Chapter 60 The Gossip of the Koi

Chapter 60 The Gossip of the Koi

Faced with Tang Li's seemingly soft yet barbed words, "I'll help you kill someone," the Empress Dowager's eyes twitched violently twice.

That brat, she's got a sharp tongue!

But old ginger is spicier.

The Empress Dowager quickly suppressed her anger, and her smile deepened, as if she hadn't noticed the sarcasm in Tang Li's words at all.

"You child, what nonsense are you spouting? You are the Regent's Consort, representing the face of the royal family. How can you keep talking about fighting and killing all day long?"

The Empress Dowager scolded him, then waved her hand, and a personal maid immediately came forward carrying a tray covered with red silk.

On the tray lay an exquisite jade cup filled with amber-colored wine, emitting a strange, sweet aroma.

"Since you don't know the rules, I won't blame you."

The Empress Dowager looked at Tang Li with a loving gaze that was almost unsettling:

"This is the 'Harmony Wine' that I personally brewed with a hundred flowers. It symbolizes marital harmony and a house full of children and grandchildren. Today, I will bestow this cup of wine upon you."

Having said that, the palace maid carried the wine and walked step by step to Tangli, raising the tray high:

"Your Highness, please."

This was clearly an attempt to force her to drink.

This wine was personally bestowed by the Empress Dowager; though it was called a "reward," it was actually an "order."

If you don't drink it, that would be a great disrespect.

If you drink it...

Pei Yunjing's eyes instantly turned cold.

He didn't need to smell it; just by looking at the Empress Dowager's hypocritical face, he knew that something had definitely been added to the wine.

He was about to reach out and knock over the wine glass.

"Thank you for the Empress Dowager's gift."

Tang Li, however, took the jade cup first, reaching out her hands to accept it.

When her fingertips touched the back of Pei Yunjing's hand, she gently scratched it, signaling him to calm down.

Tang Li held her wine glass, but didn't drink it immediately.

She was seated right next to the corridor of the waterside pavilion, with a pool of shimmering blue water behind her.

"This wine smells so good..."

Tang Li sniffed the air as if intoxicated, then leaned back lazily, holding a wine glass in one hand while the other hung casually at her side, her fingertips lightly touching the lake water behind her.

Splash!

The water rippled.

A group of koi carp that were fighting for food underwater were startled and scattered.

Only one large, bright red koi carp, so greedy, foolishly lingered on the shore, thinking someone was going to feed it.

Tang Li drew a circle in the water with her finger, activating the communication field:

[Hey chubby boy, come here.]

The red koi blew a bubble and swam over blankly, its dead fish eyes fixed on the jade cup in Tang Li's hand.

The next second, a gurgling sound filled with terror and gossip exploded in Tang Li's mind:

[Gurgle... That scared the fish to death!]

That old hag is so wicked! She put powder in that green cup!

Tang Li felt a chill run down her spine, but remained outwardly calm, continuing to tease the fish's mouth with her finger.

[What kind of powder? Is it poison?]

Not the kind that kills people with poison!

The red koi swished its tail, clearly very familiar with these palace secrets:

[It's that kind of... powder that makes you feel hot all over, your face flushed, and you even become delirious and want to take off your clothes (a potent aphrodisiac)!]

[Last time, a poor little palace maid drank this and stripped naked in front of many guards, jumped into the water, and cried out that it was hot...tsk tsk tsk, the scene was unbearable to watch!]

[Later, the palace maid was beaten to death with clubs by the old witch's men, who accused her of defiling the palace and failing to uphold womanly virtues.]

[Glug glug... If this pretty lady drinks it, she'll definitely take her clothes off in public! Then the old hag will have a reason to kill someone!]

"..."

Tang Li's fingers suddenly stiffened, and a chill instantly spread from her fingertips throughout her body.

What a vicious thought!

What ruthless methods!

If the wine contained arsenic, Tang Li might have held the Empress Dowager in higher regard, at least wanting to give her a quick death.

But it turned out to be an aphrodisiac!

The Empress Dowager wanted her to take effect under the influence of the drug in front of everyone, and to do something shameless in front of all the officials.

If she were to actually undress in public, it wouldn't just be Tang Li who would lose face, but also Regent Pei Yun Jing and the entire Pei royal family!

At that time, the Empress Dowager could legitimately depose her or even drown her in a pig cage on the grounds of "immorality" and "madness".

Pei Yunjing will become a laughing stock for the whole world.

This is practically driving her to her death, and even after she dies, she will be branded a slut!

"Your Highness?"

Seeing that Tang Li was hesitant to drink, the palace maid serving the wine urged her, "If this wine gets cold, it will be a waste of the Empress Dowager's good intentions. Please drink it quickly."

On the high platform, the Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes, her gaze like that of a venomous snake flicking its tongue, staring intently at the wine cup in Tang Li's hand.

Tangli withdrew her hand from the water and slowly sat up straight.

Tang Li held her wine glass, her eyes quickly scanning the room.

Soon, she locked onto a target—

In the Empress Dowager's arms lay the Persian cat named "Snowball," who was lying lazily.