I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 178 Demotion
Tang Zhao couldn't stand their loud conspiracy any longer, so he went up and banged on the car door, yelling, "Shut up, all of you!"

The carriage fell silent instantly. After a moment, the Ghost Doctor opened the carriage door with a fawning smile, "Girl, when we reach the next city, we'll switch to a bigger carriage so it'll be easier to detoxify inside."

"Then let's set off as soon as possible," Tang Zhao waved to Gu Ci and boarded another carriage.

Dr. Zhong watched helplessly as Gu Ci followed, and he was so angry that he jumped up and down.

Dr. Zhong's mood was not within Tang Zhao's consideration. When passing through Yinchuan Prefecture, Tang Zhao bought three large carriages in one go.

Dr. Zhong, sitting alone in a carriage, deeply felt the sting of being ostracized. Unfortunately, he couldn't integrate into their harmonious and joyful atmosphere, so he could only sullenly snort everywhere with a stern face.

In mid-November, the carriage arrived in Wuwei amidst heavy snowfall, and Tang Zhao finally heard the long-awaited system notification sound.

[Ding! The "Saving the Cannon Fodder Male Supporting Character System" has completed its fifth sub-task of "Supporting the Three Armies" and "Detoxifying Gu Ci." Reward: Steel Refining Technique stored in your inventory; Health +300; Current Health: 617]

Tang Zhao's eyes welled up with tears. As expected of a target, the life points given were really generous!

The fatigue from days of travel vanished instantly, and Tang Zhao was in a great mood. Everyone he saw seemed so lovely, and even Bai Rouyin seemed more pleasing to the eye.

and many more?

Bai Rouyin?
Why is she in front of the Protector General's Mansion?

Tang Zhao watched helplessly as Bai Rouyin fluttered towards Gu Ci like a butterfly.

Gu Ci dodged to the side, and Tang Zhao kindly helped her up, preventing Bai Rouyin from falling flat on her face.

"Brother Yuanye, General Gu," Bai Rouyin shook off Tang Zhao's hand, "Please, have mercy on my father this time!"

Tang Zhao:?
“Military orders are absolute. The Marquis of Zhongyong delayed military operations due to his own selfishness, almost allowing the Turkic general and his elite troops to break through the encirclement,” Gu Ci said with a cold expression. “His Majesty has already shown leniency by stripping the Marquis of his title and demoting him to the Earl, considering the Marquis of Zhongyong’s decades of service to the country. Young Madam Yang should be the one to thank His Majesty for this grace.”

"But the Prince demoted Father from General of Chariots and Cavalry to Colonel!" Bai Rouyin cried, sobbing uncontrollably. "Father has commanded the army for many years, and to be demoted to Colonel overnight, how can he accept it?"

So her father resigned from his position as captain in a fit of anger, and now the Bai family has the title of earl but no real power.

"Brother Yuanye," Bai Rouyin knelt down with a thud, "For the sake of my father's more than twenty years of loyalty to the Prince, and for the sake of our childhood friendship, I beg you to plead with the Prince on my father's behalf, so that he can start as a general..."

Tang Zhao, who was watching the show from the sidelines, exclaimed, "Good heavens! Does Bai Rouyin think that the military positions in the Northwest Army are like cabbages growing in the backyard of Prince Xuan's mansion? That Prince Xuan can give them to whomever he wants?"
Why start as a general? Why not just replace King Xuan as the commander of the Northwest Army?

“Young Madam Yang, the appointment and removal of officers in the army are based solely on military merit. Those who have made contributions are promoted, and those who have committed wrongdoings are punished. No one is exempt,” Gu Ci took a deep breath. “If the Marquis of Zhongyong wants to return to the army, I can plead with my father on his behalf. As for other matters, I’m afraid I cannot offer any assistance.”

Bai Rouyin collapsed to the ground. The pointing fingers and whispers around her made her want to leave immediately, but when she thought of her worried father and her mother who was always in tears, she insisted:

"Rouyin wishes to reside in the temple to chant sutras and recite Buddhist prayers for the fallen soldiers. She also asks General Gu to intercede with the Prince on behalf of her father, who is willing to return to the army, even as a captain."

