RWNEFE -Chapter 317 Only Those Who Are Not Loved Are the Ones Who Shouldn’t Exist!

The guards didn’t care what time it was; they immediately called people to start digging without stopping.

So many important figures had suddenly arrived today—something major must have happened. They could only hope they wouldn’t be implicated.

Given the current condition of the descendant of Prince Li, the Renxiao Emperor would certainly not be satisfied.

Shen Lanxi immediately issued another order: “Search thoroughly within a ten-li radius!”

With only the people she had brought, it was clearly not enough.

“Go to the Prince of Zhen’nan and request more men!”

“Yes!”

Zhou Ruyuan quickly ordered a troop of soldiers to be transferred. Shen Lanxi watched silently—the number of men was obviously greater than those he had originally brought.

It seemed these forces had been lying in ambush nearby all along.

Searching a ten-li radius was a massive undertaking. Shen Lanxi and Zhou Ruyuan tacitly chose not to say anything about it; this was also a show of attitude for the Renxiao Emperor to see.

The descendant of Prince Li remained unconscious the whole time and still showed no sign of waking by the next morning.

Meanwhile, the place where he had previously been kept had been almost completely dug up.

“Reporting, my lord—no secret tunnel was found.”

Shen Lanxi nodded expressionlessly. “Record everything in detail. When we return to the capital, report it to His Majesty.”

Zhou Ruyuan was not in the room; he had left six men guarding inside and outside.

While Shen Lanxi was inspecting the surroundings, she happened to see Zhou Ruyuan strolling with a woman wearing a veiled hat.

“Your Highness, coming out on official business and even bringing a female companion—how thoughtful and well-arranged.”

The sarcasm was so obvious that anyone could hear it.

Since she had been seen, Bai Qingling no longer held back.

“Shen Lanxi, speaking to the Prince like that—are you trying to be disrespectful to your superior?”

Shen Lanxi looked at Zhou Ruyuan with a faint smile. “Your Highness, what did I say? Was any of it untrue?”

Bai Qingling angrily removed her veil. “Shen Lanxi, stop speaking in that sarcastic tone. Aren’t you just jealous because the Prince favors me?”

Shen Lanxi let out a cold laugh and looked at Zhou Ruyuan in puzzlement. “This disgrace to the imperial clan—how has the royal family allowed her to live until now?”

Bai Qingling’s face instantly turned pale, and she subconsciously stepped behind Zhou Ruyuan.

Zhou Ruyuan frowned and shouted angrily, “Enough. Don’t say any more!”

A trace of triumph flashed in Bai Qingling’s eyes. So what if the Shen family had been reinstated? The Prince would never like Shen Lanxi.

Only those who are not loved are the ones who shouldn’t exist.

Zhou Ruyuan turned coldly to Bai Qingling. “Go back to your room. Without my orders, do not come out again.”

Bai Qingling looked stunned; the triumphant expression on her face hadn’t even faded yet.

The Prince… was actually scolding her?

For Shen Lanxi’s sake?

Zhou Ruyuan continued, “There are many people here. If others see you accompanying me to the imperial mausoleum, they’ll certainly make an issue of it. Father Emperor would be furious again.”

Bai Qingling’s face turned pale once more.

She had finally persuaded the Prince to bring her along; she couldn’t let Shen Lanxi’s presence put her in danger.

Shen Lanxi, the humiliation you’ve inflicted on me today—I will repay it a hundredfold someday!

“Your Highness, I will return at once,” Bai Qingling said coldly, casting Shen Lanxi a venomous glance before putting her veil back on.

After Bai Qingling had gone some distance, Zhou Ruyuan awkwardly tried to explain to Shen Lanxi.

“Lanxi, don’t misunderstand, I…”

Shen Lanxi wore an indifferent smile, as if nothing about Zhou Ruyuan concerned her at all.

“That is Your Highness’s family matter. There’s no need to explain it to me. You and that lady are truly devoted—inseparable even when traveling on official duty. It’s quite enviable.”

