I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 292 Everyone depends on their ability
When Tang Shi, who was stationed in the jungle, heard the explosion, he knew something was wrong. He arranged for his men to move deeper into the jungle while he personally led a group to meet Tang Zheng.

"Father!" Tang Shi supported the unsteady Tang Zheng, looking worriedly at the blood on Tang Zheng's armor, "Father, are you injured?"

"I was wounded in the lungs by an unknown weapon from the Northwest Army," Tang Zheng said, clutching his aching chest. "Many soldiers know this place is no longer safe. We need to move as soon as possible."

“My son has ordered the 10,000 Southwest Army troops stationed here to move to a deeper part of the jungle. My son came here specifically to meet his father.”

"You did a great job," Tang Zheng said with satisfaction, looking at his son. "Let's go."

Dozens of miles away, King Xuan led his generals to kill seven generals of the Southwest Army, behead three thousand soldiers, and capture ten thousand.

However, there is no trace of Tang Zheng or Tang Shi.

“Father! Your son has questioned the surrendered soldiers and confirmed that the Southwest Army has another garrison, and Tang Zheng is very likely to have fled there.”

Gu An sought the King's opinion, "Should our son lead troops to pursue them?"

"No need! With Tang Zheng's shrewdness, he would have guessed that the surrendered soldiers would reveal their hiding place. Tang Zheng has probably already moved his men to another location."

King Xuan looked at the endless mountain peaks and lush primeval forests before him. “The jungle is too dangerous. There are countless miasma, wild beasts, and poisonous insects. You can’t even tell which way to go.”

"The Northwest Army is new to the area and unfamiliar with the Southwest. They should not rush in rashly."

Gu An frowned, but he didn't want to let go of this great opportunity to capture Tang Zheng. "Should we just let Tang Zheng go?"

“Yuan Ye went to the Northeast, and now only Chen Li and Jiang Wei are left in the Northwest. They are brave but not smart. Zhao Zhao is intelligent, but it is his first time leading troops and he lacks experience.”

"If the Turks launch a fierce attack, I am worried that Zhaozhao will not be able to hold out. If the northwest falls, then it will be too late to regret it."

Gu An nodded. Compared to the Northwest and the Turks, Tang Zheng was indeed nothing.

"Furthermore, Tang Zheng may not stay in the southwest forever," Xuan Wang thought of Yuan Ye's guess in his letter. If Yuan Ye's guess was correct, then Tang Zheng would return to Luoyang sooner or later.

However, "Zichen, you will lead 10,000 Northwest Army soldiers to continue guarding the main roads leading to various places in the southwest. Once you discover any trace of the Southwest Army, immediately pursue and capture them!"

"Your son obeys!"

After making the arrangements, King Xuan immediately led his army back to the northwest.

Outside Wuwei City, the ground, which had just been bombed, was stained with blood. The Turkic cavalry retreated once again, and the soldiers of the Northwest Army were overjoyed.

Inside the General of the Nation's mansion, however, the atmosphere was heavy.

They no longer had enough raw materials to make gunpowder, so they could no longer rely on gunpowder to win.

"What should we do?" Chen Li asked anxiously. His arm had not yet recovered, and although Jiang Wei had regained consciousness, he was still unable to get out of bed. If the Turks attacked again, who would lead the troops to fight?
Tang Zhao stroked the purple-gold whip in her hand. With her skills, killing two enemies on the battlefield was no problem, but commanding such a large-scale battle was probably beyond her capabilities.

"Defend the city!" Tang Zhao made up his mind. "The Wuwei city walls are tens of feet high and incredibly sturdy. It would be as difficult as climbing to heaven for the Turkic cavalry to break through them."

"As long as we hold Wuwei, we can fight the Turks again when Father or Gu Ci return."

Chen Li sighed; this was the only way.

Tang Zhao's plan was excellent, but things didn't go as planned. Three days later, a guard from the Xuan Prince's mansion rushed to Wuwei to report, "The young master instructed his subordinates to inform the princess that the prefects of Qin Prefecture and Shu Prefecture have dispatched troops to cut off Ning Prefecture and Gan Prefecture from contact with the outside world!"