After Bai Rouyin finished expressing her stance, she stood up with Lian Qiao's help, stumbled into the car, and left like a stray dog.

Tang Zhao didn't quite understand, "Is the rank of Colonel very low?"

“Not low,” Gu Ci explained, “a sixth-rank official position.”

“That’s not low,” Tang Zhao agreed. The official ranks in Dayu were divided into nine grades, and the seventh, fifth, and third grades were all major hurdles. Many people were stuck at the seventh grade in their entire lives. “For the Earl of Zhongyong, who once served as a third-grade General of Chariots and Cavalry, it was like falling from the clouds to the mud,” Gu Ci pursed his lips. “But for those soldiers who died in battle and their families, this punishment was still too lenient.”

"Speaking of which, Marquis Zhongyong, uh, Earl Zhongyong, although he is a doting father, he has rich combat experience. How did he manage to delay military intelligence for his own selfish reasons?"

“Telescope,” Gu Ci explained, “My father provided each of the participating generals and deputy generals with a pair of telescopes so that they could observe the enemy situation and react in a timely manner.”

“After learning that the telescope was developed by you, the Earl of Zhongyong refused to use it under any circumstances, and therefore failed to discover in time the Turkic general and his elite troops who were disguised as ordinary soldiers breaking out of the encirclement.”

"The soldiers fought a bloody battle to delay their escape. When I arrived, nearly 70% of the soldiers under the command of the Marquis of Zhongyong had died in battle, and the remaining 30% suffered heavy casualties."

"Shouldn't we execute the Marquis of Zhongyong?" Tang Zhao felt indignant for the soldiers who had died or been wounded in battle.

“The Earl of Zhongyong was ennobled for his military achievements and made great contributions to the stability of the border of Dayu,” Gu Ci sighed. “The generals of the Northwest Army also pleaded for him, and Father King could not hurt the feelings of the generals.”

After all, no one can guarantee victory in every battle, and the Turkic elite troops are fierce, so even with advance warning, casualties cannot be avoided.

"Don't let Bai Rouyin disturb the souls of the fallen soldiers," Tang Zhao said angrily. "If she has even a shred of conscience, she should just find a quiet courtyard and live out her days in peace!"

“Okay, I’ll make the arrangements,” Gu Ci said softly, reassuringly. “I guarantee there won’t be a single Buddha statue or Buddhist scripture in the courtyard.”

"Order someone to keep watch in the shadows," Tang Zhao thought of the legendary male protagonist, the eighth prince of the Turks, "and report any unusual activity immediately."

The Bai family has committed such a terrible sin; they should do something to atone for their transgressions.

Since the whole family is mentally challenged, let's use them as bait.

"Don't let the Marquis of Zhongyong return to the army," Tang Zhao reminded him as they walked. "After this incident, he will surely harbor resentment."

Given the Bai family's thought process, they might pin the blame on her and even resent King Xuan for being biased.

As it turned out, Tang Zhao was right.

In the Bai family's villa, Madam Zhao sat on the edge of the bed wiping away tears. "The Marquis fought for the Great Yu for decades, and in the end, he ended up like this. It's truly heartbreaking!"

The Earl of Zhongyong, lying on the bed, gently scolded, "Stop talking!"

"Why won't you say anything? You can't say anything outside, but you can't say anything at home?" Zhao cried and wailed. "Who doesn't know that Tang Zhao has a grudge against our family? Others dare to use what she makes, but how dare our family use it?"

"They say they can see clearly from twenty miles away, but who knows if that's true or not? Besides, what battle doesn't result in deaths? Why should all the blame for the deaths be placed on the Marquis?"

Zhao became increasingly indignant as she spoke, "Wasn't the Marquis fighting a bloody battle? Wasn't he risking his life to stop the Turkic enemy?"

"It was clearly Gu Ci who arrived late, but they insist on saying that the Marquis's warning was not timely enough. Prince Xuan is biased towards his son. How can they give the Marquis justice?"

"Enough!" The Earl of Zhongyong's eyes were bloodshot. "Keep it to yourself, don't say it aloud!"

(End of this chapter)