Jade of Another World

The next day, sunlight streamed through the window onto Lin Ning's face. After washing up, she sat in her room lost in thought when a maidservant came in to announce that the Crown Princess had sent an invitation to dinner at Zui Xiang Lou, saying she had important matters to discuss. Lin Ning was filled with doubt upon reading it. She quickly tidied herself up and headed towards Zui Xiang Lou.

Filled with doubt, Lin Ning hurriedly arrived at Zuixiang Tower and, led by a maid, headed straight for a private room. Pushing open the door, she saw the Crown Princess sitting there, her expression revealing a hint of anxiety and unease.

Upon seeing Lin Ning arrive, the Crown Princess hurriedly rose to greet her, taking Lin Ning's hand and saying, "You've finally arrived! I was so worried!" She then turned and gestured for the maids and servants around her to leave. Once only the two of them remained in the private room, the Crown Princess lowered her voice and said to Lin Ning with a grave expression, "I'm telling you, Lin Wan probably won't live much longer in the manor."

Upon hearing this, Lin Ning's eyes widened in astonishment, and she quickly asked, "What's going on? Tell me quickly."

The Crown Princess frowned and said worriedly, "Lin Wan wrote me a letter. It took her a lot of effort to get someone to deliver it to me. When I received the letter, I was shocked. It was written in blood."

Lin Ning's heart tightened, and she anxiously asked, "What did the letter say? Did you bring the letter with you?"

The Crown Princess shook her head helplessly and said, "How could I dare to carry the letter with me? If the Crown Prince or Consort Xi saw it, it would be terrible. When I finished reading it, I was shocked and scared, afraid that keeping it would cause a great disaster, so I quickly burned it. But I remembered everything in the letter. Lin Wan hoped that I could save her. She said that she felt she was about to collapse. She also said that if there was really no way to save her, I should send someone to deliver a message to her mother, so that her mother could at least help her collect her body."

Upon hearing this, Lin Ning frowned deeply, her heart filled with worry. She pondered for a moment and said, "It seems that Lin Wan is indeed facing great difficulties. Although she doesn't deserve our forgiveness, a dying person's words are often kind. If necessary, we should try to find a way to help her."

The Crown Princess sighed and said, "I'm not entirely clear on the specifics, but it seems the Crown Prince has been tormenting her, making her suffer terribly. Should we save her, or might we get ourselves into trouble?"

Lin Ning bit her lip and paced back and forth in the private room, her mind racing as she considered all sorts of possible solutions. However, she was still undecided, as this matter involved many complicated situations within the manor, and rescuing people was no easy task.

After bidding farewell to the Crown Princess at Zuixiang Tower, Lin Ning was preoccupied with her thoughts the whole way, constantly thinking about Lin Wan's ordeal, and the more she thought about it, the more strange she felt that there was something odd about it.

She pondered to herself, the Liu family had been raising Lin Wan for a long time, and had spent a lot of effort and energy over the years. How could they give up on her so easily? Logically speaking, even if Lin Wan encountered any difficulties in the Crown Prince's residence, the Liu family would definitely lend a helping hand, since it was related to their previous plans.

But now Lin Wan has bypassed the Liu family and turned to the Crown Princess for help, even going to such lengths to write a letter in blood. This is truly illogical. Lin Ning felt that, given Lin Wan's personality and the power of the Liu family behind her, what she should be doing at this time is trying to contact the Liu family and have them step in to solve her predicament, rather than pinning her hopes on the Crown Princess.

"Could there be some other purpose behind this?" This thought suddenly flashed through Lin Ning's mind, and the more he thought about it, the more confused he became.

Thinking of this, Lin Ning quickened her pace towards the bookstore. As soon as she entered, she went straight to find Uncle Zhong. Uncle Zhong had some spies planted throughout the capital, and his information network was quite extensive.

Upon seeing Uncle Zhong, Lin Ning quickly pulled him aside and whispered, "Uncle Zhong, I need your help with something. I suspect there's some kind of conspiracy brewing in the Crown Prince's residence. Could you perhaps send someone to investigate?"

Upon hearing this, Uncle Zhong's expression turned serious, and he hurriedly asked, "Miss, the Crown Prince's residence? Why do you suspect that something is going on at the Crown Prince's residence?"

Lin Ning then recounted to Uncle Zhong everything she had heard from the Crown Princess about Lin Wan's letter, along with her own speculations. After listening, Uncle Zhong frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Miss, your concerns are not unfounded. This matter does indeed seem strange. Don't worry, I will arrange for people to be extremely careful and investigate as soon as possible, and report back to you as soon as they have any news."

Lin Ning nodded.

After arranging for Uncle Zhong to send spies to investigate the Crown Prince's residence, Lin Ning still felt uneasy, sensing that Consort Liu couldn't possibly be unaware of this matter. After all, Lin Wan was Consort Liu's daughter, yet Consort Liu had remained silent, which was highly unusual. Therefore, she secretly contacted a newly purchased servant—a specially trained man—and instructed him to secretly follow Consort Liu to see if she was behaving strangely.

