Jade of Another World

In a secluded courtyard in the inner palace, Consort Xi and Consort De sat in a pavilion, conversing mysteriously.

Consort Xi took a sip of tea, a sly glint in her eyes: "I've heard that he's become increasingly capricious lately, causing widespread panic in the court. This is truly a rare opportunity."

Consort De smiled slightly, a hint of malice in her eyes: "Hmph, he is now in this state because he brought it upon himself. My poor child was sent to the Qiang Kingdom after the late emperor's death, ostensibly to study, but in reality, it was to escape. These days, I have been hoping day and night for a chance to bring my son back."

Consort Xi put down her teacup, leaned closer to Consort De, and whispered, "Now that person seems to have lost his mind for some reason. If we can seize this opportunity and unite with some ministers in the court who are dissatisfied with him, we might be able to put on a good show."

A hint of hesitation flashed in Consort De's eyes: "However, he has people assisting him, and they certainly won't sit idly by. Moreover, Yu'er is far away in the Qiang Kingdom, and it will be difficult for her to return in a short time."

Consort Xi sneered: "So what if they are the ones assisting us? As long as we plan properly, they are powerless to reverse the situation. As for Prince Xiaoyu, we can send someone secretly to the Qiang Kingdom to inform him of the situation here and urge him to find a way to return as soon as possible."

Consort De pondered for a moment and felt that Consort Xi's words made sense. A glimmer of hope gradually appeared in her eyes: "However, this matter is of great importance. Please allow me to go back and think about it before I speak."

Consort Xi nodded: "That's natural. But we shouldn't sit idly by. We can secretly contact reliable people in the court to create momentum for his return. At the same time, we should closely monitor his every move and look for opportunities to break the deadlock."

Thus, within this seemingly peaceful inner palace, a conspiracy quietly unfolded. Consort De and Consort Xi each dispatched people to secretly communicate and plot. On one hand, they attempted to win over court officials and form an alliance; on the other hand, they planted spies to closely monitor Nangong Jin's movements, hoping to find the perfect opportunity to launch a fatal blow and avenge their past grievances.

Meanwhile, Nangong Jin was still immersed in agitation and pain, completely unaware that the two imperial concubines in the harem had launched a dark challenge against him and his position. Beneath the seemingly calm surface of the palace, undercurrents were surging, and a fierce storm was about to break.

Upon hearing the news of Xuan Yuanche's return to the capital, Nangong Jin was like dry tinder ignited in a rage. He immediately stormed off to Lin Ning's location. His steps were hurried, his eyes were bloodshot, and he exuded a chilling aura.

Upon seeing Lin Ning, Nangong Jin suddenly grabbed her shoulder with such force that Lin Ning couldn't help but frown. "Lin Ning, how dare you! Why did you summon Xuan Yuanche back to the capital without my permission?" Nangong Jin roared, his voice echoing in the room, making the paper windows rattle.

Although Lin Ning was somewhat frightened, she forced herself to remain calm and looked directly into Nangong Jin's eyes, saying, "Your Majesty, you haven't been in good health lately, and your actions have become increasingly... He hasn't completely abandoned training; he has arranged for his deputy general to oversee it, so training won't be delayed..."

"Shut up!" Nangong Jin interrupted her rudely. "When did it become your business to interfere in my affairs? Why is Xuanyuan Che back in the capital instead of training properly in the army? Do you think that I, His Highness, have lost control of the situation and are looking for another way out?" Nangong Jin's eyes were filled with suspicion and anger.

"Your Majesty, you have misunderstood." Lin Ning explained anxiously, "After the Mother Gu disappeared, your physical and emotional state were greatly affected, and I was really worried about you. Moreover, the situation in the court is complicated now, and we need Xuan Yuanche to come back to discuss countermeasures and find the Mother Gu together."

Nangong Jin wouldn't listen to a word. He forcefully shoved Lin Ning's shoulder, causing her to stumble and nearly fall. "Excuses, all excuses! You're clearly having affairs behind my back." Nangong Jin paced back and forth in the room, his hands clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white from the force.

"Your Majesty, our loyalty to you is as clear as day and night." Lin Ning's eyes were filled with tears. "From beginning to end, everything we have done has been for Dayu, for you. If you don't believe me, you can kill me, but I beg you to calm down and think about the current situation."

Nangong Jin looked at Lin Ning, his anger undiminished. But Lin Ning's words stirred something within him. He stopped, took a few deep breaths, and tried to suppress his rage. However, the effects of the Gu poison made his emotions extremely unstable; anger still surged within him like a raging fire.

"Fine, fine..." Nangong Jin said through gritted teeth, "Since you're so 'concerned' about me, then find the mother Gu as soon as possible, or don't blame me for turning ruthless." With that, he turned and strode away, leaving Lin Ning standing alone, tears streaming down her face. She knew that Nangong Jin's current state was a relapse of the Gu poison. To restore his former sanity, the only way was to find an antidote and remove the Gu poison from his body as quickly as possible.

Lin Ning watched Nangong Jin's departing figure, her heart filled with worry. She knew that Nangong Jin was currently suffering from the effects of the Gu poison. If an antidote couldn't be found quickly, not only would Nangong Jin be doomed, but the fate of the Great Yu Dynasty would also be in grave danger. Lin Ning quickly composed herself, knowing that there was no time to lose. She immediately sent someone to find Xuan Yuanche, asking him to come quickly to discuss countermeasures. Before long, Xuan Yuanche arrived in a hurry. Seeing Lin Ning's solemn expression, he already understood the situation.

"Lin Ning, but what about His Majesty..." Xuan Yuanche asked.

Lin Ning nodded slightly and recounted Nangong Jin's situation in detail. Then she said, "His Majesty's current state must be due to the Gu poison taking effect. He is currently being tormented by the Gu poison to the point of losing his mind. We must find the mother Gu as soon as possible to remove the Gu poison from his body. Have you made any progress on the secret technique for the mother Gu?"

Xuan Yuanche frowned, looking troubled: "I have contacted my informant in Nanzhao, but the secret technique for tracking the Mother Gu is extremely well-known, and very few people know about it. My informant is trying his best to find out, but it will probably take some time."

Lin Ning was extremely anxious, pacing back and forth in the room. After a moment of thought, she said, "We can't wait any longer. While we continue to have our informants search for the secret technique, we should also start from other angles. The disappearance of the Mother Gu must have left traces. Let's re-examine every detail from when we obtained the crystal box to when the Mother Gu disappeared, and see if we can find anything we've overlooked."

Xuanyuan Che nodded in agreement: "Alright, I will go and gather everyone who knows about this matter and question them one by one, leaving no stone unturned."

"I'll check the archives to see if there are any records of similar Gu techniques. Maybe I can find a way to break it," Lin Ning said.

The two divided their tasks clearly and immediately began their operation. Xuan Yuanche quickly left to investigate the relevant personnel. Lin Ning went straight to the library, painstakingly searching among the vast sea of ​​books. She turned through one ancient book after another, her eyes aching from staring at the pages for so long, but she dared not stop for a moment.