Jade of Another World

When Lin Ning learned that Nangong Jin had left in a hurry, her heart sank. Several days passed, and her worry for Nangong Jin grew heavier. Unable to contain her anxiety any longer, she sought out the High Priest for advice.

The high priest truthfully recounted Nangong Jin's return to the capital, and Lin Ning's face immediately turned deathly pale, her fingers unconsciously clenching her handkerchief. Once she regained her composure, she hurriedly returned to her residence, lit a candle, spread out a sheet of paper, dipped her pen in ink, but her hand trembled slightly.

"Brother Liu, it has been many days since we last met. I am deeply concerned upon hearing of the changes in the capital. The High Priest told me about what you wrote in your letter, but I find it hard to believe that Prince Xuanyuan would rebel. He and His Majesty are brothers with a deep bond, and all the past events are still vivid in my mind. How could he suddenly come to this? I hope you can tell me the details, what is the current situation in the court, and is His Majesty's safety guaranteed? I hope you can reply to this letter as soon as possible to dispel my doubts and put my mind at ease."

After writing, Lin Ning blew on the ink to dry it, carefully folded the letter, put it in an envelope, called the carrier pigeon, and released it after confirming its location several times. The pigeon flew away, but she remained standing at the door, staring blankly into the dark night, her heart filled with worry and concern for Nangong Jin and Xuan Yuanche. She only hoped for a reply to arrive soon, so she would know the truth and not be so anxious.

A few days later, a messenger arrived with Liu Si's reply. Lin Ning eagerly tore open the seal, took out the letter, and read it word by word by the dim candlelight.

Liu Si's handwriting was somewhat hasty, indicating that she wrote the letter in a hurry. In the letter, she wrote: "Miss Lin, it is as if I am seeing you in person. The capital is in complete chaos, and the situation is far more serious than I described in my letter. Since His Majesty left the capital, Xuan Yuanche has become increasingly audacious. He has not only eliminated dissidents but also won over many powerful figures in the court. Those officials who have been bribed or coerced dare not speak out. His Majesty's personal guards have suffered heavy casualties. Now, people inside and outside the palace are filled with fear. Many people have accepted and supported him and are loyal to him."

Lin Ning frowned, her heart feeling as if a huge rock was pressing down on it. She couldn't understand how Xuan Yuanche, who had once been so close and affectionate with her, had become like this. Continuing on, Liu Si added, "His Majesty rushed back day and night, but upon entering the capital, he was ambushed by several waves of assassins. Fortunately, his guards fought desperately to protect him, and he escaped unscathed. Now he is trapped outside the city, able to protect himself for the time being, but unable to muster the strength to fight back. Although I am in the capital, due to my father's previous involvement, there is very little I can do. Every time I think of His Majesty in danger, I am anxious and helpless."

Upon reading this, Lin Ning burst into tears, soaking the letter. Anxious and distraught, she paced back and forth in the room. After a moment's thought, she immediately decided to pack her bags and return to the capital. She felt there must be some misunderstanding; the Xuan Yuan Che she knew wasn't that kind of person. Seeing her brothers turn against each other, she was truly worried. The High Priest, upon learning of her plan, came to dissuade her: "Miss Lin, the capital is a dangerous place now. If you go, you might find yourself in grave danger. He didn't tell you beforehand because he feared you would be in peril. It's best to wait."

Lin Ning's eyes were resolute as he packed his bags and replied, "High Priest, I know the dangers are immense, but I cannot stand idly by and watch the situation in the capital remain so chaotic. His Majesty and Xuanyuan Che are both my friends; they would never turn against each other like this. I cannot rest easy if I do not return." With that, ignoring the High Priest's advice, he and several loyal attendants resolutely embarked on their journey back to the capital. Along the way, Lin Ning was filled with worry, hoping only to reach the capital quickly and help Nangong Jin escape his predicament.

Lin Ning, weary from his journey and having avoided numerous dangers, finally entered Nangong Jin's tent. Nangong Jin was frowning as he faced a table full of military reports. Hearing the noise, he looked up, and their eyes met. He was startled at first, then his eyes reddened.

"You... why are you back?" Nangong Jin stood up and hurried towards Lin Ning, his voice trembling slightly. When he got close, he reached out his hand, as if to touch Lin Ning to confirm that she wasn't a hallucination, but then withdrew it halfway.

