Jade of Another World

Jealousy changes people beyond recognition.

"Miss, I think the Second Miss's eyes are practically spitting fire. Could she be plotting something bad?"

"It's alright," Lin Ning comforted Xiao Cui, thinking to herself, "I'm just afraid she won't do anything mischievous. I must give her a chance to show off. Isn't she the most noble lady in the capital? I'll see if she's truly noble or lowly."

The banquet festivities continued. In the brightly lit hall, laughter and chatter filled the air, but no one noticed the conspiracy brewing beneath the surface. Lin Wan, watching Lin Ning's veiled yet still alluring figure, was consumed by jealousy. She gritted her teeth, determined to use even more ruthless methods to utterly ruin Lin Ning's reputation.

Lin Wan quietly summoned her trusted maid and whispered a few words in her ear. The maid understood immediately and quickly turned to leave. A short while later, the maid brought a sleazy-looking man into the mansion through a side gate and hid him in a secluded corner of the garden.

Seeing an opportunity, Lin Wan took advantage of the moment when everyone's attention was drawn to the performance on stage. She walked up to Lin Ning and said in a seemingly intimate tone, "Sister, this banquet is really lively today, but I'm feeling a bit of a stomachache. Would you mind accompanying me to rest for a bit?" Although Lin Ning had some doubts, she wanted to see what tricks Lin Wan could pull, so she nodded in agreement.

The two arrived at the garden together, and Lin Wan deliberately led Lin Ning to a secluded spot. As they walked, Lin Wan suddenly exclaimed in surprise, clutching her stomach and crying out in pain, "Ouch, sister, my stomach is suddenly hurting terribly. I think I ate something bad. Wait here for me for a moment, I'll be right back." With that, she hurriedly ran off, leaving Lin Ning standing there alone.

As Lin Ning was wondering what was going on, the man who had been arranged beforehand suddenly darted out from the corner. He approached Lin Ning with a wicked grin, uttering some vulgar and lewd words: "Little beauty, I've finally waited for you. Let's have some fun today." Although Lin Ning was somewhat prepared, she was still startled and shouted, "Who are you, daring to be so insolent here!"

But the man ignored her and reached out to grab Lin Ning. Lin Ning subdued the man with her silver needles and quickly threw him behind the artificial hill. At this moment, Lin Wan arrived with a group of people, including several female relatives who had come to the banquet and elders from the household.

Lin Wan feigned shock and exclaimed, "Sister, what are you doing here... Are you having a secret rendezvous with another man? What will we do if word gets out?" The women all showed expressions of surprise and disdain and began to whisper among themselves.

Lin Ning looked at Lin Wan's pretentious act and remained silent.

The people present looked at each other in bewilderment, and for a moment, Lin Ning seemed to be in a situation where he could not defend himself.

Because of the noise, the Crown Prince, the Wise Prince, and Princess Ruoli also came over.

"Nonsense!" Lin Xiang cursed.

Lin Ning had enough of the people she was looking for to start her performance.

She spoke with a sorrowful voice: "My sister keeps saying that I am having an affair, but where is that man? I have just returned to the Prime Minister's residence. If I have done anything wrong, my sister can tell me directly. Now that you have smeared me with this name, even if I go to see my dead mother, she will never forgive me."

When Lin Ning spoke, everyone realized that there was no other man, or rather, no one at all, near Lin Ning. Because Lin Ning spoke, everyone had preconceived notions...

Lin Ning's eyes welled with tears, swirling in her eyes as if they were about to burst forth. She tilted her head slightly, trying hard not to let the tears fall, but her aggrieved yet stubborn appearance only made her more pitiful. A beautiful woman crying was heartbreaking. (Zhang Yin thought even an Oscar-winning actress couldn't compare.) Her voice trembled slightly as she slowly began to speak, "Elders, regarding today's events, this junior..." As she spoke, she began to sob, tears sliding down her cheeks. She gently wiped them away and continued to weep, "I was sent away when I was young, left to live with only the dim light of a lamp. Thinking of my mother, I never took my own life to accompany her. I thought that returning to the Lin family would give me a place to stay and allow me to feel some warmth from family."

Lin Ning looked at Lin Wan, her eyes filled with sorrow and disappointment: "But I never expected that my sister would target me time and time again. I know that my sister has people who love her, and she always gets whatever she wants in this mansion. As for me, without my mother's protection, I am like a rootless duckweed, and I can only be bullied by others."

She glanced around at the crowd, sobbed a few times, and then said, "I always try to avoid my sister, thinking that we are family after all. But today, my sister actually wants to ruin my reputation."

At this point, Lin Ning couldn't stop her tears from flowing. She covered her mouth with a handkerchief, suppressing her sobs: "I'm just a weak woman, all I want is to live an honest and upright life in this world, why is it so difficult? Just because I don't have a mother, am I supposed to be suppressed and humiliated like this?"

