I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 318 Revenge
Tang Zhao did not answer, but instead asked, "Father, don't you even recognize your own daughter?"

“It is because I know you that I know you are not Tang Zhao,” Tang Zheng said with a deep gaze. “Tang Zhao was raised in seclusion from a young age and was later exiled to a farm. Without anyone to teach her, she developed an indecisive and opportunistic nature.”

Tang Zhao chuckled softly.

"But you are ruthless, decisive, and courageous, cunning and calculating, completely different from Tang Zhao!"

Tang Zheng gripped the iron bars tightly with both hands, the shackles on his wrists making a crisp sound as they rubbed together. "I have no room to threaten you anymore. Tell me, who exactly are you?"

Tang Zhao said, word by word, "I am Tang Zhao."

Tang Zheng looked disappointed. "You still won't tell the truth."

“I’m telling the truth,” Tang Zhao said, poking at his throat. “Father, do you really know me? How do you know that your understanding of me isn’t something I’m deliberately putting on to mislead you?”

Tang Zheng's pupils dilated.

"If I hadn't pretended to be weak and incompetent, you would have secretly executed me long ago. How could I have lived to the point of marriage?"

Song Qinglan screamed, "I told you long ago, this little bitch should have been sent to hell long ago!"

"Yes, Father, you should have listened to Song Qinglan. If you had killed me earlier, you wouldn't be in this situation today. It's just a pity that there's no going back."

Tang Zhao waved his hand, and Wu Jiayi and Wu Yier stepped forward to open the prison door.

“My daughter has learned her lesson and decided not to give herself a chance to regret it, so she has come today to send her father and everyone on their way.”

Song Qinglan cursed, "You little bitch, how cruel you are!"

"Thank you for the compliment," Tang Zhao smiled, "It would be impolite to refuse."

Song Qinglan stopped cursing Tang Zhao. She huddled in the corner and watched helplessly as Wu Jiayi and Wu Yier untied the ropes from their waists, effortlessly grabbed Old Madam An and Song Qingyan, and tightened the ropes around their necks.

Old Madam An and Song Qingyan flailed their arms in vain, making grunting noises, and then fell silent in the blink of an eye.

"Ah!" Song Qinglan screamed in fright.

"Mother!" Tang Shi knelt on the ground, heartbroken. "Tang Zhao, I will haunt you even as a ghost!"

Tang Zhao scoffed, "I'll be waiting."

Wu Yier untied the rope wrapped around Madam An's neck and walked towards Song Qinglan with a sinister smile.

"No, no, don't come any closer, don't come any closer!" Song Qinglan grabbed some straw from the ground and threw it towards Wu Yier.

Wu Yi'er let the straw beat against his body, stretched out his long arm and grabbed Song Qinglan. With a twist and a pull of his wrist, Song Qinglan's fair neck was rubbed red and swollen by the hemp rope.

"Help!" Song Qinglan reached out her hand towards Tang Zheng, "Help me!"

Tang Zheng turned his head away, unable to bear to look any longer.

Just when Song Qinglan thought she was about to suffocate, the rope around her neck suddenly loosened.

With the support of the restraints behind her gone, Song Qinglan fell to the ground and began to cough violently, unable to control herself.

"Girl!" Wu Yier called out.

Tang Zhao stopped Wu Yi'er from continuing, saying, "Don't rush, I've thought of an ending that's more suitable for her than strangulation."

Tang Zhao ordered, "Bring her out."

Wu Yi'er grabbed Song Qinglan by the back of her neck and dragged her out of the cell, then followed Tang Zhao to the city tower.

The Northwest Army soldiers guarding the city came forward to greet her, "Your Highness, what brings you here?"

"It's just some personal business to take care of," Tang Zhao said. "Don't worry, I will explain to my father later."

With Tang Zhao's assurance, the soldiers guarding the city stopped asking questions.

Tang Zhao climbed step by step to the highest point of the city wall. When he reached the edge of the wall and looked down, he suddenly felt dizzy.

Damn it, this body is also afraid of heights. Tang Zhao reacted quickly and grabbed the city wall to avoid falling to the ground.

"Young lady, are you alright?" Wu Yier asked worriedly.

"It's alright," Tang Zhao waved his hand, "Bring her up here."

Song Qinglan was pinned to the side of the city wall by Wu Yier.

“I remember you admitted that you sent people to hunt down my mother, forcing her to jump off a cliff to escape,” Tang Zhao said, taking three steps back from the edge of the city wall. “It’s a pity there are no cliffs near Luoyang, so I had to make do with the city wall.”

Song Qinglan's voice trembled, "What are you going to do?"

"You have the choice: either jump down yourself, or I'll force you to."

"You're insane!" Song Qinglan broke down in tears. "I beg you, please forgive me! I promise I'll eat vegetarian food and chant Buddhist prayers to atone for my sins!"

Tang Zhao remained unmoved and ordered, "Put her up."

Wu Yier lifted Song Qinglan up and placed her on the city wall.

Looking down at the city wall, which was dozens of feet high, Song Qinglan was so frightened that her legs went weak and she clung tightly to the wall with both hands.

Tang Zhao drew the purple jade whip from his waist, flicked it forcefully, and the whip's end cut through the air with a crisp sound.

"Dance or not?"

Song Qinglan remained silent.

With a flick of his wrist, Tang Zhao sent the purple jade whip crashing down.

Song Qinglan was immediately cut open and her flesh was torn open.

"Dance or not?"

Song Qinglan roared, "You heartless, viperous little bitch, you'll definitely die a horrible death!"

Tang Zhao ignored Song Qinglan's insults and lashed her dozens more times, beating her to the ground until she had no strength left to scream.

Tang Zhao's smile remained unchanged. "Will you jump or not?"

Song Qinglan wept uncontrollably, unwilling to suffer the humiliation yet afraid to let go, unsure how much longer she could hold on.

She suddenly wondered why Song Qingning had the courage to jump off the cliff back then.

"Because of me," Tang Zhao seemed to know what Song Qinglan was thinking, "My mother jumped off the cliff to give me a way to survive."

Song Qinglan's eyes widened. She understood that Tang Zhao's words were a clear message to her: she had to die today!

Because she wanted to avenge her mother!

Song Qinglan burst into laughter. "Tang Zheng, you so confidently say that Tang Zhao is possessed by a vengeful ghost, but what kind of vengeful ghost would be so determined to avenge Song Qingning?"

Song Qingning, I can't compare to you in the end. It's not because you have a noble birth, or because you have loving parents and brothers, but simply because you have a daughter like Tang Zhao!
If her son were still alive, would he, like Tang Zhao, seek revenge for her no matter how difficult it is?
Song Qinglan stood up, looked up, and a tear silently slid down her cheek.

Tang Zhao withdrew the purple jade whip and stood there silently watching.

Song Qinglan spread her arms, leaned forward, and fell straight down like a bird that had lost its wings.

boom!
Her body slammed to the ground, blood gushing from beneath her and from her mouth. Song Qinglan took one last look at the blue sky and white clouds before slowly closing her eyes.

Wu Yier glanced down and, no matter how far away he was, he was certain that Song Qinglan was dead beyond any doubt.

Tang Zhao exhaled. "Throw the body into the mass grave."

"Yes," Wu Yier asked cautiously, "Does the young lady wish to return to the Prince's residence?"

"I'm not going back," Tang Zhao said as he walked. "I'm going to the Duke of Wei's mansion to pay respects to my mother."

Wu Yi ordered Wu Bing to secretly protect Tang Zhao, while he himself carried Song Qinglan's body to the mass grave outside the city, where he found a place overgrown with weeds and threw the body down.