Jade of Another World

The three discovered that the Second Prince often went to the largest theater in Nanzhao to listen to music, so she planned to disguise herself as a dancer to get close to the Second Prince and find a way to steal the key from him.

She knew this was extremely risky, but she had no better option at the moment. She first sent her attendants to scout out the area around the theater, to find out the theater's layout, the Second Prince's usual seat, and the patterns of people coming and going inside. Once she had all the information, she began preparing her costume as a dancer.

The guard found a light and vibrant dance costume, large peonies embroidered on a crimson silk, the petals outlined in gold thread, shimmering in the light. She then donned a matching headdress; the hair ornaments and hairpins jingled softly with each gentle sway, exuding charm with every movement. To better suit her dancer identity, she looked in the mirror, drawing her eyebrows long and alluring, and applying a vibrant vermilion to her lips, instantly making her appear stunningly beautiful and gracefully swaying.

With everything prepared, she and two attendants slipped into the theater under the cover of night. The backstage area was bustling with activity; actors were busy changing costumes and rehearsing their lines, while musicians tuned their instruments. She seized an opportunity and quietly told the manager that she was a newly arrived dancer who had fallen on hard times due to family misfortune and was now living there, only hoping for a chance to rise in the ranks. She presented the manager with a jade pendant. The manager sized her up, noticing her beautiful appearance and graceful figure. Seeing that she had received a gift, and that the jade pendant was clearly of high quality and expensive, he figured that accepting money was paving the way for someone's advancement, so he didn't ask any further questions and casually arranged for her to join the dance troupe for the evening.

The opening drums sounded, and the theater was brightly lit. She took a deep breath and gracefully followed the dance troupe onto the stage. Born into a prominent family, her basic skills in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting were far superior to those of ordinary people. On stage, her movements were light and graceful, her steps exquisite, but her eyes were always watching the audience. Soon, she locked onto her target—the Second Prince.

He sat in the private box, his handsome face slightly angry, his expression aloof. He leaned lazily against the soft couch, watching the performance on stage with a half-smile. As Liu Yushu danced, she secretly plotted how to approach him and how to steal the key without leaving a trace. Her heart pounded with nervousness, but she had to feign composure and use her most alluring demeanor to navigate this dangerous game.

After the dance, she hurriedly left the stage, wondering how to get closer to the Second Prince. Just as she was anxiously pondering this, the steward came over and announced that he would lead everyone to pay their respects to the Second Prince. Hearing this, she was secretly delighted; it was like a pillow being delivered to her sleepy head! She had been worried about not having a chance to get close, and now this perfect opportunity had presented itself. She quickly followed the other dancers, lined up, and bowed her head slightly, adopting a shy and obedient demeanor.

The group filed in, heading towards the Second Prince's private room. The closer she got, the more nervous she became. She secretly clenched the handkerchief hidden in her sleeve, constantly trying to reassure herself. Upon reaching the room's entrance, the steward respectfully announced their arrival and then led the dancers inside one by one.

She followed the other performers, her graceful steps carrying her into the private box. A delicate incense filled the room. The Second Prince, Wanyan Qiang, remained expressionless on his handsome face, still languidly leaning against the couch. His gaze swept over the performers, a hint of scrutiny in his eyes. The dancers curtsied and greeted her sweetly. She followed suit, feigning a fall, then immediately feigning weakness and tears, kneeling with apparent respect and perfect timing, softly saying, "Greetings, Second Prince. May you enjoy good health and longevity." Her voice was neither too loud nor too soft, perfectly audible to Wanyan Qiang.

After everyone stood up, the steward introduced with a forced smile, "Second Prince, this dancer is a newcomer tonight, so please bear with her." Wanyan Qiang responded casually, his gaze still lingering on Liu Yushu. She feigned shyness, secretly raising her eyes to meet his gaze before quickly lowering her head again, two blushes rising on her cheeks. This unintentional, charming appearance piqued Wanyan Qiang's interest, and he casually pointed at Liu Yushu: "You, come here."

She feigned concern for the steward, who said, "The Second Prince summons you; go over there." She obeyed, slowly moving forward, each step light and graceful, seemingly imbued with an invisible rhythm. She lowered her eyes, appearing shy, but secretly glancing around. Only when she stood a few steps away from Wanyan Qiang did she slowly raise her head, as if summoning her courage to meet the gaze of this esteemed Second Prince.

Bathed in the soft glow of the lamplight, her face appeared even more radiant and captivating. Her eyes seemed to hold the shimmering depths of autumn water, her nose was straight, and her lips were naturally red. A few wisps of hair playfully cascaded down her cheeks, adding to her allure. Her dance costume rose and fell with her gentle breaths, outlining her graceful figure, the tassels of her skirt swaying softly like gentle waves whispering a song.

