Chapter 520 Meeting with Meng Xiangka: The Wolf Turns into a Cowardly Dog!
The letter of accusation stated: "The men sent out by our Great Zhou are the best of the best. The Wolf Clan unilaterally tore up the agreement, detained our Great Zhou envoys, and violated the war treaty. Great Zhou will soon march on the southwest to wipe out those who disregard the agreement!"
The letter sent to the Southwest Army naturally ended up in Bai Qingling's hands.
Bai Qingling's eyes blazed with fury, and she looked like she wanted to devour someone, clutching the book tightly in her hand.
"What inspection? Shen Lanxi clearly wants to take this opportunity to seize the prince's military power!"
Jiang Wuyai frowned and said, "Your Highness, that's an army of 400,000! This is a huge matter, we must inform the Prince."
Bai Qingling was even more furious. Compared to Meng Xiangka, she didn't want the prince to see Shen Lanxi.
"Shen Lanxi is using her power to intimidate and coerce the prince. She's been doing this since the time in the capital." Shen Lanxi had long harbored resentment towards her and the prince, so every step she took was a means to take revenge on them.
When Zhou Ruyuan and Shen Lanxi got married, it caused such a big fuss that the prince was given the nickname "the one who cried out for water three times in one night." How could Jiang Wuyai not know that?
Therefore, he did not dwell on Bai Qingling's words, but tried his best to steer the conversation back to the matter at hand.
"Whatever the reason, Shen Lanxi came with an imperial edict from the court. If we don't let her inspect it, we'll be disobeying the imperial decree!"
Even princes, if they were involved in disobeying imperial orders, would be implicated in treason. There was no familial affection in the royal family; a prince implicated in treason would still face certain death.
Bai Qingling's tone was sharp: "Are we just going to let Shen Lanxi run rampant in my Southwest Army? Who knows what she's up to? What if she deliberately causes trouble? Wouldn't we be letting a wolf into our house?"
Jiang Wuyai took a deep breath and said, "I still think we should inform the Prince about this matter and see what his opinion is."
Bai Qingling rejected the idea without even thinking.
"I don't believe she really brought an army of 400,000. Let's not tell the prince yet, and wait until we find out!"
Jiang Wuyai wanted to speak, but Bai Qingling silenced him.
"Don't you believe me, sir? I'm wholeheartedly devoted to the Prince. Now that the Prince is indecisive, why don't we take this opportunity to solidify our position?"
Jiang Wuyai raised an eyebrow: "You mean?"
Bai Qingling said confidently, "I have already spoken with the wolf clan leader, and she has agreed to lead her tribe to form an alliance with us. At that time, our Southwest Army will definitely be even more powerful, and doing whatever we want will be a piece of cake."
Jiang Wuyai was still somewhat worried: "I received a secret letter from the capital earlier, saying that His Majesty has recovered completely."
Bai Qingling: "So what? Right now, only the Prince has the ability to inherit the throne among His Majesty's children. At this time, whatever the Prince does is perfectly reasonable and justified."
Jiang Wuyai swallowed the rest of his words, clearly having been persuaded by Bai Qingling.
On the other side
"Chief, what does the Great Zhou mean?"
"They're the ones who went back on their word, but now they're blaming us."
"Could they be deliberately using this opportunity to provoke a war?"
Meng Xiangka looked at the letter with a gloomy expression. Just two days ago, the Princess of Zhennan had agreed to it, but today the Great Zhou sent someone to deliver the letter again. Who is in charge in the Great Zhou?
“I know this Regent of the Great Zhou. Our spies sent us a lot of reports before, and Shen Lanxi was mentioned in them.”
"It is said that this person first recovered Dongchuan, and then recovered the Northwest, making great contributions to the Great Zhou. A few days ago, in a handwritten letter, she wrote that she advocated for a concubine tax, the reduction of agricultural taxes, and support for women's civil service examinations and military examinations."
Meng Xiangka snapped out of her daze and looked at her subordinates with wolf-like eyes.
