Jade of Another World

Under the cover of night, Lin Ning once again quietly sneaked into the Xiaoyu Prince's residence. The residence was eerily quiet, moonlight casting dappled shadows in the courtyard. She tiptoed towards the Xiaoyu Prince's quarters, her mind alert to any movement around her. However, when she reached the room she had visited before, she found it empty; neither Consort De nor the Xiaoyu Prince were there. A wave of doubt washed over Lin Ning. Where had they gone? Had they sensed something? She quickly retreated, hiding behind some bushes in the courtyard. As she pondered whether to return and reconsider, she suddenly slipped and fell into a deep pit. She only managed a short cry of surprise before crashing heavily to the bottom.

Lin Ning was dazed and confused after the fall. When she finally came to her senses, she realized the pit seemed newly dug; the walls were smooth and impossible to climb out of. She knew she had fallen into a trap.

"It seems the person behind this was prepared all along, just waiting for me to take the bait." Lin Ning was filled with regret; she had been too careless. But she quickly calmed down and began to observe her surroundings, trying to find a way to escape.

A damp smell permeated the bottom of the pit. Lin Ning felt around and discovered some small cracks in the pit walls, which she thought she could use to climb up. But just as she was about to try, she suddenly heard footsteps above her.

"Hmph, I've finally managed to lure you here." A sinister voice rang out.

Lin Ning looked up and saw a dark figure standing by the pit. The moonlight shone on his face, making only a blurry outline visible, but judging from the voice, this person was definitely not a good person.

Lin Ning knew in her heart that the other party might be coming for her this time, and she had to find a way to hide as soon as possible. She knew she couldn't just sit and wait to die. She took a deep breath and began to try to use the gaps in the pit wall to quickly feel her way... Hearing the sounds from the Wang Mansion getting closer and closer, Lin Ning had a bad feeling. She quickened her pace and finally touched a vine. The vine seemed to be hollow inside, like a secret room. Lin Ning immediately decided to go deeper into it.

She groped her way forward, the secret chamber filled with an old and decaying smell. By the faint light filtering in from the pit, she could see that the walls of the chamber were covered with strange symbols and patterns. The chamber seemed to have been there for a long time, not like it had been dug recently.

The guards shouted loudly at the pit entrance, seemingly discussing how to deal with her. Lin Ning dared not make too much noise and cautiously continued to feel her way forward along the walls of the secret chamber, hoping to find an exit.

Suddenly, her hand touched a protruding stone. With a gentle press, the wall creaked open, revealing a narrow passage. Without thinking, Lin Ning quickly crawled inside. The passage was pitch black; she could only grope her way forward, proceeding cautiously with every step, afraid of triggering any traps.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, a glimmer of light appeared ahead. Lin Ning was overjoyed and quickened her pace. When she emerged from the passage, she found herself in what resembled an underground warehouse, filled with all sorts of miscellaneous items.

Just then, she heard faint voices. Lin Ning cautiously approached the source of the sound, hiding behind a pile of boxes to observe secretly. She saw several men in black sitting together, talking in hushed tones.

"Is everything ready? Don't let anything go wrong," one of the men in black said.

“What’s there to be afraid of? We’re just following the Prince’s instructions and proceeding according to plan. Once it’s done, we’ll be well rewarded,” another man in black replied.

Lin Ning was startled. "Your Highness?" Could it be that Prince Yu was really involved in this conspiracy? She pricked up her ears, wanting to hear more information, but suddenly heard a commotion outside, as if the guards of the Prince's residence were searching everywhere. The men in black immediately became alert and quickly dispersed.

Lin Ning knew she couldn't stay here any longer. Taking advantage of the black-clad men's confusion, she quietly made her way towards other entrances, searching for a way to escape through the intricate underground structure of the palace…

Lin Ning had not returned, and her maid Xiao Cui was very worried, so she told Xuan Yuan Che about it.

