Jade of Another World

Lin Wan anxiously opened Xuan Yuanche's letter. After reading it, she was initially overjoyed; Xuan Yuanche had found General Zhao Ji and formed an alliance, which was good news that could turn the tide. However, she was immediately overwhelmed by deep worry; her sister, Lin Ning, was still under house arrest in the palace, her fate unknown.

Lin Wan knew the situation was critical and could not afford any delay. She immediately spread out a letter, dipped it in ink, and her hand trembled slightly. "General Xuanyuan, my sister has been placed under house arrest in the palace by Consort De, and we do not know what has happened to her. My brother went to the palace banquet to try to find out what was going on, but to no avail. Now my sister's life is uncertain. I hope you will return as soon as possible, General, to save my sister and save Dayu."

After writing the letter, Lin Wan checked it repeatedly to ensure it was correct. She then hurriedly summoned her trusted servant and repeatedly instructed him to deliver the letter safely and quickly to Xuan Yuanche. The servant obeyed and rode off at top speed.

After seeing the servants off, Lin Wan paced back and forth in her room, filled with anxiety. She knew that Lin Ning could meet with misfortune at any moment before Xuan Yuanche and General Zhao Ji's troops arrived. She desperately wished for a miraculous power to rescue her sister from her predicament immediately.

Meanwhile, Lin Jun returned to the Prime Minister's residence and met with Lin Wan. The two exchanged information, with Lin Jun blaming himself for not being able to find Lin Ning in the palace, while Lin Wan comforted him, telling him not to blame himself too much, and that the most urgent task was to find a way to ensure Lin Ning's safety before Xuan Yuanche arrived.

"Wanwan, Consort De is vicious. My sister is in her hands, and her chances of survival are slim. We can't just wait around; we must find a way to get into the palace and rescue her." Lin Jun's face was full of anxiety, and his fists were clenched tightly.

Lin Wanxiu frowned, pondered for a moment, and said, "Brother, the palace is heavily guarded. If we act rashly, we will not only fail to rescue my sister, but we will also get ourselves into trouble. We need to plan carefully and first try to find out my sister's exact location and situation in the palace."

Lin Jun nodded helplessly, knowing that Lin Wan was right. The two continued discussing the rescue plan, scrutinizing every detail. Every idea they proposed was rejected due to various risks. Time slowly passed in anxiety and torment, and their worry for Lin Ning grew ever stronger…

Lin Ning's head was spinning. She had just slowly awoke from her unconsciousness when she saw the young Prince Yu lying on the bed beside her. She instantly snapped awake, a sense of foreboding washing over her. Before she could even process her thoughts, a sharp announcement came from outside: "The Empress Dowager De has arrived!"

Lin Ning's heart tightened, and she hurriedly got up to straighten her clothes, trying to push away the young prince. However, it was all too late. Consort De, accompanied by a group of palace maids and eunuchs, stormed in aggressively.

Consort De glanced at the scene on the bed, her brows furrowed with anger, and shouted, "You, Lin Ning, have been rejecting me all along, putting on such a haughty act, yet behind my back you've done such a despicable thing as seducing His Majesty! Tell me, what are you really thinking?"

Lin Ning knew in her heart that this was a conspiracy that Consort De had planned for a long time, deliberately setting a trap to frame her and force her to submit. She suppressed her anger and calmly said, "Your Majesty, please understand. When I woke up, I saw His Majesty here. Your Majesty has always been wise. Please do not wrong me."

Consort De sneered, "Hmph, you're still being stubborn even now! His Majesty is right here, the facts are laid bare. Did His Majesty seduce you? You still want to deny it now?" With that, she turned to the eunuchs and maids beside her and said sternly, "You all saw it. Lin Ning attempted to seduce His Majesty and tarnish the royal family's reputation. What is her punishment?"

Everyone echoed, "Your Majesty, this is a truly unforgivable crime!"

Lin Ning knew that she was now speechless and that Consort De was determined to pin this crime on her. She took a deep breath and slowly said, "If the Empress Dowager insists on this, I have nothing to say. However, I have a clear conscience. If the Empress Dowager insists on punishing me, I hope that she will give me a fair judgment."