Her tearful account, delivered quickly and clearly, seemed merely to recount her tragic experiences, yet it subtly implied that Lin Wan dared to frame her so brazenly because her stepmother was backing her up. Many present frowned slightly, pondering the matter silently. Those who had previously harbored doubts about Lin Ning now looked at Lin Wan with more scrutiny. After all, many remembered the old story of favoring concubines over wives in this household, and everyone had heard tales of the stepmother's dominance over the illegitimate daughter, leaving the legitimate daughter to suffer endless grievances—otherwise, she wouldn't have been kept outside the household all this time.

Upon hearing Lin Ning's words, Lin Wan's face immediately turned extremely ugly. She wanted to retort, but saw Aunt Liu rush forward, only to be grabbed by Prime Minister Lin, who then used a pressure point to silence her. Lin Wan glared hatefully at Lin Ning, mentally calculating how to respond. She was at a loss for words, unable to defend herself, since she was the one who accused Lin Ning of having an affair. But what about the person she had paid to have an affair with?

The old lady glanced at Prime Minister Lin and the concubine he was holding, and knew something was wrong. If the concubine made a sound, it would confirm that what Lin Ning said was true. After thinking quickly, a look of heartache appeared on the old lady's face. Leaning on her cane, she quickly got up, took a few steps towards Lin Ning, and hugged her.

"Ning'er, you've really suffered, my child." The old lady's voice was full of affection, but her eyes held a shrewdness that was hard for others to notice. "What you've said makes your grandmother feel bad too. We all miss you so much when you're not here. Who would want to ruin your reputation?"

Lin Ning looked up at the old lady, her eyes still glistening with tears. She curtsied slightly and said softly, "Grandmother, Ning'er only hopes for a fair and just outcome, to restore Ning'er's reputation."

The old lady sighed softly, then turned to look at Lin Wan, her expression still kind: "Wan'er, your sister said that you have targeted her time and time again, is that true?"

Lin Wan quickly stepped forward, took the old lady's arm, and said coquettishly, "Grandmother, please don't listen to my sister's nonsense. I respect my sister the most, how could I target her?"

The old lady nodded and said to everyone, "Everyone, Wan'er's eyesight hasn't been very good lately. She often mistakes things and people. Today's matter must be a misunderstanding. She certainly didn't mean to quarrel with Ning'er, much less to plot against her."

Upon hearing the old lady's words, everyone understood that she was merely trying to exonerate Lin Wan, but due to the old lady's status and the Lin family's reputation, they couldn't openly refute her.

Lin Ning sneered inwardly, but on her face she still looked extremely aggrieved. She choked up and said, "Grandmother, even if my sister's eyesight is bad, the man's appearance was too suspicious. And my sister just accused me so confidently, could it be that she saw it wrong too?"

The old lady frowned, seemingly displeased, but her tone remained gentle: "Ning'er, your sister has always been a simple child, she wouldn't have such ulterior motives. We are all family, we must not let this misunderstanding ruin our harmony."

Lin Ning knew that the old lady was determined to favor Lin Wan and wanted to downplay the matter. She also knew that with her current strength, this was the limit; after all, it was like an ant trying to shake a tree—it couldn't be rushed. If today was just a bait, then she bit her lip and said, "Grandmother, if it's truly a misunderstanding, Ning'er naturally won't hold it against you. But if someone did it intentionally, I hope Grandmother will punish them severely, so that Ning'er can live in peace in this mansion."

The old lady responded a few times, but all she could think about was protecting Lin Wan and comforting Lin Ning, so as not to be laughed at by outsiders, since it concerned the reputation of the Lin family.

Upon hearing the grandmother's clearly biased words towards Lin Wan, everyone reacted differently, and the atmosphere in the hall became tense and subtle.

Some guests who were on good terms with the Lin family, out of a desire to maintain their relationship, outwardly nodded in agreement, even though they knew the old lady's words were merely an attempt to exonerate Lin Wan. One of the guests, who appeared to be an official, spoke first: "The old lady is absolutely right. This must be a misunderstanding. Miss Lin the Second is always beautiful and kind-hearted; she would never do such a thing. Perhaps she has been used by someone with ulterior motives. A thorough investigation will surely reveal the truth." He then glanced at His Highness the Crown Prince, and the others echoed his sentiments.

Some of the neutral women whispered amongst themselves. One of them, a lady in a light pink dress, frowned slightly and whispered to her companion, "The old lady is clearly favoring Miss Lin the Second. Miss Lin the Eldest is absolutely right. Miss Lin the Second's reaction and all the signs she's shown can't be explained away with just a bad eye. This favoritism is too obvious." Her companion nodded slightly and whispered back, "Who can argue with that? It's just that we outsiders shouldn't interfere too much. Let's wait and see. But if word gets out, the Lin family's reputation will probably suffer." Although they didn't say anything more, their gazes towards the old lady and Lin Wan held a hint of disdain and scrutiny, and they shook their heads inwardly at the complex and unfair situation within the Lin family.