Wanyan Qiang stared at her with interest, his eyes filled with undisguised admiration: "Raise your head, don't be shy, what's your name?" Liu Yushu bowed gracefully, her voice as sweet as a nightingale's song: "Your Highness, my name is Anian." She deliberately softened her tone, adding a touch of soft Nanzhao accent, trying to close the distance between herself and Wanyan Qiang. While responding, she subtly observed the ornament at Wanyan Qiang's waist, trying to find the key that might open the secret chamber in the valley.

The Second Prince, Wanyan Qiang, said, "She stays; the rest of you, leave." The steward led everyone away. The steward knew the Second Prince was a lecherous and ruthless man, a notorious womanizer who frequented brothels. He suspected this girl was also after the riches and glory, otherwise she wouldn't have offered him such a large bribe before going on stage. The steward dared not say more and hurriedly led the other dancers out, thoughtfully closing the door to the private room. Inside, the atmosphere became somewhat awkward. Liu Yushu lowered her head slightly, appearing docile and obedient, but her heart was pounding. She knew she had stepped into the territory of this "wolf," and the slightest mistake would result in her utter destruction.

Wanyan Qiang rose from the soft couch and slowly walked to Liu Yushu, circling her as if appraising a rare treasure, his gaze unrestrained and blatant. "A'Nian," he began, his voice tinged with a sigh, "Such a beautiful face, how come I've never seen you at this theater before?" Liu Yushu bit her lip, revealing a perfectly timed nervousness: "Your Highness, my hometown suffered a disaster, forcing me to come to this theater to make a living. Today is my first time performing." As she spoke, her eyes reddened slightly, her tearful appearance even more pitiful.

Wanyan Qiang chuckled, raising his hand to gently lift Liu Yushu's chin, forcing her to look directly at him: "Don't be sad. Now that you're here with this prince, you'll be blessed with wealth and honor from now on." Liu Yushu nodded hastily, her gaze inadvertently sweeping over a string of accessories hanging from his waist. One of them, an antique-style bronze key, caught her attention. She was delighted, but quickly suppressed her emotions. Right now, she needed to calm this capricious second prince down first, and then find an opportunity to get her hands on the key.

In reality, Wanyan Qiang was not as arrogant and licentious as the rumors suggested. He was a ruthless and cunning man. He did this to create the illusion for his enemies that he was uneducated and obsessed with women, while also planting spies in such a complex environment to gather information.

Wanyan Qiang stared at Liu Yushu, seemingly captivated by her beauty, but a scrutinizing gaze always lingered deep within his eyes. He released her hand, strolled back to the soft couch, and casually said, "Come here and pour me some wine."

Liu Yushu followed his instructions and walked to the table. She picked up the wine pot and steadily filled a wine cup with her slender hands. The wine poured into the cup with a crisp sound. Her eyes were lowered, but her mind was racing. This second prince was far more cunning than she had imagined, and she could not act rashly now.

Wanyan Qiang picked up his wine cup and downed it in one gulp. He then looked up at Liu Yushu and said, "A'Nian, do you know how dangerous this room is?" Liu Yushu instinctively tensed. She looked up slightly, already drenched in cold sweat. "My elder brother is watching my every move." Only then did Liu Yushu realize what he meant. She immediately resumed her feigned ignorance, blinking her large eyes and asking, "Why is the eldest prince watching the second prince? This humble woman doesn't understand."

Wanyan Qiang laughed heartily: "You naturally don't understand. The power struggles in this world have always been cruel. I'm just seeking some amusement to add some color to this unbearable life. Yet the outside world says I'm addicted to sensual pleasures and ignorant, but how many people know the joy of being ignorant and carefree?" He narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze piercing. "This theater is a place of joy. The dance you performed today was certainly different. I'm keeping an eye on you, and you'll surely benefit from it in the future."

Liu Yushu was startled, not expecting that she hadn't even had a chance to use her methods before being outmaneuvered by the Second Prince. She quickly feigned ignorance, saying, "The Second Prince is absolutely right. I am a newcomer with limited experience, and I hope I will not disappoint Your Highness's kindness." Although she said this, she was thinking that she must be even more cautious and obtain the key as soon as possible. This game was becoming increasingly difficult.

Inside the private room, candlelight flickered, and the air was thick with the smell of alcohol. The two men clinked glasses, the sound crisp and pleasant, yet it couldn't mask the hidden meanings in their conversation.

