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

"Miss, something terrible has happened! The young mistress has gone to the palace to see the Empress Dowager!"

Upon hearing the news, Qinglan rushed back to Beiju, shouting all the way, before finally finding her in the pharmacy.

Fang Xiaoran was preparing medicine. When she heard Qinglan's voice, she didn't even lift her eyelids, continuing with her work, and said indifferently, "Is that so?"

“Aren’t you worried at all, young lady? This matter has even alarmed the master. The young mistress couldn’t have gone to the palace for no reason. It’s said that she went there crying. Most likely, it’s because she fell into the pond in the North Residence and was wronged, so she went to complain to the Empress Dowager.”

"Didn't she fall down on her own? So what if she was wronged? Can she blame it on me?" Fang Xiaoran smiled, put the seven-mile fragrance into the mortar and pestle, preparing to crush it. Seeing this, Qinglan hurriedly stopped her, "Miss, you're not familiar with the Empress Dowager. In the end, whatever the young mistress says will be law. If the Empress Dowager holds us accountable, our entire Fang family might not be able to handle it..."

"Yes, that's a serious crime." Fang Xiaoran said dismissively, saying "serious crime" but her expression didn't change at all. She wasn't afraid at all now.

Qinglan panicked completely, "What should we do..."

"What else can we do? Of course we just wait. There's nothing we can do about this beforehand. If the Empress Dowager really wants to blame us, she'll have to summon me to the palace first to find out what happened."

"So, will you be able to escape accountability by explaining yourself clearly?"

"Of course not." Fang Xiaoran smiled.

If it's impossible, why is she so calm? Is it because she already has a solution or is she just giving up? Qinglan stood there stunned for a long time, unable to calm down.

Seeing how anxious she was, Fang Xiaoran could only comfort her, "Don't worry, nothing will happen."

No sooner had she finished speaking than Fang Zhengyong ordered someone to invite her over, most likely for this very reason. Fang Xiaoran put down her work, washed her hands, and left with the man, leaving Qinglan staring blankly, anxious and helpless.

Fang Xiaoran was summoned to the study. As soon as she entered, she saw Fang Zhengyong writing with a brush. With a flourish of his sleeve, he wrote the character "静" (quiet). After finishing the last stroke, he looked up and saw Fang Xiaoran bowing slightly to him, saying, "Father, you wanted to see me."

"You should know why I've come to see you." Fang Zhengyong stared at her calmly, his voice carrying no anger, yet inexplicably sending a chill down Fang Xiaoran's spine.

Fang Xiaoran was too lazy to argue anymore and asked directly, "Is it because of your sister-in-law?"

“I don’t care what happened between you or why she fell into the water, but this incident has upset her and has even reached the Empress Dowager’s ears. I’m afraid things won’t end well.”

"So what does Father mean?"

Having said all that, Fang Xiaoran already understood that they had only come to her specifically to talk about these things because they were afraid of implicating the Fang family.

Fang Zhengyong said, "I will apologize to the Empress Dowager for this matter. You don't need to worry about it. But after your sister-in-law returns, you must apologize to her in person and try your best to get her to forgive you."

Upon hearing this, Fang Xiaoran suddenly asked, "What if she doesn't forgive me?"

Unexpectedly, Fang Zhengyong said, "With your intelligence, how could you not think of a solution?"

"Father, you truly overestimate your daughter. Forgive my ignorance, I really don't know how to make my sister-in-law understand." Fang Xiaoran spoke calmly and respectfully.

Fang Zhengyong raised his voice, his tone revealing a hint of displeasure, "Do you really have to do this? This concerns the entire Fang family; it wouldn't do you any harm to back down."

Fang Xiaoran, however, was not afraid at all. She simply said, "Father, rest assured. This matter arose because of me, and I will handle it myself. You don't need to worry about it."

From beginning to end, she never intended to ask Fang Zhengyong to solve her problems. This father never cared about her affairs, and if it weren't related to the Fang family, he probably wouldn't even ask.

That's why she has no expectations, nor does she need to.

Fang Xiaoran's words enraged Fang Zhengyong. He slammed his hand on the table, glared at her coldly, and roared, "What ability do you have to solve this? Do you know what the consequences will be if you anger the Empress Dowager? Do you want to drag the entire Fang family down with you then?"

"So from beginning to end, Father only cares about the Fang family and doesn't care about his daughter's safety at all. Since that's the case, why pretend? If I say I can resolve this matter, then I can. If Father is afraid that I will implicate the Fang family, you can simply kick me out of the house and sever all ties with the Fang family from now on."

