After being sentenced to death, she came to her senses.

Fang Xiaoran was taken to a side hall, and the palace servants locked the door behind her. It seemed that Consort Ning intended to confine her here.

Ultimately, Consort Ning was still worried, believing that her health condition was related to Fang Xiaoran. She would not let Fang Xiaoran go until Fang Xiaoran could cure her.

Having figured out Consort Ning's intentions, Fang Xiaoran didn't care. She was certain that Consort Ning wouldn't do anything to her, at least not now, especially since Consort Ning's health was still not cured.

Two hours passed, and the incense burner in the side hall was filled with the fragrance of agarwood, but Consort Ning still did not summon her. Fang Xiaoran did not move either, sitting quietly in the hall waiting.

The person Consort Ning sent to keep an eye on Fang Xiaoran had already arrived before Consort Ning and reported in a low voice: "She's still the same as before."

"Not in a hurry, not even afraid that I will kill her, you are truly audacious." Consort Ning chuckled, picked up her teacup and took a sip, then waved her hand gently, "Go down and continue to watch. I will make her submit on her own."

“Just being placed under house arrest probably won’t make her submit…” the palace servant said in a low voice, her eyes lowered.

"Who said it was just house arrest?" Consort Ning calmly put down her teacup, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.

At this moment, Fang Xiaoran remained calmly seated in the carved rattan chair, leisurely picking up the teapot and pouring tea for herself. However, she only poured the tea but did not drink it, as if she was using it to pass the time.

After a while, the door opened, and a palace maid dressed in green walked in, carrying a plate of snacks and a plate of fruit, and silently placed them on the table.

She seemed afraid to say anything more or talk to Fang Xiaoran. After putting down her things, she hurriedly bowed and retreated, afraid that Fang Xiaoran would ask something.

Consort Ning had previously given instructions that no one was allowed to talk to Fang Xiaoran, and even if she asked, they were not allowed to speak, otherwise they would face certain death.

In the palace, no one dared to disobey Consort Ning; their lives and deaths were entirely in her hands.

Fang Xiaoran didn't say a word until the palace maid left, which made her secretly relieved, at least her life was saved.

As time passed and dusk fell, a breeze blew in from the window, lifting the curtains in the hall. The sun set, and the room gradually darkened. Fang Xiaoran remained seated, her expression serene.

The fragrance of agarwood in the hall had reached its peak. The scent was peculiar, as it did not dissipate with the wind. Over time, Fang Xiaoran had become accustomed to the fragrance. The fragrance was harmless and non-toxic, though it could make people feel slightly sleepy, but these effects did not have much impact on her.

She thought that Consort Ning had trapped her here not only with this agarwood incense, but must have had another purpose.

Suddenly, the door was pushed open, and three palace maids entered carrying palace gauze lanterns. They lit the candles on the candlesticks, instantly illuminating the side hall. Like the previous palace maids, these women remained silent, leaving after lighting the lanterns. However, this time, they simply closed the hall door without locking it.

Actually, whether it's locked or not is irrelevant; it wouldn't have been able to keep her locked anyway.

However, if she were to leave like this, it would conveniently give Consort Ning a reason to cause trouble.

The candlelight flickered in the hall, casting dappled shadows, and a strange fragrance wafted out.

The fragrance was even fainter than that of agarwood, making it difficult to detect. Even Fang Xiaoran didn't notice it at first. It wasn't until she felt unwell and started to feel slightly drunk that she realized something was wrong.

Consort Ning had clearly gone to great lengths; she had never seen this poison before.

The abnormalities in his body became more and more obvious. Not only did his whole body begin to go limp, but his consciousness also gradually became blurred.

Just then, the door was gently pushed open, and a blurry figure darted in, quickly reaching her side. Seeing her flushed face and dazed eyes, he licked his lips, grabbed Fang Xiaoran's wrist, and pressed her down into a chair.

Then, he moved closer to Fang Xiaoran's neck, inhaling her faint natural fragrance. His eyes grew increasingly intense and unrestrained. Stimulated by the fragrance in the hall, he completely lost control, tearing at Fang Xiaoran's clothes like a wild beast.

At this moment, Fang Xiaoran's body was weak and she couldn't move at all. She couldn't even gather her inner strength. The coldness in her eyes grew stronger as she stared intently at the shadows in front of her and said coldly, "Have you seen enough?"

Upon hearing this, the man on top of her trembled and paused, looking around blankly. A soft laugh came from behind the curtain, and then a cold glint flashed, stabbing sharply towards the man's back.

Fang Xiaoran gritted her teeth and said. As soon as she finished speaking, the dark figure immediately withdrew his hand, the tip of his sword remaining only a hair's breadth from the man's back, just a hair's breadth away from taking his life.

Seeing that he couldn't kill him, the shadowy figure struck him several times with his backhand, freezing the man in place, with only his eyes still able to move in terror.

Fang Xiaoran wiped the blood from her lips and staggered to her feet.

"The Drunken Beauty is indeed formidable; even I almost fell for her trick, but she underestimated me." Fang Xiaoran's eyes turned cold as she shoved the person who had been immobilized away.

At the same time, Fang Xiaoran forcefully circulated her internal energy, attempting to expel the toxins.

But then she suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood, and excruciating pain shot through her internal organs.

Seeing this, Jiu Yuan stepped forward with a cold face, placed a palm on her back, transferred his true energy to her, and together they forced out the poison.

Forcibly expelling the toxins through internal energy is dangerous, but it's also the fastest way. She must remain conscious; if the intoxicated beauty stays in her body for too long, she will completely lose consciousness, and the poison cannot be neutralized unless yin and yang are combined.

A moment later, Fang Xiaoran's complexion recovered slightly, turning from pale to rosy.

She looked at Jiu Yuan and said softly, "Thank you."

"You summoned me to save your life in a moment of danger, so there's no need for thanks," Jiu Yuan said coldly.

That's what she said, but Fang Xiaoran will always remember this kindness.

Of course, Jiu Yuan would not let anything happen to her. After all, she was about to develop an antidote for the Gu poison. For Jiu Yuan, nothing was more important than this. If anyone dared to take Fang Xiaoran's life during this period, he would kill them without hesitation, no matter who they were.

“Then it’s his turn.” Fang Xiaoran narrowed her eyes, and a white Gu worm appeared on her fingertip. It slowly crawled up and into the man’s ear. The man was so frightened that his face turned pale. He was frozen in place and could not move at all. He could not even beg for mercy. He could only feel something crawling into his ear in terror.

With a sharp pain, the man's face contorted in agony, then his gaze began to glaze over...

An hour later, Liu Ruyan carried a lantern to the side hall. Looking at the tightly closed palace door and the flickering candlelight inside, she couldn't help but smile. "Fang Xiaoran, you can't escape this time. Although I don't know why the Imperial Concubine keeps you here, I will never let you go. This Drunken Beauty is a gift I'm giving you. You should enjoy it."