RWNEFE -Chapter 519 Bai Qingling Secretly Meets the Wolf Tribe’s Leader!

Although the shadow guards wanted to stop Shen Lanxi from risking herself, none of them dared to speak. They feared she would simply dismiss them and send them back to Great Zhou.

Regardless of whether it was Zhou Ruyuan’s intention or Bai Qingling’s, Zhou Ruyuan clearly harbored ambitions of commanding his own army—this was an undeniable fact.

Leaving three men behind to wait in place, Shen Lanxi and the remaining six entered the Southwestern Army in batches over three days.

The location of the Southwestern Army’s camp had been chosen back when the old Marquis Yong’an was alive. During Zhou Ruyuan’s years in command, he had only repaired it, never relocating it.

The layout map Zhao Zheng had given was very detailed. Shen Lanxi had already rehearsed it in her mind, and after entering, she quickly matched everything to the map.

This was a place Zhao Zheng had dreamed of returning to. Unexpectedly, by a twist of fate, she arrived first.

“Look at how thin you are. Go work in the kitchen for a few months first.”

Shen Lanxi was assigned to the kitchen troops and then given chores such as tending the fire and washing vegetables.

During the day, the soldiers trained, and few people visited the kitchen. The cooks spoke freely and without restraint. Shen Lanxi hardly needed to probe at all—they told her almost everything she wanted to know.

“Who do you think is prettier, the Princess Consort or the Regent?”

“I’ve never seen either, but the Regent must be formidable.”

“How could our prince be so foolish as to marry such a princess consort? A few days ago, when I went into town to buy vegetables, I heard a grain seller say that this princess consort was the one who, on her wedding night, called for water three times…”

“Really? How could His Majesty let his son marry a woman like that?”

“Either she’s very beautiful, or she’s very cunning.”

“Right, right…”

“Our prince drills troops every day and leaves all the logistics to the Princess Consort. The southwestern army’s supplies have been turned into a complete mess under her management.”

“Have you heard? A few days ago, the Princess Consort had the envoy group sent away without even telling the prince.”

“No one told the prince?”

“Who would dare? The prince listens to that woman so much he’s even willing to sacrifice his reputation. Who would dare speak ill of her?”

Shen Lanxi frowned. So everything was Bai Qingling acting on her own authority?

Hmph—even if Bai Qingling acted alone, it was still Zhou Ruyuan’s indulgence. Without his authority, could Bai Qingling have commanded the Southwestern Army?

So Zhou Ruyuan shared the blame.

At noon, someone came to deliver a message.

“The Princess Consort wants a few dishes that the prince likes. She said they must be prepared carefully.”

The cooks quickly agreed, and Shen Lanxi was soon assigned to wash vegetables.

As she separated the tender leaves, Shen Lanxi swiftly slipped a note hidden among them into her sleeve.

Later, while carrying firewood, she took a quick glance at it. While tending the fire, she casually tossed the note into the stove.

The flames roared, the crackling fire mixing with the clatter of ladles and pots.

The note said that at the second watch tonight, Bai Qingling would meet the Wolf Tribe’s leader in the Black Mist Forest.

The moon hung in midair, a half-moon still bright and luminous. The stars glittered, answering the moonlight with their own brilliance.

“Meng Xiangka, I have already delivered the people to you as agreed. When will you agree to form an alliance with our Southwestern Army?” Bai Qingling said.

The tall, strong woman called Meng Xiangka had her face painted with tribal totems, making her features hard to discern.

“I’ve changed my mind,” Meng Xiangka replied. “If your Southwestern Army wants to cooperate, then send Zhou Ruyuan to me!”

Bai Qingling angrily retorted, “Impudence! The prince commands the entire Southwestern Army. You’re going back on your word—you clearly never intended to form an alliance. I have already received news from the capital today: Shen Lanxi is coming with two hundred thousand troops to exterminate you!”

Meng Xiangka’s expression changed, and she immediately sent two people to verify whether this was true.

A trace of disdain flashed in Bai Qingling’s eyes. If she had claimed four hundred thousand troops, these barbarians would certainly have investigated and discovered the truth. Besides, she herself didn’t believe the court would really give Shen Lanxi such a large force.

As far as she knew, most of the court’s troops had been dispatched to Shu and Qianzhou. Where would they find more soldiers for Shen Lanxi?

Seeing Bai Qingling so confident, Meng Xiangka began seriously considering whether her words were true.

The Southwestern Army numbered just over two hundred thousand at most, and all the tribes combined had fewer than one hundred thousand. Even allied together, they could not withstand four hundred thousand troops.

“Why is it always you speaking for the Prince of Zhen’nan? Where is he? I want to see him!” Meng Xiangka demanded.

Naturally, Bai Qingling would never allow it—especially after noticing the woman’s covetous interest in Zhou Ruyuan.

“The prince is busy drilling troops and has entrusted me with everything outside of training,” Bai Qingling said. “Besides, you are a woman and so am I. In Great Zhou, etiquette is strict—women do not meet unrelated men alone. Our prince follows Great Zhou’s rites, which is why he sent me to meet you.”

Meng Xiangka sneered. “That’s your Great Zhou etiquette. It doesn’t bind me, a tribal outsider.”

“You broke the agreement and refused negotiations first, and now you want to use your etiquette to restrain me? You people of Great Zhou are truly cunning in business.”

A dark look flickered in Bai Qingling’s eyes. No matter what, she would never let the prince meet this woman.

This shameless, vulgar woman—even letting the prince see her once would feel like defilement in Bai Qingling’s eyes.

“In any case, the prince will never see you. If you want us to agree to what you proposed earlier, you’d better agree to ally with the Southwestern Army. Otherwise, just wait to be exterminated by the Great Zhou court!”

Their discussion turned into a battle of sharp words, and in the end they parted on bad terms, both leaving in anger.

Shen Lanxi watched Meng Xiangka’s departing figure thoughtfully, curious about what conditions she had proposed to the Southwestern Army.

What Shen Lanxi had told the envoys earlier had been meant only to reassure them—to help them endure hardship and preserve their lives within limited circumstances.

Unexpectedly, they had truly managed to accomplish something.

The ten missing men had been divided among two tribes allied with the Wolf Tribe. After receiving this confirmed information, Shen Lanxi immediately arranged for people to verify their safety.

Fortunately, those sent this time were not stubborn or rigid men. Otherwise, the moment Bai Qingling handed them over, they might have chosen death for Great Zhou and never lived to be rescued.

Shen Lanxi remained in the Southwestern Army for another three days. During this time, she determined where Zhou Ruyuan trained his troops and learned the approximate strength of the army. Then, using the excuse of going out to gather firewood, she faked her death and disappeared.

In the southwest, poisonous insects, toxic plants, and miasma often caused soldiers to die from poisoning. Shen Lanxi’s feigned death caused no stir in the army at all.

Two days later, the southwestern border went on alert. Guards at checkpoints were increased from five per squad to ten, and the garrisons at sentry posts rose from one hundred to five hundred. Patrols also became much stricter.

Around this time, news spread through the southwest that Shen Lanxi was personally leading four hundred thousand troops to the region.

Not long after the news spread, both the Southwestern Army and the Wolf Tribe received handwritten letters from Shen Lanxi.

One letter stated that she had come under imperial orders to inspect and review the Southwestern Army.

The other was an indictment.