Chapter 27: Caught in the Trap

The reason he did not refuse was that Dongfang Yan suddenly discovered his entire body had gone rigid.

His consciousness was clearly still clear, yet he could not move his hands or feet.

The guard nearby saw him standing still and asked respectfully, "Your Highness, what is wrong?"

Dongfang Yan desperately wanted to speak, but he could not; it seemed even his mouth and tongue had lost control.

Dongfang Kuai, however, did not seem to notice his abnormality and continued enthusiastically, "When you have time next, bring the new Princess along to meet me as well."

Soon, his body began to move.

He felt himself nod at Dongfang Kuai, then step by step walk out of the Rui Wangfu, mount his horse, his movements smooth and fluid.

He even heard himself instruct his subordinates: "Return to the residence first to change clothes."

No, this is wrong!

What has happened to me!

Dongfang Yan screamed and struggled in the depths of his heart.

But it was useless; he could not speak, nor could he command his own body.

At this very moment, he realized with horror that he seemed to have become a marionette, manipulated in the palm of a mysterious force.

Upon entering the door, Steward Zhao greeted him: "Your Highness, you have returned. The Princess has also returned; she was just asking where you had gone."

Then, Dongfang Yan heard himself grunt in acknowledgment, then walk quickly back to his bedchamber, naturally accepting the maid's help to remove his court robes and change into casual attire.

Everything was so natural and fluid, as if nothing had changed at all.

Yet his soul felt trapped within his shell, watching everything happen with his own eyes.

What on earth has happened to me? Have I been hit by some Evil Art? Dongfang Kuai... could he have poisoned me?

Dongfang Yan felt a sense of distress in his heart.

He remained vigilant against all the other princes, but only toward Dongfang Kuai, because of their past life-and-death friendship and Dongfang Kuai's lack of desire for power, he had not been overly guarded.

Yet he never imagined that he would fall into his hands today!

Dongfang Kuai is truly a master of acting, deceiving everyone!

At this moment, a guard came to report: "Your Highness, the Princess requests an audience."

"That woman has finally decided to return!" he heard himself say.

The cold tone, the utter disgust—it was imitated perfectly!

He had never thought such an attitude was a problem before, but until this moment, with his body being controlled and hearing those words from the perspective of an observer, he felt it was somewhat heartless.

And at this moment, deep in his heart, he felt an urgent need to see Lin Qingyue.

He knew that only she could save him!

"You begged me to come back earlier, so why are you avoiding me now?" Lin Qingyue's voice arrived before she did. It was still that provocative tone, yet Dongfang Yan felt a surge of excitement hearing it.

The guard at the door had intended to stop her.

But he was frightened by a single cold glance from Lin Qingyue.

When that graceful figure appeared before his eyes, Dongfang Yan felt for the first time that she was so beautiful, so important!

And because the Mayfly Silk within his body had been parasitic for only a short time, it was still influenced by his state of mind, so his attitude toward Lin Qingyue was a few degrees better at this moment.

"I am glad you came," Dongfang Yan heard himself say.

Lin Qingyue was stunned, then immediately laughed: "Is that so? That's truly rare."

She sat on the grand armchair to the side, eyeing Dongfang Yan askance: "Changed into new clothes? Are you planning to go see my good sister?"

But Dongfang Yan was struggling to save himself; how could he have the mood to think of Lin Ruzhen?

"I have to go to the Cabinet to discuss state affairs this afternoon," Dongfang Yan heard himself reply.

Discussing state affairs in the Cabinet was something he did almost every day.

He had not expected that the thing manipulating him would also know this habit; it was truly terrifying.

Lin Qingyue nodded: "Then I wish Your Highness success in usurping the throne soon."

Dongfang Yan said: "Presumptuous!"

Lin Qingyue laughed: "Why so nervous? This place is full of your people; no one would dare spread that around."

Dongfang Yan asked: "Is there anything else?"

Lin Qingyue shrugged: "Nothing, just chatting."

"I have state affairs to attend to, no more nonsense with you." When Dongfang Yan reached the door, he suddenly paused.

"Zhao An, give the things I brought back to the Princess."

Steward Zhao then presented a food box and a pot of peach blossom wine.

And Dongfang Yan walked away without looking back.

He appeared calm, but his heart was burning with anxiety: Can she see through it? If she cannot discover it, what should I do?

When Lin Qingyue returned to her Qiushui Yuan, the tabby cat Xiao Hua immediately jumped out: "How was it?"

Lin Qingyue said: "The mastermind is not him."

Xiao Hua asked: "You are so sure?"

Lin Qingyue tossed the wine and sashimi onto the table: "That is because he has also been hit."

Although the Mayfly Silk can imitate the host's demeanor and tone, and can even gain insight into the host's memories.

But what makes a person human is the existence of many variables; simple imitation cannot be without flaws.

And today, Dongfang Yan's biggest flaw was not mentioning the matter of Lin Ruzhen.

If it were someone who did not know the situation, they would think he had just temporarily forgotten.

But Lin Qingyue still could not help but be suspicious; when she saw the sashimi, she connected the events and immediately guessed the truth.

Xiao Hua had thought this was all Dongfang Yan's doing, never expecting that he had also been hit.

"Since Dongfang only fell victim today, if we carefully investigate who he met with today and what he ate, we will be able to find the mastermind behind this."

She instructed: "Xiao Hua, you make a trip to the Profound Mirror Bureau and tell Xie Shouzheng about the situation at the Jin Wangfu; he will naturally go and investigate."

"I have just found Ghost Night Orchids in the back garden of the Jin Wangfu, a very large patch. I will immediately set to work refining the Identification Incense Pill."

"Oh, right." Lin Qingyue smirked, "Whether it's the screening of the infected or the removal of the infection later, arrange for Dongfang Yan to be at the very end. Or perhaps... just skip him entirely?"

Compared to the previous Dongfang Yan, she felt that the Dongfang Yan controlled by the Mayfly Silk was more pleasing to the eye.

Thinking of it this way, she suddenly felt that the Mayfly Silk was not entirely without merit.

With the Ghost Night Orchids, refining the Identification Incense Pill was not a difficult task for Lin Qingyue. Just one day later, the finished product was refined.

The first batch was naturally sent to the Profound Mirror Bureau first.

From Xie Shouzheng down to the old guards at the gate, everyone was screened. Fortunately, no one within the bureau had been affected.

Xie Shouzheng breathed a sigh of relief and instructed: "Do not eat any raw food recently, and take care to protect yourselves."

Next was to begin arranging personnel to carry out a city-wide screening. This work was tedious and time-consuming, and Xie Shouzheng would naturally lead his subordinates to handle it.

He then said to Lin Qingyue: "Deputy Envoy Lin should continue to be responsible for refining the Identification Incense Pill; I will have Dami prepare the necessary materials for you."

This kind of item is a consumable, and the effectiveness of one incense pill is very short-lived. Next, everyone in the city must be screened, so the demand is self-evident.

Originally, Xie Shouzheng wanted to have Lin Qingyue refine the medicine at the Profound Mirror Bureau, but considering that after the Ghost Night Orchids are picked, their fragrance fades after half an hour, thereby losing their effectiveness, it was not convenient to store them.

Therefore, Lin Qingyue still decided to operate nearby at the Wangfu.

Dongfang Yan had already been infected, so staying in the blind spot under the lamp was safer instead.