RWNEFE -Chapter 420 Shen Lanxi Takes Over Two Hundred Thousand Troops!

Such a beauty entering the military camp—people feared she would only bring chaos among the ranks.

Che Mingyuan unfolded the imperial edict and read aloud:

“By the Mandate of Heaven… Shen Lanxi and officials from the Ministry of War are hereby ordered to take over the army. Any who refuse to obey shall be treated as committing treason and rebellion!”

They had already received a similar edict before. Zhang Xinsui collected his thoughts and stepped forward respectfully.

“I am a strategist from the Fifth Prince’s residence. Behind me are the guards who escorted the Fifth Prince to the capital to attend to his illness. We sincerely welcome all the honored officials.”

Zhang Xinsui took the lead in kneeling to receive the decree.

Shen Lanxi dismounted and said, “His Majesty’s verbal instruction: the Fifth Prince was dearly beloved by the Emperor. Upon hearing of his sudden death, His Majesty was stricken with grief. Later, the Prince of Zhennan will personally escort the Fifth Prince back to the capital to reunite with the Emperor.”

Hearing this, Zhang Xinsui felt a weight lift from his heart and said respectfully, “If the Fifth Prince’s spirit in heaven knows of His Majesty’s arrangements, he will surely rest in peace.”

Shen Lanxi continued, “His Majesty’s intention is that, after some additional training, these guards will be incorporated under the command of the Imperial Guards.”

So… the rank-and-file soldiers would not be held accountable?

Zhang Xinsui was overjoyed and burst into tears.

“Many thanks for His Majesty’s great mercy.”

Shen Lanxi then changed her tone slightly. “I am the First-Rank Duke of State Protection personally enfeoffed by His Majesty, and I am also responsible for commanding both the Imperial Guards and the Capital Garrison. From now on, you will be under my command.”

Zhang Xinsui and the generals stiffened.

Under Shen Lanxi’s command?

They were to serve under a woman?

So this was why the Emperor seemed so confident about accepting them—he intended to use a slow knife to carve them away, step by step.

Zhang Xinsui forced himself to say, “Many thanks for His Majesty’s great mercy.”

After speaking, he waited a long time, but none of the generals behind him responded. He immediately urged them in a low voice, “Hurry and thank His Majesty!”

Several generals accepted the decree reluctantly.

Shen Lanxi gave a soft laugh but said nothing more.

The court had already issued an order to take them in, and with such wording, the charge of treason was effectively removed.

But what they feared was a reckoning after the autumn harvest.

Their thoughts were tangled. There was relief, but no joy. After a somewhat strained welcoming banquet, everyone went about their own business.

Shen Lanxi went to wash and rest, while several generals quietly sought out Zhang Xinsui.

“Mr. Zhang, from what I see, the court doesn’t intend to spare us. Why don’t we rebel?”

“Yes—let’s rebel and fight our way back to Xihua Prefecture.”

“The Fifth Prince still has descendants. We can return to Xihua, establish a new lord, and break away from the court.”

Zhang Xinsui listened to their increasingly outrageous suggestions and immediately shouted, “Do you want to commit treason and rebellion?”

The generals fell silent. Hadn’t they already followed the Fifth Prince in rebellion before?

Only the name had sounded better; the deeds were no different.

“Mr. Zhang,” one of them said, “the court is already unstable. Earlier, two rebel princes carved out territories for themselves, and the court didn’t do anything to them.”

Zhang Xinsui snapped, “That’s only because the court currently lacks manpower. Once they have the forces, those rebels will be the first to be dealt with.”

Wang Zhixiao laughed smugly. “If the court doesn’t have the manpower to deal with them, it certainly won’t have the manpower to deal with us.”

“That’s right. If we return to Xihua now, we might still have a chance to survive!”

“Yes—waiting here to be slaughtered is unbearable!”

“We used to follow the Fifth Prince willingly. But now we’re supposed to obey a woman? The court is clearly planning to use her to deal with us.”

Zhang Xinsui felt anger rising in his own heart.

Sending a woman to take command of them—wasn’t that plainly meant to humiliate them?

