Jade of Another World

Eger watched as Nangong Jin grew increasingly weak. He fed the prepared medicine to Nangong Jin, but seeing that the medicine, which only treated the symptoms and not the root cause, temporarily suppressed the rampage of the Gu poison, but could not eradicate the hidden danger, he was filled with helplessness and anxiety.

After a long silence, Ege finally raised his head, looked at Lin Ning and Ouyang Qingchuan, and said, "In the current situation, without the blood of the person who cast the Gu, it is really difficult to completely break this love Gu. After much consideration, if there is really no other way, we might as well try our luck with my master, the High Priest. My master is proficient in the art of Gu, and in this situation, I'm afraid only he can have a solution."

Lin Ning hesitated for a moment and said softly, "But Nanzhao is far away from here. It will take a long time to travel back and forth. Can His Majesty's body withstand it?" Ouyang Qingchuan also nodded in agreement, "What Miss Lin said is very true. Moreover, it is still unknown whether the High Priest is willing to come out of seclusion to help."

Ege gritted his teeth, his expression resolute: "I have now suppressed the Gu poison with medicine. I will set off immediately, riding at full speed, and strive to return as soon as possible. As for my master, I will do my best to persuade him. Knowing him as I do, he will not stand idly by." The others exchanged glances, seeing helplessness and determination in each other's eyes. They immediately began arranging Ege's return journey, hoping that the high priest in Nanzhao could truly be the last glimmer of hope to save Nangong Jin.

Under the suppression of Oge's medication, Nangong Jin's complexion visibly improved. The sickly, gloomy aura that had once enveloped him gradually dissipated, his eyes regained their sharpness and clarity, and his face regained some of its former ruggedness and handsomeness.

Every morning, Nangong Jin would rise on time as usual, don his dragon robe and crown, and sit upright on the dragon throne in the imperial study to handle state affairs. A mountain of memorials lay before him, and he would review and annotate them with a vermilion brush in hand. His decisions revealed the decisiveness and wisdom of an emperor, and the gears of the court began to mesh smoothly once more.

Even when he occasionally paused to rest, Nangong Jin would still think of the lingering Gu poison within him, and his brow would furrow slightly. He knew that the current peace was only temporary, and the lurking threat was like the Sword of Damocles hanging over his head, ready to fall at any moment. But he still forced himself to stay focused, waiting for news from Master Ege, the High Priest, while simultaneously managing state affairs with decisive efficiency, determined to accumulate more strength for the Great Yu during this limited period of peace.

Seeing that Nangong Jin's condition had stabilized, Lin Ning felt a great weight lifted from her heart and began planning to return to the Lin family. She packed her belongings and was about to bid farewell to Nangong Jin when, as soon as she stepped into the palace, before she could even speak, Nangong Jin seemed to have read her mind, coughing lightly a few times, his face showing signs of weakness.

"Lin Ning, although my health is better than before, I still experience occasional heart pain and dizziness." Nangong Jin leaned against the bed, looking at Lin Ning with a helpless expression. "You know how potent this Gu poison is. I'm really afraid that something might go wrong again. Please stay a little longer."

Lin Ning paused, a look of hesitation on her face. She knew in her heart that there was some truth and some falsehood in Nangong Jin's words, but looking at his slightly haggard face, she couldn't bring herself to refuse. "Your Majesty, there are still some matters at the Lin family that await my attention..." Lin Ning tried to politely decline.

Nangong Jin immediately interrupted her, "I will send someone to inform the Lin family about their matter and ask them to postpone it for now. You are the person I trust most now. I only feel at ease when you are by my side, so please don't refuse." Having said that, Lin Ning could only nod helplessly, secretly thinking that she would wait for news from Ege and Xuanyuan Che before finding an opportunity to slip away and return to her residence.

Hearing the noise, Nangong Jin looked up. Their eyes met, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. Xuan Yuanche's eyes were filled with undisguised worry and tenderness, his gaze seeming to scrutinize Nangong Jin from head to toe, making sure he was unharmed before he would stop. A moment later, he strode to Nangong Jin's side, his hands gripping Nangong Jin's shoulders tightly, as if conveying all the missing companionship and anxiety he had felt over the past few days through that single grasp.

