I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 322 Going South
After the eunuch finished reading the imperial edict, he said with a smile, "Your Highness, please accept the decree."

Tang Zhao hesitated, "Can I not answer?"

what?
The eunuch was dumbfounded. He had read out hundreds of imperial edicts, and this was the first time he had ever heard someone ask if they could refuse to accept one!
Tang Zhao said sincerely, "I have some business to attend to in the capital recently."

The eunuch quickly looked at Gu Ci.

Gu Ci stared intently at Tang Zhao until Tang Zhao felt guilty and lowered his head before looking away.

The eunuch asked nervously, "Your Highness, should we accept this imperial edict or not?"
"Thank you for making this trip, Your Excellency," Gu Ci said, taking the imperial edict and helping Tang Zhao to her feet. "The princess was frightened yesterday and is mentally exhausted. She spoke incoherently for a moment, and I hope Your Excellency will forgive her."

The eunuch quickly replied, "This servant understands."

Gu Ci turned and glanced at Zhao Hui. Zhao Hui understood and stepped forward, slipping a silver note into his hand as he saw Gu Ci off at the mansion.

The eunuch beamed and repeatedly assured him that he would not say another word.

Inside the room, Gu Ci dismissed the servants and walked step by step to Tang Zhao. "What important business do you have in the capital?"

Tang Zhao looked up at the sky.

"But what did the Imperial Advisor say to you yesterday?"

Tang Zhao looked down at the ground.

Gu Ci reached out and lifted Tang Zhao's chin.

Tang Zhao hissed.

Gu Ci paused with his right hand, subconsciously loosening his grip.

Tang Zhao broke free from the hand gripping her chin, darted onto the bed like a little rabbit, and burrowed under the covers to wrap herself up.

Gu Ci placed the imperial edict on the table, strode to the bedside, and scooped up Tang Zhao, who was wrapped up like a silkworm cocoon.

"Zhaozhao, you must not hide anything from me."

Tang Zhao was silent for a moment, then asked, "Will disobeying an imperial decree result in execution?"

"meeting!"

"Even if you're my own son, it's still not okay?"

"In the imperial family, the ruler and his subjects come first, then the father and son. Moreover, the law states that a prince who breaks the law is subject to the same punishment as a commoner."

Tang Zhao pouted and struggled to extend his right hand from under the covers. "Give me the imperial edict."

His voice was muffled; you could tell he was unhappy just by listening.

Gu Ci compromised, "If you really don't want to accept it, I'll cancel it."

Tang Zhao's little head popped out from under the blanket. "Never mind, let's go and come back quickly."

Having made up his mind, Tang Zhao took Gu Ci the next day and, along with Chao Hui, Chao Yi, Dong Mei, Wu Yi, and others, boarded a boat and headed south along the canal.

On the scorching deck, Tang Zhao lay paralyzed like a fish pulled ashore on the verge of death, while Gu Ci stood beside him, shielding him from the heat with an umbrella.

A passing merchant, seeing Gu Ci standing on the deck, handsome and exuding an air of nobility, couldn't resist trying to poach her. "Young master," he said, "my daughter is beautiful, gentle, kind, and virtuous, a thousand times better than your lazy wife. Would you be willing to divorce your wife and marry my daughter?"

The merchant added, "My family is incredibly wealthy, with countless servants and shops. If you are willing to marry my daughter, all of these will be yours!"

The girl standing next to the merchant glanced at Gu Ci through her veil, then lowered her head.

Gu Ci ignored him, bent down, picked up Tang Zhao, and carried her back to the cabin.

The merchant looked bewildered, and the girl was extremely embarrassed, so she ran back to the cabin crying.

Tang Zhao's words contradicted her thoughts: "Why don't you go and coax her?"

Gu Ci refused, saying, "I'm just trying to appease you."

Tang Zhao smiled and nestled comfortably in Gu Ci's arms, sleeping soundly until nightfall before waking up to forage for food.