Xuanyuan Che was extremely anxious upon learning that Lin Ning had not returned. He knew Lin Ning was a cautious person and would never disappear without a trace unless something unexpected had happened. Immediately, he mobilized his trusted men, dividing them into several teams to conduct a thorough search throughout the capital.

Xuanyuan Che personally led a group of people straight to the Xiaoyu Prince's Mansion. He had a vague feeling that Lin Ning's disappearance was very likely related to the strange events at the Xiaoyu Prince's Mansion. Along the way, he rode at full speed, his mind filled with the dangerous scenarios that Lin Ning might have encountered, and his worry grew stronger.

Upon arriving at Prince Xiaoyu's residence, Xuan Yuanche did not rush in. He first arranged for his men to set up sentries around the residence to prevent anyone from escaping, and then disguised himself as an ordinary merchant and quietly sneaked into the residence. The residence appeared calm on the surface, but Xuan Yuanche keenly sensed an unusual atmosphere.

He cautiously moved through the palace, observing every corner. Suddenly, he noticed a patch of soil in the courtyard that seemed unusually soft, as if it had just been turned over. A thought struck Xuan Yuanche; recalling Lin Ning's disappearance, he felt there was something fishy going on.

Just as he was about to examine the situation more closely, he heard footsteps approaching from afar. Xuan Yuanche quickly hid behind a nearby artificial hill and saw several guards from the Prince's residence walking towards them. One of the guards whispered, "Who are you? What are you doing over there?"

Hearing this, Xuan Yuanche's heart tightened. He hadn't found Lin Ning yet, and he absolutely couldn't be discovered here. He thought he'd make up a story, saying he was delivering vegetables and had gotten lost in the Prince's mansion. The guard cursed and chased him away.

He carefully and quickly left, and only when he left the Xiaoyu Prince's Mansion did Xuanyuan Che breathe a sigh of relief.

Although the investigation didn't find Lin Ning, the Little Jade Prince's Mansion was definitely not as simple as it seemed. There was a big problem with the newly filled soil in his courtyard. It appeared to have been recently added.

After leaving the mansion, Xuanyuan Che rode at full speed to the palace to report the emergency to Nangong Jin.

In the main hall of the palace, Nangong Jin was troubled by the recent situation in the court and the matter of the Little Jade King when she saw Xuan Yuanche enter in a hurry.

"Your Majesty!" Xuan Yuanche knelt on one knee, his expression grim. "Miss Lin Ning has been out of contact since she infiltrated the Xiaoyu Prince's residence."

Upon hearing this, Nangong Jin's face instantly darkened, and he abruptly stood up: "How could this happen! What secrets is hidden in the Little Jade Prince's Mansion that would dare to lay a hand on Lin Ning!"

Xuanyuan Che recounted the events in detail, then said, "Your Highness, I have arranged for secret guards to continue monitoring Xiaoyu Prince's residence. If there is any unusual activity, they will report to you immediately. However, Miss Lin's fate is unknown, and we must find a way to rescue her as soon as possible."

Nangong Jin paced back and forth, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Lin Ning is now in a dangerous situation, and there must be a bigger conspiracy brewing behind it. I absolutely cannot sit idly by."

He paused briefly, his eyes revealing determination: "Immediately summon the palace's elite guards, select reliable individuals, and infiltrate the Xiaoyu Prince's residence. Investigate the truth behind this and rescue Lin Ning."

Xuanyuan Che accepted the order: "Yes, Your Majesty! I will make the arrangements immediately."

Nangong Jin snorted coldly: "If any problems are found with him, there will be no leniency. Those who attempt to disrupt the situation in Dayu will not be let off lightly!"

Before long, Xuanyuan Che had gathered his secret guards. They quietly infiltrated the Little Jade Prince's mansion from different directions.

Meanwhile, the Xiaoyu Prince's Mansion appeared calm on the surface, but undercurrents were surging beneath. Lin Ning was alone in the manor's underground warehouse, racing against time and awaiting rescue...