“Mr. Zhang, don’t hesitate—let’s rebel!”

“Mr. Zhang, I have an eighty-year-old mother above me and children still nursing below me. If I die, my entire family of more than sixty people will have no way to live!”

“Mr. Zhang, I’ve counted—they only brought about five hundred men. We could eliminate them without anyone noticing.”

“Mr. Zhang…”

Zhang Xinsui was already wavering, but he still did not give his approval.

“Let’s wait a little longer and see what Shen Lanxi does next. What if they’re just a decoy and there’s an ambush nearby?”

Hearing his reasoning, the generals calmed down somewhat.

“We must plan this carefully,” Zhang Xinsui said cautiously.

…

“My lord, they’ve all gone to discuss matters with Zhang Xinsui,” Ban Sicao reported quietly.

“They’re plotting rebellion. Shall I add something to their food while they’re eating?”

Shen Lanxi smiled. “These two hundred thousand men—even if they never fight again, wouldn’t it be better to disperse them to the northwest or Dongchuan to cultivate land?”

“I don’t particularly like killing and fighting. If reason can persuade people, I prefer to use reason.”

Ban Sicao’s mouth twitched at her words.

“Che Mingyuan, go speak with Zhang Xinsui. Although he’s greedy, lustful, vain, and impatient for quick success… he still has some merits.”

Che Mingyuan was momentarily speechless after hearing this.

“I’ll go at once.”

Before leaving, he couldn’t help asking, “My lord, what merit do you mean?”

Shen Lanxi replied, “He’s skilled at water management.”

Che Mingyuan suddenly understood and left with steady steps.

After resting, bathing, and changing clothes, Shen Lanxi went to pay her respects to the Fifth Prince.

Zhang Xinsui and the others had already set up a mourning hall. Since the Fifth Prince’s descendants were all in Xihua Prefecture, the vigil was kept by soldiers.

Dressed in her formal robes as a first-rank noble, Shen Lanxi offered solemn condolences. Afterwards, she asked about the cause of the Fifth Prince’s death.

Zhang Xinsui replied respectfully, “A sudden illness.”

“Was it verified by anyone?”

“The military physicians can confirm it. They were all highly trusted by the Fifth Prince.”

Shen Lanxi said, “His Majesty has already sent people to Xihua Prefecture to escort the Fifth Prince’s family to the capital for the funeral rites.”

Zhang Xinsui’s expression changed slightly, and he reconsidered everything Che Mingyuan had said to him.

To manage waterworks?

To become a famous minister of hydraulic engineering?

Was that truly possible?

Before he could figure it out, several unfamiliar faces suddenly appeared in the mourning hall.

Zhang Xinsui’s heart sank. Those men had acted behind his back.

Shen Lanxi naturally noticed them as well, but she paid it no mind.

Since she had dared to accept the imperial order, she had already prepared countermeasures.

“Lord Shen,” Wang Zhixiao strode into the hall arrogantly, “I’ve heard you consecutively pacified Dongchuan and the northwest and rendered great service to the court. I, an unworthy man, wish to test your skills. Please grant me some guidance!”

Shen Lanxi looked at him coldly. “I wouldn’t dare speak of granting guidance—but giving you a few pointers would be more than enough.”

Wang Zhixiao’s face darkened as he glared at her.

“I’ve heard even our Great Zhou God of War was defeated by you. I wonder what divine method you used to make the Prince of Zhennan bow his head?”

Shen Lanxi raised a cold smile. “Hearing is false; seeing is believing. Since you want to know, I’ll show you during the match.”

Wang Zhixiao sneered inwardly, his eyes full of contempt.

Rumor had long said that Shen Lanxi relied on her beauty and her skills in bed to win over Wei Dongzhu, the young general of the Wei family army, and had him fight in her place.

But she hadn’t brought Wei Dongzhu with her this time.

Could it be that she intended to use some seductive trick on him during the contest?

No matter what methods she used, he would not fall for them.

And just in time—during the contest, he would kill Shen Lanxi and establish his authority.