Jade of Another World

The death of the crown prince struck the emperor like a bolt from the blue. From then on, the emperor seemed to have lost his spirit, his health deteriorated, and he eventually fell ill and was bedridden.

The Imperial Medical Academy was immediately thrown into a frenzy. One after another, the most skilled physicians were summoned to the emperor's bedchamber. Each of them wore a solemn expression, carefully taking the emperor's pulse, examining his complexion, and inquiring about his symptoms, daring not to slacken in the slightest. But after round after round of examinations, the conclusion was always the same—it was not poisoning, but rather that the emperor was suffering from excessive worry and unresolved inner conflicts, which had developed into an illness over time.

Upon hearing the news of the emperor's illness, Rosa rushed to the palace. Dressed in elegant attire, she moved with light, graceful steps into the emperor's bedchamber, her eyes filled with concern and worry. Reaching the emperor's bedside, she first bowed respectfully, then softly said, "Your Majesty, I was deeply worried upon hearing of your ill health and have come to visit you. I hope Your Majesty will recover soon and take good care of yourself." Having said this, she, like the imperial physicians, carefully examined the emperor's condition.

Throughout the palace, from concubines and princes to court officials, everyone came to comfort the emperor. They spoke words of reassurance before his bedside, some mentioning that the fate of the nation still depended on the emperor's leadership.

The emperor lay on his couch, staring blankly at the bed curtains, seemingly oblivious to the comforting words of his companions. Images of the crown prince as a child, doted on by his side, flashed through his mind, followed by the image of the prince's cold body. His heart was filled with self-reproach and sorrow, as if trapped in a vortex of grief from which he could not escape. His once resolute imperial body had become fragile under this heavy emotional blow, and it was unknown when he would recover. An atmosphere of worry and oppression hung over the entire palace.

Filled with confusion and anguish, Nangong Jin arrived at the Imperial Observatory with heavy steps and found Celestial Master Ouyang. Upon seeing Celestial Master Ouyang, his usual feigned strength crumbled, his eyes filled with complex emotions—self-reproach, bewilderment, and deep sorrow. Nangong Jin spoke in a hoarse voice, "Celestial Master, I am truly... I often wonder, should I have never been the Crown Prince?" He tilted his head slightly, seemingly trying to hold back his tears, "Now that Nangong Chen... he's gone, and Father Emperor is ill with worry over this, bedridden. My position as Crown Prince seems to have been bought with their suffering. What meaning does it hold for me?"

Seeing Nangong Jin's state, Master Ouyang sighed inwardly. He knew the torment Nangong Jin was going through. He gently patted Nangong Jin's shoulder and said earnestly, "Your Highness, everything in this world has a cause and effect. The trajectory of fate is not entirely within human control. Your becoming the Crown Prince was the will of Heaven and His Majesty's well-considered decision. Prince Nangong Chen's departure was indeed a tragedy, but it was not your fault. He got lost in the vortex of power and ultimately took that desperate path. It was the result of many intertwined factors."

Nangong Jin shook his head painfully and said, "But if I hadn't been fighting him for the position of Crown Prince, how could he have been so desperate? How could Father have suffered such a blow and now be bedridden? I feel that all of this is because of me. This position of Crown Prince is like a heavy shackle to me right now, making it hard for me to breathe."

Master Ouyang frowned slightly and said solemnly, "Your Highness, your thinking is biased. Power shifts in the palace are inherently cruel. Since Prince Nangong Chen was involved, he should be prepared for all possible outcomes. As for you, you bear the heavy responsibility of the nation. Now that His Majesty is seriously ill, you are needed even more to pull yourself together, stabilize the court, and manage the affairs of the realm. Your role as Crown Prince is of great significance; it is to ensure the stable continuation of the empire and the well-being of the people, not merely to focus on temporary gains and losses or grief."

Nangong Jin listened to Ouyang Tianshi's words in silence for a long time. Although he still felt pain and turmoil in his heart, he understood that the master's words were not without reason. However, the grief of losing his loved ones and the helplessness he felt towards the cruelty of the court intrigue were still difficult to fully let go of for the time being. He took a deep breath and slowly said, "Master, is all of this truly the will of Heaven?"