Looking at the slightly haggard Nangong Jin before her, Lin Ning felt a pang of heartache: "Your Majesty, the situation in the capital is so critical, how can I stand idly by?"

Nangong Jin choked up, a thousand words stuck in his chest, and after a long while he finally managed to squeeze out, "You silly girl, do you know how dangerous the capital is right now? I... I really don't want you to be in danger." His eyes were full of emotion, but even more so, worry, and his tightly furrowed brows could not be relaxed.

Lin Ning gently grasped Nangong Jin's hand, her gaze sincere: "Your Majesty, if there is any danger, it is better to share it with you than for me to worry from a thousand miles away."

Nangong Jin gripped her hand tightly, as if trying to hold onto this warmth and support firmly: "Your words warm my heart. But I'm afraid I can't protect you. If anything happens to you, I... I would be guilty beyond redemption." His gaze swept over Lin Ning's face, trying to etch her image into his heart, as if the person before him would disappear in the next second.

Lin Ning smiled reassuringly, "Your Majesty, please don't worry so much. Let's first find a way to deal with the current predicament. Now that I'm here, I have no intention of backing down. I also believe that Xuan Yuanche is not that kind of person. There must be some misunderstanding." Nangong Jin took a deep breath, his eyes deep. With Lin Ning by his side, his courage seemed to have gained some confidence. But he now understood what was wrong with Xuan Yuanche. He just couldn't tell Lin Ning yet. So he pulled Lin Ning aside and looked back at the messy reports on the table, discussing countermeasures.

Nangong Jin and Lin Ning huddled around the table, meticulously analyzing the situation. Xuan Yuanche now controlled most of the capital's military forces. Although the palace was impregnable, a prolonged stalemate would cause problems with supplies and morale. They needed to find a way to contain Xuan Yuanche and regain the initiative to investigate what had happened.

Lin Ning tapped a troop deployment map lightly, her delicate brows furrowing slightly: "Your Majesty, a direct confrontation won't work. We need to find a way to sow discord among the forces that Xuan Yuanche has won over. I've heard that some of the old ministers already harbor doubts about Xuan Yuanche, but they've only temporarily compromised due to the circumstances. If we can reason with them and appeal to their emotions, perhaps we can persuade them to switch sides."

Nangong Jin nodded slightly, a glimmer of hope igniting in his eyes: "That makes sense. I will write a few letters and send them out secretly to sound them out. However, the messenger must be extremely reliable." Lin Ning immediately replied: "I recommend Uncle Zhong. Uncle Zhong is my confidant. He is currently in the capital and is familiar with the streets and alleys of the capital. He will surely be able to complete the mission."

After the letter was sent, an agonizing wait ensued. During this time, Xuanyuan Che seemed to sense something amiss and strengthened the palace defenses; arrows were frequently shot from the palace walls, causing widespread panic. Lin Ning stayed with Nangong Jin to stabilize morale. One day, during an inspection, a stray arrow grazed Lin Ning's hair. Nangong Jin instantly pulled her into his arms, shouting angrily, "Be alert, all of you! If there's any further mishap, I'll hold you all accountable!"

Fortunately, good news arrived a few days later. Several veteran officials secretly replied, willing to cooperate with Nangong Jin from within and without. However, just as preparations for the counterattack were underway, another unexpected event occurred. Xuan Yuanche's spies had infiltrated the army and leaked the plan. In this critical moment, Lin Ning came up with a plan: "Your Majesty, since the plan has been leaked, we might as well turn the tables on him. We can deliberately release false information, pretending to break out from another direction, to lure away Xuan Yuanche's main force. Then we can launch a surprise attack on his weak points and regain some control."

After a moment's contemplation, Nangong Jin made his decision: "This plan is brilliant!" So, while they meticulously orchestrated the feigned "breakout," they assembled elite guards and, under the cover of night, stealthily made their way to their target location like ghosts. Lin Ning insisted on following, and Nangong Jin, unable to dissuade her, could only hold her hand tightly and whisper, "Stay close to me at all times, and don't wander off."

Upon reaching the designated location, the two sides clashed. Although Lin Ning was not skilled in martial arts, her keen eyesight and exceptional needlework allowed her to strike her attackers with timely needle strikes. Nangong Jin's swordsmanship was fierce, and with Lin Ning's assistance, he led his guards to fight back against the enemy, successfully recapturing a key stronghold and entering the city.

