New Song Dynasty: My Wife is an Imperial Princess

It was still early, and Zhao Yingluo really couldn't get up. She could only close her eyes and go back to sleep with a mix of shame and satisfaction.

Tang Qian opened the door and pushed Rong'er, who had just gotten up to announce his arrival, back to the side room at the courtyard gate: "You'll be helping your young lady wash up in a bit, no need to come along."

Upon leaving the courtyard and meeting up with the servants who had come to deliver the news, Tang Qian's face darkened: "What happened?"

They had been back in Guangling for four days, and there had never been any urgent official business that required Tang Qian to get up in the middle of the night to handle before.

Could it be that the Jin army caught up so quickly? That seems unlikely. Shouldn't Wanyan Xieye still be gathering provisions at this time?

That bastard Wanyan Xun has been holed up in Youzhou, holding back his troops. If he were to reveal even the slightest hint of his disloyalty, he could buy himself some time.

“A group of people came to the north gate, saying they had withdrawn from Tokyo and came to Guangling to join them. However, because it was too dark, the soldiers guarding the city could not see their identities clearly. Fearing that they might be spies from the Jin army, no one dared to open the city gate. Commander Wang sent someone back to ask the city lord for his opinion.”

"The Song army that withdrew from the north? Who was their commander?"

"The person who came couldn't explain it clearly, only that the one who rode up and spoke to me was a young general on a white horse with a silver spear."

Seeing that the servants couldn't come up with anything, Tang Qian didn't ask any further questions. As he left the Qiu family mansion, a fully equipped carriage was already waiting for him to board and depart.

Before dawn, Guangling City was deserted. The vendors who usually got up early to sell snacks were nowhere to be seen. Tang Qian touched his rumbling stomach and felt that he needed to make some easy-to-carry dry food so that he could fill his stomach at any time.

Mingyuefang is not far from the North Gate. After just a few turns, the speeding carriage came to a steady stop under the city gate amidst the driver's shouts.

Tang Qian rushed upstairs and, sure enough, saw a young man in armor, holding a spear, sitting astride a warhorse on the opposite bank of the moat outside the city. He looked like a general who had been through countless battles.

As time passed, the eastern sun slowly rose, and a golden ray of sunlight shone down, gilding the young man's silver armor with a layer of gold, making him look like a celestial warrior descended from the mortal realm, dazzling even Tang Qian.

"Which marshal's general are you? And who is it that wishes to defect to Guangling City?"

Although the enemy's attire clearly indicated they were Song soldiers, Tang Qian dared not be careless. After all, he carried the lives of tens of thousands of people in the city on his shoulders. If he let in a spies, leading to the eventual fall of the city, his sins would be immense.

"This humble general, Yue Fei, was invited by Young Master Tang Qian. Today, I am leading two thousand brothers to join the forces in Guangling City. Please convey my message and invite the Prince Consort to come out and meet me."

"Yue Fei? Grandpa Yue?"

Upon hearing the name the other party uttered, Tang Qian's heart skipped a beat, followed by a surge of excitement that made him shout out the name without thinking.

What left everyone on and off the city walls speechless was that, although the young general outside the city looked a few years older than Tang Qian, he was by no means a grandfather.

Suddenly sensing the awkward atmosphere, Tang Qian coughed lightly to cover his embarrassment: "I am Tang Qian. Back in Yingtian Prefecture, I did indeed have the imperial eunuch deliver a message to General Yue. But how could I know whether you, this General Yue, are real or not? Do you have any proof?"

The young man below the city wall was silent for a moment, then gave a bitter smile: "Back then, because I spoke frankly to the Emperor, I was dismissed from my post and even my military registration was cancelled. Now I really have no proof of my identity. Guangling City is under martial law now, and it is indeed inappropriate to let people of unknown identity into the city. Very well, I will lead my soldiers to wait outside the city."

"How could that be?" Seeing the other party rein in his horse and turn to leave, Tang Qian immediately stopped him, "General, please let me see your back. I'll know whether it's real or fake at a glance."

"Hmm?" The young man frowned slightly. "How do you know what's on my back?"

When he joined the army, his mother personally tattooed the four characters "Serve the country with utmost loyalty" on his back. Of course, many people had seen it, but he was certain that it did not include this Tang Qian.

"So that means it is?" Tang Qian couldn't hide his excitement and waved to Wang Jian. "Then there's no need to verify his identity. Open the city gates immediately and welcome General Yue into the city."

“But…” Wang Jian was about to try to persuade him, but Tang Qian interrupted him directly, “If there’s a problem, I’ll take responsibility.”

Wang Jian was slightly taken aback. Since meeting Tang Qian, this was the first time he had seen the other party trust someone so much, and this guy was actually a complete stranger whom he was meeting for the first time.

However, Commander Wang now completely follows Tang Qian's lead, and even though he had concerns, he still ordered his soldiers to open the city gates.

With a creaking sound of a mechanism turning, the city gate of Guangling North City was opened and the drawbridge was lowered. The young general outside the city dismounted, threw his spear to his deputy, and removed his sword from his waist before crossing the drawbridge and entering the city alone.

Tang Qian had already arrived at the foot of the city wall. Upon seeing Yue Fei striding towards him, he could not hide his excitement and immediately ran up to greet him. Before Yue Fei could even bow in greeting, Tang Qian grabbed his hand and shook it vigorously, saying, "I've been waiting for you for so long! I've finally been able to welcome you, General!"

Back in Yingtian Prefecture, Tang Qian knew that Yue Fei, whose military status had been revoked, would go to Youzhou to raise his own troops and fight in the field. He only made such a suggestion and did not expect Yue Fei to actually come to Guangling.

At this moment, the deified Yue Fei, who would later be deified, was standing right in front of him. How could Tang Qian not be excited?

His handshake was so shocking that everyone stood there dumbfounded, wondering to themselves, "Is this kid stupid?"

"Don't worry about the details. I'm just expressing my respect for the young general who was able to win thirteen consecutive games against the Jin army."

Upon hearing of such a feat, everyone present changed their expressions, and when they looked at Yue Fei again, they did so with a sense of reverence.

Every single one of them standing here is a righteous Song Dynasty warrior determined to fight the Jin army to the bitter end. It is only natural to feel a deep respect for them.

"Two thousand soldiers I brought are still stationed in the woods outside the city, but our supplies are running low. I would like to ask Your Highness to send some porridge out."

"It is my duty." Tang Qian immediately turned to look at the Qiu family servants behind him, "Give the order to prepare food for the soldiers outside immediately."

Then he looked at Yue Fei and asked, "General, you come from the north. What is the situation in the Central Plains? Will the Jin army march south?"