Jade of Another World

Liu Yushu slowly woke up, her head throbbing and dizzy. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw the mottled and dilapidated walls, and smelled a damp, musty odor. She was startled and instantly recalled the terrible scene she had experienced before losing consciousness. She subconsciously touched her arm, which was still throbbing with pain. The wound that the stranger had made there had been simply bandaged, and the rough strips of cloth rubbed against her skin.

After confirming that no one was in the room for the time being, Liu Yushu forced herself to get up. Her legs were still weak, and she staggered a few times before she could stand up. Looking around, she saw that the inner room was extremely simple, with only a broken wooden table and a crooked bed. The window was small and covered with thick oil paper, so the light coming in was very dim.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down and think of a way to save herself. First, she moved to the door and gently pushed it, but the door didn't budge, clearly locked from the outside. Undeterred, Liu Yushu searched along the wall for any usable tools and found a broken stool leg in a corner. She quickly picked it up and held it in her hand as a weapon for self-defense.

Then, she tiptoed to the window and carefully poked a hole in the oil paper with a stool leg to see what was outside. She saw a desolate courtyard, overgrown with weeds, eerily quiet, without a soul in sight. Liu Yushu gritted her teeth, thinking that if anyone approached, she would ambush them from behind the door, seize the key, and escape. Even if she couldn't find her way out of the palace, making a commotion in the palace would attract the patrolling guards. Just then, she heard footsteps outside, and Liu Yushu's heart leaped into her throat, her grip on the stool leg tightening.

Liu Yushu stared wide-eyed as the man in black pushed open the door and entered. Fear gripped her heart instantly, but the broken stool leg in her hand seemed to be her only support. She gritted her teeth, used all her strength to raise it high, and waved it at the newcomer, trying to make a last-ditch effort.

The man in black's eyes turned cold. Without moving, a flash of cold light appeared, and a throwing knife flew out of his hand with a whoosh. Liu Yushu only felt a silver light rushing towards her. Unable to dodge, the throwing knife pierced straight into her shoulder. The impact sent her flying backward, crashing heavily to the ground. The excruciating pain in her shoulder almost made her faint, and the stool leg she was holding rolled to the side.

"No... Don't kill me!" Liu Yushu cried, tears streaming down her face. Blood gushed from her wound, staining her clothes crimson. She cowered, shrinking back against the cold wall, her eyes filled with despair and pleading. The man in black snorted coldly, slowly stepping forward and looking down at her without a trace of pity. "You'd better behave yourself. If you try to resist again, the next strike will be your death." He bent down, picked up a stool leg from the floor, and tossed it carelessly into a corner with a dull thud. Liu Yushu sobbed, weakly nodding, her mind racing. She knew she could only wait patiently, even if it was just to buy herself some time, hoping someone would come to her rescue.

The elite guards followed the trail and, at a corner of the palace wall, discovered several strangely shaped hidden weapons. These weapons were short yet sharp, gleaming with a cold, eerie light, and unlike anything commonly seen in the Central Plains. One of the more experienced guards picked up a weapon, sniffed it, and immediately frowned: "There's a peculiar scent on this. I smelled it when I was dealing with envoys from Nanzhao. I'm afraid this matter is closely related to spies from Nanzhao."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions grew even more solemn. They continued to silently search the surrounding area and found a crumpled piece of cloth hidden in a cluster of flowers. The cloth was finely woven, and the patterns bore the unique ethnic style of the Nanzhao Kingdom. The leader of the secret guards made a decisive decision, sending two agile subordinates back to the palace to report to Nangong Jin, while he led the rest of the men to investigate further, following the clues.

The further they went into the secluded area, the denser the clues became. Beneath the outer wall of an abandoned palace, they found remnants of Nanzhao spices. The guards knew that this was most likely the work of the Nanzhao people, but they didn't yet know the true purpose of the Nanzhao spies kidnapping Liu Yushu. Did they intend to use her as a hostage to blackmail the court, or was there a more secretive and sinister plan? But now, time was of the essence, and they quickened their pace, hoping to rescue Liu Yushu before the mysterious force completely disappeared with her.

The secret guards failed to rescue Liu Yushu. By the time they found the location, the Nanzhao people had already fled, leaving only an empty room. When the news reached the court, Nangong Jin's eyes instantly turned bloodshot. He clenched his fists, his hair standing on end in fury, and strode into the hall, completely devoid of his usual composure. "A bunch of useless trash! What use are you to me?" His roar echoed throughout the hall, making everyone's eardrums ache. The ministers fell silent, heads bowed, unable to meet the emperor's rage.

