I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 353: People's Suffering

Gu Fu woke up groggily, and what she saw when she opened her eyes was not the familiar palace, but an unfamiliar room.

Chenxiang, who had been keeping watch by the bedside, exclaimed with delight, "Princess, you're awake?"

Gu Fu, supported by Chen Xiang, sat up. "Where is this?"

"This servant doesn't know where we are now, only that this is an official ship heading south," Chenxiang said, her brows furrowing slightly as she saw Gu Fu raise her hand to rub the back of her neck. "Princess, is there any discomfort in the back of your neck? This servant will go and tell the Princess and the Prince right away!"

"Wait!" Gu Fu grabbed Chen Xiang's hand. "It's just a little hurt, don't alarm Fifth Brother and Fifth Sister-in-law."

Gu Fu was calm and composed. Considering what happened before and after she fainted, how could she not understand that Tang Zhao had knocked her unconscious and forcibly abducted her onto the ship?
The thought of her mother's fury and tantrums after learning of her abduction filled Gu Fu with dread.

"No, I have to go back to the palace!" Gu Fu put on her shoes and asked hurriedly, "Where is Fifth Sister-in-law?"

Chenxiang pointed out the window, "On the deck."

Gu Fu strode to the deck, her eyes widening slightly.

On the deck, two rows of deck chairs were neatly arranged, with a small table between them, laden with tea, snacks, and refreshments. A huge oil-paper umbrella was propped up to the right of the deck chairs, completely blocking out the blazing sun.

Fifth Brother and Fifth Sister-in-law lay side by side on the deck chairs, talking intimately together, holding slender fishing rods in their hands, clearly fishing.

Beside them, guards and maids from the Prince's Mansion and the Protector General's Mansion gathered in twos and threes, chatting, laughing, joking, and playing chess, with relaxed and happy smiles on everyone's faces.

In a daze, Gu Fu really thought that her fifth brother and sister-in-law had come to visit, rather than to handle government affairs in Jiangnan.

"Miss Eight, would you like some?" Xia Mo handed over a skewer of grilled vegetable rolls.

"Thank you, but I won't eat," Gu Fu shook her head, hesitated for a moment, and then stepped forward. "Fifth Brother, Fifth Sister-in-law."

"Eighth Sister is awake," Tang Zhao patted the recliner on the left, "Let's go fishing together!"

Gu Fu declined Tang Zhao's offer, saying, "Fifth Sister-in-law, I want to return to the palace."

Tang Zhao readily agreed, "Alright, after I finish dealing with the affairs of Jiangnan, we'll return to the capital together."

"Fifth Sister-in-law, I want to go back now."

Tang Zhao pointed to the clear blue sky, then to the shimmering river, "Looking at all this, are you sure you want to go back to the palace?"

Gu Fu was stunned. In her world, the sky had always been square, and had never been so vast and boundless. She was momentarily mesmerized by the sight.

If I return to the palace, I will never see such a sky again.

However, Gu Fu bit her lower lip lightly, "My mother will worry about me."

Tang Zhao chuckled, "You don't know yet, do you? The Turks and the Tibetans have both sent envoys to Dayu, requesting to form a marriage alliance with Dayu."

Why was Consort Qin so eager to find a husband for her daughter? Besides wanting to prove herself, she also didn't want her daughter to be married off to a distant place for political reasons.

Gu Fu clenched her sleeves. She hadn't heard a word about such an important matter as the marriage alliance, which showed that her father and mother were deliberately hiding it from her.

Now, she is the only unmarried daughter of the Emperor. Once the Great Yu agrees to the marriage proposals of the Turks and the Tibetans, she will be the only choice for a marriage alliance.

Gu Fu lowered her eyes. "As a princess of Dayu, I enjoy the bounty of the world, so I must dedicate my efforts to the world. If Dayu and my father need me to marry into a foreign land, I am willing to go."

Tang Zhao glanced at Gu Ci, "Your fifth brother isn't dead yet, why would he need you for a marriage alliance?"