Xuan Yuanche, weary from his journey, entered Nangong Jin's palace still bearing the marks of his travels. Nangong Jin, who was reclining on the couch reviewing memorials, saw Xuan Yuanche and her eyes lit up with surprise. She quickly rose to greet him.

Looking at his brother, whose hair was disheveled but whose eyes were full of sincerity, Nangong Jin felt a surge of warmth in his heart, and his eyes unconsciously reddened slightly. He raised his hand and placed it on Xuan Yuanche's hand, patting it gently, and comforted him, "Brother, don't worry, I'm fine, nothing serious happened. You must be tired from your journey, sit down and rest for a bit."

"Jin!" Xuan Yuanche's voice trembled slightly, his usual composure and calmness vanished without a trace. "I heard about what happened to you and was very worried. Are you... alright?" As he spoke, his gaze swept carefully over Nangong Jin's face, not missing a single detail. Seeing that Nangong Jin's complexion was still good, he breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Xuan Yuanche quickly took a few steps forward, grabbed Nangong Jin's arm, and looked him up and down. "Is your Gu poison cured? Are you feeling much better now?" His words were full of concern.

Nangong Jin smiled and patted his shoulder: "Thanks to you all for finding a master to cure the poison. The poison is now under control and there's nothing to worry about. But you, you've had a long and tiring journey."

The two sat side by side on the couch. Although they hadn't grown up together, the close bond of blood remained undiminished. Though they hadn't grown up together, their paths crossed when they were both investigating the Empress's death. Recalling their first meeting, they both thought they'd seen a ghost, a memory that always brought them hearty laughter that echoed in the room. When discussing the current situation, their understanding was instantly perfect. A glance exchanged, and they understood each other's unspoken worries and plans. No words were needed; this shared understanding was enough to show they were brothers.

Xuan Yuanche was pulled to sit down on the edge of the couch by Nangong Jin, but his gaze remained fixed on Nangong Jin. After calming himself down, he frowned and said, "Tell me in detail, who is so insidious as to dare to cast a spell on you in the palace?"

Nangong Jin's expression darkened, and he clenched his fists: "It's not fully confirmed yet, but there are already clues pointing to Rosa. It's just a pity that she escaped." After saying that, his eyes were full of frustration and anger.

Xuan Yuanche raised an eyebrow, his face showing shock and anger: "Rosa? She usually seems so obedient and docile, yet she harbors such wicked intentions!" After a moment's thought, he added, "She can't have gone far even if she escapes. Surely a net has been set up around the capital. We must bring this wicked woman to justice, or we will not be able to quell our hatred."

“Of course, I have ordered a city-wide manhunt, she has no way to escape.” Nangong Jin nodded slightly, then sighed, “It’s just that this Gu poison is troublesome. Although it has been suppressed for the time being, we don’t know when it will flare up again. We still have to wait for news from Master Ege, the High Priest, hoping that he can find a way to completely eradicate it.”

Xuan Yuanche gently patted Nangong Jin's back, comforting him, "Don't look so gloomy. You were born with the destiny of an emperor, you'll be alright, you'll definitely turn danger into safety. By the way, where's Lin Ning?" Mentioning Lin Ning, a smile unconsciously appeared on Nangong Jin's lips, "This time, the removal of the Gu was thanks to her. She was busy with everything. If it weren't for her meticulousness in discovering Rosa's scheme, I'm probably still suffering on my sickbed."

Xuan Yuanche caught the smile but said nothing more. After speaking with Nangong Jin, Xuan Yuanche walked through the winding palace corridors and found Lin Ning. She was standing in the pavilion in the middle of the lake in the Imperial Garden, her brows slightly furrowed and her eyes full of worry. Seeing Xuan Yuanche arrive, Lin Ning gave a slight bow, but Xuan Yuanche quickly raised his hand to indicate that she could dispense with the formalities and stepped forward.

"Ning'er, I just spoke with Jin, and I heard that the process of removing the Gu has been fraught with difficulties. You seem to have noticed something about it as well?" Xuan Yuanche asked bluntly.