A smug glint flashed in Consort De's eyes. She wanted to put Lin Ning in a desperate situation, forcing her to submit. "Hmph, since you won't admit it, then I'll lock you in the Cold Palace to reflect on your actions. When you've figured things out, then come out and apologize to His Majesty and me!"

Lin Ning knew that for the time being, she could only endure this torrent of slander. Meanwhile, Consort De watched Lin Ning, a chilling smile playing on her lips, as if everything was under her control…

Just then, Little Jade King slowly woke up, rubbing his head as if he had just come to his senses. Seeing the scene before him, he hurriedly called out, "Wait, Mother, don't be angry." He turned to look at Lin Ning, his eyes filled with affection, and said, "Actually, it's not about seduction. Sister Ning and I have always been mutually in love. It's just that I couldn't control myself today, which led to this situation. I hope Mother can understand."

Consort De was secretly pleased with her son's words, but on the surface she pretended to be angry and slightly smug, saying, "Since that's the case, you should have said so earlier. I'm not an unreasonable person. How about this, let's first confer the title of Noble Lady, which can be considered as giving Miss Lin a proper status."

“Mother…” Prince Xiaoyu wanted to say something, but Consort De raised her hand to stop him. Consort De glared at him, her eyes filled with warning, signaling him not to say anything more.

Lin Ning coldly observed the mother and son's performance, their act a perfect duet, filled with utter disgust. She understood that this was just another tactic employed by Consort De, an attempt to force her into submission and ensnare her completely in the quagmire of the palace. But at this moment, she was powerless and could only bury her anger and resentment deep within her heart, silently enduring it.

Lin Ning suppressed the humiliation in her heart, silently curtsied, and showed no emotion whatsoever.

Consort De nodded in satisfaction. "In that case, go and make preparations to arrange for Consort Lin to stay in the side hall as soon as possible." With that, she led everyone away, leaving only Lin Ning and Prince Xiaoyu behind.

After everyone left, Little Jade King looked at Lin Ning with a fawning expression: "Sister Ning, don't be angry. My mother is just like this. I will treat you well."

Lin Ning glanced at him coldly. "Your Majesty, please have some self-respect. I have no romantic relationship with Your Majesty. I hope Your Majesty will release me from the palace, and we can part ways from now on."

Little Jade King looked troubled. “Sister Ning, you know this is impossible. Now that you are mine and have been granted the title of Noble Lady, if you leave the palace again, it will probably cause controversy. Just stay in the palace and I will definitely protect you.”

Lin Ning remained silent, simply watching him with a cold gaze that seemed capable of freezing everything. The young Jade King felt uneasy under her gaze, unsure of what to do, and could only stand awkwardly in place.

Outside the palace, Lin Jun and Lin Wan were extremely anxious upon learning that Lin Ning had been granted the title of Noble Lady. They knew Lin Ning's situation in the palace and were certain that she had been forced by Consort De. For Consort De to use such despicable means to get Lin Ning to support Nangong Yu was truly shameless and despicable.

Lin Wan exclaimed, "I really want to blow up that palace!" "Every day I'm forced to think that nothing works, nothing will work. This ancient era is truly garbage. When I finally get the chance to see Nangong Yu, I'll definitely physically castrate him, I swear!" Lin Wan cried out helplessly. She felt incredibly stifled by this time-travel experience, and she didn't know how her sister Lin Ning had endured it all. It was truly depressing. In a dog-eat-dog world, the powerless and vulnerable lived a truly miserable life. Even someone as capable as her sister couldn't escape it, let alone ordinary people. Lin Wan felt deeply saddened.

Meanwhile, Xuanyuan Che and General Zhao Ji walked side by side, behind them were rows of elite troops, their steps firm, their morale high, and their expressions cold. The dust kicked up by their horses' hooves billowed into a thick yellow mist behind them, as if foreshadowing an impending storm.