"Besides, Father doesn't intend to agree to the marriage proposals from the Turks and Tibetans." Gu Fu's fingers, which were tightly gripping her sleeves, loosened slightly.

“If I leave you in the palace, it will be difficult for Father to find an excuse to refuse,” Tang Zhao said, pulling Gu Fu to sit on the recliner. “It is also Father’s wish for you to come south with me.”

"As for Consort Qin, the Emperor will take care of her."

Tang Zhao handed the fishing rod to Gu Fu, who could not refuse and had to take it. In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, she caught a three-pound fish.

Tang Zhao summoned Xia Mo, "Make some grilled fish!"

Xia Mo happily carried the fish to the kitchen to clean it. After cleaning it, Xia Mo forked the fish and placed it on the grill. After grilling it until both sides were golden brown, she spread the secret sauce on it and handed it to Gu Fu.

From childhood to adulthood, every bite of fish that Gu Fu ate was a small piece of fish that her maid picked out for her. She had never eaten a whole fish before.
Gu Fu held the fork and stared at it for a long time, but still couldn't find a place to start eating.

Tang Zhao ignored her, snatched a fish that Gu Ci had caught and had Xia Mo grill it, then ate it by herself.

Gu Ci continued fishing while gazing wistfully at Tang Zhao.

"What, you want to eat?" Tang Zhao waved the fish in front of Gu Ci's eyes.

Gu Ci: "I want to eat."

Tang Zhao brought the fish to Gu Ci's mouth.

Gu Ci opened his mouth to take a bite, but Tang Zhao swiftly pulled the fish back, leaving Gu Ci with nothing.

Tang Zhao shook his head smugly at Gu Ci, "No way!" he said, taking a big bite of fish.

Gu Ci chuckled, then suddenly propped himself up on his arm, leaned over the coffee table, and brought his mouth close to Tang Zhao's, biting off most of the fish meat that Tang Zhao was holding in his mouth.

Gu Fu quickly turned her head away, her delicate face slightly flushed. She never expected that her usually serious and unsmiling fifth brother would make such a rash and intimate gesture towards his fifth sister-in-law in front of everyone.

Tang Zhao clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, admitting defeat.

You win; when it comes to thick skin, men still come out on top.

When the official boats arrived at each prefecture or state, they would dock at the shore. Tang Zhao did not refuse the visits and requests of local officials, and readily accepted the gifts they offered. He then registered them one by one and sent them back to Luoyang by fast horse to replenish the national treasury.

After a journey filled with eating, drinking, and merrymaking, the official ship finally arrived in Minzhou in mid-December.

At the port of Fuzhou, the prefect of Minzhou, along with his subordinate officials, knelt to greet Her Highness, saying, "Your humble servant Ma En pays respects to Your Highness!"

Tang Zhao helped Ma En, whose hair was completely white, to his feet. "Prefect Ma, please rise."

"I dare not trouble Your Highness," Ma En hurriedly stood up, his eyes filled with tears. "I read in the court gazette some time ago that His Majesty appointed Your Highness as Imperial Commissioner to go to Jiangnan to manage state affairs."

"Your Majesty, I am overjoyed! I have been eagerly awaiting your arrival day and night!"

Tang Zhao glanced at Gu Ci, who nodded almost imperceptibly. Tang Zhao instantly realized that this prefect was her die-hard fan.

Tang Zhao suddenly felt that Ma Yuan's full head of white hair was so elegant. "Prefect Ma, you're too kind. It's cold outside. Let's go back to the yamen and talk slowly."

"Yes!" Ma En replied crisply, wishing he could personally help Tang Zhao into the carriage, but Gu Ci did not give him the opportunity, so he had to give up regretfully.

The group returned to the prefectural government office. Tang Zhao took his seat at the head of the table and looked at Ma En, saying simply, "Prefect Ma, why don't you tell us about the situation in Minzhou?"

Prefect Ma knelt down with a thud and cried out, "Your Highness, the people of Minzhou are suffering!"