Nangong Jin whirled around, his sharp gaze fixed on the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review: "I gave you time, I gave you manpower, and I ordered you to investigate thoroughly! Now the person has been kidnapped by Nanzhao spies, what else do you have to say?" The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review was so frightened that he knelt down with a thud, his forehead pressed to the ground, his voice trembling: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. We have done our utmost, but those Nanzhao people are too cunning, their actions are flawless. By the time the secret guards arrived, they had already vanished without a trace. I am willing to accept my punishment, I only beg Your Majesty to give me another chance, and I will definitely find Miss Liu."

"Give you another chance?" Nangong Jin laughed in fury, his laughter full of sarcasm. "Liu Yushu's disappearance at the palace banquet is already a disgrace to me. The entire palace security is practically non-existent. And now you dare to bargain!" He paced back and forth, each step seeming to pound on the hearts of his ministers. "Issue my decree: the nine gates of the capital are to be sealed off immediately. No one is to enter or leave at will! Every post station and inn is to be thoroughly searched. Dig three feet into the ground and find Liu Yushu. If there is any further mishap, none of you will be able to keep your heads!"

The ministers shouted in unison, "As you command!" The sound echoed throughout the hall. Nangong Jin sat back on the dragon throne, his chest still heaving with anger. He looked at the sky outside the hall, filled with worry, hoping to unravel the mystery behind the Nanzhao conspiracy as soon as possible.

The Nanzhao spies huddled in a secluded courtyard on the outskirts of the capital. Looking at each other's solemn expressions, the leader, a man with a hooked nose, spat out angrily: "You acted quickly. With all nine gates sealed, leaving the city is as difficult as climbing to heaven!" The others also looked worried. They had planned to sneak out of the city with Liu Yushu under the cover of darkness, but now their plans had all fallen through.

A lean spy stepped forward and whispered, "Brother, we can't just sit here and wait to die. The checks in the city are getting stricter and stricter. If we stay too long, we'll be exposed sooner or later." The hook-nosed man scratched his head irritably, pacing back and forth in thought. His gaze occasionally swept over Liu Yushu, who was cowering in the corner. She was looking at everyone weakly and fearfully, and blood was still seeping from the wound on her shoulder.

“We can’t kill this woman yet,” the hook-nosed man said, then his eyes lit up. “I’ve got it! We have a few rendezvous points in the city. Let’s move this woman there first to spread the risk. Find a few quick-witted brothers to disguise themselves as ordinary people and scout out the area. See if we can find any loopholes, and then we can leave the city when the time is right.”

Everyone nodded in agreement and immediately began their operation. Several spies went to prepare disguises and props, while two others roughly dragged Liu Yushu up, gagged her again with strips of cloth to prevent her from making a sound, and shoved her into a cart piled high with miscellaneous items, covered with a thick, tattered quilt. Under the cover of night, they slowly pushed it towards the rendezvous point in the city. Along the way, whenever soldiers patrolled and approached, the spies pushing the cart would pretend to be honest, simple laborers, trembling as they answered the questions, managing to evade several rounds of inspections.

Shoved into the cart, Liu Yushu's mind was racing. Enduring the sharp pain in her shoulder, she struggled to sort through her chaotic thoughts, her heart filled with doubt: she had absolutely no connection to Nanzhao, so why were these people going to such lengths to abduct her? Could it be because of that matter? The cart jolted forward, each jolt tearing at her wound. Liu Yushu gritted her teeth, silently encouraging herself to remain calm. She knew that panicking would be useless now; only by finding an opportunity to negotiate with these men in black and understanding their purpose could she possibly find a chance to survive.

Finally, the car stopped, and Liu Yushu was dragged out and taken into a dimly lit room. The man in black threw her to the ground and ripped the gag from her mouth. Liu Yushu gasped for breath, looked up at the man before her, and mustered her courage to say, "Brave man, I truly don't understand why you've arrested me. I'm just an ordinary woman, and I have no grudge against you. There must be some misunderstanding. If you're looking for something, or if you have any demands, you might as well say so, and we can discuss it. It's better than this stalemate."

The leader of the men in black sneered, "Misunderstanding? Stop playing dumb! Don't think I don't know what you've been up to. If you know what's good for you, hand over the stuff obediently, or you'll regret it." Liu Yushu, hearing this, became even more bewildered. Her eyes reddened with anxiety, and her voice trembled with tears as she pleaded, "Brave warrior, I really don't know what you're talking about!" The man in black grew impatient, taking a step forward as if to strike her, "Still being stubborn!" Liu Yushu closed her eyes tightly in fear, her body trembling like a leaf, her heart sinking to the bottom, not knowing what to do.

Despite the pain in his shoulder, Liu Yushu tried to make his voice sound calm and sincere: "Everyone, the current situation is unfavorable to all of us. If you don't explain what you're looking for, I won't know where to begin in order to cooperate. Continuing this stalemate will only waste everyone's time."

She observed the expression on the man in black's face and continued, "The imperial court has sealed off the nine gates, and entry and exit from the city are subject to strict checks. With me by your side, you will be hindered in your movements and will be discovered sooner or later. Once caught, not only will your mission fail, but your lives may also be in danger. As for me, I don't want to be in this state of constant fear."

