I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 226 Exposed
Tang Zhao laughed after hearing this and teased, "Poor Fifth Young Master Gu. Other families get married and have more children, but Fifth Young Master Gu has lost the hearts of his father and mother after getting married."

“Not surprising, you’ve always been likable,” Gu Ci said gently, looking at the overjoyed Tang Zhao. “Not just my father, mother, soldiers, and common people, but also me…”

"What about you?" Tang Zhao didn't hear clearly.

"Nothing, what are you going to do in a bit?"

"The foreman!" Tang Zhao pouted, took the large straw hat that Chunfeng handed him and put it on his head. "This time we recruited too many workers, and it involves different prefectures and counties. The officials below are also of varying abilities. There are countless troublesome things to deal with every day."

Tang Zhao sighed, "Yesterday alone, I handled eighteen conflicts, including those between workers, between managers and workers, and between officials and managers. Ah! I'm about to collapse!"

Gu Ci frowned, "Aren't the officials below doing their jobs?"

"It's not that we don't care, it's that the methods we use to manage things are too harsh," Tang Zhao said as he walked with Gu Ci. "Beatings, insults, withholding food, and making people work overtime—it all goes against the rules I set!"

"What are you going to do?"

"Make an example of someone," Tang Zhao said, mounting his horse. "I'm going to find the noisiest chicken and slaughter it for a meal."

Gu Ci rode his red-eared horse behind Tang Zhao, saying, "I'll go with you."

Tang Zhao asked curiously, "Aren't you training troops and inspecting them today?" He usually has no free time.

Gu Ci looked helpless.

"Understood," Tang Zhao beckoned, "Then I'll trouble my husband to keep me company."

Gu Ci's gaze softened. "It would be my honor."

The Northwest was in chaos due to road construction, and Luoyang was also thrown into turmoil by the struggle between the Crown Prince and the King of Wei.

Inside the Phoenix Palace, after the Crown Prince finished his bird's nest porridge, the Empress anxiously asked, "Have you heard the news that Prince Wei has once again favored Lady Tang?"

"Your Majesty, I have heard about it," the Crown Prince reassured her. "Your Majesty need not worry. No matter how much the Prince of Wei dotes on Lady Tang, the Duke of Wei will not support him."

"How can you be so sure? Given how favored Lady Tang has been lately, it's possible that the Prince of Wei might offer her the position of Empress."

"Don't worry, Mother!"

Seeing that her son was unwilling to say more, the Empress did not press him further. "Now that it has been confirmed that the Duke of Wei will follow you, there is only one obstacle left before you reach the top."

The Crown Prince didn't care much, saying, "Uncle An is a man of unyielding integrity, but even heroes can't resist the charms of a beautiful woman."

"You mean," the Empress's eyes lit up, "that we should start with Consort Xian?"

"But Consort Xian has always been cautious in her words and deeds, and is deeply favored by His Majesty. Since she entered the palace, I have never caught her red-handed."

"There's more than one Mu woman in the palace," the Crown Prince reminded him.

"My son is still the most intelligent." After Mu Liang was beheaded, the Mu family sent another daughter to the palace.

The Empress stood up and paced around the hall. "Lady Mu has recently been promoted to the rank of Beauty, and there is a shortage of palace maids and eunuchs. I have ordered the inner court to carefully select one."

The Crown Prince personally poured a cup of newly presented pre-rain Longjing tea, saying, "Thank you for your trouble, Your Majesty." The Empress smelled the fragrant tea.

The situation in Luoyang changed rapidly, and before we knew it, it was the fifteenth of August.

Reports came from all over the country that the weather had been favorable this year, and the country was peaceful and prosperous. Emperor Sheng'an was overjoyed, but because the national treasury was empty, he only ordered his relatives to enter the palace to attend the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet.

That evening, the Crown Prince and his wife, and the Prince of Wei and his wife, entered the palace to offer their congratulations. Emperor Sheng'an looked at his two sons and was overwhelmed with paternal love, which made his already hesitant heart waver once again.