The news of the captured stronghold swept through the city like a gentle east wind, quickly dispelling the gloom that had hung over everyone. The veteran officials who had previously been observing the situation, seeing Nangong Jin's momentum for a counterattack, sent secret letters to express their loyalty and their desire to rejoin the legitimate royal family. In no time, messengers crisscrossed Nangong Jin's camp, letters piling up like mountains—each one a source of support and hope.

Nangong Jin and Lin Ning were extremely busy, meticulously sifting through intelligence from all sides, identifying capable individuals and reliable strategies, while also reassuring newly surrendered officials and stabilizing morale. Lin Ning, intelligent and astute, always managed to extract the key information from the complex mix, offering Nangong Jin advice: "Your Majesty, morale is high now, but we cannot rashly launch a full-scale attack. Xuanyuan Che still has considerable strength; let's first consolidate this force, strengthen the city's defenses, and only when everything is absolutely secure should we plan our grand strategy."

Nangong Jin agreed wholeheartedly and immediately ordered all troops to act accordingly. Soldiers busily repaired fortifications and transported provisions and supplies throughout the city, their orderly and busy activity replacing the previous chaos and despondency. Seeing this, the people gradually calmed down, and Nangong Jin's resourcefulness and decisiveness began to be praised in the streets and alleys, and the hearts of the people became increasingly clear.

As the situation stabilized, Nangong Jin's forces grew stronger. Standing atop the building, overlooking the capital city that was gradually recovering, Lin Ning beside him wore a look of relief. Nangong Jin turned his head, gently took Lin Ning's hand, and said with emotion, "If you hadn't risked your life to come and help me through the most difficult times, we wouldn't be where we are today. My life, and this empire, are all thanks to you."

Lin Ning smiled gently and removed her hand, saying, "Your Majesty is too kind. It is Your Majesty's dedication to Dayu that the ministers have witnessed. Besides, I am also a citizen of Dayu, and it is only right that I do this. Now, only the final step remains to completely quell this rebellion and restore peace and prosperity to Dayu." Nangong Jin nodded emphatically, his gaze returning to the distance, his eyes filled with the certainty and pride of an imminent victory.

Xuanyuan Che grew increasingly worried upon hearing the news from Nangong Jin. He ordered his men to the secret chamber where he was hiding Rosa, intending to bring her out and use Rosa's Gu poison to control Nangong Jin. When the guards he had sent returned shortly afterward to tell him that Rosa had been killed, Xuanyuan Che knew he had lost. He was struck dumb, swaying as he struggled to regain his balance. His eyes widened in disbelief as he grabbed the messenger's collar, roaring, "What did you say? Say it again!" The man, barely breathing, trembled as he repeated, "My lord, Miss Rosa… has been killed. When I arrived at the secret chamber, I only found a cold corpse; the scene was horrific."

Xuan Yuanche's hand fell limply to his side, his eyes instantly dimming. All his scheming and last reliance had vanished with Rosa's death. He slumped into a chair, unable to recover for a long time, his mind replaying fragments of the past: the dashing young Nangong Jin growing up in the palace, the consistently outstanding adult Nangong Jin, while he himself had never received even the slightest attention, often forced to live behind a mask. Why? Born of the same parents on the same day, the destined emperor was him, and not him! Why!

It turns out that he was Rosa's master. He thought that by controlling Rosa and having her use the most effective love potion to make him obey, he could control Nangong Jin. Even though the situation was unfavorable before, there was still room for maneuver. But now, Rosa is dead, and he has no more trump cards. Faced with Nangong Jin's power and the support of the people, he has no chance of winning.

Xuan Yuanche stood frozen in place, utterly dejected. The sky outside the window grew increasingly dark, like a heavy lead plate pressing down on him, making it hard to breathe. He stared at the empty room, his former ambitions now a bitter irony. Countless times, he had fantasized about wearing a dragon robe, sitting high on the glittering golden throne, receiving the homage of his ministers. Nangong Jin's role as emperor during his absence from the capital had only fueled his longing for the throne. But now, reality had mercilessly shattered his dreams.

"Is this fate...?" Xuan Yuanche let out a bitter laugh, the sound echoing in the silent room, tinged with unspeakable sorrow. He recalled lying side by side with Nangong Jin on the grass, gazing at the clear blue sky, dreaming of the future. Back then, the throne was nothing more than a distant and vague concept to them; brotherhood was the most precious treasure. Who could have foreseen that with the passage of time and the growth of greed, he would stray further and further down this wrong path, destroying that purity with his own hands.