Zhou Ruyuan knew she was speaking in anger, deliberately mocking him. He wanted to explain, but didn’t know where to begin.

“I’ll go check on the descendant of Prince Li again. He’s the most important one right now.”

After saying this, she turned and left.

Watching her walk away without the slightest hesitation, Zhou Ruyuan felt both regret and bitterness in his heart.

…

“Why hasn’t he woken up yet?” Shen Lanxi asked the imperial physician.

The physician spoke evasively about the condition and did not answer directly. “His body is too weak, and he has difficulty eating. That is why he has not regained consciousness.”

Shen Lanxi looked at the pale man with cracked lips and thought for a moment. “If he can’t eat other things, can he drink goat’s milk?”

The physician considered, then nodded. “Yes. Goat’s milk is nourishing and beneficial to the body.”

But he certainly didn’t dare request nourishing food for the descendant of a criminal minister. Even the porridge given to him was made with broken grains.

“This person is related to the case and cannot be allowed to die. Go get some goat’s milk and feed it to him.”

Upon receiving the order, the servants immediately went to carry it out.

While waiting for the goat’s milk, news arrived from the capital.

Zhou Ruyuan and Shen Lanxi received the imperial decree together.

“His Majesty’s oral decree: Escort the criminal descendant of Prince Li back to the capital immediately. There must be no delay!”

Shen Lanxi accepted the order silently.

Zhou Ruyuan, seeing her remain quiet, forced himself to ask, “The descendant of Prince Li is still unconscious. If we hurry the journey, I’m afraid he may not survive to reach the capital.”

The imperial messenger replied, “His Majesty commands that he be delivered alive.”

Zhou Ruyuan had only intended to have the messenger report the man’s physical condition back to the capital. Since the Emperor demanded a living person, there was no need to rush recklessly.

After Shen Lanxi left, the messenger quietly slipped a letter to Zhou Ruyuan.

Soon someone reported to Shen Lanxi: “We only saw the messenger hand a letter to the Prince of Zhen’nan. The contents are unknown.”

The goat’s milk was soon found. Ban Sicao inspected it first, then had it fed to the descendant of Prince Li.

That night, Ban Sicao secretly drugged the guards, went in to examine the man, and upon returning, cursed the imperial family in a low voice for being cold-blooded.

“I thought His Majesty was being generous by pardoning the descendants of criminals. Who would have thought—it was all just for show. That man was castrated long ago.”

A man without heirs—what waves could he possibly stir?

Shen Lanxi’s eyes turned cold, but she said nothing.

“My lady, should I feed the Renxiao Emperor a little medicine too?” Ban Sicao joked deliberately, noticing Shen Lanxi seemed to be in a bad mood.

Shen Lanxi said quietly, “He cannot have an accident right now.”

Ban Sicao’s quick mind immediately interpreted that to mean—so in the future, perhaps he could?

The next day, the descendant of Prince Li finally woke up. After consulting the imperial physician, Zhou Ruyuan ordered a carriage to be prepared.

The mountain search was too vast and still had no results. However, the residences of all the guards at the imperial mausoleum had been searched no fewer than three times, and nothing unusual was found.

This would be difficult to explain to the Renxiao Emperor.

After the descendant of Prince Li was carried onto the carriage, the group set out slowly.

A journey that normally took one day stretched into two at a leisurely pace before they finally reached the capital. After handing the man over to the Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Justice, Shen Lanxi entered the palace to report to the Emperor.

“Uncle, the man has been brought back.” News had been sent to the capital every day, so there was no need to elaborate.

Seeing the dust and fatigue on her, then looking at his son—neatly dressed as if he had never even left the capital—the Renxiao Emperor became furious.

“Lanxi, I grant you three days’ leave. Go back and rest well.”

“Thank you for your concern, Uncle.”

Shen Lanxi had just withdrawn when Zhou Ruyuan was struck on the forehead by an inkstone thrown by the Renxiao Emperor.