Jade of Another World

After listening to Lin Ning's description, Ouyang Qingchuan frowned deeply. He raised his hand to stroke his chin and paced back and forth in the room, his expression growing increasingly solemn. The details Lin Ning described about the habits and symptoms of the Gu worm matched perfectly with Nangong Jin's recent frequent headaches and amnesia.

“Miss Lin, now that you mention it, it does seem quite plausible.” Ouyang Qingchuan stopped and looked at Lin Ning, his eyes filled with worry. “His Majesty has been suffering from splitting headaches and severe memory loss these past few days. The Imperial Hospital has been unable to determine the cause, and their proposed treatments have been completely ineffective. He would not be in this state unless he has been infected with an extremely insidious Gu poison. However, Gu poison is always elusive, and to confirm this, we must find a way to examine it more carefully.”

He paused briefly, then continued, "However, at present, His Majesty is surrounded by many people and eyes. If we act rashly, we might alert the person who secretly planted the poison, which could lead to even more complications." Ouyang Qingchuan fell into deep thought, trying to devise a comprehensive and safe method in his mind that could both check whether Nangong Jin was poisoned and avoid alerting the mastermind lurking in the shadows.

Lin Ning and Ouyang Qingchuan sat facing each other. The atmosphere in the room was heavy and oppressive. Both of them frowned and racked their brains for a way to investigate.

Lin Ning broke the silence first, speaking softly, "I've heard that those afflicted with Gu poison will have pulses that are different from ordinary people. Though subtle, they cannot escape the perception of a master. Master Ouyang, could you find an excuse to take His Majesty's pulse again? Perhaps you can find some clues. But this excuse must be cleverly chosen so as not to arouse suspicion."

Ouyang Qingchuan nodded slightly, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. After a moment, he replied, "This method is feasible, but I don't know anything about medicine. Besides, His Majesty is currently surrounded by secret guards, and any slight movement will be detected. I have another idea. Since the Gu worms have entered the body, they need to absorb blood and qi to maintain their life force, so they must leave some traces around the host. We might as well start with His Majesty's palace and check if there are any traces left by the Gu worms or any strange smells. However, the palace is heavily guarded now, and sneaking in will not be easy."

Lin Ning's gaze was intense as he replied, "The tighter the guards, the more it indicates someone is guilty. Infiltrating the palace is fraught with difficulty, so let's openly request an audience with His Majesty, ostensibly to inquire about his health and offer a tonic prescription. We can then probe the situation first before acting accordingly. I've known His Majesty for a long time; as long as I send a letter requesting an audience, I'm sure it won't be obstructed. At that time, I'll find a way to take His Majesty's pulse to distract others, and you can seize the opportunity to search for clues. What do you say?" Ouyang Qingchuan pondered for a moment, realizing there was no better solution at the moment, and agreed. He only awaited the plan's completion before commencing this thrilling confrontation with the hidden hand.

When Nangong Jin received Lin Ning's letter requesting an audience, he was already troubled by a headache and the gloom of amnesia. Unfolding the letter and seeing the familiar handwriting, his dim eyes instantly brightened, and the gloom of the past few days seemed to be dispelled by these few words.

He impatiently ordered the eunuch beside him, "Quickly, make the arrangements. I wish to see Lin Ning immediately." The eunuch obeyed and hurriedly withdrew, busying himself with preparations for the audience. Nangong Jin sat on the dragon throne, eagerly anticipating his meeting with Lin Ning. The missing memories of the past few days had become a heavy stone in his heart, and Lin Ning seemed to be the key to unlocking the mystery. He vaguely felt that as long as he saw her, those sealed and hidden past events would break through the fog and gradually return to his mind, freeing him from the torment of this chaotic blankness.

Nangong Jin had been eagerly awaiting Lin Ning's arrival, but her joy vanished instantly upon seeing her enter the hall with Ouyang Qingchuan, replaced by anger. He raised an eyebrow, his gaze shifting between the two, and asked, "Lin Ning, why did you come with Ouyang?" Lin Ning's heart tightened, but she maintained a polite smile, gracefully bowing before replying, "Your Majesty, I heard from Celestial Master Ouyang that Your Majesty's health is failing, and I am deeply concerned. Since I possess some medical knowledge, I thought it best to come with him to examine Your Majesty, hoping to restore your health."

