RWNEFE -Chapter 288 The Zhenbei Army Victorious, Triumphant Return to the Capital!

A smile curved at Shen Lanxi’s lips. “The ones in a hurry aren’t us—it’s the Turks. It’s Abu Khan. Double the conditions we proposed before!”

Everyone sucked in a sharp breath. Previously, aside from those terms, the three tribes had also been required to compensate tens of thousands of dan of grain. Now that it was doubled— their general truly knew how to bargain hard.

The peace talks continued, but the Turkic tribes had already quietly begun withdrawing their troops from the occupied cities.

“They’ve finally realized it,” Shen Lanxi said meaningfully.

Che Mingyuan and the others’ eyes lit up. Were the Turks trying to reduce losses, or were they pulling troops back to protect the royal court?

Soon, scouts came back with news.

“The Turkic forces that withdrew are secretly heading southwest.”

The southwest was where the Turkic royal court was located.

“The Turkic Empress Dowager must be facing a palace coup.”

Shen Lanxi said, “Have our people prepare to take over the cities. And write another memorial to the court—say that we fought a bloody battle to recapture a city!”

Everyone: “……”

This city had been taken a little too easily.

After the court received the battle report, it publicly showered Shen Lanxi with praise, but privately urged her to quickly retake the remaining cities.

Seizing the opportunity, Shen Lanxi requested provisions, military pay, and supplies, and also proposed that the court send reinforcements.

Emperor Renxiao pondered for two days before taking up his brush and issuing an imperial decree, announcing it throughout the northwest:

All military authority in the northwest was placed under Shen Lanxi’s command!

Although the northwest garrison generals had long shown signs of hesitation in their hearts, on the surface they were still under the court’s jurisdiction.

With his hands clasped behind his back, Emperor Renxiao gazed thoughtfully toward the northwest.

He had granted her military authority, and the whole realm knew it. Whether Shen Lanxi could hold onto it would depend on her.

If she couldn’t even manage this, it would only prove that her status as a woman was insufficient to command respect.

Shen Lanxi had been waiting precisely for this decree. Upon receiving it, she immediately ordered its contents to be spread to every corner of the northwest.

Within two months, the Turks successively withdrew from the occupied cities. From then on, all the lost cities were fully returned to Great Zhou.

When the Zhenbei Army entered the final city—Fengling Pass—Shen Lanxi stood atop the city walls holding the Banxing Blade. Her red robes billowed fiercely; whether soldiers of the Zhenbei Army or common citizens, all submitted in awe!

Victory reports streamed back to the court one after another, thrilling ruler and ministers alike day after day.

“Six years—nearly six years…”

“The northwest is finally pacified!”

Every minister trembled with excitement, shouting without end.

During this period, Emperor Renxiao’s smile never left his face; he’d even gained a couple more laugh lines.

“Excellent! The Zhenbei Army has done splendidly!”

The officials chorused, “Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations!”

After his joy, Emperor Renxiao said with smiling eyes, “Now we’re only missing one final document!”

On the third day after Shen Lanxi took Fengling Pass, she signed a ten-year peace treaty with the three Turkic tribes and completed the handover of prisoners of war and compensation.

Compared to the Tatars and Persia, the Turks suffered the greatest losses.

The Tatar and Persian envoys shook their heads and sighed as they signed and sealed the treaty. After completing the compensation handover, they hurriedly departed.

The Turkic compensation handover was arranged last.

Abu Khan looked like a beast that had suffered repeated defeats—no trace of his former vigor remained.

“Finally, I see you again,” Abu Khan said with a sigh upon meeting Shen Lanxi.

Shen Lanxi replied calmly with a smile, “Congratulations—you can finally return to your Turkic homeland.”

Abu Khan’s mouth stiffened. His mistake had been underestimating this woman.

Now that the great error had been made, there was no turning back.

“The winner is king, the loser a bandit. I, Abu Khan, accept defeat wholeheartedly!” Even in loss, a man had to maintain his dignity—he couldn’t allow himself to be looked down upon by a woman.

