Jade of Another World

Lin Ning knew that the current situation was like a deep pool with turbulent undercurrents, and the slightest carelessness could stir up a huge wave. In order not to alert the enemy, she suppressed her resentment and quietly returned to the palace.

Stepping into the Jade Pavilion, the familiar surroundings offered no reassurance. She knew that under Nangong Jin's surveillance, every move she made could be magnified. "I don't have a complete plan yet; I can't rashly escape," Lin Ning reminded herself. "Otherwise, not only will I be in dire straits, but I'll also implicate those loyal to Xuan Yuanche, those willing to help me, and my own family, all of whom will be persecuted by Nangong Jin."

Thinking about this, Lin Ning felt helpless and frustrated. She paced back and forth in the room, trying to calm herself down, but she couldn't dispel the gloom in her heart. "What should I do?" she murmured to herself, a hint of confusion in her eyes.

Perhaps due to the recent days of travel and intense mental stress, Lin Ning felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her. She sat on the edge of the bed and drifted off to sleep without realizing it.

In her dream, Lin Ning seemed to be in a misty fog, surrounded by a light haze that obscured the path ahead. Suddenly, a familiar figure appeared before her—Xuan Yuanche.

A surge of joy welled up in Lin Ning's heart. She quickly stepped forward, wanting to grasp Xuan Yuanche's hand. "Xuan Yuanche, is it really you?" Her voice trembled slightly.

Xuan Yuanche looked at her, his eyes filled with tenderness and longing. "Ning'er, I miss you so much." His voice seemed to come from a distant place, yet it clearly reached Lin Ning's ears.

Lin Ning looked at Xuan Yuanche, her doubts surging like a tide. "Did you really give your life back to Nangong Jin willingly?" she asked. "Nangong Jin said it was voluntary, but I always feel that things are not that simple."

Xuan Yuanche sighed softly, a trace of pain flashing in his eyes. "Ning'er, I didn't want you to get involved in all of this." He said slowly, "I really didn't give my life to him willingly. Nangong Jin set a trap, and I... I had no choice."

Lin Ning felt a sharp pain in her heart upon hearing this. "Why? Why did he do that?" Her voice carried a hint of resentment.

Xuanyuan Che gently stroked Lin Ning's face and said, "Don't worry about me, as long as you're alright. Ning'er, promise me you'll live well."

Lin Ning nodded, tears blurring her vision. "Believe me, I will definitely find out the truth and make Nangong Jin pay for what he did."

Just then, Lin Ning suddenly woke up from her dream. Looking at the empty room, the emotions from the dream still lingered in her mind. "Perhaps there really is more to this than meets the eye," Lin Ning thought. "I must find out the truth; I can't let Xuan Yuanche's sacrifice be in vain."

She got up and walked to the window, gazing at the night sky outside, a resolute look in her eyes. "Nangong Jin, you wait and see, I won't let you be smug for long," Lin Ning vowed silently in her heart…

The night was quiet and slightly cool. Moonlight shone through the window and fell on Lin Ning. She sat by the window, lost in thought, gazing at the dark night sky. Her heart was filled with longing for Xuan Yuanche and hatred for Nangong Jin, and she could no longer fall asleep.

Just then, heavy footsteps approached from afar, accompanied by faint, disordered steps. Lin Ning's heart tightened, and she looked up to see that it was Nangong Jin. He was unsteady on his feet, and his eyes showed a hint of drunkenness, clearly indicating that he had consumed quite a bit of alcohol.

Lin Ning felt utterly disgusted and didn't want to have any interaction with him. She quickly and quietly returned to bed, pulled the covers over herself, and pretended to be fast asleep, hoping that Nangong Jin would leave.

Hearing the noise, Xiao Cui hurriedly ran out from the outer room. Seeing Nangong Jin, she gave a slight curtsy and said softly, "Your Majesty, our young lady is asleep."

Upon hearing this, Nangong Jin's eyes turned cold, and he said unhappily, "She is my Consort Rong, why do you still call her 'Miss'? Do you not respect me?"

Xiao Cui was startled, her face turning deathly pale instantly. She quickly knelt down and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. It was a slip of the tongue. I had no intention of offending you."

Nangong Jin looked at Xiao Cui kneeling on the ground, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes, indicating that he intended to punish Xiao Cui.

