Yu Jingchen spread out the cushion. The Empress Dowager and Nan Zhiyum watched him without speaking. Nan Zhiyum had actually grown accustomed to it, but the Empress Dowager was different. A hint of disbelief flickered in her eyes as she witnessed Yu Jingchen's actions.
"Don't sit for too long," Yu Jingchen added thoughtfully, then naturally supported Nan Zhiyum and helped her sit down beside him.
"Thank you, Your Majesty..." Nan Zhiyum was still a little flustered.
Yu Jingchen reached out and patted her head. "You stay and chat with the Empress Dowager alone for a while. I'll come back to fetch you later, alright?" Yu Jingchen knew that if he were present, the two of them would be somewhat uneasy, so he offered to leave, leaving the space to them.
"Mm..." Nan Zhiyum didn't think much of it. The Empress Dowager, however, glanced at Yu Jingchen twice.
"I'll leave now and be back later." Yu Jingchen said this to the Empress Dowager, his eyes conveying the message that she should keep a good eye on Nan Zhiyum.
"Mm," the Empress Dowager replied with no inflection or fluctuation in her tone.
Yu Jingchen looked at the two of them. "Be good. If you need anything, send someone to find me," he said to Nan Zhiyum one last time before leaving.
The two women watched Yu Jingchen depart. Deep thought flickered in the Empress Dowager's eyes as she sat down beside Nan Zhiyum.
"Zhiyun, how has His Majesty been treating you recently?" the Empress Dowager asked.
"...Very well," Nan Zhiyum replied after a moment's thought.
The Empress Dowager looked at Nan Zhiyum and then took her hand. "What do you mean by 'very well'?"
"...His Majesty no longer gets angry with me... and he doesn't blame me for anything I do wrong anymore. He seems to have become more attentive, and... much more gentle and patient. Empress Dowager..." Nan Zhiyum looked at the Empress Dowager.
"Mm?" the Empress Dowager responded.
"His Majesty seems to have changed completely, not like himself at all," Nan Zhiyum voiced her inner thoughts.
"Does Zhiyun like His Majesty's current change?" the Empress Dowager asked, not answering directly, but posing a counter-question.
"..." Nan Zhiyum did not answer immediately.
"Zhiyun is hesitating, aren't you? You... like the current His Majesty." The Empress Dowager sounded quite certain.
"I don't know... Empress Dowager, I'm scared," Nan Zhiyum said, looking at the Empress Dowager with teary eyes.
The Empress Dowager gently stroked her hair. "Zhiyun, follow your heart." She neither approved nor disapproved.
But Nan Zhiyum shook her head. "I dare not... Empress Dowager, His Majesty was not like this before. I'm afraid..." She was afraid it was all a pretense, afraid it was all a dream.
And... she was afraid of Yu Jingchen. The memories of the past would resurface in her mind uncontrollably. That's why she was afraid. Every time she was in the same space as Yu Jingchen, these memories would automatically appear before her eyes. She was afraid...
"Then let's wait. It's alright. After some more time, Zhiyun can ask herself again and truly feel her heart. Then we'll answer, okay?" The Empress Dowager was very gentle, and she had always been thoughtful towards Nan Zhiyum.
Nan Zhiyum didn't say anything further. Her hand slowly moved to her abdomen. The Empress Dowager noticed the gesture and smiled, placing her own hand over it.
"Zhiyun is going to be a mother soon." The Empress Dowager's eyes were filled with gentleness. She... had never experienced such a thing in her life. Pregnancy and childbirth? How could it be? She had no right, nor could she enjoy the process of bringing life into the world.
"Empress Dowager..." Nan Zhiyum seemed to sense the Empress Dowager's emotions, yet she couldn't articulate them.
"It's nothing. I'm just suddenly feeling quite emotional. Zhiyun is already going to be a mother." The Empress Dowager hid the sadness in the corners of her eyes. Nan Zhiyum pursed her lips.
The Empress Dowager knew that Nan Zhiyum was afraid and worried about the child.
