Jade of Another World

The Crown Princess and Lin Ning boarded a pleasure boat and slowly rowed towards the center of West Lake. The lake's surface was like a smooth mirror; a gentle breeze rippled only slightly, and the surroundings were calm and serene, creating a tranquil atmosphere. The two were chatting and laughing, admiring the beautiful scenery along the shore, when suddenly the calm was broken. A boat sped towards them from the opposite direction, moving at an incredible speed, like an arrow released from a bow. Lin Ning's boatman, seeing this, hurriedly tried his best to dodge, causing the boat to rock violently. For a moment, both women on board lost their balance and nearly fell.

However, before they could even react, several men in black from the opposite boat nimbly leaped onto their vessel the instant the two boats drew near. These men in black were all masked, with fierce eyes, and wielded gleaming long knives; they were clearly up to no good.

Lin Ning was startled, but quickly regained her composure. She discreetly pulled a prepared dagger from her sleeve, thinking that if these men dared to make a move that threatened her and the Crown Princess's lives, she would retaliate with the dagger, hoping to at least gain some chance of survival. Although Lin Ning wasn't skilled in martial arts, she had learned some techniques through practice over the past few days. Many of the moves were actually similar to the martial arts she had learned, but her lack of lightness skills and internal energy cultivation made her skills seem somewhat inferior. The Crown Princess, Peng Yingchun, came from a family of military officers and had learned some martial arts from her family since childhood. Although she was afraid, she adopted a defensive stance, ready to fight these men in black.

But after all, they were just two frail women. Even though the Crown Princess possessed some martial arts skills, she was no match for these well-trained assassins in black. The men in black brandished long knives, pressing forward relentlessly, and the Crown Princess and Lin Ning could only retreat, trying to evade their attacks.

Just as Lin Ning was caught off guard and nearly struck by the knife in the man's hand, Peng Yingchun shouted, "Sister, be careful!" and rushed forward without hesitation, shielding Lin Ning with her own body. The man in black slashed Peng Yingchun's arm, and blood instantly stained her clothes. But Peng Yingchun gritted her teeth, enduring the excruciating pain, and tried to continue fighting back.

However, the men in black outnumbered her and quickly gained the upper hand. Taking advantage of Peng Yingchun's injury, they swarmed her, tied her up, and then swiftly carried the injured Peng Yingchun back to their boat, rowing away at high speed. Lin Ning was left alone on the swaying boat, shocked and angry, filled with worry and self-blame. She never expected that a pleasant boat trip would turn into such a tragedy, and now the Crown Princess, who had tried to save her, had fallen into the hands of villains. What was she to do?

Lin Ning watched helplessly as the man in black took the injured Crown Princess Peng Yingchun away by boat. She was extremely anxious and shouted at the boatman, "Quick, hurry up and catch up! We can't let them get away like this!" Her voice was hoarse with anxiety.

But the boatman looked troubled and said tremblingly, "Miss, those men in black look hostile. They are all skilled in martial arts. If we chase after them, we are afraid we will be in grave danger. I really dare not."

Lin Ning was so anxious she stamped her feet, but she knew that forcing the boatman to chase after them would be futile. Just as she was at her wits' end, the sound of horses' hooves and a commotion of voices suddenly came from afar. It turned out that the attendants from the Crown Prince's residence had received the news and rushed back to report to the Crown Prince. Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince was immediately alarmed. Without hesitation, he mobilized his troops and hurriedly rushed towards West Lake. When he arrived at the lakeside, the Crown Prince immediately saw Lin Ning standing anxiously on the pleasure boat and hurriedly asked, "Miss Lin, what happened? Yingchun... how is she now?"

Lin Ning quickly recounted the sudden appearance of the men in black and how the Crown Princess had been kidnapped while trying to save him. Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince's face darkened considerably, his eyes filled with anger and worry. He gritted his teeth and said, "These thieves dare to be so audacious! I, the Crown Prince, will tear them to pieces and rescue Yingchun!"

With that, the Crown Prince waved his hand, leading his army in pursuit of the fleeing men in black. Seeing the Crown Prince's anxious expression, Lin Ning thought to herself, although she had heard of his good feelings for the Crown Princess, she always felt there might be other motives involved. After all, the Crown Prince was always a complex and unpredictable person. But now it seemed his feelings for Yingchun were genuine, and he would definitely do everything in his power to save her. Thinking this, Lin Ning disregarded everything else and joined the Crown Prince's army in the chase. Her heart was filled with worry for the Crown Princess, the scene of her injury constantly flashing through her mind. She silently prayed that nothing bad would happen, hoping to catch up with the men in black as soon as possible and rescue the Crown Princess safely.

Lin Ning and the Crown Prince led a group of soldiers in hot pursuit, the dust kicked up by their horses' hooves billowing behind them. But when they reached a primeval forest, they all involuntarily stopped.