"Where's the breaking news?"
"They threw it into the barracks, and nobody's looking at it. I don't know if it's been burned?"
Meng Xiangka glared: "Hurry up and get it!"
"yes!"
Her subordinates quickly brought the report, but Meng Xiangka didn't recognize the Great Zhou script, so she had to have one of her subordinates who did read it to her.
"It's right here! It's the one with the legend of the Regent written on it!"
"Shen Lanxi was born into a prestigious family and enjoyed a life of luxury from a young age. Later, the Shen family was falsely accused, and she and her family were exiled. By chance..."
As Meng Xiangka listened, she became completely absorbed.
She was surprised to learn that the Great Zhou Dynasty had such a legendary woman. She had always thought that the Regent had risen to power through men, and she looked down on the laws that bound women in the Great Zhou Dynasty. She was very disdainful of the idea that women in the Great Zhou Dynasty regarded their husbands as their heaven, and she also had a prejudice against Shen Lanxi.
Unexpectedly, the Great Zhou Dynasty produced a truly unique woman, one who did not depend on men.
However, she was somewhat unsure, as the people of the Great Zhou were known for exaggerating and saying one thing to your face and another behind your back. She needed to see Shen Lanxi with her own eyes before she could believe it.
"Have someone send a reply to the Regent of Great Zhou. This chieftain demands a duel with Shen Lanxi!"
Nothing can better demonstrate a woman's ability than physical strength. She was able to firmly hold the position of leader because of her strength and martial prowess.
If you want her to believe that Shen Lanxi didn't rise to power through men, you have to fight her first.
If you can beat her, then you can trust her; if you can't, then no matter what kind of lousy regent she is, don't even think about smearing their wolf clan.
...
Shen Lanxi received a reply very quickly.
“Your Highness, we don’t have that many people. If the Southwest Army and the Wolf Clan find out, and they join forces, we will be in grave danger.”
Shen Lanxi had already sent people to occupy the Moshan camp, which was eighty miles away.
“Send five hundred men to garrison the Moshan camp, which occupies an entire mountain and has barracks that can accommodate hundreds of thousands of soldiers. Have the five hundred men disperse to several nearby hilltops and light smoke to create the appearance of a large number of people.”
The guards were somewhat uneasy.
What if the Empty City Stratagem is discovered?
Shen Lanxi: "Go ahead and do it, I have my own plans!"
"yes!"
The wolf chieftain must be met, but not too soon, lest the wolf clan think she is too easy to talk to.
Two days later, at the foot of Yinshan Mountain.
Shen Lanxi led two hundred elite soldiers to the place where she had agreed to meet Meng Xiangka.
Behind Meng Xiangka was a dark mass of people, at least five or six hundred, and that was only what was visible to the naked eye.
"Awooo..." As Shen Lanxi approached, the wolf pack raised by the wolf clan let out fierce howls.
Shen Lanxi walked over step by step, without even a threatening glance, and the wolf pack's voice changed.
"Awooo..." The hungry wolf turned into a cowardly dog, tucking its tail between its legs and trembling as it retreated.
Meng Xiangka glanced coldly at the wolf pack, gritted her teeth, and went to meet them.
Shen Lanxi introduced herself: "Shen Lanxi, Regent of the Great Zhou Dynasty."
Meng Xiangka: "Meng Xiangka, the leader of the wolf clan."
Shen Lanxi, expressionless, stated as if stating a fact: "Previously, the Wolf Clan wrote to the Great Zhou, wishing to negotiate peace with the Great Zhou. I, out of compassion for the people on my southwestern border, discussed with them sending envoys for cultural exchange."
Meng Xiangka nodded, confirming that it was true.
"After the envoy arrived in the southwest, the Princess Zhennan of your Southwest Army sent people to give those men to the Wolf Clan as male concubines. This leader was very sincere in negotiating with the Great Zhou, but I did not expect you to humiliate me like this."
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