"Don't worry, Zhiyun. Since the child has arrived, let's cherish it. Don't overthink things; taking care of your health is the most important thing, alright? I'll handle everything else." The Empress Dowager tried to comfort her.
"But... this child carries the Nan family's blood... and is as unwelcome as I am..." The Nan family, the object of Yu Jingchen's deepest fear and disgust.
"How can that be? Zhiyun is thinking nonsense again." The Empress Dowager knew that Nan Zhiyum, being from the Nan family, carried many burdens. They had done their best to give Nan Zhiyum everything, doting on her since childhood and spoiling her into a naive disposition. But... after entering the palace, Zhiyun had grown.
It had to be said that within these not-so-high palace walls was the easiest place for people to grow... The more hardship, suffering, and pain one endured, the more they would mature, no matter how pure their original nature.
"Zhiyun, His Majesty would not be acting." The Empress Dowager suddenly said this.
Nan Zhiyum looked at the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager smiled at her, then drew her into her embrace, hugging her gently, just as she had held her when she was a child.
"His Majesty seems to genuinely care about you now. I don't know what happened, but I know that His Majesty is not acting when it comes to you. He now cares for you deeply, so the most important thing now is you, Zhiyun. You need to think carefully about what you truly want." The Empress Dowager spoke with a thoughtful expression.
Nan Zhiyum leaned against her, silent. What did she want? It seemed she herself couldn't answer that question for now.
In Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager spoke many words to Nan Zhiyum, the content of which Yu Jingchen did not know. He had considered arranging for someone to spy on them, but he later abandoned the idea. Since he wanted to give them space, it would be dishonorable to have someone eavesdropping.
Furthermore... Cining Palace was truly unfathomable. Even Yu Jingchen did not know how much danger was hidden within its walls.
Cining Palace had always been under surveillance, but these individuals were not a threat to the Empress Dowager; rather, they seemed to offer protection. Sometimes, even his own people couldn't get close. He had been trying to uncover the reason but had never succeeded.
Therefore, he had once suspected that the Empress Dowager, and even the Nan family, possessed a hidden force that he could not fathom. This suspicion had only intensified his distrust of the Nan family.
However, after experiencing his past two lives, Yu Jingchen suddenly had an idea. Could the people in Cining Palace be from Miaoyin Pavilion? That was the only place he couldn't probe. Moreover, this place belonged to Gu Yin's territory... In his previous life, this was one of the most unexpected points.
Miaoyin was considered the largest force in the martial world, and this force was controlled by Gu Yin... Gu Yin. Speaking of him, Yu Jingchen's eyes flickered. What would he do in this life?
"What has the Grand Tutor been doing recently?" Yu Jingchen asked Xing Lai. Xing Lai was taken aback. Why was His Majesty suddenly mentioning the Grand Tutor? However, despite his confusion, he had to answer. He hadn't paid much attention to the Grand Tutor either.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, there have been no reports of anything happening at the Grand Tutor's residence recently. The Grand Tutor was in seclusion and instructed people not to disturb him. Furthermore, the Grand Tutor has not left his residence, and there have been no anomalies," Xing Lai replied. The Grand Tutor had been in seclusion for nearly half a year.
Yu Jingchen said nothing upon hearing this. Gu Yin... this person was also very mysterious. Ever since he could remember, Gu Yin had been the Grand Tutor of Yuan Kingdom, highly respected by the people and officials alike.
He had never paid much attention to this person because Gu Yin was very low-key and generally did not appear in public. From childhood, he had only heard his legends, such as being born a chosen one, a son of heaven. Even his own father, the Emperor, respected, even indulged, Gu Yin.
Moreover... the Grand Tutor seemed to have visited Fengyin Palace the most in the past... The key was that his father seemed to have no objection to this.
Thinking back now, there were many suspicious points. Why had he never noticed them before? Now that he had discovered them, could he also resolve many problems? Especially after having been reborn so many times...
"Tomorrow, go to the Grand Tutor's residence and have him come to the palace to see me," Yu Jingchen ordered.
