I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 144 Isn't there still Father?

Tang Zhao:.
I don't even bother with you, and you're taking advantage of my kindness, aren't you?

Upon seeing Tang Zhao's displeased expression, King Xuan quickly rebuked him, "Don't talk nonsense!"

King Xuan was very worried that Tang Zhao would whip Qin's concubine to death.

Miss Gu Fu quietly tugged at her mother's sleeve.

Consort Qin, who had meant well, was scolded instead, and her eyes instantly filled with tears. She said aggrievedly, "Your Highness, I... I only wanted to share your burdens!"

"Shut up if you want to share my burdens!" King Xuan sighed, "Consort Qin is complaining of illness. Xiao Ba, help your stepmother back."

"Yes," Gu Fu stood up and forcibly helped her mother up. "Let's go."

Consort Qin stood up unwillingly.

"and many more."

Consort Qin and her daughter paused in their steps.

"Father, Zhao Zhao thinks that Consort Qin has proposed a very good solution," Tang Zhao gritted her teeth. "Old Madam Meng only requires that Miss Meng marry into the Xuan Prince's mansion. There are more than just my eldest and second brothers in the mansion, so why must we choose between the two?"

Everyone present stared wide-eyed, puzzled.

Gu Ci turned his head and caught a glimpse of a hint of ill intent flashing across Tang Zhao's eyes. He relaxed and waited to see Consort Qin make a fool of herself.

Consort Qin was overjoyed and delighted. "If the Princess also agrees with what I said, then please, Your Highness, choose an auspicious day for the Fifth Young Master to marry her."

Tang Zhao interrupted, "Consort Qin, don't be in a hurry, let me finish what I have to say."

Consort Qin shut her mouth in a resentful tone.

Tang Zhao proposed a new approach to solving the problem: "Isn't there still Father King?"

King Xuan:?
King Xuan:
King Xuan:!
Consort Qin's eyes, as clear as autumn water, widened as the sun.

Princess Xuan choked on her tea and coughed for a long time before stopping.

Consort Han remained seated in shock, and once she recovered, she began to ponder the possibility of this matter.

Ignoring the King Xuan's amused expression, Tang Zhao stepped forward and picked up the letter from the Queen Xuan's table to read. "In the letter, Old Madam Meng expressed her hope that her granddaughter would marry a good man and live a life of wealth and peace."

"What a heart full of love for his grandson!" Tang Zhao flattered King Xuan. "Father must have been moved by Lady Meng's kindness to agree to such an absurd thing."

King Xuan thought to himself, "I'm not moved at all."

“Therefore, Miss Meng’s future husband should be the most distinguished person in the Xuan Prince’s Mansion,” Tang Zhao said in a light tone. “Tell me, in the Xuan Prince’s Mansion, who is more distinguished than my father?”

No!

Therefore, King Xuan was indeed the only suitable candidate!
Princess Xuan and Consort Han exchanged a glance. The two, who had been at odds over whose son Meng Shu'er should marry, suddenly united and echoed each other's sentiments.

Consort Han, overwhelmed by her love for her son, disregarded her jealousy. "Your Highness, Princess Zhaoshan is right! In any case, being a concubine is the same as being a prince's concubine—it's more respectable and noble."

King Xuan felt he was deaf, and he looked at Queen Xuan in an attempt to regain some clarity.

“Your Highness, Consort Han is right. Since the two families are to form a marriage alliance, it is naturally more reassuring to marry into the power structure.” Princess Consort Xuan delivered a powerful blow to Prince Xuan without batting an eye.

When King Xuan heard his queen say the same thing, he began to seriously consider the possibility of this matter.

As a father, he naturally didn't want his son to marry such a troublesome woman, but as the ruler of the Northwest, he had no choice but to fall into the trap set by Madam Meng. Since that was the case, he might as well step forward!

Since he usually stays in the military camp and rarely sees Meng Shuer, he can just marry her and leave her in the mansion to be disciplined by the princess.