"General Zhao, this operation concerns the very survival of Dayu." Xuan Yuanche's expression was solemn, his gaze fixed firmly on the direction of the capital.

General Zhao Ji laughed heartily, patted the sword at his waist, and said, “General Xuanyuan, rest assured, now that I, Zhao, have allied with you, I will do my utmost. Consort De and Prince Xiaoyu have wreaked havoc in the court; such behavior is outrageous and deserves our utmost respect. We will bring them to justice and restore peace and prosperity to Dayu.”

The troops marched day and night, never daring to stop for a moment. At each rest stop, the soldiers hurriedly replenished their rations and water before immediately setting off again. Xuan Yuanche knew that the sooner they arrived in the capital, the safer Lin Ning and the others would be, and the better the chances of a turnaround in the situation in Dayu.

Meanwhile, news of Lin Ning's promotion to the rank of Noble Lady spread like wildfire throughout the capital. Some sycophantic palace maids and eunuchs began to feign flattery towards her, attempting to extract favors from her. Lin Ning was disgusted, yet had no choice but to play along, remaining constantly vigilant and waiting for a turning point.

Xiao Yu Wang visited Lin Ning every day, each time trying to please her, but Lin Ning remained cold and indifferent to him. Xiao Yu Wang was filled with helplessness, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Consort De was busy consolidating her power. She thought she had successfully controlled Lin Ning and began plotting to further suppress dissident forces in the court. She was completely unaware that a huge crisis targeting her and Prince Xiaoyu was quietly approaching.

Finally, on a dark and windy night, Xuanyuan Che's troops quietly arrived on the outskirts of the capital. They hid in the dense forest, waiting for the best opportunity to attack.

"General, a scout reports that the guards in the capital are changing shifts tonight, and there's a weak point in the defenses. This is our opportunity." A lieutenant rushed over and reported to Xuan Yuanche.

Xuanyuan Che nodded slightly. He dismounted, drew his sword, its blade gleaming coldly, reflecting his resolute face. "Pass down the order: all soldiers, listen up! Tonight, launch a surprise attack on the capital. We must seize the palace in one fell swoop and overthrow the rule of Consort De and Prince Xiaoyu. Remember, do not harm innocent civilians and minimize unnecessary casualties."

"Yes, sir!" The lieutenant accepted the order and quickly relayed it to every soldier.

With a command, the elite troops advanced towards the capital like phantoms. Under the cover of night, they silently passed through the weakly defended city gates and sped towards the palace. A fierce battle concerning the fate of the Dayu royal family was about to begin. The entire capital seemed to feel the growing tension; the future of Dayu rested on this…

Led by Xuanyuan Che, the elite troops descended like divine warriors, launching a surprise attack on the palace under the cover of night. Their movements were swift and their coordination impeccable; before the palace guards could react, they were already in a state of disarray.

Xuanyuan Che took the lead, brandishing his longsword. In the flash of its cold light, enemies fell one after another. He had only one thought in his mind: to seize power as soon as possible and find Lin Ning.

Meanwhile, Lin Ning sensed something amiss in the palace. Hearing shouts of battle outside, she was overjoyed, guessing that Xuan Yuanche might be coming to her rescue. She feigned composure and waited for her opportunity.

Just then, the door was suddenly kicked open, and a soldier rushed in, kneeling on one knee: "Miss Lin, General Xuanyuan has led his troops into the palace and has ordered me to rescue you!"

Overjoyed, Lin Ning didn't have time to ask any more questions and quickly left the palace with the soldiers. Along the way, flames soared into the sky, and shouts of battle and screams of agony mingled together. Under the protection of the soldiers, Lin Ning dodged left and right, finally reuniting with Xuan Yuanche.

"Miss Lin, I'm so glad you're alright!" Xuan Yuanche's eyes flashed with surprise and concern when he saw Lin Ning.

"General Xuanyuan, thank goodness you arrived in time. Consort De and Nangong Yu will certainly not let this go, we must take action as soon as possible," Lin Ning said.

