Jade of Another World

That day, Lin Ning was organizing the information she had collected about the jade pendant in her residence as usual when suddenly a carrier pigeon fluttered its wings and flew into the room. Lin Ning's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly got up, recognizing it as the carrier pigeon that Xiao Cui used to deliver messages.

She quickly took the letter from the carrier pigeon's leg, unfolded it, and her expression instantly turned serious. The letter from Xiao Cui read: "Miss, Nangong Jin discovered your escape on the day of your wedding and immediately arranged for many people to search for you. He seems to have discovered that you went to Nanzhao. According to Uncle Zhong's investigation in the palace, His Majesty has already left the palace and is very likely heading to Nanzhao to capture you. You must be careful and hide."

After reading the letter, Lin Ning felt a sense of foreboding. She never expected that Nangong Jin would discover her whereabouts so quickly and even personally come after her.

"Yizhu!" Lin Ning immediately summoned Yizhu and told him the contents of the letter. Upon hearing it, Yizhu frowned, a hint of vigilance flashing in his eyes: "I didn't expect Nangong Jin to act so quickly. Miss Lin, we must find a way to deal with this as soon as possible. He must have brought a lot of men with him this time. We can't just sit and wait to die."

Lin Ning nodded slightly, and after a moment of contemplation, said, "We cannot easily reveal our whereabouts now. We have finally made some progress on the jade pendant, and we cannot give up now. But at the same time, we must also be careful to avoid Nangong Jin's pursuit."

Yi Zhu thought for a moment and said, "We can move our residence to a more secluded place first. Then we can continue to gather information about the jade pendant to speed up the investigation. In addition, we also need to keep an eye on Nangong Jin's movements to see how many people he has with him and what his plans are."

Lin Ning agreed, saying, "Okay, let's do it that way. Let's pack our things and move to a new place right away."

The two acted quickly, organizing the important documents and belongings before leaving their original residence. They found a more remote and secluded place in the city of Nanzhao to settle down.

After settling in, Lin Ning and Yi Zhu began to revise their plan. Lin Ning used her connections in Nanzhao to have some reliable people help keep an eye on Nangong Jin's whereabouts; while Yi Zhu personally inquired about information in the city, looking for more clues about the jade pendant.

Throughout this process, Lin Ning was filled with tension and worry. She knew Nangong Jin's methods and understood the danger she faced. But she did not back down; instead, she became even more determined to find the jade pendant and return to her own world.

"Nangong Jin, do you think you can catch me so easily? I won't let you succeed. I will not only find the jade pendant, but I will also make you pay for Xuan Yuanche's death." Lin Ning secretly vowed in her heart, her eyes revealing an indomitable fighting spirit...

After days of painstaking investigation, Lin Ning and Yi Zhu finally located the jade pendant – it was in the hands of the Crown Prince of Nanzhao. This news excited and made them nervous. They were excited because they were one step closer to their goal, but nervous because the Crown Prince was of noble status and getting the jade pendant from him would not be easy.

However, the situation was urgent, and Nangong Jin could catch up at any moment; they no longer had much time to plan slowly. It seemed that the moment had indeed come when they had no choice but to launch a direct attack.

After careful consideration, Lin Ning and Yi Zhu devised a scheme. They learned that the Crown Prince had a particular fondness for a rare and exquisite painting, one that was extremely rare throughout the entire Nanzhao Kingdom. Therefore, they managed to obtain information about the painting and deliberately leaked it to those close to the Crown Prince, ensuring the news reached his ears.

As they expected, the Crown Prince indeed developed a strong interest in the painting upon hearing about it. Lin Ning and Yi Zhu seized the opportunity to spread the word that there was a bet related to the painting. The Crown Prince, confident in his gambling skills and determined to acquire the painting, readily agreed.

On the day of the bet, the atmosphere was tense and fierce. Lin Ning and Yi Zhu appeared calm on the surface, but dared not relax for a moment. They cleverly used strategy to engage in a thrilling contest with the First Prince. In the end, relying on their wisdom and luck, they won the bet, and as agreed, the First Prince was to hand over the jade pendant to them. Although the First Prince was somewhat unwilling, as a member of the royal family, he could not go back on his word. With a gloomy face, he signaled his men to prepare the jade pendant and said, "Since I have lost, I am naturally willing to accept defeat. You will come with me back to the palace to retrieve the pendant."

Lin Ning and Yi Zhu exchanged a glance, a hint of wariness flashing in their eyes. They knew that going to the Prince's mansion to retrieve the jade pendant might be risky, but this was their only chance to obtain it, and they couldn't afford to miss it no matter what.

"Thank you, Your Highness." Lin Ning gave a slight curtsy, a polite smile on his face, while secretly considering how to respond.

Afterwards, they followed the First Prince's entourage to the Prince's residence. Along the way, Lin Ning and Yi Zhu carefully observed their surroundings and the First Prince's every move, remaining vigilant against any potential dangers.

Upon arriving at the Prince's residence, the First Prince led them to a secret room. The room was dimly lit and the atmosphere eerie. The First Prince's men brought out a jade pendant and placed it on the table.

Lin Ning's gaze was immediately drawn to the jade pendant on the table. Its warm luster and unique shape were exactly as Ouyang Qingchuan had described. Suppressing her excitement, she reached out to take the jade pendant.

