After Qiao Zhao paid her respects, Lady He blocked her way: “Eunuch, could you do us a favor and let me speak with my daughter?”

Feeling the weight of the small bundle on his arm, Lai Xi nodded: “Make it quick.”

Lady He directly pulled Qiao Zhao into the inner room.

Lai Xi raised his eyebrows but said nothing.

Old Madam Deng secretly sighed: Her blockhead daughter-in-law was sometimes quite useful!

“Zhaozhao, why would the Empress Dowager suddenly summon you to the palace? Mother is a bit worried.”

Since receiving the news, Qiao Zhao had been pondering why the Empress Dowager summoned her. After much thought, she could only think of one possibility: it was related to Physician Li.

“Perhaps the Empress Dowager learned of Grandfather Li’s passing and, hearing that I’m his adopted granddaughter, wanted to meet me.” Qiao Zhao said this both as the most likely reason she could think of and to reassure the elders at home.

“If that’s the case, I can rest easy. Zhaozhao, go ahead. Whatever the Empress Dowager says, just listen obediently. We don’t seek to catch the Empress Dowager’s eye—returning safely is most important.”

Qiao Zhao gently squeezed Lady He’s hand: “Mother, don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

Lady He nodded repeatedly: “Right, my Zhaozhao is sensible and much more capable than Mother. Go quickly—the sooner you go, the sooner you’ll return.”

The mother and daughter returned to the flower hall. Lai Xi raised his chin: “Third Miss Li, please.”

“Thank you for your trouble, Eunuch.” Qiao Zhao curtsied.

A low-key yet exquisite palace sedan waited outside. As Qiao Zhao bent to enter the sedan, Lai Xi lowered his voice: “Did Third Miss give some medicine to Miss Jiang?”

Qiao Zhao was slightly stunned and looked at Lai Xi.

But Lai Xi had already straightened up, looking straight ahead.

Though her mind began racing, Qiao Zhao’s expression remained unchanged. She nodded lightly to Lai Xi in gratitude and lowered her head to enter the sedan.

Lai Xi patted the small bundle, thinking: By saying this, he had earned that bundle of silver.

The sedan was lifted. Sitting inside, Qiao Zhao raised her hand to rub her temples.

Were the eunuch’s words hinting that the Empress Dowager’s summons was related to Miss Jiang? And from his tone, it probably wasn’t good news.

Jiang Shiran had only asked her for a bottle of Grandfather Li’s scar-removing medicine. Could there be something wrong with that medicine?

But that didn’t make sense either. If Jiang Shiran had problems after using the scar-removing medicine, how would it reach the Empress Dowager? No matter how favored Jiang Tang was, Jiang Shiran was just a minister’s daughter—under no circumstances should the Empress Dowager get involved…

Thinking of this, Qiao Zhao had a flash of inspiration and suddenly thought of someone.

Could it be that Jiang Shiran wanted the medicine for Princess Zhenzhen?

The more Qiao Zhao thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

During a casual conversation with Shao Mingyuan in the mountains, she had asked about the rescue situation outside and learned that Princess Zhenzhen hadn’t died but had been rescued. However, there were no rumors about Princess Zhenzhen in the capital, suggesting that her landslide incident had been suppressed by the palace.

Perhaps Princess Zhenzhen had suffered external injuries and scarring from the landslide, which was why Jiang Shiran came to ask for Physician Li’s scar-removing medicine.

But Qiao Zhao still couldn’t understand one thing: if it was for removing scars, even if one bottle of scar-removing medicine didn’t eliminate the scars, there shouldn’t be any serious consequences, right? Forget it, no point overthinking—she would know when she met the Empress Dowager.

With this speculation, Qiao Zhao’s heart settled.

In her view, encountering trouble wasn’t frightening—complete uncertainty was what made one anxious.

The sedan stopped. Qiao Zhao stepped out, her expression already completely calm.

“Third Miss Li, follow closely behind this servant.”

“Understood. Thank you for your guidance, Eunuch.”

