New Song Dynasty: My Wife is an Imperial Princess

In the hall where he had met Wanyan Xi twice, Tang Qian sat on a wooden chair and looked around. When he saw a newly made iron charcoal stove in a corner not far away, he couldn't help but smile knowingly.

At this time, Youzhou was covered in snow and freezing cold. As a princess of the Jin Kingdom, it was only natural for Wanyan Xi to have several charcoal stoves made and placed in her mansion for warmth.

You must know that she was the most beloved daughter of the Jin emperor. Even if some military supplies were wasted, who would dare to say a word?

After waiting for a moment, the curtain leading to the inner room was lifted, and the first to walk out was naturally the princess's personal maid, Miss Xiao Li, followed by the proud yet playful Princess Da Jin.

Because the charcoal stove had good heat retention, Wanyan Xi's clothes were not bulky. Although she was wearing a scarlet cloak, her exquisite figure was still faintly visible. Coupled with her snow-white skin and beautiful face, calling her a beauty that could topple kingdoms would be a bit of an exaggeration, but she was certainly worthy of the title of being as beautiful as a flower.

However, no matter how alluring the other party was, Tang Qian did not dare to look at her for long. The moment Wan Yanxi appeared, he stood up, bowed, and bowed respectfully, not daring to offend her in the slightest: "Tang Qian greets Your Highness the Princess."

Wanyan Xi waved to him, gesturing for him to sit down and speak: "I heard that you were taken to Tokyo by Wanyan Xun. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get you back with just my token, so I sent someone to Liaoyang Prefecture to request an imperial decree. That's why you've been stuck in the army for so long. Please don't blame me."

Hearing this, Tang Qian's face remained smiling, but he suddenly realized why the guard commander had punished his subordinate for speaking insolently in the Jin army's tent that day. It turned out that they were acting on the orders of the Jin emperor to send him back to Youzhou.

To this day, Tang Qian still knows nothing about Wanyan Xi's purpose and is unclear about why she went to such lengths to bring him back to Youzhou.

Wan Yanxi didn't keep him in suspense and directly revealed her intentions, but her explanation scared Tang Qian into breaking out in a cold sweat.

"When my elder sister got married, she received a congratulatory gift from me and praised it highly. She then had several more made in the same style, which led to all the nobles in the city imitating her. As a result, all the pig iron in Liaoyang was used up. When this reached Father Emperor's ears, my sister and I were punished by having our salaries reduced by half a year. He said that the two princesses were arrogant, extravagant, and greedy for pleasure. My elder sister felt humiliated and almost committed suicide to atone for her sins."

Before Wanyan Xi could finish speaking, Tang Qian stood up again, his temples already soaked with cold sweat, and his words became intermittent: "Your Highness, please forgive me, I..."

Seeing Tang Qian's embarrassment, Wan Yanxi covered her mouth and laughed. Her laughter was as melodious as silver bells. Tang Qian breathed a sigh of relief. It turned out that this girl was just teasing him. Little did he know that her prank had scared him half to death.

"Father's scolding was real, and the letter was in my room, so there was no doubt about it. However, he was also impressed by the effectiveness of that tin charcoal stove, and now several have been installed in his palace."

Tang Qian wiped the sweat from his forehead. He figured this was why the father and daughter had taken him back to Youzhou. However, he had already handed over all the blueprints and techniques for making the iron charcoal stove to Wanyan Xi. Tang Qian really couldn't understand the real reason why he was being treated with such courtesy.

"While this charcoal stove is practical, it can only be installed in the bedroom or a heated room. The main hall where my father and his ministers discuss state affairs is too spacious. Even if several stoves are installed, the effect will still be minimal. I remember you told me before that this charcoal stove is not the only way to keep warm in winter. That's why I specially invited you back to ask if there is a solution."

Having said that, Tang Qian suddenly realized that it was not without reason that the Seventh Princess of the Great Jin Dynasty could enjoy the emperor's favor alone. At such a young age, she already knew how to please her father. If it was not a deep-seated Oedipus complex, then she must be very cunning. If Wanyan Xi were a man, Emperor Xizong of Jin, Wanyan Dan, might not be a match for her.

