New Song Dynasty: My Wife is an Imperial Princess

Hearing that the success rate was less than 10%, Tang Qian was not disappointed. He was not a professional to begin with, and he knew he didn't have the ability to force a high-tech career forward.

Tang Qian never expected to fight the Jin army by forming a musketeer team.

"If it's just a dozen or so steel pipes of this size, could Master Zhang make them in a short time?"

With the gun barrel in hand, Tang Qian still needed to conduct experiments on the gunpowder ratio, as he didn't want to see his musket troops facing the risk of barrels exploding at any time in the future.

To obtain the best data, a sufficient number of experimental samples must be prepared.

"If it's only a dozen or so pieces, I should be able to succeed." With his previous success, Zhang the blacksmith felt he could increase his success rate to 50%. With practice makes perfect, making the finished product needed for the weather concept as soon as possible shouldn't be too difficult.

Leaving the Zhang family's blacksmith shop, Tang Qian was in high spirits. He returned to the Qiu family residence and strode into the study. He spent a long time gesturing and finally wrote down more than ten data points on a piece of paper. He stuffed them into an envelope, sealed it with sealing wax, and handed it to Ye Yilie: "Have Tang Xiaoqi prepare a batch of gunpowder according to these data, and then go to the Zhang family's blacksmith shop to keep watch. As soon as the finished product is ready, we'll go find Tang Xiaoqi to conduct experiments."

Although he had no idea what Tang Qian was planning, Ye Yilie did not intend to ask. He only knew that Tang Qian had promised him that as long as things in Jiangnan came to an end, he could return to the north and become the Crown Prince of Western Liao again.

Now that all his servants have perished in the assassination attempt on Wanyan Wuqimai, he is all alone and has no chance of returning. His only support is Tang Qian, who is able to return to Guangling from the heavily besieged Youzhou City in a grand manner.

It was noon, and Zhao Yingluo had not returned to have lunch with Tang Qian.

Considering that there were things to do at home, and that his wife, as the young mistress, needed to help with the chores in the front yard, Tang Qian didn't mind.

He spent a rare, leisurely summer afternoon taking a nap alone in the backyard.

As evening approached, the front yard became noticeably lively. This was a housewarming party held before Jiang Siyu's wedding, so it was only natural for the Qiu family to host such a grand banquet. Tang Qian, as Jiang Siyu's younger brother, was seated at the head table, which he accepted.

But it's a bit unreasonable for the guests to keep toasting him.

"Jiang Siyu is getting married, so why am I the one being congratulated?"

Taking advantage of a moment when no one was paying attention, Zhao Yingluo glanced at Tang Qian and said, "Sister Siyu has no relatives in the city. Since Mother has recognized her as her goddaughter, we are her family. As the only male in the family, you should naturally step forward to deal with this. Do you intend to make me and Mother show our faces in public?"

Zhao Yingluo's words made sense, and Tang Qian was speechless.

Fortunately, the wines in the Song Dynasty were all rice wines with low alcohol content. Tang Qian didn't have a high alcohol tolerance, but this stuff was pretty much the same as cocktails in later generations. So he accepted all the congratulations from the guests.

I always thought I could drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, but in the end I couldn't hold my liquor and had to be carried back to the backyard by my two cousins.

Hearing Zhao Yingluo's soft sigh, Qiu Xin, who was in the lead, looked quite embarrassed: "Tang Qian is getting married tomorrow. The brothers are happy for him and have had a few too many drinks. Please take good care of him tonight, sister-in-law."

"These young masters are really something. They know my son-in-law has important business to attend to tomorrow, but they didn't even try to cover for him. If he misses the auspicious time and incurs the displeasure of the second young lady of the Ye family, the Qiu family will be in big trouble."

Zhao Yingluo was simply unable to support Tang Qian, who was already completely drunk. Rong'er, who came to help, couldn't help but complain a bit. Qiu Xin and the others could only stand aside and smile apologetically, not daring to even bare their teeth.

This little girl is no ordinary maid; her mistress is a princess of the Song Dynasty, someone even Tang Qian dares not offend. How could they dare to talk back?

It was her younger sister-in-law who was understanding. Zhao Yingluo instructed Rong'er to make some hangover tea, and apologized to her brothers, saying, "I have neglected to discipline my children, and my cousins ​​have laughed at me."

"No, that's not true." Qiu Miao hurriedly waved his hand. "It's getting late, and we have to get up early tomorrow. Your Highness should rest early. We'll take our leave."

Rong'er returned from outside the courtyard with a cup of ginseng tea. Seeing that the group of people scattered like birds and beasts and quickly disappeared behind the courtyard gate, she couldn't help but chuckle: "I wanted to say a few more words, why did they all leave? They ran faster than rabbits."

Zhao Yingluo glared at Rong'er: "We're temporarily staying at the Qiu family's house, so we're basically living under their roof. Can't you tone down your superior attitude a bit?"

Rong'er stuck out her tongue, put down the ginseng tea on the tray, and stood aside without saying a word. Seeing her hesitant appearance, unwilling to leave, Zhao Yingluo couldn't help but laugh out loud again: "Look at how impatient you are. Don't worry, we promised to live together for a lifetime, but not tonight. Look how drunk he is."

Rong'er understood Zhao Yingluo's meaning, and stamped her foot, her pretty face turning red to the roots of her ears: "Miss, what are you saying? I didn't think much of it, I was just worried that you wouldn't be able to handle everything by yourself."

Watching Rong'er escape from the room like the wind, Zhao Yingluo smiled gently. First, she helped Tang Qian take off his outer clothes, then wiped his body with water, and finally hung the wedding dress she had made herself on the clothes rack.

After observing Tang Qian by the bedside for a long time and finding that his breathing was steady and long without any signs of drunkenness, he quietly moved his feet and slowly retreated, closing the door behind him.

As dawn broke, Tang Qian opened his eyes, startled by a burst of firecrackers. He rubbed his head, which still ached from being drunk, and shook his head, muttering, "Ye Zhao is being a bit too hasty in coming to pick up the bride so early."

Just as she was about to get up and wash, the door was pushed open from the outside, and Rong'er came in carrying a basin of water. Seeing that Tang Qian was still unconsciously scratching her itch, she suddenly frowned slightly: "My dear son-in-law, why are you still dawdling? If you miss the auspicious time, it will be terrible... Pshaw, I was just saying what I didn't mean."

While still muttering to herself, Rong'er put down the basin of water, took the wedding dress from the clothes rack, and was about to help Tang Qian put it on: "Hurry up, they're urging us to hurry up outside."

"What's wrong? Do you want me to escort the sedan chair?"

Now he's considered Jiang Siyu's sworn brother and Ye Zhao's brother-in-law. Going out and causing a ruckus and getting a red envelope for carrying a sedan chair would be quite pleasant.

But does the Song Dynasty have a custom of younger brothers escorting their older sisters to their weddings? He doesn't know anything about it, and if he goes out and makes a fool of himself, that would be very embarrassing.

"What does 'sending off the sedan chair' mean?" Rong'er blinked her bright, watery eyes, seemingly not understanding what this custom was, but that wasn't the point.

"You have to go to pick up the bride. Are you just going to let Miss Xi'er and Miss Qingmiao wait here?"