Ouyang Qingchuan also bowed and echoed, "Your Majesty, I told Miss Lin that Your Majesty has been suffering from frequent headaches recently. She is very concerned about Your Majesty's health. I brought her here specifically. However, I also came because of Your Majesty's headaches. I thought I would like to come and see if the feng shui arrangement is appropriate. Because many feng shui arrangements, if lacking, can also lead to headaches."

Hearing this explanation, Nangong Jin's expression softened slightly, but he still harbored doubts. However, he couldn't say anything at the moment, so he waved his hand and said, "Get up, everyone. Since you're here, take a look at me." Ouyang Qingchuan and Lin Ning exchanged a cryptic glance, secretly plotting how to use the opportunity of examining the patient to find clues about the Gu poison.

Having received the signal, Ouyang Qingchuan pretended to inspect the feng shui layout, but his eyes subtly scanned the entire bedroom inch by inch. He first noticed the table by the window, which contained ordinary writing implements and teacups, and found nothing suspicious. He then moved to the incense burner in the corner and gently sniffed the remaining fragrance in the air, finding only a light and calming scent, nothing unusual.

Meanwhile, Lin Ning sat by the bed, her fingers resting on Nangong Jin's wrist, seemingly focused on taking his pulse, but in reality, she was also observing Nangong Jin's movements out of the corner of her eye. Nangong Jin's pulse was indeed erratic, sometimes rapid and sometimes slow, but to be certain of a Gu poison based solely on the pulse was still a bit too much to ask. She looked up at Nangong Jin and asked softly, "Your Majesty, how has your sleep been lately? Is your appetite normal?" This was both to distract Nangong Jin, making it easier for Ouyang Qingchuan to act, and also to gather further information to determine if it was a Gu poison.

Nangong Jin stared at Lin Ning, momentarily lost in thought, before truthfully replying, "My sleep is extremely poor. I'm often awakened by headaches at night, and as for food, I have little appetite." Lin Ning nodded gently, offering a few words of comfort as if concerned. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Ouyang Qingchuan crouching down, examining under the bed. Her heart skipped a beat, hoping to find the crucial clues quickly.

Ouyang Qingchuan rose from under the bed and noticed several thin pieces on the pillow. His expression turned grave. The pieces were an unusual amber color, gleaming with a faint, eerie luster, clearly not ordinary objects found in the palace. He and Lin Ning exchanged a glance, both seeing confirmation in each other's eyes.

Lin Ning spoke first, breaking the slightly tense silence in the room: "Your Majesty, this is definitely not something that should exist in the palace. Considering your recent symptoms, it is likely that someone has secretly poisoned you with a Gu poison." As she spoke, she also described Nangong Jin's pulse condition in detail: "Your Majesty's pulse is weak and disordered, and your blood and qi seem to be suppressed and secretly devoured. All signs point to Gu poison."

Nangong Jin's face instantly darkened, his eyes filled with shock and rage. He had never imagined that he would be silently poisoned with such a vicious Gu. "Who is it? How dare they plot against me!" He slammed his fist on the bedside armrest, making the teacup beside the bed shake. "Investigate! Investigate thoroughly! No matter who is behind this, I will make them pay a heavy price!"

Seeing this, Lin Ning quickly knelt down, his expression earnest: "Your Majesty, this matter cannot be rushed. Now that the mastermind behind this can administer the Gu poison to Your Majesty without anyone noticing, they must have also planted many spies in the palace. If we investigate openly, we're afraid we'll alert them immediately, and they'll destroy the evidence and go into hiding. It will be incredibly difficult to find the mastermind later. Furthermore, if they're desperate, they might even target you, since they control the Gu poison. We must proceed with caution."

She tilted her head slightly, looked directly into Nangong Jin's eyes, and continued to persuade him: "The most important thing right now is to cure His Majesty of the Gu poison. As long as His Majesty recovers, we can secretly plan and gradually work our way out. We won't have to worry about not being able to draw out the mastermind behind the scenes, making them reveal their true colors and receive the punishment they deserve."

Nangong Jin frowned, his chest heaving with anger, but reason told him that Lin Ning's words were all reasonable. He took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and slowly said, "Lin Ning, you are right, I acted impulsively. So, in your opinion, how should we cure this Gu poison? Now that you two have discovered it is Gu, you must have some ideas in mind. Why not speak frankly?"

