New Song Dynasty: My Wife is an Imperial Princess

Glass first appeared in my country at the end of the Spring and Autumn Period and the beginning of the Warring States Period.

Unfortunately, our ancestors chose glass over crystal, and although glassmaking technology did not develop, it was preserved among the nobility as a kind of exquisite vessel.

As the saying goes, things are valued for their rarity. This item is extremely rare, so its price is naturally high. It is practically priceless and unavailable to the general public. Moreover, most of them are items like wine cups and teacups. Even if Wanyan Xi had seen glass products before, she would not have been able to tell that the hairpin in her hand was made of glass.

After admiring it in her hands for a while, Wanyan Xi put the hairpin back into the brocade box: "This thing is too precious for me to accept. You should take it back and keep it safe. As for what you want, you can tell me. As long as it is not something I can force you, I will not refuse."

"As the saying goes, a fine sword is given to a hero, but this hairpin is nothing but trash in my hands. It only shows its value when it is worn in the princess's hair."

Before Wanyan Xi could refuse again, Tang Qian immediately changed the subject to his request, "To be honest, Your Highness, I am from an official family in Dongjing City and am used to being pampered. Now that I have come to Youzhou, I really can't stay in that dilapidated inn outside the city. I would like to ask Your Highness to do me a small favor and let my servant and I stay in the city. This way, it will be convenient for me to present Your Highness with those novelties from Song Kingdom for your amusement."

Wanyan Xi frowned slightly: "The Tang envoy is now an official of the Song Dynasty. It seems inappropriate for him to enter the city so rashly."

Tang Qian smiled wryly: "Princess, you are overthinking it. I am neither a writer who can bring peace to the world nor a warrior who can conquer the world on horseback. Even if I enter the city, I have no ability to launch a surprise attack from the outside. All I want is to be well-fed and clothed. I beg Your Highness to grant my request."

Wanyan Xi knew, of course, that the Song delegation outside the city couldn't cause any trouble. Even after hearing Tang Qian's words, she still refused to budge: "Although I am the lord of Youzhou City, the military defense affairs within the city are controlled by Wanyan Xun. He once issued a decree sealing Youzhou City off, and outsiders are not allowed to enter the city without permission. Even I am powerless to do so. However, if you, envoy, change your status and become a staff officer of my city lord's mansion, perhaps we can make an exception."

This was clearly a blatant attempt to persuade him to betray the Song Dynasty. Tang Qian was obviously startled, his face turning pale instantly. He only recovered after a brief moment of astonishment.

"Whether it's the Song Dynasty or the Jin Dynasty, it's just a change of allegiance. Life is short, and I'd rather enjoy myself while I can and not be burdened by blind loyalty. However, my father values ​​his reputation highly. If I were to surrender to the Jin, it would inevitably implicate my family. And the princess wouldn't want to keep an unfaithful and unfilial person by her side, would she?"

Wanyan Xi nodded thoughtfully: "In that case, it was indeed this princess who was presumptuous."

Half an hour later, the side gate of the city lord's mansion opened, and Tang Qian emerged from it, his face full of dejection.

Even though he had just used his silver tongue and exhausted all his efforts to persuade Wan Yanxi to let him and his servant move into the city, she only said that the matter needed to be discussed in detail. Tang Qian knew that if he continued to insist, he would be being tactless.

"Do we really have to go into the city? Even though we can't run away now, we can still go back to Tokyo next spring when the flowers bloom, right?"

Tang Qian shook his head: "I'm afraid we won't be able to wait until then."

The Jin army is currently besieging Shengjing and has no time to advance south. The Song and Jin have not yet broken off relations, but at most half a month, the Liao capital will be captured, and the Jin will definitely send its army straight to Dongjing. At that time, their mission to Youzhou will definitely be used as a sacrifice.

Tang Qian's original plan was to separate from the delegation first. Although this would still not get him out of the predicament, acting alone would at least increase the possibility of escape.

Unfortunately, Wanyan Xi remained unmoved, leaving Tang Qian with no choice but to make other plans.

Meanwhile, inside the city lord's mansion, Wanyan Xi held the hairpin given to her by Tang Qian in her hand and examined it carefully, showing a hint of fondness for it: "Song is indeed a prosperous land. Even a hairpin is made so exquisitely. Such skill is truly breathtaking."

"Since Your Highness likes it, why not just agree to the Song man's request? It's just a matter of entering the city; having someone watch over it will suffice."