Xuanyuan Che nodded, about to speak, when a soldier suddenly reported: "General, Consort De and Nangong Yu, under the protection of several personal guards, have escaped through a secret passage!"

"What?" Xuan Yuanche frowned, secretly resentful that the two had escaped. But at this moment, stabilizing the situation was the top priority. He quickly ordered, "Send a team to pursue them along the secret passage, but do not go too deep to avoid an ambush. The rest of you, follow me to control the palace, stabilize the situation, and appease the court officials."

"Yes, sir!" The soldiers obeyed and left.

Lin Ning watched as Xuan Yuanche directed everything in an orderly manner, and felt immense admiration for him.

Xuan Yuanche's expression was solemn: "Rest of all, we must stabilize the situation in Dayu and reassure the people and officials. Now that they have escaped, they will surely try to make a comeback. I will make all necessary preparations."

Afterwards, Xuanyuan Che and Lin Ning busied themselves in the palace. On one hand, they arranged for soldiers to clear the battlefield and strengthen the palace's defenses; on the other hand, they sent messengers to inform the court officials that the purpose of this operation was to eliminate treacherous officials and restore peace to Dayu. Upon learning the news, the officials flocked to the palace to express their support for Xuanyuan Che's actions. Many officials who had previously defected also expressed their support and demonstrated their loyalty.

However, Xuanyuan Che and Lin Ning knew that as long as Consort De and Nangong Yu remained, the crisis facing Dayu would not be over. Who knew what kind of conspiracy they were plotting in the shadows…

And this dramatic change in the royal family of Dayu has entered a new chapter.

After being rescued, Lin Ning returned safely to the Prime Minister's residence under the escort of Xuan Yuanche. Inside, Lin Wan and Lin Jun, who had been extremely anxious, embraced and wept upon seeing Lin Ning return unharmed.

"Sister, you're finally back! We were so worried these past few days!" Lin Wan cried, hugging Lin Ning tightly as if afraid she would disappear again.

Lin Jun's eyes also reddened. "You've suffered a lot these past few days."

Lin Ning comforted the siblings, his heart filled with gratitude for surviving such a close call. "I'm alright now, all thanks to General Xuanyuan who arrived in time."

Afterwards, the situation within the palace changed drastically. The court officials witnessed the perverse actions of Consort De and Nangong Yu, and also saw Xuanyuan Che's ability and responsibility to turn the tide at a critical moment. With the support of the people, Xuanyuan Che was enthroned as Emperor.

At the enthronement ceremony, Xuanyuan Che, clad in a dragon robe, stood majestically on the high platform of the Hall of Supreme Harmony. His gaze swept firmly over the assembled civil and military officials, his heart filled with responsibility and expectation for the future of the Great Yu. "Now that I have received your support, I will certainly live up to your expectations, rectify the court, and restore the Great Yu to its former prosperity!"

The ministers below the stage knelt down and shouted, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

However, Nangong Yu and Consort De, who had escaped the capital, did not give up. Under the cover of martial arts practitioners, they traveled a long and winding road, eventually hiding in a secluded mountain villa.

Consort De sat in the manor lord's study, her face grim, her eyes flashing with resentment. "Xuanyuan Che, how dare you ruin my plans! I will make him pay the price!"

Nangong Yuze was somewhat panicked, "Mother, what should we do now? Xuanyuan Che has already ascended the throne, and we are outnumbered and outmatched..."

Consort De glared at him. "What's the panic! We still have a chance. These江湖 (jianghu) people will work for us if we pay them enough money."

As she spoke, Consort De took out a map from her bosom and spread it on the table. "This is a map of the defense deployment in various parts of Dayu. We can contact those forces that are dissatisfied with Xuanyuan Che, and work together from within and without to reclaim the throne."

Looking at the map, Nangong Yu felt a glimmer of hope. "Mother, you're right, we can't give up now."

In this secluded mountain villa, Consort De and Nangong Yu began their restoration plan. Meanwhile, in the capital, Xuanyuan Che knew that the danger was not truly over and that he must remain vigilant to deal with the impending challenges. The situation in Dayu remained turbulent and unpredictable.