Jade of Another World

Liu Yushu stayed at the clinic with great joy. Watching the constantly busy Lin Ning, a fleeting, almost imperceptible hint of jealousy occasionally flashed in her eyes. From a very young age, she had admired Nangong Jin. Back then, she could only gaze at the high and mighty prince from afar, feeling an insurmountable distance between them.

The purge of the Crown Prince's faction became a turning point in Liu Yushu's life. Her father, a high-ranking official, astutely assisted Nangong Jin, winning the emperor's trust and favor through his decisive handling of the remaining remnants of the faction. Riding this wave of opportunity, Liu Yushu rose from an unknown noblewoman to a prominent figure in the palace, becoming "Miss Liu," a name and title bestowed upon Nangong Jin, seemingly bringing her closer to her long-cherished dream.

She knew all too well that in this deep palace, to further capture the emperor's heart, family support alone was far from enough; she also needed to cultivate various connections and opportunities. In Liu Yushu's eyes, Lin Ning's ability to gain the emperor's favor was the best connection she could have. She thought that as long as she stayed close to Lin Ning, appeared before the emperor more often, and showcased her gentleness, virtue, and intelligence, sooner or later Nangong Jin would completely focus his attention on her. With her father's help, she would eventually achieve her long-cherished wish: to become the mistress of the harem, the mother of the nation.

Consort Zhao, holed up in her courtyard, was furious to hear that Liu Yushu had successfully stayed by Lin Ning's side. She stomped her feet in anger. She knew that this would give Liu Yushu more opportunities to show his face in front of the emperor, putting her at a disadvantage. After much thought, she decided to try to find a breakthrough by talking to the local officials.

Having learned that Magistrate Wang Wei was an ambitious man with a strong desire for officialdom, Lady Zhao quickly dressed herself and, accompanied by a few trusted confidants, quietly went to the county government office. Upon meeting Wang Wei, she didn't mince words, saying directly, "Magistrate Wang, I know you work hard in this county, wholeheartedly serving the people; you are truly a rare and excellent official." Wang Wei was flattered and hurriedly bowed, replying, "I dare not, Miss Zhao, you flatter me. Serving the people is my duty."

Lady Zhao smiled gracefully, sipped her tea, and changed the subject: "Now that I'm in the epidemic area, I'm eager to contribute to the fight against the epidemic, hoping to gain His Majesty's favor. But someone is deliberately obstructing me. Isn't that infuriating?" Wang Wei, being astute as he was, immediately understood who this "someone" referred to. He remained silent, listening attentively. Lady Zhao continued, "If Magistrate Wang is willing to help me, and if I am fortunate enough to become His Majesty's woman in the future, I will never forget your kindness today."

Upon hearing this, Wang Wei's mind raced with calculations. He had been serving in this small county for a long time, hoping to find a powerful patron to help him get promoted. Now that such a golden opportunity was before him, there was no reason for him to refuse. He immediately bowed and said, "If Miss Zhao has given her instructions, this humble official will serve her with utmost loyalty and will do everything in his power to assist her." The beautiful Zhao nodded in satisfaction and huddled together with Wang Wei, whispering their plans.

Nangong Jin happened to come to the clinic and immediately noticed Liu Yushu there. He frowned slightly and asked, "Liu Yushu, didn't I tell you to return to the capital? Why are you still here?" Liu Yushu's eyes instantly reddened, and she looked at Nangong Jin with a hint of grievance, saying in a soft voice, "Your Majesty, I have always been on good terms with Sister Lin Ning. Knowing that she was working so hard here to fight the epidemic, and since I also have some medical knowledge, Sister Lin Ning asked me to stay and help her. I really couldn't bear to refuse and just wanted to share Your Majesty's burdens." As she spoke, she timidly glanced at Nangong Jin, observing his expression.

Hearing this, Xuan Yuanche couldn't help but let out a soft snort. He knew Liu Yushu's little scheme perfectly well and secretly thought the lie was quite slick. Lin Ning stood there calmly, her gaze sweeping over Liu Yushu indifferently, without any intention of exposing her. After all, it was better to avoid trouble. If things were brought up now, it would inevitably cause a stir and delay important matters.

Nangong Jin's expression hadn't softened, and he was about to speak again when a patient's condition suddenly worsened, with a persistent cough. Lin Ning hurriedly turned to attend to the patient, calling out, "Let's not talk about this now, saving lives is the priority." With that, she plunged into the busy work, and Liu Yushu quickly followed, pretending to help, but her eyes kept drifting towards Nangong Jin, hoping he would see her "virtuous and gentle" side.

Liu Yushu pretended to be busy bustling around the clinic, but her eyes were never idle. She saw Xuan Yuanche stride in, carrying a bag of precious medicinal herbs, and go straight to Lin Ning, his face showing undisguised concern: "Lin Ning, I found some good medicine for your symptoms, see if you can use it." Lin Ning smiled, took the herbs, and thanked her repeatedly. The natural and familiar atmosphere between the two made Liu Yushu very jealous. Why did everyone like Lin Ning?

