Jade of Another World

When Xuanyuan Che slowly awoke, his eyes regained some clarity, but his face still bore the majesty and unquestionable authority of an emperor. He looked at Lin Ning as if the bewitched, crazed state he had displayed the previous night had never existed.

"Lin Ning, since I have already spent the night in your Jade Pavilion yesterday, in order to give you an explanation, I will issue an edict to bestow upon you the title of Consort Rong. This is an honor bestowed upon you by me, and I hope you will not be ungrateful." Xuan Yuanche's voice was steady and powerful, carrying the domineering presence of a superior.

Lin Ning's heart tightened, her eyes filled with determination. She looked directly into Xuan Yuan Che's eyes without fear and said, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your kindness, but my ambition lies elsewhere. I cannot accept the position of Consort Rong. I hope Your Majesty will rescind your decree."

Xuanyuan Che's face instantly darkened, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes: "My words are law, how can you refuse? Don't be ungrateful. You have no choice. Now, I call the shots in this Great Yu world. If you obediently listen to me, you will enjoy endless wealth and glory in the future; if you insist on resisting, hmph, don't blame me for being ruthless."

A surge of anger and helplessness welled up in Lin Ning's heart. She didn't know how much influence Nangong Jin's consciousness had had on Xuan Yuanche, but his current domineering and tyrannical style meant that if she resisted, it would only bring more trouble to herself and her family. However, she was unwilling to submit and become a prisoner in this deep palace.

"Your Majesty, I am not one to crave wealth and glory, nor do I wish to be involved in this court intrigue. I only hope that Your Majesty can restore your former wisdom and become a true enlightened ruler of Dayu, bringing peace and prosperity back to Dayu. As for the position of Consort Rong, I truly cannot accept it." Lin Ning tried her best to keep her tone calm, attempting to persuade Xuan Yuanche.

Xuanyuan Che snorted coldly, turned his back to Lin Ning, and said, "I don't care what you think, once the decree is issued, it cannot be changed. From today onwards, you will stay in this Jade Pavilion and wait to be made a concubine. If you dare to do anything disrespectful, I will not let you off lightly."

With that, Xuan Yuanche strode out of the Jade Pavilion, leaving Lin Ning alone in the room, her heart filled with sorrow. Watching Xuan Yuanche's departing figure, she secretly vowed to find a way to escape this predicament and, at the same time, to find a solution as soon as possible to restore Xuan Yuanche to normal.

Meanwhile, Lin Wan was still hiding and running around, hoping to find the High Priest as soon as possible and resolve her current predicament. She was unaware that Lin Ning was facing such a difficult choice in the palace. Lin Ning could only hope that Lin Wan would succeed soon; otherwise, she truly didn't know how much longer she could hold on…

With the issuance of the imperial decree conferring the title of imperial concubine, the Jade Pavilion instantly became bustling with activity. A group of eunuchs and palace maids filed in, carrying all sorts of gold, silver, jewels, and silks, transforming the originally elegant Jade Pavilion into a place of unparalleled luxury. The dazzling jewels shone brightly, and the magnificent silks piled up like mountains, but in Lin Ning's eyes, all of this felt like heavy shackles, suffocating her.

Looking at the room full of gifts, Lin Ning's frustration grew stronger. She knew that behind this apparent favor lay Xuan Yuanche's (actually, Nangong Jin's consciousness) coercion and control over her. She paced back and forth in the room, constantly pondering a solution.

"Lin Wan is probably hiding in the shadows to avoid being investigated, and I can't implicate him. But I'm trapped in this Jade Pavilion now, so who can I turn to for help?" Lin Ning pondered to herself, a hint of anxiety and helplessness in her eyes.

Her first thought was Master Ouyang, since he worked at the Imperial Observatory and might know some clues about Xuan Yuanche's strange behavior, or perhaps even have a way to resolve their current predicament. However, since Xuan Yuanche had already issued the decree to make her a concubine, he would inevitably be wary of her, making it no easy task to contact Master Ouyang.

Lin Ning thought of some old acquaintances in the palace, but she had always been kind to everyone there and hadn't formed any deep friendships with anyone. She wasn't sure if she could get help at this crucial moment. Moreover, she wasn't sure if these people would be afraid of Xuan Yuanche's power and dare not approach her.

There are also some friends from the martial arts world outside the palace. They may be brave and resourceful, but getting them to pass on the message and then find a way to enter the palace to rescue him is no easy task. Moreover, given Xuan Yuanche's erratic behavior these days, the palace guards must be very strict. If they are not careful, not only will they be unable to escape, but they will also endanger their friends.