In the cabin next door, a merchant paced back and forth outside the door. When he saw the maid come out, he hurriedly asked, "How is Miss?" "Miss has been crying ever since she returned to the cabin. She didn't eat lunch and doesn't want to eat dinner either."

The merchant was extremely annoyed. He glanced at the tightly closed door, stamped his foot, and said, "Jiaojiao, don't worry. Father will go and talk to that young master. I'll definitely persuade him to change his mind."

The crying in the cabin stopped abruptly.

The merchant instructed, "Take good care of the young lady, I'll be right back."

The maid nodded and watched the master walk away before returning to the cabin.

"Magpie, do you think that young master will change his mind?"

"Don't worry, Miss," Magpie said, walking to the small stove and bringing over a bowl of bird's nest porridge. "Your beauty and character are renowned throughout Suzhou. What man wouldn't be attracted to you?"

"Then why doesn't he want to marry me?"

The maid guessed, "That young master is probably a man of great loyalty and affection, so even though his wife is so ugly, he is unwilling to divorce her."

Zhou Ajiao couldn't help but feel nauseous when she recalled the woman's face. "That young master was truly pitiful."

“That’s right, even God is blind,” the magpie said. “But now God has opened his eyes and let that young master meet the young lady. Once that young master sees the young lady’s true face, he will surely fall at her feet.”

Zhou Ajiao looked up at her beautiful face reflected in the mirror, smiled confidently, stood up and walked out of the outer cabin, "Let's go find Father!"

The magpie quickly followed.

The two, mistress and servant, went up to the deck. Looking at the pitch-black sky outside, Magpie was a little scared. "Miss, we should find a few more people to follow us."

Looking at the cabin not far away, Zhou Ajiao gritted her teeth and suppressed her fear, quickening her pace. "Don't be afraid, there are guards all around. If anything happens, just shout and the guards will come immediately."

"Oh," the magpie followed closely behind the young lady.

Suddenly, a splashing sound came from below the boat.

"What's that sound?" The magpie was startled.

Zhou Ajiao raised the lantern in her hand and looked closely. She saw something on the side of the boat reflecting a cold light.

Zhou Ajiao was both scared and curious. She cautiously went forward to take a look and saw that the three iron hooks tied together were tightly hooked to the side of the boat, with a thick and long hemp rope tied below them. The other end of the rope hung straight into the river.

"Miss, look at this thing, doesn't it look like the climbing rope that storytellers describe?"

Zhou Ajiao's heart pounded. "Quick, quick, call the guards to come and check."

The magpie quickly cried out, "Help! Help!"

The guards on deck rushed over upon hearing the commotion, asking, "What happened?"

Magpie pulled Zhou Ajiao behind the guards and pointed to the ship's side, saying, "Look, there's something on the ship's side!"

The guard stepped forward with a lantern, and his expression changed drastically when he saw what was hanging on the side of the ship. "Oh no, the pirates are here!"

Water bandits? The master and servant were terrified.

The guard said, "Please return to your cabin as soon as possible, Miss. We will inform the master immediately."

“Okay,” Zhou Ajiao said, taking the magpie’s hand and stumbling towards the cabin.

"Miss, you've come to the wrong place!" Magpie hurriedly said, "Our cabin is this way!"

“Our cabin isn’t safe,” Zhou Ajiao said without stopping. “That young master is obviously highly skilled in martial arts, and he has many guards around him. Their cabin is the safest!”

The magpie thought the young lady was really clever.

The master and servant ran to the opposite cabin, but were stopped by Chaohui and Chaoyi when they were still ten steps away.

Zhou Ajiao bit her lip and said, "I'm here to see my father."

"Master Zhou is speaking with my young master. Please ask Miss Zhou to return to the cabin and wait."

"Bandits are coming, my cabin is not safe," the magpie pleaded, "Brother guard, could you let my young lady hide in your cabin for the night?"