Jade of Another World

Lin Jun staggered back to the Lin residence. As soon as he entered, he saw Old Madam Lin and Aunt Liu, their eyes red with tears, greeting him with a mixture of concern and scolding. But he paid no attention, his mind still replaying the thrilling scene at the gambling table. After dealing with his elders, he rushed into his room, flopped onto the bed, and didn't take the lesson he had learned at all.

The next day, he overheard the servants whispering that someone from the palace had intervened, which had saved him from his predicament and even reduced his gambling debts significantly. Lin Jun tilted his head and pondered for a long time. After much thought, he concluded that the only person with such power and willingness to intervene on his behalf must be His Majesty the Emperor. Images from the past flashed through his mind: the Emperor and his sister Lin Ning were so close, often spending day and night together, ostensibly to treat Nangong Jin's illness, but everyone could see their affair.

"It seems the Emperor still favors my sister." Lin Jun muttered to himself, finding it increasingly reasonable. "As long as my sister holds a place in the Emperor's heart, won't I be able to walk sideways in this capital?" He became smug, plotting how to use his sister's name to seek more amusement in the future, completely unaware of the great trouble this decision would bring to the Lin family.

Lin Jun couldn't stay home for even a day before he couldn't contain himself any longer. He was easily lured out by his cronies. The group found a lively restaurant, booked a private room, set up a table with good food and wine, and started drinking and making a ruckus.

After a few rounds of drinks, everyone was a little tipsy, and the conversation drifted further and further away. One of the rich kids, his eyes still blurry with drunkenness, patted Lin Jun on the shoulder and said, "Lin Jun, you're really something! Look at this, even with such a big mess, you managed to smooth things over so easily. Having such a powerful father makes all the difference!" The others chimed in, giving him a thumbs-up in praise.

Lin Jun was overwhelmed by the flattery, and the alcohol made him lose his composure. In his elation, he slurred, "Hmph, let me tell you, the reason I'm safe this time isn't because of my father! It's because of the Emperor! The Emperor is my brother-in-law; he's on my sister's side, so naturally he'll take care of me. From now on, I can walk sideways in this capital without anyone daring to stop me!"

The room fell silent instantly upon hearing this. Everyone exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes filled with shock and suspicion. While they had all heard rumors of Lin Ning's close relationship with the Emperor, Lin Jun's words were utterly audacious. No one said anything more, silently taking these startling remarks to heart. The seeds of an undercurrent of turmoil had been sown.

Hua Manlou had been in a terrible mood lately. He had planned to teach that piece of trash Lin Jun a lesson, to show him what was what, and to vent his anger. But then a princess appeared out of nowhere and ruined everything with just a few words. Not only did he fail to achieve his goal, but he also had to return a large portion of the money he had already received. He was incredibly upset, having swallowed his anger so hard.

That day, feeling down, he invited a few friends out for dinner, hoping to drown his sorrows in alcohol. The servant led him to the reserved private room, and as soon as he pushed open the door, he heard a familiar voice coming from next door—Lin Jun's arrogant tone. Hua Manlou's heart skipped a beat; he felt a sense of unease and turned to leave.

But just then, Lin Jun's outrageous words reached his ears: "Hmph, let me tell you, the reason I'm safe and sound this time isn't because of my father! It's because of the current emperor! He's my brother-in-law, and since he's on my sister's side, he'll naturally take care of me too. From now on, I can walk sideways in this capital and no one will dare to stop me!"

Hua Manlou paused, his face first showing disbelief, then a slow smile spread across his lips, and finally he couldn't help but burst into laughter. His friends, looking puzzled, quickly asked what was wrong. Hua Manlou laughed until he was breathless, and only after finally catching his breath did he recount the whole story, concluding, "This Lin Jun really doesn't know his place. If these words reach the Emperor's ears, he'll be in big trouble! Let's just wait and see the show." With that, he didn't change locations, leisurely walking into a private room, ordering wine and dishes, eagerly anticipating how this disaster, planted by Lin Jun himself, would create a huge uproar in the capital.

