New Song Dynasty: My Wife is an Imperial Princess

After a moment's thought, Zhao Yingluo also felt that her husband's words made sense. Now that her worries were gone, she helped Tang Qian begin to polish the story.

Before they knew it, it was already late at night. With the experience from the previous night, the two were no longer shy and awkward when they met again. The process was not intense, but it still left Tang Qian sweating profusely.

In contrast, Zhao Yingluo's skin appeared as white as snow under the moonlight, and she looked even more charming in the hazy light. Even the faint sorrow that used to linger between her brows had disappeared without a trace.

Watching his wife in his arms become even more beautiful and charming after being nourished by love, Tang Qian sighed with a wry smile, "Indeed, there are only oxen that die from exhaustion, not land that is over-plowned."

Thinking of his two unmarried wives waiting for him to share his affections, Tang Qian felt that the time when he would be soaking goji berries in his thermos was getting closer and closer.

Holding Zhao Yingluo in his arms as he fell asleep, Tang Qian finally got a good night's sleep undisturbed, a rare treat.

The next day, the morning sun streamed in through the window, causing Tang Qian to open his half-closed eyes. He turned over, wanting to hug Zhao Yingluo and continue their tender moments, but found himself alone beside her.

Opening his sleepy eyes, Tang Qian propped himself up and sat up. Taking the opportunity to stretch, he moved his waist and body. After a night's rest, Tang Qian, who had regained his vigor, felt that he could still fight Zhao Yingluo for three hundred rounds.

After getting out of bed, putting on his clothes, and opening the door to leave his room, Tang Qian saw a slender figure standing motionless in his study. However, he was certain that the person was not from his own courtyard.

Startled by the questioning from behind, Wan'er hurriedly put down the manuscript on the table and tried to kneel down to Tang Qian in her panic: "This servant deserves to die, please forgive me, Lord City Lord."

"We don't observe kneeling rituals here," Tang Qian immediately reached out to help the other woman up. "But please answer my questions, young lady: who are you? And why are you here?"

Overwhelmed with gratitude, Wan'er dared not be negligent and immediately gave a brief explanation of her identity.

"I am Miss Jiang's maid. The young mistress asked me to come and take the manuscript from the table so that she could show it to the ladies and young misses in the family. I was just attracted by the story in the manuscript, so I took a few more glances."

"You mean, my mother adopted your young lady as her goddaughter yesterday, and the second young lady of the Jiang family is now my sister?"

Tang Qian shook his head and smiled bitterly. The third young lady of the Ye family was his betrothed, and Jiang Siyu, who was originally his sister-in-law, had become his older sister. So, between him and Ye Zhao, who was the brother-in-law?

Well, even in the early days of liberation, the bad custom of exchanging marriages between two families still existed. Presumably, it's even more prevalent now. Since he can't change this situation, he can only accept it.

"Miss Wan'er can read? That's rather surprising."

"I studied haphazardly at the Jiang family's private school for two years, following the young lady."

It must be said that this Miss Wan'er is indeed intelligent and has a natural advantage in studying. Although she only listens to the teacher's lessons half-heartedly while following Jiang Siyu, she can still understand the Four Books and Five Classics and write beautiful characters. If she were not a girl, she might have been able to pass the imperial examination and become a Jinshi.

Tang Qian nodded: "I do need a literate assistant by my side, but it's a pity you're going to marry into the Ye family with your young lady."

Xiao Li can speak Song language but doesn't know Chinese characters. Rong'er can read, but she needs to stay by Zhao Yingluo's side. Tang Xiaoqi is busy preparing explosives. Ye Yilie is, after all, an outsider, and Tang Qian doesn't dare to entrust him with any important tasks.

Ultimately, he still had too few capable people around him.

He organized the opera outline he had written the night before and handed it to Wan'er. The two of them left the study one after the other and arrived at the courtyard where the Qiu family lived. A group of women had already gathered there, chatting and laughing, creating a lively scene.

Upon seeing Tang Qian approach, Zhao Yingluo immediately put down the red paper and scissors in her hand and stood up. Her two elder sisters, who had not accompanied Emperor Zhao Ji to Hangzhou, also greeted her with smiles. Behind the three of them were their younger sisters, Zhao Saiyue and Zhao Jinling.

The other sisters-in-law and cousins ​​from the Qiu family also intended to stand up and bow, but Tang Qian waved them back down, saying, "I just came to take a look and will be leaving soon. There's no need for you sisters-in-law and cousins ​​to stand on ceremony."

Amidst laughter, the eldest sister-in-law, Chen, glanced at Zhao Yingluo sitting opposite her and said, "I think you're just pretending to come see us; you're really concerned about your own wife."

Faced with the teasing, Tang Qian did not deny it, but just chuckled. He noticed that the paper-cut window decorations they were making were all big red "double happiness" characters. Then he looked at the second young lady of the Jiang family sitting not far away with her head down and her face flushed with embarrassment, and suddenly he understood.

It seems that Sister Jiang is going to hold her wedding ceremony at the Qiu family. However, since her mother has already recognized this goddaughter and regards this place as her maternal home, Tang Qian feels that it is perfectly reasonable.

After scanning the room, Tang Qian frowned: "Where is Xi'er?"

This was the second day he hadn't seen Yan Xi'er. Didn't Zhao Yingluo say that her mother, Qiu Linghua, had arranged for her to stay here? Logically speaking, Yan Xi'er shouldn't be staying in the house during the day, right?

Seemingly anticipating Tang Qian's question, Zhao Yingluo immediately replied, "Xi'er was just here, but Mother called her away. If you're worried, you can go to Mother's courtyard to check on her."

At the same moment, the older cousin teased, "It seems that our Yan Xi'er is still the apple of your eye, cousin. Aren't you worried that Yingluo will be angry?"

"That's right. Seeing how nervous you are, I thought we had bullied Xi'er. Don't worry, just because of her title as the Great Golden Princess, none of us would dare to do anything reckless. Besides, she'll soon be part of our family."

Although Yan Xier never revealed her identity as a princess, people could tell from her broken Song language and her behavior that was not typical of a Song woman that she was not from Song. Based on the information that Tang Xiaoqi had sent back, it was not difficult to conclude that the incredibly beautiful Yan Xier in front of them was the seventh princess of Jin who had eloped to Guangling with Tang Qian.

With his sisters making light of things, Tang Qian felt too embarrassed to care about Yan Xier's whereabouts anymore. Since she was in the Qiu family compound anyway, he wasn't worried about her safety.

After exchanging greetings with his sworn sister Jiang Siyu, Tang Qian really wanted to borrow Wan'er to stay by his side for a while. If he dictated the plays and Wan'er wrote them down, the two plays would surely be published soon.

However, after thinking about it, I decided against it. Butterfly Dance is still looking for actors to form a troupe, and there won't be any rehearsals for a while. The most important thing right now is the defense of the city.