I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 246 Recommendation
"who?"

“He is my contemporary, Zhang Anzhi, who once served as the Vice Prefect of Qinzhou,” Lu Ying said, bowing his head. “If Your Highness is willing, I will immediately bring him to the General’s Mansion to pay his respects.”

Tang Zhao and Lu Ying had known each other for several years, and this was the first time Lu Ying had recommended a talent to Tang Zhao, so Tang Zhao naturally couldn't refuse to see him.

Half an hour later, Lu Ying indeed brought a middle-aged man with a haggard face.

"This humble citizen, Zhang Anzhi, pays his respects to Her Highness Princess Zhaoshan!"

"Sir, please excuse the formalities and have a seat." Tang Zhao looked at Zhang Anzhi's almost completely white hair and couldn't help but ask, "I heard that you and Lord Lu are the same age. How come you look so much older?"
Zhang Anzhi understood Tang Zhao's unfinished words and said with a bitter smile, "This humble commoner is like this because he has failed the people of Qin Prefecture."

Tang Zhao was surprised.

"Two years ago, a locust plague struck Qin Prefecture, resulting in a complete crop failure. Countless people starved or died of thirst. I feel uneasy whenever I think about it."

Tang Zhao comforted him, "That was a natural disaster, sir, you don't need to worry too much."

“It was a natural disaster, but it was also man-made.” Zhang Anzhi still shudders when he thinks about it now. “In order to cover up the locust plague, Mu Liang, the former prefect of Qinzhou, ordered people to burn down the wheat fields and then framed the innocent victims.”

"I was imprisoned by Mu Liang for opposing this matter."

Tang Zhao remembered this; Song Kai told her about it after inspecting the locust plague area.

“I have informed my father about this matter, and my father has also submitted a memorial to the late emperor.”

Zhang Anzhi smiled bitterly, "When the Ministry of Justice came to investigate, they found that 80 or 90 percent of the fields had been burned or destroyed by locusts. Although the court had sent relief grain, it was far from enough."

When he was released from prison and returned to the government office, the people of Qinzhou were either dead or gone. In the blink of an eye, Qinzhou had transformed from a bustling prefecture into a ghost town with nine out of ten houses empty.

“I remember that Mu Liang was eventually beheaded because of this.”

“Yes, this is a stroke of luck amidst misfortune. Not only Mu Liang, but also the officials who colluded with him were punished,” Zhang Anzhi sighed. “But I felt ashamed for failing the people of Qinzhou, and my hair turned white overnight. The newly appointed prefect of Qinzhou thought my image was detrimental to his official authority, so he demoted me.”

"In a fit of anger, I resigned from my post and returned to my hometown."

Lu Ying continued, "When I received Anzhi's letter, I remembered that the princess lacked talented people, so I wrote to him asking him to come and serve her."

Zhang Anzhi bowed deeply again, saying, "My life's ambition is to bring prosperity to the people. I beg Your Highness to give me a chance, and I will certainly not let you down."

“Since you have said so, then this princess will naturally agree,” Tang Zhao said, accepting the deep bow while seated. “But this princess always likes to put the unpleasant things out in advance.”

"Anzhi is all ears."

"Serving under this princess, it is good to be capable, but the most important thing is loyalty," Tang Zhao said seriously. "Loyal people are fine even if they are a little stupid, but if they are not loyal, I will not use them even if they are geniuses."

“Anzhi understands.”

"Furthermore, although I, the Princess, am in charge of Wuwei, I do not have the power to appoint or dismiss officials. Therefore, I have no choice but to ask you to serve as my advisor for a while. Once you have made your mark, I will ask my father to help you obtain an official position."

"Thank you, Princess!"

"Now that everything has been explained, please go and rest, sir," Tang Zhao said, looking at Zhang Anzhi's completely white hair. "Let me think of a solution for you."

Zhang Anzhi didn't want to be pointed at and gossiped about, so he sincerely bowed and said, "Thank you, Princess!"