Some of the elders and relatives of the Lin family understood that the old lady's actions were to maintain the facade of harmony within the household, so they remained silent and refrained from expressing their opinions. After all, this was a family matter, and they shouldn't interfere too much. However, some more straightforward elders showed slight dissatisfaction. An elderly man with gray hair coughed lightly and said slowly, "Old lady, although we are all family, this matter concerns Ning'er's reputation and innocence. We must investigate thoroughly and not let it pass with just a misunderstanding. Our Lin family has always valued its reputation most, and we cannot allow ourselves to be ridiculed by outsiders because of favoritism." Upon hearing this, the old lady's expression changed slightly, but she still smiled and replied, "Yes, of course. We will definitely investigate thoroughly. Clan leader, please rest assured."

The servants in the mansion stood in a corner, heads bowed, not daring to make a sound, but all listening intently. The maids and servants all knew that this was a trick by the Second Miss Lin to frame the Eldest Miss Lin. Seeing the Old Madam protecting Lin Wan like this, some secretly felt indignant for Lin Ning, thinking that the Eldest Miss was really wronged; others were used to it, after all, in this deep mansion, such open and covert struggles between legitimate and illegitimate children were commonplace, and they just hoped that this matter would not involve them.

In short, after this commotion, the banquet came to an end. The Crown Prince and the Prince Xian were summoned back by the Emperor due to important matters, and the Princess also returned to her residence. The other ministers also wisely dispersed.

The Lin family gathered in the hall, and Prime Minister Lin released Aunt Liu's speech-impairing pressure point.

Aunt Lin rushed at Lin Ning, yelling, "You slut! I'll tear your mouth apart!" Lin Ning prepared her silver needles, intending to cripple her.

"Shut up, aren't you ashamed enough?" Lin Xiang's words made Aunt Liu withdraw her outstretched hand.

Oh, as expected, one dog per leash. This training is excellent! Minister Lin, you are truly a master.

Lin Xiang sat to one side with a gloomy expression, like a dark cloud before a storm. He was already furious that today's banquet had been turned into such a mess, causing the Lin family to lose face in front of outsiders. Although the old lady had just pretended to comfort Lin Ning, seeing Lin Xiang's expression, she knew that this matter could not be let off so easily.

Lin Xiang slammed his hand on the table, stood up, glared angrily at Lin Ning, and scolded, "Lin Ning, look at the mess you've made today! You've ruined a perfectly good birthday banquet. Now, countless people outside are laughing at our Lin family. As the eldest daughter, do you really not know what's important?"

Lin Ning feigned grievance and anger. She raised her head, looked directly at Lin Xiang, and said stubbornly with tears in her eyes, "Father, today's events were clearly a scheme by my sister to frame me. I was merely trying to prove my innocence. How did I become the one who disgraced the Lin family? Should I be wronged for no reason and bear the stigma of having an affair with another man?"

Lin Xiang ignored her explanation and snorted coldly, "Hmph, no matter what, everyone has seen this embarrassing scene, and it's a fact that our Lin family's reputation has been damaged. If you had acted properly and gotten along well with your sister, how could such a mess have happened?"

Grandmother sighed as well, tapping the ground heavily with her cane, and said with a pained expression, "Ning'er, you child, why don't you understand? Even if, as you say, Wan'er has done something wrong, you shouldn't have argued with her in public like this. Our Lin family values ​​its reputation the most. If you make a scene like this, who knows what people outside will say about us?"

Lin Ning pretended to tremble slightly as she said, "Grandmother, you just said you would investigate and give me justice, but now you're blaming me for everything. I just wanted to protect my innocence. Is that wrong?"

The old lady frowned slightly, her tone becoming sterner: "No matter what, as the eldest daughter, you should have the demeanor of one and know how to consider the bigger picture. If you had been able to bear it and resolve it privately, the Lin family wouldn't have been so embarrassed. Now look what's happened! You've completely disgraced the Lin family. How am I supposed to face people in public after this?"

Lin Xiang continued, "From today onwards, you are confined to your own courtyard to reflect on your actions. Without my order, you are not allowed to step out of the courtyard. If you dare to cause any more trouble, don't blame your father for showing no mercy."

Lin Ning knew that saying anything more at this moment would be useless. Today's situation was already a victory in the first battle. So she bowed deeply, turned around and walked quickly towards her courtyard. Her back looked so lonely and stubborn, as if she were a pitiful person abandoned by everyone in this cold Lin Mansion.

Aunt Lin and Lin Wan saw that although Prime Minister Lin and their grandmother were angry, they were only angry at Lin Ning, and they sensed their favoritism. Therefore, the mother and daughter didn't say anything. Lin Wan, however, lowered her head and wept, as if she had truly been wronged. Those involved, who doesn't know the reasons behind it all? It's just that the favored are fearless. Who will have the last laugh is still unknown, isn't it? Entering the game alone, a game within a game, who isn't a pawn in the game? How tragic and lamentable, everyone in this world is subject to fate… Only life itself is truly destined.