This man was extremely efficient. He followed Aunt Liu carefully all the way, and Aunt Liu turned left and right until they finally arrived at a teahouse in Ping'an Lane. After entering the teahouse, Aunt Liu went straight to a private room on the second floor. Not long after, a masked person also entered the private room. From the outside, it was impossible to see the person's face; only the figure could be seen, and it looked like a man.

The men Lin Ning sent dared not get too close, fearing they might alert the enemy, so they hid in a secluded corner. Fortunately, their hearing was excellent, and even from a distance, they could clearly hear the conversation coming from the private room.

Aunt Liu said in a low voice, "The Liu family may not care about Lin Wan's affairs at the Crown Prince's residence now, but you can't ignore them. She's your own daughter."

The man sneered and replied, "Manage? How can I manage? In the current situation, if the Liu family doesn't take action, what right do I have to intervene? You should persuade the Liu family to take action."

"The Liu family... This was originally the Liu family's plan. They know the Crown Prince's temperament very well. They said that in order to avoid being punished by the Emperor, the Crown Prince would give the Liu family some leeway on the surface, so he would definitely not take Wan'er's life, but only torture her. They want Lin Wan to suffer endless torment in the Crown Prince's residence, to make her hate the Crown Prince to the bone. Only in this way will she completely give up on the Crown Prince and stand on the same side as them in the future, acting according to the original plan."

The masked man seemed slightly taken aback, then said, "This method is too ruthless!"

Aunt Liu cried and said, "I have no choice. She is my daughter, the flesh and blood of my own body. The last time I secretly went to see her, she was so thin that she was just skin and bones. I came to you today hoping that you could save her."

The man in black said, "Let me think of something."

Those eavesdropping outside memorized the entire conversation. After Aunt Liu and the masked man parted ways, they hurried back to report to Lin Ning.

Upon hearing their report, Lin Ning felt a chill run down her spine. She never imagined that the Liu family could treat Lin Wan so cruelly, willing to subject her to such torment to achieve their own goals. It seemed that Lin Wan was merely a pawn. How could there be such cold-hearted family affection in this world?

However, it turns out Lin Wan isn't his biological sister. Even Prime Minister Lin probably doesn't know this. This Aunt Liu doesn't seem very bright, yet she's managed to pull off such a shocking feat; it's quite interesting. But if Lin Wan isn't his biological sister, then who is this so-called father of hers? The person Aunt Liu arranged to meet was far too cautious; the servants couldn't glean any useful information. This person seems very mysterious and unpredictable. Perhaps this person is even among his immediate circle. After all, there aren't many people who are truly well-informed about the situation in the capital.

"No wonder Lin Wan sought out the Crown Princess. It seems she knew perfectly well that the Liu family's refusal to intervene might be part of a scheme. But in this game, she's a pawn, and even pawns are human; they can feel hurt, sad, afraid, and desperate. She was hoping the Liu family would rescue her, but all she got was manipulation. It's truly pitiful." Lin Ning muttered to herself, her brows furrowed. She pondered whether to tell the Crown Princess the news or try to find a way to help Lin Wan, but for the moment, she couldn't think of a good solution. After all, the matter was quite complicated.

That day, the maid Xiao Cui leaned close to Lin Ning's ear and whispered, "Miss, the Celestial Master Ouyang of the Imperial Observatory is incredibly powerful. You must go to him about your nightmares; he will definitely help you."

Lin Ning's eyes lit up upon hearing this. Holding Xiao Cui in her arms, she said, "Thank you, Xiao Cui, I have an idea."

After saying that, she tidied herself up and, with a puzzled Xiao Cui, headed towards the Imperial Observatory.

Upon arriving at the Imperial Observatory, Lin Ning explained her purpose to the guards. Perhaps because of their previous encounter, Master Ouyang received her without any trouble.

Upon seeing Master Ouyang, Lin Ning couldn't help but secretly admire him. This Master was incredibly handsome—with sword-like eyebrows, bright eyes, a face like jade, and a tall, upright figure. No matter when you looked at him, he was always stunningly handsome. She also secretly wondered if this handsome Master, who was forbidden to marry, had truly seen through the illusions of the world.

Seeing Lin Ning's thoughtful expression, Master Ouyang couldn't help but find it amusing. He coughed lightly and said, "Miss Lin, is there something you need today?"

Lin Ning snapped out of her daze, a sly smile appearing on her face. She blinked and asked, "Master, you are so powerful, can you tell me why I'm here to see you?"

Upon hearing this, Master Ouyang was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter, his hearty laughter echoing throughout the room. After laughing, he looked at Lin Ning, his eyes full of knowing smiles, and said, "Miss Lin, you already have a plan in mind. I just need to go along with your wishes and let things flow smoothly. Why do I need to plan it?"

Lin Ning laughed along with her, praising, "The Celestial Master is indeed a Celestial Master; nothing can escape your eyes."