"Miss, the young master has arrived!" The guard waiting outside the door came in to report.

Seeing that Tang Zhao still had other matters to attend to, Lu Ying and Zhang Anzhi bowed and took their leave.

Tang Zhao went out to greet him, "Brother, have you come about the war?"

“Exactly,” Gu Liu said, “I’m here for my younger brother and sister-in-law too.”

"For me?" "There's a high probability of war this time. Wuwei City is too close to the battlefield. Your mother is worried about you and wants you to return to Lanzhou immediately."

"Brother, I'm not going back to Lanzhou," Tang Zhao said, his reasoning sound. "With a major battle imminent, what will the people think if I, the city lord, run away?"

"Is it that the Northwest Army can't win the battle, or that I, the city lord, am afraid of death?"

"Not only will I not leave, I will also go to the battlefield. I want to fight the enemy like my grandfather."

Seeing that he couldn't persuade Tang Zhao, Gu Liu could only say, "I don't understand matters of war. If you want to go to the battlefield, you need the consent of your father and fifth brother."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Tang Zhao stepped out first, calling to Wu Yi'er and the others, "I'm going to the military camp with my elder brother now."

Gu Liu had already noticed the personal guards stationed at the Protector General's Mansion. Each of them was broad-shouldered and slender, full of energy, and stood motionless under the corridor.

Such personal guards are comparable to the Xuan Tie Army under the Fifth Brother.

"Big brother?" Tang Zhao called out to remind Gu Liu when he saw that Gu Liu was standing still.

"I've long heard that my sister-in-law has a unique set of military training techniques, which even Father and my fifth brother praised," Gu Liu said, looking at the well-trained and disciplined personal guards protecting Tang Zhao. "Now it has been promoted to the Northwest Army."

"Not bad!" Tang Zhao glanced at Wu Yier and the others, who were even more well-trained than when she first met them, her tone full of pride.

The two, along with a group of personal guards, rode swiftly to Xiakou Pass. King Xuan, who was discussing battle strategies with his strategist, nodded upon seeing his eldest son, but felt a headache upon seeing Tang Zhao.

"Zhaozhao, you shouldn't participate in such rough work as fighting. If you get hurt, your father will be heartbroken."

Tang Zhao reassured King Xuan, "Father, don't worry. If we encounter any danger, I'll be the first to turn around and run!"

King Xuan: . . . . . .

Gu Ci shook his head, "Deserting on the battlefield is punishable by death!"

Tang Zhao: Is that so?
"What if I have a legitimate reason?"

Gu Ci asked, "For example?"

Tang Zhao never misses a chance to shock anyone, saying things like, "For example, if I get pregnant with your child, I'll have to give you an heir."

Gu Ci: There's absolutely no need for that.

Gu Liu smiled. No wonder his wife often mentioned Tang Zhao at home; he was indeed an interesting person.

"Stop fooling around!" King Xuan said to Tang Zhao seriously, "Zhao Zhao, the battlefield is not child's play. Once you go to the battlefield, you can't back out!"

Tang Zhao put away his playful smile and said more seriously than King Xuan, "Father, my Song family has no deserters. Even if I die, I will not be a deserter!"

"Good!" King Xuan was pleased. As expected of a child of the Song family, he had inherited his maternal grandfather's demeanor!
After the decision was made, King Xuan continued to discuss the war strategy, while Tang Zhao pondered whether or not to manufacture gunpowder.

Of course, this is just the most basic gunpowder.

Anyone who has studied chemistry or alchemy can make a simple version of explosives.

Once gunpowder was invented, it meant that the world was transitioning from the era of cold weapons to the era of firearms. In the future, if criminals were to obtain explosives, even more people would die or be injured.

But now, because of gunpowder, fewer people will die in Dayu.

Especially since those people were people Tang Zhao knew.

Tang Zhao hesitated for a long time, but finally decided to do it.

Who knows what will happen in the future?
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