New Song Dynasty: My Wife is an Imperial Princess

Last night's fire burned down three houses that were right next to each other, making the already desolate Youzhou City even more dilapidated. Looking at the charred ruins and listening to the whispers of the people around him, Tang Qian couldn't help but sigh.

In these times, natural disasters and man-made calamities are frequent, and human life is as worthless as grass. A fire caused the deaths of seven people, but in the end, they were simply wrapped in straw mats and thrown into a mass grave outside the city, without even leaving their names.

Suppressing the discomfort caused by seeing the charred corpses, Tang Qian quickened his pace, leaned against the wall at the street corner, bent over, and dry-heaved for a moment. Only then did the nausea in his chest subside. Thinking of his uncertain future, he mustered his spirits and hurried toward the temporary command post in the city.

Unfortunately, Tang Qian arrived at an inopportune time. Commander Wanyan Xun had gone out of the city on inspection and had not returned. Tang Qian only said that he had important business to discuss, but he did not explain what it was. This made the Jin soldiers who received him feel irritated. If it weren't for his status as an envoy of the Song Dynasty, Tang Qian would have been kicked out long ago.

As the sun rose high in the sky, nearing noon, a troop of soldiers rode in. Wanyan Xun had just dismounted when a subordinate immediately stepped forward and grabbed the reins: "Your Highness, Tang Qian, an envoy from the Song Dynasty, requests an audience."

"Tang Qian? Son of Tang Shuo, the Vice Minister of Revenue of the Song Dynasty?" Wanyan Xun frowned slightly. "Did he come alone?"

The subordinate nodded: "Is Your Highness worried about what countermeasures the other party might take?" He then smiled contemptuously, "Based on my observation yesterday, he is just a spoiled brat from the capital of the Song Dynasty, not worth worrying about at all."

Yesterday, Tang Qian's pampered and spoiled demeanor was clearly visible in the inn's lobby. How could such a rich young master, who was fond of pleasure and couldn't bear the slightest hardship, possibly influence Da Jin's secret plans?

"I suspect that Tang Qian's request to see me is simply to improve his living conditions or to allow him to return to Tokyo as soon as possible so he can continue his leisurely life."

Upon hearing this, Wanyan Xun let out a cold laugh: "Now that we've entered Youzhou City, how can we go back so easily? Let's hear what he intends to say to me." He then took the lead and entered the council hall, where he saw a young man dressed in the blue official robes of the Song Dynasty standing to one side, bowing respectfully to him.

Wanyan Xun merely glanced at him before scrutinizing the young man from head to toe. The man was about the same height as himself, but his skin was as white as jade, and his physique was too thin, giving him a frail appearance as if he couldn't even kill a chicken. Perhaps in the eyes of the Song people, he was indeed a refined gentleman who knew how to feign elegance, but in the eyes of Wanyan Xun, who had experienced countless battles, someone like Tang Qian was not even qualified to stand guard in front of his tent.

After a brief exchange of greetings, the two sides took their seats as host and guest. Wanyan Xun, with a smile on his lips, leaned towards Tang Qian and asked, "May I ask what brings you here, Envoy Tang?"

Wanyan Xun spoke the Jin language, which Tang Qian naturally did not understand. He could only look to the guard beside him for help. After listening to the translation, his expression suddenly darkened, and he sighed softly: "I heard that a fire in the city last night caused the deaths of seven people. I was shocked and deeply saddened. However, the dead are gone. I think that if we could take preventative measures, perhaps we could avoid such tragic human events."

Upon hearing this, Wanyan Xun gave a bitter smile: "My Great Jin is not as comfortable as your Great Song, which is located in the Central Plains. The winters in the north are harsh and severe. If we cannot keep warm by open fire, countless people will freeze to death. This is a last resort, a helpless measure."

The danger of open flames is common knowledge. Every year, many people die from improper use of fire, and there are also many who die of suffocation in their sleep for no apparent reason. However, compared to the deaths from freezing, such losses are negligible.

