I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 283 Spreading Wings and Taking Flight
After Prince An was executed, Emperor Pingyuan reclaimed Prince An's fiefdom, replaced the garrison in the northeast with members of the Zhang family who were not good at military affairs, and sent a trusted eunuch as the military supervisor.

Emperor Pingyuan firmly held the Northeast in his hands, but the military defense was far inferior to that when Prince An was in power.

As far as Gu Ci knew, the Northeast Army had not won a single battle in the several campaigns in which the Turks launched surprise attacks on the Northeast Army.

The Turks would not let such a huge loophole go.

Gu Ci's expression was grave. "I suspect that a major battle will break out at Shanhaiguan soon."

Tang Zhao thought through the officials of the Dayu court, "Does the court still have any capable military generals?"

Gu Ci shook his head. The military generals during the reign of Emperor Gaozu were either killed in battle or too old to fight on the battlefield. The late emperor and the current emperor both emphasized civil administration over military affairs. There are many military generals in the court, but most of them lack combat experience and the ability to fight the Turks.

Lu Ying was very worried. "If the Turks really attack Shanhaiguan, His Majesty will definitely transfer the Prince to the northeast to defend it in order to ensure the safety of Luoyang. Then who will guard the northwest?"

This is also what Gu Ci is worried about. Chen Li and Jiang Wei are brave but not smart enough to control the overall situation. If he really leaves the Northwest, the defense of the Northwest will have to rely on Tang Zhao.

Gu Ci's eyes were full of heartache, but after a moment he forced himself to suppress it and looked at Tang Zhao solemnly, "From today onwards, I will teach you how to arrange troops and formations. You must study diligently and master the military affairs of the Northwest Army as soon as possible."

Tang Zhao blinked. "Okay."

Lu Ying glanced at Gu Ci, then at Tang Zhao, and suddenly felt that she and Shen Jiawen were superfluous. So she stood up, silently bowed, and took her leave with Shen Jiawen.

When only the two of them remained, Tang Zhao teased, "Aren't you afraid that I'll seize military power in the Northwest and sideline you and your father?"

“If you can really do that, it only means that my father and I have done a bad job,” Gu Ci said earnestly. “I will be even happier than you if you are loved by the soldiers.”

Tang Zhao turned her head away somewhat uncomfortably, and said bluntly, "If you keep doing this, I might mistakenly think that you've fallen for me."

Gu Ci said, "It's not a misunderstanding."

Tang Zhao was taken aback. "What?"

“It’s not a misunderstanding,” Gu Ci said solemnly, staring into Tang Zhao’s beautiful eyes. “I just like you.”

Tang Zhao was stung by the solemnity in Gu Ci's eyes.

Gu Ci stepped forward, lowered his head, and asked, "And what about you?"

Tang Zhao feigned ignorance, "What about me?"

Gu Ci pressed on, "I like you, do you like me?"

Gu Ci's face was inches away from Tang Zhao's, their breaths mingling, making Tang Zhao's heart pound wildly.

"Zhaozhao," Gu Ci murmured, "I love you, and you love me too, okay?"

The man's voice was deep and pleasant, as patient and gentle as the Big Bad Wolf coaxing Little Red Riding Hood.

Tang Zhao was so tempted by her beauty that he almost agreed.

A hint of triumph flashed in Gu Ci's eyes.

Tang Zhao snapped back to reality, jumped up and flicked Gu Ci's forehead hard, then scurried away like a rabbit.

Gu Ci raised his hand to touch his slightly aching forehead, feeling somewhat annoyed.

I should have been more patient.

Tang Zhao rushed into the inner room like a gust of wind, threw herself on the bed, picked up a pillow and started hitting it hard like Gu Ci.

That damned Gu Ci, he actually seduced her!
"Young lady, what's wrong?" Chunfeng put down the account book and walked over with a worried look, asking, "Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"

Qiu Yu didn't think so. "The girl looks like she's been bullied."

"Who dares to bully the young lady?" Dongmei clenched her fist. "I'll beat him to death!"

