RWNEFE -Chapter 488 The Child is Dead!

Zhou Ruyuan had previously sent people to investigate Ban Sicao more than once, but found nothing. Ban Sicao seemed to have appeared out of thin air.

Thinking about Shen Lanxi’s attitude toward the Shen family, he believed she wouldn’t harm Yuantang’s child in front of so many people.

Even if Shen Lanxi did dare to act so boldly, it would give him the perfect excuse to eliminate a traitor.

“Fine. No time to waste—come back to the Prince’s residence with me!” Zhou Ruyuan turned and started walking.

“Don’t walk away!” Shen Yuantang tried to grab Ban Sicao, but he had grown wise; seeing her reach out, he quickly dodged.

“Talk, don’t touch!” Ban Sicao looked at her with open disgust, not even bothering to hide it.

Shen Yuantang’s fury exploded. She screamed like a madwoman: “As expected, only a mother truly cares about her child! You don’t care about my son’s life, but I, as his mother, do. If you don’t summon the Grand Physician to treat my child today, I will never forgive you for the rest of my life!”

Zhou Ruyuan stared at her in disbelief. How could she be so unreasonable?

“Stop this nonsense! Isn’t Zeyan my son? Of course I care about my son! If you keep causing trouble and delay Zeyan’s treatment, I’ll see how you regret it!”

Shen Yuantang stared at Zhou Ruyuan in shock. She was saving their son, so why was he scolding her?

“Prince, you know the palace physicians are useless. Only the Grand Physician can save our child! Why let this ignorant person go? Yes, Zeyan is your son, but he is not your favorite!”

Zhou Ruyuan had never been accused like this before, and his face darkened immediately.

“Stop arguing and talking nonsense. Let’s go—ignore her!”

Angrily, Zhou Ruyuan thought to himself that when he returned, he would find out who had released her and punish that person severely.

“Don’t go! No one is allowed to leave!” Shen Yuantang’s eyes teared up. Seeing that they were about to leave without attending to her, in desperation she pulled out a hairpin and pressed it to her throat.

“If you take another step, I’ll stab this into my throat. If anything happens to me, let’s see how you explain it to the Shen family!” Shen Yuantang’s eyes gleamed, thinking she had finally found something to threaten them with.

“Prince, you go to the palace and find the Grand Physician right now.”

“And you,” she turned to Ban Sicao, “go to my elder sister and tell her—if she’s so negligent and something happens to my son, I’ll hate her for life!”

Zhou Ruyuan’s face darkened immediately, and even Ban Sicao stopped his carefree demeanor.

“Prince, If I knocked your secondary consort unconscious—you won’t be mad at me, right?” Using her life to threaten her elder sister, Shen Yuantang would surely have to face the consequences later.

Zhou Ruyuan, already impatient, replied curtly: “Fine.”

Ban Sicao raised his hand and waved, releasing a cloud of powder.

“What are you—” Shen Yuantang’s words weren’t finished before she fainted to the ground.

Zhou Ruyuan instructed the Imperial Guard to watch over Shen Yuantang. Ban Sicao handed a small bottle to them: “In fifteen minutes, have her inhale this.”

After giving the instructions, the two rushed to the Prince’s residence.

Passing through Zhuque Street, Zhou Ruyuan casually saw a familiar figure carrying something enter a clinic. His horse galloped past as he thought only of returning to the residence to treat his son, so he didn’t pay much attention.

Unfortunately, despite their rush, they were too late. As soon as Zhou Ruyuan returned to the residence, he heard faint crying and felt a heavy weight in his chest. He ran toward the sound.

Arriving at his son Zhou Ze’s room, the servants, seeing him, knelt and wept.

He dared not move forward.

A figure dashed past him and ran into the room.

Zhou Ruyuan followed like seeing a savior, rushing inside.

Ban Sicao, seeing the child, immediately knew there was no hope—the child was already dead.

“Mr. Ban, how is my son?” Zhou Ruyuan’s voice was hoarse.

Ban Sicao, knowing there was no hope, still checked carefully.

“This child was poisoned—by two different toxins. The first was mild, which caused repeated high fevers but wasn’t fatal. The second was lethal; it seems it was administered recently. You should have someone search the residence quickly; there may be some clues!” Ban Sicao sighed heavily and stepped aside.

Zhou Ruyuan staggered, eyes reddening.

Who could be so cruel to a small child? One poison wasn’t enough—they tried a second.

Such a little child couldn’t have offended anyone; there was only one possibility: the attack was directed at him.

His campaign was about to start tomorrow, and his son dying today was clearly an ill omen.

“Is there truly no way to save him?” Zhou Ruyuan’s voice trembled.

Ban Sicao frowned. “The child is gone.”

Zhou Ruyuan staggered to the small bed. He had never really seen this son carefully. Now, he finally had the chance—and the child was gone.

Looking at the pale little face, Zhou Ruyuan’s heart filled with unprecedented hatred.

“I will make the person who poisoned him suffer a fate worse than death. Blood debt will be paid in blood!”

Ban Sicao had no reason to linger. After quietly bidding farewell to Zhou Ruyuan, he turned and left.

Zhou Ruyuan glared at Ban Sicao, teeth clenched tightly.

As soon as Ban Sicao left the residence, Shen Yuantang returned.

She glared at him fiercely, then turned and rushed into the residence.

Ban Sicao, pressed for time, didn’t linger outside and went straight back to the palace.

“Zhou Ze, that child… is dead!” Ban Sicao said, also explaining the cause of death.

Shen Lanxi dropped her pen into the penholder, her expression growing colder.

Ban Sicao muttered in frustration, “I have a feeling this poison came from our Wanduomen.” Though he hadn’t dared to examine much in front of Zhou Ruyuan, he had a strong hunch.

If a royal family member is poisoned, it will inevitably be linked to Wanduomen.

Che Mingyuan, standing nearby, analyzed: “Wanduomen is secondary here.”

Ban Sicao glared at him. How could Wanduomen be secondary?

Che Mingyuan snapped back: “Right now, Shen Yuantang is shouting at the palace gates, demanding the Grand Physician. The Prince Regent didn’t send him, and outsiders don’t know what happened inside. Naturally, they think our Prince is cold-blooded, and that’s why the Prince of Zhen Nan’s son died!” He emphasized the “Prince of Zhen Nan’s son.”

This wasn’t just about a royal child dying—it was family blame, Zhou Ruyuan’s hatred, and potentially the criticism of the entire nation.

Ban Sicao grumbled: “When I saw Shen Yuantang at the palace gates, I should have knocked her out immediately.” That might have bought time to save the child.

Shen Lanxi’s pupils darkened. Her voice was grave: “It’s too late to talk about that now. Zhou Ruyuan leaves for the campaign tomorrow; today, we must find the person who poisoned him!”

Ban Sicao shook his head. “Impossible!” After all this time in the capital, their family had found nothing.

Che Mingyuan’s eyes flickered. “If it really can’t be done… can’t we make a fake one instead?”