I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 174 Do I Look Like an Stupid Person?

Upon receiving a signal from Tang Zhao, Wu Yi'er immediately set off to return to Luoyang.

Wu Bingsan and Chao Yi restored the scene to its original state, carried Old Master An through the woods, boarded the carriage, and continued their journey to the Northwest.

Fearing he might lose control of his urge to stab Old Master An, Dr. Zhong forced himself onto Tang Zhao and Gu Ci's carriage.

The small carriage, which could only accommodate two people, was suddenly packed with people. Tang Zhao was squeezed close to Gu Ci, with most of his buttocks hanging off the seat.

Tang Zhao sincerely suggested, "Why don't I go out for a horse ride instead?"

Both men, one old and one young, shook their heads in unison.

Gu Ci stretched out his right arm, and Tang Zhao felt a tightness around her waist. Then her body was suspended in the air, and when she landed, she was sitting on the man's firm thighs.

"Gu Ci!"

“This way it’s more stable,” Gu Ci said logically. “The carriage moves fast, and if you’re not sitting firmly, you’re likely to fall and get hurt.”

"Thank you!" Tang Zhao smiled kindly, wrapped his right arm around Gu Ci's back, and pinched the softest piece of flesh hard.

I told you not to take advantage of me!

Gu Ci gasped: Why is his grip getting stronger and stronger?

Dr. Zhong turned his head away, looking as if he couldn't bear to watch.

"Ahem," seeing that the two people opposite him were about to fight, Doctor Zhong felt that he had to say something. "Zhaozhao, how do you know that Old Master An was involved in the Duke of Wei's collusion with the enemy?"

Tang Zhao withdrew her hand from Gu Ci's. "I don't know!"

Dr. Zhong: "?"

do not know?
"I tricked him," Tang Zhao said innocently.

Dr. Zhong:
"Who knew that old man was so timid, he confessed so easily with just a little scare," Tang Zhao sighed. "It's probably my maternal grandfather protecting me from heaven."

Dr. Zhong felt that something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"If Old Master An insists on denying it, are you going to let him go?"

"Ah!" Tang Zhao retorted, "Or what?"

“Dayu is a society governed by the rule of law; killing people indiscriminately is not allowed.”

Dr. Zhong looked utterly disillusioned.

Gu Ci didn't believe a word of it. Based on his understanding of Tang Zhao, if Old Master An insisted on denying it, she would definitely make Old Master An experience a fate worse than death.

On the afternoon of the fifth day, Wu Yier caught up with Tang Zhao and his group, carrying the silver box they had dug up.

Dr. Zhong examined the silver box. "The locking mechanism on this box is incredibly complex and sturdy; only a master of mechanisms could solve it..."

Before Dr. Zhong could finish speaking, Tang Zhao drew his sword from his waist and swiftly swung it, breaking the lock on the silver box in two and causing it to fall to the ground.

As Tang Zhao sheathed his sword, he asked, "What did you say?"

Dr. Zhong, with a stern face, said, "I didn't say anything."

Oh, Tang Zhao had no time to ask further questions. He opened the box himself and found that inside, besides a yellowed letter, there was also a green jade pendant carved with a gyrfalcon.

"He really is that ingrate Tang Zheng!" Doctor Zhong roared in fury.

"Why are you so sure all of a sudden?" Tang Zhao asked as he unfolded the letter. "Didn't I think there might be a misunderstanding before?"

"What misunderstanding!" Doctor Zhong picked up the green jade pendant. "This jade pendant is a token of the male members of the Song family. Your uncles' jade pendants were all buried with their remains in the Song family ancestral tomb. No one else in the world has one except Tang Zheng."

Tang Zhao looked at the character "征" (zheng, meaning to levy) engraved in the lower right corner of the jade pendant and asked, "Why does the Duke of Wei have one?" Doctor Zhong explained, "It's all because of your mother. The old general doted on his daughter, so he made an exception and gave one to that ungrateful wretch as well!"

