Yu Jingchen kept testing Nan Zhiyun's temperature, but it wouldn't come down, making Yu Jingchen increasingly anxious.
Later on, Nan Zhiyun seemed to be delirious from the fever, muttering constantly, saying "No" and begging for mercy. Yu Jingchen listened, a wave of pain welling up inside him.
"I'm sorry…" Yu Jingchen felt these three words were too weak, but there was nothing else he could say.
"You'll get better. I won't let this happen again. I will protect you well from now on, and I won't let you get hurt anymore. Don't be afraid… Trust me this once, and everything will get better. Everything will be better in the future." Yu Jingchen tidied Nan Zhiyun's hair. Nan Zhiyun was very restless, and he could only gently pat her to soothe her.
Soon, the palace maids brought Nan Zhiyun's medicine. Xing Lai prepared to take the bowl of medicine, but as he was about to take it inside, Qian Xia spoke.
"Eunuch Xing, let me take it in. That way, I can better serve Consort Shu as she drinks her medicine." Qian Xia spoke up first, clearly not trusting the situation and thus acting this way.
Xing Lai could naturally see this, but he chose not to point it out. Since she didn't trust the situation, he decided to go in and see for himself.
"Don't say anything unnecessary. Come out when you're told to, or your little life will be lost with no one to care," Xing Lai warned, handing her the bowl of medicine he was holding. Qian Xia took it.
"Yes, thank you, Eunuch, for your guidance." Qian Xia bowed and then walked in with the medicine.
Xing Lai watched Qian Xia's retreating figure with some helplessness. This young palace maid was indeed loyal, but couldn't she be more observant? If she remained so rigid, who knew how she would meet her end in the future? When she was saying those things inside earlier, he thought His Majesty would be enraged and punish the young maid. However, in the end, he didn't expect His Majesty to show leniency, which was truly beyond his expectations.
Was it all because of Consort Shu? His Majesty's attitude changed so drastically today. Was it because General Nan was returning? But that didn't seem right; it hadn't been like this before. And even if he were returning, surely a show of such sincerity wasn't necessary? This didn't seem like acting at all; it felt genuine.
Moreover, he thought he had actually seen worry, concern, fear, and even regret in His Majesty's eyes today. What were those emotions? His Majesty had never displayed such emotions before, yet today they appeared for a woman. And it was for a woman who had never been favored, whom His Majesty had even seemed to dislike and reject. How could this not surprise him?
Having served by His Majesty's side for so long, it was the first time he had seen His Majesty exhibit such common human emotions. Having been by His Majesty's side for too long, he had even begun to believe that His Majesty had lost the capacity for such emotional fluctuations. But now it had reappeared… Regardless of the reason behind it, it was ultimately a good thing.
Xing Lai thought to himself, the current change in His Majesty wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but… the past events had still occurred. So, if His Majesty truly cared for Consort Shu now, how would the past events be resolved? Would they never be forgotten? It couldn't remain a lingering resentment forever, could it? For someone like His Majesty, if he truly couldn't move past the past, then the future relationship between them would certainly not be optimistic.
And what about Consort Shu? Could she truly accept His Majesty's overtures with ease? Would she truly forgive him? Consort Shu had changed a lot since entering the palace. Could the past be mended in the future?
Xing Lai stopped thinking too much. Some matters were not for him to worry about. However, as someone who had served by His Majesty's side since he entered the palace, around the age of eleven or twelve, and had been there for so many years, a bond had surely formed.
Although His Majesty could be somewhat cold-hearted and ruthless on the surface, he had been quite tolerant towards him. Perhaps it was out of consideration for their past. He had no other family; the only person he cared about and was concerned for was His Majesty. Therefore, his thoughts were all for him, and naturally, he hoped for his well-being in the future.
Xing Lai sighed softly and quietly stood guard outside.
When Qian Xia entered with the medicine, she saw His Majesty sitting beside her Consort, his posture even appearing somewhat intimate. Qian Xia was surprised but did not show it.