The side hall, originally a place for enjoying tea and burning incense, has been temporarily converted into a meeting place.

After seeing off the last talented woman, Qin Zhaowan leaned back in her chair, exhausted, while Qin Zhaoshu rubbed his temples, looking quite weary.

They had tried their best, but the results were not ideal.

The seven who signed should have no difficulty passing the preliminary exam, but to pass the imperial examination, or even achieve a high ranking and crush Princess Shuofeng...

To be honest, neither of them thought these seven people possessed such strength.

This matter requires a concerted effort; although there may be other ways to make contact afterward, it is still disheartening.

"Third sister, things have come to this point, we have no time to be discouraged, all that's left is to take them down one by one."

Qin Zhaowan nodded; this was all she could do within her capabilities.

Thinking back to the idea of ​​the sixth sister of the Imperial Study confiscating the family property, perhaps the Imperial Palace still holds other incriminating evidence.

It's just unknown how far the Empress is willing to go for this matter, and whether it's possible to win over some key figures through exchanges of benefits.

Just then, Qin Zhaoyue stepped into the side hall.

"Third sister, fourth sister, it's getting late. Shouldn't the literary gathering be over soon?"

Qin Zhaowan was exhausted, but she still managed a forced smile. "It's time to go home."

She couldn't help but wonder if the eldest sister had the same mindset when she took her sixth sister on a disaster relief trip.

"Alright, I've heard that Liuyuan Garden has a pine-infused wine that warms the marrow and releases pine fragrance."

Unfortunately, I wasn't in the capital when autumn began, so I didn't get to taste it. Third Sister, would you be so kind as to share some with the other talented ladies?

Qin Zhaowan shook her head, "You, you've never had such a strong appetite before."

Her mind was preoccupied with other things, and her teasing seemed more like an unconscious agreement. She immediately gave the order.

Qin Zhaoshu, however, scrutinized her closely. "Sixth Sister, do you have some ideas?"

"Sister, please don't ask anymore."

Qin Zhaowan then came to her senses and was about to ask a question when she saw that her sixth sister had already turned and walked out.

The two looked at each other, neither able to guess what she wanted to do.

Before long, the forty-one talented women reunited in the main hall.

Although the vast majority of people refused to sign, they did not dare to leave without saying goodbye and depart from the literary gathering hosted by the Crown Prince.

Except for the three younger ones, everyone else was present, and the maids of Liuyuan served wine to everyone.

Songlao wine requires ancient pine resin and autumn dew to be brewed together. Pine needles are placed at the bottom of the wine jar and buried underground. It is then taken out at the beginning of autumn the following year.

A poem praises, "I borrow a dou of pine-flavored wine on credit, to keep you company and soothe your troubled heart."

After the seal was broken, a rich pine scent immediately filled the main hall.

Since the task didn't go smoothly, there was no reward of wine; everyone was only given a small cup.

If it weren't for her sixth sister's request, Qin Zhaowan would never have thought of sharing the wine at this time; it would have been reasonable for her to drink a large bowl herself.

I have no idea what they're up to.

She raised her glass first, saying, "I apologize for bothering you all, but I hope that all my wishes will be fulfilled."

Not in the mood for anything nice, Qin Zhaowan gave a perfunctory reply and downed her drink in one gulp.

Qin Zhaoyue held it to her nose and sniffed; it did indeed have a unique fragrance.

She wasn't a heavy drinker; she only ever wanted a drink occasionally.

Seeing everyone below raising their glasses, Qin Zhaoyue didn't hesitate and drank it down.

The liquor slid down my throat, its crispness carrying a subtle bitterness refined from pine needles.

As the bitterness fades, a sweet, glutinous taste from roasted pine pollen rises from the bottom of the throat, seemingly mixed with the flavor of some Chinese medicinal herbs.

She couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.

Regardless of their mood, everyone drank it down.

The room fell silent for a moment.

Everyone was waiting for the Third Prince to announce the end of the literary gathering, while the Third and Fourth Princes were waiting to find out why the Sixth Prince insisted on treating everyone to drinks.

Bang!

Suddenly, a woman in the hall slumped onto the table, and the pine-patterned cup fell to the ground with a clatter.

This seemed to trigger some kind of signal, and people began to faint and lose consciousness.

"What's going on!"

They fell down in swarms like wheat being harvested. Some cried out in alarm, while others looked ahead in disbelief, but none could escape falling into a coma.

Qin Zhaoyue looked astonished. She tried to get up by holding onto the table, but she fell back down after only managing to lift herself half an arm's length.

"this……"

He only managed to utter one word before his eyes rolled back and he collapsed.

Within a dozen breaths, a whole group collapsed. Apart from the sisters Qin Zhaowan and Qin Zhaoshu, no one in the hall remained conscious.

Qin Zhaowan:?

Qin Zhaoshu: ?

Hidden Hibernation: ...

"Third sister, you..." Qin Zhaoshu leaned back and subconsciously tried to create some distance.

Qin Zhaowan was stunned, her embroidered mouth slightly open. It took her several breaths to accept what was happening before her eyes, and her heart skipped a beat.

"Fourth sister, it wasn't me...it wasn't me...I didn't..."

For a moment, Qin Zhaowan was incoherent.

From any perspective, it seemed that everyone had fallen asleep because of the wine stored in Liuyuan Garden, which conveniently avoided the two sisters.

Thinking that it was the sixth sister who suddenly made this strange request, but now she has also collapsed, why is that?

Just as they were puzzled, a graceful figure suddenly appeared in the room.

"You are... Lord Yinzhe!"

Although she had little connection with the Xuanji Guard commander who always wore a veil, she was highly regarded by the Empress Dowager and they had met a few times.

This sudden appearance is clearly related to the current situation.

Could it be the Empress's order? If persuasion fails, will force be used instead?

Yes, apart from that, what other reason could there be for a commander of the Xuanji Guard to personally attend the literary gathering?

"Lord Yinzhe, how should we cooperate next?"

Yin Zhe's chest heaved slightly as he glanced at Qin Zhaoyue, who was slumped over the table beside him, and sighed deeply.

She knew it!

Having clearly grasped His Majesty's second intention, how could this person possibly cooperate obediently given his personality?

Now, feeling as uncomfortable as if he had swallowed a fly, he spoke coldly with an unfriendly expression:

"Is the performance over, Your Highness!" He spat out these words through gritted teeth.

What are they acting in? Who are they acting in?

Just as the two sisters were completely confused, Qin Zhaoyue slowly raised her body.

His eyes were clear, showing no sign of unconsciousness whatsoever.

Ignoring the cold stares, she immediately gave a thumbs up, "Sister Yinzhe, excellent skills."

Oh my god!