Master Ouyang smiled and waved his hand, saying, "Miss Lin, you flatter me. However, you came here for someone else, perhaps because you are eager to save someone. After things have passed as you wish, you must come again, and I will tell you about your situation."

"About me? Did you see something?" Lin Ning asked in surprise.

"Don't be nervous, it's just speculation. I think you'll come. If you believe, it will happen; if you don't, it won't. It all depends on whether Miss Lin believes it or not."

Lin Ning's smile faded, and her expression turned serious. She replied, "Okay."

She planned to come back and see if the Taoist priest was truly capable or just a show-off after completing her plan.

A few days later, the once peaceful capital city was as if a heavy stone had been thrown into it, instantly causing a huge uproar. People were talking about it everywhere, and the focus of their discussion was the astonishing news coming from the Imperial Observatory.

It turned out that Master Ouyang had divined that Prime Minister Lin's daughter was a phoenix maiden destined by heaven. This news spread like wildfire, quickly reaching every corner of the capital. Whether in the mansions of high-ranking officials or in the casual conversations of ordinary people, everyone was talking about it, their faces showing expressions of surprise, curiosity, or inquiry.

"Have you heard? The Lin family's daughter is actually the Phoenix Maiden of Destiny. This Phoenix Maiden of Destiny is extraordinary. She has the ability to influence the situation of the world. It is said that whoever possesses her will rule the world."

"Really? The concept of destiny has always been mysterious and esoteric, but Master Ouyang's words have always been very accurate. It seems that the daughter of the Lin family is no ordinary person."

Amidst this heated discussion, the Lin family naturally became the focus of everyone's attention. Many people wanted to see what kind of person this legendary Phoenix Maiden was, and some ambitious people even secretly plotted how to establish a relationship with the Lin family so that they could use the so-called "whoever obtains the Phoenix Maiden obtains the world" title to gain power for themselves.

Meanwhile, back at the Lin residence, Lin Ning remained remarkably calm upon hearing the news. She had been the one to spread it. It seemed that Master Ouyang was cooperating with her plan.

Upon hearing this news, Prime Minister Lin and his aunt were both surprised and delighted. They were surprised by this sudden claim of destiny, and delighted that if their daughter truly became the highly anticipated Holy Maiden of Destiny, the Lin family's status in the capital would be even higher. However, they were also puzzled as to where this news came from and how such a claim could have suddenly appeared.

For a time, the entire capital was abuzz with the news that "Prime Minister Lin's daughter is a phoenix destined by heaven," but no one knew what kind of dramatic changes were hidden behind it all.

The news spread like wildfire throughout the capital, and the Crown Prince and Consort Xi could no longer remain silent upon hearing it. After all, the saying "whoever obtains the Holy Maiden obtains the world" concerned their future power and status, and they could not afford to be negligent in the slightest. Whether the rumor was true or false, they dared not gamble. Therefore, the two hurriedly prepared generous gifts and went together to the Imperial Observatory to see Celestial Master Ouyang, wanting to get a clear answer. Upon seeing Celestial Master Ouyang, the Crown Prince eagerly asked, "Celestial Master, recently there have been widespread rumors in the capital that Prime Minister Lin's daughter is the Holy Maiden of Heaven's Mandate. Is this true? We hope that the Celestial Master will enlighten us."

Master Ouyang simply shook his head slightly and said with a serious expression, "Your Highness, this is a heavenly secret, and heavenly secrets cannot be revealed. I hope Your Highness will not make things difficult for me."

Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince became somewhat anxious, but he did not want to force the issue. He then said with a quick thought, "Master, you said that heavenly secrets cannot be revealed. That is fine. Just give me a hint or two."

Looking at the Crown Prince's anxious expression, Master Ouyang seemed to ponder for a moment before slowly saying, "Your Highness, the daughter of the Prime Minister Lin is indeed an extraordinary person. As for anything else, I have nothing to say."

Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince felt that the Celestial Master's words were somewhat ambiguous, but he seemed to have grasped the underlying meaning. So, he thanked the Celestial Master profusely and left with Consort Xi from the Celestial Master's place.

On the way back, the Crown Prince was still pondering the Celestial Master's words. The more he thought about it, the more troublesome the matter seemed, so he discussed it with Consort Xi. The Crown Prince frowned and said, "Mother, we can't make any sense of what the Celestial Master said. But what if it's true? Wouldn't we be competing with Nangong Jin for the marriage? Nangong Jin is not someone to be trifled with."

Consort Xi looked worried upon hearing this. She nodded and said, "Yes, Your Highness, this matter is indeed difficult. The key is that Prime Minister Lin has two daughters. The Celestial Master has not made it clear which one is the so-called Holy Maiden of Destiny. If we make a mistake, then all our efforts will be in vain."

The Crown Prince thought Consort Xi's words made sense, and the two of them were at a loss for what to do. However, they were unwilling to give up so easily, since it concerned their own lives.