New Song Dynasty: My Wife is an Imperial Princess

The Kang Prince's Mansion in Tokyo.

When Zhao Gou heard that Tang Huan, the Vice Minister of Revenue, was requesting an audience, his expression faltered slightly.

It should be noted that he was just a leisurely prince who was not favored by the late emperor. After his elder brother Zhao Huan succeeded to the throne, he did serve as a hostage in the Jin camp and made meritorious contributions, but he was still not given important positions. He did not have much contact with these powerful ministers on a daily basis. Tang Huan's sudden visit really surprised Zhao Gou.

However, thinking back to that day in the Jin camp, if it weren't for Tang Qian's help in devising a plan and using a bluff at the last moment to escape back to Tokyo, he wouldn't be enjoying his carefree life now.

"Tell him to wait in the side hall, and I will arrive immediately."

With the help of Princess Xing Bingyi, Zhao Gou tidied his clothes and lingered in the backyard for a moment before walking with measured steps through the corridor connecting the front yard into the side hall. He then cupped his hands in greeting to Tang Huan, who had stood up to greet him: "What wind has blown Minister Tang to my residence? I am truly sorry to have troubled you to wait so long."

Tang Huan bowed slightly: "Your Highness is too kind. I have come to visit you today because I have an important matter to discuss with you."

"Oh?" Zhao Gou's suspicious expression grew even more serious. "I am just an idle person who doesn't concern himself with court affairs. Since it is a confidential matter, Minister Tang should have gone to the palace to meet the Emperor. Why did you come to the Kang Prince's residence?"

Tang Huan seemed unwilling to answer Zhao Gou's question directly, and instead glanced at the few servants standing in the side hall: "This matter is confidential, please dismiss any irrelevant personnel, Your Highness."

Zhao Gou narrowed his eyes slightly. He first glanced at the silent young man standing behind Tang Huan, then looked at the servants beside him. He figured the other party meant no harm. After a moment's thought, he raised his hand and waved. The servants obeyed and immediately filed out of the side hall, closing the door behind them.

"Minister Tang, you can speak frankly now."

Tang Huan waved to Tang Xiaoqi behind him: "This is the bodyguard of my unworthy son Tang Qian. He just returned from Youzhou a few days ago. He will explain the situation to the prince."

Tang Xiaoqi accepted the order and immediately appeared from behind Tang Huan, kneeling on one knee in front of Zhao Gou: "This humble one, Tang Xiaoqi, greets Your Highness, Prince Kang."

"No need for formalities." Zhao Gou raised his hand. "Although Minister Tang can testify, it's not that I don't believe your identity. Youzhou is now a territory of the Jin Kingdom. How did you, a mere guard, escape? Can you prove your identity as a confidant of Tang Qian?"

It wasn't that Zhao Gou was being overly cautious. This young man was from Youzhou City. What if he had been turned by the Jurchens and sent back to the Song Dynasty to act as a spy, using the Tang family as a cover to gather intelligence from him? Things would be very bad.

Tang Huan could indeed prove that Tang Xiaoqi was someone close to Tang Qian, but what exactly had happened in Youzhou City during this period was completely unknown to Minister Tang, so how could he confirm that this kid was still a Song person?

Zhao Gou's expression was cold and stern, but Tang Xiaoqi showed no fear whatsoever. He calmly replied, "When Your Highness was trapped in the Jin army camp, my young master helped you. He sent Your Highness a secret letter, the first four words of which were: Danger, escape quickly."

Having said this, Zhao Gou was somewhat convinced of Tang Xiaoqi's identity, but he still asked with a stern face, "Anything else?"

Without hesitation, Tang Xiaoqi recounted the rest of the letter word for word. After he finished speaking without any hesitation, Zhao Gou laughed and said, "That's right, you are indeed still Tang Qian's man."

Zhao Gou was certain that only he had seen the secret letter that Tang Qian had given him, and that Tang Qian had no reason to explain the contents in such detail to outsiders and have this young man memorize them so that he could prove his identity in front of him.

"Since I owe Tang Qian a favor, and your young master ordered you to risk your life to escape back to me, I cannot turn you away. Speak, what does Tang Qian want to discuss? Anything I can do, I will do without hesitation."

“My young master does indeed have something he would like to ask Your Highness for help with.”

Tang Xiaoqi took out an unopened secret letter from his pocket and handed it to Zhao Gou. Zhao Gou looked suspicious, took the letter, opened it, and glanced at it: "Using my guards to confiscate alchemy materials from various Taoist temples? What is the meaning of this?"

"My young master said that in recent years, Taoist temples everywhere have been accumulating wealth because the Emperor Emeritus believed in Taoism. Now that our Great Song Dynasty is in a critical moment of survival, Your Highness's dispatch of troops to confiscate the ill-gotten gains of these lawless people in order to recruit the Imperial Guard to help the people is naturally a righteous act. I think the Emperor will not blame us if he finds out. As for the various alchemical materials that the Taoist temples use to swindle people, I will handle them. This is my young master's request, and I hope Your Highness will help him."

Zhao Gou nodded, indicating that he deeply agreed.

His father, Zhao Ji, was indeed obsessed with Taoism. In addition to proclaiming himself the Taoist Emperor, he built numerous palaces and temples, established twenty-six ranks of Taoist officials, and provided stipends to the Taoist priests. When faced with indecisive matters in handling state affairs, he would invariably consult divination and fortune-telling, acting utterly nonsensical.

With the emperor so obsessed with Taoism, the Taoist temples below naturally had a powerful backer to cause trouble. Just seven or eight rogues dressed in Taoist robes could occupy a hilltop, build a Taoist temple, and seize hundreds of acres of fertile land nearby. The despicable acts of bullying men and women they committed behind the scenes were too numerous to count.

"These charlatans used to be protected by the Emperor Emeritus, allowing them to amass wealth with impunity. Now it is indeed time for them to be dealt with."

On the surface, Zhao Gou appeared indignant and righteous, but he couldn't hide his secret joy deep inside.

The current emperor, Zhao Huan, is constantly on guard against the Jin army returning. Apart from discussing with his ministers how to sign a non-aggression pact with the Jin state, he hardly cares about anything else. Meanwhile, the retired emperor, Zhao Ji, is under house arrest in the Tai Sui Mountain Palace because of his previous failed escape to the south. He has lost his own freedom, so how can he protect his disciples and followers in the Taoist temple?

Tang Qian made it very clear in his letter that he didn't want money, only alchemy materials. This move was clearly a way for him to make a fortune. Even if his elder brother asked about it later, he would only need to hand over a portion of the spoils to the court, and the rest would be enough for him to live a carefree life.

"This is a matter that benefits the country and its people, and I will accept it." Reaching into his robes, Zhao Gou pulled out a token and tossed it to Tang Xiaoqi. "With this token, you can mobilize two hundred soldiers from my palace. However, you must remember to be clean in your actions and not leave any evidence against you."

If it attracts the attention of the Dali Temple, it would be a troublesome matter.

"Your Highness, rest assured, it's just a band of mountain bandits causing trouble, and it has nothing to do with the Kang Prince's Mansion."