18: Chapter 18 There’s Sothing in the Wine 18: Chapter 18 There’s Sothing in the Wine “Cough cough—” Qi Yu choked on her words, genuinely sputtering.
Her commotion was rather loud, causing others to involuntarily turn their heads for a glance.
Seeing Qi Yu choking, they all frowned with disdain.
Indeed, such a fool, to choke on her food, what an embarrassnt to Prince Qi!
Having caught her breath, Qi Yu patted her chest and ignored the disdainful gazes.
“Princess, are you alright?” Shen Nanxing asked with concern.
Qi Yu waved her hand, “I’m fine.”
She then quickly grabbed her hand, advising, “et force with solidity and overco the fluid with the stable; we’ll just need to respond to every change by not changing at all.”
If there really were to be a struggle in the Imperial Palace, then things would truly beco murky.
And even if they were to take action, they would need to do so in a place with no witnesses, so that there would be no one to testify.
Qi Yu thought about it; those two were likely to co up with so foolish and vicious plan, unable to escape their fate whether on the first or fifteenth.
Of course, the best strategy was to give them a taste of their own dicine and let them reap the evil they had sown.
Seeing that she had a plan, Shen Nanxing said no more.
After all, her own princess was no easy prey like a little white rabbit; when it really ca down to a confrontation, who would end up being conned was anyone’s guess.
Halfway through the al, a Palace Attendant ca over to pour more wine.
The ladies from prominent families were served a sweet and sour fruit wine that was not particularly intoxicating.
Qi Yu had originally been keen to try it out, curious about how the wine in the Imperial Palace differed.
But as soon as she picked up her cup, she detected a slightly unusual scent.
Though faint, the aroma did not escape her nose.
If she wasn’t mistaken, it was likely so kind of aphrodisiac.
Her gaze scanned the room, and she locked eyes with a flustered Qi Anran, imdiately realizing that the wine must have been tampered with.
Shen Nanxing, noticing she had been holding her wine without drinking for a while, asked strangely, “Princess, what’s wrong?”
Qi Yu looked at the cup with a smile that was not quite a smile, a chill hidden in her eyes as she whispered, “There is sothing in this wine.”
“What!” Shen Nanxing had seen her share of killings, but this was her first encounter with the sordid tricks of the harem.
She looked at the cup as if facing a great foe, feeling a sense of relief that the princess had not drunk it.
However, Qi Yu raised the cup as if she were enjoying the drink.
It was only after Qi Anran’s attention had shifted away that she discreetly poured the wine to the side and smirked softly, “It seems soone is getting impatient.”
“Princess, what should we do?” Shen Nanxing’s nerves were on edge, and she looked at Qi Yu anxiously.
A smile played upon Qi Yu’s lips, not quite reaching her eyes, as she whispered a few words into Shen Nanxing’s ear.
Shen Nanxing nodded slightly, “This servant understands.”
With that, she vanished into the shadows like a ghost, unnoticed by the crowd.
After the banquet ended, everyone got up and strolled around the Imperial Garden.
Apart from Qi Yu, the rest seed to get along splendidly, breaking off into groups to enjoy the flowers, ignoring the person in the corner.
Qi Yu didn’t mind and simply held a cup of tea, occasionally taking a sip.
The tea in the palace was naturally no ordinary brew; its fragrance alone was captivating.
Although she often enjoyed high-quality teas at the Prince Residence, the free ones tasted even sweeter; she would have to discuss with Li Mingjue later about taking so back with her.
After finishing the last of her tea, she watched as Qi Anran walked slowly towards her, calling out with an affectionate tone, “Little sister.”
Qi Yu let out a soft derision, “There’s no one in the corner, sister, there’s no need to act so wholeheartedly.”
Qi Anran’s face grew a bit paler.
This wretched person was really as difficult to deal with as ever, but…
Her gaze swept over the now-empty wine cup, a dark glint flashing in her eyes.
Just now, she had slipped sothing into the wine and watched, wide-eyed, as Qi Yu drank it all down.
Once the aphrodisiac took effect, that fool would get what she deserved!
A trace of sorrow appeared on her gentle face, “Is my sister still blaming ?
But it was mother’s idea to take your jade pendant away, I…”
Qi Yu waved her hand in impatience, interrupting, “Sister, there’s no need to pretend anymore.
Speak frankly if you have sothing to say.”
A vicious glint flitted through Qi Anran’s eyes, but when she raised her face, she still looked obedient and subservient, “Why do you hate so much?
I just want to clear things up with you, can’t we be like we were before, as sisters?”
Qi Yu looked at her with a cold gaze, her face full of grievance as if Qi Yu herself had committed so unforgivable cri.
She stood up and positioned herself in front of Qi Anran, staring intently at her and asked in a low voice audible only to the two of them, “What does sister think of my face?”
Hearing this, Qi Anran stumbled backward in shock.
Could it be that Qi Yu already knew about her surreptitious drugging?
She supported herself on a nearby table, feigning calmness, “What do you an by that, sister?”
Qi Yu chuckled lightly, her gaze chillingly penetrating, “What I an, does sister not understand perfectly?”
Qi Anran dared not ask any further, estimating in her mind that the aphrodisiac in Qi Yu’s system should be starting to take effect by now.
Indeed, the next second she saw Qi Yu clutch her head in apparent pain.
Qi Anran supported her arm, coaxing in a soft voice near her ear, “If there’s anything you wish to say, sister, let’s go sowhere else, where we can talk it through properly.”
Her tone carried a hint of cajoling, her eyes revealing a touch of urgency.
As long as she lured her to the destined place, Qi Yu would find it impossible to escape today, even if she had wings!
Qi Yu looked at her with a sowhat vacant gaze, responding like a marionette, “Alright.”
Qi Anran deliberately led her away from the crowded places to an empty room by the Lotus Pond.
Once inside, Qi Anran cautiously glanced around the room, ensuring no one was present before slowly closing the door.
After completing these steps, she nodded slightly at a Palace Maid hiding behind the curtains.
The Palace Maid quickly rushed out and smothered Qi Yu with a cloth soaked in sedatives, rendering her unconscious.
Qi Anran, looking at the person now passed out, smiled and said, “What a fool, to be deceived so easily and brought here by .”
After moving the person onto the bed, she asked the nearby Palace Maid, “Is everything ready?”
The Palace Maid nodded, “Noble Consort has prepared everything.”
“That’s good.”
After making these arrangents, Qi Anran left the room, carefully checking her surroundings again to ensure no one was around before she left with relief.
The rest would be managed by Noble Consort An, and all she needed to do was to remain undetected.
However, she hadn’t walked far before she abruptly stopped, feeling an unexplained panic.
The whole affair seed a bit too smooth.
She frowned, feeling as if she had missed sothing.
After pondering with furrowed brows for a mont, she suddenly realized sothing.
When she went to find Qi Yu, Qi Yu was sitting there alone.
But she clearly rembered that Qi Yu always had a Maid with her, yet now that maid was nowhere to be seen!
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