After the effects of the alcohol wore off completely, Lin Jun belatedly realized the enormity of his mistake. Cold sweat instantly soaked his back. He knew that if those words reached the Emperor's ears, not only would the Lin family be doomed, but even ten of his sisters wouldn't be able to protect him. At the crack of dawn, he hurriedly went out to find each of his drinking buddies from the previous night.

Lin Jun, all smiles, apologized and promised benefits, pleading earnestly, "Brothers, I drank too much last night and talked nonsense. Please don't take it to heart, and definitely don't spread it around! If this gets out, I'll be dead. We're brothers, please have mercy on me!" His friends agreed verbally, but each had their own agenda. Some thought it was a waste to keep such explosive news hidden; others considered using it to their advantage if they ever got into trouble.

Despite Lin Jun's best efforts to salvage the situation, secrets always keep hidden. Within days, rumors quietly spread throughout the capital that Lin Jun had boasted that the emperor was his brother-in-law. People whispered and embellished the story in the streets and alleys, during casual conversations. Some bolder busybodies even ventured near the Lin residence to see if the Prime Minister's mansion would suffer as a result. Lin Jun, hiding in his residence, listened to the increasingly outrageous rumors, filled with anxiety and regret, wishing he could slap himself, yet powerless to do anything but helplessly await the coming storm.

As Xuan Yuanche, Lin Ning, and Ege were traveling, a shadow guard dressed in black with agile movements appeared like a ghost, knelt on one knee, and presented a secret letter. Xuan Yuanche quickly glanced at the letter, his expression instantly turning serious, and he muttered a curse under his breath: "Damn it, something's happened in the pavilion."

He turned to Lin Ning and said apologetically, "Lin Ning, an emergency has suddenly occurred in my pavilion, and I have to go back to deal with it. I'll trouble you and Ege to go to the capital first. Don't worry, I will come to meet you as soon as I finish dealing with matters in the pavilion."

Lin Ning knew that the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion was of great importance to Xuan Yuanche, so she nodded and said, "Go quickly. I will stabilize things in the capital first. You must be careful." Ege also chimed in, "Don't worry, with me with Miss Lin, I will definitely protect her. You can go back with peace of mind."

Xuan Yuanche said no more, mounted his horse, cracked his whip, and the steed neighed, kicking up a cloud of dust as it galloped away. Watching Xuan Yuanche's departing figure, Lin Ning clenched her fists, a surge of worry rising in her heart. She hoped everything would go smoothly on this return to the capital, but she didn't know how much of a test this separation would be for both her and Xuan Yuanche.

With so many eyes and ears in the palace, Lin Jun's arrogant and reckless words quickly slipped through the cracks in the palace walls and reached Rosa's ears within days. Upon hearing them, she was terrified, nearly dropping the teacup she was holding. Rosa wasn't entirely sure of Nangong Jin's feelings for Lin Ning, but the fact that he would break free of the curse time and time again deeply worried her. She seemed to have a feeling that Nangong Jin's feelings for Lin Ning were very deep. This was something she didn't want to see. At this moment, even the slightest mention of Lin Ning could trigger the memories she had painstakingly sealed away in his heart. If Nangong Jin knew about this, all the effort she had put into the curse might be wasted.

Rosa could no longer sit still. Anxious and impatient, she summoned her trusted aide, her eyes as cold and sharp as a blade in the night: "Go, immediately take men and arrest that Lin Jun! Be sure to do it quietly, don't make too much of a commotion, and absolutely do not let this matter reach the Emperor's ears." The aide obeyed and quickly assembled a team of men, heading straight for Prime Minister Lin's residence.

At that moment, Lin Jun was sighing and filled with regret in his residence when he suddenly saw a group of palace guards storming in menacingly. He was instantly terrified, his face turning deathly pale. He was about to cry for help when his mouth was covered, and before he could struggle, he was bound hand and foot and dragged out of the residence. The people of the Lin family were terrified but dared not stop him, and could only watch helplessly as Lin Jun was taken away. A new storm was quietly gathering over the capital.

