RWNEFE -Chapter 167 The Shen Family’s Plans

It was time for Shen Lanxi’s daily inspection again, with Chunxia, Qiushuang carrying her staff behind her.

Every few steps, a soldier would shout the garrison regulations.

“Those who fight in the garrison shall be executed!”

“Those who gamble in the garrison shall have both hands cut off!”

“Those who commit sexual violence shall be castrated, and the offending man shall be cut into pieces by the victimized woman!”

“Those who abandon their post shall be executed!”

“Those who disobey orders shall be executed!”

“Those who insult others shall have their tongue pulled out and ears cut off!”

…

After reciting the entire list, not a single person’s body would remain whole.

All the soldiers’ skin tightened; not a single breath was dared until Shen Lanxi had passed, after which they hurriedly drew in fresh air.

The newly arrived recruits had never witnessed Shen Lanxi’s ruthless efficiency and initially underestimated her.

But after seeing her sit on the tiger-skin throne, using a single staff to fling five burly men aside, they immediately fell in line.

Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, most of the snow had melted—spring had arrived in Dongchuan!

Every day now included two additional tasks: preparing for the upcoming farming season and preparing to build military forts.

On this day, Wang Songbai approached her.

“Master, I’d like to make a trip to Suiyuan Prefecture to check on my sister and brother-in-law.”

Shen Lanxi agreed immediately: “Go ahead!”

This surprised Wang Songbai. She was letting him go so easily—didn’t she fear he might reveal their plans?

He hesitated for a moment, and seeing Shen Lanxi give no further instructions, he nervously left.

“Fifth Brother, have some of our men follow him. If he says anything out of line, he doesn’t return!”

Feng Wu nodded.

~

After Shen Conglian returned home on his rest day, he conveyed Shen Lanxi’s instructions verbatim.

“Mother, what exactly does Lanxi mean by this?” Shen Conglian asked, confused.

They could understand why she didn’t get close to them—after all, she had been raised in the palace by the Empress Dowager since childhood.

Previously, while escorting them back to Dongchuan, she had not meddled in their affairs, and everything had remained peaceful. But now she was promoting family members and concerned about the family’s continuation, which puzzled them.

“Hmph, what else could it mean? Only if the Shen family thrives can we help her. Does she think she alone can control so many men? Those men are looking at our Shen men, not her!” Old Madam Shen said, a knowing expression on her face.

Shen Conglian felt that wasn’t quite right. Lanxi had managed smoothly even before helping them—weren’t they the ones actively seeking her?

“Second Brother, how’s the garrison? Is it tiring?” Shen Congyi finally asked.

Shen Conglian understood his meaning immediately.

“It’s fine. I mostly sit in a room, drink tea, and copy the enlistment lists.”

Shen Congyi’s eyes lit up. “What about Third Brother? What is he doing?”

“He’s recruiting soldiers too. I only saw him once from afar; then he took the cotton clothes and went to another county for recruitment.”

Shen Congyi measured Shen Conglian from head to toe. Second Brother wasn’t frostbitten, had gained a bit of weight, and his face looked healthy.

Old Master Shen sighed. “Back in the capital, all those marriages were broken off because our family fell into hardship.”

Old Madam Shen’s face darkened as she recalled the women who had flattered her before.

“They were all opportunistic and sycophantic. Good riddance. Let’s consider it a lesson. Our Shen family doesn’t marry into wicked families!” The thought of their humiliation in the capital still made her blood boil.

Those people had taken advantage of her misery. Now that the Shen family was rising again, they would be the ones regretting it!

Thinking of their children’s future success, Old Madam Shen clenched her fists and gritted her teeth.

“Children, you must make us proud. The whole Shen family relies on you!” she urged.

Shen Conglian glanced at his slightly frenzied mother and cautiously asked: “Mother, Yuanxu is already twenty. The previous Madam Wu had no children—Yuanxu can still find a better match!”

Madam Liu, recalling Madam Wu, scoffed: “Bah! That Madam Wu was weak and sickly. Two years in the house, no children, didn’t allow concubines. If she weren’t the daughter of the Left Prime Minister, I would have made Yuanxu divorce her long ago!”

Shen Conglian impatiently said: “They’re divorced. Why bring her up? I always thought she was troublesome. With her out of the picture, we’re fine. If she were still around when we’re old, we’d get nothing!”

Old Madam Shen quickly cut in, not wanting to dwell on Madam Wu.

“Yuanxu is grown. We’ve been busy settling affairs, delaying the children’s matters. It’s time to find him concubines to extend the Shen family lineage!”

Madam Liu muttered: “Who ever heard of taking concubines before a formal wife?”

Old Madam Shen shot her a glare: “A young mind and short-sighted! A proper wife should come from a family that can help Yuanxu!”

Madam Liu’s eyes lit up, and she nodded eagerly.

“Mother is right!”

Old Madam Shen continued thoughtfully, yet somewhat dissatisfied: “The Shen family is rising. Yuanxu’s future is uncertain. If he achieves greatness, a proper wife who’s from a small, insignificant family…” She shook her head.

Not a suitable match!

Madam Liu said firmly: “No, Yuanxu will become a great general. We can’t have a wife from a minor family bring shame to him!”

Madam Miao added: “Mother, Yuanpeng and Yuanhao, though not betrothed, need your arrangement as well.”

Madam Tian chimed in: “Mother, don’t forget the children of the fourth branch either.”

Old Madam Shen felt a headache coming from the three daughters-in-law chattering at once.

“Enough! Matters of adding heirs in the Shen family must be carefully planned with your father. No weaklings or poor families allowed in!”

Everyone in the room quickly nodded.

~

Knock, knock, knock.

Shen Lanxi called: “Enter!”

Liu Yanhui returned with a paper package.

“Two days ago, passing through a tea shop in Fuchun County, I happened to…” Liu Yan’s eyes fell on the clay jar in the center of the table, and he trailed off.

Shen Lanxi asked: “Happened to what? Why stop?”

Liu Yanhui instinctively hid the package in his sleeve.

“It’s nothing, I…” He hesitated, then pulled the package out again.

“Found a package of fine tea—Mingqian Longjing!”

Shen Lanxi said: “You and Hu Zhu bought from the same shop, right?”

Liu Yanhui raised an eyebrow, embarrassed: “Probably!”

Shen Lanxi: “I had used some for the kitchen to make Longjing shrimp. The jar just happened to be empty!”

She extended her hand toward Liu Yanhui.