New Song Dynasty: My Wife is an Imperial Princess

The following morning, Tang Qian was taken to the camp outside the city by Wanyan Zonghan's personal guards.

Before Tang Qian could bow in greeting, Wanyan Zonghan, who was sitting upright in the military tent, waved his hand and said, "No need for formalities. I just intend to have a casual chat with you today, so you don't need to be so nervous."

Seeing Tang Qian take his seat, Wanyan Zonghan went straight to the point: "Your Excellency is so intelligent, you must know very well the purpose of my visit to Youzhou. Although His Majesty is very secretive about the woodworking lathe used to make arrow shafts, anyone with a brain can figure out who developed it."

Tang Qian remained silent, but the bitter smile on his face spoke volumes.

After the Jin-Liao War, the wealthy and powerful families who could not escape from Youzhou City had long since fled, leaving behind only impoverished people who could not even fill their stomachs. Wanyan Zonghan certainly did not believe that any of these people could make a carpentry lathe.

If one truly possesses such extraordinary talent, one would have already served the imperial court and enjoyed wealth and honor; why would one still be struggling in the mire?

As for the artisans in the Youzhou military supply depot, that's even more impossible.

In the past six months, the only variable that has emerged in Youzhou City is this young man from the Song Dynasty.

Wanyan Wuqimai, who was able to sit on the throne of the Great Jin Dynasty, was undoubtedly cunning. How could he not see his daughter's girlish feelings for Tang Qian? Yet he was able to completely ignore it. Could it be that he really only loved Wanyan Xi?

"His Majesty's indulgence towards the two of you can only mean one thing: His Majesty recognizes your talent and ability."

Faced with Wanyan Zonghan's piercing gaze, Tang Qian could only nod in agreement: "The Grand Marshal has keen insight, I admire him." Reaching into his robes, he took out a stack of blueprints and presented them to Wanyan Zonghan with both hands. "These are the blueprints for making a woodworking lathe. As long as you follow the blueprints, any craftsman can easily replicate it."

Wanyan Zonghan was very satisfied with Tang Qian's self-aware attitude, but he did not immediately take the blueprints: "As the saying goes, one should not accept rewards without merit. I do need this, but I do not want people to criticize me for taking it by trickery. I can grant you one request. As long as you ask for something, I will never refuse."

I want to go back to the Song Dynasty. Can you send my whole family back?

Tang Qian, with his head bowed, inwardly grumbled, but aloud repeatedly said, "It is my duty to share the burden of the Grand Marshal, how could I dare to have any improper thoughts?"

"Since you won't say it yourself, then I, the commander, will fulfill your wish for you." Wanyan Zonghan smiled faintly. "You and the Seventh Princess are always seen together, and I'm afraid the whole of Youzhou City is full of gossip. If the news gets back to Liaoyang, how will the Seventh Princess get married? A real man should be responsible for his actions. Since you've caused this romantic trouble, you should give my cousin an explanation."

Upon hearing this, Tang Qian almost knelt down before Wanyan Zonghan: "My relationship with the Seventh Princess was purely platonic and we absolutely did not do anything shameful. I beg the Grand Marshal to investigate thoroughly."

"Seventh Sister is of marriageable age. Since you share similar interests and love each other, I can act as matchmaker for you in front of His Majesty. Although you are not from my Great Jin, you have made considerable contributions to my Great Jin. If you can serve the court in the future, it is not impossible to betroth the princess to you."

"Thank you for your kind offer, Grand Marshal, but I am already married to the Princess of the Song Dynasty. How could I possibly have the fortune to marry the Princess of the Jin Dynasty? A true man has things he should and shouldn't do. I will never be like Sima Xiangru, who abandoned his wife."

As he finished speaking, Tang Qian suddenly felt a chilling killing intent coming from the other side, causing him to involuntarily shrink his neck.

"The marriage between the Song Dynasty princess and you was the will of the state, but the Grand Commander was too eager to repay the favor and did not consider your feelings, which led to the regrettable act of separating the lovers. If this mistake can be corrected now, it will be a good thing for both you and the Song Dynasty princess."

Tang Qian snorted inwardly. This old man was indeed still lusting after his wife and was actually planning to rob her outright.

If the two were to divorce because of this, Zhao Yingluo would have to continue the marriage alliance between the Song and Jin dynasties, and Wanyan Zonghan could simply take her away. It was a brilliant scheme.

"Tang Qian and the Song princess are deeply in love and are a match made in heaven. Moreover, their marriage is also the will of the imperial uncle. My cousin's actions seem unreasonable. If I were to report this matter to the emperor, I wonder if you, cousin, could bear the wrath from the court?"

Tang Qian was racking his brains, trying to find a way to escape temporarily, when a slightly cold female voice came from outside the tent behind him. The Seventh Princess, Wanyan Xi, dressed in a purple outfit, lifted the tent flap and walked slowly in, interrupting their conversation.

Faced with Wanyan Xi's aggressive approach, Wanyan Zong just smiled awkwardly: "Seventh Sister is joking. I am only thinking of you. If I recommend Tang Qian and ask His Majesty to grant you two a marriage, the resistance will be much less."

"Thank you for your concern, cousin. My marriage is naturally decided by my father, so there's no need to trouble you." Wanyan Xi snatched the blueprints from Tang Qian's hand and slammed them heavily onto the long table in front of Wanyan Zonghan. "Youzhou is my fiefdom, not a place you can come and go as you please. Before you start pointing fingers here, shouldn't you ask me, the master, first?"

Looking at his spirited cousin, Wanyan Zonghan's face throbbed with anger, clearly on the verge of exploding: "Since Seventh Sister has said so, then consider it my meddling. However, I still want to remind you that this Tang Qian is, after all, a Song person. Seventh Sister should be careful, lest you be used without realizing it. If you offend other powerful figures and tribes in order to protect him, the consequences will be dire."

In his last sentence, Wanyan Zonghan used Jurchen, a language Tang Qian couldn't understand. However, judging from the other party's expression, what he said was definitely not a good thing.

Watching the two swagger out of his tent, Wanyan Zonghan's face was so dark it could drip water. As the Grand Marshal of the Western Route of the Jin Army, he had never been so humiliated as to be scolded by a mere princess.

"Since the Grand Marshal likes that Song Dynasty princess, why not just kill Tang Qian and take her away? Why bother to consider the Seventh Princess's feelings?"

"What do you know?" Wanyan Zonghan glared at his deputy. "Tang Qian is still useful because he can easily make a woodworking lathe. He absolutely cannot be killed. If he dies now, Wanyan Wuqimai will definitely pursue the matter to the end. However, our emperor is in poor health and probably won't live much longer. What's wrong with waiting a little longer?"