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“I didn’t expect those people to act so quickly. I thought I had more time to arrange things, but now we have to resort to a dangerous military strategy.” Han Yu was not afraid; it was just that the eagerness of those people to get rid of him made him feel uneasy. Moreover, he worried about his wife back home—if something were to happen, how could he rest assured leaving his beloved wife and child in the care of others? This is the reality for a married man; facing such situations, it’s inevitable to have concerns, unable to be as carefree as before.

Su Wenyue’s heart tightened. Although she knew that in her previous life Han Yu had smoothly secured the position of Prime Minister, this life was too different due to her rebirth.

“But it could be dangerous—should we ask my father for some men to help?” Su Wenyue could no longer concern herself with other matters; as long as Han Yu was safe, that was all that mattered. She knew that the Su Family also covertly maintained a group of people for such situations, a fact known only to the family head, not even her mother from the An Family knew. She had learned of this inadvertently in her previous life, and she believed that given how much her father and big brother cherished her, they would not stand by if their son-in-law’s safety was at stake.

“There is no need. Since we’ve joined the military camp, how could we not face danger? We cannot go running to my father-in-law for every little thing, nor can we afford to let others look down on the Han Family. Besides, it’s not like I have no confidence at all, it’s just you I’m worried about troubling.” Han Yu’s pride would not allow him to rely on his wife’s parents’ home for help in certain matters. To attain a position others look up to, he understood he had to risk his life to fight. He had already made his decision but felt somewhat guilty towards his wife—he could not give up either his wife or his accomplishments.

Su Wenyue saw Han Yu’s determination and understood this man’s ambition and aspirations, so she did not persuade him otherwise but simply held his hand.

“Since you have decided, then let’s proceed with your plan. I believe my child’s father is the most capable man and will surely succeed. The child and I will wait for you at home. You must also return safely for me and our child,” Su Wenyue said, looking intently at Han Yu with unprecedented trust and support. Since Han Yu was willing to share the situation with her without any secrets, she was willing to be his strong support, to take care of their home, and to wait for his return.

“Wife, marrying you is the luckiest thing that’s happened to me in this life,” Han Yu said, moved. His wife was stronger than he had imagined. She was neither crying nor showing the fragility or helplessness he feared, but rather supporting him in her own way, leaving him with no worries.

“You’re just realizing that now,” Su Wenyue said, giving Han Yu a look before asking, “When are you leaving to suppress the bandits, and is there anything I can do?”

“We’re leaving the day after tomorrow. The bandits have become increasingly rampant these days, and it’s better to eliminate this scourge sooner. It will also be a way to avenge Eldest Brother-in-law and settle a score. As for you, what you can do is stay at home and take care of yourself and the child, waiting for my return. Don’t worry, I’ve been arranging things for so long, and knowing their actions in advance, I’ve gained the upper hand. Even if this fight doesn’t have full certainty, there’s still a 70 to 80 percent chance. You just wait at home for my return without too much worry,” Han Yu explained, not wanting to worry his wife too much. Without the actual confrontation, nobody could be sure of victory or defeat. In fact, he felt he had, at best, a fifty-fifty chance. His foundation was still too shallow, and despite his progress up to now, he was often incapable of fully handling certain matters, especially since this event had happened much earlier than expected, with many preparations not yet in place.

Upon hearing that Han Yu had a 70 to 80 percent confidence, Su Wenyue indeed breathed a sigh of relief. In her view, Han Yu did not undertake tasks without assurance, and if he spoke so confidently, he must be well-prepared. However, she did not sit idly by doing nothing as he suggested, knowing there were still preparations to be made to ease her worries.

Han Yu only had so many men at his disposal, and taking down the bandits stronghold would not be an easy task; it might take some time. Food was indispensable, and with it being November, the cold weather added an extra layer of difficulty. She had heard that the soldiers in the camp had not received their provisions for a month, and considering that some in the camp were deliberately targeting Han Yu, they could not allow him to face the bandits under-equipped and under-fed.

“Husband, will you be coming back home before you set off?” Su Wenyue asked uncertainly, aware that Han Yu sometimes stayed at the military camp due to tight schedules.

“I’ll come back tomorrow night, and will return earlier,” Han Yu thought Su Wenyue wanted to be assured by seeing him before the departure, so he promised to come back since there would be no training tomorrow, only arrangements for the day after.

Although the bandits’ stronghold was not too far from here, a rushed assault could reach it in less than a day. The typical strategy would be to launch a surprise attack and seize the fortress quickly, enabling a swift return. However, with a traitor in the camp leaking information to the bandits, such tactics were obviously infeasible, as they could fall into the bandits’ trap instead. Thus, Han Yu was prepared for this battle to take some time, and he knew they had to be fully equipped.

Su Wenyue, having received a definite answer from Han Yu, did not ask further, pondering what she needed to prepare for the next day to avoid any oversights.

Early the next morning, Han Yu set out, and Su Wenyue also got up early, gathering the servants and organizing them according to her plan. There were three things to prepare: food, medicinal materials, and cotton-padded clothes and quilts.

Fortunately, Su Wenyue had experience from her previous life; the family’s wealth had been entirely converted into food and goods, and the warehouse was full, allowing her to prepare without panic. The required quantity was not too large, everything was readily available at home, and there was no need to haul it from the Zhuangzi.

Considering the inconvenience of transporting raw food during a march, Su Wenyue prepared cooked supplies: flatbread, pickles, dried meat—food that was unlikely to spoil in such weather. If there were time to heat it up before eating, it would be more comfortable, but it was also suitable to eat directly. Each man would also receive several large sweet potatoes and a jug of wine, an essential in such cold weather, to warm them up if they were too cold.

As for medicines, it was impractical to prepare for each individual, so Su Wenyue prepared only what might be needed during the march, divided among several packages for Han Yu to distribute.