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

Fang Xiaoran didn't care about Liu Ruyan's matter.

This person's current predicament is entirely her own doing; she has no one to blame but herself.

Fang Xiaoran didn't want to argue with him either; she had important things to do right now.

After this battle, the power structure in the palace has stabilized, and Consort Hui, who holds absolute power and enjoys great favor, is undoubtedly the biggest beneficiary.

But she remained uneasy, especially about this rebellion, which felt like a thorn in her side, keeping her tossing and turning at night.

She had no one she trusted in the palace, and the Empress had "died of illness." Undercurrents were swirling in the court, and various factions were deeply entrenched. She knew that in this turbulent time, the slightest misstep could lead to utter ruin.

Therefore, Fang Xiaoran was summoned to the palace under the pretext of seeing a doctor, since Fang Xiaoran was the one who knew her current situation best.

Upon entering the palace again, everything seemed the same, but Fang Xiaoran sensed that something had subtly changed.

Upon arriving at Zhongcui Palace, Consort Hui lay on her side on the chaise longue, her face haggard. When Fang Xiaoran bowed, she slightly raised her hand to excuse her from the bow and beckoned, saying, "Come here and take a look at me. Ever since I returned from the imperial palace, my health has been deteriorating day by day. I don't know what's wrong with me."

Only the two of them were in the hall; everyone else had been dismissed, making it clear what Consort Hui's true purpose was.

Fang Xiaoran walked calmly towards her, without taking her pulse, and said indifferently, "A heart ailment requires a heart remedy."

Upon hearing this, Consort Hui suddenly raised her eyes, a smile indeed hidden in them. "You understand me best. All the imperial physicians said that I am ill from overwork and need to rest well, but this kind of illness can't be cured in just a few days of rest."

"Your Majesty, why worry? You have victory in your grasp now, there is no need to be anxious." Knowing what Consort Hui wanted to hear, Fang Xiaoran spoke frankly.

"Heng'er is a filial and good child, but it is precisely because of his filial piety that I am even more worried. His birth mother is still alive, so how can he be of one mind with me?" Consort Hui's voice was calm as she gently brushed the prayer beads in her hand with her fingertips. Her gaze darkened slightly, and a hint of coldness emanated from her eyes.

Fang Xiaoran smiled slightly, her eyes clear and calm. "There's no need for them to be of one mind. As long as his requests are only granted by Your Majesty, he will naturally be loyal to you."

The air inside the hall was filled with the fragrance of aloeswood. Consort Hui paused suddenly as she held the Buddhist prayer beads between her fingers. “But his mother is ultimately a hidden danger.”

"The matter of the crown prince is still unclear. I believe Your Majesty should not focus your attention on this matter. Ultimately, your relationship with the eldest prince's mother is just between the two of you. With Your Majesty's abilities, it is not difficult for you to manipulate someone," Fang Xiaoran said calmly.

These words finally made Consort Hui smile. "I really do enjoy chatting with you."

After enjoying tea and chatting, Fang Xiaoran prescribed some calming medicine for Consort Hui and then took her leave. As she was leaving, Consort Hui suddenly said to her, "Aren't you going to see Consort Ning? Her condition has worsened, and recently no imperial physician has dared to examine her. She may not live much longer."

Consort Ning wielded immense power before, and even out of consideration for their past relationship, the imperial physicians would not have refused to examine her unless someone deliberately prevented them from doing so.

Who else in the palace could possess such abilities besides Consort Hui?

Consort Hui harbors deep hatred for Consort Ning and will undoubtedly spare no effort to torment her.

Fang Xiaoran did not answer, but simply smiled faintly and left calmly.

She did indeed have many questions for Consort Ning, and since she was seriously ill, it was time to go and see her.

After thinking it over, Fang Xiaoran walked towards the Hanlu Palace.

The fragrance of aloeswood wafted from behind the screen, and Consort Hui paused slightly in her hand holding the prayer beads. "She's gone?"

"Your Highness, the Princess has already gone to Hanlu Palace," the maid whispered.

Upon hearing this, Consort Hui smiled and said, "Interesting. I hope she won't disappoint me."

Hanlu Palace was not as desolate as Fang Xiaoran had imagined. On the contrary, it was only slightly worse than Chengqian Palace. It was clear that even though Consort Ning had done such a thing, Emperor Zhao still had feelings for her.

Their circumstances were worlds apart from those of the Empress.

At least Consort Ning's reputation remains intact, and the Grand Tutor has been quietly erased from history; no one dares to mention what she did.

