New Song Dynasty: My Wife is an Imperial Princess

"That's not quite right. If Tang Qian is indeed skilled in medicine, it wouldn't be difficult for him to see that Your Highness is unwell. Your Highness's reluctance to seek medical help will only cause you suffering."

Wanyan Xi glanced at Xiao Li, but she also felt that it was indeed undeniable that Tang Qian's folk remedy was effective. She had a deep understanding of this. However, she wondered if she should live if such a private matter was known to a man.

"Why are you praising Tang Qian so much lately? What rumors have you heard? Tell me about them."

When the gossip she had heard was mentioned, Xiao Li's eyes lit up, and she looked very interested: "Does Your Highness know that our Great Jin suffered repeated defeats at the gates of Bianjing during this attack on Song?"

"Say something quickly."

Wanyan Xi seemed a little impatient. Ordinary people certainly wouldn't know about these military reports, but as a princess, she could certainly see what was written in the reports she sent back. Xiao Li knew these things because she had told her unintentionally.

The Jin army suffered repeated setbacks, which was simply due to unfavorable military conditions. What could Tang Qian have to do with it? At most, he was just a nobody by Wanyan Xun's side at the time. If Wanyan Xun couldn't even get a word in about important military matters, what could a mere Tang Qian do?

"Our army suffered heavy losses after failing to capture Tokyo. Several princes were considering negotiating peace with the Song army, but unfortunately, the commander-in-chief insisted on fighting the Song army to the death. At the critical moment, Tang Qian discovered that the commander-in-chief was suffering from a serious illness and provided a cure. In order to obtain medicinal materials that were only available in the Song country, the commander-in-chief temporarily withdrew his troops and negotiated peace with the Song army, thus avoiding a life-or-death battle between the two sides."

"I see."

Wanyan Xi knew a little about her uncle, Wanyan Xie, who was also suffering from an incurable disease. She never expected that the disease that had baffled doctors throughout the Jin Dynasty would be so easily cured by a young man from the Song Dynasty.

However, the significance behind what Tang Qian did was far more than simply curing Wanyan Xieye.

The Jurchen people were originally a small tribe that was dependent on the Liao Dynasty. They rebelled against the Liao Dynasty because they were dissatisfied with the Liao emperor's exorbitant taxes and levies. The war lasted for several years and has now finally ended with the victory of the Jin army.

However, for both sides, there is no absolute victory in war. The Liao Dynasty was destroyed, and the Jin Dynasty also suffered considerable losses. Now should be a time for the Jin Dynasty to recuperate, but the Imperial Uncle Wanyan Xieye disregarded the opposition of his ministers and insisted on marching south to attack the Song Dynasty, which seemed to be akin to exhausting the army and engaging in reckless militarism.

Attacking Liao was a last resort forced by circumstances, while attacking Song was a deliberate provocation that plunged the people of both countries into misery. Why couldn't the two countries live in peace and enjoy the annual tribute from Song without resorting to war? Wouldn't that be better?

Wanyan Xi didn't understand the ways of the court, but she truly cared for the suffering masses. Otherwise, she wouldn't have mobilized the entire Princess's Mansion to try and support all the people of Youzhou.

Thinking of this, Wanyan Xi's impression of Tang Qian changed somewhat. Tang Qian's actions could be considered as saving the Jin and Song dynasties from a devastating tragedy.

However, she really didn't want to see Tang Qian in the next few days. At least until she recovered, Wanyan Xi didn't plan to leave her room.

Just as Tang Qian had predicted, the scene of people crowding outside the princess's mansion lasted for three days. Starting from the fourth day, the number of people coming to exchange for food plummeted. It wasn't that people were unwilling to go to the mountains to carry stones anymore; it was simply that there were no more transparent stones that the princess's mansion needed to be mined in that place.

Even if some people were lucky enough to find some, the vast majority of people returned empty-handed. By the sixth day, no one came to the door with quartz anymore.

After working day and night for several days, the first batch of glass destined for Liaoyang City was finally produced. To ensure safety during transport, Tang Qian ordered that a layer of dry grass be placed in the carriage, followed by a layer of glass, to cushion the impact and prevent the glass from shattering due to the uneven road surface.

