Imperial City, Shou'an Palace.
After being removed from the Royal Jade Scroll, Zhao Xunyin ceased to exist in this world. She now took her mother's surname Mei and was known by her childhood name, Fanghua.
This was the first true family reunion in two decades, though not everyone was present. Only Empress Dowager Renyi, Emperor Guangxi, Fanghua, and Lu Xingzhou were there.
Even when she was a Princess, Fanghua disliked extravagant adornments. Now, having shed her silken attire for simple cloth clothing, she didn't look much different. Her beauty remained, though her expression showed weariness, likely from worrying about Lu Yanqing these days.
The midday meal had been laid out for a while, yet no one moved their chopsticks.
The Empress Dowager occasionally glanced at her daughter across from her. Before, when her heart was full of vengeance, she hadn't noticed, but now she saw the vulnerable side of an ordinary daughter beneath the cold exterior.
