RWNEFE -Chapter 157 From Now On, the Mission Is Justified!

Inside the camp, Shen Lanxi was furious.

“Unforgivable! Absolutely unforgivable!”

“Those who throw the country into chaos are nothing but traitors! How could we, loyal men, ever consort with them?”

“We would rather fight alongside common peasants than ever ally with rebels and traitors!”

Liu Yanhui and Cheng Zheng exchanged a glance.

Cheng Zheng cautiously stood and said, “Master, please take action—exterminate the treacherous ministers, quell the chaos, and bring peace to the realm!”

Shen Lanxi glanced at Liu Yanhui, then turned to Cheng Zheng.

The latter’s heart raced as he quickly wrote: “Protect the King, escort justice, righteous army!”

Wei Dongzhu understood immediately and cupped his fists:

“Master, lead our righteous army to punish the traitors and restore order to Great Zhou!”

Shen Lanxi pursed her lips, looking as if she could no longer refuse. Resolute, she said:

“I know all of you care deeply for Great Zhou and wish to save countless civilians from suffering. Since your hearts are all in the right place, I will no longer decline.”

“Summon the soldiers from the three garrisons and proclaim to heaven: today, we not only confront the traitors and rebels, but also, by the Mandate of Heaven, punish the rebel army and restore peace and prosperity to Great Zhou!”

All of them knelt in unison, raising their voices: “By the command of our Master!”

That very night, a shadow quietly left Baihe County’s garrison.

“Master, there really are spies!”

Shen Lanxi’s voice was cold and sharp:

“Execute them. Let each soldier lash one of the spies, and display their corpses as a warning!”

“Tell all soldiers: this is the fate of those who serve traitors!”

“Yes!”

During the execution, Shen Lanxi personally oversaw the punishment.

Wei Dongzhu struck the first lash, followed by the Wei family soldiers.

Liu Yanhui gritted his teeth, took the whip from the Wei soldiers, and struck with all his strength.

The spy cried out for mercy incessantly, but Shen Lanxi refused the suggestion to gag him.

“This is to make sure all soldiers hear it—this is the outcome of betrayal!”

Having said this, she called out: “Yuan Jing, you’re next!”

Shen Yuanjing: “Yes!” He took the whip and, looking at the pleading spy, did not hesitate, striking hard.

“Yuan Xu, your turn!”

“Yes!”

…

Within two days, Shen Lanxi received orders from Tian Maofeng: first, to vigorously recruit soldiers within her jurisdiction; second, to lead troops to eliminate the rebels at Shilipo!

Liu Yanhui scoffed: “Rebels at Shilipo? There aren’t any—just officials unwilling to serve under the Eastern Liao King!”

Shen Lanxi sneered: “He wants to use my hands to eliminate his opponents.”

Cheng Zheng wrote: “Subdue them.”

Liu Yanhui and Wei Dongzhu Xiao Fang all agreed.

Shen Lanxi pondered for a moment, then said: “First, send someone to gather intelligence, then decide on the strategy.”

This task was entrusted to Feng Wu.

A day later, Feng Wu reported: “The officials at Shilipo are related by marriage to the garrison’s centurion. The centurion appears to have no background, but he actually worked as a groom in Zhou Yanxing’s mansion as a child.”

This was not information ordinary people could uncover.

Liu Yanhui, Wei Dongzhu, and the others stared at Feng Wu in surprise.

“So he serves under Zhou Yanxing!”

Cheng Zheng and the others asked: “Who is Zhou Yanxing?”

Liu Yanhui explained: “By rank, Zhou Yanxing is an Imperial Uncle. Although one generation above the current Emperor, he is actually a few years younger. During the Great Struggle, no one heard news of this Imperial Uncle. Later, while reviewing archives, I saw that he was convalescing at the Eastern Palace—unexpectedly, the palace is in Dongchuan!”

Wei Dongzhu, having grown up on the frontier, had never heard of this Imperial Uncle.

Feng Wu: “It seems the Shilipo officials want to defect to Zhou Yanxing.”

Shen Lanxi raised an eyebrow: “The warlords carve up the land—this is a struggle for dominance over the Central Plains!”

Everyone was shaken. If she was right, chaos would engulf the realm.

“Master, if Feng Wu is correct, Zhou Yanxing may be hiding his true strength. Should we obey Tian Maofeng’s orders?” Liu Yanhui asked worriedly.

Shen Lanxi sneered: “He used my hands to kill the Emperor’s uncle. Why can’t I use his hands in return?”

“By my order, assemble the soldiers from the three garrisons and punish the traitorous rebels!”

Who kills whom doesn’t concern her—she only knows that from now on, their mission is justified!

After issuing the orders, Shen Lanxi went to inspect the garrison.

For over half a month, she had properly fed and nurtured the previously weak soldiers. The results were clear: they no longer staggered when walking, were full of energy, and after daily training, had finally escaped a half-dead state—their bodies now met normal soldier standards.

The Wei family soldiers personally trained them. Each one’s gaze was resolute; every move sharp and precise—they were reborn.

Though their faces and hands still bore frostbite, recovery was evident; the injuries were gradually healing.

The younger recruits were either orphans or children from poor families with too many mouths to feed.

The young adults mostly joined for pay and rations. They had families to support, and hearing they could eat well here, they came with their bundles to enlist.

As Shen Lanxi walked, they arrived at the recruitment site.

A long line had already formed, stretching out of sight.

Some were too old to meet recruitment standards, yet they did not lose heart.

A sign nearby read: “Chop wood to exchange for food; work for meals!”

This solution had been devised by Liu Yanhui and the others after a previous incident where an elderly man had fainted from hunger at the recruitment site.

There was no way to turn people away—they kept trying, lining up again whenever the soldiers rotated, delaying recruitment.

Luckily, the nearby mountains provided plenty of wood. The garrison prioritized training, with few logistics personnel. Anyone with four limbs, even a fool, carrying a bundle of wood could get a bowl of gruel.

Shen Lanxi was pleased with Liu Yanhui’s arrangement and continued her inspection.

Noticing the soldiers’ frostbite, she turned into the medical tent.

Zhang Niu was carefully teaching the women of Liu-Zhao Village. They had tended to the Qinglan Academy students all along, and were now semi-qualified medics.

Her gaze fell on one woman who had been rescued and had fully recovered. She was also diligently learning.

Zhang Niu, though temperamental, was an excellent teacher.

He demonstrated on site, then had the women practice themselves.

Shen Lanxi smiled as she watched the young soldiers, squirming in embarrassment, surrounded by women staring like wolves, intensely observing their wounds.

She closed the medical tent and continued her inspection.

The kitchen, critical for the garrison, was managed by Nanny Li’s family. There were twenty cooks and ten assistants, mostly recruited from Hongliu Village, more than half exiles.

Madam Song had just returned with baskets of supplies, which were unloaded into the kitchen.

Shen Lanxi glanced over, immediately recognizing the diligence of the procurement process.