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

After finally managing to bypass Liu's spies and reach Ci'an Hall, Madam Wang was turned away. Recently, the old lady had been very tired and her health had not fully recovered, so she had no intention of getting involved in the affairs of the household.

Although she had many grievances against Fang Xiaoran, she had only obtained the Divine Elixir through Fang Xiaoran's help. As long as Fang Xiaoran did not do anything particularly outrageous or make a serious mistake, she could do nothing about Fang Xiaoran.

Therefore, instead of getting upset over those things, it's better to find some peace and quiet.

Stopped outside, Madam Wang was extremely anxious. "Have you told me why I've come?"

"I did tell her, but the old lady said she's not feeling well and can't manage. Madam, you'd better go back quickly. If the master finds out you've left without permission during your confinement, he'll be unhappy." The maid whispered a reminder. It seemed the old lady really intended to let it go. Madam Wang had no choice but to leave.

Upon returning to Manchun Garden, Madam Wang asked, "Has Xiaochun returned?"

The maid replied, "Not yet."

"What time is it? They still haven't returned." Madam Wang grew increasingly uneasy. First it was Granny Qian, then Xiaochun. Could something really have happened?

What she didn't know was that Xiaochun had been caught and taken away by Wu Guicheng as soon as she left the mansion. She was now locked in the woodshed of the North Residence, confined in a large vat like Granny Qian.

This was the first time Xiaochun had encountered such a situation, and she immediately panicked. She didn't dare to say a word for a long time, and she didn't even dare to look at Granny Qian. Only after Wu Guicheng left did she whisper and ask, "Granny Qian, what are you doing here? Where is this place? The concubine is very worried because she can't find you."

"You don't even know where this is? This is Beiju, Sixth Miss's territory." Granny Qian said helplessly. She had originally hoped that the people from Manchun Garden could come to rescue her, but in the blink of an eye, another one was lost. It seemed like leaving was a distant dream.

Xiaochun's face immediately changed upon hearing this. "Sixth Miss? How dare she? What if Master finds out..."

"What is she afraid of? Even the old lady was almost driven half to death by her."

"So, what should we do?"

"I don't know, I'll just wait to die."

Granny Qian's eyes were empty and lifeless, her face filled with despair and helplessness. Looking at the scene before her, Xiaochun was filled with grief and helplessness, and tears welled up in her eyes involuntarily.

"In this situation, of course you should choose to protect yourself. You're not still hoping that the concubine will come to save you, are you? She's in dire straits herself. If you want to live, tell Sixth Miss everything you know, and maybe Sixth Miss will show leniency." Chunfang across from her revealed a cold smile, forcing back the tears that Xiaochun was about to shed.

If Chunfang hadn't spoken up, Xiaochun wouldn't have noticed her presence at all. Mainly because Chunfang kept her head down and couldn't see her face, no matter how Xiaochun imagined it, she would never have guessed that the person tied up on the other side was actually her.

Xiaochun gritted her teeth, "Chunfang, what are you doing here, and saying such sarcastic things? Don't forget the kindness the concubine has shown you over the years."

Chunfang glanced at her and sneered, "Since you value this favor so much, why don't you just kill yourself here? That way, the concubine won't have to try to silence you."

"You!" Xiaochun was furious, but she couldn't really seek her own death. She was still young and unmarried, so how could she want to die here?

The woodshed fell into a deathly silence. No one wanted to say another word. Wu Guicheng, who was outside the door, left dejectedly after not being able to hear anything, and relayed the situation inside to Fang Xiaoran.

"You don't need to pay attention to what they say, just guard the door and don't let them out," Fang Xiaoran said calmly. Wu Guicheng nodded slightly, but was puzzled. "Why are you keeping them locked up inside without interrogating them?"

Fang Xiaoran picked up a bowl of hot soup, took a sip, and said with a smile, "If they are detained for a few more days, there is no need for interrogation. They will confess on their own."

Spending several days in that unknown and desperate environment, waiting for rescue without anyone negotiating with them, would make them feel fear and helplessness.

As time ticked away and hope dwindled, they began to doubt whether they could survive their ordeal. This accumulating psychological pressure could lead to an emotional breakdown.

Ultimately, they will take the initiative to seek reconciliation with Fang Xiaoran in exchange for their freedom.

Wu Guicheng considered himself a ruthless man, but he never imagined there was such a way to deal with people. Just hearing about it sent a chill down his spine.

Suddenly, he realized that following Fang Xiaoran was the wisest decision he had ever made. It wasn't just the toxin planted in his body, but more importantly, he was afraid that he would be tormented to the point of collapse, unable to live or die.

However, this psychological battle is not only for Granny Qian and the others, but also for Madam Wang. As the people around her disappear, Madam Wang's psychological pressure will increase, mainly because she has no idea how to find these people, and dares not ask Fang Zhengyong for help.

Given Fang Zhengyong's sensitivity, he would definitely question the whereabouts of Granny Qian and Xiaochun. If Wangshi couldn't answer or was found to have concealed something, the consequences would be very serious, and she might even lose Fang Zhengyong's trust forever. Therefore, Wangshi dared not take the risk.

A few days later, when Qian Mama and Xiaochun still hadn't returned, Madam Wang became increasingly impatient. She suspected that the two had been captured and imprisoned, and that no one but Fang Xiaoran would do such a thing at this stage.

The problem is that she has no evidence and can't just go to Beiju to arrest people. In the past, she could have gone there with a clear conscience and turned Beiju upside down even without evidence. But now she has been thwarted by Fang Xiaoran many times, and if she acts rashly, it may backfire.

"I'll go to Beiju to investigate. If I find that Granny Qian and the others are indeed there, I'll tell Father and ask him to rescue them." Fang Menghe planned to go to Beiju in person to relieve Wang's worries.

Upon hearing this, Madam Wang immediately stopped her, saying, "No, have you forgotten how she treated you last time?"

"Does she really dare to kill me? Besides, I don't intend to clash with her this time. I'm just going to stall her for time so that Chunxia and the others can secretly go and investigate. Mother, don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Since things had come to this point, Madam Wang did not stop them any further, and Fang Menghe immediately led his people to the North Residence.

Fang Menghe hadn't noticed much change in Beiju last time she visited, as it was evening. But this time, she felt completely unfamiliar with the place. This was no longer Beiju; it had clearly become a different place altogether. Looking around the Fang family estate, which pavilion could match the exquisite and refined style of Beiju?

"She even said that her household is running out of money. With her ostentatious display, she must have spent a lot of money. Why doesn't Miss Liu come here to embezzle money? Is she too afraid?" Fang Menghe walked angrily onto the stone bridge, almost slipping and falling. Fortunately, Chunxia caught her in time.

Fang Menghe couldn't help but retort angrily, "Why are you building a pond and a stone bridge in the yard? Are you trying to keep thieves out?"

"It's not so much about guarding against thieves, but rather against uninvited visitors."