Before the jealousy could subside, Nangong Jin arrived again. The moment the Emperor entered the clinic, his gaze was fixed on Lin Ning. He inquired about the progress of her illness and whether supplies were lacking, his tone filled with undisguised concern. Lin Ning answered each question with focus and composure. Nangong Jin listened attentively, nodding occasionally. Liu Yushu, watching from the side, felt utterly ignored, and even the act of grinding medicine in his hands slowed down.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, biting her lip in resentment. They were both women, so why could Lin Ning so easily win the attention of these two noblemen? She was merely the daughter of a disgraced official—why? Meanwhile, she herself had schemed and plotted to get close to Nangong Jin, using her family's influence and flattering him, yet the Emperor's gaze lingered on her less than a tenth of what he gave Lin Ning. Jealousy, like wildfire, spread rampantly in her heart, making her secretly vow to find a way to completely draw Nangong Jin's attention to herself.

In order to frame Lin Ning, Liu Yushu bribed a greedy servant to secretly hide several key medicinal herbs. She then feigned panic and reported the herbs missing to Lin Ning. When everyone searched frantically and the situation became chaotic, she implied that Lin Ning was negligent in her management and instigated others, saying, "If it weren't for Miss Lin Ning's negligence, this wouldn't have happened. The patients in the epidemic area are all counting on these herbs." She hoped to use this to sow discord between Nangong Jin and Lin Ning, thereby lowering Lin Ning's standing in the emperor's eyes.

Upon hearing about the missing medicinal herbs, Nangong Jin's face instantly darkened. The supply of medicinal herbs in the epidemic area was already precarious; now, the loss of these crucial ingredients would delay the treatment of countless patients. He acted decisively, immediately summoning his trusted confidants and issuing a stern order: "At all costs, use all available channels to find the same herbs as quickly as possible." His confidants obeyed, quickly contacting merchants across the country and searching far and wide for the scarce herbs. Within two days, they returned with several large boxes of high-quality herbs, relieving the immediate crisis and restoring the clinic's operations to normal.

Xuan Yuanche, meanwhile, focused his attention on the suspicious aspects of the matter. His intuition told him that this was no simple oversight. He discreetly dispatched his trusted bodyguards to investigate thoroughly. These bodyguards were secretive and efficient, quickly following the clues to the servant. But just as they were about to capture the servant, they were shocked to learn that he had committed suicide by poison in his own dilapidated house.

When the guards rushed into the room, they only saw a crumpled confession on the floor. It was scrawled in crooked handwriting that he had been blinded by greed and had stolen the medicinal herbs for money. He admitted his grave sins and offered death as atonement. Xuan Yuanche took the confession, his brow furrowing deeply. How could he possibly believe such a flawed statement? He crumpled the paper into a ball and coldly snorted, "Trying to get away with death and hide the person behind it? Not so easy."

Lin Ning picked up the so-called "confession," her heart filled with doubt. She knew all too well the procedures for managing medicinal herbs—each step interconnected—how could a mere servant have so easily exploited a loophole? But the epidemic was still raging, and the cries of patients echoed from the wards. Every moment of delay meant someone might lose their hope of survival; there was simply no time to delve deeper. She gritted her teeth and said to Xuan Yuanche and Nangong Jin, "This matter is highly suspicious, but with the fight against the epidemic at hand, the patients cannot wait. This is the only way for now."

Nangong Jin clenched his fists, a hint of resentment flashing in his eyes. As an emperor, he hated nothing more than someone plotting and scheming under his nose and disrupting the overall situation. But the situation forced him to compromise: "I'll remember this for now. Once this is over, I will definitely find the mastermind behind this and kill him without any leniency!" As he said this, a chilling aura emanated from him.

Xuan Yuanche nodded slightly. Although he was eager to find the person behind this and punish them severely, reason prevailed: "That's right, fighting the epidemic is the priority right now. However, I have already arranged for people to keep an eye on the surrounding area. We will know immediately if there is any disturbance." The three reached a tacit understanding and temporarily suppressed this incident. They turned around and threw themselves back into their busy and tense work of fighting the disease. However, they all secretly planted a seed of vigilance in their hearts, waiting for the right time to sprout and reveal the truth.

After her schemes repeatedly failed, Liu Yushu was nearly consumed by a sense of defeat. Watching the tacit and stable relationship between Lin Ning, Xuan Yuanche, and Nangong Jin, she realized that she alone could not break this rock-solid "iron triangle." After much thought, the image of Zhao Meiren suddenly flashed through her mind, and she instantly understood: Zhao Meiren, like herself, wanted Nangong Jin, and was in a similar situation. The enemy of my enemy is my friend!

