I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 205 Wave after wave

"No need, I don't trust Master Zhao," Tang Zhao gestured to her guards to bury the coffin. "I have already notified the Prefect of Guyuan Prefecture, and the prefecture will send officials to investigate this case."

Master Zhao gritted his teeth inwardly.

"Before the arrival of the officials from the prefectural government, the Zhao residence will be guarded by my guards. Without my permission, no one may pass items or leave the residence without authorization, and no casualties are allowed!"

Master Zhao suddenly raised his head, "Princess!"

"Wu Yi'er, you personally lead the guards. Anyone who dares to disobey this princess's orders will be punished for the crime of disrespect!"

"Yes!" Wu Yi'er led a squad of personal guards away on horseback.

"Master Zhao, may you have good fortune," Tang Zhao said, then led his group away.

"Master, master, what should we do?" the steward asked anxiously after everyone had left.

Master Zhao slapped him hard across the face. "What to do, what to do! How should I know what to do!"

The steward, despite his loyalty, was beaten and immediately lowered his head, not daring to utter a sound.

Master Zhao was filled with anger and had nowhere to vent it. With the guillotine hanging over his neck, he turned around a few times with his hands behind his back. "Send someone to Lanzhou to tell my aunt to find a way to plead for leniency."

"Yes," the butler hurried off to make the arrangements.

Master Zhao spat fiercely at Master Zhao Thirteen's grave, then turned and went down the mountain, taking a carriage back to the county town.

As soon as the carriage turned into the street where the Zhao family residence was located, Master Zhao saw the guards of the Protectorate General's Mansion riding tall horses with long swords at their waists from afar.

Master Zhao got off the carriage with his eyes closed, gave a fierce snort to Wu Yi'er who was guarding the gate, and strode into the Zhao residence.

Wu Yi kept his eyes straight ahead, treating it as if a dog had barked at him.

"Master, what's with those soldiers outside the mansion?" Madam Zhao rushed to greet her husband. "They're not allowing us to leave the house! Is there no law left in this Great Yu?"

"The law? Princess Zhaoshan's words are the law!"

"Princess Zhaoshan?" Madam Zhao was shocked. "We have no grudge against Princess Zhaoshan, why would she make things difficult for us?"

"No enmity whatsoever? Do you know who's behind the Zhong family's winery?"

Mrs. Zhao's eyes widened. "Could it be..."

"Princess Zhaoshan!"

Madam Zhao gasped, forcing herself to remain calm, and said, "Even if she is Princess Zhaoshan, she cannot disregard the law. The Zhong family winery harmed people first, and Princess Zhaoshan sent troops to surround the mansion without cause. Even if we take the matter to the yamen, the justice is on our side!"

Master Zhao was almost amused by this woman with long hair and short wits.

If everything in the world were truly based on reason and handled according to the law, where would all these wrongful convictions and miscarriages of justice come from?

Putting everything else aside, just take the Zhong family winery incident as an example. If the law were truly followed, the Zhong family members wouldn't even go to jail!

When Mrs. Zhao saw her husband smile, she thought she had hit the nail on the head and became smug, talking on and on.

"In my opinion, even if the Zhong family's winery has Princess Zhaoshan backing it up, so what? No matter how noble Princess Zhaoshan is, she is just a woman in the inner quarters. She can be tough and capable among women, but how much airs can she put on in the outside world?"

"Our great-aunt is deeply loved by the Earl of Zhongyong. We can ask her to step in and have the Earl of Zhongyong say a few words of sympathy to Prince Xuan to smooth things over. After all, Princess Zhaoshan has no evidence!"

Mrs. Zhao was suddenly slapped across the face, and she fell onto the coffee table, knocking over a set of teacups that shattered into pieces.

Master Zhao unleashed all his anger on his wife, yelling, "Stupid woman! Stupid woman who's practically stupid to the heavens!"

"Who told you that Princess Zhaoshan didn't have any evidence?" Master Zhao became angrier and angrier. He stepped forward and kicked Madam Zhao hard, lowering his voice and saying viciously, "You can't even handle something as simple as poisoning and framing someone. What use are you?"

Madam Zhao's leg ached from being kicked, and she couldn't speak for a moment. "There are so many poisons in the world, and you had to choose arsenic. The coroner could tell right away!"

Master Zhao kicked him several more times, saying, "Let me tell you, when the people from the prefectural government arrive, you'd better take full responsibility for this matter and not implicate the Zhao family in the slightest, or I'll divorce you!"

Master Zhao spat fiercely at Madam Zhao, then turned and went to the concubine's quarters in the side courtyard.

The old woman outside the door only dared to come in after Master Zhao had gone far away. When she saw Madam Zhao lying on the ground, she quickly went forward to help her up.

Mrs. Zhao was in so much pain that her face turned pale, and large beads of sweat slid down her forehead.

"Madam, Madam, please don't frighten this old servant, what's wrong?"

Mrs. Zhao groaned, "My stomach, my stomach hurts so much!"

The old woman looked down and saw a pool of blood on the ground, which startled her so much that her eyes widened.

"Don't panic," Madam Zhao said, forcing herself to raise her hand. "Help me inside to rest."

The old woman nodded quickly, helped Madam Zhao lie down on the bed, and personally cleaned up the bloodstains on the floor.

"Madam, everything has been cleaned up," the nanny reported as she entered. "Should we inform Master Lu so he can prepare in advance?"

"Go ahead. If the guards at the gate refuse to let you out, give them some silver to invite Doctor Xu from Bao'an Hall and ask him to pass on a message to your brother."

"This old servant understands," the old nanny went down to deliver the message, and as expected, she was stopped at the small door. She smiled and made her request, and then slipped a purse into her hand. "This is for you gentlemen to have some tea. Please don't find it offensive, sir."

The guard weighed it; it was at least ten taels. "Just wait."

The guard took the purse to the county government office.

Sitting in the county magistrate's office chair, Tang Zhao looked at the embezzled money handed over by her personal guards and ordered, "Since Madam Zheng is unwell, go and invite a doctor to see her, lest people say that I, the princess, disregard human life."

The guards obeyed the order and quickly took the doctor back.

The old woman looked at the unfamiliar face, her smile freezing on her face. "And who is this?"

"Dr. Wu of Renxin Hall is a renowned gynecologist," the guard said solemnly. "Her Highness the Princess has instructed that the best doctor be found for Madam Zhao."

The guard clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Please lead the way."

The old woman was frozen in place, refusing to budge an inch no matter what she was told.

The guard frowned and grabbed a servant to lead the way.

Dr. Wu followed behind, carrying his medicine box. Based on his years of experience in the inner quarters of the household, he knew that Madam Zhao was hiding a big secret.

Here comes the juicy gossip!

Sure enough, as soon as Madam Zhao saw Doctor Wu, she threw a tantrum and refused to let him take her pulse. Her personal guards didn't tolerate it and directly invited Master Zhao.

Master Zhao was utterly disgusted by this woman who was causing trouble at this crucial moment. "Guards, restrain Madam!"

Several maids stepped forward and struggled to hold down Madam Zhao's hands and feet.

Doctor Wu stepped forward to take his pulse, and after a moment calmly said, "Congratulations, Master Zhao, Madam Zhao is pregnant."

"It's just that Madam Zhao has suddenly become pregnant and is showing signs of miscarriage. But Master Zhao, there's no need to worry. I will immediately administer acupuncture to save the baby in Madam Zhao's womb."

Master Zhao's face was filled with terror. "Please, doctor, you must save my wife and children."

Dr. Wu nodded, opened his medicine box, and picked up a needle to prick Mrs. Zhao's head, which was covered in beads of sweat.