RWNEFE -Chapter 435 A Woman Daring to Speak of Military Merit?

Instead, the officials standing behind Shen Lanxi wore strange expressions.

Yue Chuhe noticed this and thought he had guessed correctly, and a surge of contempt rose in his heart.

To let such a promiscuous and shameless woman come to receive them—Great Zhou was looking down on the Yue Kingdom far too much.

It seemed that this year the grain given to Great Zhou should be cut in half. Of course, even if the quantity was reduced, the silver paid would remain the same.
Yue Chuhe smugly calculated this in his mind.

“Do you really want to know?” Shen Lanxi asked, her tone tinged with amusement.

Yue Chuhe froze. This lowly woman—being shameless in private was one thing, but she even dared to bring it up in public? Had the customs of Great Zhou really become so open?

“Could it be that Lord Shen intends to teach everyone her ‘experience’ in front of all?” Yue Chuhe’s voice dripped with malice, his lecherous eyes nearly sticking to Shen Lanxi’s face.

Shen Lanxi looked coldly at the Yue delegation. “Our officials and citizens of Great Zhou have naturally already witnessed it. Only your Yue Kingdom remains ignorant.”

Yue Chuhe’s expression darkened. Was Shen Lanxi mocking Yue for being backward and poorly informed?

“Lord Shen had better think carefully before speaking. We are envoys here to offer birthday congratulations. I wonder whether your personal words represent Great Zhou’s attitude toward the Yue Kingdom?”

Yue Chuhe’s threat was blatant.

Shen Lanxi replied, “Naturally. I am responsible for receiving you, so my attitude naturally represents Great Zhou’s attitude.”

“You…” Yue Chuhe’s face sank.

Was Shen Lanxi not afraid that Yue would cut off Great Zhou’s grain supply? Did they think Yue didn’t know that Great Zhou was now surrounded by enemies on all sides?

“Shen Lanxi, kneel and apologize to this prince now, and I will not pursue the crime of disrespecting our Yue envoys.”

Shen Lanxi gave a faint laugh. “Just now you asked whether I represent Great Zhou. Now I’ll ask you in return—do you, and the envoys you brought, represent your Yue Kingdom? Do you represent the will of the Yue Emperor?”

Yue Chuhe was momentarily stunned, then lifted his chin proudly. “Of course. Since I have been chosen as an envoy, my every word and action naturally represents Yue.”

Shen Lanxi’s eyes turned sharp. “Good. Then I will answer you now. I was able to become Duke Protector of the Nation and stand here because of military merit. I entered the court through military merit and received the appointment to receive foreign envoys through military merit.”

Yue Chuhe didn’t believe her.

A woman claiming military merit? Did she really think the Yue Kingdom knew nothing?

Women in Great Zhou were supposed to stay indoors embroidering, kneeling at home serving husbands and children. Military merit? She probably had never even touched a sword!

Shen Lanxi’s gaze was piercing, as if it could bore straight through him.

“Since the Third Prince asked why I can stand here, I will return the question.”

“Why can the Third Prince stand here? Have you rendered meritorious service to your state? Offered valuable strategies? Or are you a great scholar renowned throughout Yue?”

Yue Chuhe was stunned by the question, then flew into a rage, his face flushed red.

“You’re a woman—stop talking nonsense!”

“I know that women of Great Zhou cannot go to the battlefield. Stop deceiving this prince, or I will certainly report you to your emperor for the crimes of deceit and disrespect!”

Shen Lanxi smiled with contempt. “The Third Prince has had his shortcomings exposed and, having nothing left to say, has become angry out of shame, hasn’t he?”

“Nonsense!” Yue Chuhe was furious.

Hearing the commotion, Zhou Ruyuan hurried over and revealed his identity.

“Third Prince of Yue, please calm down. Let us speak peacefully.”

Yue Chuhe knew that Zhou Ruyuan was also the third prince of Great Zhou. With a dark face, he greeted stiffly, “Third Prince Zhou.”

Then he immediately began accusing loudly: “Boasting wildly and belittling envoys who came to offer congratulations—is this how Great Zhou treats its guests? Today the Yue Kingdom has truly seen it. As for Great Zhou’s request to purchase grain from us this year, it seems we must reconsider!”

Since it involved grain supplies, Zhou Ruyuan had no choice but to weigh the situation carefully.

“Lord Shen, what exactly happened?” Zhou Ruyuan asked with a frown.

Shen Lanxi replied with a mocking smile, “He looked down on me for being a woman and immediately questioned what methods I used to climb to the high position of Duke Protector.”

Che Mingyuan added from the side, “The prince of Yue spoke frivolously and deliberately praised the Duke Protector’s beauty.”

The matter was now clear: seeing Shen Lanxi was a woman, the Yue delegation had belittled and disdained her.

Zhou Ruyuan felt troubled. Yue Chuhe’s attitude was firm; he was clearly using grain supplies to pressure them into forcing Shen Lanxi to lower her head.

Grain now concerned the lifeline of Great Zhou. If Yue really cut off the supply, the emperor would certainly reprimand them for mishandling the matter.

“Third Prince of Yue, Lord Shen was not boasting. She truly rose to the position of Duke Protector through military merit,” Zhou Ruyuan said, then added,

“Lord Shen has only just returned from the battlefield and still carries some harshness. If the reception has been lacking, how about I take over hosting the Yue delegation?”

His words were tactful and balanced, sparing Shen Lanxi embarrassment while also giving Yue a way to step down.

Unfortunately, neither side accepted it.

“Third Prince Zhou is clearly siding with your own people. She’s a woman—how could she have military merit? You’re lying to help her deceive others. Don’t think the rest of us are blind!”

Shen Lanxi replied, “If the Third Prince of Yue insists on being unreasonable and ignoring facts, then Great Zhou has nothing more to say.”

“You—!” Yue Chuhe was angered again.

One of the Yue envoys stepped forward and whispered a suggestion to Yue Chuhe.

“Since Lord Shen claims she became Duke Protector through military merit, why not let us witness Lord Shen’s formidable skills?”

Yue Chuhe immediately smiled.

“This is a general of our Yue Kingdom. Though he is not as famous as your so-called God of War, that is only because our Yue has enjoyed peace and had no chance to display his abilities!”

The officials of Great Zhou glanced at Zhou Ruyuan, then secretly at Shen Lanxi, their expressions again turning strange.

Shen Lanxi laughed.

“Very well. I’ll give you that opportunity today.”

What kind of wording was that? Yue Chuhe’s face darkened again.

“General, teach her a good lesson and let her see the strength and might of the warriors of Yue!”

“Yes!”

The Ministry of Rites officials and Zhou Ruyuan both wanted to persuade them further, but Shen Lanxi’s attendants had already begun clearing away the onlookers.

“Lanxi, we still need to buy grain from Yue,” Zhou Ruyuan said quietly as he stepped to her side.

“So we should just let him ride roughshod over Great Zhou without restraint?” Shen Lanxi replied.

“Of course not.” Zhou Ruyuan only wanted to maintain harmony.

But Shen Lanxi had already walked up to the Yue general.

“The Yue Kingdom has come to offer birthday congratulations to our emperor. It’s a joyous occasion—let’s not shed blood.”

The Yue general frowned. “What do you mean?”

Shen Lanxi raised an eyebrow. “You intend to use weapons?”

The general was taken aback. Was that what she meant? He had thought this woman was about to concede.

“You’re a woman. If word got out that I defeated you, it wouldn’t bring me any honor. You may use a weapon—I’ll fight bare-handed.”