He only hoped that everything was still in time, just as in the previous life, when he could have also changed Nan Zhiyun back to her old self.
The imperial physician was tending to Nan Zhiyun's wounds while Yu Jingchen watched with a worried heart. At this moment, someone announced from outside, "The Empress Dowager has arrived—!"
Yu Jingchen's eyes flickered. He glanced at Nan Zhiyun and, after some thought, decided to go out.
As soon as the Empress Dowager heard about the matter, she hurried to Zhiyun Palace. However, before she could reach it, she heard that Yu Jingchen had brought Nan Zhiyun to Zichen Palace. He had also reinstated Nan Zhiyun to the position of Shu Fei. She was confused by the situation and didn't understand Yu Jingchen's intentions, but due to her concern, she came this way.
"Emperor!" The Empress Dowager called out as she saw Yu Jingchen emerge, her anger evident in her tone.
She walked up to Yu Jingchen and asked, "What have you done to Yun'er?"
"She is injured. The imperial physician is treating her wounds," Yu Jingchen replied, his voice softer than usual.
"She's injured, and it's not because of you? Where is Yun'er? Let me in." How could the Empress Dowager just hand Nan Zhiyun over to him like this?
This time, Yu Jingchen didn't stop her. Instead, he moved aside. "If Mother is worried, you may go in and see her." He addressed her as "Mother," but the Empress Dowager did not appreciate it. "Don't call me Mother. I don't have a son like you!" she declared and went into the inner room herself. Yu Jingchen was not angered by her words and followed her.
Upon entering and seeing Nan Zhiyun lying on the bed, especially the wounds on her back, the Empress Dowager was so shocked that she almost fainted. She quickly went to Nan Zhiyun's side. Because the wounds on her back were quite severe, Nan Zhiyun was moaning continuously in pain as the imperial physician treated them.
"Yun'er..." The Empress Dowager, disregarding her dignity, knelt by the bed, or rather, half-knelt. She wanted to hold Nan Zhiyun in her arms but didn't know how.
"It hurts..." Nan Zhiyun whispered the word. Yu Jingchen heard it, and the Empress Dowager heard it even more clearly.
"It's all my fault. I failed to protect Yun'er. I came too late. Yun'er, be good, don't be afraid anymore." The Empress Dowager gently stroked her head. After a while, seeing Nan Zhiyun slowly calming down, she stood up again, her gaze sharp as she looked at Yu Jingchen. "Are you even human? How could you treat her like this? She is just a young girl. Don't you understand what happened? Yu Jingchen, you are so heartless. How could you be so cruel?" The Empress Dowager's emotions were somewhat out of control. Yu Jingchen did not retort but lowered his head. "I was wrong."
"Of course, you were wrong! Yu Jingchen, I shouldn't have adopted you in the first place! You..." The Empress Dowager became agitated and gasped for breath.
"Empress Dowager!" An Xin, who was beside them, was startled. Yu Jingchen also looked over. However, the Empress Dowager, perhaps truly overcome with anger, did not recover and fainted.
"Empress Dowager!" An Xin was frightened by the scene. Yu Jingchen instinctively moved to step forward but stopped himself. He simply instructed the palace attendants, "Send the Empress Dowager back to Cining Palace and have the imperial physicians examine her thoroughly." In the previous life, when faced with a similar situation, the Empress Dowager had also fainted. Was it because she was too disappointed in him?
After the Empress Dowager was sent back, Yu Jingchen sat by Nan Zhiyun's side. Because her injuries were so severe, she kept crying out in pain. Yu Jingchen listened with self-blame and heartache, but now, he felt powerless to do anything.
The imperial physician finally finished treating the wounds, a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. It wasn't from exhaustion but from intense nervousness.
"Your Majesty, Consort Shu's back wounds are too severe, so she needs to rest well and recover. Furthermore, she must not touch the wounds on her back again. Although they have been treated now, she will likely develop a fever later, so someone must stay by her side," the imperial physician said.
"Today, have all the imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Office be on standby, so they can provide timely treatment if any situation arises," Yu Jingchen instructed.
"Yes," Xing Lai replied.
"You may all withdraw," Yu Jingchen said, now having no time to deal with other trivial matters. His heart and mind were completely filled with the little person before him.
Xing Lai led the attendants away, leaving only Nan Zhiyun and Yu Jingchen in the room. Yu Jingchen looked at Nan Zhiyun, his emotions surging. It was all his fault. He knew he was wrong.
After Nan Zhiyun left in his previous life, he thought of her every day. Every time he thought of her, he would paint a picture of her...