That night, Yu Jingchen held Nan Ziyun as they slept. Perhaps it was because of what happened during the day, but he had a dream that night.
The scene in the dream was that hunting trip. Before heading to the hunting grounds, Nan Ziyun had been overjoyed after learning that she was included. She had been looking forward to it, thinking she wouldn't be going, but then Yu Jingchen actually brought her along. For days, she prepared diligently.
To avoid being looked down upon by Yu Jingchen, she had practiced archery for half a month, her hands developing blisters from the exertion.
However, once they reached the hunting grounds, Yu Jingchen seemed to have forgotten about her, never once asking about her. Nan Ziyun's pavilion was assigned to the most remote corner of the temporary palace, a desolate place with nothing. She sought help, but no one paid her any mind or paid her any attention.
That night, when it was time to sleep, she didn't even have a blanket and froze the entire night. The next day, they merely brushed it off, saying the weather was late and it was a momentary oversight, without any intention. No one was concerned because everyone knew Yu Jingchen didn't care about her.
When the hunt officially began, as a female attendant, she wasn't required to participate, but inevitably, there would be some contests. Someone deliberately sought her out for an archery match, bringing up her identity as a general's daughter and her recent dedicated practice. Nan Ziyun found herself in a difficult position and had no choice but to compete.
However, her bow and arrow had been tampered with beforehand, and during the match, someone secretly employed a trick. The arrow veered off course, injuring an official's daughter.
At first, it didn't seem particularly serious, just a graze. But when the imperial physician examined the lady, he declared the injury severe and her life hanging by a thread. Consequently, Nan Ziyun was punished, made to kneel for a day as a warning.
Nan Ziyun had not rested well the previous night, and being frail, she fainted several times. Yet, this did not elicit Yu Jingchen's pity. Instead, her fainting spells brought her more torment. In the early spring weather, several basins of cold water were poured over her, a sensation Nan Ziyun would likely never forget.
After the punishment, she developed a high fever. But they told her the imperial physician was attending to the official's daughter she had injured, and thus couldn't come.
With no other choice, Nan Ziyun had to endure it on her own. Eventually, the imperial physician arrived, but his attitude was extremely perfunctory. He casually left a prescription and departed.
During those days, Nan Ziyun stayed in her room due to her illness. Perhaps because the room was too remote, a snake slithered in one night. Nan Ziyun was so frightened that her body went weak, and she was bitten by the snake. Fortunately, the snake was non-venomous.
Later, when they set off to return to the palace, she was placed in a very rudimentary and cramped carriage. It was bumpy, and she vomited the entire way, feeling extremely unwell.
However, Yu Jingchen still ordered the carriage to speed up. By the time they returned to the palace, Nan Ziyun had lost more than half her life. It took her about two to three months to recover. During this period, Yu Jingchen never once visited her, nor did he even inquire about her.
Yu Jingchen suddenly woke up, seeing everything in the dream. He looked at the young girl sleeping restlessly in his arms and finally understood why Nan Ziyun had been so resistant to attending the spring hunt this time.