After the Empress Dowager came out, Yu Jingchen stepped forward. The Empress Dowager glanced at him. Although Yu Jingchen said nothing, his meaning was clear.
"Let her stay for now. Yun'er is also very difficult. Your Majesty should show her some compassion. You are, after all, different towards her now, aren't you?" the Empress Dowager said to him.
Yu Jingchen did not reply, but he did not deny what she said.
"A Su is about to arrive in the capital. Yun'er misses A Su, and naturally doesn't want any more trouble at this time," the Empress Dowager reminded him.
"She cannot keep this child. No matter what, this child may not truly be safe in the end, and it might even harm her body along with it," Yu Jingchen said very seriously.
"Your Majesty doesn't want Yun'er to hate you, do you?" The Empress Dowager didn't say anything else, just asked this question.
Yu Jingchen fell silent. The Empress Dowager spoke no further. She sighed softly, "Your Majesty, go in and take a look. I believe you will make your own decision." With that, the Empress Dowager did not linger, as her presence here was of no further use.
Yu Jingchen watched the Empress Dowager's retreating back. He saw her off, then shifted his gaze back to the interior of Zichen Palace. Looking at the open door, he hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should go in.
After a while, he finally made a move. The palace attendants prepared to follow, but Yu Jingchen raised his hand to stop them.
"Unless you have my summons, no one is allowed in," Yu Jingchen said. Everyone nodded in agreement.
Yu Jingchen stepped into the room. Nan Zhiyun sat by the bed, looking utterly insecure, hugging herself. His heart twitched inexplicably upon seeing this sight.
He walked towards Nan Zhiyun. Seeing Yu Jingchen approach, Nan Zhiyun's face was pale, but she showed no other reaction.
"You still want to keep it?" Yu Jingchen asked her. This time, his voice sounded a little gentler.
Nan Zhiyun looked at him with watery eyes, offering no response, but her eyes conveyed everything she wanted to say.
Yu Jingchen let out a breath. He glanced at the medicine beside them. Nan Zhiyun noticed his gaze and gripped the quilt tightly.
Yu Jingchen sensed it and reached out to grasp Nan Zhiyun's hands. The moment he touched them, Nan Zhiyun flinched and tried to pull away. But with his strength, how could she resist? So she could only let Yu Jingchen hold her hands.
"Why are you hiding? I'm asking you a question, just answer it directly. Why are you being so timid?" Yu Jingchen's tone remained unchanged, betraying no emotion.
"Tell me, do you want to keep it? Are you sure?" Yu Jingchen repeated his question.
Nan Zhiyun stared into his eyes. Yu Jingchen did not rush her. After a moment, she finally spoke, "I want to keep it, can I? Let's try, please?" Nan Zhiyun's eyes were so full of emotion that it was heartbreaking to behold.
"...Alright, let's try." Yu Jingchen agreed. He agreed? A flicker of disbelief crossed Nan Zhiyun's eyes.
"You can keep it. If you want to try, there's no problem, but I must tell you a few things in advance. Even if you keep it now, it might not be truly kept in the future, so don't regret your decision now. Also, if there is another accident and it's truly not suitable to keep it, you must obey me and not be so stubborn again, understand?" Yu Jingchen laid down the conditions first.
Nan Zhiyun naturally had no reason to refuse further. She nodded in agreement. Some things could be delayed for now. Who could say what the ultimate outcome would be?
Seeing Nan Zhiyun soften and her emotions stabilize, Yu Jingchen felt a little relieved. At least the situation was stable for now.
"Are you still experiencing abdominal pain?" Yu Jingchen changed the subject. Nan Zhiyun shook her head, feeling much better now.
"I'll have the imperial physician change your medicine shortly. Drink your medicine obediently and recuperate well for the next few days. You will temporarily stay here and not return to He'an Hall," Yu Jingchen continued. Xing Lai had come over earlier, but nothing had come of it, and the note found in the palace maid's belly was blank.