Lying in bed, Lin Ning overheard this conversation and felt extremely anxious. She knew that Nangong Jin was inherently suspicious and cruel; if he were to truly lose his temper, Xiao Cui would surely be severely punished. Left with no other choice, she threw back the covers, got up, and went out to prevent the situation from escalating further.

"Your Majesty," Lin Ning curtsied slightly, forcing a smile, and said, "Xiao Cui has served me for many years and has always been loyal. Perhaps she was just flustered today and misspoke. I hope Your Majesty will forgive her this time for my sake."

Nangong Jin looked at Lin Ning, a hint of smugness flashing in his eyes, and said, "Since the Imperial Concubine has pleaded for you, I will spare you this time. But if there is a next time, I will not let you off lightly."

Xiao Cui quickly kowtowed to express her gratitude: "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty. I will be careful with my words and actions in the future."

Lin Ning breathed a slight sigh of relief and turned to Xiao Cui, saying, "You can go down now. I can take care of His Majesty here."

Xiao Cui glanced at Lin Ning, her eyes filled with gratitude, then curtsied to Nangong Jin before retreating.

Lin Ning looked at Nangong Jin, feeling disgusted, but still maintained a smile on her face, and said, "Your Majesty, why did you drink so much today? Would you like some hangover soup?"

Nangong Jin shook his head, stepped forward, and pulled Lin Ning into his arms, saying, "I'm troubled today, and I just want you to keep me company."

Lin Ning suppressed her discomfort, her body stiffening slightly, but she dared not show the slightest abnormality on her face. She could only pray silently that this unbearable night would pass quickly...

Lin Ning was held tightly in Nangong Jin's arms, listening to his drunken sobs, her heart filled with complex emotions. She hadn't expected Nangong Jin to be so troubled by the marriage alliance with Nanzhao, and she certainly hadn't expected him to confide these feelings to her.

Nangong Jin's voice trembled slightly as he continued, "Since becoming emperor, I've been forced to marry this woman and that woman against my will. But from the very beginning, my heart has only belonged to you, Ning'er. If it weren't for the stability of Dayu, for the sake of this country, why would I have compromised time and time again?"

Lin Ning frowned slightly, trying to break free from Nangong Jin's embrace, but he held her too tightly, and she couldn't move. Nangong Jin's words echoed in her ears, filling her with a strange sense of unease. She had once respected and liked Nangong Jin, but now, listening to his lament, she felt utterly sorry for him. There's always a reason why someone is pitiful.

“It was because of my compromise that I pushed you towards Xuan Yuanche, making you drift further and further away from me.” Nangong Jin’s voice seemed full of regret. “I know I was wrong, but everything is irreversible. But now, I will never let you leave me, and no one can take you away from me.”

Lin Ning sneered inwardly, but said softly on the surface, "Your Majesty, you are drunk. Please rest." She knew that Nangong Jin's words were just drunken ramblings, and she wouldn't take them to heart.

Nangong Jin refused to give up. He raised his head, looked into Lin Ning's eyes, and said earnestly, "Ning'er, believe me, I truly love you. I will take good care of you and will never let you get hurt again."

Lin Ning avoided his gaze and said, "Your Majesty, matters of state are of utmost importance. The marriage alliance with Nanzhao requires careful consideration and should not be acted upon impulsively." She tried to change the subject, not wanting to hear Nangong Jin's sweet talk any longer.

Nangong Jin stubbornly replied, "I don't care about state affairs; I only care about you. If you don't like me, I will absolutely not marry any woman from Nanzhao."

Lin Ning felt helpless. She knew that Nangong Jin was currently drunk, and there was no point in talking to him. She could only patiently coax him, hoping that he would calm down as soon as possible and leave.

"Alright, alright, Your Majesty, I believe you. You are the supreme ruler, the emperor of Dayu. You can marry whomever you want, and no one can force you if you don't want to. Let me go first, I'll go pour you a cup of tea to sober you up," Lin Ning said softly.

Nangong Jin then released his grip, and Lin Ning took the opportunity to quickly walk to the side, pour a cup of tea, and place it in front of Nangong Jin. Nangong Jin took the tea, drank it all in one gulp, then leaned back in his chair and slowly closed his eyes.

Lin Ning looked at Nangong Jin, secretly relieved. She knew that she had to remain vigilant and find an opportunity to break free from Nangong Jin's control as soon as possible...