RWNEFE -Chapter 400 The Crown Prince Is Assassinated and Missing!

Zhou Qiwou remembered—it had always been her dream. She had dreamt of returning to the capital in glory, and of crushing those who had once bullied her beneath her feet.

Her reluctance gradually faded. Zhou Qiwou spoke softly: “Take more guards with you.”

Yuan Lang looked at her with deep affection: “While I’m away, take care of yourself. Don’t make me worry.”

Zhou Qiwou, as always, softened once again, holding onto Yuan Lang tightly.

The two gazed at each other with heartfelt longing, then gave in to a storm of passion.

“Yuan Lang, hurry and return quickly.”

“All right, Princess, you must wait for me!”

As night deepened, no matter how unwilling they were, they had to part ways.

Yuan Lang reached the city gates, waiting for half an hour. When the gates finally opened, he did not head straight to Nanning; instead, he went to a manor outside the city.

“Master, you’ve finally arrived.”

Yuan Lang: “Is everything prepared?”

“All has been prepared; we’ve been waiting for your arrival.”

Yuan Lang glanced toward the capital, his expression shadowed and obscure. “Everything happening in the capital… it feels as though an unseen hand is stirring the winds of fate behind the scenes.”

Anyone in the capital could be a pawn in the hands of that hidden player.

“Master, your insight… have you seen something?”

Yuan Lang’s face hardened: “The capital is unsafe. If we stay there, we might be drawn into the storm.”

“Master, should we go to Nanning then?”

Yuan Lang: “Nanning is outside the capital—another unsafe place.”

So, they weren’t going to the Northwest?

After Yuan Lang left the capital, Shen Lanxi received secret reports.

“Yuan Lang is not an ordinary man!”

It became clear why Zhou Qiwou had been staying secluded all this time—she had a powerful figure behind her.

“Bai Qingling has also gone to Nanning.”

Shen Lanxi smirked: “After all, Zhou Ruyuan and I were married. I think it’s time I send him a very special gift.”

The messenger reporting the news twitched at the words. Everyone knew that whenever she gave a gift, it was always a trap.

“Then proceed as you wish…”

“Your Majesty, the Shen household is in complete chaos. That frivolous concubine—who knows what possessed her—went to pay respects to Princess Minrou. Shen Yuantang was there; the moment she saw her face, she smashed a teacup over her head.”

“The concubine fainted. Princess Minrou was furious, ordering someone to pack and leave the Shen household, but the younger generation, including Shen Yuanjun, kept persuading her to stay.”

“The matriarch, whether truly fainted or faking it, needed imperial doctors summoned by the servants using the Tenth Princess’s token.”

“In the commotion, Shen Yuanxu’s wife experienced a threatened miscarriage—she may deliver prematurely.”

“Old Master Shen, panicked, misstepped on the stairs, fell, and injured his leg.”

“Now, the Shen household is leaderless. In my opinion, they’ll have to call Shen Lanxi back to manage the situation.”

The Renxiao Emperor appeared calm, but he was listening intently.

“Has Shen Lanxi returned?”

Wang Bao forced a dry smile: “This old servant doesn’t know. The latest news hasn’t reached us yet.”

The Renxiao Emperor was conflicted.

He wanted Shen Lanxi to sink into the Shen household’s quagmire and fade into obscurity, but the current situation in court didn’t allow it.

Everything had been progressing favorably, but once the news of the disciple of Guigu emerged, chaos stirred on all sides.

Especially those two traitorous rebels—they would surely start spreading rumors to disrupt the people.

Now was a critical time to deploy capable people. Even though Shen Lanxi was a woman, if she could quell this temporary turmoil, she could be given extraordinary authority.

“I need to think carefully.”

Wang Bao cautiously stepped aside, barely daring to breathe.

As the Renxiao Emperor expected, before the day ended, the Shen household requested Shen Lanxi’s aid.

Coincidentally, Wei Dongzhu arrived. Shen Lanxi sent Wei Dongzhu instead of going herself.

Doctors, imperial physicians, midwives, and wet nurses all came in and out of the Shen residence.

The imperial physician was no problem, but the visiting doctors demanded payment for their services.

Those in the family refused to spend a single coin, all relying on Wei Dongzhu to resolve the crisis.

Wei Dongzhu could have paid, but Shen Lanxi had instructed him before he came: “I came in haste today and didn’t bring money.”

Seeing the worried faces, if he didn’t know how wealthy the family’s private reserves were, he might have believed them.

“I’ll go back and get the money.”

“My own silver is limited, and this month’s salary hasn’t been issued yet.”

Wei Dongzhu practically wore “no money” on his face.

The Shen household was in a state of despair that words could not capture.

Finally, Shen Conglian was sent to plead with Shen Lanxi.

“Lanxi… the household is in chaos…”

“Your father broke his leg~”

“Your mother is making a fuss and wants to leave~”

“Your sister-in-law is likely to have a difficult delivery~”

“Your grandmother, in her anger, coughed up blood~”

“The household is in shambles~”

“You must return quickly to take charge, or the Shen household will be finished…”

Shen Conglian shouted loudly at the gate of the Juding Residence, drawing a crowd of curious onlookers.

“As the saying goes, even a just official cannot judge household affairs. No matter how capable this woman is, she can’t completely separate herself from the family~”

“One cannot write the character ‘Shen’ twice with one stroke. How could Shen Lanxi really detach herself? Alone, she would be helpless; if something goes wrong, who will help her?”

“‘Female butcher’—she’s nothing. Back when she caused chaos in the Shen household, she still had to return to help in the end.”

While the citizens gossiped, a secret letter was delivered to the Renxiao Emperor.

“Your Majesty, disaster! The Crown Prince was ambushed outside and is now missing!”

The Renxiao Emperor’s eyes widened in fury. His heart burned, and he coughed up blood, losing consciousness.

Shen Lanxi, striding confidently, was summoned back to the Shen household to take charge.

Several guards followed her, each carrying a small box.

One guard tripped, dropping a box, scattering gold ingots across the ground.

The gathered crowd stared in shock.

Someone exclaimed: “So that’s why the Shen household is in such a fuss—they needed Shen Lanxi back because they have no money left!”

Surely, a large household like the Shens couldn’t have been run by Lanxi alone all this time.

The citizens now understood the truth.

Shen Lanxi returned to the Shen household with authority, immediately issuing a series of commands:

“Deliver silver to the clinic!”

“Purchase supplements and fine ingredients!”

“Send a box to Yuanxu, and invite all experienced midwives in the city!”

Having issued her orders, she then went to see her mother.

“Mother, I’m here.”

Zhou Xinrou, seeing her, was not particularly pleased.

“What are you here for?”