RWNEFE -Chapter 434 The Envoys of Yue State Provoke!

“Please stop, my lady.”

Shen Lanxi was stopped outside the door.

“The Princess has caught a chill and is unwell. She has taken calming medicine and has already fallen asleep,” said the old maid blocking her way.

Shen Lanxi looked at the woman. “If Mother is truly unwell, the imperial physicians can be summoned.”

The servant lowered her head respectfully. “Of course. The Princess is of noble body; we would not dare be careless.”

Shen Lanxi raised her voice slightly. “Then I thank Mother for her concern today!”

The servant glanced toward the room. Seeing no response, she stretched her arm a little farther to keep blocking the way.

“Mother, Lanxi takes her leave.”

As Shen Lanxi walked away, she thought about her mother’s origins. Her mother had been an orphan, found as an infant by the Empress Dowager when she left the palace to burn incense. She had been raised at the Dowager’s side ever since. Because she served attentively and once saved the Dowager’s life, she was granted the imperial surname and the title of Princess.

The former Crown Prince had been a few years older than her mother; they should have grown up together.

Several subtle thoughts surfaced in Shen Lanxi’s mind. Previously, when she had seen Emperor Renxiao meeting privately with her mother, she had assumed there was something between them.

But what if the opposite were true?

…

“Lanxi, you’re back.” Seeing Shen Lanxi’s serious expression, Wei Dongzhu asked with concern.

“I’m fine. Don’t worry,” Shen Lanxi reassured him.

Concern filled Wei Dongzhu’s eyes, yet he had no idea what had happened and could only worry in silence.

“Lanxi, no matter what happens, I’ll be by your side,” he said, the only promise he could make.

“Wei Dongzhu, the Wei family now has only you left. If you…”

He interrupted her. “You don’t need to say more. No matter what, I will wait for you.”

“And if you wait forever without result?”

“My life was given by you. Then I’ll return it to you.”

A slow smile spread across Shen Lanxi’s face. “Very well.”

Since the day Shen Lanxi left, Zhou Rulin had been uneasy. On the second day after his wedding, he began thoroughly investigating everyone in the prince’s residence.

He really did uncover quite a few planted spies.

Later, he reported the matter to Emperor Renxiao.

“Father, will Shen Lanxi misunderstand me?”

The emperor shook his head. “She is not a foolish person. If something happened during your wedding, it would not benefit you.”

Zhou Rulin cautiously asked, “Father, isn’t the authority you’ve given Shen Lanxi a bit too great?”

Emperor Renxiao smiled. “She has no real, concrete power—at most, an impressive title.”

Zhou Rulin thought about it and realized it was true.

Although Shen Lanxi now commanded the Imperial Guards and the capital garrison, the Imperial Guards were the emperor’s personal troops and answered directly to him.

Moreover, there were still many of the emperor’s own men among them. Shen Lanxi only appeared glorious on the surface.

If it came to real action, she would be nothing more than a paper tiger, impressive in appearance but empty within.

“As expected, Father is wise.”

After leaving the palace, Zhou Rulin busied himself with preparations to depart the capital and soon left the city.

—

For Emperor Renxiao’s birthday banquet, the entire Great Zhou celebrated.

Those coming to offer tribute and congratulations began arriving seven days in advance.

Zhou Ruyuan personally supervised inspections and was responsible for receiving envoys from all directions.

The envoys had long heard of the God of War of Great Zhou, and now that they finally met him, they praised Zhou Ruyuan lavishly, calling him unmatched under heaven.

For a time, his reputation soared, and he became the person all the envoys competed to visit and befriend.

Compared with him, Shen Lanxi—also tasked with receiving envoys—seemed rather deserted.

“Why are we being received by a woman?” the envoys from Yue State whispered among themselves.

“Perhaps Great Zhou now allows women to hold office.”

“A woman has no talent, cannot be a general—how can she be an official?”

“All other envoys are received by men. Only we are received by a woman. Is this Great Zhou looking down on Yue State?”

The Yue envoys stood outside the courier station and refused to enter.

Shen Lanxi stood at the entrance, smiling as she watched their unreasonable behavior.

Exchanging tribute and envoys between states was not merely for celebration, but also to strengthen diplomatic ties and discuss trade routes and markets.

Compared with Great Zhou, Yue State was merely a small country. But in recent years, thanks to producing pepper and several high-yield crops, it had grown wealthy.

Che Mingyuan spoke softly beside Shen Lanxi. “Great Zhou has been at war for years and also suffered disasters before. We purchased large amounts of grain from Yue State and treated them more politely, which has made them arrogant and overbearing.”

Smiling faintly, Shen Lanxi said, “No wonder Yue State was assigned to us to receive.”

Che Mingyuan replied gloomily, holding back his frustration, “The Ministry of Rites doesn’t want to offend Yue State, but they also don’t want to endure humiliation, so they threw this difficult task to us.”

An official from the Ministry of Rites, seeing that Shen Lanxi was not going forward, came to urge her.

“Duke Protector, the envoys from Yue State are waiting outside.”

Not once did he say they should go welcome them, but every word was urging them to hurry and receive the guests.

“We still need to purchase large quantities of grain from Yue State this year to send to the front lines. We cannot delay,” he added, implying what mattered most and hoping Shen Lanxi, as a woman, would understand.

Before foreign states, one should not be petty.

Che Mingyuan’s face darkened in anger. “They came but will not step forward, yet we must go to greet them?”

“Minister Li, you are boosting others’ arrogance while diminishing our own prestige!”

Li Zongyou would not accept such an accusation.

“What are you saying? Since they are guests, Great Zhou naturally shows the bearing of a great nation. Going out to greet them accords with propriety. There is no such thing as diminishing our prestige. Minister Che, please mind your words,” he said, ending with a note of warning.

Shen Lanxi said calmly, “Friendly guests are welcomed by Great Zhou with swept couches and open doors. But evil guests—we drive out with sticks.”

Li Zongyou felt embarrassed but did not care. He had already delivered his superiors’ message. If Shen Lanxi refused to listen, angered the envoys, and disrupted the grain trade, she alone would bear the emperor’s blame.

Seeing Li Zongyou’s obvious anticipation of a spectacle, Che Mingyuan felt indignant.

“My lady, leaving the Yue envoys standing outside the station is indeed inappropriate,” he said, still advising her with the bigger picture in mind despite his displeasure.

Shen Lanxi smiled and walked out, stopping five steps away from the Yue envoys.

“I am Shen Lanxi, Duke Protector of Great Zhou, here to welcome the envoys of Yue State.”

The youngest man among the Yue envoys stepped forward.

“I am Yue Chuhe, Third Prince of Yue State, sent on mission to Great Zhou.”

Shen Lanxi did not miss the frivolous, careless look in Yue Chuhe’s eyes.

“Your Highness the Third Prince and the envoys must be weary from travel. I have already ordered rooms prepared for you to rest.”

An official nearby extended a hand in invitation, ready to lead the way.

But Yue Chuhe made no move to enter. Instead, he looked Shen Lanxi up and down with interest, undisguised lust in his eyes.

“Minister Shen, is it? I am very curious—at such a young age, and with such beauty, how did you rise to the high rank of Duke Protector?”

After Yue Chuhe spoke, mocking and contemptuous laughter rose from the delegation behind him, as if they had already decided that Shen Lanxi had attained her position through her looks alone.