Master Ouyang nodded slightly, looking at Nangong Jin with eyes full of expectation. He knew that Nangong Jin was a person of great loyalty and righteousness. Although he was currently mired in pain, he would eventually emerge from the shadows, shoulder his responsibilities, and lead the world toward a brighter future.

When Lin Ning learned that Consort Xi had issued a deranged order to kill Lin Wan to make her a sacrifice for the deceased Crown Prince, she was both angry and helpless. She knew that the Crown Prince's death was a devastating blow to Consort Xi, but no matter what, this grief should not be turned into senseless killing, forcing the innocent Lin Wan to suffer this undeserved calamity.

Lin Ning knew the situation was extremely critical. Leaving Lin Wan in Dayu would inevitably lead to her being found by Consort Xi's henchmen, with unimaginable consequences. After much deliberation, she felt that only by sending Lin Wan out of Dayu, away from this dangerous place, could she ensure her safety. However, the escort had to be highly skilled in martial arts and trustworthy. Lin Ning carefully considered various options and finally thought of Xuan Yuanche.

Xuan Yuanche possessed exceptional martial arts skills and enjoyed a high reputation in the martial arts world. He was also known for his loyalty, righteousness, intelligence, and wisdom. Lin Ning believed that if she could ask Xuan Yuanche to escort Lin Wan, there would be no chance of anything going wrong.

Over the past few days, Lin Ning anxiously sent several carrier pigeon messages to Xuan Yuanche, each one earnestly explaining Lin Wan's perilous situation and pleading for his help to come and rescue her as soon as possible. However, to her dismay, the messages disappeared without a trace, as if thrown into the ocean, and she received no response from Xuan Yuanche whatsoever.

Lin Ning stood guard in the courtyard of the Lin residence, gazing at the sky, hoping a pigeon would fly back carrying Xuan Yuanche's reply, but each time she was met with disappointment. Her brow furrowed, her heart filled with worry. She wondered what had happened to Xuan Yuanche—whether he hadn't received the letter, or if he had encountered some difficult situation preventing him from coming to help.

Lin Ning was truly worried about Xuan Yuanche; her heart was burning with anxiety, leaving her no peace for even a moment. Seeing that there was no response to the carrier pigeon message, she gritted her teeth and decided not to wait any longer. She changed into her night clothes and, under the cover of night, quietly left the Lin residence.

In the night sky, a crescent moon cast a cool, pale light on the quiet street. Lin Ning's figure appeared somewhat slender in the moonlight, yet it exuded a resolute air. She hurried along, heading towards Fahua Mountain, vigilantly watching her surroundings, afraid of being discovered.

Mount Fahua was not close to the capital, and Lin Ning traveled without stopping. Even so, by the time she reached the foot of the mountain, the sky was already beginning to lighten. Without taking a break, she followed the winding mountain path she remembered, climbing straight towards the cave. The path was rugged and overgrown with thorns, tearing her clothes several times and leaving small bloody scratches on her skin. But Lin Ning seemed oblivious, her mind solely focused on seeing Xuan Yuanche as soon as possible and confirming his well-being.

Finally, the familiar cave came into view. Lin Ning slowed her pace and approached quietly. She first listened intently to the sounds inside, but only heard silence. Her heart leaped into her throat. She cautiously peered into the cave, but it was dimly lit and she could see nothing. Lin Ning's heart sank. She quickly entered the cave and softly called out, "Young Master Xuanyuan, Young Master Xuanyuan, are you there?" However, only an empty echo answered her.

The moment she stepped into the inner cave, the pungent smell of blood assaulted her nostrils, instantly tightening her heart and filling her with a sense of foreboding. Without thinking twice, she quickened her pace, rushing deeper into the cave, the wind she kicked up seeming to carry with it tension and anxiety.

When she arrived at the bedside in the cave, she saw that Xuan Yuanche's face was ashen, his lips were slightly parted and devoid of color, and he was barely breathing. His clothes were soaked in blood, and it was impossible to tell how many wounds he had. Blood was still seeping from the wounds, staining the bedding beneath him crimson.

Upon seeing this, Lin Ning's eyes instantly reddened, tears welling up. With trembling hands, she gently helped Xuan Yuanche up, her voice trembling with sobs as she cried out, "Young Master Xuan Yuan, Young Master Xuan Yuan, what's wrong with you? Wake up!" But Xuan Yuanche only slightly moved his eyelids, seemingly trying to open his eyes, but ultimately failed. He could only let out a few weak breaths, as if he didn't even have the strength to speak.