Nangong Jin had been experiencing frequent headaches lately, his mind a fog that churned up his memories. He had indeed heard Lin Jun's words when they reached the palace, but trying to recall the relevant people and events yielded only a blank, adding to his frustration. He knew Lin Jun was Lin Ning's younger brother, which gave him some basis to believe what Lin Jun said; after all, making wild guesses and gossiping about the emperor without any factual basis could cost him his life.

So, he secretly gave orders to send several clever and loyal guards to keep an eye on Lin Jun, hoping that the boy might utter some useful words that could help him recover some of his lost past. That afternoon, Nangong Jin sat alone in the imperial study, his vermilion brush unconsciously pausing between reviews of memorials. He rubbed his temples, the question in his mind growing stronger—should he summon Lin Jun to the palace and ask him directly about Lin Ning? Perhaps a conversation would break free of those sealed memories and flood back. But he also feared that Lin Jun was simply boasting. Nangong Jin was caught in a dilemma, pacing back and forth in the imperial study, his heart in turmoil.

Before he could even go looking for Lin Jun, he received a message from his secret guards informing him that Lin Jun had been arrested. Before he could investigate further, his men discovered that Rosa had orchestrated it. His brows furrowed instantly, his mind filled with suspicion. He had been growing closer to Rosa lately, hoping to find some solace in her presence and alleviate the irritation caused by his inexplicable headaches and memory loss. He never expected that this woman would arrest someone behind his back, and that the person arrested was Lin Ning's younger brother.

Nangong Jin's eyes darkened, and a surge of anger rose within him. He couldn't understand why Rosa would do such a thing. Recalling the occasional splitting headaches he had been experiencing recently, it seemed that the longer he spent with Rosa, the more uncomfortable he felt. Now, with this incident, the numerous suspicious points connected together made it impossible for him to suppress his suspicions about Rosa any longer.

He immediately summoned his trusted aide and said coldly, "Go, send a few capable men to bring Lin Jun back unharmed. I want to see what Rosa is plotting!" The aide obeyed and hurriedly withdrew to arrange the men. Nangong Jin sat on the dragon throne, his face gloomy, his fingers unconsciously tapping the armrest as he waited for Lin Jun to be brought back. A suffocating atmosphere enveloped the entire imperial study.

Lin Jun was dragged and pulled by the guards into Nangong Jin's imperial study. His legs were so weak with fear that he was practically being carried. As soon as he stepped into the imposing room, he knelt down with a thud, head bowed, not daring to look up, his body trembling like a leaf. Nangong Jin sat on the dragon throne, his gaze sharp and cold as he scrutinized Lin Jun. After a moment of silence, he slowly spoke: "Raise your head." Lin Jun obeyed tremblingly, revealing a face as white as paper, his eyes filled with terror and bewilderment.

"So you are Lin Jun?" Nangong Jin's voice was deep and carried an undeniable sense of pressure.

"Yes...yes, Your Majesty, please spare my life and forgive my rambling." Lin Jun stammered in response, his voice barely audible.

"Tell me, what nonsense were you spouting outside? And who arrested you?" Nangong Jin leaned forward slightly, her gaze sharpening as if she could pierce through Lin Jun's soul and expose all his secrets. Lin Jun swallowed hard, steeling himself. He figured that since things had come to this, telling the truth might offer him a way out. So, trembling, he recounted everything—his drunken slip of the tongue and Rosa's men arresting him.

As Nangong Jin listened to Lin Jun's trembling, incoherent recounting of the events, his brows furrowed even deeper. He simply couldn't comprehend what kind of trouble this cowardly, reckless, and utterly foolish boy could possibly cause. The reason Rosa had gone to such lengths to arrest him was truly perplexing.

Nangong Jin pondered. If there truly were any plot against the royal family, the person in charge should be someone with courage and resourcefulness, not a good-for-nothing playboy like Lin Jun. He tapped his fingers lightly on the table, his gaze still fixed on Lin Jun, trying to glean some clues from his panicked face: "Think carefully, have you encountered anything else strange lately? Or has anyone been frequently contacting you and saying anything unusual to you?"