Lin Ning raised her head, her gaze steady and resolute: "Your Majesty, as soon as I noticed the abnormality in your body, I had my suspicions and guessed that you had been poisoned by Gu. So I went to Nanzhao with Xuanyuan Che and went through great hardships to find a master who can cure Gu. This person has studied the way of Gu for many years and has extremely rich experience. I humbly request Your Majesty's permission to let this master come to the palace to cure you. I believe that with him, Your Majesty will be able to resolve this troublesome Gu affliction."

Upon hearing this, Nangong Jin felt a complex mix of emotions. He was touched by Lin Ning's efforts on his behalf, but also frowned slightly because Xuan Yuanche was involved. However, he had no time to think about anything else at the moment and immediately agreed, "Since that's the case, I grant it. There's no time to lose, so summon him to the palace immediately."

Ouyang Qingchuan chimed in at the opportune moment, "Your Majesty, the matter of removing the curse requires utmost caution. The palace also needs to make some preparations in advance, just in case. I suggest that the master chef's entry into the palace be kept completely secret. Arrange a secluded place for him, with only reliable people assisting him. This way, Your Majesty's safety can be ensured, and the news can be prevented from leaking." Nangong Jin pondered for a moment, finding it reasonable, and then ordered that the relevant arrangements be made as Ouyang Qingchuan suggested.

With agile movements, Eger silently traversed the palace corridors and, guided by his guards, smoothly entered the inner chamber. Upon seeing Lin Ning and Ouyang Qingchuan, he nodded slightly in acknowledgment, then went straight to the bed, his eyes instantly sharpening as he began to carefully examine Nangong Jin's condition.

Eger first lifted Nangong Jin's eyelids to observe the color of his pupils, then leaned closer to sniff his surroundings, repeatedly pressing his pulse points with both hands, his expression growing increasingly solemn. After a long while, he straightened up, facing Lin Ning and Ouyang Qingchuan, and said in a deep voice, "It's a love curse. The person who cast it is extremely vicious. Once planted, this love curse will parasitize the host's heart meridian, feeding on the host's heart and emotions. It will not only disrupt the mind and devour memories, but will also be closely connected to the host's blood and qi. If one is not careful, the removal of the curse will endanger one's life."

Upon hearing this, Lin Ning's face turned pale, and she said anxiously, "Ege, is there really no way? We must find a way to save His Majesty no matter what!" Ouyang Qingchuan also frowned and said, "Such a troublesome Gu is indeed rare. I hope Master will not hesitate to teach us. As long as we find a way, we can always find a solution."

Oge raised his hand and stroked his chin. After thinking for a moment, he slowly said, "There is a way, but we need to gather several extremely rare medicinal herbs, and we also need the blood of the person who cast the Gu poison to be combined with a special poison as a medicinal guide. The process is complicated and time is extremely tight. We need to prepare as soon as possible."

Lin Ning bit her lower lip, anxiety flashing in her eyes: "Now that we can't find the person who cast the curse, we can't get the crucial blood sample. Even if we gather all those rare medicinal herbs, we still can't cure the curse." She paced back and forth in the room, her skirt swaying with her hurried steps, trying to sort out some clues from the tangled mess.

Ouyang Qingchuan was also frowning. He looked at Nangong Jin, who had left the bed due to a headache, and slowly said, "Since the person who used the Gu poison was able to commit crimes in the palace, their identity must be extremely secretive, or they must have some special methods. We currently have no clue how to identify this person. Forcing an investigation will only alert them and make them more cautious, allowing them to hide their tracks even more."

Oge remained relatively calm, saying with a composed gaze, "It's not entirely hopeless. The blood of the person who cast the Gu is crucial because their bloodline is connected to the Gu worm and contains a special aura that can restrain it. We might as well collect the personal belongings of those who have been in frequent contact with His Majesty recently and examine them using special methods. Perhaps we can detect a similar aura from them and narrow down the search area."

Hearing this, Lin Ning and Ouyang Qingchuan perked up. Lin Ning immediately said, "There's no time to lose. I ask Your Majesty to have the Imperial Guards find a way to collect the items. Master Ouyang will assist Ege in preparing for the inspection, and I will go find the medicinal herbs." With that, the three of them quickly set to work, and a contest between them and the mastermind behind the scenes began.

Rosa was leisurely playing with her caged birds in her palace when her confidant rushed in and whispered something in her ear. Her previously nonchalant expression instantly turned cold and stern, and her slender hand clenched tightly, startling the caged birds into flapping their wings and making a commotion.