"I do have a solution to the problem Your Highness mentioned. However, as I mentioned before, this alternative solution requires renovation of the room, which cannot be completed overnight. The capital of the Great Jin Kingdom is currently experiencing freezing weather, making it unsuitable for breaking ground. Renovating the council hall will have to wait until next spring when the flowers bloom."

Noticing a hint of disappointment in Wanyan Xi's eyes, Tang Qian immediately changed the subject: "Your Highness need not be discouraged. What I just said was only the most perfect solution. If you want to solve the problem temporarily, I naturally have other options."

Tang Qian realized that the Golden Princess in front of him was his strongest support. If he didn't cling to her tightly, he would continue to struggle in the quagmire where he was constantly on the verge of losing his life. It was just a way to keep warm in winter, and Tang Qian naturally knew everything he could about it.

Besides laying simple underfloor heating pipes, another solution Tang Qian could think of was the fireplace used by medieval European nobles. This was much simpler to build than relaid the floor, but it also had an obvious disadvantage: a lower safety factor.

Aside from having an extra smoke vent, the fireplace is essentially the same as a regular charcoal brazier, so you need to be careful when using it.

"I will draw up the design drawings for these two plans when I return today. Your Highness can send someone to pick them up tomorrow." After giving his instructions, Tang Qian stood up to take his leave. "I would like to borrow the old blacksmith from the quartermaster department again. Please grant my request, Your Highness."

Wanyan Xi's expression froze slightly, then she smiled and watched Tang Qian and the other leave. Xiao Li, who was standing to the side, snorted coldly: "Why did Your Highness agree to him again? This servant feels that this person seems to be planning to make you get scolded by His Majesty again."

Wanyan Xi picked up the teacup beside her, gently scraped the rim of the cup with the lid in her left hand, and pushed aside the floating tea leaves to reveal the bright green tea soup inside. She blew on it gently with her orchid-like breath before bringing it to her lips and taking a sip.

"I know very well the purpose of this man's obsequiousness. I just want to see how many more tricks he has up his sleeve to win my favor."

Leaving the princess's residence, Tang Qian and Xiao Qi hurried towards the military supply depot. Their fleeting figures startled a boy hiding in a corner. Only after the two disappeared around the street corner did Ye Yilie withdraw his gaze.

"I didn't expect that this kid would actually be able to come back safely."

"Should we continue with our original plan?"

Ye Yilie nodded without hesitation: "No matter what, we must throw Youzhou into chaos. Only in this way will we have an opportunity to take advantage of the situation."

Tang Qian went on the expedition with the Jin army. Ye Yilie had originally planned to abandon the previous plan and find another way. Now that Tang Qian has returned, it would be more convenient to assassinate the Jin princess through his connection.

It seems I still need to stay close to Tang Qian for a while.

The next day, Xiao Li appeared at Tang Qian's residence. She was sent by the princess to retrieve the design drawings that Tang Qian had made.

Tang Qian had been preparing for some time. Before Xiao Li could even reach out, he presented the two sets of drawings with both hands. Xiao Li carefully put them away and looked at Tang Qian with curiosity in her eyes: "His Highness is not feeling well today and does not wish to see guests. I wonder what new things you made yesterday, young master? May I take them back to present to His Highness?"

Tang Qian immediately took out a wooden box: "I had a sudden inspiration and commissioned a pair of small hand warmers for Your Highness. Due to time constraints, I was unable to carve them in detail, and the craftsmanship is somewhat rough. I hope Miss Xiao Li can put in a good word for me in front of Your Highness. I would be extremely grateful."

He then opened the box, took one out, and handed it to Xiao Li: "This is a gift for Miss Xiao Li."

Tang Qian knew the saying that it's easy to send away the King of Hell but difficult to deal with his underlings. Making a deal with Wanyan Xi's personal maid would be entirely beneficial to him.

And indeed it was so. Upon seeing that she also had one, the previously unfriendly Miss Li immediately changed her attitude. In just a moment, she felt that the young master in front of her seemed much more pleasing to the eye.