Jade of Another World

Lin Ning waited anxiously for the young eunuch's return in the Jade Pavilion, her unease growing stronger with each passing moment. When the young eunuch finally returned, panting, and told her that he hadn't seen Master Ouyang and could only deliver the letter to his disciple, Lin Ning's heart sank.

"Are you sure you didn't see Master Ouyang in person? Did the letter really end up in his assistant's hands?" Lin Ning frowned, staring intently at the young eunuch, her eyes filled with worry and urgency.

The young eunuch trembled with fear and hurriedly said, "Miss Lin, this servant indeed did not see Master Ouyang. The assistant said that the Master has been busy with affairs recently and has been in seclusion for research, and has not seen anyone. This servant had no choice but to hand the letter to him and beg him to pass it on to the Master."

Lin Ning sighed softly. Although she was somewhat dissatisfied, she knew she couldn't blame the young eunuch. She waved her hand gently and said, "Alright, you may leave."

The young eunuch, relieved as if granted a pardon, hurriedly withdrew. Lin Ning paced back and forth in the room, lost in thought. She worried whether her assistant could deliver the letter to Master Ouyang in time, and even more so whether there had been any problems with the jade pendant's research. After all, the jade pendant was far too important to her; it was her only hope of returning home.

After much deliberation, Lin Ning decided to go to the Imperial Observatory herself. She knew there was a risk involved; if Nangong Jin found out, it would surely arouse suspicion and questioning. But at this moment, she couldn't worry about that. She mentally devised a plan: if the Emperor questioned her, she would use the excuse of praying for His Majesty's health, since Nangong Jin was currently unwell, and this reason would be plausible. Lin Ning quickly changed into simple clothes, dressing as if she were going to pray. She called her personal maid and instructed her, "I'm going to the Imperial Observatory to pray for His Majesty. You stay here. If anyone asks, say I went to the Buddhist hall. Remember, do not reveal my true whereabouts."

The palace maid nodded quickly and said, "This servant will remember, Your Highness, please rest assured."

Lin Ning nodded slightly, turned, and walked out of the Jade Pavilion. She proceeded cautiously, trying to avoid being seen by others, heading towards the Imperial Observatory. She was both nervous and expectant, hoping to see Celestial Master Ouyang soon and learn about the progress of the jade pendant research…

Lin Ning prayed silently that nothing unexpected would happen. However, fate seemed to love playing tricks on people; just as she was hurrying on her way, she ran into Wanyan Qing.

She had a bad feeling and instinctively wanted to pretend she hadn't seen her, so she quickly walked over. But Wanyan Qing had sharp eyes and spotted her at a glance. Her face immediately showed a disdainful expression, and she quickly ran towards Lin Ning.

"Oh, isn't this Miss Lin? What, you want to pretend you didn't see me?" Wanyan Qing said sarcastically, her face full of provocation.

Lin Ning suppressed her anger, stopped, and said coldly, "Princess, I have matters to attend to today and cannot entangle myself with you any longer. Please step aside."

Wanyan Qing, however, persisted, saying, "Hmph, you still have the nerve to say you have something to do? Look at the state you've ruined His Majesty! How can you still have the face to stay in this palace? If it weren't for His Majesty's sake, I would have kicked you out long ago!"

As Lin Ning listened to Wanyan Qing's endless rant about her faults, her anger burned like a blazing fire. She could no longer contain herself; a cold glint flashed in her eyes as she said, "Wanyan Qing, don't go too far! You're trying to kick me out, who do you think you are!"

Seeing that Lin Ning dared to contradict her, Wanyan Qing became even angrier and raised her voice, saying, "You still dare to talk back? You're nothing but a vixen, what skills do you have? If His Majesty didn't favor you, I would have killed you a hundred times over."

Lin Ning sneered and said, "Since the princess is so eager to kill me, then I'll give you the chance." With that, she quickly took out a silver needle from her bosom and, taking advantage of Wanyan Qing's unpreparedness, swiftly inserted it into an acupoint on her body.

Wanyan Qing felt a numbness in her body and tried to move but found she couldn't move at all. A look of horror immediately appeared on her face: "You... what did you do to me?"

Seeing Wanyan Qing's panicked state, Lin Ning sneered, "Don't worry, this acupoint doesn't pose much risk. It will just make you stay here for an hour. Reflect on your actions here."

After saying this, Lin Ning turned and left, leaving Wanyan Qing motionless and her anxiously pacing maid. The maid looked at Wanyan Qing and said anxiously, "Princess, what should we do?"

Wanyan Qing was furious, her face flushed red, but she was helpless. She could only watch Lin Ning's departing figure, secretly vowing to find a chance to take revenge on him...