Tang Qian had never been to Liaoyang City before, and besides, the two countries were still at war. Given his status as a Song citizen, he would probably be detained by the guards before even entering the city. Therefore, Wanyan Xi entrusted the important task of selling this batch of glass to one of her most trusted guards.

Tang Qian's sales strategy was to first take over a shop in Liaoyang City, and then send a batch of glass to the residence of the eldest princess, who was also Wanyan Xi's elder sister, to use her publicity to open up the market.

Iron charcoal stoves can be made at the blacksmith shops in the city, but glass is something that only one shop makes; once a sample is displayed, it will sell out quickly.

"When the time comes, someone from the palace will definitely come knocking. Be sure to reserve a batch as a special supply." Tang Qian called the guard named Balha to a secluded corner and handed him two square boxes. "These are two sets of glass tea sets, which can be described as priceless. One set will naturally be presented to the Emperor of the Great Jin. As for what the other set is for, I don't need to explain in detail, do I?"

Balha wasn't stupid; he certainly understood Tang Qian's intentions. This remaining tea set was extremely valuable and was definitely meant to be sold to those powerful and wealthy people. However, he had no idea how much it actually cost.

"There are so many powerful and influential people in Liaoyang City. Selling it to anyone would offend others. How should we decide?"

"Since everyone wants it, let's put it up for public sale. The highest bidder wins. Everyone should rely on their own abilities. If you lose the bid, you can only blame your own lack of ability and have no one else to blame."

This tea set comes from the Seventh Princess's fiefdom; it's unlikely anyone would dare to come to Youzhou and cause trouble.

Standing atop the city tower of the North Gate, watching the convoy gradually disappear into the wind and snow, the Seventh Princess, Wanyan Xi, let out a long sigh of relief.

"With the food obtained in exchange for the glass, the people in the city should be able to get through this long winter."

She wasn't worried at all that other cities would run out of food, because she knew that all the grain she bought came from the granaries of the powerful and wealthy. Whether or not it was sold to her caravan, the poor people in the city wouldn't be able to eat a single grain of rice.

"Your Highness cannot relax now and think that we can solve everything once and for all by making glass. If I am not mistaken, once Liaoyang City learns of the huge profits that glass can bring, someone will come to Youzhou to plunder it."

Wanyan Xi snorted coldly, her eyes full of disdain and mockery: "How dare you! I'd like to see who is so ignorant of their own mortality."

She was the most beloved princess of the Jin emperor. Anyone who dared to cause trouble in Youzhou would be made to pay a terrible price by Wanyan Xi.

"Your Highness, please do not think I am exaggerating. Even if those powerful and wealthy people do not dare to rob openly, they can still bribe the workers in the glass workshop to obtain the production method."

The glass-making process is extremely simple. Once you know the process, it is not difficult to replicate it. However, the workshop is full of people with conflicting opinions. Only a small number of them are Wanyan Xi's confidants, and the workshop is not a united front. It would be very easy for someone to infiltrate the workshop.

After listening to Tang Qian's analysis, Wan Yanxi frowned slightly. In order to rush the work in the past few days, the workshop had recruited many people from the city to help. The glassmaking process is indeed not complicated. A smart person can understand it at a glance. As long as the materials are complete, it can be made easily.

"Raw materials?" Thinking of this, Wanyan Xi's eyes suddenly lit up, and she immediately understood. "If we control the mining of raw materials, even if others know the technology, they will be helpless without the raw materials."

Tang Qian smiled faintly: "Your Highness is wise."

Wanyan Xi was able to think of this, so she wasn't stupid.

“As I have said before, Youzhou is a resource-rich city with unique advantages. This kind of ore that can be used to make glass is indeed not unique to this place. Other places in Dajin must also have it, but unfortunately, those are buried deep underground. Without knowing the exact location, there is nowhere to find it. But we know the exact location of this quartz mine in Youzhou. This is our advantage.”

"So all we need to do is blockade that mountain pass, sell the mined ore at a high price, and we can reap the benefits without even having a workshop?"

Wanyan Xi had to re-evaluate Tang Qian in front of her. This man was so meticulous in his dealings with others. Was he really just a good-for-nothing playboy in the capital of the Song Dynasty?