RWNEFE -Chapter 156 Hunting Dangerous Beasts to Intimidate the Three Garrisons

A mournful roar rang out, and the tiger collapsed with a thunderous crash. Its massive body struck the snow, leaving a deep pit.

Dead?

Wei Dongzhu stepped forward to check. Half the tiger’s head was caved in from the sheer force.

“Dead!”

Feng Wu sheathed his long blade, feeling elated. Their Guigu’s leading figure was not only incredibly intelligent but also possessed extraordinary martial power! Only someone like this was worthy of leading Guigu.

Shen Lanxi bent down to lift the tiger herself, but Wei Dongzhu beat her to it.

“I’ll do it!” he said, a true powerhouse.

Wei Dongzhu crouched, knees bent, using a clever leverage to hoist the tiger onto his back.

The tiger weighed three to four hundred pounds. Though it was heavy, he could carry it and move with it!

Feng Wu gave Wei Dongzhu an approving glance. As expected of a young general from the Wei family—a true “son of a military house”!

Meanwhile, Zhang Liao and the others didn’t know Shen Lanxi had gone hunting. When the women from Hongliu Village told them, they nearly jumped out of their skins.

“That’s the king of the mountain! One swipe of its paw could kill a person!”

“Husband, you better go see it! The tiger’s been carried back!” Madam Wang urged her husband.

Her husband was fine in every way, except that he never schemed or flattered his superiors. No wonder he hadn’t been told about the tiger hunt!

Zhang Liao ran immediately.

The street was already crowded. Shen Lanxi deliberately displayed the tiger there, not in the courtyard, to intimidate the townspeople.

The once-mighty mountain king now lay lifeless like a dead dog.

Everyone watching held their breath. Even though it was dead, it was still terrifying to see!

Old Master Shen and Old Madam Shen were quickly ushered over by the family.

She really dared hunt a tiger?

Seeing the enormous creature on the ground, Old Madam Shen’s heart raced. She hurriedly stepped back—such a beast was terrifying!

Did she grow up fearless, eating leopards for breakfast?

Several daughters-in-law quickly helped her return to rest.

Before nightfall, word spread across the nearby tun settlements: the Centurion Shen had hunted a tiger!

The news spread like wildfire.

The next day, Shen Lanxi returned to Baihe County’s garrison. The first order of business: summon the other two garrisons to assemble at Baihe County. Officially, it was to meet the newly appointed Centurion—but in reality, the tiger served to intimidate all three garrisons.

Shen Lanxi stood beside the dead tiger, lifting it with one hand, and marched it around the drill ground, shouting three times:

“Victory is certain!”
“Victory is certain!”
“Victory is certain!”

Her voice echoed across the entire training ground, reaching every soldier’s ear, striking awe into their hearts and boosting their morale.

“Centurion Lan, victory is certain!”
“Centurion Lan, brave!”
“Centurion Lan, mighty warrior!”

…

Zhang Niu had been on watch. Seeing Shen Lanxi, he immediately rushed forward.

“The tiger’s body is all valuable! Its bones expel evil and toxins, calm palpitations; its meat, heart, gallbladder, whiskers, and even teeth—I can use them all!”

Shen Lanxi: “I didn’t say you couldn’t!”

Zhang Niu: “…”

“One condition: you must teach the women of Liu-Zhao Village medicine. They will treat injured soldiers in the future!”

Zhang Niu had initially resisted teaching women medicine—not out of disdain, but because he didn’t want to be surrounded by a bunch of women. But when Shen Lanxi said it was for treating soldiers, he swallowed his objection.

“Fine!”

Shen Lanxi saw Liu Yanhui approach with a ledger and pointed to the council hall, leading him there. The Qinglan Academy students, including Cheng Zheng, were present.

Liu Yanhui reported: “Over 200 more soldiers were recruited. Half were stationed at Caotuo Ridge, half distributed evenly to the other garrisons. Each soldier’s settlement silver of twenty taels is excessive—many said they didn’t want it and were willing to join us just to eat their fill. I recommend reducing it to two taels.”

Shen Lanxi: “Agreed.”

“Those joining wear thin clothing. Most have frostbite. We must quickly gather cotton clothing and medicine for frostbite.”

Shen Lanxi: “I have sources for cotton clothing and medicine. You tally the numbers, assign men and carts, and collect them tomorrow.”

“Yes!”

Liu Yanhui scratched his head, amazed that the problem that had troubled him for days was solved so quickly.

“The grain is sufficient for now, but vegetables and meat are lacking. Charcoal is enough.”

Shen Lanxi: “Soldiers train daily; rations cannot be reduced. Three meals a day: two taels of meat, two taels of vegetables. If no meat, one egg. If that’s insufficient, have someone procure more.”

Liu Yanhui frowned.

“Winter prices are skyrocketing. Since Prince Cheng’s rebellion, grain and meat prices have gone insane!”

Shen Lanxi: “Trade charcoal for it!”

Liu Yanhui: “Charcoal is more expensive!”

Shen Lanxi: “Do the trade outside the county. Soldiers should take it to the villages to exchange. Don’t attract attention.”

“Yes!”

Liu Yanhui continued with the accounts: “Caotuo Ridge has over 300 people, consuming over ten bags of grain daily. Adding reinforcements every three days, that’s 40–50 bags, each 100 jin—4–5 thousand jin. Grain is 25 taels per dou. That totals…”

“Including our three garrisons, every ten days, tens of thousands of jin are needed—over 100,000 taels. In a month, 500,000 taels may not even cover it!”

“Plus cotton clothing, vegetables, meat, eggs. A thick set of clothes and shoes costs at least five taels; vegetables—one cabbage is 500 wen; an egg is 30 wen. Prices used to be lower—blame the snow and wars. Since Master has clothes, we can ignore them for now!”

“Soldiers need basic equipment: armor, weapons, horses, and carts. Each soldier at least one sword, if not armor.”

Shen Lanxi’s head spun. Maintaining soldiers is expensive—far more than she expected. Fortunately, she had saved enough funds along the way; otherwise, even fifty soldiers would be unaffordable.

Late at night, Shen Lanxi flew to an abandoned warehouse near Baihe County. Ensuring no one was around, she quickly stored the cotton clothing, frostbite medicine, vegetables, and meat inside.

Early the next morning, she informed Liu Yanhui of the location, reminding him to post guards and transport the supplies only at night.

It was New Year’s Eve. While everyone else celebrated, Shen Lanxi watched her soldiers haul supplies back, cart by cart.

Snowflakes fell in great sheets—the snow long awaited finally arrived.

“After transporting the supplies, each soldier receives two taels of meat and one egg!”

“Thank you, Master!” the soldiers shouted in unison.

This New Year was far from peaceful. After Prince Cheng’s rebellion, the Eastern Liao King also rebelled.

Shen Lanxi, by circumstance, was in the Eastern Liao King’s fief. Tian Maofeng’s superior was a general under the Eastern Liao King. Shen Lanxi was promoted by Tian Maofeng, which implicitly made her aligned with the Eastern Liao King. She did nothing—and yet, she was automatically branded a rebel.