Chapter 67: Apology

Upon hearing this, Prince Xuan immediately summoned his son and daughter-in-law, who were out wandering, back.

*Ahem, he had never seen the strategist apologize before!*

Tang Zhao entered the room and sat upright in her chair, her temperament elegant and her bearing dignified, showing none of her previous domineering or sharp-tongued nature.

Jiang Yiming sat opposite her. Had it not been for the pain radiating from his lower body reminding him of what had happened two days ago, he would have thought it was all just a bizarre and absurd dream.

If he hadn't experienced it firsthand, he would never have believed that a woman could be so domineering—kicking with her feet and cursing with her mouth—even more so than the most profligate young masters of Luoyang.

*She vaguely resembles Princess Yingde,* Jiang Yiming thought absently.

Tang Zhao waved her hand in front of his eyes. *Hey, hey, snap out of it!*

Prince Xuan gave a start. Only when he saw that Zhaozao had no intention of hitting anyone did he breathe a sigh of relief.

Coming back to his senses, Jiang Yiming stood up and bowed respectfully. "Commandery Princess Zhaoshan, I, Jiang, offer you my apologies and admit my mistake."

"You are right. I was shallow-sighted and arrogant. Since the passing of Princess Yingde, seeing how mediocre most women in the world are, I gradually came to believe that the women of this world are inferior to men. I apologize for my misunderstanding and contempt for all women. I ask the Commandery Princess to be magnanimous and forgive me," he said, bowing deeply.

Tang Zhao sat in her chair and accepted his salute.

"To realize one's mistake and amend it is the greatest virtue. Since the strategist apologizes today, I shall accept it on behalf of all women, and I shall also, on their behalf, grant you forgiveness."

"Thank you, Commandery Princess," Jiang Yiming said, straightening up and returning to his seat.

Prince Xuan cleared his throat. "A fight leads to a friendship; we are all family now. Zhaozao, let us discuss the matter of soybean oil extraction."

Having corrected his attitude, Jiang Yiming sat with perfect posture. "Please, Commandery Princess, enlighten us."

Tang Zhao raised an eyebrow. "Hearing is uncertain, but seeing is believing. Zhaozao is willing to demonstrate the extraction of soybean oil for Father and the strategist right here and now."

Prince Xuan clapped his hands and laughed loudly. "Good!"

The group moved to the kitchen. As Tang Zhao turned her head, Gu Ci instinctively began gathering firewood to start a fire.

Following the steps of the oil extraction process, Tang Zhao guided Gu Ci step-by-step in refining the soybean oil.

Watching the liquid flow into the large vat like a small stream, Prince Xuan and Jiang Yiming exchanged glances, both seeing shock in the other's eyes.

Tang Zhao took matters into her own hands and used the freshly refined oil to fry a plate of peanuts.

Prince Xuan grabbed a few peanuts and tossed them into his mouth; the aroma filled his palate, and he immediately grabbed a large handful more.

Watching the plate empty by more than half in an instant, Jiang Yiming's mouth twitched. He picked up a single peanut, put it in his mouth, and savored it carefully.

Beyond the fragrance of the peanuts, there was a rich, oily aroma.

Soybeans could actually be pressed for oil!

Jiang Yiming was completely convinced.

After finishing the peanuts, Prince Xuan still felt unsatisfied, but it would be improper to snatch them from his son in front of his daughter-in-law. He had no choice but to leave the kitchen to avoid being further tempted by his cravings.

Jiang Yiming asked, "I wonder how the Commandery Princess intends to arrange the distribution of the soybean oil?"

Tang Zhao repeated her soybean oil business plan yet again.

Jiang Yiming's eyes lit up, and he stroked his beard in praise. "With such an arrangement, there is nothing left to improve."

*Thank heavens, someone finally understood,* Tang Zhao thought, her eyes brimming with tears.

Jiang Yiming continued, "With your capabilities, since everything is already planned, I presume you can implement it all. But you traveled thousands of miles to find the Prince; do you wish to borrow the Prince's influence?"

Tang Zhao nodded and added, "And his money!"

Prince Xuan silently moved a little further away.

Jiang Yiming fell silent. "Commandery Princess, the Northwest Army's military funds are tight. The soldiers suffer from the cold in winter and heatstroke in summer. They are soldiers in wartime and farmers in peacetime, yet they still frequently go hungry. I fear the army cannot squeeze out much silver."