Tang Zhao suddenly stood up and cursed, "What a damned emperor!"

At such a critical moment, the connection between the Northwest and the outside world was cut off. How were the food supplies for the hundreds of thousands of people and soldiers in the Northwest to be provided?
"Damn it! While the Prince and General are at the front lines resisting foreign invaders and quelling rebellions, the damned Emperor is cutting off our supplies in the rear. He's trying to force a rebellion in the Northwest!" Tang Zhao closed his eyes, composed himself, and asked, "What are your plans, Your Highness?"

"The Crown Prince has closed all the city gates of Ningzhou and Ganzhou to prevent a surprise attack from Qinzhou and Shuzhou. He is also having people calculate the remaining food supplies in the Northwest to see how long the Northwest can hold out."

Tang Zhao quickly calculated in his mind that it was the lean season, but the previous composting and potato planting had greatly increased grain production, giving people surplus grain. This not only ensured that their families could eat and drink their fill, but also allowed them to sell the grain in the city to earn some money, so that the people in the city would also have enough food to eat and drink.

As for the army, the grain accumulated from the military farms over the previous years was enough for the Northwest Army to eat and drink for half a year.

Half a year is enough time for King Xuan or Gu Ci to return to the Northwest.

Tang Zhao breathed a sigh of relief and was about to sit down to rest when he heard the guard continue, "A traitor has appeared in Ningzhou and burned most of the grain that the people of Ningzhou have worked so hard to grow!"

Tang Zhao couldn't catch his breath and coughed violently.

"What did you say? Say it again?"

The guard felt a pang of heartache as he thought of the scorched crops in the fields of Ningzhou. "The prefect of Ningzhou betrayed the state, sending men to burn down seventy percent of Ningzhou's crops before committing suicide!"

Where are his family members?

"They ran away. Before the Fifth Young Master went to the Northeast, they used the excuse of returning to Beijing to pay respects to their ancestors. All twenty-eight members of the family have disappeared without a trace."

Tang Zhao's forehead veins throbbed violently.

What does it mean when it rains most? What does it mean when a rope breaks at its thinnest point?

Ningzhou, being far from Wuwei, had not promoted potato cultivation in a timely manner. This year is the first time potatoes have been planted, and the people are hoping for a bumper harvest.

Now all hope is gone.

Tang Zhao rubbed his forehead. "Have the people of Ningzhou been appeased?"

"The Crown Prince has calmed things down, but the people are still worried about what they will have to eat in the future. The Crown Prince asked his subordinates to tell the Princess that they want to see if a batch of grain can be transferred from Lanzhou to Ningzhou to put the people of Ningzhou at ease."

“No problem,” Tang Zhao instructed, “Transport one hundred carts of potatoes and fifty carts of wheat and sorghum to Ningzhou.”

The guards were overjoyed.

Tang Zhao suddenly remembered something, "By the way, has the heir of the Ningzhou prefecture made any arrangements?"

The guard shook his head with a wry smile, "With such a thing happening in Ningzhou, officials at all levels have lost the Crown Prince's trust. Now, the Crown Prince is in charge of handling all matters in Ningzhou."

“The Crown Prince also has to worry about military affairs and the major events in the Northwest. How can he manage?” Tang Zhao said. “I have a candidate here. Go and ask the Crown Prince if he can temporarily take over the position of Prefect.”

The guard asked cautiously, "Who is it?"

"My advisor was once the Vice Prefect of Qin Prefecture."

Zhang Anzhi, who had been summoned, heard these words outside and was immediately stirred. He strode into the room and knelt on one knee, saying, "I am willing to go to Ningzhou to plead with the Crown Prince of Xuan."

"Please get up, sir," Tang Zhao said, personally helping him up. "I can only recommend you. Whether you can take over the position of prefect of Ningzhou from your elder brother depends on your abilities."

Zhang Anzhi cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "I will certainly not disappoint the princess's expectations."