Lin Ning was extremely anxious. Her brows were furrowed as she asked anxiously, "Why have you all stopped? Why aren't you continuing the pursuit? If we delay any longer, the Crown Princess will be in danger!"

The soldier standing nearby looked troubled and quickly explained, "Miss Lin, you don't know this, but this is a poisonous forest, full of all kinds of poisons and filled with miasma. Even well-trained people would have a slim chance of survival if they went in. We really can't take this risk. If we go in and can't come out, then everything will be over."

Lin Ning knew the danger involved, but the thought of the Crown Princess still being held by the men in black, her fate unknown, made her grit her teeth and shout, "No, we have to keep chasing! The Crown Princess is waiting for us to rescue her. We can't give up even if there's only a sliver of hope!"

Upon hearing Lin Ning's words, everyone looked at each other, their faces full of hesitation. Going in would be gambling with their lives, but not going in meant they couldn't bear to leave the Crown Princess's safety behind. For a moment, they were caught in a dilemma.

Just then, the Crown Prince stepped forward. His face was serious and his gaze was firm. He said loudly, "Now listen to my orders. We will split into two groups. One group will search carefully outside this forest to see if there are any other clues or suspicious things. The other group, led by me and my assassins, will enter the forest to continue the pursuit. No matter what, I cannot stand by and watch Yingchun fall into danger."

Hearing the Crown Prince's words, Lin Ning's heart stirred slightly. She had never thought of the Crown Prince as a good person before. In her eyes, he was always scheming for power and profit, selfish and despicable, and most of his actions stemmed from his ambition and desires. Yet, in this dangerous moment, he had chosen without hesitation to continue venturing into peril to rescue the Crown Princess. For this alone, Lin Ning felt she had to look at him in a completely different light.

Watching the Crown Prince's resolute back, she thought to herself, perhaps everyone has many facets. This Crown Prince, in matters of the heart, is quite loyal and devoted. She hoped they could successfully rescue the Crown Princess this time, so that his sincerity wouldn't be in vain. After speaking, the Crown Prince led a team of assassins and headed without hesitation into the dangerous primeval forest, with Lin Ning following behind. She said that if they encountered any poisonous creatures, she could help treat them.

After the prince and his assassins entered the dangerous primeval forest, they made their way forward with great difficulty, constantly on guard against the various dangers lurking around them. However, the invisible yet omnipresent miasma still launched a silent attack on them.

As the prince walked, he suddenly felt dizzy, his breathing became increasingly difficult, his vision began to blur, and he swayed unsteadily. A moment later, he collapsed to the ground with a thud. The assassins following him panicked upon seeing this and rushed over, but they were at a loss for what to do.

Lin Ning had been searching for a long time, her mind preoccupied with the Crown Prince and the others who had entered the forest. Just as she was getting anxious, she saw the assassins carrying the unconscious Crown Prince over. She rushed forward to check on him and, relying on her medical knowledge, quickly realized that the Crown Prince had been poisoned by miasma.

"Quickly, give the Crown Prince the antidote pill first, then carry him back for treatment as soon as possible. Any delay could be dangerous!" Lin Ning shouted anxiously. The assassins dared not delay and hurriedly carried the Crown Prince back to the Crown Prince's residence, with Lin Ning following along.

Upon arriving at the Crown Prince's residence, everyone hurriedly settled the Crown Prince onto his bed, and Lin Ning immediately began to treat him and detoxify him. She first instructed the servants to prepare all the necessary medicinal materials and tools, and then methodically administered acupuncture and prepared the medicine, her only thought being to get the Crown Prince out of danger as soon as possible.

But who could have imagined that the Crown Prince was actually somewhat conscious at this moment? However, seeing Lin Ning taking such good care of him, he had other thoughts. He pretended to be unconscious and, when Lin Ning approached to give him acupuncture, he reached out and hugged Lin Ning tightly, muttering something indistinctly, and just wouldn't let go.

Lin Ning was both ashamed and angry. She hadn't expected the Crown Prince to pull such a stunt. Without thinking, she took out a silver needle and plunged it into the Crown Prince's arm. The Crown Prince cried out in pain and instinctively released his grip. Taking advantage of the moment, Lin Ning forcefully pushed him away, her face filled with rage.

Just then, Consort Xi, having heard of the Crown Prince's accident, rushed over in a panic, accompanied by the Emperor. Upon entering the room, he witnessed this awkward scene, and the Emperor's face immediately turned extremely ugly, so gloomy it seemed as if water could drip from it.

