Chapter 524 Fire!
Bai Qingling's face was pale. She took a few steps back and left the tent.
The soldiers of the Southwest Army looked on with complicated expressions.
Ever since Bai Qingling came to the Southwest with the Prince, she has acted as if she were the Princess Consort, and the Prince has not corrected her. Having spent time together in the Southwest before, they all believed that Bai Qingling had truly become the Princess Consort of Zhennan.
Unexpectedly, Shen Lanxi exposed Bai Qingling's identity without any mercy as soon as she arrived.
Women of low social status naturally had no right to participate in military affairs.
Your Highness is foolish!
Shen Lanxi sneered contemptuously: "Zhou Ruyuan's skills have been declining year by year. He suffered repeated defeats in Dongchuan and the same in the Northwest. So many years have passed, how come he hasn't improved at all?"
The soldiers of the Southwest Army turned red in the face, unsure how to respond.
Shen Lanxi: "Fortunately, His Majesty had the foresight to issue me an imperial edict in advance. Go and summon Zhou Ruyuan back to receive the edict!"
The guard then produced a new imperial edict.
Bai Qingling's show of force directly served to establish Shen Lanxi's authority.
"Shen Lanxi..." Bai Qingling gritted her teeth and muttered Shen Lanxi's name fiercely.
Jiang Wuyai quickly pulled her aside; now was not the time to make a move.
"I will immediately send someone to inform the Prince!" Jiang Wuyai returned to the main tent, took over the order, and immediately went to make arrangements.
With his hands behind his back, Shen Lanxi said arrogantly, "Go and make the arrangements. I will be meeting with the wolf clan leader ten miles away tomorrow. Have the army prepare wine and food!"
Jiang Wuyai's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly used the time he had to go down to make arrangements to inform Bai Qingling.
~
"Impossible! The wolf clan leader has already agreed to form an alliance with me. He would never change his mind about Shen Lanxi." Bai Qingling's eyes were filled with panic and disbelief.
Jiang Wuyai, recalling what Shen Lanxi had just said, reminded her, "What if it's true? What if Shen Lanxi had actually made contact with the wolf clan before coming here?"
Should we continue killing people?
Bai Qingling was flustered for a moment, then said, "Send a message to the wolf clan. I want to see the wolf clan leader."
Jiang Wuyai immediately made arrangements, also preparing the wine and dishes for Shen Lanxi.
Shen Lanxi cannot die now. We need to find out why Shen Lanxi approached the wolf clan before deciding whether to take action.
Bai Qingling received the news in the evening.
"Not seeing them? Why not? Could it be that Shen Lanxi has already persuaded the wolf clan?"
Wouldn't their alliance with the southwestern tribes fall through?
Jiang Wuyai frowned: "This matter is definitely not that simple. Our business must be put on hold for now."
Bai Qingling was flustered and anxious. She said anxiously, "We absolutely cannot let Shen Lanxi meet with the Prince, nor can we let Shen Lanxi meet with the wolf clan leader."
Jiang Wuyai's eyes flashed with a cold light: "Does the Princess mean to ruin their meeting?"
Bai Qingling's eyes lit up. That's right, Mr. Jiang reminded her.
"Mr. Jiang, quickly send five thousand soldiers to launch a surprise attack on the wolf clan. You must disrupt Shen Lanxi's meeting with the wolf clan. If all else fails, set it on fire!"
Jiang Wuyai frowned first, then said worriedly, "The place we are stationed in is surrounded by mountains and forests. We absolutely cannot set fire to it unless absolutely necessary."
Bai Qingling outwardly agreed, but in reality, she was just going through the motions. After sending Jiang Wuyai away, she immediately summoned her personal guards and repeatedly instructed them to use fire.
...
The moon was high in the sky, and flames soared into the distance.
"It's terrible, Your Highness! A fire has broken out in the direction of the wolf clan. With the northwest wind blowing today, if we don't put out the fire quickly, it might spread to our side."
