On her wedding night, she went into exile with her pharmacy arsenal

Chapter 2233 Noticing the Abnormality

“However…” One of the guards frowned, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the sword at his waist, his tone somewhat uncertain, “When I was listening to the zither music, I felt that time passed quickly, as if it were only the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.”

When the music stopped, I subconsciously looked up at the moon and realized it was much further west than I had expected; it should have been much longer than anticipated.

Another guard nodded in agreement, his eyes full of confusion: "I feel the same way."

At the time, I just assumed I was so engrossed in listening that I had misremembered the time, and I didn't dare to think too much about it.

Looking back now, the moon's position was indeed much further off than it should have been after the burning of an incense stick; it must have been at least an hour higher.

Yan Ruyu's eyes sharpened, and she stepped forward, her voice clear and firm: "More than one incense stick's time? Think back carefully, don't you have any other feelings?"

The two guards exchanged a glance and began to think seriously.

“Your Highness,” the guard who spoke first said with a more confident tone, “I remember that before we listened to the zither, the moon had just passed its zenith.”

In the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the moon will at most have moved half a finger's width westward.

But after the music stopped that day, the moon had moved more than two fingers' width west; according to common sense, at least an hour had passed.

“I also confirm this,” another guard added. “I even rubbed my eyes at the time, thinking I was seeing things because I had been staring for too long, but when I looked again, the moon’s position was indeed correct.”

The music was so captivating that one completely forgot about the time, and it seemed to fly by.

Huo Changhe asked in a deep voice, "What were you doing when you heard the music? Besides finding it beautiful, did you have any other feelings?"

"Your Highness," the two guards replied in unison, their voices tinged with guilt, "we were keeping watch on the front gate and back windows of the Zhou residence, and dared not slacken our vigilance in the slightest."

The sound of the zither suddenly drifted in; at first, it sounded clear and melodious, but before I knew it, I was completely absorbed in listening.

"Apart from that, you don't feel anything else?" Huo Changhe pressed, his gaze sweeping over the two men's faces.

The guards shook their heads, their faces full of confusion: "There was no discomfort, but I felt that my mind was completely captivated by the music, and even my breathing slowed down to match the rhythm of the music."

Yan Ruyu pressed further: "When you were listening to the zither, did you notice any noises around you?"

Do you still remember the rustling of leaves, the swaying of grass, or the flight of tiny insects?

The two guards frowned, trying hard to recall the memory, but no matter how hard they tried, all they could hear was the clear and melodious sound of the zither; everything else was a blank.

“Your Highness,” one of the guards said with a troubled expression, “I can’t remember.”

At that moment, my mind was filled with the sound of the piano; everything around me seemed to have disappeared. I wouldn't have even noticed the rustling of leaves or the movement of grass, let alone someone walking past me.

Another guard nodded in agreement: "I agree."

Aside from the sound of the piano, I have no other impressions; it's as if, for a time, only this one sound existed in the world.

Yan Ruyu's eyes were deep and serious as she slowly spoke, her tone carrying an undeniable certainty: "There must be something wrong with this music."

You are not simply captivated by the music, but rather your minds are mesmerized by it, though you are unaware of it.

"Bewilder the mind?" Huo Changhe's pupils contracted slightly, then he gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice, "What a powerful method."

To be able to use music to bewitch minds right under the noses of the secret guards, subtly altering their perception of time, the person behind this is definitely not simple.

He turned to Cui Chong beside him and said sharply, "Immediately send people to investigate Miaoyinfang. No matter how small the matter, all people and things related to Miaoyinfang must be thoroughly investigated."

Whether it's the guests coming and going, the musicians in the establishment, the supply channels, or the background information, not a single clue can be overlooked!

"Yes! I'll take men and do it right away!" Yin Ding bowed and accepted the order, then turned and strode out of the shop.

Yan Ruyu gazed at the rising sun outside the window, her brows furrowed, and she pondered, "An investigation alone is not enough. We need to do something more, take the initiative, and lure out the person behind it all."

She turned to Song Ping beside her, her tone softening slightly: "Song Ping, take the guard's body back to the palace first, find a good place to bury him properly, make sure he leaves with dignity, and don't let him suffer any injustice in death."

Song Ping's eyes reddened, and he bowed, replying, "Thank you, Your Highness."

"I will certainly handle this well and will never betray his loyalty."

After saying this, he carefully instructed the yamen runners to lift the straw mat, moving gently so as not to disturb the deceased guard, and slowly walked out of the shop.

After dealing with the corpse, Yan Ruyu turned to Huo Changhe and said, "Your Highness, I want to go to Qian's shop and ask Manager Yu for help."

Huo Changhe nodded: "I'll go with you. You've just recovered a bit, and I'm worried about you going out alone."

As the two walked out of the fresh produce shop, the morning light in the alley had become warm, but the streets were still deserted. Many shops were closed, and even the few that were open had few customers.

The desolate scene of Youcheng weighed heavily on their hearts like a stone.

Qianjia Shop is located on the main road in the city center and is considered a long-established shop in Youcheng.

But now, the shops were no longer bustling as usual, especially the spice shop next door, which looked particularly deserted with a wooden sign that read "Temporarily Closed" hanging on its door.

As soon as the two arrived at the entrance of Qian's shop, the shop assistant recognized them and quickly lifted the curtain to go in and announce their arrival.

A moment later, Manager Yu hurriedly came out from inside, his face showing a mixture of anxiety and surprise: "Your Highness, Your Highness, please come in!"

Yan Ruyu nodded, her tone calm: "Manager Yu, I've come today because I need your help with something."

Shopkeeper Yu quickly stepped aside to lead the way: "Your Highness, please speak freely. As long as it is within my power, I will not hesitate to do so."

As he walked, he couldn't help but sigh, "To tell you the truth, Your Highness, I've been so worried these past few days that I haven't been able to sleep."

The other shops fared somewhat better, but the spice shop was the hardest hit. With very few customers, it couldn't stay afloat and had to close down.

Stepping into the shop's front hall, a faint aroma of wood wafts over, but the empty shelves and desolate atmosphere still exude a sense of bleakness.

Manager Yu led the two to a private room on the second floor, personally poured them tea, and then sat down beside them: "Your Highness, you can tell me your orders now."

Yan Ruyu picked up her teacup, took a small sip, and said slowly, "I would like to invite you to host a performance, and the musicians for the performance must be from Miaoyinfang."

Manager Yu was taken aback, then realized: "Does the Princess want to use the gathering to investigate the background of Miaoyin Pavilion?"

"I suppose so." Yan Ruyu smiled slightly. "The person behind the scenes is using the music to cause trouble, and Miaoyinfang is definitely involved."

Instead of passively investigating, we should proactively set a trap to lure them into revealing their true colors.

Shopkeeper Yu pondered for a moment, then his eyes lit up: "What a coincidence!"

"My fifty-fifth birthday is in a few days. I originally planned to celebrate it quietly, but now I can use my birthday as an excuse to hold a performance. It's perfectly legitimate to invite people from Miaoyinfang to perform, and it won't arouse suspicion."

"That's excellent." Yan Ruyu nodded in approval. "A birthday celebration will be crowded and noisy, which will make it easier for us to arrange manpower."

I want you to prepare a few sets of shop assistant uniforms. I'll send some reliable people over to disguise themselves as your shop assistants and blend into the gathering, secretly observing the movements of the people at Miaoyin Pavilion.

Shopkeeper Yu agreed without hesitation: "No problem! Your Highness, please rest assured, I will have someone prepare the clothes right away."

Once you've finalized the number of people needed, have them come over to take measurements.