Filled with doubt, Lin Ning arrived at the Imperial Observatory and searched everywhere, but found no trace of Celestial Master Ouyang, only his disciple beside him. Lin Ning hurriedly stepped forward and anxiously inquired about the Celestial Master's condition, but the assistant only calmly replied that his master was in seclusion for cultivation, his words revealing a hint of perfunctoriness. This statement deepened Lin Ning's suspicions; she felt that Celestial Master Ouyang's so-called "seclusion for cultivation" might have other hidden reasons.

The moment Lin Ning's eyes met her young apprentice's, the fleeting evasiveness and unease in his eyes did not escape her notice. This subtle change in expression, like a ripple on a calm lake, convinced Lin Ning that Master Ouyang's situation was far more complex than simply "secluded cultivation." However, being in the Imperial Observatory, surrounded by numerous eyes and ears, the slightest misstep could trigger a chain reaction, jeopardizing the entire plan. She suppressed her inner doubts and unease, maintaining a calm expression, but inwardly she was wary. She must not act impulsively and alert the enemy; she must plan carefully and find another way to uncover the hidden truth.

Lin Ning hurriedly left the Imperial Observatory, her mind in turmoil the entire way. She knew that Celestial Master Ouyang was crucial to unlocking the Jade Pendant, and this inexplicable "seclusion" was too suspicious. Upon returning to the Jade Pavilion, she dared not delay for a moment, quickly spreading out paper, dipping her brush in ink, and writing a letter to Yizhu.

“Yizhu, I went to the Imperial Observatory today, but there was no trace of Master Ouyang. His assistant only said that he was in seclusion for cultivation, but I noticed that his assistant’s eyes were shifty. I suspect that Master Ouyang has encountered some misfortune. I urge you to find out as soon as possible, and be extremely careful not to reveal your whereabouts. This matter is of great importance, so please proceed with extreme caution.”

After finishing writing, Lin Ning carefully blew on the ink to dry the letter, folded it meticulously, placed it in an envelope, and sealed it tightly with sealing wax. She summoned her most trusted personal maid and solemnly instructed her, "You must personally deliver this letter to Xiao Song. There must be no mistakes. Be vigilant on the way; if anything unusual happens, turn back immediately, understand?" The maid nodded vigorously, took the letter, and hurried away. Lin Ning watched the maid's departing figure, filled with worry, hoping only that Yi Zhu could successfully uncover the truth and get things back on track.

Lin Ning pondered in the Jade Pavilion, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the celadon teacup on the table. Dusk deepened outside the window, and the copper bells on the eaves jingled softly in the evening breeze, but they could not conceal the turbulent waves surging in her heart.

"Clang—"

The carved wooden door was flung open, and a bamboo pole carrying the chill of the night dew rushed into the room. His usually composed face was now clouded with gloom, and the tassel of the sword at his waist trembled slightly with his rapid breathing. Lin Ning abruptly stood up, the teacup striking the table with a crisp crack.

“Ouyang Qingchuan has disappeared.” Yi Zhu lowered his voice, his knuckles white from clenching his fists. “I found his apprentice in the back alley of the Imperial Observatory, and the apprentice has confessed.”

Lin Ning's pupils contracted sharply, and the image of Wanyan Qing's sarcastic mockery in the Imperial Garden that day flashed through her mind. She forced back the trembling of her fingertips and retrieved half a bronze tiger tally from a hidden compartment in her dressing case: "This was found in a hidden compartment in Ouyang's study." The tiger tally still bore traces of undried cinnabar, the very pattern of Nangong Jin's private army's command.

Their eyes met, and the air seemed to freeze. Suddenly, the mournful cry of an owl pierced the night outside the window, startling the crows on the eaves into a fluttering flight across the sky. Lin Ning suddenly recalled the look in Ouyang's eyes when he looked at Yu Jue during their last meeting before his disappearance—it was clearly the greedy look of a hungry wolf eyeing its prey.

"The jade pendant is in his hands!" Lin Ning suddenly gripped the tiger tally tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms. "Nangong Jin must know the secret of time and space, and he wants to get it before us..." Before she could finish speaking, the sound of tiles shattering came from outside the window. Yi Zhu spun around and swung her sword; a flash of cold light, and half a blood-stained piece of paper fell to the dust.

Lin Ning picked it up with trembling hands. The familiar, slender, golden calligraphy stung her eyes: "Lin Ning, by the time you read these words, I will have already inscribed the star trail of the Great Yu into the core of the jade pendant. If you wish to return home, come see me with your true heart."

The paper turned to ashes in the candlelight. Lin Ning watched the leaping flames and suddenly chuckled. A sudden downpour came from outside the window, and thunder roared in the sky, as if foreshadowing the start of a deeper game.