this place of exile, and not to bring any more trouble to my family."

Xiao Yunqing shook his head slightly, "Lord Lin, I have an idea. I know that you were very skilled when you were in the Ministry of Works."

“I currently need a batch of crossbows to equip my warships. If you could make this batch of crossbows for me…”

"Firstly, it can help me strengthen our coastal defenses; secondly, if this matter is handled well, it may also help you clear your name in the future."

A hint of surprise and hesitation flashed in Lin Fanghai's eyes.

“Young Master Yun, I am willing to serve you, but I am currently an exiled person. It would be quite inconvenient for me to enter the military camp to forge crossbows.”

Xiao Yunqing smiled and said, "Lord Lin, there is no need to worry. As the military governor of Lingnan, I will take care of these matters."

"Furthermore, I will report your situation to my royal uncle, so you can focus on making crossbows."

Upon hearing this, Lin Fanghai felt a glimmer of hope.

"Since Prince Yun trusts this humble subject so much, this humble subject will certainly do his utmost. However, in this place of exile, the tools and materials may not be sufficient to meet the needs of crossbow making."

Xiao Yunqing said confidently, "Lord Lin, you can rest assured about this."

"I will arrange for you to work in the military camp to forge crossbows. The tools and materials there are complete. Once you arrive at the camp, you can choose a suitable craftsman to work with."

Lin Fanghai was immediately moved to tears and bowed to him, saying, "Your Highness Yun's great kindness is something I will never forget."

Lin Yuge was also happy for her father.

“Father, this is a good opportunity. This way you won’t have to go to sea and can focus on doing what you like.”