New Song Dynasty: My Wife is an Imperial Princess

The next day, early in the morning.

A ray of morning sun pierced through the morning mist and shone on the city walls, gilding the soon-to-be-blooded city of Guangling with a layer of gold.

Wearing a moon-white long robe with a brown belt around his waist, adorned with a jade tassel, and with his long hair tied up high with a turban, Tang Qian, even in casual clothes, still exuded an aura of overwhelming power, capable of destroying enemy ships with a mere laugh.

Standing atop the city tower and gazing into the distance, one could indeed vaguely see banners fluttering at the edge of the open space outside the moat, with fully armed Jin soldiers arrayed outside the city, their shouts rising and falling. This was the Jin army making its final preparations for attacking the city.

A soldier on horseback galloped in, reined in his horse at the drawbridge outside the city, and waved the letter of state in his hand to the Song soldiers on the city wall: "By order of the Grand Marshal of the Great Jin State, Hulubojilie Wanyan Xieye, I have come to deliver the letter of state of the Great Jin State to Tang Qian, the Lord of Guangling City of the Great Song."

Tang Qian glanced at Ye Zhao, who nodded slightly. He then ordered the city gates to be opened and the drawbridge to be lowered. Immediately, a Song soldier guarding the city ran out of the city and delivered the official letter in the other party's hand to the city tower.

With just a glance, Ye Zhao let out a soft laugh: "Wanyan Xie will also let you open the city gates and surrender. He can plead with the Jin emperor on your behalf, pardon your crime of abducting the princess, and let you marry Wanyan Xi and become the Jin prince consort."

"That old man knows how to read the room and knows where my weakness lies." Tang Qian rubbed his nose, which wasn't too itchy, took two steps forward to the city wall, and shouted to the Jin soldiers who hadn't left below the city wall, "Go back and tell Wanyan Xieye that Tang Qian thanks him for his kindness, but your princess and I have already gone through the wedding ceremony, and we are now husband and wife in name only. We don't need any official title from the Jin Kingdom. I am now your son-in-law."

With the messenger's departure, Tang Qian's attitude was laid bare before Wanyan Xieye.

His meaning was clear: he refused to surrender and, if necessary, would bring out the seventh princess of the Great Jin as a hostage to make him hesitate to attack the city.

Although he had already anticipated that Tang Qian would put up a stubborn resistance, Wanyan Xie was still amused by his anger.

"I was able to conquer Tokyo, so how could a mere Guangling possibly stop my army's advance? That's simply overestimating myself."

With a wave of the command flag in the hands of the guards, the army of 30,000 men began to move slowly forward. Wanyan Xie did not take the group of chickens and dogs in the city seriously at all. He was afraid that if he charged, the enemy would scatter like birds and beasts. 30,000 men were enough.

Soon, the army had arrived at its designated position. Wanyan Xie glanced at the heavily fortified city wall and suddenly laughed: "Tang Qian actually set up siege weapons on the city wall. It's simply laughable."

Both catapults and crossbows were indeed quite lethal, but the terrain outside the city was open. As long as the army formation was spread out, the stones and crossbow bolts thrown from the city walls could only be described as intimidating, but the casualties caused were extremely limited.

Those were weapons used to destroy city buildings and deal with siege armies. Wanyan Xie also disdainfully said that his opponent did not know how to fight at all.

Having driven his horse to the outside of the moat, Wanyan Xie intended to give Tang Qian one last chance to surrender.

After all, this kid saved my life outside Tokyo. Although he doesn't know anything about fighting, Tang Qian is a rare talent when it comes to weapons. As long as he is willing to serve me, I can protect him.

Before he could even speak, a thin figure on the upper floor slowly emerged from the shadows and came to the city wall, looking down at him with a smile.

"Grand Marshal, how have you been? I heard your chronic illness has been completely cured? That's truly something to celebrate!"

"Thank you for your guidance that day. I was spared from death. Out of consideration for your past kindness, I will not make things difficult for you or your family. If you can..."

"Since you know you've escaped death, you should take a detached view of worldly fame and fortune and enjoy your retirement. Wouldn't it be better if the world were at peace? Why insist on waging war and starting conflicts? Aren't you afraid of ruining your reputation in your later years?"

Before Wanyan Xieye could finish speaking, Tang Qian launched into a barrage of sarcastic remarks, causing him to raise his head and narrow his eyes at Tang Qian on the city wall. In his eyes, Tang Qian was already a dead man at this moment.

"Considering our past relationship, I was willing to let you go, but you've chosen your own path to death, so don't blame me for being ruthless."

Wanyan Xieye's lifelong wish was to one day sweep across the Central Plains, expand the territory, and build the Jin Dynasty into a unified dynasty comparable to the Han and Tang dynasties. It was absolutely impossible for him to retire from the army and return to his hometown.

Since Tang Qian doesn't understand the concept of "a wise man submits to circumstances," let's just kill him and be done with it.

"Now that the two armies are facing each other, Grand Marshal, you need not feel indebted to me. When you married Princess Shunde of my Great Song Dynasty in Youzhou, we were already even. If you want Guangling City, just come and take it. However, I advise you not to underestimate the enemy. Judging from the formation you have set up now, I'm afraid you won't be able to breach my city walls."

Facing his own oppressive aura, Tang Qian was completely unafraid. He stood with one foot on the city wall, arms crossed, looking down at the city with a graceful and elegant posture, exuding an aura of supreme dominance and an air of unparalleled power.

Where did this kid get his confidence and courage to utter such arrogant words? The tens of thousands of people in Guangling City are all unarmed civilians. Tang Qian could not possibly have any backup plans or strong reinforcements. He dares to confront 50,000 Jin troops with just these scattered soldiers on the city wall. It is simply ignorant and fearless.

"Before we attack the city, may I have a meeting with the Seventh Princess? Her father asked me to pass on a few words to her."

Before Tang Qian could respond, another figure appeared on the city wall. Yan Xier was dressed in the cloth armor of a Song Dynasty general, with a square scarf covering her long hair, and a scarlet cloak fluttering in the wind, exuding the aura of a female general who was no less than any man.

"Uncle, there's no need to say more. From the moment Father bestowed me upon Zhuo Luwang, the seventh princess of the Great Jin, Wanyan Xi, was already dead. Now I am called Yan Xi'er, and I am the wife of Tang Qian, the lord of Guangling City. If anyone dares to invade my territory, I will regard them as my lifelong enemy and fight to the death."

"As a daughter, and a princess of the Great Jin, how could you utter such rebellious words? You are utterly hopeless! Wanyan Xi, are you planning to completely betray my Great Jin?"

As a bargaining chip for the royal family, isn't it standard practice for princesses to be betrothed? How come in Wanyan Xi's mouth, it became a reason for her to betray the Great Jin?

Wanyan Xi was definitely bewitched by Tang Qian and has become a disgrace to the Wanyan clan.

Having said all that, Wanyan Xie felt there was no point in saying anything more.

"Then let's fight! I will stand atop the city wall of Guangling in half a day."