Tang Zhao pouted. Her maternal grandfather was still too young. If he had money to spare, he could have scattered it on the street instead of giving it to such an ungrateful wretch!

Dr. Zhong asked angrily, "What are you planning to do next?"

Tang Zhao thought for a moment, "Let's go back to Wuwei and farm."

Dr. Zhong: Farming?

"Otherwise, would you rush to the southwest camp and kill Tang Zheng?" Seeing that Doctor Zhong really thought so, Tang Zhao was speechless. "Going deep into the army camp alone and fighting your way into the main tent, are you Guan Yu or Zhao Yun?"

Let's be realistic! If she had that kind of ability, why would she bother dealing with the An family? She could just kill Tang Zheng!
"One must eat one bite at a time, and do things one step at a time," Tang Zhao said, looking southwest with his hands behind his back. "One day, I will make Tang Zheng pay for his crimes in blood."

But for now, we can try a little bit first.

Tang Zhao turned his head and asked, "How far are we from Shenmu Cliff?"

Wu Yier pointed the way, "Miss, it's another thirty li ahead and you'll arrive."

"Let's go!" Tang Zhao and his group boarded the carriage and arrived at Shenmu Cliff before evening.

Tang Zhao walked step by step to the edge of the cliff, looked down and saw that the cliff face was covered with trees and flowers, which densely covered the bottom of the cliff. The waterfall rushing down opposite made a deafening sound.

"My mother jumped from here back then?"

"Yes, we followed the trail of blood to the edge of the cliff, but we couldn't find the young lady or the girl. We went down the cliff to search," Wu Yier reported in a low voice. "We turned the bottom of the cliff upside down, but we couldn't find a trace. So the leader led his men to search along the river. The next morning, we finally found the young lady's body and the girl who was barely alive on the riverbank, about half a mile away."

What was the condition of my mother's body?

Wu Yier cautiously looked up and saw that Tang Zhao's face was calm. He became more and more uneasy, but he dared not lie. He could only tell the truth, "The young lady was covered in wounds, with multiple fractures all over her body. The broken ribs pierced her internal organs, and she died from excessive blood loss."

Tang Zhao turned to look at the old master An, who could barely stand, and asked, "Did you hear me clearly?"

Old Master An trembled like a leaf.

Tang Zhao stepped forward, grabbed Old Master An by the collar, and dragged him to the edge of the cliff. "My mother died so tragically, yet your daughter lives a life of luxury. Your An family has also risen to prominence!"

Tang Zhao said, word by word, "Tell me, as a son, shouldn't I avenge my mother?"

Fear filled Old Master An's eyes as he struggled with all his might, shouting, "You promised me! You promised to spare my life! You can't go back on your word!"

"Hahahaha!" Tang Zhao laughed loudly, "Old Master An, you're so old, how can you still be so naive!"

Tang Zhao grabbed Old Master An's collar with his left hand and slowly drew his sword with his right, his eyes full of sarcasm. "I was just saying it casually to tease you, why did you take it seriously?"

The sword, sharp enough to cut through iron like mud, reflected a cold light and pierced his chest like lightning. For a moment, Old Master An felt nothing, but a sharp pain spread from his chest throughout his body after a short while.

Blood gushed from Old Master An's mouth. "Even as a ghost, I will not let you go."

"I'll wait," Tang Zhao smiled slightly, and with a forceful push, Old Master An's body fell to the bottom of the cliff along with the falling leaves.

"Go down to the cliff and see if he's dead," Tang Zhao said, sheathing his sword. "If not, deliver the final blow."

Wu Yi'er and Wu Bing'san accepted the order and quickly descended the cliff along the old path.

"You...you killed him?" Dr. Zhong, who had only just realized what had happened, stammered. "Didn't you promise to spare his life?"

"Keeping your word with a gentleman is called keeping your promise; keeping your word with a scoundrel is called being stupid!" Tang Zhao and Gu Ci returned to the carriage. "Do I look like a fool?!"

Dr. Zhong was taken aback.

(End of this chapter)