RWNEFE -Chapter 466 Shen Lanxi Survives an Assassination Attempt

Zhou Ruyuan immediately rode to the palace to find Shen Lanxi.

“I am going to the palace to attend to Father’s illness!”

Shen Lanxi firmly refused: “His Majesty said no one is to be admitted.”

Zhou Ruyuan glared at her angrily. “You’re not letting me see Father. What are you planning?”

Shen Lanxi replied calmly: “His Majesty has already awakened. If he says he doesn’t want to see anyone, those are his exact words.”

Zhou Ruyuan looked at her coldly. “Aren’t you afraid that the ministers will accuse you of treason and rebellion?”

Shen Lanxi smiled: “Not afraid. If they try, let them come. His Majesty will deal with those foolish clowns.”

Zhou Ruyuan watched Shen Lanxi speak with such conviction and began to wonder whether she was telling the truth.

Is Father truly all right?

And if other princes find out about this, what then?

Frustrated, Zhou Ruyuan left without even entering the palace.

…

“Mr. Jiang, how can we persuade the Prince?” Bai Qingling asked with a worried expression.

Jiang Wuyai shook his head helplessly. “Even if I try, the Prince might not listen.”

Previously, he had repeatedly advised the Prince to remove Shen Lanxi, but the Prince remained unmoved. He had truly done his best.

Bai Qingling knew this, so seeing Jiang Wuyai so troubled, she felt a pang of guilt.

She had hired Mr. Jiang originally to deal with Shen Lanxi. But she never expected the Prince to be so stubborn in defending her that he wouldn’t listen.

“Mr. Jiang, you’ve really worked hard.”

Jiang Wuyai sighed helplessly. “If the Prince continues like this, it’s only a matter of time before he gets exiled from the capital.”

Bai Qingling’s gaze turned cold. The Prince is destined to rule as the Nine-Five Sovereign—how could he be exiled?

It’s just that Shen Lanxi is in the way.

Remove her, and the problem is solved.

After receiving news that the Old Madam Shen’s health had declined, Shen Lanxi immediately rode back home.

But just as she reached Xinting Street, she was ambushed.

Hundreds of men in black attacked her at once.

Shen Lanxi fought as if she were one against a hundred, turning Xinting Street into a river of blood. The blood flowed all the way from Xinting Street to the neighboring Baihua Alley.

The sounds of combat and screams woke half the city from their sleep.

Wei Dongzhu and others rushed to the scene to assist, only to find a scene of carnage.

“They’re all suicide operatives. Their teeth contain poison. Remove the fangs first to prevent self-destruction. Interrogate them under severe punishment!”

“Yes!”

The Imperial Guard dragged the survivors into the prison. The dead were transported outside the city by the capital guard and buried.

By dawn, the stench of blood still lingered in the streets. Though the ground had been washed, traces had seeped into the earth, still wet in places.

No one on the two streets dared to step outside.

…

“Grandmother, did you send someone to the palace for me last night?” Shen Lanxi asked when she arrived home; the family was already having breakfast.

“No,” the Old Madam Shen replied. “Did anyone come looking for you?”

“No. Isn’t there a curfew these days? Who dares go out? You’d be risking your life!”

“Yes, we’ve barely left the house during the day.”

Mainly because the Shen sons had failed the civil examination, they felt embarrassed and stayed home.

Shen Lanxi said, “Something happened in the palace. If you can avoid going out, just stay home for now.”

Madam Liu, ever curious, pressed: “What happened in the palace?”

The Old Madam Shen immediately scolded her: “The more you know, the faster you’ll die!”

Madam Liu quickly shut her mouth.

Shen Lanxi explained the poisoning of the Renxiao Emperor: “This matter may involve the death of the former Crown Prince. Just pretend you don’t know. Stay indoors these next few days.”

The death of the former Crown Prince was a taboo no one in the capital dared mention. Even the usually talkative Madam Liu kept her lips tightly sealed.

…

Shen Lanxi had been ambushed on the street by over a hundred assassins—a truly audacious attack.

“From today on, interrogate every person entering the capital. Report anyone suspicious immediately!”

“Search house by house. Any suspicious person, kill on sight!”

“Anyone causing trouble in the past few days, execute immediately!”

“No matter if they are royal relatives or commoners, all violators are treated equally!”

Shen Lanxi’s forces struck first at the ministers, starting with the regent ministers.

“We are ordered to investigate the rebel faction. Anyone who interferes shares the same guilt!”

Wu Yanzhi, the Grand Tutor, and Liu Mingxin were treated the same. The Imperial Guard stormed into their homes and turned everything upside down.

Although these three regent ministers commanded authority in court, they had no military power and could only watch helplessly as the Imperial Guard conducted the searches.

“Shen Lanxi, you’ve gone too far!” Liu Mingxin angrily confronted her.

“You dare search the homes of first-rank officials without an imperial edict? Are you plotting rebellion?” Liu Mingxin demanded.

Shen Lanxi calmly pointed to the edict: “The imperial decree is right here. If you want to see it, go ahead.” She had placed it beside her. Liu Mingxin had rushed in without noticing it.

Indeed, as Shen Lanxi said, the edict ordered the search of all residences in the capital, both owned and unowned, in pursuit of the rebel faction.

The edict bore the imperial jade seal and was issued by the Small Cabinet. Liu Mingxin could not claim Shen Lanxi had forged it.

“Lord Liu, the imperial decree is here. Take a good look. His Majesty has summoned me.”

Liu Mingxin glared at Shen Lanxi’s back, fixating silently on the edict.

~

“Uncle, several suspicious individuals have been found. They all came from the harem!” Shen Lanxi reported to the Renxiao Emperor.

In less than a single day, the emperor’s skin looked as if much of its moisture had been drained, wrinkled and peeling in places.

“They are from the Empress’ palace, and also from the palaces of Consorts Shu, Ming, and Hui.”

The Renxiao Emperor immediately thought of Consort Shu.

“Investigate Consort Shu and the Empress.”

Shen Lanxi replied: “Yes!”

As she left, Song Daoxi was walking toward Yangxin Hall with a box. When they passed each other, he nodded slightly at her.

Song Daoxi’s skilled treatment temporarily suppressed the emperor’s poison, but only delayed its effects; it did not neutralize it.

By the next day, the Renxiao Emperor could no longer speak.

“Uncle, the civil examination cannot be delayed, or it will raise suspicion among many.”

The emperor could only nod in agreement.

“Uncle, you could attend court today, and I will pretend to pass on your instructions to complete the palace examination.”

The emperor hesitated. In his current state, any ministerial challenge could be dangerous; he could not move a finger.

Wang Bao reassured him: “Your Majesty, I will also pass your words. The emperor’s authority must be seen. Sit on the dragon throne and issue commands, and that’s enough.”

After consideration, the emperor agreed.

Soon, the news of the palace examination was transmitted.

On the day of the examination, Shen Lanxi stood to the left of the dragon throne, Wang Bao to the right. With the throne elevated and Shen Lanxi’s careful concealment of the emperor’s face, the group of visually impaired elder ministers below could not discern His Majesty’s condition.