Jade of Another World

On the day of the ancestral worship ceremony at the imperial mausoleum, the scene was grand and solemn, yet countless variables were lurking beneath the surface. Lin Ning, dressed in the magnificent attire of a noble consort, was filled with both nervousness and anticipation. She constantly observed her surroundings, searching for an opportunity to connect with the outside world.

Finally, through a gap in the crowd, Lin Ning spotted Ouyang Qingchuan. Taking advantage of Xiao Cui's distraction, she subtly approached Ouyang Qingchuan and whispered urgently, "Master Ouyang, please help Xiao Cui and me escape this predicament! His Majesty is no longer willing to listen to advice. Please save us!"

Ouyang Qingchuan was slightly taken aback, a hint of shock flashing in his eyes, but he quickly calmed down, nodded slightly, and replied in a low voice: "I will find a way, and I will signal to you when I find an opportunity."

Just then, a commotion broke out, and a group of thugs appeared like ghosts, their swords flashing coldly. Everyone panicked. The originally orderly ancestral worship ceremony instantly turned into chaos, with shouts and the clash of weapons rising and falling.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Ouyang Qingchuan winked at Lin Ning and Xiao Cui. Lin Ning understood, took Xiao Cui's hand, and followed closely behind Ouyang Qingchuan. They weaved through the crowd, skillfully avoiding the attacks of the villains and the pursuit of the guards.

Finally, the three managed to escape the imperial tomb and fled, eventually hiding in a secluded cave. The cave was dark and damp, but it gave them a chance to catch their breath.

"Thank you so much, Master Ouyang, for saving my life," Lin Ning said breathlessly, his eyes filled with gratitude.

Ouyang Qingchuan waved his hand and said seriously, "No need for thanks. The situation is urgent. The assassination attempt was suspicious and was likely carried out intentionally to disrupt the situation. Now that you have escaped the palace, you will definitely be hunted down by Xuan Yuanche. We must come up with a foolproof plan as soon as possible."

Xiao Cui asked anxiously, "What should we do? If that tyrant catches us, we're doomed!"

Lin Ning frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said, "We need to hide here first. Master Ouyang, you are now implicated by us. You need to go back as soon as possible so that we can use this to deceive everyone."

After pondering for a long time, Ouyang Qingchuan slowly said, "What you say is absolutely right. I will go back and check the situation in the palace before trying to find a safe place for you two to hide. The environment of this cave is really not suitable for long-term living."

Lin Ning gritted her teeth and said firmly, "Thank you, Mr. Ouyang! I have no way to repay your life-saving grace. If there is anything I need in the future, I will do my utmost to help you."

Xiao Cui nodded vigorously beside her, her eyes filled with determination...

Ouyang Qingchuan cautiously returned to the capital. As soon as he stepped into the city, he sensed the tense and murderous atmosphere in the air. Lin Ning's portrait was posted everywhere, and the guards were on high alert, checking passersby everywhere. The atmosphere was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

Ouyang Qingchuan knew that Xuan Yuanche must have been furious because of Lin Ning's escape. He tried to find out the information and soon learned of Xuan Yuanche's chilling actions—because the appearance of the assassins allowed Lin Ning to escape, Xuan Yuanche, unable to find Lin Ning, had all the captured assassins torn to pieces in a fit of rage, a cruelty that sent chills down one's spine.

Upon hearing this news, Ouyang Qingchuan's heart trembled, and his face instantly turned deathly pale. The words Lin Ning had once spoken to him flashed through his mind, describing Xuan Yuanche's current erratic and tyrannical behavior—all of which were now being confirmed.

"Just as Miss Lin said, His Majesty is no longer the benevolent and compassionate ruler who cared for the world. His current actions are extremely violent, almost perverse." Ouyang Qingchuan pondered to himself, his brows furrowing tightly.

He knew that things had reached a point of no return. If Xuan Yuanche wasn't brought back to normal as soon as possible, Dayu would inevitably fall into a deeper crisis. Meanwhile, Lin Ning and Xiao Cui were still hiding outside, evading capture, and in a very dangerous situation.

Ouyang Qingchuan secretly vowed to do everything in his power to help Lin Ning and the others.

Meanwhile, Lin Ning and Xiao Cui weren't idle in the cave either. They carefully analyzed the current situation and discussed their next move. Lin Ning knew that Ouyang Qingchuan would face great danger after returning to the capital, but she also believed that he would not let them down.

“Xiao Cui, we can’t just sit here and wait to die. Master Ouyang has gone back to gather information, and we need to find a way to collect some clues. Let’s see if we can escape from Dayu.” Lin Ning frowned, her eyes filled with determination. Perhaps they could escape to Yue Kingdom, after all, her mother’s clan was there. Xiao Cui tilted her head, thought for a moment, and then said, “Miss, I remember there’s a village nearby. Maybe they know something about what happened today. Should we go there and ask around?”

Lin Ning's eyes lit up, and she nodded: "Great idea! Let's be careful and disguise ourselves before going to the village. We must not expose our identities."

So, Lin Ning and Xiao Cui quickly tidied themselves up, changed into coarse cloth clothes they found nearby, put on straw hats, and cautiously headed towards the village...

After Xuanyuan Che's extensive search for Lin Ning in and around the capital yielded no results, his patience was completely exhausted. The anger in his heart burned like a raging fire, almost consuming him. He paced back and forth in the palace, his brows furrowed, his eyes filled with madness and ruthlessness.

"Where has Lin Ning gone?" Xuan Yuanche muttered through gritted teeth. "Hmph, she must have gone to Nanzhao to find that bitch Lin Wan!"

Xuan Yuanche had long known through his spies that Lin Wan had gone to Nanzhao and was secretly investigating him. Previously, with Lin Ning by his side, he hadn't been in a hurry to act against Lin Wan. But now that Lin Ning was missing, his suspicions and anger were fully ignited.

"Fine, since you two both want to oppose me, then I'll go and meet you myself!" Xuan Yuanche said viciously, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately issued an edict summoning his personal guards. These guards were all his trusted confidants, highly skilled in martial arts, and utterly loyal to him. Before long, the guards were neatly lined up in front of the palace, awaiting Xuan Yuanche's orders.

"Prepare the horses! Follow me out of the city tonight and head to Nanzhao!" Xuanyuan Che gave a loud order, his voice filled with unquestionable authority.

The guards sprang into action, preparing the horses and necessary supplies. Soon, an elite force set off into the night. The sound of hooves echoed in the silent night, like the dull beat of a drum, pounding against everyone's heart.

Mounted on his horse, Xuanyuan Che was filled with hatred and desire. He longed to capture Lin Ning and Lin Wan and make them pay for their "betrayal." At the same time, he also worried that Lin Wan had uncovered something detrimental to him in Nanzhao, and he had to nip it in the bud as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Lin Ning and Xiao Cui were still searching for an escape route. They inquired everywhere in the village, but still couldn't find any useful clues. Lin Ning was getting anxious.

"Miss, what should we do next?" Xiao Cui looked at Lin Ning, a hint of worry in her eyes.

Lin Ning frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Let's go check out a few more villages nearby; we might find something. Also, we need to be careful of Xuan Yuanche. If he can't find us, he might issue a warrant for our arrest."

Xiao Cui nodded and said, "Okay, Miss, I'll listen to you."