Wanyan Qiang poured her another cup of wine, his gaze half-smiling, half-amused: "A'Nian, I heard you just arrived at this theater. Back in your hometown, did you see anything unusual? Tell me about it to amuse this prince." He asked casually, but in reality, he was testing whether Liu Yushu's background was true.

Liu Yushu took the wine cup, took a small sip, her mind racing, but her face maintained a perfectly measured shyness: "Second Prince, my hometown is remote, and I really don't have much to offer in terms of knowledge. I only remember that when I was a child, there was an old doctor in the village who possessed some miraculous medical skills and could cure many difficult and complicated diseases. The villagers all respected him." She skillfully avoided details that might arouse suspicion.

Wanyan Qiang raised an eyebrow, asking with interest, "Oh? Medical skills? That's quite interesting. What did you learn from that old doctor?" Liu Yushu's heart tightened; she knew this was a crucial moment, and a careless answer could ruin everything. She lowered her eyes, revealing a hint of shyness: "This humble woman only observed a little bit and has a basic understanding of herbal identification. As for anything else, I wouldn't dare to presume to teach such a simple lesson."

Wanyan Qiang's lips curled slightly upward, his expression a mixture of belief and disbelief: "A'Nian, don't be modest. Judging from your appearance, you don't seem like a simple woman. If you encounter any difficulties in this theater, just tell me. As long as you are loyal to me, I will not mistreat you." She hurriedly nodded repeatedly, feigning gratitude, and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. I will certainly do my best."

The two continued drinking, their atmosphere seemingly harmonious and filled with laughter, but in reality, every word they uttered was a test of each other's limits, an attempt to find flaws in each other's words. Liu Yushu knew that he had to be extremely vigilant in order to survive this dangerous maneuver and obtain that crucial key.

The Second Prince, of course, couldn't easily trust Liu Yushu, but he couldn't find out anything about the situation. Slightly tipsy, and with her having tampered with his drink, the Prince seemed drowsy. Yushu gently patted him. Her heart pounded, she held her breath, and softly called out a few more times, "Second Prince? Second Prince?" Wanyan Qiang's eyes were tightly closed, his breathing becoming heavy, and he didn't respond. Yushu gritted her teeth, knowing the opportunity was fleeting, and immediately leaned down, reaching out to touch Wanyan Qiang's waist.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she touched the bracelet, anxiously searching for the brass key. Finally finding its outline, she was about to pull it off when she suddenly heard Wanyan Qiang utter a mumbled murmur. Startled, she froze, her heart pounding in her chest. After a moment, she looked up, and seeing no further movement from Wanyan Qiang, she slowly exhaled and continued her work. She carefully untied the knot holding the key, each movement as light as a feather, afraid of waking this "feigning" tiger.

Finally, she successfully retrieved the key. Clutching it tightly, she felt a surge of relief at surviving such a close call. But she knew she was far from out of danger. She quickly slipped the key into her sleeve, then straightened Wanyan Qiang's clothes, trying to restore everything to its original state. Having done this, Liu Yushu tiptoed to the side, her eyes warily fixed on Wanyan Qiang, ready to respond to any unexpected situation. Confirming that Wanyan Qiang still showed no signs of waking, she tiptoed to the door of the private room, gently opened it, and just as the person waiting at the door received the key and was about to leave, she faintly heard someone calling her from inside.

Her heart felt as if it had been gripped tightly by an invisible hand. She froze on the spot, her back instantly soaked with cold sweat. After a brief moment of shock, she forced herself to remain calm, slowly turned around, and quickly put on a gentle smile, but her voice trembled slightly: "Second Prince, you're awake? I saw you were asleep, so I thought I'd bring you a basin of warm water to wipe your face and make you feel better."

As she spoke, she secretly prayed that her excuse would work. Her mind raced, trying to figure out how to escape if Wanyan Qiang saw through her ruse. She saw Wanyan Qiang leaning against the couch, his eyes glazed over, seemingly drunk, staring intently at her as if trying to see right through her.

"Come here." Wanyan Qiang's voice was low and his face slightly angry, exuding an undeniable authority. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to move her leaden legs and slowly walk towards Wanyan Qiang. Each step felt like stepping on her own heartbeat, and she could clearly feel her heart pounding loudly in the quiet private room.

Approaching the bed, Liu Yushu gave a slight curtsy, her head bowed, avoiding Wanyan Qiang's gaze. Wanyan Qiang raised his hand, gently pinching her chin, forcing her to look up. His gaze lingered on her face: "A'Nian, are you hiding something from this prince?" Wanyan Qiang's eyes were filled with scrutiny and suspicion. She felt as if his gaze were piercing her back, as if her disguise would be completely torn away at any moment.