Chapter 71 The Problem with That Glass of Wine

Chapter 71 The Problem with That Glass of Wine

The wind in the Imperial Garden seemed a bit colder.

The ministers who had just been unanimously calling a deer a horse now wished they could bury their heads in their crotches, terrified of being called out by the regent.

On the high platform, the Empress Dowager covered her bloodied and mangled face, in a state of extreme weakness and rage.

She thought Pei Yunjing was bullying her and that she would let the matter drop, but she didn't expect that this madman had no intention of stopping while he was ahead.

"Since the Empress Dowager has spoken, saying that this wine drove the cat mad..."

Pei Yunjing released Tangli from his arms and took a step forward.

His boots crunched on the shattered jade cup fragments, making a teeth-grinding sound.

"Then I am indeed curious."

Pei Yunjing lowered his head, his gaze lingering for a moment on the amber-colored liquid that had seeped into the cracks of the floor tiles and was not yet dried, before he raised his eyes and looked at the Empress Dowager with a half-smile:

"What rare and precious ingredients did the Empress Dowager add to this 'Blessed Wine' that she brewed herself, that it could have such miraculous effects?"

"Can it turn a docile house cat into a bloodthirsty beast in an instant?"

The Empress Dowager's pupils suddenly contracted.

My heart felt like it was being squeezed, and the fear of my secret being exposed overshadowed the excruciating pain on my face.

No one knew better than her what was in that wine!

That's a powerful aphrodisiac!

It's a despicable thing that can turn a chaste and virtuous woman into a harlot!

Such a thing is fine if it's used in the harem to compete for favor, or to punish disobedient concubines in private.

But today is the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet!

The entire court of civil and military officials is present!

If it were discovered, it would be a shocking revelation that the Empress Dowager, in broad daylight, administered such a vile aphrodisiac to the Regent's wife...

What about the royal family's reputation?

Does she still want to maintain her dignity as Empress Dowager?

This is even more painful than killing her!

"No...no need!"

The Empress Dowager panicked, her voice trembling with barely concealed guilt:

"It's just a glass of fine vintage wine! Perhaps... perhaps this cat can't stand the smell of alcohol! Since the wine's already spilled, what's the point of investigating? Guards, quickly help me back to the palace to heal my wounds!"

All she wants now is to escape.

"What's the rush?"

Pei Yunjing swayed slightly, seemingly casually blocking the Empress Dowager's path, forcefully forcing back the palace maids who wanted to step forward to help her.

"The Empress Dowager is injured, and naturally she needs treatment. But if the source of this harm is not found out, I will not be able to eat or sleep in peace."

Pei Yunjing sneered, turned to look at the Imperial Medical Academy Chief Physician kneeling in the corner, and his voice suddenly turned cold:

"Judge Xu."

Upon being called out, Judge Xu shuddered and scrambled forward, stammering, "Your humble servant is here!"

"You are the best doctor in the Imperial Medical Academy. You are not only well-versed in medical principles, but you must also have a good understanding of toxicology."

Pei Yunjing pointed to the wine stain on the ground and a few shards of a jade cup still containing wine, his tone leaving no room for argument:

"Go, let me examine it."

"Check this wine for poison. If my queen just drank it..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping menacingly over the Empress Dowager:

"What will be the outcome?"

Judge Xu knelt on the ground, his official robes instantly soaked with cold sweat.

This is like gods fighting, and mortals are suffering!

On one side was the Empress Dowager, and on the other was the Regent.

There's definitely something fishy about this wine. If he finds out, he'll offend the Empress Dowager.

If he dares to lie and say it's not poisonous... look at that chopstick nailed to the pillar, he probably won't live past tonight!

“This…” Judge Xu hesitated, not daring to move.

"What? You're too scared?"

Pei Yunjing placed his fingers on the hilt of the sword and gave it a gentle push with his thumb.

"Clang—"

The longsword was drawn half an inch from its sheath, its cold light reflecting on Judge Xu's pale face.

"My patience is limited. Do you want to test the wine, or do you want to test the sharpness of my sword?"

"Inspect! Your humble servant will inspect it immediately!"

Judge Xu was terrified.

Offending the Empress Dowager might result in being given a hard time, but offending the Regent would mean instant death!

When faced with two evils, choose the lesser; saving your life is the most important thing!

He shakily took out silver needles and poison test strips from his medicine box and crawled on his knees to the wine stain.

"Stop! No testing allowed!"

Upon seeing this, the Empress Dowager disregarded her decorum and screamed, trying to rush down to stop her:

"That wine was bestowed by me! Who dares to verify it! This is a grave disrespect to me!"

However, she had only taken one step when she was frozen in place by Pei Yunjing's icy gaze.

"If the Empress Dowager has nothing to hide, what is there to fear?"

Pei Yunjing's lips curled into a mocking smile:

"Or did the Empress Dowager already know there was something wrong with the wine? Did she force the Princess to drink it just to harm her?"

"I...I didn't..." The Empress Dowager's momentum faltered, but she still made a last-ditch effort, "I just...I just felt that this was a very improper thing to do..."

"Verification."

Pei Yunjing didn't want to listen to her nonsense at all and coldly uttered a single word.

Judge Xu dared not delay any longer. With trembling hands, he inserted the silver needle into the remaining amber-colored wine.

Hundreds of eyes were fixed on that silver needle.

Tang Li hid behind Pei Yunjing, watching the Empress Dowager's face, which was so colorful it was more exciting than a dye shop, and she was overjoyed.

You old hag, you've finally met your match!

This is the legendary boomerang!

You wanted to embarrass me in public, now I'll show you what public execution is like!

A moment later.

Judge Xu raised the silver needle, examined it carefully against the sunlight, and then brought it close to his nose to smell the scent on the test strip.

His expression instantly turned strange and terrified.

"This...this taste..."

Judge Xu raised his head, glanced at the Empress Dowager, then at Pei Yunjing, his lips trembling, and he didn't dare to utter the conclusion for a long time.

"Speak," Pei Yunjing urged coldly.

Judge Xu gritted his teeth and slammed his head heavily onto the ground:

"Your Highness! This wine... does not contain any deadly poison that can kill instantly upon contact with blood."

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager was about to breathe a sigh of relief.

"but--"

However, what Judge Xu said next plunged her into an abyss of no return:

"But this wine contains a huge dose of... aphrodisiac!"