"What do you know?" Wanyan Xi glared at Xiao Li. "This Tang Qian only knows some strange skills and tricks. He can't make our Great Jin Kingdom rich and powerful. On the contrary, he might make people greedy for pleasure. Even if he sincerely surrenders, I have to think it over. Besides, he is only seeking protection but has never been willing to betray the Song. What use is such a person to me?"

Xiao Li pouted: "Then why did you accept things from people for no reason?"

"You silly girl, you're usually so well-behaved and sensible, never one to utter a word. Why are you defending someone who has nothing to do with you today?" Wanyan Xi reached out and patted Xiao Li on the head. "I do like this hairpin. If I have the chance to help him in the future, then we can settle this matter once and for all."

For the next few days, Youzhou City remained calm, but Tang Qian could vaguely sense that a storm was brewing. In order to escape in time, he had his newly hired guide, Ye Yilie, lead him around the city, hoping to find a hidden place to hide. Even if it meant hiding for a while when disaster struck, it would be good to be able to escape for a while.

"If all else fails, I'll have to cut my hair and pretend to be a Jin person."

Although reluctant, Tang Qian was not bound by the idea that one's body and hair are gifts from one's parents; everything he did was for the sake of saving his life.

Tang Qian searched desperately for a way to survive to no avail, and Vice Minister Li also had a gloomy face.

Since arriving outside Youzhou City, Li Ye had repeatedly sent his visiting card to Wanyan Xun, the Jin general in charge of defending the city, hoping that he could arrange for the Song delegation to discuss the return of the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun with the Jin as soon as possible. Wanyan Xun avoided meeting him time and time again. Even a fool could see that the Jin had the intention to delay the peace talks.

This time, he waited outside the gate of the Youzhou command post for more than an hour before finally managing to catch up with Wanyan Xun. However, the other party still did not give any substantial answer, only saying that the agreement between the two sides was that the agreement could only be fulfilled after the Liao Kingdom was conquered. The implication was that Li Ye should not be too anxious and should wait patiently.

"However, upon closer reflection, the day when you and I sit down for peace talks is probably not far off."

At that time, Li Ye, in his rage, thought the other party was deliberately stalling. Now, after calming down and thinking it over, he couldn't help but frown slightly.

"Could it be that the Jin Kingdom is about to breach the Liao Kingdom's capital, Shengjing, in the near future?"

Such a chilling thought flashed through his mind, startling Vice Minister Li into breaking out in a cold sweat.

In the second year of Xuanhe, the Jin army began to attack Liao. At that time, Liao was suffering from frequent natural disasters and the people were living in misery. The Jin army advanced with unstoppable momentum and successively captured the eastern cities of Liao. The Liao army was forced to retreat north. Emperor Tianzuo Yelü Yanxi even fled Juyong Pass, leaving only Yelü Chun to guard Nanjing and hold on.

In the fourth year of the Xuanhe era, the Song Dynasty allied with the Jin Dynasty to attack the Liao Dynasty. Although the Song Dynasty did not achieve a substantial victory under the chaotic command of Tong Guan, the Jin army's offensive was even more rapid due to the Song army's distraction. At present, four of the five capitals of the Liao Dynasty have been occupied by the Jin Dynasty.

In just over a decade since Wanyan Aguda established the Jin Dynasty, most of the territory of the Liao Dynasty, a former powerful enemy of the Song Dynasty, had changed hands. Although it was unclear how he had managed to do so, Li Ye understood that if the situation continued to develop in this way, it was only a matter of time before the Jin army captured Shengjing.

After all five capitals were captured, the Liao Dynasty collapsed. But could all of this satisfy the wolfish ambitions of the Wanyan clan for even a moment? Obviously not.

Combined with Wanyan Xun's ambiguous attitude, Minister Li could conclude that the Jin Dynasty had no intention of peaceful coexistence with the Song Dynasty. Although it claimed to return the sixteen prefectures, the Song army only took over four prefectures, all of which were empty cities that had been looted by the Jin army. Even Youzhou City, which should have been rotated out long ago, was still under the actual control of the Jin army. This was clearly in preparation for the main force of the Jin army to move south.

If Shengjing falls...

Thinking of this, Li Ye couldn't help but gasp again. Regardless of whether the Jin army intended to attack the Song, this news had to be sent back to the capital as soon as possible so that the court could take precautions.

Just as Li Ye was racking his brains about how to return to the capital, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the post station, causing the members of the Song Dynasty delegation to come out of the main hall to see what was happening. With a loud crash, the already dilapidated gate of the post station was knocked down, and the snow that was kicked up spread out like white powder. A flashing silver light quickly surrounded the bewildered members of the delegation.