Lin Ning's head throbbed with increasing pain. She walked to the window, gazing at the palace walls outside, her heart filled with confusion. These high walls seemed to isolate her from everything outside, leaving her in a hopeless and helpless situation. But she knew she couldn't just sit and wait to die; she had to quickly find a way to break free from this seemingly magnificent yet cruel cage and find the key to restoring Xuan Yuanche to normalcy and regaining her freedom.

Lin Ning suddenly thought of Princess Nangong Ruoli. She found the palace maid who was monitoring her and said she wanted to see Princess Ruoli. The palace maid reported to the Emperor, who agreed and sent word to let Ruoli into the palace.

Lin Ning knew that everything she did was now under Xuan Yuanche's control. She wanted to use Princess Ruoli to see if she could find a glimmer of hope. Although Princess Ruoli was Xuan Yuanche's sister, and her coming was undoubtedly to advise her, she herself had other plans.

Lin Ning waited anxiously for Princess Ruoli's arrival in the Jade Pavilion, her mind racing as she considered her next steps. She knew that every step had to be taken with extreme caution.

The moment Princess Ruoli stepped into the Jade Pavilion, Lin Ning mustered his spirits and went to greet her. Princess Ruoli was dressed in a magnificent palace gown, her face beautiful, but her eyes revealed a hint of helplessness and worry. Ruoli and Lin Ning had been friends for many years, and seeing Lin Ning so haggard, how could she not understand her feelings? But how could a king care about a woman's thoughts? He would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. Now that she had come, she could only offer words of comfort. His Majesty's temperament was eccentric these days, and who would dare to cross him?

"Sister Lin, His Majesty is truly devoted to you. He has now bestowed upon you the title of Consort, an honor that countless women dream of. Why struggle so much? Stop making a fuss and settle down to be a favored consort. Your future will be smooth and worry-free." Princess Ruoli advised softly, her tone full of sincerity.

Lin Ning smiled wryly, knowing that Princess Ruoli's words were all at Xuan Yuanche's behest, but she still decided to proceed according to plan. "Princess, it's not that I'm unaware of His Majesty's favor, but I truly do not wish to be confined to this deep palace. My feelings for His Majesty cannot be measured by this rank of concubine."

Princess Ruoli frowned slightly, seemingly puzzled by Lin Ning's words. "Sister Lin, don't be foolish. In this palace, countless people are desperate to climb up and get in. Now that you have such an opportunity, you should cherish it."

Lin Ning took a deep breath and continued, "Princess, I know you mean well. But I have some concerns. You are also aware of His Majesty's recent changes. I want to help him, but I am trapped here and truly powerless to do so."

A hint of doubt flashed in Princess Ruoli's eyes. She leaned forward slightly and asked, "What do you mean by that? Has my brother changed?"

Seeing that Princess Ruoli seemed interested, Lin Ning was overjoyed and quickly said, "Princess, His Majesty is currently suffering from the soul-summoning magic of the High Priest of Nanzhao, and his behavior is quite strange. This is a huge hidden danger to the country and the people of Dayu. I know some of the inside story and am trying to find a way to help His Majesty return to normal. However, although His Majesty has officially made me a concubine, I am actually trapped in this Jade Pavilion and cannot do anything."

Princess Ruoli's expression changed slightly upon hearing this; she was clearly shocked by Lin Ning's words. "Are you telling the truth? This is no small matter."

Lin Ning nodded firmly and said, "Princess, everything I have said is true, without a single lie. I hope you can believe me and help me. As long as His Majesty can be restored to normal, I am willing to become a concubine."

Princess Ruoli fell into deep thought. She knew that if Lin Ning's words were true, the seriousness of the matter far exceeded her imagination. But she dared not believe it easily, after all, it concerned His Majesty.

“Sister Lin, I need to consider this matter carefully. If what you say is true, I will naturally not stand idly by. But until I confirm it, you should stay put and not do anything foolish.” Princess Ruoli finally spoke.

Lin Ning was somewhat disappointed, but she knew she couldn't rush things. "Thank you, Princess. I will await your news. I just hope you can do it as soon as possible, otherwise His Majesty and the future of Dayu will be in crisis."

Princess Ruoli nodded and rose to leave. Lin Ning watched her departing figure, silently praying that Princess Ruoli could lend her a hand and help her break free from this predicament…