"The Song Dynasty has its refinement, and the Jin Dynasty has its grandeur. Your Highness need not underestimate yourself." Although Wanyan Xun's face remained calm, Tang Qian could easily discern the hidden meaning in his words. Compared to the border regions, the living environment in the Central Plains was practically paradise on earth. The Song Dynasty was currently weak, so how could it not attract the covetousness of these foreign tribes? The Liao Dynasty was like that in the past, and the Jin Dynasty is the same now.

"The reason I've come here is precisely to discuss something related to keeping warm on winter nights. I wonder if Your Highness, Commander, would be interested in hearing the details?" After a brief exchange of glances, Tang Qian changed the subject and stated his purpose. "There are two drawbacks to using open flames for heating: they are flammable and can cause people to suffocate. But my invention can completely avoid both of these risks while maintaining a sufficient temperature indoors. While it may not feel as warm as spring, it will certainly allow you to comfortably get through the entire winter without any problem."

"The Great Song Dynasty actually possesses such a miraculous artifact?" If what Tang Qian described could truly solve the safety hazards posed by burning charcoal braziers, Wanyan Xun wouldn't mind continuing to listen patiently. "May I ask what exactly you are referring to? And what materials are needed to make it?"

Wanyan Xun's interest immediately lessened Tang Qian's worries. In any case, being able to help the Jin Kingdom improve people's livelihoods would be a contribution that, even if it didn't allow him to roam freely in Youzhou, would at least temporarily suppress any fear of losing his life.

Thinking of this, Tang Qian couldn't help but smile: "The object I'm referring to is called a charcoal stove. The crafting process isn't complicated; it only requires forging pig iron into plates..."

"Wait a minute."

Tang Qian was about to give a brief description of the charcoal stove's manufacturing process when Wanyan Xun, who had been quite interested, interrupted him. The other man's slightly cold tone made Tang Qian's heart skip a beat, and the sudden murderous aura sent a chill down his spine.

What puzzled Tang Qian was that he hadn't even uttered a complete sentence yet, so how had he angered the young general in front of him who looked only a few years older than him but had such an unpredictable personality?

"What did you just say? This object needs to be made of pig iron?"

As soon as this question was raised, Tang Qian, who was still puzzled, felt a chill run down his spine. He had been careless. He only thought that replacing the charcoal brazier with a charcoal stove would solve the problem of heating for the Jin people. He hadn't considered how precious iron ore was to a country in this era. Especially now that wars were raging and the Jin Kingdom needed to expand its territory, almost all the iron ore was being used to make weapons. How could they possibly waste such a rare resource on something so dispensable?

“Even your Great Song Dynasty has a special government office in charge of salt and iron. This is not something ordinary people can touch. The Tang envoy’s actions have violated a taboo and are punishable by death.”

"I was being presumptuous." Tang Qian wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. In ancient times, salt and ironware were indeed two things that could not be easily touched. His suggestion to use the Jin Kingdom's iron ore resources at this time was tantamount to asking them to drop their weapons and surrender.

"Fine, just pretend I didn't hear it. But I urge the Tang envoy to be careful with his words and actions. If any more crazy things are spread after you leave this door, I may not be able to protect you."

"I was careless and almost made a big mistake. Thank you for your magnanimity, Commander." Tang Qian stood up, cupped his hands to Wanyan Xun, and said, "I will go back and reconsider to see if there are any other solutions to the problem. I will take my leave now."

Wanyan Xun nodded to Tang Qian, indicating that he had no intention of pursuing the matter. After watching him hurriedly leave the command post, the guard beside him sneered and said, "To think of using iron ore to forge such useless objects for fighting, just for keeping warm in winter, this person is indeed just a wastrel."

Wanyan Xun also expressed his deep agreement: "If the Song Dynasty were full of such useless people who only know how to indulge in pleasure and have no backbone, how could my Jin Dynasty not be able to conquer the Central Plains?"

"So why should we hold onto Youzhou? Wouldn't it be better to lead our army south and take Bianliang?"

Wanyan Xun glared at his attendant: "Shengjing has not yet been captured. Attacking the Song Dynasty now would mean being attacked from both sides. Don't worry, there will always be a time to march south and attack the Song Dynasty. Why rush it?"