Tang Zhao was very direct. "Consider it a loan from me, with a thirty percent interest rate."

Before Jiang Yiming could speak, Tang Zhao continued, "From now on, I will handle the soybean oil supply for the three hundred thousand soldiers of the Northwest."

Jiang Yiming's heart stirred. Originally, he had only wanted Commandery Princess Zhaoshan to sell the oil cheaply to the army, or perhaps sell them the formula so they could press it themselves. But on second thought, the army likely couldn't afford to buy the formula even if it were sold to them.

Prince Xuan looked at this one and that one, wanting nothing more than to agree immediately.

"One hundred thousand taels. I only want one hundred thousand taels, to be repaid with interest within a year," Tang Zhao said, showing her sincerity. "The soybean oil I deliver to the Northwest Army every month will absolutely satisfy the daily oil requirements of the soldiers in all three armies."

Jiang Yiming's eyes shone. "Deal!"

Returning to the wooden house, Jiang Yiming took out the brush and ink he carried and wrote the contract in one continuous motion, making three copies.

Tang Zhao took it, and seeing that it was clearly written, she immediately signed her name and then looked at Jiang Yiming.

Confused, Jiang Yiming asked, "Why is the Commandery Princess looking at me?"

Tang Zhao explained, "There is no ink pad."

Jiang Yiming's mouth twitched. *Don't people usually just prick their fingers and press them down? Why are you staring at me expectantly?*

Tang Zhao said leisurely, "The strategist must sign and seal this on behalf of the Northwest Army, right?"

*So you do it.*

"Why won't the Commandery Princess do it?"

Tang Zhao replied righteously, "I am afraid of pain."

Jiang Yiming was speechless, feeling that his previous thought—that Commandery Princess Zhaoshan possessed the spirit of Princess Yingde—must have been a lapse in judgment.

He drew the dagger from his waist, pricked his finger to leave an imprint, and then held his hand out to Tang Zhao.

Tang Zhao dyed her thumb red and briskly pressed her thumbprint.

Following his daughter-in-law's lead, Prince Xuan forcibly grabbed Jiang Yiming's hand to dab some blood, signed his name with a flourish, and pressed his thumbprint.

Tang Zhao took her copy and satisfiedly tucked it into her small purse.

With the contract completed, Jiang Yiming found the composure to ask something else. "How did the Commandery Princess learn of my background?"

Tang Zhao fell silent, skillfully using Old General Song as a scapegoat. "My maternal grandfather told me."

"Grandfather said that Mr. Jiang is merely a tiger in a plain, but one day he will roar in the mountains again. When that day comes, the Northwest Army will surely become even more powerful."

"I see," Jiang Yiming understood. Princess Yingde commanded the Women's Army, so it would have been inappropriate for a grown man like him to follow her. Fortunately, the Princess had admired Old General Song since childhood; for him to tell the General about his situation so the General could help him enter the Northwest Army was perfectly logical.

He just hadn't expected Old General Song to dote on his granddaughter so much that he shared even such trivial matters with her.

Tang Zhao silently apologized to the scapegoated Old General Song in her heart.

Jiang Yiming took his leave. "I must return to the army to handle some matters, so I shall depart first."

"Safe travels."

Watching Jiang Yiming and his personal guards ride away at high speed, Prince Xuan pulled the jade pendant from his waist and handed it to Tang Zhao. "Take this jade pendant to the Mingde Money Exchange to withdraw the funds."

Tang Zhao accepted the jade pendant solemnly.

That evening, Tang Zhao personally cooked (which actually meant she directed Gu Ci to cook) a table full of dishes, and she and Prince Xuan enjoyed a happy reunion meal together.

Tang Zhao transformed into a flatterer once again, coaxing Prince Xuan until he was dazed, calling her "daughter" and Gu Ci "son-in-law" incessantly.

"Son-in-law" Gu Ci sat to the side, silently picking up food.

The next day, Prince Xuan bid farewell to his daughter and son-in-law and departed, feeling thoroughly satisfied.

Tang Zhao toyed with her newly acquired jade pendant. "Where is the Mingde Money Exchange?"

Gu Ci rode his horse through a small path, his clothes fluttering in the wind. "Baiyin County."