RWNEFE -Chapter 523 Exposing Bai Qingling’s Identity

There were plenty of people in the capital who knew how to read the situation. If they wanted to preserve their lives, they would have to protect her son, Yu’er.

Shen Lanxi selected a hundred men to accompany her to the Southwestern Army.

Bai Qingling made arrangements in advance and deliberately sent Zhou Ruyuan away.

“Regent Prince,” Bai Qingling greeted.

Shen Lanxi’s expression turned cold as she swept Bai Qingling with a glance. “So it’s you?”

No one would show a pleasant face to someone who had openly attempted to assassinate them.

Bai Qingling glanced at the guards behind Shen Lanxi. “Your Highness has brought only these guards. Aren’t you afraid I might make a move against you?”

Her malicious intent was obvious.

Shen Lanxi gave a cold snort. “Princess Consort? What kind of princess consort are you? You’re nothing more than a lowly concubine entered into the base register, forever unfit to be elevated.”

Bai Qingling could no longer maintain her composure; her expression instantly changed.

“Shen Lanxi, this is the Southwest. You’d better watch what you say.”

At Shen Lanxi’s side, a secret guard unfurled an imperial edict.

“The Prince of Zhen Nan and the Southwestern Army, receive the decree!”

Bai Qingling glared viciously at Shen Lanxi, then shifted her gaze to the edict.

“What is this? Seeing the imperial decree and still not kneeling? Are you trying to rebel, Bai the lowly concubine?”

Bai Qingling’s face twisted with fury, but no matter how angry and unwilling she felt, the soldiers of the Southwestern Army behind her had already knelt to receive the decree upon hearing Shen Lanxi’s words.

Shen Lanxi said coldly, “Where is the Prince of Zhen Nan? Why has he not come out to receive the decree? Does he intend to defy the imperial order?”

Defying an imperial decree was a crime no one dared bear.

Bai Qingling had planned to act only after Shen Lanxi entered the camp. Unexpectedly, before she could do anything, she was already dealt a blow to her prestige at the camp gate.

“It seems His Majesty’s concerns were justified. Leaving someone like you at the Prince’s side is a disaster,” Shen Lanxi said icily, giving her no face at all.

Bai Qingling felt as if her face were burning, as though she had been slapped dozens of times in public.

Today, she swore, Shen Lanxi would die.

“The Prince has taken troops out for drills and is not in camp,” Bai Qingling explained as she knelt.

Shen Lanxi replied, “He knew I was coming, yet he still took troops out. That shows he does not place me—or the court—in his eyes at all.”

Inside, Bai Qingling wished she could flay Shen Lanxi alive, but she dared not show her displeasure yet.

“The Prince left several days ago and did not know Your Highness would arrive now.”

Shen Lanxi narrowed her eyes. “That’s strange. Wasn’t it the Prince of Zhen Nan who sent me a letter inviting me here?”

Bai Qingling clenched her hands inside her sleeves—she had forgotten about that.

“It was arranged by this concubine. I thought Your Highness had traveled far and invited you to rest in the army camp.”

“Is that so? I didn’t realize that nowadays even a lowly concubine could make decisions for the Southwestern Army.”

Every sentence—“lowly concubine,” again and again—made Bai Qingling want to tear Shen Lanxi’s mouth apart.

“It is only because the Prince favors me,” she forced herself to say.

Shen Lanxi nodded as if in agreement. “Indeed. Back then, Zhou Ruyuan could make such a spectacle for you on your wedding night, and later even trade military merit to save your wretched life. It’s clear how deeply he dotes on you.”

Bai Qingling’s entire body trembled with suppressed rage. She wanted to order an attack immediately.

“Then again, the Prince has been muddle-headed from the start. I thought he might have improved over the years, but it seems he’s still as short-sighted as ever.”

Bai Qingling could endure no longer and rose from the ground.

“Shen Lanxi, you dare insult the Prince like this. Aren’t you afraid His Majesty will punish you for insulting the imperial family?”

Shen Lanxi let out a cold laugh. “Where did I speak wrongly?”

“I did insult Zhou Ruyuan. Even if he were standing before me now, I wouldn’t take back a single word.”

“Who do you think His Majesty would side with?”

Her gaze turned icy. “The decree has not yet been proclaimed, and you already dare stand up. That shows you have no reverence for His Majesty or the imperial family. Even if I executed you on the spot, no one would fault me.”

As she spoke, she acted—drawing a long blade from a guard and swinging it straight at Bai Qingling.

“You—!”

Bai Qingling’s face turned deathly pale. Her legs gave way, and she collapsed to the ground.

A dark shape fell—it was the entire coiffure from atop Bai Qingling’s head, severed cleanly.

Drenched in cold sweat, Bai Qingling stared blankly at the hair beside her, not even daring to scream.

While a secret guard read the decree, Shen Lanxi, long blade in hand, ignored the collapsed Bai Qingling and walked forward step by step.

“For the Prince of Zhen Nan’s sake, I’ll spare your life. Overstep again, and next time it will be your head I cut off.”

Bai Qingling stared at Shen Lanxi’s retreating back with venomous hatred.

Shen Lanxi must die.

…

Ignoring the long blade in her hand, Shen Lanxi strolled calmly, as if walking through her own garden.

The soldiers of the Southwestern Army watched her with wary eyes, gripping their weapons tightly, as though she might begin a massacre at any moment.

“Not bad. As expected of troops trained by the God of War—well disciplined indeed.”

Escorted by guards, Shen Lanxi entered the command tent.

“Greetings, Regent Prince!”

More than a dozen generals stepped forward to salute.

Shen Lanxi placed the long blade on the table and said coolly, “When I previously took command in the Northwest, I had dealings with the Southwestern Army and knew some of Zhou Ruyuan’s men. You are all unfamiliar faces.”

One officer explained, “The Prince of Zhen Nan commands many generals. It is normal that Your Highness has not met all of us.”

Shen Lanxi said, “You must already know the purpose of my coming.”

“Yes. To inspect the Southwestern Army. We received orders in advance.”

“That is only the surface reason,” Shen Lanxi said expressionlessly. “The real reason is that the court received secret reports that the Southwestern Army has colluded with foreign tribes and intends rebellion.”

Panic flickered in the generals’ eyes.

“Our Southwestern Army would never collude with foreign tribes, nor would we rebel. Please, Your Highness, discern the truth.”

“The reason I have not appeared these past few days,” Shen Lanxi said, “was precisely to investigate this matter in secret.”

Outside the tent, Bai Qingling exchanged a glance with Jiang Wuya and stepped inside.

“This is a military command tent. Since when may a mere lowly concubine enter freely?” Shen Lanxi immediately challenged her coldly.

Jiang Wuya tried to smooth things over. “It was the Prince of Zhen Nan’s order… for Bai Qingling to manage internal affairs.”

A mocking laugh rang out.

“Ridiculous. How can the mighty army of Great Zhou be managed by someone harboring ill intentions, who rose through seductive means? Does the Prince of Zhen Nan intend to bury the Southwest with his own hands?”

Bai Qingling’s face twisted with anger.

“Shen Lanxi, I was personally appointed by the Prince. Aren’t you afraid he will hold you accountable for humiliating me?”

Shen Lanxi casually brushed her hand.

With a tearing hum, the long blade on the table shot forward and embedded itself in the ground with a sharp clang—less than a palm’s breadth from where Bai Qingling stood.

With such force and depth, no one doubted that if Shen Lanxi had used a little more strength, the blade would have taken Bai Qingling’s life.

“When I speak,” Shen Lanxi said coldly, “what right do you have to interrupt?”