“But if we cooperate, you tell me what you want, and I will do my best to help you find it or provide clues. I have lived in the capital for many years, know many people, and am familiar with the environment here. Maybe I can help you find a safe way out of the city. This would be beneficial for everyone. You can complete your mission smoothly, and I can save my own life. Why not?” Liu Yushu tried to convey his sincerity and willingness to cooperate through his eyes.

The leader of the men in black frowned slightly upon hearing Liu Yushu's words, seemingly considering her proposal. The other men in black exchanged glances, undecided. After a moment, the leader spoke, "You make it sound good, but who knows if you're just stalling for time or setting a trap?" Liu Yushu hurriedly shook her head, "My life is in your hands now, how dare I play any tricks? I genuinely want to cooperate with you, I only beg you to spare my life." The man in black sneered, "Hmph, empty words are meaningless, who can believe you?" Liu Yushu bit her lip, pondered for a moment, and said, "I swear, if I utter a single lie, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death. Moreover, you can send people to watch me, and I will fully cooperate with your actions until you are safely out of the city." The man in black remained silent, clearly still hesitant. Liu Yushu was anxious, but could only wait quietly for their decision, hoping her words would sway them and persuade them to accept the proposal.

The leader of the men in black leaned down and whispered menacingly in Liu Yushu's ear, "You'd better not be up to any tricks, or you'll regret it!" With that, he turned and hurried out of the dimly lit room, heading towards a mysterious figure hidden in the shadows. The man's figure was completely concealed by a black robe, revealing only a pair of calculating eyes.

The leader of the men in black repeated Liu Yushu's words verbatim. The mysterious man remained silent for a moment, then took out a brush and a thin piece of silk from his sleeve. By the dim moonlight, he swiftly moved his wrist, the brush rubbing against the silk with a soft rustling sound. In no time, several lines of small characters had taken shape. The mysterious man skillfully rolled up the silk, tied it to the claw of a crow, and then raised his arm. The crow flapped its wings and soared into the night, flying towards an unknown distance.

Liu Yushu, inside the room, glimpsed this scene through the crack in the door, her heart growing increasingly uneasy. She didn't know where the secret letter was sent, nor could she fathom the extent of the conspiracy these people were hiding behind. She only had a vague feeling that she was involved in far more than a simple kidnapping; it concerned a hidden and complex entanglement between the two countries. At this moment, she could only silently pray that her risky negotiations would have some effect and prevent the situation from worsening.

Time ticked by, but Liu Yushu persisted in waiting. She didn't know if the man in black would heed her advice, but if she didn't save herself now, it would be difficult for people outside to find her.

After an unknown amount of time, the crow returned, bringing a secret letter and a pill. The old man in black mixed the pill into the water and had it delivered to Liu Yushu. Liu Yushu, unaware that something had been added to the water, was both hungry and thirsty. She drank the water in one gulp, wiped her mouth, and looked eagerly at the old man in black, her eyes full of expectation: "How is it? Is the cooperation settled?" The old man in black smirked, revealing a meaningful smile: "It's settled, but Miss Liu, you'll have to work harder. What we need to find is the lost Gu worm of Nanzhao. You need to find it as soon as possible."

Liu Yushu's eyes widened, feigning disbelief: "Gu worms? How would I know where Gu worms are? I've never come into contact with anything like that!" The man in black sneered: "That's not up to you. You've already been poisoned by Gu. There was something added to that cup of water. You'll need to get the antidote from me every week, or you can expect to die from festering sores all over your body. This poison is extremely potent; no antidote has been developed yet. If you don't believe me, you can go ask the imperial physicians."

Liu Yushu's face turned deathly pale instantly. She instinctively touched her body, as if she could already feel the poison raging within her. Fear and despair overwhelmed her, and her voice trembled: "You... why are you doing this to me? I know nothing about this, how am I supposed to find the Gu worm?!" The man in black shrugged: "It's an order from above, I can't do anything about it. You're Lord Liu's daughter, you have wide connections, you should be able to find some clues. Of course, there's a reason why they sent you. If you can really find the Gu worm, the antidote will be provided to you continuously, ensuring your safety."

Liu Yushu collapsed to the ground, her mind racing. She knew crying and making a scene would be useless; since the other party was willing to cooperate, it meant there was still a chance. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to speak, "Fine, I promise you I'll do my best to find it. But I can't do anything in this room. You have to let me out, at least give me some freedom of movement." The man in black seemed to have expected her to say this, shaking his head. "I can let you out, but you have to report everything you see and do. Don't try anything funny, or you can forget about getting the antidote." Liu Yushu clenched her fists, secretly vowing to find a way to survive in this desperate situation and escape this deadly poison.