Fortunately, with the combined efforts of Lin Ning and the imperial physicians who arrived shortly afterward, the Crown Prince's condition gradually improved, and he soon regained consciousness. Upon waking, the Crown Prince first thanked Lin Ning and the imperial physicians, then looked resolutely at the Emperor, knelt down, and pleaded, "Father, I humbly request that you grant me one request. I will never give up searching for my Crown Princess; she is my wife, and I will definitely bring her back safely. Furthermore, Miss Lin saved my life today, and to repay this life-saving grace, I wish to marry Miss Lin as my Crown Princess. If Yingchun returns safely, I am willing to make both of them my equal wives. I hope Father will grant my request."

Upon hearing the crown prince's words, the emperor frowned, exuding a chilling aura that clearly revealed his displeasure.

Finally, he said, "I will send people to search for the Crown Princess. You should focus on recovering from your injuries first, and we can discuss this matter again once you have fully recovered."

Ever since Lin Ning saved the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince has become inseparable from her, always finding various excuses to get close to her. Lin Ning knows very well that the Crown Prince is still preoccupied with the rumor that "whoever wins over the Phoenix Maiden will win the world." This rumor is like a seed that has taken root and sprouted in his heart, making it impossible for him to let go of it.

The crown prince was still harboring his own agenda, because he had no way of knowing whether this so-called Phoenix Maiden was Lin Wan or Lin Ning. In his view, whichever it was, it could be related to whether he could successfully ascend to the supreme throne in the future, so he didn't want to miss either one and was determined to hold onto both firmly.

That's why he was so eager to ask the emperor for permission to marry Lin Ning as his crown princess, and even proposed that if the crown princess Peng Yingchun returned, the two should be treated as equal wives. His actions were far too hasty and he hadn't considered things thoroughly, which displeased the emperor.

You must understand, the emperor is still in his prime, in excellent health, and far from abdicating. The crown prince's eagerness to expand his power, and his overt display of ambition, makes it seem as if he's impatiently waiting for the emperor to abdicate so he can take over the throne. How could the emperor not feel resentful?

But the Crown Prince also had his own predicament. He knew very well that Nangong Jin was not an easy opponent. Although Nangong Jin was not in the capital now, he could return at any time. Once Nangong Jin returned, given his abilities and attitude towards Lin Ning, it would be too late for him to win her over. Therefore, even knowing that his actions might anger the Emperor, he had no choice but to do it anyway, hoping to keep Lin Ning in check. Regardless of whether she was the legendary Phoenix Maiden, he couldn't let her fall into someone else's hands, thus increasing his chances of winning the throne in the future.

Upon hearing the news of Crown Princess Peng Yingchun's disappearance at the Crown Prince's residence, Lin Wan was overjoyed. A slight smile crept onto her lips, and her eyes gleamed with excitement. She thought to herself, "Great! With the Crown Princess gone, perhaps my good days in the Crown Prince's residence are finally about to begin. I've suffered so much coldness and torment from the Crown Prince before; now, maybe I can completely turn the tables and become the true mistress of this residence."

Meanwhile, after being ruthlessly turned away by Lin Ning, the Crown Prince was extremely depressed. His displeasure was written all over his face as he returned to the Crown Prince's residence with a dark expression.

Lin Wan, seizing this opportunity, had meticulously prepared fine wine and food, intending to make a good impression on the Crown Prince and salvage their previously terrible relationship. She thought to herself, "The Crown Prince is currently unhappy; if I can offer him some thoughtful comfort at this time, perhaps he will look at me differently."

As soon as the Crown Prince entered the residence, Lin Wan greeted him with a beaming smile and said sweetly, "Your Highness, you're finally back! I've prepared some light wine to cheer you up."

The Crown Prince was initially furious, but upon seeing Lin Wan's attentive manner, the rumor that "whoever wins over the Phoenix Maiden wins the world" flashed through his mind. He thought to himself that although he wasn't sure if Lin Wan was the Phoenix Maiden, what if she was? He couldn't afford to offend her now; he had to keep her calm for the time being.

The Crown Prince immediately put on a gentle expression and said with a smile, "My dear consort, you are so kind. I am indeed feeling rather down today. It would be good to have you keep me company for a few drinks." With that, he followed Lin Wan into the room. Lin Wan was secretly delighted to see this and hurriedly poured wine for the Crown Prince, saying some flattering words. The Crown Prince also pretended to be friendly with Lin Wan, and the two drank together in a seemingly harmonious manner. However, each of them had their own thoughts, and beneath this superficial harmony, many complex calculations were actually hidden.

That night, the Crown Prince stayed with Lin Wan. The trauma of being abused in Lin Wan's heart seemed to have healed, and she felt that she was one step closer to becoming the Crown Princess. The next morning, sunlight streamed into the room through the window. Lin Wan looked at the still-sleeping Crown Prince, a slight smile playing on her lips, as if she could already see herself in a magnificent phoenix coronet and wedding robes, becoming the Crown Princess.