Su Jin: Fraud, Absolutely Fraud

Wang Ming's appearance startled Ren Tianye.

He quickly asked, "What's wrong?"

"Did they make some outrageous demand?"

Wang Ming struggled to lift his head, looked at Ren Tianye, and said with difficulty, "It is a demand, and it is outrageous, but..."

"My Lord Duke, the commander of the Lin Family Army said that as long as you agree to marry her, she will hand over the two hundred thousand strong army on a silver platter."

"What?"

Ren Tianye turned pale with shock.

For the rare first time, he failed to maintain his composure like a mountain collapsing before him without changing his expression; he almost jumped up right in front of the envoy.

His expression fluctuated wildly.

He looked as if he was struggling with a difficult decision.

"How could they make such an outrageous demand? But if I can really get a two hundred thousand strong army this way, especially that ten thousand strong firearms division, what's a little endurance?"

"Even Sima Qian said that when Heaven is about to confer a great responsibility on a man, it first exercises his mind with suffering..."

Ren Tianye repeatedly built up his psychological defenses in his heart.

Finally, gritting his teeth, he said to the envoy, "I don't know who your commander is right now, or what exactly is going on. But, if he is truly willing to hand over two hundred thousand troops."

"It is not impossible for me, the Duke, to marry him."

"It's just marrying a man..."

"It's not like he doesn't have a backside."

Wang Ming froze for a moment, and then his mouth formed an "O" shape.

The envoy was also dumbfounded and subconsciously took a step back.

Ren Tianye's voice sounded again, "What other demands does he have?"

"It can't be just this one, right?"

"Damn it, does he fucking want to be on top?"

"This is fucking..."

Ren Tianye was now truly caught in a dilemma.

He really wanted those ten thousand firearms!

But the price couldn't be this huge, could it?

Fortunately, Wang Ming snapped back to reality and quickly said, "My Lord Duke, you, you, you might have misunderstood. This letter doesn't seem to be written by a man..."

"Huh? Not written by a man?"

The envoy also hurriedly said, "General, you have misunderstood. My commander is not a man, but a woman."

"A woman?" Ren Tianye had already taken the letter. The handwriting was elegant, exuding the demeanor of a noble family, which instantly made Ren Tianye breathe a sigh of relief, his heart safely settling back into his chest.

But his mind went blank for a second.

A woman?

Handing over a two hundred thousand strong army?

Just to marry her?

Wait, is she so ugly that she can't get married?

That's not right. After falling out with Lin Zixiao, wasn't the Lin Family Army controlled by the Seven Righteous of Chifeng? Is there a woman among the Seven Righteous of Chifeng, or did they elect a woman?

Even with Ren Tianye's usual sharpness, he couldn't figure it out at this moment.

He asked, "What is your commander's name?"

"What is her background?"

The envoy was not clear on this point either.

His mission came from the Seven Righteous of Chifeng, and he didn't know when the commander of the Lin Family Army had changed to a woman. So he had to answer truthfully, finally saying, "My Lord Duke, if you feel there is no problem, please give me a reply."

"So that I can go back and report."

"I will marry her!" Ren Tianye said without hesitation. "Go tell your commander that as long as she is willing to hand over the two hundred thousand strong army, whether she is beautiful or ugly, eighteen years old or a gray-haired old woman, I will welcome her with ten miles of red dowry."

The envoy was overjoyed and hurried back to report.

Ren Tianye, however, was still not calm.

Mainly because... it was too outrageous.

It was beyond imagination.

The most important thing was... who exactly was this commander of the Lin Family Army?

He unfolded the letter and read it again.

Soon, on the last page of the letter, he found a signature.

"Respectfully yours, Bai Li!"

Bai Li?

A flash of inspiration struck Ren Tianye's mind.

He had heard this name before.

"Su Jin's third sister seems to have changed her name to Bai Li. Su Jin reported this to me."

Ren Tianye immediately asked Wang Ming to call Su Jin.

After handing the letter to Su Jin, Su Jin's expression changed drastically after just one glance.

"My Lord Duke, this is indeed the handwriting of my third sister, Su Li."

"She can change her name and identity, but since she started learning to write, I have been by her side. I even taught her how to write. Therefore, I can be certain that this is my third sister Su Li's handwriting!"

Pausing, Su Jin asked, "My Lord Duke, where did this letter come from?"

Ren Tianye did not answer, but motioned for her to read on.

Su Jin then read word by word. The more she read, the paler her face became, until she was almost tottering. When she finished reading the letter, Su Jin raised her head, her gaze more determined than ever.

She said, "My Lord Duke, this is definitely a trap!"

"Su Li is stubborn. Her approach to you must be to avenge Ye Fan with malicious intent. I suggest we find her directly, capture her, and hack her to death. Our Northern Frontier Su Manor will pretend this person never existed!"

After such a long time, Ren Tianye's emotions had calmed down, and his brilliant intellect regained the high ground. He couldn't help but glance at Su Jin, his eyes as deep as the sea.

"It seems the Northern Frontier Su Manor is truly terrified of Su Li!"

"I'm afraid Su Hong thinks the same way."

However, Ren Tianye would absolutely not refuse such a heaven-sent good deed delivered to his doorstep. Even if it really was a trap, he, Ren Tianye, would jump into it without hesitation.

He said to Wang Ming, "In the coming days, send twice as many people to scout the Lin Family Army."

Pausing, he added, "Oh, right. At the same time, you can also start planning for my grand wedding."

...

Inside the commander's tent of the Lin Family Army.

Bai Li sat on the tiger chair. Protector Bai had completely transformed into a loyal subordinate, attending to her closely while also offering advice and strategies for Bai Li.

"Third Palace Master, that Ren Tianye is not normal after all. Your move to enter the tiger's den alone, although exquisitely brilliant and applause-worthy, might not succeed if you are careless."

This was Bai Zixuan's worry, and also her doubt.

But Bai Li was quite confident.

She smiled faintly, looked towards the south, and said, "According to the time, it should be about right. I believe he should be coming in a day or two."

"When he arrives, you will naturally understand."

"Whether I have the ability to make Ren Tianye fall hopelessly in love with me."

"You will naturally understand the extent of his regret when I abandon him."

A bit of curiosity instantly arose in Bai Zixuan's heart.

Does the Third Palace Master have a backer?

But the Third Palace Master had already reached her position in their Concentric Alliance. In this world, who could possibly act as a backer for the Third Palace Master?

It couldn't possibly be the First Palace Master and the Second Palace Master, could it?

But looking at the Third Palace Master's expression, it obviously didn't seem like it!

Bai Zixuan was puzzled, but this puzzle did not last long. On that very day, when Bai Li received Ren Tianye's reply, finalizing the matter of handing over the two hundred thousand strong army in exchange for Ren Tianye marrying her, the guards came to report.

"Commander, there is a man outside the camp claiming to be the Right Protector of the Concentric Alliance."

...