Lin Ning nodded slightly, looked up into the distance, and slowly said, "Young Master Xuanyuan, to be honest, I am deeply worried. From the moment we discovered His Majesty was afflicted by the Gu poison, to searching for medicine, inviting Master Ege to the palace, and now waiting for the High Priest's help, every step feels like we've been secretly watched and deliberately sabotaged. Just when we were about to successfully remove the Gu, unexpected things kept happening. The person behind it all seems to be able to predict our every move, and their power is not to be underestimated." Xuanyuan Che frowned, following Lin Ning's train of thought, "You're right. The palace is heavily guarded, so the person who cast the Gu poison can come and go freely and make a mess of everything that followed. They must have a meticulous plan and a deep foundation."

Lin Ning bit her lower lip lightly and continued, "I'm afraid the longer this drags on, the more variables there will be, and His Majesty's health won't be able to withstand the strain. Moreover, if we continue to be led by the nose by this dark force in the shadows, let alone removing the curse, the entire Dayu court will probably fall into an even deeper quagmire." She clenched the silk handkerchief in her hand, her anxious heart written all over her face.

Xuan Yuanche's eyes grew cold as he clenched his fist and said, "We can't continue to be so passive. Miss Lin, do you have any ideas?"

Lin Ning pondered for a moment, then his gaze sharpened: "Young Master Xuanyuan, the most urgent thing right now is to dig deeper into Rosa's trail. Although she has escaped, we can definitely find some clues by examining her past traces in the palace, the people she came into contact with, and the objects she encountered. As a foreign woman, she was able to move around in the palace so smoothly; there must be someone helping her behind the scenes, either by providing information or by pulling strings."

Xuan Yuanche nodded slightly: "That makes sense. I will arrange for people to thoroughly investigate Rosa's daily life records and interpersonal interactions in the palace. However, I am afraid that those records have already been altered, or that the relevant people have been bribed in advance, making the investigation very difficult."

"Therefore, we must act secretly and swiftly, without alerting the enemy," Lin Ning continued. "Also, we can spread some false information, saying that the High Priest will arrive soon and that the removal of the curse is already a sure thing, to lure the mastermind behind the scenes to make another move. The more they try to sabotage us, the easier it will be for them to expose their weaknesses."

A hint of admiration flashed in Xuan Yuanche's eyes: "This plan is brilliant, using stillness to control movement, luring the enemy into a trap. However, spreading the news is not difficult; the key is to capture them on the spot when they make their move. The palace is so large that the manpower deployment must be thorough; the slightest mistake will render all our efforts futile." Lin Ning paced lightly, a clearer plan forming in his mind: "We might as well set up an ambush on the only road leading to the antidote site, selecting elite guards to hide there, and arranging some people to pretend to transport the rare antidote herbs, making it look like a trap. Once someone attacks, we can surround them from all sides, and we won't have to worry about catching them."

Xuan Yuanche clapped his hands and laughed: "Miss Lin is exceptionally intelligent! As you say, I will immediately allocate manpower and make preparations. We will work together to find the mastermind behind this before the High Priest arrives, so that the removal of the curse can be completed smoothly and peace can be restored to Jin!" After saying that, he turned around and strode away to begin arranging this scheme to lure the snake out of its hole.

As planned, everything had been quietly arranged. Xuan Yuanche and Lin Ning hid in a secluded pavilion, watching intently through the carved window lattices as the convoy, ostensibly transporting "antidote herbs," slowly moved forward. The atmosphere was tense, like a taut string; the slightest disturbance could trigger a dramatic change.

Lin Ning unconsciously clenched the hem of her clothes. Xuan Yuanche noticed her tension and gently reassured her, "Don't be afraid. With our thorough plan, they won't be able to escape today." He then gave her an encouraging smile. Lin Ning looked back at him, nodded slightly, and then her gaze returned to what was below.

Before long, several furtive figures emerged from the shadows. Dressed in night clothes, they moved nimbly and quickly approached the medicine-carrying team. Xuan Yuanche's eyes narrowed, and he whispered, "They're here!" He placed one hand on his sword hilt, ready to strike at any moment, while giving Lin Ning a wink, signaling her not to make any rash moves.

Just as the men in black were about to touch the medicine box, a large number of guards surged out from all sides, surrounding them. Panicked, the men in black drew their swords to fight back, and for a moment, blades flashed. Xuan Yuanche seized the opportunity, leaping down to join the battle. His agile movements and sharp swordsmanship instantly subdued one of them. Lin Ning wasn't idle either; she shouted orders from the sidelines, directing the guards to change formation, tightening their hold on the men in black.