Shen Lanxi knew that Abu Khan was eager to rush back and seize power. Unfortunately for him, he had been away from the royal court for too long. The Eighteenth Prince—whom he once firmly controlled—had long since slipped from his grasp. Abu Khan was probably still completely in the dark.

Half a month later, the treaty was delivered to the court. That very day, Emperor Renxiao wept tears of joy and decided to open the Imperial Ancestral Temple to inform the ancestors.

Northwest.

Shen Lanxi said, “Get ready—we’re returning to the capital in triumph!”

Everyone was startled. So soon?

For a moment, everyone harbored mixed thoughts.

“General, after we return to the capital, will we come back?” Would they, like in Dongchuan, be stripped of power?

Shen Lanxi swept her gaze over the crowd and finally rested it on Wei Dongzhu.

In the blink of an eye, six years had passed. Wei Dongzhu had grown into a mighty eagle of the northwest. The Shen family’s sons were all like hawks now—handsome, upright, each capable of standing on his own.

Liu Yanhui, Ban Sicao, Xiao Fang, Qian Feng, Cheng Zheng, Sang Guo… all of them had shed their youthful immaturity.

“That depends on you,” Shen Lanxi said with a smile. “If you want to come back, you can. If you don’t want to, you can also be transferred back later.”

Hearing the news of returning to the capital, Shen Yuanjing and the others felt both anticipation and melancholy.

They missed home. Their families were all in the capital—naturally, their hearts longed to return.

But leaving the northwest filled them with reluctance as well.

When they left Dongchuan before, they had been young. Now they were grown. Looking at the homeland they had personally built bit by bit, they found it hard to part with it.

Che Mingyuan said, “It shouldn’t be that fast, right? There’s still a lot of cleanup to do.” For example, pacifying the various Oirat tribes and incorporating the generals and soldiers from the cities who had come to submit.

Even rushing it, that would take at least half a year.

Shen Lanxi only smiled without answering. Half a month later, the imperial edict ordering their return arrived.

“…Having been separated for three years, your families in the capital miss you dearly. May the general return to the capital at the earliest,” the eunuch finished reading the final lines and respectfully presented the decree with both hands.

Shen Lanxi accepted it and said, “This minister receives the decree and thanks His Majesty for his great grace!”

…

“Good thing we prepared in advance. I didn’t expect His Majesty to urge us back so quickly!” Shen Yuanjing said with lingering fear.

Shen Lanxi said, “Issue the orders as previously arranged. We depart for the capital in five days!”

“Yes!”

The imperial decree specifically named Wei Dongzhu, Liang Shao, and others of note to return to the capital together—effectively taking most of the Zhenbei Army’s elite forces with her.

Just two days later, Zhou Ruan arrived with another decree, stating that while the main force of the Zhenbei Army was in the capital, Zhou Ruan would temporarily take charge of the army.

“General, Zhou Ruan really came to snatch the fruits of victory!” Xiao Fang and the others were furious.

Unable to contain himself, Ban Sicao said, “I told you long ago—we should’ve fed him some medicine! You all insisted on stopping me!”

Xiao Fang and the others hurriedly defended themselves inwardly: it wasn’t them who stopped him—it was her.

Che Mingyuan shot him a glance. “Even if you feed him a packet now, it wouldn’t be too late.”

Ban Sicao wasn’t stupid. He waved his hand with a grin. “Too obvious if I do it now. I’ll feed him after Zhou Ruan returns to the capital. I guarantee it won’t kill him—but it’ll make him burst from overeating!”

Shen Lanxi: “……” This kid had ideas.

Arranging follow-up matters, organizing supplies, and selecting the troops returning to the capital—Shen Lanxi and her subordinates were so busy they barely touched the ground.

The imperial eunuch was still present. Once everyone knew they were returning to the capital, Wu Tong and the others also perked up.

Even if they weren’t busy, they still had to put on a show for these watchful eyes.

Five days passed in the blink of an eye.

The Zhenbei Army, victorious, returned to the capital in triumph!