"Nonsense! What are you saying? When did I ever say I would abandon you?"

Fang Xiaoran stared blankly at him, her eyes filled with a hint of coldness, mixed with sorrow and bitterness. She asked, "Don't you have any?"

Fang Zhengyong was speechless at that question. Yes, did he really not have one? Didn't he give up more than a decade ago? Otherwise, why would he have let her wander far from home?

Moreover, he had already made his choice: he would rather dote on an adopted daughter with whom he had no blood relation than tolerate her in the slightest.

“I will handle my own affairs, Father, you need not worry.”

After saying those words, Fang Xiaoran turned and left indifferently. Watching her receding figure, Fang Zhengyong felt a surge of complex emotions. Perhaps it was because of this that he had completely lost Bai Qiqi back then.

However, he ultimately couldn't bring himself to ask them to stay.

As Fang Xiaoran emerged from the study, she breathed a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to return to the North Residence, Fang Menghe stopped her, saying with a sarcastic tone, "Sixth Sister, you're quite something. You've angered your sister-in-law to the point of going to see the Empress Dowager. It seems our Fang family's days are numbered. All of this is thanks to you."

"Does Third Sister mean that our Fang family is finished?" Fang Xiaoran raised an eyebrow, a slight smile in her eyes.

Fang Menghe snorted coldly, "Anyway, it's almost over. When the Empress Dowager questions you, I hope you can still be as quick-witted as you are now."

Fang Xiaoran walked slowly forward, each step carrying a heavy burden. Her eyes were sharp as knives as she stared intently at the other person, saying each word clearly, "Don't worry, if anything happens to me, not one member of the Fang family will escape."

Upon hearing this, Fang Menghe turned pale with anger, her lips trembling as she was unable to speak. However, at that moment, a hoarse voice suddenly rang out: "By order of the Empress Dowager, Fang Xiaoran is to be summoned to the palace."

Unexpectedly, the Empress Dowager directly issued an imperial edict summoning Fang Xiaoran to the palace. This matter could be serious or minor. Even Fang Menghe, who had just been gloating, suddenly felt uneasy. If Fang Xiaoran's words were true, she felt that Fang Xiaoran was definitely capable of doing such a thing.

Fang Xiaoran, however, remained calm and fearless. After receiving the Empress Dowager's decree, she went directly into the palace with Eunuch Liu without any delay. Her straightforwardness left Eunuch Liu speechless, and he asked in surprise, "Miss Fang, do you need to prepare anything?"

"Did the Empress Dowager give me time to prepare?" Fang Xiaoran asked in return, leaving Eunuch Liu speechless for a moment before shaking his head and saying, "No, the Empress Dowager summons you to the palace immediately without delay."

"Then I'll trouble you to lead the way, Eunuch." Fang Xiaoran smiled knowingly, having already figured out the Empress Dowager's thoughts. Since she was here to question her, how could she possibly give her time to prepare?

The carriage was already prepared. After leaving the Fang residence with Eunuch Liu, Fang Xiaoran got on. As the carriage slowly drove away, Ziju, who had chased after it, could only see its gradually shrinking shadow, and she couldn't help but feel uneasy.

"This is what they call reaping what you sow. Of all people to offend, she had to offend her sister-in-law. Now look what's happened; who knows if she'll ever come back." Fang Menghe couldn't resist adding a sarcastic remark, which immediately made Ziju turn around angrily and say, "Miss, you're definitely alright!"

The carriage slowly made its way towards the capital. Fang Xiaoran sat inside, her feelings a mix of emotions.

She was no stranger to this place. In her previous life, she lived in the Chaohua Palace, but she was never given a title. All she received was a white silk ribbon to seal her throat. Now, reborn and returning here, she suddenly felt a different kind of emotion.

Unconsciously, she recalled many past events. Perhaps she shouldn't have chosen Zhao Jin. She became a bird trapped in layers of palaces, its wings broken. In the end, all her feathers were scattered, and she perished in that snow.

Entering through the Meridian Gate, she walked towards the Cining Palace, where the Empress Dowager resided. Stepping on the cold bluestone slabs, she felt somewhat dazed, as if she had returned to the time when she walked desperately toward Zhao Jin with her sword in hand. What kind of hatred did she harbor back then?

The hatred remains intense, but it's different now; perhaps it's because it lacks some of the complex emotions it used to evoke.

Before they knew it, they had arrived at Cining Palace. As soon as they entered the palace gate, Eunuch Liu said to her, "Miss Fang, please wait here for the Empress Dowager to summon you."