Tang Zhao said coolly, "Gu Ci, go."

The spring breeze held back the winter plum blossoms that were about to rush off.

Qiu Yu couldn't believe it. "The son-in-law can bully the young lady? He should be grateful if the young lady doesn't bully him!"

Tang Zhao said indignantly, "Gu Ci seduced me!"

spring breeze:......

autumn rain:......

Dongmei: ?
What is seduction? Spring breeze silently retreated, and autumn rain forcefully pulled winter plum out of the inner room.

"Why are you pulling me? Didn't you hear the girl say she was being bullied!"

"Why are you making a fuss?" Qiu Yu rolled her eyes. "That's the young master and the young lady flirting!"

Dongmei blinked her big eyes, which were full of questions.

"Anyway, the girl wasn't bullied," Qiu Yu said helplessly, pulling Dong Mei to the kitchen to make some desserts for Tang Zhao.

The next morning, Tang Zhao was forcibly woken up by Gu Ci while he was still asleep.

Tang Zhao, still half-asleep, clung to the blanket, asking, "What?"

"practice!"

"Go to the barracks for drills, and ask me to do it? Oh, I'll go!"

Before Tang Zhao could finish speaking, Gu Ci scooped her up and personally helped her dress, wash, and eat breakfast. By the time Tang Zhao realized what was happening, they had already arrived at the military camp.

"From now on, you will live in the barracks, eat, sleep, and train with the soldiers. If there are any delays, you will be dealt with according to military regulations!"

Tang Zhao:. . . . . .

Tang Zhao looked at Gu Ci accusingly.

Gu Ci remained unmoved. "Run thirty laps in the morning. No breakfast until you finish!"

Tang Zhao was filled with grief and indignation: "Soldiers, run twenty laps each!"

“As role models in the army, generals naturally need to be trained harder than soldiers,” Gu Ci said, setting an example by “running forty laps.”

Tang Zhao angrily gave Gu Ci the middle finger, then resignedly started running.

Gu Ci leisurely accompanied Tang Zhao.

After 25 laps, Tang Zhao was out of breath. "You, you run slower, huff, I, I can't keep up, huff."

Gu Ci reached out and grabbed Tang Zhao's hand, forcibly increasing Tang Zhao's running speed, "Only five laps left."

"Thank you for reminding me," Tang Zhaosheng said, utterly dejected.

After finally finishing the run, Tang Zhao plopped down on the ground, closed her eyes, and refused to look at Gu Ci's still graceful figure and steps.

That's infuriating!

After breakfast and lunch, Gu Ci accompanied Tang Zhao on a tour of the entire Northwest military camp, explaining the main duties and operations of each camp as they walked.

Tang Zhao felt dizzy and disoriented by Gu Ci's cramming-style teaching, as if she had suddenly returned to the final sprint before the college entrance examination, and was filled with despair.

She graduated many years ago.

Gu Ci slowed his speech, "Have you remembered everything?"

Tang Zhao's face was expressionless. "Guess."

Gu Ci: "I've noted it down, so let's continue."

"Continue what? I didn't even write down what I said before!" Tang Zhao complained. "I'm not some genius with an unparalleled memory. How am I supposed to remember everything you said only once!"

"Can't you remember?" Gu Ci was genuinely puzzled. "I remembered everything when my father taught me like that back then."

The subtext is, I thought you could too.

Tang Zhao:. . . . . .

"Gu Ci, to be honest, you're only after my beautiful face, you don't actually like me at all, right?"

Gu Ci scoffed, "Nonsense."

"Where am I talking nonsense? What man could bear to see his beloved woman suffer like this?"

Tang Zhao muttered, "I don't believe Bai Rouyin was trained like this by you."

“Miss Bai certainly doesn’t have one. It’s not because I’m reluctant to let her go, but because she’s not qualified to train.”

“Zhaozhao, you are different. You are an eagle soaring in the sky. I feel sorry for you, but I would rather see you spread your wings and fly.”