The more King Xuan thought about it, the better it seemed. This move not only saved the royal family from the Meng family's predicament, but also kicked the Meng family into it. How satisfying!
“Very well!” King Xuan agreed. “Then I will trouble the Queen to take care of the matter of my taking a concubine.”

Princess Xuan smiled perfectly, "It is my duty. Congratulations, Your Highness."

Consort Qin was struck dumb. She never expected that her casual remark to disgust Tang Zhao would bring a concubine to the Prince of Xuan and a sister to herself. She couldn't bear the blow and fainted!
Unable to support Qin Shufei's heavy body, Gu Fu and her daughter fell to the ground together.

Prince Xuan rose and strode to carry Consort Qin to the backyard. Gu Fu, supported by a maid, stood up, bowed, and hurriedly followed.

After resolving this important matter, Consort Han felt the weather brighten up again. To prevent such a thing from happening again, she hurriedly pulled her son away to prepare to find him a good marriage.

Gu An couldn't dissuade Consort Han, so he had no choice but to follow.

In a short while, the front hall was almost empty. Princess Xuan put down her teacup, first urging her daughter-in-law and son to go back and rest, and then ordered someone to fetch a doctor. After everything was arranged, she went back to the courtyard to take out her needle and thread and sew clothes for her unborn grandson.

Granny Meng comforted her, "Your Highness, please don't be sad. Perhaps the old lady has her reasons."

“I’m not sad,” Princess Xuan shook her head, she was used to it. “I’m going to stay in Wuwei for a while, and have people plant flowers all over the courtyard.”

Granny Meng sighed inwardly and went down to make the arrangements herself.

In the South Garden, Gu Fu was drenched in sweat from administering acupuncture and medicine until Consort Qin finally woke up.

"Mother, how are you feeling?"

Consort Qin seemed not to see Gu Fu at all, and went straight to Prince Xuan, extending her slender hand, "Your Highness!"

King Xuan hadn't heard that familiar, sorrowful tone in a long time, and he was startled, reaching out to grasp her hand again. "A-Lian, how are you feeling?"

Gu Fu left on her own initiative, closing the door behind her.

Consort Qin threw herself into Prince Xuan's arms and cried, "Your Highness once said that Lian'er is the most important woman in your heart. Were you lying to Lian'er?"

"How could that be? If it weren't for you and your brother saving me, I would have died on the frontier long ago. You are my benefactor," King Xuan patted her back gently. "I will never go back on my word."

"Then why does Your Highness still want to take a woman from the Meng family as a concubine?" Consort Qin choked up. "Isn't the Meng family already well-off with the Princess Consort?!"

Why send a daughter to share her husband's affection?

“The Princess is the Princess, and Miss Meng is Miss Meng,” Prince Xuan said, not wanting to say more to her. Instead, he advised, “You should avoid provoking Zhao Shan in the future. She is not someone you can afford to mess with.”

Consort Qin never expected that Prince Xuan, who had always doted on her, would not only fail to comfort her but would also warn her. Consort Qin was so angry that she forgot to cry. "Although I am of humble birth, I am still the prince's concubine and the princess's stepmother. Why should I be afraid of a junior?!"

If it were Consort Han, Prince Xuan would certainly not pursue the matter further. However, looking at Consort Qin's pale and delicate face, Prince Xuan rarely said anything more, "What kind of person is Zhao Shan? How can she be manipulated by the mere name of an elder?"

"You were never officially listed in the imperial family's jade tablet. If you were to be precise, even being called a concubine would be an overstepping of your bounds. But Zhaoshan was personally appointed by the late emperor as a first-rank princess with real power, and her status was far above yours."

“If Zhaoshan insists on teaching you a lesson, I cannot save you. So remember, do not provoke Zhaoshan,” King Xuan warned again. “Do not let today’s incident happen again.”

Consort Qin was stunned. She had never heard the Prince of Xuan speak to her in such a stern tone before, and she immediately started crying and making a scene.

Seeing that she was so unteachable, King Xuan lost his patience and turned to leave.

Zhao Zhao: Heh, you're dumbfounded now!
Consort Qin: Waaaaaah (_)