"Yes." Xing Lai didn't understand why His Majesty would suddenly issue such an order. His Majesty had always been indifferent to the Grand Tutor and, conversely, repulsed by superstitions. However, Xing Lai could only think these thoughts to himself and did not dare to voice them.
—♡—♡—♡—♡—♡—♡—♡—♡—
About two hours later, Yu Jingchen checked the time and felt that enough time had passed, so he ordered Xing Lai to prepare for a carriage to Cining Palace.
By this time, Nan Zhiyum had already left Cining Palace. After having a meal with the Empress Dowager, she felt a bit drowsy, perhaps due to her pregnancy. The Empress Dowager had wanted her to stay at Cining Palace to rest, but Nan Zhiyum felt it was unnecessary and said she wanted to return.
The Empress Dowager did not insist. She thought... perhaps allowing her more contact with Yu Jingchen now would lead to something different. So, she had someone escort Nan Zhiyum back.
Nan Zhiyum felt a little unwell. Perhaps she had eaten a bit too much today and felt nauseous. The Empress Dowager asked Qian Xia to accompany Nan Zhiyum and walk slowly for a while, with the Empress Dowager's carriage following behind.
Nan Zhiyum was a little afraid at first, as she didn't want to be out in the open. Although the carriage was a small space, it could provide her with a sense of security.
However, she was indeed feeling a bit unwell today. Her stomach was churning violently, and the carriage was quite bumpy. After sitting for a while, she couldn't stand it and finally compromised, agreeing to walk for a bit.
As a result... before they had walked far, Nan Zhiyum heard a loud crash from behind. She was startled and turned to look, only to see the carriage had broken apart. Nan Zhiyum's face immediately turned pale with fright.
"Your Ladyship..." Qian Xia had also not expected such a sudden turn of events. Seeing her mistress's pale face, she quickly stepped forward to check.
"What happened?" Qian Xia asked the group of people.
"Replying to Your Ladyship... we servants don't know either. As we were walking, the carriage suddenly collapsed..." The palace attendants were also terrified, kneeling on the ground with trembling bodies, afraid.
They were truly innocent. They had not expected something like this to happen. The current Noble Consort was not someone to be trifled with. Both the Empress Dowager and His Majesty doted on Noble Consort like the apple of their eye. Therefore, who would dare to be careless? Moreover, Noble Consort was now pregnant.
"You all go explain yourselves to His Majesty and the Empress Dowager. Report to His Majesty," Qian Xia instructed the palace attendants around her.
Without daring to delay, the palace attendants rushed to report to Yu Jingchen. Qian Xia supported Nan Zhiyum. "Your Ladyship, let me help you sit down for a moment." Qian Xia's face was also full of worry.
Nan Zhiyum nodded. She couldn't be willful in such a situation. She sat down obediently.
"How are you feeling, Your Ladyship? Do you need me to send for an imperial physician?" Qian Xia asked, concerned by Nan Zhiyum's pale complexion.
Nan Zhiyum shook her head. Her hands and feet were icy cold. Although what just happened could not have been an accident, it was most likely aimed at her. But who could it be? Nan Zhiyum dared not imagine.
Just as Nan Zhiyum sat there, still shaken, several people approached from a distance. Were they Consort Li and Consort Yuan?
"Isn't this Noble Consort? Why are you sitting here, and why is your complexion so poor?" Consort Li's mouth started spewing venom again.
Consort Yuan also approached and gave a slight bow when she saw Nan Zhiyum.
"Noble Consort," Consort Yuan called out softly. Consort Li rolled her eyes. She certainly wouldn't show any respect.
"What happened here? Is Noble Consort unwell?" Consort Yuan asked.
"What could be wrong with her? She's just pregnant and pampered, getting tired from just walking a few steps," Consort Li said with disdain.
Consort Yuan remained silent. Nan Zhiyum looked at Consort Li. "Does it have anything to do with you?" she asked, her tone tinged with anger.
Consort Li hadn't expected Nan Zhiyum to retort like that. Nan Zhiyum didn't seem like this before. After entering the palace, she had mostly presented a gentle side to others.
Because Nan Zhiyum believed Yu Jingchen liked it, she had hidden her true self.
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