Lai Xi led Qiao Zhao toward the Cining Palace. Observing coldly, he saw that she walked with eyes straight ahead throughout the journey, proper and composed without the slightest sign of nervousness, which earned his admiration.

If he weren’t certain he hadn’t brought the wrong person, he would truly think this Third Miss Li was a first-class noble lady.

“Empress Dowager, Third Miss Li has arrived.”

“Ten thousand blessings to the Empress Dowager.” Qiao Zhao curtsied.

Empress Dowager Yang’s sharp eyes looked the young woman up and down. Seeing her hair styled in the common maiden’s double-ring buns, her dress and etiquette flawless, her stern gaze softened slightly. She said in a deep voice: “Raise your head and let this dowager see you.”

Hearing this, Qiao Zhao raised her head, calmly allowing Empress Dowager Yang to scrutinize her. Her eyelids slightly lowered to show respect while maintaining her curtseying posture.

“You have quite good looks indeed. In another two years, you won’t be inferior to the Ninth Princess.”

“The Empress Dowager flatters me. This subject’s daughter dares not compare herself to Her Highness the Princess.”

“Dares not? What is there you dare not do!” Empress Dowager Yang, who had been mild-faced just moments before, suddenly turned hostile.

All the palace servants in the hall lowered their heads, not daring to breathe loudly. Yet the young woman who was the focus of everyone’s attention remained in her previous posture without moving a muscle. Even her facial expression barely changed—she only made her attitude more submissive, revealing her slender, fair neck: “Please calm your anger, Empress Dowager. If this subject’s daughter has done anything improper, please enlighten me, and I will certainly strive to correct it.”

Empress Dowager Yang’s profound gaze fell on the young woman. Knowing that maintaining a curtseying posture was tiring, she deliberately didn’t tell her to rise. She picked up her teacup, took a sip, and said slowly: “Miss Li, do you know what the Ninth Princess looks like after using your scar-removing medicine?”

“This subject’s daughter does not know.”

“Don’t know? Why don’t you know?” Empress Dowager Yang set her teacup down heavily on the tea table. The clear collision sound made everyone’s heartstrings tremble.

The young woman in the hall was completely unaffected and honestly replied: “Because this subject’s daughter has never given scar-removing medicine to Her Highness the Princess.”

“Sharp-tongued!” Empress Dowager Yang glanced at Jiang Shiran and said sternly: “If you never gave scar-removing medicine to the Ninth Princess, you certainly gave it to Miss Jiang, didn’t you?”

“I did.” Qiao Zhao replied concisely.

Having maintained the kneeling posture continuously, her legs began to feel sore and numb, but her face showed no sign of it.

“Even if you didn’t know Miss Jiang would give that medicine to the Ninth Princess, how could you randomly use medicine and pass it off as Physician Li’s medicine to harm people? This dowager summoned you not only for the victimized Ninth Princess, but because I feel heartbroken—heartbroken that such a divine figure as Physician Li should have a granddaughter who acts recklessly under his name!”

Hearing these words, Qiao Zhao sneered inwardly.

Imperial family members always needed a fig leaf when speaking or acting. After all this talk, it was just to vent anger for the Ninth Princess, and only after learning that Grandfather Li was gone. She was certain that if Grandfather Li were still alive, the Empress Dowager definitely wouldn’t have attacked so aggressively from the start.

The soreness and numbness spread from her legs, and a trace of grievance crept into her heart. Qiao Zhao pressed her lips together and quietly pushed away this trace of grievance.

She had long understood one thing: when a person had only herself to rely on, she had no right to feel wronged. What she needed to do was face it head-on and fight for her dignity and justice.

“In response to the Empress Dowager, the medicine this subject’s daughter gave Miss Jiang was indeed the medicine that Grandfather Li gave me.”

“You’re lying! If that was Physician Li’s medicine, why did Zhenzhen become worse after using it?” Jiang Shiran, sitting beside the Empress Dowager, questioned.