Just then, the First Prince suddenly sneered, "Do you think it's so easy to get this jade pendant?" With that, he waved his hand, and the door to the secret chamber slammed shut. Many guards surged out and surrounded Lin Ning and Yi Zhu…

Lin Ning was startled as guards suddenly appeared and surrounded her and Yi Zhu. Though she was shocked, she remained calm. She realized that she and Yi Zhu had fallen into the trap set by the First Prince, Wanyan Gang.

Lin Ning slightly raised his head, looked directly into Wanyan Gang's eyes without the slightest fear, and said coldly, "Wanyan Gang, I never expected the prince of Nanzhao to be so fickle and untrustworthy. Since you have already set this trap, you may kill me or torture me as you please."

Wanyan Gang looked at Lin Ning with a smug smile on his face. He slowly walked up to Lin Ning and said, "Hmph, do you think I, the prince, would kill you so easily? I am determined to have that painting in your hand. And this jade pendant is also my prized possession. How could I easily give it to you?"

Lin Ning gritted her teeth inwardly, never expecting Wanyan Gang to be so greedy, not only wanting the painting but also wanting to possess the jade pendant. But she knew she couldn't panic at this moment; she had to find a way to deal with it.

“If you want that painting, I can give it to you. But this jade pendant is very important to me, and I absolutely cannot give it to you,” Lin Ning said, trying to stall for time and find a chance to escape.

Upon hearing this, Wanyan Gang's face darkened, and he coldly snorted, "Do you think you have any room for bargaining? Today, this painting and the jade pendant are mine for the taking. As for you, if you know what's good for you and obediently hand them over, I might spare your lives. Otherwise..."

Lin Ning glanced at Yi Zhu beside her, who nodded slightly, signaling her not to act rashly. They knew that a direct confrontation at this moment would not yield much of a chance of victory; they had to find another way.

“Okay, I can give you the painting first. But you have to promise me you’ll let us leave,” Lin Ning said, trying to use the painting to buy their freedom.

Wanyan hesitated for a moment. He had indeed coveted that painting for a long time, but finally nodded: "Alright, this prince agrees. As long as you hand it all over, this prince will let you go."

Lin Ning took the painting from her bosom and slowly walked towards Wanyan Gang. Just as she was about to hand it to him, she suddenly struck and flung the painting at Wanyan Gang's face. Wanyan Gang instinctively tried to block it with his hand, and Lin Ning took the opportunity to turn around and wink at Yizhu.

Yi Zhu immediately understood, drew his sword, and charged towards the surrounding guards alongside Lin Ning. A fierce battle unfolded in the secret chamber, with Lin Ning and Yi Zhu working in perfect harmony, attempting to fight their way out...

Yi Zhu displayed his exceptional martial arts skills to the fullest in this cramped chamber. His agile movements were like a black lightning bolt, and his close-quarters attacks were ruthless, leaving the guards utterly defenseless. Lin Ning was not to be outdone. Although she didn't possess Yi Zhu's refined skills, under his cover, she could nimbly dodge attacks and occasionally use her silver needles to apply pressure point techniques.

The two worked in perfect harmony, like a pair of valiant warriors, carving a bloody path through the ranks of guards. As time passed, the guards gradually succumbed and collapsed to the ground. Soon, only the eldest prince, Wanyan Gang, and a few remaining soldiers remained in the secret chamber.

Yi Zhu rushed to the Crown Prince Wanyan Gang in one stride, placing the knife in his hand against his neck. The cold blade pressed against Wanyan Gang's skin, causing him to shiver involuntarily.

"Open the door to the secret room and let us out," Yi Zhu said coldly, his eyes revealing an undeniable authority.

Wanyan Gang was pale and his forehead was covered in cold sweat. He knew that his life was in the hands of the two men in front of him and dared not resist in the slightest. He said in a trembling voice, "Okay... okay, I'll open the door now."

As he spoke, Wanyan Gang gestured for his men to open the door to the secret chamber. The door slowly opened, and Lin Ning and Yizhu cautiously looked around before retreating towards the doorway.

Lin Ning walked to the door, stopped, looked at Wanyan Gang, and said, "The painting is yours. The jade pendant is what we won. Now we are even. I hope you will stop pursuing us and not force us to kill you."

After saying this, Lin Ning and Yi Zhu turned and quickly left the secret chamber. Wanyan Gang watched their departing figures, feeling both angry and resentful, but he dared not chase after them. He knew that these two were not to be trifled with, and if he pursued them, he might really lose his life.

After leaving the Prince's mansion, Lin Ning and Yi Zhu didn't dare linger for a moment. They quickly headed towards their pre-arranged hiding place. Along the way, they cautiously observed their surroundings, fearing that Wanyan Gang would send people to pursue them.

Finally, they returned safely to their hiding place. Lin Ning took out the jade pendant, looking at the warm, smooth treasure in his hand, his heart filled with joy. "We finally got the jade pendant," Lin Ning said, a relieved smile on his face.

Yi Zhu nodded slightly and said, "Yes, but we can't let our guard down yet. Nangong Jin is still looking for us, and we must find a way to return to Dayu as soon as possible."

Lin Ning nodded in agreement; she knew that the road ahead was still full of challenges…