Lin Ning was extremely anxious. She quickly looked around, trying to find any medicine that could stop Xuan Yuanche's bleeding. Her eyes searched the cave urgently, finally spotting a small wooden box in a corner. Opening it, she found several bottles and jars inside. Lin Ning tried to calm herself down, knowing she couldn't panic now, or Xuan Yuanche's condition would become even more critical.

First, she quickly identified the wound-stopping medicine from the medicine box she found. She took a deep breath and gently tore open Xuan Yuanche's blood-soaked clothes, trying to be as gentle as possible to avoid aggravating his pain. With each tear, seeing the shocking wound, her heart felt a sharp pang.

For shallower wounds, Lin Ning first used a clean cloth dampened with water stored in the cave to carefully wipe away blood and dirt around the wound, ensuring it was clean. Then, she evenly sprinkled the wound medicine onto it and carefully bandaged it with clean gauze. During the bandaging process, she was careful to apply moderate pressure—not too loose so the gauze would easily slip off, nor too tight to restrict blood circulation. For the deeper wounds, Lin Ning frowned even more deeply. She knew that if these wounds were not treated properly, they could easily become infected and even be life-threatening. She first checked the wound for any foreign objects; fortunately, she found none. Then, she gritted her teeth, poured the wound medicine deep into the wound, and gently pressed the surrounding area with her fingers to ensure the powder fully contacted the inside of the wound. Because the wound was too deep, ordinary gauze bandages might not be effective in stopping the bleeding. She saw some clean strips of cloth nearby, so she folded the cloth strips to a suitable thickness, pressed them tightly against the deep wound, and then used long strips of cloth to wrap around Xuan Yuanche's body or limbs to fix them, thereby applying some pressure to stop the bleeding.

After treating all the wounds, Lin Ning gathered some dry grass and firewood in the cave and started a fire. This was partly to warm the cave and prevent Xuan Yuanche from suffering hypothermia due to blood loss, and partly to use hot water to wipe his forehead, hands, and feet to help him regain some strength. She also slightly elevated Xuan Yuanche's head to make it easier for him to breathe.

Lin Ning stayed by Xuan Yuanche's side, closely monitoring his breathing and complexion, silently praying that he would wake up soon and tell her what had happened. At this moment, Lin Ning was filled with worry and panic, hoping only to get Xuan Yuanche out of danger as soon as possible.

In the latter half of the night, Xuan Yuanche's condition worsened, as he was already on the verge of death. Due to the infection of multiple wounds, his body temperature rose sharply, and he felt as if he were engulfed in a blazing fire. His forehead was soon covered with large beads of sweat, his face was flushed red, his lips were cracked, and he was constantly uttering painful murmurs.

Seeing this, Lin Ning was extremely anxious but forced herself to calm down. She knew she had to lower Xuan Yuanche's fever as soon as possible, otherwise the persistent high fever would cause great damage to his body and even endanger his life. She hurriedly ran to a corner of the cave, where there was a small puddle containing some cold water. Lin Ning soaked a cloth in the cold water, wrung it out, and gently applied it to Xuan Yuanche's forehead, changing it every now and then, hoping to reduce his fever in this way.

Cold compresses alone didn't seem to be very effective, and Xuan Yuanche's temperature remained high. Lin Ning gritted her teeth and suddenly remembered the acupuncture techniques she had learned; perhaps she could give it a try. She searched around the cave and, luckily, found a set of acupuncture needles. Lin Ning took a deep breath, trying hard to recall what she had learned, and located several acupoints on Xuan Yuanche's body that could reduce fever, such as Quchi and Hegu. After carefully sterilizing the silver needles, she inserted them into the corresponding acupoints one by one. Under the combined effect of cold compresses and acupuncture, Xuan Yuanche's temperature finally began to show signs of decreasing. Lin Ning didn't dare to relax for a moment, staying by Xuan Yuanche's side, constantly changing the damp cloth on his forehead, and constantly monitoring his temperature changes. Thus, in the long and agonizing wait, the sky gradually turned light, and when the first rays of sunlight shone into the cave, Xuan Yuanche's fever finally subsided, and his temperature gradually returned to normal.