I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 273: Accomplice
Looking at the salt grains in the salt pond, which were even finer than sand, Zhang Xing rubbed his eyes hard, afraid that he was seeing things.

"Try it," Tang Zhao said, handing over the bag of salt.

Zhang Xing carefully picked up a grain of salt, put it in his mouth and savored it. The saltiness was just right, without a trace of bitterness.

Tang Zhao raised an eyebrow, "Innocent enough, right?"

Enough, enough, more than enough!
“Following the layout of the saltworks, we will build three more identical saltworks by the lake. Once the saltworks produce enough salt, we will sell it to the people.”

Tang Zhao pondered, "As for the price..."

Zhang Xing swallowed hard. The official salt from the imperial court cost 200 coins per pound, while private salt was cheaper at 150 coins per pound, but it was still unaffordable for ordinary people.

Zhang Xing wanted to ask Tang Zhaoding to set the price of salt lower, perhaps 100 or 80 wen per jin, so that ordinary people could still grit their teeth and buy some to take home.

Tang Zhao made the decision, "Ten coins per jin, that's the lowest we can go, or we won't be able to pay the workers."

Zhang Xing stammered, "How much...how much?"

Tang Zhao held up ten fingers, "Ten coins per pound, not a single coin less!"

Zhang Xing was moved to tears, wishing he could find a Nirvana to worship Tang Zhao, for their royal family had brought home a female bodhisattva!

Zhang Xing lifted his robe and was about to kneel down, "On behalf of the people of the Northwest, this humble official thanks the Princess for her kindness!"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Tang Zhao grabbed Zhang Xing by the back of his collar and lifted him up. "The workers are watching, what are you doing, Lord Zhang?"

"Since you're kneeling, I have to give the people of Zhangye Prefecture a 20% discount!"

"No need, no need, ten coins a pound is fine." Even the poorest people can afford it at this price!

With salt available, people no longer had to worry about lacking the strength to work.

Tang Zhao joked, "What are you still standing here for, Lord Zhang? Why aren't you going to oversee the construction of the saltworks?"

"Yes, yes!" Zhang Xing was so excited he was almost incoherent. "This humble official will go right away, right away!"

Zhang Xing hurriedly ran a few steps, then turned back, respectfully bowed deeply to Tang Zhao, and then quickly ran away.

Tang Zhao found it amusing; no wonder his father had specially transferred Zhang Xing from Lanzhou to Zhangye. He was indeed an interesting and capable official.

Qiu Yu skipped and hopped along behind Tang Zhao, asking, "Miss, when do we start selling salt?"

Tang Zhao raised an eyebrow, "Don't you want your head?"

Qiu Yu clutched her head, "Why?"

"Foolish!" Chunfeng scolded lightly, "Salt and iron are controlled by the imperial court; private trading is illegal!"

"Ah!" Qiu Yu said disappointedly, "Then we should keep this good salt for ourselves!"

Chunfeng glanced back at the mountain of salt grains and said, "There's so much, the entire General's mansion couldn't finish it even if they ate for a lifetime."

"Let's go to the military camp!"

When Tang Zhao arrived at the Northwest military camp, he happened to arrive just in time to find the camp eating roasted mutton.

"Why is the food so good today?"

"Your Highness, our military rations this year are ten percent higher than in previous years!" the soldier said happily. "His Highness sent someone to buy three hundred sheep, saying he wanted to celebrate."

"It's time to celebrate!" Tang Zhao walked all the way to the royal tent and found King Xuan, who was eating meat with his generals. "Father!"

"Hey, Zhao Zhao's here! Quick, the lamb leg is freshly roasted, it's delicious!"

King Xuan personally picked a piece of fragrant roasted lamb leg and handed it to Tang Zhao, saying, "Sprinkle some salt on it, and it will taste absolutely amazing!"

"Father, wait a minute!"

"What's wrong?" King Xuan paused in sprinkling salt.

"Use Zhaozhao's salt," Tang Zhao said, taking a small pinch of salt from the cloth bag at her waist and sprinkling it on the lamb leg.

