RWNEFE -Chapter 525 The Demoness Bai Qingling!

“Think about your families, think about your parents, your wives and children. Are you really willing to throw away the lives of your parents, wives, children, and brothers at home just because of a single sentence from a person of such corrupt character?”

“Even if you have no parents or family, do you not even care about your own life?”

“Are you really going to bury your entire life for the sake of this woman?”

Bai Qingling struggled to get up, but the moment she moved, the pain tore through her heart and lungs.

“Don’t listen to her nonsense! You are the Southwest Army—you can only obey the Prince of Zhen’nan!” Bai Qingling shouted hoarsely, one hand pressing against her collarbone.

Shen Lanxi raised her voice, overpowering her: “Wrong. First, you are people of Great Zhou. You are the army of Great Zhou. Only after that are you the Southwest Army. You receive your stipends from the imperial court—not from a single man. Your loyalty is to the Great Zhou court. What Bai Qingling says shows she disregards your lives and is driving the Southwest Army onto a dead end!”

Bai Qingling screamed hysterically, “You’re lying! Don’t listen to her… She’s a treacherous villain. The Prince will definitely kill her, definitely purge the traitors. Following the Prince is the true path. When the time comes, you will all be meritorious officials who rendered great service to the Prince. Don’t be deceived by her wicked words…”

Shen Lanxi let out a cold laugh and signaled a guard to unfold the imperial edict and read it aloud.

“By the Mandate of Heaven… If, after the Regent arrives in the Southwest, my son governs diligently and resists the southwestern tribes, he shall be pardoned. But if he continues to heed the words of the demoness, then the Regent shall act on my behalf and kill the demoness, restoring clarity at my son’s side!”

The edict was rolled up again. The meaning of Emperor Renxiao’s words was unmistakable.

Bai Qingling was to be killed.

Shen Lanxi looked at Bai Qingling coldly. “His Majesty previously showed leniency, again and again, for the sake of father and son. But you, demoness, dared to bewitch the Prince and throw the Southwest into chaos. Then don’t blame His Majesty for no longer caring about familial ties.”

Bai Qingling screamed in agony, “No—the edict is fake! Don’t listen to her! Kill her for me…”

The Southwest soldiers had already been shaken by Shen Lanxi. Some hesitated for a moment, but soon their faith in imperial authority prevailed, and they obeyed the command of the edict.

No matter how formidable Bai Qingling was, no matter how powerful the Prince of Zhen’nan was—could they be greater than the Emperor?

Shen Lanxi looked at the soldiers who no longer dared step forward and smiled inwardly.

“Obey my command. Immediately cut down trees to create a firebreak. We must preserve this heartland and prevent the flames from reaching Southwest City!”

“Yes!”

Half responded at once, while the other half hesitated. But seeing their comrades obey, the rest followed suit.

Bai Qingling stared in disbelief at the suddenly empty surroundings. These opportunists—she had clearly given them orders before, yet they changed sides so easily.

Just like weathercocks—utterly unreliable!

“Shen Lanxi, if you have the ability, then kill me!” Bai Qingling snarled through gritted teeth.

Shen Lanxi sneered. “Kill you? Easier than crushing an ant. Compared to crushing an ant, I would rather that ant bring me greater benefit.”

What greater benefit could there be? The only person in the world who cared about her was the Prince. Shen Lanxi wanted to use her to threaten him.

“Shen Lanxi, kill me!” Bai Qingling screamed.

Shen Lanxi glanced at her and ordered coldly, “Find someone to treat her. Don’t let her die.”

“Yes!”

Because of excessive blood loss, Bai Qingling’s vision darkened in waves.

Why could she never surpass Shen Lanxi? Was it just because her birth was lower? Aside from her background, in what way was she inferior?

The uncontrollable dizziness filled Bai Qingling with fear.

She could not die. If she died here, the Prince would be heartbroken. Her child would lose its mother and be bullied in the future. Just thinking of her child one day calling another woman “Mother Consort” made her heart ache, more painfully than the wound piercing through her shoulder blades.

…

“Your Highness, there’s a fire in the southwest—the direction of the Wolf Tribe. This time we may be able to wipe out the southwestern tribes without lifting a finger.”

When Zhou Ruyuan heard the news, he was first delighted, but then he immediately asked:

“Who set the fire?”

“This subordinate does not know. Scouts have already been sent to investigate.”

“Pass down the order: strike camp immediately and return to the main encampment. The wind is blowing northward. No matter who set the fire, we cannot allow it to spread into Great Zhou territory!”

“Yes!”

Just as they finished packing and were preparing to break camp, Jiang Wuya came running in panic.

“Your Highness, something terrible has happened! While you were leading troops out for training, the Consort secretly sent people to set fire to the forests where the Wolf Tribe is. Shen Lanxi has discovered it and is now detaining the Consort for punishment.”

Zhou Ruyuan felt as if his head had been smashed against a boulder. For a moment, his mind went blank, filled with a buzzing roar.

“Who gave her the order to set the fire?”

“Wasn’t she told not to act rashly?”

Zhou Ruyuan was furious. His chest churned, blood surged upward, and he could taste the metallic tang in his mouth.

“Your Highness, the Consort told Shen Lanxi that it was on your orders,” Jiang Wuya said, his face equally filled with resentment.

Zhou Ruyuan’s vision darkened again. Why was Bai Qingling harming him?

“Your Highness, the fire is already spreading toward Great Zhou. Shen Lanxi has ordered people to cut trees on the mountains to create a firebreak. Please make a decision quickly!”

After a moment of stunned silence, Zhou Ruyuan decisively ordered: “All troops are to go up the mountain and cut trees. We must create a firebreak before the flames reach us!”

“Yes!”

Jiang Wuya hurried to carry out the order.

In Zhou Ruyuan’s heart, his feelings toward Bai Qingling had already changed—from love to hatred. He desperately wanted to return to the army and explain everything clearly to Shen Lanxi.

“Your Highness, you must not go back!” Jiang Wuya learned of Zhou Ruyuan’s intention and immediately knelt to block him.

“Shen Lanxi has found witnesses claiming the Consort colluded with the Wolf Tribe. Now there is also the matter of you ordering the fire attack. In outsiders’ eyes, this means you had already colluded with the Wolf Tribe, and the fire was merely to clear suspicion. If you return now, it will be taken as conclusive proof—you would be walking to your death!”

Zhou Ruyuan’s eyes turned bloodshot with rage as he stared toward the southwest.

How had things come to this?

He had indeed been secretly building up strength, but under the banner of a righteous army—not by colluding with foreign tribes and rebelling against the throne.

Bai Qingling… He had trusted her so deeply. For her, he had ruined his own wedding, defied his father’s orders, and even exchanged military merits to spare her life after her crimes.

And this was how she repaid him?

She was pushing him onto a path of no return.

He was wrong—truly wrong. He should not have ruined his wedding because of her, nor should he have disappointed his father and mother again and again. Perhaps it was from that time that his father began to lose favor with him.

Step by step, he had fallen into disgrace, forced to the Southwest—all of it because of Bai Qingling.

“Your Highness, there is no other way now,” Jiang Wuya said, with the air of someone prepared to stake everything.