Therefore, this incident still required further investigation. Zichen Palace was, after all, safer than He'an Hall.
The cold and cooling medication Nan Zhiyun had taken was smeared on her chopsticks, not only cold but also containing a mild toxin. For an ordinary person, it wouldn't cause much harm, but Nan Zhiyun couldn't handle it, as she was pregnant and already in poor health, hence the symptoms.
"Mhm," Nan Zhiyun nodded. This time, she did not resist staying here. Yu Jingchen was finally satisfied.
"Do you want to sleep for a while?" Yu Jingchen asked her.
"I want to wait for Father to come back..." Nan Zhiyun was like an injured child now, wanting to find her closest relative.
"Your father will only arrive in the capital in a while. When he does, I'll have someone inform you," Yu Jingchen tried to coax Nan Zhiyun to rest first.
"I can wait, I'm not tired," Nan Zhiyun refused to be persuaded.
"No, go rest first." Seeing that he couldn't convince her, Yu Jingchen immediately issued an order. Nan Zhiyun's eyes immediately dimmed.
Yu Jingchen frowned slightly upon seeing her like this. His words shouldn't have had such an impact. Had she been hurt again?
"I didn't mean to yell at you..." Yu Jingchen said. Nan Zhiyun remained silent.
"Your physical condition is not good right now. Rest for a while. When your father arrives, I will permit him to come here and see you, alright?" Yu Jingchen took another step back. He had finally learned to compromise.
To see him here? Nan Zhiyun felt as if she had heard a dream, and dared not believe it.
"Not only will he come to see you, but you can also eat together, and I won't disturb you," Yu Jingchen added.
This time, Nan Zhiyun was truly startled. The disbelief in her eyes made Yu Jingchen's heart soften.
"So, rest now, okay?" he asked, his voice much softer than usual.
"Okay..." Nan Zhiyun finally compromised. Yu Jingchen stepped forward and helped her lie down. Nan Zhiyun nestled into the bed and obediently closed her eyes, like a little child who needed coaxing to sleep.
Seeing that she had closed her eyes like this, Yu Jingchen raised an eyebrow. This Nan Zhiyun was like a good, obedient, and well-behaved child.
Yu Jingchen sat beside her without making a sound. Nan Zhiyun was not truly asleep, but she was indeed frightened and exhausted today. So, as she lay there, drowsiness crept in, especially since her stomach no longer hurt. Thus, she soon fell asleep.
"She sleeps quite fast," Yu Jingchen gently touched Nan Zhiyun's nose, then tucked her in before getting up to leave.
After Yu Jingchen left, he gave instructions to those outside: "Have the Imperial Physician's Office prepare new medicine for Consort Shu. The Imperial Kitchen will no longer be responsible for Consort Shu's meals from today onwards. All of Consort Shu's food will be prepared in the kitchen of Zichen Palace. Even the utensils will be kept separate and not used arbitrarily," Yu Jingchen ordered. The palace attendants all responded in agreement.
"When will Nan Su arrive?" Yu Jingchen asked Xing Lai.
"He still has about two hours," Xing Lai replied respectfully.
"Bring all the memorials that have not been dealt with today to Zichen Palace. Do not disturb me unless it is urgent. When Nan Su returns later, he need not go to the Golden Hall; he is to come directly here," Yu Jingchen continued to command.
Xing Lai quietly agreed. He could guess that His Majesty's actions this time were probably for Consort Shu.
After issuing these orders, Yu Jingchen returned to the main hall. He did not enter the room where Nan Zhiyun was resting, but sat down directly at the desk.
Xing Lai brought the unfinished official documents. Yu Jingchen was usually very busy. Because he had spent the entire day with Nan Zhiyun yesterday, many matters had piled up today.
The room was very quiet. Nan Zhiyun slept soundly in the inner chamber, while he handled official business outside. The atmosphere between them seemed to have changed.
Looking at the pile of documents, Yu Jingchen felt a sense of vexation. Ever since he ascended the throne, as an emperor, he had disciplined himself daily. There were many things he could not do according to his own wishes. Many people coveted this position, but it was never an easy one.