The fine salt grains melted instantly, leaving King Xuan and his generals speechless.

King Xuan swallowed hard. "Zhaozhao, what is this... salt?"

“Yes!” Tang Zhao took a big bite of lamb leg, his words muffled. “I just dried it.” Dried? That was a rather obscure term. One general couldn't help but ask, “Isn't salt always dug from salt wells?”

Tang Zhao swallowed the mutton in his mouth, "I can dry it."

The general wanted to say it was impossible, but then he thought, what had Princess Zhaoshan ever done that hadn't exceeded their expectations?

If steel can be forged, why can't salt be produced by sun-drying it?

General Chen, being the most quick-witted, extended his portion of mutton to Tang Zhao, saying, "Princess, could you spare some for me too?"

“Alright!” Tang Zhao generously sprinkled salt on the entire lamb leg.

General Chen waited for the salt to melt, then took a bite. He found his mouth filled with fragrance, and he couldn't taste any bitterness at all.

King Xuan couldn't bear to watch Chen Man's satisfied expression as if he were a dog gnawing on a bone. He directly dipped a little salt from the salt bag and put it in his mouth, immediately becoming serious.

King Xuan asked sternly, "Was this salt truly sun-dried?"

Tang Zhao nodded, "Lord Zhang Xing personally oversaw the drying process."

"What is the salt production rate?"

"If you're skilled, you can produce tens of thousands of kilograms a day."

King Xuan took a deep breath. "What will the selling price be?"

"Ten cents a pound."

Ten coins!

King Xuan looked at the salt grains in the bag, which were whiter than snow and finer than sand. Such fine salt would be sought after by noble families even if it sold for five hundred coins per catty.

Ten coins were given so that ordinary people could afford salt.

Tang Zhao feigned a sigh, "It's a pity that the court doesn't allow the private sale of salt, so even if the salt is made, the people can't afford it. What a pity."

Tang Zhao's words pierced King Xuan's heart like a sharp sword, causing him excruciating pain.

General Chen said nonchalantly, "Why can't the princess just do business in the Northwest? The Northwest is the prince's fiefdom. Even if His Majesty's reach is far, it can't extend there. Ouch! Why did you hit me!"

"Keep your mouth shut! You can't just say things like that!" Deputy General Guo rolled his eyes at him, not realizing that the prince was in a bad mood because of Emperor Pingyuan, yet he was still eager to provoke him.

This is not the way to seek death!

General Chen gave an awkward smile and lowered his head to continue gnawing on the bone.

King Xuan took a few deep breaths and forced a smile. "Zhao Zhao, let's talk about the salt later. Let's eat the meat first."

Tang Zhao obediently took a bite of mutton. "Father, let's purge the court of corrupt officials."

Qing, by the emperor's side?

Who is being investigated?

Gu Ci glanced at Tang Zhao, "What did the Duke of Wei do?"

Tang Zhao took another bite of mutton, "Treason and collusion with the enemy."

Hiss! The other generals tried to persuade her, "No, no, Princess! We understand your desire to sell salt, and we know you don't get along with the Duke of Wei, but to accuse your own father of such a heinous crime that could lead to the extermination of nine generations of his family just to sell salt!"

Don't forget, you are also a member of the ninth generation of the Duke of Wei's family, and the most legitimate one at that!
A knowing glint flashed in Gu Ci's eyes, "Wuwei City fell back then because of the Duke of Wei?"

Tang Zhao spat out a bone and said calmly, "Yes!"

Upon hearing this, the generals fell silent. The tragic scene of the fall of Wuwei City was still vivid in their minds. If it was truly caused by the Duke of Wei's collusion with the enemy and betrayal of the country, then it was truly unforgivable.

"Does the princess have any evidence?"

There are witnesses.

"Why not report this to His Majesty? It is a serious crime of treason and collusion with the enemy. His Majesty may not protect the Duke of Wei."

Tang Zhao said in a low voice, "What if Emperor Pingyuan was also Tang Zheng's accomplice?"

(End of this chapter)