The air inside the room was heavy with a thick, sweet fragrance. It was a strange scent, but as it entered her body, the fire of her anger began to fade. Her mind, once filled with sharp thoughts of resistance and agitation, grew foggy and calm. A peculiar sense of tiredness and submission quietly washed over her. Her muscles lost their tension, and her body softened. Without realizing it, she leaned into Dai Mubai's embrace. Her strength to fight back had almost vanished into the sweet air.
Her eyes were still filled with a lingering sense of being unwilling, but they now held a hint of confusion. She looked like someone lost in a dream, unable to find the path back to her own will.
"That's a good girl," Dai Mubai said with a satisfied smile. He felt the change in her immediately. With a casual wave of his hand, he dismissed all the servants from the room. The heavy doors closed with a soft thud, leaving them in silence.
He leaned down and whispered something quietly into Davis's ear. Upon hearing his words, Davis's body trembled slightly. An unnatural, bright blush spread across her cheeks, reaching all the way to her neck. She looked at him for a moment, her spirit struggling one last time against the fog in her mind. Finally, as if she had no choice but to accept her fate, she closed her eyes. Small tears of humiliation clung to her long eyelashes, shimmering like broken glass before they fell.
When Dai Mubai finally walked out of the Jingxin Courtyard, he looked refreshed and full of energy. He walked with a bounce in his step, feeling like a true victor. However, he did not know the secret behind the incense that had calmed Davis so effectively. That soothing smoke was a special creation made by Ye Yin. It was not just simple perfume; it was laced with small amounts of an improved medicine called Forget-Sorrow Powder and a Submission Potion.
The effect of these drugs was very mild. If someone used it once, they would never notice. But with long-term use, it would slowly eat away at Davis's willpower. It would make her more dependent on Dai Mubai and much more submissive to his every whim. At the same time, this process continued to provide high-quality resentment value for Ye Yin's own purposes. Ye Yin's ability to control and play with human hearts had truly reached a level of a master. To put it in the simplest terms, he had drugged Davis to turn her into a puppet.
The next day, the sun rose over the palace, and the routine court assembly began. Inside the Golden Throne Hall, the air was solemn and very serious. The hall was filled with high-ranking officials and powerful men. Dai Mubai stood at the front of the officials, facing the throne. He was handling the daily business of the state on behalf of the Emperor. His voice was steady, and his movements were confident. He already looked like he had the bearing of a future Emperor.
High above them on the dragon throne sat the Star Luo Emperor. His face was calm and hard to read. Most of the time, he just listened quietly to the reports. Occasionally, he would offer a few pointers or corrections, showing that he was still the true power in the room.
The assembly was almost over, and many expected to be dismissed soon. However, an old minister suddenly stepped forward. He belonged to the faction that had once supported Dai Weisi, the former First Prince. Usually, this man was very quiet and kept his head down, but today was different. He held his jade tablet high and shouted with a loud, clear voice.
"Your Majesty! Crown Prince! Your servant has a memorial to present to the throne!"
Every person in the hall turned their head. All eyes were fixed on the old minister. Dai Mubai felt a small spark of annoyance. He frowned slightly and spoke in a deep, commanding voice. "Speak."
The old minister took a deep breath, filling his lungs. His voice was not just loud; it sounded angry and full of moral outrage. "Your servant wishes to impeach the Crown Prince's Junior Mentor, Earl Ye Yin of the Heaven Dou Empire!"
As soon as those words left his mouth, the entire court broke into a loud uproar. The officials began to whisper and murmur to one another. Everyone knew that Ye Yin was Dai Mubai's most trusted advisor. More importantly, everyone knew Ye Yin was a Spirit Emperor, a powerful expert whose true strength was hard to guess.
Impeach him? The officials looked at each other in shock. Had this old man lost his mind? Did he want to die?
Dai Mubai's face turned very dark. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the minister. "Oh? You wish to impeach him? Tell me, what crimes has Earl Ye committed that deserve such a public attack?"
The old minister did not back down. He seemed to have thrown away all his fear, speaking with a passion that shook his old frame. "Your Majesty, Your Highness, please see the truth! This man, Ye Yin, comes from a place we do not know. His origins are a mystery, and his methods are strange and dark! Even though he pretends to help Your Highness, he is secretly hiding evil intentions!"
The minister raised a finger to count his points, his voice growing even louder.
"First, he used evil arts to hurt the First Prince both in body and mind. Because of him, the First Prince's location is unknown. This is a terrible crime against the royal bloodline of our Empire!"
"Second, he has bewitched the Crown Prince! He controls the government from the shadows and brings together his own followers for his own gain. His forces from the Yin Feng Territory have moved deep into the southwest of our Empire. They are growing so strong they might become a country of their own inside our borders!"
"Third, his relationship with the three sisters of the Zhu family is shameful. It goes against all human ethics and breaks the long tradition of the royal family marrying into the Zhu family. By doing this, he is shaking the very foundation of our nation!"
"Fourth, he acts without any care for the law. He openly insulted the envoy from Spirit Hall. This has caused huge tension between our Great Empire and Spirit Hall. His actions are bringing a great disaster toward us!"
The old minister looked around the room, his eyes red with emotion. "How can we allow such an ambitious and dangerous person to stay by the Crown Prince's side? How can he stay in our Empire? Your servant humbly begs Your Majesty and Your Highness to investigate him fully. We must arrest Ye Yin immediately and punish him. He should be kicked out of the country to fix the court and make the people feel safe again!"
His words echoed through the large hall. Each point he made was designed to hit a sensitive spot in the hearts of the nobles. He had effectively called Ye Yin a traitor who wanted to destroy the Star Luo Empire from the inside.
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