He didn't know how long he had been working. These matters had become a numb routine for him. Just then... Yu Jingchen looked to the side, his brow furrowing. "Why did you come down?" Nan Zhiyun had gotten up.
"I couldn't sleep..." Nan Zhiyun said in a low voice.
"Then why did you get up without calling for anyone? Has the injury on your foot healed? You dare to come down?" Yu Jingchen looked displeased. He put down what he was doing and walked over.
Nan Zhiyun was a little flustered and took two steps back. Perhaps it was due to fear, so she couldn't control herself.
Yu Jingchen naturally saw this but said nothing. But... why was Nan Zhiyun barefoot?
"Why aren't you even wearing shoes?" Yu Jingchen's face was cold.
"...My foot hurts, so I'm not wearing them," Nan Zhiyun lowered her head, seemingly nervous.
Yu Jingchen picked her up. "Since your foot hurts, why did you walk over? Don't you have a mouth? Don't you know to call for someone?" Yu Jingchen said this.
"I'm sorry..." Nan Zhiyun whispered. What Yu Jingchen had wanted to say was immediately choked back by her words, and he couldn't speak.
"Never mind, be more careful in the future." Yu Jingchen said nothing more, only carried Nan Zhiyun back to the bed.
Nan Zhiyun let go and sat properly on the bed.
(The male lead is now starting to face hardship and abuse. Have you all noticed? However, I remind you that before the plot fully develops, please do not judge casually or jump to conclusions. There may be twists and turns, or other intentions. So~ let your imaginations run wild, hahaha♡
Here, I'd like to ask for your opinions one last time. Do many of you feel that the rebirth arc is progressing too slowly, or that the chapters are too long? Does it feel draggy?
Actually, I lean towards slower development, a more gradual pace. I hope to portray the emotional development in a more nuanced way. Because, in my personal opinion, this kind of thing doesn't happen suddenly. I want there to be a slow process of change, which is why I've dedicated a large portion of the story to the two of them.
Perhaps I am just slow to warm up. The female lead has many imperfections, but honestly, in many plot points, I do put myself in her shoes, especially in terms of emotions.
However, since I am not her, I cannot truly empathize, nor do I know what I would do if I were to face every situation she has. Therefore, there are still many shortcomings.
Furthermore, regarding my writing style, what I intend is one thing, but what comes out is another. This indicates poor expression and inadequate writing skills. I will continue to practice and gain more experience in this regard. If you have any good methods, please feel free to recommend them to me, haha, my esteemed teachers!!!
I've been writing this novel for a long time, and I reflect on myself with each work. I always try to find my own shortcomings, but self-reflection is only one aspect. There are many small details that I cannot see myself, so I need everyone's supervision and guidance. If you have any problems, please feel free to leave comments for me~
I am very active, hehe, and I hope to interact with you all as friends and netizens, not necessarily as author and reader. The biggest reward I get from writing novels is all of you readers. I eagerly await your comments every day. Reading them is truly interesting and makes me happy, but please don't get tired of me, hehe~
Finally, let me explain. Because school has started, I just finished my entrance exams a couple of days ago. Classes have officially begun, and my schedule is quite full. Plus, I'm in the student union, so I've been very busy lately and haven't had much time.
(Don't ask my age, I'm from 2004 and now in my second year of university, second semester, hahaha. Too many people have asked, and I can't reply to them all.)
In the past week, I haven't had any free time. Updates will be slow because I generally only have time after ten o'clock at night to start updating.
However, I will try my best to avoid breaking the update chain. I will also make up for any missed chapters. This requires you to check previous chapters, as I have added content to some of them.
This period is quite special. Thank you for your understanding. I apologize for the less-than-ideal experience. I'm sorry~
Finally, if you have any suggestions, please leave them for me. I will read them slowly, every single one. However, I may not be able to reply to all of them. But I will read everything you send, so please feel free to share your opinions. Thank you all~~)