Consort Xian and her son seized the opportunity; one poured wine personally, while the other spoke flattering words, making Emperor Sheng'an laugh heartily.

The Empress watched this scene with a cold eye, then gave a wink to the eunuch standing to the side. The eunuch understood immediately, bowed quietly, and returned a moment later, bowing deeply to the Empress.

The Empress was overjoyed. "Your Majesty, yesterday the inner court reported that the snow lotus and musk rose presented by the Turks have bloomed. I wonder if we will have the honor of seeing them?"

Upon hearing this, Emperor Sheng'an recalled the Turks' pleas for peace and, feeling pleased, naturally agreed, "Beautiful flowers bloom at the right time. These flowers are in full bloom right now. Let's go to the Imperial Flower Garden to admire them!"

Since Emperor Sheng'an did not ride in the imperial carriage, the others naturally dared not ride in sedan chairs either. The Empress, the Crown Prince, and a large group of guards, palace maids, and eunuchs escorted Emperor Sheng'an to the Imperial Flower Pavilion.

Hundreds of palace lanterns illuminated the dimly lit stone-paved palace path, and the rustling sounds from the dense flower bushes and trees not far away reached the ears of the guards.

"Who goes there? Protect the Emperor!" The leader of the Imperial Guards stood in front of Emperor Sheng'an, raised his right hand, and the Imperial Guards quickly stepped forward, soon bringing over two disheveled men and women.

"Ah!" The women all covered their eyes.

The Empress was furious. "Outrageous! How dare they commit such a vile act in the solemn palace! They have no fear whatsoever!"

She commanded, "Raise your head! I want to see who's so audacious!"

Before the two could even look up, the Imperial Guards had already grabbed them by the hair and pulled them back. No one recognized the man, but the woman was none other than the recently favored Consort Mu.

Consort Xian was shocked and nearly fell to the ground because her legs went weak.

"Consort Mu, you!" The Empress clutched her chest, her face filled with grief, and then knelt down to beg for forgiveness. "Your Majesty, I have failed in my duty to manage the harem, allowing the concubines to commit adultery within the palace. I beg Your Majesty to punish me for my negligence!"

Emperor Sheng'an looked at Consort Mu, who was crying her eyes out and was pale, wearing only a men's outer robe to cover her body. His expression was particularly cold. "I always thought you were timid and afraid of trouble. I never thought I was wrong. As a concubine, you dare to have an affair. Do you not want to live? Have you had enough of living with the Mu family?"

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty! I am guilty, I deserve to die!" Consort Mu was terrified, repeatedly kowtowing to the ground and begging for mercy. "I dare not ask for Your Majesty's forgiveness, but what I did has nothing to do with the Mu family. Please, Your Majesty, spare the Mu family!"

Seeing that Emperor Sheng'an remained silent, Consort Mu looked up and searched around. Finally, she spotted the Prince of Wei and his mother hiding behind the crowd and called out sadly, "Aunt, Cousin!"

Consort Xian bit her tongue hard, the intense pain finally bringing a sliver of clarity to her mind. She immediately knelt and said, "Your Majesty, Consort Mu deserves to die a thousand deaths. I dare not plead for her, but the Mu family..."

"Does my beloved consort mean to say that the Mu family was unaware of this?" Emperor Sheng'an asked coldly.

Consort Xian braced herself and said, "Your Majesty is wise. If the Mu family knew that Consort Mu had done such a despicable thing, they would have drowned her in the pond to prove the Mu family's innocence. How could they dare to let her live in this world! Let alone let her enter the palace as a consort!"
Emperor Sheng'an didn't even glance at Consort Xian and her son kneeling on the ground. "Then, my beloved consort says, how should one deal with having an affair with another man?"

The virtuous concubine said bitterly, "Execute him!"

"Very well!" Emperor Sheng'an waved his hand. "Guards, drag Consort Mu away and execute her by slow slicing!"

Although Mu Meiren knew she was going to die the moment she was discovered, she thought she would be given a white silk ribbon or a cup of poisoned wine. She never expected to be subjected to slow slicing!