Chapter 307: A Moment of Warmth

Sigh, a worker, a worker's soul, working every day until one is exhausted to death.

After returning from Chang'an City, Chen Yan entered a busy phase again, running nonstop for several consecutive days.

He had to monitor silk production, unite four wealthy merchants to form a trade caravan heading out of Tang, and handle various other trivial matters.

In short, before Chen Yan treated Du Gou and Ma Zhou like beasts of burden, now they treat Chen Yan as beasts of burden.

No matter what problem arises, they must report it to him, making him as busy as a dog.

And today, the very day Li Shimin promised to issue a marriage decree, Chen Yan finally had a reason to take a day off.

Early in the morning he shut the door and told the servants that, except for people from the palace, no one else may be let in.

After doing all that, Chen Yan comfortably embraced Gao Yang and took a nap.

He didn't get up until the sun was three rods high.

"You're in a good mood today, getting ready to marry a new bride again."

While Gao Yang was doing her makeup, she gave him a faint glance.

By now she was over four months pregnant, her belly slightly rounded, no longer flat as before.

"I'm happy; does that make you unhappy?"

"From now on you two can continue to be sisters."

Gao Yang: "......."

"Hehe, I'm extremely happy."

She lowered her head and ordered the little tiger napping at her feet, "Xiao Yanzi, go, bite him to death."

Xiao Yanzi looked up blankly at the words, his eyes showing a clear stupidity.

Gao Yang was instantly speechless.

After her feeding during this period, the little tiger was no longer so frail; its fur was bright and glossy, its body growing larger, and she could barely hold it now.

At a first glance, one would definitely no longer mistake it for a cat.

However, this creature is cowardly to death; even a dog can snatch its food, and after that it whines plaintively, nudging her leg.

Gao Yang truly couldn't believe that this thing was still a white-headed tiger.

Its tiger face was completely ruined.

"Fine, okay, Gao Yang, stop making it difficult."

Chen Yan chuckled, "It's just a little waste that eats all day and sleeps all day, cut from the same mold as you; why trouble it?"

"Just stop it."

"What are you saying?" Gao Yang snapped, "Do you think because I've been easy to talk to lately that I'm easy to provoke?"

"That's not it," Chen Yan shook his head honestly, "I think you've always been easy to provoke."

Gao Yang sprang up, walked to Chen Yan, and threw a punch.

But Chen Yan easily pinched her wrist.

"Let go!" Gao Yang glared at him.

"I won't let go, I won't let go!"

Chen Yan laughed, applied pressure, and Gao Yang suddenly saw a flash; when she came to, she found herself sitting on Chen Yan's lap.

"Alright, that's enough."

Chen Yan gently stroked Gao Yang's slightly rounded belly, "Once you give birth, we'll have plenty of time to tease."

"Who wants to tease you?"

Gao Yang rolled her eyes but couldn't help leaning into Chen Yan's embrace, feeling the familiar warmth and inner satisfaction, her eyes full of adoration.

For a moment, neither spoke, enjoying this brief warmth.

After a while, Gao Yang whispered, "Husband, have you been very busy lately?"

"Once this period is over, it'll be fine," Chen Yan rested his chin on her head, pondering, "Don't we still have a piece of land behind our house?"

"I plan to purchase that land and build a place dedicated to research."

"'Research things?' Gao Yang wondered, 'Is it something like the hydraulic weaving machine that Qing Yue and others made?'"

Chen Yan: "More or less. In the past my conditions weren't that good; not only was money scarce, many things were hard to find, so I only made small gadgets."

"Now conditions have improved, and with Father Emperor and Mother Empress fully supporting, I intend to blossom in all directions, revamping everything that can be transformed."

"Take the current iron forging craft, for instance; in my view it's terribly poor. If we could improve it, the changes would be massive."

"What specific changes?" Gao Yang asked curiously.

She loved hearing Chen Yan talk about these things; it gave her great satisfaction and pride.

Her husband is the most outstanding man in the world.

"The most immediate impact is weapon upgrades," Chen Yan said leisurely, "If we refine the current steel infusion method, we can forge weapons that are longer, tougher, sharper, and less prone to breaking."

"Including armor-piercing arrowheads and armor that is lighter and sturdier than before."

"It will also affect agricultural development."

"Plowheads, hoes, sickles, axes—these can all be improved. In the future, farmers will be able to easily clear wasteland, practice intensive farming, break hard soil clods, and increase agricultural efficiency."

"The benefits are countless; they can't be summed up in a few words."

"'Oh~' Gao Yang nodded thoughtfully and asked, 'Then what was the area you fenced off by the Wei He a little over a month ago for?'"

"You even recalled militia to guard it."

Chen Yan thought for a moment and said, "I can tell you that, but you must keep it secret."

Gao Yang pursed her lips, "Am I the type to be a chatterbox?"

"Don't worry, I promise to keep my mouth shut."

Chen Yan trusted Gao Yang.

Besides that, Gao Yang's mouth is truly tough; he has excellent judgment about what to say on important matters, and he never brings up what shouldn't be said.

"That place is where I research new ships."

"New ships?" Gao Yang asked, bewildered: "Why research new ships?"

"Our family isn't short of money; if you want a ship, why not just buy one?"

"Perhaps have Father Emperor find you one."

Chen Yan patiently said: "It's different; Tang Dynasty ships are too poor, seriously not meeting my requirements. I need a seagoing vessel that can withstand wave buffeting and survive storms."

"That's nearly impossible." Gao Yang couldn't help but say.

Gao Yang believed Chen Yan could build a ship that could withstand wave buffeting, but to say he could build one that could survive storms—that's no ordinary difficulty.

Gao Yang had once heard the Mother Empress describe the terror of storms; even just from her words, one could glimpse the dreadful disaster.

"In the world there are originally no paths; they appear when many people walk them."

Chen Yan was in good spirits: "If you don't try, how would you know it's definitely impossible?"

"Anyway, I'm still young; I have plenty of time."

"My lord, why must you insist on building ships?" Gao Yang wondered, puzzled.

"Aren't ships just for transporting grain and such?"

"Tang Dynasty ships already suffice for that; why make something better?"

"Building ships is naturally to leave the Tang Dynasty." Chen Yan said firmly: "The world is far larger than you see; overseas lies a vast expanse."

"For our Tang Dynasty, that is an undeveloped treasure."

"Not mentioning the huge silver mines in the land of the Wa, just speaking of the Lin Yiguo that the Prince of Yue mentioned last time, there is something I must obtain."

"......"