Shen Lanxi, who was sitting fully clothed, immediately opened her eyes, which were clear and bright.
What are the movements of the Southwest Army?
"The Southwest Army remained inactive."
As she spoke, Shen Lanxi had already left the tent, and all the soldiers outside had gotten up.
It seems they weren't unmoved, but rather ordered by their superiors to remain inactive!
"By my order, cut a firebreak to prevent the fire from spreading to the territory of my Great Zhou!"
"yes!"
The people she sent out will report back soon.
"Your Highness, no one in the Southwest Army obeys orders."
With a dark expression, Shen Lanxi lifted her foot and walked towards the center.
"All generals of the Southwest Army, step forward and receive my command!" Shen Lanxi stood on the high platform and gave the order, which resounded throughout the surrounding area.
Some people stepped forward, while others remained standing still.
Shen Lanxi raised her voice: "Anyone who remains inactive will be punished for treason!"
Several more people stepped forward.
"The Southwest Army belongs to the Prince of Zhennan, not the Regent's Southwest Army. Anyone who dares to obey Shen Lanxi's orders will be punished according to military law!" Bai Qingling stepped forward with a gloomy face.
Shen Lanxi raised her voice: "A huge fire has broken out in the southwest direction of the Wolf Clan, and the wind is blowing this way tonight. If you stay put and do nothing to save yourselves, you're just waiting to die!"
Bai Qingling smiled smugly: "You call yourself a commander of troops? Don't you know what it means for military orders to be absolute?"
"I'm not afraid to tell you the truth, that fire was set by the Prince. Tonight, the Prince of Zhennan launched a surprise attack on the Wolf Clan. After that, there will be no more foreign tribes in the Southwest!"
Shen Lanxi glared angrily: "Bai Qingling, the imperial court has not issued an order to start the war. The Prince of Zhennan has disobeyed the imperial court's orders and started the war on his own. This is tantamount to treason!"
Bai Qingling was fearless: "Military strategy says that a surprise attack is the key to victory. If we wait for the imperial court to issue a notice, wouldn't the wolf clan also find out? Wouldn't our Southwest Army suffer even more casualties? Shen Lanxi, you are in a high position, yet you have no compassion for the soldiers below you. With your attitude, I really doubt how you conquered Dongchuan and the Northwest?"
"I'm afraid you got lucky when our prince had almost finished fighting."
Shen Lanxi's eyes were icy: "Zhou Ruyuan cried for water three times in one night because of a fool like you. I really feel sorry for him!"
"As the saying goes, water and fire are merciless. When the Prince of Zhennan set that fire, he should have prepared an escape route in advance. Either let my Southwest Army withdraw from the mountains and forests, or cut a path to block the fire in advance. I have already inquired, and the Southwest Army has not prepared a way to retreat. Once the fire spreads, not only will the foreign tribes die, but also my Southwest Army."
"Zhou Ruyuan and you are utterly in cahoots. You only think about making a name for yourselves in battle, but you don't leave any way out for the Southwest Army. You are the ones who are going to kill the Southwest Army!"
Most of the Southwest Army remained silent, pondering what the two men had said.
Who's right and who's wrong? Is that something they should be listening to?
"Nonsense! It's so far away, how could it possibly burn over here? Shen Lanxi, you're just slandering me. Someone like you, leading troops into battle? There must be someone else commanding those troops!"
Shen Lanxi glanced to the southwest, then leaped in front of Bai Qingling like lightning, grabbed her by the neck, and flung her onto the high platform.
A scream pierced the night as Shen Lanxi pulled out the hairpin and flung it at Bai Qingling.
The screams rang out again.
The hairpin went past Bai Qingling's shoulder blade, pinning her directly to the ground.
"Soldiers, whether you listen to me or Zhou Ruyuan, the first priority is to save your own lives!"
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