Zhou Mo sighed. "I meant to swim back to the opposite bank, but a skiff from the Great Yong Navy spotted us first and rescued us." His words were steeped in helplessness. He had intended to follow Hu Xiaotian's instructions and take Long Xiyue back to Great Kang amid the chaos, but fate had played a cruel trick on them: a boat dispatched by the Great Yong Navy to rescue survivors had discovered them. Zhou Mo could have escaped with ease, but Long Xiyue lacked that ability. He dared not gamble with the princess's safety, so he could only make the best of the mistake, allowing the sailors to pull them aboard the skiff and bring them to this warship.
Hu Xiaotian sighed inwardly. He had never expected the Great Yong Navy to ruin such a perfect opportunity to escape. Now they could only take things one step at a time. He rose, approached one of the Great Yong officers present, and cupped his fists. "General, we are Great Kang's Marriage Envoys. By order of the emperor of Great Kang, we are escorting Princess Anping to the Yong Capital to marry Great Yong's Seventh Prince. We never expected such a calamity to strike while crossing the river. May I ask whose command this fleet is under? Could you take us to see your commander so we can explain our circumstances?"
The officer looked at Hu Xiaotian without the slightest trace of friendliness in his eyes. "You need only wait here. When the general wishes to see you, he will." He waved a hand, and two Great Yong soldiers stepped forward to motion Hu Xiaotian back to his seat.
With no other choice, Hu Xiaotian returned to sit beside Wu Jingshan and said quietly, "Things don't look good. They aren't friendly