When Fang Xiaoran stepped into Hanlu Palace, the crabapple blossoms in front of the palace were in full bloom, exactly like the scarlet palace dress that Consort Ning loved most in her memory.

Although there were fewer palace maids standing in the corridor than before, they still bowed and greeted the guests respectfully, showing no sign of negligence.

Fang Xiaoran did not want to cause unnecessary trouble, so she quietly bypassed everyone and went directly to Shang Lingzhu's bedroom.

The room was filled with a light, calming fragrance and a strong medicinal aroma; the two scents intertwined and surprisingly harmonized.

In the vast palace, only Shang Linglan lay on her side on the chaise longue, her head propped up by one hand, fast asleep.

Suddenly a cool breeze blew by, startling her awake from her sleep.

Shang Linglan suddenly opened her eyes and saw a person sitting opposite her.

A slight stirring ran through her heart, and she then lazily sat up, her eyes casually surveying Fang Xiaoran, seemingly unsurprised by her appearance.

"Did Your Majesty know I was coming?" Fang Xiaoran asked calmly.

"I'm not so stupid as to not even know who poisoned me." Shang Linglan paled slightly. Her face was already bloodless, and now she looked unrealistically pale.

These words surprised Fang Xiaoran a little, but then she thought about it and realized that no one else could have made Shang Linglan so ill without her noticing.

Shang Linglan's body is now at its limit, and she is trapped here. What good is it if she knows who is persecuting her? She is no longer the Ning Guifei she once was.

"Come here, serve some tea."

As Shang Linglan gave the order, the maidservant came forward. She was taken aback when she saw Fang Xiaoran sitting to the side, then lowered her head and stepped forward to pour her tea.

After the maid left, Shang Linglan picked up her teacup and took a sip. Suddenly, her chest heaved, and she coughed violently. A trace of blood appeared at the corner of her mouth. She nonchalantly wiped away the blood with a silk handkerchief, looked at Fang Xiaoran, and asked, "What did you come to ask me?"

Fang Xiaoran was surprised by her composure. She couldn't quite figure her out. Strictly speaking, she, Shang Lingzhu, and even Gu Yuqing were all the same kind of people.

"Your mother has no grudge against you, why did you want to kill her?" Fang Xiaoran's eyes were cold, and her whole body exuded a chilling killing intent.

Upon hearing this, Shang Linglan smiled and said, "I don't need a reason to kill people. As for your mother, she paused, her eyes falling lightly on Fang Xiaoran. She still remembered those eyes vividly. Then she continued, "I did send people to intercept and kill her, and even spread some rumors to ruin her, but the person who actually killed her was not me."

"If it wasn't you, then who was it?" Fang Xiaoran gritted her teeth and then took out a jade clasp with a restriction. "This was torn off by my mother from the person who killed her that day. I also investigated Chengqian Palace afterward and found it on one of the guards."

"It's just a hidden weapon; that's not conclusive evidence," Shang Linglan said with a light laugh.

"And what about Tao An? You were the one who commissioned him to make this jade buckle, isn't that evidence enough?"

"You actually found him?" This surprised Shang Linglan slightly. Her pale lips parted slightly. "He's still alive? What a pity."

"Tao An was also murdered by you?" Fang Xiaoran raised her voice, barely able to contain her anger, but Shang Linglan remained remarkably calm and smiled, "Yes, but no. He holds too many secrets, and it's not just me who wants him dead."

"Let's talk about this jade buckle. It's true that I ordered him to make it, but he only carved the fine lines and veins. The mechanism inside wasn't made by him. Even I only have four such exquisite hidden weapons. Those four people need to protect me. I would never send them out to kill. Besides, why would I need such a scheme to deal with your mother?"

Fang Xiaoran coldly replied, "Sweet talk? Do you think I'd believe such words?"

"Whether you believe it or not is up to you. I am a dying woman and have nothing to fear. If you want peace of mind and feel that you have avenged Bai Qiqi, then you may regard me as the enemy who killed her. Since you have already avenged her, why have you come to find me? Do you want to see how I die a miserable death?"

Shang Linglan's smile remained unchanged, but for some reason, it gave her an inexplicable feeling.

Fang Xiaoran actually had some doubts. She felt that her mother's death was not so simple, but all the evidence pointed to the person in front of her.

"You say that even you only have four of these jade buckles. According to your logic, who could have such a large force, mobilizing so many people to kill my mother?" Fang Xiaoran rubbed the jade buckle with her fingers, her eyes filled with coldness.

If what Shang Linglan said is true, then this person's identity is definitely not simple, which makes her think of someone.

Emperor Zhao.