RWNEFE -Chapter 524 The Great Fire!

Bai Qingling’s face turned deathly pale. She staggered backward several steps and retreated straight out of the main tent.

The soldiers of the Southwestern Army all wore complicated expressions.

Ever since Bai Qingling had followed the Prince to the Southwest, she had carried herself as the Princess Consort, and the Prince had never corrected her. Having lived alongside them in the Southwest before, many had assumed she had truly become the Princess of Zhen Nan.

Unexpectedly, the moment Shen Lanxi arrived, she mercilessly exposed Bai Qingling’s true status.

A woman registered in the base class naturally had no authority to interfere in military affairs.

The Prince is muddle-headed!

Shen Lanxi let out a disdainful sneer. “Zhou Ruyuan’s abilities decline year by year. In Dongchuan he retreated step after step; in the Northwest it was the same. So many years have passed—has he made no progress at all?”

The Southwestern soldiers flushed red, unsure how to respond.

“Fortunately,” Shen Lanxi continued, “His Majesty had the foresight to grant me another imperial edict in advance. Go summon Zhou Ruyuan back to receive it.”

A guard produced yet another scroll of imperial decree.

What Bai Qingling had intended as a show of force had instead become Shen Lanxi’s opportunity to assert her authority.

“Shen Lanxi…” Bai Qingling ground out her name through clenched teeth.

Jiang Wuya quickly pulled her aside—this was not the moment to strike.

“This subordinate will immediately send word to the Prince!” Jiang Wuya said as he returned to the tent, then hurried off to make arrangements.

Shen Lanxi clasped her hands behind her back, imposing and domineering. “Make the arrangements. Tomorrow I will meet with the Wolf Tribe leader ten li from here. Have the army prepare wine and food.”

Jiang Wuya’s heart skipped a beat. Using the excuse of arranging matters, he rushed to inform Bai Qingling.

“Impossible! The Wolf Tribe leader already agreed to ally with me. She would never change her mind to meet Shen Lanxi!” Bai Qingling’s eyes were filled with panic and disbelief.

Jiang Wuya recalled Shen Lanxi’s earlier words and cautioned, “What if it’s true? What if Shen Lanxi made contact with the Wolf Tribe before coming here?”

Should they still kill her?

Bai Qingling’s thoughts churned chaotically for a moment before she said, “Send word to the Wolf Tribe. I want to see their leader.”

Jiang Wuya immediately went to arrange it and also made further adjustments to the banquet being prepared for Shen Lanxi.

Shen Lanxi could not die yet. They needed to find out why she had approached the Wolf Tribe before deciding whether to act.

By evening, Bai Qingling received news.

“They refuse to see me? Why? Has Shen Lanxi already persuaded the Wolf Tribe?”

If so, their alliance with the southwestern tribes would fall apart.

Jiang Wuya frowned. “This cannot be that simple. Our plans must be delayed.”

Bai Qingling grew increasingly anxious. “We absolutely cannot let Shen Lanxi meet the Prince. Nor can we let her meet the Wolf Tribe leader.”

A cold light flashed in Jiang Wuya’s eyes. “Your Highness means… to sabotage their meeting?”

Bai Qingling’s eyes lit up. Yes—Jiang Wuya had reminded her.

“Mr. Jiang, immediately mobilize five thousand troops to launch a surprise attack on the Wolf Tribe. You must disrupt Shen Lanxi’s meeting with them. If necessary—set a fire!”

Jiang Wuya frowned at first, then warned, “Our garrison is also surrounded by forests. Unless absolutely necessary, we must not use fire.”

Bai Qingling agreed outwardly but had no intention of following through. After dismissing Jiang Wuya, she summoned her trusted guards and repeatedly instructed them to use fire as the main tactic.

The moon climbed high into the sky. In the distance, flames surged upward.

“Your Highness! The direction of the Wolf Tribe is ablaze. The wind is from the northwest tonight. If we don’t extinguish it quickly, the fire may spread to our side!”

Fully dressed and seated, Shen Lanxi immediately opened her eyes—clear and sharp.

“What movements from the Southwestern Army?”

“They are holding position.”

As she spoke, Shen Lanxi had already stepped out of the tent. The soldiers outside were all awake.

So it wasn’t that they were indifferent—it was that their superiors had ordered them to hold position.

“Transmit my order! Clear a firebreak immediately and block the flames from spreading into Great Zhou territory!”

“Yes!”

Reports from her dispatched men would arrive soon.

“Your Highness, the Southwestern Army is not responding to orders.”

Shen Lanxi’s face darkened. She strode toward the central command area.

“Generals of the Southwestern Army—step forward and receive orders!” Her command rang out across the night.

Some stepped forward; others remained where they stood.

Shen Lanxi raised her voice. “Those who remain motionless will be treated as rebels!”

A few more stepped forward.

“The Southwestern Army belongs to the Prince of Zhen Nan—not to the Regent Prince! Whoever dares obey Shen Lanxi’s orders will be punished under military law!” Bai Qingling stepped forward with a grim expression.

Shen Lanxi called out loudly, “A great fire has broken out in the direction of the Southwestern Wolf Tribe. The wind tonight blows toward us. If you remain where you are and do not act to save yourselves, you are waiting to die!”

A smug smile appeared on Bai Qingling’s face. “And you call yourself a commander? Do you not understand that military orders are absolute?”

“To tell you the truth, that fire was set by the Prince himself. Tonight, the Prince of Zhen Nan launches a surprise attack on the Wolf Tribe. After tonight, there will be no more foreign tribes in the Southwest!”

Shen Lanxi’s eyes blazed with fury. “Bai Qingling! The court has not ordered war. If the Prince of Zhen Nan wages war without imperial command, it is rebellion!”

Bai Qingling was fearless. “Military strategy teaches that surprise brings victory. If we waited for court approval, the Wolf Tribe would learn of it too. Would that not cost us even more soldiers? Shen Lanxi, you sit in high position yet show no concern for the men below. I truly wonder how you captured Dongchuan and the Northwest.”

“Perhaps our Prince had already done most of the fighting, and you simply picked up the spoils.”

Shen Lanxi’s gaze turned icy. “For Zhou Ruyuan to make such a spectacle over a fool like you—I truly pity him.”

“Fire and water are merciless. The moment the Prince set that blaze, he should have secured a retreat. Either withdraw the Southwestern Army from the forest or cut a firebreak in advance. I’ve already asked—no retreat was prepared. If the flames spread, not only the foreign tribes will die, but our Southwestern Army as well!”

“Zhou Ruyuan and you are fools tied to the same rope. You seek military merit without leaving your army a way out. You are the ones who will kill the Southwestern Army!”

Most of the Southwestern soldiers fell into thoughtful silence.

Who was right? Who should they obey?

“Nonsense! It’s too far away for the fire to spread here. Shen Lanxi, you’re slandering us! Someone else must have commanded those battles of yours!”

Shen Lanxi glanced toward the southwest, then in a flash leapt before Bai Qingling, seized her by the throat, and hurled her onto the raised platform.

A scream tore through the night. Shen Lanxi yanked the hairpin from her own head and flung it.

Another scream rang out.

The hairpin pierced through Bai Qingling’s shoulder blade, pinning her directly to the wooden platform.

“Soldiers!” Shen Lanxi shouted. “Whether you obey me or Zhou Ruyuan—first ensure your own survival!”