Liu Yushu quickly tidied himself up and quietly made his way to Consort Zhao's residence under the cover of night. Upon seeing Liu Yushu, Consort Zhao was initially taken aback, then gave a meaningful smile: "Who do we have here, Miss Liu? What brings you here?" Liu Yushu didn't mince words, getting straight to the point: "Consort Zhao, let's not beat around the bush. You think I'm influential with His Majesty now? But as you know from your stay, His Majesty only has eyes for Lin Ning. I've come to see you because I can't stand that vixen Lin Ning. How can she be so infatuated with His Majesty and the Prince?" Consort Zhao's eyes sharpened instantly, and she coldly snorted: "Hmph, I've disliked her for a long time. What ideas do you have for dealing with her?"

Liu Yushu leaned forward, lowered his voice, and explained his long-planned scheme. As Zhao Meiren listened, she nodded frequently, her face gradually lighting up with excitement: "Miss Liu's idea is brilliant! Let's do it! As long as we can get rid of Lin Ning, His Majesty will surely see our good fortune in the future." The two exchanged a smile, deciding to deal with Lin Ning, whom they both disliked, first. They would then discuss the next steps. Immediately, they agreed and began meticulously planning their next move.

Consort Zhao bribed several guards to observe Xuan Yuanche and Lin Ning, recording the times when the two met. These bribed guards pretended to diligently patrol each day, but in reality, they kept a close eye on Xuan Yuanche and Lin Ning's every move. Whenever the two got together, whether discussing the distribution of medicinal herbs or exchanging information about patients, the guards would secretly record the time, place, and general content of their conversation in their notebooks.

Over here, Liu Yushu, along with several elderly women who loved to chat, huddled in the shadows around the corner. These women were all handpicked by her; they could exaggerate even the smallest details. Whenever Xuan Yuanche and Lin Ning approached, the women would crane their necks and stare wide-eyed.

On one occasion, Lin Ning helped Xuan Yuanche brush off the bits of herbs stuck to his shoulder. This was an ordinary gesture, but Liu Yushu immediately pinched the arm of the old woman beside him and whispered, "They're really in love." The old woman understood immediately, and after the two separated, she excitedly told the others, "I saw it! The way Miss Lin and Prince Gong looked at each other was so affectionate. They must have fallen for each other."

"They are a perfect match, a match made in heaven," another old lady said.

Upon hearing this, the others' curiosity was piqued, and they gathered around to ask more questions. The old woman embellished the story, describing the details vividly: "The two of them stood together, chatting and laughing. The way the prince looked at Miss Lin was like he was looking at his own precious darling." The words spread far and wide, and within a few days, the entire prefecture and county were whispering about Lin Ning and Xuan Yuanche's "good deed." People's gazes towards the two of them became more ambiguous, completely unaware that a carefully planned conspiracy was quietly unfolding.

Liu Yushu and Consort Zhao hid in the courtyard, racking their brains to fabricate all sorts of baseless rumors. Liu Yushu fanned himself with his silk fan, raising an eyebrow as he said, "Let's say Lin Ning was originally Prince Gong's secret sweetheart, and now His Majesty seems quite fond of her as well. Prince Gong, not giving up, is using the pretext of illness to keep her company." Consort Zhao clapped her hands and laughed, "Brilliant! Add another line, saying Lin Ning also has feelings for Prince Gong, but now that she's climbed up to His Majesty, she naturally wants both. Hahaha..."

The two, having devised their plan, dispatched their servants to spread the rumors in the bustling marketplace. These rumors, like wings, embellished and amplified from the idle gossip of the streets and alleys, then spread far and wide. Within a few days, every word of these rumors reached Nangong Jin's ears. At first, he didn't believe them, thinking they were just malicious fabrications by bored people. But the more he heard them, the more suspicious he became. Every time he saw Xuan Yuanche and Lin Ning standing side by side, the ambiguous phrases in those rumors would involuntarily surface, disturbing his peace of mind.

Finally, one day, Nangong Jin saw Lin Ning smiling as she handed Xuan Yuanche a handkerchief to wipe his sweat. This scene, which was usually so ordinary, became the fuse that ignited his anger. His face instantly darkened, and a burning jealousy raged in his chest. As he stormed off, his steps were filled with suppressed rage. He secretly vowed to find a way to clarify the ambiguous relationship between the two of them.

Meanwhile, Zhou Datong, who had fled to the capital, had kept a low profile in Jingji for a while. Upon hearing that the epidemic area was in chaos, he secretly sneered. He thought to himself, even if powerful officials from the capital came, so what? With his brother-in-law, General Zhao, who held considerable military power, backing him up, Zhou Datong was fearless.

So, he picked up all the old tricks he used to use to oppress the people and extort money. At the market, Zhou Datong waved his hand, and several henchmen immediately rushed forward, overturning people's stalls. Fresh fruits and vegetables rolled all over the ground, and the vendors cried and begged for mercy, but he just sneered: "If you want to live a peaceful life from now on, you'd better recognize your grandpa!" The people dared not speak out against his evil deeds and could only watch helplessly as they committed these acts, secretly cursing him to get his comeuppance sooner or later.